R.M. Archer's Blog, page 28
October 22, 2019
Book Review: Strange Waters by Phoenix Fiction Writers
The Phoenix Fiction Writers released a new short story anthology on Saturday, and I was fortunate enough to get to read an ARC! If you follow me on Goodreads you’ve probably already seen this review, but I’m super excited to share my thoughts on the collection here, as well. So without further ado, the review!
The Backpack Boy
This story was so well-written and endearing. It so perfectly captured the imagination of a little kid, the interactions between the elephant and the backpack boy were so sweet, and the twist was wonderfully executed.
Finer Things
This is one I struggled to connect with. Judging by what I understood from this story, the world Frank has created is really complex and interesting, but I felt like I didn’t get enough of a glimpse into the world and characters of the story to be fully invested. The writing was well-done, I just wasn’t able to personally connect with this story.
Roanoke
While this story is full of action and suspense, I found it difficult to connect with and didn’t really feel invested in the conflict going on. Though I wasn’t able to engage with it personally, it’s well-written and probably more enjoyable to a reader who enjoys high-stakes situations more than I do.
Kamynosa’s Labyrinth
One of my favorite things in Child of the Kaites was the way Wangler portrayed the relationship between the two main characters, and she’s written a similar relationship in this story. I loved the characters individually, and then their relationship was also extremely satisfying and ended exactly how I’d hoped it would. Plus, the worldbuilding in this story was really enjoyable and I loved the peek into a new culture in Wangler’s world (or at least new-to-me).
Barnaby Brown and the Glass Sea
The characters in this story were so quirky and fun to read. I loved watching them interact with each other. I was so ready to just keep reading this story forever… and then it ended. My only complaint is that it ended too soon, lol. I’m hopeful there will be more to this story in the future, but this was a delightful short.
Through the Lens
It took me a bit to get into this one, and I still didn’t feel fully connected by the end, but the general relationship dynamics between the characters and the glimpse into Dion’s culture was cool. I feel like things could have been fleshed out a little deeper, but I also understand the restrictions of short fiction, so overall this felt like a fairly solid short story.
Ric Vayne and the Curse of the Ghoul Nebula
Something I always enjoy about Shultz’s writing is his ability to use language to fully support the tone and content of the story he’s writing and to vividly paint his characters, and Curse of the Ghoul Nebula is no different. The characters were easy to engage with, Ric himself was a compelling protagonist, the imprecision of Ovo’s translator was really fun, and the whole adventure was perfectly paced.
The Underground
I was initially confused by the shift in POV and struggled to figure out who the second POV character was, but once I sorted that out I was able to follow the story fine. I didn’t connect with the characters very strongly and the plot felt like it didn’t really do much (I didn’t feel like Kef served much of a purpose, and they didn’t really change anything except to discover the Dragons and the Deep, and then that knowledge was only used to help them once and that was the end), but the Dragons and their ship were interesting and I’d be curious to learn more about them.
This Pain Inside
I was so fortunate to get to beta-read this one, so I already knew it was going to be awesome, but YES, IT’S AWESOME. While usually the first thing I gush about when I read Heath’s stories is the worldbuilding–and the worldbuilding in this one was good, also–what shines the most in This Pain Inside is the main character: Charlie. She’s a very authentic character with very real struggles and flaws, but also very real strength, and watching her journey through this story was amazing.
Overall, I really enjoyed this anthology, I look forward to reading more by all of these authors, and I highly recommend checking out their work. ^-^
Add on Goodreads | Buy on Amazon
October 18, 2019
Know the Novel Part 1 – Introduction
Christine Smith is hosting a link-up each month for the next three months (October through December) that’s mainly created for NaNoWriMo authors to share about their NaNoWriMo novels before, during, and after the writing process. (Though you can enjoy the link-up even if you’re not participating in NaNoWriMo!) This month’s link-up is all about introducing your project, so without further ado… an intro to Calligraphy Guild! :)
1. What first sparked the idea for this novel?
I know there were two big sparks that came together to create this story, but now I can only remember one. That’s going to bother me. But the part I do remember is that one night I had a dream about a magical, edible ink that would allow you to rewrite time if you drank it but would make you crazy irritable as a side-effect. The idea got adapted into a magical ink that allows you to rewrite time but that is used like a normal ink rather than ingested.
2. Share a blurb!
Dragon ink allows writers to set history in stone–or to change it. Only the most skilled and trustworthy are allowed into the ranks of the calligraphers, and no one is ever to change the past or the future. But when the Hairen calligraphy guild is set upon by ancient dragons demanding a time-changer be destroyed, Duyên Lai is left to wonder which of her guildmates has broken their oath and altered time.
3. Where does the story take place? What are some of your favorite aspects about the setting?
Ooooooooh. I like this question. Calligraphy Guild mainly takes place in the small Virilen village of Hairen (though they leave partway through… but the exact circumstances of that are a secret), and I adore this little village. Close-knit communities are some of my favorite to read and write, where everyone knows and supports one another, so I love that aspect of the village. And since it’s such a small village, it’s not terribly difficult to develop how things work and who knows who and how and let that color the setting and the story, which is super fun. And the weather is great. Weather is something I don’t play with enough in my stories, but Virilia is in a tropical climate and Hairen is right next to a rainforest, so I’m playing up the temperature and weather more and I’m really excited to explore that as I write.
I could ramble on about the setting forever, so I’ll stop now before I just write a whole post about it. XD (Although if you’d like a post of just me fangirling about my world, I would be happy to provide one. XD)
4. Tell us about your protagonist(s).
There are five of them… You’ve been warned…
Duyên Lai is the “official” main character and first POV character. She’s fairly new to the guild, since she’s only recently come of age, but she’s known everyone in it for ages so she’s super comfortable with everyone. While Duyên is pretty quiet and prefers to let others do the decision-making, she’s always ready to help the others around the guild and when things get tense she does her best to bring everyone back together.
Sairsha Kincaid is the character that the plot revolves around (though I won’t say how because… spoilers). We don’t see a lot from her POV because she has a more flowery voice that doesn’t suit the story as well, but she’s a significant part of the calligraphy guild. If you’re having a bad day, Sairsha will be the one to come ask if you need anything and offer to listen if that’s what you need. She’s super compassionate and sweet, and she adds more beauty and happiness to the guild through her art.
Zen Manh is the guildmaster, and he’s like everyone’s protective, encouraging big brother (or more like a dad, in the case of Ryuu and Duyên). He’s fiercely dedicated to his guild and those in his charge, and he does everything he can to keep the other guild members happy, motivated, and taken care of. When it’s learned that someone has betrayed the guild, he is NOT happy and goes into full protective mode. While he’s very deep and passionate about what he does, he’s also fun-loving and usually able to cheer up anyone having a down day.
Ryuu Tăng is just a little older than Duyên, and he’s the jokester of the group. He’s a little immature and struggles to show that he takes things seriously, but his heart is in the right place and he really does care about the people around him, so he’s often frustrated that people don’t see that. He’s always able to make his guildmates laugh.
Tora Lôi is fairly young, but she’s been part of the guild for nine years and she’s deeply ingrained in the working of things. Though she’s very independent, she’s also a firm believer in the need for community and does everything she can to encourage and spur on her guildmates. She’s the type to tell you you can’t do something to get you to do it (likely because that’s what motivates her to do something ;) ).
There are three other members of the calligraphy guild, but since there are so many, total, I’m only counting the characters that get POV moments at some point in the book. (Am I going overboard with the POVs? Time will tell.)
5. Who (or what) is the antagonist?
Well since the antagonist is a secret, I’ll go with the antagonistic situation, which is the distrust sown among the guild members when they find out someone has rewritten time. The guild members try to work through it, but it really strains things and it’s sad.
6. What excites you most about this novel?
…All of it? Not so much the plotting, because that’s something I always struggle with, but I love the premise and the characters and the character relationships and the atmosphere and the village dynamics and the music and the fact that it centers around writers and… I just really love this book, in case you couldn’t tell. XD
7. Is this going to be a series? Standalone? Something else?
The current plan is for it to be a standalone, but I love this setting and these characters so much that I’ll probably end up writing spin-off stories in the future, lol. (I’m already writing bunches of bonus scenes for writing class assignments, and they’re so. fun.) And since it’s in the same world as Kersir, it’s technically tied in with those, even if they’re not sequential like most series.
8. Are you plotting? Pantsing? Plantsing?
Plotting. Which kind of stinks, because I hate plotting, but I know that without it I’ll just end up with a jumbled mess, so plotting it is. XD I’ve currently finished outlining six chapters out of a (currently) predicted fifteen, so I’m getting there, but I really need to buckle down in these last two weeks and get my outline finished.
9. Name a few things that makes this story unique.
Well… there’s an ink that rewrites time and the balance of the universe is (partially) enforced by dragons, which I think is pretty cool and unique. That’s the main thing. Most of the rest of it I’ve seen in some form in other stories, this is just a new combination of things that have already been done.
10. Share a fun “extra” of the story (a song or full playlist, some aesthetics, a collage, a Pinterest board, a map you’ve made, a special theme you’re going to incorporate, ANYTHING you want to share!)
Pinterest boards! :D I have one for Calligraphy Guild and one for Virilia, and I’m really happy with both of them. (I was going to embed them, but I’m having technical difficulties so I’ll have to just link to them instead. :P)
What are you most excited for in your current project? I’d love to hear about it down in the comments!
October 15, 2019
NaNoWriMo Resource Round-Up
NaNoWriMo is a significant undertaking, and it can help a lot to have some resources to fall back on both during prep for November and during the event itself. Here are some of the resources I’ve found helpful in past years.
Programs
Fighter’s Block
Fighter’s Block is a sprinting tool that’s great for cranking out words. You select a character, set a word count to beat, and hit start. You type directly into the site, and as long as you’re typing: 1) you’re lowering your opponent’s health points, 2) your opponent can’t hit you, and 3) you’re building up your own HP. If you stop typing, though, your health starts to deteriorate. Fighter’s Block has settings for monster speed (how quickly your HP fades if you stop), monster strength (how much HP disappears at a time if you stop), and the look of the word processor (font, size, background color, etc.). It’s a really handy tool, and it’s helped me out a lot over the years since I discovered it.
Scrivener
Scrivener is not a necessary tool for NaNoWriMo by any means, but if you have the money to invest it can be a great tool for November and beyond. It allows you to keep all of your planning notes and all of your actual draft in the same file, so they’re all easy to access and you don’t have to keep switching between windows, and even allows you to see them in the window side-by-side (which I’ve found helpful when referencing an outline). And if you’re participating through the NaNoWriMo site, you can get 20% off Scrivener, or 50% off if you win the event, so it might be worth investing in after NaNoWriMo instead (which I think is what I did a few years ago). But I do highly recommend the software, either way.
Community
Christian Teens Together!
If you’re a Christian teen participating through the NaNoWriMo site, come join us in this forum thread! It’s full of super supportive, kind, open people, and I’ve found it to be a really edifying atmosphere. We pray for each other all the time, we cheer each other on, we have respectful theological debates… It’s just a really cool group, so definitely come join us. :) (Fair warning, though: We talk a lot and it can be difficult to keep up sometimes. XD)
Story Embers
Story Embers is a website that was created with Christian authors–of all ages–in mind. The blog provides awesome faith-based writing advice, and the forums are a fun and encouraging place to talk about the craft, share our stories, and cheer each other on. We tend to be fairly quiet on the forums (at least from what I can tell, but I don’t check the new topics very often), so if you’re looking for something more fast-paced this probably isn’t a great fit unless you join it and another group.
Go Teen Writers
Teen writers in general are welcome to join the Go Teen Writers Facebook group, which is a great place to ask for writing advice and feedback. There are often word wars hosted in the group throughout November, which I’ve found super helpful.
Prep
Preptober Prompts
Preptober Prompts is an event I created last year and I’m trying to improve upon this year. Each day, there’s a prompt to get you thinking about your NaNoWriMo project in a different way than you might have before. If you haven’t been following it up to this point, you can catch up at the post above (there are links to all of the prompts so far), or you can just jump on this week over at Saver of Memories.
Articles:
5 Benefits of NaNoWriMo – Scribes & Archers
Why Bother With NaNoWriMo? – Pen of a Ready Writer
NaNoWriMo Prep Tips – Briana Morgan
Writing for NaNoWriMo: Making October Count – The Sprint Shack
Checklist: 30 Things to Do for NaNo Prep – The Road of a Writer
How to Rock NaNoWriMo This November – Well-Storied
November Tips
Articles:
Writing Tips for NaNoWriMo – A Tea With Tumnus
NaNoWriMo Tips: 9 Ways to Hit 50k in Less Than 30 Days – A Tea With Tumnus
How to Survive + Conquer NaNoWriMo – Jenny Bravo Books
6 Tips and Tricks for NaNoWriMo Success – Scribes & Archers
Side Note
For those of your participating in Preptober Prompts, today is the last day I’ll be accepting prompt submissions! If you want your blog to be featured at the end of this month, submit a NaNoWriMo prep prompt below!
October 14, 2019
Preptober Prompts Day 14 – 2019
The end of the week has arrived, and with it my answers to this week’s prompts. :)
Day 8 – How does your main character feel about music?
All of my main characters love music. Since they live in the lower villages music is a big cultural thing, but they also just love making music and find it a lot of fun. Almost all of them sing around work.
Day 9 – Does your antagonist have a song that’s special to them? What is it and why does it matter?
Seeing as my antagonist is a secret, if I told you then I’d have to kill you. ;)
Day 10 – Do any of your side characters play an instrument? What kind?
Yes, they do. Zen plays the pipa (a Chinese stringed instrument), and both Tora and Sairsha play the Đàn tranh (a Vietnamese instrument similar to a lap harp).
Day 11 – What song takes your MC back to their childhood?
There’s probably a Virilen lullaby that always makes Duyên think about her childhood and her family. She sometimes misses hearing it, now that her siblings are both too old for it.
Days 12 & 13 – Write about a memory your main character has about music
Music, loud and clear, traveled in from the village field to breach Duyên’s window. She looked up from her dolls and listened for a moment to identify the instruments and guess who was playing. Pipa, Đàn tranh, ocarina, dizi… Aside from the ocarina, which was played either by Dai or Diem, anyone could be playing.
Duyên snatched her own ocarina off the dresser and rushed into the kitchen, braided pigtails flying out behind her. Her parents were already in the kitchen, Alachi tuning his ruan and Meuma situating Sakura in the sling on her back. Duyên’s eyes lit up. “We’re going?”
Alachi chuckled. “Of course we’re going.”
Duyên squealed and rushed to the door to tie on her sandals, small fingers fumbling with the straps. By the time she finished, Alachi and Meuma were coming to the door. Duyên hopped up and pushed out the door, following the sound of multiplying instruments as she ran down the dirt road. Duyên pulled up short when she reached the edge of the kyang field and her eyes widened. It had started with only four musicians, but now half the village was playing! Duyên rushed over to Dai, whose colorful scarves made her easy to spot, and hopped up on the porch stair next to her.
“Did you help start this?” Duyên asked.
Dai shook her head and lowered her ocarina. “The Tăngs started it.” She pointed over at a quartet.
The quartet was composed of an alachi, a meuma, and a daughter and a son. Vinh, Sakae, Diem, and Ryuu. She knew Vinh because he’d made her ocarina, and she knew Sakae and Diem because they made a lot of the village’s clothes, but she only knew Ryuu from the few times she’d seen him walk past her house on his way to school.
The first song ended and the Tăngs launched everyone into a new tune that Duyên immediately recognized as a common folk tune. Unfortunately, she couldn’t sing all the words without getting her tongue tied up yet. Ryuu started the singing, and anyone not playing a wind instrument joined in. Duyên decided it was better for her to play along on her ocarina than try to sing it.
The music lasted probably two hours before Dai stood up and announced a break for lunch. As everyone filtered off the field, Alachi and Meuma walked over to Duyên, Meuma bouncing Sakura in her arms.
“Ready to head home?” Alachi asked.
Duyên‘s face fell. “No.”
Dai chuckled. “Would you all like to have lunch with me?”
Duyên lit back up. “Yes!”
“Only if it’s not too much trouble,” Alachi said.
Dai grinned, deepening her wrinkles. “Not at all.”
After lunch, Meuma headed home with Sakura while Alachi and Duyên stayed to enjoy more music. Duyên sat on Dai’s porch step as people started returning to the field, watching for the Tăngs. When they arrived, she jumped up and ran across the field to them, pulling to a stop just before she would have run into Diem.
“Hi,” Duyên said.
All of the Tăngs looked over at her and Diem smiled. “Hi, Duyên. How are you?”
“Good!” Duyên grinned. “I wanted to thank you for starting all this. It’s so fun.” Duyên looked over at Ryuu. “You sing really well.”
Ryuu tossed his dark hair and put on the most arrogant smile ever. “Thanks.”
Vinh, Sakae, and Diem wandered off to talk to other neighbors until everyone had returned.
Ryuu looked down at the ocarina in Duyên‘s hand. “What’s that?”
Duyên lifted it up. “It’s an ocarina.”
Ryuu frowned. “No it’s not.” He pointed to the round ocarina that Diem had set on the stair, in contrast to Duyên‘s nearly triangular one. “That’s an ocarina.”
“They both are.”
Ryuu snorted. “Two of the same instrument can’t look that different.”
“Yes they can.” Duyên frowned and placed her hands on her hips. “Ask your alachi. He made them both.”
“I don’t have to ask.” Ryuu snatched the ocarina from Duyên and ran off.
Duyên shrieked. “Hey! That’s mine!” She ran off after him, pumping her little legs as fast as they would go.
Duyên caught up to Ryuu and tackled him, grasping for her ocarina. As they both fell to the ground, there was a crack and Ryuu yelled. Duyên scrambled out of the way as he rolled over, nearly rolling on top of her, and her eyes widened as she saw that a shard of her precious ocarina had embedded itself in the middle of his chest. Panic flooded her mind.
“Help! Help!” Duyên frantically cast around, and a handful of villagers ran to the rescue. Duyên looked back at Ryuu, eyes wide. “I’m so sorry.”
Ryuu simply grunted with pain as Vinh scooped him up.
Sakae set a hand on Duyên‘s shoulder. “What happened?”
“He stole my ocarina and ran off and I chased him and… I didn’t mean to!” Hot tears began streaming down Duyên‘s face.
“Oh, sweetheart.” Sakae wrapped Duyên up in a hug and stroked her hair. “It’s not your fault, sweetie.”
Day 14 – What song describes your MC/What is your MC’s theme song?
I actually have no idea. :P
What was your favorite prompt this week? Don’t forget to follow Saver of Memories for the coming week’s prompts!
If you want to submit a prompt for the end of this month and get a chance to have your blog featured, you only have two days left! I’m closing submissions tomorrow night, so get your prompts in now! :)
October 12, 2019
October 11, 2019
October 10, 2019
October 9, 2019
October 8, 2019
Preptober Prompts Day 8 – 2019
^ Full week 2 prompt list, just in case anyone wanted to be prepared.
Character Interview: Sairsha Kincaid
Since I’ve trimmed down my posting schedule, I had to choose just one member of my Calligraphy Guild cast to interview this month. I love ALL of the Calligraphy Guild MCs, but Sairsha ended up selected since really the plot revolves around her (though she’s not the primary protagonist). Sairsha is an artist, calligrapher, and orphanage volunteer. Enjoy her interview! :)
Sairsha: *comes in and bows slightly to the interviewer*
Interviewer: *returns the gesture* Good morning. How are you? *gestures to an open seat*
Sairsha: *sits* I’m doing well, thank you. How are you?
Interviewer: I’m well. Are you ready to get started?
Sairsha: *nods*
Interviewer: What’s your name?
Sairsha: Sairsha Duyên Kincaid.
Interviewer: Zwee-en? *glances at his sheet* That’s not how I would have guessed that’s pronounced. *chuckles*
Sairsha: *smiles apologetically* My middle name is Virilen. But yes, it’s roughly pronounced Zwee-en.
Interviewer: It’s a beautiful name. Do you have any siblings?
Sairsha: *shakes her head* Only child. But I consider the calligraphy guild my family. Zen is especially like everyone’s big brother. *chuckles*
Interviewer: You work as a calligrapher?
Sairsha: *nods*
Interviewer: What got you into that?
Sairsha: My best friend introduced me to it when we were young and I found it to be a beautiful–if less expressive–art. It came easily to me, and becoming a calligrapher allows me to work with Raiden all the time. *smiles*
Interviewer: Is art important to you?
Sairsha: Oh, definitely. I’m a calligrapher, of course, and in my free time I also paint. When I have the opportunity I enjoy pottery, as well. Art is a lovely mode of expressing truth and also of brightening someone’s day. The greatest feeling is when you can make someone smile because of your art. *grins*
Interviewer: That sounds wonderful. Do you like creating art for anyone in particular?
Sairsha: I donate a lot of my paintings to the local orphanage. It gives each of the orphans something that’s their own and something to brighten up their space when the orphanage budget doesn’t allow for a whole lot of decoration.
Interviewer: Do you have a specific passion for orphans, or do you enjoy helping people in general?
Sairsha: Some of both. I love helping everyone, but orphans, the disabled, elderly widows… I try to particularly help those who have even less of a means of taking care of themselves. Obviously everyone needs help, and everyone has times they can’t take care of themselves, but in my experience it’s generally these few who have the hardest time and I like to help them.
Interviewer: Besides charity and your art and whatnot, do you have any hobbies?
Sairsha: I like to dance and sing, and I play Tora’s Đàn tranh every now and then.
Interviewer: You’re very involved in the arts. *chuckles*
Sairsha: *chuckles* Who in Virilia isn’t?
Interviewer: *nods* *glances at question sheet* Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
Sairsha: Introvert.
Interviewer: What’s your favorite food?
Sairsha: Cheesecake, if that counts. Otherwise, either chicken noodle soup or turmeric fish and noodles.
Interviewer: All of those sound delicious. I imagine that as a calligrapher you enjoy reading?
Sairsha: *nods*
Interviewer: Do you have a favorite?
Sairsha: *laughs* Well… *thinks* Duyên writes fiction in her spare time. She’s not looking to publish any of it soon, so I don’t know if it counts, but it’s very good. *smiles*
Interviewer: Which of these is most important to you: kindness, intelligence, or bravery?
Sairsha: Kindness.
Interviewer: And honesty or selflessness?
Sairsha: Ooh… I think selflessness breeds honesty, so I’ll go with that.
Interviewer: Is there anything you can’t leave home without?
Sairsha: I take a drawing pad, paintbrush, and small palette with me most places.
Interviewer: All right, that was the last question. It was lovely to talk with you! *smiles*
Sairsha: You, too! *smiles and stands* *bows*
Interviewer: *returns the bow*
Sairsha: Have a good day.
Interviewer: You, too. *smiles*
Sairsha: *leaves*
