Anne Elisabeth Stengl's Blog, page 21
March 24, 2014
One Reminder, One Alert
Just wanted to post a quick reminder to all of you about the Fan Art Contest! The deadline is April 1, so be sure to get your submissions in on time. Click here to get the details!Over the weekend a whole bunch of wonderful submissions came in from a variety of artists. I am so excited to share these with all of you! But believe me, we want your work too. Whatever form of art you prefer. The more the merrier. And after the contest, your pieces will be featured on Dame Imraldera's Library for Goldstone Wood Imps to enjoy for years to come.
Also . . . Due to requests and expressed interest, I am planning on hosting a Goldstone Wood Music Contest sometime in May/June. Details shall be forthcoming! But all the musical imps among you can certainly start brainstorming projects . . . and those of you who aren't personally musical can look forward to an opportunity to hear and vote on fun pieces!
Anyway, that's that, and I need to get back to writing now . . . .
March 21, 2014
SHADOW HAND Chat Party Giveaway Winners!
Hi there, dear imps and blog readers! Last night's chat party was some fun, wasn't it? That's the longest party I've ever done, but it went by sooooo fast, I could hardly believe it! I think in the future, I might have to keep doing 2 hr parties, just to give us the time we need. Who'll be up for another one when
Golden Daughter
releases? In the meanwhile, Amy (my publicist at Bethany House) has sent me a list of giveaway winners! Check and see if your name is here:
Joanna Rundquist-ChiassonMegan WilsonMary BramhallPaige BeckwithJennifer DyerKaren DemersCheryl HartsellKaren Johnson
Congratulations, winners! Be sure to email your mailing address to Amy at Bethany House (agreen@bethanyhouse.com)in order to claim your free copy of Shadow Hand. And if you have not yet read any of the series, Amy has generously offered to switch out Shadow Hand for a copy of Heartless, book 1 in the Tales of Goldstone Wood. That way, you can start reading at the beginning of the series (rather than at book 6).
Thanks again for a fun party last night, everyone. We'll do it again soon! In the meanwhile, don't miss out on other fun events coming up on this blog, including the Spring Scavenger Hunt, and the Tales of Goldstone Wood Fan Art Contest. Fun times for everyone!
March 15, 2014
Spring Scavenger Hunt - Mark Your Calendars!
Dear readers, you are absolutely going to want to take part in the Spring Scavenger Hunt, April 4-6. You'll have a chance to win a Kindle Fire HDX plus $100 in Kindle credit. And if you don't win that, you could win one of two prize packs including ALL OF THESE BOOKS!
I know many of the authors are also hosting individual giveaways on their own stops. I will be offering a copy of Shadow Hand. So there will dozens of winners for this hunt.
To enter, you’ll start at Robin Lee Hatcher’s site that first weekend of April and follow the links to each of the other sites, gathering the clue on each one, and submitting the answer at the end. Easy as pie. (Don’t fret about the how to’s now–it will be obvious when the time comes. There’s no reason to race through; you have all weekend.
Open internationally. If a reader outside the USA wins the Kindle and $100 credit, she or he will receive the equivalent in USD$.
So mark your calendars. This is one you won’t want to miss!
March 12, 2014
A Ramble about Glass Slippers . . .
I've been meaning to sit down and write up a post about the Five Glass Slippers contest winners for several weeks now. Amazing how time gets away from me! But now that I am working on the last round of edits on these five stories, and my head is full of all things Cinderella, well . . . it seems like a good time to enthuse a little!One of the most exciting (and intimidating) things about this contest was the surprise that each story was for me. The contest required no short synopsis or premise-idea submitted in advance, so all I had to go on before diving into reading each story was the title itself. Which, as you know, doesn't tell me a whole lot.
Who would have guessed from the title A Cinder's Tale that this would be a deep-space adventure about miners on a space station orbiting a roasting planet? Imagine! But when I opened that document and read the first line, I was immediately drawn into this thrilling premise. Stephanie (the author) cleverly wove in all the most important aspects of the fairy tale--including my favorite interpretation of the stepsister characters ever. Oh, my! Are they ever unexpectedly wonderful! She effortlessly drops references to various classic versions of Cinderella so that the story is quite brimming with inside jokes . . . and yet the plot itself is unique and unpredictable. A sci-fi adventure that leaves the reader intrigued about this world and interested for more.
The title Broken Glass gave me even less to go when it came to predicting the story. But that story . . . well, that story totally surprised me! I had been reading submissions all day long, late into the night. I was reading them backwards alphabetically (Hey! It's a system). I was still a good fifteen stories away from the "B" section. But as I came to the end of a long reading day, I casually opened up various documents at random, glancing at the opening lines to give myself an idea of what's coming. Broken Glass was the last document I opened . . .
And I read the opening line.
Then I read the next line.
The next thing I knew, I had read half the book, and it was midnight all ready. (My coach was well on the way to turning into a pumpkin.) But that story, which I wasn't supposed to have read for many days completely captured my attention. Broken Glass is the laugh-out-loud comedy of this collection, a hilarious, tongue-in-cheek romp with a cast of characters so delightful (some of them delightfully awful) that they are impossible not to enjoy. I got up early the next morning to finish reading it, then sent it right on to the other contest readers. I wasn't at all surprised to hear back within days from both of them, both casting their votes solidly in favor of this story. Thus Broken Glass became the first story picked as a winner for this collection.
The Windy Side of Care . . . now there's a title that stands out, but really doesn't give much of a clue. I recognized the Shakespearean element, however, and wondered if perhaps the writer might have done a Shakespearean retelling. ("The windy side of care" is part of a quote from Much Ado About Nothing, delivered by Beatrice.) But I was wrong. Rachel wrote an original story all her own . . . though I will say that it has a decidedly Shakespearean-comedy flavor to it!
Windy Side is another funny story, but in a completely different style and tone from Broken Glass. For one thing, it has a decidedly historical feel to it--no magic. I could have believed the kingdom of Ashby in which the tale is set was a real place, not an invention of the authoress. The shining light of this tale, however, is its heroine. Intrepid Alisandra stands out from all other Cinderellas I have ever read. She is smart as a whip, strong-willed, lightning-tongued, and . . . romantic. Oh, yes. Much to her own surprise, Alis discovers that she has quite a tender heart beneath all of her Shakespearean-esque cunning!
This story is told primarily in the first-person narrative, the only one in the collection to use that narrative voice. A perfect choice to go along with this stand-out heroine.
What Eyes Can See, by contrast, is a much gentler tale. I'm so glad that this one is going to be the first in the collection. I had hoped all along to be able to arrange the stories alphabetically by author, but wasn't sure if that would prove the right order for the stories themselves. But Elisabeth Brown's sweet romance really is the perfect opening tale. Her style is elegant and her story is simple . . . but then not simple at all. She allows her characters to carry the day, and such lovely characters they are. There isn't a villain to be seen in this story, but don't let that fool you! Though all the characters are kind, good, and well-meaning, their desires and goals are at such cross-purposes, there is plenty of intrigue to go around. If anything, I thought the intrigue all the more fun and interesting since there was no one I could label the "villain." The clashes of will felt so believable to me. It may not have been a space-adventure or a laugh-out-loud comedy--but this story caught my attention so completely, I read it all in one quick gulp.
Elisabeth's style reminded me of a Georgette Heyer novel--a character-driven novel of manners. I hate to say too much about it, because this story took me so much by surprise, and I hate to spoil that surprise for anyone! You'll see what I mean when you read it, so I'll say no more for now.
The Moon Master's Ball . . . Of all the titles I received for this contest, I think this one intrigued me the most! (Though, on a side note, there were so many wonderful titles submitted, I almost hosted a favorite-title contest and let you all vote! Seriously, some of these titles were just so clever.) The very sound of it promised mystery and magic. And does this story ever deliver on both! Within a single chapter, I was pretty much convinced that this tale would be a winner. I was so curious to know how the unfolding mystery would play out! I couldn't put the story down until I learned the secrets of the Moon Master and how they connected to the little heroine, Tilly. I was also very curious to see how this complex story would tie in with Cinderella. But in the end, how beautifully it did! It was all very Cinderella while simultaneously being very much itself.
One of the contest readers likened it to a Diana Wynn Jones novel . . . and as soon as she said it, I had to agree! There's that same magic to be found. Clara's style style is delightful, a perfect match for the story she tells. The Moon Master's Ball is a Halloween-feeling story. It's autumnal and eerie, like a wind at dusk shivering through dry-leaves.
So there you have it, dear readers: A little, spoiler-free taste of the Five Glass Slippers winners. Not long now until you'll be able to read them for yourselves! In the meanwhile, be sure to add the book on your Goodreads shelves and tell your friends.
What do you think of these stories and titles? Any one you're particularly interested to read?
March 7, 2014
Cry of Hope Scavenger Hunt: For Emily Chapman
Hello, dear imps! I was contacted about a week ago by a busy young novelist who just self-published her debut book. It is called Cry of Hope, and to celebrate it's release, Emily Chapman has put together a fun scavenger hunt. This is one of the stops along the way, so be sure to gather your clue and continue the fun.
First, here's a little about the authoress herself.
Emily Chapman is in the midst of her teen years, very recently becoming a self-published author. She blogs at her personal website, and you can also like her on Facebook.
Her debut novel, Cry of Hope, is an emotional historical novel targeted toward young adults. You can purchase it on Amazon or on her website.And here's a little about the book:
When a voyage to the New World is thrust upon young, unwilling Hope Ellison, her carefully built ideals begin to slip from her grasp. Clinging to the tattered shards of her once contented life, she embarks on the perilous journey with her family, caring not for the reason they are taking such risks in the first place and fearing the fate for her future. Yet, even her fears are unprepared for the trials ahead, and soon she comes face to face with choices that will define her view of life entirely. Emily is here for an interview today. I hope you'll enjoy learning a little more about this young novelist. And good luck on your hunt!
INTERVIEW
Hi, Emily! Welcome to the Goldstone Wood blog. First of all, would you mind telling us a little about yourself? Hobbies, personality . . . tea or coffee?
Emily: Well, I am a short, hobbit-y homeschooler. I have a Frodo chin, and I live with a crazy, large family in the dear South. I love history—particularly U.S. history—and I have an obsession with Narnia. I'm a dreamer, to be certain, and a dancer as well. I like to dabble in photography, and . . . well, I definitely prefer coffee over tea, no matter how strongly that clashes with my writerly nature.
What led you into the writing life? Were you always a storyteller?
Emily: A love of reading, I believe. I wasn't always a storyteller, though I have always loved stories. I began to enjoy writing around the age of ten, but it wasn't until I was fourteen that I began to truly write with passion. You see, I met this girl named Abigail Hartman at a homeschool tutorial that we both happened to attend, and she inspired me. I think God plopped her in my path for a reason . . . and I thank Him so much for doing so. It was then that my writing journey really began.
Tell us a little about your debut novel, Cry of Hope. How long did you work on this story? How did the idea come to you?
Emily: Cry of Hope follows the story of an unwilling young girl, upon whom a voyage to the New World is thrust. She must then overcome the trials and tragedies that threaten to steal the hope standing just outside her grasp.
The trouble with these common questions is that . . . well, it takes a rather long explanation. I've been working with these characters for nigh four years, but the story itself has changed considerably. The first drafts were written when I was twelve, and they were originally inspired by American Girl. They announced that they were retiring their colonial doll, and I thought it brilliant to write them a series for a replacement doll that was inevitably going to come about—for I thought they ought to create a Pilgrim girl.
Needless to say, American Girl never published my works. I never sent it to them, due to unforeseen circumstances (if I had, they wouldn't have published it anyway, mark my words). You see, that was all before I met Abigail. Once I did meet her, and once my eyes opened up to the world of gripping emotion and real plots, I decided to take that immature piece and turn it into something beautiful. Thus Cry of Hope eventually came into existence. It took me about a year to write the full draft, then another six months to edit it.
Can you pick a favorite character from this story?
Emily: I can. Some people struggle with choosing a favorite character, and I have had my doubts, but when it comes down to it, John Ellison—the main character's elder brother—is my favorite. I love him to pieces, really. I wish I could hug his neck.
What inspires your work? Where do you turn when you need a renewal of inspiration?
Emily: Music. I think, when it comes down to it, music inspires my work the most—and is also what I turn to when I need renewed inspiration. It doesn't always work (listening to the same inspiration over and over often dissipates to dullness), but for the most part, music can contain the most inspiring inspiration of all. Or such is my experience.
What are your favorite and least favorite parts of the writing process?
Emily: My favorite would be planning and writing-when-not-plagued-with-Writer's-Block. Least favorite would be Writer's Block. (smiles) Although I don't particularly enjoy research (Cry of Hope's research was desperately dull), so that could be considered a least favorite part. I'll have to research again for my next novel, however, so it may prove more enjoyable. You never know . . .
If you were forced to pick a single favorite author, who would it be?
Emily: You mean thing, you. Though, to be quite honest, this isn't so hard as it would seem. I can say quite clearly that it is Louisa May Alcott. I love Little Women so incredibly much, and Alcott's style is beautiful. In fact, I like to think I bleed a hint of it into my own writing. And besides, anyone who creates a character as charming as Laurie Laurence gains high respect in my mind. ;)
So what is next on your writerly horizons? Can we look forward to a sequel to Cry of Hope?
Emily: A sequel? (laughs) No, no, indeed. I'm downright sick of that book. Oh, I love it to bits, of course. But if you recall, I've been working with these characters and the same era for almost four years. I'm simply ravenous for something fresh and new. Which is why my next Lord-willing-to-be novel shall be set during the War of 1812, following the story of a young man of nineteen. Or such are my thoughts at the moment. A writer's life tends to be full of uncertainty when it comes to plot ideas.
Can you share a short snippet from Cry of Hope?
Emily: Certainly! I'd be thrilled.
Excerpt fromCry of Hope
“’Twas the best we could get for a small price,” John said. “A small price will buy you but a small ship.” “Yes,” Joshua said grimly. “But much freedom costs much regarding price, and that is my chief concern.” Hope glanced at him sharply. “Cheer up, old chap!” John exclaimed, slapping his friend on the back. “My heart is in the venture, and I have faith we will succeed.” Joshua rubbed his chin. “Yes,” he said slowly. “My faith is alongside yours as well. My only concern is how high the price will be.” A chill tingled down Hope’s spine, and she instinctively edged closer to her brother . . .
______ Thanks for sharing with us today, Emily!
Code: I'm going to stand by the play-world.
Next blog: The Inkpen Authoress a Rafflecopter giveaway
First, here's a little about the authoress herself.
Emily Chapman is in the midst of her teen years, very recently becoming a self-published author. She blogs at her personal website, and you can also like her on Facebook.
Her debut novel, Cry of Hope, is an emotional historical novel targeted toward young adults. You can purchase it on Amazon or on her website.And here's a little about the book:
When a voyage to the New World is thrust upon young, unwilling Hope Ellison, her carefully built ideals begin to slip from her grasp. Clinging to the tattered shards of her once contented life, she embarks on the perilous journey with her family, caring not for the reason they are taking such risks in the first place and fearing the fate for her future. Yet, even her fears are unprepared for the trials ahead, and soon she comes face to face with choices that will define her view of life entirely. Emily is here for an interview today. I hope you'll enjoy learning a little more about this young novelist. And good luck on your hunt!INTERVIEW
Hi, Emily! Welcome to the Goldstone Wood blog. First of all, would you mind telling us a little about yourself? Hobbies, personality . . . tea or coffee?
Emily: Well, I am a short, hobbit-y homeschooler. I have a Frodo chin, and I live with a crazy, large family in the dear South. I love history—particularly U.S. history—and I have an obsession with Narnia. I'm a dreamer, to be certain, and a dancer as well. I like to dabble in photography, and . . . well, I definitely prefer coffee over tea, no matter how strongly that clashes with my writerly nature.
What led you into the writing life? Were you always a storyteller?
Emily: A love of reading, I believe. I wasn't always a storyteller, though I have always loved stories. I began to enjoy writing around the age of ten, but it wasn't until I was fourteen that I began to truly write with passion. You see, I met this girl named Abigail Hartman at a homeschool tutorial that we both happened to attend, and she inspired me. I think God plopped her in my path for a reason . . . and I thank Him so much for doing so. It was then that my writing journey really began.
Tell us a little about your debut novel, Cry of Hope. How long did you work on this story? How did the idea come to you?
Emily: Cry of Hope follows the story of an unwilling young girl, upon whom a voyage to the New World is thrust. She must then overcome the trials and tragedies that threaten to steal the hope standing just outside her grasp.
The trouble with these common questions is that . . . well, it takes a rather long explanation. I've been working with these characters for nigh four years, but the story itself has changed considerably. The first drafts were written when I was twelve, and they were originally inspired by American Girl. They announced that they were retiring their colonial doll, and I thought it brilliant to write them a series for a replacement doll that was inevitably going to come about—for I thought they ought to create a Pilgrim girl.
Needless to say, American Girl never published my works. I never sent it to them, due to unforeseen circumstances (if I had, they wouldn't have published it anyway, mark my words). You see, that was all before I met Abigail. Once I did meet her, and once my eyes opened up to the world of gripping emotion and real plots, I decided to take that immature piece and turn it into something beautiful. Thus Cry of Hope eventually came into existence. It took me about a year to write the full draft, then another six months to edit it.
Can you pick a favorite character from this story?
Emily: I can. Some people struggle with choosing a favorite character, and I have had my doubts, but when it comes down to it, John Ellison—the main character's elder brother—is my favorite. I love him to pieces, really. I wish I could hug his neck.
What inspires your work? Where do you turn when you need a renewal of inspiration?
Emily: Music. I think, when it comes down to it, music inspires my work the most—and is also what I turn to when I need renewed inspiration. It doesn't always work (listening to the same inspiration over and over often dissipates to dullness), but for the most part, music can contain the most inspiring inspiration of all. Or such is my experience.
What are your favorite and least favorite parts of the writing process?
Emily: My favorite would be planning and writing-when-not-plagued-with-Writer's-Block. Least favorite would be Writer's Block. (smiles) Although I don't particularly enjoy research (Cry of Hope's research was desperately dull), so that could be considered a least favorite part. I'll have to research again for my next novel, however, so it may prove more enjoyable. You never know . . .
If you were forced to pick a single favorite author, who would it be?
Emily: You mean thing, you. Though, to be quite honest, this isn't so hard as it would seem. I can say quite clearly that it is Louisa May Alcott. I love Little Women so incredibly much, and Alcott's style is beautiful. In fact, I like to think I bleed a hint of it into my own writing. And besides, anyone who creates a character as charming as Laurie Laurence gains high respect in my mind. ;)
So what is next on your writerly horizons? Can we look forward to a sequel to Cry of Hope?
Emily: A sequel? (laughs) No, no, indeed. I'm downright sick of that book. Oh, I love it to bits, of course. But if you recall, I've been working with these characters and the same era for almost four years. I'm simply ravenous for something fresh and new. Which is why my next Lord-willing-to-be novel shall be set during the War of 1812, following the story of a young man of nineteen. Or such are my thoughts at the moment. A writer's life tends to be full of uncertainty when it comes to plot ideas.
Can you share a short snippet from Cry of Hope?
Emily: Certainly! I'd be thrilled.
Excerpt fromCry of Hope
“’Twas the best we could get for a small price,” John said. “A small price will buy you but a small ship.” “Yes,” Joshua said grimly. “But much freedom costs much regarding price, and that is my chief concern.” Hope glanced at him sharply. “Cheer up, old chap!” John exclaimed, slapping his friend on the back. “My heart is in the venture, and I have faith we will succeed.” Joshua rubbed his chin. “Yes,” he said slowly. “My faith is alongside yours as well. My only concern is how high the price will be.” A chill tingled down Hope’s spine, and she instinctively edged closer to her brother . . .
______ Thanks for sharing with us today, Emily!
Code: I'm going to stand by the play-world.
Next blog: The Inkpen Authoress a Rafflecopter giveaway
March 5, 2014
Doings at Rooglewood: March Edition
Oh, great Hymlumé love us. It's March already. Indeed, we've already made some headway into March, which means we're due for another one of these Doings at Rooglewood posts.
But I don't mind at all, particularly since I have completed one of the big doings just an hour ago! That's right, dear imps. I have finished the first draft of the Mysterious Nameless Novella which I have been mentioning here and there for the last few months. I told myself I'd have it done by noon today, and by Lumé, I have done it! And to celebrate this feat, I am going to share the title with you. Are you ready?
Along with all this draft-complete excitement, however, I do have rather disappointing news. You see, I don't think I'm going to be able to release this story this upcoming summer after all. For a variety of reasons . . .
First of all, Draven's Light proved a vastly different project from Goddess Tithe (which I whipped up in a creative flurry in about two weeks). For one thing, it's much bigger, more than twice Goddess Tithe's size. It's also much, much darker. Indeed, Draven's Light is one of the darkest stories I've ever written. Readers have already started commenting on how dark Shadow Hand (book 6) is, but Draven's Light has it beat by a long shot, I think. Shadow Hand at least had some real humor to balance out the heaviness. This novella, by contrast, really isn't funny at all. There might be a few "aww, smile" moments, but no laughter. It's set in a dark time and deals with a dark premise.
It's a good story, and I'm very proud of it . . . but I think I might want to wait and release it after Golden Daughter rather than after Shadow Hand. Spread out the heavy story lines a little bit, you understand.
The other reason for putting it off is a purely practical one--I am going to be SO BUSY all summer, I'm not sure when I'd fit one more project in!
The Five Glass Slippers collection is the big summer project. I just got back the revised stories, and it's time to plunge into the serious edits, typesetting, and design. A lot of the design work has already been done, but there are still finalizations and approvals, etc. Plenty to keep me busy! I'm really looking forward to reading all of these stories again and seeing what the authors have done with their revisions. And now that Draven's Light is done, I can really dive into these without much distraction.
With out much distraction . . . but . . .
My mother's new novel, Until That Distant Day is scheduled to release on April 25. Eeeeeek! We should be doing the final read-throughs of galley proofs in the next few weeks, and I am really looking forward to reading it again. You can check out my pre-review of it on Goodreads if you like. Get a little more insider's info about this story. We'll also be looking for advance readers in another few weeks, so be watching for those details.
And I was so excited just the other day when my mum told me her ideas for a sequel to Until That Distant Day; ideas that were so awesome, I got goosebumps up my arms! But I won't share now, because you haven't read the first book yet. Once you've read the book and are familiar with all the characters . . . well, then we might talk.
Meanwhile, the other editors of Rooglewood Press and I have been making more plans for the next Five Something Something fairy tale creative writing contest. I believe I've already told you that we got the cover for that one, right? Well, we did. And oh, my! It is so beautiful. The artist is the brilliant Julia Popova (who also did the cover for Golden Daughter). So you know it's going to be fantastic.
More details will be coming on June 1st. We'll be making some slight adjustments to the rules this year too. Nothing drastic, just some alterations which we hope will make the contest that much better. Possibly even an increased word count . . . . (But we're still debating that point, so don't hold your breath just yet.)
Golden Daughter has now shown her pretty face to the world via the exciting cover reveal last week. Big thanks all over again to all of you lovely bloggers who participated as hosts! I appreciate each and every one of you for jumping on board and helping me get the word out.
The book itself is drafted and revised, and now needs to go through a couple of rounds of copy edits with a little line editing here and there for good measure. I'm in suspense, waiting to hear back from one editor, really hoping he likes it . . . and doesn't have too many fixes to recommend. But even if he does, the project should be hitting the shelves by November. And I'll hopefully be able to announce pre-order availability soon!
I hope to dive right back into the creative writing rush by the end of this month, just as soon as edits on Five Glass Slippers stories are complete. The new story has been brewing in a big way. But I will warn all of you in advance . . . Book 8 in the Tales of Goldstone Wood is going to be a big, complicated, difficult sort of book. Along with everything else on my to-do list, I'm going to be hard pressed to write it quite so fast as I have other projects. This means it might not release quite so quickly after Golden Daughter as I like to imagine. Obviously I won't know for certain about that until I've really gotten started on the drafting, so I'll be keeping you posted. But I don't want to sacrifice quality for the sake of a rushed deadline. The books are getting much more complicated and intricately entwined the deeper I get into this series. It's likely I won't be able to keep up quite the same pace I have these last few years.
I know you'll love me anyway.
Fun news! I am participating in another scavenger hunt next month! You can see the banner for it on the right there. 30 titles in all, and you will get a chance to win them all. More details will be forthcoming, but mark your calendars for April 4-6.
I know all of you are really just waiting for an update on Mama Kitty, am I right? Of course I am. Why else would you read through this entire long post?
Mama Kitty--my feral rescue cat whom I brought inside a few weeks back--is doing very well indeed. She's now upstairs (not in our basement) and beginning to learn the ways of housecat life. She still keeps pretty much to herself in the guest room (which I have turned into her personal kitty cove). But I leave the door open, so she can come and go as she likes. Makoose is quite fascinated by her, though their interactions are not exactly friendly as of yet. Mama Kitty (really, her name is Mutti-Cat, but I still call her Mama Kitty out of habit) doesn't particularly want to interact with any of the other beasts. But she adores me, which is very gratifying after all those long months of work! She also likes Rohan and is happy to accept chin-scratches at his hand. (Minerva refuses to offer an opinion on this).
Oh, and my husband is now bald.
Okay, so he's not really bald. More like fuzzy. He participated in the St. Baldrick's fundraiser to raise money for childhood cancer research . . . and part of the fundraiser was having his head shaved. It was a bit startling to see all that thick, thick hair of his go. But, as you can see from the picture above, he is just as handsome fuzzy. And, thanks to the efforts of all who donated, he raised over $1400 for St. Baldrick's . . . that is pretty awesome.
So, are you taking part in the annual Goldstone Wood Fan Art Contest? The rules can be found here, if you're interested. Some wonderful pieces have already started coming in, and I know all of you are going to enjoy them. But for this contest to really take off, we need your artistic contribution! Everyone will enjoy seeing what you create, and after the contest, your images will be featured in Dame Imraldera's Library. How fun is that?
Anyway, I think that's enough doings for now. I hope all of you are grabbing copies of Shadow Hand and enjoying it! This is the least amount of work I've done for a new release in a long time. Just don't have the time or energy for it. But I am tremendously excited be sharing that new story with all of you. So many more adventures to be had in Goldstone Wood! And I love going on those adventures with all of you imps.
But I don't mind at all, particularly since I have completed one of the big doings just an hour ago! That's right, dear imps. I have finished the first draft of the Mysterious Nameless Novella which I have been mentioning here and there for the last few months. I told myself I'd have it done by noon today, and by Lumé, I have done it! And to celebrate this feat, I am going to share the title with you. Are you ready?
Along with all this draft-complete excitement, however, I do have rather disappointing news. You see, I don't think I'm going to be able to release this story this upcoming summer after all. For a variety of reasons . . .
First of all, Draven's Light proved a vastly different project from Goddess Tithe (which I whipped up in a creative flurry in about two weeks). For one thing, it's much bigger, more than twice Goddess Tithe's size. It's also much, much darker. Indeed, Draven's Light is one of the darkest stories I've ever written. Readers have already started commenting on how dark Shadow Hand (book 6) is, but Draven's Light has it beat by a long shot, I think. Shadow Hand at least had some real humor to balance out the heaviness. This novella, by contrast, really isn't funny at all. There might be a few "aww, smile" moments, but no laughter. It's set in a dark time and deals with a dark premise.
It's a good story, and I'm very proud of it . . . but I think I might want to wait and release it after Golden Daughter rather than after Shadow Hand. Spread out the heavy story lines a little bit, you understand.
The other reason for putting it off is a purely practical one--I am going to be SO BUSY all summer, I'm not sure when I'd fit one more project in!
The Five Glass Slippers collection is the big summer project. I just got back the revised stories, and it's time to plunge into the serious edits, typesetting, and design. A lot of the design work has already been done, but there are still finalizations and approvals, etc. Plenty to keep me busy! I'm really looking forward to reading all of these stories again and seeing what the authors have done with their revisions. And now that Draven's Light is done, I can really dive into these without much distraction.
With out much distraction . . . but . . .
My mother's new novel, Until That Distant Day is scheduled to release on April 25. Eeeeeek! We should be doing the final read-throughs of galley proofs in the next few weeks, and I am really looking forward to reading it again. You can check out my pre-review of it on Goodreads if you like. Get a little more insider's info about this story. We'll also be looking for advance readers in another few weeks, so be watching for those details.
And I was so excited just the other day when my mum told me her ideas for a sequel to Until That Distant Day; ideas that were so awesome, I got goosebumps up my arms! But I won't share now, because you haven't read the first book yet. Once you've read the book and are familiar with all the characters . . . well, then we might talk.
Meanwhile, the other editors of Rooglewood Press and I have been making more plans for the next Five Something Something fairy tale creative writing contest. I believe I've already told you that we got the cover for that one, right? Well, we did. And oh, my! It is so beautiful. The artist is the brilliant Julia Popova (who also did the cover for Golden Daughter). So you know it's going to be fantastic.
More details will be coming on June 1st. We'll be making some slight adjustments to the rules this year too. Nothing drastic, just some alterations which we hope will make the contest that much better. Possibly even an increased word count . . . . (But we're still debating that point, so don't hold your breath just yet.)
Golden Daughter has now shown her pretty face to the world via the exciting cover reveal last week. Big thanks all over again to all of you lovely bloggers who participated as hosts! I appreciate each and every one of you for jumping on board and helping me get the word out.
The book itself is drafted and revised, and now needs to go through a couple of rounds of copy edits with a little line editing here and there for good measure. I'm in suspense, waiting to hear back from one editor, really hoping he likes it . . . and doesn't have too many fixes to recommend. But even if he does, the project should be hitting the shelves by November. And I'll hopefully be able to announce pre-order availability soon!
I hope to dive right back into the creative writing rush by the end of this month, just as soon as edits on Five Glass Slippers stories are complete. The new story has been brewing in a big way. But I will warn all of you in advance . . . Book 8 in the Tales of Goldstone Wood is going to be a big, complicated, difficult sort of book. Along with everything else on my to-do list, I'm going to be hard pressed to write it quite so fast as I have other projects. This means it might not release quite so quickly after Golden Daughter as I like to imagine. Obviously I won't know for certain about that until I've really gotten started on the drafting, so I'll be keeping you posted. But I don't want to sacrifice quality for the sake of a rushed deadline. The books are getting much more complicated and intricately entwined the deeper I get into this series. It's likely I won't be able to keep up quite the same pace I have these last few years.I know you'll love me anyway.
Fun news! I am participating in another scavenger hunt next month! You can see the banner for it on the right there. 30 titles in all, and you will get a chance to win them all. More details will be forthcoming, but mark your calendars for April 4-6.
I know all of you are really just waiting for an update on Mama Kitty, am I right? Of course I am. Why else would you read through this entire long post?
Mama Kitty--my feral rescue cat whom I brought inside a few weeks back--is doing very well indeed. She's now upstairs (not in our basement) and beginning to learn the ways of housecat life. She still keeps pretty much to herself in the guest room (which I have turned into her personal kitty cove). But I leave the door open, so she can come and go as she likes. Makoose is quite fascinated by her, though their interactions are not exactly friendly as of yet. Mama Kitty (really, her name is Mutti-Cat, but I still call her Mama Kitty out of habit) doesn't particularly want to interact with any of the other beasts. But she adores me, which is very gratifying after all those long months of work! She also likes Rohan and is happy to accept chin-scratches at his hand. (Minerva refuses to offer an opinion on this).
Oh, and my husband is now bald.
Okay, so he's not really bald. More like fuzzy. He participated in the St. Baldrick's fundraiser to raise money for childhood cancer research . . . and part of the fundraiser was having his head shaved. It was a bit startling to see all that thick, thick hair of his go. But, as you can see from the picture above, he is just as handsome fuzzy. And, thanks to the efforts of all who donated, he raised over $1400 for St. Baldrick's . . . that is pretty awesome.
So, are you taking part in the annual Goldstone Wood Fan Art Contest? The rules can be found here, if you're interested. Some wonderful pieces have already started coming in, and I know all of you are going to enjoy them. But for this contest to really take off, we need your artistic contribution! Everyone will enjoy seeing what you create, and after the contest, your images will be featured in Dame Imraldera's Library. How fun is that?Anyway, I think that's enough doings for now. I hope all of you are grabbing copies of Shadow Hand and enjoying it! This is the least amount of work I've done for a new release in a long time. Just don't have the time or energy for it. But I am tremendously excited be sharing that new story with all of you. So many more adventures to be had in Goldstone Wood! And I love going on those adventures with all of you imps.
March 3, 2014
Interview Feature: Heather Day Gilbert
Today, dear imps, I have an exciting new author to introduce to all of you. I started seeing her book here and there across the blogging world, and the dynamic cover drew me in immediately. Then I read the premise . . . and wow! What a fantastic sounding story! I think all of you will be very intrigued to learn more about Heather Day Gilbert and her debut novel,
God's Daughter
.
First, a little about the lovely authoress herself:
Heather Day Gilbert enjoys writing stories about authentic, believable marriages. Sixteen years of marriage to her sweet Yankee husband have given her some perspective, as well as ten years spent homeschooling her three children. Heather regularly posts on Novel Rocket about self-publishing.
You can find Heather at her website, Heather Day Gilbert--Author, and at her Facebook Author Page, as well as Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and Goodreads. Her Viking novel, God's Daughter , is an Amazon bestseller. You can find it on Amazon and Smashwords.
And here's is the book itself (I told you it was a gorgeous cover, didn't I?):
One Viking woman. One God. One legendary journey to North America.
In the tenth century, when pagan holy women rule the Viking lands, Gudrid turns her back on her training as a seeress to embrace Christianity. Clinging to her faith, she joins her husband, Finn, on a journey to North America.
But even as Gudrid faces down murderous crewmen, raging sickness, and hostile natives, she realizes her greatest enemy is herself--and the secrets she hides might just tear her marriage apart.
Almost five centuries before Columbus, Viking women sailed to North America with their husbands. God's Daughter, Book One in the Vikings of the New World Saga, offers an expansive yet intimate look into the world of Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir--daughter-in-law of Eirik the Red, and the first documented European woman to have a child in North America.
_____
Heather has joined us today for an interview. I hope you'll enjoy learning more about her and her work . . . and be sure to stick around for the giveaway at the end!
INTERVIEW
Welcome, Heather, to the Tales of Goldstone Wood blog! Would you mind telling us a little about yourself? Hobbies, personality . . . tea or coffee?
Heather: Sure! So excited to be here! I'm a homeschooling mama and I have three kiddos. My girls, as you know, are CRAZY about your books.
Hobbies...I don't have many, since I'm a self-published author and I spend a lot of time marketing and working on schemes to take over the world (kidding)! I like to play video games to unwind, I liked Doctor Who before it was trendy, and I'm addicted to coffee. Personality...I'd say I'm a very transparent person and I don't usually read into things. I do have several "marshwiggle" tendencies, though...if you've read C.S. Lewis' The Silver Chair, you know exactly what I mean.
What led you into the writing life? Were you always a storyteller? What was your first published novel?
Heather: I think I fell in love with words from the time I was small, since I learned to read pretty young (I remember loving phonics). I won my first essay competition in fifth grade, but didn't realize I was a "writer" until I was maybe twelve. I did take a lot of writing classes in college, but didn't pursue that as my major (I did, however, start college thinking I would become a police officer!). My first published novel released November 1, 2013. It was so thrilling to finally see my book in print!
Tell us a little about your debut novel! What led you to start writing God’s Daughter? Was this your first manuscript?
Heather: God's Daughter was not my first complete book. I actually participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and completed a paranormal novel—that was my first book. I did have an agent with that, and it went out on submission. But I decided to write a historical novel next, in hopes of getting into the Christian book industry more easily. Thus, I researched the Viking sagas I loved, and wrote God's Daughter.
God’s Daughter is such a gorgeous book! Would you mind telling us about your publishing process? What was the world of indie-publishing like for you? Any helpful hints you’d like to share?
Heather: Thank you so much! It has been such a whirlwind, from the day I decided to self-publish to now. Planning, editing, working on cover art with my brother, lining up early readers/endorsers, learning to format books, and finally, marketing. I have truly learned SO much, and it's wonderful, because I can take this knowledge with me as I publish my next book (a contemporary mystery—hopefully releasing this year!).
Primarily, I worked with two people on my book—my techie brother for the cover art and map, and my critique partner for the edits. The novel had been content edited by my agent, and somewhat line-edited, but really, the bulk of the load did fall on me (and my poor brother and crit partner!). But honestly, though the process was exhausting, I'm getting excited as I gear up to do it again.
As far as indie hints, my biggest one is do not publish until you're ready. Give yourself time to get everything in place (editing, knockout cover art, early readers, guest posts) and get the biggest bang possible when you launch your first novel.
Can you pick a favorite character from God’s Daughter?
Heather: Hm. This is hard. I love my main character, Gudrid, because she's so compassionate and has a healer's heart. But I also love her wild sister-in-law, Freydis, who would probably be a feminist if she lived in this day and age! They each have lessons to learn...and I'm glad my second Viking book, Forest Child, will follow Freydis as she sails back to North America.
I also love all my "dudes." They each have very different, and I hope very realistic personalities. I hope readers will feel they're similar to the men they know and love.
And my wolf. I love the wolf in the book. I won't say more on that...but yes. The wolf was definitely real in my mind, as real as my characters were.
What inspires your work? Where do you turn when you need a renewal of inspiration?
Heather: For my historicals, I definitely return to the Icelandic sagas. It's like putting a puzzle together as I fit all the events together in my mind and interpret them through the eyes of my characters.
As far as my mystery and other writing, I can never tell where I'll get inspired. Since I live in West Virginia and often set stories there, sometimes it helps to just go outside. I also get inspired in church sermons—maybe my mind is more relaxed there and I'm totally unplugged—but I've scrawled many an idea on church bulletins.
What are your favorite and least favorite parts of the writing process?
Heather: I love writing. Editing is hard, but not as frustrating as writing proposals. Synopsis-writing, in particular, kills me. But the lovely thing is that now I'm an indie author, I don't have to write synopses or proposals! All I have to write is back cover copy/book blurbs. In the past, my Facebook author page followers have happily given input on my blurbs, and it is such a tremendous help to me. I have a tendency to want to give the whole story away.
However, as an indie, I have to format. Formatting is NOT my cup of tea, and I wind up growling around in my office for days as I do it. My crit partner showed me how to format and worked with me on God's Daughter, but if there's anything I would want to hire out, it would be book formatting.
If you were forced to pick a single favorite author, who would it be?
Heather: I'm a classics gal, so I'd have to say Thomas Hardy. Although he's pretty bleak, I find his characters always have very relatable emotions. I also recently discovered Sarah Jio, and enjoy her novels. I'd also have to say I love reading anything my critique partner, Becky Doughty, writes. Her novel, Elderberry Croft, recently released, and she's working on another release for 2014.
What are you actively writing right now?
Heather: I have started my second Viking novel, Forest Child, but it's been hard to focus. We've been working on cover art for my mystery, Miranda Warning, and I'll need to get final edits done on that, plus gear up for its release this year. Suffice it to say, I always have some writing project going!
Can you share a short snippet from God’s Daughter?
Heather: Sure, I'd love to. This prologue is from Gudrid's point of view when she is young. It's pretty gritty (younger readers may want to skip it—the book is intended for an adult audience), but I knew it was where Gudrid's story began. The rest of the novel is from Gudrid's point of view when she's married (to her third husband!). So this just gives you a glimpse of what's she's repressing throughout the novel:
The gods only accept what is valuable.Gudrid repeated this to herself as they hoisted her mother into the tree. Her beautiful mother with the long shining hair, like her own.Her cousin, Yngvild, touched her hand. Not a word was spoken, from anyone. No one could believe a young mother would die for the required nine-year sacrifice, along with the expected slaves and animals. But the chieftain had ordered it. And the chieftain was her father.Gudrid's aunt hunched over, sobbing into her sleeves. Uncle Thorgeir did not even look at the tree. He seemed happy to gain more control of her mother’s family farm.Gudrid clenched her fists on her shift, bunching it so tightly she felt she could rip it apart. She longed to fight the men who would drop the ladder, breaking her mother’s neck. But interrupting a sacrifice to Thor was punishable by death—the immediate death of hanging.The sprawling, twisted tree loomed like a giant against the gray Icelandic sky, its limbs clutching at the dangling dead animals and people. Gudrid imagined the tree held them back from dropping straight into Helheim. Truly, Mother should go straight to Valhalla for being a willing sacrifice. But only the men who died bravely in battle got to go there, to drink endless mead for eternity.Her father blew the ram’s horn, and a slave kicked the ladder out. For one second, Father’s eyes glazed over, as if he was far away. Even though he was devoted to Mother, he believed the only way to restore the bounty of the farm, failing since he had charge of it, was to give up the one thing he really cared about.Mother’s face went slack and lost color. Gudrid was strangely thankful that she did not turn blue, with her eyes bulging, as some of the slaves had. It meant she died quickly, as a perfect sacrifice should.Gudrid looked around, aware she needed a protector. Even at eleven years old, she understood this. Father had never wanted a girl. Her aunt was too grief-stricken—she would barely be able to care for her own children now, after watching her sister die.Orm’s sad gaze met her own. He was a neighbor from a nearby farm, on a cliff overlooking the shoreline. His wife, Halldis, was a volva, a seeress who knew magic. Gudrid refused to look at her. She did not want to see the eyes of the woman who had told Father he needed such a significant sacrifice this year.The last body was hanged, and another volva led a chant with the drum. Since many slaves had been killed, their families began to sing quietly in their own languages. As the words clashed, each group sang louder and louder. It was the only time they sang publicly. Gudrid felt her insides burning, down to the core, like the volcanoes on this island. Anger and loneliness forced her from her seat. She hated Thor and anything to do with him. She groped for her knife before raising it to her throat. Then she charged straight for her father.
___________
Wow! What an intense opening scene! And I'm sure the rest of the novel is equally gripping, heartbreaking, and beautiful.
Thank you so much for joining us today, Heather. It was lovely to get to know you better and to learn about your work.
What do you think, dear readers? Are you eager to read more about Gudrid? Well, be certain to grab a copy of Heather's book . . . and enter your name in the giveaway below for a chance to win a paperback copy!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
First, a little about the lovely authoress herself:
Heather Day Gilbert enjoys writing stories about authentic, believable marriages. Sixteen years of marriage to her sweet Yankee husband have given her some perspective, as well as ten years spent homeschooling her three children. Heather regularly posts on Novel Rocket about self-publishing. You can find Heather at her website, Heather Day Gilbert--Author, and at her Facebook Author Page, as well as Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and Goodreads. Her Viking novel, God's Daughter , is an Amazon bestseller. You can find it on Amazon and Smashwords.
And here's is the book itself (I told you it was a gorgeous cover, didn't I?):
One Viking woman. One God. One legendary journey to North America.
In the tenth century, when pagan holy women rule the Viking lands, Gudrid turns her back on her training as a seeress to embrace Christianity. Clinging to her faith, she joins her husband, Finn, on a journey to North America.But even as Gudrid faces down murderous crewmen, raging sickness, and hostile natives, she realizes her greatest enemy is herself--and the secrets she hides might just tear her marriage apart.
Almost five centuries before Columbus, Viking women sailed to North America with their husbands. God's Daughter, Book One in the Vikings of the New World Saga, offers an expansive yet intimate look into the world of Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir--daughter-in-law of Eirik the Red, and the first documented European woman to have a child in North America.
_____
Heather has joined us today for an interview. I hope you'll enjoy learning more about her and her work . . . and be sure to stick around for the giveaway at the end!
INTERVIEW
Welcome, Heather, to the Tales of Goldstone Wood blog! Would you mind telling us a little about yourself? Hobbies, personality . . . tea or coffee?
Heather: Sure! So excited to be here! I'm a homeschooling mama and I have three kiddos. My girls, as you know, are CRAZY about your books.
Hobbies...I don't have many, since I'm a self-published author and I spend a lot of time marketing and working on schemes to take over the world (kidding)! I like to play video games to unwind, I liked Doctor Who before it was trendy, and I'm addicted to coffee. Personality...I'd say I'm a very transparent person and I don't usually read into things. I do have several "marshwiggle" tendencies, though...if you've read C.S. Lewis' The Silver Chair, you know exactly what I mean.
What led you into the writing life? Were you always a storyteller? What was your first published novel?
Heather: I think I fell in love with words from the time I was small, since I learned to read pretty young (I remember loving phonics). I won my first essay competition in fifth grade, but didn't realize I was a "writer" until I was maybe twelve. I did take a lot of writing classes in college, but didn't pursue that as my major (I did, however, start college thinking I would become a police officer!). My first published novel released November 1, 2013. It was so thrilling to finally see my book in print!
Tell us a little about your debut novel! What led you to start writing God’s Daughter? Was this your first manuscript?
Heather: God's Daughter was not my first complete book. I actually participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and completed a paranormal novel—that was my first book. I did have an agent with that, and it went out on submission. But I decided to write a historical novel next, in hopes of getting into the Christian book industry more easily. Thus, I researched the Viking sagas I loved, and wrote God's Daughter.
God’s Daughter is such a gorgeous book! Would you mind telling us about your publishing process? What was the world of indie-publishing like for you? Any helpful hints you’d like to share?
Heather: Thank you so much! It has been such a whirlwind, from the day I decided to self-publish to now. Planning, editing, working on cover art with my brother, lining up early readers/endorsers, learning to format books, and finally, marketing. I have truly learned SO much, and it's wonderful, because I can take this knowledge with me as I publish my next book (a contemporary mystery—hopefully releasing this year!).
Primarily, I worked with two people on my book—my techie brother for the cover art and map, and my critique partner for the edits. The novel had been content edited by my agent, and somewhat line-edited, but really, the bulk of the load did fall on me (and my poor brother and crit partner!). But honestly, though the process was exhausting, I'm getting excited as I gear up to do it again.
As far as indie hints, my biggest one is do not publish until you're ready. Give yourself time to get everything in place (editing, knockout cover art, early readers, guest posts) and get the biggest bang possible when you launch your first novel.
Can you pick a favorite character from God’s Daughter?
Heather: Hm. This is hard. I love my main character, Gudrid, because she's so compassionate and has a healer's heart. But I also love her wild sister-in-law, Freydis, who would probably be a feminist if she lived in this day and age! They each have lessons to learn...and I'm glad my second Viking book, Forest Child, will follow Freydis as she sails back to North America.
I also love all my "dudes." They each have very different, and I hope very realistic personalities. I hope readers will feel they're similar to the men they know and love.
And my wolf. I love the wolf in the book. I won't say more on that...but yes. The wolf was definitely real in my mind, as real as my characters were.
What inspires your work? Where do you turn when you need a renewal of inspiration?
Heather: For my historicals, I definitely return to the Icelandic sagas. It's like putting a puzzle together as I fit all the events together in my mind and interpret them through the eyes of my characters.
As far as my mystery and other writing, I can never tell where I'll get inspired. Since I live in West Virginia and often set stories there, sometimes it helps to just go outside. I also get inspired in church sermons—maybe my mind is more relaxed there and I'm totally unplugged—but I've scrawled many an idea on church bulletins.
What are your favorite and least favorite parts of the writing process?
Heather: I love writing. Editing is hard, but not as frustrating as writing proposals. Synopsis-writing, in particular, kills me. But the lovely thing is that now I'm an indie author, I don't have to write synopses or proposals! All I have to write is back cover copy/book blurbs. In the past, my Facebook author page followers have happily given input on my blurbs, and it is such a tremendous help to me. I have a tendency to want to give the whole story away.
However, as an indie, I have to format. Formatting is NOT my cup of tea, and I wind up growling around in my office for days as I do it. My crit partner showed me how to format and worked with me on God's Daughter, but if there's anything I would want to hire out, it would be book formatting.
If you were forced to pick a single favorite author, who would it be?
Heather: I'm a classics gal, so I'd have to say Thomas Hardy. Although he's pretty bleak, I find his characters always have very relatable emotions. I also recently discovered Sarah Jio, and enjoy her novels. I'd also have to say I love reading anything my critique partner, Becky Doughty, writes. Her novel, Elderberry Croft, recently released, and she's working on another release for 2014.
What are you actively writing right now?
Heather: I have started my second Viking novel, Forest Child, but it's been hard to focus. We've been working on cover art for my mystery, Miranda Warning, and I'll need to get final edits done on that, plus gear up for its release this year. Suffice it to say, I always have some writing project going!
Can you share a short snippet from God’s Daughter?
Heather: Sure, I'd love to. This prologue is from Gudrid's point of view when she is young. It's pretty gritty (younger readers may want to skip it—the book is intended for an adult audience), but I knew it was where Gudrid's story began. The rest of the novel is from Gudrid's point of view when she's married (to her third husband!). So this just gives you a glimpse of what's she's repressing throughout the novel:
The gods only accept what is valuable.Gudrid repeated this to herself as they hoisted her mother into the tree. Her beautiful mother with the long shining hair, like her own.Her cousin, Yngvild, touched her hand. Not a word was spoken, from anyone. No one could believe a young mother would die for the required nine-year sacrifice, along with the expected slaves and animals. But the chieftain had ordered it. And the chieftain was her father.Gudrid's aunt hunched over, sobbing into her sleeves. Uncle Thorgeir did not even look at the tree. He seemed happy to gain more control of her mother’s family farm.Gudrid clenched her fists on her shift, bunching it so tightly she felt she could rip it apart. She longed to fight the men who would drop the ladder, breaking her mother’s neck. But interrupting a sacrifice to Thor was punishable by death—the immediate death of hanging.The sprawling, twisted tree loomed like a giant against the gray Icelandic sky, its limbs clutching at the dangling dead animals and people. Gudrid imagined the tree held them back from dropping straight into Helheim. Truly, Mother should go straight to Valhalla for being a willing sacrifice. But only the men who died bravely in battle got to go there, to drink endless mead for eternity.Her father blew the ram’s horn, and a slave kicked the ladder out. For one second, Father’s eyes glazed over, as if he was far away. Even though he was devoted to Mother, he believed the only way to restore the bounty of the farm, failing since he had charge of it, was to give up the one thing he really cared about.Mother’s face went slack and lost color. Gudrid was strangely thankful that she did not turn blue, with her eyes bulging, as some of the slaves had. It meant she died quickly, as a perfect sacrifice should.Gudrid looked around, aware she needed a protector. Even at eleven years old, she understood this. Father had never wanted a girl. Her aunt was too grief-stricken—she would barely be able to care for her own children now, after watching her sister die.Orm’s sad gaze met her own. He was a neighbor from a nearby farm, on a cliff overlooking the shoreline. His wife, Halldis, was a volva, a seeress who knew magic. Gudrid refused to look at her. She did not want to see the eyes of the woman who had told Father he needed such a significant sacrifice this year.The last body was hanged, and another volva led a chant with the drum. Since many slaves had been killed, their families began to sing quietly in their own languages. As the words clashed, each group sang louder and louder. It was the only time they sang publicly. Gudrid felt her insides burning, down to the core, like the volcanoes on this island. Anger and loneliness forced her from her seat. She hated Thor and anything to do with him. She groped for her knife before raising it to her throat. Then she charged straight for her father.
___________
Wow! What an intense opening scene! And I'm sure the rest of the novel is equally gripping, heartbreaking, and beautiful.
Thank you so much for joining us today, Heather. It was lovely to get to know you better and to learn about your work.
What do you think, dear readers? Are you eager to read more about Gudrid? Well, be certain to grab a copy of Heather's book . . . and enter your name in the giveaway below for a chance to win a paperback copy!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
February 24, 2014
Cover Reveal: GOLDEN DAUGHTER . . . plus interview with Julia Popova
Dear imps, I have been eager to share this cover with you since last summer. But publishing schedules being what they are, I have had to exercise patience until now. At long last, however, I am at liberty to share with you the beautiful cover for my newest Tale of Goldstone Wood novel . . .
Beyond the Realm of DreamsIs a World She Never Imagined
Masayi Sairu was raised to be dainty, delicate, demure . . . and deadly. She is one of the emperor’s Golden Daughters, as much a legend as she is a commodity. One day, Sairu will be contracted in marriage to a patron, whom she will secretly guard for the rest of her life.
But when she learns that a sacred Dream Walker of the temple seeks the protection of a Golden Daughter, Sairu forgoes marriage in favor of this role. Her skills are stretched to the limit, for assassins hunt in the shadows, and phantoms haunt in dreams. With only a mysterious Faerie cat and a handsome slave—possessed of his own strange abilities—to help her, can Sairu shield her new mistress from evils she can neither see nor touch?
For the Dragon is building an army of fire. And soon the heavens will burn.
Coming November 25, 2014
So what do you think? I am so thrilled with this cover, I can't even begin to tell you! I love that the new color scheme stands out from all of the other books, but the circle theme from the first three books is brought back beautifully in this image. It's a dramatic, dynamic image; so much more than just a pretty girl posing in a pretty dress! Sairu is interacting with her unique setting, surprised at what she has just discovered through that gate. Did you notice that the landscape through the gate behind her is very different from the one into which she has just emerged? I love the glorious stars, the ocean, the gate, her knife, her costume . . . so many wonderful details from the book are captured in this one gorgeous image!
And yes, for those of you wondering, that is our favorite poet-cat, Eanrin. Making his cover debut and looking very fluffy while he's at it.
If you'd like to learn more about Golden Daughter, do visit the new book page! There are several fun articles, including a "Characters You Will Meet" page. And you bloggers can help me out by sharing the blog button below:
Please include this link when you share
And now, dear imps, I had the fun opportunity of interviewing the brilliant cover artist who created this cover! She is a very gracious and talented lady with a wonderful eye for color and composition. I was enthralled by the images I saw on her website and so delighted to have her become the new Goldstone Wood cover designer! She creates images that fit nicely with the original cover designs, but brings her own unique and magical style that is so perfectly suited to fairy tales. I hope you will enjoy learning more about Julia Popova and her work. First, here is her bio:
Julia Popova is a digital artist from Russia. She lives in Novosibirsk city.
She devoted a long period of time to studying programs of digital image processing. Every day she creates new photo-art uniting fantasy and technical experience. This is a perfect way to allure audience into a bright world of art and happiness, to share dreams and ideas. Julia makes an emphasis on kindness and positive principle. For her digital photo-art is a hobby which grows into work. Work that becomes as pleasant as hobby. Julia has higher economic education. In addition she studied in art school for a long time. She uses Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended, Wacom Intuos 4 and stock images for photomanipulation. Julia is 26 years old. She is happily married.
INTERVIEW
Endless DreamHello, Julia! Welcome to the Tales of Goldstone Wood blog. I'm so glad you could feature here today. Why don’t you tell us a little about yourself? Where are you from? Were you always an artist even as a child? Do you come from a creative family?
Julia: Hello! What shall I say about me? Well . . . To tell many good words about yourself is not very modest, but I am cheerful, curious, and creative person. I was born in Altai region, and much of my true inspiration is still connected with nature, with mountains and forests. I would say I was an artist when I was a child because I received a profile education in art at my school over the course of nine years. I cannot say that my family is totally creative but I think that my parents have creative talents.
Your art work is so beautiful. Where did you study art? Did you start out drawing and painting, or have you always preferred digital art?
Prayer for Comeback
Julia: I’m very glad to hear kind words about my artwork. As I have said, I received an edcuation in art, focusing on classical subjects – drawing, painting, color and composition, various arts and crafts, world art etc. And it was perfect base for start with digital art.
Your online name is ForestGirl. Is nature your primary inspiration for your art?
Julia: I believe that nature is a very big creative power and a constant source of inspiration for me. Sometimes I receive the inspiration from books, music, world art culture, or images of famous photographers.
Are you a full time artist, or do you enjoy other hobbies or work as well?
Julia: I am a full time artist but I have many hobbies. I have a higher economic education. I love reading. I would be happy to read Golden Daughter in Russian. and I`m sure the translation should be done once!
I spend time researching the stock images industry and am working to find my place there. Travels with my husband always were unbelievable, inspirational, and unforgettable for me. I like to plan our travels from zero without a travel agency, and I like searching for places to visit. I am big fan of sports and yoga--stadium on summer mornings or gym over winter are my favorite places. My lifestyle is self-development, self-perfection.
Warrior Cats: The Power of ThreeYour art always has a magical, storytelling quality to it. I feel as though I am seeing a story in every image. Do you have a story in your head when you create each work of art?
Julia: I usually don't have a complete idea for a story when I am starting work. I view the work in process and sometimes a good idea for a story dawns upon me. And I think about this story more and more as I go; I contrive new signs which helps me to tell this story from image, add the details to image and complete the fairytale. I always adore when people have a lucky guess at what I meant.
Winter SoulsAnd finally, since this is a blog that loves fairy tales, I’ll ask: What is your favorite fairy tale?
Julia: I am absolutely in love with The Snow Queen tale. And also with modern 3D interpretation by Disney – Frozen._______
Thank you so much for the interview today, Julia! It was really fun to get to know you better.
I hope all of you readers enjoyed learning about this wonderful artist. Be certain to visit her website, Julia Popova, Art & Retouch to see even more of her wonderful images! And you can like her page on Facebook and keep track of all her exciting updates and news.
And now, in an exclusive sneak peek, I'm going to show you what the full wrap-around cover of Golden Daughter looks like . . . before the text!
I hope you're excited for this newest adventure in Goldstone Wood. I love this new story and am eager to share it with all of you later this year. You will be happy to learn that this is by far the longest Goldstone Wood novel yet . . . a good 50,000 words longer than Dragonwitch (which used to be my longest). So lots of epic adventure awaits!
In the meanwhile, do please share the book cover and tell your friends. And do take time to enter the giveaway I'm hosting to celebrate this reveal. a Rafflecopter giveaway
Beyond the Realm of DreamsIs a World She Never Imagined Masayi Sairu was raised to be dainty, delicate, demure . . . and deadly. She is one of the emperor’s Golden Daughters, as much a legend as she is a commodity. One day, Sairu will be contracted in marriage to a patron, whom she will secretly guard for the rest of her life.
But when she learns that a sacred Dream Walker of the temple seeks the protection of a Golden Daughter, Sairu forgoes marriage in favor of this role. Her skills are stretched to the limit, for assassins hunt in the shadows, and phantoms haunt in dreams. With only a mysterious Faerie cat and a handsome slave—possessed of his own strange abilities—to help her, can Sairu shield her new mistress from evils she can neither see nor touch?
For the Dragon is building an army of fire. And soon the heavens will burn.
Coming November 25, 2014
So what do you think? I am so thrilled with this cover, I can't even begin to tell you! I love that the new color scheme stands out from all of the other books, but the circle theme from the first three books is brought back beautifully in this image. It's a dramatic, dynamic image; so much more than just a pretty girl posing in a pretty dress! Sairu is interacting with her unique setting, surprised at what she has just discovered through that gate. Did you notice that the landscape through the gate behind her is very different from the one into which she has just emerged? I love the glorious stars, the ocean, the gate, her knife, her costume . . . so many wonderful details from the book are captured in this one gorgeous image!
And yes, for those of you wondering, that is our favorite poet-cat, Eanrin. Making his cover debut and looking very fluffy while he's at it.
If you'd like to learn more about Golden Daughter, do visit the new book page! There are several fun articles, including a "Characters You Will Meet" page. And you bloggers can help me out by sharing the blog button below:
Please include this link when you shareAnd now, dear imps, I had the fun opportunity of interviewing the brilliant cover artist who created this cover! She is a very gracious and talented lady with a wonderful eye for color and composition. I was enthralled by the images I saw on her website and so delighted to have her become the new Goldstone Wood cover designer! She creates images that fit nicely with the original cover designs, but brings her own unique and magical style that is so perfectly suited to fairy tales. I hope you will enjoy learning more about Julia Popova and her work. First, here is her bio:
Julia Popova is a digital artist from Russia. She lives in Novosibirsk city.
She devoted a long period of time to studying programs of digital image processing. Every day she creates new photo-art uniting fantasy and technical experience. This is a perfect way to allure audience into a bright world of art and happiness, to share dreams and ideas. Julia makes an emphasis on kindness and positive principle. For her digital photo-art is a hobby which grows into work. Work that becomes as pleasant as hobby. Julia has higher economic education. In addition she studied in art school for a long time. She uses Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended, Wacom Intuos 4 and stock images for photomanipulation. Julia is 26 years old. She is happily married. INTERVIEW
Endless DreamHello, Julia! Welcome to the Tales of Goldstone Wood blog. I'm so glad you could feature here today. Why don’t you tell us a little about yourself? Where are you from? Were you always an artist even as a child? Do you come from a creative family?Julia: Hello! What shall I say about me? Well . . . To tell many good words about yourself is not very modest, but I am cheerful, curious, and creative person. I was born in Altai region, and much of my true inspiration is still connected with nature, with mountains and forests. I would say I was an artist when I was a child because I received a profile education in art at my school over the course of nine years. I cannot say that my family is totally creative but I think that my parents have creative talents.
Your art work is so beautiful. Where did you study art? Did you start out drawing and painting, or have you always preferred digital art?
Prayer for ComebackJulia: I’m very glad to hear kind words about my artwork. As I have said, I received an edcuation in art, focusing on classical subjects – drawing, painting, color and composition, various arts and crafts, world art etc. And it was perfect base for start with digital art.
Your online name is ForestGirl. Is nature your primary inspiration for your art?
Julia: I believe that nature is a very big creative power and a constant source of inspiration for me. Sometimes I receive the inspiration from books, music, world art culture, or images of famous photographers.
Are you a full time artist, or do you enjoy other hobbies or work as well? Julia: I am a full time artist but I have many hobbies. I have a higher economic education. I love reading. I would be happy to read Golden Daughter in Russian. and I`m sure the translation should be done once!
I spend time researching the stock images industry and am working to find my place there. Travels with my husband always were unbelievable, inspirational, and unforgettable for me. I like to plan our travels from zero without a travel agency, and I like searching for places to visit. I am big fan of sports and yoga--stadium on summer mornings or gym over winter are my favorite places. My lifestyle is self-development, self-perfection.
Warrior Cats: The Power of ThreeYour art always has a magical, storytelling quality to it. I feel as though I am seeing a story in every image. Do you have a story in your head when you create each work of art?Julia: I usually don't have a complete idea for a story when I am starting work. I view the work in process and sometimes a good idea for a story dawns upon me. And I think about this story more and more as I go; I contrive new signs which helps me to tell this story from image, add the details to image and complete the fairytale. I always adore when people have a lucky guess at what I meant.
Winter SoulsAnd finally, since this is a blog that loves fairy tales, I’ll ask: What is your favorite fairy tale?Julia: I am absolutely in love with The Snow Queen tale. And also with modern 3D interpretation by Disney – Frozen._______
Thank you so much for the interview today, Julia! It was really fun to get to know you better.
I hope all of you readers enjoyed learning about this wonderful artist. Be certain to visit her website, Julia Popova, Art & Retouch to see even more of her wonderful images! And you can like her page on Facebook and keep track of all her exciting updates and news.
And now, in an exclusive sneak peek, I'm going to show you what the full wrap-around cover of Golden Daughter looks like . . . before the text!
I hope you're excited for this newest adventure in Goldstone Wood. I love this new story and am eager to share it with all of you later this year. You will be happy to learn that this is by far the longest Goldstone Wood novel yet . . . a good 50,000 words longer than Dragonwitch (which used to be my longest). So lots of epic adventure awaits!
In the meanwhile, do please share the book cover and tell your friends. And do take time to enter the giveaway I'm hosting to celebrate this reveal. a Rafflecopter giveaway
February 22, 2014
The Annual Tales of Goldstone Wood Fan Art Contest!
Dear imps and artists, I know I have been promising for some while now to make an announcement about the 2014 Fan Art Contest. And this, at long last, is it!
Here are the details.
What: You, dear imps, are invited to submit Goldstone Wood-related fan art of all kinds. Drawings and paintings, pottery and sewing, sculpting, photography, photomanipulation, typography . . . any form of visual art that you prefer! You can see examples of things that have been done at Dame Imraldera's Library.
How: You will be asked to take a picture of your work and send it to me via email as a jpg. attachment. Be sure to include 1) your name, 2) the title of your piece, 3) the medium you worked in. You may submit as many pieces as you like.
Who: Who will decide the winners? Why you will! Just like last year, the winners will be selected via fan voting. You will be invited to pick your top three favorites and email them to me (aestengl@gmail.com) as 1st pick, 2nd pick, and 3rd pick. Your first pick will receive 10 points, your second pick will receive 5 points, and your third pick will receive 3 points.
When: The deadline to get your work to me is April 1. The contest itself will begin on April 11 and run for a full week. The work will all be displayed here
Prizes: The first place winner will receive her or his choice of any FOUR Goldstone Wood novels (no novellas, sorry). The second place winner will receive two novels, and third place will receive one.
I'm looking forward to seeing all your fabulous creativity on display yet again. Every year, I have been even more impressed than the year before. And this year, we have three new stories that you can take inspiration from--Dragonwitch, Goddess Tithe, and Shadow Hand. Let's make this one the most exciting contest yet!
Here are the details.
What: You, dear imps, are invited to submit Goldstone Wood-related fan art of all kinds. Drawings and paintings, pottery and sewing, sculpting, photography, photomanipulation, typography . . . any form of visual art that you prefer! You can see examples of things that have been done at Dame Imraldera's Library.
How: You will be asked to take a picture of your work and send it to me via email as a jpg. attachment. Be sure to include 1) your name, 2) the title of your piece, 3) the medium you worked in. You may submit as many pieces as you like.
Who: Who will decide the winners? Why you will! Just like last year, the winners will be selected via fan voting. You will be invited to pick your top three favorites and email them to me (aestengl@gmail.com) as 1st pick, 2nd pick, and 3rd pick. Your first pick will receive 10 points, your second pick will receive 5 points, and your third pick will receive 3 points.
When: The deadline to get your work to me is April 1. The contest itself will begin on April 11 and run for a full week. The work will all be displayed here
Prizes: The first place winner will receive her or his choice of any FOUR Goldstone Wood novels (no novellas, sorry). The second place winner will receive two novels, and third place will receive one.
I'm looking forward to seeing all your fabulous creativity on display yet again. Every year, I have been even more impressed than the year before. And this year, we have three new stories that you can take inspiration from--Dragonwitch, Goddess Tithe, and Shadow Hand. Let's make this one the most exciting contest yet!
February 19, 2014
Cover Reveal: THE WORD CHANGERS
Dear imps, I am very excited to be introducing a new author and fantasy novel to you today. I have read little bits and pieces of Ashlee Willis's work, and let me tell you . . . she writes some beautiful prose! I think you are going to enjoy her upcoming debut novel (releasing this summer). It looks like a story that will resonate with all of you. And guess what! She's offering a giveaway at the end of this post, so be sure to check that out.
But first, here's a little about the author herself:
Ashlee Willis has a passion for three things: God, family, and books, and is happiest when all three can be enjoyed together. Ashlee graduated from Central Christian College of the Bible with a Bachelor of Science in Christian Education. She divides her time chiefly between homeschooling her young son, reading about fantasy worlds she wishes she could visit, and dreaming up fantasy worlds of her own to write about. Ashlee lives in the heart of Missouri with her husband, son, and cat, where she is busily at work on her next book, also a fantasy for young adults.You can visit her blog here: Ashlee Willis.
Are you ready too see her cover? Here you go!
The Word ChangersHer parents’ marriage is falling apart. Fifteen-year-old Posy feels her life is falling apart with it. Retreating to an old library down the street, she selects a mysterious book in a secluded corner and is magically drawn into its story...
Posy finds herself in a kingdom ruled by a cruel and manipulative king and queen who have attempted to usurp the role that belongs only to the Author of their story. The princess has fled and the kingdom is teetering toward rebellion. Posy is joined by the Prince Kyran as they fight alongside the characters of the story against their slavery to the Plot.
Posy and the prince search beyond the borders of the story for the runaway princess. They visit mysterious places, face horrifying monsters, and fight fierce battles. They make both friends and enemies as their journey leads them into many dangers. But some of the worst dangers, Posy soon finds, lie deep within her own heart.
Now Posy must find the courage and forgiveness needed to save the story and, most important, heal the heartache she knew in her own world.
Coming June 23, 2014
Here's a quick word from Ashlee herself:
Inspiration
I remember walking the dark, narrow aisles of my old small-town library as a child. Sometimes I would put my eye to a gap between the books lining the shelf, and peer into the dusky shadows beyond. My eye would see … nothing more than the back panel of the shelf, or occasionally the startled face of the person in the next aisle. But my imagination would see so much more. I would pretend I could see other worlds – the very worlds to be found in the books surrounding me, both the ones I had read and the ones I had yet to discover.I believe that’s where my true inspiration for The Word Changers began, all those long years ago. You might even say that’s where my inspiration came from for every story I’ve ever written. Because that’s why we read books, isn’t it? To discover new worlds, new ideas, new people and places and even new sorrows and joys? In The Word Changers, I let Posy, the main character, live out the dream I’ve always had. But she didn’t just peek into the world of a book – I pushed her right over the edge and into the world itself. Poor Posy – she thought she was escaping from the hardships in her life, but she only jumped into even greater ones! Most of us know, though, that it’s difficult to find wisdom, forgiveness, compassion, and even love, without experiencing trials first. That’s a lesson I have learned over and over again since those days when I saw my imaginary worlds through the library book shelves. The Word Changers is Posy’s journey to discover this, among many other things, for herself. _________
Thank you for sharing, Ashlee! I look forward to featuring you again when The Word Changers releases this summer.
So what do you think, dear imps? Aren't you excited for this story? What a perfect premise for all the fantasy book lovers among us! Do take a moment to enter this giveaway and possibly win yourself a copy of The Word Changers (which you'll receive this summer after its release). And be sure to congratulate Ashlee on her debut!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
But first, here's a little about the author herself:
Ashlee Willis has a passion for three things: God, family, and books, and is happiest when all three can be enjoyed together. Ashlee graduated from Central Christian College of the Bible with a Bachelor of Science in Christian Education. She divides her time chiefly between homeschooling her young son, reading about fantasy worlds she wishes she could visit, and dreaming up fantasy worlds of her own to write about. Ashlee lives in the heart of Missouri with her husband, son, and cat, where she is busily at work on her next book, also a fantasy for young adults.You can visit her blog here: Ashlee Willis.Are you ready too see her cover? Here you go!
The Word ChangersHer parents’ marriage is falling apart. Fifteen-year-old Posy feels her life is falling apart with it. Retreating to an old library down the street, she selects a mysterious book in a secluded corner and is magically drawn into its story...Posy finds herself in a kingdom ruled by a cruel and manipulative king and queen who have attempted to usurp the role that belongs only to the Author of their story. The princess has fled and the kingdom is teetering toward rebellion. Posy is joined by the Prince Kyran as they fight alongside the characters of the story against their slavery to the Plot.
Posy and the prince search beyond the borders of the story for the runaway princess. They visit mysterious places, face horrifying monsters, and fight fierce battles. They make both friends and enemies as their journey leads them into many dangers. But some of the worst dangers, Posy soon finds, lie deep within her own heart.
Now Posy must find the courage and forgiveness needed to save the story and, most important, heal the heartache she knew in her own world.
Coming June 23, 2014
Here's a quick word from Ashlee herself:
Inspiration
I remember walking the dark, narrow aisles of my old small-town library as a child. Sometimes I would put my eye to a gap between the books lining the shelf, and peer into the dusky shadows beyond. My eye would see … nothing more than the back panel of the shelf, or occasionally the startled face of the person in the next aisle. But my imagination would see so much more. I would pretend I could see other worlds – the very worlds to be found in the books surrounding me, both the ones I had read and the ones I had yet to discover.I believe that’s where my true inspiration for The Word Changers began, all those long years ago. You might even say that’s where my inspiration came from for every story I’ve ever written. Because that’s why we read books, isn’t it? To discover new worlds, new ideas, new people and places and even new sorrows and joys? In The Word Changers, I let Posy, the main character, live out the dream I’ve always had. But she didn’t just peek into the world of a book – I pushed her right over the edge and into the world itself. Poor Posy – she thought she was escaping from the hardships in her life, but she only jumped into even greater ones! Most of us know, though, that it’s difficult to find wisdom, forgiveness, compassion, and even love, without experiencing trials first. That’s a lesson I have learned over and over again since those days when I saw my imaginary worlds through the library book shelves. The Word Changers is Posy’s journey to discover this, among many other things, for herself. _________
Thank you for sharing, Ashlee! I look forward to featuring you again when The Word Changers releases this summer.
So what do you think, dear imps? Aren't you excited for this story? What a perfect premise for all the fantasy book lovers among us! Do take a moment to enter this giveaway and possibly win yourself a copy of The Word Changers (which you'll receive this summer after its release). And be sure to congratulate Ashlee on her debut!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
