Bloodbane | Monsters and Madness
The bleeding never stops, not while there are stories left to tell.
LORE ARCHIVE | ATAR
THE BOOK OF PROVIDENCE | THE SACRAL COMPENDIUM
True wisdom comes from knowing how wrong you might be.
Since the last post after moving to Substack, a lot’s been going on behind the scenes. The hard part’s just getting started. We’re past the point of mercy, so let’s see the blood of it.
Opening | The Red Carpet:
Welcome new subscribers, I’m glad you’re here. Stick around as we’re just getting started, and by the damnable gods, I’ve got stories to tell!
Follow up | Recording Studio:
I’ve made headway on my recording studio, so it’s not far from completion. When I get done, I’ll do an update, then shift focus to the software to record my audiobooks. It’s still a toss up which will be first, Flawed to the Core, or Red Creek—Maro’s first book. There’s a learning curve, so I’ll factor that in. I’ll post deeper updates for Members and Ko-dons—those backing the forge, not just watching the sparks.
Surgical Strike | Facelift for an older book:
In other news, The Demon’s Fate will now have a revised edition, and I’m getting close to the finish line. I’ll be getting up with the cover artist soon, and we’ll have something snappy to go along with this cleaner version. Can’t wait to share it with you!
Upcoming Release | Sounding the Horn:
Bloodbane drops August 1st.
If you haven’t picked up your copy by now, what are you waiting for? Maro doesn’t do invitations! This one’s mean. Sometimes, you’re at the top of the food chain. Other times, you’re the next snack.
Bloodbane is a shift from Red Creek.
In the first book, we saw how far Maro would go to make things right, to seek trail justice. We basked in the heat of his vengeance, every kill of the Lanton Gang deserved. But Bloodbane turns the blade.
Now, we see the other side: a struggling bounty hunter picking up the trade, fighting monsters, and searching for purpose. More of Maro’s humor peeks through.
So, call it a comedy-horror. Bloodstained, dry-witted, and more dreaded than the first. I think you’ll like the balance.
Here’s the opening of Bloodbane, pure grit during an oh-shit moment, tackling mentality and tone from the quick.
Only a few times in life stick with a man long after the deed has passed: the first time he laid with a woman, the first time he took a life, and the first time he feels a pistol pressed into the back of his head.
Maro was experiencing the latter at the moment.
“Do nothing stupid,” said the man holding the pistol. His thick accent made understanding him difficult.
“Stranger,” Maro replied, “the only thing I’m thinking about right now’s not shitting myself.”
“Good; you not stupid.”
Well, that’s fucking debatable.
Bloodbane drops August 1st! It’s being released wide, so get your copy now on your preferred platform!
Haven’t read Red Creek? Pick up your free ebook here!
And this brings me to my last portion but still talking about sharp fiction.
Spotlight | Rodney McWilliams:
I’m an indie author, and none of this happens without support from readers like you. When I can, I try to drag other authors into the light—especially the ones who’ve helped shape my work from the shadows.
One of those is Rodney, a longtime friend and fellow author I’ve known for over two decades. He and I still swap drafts, notes, and battle scars. So, I’m proud to bring his work to your doorstep.
Rodney was a finalist in the Santa Fe Writer’s Project annual contest for a short story. In 2023, his first novel, Scourge, won the First Place CLC Book Excellence Award in the "Paranormal and Urban Fantasy.”
Here’s the blurb for Scourge, the first novel in his published trilogy.
Fear crawls the streets in New York as homeless are killed one by one. As police detectives Angela Benson and Joe Anderson begin to investigate the chain of murders, they soon realize these are not ordinary homicides, and it’s not only the less fortunate being impacted. As they dig deeper, they unravel a deeper, darker, more ancient mystery that may impact all of mankind.
If that’s your brand of chaos, grab Scourge. Hell, grab all three! You can find him here!
But Rodney didn’t stop there. He just dropped a prequel novella tied to the trilogy, opening the door for more stories.
Long before Angela, Velis created Daxxe, a champion among his kind. His task was protecting the new realm of Earth with the other gargoyles; hers was protecting him. Broken magic took its toll on Talamhan, ripping it asunder with unforeseen results, forming a new frontier and a dangerous, lifeless void.
Snatch up the novella, and see where it all started.
The wound’s still open, but I’ve said enough. For now. That’s all I got for this round—short, sharp, and sweet. I shall return…