When I soldrights to Orbit Books UK, they asked me to write several blog posts that would be used for marketing.

One of the posts I wrote became a short story. I titled it The Unlocked Tome. I liked the tale so much I decided, “No, I want to keep this for myself.” So I did. I then hired the apprentice to artist Todd Lockwood, Stacie Pitt, to create a gorgeous piece of artwork for the cover and I put the short story up for sale online.

Here is more about The Unlocked Tome:

What if an innocent boy discovered an ancient book and it possessed dark magic? Would that boy be able to control it? Or would the book subjugate his inherent goodness? And what if that book was Unfettered? THE UNLOCKED TOME is a short story—only 2800 words—that features the origin story of Lachlan Wood, a boy from a broken home who will figure prominently in a future Annwn Cycle novel. The short story will open the Signed & Numbered edition of Unfettered, an anthology featuring tales from some of the best fantasy writers working today. Since the regular editions of Unfettered do not include The Unlocked Tome, the short story is presented here for everyone to enjoy. Return to Old World Tales!

What makes The Unlocked Tome something I hope everyone reads is this: It is a small love letter to bookstores and the magic found in books. It also ties into my Annwn Cycle, featuring Old World Tales and its owner, Merle. And a certain anthology makes an appearance!

I think anyone who has read Unfettered will enjoy how The Unlocked Tome connects with it. I am eager to see what you guys think of it. And how you review it!

To buy The Unlocked Tome, pick your ebook retailer: Kindle | Nook | Kobo

Happy reading!