Blood of the Enemy, the third novel in the Chronicles of Avilésor: War of the Realms series, is finally here!
In my previous blog post, I shared the target 02.08.23 release date and the factors that caused the delay from the original 2022 goal, plus I unveiled new website pages and unlocked several Patreon posts. You can also read my Q&A post about Book III.
Now that the release date is finally here, what do you need to know about Book III (and how to get your hands on a copy)? Here are some FAQs to help:
- What Does the Cover Look Like?
- Can I Buy the Book on February 8th?
- How Can I Preorder a Copy from the FIRST Print Run?
- When Will the Paperback & Ebook Versions Be Available?
- Do I Need to Reread the First Two Books?
- Are There Book Club Questions?
- What Is the Price & Page Count of Book III?
- What Did Beta Readers Think of BOTE?
- Can I Purchase Prints of the Maps?
What Does the Cover Look Like?
If you’re one of my Kálos or Alpha subscribers on Patreon, you’ve gotten exclusive sneak peeks at the cover during various stages when I was working on it. (If you missed a post, you can see all cover-related Patreon posts here.)
If you follow me on TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook, you might have seen my unboxing video and cover reveal when the first proof copies arrived!
Although Blood of the Enemy’s cover follows the same pattern as the first two covers, Axel’s snarling face hidden in shadow definitely gives the book a darker vibe, especially when you notice his sharp fangs and the blood dripping down the back page. Rayven also made an appearance on the back cover, clutching his telltale ivory Amínyte pendant in his talons.
Can I Buy the Book on February 8th?
Probably not. Although the book is being released on 02.08.23, it takes time for retailers to upload the metadata from IngramSpark and add all of the information onto their websites.
Depending on the retailer, it can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Based on my past experience, Amazon and Barnes & Noble are both usually pretty quick, but I can’t guarantee when the book will be available through any particular retailer.
How Can I Preorder a Copy from the FIRST Print Run?
For the first time, I’m offering preorders! This wasn’t something I was equipped to do with the first two books, but I’m better prepared to do it with Book III.
I will have fifty books arriving in the next few weeks. These copies will be the first official print run for BOTE, and they’ll be numbered and autographed. I don’t know how quickly these first fifty will sell out, so the best chance to secure one is by preordering.
You can preorder Blood of the Enemy right here on my website. Please make sure that you read all of the instructions, as there are two separate buttons you’ll have to click to submit everything. One is a form providing important information such as what name you want printed in the book (if applicable), your contact info, and whether you want to pick up the book yourself at a local event/drop-off point or have it shipped to your address. The other button is for your payment. Please note: there’s an extra $5 charge for shipping.
If you preorder, you’ll also receive a tea light sample of the Ghost Realm candle and the five BOTE-designed pins for free! (If you didn’t already know, the paw print design is my cat Calypso’s signature.)
Preorders help me out a LOT, enabling me to estimate demands for the book and have startup capital to place the order for the first print run. I’ve already received several preorders—THANK YOU to those who have placed their orders!!
When Will the Paperback & Ebook Versions Be Available?
When Phantom’s Mask launched, I tried to release all three versions—hardcover, paperback, and ebook—at the same time. Throw in the beginning of the pandemic causing massive delays with my distributor, and it was a nightmare. I did somehow manage to get all three formats out just in the nick of time, but I put a lot of unnecessary stress and pressure on myself.
(Remember, I do all of the interior print formatting, cover designs, uploading, and proofing myself. I do hire an ebook formatter, but most of the publishing tasks still fall on me.)
For BOTE, I decided to take a step back and release it the same way I did A Fallen Hero with the hardcover coming first. The paperback and ebook will follow soon after, but there will be a delay, which means if you’re holding out for those formats, you’ll have about another month or so to wait. Because the hardcover and paperback are different sizes, I have to format them separately. For my own sanity, I needed to focus on the hardcover first.
This month, now that the hardcover is finally done, I’ll be working on formatting the paperback while my ebook formatter works on the epub file. My goal is to release the other two versions in March.
Do I Need to Reread the First Two Books?
Ideally, I recommend rereading both of the first books if you can. There are a lot of details that finally tie together in Blood of the Enemy. But if you can’t (which I totally understand), I definitely recommend reading at least Chapter 46 through the epilogue of Book II for a quick refresher.
When I say that Book III picks up where II ended, I’m not exaggerating. You’ll want to read through the final battle so you can shift into BOTE without wondering what the heck is happening.
Reminder: there’s a guide available here on my website that provides a quick recap of definitions, places, and characters. It might be beneficial to help you remember!
Are There Book Club Questions?
A Fallen Hero and Phantom’s Mask both have book club discussion questions/topics available on my website. Blood of the Enemy book club material has now been added to this page. These topics are designed to inspire thoughtful discussions about the book. Each PDF is broken into ten-chapter segments.
NOTE: There are spoilers in these documents! Don’t access the material until after you’ve read the respective section of Book III.
What Is the Price & Page Count of Book III?
Although Book III is the biggest novel so far (and therefore has a higher print cost than the other two), I decided to keep it at the same price as Book II. That means the hardcover will be priced at $29.99 USD, the paperback will be $24.99, and the ebook will be $7.99.
If at all possible, my goal is to not raise my book prices, although I can’t guarantee anything since the print cost per book and the overall shipping costs have both increased since the pandemic started.
The page counts of the hardcovers for comparison:
A Fallen Hero: 378 pages
Phantom’s Mask: 481 pages
Blood of the Enemy: 500 pages
What Did Beta Readers Think of BOTE?
Last year, I asked some of my beta readers to share their overall thoughts about Blood of the Enemy. Here’s what they had to say:
“Book 3 is another award-winning novel, believe me!”
“I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book, and it doesn’t disappoint! These characters continue to grow and change as they struggle to make a place for themselves in a hostile world. Ms. Noë has written another wonderful novel!”
“Book III starts strong and doesn’t slow down. The pacing is immaculate… The careful attention to the psychology behind the characters’ motives is raw, genuine, relatable, and compelling.”
“Two minutes after cracking Book III, I was hooked. The drama keeps you on the edge of your seat, and the development of characters is mesmerizing. Ms. Noë uses each page to lure you deeper into the unique lives of the characters and the mythical world where suspense and family loyalty are deeply rooted.”
The first editorial review also came in from Literary Titan, who had this to say (a link to their full review will be available after the book is on Amazon):
“This is a beautifully written tale with tragic characters haunted by the past while trying to ensure the future and deal with people who don’t always understand the inner turmoil they’re going through. A wonderful continuation of this teen and young adult saga Chronicles of Avilésor: War of the Realms.”
Can I Purchase Prints of the Maps?
Yes! Blood of the Enemy has a special feature that the first two books didn’t have—hand-drawn maps! Readers can explore the Ghost Realm, the town of Phantom Heights, and the floorplan of Saros Manor. I created these maps myself, and I’m in the middle of creating a lot of fun Patreon-exclusive content about the process.
The map of Avilésor was on display at many of my events last year, but it hadn’t been for sale. Now that the maps have been finalized for publication, that’s changed. I debuted new poster board prints of the three maps during my first 2023 event, and I’ll have them available for sale at most events moving forward.
(FYI, the Phantom Heights map had some small changes made between the proof copy and the final… which means there are only four limited-edition prints of the proof version. They are numbered and signed. Once they’re gone, they’ll be replaced with the updated version!)
At this time, these map prints are event-exclusive. I don’t sell them online or in brick-and-mortar stores. As Book III and the maps roll out into the early 2023 event season, I’ll likely be experimenting with new products that feature the maps.
Now, the only question is… are you ready for Book III: Blood of the Enemy???
I'm an award-winning fantasy author, artist, and photographer from La Porte, Indiana. My poetry, short fiction, and memoir works have been featured in various anthologies and journals since 2005, and several of my poems are available in the Indiana Poetry Archives. The first three novels in my Chronicles of Avilésor: War of the Realms series have received awards from Literary Titan.
After some time working as a freelance writer, I was shocked by how many website articles are actually written by paid "ghost writers" but published under the byline of a different author. It was a jolt seeing my articles presented as if they were written by a high-profile CEO or an industry expert with decades of experience. I'll be honest; it felt slimy and dishonest. I had none of the credentials readers assumed the author of the article actually had. Ghost writing is a perfectly legal, astonishingly common practice, and now, AI has entered the playing field to further muddy the waters. It's hard to trust who (or what) actually wrote the content you'll read online these days.
That's not the case here at On The Cobblestone Road. I do not and never will pay a ghost writer, then slap my name on their work as if I'd written it. This website is 100% authentic. No outsourcing. No ghost writing. No AI-generated content. It's just me... as it should be.
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