Anthology: These Aren’t Your Typical Heroes
Beggars, thieves, killers, children, and fools—a hero is anyone who takes a stand against oppression, abuse, and evil. Ragged though they may be, they hold their ground, defy hopeless odds, and conquer the impossible no matter the personal cost.
Eighteen bestselling and award-winning authors give you a look at what it truly means to be a hero: the simple act of standing up and making a difference, even to just one person.
Meet the Authors
Andy Peloquin, Ragged Heroes
I am, first and foremost, a storyteller and an artist–words are my palette. Fantasy is my genre of choice, and I love to explore the darker side of human nature through the filter of fantasy heroes, villains, and everything in between. I’m also a freelance writer, a book lover, and a guy who just loves to meet new people and spend hours talking about my fascination for the worlds I encounter in the pages of fantasy novels.
Fantasy provides us with an escape, a way to forget about our mundane problems and step into worlds where anything is possible. It transcends age, gender, religion,race, or lifestyle–it is our way of believing what cannot be, delving into the unknowable, and discovering hidden truths about ourselves and our world in a brand new way. Fiction at its very best!
Website: Andy Peloquin
Facebook:Andy Peloquin
J.T. Williams, Death Bane
USA TODAY BESTSELLING author J.T. Williams writes both epic fantasy, inspired by the likes of Tolkien, Salvatore, and Brooks, along with darker sword and sorcery, fueled by countless hours playing Elder Scrolls, The Legend of Zelda, and many other fantasy RPG/ MMORPGs. When he isn’t writing, he wages war in his backyard with his children having make-believe battles against the orcs invading from next door. He is married and has five little orc slayers.
Website: Author J.T. Williams
Facebook: J.T. Williams
Phil Tucker, Blood and Stone
Phil Tucker is a Brazilian/Brit that currently resides in Asheville, NC, where he resists the siren call of the forests and mountains to sit inside and hammer away at his laptop. He is currently working on the epic fantasy series, Chronicles of the Black Gate, launched in May 2016.
Website: Author Phil Tucker
Facebook: Phil Tucker
Sara C. Roethle, A Tale of Two Thieves
Author of the Amazon Bestselling Xoe Meyers Fantasy Series. Born and raised in the dusty desert, now residing in the Land of Enchantment as far away from the humans as possible.
Fun Fact: My last name Roethle is pronounced ray-thlee, but is technically German and should not be pronounced that way at all. Xoe, the namesake of my main series, is pronounced like it starts with a Z and rhymes with toe. It also probably should not be pronounced that way.
Website: Sara C. Roethle
Facebook: Sara C. Roethle Author
David Estes, Warmarked
David Estes has written more than 30 science fiction and fantasy books, his most famous of which are Fatemarked, Slip, and The Moon Dwellers. He has a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), is a mad-skilled ping-pong player, an obsessive Goodreads group member, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table. He loves chatting with his readers, all of whom he considers to be his friends. David lives in Hawaii with his beautiful Aussie wife, Adele, his asthmatic cat, Bailey, and his rambunctious son, Beau.
Website: David Estes Books
Facebook: David Estes Books
Brandon Barr, Heart of a Shadow Child
Brandon Barr is an Amazon Bestselling Author who hails from Southern California. He writes in the genres of science fiction and fantasy and often combines the two, preferring stories where the science is soft, the fantastic is vivid, and the flesh and soul characters are front and center.
The Song of the Worlds saga is his breakout, genre-blending science-fantasy drama set in a vast fantasy universe where elements of science fiction are dominated by gods and monsters, visions and gifts.
Website: Brandon Barr
Facebook: Brandon J. Barr
Jonathan Yanez, The Wolf’s Law
Jonathan Yanez is the author of over a dozen fantasy and science fiction novels. His works include; The Elite Series, The Nephilim Chronicles, Thrive, Bad Land and The DeCadia Code.
Although writing has been and will always be his main love, physical exercise comes in at a close second. When he’s not writing his next novel that more than likely includes some kind of zombie, superhero, angel or alternative steampunk universe he enjoys running with his dogs and working out at the gym.
Website: Jonathan Yanez
Facebook: Jonathan Yanez Author
Daniel Parsons, Another Chosen One
Daniel Parsons lives in South Wales, UK, where he writes fast-paced fantasy and horror stories.
He has written seven books, including The Twisted Christmas Trilogy, The Necroville Series, The Canvas Chronicles and The Creative Business Series for authors. His books have sold in six countries and he has hit multiple Amazon bestseller lists.
Website: Daniel Parsons Books
Facebook: Daniel Parsons Books
Jason Paul Rice, Redemption Day
USA Today Bestselling Author Jason Paul Rice’s real passion is to help people who have fallen victims to difficult circumstances. He would love to gain enough influence through writing to be able to supply books and ereaders to the underprivileged and homeless youths of the world. He wants to make sure every child has access to plenty of books to enjoy.
Jason Paul Rice was born and raised in the steel city of Pittsburgh. A strong work ethic was instilled in Jason from a very young age. Dedication and sacrifice were constantly exemplified by his mother, Judy, who taught Jason that nothing comes easy. After working extensively as a Chef (yes, you can ask him questions about food or cooking), Jason took the polar bear plunge into the icy waters of the book publishing world. He uses the accumulated lessons from a crazy life, and puts heart and soul into his writing.
Website: Jason Paul Rice Books
Facebook: 2 Heads 2 Spikes
Joshua Robertson, The Skincutter’s Daughter
Joshua Robertson is an award-winning author in dark fantasy, and a writer for Fantasy-Faction. He is also a Licensed Master Social Worker, who received his degree from Wichita State University. He has worked with children and families for the past fifteen years in a variety of unique venues: a residential behavior school, a psychiatric treatment facility, and the child welfare system. He has functioned as a supervisor, an educator, a behavior specialist, and a therapist during his career. Mr. Robertson has presented trainings for hundreds of professionals and military personnel on topics that include child abuse and neglect, human trafficking, strengthening the parent and child relationships, and the neurobiological impact of trauma.
His first novel, Melkorka, was released in 2015, and he has been writing fantasy fiction like clockwork ever since. Known most for his Thrice Nine Legends Saga, Robertson enjoys an ever-expanding and extremely loyal following of readers.
He currently lives in North Carolina with his better half and his horde of goblins.
Website: Robertson Writes
Facebook: Author Joshua Robertson
Lilian Oake, The Thorn Witch
L.F Oake is an Amazon bestselling author of teen and adult fantasy. She is best known for Nahtaia: A Jaydürian Adventure, which boasts a whopping 3.7 million online hits. Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, she moved to North Carolina where she writes full time and is hard at work on her next book. When she is not writing, she is educating her horde of goblins in the ways of Middle Earth and Narnia with the help of her husband.
Website: L.F. Oake
Facebook: L.F. Oake Books
M.L. Spencer, Reaper of the Flame
M.L. Spencer was born in Southern California and grew up on the works of Steven R. Donaldson, Stephen King and Frank Herbert. She wrote her first novel-length manuscript at thirteen.
By day she works as a biology teacher; by night she sweats over a beaten-up keyboard. Her novel Darkmage won the Indie-Reader Discovery Award for Fantasy.
Website: M.L. Spencer Fiction
Facebook: M.L. Spencer Author
Megan Haskell, Broken Honor
Legend has it, I was born with a book in my hands. When I was a kid, my mom would ground me from reading in order to get me to do my chores. My dad — also an avid reader — introduced me to Tolkien in my late elementary years, and I never looked back. I love escaping to worlds where magic and monsters are real, especially stories with kick-butt heroines and dangerously attractive heroes.
Despite my voracious book appetite, I didn’t start creative writing until I was working as a number cruncher in a big accounting firm. With an hour plus commute by train every day, and a demanding left-brain occupation, I needed a mobile creative outlet. A pen and paper are about as mobile as it gets! As the pages began to fill, I quickly moved onto a tiny laptop, and a writer was born.
Website: Megan Haskell
Facebook: Megan Haskell Author
Laura Greenwood, Falling Ashes
Laura is a USA Today Bestselling Paranormal Romance Author. Whether it’s witches, shifters or princesses, she writes the stories that just won’t leave her head.
While she’s not writing, Laura loves to read, bake and cook…apparently successfully!
Website: Author Laura Greenwood
Facebook: Author Laura Greenwood
Susan Faw, The Wizard of Bastion
Susan’s love of stories began before she could read or write. Her earliest childhood memories are of a make-believe game she played with her sister, creating stories inspired by a picture chosen at random from a National Geographic magazine.
Susan loves to bring new worlds and fantasy adventures to young adults and inspire them to join her on her make-believe journeys.
Website: Susan Faw
Facebook: Author Susan Faw
Stevie Collier, Whips, Toothpicks, and Doorstoppers
Well hello there! My name is Stevie and I’m an American Fantasy Author who has just graduated University with a degree in Business and a degree in French.
When I’m not writing dark and high fantasy, you can find me at the gym pumping iron or running with my spoiled white Siberian Husky named Spartacus.
I grew up with way too many creative ideas in my head and so I had to make a decision. Either I sit and write down all my stories… or allow my brain to explode fantasy all over the walls.
Website: Stevie Collier
Facebook: Stevie Collier Author
Logan Keys, Curse the Dead
Logan Keys says she’s not so much a writer as she is a soothsayer and preparer for those who are still blissfully unaware. Her stories aren’t dystopian but rather a warning for the next generation. When she’s not writing zombies, vampires, superheroes, and robots, she’s fighting against government over-reach and oligarchy using military tactics mixed with a little bit of poetry.
Saving imaginary planets one story at a time, she says, “My words are my riot.”
Website: Logan’s Fiction
Facebook: Logan Keys
Oz Monroe, The Last Ashosi
Oz Monroe is an author, entertainer, and outspoken advocate for independent publishing. After dropping out of high school at age 16, Oz made his living as a juggler and fire eater, eventually deciding to pursue further education in theology, philosophy, and astrophysics. His knowledge of both the arts and sciences led him to be invited to join the 2016 Tennessee Valley Interstellar Workshop, a think tank devoted to discussing the challenges for mankind to achieve and survive interstellar travel. Oz is an active member of MENSA, and a passionate proponent of Humanism and critical thinking. His blog has been known to cover topics both bawdy and brainy, but his favorite thing to do is write science fiction and fantasy.
Website: Oz Monroe
Facebook: Oz Monroe Author