Sons of Thunder by Michelle Erickson (my 32nd book)

 

Blurb: 

Mal Kayman is on a quest that may kill him

That's nothing new, but his feelings for Anicette are.

If only they could get out of the ever-changing fog,

He might be able to explore them.

Driven to fly south, Ketu is wrapped in fire, blazing over an ocean.

She has seen whales, but no land, not even a rock!

Shaking with exhaustion, she feels the fire within dimming.

Why was she pushed in this direction if all she's going to do is drown?

Utahna gave Brenna a message. Five Years Ago!

She knows what she's supposed to do, but can't find it in her to tell Wyn

that everything they've done so far was the easy part.

The consequences of her procrastination are beginning to rumble.

Cost: ebook: $2.99

History of cover: The original cover's tiger had green eyes.  I requested blue, plus lightning.  I like it.  In hindsight, I would have kept the green-eyed tiger as well - for the paperback's back cover.  There is another reason, of course, but you'd have to read it to find out.

New cover for Aftermath!

UPDATE 2024: The books are now numbered in chronological order with Five the Power Rising as #1 and will end with the final book, Ties that Bind. 

Aftermath is no longer Book Three, but #8.

NEW COVER

Dear fans,
This is a no-brainer. The original
covers were made just to get
the books into your hands.
Thankfully, the story was good enough
you didn't care so much about the covers.
The above cover was produced
by Saphira @ selfpubbookcovers.com

OLD COVER

The old covers were made with
the Photoshop of the day.
We did the best we could
with the idea of eventually
replacing them. Expect to see more
of these old (collectors editions)
covers replaced. 

 

Chest of Souls Book 4: Winds of Change

Ignore the numbering of the book.
I hope to correct it and apply the branding very soon.

Artist:  Mates Laurentiu:  http://mateslaurentiu.deviantart.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Winds-Change-Fantasy-Series-Prequel-ebook/dp/B00KQ71X08

Price:  $2.99

The lace of legend is becoming frayed and Revaya doesn't see it. 

For more than twenty thousand years, she has been the Lady of Ogdones. 

But a storm is brewing. 

Her best friend is being hunted by an assassin so fast even Veya has a hard time seeing her. 

Strange notes of warning are being left for her and the others, but who is writing them? 

Vael’s unwanted interest continues to be a thorn in her side. 

The Winds of Change are howling and no one is listening. 

The distractions keep piling up. 

Even among the Five, love is the most powerful distraction of all. 

Chest of Souls Book 2: Fathom's Deep

Note:  Cover by Daekazu.
Ignore the numbering. This is actually book #2 in the  20-or-so series.

Wow.  That was the first word that popped into my mind when I saw the final edit of the cover.

This makes book number 15 for me and the fourth book which I've commissioned Daekazu to do.  He loves water pictures and it shows.

The woman is Soline, Keeper of the Waves, Sea Goddess, Sea Witch, Siren of the Sea...former Water-Mac from the Fortress in Brissa.  In this book I take the characters and dig a bit deeper.  Soline, I found, was fathoms deep - hence the name.

She is also featured on a cover:  Lend Me Your Mind.  

"It can't be!" you say, "Her hair was blue!"

I answer, "You're right!  Except, this picture is underwater."

She IS all that and a bag of soggy, annoyed attitude!

The octopus that rides her shoulder is Garb. He is also in book #10 Traps.  

The fish in the background that look like manta rays are actually called raykah - or kah, for short.  Soline created them, but Ammon does a bit more...like, well, read the books.

Books are available on Amazon.

Lend Me Your Mind - new cover

Old Cover

New Cover

Some pictures are worth a thousand words.  Here we have Soline, Keeper of the Waves, Sea Witch, Lady of the Sea, Sea Goddess (and unprintable names that sailors use).

Our Polish artist, Daekazu, did a fantastic job on the replacement cover and he is busy at work on the first of the prequels' covers. 

When I began my publishing journey, I had no experience with Photoshop and I hadn't drawn anything for decades.  The book was written, but I had no cover.   So, with great hopes, I bought PS 5 and went to work. 

The cover on the left did its job - it provided a way to get the book out there.  As money came in from the sales, I upgraded.  I will continue to do so, but please be patient.  New books need covers first and I usually release 3-4 books a year now.

Pic Jump: last book of goal to release 12 books in 12 months

Released June 2011

From the back of the book:

My happily ever after started with a coma

I didn’t think things could get worse.

Then I was accidentally eye-napped.

It’s complicated, but because of me, a four-year-old 

is being hunted by a kidnapping-murderer 

and all she has is a Barbie head to help her out.

If I don’t do something, she’s going to disappear –permanently.

I have one question:  How can I save her when all I can do is jump from one set of printed eyes to another?

Pic Jump received a Reader's Favorite Award 2011 and is a Whitney Award Nominee

5 Star review from Readers Favorite:

First rate story with a unique plot, August 11, 2011

By Readers Favorite "Book Reviews and Award Contest" (Hawesville, KY USA) - Reviewed by Alice D. for Readers Favorite

Pictarine Nebbie loved her parents but not her name; she prefers Pic. Pic and her best friend/cousin, Dar, run an employment agency. Pic meets the most marvelous man, Mason Jump, in the elevator of the building where her employment agency is located. Mason entertains terminally ill children, gives to charity, and is totally devoted to doing for others. He and Pic fall deeply in love, meet each other's families, and marry weeks after meeting. Do they live happily ever after? No, their wedding car is sideswiped, Pic suffers massive head injuries and lies in a coma!

Though badly injured, she is given an out-of-body ability to transfer from one pair of eyes to another. Pic lands as a little girl's Barbie doll's eyes. The little girl, Emma, and her mother and father get on a plane with a terrorist on board.

This is a really first-rate story with a unique plot that flows well from beginning to end of story. It offers romance and then adventure that will keep the reader enthralled until story's ending. It is well-edited, extremely well-written with believable characters who hold true throughout the story. A wide number of readers will enjoy this. The discerning will be delighted at the author's insertion of a book written by herself into the storyline.

New Cover for Book 6 Chest of Souls

Old Cover
Note: it is easier to see
the constellation "Three Sisters"
on this cover - the white, the blue,
and the red make up the triangle.

New Cover
Ignore the numbering, it is
being replaced

Won Reader's Favorite Award 2011 - and that was with the old cover.

Q:  What changed?
A:  The Cover, the prologue, better editing, and improved format

Blurb

Brenna is safe because she’s oblivious to everything but Talon. 

She doesn't know that her mother is Hi-Sha of Eyes, or that her father was an assassin and he’s supposed to be dead. She doesn't even know her pet is the Queen of all shees.

Talon felt safe until he met Brenna. 

Once he is ordered to protect her, he's had to fight monsters he never knew existed, run away from an assassin, and escape a forest full of carnivores. His father burned down their cottage and left him with people he just met and he isn't sure who to trust.

In the meantime, the Chest of Souls waits to be powered and neither child can guess the price.

** 5-star Review from Reader's Favorites**

A new series sure to please the pickiest fantasy readers.., August 12, 2011 By Readers Favorite "Book Reviews and Award Contest" (Hawesville, KY USA) - Reviewed by Anne B. for Readers Favorite 

Michelle Erickson has created a new series sure to please the pickiest fantasy readers. In Chest of Souls Book 1, we meet nine year old Talon and Brenna, a beautiful six-year-old with power beyond imagination. Talon and Brenna are the only hope to destroy Sogo. Together they make a formidable team...if they live long enough to develop their powers.

Michelle Erickson does exactly what all authors should do...begin the book with a dynamic, attention-grabbing scene. However, she doesn't stop there; she continues with one heart-pounding scene after another. Her talent for description brought to life the strange creatures previously only seen in her mind's eye. There are plenty of monsters to fear and battle in Chest of Souls: a fierce part-horse creature, green crabs, and ice monsters.  

Brenna was one of my favorite characters. Although only six years old, she already has self-confidence and knows she belongs with Talon.

This is the first book in a new series; I can hardly wait to see what our two heroes face in the next book.

Book #2 Lend Me Your Mind

Released October 2010
Illustration: Daekazu


Blurb

Brenna assumed everyone could modify an entire species, raise the dead, and speak with Deity because she’s done all of those things and more. Yet, even with all her power she can’t make Talon love her.

Talon has questions no one will answer. Like why he has to keep moving when he’d rather stay with the Tybars, what his father does for a living, and what really happened to his mother. The answers he does receive aren’t comforting.

Odd things have started to happen - the ship he is on sinks, a woman from legend rises from the sea, and he has to keep a secret he never wanted to know.

Danger tracks him from the Ammon Islands to the far western shore of Utak. Through it all, he can feel where Brenna is and her most powerful emotions, but isn’t sure what it means.

Book#3 Aftermath

Released Dec 2010
Illustration: StravenLite





Blurb

Brenna yearns for Talon’s love, but knows he sees her as a child. She’s determined to change that before her parents keep their word to take her away where Talon will never find her. No one seems to understand that Talon is the core of Brenna’s existence, not even Talon – yet.

Brenna is unaware the evil that has been searching for her has found her and if it can’t take her, it will take those she loves.

Talon has read the Book of Benamii and is beginning to understand that if Brenna dies, all hope perishes with her. He will not allow anyone or anything to hurt her. Not even Tasut. He is determined to stand between her and what is coming.

NOTE:  This cover will be updated

Book#4 Sacrifice of Souls

Released December 2010 (I released 2 books as an early Christmas present to my fans)
Illustration: StravenLite





Blurb:

Brenna is on the other side of time to be trained. It is a place she cannot reach or see Talon and others are there including her mysterious teacher - a woman known only as the Forest Wife. This woman is beautiful, strange, as hard as Tasut, and as intelligent as Brenna’s mother. That combination doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room. Somehow, the Forest Wife knows Brenna will do whatever she has to do, pay whatever price must be paid, to save Talon and that guarantees her obedience – for now.


Talon is in Sogo – courtesy of his father’s great fist. He is to be sold at auction and join those destined for the Barracks. He doesn’t understand why. He can’t see how he can protect Brenna from Sogo. His plan at the moment is to survive the training and the odds are stacked against him: 300-1

NOTE:  This cover will be updated

Book#5 Traps

Released  January 2011
Cover Illustration: Mates Laurentiu

Blurb:

Talon was born of a woman without a heart 

and a man without a soul 

into a world without a conscience. 

Now he has to fix it.

Too bad he’s in the Sogoian Barracks, 

where hope of escape is trapped in the jaws of the hounds, 

the horns of the stone bulls, and the look in his father’s eyes.

The Book of Benamii claims there is a traitor among his men. 

He’s determined to find out who it is and save as many of his men as he can 

while they all train for the blood sport known as Cubes.

Safe on the other side of time, 

Brenna is learning things she never wanted to know 

about the past, present, and future.

 

The past concerns the fact the Five Creators are not myths and they left a deadly surprise beneath the Phoenix House orphanage. 

The present concerns what the Forest Wife does to those who disobey, 

and the future has no guarantees.

Book#6 Stone Dreams

Released February 2011
Illustration: StravenLite





Blurb:

Talon and his men have been training for seven years, but there is one competition they can’t train for. Stone Dreams is an invitation-only nightmare Nez will arrange with one goal in mind: death of all competitors. There’s a good chance the traitor will make his move because Stone Dreams takes place at night and ‘accidents’ happen in the dark.

Brenna now understands what it’s going to take to power the Chest of Souls. There’s only one choice she can make that will save Talon and bring about the fall of Sogo. She’d rather repeat all the traps the Ancients made by herself than tell Talon what will make the constellation Three Sisters fall and what his part in powering the Chest will be.


Note:  This cover will be replaced/updated in time

Book #7 Division of Souls

Released March 2011
Illustration:  StravenLite

Blurb:

After powering the Chest of Souls, Brenna’s severed from her ability to love and that isn’t all that’s missing. She has made her choice and it isn’t Talon.

Her plan is to save as many lives as she can before Sogo falls.
Logic rules her days and remorse rules her nights.

Talon survived Day of Air and must survive the coming days of Water, Fire, and Earth – ending with the travesty of the blood sport called Cubes. He thought the greatest test was when the Chest of Souls was powered, but his greatest challenge lies ahead.

He has to find a way to heal the division between Brenna and himself and if he can’t, he has to ask himself if he loves her enough to do what must be done, no matter what?

This cover will be updated

Book #8 Storm

Released April 2011
Illustration: StravenLite


Blurb:

Brenna’s not herself.

In Sogo, she’s discovered what she’s capable of – the streets are littered with living proof. All that keeps her sane is when she can meet Talon in dreams and that becomes impossible when Nez infects her with a Suque. Brenna comes to realize the Suque wants Talon more than it wants Nez and will do anything it can to have him.

Talon’s getting bad news on all sides – the Ammonites refuse allegiance until the storm of prophecy rages, he’s uncovered old secrets that make him question Brenna’s loyalty, and the traitor is one step ahead, leaving Talon and his army to face certain death.

In spite of outward appearances, Talon is sure that somewhere inside Brenna is the woman who loves him – the woman he will risk everything and everyone to free.

Note:  This cover will be updated

Book #9 Walking with Lightning

Released in May 2011.
Illustration: StravenLite



People have asked me what Sogo looks like.  Well, here it is - being destroyed (Hallelujah!) 

In this final installment of the series, everything has come to a head.  Talon is determined to fight for Brenna even though she may not choose him in the end.  Brenna is still fighting the Suque and the Temis Belt. 

The other characters (well...most of them) fulfill their callings doing something no one else can do and must be done in spite of personal desires.


Finally, we have resolution for the conflicts and plots that have twisted and turned throughout the epic - though there are still some major inner struggles that must be fought. 
 
This book was the hardest to finish because with the end, you also have to move on as an author.  The good thing is, I can go back anytime and revisit these, my children, and be proud of their courage under extreme fire.
 
There is a prequel planned (Tentatively Titled:  Five, the Power Rising) that my daughter intends to write and, if things in her life go as planned, she will continue with the story of the Five after Sogo falls.   I look forward to it with great anticipation.    


Update:  I wrote 5 prequels and there are plans for sequels to this book - beginning with Sundara, Queen of the Ammonites.

Klaus: the first book in the North Pole Series

Released November 2010
New Cover 2014:  Mates Laurentiu
Won Reader's Favorite Award 2011

In this novel, I combined two of my favorite things: Christmas and Romance.  I fell in love with Santa when I was three years and four months old. It is one of my earliest childhood memories.

Santa and me - abt 1961

I can still recall how his wool pants made my legs itch!  I scrambled off his lap, but was unable to resist returning time and again.  Oh, before I forget, the red thing I'm holding was hard-as-rock caramel popcorn on a stick. 

Klaus was released November 2010 and, of course, is about the jolly man in a bright red suit EXCEPT.... this story doesn't focus on his down-the-chimney routine, but the behind-the-scenes love story.

In my book, Eralee is an immortal misfit from the eternal forest of Everaude.  At the beginning of the book, she's close to getting engaged to a never-faithful River Prince she doesn't like (much less love). 

Klaus is a wood-carving human misfit that comes from the village of Kringle.  How they get together when life throws them an iron-spiked ball that bulls-eyes their heart is the story I chose to tell.

Though I say it myself, Klaus is destined to become a holiday classic (more than one person that reviewed the book on Amazon agrees). It would do well as a movie...maybe Hallmark, but I wouldn't object to a big-screen offering (think Disney).

I've been asked who I would choose to play the part(s).

My first and most important qualification: whoever is chosen must know how to act.  Hallmark and Disney have been successful with this, so no worries.    

In spite of whatever Hollywood would choose, I find that when you read a book you end up putting the person you want in there anyway.  Use your imaginations, conjure the man or woman of YOUR dreams and slide yourself into the opposite role.

Merry Christmas (early and always, from me)

Reader's Favorite 5-star Review:

I highly recommend Klaus for the whole family, July 10, 2011 By Readers Favorite "Book Reviews and Award Contest" (Hawesville, KY USA) - Reviewed by Anne B. for Readers Favorite

Have you ever wondered how Santa Klaus met Mrs. Klaus? Michelle Erickson brings readers a delightful story of a princess and a human carpenter.

Eralee's father is a River King and her mother is a Queen. They live in the forest of Everaude, a world filled with immortals and the Rashim (deer). Her parents planned a marriage for her to a river prince. He was busy sowing his wild oats and she had no desire to marry him. When she saw a human freezing to death in the woods, she wanted to save him, although it was forbidden by her people. 

The reader watches as Klaus and Eralee fall in love. Throughout this enchanted story the reader learns the answers to many Santa questions.  A lonely witch wants Klaus for her own selfish reasons. Eralee refused to give up the man she loves, no matter the cost.

Erickson combines romance, adventure, suspense and humor to create one of the best Christmas tales I've ever read. Eralee's antics were very funny and her innocence was extremely heartwarming. Of course Eralee was my favorite character, but Klaus and the other characters each had their own distinctive personality. This book will become a family favorite. I can see this tale making it to TV as a Christmas special. I highly recommend Klaus for the whole family.

5 Blanks

Released August 2010
Illustrator: StravenLite
Genre:  Post-apocalyptic thriller

Blurb:

Nick is a pacifist whose been killed for the fourth time. His soul was transferred into the wrong Blank. Not just any Blank, but Creed: a Combat- Ready- E-series- Elimination- Drone.

And he has to share it.

It’s supposed to be impossible. His life defines the word so that isn’t what bothers him. It's the irony that he’s to blame for making the E-series a reality. He always said it would be the death of him. He may be right.

He's homeless and being hunted by the people that killed him four times. They want to make him dead-dead before he can expose the truth. That’s if the original Creed doesn’t return from war and kill him first.

Nick has a lethal to-do list:

He needs to gain Creed’s co-operation so he can save the friends who risk their lives to hide them, find out how and why they are sharing the same Blank before the original Creed shows up, and uncover the truth about Leigh, a beautiful scary woman that claims she’s Creed’s fiancée and Nick’s friend, but whom neither man remembers.

Welcome to day one of Blank Five.

Back Story:

This book came from a dream I had about a post-apocalyptic-era society.  Liam Neeson played the part of  'Nick' in the dream and it took place in Utah, near Layton. 

In my dream, there weren't that many survivors left and robots were checking everyone's wristband to see how 'old' they were - fours were arrested and fives were instantly killed.

From that small glimpse came not just this book, but my 12th book, Pic Jump - but that is (literally) another story.