A Fresh Coat of Paint

Finding reader love for Lyra and her tale has never been the issue. Check out review snippets below as reference:

• "ROGUE LEGACY by Jeffrey L. Kohanek is the story of a girl who met Fate head on and created her own destiny as a strong, intelligent warrior who will forge ahead into the unknown setting the stage for the future and the Runes of Issalia." - Tometender Book Blog Review ★★★★★    
• "Love the characters. It has some great twists and turns to the story. Readers will enjoy reading it. I look forward to reading more of Jeffrey's books." - Amazon ★★★★★
•  "Rogue Legacy is the best possible prequel the series could have, I loved everything about it from the worldbuilding to the characters. It will resonate to the series fans. Jeffrey Kohanek has once more written a tremendous book." - Goodreads ★★★★★
• "An enjoyable read with wonderful characters. I recommend this story wholeheartly." - Amazon ★★★★★
• "I hadn't read the books that were released before this book until after I finished this one. As soon as I did finish it tho I immediately looked for the other books and I'm currently reading those. I loooove this story so much" - Amazon ★★★★★
• "My first read from author Jeffrey L. Kohanek was excellent! I'll be reading more from him." -  Amazon ★★★★★

Instead, Rogue Legacy has never been successful in finding READERS in the first place and has sold far fewer copies than any of my other novels. It's a shame that more readers haven't discovered this fun, heart-warming fantasy adventure.

In hopes of rectifying the situation, I sought out a new cover design that was more suitable to the story found within. This new cover coincides with a relaunch as I hope to get the book into more reader's hands and Lyra into their hearts. Yes, a cover DOES significantly impact a book's success, and I hope this new one will grab the attention of readers and draw them in as so many other wonderful books do. Along with the cover, I have a new tagline that better conveys what the story entails:

"A fantasy retelling akin to The Princess Bride, but in this one, the girl saves herself."

The old and new covers are posted below for comparison. What do you think? Do you like the new cover? Does it make you want to know a bit more about the story? Feel free to email me with feedback at JeffreyLKohanek@gmail.com.

Best Wishes,
-Jeff

NEW COVER

OLD COVER

Cover Reveal: An Imperial Gambit

The third installment of the Wardens of Issalia series is finished and in the final stages of editing. The print version of An Imperial Gambit releases on December 13th, and the eBook drops on December 26th. 

As you might guess by the amazing cover below (thanks J. Caleb Design!), this title is loaded with action, suspense, and magic. The book synopsis is included below as well. I'd love to hear what you think of the cover.

Best Wishes,
Jeff
 

A conflict of ideals - magic versus fire-powered weapons. The fate of Issalia hangs in the balance. 

A new Empire has risen to power. Already in control of the east coast, the Imperial Army sets its sights on Issalia's western kingdoms. Tensions rise as both sides prepare for war.

What deadly weapon will the Empire develop next?

Brandt and Quinn are espions - part spy, part thief, part assassin. Under false identities, these spies find themselves deeply entrenched within Empire headquarters. There, they gather information, seeking a means to foil the Empire's plans for conquest.

One misstep by either warden could result in death - their own and thousands of others.

They are joined by a small squad of fellow wardens:

• Wildcats - warriors trained to fight while powered by magic 
• Rangers - experts in nature, these archers scout enemy forces 
• Gadgeteers - engineers who invent magic-powered machines and weapons 
• Arcanists - those who can wield Chaos - a destructive, rune-based magic 

Driven by the core belief that Chaos magic is evil, the Empire seeks to stamp out this scourge. If victorious, Chaos will be outlawed. Those who can wield it...will be executed.

The wardens must stop this Imperial gambit.

The Writing Process

As my sixth novel releases today, I find myself reflecting on my author journey, which began four years ago.

The first draft of my initial book took a year to craft. At the time, it was a bloated, rough, unwieldy thing that sorely needed revisions and editing. Another sixth months, and dozens of revisions later, I had something that resembled a publishable book. In comparison, it now takes me about six months to produce a better, more refined story, from concept to release. While writing a fiction novel is largely a creative endeavor, the final result is still a product. As with any product, a refined process will ensure better results in a shorter period. That is what I wish to share with you today.

Fellow authors, some less seasoned than myself, others with far more experience, often ask me about my writing process. Even readers inquire about it. I believe that each author must discover what works for him/her, and that often begins by learning about what works for others. Here is what works for me.

I begin with an outline – one that is far less detailed than what I used for my first few books. It is more of a list of key plot points that will guide me, similar to points on a map. I ensure the story stops at each point, but I am unsure of how I will get from one point to another until the characters take me there. With that in place, and my key characters defined (that’s a whole different blog post), I write. The first draft of an 80K-90K word novel takes about eight weeks for me to craft.

Revisions come next, fleshing out the story, polishing the prose, and dragging emotion out of my characters. Sometimes, I revise during the first draft as well. Regardless, three total revision rounds yield the results I desire.

Technical edits follow my revisions. This is the term I use when leveraging software that analyzes my book and points out areas of improvement, including repeated words, phrases, adverb use, and a myriad of other potential grammar improvements. The revision/technical editing phase requires four weeks to complete, putting the calendar at twelve weeks since I began. That’s when I kick my book off to my editor.

My editor, who focuses on copy editing but also provides developmental feedback, spends about three weeks with the book before it returns to me. I spend another week incorporating edits and then the book heads to my proofreader. However, during the three weeks when the book is with my editor, I have already outlined the subsequent novel and am prepare to begin the first draft.

Proofreading takes a week, followed by a day for me to fix the errors discovered. My book then goes out to beta readers, who have two weeks to pour through the material and provide feedback. Advanced Reader Copies(ARC) are then sent out to my ARC team, giving them four to five weeks to read the book and offer feedback before it releases. During this activity, I continue writing the next book. When release day comes, six months after I began, the first draft of the sequel is complete. At the same time, the new release should have around thirty reader reviews ready to roll from my ARC team.

This process is working and allowing me to release three to four books a year. It took time to develop and required testing various models during my first four releases. Now that my writing process is firmly in place, I feel confident that I am weaving exciting adventures filled with interesting characters that will result in a quality, enjoyable book for eager fantasy readers, young and old.

Writing Process Summary:

·        Weeks 1-8          Outline/rough draft                                      

·        Weeks 9-12        Revisions/technical edits                             

·        Week 13             Send to editor                                                

o   Begin outlining the next book                                                   

·        Weeks 14-16      Editor and incorporating edits     

o   Begin first draft of next book                                    

·        Weeks 17-19      Proofreader/beta readers                           

·        Weeks 20-24      ARC Readers                     

·        Week 25             Release

o   By the time release hits, I am 8 weeks into the process for the subsequent book, with a complete first draft

Finding Purpose

Back in early 2017, I completed the final book in the Runes of Issalia trilogy and found the moment bittersweet. The overarching plot for the series was something I had conceived two years earlier, before I even wrote the first book. Seeing the story come to fruition felt wonderful. At the same time, I knew there were many more stories to be told within the world I had created. In fact, the history I had documented while writing the Runes series gave me an outline to write Rogue Legacy, a stand-alone novel set four hundred years before Brock was even born. However, that prequel was just the beginning of what was yet to come.

Over the summer of 2017, I began to jot down ideas of what the future held for Issalia, detailing how changes to the political climate, social structure, and the discovery of Chaos magic might impact the world. As the events following the collapse of the Issalian Empire began to coalesce, so did my next tale. From those notes, I wrote a prequel novella titled ICON, and that set the table for an entire new series.

  

  

The Warden’s of Issalia series has just kicked off with A Warden’s Purpose, which released on May 17^th, 2018. The story begins seventeen years after the fall of the Empire. As the first book in a series, it offers an entry point for new readers without rehashing what seasoned readers have already learned from my previous books. I cannot say much without spoiling the plot, but I CAN tell you that the series is shaping up to be a bit like The Kingsmen movies, but with magic replacing technology to create inventions and gadgets.

The last pieces of the puzzle, but the most important, were the characters. An author whom I respect once quoted “Fiction novels should be about interesting people doing interesting things.” I could not agree more. A Warden’s Purpose features two main characters, each possessing very different personalities and abilities. Everson is brilliant and driven to prove his usefulness through his inventions. This drive comes from an internal need to overcome his feelings of inadequacy related to his physical disabilities. Quinn, Everson’s sister, is bold, defiant, and overprotective when it relates to her brother. Her relentless determination and distaste for the bullies of the world define her as much as Everson’s needs define him.

Fans of action, adventure, intrigue, magic, discovery, and betrayal will find A Warden’s Purpose a fun read that will leave them eager for the sequel. I am currently in the revision process of The Arcane Ward, Wardens of Issalia, Book Two. The novel will go to my editor in a few weeks and should release in early September. In the meantime, if you have read A Warden’s Purpose, I suggest you also read ICON as it will answer a few questions that may linger. ICON is only available to subscribers of my author newsletter, which can be found at my website: www.JeffreyLKohanek.com .

Best wishes and happy reading.

-Jeff

Cover Reveal: A Warden's Purpose

The Fantasy Inn book review/blog site recently hosted a cover reveal for my upcoming release, A Warden's Purpose. The book is now up for preorder on my website (for US residents) and will release on book websites worldwide on May 24th. The original article from The Fantasy Inn is pasted below.

-Jeff
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Cover Reveal – A Warden’s Purpose by Jeffery L. Kohanek

The Fantasy Inn is honoured to present the cover reveal for Jeffrey L. Kohanek’s newest book, A Warden’s Purpose!

Credit goes to J. Caleb for the gorgeous cover art.

A Warden’s Purpose is the first book in Jeff’s new series, Wardens of Issalia. A new coming of age fantasy series that is a bit like the Kingsman, but set in a fantasy world where magic replaces and augments technology.

Two schools: One of magic and science, the other focused on military excellence.
A dangerous undercurrent flows within both…dark and deadly.

Everson is brilliant, ingenious, and yet, he feels broken. Cursed with a disability, he dreams of nothing more than being useful. Quinn is bold, defiant, and will do anything to protect her brother.

When Everson is accepted to an academy of magic and engineering, Quinn enters a school of combat in order to join him in Fallbrandt. However, things within the fabled institutions are not what they seem. Beneath a mantra of good intentions and the objective of a better future, spies and conspiracies lurk.

Quinn finds herself embroiled in a struggle she doesn’t understand, one with dire consequences as her training shifts from difficult to deadly. Her relentless determination and will to survive might be enough, if she only knew whom she could trust.

Within the other school, Everson learns about a dangerous power known as Chaos. Unable to wield this magic, he is instead intent on melding Chaos with science, dreaming up inventions that would shape the future. Perceptive, imaginative, and curious, his endeavours lead him to a revelation that could change the world…and then, he discovers the truth.

A Warden’s Purpose releases on May 24th, 2018

Enjoy Fantasy Maps? Me Too!

Before I wrote my first book, I had created a map of the world of Issalia. That map has been a guide for me as a writer and has been used by thousands of readers to follow while Brock and his friends journeyed across the land. As I prepare to launch a new series set in Issalia, I decided to seek out a professional to apply her cartography skills to my world. Thanks, Ren. I think the map looks AWESOME. I'd love to hear what you think of my new and updated map.

Below the map is a blog post I published a little over a year ago that relates to thsi subject. I thought it might be fun to repost it for those who have not read it while they check out my new map and compare it to the old version.

-Jeff.
​

Feb 15, 2017 by Jeffrey L. Kohanek

The first time my twelve-year-old self opened The Fellowship of the Ring, my eyes lit-up upon reaching page four. I found the map of Middle-Earth a revelation, painting another world in a manner I had never before experienced. As I read through The Lord of the Rings, I would go back to that map countless times, studying it as Frodo and company journeyed across dangerous and fantastical lands.
Something special occurred while those books and I found my reading experience permanently corrupted. I would go to the bookstore or library, seeking stories that could capture my imagination as Tolkien did. As a result, I discovered authors such as David Eddings, Raymond E. Feist, Piers Anthony, Lyndon Hardy, Terry Brooks, Margaret Weiss/Tracy Hickman, and others. One thing that each of these books had in common was a map. I would scan the bookshelf for a cover that teased my imagination and I would immediately page through the first section of the book. Without fail, if I found no map, I would put the book back on the shelf and move on to the next.

After tasting the intriguing universes that high fantasy books offered, anything that took place within our own world seemed bland in comparison. I found that a map was the key to unlock these exciting new worlds, worlds that came to life within the pages that followed.

When I decided to enter the fray as an author, creating my own world and the stories of the characters that existed within it, I started with a map. Before I even created a plot outline, I needed a map to shape the world, a world with a rich history and a unique culture. Once the ancient kingdoms and current Empire of Issalia were drawn on paper, the last details of the plot and the magic system somehow became self-defined. Everything melded together as if it were a grand performance, perfectly orchestrated.

I am now deep into the final rounds of edits for the third book in The Runes of Issalia trilogy and I anxiously await for its April release. Although this particular adventure comes to an end, the world that surrounds the story contains many other tales waiting to be told. You can look forward to a prequel and even another series, taking readers to places and experiencing discoveries that I have only begun to imagine.

And to think, it all started with a map. An image of my original world map is posted below.

​

More New Beginnings

Some time has passed since I last posted. However, don’t think that means I haven’t been busy. Not only ​did I relaunch three books in January and released a new book (Rogue Legacy) in February, but I have also updated my website with a new look and feel. Check it out HERE and let me know what you think.

The book relaunch and launch have gone well, attracting new readers and resulting in a wave of new reviews both on Goodreads and on Amazon. Doing particularly well review-wise is Rogue Legacy, which has fourteen 5-star ratings out of 28 total Goodreads reviews after only 3 weeks(That's 50% 5-Star!). Nothing is more rewarding than hearing that readers are enjoying my books. 

As for writing, I recently completed the first book in a new series titled Wardens of Issalia. While I have yet to deal with the inevitable changes coming from my editor or the feedback I expect from beta readers, I have now begun writing the second book in Wardens of Issalia series.

A Warden’s Purpose is the title of the first book in the series, and it offers an entirely new entry point into the world of Issalia, seventeen years after the Empire disbanded. I’m super excited about the book and the characters within. Look for more information about A Warden’s Purpose, along with a cover reveal, in the second half of March. As always, the meaty details and the earliest look at the cover will go to subscribers of my author newsletter. Interested? If so, click HERE to subscribe and I’ll even throw in a FREE copy of The Buried Symbol, Book I in the Runes of Issalia trilogy.

Happy reading.

-Jeff

A New Beginning

As the new year begins, so does the next phase of my author career. No longer am I a servant of the whims of my publisher…I am the publisher and the owner of my own imprint, Fallbrandt Press.

Not unlike May 5, 2016, when The Buried Symbol was first published, January 4, 2018 is a milestone for me. Today is the release date of the very same book, but with a new cover, a freshly edited story, and a new imprint.

For readers who are new to the Runes of Issalia series, there has never been a better time to pick up a book and join in Brock’s adventures. With The Emblem Throne and An Empire in Runes both releasing within the next three weeks, readers have the luxury of experiencing the full trilogy without waiting between books.

I look forward to 2018 as a year of growth, with an Issalia prequel novel releasing in February and a new fantasy series in launching in May. While I must remain focused on my writing, I’ll be sure to share periodic updates along the way.

Best wishes for a wonderful 2018,

-Jeff