Races Revealed

I was supposed to have my next book done by Valentines Day...that obviously didn't happen.  Good news, I'm about 80% done with it...bad news, I've still got another 20% to go.

One of my favorite things about book 2 (sorry, don't have a title for it yet) is that I'm introducing a lot of new races and characters in it.  That makes it doubly fun because up through the first book I had ideas and outlines for the different races, but now that I'm writing them I get to fine tune the histories and cultures of each race.

Some new races that will be in the second book and some teasers because I love my readers:

Gnomes:

In the first book, Holly had a very brief entanglement with a gnome, but there's not much information about gnomes themselves, their history, or why they are attacking Myre so often.  At one point in the second book, Holly finds herself in the midst of a Gnome camp.

Here's a description of the camp taken straight out of book 2:

The gnomes camped in luxurious, huge tents.  Generally the tents were held up by multiple poles stuck straight in the ground, with a single tall point in the center of a ceiling.  When faced straight on, it made the tents look like pentagons.  The fabrics were expertly woven and sturdy, some in colors so varied and rich that Laney had never seen their like, not even in the Balthazar mansion.  Brilliant yellows that reminded her of daffodils and sunshine to deep colored reds like wine or blood.  It was stunning.  Some of the tent flaps were raised and she could see within, to thickly carpeted floors, vases, low tables, and cushions littered around.  Within some of the tents, gnomes reclined on the cushions while others sat around the low tables playing some kind of game that Laney had never see before.

And of one gnome they meet:

The last gnome Holly had met was mostly hidden by his clothes and cloak.  This gnome was completely different.  He had nut-brown skin and hair black as midnight, very thick, and so tightly curled that it looked like perfect, tiny ringlets that fell to his shoulders.  He had a long beard that also curled in the same tight ringlets and was cut straight across, as if part of a rectangle.  His large eyes were closed, but had black and gold around them.  Even his eyebrows were accentuated, like two black slashes across his brow.  His clothes were rich textiles, the knee-length tunic a warm light brown color, with dark brown trousers, and a thick cloak that was dyed a deep, vibrant purple.

Sorcerer:

Sorcerers possess very different magic from most of the other races.  Where the other races tend to manipulate natural phenomenon, sorcerers have telepathic powers.  This has its limitations, but because of the fear that telepathy incurs, sorcerers have been hunted and slaughtered with particular vehemence throughout the war.

This man was very tall.

He also had skin that was devoid of color.  His black hair was a startling contrast to his pale skin.  His ears stuck out from his hair, pointed much like she imagined a fairy’s or elf’s might be.  He wore black clothes that were fitted and stiff edged.  A red collar offset the black and white image he presented.  He also wore a thick, intricate silver ring set with a glittering ruby on one hand and a small silver loop in one ear.

As imposing as the man’s clothes and jewelry were, it was the sight of his high forehead that made Laney catch her breath.  Or rather, it was the sight of the red mark on his forehead.  It was simple, really, four tiny dots arranged as if at the corners of a diamond and located just between and above his brows.

The mark of a sorcerer.

Vampire:

Yes, there is a vampire in this story.  No, it is nothing like Twilight!  Seriously, I've always been fascinated by vampires because there is TONS of history, culture, and lore surrounding them.  I'm not talking just the European literature, but also Eastern and South American lore.  So, you may find vampires are a bit different in this book.

The man reached up and pushed his hood back.  She stared into two black eyes set in a face as pale as snow. 

Sorry, that seems like a super short description compared to the others...for the sake of the story, I spread the description out over several pages instead of a paragraph of complete description.

Dark Elves:

It only feels fair to mention this.  Yes, we've already met two Dark Elves.  Yes, you will meet more and learn more about them in Book 2.

Here's a teaser...especially for those of you who were concerned we wouldn't see enough of Connor in Book 2:

The streets wound among the empty, dome shaped buildings.  The Dark Elves hadn’t invested as much time in architecture as their brethren.  While the other Elves prided themselves on creating beauty, the Dark Elves found greatest pleasure in the capabilities of their bodies.  How far could one push oneself until they died?  How much heat or cold could their bodies stand?  How far could they run?  How well could they fight?

Connor had trained in these circular courtyards.  He’d fought among the dripping stalactites and stalagmites of the outer city.  He’d competed in the great arenas within the city.  And when he’d finally earned the right, he’d entered the largest dome, the Dome of the Elders.

He stopped in front of the giant building now.  Long ago, slaves had built the channel that served as a fiery moat of lava circling the Dome.  Dark Elves hated light, but in this case the lava had served their purpose.  There was only one way over the moat.

Connor breathed deeply, forcing himself to relax.  His right hand unconsciously gripped the worn handle of his curved knife.  As he let a long breath out, he felt along the shadows, summoning them, pulling them.  Slowly, shadow by shadow, he built a bridge spanning from himself to the Dome.

It was hard work and he trembled with effort near the end.  For a second, he was weak and his mind sprang to a pair of hazel eyes and a warm smile…

The shadows recognized his weakness and sprang away in that one moment.

His lip curled and he pushed thoughts of Holly away.

He reached for the shadows again.  His fists clenched so hard that his nails dug into his palms.  He yanked on the shadows, forcing them back into place, viciously demanding their obedience.

Here, it was rule or be ruled and he would not be ruled over any more.

Some other races and people to be looked forward to: Light Elves, an Enchantress, a Healer, and a Hedge Witch, along with several creatures that were created by Iron Elves and Wood Elves during the War of Elves (which predates the War of Races, fyi).  Honorable mentions: mages, dwarves, and trolls.

Needless to say, you can expect a TON of world building, a lot of introductions, and some serious action as Holly tries to both find her place in the magical world and save it.

Oh, and we'll meet another Wind Horse.  They are very important after all.  Book 2 will at least scratch the surface of just how important.

For those who were curious, this is essentially what Saragon would look like...with some minor differences:

Siriusly Rambling

First off:

#SiriuslyCan'tGetOverThis

Anyways, I'm on something of a mind adventure of contemplation lately.  I've been trying to figure out how to improve my writing and that's led me to thinking a lot about my favorite authors and my favorite books.

I've started to notice something.  Really good authors have a profound way of intertwining wisdom and storytelling.  They can transport ideas from manuscript pages into the minds of their readers.  It gives new meaning to the saying, "The pen is mightier than the sword."

Equally amazing, is the beauty with which the advice is given.  Sometimes authors will use a particularly wise and profound character, a main character's musings, or even just the essence and plot of the story itself.  No matter the vehicle, the elegant language they use to give simple advice enlightens the minds of their readers.  

"Poetry is the road to prose" - When Tolkien struggled to write his thoughts, he would write them in verse, thus making him think about the importance of each word.  It also gave his cadence and, if I say so myself, a more magical feel.

My favorite authors are also really good at creating characters.  Sometimes, characters feel like the hardest thing to make in writing.  Side characters have to be easily accessible (the reader can understand something about their personality from that one conversation they are part of) and main characters have to inspire some kind of emotional attachment.  Shusaku Endo said in The Final Martyrs, "Over the years I have forged intimate familial ties with these characters, who are reflections of a portion of myself.  Consequently, even a character who appeared only once in a short story waits now in the wings, concealed by the curtain, for his next appearance on-stage.  Not one of them has ever broken free of his familial ties with me and disappeared forever - at least, not within the confines of my heart."

I think that by building characters that put on display portions of the writer's personality, we instinctively give the characters more depth.

I also love how good authors have main characters that are flawed, but underneath it all have a desire to do and be good.  This makes them seem even more relatable, because I think all of us have the same desire to be good, but our process is often marred by mistakes and personal flaws.

Snowy Evenings

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

By: Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though; 
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep. 

#LoveBeingHome

The Road

"'It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door,' he used to say.  'You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to...'"

Chapter 3 Three is Company; The Fellowship of the Ring; The Lord of the Rings

J.R.R. Tolkien

#TheRoad #RoadLessTraveled #WhatRoadIsThis

What can I say, I'm still Tolkien obsessed.  This quote is actually one of many that inspired I Walked with Shadows.  The idea that we all have to walk out the door, but in doing so take a risk and could encounter any number of experiences, is pretty dang inspiring if I do say so myself.  Thanks Tolkien, for putting this wonderful idea into just a few words.

SO SNOWY!

PUBLISHED

It's official! Woot woooooooot!

I Walked with Shadows is on Amazon as a Kindle Book!  This is a dream come true and I am so stinkin' happy.  Mostly, I'm happy that I finally finished it!  I'm about forty pages into the second book...so hopefully that one will be done in about a month, but for now I'm CELEBRATING THIS ONE!

One of the best things about self publishing is that I get to keep my writing and story the way I want it, while still having the bragging rights of being published.  Except, when I tell people....well, let's just say that this very wonderful picture is completely true:

#RealLife #CanWriteButCan'tSpeak #Sherlocked

Point is, I'm STOKED to be PUBLISHED :)

Teasers and Adventures

#JustAnAverageDay  #NatureMakesMyLifeWonderful

Today I went on an adventure to Ross...normally I don't have the money for any kind of shopping adventures, but when I do have money this is one of my favorite places to spend it. Extra big smile :)

I also just wrote this and thought it made the perfect teaser...this is for you Julie, bahahahahahaha

Holly hesitated.  That seemed like a loaded question and she didn’t dare answer for fear of being wrong.  “I know they haven’t told me everything they know.  They knew of Eldirion.”

The queen straightened.  “And?”

“They wouldn’t say.”

The queen growled. “You must make them.  Holly, that name came to me while I scried on the Autumn Equinox.  Eldirion is important.  Perhaps as important as you and Connor are.”

Holly privately wondered how Connor could be important when he’d obviously disappeared, but didn’t say it.  Instead she asked, “Can you not find out more about who Eldirion is?”

“It’s not easy to scry.”  The fairy snorted.  “It’s near impossible when it’s not a day of magic.  Only the dwarves possess that sort of gift.”

“The…dwarves?”

“Foresight is their blood gift.”  The fairy said carelessly.  “It’s why they’ve been hunted down and nearly destroyed.  The other races thought their gift too powerful.  If it couldn’t be controlled, it was a threat.”

“I’ve never imagined dwarves as having visions of the future.”

The fairy cast her a sidelong glance.  “Oh, yes.  They were very powerful.  Very powerful, indeed.”

CHAG URIM SAMEACH!!!!!

Happy Hanukkah my friends!

No matter who you are or what you believe, we could all stand to learn more about other cultures and religions.  Learning about other religions and faiths builds understanding.  Understanding creates empathy which in turn creates compassion.  Compassion and love change human lives.  Let's change lives together.

The first blessing on Hanukkah is said as the "shamash" or helper candle is lit (this is the candle used to light the other candles.

Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tsivanu l'hadlik ner shel Hanukkah.

"Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who hallows us with mitzvot, commanding us to kindle the Hanukkah lights."

Judaism, at its core, is the expression of the covenantal relationship between God and the children of Israel.  It is filled with symbolism of God's love, promises, and relationship with His children.

Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights, celebrates the rededication of the second time the Holy Temple was built in Jerusalem.  That was, and it is today, a time of joy and hope.

Furthermore, I just personally love the symbolism of a candle.

"A candle is a small thing.  But one candle can light another.  And see how its own light increases, as a candle gives its flame to the other.  You are such a light." ~Moshe Davis (Jewish Rabbi and Scholar)

#HappyHanukkah #FreedomOfReligion #LightTheFire

Also, this is how much I love candles...I literally wrote a poem about two years ago about candles, fire, faith, and religion:

Once

that quivering

 flame was the source of

light on the darkest night.

Now, lucky to be lit

for a nice aroma

or perhaps,

for the roasting of sugary marshmallows.

How many religions throughout time have made

use of Prometheus’s stolen gift of a spark?

Hannukah, Diwali, Jashne Sade, Samhain,

and more.  Even Vesta’s temple was lit forever

by the sacred flame.  And who should lead all of

Israel through the wilderness but a pillar of cloud

and fire.  Then there is dear, sweet Santa Lucia

crowned in her wreathe of candles.  Yet today

the very pinnacles of her crown are reduced to

 rare usage, reserved only for when the storms of life

cause all other sources of comfort and hope to fail.

Then, at very last, we take away the bushel

and allow the spark to take root in our hearts.