Books published by publisher Traveling Bard Publishing

From USA Today bestselling author Michael James PloofEvery so often, an epic adventure emerges that makes the blood surge, the spine tingle, and the heart smile page after exhilarating page. Such is Whill of Agora, Michael James Ploof’s action-packed fantasy that visits strange new lands as it unveils how one exceptional young man named Whill makes full use of fierce wits, superior skills, and relentless will to help defend the land of Agora from the monstrous Draggard. With plenty of drama and action packed battle scenes, Whill of Agora will enthrall anyone on the quest for great adventure, good times, and an infectiously optimistic outlook on even the darkest and most dangerous of days. It is the year 5170 in the land Agora, where humans, dwarves, and elves have existed in peace for centuries. Now, however, the human King Addakon has invaded and waged war on neighboring Isladon. The once peaceful Kingdoms of Agora are on the brink of continental war. The Dark Elf Eadon, and his army of Dragon-Elf crossbreeds, the Draggard, threaten to conquer all kingdoms. Enter young Whill, a nineteen-year-old ranger with battle savvy and untapped abilities. Having spent years roaming Agora and training with his mentor Abram, Whill has become a bright intellectual and a master of combat. What he seeks most, however, is the identity of his birth parents. Instead, he finds a tumultuous terrain and a prophecy placing him in the center of the struggle. Along the way, Whill encounters an equally inspired group of companions that are matched in skill and mission. These include Rhunis the Dragon Slayer, the young Tarren, the fearless Dwarf Roakore, the beguiling warrior Elf Avriel, and the powerful Zerafin. As Whill joins forces, he forges bonds far mightier than their escalating travails. With high adventure and fierce friendship, Whill of Agora will capture your imagination and grip your heart during every super-charged escapade that Agora’s bold and grinning brotherhood embraces.Whill of Agora features a complete map of Agora so that you can easily maneuver through the wilds and bustling cities alike. Click the "Look inside" feature to view map.With its rich history, 'page turner' pacing, unique magic system and majestic lands, the first book in the Whill of Agora series immerses the reader in a beautiful and believable world wrought with danger, war, manipulation, and mayhem.

Orphaned by a Wyvern, imprisoned by a king, hunted by fanatics…Since setting out on her quest for revenge, things have gone much differently than Min planned. After being stripped of her dragon egg and imprisoned for her supposed crimes against a foreign nation, Min faces her greatest challenge yet: Initiate Boot Camp.Now Min has a chance to prove herself once and for all. Bullies will abound and her trainers will try to break her, but Min is determined to succeed, no matter the cost.Dragon Rider Academy is a Teen & Young Adult Sword and Sorcery Fantasy Adventure.

An orphaned teen, a secret power, and a dragon sentenced to death.Sixteen year old Min Varresh wants nothing more than to join the Dragon Rider Academy.But there’s one problem: Only those with the legendary power of the Unbound may join, and only men are born with the power.Until now.When a wyvern attacks her village and destroys her home, Min is forced to reveal her secret. Now she’s on the run from those who wish to silence her.But Min will not be silenced.She will not cower from the religious zealots who believe the power of the Unbound is a gift from god given only to men.She will prove her worth.She will prove them wrong.She will become a dragon rider.No matter the cost.Dragon Rider Academy is a new coming of age fantasy adventure from the author of Whill of Agora and USA Today Bestseller Michael James Ploof.

From USA Today bestselling author Michael James PloofEadon’s dark armies have descended upon Agora. Rifts within the kingdoms of humans, dwarves, and elves, have unleashed hordes of draggard and dark elves. Although The Other has destroyed the rifts, Whill and his friends are now trapped far across the ocean in Drindellia.Whill must find a way to overcome his alter ego, and ultimately, the Dark Elf Eadon. The ancient elf Kellallea claims that Whill need only hand over the power of Adromida to her, and Agora shall know peace. He has successfully united the races against the dark elves, but is it too late?Dirk Blackthorn has finally been reunited with his long lost Krentz, they are free of Eadon once and for all, free to live the life they choose. Dirk urges that they go far away from Agora, believing that Eadon will succeed. Krentz, however, has set her sights on thwarting her father’s plans.Roakore is far from his mountain kingdom of Ro’Sar, a kingdom he believes is in dire peril. As he and his companions fight to find a way back to Agora, Roakore struggles with the doubts planted by the Book of Ky’Dren. Soon he will discover something of such magnitude that it will change his life forever.Aurora Snowfell stands upon the brink. Torn by loyalty and the promise of power, she must choose between the future of her people and her very soul.

FROM USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR MICHAEL JAMES PLOOFElven prophecy told of one who would defeat the dark lord…Whillhelm Warcrown has inherited a kingdom in chaos. His true love has no memory of him, his ward is trapped in the body of an ancient elf, and magic is lost. Mighty lords have claimed themselves kings of the north, dragons stir in the west, and a powerful necromancer is building an army of undead.Whill has inherited a kingdom in chaos, now he must fight to keep it.Dirk and Krentz have found themselves bound to a new bearer. The dwarf princess Raene now holds the timber wolf figurine. Hell bent on revenge, she drags Dirk, Krentz, and Chief along on a dangerous quest to stop the necromancer.Aurora Snowfell has been raised from death as an undead lich. Unable to resist the necromancer’s power, she travels north with Azzeal and the growing undead hordes, getting closer to the barbarian island of Volnoss with every step.Roakore has returned to his mountain kingdom and busied himself with the rebuilding. For six months Roakore has ignored his new abilities, but soon he will have to face the impossible truth.Kellallea remains silent to the elves. Avriel and Zerafin are forced to watch helplessly as their mother, and many of the elders fall deathly ill. The once powerful elves of Elladrindellia have found themselves mortal for the first time in untold millennia.

From USA Today bestselling author Michael James Ploof.It has been six months since the reclamation of the Ro'Sar Mountains and the liberation of Isladon. The lands of Agora are plagued by the hordes of Draggard which poured from the mountains during the reclamation. Eadon's Draggard scourge ravishes the land, sending all nations into chaos, dividing the Kingdoms and their people.The Dark Elf Eadon himself sits upon the thrown of Uthen-Arden, impersonating the fallen King Addakon. As King, Eadon has wrought war, famine, and plague upon the Kingdom.As the Dwarves hole up in their mountains, protecting their borders and guarding their treasures, the elves remain silent to Agora's plight. The Sun Elf Zerafin has returned in shame to his people with his sister's comatose body, her soul a captive of Eadon. Roakore has become King of the Ro'Sar Mountains and freed his father's spirit, his clan has rebuilt the great Kingdom. Abram and Rhunis continue their search within the Uthen-Arden capital city of Del'Oradon, for any clue that Whill remains alive. A Quest of Kings plunges readers into a vast and in depth world of magic, monsters and mayhem, rich in history and culture, where Humans, Dwarves and Elves have managed to live in harmony for centuries. It is a tale of friendship, love, honor, and courage in the face of deception, power, darkness and war.

WHY DO BAD GUYS LIVE IN GOOD HOUSES? From Atlantis in The Spy Who Loved Me to Nathan Bateman's ultra-modern abode in Ex Machina, big-screen villains often live in architectural splendor. From a design standpoint, the villain’s lair, as popularized in many of our favorite movies, is a stunning, sophisticated, envy-inducing expression of the warped drives and desires of its occupant. Lair: Radical Homes and Hideouts of Movie Villains, celebrates and considers several iconic villains’ lairs from recent film history. From futuristic fantasies to deathtrap-laden hives, from dwellings in space to those under the sea, pop culture and architecture join forces in these outlandish, primarily modern homes and in Lair, which features buildings from fifteen films, including: Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb Star Wars The Incredibles Blade Runner 2049 You Only Live Twice The Ghost Writer Body Double North by Northwest Edited by acclaimed architect Chad Oppenheim with Andrea Gollin, Lair includes interviews with production designers and other industry professionals such as Ralph Eggleston, Richard Donner, Roger Christian, David Scheunemann, Gregg Henry, and Mark Digby. Contributors include director Michael Mann, cultural critic Christopher Frayling, museum director Joseph Rosa, and architect Amy Murphy. Architectural illustrations and renderings by Carlos Fueyo provide multiple in-depth views of these spaces.

From USA Today bestselling author Michael James Ploof.After a lifetime of abuse at the hands of the murderous Vald, Talon Windwalker is finally free. He sets out across the sea in search of Akkeri, with his spirit wolf Chief at his side.Talon may have escaped the injustices of the barbarian island, but he cannot escape what he is—a Skomm runaway. Hunted, he must thwart his pursuers while searching for his lost love.After joining up with a group of fellow runaways wanted for killing their master’s guard, Talon discovers clues to Akkeri’s whereabouts. His quest leads him across the foreign landscape of Agora, and onto a slave ship holding hundreds of his fellow Skomm.With Chief at his side, and the elven ring Kyrr, Talon finally has the power to destroy his oppressors. But power comes at great cost. The lure of his magical trinkets gains him the attention of those who would take it for themselves. He begins to realize that with such power, he has a responsibility to help his oppressed people. However, in doing so, he may lose the only lead he has to finding Akkeri.Talon Windwalker wants only a quiet life—if only he could escape the shadow of his own legend.Set two hundred years before the events of Whill of Agora, The Windwalker Archive, reveals the origins of Dirk Blackthorn’s spirit wolf, Chief. The Windwalker Archive is a coming of age tale rich with magic, culture, friendship and lore. It is a fast-paced race against time; an underdog story wrought with action and adventure. Fans of the Legends of Agora books will be introduced to unforgettable new characters, and revisit a few old friends. Although Talon takes place chronologically before Whill of Agora, it can be read before or after.

FROM USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR MICHAEL JAMES PLOOFElven prophecy told of one who would defeat the dark lord…Whillhelm Warcrown has inherited a kingdom in chaos. His true love has no memory of him, his ward is trapped in the body of an ancient elf, and magic is lost. Mighty lords have claimed themselves kings of the north, dragons stir in the west, and a powerful necromancer is building an army of undead.Whill has inherited a kingdom in chaos, now he must fight to keep it.Dirk and Krentz have found themselves bound to a new bearer. The dwarf princess Raene now holds the timber wolf figurine. Hell bent on revenge, she drags Dirk, Krentz, and Chief along on a dangerous quest to stop the necromancer.Aurora Snowfell has been raised from death as an undead lich. Unable to resist the necromancer’s power, she travels north with Azzeal and the growing undead hordes, getting closer to the barbarian island of Volnoss with every step.Roakore has returned to his mountain kingdom and busied himself with the rebuilding. For six months Roakore has ignored his new abilities, but soon he will have to face the impossible truth.Kellallea remains silent to the elves. Avriel and Zerafin are forced to watch helplessly as their mother, and many of the elders fall deathly ill. The once powerful elves of Elladrindellia have found themselves mortal for the first time in untold millennia.

From USA TODAY Bestselling Author Michael James PloofThe ex-slave ship Freedom travels east across Agora’s southern seas. Talon has set his sights on Belldon Island, where it is said that Akkeri is being kept by the royal family. He plans on sailing as far North as the Strait of Shierdon before heading south by land to rescue his love. But it seems that the gods have different plans for him, as does the King of Shierdon.After an attack at sea by a mysterious and powerful foe, Talon finds himself at the center of a large-scale political game. He soon realizes that if he can play the game right, not only will he have a chance to free Akkeri and the Skomm, but he just might be able to gain his people a land of their own.First, however, he must convince his estranged father to fight beside him against Chieftain Winterthorn and his son, the hated Fylkin.

From USA TODAY Bestselling author Michael James Ploof.For ten long years young Dirk Blackthorn has followed his drunken father from one city to another, always having to cheat and steal for his next meal, and never knowing what the future might hold. A magician turned con artist, Dirk’s father Thad has taught him everything he knows. After being driven out of just about every southern city in Agora, they have come to Kell-Torey in search of a new beginning.With winter on its way, and all but a rusty coin spent on his father’s drinking, Dirk must make full use of his skills if they are to survive the harsh northern cold. As Thad descends deeper into his drunken delirium, Dirk becomes determined to make a name for himself in the city’s criminal underworld.Featuring two of Legends of Agora’s most beloved characters, Blackthorn Rising is a fast-paced coming of age tale wrought with sword and sorcery, it is a story of failure and triumph, and a testament to the unrelenting spirit of defiance and adventure within us all. FROM THE EDITORBlackthorn Rising is a book that sticks with you. Michael Ploof’s stimulating prose and evocative cast of characters are incapable of boring you on any single page. The plot is sharp, charged with dark wit, adventure, intrigue, and emotion. Enjoy Dirk Blackthorn’s bumbling journey to manhood as he rises to become a great thief, and an even greater man. I loved every minute of editing this tale, and I know you’ll love every minute of reading it. --Holly M. Kothe, espressoeditor.com

“Kitty O’Meara…offers us wisdom that can help during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. She is challenging us to grow."—Deepak Chopra, MD, author, Metahuman “Kitty O'Meara is the ”—O, The Oprah Magazine "An eloquent, heartwarming reflection that will resonate with generations to come… encouragement for a brighter tomorrow."—Kate Winslet “A stunning and peaceful offering of introspection and hope.”—The Children’s Book Review “It captured the kind of optimism people need right now.”—Esquire (UK) “Thank you, Kitty O'Meara…for pointing out that at this very moment, this very day, we can seize the opportunity to restore wholeness to our world."—Sy Montgomery, bestselling author of The Good Good Pig and The Soul of an Octopus “A poem by American writer Kitty O’Meara has deservedly gone viral.”—Edinburgh Evening News And the People Stayed Home is a beautifully produced picture book featuring Kitty O’Meara’s popular, globally viral prose poem about the coronavirus pandemic, which has a hopeful and timeless message. Kitty O’Meara, author of And the People Stayed Home, has been called the “poet laureate of the pandemic.” This illustrated children’s book (ages 4-8) will also appeal to readers of all ages. O’Meara’s thoughtful poem about the pandemic, quarantine, and the future suggests there is meaning to be found in our shared experience of the coronavirus and conveys an optimistic message about the possibility of profound healing for people and the planet. Her words encourage us to look within, listen deeply, and connect with ourselves and the earth in order to heal. O’Meara, a former teacher and chaplain and a spiritual director, clearly captures important aspects of the pandemic experience. Her words, written in March 2020 and shared on Facebook, immediately resonated nationally and internationally and were widely circulated on social media, covered in mainstream news media, and inspired an outpouring of creativity from musicians, dancers, artists, filmmakers, and more. The many highlights include an original composition by John Corigliano that was premiered by Renée Fleming.