I’m not sure but I think I was one of the first to coin and use this sub-genre. You all know what urban fantasy is–stories set in a world basically about like ours is right now or just a few years ago or in the future. However, there is a twist because some kind of fantastic, paranormal or otherworldly elements are woven into the plot. The lead characters may or may not be regular humans but you can expect unusual things! Well, I am not a city person and rarely set a story in the city, at least not completely. My tales usually happen in rural, wilderness or other remote areas. Thus rural fantasy. The first story I wrote in this genre was somewhat accidental but it worked and I knew quickly that I would be doing more. In time these tales became the Thin Green Line series with five being published at my previous house with more planned. When I began to shop for a new home for them, I decided Changeling Press was the best fit. So far that is working out very well!!
Most of the tales in the series feature characters who are agents in the U.S Border Patrol but they belong to a new unit of that organization called the Paranormal Operations Unit or POU (pronounced like pow or like the Hawaiian word pau for taboo or stop that sounds the same way.) The first of these was Beyond the Shadows, the accidental or serendipity one. It will be re-released by Changeling later this fall. Meanwhile two closely related stories have come out in a single book. They were Runes of Revelation and Runes of Redemption, revised and heated up a bit and released in June as Bonds of the Runes.
Runes tells the story of Clayton Chiles, who has been named the head of the newly formed POU and was a peripheral character in Beyond the Shadows and the following story, Wings of Love. Clay is a lonely and solitary man who knows he is “different” but does not know why, He never had a father in his life and his mother’s death left him in the care of his strict grandparents to grow up. He hides the fact he is gay along with his special gifts such as clairvoyance and precognition, He makes the POU his family and throws himself into fighting the new invasion of all sorts of horrible denizens of worlds beyond. Then he meets a tall, handsome stranger who claims to be an elf and tells Clay that he is half elf, too! Aron has come to what he calls old earth to help fight off the evil invaders. The two strike sparks off each other at once but there are many barriers to their forming a partnership. How this eventually happens and strengthens is the plot of Bonds of the Runes.
Here is the buy link at Changeling followed by the blurb. The cover is also shown below. In the next post I will talk about this month’s brand new story that wound up being a kind of prequel! http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=2486
Blurb:
As head of the Border Patrol’s Paranormal Operations Unit, Clay Chiles has found a place where he can function and a surrogate family to replace the one he never truly had. He keeps hidden a lot of secrets, and both fears and longs for the day he may share them with one special man. Before he can do that, he has to face some surprising facts about himself and deal with some horrific enemies. Though not weak man, alone he’ll never have the strength to confront all those demons. But who can help him?
Arondel Wanderer is a son of the ancient Elven royal clan. He obeys his Queen’s orders to visit Earth and find what is going wrong. Aron, long a loner and solitary emissary from Elvenheim, never expected to find his soul mate on this mission but surprises, both good and bad, have always been part of his long and adventurous life. He’ll take anything good he’s given and once he sights the partner he always wanted, the most extreme danger isn’t enough to deter him.
Still, when two lifelong loners try to merge their lives, hearts and minds, an occasional conflict is bound to arise.
Publisher’s Note: Bond of the Runes (Duet) contains the previously published novellas Part 1: Runes Of Revelation and Part 2: Runes Of Redemption. Substantial edits and additions have been made to the stories since their original releases.
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