Rachel Rossano's Blog, page 19

Order an Autographed Copy of Duty

I am now opening up the opportunity to order signed paperback copies of Duty: a novel of Rhynan to anyone who would like to order one. This offer is open until midnight on February 18th EST.

For $11.95 plus taxes and shipping, you will receive a signed paperback copy of Duty: a novel of Rhynan. Pre-ordered copies will be shipped by Priority Mail within the three weeks after the close of the pre-ordering offer, unless there are unforeseen circumstances to delay the shipping.


Duty to King

Tomas Dyrease, the newly made Earl of Irvaine and the village of Wisenvale, owes his good fortune to his king and the recent civil war. When his benefactor demands Tomas marry the cousin of a noble, he obeys. However, no one warned him that she wasn’t a typical noblewoman.

Duty to Others

Brielle Solarius struggles to keep her village from starvation under the new Lord Wisten, her cousin. The men rode off to war and never returned. The remaining women and children face a dire winter if they do not find a solution soon. When she learns her cousin sold her into marriage to save his life, she isn’t surprised. However, she is taken aback by Lord Irvaine’s unpolished ways. Was this man a noble or a foot soldier?

Duty to Each Other

Bound by the words of their vows, they face a rough future. They must forge a marriage while battling betrayal, accusations of treason, and villains from the past. Survival depends on their precarious trust in each other.  Failure could mean death.

A signed Duty: a novel of Rhynan paperback$11.95 plus taxes and shipping.

Birth of a Novel: writing the words

From Dreamstime.comThis blog series following the creation of Duty from idea to print book is part of an experiment. The first installment was Birth of a Novel: the starting point.


By January 5, 2012, the opening-line-contest short story had a title (Duty), 4,125 words, and three chapters. I set the goal of finishing the story by year end and started writing in earnest toward that goal. 
The February update mentions a word count of 9,762 words and the lack of a mid-point in sight. Around then I realized that my “short story” was going to be at least a novella, though I suspected it much earlier (writing chapter two). I was still struggling to get my head around Brielle, which should have been a sign that this was going to get even bigger.
By mid-March, Dutywas about 18,142 words long (9 chapters) and growing complicated. Four villains can make things a bit on the complicated side.
I didn’t mention the word count in the mid-April update. Judging by the new sentences I included in the update, I would guess it was around 25,000 words then.
May 26th, I marked the word total at 32,712. By then I had given up hope of it being a novella and realized it was going to be a novel. To mark the occasion, I set a new goal: 60,000 words.
The June 4th update noted 40,983 words.
July’s update was delayed because I was buried in finishing the novel and distracted from everything else. However, its growth was chronicled carefully via Facebook by statuses containing word counts and new sentences of the day.
July 2 - 60,109 words - A man who despises the good fortune of his friend is not a friend. Lack of appetite had eaten away at his cheeks leaving them thin.July 3 - 60,684 words - Between duty and worry, he barely slept the past few days.July 5 - about 61,000 words - “I hate sieges,” he muttered before rolling over.July 6 - added 885 words -July 8 - added 926 words - He fell to his knees with a wet slosh.July 9 - added 1,414 words -July 10 - 64,927 words plus about 1,049 words later - "You once told me you wanted a wife who could stand beside you, not behind you. I am your wife, Tomas, and you are going to have to let me stand beside you.”July 13 - added about 828 words totaling 67,307 by the end of the day - He strode over, discarding his helmet, and plucked my helmet from my head, releasing the crazy mess of sweaty hair beneath.July 14 - added 665 words - I expected him to be a fidgety type with that intent gaze, but his hands rested on his weapons, relaxed and ready.July 15 - 68,461 words - Out of the darkness a wave of pouring rain washed over us with a roar.July 16 - added 708 and then 800 plus words to total 1,529 in a day; 69,990 words - Tomas, sword already drawn, took the stairs at a sideways run with the confidence of a man with experience in tight and curving spaces. It (Brielle's sword) hit the stone with a clatter that echoed in the bailey below despite the constant drumming of the rain.July 17 - 70,848 words - The clash of metal grating against metal set my teeth on edge.July 21 - added 1,453 words -July 22 - added 996 words - Shedding gear from the door to the bed, I was about to sink into the offered softness, when Tomas came through the canvas flaps.July 23 - added about 1,900 words; 76,347 words - As much as I trusted Dentin, I didn’t want to walk into the lion’s den without Tomas’ support.July 24 - Finished the rough draft! 77,617 words!
Roughly eight months!

#SweetSat

Welcome back to this week's Sweet Saturday Sample. In honor of the approaching debut of Duty: a novel of Rhynan tentatively set for February 14th, I am offering yet another snippet from the novel. It isn't particularly sweet, but I hope you enjoy it regardless.
I am arranging a blog tour to spread the news of the release. If you are interested in participating, check out Duty's launch page. Fill out the form at the bottom or email me, and we can work out the details. Any level of participation is appreciated.

~~~~~
My dreams tormented me. I watched in growing horror as Tomas died time after time. By sword, crossbow, and knife, the methods grew ever more grotesque. Each time, I watched helplessly as the life flickered and died in his inky, black eyes. My heart screamed silently. I clung to his hand as it grew cold and limp. Then only the shell of his body was left. His spirit, soul, all that I truly liked about him slipped away. I was alone again.
Each dream ended the same way, with me kneeling over Tomas. I was alone and dry-eyed, unable to cry in the midst of a corpse-strewn battlefield, while Orwin’s disembodied voice demanded to know how it felt to watch him die. “Does it hurt?”
I woke to the sensation of drowning. I scrambled into the sitting position, gasping for air. My heart raced. Unshed tears burned my eyes and a hard lump blocked the back of my throat. Nerves raw with the grief, I gained my feet and stumbled for the door, narrowly missing Darnay’s out-flung hand on the floor above his head. In my efforts to keep my balance, I tumbled outside. The door swung closed behind me as I landed on my back in the snow. 
~~~~~
How do you find new reading material?
For more sweet samples, visit http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/.

Birth of a Novel: choosing a title

From Dreamstime.com
This blog series following the creation of Duty from idea to print book is part of an experiment. The first installment was Birth of a Novel: the starting point.

I chose the working title Dutyby January 2012. I liked the simplicity of the single word title. I also wanted to focus on that aspect of the storyline as it developed. Both of the main characters are motivated by duty. They react and make choices on that principle.

Duty to country -
Irvaine, as a warrior and noble, is bound by his duty to his king and his country. His service grows from a personal interaction and loyalty to the king. He has fought to protect this man and to support his claim to the throne of Rhynan.
As a leader in her village and daughter of a deceased noble, Brielle feels a duty to the leadership of her country, though her ties are anchored in the people more than the king.
Duty to others -
Irvaine also carries a duty to his people, those who look to him for protection and guidance. He desires to serve them and be a fair, honest, and gentle master. Thrown into the thick of intrigue and deceit, he is forced to choose who to place first.
Brielle is anchored in her village. The women she fought, farmed, and shared with for her whole life call to her heart more strongly than the strangers of the more prosperous and distant Kyrenton. Yet, she must find a balance between her emotional duty and her positional duty as the new Lady Irvaine.
Duty to each other -
Despite the ominous beginning to their marriage, Irvaine intends to make it work this time around. He is accustomed to fighting for respect, thanks to his difficult childhood. Years as a soldier honed his skills as he struggled for his life. Now he is at a disadvantage, though, because he doesn’t fully realize the stakes. This time he isn’t just fighting for respect or life, he is fighting for his heart.
Brielle has grown accustomed to being used. After her parents’ deaths, her cousin took advantage of her leadership skills and management of the village to fund his lifestyle and plans. So, when he handed the village over to the new king of Rhynan, sweetening the deal with her hand in marriage, she isn’t really surprised. She agrees to marry Irvaine out of duty to her king and her people, not love. She quickly learns to respect this man full of strange contradictions, but only time will tell if she will learn to love him as well.
Question: Do these character descriptions tease your interest?

Birth of a Novel: naming the heroine

Brielle no longer looks like this, but this was the vision I had at her conception.This blog series following the creation of Duty from idea to print book is part of an experiment. The first installment was Birth of a Novel: the starting point.


By December 5, 2011, I knew I needed a permanent name for my fiery heroine. I struggled to find one that fit. But none did. So, I asked again for suggestions.
Here is her description from her An only child, she is strong, independent, and loyal. Orphaned before she turned one, she grew up in her wet nurse's household. Loren, the wet nurse's daughter born the same year, grew to be a best friend, a sister by other parents.
Orwin, this woman's cousin, inherited her father's title and lands. He provides for her welfare, but only barely, keeping her out of sight in the smallest village on the edge of his domain.
Her most obvious physical feature is a mane of wild, red hair. Tall, leggy, but not willowy, she is more of a warrior than a woman who depends upon her feminine wiles. She tends toward practicality and action, making do with what fate hands her and fighting for what she believes is right.
*** I have changed her history a bit since. She is no longer orphaned at one-year-old, but in her late teens or early twenties. ***
Aly Mae and Joanna Gommesen won the prizes for naming her Brielle Solarius. Incidentally, the winner of the original contest for the opening line, Abigail, influenced the outcome by encouraging me to look at Brielle twice.
Next time, I will talk about choosing the book's title.
Question: What is your favorite character name?

Birth of a Novel: the starting point

© Uschi Hering | Dreamstime.com

This blog series following the creation of Duty from idea to print book is part of an experiment. Back in 2011, I had just finished my most recent short story and felt like writing one more. But I didn't have any clear ideas about how to begin. I just reached my 100th post on this blog, so I decided to host a contest. Duty: A Novel of Rhynan was born.

For the contest, I asked everyone for their best opening line suggestions. I received a generous crop with massive potential.  There were so many ideas and so little time.


The winner was this gem.
"The red one is mine," he said. - Abigail
I also used another submission in the first chapter of the rough draft. It was an entry from Katherine and appears in a slightly modified form in the final version of the book.
“She could feel the darkness like a living thing, growing ever stronger, pressing her more closely ever second that she lingered, waiting to hear her fate.” - Katherine
On November 10, 2011, the book’s journey officially began. By November 15, Duty had 1,700 words and two main characters. The main character’s first name was temporary, “Kayta,” and I had named the male lead Lord Ivraine (It was later changed to Lord Irvaine.)
The next post will cover how "Kayta's" name changed.
Question: Do you prefer reading novels or short stories?

#SweetSat - Duty Cover Reveal

A few weeks ago, I shared the new cover for Wren, which is scheduled for release somewhere between May and September of 2013. Today, I get to share some more exciting news, another cover reveal.

I am eagerly putting the final touches on my coming release, Duty: a Novel of Rhynan. As the details fall into place and the preparations for the release kick into full swing, I will be able to provide much more detail. Oh, the fun I have planned. *big grin* For now, I shall have to be content with sharing the front cover and an excerpt as the weekly Sweet Saturday Sample.


~~~~~
"The red one is mine," he said.
I didn’t raise my head although instinct urged me to. Father had called me Red. He said I was born screaming, skin deep red like the beets in the garden and hair fiery like the setting sun. The man who spoke was not my father.
I glanced at him from beneath my cloak’s hood. Arrogant in his size and superior mass, his eyes picked me out of the writhing mass of captives. Early morning sunlight glinted off plain armor and an unadorned helm, yet the unwashed barbarians treated him with the respect due a commander.
The crowd of women around me parted for the soldier fulfilling his order. Mothers moved back with babes in their arms, toddlers clinging to their skirts. Their fingers clutched older children’s hands or shoulders. A living mass, their voices silenced by the army surrounding them. Their faces spoke eloquently of their fear.
The soldier, smelling of sweat and sour wine, grabbed my left arm and dragged me out from among them. I didn’t want to bring harm to the women around me. The soldier would injure many before subduing me. I allowed him to pull me toward the commander with only minimal resistance.
Once free of the captives, however, I yanked from the man’s grip in an attempt to run. Three pairs of rough hands caught hold of my arms before I managed more than a few steps. The stench of their unclean bodies turned my stomach. I gagged as I fought them. They dragged me through the dust and dumped me at his feet.I struggled up only to be brought down again. Pressure behind my knees forced me to kneel.
I lifted my face to glare at the commander.
“Remove her hood.”
Someone pulled my cloak half off my shoulders in his enthusiasm. Red curls fell free in a wild mass about my shoulders.
Silently I cursed the color. If only I had been blessed with plain brown or even blond tresses, I could have hidden in plain sight.
“My Lady Brielle Solarius, I presume.”
He had the audacity to meet my glare. His eyes were only glimmers beneath the beaten metal and leather of his helmet. He made no bow or any show of the honor due me. I was a noblewoman. I didn’t claim the right of deference often, but still the fact remained.
“Might I know your name, barbarian?”
~~~~~
Would the cover catch your eye on a bookstore shelf or Amazon's website?
For more Sweet Saturday Samples, visit http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/
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#SweetSat - Duty

My wonderful hubby surprised me this week by producing his comments on Duty for me to work through. This is the final set of edits before publication (I hope). In honor of the coming release (Stay tuned for a date in the next few weeks), I am featuring an excerpt from Duty for this Sweet Saturday Sample.

The novel is written in first person from the perspective of Brielle. Traveling from Wisenvale to their new home in Kyrenton, Brielle and her new husband, Lord Irvaine, are overtaken by an injured messenger with dire news. (Loren is Brielle's best friend from childhood.)

© Alexey Kryuchkov | Dreamstime.com

~~~~~
I peeled back the stiff, quilted cloth to reveal the wound. After wrapping my clean tunic around my right hand, I pulled the skin together with my left before applying pressure. His blood soaked the cloth with alarming swiftness.
“What did this?” I asked.
“Arrow, my lady.”
“Come, Kuy, surely you were not the only man they could send.” Irvaine knelt at my side, offering a small measure of shelter from the biting wind.
“Nay, my lord, I volunteered and rode off before they knew. There were many worse than I. Someone needed to catch you before you reached the gates of Kyrenton.”
“Why?” My mouth spoke before I thought.
“When the invaders discovered you were not among our number, Lord Wisten hinted someone in Kyrenton would deal with you. He named no names and perhaps spoke more than he should have. The foreign baron seemed ill pleased with his loose tongue.”
“Is that what you meant when you said we had been betrayed?”
“Nay. Brevand betrayed us. While we faced the main company in the fields before the village, he led the others into the village and gathered our women.”
“Loren.” My breath caught in my chest. Anger rose despite my inability to breathe.
Kuylan grunted. “Aye, Quaren’s wife as well as the rest. They threatened action against them should we not withdraw.” He coughed. “Not so hard, my lady.”
I eased the pressure slightly. He laid his head back and closed his eyes. The pallor of his face worried me.
Nudging Irvaine’s shoulder with mine to catch his attention, I nodded toward Kuylan. “Keep him talking.”
~~~~~
I hope you enjoyed it. Keep your eyes open for the cover reveal coming very soon. :)
I am also spending some time over at a friend's blog today. Stop by if you get a chance. :)

For more Sweet Saturday Samples, go to http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/.

Author Interview: DeEtte Anderton

In my efforts to increase my posting frequency, I am adding author interviews randomly to my line-up. I would like to welcome DeEtte Anderton to my blog today.


What is your genre of choice? Why did you choose this genre? I write Christian fiction/ Inspirational. Because I have angels and demons in my stories, that also put them in the Paranormal category.  I didn't deliberately start out writing for this genre, it just sort of happened. I was writing from my heart and that's what came out! I do enjoy writing it, though. I believe I have a message I want to get out: God loves you. Period.


What are you working on now? I just had both The Christmas Visitors and Victory published in November and December 2012. I just finished writing a short children's story for Kourageous Kids Storybooks and sent it back. I hope to write more for them. I also have some other books in the works. One is about a puppy mill rescue I adopted in 2000. It is basically her story, but I am including information about what puppy mills are, and to encourage people to adopt and not buy puppies from pet stores. Another is a fictional story in which I share stories from my real family.

If you have published something, tell us about it.My first published work is a short story called The Christmas Visitors. It's about a young family traveling home on Christmas Eve. They have a paranormal (demonic) sighting, which causes them to have an automobile accident. They walk to a nearby farmhouse where they meet an older couple who lives there. What they experience with them changes their lives.
My novel, Victorywas published in December 2012. It's the story of a town where the people love their country and their neighbors, but something happens when two visitors come to town. One comes with fear and control, slowly taking away the freedoms the people love. The other comes with faith. As darkness overtakes the town and the people take sides, a showdown becomes inevitable. An 8 year old orphan has a gift that the Overseer wants to take away. He goes so far as to kidnap the child and attempt to kill her. The question is: when the showdown on the mountain comes, who will have the Victory?
Who is your favorite author in your genre? Why?My stories are similar to Frank Peretti's books, but only somewhat. I have read several different authors, but my favorites are CS Lewis, and JRR Tolkein.  Their stories come alive to me. I enjoy the thought-provoking way they wrote.
How did you get started writing?I have loved to read and tell stories for most of my life. I took workshops on storytelling and learned a lot. Even though they were designed for oral storytelling, the same principles apply. When my older son talked me into trying NaNoWriMo in 2007, I still wasn't convinced I could write anything worth publishing, but decided to give it a try. After November was over, my story just sat on my hard drive with those I wrote in 2008 and 2009. Finally, in January 2012, I was chatting with my long-time friend Kim Emerson and decided I should try to get it published. I had to search for it, but finally found it, all dusty and covered with cyber cobwebs in one of the folders I had saved. The rest is history. Victorywas written before The Christmas Visitors, but followed its publication.
Do you have a quote that keeps you going? There are many quotes I have read that have meaning for me. One I recently read that is particularly meaningful at this point in my life is:  All the masterpieces of art contain both light and shadow. A happy life is not one filled with only sunshine, but one which uses both light and shadow to produce beauty. (Billy Graham)
What is the message you want people to get from your current work or work-in-progress?I want people to know that, no matter what they have done, or what was done to them, that God loves them unconditionally. There is no need to be ashamed or try to hide from Him.
Do your stories come more from your own experiences or from observation of others? My stories come from both my own experiences and observations. I love to people watch, and I use what I see to create stories. I see someone who is scowling. I don't assume he or she is angry. Perhaps the person is in pain or has just received bad news, and I create a story around that.
Anything you would like to share with us about you and/or your writing?I was encouraged to try NaNoWriMo by my older son in 2007. I decided to give it a try. I didn't think I would ever be able to write 50 thousand words in just one month; but I did. After I finished that month, I left my story, which was unnamed at the time, sitting on my hard drive. I didn't even think about publishing it. The next year, and the next, I wrote during NaNo again. Finally, in January of 2012, my good friend, Kim Emerson encouraged me to publish. The rest is history. My short story, The Christmas Visitors, came from my 2008 NaNo project, and was published        in November 2012. Victory was published in December of 2012.
I have six children, including a set of twins, and twelve grandchildren, half of whom live in Utah, and half in Connecticut. I have been involved in dog rescue for years, and have been privileged to be owned by four senior dogs, three of whom came from puppy mills.I also crochet and have an etsy shop where I sell several items. Most of the things I crochet end up as gifts, though!

In your best dream, where would you like to be? This doesn't have to be related to your writing.I would love to own and live in a log home in the mountains. I love to camp and was a Girl Scout camp counselor for seven years, and even used to teach winter survival! I now prefer not to live in a snow cave, but a log home would be wonderful! Being from Utah, “my” mountains are important to me, and are a comfort. I would love to have large windows in it so I could see outside. I would make sure I had a comfortable “reading and rocking” chair and a writing table situated so I could stare out that window! Of course, there would be a large rock fireplace! It would be a place where my children and grandchildren could come often. There would be a large kitchen with plenty of room to work, making cookies and other treats with my grandkids. I actually have a similar home in one of my NaNo projects that may eventually end up published, too!
DeEtte Anderton’s Facebook page is www.facebook.com/DeEtteBecksteadAuthorAmazon page is http://amzn.com/e/B00ADDW94Y The Christmas Visitorsis at http://amzn.com/B00ACNOXOYVictory is at http://amzn.com/B00AJ9QEKM Blog link is http://deetteanderton.wordpress.com

#SweetSat and Wren's Cover Reveal

In honor of sending Wren's manuscript to the publisher, here is an excerpt and a cover reveal. I hope you enjoy them.



Heavy beams spanned the ceiling. Tables and chairs jostled for floor space. The worn edges and scarred table tops offered a welcome, well-worn atmosphere. The only occupant, a stooped old man, tended the fire. I guessed he had aged beyond his usefulness in the fields judging by his silver hair and toothless grin.“How are you, old father?”His grin widened. “Fair enough, my lass. Are you a looking for someone?”I shook my head. “Simply a meal, father. I have journeyed far and I hoped to find something to fill my belly before I go seeking work.”The wizened blue eyes scanned my attire: tunic, leather jerkin, and worn leather leggings. “And what kind of work are ya seeking, child? You don’t appear to be the serving wench type. I don’t know of what other work a lass like yourself might find.”I smiled and slid onto a nearby bench. “I hunt well, know how to care for falcons or other birds of prey, and am not afraid of mucking a stall or caring for a horse.”The old man’s eyebrows rose. “Surely ya don’t mean man’s work.”“Aye, I do, father. You wouldn’t know of a lord or noble who might be interested in hiring an experienced hunter or stable hand, would you?”He studied me. “Nay, there t'isn’t anything the likes of that about except the enforcer’s estate, but I suspect ye wouldn’t find a place there. At least not a place ye’d want. Now if Lord Iselyn were around, it t’would be a different tale.”
What do you think of the cover?

For more sweet samples. go to
http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/.