Tales of Fortannis | Michael A. Ventrella

It’s a Wonderful Death!

Posted on September 27, 2016 by Michael A. Ventrella

A brave knight breaks her vows to fight against a lunatic king calling himself “the Doomsayer” and ends up dealing with unreliable henchmen, political assassins, and a sarcastic disembodied head in a bag. Can she and her friends save the Hidden Kingdom from an unstoppable foe before her prophesied death? itsawonderfuldeath-510

IT’S A WONDERFUL DEATH is a stand-alone novel in the shared fantasy world of Fortannis. The story takes place after my novels ARCH ENEMIES and THE AXES OF EVIL and features Terin Ostler and the squires from those stories. However, you do not have to have read those books (or any of the stories in the various TALES OF FORTANNIS anthologies) to enjoy this book.

It was written by Derek Beebe and edited by me … and by editing, I don’t mean proofreading. I did an editor’s job as I have discussed in this blog before! So I’m really happy with the result and hope you will be, too.

Zachary Didur from Random Chatter magazine had this to say:

“Simultaneously epic and hilarious, IT’S A WONDERFUL DEATH tells a fast-paced story with a ton of heart. It focuses on a handful of characters and really makes you fall in love with them. Nevertheless, Beebe isn’t afraid to ramp up the action to 11 and deliver massive fantasy set-pieces.

Even though the book deals with some very dark subject matter at times, the tone was kept light by clever dialogue and moments of real levity. It never quite becomes a straight up comedy or farce but instead deftly toes the line, and in the end is an enjoyable epic fantasy story.”

So if you’re a fan of my earlier fantasy novels and want to know what happens to those characters later, please check this out! It’s available in Paperback, E-book , Kindle and iBook !

Filed under: writing | Tagged: Arch Enemies, Derek Beebe, editing, Fortannis, It's a Wonderful Death, Tales of Fortannis, The Axes of Evil | Leave a comment »

A Bard Day’s Knight

Posted on March 15, 2015 by Michael A. Ventrella

Adventure! Drama! Mystery! Humor! It’s all here in the third TALES OF FORTANNIS anthology, A BARD DAY’S KNIGHT, featuring stories set in the world of my novels.

Here’s what some prominent writers who got a preview said about this book:

“From the ridiculous to the sublime to the downright heartfelt and — at some instances — mildly terrifying, Ventrella’s collection promises you that in Fortannis, anything and everything is up for grabs.” — Tee Morris, author of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series

“A very readable collection of classic fantasy adventure.” – Lawrence Watt-Evans, author of The Misenchanted Sword and the Annals of the Chosen series

Ryk Spoor decided to do a complete review rather than just a short blurb!:

“A Bard Day’s Knight is the third anthology of stories in Michael Ventrella’s world of Fortannis, a fantasy world that is both clearly part of the high fantasy tradition in its general makeup, but incorporates Ventrella’s own touch to make it a much more living world, with its own traditions, a broad assortment of inhabitants ranging from furry, catlike gorbe to the more familiar humans, elves, and dwarves – though even the most familiar will have their own unique twists to offer.

Though the title is humorous, readers shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that this is parody or comedy; while many stories have a lighthearted touch to them, others do not, and almost all of them have strongly serious elements.

The fourteen stories in this anthology compare, overall, very well with those in the prior anthologies; this is, in fact, the strongest of the three, with only one story that I felt was overall a weak tale, and the others ranging from quite good to brilliant.

What is really fascinating about an anthology like this is seeing what the world of Fortannis looks like through eyes with so many different perspectives. Old familiar friends are here – Ventrella’s own squires Terin and Darlissa, Curso Brambletoes the clever, subtle hobling, exiled sellsword Sarlon and his companions Minnow and Mumblepeg – and new ones, including a unique view of the life of a rather unusual Goblin in “Shiny Savior”, the eponymous and clever hero of “The Life and Death of Beryl Truesword”, Brenlund in “Blinded” who has to overcome his preconceptions to save both himself and others from a terrible fate.

Most of the stories have strong voices – the characters that must drive the story quickly define themselves, telling us who they are and why they matter, whether they are noble, poor, human, goblin, warrior or sorceror – and the challenges they overcome loom large within the stories, whether they are threats to many or merely the problem of day-to-day survival.

The last anthology I think I gave four stars; this one is easily four and a half, perhaps five; I had a lot of fun reading A Bard Day’s Knight, and anyone who enjoys fantasy adventure should too! – Ryk Spoor, author of Grand Central Arena and Phoenix Rising

A BARD DAY’S KNIGHT features the following tales:

Honor Battle by Michael A. Ventrella: Terin’s decision to impersonate a poor farmer boy who has to participate in “trial by combat” backfires in more ways than one as he finds himself facing a familiar foe he can only beat through cunning and wit.

The Mystery of the Dead Cat in the Darkness by Bernie Mojzes: When the dead cat nailed to her door comes to life, bites her, infects her, and then runs off, Marin knows today will not be a normal day.

Dragon 142 by KT Pinto: The oddball quest of some ragtag adventurers is viewed through the eyes of a straight laced, haughty, smarter-than-thou gryphon.

Take Care on the Farfin by Jon Cory: On a deserted beach, a sellsword knight, a spotted dwarf and a beautiful elf discover that than there are worse things than being marooned.

A Matter of Death and Life by Mark Mensch: Even a cunning rogue like city-born Nigel Peaks has trouble from time to time and needs the help of a kind stranger to get out of a not-quite-dead woods.

The Dragon in the Kettle by Christine L. Hardy: Dragons are extinct, right? And if they did exist, they’d be terribly dangerous and illegal to own as well? So what is a poor blacksmith to do when she discovers that she has helped a baby dragon hatch in her own smithy?

Curso and the Passing Tree by Roy C. Booth and Brian Woods: Curso the hobling is helping a loved one prepare for his final hour, but there are creatures in the woods who will do everything to prevent a peaceful passing.

Blinded by Laurel Anne Hill: A young man whose only job is to be the official caretaker of mystical fish encounters a mysterious woman, a ruthless necromancer and life-threatening danger of the kind he’s never seen before.

The Life and Death and Life of Beryl Truesword by Derek Beebe: Beryl Truesword traveled to the other side of the world to defeat an evil dictator, but how can she kill someone who can foresee the death of anyone and tell the future?

Shiny Savior by Shane Porteous: An unusual goblin discovers why sometimes it is better to follow your stomach instead of your curiosity.

The Ungrateful Undead by Beth W. Patterson: What happens when zombies retain a shred of their consciousness and are forced to perform against their will?

Jump Back into the Fight by Tera Fulbright: A group of unlikely adventurers spend an introspective, long, rainy night, then rise with the sun to face their fears.

The Twisted Forest by Angela Pritchett: A brave woman must face a group of evil gnomes to save one of her elven wards who has been kidnapped into the Tainted Forest.

Unscarred by Mike Strauss: How can a simple alchemist, untrained in combat, survive a brutal and deadly coming-of-age ceremony?

Click here to order this book!

Filed under: writing | Tagged: A Bard Day's Knight, Tales of Fortannis | Leave a comment »

Submit a story for the next Tales of Fortannis collection

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Michael A. Ventrella

(Edited and updated 4/20/15)

The third TALES OF FORTANNIS collection (“A BARD DAY’S KNIGHT”) has been released and now it’s time for me to begin work on the next. So I’m looking for stories.

About the collection: The TALES OF FORTANNIS series is published by Double Dragon and is available in paperback, ebook, kindle, ibook, and nook. Double Dragon is perhaps the largest science fiction and fantasy e-book publisher out there, and has been around for about fifteen years. They have a good reputation, pay royalties on time, and make sure the book is available everywhere (Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, all e-book distributors).

Previously unpublished authors are encouraged to submit, but should be aware that we ask for at least two years of exclusivity which can limit your ability to resell or republish the story later. (You can negotiate the exact terms of exclusivity with Double Dragon.) Once your story appears in TALES OF FORTANNIS, it will severely limit its future possibilities, including a future pay rate.

Note as well that while the book will be promoted in a number of ways, sales will not be huge. Don’t give up your day job. You should be submitting mostly for the exposure. As a standard warning that applies in all similar cases, you need to decide if publishing your work in e-formats and/or on the web, giving up your First Publishing Right for a token payment, is really what you want to do.

About Fortannis: Fortannis is the fantasy land where my novels ARCH ENEMIES and THE AXES OF EVIL take place. Your story does not have to take place in the same kingdom as my stories, and you can create your own kingdom and characters. It’s a high fantasy world with elves, dwarves, the mysterious biata, gryphons, goblins, and more.

Magic comes from the orderly progression of nature, and mages can learn to tap into that power to do basic spells that manipulate the earth, air, fire or water. Healing magics exist, as they speed up the body’s own healing process and tap into that power. Death magic also exists, because death is part of the orderly path of nature.

There is another source of power, and that is chaos magic, sometimes known as necromancy. This magic runs counter to the orderly progression and is used to harm and to do unnatural things like raise zombies and undead. This kind of magic is much easier to use and thus very tempting to those trying to learn the magical arts. Every spell has its chaotic counterpart which is stronger — you can either heal someone a little or hurt someone a lot. Chaos magic eventually corrupts the land and the mind of the user, and is illegal and frowned upon in decent society.

There are no gods, churches, or religions.

Keep in mind that although these are fantasy stories, you are not limited to telling tales of adventure, with knights fighting dragons and wizards casting powerful spells. The world is merely the setting for the stories. I am looking for a variety of tales, as you can see from the previous books. There is one story about someone trying to steal the recipe for his favorite pie. Another concerns three goblin children spying on the curious humans. A third involves a con artist trying to mislead a nobleman. The theme of the Tales of Fortannis series is the fantasy world, not the type of story. (To get a synopsis of the stories that have run in the previous books, check out the blog posts for A Bard’s Eye View, A Bard in the Hand, and A Bard Day’s Knight.)

If you want to submit a story, I first suggest that you read one of my novels or one of the collections. It will help, and may give you some story ideas … and it should help prevent you from submitting a story idea that has already been done.

Submissions: Submissions are open for short stories of under 10,000 words with no minimum. (A good story should take exactly as many words as needed.) Unpublished authors are encouraged to submit, but will still face the same standards for submissions as the published authors. And of course, the less editing that your story needs, the more likely I am to accept it.

All stories should be double-spaced in rtf format with 12 point Times Roman font. There should be no spacing after the paragraphs. The first page must contain the name of the story, the word count, and your name, address, email, and phone number. Your cover letter should list any previous publications.

Note: You may want to send a proposal first to make sure your story won’t contradict another story and to make sure your idea fits within the world of Fortannis.

Proposals and inquiries must be emailed to michael.ventrella@gmail.com. DEADLINE: AUGUST 1, 2015.

Filed under: writing | Tagged: short story, submissions, Tales of Fortannis | Leave a comment »

A Bard in the Hand

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Michael A. Ventrella

Adventure! Drama! Mystery! Humor! It’s all here in the newest TALES OF FORTANNIS anthology.

A BARD IN THE HAND is the second book in this series, featuring stories set in the world of my novels. The ebook version is now available, soon to be followed by the paperback, nook, and kindle versions.

Here are the cover blurbs:

“Magic. Knights. Werewolves. Doppelgangers. Elves. There’s no telling what will pop up in Michael A. Ventrella’s Fortannis fantasy series when he invites other writers to play in his sandbox. No need to wait for any ‘extended editions.’ These stories are good to go now.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, author of the Hugo-nominated JAR JAR BINKS MUST DIE and SHH! IT’S A SECRET.

“A very fun anthology of tales in a world both expected and very different indeed! In A BARD IN THE HAND, Michael Ventrella and others revisit the world of Fortannis and emerge with tales to astound, amuse, and bemuse; here is sword-and-sorcery to stand well next to that of Leiber and Moorcock, and ordinary people swept up into events far larger than they which can still be addressed with some common sense and cleverness. A young woman makes a choice, and faces the consequences of choice and the price of learning, while another duels in darkness for the soul of a child, and an old man recounts an adventure of his youth that kindles a spark in those who listen. A fun book, well worth reading!” – Ryk Spoor, author of PHOENIX RISING and GRAND CENTRAL ARENA.

“Curl up in your favorite chair with your favorite beverage and get ready for adventure, action and derring-do—it’s all here!” – Gail Z Martin, author of ICE FORGED

This edition features the following tales:

“The Mystery of the Black-Bearded Dwarf” by Michael A. Ventrella: Terin and his fellow squires find themselves in dwarven lands, having to solve a murder where everyone has a motive and an alibi. Can they figure out whodunnit and prevent the dwarven clans from going to war?

“Embarrassing Relations” by Bernie Mojzes and Bob Norwicke: After defending Ashbury from an unspeakable horror from beyond time and space, Maris Goselin finds herself with a new assignment: help the Duke avoid spending quality time with a gibbering out-of-town relative. It seems easy, but Maris soon realizes that although the relative may be insane, insanity is relative, and sometimes making a living has life-threatening consequences.

“Knight’s Gambit” by Tera Fulbright: A newly ordained Knight learns that some things really are black and white.

“Curso and the Perilous Purple Pixie Problem” by Roy C. Booth and Brian Woods: Curso and his friends find themselves traveling to a mysterious cave in order to save a pixie who may be more trouble than she’s worth.

“A Hero of Padrin’s Hold” by Mike Strauss: Sometimes a hero does things that are necessary, and sometimes it is best when no one knows.

“The Golden Gifts” by Laurel Anne Hill: Artha, a biata gifted in magic, must outwit a powerful necromancer. Only a few hours to complete this task remain. If Artha succeeds, her brother’s dying daughter will rest in peace forever. Failure, however, will doom Artha and her beloved young niece to the ranks of the undead.

“A Hero is Born” by Davey Beauchamp: A young man finds himself traveling with a mysterious and possibly crazy bard — which leads him meet a group of villains out to awaken a long-asleep powerful creature. If only a hero would arrive …

“The Vacarran Corsair” by Jesse Grabowski: The streets of Dockside were never the safest of places, even in broad daylight, and even for a skilled pirate. This is a place for homeless children, wealthy and ruthless thieves, and corruption. Here, even the heart of a pirate can change. Loss of innocence can sometimes remove thoughts of plunder and loot … sometimes.

“The Chandler’s Tale” by Henry Hart: Pursued by monsters, a boy becomes lost in the elven wood where he learns that some things are worth dying for.

“Beyond the Bitter River” by Jon Cory: After being banished from the kingdom, Sarlon races for the border, pursued by the king’s guards. His only hope lies in a mysterious elven girl who has taught herself how to do magic … poorly.

“Dreamed Tortures” by Mark Mensch: Nigel finds himself in the home of his long lost love, Kayleigh –however not everything is as it seems. All actions have consequences and the people he relieved of their valuable artifact have some type of payment in mind.