R.M. Archer's Blog, page 43
September 26, 2018
Romanov Cover Reveal
Nadine Brandes is working on another historical fantasy novel! This one is an Anastasia retelling, and the cover has just been released. *squeals* First, some info on the book.
The history books say I died. They don’t know the half of it.
.
.
.
.
Anastasia “Nastya” Romanov was given a single mission: to smuggle an ancient spell into her suitcase on her way to exile in Siberia. It might be her family’s only salvation. But the leader of the Bolshevik army is after them . . . and he’s hunted Romanov before.
Nastya’s only chances of survival are to either release the spell, and deal with the consequences, or enlist help from Zash, the handsome soldier who doesn’t act like the average Bolshevik. Nastya’s never dabbled in magic before, but it doesn’t frighten her as much as her growing attraction for Zash. She likes him. She thinks he might even like her . . .
That is, until she’s on one side of a firing squad . . . and he’s on the other.
Sounds AWESOME, right? :D The book releases May 7, and it’s a standalone.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Also, it’s already available for pre-order! You can find all the links you need RIGHT HERE.
Now for the cover… Drumroll, please!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
TA-DA!!!!!!!!
Isn’t it beautiful??? If it sounds like a book you’d enjoy, go pre-order ittttttt. It’s gonna be fabulous. ^-^
September 25, 2018
Special Event Announcement
I mentioned in my August wrap-up post that I was planning a blog/Twitter challenge for October, and it’s finally close enough that I can share more specifics!
Yayyyyyyyy!
Preptober Prompts is pretty much what it sounds like: a series of prompts to help you prep for NaNoWriMo. About half of them will be directly related to your NaNoWriMo novel and prep, while the other half will primarily be exercise for your writing muscles. The first week is all character prompts, the second week is description prompts, the third is NaNo prep prompts, and the fourth is flash fiction prompts.
For each day of October, aside from Sundays, a prompt will be posted on a blog and on my Twitter account (follow me if you’d like to participate there!). But I won’t be hosting alone. The first week of prompts will be here on Scribes & Archers, the second week will be on Ozark Mountain Cailins by RaeMarie, the third week will be on Of Rainy Days and Stardust Veins by Allie, and the fourth week will be on Wildflowers and Cosmic Tea by Leila. Make sure to go subscribe to their blogs to keep up with the challenge!
There are multiple ways to participate. First, you could simply write from the prompt for yourself. Second, you could download the day’s prompt image and share it on your own blog along with the writing that came of it. Third, you could comment on the blog post or tweet with a link to the writing piece. Or you could do some combination of the above or come up with your own creative way to participate. (I believe these graphics would work for Instagram, if you’re active there and want to do that, or Facebook if you’d like to share with your friends or a writing group or followers of your author page.)
Also, October has three “extra” days without a category, so I’d love for you, the readers, to submit your own fall-themed writing prompts in the form below. In the third or fourth week I’ll set up a poll of the submissions and let you pick the three prompts for October 29-31.
Loading…
Does this sound like fun? I’m super excited for this to get underway, and assuming it’s well-received this year I’m planning on making it an annual thing, with a different theme each year. I’d love to see you participate! ^-^
September 23, 2018
Short Story Sunday: Sonder
Lately I haven’t written a lot as far as my novel goes, nor have I edited anything in the past week (that’s something I need to fix this week), but a friend of mine made a list of writing prompts and I’ve written a couple of short stories. I think my favorite is this first one, Sonder. Enjoy. :)
I walk against the crowd, shoulders slumped and collar up against the rain. I bump into someone every two seconds, but in a city like this no one cares. Unless they do. But I think those people are just having a bad day and need someone to yell at. That happens a lot in this city, I think. There’s a lot to give someone a bad day. Take the rain, for example. Cold. Wet. Gets into everything. But hey, it is what it is. The rain can’t help itself. It just gets too heavy up there and has to fall. Imagine if you had a hundred barbells on your arms, wouldn’t you want to drop them? That’s like clouds and rain, I think. They have it tough just like us down here. We’ve all got different problems.
The girl in the supermarket who yelled at the customer behind me for being too loud on the phone probably just got dumped or something. The mom cussing at her kid in the aisle probably had a really long day. I don’t condone the cussing or the yelling—there are better ways to handle your frustration—but in those kinds of situations I always try to find some way to make their day better. I was buying flowers for my little sister’s dance recital, so I handed one to the girl in the supermarket. She smiled, and I think I saw tears in her eyes. That smile is what I love to see. It makes me smile, too. I offered to carry the mom’s groceries for her for the rest of her shopping trip and she turned her cussing on me, but better me than the kid. Y’know, it doesn’t always work. Sometimes you offer the wrong thing at the wrong time. But sometimes it’s just the thing someone needs, and I always like being that person who brings a little bit of sunlight into someone’s rainstorm, y’know? Brings a smile to their face.
We’re not the only ones dealing with things. I always say if we lash out in return to someone we only make things worse for both of us, but if you try to be nice… it may not help the other person every time, but it’ll always help you, and often it’ll help the other person too. It doesn’t take that much more effort to be nice to someone.
I jostle into another person.
“Hey, watch where you’re going!”
I look up into the eyes of an angry man and give him a smile. “Sorry about that. Have a great day.”
I only glimpse his wide eyes briefly before I turn back into the crowd to continue on my way. I hope I was enough to make his day better.
I take a seat under a department store awning, wrap up in my coat, and close my eyes to sleep.
September 19, 2018
Character Interview: Kaitlyn Walker
I’m sorry this is going up later than usual. I’ve been off my game with almost everything this week. :P Things should smooth back out next week, and I have a fun announcement set to go up next Tuesday!
Kaitlyn is another The Shades and the Elect character, a friend of Madi and Braedyn‘s, and she’s simultaneously fun and terrifying. (At least in RPs.) She’s a daredevil, practically fearless, and loves bringing her friends on her adventures. She’s also fiercely competitive and will about kill you in soccer. Enjoy her interview. :)
Kaitlyn: *enters the interview room and shakes the interviewer’s hand* Hello!
Interviewer: Hello. How are you today?
Kaitlyn: *sits down* I’m doing well. How are you?
Interviewer: Doing all right. Are you ready to get started?
Kaitlyn: *nods*
Interviewer: What’s your name?
Kaitlyn: Kaitlyn Marie Walker.
Interviewer: How old are you?
Kaitlyn: Seventeen.
Interviewer: Do you have any siblings?
Kaitlyn: Nope. Just close friends. *grins*
Interviewer: Do you have a job?
Kaitlyn: I’m mostly occupied with school.
Interviewer: Do you have a favorite subject?
Kaitlyn: Gym. *grins* We play all kinds of sports and I’ve gotten pretty good at a lot of them. Soccer’s definitely my favorite, though.
Interviewer: I don’t think I’ve heard a lot of people say gym is their favorite subject. *laughs*
Kaitlyn: You’d probably find more at my school than anywhere else. It’s hard work, but a lot of fun.
Interviewer: What are your hobbies, aside from sports?
Kaitlyn: I enjoy pulling pranks. Jeevan and I pull pranks all the time. There’s actually a huge rivalry between us to see who can do the better prank. *grins* Also watching movies with the gang, and going on various adventures, that kind of thing. I enjoy pretty much anything I do with my friends.
Interviewer: It sounds like y’all are a pretty close-knit group.
Kaitlyn: Oh, definitely. School has done a great job of bringing us together. *grins*
Interviewer: What’s your favorite movie?
Kaitlyn: Um… I think I’d have to say Lord of the Rings. We have an annual marathon and it’s the best. We’ve all about memorized the whole trilogy. *laughs*
Interviewer: That sounds like a lot of fun. Do you dress up or cook special food or just watch the movies?
Kaitlyn: It depends on the year. We’ve dressed up in the past—I’m always Legolas—we’ve made a whole big banquet with all the hobbit meals, but some years we just sit curled up under blankets with popcorn and enjoy the movie. *smiles*
Interviewer: Why Legolas?
Kaitlyn: He’s just cool. And his hair is always perfect. *laughs* Although one year Braedyn and Madi convinced me to go as Pippin instead so Jeevan and I were Merry and Pippin.
Interviewer: *chuckles* That sounds like a lot of fun. Is Legolas your favorite character, then, or do you just enjoy dressing up as him?
Kaitlyn: No, Pippin is definitely my favorite. He’s a lot like me, getting into endless trouble and wreaking havoc. Although I do it intentionally more often than he does, I think.
Interviewer: We’re coming to the end of my list. Which of these is most important to you: Kindness, intelligence, or bravery?
Kaitlyn: Bravery, for sure. Life is really boring when you don’t dare to live. *grins*
Interviewer: And honesty or selflessness?
Kaitlyn: Honesty.
Interviewer: What’s something you can’t leave home without?
Kaitlyn: My bracelet. *lifts her hand to show an amber-bead bracelet* Jeevan got it for me shortly after we started dating and I haven’t taken it off since.
Interviewer: All right, well that’s all I’ve got. *smiles* Thank you for your time.
Kaitlyn: Absolutely! Thanks for having me. *grins and heads out*
September 16, 2018
Snippet Sunday: The Heart of the Baenor
Catessa stepped onto the porch of the temple and clambered up one of the pillars. The carved stone dug into her hands and scraped in places the architects had failed to smooth, but she ignored the pain. She reached the top, sprinted across the roof, and perched herself atop a lonely spire. From the spire she could see across the glowing city to the place she despised the most- the inner ring. She stared at it for several minutes before tearing her gaze away in rage. The night sky glittered from the light of a thousand stars as she pulled out her pendant. Hate filled her gaze and blurred her vision as she pulled her arm back and threw the jewel as hard as she could to the slick gravel. It glistened in the torch-light and hit the ground with a brittle crack. As she peered down, she could have sworn the firelight shone white against the purple jewel.
It’s just a trick of the light, she told herself. But she couldn’t keep her eyes from it. Something about it had changed.
She slid down from the spire, darted back across the roof, and climbed down the pillar, muttering to herself all the while about stupidity and good-for-nothing nobles. When she reached the ground, landing hard enough to jar herself, she sought out the pendant. It was open. Her heart thundered as she picked the locket off the cobblestone.
Inside there were no drawings, no notes. Only a single white rose petal, brittle and aged under Catessa’s fingers. Catessa snapped the locket closed in disgust. She didn’t need this. But still, it could lead to-
What am I thinking? she asked herself. They’re nobles!
She threw the locket down again, and this time it didn’t snap open. She began to walk away, but stopped short and turned back to pick it up, shaking her head the whole time.
September 13, 2018
Book Review: Through the Pages by Annie Louise Twitchell
Spring will always follow Winter.
Misty doesn’t know who she is. Nineteen years old, she’s trapped inside who she has been, with no idea who she could be.
When she goes to Mill’s End to take care of her stubborn, book-loving grandmother, she finds herself torn between past and present. The answer to who she is lies hidden in her grandmother’s library. Her path to find herself takes her through the fading pages of dusty books and the memories of a woman who has lived a full life. It is up to Misty to write the final chapter to the dearest story of them all.
Through the Pages read like a Hallmark movie, and, fortunately, I have a soft spot for Hallmark movies. It’s sweet, predictable, follows the basic plot formula of: Girl with no purpose moves to a country town, meets a challenging friend/family member, learns important life lessons, and finds her purpose, all while falling in love with a sweet country boy. I think the thing that draws me to these stories most is a combination of the characters and the whimsy of the setting, and that was no different in Through the Pages. The characters, while simple, are endearing. Misty herself wasn’t my favorite, but it’s common for the main character to not be my favorite so I don’t think that was necessarily an issue with Annie’s writing.
I did think that character development and character relationships were rushed in a lot of places. Misty’s emotions tend to ping-pong, especially at the beginning, and I saw a lot of conflicting feelings more than a smooth progression. Obviously having the change be too smooth and agreeable would be unrealistic, but I think Misty’s character arc needed some refinement.
The timeline in this book is rather rushed through, which works most of the time and fits the story, but I feel like we lost some vital relationship growth and individual character growth through the timeline gaps. If we’d been able to see the character growth that happened in between it would have been fine, but it seemed like the characters’ arcs didn’t progress during the weeks and months that were skipped and we were just thrust back into the same struggles they’d had before.
The setting of Mill’s End, however, was wonderful. Particularly in the first half, as we were becoming familiar with the town alongside Misty, it had a great whimsical feel to it and I loved the details that went into that. Misty’s first date was probably my favorite section; the Lakeside Diner really caught my attention and made me wish I could go to a small town for a while and enjoy the peace and quiet and community.
Overall, the characters and setting were enough for me to enjoy this book a lot even though I would have preferred more depth in the character development. The overall themes were good, and I consider Through the Pages a four-star book.
The e-book edition of Through the Pages is on sale for the remainder of the blog tour (until Saturday) for $2.99, so go check it out!
About the Author
Annie Louise Twitchell is a homeschool graduate who is obsessed with dragons and fairy tales. She enjoys reading, writing, poetry, and many forms of art. When she’s not writing, she can often be found reading out loud to her cat, rabbit, and houseplants, or wandering barefoot in the area around her Western Maine home. In addition to seven published works, she has several poetry awards and pieces in four anthologies.
September 12, 2018
Character Interview: Braedyn Carter
Braedyn is a character from The Shades and the Elect, like Madi from last week, and another RP favorite. He’s sweet, loyal, and protective. He’s a mechanic on cars, the rare airship (as in: he built the only one in existence as of SATE), and watches. He adores building and repairing watches. He’s also one of those people who’s good at just about everything, so in addition to being a mechanic he also plays a handful of sports and at two musical instruments. (Where he gets the time, I don’t know. But I can tell you for sure that such people do exist, so it’s not… quite as unrealistic as it sounds. XD)
He’s one of my favorite characters of my own, and I hope you enjoy meeting him. :)
Braedyn: *comes in and shakes the interviewer’s hand with a smile* Good morning.
Interviewer: Good morning. *returns the smile* How are you today?
Braedyn: I’m doing well. *takes a seat* How are you?
Interviewer: Also doing well. I’ve heard a lot about you and I look forward to talking to you.
Braedyn: *chuckles* What all have you heard?
Interviewer: You’re a whiz at everything you try, according to your friends. Particularly mechanics.
Braedyn: *laughs* That’s not true. I’m good at a lot of things, but I’ve definitely tried things I was bad at, and I wouldn’t say I’m a whiz at most things. I do think I’m a pretty good mechanic, but I don’t have exceptional proficiency with anything else.
Interviewer: I also hear you do a lot of different types of mechanics. What’s your favorite?
Braedyn: Watches, definitely. I like playing around with all the tiny gears and making more and more elaborate watches that are still practical.
Interviewer: Do you do that for a living or just as a hobby?
Braedyn: That’s a hobby. My living comes from car mechanics.
Interviwer: Do you have any other hobby projects like that?
Braedyn: I do, actually. I generally have a vehicle I’m working on for a while, and currently that’s a DeLorean like from Back to the Future. I’m working on getting it to fly right now.
Interviewer: Oh wow. That’s impressive.
Braedyn: I know the basic procedure, since I’ve built other flying vehicles before, but applying that to an old car is a bit harder. *chuckles*
Interviewer: What sort of flying vehicles have you built?
Braedyn: A couple of years ago I finished building an airship.
Interviewer: And what is that like?
Braedyn: The ship or the process of building it?
Interviewer: The ship.
Braedyn: It’s big, probably the size of a small cruise ship. It was built of a bunch of abandoned car parts so it has more seams than I’d like, even though I welded all the pieces together as smoothly as I could. But it’s nice and shiny black, since my friends helped me spray-paint the whole thing. And it’s safer than you’d think, to see all the seams; I’ve taken it out on multiple flights and it’s a sturdy thing.
Interviewer: I’ve heard you also do sports and play instruments. How do you balance your time among all your hobbies and work?
Braedyn: *takes a breath* Well, the sports are kind of tied in with my boarding school; we play a lot of sports to stay fit. And I’m not great at all of them, despite what I know my friends would say. *laughs* I’m really only great at football and basketball. With the others I’m mediocre, at best. And my instruments are a lot more of a side hobby. I can go months without practicing because I get busy with everything else. The hardest thing to balance is probably school and work. School has a really… fluctuating schedule, so I never know when I’m going to have time off to go home and work at the shop. Fortunately, everyone back home knows me pretty well as a mechanic and they’re not put-off by the weird schedule.
Interviewer: Where is home, for you?
Braedyn: The Emerald Edge, which was called Manhattan back before the Catalyst.
Interviewer: That’s really cool. So you’re versed in old-world history?
Braedyn: *nods* Another hobby of mine, and another that ties in with school. The Catalyst was what brought about the need for the school in the first place, so it’s helpful to know how it came about and what happened before and whatnot.
Interviewer: Y’know, I actually haven’t gotten to my question list at all yet. *laughs* I’ll try to be selective with my questions, since we’ve already talked a lot.
Braedyn: *eyebrows raise* Oh wow. Yeah.
Interviewer: *glances at question sheet* How old are you?
Braedyn: Seventeen.
Interviewer: *eyes widen* Seventeen? And you have a reputation in Manhattan for mechanics and you’re keeping up with a billion and one hobbies?
Braedyn: *chuckles and looks at the floor* Well, I wouldn’t say ‘keeping up,’ necessarily. But yeah.
Interviewer: Do you have any siblings?
Braedyn: No, but Jeevan’s like a brother to me, and Madi’s kind of like a sister. Jeevan and I grew up together, and Madi’s parents knew my mom so we became friends pretty early on, too. The other members of my class are close, too, but not as close as Jeevan or Madi. And I’m pretty familiar with Madi’s siblings, too. *smiles*
Interviewer: That’s awesome. Were you and Jeevan neighbors, school friends…?
Braedyn: My mom took him in when we were about three, actually. My mom knew his parents and when they were killed in an accident Jeevan was left with us.
Interviewer: I see. Was it weird having him move in?
Braedyn: *shrugs* I was little, so mostly I was just excited to have a brother. And that hasn’t changed. *smiles*
Interviewer: That’s awesome. Um, do you prefer movies or books?
Braedyn: Books. Especially Wayne Thomas Batson’s Dreamtreaders and Miranda Marie’s Fire Rain Chronicles.
Interviewer: Both old-world series.
Braedyn: *nods* The literature was really good back then, as a whole, and there hasn’t been a whole lot of new writing since the Catalyst.
Interviewer: That makes sense. I really enjoy both series, as well. Which of these is most important to you: Kindness, intelligence, or bravery?
Braedyn: Kindness. Both of the others are valuable – bravery, in particular – but I think kindness is the most important, and the key to the others being effective.
Interviewer: And honesty or selflessness?
Braedyn: Selflessness. It’ll bring about honesty, and it also provides value to the kindness, intelligence, and bravery from the last question.
Interviewer: What’s one thing you can’t leave home without?
Braedyn: A tiny flat-head screwdriver and whatever watch I’m currently working on. I like working on them as I travel and whatnot.
Interviewer: *nods* That’s really cool. *extends a hand* It was great talking with you.
Braedyn: You too. *smiles and shakes the interviewer’s hand* Thanks for having me.
Interviewer: Oh, my pleasure!
Braedyn: *heads out*
So what do y’all think of the idea of joint character interviews? Kind of like the one with June and Wren, but usually more civil, lol. I think it would be kind of fun to be able to show the character relationships between some of them (like Braedyn and Madi), but I want to know what you all think first. Maybe I could make those my last-Wednesday interviews, rather than guest interviews? (Since I don’t do those often enough anyway. :P) Fun? Not-so-fun? Let me know in the comments!
September 11, 2018
My Writing Process
I’ve written this post once before, but my old version was less about my full writing process and more about how I organized my writing after starting a bullet journal, so I’m going to make an actual “My Writing Process” post now.
Step one: Have a BRILLIANT idea
I couldn’t find the “Lightbulb” gif, so this is gonna work. At some point (likely in the middle of the night) I’ll be hit with a FABULOUS idea that consumes my brain for the next… however long. Characters, plots, and worlds do acrobatics in my head and turn themselves into something workable, providing a launching pad for more focused brainstorming. (Wait… do I do that?)
Step two: Let the idea take over
For a limited amount of time, sometimes a day or sometimes as long as a week, I jump full-force into the idea. I put together a Pinterest board, write down everything I know about the idea so I have it for later, sometimes brainstorm places that aren’t quite working yet, etc. I mostly let the idea grow naturally and don’t stop it for a day or a week.
Step three: Set the idea aside
Because, chances are, I’m working on another project at the moment and don’t dare start another one until the first is finished. The new shiny gets set on the back burner to be added to very infrequently as ideas come up.
Step four: Forget about brilliant idea
As I take years finishing my main project (and the main project after that. and the main project after that.), I completely forget about the new shiny. Completely.
Step five: Find brilliant idea years later
When I finally have time again and I want a story to write (who am I kidding. those random story ideas will never get written. I have too many series for that.), I pull out the Pinterest board and basic ideas I put together when the idea first came to me and get hit with the stroke of GENIUS that must have brought this idea about. (Or the sheer idiocy. It depends.)
Step six: Set up a basic outline
I don’t like this part, but I have to have some sort of loose outline or I’ll aimlessly wander and never get the story finished. *cough*TheShadowRaven*cough* Soooo, I plan. At least a little bit. :P
Step seven: WRITE!
I start cranking out the first draft, which is… sometimes faster than other times. I can look like Flint here, or I can look more like a snail trying to type. Ideally I look like Flint, so we’re gonna go with that. I may start my novel in November and get as much done as possible during NaNoWriMo or, more often, I start a novel in the middle of the year, make some progress on it, stall, and then get another boost for NaNoWriMo. Whatever the case, I write about the first half.
Step eight: Crash into a brick wall
Eventually, I will stall out. I will fall down some major plot hole or have no idea how to get the characters from point A to point B, and I will stall. For too long. And kinda-sorta half-heartedly brainstorm ways out of the dry spot. And then I’ll talk to my dad about it and he’ll solve the problem in fifteen minutes.
Step nine: Finish the novel and have a party
Actually, I generally don’t officially celebrate finishing novels (I should), but there’s often a lot of internal celebration all the same. That book is FINISHED. For now.
Step ten: Take a break
All right, who am I kidding? I’m always working on some project alongside my first draft. I’ll still be working on whatever that is. (Later draft of an earlier novel, editing for someone else, blogging at the very least…) But I take a break from this project and let it sit so I can come back to it later with fresh eyes and…
Step eleven: Edit
This is where I come back to my book, realize it’s a total disaster, and start totally reconstructing it. It can take me at least three months to deal with the second draft, depending on the extent of reconstruction necessary and what percentage of the book’s development actually went well in the drafting stage. (The Shadow Raven is going to be a nightmare to edit.) But once I get into it, assuming I like the story, it’s actually pretty fun for me. I enjoy turning the mess I made in the first draft into something salvageable, and then good, even. It’s a really nice feeling to make something better.
Step twelve: Repeat step 11 anywhere from once to five times
House of Mages had three drafts. The Heart of the Baenor is going to have five before I even send it to a professional editor who’s not my dad. *in TV ad voice* Repeat as necessary for your book to reach its highest potential.
Step thirteen: ACTUALLY have a party
I’ve been working on this thing for at least a year, it’s finally as polished as it’s going to get, you bet I’m actually celebrating this time. Ice cream, cake, new books that I really don’t have space for on my TBR…
Step fourteen: Plan out all the pre-publishing stuff
This actually happened during some round of edits, because this stuff takes a lot of planning. Brainstorming social media promotion, blog promotion, ways to make promotion appealing instead of salesy (possibly the hardest part. easier, though, when you’re planning ahead.), brainstorming blogs to contact for a blog tour, etc. There’s a lot of stuff to get done. All of which probably gets scheduled/done before I finish the final draft (at least ideally), but I have yet to get here so we’ll see.
Step fifteen: Publish the book and have another party
You have come to the end of your work with this novel. Go celebrate! All of your hard work has finally paid off and now you just have to get your book into the hands of readers by force of will and… do it all again with another novel.
September 10, 2018
Snippet Monday: The Archery Champion
I said I was going to do a snippet this week because I haven’t the past two weeks and then I was busy all day yesterday and today, but I SAID I WAS GONNA DO IT AND I’M GONNA DO IT. Better late than never, right? (I need to get back to Saturday being my blog-post-writing day. :P)
The Archery Champion is some book in the Daughters of the Hylands series (I can never keep straight what order books 3-5 go in.) It’s about Malanda, oldest daughter of King Elk and Queen Crimson of Remera, who are main characters in The Half-Elves before they become king and queen. (They’re also my favorite.) Malanda loves archery and decides to start entering tournaments in The Hylands, which are known for their archery, and then… I’m not sure what happens because the planning in this series was terrible. But I have that much and I’m working off of that for this excerpt. XD
Without further ado…
Malanda took a deep breath and stepped onto the range. The crowd erupted into cheers and she smiled and waved once before taking up her place across from the second target. She adjusted her grip on the bow, carvings pressing into her hand, and shifted her fingers along an arrow in the other hand. She kept her eyes focused on the target in front of her, but kept aware of her surroundings. Soren was to her left. Eli, Annika, and Cornel to her right.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, almost as loud as the roaring crowd, and she tried to tune out the noises. Soren glanced at her, and she thought she saw him smirk. Was he still that cocky?
Leomer took his place to the left of the range and some tension loosened in Malanda’s shoulders. She finalized her grip on the bow as the announcer lifted his arms. The crowd’s roar died down. Malanda’s gaze didn’t move from the tiny red dot in the center of the target.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have come to the semi-finals.” Leomer allowed the crowd to cheer a moment before silencing them again. “Our remaining champions are Soren Mallenor, returning with a two-year winning streak.” Another crowd eruption. “Malanda Arun, crown princess of Remera.” Malanda took deep breaths as the crowd cheered. “Eliam Reyn, duke of Lanestyr. Annika Mallenor. And Cornel Iren, duke of Oryan.”
When the roar had died down again, Leomer looked toward the contestants. Malanda took a deep breath.
“Contestants, ready!”
Malanda knocked her arrow. Breath out.
“Aim!”
She brought the bow up, pulling the arrow back. She breathed in as the feathers brushed against her cheek. She was just as taut as her bowstring.
“Fire!”
Malanda let go and joined the chorus of twanging bowstrings, her breath leaving her as swiftly as the arrow had.
Thunk. Her arrow hit dead center of the target. She finally let herself look toward her opponents. Soren had made a bulls-eye, of course. Eli was a hair too far left. Annika had struck true.
There was no arrow in Cornel’s target, and she found out why as soon as her gaze strayed to him. His bowstring was broken and he was glaring straight at Soren, red-faced.
“You cheated! You sabotaged my bow!”
“I did no such thing.” Soren was calm. Collected. Haughty as always.
“The round will need to be replayed,” Leomer said. “Sir Iren, go see to a new bowstring.”
Cornel stormed off.
September 6, 2018
Book Review: The Clocks Have Stopped by J.L. Oakman
This book is rather difficult to review, because it’s an anthology containing numerous short stories and poems, and obviously I’ve enjoyed some of them more than others. All of the pieces in this collection are poetic and thought-provoking, even if I didn’t necessarily agree with the philosophy presented in all of them. The writing style, though it varies from story to story, is extremely engaging and otherworldly, like the stories themselves, and many of the stories take unexpected twists that leave you mildly bewildered (which, in the case of this book, was a good thing). I particularly enjoyed Deux Ex Experia; that twist was wonderfully executed.
I don’t tend to be a huge fan of poetry, but the majority of those contained in The Clocks Have Stopped were engaging and read more like stories than poems (though, as I said, the whole collection had a poetic tone to it).
While there were a few pieces I found myself not enjoying, they were only a few, and in a collection like this you can stand to read a few less enjoyable pieces among a lot of more engaging pieces.
I would warn that there is language used, and there are a few instances of other more mature details (nothing too glaring for me personally), so you may want to read with caution.
Overall, it earns four stars from me.
