Also, Hadley Rille Books is offering the Kindle edition and Nook edition of EOLYN for just $2.99 through the holidays. Magical reading at a fantastic price. Take advantage of this great offer while it lasts.
2011 has been a great year for EOLYN. Since we celebrated her birthday with Hadley Rille Books on May 7, the novel has sold to an international audience in hardcover, paperback, Kindle and Nook format, including readers from North America, Europe, Central America, Australia and Asia. (And if there are other regions of the world where she is being read that I haven't mentioned, please by all means, let me know!)
Some particularly memorable highlights from EOLYN's debut:
In April of this year, Publisher's Weekly gave the novel the following review: Though Eolyn becomes the hope of a rebellion, she never has to carry the whole weight of the story; Akmael, the "witch" Ghemena, and other characters develop many intriguing facets. Gastreich allows her heroes to have flaws--including moments of cowardice--and some victories bring new sorrows. Vigorously told deceptions and and battle scenes will satisfy fans of traditional epic fantasy with a romantic thread.
At the end of that same month, students at Avila University received a special preview of the novel at our Pre-Launch Party. The Launch Party on May 7 was held at the Writers Place in Kansas City, Missouri, and attended by an enthusiastic crowd, including guests from Chicago, Washington DC, the United Kingdom and Germany.
Since then, EOLYN has made appearances at several booksignings and conferences, including Powell's Books in Portland OR, Prospero's Books in Kansas City, Who Else! Books in Denver CO, the KU Bookstore in Lawrence KS, ConQuest, Bubonicon, the Campbell Conference, and the World Fantasy Convention in San Diego CA. The novel has also been favorably reviewed by book bloggers and authors such as Eliabeth Hawthorne, Carlyle Clark and Dane Grannon, as well as by customers on Amazon, Barnes&Noble and Goodreads. (By the way, if you have read EOLYN but have not yet posted a customer review, please take a moment to do so. Help other readers decide if this is magical medieval fantasy is the right story for them.)
EOLYN has also been added to the collections of public libraries across the United States. (If it's not yet available in your library, please take a moment to request it. Help make this epic fantasy, with its strong female protagonist, available for everyone's enjoyment.)
So, what do we have planned for 2012?
Well, I'm just beginning to answer that question. I would like to visit some new cons next year, and have put LunaCon, ConQuest, WorldCon and MileHiCon on my calendar for the moment. In the next few days, I intend to meet with my editor regarding book signing venues, and will keep you posted about that. Also, watch for more editorial reviews of EOLYN in coming months. And there will be some special events and surprises. . .that I have to keep under wraps for the moment.
2012 is also the year in which I plan to finish the sequel to EOLYN, scheduled for release in Fall of 2013. Interested in a sneak preview of book two? Keep your eyes on this site. . .
