Did you know that the Princess Carrina series for Young Readers is complete? That’s right! A three book series that’s just waiting for you to grab it up and enjoy. If you haven’t been with us in a while, you might not know that the third and final book just became available on amazon.com. This means that the entire series is there for the taking!

I haven’t decided if I will write a fourth in the series, but if I do it will probably not be until 2010, or perhaps in November 2009 during NaNoWriMo. There is just too much other stuff on my plate, and while I enjoyed the young reader’s series, I tend to prefer more adult fiction, and I think my writing is better in non-youth literature.

I’ll share a secret with you - most people like book 2 the best - that’s The Venus Diary. Personally, I prefer the third, and final book in the series The Dragons of Tarnack. Book 1 - Box of Hair: A Fairy Tale, was originally intended to be the only book, but then I got the itch to see if I could evolve the characters and storyline, and that’s why books 2 and 3 are better :-).

The other things that you’ll find available on amazon.com, or Barnes & Noble if you prefer, are my blog compilation volume 1, a 3-book poetry compilation, and a short story (exclusively at lulu.com). Everything is also Kindle enabled, if you’ve got one of those snazzy devices (just search “heath buckmaster” on amazon.com). Buy everything and you’ll get free shipping from amazon.com!!

With the holidays coming up soon, a book is a wonderful gift for readers young and old alike, and thank you in advance for supporting Independent Authors!!!

I’ve been in the mood to write something a bit macabre, or at least something that doesn’t necessary have a happy ending - something with darkness, but filled with desire.

And thus I came up with Thorn Valley. Although it hasn’t been vetted properly, here’s the first chapter of the short story soon to be published. Enjoy, and I welcome comments.

Thorn Valley is a desolate place – or perhaps more accurately described, a dead place. A place where no plant, no animal, no anything could last for more than a few hours – maybe a day. Even the winds and rains avoided Thorn Valley, as if their essence would be smote if they remained too long.

Scattered across the land, the foolhardy adventurer would find clothing remnants, gold and silver jewelry, and numerous artifacts left by previous travelers. Well, not left exactly – more so they were all that remained of those previous travelers whose lives had ended here, and whose bodies and bones had long ago turned to dust. It seemed that despite their foreknowledge of this desolate and deadly place, once they entered the valley they found it impossible to escape.

While true that the valley held no life, it was the hunting ground for the dead – wraiths, spirits, melancholy and malevolent ghosts from years so ancient as to be uncountable. They hovered silently over the sands of time which blanketed the valley in a sparkling and awe inspiring blindness. The sun had no fear of this place – likely due only to its distance – and it sent its glowing warmth to beat upon the rocks and sand.

Outcroppings of boulders and smaller rocks were scattered across the floor of the valley. Had this been a living place, those areas would have made perfect hiding spots for numerous predators seeking to snare the unaware adventurer. Alas, what hid there now was much worse – a terror of shadow and void that sat quietly in wait for the next curious soul to venture across the threshold.

Most treasure seekers felt confident that they alone could overcome the valley to steal the riches of years past and return to fame and fortune. And likewise, the valley had seen to it to destroy each of them in devious and terrifying ways, slowly adding to its treasure.

* Thorn Valley excerpt copyright 2008 by Heath L. Buckmaster. All rights reserved.

I am incredibly pleased to announce that the final book in the 3-part Princess Carrina series for Young Readers has been published in hardcover (softcover release date ~29 September).

You can now get all three of the delightful adventures starting with Box of Hair: A Fairy Tale, continuing with The Venus Diary, and concluding with The Dragons of Tarnack.

Here’s a quick synopsis:

In a far away kingdom, two young children arrive in a flash of green light. As they make their way through a dangerous jungle, they discover an amazing city built high up in the trees that may very well become their new home.

In the Kingdom of Acadia, still mourning the loss of her sister Gorgonza, Queen Grimelda and her new husband King Venus assume the throne to bring peace to the once darkened land.

An unexpected visitor to Castle Underbrook causes Princess Carrina to enlist the help of her friends on a new adventure, as she magically transports everyone to a kingdom once ruled by dragons.

The Dragons of Tarnack, is the third and final magical adventure in the Princess Carrina series for Young Readers, and the exciting sequel to The Venus Diary.

I’m running a promotion!!

Program One

• You buy one of my paperback books from amazon.com, read it and write a review, and you can participate in the Buy-One-Get-One-Half-Off Program, and will receive an amazon.com gift certificate for half the retail price of any other paperback book by me. You are only responsible for 50% of the price plus shipping costs associated with the purchase! Once you’ve written your review, send me your email address using the secured contact form and I’ll get your gift certificate right out to you!

Program Two

• If you have an Amazon Kindle you can participate in the Buy-One-Get-One-Free program. Purchase one of my Kindle enabled books, write a review, and you will receive a gift certificate for the full value of a second Kindle book (mine are very reasonably priced). That’s right, two for the price of one! Once you’ve written your review, send me your email address using the secured contact form and I’ll get your gift certificate right out to you!

This promotion won’t last forever, so start reading right away! How cool of a deal is that? There are numerous books for you to choose from, just click, buy, write, and save…pick from any of the books below to get started:

Paperback Options:

Kindle Options:

I’m thinking it might be time for another writing retreat.

Last time, I flew up to Oregon for a few days and relaxed on the river while starting a new sci-fi book. I hadn’t really intended on starting a new book, but what can you do when the inspiration hits?

What worries me about doing this again, however, is that I really need to finish the 3, 4, 5 books I have in progress right now vs. starting an entirely new book, which I think is what will happen.

Just the other day I kicked off a new 4 book series, while still having so many other things I need to focus on, especially Book 3 in the Princess Carrina series for Young Readers. Actually, I’m looking for an editor for that one…..any takers?

Anyway - I might be galavanting out into the world to spend some focused time on writing within the next month. It’s a hot time of year to travel, and an expensive time of year to travel, but thankfully it’s all tax deductible…

I have three addictions in life: sour cream, peanut butter, and books.

As I’ve mentioned before, I can’t go to a bookstore without buying something, and I’ve had to actively avoid them because we’ve run out of space on our many bookshelves. Online bookstores, of course, aren’t so easy to avoid, especially since several of my books are available there :-).

Anyway - I also try to check out independent bookstores as well, even though we don’t have that many around here (though we should given that it’s Sacramento)….so I was curious - where do YOU like to do your book shopping? Take the poll and leave a comment!

I am pleased to announce that Homo sarcasmus - Best of the Blog Volume 1.0 is now available at Barnes & Noble! So get on out there and buy some goodness :-).

It’s also available on amazon.com if you prefer to purchase there too.

(within the next month the rest of my books will also show up there, and I’ll be sure to let you know when… ;-))