Monday, June 27, 2016

DUSKFALL Blog Tour!

As many of you have already observed, I've had the awesome privilege of writing a few guest blog posts and doing some interviews to promote Duskfall's release. So, without further ado, here's the tour!

Check out the posts that interest you, and of course, if you haven't looked into Duskfall already, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Do it now! :-D

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Interview with Civilian Reader

Aggie's Books: "The Magic of the Mundane"

Mary Robinette Kowal: "My Favorite Bit"

John Scalzi: "The Big Idea"

Book Mood Reviews: "TV's The 100 and the Inexorability of Death"

Interview with The Qwillery

Interview with Daniel Riding

Suvudu: "Five Favorite Works of Dark Fantasy"

Forces of Geek: "Top Five Books that Influenced Duskfall"

Interview with A Fantastic Librarian

Interview with SFFWorld

Interview with WordFire Press

Interview with Dungeon Crawlers Radio

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I'll update the list with more as they're published, so stay tuned!

Thursday, June 23, 2016

What people are saying about DUSKFALL

Reviews for Duskfall are rolling in, and so far they're quite positive! I'm going to keep this page up and continue to update it as an index of all the good things people are saying about the novel. Without further ado...

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"Christopher Husberg’s breathtaking debut fantasy novel Duskfall manages to be dark without being hopeless, savage without being ugly, and wise without being pedantic. This is a stunning debut, and bodes well for the four books to come in the series." - Dave Butler, author of The Kidnap Plot

"This is a dark epic and a gritty page-turner, with complex characters making hard decisions and wrestling with the past. It's a great fantasy debut and shouldn't be missed." - Martha Wells, author of The Edge of Worlds

"A delicious mix of Jason Bourne, dark fantasy, and horror. The kind of debut that has me thrilled for the future of fantasy." - Steve Diamond, author of Residue

"This is one of my favorite epic fantasy novels ever....Duskfall is a novel that moves, the characters are compelling, and the world is awesome and well-drawn. Seriously, you should read it right now." - Janci Patterson, author of Skipped and A Thousand Faces

"A fascinating mystery that slowly unfolds, and cultures and religions in conflict. Enjoy." - Melinda Snodgrass, author of The Edge of Reason

"One of the best books I've read this year....I love books that make me feel, make me care and inspire and challenge me to improve my own work. Duskfall? Yeah, it had all of that." - Erlebnisse

"Absorbing and unputdownable....A speeding horse of a good read." - The Book Bag

"Beyond what I could have hoped for....a must for any fantasy lover." - SFReader

"Wonderful characters that leap off the page..." - Crossroads Review

"With this book Husberg has crafted a really strong opening book in his Chaos Queen series, which in this bloggers humble opinion is sure to be one of the top new fantasy series over the coming years. And, for Duskfall itself, well it has to be ranked as one of the debut fantasy novels of the year." - The Tattooed Book Geek

"Husberg weaves real life issues within his fantasy world--trust, family ties, addiction, and racism are all incorporated into the pages of the novel....I was completely consumed by this story from the start." - Strupag.com
"Duskfall is an entertaining and strong debut novel that beckons fans of epic fantasy to explore its fascinating world and realistic characters. I have a feeling that it will strongly appeal to everyone who loves well-told fantasy stories. It will please those who have read epic fantasy, dark fantasy and grimdark fantasy. If you're looking for a new epic fantasy novel to read, please consider reading Duskfall, because it's excellent entertainment. Highly recommended!" - Rising Shadow
"[Duskfall] is a solid setup for a great new fantasy epic, perfect for fans of Daniel Abraham and Brandon Sanderson." - Library Journal

"What a debut!! Husberg has proven his talent with just one book and I feel like we will see much more of him in the future. I certainly can not wait to see what comes next. Utterly original, magical, and impossible to put down.Aggie's Books

"Absolutely blew me away! ... If you are looking for a novel with an amazing storyline and something that will suck you in and keep you entranced from beginning to end, you have to read this book!" - Bookaholic Banter

"I really enjoyed how...addiction was handled in Duskfall. Husberg did a good job showing both sides of the issue....a unique take on the typical epic fantasy....solid, entertaining, and left me eager to read the next book." - MySF Reviews

"Wonderful from the very first pages....I know I will be recommending it to everyone!" - impedimenta

"I liked the characters and how well their motivations tied in with their actions, but what I especially liked was how gently Chris unfolds the world he built.... At every turn it was clear there was more to learn, but I felt guided rather than blinded." - Read In, Breathe Out

"Husberg's prose is assured...and some of his tweaks—particularly his variation on vampires—indicate that the series may develop in intriguing ways." - Publisher's Weekly

"Once you get started you will be drawn in and the story will keep you interested from beginning to end. This is one super exciting book." - Vic's Media Room

"Duskfall is a fantastic book that is great for people who love fantasy, or for people who have not really tried fantasy before." - Abi's Book Reviews

"I'm happy to say I'm eagerly awaiting the next volume in the Chaos Queen Quintet. If this was Christopher Husberg's first effort, fantasy has a bright future indeed." - Adventures in Poor Taste

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

DUSKFALL Book Trailer!

Here it is, ya'll!

A HUGE thanks--and round of applause--to Garret Gibbons and Cosmic Reach Media for producing such an incredible trailer. The acting was awesome, the music was awesome, the directing and choreography were awesome...I'm very happy with this. I think it's a perfect way to welcome my first novel into the world :-).

So, without further ado, I present to you the Duskfall Book Trailer!

Pulled from the frozen waters of the Gulf of Nahl, stuck with arrows and near to death, Knot has no memory of who he was. But his dreams are dark, and he can kill a man with terrifying ease. Winter, a tiellan woman whose people have long been oppressed by humans, is married to and abandoned by Knot on the same day, when robed assassins attack their wedding. Her nascent magical abilities will lead her to a deadly addiction— and phenomenal power. And Cinzia, priestess and true believer, has returned to her home city to find that her own sister is leading a heretical rebellion. A rebellion that only the inquisition can crush... Their fates will intertwine, in a land where magic and demons are believed dead, but dark forces still vie for power.

Duskfall is the first novel in the Chaos Queen Quintet, and is available for now from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Powell's, iBooks, and Kobo: http://amzn.to/1UeOjzc
Book trailer produced by Cosmic Reach Media (http://cosmicreachmedia.com).
Cast:
Knot: Jordin Mitchell
Winter: Kseniya Sovenko
Lian: Hans Luther
The Tokal: Kyle Robinson
Astrid: Nichole Hrouda
Ildur: Douglas Herring
Directed by Garrett Wesley Gibbons
Music by Mark Hoy

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Just Like That

Just like that, Duskfall is out in the wild.

It's incredibly weird to think that this is a day I've looked forward to for years. Certainly since I finished the first draft of Duskfall back in 2010, but if I'm honest I've been dreaming about publishing a book since high school.

I don't know what else to say other than that, really. This is incredible. I feel grateful to be surrounded by so many supportive, loving, generous people in my life.

It's the summer solstice, we've got strawberry moons going on, and my first novel has been unleashed upon the world. If that isn't the planets aligning, I don't know what is :-).

DUSKFALL Teaser #3: Winter

Winter, a tiellan woman whose people have long been oppressed by humans, is married to and abandoned by Knot on the same day, when robed assassins attack their wedding. Her nascent magical abilities will lead her to a deadly addiction—and phenomenal power.
Available for pre-order NOW on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1UeOjzc
http://www.christopherhusberg.com/

Book trailer produced by Cosmic Reach Media (http://cosmicreachmedia.com).
Winter: Kseniya Sovenko
Directed by Garrett Wesley Gibbons
Produced by Cosmic Reach Media
Music by Mark Hoy (MarkHoyMusic)


Monday, June 20, 2016

How to Support Your Local Authors

Well, tomorrow is the big day, folks. My first novel shall be released upon the world!

In anticipation of that, I thought I'd try and answer a question that I get asked in varying forms more and more often, and that's along the lines of "how can I best support you as an author?"

Well, the short answer is that there are a LOT of things you can do--but some help more than others. Let's start with the most obvious (and I'll frame it referring to a sort of nebulous grammatically questionable plural-form author, because just referring to myself feels super pretentious...even though that's obviously what I'm getting at here...).

  • Buy the book! Again, obvies, but of course it's true. A few other perhaps less obvious things in regards to buying the book, though:
    • Having trouble thinking about what to get someone for a holiday/birthday/whatever? Get them the book! There is LITERALLY no limit to the number of people you could buy a book for ;-). This also goes without saying, but the more copies you buy of an author's book, the more you support them. (That said, I certainly don't expect anyone to go out and buy a bunch of copies of my book. Seriously, I'm going to be ecstatic if you pick up just one!)
    • Buy the book during the first week of publication. The sales numbers during the first week are what matter the most--they're weighted the most when it comes to algorithmic ranking and search engines, and it shows my publisher that they maybe aren't wasting their time with the author, strengthening the possibility that you'll see more of their books in the future.
  • Post reviews! Amazon and Goodreads are the most helpful places. Reviews are almost as helpful as someone buying the book. They don't have to be long, just a few sentences, but they help IMMENSELY. They're really a form of word-of-mouth marketing, but with the added benefits of aiding search algorithm placement.
  • Tell people you enjoyed the book! Word-of-mouth is still the single most powerful marketing tool. If you enjoyed the book, don't be shy about telling people.
  • Post about the book on social media, and/or re-share the author's posts!
  • Attend the book launch, signings, readings, etc.!
If you're looking for even more ways to support a local author, or an author who might be a friend of yours, Dave Butler (a fantastic author in his own right, by the way) compiled a great list of a ton of items to consider. Check it out!

One more thing. All of the above is helpful, but you should never feel obligated to do any of it. I for one would be immensely appreciative if you did anything on that list to help me out, but I don't expect it from you or anyone. You don't owe me or any other author anything. But, if you know me, like me, want to support me, and most importantly, if you enjoyed the book, then please consider doing any one or combination of the the things above :-).

DUSKFALL Teaser #2: Astrid

Astrid seems just a girl, but she’s impossibly strong, has lived for centuries, and her eyes glow strangely at night. Uncover the mystery of what she is—and what she fears—in Duskfall.
Duskfall is the first novel in the Chaos Queen Quintet, released June 21, 2016. Pre-order now on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1UeOjzc
Cast:

Astrid: Nichole Hrouda
Knot: Jordin Mitchell
The Tokal: Kyle Robinson
Directed by Garrett Wesley Gibbons
Produced by Cosmic Reach Media
Music by Mark Hoy (MarkHoyMusic)


Saturday, June 18, 2016

DUSKFALL Teaser #1: KNOT

As many of you are aware, we've been working with Cosmic Reach Media to make a book trailer for Duskfall, and I'm super excited to announce that we're going to start premiering content today!

We'll unveil three teaser trailers: one this morning, one tomorrow morning, and one Monday morning, and then premier the full trailer at the book launch party Tuesday evening.

It's gonna be awesome, folks!

So, without further ado, I present the first Duskfall Teaser: KNOT.

*****

Knot was pulled from the frozen waters of the Gulf of Nahl, stuck with arrows and near to death, Knot has no memory of who he was. But his dreams are dark, and he can kill a man with terrifying ease.
Duskfall is the first novel in the Chaos Queen Quintet, released June 21, 2016. Pre-order now on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1UeOjzc
Cast:
Knot: Jordin Mitchell
The Tokal: Kyle Robinson
Astrid: Nichole Hrouda
Directed by Garrett Wesley Gibbons
Produced by Cosmic Reach Media


Friday, June 17, 2016

DUSKFALL Release Party!

IT'S HAPPENING, FOLKS!

It still feels surreal to me, but everyone keeps insisting that my debut novel, Duskfall, will officially be released upon the world next week. We'll be having a book launch party at Weller Book Works (the bookstore at Trolley Square) in Salt Lake City, UT next Tuesday 21 June from 6:30 - 8:30 PM.



For more details and updates, check out the EVENT PAGE ON FACEBOOK!

If you're in Utah, you should consider stopping by to celebrate with us! Tell your friends, tell your family, tell everyone (EEEEEVVVVRRRYYYONNEEE*)!

If you aren't in Utah, fear not! We'll be live streaming the first hour of the event (6:30 - 7:30 PM MST) on the interwebz. Just check in here, my professional Facebook page, the event page, or my twitter account for the link a few minutes before the event begins, and that should connect you!

But if you can make it, you're in luck! There'll be plenty of swag at the launch party for everyone who attends, as well as t-shirts for the first 30ish people! And refreshments, too :-).

The swag is coming together quite nicely :-).

As many of you may be aware, we've been working on a book trailer for Duskfall, and if all goes according to plan, we're going to premier that at the book launch party! We're very excited to show that to everyone; we've been working with an awesome media studio  (Cosmic Reach Media) to make it as cool as possible.

But, most importantly--and best of all--you'll be able to buy signed copies of Duskfall, hear me give a brief spiel and a reading from the novel, as well as a Q&A with the author (yeah, the author is totally me...I just wanted to say it). That stuff will make up the first hour of the event (6:30 - 7:30ish PM), and the second hour will be devoted to signing, hanging out, and generally having a good time!

It's gonna be a cool think, ya'll. This has been in the work for quite some time, now, and we are excited, grateful, and looking forward to this as well as whatever else life has in store.

Come celebrate with us!



* If you don't get that reference, allow my friend Gary Oldman to contextualize it: