Musical, fantastical novel debuts: Song of the Ocarina

IMG_0550Today, the post brought to my door a large box filled with copies of my new novel—Song of the Ocarina, book 1 of the Delfaerune Rhapsody series. I experienced an absolute, glorious, Back to the Future George McFly moment! (You remember the character receiving his box of books in the 1985 film?)

That moment… opening the box and lifting out your creation… well, it’s an indescribable. Definitely worth a movie score subtext… if only!

You can currently find my music-filled, fantastical, new-adult novel on Amazon—in both paperback and Kindle format, but…

You may want to consider purchasing it in-person between noon and 4 p.m., Nov. 1, 2014, at the Author Palooza Book Signing Release Celebration at Dog-Eared Pages in Phoenix. [She grins, hoping to see you there. C.L. Gillmore, a wonderful author friend, will also participate with her book A Friend Request, which I edited.]

I’m also staging a one-day “Amazon Rank-Up” sales event, probably on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Watch my Facebook page and this blog for more details.

Another amazing image of secondary characters Axyl Thorne and B'rook Turehu as envisioned by Stacy Lefevre.

Another amazing image of secondary characters Axyl Thorne and B’rook Turehu as envisioned by Stacy Lefevre.

So, what’s it all about, you wonder?

My Song of the Ocarina manuscript won a Top Five Finish award, in the “Realizing The Dream Contest” at the RWA Desert Dreams Writer’s Conference in April 2014.

A great start for something I began writing during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in 2010, even before I self-published my first novel Rhythms & Muse.

Four years later, here I sit with a new book and great gratitude for input from:

  • Seven critique partners
  • Three beta readers
  • Three Maori/New Zealand expert resources
  • Two Fae culture creative consultants
  • Three vegetarian recipe providers
  • Nineteen song aficionados
  • One content editor
  • One generous production designer
  • Two brilliant character illustrators

In a companion post, I list the names of all these contributors… Many more lovely people helped make this book possible. A humble thank you.

About the Novel

Desperate to understand her place in the world, teenage musical prodigy Lark Tūrehu unwittingly follows her handsome music teacher Noel Stone into the parallel realm of Delfaerune. With her extreme height and long, silver-white hair, she already considers herself a freak in her Queenstown, New Zealand university, so how can she possibly deal with the added burden of her role as the Noble Fae’s leading musical spell caster? Not only must she retrieve and master the Kura Ocarina to earn the title of the realm’s “Maestra,” but the faefolk expect her to use the ancient wind instrument to save the human race from extinction at the hands of the Dark Fae.

♫♫♫♫♫

In Delfaerune, you’ll discover a lush world where music joins with Earth energy to conjure balance among all creatures, extinct and mythical creatures talk and live peacefully, and the Dark Fae pattern themselves after burned-out human rock stars.

Explore the Playlists

Song of the Ocarina is filled with music. Listen to and/or watch videos of all the songs mentioned in the novel on my YouTube or Spotify playlists.

Praise for Song of the Ocarina

“Ann N. Videan’s writing, descriptive and engaging, pulled me into the imaginative story she created with all my senses. Lovable characters, vivid descriptions, a truly magical, musical world. I eagerly await the next installment!”
—Jennifer Hartz, author of The Future Savior Series

“Teens and adults alike will find Videan’s story and characters appealing. I enjoyed the Fae musicians’ original lyrics, the animal personas—kiwi, moa, even the dragon—and the New Zealand flora and fauna enhanced the narrative.”—Sara Rebennack, bookseller

About the Author

Ann at Carmel's Cafe in Phoenix, AZ

Ann at Carmel’s Cafe in Phoenix, AZ

I live in Mesa, Arizona, with my awe-inspiring husband and two college-age children. As a Literary Architect, I book-shepherd authors through the writing, editing, self-publishing and word-of-mouth marketing of fiction and non-fiction titles

My women’s fiction novel Rhythms & Muse, along with its complementary soundtrack of five original songs inspired by the story, debuted in 2011. I now create fantastical adventures for new adults in my Delfaerune Rhapsody Series.

A professional writer since 1981, I opened my own award-winning home-based marketing firm, vIDEAn Unlimited, LLC, in 1996. I have served as an editor for corporations, visionary entrepreneurs, and national publishers.

My most joyful moments involve filling pages with words, exploring music, documenting memories in photos, gathering people around me with a cup of green tea in my hand, and rolling smoothly down new pathways on my in-line skates.

Explore blog posts about writing, my books and music CD, and my writing community here on this site. You can always contact me at avidean@videanunlimited.com.

So, could you possibly want to know anything else? I doubt it but, just in case, feel free to ask away!

__________________________

Write on!
Ann Narcisian Videan
Write • Edit • Self-publish • Word-of-mouth

Axyl Thorne: Final Reveal (#4)

Delfaerune Rhapsody series’ famous Fae rock star
Axyl Thorne
,
full character profile.

Axyl Thorne illustration

Debut of Delfaerune Rhapsody rocker Axyl Thorne, by Stacy Lefevre.

Age: 28

Stature: 6’10” tall

Race and class:
Axyl’s unique lineage affects his Fae race, but you’ll need to read the book to find out why. Though he currently prefers to hang out with Mikk Stone and the dark class of Fae—the tall, wingless, magical residents in the realm of Delfaerune—
Axyl remains neutral.

Residence:
Our rock star lives in a plane parallel to Queenstown, New Zealand, in the Fae world of Delfaerune.  There—in Queens’tyn, Zealynd—extinct and mythical creatures thrive, sentient foliage energize the Noble Fae, and speaking animals lend magical spell casting to the Dark Fae.

Job:
He’s a famous musician and leader of a band with the eponymic name “Thorne.” His raw talent and exceptional sex appeal draw women who follow him everywhere, and he makes it his job to keep them happy.

Strengths: Musical skill and the only Fae with the special power to meld stone silently with hand movements.

Flaw: His secret lineage.

Quirk: His soft-hearted love for one specific, notable, young woman of Noble lineage.

Animal familiar(s): His fangirls.

Love interestB’rook Tūrehu, our heroine’s sister.

…………………………………………………

Learn more about this bad-boy rock star in the Delfaerune Rhapsody series—my new-adult, fantasy-adventure trilogy-in-progress. His story begins in Song of the Ocarina, the first book in the series, due out soon.

Watch in the coming days for more character information about the trilogy. Also, watch Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Back to Reveal #3             To Mikk Stone Reveal             To Noel Stone Final Reveal
To Lark Tūrehu Final Reveal

Axyl Thorne: Reveal #3

Axyl's known for his long, thick, blond locks. Image by Stacy Lefevre

Axyl’s known for his long, thick, blond locks.
Image by Stacy Lefevre

Reveal #3: Axyl Thorne… oh, he of the luscious blond mane

A few things you should know about Axyl Thorne, the famous Fae rock star character in my pending Song of the Ocarina novel:

  • He’s kind of gorgeous and among the most talented musicians ever.
  • He picked the Bush Lawyer—a very thorny plant—as part of his marketing for his band “Thorne,” for a good reason.
  • Most Dark Fae pick an animal familiar to help befriend and protect them, but Axyl‘s only ever-present companion is his posse of fan girls. Hey, a posse provides the same basic support—with benefits—right?
  • His wandering eye is paused for the moment on our heroine Lark’s younger sister B’rook, who’s just coming of age.
  • He carries a secret about his lineage, which not even B’rook knows. As an opportunist, he likes to hang out with the Dark Fae, but is that where he really belongs?

To find out more, you’ll just have to read about it in Song of the Ocarina, the first book in my pending new-adult fantasy adventures — the Delfaerune Rhapsody series.

Watch for a full character image reveal of Axyl here in my blog, and also in my Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn feeds.

See Axyl reveal #2.

…………………..

Write on!
Ann Narcisian Videan
Write • Edit • Self-publish • Word-of-mouth
avidean@videanunlimited.com

Axyl Thorne: Reveal #2

Axyl.1.hands

Axyl Thorne image by Stacy Lefevre

Reveal #2: Axyl Thorne, famous Fae rock star

Another peek at Axyl Thorne, famous Fae rock star. He’s 28 years old, at 6’10” his height matches his ego, but he does have a soft spot for rock ballads, and a certain Noble Fae chick, who just might be the daughter of a kidnapped Delfaerune magister. Oh, and did I mention his best buddy, our antagonist, is Mikk Stone?

Axyl’s artful hands hold a secret, and silent, skill beyond guitar riffs and picking… but I’m not telling you what. I guess you’ll just have to read about it in Song of the Ocarina, the first book in my pending new-adult fantasy adventures — the Delfaerune Rhapsody series.

Watch for more character image reveals of Axyl here in my blog, and also in my Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn feeds.

See Axyl reveal #1.

…………………..

Write on!
Ann Narcisian Videan
Write • Edit • Self-publish • Word-of-mouth
avidean@videanunlimited.com

Axyl Thorne: Reveal #1

Reveal #1: Axyl Thorne, a famous Fae rock star

Logo for Thorne, a band in the Delfaerune Rhapsody series of novels

The logo of Axyl’s band “Thorne,”
a modified skull and crossbones.
Image: Stacy Lefevre

He may be a Dark Fae, or maybe he just chooses to hang with them. He may carry a full Fae bloodline, or he might not. One thing for sure, though, Axyl is a brilliant musician.

Constantly followed by a gaggle of fangirls, he’s a charmer, but he also holds a place in his heart for the heroine’s sister B’rook, who you will also meet in the coming days.

Axyl’s story unfolds in Song of the Ocarina, the first book in my new-adult fantasy adventures — the Delfaerune Rhapsody series.

Watch for more character image reveals this week of Axyl here in my blog, and also in my Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn feeds.

…………………..

Write on!
Ann Narcisian Videan
Write • Edit • Self-publish • Word-of-mouth
avidean@videanunlimited.com