First Summer's Eve has come and all elves celebrate as the black moon's shadow fades from the world. It is also Luthiel's fifteenth birthday. With it come two extraordinary and dangerous surprises: a Wyrd Stone, its silvery heart a window into a world of dreams and nightmares, and a Blade Dancer, dreaded protector of the Faelands, who bears a dark message. Instead of celebration, Luthiel is given a terrible choice: if she does nothing, someone she loves deeply will die. Or to save a life, she can break the most perilous law of the Faelands, and venture alone to the Vale of Mists. If she chooses the journey, she must race Othalas -- eldest and most feared of all the werewolves -- past great back spiders who weave webs out of nightmares, through glittering mists with the power to reshape flesh, and at last into death by the teeth of dark and ancient Vyrl, who feed on the blood of elves. Either choice will bring death -- unless Luthiel can find the secret in her remarkable Stone, a secret that even the nightmares fear.
Robert Fannéy was born on November 4, 1972 in Southeastern Virginia. He lived in Virginia Beach, VA for much of his younger life and currently resides in Washington Grove, MD with his wife, Catherine, and two talkative Maine Coon cats.
The scenic Seashore State Park and the frothy Atlantic Ocean bordered Robert's world as a child. Ever changing and full of mystery, both were an inspiration to Robert as he set out to create the fantastic settings of Oesha and the Vale of Mists. A surfer since a very young age, Robert has felt a deep connection with nature and finds that his most spiritual times are while sitting on a tiny surfboard upon a vast ocean or laying on the sand beneath an even vaster sea of stars.
As a teen, Robert often wrote short stories and poems about his adventures. He made frequent trips to the library and book store and read widely. Some of his favorite books were Michael Ende's The Neverending Story, Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn, Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising, Roger Zelazney's Chronicles of Amber, and Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain.
Robert was also inspired by the strong women in his life and, while attending the gothic Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL, (1991-1995) he began writing a female epic fantasy which he later named Luthiel's Song. Despite numerous hardships, Robert continued to write throughout much of his adult life. He worked at a number of different jobs -- waiting tables, serving as a police officer, and even working as a coordinating editor and author for a well known niche publisher -- Jane's Information Group. During his time at Jane's Robert edited and contributed to over 15 books and magazines and co-authored Jane's Citizen Safety Guide.
Robert was able to put his experience -- both in writing and in life -- to good use and finally, after nine years, Robert had a completed first novel. With the help of his friend Matthew Friedman, an amazing artist by the name of Siya Oum, and his wife Catherine, Robert decided to publish independently. He started a boutique publishing house named Dark Forest Press and in six months produced a professional quality fantasy novel (2005).
Robert then set out to promote the book himself, beginning with online promotion and talks at local venues. By 2011, Robert had given over 300 presentations at libraries, schools, and bookstores, appeared on local and national television including CSPAN's BookTV and independently sold over 32,000 copies.
Robert has also recently completed book 2 in the Luthiel's Song series -- The War of Mists -- and is now working on book 3 -- The Nightmares of Winter.
If you'd like to find out more about Luthiel's Song, you may do so by visiting these websites:
www.luthielssong.com
www.facebook.com/luthielssong
www.myspace.com/luthielssong
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