R.J. Metcalf's Blog, page 2
May 27, 2021
Ben Dubray
Oh Ben. How you’ve grown.
I remember walking home with Mike (I say walking as if I wasn’t 8 months pregnant and waddling), discussing this story and throwing around ideas, and our discussions of Ben, and how he’d get to Terrene, and what implications that meant for returning to Earth. Me asking questions about the Void, and Ben’s military unit, and realizing just what kind of personality he’d have to be to swallow the pain of all that’s happened and keep moving forward.
It takes a special kind of stuff to lose so many to senseless violence, and not give in to the dark despair and grief and anger. To purposefully show kindness and love. To be the opposing force.
To quote Tadashi, from Disney’s Big Hero 6, “Somebody has to help.”
Some folks are born with compassion in their every fibre. They didn’t have to learn how to look out for the little guy, didn’t have to have their eyes opened to those struggling to get through the day, the hour, the minute. They see the dirty, scuffed-up gentleman on the side of the street, trying to get back on his feet. The mother at the store, trying to buy enough food for her kids, but having to also budget just so that they won’t lose their house.
Ben ain’t perfect. Far from it. But he has that lens for others that I absolutely love. He reminds me of a retired fireman I know, who, at first impression, is an imposing giant of a guy, but once you meet him, you learn he’s got the softest heart for people and he’s the kind of guy you want fighting in your ring with you.
I hope to be that kind of person. The one that’s encouraging others, and one who can and will and does shield those that need that protection until they can get on their feet again.
May 25, 2021
Zak and Zaborah Monomi
Yesterday was Jade, so I feel obliged that today should be Zak. XD
What can I say about our beloved Monomi? He genuinely surprised me. I knew he’d have a fairly tragic backstory (losing one’s idol and brother in such a traumatic way would do that to a soul), and I knew he’d be Jade’s friend and protector, and possible love interest, but…I wasn’t expecting the depths of him. The moments of humor and intensity, the times he’d actually throw logic out the window. (seriously, that kissing scene in Void Born? That was not in my outline. That was all them.) I love his devotion and commitment to doing what is right and true. Even in the face of adversity.
…even in the face of defying everything the Author planned, dagnabit, Zak, you and your stubborness. XD
Which leads me to also including Zaborah. Oh, how I adored her responses to her brother while everything was happening
in Aerugo. As my dear friend, Jamie Foley, said during Alpha reading, “Zaborah is the logical one that needs to smack heads together!” And you know what? It’s absolutely true.
Zaborah was always the fierce fire, the embodiment of the Monomi fighting spirit (and her name is 100% a play off the name Deborah, the judge from the Bible). Strong and true, she sees things much more black-and-white than others sometimes do, and she’s not afraid to call out her little brother when she determines he’s acting irrationally.
Quick thinking on her feet, battle-ready, and strategic, she’s got much that I wish I had. Alas, strategy is something I learn very slowly, and often have to rely on Mike to help me figure out. But I know several women who not only have great strategic skills, but they are amazingly kick-butt, and roll with the punches in life. They get punched down, but they roll back to their feet and keep going. They’re an inspiration not only to their families, but to their friends, and the watching world.
Never give up.
Monomi Strong.
May 23, 2021
Character art – Jade Stohner
Sooo…I got some character art done recently. And I’m absolutely in love with all of them (as if I wasn’t already in love with my characters before!).
If you already follow me on social media, you’ll have seen some of them already, but I reckon I should have them all here for easy access if anyone wishes to reference them for any reason. So, without further ado, I shall start sharing them! Because, well, why not? ^_^
She’s pretty recognizable, but having a visual representation of Jade just makes my heart warm and fuzzy.
The sketch of Jade was made a few years ago, and I absolutely loved how Jirina captured our fiesty mechanic in beautiful pen strokes. And having her colored in? Even better. (though I’m still tempted to someday print out the sketch of Jade and color her in with pencil just because I can. I mean, how fun would that be?!)
Maybe I’ll someday get art done of Brandon and Sapphire together, where we can really see what traits Jade gets from Sapphire (ok, but really now, that did hurt, having Sapphire die. I knew she would before I ever started writing, and it still hurt.) Gosh, can you imagine if Jade actually grew up with Sapphire as her mother? And Samantha and Garnet as her aunts, as it all should’ve been? What trouble they’d get into…
Hmm. That’d be a fun, bittersweet “what if?” fanfic to write someday. If everyone made it through, and things were “as it should be” and how would that look? Interesting idea, that…
Also, check out Jirina’s art! She’s fabulous, and I adore her work!
And here’s a LOVELY Zade art by Julia Busko. Seems pretty spot-on for some of their Renegade Skyfarer moments, eh?
March 19, 2021
When there are no words
If you follow me on social media, you’ve already seen the update from my personal life: my mom died February 23.
It was one week prior to that, February 16, that we learned the cause of her two-month-long sickness. They finally did the right tests, but too little, too late. She had stage 4 breast cancer that had metastized to her bones and into three tumors in her brain. She came home on hospice that Friday, and was gone by Tuesday night.
It was fast.
So painfully fast.
Knowing she’s in Heaven, knowing she’s without pain, without sickness, knowing that I’ll see her again someday…even with all those truths and promises… The grief is stifling. I miss her. So much. We had frost on the trampoline a few days ago (a rare thing in SoCal), and the first thing I wanted to do was take a picture and send it to mom. It’s the little things that hurt most. When I want to call her to tell her about the bunny the boys saw. When I think to drop by the house and startle her when I come in through the garage, instead of the front door.
She’s not there anymore.
And this grief is only coming to smack me around now. Up until Wednesday this week, I’ve been detached and numb. Able to function and do things as needed. Which was great, cause I was able to get the ebook of Blood Bond sent off to my proofreader, and order physical copies to send to my print-edition proofreaders. But now the waves of grief sweep over me, trying to drown me on solid ground.
I’d had the hopes and intentions of having a big marketing push to advertise this last book in the series, but, well, I literally have an alarm on my phone right now set to remind me to eat lunch every day. We’ll see how things progress from here.
It’s been a brutal start to 2021. Watching mom get sicker and sicker, not knowing why, and having the gut feeling of dread sink deeper and deeper. And then a diagnosis, followed by a week of hard grief punctuated by her passing, and then blissful numbness and detachment until the emotions pour in.
But God is good.
I’m resting in his promises. I have faith and I have peace, that allow me to not mourn her as if I’ll never see her again. I know she’s in Heaven, and I have blessed assurance in my own salvation and that I’ll someday join her at Christ’s side. But, for this moment in time, there is still deep sorrow for the end of a season, that she’s not a simple phone call away. I can’t hug my mom anymore. Talk story ideas that she’ll nod to, even if she wouldn’t ever read my books. I can’t listen to her talk endlessly about the squirrels in her backyard, and how her beloved grandsons tried to catch said squirrels. No more hearing about Dodger games, or the Hallmark movie that she and dad were watching.
It’s quieter.
And in the silvery silence, there are prayers, dropping like raindrops from my lips, as I trudge through this shadowed valley. The curse of sin and death are still plagues upon these times, though hope is bright and eternal, and I reach for that light.
May God’s peace and grace reach out to you this day.
January 12, 2021
October 17, 2020
A bit closer…
Blood Bond is back in my hands! *squee!*
Edits look like they won’t be too bad, but it’ll still take some time, considering all that I’m juggling in life right now. (Hello, homeschool and tutoring and Christmas present making and housework. O_o Who needs sanity, right?…) Assuming all goes well, Blood Bond will be releasing late spring! Woo hoo!
Along with that happy news, I’ve seen a sneak peek of the cover, and I’m pretty excited for when it’s done. And once that’s done being beautifully crafted, the pre-order will be set and ready to go! **fist pump**
In the meantime, I’m keeping up with bookstagram on IG, so if anyone wants to jump in and join me there, I’d love to chat and hang out with you lovelies!
As for 20020… I hope y’all are still swimming. It’s been a rough storm for everyone in one way or another, and while we’re all in it, I know some are weathering it in a yacht, and others in a dinghy. Chin up. Reach out if you need a hand. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. And if you can, escape into a book, just so you can have a breather. 
August 23, 2020
These days
It’s been a strange year, hasn’t it?
Nothing is going the way any of us hoped or planned, and one way or another, we’ve all felt the hardships of 2020. For myself, 2020 started on the heels of a very difficult 2019, so it’s been one blur of a tough season. That being said, there’s some good highlights I can share!
Blood Bond is in my editor’s wonderful hands for the next round of developmental edits! I’m sincerely hoping that it’ll come out by Spring 2021. I’ll update that date after I get my edits back and I see how much I need to change.
We got new bookshelves and storage for our boys homeschool books. The one downside to being both an author and a long-term homeschool family is that we’re always needing more bookshelves. So thankful that IKEA is quasi-close, and that they deliver during this pandemic!
We finished the bathroom mold remediation and remodel! Since we’ve finished that work, I’ve been able to think and breathe better, and the boys seem to be recovering well, too. Mike barely showed any mold sickness, so he’s still his spry self. ^_^
I’m wondering if it’d be helpful to post homeschool tips for those that are finding themselves in this new season of life. It’s one thing for those of us who go into homeschool, knowing and planning for it, being mentally prepared and having work situations figured out. It’s another for those that are thrown into it, and with the added stresses of juggling jobs and not really being prepared for kiddos 24/7…it’s a lot.
(And, for those that may be in California or other states that are currently on fire, that’s yet another stressor. Yeesh.)
If I hear back that homeschool tips are desired, I’ll compile some stuff to share.
Stay safe, y’all.
November 16, 2019
California
For those who’ve seen recent news, California has experienced much these last few weeks. We’ve had countless fires, several small earthquakes, and now a school shooting.
One of those fires and the school shooting happened in my hometown.
It’s been an emotional few weeks, to say the least. Fire and evacuations and concern over family and friends while watching the news, praying for family and friends homes, followed by several weeks of hives due to allergies/stress, and then, once the waters calm a bit, a new storm to rock the boat.
Dear reader, I pray you never have to experience such horrors as watching one of your local schools deal with such tragedy while you wait by your phone waiting to hear from friends, desperate to know they’re safe.
And if you’ve experienced such trauma, I welcome you to sit on my digital couch and share in tea and Kleenex and have a safe place to process.
All this say, it’s been emotionally draining. I’m still hard at work, writing Blood Bond. But I want this book to the best it can be, and with all that’s been happening, I know I’ll need to take a bit more time than I have with all my other books. I’m pretty close to rock bottom with energy, and that’s not a good state of mind to write from. So I’ll be focusing on helping my family and community through these dark days, to help us all find the light and hope we need. And I’ll work on that final book as I go, to make it everything it needs to be. Because my readers deserve the best.
Keep reaching for the light.
#SaugusStrong
Isaiah 43:1-2
“1 But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
July 31, 2019
Good things to those who wait
Y’all have waited so long. So patiently. And at long last, I am relieved to give you the news you’ve been hoping to hear.
Traitor’s Crown is almost ready. It’ll be out on September 5!
And the cover is gorgeous. Another stunning work of art by Magpie Designs Ltd. (I may have to get a poster made from some of these covers. Seriously now!
You can pre-0rder the Kindle edition, but for the paperback, you’ll unfortunately have to wait to hit the “buy” button on release day, but it’ll be ready and it’ll be gorgeous and, believe it or not, it’s even bigger than any of the other books. Makes me a bit nervous about when I’m done with Blood Bond. ^_^’
This…this book took a lot out of me. There’s some topics in this that are difficult to swallow, but they are so real, and so present around us, and, unfortunately, these are the topics that most look the other way and pretend that don’t exist. Someone has to speak up. Someone has to show the pain and tragedy–and then the hope, the healing, the light at the end of the tunnel.
I say this not to scare anyone away, but to warn that yes, the night is darkest before dawn. But when that sun rises and those golden rays touch the land, chase the shadows? There is a unique beauty to that moment, and it’s worth waiting for.
~*~
The barrier has fallen.
Panic looms over the Leaders’ Summit. With war on their doorstep, Jade must decide what she is willing to do to help unite the southern kingdoms, even if it means marrying for duty rather than love. But the sudden re-emergence of her father, Doldra’s lost Prince Brandon, throws all of her plans to the wind. His desire to restore their relationship could prove her only hope out of an unwanted marriage or destroy the fragile dream of a united southern coalition.
And in the dark depths of the Hollows, Raine must find allies for herself if she’s to survive the horrors of the mines. Not everyone is as they seem, and some friendships come with a price that is far too costly.
Unaware that their enemies have placed their sights on the Hollows, Ben and Geist take on a covert mission with one goal in mind: Find Raine. Protect her. But when complications arise, they learn that things are much worse than anticipated.
With the southern countries crumbling before the threat of invasion, they must find the strength to stand firm—before the north enslaves them all.
March 30, 2019
Level Up!
I feel like I’ve leveled up as an author.
I mean, yes, I have three books published. Yes, I have two manuscripts that are in various stages of editing. Yes, I’m pre-writing book four, and yes, I have rough outline of the stand-alone novel. And that’s all well and good and awesome in its own way, but today was a whole new adventure for me.
My first book signing at our local Open Book, and to my greatest joy, it was a smashing success! We walked in with four and a half boxes brimming with books, and left with two boxes that rattled a bit on the way out. Truly, I’m still a little stunned. And so very grateful for such an amazing first experience.
I couldn’t do this without the support of readers like y’all, and every “hi”, every review, every purchase, every message at 2 am yelling at me for what choice a character made (true story, my phone practically blew up at 2 in the morning once because of a reader who was so invested, and it made me cackle in glee for the rest of the day), all those little gestures mean so much to me. It’s what keeps the fire in my belly. And I appreciate y’all so much more than you imagine.
So, thank you, everyone. Thank you for coming out, thank you for reading, thank you for being awesome. And here’s to more book signings, and hopefully all over the nation!
