
Dark Communion
by CJ Perry
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GENRE: epic fantasy
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BLURB:
The minotaurs have kept Ayla and Deetra’s people in chains for 200 years. With nothing left to live for, and a death sentence in her womb, Ayla trades her soul for a chance to break the curse which holds her people in slavery. Armed only with her faith, she and Deetra start a revolution, and bring about the return of the Goddess of Darkness.

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BOOK EXCERPT
The woman’s lips curved up in a smile but no lines formed in her cheeks. She looked like a living statue, and not one bit like her mother.
“Who are you?” Ayla asked.
The stranger leaned over Ayla, resting her palms on the altar. Her voice took on a hollow yet resonant quality. Her breath suffused the air with a heady fragrance like scented oils.
“I am the dark corner that hides those in need. The eternal ruler of the Abyss.”
“You’re a God?”
“I was once their Queen.”
“Am I dead?”
The Goddess kissed Ayla on the forehead with cold lips. “You are at His doorstep.”
“Where’s my mom?”
“The dead cannot hear your pleas. I have come in her stead, my child.”
Ayla never believed in the Gods. And if they did exist, she wanted nothing to do with any who would leave their people in chains.
“I’m not your child.”
The woman grabbed Ayla under the jaw, fingers digging into her cheeks. Her icy eyes remained impassive but her voice lowered threateningly.
“You are the daughter of Steelhorn, the grandson of Tor, who is my son. I am not just your mother, but the mother of every woman born from a breeding cabin.” The Night Goddess let go of Ayla’s jaw. The closest brazier’s flame shone blue in the Her black tresses. “I have waded through the River of Dreams to answer your call, and this is how you thank me?”
“I’m dreaming?” Ayla asked.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
My deep and abiding love of fantasy began when I was six when I first saw the 1981 film Dragonslayer on VHS with my father. He loved fantasy movies too, but didn’t have the courage to be a dork about it like I did. That movie was a gateway drug that led me straight to the hard stuff – CS Lewis. I was far too young for such potency but by the time I was ten I had read the whole series. That’s when I found my first Dungeons and Dragons group. When I started playing, my friends and I used pre-made campaign settings and published adventures, but I quickly grew restless with their limitations and trite story lines. I needed my own persistent world: something adaptable to my whim and that no one else owned.
Back in my day, there was no internet, so I took out every book about castles and medieval history from the school library and read them in Math class (I’m still terrible at math as a result). I came up with an entire world and brand new history. I read books on cartography and hand drew maps of my new world. I created a cosmology, a hierarchy of gods, and the tenets of their religions. I read the Dungeon Master’s guide a dozen times, and every fantasy novel I could get my hands on.
Then, one day, I sat down and told my friends, “Hey guys, wanna try my story instead?”
Even 15 years after the original D&D campaigns ended, former players tell me that they share our incredible stories with their children. I’m honored to say that most of those players still have their original character sheets 16-20 years later, and a couple have even named their children after them.
Now, I’m 39 years old and a loving father of 2 girls, and I still play those games on occasion. My passion has evolved into putting those ideas and amazing stories on paper for the whole world to enjoy. My first novel took me and co-author DC Fergerson 10 years to write and topped out at 180,000 words. Being too long and too complex, I finally ended the project and took its lessons to heart.
I learned that Dungeons & Dragons did not translate well into a novel. D&D made for great times, but also for some meandering plot lines, pointless encounters, and poor character motivations. No matter how memorable some of the moments were, if I wanted anyone to read my story, I needed to learn a lot more about writing.
I threw myself into being a full time student of novel crafting. I read every book on writing by Dwight Swain I could find. I paid Chuck Sambuchino (Editor for Writer’s Digest) to critique and edit my older work. I took James Patterson’s Masterclass, went to college, and joined online writing communities. All the while, I read my favorite fantasy novels again, only this time with a mental highlighter. I reworked my stories, outlined them, and decided to start from the beginning.
Many, many years later, I am in the final edit and proofreading stage of Dark Communion, the first installment of the Shadowalker Chronicles. My role as a father of two girls heavily influenced the characters I’d known for over 20 years, shaping them into women that my own daughters could respect. My characters took on a depth and quality that brings them off the page and into the minds of readers, because they have become all too real. I was privileged enough to work on two careers at the same time to accomplish this feat – a fun-loving and involved stay-at-home dad, and a full time writer.
Links:
https://artofthearcane.wordpress.com/
http://www.cjperry.net/
https://twitter.com/DarkCommunion
https://www.facebook.com/DarkCommunion/
Amazon pre-purchase link:
https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Communion-Preview-Godswar-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B01L2T0LU6/
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
CJ Perry will be awarding a $10 and a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to two randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter to win a $20 or $10 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:
https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2016/09/vbt-dark-communion-by-cj-pery.html
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CJ, Thanks for being here today. Tell us about you.
My answer might be a bit controversial for some people. See, Im bipolar, but Im not supposed to say that. The politically correct wat to say it is, “I have bipolar disorder.” Person-first language is really stressed by people in mental health and teaching. (My wife is a special education teacher) They say no one should be defined by their disorder. In my case: I disagree.
Im defined by my bipolar. For the past 25 years, it has shaped everything about me either directly or indirectly. It gives or inflicts strengths and weaknesses that I would not have if I were “normal.” It forced me to weave my personal growth and even my thoughts around those twisty obstacles like depression, mania, impulsivity, hypersexuality (yeah, I said it), and wanderlust. I can get so depressed that it is detectible in the Cortisol levels in my blood and is labeled “Psychotic Depression.” I can get so manic that that I don’t sleep for days and then move my whole family to another state. (Yes, that really happened) Today, Im manic. Expect long answers. 🙂
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
Funny, I’ve never really thought about it. Maybe George Lucas? So I could beat him senseless? Kidding. (Or am I?) Ummm… Tyler Durden. I mean – Brad Pitt. I’d just make him wear the red jacket and hit golf balls at windows with me in the toxic waste part of town.
What’s the story behind your latest book?
That’s a long story, but I suppose one I better get used to telling. Not that I mind, I love the story of how it happened as much as the book itself. Truth is (like it’s a confession or something), I started telling the story about 25 years ago, as a part of the backstory of the villain for a Dungeons and Dragons campaign I ran. One day, someone asked why the evil army was attacking. In my early teens, character motivations wasn’t something I considered much, especially not the villains. I mean – who cares? They’re villains. But, my players wanted to know, so I had to come up with a rational explanation.
“The Northern Empire was enslaved for hundreds of years, the crown knew, but did nothing.”
“Why didn’t the crown do something to help their fellow humans?”
“Because the North was enslaved by minotaurs.”
“Oh. Good reason.”
That was it, for more than twenty years. That was the whole story of Dark Communion and my upcoming sequel. But once the campaign finally ended (and in epic fashion) my brother-in-law and I sat down to write the first book of The Paradox Chronicles – what would ultimately end up being designated as the future third series.
It was a disaster. We spent more years than I care to admit trying to edit a 180,000-word monstrosity full of cliché’s and long-winded exposition. The plot was too complex, and the amount of history needed to understand it’s consequences was enormous; about 6 books worth. We finally scrapped the project and went our separate ways.
I learned that Dungeons & Dragons did not translate well into a novel. D&D made for great times, but also for some meandering plot lines, pointless encounters, and poor character motivations. No matter how memorable some of the moments were, if I wanted anyone to read my story, I needed to learn a lot more about writing.
I threw myself into being a full time student of novel crafting. I read every book on writing by Dwight Swain I could find. I paid Chuck Sambuchino (Editor for Writer’s Digest) to critique and edit my older work. I took James Patterson’s Masterclass, went to college, and joined online writing communities. All the while, I read my favorite fantasy novels again, only this time with a mental highlighter. I reworked my stories, outlined them, and decided to start from the beginning. Dark Communion, the first installment of the Godswar Chronicles, is that beginning.
What is your writing process?
I have some tangible evidence of that old campaign left; character sheets, maps, a few timelines, and the players who played those characters are on Facebook. That’s where I start. I look over those things, and reminisce with those people for ideas and to fix missing pieces. This same campaign was played DOZENS of times by different people (with me as a DM), and it was different each time, so I take my favorite parts of each version to use in the Godswar Chronicles (Of Which Dark Communion is Book 1).
Then, I sit down and outline. First, I outline a 3 act structure. Then, I do a Dwight Swain, Techniques of the Selling Writer style Scene/Sequel outline. Once that is done, and the story feels right, I start writing. I don’t always stick to the outline perfectly, so I edit it as I go.
Funny you should suggest music though (and Metallica – HUGE Metallica fan), because Hozier basically inspired a lot of this book with the song “Take Me To Church.” I know it’s a far cry from Frayed Ends of Sanity, but I try to find songs that fit the vibe of what Im writing, and draw inspiration from a new take on the lyrics when I get stuck. I know Take Me To Church is a statement directed at the Catholic church, condemning it’s treatment of gays, but I heard another story in that haunting and soulful song – parts of my story and my characters feelings. I also liked 30 Seconds to Mars’ Hurricane, and Breaking Benjamin’s Give Me a Sign while working on the book. I actually have a youtube playlist (aww, my sad lonely youtube channel) dedicated to both book 1 and 2. My wife now hates every song on them. lol
Tell us about your main character:
Ayla grew up a slave from birth in a land ruled by minotaurs. Her mother died when Ayla was only 13 which threw her into a deep depression. As she faces the same fate as her mother four years later, she’s given up on life. That’s when she meets the Night Goddess, when she is at her lowest point, dying in her sleep. The Night Goddess tells her the story of why her people are slaves, and that she is pregnant with a minotaur child that will kill her in childbirth – the same way her mother died.
The Goddess offers Ayla a choice, a meaningless death, or a faithful and heroic one. Ayla chooses the latter. From that point on, she’s pretty uncomplicated. With her faith in her Goddess comes the ability to heal wounds, command people with her Mother’s voice, and inspire bravery. She never hesitates, she moves straight ahead, tackling obstacles with her faith and an outrage that won’t ever die.
If your book was to be turned into a movie, who would play the lead role and why.
Alexandra Daddario. I think she’s a good actress, and has Ayla’s piercing wintery eyes. Alexandra strikes me as the kind of girl that could paralyze someone with those eyes given the proper motivation. She has a bit of a smolder to her, and something dark beneath the surface… I don’t know, maybe Im overthinking it. I just think she would make an amazing Ayla.
What are you working on next?
Book 2 of The Godswar Chronicles. I have the Prologue and 1st chapter done, but Im still in the outlining phase and trying to decide on one of two titles. “The Dark Queen’s Wizard” or “Exorcism of Light.” There will be a preview of it (The Prologue and possibly the first chapter) in the Kickstarter Limited Edition paperbacks and hard covers for Dark Communion.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cjperry/215863491?token=8a0cb18e
What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their book?
Im just starting to get the word out, so I don’t know much yet. It may be a bit controversial, but I will say that if you are a new author (like me) with no platform (like me) and only 1 book (like me) then you might want to consider making your book Kindle Unlimited eligible. Also, pick a good promotion company for a blog tour that won’t cost you a fortune, like Goddess Fish Promotions.
What is your favorite book on your shelf right now?
The Soulforge. Margaret Weis is a genius, and a master at her craft. With so much Dragonlance out there, Soulforge is the beginning – same as Dark Communion is for me.
Do you have any special/extraordinary talents?
Bipolar Mania. Not kidding. Some people do drugs to feel high and stay up for days at a time. I have Bipolar mania.
You are given the choice of one super power. What super power would you have and why?
Teleportation. Life would just be easier if I didn’t have to do anything to go anywhere.
List 5 things on your bucket list:
In no particular order:
- See my daughters get married.
- Have grandkids.
- Finish books 2 and 3 of the Godswar Chronicles.
- Write the next 2 series (already roughly outlined)
- Have a bestselling series
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