The Tale of the Drakanox

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A person stands before a glowing magic doorway in a dark fantasy jungle.

The Smashwords Year End Sale is still going on, so now I’m featuring the grand finale of my Minstrels of Skaythe series: The Tale of the Drakanox! If you’ve only read part of the saga, this is where it all wraps up.

You can findThe Tale of the Drakanox along with all my other ebooks on Smashwords for 50% off until July 31, 2026.

The Tale of the Drakanox

It was just an old story. There couldn’t really be a lost civilization based on trust and equality. Not when the Wizard-King Dar-Gothull rules Skaythe through cruelty and terror. 

But when Ar-Thea told the story of the Shining Ones to her six magelings, the legend took root in their hearts. For years, they traveled the land as Minstrels. Through stories and song, they offered light and hope in dark times. Now their secrets have been laid bare. The Minstrels flee as the regime gathers its forces to crush them. 

Yet there is hope. Deep in the cursed Hornwood, there is an incredible power that only the Minstrels can use. It is guarded by a terrible beast — the Drakanox! The Minstrels must call on every ally and avoid every enemy if they hope to recover what has long been lost.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my blog, Wyrmflight, or follow me on Bluesky.

A Book of Significance

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First of all, the Summer/Winter Sale at Smashwords is still going. Everything in my catalog is 25% off until July 31, 2026.

Secondly, as part of his promo for the Summer/Winter Sale, David Lee Summers included a review by me of his book Lightning Wolves. If you like Weird Western or Steampunk or just want to read my words of wisdom, go ahead and click that link.

Thirdly… How long can I keep this going? I re-read a book that had an impact on my life, Our Native Bees by Paige Embry. If you also follow my blog, Wyrmflight, I wrote last week about participating in citizen science projects focused on native bees. You can read that post here.

I mention there that some of my yard’s bee populations have shifted over time. Looking for ways to address this, I re-read Our Native Bees, which I previously read in 2018. I really had forgotten how much this book influenced me. Both of the citizen science initiatives I participate in are recommended there.

Fiction, nonfiction, or in between — you never truly know how much any book you read may affect you.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my blog, Wyrmflight, or follow me on Bluesky.

Woman at Work, July 2026

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What’s Happening? I started my summer break with a five-day jaunt to Colorado. We hiked around Mesa Verde National Park, got lost a few times, and had emotional battles with the rental car. We are glad we went, and equally glad to be home. In addition, Queen Titania’s Court has just wrapped up. It was another fantastic year.

Also! Smashwords is hosting their Summer/Winter Sale again this year. From July 1st to 31st, all my ebooks will be on sale for 50% off. If you’re interested in something but have been hesitating, this will be your chance to score a bargain. My catalog is here.

What I’m Working On. A new short story, or perhaps a novella, centered on Mistress Henbane (from the two Standing Stones books). This time the PoV is Edward Pierce, who came on like a boor and a creep in “The Guardian Stones.” This time we get to see the world through Pierce’s eyes.

What’s Next? The second draft of my latest novel is cued up as soon as I complete the first draft of that story I was just talking about.

Where I’ll be. Currently I have no plans for an in-person appearance until September.

Fun and Games. In addition to my perennial favorite, Animal Crossing, I’m doing another play through of Dragon Age Origins. That arch-demon is going down! I’m reading The Path of Wicca for a bit of research with a spiritual turn. Next up will be Project Hail Mary.

Wishing you a lot of R & R and not too much heat this summer!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my blog, Wyrmflight, or follow me on Bluesky.

Adventure!

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An ancient building of weathered stone looms above. Detail of Cliff House. Photo by Deby Fredericks 2026
Detail of Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park. Photo by Deby Fredericks, June 2026.

I’m just returned from an adventure! My husband and I went to Mesa Verde National Park right after the end of the school year. If you aren’t familiar, Mesa Verde is the site of the ancestral pueblos and cliff dwellings. It’s an incredible experience to see their ancient homes, and how much the ancestors were able to build with only rocks, water and soil. We fantasy writers can take a lesson from it, that even a supposedly primitive culture can build remarkable things.

The trip was not without its challenges. Mesa Verde is at a high altitude, in arid conditions, with narrow stairways and ladders to reach the cliff dwellings. Let’s say we aren’t as young as we used to be, so I signed us up for the shortest possible ranger-led hike. It was still almost too much for us.

Also, our rental car was a complete prima donna. I will never, ever buy that brand of car.

Queen Titania’s Court continues on my blog, Wyrmflight. It’s great month of fantastic stories. Don’t miss it!

And don’t forget! Smashwords is hosting their Summer/Winter Sale again this year. From July 1st to 31st, all my ebooks will be on sale for 50% off. If you’re interested in something but have been hesitating, this will be your chance to score a bargain. Watch this space for the appropriate links.

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my blog, Wyrmflight, or follow me on Bluesky.

New Things Coming

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Smashwords is hosting their Summer/Winter Sale again this year. From July 1st to 31st, all my ebooks will be on sale for 50% off. If you’re interested in something but have been hesitating, this will be your chance to score a bargain. Watch this space for the appropriate links.

Until the end of June, Queen Titania’s Court continues on my blog, Wyrmflight. One of my own books was already featured: Standing Stones & Eldritch Tomes. Check it out!

Summer break has begun for my school district. I’m looking forward to having a bit more time for myself, and carrying on with my latest short story.

That’s all for this week. I hope your writing and reading are going well!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my blog, Wyrmflight, or follow me on Bluesky.

Marching On

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Queen Titania’s Court is in full swing, with the latest post being Joyce Reynolds-Ward’s Vision of Alliance. If you like epic fantasy, it’s worth a glance.

Work continues on that short story of mine. The literal last week of school is a very slow time, so I’ve been able to make good progress. Today, though, was our local Pride festival and parade. I joined my union, WEA, in marching. The parade started at noon, but our position was like fourth from last, so we didn’t start moving until 12:45. This required a long wait in the sun. Although, the one time I went to sit on the grass in the shade, some sprinklers came on! (It actually felt good.)

Pride parade is always very colorful and everyone was in a great mood. It was fun once we actually got started.

Happy Pride to everyone!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my blog, Wyrmflight, or follow me on Bluesky.

Another Tale to Tell

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First of all, Queen Titania’s Court is in full swing. I hope you’ll take a look at some of the lively posts we have going on over at Wyrmflight.

Now that it’s running well, I’ve been considering what to write next. Every summer break, I’ll have a summer writing project. I’ve been dithering between starting the second draft of The (soon to be re-titled) Warlock’s Army, or a short story. In my past two releases, I’ve had short stories featuring Mistress Henbane and the wise women of Chantain. They are “Mistress Henbane” in Standing Stones & Safety Zones and “The Guardian Stones” in Standing Stones & Eldritch Tomes.

A third story with Mistress Henbane has always been on my wish list. That story has finally begun to unfold, so it’s where I’m focusing my literary efforts for the next couple of months. In this story, the POV is Edward Pierce, a supporting character from “The Guardian Stones” who was pretty much a boor. Now we’ll look at the world through his eyes. Are there hidden depths, or is Pierce just a clod?

I guess I’ll find out when I’ve written the thing!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my blog, Wyrmflight, or follow me on Bluesky.

Woman at Work, June 2026

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What’s Happening? Technically it’s still May but this is the June post. The school year is winding down, with 1 week of resource groups and 1 week to manage student data and prepare the room for break. Can’t wait for my two months off!

What I’m Working On. Queen Titania’s Court has taken up all of my brain power. It started yesterday!

What’s Next? I have been poking at the revisions of (soon to be re-tltled) The Warlock’s Army and will begin that as soon as I feel Queen Titania’s Court is properly set up.

Where I’ll be. My next personal appearance will be at Just-A-Con in September.

Fun and Games. Animal Crossing and a new to me game, Clean Up Earth. I’m doing ecological restoration again. Guess it’s my theme in life! My next read is Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer. It’s touted as a TikTok sensation, which I admit raises a red flag for me. We’ll see how I feel after reading it.

Happy summer to you!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my blog, Wyrmflight, or follow me on Bluesky.

Coming Soon

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Queen Titania’s Court is coming soon! That’s my annual blog event, over on Wyrmflight. All through the month of June, I’ll be featuring the characters and stories of (mostly) Indy fantasy authors.

During this peaceful holiday weekend, I’m busy setting up the individual posts. It’s been a bit tiring and takes a lot of concentration. Still, it’s one of the most fascinating parts for me. I get a glimpse of all these stories from different writers. Some of the themes are familiar, like vampires, yet every approach is unique. It’s equally interesting to see the covers, and the approach other authors take to presenting their books. I always pick up a few tips from looking at Indy book covers.

I hope you’ll take a look at Queen Titania’s Court!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my blog, Wyrmflight, or follow me on Bluesky.

Testing

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As a school worker, I’ve been helping to proctor the high-stakes tests we have every spring. It is simultaneously stressful and tedious. Stressful because the computers don’t always work and we have to help them log in to the test. Tedious because, after the stressful logins, there is nothing to do but sit in a silent room, watching students stare at their screens and occasionally type something.

It does allow me time to think about stories, though. In my case, I’ve been thinking about The Warlock’s Army. I did complete the first draft, weekend before last. Later than I’d hoped, but it got done. The annoying thing is, as I worked through the final chapter, I kept coming up with new story complications. Things that should have been introduced in the second or third chapter, if they were going to be part of the story. Which is now concluding.

I do often find, as I’m tying everything up, that I find myself giving a lot of hints toward what the future may hold. I try not to wallow in this too much; those thoughts are for the reader, if they cared enough about the characters. If they didn’t care, that kind of ending must be annoying.

Today, while proctoring, I started listing out some of the things that I need to address in the second draft. The title will be one of them; I can’t really call it The Warlock’s Army if the warlocks don’t form any sort of army! However, the revision ideas sort of mixed with the future-hints from the ending. I hadn’t planned a second book about Jeniana, Cassander and their big family, but possibly there may be one. I’m saving all my notes, just in case.

As a reminder, I’m still recruiting more authors for Queen Titania’s Court. Feel free to pass along the invitation to any fantasy writers you know.

As another reminder, my latest opus is live today. Tell all your friends about Standing Stones & Eldritch Tomes!

Have you read one of my books? Then it would be great for you to leave a review! Meanwhile, if you’d like to learn more about me and my work, check out my blog, Wyrmflight, or follow me on Bluesky.