fantasy series – Sean Monaghan

I mentioned in my last post that I had been writing short stories along with the new novels in the Morgenfeld Patrons of Art Trilogy, and the first of those stories, “The Quiet Hours” is available now from all your favorite retailers, including directly from the website where you can get the ebook for 100% off the $2.99 cover price (as in free) just by using the code “quiet25”.

The Quiet Hours

Conducting what he imagines as a small investigation, Jason Trone finds himself in the quaint and rustic Debble Teahouse. Hidden away in the dank gloom of Morgenfeld’s endless corridors.

Sweet smells and dark corners and a more than slightly odd proprietor.

Searching for a slippery character known only as Murchison, Jason hopes to find answers. Before Jason himself becomes caught up in the murder investigation.

In the vast, chaotic, fantastical city of Morgenfeld, “The Quiet Hours” focuses down on a single moment that might change Jason’s life forever.

While all of my series stories and novels can be read in any order, “The Quiet Hours” does take place some time after the events in the novel, The Wintermas Paintings. Don’t worry, there’s aren’t any spoilers in the story.

The Wintermas Paintings and The Bergeron Sculptures are both available for preorder directly from the website now, for June 10th and August 10th (ten days ahead of the regular retailers, in case you see them on Amazon with June 20th/August 20th).

We’re working hard right now to get the last elements of copyediting and formatting completed for the final volume the trilogy,The Ingersal Ballet, which will be available from October 10th.

I had fun writing this “The Quiet Hours” and it actually came out of a challenge to write a story about tea. Challenges are always good, since they get me thinking in different ways about my stories and my approach to writing. Working within certain limitations really does help with creativity. There’s a common refrain along the lines of “The constraints will set you free”, which I like. Stravinsky said it well with “The more constraints one imposes, the more one frees one’s self of the chains that shackle the spirit.”

I do write a lot with prompts, whether that be for themed anthologies, or magazines, or just from my own little book of possible titles, and they all form the kinds of constraints that make me a little more creative.

Remember, use the discount code quiet25 to get the story for free from the website.

The first book in the new Morgenfeld Trilogy is available for preorder now. The release date is set for June 20th (though you can get the ebook a little earlier, June 10th, by going directly from the website). $5.99 for the ebook, $19.99 in print (from Amazon – the print link shows up on release day).

Fantasy trilogies are, I guess, kind of a thing, and it was fun to take a few new characters and explore Morgenfeld again, though in a whole different context.

In case you missed them, the other three novels comprise The Map Maker Trilogy – The Map Maker of Morgenfeld, The Stairs at Cronnenwood, and The Chimneys in Atterton.

Faced with overwhelming responsibility as Morgenfeld’s new head Map Maker, Cole Palmer finds himself embroiled in sinister plots and diabolical machinations in a series of intense books for fans of the books of Mervyn Peake and Michael Moorcock. Available at your favorite retailers, including Amazon.

So over the last couple of years, among other projects, I’ve been working on the new books which comprise the Patrons of Art Trilogy. With all the kinks now ironed out and the look and feel kind of how we want it, we’ll be releasing all three new books this year. Current plans are to have The Bergeron Sculptures and The Ingersal Ballet available in August and October, as in two-monthly after The Wintermas Paintings. The manuscripts are complete and have been copyedited and proofed and right now we’re hard at work making the final formatting and covers for those books.

This is the draft look of the new trilogy, though for Bergeron and Ingersal, the cover art and layout is not final.

We also will be tinkering a little with the look of those covers on the Map Maker Trilogy – there are a couple of make-tidy things to take care of there.

Preorder links for the next two books will be coming soon. The images are from the remarkable Grandfailure, in keeping with all the other books. It’s such a wonderful style that really fits so well with the tone and feel of the novels.

Oh, also, as I did with my Cole Wright Thrillers, I’ve been writing short stories set with these new Morgenfeld characters. That’s been a blast. Writing short stories is fun, and a great way for me to get to know the characters, and to explore some things that don’t show up in the novels. Morgenfeld has a whole mess of places to explore, that’s for sure.

Anyway, with lots on the plate right now, we wanted to mention that soon, at least sometime before Wintermas comes out, we’ll be releasing at least one of the stories as a free read. A excellent way to see if the Patrons of Arts Trilogy, and even Morgenfeld, is your cup of tea, as they say (also since one of the stories is set in a tea house… too corny?).

Thanks for reading. Here’s the blurb for the first book, as I try to get your interest. Any good?

The Wintermas Paintings

Pickpocket Jason Trone flees with the spoils of his plunder. Trinkets and baubles. Hardly worth the effort. Hardly worth the risk.

Small time.

A speck in the endless corridors of the Morgenfeld’s vast city sprawl,

But when he gets an offer for the big time, Jason finds himself confronting his whole life.

And then some.

A fantasy novel that simmers with a dark brooding intensity.

Available from June 10th/20th from the usual places.

Tag: fantasy series

The Quiet Hours – a new Morgenfeld short story

The Wintermas Paintings – preorder the new novel in a new Morgenfeld Trilogy