Bring to life a fantastic world of action, romance, and intrigue. Pre-order The Gift-Knight’s Quest in digital or paperback.
Video filmed and produced by Herman Wang. Cover graphic created by Rona Dijkhuis.
What is “The Gift-Knight’s Quest”?
The Gift-Knight’s Quest is an ambiguous-magic fantasy set on a large continent with a massive inland sea. This novel concerns the youngest descendants of two families which have traditionally been enemies: the Kenderleys, who now rule the world’s largest empire, and the Wancyeks, who have been reduced to common status and have lived quietly in a chunk of their former empire for over a century.
Chandra: An Unexpected Throne
She started awake, in bed, where she was and must have been the whole time. A plump servant girl had her by the shoulders and was in the process of shaking her awake.
“Chandra.” The girl said firmly with a hint of concern. Chandra might be a king’s daughter, but it felt like this task was a chore and the concern was for someone else.
“Stop. I’m awake. Yes?” Chandra replied as firmly as she could manage at the time.
“The Captain of the Guard was ordered to check on you personally. He felt strange barging into a girl’s chamber, so he insisted I help.” The girl smiled falsely. “He’s still outside. Now that we know no harm’s done, you had better get dressed and ready to get to some place safer.” She relayed the order.
Captain Jan Donde, standing outside her door? What was so important?
“Let go of me, then, and I’ll get started.” Chandra shrugged off the servant girl’s grip. Once free, Chandra asked: “Are you allowed to tell me what this is about?”
The girl peeked back at the door to make sure it was shut. She wasn’t allowed at all, but she would tell, albeit in a soft voice. “Something happened to the Queen. Word is, she was murdered last night.”
Soon, Chandra will find herself overwhelmed trying to cope with an empire of responsibilities. After suspicious tragedies leave her sitting on a throne she never expected would be hers, she must struggle to spare the lives of countless subjects from violent political unrest and the threat of war. But when she finds herself trapped in a room where she was brought for safety, accosted by the worst threat of all, her own life might be the most challenging to save.
Derek: Soldier Without a War, Knight Without a Quest
“I just fear for you, Derek. I tried to raise you right, but I’m afraid they’ve singled you out thinking so much time went by that good died of old age. They want you for a slave. If you go to them and give them what they want, then that proves to everyone forever that all the gold stolen from everybody else can buy anybody, even your oldest enemy. Then honour means nothing. For all time people will know that conniving wins in the end, and honesty is worthless.”
“Father, listen to me.” Derek interrupted. “What about the honour of tradition? Did the Free Plains ever send a disloyal gift-knight? Where’s the honesty in that? Where’s the good? You’re putting me in a place where no matter what I do I’m betraying someone or something.”
“I know. I know. It’s hard, Derek. Life’s full of hard choices.” Emeric replied.
“It’s simple to me. You want me to betray things that still live and that need me to treat them with respect, in favour of dead things that will never come back.” Derek argued.
“Not dead. Not what we hold dear.” Emeric was eerily placid, now, staring him down. “Not unless you choose to kill it. It’s your turn, now, Derek. What wins in the world, good or evil, that gets decided by people with opportunities like yours.”
Derek will find himself being called away on a journey through loneliness, madness, and a tragic family history he once hoped to leave behind. He will question everything, and life’s certainties will seem as easy to grasp as the winds worshipped by his ancestors. He is the Gift-Knight, sent by his homeland to protect one who might kill him; he struggles to discover his true Quest, even if it costs him everything.
I invite you into this vibrant world of intrigue and strategy, the power people create through belief, love and loss, beauty and tragedy. I have put the words together, friends, but only together can we bring this to life.
This podcast by Pam Mertz includes a deeper discussion of the story, including character motivations. It also has some more background about the author, like a longer version of the campaign video.
How you can bring this to life
To launch this novel is to launch its series, not to mention my career as a novelist. The manuscripts for two sequels are already written, and I’m plotting three other books on a separate story arc in the same world.
I had a chat with an interested self-publishing company that can assist me in all aspects of launching this novel, beyond what my helpful crew of artists and friends are already doing. This company can:
- cover all basic production including layout, ISBN, bar code and QR code, typesetting and proof revisions
- print at least 100 copies in 6 x 9 perfect bound paperback (useful not only for all perks involving paperbacks, but also donating copies to select libraries in Toronto and Vaughan and copies for reviewers and bloggers to get this novel widely written about and known)
- conversion to ePub and Kindle formats and distribution worldwide
- wholesale and retail trade distribution and marketing in the USA, UK, Canada, and potentially worldwide
- ongoing help and advice for marketing and sales of both ebook and paperback versions
These are just the basic services provided, and the established minimum funding goal easily covers these costs, plus some of the costs of shipping physical perks to backers, and paying Kickstarter fees owed upon the successful funding of the campaign. All funds raised up to the minimum goal will enter a budget for creating and marketing “The Gift-Knight’s Quest” on an ongoing basis. Any funds raised beyond the minimum can buy premium level service packages from the same company, improving the novel’s availability worldwide. In the strange event that funding extends unimaginably far beyond the goal, and beyond the price of premium services I find to be beneficial to the novel’s distribution, the extra funds can always go toward the next book(s) in this series.
What you can get in return for support
Summary: ebook and paperback copies of the story that we will have brought to life, a postcard, an autographed print, tickets to a Toronto-area themed event, and my sincere thanks, in various combinations.
There are also character sketches and art, inspirations and rough draft portions excluded from the final version, and other excerpts which can be unlocked solely for project backers as we pass funding thresholds (every $500 – 500, 1000, 1500, for example). The sooner you back this project, the easier it is to automatically get more unlocked bonuses, for the simple reason that if you join before a threshold is passed then you have joined in time to receive that email and all emails after it. If you want earlier/missed unlocked items, you will have to contact me so that I can send them to you.
What is the dance event that you mentioned?
Dragonfly Bellydance has graciously donated their studio space for a show, “Danced To Life: Characters From The Gift-Knight’s Quest” on October 11, 2014. Doors open at 6:30 PM. In addition to the world premiere screening of the two book trailers for The Gift-Knight’s Quest, and a Q&A with the author, four dancers have taken on the challenge of bringing four characters to life. In alphabetical order:
Iana as the Crown Princess, Chandra
Kaleena as the revolutionary, Zinnia
Shantell as the Goddess-Empress of the Coast
Victoria as the Duchess of the Festival Woods, Sonia
For single admission, please select a perk that includes admission and pledge the required amount. Be ready to provide a name that can then be put on a list at the venue so that no paper ticket is required.
