# Firefly Island, an Epic Fantasy



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

_Journal of Always_ Top Ten Novel (2010)
_Red Adept Reviews_ Runner Up Best Fantasy (2010)
The Five Star Publishing hardcover -- now an ebook​
*FIREFLY ISLAND*
*a fantasy novel by Daniel Arenson*​
*"This is the most excited I have ever been about a fantasy book!" -- ReaderViews.com*

King Sinther, his flesh made of stone, tyrannizes the enchanted Firefly Island. Swords and arrows break against him. Armies crash before him. All of Firefly Island, a land of magic and mystery, suffers under his cruelty.

But one girl, a simple slave girl, has magic that can stop him. Whatever Aeolia feels, she can make others feel: joy, sadness, hunger... even pain. If she hurt herself and shared the pain, she could hurt the mad stone king.

Can Aeolia escape King Sinther's assassins, defeat him, and save Firefly Island?

*"A very promising debut... I would highly recommend this book." -- FantasyBookSpot.com*

Inspired by _Firefly Island_, British musician Ekaterina composed the song "Fireflies".
Hear her music and view the video she made for it:






*Grab a copy!*

*Buy from Kindle US*

*Buy from Kindle UK*

*Firefly Island Website*​








​
​
​​


----------



## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

Daniel, Your book looks intriguing!  I'm off to get my free sample!  Thanks for offering it at a great price too.  BTW, I LOVE the cover! 
Are you working on anything else?


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Hi Carol!

Thanks for your kind words. I hope you enjoy the free sample of Firefly Island







(and the whole book, if you choose to download it). 

No worries re the great price. Firefly Island







was released as a hardcover three years ago, selling for $26. After years of selling an expensive hardcover, it's great to finally give people a chance to read Firefly Island







for under $2.  I chose a new indie publisher to rerelease Firefly Island







, because that guaranteed the price would stay low. I'm happy to earn some money off my writing, but more importantly, I want to make the novel available to as many people as possible, and the low price of ebooks lets me do that. 

I too love the cover! The hardcover has a different cover, equally impressive:










The Kindle edition's cover is brand new for the ebook. A talented artist named Frank Barbara created it. He's very good.

To answer your question, YES, I am working on something else. I've recently completed a dark fantasy novel titled "Flaming Dove", about a girl who's half demon, half angel. My publisher's editor is reading it now, and hopefully he'll like it. I'll keep you posted. 

Thanks again, Carol. Are you a writer yourself? If so, what are you working on?


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Hey everyone,

Wanted to share some great news.

First of all, Firefly Island







, my fantasy novel, has been in Kindle for a full two weeks now!

Second -- Firefly Island







is now in Kindle's top 100 bestselling epic fantasy novels!

Finally -- for a limited time, we're selling Firefly Island







for only $0.99! This won't last forever, so if you want to grab a copy for a buck, now's your chance. 

For those who don't know the book, here's a synopsis for Firefly Island







:

Want to escape to a magical land? Discover a world at the edge of imagination. Visit Firefly Island. In Firefly Island, you'll meet Aeolia, a girl enslaved to an ogre on a faraway farm. With the magic of fireflies, she must escape the ogre, then journey to find her long-lost brother. Join Aeolia as she explores Firefly Island, a strange land of firefly magic. Her quest takes her from hills swarming with ogres, to jungles full of fierce tree warriors, to castles brimming with knights in armor, to an underworld of outlaws on dark city streets, to twisting dungeons, and into landscapes of flame and war.

Thanks for reading, everyone. Thanks for making Firefly Island







a top 100 epic fantasy ebook. 

Daniel


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Spooky... the book's current Amazon sales rank is 6666 -- must be the Number of the Firefly.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Some cool news. My Kindle novel Firefly Island was mentioned in today's copy of the Toronto Star, Canada's largest newspaper.

Online article: http://www.thestar.com/news/sciencetech/technology/article/813605--ebooks-open-new-chapter-for-readers

Scan of print copy: http://danielarenson.com/images/ebookstar.jpg

They got the book title wrong, but I assure you, they mean Firefly Island.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Shamelessly, I'm bumping this thread to let you know: This is the LAST DAY Firefly Island







will sell for 99 cents. Tomorrow, the price will rise to $2.99. So if you'd like to read my epic fantasy novel for a buck, today's your last chance.

You can learn more about Firefly Island







at my website: http://www.DanielArenson.com


----------



## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Today's featured author at the Indie Spotlight is

Wednesday: Daniel Arenson - Firefly Island

http://www.theindiespotlight.com

Come up and read and leave a comment.

Edward C. Patterson
& Gregory B. Banks


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Thanks, Ed!  It's fantastic to be featured on the Indie Spotlight!

You know, I've been writing and selling fiction since 1998.  My first novel was published by a traditional publisher in 2007.  But I only went indie about a month ago... and so far, I love it.  The indie community has some of the nicest people I know.  I plan to release "Flaming Dove", my next novel, as an indie too.  And with ebooks so popular these days, I have more readers than ever.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Hi everyone,

See an interview with me today at Debra Martin's blog. I talk about ebooks, my fantasy novel Firefly Island, and more. Check it out:

http://twoendsofthepen.blogspot.com/2010/06/interview-with-daniel-arenson.html

Thanks, Deb!


----------



## Archer (Apr 25, 2009)

Got it, Daniel!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

archer said:


> Got it, Daniel!


Thanks, Archer! I hope you enjoy the book!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Hi everyone,

I wanted to let you know that Firefly Island







, my epic fantasy novel, is currently on SALE for 99 cents. The normal price is $2.99, and it will return to $2.99 next week. So if you'd like to read "Firefly Island" for under a buck -- now's your last chance!

ReaderViews.com wrote, "This is the most excited I have ever been about a fantasy book!"

FantasyBookSpot.com called Firefly Island







a "very promising debut" and wrote, "I would highly recommend this book."

You can read what Booklist, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and others are saying on the book's website: http://danielarenson.com/IPadKindleFantasyNovel.aspx

In Firefly Island







, a girl seeks her long lost brother across an enchanted island full of monsters and magic. I hope you enjoy it!


----------



## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

One of my next reads on Kindle!


----------



## Concrete Queen (Oct 19, 2009)

Bumping this to add that you should definitely pick this up if you enjoy fantasy or adventure at all.  I just finished it last week or so and I really enjoyed it.  It's got all the interesting complexity of those multiple series epic fantasies, only it's a reasonable length (and more creative than most fantasies).


----------



## StarGazer (Jun 8, 2010)

Just grabbed my copy. Thanks for the heads up!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

concrete_queen said:


> Bumping this to add that you should definitely pick this up if you enjoy fantasy or adventure at all. I just finished it last week or so and I really enjoyed it. It's got all the interesting complexity of those multiple series epic fantasies, only it's a reasonable length (and more creative than most fantasies).


Thanks, Concrete Queen! I'm happy that you enjoyed it! I plan to release a "prequel" short story (about the same characters) later this year. I'll let you guys know when it's out.


----------



## davidhburton (Mar 11, 2010)

Interview with Daniel over at my blog: http://davidhburton.com/

Cheers!
David


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Thanks David!  It was a fun interview.

New from today:  Firefly Island is available for iPads in the iBookstore!


----------



## Toronto_LV (Apr 14, 2010)

Excellent interview!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Red Adept just reviewed Firefly Island







, my fantasy novel. Lynn from Red Adept gave it five stars!

Here is how Lynn ranked the individual components:

Plot/Storyline received 4 3/4 stars. Lynn wrote: "The opening scene was heartbreaking, yet intriguing. I really love a good opening scene that makes me want to keep reading. Mr. Arenson could not have started his novel in a more alluring manner. The storyline was straightforward, mostly linear, and filled with plenty of intrigue and action."

Character Development received 5 stars. Lynn wrote: "All of the characters were equally well developed. Mr. Arenson insured that the reader got to know all of them equally and empathized with each."

Writing Style received 5 stars: "I really enjoyed the flow of the writing style. The action scenes were exceptionally well written, leaving no room for confusion."

While Lynn did mention a couple flaws in the story, the overall rank was still 5 stars. Thanks, Lynn!


----------



## Joel Arnold (May 3, 2010)

That's a great review! 

Joel


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Thanks, Joel!


----------



## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

When Firefly Island was available for $.99 I bought it to see what the "fuss" was about.
It was an enjoyable $.99 read.
I have seen some references to it being Young Adult (YA). Is that your focus?
Some parts of it seem to be written with the immature in mind.
But then there are parts that I would not recommend to a youngster (the bit in the cage comes to mind).
Somewhere I read a "marketing" claim (or maybe it was a review) that it is a strong feminine heroine story.
While I like much of the story there are some decisions (especially by the lead character) that are just dumb.
Like letting the bad guys loose so that they can beat you?

I would not extoll this too strongly as a female heroine book - go read Luthiel or ElfHunter for that.
But there also are some neat story threads - like the 4 different peoples (although this has problems sometimes - uneven representation).
And the idea of a sub-class of people "living on the rooftops".
Sorry to rain on the parade.
It is a nice read and I did enjoy it - just kind of uneven for me.


----------



## Lynn McNamee (Jan 8, 2009)

Well, I would never have termed this a "strong feminine heroine" story. (I even mentioned in my review about the heroine whining a bit too much. LOL)

I'm not certain that I would classify it as "YA", either. I would think that it falls under that nebulous "any age" category.  There is some violence and a little blood and gore, but I generally term it pretty light stuff in fantasy novels, especially when there is no sex involved.

Sure, some of the heroine's decisions were "dumb." She spent her childhood in slavery. For her character, they made sense.

I think Mr. Arenson accomplished what he apparently set out to do: Write an entertaining, semi-light fantasy novel.

I truly enjoyed the story.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Hi geoffthomas,

First of all:  Good to know there is a "fuss"!  

I think you might have been a bit mislead, and expected a different book.  I do not personally categorize Firefly Island as a YA novel; it does indeed contain some rather gory violence.  I think older teenagers will enjoy it, but the book is probably not for children or younger teenagers.

I agree that this isn't truly a "strong female heroine" story; the main female character is young and naive, and yes possibly not always the sharpest tool in the shed.    I agree -- she's sometimes dumb and she sometimes whines!  I see her story being more the story of a young innocent involved in conflict and somehow clinging to her innocence.  Though of course, your mileage may vary, and you might see things differently.  (For what it's worth, I'm currently working on a new novel which is a more typical "strong female heroine" story.)

While I'm sorry you didn't fall head over heels for the book, and didn't get the story you initially expected, I appreciate your feedback, and am glad to hear you enjoyed it overall.


----------



## Concrete Queen (Oct 19, 2009)

RedAdept said:


> Sure, some of the heroine's decisions were "dumb." She spent her childhood in slavery. For her character, they made sense.


Have to agree with RedAdept. She got thrust into a position of power for which she was completely and totally unsuited by a genetic twist of fate and then made bad decisions which had bad consequences. History is full of people like that (Marie Antoinette anyone?), and it was kind of refreshing to read about a hero who doesn't have all the answers and doesn't make the right decision all the time. It's definitely more realistic, at least.

Not sure I'd call it "YA", either. One reviewer on Amazon recommended it for the Harry Potter set, but I'd think more late teen than tweens.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

As strange as it sounds, one of the major inspirations for "Firefly Island" wasn't "Lord of the Rings" or another fantasy book.  It was Charles Dickens' "David Copperfield". 

Now, I am not comparing myself to Charles Dickens.  My ego isn't that large yet.  But consider:  David Copperfield survived a horrible childhood.  And yet he did not grow up jaded, bitter, or criminal.  Dickens shows us how David clung to goodness despite his hardships.  He remained gentle, almost innocent.  He sometimes made bad choices too; he entered a disastrous marriage with Dora, got drunk at the theater, worshiped the treacherous Steerforth despite all the warning signs, and failed to understand Agnes until the end.

Again, I cannot compare my book to Dickens' masterpiece, but I was thinking about it when I wrote "Firefly Island".  The main character also survived a horrible childhood, but remained naive and good.  And she too made dumb decisions.  But I like to think that at the very end, the character made the right moral choice and redeemed her previous mistakes.

I cannot of course argue with any reader's interpretation of the story.  If a reader reads the novel a certain way, that is legitimate!  You cannot say, "No, you are WRONG."  There is no right or wrong way to understand a book.  But this is how I, at least, understand the story.


----------



## Jeansaint (May 29, 2009)

Just a quick note to say I really enjoyed the book. I read it a few weeks ago and can recommend it, especially at $1.99.
I have been working long hours and its late so I am unable to write a long review right now as I am heading to bed but I saw the thread and wanted to add my 2 cents worth. 
I recommend picking up the book if you are a fantasy lover as it has a lot of the standard fantasy elements but adds some new ideas to the genre as well.
2 thumbs up from me  

Update: Just realized the price is now $2.99 but I would still buy it at that price as I still think its a great read at a good price.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Jeansaint said:


> Just a quick note to say I really enjoyed the book. I read it a few weeks ago and can recommend it, especially at $1.99.
> I have been working long hours and its late so I am unable to write a long review right now as I am heading to bed but I saw the thread and wanted to add my 2 cents worth.
> I recommend picking up the book if you are a fantasy lover as it has a lot of the standard fantasy elements but adds some new ideas to the genre as well.
> 2 thumbs up from me
> Update: Just realized the price is now $2.99 but I would still buy it at that price as I still think its a great read at a good price.


Thanks, Jeansaint. I'm glad you enjoyed reading Firefly Island!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

First, I want to thank our KB friend Nick Spalding (author of "Life... With No Breaks"), who's featuring my fantasy novel Firefly Island







on his blog today!

Now--a couple big moments are around the corner for Firefly Island.

First, on August 15, it will be the third year anniversary of Firefly Island's first printing. As some of you already know, Firefly Island appeared in hardcover in 2007. The publisher was Five Star, which sells books mostly to libraries. Firefly Island mostly hibernated through 2008 and 2009, and found new life in April this year, when it became a Kindle ebook. But August 15, 2007 is still its "birthday". (I did finish writing Firefly Island in 2000, and sold it to a publisher who held onto the rights for years without publishing it, but that's another story....)

Second--I'm seven copies away from selling 1,000 Firefly Islands. This will be a fantastic milestone to reach!

Both these milestones place me in a nostalgic mood. Thus, I'd like to share how Firefly Island's cover evolved over the years.

Here is the cover art from Firefly Island's first publisher (in the early 2000s), where the novel unfortunately languished for years and was never printed:










After my contract with the first publisher expired, I sold Firefly Island to Five Star, a wonderful publisher. Here is the cover from Five Star, which was printed in 2007:










And finally, here is the cover we all know and love, my new indie ebook cover:










It's been a long journey... and it's only beginning--for me, and for all us indie ebook authors.


----------



## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Boy I really don't like that second cover at all.

I think the current one is the most marketable....clearly goes along with the title and attracks attention.
But as a work of art, I definitely like the first one best.

Just sayin......


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

geoffthomas said:


> Boy I really don't like that second cover at all.
> 
> I think the current one is the most marketable....clearly goes along with the title and attracks attention.
> But as a work of art, I definitely like the first one best.
> ...


The second cover (with the creepy guy in the background, who's the villain of the book) draws mixed reactions. People either love it or hate it. It actually looks a lot better in high resolution when you can make out the details. This cover is retired now, but you can still find it in libraries.

The current ebook cover is rather simple -- no crazy illustration -- but it works well as a thumbnail, and I think it looks very professional. The golden firefly in the center does appear in the book, hanging on a wall.


----------



## Karen Fenech (Jul 1, 2010)

The cover is terrific, Daniel.  Did you design it yourself?  

Karen


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Karen Fenech said:


> The cover is terrific, Daniel. Did you design it yourself?
> 
> Karen


Thanks Karen! I assume you mean the new ebook cover. A very talent artist named Frank Barbara created it for me. He's a friend of a friend, so he made it for free, which was very generous. I described to him what I wanted, asking for a golden firefly in the middle (a golden firefly appears hanging on a palace wall in chapter seventeen). He not only created a golden firefly, he made it glow, and added the other effects.

I love your covers too! And wow -- "Gone" seems to be doing great!


----------



## Karen Fenech (Jul 1, 2010)

Sorry I wasn't clear.  Yes, I did mean the ebook cover, though the cover for the hardcover edition was also great.

How wonderful that the cover artist was able to create your vision so beautifully and that he did the design for you without charge.  Win win all around.  : ) 

Re "Gone", thanks, Daniel.  

Karen


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Indie Book Blog is featuring Firefly Island







today.

I hope you take a look: http://indiebooksblog.blogspot.com/

Have a great weekend, everyone!


----------



## robertduperre (Jun 13, 2010)

I reviewed "Firefly Island" on my blog yesterday. Here's a snippet:



> Firefly Island, the breathtaking novel by Daniel Arenson, is all about decisions. It's all about pain and torment and horror and, at the end of the day, love. It's a dark fairy tale about the lengths we will go to in order to prove our devotion to our siblings, our friends, our communities, our fathers. And, finally, it's about mistakes. Horrible, world-shattering mistakes whose ramifications reach far and wide, affecting even those on the periphery we wouldn't expect.
> 
> The story takes place on an island split into five separate and (oftentimes) warring states. Each state is unique, in that the different populaces hold different abilities, or "magic", as it's called. The isolateded communities look down on interracial breeding. In some places, those that do are outcast because they create "impure" offspring, children who hold fragments of the abilities both their parents have. In each community there is born, once a century, a "Firechild" (dubbed so because of the belief that the fireflies inhabiting the island have imbued the people with these magics). These are beings whose powers are the penultimate of their individual races.


Read the full review below:

http://journalofalways.blogspot.com/2010/07/review-firefly-island-by-daniel-arenson.html

This is a fantastic book, people. It's not what you'd expect.


----------



## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

Can't wait to read this.


----------



## Blanche (Jan 4, 2010)

"Firefly Island" will always be the book I remember as saving my sanity while stuck in an airport during a snowstorm. 

I enjoyed the creativity of linking characters/races to species of fireflies.  That was a clever concept.    The characters were sympathetic and I became caught up in their plights.  I liked the way all of the individual storylines came together as as the ties between them became clear.  I have to admit that a couple of times I wanted to shake the heroine but she remained true to her character and pulled through in the end.    

It was a light, quick fantasy read and I enjoyed it and would recommend it to others.


----------



## Archer (Apr 25, 2009)

geoffthomas said:


> Boy I really don't like that second cover at all.
> 
> I think the current one is the most marketable....clearly goes along with the title and attracks attention.
> But as a work of art, I definitely like the first one best.
> ...


Man, Geoff, someday we're going to disagree on something...
...but it is not this day!  (The second cover actually made my lip curl for a second. Glad it's been replaced!)

Congratulations on your recent milestone, Daniel!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Blanche said:


> "Firefly Island" will always be the book I remember as saving my sanity while stuck in an airport during a snowstorm.
> 
> I enjoyed the creativity of linking characters/races to species of fireflies. That was a clever concept. The characters were sympathetic and I became caught up in their plights. I liked the way all of the individual storylines came together as as the ties between them became clear. I have to admit that a couple of times I wanted to shake the heroine but she remained true to her character and pulled through in the end.
> 
> It was a light, quick fantasy read and I enjoyed it and would recommend it to others.


Sorry to hear you got stuck in an airport during a snowstorm. But at least you'll always remember "Firefly Island". 

About a year ago, I had a connecting flight in Newark airport. I was flying from Toronto first thing in the morning. Due to bad weather, my Toronto flight was delayed several hours. When I finally reached Newark, I learned my connecting flight was also late... but I had JUST missed it by a few minutes. I had to wait all day at Newark before catching another flight at about 3am. Without a few good books (and a few good beers at the airport bar) I'd have gone totally mad.


----------



## Kippoe (Jan 17, 2010)

An interview I did with Daniel Arenson on my blog check it out 
http://kippoe.blogspot.com/2010/07/daniel-arenson-interview.html


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Kippoe said:


> An interview I did with Daniel Arenson on my blog check it out
> http://kippoe.blogspot.com/2010/07/daniel-arenson-interview.html


Thanks for the interview, Kipp; it was a fun one.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Firefly Island







, my $2.99 epic fantasy novel, has received its lucky 13th Amazon review.

From the review: "Fantasy lover or not, don't miss this book! This is a truly fun and unforgettable story. Adventure, romance, magic, likeable characters, unlikely heroes, and evil villains all combine to create an engrossing fantasy. This is a story you will experience as far more than just words on a page, from battlefields to forest dwellings to dark, dank dungeons. The emotions, honest and visceral, run the gamut from love to hate, anger to joy, envy to altruism. Join Aeolia and her companions in their enthralling adventure and get a tiny taste of the impact self-sacrifice and forgiveness can have."

In other news, Spalding's Racket, Nick Spalding's popular blog about indie books, is featuring Firefly Island today. Thanks, Nick!

Finally, Firefly Island will be released soon in trade paperback! The novel has succeeded as a hardcover and ebook, selling well over 1000 copies so far, and I'm excited to see how the paperback fares.

so what's Firefly Island







about? Here's the novel's NEW description:

King Sinther, his flesh made of stone, tyrannizes the enchanted Firefly Island. Swords and arrows break against him. Armies crash before him. All of Firefly Island, a land of magic and mystery, suffers under his cruelty.

But one girl, a simple slave girl, has magic that can stop him. Whatever Aeolia feels, she can make others feel: joy, sadness, hunger... even pain. If she hurt herself and shared the pain, she could hurt the mad stone king.

Can Aeolia escape King Sinther's assassins, defeat him, and save Firefly Island?

Thanks for reading!

Daniel


----------



## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

I just started reading this last night. I'm only a couple of chapters in, but it's very good. Right from the outset, you can feel Aeolia's pain.

And yes, Mr. Arenson, you can use that in a blurb.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

John Fitch V said:


> I just started reading this last night. I'm only a couple of chapters in, but it's very good. Right from the outset, you can feel Aeolia's pain.


Thanks John! I hope you like the rest just as much.


----------



## robertduperre (Jun 13, 2010)

DArenson said:


> Thanks John! I hope you like the rest just as much.


He better, that rat basterd...


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

robertduperre said:


> He better, that rat basterd...


Oh he will... or else, it sounds like you'll beat him over the head with the hardcover.


----------



## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

DArenson said:


> Oh he will... or else, it sounds like you'll beat him over the head with the hardcover.


You guys....


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Check out our friend Noah's interview with me (and a couple other Kindleboard authors) here:

https://sites.google.com/site/noahkmullettegillman/home/noahan-author/noahan-author-issue-1

Thanks, Noah!


----------



## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

I've just finished reading FIREFLY ISLAND... Yeah. You would be remiss if you did not read this book.

Daniel Arenson weaves together five societies with the same basic tenets of religion: colored fireflies tied to the life of their firechild. At the heart of it is Aeolia, the Esiren Firechild, who -- unintentionally, for the most part -- brings death and destruction wherever she goes on the island. But her heart and love for a man of mixed race cannot be shattered by the wars brought on by the prince of the Stoneson and the Duke of Heland.

A remarkable tale, one that is memorable right from the first paragraph.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

John Fitch V said:


> A remarkable tale, one that is memorable right from the first paragraph.


Thanks John! I'm humbled by your compliments. And I notice you posted this at 3:52am, which hopefully means my book kept you up late -- which is the best compliment.


----------



## Gordon Ryan (Aug 20, 2010)

Daniel, just got the Kindle Nation newsletter release with excerpts of your novel, Firefly Island.  I don't read fantasy, (sorry) but certainly wanted you to know that it made it all the way down here to New Zealand.  You are now an international author of renown.  Congrats.

Cheers,


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Novelist said:


> Daniel, just got the Kindle Nation newsletter release with excerpts of your novel, Firefly Island. I don't read fantasy, (sorry) but certainly wanted you to know that it made it all the way down here to New Zealand. You are now an international author of renown. Congrats.


Thanks Novelist! That's great to know.

Firefly Island







today is listed in Kindle's TOP 100 epic fantasy novels.  So it's a good day for both Firefly Island, my first novel, and Flaming Dove







, my newly released novel, which is also doing well today.


----------



## Guest (Aug 24, 2010)

Good luck with the second new novel! I saw the excerpt too and it definitely read well. Are the two novels in any way related? Are you going to concentrate on the new one and just let Firefly Island coast for a while?


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

foreverjuly said:


> Good luck with the second new novel! I saw the excerpt too and it definitely read well. Are the two novels in any way related? Are you going to concentrate on the new one and just let Firefly Island coast for a while?


Thanks, glad you enjoyed the sample. The two novels are unrelated. _Firefly Island_ is an epic fantasy with a fairytale feel. _Flaming Dove_, the new novel, is a dark fantasy about demons and angels. I'm going to mainly promote _Flaming Dove_ for the next while, but _Firefly Island_ still has a few pages on my website, and should continue to sell. I'm hoping that if new readers discover _Flaming Dove_, they'll also go back and read _Firefly Island_.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Free Firefly Island story!

Many people have asked me for more stories or novels set in Firefly Island. I'd like to offer a FREE Firefly Island story, "Somedays".

In Firefly Island







's prologue, Aeolia is only six years old, and her father sells her to an ogre. In Chapter One, Aeolia is already sixteen, and the main story begins. But what happened during those missing ten years? "Somedays" fills in the gap.

The story can stand alone; even if you haven't read Firefly Island yet, you can read this one.

Read is here: Somedays

I hope you enjoy it. If I get enough requests, I'll also release a novella-length sequel to Firefly Island. I'll keep you posted!


----------



## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

That's a cute little short, Daniel. It reminded me of some of the tales from the old Jim Henson's Storytellers, which sadly lasted only a season.

Great. Now I'm sad...


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Half-Orc said:


> That's a cute little short, Daniel. It reminded me of some of the tales from the old Jim Henson's Storytellers, which sadly lasted only a season.
> 
> Great. Now I'm sad...


Thanks, David. That's exactly what I was going for. The Storyteller is one of the best shows to appear on TV, and it definitely inspired this story (and the opening chapters of Firefly Island).


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

_Firefly Island_ is now available in trade paperback!

Five Star Publishing, an imprint of Gale, released_ Firefly Island_ in hardcover in 2007. In April this year, _Firefly Island_ appeared in the Kindle store. And finally this month, _Firefly Island_ is available in paperback.

To celebrate, I also generated a HALF OFF coupon for Smashwords. It's good for one week only. If you haven't read _Firefly Island_ yet, you can now grab a copy on sale.

I'm amazed that, after all this time, _Firefly Island_ still finds new readers daily. My Facebook and MySpace accounts, my website, my Kindleboard signature... they all promote _Flaming Dove_, my new book. But I still see new_ Firefly Island_ sales every day. How are these people finding the book? I don't know -- maybe they're browsing through Amazon, maybe it's word-of-mouth. But I'm grateful and humbled that people are still reading.

Here is _Firefly Island_ in paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Firefly-Island-Daniel-Arenson/dp/0986602833

Here is _Firefly Island_ in the Kindle store: http://www.amazon.com/Firefly-Island-ebook/dp/B003FGXLHU

Here is _Firefly Island_ at Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/12299

Here is a COUPON for Smashwords, 50% off, good for one week only: BR42F

Thanks for reading,

Daniel


----------



## MosesSiregarIII (Jul 15, 2010)

It's great to see your success, Daniel! I'm sure it's just the beginning.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

MosesSiregarIII said:


> It's great to see your success, Daniel! I'm sure it's just the beginning.


Thank you, Moses. My sales are humble compared to many authors, but they still please me very much; it's an honor to have so many people read my book. I indeed hope it's only the beginning.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

_Firefly Island_ is on SALE for 99 cents! The sale is for ONE DAY ONLY. So... if you want to read an epic fantasy for a buck, hurry up and grab a copy today.

Fellow KindleBoards author John Fitch V wrote about _Firefly Island_: "A remarkable tale, one that is memorable right from the first paragraph."

Another KindleBoards author, Robert Duperre, wrote: "Breathtaking... It's all about pain and torment and horror and, at the end of the day, love. It's a dark fairy tale about the lengths we will go to in order to prove our devotion to our siblings, our friends, our communities, our fathers... I LOVED THIS BOOK. I'm not usually one for fantasy, but I couldn't stop reading it. It's really that good. Check it out. You won't be disappointed."

Read more reviews of _Firefly Island_.

Buy from Kindle -- $0.99


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Time for some Tuesday Trivia!

* The game Grand Theft Auto features a location called "Firefly Island". I learned this after the novel was released -- thanks Google Alerts!

* The main character in _Firefly Island_ is named Aeolia. I made up that name. After the book was published, a friend told me that knows a real girl named Aeolia.

* _Firefly Island_ was first published in 2007. Two years later, another book titled _Firefly Island_ was released; no relation to mine.

* One of the villains in _Firefly Island_ is named Lale. When I rented my first apartment, it came with a jug with the word "Lale" on it.

* The falcon is the fastest animal on Earth; it can swoop at speeds of 200 mph. That has nothing to do with _Firefly Island_. I just think it's a good piece of trivia.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

My two novels are _Firefly Island_ (2007) and _Flaming Dove_ (2010).

Our friend Jessica Billings (a regular here at KindleBoards) recently pointed out something interesting to me. Not only do both my titles have two words and reference fire... they both also have flying animals! These similarities are unintentional -- and amusing. 

EDIT:

In other news, Geek Speak Magazine reviewed _Firefly Island_ AND _Flaming Dove_ this week. They wrote about _Firefly Island_: "Sometimes you just want a fun, clean and satisfying read, and _Firefly Island_, I was delighted to discover, delivers all that, and more."

I'll post their review of _Flaming Dove_ tomorrow in that novel's thread, or swing by Amazon to check it out!


----------



## Tuttle (Jun 10, 2010)

I finally have gotten to reading Firefly Island after I bought it a few months ago. Its definitely keeping my attention and the only reason I'm not done it is because I keep needing to stop to do this silly work thing. I'm really enjoying it and really like the concept of the fireflies and firechildren.

I wish I had gotten to it sooner because then I'd not have so many issues of not having time to read.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Tuttle said:


> I finally have gotten to reading Firefly Island after I bought it a few months ago. Its definitely keeping my attention and the only reason I'm not done it is because I keep needing to stop to do this silly work thing. I'm really enjoying it and really like the concept of the fireflies and firechildren.
> 
> I wish I had gotten to it sooner because then I'd not have so many issues of not having time to read.


Darn that silly work thing. Just win the lottery so you can quit your job and read uninterrupted.

How far along are you? I hope you enjoy the rest of it, too!


----------



## Tuttle (Jun 10, 2010)

At that point I was just over 40%. I spent yesterday avoiding the work I should have been doing and instead reading and finished it then . 

I've enjoyed other Indie books and would absolutely recommend them, but Firefly Island is the first Indie book that I'd be able to consider one of my favorite books. I was impressed that there were points when a small thing made things all make sense, and it was neither surprising nor expected. 

I've not posted a review because I'm having issues coming up with  what to say, but I'm planning on at some point getting around to posting a 5 star review on amazon. I'm really glad that I got this even if it took me forever to get through it because of having too much to do.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Tuttle said:


> I've enjoyed other Indie books and would absolutely recommend them, but Firefly Island is the first Indie book that I'd be able to consider one of my favorite books. I was impressed that there were points when a small thing made things all make sense, and it was neither surprising nor expected.


Well, of COURSE Firefly Island is now one of your favorite books! It should be everyone's favorite!

Just kidding. In truth, Tuttle, I'm humbled. That's quite a compliment. Very glad you enjoyed it so much, and consider it one of your favorites.

Firefly Island is doing well today. It's listed on Kindle's Epic Fantasy bestsellers list, and is on sale for 99 cents. Exciting day!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

_Firefly Island_ received a five-star review on Amazon.co.uk. Here's a quote:

"This is a genre that I hardly ever read, and I can not recall ever finishing a fantasy novel before. I did finish this one, even read into the wee,small hours. There were several places where Mr. Arenson's descriptions had me squirming because they were protrayed so vividly. I read a lot and seldom squirm. I don't want to allude to the plot in case I spoil it for others, but I enjoyed the novel and will add the next one to my TBR pile. The plot was quite involved, and it kept moving forward at a good pace. Five stars for Mr. Arenson."

Learn more about _Firefly Island_

_Firefly Island_ at Kindle US

_Firefly Island _at Kindle UK


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

_Firefly Island_ recently reached an interesting milestone.

In 2007, _Firefly Island_ was traditionally published in hardcover. In April 2010, it became an ebook. Within only six months, it's sold more ebooks than hardcovers.

Times are changing. I love it.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Epic fantasy _Firefly Island_ received its 17th Amazon.com review today -- for five stars. Here's a quote:

"If you're looking for a fantasy that's hard to put down - this is one for you. I found myself reading it during work, over breakfast, anywhere I could sneak a few minutes in... It's a story about many things - violence, betrayal, prejudice, romance, despair, and ultimately hope for the future. I definitely recommend this one."

Read the full review at Amazon.


----------



## monkeyluis (Oct 17, 2010)

Bought this too now. Look forward to both books in the near future.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

monkeyluis said:


> Bought this too now. Look forward to both books in the near future.


Thanks again, Monkey! I hope you enjoy both of them.


----------



## monkeyluis (Oct 17, 2010)

Daniel Arenson said:


> Thanks again, Monkey! I hope you enjoy both of them.


Btw. Loooooove the cover art for both. This is the kind of work I buy from indie artist at cons. If there is a way I could buy or acquire posters please let me know. I hope to have my home theatre done next year & these would go great in there. Thanks again.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

monkeyluis said:


> Btw. Loooooove the cover art for both. This is the kind of work I buy from indie artist at cons. If there is a way I could buy or acquire posters please let me know. I hope to have my home theatre done next year & these would go great in there. Thanks again.


You can definitely buy a beautiful print of _Flaming Dove_. Timothy Lantz, the artist, sells prints on his deviantart profile. You can even get canvas versions.

Take a look: http://www.deviantart.com/print/13961925/?itemtypeids=

As for Firefly Island... you can't currently buy the print anywhere online. If anyone would like a high res version, however, I can email you one; there are various places that'll print you a copy.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Hi everyone,

Remember: _Firefly Island_ is proudly sponsoring the Great Indie Book Contest. If you haven't heard about this contest yet, here's the deal: You buy an indie book, and you can win a Kindle 3 + $50 Amazon gift card. _Firefly Island_ (along with my other fantasy novel, _Flaming Dove_) is not only sponsoring the contest... it's also worth an entry if you buy it. 

I'm proud that my books can help give back to the indie community. You can learn more about the Great Indie Book Contest here: http://www.DanielArenson.com/WinAKindle.htm

​


----------



## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

Just started reading this last week and really can't say enough good things about it.

In the interest of full disclosure I should probably admit that Daniel is a friend of mine, but even so I think this book is amazingly well written and a cracking read.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

David McAfee said:


> Just started reading this last week and really can't say enough good things about it.


Sure you can. You can try, at least. Don't be shy!

Seriously, though, thanks for the kind words. That's high praise indeed.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

My fantasy novel _Firefly Island_ received a new Amazon review -- for 5 stars.



> *A truly remarkable tale*
> What I like most about _Firefly Island_ by Daniel Arenson is the depth of emotion it expresses. First of all, I still can't get through the first few pages without tearing up. The fear and despair of the young child, Aeolia, being sold into slavery is moving and heart-wrenching. It pulls you into the story and won't let you go. Great opening! Mr. Arenson knows how to tug at your heartstrings. ...Mr. Arenson creates a complex, often cruel, harsh world, which is tempered by love and compassion. *This is one of the best fantasies I have read in a while. *


You can read the full review at Firefly Island's Amazon Page.

_Firefly Island_ now has 20 reviews on Amazon.com -- sixteen are for 5 stars, and the rest are for 4 stars.

By now, _Firefly Island_ has sold nearly 1500 copies. Thank you to everyone who's read the book and left a review!

Daniel


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

One week left for the Indie Book Contest!

Fantasy novel Firefly Island is now on sale for 99 cents, and still worth a contest entry. Good luck!


----------



## JMcGhee (Oct 31, 2010)

Oh my goodness, I adore your cover art.  And because it's only $.99, I don't have a supremely good reason not to buy it.  I'm extremely impressed.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

JMcGhee said:


> Oh my goodness, I adore your cover art. And because it's only $.99, I don't have a supremely good reason not to buy it. I'm extremely impressed.


Thanks Jamie! It normally costs $2.99, but it's on sale these days. If you grab a copy, I hope you enjoy it!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Hi everyone,

Just a quick reminder: _Firefly Island_ is still on sale for the holidays. Instead of $2.99, it now costs only 99 cents. Enjoy!

Daniel


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

_Firefly Island_ sold its 1500th copy this week -- an exciting milestone for me. Thank you to everyone who bought a copy. And if you haven't bought one yet, remember: _Firefly Island_ is on SALE for the holidays, and now costs only 99 cents (instead of the usual $2.99).

Happy Holidays,

Daniel


----------



## karencantwell (Jun 17, 2010)

Congratulations, Daniel!!  I'm scooping this one up for my son right now . . .


----------



## JimC1946 (Aug 6, 2009)

Okay, Daniel, I just 1-clicked it. It's now on my Kindle TBR list.

Cheers,
JimC


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

JimC1946 said:


> Okay, Daniel, I just 1-clicked it. It's now on my Kindle TBR list.





karencantwell said:


> Congratulations, Daniel!! I'm scooping this one up for my son right now . . .


Thanks guys!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Happy Holidays, everyone!

If you're looking for a fantasy novel for your new Kindle, please try _Firefly Island_. I hope you enjoy it!

Daniel


----------



## robertduperre (Jun 13, 2010)

I agree here, people.  Firefly Island is an extremely good book.  And Flaming Dove ain't too shabby, either.  As for Dream, I haven't read it yet, but I know Daniel.  He's a smart, kind, talented, and heartfelt man.  Anything he writes I can guarantee will be well worth the read.  So I recommend it anyway.

Gotta support the good ones, people.  For real.


----------



## Cammie (Nov 15, 2008)

It's cold, wet and rainy here in SoCal.  We're celebrating Christmas with family and friends later this evening at my sister's home.  The food is all prepared (just grilling steaks and veggies) and the presents are wrapped.  I think I'm going to use this quiet time to curl up and read your book.  Happy Holidays!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Thank you, Rob and Cammie.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Have you read _Firefly Island_ yet? If not, I hope you'll give it a try. Please grab a sample and let me know what you think.

That is all. Thank you for reading!


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

_Firefly Island_ has been having an exciting January.

Red Adept Reviews has named _Firefly Island_ the Runner Up Best Fantasy Novel of 2010.

Indie author and book critic Robert Duperre has named _Firefly Island_ one of the best novels of 2010.

_Firefly Island_ has also received several new Amazon reviews. It now has 23 reviews averaging 4.7 stars. The latest review writes: "*Unique magic, excellent read.* I highly recommend this book. This is one author I will keep an eye on, if their first offering is this good the sky is the limit."

If you haven't read _Firefly Island_ yet, please grab a free sample from Amazon. You can also read a sample here. Thank you for reading!


----------



## robertduperre (Jun 13, 2010)

It's a great book, Dan, and well worth the money.

It obviously gets my endorsement.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Today I found _Firefly Island_ listed on a website called Indie Ebook Hall of Fame. Take a look.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Winter getting you down? Looking for a new fantasy world to escape to? I'm hoping you'd like to visit Firefly Island.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

_Firefly Island_ received a new five star review on Amazon. Here's a quote:

"I really loved this book. It transported me to Firefly Island and I felt Aeolia's pain.... This book is filled with action and adventure, but what I loved most is the characters and how I really cared about what happened to them. I especially loved Aeolia. Anyway, definitely go pick this book up as soon as you can."

_Firefly Island_ now has 25 reviews on Amazon, averaging 4.5 stars.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

New five star review for Firefly Island on Amazon.com.

Here's a quote: "Simply fantastic! A beautiful fantasy adventure filled with the most unforgettable characters.... This is a book that I will most definitely reread. It is tale filled, not only with adventure, but wit and humor.... Hmm...now I wonder if we can get the author to do a Firelfly Island 2?"


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

_Firefly Island_ is only 84 copies away from selling its 2000th copy!


----------



## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

One of my all time favorite books.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Thanks, John!  45 copies to hit the big 2000.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

One of my readers composed and recorded a song inspired by _Firefly Island_.

You can hear the music *here*.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

If you haven't heard it yet, please listen to "Fireflies" by Ekaterina, a song composed for _Firefly Island_.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Coming soon -- a youtube slideshow featuring Ekaterina's song "Fireflies".  I'll keep you posted.  Should be cool to see.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

It's been a year since _Firefly Island_ has become an ebook. Time flies.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

_Firefly Island_ is appearing on the Epic Fantasy bestsellers list in the UK.


----------



## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

It has been quite a while since I read, and enjoyed, this one.
How are sales going - I am getting ready to dive into your new works.

Just sayin.....


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Thanks for asking, Geoff.

Have you seen the fan video one of my readers made? She not only made this video, she composed and performed the music herself.

Take a look:


----------



## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

That's really cool, Daniel. A very deserving book, too.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

David McAfee said:


> That's really cool, Daniel. A very deserving book, too.


Thanks, David! That video was definitely fun to see. I love how Ekaterina found images to match the story. Very well done. The best part, of course, is the music she composed. Sounds a lot like a James Horner movie soundtrack.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

I've recently released my fifth novel... but _Firefly Island_ still accounts for half of my total book sales. It's sold more than twice as many copies as _Flaming Dove_, my second bestseller. I'm amazed that this little book, which I wrote in the summer of 1998 in a little garden by a forest, is still finding new readers. All those years ago, I never imagined it would be selling Kindle copies in 2011. What a crazy ride.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Been just over a year since _Firefly Island_ hit the Kindle store. Hard to believe I've released four new novels since.


----------



## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

_Firefly Island_ is listed as one of Kindle's Top Rated epic fantasy novels.


----------

