Judge announces winning anthology authors

Staci Mauney of Prestige Prose, judge for the Prosateurs anthology Yule Tidings, recently announced the winners of the book. Mauney awarded:

- Best of the Book to Wendy Blanton for the short story, "The Turducken Hits the Fan,"
- First Runner-Up to Stephen B. Bagley for the poem, "Bells,"
- Second Runner-Up to Debbie Anderson for the recipe, "Christmas Sausage Balls,"
- and Honorable Mention to Kathy Akins for the devotional, "Prayer & Thanksgiving."

Yule Tidings will be available November 1 and features works about Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's from these authors: Kathy Akins, Debbie Anderson, Stephen B. Bagley, Wendy Blanton, Debra Chandler, Barbara Shepherd, and Joanne Verbridge.

Review: "Dawn Before the Dark"

Review by Stephen B. Bagley

Dawn Before the Dark
by Wendy Blanton

This exciting new entry in fantasy fiction is worth reading. In the country of Slan, women ride dragons and men cast spells. It's been that way since the Curse of Ailin was invoked centuries before by an abused woman who suffers at the hands of a power-madden king.

But one day, Vask, an ancient dragon, discovers Briant, a young boy who isn't afraid of dragons and wants to ride one. Briant may be exactly what the prophesies say is needed because a terror is brewing on Slan's borders. How Briant and his friends chose to confront this new reality is both entertaining and thought-provoking.

The only criticism I have of the book is that it ended too soon. I'm ready to read what happens next.

(Disclosure: I read an advance copy of the book. I received no compensation for the review and will receive none from the book sales.)