Doorway to Scorn
by Dimitrius Jones
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GENRE: Fantasy
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BLURB:
Many in the world of Austyria dream of becoming heroes, gaining classes like Mage, Knight, and Beastmaster. With the power granted to them by the powerful Alrelics, they can level up and accomplish extraordinary feats.
The citizens of Hollo village long for a hero to save them from the malevolent Gate, which disfigures all who see or try to enter it. Lex dreams of becoming a Soldier and leaving his cursed village with his friends, Bibi and Ariel, but his class designation ceremony devolves into absolute disaster. Within days, he’s forced to embark on a journey that will change his destiny forever.
To save his friends, Lex must uncover the mysteries of this mysterious doorway, while keeping his scornful heart in check before it consumes him utterly.
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Excerpt Two:
“Lex. You need to run.”
Bibi’s voice is low, just above a whisper. She flips her daggers in her hands until they’re pointing away from her body, something I’ve never seen done before. They’re normally used for stabbing – usually in the most treacherous manner possible – and held with the blade facing up, not down.
“I’m not leaving you here to fight that alone.”
“Then you’re a fool. You can’t help me here, and that cursed weapon you have won’t save you. I don’t even know why you’re still holding onto it.”
“I have potions. If you get hurt, I can at least heal you.”
Bibi doesn’t respond, but I can see the muscles in her shoulders and arms tensing as the shadow man regains his composure and goes completely still. She doesn’t sound like herself. It’s as if she’s a completely different person.
The shadow man points his blade high into the sky, and a strange, smoke-like energy begins to wisp around him. Soon, he is joined by two identical shadow men, each taking a battle stance with swords of their own.
“This is not a fight I plan to win,” Bibi says, and that’s when it dawns on me. She’s trying to buy everyone else time to escape from these things.
“Lex. You need to run.”
Bibi’s voice is low, just above a whisper. She flips her daggers in her hands until they’re pointing away from her body, something I’ve never seen done before. They’re normally used for stabbing – usually in the most treacherous manner possible – and held with the blade facing up, not down.
“I’m not leaving you here to fight that alone.”
“Then you’re a fool. You can’t help me here, and that cursed weapon you have won’t save you. I don’t even know why you’re still holding onto it.”
“I have potions. If you get hurt, I can at least heal you.”
Bibi doesn’t respond, but I can see the muscles in her shoulders and arms tensing as the shadow man regains his composure and goes completely still. She doesn’t sound like herself. It’s as if she’s a completely different person.
The shadow man points his blade high into the sky, and a strange, smoke-like energy begins to wisp around him. Soon, he is joined by two identical shadow men, each taking a battle stance with swords of their own.
“This is not a fight I plan to win,” Bibi says, and that’s when it dawns on me. She’s trying to buy everyone else time to escape from these things.
Welcome! Please start off by telling us a little about yourself.
I’m Dimitrius Jones, a black, queer author. I’m currently divorced to Starbucks, which was once the love of my life. Now I just kind of wake up somehow and go about my day. It’s very surreal.
I write, sing occasionally, and love to dance. I feel most alive when I’m in the process of creating something, whether it’s writing of music. I’ve always got some project I’m working on.
Is Doorway to Scorn a single title, or part of a series?
Doorway to Scorn is part one of a much larger story. I can’t stress enough how badly I want this to become a series!
What were your inspirations for the story?
JRPGs and role-playing games in general inspired this story. I grew up playing games like Legend of Zelda, Grandia, and Final Fantasy. In each of those titles, I was always more enthralled with the storyline than anything else. The gameplay was simply a means to finding out what happened next.
Thankfully those are also high-quality games with amazing gameplay, but an equally dynamic storyline makes them ever better!
Please share your setting for Doorway to Scorn. Have you ever lived or visited there? If so, what did you like most?
Doorway to Scorn is set in the world of Austyria, specifically on the Heran continent. The kingdom of Devona rules the majority of this continent, while rival kingdom Eorum lies to the east on the Daenast continent. I’d love to visit and learn more about the monsters, legends, and heroes. I’d also like to see an Alrelic up close.
Who are your favorite authors, book/series?
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd holds a special place in my heart. I also adore the Lunar series by Marissa Meyer. That series is so much fun!
If you could have an author roundtable discussion with any authors, who would you invite?
I would invite Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Walker, Sue Monk Kidd, and James Baldwin to the table. Each are prolific black authors, and I’d love to pick their brain about literature, how they honed their craft, and how their backgrounds played a role in the stories they wrote.
I feel like I already know the answers to some of those questions being a black author myself, but I’d love firsthand accounts. I think it would be so eye-opening and inspiring to sit with them.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve heard or seen?
I was visiting New Jersey late at night. I had to catch an Uber to the train station to retrieve my luggage from Newark airport. I was outside waiting and saw this strange person standing in the middle of the road down the street. They were contorting their body sideways and just…frozen in place. The whole time I was standing there they didn’t move, and I was waiting for about 10 minutes. To this day, I still don’t know why they were doing that, and part of me is glad I never found out.
What is the one thing that you would tell an inspiring writer to do?
Stop waiting for it to be the “right” time. Just get started!
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Dimitrius Jones was born and raised in West Texas, much to his eternal annoyance. Despite this, he first picked up the pen at the tender age of six. His first masterpiece was a page-turner was about dolphins that used eye lasers to kill a hurricane. From there, his life took a few twists and turns, but he always found his way back to his trusty notepad.
His next few projects include a self-help book for those who suffer from low self-esteem as well as a full-length fantasy/romance novel to be released sometime in the future. Dimitrius has always, perhaps unsurprisingly, been inspired by the mystery, tragedy, and wonder of fairy tales.
His goal in life is to constantly inspire, amuse, and shed light into the corners of life we didn’t know were right in front of us.
Website: http://dimitriusjones.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/idimitriusjones?lang=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authordimitriusjones/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idimitriusjones/?hl=en
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Doorway-Scorn-Novella-1-Austyria-ebook/dp/B081XJC13P
The book will be $0.99 during the tour.
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:
Dimitrius Jones will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Here’s to an amazing weekend!
Happy Thursday!
Hope everyone is having an amazing week!
Here’s to a terrific Tuesday!
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Love the cover art!
Congrats on this tour and thanks for the opportunity to read about another great book out there to read. It helps out so I can find books I know my family will enjoy reading. Thanks as well for the giveaway.
A great cover. I enjoy fantasy.
Sounds like a good book.
Thank you so much for hosting me!
Great post and awesome giveaway, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for hosting!