Tag Archives: Fantasy

D. T. Kane’s Epic Fantasy Book Club, Declaimer’s Discovery Chapter 28 -Episode 51 (2:24)

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D. T. Kane reads chapter 28 of his epic fantasy fiction novel, Declaimer’s Discovery.

The first eBox Set of The Spoken Books Uprising, Parts I-III, is now available! It features two original essays about my inspiration behind the series and also artwork depicting Baz, Deliritous, and Rox. Buy here: https://books2read.com/spokenbooksboxset

Buy direct from my Pay Hip store and get the box set for $3.99! Or, purchase a signed copy of the Acktus Trials. https://payhip.com/dtkane

Support D. T. Kane (and get free books!): www.patreon.com/dtkane

If you’re enjoying the show and/or have already read some of D. T. Kane’s books, consider either purchasing an eBook or paperback or leave a review on Amazon or wherever you purchase books:

Follow this link to leave a review of the Acktus Trials, Part I of The Spoken Books Uprising: https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review?&asin=B09QZ8MQ38

The Acktus Trials, an epic fantasy novel, available now: https://books2read.com/theacktustrials

Parts II, III, and IV of The Spoken Books Uprising also now available!

Part II, Declaimer’s Discovery: https://books2read.com/declaimersdiscovery

Part III, Declaimer’s Flight: https://books2read.com/declaimersflight

Part IV, Declaimer’s Stand: https://books2read.com/declaimersstand

Map of Oration: https://dtkane.com/resources/map-of-oration/

Characters in this episode:
Baz: Our main character
Ehma: Daughter of Madame Scrivener Tessa from Tome
Mauve: The midwife

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D. T. Kane’s Epic Fantasy Book Club, Declaimer’s Discovery Chapter 27 -Episode 50 (2:23)

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D. T. Kane reads chapter 27 of his epic fantasy fiction novel, Declaimer’s Discovery.

The first eBox Set of The Spoken Books Uprising, Parts I-III, is now available! It features two original essays about my inspiration behind the series and also artwork depicting Baz, Deliritous, and Rox. Buy here: https://books2read.com/spokenbooksboxset

Buy direct from my Pay Hip store and get the box set for $3.99! Or, purchase a signed copy of the Acktus Trials. https://payhip.com/dtkane

Support D. T. Kane (and get free books!): www.patreon.com/dtkane

If you’re enjoying the show and/or have already read some of D. T. Kane’s books, consider either purchasing an eBook or paperback or leave a review on Amazon or wherever you purchase books:

Follow this link to leave a review of the Acktus Trials, Part I of The Spoken Books Uprising: https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review?&asin=B09QZ8MQ38

The Acktus Trials, an epic fantasy novel, available now: https://books2read.com/theacktustrials

Parts II, III, and IV of The Spoken Books Uprising also now available!

Part II, Declaimer’s Discovery: https://books2read.com/declaimersdiscovery

Part III, Declaimer’s Flight: https://books2read.com/declaimersflight

Part IV, Declaimer’s Stand: https://books2read.com/declaimersstand

Map of Oration: https://dtkane.com/resources/map-of-oration/

Characters in this episode:
Baz: Our main character
Ehma: Daughter of Madame Scrivener Tessa from Tome
Leanna: Torchsire’s Librarian and member of the Conservatory
Mauve: The midwife

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

D. T. Kane’s Epic Fantasy Book Club, Declaimer’s Discovery Chapter 26 -Episode 49 (2:22)

Podcast, , , , , , ,

D. T. Kane reads chapter 26 of his epic fantasy fiction novel, Declaimer’s Discovery.

The first eBox Set of The Spoken Books Uprising, Parts I-III, is now available! It features two original essays about my inspiration behind the series and also artwork depicting Baz, Deliritous, and Rox. Buy here: https://books2read.com/spokenbooksboxset

Buy direct from my Pay Hip store and get the box set for $3.99! Or, purchase an signed copy of the Acktus Trials. https://payhip.com/dtkane

Support D. T. Kane (and get free books!): www.patreon.com/dtkane

If you’re enjoying the show and/or have already read some of D. T. Kane’s books, consider either purchasing an eBook or paperback or leave a review on Amazon or wherever you purchase books:

Follow this link to leave a review of the Acktus Trials, Part I of The Spoken Books Uprising: https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review?&asin=B09QZ8MQ38

The Acktus Trials, an epic fantasy novel, available now: https://books2read.com/theacktustrials

Parts II and III of The Spoken Books Uprising also now available!

Part II, Declaimer’s Discovery: https://books2read.com/declaimersdiscovery

Part III, Declaimer’s Flight: https://books2read.com/declaimersflight

Part IV, Declaimer’s Stand: https://books2read.com/declaimersstand

Map of Oration: https://dtkane.com/resources/map-of-oration/

Characters in this episode:
Baz: Our main character
Ehma: Daughter of Madame Scrivener Tessa from Tome
Leanna: Torchsire’s Librarian and member of the Conservatory
Mauve: The midwife

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December 16, 2022 Fantasy Quote OTW

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“We need metaphors of magic and monsters in order to understand the human condition.”

― Stephen R. Donaldson (author of The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, among many others)
Huguenot Cemetery, Dublin, Ireland.

If you’ve been reading this newsletter for any length of time, you know I’m on a mission to explore how novels classified as fantasies can nonetheless have real world implications. Well, Mr. Donaldson hits the nail on the head here.

There are many things in life that are both difficult to understand and challenging to discuss. Most humans are predisposed to avoiding such topics because they can lead to conflict, and our animal brains tell us that conflict is dangerous.

That’s where stories come in. Want to examine the evils of prejudice? It may be tough to face that your very own society has issues, but less so when confronted with the cruelty of a scar-faced colonel toward the blue-skinned inhabitants of another planet.*

How about the importance of friendship and love? For some, it may be too emotional to tackle directly. And yet, we can all relate to the story of a girl with a magic compass and problematic parents who nonetheless uses the power of friendship (including that of a giant, armored polar bear!) to save the world.^

What about mental illness? That’s surely a tough subject for most. Still, many of us gladly explore it through the eyes of a physician’s son who is drafted into the army, loses his brother, and is then enslaved, only to discovery he has an invisible faerie friend and innate powers that allow him to summon blades from midair.~

Perhaps the most beautiful thing about fantasy is that, often when we begin a new story, we don’t even realize the lessons we’re taking away from the book. We’re just looking for a good time! But the lessons imbedded in these tales become part of us, and as we read more and more, we’re exposed to a greater diversity of circumstances than our own experiences could ever produce, and with such knowledge comes empathy and understanding for others. It’s a wonderful benefit to this genre that so many of us have grown to love.

Note to readers: Each week, I share a fantasy quote and indulge my inner philosopher with a brief essay based on said quote. Share your favorite quote with me and I might feature it in a future newsletter! Email: dtkane@dtkane.com.

* Avatar (movie) by James Cameron
^ His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman
~ The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson

D. T. Kane’s Epic Fantasy Book Club, Declaimer’s Discovery Chapters 24 & 25 -Episode 48 (2:21)

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D. T. Kane reads chapters 24 and 25 of his epic fantasy fiction novel, Declaimer’s Discovery.

The first eBox Set of The Spoken Books Uprising, Parts I-III, is now available! It features two original essays about my inspiration behind the series and also artwork depicting Baz, Deliritous, and Rox. Buy here: https://books2read.com/spokenbooksboxset

Buy direct from my Pay Hip store and get the box set for $3.99! Or, purchase an signed copy of the Acktus Trials. https://payhip.com/dtkane

Support D. T. Kane (and get free books!): www.patreon.com/dtkane

If you’re enjoying the show and/or have already read some of D. T. Kane’s books, consider either purchasing an eBook or paperback or leave a review on Amazon or wherever you purchase books:

Follow this link to leave a review of the Acktus Trials, Part I of The Spoken Books Uprising: https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review?&asin=B09QZ8MQ38

The Acktus Trials, an epic fantasy novel, available now: https://books2read.com/theacktustrials

Parts II and III of The Spoken Books Uprising also now available!

Part II, Declaimer’s Discovery: https://books2read.com/declaimersdiscovery

Part III, Declaimer’s Flight: https://books2read.com/declaimersflight

Part IV, Declaimer’s Stand: https://books2read.com/declaimersstand

Map of Oration: https://dtkane.com/resources/map-of-oration/

Characters in this episode:
Baz: Our main character
Ehma: Daughter of Madame Scrivener Tessa from Tome
Leanna: Torchsire’s Librarian and member of the Conservatory
Mauve: The midwife

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

December 9, 2022 Fantasy Quote OTW

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“Evil in general does not sleep, and therefore doesn’t see why anyone else should.”

― Terry Pratchett, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
D. T. Kane’s village at sunrise.

We might not be fighting actual demons or dragons or orcs on a regular basis, but their are plenty of every-day evils that keep us up at night. Some are simply out of our control, and the process of dealing with the anxiety they produce is part of being human.

But some things are in our control. If we want to increase our chances of occasionally having a good night’s rest, we should do our best to set ourselves up for success each day so that the nagging worry of unproductivity doesn’t plague our dreams.

Often, we worry over things we have put off. But with all the other things going on in your life, don’t lose sleep over this! Take five minutes at the end of each day or in the morning–whatever works best for you–and reflect on what you really need to get done. Don’t set impossible goals. Start with 1-3 items and write them down. As we all know from the Spoken Books Uprising, there’s power in words, and getting those tasks down on paper helps make them more real. For an added dose of motivation, try starting your list with, “Tomorrow, I need to…”

I like making this list at night for the tasks I want to complete the following day. It’s almost like I can trust it a bit more this way, because being a day removed from the actual doing allows me to be more objective, rather than deciding in the moment what has to be done, which is when procrastination can take hold. The next day, it feels a bit like a different person decided what was important, and I can just put faith in the judgment of that past version of me.

Do whatever works best for you, but do do it! You’ll rest easier at night knowing you accomplished something important during the day. 

Note to readers: Each week, I share a fantasy quote and indulge my inner philosopher with a brief essay based on said quote. Share your favorite quote with me and I might feature it in a future newsletter! Email: dtkane@dtkane.com.

December 2, 2022 Fantasy Quote OTW

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“There is magic in words. Power in persuasion. The subtle difference between the words melancholy and sad can unravel a kingdom. Learn to use words with the precision of a sword, and you will have more magic at your disposal than Gantric the Great.”

―Brielle D. Porter, Jester
The Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium

What would you do if I told you there’s a simple way to both become smarter and more persuasive? Probably either beg me for the answer or tell me I’m chasing a carbolic smoke ball*.

But I’m neither a genius nor a charlatan. The answer, as I said, is simple: reading and writing. These, in my estimation, are the greatest skills any person can foster. One can learn just about anything from books, and writing is the best way to both impress and convince, but also (in the case of bad writing) destroy your credibility.

Now, I said it was simple, not easy. One must make the time for both of these endeavors–not easy in today’s face-paced world obsessed with instant gratification. And writing in particular is a skill that takes years to learn and master. 

And yet, it is time well invested, as no skills will serve you better. Effective written communication is vital in many aspects of life–everything from simple work emails to job applications to winning arguments. And there’s no better way to improve your writing (aside, perhaps, from putting your butt in the chair and actually doing it) than reading.

As Stephen King has said, “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” But if you take the time to nurture these skills, then Ms. Porter is correct: You will have powers greater than those of any wizard.

This week’s quote was submitted by Jan. Thanks as always for your support of the newsletter, Jan 😀

*An infamous case in introductory contract law involved this item of medical quackery, which was essentially a rubber ball that you squeezed to inhale the smoke inside it to (allegedly) cure influenza. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t. The English Court of Appeal held that an advertisement stating that the company would award $100 to anyone who tried the smoke ball and wasn’t cured was a valid contract offer that was legally binding upon anyone purchasing the smoke ball based on the ad. Carlill v. Carbolic Smoke Ball Co., 1 QB 256 (1893). 

Note to readers: Each week, I share a fantasy quote and indulge my inner philosopher with a brief essay based on said quote. Share your favorite quote with me and I might feature it in a future newsletter! Email: dtkane@dtkane.com.

D. T. Kane’s Epic Fantasy Book Club, Declaimer’s Discovery Chapters 22 & 23 -Episode 47 (2:20)

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D. T. Kane reads chapters 22 and 23 of his epic fantasy fiction novel, Declaimer’s Discovery.

The first eBox Set of The Spoken Books Uprising, Parts I-III, is now available! It features two original essays about my inspiration behind the series and also artwork depicting Baz, Deliritous, and Rox. Buy here: https://books2read.com/spokenbooksboxset

Buy direct from my Pay Hip store and get the box set for $3.99! Or, purchase an signed copy of the Acktus Trials. https://payhip.com/dtkane

Support D. T. Kane (and get free books!): www.patreon.com/dtkane

If you’re enjoying the show and/or have already read some of D. T. Kane’s books, consider either purchasing an eBook or paperback or leave a review on Amazon or wherever you purchase books:

Follow this link to leave a review of the Acktus Trials, Part I of The Spoken Books Uprising: https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review?&asin=B09QZ8MQ38

The Acktus Trials, an epic fantasy novel, available now: https://books2read.com/theacktustrials

Parts II and III of The Spoken Books Uprising also now available!

Part II, Declaimer’s Discovery: https://books2read.com/declaimersdiscovery

Part III, Declaimer’s Flight: https://books2read.com/declaimersflight

Part IV, Declaimer’s Stand: https://books2read.com/declaimersstand

Map of Oration: https://dtkane.com/resources/map-of-oration/

Characters in this episode:
Baz: Our main character
Ehma: Daughter of Madame Scrivener Tessa from Tome
Leanna: Torchsire’s Librarian and member of the Conservatory
Mauve: The midwife

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

D. T. Kane’s Epic Fantasy Book Club, Declaimer’s Discovery Discuss Chs 15 to 21 -Episode 46 (2:19)

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D. T. Kane discusses chapters 15-21 of his epic fantasy fiction novel, Declaimer’s Discovery.

Support D. T. Kane: www.patreon.com/dtkane

Buy The Spoken Books Uprising Box Set (eBook only) and get two exclusive essays and character artwork!

Buy direct from me to save 30%! https://books2read.com/b/spokenbooksboxset

Part IV, Declaimer’s Stand: https://books2read.com/declaimersstand

Map of Oration: https://dtkane.com/resources/map-of-oration/

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D. T. Kane’s Epic Fantasy Book Club, Declaimer’s Discovery Chapters 20 & 21-Episode 45 (2:18)

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D. T. Kane reads chapters 20 and 21 of his epic fantasy fiction novel, Declaimer’s Discovery.

The first eBox Set of The Spoken Books Uprising, Parts I-III, will release at the exclusive price of $3.99 to my newsletter on Black Friday! It features two original essays about my inspiration behind the series and also artwork depicting Baz, Deliritous, and Rox. Signup here: https://dtkane.com/email-signup.

Donate to NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month): https://store.nanowrimo.org/collections/donate

Support D. T. Kane: https://www.patreon.com/dtkane

If you’re enjoying the show and/or have already read some of D. T. Kane’s books, consider either purchasing an eBook or paperback or leave a review on Amazon or wherever you purchase books:

Follow this link to leave a review of the Acktus Trials, Part I of The Spoken Books Uprising: https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review?&asin=B09QZ8MQ38

The Acktus Trials, an epic fantasy novel, available now:

https://dtkane.com/books/the-acktus-trials/

https://books2read.com/theacktustrials

Parts II and III of The Spoken Books Uprising also now available!

Part II, Declaimer’s Discovery: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09R18NZ5G/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

Other Retailers-https://books2read.com/declaimersdiscovery

Part III, Declaimer’s Flight:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09XKGDYFM/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

Other Retailers-https://books2read.com/declaimersflight

NEW! Part IV, Declaimer’s Stand:

https://books2read.com/declaimersstand

Map of Oration: https://dtkane.com/resources/map-of-oration/

Characters in this episode:

Baz: Our main character

Ehma: Daughter of Madame Scrivener Tessa from Tome

Leanna: Torchsire’s Librarian and member of the Conservatory

Mauve: The Midwife

Podcast: Play in new window | Download