Elijah David's Blog
December 28, 2020
The Path of Lucius Park Cover Reveal
When I finished my Master's degree in 2013, I had a collection of stories that formed my thesis. They represented the work of the previous two years, and I grew a great deal during that time, learning how I could push my characterizations and storytelling techniques in new directions with limited space.
In the seven years since, I have seen about half of those stories published in anthologies, and I have written a few more in the same setting, largely to fill in gaps in the overarching story of the collection. Now, at last, I am bringing that collection to the world. On January 12, 2021, The Path of Lucius Park will be available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Books-A-Million. It is currently available for preorder on Kindle.
I'm very pleased with this collection, and with the cover below. It captures the stark but hopeful view of the world I was dealing with when I first began the stories inside. I hope you'll enjoy reading them.
John Valley is a place of impossible things. Children hear the thoughts of others. Mermaids come to shore. And though death keeps away, its shadows lurk in every heart, waiting for someone to uncover them.
Explore the light and dark sides of a small Florida town in this first collection from Elijah David, author of Albion Academy and Paper and Thorns.
Look for The Path of Lucius Park on Amazon and other retailers on January 12, and keep an eye out for more about the collection in the coming weeks.
December 18, 2020
A Catching Up: End-of-Year News
Greetings and Merry Christmas, everyone! May the hope of this season burn brightly in your hearts.
I have a series of announcements of varying import to bring you.
First and foremost, on the future of Albion Academy: Portals Publishing, the publisher for Albion Academy, is closing up shop. After Jan. 28, 2021, Albion Academy will no longer be available through Amazon and the various other retailers where you can currently purchase it. This is not the end of the Albion Quartet, but right now I don't have a solid answer as to what its future looks like. I'm considering various routes to publication, including a) seeking out a new publisher and b) self-publishing the series via IngramSpark alongside the Princes Never Prosper series. When I have a more definitive answer, I will let you know.
Second, the third Crazy Buffet anthology is now available for purchase on Amazon. This is the series that my local writing group puts out each year. This time, my story is called "No Entry Till Sunrise" and it serves as a sequel to my story "Fireflies" from the first CB anthology. (You don't have to have read that story to enjoy this one, but if you're a sucker for completionism like me, you can pick up that first anthology here. All profits from the sales of these anthologies go to support the Young Southern Writers group sponsored by Chattanooga State Community College.)
Third, I will be putting out a collection of short stories, titled The Path of Lucius Park, sometime in January. The date is still a little fluid as we work our way through the final edits, but I am excited to finally be bringing this set of stories out as a whole. This collection began life as stories written in my graduate program at UTC, and the bulk of them are those same stories polished up a bit more over the years. Several of them have been published in anthologies ("The Debt-Keeper" was in the Crossover Alliance's second annual anthology, and three others were published in anthologies from the now-defunct Oloris Publishing), but this will be the first time they've all been together in one volume, including several stories that haven't been seen anywhere else. As the day of publication approaches, I'll share the cover and more details about this collection.
Fourth, final, and most ongoing, beginning in January, I'll be a recurring contributor at Lorehaven.com. My column, tentatively titled Matters of Myth, will focus on myths, fairy tales, and general fantasy. If you know me at all, you know these are subjects dear to my heart and mind, and I look forward to exploring them with you at Lorehaven.
While this Christmas season may not be everything we expected or hoped, God's light still shines, his love still redeems, and his mercy is new each morning. May you all find peace in the midst of chaos and have a safe and merry Christmas. I will see you in the new year.
God rest you merry*, gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay!
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we had gone astray!
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy!
O tidings of comfort and joy!
* That is, keep you merry or joyful.
August 22, 2020
Paper and Thorns has Arrived
About a month ago, Paper and Thorns made its debut into the world. After some delays getting the Kindle edition up and running, I'm glad to say that this series is firmly established.
Yes, you read right. Series. But more on that later.
If you have missed my previous glimpses into Paper and Thorns, here's a little backstory. I have always loved the story of "Beauty and the Beast" (see also my recent post about the story over at SpeculativeFaith). Back when Disney's live action remake of the animated film came out, my artist friend Mirriam sketched what she thought the Beast should have looked like (I'll give you a hint: there were lots of horns and menace going on). The design sparked an idea and I started chipping away at the story of that Beast and what his happy ending might (or might not) look like.
After a couple of false starts, Paper and Thorns really took off. It's a short book (less than 100 pages), and that is purposeful. I tend to struggle keeping a story brief unless I start out with the intention of it being a short story (and even then, sometimes the idea just begs to be something larger). With Paper and Thorns, I saw an opportunity to challenge myself to write something that wasn't novel-length, while allowing for a little more development than most of my short stories (which tend to be 5000-7500 words, about 1/4-1/3 of Paper and Thorns' final length). I'm happy to say that I met that challenge, and it has opened up the possibility of doing more, smaller books in between my massive stories like the Albion series.
Speaking of series, you'll notice I said "more" books like this one, and "series" at the start of the post.
Yes, Paper and Thorns is the start of a new series, titled Princes Never Prosper. That title comes from a Fae proverb in the world of the book: "Curses and kisses may answer your wishes, but princes never prosper." To the Fae, it's a warning that happy endings are not easy and don't always come to everyone. They have to be worked for and fought to be kept. (For those of you who've read the book and are saying, "I don't remember that line!" don't worry. It's not there. As I said, this is something the Fae of this world say. But I promise it will show up in a future installment.)
Princes Never Prosper is going to be home to a lot of retellings, including fairy tales, Greek myths, and even a few classic adventure tales. At the moment, I have plans to retell "Rapunzel," "Sleeping Beauty," "Tam Lin," "The Wild Swans," "The Little Mermaid," "Cinderella," "Snow White and Rose Red," Peter Pan, Treasure Island, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Phantom of the Opera, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Nutcracker, and many more in some capacity. Most of these will be novellas like Paper and Thorns, though I have at least two full-length novels planned as well.
Although I had previously mentioned the possibility of Paper and Thorns crossing over with Albion Academy, I have come to realize this is unlikely to happen. This world is distinct from the world of Albion Academy and the bulk of my other stories, and it needs to be for the sake of letting these stories paint their own version of the Fae. (And trust me, the Fae have a lot going on in this series.)
If you think some of those stories sound exciting and others aren't your cup of tea, that's okay. This series isn't going to be as heavily serialized as something like the Albion books. There will be characters appearing in multiple books and storylines that develop as the series progresses, but I am striving for each story to stand on its own as much as possible, unless there are stories which are intentionally intertwined, as my Greek stories will be. In those cases, my current plan is to publish those novellas together in a larger collection either initially or soon after completion.
So what's next for Princes Never Prosper? I'm working on the second novella now. It's a "Tam Lin" story that fills in the backstory of a popular secondary character from Paper and Thorns while still giving us a glimpse of what comes after Molly and the Beast's story.
In the meantime, please check out Paper and Thorns, if you haven't already.
Art by the fabulous Mirriam NealWhat if Beauty cursed the Beast?
They were never supposed to meet, but from their first encounter backstage, Molly and the Beast found themselves drawn into each other's worlds. It looked like happily ever after, until Molly's Fae mother tracked them down. Now time is running out, and the only way for the Beast to save Molly is to complete three impossible tasks. But can true love break an unbreakable curse?
Paper and Thorns is the first novella in the Princes Never Prosper series, which filters beloved fairy tales through a contemporary lens. It is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Books-A-Million. The Kindle edition is here, and the ebook is also available at most other ebook retailers like Nook and Kobo. You can add it on Goodreads here.
If you are interested in reviewing Paper and Thorns and would like to request a digital review copy, please fill out the "Get in Touch" form on the left of the page or send an email to me here and specify whether you would prefer an epub, PDF, or mobi/Kindle file.
August 14, 2020
On the Need for Hope
This year has been a dry one as far as blog posts go. Despite being home a lot more than usual, I haven't been drawn to post as much here as I have in years past.
I haven't been entirely idle. I finished the first draft of the third Albion book. I published Paper and Thorns. I have pulled out some old works to edit and started new ones (including a sequel/companion novella to Paper and Thorns). I crocheted. A lot. Since last fall, I've made 3 baby blankets, an afghan, a scarf, a throw blanket, and two stuffed Nifflers. Most of that happened after quarantine hit.
And yet, this has been a season of doubt, of anxiety, of unease. I have found myself growing more and more restless and dissatisfied with my day-to-day, and even with the media I consume. Sometimes, I will pull out a familiar story just to find some half-remembered peace in its pages.
I started digging into my thesis collection the other day. These stories held a special place in my heart because they represented two years of hard work earning my Master's. I was quite proud of the accomplishment seven years ago.
When I set out to plan my thesis, I knew I wanted the stories inside to be more than the sum of themselves. I wanted them to fit together into a greater whole. Ideally, they would form a cycle of sorts, something like a patchwork quilt that (without being gridded into a picture) created a more satisfying pattern when viewed as a whole.
I think it accomplished that, but when I reached the end of the stories, I didn't feel the sense of completeness I expected. Nor did I come away with the one thing I always desire my stories to leave in my readers: hope.
What to do? Did I add to the collection and potentially break the balance that existed? Did I change them so that they represented the author I am now, not the author I was then?
The answer was a little of both. I added two stories, one of which was reworked from a concept that never got past the first draft in graduate school (largely because it was the last story to be written and was never going to be included in the thesis anyway). I also rewrote the ending of what was the final story to take it away from the despair that I felt was required of these so-called "literary" pieces. I realized that while I had striven to write the sort of stories that would satisfy myself and my professors, I had grown into the realization that my goals as a writer are different than they were seven years ago.
I don't want to be the next great literary star. I want to be the guy whose books give people hope. Whose stories push people on to better versions of themselves. Whose words point to the larger truths of our existence without tripping up on the so-called "realistic" things that are really just the dark's way of sapping our strength. A story is not more realistic because its characters drink away their pain or take comfort in empty pleasures. A story is truer because it reminds us that there is Someone who overshadows the pain and who is so full we can never find the bottom of his joy.
I still plan to put these stories out in the world. (Several of them have already been published in anthologies.) But they are going to fit a vision. They are going to have a message, and it may not be the one I planned years ago.
Take heart. Have courage, dear ones. The morning comes.
August 7, 2020
Author Interview with Arielle Bailey
ED: The Icarus Aftermath mixes Greek myth and Star Wars-style space opera. What led you to that combination? What led you to use the Icarus/Labyrinth myth specifically?
AB: The combination burst on me fully armored, like Athena herself. My horse had died earlier that day, and I’d had a long day following. I was in the shower, trying to deal with it all, and I suddenly thought, “What if Icarus flew too close to the sun not to be an arrogant twit (look, he was in the original myth, okay) but to save someone else?” I mentally saw it in the blackness of space and knew instantly it was a space opera. Another ten seconds and I had the foundation of a scene that I wrote as soon as I got back to my room.
It was a blinding flash of inspiration.
And after I realized I’d be retelling Icarus, I knew I had to retell the Labyrinth/Minotaur myth too, because it’s always bugged me in most retellings I’ve seen (or know of) that they don’t really combine the two . . . and yet in some versions of the original myths, Daedalus was only locked up because he knew the secrets of the Labyrinth.
ED: Right? Why separate them? Make sense it does not. *ahem* The family dynamics in this book are wonderful, especially the interactions between the various Sunfire siblings. Did you draw on any real life relationships when you wrote the Sunfires?
AB: Thank you so much! They were my favorites to write.
And no, I didn’t really draw on any real-life relationships for them. I often do, when I write, but this time, it was me picturing what the coolest family ever might look like . . . and then writing it down.
ED: There are so many aspects of this world that (for reasons of time) can't be delved into too deeply (such as olympian society, the various non-human races, etc.). Which of those are you most excited to explore in future installments?
AB: Augh, I know, right? I wanted to go into SO MUCH MORE in this book, but it would have detracted from the main plot. I comforted myself with the thought of the sequels.
And honestly? I’m eager to get into EVERYTHING.
I’m most excited to write about the kentauri because I’ve loved centaurs for /so long/. And also the AMAZONS, man. I can’t wait to get back to them. We’re getting so much of them in the future, you bet. The olympian society is also going to be a treat to write. I’m especially looking forward to Hestia, Mercury, Aphrodite, and—of course—more of Athina. Mmhmm, can’t wait.
ED: Oh, I'm going to be on tenterhooks waiting for the sequel(s)! What myths are you hoping to touch on in future books in the series?
AB: The Centauromachy is up next: the war between the centaurs and the Lapiths, led by the Lapith king, who was Theseus’s best friend. (Proper pair of idiots, those two.)
Also featuring at some point:
- Hades and Persephone
- at least two other incidents from Theseus’s colorful history
- Perseus and the Gorgon
- THE TROJAN WAR
ED: As I said before, I CAN'T WAIT. Will we be seeing more of Ares and Hephaestus? Their relationships with Koralia, each other, and Aphrodite make for a lot of humorous (and heartwarming) scenes.
AB: Thank you! And, yes, you will. That’s another thing I’m eager to write: their perspective on and relationships with other olympians. I’m looking forward to writing more of these bickering brothers, their rather bizarre relationships with Aphrodite, and their love for Koralia.
You’ll definitely be getting a lot more of them. And possibly some flashbacks to when both of them met Icarus and what they thought of him and his relationship with Koralia, ehehe.
ED: Why did you decide to open the book with Icarus' fall?
AB: It just felt right, honestly.
The first scene I got, when the story burst on me, is now the second scene in the book: Ianessa informing the General of Icarus’s fall. I had planned to start the book there.
But when I actually sat down to write it, after midnight on October 31st (er, technically very early the morning of November 1st), I wound up writing Icarus’s fall instead. And I sent it to Mirriam, and she basically said, “Daaaaang, YES.” So that was double confirmation.
ED: Is Koralia your own invention or is she inspired by a specific character(s) from Greco-Roman mythology?
AB: She’s my own invention. I considered using a character from mythology, but after research, I realized she didn’t fit anyone. So I just went with the character developing in my head. There are bits and pieces of her that do come from mythology, though. Melainisand Skotia were both said to be additional names of Aphrodite in various areas of Greece.
ED: If you could go on a mission with a Sunfire, who would you want to partner with and where would you go?
AB: Oooooh, gosh, that’s a tough one. Either Talos or Mikon, with Dione a close second.
Mmmm, probably Talos. And it would be a spy mission of some kind, probably to an Inner world, like Belus, the galactic capital.
(That way, Mirriam can go on a mission with Mikon.)
ED: (I'm sure she appreciates your thoughtfulness, haha.) Would you rather have been trained by Amazons but be an otherwise normal human or be at least half-olympian and working for the Kallistratus?
AB: You are really bringing the great questions!
I’d rather be human and trained by the Amazons. MY GIRLS. (I’m going to have such fun writing them.)
ED: What's the most adventurous thing you've ever done?
AB: Oh my gosh, good question.
Hmmmm, I mean, eating rattlesnake meat is probably up there. Some stunts I pulled while hiking or horseback riding as a teen.
I’m not sure about most adventurous. But one of the most dangerous moments of my life also wound up being pretty adventurous.
My stepfather and I were going to go riding that day, and he got saddled up first—riding a part-Arabian mare I had been re-training—and went over to visit the neighbors an eighth of a mile down the road. He ground-tied the mare, not realizing I hadn’t yet trained her to ground-tie (i.e. where you let the reins drop to the ground and the horse stands still) and she spooked and ran off, coming back home towards me.
To make things worse, it was harvest season, and at that moment, there were two grain trucks, a farm truck, and a harvest combine all coming down the road.
So there’s a saddled/bridled mare running down the side of the road, PANICKING because she doesn’t know what she’s doing; she just wants to get to what’s familiar.
I’m riding my very-much-green-broken filly, who’s had minimal de-spook training and has maybe been ridden a dozen times, mostly in the round pen and pasture at home.
With three farm machines all coming down the road behind the mare, worrying her even more. The trucks can’t stop, because there’s no place or room for them to do so, especially not behind this combine taking up most of the road.
And I’m in the ditch, trapped between an embankment up to the road on one side and a barbed-wire fence on the other side.
It came off okay in the end. I had to dismount on my filly’s off side (aka the right side—you usually mount/dismount horses from the left side) to grab the Arab’s reins and then hold BOTH of them while the machinery finished going by . . . and more than one driver looked as relieved as I felt!
I was (and am) insanely grateful for the trust both my filly and the mare had in me. They listened and let me hold them steady until we could get out of there. Without that, the situation would have had a very different outcome and I honestly might not be here today.
ED: Whoa. That's quite the adventure. Speaking of adventures, do you prefer Greco-Roman mythology or other myths? Which is your favorite story from that mythology?
AB: For sheer aesthetic, Egyptian Mythology. All the animal-headed gods and goddesses, not to mention the snarky humor. The Greeks were second to none with their drama, the Norse had the corner on hilarity, but the Egyptians were masters of sass.
I'd say my favorite myth from Egyptian mythology is anything to do with Sekhmet. Which is a biiit of a cop-out, but also true.
ED: If you could only retell one myth, fairy-tale, or folktale, which would it be and why?
AB: King Arthur. I will always, always come back to Arthurian Legend. The sheer variety it contains, the potential in the character and ideals of Arthur himself, the vast relationship network and potential between Arthur and his queen . . . and him and his knights . . . plus the various ladies of the knights . . . not to mention my favorites: the Ladies of the Lake.
Yep.
Definitely Arthurian Legend.
ED: See, this is why we're friends. All Arthurian, all the time. And yes, the relationships in that cycle are . . . multitudinous.
How likely is it that the various ships (relationships, that is) in The Icarus Aftermath will sink or float in the sequel?
AB: Oho. Well. Since this is a longer series, let’s just say that both of the two main ships will still be floating in the sequel to this book. And the sequel to it. What happens after that? Spoilers, sweetie.
Thanks for joining us today, Arielle!
Arielle Bailey taught herself to read at age four, and words have been her primary passion ever since. In her day job, she edits other people’s books and writes blog posts analyzing TV shows and movies. The rest of the time, she brainstorms, plots, and writes her own books. At night, you can usually find her outside, staring at the moon and stars.
Her favorite genres to read and write include contemporary fantasy, court intrigue, and space fantasy—because what is better than fantasy among the stars?
To learn more about her fiction (and that of her writing buddies), sign up for the Citadel Fiction newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/b1h5v9
You can follow Arielle's blog and social media at the following links:
Blog: https://thesplendorfalls.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/citadelfiction
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ariellemelodybailey/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArielleMBailey
August 4, 2020
The Icarus Aftermath Review
With their best captain gone, Talos steps up to lead the Rebellion’s fighters. First objective: take out the Labyrinth. Only problem? No one can find its key.
Koralia thinks she can find it, or at least an alternative. She didn’t count on uncovering secrets that could rock the galaxy to its core. Now she’s rushing to find a solution before everything blows up in their face.
If they don’t destroy the Labyrinth soon, the Rebellion, the planets they protect, and an entire race of people are all doomed.
Greek Mythology meets Star Wars in this retelling of the Minotaur and the Labyrinth.
I remember seeing Arielle post hints and snippets of this book last year when she first began writing it. I loved the concept (Greek myths AND Star Wars? It was meant to be.) and couldn't wait to get my hands on the finished product.
Here we are almost a year later and we have just that.
Okay, okay, you say. But is it good?
"Is it good?"
No. It's amazing.
First off, it has a cast of characters who jump off the page. Their interactions, relationships, and secrets (everybody needs secrets in a book like this) all stem from the way real people behave. Their hopes, dreams, and fears make you want to pull them onto your couch and offer them cocoa (or a safe place to spar in some cases). The love that exists between the Sunfire pilots is tremendous, and it's refreshing to see men and women treating each other as equals, as friends, as family, without it feeling forced or half-hearted.
Second, the way Arielle blends mythical figures into a science-fiction universe is wonderful. Yes, you have larger-than-life olympians who possess super-human abilities, but you also have their children who are stuck with powers that make relating to other people not just difficult but darn near impossible. And even though the olympians are big and bold, they still have day jobs. Athina is a lawyer. Ares is a military commander. Hephaestus makes things. Shiny things. Exploding things. All the things.
Third, and for me probably the most important, it has heart. It has hope. This is a story that would fall flat if its characters didn't feel real in their sorrow, their love, their very human needs for companionship, success, and belonging. Koralia's journey into the Rebellion is sure to drag readers along with her. Talos' learning to trust could help us all open up. Mikon's lesson on anchoring oneself in the moment, in cherishing the good relationships, is one we all need to learn. Despite being a story knit from the loss of a loved one, this book propels its characters and its readers onward. There is hope for love after heartbreak, for family (biological or adoptive) after abuse, for purpose after disaster.
We always need hope. We always need to come back to the center. And The Icarus Aftermath helps us do just that--with the added benefit of spaceship battles and snarky Amazons.
You can find The Icarus Aftermath here on Goodreads and here on Amazon.
Arielle Bailey taught herself to read at age four, and words have been her primary passion ever since. In her day job, she edits other people’s books and writes blog posts analyzing TV shows and movies. The rest of the time, she brainstorms, plots, and writes her own books. At night, you can usually find her outside, staring at the moon and stars.
Her favorite genres to read and write include contemporary fantasy, court intrigue, and space fantasy—because what is better than fantasy among the stars?
To learn more about her fiction (and that of her writing buddies), sign up for the Citadel Fiction newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/b1h5v9
You can follow Arielle's blog and social media at the following links:
Blog: https://thesplendorfalls.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/citadelfiction
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ariellemelodybailey/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArielleMBailey
February 19, 2020
More Fairy Tale Fun Featuring OTPs Galore
Fairy Tale OTP Challenge:
1. The first fairy tale OTP you shipped
Probably Beauty and the Beast or Aladdin and Jasmine. These are the earliest fairy tales I can remember getting deeply involved in.
2. The cliché fairy tale OTP that everyone ships but you still love
I think I'll probably go with Snow and Charming from Once Upon a Time. Do I sometimes feel like they get too much of the spotlight in later seasons? Yes, but their relationship is wonderful in the first few seasons as we see them fight for each other.
3. Your favorite hate-to-love fairy tale OTP
I'm assuming this is an enemies to lovers trope rather than an example of "I don't want to love this, but I do." In which case, probably Elphaba and Fiyero from the musical Wicked (it's still a fairy tale, right?).
4. The fairy tale OTP with the craziest relationship
Let's talk about Philip and Aurora, shall we? They're promised to each other when she's a baby and he's . . . definitely older than that. Then she's whisked away for sixteen years and everyone still expects them to get married without any time to interact. They happen to meet in the woods and fall in fascination with each other, and somehow everything works out in the end. (See also: Derek and Odette from The Swan Princess)
5. The best-dressed fairy tale OTP
Going to bring Beauty and the Beast back into this. That blue tux is about the only way I'd ever get back into a tux and who doesn't love Belle's golden dress? Runner-up: Westley and Buttercup from The Princess Bride.
6. Star-crossed love: the forbidden love fairy tale OTP
I'm going to step outside of Disney's canon for this one: Thumbelina and Cornelius from Don Bluth's Thumbelina. Cornelius has the audacity to fall in love with a girl who isn't also a fairy, and then gets himself trapped in ice while searching for her. There's a lot of devotion in this relationship, and Thumbelina's succumbing to doubt and grief before the happy ending is such a heart-wrenching moment.
7. The funniest fairy tale OTP
Definitely Naveen and Tiana; they have such an odd couple story and watching his charm fail in the face of her down-to-earth work ethic is such a good time.
8. The fairy tale OTP with the most growth in their relationship
Rumple and Belle from Once Upon a Time. At least, they have a lot of growth at any given point in the story before the writers decide to retcon it.
9. The sweetest, most adorable fairy tale OTP
Eugene Fitzherbert/Flynn Rider and Rapunzel; pure fluff, I tell you.
10. The OTP who snuck up on you, the one you didn't expect to love
Cress and Thorne in the Lunar Chronicles; even though they're very obviously supposed to be Rapunzel and her prince, I just didn't expect to be as deeply invested in them as I was.
11. The moodiest fairy tale OTP
I'm going to say Scarlet and Wolf from the Lunar Chronicles. So much angst.
12. The class-crossed fairy tale OTP
Dmitri and Anastasia! If you don't love them by the end of the movie, you aren't paying attention.
13. The obscure fairy tale OTP who isn't shipped by many people (or anyone)
Probably not that obscure but Navarre and Isabeau from Ladyhawke (because I have to give a shoutout to Ladyhawke)
14. Your very favorite fairy tale OTP you'll love for the rest of your days
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Beauty and the Beast.
Writer's OTP Challenge:
1. The first OTP you wrote
This is probably Josiah and Magdiel from The Elves of Non de Velai (which is deep in the depths of my to-be-revised vault). They were my first real attempt at writing a romance (along with another couple) but they're still one of my mental touchstones when it comes to fictional romance.
2. Your cliché OTP from an early work that you still love
Yontos and Coran (the other couple from The Elves of Non de Velai); really, these two answers kind of go hand in hand. They're my first OTPs and probably my least nuanced (at least from my view now).
3. A hate-to-love OTP you’ve written. (Or your favorite, if you’ve written several)
Josiah and Magdiel count here, but the ones I'm most happy about/pleased with are a spoiler from the Albion series (book three, folks; it's going to be such fun!) and the main characters from Ashes and Dust (who aren't quite a romantic couple, but are definitely a dynamic duo with an enemies-to-allies arc).
4. Your OTP with the craziest relationship
That same spoiler from the Albion series. Let's just say complicated doesn't scratch the surface of this pairing.
5. Your best dressed OTP
Oddly enough (ha!), clothing doesn't really find an emphasis in my writing so there's not a couple I can point to and say, "Yes! My best-dressed characters." But for the sake of argument, let's go with
6. Star-crossed love: your forbidden love OTP
Merlin Ambrosius and Vivienne; their romance is one I'm really looking forward to writing down someday. They have such a wonderful meeting and finding love in spite of "fate" story.
7. Your funniest OTP
Mortimer and Spork, hands down. They have the best banter.
8. Your OTP with the healthiest relationship
Molly and the Beast from "Paper and Thorns"; they respect each other and put the good of others ahead of themselves. I just love them.
9. Your sweetest, most adorable OTP
Though it's not even close to being written, I have a story that combines elements of Treasure Island, Peter Pan, and "The Little Mermaid" and my merman character and the Jane Hawkins character are going to have a very sweet romance to counter all the danger and disaster they meet along the way.
10. The OTP who snuck up on you, the one you didn't expect to love
You could say this about almost all of my pairings; most of them didn't let me know ahead of time that they were getting together so I got plenty of "Huh, so it's like that, is it?" moments as they developed.
11. Your moodiest OTP
I hate to keep saying it, but that spoilery couple from the Albion books? Yeah, them. They get all the angst and crankiness and put tit together to make happy little storm clouds of romance.
12. A class-crossed OTP you’ve written
Although it's not written yet, I'm going to put Marie-Clare and Alex from my Midwinter Night's Dream here because even though they don't realize it at first, they are definitely crossing some class boundaries. He's a prince of the Fae and she's a plain jane human. Talk about bridging the gap!
13. An OTP you wrote that most people don’t ship
I actually don't know who among my characters people do ship at this point, but there are a number of potential pairings in the Albion books that won't be coming to fruition, so I'm sure there are OTPs that will make this list some day.
14. Your very favorite OTP you'll love for the rest of your days
At the moment, this is Molly and the Beast from "Paper and Thorns," partly because it's a Beauty and the Beast tale and partly because I'm working through the final rounds of edits on this story. We're getting closer to having this book out in the world and I can't wait to share it with you all.
February 4, 2020
Link-Up with Fairy Tale Central
Today I'm participating in Fairy Tale Central's blog link-up. Fairy Tale Central is a website dedicated to fairy tales, including their origins, history, and retellings. Every month they feature a new tale, but in February they pull out all the stops and celebrate fairy tales of all kinds.
FTC: What’s an obscure fairy tale you love?
I always feel like "The Wild Swans" is a bit obscure since it's not one of the "big" tales that everyone knows thanks to Disney and the multitude of illustrated picture books that abound in the children's sections of bookstores.
FTC: If you got to choose Disney’s next animated princess movie, what fairy tale would you choose to be adapted?
Well, I wouldn't say no to a "Wild Swans" adaptation. Or maybe "Tam Lin" or "Puss in Boots."
FTC: What is the first fairy tale you remember hearing when you were a child?Hmmm . . . I have very early memories of seeing Disney's Beauty and the Beast on VHS, and I can remember reading fairy tales like "Thumbelina" and "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" at my grandmother's house, but I can't remember hearing (or having been told) a specific fairy tale early on.
FTC: If you were to embark on a fairy tale quest, what necessities would you pack in your bag?Rope, a flashlight or other light source, a map (assuming this is in a mappable realm), food, and some sort of weapon.
FTC: What’s your favorite fairy tale trope?The love that redeems and transforms. The curse that must be broken.
FTC: If you could be any fairy tale character archetype (the princess, the soldier, fairy godmother, talking animal, mischievous imp, wise old woman, evil stepmother/sister, etc.), who would you want to be and why?I would probably end up as some sort of wizard/fairy godfather/amusing sidekick type person. I like the idea of being this wise old person who helps people find their happy endings directly or indirectly.
FTC: What animal/mythical creature would be your sidekick for fairy tale adventures?Either a dragon, a phoenix, or a talking owl. Because never underestimate the importance of having powerful and knowledgeable friends.
FTC: What is your favorite historical era, and what fairy tale would you love to see in that setting?I have a hard time settling on one historical period because I don't often dive deeply into historical studies, but here are some periods that I think are fascinating in some fashion, along with a tale or two I'd love to see in those periods:Victorian/Edwardian England (Bluebeard)American Old West (Beauty and the Beast, Cupid and Psyche, Sleeping Beauty)Feudal Japan (Rapunzel, Wild Swans, Snow White)1920s America (Pinocchio, Cinderella)Napoleonic Wars (King Arthur, Mulan, Red Riding Hood)
FTC: If you could change a fairy tale’s villain into a hero, who would you choose and why?I'd say the witch from "Hansel and Gretel" or Cinderella's stepmother, largely because I haven't seen either of those done satisfactorily yet, and I'd be curious to know what the other characters would do in response.
FTC: Do you prefer fairy tales with happy endings or sad/tragic endings? why or why not?Definitely happy or at least bittersweet. I believe stories exist partially to kindle hope in the hearts of mankind, and that's difficult to do with sad endings.
December 30, 2019
12 Days of Christmas (Author Style)
ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE.
The partridge stood alone in the pear tree. What is your favorite standalone novel?
Definitely There's No Place Like Home? because I think it's probably the strongest of the few standalone books I've written. I can't wait to dive into editing it later next year.
ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: TWO TURTLE DOVES.
Love is in the air! Who is your one true pairing?
So, this is a tricky question because the Albion series has its fair share of pairings, but with only the first book released, none of them are exactly "canonical" yet. But the one pairing that's fairly set up (or at least implied to be in the early stages) in Albion Academy is Merlin and Morgana, and they are the one couple in the series who didn't surprise me by becoming a couple.
ON THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: THREE FRENCH HENS.
In the spirit of threes, what is the best trilogy you have written?
Okay, so I have not yet written a trilogy. I have series, and standalones, and some books which aren't quite either. But no neat little 3-and-done sets. Unless you count the three short stories that featured the same character at different points in his life that served as part of my thesis collection. We'll call that a trilogy of sorts.
ON THE FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: FOUR CALLING BIRDS.
Since series usually consist of four or more books, what is your favorite series?
Picking favorites is tough, because so many of my books are part of a series, and I love them all. For the moment, though, I'll have to go with the Albion series, if for no other reason than it's one of my main focuses at the moment. I have other series that I expect will grow to be just as favored (at least in my heart) but for now Albion is the standout sibling.
ON THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: FIVE GOLDEN RINGS.
One ring to rule them all! Who is your favorite villain/antagonist?
I really liked writing Tik-Tok in There's No Place Like Home? because he was such a change for me as a character. I hadn't really written any characters who recognized that they were evil and relished it before. It gave him a strong dynamic no matter who else shared the scene with him.
ON THE SIXTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: SIX GEESE A-LAYING.
Creation is a beautiful thing. What is your favorite world/worldbuilding?
Because so much of my writing lately has been contemporary fantasy, I'm not really sure which to go with. Even the series that I have up my sleeves are all contemporary/urban fantasy, so the worldbuilding feels less like construction and more like remodeling. I think my favorite at the moment is the mythos that informs the phoenix/vampire detective story. (Ashes to ashes and dust to dust. It's going to be such fun!)
ON THE SEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: SEVEN SWANS A-SWIMMING.
Who needs seven swans when all it takes is one good animal sidekick? Who’s your favorite animal sidekick?
Huginn in the Albion series. No question. She's one of Odin's ravens and a good friend to Bryn. Having her along for the ride has made the series just that much more fun to write.
ON THE EIGHTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: EIGHT MAIDS A-MILKING.
Milk is so 18th century. Which book or series takes beverages/food to a whole new level?
Since I grew up reading the Redwall books, you would think I'd have gone to some similar lengths in describing food and drink in my books. However, I rarely mention it beyond what is necessary to the story, and I honestly can't think of a single story or book that features food to a major extent (certainly none that compare with Redwall's standards).
ON THE NINTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: NINE LADIES DANCING.
Dancing is just one skill of a Lady! Who is your favorite female lead?
Bryn from the Albion books. Ava from the phoenix/vampire story. Elizabeth from my Non de Velai books. They're all very different as far as strengths, flaws, and character arcs, but I love them all equally. They also all take different paths in regard to their heritage. Bryn loves her family but feels pulled away from her traditional vocation. Ava is a staunch believer in her people and their cause, but her tendency to push the envelope of tradition's boundaries in pursuit of the spirit of that cause puts her in the path of some less than benevolent folks. And Elizabeth is one of those whose heart truly believes with little effort, and her spirit is tried by the heartbreaks of life she and her friends must endure before the end.
ON THE TENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: TEN LORDS A-LEAPING.
How about your favorite leading lad?
Merlin and Mortimer from Albion, because they are both such fun to write. Josiah from the Non de Velai books because he's such a good balance to his sister, Elizabeth. Radley from the Shadow series because one of these days his story is going to be written and it will be one of my favorite things ever.
ON THE ELEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: ELEVEN PIPERS PIPING.
What is your favorite book or bookish thing with musical influence? (It can be about music, reference music a lot, etc.)
Like I said with the food question, I don't have a lot of music going on in my books. However, there's a side story/folktale for one of the Non de Velai books about the origins of that world's take on the guitar that is (I hope) beautifully tragic and that's probably the strongest magical influence in my writing.
ON THE TWELFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE SENT TO ME: TWELVE DRUMMERS DRUMMING.
Drum roll please . . . what is your favorite writing moment of this year?
Cover design by Meredith Hodges-BoosProbably writing my short story "Grandmother Moon" (which can be read in the second Crazy Buffet anthology here on Amazon). This story helped exorcise some thoughts and emotions surrounding a very difficult situation in my family's life this fall. It also served as one of the first times I set out to write something in the vein of Ray Bradbury, who is one of my authorial heroes. I like to think I succeeded in imitating the emotion of a Bradbury story; if you read it, let me know what you think.
(By the way, this anthology also includes a short story related to my Saint Nicholas story "Winter Warrior" which can be read here. This time around, we're getting Jack Frost's story.)
October 21, 2019
Fangs, Skins, and Whiskey-Scented Candles: An Interview with Mirriam Neal
ED: Last time we talked about a book of yours, we spent some time discussing your redemption of certain mythical characters. With Dark is the Night, you're not so much redeeming these characters as taking a different tack on them. Which aspects of vampire (and werewolf) lore were you most excited to explore? What drew you to these creatures and this genre?
MN: Honestly, as much as I enjoy the physicality of creatures like vampire and werewolves, it’s their psychology that fascinates me the most. You have people who (mostly) used to be human, and can remember it all, and still look human to most people—but have been altered into predators in ways most people can’t see. It goes beyond having fangs or howling at the moon, and getting to explore those dynamics is like Christmas for me.
ED: Salvation is populated with a lot of inhuman folks, some of which you barely scratch the surface of before the story ends. What creatures or aspects of lore are you most excited to explore in future installments?
MN: I’m excited to bring lesser-used unnatural creatures into a Southern Gothic town. My Dungeons & Dragons DM, Tyler, would call it reskinning, and that seems like the perfect term. Taking something that seems wildly out of place and modifying it (without lessening its power) for a completely different situation. Dark is the Night stays fairly close to the typical vampire-werewolf cast, but as each book in the series progresses, so does the amount of unnatural creatures.
ED: Any chance of a Cassis-centered prequel? (He's tied with Angel and Colton as my favorite.)
MN: Probably not, I’m sorry to say—but I don’t want to back myself into a corner so I’ll add, ‘You never know.’ Just to be on the safe side.
ED: As I was reading the book, I couldn't help but draw connections to The Vampire Diaries. In what ways did that show influence Dark is the Night? Were there any elements you consciously steered away from to keep yourself from repeating what others have done?
MN: Oh boy. You know when you get inspired by something, write a book, and then realize it’s TOO similar, and you have to tweak it? That was the first draft of Dark is the Night. There are still some similarities (which will be obvious to anyone who’s watched TVD) but the story, characters, etc. have moved, and continue to move, away from the constraints of their original inspiration. I consciously steered away from the kind of witchcraft in the show (which was also, ironically, the reason I stopped watching it) because there’s witchcraft, and there’s witchcraft. My characters aren’t messing with dead spirits because they fully know better.
ED: Were there any other stories, shows, or movies that influenced this story world and its characters?
MN: I’ve always imagined Skata as Jensen Ackles, so in that way I guess you could say Supernatural—but aside from that personal casting choice, nothing else really influenced the Salvation series (as far as I remember). I know other things didbut they're too subconscious to recognize.
ED: What would you say the major themes are for this book and the series as a whole?
MN: Redemption. One hundred percent. Redemption in all kinds of ways.
ED: Your characters have a way of leaping off the page with complex histories sometimes only hinted at. How much of that is planning for the future and how much is just bringing characters to life?
MN: I would say most of the things I hint at are definitely being brought up later as larger plot points. I enjoy hinting at things way too much to leave them alone once I do it. I’m a big fan of Chekhov’s Gun—so if I mention A Thing, and you Notice It, then it’s probably coming back up later in the book or series.
ED: Why is everyone in this book so much fun to read about?
MN: It was purely accidental.
Image courtesy of Morgan FarrisED: You don't shy away from the consequences of these characters' actions. They're in a war and often have to face difficult decisions. What drove you to keep the violence in this story, particularly in certain scenes involving the questioning of antagonists? Are there consequences to some of these decisions that we won't see until later books?
MN: I never want to shy away from violence, especially ethically questionable violence. I want readers to wrestle with questions as much as my characters do. People don’t always make the nice, or right, decisions, and that will always have a consequence whether internal or external.
ED: On a scale of Bob the Tomato to C-3PO, how stressed are Easton and Colton going to be keeping this crew from killing each other?
MN: Gandalf.
ED: If Dark is the Night were a scented candle, what would it smell of?
MN: Whiskey. No modifiers. Just straight whiskey. Just absolute ‘are you all alcoholics, why does it smell like whiskey in here.’
ED: Do you have any reading recommendations for those of us dying for the next Salvation book?
MN: I wish I could point to something and go ‘This is a lot like that!’ but nothing comes to mind immediately so I’m going to be That Person and recommend you write books so that I can eventually read them.
ED: If you had to choose: would you be a vampire with an insatiable appetite and a guilty conscience, a werewolf with no control over your wolf self, or a shapeshifter with no conscience but unlimited resources?
MN: I’m going to have to say . . . a werewolf with no control over my wolf self. Because at least the people around me have a moment of ‘oh, she’s changing,’ and would be able to scram before I fully wolfed out.
Dark is the Night releases this Friday, October 25. Be on the look out for purchase links later this week!
MIRRIAM NEAL is an author frequently masquerading as an artist. When she’s not scrubbing
paint off her hands, she’s thinking about writing (actually, if she’s being honest, she’s always
thinking about writing). A discovery writer, she tends to start novels and figure them out as she
goes along and likes to work on several books at the same time—while drinking black coffee.
She’s a sucker for monsters, unlikely friendships, redemption arcs, and underdog protagonists.
When not painting fantasy art or writing genre-bending novels, she likes to argue the existence
of Bigfoot, rave about Guillermo del Toro, and write passionate defenses of misunderstood
characters.
To learn more about her fiction and art, visit her website: https://mirriamneal.com/, where you
can find a full list of all her social media, or join the Citadel Fiction newsletter:
https://www.subscribepage.com/b1h5v9
