Have you ever felt a longing to be in Tolkien’s Middle Earth? To be surrounded by that sort of myth and power? 

If you’re familiar with the works of Tolkien’s Inklings, you might know the German noun sehnsucht. It describes a deep emotional state, but it has been simplified to mean a “longing” or “yearning.” C. S. Lewis often talked about sehnsucht, calling it an “inconsolable secret,” a “desire for our own far-off country,” “the echo of a tune we have not heard,” and an “unnameable something.”

Song of Locke explores many of these deep Christian themes that Lewis and Tolkien wrote about. Locke, the hero, is based on the young C.S. Lewis. He, like Lewis, lost his mother and in turn lost his faith. Thus Locke is an atheist living in an inexplicably wondrous world, searching for answers to life’s deepest questions, and ultimately setting out on a quest in search of sehnsucht. 

THE ORIGINS

When I was a kid, I obsessed over heroes—like Luke Skywalker and Avatar Aang.

And it just killed me when their stories ended.

I tried to fill the gap by collecting action figures and reading mediocre novelizations. I even made a wooden sword with a nailed crosspiece and took it on imaginary quests—trying to find more of that substance called adventure. 

As an adult, I still have that drive. But now I’m furiously writing instead, trying to contribute to the library of legend (imagine Jack Black saying, “library of legend”—there you go). I want to make more of those stories I’ve always craved. And that’s where Song of Locke comes in.

Locke is an elfe who feels a deep longing for something—a strange, magical feeling that he can’t quite describe. His sylfe Picke (who is a creature something like a fairy) dares him to follow a band of bloodthirsty warriors into the woods, promising they’ll lead to the thing Locke has been longing for. In spite of his doubts, Locke takes the dare, and the two of them find themselves on a wild adventure. Soon Locke must face snarling wolves, wield a magic blade, and risk his life to rescue a goddess—a girl he hardly knows but who he can’t stop thinking about—from the clutches of a fallen god. 

In the spirit of Legend of Zelda and Peter Pan, Song of Locke portrays a detailed fantasy world, somewhat grittier than its forebears and drenched in human emotion. The tale has swordfights, witty banter, crushes, and even some subtle philosophy smuggled in. It’s an epic for everyone who loves good stories—for anyone who has longed for something that seemed forever out of reach.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

You know Brandon Sanderson—the guy who finished The Wheel of Time?

He’s my mentor.

Even if he’d never admit it.

I took his novel-writing class during my Master’s of English. Probably all his students claim him as mentor, but isn’t it obvious that I—ha ha, and I alone—am his preeminent pupil? His critical feedback helped me polish my first novel, Ecksdot, for publication, and he wrote this on the manuscript: “You are good with emotion and… have a good instinct of dramatic style.” Ecksdot and Song of Locke have both launched to critical success.

But the truth is the success isn’t entirely mine. Several fine mentors have trained me—I’ve mentioned just one among many. Plus I have a secret weapon: I’m an indie author, so I’ve recruited dozens of beta readers—amazing, smart people—to give me crowdsourced feedback. They’re top-notch, no kidding. They’re lawyers, English graduates, and Legend of Zelda experts. They’re people who’ve found typos in the Harry Potter books. Most importantly, they’re readers who love good stories. Their insights helped me make each draft more polished and profound than the last, pushing Song of Locke from good to great.

Their feedback makes me confident you’ll love it.

I was homeschooled when I was a kid, and so readers have a special place in my heart. 

Because of that, I’m want to make a deal with you. I will send you the ebook of Song of Locke, which you can read on your smartphone, tablet, computer, or Kindle. 

But here’s the catch. 

You have a to promise me you’ll read the book within three weeks and then write an honest review (no, it doesn’t have to be 5 stars). If you’re not going to read it soon, don’t bother. But if you are, send an email to me@jwashburn.com with this subject line: “The Fellowship of Locke.” In the body of the email, promise me you’ll read Song of Locke and write an honest review. If you do this, I’ll send it to you—a book worth $4.99.

Thanks. I’m excited to hear from you!