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).

 

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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.

 

Bargain Books for February: Sci-Fi and Paranormal Romance

Feb 1-28: Paranormal and Fantasy Romance - https://books.bookfunnel.com/pnr-sci-fi-fan-romance/t9fs3y9m41

 

Feb 1-28: FREE Sci-Fi – https://books.bookfunnel.com/fictiongateway-scifi/a3g0ifg3im 

A Stranger is Watching - snippet from new #Fantasy Romance for #WeWriWa and Snippet Sunday

 

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

I’m posting snippets from my new fantasy about a witch and an elf. The book is due to release next Wednesday (Feb. 3^rd). The main character, Bridget Bramble, flees her home when invaders plunder the village and kill her brother. Her great-grandparents traveled from the fabled land of Oakenwald where men and elves live in harmony and she decides to backtrack along their path with the aid of their travel journal. After traveling alone for 6 days, she has encountered an obstacle in the form of a landslide that blocks the trail. But somebody is watching her.

You can read last week’s snippet at https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2021/01/danger-in-shadows-snippet-from-new.html

The final line was: A hooded figure stood in the shadows under the trees. 

 She stifled a startled gasp. How long had this person been watching her? In this wild region, any stranger might be a threat. Under cover of her cloak, she gripped the handle of her dagger. The blade was sharp, yet it was little defense against a larger and stronger opponent. Subterfuge was her best weapon.

The mysterious individual stepped out of the shadows. The person brushed off the hood to reveal a solemn face as smooth as a boy’s, cold gray eyes and long pale hair. The man was tall and slim. His hands hung at his sides, empty of weapons, although a bow was strapped on his back and a sheathed sword hung on his belt.    

That was the official 10 lines, but I’m sure you’d like to read a little more. It’s slightly shortened. 

He wore a lichen-gray cloak pinned with a bronze brooch fashioned like an oakleaf. Under the loose fold of his cloak, his tunic was the deep blue-green of pine needles, an unusual color for a dyer to achieve, and his nether garments were bark-brown trousers.

He stood on the edge of the trail and stared at her. His cool, handsome visage offered no hint of emotion.

Who was he and what did he want? The longer she gazed at him, the more she sensed his strangeness and a tickle of magic like she felt on touching her locket. Was he a human male or something else? In a flash of insight, she guessed the origin of his weirdness. He must be an elf. How marvelous.

 

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.  

Pre-order at: AMAZON   iBooks   B&N   Kobo  GooglePlay   Other

[Releases on Feb 3rd.] 

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.

Join me on Facebook and Twitter 

 

Bridget loses her family - snippet from new #Fantasy for #WeWriWa

 

NASA's recolored Jovian Storms looks Decorative

Happy New Year and welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors and SnippetSunday.

Reading is a safe pastime during the pandemic. Sample the work of a new author. Read snippets of stories in different genres.

On a personal note, my broken arm is healing and I’m doing physical therapy exercises every day. At least I can now type with both hands, which makes punctuation much easier.

I’m posting snippets from my new fantasy about a witch and an elf. Thanks for your positive comments about the beginning of the story. The book has just gone up for preorder at Amazon. The main character, Bridget Bramble, lives in a small village. Her plans to go foraging in the woods go awry when a troop of armed men march into the village and beat up the residents.

Before Christmas, I gave you a snippet at the end of the first chapter. I wanted to leave you at a happier place for the holidays. Bridget has run into the woods. You can read the snippet here - https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2020/12/bridget-flees-into-woods-snippet-for.html

You can find the complete, and extended, first chapter at https://www.auroraspringer.org/2020/12/coming-soon-epic-fantasy-with-adventure.html

The final line is “She crouched below the tops of the bushes and scurried up the path into the shelter of the trees.”

I’ve skipped a few lines. Bridget has stopped on the crest of a hill. She is peering from behind the rocks at the village. Note, Randall is her brother.

The kilted foreigners had set fire to the thatched roofs and separated the villagers into two groups. One group comprised a handful of the village men including her brother. Armed soldiers guarded the second group of cowed women and their frightened children. Other raiders were shunting plundered goods from the cottages onto their wagons.

A woman stumbled out of a doorway. The woman, heavily pregnant, cradled her bulging belly. She stared around, wide eyed in terror. Bridget recognized her sister-in-law. One of the raiders shoved her forward. Eveline fell.

A few extra lines.

Her head cracked on a stone and she lay still. The vile man kicked her, but she did not move.

Bridget froze in horror

Staring from the group of men, Randall yelled in outrage. He pushed the guards aside, rushed at the man standing over his wife, and pummeled him with his fists. The soldier thrust at him, withdrawing a red-stained blade. Randall slumped to the ground, lying face down. Blood pooled from under his body.

Bridget cupped a hand over her mouth to muffle a scream.

Two deaths.

She had lost the last members of her family.

 

Bridget Bramble and the Wandering Elf

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? 

An 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.  

Preorder at: AMAZON for release on February 3rd. 

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.

Join me on Facebook and Twitter 

Bridget flees into the woods #snippet for #WeWriWa

 

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors.

I wish you all a happy and healthy holiday.

Reading is a safe pastime during the pandemic. Sample the work of a new author. Read snippets of stories in different genres.

I’m writing a new fantasy romance about a witch and an elf. The main character, Bridget Bramble, lives in a small cottage on the outskirts of a village. Her plans to go on a foraging expedition in the woods go awry when a troop of armed men marched into the village and beat up the residents.

You can read my last snippet here: https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2020/12/a-furious-witch-snippet-from-fantasy.html

Note, it is an unedited draft of the story. Your comments are valuable.  

A scream, abruptly cut short, propelled her into action.

Her thoughts buzzing in alarm, she ran to the chest by her bed and grabbed her most precious belongings, the bag of her best buttons, her sewing kit, and carving tools. She stuffed them in a satchel along with a spare shirt. She hesitated over her three books. The herbal treatise and book of ballads would be too heavy to carry a long distance, although she decided to keep her great grandparents’ travel journal. Its pages had a wrinkled cover of oiled leather. She wrapped the small book in a cloth. She grabbed the pouch of medicinal herbs, her tin cup for heating water, and added food from the shelves, the rest of the barley cakes, strips of smoked mutton and dried fruit stored for winter.

End of 8 lines and a few extra. 

She hoisted the straps of the laden bags onto her shoulders and flung her cloak on top. Cautiously opening the rear door, she peered out. Just beyond the doorsill, a well-trodden path led uphill into the woods. Raspberry and currant bushes lined the path and provided a screen from the marauders in the village.

Heart thumping in fright, she lowered her hood over her head. She crouched below the tops of the bushes and scurried up the path into the shelter of the trees. 

Draft Blurb

In a land troubled by 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 folktales.

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

 

Two of my books are discounted to 99c this month. 

99c for The Lady is Blue, Book 1 of Atrapako on Eden

SciFi adventure & romance. Intrepid scientist solves mystery of scaly aliens.

5-star review: “This book grabbed me with sharp alien claws from the very first and would not let me go.”

Amazon  iBooks  Kobo  B&N  GooglePlay  Smashwords Other

99c for Europa, Book 1 in Taxyon Space

Near Future SciFi adventure & romance. Daredevil scientist and scarred alien dive into  the perilous oceans of Jupiter’s moon.

5-star review - “Awesome storyline, great character building and enough action to keep you turning pages till the wee small hours, highly recommend.”

Amazon  iBooks  Kobo  B&N  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.

Join me on Facebook and Twitter 

 

A furious witch? snippet from fantasy story for #WeWriWa

 

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors.

Enjoy a little distraction from pandemic worries. Meet writers in various genres and read 8-10 sentence snippets of their stories. Find a new author and sample their work.

I broke my arm two days before Thanksgiving, so I’m typing with one hand. Yet another disaster in a horrible year! Still, I’m making slow progress on the new fantasy romance about a witch and an elf. The main character, Bridget Bramble, lives in a small cottage on the outskirts of a village. Her plans to go on a foraging expedition in the woods were interrupted when a troop of armed men marched into the village and beat up the residents.

You can read my last snippet here: https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2020/11/a-harmless-old-man-snippet-for-wewriwa.html

Suddenly furious, Bridget resolved the horrid foreigners would not capture her or steal her best buttons. Shutting her eyes, she rubbed her fingers over the charm-inscribed buttons on her bracelet and considered what to do. Her cottage stood on the slope of a hill at the edge of the woods, well separated from the rest of the village. She would have a few minutes respite before the raiders came.

Randall and his pregnant wife lived in the village, but she had no way to defend them against the attackers. Few of the spells in her scant knowledge of magic were designed to harm people. She had only once used her best weapon, the repulsion spell, when the blacksmith’s son had tried to rape her. Later, he took revenge by spreading rumors that she was a witch who hated men. Repulsion made an effective defense against a man at close quarters, but at this distance, it would not work on the enemy. Her only option was to flee before the invaders captured her.

Extra paragraph: 

She was dressed for her expedition in a boy’s trousers, woolen shirt, jerkin and leather ankle boots. Her hair was tied in a ponytail and tucked under her cap. Randall had complained about her clothes. He scolded her about being unfeminine. It was useless to argue with him. He was only voicing his wife’s opinion, likely shared by the old biddies in the village. Bridget preferred the freedom of a man’s clothing for foraging in the woods. She had planned to spend the whole day gathering rare herbs, nuts and mushrooms. She had already packed a bag with barley cakes, a chunk of cheese, two apples and leather flask of ale for her midday meal. What else could she take for her flight?

 

Draft Blurb

In a land troubled by 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 folktales.

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

 

Any comments or suggestions are welcome.

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.

Join me on Facebook and Twitter 

 

A small army enters the village #WeWriWa #Fantasy

 

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors.

Enjoy a little distraction from pandemic worries. Meet writers in various genres and read 8-10 sentence snippets of their stories. Find a new author and sample their work.

I’m continuing with snippets from the first chapter of a new fantasy story about a witch and an elf. The main character, Bridget Bramble, lives in a small cottage on the outskirts of a village. Her plans to go on a foraging expedition in the woods have been interrupted.

You can read last week’s snippet here: https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2020/11/bridgets-trip-is-postponed-wip-fantasy.html 

Please note, it is unedited and subject to change. 

More yelling from below drew her to the window overlooking the road.

She peered out.

Well-armed men in a double line were marching into the village. Their helmets, sword hilts and spear points glinted in the sunlight. They wore thick doublets over kilts of leather dyed dark red. A helmeted man rode a black horse in the vanguard, his blood-red cloak billowing in the breeze. Walking behind the rider, another man carried a banner. In the rear of the column of fifty men, horses pulled two empty wagons.

And a few extra lines:

As they advanced, she watched in trepidation and puzzlement. Why were they entering the village? Had they come to collect tithes for King Athelric? Surely it was too early in the season. The tithe collectors always came after the harvest was gathered.

 

Draft Blurb

In a land troubled by invasions 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. But as she travels farther from home, she encounters malicious creatures from the worst kind of folktales.

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 the elf’s business in human territory? Can an ordinary, or almost ordinary, human girl trust a cold hearted elf? 

 

Any comments or suggestions are welcome.

 

New: Cosmic Trilogy, Boxset of Books 4-6 in the Grand Masters’ Galaxy 

Contains: Cosmic Rift, Cosmic Wars and Cosmic Lock

If you’ve enjoyed reading the first books in this series, the new boxset is cheaper than the 3 individual ebooks. 

Amazon  iBooks  Kobo  B&N  GooglePlay  Other

 

As always, 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.

Join me on Facebook and Twitter 

Brave Kitty! Snippet from Grand Master's Cat for #WeWriWa #SciFi

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors. Here, writers in different genres showcase their stories with 8-10 sentences. Join the fun and read our snippets.

Since several of you were worried about the fate of the kitten in last week’s snippet, I’ll continue the scene from my short SciFi prequel, Grand Master’s Cat.

The kitty “saved” the Grand Master from the sting of a giant scorpion.

You can read last week’s snippet here: http://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2017/04/kitten-attacks-alien-killer-in-snippet.html

The final sentence was: Tottering under the psi blast, the scorpion staggered two steps and collapsed onto the desert sand.

The Grand Master chopped through its neck with a laser-sharp ray, and left his attacker. He ran to the cat, amazed that such a small animal had the courage to attack the giant scorpion. He lifted the limp kitten and ruffled its fur, searching for wounds with his psi probe. When he moved its left foreleg, the kitten whimpered. Sensing the mineral of the bones, the Griffin located a break. He sat beside the kitten and crooned to it. This simple fracture was within his ability to repair by sealing the gap in the bone. 

While his psi energy bathed the tiny limb, the friendly cat rubbed its head against his hand and purred. Astonished by the cat’s lack of fear at his psychic emanations, he whispered, “Brave kitty!” The cat mewed and licked the Griffin’s fingers, apparently enjoying the tickle of psi power.

Grand Master’s Cat: 99c and always FREE with Kindle Unlimited

US - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IHSVHFS

International - http://authl.it/B01IHSVHFS?d

Grand Master’s Pawn, Book 1: 99c at  Amazon  iBooks  Kobo  B&N

Grand Master’s Game, Book 2: 99c at Amazon  iBooks  Kobo  B&N

Grand Master's Mate, Book 3: at Amazon  iBooks  Kobo  B&N

Cosmic Rift, Book 4: on Pre-order for Release in June at Amazon

Specials for April 24-26^th

Fill your eReaders with FREE & 99c Fantasy Romances: http://www.smschmitz.com/promo

99c Fantasies with Monsters or Gods: http://www.aleshaescobar.com/promo

As always, I’ll be happy to reply to your comments.

Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers.