First off, note that these graphs show the number of Goodreads ratings a book has.

I write what I want to read. That, I’ve been told, is the key to writing well.

To celebrate the release of Red Sister by Mark Lawrence in exactly one month, we are holding two different Giveaways with 8 hardcovers in total!

Earlier this week I raved about Amberlough, the amazing debut from Lara Elena Donnelly.  I was not even halfway through the book before I realized I absolutely had to ask the author for a chance to do a Q & A session.  Graciously she agreed!  No further ado needed; I present to you you good readers... Lara Elena Donnelly. 

“The fear receded. It didn't disappear. It lurked in the shadows, its claws hooking into passing thoughts and twisting them, turning them from their purpose to its own. He held it back. It was the hardest fight of his life.”

The Red Plains (G R Matthews – that’s me!) 

I have no idea if you will have any reason to visit this page again after the auctions are finished, so I guess this is where I should say my thanks. First of all, I would like to thank all one-hundred authors who made this possible. Without them this wouldn't exist, and I'm not sure I could ever pay back the favor.

Special thanks to:

Michael Miller, the very first of the 100 who agreed to pledge a book.

Laura M Hughes, whom without this wouldn't be half as grant as it is. 

Mark Lawrence, the first bestseller to join us (and therefore attracting more), and the one who held the First Auction.

Ben Galley, who held the Second Auction. 

Finally, I would like to thank everyone who supported our Fundraiser, either by sharing or donating. We have raised a total of $4.351 for MSF, and that's thanks to you.

Now, I shouldn't hold you any longer, so back to the winners: Firstly, I should announce that Dyrk Ashton won both the "Hardcover Proof copy of Senlin Ascends" and the "Original Drawing of the Map for the Senlin Ascends hardcover edition" offered by Josiah Bancroft to the highest bidder of the last donating night, with a total donation of $210. 

The winners of our lottery, are: 

~1st Winner~  Paul Shepherd (1/100 - 10/100)

01) A. Stuart Williams ~ Rat-A-Tat: Short Blasts of Pulp

02) Dominick Murray ~ Red Season Rising

03) Martin Owton ~ Exile

04) R B Watkinson ~ The Cracked Amulet

05) Stephen Aryan ~ Battlemage

06) Teresa Frohock ~ Los Nefilim

07) Steve Mchugh ~ TBA

08) Anne Nicholls ~ Music From the Fifth Planet

09) Edward Cox ~ The Relic Guild

10) Jane Johnson ~ TBA

~2nd Winner~ Adam Guasch-Melendez (11/100 - 20/100)

01) Nathan Boyce ~ Ascent of the Unwanted

02) James A. Moore ~ TBA

03) Dale Triplett ~ Halcyon's Wake: Faith

04) Steven Kelliher ~ Valley of Embers

05) Zachary Barnes ~ Avengarde

06) Will Panzo ~ The Burning Isle

07) Kenny Soward ~ TBA

08) Jenn Stark ~ Getting Wilde

09) Brian Lee Durfee ~ TBA

10) Brian Barr ~ TBA

~3rd Winner~  Marc Rasp (21/100 - 30/100)

01) Tom Toner ~ TBA 

02) K. A. Krantz ~ Larcout

03) Charles Phipps ~ TBA

04) Betsy Dornbusch ~ Exile

05) T L Greylock ~ The Blood-Tainted Winter

06) Juliana Spink Mills ~ Heart Blade

07) Josiah Bancroft ~ Senlin Ascends

08) D. Thourson Palmer ~ Ours Is the Storm

09) Blair MacGregor ~ TBA

10) Django Wexler ~ TBA

~4th Winner~ Jeff Wooliscroft (31/100 - 40/100)

01) T.o. Munro ~ The Medusa's Daughter

02) Victor Milán ~ The Dinosaur Lords

03) Rob Hayes ~  It Takes a Thief to Catch a Sunrise

04) Julia Knight ~ Swords and Scoundrels

05) Wade Garret ~ Genesis

06) Laura M Hughes ~ Danse Macabre

07) GR Matthews ~ Silent City

08) Brian O'Sullivan ~ Fionn: Defence of Rath Bladhma

09) Olivier Delaye ~ The Forgotten Goddess

10) Benedict Patrick ~ They Mostly Come Out At Night

~5th Winner~ Adrian Selby (41/100 - 50/100)

01) Tom Gaskin ~ Search of the Lost

02) Adrian Tchaikovsky ~ TBA

03) Gary Compton ~ TBA

04) Graham Austin-King ~ Fae - The Wild Hunt

05) Sammy HK Smith ~ In Search of Gods and Heroes

06) Charles F Bond ~ TBA

07) Elspeth Cooper ~  Songs of the Earth

08) Steven Poore ~ Heir to the North

09) Simon Morden ~ Down Station

10) Susan Boulton ~ Hand of Glory

~6th Winner~ Carole-Ann Warburton (51/100 - 60/100)

01) Richard Morgan ~ TBA

02) Andy Remic ~ TBA

03) Laura Lam ~ Pantomime

04) Peter McLean ~ Drake

05) Al Robertson ~ TBA

06) Lucy Claire Hounsom ~ Starborn

07) Ben Jeapes ~ Time's Chariot

08) Kate Coe ~ Green Sky & Sparks

09) Joanne Hall ~ TBA

10) J.P. Ashman ~ Black Cross

~1st Auction Winner~ Heine Fjellhaug (61/100 - 80/100)

01) Mark Lawrence ~ The Wheel of Osheim

02) Daniel Potter ~ Off Leash

03) Michael J. Sullivan ~ Age of Myth

04) David Benem ~ What Remains of Heroes

05) Anthony Ryan ~ The Waking Fire

06) Aderyn Wood ~ The Raven

07) Daniel Polansky ~ TBA

08) Phil Tucker ~ The Path of Falames

09) Emma Newman ~ Between Two Thorns

10) Amanda Bouchet ~ A Promise of Fire

11) Jen Williams ~ TBA

12) Ulff Lehmann ~ Shattered Dreams

13) Luke Scull ~ TBA

14) Sue Tingey ~ Marked

15) Anna Smith-Spark ~ The Court of Broken Knives

16) Timandra Whitecastle ~ Touch of Iron

17) Christian G. Cameron ~ TBA

18) Dyrk Ashton ~ Paternus

19) Myke Cole ~ TBA

20) Mazarkis Williams ~ The Emperor's Knife

~2nd Auction Winner~ Rich Craft  (81/100 - 100/100)

01) Marc Turner ~ Dragon Hunters

02) Elena May ~ Kingdom of Ashes

03) Peter Newman ~ The Vagrant

04) Stan Nicholls ~ Orcs: Forged For War

05) Sebastien De Castell ~ Traitor's Blade

06) Snorri Kristjansson ~ Swords of Good Men

07) Deb E Howell ~ Healer's Touch

08) Brandon Draga ~ The Summerlark Elf

09) Mitchell Hogan ~ A Crucible of Souls

10) Vic James ~ Gilded Cage

11) Michael Miller ~ The Dragon's Blade: The Reborn King

12) Courtney Schafer ~ The Whitefire Crossing

13) Afe Smith ~ TBA

14) Jonathan French ~ The Grey Bastards

15) Robert Brockway ~ The Unnoticeables

16) Michael R. Fletcher ~ Beyond Redemption

17) Dave de Burgh ~ TBA

18) James Downe ~ Grim Drifts of Sand & Fate

19) Ben Galley ~ TBA

20) Scott Oden ~ A Gathering of Raven

All winners should contact me on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with their personal info. 

Booknest's Fabulous Fantasy Fundraiser is a charity project between Readers and Writers. 

One hundred Authors have pledged a signed and dedicated copy each, which you can win by joining (donating) our lottery, or later, our auctions. The money that we will manage to raise will then be donated to Doctors Without Borders (aka Médecins Sans Frontières).

UPDATE: It's over! We raised a total of $4.351 for MSF.  You can find the lottery and auction winners here: RESULTS & WINNERS

There may not be any more prizes, but if you still want to donate, you can still do so by clicking on the below picture:

The 100 amazing authors that pledged a book to our cause are (in alphabetical order, sorry Zachary):

A. Stuart Williams ~ Rat-A-Tat: Short Blasts of Pulp

Aderyn Wood ~ The Raven

Adrian Tchaikovsky ~ TBA

Afe Smith ~ TBA

Al Robertson ~ TBA

Amanda Bouchet ~ A Promise of Fire

Andy Remic ~ TBA

Anna Smith-Spark ~ The Court of Broken Knives

Anne Nicholls ~ Music From the Fifth Planet

Anthony Ryan ~ The Waking Fire

Ben Galley ~ TBA

Benedict Patrick ~ They Mostly Come Out At Night

Ben Jeapes ~ Time's Chariot

Betsy Dornbusch ~ Exile

Blair MacGregor ~ TBA

Brandon Draga ~ The Summerlark Elf

Brian Barr ~ TBA

Brian Lee Durfee ~ TBA

Brian O'Sullivan ~ Fionn: Defence of Rath Bladhma

Charles F Bond ~ TBA

Charles Phipps ~ TBA

Christian G. Cameron ~ TBA

Courtney Schafer ~ The Whitefire Crossing

Dale Triplett ~ Halcyon's Wake: Faith

Daniel Polansky ~ TBA

Daniel Potter ~ Off Leash

Dave de Burgh ~ TBA

David Benem ~ What Remains of Heroes

Deb E Howell ~ Healer's Touch

Django Wexler ~ TBA

Dominick Murray ~ Red Season Rising

D. Thourson Palmer ~ Ours Is the Storm

Dyrk Ashton ~ Paternus

Edward Cox ~ The Relic Guild

Elena May ~ Nightfall

Elspeth Cooper ~  Songs of the Earth

Emma Newman ~ Between Two Thorns

Gary Compton ~ TBA

GR Matthews ~ Silent City

Graham Austin-King ~ Fae - The Wild Hunt

J.P. Ashman ~ Black Cross

James A. Moore ~ TBA

James Downe ~ Grim Drifts of Sand & Fate

Jane Johnson ~ TBA

Jen Williams ~ TBA

Jenn Stark ~ Getting Wilde

Joanne Hall ~ TBA

Jonathan French ~ The Grey Bastards

Josiah Bancroft ~ Senlin Ascends

Julia Knight ~ Swords and Scoundrels

Juliana Spink Mills ~ Heart Blade

K. A. Krantz ~ Larcout

Kate Coe ~ Green Sky & Sparks

Kenny Soward ~ TBA

Laura Lam ~ Pantomime

Laura M Hughes ~ Danse Macabre

Lucy Claire Hounsom ~ Starborn

Luke Scull ~ TBA

Marc Turner ~ Dragon Hunters

Mark Lawrence ~ The Wheel of Osheim

Martin Owton ~ Exile

Mazarkis Williams ~ The Emperor's Knife

Michael J. Sullivan ~ Age of Myth

Michael Miller ~ The Dragon's Blade: The Reborn King

Michael R. Fletcher ~ Beyond Redemption

Mitchell Hogan ~ A Crucible of Souls

Myke Cole ~ TBA

Nathan Boyce ~ Ascent of the Unwanted

Olivier Delaye ~ The Forgotten Goddess

Peter McLean ~ Drake

Peter Newman ~ The Vagrant

Phil Tucker ~ TBA

R B Watkinson ~ The Cracked Amulet

Richard Morgan ~ TBA

Rob Hayes ~  It Takes a Thief to Catch a Sunrise

Robert Brockway ~ The Unnoticeables

Sammy HK Smith ~ In Search of Gods and Heroes

Scott Oden ~ A Gathering of Ravens

Sebastien De Castell ~ Traitor's Blade

Simon Morden ~ Down Station

Snorri Kristjansson ~ TBA

Stan Nicholls ~ Orcs: Forged For War

Stephen Aryan ~ Battlemage

Steve Mchugh ~ TBA

Steven Kelliher ~ Valley of Embers

Steven Poore ~ Heir to the North

Sue Tingey ~ Marked

Susan Boulton ~ Hand of Glory

T L Greylock ~ The Blood-Tainted Winter

T.o. Munro ~ The Medusa's Daughter

Teresa Frohock ~ Los Nefilim

Timandra Whitecastle ~ Touch of Iron

Tom Gaskin ~ Search of the Lost

Tom Toner ~ TBA

Ulff Lehmann ~ Shattered Dreams

Vic James ~ Gilded Cage

Victor Milán ~ The Dinosaur Lords

Wade Garret ~ Genesis

Will Panzo ~ The Burning Isle

Zachary Barnes ~ Avengarde

Special thanks to Laura M Hughes, without whom this wouldn't be half as grand as it is.

BOOKNEST FANTASY AWARD 2016 - WINNER

Update: This was the first time we hosted our annual BookNest Fantasy Awards. Back then, we only had one category, the “Best Fantasy Novel”. Since that year, BookNest is hosting 4 different award categories, namely the “Best Traditionally Published Novel”, “Best Self-Published Novel”, “Best Debut Novel”, and “Best Imprint". The awards take place in 3 different stages (The nomination stage in which hundreds of books are nominated by popular blogs and big fantasy Imprints, the Longlists and the Shortlists). The winners are awarded engraved swords.

 Congratulations to Sebastien De Castell whose novel "Saint's Blood" won the BookNest's Fantasy Award for 2016 with 472 votes out of 1.751 voters. 

The Nominees, presented in alphabetical order, were: 

A SHATTERED EMPIRE - MITCHELL HOGAN

HOPE AND RED - JON SKOVRON

RED TIDE - MARC TURNER

SAINT'S BLOOD - SEBASTIEN DE CASTELL

THE BLOOD MIRROR - BRENT WEEKS

THE WAKING FIRE - ANTHONY RYAN

THE WHEEL OF OSHEIM - MARK LAWRENCE 

Hello everyone! First, a huge thank you to Booknest for letting me talk about my Kickstarter for hardbacks of Paternus: Rise of Gods, Book 1 of The Paternus Trilogy.

Yup, my very first Kickstarter is now live. I’m incredibly excited about it, but to be honest, super nervous as well. I have no idea how well it will do, but I do know that if it funds, I’ll be doing them for Books 2 and 3 as well, including a snazzy box for the set.

Speaking of Book 3, one of the rewards in the Kickstarter is early reader copies of Paternus: War of the Gods, the finale in the trilogy, with eARCs to be delivered a month before the May 19, 2020 release date.

That’s about all I have to say for now. Thank you for taking the time to read this!

All the very best,

Dyrk