Tag: The Greatest Adventure

Happy Launch Day: The Firebrand Chronicles Returns!

Leave a comment

After five years (more or less since the first book Spark was published in 2017 and the last book Burn in 2020), The Firebrand Chronicles re-releases today! *(cue the confetti!)

I spent the summer and fall revising, editing, rewriting passages, adding extra content, and finding new covers. The result is fantastic. Would you like to see the pretty covers?

*

*

*

*

*

In

five…

 

f our…

 

three…

 

two…

 

one!

 

If you’re not familiar with the series, here’s a little more information.

One girl. Two worlds. A thousand ways to fail.

When Brenna James steps through a portal to find her mother, she lands in Linneah—a kingdom where unusual gifts awaken in teens and griffins can bond with humans.

But with her ADHD brain in overdrive and a new fire power ability, focus is a struggle, impulse is her middle name, and staying out of trouble? Yeah, that idea went up in smoke.

As Brenna struggles to control her fire power ability, Baldwin, an attractive local swordsman, and Arvandus the griffin keep her alive by refusing to leave her side. When darkness rises and worlds hang in the balance, Brenna battles distractions, self-doubt, and her own impulsive choices. Are her unique strengths and weaknesses the key to saving both worlds?

The Firebrand Chronicles is a YA portal fantasy packed with danger, prophecies, and a heroine who refuses to play by the rules.

The complete trilogy is in paperback, ebook, and can be found on KU: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FY5Y17QG

Another neat thing about releasing the books today is the way it coincides with the Finding Fantasy Reads podcast. They picked my short story, “The Greatest Adventure” for a read-through! The story is set in the Firebrand Chronicles world and takes place several hundred years before our heroine Brenna James comes on the scene. I listened to it during my lunch hour and thoroughly enjoyed it.

To listen to it, go to https://www.findingfantasyreads.com/the-greatest-adventure-by-jm-hackman

 

Inspiration for “The Greatest Adventure” (and a GIVEAWAY!)

The Fellowship of Fantasy has released their fourth anthology, Tales of Ever After! I was thrilled to discover my short story, “The Greatest Adventure,” was accepted for this book, especially since it takes place in the same world as my debut novel Spark, just at a much, much earlier time.

“The Greatest Adventure” features the famous Firebrand Aideen Siriol. If you’ve read Spark, maybe the name sounds familiar. Two-thirds of the way through Spark, Brenna James receives Aideen’s sword when she needs it the most. Its hilt is set with beautiful Fire Diamonds, gathered during Aideen’s greatest adventure. After writing that little piece of information, I nodded in satisfaction and forgot about it.

But as time went on, I realized the reader might want to know more. So what happened during Aideen’s greatest adventure? Good question. I had no idea, but I began writing anyway. I assumed this would be a short filler piece. Surprisingly, it grew longer and longer. Hmm, this wasn’t a simple flash fiction story.

While I wrote, I also grappled with another question: what would the greatest adventure look like for Aideen? While others like to jump out of perfectly good airplanes or swim with sharks, I’m a homebody. I’m content to go on hikes in the mountains and watch sunsets. Not exactly high-octane adventure. But the most exciting adventures of my life have been emotional ones—falling in love.

Adventures of the heart are exciting no matter the gender, and I wanted Aideen and the slave Rivka to experience it. I added some enchanted stones, as well as a few dragons, and came up with a new fairy tale that was a lot of fun to write. I enjoyed spending more time in my created world of The Jasper Territory — and I hope the reader enjoys it, as well.

More about Tales of Ever After:

Rescue a princess, meet a mermaid, win your reward.

The authors of the Fellowship of Fantasy tackle fairy tales from once upon a time to happily ever after. Explore twists on old tales and brand new magical stories. Meet feisty mermaids, friendly lampposts, and heroes who just might be monsters themselves.

This fourth anthology from the Fellowship of Fantasy will lead you on a quest for entertainment and storm the castle of your imagination. So make a wish and enter the deep dark woods to find stories that will make you laugh, shiver, and maybe even fall in love.

Amazon Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Ever-After-Fellowship-Anthology-ebook/dp/B07FFMHM8M/

Books2Read Universal Link: https://www.books2read.com/u/bwYKry

Goodreads Listing: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40788623-tales-of-ever-after

Would you like to learn more about these fantastic stories? Follow this link to find the blog tour schedule.

And finally would you like the chance to win a prize or two?

For our US readers, follow this link to win a paperback book (possibly signed by the author!)

and for our International fans, follow this link to win an ebook in your format choice.

The person who leaves the most comments across the blog tour will receive the chance to read special sneak peaks from several of the authors’ upcoming works!