Grace A. Johnson's Blog: Of Blades & Thorns, page 34

Review: To Dwell among Cedars by Connilyn Cossette

*Warnings*

#1 This is a long review, so pull up a chair and grab a bowl of popcorn. You’ll be here awhile. #2 When I read a review, I want substantial information. So I will not skimp on the details. Which may mean some spoilers, so watch out.

Did I purposely order a copy of a book I had no idea if I would like at all just so that I could read and accurately review the free copy of the second book I was getting in the mail?

Yes.

Do I have any regrets?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

I will try to keep this review short, I promise. Considering the fact that I have no idea how to put into words what I feel about this book, I might be able to uphold that promise.

Or I’ll shatter it to pieces. We’ll see.

After a dry period in the Christian fiction I’d been reading, To Dwell among Cedars was a huge refresher! Unlike contemporary and even some other historical eras, biblical fiction is always very spiritual, so I shouldn’t have expected anything less, but you never can tell these days. Not to mention biblical fiction can be very draining, what with all the pagan cultures of the Philistines or Babylonians or Romans...not fun.

So on that note, Connilyn Cossette did a fabulous job of accurately portraying Philistine culture and just the general degeneracy of the Gentiles of that time, without overloading me with freaky evilness and making me sick. Because seriously, guys, as much as I love the Mark of the Lion series, Francine Rivers nearly made me sick with all that mess. Some things you just don’t want to read about.

Moving on…

Technically speaking, every aspect of this novel was perfect. Cossette’s historical details and content, the way she wove in biblical events and Scripture, the blend of cultures, the splash of imagination, the intriguing plot—all perfect.

On top of that, Cossette’s writing was so beautiful. I wish someone had told me that before, so I could’ve devoured all her other books… Anyway. There were moments of vibrant poetic descriptions, which I always love, but she never went overboard. Everything was so well-balanced, from the descriptions to the action to the inner thoughts of the characters. Perfection on every account!

Speaking of balance, the pacing of this novel was crazy. The whole thing blew by so quickly! I don’t know if I just read it fast or what, but even though it wasn’t rushed in the least, I wolfed this book down in a day. (Pretty sure it only took me a day.) So, yes, the pace was balanced—not rushy but not dragging either—but this is not a book you can read one chapter of at a time. This is one of those all-consuming stories that you drop everything to finish.

As much as I loved how well-executed this story was, that wasn’t my favorite part. That wasn’t what makes me want to rate it a million stars.

It was two things. Just two simple things.

(Okay, technically, it was more like...five simple things, but you can combine four of those to make one and yeah...never mind.)

The characters. And the chills. OH MY WORD THE CHILLS!

Yeah, we’ll start with the chills.

I think, for the longest time, I was torn between how the story was going to unfold—on a spiritual level, mainly—because of Ronen. (Getting to him in a bit.) He was...such a Baptist. Hate to say it, but he really was just like a Baptist. Fundamentalist, political, religious, had absolutely no faith in the supernatural. He was all the time doubting God—and more importantly, His power.

No offense to Baptists, of course. Y’all are great people. My grandparents are Baptists. I come from a long line of Baptists. (And Catholics. And some Jews. And lots of stick-worshiping pagans. Never mind.) My point is just that you had Ronen with his disbelief in the power of God and Eliora with her childlike faith in it. Hence why I would compare her to a Pentecostal.

But all these people are Jewish and I’m not here to debate theology, believe it or not.

Now where was I? Oh, yes. Ronen.

The novel was torn between doubting Ronen who thought the stories of miracles and the Ark were all myths and Eliora who had seen them with her own eyes—so I was on the edge of my seat waiting for Ronen to witness God’s power, unsure how in the world the set-in-his-ways old man was going to literally see the light.

But that wasn’t even the message.

I mean, it was. Because of things I can’t say for the sake of spoilers. But, in the end, what gave me the chills was what Ronen pointed out as wrong in Eliora’s thinking… “No matter what happens now, promise me you won’t hide your light anymore. There is no song more beautiful than the one the Creator is composing in every note of your life, one he’s been weaving together before your first breath.”

Oh, and you know, of course there was the sermon that Yoela preached.

DOES IT GET ANY BETTER? NO. NO, IT DOESN’T.

Seriously, you guys, every word that came out of Yoela’s mouth was so Holy Spirit-breathed—and they didn’t even have Holy Spirit then!

“He is the God Who Sees. There is no place you can go to escape his vigilant watch over you.”

“It is not the Ark you must follow, my precious child. It is the God who made you.”

I mean, that whole time, I was watching for someone to preach to Ronen, and yet it was Eliora who needed to hear from the Lord, and ah! the things she heard!

Amazing. Just...amazing. I seriously did get chills while reading that.

Now, the other thing was the characters. All of them—Elazar, Yoela, Eliora, Lukio, Ronen, Samuel—they were each and every one of them so endearing and lovable.

Not to mention just having Samuel show up was like the most epic thing ever. He was pretty much awesome.

And then there was Lukio. LORD IN HEAVEN I WANT LUKIO.

Okay, so like even when he was a little boy, he was a munchkin. (And the definition of that sentence is that he was a munchkin at fifteen... As weird as that sounds, he was.) I was already claiming him as my boyfriend in this book, so y’all can imagine how serious our relationship was once I started reading Between the Wild Branches.

Anyway, that’s not the point. The point is that I adored Lukio throughout this book. The way Cossette developed his character was SUPERB. He wasn’t just a minor character; he wasn’t glossed over; he wasn’t in the least bit unrealistically portrayed. He was so real and just...gosh, he was perfect.

As for Ronen, well, let’s just say that I don’t have the same feelings for him as I do Lukio. I mean, I kinda called him a Nazi and a traitor and just...yeah, suffice it to say I hated his guts for being a lying, cheating, stealing rebel. Or was he a loyalist? Whatever the case, I didn’t like him.

And yet, I did.

In the first part, young Ronen was just adorable, of course. Loved him to pieces. But come the second part, eight years (it was eight, wasn’t it?) in the future, Ronen was so jaded and cynical and evil. (Granted, there are worse people. Like actual Nazis.) I just couldn’t bring myself to fall in love with him, you know? And yet, his character was so real...he was just as blinded and deceived as anyone, and like I said, he did see the light.

Not to mention the way he really and truly loved Eliora and tried to befriend Lukio and was just so vulnerable and lost...okay, yeah, I did love him. It just took me a while to get there.

But this was one of the very rare instances where I actually loved the heroine more than the hero.

Weird, right?

Yeah, well, Eliora was FABULOUS. She was my kind of heroine—peaceful and compassionate and caring and loving. She was so tenderhearted and vulnerable without being weak or petty. She wasn’t overbearing or rude or sarcastic or at all like the feminist heroines in every other era. (Because for some reason authors are convinced that all girls must strive to be feminists, no matter who or what or when they are. Like, people, get over your agenda. That goes for Christian authors too. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with heroines who value family, are kind, and respect authority. Eliora proved that.)

And then at the end? She handled Ronen’s lying so well. Y’all, Eliora was just plain perfect. She really was.

And the romance overall was perfection. I know I’m more for passionate, toe-curling kisses and serious tension and enemies-to-lovers romance—but when a writer like Cossette writes a sweet, emotional, slow-burn romance like this? I’m in romantic’s heaven. I loved every subtle moment of emotional connection and tender words and that one sweet kiss at the end...ugh. My heart.

To be honest, this entire book was perfect. I seriously have no idea why I haven’t read anything by Connilyn Cossette before. Suffice it to say that I will be DEVOURING every book of hers from now on—and you should too.

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About the Author

Connilyn Cossette is a Christy Award and Carol Award winning author whose books have been found on both ECPA and CBA bestseller lists. When she is not engulfed in the happy chaos of homeschooling two teenagers, devouring books whole, or avoiding housework, she can be found digging into the rich ancient world of the Bible to discover gems of grace that point to Jesus and weaving them into an immersive fiction experience. Although she and her husband have lived all over the country in their twenty-plus years of marriage, they currently call a little town south of Dallas, Texas their home. Connect with her at www.ConnilynCossette.com

#biblicalfiction #romance #slowburnromance #bestheroineever #pureawesomeness #christianfiction #igotchills #biblicalromance #historicalfiction #iaminlove

GraceAJohnson.com Gets a Whole New Look!

You may have noticed when you pulled up this post that my site looks a wee bit different.

It is.

Y'all remember when I asked you to take a reader's survey for me? I asked a bunch of questions that made little to no sense? Yeah, that one. You remember it.

Anyway, this is what I did with your feedback.

I revamped my entire site.

I changed the colors, the theme, the layout, the fonts, my logo, my tagline - all of it. And I like it. I mean, I'll prolly change it again in a couple years, but for the most part, I'm in love with my new designs!

First, I want to give a HUGE thank you to my AMAZING friend Grace (whom I lovingly call Other Grace)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She did me the BIGGEST favor ever by drawing the GORGEOUS sword and roses for my logo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Grace, you're the best, girl. Thanks a MILLION!

Next, I want to give y'all a quick tour of the site and all that's changed. Starting with...

The Blog

I underwent a name change. Yep. You are officially reading a post on Of Blades and Thorns. Obviously, this name is waaaaay cooler. And it was kinda chosen for two boring reasons: (1) I was tired of the old name - Gabbing with Grace - and (2) I wanted something that went with my new logo/brand.

Hence a name that corresponds with the sword and roses.

But that's not the only significance that Of Blades and Thorns holds. It's also a nod toward the death of Jesus - the blade that pierce His side and the thorns in His crown. This way, we'll all be reminded of Jesus's ultimate sacrifice for us and the reason why I'm blogging in the first place: for Him.

About Me

Not much has changed about this page, I suppose. But you may remember that I used to have a page called “My Writing Journey” that detailed how I became a writer. When I started on my site updates, I moved it to my about page to keep things a little more concise, you know?

But if you go check out my about page, it’s not there. If you’re interested in learning about my writing journey, I'll be posting that section in a post on my blog.

I decided I had something more important I needed to share than just how I became a writer (it’s a pretty uneventful story, to be honest). Lately, I’ve been seeing more and more “Christian” books that are full of, well, un-Christian content. From profane language to accepting the theory of evolution to being more comfortable with fairies and magic than the name of Jesus. Worse than that, the authors of these books are actively supporting this content and these ideals.

It’s disappointing to me and so many other young Christians.

Hence the section of my about page…possibly the most important section on my entire site: my writer’s creed.

I suggest you read it. You might find it...inspiring. *shrugs* I'll leave that up to you.

Books

I mean, the purpose of this section hasn't changed, but the layout of the individual pages has. They're much cleaner and more concise now - plus I have the links to free downloads of my short stories and quotes from each book!

For Authors

This section is, you guessed it, for authors. All my services - from reviews to proofreads - are here. At this time, most of these pages are "coming soon," which means I have some more work to do building the individual pages and getting all my info up.

Other Stuff

There's actually not an "other stuff" page...but some of the other things that have changed are my footer (there's, like, stuff in it now), my newsletter subscription page, and my media kit page. Plus, I've added a page for you to join my street team - check it out here!

What do you think?

Let me know your thoughts on all the new/upcoming pages, the new homepage, logo, blog name, colors, theme - all of it! Of course, not everything's perfect - there are probably a lot of things I'll fix/change in the future and maybe even new pages I'll add - but for the time being, I'm satisfied! What about y'all???

Review: At Her Fingertips by Kellyn Roth (and More Goodies!)

*Warnings*

#1 This is a long review, so pull up a chair and grab a bowl of popcorn. You’ll be here awhile. #2 When I read a review, I want substantial information. So I will not skimp on the details. Which may mean some spoilers, so watch out.

What can I say? I think it’s common knowledge by now that I have thoroughly enjoyed Kellyn Roth’s novels and that I view her as an amazing writer, in league with Christian literature’s top authors. Every installment of her Chronicles of Alice and Ivy series was entertaining, deep, unique, and so very well-written.

So naturally I jumped at the chance to beta-read At Her Fingertips and then later to read the ARC (both of which I barely finished in time).

The things that struck me while reading it the first time haven’t changed, but seriously, guys. It’s better the second time around. This novel is without a doubt a five-star read (but I’m unofficially giving it four and a half so that Ivy’s story can get the full five stars)!

First, I just have to say that I absolutely love Roth’s writing style. Now that Alice, one of the POV characters from The Dressmaker’s Secret and the heroine of Becoming Miss Knight, is eighteen years old, Roth’s prose has flourished! In some ways, it’s still seven-year-old Alice talking—because though all of her characters have grown and matured, they haven’t changed a bit—but in others there is this Austen-like slant to her voice that makes every paragraph such a pleasure to read. There’s something about the way Roth writes her characters’ thoughts, intersperses their opinions through a distant third-person perspective, and crafts such deep and witty dialogue that reminds me greatly of Austen.

On top of that, everything else is basically an Austen novel—albeit set almost seventy years in the future—from the pacing to the settings to simply the way the story unfolds.

I love it.

On that note, Roth inspires a lot of thought in AHF. To be honest, she’s done the same with her past novels—which I absolutely adore—but this time we have a message, almost a problem that must be solved. And like Austen, Roth presents multiple points-of-view on the subjects of love and marriage, developing each perspective (from Alice’s and Ivy’s to Nettie’s and Claire’s to Gibson’s and Peter’s) so perfectly that you can’t help but understand everyone’s opinion. In the end, we’re led to mull over what we’ve learned (and all the thought-provoking comments Peter made that could’ve started arguments in their own right) and draw own our conclusion from the outcome of each character.

Make sense? Eh, probably not, but weird philosophical stuff like this is seriously my jam, so I enjoyed it. And I enjoyed listening to Peter put in his two cents—er, pence, I should say—every so often. The man is unceasingly full of wisdom.

I love him.

But have I made it to him yet? No. I’ve still got to talk about Alice and Gibson and Nettie and probably gush a bit about Kirk too.

(Did I mention that this review is going to be really gushy? No? Oh, well, you’ve been warned now.)

Remember what I was saying about Alice not changing? Yeah, let me expound.

So y’all know how Alice was stubborn and didn’t always listen or understand when she was a child? She still the same. Still has the same mannerisms and voice and little nuances that haven’t ever left her—and that’s one of the main things I like about Roth’s characters and just like about how Roth writes in general. I honestly don’t know if I can think back to a single series I’ve read that had characters so vibrant and real in it. From the children to the grandparents, they’re all so well-developed and they retain their individual personalities throughout the entire series! Not to mention, the way the side characters (like Claire and Gibson and Mr. Parker, etc.) are portrayed is just as strong from the perspective’s of other characters as it is or would be from their own.

Without a doubt, Roth is a master with characterization. She never misses a single beat.

Speaking of Alice...have I ever mentioned I don’t like her? Like, at all. There are so many little things—from her personality to her attitudes and actions to her personal views—that I just don’t like. If she were any other author’s character, from any other series, or any other heroine, I’d probably just hate her guts and continue to love on my man Peter.

But she’s Kellyn Roth’s character and she’s Alice Knight (or, well, technically she’s not Alice Knight, she’s really—ach, spoilers; don’t mind me). Therefore, I must love her, because even if I don’t agree with her or like her, I still admire the strength of her character and how well Roth has developed her to the point where I completely understand every aspect of her skewed philosophy, even though I disagree with it. Make sense? She’s perfectly imperfect, and just so unlikable, and yet I can’t help but love her.

It’s complicated.

As for Peter? AUGH! I mean, every other review that you’ll ever read for this book will be FULL of gushing over Peter, trust me...so I’ll try to keep my own gushing tamped down. Just...Peter was amazing. He was almost perfect, you know, but his being good was an imperfect in and of itself, so therefore he wasn’t entirely perfect—he was just the kind of guy every girl wants in her life, am I right? He was so sweet and awkward, but almost always confident...in a humble, his-assurance-comes-from-God kind of way, not in the least bit arrogant. He was kind and loving and compassionate and helpful and respectful and so wise and perceptive.

Not to mention he’s a writer. And German. And on top of that, American. I mean, does it get any better?

No. No, it doesn’t.

(Speaking of, am I the only one who’s noticed that most fictional Peters are German???)

Unless we’re talking Scottish doctors with questionable pasts or stable boys with even more questionable pasts...but I’ll save the Jordy talk for the next book.

However, I did just open things up for a Kirk discussion, didn’t I?

I MEAN, Y’ALL. KIRK IS SO PRECIOUS. My heart ached for him the entire novel. I mean, it wasn’t like I wanted him to get with Alice...because she’d tear him to shreds and my baby Kirk needs someone way better (ahem, me), but his heartbreak. AAAAUUUUGH. AND THEN THAT AT THE END. OH. MY. WORD.

Like, after The Dressmaker’s Secret, I didn’t think Roth could possibly conjure up any more plausible plot twists. But she did. AND THE SUSPENSE IS TEN MILLION TIMES WORSE. LIKE, NETTIE AND CLAIRE HAVE A LOOOOOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO!!!!!!!!!!

(I really need to get my caps-lock button under control, don’t I?)

On that note, Nettie was her regular awesome self in this book. If it weren’t for her and Peter… Anyway, she’s marvelous and I love her. End of story.

But I haven’t made it to Gibson yet, have I?

So...the love triangle—or was it a square?—in this was blatantly obvious...but there was always something about Gibson. The first go-round, I fluctuated between liking him and being extremely wary of him (for good reason), until the end, where I flat-out hated his guts. (#nospoilers) The second go-around, I for sure didn’t like him—he’s really not all that likable—but I sensed a lot more potential. He said a lot of things that were either wise or so stupid that I had to pause and think about them, and of course he’s got this nuance that sets him apart from every other man of his ilk...even though he’s still just like every man of his ilk. Make sense?

Eh, I know it doesn’t. Just read the book, for Peter’s sake.

So I say all that to say that I really like how Roth pulled off his character. He was simultaneously the annoying love interest that we all dislike and the multifaceted side character with a story of his own that must be told.

There were other things I wanted to say about this book—I’m sure there were. (I have them written down somewhere...all my thoughts and notes...in the laundry room...which is just soooo far away from my bedroom…) But to be honest, whatever else I could say doesn’t really matter.

What matters is that I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, got a lot of Austen vibes, fell in love with Peter, understood Alice despite it all, want a Kirk story, and can’t wait for Beyond Her Calling!

Oh, and that you should totally buy this book. Like, now. Or yesterday. Yeah, yesterday’s good. Buy At Her Fingertips yesterday.

(Side note: just realized what a good title that is. Fits really well. Not to mention I adore that cover. OH! And I never mentioned Riley. Darn. Well, I loved Riley too. He was great. The End. I mean it this time.)

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

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More From the Tour

Wednesday, July 14th

Introduction Post // Kellyn Roth @ ,Reveries & Lilacs

Review // Hannah E.M. @ ,Precious Book Stacks

Thursday, July 15th

Introducing Alice // Kellyn Roth @ ,Reveries & Lilacs

Interview with Gibson Ashfield // SawyerMarie @ ,SundropGirls

Review // ,Kristina Hall, Author

Friday, July 16th

Introducing … Love Interests!? // Kellyn Roth @ ,Reveries & Lilacs

Interview with Ivy Knight // Grace A. Johnson @ ,Gabbing with Grace

Review // Jenavieve Rose @ ,Living Outside the Lines

Saturday, July 17th

Launch Day // Kellyn Roth @ ,Reveries & Lilacs

Review // Loretta Marchize @ ,Just Writing

Interview // ,Vanessa Hall

Sunday, July 18th

Themes // Kellyn Roth @ ,Reveries & Lilacs

Interview with Alice Knight // Katja L. @ ,Little Blossoms for Jesus

Monday, July 19th

Siblings // Kellyn Roth @ ,Reveries & Lilacs

Guest Post // Andrea Cox @ ,Writing To Inspire

Review // Tara Savanna @ ,Tower in the Plains

Interview with Nettie Jameson // Ryana Lynn @ ,Life of Heritage Corner

Tuesday, July 20th

Mothers // Kellyn Roth @ ,Reveries & Lilacs

Character Spotlight with Peter Strauss // Abigail Kay Harris @ ,Read Review Rejoice

Wednesday, July 21st

Wrapup Post // Kellyn Roth @ ,Reveries & Lilacs

Review // Michael Bush @ ,Tangled Up in Writing

Saturday, July 24th

Giveaway Wrapup // Kellyn Roth @ ,Reveries & Lilacs

GIVEAWAY!

Y'all, oh y'all, oh y'all. Kell is giving away some AMAZING gifts in honor of the release of At Her Fingertips! Be sure to enter here for your chance to win!

About the Author

Kellyn Roth is a Christian historical women’s fiction & romance author from North-Eastern Oregon who has independently published multiple novels, the most notable being The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy series. You should definitely call her Kell.

Kell lives on family-owned property outside an unmemorable but historical town with her parents, two little brothers, arbitrary cat, precious border collies, a dozen cows, and lots of chickens. She also possesses a classic, vintage aesthetic which does not at all speak to her country girl side, but such is life.

When not writing, Kell likes to blog, teach writing to her various students, have day jobs which allow her to keep her car properly insured, and spend lavish amounts of money on Dairy Queen french fries. She also likes to talk about Keira Knightley and her own books way too much.

You can follow Kell her social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, MeWe, Goodreads) and at her blog and website! Better yet, sign up for her newsletter to get all kinds of fantastic bookish goodies in your inbox!

#bookreview #victorianera #england #romance #thechroniclesofaliceandivy #kellynroth #selfpublished

The Guardian (Reign: Part 14)

Well, this post is late. Sorry. I, uh, y'all, I have a sad announcement to make. This is the last installment you'll be seeing of Reign...at least for quite some time. I might be bringing it back, but for now I think it's time I take a break. Anyway, y'all enjoy this last installment and all the suspense I'm going to leave you with!

Reign

Part 14: The Guardian

Seira

There he was. I could feel his eyes on me, tracing my outline. The sound of his breathing permeated the air, mingling with the notes of my song. I should’ve stopped—I knew that—but one part of me wanted to prove that he wasn’t strong enough to resist, as he’d said earlier…and another part reveled in his presence, in the staccato beats of his breath, in the way the moon cast the most alluring glow over his face.

I wished he could stay. I wished I could stay.

But things didn’t work like that—not for Sirens. For humans, yes. Men and women could fall in love and spend the rest of their lives together. They could have children. They could be happy. They could have all the beauty of a fairytale.

But not Sirens. We were the villains in fairytales. We destroyed happily ever afters. We robbed from others what we could never have—life, joy, peace, love.

Which was why he couldn’t come any closer, why I needed to be quiet and slither back into the water. He embodied everything I couldn’t possess but wanted anyway, and the longer he stood there, the longer I looked at him, the harder it became to swim away.

I can’t do this. I just...being with them, both of them...I can’t. I have to leave, as soon as possible. There’s nothing for me outside of the City—there never was.

My mind made up, I clamped my mouth shut, my fangs nearly piercing my own lip. My body trembled, cool night air chilling my skin and itchy sand getting in between my scales. I slipped just a little ways off the shore, into the ocean, where the water purified me and gave me peace.

This is home, Seira. Where the waves break, where the sun sings, where no man trod. This is what you must return to. This is what truly frees you—not humanity nor anything it can give you.

“Why did you stop?”

Oh, my, that voice! My eyes disobeyed me and fastened themselves on the exact object they were forbidden to—the Guardian. He was slowly moving toward me—did he dare?—with curiosity in the lines of his face and the lift of his brows. His hair was mussed and his heavy cloak, shirt, and boots had been removed, so instead of looking like the fierce protector that he was, he appeared to be at ease, loose, alive.

Was there anything more tempting? Probably not.

I cleared my throat, ushered back his question. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t lie—we Sirens were fairly transparent creatures. Certainly not as deceptive and shadowy as Naiads.

So when I opened my mouth again, truth spilled out. Condemning truth. “Because I don’t want you to fall prey. You don’t deserve to die.”

Instead of making some sarcastic quip or remarking on my weakness, he laughed. A dry, mirthless laugh. “You think because I am human that I am without fault? We all deserve to die, Seira, and me more so than most.”

I found that very hard to believe. Guardians were trained to be perfect, blameless. That was why they had been established as Magni’s first form of government, after all. They took vows of celibacy and never married; they never engaged in warfare or underhanded schemes; they didn’t lie or cheat or steal or wrong their people. They were protectors, without ties that dragged them down or ulterior motives that made them weak. They were raised up for the good of the people, to do what was required of them for the prosperity and peace of the country.

Aye, the Guardians’ positions had changed after one wayward Guardian granted Anactoria rule over his hometown. Once she took over part of Magni, she schemed to have the rest of it—and she did. Now nothing was as it ought to be—but after one Guardian had broken oath, no Guardian dared to do the same.

Brehn, no matter who his family was or what he was born to be, was trained to do no wrong, so why he thought himself as low as a filthy Siren, I couldn’t imagine.

“What could you have possibly done that was so wrong? You guard the queen with your life and seem to be so...so full of integrity,” I said, unabashedly curious. He couldn’t invite me to his pity party without explaining what was so pitiful about him—if that made sense.

He kept walking forward until he was a mere arm’s length away, his eyes trouble and voice pitched low as he spoke. “I broke oath. And no one ever knew...so I got away with it. Walked away unscathed while others had to pay for my transgressions. Now…” He sighed, bending to sit cross-legged, and drew designs in the sand between us. “Now I feel that it is because of me—nay, I know it’s because of me that Ambrosia is in such grave danger. My foolishness from years ago has come back to haunt the only person in the situation who was ever innocent.”

That was a fabulous explanation, wouldn’t you agree? I couldn’t keep my mouth from screwing up in a frown. How in the world had he gone unpunished for breaking oath? Better question, how did that affect the queen?

“But it’s obvious you’re guilty, and here you are protecting the queen, making up for however you wronged her. I don’t get that kind of opportunity, Brehn. I’m not able to feel guilty. I’m not able to go to all the families who have lost loved ones and apologize.” I gestured to him, then to the sleeping child huddled under a grove of trees. “You...Ambrosia...bringing you here is the best and only retribution I can manage. You, on the other hand, have the chance to make it all right.”

There was that laugh again, grating on my scales with its harshness. “You just don’t get it, do you? There’s no way I can make this right, no way I can undo what I’ve done. If Ambrosia knew…” He groaned, rubbing a hand over his face.

“If Ambrosia knew what?” I murmured gently, not wanting to press, but also wanting to press. I reached out, searching for some way to soften all my questions, and laid my hand over his. No doubt he needed someone to vent to, if no one knew of his past.

He almost didn’t seem to notice me or my hand, just raised his head and stared out over the horizon. “If Ambrosia knew, I don’t know what would become of either of us. Already, Renout is on to me—I know it. This nonsense about her ‘foreign blood’ is all a farce—I know what he’s after is justice for Galen. And if Ambrosia knew that...well, she’s much better off thinking he’s out to get the crown for himself. I can’t hurt her anymore than she’s already been.”

As dark and awkward as this conversation was getting, that was really sweet. Just the way he cared for Ambrosia...that was more than a subject and his queen. More than a protector and his ward.

I squeezed his hand, drawing his attention back to me. “You truly care about her, don’t you? You’re more to her than an appointed Guardian.”

* * *

Brehn

I’m her uncle. I had practice the words for seven years and nine months. I knew them so well that they would pop out unbidden. They fit on my tongue, in my mind. Everywhere but my heart.

They should’ve been on the tip of my tongue now.

Instead, what came out...was the truth.

“She’s my daughter.”

The words hung in the atmosphere for several long, aching seconds. What I had said, all the implications, all her plausible replies, all the accusations, rang in my mind like the shuddering clang of a bell. I had never actually spoken the words aloud before, let alone to another person. The admission held an almost fantastical quality, as if it were only a dream, a wish that would never come true.

Yet it had. And it was Ambrosia who would pay the price.

Seira’s eyes rolled around, her mouth twisting and loosening as if mulling over her next words. “But how? You’re not—”

Ah, the innocent and all too obvious question. “Galen. I’m not Galen.” Sighing, I removed my hand from beneath hers and raked my fingers through my hair. Might as well tell her the whole sordid thing. Wasn’t as if she’d tattle on me...or if it’d even matter if she did.

“He was in the midlands, sent for by the Guardians there who were handling some unrest or something. I, the flighty younger brother, was tasked with watching over his wife—my sister-in-law—whilst he was away. Corinna was...everything. Everything beautiful, kind, tenderhearted, everything vibrant and full of life. How could I not have wanted her? With Galen gone…”

“Did she come to you willingly?”

I peered up at Seira, her face gentled and softened until she almost resembled a little girl instead of a mystical sea serpent. Had she? Had Corinna sinned as greatly as I? Or had I seduced her, coerced her into betraying her husband and my brother?

“I...I thought she had, at the time. But, in truth, I don’t know. All I can remember of that time was when she came to me, the very day Galen was set to return. At first, I was, I was happy. Why wouldn’t I be? I was to be a father, something I was forbidden to become after taking the Guardian oath. You wouldn’t understand, but having a child is...it’s miraculous.”

She nodded solemnly. “I have no doubt, Brehn. Did Galen ever find out?”

I scoffed. “Of course not! We never told. Corinna was able to pass the child off as his, just born a wee bit too early. Ambrosia’s so small and dainty that she looks premature anyway. He never knew. He died not knowing. And his wife died bearing my child.”

And now the villain was revealed, in all his darkness and selfish motives. I had caused my sister-in-law’s death, and inadvertently driven my grieving brother to his grave.

The entire reason Ambrosia was in danger was because Renout wanted to rid the throne of my offspring.

Missed Part 13? Read it ,here!

#theriver #reign #serial #fantasy #theguardiansofmagni

At Her Fingertips Blog Tour: Character Q&A: Ivy Knight

There's no doubt that I simply adore Kellyn Roth's historical novels - I've been bugging y'all about them for months now! Which is why I think it's high time to share a little bit of the Alice and Ivy wonderfulness with y'all - so let's give an extremely warm welcome to one of my favorite Roth characters (and one of my favorite heroines too), Miss Ivy Knight from At Her Fingertips, which releases TOMORROW!

Want to follow the rest of the tour? You can find the schedule here!

GJ: Well, hello, Ivy! *switches to an affected British accent* I’m ever so pleased that you could join me today. How are you doing this fine morning?

IK: Good morning! I’m doing quite well. And you?

GJ: Oh, I’m splendid! Now, I have a stack of questions to ask you… *shuffles papers around* …but, first, I want to know how Pearlbelle Park feels after so long at McCale House. Have you reacclimated well?

IK: Oh, I think so! It’s not so bad, really. I love being with my family—especially Mother, Nettie, and Alice—and the children have grown on me. At first, I admit I was a bit uncharitable. *blushes* But it didn’t take me long to realize how dear they are! I do love children, especially my own.

GJ: How are Jordy and Violet doing? Do you miss them?

IK: Violet is doing well, I think! She moves around quite a bit—from London to McCale House and back—but I’ll see her sometimes, and she’s about the same. We’ve had some lovely conversations; we write every week. But yes, I do miss her, very much. I always worry about her when we’re not together, but then I see her, and I am comforted.

I can never get Jordy to answer my letters, but whenever he does, he’s bright and positive. I’m so glad he’s happy! Even though I miss him, of course. He must be an actual doctor by now … *cocks head* I can’t remember exactly when he said he’d start actually being a doctor, but it should be soon.

GJ: I’m glad to hear that! They’re both the sweetest. Your family must make their absence easier to bear. Your sister Alice is good company, yes?

IK: Well ... *hesitates*

Yes. She is. She’s very kind to me, I’m sure, but she’s busy. Understandably so, of course, but it means that we don’t spend very much time together. And I’ve often felt Alice doesn’t quite understand … *another hesitation*

I’m sure she is good company.

GJ: Ah, the Season is upon us, isn’t it? *sighs* You’re not going to London, though, are you, Ivy? ‘Tis just Alice?

IK: I actually am going along, though I won’t go to parties and such. I’ll just stay home and be near. I didn’t want to wait at Pearlbelle Park, especially since it meant spending time with Uncle Charlie—and I might see Violet, too—but I also want to be near Alice. She’ll need support, I’m sure. However, no, I don’t debut this year, if I ever do.

GJ: What say you of her matrimonial intentions? Do you expect she will find a man who suits her long list of requirements?

IK: I know, if it’s God’s will, she’ll find someone, but I don’t think he’ll necessarily meet her requirements. At least, not all of them. However, who’s to know? God could always provide Alice with her “perfect husband”—she thinks so. And though Alice hasn’t said, I’d rather give her the benefit of the doubt and believe she’s consulted God on the subject! So, perhaps. Maybe. I just hope she’ll be open to … other options.

So yes and no?

And I didn’t answer your first question. Let me see. What was it?

Oh, right. Hmm, um, I think … Alice certainly has a way of believing. And she’s not terribly … flexible? So I think it suits her to have a list and goals and all that. But I could never … do that personally? It’s not my place to judge, and I support her no matter what my … personal feelings might be on her … plans.

GJ: *narrows eyes* What do you want in a husband, Ivy?

IK: Oh, um. *blushes* I don’t really know. It doesn’t matter, I suppose—I don’t think it’s in the cards for me. I suppose if I were to pick, it’d be someone who makes me feel safe and knows my weaknesses and loves me anyway—oh, and is a man of God. But as I said, I don’t really expect it.

GJ: *grins cheekily* Now, a little birdie told me that a fellow by the name of Peter Strauss visited Pearlbelle Park just recently. *leans forward to whisper conspiratorially* I hear he’s an American. *straightens, clearing her throat* What was your impression of Mr. Strauss?

IK: *big grin* Peter is absolutely lovely. I absolutely love him! I mean … *frowns* Not like that. But he’s like a brother to me already—a big brother. He’s a bit old.

But he’s not stodgy at all—well, not always, at least—and he’s so kind and wise, and he reads, which I think is all you truly want out of a good friend. We talked about Jane Eyre until about one in the morning once, which is quite late for me (Peter likes to stay up, so he didn’t even notice)—and Alice scolded us.

Anyway, suffice to say I think Peter is all he ought to be.

GJ: I personally think he’s quite the enigma—an American reporter spying on the British upper class. There must be an ulterior motive, don’t you think?

IK: *slightly offended* I don’t think so, no. Peter couldn’t have an ulterior motive if he tried. I did wonder, at first, but almost as soon as I spoke with him, I knew he was kind. He’d never betray us.

GJ: In the meantime, I hear your sister has taken a liking to Mr. Gibson Ashfield. Now there’s a piece of news. What do you think of him?

IK: We-ell …

I’m sure he’s very pleasant. *presses her lips together* He … he makes me a bit uncomfortable. But I don’t have any reason for feeling that way, really, so … I’m trusting God to work it all out.

GJ: Should Alice marry after her Season, regardless of whom to, what do you think will happen? To your relationship, I mean. Will you miss your sister?

IK: Oh, yes! I’ll miss her very much. I … I try not to think about that, though, because I don’t really know what will happen. *gets a bit teary then shakes it away* It’ll be fine, I’m sure. We’ll all adjust.

GJ: The both of you have grown so much since your childhood. What has changed, for the better or the worse?

IK: Oh, it’s hard to say, really. I think Alice had gotten a lot more forceful, which is saying something, but I’m sure it’ll take her far. And then I’ve gained at least a bit of confidence—and I can talk to people, too, which is nice. Overall, though, it’s hard to say … I mean, summarizing eighteen years of life and growth is quite difficult!

GJ: Looking back upon your younger self, have you anything you wish you could say to her? A word of wisdom, perhaps?

IK: I would tell myself that I don’t have to do anything but breathe … and breathe … and breathe. If you can do that much, then in time you’ll be able to see the next step, take it, and keep breathing. That’s how you live life.

GJ: Where do you hope to see yourself in the future?

IK: I wish I knew! Alice tells me not to worry about it, but that’s like telling me not to play the piano—of course I will. All the same, my worry benefits me very little indeed. Nothing comes of it. In the end, I don’t have a lot to hope for, yet, except that God will use me … which of course He will, in His own time.

GJ: Now, before we close this interview, I have a few fun questions I’d like to ask. First, what is one of your most favorite songs to play on the piano?

IK: Right now, I’ve been learning (and falling in love with) Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6—it’s just a fun piece to play. Before this, I had a period of time when I played nothing but Chopin, but Alice said the pieces I was choosing were depressing her, so I’ve switched to Liszt for the time being.

GJ: Which Bible verse speaks to you the most?

IK: Different passages appeal to me at different periods in my life. At the moment, I love Psalm 4:8: “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.”

GJ: If you could do or be anything at all, what would it be?

IK: Oh, I’m quite happy being Ivy. I think I’d be where I am now.

GJ: Thank you so much for joining me, Ivy! It’s been a pleasure!

IK: Thank you so much for having me here!

About the Book

She’s willing to do anything to follow her plan.

Debutante Alice Knight is ready for her first social season in London. She’s determined to impress society and her mother with an affluent match, at last escaping her past and embracing a future of her own making.

Peter Strauss, an American reporter visiting England, isn’t exactly what Alice had in mind. However, his friendship proves invaluable as Alice faces the challenges of her debut. Almost immediately, she attracts the attention of a well-born gentleman—perfect save for the simple fact that he’s not a Christian.

The life she longs for is finally at her fingertips, but between her own heart and the convictions of her faith, she isn’t sure she ought to grasp it.

Snag Your Copy

About the Author

Kellyn Roth is a Christian historical women’s fiction & romance author from North-Eastern Oregon who has independently published multiple novels, the most notable being The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy series. You should definitely call her Kell.

Kell lives on family-owned property outside an unmemorable but historical town with her parents, two little brothers, arbitrary cat, precious border collies, a dozen cows, and lots of chickens. She also possesses a classic, vintage aesthetic which does not at all speak to her country girl side, but such is life.

When not writing, Kell likes to blog, teach writing to her various students, have day jobs which allow her to keep her car properly insured, and spend lavish amounts of money on Dairy Queen french fries. She also likes to talk about Keira Knightley and her own books way too much.

You can follow Kell her social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, MeWe, Goodreads) and at her blog and website! Better yet, sign up for her newsletter to get all kinds of fantastic bookish goodies in your inbox!

Character Q&A: Ivy Knight

There's no doubt that I simply adore Kellyn Roth's historical novels - I've been bugging y'all about them for months now! Which is why I think it's high time to share a little bit of the Alice and Ivy wonderfulness with y'all - so let's give an extremely warm welcome to one of my favorite Roth characters (and one of my favorite heroines too), Miss Ivy Knight from At Her Fingertips, which releases TOMORROW!

Want to follow the rest of the tour? You can find the schedule here!

GJ: Well, hello, Ivy! *switches to an affected British accent* I’m ever so pleased that you could join me today. How are you doing this fine morning?

IK: Good morning! I’m doing quite well. And you?

GJ: Oh, I’m splendid! Now, I have a stack of questions to ask you… *shuffles papers around* …but, first, I want to know how Pearlbelle Park feels after so long at McCale House. Have you reacclimated well?

IK: Oh, I think so! It’s not so bad, really. I love being with my family—especially Mother, Nettie, and Alice—and the children have grown on me. At first, I admit I was a bit uncharitable. *blushes* But it didn’t take me long to realize how dear they are! I do love children, especially my own.

GJ: How are Jordy and Violet doing? Do you miss them?

IK: Violet is doing well, I think! She moves around quite a bit—from London to McCale House and back—but I’ll see her sometimes, and she’s about the same. We’ve had some lovely conversations; we write every week. But yes, I do miss her, very much. I always worry about her when we’re not together, but then I see her, and I am comforted.

I can never get Jordy to answer my letters, but whenever he does, he’s bright and positive. I’m so glad he’s happy! Even though I miss him, of course. He must be an actual doctor by now … *cocks head* I can’t remember exactly when he said he’d start actually being a doctor, but it should be soon.

GJ: I’m glad to hear that! They’re both the sweetest. Your family must make their absence easier to bear. Your sister Alice is good company, yes?

IK: Well ... *hesitates*

Yes. She is. She’s very kind to me, I’m sure, but she’s busy. Understandably so, of course, but it means that we don’t spend very much time together. And I’ve often felt Alice doesn’t quite understand … *another hesitation*

I’m sure she is good company.

GJ: Ah, the Season is upon us, isn’t it? *sighs* You’re not going to London, though, are you, Ivy? ‘Tis just Alice?

IK: I actually am going along, though I won’t go to parties and such. I’ll just stay home and be near. I didn’t want to wait at Pearlbelle Park, especially since it meant spending time with Uncle Charlie—and I might see Violet, too—but I also want to be near Alice. She’ll need support, I’m sure. However, no, I don’t debut this year, if I ever do.

GJ: What say you of her matrimonial intentions? Do you expect she will find a man who suits her long list of requirements?

IK: I know, if it’s God’s will, she’ll find someone, but I don’t think he’ll necessarily meet her requirements. At least, not all of them. However, who’s to know? God could always provide Alice with her “perfect husband”—she thinks so. And though Alice hasn’t said, I’d rather give her the benefit of the doubt and believe she’s consulted God on the subject! So, perhaps. Maybe. I just hope she’ll be open to … other options.

So yes and no?

And I didn’t answer your first question. Let me see. What was it?

Oh, right. Hmm, um, I think … Alice certainly has a way of believing. And she’s not terribly … flexible? So I think it suits her to have a list and goals and all that. But I could never … do that personally? It’s not my place to judge, and I support her no matter what my … personal feelings might be on her … plans.

GJ: *narrows eyes* What do you want in a husband, Ivy?

IK: Oh, um. *blushes* I don’t really know. It doesn’t matter, I suppose—I don’t think it’s in the cards for me. I suppose if I were to pick, it’d be someone who makes me feel safe and knows my weaknesses and loves me anyway—oh, and is a man of God. But as I said, I don’t really expect it.

GJ: *grins cheekily* Now, a little birdie told me that a fellow by the name of Peter Strauss visited Pearlbelle Park just recently. *leans forward to whisper conspiratorially* I hear he’s an American. *straightens, clearing her throat* What was your impression of Mr. Strauss?

IK: *big grin* Peter is absolutely lovely. I absolutely love him! I mean … *frowns* Not like that. But he’s like a brother to me already—a big brother. He’s a bit old.

But he’s not stodgy at all—well, not always, at least—and he’s so kind and wise, and he reads, which I think is all you truly want out of a good friend. We talked about Jane Eyre until about one in the morning once, which is quite late for me (Peter likes to stay up, so he didn’t even notice)—and Alice scolded us.

Anyway, suffice to say I think Peter is all he ought to be.

GJ: I personally think he’s quite the enigma—an American reporter spying on the British upper class. There must be an ulterior motive, don’t you think?

IK: *slightly offended* I don’t think so, no. Peter couldn’t have an ulterior motive if he tried. I did wonder, at first, but almost as soon as I spoke with him, I knew he was kind. He’d never betray us.

GJ: In the meantime, I hear your sister has taken a liking to Mr. Gibson Ashfield. Now there’s a piece of news. What do you think of him?

IK: We-ell …

I’m sure he’s very pleasant. *presses her lips together* He … he makes me a bit uncomfortable. But I don’t have any reason for feeling that way, really, so … I’m trusting God to work it all out.

GJ: Should Alice marry after her Season, regardless of whom to, what do you think will happen? To your relationship, I mean. Will you miss your sister?

IK: Oh, yes! I’ll miss her very much. I … I try not to think about that, though, because I don’t really know what will happen. *gets a bit teary then shakes it away* It’ll be fine, I’m sure. We’ll all adjust.

GJ: The both of you have grown so much since your childhood. What has changed, for the better or the worse?

IK: Oh, it’s hard to say, really. I think Alice had gotten a lot more forceful, which is saying something, but I’m sure it’ll take her far. And then I’ve gained at least a bit of confidence—and I can talk to people, too, which is nice. Overall, though, it’s hard to say … I mean, summarizing eighteen years of life and growth is quite difficult!

GJ: Looking back upon your younger self, have you anything you wish you could say to her? A word of wisdom, perhaps?

IK: I would tell myself that I don’t have to do anything but breathe … and breathe … and breathe. If you can do that much, then in time you’ll be able to see the next step, take it, and keep breathing. That’s how you live life.

GJ: Where do you hope to see yourself in the future?

IK: I wish I knew! Alice tells me not to worry about it, but that’s like telling me not to play the piano—of course I will. All the same, my worry benefits me very little indeed. Nothing comes of it. In the end, I don’t have a lot to hope for, yet, except that God will use me … which of course He will, in His own time.

GJ: Now, before we close this interview, I have a few fun questions I’d like to ask. First, what is one of your most favorite songs to play on the piano?

IK: Right now, I’ve been learning (and falling in love with) Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6—it’s just a fun piece to play. Before this, I had a period of time when I played nothing but Chopin, but Alice said the pieces I was choosing were depressing her, so I’ve switched to Liszt for the time being.

GJ: Which Bible verse speaks to you the most?

IK: Different passages appeal to me at different periods in my life. At the moment, I love Psalm 4:8: “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.”

GJ: If you could do or be anything at all, what would it be?

IK: Oh, I’m quite happy being Ivy. I think I’d be where I am now.

GJ: Thank you so much for joining me, Ivy! It’s been a pleasure!

IK: Thank you so much for having me here!

About the Book

She’s willing to do anything to follow her plan.

Debutante Alice Knight is ready for her first social season in London. She’s determined to impress society and her mother with an affluent match, at last escaping her past and embracing a future of her own making.

Peter Strauss, an American reporter visiting England, isn’t exactly what Alice had in mind. However, his friendship proves invaluable as Alice faces the challenges of her debut. Almost immediately, she attracts the attention of a well-born gentleman—perfect save for the simple fact that he’s not a Christian.

The life she longs for is finally at her fingertips, but between her own heart and the convictions of her faith, she isn’t sure she ought to grasp it.

Snag Your Copy

About the Author

Kellyn Roth is a Christian historical women’s fiction & romance author from North-Eastern Oregon who has independently published multiple novels, the most notable being The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy series. You should definitely call her Kell.

Kell lives on family-owned property outside an unmemorable but historical town with her parents, two little brothers, arbitrary cat, precious border collies, a dozen cows, and lots of chickens. She also possesses a classic, vintage aesthetic which does not at all speak to her country girl side, but such is life.

When not writing, Kell likes to blog, teach writing to her various students, have day jobs which allow her to keep her car properly insured, and spend lavish amounts of money on Dairy Queen french fries. She also likes to talk about Keira Knightley and her own books way too much.

You can follow Kell her social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, MeWe, Goodreads) and at her blog and website! Better yet, sign up for her newsletter to get all kinds of fantastic bookish goodies in your inbox!

The Importance of Differing Perspectives

Or, in more accurate terms, how your novel is like a potluck.

*waves* Well, hello there, my lovelies! I'm just here to share with y'all a post for which I put off writing Bound and Determined for two days - I mean, a post I was inspired to write after thinking about my struggles with my characters.

Seriously, though. When I had the idea for this, everything made sense and was like full of writerly revelation. Then I started writing it and realized that it makes no sense. at all.

So maybe you'll get something out of this. I don't. If anything, I'll probably just make you hungry. Anyway, like I said, I wasted two nights of BAD-writing to word-vomit all this, so I kinda had to do something with it. *winks*

Enjoy!

Believe it or not, this isn’t a political, cultural, or theological post...although the title certainly gives off that impression, since, you know, different points-of-view and knowing how to understand them are imperative in those three topics. Or life in general, actually.

If you’d like to think of it in those terms, you’re more than welcome to, as the true subject of my post is rather similar.

But instead of talking about real life, I’m talking about fictional characters. (My most favorite subject, especially if you ask my family.)

Okay, okay, so there’s a few real-life experiences thrown in...particularly the one that occurred this evening (or, well, the evening of the day I’m writing this post) while I was thinking about why in the great googly moogly some of my characters give me so much grief.

You see, there are these two characters—whose names I’m not divulging for privacy reasons (and, you know, so that they don’t come after me with swords or hatchets or the like)— that have nearly driven me insane multiple times. We’ll call these two X and D.

Mainly, it’s because of their personalities...they’re so hard to pinpoint that at times it seems as though they don’t actually possess one. Or, at least that’s the case with D. I think I’ve finally gotten it sorted out, but it took me close to six months to do so. X, on the other hand, has a personality...I guess...it’s just so hard for me to portray him because I feel like his personality changes and shifts—and not in a natural way. In more of a Grace-is-trying-to-do-something-but-her-character-is-being-strangely-insubordinate-and-needs-a-whipping kind of way. You know the one.

Not to mention I really wish I’d thought him through back when I first wrote and introduced him, so that way I wouldn’t be wanting to completely revamp his character now. (Okay, not completely...I know there are a lot of people who love X just the way he is, so I’ll retain his best qualities and just add way more bad ones.)

I’m kidding, I’m kidding.

(Ish.)

D is the one who’s given me the most problems, especially recently...as in, whilst writing Bound and Determined. I mean, now that I’m 47 chapters and 157k words into the story, I’d better have everything together, and for the most part I think I do, but while I was dwelling on a character in a totally separate book that I was reading, I was reminded of my struggles with D.

But back to my point.

Which is that something dawned on me, a piece of advice I’d like to share. Unfortunately, it’s a bit too late for me to apply it to my wildly complex characters whose stories are nearly complete (well, the first half of them, anyway), so I’ll not only be applying it to my later novels, I’ll be sharing it with you!

Your novel is like a potluck. And, if we’re talking a good potluck here (and I’d venture to say we are), then not everyone is going to be bringing the same things. I mean, you can only have so much potato salad, am I right? Eventually you’ll wish someone had brought some pasta salad (we love our salads here in the South), a meat other than fried chicken (though, really, is there ever too much fried chicken?), and water instead of so much sweet tea (again, you can never go wrong with sweet tea...unless you’re using an artificial sweetener, in which case, that’s just wrong).

Trust me, I’ve been to gatherings where everybody on the whole durn planet brought green beans and mac and cheese and there was basically nothing else. Doesn’t make for a very balanced meal, does it?

So everyone has to bring something (or multiple somethings; can’t go to a potluck without enough to at least feed your own family) to the table that’s unique. Something different. Something that belongs solely to them—because even if it’s not your favorite type of dressing, at least it’s there, instead of another bag of King’s Hawaiian rolls.

(Okay, now I’m just making myself hungry. Anybody got some chicken and dumplings they’d like to share?)

Your characters are just like that, family or church members bringing their signature dishes, and your novel is just like a potluck. When you don’t take the time to carefully examine each of your characters, establish their philosophies, and develop their personalities, you end up with a lot of banana pudding and no English trifle or chocolate cake.

In other, less hunger-inducing terms, cultivating, understanding, and portraying the differing perspectives of each of your characters is key to enhancing your theme, message, or simply making your characters come to life.

Even if you’re not writing a story full of deep psychology or philosophical leanings...even if you don’t have a strong theme or inspirational message...even if your story is a mystery instead of a dramatic romance…you still have characters whose strengths need to be made evident.

You still have characters who are going to disagree on something—like the circumstances of the railroad mogul’s murder, their sister’s choice of a husband, or moving to a new state—and you still need to ensure that each of their perspectives are full explored, defined, and included to bring each character to life. After all, no one likes a source of conflict who’s views have no foundation or a villain without a cause or a hero who doesn’t even know what he’s fighting for. (Unless, of course, you’re shooting for some psychedelic story that turns life on its head...in which case, I don’t know why you’ve read this far.)

But let’s return to the subject of themes and messages.

Jane Austen is lauded for not only being an extremely talented writer who penned romances (and swoony heroes) we will cherish for ages—she is known for having a great understanding of the human psyche and philosophies, and a heart for reform. In her stories, she presented a vast array of people and perspectives, each of them with their faults and merits, to show her readers the issues with the society of her day and humanity itself.

But what struck me as interesting while reading Pride and Prejudice was that she never openly stated her personal opinions. Of course she didn’t, you say. She didn’t write the story from her point-of-view.

On that note, I’d like to argue that all authors write from their point-of-view. Even if the opinions or belief their characters hold differ from their personal ones, everything they write is filtered through their own perspective. You honestly can’t convince me otherwise, because I’ve seen this evident in my own writing.

All authors, that is, except for Austen. There was no doubt that she was against classism and prejudice and pride…but that opinion was never enforced through her characters. Do you see what I mean? She merely gave us all the different perspectives—from Elizabeth and Darcy’s to Mr. Bennet and Mr. Collins to Bingley and Jane’s to Mrs. Bennet and Lydia’s—and allowed us to make our own observations and decisions.

You can take away from Pride and Prejudice the idea that judging others by their reputation is wrong, or that pride is the inescapable downfall of everyone, or that class doesn’t matter, or that overlooking everyone’s faults is better than being judgmental, or that you can’t trust anyone...or, I mean, anything, really.

To be honest, I took from it the idea that extremely amiable, kind, oblivious, and nonjudgmental people are, like Mr. Bennet implied, destined to be poor and endlessly taken advantage of. While people who possess a great deal of self-respect, hold themselves at a distance from others, are selective of who they keep company with, and carefully observe others’ words and actions are most likely to end up prosperous, with close friends who truly respect them, and unable to be negatively affected by the poor actions of others.

So there is some good to being prideful and prejudiced after all, isn’t there?

That’s not my point.

My point is that it’s up to you, as the author, to develop your characters to the point that

your readers love them even when they’re unlovable; your readers are able to understand what they believe and why they believe it, regardless of their own personal views; every choice your character makes corresponds with their philosophy and personality; your story is well-rounded, due to all the developed characters who bring something unique to the table.

That’s what I missed, what I never thought about, while writing the Daughters of the Seven Seas series. Now I’ve had to muddle through my messages, my themes, and my characters’ voices and personalities over a course of months when I could have just taken a step back and examined everything from a seat at the head of the table.

Nona of that—all 1,480 words—made any sense to you, did it? Oh, well. I had to get it out somehow. At least I’ll have this on record for myself.

The Takeaway

Before you begin plotting your novel, ask yourself what your themes are. For example, my themes for Bound and Determined have shifted around so much because I never thought long and hard about them in the beginning (#diehardpanster), so what began as a story of hope turned into one of faith, until now I’m a mix of grace, rejoicing, God’s will, His presence, and identity in Christ. I’m kinda all over the place, aren’t I?

So while letting your story, your characters, and the Holy Spirit lead you is always recommend, have a clear idea what what God is putting on your heart for each story, so that the themes can come through strong, with clarity and impact, instead of being a crazy muddle. (Because seriously, guys, I think I’m the only one who likes crazy muddles...and they drive me bananas!)

How do you determined your themes?

Start by looking at each of your characters and asking these questions:

What’s their purpose in this story? What needs to change in their life? What must they learn to bring about this change?

Of course, throw in a few extra questions, depending on your story/character and needs, but starting here is great!

Let’s take my character Billy, for example. He has this tiny little arc, you could call it, that contributes to one of the many themes in BAD, so my answers for these questions would be:

To show how great God’s saving power is The way he lives—he needs to come to a place of repentance and trust in God, whatever that may take (believe me, it takes quite a bit) What the true gift of salvation is and how to walk in faith

See what I mean? Now I know what my themes are (at least for a book entirely about Billy).

Repentance Salvation Faith

We can go even deeper than that to formulate our message. Think of it like a sermon—and no, I’m not saying your story has to be preachy; these guidelines apply to any kind of message. Just use a sermon as an example.

Every sermon is built on a theme—which usually comes from a Bible verse, theological topic, or struggle in our everyday lives—similar to the ones I mentioned above. From those vague themes, like salvation and faith, the preacher builds his message.

For Billy, the message is walking in faith and the gift of salvation. Rina pretty much preaches a sermon on that to him that goes a little something like this:

“Xavier read to me a passage from scripture, which says that if we earthly men, the vilest of us, give to our children good gifts, how much more will our Heavenly Father give to His children gifts beyond our wildest imagining? He has offered to each and every one of us upon this earth the gift of salvation. Billy, He is offering it to you. As you would desire a good life for your future children, so God desires a wonderful eternity for you. Now, would you want for your children to refuse your gift, or to pay you a grand sum for what you would freely bestow?

“Billy, I ask you, what is holding you back? What inhibition have you? What restrains you from Christ and His love? Tell me, why do you keep running?”

And then Billy replies, “I had no one, felt no one, believed in nothing. If ever I’d had faith, it was long gone by the time you found me.”

To which Rina says, “You stopped looking, like Peter out on the waves. The moment he took his eyes off of Jesus, doubted His power, His love, and His grace, he began to sink. Cease looking at the storm around you, the water beneath you, the sky above you. Stay your course and focus solely upon the foundation of your faith, the path upon which you step, the hand that you know will always catch you, the eyes which will forever be brimming with love.”

That’s pretty simple, isn’t it? We’ve got our theme and our message (which is just the deeper, more detailed version of our theme), so all we’ve got to do is start preaching. Problem solved, right?

Yeah, no. Which is kind of the point of this post, although I guess I’ve gone around the barn to get to the door, haven’t I?

I could easily have a lightning bolt strike Billy and fill him with revelation about salvation (definitely not the strangest thing I’ve written about, is it?) and then just leave my readers with my unfiltered opinion of what I think and believe, right?

Or, I could have Rina’s views, Billy’s opinions, Keaton’s beliefs, and the perspectives of so many other characters contributing to the story. Including differing perspectives (and what comes from them, positive or otherwise) makes my theme so much broader and my message able to impact many more people. My readers are able to see each character’s actions, attitudes, choices, and philosophies, and then understand all sides of the story.

Wow. That’s a really long takeaway, isn’t it? And I’ve basically just circled back to the beginning—which is that I didn’t take the time to plan for the potluck, so most of my characters brought green bean casserole (bleck) and unsweet tea (double bleck). This, the important of differing perspectives, how to develop them, and why they help make characters’ personalities stronger, is what I learned while musing to myself in the shower. Maybe that helps y’all some—I don’t rightly know. I just felt like sharing my wee bit of revelation and making everyone really hungry for biscuits and fried chicken.

Sweet tea, anyone?

By the way, if you’re interested in more concise and helpful articles by people who make sense when they write have experience, then check out these posts about strong characters, proper development, and characterization!

Four Easy Ways to Choose the Most Impactful Character Arc for Your Story A Message to Writers About Strong Heroines (From a Strong Heroine) Five Practical Exercises to Deepen Your Characters

#characters #writingtips #writerlyadvice #characterarc #themes #message #novelwriting #letmeknowifthismadesense #itwaskindafuntowritethough #strongcharacters #writing #development #characterization

Cover Reveal: The House That Didn't End by E. K. Seaver

This post needs no introduction. I'm preeeety sure that cover right there is intro enough.

Y'all remember E. K. Seaver? (Hopefully, you signed up for her launch team...) Anyway, she's my amazing friend who wrote this amazing book. Maybe you had a chance to read the early version she had on her blog. I did, and on top of that I got to help line edit it...so maybe I'm biased when I say that this is gonna be one of the best fantasy books you've ever read.

*clears throat* But my point of this post is not to gush about the book, but to gush about the cover. Because, yes, I am one of those cover-judgers. You might could call me a book appearance discriminator. It's true.

I mean, just look at it. Wait. You probably can't fully appreciate its wonderfulness from this distance.

How's this?

I'm in love.

I'll be honest, though. I got green and brown and black vibes from the story itself, so this wasn't how I'd envisioned it looking BUT WHO CARES! This thing is SOOOOO gorgeous!!!!!

I was even so inspired by the cover that I made a collage. (You didn't see that coming, did ya?)

Now, I've got more to share! It's time y'all learned more about this book!

About the Book

Nothing, not even the creepy house in the woods, can dissuade Ly O’Dare from finishing this scavenger hunt. Where else can a broke seventeen-year-old get enough money to finance her art endeavors and start a business?

Even being snowed in with a sarcastic stranger isn’t too bad, and as long as he is helping her find the hidden staircase, she’ll tolerate his quips. Jackson Evergreen’s quest was something he had been preparing for his entire life. And now he’s finally at the end of it, so close to saving the world when he gets snowed in with a bubbly blonde named Ly. The house is more dangerous than either of them prepared for, though, and Jackson’s suddenly thrust into a situation he didn’t intend to get in and is falling for a girl he only just met.

One thing they know for sure, however, in this house, nothing is what it seems.

Snag Your Copy

About the Author

To find an E. K. Seaver, you must set a trap. The best option is to lure her in using chocolate, blankets, and a typewriter, but if none of those are on hand, spare books and Broadway music can be easily substituted.

She prefers to be wild and free, though. Whether it includes adventuring through the Rocky Mountains or curled up at a local bookshop, she uses her freedom to produce art. From books to scarves to paintings, Ms. Seaver strives to honor her King in every aspect of her creative works. She desires her stories to hold a meaning beyond the tale and attempts to follow in the footsteps of storytellers who came before her.

You can find her and her wild adventures at ,ekseaver.wordpress.com or on Instagram @ekseaver.author

#newrelease #indieauthor #selfpublishing #yafantasy #newbooks #ekseaver #coverreveal #thehousethatdidntend

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June Wrap-Up + July Goals (and maybe a photo dump...)

Believe it or not, but before I wanted to be a writer, I was really into photography. I mean, not so much so that I had a nice camera or took good pictures or anything (although, admittedly, some of them were pretty good for an eight-year-old...just not the selfies), but I very much enjoyed it. Still do, and I’m trying to get back into it, so yeah. This post is part monthly update, part my first ever photo dump. Mostly flowers and food (because I love taking pics of my food...my sister says I’m a foodie; I’m inclined to agree). Hopefully you won’t hurt your eyes whilst scrolling through here. Maybe wear a pair of sunglasses, just in case.

In all seriousness, let’s get into what happened in June (aside from mass amounts of procrastination) and what I’m hoping will happen in July!

Last Month’s Progress

Y’all know my detailed progress reports are squirreled away for my newsletter (which you should totally subscribe to, by the way), so I’mma keep it vague.

I didn’t do everything I wanted to do in June.

I wanted to write at least 10k in Bound and Determined – I didn’t.

I wanted to finish Daylight – I didn’t.

I wanted to submit a story to Story Ember’s contest – I didn’t.

But I got to read a ton of fabulous books (which I am actually still reading), help out my lovely writer friends, write two articles (read them here and here) for Kingdom Pen, AND wrap up my first ever short story contest, which was absolutely amazing. (To all the marvelous writers who entered, thank you. The time and effort y’all put into your stories is so very appreciated.)

Not to mention I got to hang with my amazing street team, who will be busy these next couple of months preparing for the release of my latest short story, Daylight, which debuts on Sept. 11th.

So I got a lot done, for sure. I just have a lot more to do this month.

This Month’s Goals

Well, I don’t dare assume I can get everything done, but I do know a few things I hope to make progress on…

My website updates. Yep. It’s official. I am doing some extensive updates (cosmetic updates, I mean) to my site and rebranding a little bit. Hopefully I can at least share a sneak peek with you guys if I don’t finish everything completely. Daylight. I’m hoping to finish it (I’m halfway done now, so that shouldn’t be too hard) and get it out to my amazing beta readers by the end of the month! ARCs will go out sometime in August, and in the meantime I’ll be accepting more peeps into the blog tour (sign up here !) until July 31st! Bound and Determined. I won’t burden y’all with the details...all that matters is that I want to finish sometime this year, and I would appreciate the prayers. This book...I know the Lord has a plan for it, and I don’t know if it’s Him delaying it or me. I just know it was meant to be read, and I intend to see it in the hands of readers before the end of next year.

I have a TON of other pictures...but these are the highlights! I hope to have another photo dump...but this time with some BOOKISH photos!!!!

Anyway, I'll go ahead and wrap this post up! Thanks for hanging in there, you guys. I hope it was worth it! *winks* Y'all have a fabulous summer, my lovelies! (As you can tell, I like say that. *grins*)

#photodump #summer #flora #goals #updates #booknews #bookishness #areyouhungrynow

The Song (Reign: Part 13)

Reign

Part 13: The Song

Brehn

I brushed back tendrils of warm brown hair from Ambrosia’s flushed face, unable to suppress a billow of heartache as I took in her pink cheeks, sweaty little upturned nose, and shuttered eyes. She laid on a bed of palm branches and sand with my mantle for a pillow, no doubt sweltering in the humidity of the island, reduced to sleeping on the ground instead of in the feather-soft bed I’d wrenched her from.

She deserved so much more. Than being on the run for her life. Than being in charge of an entire nation at seven years of age. Than bearing the burdens of men who were strong enough to take of themselves.

She deserved so much more than me. And she didn’t even have me, not quite. Not in the way she should have. Not in the way she could have.

Not in the way she would, if only she knew.

I turned away, removing my damp, salt-encrusted shirt and lowering to stretch out beside her, when a handful of notes pierced the air.

A melody began, so high-pitched and soft I could hardly hear it, but I felt it vibrate through the atmosphere, whistle through the trees overhead that provided us with shelter. It rushed through my thoughts, sweeping out all the melancholy residing there and filling me with a sense of serenity.

Then the harmony, in the form of the break of waves against the island’s shore and the whisper of the wind, wove around the gentle song, becoming one with the sound of… I searched my mind for any remembrance of any song quite as sweet but found nothing, save the warning I should have heeded long ago.

Harken not unto the song of the siren.

‘Twas too late now, for the lyrics arose, mesmerizing me with the familiar tale of a forbidden love and a doomed affair. A tale I’d lived out, only to have it end in much less savory terms than what the song told of.

This song inspired hope and happy endings. Truth and love and redemption.

My story was of obsession, wrongful possession, injustice, and death. It was only the villain who survived in the end, to be eaten alive by guilt and the shame which kept him from ever truly living.

He should have died along with them—should have died instead.

I should have.

I let the words carry me away to a world of happily ever afters and fairytales, where my ending was one of hope rather than desolation. Where Corinna and Galen survived. Where I didn’t make stupid mistakes. Where Ambrosia had a father who was worthy of her, who could claim her, who could love her as neither Galen nor I could.

It was a beautiful fantasy, but it was just that. A fantasy. A song. A lure meant to draw me into the Siren’s trap...and it was working.

Sometime during her song, I’d risen to my feet, and now I felt called by her spell-binding voice and hopeful lyrics to the island’s edge, where moonlight bathed the ocean in its ethereal white glow and starlight winked at me from the open twilight sky.

Despite all the good sense, caution, and forewarning I possessed, I couldn’t stop myself. To be honest, I didn’t want to. I knew this was her plan, to trap me, to render me weak and defenseless...but I needed just a glimpse. I needed to hear the strains pouring from her lips with all the clarity only nearness could give me. I needed to feel the music, see the notes spiral in the air and taste its sweet refrains.

The sand shifted and crackled beneath my bare feet before it gave way to the moist, packed sand where the waves lapped at the shore at high tide. From there my steps were silent as I followed the song to a dark alcove of large rocks.

There she was, draped across the sand and supported by a rock, her form visible in the open. Her tail was at the edge of the water, slithering in the sand restlessly until another small wave broke against it and calmed the reptilian appendage. Its length was probably my full height, with series of scales climbing up her flesh in strange, alluring patterns that made her look almost entirely like a leviathan.

Almost, but for her womanly curves and the hair that curled out in all directions, a thick, luxurious mane that was at least half the length of her tail.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I wouldn’t if I could, actually. There was something…something in the way the moonbeams struck her...something in the way her hair billowed around her...something in her face.

The monster was still there—of course it hadn’t left—but suddenly it wasn’t so prominent. Suddenly it wasn’t the fangs, rolling eyes, and scaly body I saw. Suddenly there was vulnerability in her eyes and gentleness in her voice and gracefulness in the way she moved.

Suddenly she was beautiful.

So this is how they do it. Take your mind off of their frightful appearance, cunning ways, and evil intentions by singing so lovely and making you see something that isn’t there. Beauty. Emotion. Humanity.

It’s effective.

It was very effective, because I honestly wanted to believe that Seira was more than just a monster. All this evening, I had watched her as she swam alongside us toward Parvi, a youthful joy alight in her face. She had sacrificed her...well, I wasn’t quite certain what she’d sacrificed, since the only way to kill a Siren was to starve them and therefore I didn’t suppose there was any way the Naiads could further jeopardize her safety.

But she’d left the City to follow us, when it could’ve very well gotten her into trouble, when she had no assurance we would repay her, when she didn’t know who she could trust. And she’d interacted so well with Ambrosia, deferring to her like a loyal subject despite the fact that she was probably centuries older.

How old was she, anyway? Sirens were an ancient breed whose origins were so mysterious that not even the oldest, most learned scholar could untangle them. They couldn’t reproduce, although I remembered Renout once mentioning something about them possessing the capabilities and merely lacking the—well, I didn’t care. It was simply that the original generations of Sirens from hundreds of years ago would have to be the same that remained today.

Meaning I was admiring the body of a possibly one-thousand-year-old sea serpent.

It was effective.

But my point was that as much I was longed to see her in a different light, and as well as my physical eyes focused on only her mystical form, my heart still knew that all of this was a means to an end. A means to my demise.

This song was just that, a song. Notes sung in rapid succession that created a melody. A melody that entranced only for the sole purpose of bringing me just close enough to be killed.

I would not fall prey. Not again. Not like I had fallen so foolishly to my own lustful desires eight years ago.

Missed Part 12? Read it here!

#theriver #reign #serial #fantasy #theguardiansofmagni