Tag: the palace

Still Writing ‘The Temptation’

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Just so you know I’m still working on it, today I finished writing another half a dozen chapters of The Temptation (Bell Mountain No. 11). I’ve got to type them up and send them to my editor, then plunge into the next chapter set. The Lord has not yet shown me the climax of the story, but I think it’s safe to tell you there’s a whole lot of temptation going on and many of the characters now have the opportunity to do something that they shouldn’t. And there’s a new threat to Ryons’ kingdom looming up from the far south.

We’re still waiting to see a cover for No. 10, The Silver Trumpet. I had hoped to see it published in time for Christmas, but don’t know whether that will be possible. And I’m a bit concerned for No. 6, The Palace. Is anybody reading it? It has only three Customer Reviews on amazon.com. If you haven’t read it yet, please give it a whirl. And find out what happens when King Ryons and his hound, Cavall, hunt the mysterious White Doe.

Meanwhile, I’ll be trying very hard to finish The Temptation before cold weather sets in. The outcome of the story is in God’s hands–and that’s where I want it to be.

Progress!

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Jack climbing the wall of the Palace of Obann–don’t look down, Jack!–had hardly a more difficult time than we’ve been having since our computer’s hard drive died last weekend. But like our hero, we’re making progress.

Tomorrow morning Adam the tech is coming over to re-install our regular computer. Thanks to the old keyboard here, I was able to write and send my Newswithviews column today. And among the many reasons why getting the old hoss back is a very good thing, I’m just about ready to type and submit another set of chapters of The Temptation.

What will Lord Chutt find as he digs up the ruins of Old Obann? Will Lord Orth come back, or will he venture farther into the East to preach to the Heathen? And will Gurun’s brothers finally make it to Lintum Forest, where their sister is?

To those of you who are new to this blog, I hope you’ll soon make acquaintance with my books. All nine of them (so far: more will come) are available for your examination. Just click “Books” and you’ll get the covers, featuring Kirk DouPonce’s glorious artwork, and sample chapters. Or you can look them up on amazon.com and read the Customer Reviews. If this sounds like a commercial, that’s only because it is. But you can’t blame a writer for wanting readers!

A Boost for My Books

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The Palace (Bell Mountain Series #6) by [Duigon, Lee]

I’ve been re-reading my Bell Mountain books, trying to prepare myself for writing the next one. I have to read them, lest I forget some important detail.

So I’m in the middle of The Palace (No. 6 in the series), and I’ve just read the chapter, “The White Doe.” Please don’t think I’m boasting when I say this, but I think it’s among the best things I’ve ever written. It’s not boasting because I was moved when I read it and very much surprised that anything like it could have come from me. Give God the glory: I pray for His guidance as I write, and He gives it. It didn’t really come from me. I just wrote it down.

And this evening Patty discovered the Vintage Novels blog, and a wonderfully complimentary review of the first four books in my series. This is by Suzannah Rountree, a blogger in Australia, and she has my thanks. Let me see if I can link to her piece for you. Ah, here it is: http://www.vintagenovels.com/2017/04/the-bell-mountain-series-1-4-by-lee.html

If you haven’t read any of these, I hope Suzannah’s review will persuade you to give them a whirl. For more information (if you’re new to this blog), just go to the top of this page and click “Books.”

Sneak Preview: ‘The Throne’

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No. 8, The Temple

Okay, I have permission; so here’s the cover blurb for The Throne, Book No. 9 of my Bell Mountain series. Most of the editing is finished, we’re waiting for the cover art by Kirk DouPonce, and I hope we can get it published in time for Christmas. But first, the blurb:

The Thunder King has been destroyed–or has he actually reappeared in Obann’s greatest city, to claim it as his prey?

In city and in forest, the boy king’s loyal servants struggle to preserve his throne. But it will be a long journey home for King Ryons and his army, while ambitious and unfaithful men scheme to take away his kingdom.

Nothing in the city of Obann is what it seems to be. Evil masquerades as good, while good must hide behind a semblance of evil. The king’s chief spy poses as the usurper’s trusted adviser–but will he be able to find the help he needs to mount a successful resistance?

For God has chosen Ryons to be king, and Ryons’ people must find friends in unexpected places.

Join the heroes of Bell Mountain as they fight for Ryons’ kingdom!

So there you have it, and I hope it makes you want to read the book when it comes out. And if you’re interested, but haven’t read any of these books yet, start with No. 1, Bell Mountain.

 

5,000 Hits in a Month?

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The famous “surgeon’s photograph” of the Loch Ness monster: posted here solely for your enjoyment.

No, not this month. Ran out of gas today, and won’t quite reach 4,800–although that does set a new monthly high for this blog.

Six months ago I would’ve thought 4,000 hits a month just about impossible. So the next plateau is 5,000, and I’ve come close.

This blog is just about the only advertising I’ve got for my books.

Please, if you haven’t heard about my books, take a moment to click “Books” at the top of the page and have a look. No harm in looking!

Revisiting ‘The Palace’

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As I try to prepare myself to write another book, when my Lord makes a new story available to me, I re-read the previous books in my Bell Mountain series. I’m now more than halfway through Book No. 6, The Palace.

Two of my favorite scenes are in here: King Ryons’ pursuit of the White Doe, which leads him into an encounter with the ancient kings of Obann, and the Battle of the Brickbats, in which the king’s army fights to recapture Silvertown from the Heathen–a battle whose outcome is decided in a most unusual way.

I love these, and I give God the glory for the finished work. It’s like He shows me the story and I just write it down.

I’m sure the next book will surprise me. I have no idea, yet, what form it will take.

Those of you who are new to this blog, and enjoy it–well, give my books a look-see, will you? Click “Books” at the top of the page for covers, blurbs, and sample chapters.

Another Contest for My Readers

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book cover of Bell Mountain Series

Let’s face it–this little blog, and you, my readers, are all the advertising that I’ve got.

When it comes to Customer Reviews on amazon.com, the lowest rating I’ve ever received for any of my books is three stars; but mostly it’s five stars, with a few fours thrown in. My sales figures, though–well, the less said about them, the better.

So how about this? Another contest.

The first reader to persuade five other readers to buy one of my books will earn my undying gratitude, plus an autographed copy of one of my books, your choice. I hope this doesn’t turn out to be a much harder job than I expected. Gotta try it, though–word-of-mouth advertising can sometimes do a lot.

We’ll have another comment contest coming up soon, too, as we close in on 5,000 comments. But for the time being, hey, I need more readers.

Will this work? Search me. Only one way to find out, and that’s to try it. Tally-ho!

P.S., How to Enter–Why, that’s easy. Just leave a comment to let me know when you’ve recruited five new readers.

P.P.S.–My wife says, “Five? Isn’t that a bit much?” So all right, I’ll change it to three. The first to find three new readers wins the contest.

Your Absolute Last Chance!

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Today is your absolute last chance to buy one of my books in 2015. Sorry, I’d change it if I could, but them’s the rules. After midnight today, it just can’t be done.

So… if you want fantasy and adventure based on a Biblical worldview, suitable reading for the whole family, especially for ages 12 and up, with eight books in the series, so that it’ll be a nice long time before you run out of stuff to read–

Well, if that’s what you want, folks, I’ve got it. And I’ve got it right here. Just click “Books” at the top of the page.

And now, I think, I’ll rest–punctuated by compulsive peeks at my Stats Board to see if I can get those 4,000 hits this month.

Just 50 more to go…

Comment Contest: 54 to Go, and Counting

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Only 54 more to go, and someone will win a signed copy of one of my books (your choice) as the prize for posting the 3,000th comment on this blog.

Not qualified are any sales pitches posing as comments (you know who you are), any message containing an f-bomb or any other profanity, blasphemy, or personal abuse of me or any other commenter.

I am not Reddit or the Los Angeles Times, so I have not banned Climate Change Denial Denial comments, however inane and wrong I know them to be. Actually, though, I can ban anything I want. But in most cases I let the comment slide.

If you want to win a book, but can’t decide which one, just click “Books” and look them over.

P.S.–Yes, there have been some problems posting comments here, which WordPress has been unable to rectify because the difficulty has a variety of causes. But some readers have told me that, after they were rebuffed once, the comment went up when they tried again, even though they did nothing different the second time. Go figure. It’s computer stuff, way beyond me.

(P.P.S–Don’t those little girls have amazingly infectious smiles?)

Another Contest for Readers

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http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/518K2jLcIUL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA278_PIkin4,BottomRight,-64,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg

Some lucky reader will post the 3,000th comment on this blog; and whoever does it will receive a signed copy of one of my books–which one, your choice.

It’s easy to post a comment here. Just click “Leave a Comment,” located below the article in excruciatingly small grey type, and you’re in business.

Bear in mind that I will delete any comments that are blasphemous, or containing the f-bomb or other cuss words, or that are personally abusive to me or to another commenter on this site. You’ve got the whole rest of the Internet for garbage like that; please don’t track it into my virtual living room.

Other than that, pretty much anything goes.