R.R. Goodwill's Blog, page 2

Actually Finishing Something | Nooroo Plushie

Post #222 on The Rambling Rose, so I’m doing something special to celebrate!

A few years ago, I joined the Miraculous fandom, following the adventures of Ladybug and C[h]at Noir as they fought to save Paris from the evil Hawkmoth and the people he turns into super-villains.

via Pinterest

One character I fell in love with (and wanted desperately to see rescued) was Nooroo, the little purple Kwami of the Moth/Butterfly Miraculous…which happens to be in Hawkmoth’s control.

Somebody save this precious bean!

It’s probably safe to say that half the fandom wants to adopt this adorable little guy, and give him a better life than he has with his current master. And of course I chose Nooroo as my favorite Kwami—I mean, come on; he’s PURPLE! Plus I always did have a soft spot for the underdog. But obviously I couldn’t reach through the screen and snatch him—and his Miraculous—away from Hawkmoth and bring them into the Real World, LOL.

My solution? Crochet a plushie!

I used this pattern as a base (since most of the Kwamis use the same basic model), working it up in this vibrant lavender baby/fingering-weight yarn (doubled) and a 00/3mm steel hook. I used a smaller hook for the eyes and antennae (more on that below).

[Screencap by me, for illustrative purposes only.
No copyright infringement intended.]
For the facial features and spiral designs on his head and lower wings, I studied the photo and screenshot pictured in this post for reference. As you can see, the proportions are a bit off, and the eyes are a bit higher and more slanted than on the character model (but I couldn’t reposition them because I’d glued them on prior to sewing them down). And while it doesn’t show in the picture that much, the chalk I used to position the eyes stained the yarn, which really ticked me off.
If I were to do this project again, I’d crochet some wire along the wing-edges for stability, as they are rather floppy as-is. May revamp them down the road….

For the curious, I used a worsted-weight, super-soft purple yarn for the spirals, which has a slight sheen that the camera doesn’t pick up. These were embroidered more or less freehand, using a split-stitch. The mouth is worked in a tight chain-stitch, using the same periwinkle embroidery floss as the iris of his eyes.

Initially, I tried making the eyes out of white felt and gluing a tight spiral of the shiny purple yarn for the iris. It looked awful. Embroidering the eyes onto the crochet also DID NOT WORK. So in the end I crocheted the eyes in embroidery floss and thin crochet-cotton.

Below are the patterns I developed for the wings and eyes, since I haven’t see one anywhere online.

If you want to make up your own Nooroo plushie—for yourself or that special munchkin in your life, or to sell—all I ask is that you check with the creator of the base pattern, and give me credit for the wings and eyes. Good faith and common courtesy and all that.

But enough yakking—on to the patterns!

(For crochet term abbreviations chart, click here)

~Wings~

Antenna:
(Use US size 6 hook & single strand fingering-weight yarn or #10 crochet-cotton)

Row 1: Ch 4, 3 dc in 4thch from hook. Ch 3, turn.

Row 2: 1 dc in next 3 dc, holding back last st of each until last; yo, draw thru all 4 lps.

Row 3: Ch 4, 2 dc in 4thch from hook. Ch 3, turn.

Row 4: 1 dc in next 2 dc, holding back last 2 st of each until last; yo, draw thru all 3 lps, turn, insert hook in base of Row 1 and make 1 sc, folding yarn-end down inside work.

This forms “bobble” at end of antenna, which is sewn together at sides later. For “tail” of antenna, make a double chain-st of 30 ch.

For Lower Wing,switch to #00/3mm hook and continue working with doubled yarn. NOTE: Do not work in 3-ch of previous rows.

Row 1: Ch 4, 3 dc in 4thch from hook, ch 3, turn.

Row 2: 1 dc in next dc (counts as 2-dc inc), 1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in last dc, ch 3, turn.

Row 3: 1 dc in next dc (counts as inc), 1 dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in last dc, ch 2, turn.

Row 4: Dc 2 tog, 1 dc in next st, dc 2 tog, ch 2, turn.

Row 5: Dc 3 tog .

Border: Using 1 strand yarn or CC and #6 hook, ch 1 & work in sc along edges, making a sl st at base of wing/top of antenna and upper tip. Fasten off.
Make 2ndwing.

Upper Wing:

Row 1: Ch 4, 2 dc in 4thch from hook, ch 3, turn.

Row 2: 1 dc in next st (counts as 2-dc inc), 1 dc in next st, 2 dc in ch-3 of previous row, ch 3, turn.

Row 3: 1 dc in next st (counts as inc), 1 dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in ch-3 of prev row, ch 3, turn.

Row 4: Sk 1, 1 dc in ea dc across (including ch-3 of prev row), ch 3, turn.

Row 5: 1 dc in ea dc across, ch 2, turn.

Row 6: Sk 1, dc 2 tog, 1 dc in next 3 dc, dc 2 tog, ch 2, turn.

Row 7: Sk 1, dc 2 tog, 1 dc in next dc, dc 2 tog, ch 2, turn.

Row 8: [Dc 2 tog] twice.

Make a border as for Lower Wing, working 1 hdc, 1 dc, 1 hdc around opposite tip from starting point. (For second wing, turn work and work Border in opposite direction as first Wing, for a mirror image.)

~Eyes~

Left Eye:

Using #10 steel crochet hook and 3 strands embroidery floss (or #30 crochet-cotton) in Purple and White.

Rnd 1: With Purple, make a magic ring and ch 2, 5 sc in ring (counts as 6 sc), sl st in 2 ch of ch-2.

Rnd 2:Ch 2, sc in same st, 2 sc in each sc around, join with sl st.

Rnd 3:Ch 2, sc in same st, *1 sc, 2 sc* around, join.

Rnd 4:With Black, sl st in each sc around, join.

Rnd 5:With White, ch 2, *2 sc in next st, 1 sc* 6 times, ch 1, turn.

Rnd 6:Sl st in next st, 1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc, 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st, 1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc, ch 2, turn.

Rnd 7:1 dc in next st, *1 sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st* twice, 1 hdc in next 3 sts, 2 hdc in next st, 1 dcin next 2 sts, 1 hdc, ch 2, turn, 1 sc in next st, sl st in next st, fasten off.

Right Eye:
Work as for Left Eye to Rnd 4. Join in White and continue thus:

Rnd 7:1 dc in next 2 sts, 1 hdc in next 3 sts, *2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 4 sts* twice, 1 dc in next st, ch 1, sl st in next st, pull out loop and pass ball through, pass thread under work and connect loosely to opposite corner; ch 1, 1 sc in next st, ch 2, sl st in next st, fasten off.

Glue Eyes to head in desired position (iris only). Sew outer edges to head with black thread, using a tight whip-stitch.

~*~

Overall, I’m pretty pleased with how he turned out.
I think my favorite part of this project is the eyes. It still tickles me that I had embroidery floss on hand in the perfect shade of periwinkle, and I love how they just pop and give this little guy so much character. He’s definitely a keeper, regardless of whether or not I continue watching the show (which is another kettle o’ fish altogether).

What say you, Gentle Readers? How do you like my attempt at replicating a fictional character? Fellow Miraculers—which is your favorite Kwami? I want to know!

Until next time, Gentle Readers,
God bless,

~ℛ~

Character Spotlight | Interview with Prince Nácil (feat. Kerry Goodwill)

Even though the Blog Tour is over, I wanted to add one more bit of PN content on the ol’ blog.

During the planning and preparation stage for my Blog Tour, my mother expressed a wish to interview one of my Characters, by way of being involved. Initially she chose Victor/Nácil, but Kendra had another blogger assigned to him, so she interviewed Müriel instead.

I felt Mom’s original interview deserved to see the light of day, as it were, so I’ve given it its own special blog post. My hope is that reading Victor’s answers will give y’all a bit more insight into his character.

On to the interview!

[via Pinterest]
(Yes, I know it says "Fingon,"
but this was just about
perfect for Nácil)

~*~

What was it like to suddenly be thrust into the world of men and discover you no longer could read anyone's thoughts? I found it very different from Ýdära—and even from the last time I had been there. (My author hasn’t mentioned it in this book, but I was actually born in the World of Men and left sometime in my fourteenth year.) I’ll not distress you with the details of all I felt and observed … but suffice it to say, it was what you would call quite the culture-shock. And of course I was still reeling from the horrors of the Revolution, and mourning my family’s deaths, so having to deal with that grief in a strange place was a sore trial, to be sure.

As to Mind-reading, we Elves canread Mortals’ thoughts to some degree, and sense your emotions; however, it’s more difficult. Pray don’t take this amiss, but my people have often likened reading the Human mind to pushing through thick mud or miry clay, or a wall of beefsteak. It took me some time to learn the knack of it.

Remembering that Mortals can’t read mymind also took some getting used to. Eventually I realized I needn’t be so guarded in my thoughts … which led to my neglect of some of my mental powers … for which I now suffer severe headaches until I re-learn them.

What were the biggest adjustments you had to make concerning your life style as it was in your world compared to the world of men? First and foremost, I had to learn English by trial and error, for none in the World of Men even remembered the Common Tongue, let alone Elvish. I also had to disguise myself as a Son of Adam, to better integrate into your culture. On a slightly humorous note, I at first found male fashions of the time rather bulky, and it was several years ere I was truly comfortable having my hair so very short (we Elf-lords traditionally wear our hair anywhere between shoulder-length to mid-back, so cutting mine up above my ears at first felt as though I had no hair at all, by contrast).
I had to be cautious about using my Gifts. By that time, most of Adam’s Race thought the Fae only make-believe, so anyone using magical powers would be suspicious, at best.

But perhaps the greatest adjustment I had to make was accepting the fact that the Children of Adam are—to be blunt—decidedly self-centered … and while many of them claimed to be God-fearing, they often lived their lives to please themselves, without regard to His Law, in my observation. A stark contrast to my people, who seek Elyon’s wisdom in everything, and live to serve our fellow-beings and make life beautiful … or at least a trifle easier.

How did you feel when Mrs. Whitaker took you in and you discovered there were people in the world of men who did care for others? I’m not sure mere language can properly express it. Joy. Gratitude. Overwhelming relief. Those are the words that come closest. After one-hundred years of being taken for granted at best, and muddling my way through life however I could … to find folk who treated me like a person, and were concerned for my well-being … well, as I said, words simply fail me. The day Mrs. Whitaker and her family took me in as one of their own was one of the happiest of my life at that point.

Could you tell us more about your faith and how it sustained you through the loss of family, home and even country? In all honesty, the first decade or so of my exile was a struggle, to put it mildly. For a time, the only thing preventing me from giving way to my grief, and fading away from the Land of the Living, was the thought that Iceheart would have victory over me then. I couldn’t abide that. As time passed, I was able once again to look to Elyon for comfort, and strength to endure each day. From a child I have always believed He never does or allows anything without a purpose … but I must confess, I could see no purpose for such horrors as I endured. I still can’t. But of course that’s what faith is all about—trusting in Elyon’s wisdom, and clinging to Him, even when we don’t understand His will.

Were you excited or horrified when you discovered there were still portals from the world of men to your world? I knew the ancient Portals still existed; I simply didn’t know where they all were. I was frankly shocked to discover one so close to my friends’ home. In a way, it was both exciting and frightening. Exciting, because it represented a chance to return to my homeland, which I missed sorely, in spite of everything that had happened. Frightening, because I knew once I set foot in Ýdära again, I was as good as dead.

~*~

Well, that’s a fine note to end the interview on. :-P

VictorNácil:
To be sure, it israther what you would call a downer, but it’s the truth.

Thankfully your storyends on rather a happier note, wot?

*Lopsided faraway smile* Indeed.
Stay—wouldn’t that be considered a—what do you call it?—a “spoiler”?

Aw, anyone who knows me knows I only deal in happy endings.
And I didn’t say howyour Happy Ending came about, did I? ;-)

And just so this post ends on a happy note, may I ask your Majesty to relate your thoughts and feelings about your Happy Ending?

Without giving away too much … it still astounds me that things worked out the way they did. That it pleased Elyon to give me back my life, that I might serve Him and the people He has put under me, as did my father. *Lopsided grin* And the fact that I needn’t do it alone … well, it’s simply too wonderful for words.
I do realize life won’t be a bed of roses henceforth—in fact, I can foresee one or two “thorny patches” looming on the horizon. However, it doesn’t frighten or discourage me as much as one might think. I have my loving queen by my side, and Elyon above all to guide us. I’m determined, by His aid, to face whatever the future holds for us.

(Hang onto that faith, Victor; you’re going to need it. *Evil Anka cackle*)

Until next time, Gentle Readers,
God bless,

~ℛ~

Prince Nácil Blog Tour! Day Seven | Looking Forward

So. Here it is—the last day of this here Blog Tour.

Anton Árgentos:
And oddly enough, The Pixie hasn’t been about, covering everyone in glitter this whole time.

~*~The Pixie~*~
Oh, I have—but only in the background. The Anka had several important things to say, and it seemed more polite to let her say them without confetti in her hair. *Giggle*
And besides—may I tell them now, Anka? *Eager beaming*

No, Pixie; not yet. Your part in this series is still a ways off, and we don’t want to spoil the surprise, now, do we? ;-)

No, indeed!
Very well, I’ll say only that this Party was in honor of the Elven-king, and I decided to let him be the center of attention.

VictorNácil:
*Indulgent smirk* How very generous of you.

*Wink*
*Glitter-bomb*

Riiiight ….

It dawned on me that I forgot to mention another influence in my writing career: the delightful Quote Queste challenge hosted by Miss Arielle Bailey/Melody Muffin. The mental gymnastics involved in thinking up a story or short scene to fit the Quote of the Month was good exercise for my imagination, and contributed to the process of honing my writing skills. In fact, one of my early QQ scenes ended up in the final version of Prince Nácil.
All that to say, shout-out to Arielle for her part in making PN’s publication a reality!

I’ve taken my first step into a whole new world—

*Sings off-key* A whole new wooooooorrrllddd …!

Anton.
*Ahem*
By God’s grace, and with a truckload of help, I have a toe-hold in the world of publishing. What happens next?

You publish more books, of course! Think of it, Anka—all the fabulous stories Elyon’s put in your head—all those bits of plot and dialogue you’ve been laboring over for years—can finally be polished up and sent out into the world to bless and entertain others! Kylä!*The possibilities are endless—amazing—WUNDERBAR!!!

* Kylä (pronounced kyew-LAA) = A Finnish exclamation denoting pleasure (literally translated “good” or “beautiful”); sometimes used as a slang term similar to “cool” among the younger generation.

Anton.

As I write this, I’m working on a sequel to Prince Nácilthat promises to be both deeper and more complex than its predecessor. I also have several ideas for continuing Nácil’s story, and that of his family. Namely, a prequel series (the House of Othniel), and my long-deferred pet spin-off series, the Heirs of Dunsmüir Saga.

Staring ME! *Thumbs in lapels*

ANTON.

*Elegant bow* The one and only.

Will you kindly stop interrupting? I’m trying to write a blog post here.

You can’t blame a fellow for being excited, ja?

Why don’t you save your excitement for when I actually get around to your book, Silver One? :-P At this rate, it’ll be another several years before I’m finished with the Children of Light Series.
I need to get back to business—

“Let’s get down to business”—

—and make stupid puns. :-P
Go flirt with Isabella or something; I need to salvage this post if at all possible.

*Flourish* To hear is to obey, O Anka.
Exuant Anton, calling, “Oh, Liebschennnn …!”

*Indulgent eyeroll* (I figured that would make him cooperate.)
(Dear me; what did I just encourage? :-P)

Anyhoot, all that to say, I have a truckload of plans, which, by God’s aid, I intend to make reality sooner or later (hopefully sooner). Be prepared for dealings with Dragons, finding hidden treasure, wizards’ duels, undiscovered heritage, and even a few secret identities!

… and Closet Monsters …. ;-)

I’m also working towards getting my Snow White/Nutcracker mashup, Princess Starflower,polished up and published in time for Christmas this year, Lord willing!

Check out my Pinterest boards to see pictures and quotes that have inspired my numerous WIPs. If you have any questions, leave a comment below, and I’ll do my best to explain.

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in my debut into the world of published authors, and to anyone and everyone who actually read my ramblings this week. Bonus points (and BIG GIANT HUCKLE-HUGS!!!*) for those who visited the other blogs on this here Tour. You guys are the best!

Prince Nácil Blog Tour! Day Six | Isn’t It Romantic?

I’ve always been a romantic at heart. My favorite stories—whatever the genre—are those where the Hero and Heroine live Happily Ever After at the end.
… which is ironic, considering I still can’t stand to watch people kiss. In fact, for the longest time, I couldn’t bring myself even to write the word “kiss” in my stories, let alone describe a tender love scene. Mind you, my earlier works featured children and teenagers as the protagonists, so it wouldn’t have been appropriate anyhow. Still … squeamish much? :-P

[All pictures via Pinterest]

Prince Nácilwas my first serious foray into the realm of Romance. I had dabbled with couple interactions now and then as I got older, but never put any concerted effort into their stories until Nácil and Múriel came along.

Admittedly, this was one of those times where imagination had to fill in for experience.
It’s one thing to read books and watch movies and TV shows where people fall in love and enjoy one another’s company (or go on a journey of discovery as they figure each other out *coughcoughDarcyandElizabethcough*), and (sometimes) get married in the end … but quite another to craft a convincing love story myself.

How does one write interactions between two characters one has destined to love each other, when one is so idiotically bashful and self-conscious around the opposite gender in Real Life? How does one write a convincing progression from attraction to love to marriage, when one hasn’t even been on that first date?

As I said, I’m a hopeless romantic deep down, and the Good Lord has given me an active imagination. With it, I’m able to take my observations and information I’ve gathered on the subject and imagine what I hope will be realistic scenarios based on that. I also tend to imagine 1.) what I find especially attractive and/or desirable in a man, and write my protagonist accordingly (with variations in personality and such, of course), and 2.) how I would think, feel, and/or do in a given situation if I was one or another of the characters (and if I wasn’t so [expletive deleted] shy and driven by emotion :-P).

In Nácil and Müriel’s case (or Victüriel, if you’re into this whole shipping† names malarkey ;-)), it was relatively easy to imagine how they would act because … they’re a lot like myself, actually.

Nácil is my noble, justice-driven, caring side; the part of me that is fiercely loyal to my loved ones and desires their happiness and success (and woe to anyone who hurts or mistreats them!). I probably made him a bit too emotional for one of the male persuasion … but seeing as this is Fantasy, I can lampshade it by saying that Elf-lords are more in tune with their feelings than the average Son of Adam. ;-)

Müriel … *nervous laugh* … Müriel wasn’t supposedto be one of my fictional alter egos, but it just sort of … happened.I ended up giving her a lot of my self-doubt, fears, and insecurities, as a result of past emotional trauma. (Mind you, I was NEVER emotionally or physically abused growing up like Müriel was, but I’ve always been too sensitive for my own good … and I kept running into people to whom considering others’ feelings was a foreign concept, so ….) On the flip-side, Müriel, like Nácil, has a lot of my highly-developed sense of justice and fairness, and a heart for giving help and comfort when needed. She’s just not as confident about it as he is.

† Shipping = Believing two people would make a cute couple. Derived from the word “relationship.” Often expressed by the phrase, “I ship it,” and combining the first names of the parties involved into one. Basically matchmaking.

No, it wasn’t their personalities that often had me banging my head on the wall in frustration (figuratively speaking). It was progressing their interactions from shy self-depreciation (on her part) and kind cluelessness (on his), to mutual love, respect, and understanding. I agreed with my family when they said Müriel’s character had to get beyond the “I’m not worthy” stage long before the climax. Brokenness and self-doubt can only go so far before people find it annoying. (At one point in the initial writing stage, my cool-headed, logic-driven brother declared, “I just want to smack her”—which shows you how much of a mess her character development was, LOL.)

It was only when they suggested that she follow Nácil’s example of strength in the midst of weakness, and in turn giving him some of her strength, that things began to click.

Similarly, Nácil was just as broken as Müriel, but in a different way. Like Müriel, he was also haunted by past trauma; but whereas Müriel internalized it and blamed herself for everything she endured, Nácil blamed the parties responsible and struggled with unforgiveness. This led to trust issues involving anyone he associated with the horrors he endured, and he had to learn the hard way that one’s own perspective isn’t the whole story.

Admittedly, I probably delayed the Declaration a bit too long … but I’d already written the climax long before the in-between bits of their relationship, and I didn’t want to toss out all the beautiful drama. :-P (Ahh, the joys of non-linear inspiration!)

On the whole, I feel I’ve learned a lot from writing this book, and perhaps taken a step towards integrating the Romance angle into my stories more believably, and with confidence.

But I promise not to allow it to overshadow the actual Plot; nor will you ever find anything graphic or “spicy” in any of my future work. I don’t touch that kind of garbage, and I certainly couldn’t bring myself to write it!

My prayer is that my writing will instead showcase romantic relationships patterned after God’s standards—relationships and marriages based on mutual trust, respect, selfless love. Not necessarily a Happily Ever After every time (because happiness isn’t forever), but more of a “We’re in this together” ever after. Couples whose mantra is, “Us against the problem, with God over all.”

In other words … the sort of relationship and marriage I would want in my own life, should God deem me worthy. Until then (if ever), I can give it to my characters, and perhaps inspire my future readers to work towards such a goal in their own lives. That would be awesome.

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check out the rest of the Tour:

July 5th

Rambling Rose: Isn't It Romantic?

Live. Love. Read.: Review

Until next time, Gentle Readers,
God bless,

~ℛ~

Prince Nácil Blog Tour! Day Five | Character Interview: Müriel (feat. Kerry Goodwill)

We have a special guest here on the Rambling Rose today—two, if you count our Character Interview subject—namely, Mrs. Kerry S. Goodwill … who also happens to be my mother. (Hi, Mum. ;-))

KSGoodwill:
I would like to join in the fun of your blog tour even though I don't have a blog.

We’re glad to have you!

My mother will be interviewing Lady Müriel, the female protagonist (what I call a protagonista) of Prince Nácil.

Lady Müriel:
I am honored to be a part of this grand celebration. *Blush* It is nothing short of wonderful that Nácil’s story will be known to so many in your world now.

And we’re honored to have you, my lady.

[via Pinterest]

Müriel is an Elven Enchantress with some serious emotional baggage … and more power and courage than she gives herself credit for. She lives in the Forrest of Árabah by the Southern Sea in Arboria, raising her ten-year-old Human ward, Harold Spencer, while keeping Prince Nácil’s memory alive and awaiting his return.

Sit down and be comfortable, ladies, and let’s begin the interview!

When did you begin to pull away from the influence and teachings of your mother? *Ponders* I am unsure how to answer, without giving away more than my Anka* wishes … I believe it was a combination of my nurse’s influence—she taught me Elyon’s Law, and the role of the Fae among His other creations—and Prince Nácil’s reputation among our people. These were so at odds with what my family practiced, that eventually I found it intolerable to remain among them.

* Anka = Originally referring to the (female) keeper of a magical piece of jewelry that brings the imagination to life, coined in Kendra E. Ardnek’s The Ankulen.Male form Anku,gender-neutral/collective form Ank’. I have adopted the term when referring to my fellow scribblers (and when my Characters address or refer to me), but give full credit for its creation to Kendra.

What do you think was the main reason that you turned from following her evil influence? The main reason? It was the lengths to which she would go for the sake of her infernal feud with the House of Othniel. I began to see it when she deliberately left my father—*shudder*—behind in the World of Men, but her obsession did not fully come home to me until the Revolution. When I saw that she and my sister had lied to me—that they were bent upon bloodshed and revenge from the beginning—and especially when I saw what their actions did to Nácil … I realized I must separate myself from them, else I would be held accountable for their crimes, myself. I realized I could only make amends for their wrong if I was no longer under the same roof with them.

When did you realize you truly loved Nacil and what made you realize this fact? From a young age—even ere my family left the World of Men—I admired Prince Nácil for his kindness, compassion, selflessness, and desire to be of service. I patterned my life after his example. But it was not until I saw him face-to-face, and realized what my family had done to him, that I knew he was my soulmate, and that I must save him, somehow.

When did Harold come to live with you, and can you share a little bit about the circumstances that brought him to you? *Nervous musing* I can say but little touching Harold’s origins, and still less concerning his adoption. It is not my secret to tell, and I gave my word to his mother that I would keep it until his twelfth year. Suffice it to say … the reason his mother left him with me—at barely one year old—was rather extraordinary, and while by no means ideal, it was necessary … a matter of life and death, you might say.

What were the most dramatic changes to your life when you took him in? When Harold was born, Prince Nácil had been in exile for ninety years, and I had begun to loose hope that he would ever return. Raising Harold provided somewhat of a distraction from my sense of loss. *Indulgent half-smile* It also proved quite the challenge, as I had no experience with babies aforetime, and precious little with Adam’s Race. I thank Elyon for my neighbors in the Red Forrest, and shall be forever grateful for all their advice upon that head. Harold was incredibly curious about the world around him, and must needs explore everything therein … wherefore I learned quickly to put anything I did not wish him to “explore” out of his eager grasp.

Describe how you felt when you first learned that Prince Nacil was back in Ydara? A curious mixture of panic and elation. I had longed and prayed for his return for the better part of a century, but now that it had happened, I was terrified of the prospect of watching him die slowly every day. And yet … deep in my heart … I looked forward with eagerness to seeing him again after so long.

Knowing of the curse on Nacil's life, did you try to figure out a strategy to save him? All I could think to do at that point was to alter my sister’s curse so that the love of an Elven maiden—any maiden at all—would free him therefrom. I dared not hope, by that time, that he would ever love me … but I reckoned mayhap some other Elf-maid would learn to love him as I did … and we all know that not even the blackest of Black Arts can withstand the power of love.

Thanks to my mother for participating today, and to Müriel for agreeing to this interview.

Be sure to check out all the other fun stuff going on today:

July 4th

Rambling Rose: Interview – Lady Müriel

Knitted By God's Plan: Interview - R.R. Goodwill

Until next time, Gentle Readers,
God bless,
~ℛ~

Prince Nácil Blog Tour! Day Four | A Word From My Betas

I’d like to take this moment to extend a big THANK YOU!!! to all the loverly folk who read PN after I finished it. You know who you are, and I appreciate all the comments, suggestions, and encouragement you gave me...and for catching the punctuation errors and spelling bloopers still lurking in the text!

"Oriános read all big book.
Oriános so tired--still want more book!"

[All pictures via Pinterest unless otherwise noted]

Some of my beta readers have provided their opinions of PN and given me permission to share them with you.

~*~

~Anneke Kassabian: “Words cannot describe how happy I am to have this book! For three days straight, I could not put it down! This enchanting tale is skillfully woven with vivid descriptions, diverse characters, a captivating story, a tasteful romance, and a beautiful message embroidered throughout. But more than that, this book is easy on the conscience. I love the fantasy genre, but until now I have found it so hard to find a good fantasy story that doesn’t include demonism, the undead, gory violence and illicit conduct. As a Christian, that has both disturbed and discouraged me. This novel, on the other hand, includes none of such stuff and nonsense. It is clean, wholesome, beautiful, and enchanting from beginning to end, like a stunning sunrise you can’t take your eyes off of! This book is a delightful tale for all ages, and it leaves you wanting more!”

© 2020 Anneke Kassabian
Used by permission
Miss Anneke also sent me this bit of fan-art shortly after reading the book … which reminded me of this inspiration pic for Nácil. Thank you, Anneke, for sharing your talents with us!

~Cindy Swan: “The book was fantastic! What a gifted writer! I have never read a book of that genre before & wow, what a great surprise. I would sneak out in the car where it was nice & quiet & read away! She really knows how to capture her audience!
“After reading Prince Nácil, I would class R. R. Goodwill as a budding Tolkien, but with her own unique style.
“She masterfully draws you into the story as the original characters are thoroughly developed. Then you are led with great anticipation into the full blown fantasy, at which point I dropped everything to finish the book!
“I give Prince Nácil ten stars and eagerly await the sequel!

Prince Nácil Blog Tour! Day Three | What’s in a Name?

Names have power. They can evoke different emotions, or conjure up certain imagery, or even revive long-buried memories.

Names have meaning. Every name of every person on this planet is derived from words in some language or another. According to a book of baby names I once owned (doesn’t every author consult one of those for character names?), my own name, Rebekah, means “faithful” in Hebrew.

I tend to gravitate towards unusual names for my characters, as it seems more in keeping with the fantasy theme. Not always, but most of the time, especially for my non-Human characters.

I touched on how I came up with the name for my main protagonist, Nácil Vítuódhrán, in yesterday’s post, so today I’ll be explaining how I named the rest of the main cast.

[All pictures via Pinterest]

~Mrs. Mary Whitaker~

Mrs. Whitaker is named for my great-grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Pickles-Goodwill, who immigrated from Yorkshire, England with my great-grandfather sometime in the Nineteen-teens. That’s as far as it goes, however, since I never knew “GrandMary,” so I don’t know if Mrs. Whitaker’s personality is anything like hers.

On that same note, her sister and brother-in-law, Alice and George Daley, are named for my great-aunt, Alice Phillips, and my grandfather, George Burcham (affectionately known as PaGeorge among his descendants). And while he’s only mentioned in the books, Mrs. Whitaker’s late husband Robert is named for my great-great-grandfather, Robert Goodwill, who lived in England.

So yeah, a lot of family names preserved in this book.

I wanted a good, solid, easy-to-pronounce-and-remember first name for the practical-yet-loving grandmother in this story, and Mary is as easy a name as you can get.

Anton Árgentos:

*Sings off-key*

For there was something there
That sounds so square;
It’s a grand old name!

Thank you, Anton. May I get back to my post now?

’Bye!
Exuant Anton*

*Indulgent eyeroll*

Her surname may or may not be inspired by the owner of Whit’s End in the old Adventures in Odyssey radio drama and animated movies (anyone remember those?) … but it’s also one I like.
(Incidentally, it’s often harder for me to find good surnames for my characters than first names. Anyone else have that problem?)

~Miss Lillian Prescott~

Her hair is mousy-brown and bobbed in the book,
but this was the closest I could find

This character sort of popped into my head—the no-nonsense, practical one of the group; the (somewhat) stereotypical spinster-turned-librarian with a thinking head coupled with a love of learning. Complete with over-sized spectacles. :-P Somehow, “Lillian Prescott” seemed an appropriate name for such a character. Don’t ask me why.

~Jane Foster~

Jane’s name, like many of her elderly relatives, is also a nod to one of mine—specifically, my other great-grandmother, Bettie Jane Hartman-Phillips. I have very few memories of “GG,” as she died when I was only five years old, so once again, Jane’s homage to her ends with her name.

The name Jane is the feminine form of John, which in turn is derived from the Greek Iohanos, meaning, “God is gracious.” It seemed appropriate for a little girl whose backstory might have been decidedly sadder, if not for her grandmother’s loving intervention. Jane’s surname is something of a pun, since her grandmother took her in and “fostered” her after her (Jane’s) parents’ died.

~Lady Müriel~

At first, she was simply “the Blue Fairy” in my Peter Pan story. Then she was the White Fairy, head of the Council of Twelve—Faerie Guardians who created a magic barrier around their realm to keep out the Foul Folk (and who each represented a color of the rainbow, plus neutrals). Somewhere along the line, she became Lady Azúra, since the name means, “sky blue” in Persian. After I combined her with the Youngest Sorceress in the original Tale of Prince Nácil, I looked for a different name to set her apart as a new character. Not sure how I lit on Muriel, save that it’s one of my favorites, and a beautiful name, at that. According to my research, it means, “shining sea” … which is partly why I had her make her new home by the Southern Shore of Arboria.

I tend to associate Müriel with imagery of water—waves on the shore, rippling brooks, rainstorms—and with the color blue. Specifically light- or pale-blue, often paired with white or silver. I also associate her with stars—namely, the Evening Star—shining brightest amid the darkness.
And boy, does Müriel have to deal with a lot of darkness …

Incidentally, while I borrow names from several different cultures for my Elven characters, a lot of them ended up with Hebrew names (some with spelling variations):

Othniel.

Jael.

Gaméliel.

Probably because a lot of Hebrew names en with “el”—another thing I picked up from Tolkien. ;-)

~Lady Krystála, AKA Iceheart~

For the main villain (or rather, villainess), I wanted a name that reflected her cold-heartedness. I had already decided on her alternate name, Iceheart (inspired by a character in a Star Wars book Peter mentioned years ago), and eventually came upon the Greek word krystalos(“ice”). The ancient Greeks, upon first discovering rock quartz, thought is was ice that had frozen permanently—a perfect metaphor for our antagonist (or antagonista,if I’m going to continue with my gender-specific terminology).

On a side note, I’m not especially happy with her mother’s name, Lucrísha, but it was all I could think of, and we’re kind of stuck with it now, LOL. But it seemed a good name for a villainess, being derived from that of the infamous Lucretia Borgia.

~Harold Spencer~

Lady Müriel’s ten-year-old Human ward has always been named Harold. It was just a matter of finding a proper surname for him. Way back when I first thought up the Peter Pan retelling with him as the protagonist, his name was Harold Hill … which was supposed to be a reference to the fact that he and the Blue Fairy lived on a hilltop at the time … but in reality sounded too much like the character from The Music Man,which inspired it. I changed it to Harold Hale, but it sounded too corny for him to have an alliterative name, and eventually gave him the surname of Spencer (another of my favorites).

The name Harold means, “man of the woods,” which fits a lad who spent all but the first year of his life in the heart of a redwood forest. Spencer, according to my research, means, “dispenser of wealth,” so there’s something to file away for future character development, wot?

~Lady Cambria, AKA Cambria of the Fae~

I once met a girl named Cambria and filed the name away for future use. My research tells me this name is derived from the Welsh Cymru(the name for the country of Wales) and cymry(“the people”) … which I didn’t know when I named the character, LOL. I thought it a beautiful name, and fitting for a lady of Elven descent.

Now I think on it, the whole “the people”/“countrymen” theme could tie into some of her character development in Book Two … which I sha’n’t mention here because Spoilers, Sweetie. *Evil grin*

~Pyros Sootflank~

(Beard should be longer; eyes should be black,
but this was the closest I could find to how I imagine his face.
Have you any idea how hard it is to find decent pix of Centaurs???)

I don’t remember exactly where Pyros came from, as he wasn’t in the original Peter Pan story. I did make brief mention of a "great black Centaur" in the Faerie-tale, so I guess his character grew from there.
But he’s here now, and here to stay.

His first name is derived from the Greek word pyro,meaning, “fire.” While I wouldn’t describe my Centaur warrior as particularly fiery, per se, he does tend to get a bit carried away when on the warpath, and harbor a distain akin to hatred for evildoers, so …*shrug*

His surname is simply a reference to the fact that his horse-half is black as soot. Simple as that. :-P

You’ll find this pattern in pretty much all my half-beast Races in Ýdära (Centaurs, Fauns, Satyrs)—roughly Greek-sounding first name, surname derived from a physical trait.

Thanks for dropping by!

Pop on over to the other blogs involved in this here Party:

July 2nd

Rambling Rose: What's in a Name
God bless,~ℛ~

Prince Nácil Blog Tour! Day Two | Meet the Author

So now that you’ve learned more than you ever wanted to know about my latest novel, and the world it’s set in … perhaps I should tell y’all little about the crazy chick who wrote it. ;-)

The Good Lord has given me an active and vivid imagination, and from a young age I enjoyed Faerie-tales and fiction of various sorts. I was the typical bookworm, devouring new stories like candy and revisiting old favorites when nothing new was available.

As a wee tot, I expressed my imagination via drawings, sometimes making up stories to go with them. At the ripe old age of eight, I put one of those stories into words to accompany the pictures I’d drawn, and thus my very first “book,” A Friend for Max, was born. Sadly, this important piece of my career history has gone “where the woodbine twines and the Wangdoodle mourns for its firstborn.”
But considering part of the plot involved my orange-haired protagonist† dropping an anvil on a kidnapper’s head … perhaps it’s for the best. :-P

† Right from the first, I had a thing for cayennes (red-haired folk), apparently, LOL.

Over the next two years, I wrote two more “Max Books” (which I do still have), followed by a considerably better-constructed longer story about a pair of identical twins and a magical dollhouse.

I took a creative writing course between the ages of ten and twelve, I think, taught by the mother of one of my mother’s Ballet students.

In high school, I took a professional course and corresponded with a published author, who reviewed my assignments. He eventually encouraged me to skip ahead to the college course.

At the age of twelve or thirteen, I wrote my first “novel” about an English girl named Anna who moves in with her wealthy relatives after her parents are killed in a fire. Being enamored of the Victorian Era at the time, and a wee bit obsessed with my own English heritage, I set the story in 1880’s London.
Please don’t ask me why I set my story during perhaps the stupidest fashion era of the 19thcentury, and in a country I’d never been to. >_<

[via Pinterest]

I wrote three books about Anna’s adventures, and at the age of eighteen revised the first book in the series. My family attempted to self-publish it around that time … and by “self-publish,” I mean print it out, laminate the covers, and spiral-bind it ourselves (Kendra, if you’re reading this—sound familiar? ;-)).

Unfortunately, this endeavor proved to be more stress and hassle than I could handle (especially when people found mistakes or things that didn’t make sense after printing). I also discovered Historical Fiction was NOT my forte,as sifting through pages of irrelevant and uninteresting information in the faint hope of finding what I was really after … wasn’t (and still isn’t) my idea of fun.

In all honesty, this experience just about burned me out on writing altogether, and ultimately brought on the dreaded Ten-year Slump.
I thank God that He made my love of storytelling stronger than my stress intolerance.

It wasn’t until I stumbled onto Knitted By God’s Plan and began participating in Kendra’s delightful Character Encounters that I began to feel the old spark of inspiration again. Writing short stories, in which I as the author interacted with my various characters in Real Life, in specific situations, got my creative juices flowing. More than that, though; it made my characters more real to me. Helped me see them not as words on a page or even images in my head, but as my Imaginary Friends—people as real and dear to me as Flesh-and-Blood (and in some cases, even more so). I began to see myself as a biographer writing the life stories of my beloved family and friends, with the goal of sharing them with others.

Many of my Characters are personified facets of my complex personality matrix, with bits and traits borrowed from some of my favorite fictional characters—literary and cinematic alike—and select people I’ve known in my life. They have become the Voices In My Head, my own personal cheering section and Greek chorus,* which I’ve affectionately christened the Peanut Gallery.
If you’ve followed my blogging endeavors for a few years, you’ve probably seen a few of them interjecting their two-cents’-worth now and again—Anton Árgentos and The Pixie being the most vocal (which is interesting, because they’re the least like me in personality. Hmmm … ).

* OK, admittedly, I don’t really know what a Greek chorus is, but it sounded cool and scholarly. :-P

On a more humorous note, it’s also a bit like living in a college dormitory or boarding-house, and having one’s hundred-plus housemates all clamoring for you to write their biographies once they find out you’re a writer. XP
But I digress …

As you can probably guess, this new approach towards my writing contributed greatly to revisiting my old writing exercise about Prince Nácil, and eventually molding it into the epic novel it is today.

[via Pinterest]

Looking back, I can truly see the Hand of God at work in this area of my life, gently but firmly guiding me towards what I believe to be my calling: To write stories that will delight the imagination, touch the heart, spark some serious thought, and ultimately, point others to Christ.

So that’s my writing career in as much of a nutshell as I can put it (now you know why my blog is called The Rambling Rose, LOL). If you have any questions or comments, please do leave them in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!

Join the fun going on elsewhere on the Blogosphere today:

July 1st
Rambling Rose: Meet the Author
Reality Reflected: Interview - Jane Foster

Until next time, Gentle Readers,
God bless,

~ℛ~

Prince Nácil Blog Tour! Day One | Background and Inspiration

It all started with Peter Pan, really.

[source]

And Narnia.
And Middle-earth.

Back in the late ’90s, I wanted to write...basically a retelling of Peter Pan,involving a little boy raised by a good Faerie after his parents abandon him. Having grown up with C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia,I wove a bit of that world into my story, because why not?

When my family saw Peter Jackson’s epic cinematic portrayal of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings,it inspired me to create a fantasy world of my own—one more complex than the “Fairyland” I’d envisioned previously.

[source]

Thus the world of Ýdära was born, and with it, the story of one of its ruling houses—specifically, the Crown Prince of that house: Nácil Vítuódhrán.

Sometime in the Twenty-teens, I had a dream one night involving a Vampire named Victor, who was dying because he was in love with a Mortal woman.
Not being particularly keen on Vampires (like, at all—*shiver*), I quickly changed his species to Elf, and did some quick research on the Elvish form of the name Victor. Don’t remember when I added the “Greenwood” surname, but it seemed appropriate.

Originally, I used the straight-up “Tolkien-Elvish” translations (altered slightly) and came up with Nácil Lægtauro as the name of my protagonist. However, it occurred to me that this could get me in trouble with the Tolkien estate (copyright and all that), so I changed his “Elvish” surname to Vítuódhrán—a combination of the ancient Germanic vitu (“wood”) and the Old Irish odhran (“little pale-green one”).

Incidentally, I wasn’t that fond of the name Victor prior to writing this story. And while it’s still not on my list of Top Ten Favorite Names, it’s rather grown on me as one associated with strength and nobility.
Fitting for an Elven prince, aye?

Eventually the concept grew into the idea for a novel, incorporating a sort of Faerie-tale I’d begun as a writing exercise, by way of getting out of the ten-year writing slump I’d fallen into.

The basic plot revolved around Prince Nácil, his mother the Faerie-queen, and three evil old hags. The hags, known as the Eldest, Middle, and Youngest Sorceresses, hatch a plot to overthrow the good Faerie-king and repeal his law condemning anyone practicing Black Magic to death. The Eldest Sorceress cooks up a potion that transforms them all into beautiful ladies. She pretends to be a princess from a far-away kingdom, offering her hand to Prince Nácil by way of making an alliance between her kingdom and his. Meanwhile, her sisters are out among their people, stirring up rebellion against the king.

[source]

Long-story-short, the Faerie-queen exposes the Eldest Sorceress for the fraud she is, there is an attack on the castle during which the king is killed, and the Eldest Sorceress gives Prince Nácil a terrible choice: Marry her, or watch the rest of his family burn at the stake. He refuses her, his family perish, and she places a curse on him before banishing him to the World of Men, never to return on pain of death. Just before he leaves, the Youngest Sorceress alters the curse slightly: Instead of wandering alone and friendless all his days, he will find some few friends in the World of Men. Instead of dying in pain and torment if he falls in love with anyone, the curse will be broken if a Daughter of Eve loves him back.

[source]

At that point, the rest of The Tale of Prince Nácilwas going to be about four elderly people living in a boarding-house around 1914, with a mysterious young man named Victor Greenwood living among them. Victor works as a gardener at a stately but rundown old house in the area, owned by three old spinsters, who are raising their seven-year-old niece, Jane Foster. Jane is a kind of Cinderella, and Victor befriends and eventually adopts her, bringing her to live with him at the boarding-house, away from her abusive old aunts. It is only at the end of the book—when Jane is seventeen—that Victor’s true heritage is revealed. He discovers he’s grown to love her as more than his adoptive daughter, only she’s engaged to the most popular (but decidedly rude and disrespectful) young man in town, and … cue the curse setting in. But of course, Jane sees the light, realizes it’s Victor she loves, and her love saves his life. The book ends basically on their wedding-day, when a Centaur shows up just before they say their I Dos, and informs Victor that the Eldest Sorceress is now dead, and begs him to return and take the throne. Trouble is, Humans aren’t allowed to enter the Faerie-world, so Victor would have to leave Jane behind. Victor decides to stay with Jane, and they basically live Happily Ever After.

This plotline flopped pretty early on for obvious reasons. Even I was uncomfortable with Jane and Victor getting married, despite knowing Victor was immortal. And his Elven heritage being kind of an afterthought didn’t make sense, as that’s a pretty important plot-point. I was going to say that eventually, Humans would be allowed to live in Victor’s homeworld (then christened The Young World), and had a whole plot cooked up to connect Jane and Victor to the little boy in the Peter Pan-inspired story (he was going to be their grandson, I think) … but it just didn’t work.

Eventually, the Lord put a whole new plot in my head—one that would be stronger and less potentially creepy than the other—and with a truckload of advice and suggestions from my family, and the aforementioned TON of help from Kendra—I persevered until Prince Nácilcame to be what it is now. I made the people at the boarding-house Jane’s loving family living at an old farm, gave Victor a more suitable love-interest, and made his heritage and the curse a central part of the story.

Quite possibly the best changes I ever made to one of my books, in all honesty. Sole Deo Gloria!

[source]

At one point, I was going to have Victor relate the history of the Elvish Royal Family to his friends in the World of Men, in the guise of “Faerie-tales” told in the evenings. And I wrote some of them into the story … and they became stories unto themselves, and threatened to overshadow the main plot. So I had to cut them out, which left a huge hole in Part One—a hole it took forever to figure out how to fill. But God is faithful, and fill it He did.

[source]

Many of the characters in those early stories became the dramatis personae of what is now my Ýdära Multiverse. The original Faerie-tale became the foundation for the last book in a prequel series I have in the works, entitled The Rise of Iceheart (more on that alter this week).

The Faerie-king and -queen became Othniel king of the Fae and Jael Elvira—Prince Nácil’s parents.

The three hags were reimagined into Lady Lucrísha, Eldest Sorceress and Mistress of Magic; and her two daughters: Krystála Iceheart (the main villain), and Lady Müriel (more on her in a moment). At first, I was going to have three sisters—Krystála, Müriel, and a middle sister named Merárië—but decided to make the Eldest Sorceress the mother instead.

The little boy in the Peter Pan wannabe is now Harold Spencer, a Human boy Victor befriends after his return to Ýdära.

The little girl in the Peter Pan story became Elsie Douglas, a friend of Jane’s whom you’ll meet in Book Three.

I combined the characters of Harold’s Faerie guardian (the Blue Fairy /Lady Azura originally) and the Youngest Sorceress into Lady Müriel, and made her a horrified innocent bystander, rather that an active participant in the Revolution against the Elven-king.

Sadly, I had to cut Aylana Centauress from the cast, but her father, Arémus, and betrothed, Artúro, made appearances in the final version of Prince Nácil.

This story has come a long way from its original concepts. In some ways, it’s nothing like I first imagined...but it’s so much better. The characters are more relatable, the plot is stronger, and writing this story has leveled up my writing skills considerably.

[source]

I thank God for this gift, and for all the wonderful people He’s put in my life who have supported and encouraged me over the years. My prayer, as always, is that this book—and the ones to follow—would be a blessing to all who read it. That my faith and God’s Truth would show through the Faerie-tale in a way that is interesting and feels natural. That my humble scribblings would point others to Christ, while giving them a good story.

Be sure to visit Kendra and all the other loverly folks participating in this here Blog Tour:

June 30th
Rambling Rose: Background and Inspiration
Live. Love. Read.: Interview - Prince NácilKnitted By God's Plan: Review

Until next time, Gentle Readers,
God bless,

~ℛ~

Long-expected Party Business

So here we are with another Blog Tour, celebrating the launch of yet another new novel into the world. But this time, I’m not simply helping out Kendra and/or one of her other author friends spread the word about their fabulous books.
This time, I’mthe author-friend Kendra’s helping out.

Welcome to Day One of the official Prince Nácil Blog Tour!

~*~The Pixie~*~
PARTY! Whoo!!!
*Confetti Floof*
*GLITTER-BOMBS!!!*

*Shakes glitter off self*
*Indulgent sigh* Erm, yes, wouldn’t be a Blog Part here on The Rambling Rose without my inner Pixie covering everything in glitter, LOL.

Anyhoot....

I really can’t thank Kendra enough for all the hard work she’s put in to make this possible. She hasn’t just gone the extra mile—she’s taken me to the next level. It’s been quite the process—and admittedly, rather a sharp learning curve—and I feel like I’ve aged ten years in the past month. But ultimately, I know this will be a Very Good Thing, and lay a good foundation for the future.

Later today I’ll give y’all a little back-story on this, my first serious novel—take you behind the scenes, show you the original concepts and inspirations for what has become one of the best stories I’ve written to date. Sole Deo Gloria!

Be sure to drop by Kendra’s blog, Knitted By God’s Plan, and all the other blogs listed below, for more fun!

June 30th
Rambling Rose: Long-Awaited Party Business
Live. Love. Read.: Interview - Prince NácilKnitted By God's Plan: Review

Until next time, Gentle Readers,
God bless,

~ℛ~