Realm of Ice and Shadow
Young Adult Fantasy
1st in Series
Level Best Books, Level Elevate (November 7, 2023)
Number of Pages 210

Synopsis

Seventeen year old Ryleigh Donnovan is certain her life is cursed. Nothing ever goes smoothly, and her first job interview is no exception. An earthquake rocks the building, sending Ryleigh on a frantic search for her younger sister, a search which lands her in the hospital. Terrified they’ll push her for answers she can’t afford to give, Ryleigh flees with a mysterious stranger.

Jackson Maynard is about to be ordained as a Death Dealer, a warrior for the Kingdom of Cymmera, but first he must pass one more test. When he fails to acquire the human girl the prophet has chosen, he’s forced to stand trial for treason. Banished from his realm, he seeks out the girl from the vision, Ryleigh Donnovan, and together they embark on a journey to save his dying kingdom.

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Guest Post

My Favorite Places to Write

Some of my favorite places to write are my library, my office (where I also homeschool my son) and my sunroom when I’m looking for somewhere peaceful.

I tend to have a difficult time getting started writing. I need everything to be just so. Before I even start, I go through all of my emails and social media to be sure nothing needs my attention. If I have any phone calls to make, I do that so I can minimize interruptions. Once I have anything that could distract me in order (not that something I haven’t anticipated won’t interfere, but I do my best), I get set up to write. If I’m just beginning a story, I set up my murder board with a diagram of all the main characters and suspects, then I set up my notes—piles and piles of them, on everything from loose-leaf paper to fast food napkins—and settle down to write. That’s usually when the phone rings or one of my kids starts yelling, “Mom!”

Excerpt

“Your Majesty.” Jackson Maynard dropped to one knee before the king and bowed his head. “You summoned me?”

“Rise.” Though the king issued the demand quietly, there was no mistaking the steel in his tone or the strength in his near black eyes.

As Jackson stood, his gaze ricocheted around the stone chamber, noting everyone present in an instant, as he’d been trained to do. It made no sense he’d been summoned to the throne room. Unless he was in trouble, again. An official reprimand, perhaps?

He wisely kept his mouth shut, for a change, at least until he had some clue what was going on. Though he’d stood in the throne room more times than he could remember, as a child, as a trainee, even during counsel sessions, his presence had never before been the result of an official summons.

His trainer, the king’s second in command, for the moment anyway, stood at attention beside the throne, feet apart, hands clasped behind him, dark eyes rivetted on Jackson. An imposing figure under the best of circumstances, Kai was downright scary at the moment.

Elijah, the king’s prophet, hurried into the chamber. “My apologies for taking so long, sir, I had to be sure.”

The king simply nodded as Elijah took his place beside Kai, fidgeting with the sleeve of his black robe.

Jackson didn’t have to turn around to know the warriors lining the wall behind him in full battle gear all stood at attention in the king’s presence. If the Death Dealer team had been assembled, something was definitely wrong.

Since his best friend Dakota wasn’t present, Jackson doubted it had anything to do with the dragon they’d commandeered the night before, though he couldn’t be sure. But the presence of Death Dealers would most likely mean something more pressing than a childish prank, albeit an unwise and dangerous one. Besides, it’s not like they hadn’t returned him when they were done.

King Maynard rose from his throne, standing tall in his own armor. He bore the dark hair of most Cymmeran men, though his had shot through with a streak of silver upon Queen Dara’s death—perhaps the only touch of light she’d been able to leave him. “Prince Maynard…”

Uh oh. His official title, which his father never used unless Jackson was in serious trouble.

“Under Kai’s tutelage,” he continued, “you have trained these past centuries to take your place as a Death Dealer.”

Jackson sucked in a breath. Oh, no way!

With one hand resting on the handle of his sheathed sword, his expression carved in stone, the king paced the platform that held both the king’s and queen’s thrones, though Queen Dara’s had sat empty these many centuries.

Jackson’s gaze shifted to the seer, Elijah, only for an instant while his father’s back was turned, but he couldn’t read the other man, couldn’t tell why he’d been summoned. Jackson could only hope… His gaze shot back to the king, offering his full attention before he turned back around.

Unfortunately, his momentary lapse of focus hadn’t been lost on Kai. The warrior scowled in warning, and Jackson struggled to regain his concentration.

King Maynard descended the steps to the chamber floor and stood facing Jackson. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he held Jackson’s gaze. “It is time, my son.”

About the Author

Young adult and middle-grade fantasy writer Leigh Stratton is the author of the Kingdom of Cymmera series and the Ranger of the Realms series. Leigh grew up in a small town on Long Island where she spent many lazy afternoons with a good book. She would read at the beach, outside beneath a tree, anywhere she could find to curl up and lose herself in a story for a few hours. She loves reading as much now as she did back then, only now she enjoys the added pleasure of creating stories of her own.

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