Two for Tuesday #2

It’s time again for a Two for Tuesday, where I share the first two paragraphs from two different stories appearing in Quests, Curses, & Vengeance.  This collection is just over a month away from its official release date, so don’t forget to pre-order a copy now to both save money and assure the earliest possible delivery.  Pre-orders of The Temporal Element shipped before the book was even released!

Now, our sample paragraphs:

We start off with “A Bridge too Near” by Martin T. Ingham:

Sir Chelmsford Chase knew he was the best.  Everyone told him so.  Whether it was the thrill of jousting, or the art of swordplay, he could win out every time, yet it was all fun and games.  He was tired of being kissed by noble ladies and adorned with superficial ribbons after staged competitions.  It was time he proved his mettle, and did something only "the best" could.

Touring the tournament circuit, he'd heard lots of rumors; tales of evil sorcerers, demonic knights, and even hobgoblin-infested forests, but one task appealed to him more than all others.  The cursed bridge at Bannocksburg Crossing was said to be home to a troll, one notorious for eating the gentry.  This was the best chance for Chase to show everyone he really was the greatest combatant in the land.  To slay the troll, why, they'd sing songs about him until the end of time!

For our second sample, we have “More Precious than Rubies” by Chris Allinotte:

King Theodore the Thickheaded ruled the land of Alamage and was, without doubt, the stupidest king the land had ever known. He was fortunate in that his closest advisors were as kind and knowledgeable as he was lacking in brains. The townspeople recognized this, and thanked the heavens every day that the king’s men were not like the villains in the songs and stories. Yet, nobody dared speak of his diminished wits when anyone from the palace was within earshot. If ever someone forgot themselves, the guards made sure that it didn’t happen again.

The men were fiercely loyal to their leader, who favored hunting, feasting, and settling land disputes with single combat. Because these were things the king understood, those men that excelled at such deeds were his favorites, and none was so well loved as Sir Colin the Clever. And even he had to admit the king’s fascination for noble quests—those unselfish, perilous pursuits of glory—could try a knight’s nerves after some time.

Check out Quests, Curses, & Vengeance today.