Come visit my new Shining Lands site

Hello Everyone,

I'd like to invite you all over to my new Tales of the Shining Lands site.

The content is similar to what is here, but I will be updating that site more often than this one in the near future.

Thanks,
Ron Leighton

http://varaeim.weebly.com/

Master copy with brick-red and white carbothello pencils of a Greuze original. Got an A! Woohoo!

Author Interviews for 'With A Twist' -- A Vampire Anthology

Read some author interviews for 'With a Twist,' a new vampire anthology featuring, among others, my short story, 'A Cheerful Smoke for the Dead'! By the way, it was put together by editor-extraordinaire Heather G. Coman.

Editor Heather G. Coman's blog

Art 231 Intermediate Life Drawing Final Critique drawings

These are the drawings I chose to use in the final critique for my Art 231 Intermediate Life Drawing course, May 16, 2012. Wish me luck!

Liebster Blog Award

I got me another blog award nomination. This time it was from the speculative fiction writer Chris Mawbey, whose blog you can find here.  He's got some short stories and an ebook called Shades of Imagination. His nom-de-twitter is @ChrisMawbey.

As for me, I can always use the traffic, 'cause the way I figure it, every hundreth person will go, "Hey, wait, I kinda like this shtuff."

If you are nominated and wish to accept this award and pay it forward (and back), do this:

1. Thank the person who nominated you on your blog and link back to them.

2. Nominate up to 5 others for the award.

3. Let them know by commenting on your blog.

4. Post the award on your blog.

I know tons of folks with neat blogs and good stuff going on. This time around, though, I'm sticking with specifically fantasy-related blogs! Here are my nominations:

1. Over at Halla Litríocht you will find "the ramblings of Walter Shuler," aka, @anakronistical. He writes about many things, including his book, Gods of Sand and Stone.

2. Nicholas Rose has a number of fantasy books out. His blog is over here. And his twitter is @Nicholas_A_Rose

3. I finally found out what "hersenskim" means, and you will too when you visit Carin Marais's blog! Tweet her @CarinMarais

4. "Wake to a world tangled in the Threads of Fate" over at S.J. Wist's "Dragon Aster Trilogy" blog. When you get untangled, tweet her,

5. Find out about the "Children of the Lost Moon" over at Gabrielle Blue's site. Her tweets can be found @GabrielleBlue

When you are completely finished devouring these blogs, come on back over here and read up on the Shining Lands. :)

'Beneath a Vengeful Sun' now on Amazon!

My third fantasy short story set in the Shining Lands and featuring the character Ránača is now live on Amazon!


Here's Daniel Swensen's 4-star review (from Smashwords):


"Beneath a Vengeful Sun is the inner (and outer) journey of Ránača, a concubine laboring beneath the yoke of cruel captors. 


This is the third short story I've read by Ron Leighton, and I think it's his strongest yet. The character of Ránača is strong and compelling; wracked by self-doubt, yet resolute. As with his other short stories, Beneath a Vengeful Sun hints at a much greater scope, mentioning a panoply of cultures, nations, and snippets of history.


Beneath a Vengeful Sun is a fun adventure, well worth your buck, and another stirring lead-in to Leighton's upcoming (I hope) Shining Lands book."


ONLY 99 cents!


Download today from Amazon, Smashwords or any of the other booksellers listed at the right margin


Once you experience the Shining Lands you will always want to go back!

My interview by author Tim Greaton

Head on over to Tim Greaton's Forum and check out my interview by author Tim Greaton!

It was fun, and I really look forward to doing more such things in the future! :)

Story Samples

The following are short story samples! All three are set in the world of Varaiem, the Shining Lands. If they pique your interest, go to my Smashwords profile, pick the one (or ones) you like and download for only $.99 ea. This first one is also available at Amazon!

First up is the most recent, 'Beneath a Vengeful Sun,' in which the concubine Ránača, despairing over her dead family and status, agonizes when Mother Volhuxa, oldest of Master Hergesto's bed-slaves, informs her that they will be sent out of the main house to live with the other slaves. Ránača fears what this will mean--and wonders whether she wants to live at all:

She stood before a black pit, watching it grow wider and deeper as it caved into itself. She felt the earth beneath her feet giving way, and dreaded the plunge that would follow. As she balanced there on the precipice, a foggy image floated up at her from the void and then came into focus, and she could clearly make out a pale face suspended there in the dark—an unshaven face with half-closed eyes, framed by wet, lank hair. Its mouth did not move, yet somehow it whispered regret to her in a ceaseless chant.

Suddenly she fell and the face rose up towards her, drawing closer and closer. An unvoiced scream itched in her throat for an endless moment.

The eyes sprang open.

Inhaling quickly, Ránača jolted awake from her dream and sat straight up in her cot. Her chest heaved and little beads of sweat glistened on her forehead. Her pale blonde hair and her bedding were damp with it. Even though she had left sleep behind, the nightmare lived in her mind for a few moments. She clenched her jaw and fought off an urge to cry.

The subtle light and sounds of morning tickled her senses. She blinked and let out a soft breath. I’m here. At the Waywoodgate. In my Master’s house. The notion brought her relief, thoughshe did not smile.

Wiping her face, she felt eyes on her. But looking around the Master’s wide chamber,she found none. Master Hergesto and the other women —like Ránača, his harnéhá, concubines—remained in Telos’ land, asleep.

“Damned dream,” she muttered.

Where it had come from she didn’t know, but as terrible as it was, she felt glad it had notbeen the other nightmare. In that midnight torment her sister, Brásela—who had been brought into the main house from the field slaves’ house as a concubine just before Ránača, and then died of a fever—cried, alone in the wild, calling to Ránača.

At least it had not been that nightmare.

Sighing, she rose quietly, putting aside the silk bedding—but stopped, finding the eyes she had felt.


~~~~~~


Next up is 'Child of Chaos' in which the Birviodish upstart Kenhesho discovers the power of fear:

“There it is,” half-bald Kenhesho with the bear tattoo said, pointing his bent bulus knife. “Thieving among the sacks!” He signaled the spearmen behind him.

In a storehouse made of unfinished logs and butted-up against Kaiyeth’s palisade, a stooping, pointy-eared, long-footed creature crept among the shadows. Bits of wheat grain dribbled from one of its long-fingered fists. As it shrank from the spears, the light gray eyes in its wide face glowed like two lamps. Curling its lips back from rows of sharp, diseased teeth, the creature growled. Dust-filled beams of sunlight rippled across its pale shape as it moved.

As the men cornered the creature, spears jutting firmly, jets of steam poured from their mouths into cool morning air.

 Agohserin the Elder pushed through their midst, eyes widening. Brushing Kenhesho aside, he stepped to the front of the bug-eyed, spear-bristling crowd. Gray locks draping a leathery face, he pulled on the glittering sun-pendant at his throat. Waving away the dust, he held it out like a charm toward the interloper. “By the Sun, all is seen, upon the earth, good and green.” He let the pendant fall to his bony chest.

Turning to the spearmen, Kenhesho said, his faced screwed up with fear and hate, “Get it out of there!”


~~~~~~


And finally, 'A Cheerful Smoke for the Dead,' in which young Nathaiu frets over the journey of his dead parents in the afterlife. When an old man comes to town peddling an incense said to lead the dead straight to the holy father, Orotar, Nathaiu buys a pouch of the stuff. When he burns the incense at his evening prayers, he discovers the nature of the old man's magic:

In the damp, dark cottage three doors from Gergenon’s lone brothel, Nathaiu struggled with the black-haired woman under him, desperate to get what he wanted. Her frantic exhales were visible in the faint light of the hearth, like the fear in her gray eyes. Did she not understand his need? As he gained control of her flailing limbs, and she settled a little, as if out of a fatalistic acceptance, he gripped her harder and pressed closer. He saw one eye fix on him and she trembled as she turned her face away, to escape in some small way, it seemed.

****

A week and a day before, a bone-chilling March wind blew across Artago plain, lifting a swirl of dry snow. Nathaiu wandered along Gergenon’s main street. Counting stones and jumping over a stinking drain, he made his way to the early market by the temple of Orotar, the Sun God. He narrowed his blue eyes against the sunbeams slanting over the former border-fort’s jagged old walls, which ran parallel to the street. In the shadow of the temple tower, his dazzled eyes found relief, and the market. Looking for a cheap chicken – one his aged Aunt Enselyta could cook with a little thyme, basil, and salt, if he could get it – he made his way through the murmuring throng.


~~~~

Read MY Ebook Week!

How do you celebrate 'Read an Ebook Week'? By reading an ebook! Why not start with 3 short stories? My stories are free to download during the week, March 4-10, 2012. Get 'em now before they go back to $.99 cents ea.! There are reviews posted on this blog and at the Smashword page for each story!

'A Cheerful Smoke for the Dead'

'Child of Chaos'

and

'Beneath a Vengeful Sun'


https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ronrexl

Use the coupon code: RE100 to get a copy of each story!

Master Copy in Charcoal

My new drawing. It's a master copy in charcoal of a drawing by French artist Pierre-Paul Prud'hon (1758-1823). We were instructed to "emulate the technique."

Carine Engelbrecht's 5 Star Review of 'A Cheerful Smoke for the Dead'

Worried about the souls of his deceased parents, Nathaiu seems an easy mark for a trickster-like trader in arcane incense. When he follows the accompanying instructions to the letter, however, he finds the results are not quite what he had anticipated. There are layers within layers, when one deals with those from worlds beyond this one. Told with emotional authenticity and absorbing detail, the story succeeds in drawing you in within the space of a mere ten pages and the conclusion will stay with you a good while after reading the last word. This is definitely a recommended read for anyone who enjoys tales of fantasy and magic. (Originally posted here.) (Carine's nom-de-twitter is @blackquartz!)

Download here for only 99 cents!!

Art 231 - First Day.

First day of Art 231 - Intermediate Life Drawing. We had to draw a portrait of the nearest person. Alissa was kind enough to be the nearest person. AND she lent me the red pencil I used to do her cool two-tone 'do.

Read the Reviews UPDATED

'Beneath a Vengeful Sun' reviews

Download at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/123757

(Posted at Smashwords)

January 17, 2012 Daniel Swensen rated it 4/5 stars
Beneath a Vengeful Sun is the inner (and outer) journey of Ránača, a concubine laboring beneath the yoke of cruel captors. This is the third short story I've read by Ron Leighton, and I think it's his strongest yet.

The character of Ránača is strong and compelling; wracked by self-doubt, yet resolute. As with his other short stories, Beneath a Vengeful Sun hints at a much greater scope, mentioning a panoply of cultures, nations, and snippets of history.

Beneath a Vengeful Sun is a fun adventure, well worth your buck, and another stirring lead-in to Leighton's upcoming (I hope) Shining Lands book.

'Child of Chaos' reviews

Download at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/92949

(Posted at Goodreads)

Dec 13, 2011 Carine Engelbrecht rated it 4/5 stars  

In an intense segment that draws the reader right into the action of the story, Ron Leighton introduces the world of 'Belt of the Wolf: A Tale of the Shining Lands'. Although short, the story is both memorable and thought-provoking.

Dec 19, 2011 Jack D. Albrecht Jr. And Ashley Delay rated it 5/5 stars  

It was a delightful short story. Well as delightful as a dark monster filled short story can be. I am eager to read more from this author!

Dec 12, 2011 S.J. Wist rated it 5/5 stars  

When Kenhesho and his men find a monster-like thief in their midst, a hasty decision of what to do with it will have its costs. A well-written, entertaining short story that is an excellent teaser to the upcoming 'Belt of the Wolf: A Tale of the Shining Lands' novel.

(Posted at Smashwords)

Nov. 11, 2011 Daniel Swensen rated it 4/5 stars    

A concise, gruesome little story with a stark twist at the end. A perfect short read.

Oct. 17, 2011 Tessa Jones rated it 5/5 stars     

From the first page, you are dropped immediately into Leighton's dark, starkly painted world. There's no room here for purple prose. Child of Chaos is short, to the point, and delightfully twisted, a tale of perception and power misused. The pacing was spot on, and the ending satisfying. Highly recommended!

Oct. 12, 2011 Maureen Hovermale rated it 5/5 stars     

A masterfully crafted short story. The author knows how to create vivid characters that reach into the readers' minds and live. This knocked me back with the intricacies expressed in such a short amount of time. I would buy anything he writes after a sample like this.

Oct. 06, 2011 Ron Knight rated it 5/5 stars    

This is an absolutely terrific and entertaining story.

Oct. 05, 2011 Mackenzie Brown rated it 5/5 stars

A well written and compelling tale set in the fantasy world Ron has painstakingly created. The characters are well drawn and their stark existence beautifully portrayed. The story also had a nice pace and like all great short stories you are right in the centre of everything from the first word, right up until the nicely works twist. Well done Ron, highly commended.

Oct. 05, 2011 Darryl Ellrott rated it 3/5 stars  

I’ve never made it a secret that I’m a comic reader from way back. I preferred the superhero genre, but I was also partial to the horror and mystery comics as well. Instead of the multi-issue story arcs so popular with the former, titles like House of Secrets, The Witching Hour, and Tales of the Unexpected dealt with shorter, more compact morality tales. These magazines were the watered-down 1970’s descendants of the famous EC Horror yarns of the 1950’s, the ones that almost got the comics industry run out of business. Even though these titles lacked much of the graphic violence of their predecessors, they still packed some punch with their twist endings, many of which involved grim supernatural justice being done on some wrongdoer.

Ron Leighton’s short story “Child of Chaos” simultaneously evokes Abercrombie, Jackson, and Gaines. As in Joe Abercrombie of First Law fame for the setting and characters, horror icon Shirley Jackson of “The Lottery” for plot and theme, and William Gaines, publisher of EC comics for the ending. The story deals with a group of iron-age villagers who must decide how to deal with an unwelcome visitor to the town’s granary. The village elders argue amongst themselves about whether the stunted and deformed creature they’ve captured, the “Child of Chaos,” is truly a monster. Should it be killed or released? Has the town’s food supply been defiled by the touch of a demon, or should the creature be treated like any other trespassing animal?

First let me say that Ron Leighton can write. He’s got pro level skills. The time, place, and setting are all painted in deft strokes. There’s none of the purple similes and overdone description of fantasy novices who are trying too hard. This little one-act is primarily a dialogue piece, and Leighton’s exchanges are spot-on and snappy. These are real villagers arguing among themselves. The clichés are kept to an absolute minimum. Like Jackson’s famous “Lottery,” “Child of Chaos” is all about the conflict between Society and the Outsider. There’s even a little bit of Dogma vs. Reason thrown in. As for the ending (which I will not give away,) well, as the Crypt Keeper would say, “Heh, heh, heh!” “Child of Chaos” is very short, but well worth reading ‘cause it’s so well written. I’d give it 3 ½ stars out of five. See you soon!

'A Cheerful Smoke for the Dead' reviews

Download at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/66509

Nov. 15, 2011 Daniel Swensen rated it 3/5 stars

A macabre story reminiscent of somewhere between a Hammer film and the old E.C. comics. Dark divinity, gruesome mystery -- what more could you want from a monster story?

Oct. 19, 2011 Mackenzie Brown rated it 5/5 stars

A skilful slant on the ageless vampire theme. Cleverly plotted and carefully crafted, you can almost feel the hunger of the careworn characters, whether it is food or blood they crave. Ron Leighton is a master at creating a world none of us would wish to inhabit and wringing every drop of plot out of the short story framework. This is a writer who I predict will transfer his work with great skill and style to the broader canvass of a novel.

Aug. 15, 2011 Pamela Lyn rated it 5/5 stars

I love monsters who behave like...well...monsters. This take on vampires takes you back to the old school creatures that were to be feared. Good, quick and enjoyable read.

July 12, 2011 estruda rated it 5/5 stars

This is a very riveting story you can almost taste the atmosphere you feel as though you are actually in the streets with them, has you on the edge of your seat, i absolutely loved it, beautifully written and very descriptive.

June 24, 2011 Ron Knight rated it 3/5 stars

Excellent flow, descriptions, dialogue, and entertaining storytelling.

June 17, 2011 Tessa Jones rated it 5/5 stars

These vampires definitely do not sparkle! Ron Leighton has given us a gritty, unromantic look at one of the oldest evils to inhabit the earth. I'm still shivering...

Highly recommended.

June 16, 2011 S.J. Wist rated it 5/5 stars

If you're into vampires and want a fresh, but grounded in an older time take on them, this short story will give you a good spook. I'm very interested to see if Ron Leighton's upcoming novel will have the same effect. I will be carrying extra lights around until then.

Review of 'Beneath a Vengeful Sun'

Daniel Swensen (aka @surlymuse) gave my newest fantasy short story ebook 4 out of 5 stars. Read what he had to say:

Beneath a Vengeful Sun is the inner (and outer) journey of Ránača, a concubine laboring beneath the yoke of cruel captors. 

This is the third short story I've read by Ron Leighton, and I think it's his strongest yet. The character of Ránača is strong and compelling; wracked by self-doubt, yet resolute. As with his other short stories, Beneath a Vengeful Sun hints at a much greater scope, mentioning a panoply of cultures, nations, and snippets of history.

Beneath a Vengeful Sun is a fun adventure, well worth your buck, and another stirring lead-in to Leighton's upcoming (I hope) Shining Lands book.


(Swensen's Surly Muse site is here.)

__________

Get 'Beneath a Vengeful Sun' for only 99 cents at Smashwords. There you can also find my other short stories, 'A Cheerful Smoke for the Dead' and 'Child of Chaos', only 99 cents ea.

Versatile Blogger Award!

Lovely Bridget Bowers nominated me (and 14 others) for the Versatile Blogger Award!
Check out her list here.

The idea behind The Versatile Blogger Award nominations is to use these nominations to make other bloggers aware of other great blogs, as I’m are doing here. 

If you'd like to carry on this thing, do the following!

1. In a post on your, blog, nominate 15 fellow bloggers for The Versatile Blogger Award.
2. In the same post, Add The Versatile Blogger Award.
3. In the same post, thank the blogger who nominated you in a post with a link back to their blog.
4. In the same post, share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself.
5. In the same post, include this set of rules.
6. Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs.

Here are my fifteen nominees!

1. Bridget Bowers - Rants 'N' Ramblings
2. Krystal Wade's Blog
3. Jami Gold, Paranormal Author
4. Daniel Swensen - Surly Muse
5. RS Guthrie - Rob On Writing
6. SJ Wist' Dragon Aster
7. SJ Wist's Fantasy Cookie
8. Shannon and Toni - Self Publishing Team
9. Maureen Hovermale - The Zen Corner
10. Darryl S. Ellrott and Brent Mitchell Wood
11. Tim Greaton's Forum
12. Derek Flynn and Krystal Wade - Two Writers, One Blog
13. Lindsay Buroker
14. Nicholas Rose - Ilvenworld Novels
15. Carin Marais - Hersenskim

And two bonus nominees!

1. Andy Holloman
2. Mackenzie Brown

Here are seven random things about me:

• Between the ages of 6 and 8 I was 7.
• I am going to school and (so far) I am getting straight A's. Next week I will practice making my B's straight.
• I obsess about having a good pen and a notebook to write in to the point I have dozens of both.
• Unicorns scare the crap out of me.
• Me like coffee.
• I know the world is not going to end in 2012. The Mayans were into the drama a little.
• I hate..no wait, I love decisiveness.

NEW fantasy short story, 'Beneath a Vengeful Sun'

'Beneath a Vengeful Sun' available starting today at Smashwords for only 99 cents!

Sample:

She stood before a black pit, watching it grow wider and deeper as it caved into itself. She felt the earth beneath her feet giving way, and dreaded the plunge that would follow. As she balanced there on the precipice, a foggy image floated up at her from the void and then came into focus, and she could clearly make out a pale face suspended there in the dark —an unshaven face with half-closed eyes, framed by wet, lank hair. Its mouth did not move, yet somehow it whispered regret to her in a ceaseless chant.

Suddenly she fell and the face rose up towards her, drawing closer and closer. An unvoiced scream itched in her throat for an endless moment.

The eyes sprang open...

Download and enjoy 'Beneath A Vengeful Sun' today!