Frostworld Book 2: HONOR & IRON, is officially live on Amazon! Thank you to everyone for pre-purchasing the sequel and for those of you who’ve already left reviews. It’s fun to see this series come to life. It’s been rattling around in my head for years at this point, and I’m glad to see that it’s finally in the hands (and pockets) of readers.

Right now, HONOR & IRON is available in ebook and paperback. The audiobook will be available on September 21st. I’ve had an opportunity to listen to a preview of the audiobook, and once again, Neil Hellegers knocked it out of the park.

With the release of Book 2, I’ve been able to review the feedback for the series thus far. I’m happy to report that people seem to be enjoying the story! Here are just a few of the positive reactions I’ve seen:

“Good stuff. I really enjoyed Peel’s Fall of Radiance and this was just as good. An interesting world with gamelit elements. A true epic fantasy.” — Troy Osgood, author of Sky Realms Online, Jeff the Game Master

“One of the Best Fantasy LitRPG books of 2021” — Jas P, Audible Reviewer

“This was a great game lit progression novel with a Norse twist. Very evocative with robust characters. Looking forward to the next one” — Michael L, Amazon Reviewer

“This book is incredibly and passionately character motivation driven and it’s wonderful. I have a hard time thinking of another prominent character in a series that I’ve pulled for so much (positively or negatively) since Paul Atreides.” — LK, Amazon Reviewer

I’m humbled by the positive reviews. Again, thank you to everyone who has supported me on this author journey.

FROSTWORLD Book 3 is written and is currently with the editor. As fun as it’s been to write, I’m looking forward to closing out this trilogy. Book 3 releases on December 14th, concluding the Frostworld saga.

Thanks for reading. Talk to you soon!

-Blake

Hello friends!

I’m excited to announce that my newest novel, FROSTWORLD: ICE & BLOOD has officially released on Amazon and Audible! (it actually came out last week — I’m terrible at updating my blog)

This series has been in the works for a while, and I’m stoked that it’s finally live and in stores. It’s a GameLit epic fantasy series based heavily on Norse mythology (for those of you who don’t know what GameLit is, check out my other post here). The story follows Jarl Beckström, a lowborn farmer who has dreams of one day becoming a great warrior. He embarks on a dangerous adventure, leveling up and gaining experience and friends along the way, and eventually comes face to face with the true enemy on the tundra… the monstrous undead draugr.

FROSTWORLD has done rather well in the week that it’s been live. It became an Amazon #1 Release on Kindle and has garnered some really positive reviews! (see below)

One of the Best Fantasy LitRPG Books of 2021!

Driven story and even more driven characters

Recommend this book

If you haven’t yet, download it on Amazon or Audible! It’s available in ebook, print, and audiobook formats, and it is available in WhisperSync (at a discount, I might add). The audiobook is narrated by Neil Hellegers, who did an AMAZING job bringing the world and the characters to life. I’ll include the links below.

Get the ebook on Kindle!

Get the audiobook on Audible!

As always, thank you so much for reading. Your messages and reviews mean so much to me, and I count myself lucky to be able to make a living telling stories 🙂

Until next time, HONOR & IRON!

-Blake Arthur Peel

From the bottom of my heart — THANK YOU! Because of amazing readers like you, the Fall of Radiance series is a #1 bestseller and is currently climbing the charts of both Kindle and Audible.

For those of you who don’t know, I recently published the box set — 5 books for a limited-time deal of $0.99 (For audio, that’s over 50 hours of story for only a single credit). It’s been so gratifying to watch the journey of this series come to fruition. I particularly enjoy reading the reviews and comments people have posted.

If you haven’t yet, go to Amazon and grab the box set while it’s still on sale. I’m not sure when my publisher will raise the price, but they will eventually. Also, if you’re feeling extra generous, hop on and leave ma review. It will help other readers find my stories.

Amazon Link

Audible Link

Again, thank you readers for being so awesome. I can’t wait to publish even more stories for you to enjoy.

Have a great weekend!

-Blake

Hello friends!

I want to be more active on my blog this year, so here I am, giving you an update. I’m excited to say that things are now in motion. I’m shifting genres a little bit this year, although I’m still staying true to my sci-fi / fantasy roots. I will be delving into Gamelit, writing stories about characters in simulated, game-like worlds.

What exactly is Gamelit?

Gamelit is a newish genre of books that adds game mechanics to the story itself. Think Ready Player One by Ernest Cline or The Land by Aleron Kong. They typically feature a main character that “levels up” and gains upgraded gear and abilities throughout the story. Most contain numbers and stats that track progress. LitRPG, a sub-genre of Gamelit, usually revolve around MMORPG (Massive Multi-player Role Playing Games) like World of Warcraft, Ultima Online, or the like. It’s a blend of science fiction and fantasy.

Here’s a handy chart that can help you visualize what the genre is:

I’ve officially inked a deal with Tantor audio to produce a new trilogy of Gamelit epic fantasy novels — the Frostworld books I’ve been talking about for so long. I’m super excited for this series to launch, and we’ve secured an excellent narrator to record the audiobooks.

In addition to Frostworld, my wife and I are also working on a series together. This will be the first time I’ve ever co-written a story with anyone, and I’m grateful that it’s going to be with my best friend. Kim really is a talented writer, and it’s fun being able to collaborate and concoct a story with another person. Expect for that series to drop in the second half of the year, after Frostworld. I can’t really get into too much detail about it now, but I can say that it’s going to be in a science fiction setting, and that it’s going to be LitRPG.

Book Recommendation:

One other thing I want to start doing with my blog is posting reviews of the books and video games that I’ve been playing (possibly even movies and shows that I’ve watched) since they play such an important role in my creative process.

I know this is kind of an oldie, but for some reason I’ve finally gotten around to reading the Elderlings series by acclaimed fantasy author Robin Hobb.

I finished reading Assassin’s Apprentice late last year and am just starting Royal Assassin (book 2 in the Farseer Trilogy). Guys… this is some real deal high-quality fantasy. Hobb truly is a master of her craft. There’s some top-notch writing and character development in this series and the prose is bloody magnificent. I can’t say enough good things about these books (particularly because they’re so different from the other high fantasy books I’ve read). If you’re a sucker for 90’s era epic fantasy — a la Wheel of Time, Song of Ice and Fire, etc — then I highly recommend you check these books out. They’re a bit of a slow burn, but I promise you that they’re worth it.

Wrap Up

Anyways, that’s all I got for you folks. I’ve been hard at work trying to wrap up the Frostworld books and outline other series for the next couple of years. My family is happy and healthy, and we’ve been truly blessed. Thanks so much for supporting my writing and for reading my stories — it’s so great being able to do what I love for a living.

Please reach out if you have any questions or just want to chat. My email is contact@blakearthurpeel.com.

Cheers!

-Blake Arthur Peel

Dearest readers and friends,

Thanks for such a great year. I know that 2020 has been difficult in a lot of ways (the dreaded COVID pandemic, lockdowns, politics, general unrest, etc.) but for books, I have to say… 2020’s been pretty awesome. I wanted to take a second a recap on my blog what I’ve been up to this year and tease a little bit what I have planned for 2021.

Fall of Radiance

This year featured a re-release of my first series under publisher Aethon Books. Five novels in the Fall of Radiance came out monthly from March through July, releasing in ebook, print, and audiobook formats. The audiobooks, of course, were narrated by the amazing Michael Kramer and Kate Reading, of Wheel of Time and Stormlight Archive fame. They did a wonderful job recording the audio, and if you haven’t yet, be sure to check them out here.

The success of this series was greater than I expected and the positive reviews were particularly meaningful to me. It’s so nice to know that many of you loved the story. Currently, Ranger’s Oath has a 4.4 out of 5 star average on the Audible store.

Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA)

Another bright spot of news is that Ranger’s Oath placed 5th in the Book Bloggers Novel of the Year Award! As a finalist, I won a shiny new badge for my book cover as well as a “digital blog tour” for the book.

This was extremely gratifying as an author, and I’d like to personally thank everyone who voted on behalf of my book. We’ll get ’em next year!

Move Across the Country

On the personal front, this year was also big in that we sold our house and moved across the country (from the great state of Tennessee to the west coast). It’s good to be back and closer to my roots, though the south will always have a special place in my heart. Especially the barbeque. Oh man… the barbeque…

It was a tough decision to leave, but I know that it was the right one for my career. Plus, I believe that it’s important to live close to family. In the end, they’re all you got, you know?

What’s on the horizon?

Some really cool things! I plan to release a new series with Aethon in spring of 2021. This one is a Gamelit epic fantasy trilogy titled Frostworld. I’m also writing a LitRPG series with my wife, but I’m playing that one a little closer to the chest. I’ll reveal more details in the middle of next year, but know that I plan on releasing the first book in fall of 2021.

I’m so excited for the future. This year has been my biggest yet in terms of my fledgling author career, and I know that next year will be even bigger. I plan on doing more collaborations with other authors and experimenting with a multitude of different genres. I also plan on attending more conferences and conventions (once this COVID crap is finally over and done with). I want to meet more people in person and do book signings and events. We’ll see what the landscape looks like next year.

Anyway, thanks for reading. I look forward to producing more content that you will hopefully enjoy. Happy new year! See you all in 2021…

-Blake Arthur Peel

At long last, my silence has ended.

It’s been a while (a year or more?) since I last posted, but good things have been in the works. My YA epic fantasy series—formerly called “Arc of Radiance”—has been officially republished under the banner of Aethon Books. It will henceforth be known as the Fall of Radiance series. Here’s the new logo:

But why the long silence?

Well, in addition to extensive edits and more than a few new chapters, audiobooks have been recorded for all five books. But here’s the exciting part: they’re performed by none other than acclaimed narrators Michael Kramer and Kate Reading (The Wheel of Time, The Stormlight Archive, etc.)!

Words cannot express how honored I am to have such veterans narrate my work. Having listened to them, I can honestly say that they nailed the characters and tone of the story. I’m so excited to be able to share this news with you!

Both ebook and audiobook are available for purchase now (see the buttons below). Pro tip… if you buy the ebook first (currently on sale for $0.99), you can purchase the audiobook for a discounted price.

Each book in the Fall of Radiance series will be released monthly from now through July, so you needn’t wait long to read them all. In the meantime, I’m working on another series for Aethon Books, this one slotted to be released in the second half of 2020. It’s one I’ve been teasing for a while now called Frostworld. I’ll be posting more details about that at a later date.

As always, thank you all for your kind words and your support. It means the world to me. Hopefully, I’ll be a little bit more active on my blog/social media now that I’m publishing books again 🙂

One last thing. Please let me know what you think of Ranger’s Oath in the form of a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or Audible. Your reviews help more than you know.

Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day!

-Blake

Hi friends,

I wanted to post a rather important update about my books.

First of all, apologies for not posting on here very often. Between work, writing, editing, and everything in between, I find little time to update my blog. Nevertheless, I’m committed to keeping you in the loop and will try hard to establish a regular cadence moving forward.

I’ve told a few readers about this already, but here is the official announcement: I am going to be published by Aethon Books, a press dedicated to Science Fiction and Fantasy and supported by some of the most talented writers in the industry. You can read all about them here. I am extremely excited about this new development, and see this as a milestone in my journey as a fiction author.

Many of you may have noticed that my books are no longer available on Amazon. This is because Aethon is going to republish my Arc of Radiance series (under the new title Fall of Radiance), in addition to publishing my Frostworld epic fantasy series I mentioned before. These books will be given a nice facelift (desperately needed, as these were the first books I’ve ever written), and will also be re-releasing with a killer audiobook version. More details to come on that later 🙂

I apologize if the absence of the Arc of Radiance books on Amazon has caused anyone distress. Please email me at contact@blakearthurpeel.com if you have a concern.

Again, I’m extremely excited about my new partnership with Aethon, particularly because they are experts on the audio side of things. I’ve been looking to create audiobooks for my work for some time, and now, with their help, I will be able to offer this new digital format to my readers.

Thanks for everything you do to support me. You are the reason why I write down the crazy stories inside my head. Your reviews, encouragement, and words of support keep me going whenever life gets me down.

Here’s to an exciting future. Until next time,

Blake

It’s been a couple months since my last post. Sorry about that. I’ve been rather busy lately writing, working, and dealing with family matters. Regardless, I plan on establishing a regular cadence of posting on my blog 😊

Since my “Year in Review” post back in December, I’ve published the Chronicles of Eternity series on Amazon. Book 1, which is titled “Tales of Eternity”, went live on February 15th. Book 2 launches March 15th and is currently available for preorder.

BOTH BOOKS CAN BE PURCHASED FOR $0.99!

I’m excited for 2019, as I will be working on a massive epic fantasy series that I’ve been planning for some time. The first book will release at the end of April, but more on that later.

For now, suffice it to say that I am hard at work trying to produce exciting new content. The days can be long at times, but your reviews and kind words are enough to keep me going. These books are a labor of love, and I cannot wait to see what the future brings!

On a personal level, things are going quite well. The family is happy and healthy, and my wife and I are still figuring out this whole adult thing. Still, it’s not all work. I recently started playing Apex Legends… which I kind of suck at 😂 It’s fun, though. Makes me want to write a story about a futuristic battle royale – maybe dabble in some LitRPG? Who knows. I’m always coming up with new ideas, most of which will probably never see the light of day. Still, it’s fun to daydream.

Be on the lookout for more information regarding my next series, titled Frostworld. I’ll probably do a cover reveal in the next couple weeks (spoiler alert, it’s freaking awesome).

Anywho, I guess I’ll wrap it up now. No sense in rambling when there are books to write 😉 thank you so much for your continued support. It means the world to me that there are actually people willing to read the stories I come up with.

Cheers, and have a great day!

-Blake

Wow. 2018 felt like a blur. A lot’s happened these last twelve months, but I’m confident in saying that it’s only the beginning.

This year was my debut year as an author. It’s been filled with ups and downs, sleepless nights and long, grueling days. It’s also been filled with many hard lessons and a profound sense of accomplishment. I published my first novel, Ranger’s Oath, in June, then went on to publish four more novels before the end of the year. I finished an entire series of books, then planned several more. I mapped out a goal for my long-term success as a writer and forged relationships with other (far more talented) sci-fi/fantasy authors. As of today, I’ve written close to 300,000 words this year, a feat that I would have never thought possible a short time ago, and (most importantly) I’ve connected with some amazing readers who have buoyed my spirits with their feedback and support.

Yes, 2018 has been a good start for my career as a novelist – but I see it as simply a foundation for something more.

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This post will serve as a “Year in Review”, and will give you glimpse at what I have planned for 2019.

2018

The Arc of Radiance dominated my schedule this year. As I said before, the bulk of my time was spent learning the ropes of indie publishing and writing this 5 book YA epic fantasy series. Here are the book names and links listed below:

1. Ranger’s Oath (published in June)
2. Bringers of Doom (published in August)
3. War Echoes (published in September)
4. Exiled (published in November)
5. Prince of Darkness (published in December)

These books each have a piece of my heart. I know the editing in them isn’t perfect, but I am immensely proud of the story. At some point, I would love to go through with a line editor, touch them up, and possibly give them new covers as well.

Thanks for all the beta readers, reviewers, and friends who helped make these books a reality. I couldn’t have done it without you.

2019

I have big plans for the upcoming year, and I’m very excited to give you a look at what I have in the works. Not to mention the fact that there are some unofficial cover reveals below 😊

Legion of Light

This is a prequel to the Arc of Radiance series. It takes place a thousand years before the events of Ranger’s Oath.

I’ll admit, this one has been sitting on my digital shelf for a while, now. I originally intended to make it available only to subscribers, but have since changed my mind, wanting to include it with the main series on Amazon.

Legion of Light is a novella. Expect a release early January.

Kingdoms of Iron & Stone

A story of mine called “The Wrath of Khazafel” is being included in an epic fantasy anthology by Keystroke Medium.

I’m honored to be included in this anthology with so many great fantasy writers. Also, New York Times bestselling author Michael J Sullivan wrote the forward.

Expect a release by mid/late January

Tales of Eternity

This is the first of a two-book series called Chronicles of Eternity. About six months ago, I had an idea. I thought it would be cool to write a story about a D&D campaign I had come up with. Thus, this project was born. Tales of Eternity is a collection of short stories and novellas that serves as a precursor to the full-length novel, Tears of Eternity.

Expect a February release.

Tears of Eternity

The sequel to Tales of Eternity. Tears is a fantasy/adventure novel based loosely on a D&D campaign I came up with. It follows an assassin, a warrior, and sorceress as they set out to save the world against a godlike dragon. It’s a fun little project, and I think you’ll enjoy it.

Expect a March release.

The Living Worlds

This is perhaps my most ambitious project to date. It is an epic fantasy series akin to Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere and the MCU.

The story revolves around a group of heroes set on many different worlds. Each world has its own lore and magic system, but they are all connected to one another and are involved in the same overarching plot. Each world will get its own trilogy, the first of which I plan on releasing in 2019.

I don’t want to give away too much right now, but know that the it first trilogy will be called Frostworld, and will involve Vikings, ice zombies, and Fire magic.

Expect the first book to be released sometime in April.

Superhero Trilogy

Another project I’m stoked about… my wife and I are writing a series of superhero books together! Again, I don’t want to give too much away, but know that it will be a lighthearted story of a young superhero trying to find his way in a brave new world.

Expect the first book to come out late summer/fall.

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Whew! That’s all I have. Thanks for sticking with me. As you can see, things are busy on my end, but it is a labor of love. I’ve always wanted to be an author, and now I have the privilege of being able to share my stories with the world.

If you haven’t yet, please pick up the Arc of Radiance series and leave me a review. The more people review my books, the more Amazon will share them with other potential readers.

Thank you all for coming with me on this journey. I’m thrilled with the progress I’ve made and am excited for what’s to come.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

–Blake

Greetings, friends!

Another month has come and gone, and we’re one step closer to the end of the year. What a crazy thought. It feels like yesterday that I started writing seriously, and already it’s been almost two years and seven books finished.

2018 has been a big year for me. It’s seen my first books published and my first reviews received. But I plan for 2019 to be even bigger.

But more on that next month 🙂

We’re gearing up for Thanksgiving festivities here at the Peel house, so I’ll keep this short and sweet. “Prince of Darkness”, the fifth and final book in the Arc of Radiance series, will be available for purchase on December 1st. You can preorder it here for 99 cents. After December 1st, it will go up to its normal price of $2.99.

Here is the cover art, for reference (sorry that it’s fuzzy):

I’m currently working on a couple of projects that I am excited to unveil soon. They are fantasy stories that are a bit different than what you’ll find in Arc of Radiance, but will nevertheless scratch your fantasy itch 🙂

Not much else to report! Things have been pretty busy here with family and work, but rest assured that I’m still making writing a priority.

Have a great month, everyone! Send me a message if you want to talk!

-Blake