Two very different fantasy novels

As the holidays rush toward us, I'm reminding folks of the books I've written, hoping one of them might turn out to be the perfect gift. After summing up my science fiction (first my SF with aliens, then my near-future SF) and my picture books, I'm now ready to talk about fantasy. As with all my books, you can probably order copies of these novels at your local bookstore -- but I'm including purchase links as well.

 

 

I've written two fantasy novels, though if there's a subgenre called "afterlife fantasy," the first of them, Wander Home, falls within it. Here's the teaser.

"Death is what you make it. . . .

"Eleanor never wanted to leave the daughter she loved so much. The overpowering urge to wander -- to search, without knowing what she sought -- drove her away. She left little Cassidy in her family's loving care. But Cassidy and the others died in an accident before Eleanor could find her way home. Now, they are all reunited, in an afterlife where nothing is truly lost: places once loved may be revisited, memories relived and even shared. Surely this is a place where they can understand and heal. And yet, the restlessness that shaped Eleanor's life still haunts her in death. Somehow, she must solve the mystery of her life -- or none of them will be at peace."

This book taught me that if you start writing a story with a mystery in it without knowing the resolution to that mystery, the answer won't necessarily appear when you're ready for it. I ended up having to go in a direction I hadn't anticipated. Does it work? So far, I haven't had a review saying otherwise....

You can pick up Wander Home on Amazon, bookshop.org, Books-A-Million, and Thriftbooks.

My other fantasy novel, like my near-future SF novels, has lawyers in it. In fact, the main characters are the father-daughter legal team of Abe and Adira. So where's the fantasy element? Read on.

"Negotiating with the Fair Folk is a tightrope walk over deadly perils. And even the most skilled can misstep.

"The many wondrous realms the Fair Folk inhabit offer tempting opportunities for mortals hoping to benefit from faerie magic. But making bargains with the Fair Folk is a dangerous business, for the fae have a habit of leaving loopholes to snare the unwary. Father-and-daughter lawyers Abe and Adira have made a career out of helping their fellow humans reach such agreements safely.

"Abe and Adira know the rules for dealing with Fair Folk: don't reveal your true name, don't say thank you, don't accept gifts, don't eat fae food, don't tell even the slightest of lies . . . . Oh, and always, no matter the provocation, be unfailingly polite.

"A moment of carelessness, a brief lapse, and a professional defender of mortal interests may be in dire need of rescue."

Far From Mortal Realms would be a good choice for someone who loves picturing exotic and/or beautiful fantasy settings, or for someone who enjoys trying to design a wish that a hypothetical genie couldn't turn against them . . . or for someone to whom parent-child relationships are important. You can get it on Amazon, Walmart, or Thriftbooks.

Next and last list: historical fiction, including historical romance. In the meantime, happy reading!