Joenna's Ax

After Joenna's half-orc son is killed in battle, she disguises herself as a man to join the army and avenge him, adding one notch to the handle of her ax for every demons she kills. But when she volunteers to lead a suicide charge of half-orc scouts, she risks her secret and her own mission to try to save them. Rewarded for her prowess with a grant of land and ownership of her half-orc man-at-arms, Joenna plots to rescue all of the half-orcs from the king's plan to destroy these reviled bastards—making herself a traitor along with them. When their haven is discovered, Joenna leads the half-orcs in a desperate fight against a famous warrior and his knights in the hopes of winning their freedom and claiming their humanity.

Elaine Isaak is the author of The Singer's Crown (Eos, 2005), and its sequels, as well as the "Tales of Bladesend" epic novellas comprising Joenna's Ax in full-length, and Winning the Gallows Field. As E. C. Ambrose, she writes "The Dark Apostle" historical fantasy novels about medieval surgery, which began with Elisha Barber (DAW 2013), and continue with Elisha Magus (2014), Elisha Rex (2015), and two forthcoming volumes. Her short fiction has won the Tenebris Press Flash Fiction contest and appeared in the New Hampshire Pulp Fiction series, Fireside magazine and Uncle John's Bathroom Reader. A graduate of the Odyssey Speculative Fiction workshop, she has returned to teach there as well. In addition to writing and teaching about writing, Elaine works part time as an adventure guide and rock climbing instructor. Visit www.TheDarkApostle.com or www.ElaineIsaak.com to find out why you do not want to be her hero.