Prism
by Matthew D. Ryan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Fantasy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
In the mystical realm
of the Cavern, Akarra is Shardshaper to the quartzian people who inhabit it.
Fashioned from quartz and filled with enchanted light, the quartzians are a
strong and hearty people. Akarra is no exception. But when destiny intervenes,
she must choose between the he-quartz she loves and the life path she lives
for. Which shall she choose?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
Akarra knelt expectantly on the floor near the back corner
of Yridia’s Cave.
“Pattern matching is most important, dear,” Yridia said.
“I know, Mistress Shardshaper,” Akarra replied, head bowed
in deference. “You’ve told me so—many times—but I just don’t see the use of
geometry.” She was tired; it had been a long training session and she still
wasn’t through.
The small but cozy cave—one in which she had spent many long
hours engaged in study—had been hollowed out in the shape of a twelve-sided
figure of exquisite design—a dodecahedron, it was called. It at once conveyed a
sense of space, mystery, and power. Much like the element it represented: the
ether. Each of the twelve faces of the shape formed a perfect pentagon—a five
sided figure of further significance and meaning. The pentagon-shaped floor, of
course, was made of clouded white quartz; the ceiling, clear. The pentagons on
the walls alternated between white and clear. There were no cracks or fissures
or blemishes; all the angles and divisions were neat, clean, and precise, thus
regulating the temperature of the room perfectly. As Akarra perused the
features of the cave, she felt contentment and peace, and her antennae glowed a
pale greenish yellow in response. This was like a second home for her. She was
the apprentice Shardshaper. One of the most respected members of the tribe.
Akarra watched Yridia move to the center of the pentagon
floor and squat down in front of her. Yridai’s yenshi robe billowed out and she
produced a crystal of transparent blue quartz in the shape of a perfect
tetrahedron. Her Heartshard. A piece of the Heart Crystal itself, the source of
the Shardshaper’s power.
Akarra could feel the Shard’s presence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Matthew D.
Ryan lives in northeastern New York on the shores of Lake Champlain. He has
been deeply involved in the fantasy genre for most of his life as a reader,
writer, and game designer. His writing has been featured at Aphelion.com and
YesteryearFiction.com. He is the operator of the web-site matthewdryan.com
which features his blog, “A Toast to Dragons,”
(http://matthewdryan.com/a-toast-to-dragons-the-blog/) a blog dedicated to
fantasy literature, and, to a lesser extent, sci-fi. He is the author of the
dark fantasy novels “Drasmyr,” “The Children of Lubrochius,” and “The Sceptre
of Morgulan,” as well as a growing number of fantasy short stories including:
“Haladryn and the Minotaur,” “The River’s Eye,” and “Escape.” His latest work
is the stand-alone novella “Prism,” a startling fantasy story of unique
character.
THE BOOK IS FREE ON RELEASE
DAY
Author’s
Smashwords Page: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/matthewdryan
Author’s
Blog: http://www.atoasttodragons.com
Author’s Home
Page: http://www.matthewdryan.com
Author’s
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MatthewDRyanAuthor
Author’s
Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/matthewdryan
Author’s
Goodreads Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/579148.Matthew_D_Ryan
Author’s
Twitter Handle: @MatthewDRyan1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY
Matthew will be awarding a $15 Amazon
or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thanks for hosting! The book is free on Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/693400
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting me today! I really appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteThe people in “Prism” are made out of quartz. Would you like to be made out of quartz?
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the tour and thanks for the chance to win :)
ReplyDeleteLisa--Thanks and good luck!
ReplyDeleteHave you written other things besides fantasy? Did you like to write in school?
ReplyDeleteThe first thing I published on my own was a non-fiction "memoir" of mental illness. There's also an old technical paper floating around that has my name on it (among others). Then there's the occasional newspaper article as well as my blog. As for school, I can't say I "liked" to write then, but I wasn't opposed to it. I majored in philosophy in college and that was the first step down the road because there's a lot of writing in that.
DeleteThanks for answering. What a journey from mental illness. Congratulations!
DeleteHow long have you been writing professionally?
ReplyDeleteI dipped in and out of it for probably twenty years. I sat down and started taking it more seriously with the publication of "Drasmyr" in 2011 (I think).
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting me today. Good night.
ReplyDeleteWhat books are you looking forward to reading in 2017? Thanks for the giveaway. I hope that I win. Bernie W BWallace1980(at)hotmail(d0t)com
ReplyDeleteGood luck. I'm actually not sure of what is coming out in 2017 (I've been busy), but I'm waiting for whatever Brandon Sanderson puts out.
DeleteDid you play computer/video games growing up? A favorite one?
ReplyDeleteSherry Compton