Grace A. Johnson's Blog: Of Blades & Thorns, page 39

Short Story Writing Prompt Contest!

Do y'all remember that worldbuilding linkup I did a few months back? You don't? Oh, well, never mind then.

Anyway, someone mentioned that I should do it again, but next time with prompts. Well, that prompted me to think about - you guessed it - a writing prompt contest.

So, without further ado, let's get into the basics, rules, prompts, and submission form!

The Basics

Choose a prompt from the list below. Write a story between 800 and 3,000 words. Submit it through this form , preferably in a PDF or Google Doc (Word docs are also accepted). Entries will be judged based on: Overall quality of the writing How well the writer incorporate the prompt Clarity How well the story holds interest General awesomeness The contest ends June 15th. Winner will be notified within five days and their entry will be posted on my blog on June 20th. The winner will not only have their story published here, but they will also receive a 20-page critique of their work. (I would give you money, but, dawg, I'm broke.)

The Rules

Rule #1: There must always be rules.

Rule #2: Entries must not contain any content unsuitable for young readers (i.e., no profane language, nothing gratuitous) and your grandma. (Not that I think y'all would

Rule #3: Any personal information provided will not be released, apart from the name or pen name you provide me with to share.

Rule #4: You will have all rights to your work if you win, so if you would ever like me to remove it, please let me know. Also, feel free to share it anywhere else you'd like!

Rule #5: I've never hosted a contest before, so be nice and understanding if something goes wrong.

Optional Rule #6: SHARE! Whether you're a writer or not, tell your friends about the contest or share this post on social media! I'd love to see how many entries I can get!

The Prompts

(All prompts are products of my own imagination, so if any of these appear eerily similar to one of your own or one you've seen before, then, well, great minds think alike, don't they?)

Writing prompt #1:

Castle ruins were not an ideal place to establish a new empire—but I’d try my best.

Writing prompt #2:

The crown had belonged to me…in a dream.

Writing prompt #3:

You aren’t supposed to see me, but there you are. Smiling directly into my eyes.

Submission Form

It's basically just a link. So, um, here you go: the linky-dinky-doo.

The Final Fanfare

Can there be final fanfare when I didn't have any fanfare to begin with? Ach, whatever. The point is that you've made it to the end of this post. Hopefully by now you've decided to join the contest! Don't forget: you have one month to write and submit your story - it doesn't have to be perfect, but do try your best! There will only be one winner, and they'll be announced on June 20th!

Thanks again, you guys, for joining me! (And, I'm assuming, entering the contest.) I love contests, but it's hard to find any that are free to enter and accept good Christian content, so y'all are free to express yourselves...for free...with me! Have fun and happy writing!

The Regent (Reign: Part 6)

Reign

Part Six: The Regent

Renout

I was no fool. None could accuse me of being one. I was lauded for my wisdom, sought out for it, positioned because of it. A weighty life, yes, but a rewarding one. Helping people…solving problems…bettering our kingdom…

These were the things I lived for, and the things I would die for.

And when something came in between me and my calling, I would know. I would not be fooled by appearances or rumors or even logic. I would do whatever it took to ensure that Magni was not put in jeopardy, that my best friend’s kingdom would be well taken care of.

That he would be avenged.

“What manner of devilry is this?” exclaimed Governor Kasek, his flabby arms flailing as he sputtered into Galen’s old study. “I demand answers, Your Grace. Answers!”

I eyed the man warily as I carefully tucked a stack of papers into the desk drawer before me. “Perhaps you should provide me with a sensible question first, my lord.”

“Where has the queen gone? and Brehnan too? Have you killed them already?” He jammed trembling fingers into his thinning hair, pacing back and forth over my new rug. Likely his heavy boots were wearing it out already.

“Keep your voice down, Kasek. Of course not. Brehnan took Her Highness out for picnic in the forest early this morning, to take her mind off of things,” I consoled, knowing well that Kasek would believe the lie, much as the household staff did.

Some people simply lacked proper human intelligence. No doubt the deficiency was due to so much mixed breeding back in the old days.

“I don’t believe you for a moment, I say. What with all your scheming yesterday evening, they’ve probably run off or you’ve already hacked off their heads. Don’t think me a fool, Regent. I’ve been around many a year, you know.”

Oh, I know.

I rose from the desk, rounded it and set a placating hand on the governor’s shoulder. “Lord Kasek, you wound me. I think you no fool, I assure you. Truly you are a wise man to have such a position in the kingdom. You know I count you one of my closest allies and I want you to know that even know my huntsmen are tracking Brehnan and Queen Ambrosia. The foolish prince doesn’t even realize how he is playing into my hands.”

I chuckled wryly, allowing a spark of devilry—so Kasek called it—to light in my eyes. “They will be slain as if torn apart by beasts. So ‘tis up to you to play along, you see, and help keep the kingdom calm in this time. We can’t let them know of our plans, else panic shall ensue.”

If I could have captured Kasek’s expression on canvas, I would have, for the shift from red-faced and outraged to composed and conniving that occurred had left such visible marks on his face. Now he was all simpering and smiling, truly pleased with himself for figuring it out and being let into my inner circle. ‘Twas almost as amusing as the incredulity painted on his features yesterday.

I led the man away, bid him good day, listen to him applaud my intelligence and thank me for doing what was right for Magni.

I appreciated the sentiments, but truly? I wished I were doing this all in the shadows, as I had been with Galen. Quiet, fading into the background, untainted by the emotions at play. But had I been as prominent then as I was now, perhaps things would have been different. Perhaps we would not be in this situation at all.

I returned to Galen’s desk, this time ensuring the door was locked and Sapphira knew not to let anyone in.

Then I began writing.

It was a beautiful speech. Convicting. Inspiring. Powerful.

More than that, it was honest.

And what Magni needed was honesty. Pure, unadulterated truth.

The truth was that Ambrosia was unfit to serve as queen. Not because of her age or gender or any such nonsense. Not even because of the Gryphon in her blood.

Because of her father.

The truth was that Brehnan had broken Guardian oath and betrayed his family, the crown, and his country.

For his treason and indiscretion, he deserved death.

Ambrosia, however, did not. She was not guilty of her father’s actions nor part of his treason…but she could not possess the crown. She could not live here at the high castle. She…I…just looking at her was painful. Seeing what I saw...and not seeing what I wanted to.

She needed to be removed; whether that were permanently or temporarily, I would let the people decide.

Hence the speech.

Hence the pretense.

Hence the lies.

Brehnan and Ambrosia were not out for a picnic. They had disappeared yesterday evening, sneaking out of the castle walls...presumably after Brehn had overheard my discussion with Kasek, Rubin, and Arawn.

My huntsmen were not out searching for Brehnan and Ambrosia. My most trustworthy military scouts were, carefully tracking them so that they could return them safely, in one piece, to the high castle.

They were not going to be slain or left for dead in the wilderness. They would be given a fair trial and an unbiased jury would be given precedence over their sentence.

Once they knew the truth, they could make a decision with open eyes. And Galen would be avenged.

Missed Part 5? Read it here!

#theriver #reign #serial #fantasy #theguardiansofmagni

Review: Never Miss by Melissa Koslin

*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.

Stars: 3

Synopsis: When Kadance Tolle, an ex-CIA sniper, saves Dr. Lyndon Vaile’s life, she gets pulled into a plot to wipe out billions of people—and back into her old life. Will they make it out alive?

Favorite Quote: “‘If you do something like that again, I will find out.’ She paused. ‘And I will come back and kill you.’” (And, yes, I chose that one as my favorite because I cracked up when I read it. I know—I have a morbid sense of humor.)

I have a confession to make.

I decided to read Never Miss because of that amazing cover—even though I’ve just recovered from a hit-and-miss with romantic suspense last month. The concept of this novel sounded very intriguing and more up my alley, also.

From Page 1, I was intrigued. Never quite captivated, but intrigued. The story started off with a bang—don’t all suspense novels?—but the characters were presented and developed well earlier on. I was able to understand them and see them vividly throughout the story. Granted, Kadance was more vibrant than Lyndon, and, believe it or not, I actually liked her better. (Which isn’t always a good sign.)

I liked how Koslin dumbed things down for laymen like myself. (Laywomen? Laygirls? Layteens? Laypeople?) Kadance and Lyndon had their unique talents (I mean, the dude had three doctorates by thirty) and skill sets, but it was always easy to comprehend and envision what they were doing and how they operated. She didn’t over-hype anything to the point where things were confusing and chock-full of unnecessary information. Instead, all of the facts and information were carefully interwoven into the story and dialogue, which made everything seem so much more realistic.

Make sense?

The concept has probably been done before, but in light of the coronavirus pandemic, the idea of a corrupt power attempting to unleash a virus to wipe out the greater portion of the world is seen in a new light. Also gave me a lot of Infinity War and Hitler vibes. You know, balance and purity and all.

So, yes, I enjoyed the plot, even though it got to be a little disconcerting at times. (Don’t know if y’all listen to any conspiracy theories out there, but, uh, there’s more to them than just fodder for good suspense novels.)

The pacing was spectacular, in my opinion. It ended way too abruptly (I gotta have some hope for the future, man!), but the rest of the novel flowed so smoothly. There were lulls when there needed to be lulls and fast-paced excited when that was needed too. Inconsistent pacing is only ever a good thing with romantic suspense, because it allows for great character and plot development in the midst of all the turmoil.

Inconsistent writing, however, is never a good thing.

In the first few chapters, the overall quality of the writing wasn’t very high. Now, there were no typos, cosmetic issues, or technical errors at all—but you know how some writing just feels good, while others don’t? Some writers just have that smooth voice, that gentle cadence, that unique slant to their prose that makes the story a million times more enthralling. That was missing from Never Miss.

Maybe that’s a good thing, since it allowed me to focus more on just what was happening in the book than savoring the words. But I still think there was something missing—some punch or pizzazz—that would’ve taken the story over the top.

In the end, my reasons for knocking off two stars are purely personal.

#1 I didn’t really like Lyndon, as a hero. He was unique, and real, and human—and I liked that—but he just didn’t appeal to me.

#2 The faith elements were nonexistent. Now, there was logical spirituality (can that even be a thing?), almost what I would call Christian science, apart from the Scientology connotations, of course. Lyndon’s views of God are great if you’re just transitioning from being an atheist to a Christian—helps put things into perspective. But faith? The substance of things hoped for and evidence of things unseen? Nothing. Zilch. Nada.

I honestly think the religious elements should have been omitted entirely, since it had no impact whatsoever. Even Kadance never came to any firm conclusion about God. This is a travesty to me, that we would dilute the Creator of the universe to fit the small box on our checklist of story elements. He is so much more than that, and you can either have all of Him or none of Him—not just “enough to suit.”

#3 Lyndon, a “Christian,” (I use quotes because of my point above), kept casually cussing. Now, the words weren’t written out, but the occasional mention of “he cursed” upset me. Not because I don’t condone the use of such euphemisms or because I don’t think including them helps accurately portray the human nature—I do the same thing all the time. But simply because our goody-two-shoes hero would just throw the d-word around in a casual conversation. Like, who does that? My mom could make a sailor’s ears turn red when she’s in a temper, but she doesn’t just walk around cussing for no reason.

#4 The romance was kind of just...physical. Now, y’all know if I say it, it must be bad, because I rarely ever have qualms about sexual tension and all. But when that’s all you’ve got? You can kiss that relationship goodbye. Lyndon and Kadance had a friendship with the benefits of a few lusty looks and a couple kisses—where was the emotion? Where was the soul-deep connection? Where was the dancing in the moonlight and the lovesick moping and the botched-up proposals and the nervous blushing and the beautiful poetry of a romance?

Ach, lost in the sea of suspense, it was. One day, I’d like to see someone write a romance worthy of a mood board and a fandom and seamlessly combine it with a suspense worthy of a movie and a James Patterson endorsement. (And, yes, I know I could do that myself, but that kind of defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?)

Anyway, I said these were personal pet peeves. I think what romance there was was well-done, since I could see it all unfold and not just have a sudden romantic relationship dumped on top of me out of nowhere. I was just missing a lot of emotional and spiritual connection, in multiple respects.

Long story short, there are a lot of good things to Never Miss. It was better developed than most romantic suspense (although I still think the ending was a little rushed and abrupt). It was a quick, fast-paced read. It was interesting—I mean, I finished it! That’s gotta count for something, right?

But there were also areas in which Never Miss was lacking—mostly the subplots. I understand entwining so many different elements into one story is difficult, but I do expect more out of traditionally published authors. I don’t know, I guess it seems to me than trad publishers are lowering their standards—to combat self- and indie-publishing? To expand their horizons? To make more money? I don’t know, but I do know that more and more I see self-published authors with stories of higher quality than traditionally published authors—and I’m not speaking about myself this time.

Pardon the rant. Never Miss was exciting and enjoyable. Yeah, it wasn’t perfect, but it may suit you just fine!

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

Melissa Koslin is a fourth-degree black belt in and certified instructor of Songahm Taekwondo. In her day job as a commercial property manager, she secretly notes personal quirks and funny situations, ready to tweak them into colorful additions for her books. She and Corey, her husband of twenty years, live in Florida, where they do their best not to melt in the sun.

I Need Your Help!

I'm back! Y'all didn't think you'd see me again so soon! Hope y'all are enjoying the scavenger hunt! Let me know if there are any complications, okay?

Anyway, I need y'all's help with something. Lord willing, I'll be going to tech school this coming school year to get my TCC as a small business marketing manager.

Suffice it to say that's got me thinking a lot about my author brand and image and all that fancy marketing stuff. I mean, it's a bit too late for me to establish a firm brand, since, well, I've already published seven books and had a website for nearly a year...

But an author brand/image is always evolving, and it's time for me to evolve again.

So, I would greatly appreciate any and all feedback you can supply by filling out the form below, or clicking here to fill it out in a separate tab. (By the way, I want to just shout out to Maya Joelle for inspiring me to do this survey and think more about my author branding!)

Don't know why the form stretched all the way down here, but, eh, here we are! Thanks again, you guys!

BAD Sneak Peek #5

To be honest, I was darn-tooting that this would be my sixth sneak peek, but it ain’t. You can, however, go back and read peeks 1-4 here, here, here, and here!

Or you can just read my summary of them.

In May of 2020, I shared my first-ever sneak peek of BAD. At the time, I was 12 chapters and 40k through. I shared a tentative synopsis, my favorite (and only) quote at the time, and my theme song for the story, “Storm” by Lifehouse.

Come August, I was 71k and 21 chapters in, and I shared my favorite (at the time) spiritual moments.

In November, I shared the deleted prologue scene that introduces you to Keaton and Rina’s first ever meeting! I didn’t share my progress, but I was about 28 chapters and 93k through—which was the really romantic part!

And in January, my last sneak peek was when I was at Chapter 31 and the 120k mark—and when I got some amazing revelation on grace. And y’all know what I promised you? Suspense and romance.

Five months later, and I’m on Chapter 45 and about 150k in—only 15 chapters and 45k away from my goal of 195,000 words and 60 chapters!

In layman’s terms, I’ve got a LOT of suspense and romance to share!

That being said, I want to save the good stuff for closer to the finish line, so we’re going to stick to some non-spoiler-y sneaky peekies for now!

About the Book

They had all thought it past. Yet now the storm has returned.

Atlantic Ocean

1686

A wicked twist of fate—or perhaps the hand of God—has landed Captain Rina Bennet in the most precarious situation yet. When her husband and the father of her twin boys leaves at the behest of a family friend, she is left to take charge of the ship she has not sailed on in two years, accepting the responsibility of a dwindling crew, half of which don’t even know her as captain. Saddled with two toddlers, she struggles in vain to erect some form of normalcy and order upon her ship…

Then the past suddenly appears to haunt both her and her quartermaster Keaton, in the forms of an old friend and an old life.

Rina has to make a judgment call when the ghosts come knocking, a call that could mean either life or death—for both an innocent girl and herself. The storm has returned.

The Romance

Hey, here it is! Y’all’s first glimpse at the through-the-roof romance in Bound and Determined! This book is actually divided into three parts (instead of the usual two), and Part 2 is what really begins the romance! Part 1 is character and plot development, and Part 3 is ACTION!

Anyway, y’all enjoy this edited, non-spoiler-y excerpt from Chapter 35 (from Keaton’s POV):

This time, I didn’t wait for her smile, that open invitation, but I did take my time. I leaned in, drawing in a deep breath of the lemon scent of her hair, training my eyes on hers to alert her of my intentions. As if they weren’t obvious.

My hands trembled as they scaled her face, trailing through those luscious curls of creamy silk. My body cramped with the need to hold her, to touch her, to show her how beautiful she was and just how much I loved her. If only she would believe it. I wasn’t like everyone else, seeking something that was not mine, desiring a moment’s fleeting pleasure no matter the cost.

I buried my face in her hair, my throat swelling shut as the backs of my eyes began to burn. Every inhale was ragged and shallow, each exhale a gasp. Her own body shook, twitching violently when I began my descent.

Her skin smelled like spring, the wildflowers and honey I’d find in the fields back home. It was…revival, awakening. The life to my longing for home.

She was my home.

Guys, as I was scrolling through, looking for the perfect scene to share, I stumbled upon this one, and I knew y’all would enjoy this taste of my heroine’s inner struggle. *cackles maliciously* It’s very poetic and actually gets kind of dark after this little part—but, trust me, the light breaks in eventually!

He was everywhere. Everything all at once. His was the voice inside my head, beckoning with a gentle come. His was the hand that reached for mine, tugging me away from all the doubts and into the beautiful light of his love. His was the mouth I caressed, the touch I reveled in, the body I craved.

In one kiss, he was the sun, the moon, the stars. And I was the earth, orbiting ‘round about him, savoring his overwhelming power and soaking in his rays.

I couldn’t get enough. It were as though rain clouds had taken up residence over me and he was the only beam of sunlight. He kept moving, dodging, leaping, dancing across the surface of my face and merely skimming the plains of my body.

But he was so still, remaining just where he had been before, gently fondling my mouth as though I were his sun, his prized plunder, his coveted treasure.

And I was the one moving, writhing away as the light…became flames. Flickering and sparking, catching on my hair, my fingertips, my skin. Coursing through my veins and pounding in my temples.

The flames burst into an inferno, barely contained by the furnace I’d erected around the fire. Fingers, long and lithe, made of living embers closed around mine, tugging—nay, wrenching me into the fathomless depths. Into the feather-soft nothingness that creaked and groaned and pitched with the waves outside.

What I love the most about these two excerpts (from the same moment, but different perspectives) is that it shows the difference between Keaton and Miss Sharow (the name y’all will know her by until I finally decide to reveal her fully), especially when it comes to their relationship.

Keaton sees too much good in her, believes that she’s better than she really is. And when he kisses her, it’s not to harm her or because of lust—although his guilt makes him think so. He adores her and wants to show her in the tenderest of ways how lovely she is—on the inside, in her soul and spirit.

On the flip side, Miss Sharow automatically reverts back to her old life of sin, and can’t comprehend someone treating her with respect, loving her for who she really is, desiring her instead of her body. Her survival instincts clash with Keaton’s gentle wooing, and that results in some very messy arguments.

This couple...y’all, apart from Kit and Chloe, they are DEFINITELY my all-time favorites. I’m sure that will change as I write more books, but for now, I am so in love with their love story! I actually don’t like Miss Sharow all that much (she annoys the crap out of me), but I’ve gotten very good feedback on her character. Keaton, however? UGH! He is my perfect baby.

I wish I could marry him, but I think we’re a little too much alike.

Oh, yeah, and he’s not real. I guess that would be a deterrent.

The Suspense

Ah, now for the suspense. I left y’all hanging with the epilogue of Prisoner at Heart, so I kind of pick up on that and let the bone-gnawing suspense carry me through BAD...until these moments…

From Chapter 41, in Crimson’s POV (yes, I’m bringing her back!!!), read the moment before Elliot entered the kitchen at the end of PAH:

The stench of burning eggs assailed my senses. I swallowed against the bitter, smokey air emanating from the stove, where Mother had abandoned the morning meal for the sheet of paper in her hands.

The smoke died away, replaced with startling clarity.

The letter. The one we had forgotten.

I crossed the room in three quick steps, peered over Mother’s shoulder at the trembling scrawl across the ink-stained page. She jumped at my presence, her eyes hazy and unfocused until she turned them on me and blinked away the fog. Her hands shook as they placed the letter in mine, her fingers slick with sweat and steam.

“Mother, what is it?” Panic gripped me, freezing me to my spot to keep me from reading the letter that would only make the urgency that seized my heart fifteen times worse.

She thrust a finger at the letter. “Read it. I-I don’t know. You must...you must read it.”

Oh, Lord...oh, no. What could it be?

Well, there was no use wondering about it. I pushed the worry away, trapped it in a closet in the back of my mind, and began to read the letter.

It took me three tries to read over the first sentence, and five guesses to recognize the poor handwriting.

Keaton. And it was dated a week ago.

Unlike the past two times he’d written us, Keaton’s hand was stilted and jagged, as if it were etched in wood instead of painted with pen and ink. And usually the letters sent from Jamaica didn’t reach us until sometimes two or three weeks after the date.

It had to be urgent, then, or else they were very near.

And it had to be bad, if Keaton were lacking composure.

I carefully deciphered each word, my recently acquired literacy skills no match for Keaton’s hurried scrawl. When the message was finally revealed, my heart had sunk to my stomach.

Nay. No, it couldn’t...it can’t be true.

Only three sentence, only few words, and yet with them my entire world crumpled. Mine and Elliot’s lives—the lives of our sons—quaked.

I relinquished the letter to the hand that closed around mine, my body swaying against Mother’s when I no longer had the solid support of reality the paper had given me. There was nothing around me, nothing in me but air. Air and water—heavy, strong water pulling me down, down, down into darkness.

My mind couldn’t wrap around it.

Not until Elliot spoke the words I couldn’t: “Rina’s to be hanged.”

From Chapter 36, in Rina’s POV:

“You’re fooling with the wrong—Ah!” Something struck the small of my back—another gun, its barrel nestling so far into my flesh that I wouldn’t be surprised if it stuck out the other side.

The man behind me twisted my arm, digging the pistol deeper. Pain radiated from places I never knew existed, splitting to pursue every muscle and joint like fiery arrows. I was quick to recover, yanking my shoulder enough to loosen the man’s grip and redirect the gun—but not quick enough.

As soon as my focus shifted, my hand grew weak. The officer lifted his sword and, with a mere flick of his wrist, knocked the flintlock from my grip and sent it flying to the ground, landing at just the right angle…

It fired, rending the hustle and bustle of the Cuban streets with a deafening crack, wood splintering and potatoes tumbling as the bullet lodged itself in a nearby cart. Smoke ascended, billowing around us and drowning out the startled cacophony within the marketplace.

The moment’s interruption could have been enough for me to move, but these officers were cheeky blighters. Something snapped, popped, broke—I was sure—as my other arm was jerked behind me and bent into a manner I knew was wholly unnatural. I couldn’t feel anything for a long moment, couldn’t hear much either, until I suddenly felt my arms going limp from the pressure and the pain, granting free reign to a crippling ache. My knees gave out next, buckling as I stumbled backward.

This was it then, wasn’t it? After thirteen years, the day had finally arrived.

Even my mind began to crumble at the weight of the realization. The officer behind me secured me to his chest with a rock-solid arm around my waist, shoring me up as waves began to crash over me, silencing the excuses. Silencing the moans. Silencing the refusal. Silencing everything except for the three little words I’d never wanted to hear but always knew I would…

“You’re under arrest.”

#suspenserules Anyway, y’all chew on that for a while.

The Spiritual

I’ve shared a lot of spiritual moments with y’all up to this point, so what I want to do this time is share something I’ve learned—a message I’ll probably put into my author’s note.

To be honest, I’ve had a lot of struggles with Bound and Determined. This story...it’s deep. It’s not my deepest story, because I have a lot of really deep, spiritual messages in books I just haven’t written yet...but it’s one of my darkest, one of the most controversial, one that no one understands. The message of faith and grace and salvation in BAD is what separated the Protestants from the Catholics, the Armenians from the Calvinists.

And I’m writing a book about it.

I’m most thankful for having read The Cost of Discipleship while writing BAD, because Bonhoeffer put grace into perspective. He took the best of the Catholic and Protestant teachings and showed you what parts of them come from the Bible, how the Bible unites the two theologies (or how the two different doctrines have separated from the Bible). He shows us what grace—true, costly grace—really means, and that’s something I’ve been translating into Bound and Determined.

But I wonder how people will perceive. Will I be able to affect them, or will their preconceived notions and the way they were taught keep them from understanding? Will they be turned off by how deep and dark the story gets? Will they close their eyes to the light, simply because it’s so dark? Questions, questions, questions.

Then I read Romans 14:23. The last line of the verse hit me right in the heart, and, y’all. God has given me the perfect answer to all those questions. Paul says “[W]hatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Or, if you read the ESV like I do, it’s phrased “whatever does not proceed from faith” (emphasis added).

That was my reassurance, my confirmation. I got a lot of that from Romans, actually. God keeps pushing me to write this story, because every time I start to doubt again, He shows me something—a blog post, a verse, a book review, the amazing gushing of my bestest friend Sophia. And that gives me the confidence to write this story I know nothing else will.

Let me explain.

My heroine is a prostitute.

She’s also a Christian.

Yes, you read that right. She’s saved, a born-again Christian, and yet she sells her body every night, has been for about three years now.

How…how do you reconcile that?

There are many different ways to excuse or explain this spiritual anomaly. Maybe she lost her salvation. Maybe she committed the unpardonable sin. Maybe she was never really saved. Maybe, because she’s a slave, it’s not the same thing as actual fornication. Maybe, since she’s doing it to support her sister, it’s justified.

Or maybe, just maybe...she can rely on God’s grace and keep living that way.

Biggest lie EVER.

And she knows that. She struggles with it so bad, especially in this scene here (which is really long, so bear with me):

Why now? Why was it now, when I was free, that I failed so? Why hadn’t I felt this way before? Why? Oh, God…

“Why? Why? Why? Why?!”

I crumpled. Splayed out over the floor, my arms unable to hold myself up. “God…I don’t know why. Why I failed You. Why I-I keep stumbling. I’m so wretched, I...” I—what? God knew how wicked I was, how weak, how hypocritical. He knew I was unworthy. He knew I was the worst of sinners.

And yet I dared to come before Him.

“I don’t deserve You, Lord.”

“None of us do, niña.”

I jerked my head up, only half certain I’d heard the voice, the heavily accented English. I blinked through tears and found the warm brown eyes of the priest, floating toward me on billows of thick robes and cloaks.

“None of us deserve our Lord’s mercy and grace. All have fallen short, but He offers it anyway. You have only to accept it.” He smiled, taking in my tattered dress and mussed hair. He knew. He knew exactly what I was. But he didn’t rear back or pull away. His soft grin remained, even as he said, “His love makes you new.”

I swallowed down the rise of sobs, averting my eyes from the priest’s probing gaze. He might have known what I was...but he would never know who.

“You do not understand, Father. You cannot.”

He chuckled. “I have heard this many times, sí? But it is you who do not understand. Even I was sinner before Christ.”

“So was I.” Fear gripped my heart, wringing out the thought that if I had told him everything, he would recoil. If he realized that I was not just another lost soul, he would be ashamed or worse—furious. I could hear the curses now…

He took my hand in his, firm yet gentle fingers enveloping mine, and tugged my attention back to his face. “Not even a priest is holy, niña. No one is good, say the Scriptures, no, not one. But Christ in us is the hope of the glory to come. He is within you, so have hope!”

“Tis not that simple. I’ve nothing to hope for.”

“Do you? Surely there is something. Something you want to be freed from, sí?”

I shook my head, even though my soul cried yes! “I thought there was...but it has become a part of me. There is no freedom if I have bound myself.”

When the priest remained silent, brows pulled low in contemplation, I felt compelled to explain. If only to help him understand that I was beyond saving.

The words came all too easily, without emotion or infliction. I told him my whole pitiful story, and when I was done I stared back unabashedly at the him, daring him to speak, shame drowned out by the rush of blood in my temples. If he rebuked me, I half expected me to defend myself.

“Did you ever—” he choked out the words, face aflame “—enjoy partaking in sin?”

Had I? Did I?

I had to mull this one over. When it boiled down to my actions and intentions, had I done so for the sake of my sister...or had I done so for myself?

Until today, I had been convinced that everything had been for her. But then I had almost fallen right back into it, with no incentive but my own sinful desires.

Why?

Because I had wanted it.

I cracked a rueful smile. “Sometimes.”

The priest remained unaffected, apart from the telltale signs of blush tingeing his dusky cheeks. “But...you recognized it as sin?”

“Aye, of course I did. I was raised better than to think otherwise. I merely...justified it, for a time. I sold myself. I did so to save my sister. I thought I was being kind and loving, rescuing her from prostitution, but now I see that I cannot impede fate.”

“Fate is not what work in our lives, niña. We wrestle against principalities and powers—Satan and his demons. The devil is the one to blame, and God is the One to run to. You no see? Something greater is happening around you, and God sees it. He knew the path you chose before it was presented to you—it was He Who offered you a way out. It was He Who gave you conviction. It is He Who offers you grace and mercy, no matter the condition of your soul.”

“Perhaps you do not understand, being Catholic and all, but I can’t rely on grace. I can’t keep living this way, stopping at the confessional on my way back to the brothel.”

The priest sighed, turning his face away at my harsh words. “It is you who no understand, I say. Grace is not a piece of driftwood, supporting you as you float away. It is a raft, a rescue. It lifts you from the waves of despair and deposits you on dry ground, where you can begin living for Christ. Mercy cleans your slate. Grace gives you a new one. You can’t accept it until your heart is ready.” He thumped his chest with a fist. “Make your heart ready. You can do that by praying.” His eyes narrowed as they sized me up again. “When last you pray?”

He took my hands in his again, holding them to his heart. “May I pray with you?”

He prayed in a slow, stilted, heavily-accented English that was hard to follow for the broken quality…but I had never felt so at home, at peace, until I heard his prayer for me.

“You bring healing, Lord God. Bring healing to niña. Show Your love. Your grace...oh, Your grace she no see, Father! Open her eyes. Open her heart. You provide mercy and grace. Provide healing balm to soul. Lift her from ocean, Lord. Save her from waters! You no let her drown. Help her to trust You again. Replenish her faith. Por favor, Holy One, wash her clean again. Make her new.”

Unbidden, scripture arose, filling my mind and soul with the words of God Almighty.

“And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”

Lift me from the waters, O God. Save me!

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

All I had to do was surrender.

But like the priest says (yes, I chose a priest for the pure irony of it all), “Grace is not a piece of driftwood, supporting you as you float away. It is a raft, a rescue. It lifts you from the waves of despair and deposits you on dry ground, where you can begin living for Christ. Mercy cleans your slate. Grace gives you a new one. You can’t accept it until your heart is ready.”

As powerful as this message is, I knew so many people would think to themselves, “How does this apply to me? I’m not living like this character is. I’m not a fornicator or a murderer or a thief. I’m living for God, all day, every day.”

Then I read that passage in Romans.

“Whatever isn’t from faith is sin.”

Whatever you do—whether it’s good or bad or helping people or not—that doesn’t come from faith is actually sin. Let that sink in.

Basically, maybe you haven’t done anything as bad as my character has, but if you’re not following God’s plan, you’re sinning in the exact same manner.

This message of grace is an everyday thing. You need grace every single day, because we all fall short. We’re not perfect. We do screw up. Like Paul said, “I do the things I don’t want to do, and I don’t do the things I know I should.” Another verse (I can’t remember the coordinates or the exact phrasing) says something to this affect, “When you’re not doing what is good or what God has asked you to do, you’re basically doing wrong.”

Yeah, I’ve been there.

Without love, without faith, we’re nothing.

Without God, without His foundation, without His calling, we’re all just sinning.

Man. Like Marty McFly would say, that’s heavy.

But it’s also very, very, very hopeful. You know why? Because Jesus said that if you just ask, you’ll receive. Seek, and you’ll find. Knock, and it’ll be opened to you!

You can have that grace to try again, try better, be what God has called you to be, every morning when you wake up and every night when you fall asleep. Just ask. Accept it. Like the priest said, make your heart ready to receive it by seeking God in prayer.

Regardless of what an actual Catholic priest would say, you can go to God at any given moment. At any time of day. At any point in your life. He’ll provide you with His grace, His mercy, and His deliverance.

This is what Miss Sharow says about deliverance: “I’m learning what it means to trust God. To follow His plan. To be delivered. Deliverance doesn’t mean I no longer have the problems or encounter temptation...it means I finally have the strength to combat them, to resist the devil.”

I don’t know, maybe that makes some sense. It does to me, and it hit me so hard that evening when I first read that scripture.

So, yeah. There was your spiritual sneaky peeky for today.

As always, thank y’all for joining me. Thank you for reading this entire post. I hope you enjoyed all of the excerpts. Maybe you even learned something! I know I can’t wait to continue sharing more, so keep your eyes peeled for more sneak peek (preferably shorter ones) as I get closer to The End!

What was your favorite excerpt? How does grace affect you in your daily life? Let me know in the comments!

Summer Blog Scavenger Hunt (Final Stop)

Guess what? You've made it to the end of the loop!! Congratulations for making it this far! (Granted, the loop has only seven stops, so it's not that big of a deal, and you probably finished the hunt in thirty minutes, but still. I count it a success on your part, so give yourself a hang!)

Now it's time to register to try and win some amazing prizes! Just enter your info in the Rafflecopter form below. Rafflecopter will register your email or use the email you use to login to Facebook. That's how I'll notify the winner! Also, I’ll post the grand prize winner’s name on this Rafflecopter form when they are randomly chosen at 12am on May 9th. (Winners of giveaways hosted by the individual bloggers will be notified by them.)

If you have trouble entering the Rafflecopter form (please try), you can email the winning clue stream to graceajohnson(DOT)author(AT)gmail(DOT)com by Sunday, May 9th. I will enter your info into Rafflecopter before the winner is chosen. That being said, I would prefer you use the form--thanks!

The prizes include e-copies of Held Captive and Prisoner at Heart (by yours truly), bookmarks, blog guest post opportunities, and more!

Y'all have a fabulous summer!

#summerblogscavengerhunt #giveaways #freestuff #entertowin #summer

Summer Blog Scavenger Hunt (Stop #1)

Y'all will not believe this. Okay, maybe you will. I've prepared you beforehand for this amazing development, plus there's this picture above the words you're reading that probably says it all.

I'm hosting my first ever blog scavenger hunt. Not only that, but I have six other AMAZING bloggers/writers joining me--including Issabelle and Katherine Perry of Teen Writers' Nook and Kristianne from Whimsical Wanderings!

So, before we jump in, I want to outline how a blog scavenger hunt works (for those who are new to the game...like most of us are, obviously). From NOW until May 9th at 12am, you get to hop from post to post collecting "clues" (which are actually just snippets of text) and entering giveaways! Once you've gone through the loop, you'll circle back to my blog and enter the clues you collected (all in order) to enter into the final giveaway!

The prizes include e-copies of Held Captive and Prisoner at Heart (by yours truly), bookmarks, blog guest post opportunities, and more! Only ONE winner will be chosen!

Along the way, my fellow bloggers have prepared some super fun and summer-y posts, as well as a few giveaways! In this post, you have the chance to win an e-copy of Six O'clock...but we'll get to that later. For now, let's start with the rules.

The hunt begins on 5/7 at midnight EST Don’t rush! You’ve got all weekend (until Sunday, 5/9 at midnight) to hunt. So take your time, checking out all the unique posts along the way. Share your thoughts in the comments or the blogs with your friends! Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the clue (code stream) on each blogger’s scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the Rafflecopter form at the final stop on back here on my site!

Now, if you've found me through one of the other bloggers in the loop, then allow me to introduce myself! My name is Grace A. Johnson (but you may call me Gracie), and I'm a fifteen-year-old self-published Christian historical romance author! (I also moonlight as a fantasy author, contemporary author, mystery writer, and poet, but I prefer to stick with just one title. *wink*) I'm also a book reviewer and graphic designer in my spare (of which there is little, as you can imagine).

My first novel, Held Captive, debuted in March of 2019 (yep, two whole years ago!) and was the #6 bestseller in Christian historical romance in the Kindle store! You can check my baby out here! Oh, and yes. It is a pirate novel.

Or you can take a peek at the short story I'm giving away this weekend, my latest release, Six O'clock, right here!

Now, with that out of the way, let's dive in with some summer fun!

#1 What is my most favorite part of summer?

Believe it or not, summer is my least favorite time of the year. Ironic, no? Since I'm homeschooled and live on/in/surrounded by farmland, I don't have a huge summer vacation to look forward to. I have a 3/4 of an acre garden and 50+ acres of blueberries to look forward to.

Not to mention I abhor the heat. And the skeeters. And the flies. And the sweat. And...

Wait. I'm supposed to be talking about my favorite part of summer, aren't I?

Well, my favorite part would definitely be going to Summer Waves at Jekyll Island with mi familia. We would usually go in May, but since the aforementioned blueberries are just now coming into season, we'll prolly be going in July/August this year. Either way, I always get super excited about going to the waterpark. Childish? I think not.

#2 What are my plans for this summer?

Work.

Ahem. I think we've addressed that already. Yes, I will be working. I will also be preparing to return to college in the fall (after a hiatus my sophomore year), this time transferring from Brewton-Parker to Costal Pines for a small business marketing manager TCC. (Sounds fancy, but it's just free dual-enrollment stuff. I like to make it sound all nerdy and cool.)

Otherwise, I don't have anything special going on. Have family flying in for the month of July. Turn sixteen in August. You know, the usual.

#3 Name one or more books that shout Summer!

(I gave everybody this question why?)

*shrugs* *runs to her Goodreads read list* *scours her bookshelves*

To be honest, I'm not a summery person, so I don't really gravitate toward summery/beachy reads. However, I have read a TON of novella collections (by Barbour, I think) from, like, the early 2000s that were just so fun and summery! Oh, and then there's Jody Hedlund's lighthouse novels. And that one book...

M'kay. I have complied a list.

The Nature of a Lady by Roseanna M. White. Okay, it's set in the Scillies and during the summer. Can it get any more summery? Nope. Also, it's, like, the most fabulous book ever. #thenatureofalady #thesecretoftheisles #ilovethisbook Anything by Eugenia Price. Everything by her is summery to me. The perks of being set on the Georgia coast, I guess! Anyway, from the St. Simons Trilogy to the Savannah quartet, her books have this beautiful East Coast feel I love! Oh, and her novel To See Your Face Again is like...AHHH!!! SO. GOOD. Michigan Weddings . This novella collection was the first that came to my mind, actually. You can hardly find these anymore--the short novellas from Harlequin's Truly Yours/Heartsong Presents line, but these three and a lot more all had such fun premises and aesthetics. Most of the books have been republished by Barbour in huge collections like this one . Jody Hedlund's Beacons of Hope series. This series...y'all, this series will always have a special place in my heart. I don't love the stories as much as I once did, but if it weren't for this series, I probably wouldn't be a writer! (But that's a story for another day...) Anyway, lighthouses and Michigan always put me in the mood for summer, and this series captures both perfectly! Anything piratey! If it's got pirates in it, I automatically label it as summer. From Kathleen Y'Barbo's books to MaryLu Tyndall's novels, the summer vibes are definitely there! Oh, yeah! Speaking of, the Escape to Paradise trilogy by MaryLu Tyndall is set in Brazil, and the island/beach vibes put me in the mood for summer, for sure!

#4 What books am I looking forward to reading this summer?

Okay, I can answer this question! I am definitely looking forward to reading more of Tamara Leigh, especially her latest releases, Reckless and Boundless!

Winning the Gentleman by Kristi Ann Hunter is a story I've been wanting to read before she even wrote it, and it's actually coming up next on my to-read list, so I'm very excited for that!

Emma by Jane Austen.

AND Heir to His Crown by Issabelle Perry and Calligraphy Guild by R.M Archer! I have the honor and pleasure of being a beta-reader this summer for these two novels, and AH! I am just so excited!!!!

#5 Are there any books releasing this summer that I'm excited about?

Someone was prepared this time...

The Heart's Charge by Karen Witemeyer Come Back to Me by Jody Hedlund Love and the Silver Lining by Tammy L. Gray Lawless by Tamara Leigh

AND Ignite by Jenna Terese and At Her Fingertips by Kellyn Roth! I'm honored to be a part of these lovely girls' launch teams, so you will be hearing a LOT more about these novels in the coming months! Both are releasing in July of this year!!!!!

#6 What projects will I be working on?

*sigh* The same one I've been working on for the last year and a half. BAD.

Or, if you prefer something a little more positive, Bound and Determined.

I hope to FINALLY finish my fat, 64-chapter-pound baby by the end of July, but I'm not holding my breath.

In the meantime, I will be working on releasing Daylight, which is...ugh. I am so stoked about this short story. I know y'all will love it!

Also, I'll be working on my Regency reimaginings collection, so keep your eyes out for more information about that!

Whew! Maybe you made it through that really long post down to this very short section in which I supply you with all that you came here for: the free stuff.

Here are the basics for Stop #1:

Write down this clue: One of our favorite things

Go to Stop #2: Teen Writers' Nook!

Enter this giveaway:

I'm only selecting three winners, and the giveaway ends on May 9th at 12am (same time as the final giveaway), so be sure to put your name in the hat for a chance to win! (Please note that entering my personal giveaway is optional and should only be attempted while wearing safety glasses.)

Well, thank you for making it this far! I hope y'all enjoy all of the wonderful prizes and posts along the scavenger hunt loop! Let me know in the comments what books you're looking forward to reading, what your favorite part of summer is, and what you'll be doing these next couple months! Don't forget to write down your clue and head on to the next post! Happy hunting!

#summerblogscavengerhunt #summer #scavengerhunt #letthehuntbegin #favoritebooks #newreleases #havefun #giveaways #funstuff

The Choice (Reign: Part 5)

Reign

Part Five: The Choice

Seira

Something changed in the Guardian’s eyes. Had they truly been a soft brown only moments before? Now they were a smoldering black, seizing mine with an intensity that shook me to my core.

It was disconcerting enough to have a man stare at me—it had been many years yet, likely three or four, since the last one—let alone for so long. Usually...or, at least, back in the day of the Commonwealth, men were always coming and going across the treacherous waters, disappearing within the thick coverlet of water within moments as they were carried down, down, down…never to be seen or heard from again.

But today? In the day of queens and Regents and new rules and regulations? With this man?

Hunger gnawed at my insides as my stomach cramped, a thirst for more than water seeping through the scales on my exposed face and neck. The longer I looked...the longer he looked...the harder my job became.

Warning them away was one thing. They could accept the truth, turn around, and move on.

But if they refused to and I led them through the City—assuming I could gain the courage and composure required to offer—I feared he would not make it out alive.

He was positively beautiful, he was, and not simply because I’d been so long without a man. Were he to stand alongside every unfortunate fellow who had traversed through the City or they who had been lost to the ocean at Parvi, he would stick out like a flowering tree in the middle of this lifeless city.

With an aquiline nose and angular jaw, he possessed those gorgeous, elegant features of the aristocracy that had always appealed to me. His hair was light and sun-bleached, cropped in wild waves, and his eyes were like obsidian struck by sunbeams, alight with the colors of topaz and andradite. Of course he was muscular—weren’t all Guardians?—but he was leaner and taller than most, a graceful fluidity in his movements that bespoke a privileged upbringing. Or maybe more than privileged, if his striking coloring were of any indication. Few purebreds in Magni were this intriguing mix of light and dark, or so tall, or so sylphlike.

I nearly laughed at the comparison. What an insult a purebred would find it to be referred to as sylphlike—as dirty a creature as I, though extinct since the flood. Only the gryphons still existed in Magni—high up in the treacherous mountains no human dared to explore.

Ah, ‘twas no more than wishful thinking to presume he could ever be the only remaining half-breed son of the late Queen Myia and her impure husband from the north. After all, didn’t gryphons have feathers and fur? This man was all thick, sun-bronzed skin.

The Guardian’s hold on Ambrosia—Queen Ambrosia, that is—tightened until the girl began to squirm, whispering something harshly in his ear.

Was it not supposed to be the adult who rebuked the child? This grown man had just been chastised by a mere slip of a girl, and he looked it, wincing with remorse in the grooves of his brow.

Then he turned his gaze on me again, chilling the river around me with the icy granite in his expression. “We intend to cross, Siren,” he said simply, as if I’d thought he were here to just stand and chat.

“Of course you’re here to cross!” I had the audacity to float higher, my arms flying into the air. “What else are you to do? Feed me?”

Well, Seira, that is an option.

Queen Ambrosia’s eyes snagged on my exposed upper body—naked, by the human’s definition, and unsightly to a delicate girl. To be truthful, most Sirens were unsightly to even the men we lured. Very few of us could boast the beauty the Naiads did, with their shapely curves and slender figures and fair hair. They were nymphs, one with the elements and as elusive as wind.

Sirens were...well, sirens. Sea serpents, reptilians, monsters. Fanged and scaly, with a tail instead of legs and wispy fingers. We were of strange proportions compared to nymphs and humans, and consisted more of scales than skin. Granted, I much preferred my slick scales to the patches of sticky skin on my arms, head, and breasts. The water glided smoothly over them, and they weren’t half as sensitive as skin, what with fewer nerve endings and all.

I had more scales than my sisters—Sibylla with our matching features; Chryseis with the golden coloring of a human; and Rhea with the ethereal appearance of a Naiad—which I was grateful for in every moment...except for this one.

I almost felt embarrassed as Ambrosia took in my form. She scrutinized me with as much careful consideration and distance as her Guardian did, her eyes steady and hard. Would my queen find me lacking, ugly, and impure? or would she see that, beneath the scales and seduction, I actually had a heart?

Legend had it the women knew. Though Sirens were enemies of the man, all women had a kinship, a common bond. They’d always said that women didn’t see a monster or a seductress but a lost, lonely creature. For years we’d believed that truth and hoped that the rise of a queen, as opposed to the Commonwealth, would bring us deliverance.

Queen Anactoria had proved legend—proved us wrong. In her sight, we were dirty—nymphs, Sirens, gryphons, leviathans, krakens, dragons, and all—particularly the slimy, scaly ones of us.

Would Ambrosia, an innocent little girl, be the same? Or was she yet untainted by her predecessor’s ideals?

It would likely seem strange to squirm beneath the gaze of a seven-year-old, but when that child held your fate in their tiny hands, how could you not?

I straightened just a little bit, rolling my shoulders back to somehow appear prouder, firmer, while in reality my insides were quivering. She could probably tell. I was probably sweating—it was humid up here. And if she looked hard enough, she could probably see the way my attention darted back and forth between her and the Guardian.

No doubt it was difficult to tell, though, since my pupils were horizontal slits instead of round orbs, and I could focus on either one of them without moving my eyes.

But maybe she did know. Maybe it wasn’t just the stuff of myths, much like my people had become. Maybe she felt at least some sympathy for me and the sacrifice I was making by holding myself still.

The sacrifice of my life, if you were wondering.

“I appreciate the offer,” the Guardian was saying, a rich, gentle cadence to his voice that could lure me in (he’d obviously missed his calling as the first male Siren), “but you understand I have to decline.”

Wait. Had he just…? Was that…?

Sarcasm?

My tongue slipped from my mouth, swiping away the sweat that had pooled on my upper lip, and returning just a small amount of moisture to my suddenly dry throat. (I reeled my tongue back in immediately, though, since I was sure the long, blood-red, forked appendage was quite a ghastly sight for the child queen to behold.)

Technically speaking, this was my first conversation—as in, actual conversation about actual things—with a man, so that in and of itself was shocking. But the sarcasm? That was quite the touch. I mean, how often did I get to joke around with my absent sisters or trade barbs with the Naiads? or with a human man?

Did human women always banter with their men? or was that not allowed or considered rude? Because, frankly, I could get used to this.

Now...for a rebuttal…

“A pity, indeed. You look delicious.”

For the record, that was not what I’d intended to say. But the Guardian was just staring at me, the rising sun behind him turning his hair into a fiery halo, looking all gorgeous and aflame and...ugh, yes, delicious.

So of course that came out instead.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Hold that forked tongue of yours, Seira. This man is trying to disarm you, and his tactics are working. He thinks if he can use your wiles against you and turn the tables, he will prevail. But he won’t. Because you won’t let him.

My older sister Sibylla’s wise advice in my mind was very good and so accurate—it always was—but I’d never been known as the ruler-follower or the sister abounding in common sense. I was the one the Naiads had nearly locked away to starve to death because of my foolishness.

So, in short, I didn’t hold my tongue. It was mainly instinct, of course, that kept me from doing so, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at least partially thinking when I said, “You can take me too,” and, for all my sins, I tried not to lie.

The Guardian quirked a brow, almost as if he hadn’t expected that sort of reply. He must have forgotten I was a Siren and supposed to be seducing him and eating him and the like.

Eh, I’d forgotten too. Couldn’t much blame him, now, could I?

“How about this: you take me and the girl through the City?”

“And what? I can have you once we’ve left?”

“Once Ambrosia is safe, you can have whatever you want.”

He hadn’t even thought about what he was saying, unless he’d been preparing for it all along.

If so, he obviously hadn’t informed his charge about it, because she stamped her little foot and all but shouted “Brehn!” as she looked up at him, aghast.

Brehn. He has a name.

Well, of course he has a name, you idiot. You just didn’t know what it was until now.

Oh, and it’s just as beautiful as he is.

Before Brehn—oh my, just the thought of it made my stomach clench with hunger—could confront Ambrosia, I piped up. “That isn’t what I meant, you know. You...you don’t have t-to sacrifice yourself for her. I-I can take you through. As long as you keep—keep a safe distance away. And maybe close your ears or something.”

Already on his knees before the girl, he glanced at me queerly. “I assure you, I am immune to your charms.”

But I’m not immune to yours.

Did he even know what he did to me? The seduction wasn’t a one-sided thing, never had been. We were attracted to men—even had our preferences, such as mine for men with sinewy arms and golden curls and aquiline noses—and we needed them to sustain ourselves. We experienced all the same feelings and lusts, only on a different level and for different reasons. And just being near a man made them flare up.

Except, to be honest, my reasons were starting to feel a little more human, a little more emotional, a little more vulnerable—if that were even possible.

Considering no Siren had ever actually interacted with a man apart from killing him, no one would know just how potent they could be or what would happen if a Siren refused to sing to him, seduce him. Probably die of rapid starvation. That was what seemed most logical, anyway.

I cleared my throat, resisted the urge to lick my lips again. I’d only taste the absence of his. “So you want me to take you through the City? to Parvi?”

He nodded, rising and lifting Ambrosia back into his arms. “No questions asked, preferably. I would compensate you in whatever manner necessary.”

Sacrifice.

“Or perhaps Ambrosia could do so.”

Wait. Did he mean what I thought he meant? That maybe, just maybe, if I helped the queen get to safety (what kind of danger was she in? I wondered), she could rectify what Queen Anactoria had done?

My heart stuttered, my pulse staggering against the weight of his implication. I could be free. We could be free. No more bowing to the Naiads, no more suffering in solitude, no more living in this rotten place.

No more being less-than, ugly, heartless. No more being judged for the actions we couldn’t control. No more hate.

It would be worth the risk. Somehow...we would make it, and it would be worth it.

“I’ll do it.”

Missed Part 4? Read it here!

#theriver #reign #serial #fantasy #theguardiansofmagni

May Updates

April was a very unproductive month.

I take that back. I wrote reviews, designed book covers, interviewed two fantastic authors, wrote another article for Kingdom Pen, was interviewed TWICE, wrote over 3k for my blog serial Reign, got a start on Daylight, and whipped up an article for my local newspaper.

But I only wrote about 3,500 words in Bound and Determined.

In comparison to my usual 14k (and my friends’ 4k in two days), that’s pretty sad.

However, I am resolved to do better this month! Not to mention finish Daylight and get that edited and out to betas, start writing A Disguise of Devotion, and be super busy with the blueberry u-pick my mom is running (which leaves me in charge of babysitting).

Y’all may not see me around here as often (I say that every time, and I still show up, so don’t take my word for anything), but please know that I am working exceedingly hard on some amazing stories for you guys!

So what is coming in May?

#1 An author interview with the lovely Abigail Harris

#2 My April mini reviews + my review of Never Miss by Melissa Koslin

#3 Four installments of Reign

#4 Individual spotlights of Daylight and A Disguise of Devotion

#5 A super fun blog scavenger hunt with my fellow writers/bloggers

#6 A SHORT STORY CONTEST!

You heard that right! I’m hosting my first ever short story contest sometime this month, so get ready, keep your eye out, and start spreading the word! The winner will have their story published on my blog and receive a mock-up cover of one of their stories and two character graphics—all designed by moi, of course!

Now, for the big announcement.

I’m putting together a street team. (Like, why haven’t I had one all this time???????)

My evident lack foresight aside, I beseech thee, all my lovely friends, to consider joining. There will be freebies, giveaways, and possibly cookies. (Virtual cookies, probably in the form of emojis, but cookies nonetheless.) I may even throw in a glass of milk while I’m at it!

Anyway, aside from the fun stuff, you’ll also be able to help influence my books, be the first to glimpse my covers and receive ARCs, and even get the chance to beta-read, if you’d like!

Just fill out the form below...because Gracie loves forms...and then I’ll get back to you in a couple days with the details! (By the way, for those who have already signed up through my newsletter, I apologize for y'all being unable to pick multiple roles...that should be fixed now!)

Well, I guess that takes care of everything! Thank y’all for reading through this extremely long post—I’m sure y’all had a ton of other things to be doing rather than spending a hour scrolling through all of my ramblings! (Yes, I’m being sarcastic. This is probably one of my shortest posts ever. Less than five hundred words at the moment.)

Y’all have a fabulous day. Read books. Drink tea. Eat blueberries. (Wait. That sounds like what I’ll be doing today. Hey, we can do it together!) Peace out, my lovelies.

#streetteam #signups #formsarethefunnest #isfunnestaword #iwillseeyoulater #progressreport #booknews

The Sunshine Blogger Award

As per usual, I was unofficially nominated for this fun award by Maya Joelle @ When Through the Woods. Since I fit the generic requirements stated at the end of her post, I do not categorize this tag as a stolen one. Not this time, at least!

Maya repeated the questions given to her by the blogger who tagged her, so those will be the ones I answer as well. Then I’ll give my nominees new questions!

Anyway, let’s get into it!

The Rules:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog. (Thank you so much, Maya!)

2. Answer all the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you.

3. Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.

4. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your blog post.

The Questions:

1. If you had to talk for fifteen minutes about something, what would it be?

*raises an eyebrow* Uh, had to talk? Y’all, I could go on for days about anything, depending on who I’m talking to. But, if I had to pick one unoffensive topic to rattle on about, it’d be books. Particularly my books. What else?

2. Are you more of a girly-girl or a tomboy?

I have continually asked myself this question for years, and I STILL cannot come up with a good answer! In a way, I’m a bit of both. I like to dance, I can be a little boy-crazy sometimes, I love romances, and I have learned to appreciate the color pink.

However, I also hate bows, don’t wear makeup or paint my nails, prefer to go barefoot everywhere, and rarely ever do my hair. (This is could translate into tomboyishness or just plain laziness. Take your pick.)

Honestly? I’m neither. I’m a nerd, and that’s a pleasant mix of both.

3. What are your favorite girl or boy names?

For kids or charries? Haha! So, my favorite names for characters are as follows:

Collin Rhys Merek Sebastian Christopher “Kit” Haddon Arleth Lilith Rina (I mean, of course I love that one!) Mariot Raissa Christine “Cricket” (I seriously have a character named that) Grace (I know, I know) Virtually any surname

Favorite names for children:

Robert Clifford “Rocky” Alexander (or Alistair/Alasdair) Graves William Bryant “Liam” Mary Katherine “Kitty” Emily Marguerite “Margo” Hadassah Ann

4. Do you have any hidden talents?

I’m pretty transparent, so no, nothing hidden, per se. I do have some talents/hobbies y’all don’t know about, though. I’ve been told I’m a wonderful dancer and actress—both are debatable. I personally think I sing pretty decent (with the shower’s back-up vocals, of course), and I’m learning how to play the piano, which I’m picking up very quickly. I also cook and bake, and fairly well, in my opinion. Everything usually turns out edible.

I do have an affinity for drawing, painting, sewing, etc., and although my mother insists that I have an artistic flair, the jury’s still out on the depth of my skill.

5. What are your thoughts on social media?

Ah, the question with two answers! I actually have two contrary opinions on social media. From a personal standpoint, I hate it. Don’t have it (unless you count Goodreads). Don’t want it. Deadens the mind, corrupts the soul.

But...from an author + publisher + entrepreneur’s standpoint, certain social media has a lot of advantages as a marketing outlet. I can appreciate those aspects, yes.

I actually wrote a short piece about social and mass media for college I think y’all might find interesting. Y’all can read it here!

6. Do you prefer real books, e-books, or audiobooks?

Had I been asked six month ago, I would’ve said “real books.” However, since the acquisition of my Kindle e-reader, I have discovered that e-books aren’t all bad. In fact, since I have limited income and shelf-space, reading on my Kindle (especially with KU) has been AMAZING! I still love physical books—from holding them, to gazing upon the beautiful covers, to smelling them, to kissing the names of my favorite characters—but there is a lot to be appreciated about e-books. Like shareable highlights and notes and a progress bar!

Oh, and I've never actually listened to an audiobook before, but I personally prefer to see the words, so I doubt I'd take much to them.

7. What is one unpopular opinion you have?

One? I can only share one? Gosh, all of my opinions are unpopular, which is why I try not to mention them, and here y’all want to know about one? Sheesh. Y’all are askin’ for it.

Hmm...all of my opinions are unpopular in the secular world, and probably half of them are unpopular within the Christian/conservative world, so I think I’m going to refrain from ranting about politics and religion and offending everyone and offer to y’all my MOST unpopular opinion:

Mac and cheese is disgusting.

There. I said it. I hate mac and cheese. Always have. Always will.

8. What is your love language?

You know, I don’t know. I wonder if I actually have one…

I express my love through gifts, acts of service, and physical touch, but I don’t really care about being given things or being rubbed all over. I suck at giving compliments, and I’m so cynical that I don’t really accept them either. And quality time? Psh! When you live with eight other people 24/7—as in, no school, no work, no separate bedrooms—you get pretty tired of all that “quality time.”

So I think I do better at expressing my love through non-verbal outlets, but the best way to show that you care about me? Be there. Just be there. Understand. Hold me when I break down and cry. Love me even when it’s hard. I don’t need words or favors—just a steady, constant presence. And maybe a hug or two.

9. Do you put water on your toothbrush before or after the toothpaste?

Both! One or the other is never enough water, so I do both. What about you?

10. Do you imagine shapes, numbers, days of the week to have colors or personalities?

YES! Pretty much everything has a color. I don’t have synaesthesia, but letters, numbers, months, shapes, etc., all have a specific color or shade assigned to them in my mind! Also, words have tastes. I’m serious. They do.

11. What is the view out the nearest window?

Well, it’s nearly 11pm as I'm writing this, so black? Maybe a few stars? In the daylight, there would be a lot of grass, some trees in the distance, and an AC unit outside of my bedroom window. Nothing fancy.

The Nominations:

Joy Caroline E. K. Seaver Kadotake-san @ The Fantastical Musings of Kadotake-san Daisy Torres @ Writing Daisies Kayleigh Idea Kristianne @ Whimsical Wanderings Ribbon Ash @ Virtual Paper Ariel @ Scribes and Archers Jenna Terese Issabelle @ Teen Writers' Nook (or Into My Writing Journey ; I'll let her pick) E. G. Bella

The Questions:

What was your worst childhood experience? What was your first ever blog post? What is your favorite ice cream flavor? If you could be allergic to anything, what would it be? What is your least favorite song ever? If you could meet any US president, living or dead, who would it be? You have three wishes--but there's a catch: you're wishing for another person. Who and what would you wish for? Can you sing the full lyrics of any song(s)? If so, what is it (are they)? What do you want your mansion look like in Heaven? If you could change the course of any historical event, which one would it be and how would you change it? You are given the choice to pick your dream spouse--from FICTION! Who will you be picking from any book, movie, TV show, etc.? Why them?

Thank y'all so much for joining me! I hope you enjoyed learning a little more about me! Don't forget to check out Maya Joelle's post and keep your eye out for the posts by my nominees! If you'd like to answer any of these questions, feel free to do so in the comments (or steal this nomination)! I'd love to learn more about you too!

PS: Anyone else out there hate mac and cheese?