Welcome to My Imagination!
I'm an author of epic and heroic fantasy, paranormal adventures, historical fiction, and mysteries. I'm best known for my Legionnaire series (military heroic fantasy published online and in print) and my Miss Pandora Parson mysteries published in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. Take a look around and feel free to visit again. If you have any questions you can contact me through the Guestbook or at gilbertmstack@gmail.com. You can also find me at Goodreads.
Winterhaven 2 The First Snows is Available for Pre-Order
25% off if pre-ordered by 6/13/19. By the author of Legionnaire, the epic new military fantasy continues:
Sane men spend the winter season bundled up in their homes near the fire praying for spring to come, so insanity must be on the rise in Winterhaven. With the tenuous unity of the Great Lords fractured by the failures of the Duke’s army in the west and the accusations of heresy against his son, new armies are secretly mobilizing even in this bitterest of seasons. Yet can even knights as great as William Lord Tavistock and Sir Conn of Edgefield lead armies to victory after the first snows have fallen?
You can find The First Snows on Amazon, AmazonUK, Kobo, B&N and other fine e-retailers.
Legionnaire 7 The Bridges of Morganita Is
Now Available
Now Available
Marcus has defeated the smaller half of the army of
Thegn Chilperic by the skin of his teeth, but now he must rally his legion and
its allies to stop the Thegn’s main force from rolling back all of his
victories. Yet even as he fights for control of the strategic bridges on the
Rio Rocoso, Marcus’ allies remain as fractious as ever. The rebellious Gente of
Morganita continue to fight among themselves for leadership of their cause,
while the Gota also violently question the leadership of Marcus’ friend,
Evorik. As if all of this weren’t bad enough, the mighty Thegn of Granate still
tries to walk the middle path in this war, telling both Marcus and his enemies
that he is loyal to them. Too soon now, Marcus will find out which side Granate
betrays at the Bridges of Morganita.
The Bridges of Morganita is available on Amazon, Amazon UK, iBooks, Kobo, B&N and more.
Now Available--Winterhaven--The First Book in a Brand New Epic Fantasy Series
Here is a first look at the cover of the first book of my new fantasy series, Winterhaven. This book has been more than 20 years in the writing and I'm very excited to bring it to you in February 2019.
In the far off Duchy of Winterhaven at the edge of human civilization, a young knight investigates a most unusual murder while the Great Lords of the land scheme to expand their borders and take control of the duchy. A decade of relative peace is about to collapse and only young Dhrugal of Edgefield and his brothers and sister stand between Winterhaven and dark-spun chaos.
Winterhaven can be can be found at Amazon, Amazon UK, B&N, iBooks, and Kobo.
The Map of Winterhaven
Here is the amazing map of Winterhaven painted by Chris L. Adams. Chris split the final version into two maps so that the detail will be easier to make out on e-readers and phones. It is, I am sure you will agree, extraordinary! You can see more of Chris' art work and poetry and links to his fiction here.
THE FIRE ISLANDS Passes 1800 Sales
The Fire Islands, the first book in my series, Legionnaire, has now sold more than 1700 copies! Legionnaire is a gritty High Fantasy
series set on the borders of the far-flung Republic of Aquila. While political
in-fighting and scheming are the order of the day in the heart of the Republic,
the borderlands are awash with dangers only kept in check by the might of the
legions. Fell magics, savage peoples, and scheming empires all threaten the
country Patrician Marcus Venandus has sworn to defend using his wits, military
strategy and his small command of highly disciplined legionnaires.
Lesser Tribune Marcus
Venandus, Legion officer exemplar, was exiled to the disease-ridden hell hole
known as the Fire Islands as punishment for the failed political machinations
of his father. While the days of the powerful witchdoctor kings throwing
skeletal armies against the shields of the legion have faded into history, all
is not right at the edge of the world. Unrest is boiling
once again as long dead darkness seeps back into the islands. With the legion
more concerned with its personal rivalries than with its duty, it will fall to
Marcus and his small, highly disciplined, command to put the horrors of the
past back in their graves and literally save Aquila from a fate worse than
death.
The Fire Islands is now available for 99 cents. You can find it at Amazon.com, Amazon UK, iBooks, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and other e-sellers.
More Winterhaven
One of the most important things that every great fantasy book needs is a map. When I decided to publish my novel, Winterhaven, I knew I needed a map as great as the story. Unfortunately, I have no real artistic talent to speak of and feared that I was going to fall flat in this area.
Fortunately, painter extraordinaire, Chris L. Adams, offered to help out again as he had with the map of The Jeweled Hills in my Legionnaire series. The first thing he did was color my sketch to distinguish the geographical features and clarify the place name labels. I would have been happy with this improvement alone, but Chris had bigger plans and pulled out the paint brushes. In the image below you can see the progression as the image bleeds from my original sketch, through his colorization and into his masterful painting.
You can see more of Chris' work here.
TREMENDOUS NEWS!
The Legionnaire Series has now sold more than 5000 Copies!
The Legionnaire Series has now sold more than 5000 Copies!
My sincere thanks to everyone who has supported this series by buying a copy or leaving a review. It is an honor to write for you.
Legionnaire 6: Morganita Burning Is Now Available
Morganita Burning has now sold more than 300 copies.
The long-feared war has erupted and Prefect Marcus Venandus and his newly raised legion are on the front lines of the fighting. After the successful conquest of a fortified border town, Marcus leads his men deep into Morganitan territory, part of a daring plan to secure Amatista’s rear by eliminating its major northern opponent before it’s other foes can join in the fighting. Yet will his new infantry prove up to the task? Despite new weapons and the strategies of far off Aquila to direct them, Marcus’ men are badly inexperienced and riven with the same deep-seated racial prejudices that embroil all of the peoples of the north. With just as many enemies within as without, can Marcus find the path to victory?
The war continues! With your shield or on it, Marcus!
Blood Ties Is Here!
My new novel, Blood Ties, is now available! It’s part of my October celebration--Occult-tober. Here's the blurb of the novel:
It seemed like such an easy case. All attorney Liz Dunn had to do was escort Ryan Hart to meet his long lost uncle in the tiny country of Carpathia on the Transylvanian border. Ryan stood to gain a ten million dollar estate. Liz wanted the hefty check that would keep her law firm in the black. But Ryan’s dying uncle, the enigmatic Stefan Carpathios, planned to get something far more sinister in return. In an ancient land where legends come to life, Liz is about to discover that the world is much more complex than she believed and a blood tie can be an exceedingly dangerous thing. In the quest for immortality, a relative is a terrible thing to waste.
Blood Ties is available on Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iBooks, Smashwords, and other fine e-retailers.
LEGIONNAIRE 2 THE SEA OF GRASS Just Sold Its 900th Copy
The Sea of Grass, the second book, and first full-length novel in the Legionnaire series, just sold its 900th copy.
Forbidden from returning to Aquila, Marcus Venandus responds to a plea from a half-brother he has never met to aid him in the far away land called the Jeweled Hills. When pirates shut down the sea routes, the legion officer and his two trusted companions are forced to join a caravan to make the slower journey north across the treacherous Sea of Grass. Yet this may not prove to be the safer choice. A mysterious shaman has sworn to drench the plains in the blood of foreigners and his mastery over storms gives him the teeth to fulfill his oath. As chaos envelopes the trail, it will fall to Marcus to organize the defense and try to shepherd the frightened civilians of the caravan to safety again.
The Sea of Grass is now available for $3.99. You can find it at Amazon,
Amazon UK, Barnes
& Noble, iBooks, Smashwords
and other e-sellers.
Legionnaire 5: The Centinela Gambit Just Sold Its 600th Copy
The Centinela Gambit has just sold its 600th copy.
Surrounded by enemies, Prefect Marcus Venandus launches a bold stroke to
eliminate one opponent in the coming war. The key to his plan is the fortified
border town of Centinela—the Sentinel of Southern Morganita. Its fortified
walls are strong enough to delay conventional forces for weeks, giving the
other enemy city-states plenty of time to invade Amatista from the east. Yet,
one thing Marcus has learned in the Jeweled Hills is that the locals do not
understand the full capabilities of legion-style infantry. Can he take
advantage of their ignorance to neutralize Centinela? Or will his risky gambit
cost Marcus and his allies the war?
Get it for $3.99 at Amazon, Amazon UK, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, Smashwords, and other fine e-retailers.
Sketch versus Painting of the Map of the Jeweled Hills
Just in case there's any doubt as to what an awesome painter, Chris L. Adams, is, I thought I'd show a side-by-side comparison--the original sketch of my map of the Jeweled Cities versus his finished product. At first glance, it's hard to tell they describe the same place.
Thanks, Chris! You can see more of Chris' paintings--not to mention his poetry and fiction--at his website here.
LEGIONNAIRE 3 THE JEWELED HILLS Has Passed 800 Copies Sold!
The Jeweled Hills, the third installment has now sold more than 800 copies.
Tribune Marcus Venandus and his two trusted
officers have gone through hell in their journey north from the Fire Islands
and across the Sea of Grass. Arriving at Amatista in the Jeweled Hills, Marcus
is looking forward to a much deserved rest in the home of his half-brother, but
fate has other plans for the legionnaire. Soon he will be wishing he’d never
heard of his brother’s city. Surrounded by enemies and crippled by internal
divisions, Amatista is already on its knees and ready to fall. Marcus must act
decisively to save everything his brother has built, but without his beloved
legions behind him, can Marcus and his friends survive their visit to the
Jeweled Hills?
You can find The Jeweled Hills for $3.99 at Amazon, Amazon UK, B&N, iBooks, and other e-retailers.
LEGIONNAIRE BOOK 4 THE BATTLE FOR AMATISTA Has More Than 800 Sales and Counting
The Battle for Amatista, the fourth volume of the Legionnaire series,has now sold more 800 copies.
With the passes to Ópalo forced open again, Prefect Marcus Venandus hoped
to gain a respite to build his army for the war he knows is coming in the
spring. Unfortunately, his enemies understand all too well the threat he poses
to them and are taking steps to kill him before he reaches next year’s
battlefields. Assassins, both mundane and magical, step out of the shadows to
strike at him, while other conspirators take advantage of the intense divisions
within the city to spark riots to bring the government down. Unable to
differentiate between friend and foe, will Marcus and his few trusted comrades
be able to win the Battle for Amatista?
You can find The Battle for Amatista for $3.99 at Amazon, Amazon UK, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, and other fine retailers.
Introducing Written Gems
I’m
excited to announce the creation of a new discussion group on Goodreads
dedicated to the wonderful but
often underappreciated works that form the roots of Fantasy and Science Fiction
today. This will include such greats as: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Lord Dunsany,
Robert E. Howard, H.G. Wells, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, H.P. Lovecraft, and
more—plus the occasional author you may have never read (but will be very glad
you did).
These authors not only influenced the development of their genres but are still frankly fun to read today. We want to explore these works together and seek out more—and we’re inviting you to join us in our endeavor.
Joining me in this noble cause are authors William L. Hahn and Chris L. Adams. Will is an expert in epic fantasy and Chris is an authority on the pulp classics of the first half of the twentieth century. Together we’ll explore a new work each month, seeking to understand not only what made the novel fun in the past, but why it has endured, and what it has to offer for audiences today.
If you’re interested, why don’t you take a look at Written Gems on Goodreads where you’ll find more information about our group?
We have two discussion threads now:
A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Khaled: A Tale of Arabia by Francis Marion Crawford
Two Reviews
My story, Hearts of Ice, and my Pandora Series, each picked up favorable mentions recently.
Aside from wishing that the novella was longer, Barb at Night Owl Reviews said: "... the ending was a surprise and I was not expecting that... All in all, the story was good."
My Pandora Series at Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine was mentioned in the comments to a Bill Crider blog on western crime fiction at Criminal Element. Richard Prosch said: "Another terrific bunch of Old West mystery stories is Gilbert M. Stack's Pandora series. The new one (Number 10, I think) is in the latest Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine this month."