M.L. LeGette's Blog, page 34
January 11, 2014
In Paperback: The Orphan and the Thief
I promised to keep you posted on where you can buy book 3. It is now available on Amazon at the reduced price of $10.31. I got my proof copy in and it looks fabulous.
Remember, you can get a free kindle copy now until Monday!
January 10, 2014
Spotlight on the Review #6
Happy readers make happy writers
Karen’s full review:
M.L. Legette conjures up a captivating magical tale in The Orphan and the Thief. I loved this story and I could not put my Kindle down until I finished the last page. I hope there is a sequel. It is a beautifully told and written story. I fell in love with the characters, especially little Hazel, the Spit-Fire tiny dragon. Each charming character created by the author is so brilliantly drawn that each one captures the imagination and draws the reader in from start to finish. This charming story is so good that it may very well become a classic.
In the imaginary land of Calendula is thirteen year old Melena, the orphan, who has a talent for mixing magical potions and has been indentured for most of her life to Mr. and Mrs. Bell, the cruel owners of an apothecary shop. A twelve year boy named Toad, an irascible thief, has lived with a band of thieves, called the Ramblers, since he was a toddler. Together Melena and Toad embark on a quest, along with Melena’s irresistible little Spit-Fire dragon, Hazel, and a strangely charming and enchanted beer mug, called “Joe” that has the esteemed title, “The Thief Lord’s Beer Mug”.
Melena’s greatest desire is to find her long lost brother, and Toad’s greatest desire is to save his “hide” from the likes of the evil Mr. Owl and his henchman, Mr. Ogg. Along the way, during their perilous quest, they were snatched by a Snatcher, barely escaped being eaten by Ogres, nearly drowned by a Slinkwing dragon, and almost murdered by Mr. Ogg. Fortunately, Agatha, a time-warping spider, and Joe, the Thief Lord’s Beer Mug, help Melena and Toad out of their most treacherous predicaments.
In this enchanting tale, The Orphan and The Thief, we find that Melena and Toad discover a secret they never could have dreamed of and you will not want their story to end. This enthralling magical tale is chock-full of unforgettable characters that will warm the cockles of your heart.
THE ORPHAN AND THE THIEF is available FREE on Kindle. Now until Jan. 13.
See what others are saying:
January 9, 2014
Book Quotes ~ The Orphan and the Thief
From the book:“I don’t know what kind of pick pocketers you’ve been associatin’ with,” Toad said with a cocky grin, “but I ain’t no slouch.”
For once, Mr. Owl did not reply. He merely looked at Toad. The stretch of silence unnerved Toad more than Mr. Ogg. He quickly glanced back down at the list, though he could not distinguish the scribbles anymore than before.
“What are they?” he asked.
“They are ingredients, Mr. Toad. Ingredients to a potion.”
“What kind of potion?”
Mr. Ogg spat onto the floor.
“Mr. Ogg does not approve of how inquisitive you are, Mr. Toad,” Mr. Owl observed. After a slight pause, he added, “Neither do I.”
Toad clamped his mouth shut.
“We must make our terms before you set out on your way. If you give me all the ingredients on that list by February 1st, then you will move on from this night with a clean slate. I needn’t inform you what will happen if you don’t. Are we agreed?”
Toad managed to hitch a grin. “I told ya, gent. If ya need ’em, I’ll steal ’em.”
THE ORPHAN AND THE THIEF is currently free on Kindle.
(Jan. 9 — Jan. 13)
January 8, 2014
The Orphan and the Thief
Reblogged from A drip of Truth:
The Orphan and the Thief by M. L. LeGette description:
Toad thought it’d be easy to steal from Mr. Edward P. Owl. Unfortunately for Toad, he isn’t the best of thieves. Caught in the act, he’s in more trouble than ever before. Now to save his hide, Toad must track down five rare potion ingredients for Mr. Owl. Or else.
Thank you so much, R.G. for the glowing review!
Simply Wonderful // Anne Taintor
The feature where I share my obsessions, my interests, and the little things that make me giggle — welcome to Simply Wonderful! I pin all my Simply Wonderful entries on Pinterest. Feel free to browse my collections.
Simply Wonderful Presents:
Want more Simply Wonderful?
Harry Potter Typography by The Readables
January 7, 2014
The Orphan and the Thief :: The Making Of, Part 3
Welcome to Part 3 in the making of my novel, The Orphan and the Thief. You can find Part 1 here and Part 2 here.
The Orphan and the Thief is now published! Get it on Kindle. It will also be FREE on Kindle Jan. 9 — Jan. 13.
The Thief
Of all the characters in this one, my thief changed the most. In the beginning stages and through the first half of the writing, Toad was just a side kick. He was a charming kid who liked to steal, but couldn’t quite do it properly. He was for humor. And he had a great name.
Whenever I discussed the book to family, Toad was the one who ALWAYS garnered the most attention, and I would always think, “why are you excited about Toad? He interesting, but he isn’t the story.”
*File away for a future books* :: When someone is interested in character, take the hint and run with it.
I have a bad writing habit. I focus on the main character and the plot line that focuses around her. If, during the writing, another character starts shaping his own plot line, I ignore it, because we have to stick with the plan.
This book really attacked my habit.
When I started revising the story’s plot, I decided that Toad needed major attention. I loved writing him. People loved the idea of him. So he needed to play a bigger role. And he was a thief, for God’s sake! That’s literary gold! Luckily, I had already been working on an idea that he fitted into with aplomb.
Toad came very naturally to me. He’s lived on the street, under the influence of a gang of thieves, his entire childhood, so his morals are different from Melena’s and they naturally rub each other the wrong way. He’s got spunk and enthusiasm. But the best trait about him is his ability to rebound. He’s always got a plan B. I really, deep down, love Toad.
I had every intention that the book was still going to be told through Melena’s perspective, even after I rewrote the beginning two chapters, featuring Toad, but a friend was relentless that Toad needed the same amount of time in the spotlight, and I’m eternally grateful that she wouldn’t back down. The novel works far better told through both of them and the writing experience was both a challenge and a lot of fun.
In the end, Melena still won with two more chapters than Toad, but there was little to be done to change that — those chapters needed Melena’s stamp on them.
January 3, 2014
♥~A great book for the younger reader~♥
Reblogged from Garside's Book Bets:
The quest is about to begin!
Toad thought it’d be easy to steal from Mr. Edward P. Owl. Unfortunately for Toad, he isn’t the best of thieves. Caught in the act, he’s in more trouble than ever before. Now to save his hide, Toad must track down five rare potion ingredients for Mr. Owl. Or else.
All Melena Snead wants is her family back, but after the Miggens Street Fire, that isn’t very likely.
Thank you so much Lori for spreading the word!
Published! The Orphan and the Thief
Excitement! The Orphan and the Thief, my third novel, is now available on Smashwords in numerous formats.
The book has been uploaded to Kindle, but it generally takes 12 hours for it to appear in their system, so I will keep you posted. It can also take up to 3 weeks for the book to appear in iTunes, Nook, Oyster, Scribd, etc, etc, etc. I will keep you posted.
The proof copy of the paperback has been mailed to me. It may take a week or so before it is up for sale, but I will also keep you posted.
But what are you doing still reading this?! Get over to Smashwords quick and download my book.
With lots of love,
Melissa
p.s. If you’re willing, reviews make my heart sing.
December 29, 2013
The Orphan and the Thief :: The Making Of, Part 2
Welcome to Part 2 in the making of my novel, The Orphan and the Thief. If you missed Part 1 :: The Idea, you can find it here. Otherwise, let’s get cracking.
The Orphan and the Thief will be released early 2014.
The Orphan and her Dragon
Melena Snead
Melena Snead was the first character to pop into my brain, moments after the idea for a potions hunt burst into life. She was scrawny, dirty, smudged, and rather quite small, leaning against a broom that was far taller than herself. She came to me so vividly that I can still bring back this image with clarity. Her hair was yellow and tied in a long, scraggly braid, with bits of hair falling loose about her face—crinkled and singed from bending over a hot fire all day.
Her name also came easily. I don’t know where Melena stemmed from, but I’m fairly certain that Snead was on the back of a jersey, whether it was football or baseball, I have no idea.
Melena was always an orphan, even in the early stages of her development. As a writer, I need my main characters (especially if they’re children) to be without parents. It works much easier that way for them to go have long dangerous trips away from home. In the beginning, I played around with her being related to the owner of the apothecary where she works, which will be discussed in a future post, but in the end I decided to leave her very much on her own, except that she has a pet dragon named Hazel.
Hazel
Hazel is a Spit-Fire dragon; my mom was the one who came up with the name Spit-Fire and I love it. In my setting of Calendula, there are lots of dragons, all sorts of breeds, even though only three are mentioned.
Spit-Fire dragons are the only breed to be successfully tamed. They’re very small—similar to a large cat or smallish dog. Spit-Fires come in a radiant spectrum of colors: rusty-red, icy blue, coal-black, soft lavender, with golden-yellow being the rarest. They are extremely loyal and make excellent guard animals. They have all the natural characteristics of a dragon: wings, leathery scales, claws, teeth, and fire-breathing ability … just on a much smaller scale.
Hazel, drawn by Abigail Larson.
Spit-Fires are expensive. They are for the wealthier crowd, but because they make such fabulous pets (especially for children), many families save up enough earnings to get one.
Melena finds Hazel in an alley—Hazel was so small that she fit right into Melena’s 6-year-old pocket. Spit-Fire’s aren’t normally found abandoned in street alleys, hiding behind trash bins. Most likely, Hazel was not deemed up to scratch by the dragon breeder (I think of Hazel as being a bit of a runt), plus her green color would be seen as boring in the Spit-Fire sellers eyes, as green is the most common. So out she goes. I expect the breeder intended to drown her in the Hickory River, but Hazel (being resourceful even at such a young age) escaped from the satchel and scurried away to be later found by a 6-year-old orphan.
Next up: Discussing the Characters :: Toad, the Thief
December 22, 2013
News: The Orphan and the Thief, Seeking Early Reviews
Happy Holidays!
~To lead up to the publication of The Orphan and the Thief, I will be writing a series of posts focusing on its creation. I’ve already posted the first in the series, which you can see here, and the second will be up soon. I’m still trying to figure out how many of these posts I’ll be doing, but right now I think there will be eight.
~I am actively looking for early reviews of Orphan. If anyone’s interested, the formats are epub, mobi, and pdf. You can contact me directly (creative.legette (at) gmail.com) or sign up to this read and review group on goodreads.
~Fellow writers, this is for you: Be My Guest or join the Books on Parade.
~Don’t forget, you can get a taste of The Orphan and the Thief through pictures on Pinterest. It’s coming Early 2014!
~Other than Pinterest, you can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Shelfari. You can also sign up for an email alert through Amazon when The Orphan and the Thief is finally published.
Cheers!
Melissa
