Please enjoy this FREE SAMPLE of ‘Time of the Wolf’ Audiobook.
Written by Julie A. D’Arcy
Narrated by Matt Haynes
Buy NOW! AT~
Category: General Musings
Dipping my toe into the world of Audiobooks
Well this was certainly an experience~ actually quite a good one. I had no idea how to go about arranging to have an Audiobook made of my novel “Time of the Wolf.” I am published in eBook and Print with The Wild Rose Press, quite a large U.S based publisher. However, I own my audio rights, and first checking with my publisher to make sure they were fine with me doing it I decided I may as well join the newest rage. I for one love audiobooks!
First I knew I needed a Narrator. I either wanted a man who could do female voices or a woman who could do male voices. I thought I would look on YouTube. I was lucky. I actually found Catherine Bilson who is also Australian, which is good because so am I. She has a set of 4 videos about the start to finish of getting an Audiobook made from your novel. Audiobook Basics for Authors 1 – 4.
From watching her videos, I learned that I needed a distributor, and also that the big one was ACX. However, ACX only takes on American Canada, Ireland and Uk.
For a moment there I felt quite dishearten, but she went went on to tell me that Findaway Voices is the place I needed to assemble and distribute my audiobook once all the files were completed.
I also found Narrator Matt Haynes on UTube. He actually teaches voice narration and how to do different accents.
So I had a decision to make. They were both very talented. So I counted how many men and how many woman and decided on that factor. My novel had three prominent females, and six male characters. So I chose Matt.
He was very professional and very helpful.
First I had to send a couple of scenes from my novel for him to do a sample.
There is no way to discribe the feeling of excitement and wonder of hearing your written words acted out in narration for the first time. It is amazing!
So we began. Each week Matt sent me 4-5 chapters to listen to and make sure I approved them. All of the chapters are sent in separate files to dropbox and I downloaded them onto my computer.
When all the files were finished he then made a sample piece that goes with the cover that people can listen to and decide if it is something they wish to purchase.
Then all I had to do was go to Findaway Voices, sign in, fill in the Metadata, and upload my files. It was so easy, even I being slightly technologically challenged found it really straight forward.
Now that is my story, but you can log into Findaway and they can help you find a narrator, some work with Findaway. You get to listen to several samples of your book and you pick the voice you like best. The staff are really great and very helpful and they will walk you through all the processes. You will pay a little extra for this but you can also ask if your narrator will do royalty share with you.
Taking Catherine’s advice I opted to pay Matt all upfront. Half just before he starts and the other half when Findaway excepts my audiobook. That way I get to keep 80% royalties.
Catharine Bilson writes beautiful Historical Romance novels as well as narrates them and she has quite a large following for her Audiobook narrations. However, she is also very versatile and could narrate any genre you wish.
Today I would like to introduce the very talented author Catherine Greenfeder as my guest~
Writing is a passion for Catherine Greenfeder. Born in Greenwich Village, with its artistic influences, she enjoyed the library, Central and Washington Square Parks, and the art museums. Her earliest influences were the children’s books she read, her Irish grandfather’s ghost stories, and encouraging teachers.
After receiving a B.A. in English, Catherine worked in advertising and promotion before returning to college while her son was a toddler. She acquired her M.A. in Teaching and taught language arts for twenty-five years.
Catherine enjoys researching and writing about what she discovers. Her interest in angels, ghosts, the American West, and reincarnation led to her writing five romance novels and a novella.
https://www.catherinegreenfeder.com/
Follow her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Catherine.Greenfeder.Author
Blurb~
Some things even a clever artist and psychic can’t know. When Kay Lassiter returned to New Jersey to make peace with her past, she didn’t count on meeting her guardian angel. He leads her in the investigation of her parents’ death. Along the way, Kay learns that she can love again and that despite the problems in the world, there are angels among us.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/angels-among-us-catherine-greenfeder/1007837978?ean=2940161510018
Available now in print and e-book.
Excerpt
Excerpt: Angels Among Us by Cathy Greenfeder
“Come here, Baxter,” Kay called the dog. He obeyed, but stood between her and the stranger.
Blood glistened across the ridge of the man’s nose. “Yeah, that’s right,” the stranger said as he rubbed the blood with the back of his sleeve, “got this for grabbing this.” He held up a handbag. “It ain’t worth it anymore.”
“Good for her,” Kay said, “Teach you to stop robbing women and scaring them to death.” She stepped further away.
“Right. So you ain’t scared of this?” A silver flash cut the air as the man wielded a large knife toward Kay’s face. “Now throw down your jewelry…the gold watch and that thing on your neck.”
Kay felt her turquoise-studded watch, pulled it from her wrist, and threw it down. “Here.”
“And that too.”
“No!” Kay touched the cross, an heirloom from her grandmother.
“I guess I’ll have to take it.”
Kay backed away and tumbled over a tree branch.
Almost instantly the knife glinted dangerously above her. “Is it worth your life, lady?”
As she choked on the rank smell of tobacco and stale wine, a gray mist descended on them, its intensity covering them and the stranger. The flutter of wind chimes tingled her ears. Kay sat up. Bewilderment replaced fear. Out of the mist came a man in a white suit surrounded by an aura of violet and gold. His soft features reddened with an intense fury as he turned from her to the thief. Anger lit the emerald of his eyes. Words bellowed like the force of a cyclone from his lips and the thief crunched down in fear and confusion.
“Leave her be! Leave her and never come back!”
The thief scrambled up and took off running as Kay’s astonishment faded.
Baxter hid behind her knees as this interloper closed the gap between them. A smile crinkled the edges of his thin lips, and his palms flew up. “Peace. Be not afraid, Kay.”
She stood immobile then backed away. “Who…who the devil are you?”
Hurt creased his brow and his glow dimmed a moment then resumed its bright appearance. “Do not be ungrateful, Kay.”
“I’m getting out of here,” she said. “First the thief, now you! This must be a bizarre nightmare, one manifested like a Salvador Dali painting.” She turned to run, but a firm and gentle hand held her in place.
“No, please listen to me, Kay.”
“Who are you?”
“Suffice it to say I have known you a long time. And I know your gift did not protect you tonight.” He stared a moment at her neckline. “But this did.”
Kay fingered the cross as she stared up at her strange rescuer.
“A gift too, I see,” he continued.
“Gift?”
“Why do you mortals forget what’s precious within, the precious gift God gave you? It is there, Kay. Yet you neglect it.”
“First a thief, now a lunatic! I should have listened to my brother and stayed out of the woods at night. What do you want?”
“I’m not here for material rewards.”
She stared hard at him. “You’re not getting that either, bud.”
He shook with laughter. “Oh, Kay, is that what you think? Here, come away, the danger’s not over. Hold my hand, let the dog go. He will follow.”
For some unknown reason, Kay allowed the being to take her hand. His touch felt like a feather yet carried strength beyond hers. She looked down at Baxter. “Follow me, boy,” she called, and then Kay’s feet lifted from the ground. “Oh, no!”
“Hold on, Kay!”
As they rose above the earth, Kay cringed. “Don’t worry, I won’t let go.”
Over treetops and past the empty playground toward the opening to the park they flew while Baxter, a dot below, chased them through and out of the park. “Please,” Kay begged when they reached its outskirts, “please put me down!” In an instant her feet touched a soft patch of grass. “Whoa!” Her voice echoed the word several times until dizziness and her panting subsided. “Are you an alien?”
“No. Don’t go to the park so late.” He handed her a silver whistle on a black nylon cord. “Here, if you need me again.”
“A whistle? I can whistle for you?” She examined the tiny instrument with its indecipherable scrawl on one side. “Your name?” She looked up and the mist reappeared around the stranger and he vanished before her eyes. Only the dog stood beside her. Baxter nuzzled her hand, and she hooked the leash back on his collar. “Come on, boy, we won’t tell anyone about this!”
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/angels-among-us-catherine-greenfeder/1007837978?ean=2940161510018
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/932600
Available now in print and e-book.
The Cross of Tarlis: THE AWAKENING
COMING VERY SOON!
This novel holds a special place in my heart as it was the first novel I wrote.
The Cross of Tarlis is now two books because of its length.
Both books will be published this year. 2021 as will the 2nd. Book, “The Cross of Tarlis: THE RECKONING.”
The Cross of Tarlis took me a little over two years to write and it was not until 2010 that it was published for the first time. Over ten years after it was written.
Back in 1997 digital printing had not yet caught on and there was very little online publishing and no print on demand.
All of the traditional publishers I submitted it to in the US and UK at that time told me the book was too long to take a chance on.
I still consider “The Cross of Tarlis” one of my best novels. It is a fast paced, Dark, Heroic, Fantasy Romance and it will be published by, The Wild Rose Press.
An Excerpt
“That is enough!” She flushed and crossed her arms
over her chest. “I am certain I do not want to know.” She
turned from his perusal and stared over the treetops at the mist-shrouded peaks of Dragon Spur. “Who are you?”
“I am Kaden of Glen-Dorrach at your service, my lady.”
He bowed with a flourish and she realized he was mocking
her. She would not rise to his bait.
“What are you doing out here? Alone?”
His expression sobered and when he searched her face,
his eyes were pale green. “I could ask you the same
question.”
“I asked first.”
“So, you did. Traveling. I hire my sword for money.”
“A mercenary?”
“‘Tis honest enough work.”
For several heartbeats, they remained silent, then she
spoke again. “Thank you for your help.”
“You handle yourself well for a woman.”
She straightened to her full height, a little below his
shoulder, and lifted her chin. Who did this man think he
was? Did he not know she was a Warrior Princess of
Ellenroh? Then she relaxed. No, he did not, nor was she
about to enlighten him. “Again, thank you.” Her words
sounded stiff. “I was outnumbered. Eventually they would
have worn me down.”
He caught her hand, pressing it to his chest. “If I can be
of more service. He arched a brow.”
“I am certain that will not be necessary.” His heartbeat,
rapid and strong against her hand but she could not allow
herself to weaken. She had a quest. She had a mission…
Time of the Wolf–5 stars
InD’tail Magazine FEBUARY 2021
A supernatural tale of time travel, past lives, and insurmountable passion, “Time of the Wolf” pulls readers through a vortex of high stakes adventure and enduring romance! The plot is a suspenseful tale steeped in lore, possession, betrayal, obsession, and vengeance.
Characters are flawed, authentic, and believable beings who leap from the page as their stories unfold. Even small bit characters manage to provide imagination, sparking embers readers will relish. Vibrantly evil villains are monstrous, with hints of vulnerability that doesn’t quite offset their diabolical desires. Readers will get a rush from thrilling action-filled battles, and goosebumps from chillingly hungry fiends found within this quest to destroy evil, and put right the wrongs of yesteryear.
Ms. D’Arcy’s first instalment to this series is a howling inauguration to an enthralling saga of vendetta, sorcery, and legend in a wonderfully rich landscape of fairy tales, fantasy, and fate.–
Reviewed By Tonya Mathenia InD’tail Magazine FEBUARY 2021 Buy Book Now
QUOTE— ” Congratulations on the Crowned Heart of Excellence review your book received with InD’tale Magazine. What a fantastic accomplishment! It takes a lot of hard work and perseverance to write a story of such calibre and you deserve this distinction. Enjoy it!”
Ryan Summers
InD’tale Magazine Special Projects Editor
Time of the Wolf Review
By Catherine Asaro
Time of the Wolf, by author Julie D’Arcy, is a dark fantasy with elements of romance. It tells the story of Lady Keahla of Dros-Delnoch and Radin Hawk, prince of the Wolfhead Clan. Keahla comes through a time portal that takes her 300 years into the future. Her goal: to find Radin. A prophecy has named him as the warrior who can lead her people in their fight against the tyranny of the sorceress Anayha.
D’Arcy makes entertaining plays on genre conventions as she sets up the plot. In the first scenes, Keahla is trying to escape slave traders who have followed her through the portal. She sees Radin up on a ridge and calls for help. In traditional stories, the heroic Radin would come dashing down the slope to her rescue; in more modern versions, Keahla would kick butt herself. Neither happens, though Keahla does show herself quite capable of applying her ambulatory appendages to good effect, here and later. Unfortunately, the reluctant Radin arrives too late, long after the slavers have hauled off Keahla. Radin doesn’t see her again until the slave auction. Noble hero that he is, he buys her for himself. Needless to say, none of this sits well with Keahla.
Eventually they work things out and Radin agrees to help, though at first he is motivated primarily by annoyance with Keahla’s blunt disbelief that he can save anyone, let alone her people. However, she takes him back through the portal and they join the rest of her party. So begins their quest to free Keahla’s land, the realm known as Tarlis.
D’Arcy creates a vivid world in Tarlis, with evocative descriptions and a good cast of characters. She has a knack for names, such as the elf Jarl, whose full name is the musical Jarlisendel Ballindoch. The prose is strong and moves well. I appreciated that it didn’t become purple or overdone in the love scenes. In a few places, it did become a bit melodramatic, but that was rare. I enjoyed the visual images D’Arcy created, particularly of places and people.
Some of the scenes in the book are especially powerful. In one, Anayha must make her way past an ensorcelled wall of roses. Having roses as demons is itself a clever twist on the usual floral arrangements as elements of beauty. The passage where Anayha converts herself into a monstrous rose creature to creep past the tangled vines is well done, chilling in its effect.
Time of the Wolf reminded me in some ways of Robin Wayne Bailey’s critically acclaimed Shadowdance, which placed on the Nebula preliminary ballot a few years ago. Both novels rely on the portrayal of a sorceress queen who requires the death of humans to keep her power. In Time of the Wolf, Anayha is a vampire; she must drink the blood of her lovers to maintain her youth and abilities. Rather than biting them, she cuts their throats. I have to confess, those scenes disturbed me. I didn’t want to see such appealing characters come to such harm! Of course, that shows that D’Arcy did a good job in drawing me into the characters and their situation. The plot line of the evil sorceress/mother also bothered the feminist in me. However, such tropes are part of the dark fantasy genre, D’Arcy knows how to use them well, and she doesn’t dwell on the violence.
The relationship between Keahla and Radin works well. The novel combines two genres often considered disparate: romance and dark fantasy. In D’Arcy’s capable hands, the blend succeeds, with the romantic elements balancing the darker aspects.
Time of the Wolf offers an absorbing read to fans of dark fantasy blended with other genres. D’Arcy is a strong voice with a great deal of promise.
Copyright © 1999 by Catherine Asaro
| Catherine Asaro writes hard SF space adventure and near future romantic thrillers. Her book, The Radiant Seas, came out in November 1999 and The Veiled Web in December 1999. Her work has been nominated for the Hugo and Nebula and has won various other awards, including the Analog Readers Poll and Compuserve’s HOMer. |
TIME OF THE WOLF Book Trailer
A Tarlisian Saga
“Time of the Wolf” is a Fantasy Romance with lots of action. It was released 13th. January 2021.
And is available on Amazon all over the world and other major online book stores.
The Prologue is available for you to read at the bottom of the page or you may like to read it in the book preview.
Just push share.
Prologue
Come sit by the fire lad and warm your bones. The air is chill and the night long when the heavens are without the moons. Here, take a draught of this Upland Fire. ‘Tis the finest in the land.
The evening is dull now. My guests have filled themselves with good Highland whiskey and retired to their rooms. You look in need of a cot yourself, and it is to my regret that I have none to spare. For tomorrow the clans meet in celebration of the coming of the Wolf, and on such a day, every tavern within a day’s ride be full to overflowing with any man old enough to hold a tankard and wield a hefty sword.
What is so special about a wolf, you ask?
The Wolf be not an animal, lad, but a warrior the likes of which will never come again. He stood alone amidst a field of ten thousand warriors to fight to save this world. Or so the legend goes.
What was that? Speak up, boy. I am old and my hearing is not as it should be.
Do I not believe in the legend?
Aye. There are stories and there are stories. Some lose something in the telling, others gain. Who can say what truly happened except someone who was really there? And would the stories be truly worth the telling if all the truth were told?
You would prefer the truth. Nay, you would not want to hear it; no listener ever did. They find boredom in truth. They want shining heroes, handsome men—tall and strong—good deeds and fair damsels. There is no room for such things as human frailties and indecision in legend.
Yet still you would hear it?
Perhaps just this once, for in me I feel a need to release that which has been held too long. To once again free it to the air.
Aye, ‘tis midnight.
A good time for a story. A time for memories. A time for ghosts.
You say I speak as if I was there?
Well, maybe I was, and maybe I wasn’t. What is time but someone else’s dream? There have been many tales told of the man, but let it be said that I know this story as well as any man can. You are sure you wish to hear it?
Aye, we do have all night.
Then settle back, and I shall relate to you the story of the warrior they called the Lord of the Wolves or the Wolf, as it be, the way it truly was. The legend of Radin Hawk.
For some uncanny reason you remind me of him. Same coloring—same eyes. I never have seen eyes that exact color again. The color of the moors in spring; deep blue almost purple.
Well, where shall I start? I suppose the beginning is as good as any… ‘Twas a time long ago…
…a time of sorcery and myth, when legends were forged and magick flowed in the land like water. Men were real men, and women more beautiful than the first rose of spring. And under a younger sun, Dros-Delnor still stood. The mightiest castle in the realm…
NEW RELEASE: TIME OF THE WOLF
After the hectic rush of Christmas(Whew! I am glad that is behind us.)
It has been a very sad time for me. My beautiful independent Mother of 87 years old has moved into an aged care facility. My sisters and brothers and myself have the job of sorting through my Mum’s belongings. So many memories are attached to just about everything I touch. I found back copies of every novel I had ever written, all signed that I had given to her over the years. I could not let them go so I brought them all home.
On to a brighter note. Time of the Wolf, was released yesterday by The Wild Rose Press. It is now available on any sort of mobile device you can think of, and the Paperback is absolutely beautiful. I received an author copy to check over and it really came up lovely. Hopeful you will all take a look. I will put up a few links at the bottom of this page.
Thank you for visiting today.
Bringing It Home
I wrote two books. And, well, I don’t know how I did it. But somehow, I did.
I suffered a marriage breakdown and spent the past several years battling with depression and anxiety.
Add to that, my old doctor had me take valium every day for four years. Do I need to say those years were spent in a daze?
During that nightmare time, I managed to write 2 novellas.
The Shape of Destiny and Encounter in Paradise.
While all the time plugging away bit by bit on my full-length manuscript, the sequel to The Cross of Tarlis which I began writing in February 2007.
The Cross of Tarlis is currently out of print but will be submitted to a publisher when the sequel The Guardians of the Underworld is finished.
After ten years I can finally see an end in sight. I have a medication that allows me to see and act like a normal person and has allowed me to write again.
I only need to write around four more scenes and my book will be finished. I always have trouble writing at the end of the novel. I don’t know why that it is? I know the end, basically, every word is written in my head already but I have trouble putting pen to paper so to speak. That is why I wrote the end scene two years ago.
But now I am procrastinating about the last few scenes leading up to it.
But with my daughter urging me on and giving me a good boot up the backside when I need it I am certain I will finally bring it home.
Wish me luck!
Publishing in the Dark Ages.
So it has been brought to my attention that I need to learn to blog and use social media. Apparently, these days blogging and social media are a big deal. Or so my daughter keeps telling me.
When I published my first book around twenty years ago blogging wasn’t all that popular and the height of social media was MySpace. The internet was still a baby then, and internet promotion was almost unheard of unless it was a mailing list.
Back then, you couldn’t just type up your manuscript and submit it Online. It was a process of printing up the pages and physically mailing them out to publishers. It cost a fortune in postage and computer paper and you were lucky to even receive a rejection letter. Most of the time you were just left hanging.
And finding publishers? I used to buy books and writing magazines, just to search for someone or somewhere to submit my book. It was a very different writing world back then.
The biggest help in the road to publishing was getting involved with writing organizations. The Romance Writers of Australia (RWA) was a huge help back in the early days for networking among authors and publishers. Also, I was grateful for our small writing group in Wangaratta Vic. where I live. Thankfully it still survives, although that too is now online.
And promotion, as I mentioned earlier. Online promotion especially wasn’t so huge. Yahoo Groups were very popular, along with MySpace, but Twitter was a sound a bird made and Pinterest sounded like a sewing term. Nowadays there are so many different avenues to pursue. Facebook, Tik-Tok, and Instagram to name just a few.
So many to keep up with for someone like me. I’m a little behind on the times, but I’ve twisted my daughters arm and she has agreed to try and teach me.
Hopefully, this will be the beginning of many tweets… ah, I mean blogs.
Author Julie A. D'Arcy 