Okay, a few of you have had a hard time finding the poll I put up on my fanpage. So, here are the options I threw out there. (And again, alternate options are welcomed!)
1. The Minstrel's Song
2. The Second Son Prophecies
3. Forging the Great King
4. The Sword and Mandolin Chronicles
5. The Song of the Minstrel
6. The Minstrel Chronicles/Saga/Series/
July 20, 2011
July 13, 2011
Series Name
Over on my facebook fanpage I am running a "vote" of sorts for name for the series of books that I have written.
Originally the titles for the four books were:
1. The Dragon's Eye
2. Dawn of the Dragon's Eye
3. Twilight of the Dragon's Eye
4. The Minstrel
I am in the final stages of editing/cover design and will be starting the effort to republish the first book (and subsequently the rest of the series over the next couple of years). I am retitling the four books (well, the first three anyway) as follows:
1. King's Warrior
2. Second Son
3. Ancient Flame (I'm not sold on this one yet, and am still open to different ideas)
4. The Minstrel
What I really need, at this point, is a name for the series. So that inside the book or in small letters somewhere on the cover I can have: "Book 1 of the .................. series/chronicles/cycle/saga/etc"
Check out the poll and cast your vote! (Or suggest a different idea if you don't like any of the options)
Originally the titles for the four books were:
1. The Dragon's Eye
2. Dawn of the Dragon's Eye
3. Twilight of the Dragon's Eye
4. The Minstrel
I am in the final stages of editing/cover design and will be starting the effort to republish the first book (and subsequently the rest of the series over the next couple of years). I am retitling the four books (well, the first three anyway) as follows:
1. King's Warrior
2. Second Son
3. Ancient Flame (I'm not sold on this one yet, and am still open to different ideas)
4. The Minstrel
What I really need, at this point, is a name for the series. So that inside the book or in small letters somewhere on the cover I can have: "Book 1 of the .................. series/chronicles/cycle/saga/etc"
Check out the poll and cast your vote! (Or suggest a different idea if you don't like any of the options)
July 12, 2011
Character Assembling
I don't do this with every character. In fact, I don't do it with many characters... because most of my characters come to life pretty easily, I feel I know them well enough without creating a physical "list" for them... but in a novel-length story, sometimes it's good to have major attributes of your characters written down in one easy-to-find spot... so that, you know, your main character's hair color doesn't change mid-way through the story because you forgot what it was supposed to be and didn't want to re-read your entire first 50,000 words to figure out what color you had made it, so you guessed... not that that's ever happened to me.
Ahem.
This is a fairly extensive list, and most of the time I don't fill it all the way up, or I change some of the questions to make it more applicable to the genre of story I'm writing. But it's a handy little tool for creating three-dimensional characters. It can also be a good way to come up with ideas for a story if a character without one knocks on your brain and wants to come in.
Ahem.
This is a fairly extensive list, and most of the time I don't fill it all the way up, or I change some of the questions to make it more applicable to the genre of story I'm writing. But it's a handy little tool for creating three-dimensional characters. It can also be a good way to come up with ideas for a story if a character without one knocks on your brain and wants to come in.
- Name:
- Age:
- Height:
- Weight:
- Birthdate:
- Birthplace:
- Hair Color:
- Eye Color:
- Scars or handicaps (physical, mental, and/or emotional):
- Best Friend:
- Enemies and why:
- Parents:
- Present problems:
- Strongest and weakest character traits:
- Hobbies:
- Kinds of music, art, reading material preferred:
- How do they dress:
- Description of home (physical, mental, emotional atmosphere):
- Most important thing to know about this character:
- What is his/her favorite food?
- When was the last time this character cried? About what?
- What season suits this person best and why?
- Do you like/dislike this character and why?
- Describe the setting, where will the story take place?
- Why will this character be remembered?
- Why is this character worth writing about?
- Write the first line of the story.
June 30, 2011
The Mirror - Guest Writer
This is a story that I plan to work on soon. It's an idea my brother gave me... he's such a great writer. He wrote up a whole chapter to explain the idea he had. I'm looking forward to writing this story... but I've got to let the idea soak for a bit (and I can usually only work on one new project at a time).
***
The whole world looked muffled. If you’ve ever lived within a University dormitory and had to put your head under your pillow to try and get sleep or if you’ve ever heard a conversation through a wall you would know the feeling. However, Devlin blinking hard at the hazy surroundings, noted that the world did not sound muffled, it looked muffled.
Devlin was perplexed. He was standing in the middle of an open space. A foreign and unknown open space. Yet not a moment ago he had known exactly where he had been. He had been in his hotel room getting ready for the last leg of what had already been an overlong journey home.
Slowly, it seemed his eyes were adjusting. The fog that was either filling this space or filling his head seemed to dissipate. And yet he remained motionless. Frozen to the spot in which he had been standing. It was as if he had woken up only to realize he was still dreaming. He had been awake he thought to himself.
“You’re not dreaming you know.”
A quiet voice filled Devlin’s head. Devlin remained motionless. Then he started. That had not been his voice. Nor had it been the voice he often heard within his own mind. Finally he moved, whirling around on the spot where he had been planted. There, not five feet behind him, stood another man. He had his hands behind his back and was looking very relaxed. However, his gaze was fierce. It seemed to awaken something within Devlin. It was as if those flashing gray eyes were the only real things in this place. It suddenly seemed that this were indeed no dream.
Devlin spoke hoarsely. “Wh-What is going on? What happened to the hotel?”
The man stood there.
“Did I fall?” Devlin ventured, rather unnerved at the lack of response. “Did I pass out or something? Why can’t I… I mean what is this place? I MUST be dreaming, no?”
The man smiled, though it held no comfort for Devlin. Finally the man stepped forward and held out his hand. “I am called Olecksander. If that is too long, you may call me Oleck. Indeed, our time is too short for lengthy formalities.”
None of this making any sense, Devlin tried again. “Well I am Devlin. Devlin Dukart. I’m wondering if perhaps you can tell me what’s going on here. I mean to say, what’s really going on.”
“I will tell you,” Oleck said firmly. “But you must not ask any questions or interrupt me in any way for as I have said, our time is too short for this to take any longer than it must.”
Devlin blinked. “Whatever, just tell me,” he said quickly in a voice that only thinly masked his growing tension over the oddness of his situation.
“You stepped through the glass. You are no longer here. You are no longer you.” Oleck’s words were spoken softly but bluntly.
“What? What are you saying? In English ple - ”
“Silence! There is no Time!” Oleck did not look like one who would suffer another interruption. Devlin bit his tongue.
“As I said, you stepped through the glass. In the world you knew, there are so many of these glasses. They are everywhere and everyday just about every person steps through one for a period of time. You know these glasses as mirrors.”
Devlin, who so wanted to slap himself awake, stood motionless, staring open mouthed.
“Tell me something Devlin, wanting only a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ of course, have you ever looked in the mirror and not recognized the person you saw? Or have you ever, upon occasion, had someone, perhaps someone close to you, tell you that you didn’t seem quite yourself?”
Devlin, still speechlessly confused, only managed a slow weak nod. He had.
“Those were all instances of your spirit stepping through the glass. However, it is usually only a fleeting experience. Usually the spirit finds its way back to its owner in a short amount of time. So short an amount of time that the experience of being in this world is so fleeting as to be hardly even noticed. Sort of like being in the gray of life.”
Oleck paused, thought for a moment and then continued.
“You, however, stepped through a very rare glass. You stepped through the glass of the Vescoranimus. Now this is very serious. For this means that when you walked away from that mirror you became the reflection, you became the shadow. Your physical self is still out there, interacting with the “world;” however, it does so as a mere spiritless reflection of who you truly are. Have you ever wondered what happens to your reflection when you walk away from the mirror? Did you think that its world simply goes black? Wonder no more, for now you know. Now you have become the reflection and when you walked away from that glass it was your world that went black.”
Devlin coughed violently. “So you're telling me I’m in some kind of a realm of the soul or something?”
“No,” said Oleck emphatically. “You are not. This is not a world of soul but of spirit. But listen carefully, for it is most assuredly your soul that is at stake. This is the land of shadows, the land within your world. What you don’t understand is this: the realm of the soul, say heaven and hell in your world’s eyes, is of a truer nature than your physical realm. But this world is a step down from yours. To put it simply, our world is to yours what your world is to Heaven.”
“What are you supposed to be then?” Devlin’s interjection seemed to irritate Oleck less this time.
“We will get to that,” Oleck said in a measured tone. “First, I must convey to you what is most singularly important: your very great and urgent need to find yourself. You see, you are not here on accident. The Vescoranimus have lured you here for one purpose and that is to destroy you. Before you ask,” Oleck said acknowledging the questioning look Devlin was giving, “the Vescoranimus are quite simply the devourers of the soul. They are but shadows themselves of greater terrors. They lure the spirit, the happiness, the courage, and the heart, indeed the very essence of man into this world; for here it is but a simple task for them to destroy the spirit. And if the spirit of a man is destroyed, the man himself may follow closely after. I know this is all very quick. But I must go fast for, and don’t be alarmed, they are already hunting for you.”
Devlin stared blankly. He felt as if a great fog of numbness had enveloped him.
~~~ Written by Grantland Walker ~~~
***
The whole world looked muffled. If you’ve ever lived within a University dormitory and had to put your head under your pillow to try and get sleep or if you’ve ever heard a conversation through a wall you would know the feeling. However, Devlin blinking hard at the hazy surroundings, noted that the world did not sound muffled, it looked muffled.
Devlin was perplexed. He was standing in the middle of an open space. A foreign and unknown open space. Yet not a moment ago he had known exactly where he had been. He had been in his hotel room getting ready for the last leg of what had already been an overlong journey home.
Slowly, it seemed his eyes were adjusting. The fog that was either filling this space or filling his head seemed to dissipate. And yet he remained motionless. Frozen to the spot in which he had been standing. It was as if he had woken up only to realize he was still dreaming. He had been awake he thought to himself.
“You’re not dreaming you know.”
A quiet voice filled Devlin’s head. Devlin remained motionless. Then he started. That had not been his voice. Nor had it been the voice he often heard within his own mind. Finally he moved, whirling around on the spot where he had been planted. There, not five feet behind him, stood another man. He had his hands behind his back and was looking very relaxed. However, his gaze was fierce. It seemed to awaken something within Devlin. It was as if those flashing gray eyes were the only real things in this place. It suddenly seemed that this were indeed no dream.
Devlin spoke hoarsely. “Wh-What is going on? What happened to the hotel?”
The man stood there.
“Did I fall?” Devlin ventured, rather unnerved at the lack of response. “Did I pass out or something? Why can’t I… I mean what is this place? I MUST be dreaming, no?”
The man smiled, though it held no comfort for Devlin. Finally the man stepped forward and held out his hand. “I am called Olecksander. If that is too long, you may call me Oleck. Indeed, our time is too short for lengthy formalities.”
None of this making any sense, Devlin tried again. “Well I am Devlin. Devlin Dukart. I’m wondering if perhaps you can tell me what’s going on here. I mean to say, what’s really going on.”
“I will tell you,” Oleck said firmly. “But you must not ask any questions or interrupt me in any way for as I have said, our time is too short for this to take any longer than it must.”
Devlin blinked. “Whatever, just tell me,” he said quickly in a voice that only thinly masked his growing tension over the oddness of his situation.
“You stepped through the glass. You are no longer here. You are no longer you.” Oleck’s words were spoken softly but bluntly.
“What? What are you saying? In English ple - ”
“Silence! There is no Time!” Oleck did not look like one who would suffer another interruption. Devlin bit his tongue.
“As I said, you stepped through the glass. In the world you knew, there are so many of these glasses. They are everywhere and everyday just about every person steps through one for a period of time. You know these glasses as mirrors.”
Devlin, who so wanted to slap himself awake, stood motionless, staring open mouthed.
“Tell me something Devlin, wanting only a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ of course, have you ever looked in the mirror and not recognized the person you saw? Or have you ever, upon occasion, had someone, perhaps someone close to you, tell you that you didn’t seem quite yourself?”
Devlin, still speechlessly confused, only managed a slow weak nod. He had.
“Those were all instances of your spirit stepping through the glass. However, it is usually only a fleeting experience. Usually the spirit finds its way back to its owner in a short amount of time. So short an amount of time that the experience of being in this world is so fleeting as to be hardly even noticed. Sort of like being in the gray of life.”
Oleck paused, thought for a moment and then continued.
“You, however, stepped through a very rare glass. You stepped through the glass of the Vescoranimus. Now this is very serious. For this means that when you walked away from that mirror you became the reflection, you became the shadow. Your physical self is still out there, interacting with the “world;” however, it does so as a mere spiritless reflection of who you truly are. Have you ever wondered what happens to your reflection when you walk away from the mirror? Did you think that its world simply goes black? Wonder no more, for now you know. Now you have become the reflection and when you walked away from that glass it was your world that went black.”
Devlin coughed violently. “So you're telling me I’m in some kind of a realm of the soul or something?”
“No,” said Oleck emphatically. “You are not. This is not a world of soul but of spirit. But listen carefully, for it is most assuredly your soul that is at stake. This is the land of shadows, the land within your world. What you don’t understand is this: the realm of the soul, say heaven and hell in your world’s eyes, is of a truer nature than your physical realm. But this world is a step down from yours. To put it simply, our world is to yours what your world is to Heaven.”
“What are you supposed to be then?” Devlin’s interjection seemed to irritate Oleck less this time.
“We will get to that,” Oleck said in a measured tone. “First, I must convey to you what is most singularly important: your very great and urgent need to find yourself. You see, you are not here on accident. The Vescoranimus have lured you here for one purpose and that is to destroy you. Before you ask,” Oleck said acknowledging the questioning look Devlin was giving, “the Vescoranimus are quite simply the devourers of the soul. They are but shadows themselves of greater terrors. They lure the spirit, the happiness, the courage, and the heart, indeed the very essence of man into this world; for here it is but a simple task for them to destroy the spirit. And if the spirit of a man is destroyed, the man himself may follow closely after. I know this is all very quick. But I must go fast for, and don’t be alarmed, they are already hunting for you.”
Devlin stared blankly. He felt as if a great fog of numbness had enveloped him.
~~~ Written by Grantland Walker ~~~
June 28, 2011
Poetry Corner Tuesday
Snow Phantoms
Under the moon on a clear night
Silhouetted in the starry light
Phantoms spring up, out of the ground,
I tarry, haunted by the sight.
Wraith-like wisps dancing to and fro,
Sliding through the darkness they go
Flitting through imagination;
And prancing patterns on the snow.
Voiceless words hanging in the air,
Phantom cries catch me unaware,
Howls fill the sky, riding the wind
Echoing all around, a dare.
They enchant me, tempt me to stay,
But they also warn me away;
Lean and hungry, the green eyes glare,
I leave the phantoms to the day.
Under the moon on a clear night
Silhouetted in the starry light
Phantoms spring up, out of the ground,
I tarry, haunted by the sight.
Wraith-like wisps dancing to and fro,
Sliding through the darkness they go
Flitting through imagination;
And prancing patterns on the snow.
Voiceless words hanging in the air,
Phantom cries catch me unaware,
Howls fill the sky, riding the wind
Echoing all around, a dare.
They enchant me, tempt me to stay,
But they also warn me away;
Lean and hungry, the green eyes glare,
I leave the phantoms to the day.
June 21, 2011
Teaser Tuesday
This is the first paragraph of a story that's been floating around in my head for a while now - it's a fairy tale ... a bit different for me... though I'm not sure yet just which fairy tale. Anyway, I don't have time to write it right now, as I'm pretty busy with various other projects, but I thought I'd put it out here and maybe you, dear Reader, could leave some sort of inspiration in the form of a comment?
*****
I believe that all this nonsense started with my christening, although some might argue that I was doomed from the day of my birth. I was the youngest child and only daughter of the Chieftain of Alagonia. I had three elder brothers, the youngest of which was fully ten years my senior, and they all doted on me from a young age and probably did their best to spoil me. Had I been any more inclined towards vanity, I probably would have soaked up their attention and been quite intolerable. As it was, I took their regard for granted, but never allowed it to go to my head.
*****
I believe that all this nonsense started with my christening, although some might argue that I was doomed from the day of my birth. I was the youngest child and only daughter of the Chieftain of Alagonia. I had three elder brothers, the youngest of which was fully ten years my senior, and they all doted on me from a young age and probably did their best to spoil me. Had I been any more inclined towards vanity, I probably would have soaked up their attention and been quite intolerable. As it was, I took their regard for granted, but never allowed it to go to my head.
June 16, 2011
Dragons: Legends and Lore of Dinosaurs - Fantastic Read
However, all that is not why I love this book. I love this book because it is so cleverly constructed. With text at an elementary or jr. high reading level it clearly explains that dragons and dinosaurs may have been one and the same type of creature, making dinosaurs seem even more intriguing than before. It boasts amazing illustrations that even a very young child will be fascinated by. Beyond that, this book has something fun and "hands-on" to do on almost every page.
Page two boasts a page covered in six little envelopes, each with the name of a different country or realm on it (Babylon, Greece, China, America, United Kingdom, and South America). Inside each envelope is a folded piece of nice, glossy paper. Unfold this paper and you can read about a dragon legend that exists (or existed) in that part of the world.
Turn the page and you get to unfold the page and look behind the flap at some pictures of dragons depicted in ancient art. On the other page you can open a small book-within-a-book and read "Eyewitness Accounts and Encounters" - humorously labelled "Open with Caution."
This trend of opening things, lifting flaps, and unfolding pages continues throughout this short, 22-page book.
The true test? My 2.5 year old daughter loves this book. And although I don't let her play with it unsupervised, it is interesting enough that I love reading it to her. (Even if I just read her a paraphrased version, or narrate the pictures for her).
Many thanks to New Leaf Publishing Group for providing this book for review. They did not ask for a positive review, just an honest one. Many thanks to them for their patience as well, as this review should have been up months ago.
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