My Books

 

AMBASSADOR – The Kaerling Volume 2

Otta and Erl have had to take refuge with Derri in the city of Aura Vere while winter storms ravage the land. Due to a misunderstanding at the gates, Otta is forced to act as a Kaerling in order to get free board and lodging.

Evading Nagaru’s wish to talk about the Chandar she inadvertently killed, Otta spends her time looking for clues about the Unicorn’s Trail and trying to find out about Derri’s parentage. Erl, meanwhile, finds work with the despised Suryan and regains a measure of confidence, even though his memory is still blank.

But the Kaerlings are aware of Otta’s presence. How long can she remain hidden from them? Why do they think she is deflecting? And why does she resemble the female ambassador so much? Will the twins be able to evade the Kaerlings before it is too late …

Ambassador is available now at Amazon UK, Amazon US, iBooks, Kobo & Nook.

Not convinced yet? Check out the video about Ambassador at YouTube.

THIS IS ME – Paperback Poetry

Three Volumes of Freya Pickard’s poetry in one paperback! Insides is the tale of Freya’s darkest nightmare. Excerpts from her journal written whilst experiencing cancer will bring comfort and renewed determination to anyone dealing with a life-threatening illness. And, it is hoped, that those on the edges, watching from afar, will be able to identify with people who have cancer. My Mythology is a collection of poems inspired by myth and legend. Will you dare to walk on the fringes of fear or glance into the blank mirror? Are you brave enough to stand before the thunder god or receive the sun lord’s gifts? Can you survive the bewitching ocean song or escape from zombie mushrooms? Read on to discover your darkest fears and brightest dreams! This is Me is a poetical biography. Freya is both brutally honest and playfully elusive, depending on her mood. Her observations on the natural world and how it affects her body and mind, reveal a complex, female being.

Available in Paperback from Amazon UK & Amazon US. Get a glimpse into Freya’s life at YouTube!

SILVER FIRE – – – – – – – – FREE DOWNLOAD!

When Otta and Erl are banished from their village for angering the gods, they embark on a peculiar quest. Commanded by a wandering god, Otta is obliged to follow the strange, elusive “unicorn’s trail.” Her twin brother, Erl, has lost his memory and is struggling to discover who he is. As they travel further from the shelter of the Homestead, the siblings discover unpleasant traits in their personalities. They must learn to adapt and change before they are driven apart. Who is the wandering god? Just what is the “unicorn’s trail” and where will it lead? What are the kaerlings? And who are the brown-robed travellers that trespass in Otta’s dreams? Silver Fire is the first volume in Freya Pickard’s epic fantasy series The Kaerling.

“Finished reading Silver Fire and the story still lingers in my thoughts. A sylvan narrative in lyrical prose, it is told in the grand tradition of high fantasy: a sister and brother in search of a unicorn, led by a spirit guide, pursued by evil-doers. In addition, it is the search for identity and the family that binds us. I look forward to another entry in this lovely story.” Claire Sanzenbacher

Find out how Otta’s character developed at When Women Inspire.

Available at:-
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Kobo
iTunes
Nook

Find out more at YouTube.

XMAS @ CAMELOT II & OTHER STORIES Currently available as an e-book.

Ten tales from Freya Pickard’s weird and wonderful imagination. Find yourself in a Freudian prison or in a Virtual Reality Game where the dragon suffers from indigestion in Turning Point and Norsemare. Feel the release of freedom when prisoners are set free in Trapped and Ariel. Enjoy a prosaic fairy tale in Lie-In and in the title story, Xmas @ Camelot II. Tread the dark paths of death or yearn to both dig deep and reach high in the stylized prose poetry of The Slaying of Jormungand and Taking Root. Or, walk with the shape-shifters in Snow Bear and Animal. Ten tales to tease and tantalise your perceptions of reality and legend. Where is reality grounded? In this life or the next? In an on-line game or in dreams? Ten tales of transition; from light to darkness, from darkness to life. From freedom to prisoner, from prisoner to servant. From life to death and beyond …

Available at Amazon UK, Amazon US, Kobo, Barnes&Noble and iTunes

There is a teaser video at YouTube and you can also read the first story for free at Amazon.

VINTRIG’S THRONE Available in both e-book and paperback versions.

Isu Magan, heir to Vintrig’s Throne, has fallen in love with Sama Conn, a travelling musician. Fearing to lose her promised inheritance, Isu is unwilling to show her true feelings for the man she loves. Terrified of her Counsellor Jya, Isu is forced to meet with Sama in secret. When Isu takes the crown that is hers by right, it seems that everything will change for the better. But Jya, always working in the shadows, has many plans and as the net draws around Isu and Sama, a violent blizzard once again holds Vintrig’s Kingdom its cruel grip. Isu finds herself on trial for her life and only one thing can rescue her; the Law of Substitution. Will true love triumph over hatred and fear? Will the reign of winter end? Or will darkness spread its victorious wings over Vintrig’s Castle? Vintrig’s Throne concludes the story that began in Vintrig’s Kingdom.

Available at Amazon UK, Amazon US, Kobo, Barnes&Noble and iTunes

There is, of course, a teaser video about the book at About Vintrig’s Throne and you can also read the first 3 chapters for free at Amazon.

VINTRIG’S KINGDOM Available as both an e-book and a paperback!

When Isu Magan, heir to Vintrig’s Throne, finds the journal of a vanished Scriber, her perceptions of history and the truth are challenged. A growing distrust of her loyal and powerful Counsellor, initiates rebellious and frightening thoughts within her heart. Adding to this disruption of her ordered life, Isu finds herself attracted to the itinerant musician, Sama Conn. As the endless winter thaws, and a brief summer returns to the Castle, Isu longs to learn to dance, but fears her feelings towards Sama. Knowing she cannot love a mortal, the princess flounders in an increasing infatuation that could lose her the throne, and possibly her life.

Available at Amazon UK, Amazon US, Kobo, Barnes&Noble and iTunes

There are 2 videos to watch this time! There’s a short black and white film of Freya talking about the novel and why she wrote it at About Vintrig’s Kingdom and there’s also a technicolor film of Freya reading an extract from the book at Vintrig’s Kingdom Extract. You can also read the first 3 chapters for free at Amazon.

INSIDES e-book only

In 2014 Freya Pickard was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Insides is the inner journey, charting her progress through colostomy, removal of the tumour and chemotherapy. Dealing with the dark matter of cancer and facing death three times in six months, this collection is a positive affirmation of hope and life.

Available at Amazon UK, Amazon US, Barnes & Noble and Kobo.

Watch the video about it at here

In an “outside of myself” sort of way, I was quite interested in my initial reaction to Freya’s poetry. During my first read-through I was shocked, even repulsed, by the subject matter – but I think that just goes to show the power of the way it was written. On a second reading I was aware of feeling both sympathy for the writer but also a morbid curiosity – colostomy is not something that’s talked about much, so I wanted to understand it more and also to explore my own horror at medical procedures (I’m terrified of hospitals and having procedures carried out on me by relative strangers). It took me a third read-through to break through the social taboo of discussing the most basic of body functions and really begin to appreciate each poem separately, rather than as a whole collection. J Poulter

These poems gave me a glimpse of Freya’s suffering yet she is filled with hope. The poems are all very special, treasures to be kept and shared with others. E Choi

Irate Ocean was so exquisitely expressed. I felt this was Freya feeling positive and appreciating the wonders of nature, breathing it in and her senses absorbing every particle with heightened sensitivity. S Evans

I love the themes of nature and the seasons within Freya’s poetry. C Sergienko

DRAGONSCALE LEGGINGS Available as both an e-book and in paperback

…is a parody of the genre Freya loves best; fantasy. In it, she gently pokes fun at the Arthurian legends, the common concepts of dragon slayers and dragons and how they should (or shouldn’t) behave. What would you do if you woke up in a place you did not recognise, with no memory of who you are? Would you fall asleep again and hope to remember when you woke up next? Would you hide yourself away, giving into self-pity? Or would you walk out and explore this strange new world, hoping to recover your memory on the way?

Available at Amazon UK, Amazon US, iTunes, Nook, Kobo, 24Symbols and Scribd.

Watch the video about it at here

An entertaining tale of a woman from our world waking up one day in an alternative reality as a dragon slayer with amnesia. Written as a journal, there is humour and imagination, an original take on dragons, a fiercely independent female lead, and a playful twist on Arthurian legend. Fans of Gilbert and Sullivan will even get to sing along in places… F J Franklin

Dragonscale Leggings is pure fantasy, but with a twist. The writer, Freya Pickard, a fantasy lover herself, describes this book as a fantasy spoof and this is exactly what it is. She takes the genre and turns it on its head with great humour and skill. It is littered with characters that are of the classic fantasy-typical stereotype, but they are never stereotypical. From Sir Agravaine the Amorous to Sama the troubadour and many others in-between, not forgetting the dragons of course, or her self-appointed guardian horse called Tygar, they are colourfully handled with a deft touch. E Leaper

This is an excellent parody of the fantasy genre, and the authoress does a smashing good job of lampooning its conventions and tropes while telling a compelling story with memorable characters. What happens at the end will surprise you. Troy

Dracomagan is a kick ass 21st-century gal who winds up in a land of Arthurian legend with the job of being a dragon slayer. But she doesn’t let this get in her way, and goes about her business with a blatant disregard for the rules of the day and with a witty sarcasm that often had me laughing out loud. This is a heroine who knows what she wants and how to get it. There is a great supporting cast as well, including some very delicate dragons and some less than chivalrous knights. But the best supporting character has to be Tygar, Dracomagan’s horse who could easily have a book all to himself. The interplay between Dracomagan and Tygar provide lots of the laugh out loud moments in the book. E Baxter

Freya Pickard is an adept of the genre and whilst her writing is richly vibrant, her plots intricately woven, her narratives are always immediately accessible to any kind of reader. Easy to get into, hard to put down. A most enjoyable read. L Turner

THE RUSALKA RITUAL AND OTHER STORIES
available in both paperback and e-book

Available at Amazon UK, Amazon US, iTunes, Nook, Kobo, Page Foundry and Scribd

Trace Dracomagan’s history in five tales from Freya’s fertile imagination. Set in five fantastic locations (most of them out of this world) these stories each encompass a range of human emotion, told by five distinct narrative voices…

Find out more in Freya’s short video about The Rusalka Ritual and Other Stories

I read your Rusalka Ritual and Others and loved it. I particularly like how you shift gears and place Dracomagan in the different milieu of a golf course. Thank you for the highly entertaining read! A Kowalczyk

“The Rusalka Ritual and Other Stories” is a selection of 5 short fantasy stories, all featuring the formidable Dracomagan, in some places a warrior woman in a fantasy world, in others an apparently normal(ish) woman in this world, but always an important and powerful figure. The stories range from atmospheric and tantalizingly fragmented (“Echo Peak”), to creepily fey (“The Rusalka Ritual”), to zanily off-the-wall (“A Picnic at Knole”). It’s never made clear if Dracomagan is the same person, or who exactly she is or how she inhabits different worlds; all the stories are open-ended and leave much up to the reader to decide. If you (like me) enjoy that kind of thing, you will probably enjoy the way the stories work together to create a picture of a world (or worlds) and character (or characters), but if you require your stories to be neatly wrapped up with a bow at the end, this is probably not the collection for you. Along with Dracomagan, several of the stories feature other interesting female characters, making this a worthwhile read for people looking for some female-focused fantasy. The stories are quite short, meaning that you do no more than dip your toes and whet your appetite for the intriguing world the author has created, but it’s a fun introduction and could be good reading for fantasy fans looking to catch a quick fantasy fix on the bus or over lunch, without worrying about getting lost in the kind of complex epic narratives the genre favors. A charming quick read of slightly off-beat fantasy. EP Clark

THE ESSENCE OF THYME e-book only

Amazon UK
Amazon US
Kobo
Scribd
Inktera
iTunes
Barnes & Noble
24Symbols

Parsley is on a quest to find her true love. But a tangled forest blocks her way. A promise has been made in the form of a riddle that needs unravelling. She has been chosen so a path will be found, but only a ruby tear will open the way…

Find out more in Freya’s short video about The Essence of Thyme

Chapter One is available to read for free!

It was good to be back in the world of Dracomagan. This was a short story with the same characters as Dragsonscale Leggings and I enjoyed it a lot. I love Dracogmagan’s character. She’s great: irreverent, mouthy and full of attitude. I would have liked the story to be longer and I hope there will be more of these short stories set in the same universe. Doctor Wolf

This is such a delightful series to read. Essence of Thyme is quirky, fun, and imaginative, and Dracomagan and Parsley are a duo to be reckoned with, potato peeler and all! Great job! K Johnston

I really enjoyed The Essence of Thyme, the reversed Sleeping Beauty thing worked really well. I also love Dracomagan’s “otherworldliness”. J Poulter

Even the brief exchanges among the characters show fully developed beings with meaningful traits, roles, and tendencies. Their interaction is amusing, natural, and shows shared understanding and affection, referring either to an established relationship or one that has scarcely begun yet feels inevitable. Your story offers an intriguing and unique combination of the familiar and the strange. K Maher

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