Author: Benedict Patrick

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Finally! Yarnsworld cover reveal, and preorder with bonus folktale for you TODAY!😱

After weeks of teasing, here it is – the cover for the next Yarnsworld book, From the Shadows of the Owl Queen’s Court!

And the best news is, the release date is only a few weeks away – 26th September! You can preorder your copy now, so you can dive back into the mysterious forest of the Magpie King as soon as the book goes live:

Amazon US

Other Amazon Stores

I know two weeks can still be a long time to wait, so I’ve got some Yarnsworld goodness for you TODAY!

After you preorder your copy, send an image of your receipt to me at benedict@benedictpatrick.com and you will get an exclusive  Yarnsworld folktale – The Fall of the Magpie King.

This story shows how the people of the Magpie King’s forest recall the events of They Mostly Come Out At Night, decades after it happened.

The question is: how accurately are those events remembered?

You’ve got to hurry, however, as The Fall of the Magpie King is only available before 26th September, so grab your copy today to not miss out!

As you can imagine, I’m a heady combination of excited and knackered right now, so time for me to go and lie down.

I just wanted to say thanks to you for hanging out on the journey to get this book into the world, and I can’t wait for you to meet Nascha, Bradan, and all the other denizens of the forest…

Until then, take care,

Benedict

 
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A cover reveal?

Just a quick message today, to draw your attention to something very strange that has popped up over at the Fantasy Inn Blog:


Whatever could this mean? Keep an eye on the Fantasy Inn’s blog to check out any future updates to this mystery (and to get a sneak peek NOW of the official description for From the Shadows of the Owl Queen’s Court)!

Giveaway!

Timy over at Starlitbook.com is having a giveaway to celebrate her blog’s six month anniversary, and I’m taking part in the festivities! Timy has been a longtime Yarnsworld reader, and her blog has already caught a lot of attention in its first few months of existence. Head over there to check it out, and to try your luck at winning some top notch fantasy reads.

That’s all for now, folks. Hopefully this book cover jigsaw will be solved in… oh, I don’t know, about twelve days? If so, I’ll be in touch then with a full cover reveal.

Until then, take care,

Benedict
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Book 4 folktales revealed!

I said I would be better about staying in touch, and here I am!
This is what I’ve got for you today:

– A weekly podcast
– Book 4’s folktales!

Time to get Crit Faced!

Last time I spoke, I mentioned a few things had been going on that I had neglected to tell you about. Crit Faced is one of those things.

For the past few years, myself and some fantasy author buddies (Josiah Bancroft, David Benem, Timandra Whitecastle and Philip Tucker) have been meeting up online to play Dungeons & Dragons together, and earlier this year we started a weekly podcast of our gaming sessions.

The podcast is madness – these guys are hilarious to listen to, and the characters they have come up with are fascinating. You don’t need to be a DnD fan to enjoy the story we are telling together.

 

From the Shadows of the Owl Queen’s Court


Book 4 releases next month!

To celebrate, as promised last time, here are the titles of the folktales featured in ‘Shadows’:

Tadita and the Acorns
Beyond the Border
The Fox’s Castle
The Girl and the Lake
The Owl Queen and the Serpents
The Lion Knight’s Quest
The First Man of the Forest
Artemis and the Owl Queen
The Claiming of the Woods

What do they mean? Who are they about? Not long now until you find out!

And next time I get in touch, it’ll be the moment everyone is waiting for – time to talk about the book cover.

I can’t wait!

Until then, take care,

Benedict
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Mark Lawrence, Sebastien De Castell… and the Magpie King?!

Wait, you ask – who is this Benedict Patrick fellow again? Isn’t he that Irish guy who wrote that book with the cool cover, that writer who never actually writes on his website?

Yup, that’s me. Here’s what’s coming up:

– An apology
– An anthology
– An update

The Apology

So, I never told you this, but one of my big goals for 2018 had been to put more time into keeping readers updated on what was happening, to include more info on my blog.

Clearly, I failed.

I’ve not been in touch since the start of the year, and for that I can only apologise. My focus has been captivated by the next Yarnsworld novel (more on that later) and the other projects I’ve been working on (more on those later, too), and instead I’ve neglected you.

I’m sorry, and I’ll do better.

Over the next few weeks I’ll catch you up on stuff that has been happening since I last updated the blog, as well as letting you be at the front of the queue when it comes to knowing about what is coming in the future.

So, time for catch-up #1…

Art of War

Earlier in 2018, I was honoured to have been included in this anthology of fantasy tales. Not only does Art of War involve some of my heroes in fantasy writing today (Mark Lawrence, Sebastien de Castell, Nicholas Eames), as well as an even larger number of writers I can call friends, whom I am convinced will be seen as heroes of the genre in a few years (you all know who you are), but the best bit is that all proceeds from the anthology go to support the charity Doctors Without Borders.

For Yarnsworld readers, Art of War contains an exclusive folktale, ‘The Feather and the Paw’, detailing the first ever meeting between the Magpie King and the ruler of the neighbouring Leone, the Lionfolk.

Check it out for some cool stories, and to support an even cooler charity.

From the Shadows of the Owl Queen’s Court


The fourth Yarnsworld novel is almost here!

How close is it?

Look for it when the leaves begin to fall…

(Also known as NEXT MONTH!)

Next time I get in touch, I’m going to be sharing the titles of the folktales within the book, HOWEVER, there is a way to check out those titles right now.

You may have heard of the Reading Knacks.

These guys are an elite group of readers, who I chat to pretty regularly on Facebook, and who are going to be getting their hands on the next book almost a month before it is released.

You can join the Knacks too.

I’m looking for a few more people to read Book 4 early, and to be ready to leave an honest review of the book on their local Amazon store when the book releases.

There is only one criteria for joining the Knacks – you have to have already read and reviewed at least one other Yarnsworld novel.

If you want into the elite team, contact me with a link to your existing Amazon review, and we’ll teach you the secret handshake…

Until next time…

That’s all for now, but I’ll be back in touch soon, with updates on other projects I’ve neglected to tell you about, and more info on the next book.

Until then, take care,

Benedict

 

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May Day Book Sale – Massive names in fantasy, and some massive deals!

It’s been a while since I’ve been in touch. First up, huge apologies for that. I’ve been crazy-busy, and I’ll catch you up soon. However, the grovelling is not what I’m here for today.

I’ve had a lot of luck in my short author career so far. I’ve made a lot of contacts, and I get to hang out online with some pretty cool people. How cool? Just check the collection of covers and authors below. Pretty fricking cool, right? And yes, that is mother-flipping international bestseller Michael J. Sullivan. We hang. It’s no big deal. (Totally a huge deal).
Ahem.
Anyway, ’tis the month of May, and my author buddies and I have decided to team up and offer our readers some pretty crazy deals on our stories. Behold!

Head on over to our SALE PAGE right now to check out all the goodies on offer over there. Many of the authors involved have some deeply discounted titles on there (including my own Where the Waters Turn Black, which is only 99c/99p on the Amazon stores for the next few days).
The other Yarnsworld novels have money off them as well, and I’ve made sure that The Yarnsworld Collection is still the best way to get the whole set, even with all the other discounts going on.

I’ll be back in touch really soon to update you on all the changes over the past few months, and to give a bit more info on when the next Yarnsworld book will be ready.

Until then, take care, and happy shopping!

Benedict

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Lost Lore is now available, for FREE!

Just a quick message to let you know about the release of the FREE fantasy anthology, Lost Lore, which includes a Yarnsworld tale from me, set in the forest of the Magpie King!

I’ve teamed up with the cream of the crop of established and up-and-coming fantasy authors to bring you fifteen tales that serve as great standalone reads, or as introductions to our storytelling worlds. We even have an introduction from fantasy bestseller Mark Lawrence, whose SPFBO competition was responsible for bringing so many of us together.

Lost Lore is FREE now, and is available on Amazon and, as a Yarnsworld first, is also free on Kobo, iBooks and Google Play.

I’d also like to invite you along to the Lost Lore Readalong. Starting on Saturday 3rd February, a bunch of us (including many of the Lost Lore authors) are going to be reading Lost Lore together, meeting on Goodreads and chatting about one story from the anthology every day. This is my first time being involved in something like this, and I’d love to see some Yarnsworld readers in there – feel free to jump in and say hi to the group!

That’s everything from me. I hope you enjoy Lost Lore, I REALLY hope you enjoy my tale, ‘And They Were Never Heard From Again’, and I’m looking forward to chatting to you on Goodreads soon.

Until then, take care,

Benedict

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Happy New Year, Fantasy Fans!

I hope 2018 has gotten off to a good start. My family and I are still recovering from the holiday season – my son is still building all of his Lego from Christmas, and my daughter has embarked on a massive Harry Potter binge (which I’m more than happy to join her in!).

Me, with my Krampus. He is my favourite, and my best.

My thoughts on 2017

I’m not big into making Top Ten lists, mostly because I struggle to figure out what order everything should be in. Instead, here are a few of my geeky highlights from last year:

– Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames. I was not expecting this book to be so… fun. It’s been a very long time since I’ve laughed so much when reading (or in this case, listening to) a novel.
– The Last Jedi. This one is going to be contentious, but I had a blast with this film. Is it perfect? No way. But I left the cinema with a smile on my face. I had a similar experience with Thor: Ragnarok – it pushed my buttons in just the right way. I also enjoyed IT, which surprised me, as horror is usually not my genre.
– Touch of Iron by Timandra Whitecastle. I’ve been friends with Tim for a while, but only checked out her series at the end of the year. Big mistake to leave it so long. A harsh world, with a great relationship brewing between the two mains. Looking forward to finishing the series in 2018.
– Stranger Things 2. My love of this show is probably the reason I enjoyed IT, because both shared the same Goonies-esque vibe (and an actor, of course). Game of Thrones remains a top social viewing experience, even if the quality dropped a bit in last year’s season.
– Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe. One of the big indie hits of last year, and the first book to make me take LitRPG seriously.
– Nintendo Switch. We got one earlier in the year, and the different co-op modes on games mean this is the first console that my son and I (and often our whole family) play together regularly.

I’m sure as soon as I post this, a dozen more highlights will spring to mind. Don’t be shy, though – do you disagree with anything above? (I just opened a can of Star Wars with that question, didn’t I?) What were your 2017 highlights?

They Mostly Come Out At Night 99c Sale!

I have big plans for the Yarnsworld this year (and I’ll talk more about that in my next post), but it all kicks off right now with a 99c sale on They Mostly Come Out At Night. I’m sure you’ve got your hands on the book already, but feel free to share the news if you think anyone else would love to dive into the Magpie King’s forest…

That’s all from me today. I’ll be back soon with news on Lost Lore, the free fantasy anthology I’m part of that is coming out this month.

Talk to you soon, and remember to let me know about your 2017 highlights!

Benedict

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Launch day! Those Brave, Foolish Souls from the City of Swords is out (and is only 99c/99p for the next few days)

The third Yarnsworld novel is now available on all Amazon stores, at a special price to celebrate FINALLY getting this book out there!

 

Don’t draw your blade in the City of Swords, unless you’re willing to kill… or ready to die.

Young and filled with idealistic fervor, Arturo packs his blade and travels to the fabled City of Swords in the hopes of joining the dashing Bravadori. Yet upon arriving he discovers these masked vigilantes have more in common with brutal thugs than noble monster slayers. Disillusioned and mocked, he stubbornly refuses to give up his dreams.

When an impending bandit attack threatens untold depravities upon a distant village, and no others will heed the call for help, Arturo joins forces with a worthless outcast and a walking legend to attempt the impossible, to traverse the demon-haunted wilderness and prove that in the City of Swords, true heroes can rise from the unlikeliest of places.

Those Brave, Foolish Souls from the City of Swords is a gritty, action-packed standalone novel set in Benedict Patrick’s Yarnsworld, a land where folktales and fantasy mix, where the monsters from stories are real.

Start reading today to discover this epic tale of broken heroes and inspiring hope!

 

Head HERE now to grab that special launch price!

 

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COVER REVEAL for Those Brave, Foolish Souls from the City of Swords!

I’ve been sitting on this one for far too long, and it has been killing me – great to be able to finally share it with the world!

Here’s the description:

 

Don’t draw your blade in the City of Swords, unless you’re willing to kill… or ready to die.

Young and filled with idealistic fervor, Arturo packs his blade and travels to the fabled City of Swords in the hopes of joining the dashing Bravadori. Yet upon arriving he discovers these masked vigilantes have more in common with brutal thugs than noble monster slayers. Disillusioned and mocked, he stubbornly refuses to give up his dreams.

When an impending bandit attack threatens untold depravities upon a distant village, and no others will heed the call for help, Arturo joins forces with a worthless outcast and a walking legend to attempt the impossible, to traverse the demon-haunted wilderness and prove that in the City of Swords, true heroes can rise from the unlikeliest of places.

Those Brave, Foolish Souls from the City of Swords is a gritty, action-packed standalone novel set in Benedict Patrick’s Yarnsworld, a land where folktales and fantasy mix, where the monsters from stories are real.

Start reading today to discover this epic tale of broken heroes and inspiring hope!

 

Check the book out on Goodreads, and look out for the book on Amazon before the end of October!

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Do you have a Knack for reading? Get an early copy of the next Yarnsworld book!

Things are moving quickly for Those Brave, Foolish Souls from the City of Swords, the third Yarnsworld book. The book is currently out with beta readers, and should be ready for publication this Autumn. I am, as you can imagine, pretty excited, and am beginning to plan this book’s launch.

As I am sure you’re well aware, reviews help to sell books. I’m looking to put together a team of elite readers (Reading Knacks, if you will) who will get advance ebook copies of this book (and future Yarnsworld books), and I want to have YOU on the team. Basically, everyone in this ARC team (ARC stands for Advance Reader Copy, dontchaknow) will get a free digital copy of the book about a month before release, and all I ask is that in return is that you leave an honest review of the book on Amazon when it is released.

What do you have to do to get on this team? Simples – just send me an email. Well, not quite that simple – let me know you want on board, and show me you have already reviewed at least one of the other Yarnsworld books. This could be a link to a review you have previously left on one of the Amazon sites, or a review you leave right now because you want to get your hands on a novel about sword wielding, mask wearing, mouse worshipping gang members as soon as possible!

Get in touch with me at benedict@benedictpatrick.com to get your place on the team…