WRITER PROFILE: TRACY FALBE (PART 3 OF 3) THE BOOKS

Tracy Falbe is the author of five novels, a shorty story, and numerous blogs. Her novels are available on her website (link provided below) in ereader format and paperback. Falbe’s first novel, Union of Renegades, has surpassed 25,000 downloads, and still going strong. Rys Rising, Book 1 ,the first book in a quartet prequel series to the Rys Chronicles was released August 1st of this year. The book is available for free download for ereaders, and is currently being serialized as a blog on Falbe’s homepage (see links below). She has also shipped her paperbacks around the world to international readers.

The purpose of this third and final installment of Falbe’s writer profile is to introduce readers to her work. Out of respect for those who loath spoilers, the decision has been made to allow the back of the books to herald the fun and adventures waiting within the pages of Falbe’s novels. To learn more about Tracy Falbe, please click on the links at the bottom of the page.


Rys Rising: Book I (free ebook)

An outlaw rises to become a dreaded warlord, the terror of kings. He takes the name Amar and seeks to join the Kez, the fiercest mercenary society in the tribal kingdoms of Gyhwen. His fearless ambition is inspired by Onja, a mysterious rys female whose magic has shaped Amar into a loyal friend. He zealously pursues her every command and hopes to join her in her mythic homeland of Jingten. But he knows little about the challenges confronting Onja. She and all rys are the reviled creations of the tabre of Nufal, and Onja longs to expel her hated masters. To liberate the rys, she knows that she will need more than Amar's help. Onja sees her best hope for an ally in Dacian, a prodigy among rys, but he is loyal to the ruling tabre order and dreams of winning equality for the rys nonviolently. He holds tenaciously to his ideals even as the tabre brutally subjugate him. Will he endure more dark abuses for the sake of peace or reach out to Onja? And what fate is Amar blindly embracing as he kills for her? Like a tree crashing in a storm, all civilizations will crack when hit by the force of the rys rising.

Three more novels are planned in the Rys Rising series and will be published over the next year.


Union of Renegades: The Rys Chronicles Book I (free ebook)

Dreibrand Veta has killed for his country. At the frontlines of imperial expansion, he seeks to rebuild the fortune of his noble family. In his daring travels he encounters the rys, a race far more powerful than the human empire that bred him. Dreibrand cannot defy the rys Queen Onja nor defend his companion, Miranda, and her children from the wicked tyrant Queen.
Desperate for help, Dreibrand and Miranda join Shan, a rys with emerging powers who plans to challenge Onja. In Shan’s pursuit of the rys throne, he exerts his magical powers, gathers his allies, and incites rebellion among Onja’s human subjects.
Great wealth and power will reward the kings, warriors, and spies that align themselves with the rys pretender, but defeat could mean worse than death. Onja can imprison souls and her genocidal rage is legendary. Everything is at risk for Shan’s union of renegades.
This novel comes in 6" x 9" trade paperback or the following ebook formats: Mobipocket, Sony, eReader, PDF, Microsoft Reader, and HTML.



The Goddess Queen: The Rys Chronicles Book II


Queen Onja has called for Shan’s head and her Kezanada agents stalk him with enchanted weapons. For Dreibrand Veta, his growing list of victories has increased his influence in circles of power, but his fame has not endeared him to everybody.
The rebellion proceeds slowly for Miranda who cannot rescue her children until Shan defeats Onja. Shan has learned much since beginning the rebellion. His powers are growing. He has used his magic to kill, and, when the spring comes, his armies will fight the armies loyal to Onja.
Despite Shan’s mounting confidence in his battle magic, Onja will tenaciously defend her throne, and Shan will discover that he does not know the powerful secrets of the Goddess Queen.
This novel comes in 6" x 9" trade paperback or the following ebook formats: Mobipocket, Sony, eReader, PDF, Microsoft Reader, and HTML.



Judgment Rising: The Rys Chronicles Book III

To the victors go the spoils, and Shan and Dreibrand have flourished for five years as the leaders of their respective kingdoms. Allied by friendship, they greet the future with excitement and grandiose plans.
Dreibrand counts on his relationship with Shan to protect him from the encroaching Atrophane Empire as he carefully avoids direct confrontation with his former countrymen, now under the undisputed leadership of his old rival Sandin Promentro.
But a greater malice than imperial ambition threatens the new lords of the Wilderness. The long dead civilization of Nufal, where Dreibrand and Miranda nurture their fledgling kingdom, has not forgotten the brutal genocide of its ancient war with the rys. The ghosts of Nufal may have been extinguished but their avengers remain. The inheritors of Onja’s wealth and lands will now battle the nightmare of their judgment rising.

This novel comes in 6" x 9" trade paperback and multiple ebook formats


The Borderlands of Power: The Rys Chronicles Book IV

Nufal is invaded and human warriors fight alongside their rys and tabre champions in a grueling clash of muscle and magic. Grim struggles smash strategy into chaos, and loyalties degenerate into desperate choices for survival. Tempet and Alloi, driven by their desire for revenge upon the rys, push King Shan deep into the violent reservoir of his power.

Still reeling in the aftermath of battle, Dreibrand Veta scrambles to assert his authority upon the remaining forces of the Atrophane Empire if he is to defend his land and overturn the censure that disgraces his name. Rebellion on the imperial frontier complicates these goals as does Shan's sudden unpredictability as an ally. Miranda braves the snows of the Rysamand Mountains to demand that Shan pay his debt to her by helping Dreibrand. Only ambition keeps despair at bay as forces vie for dominance in the borderlands of power.

This novel comes in 6" x 9" trade paperback and multiple ebook formats.


Challenging Lessons (a short story)

For almost two thousand years Queen Onja has ruled the rys, a super race that occupies a high mountain valley. Her powers exceed the magic of all other rys, except perhaps her loyal young ward Shan. Onja instructs him in high magic, but one lesson triggers a moral crisis in Shan and sets him on the path of dangerous ambition. Read the beginning of a stunning conflict between two super beings.









To learn more about Tracy Falbe, take a look at Part 1 and Part 2.


Brave Luck Books Homepage

Tracy on Twitter

Tracy's Blog

Guest Blogs:
Fangirl Favorite: Lieutenant Uhura of Star Trek Past and Present
To Read or Not to Read
Two Ends of the Pen
My Favorite Scenes from The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

WRITER PROFILE: TRACY FALBE (PART 2 0F 3) INSPIRATION

The most frequently asked question directed toward any writer is, “What do you write?" The second most frequently asked question is, “Where do you get your ideas?" The previous Falbe blog (Part 1) addressed the first question, attention will now shift to answering the second question.

The desire to write can be ascribed to her early infatuation with the written word. Tracy has stated that from an early age she wanted to be a writer when she first learned how to read. She has held to that early determination, honed her craft, and made her dreams a reality. She studied journalism at California State University, Chico before fully focusing her attention on writing fantasy. Though she works hard at her craft, writing is not work for Tracy. “I enjoy the process of writing and consider it one of my primary forms of entertainment.” Her passion infuses the pages of The Rys Chronicles for the satisfaction of readers (who are adept in deciphering when a writer is merely interested in putting words on the page rather than striving to provide entertainment).

Like so many writers of fantasy, Tracy Falbe’s love for the genre was kindled between the pages of J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Her appreciation for the trilogy is strongly represented in breathtaking landscapes, tragic figures in the tradition of Boromir, and in the

insurmountable inner strength fans of Tolkien have heralded since 1954. Eowyn vanquishing the witch king of the Angmar made an early impression on Falbe of what courage and strength can accomplish when faced with fear made physical.

Despite the influences of Tolkien’s writing, she is quick to point out, “My fantasy novels are not really like Lord of the Rings, but the river of inspiration that gushes from Tolkien’s writing waters the fields of my imagination.” Falbe’s work focuses more on the grittier aspects of humanity rather than Tolkien’s emphasis on the ambiguous sins of the heart and mind. Falbe does not pull her punches, instead preferring to display the merits and deficits of her characters without relying upon hints and innuendos, enabling her to give life to a believable cast of characters.

Falbe’s quest as a writer does not end with Tolkien. Frequently, she draws from history when emersed in writing. “I find inspiration in history and like to contemplate warfare before gunpowder and life without modern technology. Placing characters in an elder fantasy world fascinates me and allows me to explore age-old notions of bravery when combat was often done face-to-face.” Her need to be in the midst of the action pulls in the reader, forcing them to participate in the confrontations whether they wish to or not. Her passion for history is further supported in the construction of her novels with the accuracy she insists upon with respect to the details, such as wardrobe and setting.

Falbe understands the need of readers when referencing a classic movie, based on Fred Gipson’s novel, in regard to the fates of her characters. “For the sake of drama, I usually go out back

and shoot Old Yeller, but not too often.” Though no one wants to hear the crack of the rifle, there is no denying the story would have fallen flat if this tale of sacrifice and loyalty did not conclude in anguish and bittersweet hope. Such moments have found their way into Falbe’s writing, aiding in the creation of characters readers can sympathize with.

Music has provided inspiration as well as the driving force for many writers. Stephen King drowns out the world with Metallica while writing. Nick Hornby wrote an entire novel on a relationship based on music, High Fidelity. For Falbe, the music inspiring her fingers over keyboard tends toward classic music, such as Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, inspired

by the classic The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons is another favorite Falbe turns to. Movie soundtracks, such as Conan the Barbarian, Howard Shore’s Lord of the Rings, and John Williams Star Wars movies have provided much of the background music for Falbe’s imagination.

Tracy Fable is an inspired writer in tune with the world around her, taking inspiration from a kaleidoscope of sources and repackaging it for readers around the world. Visit her website, and dare to be inspired by her writing.

Brave Luck Books Homepage
Tracy on Twitter
Tracy's Blog

Guest Blogs:
Fan Girl Favorite: Lieutenant Uhura of Star Trek Past and Present
To Read or Not to Read
Two Ends of the Pen
My Favorite Scenes from Lord of the Rings
Books:
Rys Rising: Book 1
Union of Renegades: Rys Chronicles Book I
The Goddess Queen: Rys Chronicles Book II
Judgement Rising: Rys Chronicles Book III
The Borderlands of Power: Rys Chronicles Book IV
Challenging Lessons

SAM OF GREEN COVE 1-12

1. Sam was born in Green Cove the night fire consumed the sawmill. He was born with a harelip. The villagers murmured over omens and portents.

2. On Sam’s third birthdate, the waters of Green Cove receded by three meters as though held back by an invisible dam. His deformity was blamed.

3. The water wall was a meter high when Same was ten. He played below the piers with the other children, kicking the wall, watching the fish.

4. Parents did not permit children to play near the water wall, fearing the unnatural occurrence. However, Sam’s father knew where to find him.

5. Sam followed his frowning father home without complaint. “The mayor’s wife believes you gave her milk cow the evil eye before it died.”

6. Sam protested the accusation of the mayor’s wife, and his father believed him. But a father’s faith was not enough. He stayed home in fear.

7. By now the villagers blamed all miscarriages, deaths, early frosts, and any general calamity on Sam and his harelip. He was a lonely boy.

8. Tragedy struck when Sam was fifteen. Rains soaked the ground lumberjacks had cleared. Mud slides killed many, and the bay filled with homes.

9. Sam’s father was among the dead. The village was in shock with the southern quadrant in ruins, and two dozen strong men missing or dead.

10. Fingers pointed at Sam, and lips whispered maliciously. A village meeting was called, and Sam knew his time limited before the mob arrived.

11. His mother hastily packed food and clothes as Sam saddled his father’s horse. She gave him a rusty sword before pushing him into the night.

12. In the hills above the cove, Sam watched torches converge on his mother’s cottage. He wiped tears from his eyes as men forced their way in.

WRITER PROFILE: TRACY FALBE (Part 1 of 3) AN INTRODUCTION TO TRACY

Tracy Falbe ranks high among independent writers with her first book, Union of Renegades, enjoying 25,000 to 30,000 downloads. Her journey from unknown to rising literary star is one of epically Hobbit proportions. Tracy’s story of achieving her dreams as a writer is infused with strength and determination.

Like Frodo Baggins, Tracy Falbe has found herself compelled to cover great distances in her journey as a writer. Tracy’ interests, education, and career have taken her from Mount Pleasant, Michigan to Las Vegas, Nevada, and on to Chico, California before returning to Michigan. There are some differences in the quest of Tracy and Frodo, enough to ensure Tracy out-distances Frodo in the hall of heroes. Sure, Frodo walked whereas Tracy most likely drove a car. She was never impressed into service in a goblin army (where there is a whip, there is a way!) And Frodo has harry feet to help him along on his travels--I suspect the same cannot be said of Tracy. Not to mention, Frodo never had to endure passengers who failed to roll down the window before tooting their own horns. Of course Frodo had to risk life and limb to ditch that oh so tempting bit of bling-bling into the pits of hell, but has he ever faced finals week? I think not, good sir! Neither has he combed the internet in anxiety, wondering if today is the day he will stumble across the first negative review of his literary works.

As with Frodo Baggins, Tracy Falbe grew up in a small, quiet corner of the world known as Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The major difference between The Shire and Mount Pleasant is that the latter is a party town--so I guess it’s not all that quiet--failing to require an eleventy-first birthday party for a rip-roaring good time. Growing up in this atmosphere well-prepared Tracy for her two year sojourn in Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as her extended stay in Chico, California where she studied journalism at California State University, Chico (voted the number one party school by Playboy Magazine in 1987).

Tracy’s explanation for her decision in moving to Las Vegas mentions a childhood dream of running away to join the circus. (Apparently she never read Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes, or she is a scary person who relishes in the macabre delights of demonic carnivals.) Her years in Vegas are shrouded in mystery, and probably best left uncovered. Seems she left the city without a criminal record. It’s safe to say she avoided repeating much of the lunacy and debauchery that ensnared Hunter S. Thompson. (In defense of Vegas, Thompson had been in the throws of lunacy and debauchery since early childhood.)

In 2000, Tracy graduated from Chico with a journalism degree, and promptly changed course to focus on the world of fiction, opting for the ever competitive and exciting genre of fantasy, a worthy choice having been a life long fan of J. R. R. Tolkien. Tracy is the author of the Rys Chronicles, a four book fantasy series filled with wonderful characters, hard choices, magic and imagination--all the ingredients required for a successful fantasy epic. Penning the series began in 1997, and did not see completion for another six years in 2003. During this time, Tracy embarked on the worst nightmare for any writer--submitting query letters to all the likely publishing houses. As is the case with so many talented people in this highly competitive market, Tracy got no where fast, but she was far from defeated. In 2005, she started her own company, Falbe Publishing, and began distributing her books as an independent writer, sighting her self-employed parents as her inspiration. Since then, she has created the brand name Brave Luck Books, published a total of five novels with the most recent made available August 1, 2011. Tracy has also published a short story, “Challenging Lessons,” and is busy on the guest blog circuit when not answering pesky emails from other bloggers attempting to write about her.
When feeling the need to allow the muse to rest, Tracy finds pleasure in the Hobbit traditions of raising garden crops and baking tasty treats. Bicycling, boating, and swimming help to clear her mind when hashing out those frustrating plot points. To learn more about Tracy Falbe, click on the following links:

Brave Luck Books Homepage

Tracy on Twitter

Tracy's Blog

Guest Blogs:
Fan Girl Favorite: Lieutenant Uhura of Star Trek Past and Present
To Read or Not to Read
Two End of the Pen
My Favorite Scenes from Lord of the Rings

Books:
Rys Rising: Book 1
Union of Renegades: The Rys Chronicles Book I
The Goddess Queen: The Rys Chronicles Book II
Judgment Rising: The Rys Chronicles Book III
The Borderlands of Power: The Rys Chronicles Book IV
Challenging Lessons