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Another Scene: First Kiss

Posted in writing, tagged characters, e-publishing, fantasy, Romance, Young Adult on May 10, 2015| Leave a Comment »

So, Daughter of the Disgraced King releases a week from tomorrow (May 18th).

Until then, you can get it for only $0.99 on pre-order.

This scene is Ailsa’s first kiss–oh, and an unexpected proposal:

The last of the tension drained from Ailsa’s body. She leaned back to look up at the starry sky. “I haven’t been down here since . . . Oh, since we used to play hide-and-seek here, I suppose. I’d forgotten how lovely it is.”

“It can’t compare to you.”

Ailsa lightly tapped his hand where it lay on his leg, close by her own. “I wasn’t fishing for a compliment.”

“I know. Ailsa . . . I . . . I want to ask you something.”

Ailsa looked down from the sparkling sky and met Sav’s eyes. He was doing it again. Stammering. “You’ve always been able to talk to me about anything, Sav.”

“This is different. I . . .” Savyon rubbed the back of his neck. “Seventeen desert hells! I wanted to do this elegantly, to be worthy of you, but I’m just no good at that. I’m going to have to just say it.” He gritted his teeth before rushing on. “Ailsa, I love you. Will you marry me?”

Ailsa gasped. The stars seemed to spin above her. She’d swear her heart stood still for a beat and then began to pound. She could hear the blood rushing in her ears. She couldn’t have heard him right, could she? As many times as she’d dreamed of Sav noticing her as more than just a friend, more than just someone to dance with to hold off the girls who wanted him for his position and future power, she’d never once thought of this. She felt utterly unprepared for it.

“Say something!” Sav begged. His hands gripped his knees so hard that the knuckles were turning white and his eyes were unnaturally bright.

Ailsa had to swallow twice before she could find her voice. “I . . . don’t know what to say. This . . . You never gave me any reason to expect this.” Her hand found one of his and pried it loose from his knee. “Sav, you’re my best friend.”

He grasped her hand almost as tightly as he had clutched his leg a moment earlier. “Can’t I be both?”

Could he? What a comfortable and comforting marriage that would be, with her best friend—if her best friend had been anyone but the crown prince. “I . . . don’t know.” Her eyes focused on Sav’s lips. What would it be like to kiss Sav? She’d wondered before, but now Ailsa had to find out. She freed her hand and pulled his face down to hers. Sav held his breath. Ailsa sucked in a deep breath for courage and put her lips to his.

His mouth was warm and soft beneath hers. A frisson went down from her lips all the way to her toes, spreading heat along with it. As natural as a rosebud opening in the sun, her lips parted. His did, too, moving slowly against hers. His arms came up to hold her close to him. He tasted of salt and faintly of some sweet wine he must have drunk while she was dancing and of a titillating essence that was all Sav. She wanted it to go on forever and at the same time felt she couldn’t catch her breath. She needed air. She needed time. This was all moving much too fast. She sat back, breaking off the kiss. “Oh.”

Sav searched her face. His shoulders sagged. “No good?”

Her hand rose to her throat. Had she done something wrong? True, she didn’t have much experience at kissing. “What made you think that? Didn’t you like it?”

“I’ve never felt anything like it, but . . . you have the strangest expression right now. I can’t tell . . .”

Ailsa’s smile was a little shaky. “I feel like I could float up to the top of that tree if you weren’t holding me down to earth. My lips are still tingling. And my toes, for some reason. I . . . Oh, Sav, why did you wait until three days before I leave for Terranion?”

One side of his mouth twitched up. “If you hadn’t been about to leave, I wouldn’t have had the courage to risk . . . to risk . . .”

Sav’s arm was still around her, but she grasped his free hand. “Driving me away?”

“Yes.” Sav’s voice was little more than a sigh.

She could see how hard it had been for quiet, reserved Sav to take that chance. It wasn’t as if he had a lot of friends either—not real friends who cared about him, not his position. “That won’t happen, Sav.” She nestled a little closer and laid her head on his shoulder. She chuckled softly. “If you only knew how long I’ve wanted you to . . . think of me as more than a friend.”

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Opening Scene

Posted in writing, tagged e-publishing, fantasy, first pages, marketing, Romance, writing, Young Adult on May 5, 2015| Leave a Comment »

It’s now less than two weeks until the release of DAUGHTER OF THE DISGRACED KING.

It’s only $0.99 on pre-order until May 18th. Then the price goes up.

So, here’s a sample. The opening scene:

Ailsa pushed a low-hanging branch out of her way and emerged onto the wider trail. Even the sharp, clean scent of pine couldn’t distract her from the dead tree directly across from her, a mature oak that had been green and healthy the last time she rode this way. Now it was bare and the bark was already turning black. Her stomach clenched at the sight. This was very nearly the heart of Far Terra. If the magic was failing even here, how much worse would it be on the fringes, nearer the surrounding desert? Without more mages—and soon—Far Terra would die.

She shook her head as if to clear it. She couldn’t really begin to plan until she knew what kind of magic she had and she couldn’t learn that until she got to the Institute of Magical Arts. Today was supposed to be a farewell ride with her friends. Ailsa should be enjoying that. They’d had to leave early to escape the gaggle of girls who always seemed to be around to flirt with the princes. This was the last chance they’d have to ride like this for at least a year, maybe longer. She wanted to let Pearl have a good run and this seemed like the best place for it. Sav came out onto the trail, Cergio and Perion right behind him.

She grinned, deciding to throw out a challenge she knew they couldn’t refuse. “There’s an old oak farther on, about a quarter mile. Race you there!” She leaned forward and dug her heels into Pearl’s sides.

Sav’s big, leggy black caught up to her and then passed her. Ailsa’s lips thinned. At the last moment, she jerked the reins to the side and guided Pearl onto the narrower track, which also cut off a sweeping bend in the main trail. It wasn’t cheating. She’d only specified the destination, not the path.

Ailsa sat up in the saddle to look ahead. Three fallen logs lay across this less-used trail, with no room for a horse to take a full stride between them. The undergrowth was too dense to allow any chance of going around them. Pearl could jump any one of them easily, but three together with barely room for the mare to gather herself for the next jump was more challenging. Ailsa had faith that Pearl could do it.

She bent low over the withers of her horse and urged her forward. Pearl lifted off, easily clearing the first log, landing, and lifting off again. It felt like flying. Ailsa laughed as the wind of Pearl’s speed whipped her hair into her face. They broke out onto the main trail again only a couple of lengths ahead of Sav.

This time they were going to do it. This time they were going to win. Ailsa turned her head to look over her shoulder. Sav’s long-legged black was gaining on them, but the other two were lost in the dust, too far behind to have a prayer of catching up.

She wasn’t going to come in second. Not this time. A tiny whirlwind of fallen leaves would distract his horse and slow Sav down. She was tempted, but using magic really would be cheating. And that would take the luster off the win. Instead she leaned forward to whisper encouragement into Pearl’s ear. “Go, girl. You can do it.” The mare put on a burst of speed. Ailsa whooped and raised her arms in triumph as they passed the oak tree that marked the finish line.

She jumped down and hugged Pearl’s neck, then grabbed a cloth from her saddlebags and began wiping her down, even though that little run had barely raised a sweat. “You’re wonderful. You’re the best horse ever.”

Sav pulled his black stallion up beside her and dismounted.

Ailsa paused her rub down of Pearl to turn to him. “I told you she could beat your black, didn’t I? She’s faster than she looks.”

Savyon patted Pearl’s shoulder. “No. She just runs her heart out for you. It’s not the same thing.” His eyes glowed oddly as he met Ailsa’s. “It’s a gift. To be able to inspire that kind of loyalty. She runs beyond her abilities for you.”

Ailsa blushed and concentrated on wiping the last traces of sweat off Pearl’s gleaming coat. Pearl liked to run. And if Sav was about to accuse her of using magic to win the race—when she’d specifically restrained herself, too—she’d . . . she’d hit him, prince or not.

Sav looked back down the forest path to a narrow place where Cergio had somehow gotten his bay gelding turned sideways on the trail, blocking Perion. He swallowed and grabbed Ailsa’s hand. “Ailsa, I . . . I . . .”

Why was Sav stammering? He’d never been shy with her before. They’d known each other practically since she could walk, after all. And even if she did occasionally get a little irritated with him, she would never really hit him. She looked up into his eyes. “What is it, Sav?”

With a shout, Ailsa’s cousin, Perion, slipped around Cergio’s horse’s flank and raced towards them. Cergio followed at a slower pace.

Sav grimaced and drew a deep breath. “You will be coming to the ball tonight, won’t you?”

Ailsa nodded. “Yes, of course. It’ll be my last chance before I go south to school. I doubt I’ll get invited to very many parties there. Anyway, I’ll be there to study, not socialize.”

He squeezed her hand. “Promise me a dance?”

Ailsa smiled. “As many as you like, Sav. As always.” She turned back to Pearl to hide her face. Who else am I going to dance with? Perion? Aunt Izbel will prod him to ask me once or twice, but I know he’d rather be dancing with Delea. And Cergio will be on his next romantic campaign. He won’t have time for me.

“I’ll see you there, then,” Sav said and released her hand just as the others rode up.

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Round One Complete

Posted in writing, tagged critiques, e-publishing, fantasy, revisions, sequels, series, writing on May 3, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Yesterday, I finished the first round of revisions on BEYOND THE PROPHECY.

There are probably two more to go before I turn it over to beta readers in June.

During June, I can start the fourth–and final–book in this series. (Final, unless I decide to write the prequel stories at some point in the future.

Then July and August for the revisions coming out of the critiques and the polishing edit. And I’m on schedule for releasing BEYOND THE PROPHECY in September.

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Shiny New Ideas

Posted in writing, tagged characters, fantasy, inspiration, world building, writing on April 29, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Every writer I know has this problem. It’s always when you’re elbow deep in another story that the shiny new one comes along to taunt you.

I have to hold this one back until I’ve finished not only BEYOND THE PROPHECY, but also the fourth (and last) book in the DUAL MAGICS series. That’s at least a year!

So, maybe writing a little bit about it now will help with that. Fingers crossed, because, of course, it could just as easily make it worse.

DREAMER’S ROSE is not precisely a new idea. I’ve actually written an earlier (and very bad) version of it. Then I let it sit and re-imagined it. I played around with it a little, but it was tricky because the story involves three main characters and two of them aren’t even born when the story starts. I wasn’t sure exactly how I was going to handle that.

Then the inspiration came to me a couple of weeks ago. All I really had to do was free the story from the box I’d been trying to shove it into. Now I can see how it needs to go. It’s most likely a trilogy. Possibly with each book focusing on one of the three characters. And no matter how badly my fingers itch, I can’t start writing it yet.

Can’t. Mustn’t. Must finish DUAL MAGICS first. (Keep repeating that.)

This is a glimpse into part of the world of DREAMER’S ROSE–a temperate rainforest.

The first part of the story is the legend of Hercules turned on its ear. (The real version, not what Disney did to it.)

In the Greek myths, Hercules led a cursed life, because Hera (who was not his mother) had it in for him. He failed at absolutely everything in his life, except killing monsters and completing other impossible, but mostly useless, tasks. Really, how helpful was it to retrieve the three-headed dog, Cerberus, who guarded the underworld, just to prove he could, and then take him right back again? (By the way, in the original Greek version, Hades helped Herc by giving his permission for that.)

Then he became a god and there were actually altars for his worship. I’ve always kind of wondered what you would pray to Hercules for. I mean, if you had a hydra in your backyard, I get it. But certainly not for any kind of domestic happiness. (Hera drove Hercules mad so that he murdered his own wife and children.)

How did his very unsuccessful life prepare him to be a god?

And that’s where DREAMER’S ROSE starts. Will start. In about a year. Keep repeating that.

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Multiple Threads

Posted in writing, tagged characters, conflict, e-publishing, fantasy, revisions, sequels, series, writing on April 26, 2015| Leave a Comment »

I’m at the point in my revisions on BEYOND THE PROPHECY

where I have to balance multiple threads of the story. I now have major characters in three different locations doing three different things in support of the main goal.

Things get complicated at this point. I have to keep the timeline straight. Does Event A actually belong in chapter 30, or should it happen after the events–in another location with different characters–in chapter 32? Moving whole chapters around isn’t too difficult, but remembering what any given character should know if I move that chapter might be.

Add in that I don’t want any one of those three characters to get left out of the plot for too long and it becomes a real balancing act.

Progress slows a bit at this point for a reason.

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Revision Ups and Downs

Posted in writing, tagged conflict, critiques, e-publishing, fantasy, revisions, sequels, series, writing on April 22, 2015| Leave a Comment »

I started the revisions on BEYOND THE PROPHECY just about a week ago.

I’ve made really good progress up ‘til now. I’m on Chapter 25 of (currently) 51.

Honestly, the most major change I’ve had to make so far—other than adding some details and punching up the emotions in a couple of places—was to delete part of a few scenes since I’d decided that a couple of characters weren’t there after all. Not too big a deal.

Not that I’ve addressed everything in those first 24 chapters. There are things I left for a later pass because I hadn’t decided quite what to do with them yet. And there will still be the need to edit for more setting details in some areas. (Always something I tend to gloss over in a first draft.)

But I’ve just arrived at the part of the story that’s going to need more work. The part I wasn’t happy with in the first draft anyway. It’s always the middle, isn’t it? I know what needs to be done—generally. But now I have to do it. New scenes. At least one new chapter. New emotional conflict—can always use more of that in the middle. This part will be almost like going back to the first draft.

But the story will be so much better for it.

Once I get through this, hopefully the rest will be more of a downhill slide. Then at least two more revision passes until I’ll be glad to close it up while my trusted beta readers have it. Then I’ll know how well I did.

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Almost Forgot

Posted in writing, tagged characters, conflict, e-publishing, fantasy, Real Life, revisions, Romance, sequels, series, writing on April 19, 2015| 2 Comments »

I’ve been doing so many other things today–laundry, a bit of house painting, and the first round of revisions on BEYOND THE PROPHECY

that I almost forgot to blog. In my defense, I’m at one of the most fun parts of the story, where two young characters are starting to feel the first urges of something more than friendship–and still don’t quite know what to do with that. To cap it off, one of them is about to go away for a while. Here’s a snippet:

“You are coming back aren’t you?” Kiara asked.

“Nothing could keep me away. This is my real home.”

“How . . . how long will it be?”

“I don’t know. Two years. Maybe three. I’ll study hard and try to make it back as soon as I can.” He looked down and back up. “Will you . . .” He stopped and shook his head. “It’s not fair to ask you to wait for me.”

“I’ll wait.”

Theklan smiled. “I . . . I made something for you. It’s not a courting gift. I’m not even allowed to offer a courting gift until after the manhood test. More . . . more maybe something to remember me by?”

Kiara smiled. “I’ll keep it for you.” The traditional reply to an accepted courtship gift. She looked around. “What is it?”

Theklan laughed. “It’s not here. I hid it in my bedroll. It’s a bridle with a pattern of lions and eagles worked on it.” Unaccountably, he blushed. “That’s what I wanted the berries for . . . that day. To make a dye to bring out the pattern.”

“Pity we lost them all.”

His eyes blazed as he looked into hers. “No. Vatar’s bringing a purple dye from Caere. That’ll be better. It’ll last longer and . . . the other would have been pinkish. That’s not really the right color for you. You’re more . . . vivid than that.”

Kiara sucked in a breath. Then she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, just briefly. A promise for another time. In two or three years. When they were both ready. It would seem like a long time, but maybe it was better this way.

Unfortunately, all is not going to run smoothly for these two. Not for a while at least. But it’s still fun writing this.

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Revisions

Posted in writing, tagged e-publishing, fantasy, Real Life, revisions, sequels, series, writing on April 15, 2015| Leave a Comment »

I’ve started the first round of revisions on BEYOND THE PROPHECY. I’m all the way up to Chapter Five out of fifty-one, so I’m not exactly racing through it. In fact, I don’t expect to get anything done on it at all today. It’s just been one of those days. My alarm not going off was just the start.

I usually like to try to get at least a chapter done a day, but Chapter Five has some particular issues that might take longer.

Meanwhile, I’ve been thinking.

About the ending of BEYOND THE PROPHECY, which I’m still not entirely thrilled with.

About the fourth and last (and so far untitled) book in the Dual Magics series. Especially about where it starts, which might be an issue. Because, as things stand, it would start with several chapters in which Vatar doesn’t have a part. Hmm.

And trying not to think about another story altogether which has started calling my name. Not yet! But DREAMER’S ROSE is starting to get awfully insistent. (It’s a riff on the myths and legends of Hercules, but reversed. Sort of.) So far, I’m just jotting down notes and hoping I can get away with that. I have to finish Dual Magics first. Really. (Wouldn’t be the first time I ended up working on two first drafts at the same time, though.)

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Additional Content

Posted in writing, tagged Additional Content, e-publishing, fantasy, revisions, sequels, series, short stories, writing on April 12, 2015| Leave a Comment »

First, the Dual Magics tie-in short story, “Modgud Gold” is now available on Amazon.

Changing his apprenticeship from the Smiths’ Guild to the Merchants’ gives Arcas a second chance. Not just for a career that suits him far better, but also to prove himself worthy of the lovely Elaria.

But to accomplish that, he must leave his seaside city—and Elaria—for a year. In that time, he travels among the barbarians, hoping to find something to trade for that will be worth the hardships and dangers.

Something like gold.

“Modgud Gold” takes place during the first half of THE SHAMAN’S CURSE. If you ever wondered how Arcas knew enough about the Modgud to recruit help for Vatar during the Ordeal, here’s your chance to find out.

Second, today I’m officially back working on BEYOND THE PROPHECY.

It hasn’t had quite as much time to cool as I’d planned, but I’ve finished all of the other things I intended to do during this break from it, so it’s time. I’m starting with some of the bonus content.

The Map, because this story travels around more of this world than the previous two did.
Vatar’s extended family tree and/or a cast of characters.
A glossary of the different groups/cultures involved in these stories.
And a vastly shortened summary of the salient events of the first two books.

All of that will be at the back of the book, at least in the e-book. (I may move the map and the family trees up to the front in the print edition. Plenty of time to worry about that later.) That way, they won’t be the only thing a potential reader sees if they look at a sample of the book.

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Progress Update

Posted in writing, tagged e-publishing, fantasy, Middle Grade, Multiple Projects, queries, revisions, series, short stories, synopsis, writing, Young Adult on April 8, 2015| Leave a Comment »

I had three goals for this few weeks when I need to let the first draft of BEYOND THE PROPHECY cool before starting the revisions. I’m doing well on all three of them.

“Modgud Gold”: This is a tie-in short story to the Dual Magics series, about what Arcas was doing during the events of the first half or so of THE SHAMAN’S CURSE and explains, among other things, how he knew enough about the Modgud to get help for Vatar. I’ve been through the manuscript once and I’m halfway through the second pass. In this revision, I’m primarily deleting an unnecessary character. Yes, Kiara would be there if this were part of the book, but she’s just window dressing in the short story. She has no real role to play. One more pass, concentrating primarily on some descriptions that may not be needed and it’ll be ready to go.
DAUGHTER OF THE DISGRACED KING: I had decided to e-publish this one after all. It only needed a quick read-through and some formatting. It’s available for pre-order now and releases May 18th.
MAGE STORM: This is my middle grade fantasy. I’ve finished a read-through of the story, making very few changes. I need to do a little work, changing the query and possibly polishing up the synopsis. (I hate synopses.) And then send it to a publisher. Middle grade is still very much of an uphill slog for e-publishing. (How many ten- to twelve-year-olds have an e-reader–or a credit card with which to buy their own books? The answer to the first question is an increasing number. The answer to the second isn’t. So it’s much more necessary to find a way through the gate keepers–parents, teachers, and librarians–with middle grade fiction.)

I expect to have “Modgud Gold” done within a week or so. Then I’ll be ready to get back into BEYOND THE PROPHECY and turn it into the story I know is in there.

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