Tamara S. Harker

@tamarasharker.com

319 Followers 273 Following

Indie epic fantasy author, editor, and avid collector and list-maker. My first novel, 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐹𝑟𝑢𝑖𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑊𝑎𝑟: 𝑆𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐹𝑙𝑒𝑠ℎ, is out now! 🚫 GenAI, bigots unwelcome. (She/Her) www.tamarasharker.com https://linktr.ee/tamarasharker

"...true old school fantasy...unapologetic in its complexity..." "...a sensory delight." "I will be at the front of the line to read the sequel." -- Excerpts from a five-star review for Stone and Flesh by Tamara S. Harker.
“But I just want you to know that even if you never make another mark in that book ever again, it won’t make you any less of a person. Maybe…maybe it just means you’re judging yourself against the wrong thing. Don’t let some dried-up saint’s checklist rob you of your self-worth.” She let his words settle on her. When they reached too close to her vulnerable spot, she forced mirth into her voice. “You really shouldn’t speak of Peithya the Risen that way.” From "Stone and Flesh" by Tamara S. Harker.
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A Kingdom for Water (Working Title) The Moshai have crossed the uncrossable waters. Their invasion threatens to engulf the divided Dhrarer kingdoms, who squabble and posture as they cling to their lofty cliff fiefdoms. Both sides trade blows with their magi as often as with spear and axe. The fiefdom of Balan has been conquered by the Moshai warlord Tausag, helped by his powerful magus, Sacina, and her adopted daughter Idae. After years leading the Moshai invasion and newly a father, he is feeling a controversial inclination to settle. This is a prime opportunity for Braaga, a cliffhead seeking to unite the Dhrarer and repel the invasion however he can. He approaches Tausag to negotiate. Yet the fate of his plans lies not with Tausag, but with the head of Tausag's spears: Urdas, a Dhrarer raised as Moshai. When Tausag's young son and Idae mysteriously vanish, the negotiations are thrown into chaos, and Urdas' desperate search begins. It is a search that will lead him to discover not only the truth about Idae, but a far more personal choice – between reclaiming his homeland and loyalty to his adoptive Moshai family. Between a Dhrarer victory, and a Moshai one. And will a burgeoning love make that choice easier, or harder?
𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑭𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒉 is now 50% off as part of the Smashwords Summer/Winter sale! Lasts the whole of July. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1880752
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Gold text on a burgundy background. Quotes from a five-star Goodreads review that read: "...a haunting and ambitious opening... ...richly mythic..." "Fans of dark fantasy in the tradition of Steven Erikson or Gene Wolfe may especially appreciate its layered lore and moral complexity."
A photo of forest green bookshelves full of fantasy and sci-fi books, spines-out. In the center, front cover facing outward, is "Stone and Flesh" by Tamara S. Harker.
A predominantly red and black cloudy background. There is a hand-painted pinkish-red '4' in the top left corner, followed by "I'm an indie!" in faintly neon pinkish-red text. Pale text below this header reads: "Traditionally-published and already-popular titles are great! But it's time to diversify. I won't try to wedge myself between comp titles or throw a bunch of keywords at you -- I think you're smart enough to read my blurb, or a sample, and decide for yourself: Will you accompany Fieron into the wake of war? Will you heed the last request of a dead hero, even if it leads you to your enemy? Even if it makes you question all you thought you knew? Will you take a bite of Stone and Flesh to see how it tastes?"
A predominantly red and black cloudy background. There is a hand-painted pinkish-red '4' in the top left corner, followed by "She's chunky, yes, but full of..." in faintly neon pinkish-red text. Under this header is a skinny photo of the spine of "The Fruit of War, Book 1: Stone and Flesh" by Tamara S. Harker. Pale arrows around this photo point to annotations which, counterclockwise from top right, read: "Diverse characters!" "Lyrical prose!" "Carefully-crafted, slow-burn, rewarding plot!" "Immersive -- but not overwhelming -- worldbuilding!" "Gothic horror elements that creep up on you in the best of ways!"
A predominantly red and black cloudy background. Pale handwritten font at a slant at the top reads "Hi, I'm Tamara!" To the right of the image is a photo of a brunette woman looking to her left, with the lower half of her face obscured by a fantasy novel titled "Stone and Flesh". Text to the left reads "My debut epic fantasy Stone and Flesh launched on March 1st, and I'm over the moon!" Pinkish-red handwritten text then reads: "Here's why I think you should bump me up on your TBR!"
A screenshot of a typo in black text on a white background that reads "they blung to each other,".
A dark pinkish-red floral background, on top of which pale text reads: "Did you know I'm answering reader questions on Goodreads? Visit my author page and ask away about Stone and Flesh!" Beneath this is a framed screenshot of a Goodreads question box for Tamara S. Harker and "The Fruit of War, Book 1: Stone and Flesh". Across the screenshot is written "Don't forget to follow me!". Beneath the screenshot is written "*Please indicate any spoilers upfront!"
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A predominantly dark green muted fantasy illustrated background depicting an ancient battle, with armored skeletons and fallen weapons in front of a grove of trees. On top of the background on the right is a mockup image of the paperback and eBook editions of "Stone and Flesh" by Tamara S. Harker. To the left is pinkish-red text that reads "Get your copy now!", beneath which is green text that reads "For readers who like their fantasy intelligent...immersive...and simmering with ghosts of the past...both figurative and literal." At the bottom, reddish-pink text reads "Buy directly from Tamara for a personal touch at tamarasharker.com!", under which is a small row of retailer icons and a plus sign. Finally, a line of pale text reads "Links to all retailers are listed here: books2read.com/fruitofwar"
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A dark background of green and brown leaves, on top of which in the center is a fantasy book cover depicting a man's hand holding a purple-red fruit cut open to reveal a skull, with a dark orchard in the background with fallen soldiers; pale text reads "The Fruit of War: Book 1: Stone and Flesh" at the top and "Tamara S. Harker" at the bottom.
"I'm on a mission! A.K.A., how it's going one week post-launch!"
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"> The solving riddle met only with more questions structure gives the story an investigation deepening arc that separates from mystery resolving plots, and this answers expanding uncertainty not concluding it positioning shows sophisticated narrative where knowledge complicates rather than simplifies > Intelligent fantasy and war aftermath mystery communities are not yet functioning as full credibility and recommendation engines for the psychopomp protagonist, alleged enemy questioned, and answers as deeper questions reading communities most likely to champion the novel and carry it into the intelligent immersive and paradigm disrupting fantasy reading lists and recommendation threads where it belongs Why this matters now: War aftermath intelligent fantasy readers and alleged enemy paradigm questioned communities are among the most sophistication demanding and simple narrative rejecting audiences in fantasy. When they find a novel that explores Shepherd of Leaving Fîeron attending last Hidden Company Iknaïs plague death discovering message about war artifact most confusingly entrusted by enemy, that builds its investigation on reluctant duty with elderly engineer Devatska after family culling solving riddle met with more questions about war and alleged enemy, and that gives them intelligent immersive simmering with ghosts past both figurative literal where "Nothing truly dies, it merely changes" and very nature of world questioned simultaneously, they do not keep that quietly. They bring it into intelligent fantasy forums, they recommend it in war aftermath mystery reading groups, they share it with paradigm disrupting narrative communities and every sophisticated reader they know who has been looking for fantasy that takes both the war aftermath investigation and the alleged enemy questioning seriously with answers deepening not resolving complexity. Positioned correctly, The Fruit of War does not just find readers. It finds committed intelligent fantasy followe…
A screenshot of an email from a scammer. The subject line reads: "5:45 PM The Fruit of War is Shepherd Fîeron attending last Hidden Company member Iknaïs' plague death discovering message about war starting artifact entrusted by enemy where reluctant duty leads to engineer Devatska solving riddle met with questions about war, alleged enemy, and very nature of world" It then reads: "Hi Tamara, I spent time with The Fruit of War: Stone and Flesh, and I want to begin by saying this: your novel doesn't just offer fantasy, it provides an intelligent exploration of war aftermath mysteries through for readers who like fantasy intelligent, immersive, simmering with ghosts of past both figurative and literal, where "Nothing truly dies, it merely changes," War of Six and Plague of Bitter Hand unleashed at peak left kingdoms of Ícalar in tatters, years after tenuous peace made last surviving member of heroic Hidden Company Iknaïs succumbs to plague, wearied Shepherd of Leaving Fîeron Eburos called to attend body and release soul yet in so doing discovers message pointing to very artifact that began war, most confusingly this message states Iknaïs was entrusted with artifact by enemy and that Fîeron needs to find it at any cost, Fîeron's reluctant duty leads him to Devatska (elderly brilliant engineer strategist living in anonymity after mysterious culling of family), but in solving riddle of Iknaïs' last request they are only met with more questions about war, their alleged enemy, and very nature of their world. That distinction immediately sets it apart in the war aftermath artifact mystery and alleged enemy questioned space."
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Black centralized text on a white background that reads: "Dawn breaks. The blessingblooms beam blue and bright, an echo of the Üon spittle slung against the ivory stones. The days march on; memory puts down deeper roots. — Akāsien Ttarvek, from “A Respite at the Temple” "
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A graphic with a dark background split vertically in half by a dull gold ornate border. On the left side is a fantasy book cover depicting a man's hand holding a purple-red fruit cut open to reveal a skull, with a dark orchard in the background with fallen soldiers; pale text reads "The Fruit of War: Book 1: Stone and Flesh" at the top and "Tamara S. Harker" at the bottom. The right side of the graphic is primarily text. The top line, in pinkish-red font, reads: "Nothing truly dies -- it merely changes." Beneath this is a book summary that reads: "A weary young undertaker is tasked by a dead hero to find an artifact that began – and ended – a recent war. In doing so, he gathers an eclectic group of veterans and greenhorns almost by accident. Yet finding the artifact is only the beginning, and in solving the riddle of the hero’s last request, they are only met with more questions – about the war, their alleged enemy, and the very nature of their world." There is then a ring-shaped pie chart with segments reading 70% Epic Fantasy, 20% Dark Fantasy, and 10% Gothic Horror. Beneath this, pale green text reads: "For readers who like their fantasy intelligent...immersive...and simmering with ghosts of the past...both figurative and literal." Finally, pinkish-red text at the bottom reads "OUT NOW!".
A square burgundy background with a faint ornate floral border and a fictional reddish-purple, heart-shaped fruit with a dark ivory calyx. Over the top of this background is gold text that first reads: “O Waters of this tainted world, forgive us! A taste of curiosity, of pride, was our undoing; it scoured our lands and ruined our hearts, took our children and felled our gods. Blessèd Waters, deign not to posion, but to nourish – for you are all that remains. – Akāsien Ttarvek, from “The Plague Litany” “ It then reads “It’s here!”, followed by “Bite into Stone and Flesh at www.tamarasharker.com and all major retailers!”. Another slide reads “Get your copy now!” above a mockup image of a paperback book, an e-reader tablet and a phone screen with a lush green book cover, under which is text that reads “books2read.com/fruitofwar”.
A square burgundy background with a faint ornate floral border and a fictional reddish-purple, heart-shaped fruit with a dark ivory calyx. Over the top of this background is gold text that first reads: “As they retreated Amathara asked who were we to think a banishing a victory? Who were we to think we could go on as before, knowing now that worlds were thin as cloth, as flesh? We were complicit in our silence; the Éga howled. — Akāsien Ttarvek, from “The Plague Litany” “ It then reads “1 Day to go!”, followed by “Find Stone and Flesh at www.tamarasharker.com”.
A square burgundy background with a faint ornate floral border and a fictional reddish-purple, heart-shaped fruit with a dark ivory calyx. Over the top of this background is gold text that first reads: “...their dying breaths adoring, “I saw him – I saw the hand of rage, his flail and his grinning blade in defiance raised as the flaming vial dropped from the tower and the armies fell.” – Akāsien Ttarvek, from “The Epic of the Hidden” “ It then reads “2 Days to go!”, followed by “Find Stone and Flesh at www.tamarasharker.com”.
A photo of an old garden bench with lichen on its wooden slats and iron scrollwork arms. On the bench is a thick fantasy book and a purple and pink floral velvet scarf; under the bench is a mottled gray and peach cat laying stretched out on fallen brown oak leaves.
A square burgundy background with a faint ornate floral border and a fictional reddish-purple, heart-shaped fruit with a dark ivory calyx. Over the top of this background is gold text that first reads: “I have seen the succulent fire dancing across the rooftops, I have seen the people fall burning from their doors; and I have seen, too, the swift stroke on a map that follows – the entire place simply crossed out. – Akāsien Ttarvek, from “I Have Seen” “ It then reads “3 Days to go!”, followed by “Find Stone and Flesh at www.tamarasharker.com”.
A square burgundy background with a faint ornate floral border and a fictional reddish-purple, heart-shaped fruit with a dark ivory calyx. Over the top of this background is gold text that first reads: “Speak not to me of glory; I have seen the banners, once raised high, sink into tainted waters. Azgorach need not have come; my death was in the rain our pride turned black. – Akāsien Ttarvek, from “I Have Seen” “ It then reads “4 Days to go!”, followed by “Find Stone and Flesh at www.tamarasharker.com”.
A square burgundy background with a faint ornate floral border and a fictional reddish-purple, heart-shaped fruit with a dark ivory calyx. Over the top of this background is gold text that first reads: “I walked the grove but once: an orchard of Éga’s dreaming, with blossoms like flayed hearts and fruit like souring love. I felt its placid shadows upon me, heavy as a pall, yet I, too, wanted to sing of its glory, its ruin. – Akāsien Ttarvek, from “Guest of the Tíbat” “ It then reads “5 Days to go!”, followed by “Find Stone and Flesh at www.tamarasharker.com”.
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