THE PROPHECY CHRONICLES Prophecy Foretold by Ron Hartman

Ron will be awarding signed cover flats for each tour stop and a $25 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

An accident made him a savior. Now Daniel Marten struggles to find himself and a way home while the armies of Naphthali battle to control him.

These are dark days for Naphthali. The king has been murdered, the land invaded by the Imperial Army. It will absorb Naphthali into an Empire that stretches across all of Enialé at any cost. The ravaged people cling to an ancient promise, an assurance that a Prophesied savior will come to set them free…Daniel Martin is trapped in a life that hasn’t gone as expected. His pharmacy is struggling and he is losing all hope of making a difference in his patients’ lives. His family is the one shining light in his disenchanted life, but he is torn from them when an accident draws him to Naphthali. The people need him but Daniel is driven by his need to return to the family he loves. Is he the Prophesied One? Only time will tell as both the Empire and the Resistance battle for Daniel while the fate of Naphthali hangs in the balance…

Thanks so much Ron for being a guest on the blog today :O)
Guest post topic: Where I Find Inspiration.


Inspiration can come in many forms. It might be love and support when you’re down, or maybe a family member telling you how much they enjoy your work. It might involve opening your eyes to new technology, or inspiration might even come from a rejection letter. While I was writing The Prophecy Chronicles: Prophecy Foretold it was all of the above.
I wrote this book four years ago and then went through a seemingly endless line of rejections before Rogue Phoenix Press finally agreed to publish it. I tried agents and publishers, large houses and small, all of them with usually essentially the same form letter. Then one day I checked my mail and saw a letter from one of the smaller publishing houses I queried. After so many rejections I wasn’t holding out much hope, but every time I felt the butterflies in my stomach just the same. Yep, you guessed it—it was a rejection. But this one was different. “Dear Ron,” it started, not the usual nameless rejection. “Your work shows promise, but unfortunately we’re not accepting new titles at this time.” It wasn’t really too much different than the dozens of other letters, but for some reason this one stuck with me. My work showed promise…I don’t know why, but when I read that I knew that some day my book would be published. I didn’t know how long it’d take, but I was inspired to continue trying!

Most of my family didn’t know that I was writing until I’d finished Prophecy Foretold and had started on the sequel. I was trying to push through a difficult spell when the words wouldn’t come when one night my dad called. He just wanted to tell me that he’d just finished Prophecy Foretold and he was so proud. He loved it, and he was sure it’d be published any day. That was probably three years ago, so it still took some time, but his enjoyment kept me going, carried me through the tough spot and saw the second book completed.

I have a friend named Robbie Schwenker that is very techno-savvy, far more than I am. He and I had talked about my book a few times when one day out of the blue he asked, “Have you tried electronic publishing?” I chuckled uncertainly and said, “Oh, I don’t know…” But Robbie wouldn’t let my hesitance deter him. He took the Word document I’d emailed him and converted it to a PDF file, loading it on his iPad. He opened my eyes to the possibility of electronic publishing, guiding me in the direction that eventually led to Rogue Phoenix. When I told him how much his encouragement inspired me, he just said, “Oh, just mention me in an interview some time and we’ll call it even.” I hope this counts, Robbie, and I hope you know how much your friendship and support mean to me!

Lastly, (but not really last, never last) I was inspired by my wife and kids. Like I said, not many knew I was writing before Prophecy Foretold was finished, but my wife Leslie knew practically at the start. Her love and support was and has always been never-ending. As I say in the dedication in this book, without her I truly would be a stranger lost in a strange land. She is my rock, my love, and my best friend. She was my earliest critic and has always been my truest sounding board. It shouldn’t be surprising that Ashley, Daniel Marten’s wife in the book, is patterned after my own angel.

So there you have it. Where did my inspiration come from? Everywhere! Without the love, support, advice, and kind words (even those found in rejection letters), Prophecy Chronicles: Prophecy Foretold would never have seen the light of day. If you choose to read my book I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you inspire someone else every day!


Excerpt:

Daniel stopped behind him and just short of the hill's crest, his heart in his throat as he looked at Soren's tense form in silhouette. Afraid of what he'd see, but needing to see it anyway, he forced himself to take the last few steps on numb and shaky legs. Before them the peaks declined into a series for short foothills before reaching a rocky beach. They were surrounded on three sides by the strange green waters of the sea. The tall white-capped mountains continued along the far shore to their right-hand side. Fear and confusion welled inside him as he asked, "How--what happened?"

A fierce scowl marred Alaric's face as he dropped his pack and pulled out the vellum map. Soren rested a hand on the map and gently pushed it down. "We lost our bearings," he murmured. "Veered too far west."

Daniel's bowels turned to water at the sound of doom in Soren's voice. In a whisper he asked, "What?" Alaric raised the map and his shoulders sagged. He held it out to Daniel, pointing at the mountains and the sea. Specifically he pointed at the small peninsula that jutted into the Sea of Sorrows. "No…" Daniel murmured, realization bringing his dread to fruition.

Clem realized the danger as well. He spun around, as if expecting Imperial soldiers to appear any second. When he turned back to them, his eyes were cold, his voice dead. "We're trapped."

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Ron Hartman has had a life-long passion for the written word and is an avid reader. The Prophecy Chronicles are his first written works. Ron graduated from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy in 2000 and lives in Ottumwa, Iowa with his wife and three children.

Links: www.prophecychronicles.com

To purchase book: roguephoenixpress |Barnes & Noble |amazon