L2L2 Publishing is pleased to announce that we have signed a new author.

Before we introduce her to you, we would love to tell you a little about her book. It is stunning!

Azriel

Born in secrecy and hidden away in shame, Bree Faro learns early in life that she has only herself to depend on. Due to her feisty nature and her unusual ability with a sword, Bree is educated in every fighting style imaginable and excels at them all. She is soon trained to be a personal bodyguard of the king.

So when she is sent to infiltrate the city of Azriel, one of the Five Cities of the Valley founded by the Watchmen, she is not expecting to find her place among the Watchmen of the Keep. Taken in by the Watchmen of Azriel, Bree begins to learn who she really is. She soon discovers that Love is real and is beckoning to her with a still, small voice.

Little does Bree know that her companions are in danger. An immortal creature lies in wait for any Keeper of the Flame who would be seduced by her charms, the city’s water source has dried up, and the Watchmen are under constant attack by the Yirtzi—former Watchmen reduced to vengeful spirits, who sold their souls for power only to realize that the enemy of Yahweh does not translate to the friend of mankind.

Not only that, but the Watchmen are fraying. Hostilities come to a head when a Watchman is murdered. Only a Watchman can kill another Watchman, and all eyes shift to Bree.

Bree finds herself faced with a choice. Does she engineer the betrayal of her father’s people, or does she embrace her destiny as a true Watchman of Yahweh and find the killer before it is too late?

This captivating tale is written by the lovely Lee James, a debut author L2L2 Publishing is proud to introduce to our readers.

Lee James writes stories of hope and redemption. Whether she creates fantasy, mystery, or historical fiction, her beautifully awkward characters traverse a dark labyrinth on their journey to a hopeful end. Her work is dedicated to sharing the beauty of Christ, one faith-infused project at a time. A lifelong lover of the written word, Lee started crafting alternate worlds as a child.

Today, she is vehement about the importance of creating and preserving the sanctity of the written word. In that vein, she supports literacy programs and her local libraries. Most importantly, she supports her fellow writers. When not writing, she enjoys photography, watching The Simpsons, and of course, reading.

James lives in Upstate NY and survives the snowy winters by diving deep into fantasy worlds, consuming copious amounts of coffee and chocolate, and pretending she is an authority figure to her two cats. Her one attempt at LARPing ended with three broken toes, so she prefers to do her sword fighting in her imagination.

Keep up-to-date with all of her stories at www.leejameswrites.com. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram @LJamesthewriter or on Facebook @WriterLeeJames.

Welcome, Lee James, to L2L2 Publishing! We cannot wait to share your story with our readers!

Up next: 2020 Production Schedule, 2020 Conference Schedule, and Cover Reveal for Burn: Book Three of the Firebrand Chronicles by J.M. Hackman.

We would like to welcome T.J. Akers to the L2L2 Publishing family!

Akers’ novel, called The Final Paladin, is the first volume in the Key of Apollyon series. This riveting tale follows fifteen-year-old Peg Bowman on a mystical adventure fraught with faerie tale creatures more of the Grimm brothers’ persuasion than Disney’s.

Here is a little more about The Final Paladin: Book One of the Key of Apollyon Series:

Life for Peg Bowman is rough in the infamous slum of Five Points New York. When she finds her older brother murdered in an alley, her life takes an unexpected turn as she finds herself in incredible worlds filled with unbelievable creatures, beyond any story she’s ever heard.

Enter Sir Godfrey, eleven-hundred-year-old knight from the court of Charlemagne, trainer of Paladins. He reveals to Peg her family’s ancient obligation as curators and protectors of the relics of Charlemagne, most notably the Key of Apollyon. She is now the last descendant of the Paladin clans and his only hope for keeping the key safe from those who would use it for evil.

When Godfrey confides in Peg her brother’s murder was triggered because of the Key, she rejects her calling and demands revenge, a luxury she cannot afford. Soon otherworldly creatures seek her death to claim the key for themselves. Her only hope lies in Godfrey’s protection, his promise to train her, and his faithful retinue: Chim the Hobgoblin, Rebecca the Jewish Maven and healer, and Jack the sometimes-human-sometimes-seven-foot Gallows Dog.

Now a little about the author himself:

T.J. Akers was nearly born in England, but alas, it was not to be. He had to settle for Nebraska a week after his family had just returned from his father’s Air Force duty assignment in Northern England. That’s what happens when one grows up a military brat.

When his father retired to the Pacific Northwest, his family ended up on a small ranch in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. There he spent his high school years riding horses, bow hunting, and getting turned down for dates by members of the opposite sex. He finally figured out if he invited girls to ride horses and provided said horses, he stopped getting turned down.

Eventually he married his college sweetheart. It took a few years of being single in seven different states before he came to his senses and walked her down the aisle. They’ve been together ever since.

Akers has degrees in theology, computer networking, and creative writing, making him a triple threat, as well as a Masters of English from Minnesota State University. This author can sing, preach, and play multiple musical instruments, fix or hack computers, and write fantasy and science fiction. Akers can often be found roaming his alma mater’s library, especially the children’s and young adult sections. Librarians have always been his heroes.

He has a grown son and lives with his wife, two cats, and a dog in Minnesota. The dog is an excellent walking and writing companion, but the cats have proven to be rather critical of either exercise.

His favorite living authors are Jonathan Stroud, Jim Butcher, and Michael J. Sullivan. There are too many favorite dead authors to mention, and not all of them are dead white guys either.

His short story, “Necessary Evil,” was included in the science fiction anthology No Revolution Is Too Big, (Helping Hands Press, April 2014). His story, “Elfanticide,” appeared in the anthology Tides of Impossibility (Skipjack Press, April 2015).

When T.J. grows up, he hopes to have millions of dollars to give away to his favorite charitable organizations: schools, churches, and animal shelters. Since the millions have been slow in coming, he’s settled for working for a state university as a computer technician and volunteering at church and a local animal shelter. Whenever possible, he indulges his love of writing stories to entertain people, especially younger readers.

You can learn more about T.J. Akers on his website, www.tjakers.com, his blog with his fellow Scriblerians, or his Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ pages.

We are so pleased to include T.J. Akers’ novel, The Final Paladin, in our 2017 lineup. This author has enchanted us with his incredible gift of storytelling, and we cannot wait to share his story with you.

Our full 2017 publishing schedule will be coming soon.

Happy reading!

~The L2L2 Publishing Team

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P.S. Only three more days to submit your spec-fic manuscript to us. If this interests you, visit our submissions page.

Also, Hodgepodge releases tomorrow, and the Facebook release party is this Tuesday from 7-9 p.m. EST. We hope to see you there!

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L2L2 Publishing would like to welcome Author J.M. Hackman to the publishing family.

Represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary Agency, Hackman is a powerful author whose story will leave you stunned. Our acquisitions editor knew we must have this story the moment she finished reading it.

Spark: Book One of the Firebrand Chronicles

Brenna James wants three things for her sixteenth birthday: to find her history notes before the test, to have her mother return from her business trip, and to stop creating fires with her bare hands. Yeah, that’s so not happening.

When Brenna learns her mother is missing in an alternate reality called Linneah, she travels through a portal to find her. But Brenna’s arrival in Linneah begins the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy, including a royal murder and the theft of Linneah’s most powerful relic: The Sacred Veil.

Brenna and her new friend Baldwin pursue the thief into the dangerous woods of Silvastamen and beyond. When they spy an army marching toward Linneah, Brenna is horrified. Can she find the veil, save her mother, and warn Linneah in time?

Full of vivid images, non-stop action, and the sweetest of romances, Spark will leave you on the edge of your seat and will keep you riveted until the tale is finished. Even then, this story will linger for you to savor.

A little about Author J.M. Hackman:

J.M. Hackman received a degree in Elementary Education from The Pennsylvania State University. After graduation, she held many positions: assistant librarian, office assistant, office manager, substitute teacher, writer, wife, and mother. She still holds the last three jobs.

In 2012, her novel Something to Talk About placed in the highly commended bracket of the Rose and Crown New Novel Competition. In 2015, she won the Editor’s Choice Award in the Realm Makers Short Story Contest for her story, “The Escort,” published in RealmScapes: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Anthology.

She spends her days writing stories, consuming massive quantities of chocolate, and looking for portals to other worlds. You can find her at www.jmhackman.weebly.com, her Facebook page, or Pinterest.

You can also read this interview at LandsUncharted.com if you would like to know more about her.

Welcome, J.M. Hackman! We are thrilled to have you and your lovely story!

~The L2L2 Publishing Team