Marc Secchia

Surprise special! Dragonfriend is free today (27/28 Dec only) please tell a friend or gift it! Find it here: Purchase from Amazon Retweet here: Twitter (Dragonfriend) Dragonfriend is rated 4.6* from 129 reviews and has been a fantasy bestseller since April 2015. The audiobook has just been released. Dragonfriend is one of 6 bestselling Dragon adventures set in the same world.

So I went to see Star Wars VII yesterday afternoon. Yeah! And left thinking, "I've seen all this before." Great cinematography. Beautiful production. Soulless remake. Great performances from some stellar actors - Harrison Ford most notably - could not lift this much-anticipated movie from the doldrums in which the writers dumped it. Goes to show a $200 million budget is no substitute for strong screenwriting, and beneath that, strong characters and story. I know, human nature being what it is nothing will ever live up to the first trilogy. George Lucas, I doff my hat to you. Awesome. There's no denying the plot of the second, much-maligned 'prequel' trilogy had force, even if the execution left many fans cold. But that's no excuse for essentially lifting the plot of IV and making it bigger. That's it. Where's the creativity, the spark, for which this series is renowned? It's as if all the writers wanted to do was touch every beloved point

I'm delighted to announce publication of Dragon Thief today! Come experience an unexpected adventure in the world of my bestselling dragon series - Aranya , The Pygmy Dragon and Dragonfriend . A new chapter unfolds in a most unexpected way in the timeline of the Island-World. Hope you like the new cover - check this out! Dragons! Thieves! Mischief and mayhem! All this and more await you in this latest blockbuster adventure on the timeline of the Island-World. What lies beyond the Rim-Wall mountains? What happens when Star Dragons die? Find the answers here! Dragon Thief  Look out for The Onyx Dragon, coming in 2016 - and the Audio edition of Dragonfriend ( audio link ) coming on December 22nd, 2015, narrated by the awesome Erin Bennett!

One for the Aussies! C'mon, friends Down Under, please help spread the word - Amazon is promoting Aranya in the AU Amazon store for just $0.99 for the month of December. Don't miss your chance to pick up this bestselling dragon adventure for just 99c. If you want to take home the Ashes, you need awesome dragons, epic aerial battles and fiery adventure. You won't find David Warner in here, but it's the next best thing! Just $0.99 here:  http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00KYQR4NG

So another month rolls by and the Kindle Unlimited payout for authors drops again. August - $0.00513992 per page read September - $0.00506979 per page read October - $0.0048099 per page read Under the 'Kindle Unlimited mark 2', Amazon having changed its payout regime to pay-per-pages read a few months ago, it seems that past performance is indeed a guide to the future. Slow erosion of values. Judging by the noise out there in author forums you'd be justified in thinking that yet another round of authorial head-scratching is underway. The question is, how does this make commercial sense? If Amazon wants to build a subscription-based ebook borrowing programme, they require not only customer loyalty, but author loyalty. Ah yes, profit, you say. There are plenty of prophets (profits?) of doom out there. The pricing war with the Big 5 publishing houses grinds on, sales of eBooks are dropping (invisible to me) and Indies all over are making hay, grabbing an increasin

Today, the Pygmy Dragon comes to you with an all-new cover courtesy of the awesome Joemel, who has painted covers for Dragonfriend , Dragonlove , The Legend of El Shashi and now ... The Pygmy Dragon . I hope that you love this new cover as much as I do!

I am delighted to announce the forthcoming release of my latest epic fantasy tale, Dragon Thief , on 12th December 2015. Dragon Thief continues the timeline of my bestselling Shapeshifter Dragon fantasy series, Aranya , Dragonfriend and The Pygmy Dragon , but Dragon Thief is a standalone novel. Kal, of course, was not a thief. And he certainly did not intend to steal any dragon’s treasure. He was an adventurer. Avid art collector. Incurable wealth adjuster and risk-taker. Kal had legendary expertise in the security arrangements of palaces and noble houses the world over. He hankered for remote, craggy mountaintops and the dragon hoards he might find hidden beneath them. Besides, what harm was there in looking? Dragon gold was so very … shiny. Most especially, he was not planning for any treasure to steal him. That was a little awkward, to say the least. Described as "memorable, wildly adventurous and laugh-out-loud funny", Dragon Thief is a tale for the un

Aranya will be on special in the US and UK this weekend and until Wednesday 14th October. Currently Aranya is a #1 Amazon bestseller in both the US and the UK and is priced at 99c or 99p over this period, and is also available on Kindle Unlimited. Don't miss your chance to pick up a great read! Rated 4.7* from 148 customer reviews. Don't forget to check out Dragonfriend  - still just 99c! That's going to change soon ...

Sometimes you have a craving. A craving for lots of magic, mythical creatures, and a few things that go bump in the night. For those of us who like to mix our cravings with the best aspects of our inner-geekdom, we turn to our favorite friends in lands of lore. Friends like Drizzt Do'Urden of the Forgotten Realms and the sweeping epics of Dragonlance by Margaret Weis. It is those old friends that I had in mind while curating this bundle of new fantasy authors that will sweep off your feet and up into the skies of new lands. StoryBundle is proud to present Dragons & Darkness, a nine-book fantasy bundle that features legendary dragons and spine-tingling darkness. These nine titles encompass eight unique fantasy worlds from bestselling authors that will leave you salivating for more. The Authors: Terah Edun | Marc Secchia | Michael G. Manning | J.D. Hallowell Daniel Arenson | Megg Jensen | Brian Anderson | Erik Scott de Bie A great perk of the

Win a $25 gift card and also eBook copies of Aranya in my giveaway this week - click here for free entry!

Dear reader-friends, August 15th is here and that means publication day for Dragonlove ! The response so far has been overwhelming. If you like fiery romance, majestic dragons and sweeping adventure wrapped up in an unforgettable fantasy cover, then why not order Dragonlove today? Widely available in eBook stores: Nook   Kindle   Kobo   Apple In other news, Aranya has been honoured with a  BRAG medallion which recognises excellence in Indie publishing. Thank you so much for being part of this amazing dragonride.

I'm delighted to announce that my newest release, Dragonlove, is available on Amazon for preorder , and will be published on August 15th, 2015. Don't miss your chance to preorder this second volume in my Dragonfriend series. Dragonlove is already a Top 100 bestseller in Coming of Age fantasy for Teens on Amazon - thank you to all who have already reserved their copy. You rock - and I've got a super story to share with you! "When a woman loves a dragon, that love will change the world." I'm in love with this artwork by the awesome Joemel Requeza! What do you think? As a lifelong fan of fantasy, this one hits my sweet spot. I like my dragons awesome, huge and mysterious. If you look closely you'll see Hualiama is wearing her Nuyallith blades and an Immadian dagger. This volume reveals a great deal more about her powers and origins, but in a way that I hope is both surprising and original. I certainly don't want to give away anything of the plot, s

Everyone knows the customer ratings system is flawed. You can review anything without ever buying the product or reading the book, buy reviews on tap, rate a book 1* because your Kindle stopped working, and unfortunately there's a minor industry in trolling as well. That's merely the tip of the iceberg. So it was with great interest that I read today that Amazon is trying to introduce changes to the review system to provide a better overall experience for the customer - and hopefully, for me, as an author - by flagging up more helpful or verified reviews and controlling the ocean of trash out there. Amazon Taps Machine-Learning System To Keep Customer Reviews In Check: Here Are The Changes : PERSONAL TECH : Tech Times

Every so often you have a lovely milestone as a writer - about an hour ago, I received my 100th review on Amazon for The Pygmy Dragon . It's entitled, "Spellbinding" and says, "I fell in love with Pip and all the other characters. Suspenseful. Anyone who loves fantasy and dragons will fall in love with this book." Thank you Patricia Wilson! You rock! 75 of the 100 reviews for The Pgymy Dragon are 5*, making it one of the 3 best-rated fantasy books in its bestseller category on Amazon. ( http://www.amazon.com/…/7006…/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_kstore_1_6_last  - where Pygmy Dragon is #26) - a category that Aranya (#19), Shadow Dragon (#20) and The Girl who Sang with Whales (#79) also appear in, and where I'm privileged to share space with big-name writers like Christopher Paolini (Eragon - #2, #4), Phillip Pullman (The Golden Compass - #4, also #23 and #25) and lesser-known but excellent authors like Krista Wayment ( Trusted - Dragon's Trust Book #1 ) and Je

Over on Audio-fantasy.com I'm looking for your feedback in exchange for a free audiobook code from Audible.com or Audible UK! Come and visit this great site for carefully curated new releases in audiobook fantasy! This is the place to enter for a chance to win ! About Audio-fantasy.com: "We offer interactive ‘best of’ lists such as  Best Sci-Fi Series ,  Best Fantasy Series  and  Best Young Adult Series : The order of the titles are voted on by you and the website will be updated to reflect your votes. Log in via your favourite social media to get the most from Audio Fantasy." About Aranya: Aranya is a fantasy bestseller in the US , Canada and UK . Chained to a rock and tossed off a cliff by her boyfriend, Aranya is executed for high treason against the Sylakian Empire. Falling a league into the deadly Cloudlands is not a fate she ever envisaged. But what if she did not die? What if she could spread her wings and fly?  Long ago, Dragons ruled the Island-World a

Elves and centaurs in space? Bring it on! When I had the opportunity to read Ian Martyn's "Project Noah" I discovered a writer with a rare ability to build deep, utterly believable characters. While this story is not strong on action, it is strong on suspense, speculation and plot. In the distant future as Humankind expand into the depths of space they discover that the mythical creatures of Earth's past are not quite so mythical after all, and that dangers abound. This story is essentially a search-and-rescue mission which turns into the discovery of a new and formidable enemy. There is much exploration of technology and inter-species relationships (the story is clean, but rated PG for swear words), moving from planet to planet, and a particularly beautifully described visit to the home planet of the Elves. The narration is told through Danjay, a jaded, long-lived soldier with a good heart, a complex and fascinating character who is not all that he seems! On the

Dragonfriend is available in print, for those who've asked - looks like Amazon haven't managed to link the Kindle and Print editions as yet. Dragonfriend Print Dragonfriend Kindle If you haven't already, please consider leaving a review on Amazon! Every little bit helps, even just a few short words. Much appreciated! Other projects coming online: 1.  The Fiuri Realms  (Shioni of Sheba Book 5) should be available in print within a few days. 2.  The Pygmy Dragon will be coming in audiobook! 3. The sequel to Dragonfriend is well underway with over 75,000 words drafted and a fair amount of editing completed as well. Working on the cover art - I hope it will be as awesome as this dragon here! 

The Legend of El Shashi is an epic fantasy which explores the impact of extraordinary power on a man's life. When a selfish man betrays the man who has been father to him, he is cursed by a sorceress with the power to heal with a touch. El Shashi is catapulted into a powerful, redemptive adventure that spans generations. Each healing feeds the sorceress' power. Each act of selfishness raises the Wurm, which chases him for twice as long as the time before. "I wondered, of the myriad lives I touched in passing, how many concealed such a wounding grief as mine?" The Legend of El Shashi is the most literary of my works, a deep exploration of the depths and glories of the human condition, seen through the eyes of a man cursed with long life and great power. The central concept of the story is loosely based on the life and ministry of Jesus Christ - the healing at the touch of his robe, the pool of Siloam, the healing of the blind man, and the casting out o

Today I am pleased to announce the release of the 5th volume in my bestselling African historical The Fiuri Realms fiction series, Shioni of Sheba. The Fiuri Realms picks up the story from where Shioni is just about to receive her freedom from the King of West Sheba, and Mama Nomuula will receive the surprise of her life. But Kalcha has sent a cunning assassin to Castle Hiwot. When Shioni in intervenes to protect her best friend Annakiya, she and Azurelle are unwittingly catapulted into an out-of-this-world adventure, set in the beautiful and deadly tunnels of Fiuriel. Experience gripping adventure, learn about Shioni's past and encounter the unique dragons of Fiuriel.  Available now on Amazon for Kindle and Kindle Unlimited. The Fiuri Realms is the 5th book in the Shioni of Sheba series, which is suitable for readers of 9 years and up. The other books are, in reading order: The Enchanted Castle  - just $0.99 The King's Horse  - $2.99 The Mad Giant  - $2.99 The

My latest dragon adventure and bestseller, Dragonfriend, launched today. Don't miss your chance to pick up another awesome dragon adventure set in the same world as Aranya , Shadow Dragon and The Pygmy Dragon . Check it out on Free Kindle Books & Tips, an excellent blog I use regularly for advertising - Dragonfriend . The Mad Reviewer says: " Beautiful. Enchanting. Hilarious. Tragic. Touching. Empowering."  Read the full review on  Goodreads  or on  The Mad Reviewer's  blog.  Dragonfriend is widely available:  Amazon Nook (Barnes & Noble) Kobo Apple ITunes Dragonfriend will be followed by Dragonlove just as soon as I can finish burning the midnight oil to write it. The allied dragon adventure series are taking shape now, and customers love them. Aranya is rated 4.7* from 121 reviews, The Pygmy Dragon, 4.7* from 82 reviews.  Also available today, The Enchanted Castle (Shioni of Sheba Book 1) is FREE. This is an exciting African adventu

The Aranya audiobook is available on Amazon , Audible and ITunes as of today! Narrated by Shiromi Arserio (find her at shiromispeaks.com ), this unabridged production is the perfect accompaniment to the bestselling first book in the Shapeshifter Dragons series, which has sold over 10,000 copies and is rated 4.6* from 119 reviews on Amazon. You can sample the audiobook here . Chained to a rock, tossed off a cliff - what if she did not die? What if she could spread her wings and fly? Reviewers say: "This journey left me gasping for air," and "He  spins a mythical yarn , achieving a notable balance between luxurious detail and intense action ... it's Secchia's world building prowess that really  sets this tale apart " -  Stephan J Myers, author of The Prayer Why not be swept away to an Island-World above the clouds, where massive dragons prowl the skies and adventure beckons? This is a fantasy world rich in detail, strong on action, populated with h

Review in brief: Red and the Wolf by E.A. Walker A fresh and original take on the Red Riding Hood fable, Red and the Wolf is a richly atmospheric story by a writer truly in command of their craft. Well edited and crafted, strong characters and a fast-moving plot make this a real treat. Watch for for some big surprises along the way as you experience this unique retelling of a familiar fable - recommended reading for a dark, stormy night! Preorder now on Amazon  (coming April 6th). Catch up with this author at Goodreads . Sometimes we read a story thinking 'this has been done before'. But a fresh interpretation can be therefore be the more enjoyable because it surprises and delights us - as this story did for me. I also loved the style of this story, which is poetic and lyrical without dragging in any way. This is 'my cup of tea' and I can heartily recommend this book, and this author.

Time for a special! Shadow Dragon, the bestselling dragon fantasy and sequel to Aranya, is just 99c until April 3rd - don't miss your chance to own a copy! The Mad Reviewer  says: " He writes incredible female characters . Not just Aranya, but Zuziana and Kylara and even Pip from The Pygmy Dragon spin-off. Unlike a surprising number of male writers, he makes sure that they all have believable motivations and  unique personalities ; they don't just exist for the gratification of the male characters." This special runs in both the  Amazon US  (99c) and Amazon UK (99p) stores.

An authentic and moving friendship develops between a dragon and an octopus in this beautifully crafted tale for all ages.  Arak the dragon is a dreamer and adventurer. Scree the curious octopus is a healer willing to rick it all to help those in need. My 10 year-old bookworm daughter (who is quite a discerning reader and not often lavish with her praise!) says, "The story's fabulous!" and I fully agree. This is a story to dive into, literally, because there's so much more to this tale than meets the eye. Author J. S. Burke brings the undersea world to dazzling life, using her background in marine biology to salt her world-building with just the right amount of authentic and fascinating detail. As someone who grew up beside the ocean I can attest to that! Further, she tells a gripping yarn. While the story at its surface level follows the unfolding of friendship and cooperation of a most unusual kind between two different species, there is tension well sustained

I'm delighted to announce the forthcoming release of my new dragon fantasy, Dragonfriend ,  on April 11th. Set in the same world as the bestselling dragon fantasy Aranya , this is the moving and romantic tale of the first human destined to break the ancient taboo and ride a dragon. When love is forbidden but friendship grows beyond conventional boundaries, the result is nothing less than world-shattering. Sample the first two chapters here ! A third great race will rise in the Island-World. Enter the world of Hualiama Dragonfriend, an epic fantasy tale of forbidden romance and deep secrets, mighty dragon battles, an usurper to the throne, and a friendship which paid the ultimate price. Prepare to be swept away to a unique world of volcanic islands which rise above the deadly, occluded Cloudlands, a world where humans have recently thrown off the yoke of slavery under the draconic claw. Grudges are fresh. Passions run high. And love is only an excuse for murder. The fir

I am delighted to announce that an audiobook is in production for Aranya, and I'm pleased to have secured the services of an excellent narrator. Watch this space for more news! I have a big announcement later this week ...

I've had a number of suggestions through from you lovely readers about the order in which one should read the Shapeshifter Dragons series. Thanks! Here's my suggestion based on your feedback: 1. Kick off with an awesome dragonride - Aranya 2. Grab yourself a feisty little dragon - The Pygmy Dragon 3. Enter the darker realms with Shadow Dragon 4. Leap into the Pygmy Dragon sequel (drafting underway, no date as yet) 5. Travel beneath the Cloudlands and across the Rift with Aranya #3 (planned, no date set as yet) And then? I'll be working on Aranya #3 and The Pygmy Dragon #2 over the course of the next few months. I haven't set publication dates yet, but I'm hoping for mid-year for one of the two books and later in the autumn for the other. They need to be written in tandem for reasons I shall not reveal - don't want to spoil it for you! Thank you so much to all who have posted up a re view of my books, either here on GR or on Amazon. I read them al

What a terrific time-travel / alternative history adventure! Meticulously researched and imagined, with a Gordian knot of a plot that taxes the grey cells in a most enjoyable way, this is a story different to anything that I've read before, by turns informative, imaginative, and lucidly written. The author has clearly spent a great deal of time constructing a thoroughly believable yet unpredictable plot. Buy it here! The story is told in two clearly demarcated threads which come together at the end like the very serpent ropes that are the key to travel through space and time in this epic tale - and it certainly is epic, spanning thousands of years. In a bid to save their civilization, people from the planet Omeyocan in the Pleiades travel to Earth to mingle their genes and save the species. They setup the ancient Inca, Maya and Aztec temples which have so baffled and amazed archaeologists. Not only this, but there's a thorough explanation for technologies which are alien t