Ragnarok Rising

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Ragnarok Rising: The Untold Tales

Posted by D.A. Roberts - Author on May 6, 2013
Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

The world of the Ragnarok Rising Saga has many tales, yet to be told. As an author, it is a fantastic honor when other writers want to play in the world you have created. That’s why when two very talented up-and-coming writers approached me with the idea of writing their own character tales set in the world my books take place in…well…to say the least, I was deeply honored.

Matt Roper and Josh Jones are both friends of mine who have been working hard to get their own work noticed for some time. They have shown their skills in their own creative work, so when they asked about writing their own Ragnarok Rising Tales, I was thrilled with the idea.

Not only does this allow them to showcase their talents to my audience, it gives my fans a chance to explore other Untold Tales within my setting. To me, it’s a win-win scenario. They help to promote my work and at the same time, they get the chance to show the world what they can do.

I am all about helping other authors to promote and share their work. After all, writing is not a competition. It’s a journey. I don’t know a single person who has only one author in their collection. People have room on their shelves for many different books by many different authors. We all win when we promote reading and encourage people to support their favorite authors.

To that end Matt, Josh and I came up with the “Untold Tales” concept. It’s our plan to present a chapter of each person’s work on a monthly basis, in serial form. I read the chapters before they go on the website and give them suggestions or comments as we go along. That means, that as far as I’m concerned…the stories are official canon material for the Ragnarok Rising Saga.

I might even work mention of these characters into my own stores, at some point in the future. Having said that, I hope you enjoy these stories as much as I have. Matt and Josh are both very talented writers. Keep an eye out for them in the future, as I’m sure they will both be rising stars.

What I like the most about the Untold Tales is that I get to see the world I created…through different eyes. Their own unique visions and characters are both entertaining and refreshing. I get to see stories unfold that happen in the background of the stories I created. It really helps me to see the much larger picture of the world of Ragnarok Rising.

By reading these tales they weave, we learn about other survivors besides the remnants of the Nathanael County Sheriff’s Office. As much as I enjoy Wylie, Spec-4, Southard and Sanders, the characters they will introduce you to will quickly capture your imagination. They will find their own place in your heart as you watch their own struggles to survive, that propel them on a collision course with the events of my books.

There is plenty of room in the Ragnarok Rising Saga for other tales. When I see the possibilities, it makes me smile to know how limitless this genre is. I love horror and the zombie genre. My own plans for five books in the Ragnarok Rising Saga may have to be rethought. Who knows where the future may take us?

After all…writing is a journey. It’s a journey that we can all take together, each in our own imagination. We share this world of Ragnarok Rising. Writer and reader, we share the vision. You’re the ones who inspire me to write. Each time I read a fan comment, receive an e-mail from someone who just read one of my books, or answer a question…you all inspire me.

The reader is just as important to the story as the writer. Without the reader, there would be no need for the writer. We write to entertain and share our vision with you. Your feedback both encourages and inspires us to create more, to write more…to strive for more.

Imagine a world without literature. It would be as sad and desolate as a world without music. Literature captures our soul and takes us places that our bodies may never be able to travel. Thanks to the great authors that I grew up reading, I’ve walked the streets of Paris during World War Two. I’ve battled the Orcs of Mordor along side Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas and Gimli. I’ve even felt felt the pain of betrayal as King Arthur learns of the affair between Guinevere and Lancelot.

It was the vision painted by an author who let me glimpse these worlds…and it will be the vision painted by authors yet to come that will take us into worlds yet to be. Books are like the future…you never know what it holds for you until you experience it for yourself.

Enjoy the journey. Live the journey. We have an imagination for just that reason. Inspiring that imagination is the legacy of every author. I’m proud to say that my novels have reached you, even in some small way. That will be my legacy…both to you the reader…and to my own children. Long after I’m gone, my sons can hold up my book and show my grandchildren. “Your grandfather wrote this.”

To this end, I bring you Matt and Josh. Their writing has already both humbled and inspired me. I’m humbled that my own writing inspired them to create their own tales in my world. That is a tremendous honor for me. Thank you, Matt and Josh. I’m honored beyond words.

Go by my website and give their writing a shot. I think you’ll be glad that you did. Let them show you their vision…and share the journey with them. Tell them I sent you. If you’re so inspired, leave them a comment. It will mean the world to them. I know it always does to me.

So, to my readers, I say thank you. Thank you for allowing me the chance to share my stories with you. Thank you for sharing the journey.

 

DA Roberts

 

http://ragnarokrising.weebly.com/ragnarok-rising-the-untold-tales.html

 

A Review of “Hell’s Gate” by Candy O’Donnell

Posted by D.A. Roberts - Author on March 2, 2013
Posted in: Publishing Tips. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

I recently read the collection of short stories by Candy O’Donnell, entitled “Hell’s Gate.” I wanted to take the opportunity to write a short review and share my thoughts with you. Candy has a smooth writing style that flows from scene to scene and paints a vivid picture. She creates a wonderful canvas for your imagination. You can almost smell the scenes she describes.

I really enjoyed her characterizations. Well developed characters bring her scenery to life. I was drawn in by how she captures all of your senses with her prose. It was definitely a fun read.

Candy has a unique style that is very enjoyable to read. I’d definitely recommend it. Five out of five stars.

Piercing Undead – By T.L. Decay

Posted by D.A. Roberts - Author on March 2, 2013
Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Recently, I had the opportunity to review a short story called “Piercing Undead” by T.L. Decay. I am a big fan of horror and zombies in particular, so when I was asked to read and review the story, I jumped at the chance. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. A few things, in particular, really set this apart from other zombie stories. However, I don’t want to give too many details and spoil the enjoyment for the readers.

First, the source of the outbreak is plausible enough to be frightening. The way it is described, it seems realistic and well thought out. Few zombie stories give any idea of what caused the outbreak in the first place. This one not only reveals the source of the virus, it does so with enough realism to make you stop and wonder.

Next, the characters were diverse and well thought out. It was easy to relate to the characters because they seemed so realistic. Good characters are the hallmark of a good story and Decay didn’t disappoint with this story. Very well done.

Also, I found it interesting to find that the story carries you through to a rebuilding stage where we, the humans, are fighting to take back the world. This is great, because it is something you don’t see often in Zombie Apocalypse fiction. I really enjoyed that.

And finally, the zombies themselves were different enough from the usual undead to make them unique and frightening. The dead were more than just walking corpses. The virus changed them into more efficient killing machines. That, to me, was cool.

All in all, I’d have to say that Decay did a fantastic job creating his undead world for this short story. I definitely enjoyed reading it and recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the zombie genre. Having had the chance to read some of Decay’s poetry in the past, it was great seeing him include this in the short story. It flowed well and was believable. I’d easily give it five stars.

First Entry – Begin the Begin

Posted by D.A. Roberts - Author on February 26, 2013
Posted in: Publishing Tips. Tagged: , , , , , , . 19 Comments

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            My name is DA Roberts and I write the zombie series, the Ragnarok Rising Saga. I wanted to start this blog to introduce myself as well as share thoughts, information and tips I’ve learned throughout the publication process. Although this is, and probably always will be, a learning process for me…I wanted to pass along things I’ve learned in the hopes that it might help someone else achieve their dream of becoming published.

To that end, I plan to make entrees periodically to discuss lessons I’ve learned and things that did or did not work for me. If you find this helpful or you just enjoy reading it, feel free to let me know. You can contact me via e-mail at RagnarokRisingSaga@gmail.com or join my mailing list to keep up with announcements related to my work.

I have wanted to be a writer since I was a kid. However, the desire to be a writer is not enough. Like any other craft, writing is a skill that is only perfected through practice and dedication. So, for years, I wrote. Mostly, I wrote what I felt at the time was good material…but when I looked back at it years later, I could only wonder what I was thinking when I wrote it.

If you want to become a successful writer, it’s more than just English classes, punctuation and sentence structure. You have to write, and read, and write some more. Just a friendly word of advice, though. Don’t throw any of it away. No matter how bad you think it is. Years later, you will wish you had all of those stories, poems and prose to look back and see how far you’ve come. It can also serve to teach others that you will one day take under your wing and share your experience with.

Writing is about more than just stringing words together and making them fit. It’s about sharing your muse. It’s about telling your stories so that others can read them and hopefully enjoy them. You breathe life into the tales you tell with the words you choose. The more you write and the more you read, the better your abilities will become. No one ever sat down and wrote an instant classic in the first try. Just like no one steps up to the plate and hits a game winning grand slam on their first ever at-bat. It takes practice to get there.

Don’t get discouraged. Every author out there has had rejection letters, bad reviews and people that didn’t like their writing. It’s going to happen. It’s just part of the writing process. The trick is to not let the negative comments, complaints or refusals stop you. Even bad reviews can teach you something. It might just be to learn to ignore certain reviews, but you will learn something.

Oh, and don’t be surprised when someone hates your work, no matter how well written. There’s an old adage that says, “You can’t please everyone.” That phrase has never been truer than when discussing literature. Even some of the giants of the literary world have people that can’t stand their work. It’s just a fact of life.

But one those occasions when you get an honest critique that seems to take your work apart piece by piece…listen and evaluate. Honest critiques tell you what they didn’t like and, hopefully, what they did like about your writing. Take these to heart. Learn from them and keep writing. That’s how you improve your craft. Honest reviews followed by self-evaluation of your work.

No one writes a perfect manuscript in one try. Re-writes are as much a part of the process as the writing. There’s a reason we call it the Rough Draft. Rough draft’s don’t have to be perfect…they just have to be written. That’s where re-writes and editing come in. That is also where the real work begins.

I loved the writing phase of my work. Editing sucked. Editing was more work than I ever imagined it would be…especially when you’re editing it for a publisher. I’ll discuss editing and rewrites at length in other installments. For now, I’ll leave you with this. Write! Write some more! Keep writing!

 

It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just keep writing. Every story, every poem, every line of dialogue…they all bring you closer to your goal. Polish your craft and give it the dedication it deserves. Write every day, if you can. Try to set aside time to write, each day…even if it’s just a few lines. This will pay off big time, in the end.

 

Although it took me half a life-time to finally do it, I’m a published author. I did it, and at my core, I’m just a poor kid from the hills of Missouri. If I can do it, so can you. It’s not a contest to be won. We all, as writers, “win” when we see each other succeed. Share your experience and your gift with others. The rewards you reap will be worth more than gold. Share the written word…it’s our legacy to the world. Once you’re published, no one can ever take that away from you. It’s your own slice of immortality. Savor it. And don’t worry. You’ll get there. It just takes time and practice. Don’t give up. Ever.

DA