Enter to win an autographed copy of Slave to War

Enter to win an autographed copy of Slave to War here!

Slave to War is available now on Amazon in Ebook and Paperback editions. Here’s a little more about the novel:

He took my city. They chained me as a slave. Nothing will stop my revenge.

In aftermath of bitter betrayal, the city of Nacin will tremble to its core under my wrath. Truth will come to light; the underbelly of the city rising from the darkness below as age-old secrets surface from their graves. Death is the only solace to be found and blood will be the currency to pay for their sins. But can Operation Night-Butterfly be stopped once fate is called to action? Or will the city that was once mine become nothing more than a graveyard of what it once was as martial law descends upon the ashes that remain? That is the question…

Pick up your copy here

The World of Destiny in the Shadows – A Map

Who knew that making a map of a dystopian science fiction world would be so time consuming? Plotting Nacin, Mercaine, and MoiRai on a map was difficult, but I finally got it done for you all!

Make sure to check out Slave to War to continue where War Machine left off in the epic cliffhanger! It’s now available on Amazon here!

Slave to War: Exclusive Snippet #2

Here’s an exclusive excerpt of SLAVE TO WAR:

“This isn’t going to do anything,” Michael said, coming to me as well. “All it will do is create chaos. They’ll seize control again. No one will stand against them except the drug and crime lords. No one will fight-“

“No one?” I replied hollowly.

I let that linger in the room for a moment, letting them realize just what was in store. They hadn’t yet realized what I was planning. If Nacin needed a savior, they were going to get one. But they were also going to get the bad and the ugly with it; that being me.

“No,” Michael said, taking my other hand as Max shook against me. “You can’t. Don’t let them do this to you.“

“I warned you, Michael,” I murmured, brain planning my next step. “You don’t know me as well as you think you do. The city needs exactly what it created; its vigilante assassin has come back to roost. If they want a slave to war, they’re going to get it!”

– Slave to War coming February 5th! You can order it here!

you enjoy the snippet? Comment and let me know!

Snippet copyright ML Heron-Heidel 2019

The Bionic Technology of Destiny in the Shadows: No Longer Science Fiction, Now A Reality

Science really is an amazing field. While it has led us to many controversial issues, sometimes the yields it bears can be life changing.

As a writer when I see imaginary technology that I wrote into my fiction novels years ago becoming a reality, it really is mind blowing. As many of you know, at the end of War Machine (HUGE SPOILER ALERT FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T READ IT YET. LAST WARNING!), the lead character Rain is transformed with bionic limbs. Amazingly now these fictional plot points are becoming reality with more and more frequency.

Brought to the public by Open Bionics, there are now bionic arms being made that respond to muscle impulses and function much like a normal hand.

These developments make me wonder what our future holds. Will it follow similar sinister events that the Destiny in the Shadows series foretells? Only time will tell…

If you enjoyed this article, make sure to sign up for my exclusive readers club! Just for joining you’ll receive a free copy of my best selling novella STILL DEATH!

Slave to War – An Exclusive Sneak Peek

Hi everyone! Just a few more days until Slave to War is here! Wanted to give you an exclusive sneak peek before the book is released. This is the prologue the story, so not too much for a spoiler for ya!

“Where is she?!”

The terrified-looking secretary leaned away from her desk as General Cain McRattin suddenly lunged and grabbed her by her shirt collar, losing his patience. Now nose to nose, he bore down on her, causing her to to drop the phone in fright.

“Call Rogee and tell him if he doesn’t cough Rain up this instant, I’m going to tear his city apart from the inside out!” he snarled, shaking her roughly. “I know he has her! I’m not putting up with the runaround anymore. Either get him on the phone or this is going to get ugly…”

Her eyes widened as his grip tightened around her shoulders. “I’m sorry, General, but I already inquired about her to my boss multiple times and the Prime Minister insists he had nothing to do with Sierrenna’s disappearance. Maybe she left voluntarily,” she stuttered and then gulped as he shook her. “I can leave him another message-“

“That’s bullshit!” he roared, icy blue eyes narrowing dangerously. “She was abducted! I have it all on security footage and the license plate of the vehicle that took her belongs to Rogee!”

“Cain,” Rig inserted calmly, reaching over to attempt to pry Cain’s fingers off of her. “Let her go.”

“She’s full of crap,” Argon added, shooting her a disgusted look as Cain reluctantly released her. “She’s not going to talk. Let’s blow. If Rogee won’t answer our calls, then maybe he’ll respond to us releasing the evidence linking him to your father’s murder. How about that, bitchface?”

That seemed to get a rise out of the secretary. She shook, mouth opening and closing for a minute while all four soldiers glared at her. “Look, I have searched the records myself for this Sierrenna, but we have no records in our system of such a person inside the government database.”

“Then how do you explain all the photographs in the paper?” Ray demanded, slamming her fist on the counter while Rig nodded. “Or the security footage from the nuclear incident?! She was chosen by the state for the mission! There has to be a record somewhere!”

The secretary shook her head. “Then someone has erased all records of her existence. I’m sorry, but I can’t help you. If she is still alive, you’re going to have to find her yourselves.”

Cain stood up with a start as she folded her arms, refusing to talk further. Storming out of the room, he headed outside of the building to escape all of the lies. He slammed the door shut and headed out to the car. All was quiet as he muttered under his breath mutinously and dragged his hands through his hair.

Seven long days had passed since Rain had been taken. All evidence indicated that his love was beyond his reach, but he refused to give up. He had been through the city and across the desert to MoiRai, but still no sign of her had been found… until this morning, that is.

Argon had called. A woman was found washed up on the shore of the river on the other side of the city. Limbs missing, artificial organs, innards and eyes cut free to steal the technology, she wore Rain’s violet dress from the night of Michael’s party. Even the leather jacket that Cain had tossed over her shoulders had washed up, covered in white blood. A gang’s insignia had been burned into her forehead as a grim signature.

His stomach sank thinking about it. It was so grizzly that Argon warned him to stay away, but he had gone and he was glad he had. Sorry for the poor soul sacrificed to throw him off of Rain’s trail, but relieved because it hadn’t been her.

The true Rain had a small scar under her chin that he’d noticed one night while she was asleep, unaware of his study. It was almost like a small star on her silky copper skin. It was missing from the corpse. That they couldn’t fake. This woman also had pierced ears. Rain didn’t. She had no brand on the back of her neck and many of her other scars weren’t present either.

The empty eye sockets made him sick with disgust and brought images of Rain’s lifeless body to mind. But that was too much to bear now.

Determination rekindled, he spent the day redoubling his efforts and still came up with nothing. He knew she was still out there somewhere in Nacin. Rogee wouldn’t send her far. He’d want her right under his nose to keep an eye on her. She was too dangerous to leave without supervision, but with her new technologies too valuable to kill.

Cain sighed, forcing himself to take a deep, calming breath. It wasn’t easy. Every breath hurt knowing he had failed to keep her safe. If he never shared the locket with her, she wouldn’t have been dragged into this mess. She would never have discovered the dark secret Rogee was so desperate to hide and would still be a free woman.

Rain’s face swam in front of his eyes, thinking of how her eyes crinkled at the corners when she cracked a rare smile. He thought of how her violet eyes fluttered closed and how she shivered when he finally confessed his feelings for her, overcome with emotion because no one had ever loved her before. Those eyes were the windows to her soul and the very thing that had captured him as a boy. They held endless pain but also a sea of yearning for someone to reach out and gain her trust again.

So close…. If only they had had more time he was sure she would have come to trust him, to give in to his love completely. And even better, for her to love him back.

He longed to hold her, feel her heart fluttering under his fingers again, responding to his touch. The raw feeling of their one and only kiss, stolen in the moment just before she had been taken from him, was just a bare memory now. The moment that should have held so much promise for them was now a reminder of his failure.

An acid desire for revenge warred with his forced sense of calm. If anyone touched one hair on her head they were going to be a cadaver before long. He’d sworn to himself that he’d keep her from ever being hurt again. Cain hated that he’d failed in his promise. She had already suffered beyond measure.

Cain looked up as Argon came out of the building, heading to his side. Argon shook his head, pulling his hood up. “The sec knows nothing. She didn’t even know about the body that washed up this morning. I also inquired about Michael. All she can say is he was sent to a prestigious prep school, but we both know that’s a bunch of shit. They have their stories straight and they’re sticking to ‘em. Xorratti is in Mercaine so we can’t question him either.”

“We have to find her,” Cain said, putting both palms on the hood of the car and exhaling heavily.

“We will,” Argon replied wearily, patting his shoulder. “Rain’s strong. She’ll be fine. Rogee must be desperate to hide her if he’s willing to try and fake her murder.”

But he could hear the lie in Argon’s voice. Argon already thought that it was too late to find her. He just didn’t dare to say it straight to Cain’s face. And he was probably right but Cain refused to give up.

Both men stood for a minute, enmity strong for the city that had betrayed them. They both knew what the elites had planned and had no idea how to stop them. All they could do for now was keep searching and wait for the opportune moment to bring Rogee down.

Argon shifted, looking at Cain suddenly. “You really do love her, don’t you?”

Cain didn’t answer, still looking out over the cityscape before them. His eyes narrowed, knowing that Argon didn’t need an answer to that rhetorical question. He already knew the truth, as did everyone else that they had interrogated over the last week. And they all had the same bleak look in their eyes, thinking that it was a lost cause to keep searching.

“Call Dantenn,” Cain ordered, turning away. “Check again to make sure Rain hasn’t been there.”

Argon nodded and headed off as Cain looked out over the city once more. Cain gritted his teeth, squaring his chin as the dawn came over the city of Nacin.

“I’m coming for you, Rain. I will find you,” he vowed to no one in particular as the drizzle fell, dampening the smog. “I will find you.”

Did you enjoy it? Comment and let me know if you’re excited for the book to come out! Slave to War will be within your grasp in a week!

Your Opinion is Needed: #SlavetoWar

https://www.facebook.com/MaggieLynnHH/videos/2163613310560601/

I want your opinion folks! Do you feel this cover is appropriate for the hotly anticipated second book in the Destiny in the Shadows series? What do you think of when you see this cover? Comment and let me know!

– Maggie Lynn Heron-Heidel

Author and Filmmaker

If you haven’t read the first book in the Destiny in the Shadows series, STILL DEATH, you can read it for free! I’ll send it to you immediately just for joining my VIP readers club!

Join Author Maggie Lynn Heron-Heidel On Madame Perry’s Salon Radio Show

Hi everyone! I’m was on Madam Perry’s Salon Radio Show last night!

You can listen in here! I had a blast speaking with Madame Perry and can’t wait to join her on her show again!

Here’s a little bit about the show: Popular publicist and entertainer Jennifer Perry interviews today’s most interesting people. Guests include Greg Dybec, Harvey J. Kaye, Kasim Sulton, Michael Fleeman, Dianne Fanning, Rudy Sarzo, Blayr Nias, Simon Wood, Hollie Overton, Frank ‘DeVille’ Greenfield and more!

Happy June To All My Readers! * Contest Alert *

Happy Summer everyone! How are all my wonderful readers?

I have some  exciting announcements for you all. I have not one, but three new books planned for release this summer! They are:

Slave to War – Book 2 in the Desting in the Shadows series

Wings of Caligo – Book 1 in the Legends of Arestina Series

and 

Cursed – Book 1 in the Vaktare of All Realms Series

Want to read them in advance before the general public gets to see them? I’m going to be needing a bunch of advanced readers! If you want in on receiving a free digital advanced reader copy of Slave to War, Wings of Caligo, or Cursed, make sure to join my street team group on Facebook!

Facebook.com/groups/destinyintheshadows

I’m so excited to be sharing these new books with you! You have no idea! They’re all fantasy and sci-fi books, so I can promise lots of adrenaline pumping action!

Also heads up authors! I’m teaming up with my publishing company Heron Publishing to bring you some great contests this week! From video teasers, to social media promotion and blog features, make sure to like their page to enter all of their June contests! Like them here at facebook.com/heronpublishingco

Also for my readers on Google Play:

War machine is now available to read on multiple devices. Do you have a specific format you like to read in and can’t find War Machine and Still Death on them? Let me know and I’ll make sure to get it to you! I want my readers to be happy not only with my stories, but also with your reading experience!

A New Interview With Eric Klein For War Machine

My book War Machine was featured in a new interview! You can check out the interview with me here on Eric Klein’s fantastic sci-fi blog and read all about how War Machine was written and how I brainstormed the tech in the story:

https://www.ericlklein.com/feature-friday-futures/interview-maggie-heidel/