Ray Strong's Blog

The publisher has delayedrelease, but I can’t wait for you to get a taste of the new book in The Dragons' War series. It’s about Katheryn Corvus, the mother of the star of The Book of Chaos: Diana. They don’t have acover yet, but I can tease you with the start.

Description: Katheryn - Angel of Death

A war fought for one purpose:the love of her sister.

When slavers murder herparents and capture her sister, Katheryn Corvus, a fisher girl from a smallvillage, is left homeless, betrayed by the family she trusted.

In a nation that kills itskings, Katheryn is fifth in-line for the Mave, a powerful station she doesn’tcare about. But the neighboring empire, driven by an arcane book of magic, doescare and embroils Katheryn and her sister in a contest between nations: anempire built on slavery, and hers built on freedom.

It is up to Katheryn alone tounite her country with the spirits of the land to defeat the empire and freeher sister.

But even her own countrymen,those she would free from tyranny, want her dead.

“Katheryn is Queen Boudicaand Joan of Arc embodied in the same person!” Beta reader.

Prologue and Chapter 1:Katheryn – Angel of Death

Inthe Holy City of Mokdar, the End of Times began with a scream.

EmpressAh-Al gazed upon the scores of ornately dressed opportunists and connivers whofilled the audience chamber at the court of Emperor Quesh Mamout in theImperial Palace, listening for advantage that her station could not provide.

Queshwaved his hand. “Denied,” he said to dismiss the petitioner before he finished.Sulerian Elites in golden armor escorted him across the white marble floor andback into the crowd.

Theemperor turned to his pregnant concubine who sat just behind him to his right.“Set lunch, dear. This is too boring to continue.”

Theconcubine rose, and Quesh prepared to rise when his wife spoke.

“Next,”Ah-Al said, and a stout man in opulent robes approached. “And what do you bringthe emperor, Governor Vorless?”

Vorlessbowed deeply with a flourish of his cape. “Divine Emperor, I most humblybeseech you to accept my petition to—”

Queshstomped his foot. “Get on with it, Governor. Lunch awaits.”

“Ioffer a mission of immense wealth and possibility, a mission  that will make Suleria the most powerfulempire on Juro. Your rule will extend through the South and the North and—”

Theemperor leaned forward. “And how will you accomplish this?”

“Ipropose the conquest of Nordes using the slave trade to corrupt the Lords.”

“TheNorth has proven a formidable bulwark against smuggling and invasion. And whatwill this cost us?”

“Nothing,Your Highness,” Vorless said. “Only an Imperial Charter to protect Kabuna whileI am on this mission. I will pay for any Sulerian troops.”

“Soyou ask that I protect the lands you cannot protect yourself while you go onthis adventure.”

“Thegain will be yours, Your Highness,” Vorless pleaded. “Nordes will give usaccess to Xorellian steel we can use to conquer the world. I have alreadyallied with lords who will give us the capital at Wikkert, and—”

Queshwaved his hand. “No,” he said and stood.

“ButYour Majesty,” Vorless continued, “the gain—”

“Sayanother word, and you will feed the grax in the Garden.” As he turned away, theaudience chamber bowed, while Ah-Al gave him a side-eye.

#

Intheir private dining room, a servant closed the drapes to lessen the middayglare from ice covering the peaks of the Pamir Kush Mountains against which thepalace was built.

Atthe table, Quesh gulped down a half-goblet of wine before dipping a spoon intohis soup. By his side, his concubine sat silent while Ah-Al sat at the oppositeend, sipping her wine.

“TheChaos comes while you play bones with the governors,” Ah-Al said.

Queshtook a bite of the roast cut for him by a servant. “Which keeps them busy andaway from our throats.” He took another bite and spoke with his mouth full.“You should keep your beautiful head out of politics, dear.”

“Vorless’soffer could give us the North.”

“Vorlessis beset by his enemies who are my friends,” Quest said. “I won’t intervene orrisk them turning on us.”

Ah-Alshook her head. “You don’t know what’s coming, Quesh. Your friends will needmore slaves, or their harvests will collapse—”

“Notin our lifetime, and that’s what I care about.”

“Andaccess to weapons with which to conquer the world and shelter for the comingChaos.”

Queshtook another sip of soup. “You think you can see the future with that stupidbook of yours.”

Queshtook another sip of soup. “You should spend more time with the scripture in theChiniferra than with that book of yours. You can’t really believe your bookallows you to see the future.”

Shenodded. “One of many futures. One future lies in Derryh and the South. And forthat we need Xorellian steel.”

“TheNorth and the Spine are in the way. Both have stopped us before. I will notsquander our resources on a futile effort.”

“Theslave trade will finance Vorless’s mission and refresh the slaves in SeAu andAlvez.”

“No,”Quesh said

“Quesh,please. I can manage Vorless and need not trouble—”

Queshslammed an open palm onto the table. “No. I rule here.”

Ah-Altipped her head to a servant who refilled the emperor’s cup. After a deepdrought, Quesh slumped in his chair, but his eyes followed her. A guard cameover and opened his mouth to call the alarm, but a servant stabbed the guard inthe chest again and again.

Ah-Alstood with a dagger in her hand as other servants slaughtered the remainingguards and shed their togas to expose uniforms of the Sulerian Elites.

Theconcubine screamed and stood, but Ah-Al put a hand on her shoulder and sat herback down.

“Timeto end this farce, husband,” Ah-Al said with contempt. “We’ll all die if youremain in charge. I’m the one who brought you Karmulk and Xhosen. I’m the onewho keeps the priests from burning you at the stake. And I’m the one who willdecide who holds the crown when we die . . .”

Withher dagger, Ah-Al slit the throat of the concubine, spraying blood on her gown.

“. .. not some broodmare from Sinefora.”

Whenthe concubine collapsed onto the table, Ah-Al kicked her lifeless body onto thefloor. “Clean up this mess and take his majesty to bed. I need him alive.”

Coveredin blood, Ah-Al walked around the bodies, sat at the table, and ate like astarving wolf. When sated, she leaned back in her chair and snapped her fingersfor an Elite.

“BringVorless here to me,” the empress said.

Chapter1: Slavers Harvest

Asthe three moons set and Helios broke the dawn, the fog parted for slavers inhoods and leather armor who beached three longships near the village ofCherwytch.

Threecolumns of thirty men marched double time up the muddy road, past single-mastedskiffs, and fishing nets hung for repair. Armed with sword and trident, eachslaver wore leather armor that extended to the shoulders and knees. One tallman wearing elegant robes, with his hair in a topknot followed with uniformedguards.

Atthe first of the thatched-roofed homes, the outer columns split off to form acordon around the tiny village. The central column broke into each cottage,threw the villagers into the street in their bedclothes, and drove them totheir knees. Those who resisted were clubbed; those who raised weapons werekilled.

Womenand men between twelve and sixty summers and up were bound and joined at theneck by a bronze chain. Those younger were corralled in a shed. Only the oldand crippled were spared unless they complained, whereupon they were silenced.

Whenthe slavers broke down the door of the last and largest home at the end of theroad, they drove the couple to their knees. Between beatings of the residents,the tall man asked only one question:

“Whereis she?”

. . .

More to come soon!

---------

The special Kindle Deal discount for Zephyr’s Flight isstill available

but only until November 30.

$2.99 to $1.49 – half price!

Take advantage of the dealtoday before it runs out!

Zephyr’s Flight has won anotheraward!

Best Book Awards, Young Adult(American Book Fest)

Winner– Zephyr’s Flight 

Finalist– The Wounded Sky

The special Kindle Deal discount for Zephyr's Flight is still available, but

only until November 30.

$2.99 to $1.49 – half price!

-------

Take advantage of the dealtoday before it runs out!

Celebrate with us! More Awards for Zephyr’s Flight … and aDiscount.

Gold Medal – Readers’Favorite Book Awards

Gold Medal – Series. GlobalBook Awards

Gold Medal – TheInternational Review of Books

And Amazon has offered us a special Kindle Deal.

From November 1 to 30, Amazon is discounting Zephyr’sFlight from

$2.99 to $1.49 – half price!

Take advantage of the dealfor Zephyr’s Flight todaybefore it runs out!

Wednesday through Friday thisweek, Aug 27 to 29, Impulse Fiction is discounting The Wounded Sky from $4.99 to $0.99.

Reviewers are saying this about The Wounded Sky:

 “a fantastically beautiful, brilliantly written story grounded in the most human aspects of Astria: bodily exhaustion, sharp emotion, and quiet acts of courage. I love that Astria’s endurance is as present as her sword, and Strong lets us see her as a character shaped not only by power but also by her limits. ” 5*/5 Reader’s Favorite

  If you are a fan of fantasy, then this book is for you.  5*/5 OnlineBookCLub

 “a heroine worthy of the name . . . an engaging and entertaining fantasy with fine worldbuilding and a cast of delightful, well-developed characters.”  IR Approved IndieReader

  “an inspirational depiction of a strong yet wounded heroine who perseveres despite tragedy and fights to stay true to her values . . . a rich tapestry of plots and subplots with a colorful cast of characters and a compelling sense of mystery”  US Review of Books

A cursed bond. A dyingdragon. And a choice that could doom the world.

Astria’s bond with herdragon, Zephyr, is unraveling—poisoned by a curse that is draining theirstrength and killing them slowly. Desperate for a cure, Astria infiltrates thelegendary College of Singers, where ancient songs shape reality itself. But no magiccomes without a price.

Disguised as both performerand spy, she travels from shadowed taverns to gilded courts, aided by anunlikely trio: a secretive giant, a sharp-tongued dwarf, and the hauntingmemory of the warrior-prince who cursed her. Their only lead lies with the barbarianHordes—enemies she once swore to fight—and the cure is a bargain only her enemycan grant. As war brews and time runs out, Astria must decide: betrayeverything she’s fought for to save Zephyr—and herself—or let the curse consumethem both while civilization falls to Darkness.

Book Two of The Dragons’War series, The Wounded Sky is a soaring tale of sacrifice,survival, and the fierce magic of love.

 Wow! Zephyr's Flight is a Best Seller in not 1, not 2, but 3 categories. We're going to celebrate!

My ebook Zephyr’sFlight is available on BookBub for $0.99 for a limited time! Subscribeto BookBub for free to access amazing ebook deals from your favorite authors.Go to the link below to snag Zephyr’s Flight before the saleis over! Get it HERE.

TheBook of Chaos, Book 3 of the Dragon’s War series, is available for Preorder

Asher mother dies in her arms, she tells Diana of a dark artifact wieldedby the Emperor of Suleria to spread corruption and conquer nations. To avengeher mother and protect her homeland, Diana sets out to find its only rumoredcounterforce—a rival book of magic lost to legend—The Book of Chaos.

Hi,

Thisis the third book in The Dragons' War series, that begins with Zephyr's Flight.Though it is part of the series, Diana's adventures can be enjoyed withoutrelying on the first two in the series. It's the same world (Juro) and the sametime as Astrid, so of course ... I can say no more or risk spoiling the story.

Thelaunch date is August 11, 2025. I posted Chapter 1 of The Book of Chaosat BookFunnel.

Ifyou can’t wait, and want to leave a review, you can download an advanced reviewcopy (ARC) at NetGalley or Edelweiss.

Or,if you’re willing to wait, you can preorder The Book of Chaos at Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Vivlio, Gardners, Fable, Baker & Taylor, OverDrive, Thalia, or Tolino. (Amazon will come inAugust.)

Andif you’ve read Zephyr’s Flight or The Wounded Sky, don’t forget to leave arating on Amazon and/or Goodreads.

Happyreading,

Ray

Andif you’re interested in other fantasy reading, check these out.

Fun Fantasy and SciFi Tales

Fantasticrealms

July Fantasy SciFi

SciFiFantasy

The Wounded Sky is live now at Amazon and other major retailers:

Amazon,Apple Books Barnes & Noble, Kobo,  Vivlio, and Fable.

Don't wait. Enjoy it now!

In case you haven't picked up an excerpt at BookFunnel or the ARC at NetGalley or Edelweiss, I cut out a section of chapter 1 for you.

...

Livoik had settled into its early-afternoon rhythm with therap of hammers and calls of craftworkers when Astria found its dusty mainstreet. The town was small, with only the Inne of Three Bastards exceeding asingle floor. Adorned with baubles and surrounded by gifts of food stood ashrine with a three-headed goddess in an alcove between buildings. Past theshops and dry-goods store, she followed the smell of burning dirt to theblacksmith where the traveling doctor had set up his temporary practice.

The smith’s fire was hot but the anvil quiet as Astriajoined the line outside the door and listened hard to the chatter of others tounderstand. A spindly young woman in a tunic came to each, spoke to them, andchanged their place in line. From their actions, Astria decoded the words untilthe girl stood in front of her.

“Your ailment?” the girl asked.

“A curse,” Astria said, to which the girl rolled her eyesand tapped her foot until she offered an alternative. “A poison.”

The girl raised her eyebrows, took Astria’s arm, and hurriedher to the front of the line. “How long ago?”

“A year,” Astria said, after which the girl frowned andreturned her to the end of the line. There, even as new patients arrived andwere sorted, Astria remained.

As she waited, men carrying a stretcher rushed past with anunconscious man with one leg bandaged at the knee. Another arrived with a wristat an unnatural angle, and later, a child groaned with one hand on a swollencheek and his other gripping his mother’s pocket. None carried weapons or toolsthat might be used in defense.

Short cries of pain and muffled screams echoed from insidethe blacksmith’s shop, and patients walked out with splints, bandages, orlimping on a new crutch, none of them smiling. Men carried the stretcher outwith the man on it one leg short, and the child left with his mother and abloody rag in his mouth. Not wanting any of those outcomes, but with noalternative, Astria waited.

As sundown approached, the line of patients decreased, andthe girl led the last patient out the door. “The doctor will come to examineyour horse tomorrow,” she said to the man.

With the glow from the fire tinting her tunic red orange,the girl turned to Astria, her palm open. Into it, Astria placed Tor’s note.

“So the college will pay our fee, then?” the girl asked witha raised eyebrow. When Astria did not reply, the girl stuffed the note in herpocket with a pile of others. “So be it.”

Inside, on a stool by the fire, sat a gray-haired man in awhite tunic stained with splotches of red and greenish yellow, and Astriaturned away to curb her imagination. A box behind him opened to a portablecabinet with many tiny drawers, each labeled with unfamiliar runes. On theanvil lay a bronze saw next to needles, probes, and blades in a tray of bloodywater and, near the fire, a pile of stained rags. Next to them sat the girl whopointed to a chair opposite the doctor for Astria to sit.

“My daughter tells me you were poisoned,” the doctor said.“Your symptoms?”

“Numbness at the wound. Sporadic delirium and a spreadingstain.”

“Spider bites often cause confusion, but only for a day. Therock korkimon or the winsover scorpion can leave a lasting stain near thewound. When did this occur?”

“A year past,” the girl said.

The doctor frowned. “Our aim is to remove poisons and venomsbefore they get into your system. Once they’re systemic, we have limitedoptions. Rarely does the event occur when I am near, and most victims die orrecover on their own.”

“Do you have treatments?” Astria asked.

“Some. But antivenoms are hard to make. They require timeand a sample of the venom. Do you know what bit you?”

Astria nodded. “A crossbow bolt.”

“Ah. Delivery by a weapon implies manufacture and might be amix of venoms and poisons working in concert. Do you know what was in it?”

“No.”

“Well, if it’s taken a year, it’s slow, so it’s travelingthrough your flesh, not your blood. Bleeding you won’t help. May I see thewound?”

Astria frowned with a deep furrow between her eyes. Showhim the thing most likely to betray me?

He glanced at his daughter, smirked, and opened his handspalms up. “Come, come. You can’t expect me to treat you without seeing yourwound.”

The dinner bell tolled at the college, but Astria would notbe put off. “In confidence?” she asked.

“Of course,” he said, and beside him, the girl nodded.

Astria pulled up her jumper to expose the purple wound whichglimmered in the firelight. Using a wooden probe, the doctor prodded and pokedher thigh and pelvis around the purple corona but did not touch it. Frowning,he pulled on his ear.

“I’ve not seen anything like this.” He pointed back to hisportable cabinet. “I have antidotes for most poisons. But treatment requiresknowledge of the specific one. The wrong antidote might kill you.” He pokedaround the purple stain again. “Perhaps we could cut it out, but it’s not clearhow deep it goes.”

“Find out,” Astria said.

He looked to his daughter, who nodded, reached into a clothbag for a leather strap, and handed the strap to Astria. At the same time, thegirl removed a knife from the tray and sharpened it with slow, circular motionson a whetstone.

“This may hurt,” he said. “Do I need to put you to sleep?”

What might happen to me at the mercy of strangers with somany blades? “No.”

“Bite on the strap,” he instructed as he took the knife.

The knife was razor sharp, and Astria did not feel theincision. As he began, his eyes were bright with interest, and the girl leanedcloser.

But as he cut, their faces changed to wide eyes and openmouths. The girl stood and her stool fell behind her, and the doctor pushed hisstool back. Astria followed his eyes, which went to the knife in his hand,where the purple stain seemed to crawl toward his fingers. He dropped the knifein the dirt and stepped back while examining his hands. Without a word, hegrabbed the knife with the blacksmith’s tongs and threw it into the fire. Thegirl handed Astria a bandage, and the pair immediately doused their hands withbrandy and washed them with the smith’s gritty soap.

Astria looked at the cut, which quickly sealed withcongealed purple rather than blood. Over the cut, she applied the bandage andcovered her thigh. After inspecting the area, the doctor and the girl satagain. But this time, his face was drawn.

“Why do you shy from continuing?” Astria asked.

“Your wound is more extensive under your skin,” he said.“And I suspect it surrounds your blood vessels.”

“Can you cut it out?”

He pursed his lips. “Only if we amputate your leg and pelvisfrom the waist, and that would kill you.”

“And there’s nothing more you can do?”

“I’m sorry, no,” he said.

“What about other doctors or healers?”

He raised an eyebrow. “I was trained in the Imperium, andthere’s likely no place other than Capitolia to the south or Branwyn to thesouthwest where you might find someone with more knowledge than me or anapothecary with more cures.”

“Where are these places?”

“Both are many months away by wagon and dangerous journeysalone.”

Then much farther than Vandrare can fly without theberries. “What about alchemists?”

“They promise eternal life, but their elixirs often deliveronly an upset stomach and the runs.”

“Do they visit here?”

He smiled. “You rarely find them along a doctor’s route.”

“Sorcerers?”

He shook his head. “There are shrines nearby to Junera andMadema to offer sacrifices if you are inclined to miracles . . .”

And I should pray to the gods who turned their backs onme. What hope is that?

“Or perhaps a priest,” he said.

Astria rose to leave. “Thank you.”

As she walked out the door, Astria turned back to see thegirl burning everything that had touched Astria, and the doctor hastily packingtheir things.

 Hi

The Wounded Sky will launch tomorrow, 6/16. To celebrate, Impulse Fiction is dropping the price of the eBook from  $4.99 to $2.99 this week. 

The Amazon link to Zehphyr's Flight is here.(It may take a few hours for Amazon to update, so please be patient!)

Retailer links to The Wounded Sky are here 

Amazon, Apple Books Barnes & Noble, Kobo,  Vivlio, and Fable.

Join in the celebration and happy reading.

Ray

The cure lies with her enemy. The cost could doom them all.

Hi,

We’rereally excited! TheWounded Sky, Book 2 in the Dragons’ War series, will launch next Monday,June 16.

Theoriginal title for The Wounded Sky was Zephyr’s Legacy, because inBook 1 … (oops, spoiler deleted by the publisher). You can get a copy of TheWounded Sky at NetGalley or Edelweissnow if you’re willing to leave a review.

Also,just around the bend on August 11 is the launch of the third book in theseries, The Book of Chaos. Thatstory is about Diana who plots vengeance against the strongest empire on Juro becausethey killed her mother. Her weapon: a rumored book of magic called the Book ofChaos that only the empress can use. Diana’s path crosses with Astria’s.  You can read a teaser at Book Funnel.

Warwaits for no one! Read Zephyr’sFlight today, and preorder TheWounded Sky.

Happyreading,

RayStrong

Authorof Zephyr’s Flight

ps: And if you’d like to explore some fantasy reads for the summer, consider these.