Ashes of Aldyr by Russell Archey - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Ashes of Aldyr

by Russell Archey

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GENRE: Dark Fantasy

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BLURB:

The world of Alda is broken, destroyed by an event the survivors call "The Rupture." The aldyrs, magical trees connected to the soul of the world and once grew in breathtaking groves, are dead. Elf-kind, who shared a close bond with these trees, are dying off due to shortened life-spans as a result. The dwarves have retreated into their mountain homes. Humans gather in crumbling settlements. Sinister, god-like beings, each uniquely horrific, exert their influences over the world. Each story is a different thread forming a larger tapestry that shows the scope of the horror and insanity brought by the elusive and mind-numbing entity known as the Obscured Throne. The world was once saved from this threat and Alda was hidden and sealed away. Now, an ancient and shadowy cult called the Black Gnarl have broken enough seals to expose Alda to the Obscured Throne...and It's coming.

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EXCERPT ONE:

He looked over his shoulder, and his mouth fell agape in a silent scream. A face, a dark-as-midnight face with soulless, shark-black eyes and no mouth stared back at him. The smooth skin had a wet gleam; the limbs were too long for the shoulders they were attached to. The fingers ended in sharp, vicious claws and Edwin began to feel their sting as they flexed against his skin. The creature gripped effortlessly onto his ankle. Another one of them appeared from the roiling edge of the tear in reality and grabbed him with its hooked, elongated fingers. Edwin howled in pain and terror as they dragged him up into the inky blackness with the strange, out-of-sight glow.

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GUEST POST:

Book covers are real sticking point for me. They can instantly get someone to check out your book and I’ve had people come talk to me based on the cover alone. You can tell when an author or publisher has put some thought into their cover. That’s my problem: I put thought into it, but I can never seem to think of what I like.

The cover for Ashes of Aldyr came out great. Potential readers have been drawn to it and it led them to want to read what was on the inside. It did its job. However, what I like most about it is that it speaks to many different aspects of the book.

There is a story in the book actually titled, “Ashes of Aldr.” To say more would give away not only a big part of that story, but the setting and the book as a whole. This is one thing I love about the cover. There’s a symbol that shows up throughout the story that the cover also represents. In a book that involves different characters and locations in each story, the aldyr trees are a recurring theme—especially the fact they’re all dead or dying. Finally, it’s a very dark fantasy title and the gray and black colors combined with the dead tree draw all this together.

It involved really thinking over what I wanted to go for, working with a great team, and coming to this conclusion that creates a cover I can be proud of and that represents my book on many levels. I hope to repeat this magic in the next title!

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AUTHOR BIO:

Fantasy and horror have always been Russell’s preferred genres. Some of his favorite stories often combine them–and the grittier the better. His eclectic tastes in this genre originated when he discovered Lovecraft’s stories of beings so vast and incomprehensible that just thinking about them will melt your brain. Later, he would discover the more sinister but equally unfathomable creations of Laird Barron and, combined, these two influences would create Russell’s desire to fashion his own story of cosmic horrors, but with a fantasy flair. Fantasy often holds many horrific aspects of its own, but Russell enjoys finding ways to take those facets and run with them.

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CONNECT WITH RUSSELL:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RSArchey

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/russellarcheyauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/russarchey

Website: http://www.5princebooks.com/russellarchey.html

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Russell will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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