Guest Post: Fantasy Novelist Stephanie Barr

With an excerpt from her upcoming novel Incantation

This week, the blog is being taken over by author and blogger Stephanie Barr. Last week she was kind enough to invite me onto her blog Rockets and Dragons for a post about Sovadron . So today, we’re going to be talking about the book Stephanie wrote with Mirren Hogan: Incantation . Including an excerpt from the novel itself!

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Sure, you love magic and intrigue and, y'know, dragons. But there are plenty of reasons NOT to read the book I, Stephanie Barr, wrote with Mirren Hogan, Incantation ​:

Not to mention the fact that you can only find it in the book bundle Rite to Reign , which is a steal for 99 cents, because you also get more than twenty other great books by best-selling and award-winning authors.

And if you preorder it, you can get fifteen books and a custom spell book written by the authors.

#ritetoreign


And hey, here's an excerpt:

"I have just want you need." She ran to a large trunk in the back and began rummaging through it throwing this and that out over her shoulder. Some of the items were recognizable but plenty were a mystery. "This!" She trotted back, a carved crystal bottle between her withered hands.

"What is it?"

"Elixir of regeneration. One sip, and your magic will replenish. But only take one. If you take a second one in less than a month, you'll likely explode with the power."

David reached for it. "That will be twenty-five gold. Elixir doesn't come cheap you know."

David scrounged in his pocket and had to fish a few extra pieces from his other pocket. She handed him the bottle with a flourish, then turned her beady little eyes on Henry. "Now, for you."

He took a step back. "I don't know. I think maybe I'm fine after all." He didn't feel like exploding from using something wrong. He could endanger himself perfectly well without help.

"Come, come, the price has already been paid. You need only choose a card."

Henry sighed, but turned his face and tugged a card free. "It better not be the death card." He knew enough about tarot to know it only meant change, not literal death, but he still didn't want to see it.

"Strength," she said, her eyes brightening. "Aren't you the hidden treasure? Well, well." She gripped his hand before he could return the card. "Yes, yes, I feel it. So much strength. You only need the key. The key!" She tossed his hand aside and fetched an ornate jewelry box off the shelf, cackling to herself.

Henry wound a hand in the air near his ear, gesturing to David that he thought maybe she was at least a little bit crazy. They might be too, for listening to her.

"What kind of key?" he asked, not bothering to try to sound like he bought it.

"Well," David whispered to him, "she did know control is one of my weak spots."

"A-ha!" she exulted, swinging a silver chain over her head. "It's here," she said with great portent. "The key."

And there it was, a tiny silver key on a long thick silver chain.

"Well it's a key," Henry replied. "What does it do?" It looked like the kind which opened a child's diary, not a magical artifact of any actual use.

She ignored his reluctance and slipped the chain over his neck. "When the time is right," she said in a whisper with a blast of smoky breath, "it will let you open up the heart of your power."

"How much," said David, fishing the last of the coins from his pocket.

She waved a hand. "You've been such good customers. Call it a bonus."

Henry shrugged. “Thanks, I guess.” It probably wouldn’t do anything anyway. “We should get going.”

David nodded, but thanked the creepy old woman a little too warmly. Then, just before he left, he said, "Hey, do you know what unicorns eat? Is it the same as regular horses?"

"Of course not. Unicorns eat shit. They like cow and horse shit, but nothing makes them happier than dragon dung."

"Really?" David said before he was jerked out the front door.

"I think she was full of shit," Henry said, once they were out of earshot. "Who ever heard so much rubbish?"

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So, if you want to read more, despite all the reasons not to, you can find it here .

And, if you do, don't forget your freebies:
https://www.subscribepage.com/RitetoReignGift

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Stephanie Barr is a part-time novelist, full-time rocket scientist, mother of three children and slave to many cats. Anything else even vaguely interesting about her can be found in her writing since she puts a little bit of herself in everything she writes...just not the same piece.

​Read more from Stephanie Barr:
www.facebook.com/stephanieebarr

Mirren Hogan is an award-winning author who lives in NSW Australia with one spouse, two daughters, dog, cat, rabbits and countless birds. Mirren has a Bachelor of Arts (English/ history), a Graduate Diploma of Arts (writing) and a couple of degrees in education. Mirren writes fantasy, urban fantasy and science fiction.

Read more from Mirren Hogan:
www.mirrenhogan.com