Fantasy, Lore, Crusades, and More: Dark Lament

***Listener discretion is advised due to the graphic violence in the excerpt and a child in a scary situation. The child isn't harmed.*** Hi, I’m indie fantasy author, Melinda Kucsera, and in this episode, Simon Graeme is joining me to talk about his book, Dark Lament. What’s it about? Vas, a healer who channels divine light, turns to forbidden necromancy to resurrect his dead uncle, unleashing horrors that demand lives in return. When darkness seeks him out, Vas must choose between watching his new family perish or embracing darkness itself to save them. Inspired by the Crusades, Dark Lament is a gritty, macabre dark fantasy and the first in The Black Crusade series. What's in this episode: Simon Graeme reads from Dark Lament, immersing listeners in a haunting world of light and shadow. We then dive into the sinister and unsettling lore infusing his fantasy world with horror and the difficulties of using religious and historical themes as a backdrop for dark tales questioning faith, morality, and the human condition. This episode descends into the grim, unforgiving world Simon Graeme created where a healer’s quest for absolution awakens ancient evils that demand a steep price. Follow Vas's transformation from a man of light into a vessel of darkness as he struggles against sinister forces threatening all he holds dear. Get Dark Lament: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L879PL4 Where to find our guests: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/the.simongraeme Twitter: https://twitter.com/theSimonGraeme Sign up for his newsletter: https://www.simongraeme.com/ About your host, Melinda Kucsera: Melinda Kucsera writes fantastic short stories, novels, and books when not being kidnapped by dragons or chased by armies of fictional creatures. (We do, on occasion, rescue her.) She leaves the running of her newsletter to a cast of lovable characters who hog her inbox. Enough about her, it’s us you’re really interested in, her cast of characters. Join us⁠ every week for a new story. About the interview: I entered my book, ⁠Curse Breaker Enchanted⁠, in the Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off 9 (SPFBO 9) this year and thought it might be cool to interview my fellow entrants. Only 300 books can enter the contest. 10 will advance to the semi-finals, and one will be crowned the winner of SPFBO 9 for 2023. I hope you're cheering for Curse Breaker Enchanted! You can grab a copy for free right now to celebrate. If you want to get even more involved, join my community on Patreon and start reading book 10, Shards For His Gift, right now. I'm writing what I hope are the final chapters and posting them this weekend. Where to find your host, Melinda Kucsera: Web site: ⁠https://melindakucsera.com/⁠ ⁠Start the Curse Breaker Series⁠ now. Sign up for my newsletter: ⁠https://www.mkucsera.com/welcomecharacters⁠ ⁠Support this show on Patreon⁠. Get thanked and read my latest novels before anyone else.