We often love people and things despite (or because of) their imperfections. In our collection, we have a holiday ornament that is a perfect example of this. All the other birds on the tree have their beaks firmly in place. Not this little guy. Somehow, he ended up faceless… beakless. We call him Bill. And for some reason, he is one of our family’s favorite holiday decorations. Maybe it’s just that he looks really funny. Or maybe we just identify with the feeling of not quite being THERE yet. Even though we try.
I really enjoyed your response to my question about Story Rage! As readers, we have many of the same complaints, and pet peeves. We just want to enjoy a good story. Don’t mislead us, and don’t make us ask questions and never give us the answers! Don’t take a whole book to set up for the next book, etc. I did my first hike of the season with fresh snow on the ground. This is Utah, everyone is making sure their skis are waxed and tuned. I have a new pair of snowshoes to try out. I think its very important to have outdoor fun all year round. What do you do for outdoor fun when it’s cold?
Have you ever had STORY RAGE? You’re reading along, happy in the world the author has created, until you get to a point in the story and something bothers you. And you’re UNHAPPY. Years ago, I read a fantasy where the author killed off every single character except for the leading man (banished) and the leading lady (captured by the enemy). Every one else was slaughtered. And I do mean, everyone else. I was super mad at the end of that book! I felt like she was just wiping the slate clean and that she didn’t address the real cost of the events. And also, what is the real point of the story if only two people survived it? So, I’m asking you. What makes you MAD in a story? Unsatisfying endings? Stories that run on without ever giving you a satisfactory conclusion? What causes you to not like a story? I want to know for two reasons. First, I’m wildly curious about what gets to other people. Second, I’d like to know what NOT to do in my writing.
I hope you had a wonderful day with family and friends. We spent the day with family, and many of them are much better cooks than I am. Some family member once claimed that they hated yams, no matter how they were prepared, so my brother wrapped spears of yam in prosciutto and cooked them till crispy. Not to reveal any trade secrets, but they are amazing! And please throw out the boxed stuffing. We had stuffing made from scratch with sausage, herbs and mushrooms. Oh, sorry, I started to drool a little just then. I think all food should have mushrooms in it. They are a food group.
Anyway, I’ve been working for weeks to gather all the awesome Black Friday promotions I could get my hands on. So, just for you, hundreds of on-sale books! I am so excited to have all of my books on sale for 99¢. Now is the time to read them!
The choice lay before him. Either he could become a new man and help her, or he could destroy her to win a kingdom.
She was gone. Allia was a prisoner, and completely beyond his reach. All the pain she suffered was his fault. From the beginning, he’d wanted nothing more than to protect her. Instead, he’d destroyed her life. He needed to find a way to help her.
She couldn’t see anything except his dark eyes. What kind of man refused to show his face? Either way it didn’t matter. Until she found out who was trying to kill her, he was her only chance of survival.
Does your imagination ever run wild? New worlds, people, quests, giant spiders, or carnivorous lizards? ME TOO! All last week, while I was working hard at my day job, getting our December magazine issues off to print, I was wishing for more time to write. I think I’ll let the entire cast of my new story be chased by the vicious lizards, not all at once, of course, just in a moment of weakness… What do you think?
What do you daydream about when you have a quiet moment? I’ve come to realize that my flights of fancy are more involved than some people’s. I’ve been working on getting everything ready for a big book sale for Black Friday. I’ve never been one to get up at 4am and stand in line to shop, but stocking up on a giant pile of great reading – that’s right up my alley!
During this busy week, I was thinking about why I love the Fantasy Genre so much. I feel like we need it. In the real world, sometimes we’re not brave, strong, or beautiful. Sometimes we feel alone or beaten down by life, or that the happy ending is never going to happen.
In the real world, there is no Fairy Godmother to intervene if life isn’t going our way. Reading is a temporary break from the battle. In fiction, a happy ending reminds us that if real-life times are tough, they can get better.
I’m wishing for ALL the happy endings.
In Forgotten Rebellion, I wrote Princess Tahlea making a heartbreaking choice. She was faced with giving up the man she loved in order to save her kingdom.
There is nothing more exciting than a book launch!! Now there’s only three days to go before Forgotten Rebellion is available. I really enjoyed creating this story. One of the most interesting characters in the book is Andevaar, a bold, ambitious young man who has a plan to win the throne. When Princess Tahlea steals his memories, all his plotting stops. We learn a little about the past that left him so bitter, and watch as he becomes a completely different person.
Time flies when you’re publishing a book! Line edit – check. Super detailed copy edit – check. Nitty gritty details for the cover – check! I’m almost there! Writing Forgotten Rebellion has been so much fun, every step of the way! At the core of this book was the question, “can I write a story where the same character is the hero and the villain.” It might seem like a crazy idea! At the heart of this story is Andevaar’s conflict with himself. I can’t wait for you to read it! Mark your calendar for Nov 3, 2023!
The Adventure continues… Ana and her friends continue their journey with enemies blocking their path, and the demons getting closer all the time. Read the full version.
