Norothian Cycle Map: Daul 1395-1398 NC, Book VI update

So here’s the thing I’ve found over the course of the 5+ books of The Norothian Cycle – when you’re writing an epic fantasy where the unfolding plot and the actions of the characters have an ongoing effect on the fictional “world,” mapmaking becomes almost a second job (or fifth or sixth job, if you count writing, editing, reading, social media butterfly, blogging, etc.)

As readers are aware, a lot of the action of the novels has unfolded in and around territory that up until 1395-1396 (by the Norothian Calendar) constituted The Kingdom of Daul, various parts of which have come “under new management” more than one time. Thus most of the books have included updated maps which, while geographically the same, cover a number of shifting political and military realities “on the ground.” Now that I am working on Book VI, which is meant to be the capstone of this part of the Norothian Cycle, I bolted this map together to keep things straight in my head for myself, but then thought “Hey, why not blog it?”

So here we go: some words relating to these maps, which may contain a few spoilers for those who haven’t read through Book V (The Channel War), though I will endeavor to keep those plot related without dipping into too many character references. From there, I will tell you where I am now, as Book VI (John the Red) begins to unfold.

 

Heroes and Villains Blog Hop, May 3rd-6th

Hello, and welcome to the sablecity blog – the home page for The Norothian Cycle epic fantasy series, and the 20th stop on this weekend’s Heroes & Villains Blog Hop.

My article on the topic of Villains, and specfically John the Red, ran a couple days ago to save space here for the giveaway/contest – which is remarkably simple as befits my level of technological incompetence.

First off, Book I of the Norothian Cycle – The Sable City – is presently FREE from all major e-book retailers, including of course Amazon US & UK – other linkes may be found here. Feel free to download a copy if interested, and get to know the aforementioned John, a feisty Island Guilder by the name of Tilda Lanai, a man-eating Lamia, a broken-hearted samurai…the whole mandatory “cast of thousands” to round out any good Epic Fantasy of the Musket & Magic persuasion.

The next four volumes of the Cycle are Death of a Kingdom, The Wind from Miilark, Devil Town, and The Channel War, and for the H&V Blog Hop, I will be giving away an e- copy of each to the person who can come closest to answering the following “How many jellybeans are in this jar?” style question:

The final word count of The Channel War is 146,789. What was the word count of the first draft?

That’s it, feel free to leave a guesstimated word count as a comment on this post, and please do leave an address (twitter, e-mail, facebook, wordpress, whatever) where I can contact whoever comes closest to the pin after the weekend, and arrange to get you copies of the full Norothian Cycle in your preferred format. The winner will also be posted here Monday, and I will list all guesses in order for the sake of verification. That’s it, easy-peasy.

Thanks for stopping by, and please do have fun continuing the Heroes & Villains Blog Hop, checking out what everyone has to offer, and hopefully finding some new authors you may enjoy. And as always, thanks for reading.

- Ed McNally

——-

Participating authors in the Heroes & Villains Blog Hop, May 3-6 2013.

• 1.) Martin Bolton 
• 2.) Mike Cooley
• 3.) Karin Cox 
• 4.) Joanne Hall
• 5.) Jolea M. Harrison
• 6.) Tinney Sue Heath
• 7.) Kyle Lewis
• 8.) Paula Lofting
• 9.) Liz Long
• 10.) Peter Lukes
• 11.) Mark McClelland
• 12.) M. Edward McNally (you are here)
• 13.) Sue Millard
• 14.) Rhiannon Douglas
• 15.) Ginger Myrick
• 16.) Dave Pilling
  17.) Kim Rendfeld
• 18.) Terry L Smith
• 19.) Tara West
• 20.) Keith Yatsuhashi

 

The Channel War LIVES!

New addition to the family.

The Channel War, Book V of the Norothian Cycle, is now available.

I will be taking a nap.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C4YU0R8

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00C4YU0R8

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-channel-war-m-edward-mcnally/1046372725

 

New Book V – The Channel War – Map

Western Noroth & NW Kandala 1396 NC

Book V of the Norothian Cycle, The Channel War is officially in the editorial/formatting homestretch, so as always big thanks to my Betas, and of course The Cyber Witch.

The plotline of this one roves around a number of different events in a number of different places, so I am figuring on including multiple maps for each “part” and possibly a few specific chapters. The main map at the beginning of the book will thus be this one, which sacrifices a lot of detail but offers a wider view of about a continent-and-a-half worth of places with funny names, for the sake of the “big picture.”

Thanks for stopping by, and I’m looking forward to getting the next installment of Tilda & Co.’s tale out to you.

Ed

 

Norothian Cycle Map: Tartheagu. Plus Channel War Update

The northern nation of Tartheagu continues to be referenced with increasing frequency as Book Five of the Norothian Cycle - The Channel War – rolls along, but it has thus far only appeared on maps in large scale without much detail. In order to rectify that, here you go.

This map displays the far northwest corner of the continent Noroth, with most of the Empire of the Code visible to the south, and the coastal edge of the Il-Tasardom of Kantantanalace on the eastern edge. The Tarthagars and Kantans, it may be recalled, jointly invade the western half of Old Daul (southeast of this map, visible here) way back in Book Two and occupied a region known as The Protectorate. By Book Four the T-K alliance has fractured, leaving Tartheagu in sole occupation of most of those lands.

In other news, Book Five remains in progress. The first “Part” (roughly a third) is with Beta readers, the second is going out to them this weekend, and the final part should be ready for editing within the next several weeks. Tentatively then, still shooting for a March release, likely toward the end of the month. But it is getting there.

 

New Map: Riven Kingdoms

The Riven Kingdoms, 1396 NC

Slowly but surely getting more maps converted from old chicken-scrawl handwritten versions. This one is of the Riven Kingdoms which are often referenced but have so far only appeared on the eastern edge of maps of Daul (which is “The Protectorate” by 1396 NC) or the northern edge of Ayzantium (where civil war still rages at the same time). This map does however include the birthplaces of five characters from the series: Zebulon Baj Nif was raised in Wakminau, one of the three cities at the Bifurcation, where the Dranner River divides into the Ghendal and the Riddle. Captain Block was born in the Dwarf Mountain’s of Garak-Tor while the Gnomish mercenary Fitzyear Coalmounderan is from the neighboring hill country of Nom. Finally, Nesha-tari was born in the north Ayzantine desert at the bottom of the map, known in Zantish as The Hakalya (“the Desolation), while Durkashil Karza’s “Focaru” tribe inhabits the valley of the Fox River to the northeast.

 

Congrats, New Year Blog Hop Winners!

Thanks to all who entered the 2013 New Year Hop here at the Sable City blog, and took a shot at the question:

<<< How many characters speak at least one line of dialogue in THE SABLE CITY? >>>

And big congratulations to both islandkayaker & Rachel, who both guessed 63 and were thus within one of the right answer, 64. I’ll be e-mailing you both today to arrange just how you would like to receive your prize books of The Norothian Cycle. Thanks to everybody who entered and took part in the overall New Year Hop, and good look with the Grand Prize drawings.

- Ed McNally.

 

Welcome to the 2013 New Year Hop!

Welcome to the epilogue of the Mayan Calendar, and thanks for taking part in the New Year’s Holiday Hop. I’m M. Edward McNally (but you can call me “Ed” <waves>), and this is the homepage for my Epic Fantasy series, The Norothian Cycle. Welcome, and thanks much for hopping by.

Here is how I am working my giveway, which will be so simple a caveman could do it, assuming the caveman had internet access. Volume One of The Norothian Cycle, The Sable City, is always FREE for all e-book platforms. It weighs in at a bit over 180,000 words (I did say “epic,” right?) and it is the source of my super simple “How many jellybeans in the jar?” style question:

<<<   How many characters speak at least one line of dialogue in THE SABLE CITY?  >>>

 

Win the Norothian Cycle – Holiday Hop

HOLIDAY BLOG HOP!!! Ho, ho, ho. (In a good way…)

Hello, I’m M. Edward McNally, but you can call me “Ed” (waves). Welcome to the sablecity’s stop on the 2012 Holiday Hop, and thanks much for hopping by.

Here is how I am working my giveway, which will be very simple as befits my level of techological ineptitude. I’m the author of an epic, Musket & Magic fantasy series called The Norothian Cycle, presently consisting of four books, with the fifth out early next year. The series stars a feisty Guild-trained adventurer named Tilda Lanai, and I’m gratified to say even non-fantasy fans have thus far found her stories worth reading. So please don’t let the term “epic fantasy” worry you too much.

Volume One, The Sable City, is always FREE for all e-book platforms. It weighs in at a robust 183,076 words and is the longest of the four books available at this time. So here is my simple “How many jellybeans in the jar?” style question:

<<<  What is the total Word Count of the first four books of The Norothian Cycle?  >>>

Feel free to leave a guess here as a comment, and a way you can be reached online (if you are not already posting as a facebook, wordpress, whatever profile). At the conclusion of the blog hop which runs December 10th to 14th, I will select a winner by a careful process of addition and subtraction to calculate the closest answer to the actual word count (guessing higher or lower doesn’t matter, so go nuts).

The closest guess will win something along the lines of A SUBSCRIPTION TO THE NOROTHIAN CYCLE. That is, I will get you e-copies of the existing books in the series ($4.99 each), provided in any of the normal ways: either directly via Kindle “gift,” Smashwords coupon, or just sending the apporpriate files for any kind of e-reader. Whatever works for you. In addition, as each subsequent volume is released, I will send you a copy of that one as well, beginning in early 2013 with Volume V: The Channel War.

That’s all there is to it, just leave a number as a guess, and do remember to check out the main page of the Holiday Hop to visit all the participating blogs, and enter for the Grand Prize packages including (drumroll) A KINDLE FIRE! 

Thanks again for taking part, Happy Holidays to you and yours, and as I always say: Thanks for reading.

Ed McNally

 

How DO you get to The Sable City?

Thanks much to Iaqulotta for the lover-ly review. How DO you get to The Sable City?.