Muus is only a thrall, a chattel without rights, but he knows the small, blue shard he picked up belongs to him alone. His commonsense saves their lives from cold and starvation. Kjelle, heir to the Lord of a rich mininghold, is spoiled, and covetous of his thrall's tantalizing find. His greed causes an avalanche that leaves both young men marooned on an icy mountain slope. Birthe, young wisewoman and huntress, mother of baby boy Búi, is brave and clever. She knows her way through the snowy wilderness of the Norden and her songs are filled with magic. Now the three young people are bound together on a danger-laden journey to a lost and burning land, where Muus needs to connect the skyshard to the Kalmanir, the standing stone that is the world's wellspring of all magic. The Kalmanir's time is almost up and it urgently needs to be replenished before the magic of Gods and men runs out. The two boys have to learn to trust each other, for all around them, enemies abound. Rebels threaten both the kingdom and Kjelle's holding, and a tribe of mad idolaters is trying to recall the banned primordial Old Gods. Even more imminent is Muus' danger, for it comes from nearby, from the shard itself. An action-packed adventure in a snowy land full of betrayal, rebellion and danger.

Mason Collins doesn't have long to live. He miraculously survived a car crash and so did his 1 year old sister, Nicole Collins. He isn't lucky enough since he finds a bite on his arm from his undead mother. He estimates that he has about a week and a half until he fully turns into one of those undead monsters. He decides to try and find his father that lives in California who he hopefully, believes will take care of his little sister before his life runs out. Will he be there in time to make sure his baby sister will be safe or will they both end up having a twisted ending?

They say the world used to turn. They say that night would follow day in an endless dance. They say that dawn rose, dusk fell, and we worshiped both sun and stars. That was a long time ago. The dance has died. The world has fallen still. We float through the heavens, one half always in light, one half always in shadow. Like the moth of our forests, one wing white and the other black, we are torn. My people are the fortunate. We live in daylight, blessed in the warmth of the sun. Yet across the line, the others lurk in eternal night, afraid... and alone in the dark. I was born in the light. I was sent into darkness. This is my story.

*Read This Three Episode Excerpt Today!* The king has been crippled. Can his brother hold the kingdom together against the machinations of their rival cousin? Read and enjoy this first tale in the Continuing Tales in the Matter of Manred, a new fantasy novella. This exciting new sword-and-sorcery action-adventure tale follows the continuing adventures of the warriors, kings, and sorcerer-priests of the Matter of Manred Saga. For more information on this dark new world of fantasy literature, visit MDellertDotCom: Adventures in Indie Publishing.