Allison Rohan's Blog, page 6
August 22, 2015
My Writing Routine
Hello, dear readers! I don't know about you, but I never had a writing routine. I just wrote whenever the mood took me. And when it did, I wrote in globs and clumps, pouring out words for as long as I could force myself to write.
I got writer's block a lot. I got worse-than-writer's-block: I tried to force my stories along a track they frankly did not want to follow. I spent miserable months pounding out a story, telling my friends, "Yeah, it's going great. A few-- um-- minor bumps. But yeah. It's great."
It was not great. I honestly can't believe I kept writing through those years.
But I did, and things are much better. I still struggle frequently with writer's block, though, and I'm always on the lookout for new ways to trick myself through it. Recently, via David Farland's Writing Tips (which I recommend), I came across this quote by Ernest Hemingway:
I now sit in my room with the door closed and the lights off. I have a glass of water on my desk by my computer. I tie my hair back with a ribbon, in the style of Violet Baudelaire, and I wear earplugs because my sister is a rock musician and practices loudly all the time.
I write 2,000 words. It usually takes me forty-five minutes. This is less than I did with my awkward, unscheduled routine. Even when I know exactly where the story is going, and I'm on a role, and I am dying to get on with it, I stop. Because that means I'm antsy and excited to keep writing tomorrow-- which means I'll sit down again at the same hour and write another 2,000 words.
I also have made another change in my schedule: I don't write on weekends anymore. I think this is the part I'm finding the hardest. Weekends used to be my main writing time. But this year, I've allotted time in my school day for writing, so I force myself to take weekends to give my creative muscles a rest.
With this new routine, I'm writing 10,000 words a week-- much more than I ever wrote before, and I'm loving it. What about you, reader? Do you have a writing routine to share?
I got writer's block a lot. I got worse-than-writer's-block: I tried to force my stories along a track they frankly did not want to follow. I spent miserable months pounding out a story, telling my friends, "Yeah, it's going great. A few-- um-- minor bumps. But yeah. It's great."
It was not great. I honestly can't believe I kept writing through those years.
But I did, and things are much better. I still struggle frequently with writer's block, though, and I'm always on the lookout for new ways to trick myself through it. Recently, via David Farland's Writing Tips (which I recommend), I came across this quote by Ernest Hemingway:
“The best way [to avoid writer’s block] is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next. If you do that every day when you are writing a novel you will never be stuck.”This quote changed my entire writing routine.
I now sit in my room with the door closed and the lights off. I have a glass of water on my desk by my computer. I tie my hair back with a ribbon, in the style of Violet Baudelaire, and I wear earplugs because my sister is a rock musician and practices loudly all the time.
I write 2,000 words. It usually takes me forty-five minutes. This is less than I did with my awkward, unscheduled routine. Even when I know exactly where the story is going, and I'm on a role, and I am dying to get on with it, I stop. Because that means I'm antsy and excited to keep writing tomorrow-- which means I'll sit down again at the same hour and write another 2,000 words.
I also have made another change in my schedule: I don't write on weekends anymore. I think this is the part I'm finding the hardest. Weekends used to be my main writing time. But this year, I've allotted time in my school day for writing, so I force myself to take weekends to give my creative muscles a rest.
With this new routine, I'm writing 10,000 words a week-- much more than I ever wrote before, and I'm loving it. What about you, reader? Do you have a writing routine to share?
August 17, 2015
The Story Behind the Pen Name (or, Why is My Last Name So Hard to Say?)
For my first published fiction, I used the pen name
Allison Rohan
.
(I've mentioned this, right? My short story, Golden-- whose name you helped choose!-- was published in Bear Publications' anthology, Medieval Mars. You should check it out.)
Anyway, I used a pen name for a variety of reasons:
1. People find my last name, Ruvidich, quite hard to pronounce. It's not. It's spelled phonetically. But people struggle with it.
I have nightmares that go like this:
Lead Editor: Hey, there's this fantastic new author I think we should publish!
Publisher: Great, what's her name?
Lead Editor: It's Ru-- um-- Rud-- Rudivi--
Publisher: What?
Lead Editor: Never mind.
2. It is not only unnaturally difficult for English speakers, it is also quite uncommon, believe it or not. I am, to the best of my knowledge, the only Allison Ruvidich in the world. (Or at least on Facebook.) So although I'm terribly proud of my work, I would like a little breathing room between it and myself.
3. Ruvidich, like many unpronounceable last names, can be challenging to spell. In my first published work, they spelled it Rudovich and Rudovitch. In the same book. (I know.)
I have another nightmare. It goes like this.
Lead Editor: Here's the first printed copy of your book, Miss Rudi-- miss.
Me: Thank you!!
I look down at it. It says, by Alison Rudivitch.
So yeah. I knew I wanted a pen name.
There are plenty of totally easy-to-spell names in my Dad's family, like Radocaj and Nikolic. (I'm sorry, but you just mispronounced those in your head. I'll give you a hint: Nikolic rhymes with Ruvidich.) So I looked through the names in my Mom's family-- and lo! Hardy, Walker, and Rohan.
The last name stuck with me. For one, it started with an R, like my real name. For another, it is the maiden name of my Lovely Grandmother.
But finally-- and here's the real reason-- if you mispronounce it, you get Rohan. As in... Riders of Rohan. As in Eowyn.
I pretty much am Eowyn.
So there you have it! The story behind my pen name. Today is, regrettably, the first day of school for me, but that means I'll be posting more often, according to the strange logic of the universe. Does anyone else use a pen name? And is anyone else back in school?
(I've mentioned this, right? My short story, Golden-- whose name you helped choose!-- was published in Bear Publications' anthology, Medieval Mars. You should check it out.)
Anyway, I used a pen name for a variety of reasons:
1. People find my last name, Ruvidich, quite hard to pronounce. It's not. It's spelled phonetically. But people struggle with it.
I have nightmares that go like this:
Lead Editor: Hey, there's this fantastic new author I think we should publish!
Publisher: Great, what's her name?
Lead Editor: It's Ru-- um-- Rud-- Rudivi--
Publisher: What?
Lead Editor: Never mind.
2. It is not only unnaturally difficult for English speakers, it is also quite uncommon, believe it or not. I am, to the best of my knowledge, the only Allison Ruvidich in the world. (Or at least on Facebook.) So although I'm terribly proud of my work, I would like a little breathing room between it and myself.
3. Ruvidich, like many unpronounceable last names, can be challenging to spell. In my first published work, they spelled it Rudovich and Rudovitch. In the same book. (I know.)
I have another nightmare. It goes like this.
Lead Editor: Here's the first printed copy of your book, Miss Rudi-- miss.
Me: Thank you!!
I look down at it. It says, by Alison Rudivitch.
So yeah. I knew I wanted a pen name.
There are plenty of totally easy-to-spell names in my Dad's family, like Radocaj and Nikolic. (I'm sorry, but you just mispronounced those in your head. I'll give you a hint: Nikolic rhymes with Ruvidich.) So I looked through the names in my Mom's family-- and lo! Hardy, Walker, and Rohan.
The last name stuck with me. For one, it started with an R, like my real name. For another, it is the maiden name of my Lovely Grandmother.
But finally-- and here's the real reason-- if you mispronounce it, you get Rohan. As in... Riders of Rohan. As in Eowyn.
I pretty much am Eowyn.
So there you have it! The story behind my pen name. Today is, regrettably, the first day of school for me, but that means I'll be posting more often, according to the strange logic of the universe. Does anyone else use a pen name? And is anyone else back in school?
August 10, 2015
Nightstand Books: August
Hello, dear readers! I interrupt a long silence and much procrastination to bring you this month's issue of Nightstand Books, inspired by the lovely Jenelle Schmidt and D J Edwardson.
Perched at the top is my ragged, decidedly well-worn copy of Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring . My progress through The Silmarillion has not been proceeding as easily as expected, so to recharge my love of Tolkien, I've begun a reread of the Lord of the Rings. I haven't read this since I was twelve years old, and I'm constantly amazed by the craftsmanship I didn't notice the first time round and the wonderful story that I did.
Next comes I Will Praise You in the Storm, by Danny. L Deaubé . The author kindly sent me a review copy, and I'm ready to read it. I'm only a few pages in, but I have tissues close by and am ready to continue.
I have two books by Rosamund Hodge: Cruel Beauty and Crimson Bound . (Astute readers may recall Crimson Bound from June's Nightstand Books. It was so good that I'm rereading it.)
Cruel Beauty, as I'm sure many of you know, is a retelling of Beauty in the Beast, a fairytale with which... I take issue. It is beautifully written-- Ms. Hodge has the most magical ability to entwine the message so closely with the plot that you can't distinguish the two, and the characters! I can't even describe the characters-- but this book shares one element with every other Beauty and the Beast retelling that I find... unsettling. But that, I believe, is a blog post for another time.
Of the two, I believe that Cruel Beauty is slightly-- slightly-- stronger. Both novels, however, give me a vague sense that something is missing, and I think I've finally put my finger on what. As I've mentioned, Ms. Hodge has complex messages and characters who are truly more flawed and believable and real than most I've read. But I think these two aspects of her storytelling are so lovely that she uses the plot only as a device by which to convey these. If she ever gives her plots the same gripping intensity as the message and the characters, she will be a truly formidable writer.
So yes, I would definitely recommend these two, with a caution that they are both probably best read by readers sixteen or older.
I'm terribly afraid of the next book. It is The Blood of Olympus , by Rick Riordan, and it represents a considerable portion of my childhood. I adored his Percy Jackson series when I was younger, and I loved the first two books of the sequel series, Heroes of Olympus. Then, with the third and fourth, something changed. It might've been me. Whatever it was, none of his writing really appeals to me anymore, which makes me sad. I saw the last book at the library, though, and decided to give some closure to that particular episode of beloved childhood favorites.
Then we have Reflections on the Magic of Writing , a collection of semi-autobiographical essays by acclaimed children's author, Diana Wynne Jones. I adore Ms. Jones with a fiery passion. I always knew she was a brilliant novelist, but it turns out she writes incredible essays, too. Whether or not you've read/liked Diana Wynne Jones' books, I highly recommend you read this collection, too.
We conclude with my Bible. The Wisdom of Solomon thoroughly ended my headlong progress through it. Temporarily stymied but determined to continue, I skipped ahead to Matthew and am now thoroughly enjoying the New Testament. I have every intention of reading the Old Testament, but another day... another day....
How about you, readers? What are you reading?
Perched at the top is my ragged, decidedly well-worn copy of Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring . My progress through The Silmarillion has not been proceeding as easily as expected, so to recharge my love of Tolkien, I've begun a reread of the Lord of the Rings. I haven't read this since I was twelve years old, and I'm constantly amazed by the craftsmanship I didn't notice the first time round and the wonderful story that I did.
Next comes I Will Praise You in the Storm, by Danny. L Deaubé . The author kindly sent me a review copy, and I'm ready to read it. I'm only a few pages in, but I have tissues close by and am ready to continue.
I have two books by Rosamund Hodge: Cruel Beauty and Crimson Bound . (Astute readers may recall Crimson Bound from June's Nightstand Books. It was so good that I'm rereading it.)
Cruel Beauty, as I'm sure many of you know, is a retelling of Beauty in the Beast, a fairytale with which... I take issue. It is beautifully written-- Ms. Hodge has the most magical ability to entwine the message so closely with the plot that you can't distinguish the two, and the characters! I can't even describe the characters-- but this book shares one element with every other Beauty and the Beast retelling that I find... unsettling. But that, I believe, is a blog post for another time.
Of the two, I believe that Cruel Beauty is slightly-- slightly-- stronger. Both novels, however, give me a vague sense that something is missing, and I think I've finally put my finger on what. As I've mentioned, Ms. Hodge has complex messages and characters who are truly more flawed and believable and real than most I've read. But I think these two aspects of her storytelling are so lovely that she uses the plot only as a device by which to convey these. If she ever gives her plots the same gripping intensity as the message and the characters, she will be a truly formidable writer.
So yes, I would definitely recommend these two, with a caution that they are both probably best read by readers sixteen or older.
I'm terribly afraid of the next book. It is The Blood of Olympus , by Rick Riordan, and it represents a considerable portion of my childhood. I adored his Percy Jackson series when I was younger, and I loved the first two books of the sequel series, Heroes of Olympus. Then, with the third and fourth, something changed. It might've been me. Whatever it was, none of his writing really appeals to me anymore, which makes me sad. I saw the last book at the library, though, and decided to give some closure to that particular episode of beloved childhood favorites.
Then we have Reflections on the Magic of Writing , a collection of semi-autobiographical essays by acclaimed children's author, Diana Wynne Jones. I adore Ms. Jones with a fiery passion. I always knew she was a brilliant novelist, but it turns out she writes incredible essays, too. Whether or not you've read/liked Diana Wynne Jones' books, I highly recommend you read this collection, too.
We conclude with my Bible. The Wisdom of Solomon thoroughly ended my headlong progress through it. Temporarily stymied but determined to continue, I skipped ahead to Matthew and am now thoroughly enjoying the New Testament. I have every intention of reading the Old Testament, but another day... another day....
How about you, readers? What are you reading?
July 31, 2015
Book Review: Corroded Thorns, by Emma Clifton
Hello, readers! Today I am pleased to present my belated review to Emma Clifton's newest novella,
Corroded Thorns
, the sequel to her novella in the Five Glass Slippers collection.
A fairy godmother—in prison? Madeline can’t remember even being a fairy godmother, let alone doing something bad enough to land her in a cell. When a mysterious lady sends her back to her old village with cryptic instructions and no answers to her many questions, Madeline must find a way to free her father, who has been imprisoned in a tower by a terrible beast.
First banished by his father the king, then cursed by an angry fairy, Prince Darcy will do anything to escape this fate and achieve revenge and power. Just when he thinks his chance has arrived, by some cruel trick of fate a girl from his past returns and once again wreaks havoc on his life. Worse still, he begins to question what he truly desires.
Emma Clifton first came onto my literary radar with her novella, Broken Glass, which I found adorably, ridiculously fun. It left questions unanswered, though: what happens to the sinister younger prince, Darcy? Or Ophelia, who betrayed the rules she had sworn to follow? Corroded Thorns answers these questions.
My overwhelming impression of this novella is adorableness. The characters are adorable. The plot is adorable. The political espionage is adorable, but probably only because the characters are involved. It stars Madeline: a girl with no memories, only a certain sense that she has done something terribly wrong.
At first I thought that Madeline's introduction to interspecies politics would form the greater part of the plot. But nope. The novella was pretty much about Madeline and Darcy.
Don't get me wrong: I love Emma Clifton's couples. She is the queen of adorable couples, and she successfully balanced two-- two!-- of these with the plot in Broken Glass. But in this instance, I think the balance fell slightly away from the plot and landed in a series of secret picnics, stolen glances, and captured hearts. All of these were, as I mentioned, adorable. But this novella felt much less meaty than its predecessor because the romance didn't have the focus of the plot to balance it.
As always, with Emma Clifton, the writing was crisp and direct, with no ambiguity. Even if I preferred Broken Glass, Corroded Thorns is still a worthy sequel. Be sure to follow Emma on Goodreads and her blog.
A fairy godmother—in prison? Madeline can’t remember even being a fairy godmother, let alone doing something bad enough to land her in a cell. When a mysterious lady sends her back to her old village with cryptic instructions and no answers to her many questions, Madeline must find a way to free her father, who has been imprisoned in a tower by a terrible beast.
First banished by his father the king, then cursed by an angry fairy, Prince Darcy will do anything to escape this fate and achieve revenge and power. Just when he thinks his chance has arrived, by some cruel trick of fate a girl from his past returns and once again wreaks havoc on his life. Worse still, he begins to question what he truly desires.
Emma Clifton first came onto my literary radar with her novella, Broken Glass, which I found adorably, ridiculously fun. It left questions unanswered, though: what happens to the sinister younger prince, Darcy? Or Ophelia, who betrayed the rules she had sworn to follow? Corroded Thorns answers these questions.
My overwhelming impression of this novella is adorableness. The characters are adorable. The plot is adorable. The political espionage is adorable, but probably only because the characters are involved. It stars Madeline: a girl with no memories, only a certain sense that she has done something terribly wrong.
At first I thought that Madeline's introduction to interspecies politics would form the greater part of the plot. But nope. The novella was pretty much about Madeline and Darcy.
Don't get me wrong: I love Emma Clifton's couples. She is the queen of adorable couples, and she successfully balanced two-- two!-- of these with the plot in Broken Glass. But in this instance, I think the balance fell slightly away from the plot and landed in a series of secret picnics, stolen glances, and captured hearts. All of these were, as I mentioned, adorable. But this novella felt much less meaty than its predecessor because the romance didn't have the focus of the plot to balance it.
As always, with Emma Clifton, the writing was crisp and direct, with no ambiguity. Even if I preferred Broken Glass, Corroded Thorns is still a worthy sequel. Be sure to follow Emma on Goodreads and her blog.
July 23, 2015
Changes
Hello, readers! I'm writing this post hastily before I head off to breakfast. Or, you know. Actually get out of bed.
My time at summer boarding school comes to an end this Friday, so I'll be able to turn my attention back to this poor little blog. I wrote this post, however, to announce some exciting changes.
I have officially been published!
Bear Publications chose to include my short story, Golden, in their anthology Medieval Mars. And we have our first review! And it is so frightening!
Really, though, the most important detail is that my Goodreads page has switched over to my new penname, Allison Rohan. I'm not entirely sure if I like this. We'll see.
I'll write more soon! Thank you for your lovely support, readers.
My time at summer boarding school comes to an end this Friday, so I'll be able to turn my attention back to this poor little blog. I wrote this post, however, to announce some exciting changes.
I have officially been published!
Bear Publications chose to include my short story, Golden, in their anthology Medieval Mars. And we have our first review! And it is so frightening!
Really, though, the most important detail is that my Goodreads page has switched over to my new penname, Allison Rohan. I'm not entirely sure if I like this. We'll see.
I'll write more soon! Thank you for your lovely support, readers.
July 18, 2015
Interview: Jaye L Knight
Hello, readers! Today I am so pleased to introduce Jaye L Knight and her novella, Half Blood.
The gasps and murmuring grew. Though some were hardly more than whispers, clear words reached Jace’s ears—dangerous, monster, animal, soulless. He tried to back away from their accusing eyes, but the collar pulled hard against his throat and held him in place.
For all his years as a slave, Jace has known nothing but the hatred people hold for his mixed blood—one half human, the other half the blood of a race considered monsters. Always, he is the outsider and quickly learns it is better to keep to himself. But, when his volatile ryrik blood leads him to do the unthinkable, he is thrown into a world of violence and bloodshed.
Forced to become a gladiator, Jace finds more and more of his heart dying as his master works to break down his will and turn him into the monster everyone believes he is. When a stranger interferes with his master’s harsh punishment, Jace’s world is upended again. But with it comes the possibility of hope that has long since died. Could the man possibly hold the key to escaping the hopeless darkness that is Jace’s life? Is there such a thing as life beyond the cruelty of slavery?
Jaye L. Knight is an award-winning author, homeschool graduate, and shameless tea addict with a passion for Christian fantasy. Armed with an active imagination and love for adventure, Jaye weaves stories of truth, faith, and courage with the message that even in the deepest darkness, God’s love shines as a light to offer hope. She has been penning stories since the age of eight and resides in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.
Your series, the Ilyon Chronicles, is written on a truly massive scale. While portraying this titanic
conflict, how do you keep the story personable, readable, and centered on the characters? I try to focus mostly on the characters’ individual struggles, particularly my main character, Jace. Though book two centered mostly on my female character, Kyrin, the overall story of the series belongs to Jace. Despite the overarching conflict of the emperor’s plans of domination and wiping out believers, it’s always been my goal to tell the individual conflicts and struggles of Jace and the characters around him. The intimate details of relationships are what I love most about writing. The world can be falling apart, but it’s what is going on between characters as they deal with it that’s the most interesting. Conflict and faith are prominent themes through the books. This, along with the emperor and the system of gladiators, are reminiscent of ancient Rome. In what other ways have real-life conflicts inspired these books? A lot of inspiration came from some personal stuff I’ve gone through. The last few years have been tough in a lot of ways, for both me personally and for my family dealing with special needs, health, and other issues. I’ve had to battle depression quite a bit. I think God gave me this story as a way of dealing with the pain of all that. Kind of like He said, “Here is this broken character (Jace). Write his life and show how I work in it and how I make it better through the pain and suffering. I’m working in your life the same way.” So, basically, my real-life conflicts were big in inspiring these books. And because I'm a bookish nerd, I have to ask: what books lead you to writing this series? The initial inspiration came from DragonQuest by Donita K. Paul. I was reading a part where you find out one of the characters is half-blooded. That started the “what if” questions that led to Jace. Within a day, I was writing the first book of the series.
Thank you so much for dropping by, Ms. Jaye! You can connect with Jaye on her website,blog, Facebook, Google, Twitter, Etsy, and on her new fiction forum, where you can interact with other readers of the series.
Share in the excitement of the release and enter to win a themed giveaway pack! Prizes include an autographed copy of Half-Blood, a blue feather bookmark hand crafted by Jaye, a bronze sword pendant, and a $5 Amazon gift card! (Giveaway is open to US residents only. Cannot be shipped internationally.)
Tour Schedule Tuesday, July 14 Tour Introduction at Jaye L. KnightReview and Author Interview at 26 Countless PossibilitesReview and Author Interview at Lianne TaimenloreReview and Author Interview at Crumpets 'n' CreamReview at Tialla's TellingsWednesday, July 15 Review at The Destiny of OneBook Spotlight at One Servant's HeartAuthor Interview at Leah's BookshelfReview and Author Interview at Red LetteringReview and Author Interview at Zerina Blossom's BooksThursday, July 16 Review and Author Interview at Sutori no HanaReview and Author Interview at Scattered Journal PagesReview and Author Interview at The Splendor Falls on Castle WallsAuthor Interview at A Writer's FaithReview and Author Interview at writinganyoneFriday, July 17 Review and Author Interview at Written RestBook Spotlight at Tell Tale Book ReviewsReview and Author Interview at The Pen of a Ready WriterReview and Author Interview at Morgan Elizabeth HunekeReview at PoetreeReview at Leah's Bookshelf Saturday, July 18 Review at A Writer's HeartReview at Reality CallingAuthor Interview at The Art of StorytellingBook Spotlight at Thilly Little NothingsSunday, July 19 Review at Through My LensReview at Elvish Pens, Fantastical WritingsBook Spotlight at Letters from Annie Douglass LimaReview at bookendMonday, July 20 Review at Pencils Can Change the WorldReview at Backing BooksReview at Melody Jackson, AuthorBook Spotlight and Author Interview at In the Character's ShadowTuesday, July 21 Review at A Vintage Girl in the Modern WorldBook Spotlight at However ImprobableReview at God's Peculiar Treasure RaeReview and Author Interview at Writings, Ramblings, and ReflectionsWednesday, July 22 Review at To Be a PersonTour Conclusion at Jaye L. Knight
The gasps and murmuring grew. Though some were hardly more than whispers, clear words reached Jace’s ears—dangerous, monster, animal, soulless. He tried to back away from their accusing eyes, but the collar pulled hard against his throat and held him in place.For all his years as a slave, Jace has known nothing but the hatred people hold for his mixed blood—one half human, the other half the blood of a race considered monsters. Always, he is the outsider and quickly learns it is better to keep to himself. But, when his volatile ryrik blood leads him to do the unthinkable, he is thrown into a world of violence and bloodshed.
Forced to become a gladiator, Jace finds more and more of his heart dying as his master works to break down his will and turn him into the monster everyone believes he is. When a stranger interferes with his master’s harsh punishment, Jace’s world is upended again. But with it comes the possibility of hope that has long since died. Could the man possibly hold the key to escaping the hopeless darkness that is Jace’s life? Is there such a thing as life beyond the cruelty of slavery?
Jaye L. Knight is an award-winning author, homeschool graduate, and shameless tea addict with a passion for Christian fantasy. Armed with an active imagination and love for adventure, Jaye weaves stories of truth, faith, and courage with the message that even in the deepest darkness, God’s love shines as a light to offer hope. She has been penning stories since the age of eight and resides in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.Your series, the Ilyon Chronicles, is written on a truly massive scale. While portraying this titanic
conflict, how do you keep the story personable, readable, and centered on the characters? I try to focus mostly on the characters’ individual struggles, particularly my main character, Jace. Though book two centered mostly on my female character, Kyrin, the overall story of the series belongs to Jace. Despite the overarching conflict of the emperor’s plans of domination and wiping out believers, it’s always been my goal to tell the individual conflicts and struggles of Jace and the characters around him. The intimate details of relationships are what I love most about writing. The world can be falling apart, but it’s what is going on between characters as they deal with it that’s the most interesting. Conflict and faith are prominent themes through the books. This, along with the emperor and the system of gladiators, are reminiscent of ancient Rome. In what other ways have real-life conflicts inspired these books? A lot of inspiration came from some personal stuff I’ve gone through. The last few years have been tough in a lot of ways, for both me personally and for my family dealing with special needs, health, and other issues. I’ve had to battle depression quite a bit. I think God gave me this story as a way of dealing with the pain of all that. Kind of like He said, “Here is this broken character (Jace). Write his life and show how I work in it and how I make it better through the pain and suffering. I’m working in your life the same way.” So, basically, my real-life conflicts were big in inspiring these books. And because I'm a bookish nerd, I have to ask: what books lead you to writing this series? The initial inspiration came from DragonQuest by Donita K. Paul. I was reading a part where you find out one of the characters is half-blooded. That started the “what if” questions that led to Jace. Within a day, I was writing the first book of the series.
Thank you so much for dropping by, Ms. Jaye! You can connect with Jaye on her website,blog, Facebook, Google, Twitter, Etsy, and on her new fiction forum, where you can interact with other readers of the series.
Share in the excitement of the release and enter to win a themed giveaway pack! Prizes include an autographed copy of Half-Blood, a blue feather bookmark hand crafted by Jaye, a bronze sword pendant, and a $5 Amazon gift card! (Giveaway is open to US residents only. Cannot be shipped internationally.)
Tour Schedule Tuesday, July 14 Tour Introduction at Jaye L. KnightReview and Author Interview at 26 Countless PossibilitesReview and Author Interview at Lianne TaimenloreReview and Author Interview at Crumpets 'n' CreamReview at Tialla's TellingsWednesday, July 15 Review at The Destiny of OneBook Spotlight at One Servant's HeartAuthor Interview at Leah's BookshelfReview and Author Interview at Red LetteringReview and Author Interview at Zerina Blossom's BooksThursday, July 16 Review and Author Interview at Sutori no HanaReview and Author Interview at Scattered Journal PagesReview and Author Interview at The Splendor Falls on Castle WallsAuthor Interview at A Writer's FaithReview and Author Interview at writinganyoneFriday, July 17 Review and Author Interview at Written RestBook Spotlight at Tell Tale Book ReviewsReview and Author Interview at The Pen of a Ready WriterReview and Author Interview at Morgan Elizabeth HunekeReview at PoetreeReview at Leah's Bookshelf Saturday, July 18 Review at A Writer's HeartReview at Reality CallingAuthor Interview at The Art of StorytellingBook Spotlight at Thilly Little NothingsSunday, July 19 Review at Through My LensReview at Elvish Pens, Fantastical WritingsBook Spotlight at Letters from Annie Douglass LimaReview at bookendMonday, July 20 Review at Pencils Can Change the WorldReview at Backing BooksReview at Melody Jackson, AuthorBook Spotlight and Author Interview at In the Character's ShadowTuesday, July 21 Review at A Vintage Girl in the Modern WorldBook Spotlight at However ImprobableReview at God's Peculiar Treasure RaeReview and Author Interview at Writings, Ramblings, and ReflectionsWednesday, July 22 Review at To Be a PersonTour Conclusion at Jaye L. Knight
July 17, 2015
A Tag of Randomicity
Hello, dear readers! Grace from Fictionally tagged me in a Tag of Randomicity, which I choose to accept!
The rules for the tag are:~ Paste the button onto your blog post.
~ Leave a new list of questions (or just pass on the question list you answered) and tag a few people of your random choice (and say why you tagged them, if you have time!) (Be original and nonsensical in your question-creativity – make the blogging world a cheerful place. And be disastrously random.)
~Answer the questions of the person who tagged you – make it all super random and interesting.
And here are Grace's delightfully random questions:
1. It's party time, and you can invite all but one of your favorite book or t.v. characters to the party. Who is left out?
Oh, that is cruel! Well, first let's see who is there... Eugenides, courtesy of Megan Whalen Turner, would be there, and he would probably be either the image of courtesy or overturning the punch bowl. Briony, written by Franny Billingsley, would be giving him an utterly polite, utterly condescending look as he mops up the punch. Lord Peter Wimsey, by Dorothy L. Sayers, would say something like, "What ho, old chap! That's some rummy punch you've spilled on that waistcoat! It's blotted out the murderer's fingerprints!" Then Kaladin and Shallan (from Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive) would hunt down the murderer, culminating in the discovery that Locke Lamora, written by Scott Lynch, had murdered a rival and hidden him in my coatroom.
On second thought, perhaps I won't invite Locke Lamora. His antics are hysterical on paper, but he would probably be a decidedly uncomfortable character to meet in person.
2. What would you name a unicorn if you got one for a pet?
May I just say that I don't appreciate the 'if' in this question? When I get a unicorn, I will name her Pooky, after Garfield's Teddy Bear.
3. What's your favorite color to wear?
Um, I like to wear a wide variety of colors--
My friends and family: "She wears blue! All the time!"
4. The title of the last book you read?
A Hat Full of Sky, by Terry Pratchett. It was an exquisitely enjoyable reread, and I constantly marvel at his craftsmanship, particularly in his children's books.
5. What was a favorite television show when you were a child?
Um. This is embarrassing.
My friends and family: It was SpongeBob Squarepants!
6. If you could dye your hair any color, would you, and what would it be?
I am secretly a redhead trapped in a brunette body. So I would dye my hair red. Not fire hydrant red-- a tasteful, muted, autumnal auburn.
7. In the spirit of summer, what is one place you'd like to go on vacation to?
I would dearly like to visit Ireland because it has the perfect weather (rain) and the perfect architecture (castles and cottages).
8. Have you tried any foreign foods that are not the cultural norm where you live? If not, are you willing?
Half of my family is Serbian, which is where my freaky last name comes from. Because of this, every time we visit my grandmother, she makes us sarma. It's cabbage leaves rolled around a mixture of ground beef and rice, and it-- is-- exquisite. I'm always game for trying new foods, as long as they aren't spicy (like, at all) or actively moving.
9. Dance time! What song is most likely to get you moving when you hear it?
This one. It's an excerpt from the hilariously funny ballet Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I would dance the role of the Red Queen, of course. It's a parody of another famous pas de deux in The Sleeping Beauty, which I would also love to dance if I could balance that well.
10. If you could watch any movie today, what would it be?
Today? As in right now? Well, I bought the DVD of Lerner and Loewe's Camelot, which I expect will be breathtakingly beautiful and hysterically funny. It's three hours long, though, so I haven't had the chance to watch it yet. Actually, now that I'm writing about it, I really want to watch it...
And now I introduce my random questions:
1. How did you (the tagged) meet me (the tagger)?
2. What do you consider your quirkiest trait?
3. If you could host a party with all of your favorite characters, who would you invite and what antics would transpire? (Yes, I borrowed this from Grace.)
4. What was your most epic moment? Feel free to exaggerate-- I mean, elaborate.
5. Where is your family from?
6. What will you title the movie version of your biography, and who will play you in it?
7. If a cloaked stranger with poorly cut hair invited you to help return the One Ring to Mordor, how soon could you be ready, and what would you bring?
8. Which two characters would you happily play matchmaker for? (Note: they can't be from the same book.)
9. If you could brag that you had read any book without actually having to read it, which book would you choose?
10. And finally, what was your favorite blog post you ever wrote?
I tag Hannah from the Writer's Window, Ghosty from Anything, Everything, Candice from O Ye Scribes, Jemma from the Sherwood Storyteller, and Sarah from Dreams and Dragons. Go crazy, ladies!
The rules for the tag are:~ Paste the button onto your blog post.
~ Leave a new list of questions (or just pass on the question list you answered) and tag a few people of your random choice (and say why you tagged them, if you have time!) (Be original and nonsensical in your question-creativity – make the blogging world a cheerful place. And be disastrously random.)
~Answer the questions of the person who tagged you – make it all super random and interesting.
And here are Grace's delightfully random questions:
1. It's party time, and you can invite all but one of your favorite book or t.v. characters to the party. Who is left out?
Oh, that is cruel! Well, first let's see who is there... Eugenides, courtesy of Megan Whalen Turner, would be there, and he would probably be either the image of courtesy or overturning the punch bowl. Briony, written by Franny Billingsley, would be giving him an utterly polite, utterly condescending look as he mops up the punch. Lord Peter Wimsey, by Dorothy L. Sayers, would say something like, "What ho, old chap! That's some rummy punch you've spilled on that waistcoat! It's blotted out the murderer's fingerprints!" Then Kaladin and Shallan (from Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive) would hunt down the murderer, culminating in the discovery that Locke Lamora, written by Scott Lynch, had murdered a rival and hidden him in my coatroom.
On second thought, perhaps I won't invite Locke Lamora. His antics are hysterical on paper, but he would probably be a decidedly uncomfortable character to meet in person.
2. What would you name a unicorn if you got one for a pet?
May I just say that I don't appreciate the 'if' in this question? When I get a unicorn, I will name her Pooky, after Garfield's Teddy Bear.
3. What's your favorite color to wear?
Um, I like to wear a wide variety of colors--
My friends and family: "She wears blue! All the time!"
4. The title of the last book you read?
A Hat Full of Sky, by Terry Pratchett. It was an exquisitely enjoyable reread, and I constantly marvel at his craftsmanship, particularly in his children's books.
5. What was a favorite television show when you were a child?
Um. This is embarrassing.
My friends and family: It was SpongeBob Squarepants!
6. If you could dye your hair any color, would you, and what would it be?
I am secretly a redhead trapped in a brunette body. So I would dye my hair red. Not fire hydrant red-- a tasteful, muted, autumnal auburn.
7. In the spirit of summer, what is one place you'd like to go on vacation to?
I would dearly like to visit Ireland because it has the perfect weather (rain) and the perfect architecture (castles and cottages).
8. Have you tried any foreign foods that are not the cultural norm where you live? If not, are you willing?
Half of my family is Serbian, which is where my freaky last name comes from. Because of this, every time we visit my grandmother, she makes us sarma. It's cabbage leaves rolled around a mixture of ground beef and rice, and it-- is-- exquisite. I'm always game for trying new foods, as long as they aren't spicy (like, at all) or actively moving.
9. Dance time! What song is most likely to get you moving when you hear it?
This one. It's an excerpt from the hilariously funny ballet Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I would dance the role of the Red Queen, of course. It's a parody of another famous pas de deux in The Sleeping Beauty, which I would also love to dance if I could balance that well.
10. If you could watch any movie today, what would it be?
Today? As in right now? Well, I bought the DVD of Lerner and Loewe's Camelot, which I expect will be breathtakingly beautiful and hysterically funny. It's three hours long, though, so I haven't had the chance to watch it yet. Actually, now that I'm writing about it, I really want to watch it...
And now I introduce my random questions:
1. How did you (the tagged) meet me (the tagger)?
2. What do you consider your quirkiest trait?
3. If you could host a party with all of your favorite characters, who would you invite and what antics would transpire? (Yes, I borrowed this from Grace.)
4. What was your most epic moment? Feel free to exaggerate-- I mean, elaborate.
5. Where is your family from?
6. What will you title the movie version of your biography, and who will play you in it?
7. If a cloaked stranger with poorly cut hair invited you to help return the One Ring to Mordor, how soon could you be ready, and what would you bring?
8. Which two characters would you happily play matchmaker for? (Note: they can't be from the same book.)
9. If you could brag that you had read any book without actually having to read it, which book would you choose?
10. And finally, what was your favorite blog post you ever wrote?
I tag Hannah from the Writer's Window, Ghosty from Anything, Everything, Candice from O Ye Scribes, Jemma from the Sherwood Storyteller, and Sarah from Dreams and Dragons. Go crazy, ladies!
July 10, 2015
Reread Challenge
I love Goodreads with the flaming passion of someone who never entirely enjoyed Facebook. But—it pains me to say this—it can be stressful sometimes.
Take their reading challenge, for instance. As many of you know, I ambitiously challenged myself to read 200 books in 2015. With their helpful system, I tracked the number of books I read to ensure I was right on schedule.
I made it maybe three months when I realized that it was making reading un-fun. I couldn’t reread books, because I had to keep reading new ones in order to meet my quota. That long, dense book I’ve been dying to read? Forget about it. I had a schedule to meet.
Sometime around March, I quite cheerfully deleted the challenge.
Ever since then, though, I’ve been in that mindset. Read new books! Don’t reread old ones!
But I like rereading books. It is, in its way, more pleasant and relaxing than reading new books. Everything I loved is still there, but it’s worn and familiar, like a favorite old blanket. I pick up on new details that I didn’t notice before. I can skip the boring parts.
So I have challenged myself this year—not to read more new books, but to reread favorite old ones. Here is my reread challenge:
The Tiffany Aching series, by the late Sir Terry Pratchett
I read the first book, The Wee Free Men , as a youngster and adored it. A fairytale about a girl with brown hair? Was that even allowed? Then, a little older, I discovered it was a series. Right now I’m rereading A Hat Full of Sky, which is perhaps one of the best-written books I’ve ever read. These books are some of Pratchett’s best and great favorites in my house. And they're posthumously publishing a last one... and I am so afraid....
The Lord of the Rings, by J. R. R. Tolkien
Confession: I’ve only read this series once. But I’m working my way slowly and surely through The Silmarillion, and it’s inspired me to a reread.
Howl’s Moving Castle and House of Many Ways, by Diana Wynne Jones
I came to these books rather late in life at the grand age of sixteen. Since then I’ve read them a few times, but I think they’re due another rereading. They’re my second and third favorite books by Diana Wynne Jones and utterly enchanting!
Those are the three main books on my list, but I’m making a point to incorporate more rereads into my reading diet. I truly believe that rereads are some of the most important ones. And so I’m challenging you, readers, to reread one of your favorite books. Which one will you choose?
Take their reading challenge, for instance. As many of you know, I ambitiously challenged myself to read 200 books in 2015. With their helpful system, I tracked the number of books I read to ensure I was right on schedule.
I made it maybe three months when I realized that it was making reading un-fun. I couldn’t reread books, because I had to keep reading new ones in order to meet my quota. That long, dense book I’ve been dying to read? Forget about it. I had a schedule to meet.
Sometime around March, I quite cheerfully deleted the challenge.
Ever since then, though, I’ve been in that mindset. Read new books! Don’t reread old ones!
But I like rereading books. It is, in its way, more pleasant and relaxing than reading new books. Everything I loved is still there, but it’s worn and familiar, like a favorite old blanket. I pick up on new details that I didn’t notice before. I can skip the boring parts.
So I have challenged myself this year—not to read more new books, but to reread favorite old ones. Here is my reread challenge:
The Tiffany Aching series, by the late Sir Terry Pratchett
I read the first book, The Wee Free Men , as a youngster and adored it. A fairytale about a girl with brown hair? Was that even allowed? Then, a little older, I discovered it was a series. Right now I’m rereading A Hat Full of Sky, which is perhaps one of the best-written books I’ve ever read. These books are some of Pratchett’s best and great favorites in my house. And they're posthumously publishing a last one... and I am so afraid....
The Lord of the Rings, by J. R. R. Tolkien
Confession: I’ve only read this series once. But I’m working my way slowly and surely through The Silmarillion, and it’s inspired me to a reread.
Howl’s Moving Castle and House of Many Ways, by Diana Wynne Jones
I came to these books rather late in life at the grand age of sixteen. Since then I’ve read them a few times, but I think they’re due another rereading. They’re my second and third favorite books by Diana Wynne Jones and utterly enchanting!
Those are the three main books on my list, but I’m making a point to incorporate more rereads into my reading diet. I truly believe that rereads are some of the most important ones. And so I’m challenging you, readers, to reread one of your favorite books. Which one will you choose?
July 3, 2015
Perfect Words
Hello, readers! Today I have a blogging tag to share with you.
Perfect words!
The challenge: select and share three of your favorite textual passages, where you feel the author found the ‘perfect words’. Then tag your friends!
It was difficult, but I narrowed it down to three passages from three books. I present them to you in no particular order.
The first is from “The Wee Free Men,” by Terry Pratchett, which, even aside from this passage, is delightful and a must-read. I chose this passage because of its poignancy. A wanderer far from home tells this to Tiffany, the young heroine, as her adventure begins:
“I am the last o’ those who came. When this is o’er, I’ll seek the leave of the next kelda to return to my ain folk in the mountains. This is a fiiine fat country and this is a fiiine bonny clan my nephews have, but I would like to die in the heather where I was borrrned.”
“The Wee Free Men,” by Terry Pratchett, p. 123
It’s all right to cry! But really, I love this passage so much because it fills me with a longing for distant, heather-filled hills.
The second passage is from “Bitterblue,” by Kristin Cashore. This novel is stunning and one of my favorites—but not one I can recommend casually, because of certain content and the fact that it is the third book in a trilogy, and I did not care overly for the other two. But “Bitterblue,” recommending qualities aside, is stunning.
‘Bitterblue laid her pen down and went, cautiously, to an east-facing window. She put a hand to the frame to steady herself ….
‘Why do I push myself to these windows when I know I’ll be too dizzy to get a good look at anything? What is it I’m trying to see?’
“Bitterblue,” by Kristin Cashore, p. 19-20.
I love this passage for the same reason I love most of the novel: it asks questions and raises a sense of wonder that I find so relatable to my life.
The third and final quote was much harder to choose—not because I wasn’t sure which book to use! Instead, I couldn’t decide which specific quotation to include, because four or so pages near the end of “The Queen of Attolia,” by Megan Whalen Turner, are absolute perfection. For the sake of alacrity, I narrowed it down to a paragraph, removing names for the sake of not spoiling the plot.
“If there is one thing a woman understands, it is the nature of gifts. They are bribes when threats will not avail. Your emperor cannot attack this coast… [he must] hope to be invited in as an ally, and I did not invite him. … The problem with bribes… is that after your money is gone, threats still do not avail.”
-“The Queen of Attolia,” by Megan Whalen Turner, p. 232.
This is the last word in dignity, regality, and cunning. It left me jumping up and down, cheering—as did most of the series!
I tag Hannah from the Writer’s Window, Ghosty from Anything, Everything, Clara from To Find a Castle, Grace from Fictionally, Emma Clifton from Peppermint and Prose, Candice from O Ye Scribes, Sarah from Dreams and Dragons, Jemma from the Sherwood Storyteller… pretty much whoever wants to join in! And tell me in the comments: what are your favorite quotes?
Perfect words!
The challenge: select and share three of your favorite textual passages, where you feel the author found the ‘perfect words’. Then tag your friends!
It was difficult, but I narrowed it down to three passages from three books. I present them to you in no particular order.
The first is from “The Wee Free Men,” by Terry Pratchett, which, even aside from this passage, is delightful and a must-read. I chose this passage because of its poignancy. A wanderer far from home tells this to Tiffany, the young heroine, as her adventure begins:
“I am the last o’ those who came. When this is o’er, I’ll seek the leave of the next kelda to return to my ain folk in the mountains. This is a fiiine fat country and this is a fiiine bonny clan my nephews have, but I would like to die in the heather where I was borrrned.”
“The Wee Free Men,” by Terry Pratchett, p. 123
It’s all right to cry! But really, I love this passage so much because it fills me with a longing for distant, heather-filled hills.
The second passage is from “Bitterblue,” by Kristin Cashore. This novel is stunning and one of my favorites—but not one I can recommend casually, because of certain content and the fact that it is the third book in a trilogy, and I did not care overly for the other two. But “Bitterblue,” recommending qualities aside, is stunning.
‘Bitterblue laid her pen down and went, cautiously, to an east-facing window. She put a hand to the frame to steady herself ….
‘Why do I push myself to these windows when I know I’ll be too dizzy to get a good look at anything? What is it I’m trying to see?’
“Bitterblue,” by Kristin Cashore, p. 19-20.
I love this passage for the same reason I love most of the novel: it asks questions and raises a sense of wonder that I find so relatable to my life.
The third and final quote was much harder to choose—not because I wasn’t sure which book to use! Instead, I couldn’t decide which specific quotation to include, because four or so pages near the end of “The Queen of Attolia,” by Megan Whalen Turner, are absolute perfection. For the sake of alacrity, I narrowed it down to a paragraph, removing names for the sake of not spoiling the plot.
“If there is one thing a woman understands, it is the nature of gifts. They are bribes when threats will not avail. Your emperor cannot attack this coast… [he must] hope to be invited in as an ally, and I did not invite him. … The problem with bribes… is that after your money is gone, threats still do not avail.”
-“The Queen of Attolia,” by Megan Whalen Turner, p. 232.
This is the last word in dignity, regality, and cunning. It left me jumping up and down, cheering—as did most of the series!
I tag Hannah from the Writer’s Window, Ghosty from Anything, Everything, Clara from To Find a Castle, Grace from Fictionally, Emma Clifton from Peppermint and Prose, Candice from O Ye Scribes, Sarah from Dreams and Dragons, Jemma from the Sherwood Storyteller… pretty much whoever wants to join in! And tell me in the comments: what are your favorite quotes?
June 26, 2015
Literary Couples
Something terrible has been happening, readers.
My icy cold unromantic heart is melting!
Growing up, I never had any patience for romance. I was the stoniest little ice maiden to ever be unimpressed by suave words. I tested myself against all the major poets and authors, and none could break my impenetrable, unromantic shield.
Jane Austen: You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope...I have loved none but you.
10-year-old Allison: BORing!
Charles Dickens: And yet I have had the weakness, and have still the weakness, to wish you to know with what a sudden mastery you kindled me, heap of ashes that I am, into fire.
13-year-old Allison: Hon, she is so not worth it.
Shakespeare: Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs.
16-year-old Allison: Points for trying. But only because you’re Shakespeare.
But 17-year-old Allison has undergone some frightening emotional changes that leave her younger selves shaking their heads with disgust.
Dorothy L. Sayers: Placet.
17-year-old Allison: WAAAAAAH!!!! Oh, that is so beautiful! *sniffs* 16-year-old Allison: Are you kidding me?
(If you wish to understand this rather ambiguous Dorothy L. Sayers quote, you’ll need to read her Lord Peter Wimsey series, beginning with Whose Body?)
It’s happened, everyone. The thing my friends have been threatening me with every time I scoff during a romantic comedy.
I’ve developed a romantic soul.
And that means… I’m writing a post on my favorite literary couples! (By all rights, I should do this in February. But there are much more important things to celebrate in February. Such as my birthday.)
While attempting to write the list, however, I realized that definitely selecting my favorites is incredibly difficult. So instead I have pinpointed the three traits that I value in literary couples, with examples.
1. Adorableness
This, readers, is vitally important. There must be a squee-factor at some point in the proceedings, or the romance isn’t worth reading at all! The most adorable couple of all time is, I believe, Eugenides and his lady from Megan Whalen Turner’s the Queen’s Thief series (ha! you thought I would give away her name… never!). They are, against all odds, sweet and loving, even when they must hide their love in the face of adversity. I especially love how they retain their individual agendas and personalities and still disagree, often violently. It’s much more realistic that way. (Runner up: Sophie and her significant other from Diana Wynne Jones’s Howl’s Moving Castle.)
2. Thoughtfulness
I love when books raise deep questions on relationships. And when it comes to questioning their relationship, Lord Peter Wimsey and the mysterious Lady X take the cake! (From the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries, by Dorothy L. Sayers). At least four books are devoted to Lady X as she rejects Lord Peter’s affections. Characters who are clearly meant for each other having angst-ridden relationship issues normally drive me insane. But in these books, the characters actually think about their relationship. They question their compatibility. And they raise haunting, thought-provoking questions. (Runner up: Polly and her beau from Diana Wynne Jones’s Fire and Hemlock. Sorry, Mrs. Jones! You’re constantly the runner up!)
3. Faithfulness
This trait, I feel, is often glossed over in literature. Sure they can have passionate, love-struck soliloquies… but can they also love and defend and put up with each other for the rest of their lives? Andromache and Hector, from Homer’s The Illiad, absolutely can. Like all Greek heroes, they’re dramatic, adventurous, and exciting—but they’re also devoted to each other. She spins him a cloak and gives him military advice. He adores their son (one of the many traits that earned him a spot in my Favorite Heroes post). Sure, their relationship has its rough spots—like the Siege of Troy. But their endless patience will keep their love strong. (Only not really, because like all Greek heroes, they have a tragic ending.) (Runner up: Moist von Lipwig and his lady from Going Postal, by Sir Terry Pratchett.)
So there you are, readers: my favorite literary couples and why. Have you read of any of these? Did I miss any great ones? Reminder: I'll be out of town a lot this summer, so I may be slow responding to comments. It doesn't mean I don't love you!
