One day, 2 POLAR OPPOSITE book birthdays

Today we celebrate 2 book birthdays. Yes, somehow I wound up publishing two stories on the same day (but different years). They’re also entirely different in tone.

From 2017, we have THE BUREAUCRAT, which is like something Kafka would have written if he had ever had the nasty misfortune of encountering a phone tree. It’s had two covers so far and I’m thinking it needs a third. Here’s the original cover (by me, when I was first learning how to photobash things) and the most recent cover (art by Christian Bunyan)

The Bureaucrat (Cover)
Cover to THE BUREAUCRAT - A creepy office worker stands grinning with blank eyes in front of a wall of spooky blank eyes.

Get your copy of THE BUREAUCRAT

Next, we have THE CAPRAMANCER NEXT DOOR, from 2020. This one’s become one of my favorites–I think it’s because it has a lot of things I like in it (adventure, magic, talking animals, male and female co-leads, an optimistic ending). Also, people keep sending me smiling photos of themselves with the cover, which makes me happy, and not just because I illustrated he cover myself. 🙂

I hope to revisit these characters someday in a Christmas adventure! Ah, so much to write, so little time!

Cover for THE CAPRAMANCER NEXT DOOR: A laughing woman wields a glowing shepherd's crook while a goat leaps through a portal overhead

Celebrate with your own copy of THE CAPRAMANCER NEXT DOOR.

 

5 Great Books for your Fantasy Reader in 2021 – The Pixelvania Publishing Holiday Gift Guide 2021

Most fiction lovers enjoy a receiving new paperback around the holidays, but it can be tricky picking out the right book for your fantasy reader friend. Do you buy a popular title that your reader may already own? Or do you send a gift card and hope opening it doesn’t feel lackluster on the big day?

Here’s another option: consider buying a fantasy book written by an independent author like me, Danielle Williams! It’s fun discovering a new up-and-coming writer who hasn’t yet caught the wave of popularity–and it practically guarantees your fantasy reader won’t have a copy in their collection yet.

To help you shop, here’s 5 books from my catalog that would make a great holiday gift for your fantasy reader friend!

This list includes the the title’s paperback page count and assigned content rating from MyBookRatings.com

Cover for MIDWINTER MAGIC: A stylized glowing reindeer leaps against the blue Northern LightsMidwinter Magic (91 paperback pages, rated All Ages)

Three interconnected fairy tales reimagine the origins of the Christmas elves, flying reindeer, and Santa Claus in this collection filled with timeless charm. Midwinter Magic is a terrific gift for fans of Jane Yolen or Ursula Vernon.

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Cover for THE CAPRAMANCER NEXT DOOR: A laughing woman wields a glowing shepherd's crook while a goat leaps through a portal overhead The Capramancer Next Door (175 paperback pages, rated Mild+, Also available in large print.)

A down-to-earth mage and her magical goats must protect their new neighbor when he crosses an angry fairy in this short novel. Grown fans of Harry Potter are sure to like The Capramancer Next Door for its magical yet grounded adventure that’s sprinkled with of humor and romance.

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(And if your reader likes stickers, grab our cool Elvis the Goat sticker here on Redbubble!)


Cover for STEEL CITY, VEILED KINGDOM, PART 1 - A man in a labcoat holding a rabbit on a strange device, with a monster in the background. A seafoam green banner and some text near the bottom indicates that this is the first part.Steel City, Veiled Kingdom, part 1: Surface (246 paperback pages, rated Moderate)

In his darkest hour, an ambitious young scientist strikes a deal with the bizarre Queen of the faerie world. Little does he know her help comes at a cost even he cannot calculate.

Blending the sci-fi/fantasy flavors of Star Trek, GATTACA, and even The Fifth Element, this novel full of colorful characters and unique cultures spans five volumes and is the perfect match for the Brandon Sanderson or Dune fan in your life.

Friends with a voracious reader? Grab ’em The Complete Edition ebook instead–it’ll last ’em a while, believe me!

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A GINGERSNAP CAT CHRISTMAS Book Cover: A ginger cat with a halo smiles at a terrified black and grey kitten hiding behind him.A Gingersnap Cat Christmas (199 paperback pages, rated All Ages)

For Christian kids and kids-at-heart. If you ever wondered what HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN would’ve been like with feline stars, you’ll love A Gingersnap Cat Christmas. This full-length novel is available in two formats: eBook AND paperback–because everyone loves to unwrap a book.

This book is a great gift for:

      • cat lovers (of course)
      • fans of feel-good Christmas specials (like yours truly)
      • Christians (especially ones who want to see their faith positively portrayed)
      • voracious young readers (the paperback’s 200 pages!)
      • time-strapped families (25 chapters means you can read one a day until Christmas)
      • dog lovers (yup, couldn’t leave out the talking dogs!)
      • readers who enjoyed The Purrfect Christmas (you’ll see why in chapter nine 😉

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Cover for the large print edition of THE WITCHING LICENSE: A green hand grabs a purple witch's hat trailing stars against a magical glowing blue moon. The Witching License (Large Print Edition) (135 large print paperback pages, rated Mild+. Also available in standard print.)

A dying woman uses her last night on earth—and newfound magical powers—to right the most important wrongs in her life. By turns sassy and touching, The Witching License is a quicker read that your seasoned fantasy reader can enjoy in large print format.

Pixelvania Publishing’s large print books are designed according to specifications recommended by the Council of Citizens with Low Vision International, which gives these books a radically different look than my other paperbacks, so be sure to use the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon to make sure it’s what your reader will want!

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The Purrfect Christmas (Cover). Three animals: a smiling Golden retriever wearing a sequined santa hat to the left, a gently smiling orange tabby wearing a green bow to the right, and frowning in the middle, a grumpy longhaired brown tabby.

BONUS! Need a last-minute digital stocking stuffer? The Purrfect Christmas is a great choice! (digital only, rated All Ages)

A widow’s cat teams up with neighbors to save Christmas in this cute, Christian short story about helping others. Terrific for families who want something shorter to read together. With 12 chapters, you can read one chapter a day for the twelve days of Christmas, then finish the epilogue on Boxing Day!

Get the ebook Find out more


There you have it! My  gift recommendations for fantasy readers this 2021 holiday season! Happy shopping!

Danielle

New Fantasy Adventure release: THE CAPRAMANCER NEXT DOOR

There goats the neighborhood!

Cover for THE CAPRAMANCER NEXT DOOR: A laughing woman wields a glowing shepherd's crook while a goat leaps through a portal overhead

Down-to-earth mage Will Schafer has her hands full moving into a new house while keeping her mischievous herd of magical goats in line. Meeting handsome gardener Rickert Nash takes the sting out of moving…until his shadowy past comes roaring back to bite him in the butt.

Now Will and the herd must step in to save their neighbor from getting mulched—but can a girl and her goats defeat a formidable hunter…or are they all about to buy the farm?

Called “a wonderful read!” by GoatsLive.com, The Capramancer Next Door is an upbeat fantasy adventure sure to leave you smiling.

Read an excerpt here at Pixelvania Publishing.


I got to thinking about how hard it is to keep goats out of places they wanted to be, and came up with this portal-generating herd.