I am a huge Marvel fan, so I'm loving WandaVision. The show does such a great job of sucking the audience into their bizarro retro fantasy world. My husband and I have had several long discussions about how Wanda and Vision got into their surreal situation, trying to predict scenarios based on the comics. I want so badly for things to work out for our heroes, but I'm not sure how that will happen given how things are progressing.
And how about that surprise character at the end of Episode 5? Holy cliffhanger! Friday can't come fast enough.
Despite how much I'm loving WandaVision, I'm even more excited for the upcoming Loki series.
Click here for the Loki trailer if you haven't seen it yet. I'm so stoked!
Writing relatable trickster characters is incredibly difficult. You're riding a very fine line. Too many witty one-liners, and the character becomes a punch line. They need depth to make them believable. Veer into the dramatic, though, and you can easily create a character that everyone hates. Tom Hiddleston pulls Thor's brother off beautifully, though, with a character that you know both loves and hates the world simultaneously. I shudder to think of poor Loki's therapy bills, if any therapist could survive a session with him.
I recently tried tackling a trickster with Nobody the gremlin in my Legends of Llenwald portal fantasy series. Nobody's got a very tragic back story, largely created out of his own hubris. He thinks he knows better than everyone, but he's not a sociopath. It's just hard to see his compassion through his litany of self-serving choices. Hopefully, by the end of the trilogy, you will understand his choices and see him as a complex character. But as with all trickster characters, it's a gamble.
But in the meantime, Nobody is so much fun to write for.
Do you like tricksters? Got a favorite one? Let me know who and why at [email protected].
Ina's Back for 2021!
I've promised fans of the Magic of Nasci nature wizard series that I would write more Ina books if I received enough reader interest. Well, I'm happy to announce that Book 6 is in the works! I will release Ina's next adventure sometime this summer or fall. I have lots of ideas of where Ina's story could go: including the mystery of the fox dryant, her growing relationship with Vincent, and introducing some new characters outside of the Pacific Northwest. (You'll get a taste of this with a desert shepherd from the Bitai Wilds in Book 6).
If Ina's shepherd world excites you in any way, please take the time to review the Magic of Nasci books on Amazon:
As an indie author, my livelihood is tied up in Amazon's algorithm. Amazon rewards books with higher quality reviews, so the more positive reviews my books get, the more Amazon will show it to other readers. I'm seeing a decent amount of page reads through Kindle Unlimited, but only a fraction of those readers leave reviews. I'm hoping if you're one of those people who made it to Book 5, you'll give Ina some love. (And thanks to everyone who have left reviews already. I am eternally grateful.)
Journey Back to Llenwald
But before I publish new Ina books, I'm committed to finishing Legends of Llenwald. Book #2, Magic Curse, is available now for preorder with a release date of March 17. Check out the blurb below.
Now that Avalon knows about the magical world of Llenwald, can life ever go back to normal?
With her legendary powers mysteriously gone, Avalon goes on a journey which leads her right back to where it all began: Llenwald, the land on the other side of the portal. Only this time, she doesn’t have the safety of anonymity. Bedwyr’s dark henchmen hunt her, believing she still holds the key to enslaving humans. Her former allies want nothing to do with her. Besides a ragtag group of misfit friends, she’s on her own.
But Avalon won’t quit, not until she gets answers about her past. What she doesn’t realize is that someone she trusts may betray her… far worse than Bedwyr ever could.
Legends of Llenwald is a YA portal fantasy trilogy filled with mystery and adventure. Travel with Kay the fairy knight, trickster Nobody the gremlin, Vimp his impish familiar, and a cast of other colorful characters in an urban/epic hybrid fantasy adventure with unexpected surprises.
Travel to Other Magical Worlds
All Things Great and Fantastical runs through March 2nd and features dozens of free stories about witches, sword-wielding magicians, and (of course) dragons. If you're looking for a new series at no cost to you, check out this selection of books.
The Sorcery Trial is a fae adventure romance available for free for a limited time. The annual Faerie Race offers fame and fortune to whomever wins it, but Jacqueline Cunningham signs up with only one goal in mind: to find her sister.
Bad Luck Genie is a fantasy tale of snark and rotten fate. Lucy finds herself bound to a djinni who can't stand the sight of her. The only way out is to find an ancient artifact that grants impossible wishes. The only problem is there's a dark djinni gunning for it too.
Until next time, happy adventuring!
-DM Fike
Legends of Llenwald Portal Fantasy Trilogy
(Available in ebook, paperback, and Kindle Unlimited)
Magic Curse (Book 2) Ebook preorder now for Mar. 17, 2021
Magic of Nasci Nature Fantasy Adventure Series
(Available in ebook, paperback, and Kindle Unlimited)
Author Links
0 comments