Tag Archives: Ebook

Dreadful Poetry Book Launch Party Ends

Thank you for stopping by, Gentle Reader, and joining us aboard Wizard Kadmeion’s airship here at the zeppelin yards near Lita’s castle in the northern realms.

Previously:

Fresh-Baked this Morning by Wizard Kadmeion

Fresh-Baked this Morning by Wizard Kadmeion

We had so much fun today during the Dreadful Poetry book launch party, hobnobbing with the wizards and talking with the naughty woodland fairies that made us blush. Bright’s cake that he made from magical powders was tasty, and the champagne tickled our noses.

Kadmeion’s Auntie Em has summoned her pumpkin coach. See it waiting for her over there, by the forest’s edge?

Here are some cookies to take with you, Gentle Reader, fresh-baked just this morning by Wizard Kadmeion. Not to worry, he went out early and bought some proper flour. He put a gentle spell on their box that will keep them warm all the way home. Tuck your hands around the box, and the spell will keep your fingers warm, too.

Dreadful Poetry by Lita BurkeMarty has your cloak right here. Bundle up. The snow is falling again outside.

Don’t forget your Dreadful Poetry book. Curl up tonight in front of your fireplace, and join the boys on their adventures at the university. We told Auntie Em that you would read about her part in the story. And be sure to think of Bright the next time you see a butterfly.

To all, Lita wishes you a magical goodnight.

The Dreadful Poetry Cake

During the Dreadful Poetry book launch party, Sir Bright asks us to join him and view the buffet table. He prepared a special cake for the occasion. We admire the confection, and chat a bit with him.

Previously:

Bright Made the Cake

Bright Made the Cake

Brighton M’Choakenchilde is the seventh son of a seventh son elf prince. He came into his magical ability after meeting Wizardling Kadmeion in Dreadful Poetry.

In addition to being Kadmeion’s assistant, Bright is their airship mechanic. He has his father’s handsome elf features. Bright’s magic is scented with sweet pine, and the gentle aroma of violets.

Lita: The cake for the Dreadful Poetry book release party is lovely. It looks just like the book cover. Did you start with a cake and make it look like a book, or did you do it the other way around?

Bright: I started with a cake. Sort of.

Bright Used Magical Powder Instead of Flour

Bright Used Magical Powder Instead of Flour

Lita: Explain?

Bright: We were all out of flour, and Kadmeion told me last night that the party was today. I improvised by using some of our magical powder stock instead of flour. I found it difficult to change the bright colors into a presentable cake, but I tasted the batter before baking. It came out fine.

Lita: What magical flavor is the cake?

Bright: Chocolate.

Lita: Will eating the cake turn your guests into something, um, unnatural?

Bright: It will make everyone unnaturally happy to read a story about our college days.

Bright's First Spell Was a Butterfly

Bright’s First Spell Was a Butterfly

Lita: We each will have a piece of cake please, and some of the champagne. While you’re serving, tell us about the significance of the butterflies on the book cover.

Bright: [The elf-kind serves us chocolate cake, and glasses of chilled champagne.] My first high magic enchantment was to create a butterfly. I could not have done it without Kadmeion. He took on my case when no other wizard or sorceress would work with me.

Lita: Will you show us the spell?

Sir Bright cups his hands, and sings a short wizardry spell. A dot of his magic glows like a candle’s flame within the shelter of his palms, then morphs into a blue-and-green butterfly. The magical creature flutters about, and perches on Gentle Reader’s champagne glass. The butterfly is lovely, and the cake is delicious. We thank Bright for his Glamour-filled elf-kind magic.

Next time: Dreadful Poetry Book Launch Party Ends

Searching for Auntie Em in Dreadful Poetry

Wizard Kadmeion has just brought his Auntie Em over to say hello to us at the Dreadful Poetry book release party.

Previously: Welcome to the Dreadful Poetry Book Release Party

Auntie Em Wears Fine Fescue Today

Auntie Em Wears Fine Fescue Today

Wizard Kadmeion’s aunt, Sorceress Emily (“Em”), is a renowned magical horticulture practitioner. Her specialty is growing root vegetables into human shapes. Magicians seek out her wares so they can animate the tubers with minor demons. These flora homunculi are popular as garden workers.

Lita: Em, we are so pleased you could join us today at Kadmeion’s affair.

Auntie Em: I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Who is this lovely person you’re with, Lita?

Lita: This is Gentle Reader.

Auntie Em: Enchanted to meet you. Did you two hear that Kadmeion searched for me during much of his Dreadful Poetry story? I was quite the star, and I wasn’t even there.

Lita: I know all about it, Em. Remember that I am Kadmeion’s scribe, and he natters at me using mind voice. The wizard and I have coffee together in the early morning, and I transcribe what he says while we chat. Gentle Reader will learn about your part in the story the normal way by reading the book.

As Daft as Sitting on Stilts While Knitting

As Daft as Sitting on Stilts While Knitting

Gentle Reader: [Methinks Auntie Em is as daft as sitting on stilts while doing some knitting. Ask her why she has grass for hair.]

Lita: Love your new hair style, darling. Usually, you wear mushrooms and leaves on your head. Is that Kentucky Bluegrass you have on today?

Auntie Em: This is Fine Fescue. [Auntie Em pats her head with a manicured hand. The elegant long fingernails are painted pine-tree green.] I don’t need as much water now when I shampoo, because the grass is drought resistant.

Kadmeion and his Auntie Em excuse themselves. They step away to talk with the other guests. Sir Bright comes over, and invites us to join him. We follow him across the room to the buffet table. Hungry? Time to eat something.

Next time: The Dreadful Poetry Cake

Welcome to the Dreadful Poetry Book Release Party

Watch your step on the gangplank as you come aboard Wizard Kadmeion’s airship.

Disregard the Somewhat Frightful Face

Disregard the Somewhat Frightful Face

Glad You Came

Love your beautiful hair and outfit, my dear. Is that big purple and white flower on your dress enchanted? Oh, it giggles, and smells like good luck. Yes then, it’s the perfect thing to wear today to the wizard’s affair.

See that homunculus with the three legs standing just inside the door? That is one of Sir Bright’s clockworks creations. Disregard Marty’s somewhat frightful face that looks like a metal triangle. Hand your cloak to him. Marty will remove the snow with a brush made of dragon eyelashes, and hold your garment in the atrium until it is time to go.

The rest of the guests are gathering in the forward lounge. Kadmeion, his elf assistant Bright, and the wizard’s cynanthrope familiar Furgo are here. The woodland fairies flit about, are always ready to perch on your hand, and talk about their naughty ways. Wizard Morton from the university arrived earlier, along with a few Magic Guild cronies.

Before you go inside, take a moment please, and step to the display table over here. This will take only a moment.

Dreadful Poetry by Lita BurkeSpells Transport Your Copy to You

Get your very own copy of our wizard’s latest story, Dreadful Poetry. Today is release day!

Dreadful Poetry tells about the wee bit of trouble the boys had while at the university. Bright was not always a mage, and Kadmeion had quite the time of it with his field study. For a while, it seemed that both of them would land in magician’s prison.

Thank you for the small amount it takes for the wizards at Amazon to fuel the transport spells that whisk an eBook immediately to you. Their clever enchantments will deliver your book to these magical locations around the world: US, UK, CA, AU, and IN.

Look Who Just Arrived

Kadmeion’s Auntie Em just stepped in. Let’s give her a few minutes to greet her favorite nephew. Oh, look. The wizard is bringing her over to say hello to us.

Next post: Searching for Auntie Em in Dreadful Poetry

You Are Invited to the Dreadful Poetry Book Release Party

Burr. Come in out of the snow. Drop by Lita’s castle here in the northern realms and hobnob with wizards, the son of an elf prince, and a sorceress who grows daisies on her hat.

Dreadful Poetry by Lita BurkeThe affair will be this Saturday, the 17th of December, starting at sunrise, here on Lita’s blog.

Wands, broomsticks, and pointy hats are not required. Refreshments will be served. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.

Don’t miss out on the clockpunk fun. Pre-order Dreadful Poetry now.

Cover Reveal for Lita Burke’s Dreadful Poetry

Welcome aboard Wizard Kadmeion’s airship, the AS Patsy Nottle, for today’s Dreadful Poetry book cover reveal.

Uncover Your Eyes Now

Take a deep breath, remove your blindfolds, and look over here. This is the book cover for Lita Burke’s latest story, Dreadful Poetry.

Dreadful Poetry by Lita BurkeIn Dreadful Poetry, an elf prince’s son teams up with a disgraced wizardling to clear their names with the Magic Guild. Read more about the story in the back-cover blurb.

You Are Invited

Join Lita here on her blog for the Dreadful Poetry book launch party on December 17, 2016. The lads will be around to talk about their adventures. Kadmeion will explain who his Auntie Em is, and Bright will tell us about the life of a clockworks mechanic on an airship. Come as you are. Refreshments will be served. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.

Next Airship Departs Soon

Reserve your spot on the wizard’s airship for the next trip to the plate-shaped ocean world where islands float far above the sea. Seats are available by pre-ordering Dreadful Poetry now on Amazon US, UK, CA, AU, and IN.

The Pleasure of Your Company is Requested

Dreadful Poetry by Lita Burke

Now is the time for a few good Gentle Readers to join our ranks aboard the AS Patsy Nottle for the Dreadful Poetry cover reveal party!

December the 7th at early morning

Berth #1 – Pier A at the Lita Burke Aerodrome

Hosted by Wizard Kadmeion, Sir Bright & Their Crew

Dreadful Poetry is available now for pre-order on Amazon.

Go Fer in Forever Boy

RJL Evans Highlights Lita Burke’s Forever Boy

Lita takes Gentle Reader out on the web today to see what R.J.L. Evans, the author of ‘Mr Pimplesnack and the Flying Moon Bus’ has to say about Forever Boy.

Forever Boy by Lita Burke

Forever Boy by Lita Burke

“Life is dirty, difficult, and all too short for the dogs digging up the deadly mandrake roots that wizards animate with minor demons. A pup named Go Fer has an odd magical talent. He does not die from the fatal screams of newly unearthed mandrakes. Go Fer’s master, a prideful minor magician, sees Go Fer’s talent as a fluke saving him the cost of replacing dogs killed by the mandrakes’ cries.

“Check out this wonderful title by Lita Burke…”

One morning, a young Wizard Kadmeion and his half-elf assistant Bright watch Go Fer at work. This mandrake extraction goes horribly wrong, and Go Fer runs away during the hubbub. After seeking out the wizard, the dog’s life is not the same. In fact, Kadmeion discovers Go Fer is not a dog after all. More…

Read more about Lita’s Clockpunk Wizard world:

Most Popular Blog Post in 2015

Of all the new posts on Lita’s blog last year, here was the most popular for 2015. Kadmeion talked about his vacation visiting the unicorns on Wuddlekins Island, and Lita explained the Internet and eBooks to a 16th century wizard. Here is how the wizard’s interview started…

“On Wizard Kadmeion’s airship, the forward sitting room has the best views and conversation. Lita invites Gentle Reader to join the chitchat with the characters in her upcoming story, Glitter Ponies.

 
Wizard Kadmeion

Wizard Kadmeion

The twenty-something-year-old wizard takes a seat on a nearby Chesterfield, and studies us with his handsome dark brown eyes. His unstarched casual white shirt has a discreet gold-embroidered Magic Guild insignia near the left collar.

He wears a souvenir from his Glitter Ponies trip on the right side of his head. Kadmeion has braided an intricate gentleman’s hair clasp into some tendrils of his long brown hair. The wizard’s boy-fey, Izlyesende, clings to the clasp. When the fairy fans his beautiful green-mottled wings, they brush Kadmeion’s cheek. More…

Find out more about Kadmeion’s world of Clockpunk Wizard:

 

A Sye Catacomb

Book of the Dead: Catacombs

The Book of the Dead explains the nature of Church magic in the Enchanters of Sye world.

Sciomancers Perform Ritualistic Spells to Maintain the Ghosts in the Catacombs

Sciomancers Perform Ritualistic Spells to Maintain the Ghosts in the Catacombs

catacombs [kat uh kohmz] noun, c.800, ME catacomb < OE catacumbe < L catacumbās < G katakýmbās, hollow, cup; also Under Church or ghost hall.

  • Physical: Underground stone-lined enclosures
  • Magic Type: Church/Piety
  • Spell Group: Incorporeal Matters
  • Restrictions on Physical and Magical Construction: Priest only construction, Sciomancer only maintenance; all other secular, Magic Guild, and Enchanter magicians disallowed. Only Sciomancer magic may bind a ghost to the corporeal world using a relic.
  • Ghost Magic: Secular magicians, Magic Guild, and Enchanters may summon a catacomb ghost provided the magic does not confine the spirit.
Sciomancers Light Candles to Warm the Ghosts

Sciomancers Light Candles to Warm the Ghosts

Catacombs are underground hallways, alcoves, and tunnels beneath Church buildings that house receptacles for ghost relics.

To build a catacomb, three Priests combine their magical power and draw on the pooled enchantments of an above ground Church building. The town’s Priest tends the structure spells afterwards.

Sciomancers furnish the catacomb hallways and alcoves with candle niches, metal name markers, and locked drawers to hold ghost relics. They support a favorable ghost environment by tending the upkeep of the catacombs, performing ritualistic spells, and lighting candles to warm the spirits.

Visitors Leave Dishes of Magic-rippling Water For the Ghosts

Visitors Leave Dishes of Magic-rippling Water For the Ghosts

Church followers visit the catacombs, leave small remembrances in the niches, and recite spells to encourage the ghosts to stay in the corporeal realm instead of journeying to the Fields of Yalu.

The gifts are usually flowers or plants, dishes of magic-rippling water, or tiny wind chimes on a stand that have a small spell to make the bells sound.

Explore Sye ghost care and meet a valued catacomb ghost in these blog posts:

Read more about ghost amulets, the Book of the Dead, and how ghosts help a magical charms maker hide a dangerous spell book in these Enchanters of Sye stories: