I love the term they've coined - 'artisanal publishing' - and if I ever start my own publishing house, you can bet I'm going to steal it. They also advocate striving for excellence in publishing your book. And they tell you to hire a cover designer. They also urge the use of both beta readers and an editor.

They advocate taking your time in the writing phase - both in choosing your topic or story and in polishing your prose. Kawasaki and Welch, to their credit, think even this type of would-be author should take the craft of writing more seriously than that. A lot of books of this ilk recommend writing your 'book' in a weekend, giving it a once-over, and slapping it up on Amazon - often as a marketing adjunct to your other line of work. First, the authors are clear that you shouldn't be publishing just any old crap. I've now read a few of these 'how-to' books, and this one stands out for a couple of reasons.

The subtitle for APE is How to Publish a Book, and Kawasaki (and Welch, who is referred to in the third person throughout Kawasaki's first-person narration) do a pretty good job of delivering on it. If you're a fan of epic fantasy, I recommend it. This is epic fantasy, so of course a prophecy is involved, and the future of both the Tiernai and Dynian races hangs in the balance. Kier learns his father is near death, and begins the journey home to Alcor - accompanied, at Gwythion's insistence, by JonMarc. Before long, Kier discovers the attack was not at all random, and in fact, it's related to the reason for Gwythion's summons. His life is saved by a man who appears to be a Dynian adventurer - but, surprise, JonMarc is a slave who believes he has never set foot in Alcor.

Kier, who is stationed abroad, is mulling over his latest message from Gwythion when he is set upon in the dark. He trained with a Fithlon monk before assuming his military duties, and even now Gwythion contacts him on occasion.Īnd so it is as the novel opens. Many Dynian have some magical abilities, and Kier is one of them. He's the bastard son of a Tiernai noble, and his mother was Dynian, the race the Tiernai conquered upon their arrival in the Ten Kingdoms. Kier is a captain in the armed forces of Alcor - a high rank indeed for someone with his mixed bloodline. That's how much I enjoyed these characters and the world the author has created for them. The Talent Sinistral is Patten's first book, and I hope it's the first of a series.

Daimones by Massimo Marino