New! Princess Shuka and the Pirate King, Epic Fantasy Romance

 

NEW!  Princess Shuka and the Pirate King  

An elf princess in exile. A pirate with a promise. A war that will unite or destroy them.

Princess Shuka, once a proud and pampered elf of the Southern Lands, is stranded in the treacherous Marshes of Mu after a devastating dragon attack. Her world is overturned when she falls into the clutches of fearsome marsh wights and is rescued by the jaunty pirate, Captain Rolf Fox.

Rolf vows to restore Shuka to her father, even though her haughty demeanor taxes his patience. The challenges escalate after he discovers Shuka’s father has already left her for dead. Emperor Raglan’s fleet of dragon ships threatens to invade the Marshlands, and Rolf must organize the defense against this implacable enemy. With war on the horizon, he is torn between his duty to his people and his promise to Shuka. 

Shuka must swallow her pride and join forces with the pirate and the barbaric Marshmen to defeat the enemy invaders before she can sail home. As battle rages and passions ignite, will they triumph over a relentless enemy or will their differences tear them apart?

Danger and unexpected love beckon in Book 3 of the magical tales of Oakenwald.

DISCOUNTED! Begin the Oakenwald Chronicle with Bridget Bramble and the Wandering Elf discounted to only 99c. 

A desperate witch. A mysterious elf. A perilous journey toward hope and love. 

Bridget Bramble’s world is shattered when her village is destroyed by ruthless marauders. Armed only with her Granny’s advice and a bag of magic buttons, the young witch flees into the wilderness, determined to find the fabled land of Oakenwald where elves and humans live in harmony. But the path to safety is treacherous, and Bridget must grapple with malicious creatures from the darkest folktales.

Lost and desperate in the mountain foothills, she encounters an enigmatic elf, Windswift the Wanderer. Windswift offers to guide her through the perilous mountain passes to Oakenwald. She accepts his offer, although his icy demeanor disturbs her. Can Bridget trust the elf with her life and her heart?

On their journey, Bridget and Windswift must confront not only the evil forces threatening their world but also the growing bond between them. Their quest becomes a race to reach the peaceful haven of Oakenwald in a world teeming with darkness.

An epic tale of courage, magic, and unexpected romance, Book 1 of the Oakenwald Chronicles weaves the richness of folklore into a quest for a better future.

DIRECT BOOKSTORE

My books are available at a discount in my virtual store (https://payhip.com/AuroraSpringerNovels).

 

I invite you to join me on Facebook,  Twitter/X,  YouTube, or Instagram 

 

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with two romantic fantasy adventures.

 

February’s bargain books: Start my two fantasy series with a 99c special!

Super Starrella, Book 1 of the Secret Supers series, Superpowered college students with fantastic animals.

Teen superhero, Starrella, and her flying horse combat vicious killers in the skies of Atalanta. 

The quiet summer before her freshman year turns frighteningly weird after Estelle Wright trespasses onto an Army base. Blown into the air and knocked unconscious, she wakes with a nascent superpower. Not to mention a winged horse with a snarky attitude and a mind of her own.

Back home in Atalanta, a serial killer is targeting the students at Goldman University. Before long she must juggle college classes with sneaking out of the house after dark to battle alien monsters. Estelle’s life is in danger, but who can she trust: handsome Mark Copper from military intelligence, or hunky Toby, the tough gangster with a motorbike? Both men have secret agendas, but falling in love is not in their plans.

Superheroes at college, quirky animal sidekicks, and a dash of romance enliven this thrilling adventure. Book 1 of the Secret Supers.

99c at my Webstore and other retailers.

See the complete series (to date) at https://www.auroraspringer.org/p/secret-supers.html 

* * * * * 

Bridget Bramble and the Wandering Elf, First book in the Oakenwald Chronicles. Epic fantasy quest and romance. A young witch escapes the destruction of her home and seeks the fabled land where elves and humans live in peace. 

In a land threatened by cruel invaders from the east, Bridget Bramble lives in a small village where she barters herbs and carved buttons. When marauders target her village and murder her family, she flees into the woods. Armed with her Granny’s advice and a bag of magic buttons, she sets out on the perilous journey to Oakenwald, the fabled land where elves and men live in harmony. As she travels farther from home, she encounters malicious creatures from the worst kind of folktale.

Lost in the foothills of the mountains, Bridget meets the elf, Windswift the Wanderer. He offers to guide her across the mountain range. But what is the elf doing in human lands? Can an ordinary, or almost ordinary, human girl trust a cold hearted elf to lead her to safety? 

This story weaves elements of folklore and a quest for a safe haven in a land where magic is real and dangerous.  

99c at my Webstore and other retailers.

See the complete series (to date) at https://www.auroraspringer.org/p/oakenwald.html

 

 

Seeking Adventure and Magic? Look no further.

 

Support my Kickstarter campaign and delve into an epic fantasy story imbued with the grit and whimsy of an old folktale. Lose yourself in the captivating tale of a resourceful witch's quest for peace and a courageous elf with an unexpected heart.

When an army of cruel soldiers plunders her small village, Bridget flees into the woods. With no home and no family, she risks the perilous journey to find shelter in Oakenwald, the fabled land where elves and men live in harmony. Armed with a bag of charmed buttons and a handful of spells, she treks through the wilderness, encounters evil creatures from the worst folktales, and meets the elf, Windswift.

But the peaceful realm of Oakenwald is threatened by a new danger. Ships carrying ruthless invaders have entered the southern port, and Bridget and Windswift are recruited to investigate. Their scouting team comprises elves, humans, a troll, and messenger birds. The perils increase as they travel farther from the elf queen’s domain. Will Windswift’s sword and Bridget’s handful of spells be sufficient to defeat the invaders? Can they return to the safety of the guarded land?   

Join my Kickstarter campaign now and be part of this thrilling adventure! Help me to create a Special Illustrated Edition of the Oakenwald Duology. Two epic fantasy stories in one gorgeous volume! 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/auroraspringer/oakenwald-duology-new-series-and-special-hardcover-edition

My campaign is due to launch in September. I'll post more details over the next few weeks. 

Bargain Book: 99c for Epic Fantasy Romance - Bridget Bramble and the Wandering Elf

 

Discounted to 99c from June 20-July 9: Bridget Bramble and the Wandering Elf

Fantasy quest and romance. A young witch escapes the destruction of her home and seeks the fabled land where elves and humans live in peace.

In a land threatened by cruel invaders from the east, Bridget Bramble lives in a small village where she barters herbs and carved buttons. When marauders target her village and murder her family, she flees into the woods. Armed with her Granny’s advice and a bag of magic buttons, she sets out on the perilous journey to Oakenwald, the fabled land where elves and men live in harmony. As she travels farther from home, she encounters malicious creatures from the worst kind of folktale.

Lost in the foothills of the mountains, Bridget meets the elf, Windswift the Wanderer. He offers to guide her across the mountain range. But what is the elf doing in human lands? Can an ordinary, or almost ordinary, human girl trust a cold hearted elf to lead her to safety? 

Epic fantasy adventure and romance with darker overtones. This story weaves elements of folklore and a quest for a safe haven in a land where magic is real and dangerous.  

99c for eBook at https://books2read.com/u/3GALaP 

https://www.auroraspringer.org/p/bridget-bramble-and-wandering-elf.html

I don't want a war! - excerpt from Bridget Bramble for #WeWriWa and #SnippetSunday

 

Happy Mother's Day! 

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday. Sample the work of a new author. Read snippets of stories in different genres.

My excerpt continues from last week in the first chapter of the sequel to my fantasy romance Bridget Bramble and the Wandering Elf. In the opening scene, the young witch, Bridget Bramble, is carving charmed buttons under the fond gaze of her new elf husband, Vancele Windswift.

I have not completed the story and this excerpt will need editing. I’d appreciate your comments. 

You can read last week’s excerpt here: https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2023/05/bridget-bramble-at-queens-council.html

The last sentence was: He answered her unspoken question, “’Tis the summons to the Queen’s Council.”

“A council of war,” she grumbled. “Hen’s teeth, the councilors will be yattering for the rest of the day and I’ve only made five buttons. Why don’t you go without me? I won’t be much help.”

“Indeed, your skills will be valuable.” His long silver-blond hair swayed as he leaned forward to caress the back of her hand. “Your buttons can wait. Put away your tools, dear wife. Marshall Emrys invited both of us to attend the war council.”

She retorted, “Your uncle made the invitation sound like an order.”

Ten sentences and a little more.

Memories swirled through her mind of the assault on her village. The cruel raiders had killed her brother and his wife. They had plundered the cottages and dragged away her neighbors. She choked back a sob and blurted out the true reason for her reluctance to attend the council, “Oh Van, I don’t want a war.”

He wrapped his arms around her. “None of us wish for war. That is why the Queen is holding a council meeting. She wishes to discuss what we can do to avert war with Emperor Raglan.” 

She wrinkled her nose and sighed, “Then, I must go to the council whether I can help or not.”

“Aye. You must attend.”

Please return to http://wewriwa.blogspot.com/ to sample the works of the other writers.

Book bargain for May: 99c for Grand Master’s Pawn, the first novel in my epic science fantasy and romance. Empath Violet teleports across the galaxy on a quest to discover the secrets of the Grand Masters. 

All my stories are discounted at my direct BookStore.

View my pictures and videos on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Pintrest.

Find high quality prints of my art at WhimsicalArt, and art on clothes, mugs, and other merchandise at my RedBubble Shop.

 

Bridget Bramble at the Queen's Council - Excerpt for #WeWriWa and #SnippetSunday #fantasy

 

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday. Sample the work of a new author. Read snippets of stories in different genres.

After a break of several weeks, I’m returning with excerpts from my WIP. I’ve been busy in the intervening time. My husband and I spent a week in Florida and then visited Oxford, MS, to display his photographs and my digital art at the Double Decker Arts Festival. Now, I’m running a Kickstarter campaign.

Writing the next book is moving slowly. It’s the sequel to my fantasy adventure and romance Bridget Bramble and the Wandering Elf. The tentative title is Bridget Bramble and the Dragon Ship.

Here are the opening lines (unedited and may change). It’s a spoiler for the earlier book, but not unexpected.

I’d appreciate your comments.  

On the day they exchanged their marriage vows, Bridget Bramble and Vancele Windswift were summoned to the elf Queen’s council of war.

A horn blared.

Its deep notes vibrated through the canvas walls of the Stitchery where Bridget Bramble was carving an acorn on a charmed button of red oak.

Rattled by the strident sound, she dropped her carving chisel on the table and looked at her new husband, Vancele Windswift. A few minutes earlier, the elf had entered the Stitchery and straddled the other end of her bench to watch her create the buttons.

The sight of his handsome visage and the smile warming his cool gray eyes swept a thrill of delight through her. He loved her. His calm demeanor reassured her. The raucous blare had not alarmed him.

He answered her unspoken question, “’Tis the summons to the Queen’s Council.”

Look out for more next week. I hope to get back into the routine of posting snippets. 

I’ve launched a kickstarter campaign for a special illustrated edition of Super Starrella. It will include color illustrations and a custom chapter image. Please support my project at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/auroraspringer/exclusive-special-hardcover-edition-of-super-starrella

(You can pledge as little as $1 and receive a printable bookmark, or pledge more for the ebook, paperback, or hardcover version.)  

All my stories are discounted at my direct BookStore.

View my pictures and videos on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Pintrest.

Find high quality prints of my art at WhimsicalArt, and art on clothes, mugs, and other merchandise at my RedBubble Shop.

 

Welcome to 2022!

 

I wish everyone a stellar New Year.

Surely, 2022 will be better than the last two years. My husband and I have officially retired from our university positions and will have more leisure time. We plan to travel, both in the US and internationally. As a first step to destress from the last two years, we have planned a camping trip with our RV trailer. You can see the trailer below. We will stay a week on the Florida coast in mid-January. Look out for photos of our travels in future posts.

 

Our travel plans will not interfere with my writing. I am working on the second book in my new epic fantasy series, Chronicles of Oakenwald. As usual, I’ll run regular promotions with discounted prices for my books.

 The first book in my epic fantasy will be discounted to 99c this month.

 

Bridget Bramble and the Wandering Elf

Fantasy romance. A young witch flees the destruction of her home to seek the fabled land where elves and humans live in peace.

In a land threatened by cruel invaders from the east, Bridget Bramble barters medicinal herbs and buttons for a living. When marauders target her village and murder her family, she flees into the woods. Armed with her Granny’s advice and a bag of magic buttons, she sets out on the perilous journey to Oakenwald, the fabled land where elves and men live in harmony. On her travels, she encounters malicious creatures from the worst kind of folktale.

Lost in the foothills of the mountains, Bridget meets the elf, Windswift the Wanderer. He offers to guide her across the mountain range. But what is the elf doing in human lands? Can an ordinary, or almost ordinary, human girl trust a cold hearted elf to lead her to safety? 

99c at Amazon   iBooks   B&N   Kobo   GooglePlay   Other

 

Review of My Writing Progress in 2021

 

Every December, I post my annual report about my progress, especially in writing fiction. 2021 was another stressful year. The covid pandemic exacerbated problems with family health and jobs. The major source of distress was my father-in-law’s drastic decline in health. My husband and I helped him find suitable care. He was hospitalized several times, entered hospice and died in September. We are still dealing with his possessions. Our university jobs also became increasingly difficult. We decided to retire in January in order to travel more and to pursue other opportunities such as writing fiction and photography.

Despite the difficulties, I published two novels and took a family camping trip to Connecticut. Here's a view of our first campsite on the way north and a scene from Harper's Ferry on the return journey.   

 

Books Published in 2021

 

Baswin, Book 5 of Taxyon Space

Near future Sci-Fi adventure and romance starring alien mermen

Can a psychic woman from Earth find a home among the alien Warrish?

Alien merman, Baswin Kenton Tallis, Second of his Triad, lives on Earth disguised as a human. When the Earth authorities discover the secret identity of his older brother, Bas must flee to the Warrish base in the depths of the Pacific Ocean.

Psychic sensitives, Holly Moon and her younger sister Rosie, were chosen as candidates for Warrish training as hyperspace navigators. Rosie is eager to contribute to humanity’s advance into space. Yet she fears she may not adapt to the neuro-implants or might fail the arduous tests.

Holly meets Baswin on an island in the Pacific Ocean, but their destiny lies farther away. What obstacles will block their journey to a happy reunion with the Flaming Comets Triad? 

Available at: Amazon   iBooks   Kobo   B&N   GooglePlay  Other

 

 

Bridget Bramble and the Wandering Elf

Fantasy romance. A young witch flees the destruction of her home to seek the fabled land where elves and humans live in peace.

In a land threatened by cruel invaders from the east, Bridget Bramble barters medicinal herbs and buttons for a living. When marauders target her village and murder her family, she flees into the woods. Armed with her Granny’s advice and a bag of magic buttons, she sets out on the perilous journey to Oakenwald, the fabled land where elves and men live in harmony. On her travels, she encounters malicious creatures from the worst kind of folktale.

Lost in the foothills of the mountains, Bridget meets the elf, Windswift the Wanderer. He offers to guide her across the mountain range. But what is the elf doing in human lands? Can an ordinary, or almost ordinary, human girl trust a cold hearted elf to lead her to safety? 

Available at Amazon   iBooks   B&N   Kobo  GooglePlay   Other

 

These two books bring my total output for the past 7 years to 20 full-length novels, 2 novellas and 4 short stories, 5 box sets and an anthology of shorter works.

  

Major Promotions in 2021

Grand Master’s Pawn, book 1 in the Grand Masters’ Galaxy, was free in 2021 as an experiment. This strategy did generate sales of the other books, although results were not impressive. People who bought the second book generally continued to the current end of the series. 

BookBub Featured Deal: Taxyon Space Triad, boxset of books 1-3, was accepted for a US and International Featured Deal at 99c in November. The Boxset was briefly a US and International Bestseller on Amazon. It had more than 2500 sales that month plus a good readthrough with sales of the next two books in the series.

 

My Goals for 2022

1)      I plan to complete the second book in my new epic fantasy series Chronicles of Oakenwald.

2)      Next, I hope to finish the sixth book in Taxyon Space, and also publish a boxset of books 4-6.

3)      I hope to produce more print books. Eight of my stories are available in print.

Grand Masters’ Galaxy, my longest series includes a prequel, six full-length novels, and two boxsets. The first three novels are available in print.

Taxyon Space  includes five novels, a short story, and a boxset. The sixth book is planned. Only the first two books are in print.

Secret Supers has three novels, a boxset plus a short story.

Atrapako on Eden comprises three novels and a boxset. The first two books are available in print. 

4)      Besides continuing my current efforts to market my books, I would like to explore new opportunities in social media.

 

My Survey of Readers’ Opinions on Styles for Book Covers

 

Earlier this month, I asked my newsletter subscribers to vote about their preferences for book covers for epic fantasy stories. Most epic fantasies have people/characters on the covers. Some stories have landscapes or scenes without people. Other books like Game of Thrones have more abstract images.

I offered three options for books covers and gave the examples shown in the header image.

 

Survey Question:

What type of book cover do you prefer?

A.            A picture with one or more characters in the story.

B.            A landscape, castle or cityscape from the story.

C.            An abstract symbol such as the ring in Lord of the Rings.

 

Survey results:

176 people voted on the question about style of book cover.

35.2% voted for a picture of one or more characters.

49.4% voted for landscapes, castles or citiscapes from the story.

15.3% voted for an abstract design.

The landscape style of cover image had the most votes (almost half of all votes). The abstract symbolic design had the fewest votes.

The results of this survey suggest that I should change the cover on my new epic fantasy to a landscape or setting from the story and omit pictures of the characters. The current cover is shown below.

 

Bridget Bramble and the Wandering Elf

Fantasy romance. A young witch flees the destruction of her home to seek the fabled land where elves and humans live in peace.

In a land threatened by cruel invaders from the east, Bridget Bramble barters medicinal herbs and buttons for a living. When marauders target her village and murder her family, she flees into the woods. Armed with her Granny’s advice and a bag of magic buttons, she sets out on the perilous journey to Oakenwald, the fabled land where elves and men live in harmony. On her travels, she encounters malicious creatures from the worst kind of folktale.

Lost in the foothills of the mountains, Bridget meets the elf, Windswift the Wanderer. He offers to guide her across the mountain range. But what is the elf doing in human lands? Can an ordinary, or almost ordinary, human girl trust a cold hearted elf to lead her to safety? 

99c at Amazon   iBooks   B&N   Kobo  GooglePlay   Other

 

A different perspective? - Excerpt from Bridget Bramble and the Wandering Elf for #WeWriWa

 

Relax for the Labor Day holiday! 

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday. Sample the work of a new author. Read snippets of stories in different genres.

For this holiday weekend, I’m revisiting an earlier book. My new epic fantasy, Bridget Bramble and the Wandering Elf, is discounted to 99c for September to generate interest. I’m currently, albeit slowly, writing the second book in this series. Also I’ll need new covers since the initial cover cannot easily become part of a series with consistent images. I’m considering a switch to more abstract, symbolic covers for this series instead of images of characters. What type of cover do you prefer?

Here's a teaser excerpt from the book: The elf, Windswift, is guiding Bridget on a difficult path through the mountains to the haven of Oakenwald. 

The path curved around a ridge out of sight of the main road. Beyond the ridge, it narrowed and cut across a precipitous slope. In many places, the track simply disappeared among the rocks.

Bridget bit back a groan. The track, scarcely wide enough for one person, was not a road in her way of thinking. Elves had a different perspective as well as their mysterious magic. Windswift seemed to be following a clear path, familiar from earlier journeys or marked by secret elvish signs.

Careless of the rattling stones, she hurried up the final stretch to join him.

He merely nodded and walked on.

Nine lines and a little more: 

Past the next curve, the path grew worse. It became a thin rock bridge spanning two mountainsides, a knife edge scarcely wide enough for one person’s feet. Sheer cliffs plunged down for hundreds of feet on either side of the track. 

Bridget gasped in dismay.

Terrified of falling, she slowed to a shuffle, placing one foot at a time with desperate care. Her pulse thudded in fear. She dared not look down past the surface of the track.

A violent gust slammed against her, knocking her off balance.

She stumbled.

Her foot slipped over the edge. Tottering over the precipice, she shrieked in terror.

A vice-like grip on her arm halted her descent. With a strong tug, she was pulled into the elf’s arms.

“You are safe,” he said. “I will hold you secure.” 

She laid her head against his chest and wrapped her arms around him. He felt warm against her cold cheeks and his back was firm under her clutching fingers. Her initial rush of gratitude shifted into a new emotion. His warmth tickled her senses and sparked desire for his embrace. But he would reject her. Elves despised humans.

Gradually recovering her wits, she said, “I’m sorry. I’m scared of falling. I can’t go on.” 

“Don’t be afraid, Bridget. We have only a little farther to go. I’ll hold your hand and steady you on the path.”

 

Fantasy romance. A young witch escapes the destruction of her home and embarks on a perilous quest for the fabled land where elves and humans live in peace.

In a land threatened by cruel invaders from the east, Bridget Bramble lives in a small village where she barters herbs and carved buttons. When marauders target her village and murder her family, she flees into the woods. Armed with her Granny’s advice and a bag of magic buttons, she sets out on the perilous journey to Oakenwald, the fabled land where elves and men live in harmony. As she travels farther from home, she encounters malicious creatures from the worst kind of folktale.

Lost in the foothills of the mountains, Bridget meets the elf, Windswift the Wanderer. He offers to guide her across the mountain range. But what is the elf doing in human lands? Can an ordinary, or almost ordinary, human girl trust a cold hearted elf to lead her to safety? 

Epic fantasy adventure and romance with darker overtones. This story weaves elements of folklore and a quest for a safe haven in a land where magic is real.  

99c at: AMAZON   iBooks   B&N   Kobo  GooglePlay   Other

I’ll be happy to reply to your comments. 

Please return to http://wewriwa.blogspot.com/ to sample the works of the other writers.

 

Find a catalog of my published stories HERE.

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