Many in the world of Austyria dream of becoming heroes, gaining classes like Mage, Knight, and Beastmaster. With the power granted to them by the powerful Alrelics, they can level up and accomplish extraordinary feats.
The citizens of Hollo village long for a hero to save them from the malevolent Gate, which disfigures all who see or try to enter it. Lex dreams of becoming a Soldier and leaving his cursed village with his friends, Bibi and Ariel, but his class designation ceremony devolves into absolute disaster. Within days, he’s forced to embark on a journey that will change his destiny forever.
To save his friends, Lex must uncover the mysteries of this mysterious doorway, while keeping his scornful heart in check before it consumes him utterly.
Excerpt
Oedorius notices the commotion and stalks towards us, the other guards following closely behind him. Soon, he reaches us, and Ariel’s soft whimpers have become loud, wailing sobs. Oedorius calmly stops and stares down at her, and I’m certain I see a glint of amusement in his eyes.
“You are Ariel Branderford?” he asks.
“You’re not taking her.”
I blink, and Lex is between Ariel and Oedorius, his arms spread out to bar his approach. I position myself in front of Ariel, still crouched on the floor, and Oedorius sighs before sheathing his sword. He considers us for a moment before glancing back at one of the guards.
“Kent. Be quick.”
“Those who would defy the hands of time, be hidden from its eternal grasp. Hold!”
My body shivers as I leap to my feet. No! Not that spell! I race towards its source, hoping I can at least knock the spellcaster off balance so it won’t have a chance to be fully cast. As I near Oedorius, time begins to slow, and it feels like I’m trying to run underwater. I frantically try to shake myself in order to move faster, but it’s too late.
I become frozen in mid-air, everything around me moving as it should. Lex stands beside me still as stone, his hand stretched out as if to block the spell from hitting him. Maybe he meant to say something, but neither of us can say anything now.
Oedorius bends down and shakes Ariel’s shoulder. “Get up, girl. You’ve caused more than enough trouble. You will come with us, or we will kill you now.”
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Dimitrius Jones was born and raised in West Texas, much to his eternal annoyance. Despite this, he first picked up the pen at the tender age of six. His first masterpiece was a page-turner was about dolphins that used eye lasers to kill a hurricane. From there, his life took a few twists and turns, but he always found his way back to his trusty notepad.
His next few projects include a self-help book for those who suffer from low self-esteem as well as a full-length fantasy/romance novel to be released sometime in the future. Dimitrius has always, perhaps unsurprisingly, been inspired by the mystery, tragedy, and wonder of fairy tales.
His goal in life is to constantly inspire, amuse, and shed light into the corners of life we didn’t know were right in front of us.
Dimitrius Jones and I came together through Goddess Fish Promotions.
Author Bio
Dimitrius Jones was born and raised in West Texas, much to his eternal annoyance. Despite this, he first picked up the pen at the tender age of six. His first masterpiece was a page-turner about dolphins that used eye lasers to kill a hurricane. From there, his life took a few twists and turns, but he always found his way back to his trusty notepad.
His next few projects include a self-help book for those who suffer from low self-esteem as well as a full-length fantasy/romance novel to be released sometime in the future. Dimitrius has always, perhaps unsurprisingly, been inspired by the mystery, tragedy, and wonder of fairy tales.
His goal in life is to constantly inspire, amuse, and shed light into the corners of life we didn’t know were right in front of us.
Tell us about yourself.
My mom would tell you that I’ve always been a writer in some capacity, and I think she’s right. Even in my earliest memories, I can’t recall a time where I wasn’t trying to come up with a story in some way, whether it was playing with toys or scribbling on my dad’s notepad. It was always meant to be.
I’m also a person who is determined to succeed and help others succeed. I believe in being a positive influence and encouraging the people I care about to do their best.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I believe I was twelve years old when I started my first book. It was all handwritten, and I kept it in a binder at the time. I knew once I had finished it that I wanted to see my work on a bookshelf someday. I ended up going through different paths in life from there, but I always returned to writing as an outlet.
Now, I’m more ready than ever to start publishing books and sharing the stories I’ve got brewing in my mind.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
I typically read fantasy and horror. I love fantasy for its escapism factor, and I’m always thrilled to learn about the mechanics of each world, its mythology, and its characters.
I love reading horror as opposed to watching scary movies. I feel like our imagination is far scarier than what we see on the big screen these days. I’m always in search of a new creepypasta to consume. Many of those are very well-written and more frightening than anything I’ve ever read before.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
Doorway to Scorn is for young adults and adults. There’s some scary imagery that might not be suitable for children, and some of the story beats can get pretty intense.
What is your current release or project?
My current release is Doorway to Scorn, and I am also finishing up an LGBT teen fantasy romance novel. I’d love to release several more sequels to Doorway to Scorn, and beyond that I have many more stories to tell.
Tell us about the key characters
Lex and Bibi are the two main characters of this installment. They are both adopted by the Branderfords and live in Hollo village, which is terrorized by a malevolent doorway known as the Gate. Lex is highly intelligent but loses his temper frequently. Bibi is a capable fighter and much more mature and level-headed than her foster brother.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
Many in the world of Austyria dream of becoming heroes, gaining classes like Mage, Knight, and Beastmaster. With the power granted to them by the powerful Alrelics, they can level up and accomplish extraordinary feats.
The citizens of Hollo village long for a hero to save them from the malevolent Gate, which disfigures all who see or try to enter it. Lex dreams of becoming a Soldier and leaving his cursed village with his friends, Bibi and Ariel, but his class designation ceremony devolves into absolute disaster. Within days, he’s forced to embark on a journey that will change his destiny forever.
To save his friends, Lex must uncover the mysteries of this mysterious doorway, while keeping his scornful heart in check before it consumes him utterly.
Share an excerpt
“Lex. You need to run.”
Bibi’s voice is low, just above a whisper. She flips her daggers in her hands until they’re pointing away from her body, something I’ve never seen done before. They’re normally used for stabbing – usually in the most treacherous manner possible – and held with the blade facing up, not down.
“I’m not leaving you here to fight that alone.”
“Then you’re a fool. You can’t help me here, and that cursed weapon you have won’t save you. I don’t even know why you’re still holding onto it.”
“I have potions. If you get hurt, I can at least heal you.”
Bibi doesn’t respond, but I can see the muscles in her shoulders and arms tensing as the shadow man regains his composure and goes completely still. She doesn’t sound like herself. It’s as if she’s a completely different person.
The shadow man points his blade high into the sky, and a strange, smoke-like energy begins to wisp around him. Soon, he is joined by two identical shadow men, each taking a battle stance with swords of their own.
“This is not a fight I plan to win,” Bibi says, and that’s when it dawns on me. She’s trying to buy everyone else time to escape from these things.
“Lex. You need to run.”
Bibi’s voice is low, just above a whisper. She flips her daggers in her hands until they’re pointing away from her body, something I’ve never seen done before. They’re normally used for stabbing – usually in the most treacherous manner possible – and held with the blade facing up, not down.
“I’m not leaving you here to fight that alone.”
“Then you’re a fool. You can’t help me here, and that cursed weapon you have won’t save you. I don’t even know why you’re still holding onto it.”
“I have potions. If you get hurt, I can at least heal you.”
Bibi doesn’t respond, but I can see the muscles in her shoulders and arms tensing as the shadow man regains his composure and goes completely still. She doesn’t sound like herself. It’s as if she’s a completely different person.
The shadow man points his blade high into the sky, and a strange, smoke-like energy begins to wisp around him. Soon, he is joined by two identical shadow men, each taking a battle stance with swords of their own.
“This is not a fight I plan to win,” Bibi says, and that’s when it dawns on me. She’s trying to buy everyone else time to escape from these things.
Do you have a favorite scene?
One of my favorite scenes is when one of the main characters get a new ability, but it’s not the ability they were hoping for. However, he’s reminded that he is still useful and can still be of assistance to those he cares about. It’s a moment of character growth for this person because they quickly learn that sometimes we have to do the best with the tools we are given rather than the tools we want.
What advice would you give a beginner?
Your first novel is going to feel overwhelming somedays. You’re going to finish a writing session and wonder if you’re doing the right thing. You’ll consider never opening up your draft ever again.
Just finish it.
Finish that novel, article, blog post, and set it free. Put it out there, be open to feedback, and learn. Every successful writer before you had to start somewhere, so it’s no use expecting perfection at first. Don’t do that to yourself. You still have a lot to learn, and you are more than capable of getting it down.
