As Dragons from Sleep
by J. Ellen Ross
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GENRE: fantasy
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BLURB:
Two years
have passed since the attempted coup that nearly cost Leisha, Queen of
Tahaerin, her crown, her lover, and her life. With her fractious and peevish nobles
cowed into submission, she can finally enjoy the peace she work so hard to
forge.
But, war has come to the kingdoms of Ilayta.
Sailing over the horizon, vicious invaders arrive first on the shores of
Tahaerin. Under the banner of their nameless god, they threaten to drown the
land in blood and bring a weapon never imagined here.
Leisha will fight ferociously to save her kingdom
and her people, while once more, powerful men plot against her. Conspiracies
she thought long dead return and her one-time lover reappears with grand
promises. One of her closest friends and advisers guards a secret that
threatens everything she has built. Isolated and betrayed, she has only a
pitifully small army and a handful of people she can trust.
As her enemies drive her from her home, turn
friends against her and threaten her life, where can Leisha turn?
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Excerpt One:
Once the horses recovered and her adrenaline started to wear
off, Aniska knew they had to move. “Come on,” she said. “The horses are ready.
We can make it back to the men. Eamon is still out there, he’ll see what’s
happened and follow. We’ll know where they’ve taken her. We have to let
everyone know what’s happened.”
Zaraki could not hear her. “I did nothing. Just like before.
I did nothing. I left her there,” he choked out. After seeing his family
murdered before his eyes when he was a boy, he had always sworn he would never
hesitate again if anything threatened someone he loved.
Aniska stalked over to where he crouched and slapped him. It
surprised her a little. She had never struck anyone that way before, much less
him. Bending over, she shouted in his face, her voice hard. “Listen to me.
Listen to me! Until this is over, this is the last thing I’m going to say to
you as your friend. I’m sorry for the things I’m going to say and do, things
that are going to hurt you. But from now on, I’m her Spymaster, only.
“Now, get up and get on your horse,” she commanded, standing
up. “The only thing that matters is getting her back alive. We don’t have time
for you to wallow in your self-pity and self-recriminations. Do you understand
me? I have a job to do and I’ll leave you here if you don’t do as I say.”
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
J. Ellen Ross lives in Texas with her husband and their four
rescue dogs. She works in high tech, which has nothing to do with fantasy or
writing. As Dragons from Sleep is the second novel in her series, ‘The Tahaerin
Chronicles’. The first A Gift Freely Given is available on Amazon.
When she’s not busy chasing dogs around or rushing someone to the
vet, she loves to read and play video games. She has a hobby of having hobbies,
so she’s also been known to do sculpting, beadwork, and painting.
Twitter: @j_ellenross
The book will be $0.99 during the tour.
