Shadow of the Hersweald Release and Review!

My friend Hope Ann is releasing her book Shadow of the Hersweald tomorrow. It's the third book in her fantasy retelling novella series and my favorite so far.

The fact that I enjoyed this one so much shows that I rather like anti-heroes. Because our main character Haydn is certainly an anti-hero. He's got good intentions and he's got boundaries, he's not exactly a bad person, but as he says, "There are some who don't deserve a pardon." He's determined to make sure they don't get it.

The other characters are equally fascinating and very well developed for the length of the book. In fact the whole story felt much longer than a novella. The plot was very rounded and I got a great sense of this new part of the world.

The Hansel and Gretal aspect of the story became apparent pretty quickly, but it went places I didn't expect it. I probably should have, but I don't tend to doubt perfectly nice characters. Anyway siblings are one of my favourite character pairings and this didn't disappoint.

If you like fairytale re-tellings or Christian fantasy, I highly recommend this. I'm looking forward to see what aspect of this diverse world Hope will bring out next.

About the Book

They would have to come that afternoon. Haydn glared at the rutted road twisted away from the gate beneath him, slithering into the shadows of the Hersweald. And what was the flaming idea behind leaving him in charge? Tregaron in the hands of a criminal… that would put them all in the good graces of the province governor, no questions asked.

A battered soldier from a defeated army, Haydn knows there is only one end to the arrival of the Prince’s governor. Except he hasn’t counted on the Prince himself. Or the pardon which his recent foe has declared to acquit all those who fought against him.

A pardon Haydn detests.

A pardon that refuses to punish the rebels now threatening his own village. And threatening his sister.

Guilt-ridden from his own actions during the war, Haydn knows there are others who have no conscience at all. Others who are using the freedom of the pardon to forward their own desperate schemes.

With enemies closing in on all sides, a pardon that refuses punishment, and nightmares of murder and fire haunting his every thought, will Haydn recognize the truth or will his fear condemn everything he loves to destruction?

Although the history of Aslaria and the conflict between the Prince and the rebel, Tauscher, flow chronologically through the series, each novella in the Legends of Light series is a stand-alone story. Each novella focuses on one of the nine aspects of the Fruit of the Spirit while twisting fairy tales in a clean, exciting, and inspiring manner.

Buy now on Kindle, iTunes, and Smashwords

Add on Goodreads

Sneak Peek

“Open the gates, Dyfed,” Haydn called down. His voice jolted the men to their feet.

They sprang into action under the terse orders of a short figure with muscular arms. The heavy planked gates swung open with protesting groans. The great doors quivered against the earthen walls as the horsemen approached.

Mathias was in the lead. The man’s hair was grayer than last time. Thinner too, perhaps, but his grizzled face, set jaw, and sharp nose belied any change in either strength or personality. His blue eyes never glanced upward as Haydn saluted. But another pair did.

Haydn stared, his arm frozen in mid-motion. Traveon… Where had he come from? Of course, it was expected the governor would bring his son. Some said they’d reconciled during the war. Or maybe it had more to do with the death of Mathias’s wife.

Traveon’s lean face flashed a quick smile and his hand brushed his brown hair in a sharp salute. Haydn’s throat tightened, his breath hissing between compressed lips. He’d braced himself against arrest or judgment before his mother and Gorawen. But Traveon… He bit back an oath. Now they’d be one happy circle of family and old friends.

Haydn blinked and swallowed hard as the last horseman passed through the gates. He gave a quick nod to the men below and the doors squealed shut. Haydn pivoted. His boots clomped down the steps, each thud echoing like a heavy drumbeat.

“Keep watch until Eurof returns,” Haydn ordered over the heavy crash of the bar falling back into place.

About the Author

Hope Ann is a Christian authoress who lives on a small farm in northern Indiana. She was homeschooled and now helps teach several of her eight younger siblings.

She has been writing for over five years and has so many story ideas that she doubts she will ever stop. Her favorite genre to write is high fantasy with a touch of the allegorical. A close second is futuristic suspense. Her goal is to not only entertain with her stories but to provide inspirational fiction for young adults.

Predictably, she loves reading fantasy, fairy tales, mythology, and futuristic suspense. Her favorite authors include J. R. R. Tolkien, Charles Dickens, Frank Peretti, Mark Twain, and Serena Chase.

Her hobbies include photography, movie making, knitting, tree climbing, writing e-mails to friends, listening to Celtic music, and collecting shiny trinkets for story inspiration.

You can visit Hope’s blog at authorhopeann.com, or follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, or Twitter.

Indie e-Con 2017

This is just a quick post to let you know about a free online writers convention my frrend Kendra is running this week. Just click on the picture or go to https://knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com.au and check out all the articles and videos she will be posting each day. I actually have something up sometime on Monday. I'm on holiday though, so I probably won't be around to interact with you.

Promise's Prayer by Erika Mathews

It's another new book. One I could have gotten to read if I hadn't bailed out on beta-reading it in 2015. I've seen enough to be excited for it though. I get to tell you about an interesting character. So read down to the character spotlight and don't miss the giveaway at the end.

I love this cover.

About the Book 

Kaelan is restless for adventure and relentless in his efforts to bring the land of Taerna back to the blessings of Adon Olam and the prosperity of the days of his ancestors. Fueled by a solemn promise and his mother’s secret, he finds himself in the forefront of a desperate scheme that is crucial to Taerna’s future. Can he keep his promise? Can he save the people of Taerna from the corruption and rampant lawlessness that threaten them with extinction? Shy and quiet Carita knows she possesses what Taerna’s people so desperately need. But how can she help them when her own soul is simultaneously tormented by witnessing unmet needs and handicapped by her own paralyzing fears? When Kaelan and Carita come face to face with the true nature of Adon Olam’s call, will they each choose to embrace Adon Olam’s plan for Taerna—and for their own lives?

Available on Amazon!
Click here for purchase information!

Character Spotlight: Ellrick

Trustworthy and experienced, Ellrick is a lifetime friend of Kaelan’s family and a well-established citizen of Frydael. He’s kind and steady, and very little fazes him. Ellrick has a way of listening that engages anyone who is talking with him and encourages them to confide in him. He enjoys freely sharing the many nuggets of wisdom he has gathered in his seventy years. He’s lived through the reign of several pairs of lawless kings and seen many changes come upon the country of Taerna. One of the few who can remember better days, he’s devoted to Adon Olam and the specific call that Adon Olam has placed upon his life. Through Kaelan and Carita’s adventures, Ellrick proves an invaluable source of wisdom as well as a loyal, devoted friend.

Author’s Note
Even though Ellrick wasn’t mentioned in the very first rough outline I wrote for Promise’s Prayer, he quickly became one of my favorite characters. I love his gentle kindness, his compassionate wisdom, his grandfatherly manner, and his dedication to Adon Olam—as well as his subtle sense of humor. The inspiration for his character came from a Pinterest photo. As soon as I found the picture, I knew he needed to be a major character in the series, and he quickly and smoothly slid into his role. While much of the country is lawless and focused on pleasure or else confused about Adon Olam’s will, Ellrick stands as a strong contrast in his steadiness. While writing his character, he would sometimes surprise me with the bits of his past that he would reveal. With the intriguing taste of his past that he’s given so far, I hope to someday write a novella devoted to his backstory.

Snippet:

“I’m a failure. And I can’t serve Adon Olam. And I’m nobody.” She spoke bitterly. “No one will listen to me. No one will serve Him because I say so. I have no position of influence. And…” Her voice faltered. “I can’t be rejected.” The last words were a mere whisper, and the tears leaked.

Ellrick nodded compassionately, his eyes sober, yet twinkling with reassurance. When she was a measure calmer, he spoke gently. “What you are most afraid of is what will set you free.”

She considered that. “How can it? My fear is the prison. The prison can’t help me escape from itself.”

“True,” Ellrick agreed. “But Adon Olam can. He sent His Son to set the prisoners free, to break the chains that bind them, to loose them from who they are in themselves. He set us free to live in His perfect love, which casts out fear, because fear has torment.”

She looked at him, her eyes vacant and hopeless. “I know that. But it’s not real to me. I don’t feel it. All I feel is fear.”

“Trust Him, Carita,” Ellrick spoke again. “He has set you free. Receive it. Choose to live in it no matter what you feel. The fear is from the enemy, who desires you to be bound.”

Suddenly he sat up and spoke as though he were inspired. His steel-colored hair stood erect on his head. “Adon Olam is up to something, Carita! Adon Olam is at work. He has to be! Or why would the enemy be fighting so hard to bring you down? The enemy wants you to be afraid. He doesn’t want this key that you possess—your knowing of Him—to reach the Taernans. He knows his day is over. You know what that means? You’re going to win, Carita; you have won!”

She shook her head slowly, as if to try to clear it. Her mind seemed foggy. “I cannot escape. So I fight back?”

“You can choose how to respond to your fear,” Ellrick went on. “You can fight it, you can succumb to it, or you can choose to live outside of it no matter what claims it makes upon you. If you choose to succumb to it, you are imprisoned within it. If you try to fight it, you will find that it is stronger than you are. You will exhaust yourself, and you will lose. But if you choose to live apart from the fear, refusing to allow it to run your life, you will find yourself free from it.”

Carita listened carefully. It was difficult to wrap her mind around what Ellrick was saying; she had to deliberately concentrate to follow him. He continued.

“What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”

Carita thought. “I—I don’t know. Change the world? Talk to people? Tell them of Adon Olam? Pray more? And—and go help the woman with the baby,” she added softly.

Ellrick smiled. “That’s excellent, to start with,” he approved. “As you do it, Adon Olam will help you. You will find yourself working past your feelings and receiving more and more of the love of Adon Olam. So why don’t you step out with that as He has called you to do? Talk to people. Help the woman. Share His love with them. Be bold in living Him through your life, and don’t worry about what people think or say.”

“But—that’s not who I am.”

“Then receive His change in you.”

Carita cast her eyes downwards. “I’m afraid—that I’m afraid of change.”

“Change often causes much pain. Growth also brings pain. However, what brings the most pain is remaining immobilized somewhere that you do not belong—in something to which Adon Olam has not called you.”                

About the Author

Erika is an internet friend of mine. We're both in Kendra E. Ardnek's inner circle of fan girls, so we interact fairly often. She's a lovely, encouraging person.

She’s a homeschool graduate with a Bachelor’s in Communications, a Master’s in Biblical Ministries, and a passion for sharing Jesus Christ and His truth. When she’s not working with books, she enjoys reading, outdoor activities, piano and violin, organizing, and using the Oxford comma. You can connect with Erika at restinglife.com, on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram.

Giveaway

Celebrate the exciting release by entering to win Promise’s Prayer! One winner will receive a paperback and a second winner will receive an ebook.

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Blog Party Special Stops!

Check out each of these stops today for special highlights, snippets, features on Promise's Prayer characters, interviews, and more! Also, keep an eye on social media for Promise's Prayer posts by special guests!

Author Interview at Elvish Pens, Fantastical Writings (Alea Harper)

Carita Character Spotlight at God's Peculiar Treasure Rae (Raechel)

Author Interview at Seek Him First (Katherine Sophia)

Kaelan Character Interview and Spotlight at Random Reflections (Gabriella)

Release Party Central at Resting Life (Erika Mathews)

Beautiful People: Izavee

I started writing a new story this month. It's the secret project I started planning in January. I hadn't done much, but a sudden challenge to write a book this month came up. I know I won't write all of it yet, but it'll be good to get something done. I have gotten out of the habit of writing large volumes of words.

I'm writing by hand again and I'm up to 17 pages for the month. In my defense, I only started on the 2nd and that was making my scene list. Also I'm preparing to go on holiday. I should be able to get lots done while I'm away from the internet.

It's also time for the Beautiful People link up by Cait and Skye. I consider using my main character Cassia for the questions, but for various reasons that won't work well. Instead I'll tell you about a friend Cassia makes early on in the story. I haven't got to her introduction yet in writing, so this will be fun. Her name is Izavee Echo eHerian and she'll be answering the questions for herself.

What’s your favourite book/movie/play/etc.?

I love the stories of Quinrilian the Virtuous, a hero at the end of the Desolation of Darkness. My brother Quinric is named for him which makes the stories even more exciting. We would act them out together.

Is there anything you regret doing?

Of course. Lots of things. One thing I'd be better off without was the memory of meeting some Reika at a dance. I was only twenty-two at the time and shouldn't have been there, but I'd pleaded to go and Father gave in. One of them pulled out one of their tricks and almost lured me away.

If you were sick or wounded, who would take care of you and how?

Quinric would do what he could, then call for our sister or a lady friend to do what he couldn't. After that, he'd probably ask Rylen to come over and cheer me up.

Is there an object you can’t bear to part with and why?

I doubt bicycles exist in this world,
but Izavee looks a little like this.

I will never part with my mother's necklace of service. I'll get my own soon, but hers is forever more precious. She might have died thirteen years ago, but her influence has helped me as I've grown up.

What are 5 ways to win your heart (or friendship)?

Be loyal to the sanctuary. Listen. Don't tempt me to corruption. Bring me flowers. Don't sleep in.

What do you usually wear? Describe it top to bottom.

Top to bottom. That would be starting with the hat. I have rather a lot of hats but my favourite is a soft scarlet ekinett with an extra wide brim. I'll wear a plain dress in any pale colour with a navy or teal jacket over it. And brown ankle shoes with buckles.

What’s you favorite type of weather?

I love warm, dry days. That's why Zafeíri is my favourite month. It's usually like that.

What’s the worst fight you’ve ever been in?

Me? In a fight. I never fight. What, it doesn't have to be physical. Alright then, it was when I turned 25 and Father wanted a big party. I was just starting to realize I wasn't all that grown up and didn't want one. He won.

What names or nicknames have you been called throughout your life?

Iza and Vee were pretty common. Rylen calls me Echo. He says I echo the scrolls.

What makes your heart feel alive?

Visiting the sanctuary. And talking with Rylen. Or riding home on a windy day.

And that was Izavee. I hope you enjoyed getting to know her as well as I did. You can ask any questions about her and I'll answer them if they're not infringing on secrets.

Don't forget to check out other Beautiful People at Paper Fury.

I decided to study this year...

This is a post that's been a long time in the coming. I've re-written it, lost the rewrites and then changed it even more.It's a personal post, not much about books, but I felt I needed to write it.

One of the things that has been on my mind a lot since the leadership course I did is my education. You should know that I was home educated and always have been. In the last two years my studies slowly stopped. I didn't graduate as I believe we should always be learning. And I certainly have learned since then. I've been informally studying writing and I've been reading books. But I've been a little lazy with it.

That is going to change. During this course I was encouraged to go study at university by both lecturers and fellow attendees. I was a little surprised and somewhat resistant. I had never seriously considered the university path. I plan to be a mother, not a career woman and my parents have taught me how to learn all I want to know. Besides, I don't know what to study. I'm interested in so many things.

But I promised I would give it serious thought. There were some good reasons given, counters to some of my objections. After much thought, research and prayer, I came to a decision. I should study. Since God has gifted me with a mind with the power of understanding some difficult and abstract concepts and well as the ability to remember random details that seem important (read: sound interesting to me at the time), I really ought to do something more with it. I shouldn't let it stagnate or get too caught up in the imaginary world of my own fancies. So I am going to study. But not at university.

Yes, not at university. I have reasons for this. I did write out a long list of arguments, but it seemed to strong and I  wondering whether I really believed all of them myself. So I've made it shorter.

Firstly, studying at university isn't going to get me closer to having a publishable book. It would sideline my writing for a few years. Also I've heard that an English degree can be one of the worst things for a writer and especially an editor. If there was some kind of in depth Christian fiction writing course I might think differently.

Another factor is that I don't really like the university system and the way it's becoming the default for most young people. Also I don't want to be immersed in an ungodly environment in the way I would in a mainstream university. I want to reach out and help people, but asking the world to fill my mind with their ideas doesn't seem like a good idea. I'd either have to stay silent on some of my convictions, or get into trouble for speaking my mind.

Degrees aren't really worth as much as they used to be anyway. I was taught to teach myself and I'm
not worried too much about my lack of credentials. If I really had to go get myself a job I think there's smarter ways of getting one.

I'm not this crazy though.

I have a streak of non-conformity and wanderlust. Maybe I look normal, but I do write fantasy books and daydream a lot.v Anyway if I could afford university up front, I'd probably do missions work or travel or just help out at a lot of camps and conferences instead.

Lastly, I'm not so desperate to get married that I'd go to university just to meet people. This might not appear to be worth mentioning, but I was given that as one reason to do it so... we'll I'm not so it doesn't matter. Going other places for that purpose however...

Now you're probably all wondering how studying on my own works. Firstly, accountability. I'm sharing my goals here so that I can't be lazy about them. I'll be sharing parts of my work as well. The plan is to have it slightly separated from the rest of the website. I don't want to subject anyone to watching my education if they're not interested.

So here is what I'm going to be studying:

1. Biblical Greek. This is a vague idea I've had for just over a year. It's a couple of months since it became serious and a few weeks since I made a start. I bought the Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar, Workbook, and Flashcards by William D. Mounce. I'll be going through the course on  billmounce.com along with some material from NTGreek in Session. (The basic letters are fascinating, by the way)


2. I will be doing cultural studies. Basically I'll pick a country or people group, study them for a couple of months and write up something about my findings. I'm not sure what the time frame for that will be, but because I have several interruptions coming up in the next few months and this is going to take a little settling into, I'll give myself until the end of May to do my first study which will be on Myanmar/Burma.


3. Music appreciation. I'm not sure that I'll do this much, but I do like listening to most of the great composers and some modern compositions. That won't be stopping.


4. Theology, Philosophy, Apologetics and History. This will be through reading and occasionally writing up my thoughts. It will be wide branching, going into politics and biographies well as the aforementioned subjects.. Basically a lot of nonfiction of various sorts. I've been given a long list of books and some instruction on reading. Also my dad has a large collection of books. I'll be reading some of them. Current books are The Institutes of Biblical Law and The Insanity of God. (In the time I've been writing this, I listened to all of Mere Christianity.)


5. Conferences and Seminars. If there's an opportunity to listen to great speakers and interact with people of like minds, I'll take it.


6. Online Courses. I'm taking the Theme Mastery course by Kingdom Pen and something called User Experience for the Web on Open2Study. The Theme Mastery course has been amazing for the first ten lessons. The other not so much, but it can't hurt.


7. Other reading. I'll be reading a variety of fiction, both modern and classic, as literature and cultural study. It's not going be as big an intake as I've had in the past, but I hope to get more out of it.

And that's about it. Congratulations for making it to the bottom. It might look like a lot and I admit to feeling a little overwhelmed. But if I get my time under better control, it shouldn't take away from my writing and editing much. Especially since I've been a bit lazy about it lately.

I just want to add a special thank you to my fellow CHQ students. I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for you. It might not be the effect you expected, but you have been a great help to me. I may have learned a little Greek anyway, but I doubt I would have bought the books that I did. Thank you.

Emmeline: Matchmaking, The Great Depression and General Motors

Today I am reviewing Emmeline by Sarah Holman. It's the first book in the Vintage Jane Austin Collection. Now I'm not really into Jane Austen very much. I've been slowly making my way through her books on audio and I've still got Persuasion to go. But Emma is my favourite and I like retellings.

Emmeline did not disappoint. Sarah Holman's style is different to Austen's of course, but she's kept the spirit of the story while changing it to another time. I found it a little more relate-able, 1930 is much more like 2017 than 1815 is.

I love the characters she has given us. Emmeline Wellington is very much Emma Woodhouse, yet she's slightly different too. There an extra little bit of kindness or teasing; I can't quite pin it down. Mr Knightly has become Frederick Knight. He is (as is suitable to the time period) only a few years older than Emmeline and has some boyish habits. The relationship between them is a little. He's the best friend since childhood, not the good neighbour who takes the part of a much older brother from time to time. In short they're closer.

There's a few things that have always bothered me about Jane Austen;s books. Her opinion of clergymen is one. Yes, there is Mr. Tilney tilting the scale back, but I don't like her tendency to make them self-serving, social climbers. We don't have that here. Instead of Mr. Elton, there is a fashionable young man who's a little bit too modern and doesn't respect traditions.. (He wants to have a dance, Shock! Horror!) His wife is suitably insufferable.

The other things that bother me are the lack of real Christianity¹ and the non-productive upper-class living. Both of those have been changed. Emmeline is undoubtedly, though not overly strongly Christian in it's feel and society. And Emmeline has a job in her father's business. Rather like mine actually. Her father own a General Motors showroom and the Depression plays a large role in the story.

I loved the other themes that came up in it and the little changes and the big twist at the end. Yes, there's a big twist at the end. A secondary plot of sorts. And there's delightful ending, much humour and much fun. I'm looking forward to reading more books in this collection someday, even though they're not by Sarah Holman.

(Just a quick comment to add that I am not denying that Jane Austen was a brilliant writer who made great use of theme.)


^{1. A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians in the Middle and Higher Classes in this Country Contrasted with Real Christianity by William Wilberforce was written during this time.}

5 Factors in Understanding my Characters

I had something completely different planned for my post today, but something went wrong with Blogger and I've only got an old version of it. So I've had to come up with something new. I've been thinking a lot about character motivations and desires lately. It's one of the most important parts of a good story.

I have found I always need something in common with my characters to be able to write them effectively. I also need something that I don't agree with to make them interesting. Not that I'm a boring person, but fictional characters need several strong traits instead of dozens of minor ones. And I'm a product of my world, a world my characters don't inhabit.

With that said here are the essential things I need to relate to my characters.

Ambition. This can be a desire to help people, a theory they want to prove, even something self-centred such as raising their status or taking something they feel is theirs. The nature of the ambition doesn't entirely affect whether I like the person, but a 'good' character must have a strong ambition for something right.

Fears. My characters fears are probably the biggest part of myself I put into them. Fear or being alone, fear of never doing anything useful, fear of public speaking. Well that last one is actually a fear that many of my characters shouldn't have. I have trouble making my main characters articulate and good with confrontation. I don't make them fear it though. Maybe I should. Helping them overcome it might prove as useful to me as writing about the other fears is.

Loves. Not all my characters love the things I do. But they must have a passion for something. For Aydel it's her medicine box and her knives; Joane has her running; Natalia, philanthropy and art; Rhesa and her orphans, Leisa and her cooking and sewing. Well those last two especially are more everyday life for Leisa than passions and they certainly are one I have.

Stupidity. Not the best term for it but all my characters seem to have one thing they cling to stubbornly which probably isn't true. Some I laughed at other almost make me cry. Either way I can't stand characters which are wishy-washy on everything or characters who are right about everything. Not that they could be right about everything. I'm not.

Justification. This is especially important for villains. I may completely disagree with everything they do, but I have to understand why they're doing it. Maybe not fully because some people have a very twisted view of reality, but I usually can get my head around it somewhat eventually. It's the same with my protagonists. She might do something foolish, but it can't be blatantly so.

Now since It's already one o'clock here, I think I should just post this whether there are more factors or not. I hope you enjoyed this little look inside my mind.

Beautiful People: Celino and Cloe

So it's Link-up time of month again. And time to get back into character questions. In other words, it's Beautiful People time. And because of a 3rd (or 1st) century bishop (or priest) who may (or may not) have had something to do with marrying people against the emperor's orders, the theme for February is couples.

Now I have several couples in Lady of Courage. But I can't talk about Natalia because that's too complicated, and I'd rather not talk about her friend Eloisa who made a political marriage, so I'm going to talk about Natalia's parents. Or rather her mother and her step-father. But they're still both her parents and theirs is a lovely story, if I do say so myself.

Celino Acqui

Now I had better introduce them both properly.

Celino Acqui is a merchant and a veteran of the Third Yallici war. 

Cloe Neroni was raised to occupy a high position and was an assistant to the late Deso of Vecoa and the mother of his heir.
Besides Natalia they have Alexso who is fifteen and Sofia and Teresa who are twelve.

How and why did they meet?

Cloe: Supposedly it was the second time I met Sebastian (my first husband). I was sixteen at the time and very nervous, though excited about the possibility of an engagement. I do however remember him being with Sebastian when he visited me in between then and our wedding.

Celino: I distinctly remember being dancing with her once on the first occasion. Sebastian asked me to help entertain her, then made me promise not to step on her feet.

What were their first impressions of each other?

Celino: I thought that she would be good for Sebastian and make a wonderful Desa for Vecoa when the time came. And I'll admit I thought she was rather young.

Cloe: When I did properly meet him I was impressed by his devotion to Sebastian. And possibly a little too admiring of his swagger and skill with the sword. He wasn't so steady and cautious back before the war.If he had been I might have attempted to set him up with one of my friends and then where would we be. 

How would they prove their love for each other?

Celino: Well she listens to me and confides in me.

Cloe: I would have to say the same.

Cloe Neroni

What would be an ideal date?

Cloe: A date for what? The only big occasions to plan are all Natalia's and I doubt are what you're asking about. But late spring is preferable.

Is there something they emphatically disagree on?

Cloe: Celino still thinks I wouldn't have married him if Sebastian hadn't left a clear letter asking me to let Celino take care of me if he was killed. But though the letter may have played a part, especially in him offering, I couldn't help but be won around to him.

Celino: And I disagree with that statement. She convinced me of her story years ago. I don't understand why, but I believe it.

List 5 quirks they know about each other. 

Cloe: Celino doesn't like going into the city without his big admiral's hat. Even as a merchant he's still got that sea blood. Sometimes I think if it weren't for his commitments he'd been raging off over the sea.

Celino: But you know the war ruined me for seafaring. I'd go if there was a war, but that will be a terrible day.

Cloe: He also hates politics and is very fond of the tapping noise his wooden leg makes. Now what do you have to say about me, dear?

Celino: I have no such awkward things say about you. There's only your odd preference for Rosan partridge over our native pike.

Cloe: I grew up in Rosa. It's natural I'm partial to their food.

Celino: But you spent an equal time on the isle of Fazoe.You didn't have partridges there. And that was where they taught you to cook.

Cloe: And that my dear, is why I have never eaten a badly cooked partridge.

What’s one thing they know about each other that no one else does? (and now you will)

Celino: Cloe almost joined a religious order when she was fifteen and again straight after the war.

Cloe: I'm sure at least one other person knows that. The same with the dreadful secret I have. When he was twenty Celino helped captured an Ayutian ship and almost married a girl on it.

Celino: *raises eyebrows* Did Sebastian tell you that story? And it wasn't nearly so close as that. Her mother told me to behave or I had better marry her, but there was never anything for her to worry about.

What’s one thing that they keep secret from each other?

I was unable to ask this question so I just went digging around in what I already knew. I don't think Cloe tells Celino all of her hopes for Natalia and he has never shared a particular secret that Natalia confided in him.

How would their lives be different without each other?

Cloe: I'd be a lonely widow meddling too much in the life of her only child and Celino would be another mad sea captain. And no, that's not debatable.

Where do they each see this relationship going?

Cloe: Well we've been married seventeen years. Let's see if we can make it to 70.

Celino: I think you mistake your math. I won't live to be one hundred years old.


I hope you enjoyed that. I haven't developed them as well as I'd like yet, but I got a bit of banter going.

Yes, I Want to Change the World

There, I said I'd have another post this week. I'm hoping it'll be a little different to most of the blog posts I've seen these last couple of days. January is in every second title. If I was doing that it would be late anyway. It's February in Australia. Shortest month in the year. So I had better get onto it.

I'm much better at dreaming about the future than keeping records of the past. But mostly just dreaming, no planning. And I've been learning that to lead people anywhere you need to know where specifically that is and be able to look back to where you came from. I'm not sure I'm a leader, but as I said in the title, I do want to change the world.

Actually, I'll rephrase that. I want the world to be changed. I want it to become more conformed to God and I want to be a tool for him to use. Specifically I want to touch people's hearts and help them to the see the truth. I want to do this through my writing, and with everything else I'm called to.

Maybe it's not a good idea to state outright what I'm trying to do. People might catch on and avoid my writing, but it helps me to write about it. Besides, one author might change the direction of a few people's lives, but not the whole culture. There needs to be many of us. I want to be working alongside others. Alongside you. Writer or not, God can use you to make a difference.

How do we do this? What am I specifically doing? I don't know. The course I did last week strengthened the call I felt to do something. It brought forward some of the issues in our culture that ust be grappled with. I gained a clearer way of thinking about some issues, a completely new understanding of others, and many ideas to incorporate into the worlds of my stories. It gave me a direction for learning more, told me who God was and who I was. But it didn't tell me what to do or even what to think.

About 1% of my handwritten notes from last week.

At the simplest level, I must be faithful to whatever God has placed in front of me, I must be willing to take opportunities he offers, and most of all I must trust in him and keep close to his teachings whatever I do. After that there are the ideas I have been given for stories, the imagination I have been given, the unique circumstances that give me my particular view of the world (as opposed to all the other unique views). I must use those gifts and I must do it to the best of my ability. Our God is not a God of mediocrity. He does everything perfectly.

I do have a basic plan for what I wish to do with my writing though. I am attempting to shed the light of the gospel on certain circumstances, to provide examples of both good and bad actions, to use the grandeur of a made up story to bring clarity to the simple, but difficult issues of life. I want to reflect the way God made this world to work, and to show the goodness of what God has revealed to us.

I am also trying to show the glory of God in his creation, to evoke a beauty we can forget to notice in the world. The life of a forest over the brilliant depths of a gorge, The sweetness of birds singing by a trickling brook, and the devotion of a mother to a child. I can picture them now, a dark haired  woman looking down on a child in her arms. There is a slight expression of weariness in her face, but such a glowing look of joy as well. The baby sleeps, its little face scrunched up in peace and happiness.

I will also have to show the flip side of that. The horrors of destruction, the anguish of the death of one beloved, the remorse of a wrongly made choice. I cannot show the glories of perfection without contrasting the utter darkness we fallen humans can create. I won't focus on it, I might not even get a close look, but I cannot try to lessen it, or shut it out. I must be honest.

And that is my plan for changing lives through my writing. It's probably not the same as yours. You might never write for the public. You might think my ideas are crazy. But please, whatever your thoughts are, always be ready for God to use you. Learn new skills, try to do everything with excellence, be aware of what is going on in the world, most of all keep close to God. And maybe we'll be changing the world together.

Shadows of the Hersweald - Cover Reveal!

 Yes, another cover reveal so soon. Which means another book coming!

Shadows of the Hersweald is the third novella in the Legends of Light series by Hope Ann. It's a Hansel and Gretel retelling, something that isn't seen so often.

After her wonderful reimgining of Rapunzel in Song of the Sword, I'm really excited for this. I've had the priviledge of beta reading some of hope's other books and she's a brilliant author. but you don't want to hear more about Hope, you want to see the cover. But first you must know more about the book.

A battered soldier from a defeated army, Haydn knows the only end to the arrival of the Prince’s governor is chains, followed by punishment and possible execution. Except he hasn’t counted on the Prince himself. Or the pardon which his recent foe has declared to acquit all those who fought against him.

A pardon Haydn detests.

A pardon that refuses to punish the rebels now threatening his own village. And his sister.

Guilt-ridden from his own actions during the war, Haydn knows there are others who have no conscience at all. Others who are using the freedom of the pardon to forward their own desperate schemes.

With enemies closing in on all sides, a pardon that refuses punishment for the rebellion, and nightmares of murder and fire hovering in the back of Haydn’s every thought, can he save the only ones left he cares about before it is too late?

Find out in Shadows of the Hersweald!

And now the actual cover in all its glory...

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This gorgeous cover, by the way, was created by a good friend of Hope's who just started a blog which you can find here.

Oh, and Hope has something else that I haven't had time to watch myself, but I'm looking forward to. The book trailer for Shadows of the Hersweald! 

https://youtu.be/6IdXwuTmKxQ

Hope Ann is a Christian wordsmith, avid reader, and dedicated authoress. Her time is taken up with writing, reading, archery, knife throwing, creating writing prompts, helping care for the house and eight younger siblings, and generally enjoying the adventures of life on a small farm at the crossroads of America. She has self-published fairy tale retellings on Amazon and is currently working on several projects including a fantasy novel and futuristic trilogy. You can find out more about Hope and her work at authorhopeann.com.

I'll probably have amother post up later this week, but until I've got the new website running and figured out what the new normal for my life is, it will be a little erratic. I am hoping to do some kind of serial story though.

O Theós na sas evlogei ólou

Ashen City by Sara Baysinger - Cover Reveal

 Why another post so soon after the last one? Well I'm glad you asked. This is an even more special announcement. There's a book coming out soon and it's going to have a cover.

Well that didn't sound that exciting. Let's try again. 

Ashen City, the sequel to Sara Baysinger's fabulous book, Black Tiger, will be released on April 6th! But you don't have to wait until then for everything. Today, you will see the cover of the book in all its glory.

But first I'm going to tell you about Black Tiger.

It's dystopian, set in a future where disease has eliminated most of the world's population. There is just one large city.

Ember Carter is a farmer's daughter and wants to be a farmer herself. That seems impossible as all farming careers are given to boys and for several years everyone has been recruited to the Line of Defenders, even though there isn't a hint of war around. 

Amazingly, she is assigned the career of farmer, but that hope quickly disappears when she tries to save her best friend from the Defenders.

She is sent off to the city, charged with murdering a defender and being a rebel. The sentence is death. A horrible death at the Rebels circle. Only petty criminals get a quick death by a Black Tiger.

But we all know she can't die. Not in this part of the story. She gets out, she's only an 'guest' now. A guest with a lot of power. But she's also suspected by the chief and she can't leave.

This is where things get fun. There's two young men in the city. And they're both rather contradictory. One is a nice person, the kind of person it's easy to trust. Yet, he's the chief's best friend and thinks they can work with him to fix the problems in Ky.

The other is a thoroughly despicable person, then a somewhat nice, and almost too friendly person. He keeps Ember entertained and even talks about the religion that is long gone from the city. I start to think he's a Christian of sorts ,but then he's urging her to rebel. One minute he's a hero, the next despicable again. I love having my emotions jerked around like that.

Any way I love this books. It has some amazing dilemmas, terrifying moments, great themes and an answer to why God gives us free will. Also there's the exploration of a society where religion is gone. It's  not entirely gone though, some traces will always remain and people will always have a heart to look for purpose and something bigger than them. Always. And there is also mind control. 

Now onto Ashen City.

Make your choice, Ember Carter. And make it count.

Ember Carter has escaped the flames of death. But will she ever be free from Chief Titus? When the orchard goes up in smoke and her family turns up missing, Ember returns to Frankfort hoping to find her brother and father, and to get Titus to drop the death wish he has against her.

But Titus is always one step ahead. When Ember faces him head-on, she’s captured, only to receive another death sentence. But on her way to her execution, plans go a little askew, and Ember finds herself traveling to the one place no one dares travel: Louisville. If the outskirts of Ky were a ghost town, the ashen city is the borderline of hell itself, but it’s the one place Ember can find refuge from the people who want her dead. 

In the ashen city, Ember must learn that being a hero is more than doing what is right because she can, but doing it for the good of the people. And when plans take a turn for the worst, she must decide if it’s worth risking her life to save her country.

It sounds good to me. More avoidance of death.

And now the cover!!!

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Isn't that lovely. In a rather haunting way.

Now you can add Ashen City on Goodreads.

And Black Tiger as well.

And if I convinced you to read Black tiger it's on Amazon.

And if you want to be part of the book launch blog tour in April, there's a sign up form here. I heard there will be prizes.

And be sure to check out Sara's website.

I just found out a cool fact about Sara today. She grew up in the Andes Mountains in Equador. How cool is that?

The Story of a Name and an Announcement

I expected everyone reading this blog has realized that I don't use my real name. It's also probably not a surprise to find out my real name is Brianna.

In fact it's the name I'm most used to. I didn't have a nickname as a child unless you count my little brother mispronouncing it. It was always my full name. Quite a few years back now, a friend gave me the nickname Breeze, but forgot it again. I didn't forget and took it as an internet name. Later on, I replaced that with Bria Snow.

I didn't think that would be a good pen name though. It might not matter, but I'd heard that it's better to have a name in the first half of the alphabet. So I twisted my name around all backwards to come up with something that did work. Not long after that, I started my blog. That was the impulsive decision that got me semi-stuck with the name.

Yes, I do like brie cheese.

I always was reticent about sharing the existence of my blog with people I meant in real life. I was afraid they might find the pen name silly. I'm now realizing it was because I wasn't confident it was the right name. I felt it was a little silly. The few times my mother has sent me an email with a correction I needed to make and used my pen-name it seemed strange. Maybe because she never uses my real last name.

After a while, I started to get tired of being called Anna. It's a pretty common name, and I just didn't feel it fit me. Even though I use Brianna in everyday life, I've never minded being called Bri. I rather like it in fact. But if that was now my last name I couldn't be called by it without more awkwardness.

Even though I've tried my best to be honest and real in what I say on my blog, I still felt like I had split myself into two people. Both of them were me, but they had different friends. I wanted to integrate them more, but the names conflicted. I felt as if I would have to explain it too much.

So I started thinking of getting a new pen name. It was the end of September when I found one I liked. Something with Brie as my first name. Something with a rare, but easy to spell last name which felt right. I didn't want to pick just any random last name that belonged to someone else. So here it is: Brie Donning.

You might wonder while I took so long to make a change. There are a few reasons. One is that I didn't want to make the mistake of choosing a name hastily again. I wanted to be sure I wasn't going to start hating it. Another reason was that I didn't want to appear flaky. I'd had my blog for less than a year then, and wasn't ready to change. Third reason is that I have something else I wasn't ready to announce. (And there is the fact that I didn't want to build a new website/blog then. In fact I'd still rather not do it. Web design isn't really my thing.)

Since then I've started using Brie Donning in a couple of places and been connecting to more writers using Facebook (where I go by my real name). I've been detaching from my old pen name. It doesn't feel like my name any more. Just the name of my writing blog. I can't not change now.

My other announcement is that I'll be offering my services as an editor. Doing beta reading has let me see that I  would enjoy being an editor. Helping good books be better and get published is something I love doing and I'm brilliant at noticing typos. Unless they're my own that is.

Granted this isn't the only idea I've had to help people with their books. At one point I wanted to be an audio book narrator, but I hate fixing my recordings. If there was a job that involved promoting all my favourite books I'd love that too. But authors have street teams, not paid publicists and publishers have books I wouldn't be excited about, so it's not happening.

I started thinking about becoming an editor before I decided to change my pen name, but I always felt that I wouldn't do it under the name Anna S, Brie. Once again I'd subconsciously thought it sounded less professional.

The long and the short of it is that I'm going to have a new website opening up early next month under my new name and I'll be changing the names on all my social media. I don't know exactly how long things will take, but they'll happen. As you can all see I've done most of the work on having a new look.

I am Brie Donning, signing out. God bless you all.

Beautiful Books: Goals and Interruptions

Hello readers, writer, friends and- I don't think there are enemies reading my blog. If you are, please say hi.

I was starting to write about what writing I'd planned for this month and what was really happening when I remembered the Beautiful Books link-up was waiting for me. Since it is one on goals I'll try to make it fit together.

What were your writing achievements last year?

I finished the first draft of my first novel, mostly re wrote it, wrote most of a second one, and started brainstorming a sequel. Not entirely in that order. It was a good year.

What’s on your writerly “to-do list” for 2017?

Finish Lady of Courage, get Girl of the Rumours reading to critique partners or maybe even beta readers. Probably write its sequel, though that depends on whether it is ready to be written when I have time.

As for this month, I had big goals: I was going to be writing 40,000 words, mostly on Lady of Courage. Anything else including blog post would be counted too. Otherwise my blog won't happen with a high word count goal. I thought I might do a little bit of outlining on A Brigand, No Longer, but nothing else was expected.

The Secret Story

Then two things happened. First I was given a shiny new idea that get's better the more I think about it. It's a secret project I can't talk about much, but I'm doing world building. And I'm not just mashing up bits from our world though there is a bit of that. I've finally veered off into what couldn't be in our world.

It's amazing how starting with nothing allows for more consideration of ideals. I'm not making a utopia, but I can put in more of my ideals for life, work education and government. I can actually make a clearer reflection of the truths of our world I believe to be important. I knew that stories allow one to do that before now, but I hadn't experienced it so fully.

So because of that I haven't gotten much work done on Lady of Courage. This week I'm forcing myself to get back to work on it.

The second interruption is one that actually has an impact of my word count. I'm going away for a week.  It's an intensive course on planning one's life to impact the world. I'll be writing, but it's not the stuff I count. So my goal has shrunk.

Tell us about your top-priority writing projects for this year!

I think this means add more details. Girl of the Rumours is still in a fairly rough state, but the only big changes are content added to the middle and  the climax. The rest needs some continuity checking, some serious evaluation and a little polish.

I'm hoping doing that will help me sort out what happens in  A Brigand, No Longer. For it I've just got a bunch of ideas that  I'm not sure how they fit in. It's likely there will be a third book, but the ideas aren't clear enough.

How do you hope to improve as a writer? Where do you see yourself at the end of 2017? 

I haven't gotten much feedback on my writing so far. I'm hoping the critique process will really help me figure out my weaknesses and strengths. From there I'll be in a much better place to write.

Describe your general editing process. 

I've hardly done enough editing to turn it into a process. For my first book the first edit was when I copied it from note book to computer. There were subtle changes I added as I copied. There were bigger things that happen though out it. When I actually begun that I'd just figured out the main line of the story and had to change the whole beginning to fit it. Then I go back over and tidy things up. I refine my characters.

For my other books it'll be a little different, because it is already on the computer. But I'll still be re writing things I've thought better of and making other big changes.

On a scale of 1-10, how do you think this draft turned out? 

Well it's not quite finished yet. But I'll put it at 6 overall.

What aspect of your draft needs the most work?

The complex threads. A lot of them were dropped and the subtlety was lost. I'll need to add them in and tie it all together. Also the political scenes could really do with smoother intrigue.

What do you like the most about your draft? 

The themes of friendship and communication that are coming though. And the sacrificial themes. That's something I didn't fully realize until I wrote this.There's a lot of love and mostly not the romantic kind. I'm also loving the teenaged brother inventor. He's fun.

What are your plans for this novel once you finish editing? More edits? Finding beta readers? Querying? Self-publishing? Hiding it in a dark hole forever? 

More editing. Then some critiquing will have to come, then more edits. Rise and repeat several times. Then I'll think about querying.

What’s your top piece of advice for those just finished writing a first draft?

Let is sit for a month or two. Then read it over. Don't think about it too much in between. Work on something else. But do come back. It's worth it. Also write yourself an ridiculous. encouraging letter that will help you keep on when the editing seems hopeless.

And that's that. Except I haven't shared the new name I have for the larger country Girl of the Rumours takes place in. Verlis is the main setting, but it's just a province. The whole land is called NéaElefthéri. Ne-a el-ef-THAIR-ree. NéaElefthéri. There is a chance you can talk me into explaining it.

So do you have any excitng new writing developments? Or just a stubborn unmoving goal to move towards? Tell me about it.

I'm a [Insert a dozen identity labels here]

Happy New Year everyone! I'm hoping 2017 will be an even better year than 2016, which was a pretty good year for me. I've got a bunch of changes happening with my writing and blog which I'll tell you about over the next few weeks. And now on with some ramblings about my own thoughts.

Identity is a funny thing. There's so many ways we say who we are. Simple ones, such as our names, hometown, or ethnic background. Complications of half a dozen fandoms and obscure references.

We want to know who we are to feel that we are known and loved. Or at least loved. Sometimes we fear being known. We put up a facade, take on a whole identity. Or even if we try to be honest, with online communications it's so easy to accidentally hide parts of yourself, or simply behave differently.

For myself, I find my ultimate identity in being a child of God, a follower, one of the redeemed ones.

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— John 1:12

But I like to have more than that. I like to be able to introduce myself, by what I do, or what kind of person I am. But sometimes that doesn't seem enough. If I say I'm a writer people will ask me questions, I'm not ready to answer. I hedge or I pull out the latest interesting thing I've been involved in, even if it only takes a few hours occasionally.

And then there is the identity of labels. I used to think I hated labels, hated sticking people in boxes, but I've realized I do it still. I always have.

I don't like denominations, maybe because I don't really belong to one, and I don't like other theological differences. There's always so much nuance, and so many problems can be caused by assuming things about peoples beliefs. Yet I cling hard to the fact I was home-schooled, and that I live on the other side of the border to the city I'm often in.

Lately the label that I've noticed myself using is MBTI personality type. I'm always researching things about it, trying to figure myself out, and my friends, and the characters in my books. But I'm still not certain about myself. I'm wavering between two categories, and occasionally wonder if I've got it completely wrong.

But why do I worry? I used to think personality types were bunkum. I still believes there's a lot of variation between the types. And learning about it has helped me understand myself. I know much more about how I think, and due to other resources I'm a lot more certain about what I believe, what I'm afraid of and what I love. But still I want to know. Am I a slightly shy extrovert or actually and introvert? Do I fit into one of the boxes?

I'm not sure I ever will know. Maybe I'll never be able to say clearly what my occupation is. In fact I'm not sure I want that to be sure. I want to be doing lots of things. And I think I can live with this uncertainty now. I pray I'll be able to just let it go and be a person, not a jar. I'll just have to show who I am, instead of telling it.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

Now this is the identity we can be firm in. It's not just who we are, it's what we do. So if you don't feel like you fit into any denomination, cultural group or personality, just remember there's a lot more to who you are than [Australian, home-schooled, creationist, re-constructionist, sabbath-keeping-baptist, writer, Ninja, Legendaire and Resistance member] or whatever labels you use. It' so many little things that make you a unique creation of God.