What's next?

Hi all!

First of all, a HUGE thanks to everyone who bought copies of my recent releases: Shadows of Moth: Moth V (released last month) and Requiem's Prayer: Dawn of Dragons III (released a couple weeks ago). I hope you've been enjoying these new books!

I wanted to update you about what's next. Legacy of Moth: Moth VI will be released on December 2nd! The book will conclude the Moth saga, bringing all the characters' storylines to an epic climax. Expect something BIG and EPIC, Pelennor Fields style. We're ending this series with a bang.

I also have some fun stuff planned for you for 2015. We'll have a NEW REQUIEM TRILOGY tentatively titled Requiem for Dragons, which will be set in an era following The Dragon War. In 2015, I'll also be releasing my first science fiction series (titled Alien Hunters), a work inspired by SF franchises like Firefly and Star Wars.

Remember that you can always see a full list of the books and their reading order on my website: http://www.DanielArenson.com/

Thank you everyone for reading!

Daniel

Requiem's Prayer

About four years ago, after moving between several cities, I found myself working and living in Toronto. The apartment I rented was quite small, only about 450 square feet--too small for a desk. I was right in the heart of the big city.

On weekend mornings, I'd wake up early. Most of the city still slept. I'd walk along the streets as convenience stores, pubs, clubs, restaurants, and other businesses were still closed. I'd make my way over to a big, two-story bookshop that rose over a major intersection. On the second floor of the bookshop, a little cafe nestled by floor-to-ceiling windows. Without room at home for a table, I'd come here to write. I was usually the first person in. I'd order a coffee, sit by the windows, stare out at the sun rising over the city, and write. I had no computer, no keyboard. I wrote in longhand into notebooks.

On one of these mornings, I was listening to Mozart's Requiem on my MP3 player, and as an exercise, I began to write whatever I heard in the music. I found myself writing a story about people who can turn into dragons, people hunted to near extinction, people fighting against vicious enemies determined to destroy them. The characters had names taken from the Requiem--Benedictus, Lacrimosa, Agnus Dei, Kyrie Eleison, Gloriae--and their story to me felt as tragic, heartbreaking, yet uplifting as the music.

What I didn't know at the time: This story, just a little exercise, would turn into a series. This story would end up selling hundreds of thousands of copies, letting me become a full time writer. 

Today I released the twelfth novel in this series.

Requiem's Prayer is the third volume of the Dawn of Dragons trilogy, a "prequel" trilogy telling of Requiem's earliest days. The events we read about in Song of Dragons, Dragonlore, and The Dragon War all trace their origin to here.

I'm deeply grateful to all those readers who've been exploring Requiem with me. Without you all, this would still be only a few scribbles in a notebook. Thanks to you, this has become a world.

And Requiem's story is not done. Twelve novels have been released, but more are to come. Next year, we'll be seeing three new Requiem books, continuing the story that began four years ago in that little old coffeeshop.

As always, thank you for reading.

Daniel

Huge $0.99 Book Sale!

Hey everyone. Moth is part of a huge sale with 16 fantasy novels, all discounted to $0.99 today.

Drop by here to grab a book and chat with the authors!

Guest Feature -- The Novum Trilogy

Author Moira Katson is releasing the first book in The Novum Trilogy today . . . and it features new music by Ekterina! You might remember the music Ekaterina composed for Moth (you can listen to it here).

Ekaterina's new music for Moira's Novum Trilogy:

You can find Moira's trilogy on Amazon here.

How it all began...

Requiem began one morning with some Mozart, a sleepy city, and strong coffee.

One early Sunday morning four years ago, I left my downtown Toronto apartment, walked to the nearby bookshop, and entered the coffee shop on the second floor. Toronto apartments are often too small for desks; they force a writer to become something of a hipster, writing in coffee shops. I sat by the window with a hot drink, watching the city wake up outside. The coffee was steaming, and Mozart's entire Requiem was playing on my MP3 player. I had a notebook but forgot my pen; I had to borrow one from the barista (oh god, I said "barista"... this city really does force you to become a hipster). I didn't know what I'd write that day. I listened to the music, hearing old Latin words like Benedictus, Lacrimosa, Kyrie Eleison, Dies Irae, Agnus Dei... and I just wrote what I imagined while listening. The story took form as I scribbled away--a story about people in a mythical world who could become dragons. Benedictus became the exiled king, Lacrimosa the wise queen, Kyrie the hot-headed youth, Dies Irae a wrathful villain, Agnus Dei a fiery maiden . . . all fighting for a kingdom called Requiem.

Four years later, there are ten Requiem novels and more to come.

The music that started it all:

Requiem: http://DanielArenson.com/Requiem

Requiem's Song

The dragons are flying again. The new Requiem novel is here.

In 2011, I released my novel Blood of Requiem. I never imagined that the novel would kick-start a franchise: ten Requiem novels and counting, a quarter-million book sales, three novels on Amazon's Top 100 list, and many more adventures to come. Today we return to Requiem with a new story of wings, claws, and dragonfire.

You can learn all about Requiem here: DanielArenson.com/Requiem

New Moth music

Some new tracks of Moth music by Ekaterina, capturing scenes from the books...

Winds of Change:

The Journey Home:

Eloria's Lament:

Listen to all the Moth tracks here.

Milestones and books to come

A nice little milestone this week: 300,000 total books sold! THANK YOU, dear readers, for reading. You guys rock!

Meanwhile, it's still a baby compared to Requiem, but The Moth Saga (all three books) sold its 10,000th copy today. Thanks so much for trying this new series too! Moth (the first book) is also at 47 Amazon reviews and getting close to the all-important 50 reviews milestone; when we hit 50, we'll have a little party (I'll bring snacks... virtual ones at least). There is a fourth Moth book planned for this summer, and I think the series will keep going to interesting places. Thank you to everyone who's been exploring this new world with me.

In Requiem news, I'm getting close to finishing Requiem's Song, the first book in a new dragon trilogy. I hope to have this one completed in April, so keep an eye open for updates. I'm really excited about us returning to Requiem after a little hiatus. As always, this will be a crazy book full of monsters, epic battles, and of course -- lots of dragons.

In the workshop...

It's been quiet lately, but I've got LOTS of stuff in the works for you. Currently in the workshop:

* The third Moth book (to be released next month) + a lovely paperback omnibus of Moth 1-3
* New Moth artwork (we'll finally see what Cam and Linee look like)
* A new Requiem book to kick-start a new dragon trilogy (to be released this spring)
* A Moth audio book (also this spring)
* Even MORE new music
* And finally, this summer, a fourth Moth book

I'll be a busy few months!

The Journey Home

"Our home lies in shadow... to the night we return."

In preparation for Secrets of Moth (The Moth Saga, Book Three), we have a new, beautiful track from musician Ekaterina. This one is titled "The Journey Home," and it might be my favorite piece of Moth music yet.

Visit The Music of Moth to hear more tracks.