************************************************************************************** An outcast rogue must break a curse put on his fate, or die on his nineteenth birthday. To survive, he'll need the sword of a maiden, the aid of an immortal, and the power of forbidden magic that could cost him the only girl he ever loved. ************************************************************************************ *** THE JACK OF SOULS won a Silver IPPY this year! *** THE JACK OF SOULS won 1st place in the PNWA Competition in Fantasy! * *** THE JACK OF SOULS won 1st place in the Southwest Writers competition! * *** A "Featured Book" on Wattpad! * *** Now a "Staff Pick" on Kickstarter! * *** Available on Amazon in paper, hardback, and ebook ! * *** My contract with Kindle Select won't allow me to post more than 3 chapters here, but... *** Sign up for my newsletter on stephenmerlino.com for alerts when it's free on Amazon! * MY INSPIRATION I wrote this out of pure love of trickster rogues; I love the wit over brawn motif -- Odysseus over Achilles, Raven over Eagle -- so I like to play with it in my stories. In JOS I set the rogue and con-artist Harric against a foil of warriors in a land threatened by magic and civil war. Whenever possible I turn familiar tropes on their heads: instead of a handsome young Lancelot, I cast a broken-down ex-champion addicted to pain-killing herbs; instead of a dashing Squire Brian, the old knight reluctantly takes an ambitious young woman as squire. Similarly, I re-imagine the standard medieval milieu by infusing aspects of two of my favorite historical periods, Elizabethan England, and The American Frontier. Both eras boast a kind of nationalistic arrogance that borders on hubris, and a magnificent spirit of resourcefulness and re-invention that is fun to play with. SERIES The Jack of Souls is first in a series. I am posting parts of the sequel here now (The Knave of Souls), to help me refine the story.

[Featured Story and Wattpad Prize Winner 2014] When Malachi, an exiled murder, activates a magic relic and duplicates his world, he uses his newly found power to win over the Larks, dog-like creatures from the North. Seeking to locate his missing daughter and plot revenge on those responsible for her disappearance, Malachi marches south, leaving destruction in his wake. Whik Winfield, a young, adventurous Hemonstalian, is swept up in the chaos. He escapes with fellow survivors to the mysterious island of Sebolt, leaving everything he knew behind, including his best friend Sonora. Whik hoped peace could be restored in his new home, but when he finds a mysterious device and creates a world of his own, his troubles double. Can Whik understand how to wield his world-building power before Malachi takes it all away? When the path of worlds can change with a shift in the wind, Whik learns that all second chances come with a price. This dark fantasy novel interweaves Whik's story at ages 9 and 17, as he comes to terms with creating another him, attempts to stop the fall of his nation from a ruthless murderer, and realizes that in order to save the girl he loves in one world, he may have to die in another.

You are now reading Books I and II in a combined format. They are presented here as a single volume. Book I is about a thirteen year old boy's journey into magical healing. It is a time of awakening. Awakening to who you are, what you are meant to be, of friends and young love, of power and its use for good or evil. Book I is the book of beginnings. Book II outlines the further adventures of Julian, Nicole and Brian after they have grown up. What's at stake is magnified exponentially as the extent and full power of the Tree becomes realized. Book III has just begun. (Oct 10 2014) Please go check on my profile page. :-) Here's a thought. ^.^ We Canadians sometimes spell things differently. Like 'neighbourhood', 'Paediatrics' or even 'honour'. How's that? :-) So, thank you all so much, but please do not edit my work for spelling or grammar. All right? :-) I'd rather get there on my own, eventually.

Sam is the most promising swordsman among this year’s crop of Paladin trainees...and knows it. Brash, cocky, and unbeatable with a sword (well, almost), Sam is the kingdom of Thule’s best hope against the violence wrought by demons. The only problem is that Sam is really Lady Samantha, daughter of the seventeenth Duke of Haywood, and if her father has his way, she’ll be marrying a Paladin, not becoming one. But Sam has never held much interest in playing damsel-in-distress, and so she rescues herself from a lifetime of boredom and matrimonial drudgery. Pity that Tristan Lyons, the Paladin assigned to train her, is none other than the hero of her childhood. He hasn’t recognized her as Lady Samantha--yet-- but if he does, he’ll take away her sword and send her packing. Sam is not the only trainee hiding secrets: Braeden is a half-demon with a dark past that might be unforgivable. Sam, Braeden and Tristan set out for the western coast, charged with rooting out an infestation of demons that has made the West unlivable. As they travel, they uncover a deep-seated corruption of power that threatens to derail everything they stand for. Rebellion stirs, led by a rival faction of warriors who tempt Sam to join them with an irresistible offer. A war between men is coming, and Sam must pick a side. Will saving the kingdom cost her life -- or just her heart? Reminiscent of Mulan, but with a medieval fantasy twist, Paladin is a tale of adventure, action, and romance.