Live Streaming On April 20, 2:00pm EST - Wild Writing Session 2

Tomorrow I'll be writing the second chapter of Get the Gold! It's a fantasy tale that I'm writing off the cuff, by the seat of my pants, or as the muse whispers.

The session will be between thirty minutes and one hour long, and this time I'll be looking at the live chat, so if you want to watch, comment or react, then you'll have to turn up while the stream is live. Comments are encouraged after too, since each session will be recorded forever on YouTube.

Oh, and this time I've licensed some music to go along with the adventure!

I hope you enjoy coming along with me for this experiment!

If you didn't catch the first one, you can click here to check it out. 

Please comment if you have something to say, like if you enjoy it, and subscribe if you want more. See you tomorrow!

NEM: Awakening Will Arrive On October 31, 2020

 

I'm proud to announce that the first book in a new trilogy is going to come out on October 31 of this year. This was originally a project that I used to keep busy during the early days of the COVID-19 isolation period and a way for me to connect with everyone on Patreon a little more closely.

It grew into something more enjoyable than I expected as I offered Patreon Subscribers opportunities to make major decisions for the main character. These changed and will continue to change major events in this novel and the next. It was also a lot of fun.

After a long editing process and a little rewriting, the once serialized first book of the NEM series is about to become available to everyone. Here's the synopsis:

Grant has loved fantasy for his entire life. As a Dungeon Master he began creating a world of his own for tabletop role playing games that has grown to fill five large binders. This world is called Nem. Outside of his basement game room pursuits, he once trained for and competed in the only medieval tourney held in his home city and won. That was his greatest moment, and it was some time ago. Little does he know, Nem is real and he is uniquely qualified to save his favourite part of it. A journey involving a death cult, a budding enchanter, the Goddess of his dreams, and more awaits.

I can't go into why this book is perfect for a Halloween release because I'd be spoiling some major details, but trust me, there are parts of this book that fit the mood. I hope you enjoy the adventure. You can pre-order your copy using the following links if you want to make sure you get the book as soon as possible.

Amazon
Amazon.co.uk
Apple Books (Formerly iBookstore)
Barnes & Noble
Google Play
Kobo
Smashwords

[If you want to check out the Patreon page where this was serialized, click here.]

NEM: Awakening has begun!

As isolating became the wise thing to do in Canada, where I'm from, and most other places across the globe, I realized I'd have some extra time on my hands. So I'm writing something new while I work on the next Spinward Fringe novel.

I've wanted to write a project in first person again for a couple of years, but I wanted to start with something new. At the same time I didn't want to leave a lot of the work I'd done for Brightwill and Highshield to sit idle, so I decided that I'd write NEM: Awakening.

In its own way, NEM takes place in the same universe as my other fantasy novels, only it's also stitched to our reality, because it's about a man named Grant who gets pulled from our world into those fantastic places.
This novel is an experiment. Partially written to entertain myself and everyone who is stuck at home for the next few weeks (or more?), but also a way for me to stretch my imagination in a new direction while excercising my first person perspective writing muscles.

Since it's an experiment that's being serialized on my Patreon page, the book is open to a few interesting ideas, like giving you guys the power to choose what happens at one or more points in the story. It's not quite like choose your own adventure, but your votes will determine which path the main character takes at least twice before the whole book is posted. There are no wrong choices, but certain roads could lead to the demise of one or more likeable characters along the way. The stakes are real, or as real as they can get in fiction, and the results will make it into the final draft of the novel.

When the whole book has been serialized on Patreon I'll ask the ultimate question of my subscribers: Do you want more?

So, I'm happy to invite you to read NEM: Awakening. The first few chapters are already open to the public with many more to come. Click here to go straight to the index page.

Highshield Release Day!

Since I was a young teenager I wanted to write an epic fantasy novel. I wrote several unpublished books leading up to 2004's Fate Cycle Book I, and while I did see that as being worth publishing at the time, I would later become dissatisfied with the story I created there.

Brightwill was an attempt to tell a big story in a shorter book, one that suggested that the story could continue at the end, but had a whole tale told between those two covers. I'm still pretty happy with that novel, and am happy to offer it for free. In fact, the book that's released today, Highshield, takes place several years before Brightwill, and has some connective tissue with that book. There's even a cameo or two.

This year, I couldn't hold the ideas I had for an epic fantasy novel in anymore, I was working on something else, a much anticipated novel, but kept on getting distracted. So, I sat down and wrote Highshield. It's the beginning of a saga that I'll continue whether it sells 40 copies or 400,000 copies. It features character types I've never explored before, a world I've been dreaming about for twenty years or more, and the right story to start things off. A complete story.

The central story in this novel revolves around three special children, some of whom need to be transported across a politically divided land. They're all resurrected, and they all have a God or Goddess backing them from afar, trusting that their mortal followers will get the job done. That's what it's really about, spiritual, personal and physical journeys across a landscape.

The rough draft of Highshield was published twice weekly on my Patreon page, but this release is different. It's been edited multiple times, new sections have been written, other sections have been re-written, and there's a Guide to the people, and places in the book along with some extra history. This release is very special to me.

I hope you enjoy it while I'm busy working on Spinward Fringe, which will start putting releases out as early as next month. Watch this space this Sunday for more news on that.

For now, here's where you can find Highshield:

Smashwords
Amazon (Paperback is also available here)
Apple iBooks
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

Many other book stores are carrying it as well. If your library supports Ebooks, they may be able to order it in for you for a discounted price. Thank you to the people who support me no matter what I'm writing, this is becoming a great year thanks to you.

RL 

Highshield Book I Release Date

The final release date for Highshield is September 21, 2017. This is the first in a fantasy trilogy that spans decades. In Book I Rendiran, a young priest to a Goddess who has proven her existence to her followers, must take responsibility for a child who is resurrected to become a great paladin.

He finds that trustworthy people are difficult to find as he has to make a journey with a young boy, Tadrin, across the countryside amidst political and religious upheaval.
If matters weren't already complicated enough, he has to face the undead and zealots from enemy religions who want to sacrifice his charge to their own Gods.

Highshield takes place in the same world as the award winning novel Brightwill, and examines a different side of the universe introduced there.

The ebook and printed version contain an extensive Appendix as well as the final edit of a book enjoyed by many on Patreon, where readers were able to choose the fate of a main character, comment on the developing story and see the rough version months before the final release. An important preview chapter from Book II is also included.

Preorders are available through:

The Apple iBookstore
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords
The Kobo Bookstore

RL

Please note that many Patreon subscribers will receive the Ebook version for free, you know who you are!

[On September 6, 2017, the Patreon site and this blog will become completely dedicated to Spinward Fringe and the books that will be arriving before year's end. Watch the Patreon Site for the most up to date info.]

Highshield Heats Up!

Highshield Chapter 27 is up! I'll let the picture speak for this installment. Highshield Chapter 27 is up! https://www.patreon.com/posts/12707467

If you haven't been reading and would like to catch up or start from the beginning, here's a link to the index: https://www.patreon.com/posts/highshield-and-11398692

RL

Highshield Chapter 18 Is Up!

Highshield Chapter 18 is up! This story has gone longer than I expected, with more depth than was planned, but I hope everyone is enjoying the journey. Please post comments if you have them, I would like to hear your thoughts.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/highshield-xviii-11614875

The cover for the first complete edition will be coming sometime in the next week or so. I'll be putting some extra design work in it since I've decided on a more powerful looking design. A preorder date will follow some time after that, but for now you can read the chapters as they're released for free on Patreon!

RL

Highshield Chapter 17 With a Handy Index!

It's Saturday! That means there's a new chapter of Highshield! Enjoy! https://www.patreon.com/posts/11553404

Click on the Index link at the top of the post if you need more info or have to start at a different chapter.

-RL

Highshield Continues, Catch Up On All Fourteen Chapters!

The latest chapter of Highshield is up! If you aren't up to date, use the index at the top of the post to get to the last chapter you read, or to start at the beginning. There's Highshield and Spinward Fringe news coming this weekend too, so keep your eyes open!

The entire serial is free, and I encourage discussion and comments, especially on the comment thread linked in the index.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/11351165

Look! Free EBooks!

I offer two complete books for free here. One is a Science Fiction Space Opera trilogy collected into one free volume called Spinward Fringe: Origins, and the other is a complete Fantasy novel called Brightwill.

If you want to share them with a friend, please direct them to download copies themselves, since it will cost them nothing, but help push these books up the freebie charts.

Below you'll find a synopsis for each book along with links to popular sites where you can download the books for free.

Thank you for visiting!

The first full horror novel from Randolph Lalonde, finally free. Not for young readers.

Amazon.com
Smashwords
iBooks (By Apple)
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

Brightwill, a land razed by war, on the verge of utter destruction. There are few strongholds left, and few leaders who have the vision and the power to protect their people.

Naze Kinu, the Great Wizard provides a stronghold for the most talented young and old people in the lands. The Amber Refuge is his life’s work, a central stronghold built by his comrades, his power and his reputation.

That is why, when he tells his long time aide, Doril, that he intends to tell all about his secret sibling, Riv. His intentions are met with alarm. Naze kept his relation to Riv a secret for half a century.

Riv, known in legend as the Slasher Gremlin, the Prince

Slayer, and the thief of the Enduring Light.

Despite the damage his revelation could do to his reputation,

Naze is set on telling the true story of his brother, of the days

that inspired the legend. Most of those close to him are left

to wonder why, and to listen as their leader regales them with the tale of his misadventures with his brother and Oroza, the dragonling.

This is the story of Naze and the brother he can no longer deny this is the story of Brightwill in times of drastic change.

LINKS

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Apple iBookstore

Kobo

Smashwords

In the darkest region of explored space sits a bright beacon; Freeground Station. Serving as a supply and trading post it is home to a select number of human beings that will take a desperate chance to make a difference in their end of the galaxy. - Contains the entire First Light Chronicles Trilogy. A Space Opera Adventure enjoyed across the globe by all ages. 

LINKS

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Apple iBookstore

Kobo

Smashwords

Brightwill II Is Coming...

Work on Spinward Fringe Broadcast 9 is going very well, and there's more real news on that coming next week. This week I'm happy to bring other news to the table.

Great news for everyone who loved the first Brightwill novel: Work started on developing a second and a third book set in the same universe, featuring many of the same characters about three months ago.

What does this mean specifically? Well, right now I'm finishing "test chapters" wherein I try writing a good opening chapter and another chapter where the featured character begins telling a story, much like in the first Brightwill.

While that's being done, I'm figuring out what Brightwill II is about, specifically, what the ending is, and roughly how the story will go, beat by beat. These plans sometimes change a lot during the actual writing of the book, sometimes they only change a little, but it's important to have a frame to hang a novel on.

I expect all this work will be finished in a couple weeks, then I'll be able to actually start writing the text of the novel - the really fun part - when I'm not working on Spinward Fringe Broadcast 9. 

Why is there going to be a sequel? Well, I fell in love with these characters. Much like with Spinward Fringe, the characters are drawing me back into the world of Brightwill, and they have stories to tell. I'm certainly not doing it for the money, because the first Brightwill is not very popular and it just didn't sell well. I'm happy that it's free now so a few people have little to lose if they want to give it a try. It's also easier to point friends to Brightwill so they can give it a try for free.

I'm keeping Brightwill II short, and only writing it in my spare time, when I'm not focusing on Spinward Fringe, because I love both universes.

I'm proud of both universes, and taking time in each of them is a great deal of fun. I hope to have another Brightwill novel out sometime this summer along with a Spinward Fringe novel.

RL

[Brigthwill is free wherever Ebooks are sold. If you'd like a print copy, they are available through Amazon, and some signed copies will be available on EBay soon.]

Brightwill Is Free Until February 14, 2015

There's news coming on Spinward Fringe Broadcast 9, but until then, Brightwill, my first fantasy novel in a decade, is now available for free from Smashwords  until February 14, 2015! 

You don't need a special code, it's just there, waiting for you to download the version you need of your EReader and keep it forever.

Here's the link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/489351
It's also available free at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P2Q5RFK/?tag=indautlan-20
And through the iBookstore, Kobo, and other eBook stores.

On February 14, 2015, the freebie deals on this book will start coming down, and it'll cost $0.99 again.

More news about Brightwill is coming soon as well, so keep checking the blog!

A special thanks to everyone who shared these links with friends, spreading the word about this book, and to Indie Author Land, who got this book in front of thousands of people.


RL

[The print version, with extra artwork and large text is available unsigned here and signed here.]

Brightwill Is Now Available In EBook Form!

I had a great time writing this book, and I can't wait to share it with everyone. The short novel was an experiment in writing that I can say I enjoyed from beginning to end, and I hope you agree.

Here's the synopsis!

Brightwill, a land razed by war, on the verge of utter destruction.
There are few strongholds left, and few leaders who have the
vision and the power to protect their people.

Naze Kinu, the Great Wizard provides a bastion for the most
talented young and old people in the lands. The Amber Refuge is
his life’s work, a central stronghold built by his comrades, his
power and his reputation.

That is why, when he tells his long time aide, Doril, that he intends to
tell all about his secret sibling, Riv, his intentions are met with
alarm. Naze’s twin was his best kept secret for good reason.
Riv, known in legend as the Slasher Gremlin, the Prince
Slayer, and the thief of the Enduring Light.

Despite the damage his revelation could do to his reputation,
Naze is set on telling the true story of his brother, of the days
that inspired the legend. Most of those close to him are left
to wonder why, and to listen as their leader regales them with
the tale of his misadventures with his brother and Oroza, the
dragonling.

This is the story of Naze and the brother he can no longer deny
this is the story of Brightwill in times of drastic change.

---

The printed version is on the way, due later this month, but the EBook edition was released on November 7, and it is now available for free anywhere quality Ebooks are sold.

Here are the vendors I'm aware of so far:

Amazon

iBookstore (Apple)

Smashwords

KOBO

Barnes & Noble

Free samples should be available at all these stores as well, so you can try before you buy. I hope you enjoy it!

RL

EBook Preorders Are Now Open For Brightwill!

As if writing the book wasn't enough fun on it's own, I get to share it with everyone with a taste for fantasy fiction. I dreamt of writing this short novel for over four years, and the writing portion of the journey was fantastic. With my cousin, Luke Alberon, staying at my place for this summer, he got to read the pages as I completed them, and I got nearly instantaneous feedback from someone who is fairly choosy with his entertainment.

Then the editing chain began, and everyone involved with that seemed pleased, with surprisingly few notes to offer, so the writing of this book has gone so well. Now I can't wait to get it in front of you.

Even though my distribution partners advise that I should put this up for Pre-Order for six weeks, I'm not going to delay, because the book is finished, after all, and you should be able to read it as soon as everyone has started listing it. That's going to be in about seven days.

So, you can preorder as soon as the EBook is available at your favourite seller until November the 7th, when the book should be available pretty much everywhere. You can also read previews of the novel wherever it's being sold. Here are the links:

AMAZON KINDLE: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P2Q5RFK

US APPLE iBOOKSTORE: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/brightwill/id935771816?mt=11

CANADIAN APPLE iBOOKSTORE: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/brightwill/id935771816?mt=11

SMASHWORDS:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/489351

Print edition preorder link. (Each copy is signed). http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Brightwill-by-Randolph-Lalonde-Signed-by-author-/171515338241?pt=US_Fiction_Books&hash=item27ef1c5e01

Thank you so much for your interest in my work and your support so far. This is one of those ideas out of a dream that became a novel projects, and I had so much fun writing it. I hope you enjoy it half as much!

RL

Brightwill Release Dates and Preorders

Brightwill has been such a pleasure to work on. It was an experiment in which I used a singular character as the narrator, and he tells a story in the space of one day. That story, and how it is told is detailed in this book, which stands on its own without the need for a sequel or series.

The result is a short novel that has test-read very well so far, and I'm so excited to put it out into the world so you can read it.

The release date for the Ebook edition of Brightwill is November 7, 2014. It'll include three pencil illustrations from Marcus Froment in black and white. It should be available through all the major online sellers such as Amazon (Kindle), the iBookstore, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords as well as several other smaller sellers.

The print version of Brightwill includes several more illustrations as well as sketches by Marcus Froment. Content that will never be offered electronically.

The unsigned print version will be available on November 21 through Amazon and Createspace.

If you want a signed edition they'll be available on the same day, but you can preorder now: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/171515338241?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Here's the information for the print book and the synopsis.

ISBN: 978-0-9937398-3-5 

Pages: 196

Format: 6" x 9" Trade Paperback 

Ship Date: November 21, 2014 

 Brightwill is a stand alone short fantasy novel in which Naze, a great wizard, finally tells his students and fellows about exploits with his long lost brother, Riv. Riv, the slasher, the Thief of the Enduring Light, and the King Killer, is an unexpected sibling to Naze the Wizard. Naze, the holder of the High Seat of the Amber Enclave - a grand order of wizardry and schooling - risks his reputation and position by admitting his kinship, even though his brother has been missing for over half a century. Nevertheless, on the day chronicled in Brightwill, he has decided to reveal that Riv was indeed his brother, and that his story should be told. No one will look a the Great Wizard the same way, and the few who ask the most important question about his story telling will be rewarded.

---

I hope you enjoy the book as much as I enjoyed writing it!

RL

The Sons Of Brightwill: Why?

One of the most common statements when someone's talking to a writer about fantasy is; "it's been done." Meaning, we've had stories about dark elves, pale elves, well tanned elves, long yarns about McGuffins (think One Ring), about the birth of one hero after another and so on.

Well, after nearly burning out from Science Fiction, I needed another outlet for a while, so I wrote a really short piece called "Brightwill" where a pair of thieves risk life and limb to steal food. Low and behold, I felt better, I had new ideas for Fantasy and Science Fiction (Spinward Fringe specifically), and so I went back to SciFi for a while and made marvelous progress.

By Boxing Day the urge to go ahead and write a short, one shot Fantasy novel was nigh undeniable. So I started working on the Sons Of Brightwill on January 1st. It's become an adventure in "doing it differently" as I stay the hell away from having this book focus on the "rise of a hero" or the "quest for the dreadfully dangerous or holy [fill in the blank]" - it's been done, after all.

Instead, I decided I'd stretch my legs and write a book about two characters with few prospects trying to live in a world where anything is possible, but everything they want is just out of reach.

I'd be lying if I said I took a break from Science Fiction. I've actually written more for the Spinward Fringe series this month than I did in December, and refined a lot of important points in the last two books of the Rogue Element Trilogy. If it weren't for the break I've had with Sons of Brightwill, I believe the work I'm doing with Spinward Fringe wouldn't be nearly as good.

Back to the Sons of Brightwill for a minute. In this short novel I'm telling the story of two poor brothers who are alone in a world that is rife with magic, noble houses that control the masses and more religions than anyone would care to count. They're a resourceful pair, but have terribly mixed luck. We join them just as that luck is about to turn for the worst, as one of them, exasperated beyond reason, decides to show his displeasure at the treatment of poor folk by throwing a stone at a full fledged Knight Captain. The Sons Of Brightwill is a one shot novel.

The book is going out to beta readers and my editor on Monday, so the work on Brightwill isn't finished, but I'll be back to writing Spinward Fringe full time next week while I wait for results. I certainly hope they enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. I'll share some of the first impressions when they come in.

RL

Permanent Price Drop On eBooks With Lulu.com

People like DRM Free content. If you don't know what that means, I'll tell you. That means that after you download your .pdf eBook you can transfer the file between different computers, devices and whatever else you want to stick your file into, even a printer.

So, by using the store links to the right, you not only save $2.00 or more per eBook, but you can transfer the file to whatever you're reading it on or print it out for yourself.

What's prompted the price drop you ask? More people are buying the books! People are reading my work on their laptops, cellular phones, pda's and in print.

I thank you, if things keep picking up I'll be able to do this full time indefinitely. That's my dream, not to be rich, not to be famous, and certainly not to be massively published by some TOR or Bantam or ACE or whatever. I dream of making enough money to write full time, take care of myself and my family and maintain control of my work so no one can stop me from penning the stories I want to tell. I love entertaining you, but I want to do it my way.

So again; I thank you.

RL

The books, the work, and the readers.

The best thing about having a distributor that pushes your work is seeing that there are readers. There's something even better that figures into that and it's when you release fairly affordable novellas that allow anyone to say; "Okay, I liked the first and the second, but I don't feel like continuing." They can just turn around and decide not to buy the next one.

There's a special reward when I see a couple dozen sales of Freeground, the first book in the First Light Chronicles, on Monday. Then on Wednesday I see them come back and buy Limbo, then Starfree Port and Spinward Fringe: Resurrection on Friday. That's a truly special reward, and keep in mind I don't make more than a couple dollars per copy, so that signal I'm getting from the readers that they want more, they are very interested in the stories I have such pleasure telling is wonderful. It means more than the money, though the cash does pay the bills, let's face it.

Would I write all this stuff if it weren't for the people reading it? Hell yeah. Would it happen as quickly or be as good? I strongly suspect it would be quite as good. Readers challenge me, through emails, even on the radio like Ross at SomaCow. An educated opinion is worth hearing, and man, they come at me like a storm some days. I take it all with a grain of salt, everyone has different expectations, but there are lessons there if you keep an open mind.

Following this little rant, you'll find info on the next Spinward Fringe Novels. But going forward I need everyone to know; I just spent over forty hours writing in three days and I am in paradise. The stories come easy, the characters stand up and demand attention, and the work is wonderful.

The readers have spoken, you're starting to buy, and I can tell you with full confidence whether you're reading the Fate Cycle series, the First Light Chronicles or the Unlimited Spinward Fringe series: You ain't seen nothin' yet.

RL

And Now For Something Completely Different...

I've finished editing an older work; Fate Cycle: Dead of Winter. It's a light hearted romantic tale about an arranged marriage between a healer and a future warlord.

It's always interesting to take a look at work from years past and it's especially nice to realize that the story you told back then is still a fun read now. There's charm, depth and a solid beginning, middle and end to this book. I'm proud that it was written long before I really learned how a good story comes together.

There were grammatical problems, over writing and such but they were easily corrected. It just took time. I hope anyone who takes the time to read this volume enjoys it. For me it was a good primer to start working on the third part of the First Light series again.

Oh and by the way, my proof reader, who will be nicknamed R.A.I. for the purpose of this blog, gives First Light Chronicles: Limbo his seal of approval. He doesn't know it, but if he didn't like it I would have never published it.

Until next time!

RL