I'm done.
That is, I'm done with the major re-write and editing of A Princess of Kesselt. Now I have to go through and make it ereader-able, await a cover, and then go through the process of up loading onto Smashwords. I'm hoping all this is done by November.
So here's the tease.
Princess Richelle Neville of Dormir is taken captive along with her little cousin Maria by a Dormirian rebel lord Salmut Park and his evil compatriot, the sorcerer Mathalo. Richelle is the step daughter to Thomas Kinkaid who has become the King of Dormir. The bad guys bring Richelle and her young charge to the far northern mountains of Kesselt to the Grem La'or valley. They are on a diabolical quest to use the little girl in some sort of ritual that involves dragons.
The story starts with Richelle escaping her captors when they run into a band of kobolds and trolls. The kobolds, a canine like humanoid race, are invading the Grem La'or. Richelle meets Cullen Telleride a ranger from the area. Cullen offers to help Richelle get back her little cousin unsure if there is a connection between the band of southerners and the invading kobolds. After a number of skirmishes with kobolds and the southern men Richelle and Cullen fail to get Maria back. They are forced to go back to Cullen's village for more help. By this time they have met up with a mountain man, Clyde Karpeth, and his friendly bear companion who have been dragged unwittingly into the chase and conflict.
At the village the trio learn that the kobolds are about to attack the simple fortified hamlet. It is there that Richelle meets Cullen's aunt Torianna, who is one of the Greggs of Kesselt- Tor Gregg. The attack comes and all is thrown into chaos as the kobolds and their troll allies overwhelm the village defenders. Richelle, Cullen, Karpeth are now joined by Tor Gregg. First they escape from the battle of the village. Shortly later Mor Gregg visits with Tor Gregg to warn her of the danger of Salmut Park and Mathalo.
Now the foursome travel over the rugged mountainous terrain in pursuit of the bad guys. They have more close calls and meet a trio of elves who have also come searching the Grem La'or for the southerners. It turns out that Mathalo stole a magical scroll from the elves.
I would love to tell you about the climatic scene. But I can tell you how the book ends. A shadow cuts across the heroes as they set out for Dormir.
I completed the first version of this manuscript in 2005. I spent the better part of 2006 trying to get it published. Frankly no one would touch it because my first book was published by my former publisher. The second book all though a separate storyline from my first was still considered a continuation of the first. It was not till I was able to recover all my publishing rights for the first that I am now able to present this second book.
I enjoyed writing this book far more than the first. Where the first was a beginners endeavor in so many ways the second was a book I truly cared about. I believe fans of fantasy will not be disappointed.
Up next for me is to decide to finish either my third Kesselt book or take a break and finish my civil war book.
regards,
ML Stidmon
