A Fallible Goddess and The Enduring Sorrow (Journey Book 4)

"However brutal, the truth is the only path to legitimate enlightenment. Consider who you are...and what you are destined to become. You cannot be permitted the luxury of clinging to delusions...whatever false comfort they might provide" The Mother Guide to Islena Doraux
After an eternity of conflict...an odious cycle of recurring violence that has indelibly stained the histories of innumerable worlds in hues of blood and tragedy, Islena Doraux stands on the cusp of omnipotence. Yet, as she accepts her ordained role and prepares to ascend to the mantle of godhood...becoming not a god, but the god, Islena is beset by terrible ambivalence when confronted by two paths that seem to lead in diametrically opposite directions. Plagued by the inner demons of volatility and ambition and surrounded by those who would manipulate her to their own personal advantage, Islena struggles to decide on which future she will embrace.
With the Antiquated World in chaotic shambles and her old life permanently lost to her, Islena Doraux comes to her moment of apotheosis. The fate of every world...every parallel stream of reality...will be determined by the path upon which she elects to tread. Despite fate's complex weave, it is the tortured and tragic Lorio who will serve as the fulcrum of destiny and bring the ever-spinning triangle of conflict to a resounding and permanent stop.

At the beginning of this year, I made the difficult decision that I would offer my entire catalogue of novels (which currently stands at eleven, with a twelfth and thirteenth to follow in the not too distant future) free of charge. There are a number of reasons that inspired this decision, but in the name of brevity, I'll confine my explanation to the two most pertinent. After several months of honest introspection, I finally was forced to admit that I possess neither the aptitude, nor the desire for self-promotion (as one would quickly glean if they were to bother to check my paltry social media footprint)...an aptitude that is essential for an indie author's chance at acceptance and recognition. Even more damning is the fact that I choose to write in a neoclassical style, the appeal of which is confined to an extremely miniscule segment of today's reading devotees.
After more than thirty years, it is time to accept reality and stop flogging this particular dead horse. I toyed with the notion of completely removing my works from the various outlet platforms, but decided to offer them for free instead. Recalling the motivation that had inspired me to start writing in the first place, I realized that a less money oriented individual would be a challenge to find and I was driven by a desire to share my creative efforts...these tales of epic fantasy and dark horror with those who might appreciate reading them as much as I enjoyed scribing them.
Thus, the e-book versions of my novels will henceforth be free on Smashwords and all of their distribution channels...Barnes & Noble, Apple, etc. Unfortunately, Amazon does not allow for authors to offer their creative works gratis and they will remain available through that platform for a nominal price (I will remind readers that Amazon does price match). The paper version of my novels are available through Amazon, but for a price that most might find prohibitive for a comparatively unknown indie author.
My aspiration now is simply this; I hope that readers who happen across my works will take the time to delve into the poignant, heartfelt tales of these characters for whom I've developed such an affection while setting their stories to paper. Both the Journey fantasy series and the Converging supernatural series (a classification I roundly detest) are nearing the ends of their long arcs. It is my hope that the day will come, after the last word of each has been set to paper, when, as an even older...