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    The Prince's Plight: The Balderdash Saga, #2
    The Prince's Plight: The Balderdash Saga, #2
    The Prince's Plight: The Balderdash Saga, #2
    Ebook141 pages1 hour

    The Prince's Plight: The Balderdash Saga, #2

    By J.W. Zulauf

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    About this ebook

    Not all fairytales take place in rolling hills or along sparkling beaches. Some happen right below our very feet like the corpses they are....

    After defeating Maleer, the people of Balderdash work to expand their kingdom by exploring the vast caverns in search of more graveyards. Although Hurlock and the shaman have adopted Kaylan, few in Balderdash trust the prince. Scarlet barely speaks to him, and Screech is the only one to show him affection. To escape the tension, Kaylan unofficially joins the Spelunkers, a group created by the shaman tasked with mapping the caverns.

    On one of his excursions, Kaylan is startled to hear a woman's scream. After locating the source, he watches from the shadows as two men chase her down, swords drawn.

    Kaylan realizes with horror that humans stand merely an hour's walk from Balderdash. He faces a critical decision. Should he run away to warn the rest of the underground kingdom about the human invaders in the caverns, or risk losing his life—and compromising the location of Balderdash—to save the woman?

    EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTS the second book in The Balderdash Saga, a series of lower grade fairytales with an always fun, slightly dark edge. Meet many friends, and a couple foes, on your visit to Balderdash. Whether you're searching for true love with Scarlet the Kindhearted Princess, or fighting for honor with Roland the Pirate Knight or Hurlock the Warrior King, there is something for every reader within this coffin tale.

    Reviewer Tyler Quevedo says of "The Balderdash Saga" series: "I originally read the story on my own first, not sure how dark the subject matter would be for young children with a story about an undead princess, but quickly my mind was put to ease as the story progressed. It covers all sorts of great topics that I value in a good story for children (and adults): Morality, Integrity, Loyalty, adventure, a small dash of romance, and most of all imagination. The vocabulary wasn't too difficult for the kids, and yet there were still occasional words along the way that needed explanation, further broadening their horizons as future book connoisseurs. ... If you're looking for a short read with great life lessons and core values for a budding adult, I'd recommend this book!"

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherEvolved Publishing LLC
    Release dateApr 25, 2015
    ISBN9781622533336
    The Prince's Plight: The Balderdash Saga, #2
    Author

    J.W. Zulauf

    I would love to say that from the second I could use my fingers, I began to write, but I can’t. Sure there were times through my life when writing surfaced and fell away, but the truth is, I couldn’t even read all that well through most of my teens. Then one day, my father gave me a copy of The Stand by Stephen King, and even though it took me a year to finish, I did it. This experience changed my life. From that point, I strove to become the best reader and writer I could be. I was driven by an unbelievable passion to become a writer, and here I am. I truly started from the bottom and worked hard to become who I am now. I am a believer in the words. Reading saved my life. Writing made my life.

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      Book preview

      The Prince's Plight - J.W. Zulauf

      Copyright

      www.EvolvedPub.com

      To make sure you never miss out on any important announcements related to our books, special promotions, etc., please subscribe to our newsletter at the address below. And fear not, we’ll not spam you, nor will we share your information with anyone else.

      Subscribe to the Evolved Publishing Newsletter

      ~~~

      THE PRINCE’S PLIGHT

      The Balderdash Saga – Book 2

      Copyright © 2015 J. W. Zulauf

      ~~~

      ISBN (EPUB Version): 162253333

      ISBN-13 (EPUB Version): 978-1-62253-333-6

      ~~~

      Associate Editor: Deb Hartwell

      Senior Editor: Lane Diamond

      Cover Artist & Illustrator: Luke Spooner

      Interior Designer: Lane Diamond

      ~~~

      PUBLISHER’S NOTE:

      At the end of this illustrated chapter book of approximately 17,692 words, you will find a Special Sneak Preview of THE SHAMAN’S SALVATION, the next installment (Book 3) in this critically-acclaimed The Balderdash Saga series. We think you’ll enjoy this book, too, and provide the preview as a FREE extra service, which you should in no way consider a part of the price you paid for this book. We hope you will both appreciate and enjoy the opportunity. Thank you.

      ~~~

      eBook License Notes:

      You may not use, reproduce or transmit in any manner, any part of this book without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations used in critical articles and reviews, or in accordance with federal Fair Use laws. All rights are reserved.

      This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only; it may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please return to your eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      ~~~~~

      Disclaimer:

      This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or the author has used them fictitiously.

      Books by J. W. Zulauf

      The Balderdash Saga (Lower Grade Chapter Books)

      Book 1: The Underground Princess

      Book 2: The Prince’s Plight

      Book 3: The Shaman’s Salvation

      ~~~

      The Balderdash Saga (Short Story Collection)

      The Balderdash Saga – Special Edition

      Includes these 4 Short Stories in 1 Volume:

      Roland the Pirate Knight

      Hurlock the Warrior King

      Scarlet the Kindhearted Princess

      Screech the Feathered Guardian

      ~~~

      Kingdom in Chains (YA Fantasy Novels)

      Book 1: Kingdom in Chains

      ~~~

      www.JWZulauf.com

      What Others Are Saying...

      ...about The Prince’s Plight

      ~~~

      I originally read the story on my own first, not sure how dark the subject matter would be for young children with a story about an undead princess, but quickly my mind was put to ease as the story progressed. It covers all sorts of great topics that I value in a good story for children (and adults): Morality, Integrity, Loyalty, adventure, a small dash of romance, and most of all imagination. The vocabulary wasn’t too difficult for the kids, and yet there were still occasional words along the way that needed explanation, further broadening their horizons as future book connoisseurs. ... If you’re looking for a short read with great life lessons and core values for a budding adult, I’d recommend this book! ~ Tyler Quevedo

      ~~~

      "The Prince’s Plight is a unique, cleverly-written and well-woven fairy/horror tale. Zulauf has created an unconventional fantastical world where the heroes of the story live underground and grapple with many ‘human’ issues such as love, loyalty, courage, and honor.  I highly recommend this series to tweens who love reading books with a touch of the macabre. Ages 6 to 12.  I give this book 5 bright and shining stars!" ~ Mother Daughter & Son Book Reviews

      ~~~

      While reading this second installment in ‘The Balderdash Saga,’ it became clear to me that J.W. Zulauf is one very talented ‘kidlit’ author! I suppose I was aware of this while reading (and thoroughly enjoying!) Book 1 – ‘The Underground Princess’ with my daughter, but as good as that story was, I liked this one just a bit more. A fun, rollicking adventure right from the first page, ‘The Prince’s Plight’ dances between the world of the living and the underground (but far from dead!) kingdom of Balderdash, as Prince Kaylan fights to protect a living girl from the clutches of the evil Lord Faron. ~ Dale L. Elster

      BONUS CONTENT

      We’re pleased to offer you a Special Sneak Preview at the end of this book, in which you’ll enjoy the first three chapters of J.W. Zulauf’s THE SHAMAN’S SALVATION, the next installment (Book 3) in this critically-acclaimed The Balderdash Saga series.

      ~~~

      ~~~

      OR GRAB THE FULL EBOOK TODAY!

      FIND LINKS TO YOUR FAVORITE RETAILER HERE:

      THE BALDERDASH SAGA Series at Evolved Publishing

      Table of Contents

      Copyright

      Books by J. W. Zulauf

      What Others Are Saying...

      BONUS CONTENT

      Table of Contents

      THE PRINCE’S PLIGHT

      Dedication

      Chapter 1

      Chapter 2

      Chapter 3

      Chapter 4

      Chapter 5

      Chapter 6

      Chapter 7

      Chapter 8

      Chapter 9

      Chapter 10

      Chapter 11

      Chapter 12

      Chapter 13

      Interview with the Author

      Special Sneak Preview: THE SHAMAN’S SALVATION - J.W. Zulauf

      Acknowledgements

      About the Author

      About the Illustrator

      More from Evolved Publishing

      Dedication

      For those who believe that family is more than blood.

      Deep within the caverns surrounding Balderdash, Prince Kaylan sat beside Screech, watching his campfire. He imagined the flames dancing a tango before him, grasping at each other, twirling and dipping in intricate but fascinating maneuvers. Faces formed like fiery phantasms and shifted in and out of the flickering light: Hurlock, the shaman, Scarlet... Maleer.

      Although Kaylan respected King Hurlock, who’d taken him in like a son, his thoughts always traveled back to Maleer, the monster who’d resurrected him. All of his Balderdash experiences had been shaped around Maleer’s lies, and even though three years had passed since the shaman banished the beast, Kaylan still considered him to be his true father.

      He swallowed the rest of his Preservation Potion and tossed the empty vial into the fire, sending bits of ash and ember swirling through the air. A burning log fell, shifting the dance to a slower, more evenly spread waltz.

      Since Maleer’s banishment, Balderdash had transformed into a new world.

      Roland, still the head of the Royal Guard, had taken on the task of training those interested in the ways of the sword.

      Princess Scarlet had become Balderdash’s matchmaker, though not very successfully. In fact, she took credit for the shaman and King Hurlock’s marriage, even though she had nothing to do with their deep-seated love.

      The apothecaries had been busy resurrecting the dead from the newly discovered graveyards, and Balderdash’s population had since doubled. In addition to the constant celebrations for the new residents, a wedding graced the kingdom’s bailey almost every other day.

      Trade had also found its way into Balderdash, transforming the main street into a long stretch of booths and attractions. Real estate emerged, with residents claiming that the homes closest to the castle indicated a sign of wealth.

      Yet even with

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