Anne Elisabeth Stengl's Blog, page 22
February 17, 2014
Interview Feature: Rachel Rossano
Today I have the pleasure of introducing you imps to a very talented author. Rachel Rossano is both a novelist and a designer, and her work in both fields is sure to delight and intrigue all the Goldstone Wood Imps! I hope you will enjoy getting to know Rachel and learning about her work. First, her bio . . .
Rachel Rossano balances her time between the chaos of raising and homeschooling her three children and the world of drama and high adventure in her head. With her faithful husband and chief consulting editor by her side, she dreams of many more adventures to come. Check out her work at Rachel Rossano's Words.
And here is her beautiful new release!
Duty to King
Tomas Dyrease, the newly made Earl of Irvaine and the village of Wisenvale, owes his good fortune to his king and the recent civil war. When his benefactor demands Tomas marry the cousin of a noble, he obeys. However, no one warned him that she wasn’t a typical noblewoman.
Duty to Others
Brielle Solarius struggles to keep her village from starvation under the new Lord Wisten, her cousin. The men rode off to war and never returned. The remaining women and children face a dire winter if they do not find a solution soon. When she learns her cousin sold her into marriage to save his life, she isn’t surprised. However, she is taken aback by Lord Irvaine’s unpolished ways. Was this man a noble or a foot soldier?
Duty to Each Other
Bound by the words of their vows, they face a rough future. They must forge a marriage while battling betrayal, accusations of treason, and villains from the past. Survival depends on their precarious trust in each other. Failure could mean death.
You can buy your copy of Duty from any of these sources:
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Duty-novel-Rhynan-ebook/dp/B00BAI41ROB&N - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/duty-rachel-rossano/1114473485?ean=2940044292949iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/duty-a-novel-of-rhynan/id600175029Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/281699
INTERVIEW
Welcome to the Tales of Goldstone Wood blog! First of all, would you mind telling us a little about yourself? Hobbies, personality . . . tea or coffee?
Rachel: I am delighted to be here. I am a happily married mother of three rambunctious young children. My days are filled with homeschooling, household tasks, and mothering. During nap times and after the trio are in bed, I become my alter-ego, the writer. As a creature of habit, I enjoy spending most of my time at home, but I venture out into public places to gather more material for my writing habit. My hobbies, aside from reveling in the imaginary worlds in my head, are reading, watching movies, and book cover designing.
What led you into the writing life? Were you always a storyteller?
Rachel: I have memories of pretending to read before I could actually decipher the words on the page. As a daughter of an English major and a pastor with a fascination for history, I grew up around books and learned to love them at an early age. I know the progression from reader to writer doesn't always follow for every book lover, but that was sort of how it happened for me. I didn't like the endings of some of the books I read so I re-wrote them in my head. Creating complete stories of my own and capturing them on paper followed.
I still hear stories about my imaginary play as a child. I guess I was always a storyteller, even if the only audience was me (and a captive younger sibling or two). Publishing came much later when I realized I wanted to share my stories with more people and possibly make a career out of playing with the written word.
Tell us a little about your work! From what I gather, The Mercenary’s Marriage is your first novel (correct me if I’m wrong!). What was the inspiration for this story? What led you down the self-publishing path?
Rachel: Actually my first published novella was The Crown of Anavrea . I published it through a less than reputable publisher and had to wait out the seven year contract to regain my rights. I republished it under my own company in 2011.
The Mercenary's Marriage was my first foray into indie publishing. Written in nine months during one of the most difficult times of my life, it helped me deal with a difficult job and a bout of depression.
The Mercenary's Marriage's story revolves around a marriage of convenience between a mercenary soldier and a slave woman he rescues after her master's castle falls to a siege. The hero, Darius, is an interesting mixture of meekness and strength. His decisiveness was a refreshing change from the lessons in patience I was learning at the time.
I settled on self-publishing because I couldn't find a publisher to fit what I wrote. Most of my stories are non-magical fantasy set in a world of my own creation that resembles medieval Europe. Some of my books are inspirational and others are written to reflect a Christian worldview without clear spiritual references. At the time I was publisher hunting, I couldn't find a Christian publisher that published what I was writing. I continued to blog and write, slowly gathering a following of readers who enjoyed similar stories to what I wrote.
Then I discovered Lulu.com, a self-publishing platform that didn't require upfront expenses and or long term contracts. I decided to give them a try and my journey as an indie author began.
Now tell us a little about Duty, your newest release. How long have you been work on it? Did it present any unusual challenges? Is it part of a series or a stand-alone?
Rachel: Duty progressed from idea to finished rough draft in about eight months, the shortest time I have ever written a book. The book's beginnings were unusual because I originally intended to write a quick short story based on a friend's opening line, polish it up, and publish it.
Instead, Duty became a full-length novel and the first in a series of an undetermined number of books. Duty, and the planned sequels can be read as stand-alone novels, but if read in order, they will be enjoyed all the more because of the reappearing characters and the plot lines that thread through the whole series.
Also, readers are welcome to ask for more of a character's story. The sequel, Honor, is being written because readers expressed a lot of interest in one of the secondary characters of Duty.
Can you pick a favorite character from this new novel?
Rachel: My favorite character in Duty was definitely Tomas, the book's hero. He turned out to be such a complex man. He has qualities I can't help admiring. Yet, he is flawed. He makes mistakes and makes the best of the consequences that come from those mistakes. I really enjoyed discovering him, his history and his personality with Brielle, the heroine.
What inspires your work? Where do you turn when you need a renewal of inspiration?
Rachel: Pretty much anything can inspire a story. History, the Bible, a book, a movie, a bit of a conversation overheard in a store, a particularly strong personality encountered in a restaurant, or the interactions happening in a group gathered nearby have all sparked ideas. When I am feeling uninspired, I usually seek out a good book, movie, or just to get out of the house and around people. Sometimes all I need is sleep, prayer, and quiet time to myself to process the input I have already gathered.
What are your favorite and least favorite parts of the writing process?
Rachel: My favorite part would cover from idea to the last words of the rough draft. I really enjoy the writing part of the job. Though I do love the initial thrill of publishing the completed book. Editing tends to be my least favorite stage in the process, along with promotion.
If you were forced to pick a single favorite author, who would it be?
Rachel: Diana Wynne Jones is a favorite, but there are many besides her. I really enjoy her young-adult and children's fantasy books. They are standbys for when I need to refresh my love of reading and writing.
What are you actively writing right now?
Rachel: I am currently working on the rough draft of Honor, the sequel to Duty. Though by the time this interview appears, I hope the book will be in the beta reading phase. Then it will be on a new project or reworking an old manuscript to get it ready for publication.
Would you share a short snippet from Duty?
Rachel: Here is an excerpt from chapter four: Excerpt fromDUTY
Torches flared in the breeze, transforming the familiar village square into a sea of shifting light and shadows. Music—lute, tambourine, flute, and pulsing drum—stirred the spirit. My feet moved in time to the beat without volition. The mixture of familiar and foreign faces among the revelers set my instincts on edge. I never knew if the next person I met would leer or smile. It didn’t help that I no longer dressed as one of them. A full skirt swished elegantly about my ankles with each step. The diaphanous emerald silk whispered against itself. I missed the reassuring warmth and weight of my rough linen and wool. Finer clothing, thinner shoes, and birth set me apart from them. I walked alone. I no longer belonged to the dancing crowd around me. I was his. My stomach twisted. I swallowed with caution, suddenly thankful I had eaten nothing since early morn.“Brielle!” Loren plowed into me, wrapping her arms about my shoulders, pulling me down four inches to her level.“I am so sorry, Brielle. Quaren just told me. You weren’t even given a choice.” She drew back to study my face. “She has forgotten to tell you I also said Lord Irvaine will make a good husband.” Loren’s new husband stepped out of the crowd pulsing about us. His mild eyes smiled slightly at me in the flickering light.“Are you a wife to evaluate such things?” Loren asked him sharply. “Besides, Brielle is hardly a typical woman. She rides, brawls, and works like a man. She doesn’t need a husband.”“Unlike you?” Quaren tilted his head slightly and watched Loren’s features with amusement. A smile tugged at his mouth, lightening his features. “Exactly.” Loren turned to mouth words missed. I didn’t catch the sounds in the din around us. The gleam in her eyes and heightened flush to her cheek gave me hope she would be happy with her new life.“Have you met his daughter yet?”“No. She will arrive in a few days with the supply wagons.” She grabbed my shoulders. “Bri, are you going to be alright? I can help you run if you want. I know where they are keeping the horses. It is only a few miles to the river. Once across it and into the hills, you would be free.”“Nay, Loren, I have given my word.”Her eyes grew round. “He didn’t hurt you, did he? Did he touch you?er H They say you were alone with him for an hour, more than enough time to…”I stopped her with a sharp shake of my head. Her husband stood close enough to overhear if the volume of the merrymaking slackened unexpectedly.“This is my choice, Loren. I have given my word.”“But, Brielle, will you be happy?”“I have as much a chance at happiness as you, Loren.” I smiled at her and jutted my chin toward her spouse. “You seem quite settled already.”Loren blushed to the tips of her ears. “He has been very sweet so far.”“You chose well. Now wish me happy and go with him. It is almost time.”The music stopped. Around us, voices hushed. The crowd parted, making a path for someone. Lord Irvaine strode toward me. A gold edged tunic of emerald emblazoned with the figure of a hart covered his chest. His dark hair, now dry, curled to his head. He had finally washed his face. He stopped at the edge of the open circle that hastily formed around Loren and myself.“My lord.” Quaren bowed his head.Loren curtsied.I remained standing, meeting his inky-eyed scrutiny. “My lord.”Irvaine lifted his right hand, extending it palm up toward me. “It is time. Are you ready?”I felt Loren's gaze on my face, but I didn't lower my own to meet it. Kurios, give me strength, I prayed. Stepping forward, I laid my hand in his.
______________
Thank you, Rachel, for such a great interview and excerpt!
And now, dear imps, Rachel is offering a generous giveaway . . . an e-copy of any one of her books for one lucky winner! Be sure to enter your name in the Rafflecopter below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Rachel Rossano balances her time between the chaos of raising and homeschooling her three children and the world of drama and high adventure in her head. With her faithful husband and chief consulting editor by her side, she dreams of many more adventures to come. Check out her work at Rachel Rossano's Words.And here is her beautiful new release!
Duty to KingTomas Dyrease, the newly made Earl of Irvaine and the village of Wisenvale, owes his good fortune to his king and the recent civil war. When his benefactor demands Tomas marry the cousin of a noble, he obeys. However, no one warned him that she wasn’t a typical noblewoman.
Duty to Others
Brielle Solarius struggles to keep her village from starvation under the new Lord Wisten, her cousin. The men rode off to war and never returned. The remaining women and children face a dire winter if they do not find a solution soon. When she learns her cousin sold her into marriage to save his life, she isn’t surprised. However, she is taken aback by Lord Irvaine’s unpolished ways. Was this man a noble or a foot soldier?
Duty to Each Other
Bound by the words of their vows, they face a rough future. They must forge a marriage while battling betrayal, accusations of treason, and villains from the past. Survival depends on their precarious trust in each other. Failure could mean death.
You can buy your copy of Duty from any of these sources:
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Duty-novel-Rhynan-ebook/dp/B00BAI41ROB&N - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/duty-rachel-rossano/1114473485?ean=2940044292949iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/duty-a-novel-of-rhynan/id600175029Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/281699
INTERVIEW
Welcome to the Tales of Goldstone Wood blog! First of all, would you mind telling us a little about yourself? Hobbies, personality . . . tea or coffee?
Rachel: I am delighted to be here. I am a happily married mother of three rambunctious young children. My days are filled with homeschooling, household tasks, and mothering. During nap times and after the trio are in bed, I become my alter-ego, the writer. As a creature of habit, I enjoy spending most of my time at home, but I venture out into public places to gather more material for my writing habit. My hobbies, aside from reveling in the imaginary worlds in my head, are reading, watching movies, and book cover designing.
What led you into the writing life? Were you always a storyteller?
Rachel: I have memories of pretending to read before I could actually decipher the words on the page. As a daughter of an English major and a pastor with a fascination for history, I grew up around books and learned to love them at an early age. I know the progression from reader to writer doesn't always follow for every book lover, but that was sort of how it happened for me. I didn't like the endings of some of the books I read so I re-wrote them in my head. Creating complete stories of my own and capturing them on paper followed.
I still hear stories about my imaginary play as a child. I guess I was always a storyteller, even if the only audience was me (and a captive younger sibling or two). Publishing came much later when I realized I wanted to share my stories with more people and possibly make a career out of playing with the written word.
Tell us a little about your work! From what I gather, The Mercenary’s Marriage is your first novel (correct me if I’m wrong!). What was the inspiration for this story? What led you down the self-publishing path?
Rachel: Actually my first published novella was The Crown of Anavrea . I published it through a less than reputable publisher and had to wait out the seven year contract to regain my rights. I republished it under my own company in 2011.
The Mercenary's Marriage was my first foray into indie publishing. Written in nine months during one of the most difficult times of my life, it helped me deal with a difficult job and a bout of depression.
The Mercenary's Marriage's story revolves around a marriage of convenience between a mercenary soldier and a slave woman he rescues after her master's castle falls to a siege. The hero, Darius, is an interesting mixture of meekness and strength. His decisiveness was a refreshing change from the lessons in patience I was learning at the time.
I settled on self-publishing because I couldn't find a publisher to fit what I wrote. Most of my stories are non-magical fantasy set in a world of my own creation that resembles medieval Europe. Some of my books are inspirational and others are written to reflect a Christian worldview without clear spiritual references. At the time I was publisher hunting, I couldn't find a Christian publisher that published what I was writing. I continued to blog and write, slowly gathering a following of readers who enjoyed similar stories to what I wrote.
Then I discovered Lulu.com, a self-publishing platform that didn't require upfront expenses and or long term contracts. I decided to give them a try and my journey as an indie author began.
Now tell us a little about Duty, your newest release. How long have you been work on it? Did it present any unusual challenges? Is it part of a series or a stand-alone?
Rachel: Duty progressed from idea to finished rough draft in about eight months, the shortest time I have ever written a book. The book's beginnings were unusual because I originally intended to write a quick short story based on a friend's opening line, polish it up, and publish it.
Instead, Duty became a full-length novel and the first in a series of an undetermined number of books. Duty, and the planned sequels can be read as stand-alone novels, but if read in order, they will be enjoyed all the more because of the reappearing characters and the plot lines that thread through the whole series.
Also, readers are welcome to ask for more of a character's story. The sequel, Honor, is being written because readers expressed a lot of interest in one of the secondary characters of Duty.
Can you pick a favorite character from this new novel?
Rachel: My favorite character in Duty was definitely Tomas, the book's hero. He turned out to be such a complex man. He has qualities I can't help admiring. Yet, he is flawed. He makes mistakes and makes the best of the consequences that come from those mistakes. I really enjoyed discovering him, his history and his personality with Brielle, the heroine.
What inspires your work? Where do you turn when you need a renewal of inspiration?
Rachel: Pretty much anything can inspire a story. History, the Bible, a book, a movie, a bit of a conversation overheard in a store, a particularly strong personality encountered in a restaurant, or the interactions happening in a group gathered nearby have all sparked ideas. When I am feeling uninspired, I usually seek out a good book, movie, or just to get out of the house and around people. Sometimes all I need is sleep, prayer, and quiet time to myself to process the input I have already gathered.
What are your favorite and least favorite parts of the writing process?
Rachel: My favorite part would cover from idea to the last words of the rough draft. I really enjoy the writing part of the job. Though I do love the initial thrill of publishing the completed book. Editing tends to be my least favorite stage in the process, along with promotion.
If you were forced to pick a single favorite author, who would it be?
Rachel: Diana Wynne Jones is a favorite, but there are many besides her. I really enjoy her young-adult and children's fantasy books. They are standbys for when I need to refresh my love of reading and writing.
What are you actively writing right now?
Rachel: I am currently working on the rough draft of Honor, the sequel to Duty. Though by the time this interview appears, I hope the book will be in the beta reading phase. Then it will be on a new project or reworking an old manuscript to get it ready for publication.
Would you share a short snippet from Duty?
Rachel: Here is an excerpt from chapter four: Excerpt fromDUTY
Torches flared in the breeze, transforming the familiar village square into a sea of shifting light and shadows. Music—lute, tambourine, flute, and pulsing drum—stirred the spirit. My feet moved in time to the beat without volition. The mixture of familiar and foreign faces among the revelers set my instincts on edge. I never knew if the next person I met would leer or smile. It didn’t help that I no longer dressed as one of them. A full skirt swished elegantly about my ankles with each step. The diaphanous emerald silk whispered against itself. I missed the reassuring warmth and weight of my rough linen and wool. Finer clothing, thinner shoes, and birth set me apart from them. I walked alone. I no longer belonged to the dancing crowd around me. I was his. My stomach twisted. I swallowed with caution, suddenly thankful I had eaten nothing since early morn.“Brielle!” Loren plowed into me, wrapping her arms about my shoulders, pulling me down four inches to her level.“I am so sorry, Brielle. Quaren just told me. You weren’t even given a choice.” She drew back to study my face. “She has forgotten to tell you I also said Lord Irvaine will make a good husband.” Loren’s new husband stepped out of the crowd pulsing about us. His mild eyes smiled slightly at me in the flickering light.“Are you a wife to evaluate such things?” Loren asked him sharply. “Besides, Brielle is hardly a typical woman. She rides, brawls, and works like a man. She doesn’t need a husband.”“Unlike you?” Quaren tilted his head slightly and watched Loren’s features with amusement. A smile tugged at his mouth, lightening his features. “Exactly.” Loren turned to mouth words missed. I didn’t catch the sounds in the din around us. The gleam in her eyes and heightened flush to her cheek gave me hope she would be happy with her new life.“Have you met his daughter yet?”“No. She will arrive in a few days with the supply wagons.” She grabbed my shoulders. “Bri, are you going to be alright? I can help you run if you want. I know where they are keeping the horses. It is only a few miles to the river. Once across it and into the hills, you would be free.”“Nay, Loren, I have given my word.”Her eyes grew round. “He didn’t hurt you, did he? Did he touch you?er H They say you were alone with him for an hour, more than enough time to…”I stopped her with a sharp shake of my head. Her husband stood close enough to overhear if the volume of the merrymaking slackened unexpectedly.“This is my choice, Loren. I have given my word.”“But, Brielle, will you be happy?”“I have as much a chance at happiness as you, Loren.” I smiled at her and jutted my chin toward her spouse. “You seem quite settled already.”Loren blushed to the tips of her ears. “He has been very sweet so far.”“You chose well. Now wish me happy and go with him. It is almost time.”The music stopped. Around us, voices hushed. The crowd parted, making a path for someone. Lord Irvaine strode toward me. A gold edged tunic of emerald emblazoned with the figure of a hart covered his chest. His dark hair, now dry, curled to his head. He had finally washed his face. He stopped at the edge of the open circle that hastily formed around Loren and myself.“My lord.” Quaren bowed his head.Loren curtsied.I remained standing, meeting his inky-eyed scrutiny. “My lord.”Irvaine lifted his right hand, extending it palm up toward me. “It is time. Are you ready?”I felt Loren's gaze on my face, but I didn't lower my own to meet it. Kurios, give me strength, I prayed. Stepping forward, I laid my hand in his.
______________
Thank you, Rachel, for such a great interview and excerpt!
And now, dear imps, Rachel is offering a generous giveaway . . . an e-copy of any one of her books for one lucky winner! Be sure to enter your name in the Rafflecopter below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
February 8, 2014
FORGET ME NOT Blog Tour
Dear imps, today I have the pleasure of featuring Amber Stokes and her second novel, Forget Me Not. Many of you are familiar with Amber and her work already and are watching her entrepreneurial publishing ventures with great interest . . . so I think you'll be particularly interested in the guest post she is sharing with us today!
First a little bit about Amber (for those of you new to her and her work):
Amber Stokes has a Bachelor of Science degree in English and a passion for the written word - from blogging to writing poetry, short stories, and novels. After her brief time at college in Oregon, she is now back home among the redwoods of Northern California, living life one day at a time and pursuing her passion via freelance editingand self-publishing.
And let's have a quick look at the story itself!
Prequel to Bleeding Heart
Old hurts, new betrayals, and a love that survives them all...
Summer 1885
A startling revelation sends Elizabeth Lawson escaping into a stormy night - and tosses her into the arms of a young mountain man with secrets of his own. When he offers to take her to the Nevada mining town where her long-lost brother lives, she accepts. Suspicions and uncertainties are pushed aside as she struggles to forge a future for herself by meeting her past.
David has been hiding from his painful memories for years. The solitude and wildness of the Rocky Mountains are challenge and comfort enough for him - until Elizabeth's arrival. Fueled by anger and a sense of obligation, he strives to take control of his new situation...only to find control slipping from his grasp with each new emotion Elizabeth evokes in him.
When their journey leads them on unexpected paths, can two lonely hearts find the strength to remember the good amid the heartbreak?
Inspirational Historical Romance
Book Website: http://forgetmenotnovel.blogspot.com/
Series Blog: http://theheartsspringseries.blogspot.com/
Amber is with us today to share about the story behind the story . . . .
The Long, Long Journey to Publishing Your First Manuscript Amber Stokes While Forget Me Not may be the second book I’ve self-published, it was my first book—my first “baby,” the first novel-length manuscript to reach “The End.” That first draft was written over the course of about five years, an off-and-on labor of love for a story I knew I wanted to finish and share someday. As you can well imagine, though, starting a project in my young teens and then completing it in my college years made for a weaker beginning and a need for lots of polishing and fixing up. But we’re talking about my baby, the one that I had dreamed about and planned for so long that it could do no wrong in my eyes. When I reached “The End” I immediately felt that everyone should read it and love it, and that queries should be sent out posthaste. After all, she was beautiful, and heaven help the (well-meaning) people who pointed out her flaws! So how did I get from there to here, with Forget Me Not now available for Kindle? 1. Separation. Elizabeth (my book’s heroine) and I needed some time apart. I was too close to her story, too attached to the way her journey played out. It frustrated me to even think of making changes. And you know what? I think that’s for the best. Sometimes, probably most especially when you’re first starting out, it’s too daunting to face edits right away, and you might not be entirely sure how to even go about them. So in my case, I went on another journey, writing Sally’s story over the course of the next two years. By the time that second book was done, I was at a place in my life where I was determined to make that story better and could see more clearly where I needed help. Meanwhile, Elizabeth waited patiently in the background for her turn. 2. Starting Over. After releasing Bleeding Heart, I made and shared plans to self-publish Forget Me Not in the winter. Setting a goal helped motivate me, so that I finally went back and revisited my first draft in the fall. (Here’s a glimpse at my reaction via Twitter.) Then when this past December rolled around, I knew I couldn’t put off facing edits any longer. Revisiting the first draft and taking into account the initial feedback I had received from an author friend two years prior helped me realize that the beginning of the book needed a complete overhaul. Back-story dumping? Lack of a real attention-grabbing first page? Too much time before the hero and heroine meet? All of that needed to be changed, and I was finally at a place in my life where I could face that truth. I went on to rewrite Part 1 (of the 3-part book) almost entirely, while still keeping some similar scenes and a few lines I really liked. From there I took what I had learned as a freelance editor and now-published author with editors of my own and applied it to the next two parts of the book, keeping the main content but polishing and tightening the writing. Yes, I lost about 20,000 words in this whole process, dropping the story down to either a very short novel or a decent-sized novella. But yes, the manuscript needed it! 3. Seeing the Light. The light at the end of the tunnel was finally in sight. I sent the revised manuscript to my proofreader, then went through another (lighter) round of editing after receiving her feedback. Then on to a final read-through (aloud) to catch remaining errors, and suffering through formatting woes. (Formatting is not my friend unless I start from scratch. *sigh* But the thing is, we can’t do it all. I love editing and publicity, but I’m not well-versed in graphic design or formatting. I needed other pairs of eyes for the editing, and I needed a cover designer and formatter—the fabulous Lena Goldfinch—to help Elizabeth look pretty in a way I could not.) And now my baby is up on Amazon. Because she was my first, she presented a different set of challenges than Bleeding Heart, and probably future stories, I’d imagine. There are some who suggest tucking away those first stories for an even longer time, or never sharing them at all. But I believe each journey is different, and if you come to a place where you can see how to make your first story better and you’re willing to make the necessary changes, I think there’s hope for those firsts. After all, they certainly hold a special piece of your heart... What are your thoughts on first manuscripts? Do you believe they can still be worth sharing in time?
________
Thank you, Amber! I appreciate you taking the time to walk us through your publishing adventures. I'm sure it will be encouraging and inspiring to many other aspiring young novelists!
Readers, be certain to up for Amber's newsletter and/or follow The Heart’s Spring series blog to stay up-to-date on the latest news for this series.
If you would like to follow the rest of the Forget Me Not blog tour, click here to visit the tour page. All the links are compiled there for easy access.
An "Unforgettable Journey" Giveaway!Enter for the chance to win an epic entertainment package that includes a signed paperback copy of Forget Me Not, The Journey of Natty Gann on DVD, and “Barton Hollow” by The Civil Wars on CD. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
First a little bit about Amber (for those of you new to her and her work):
Amber Stokes has a Bachelor of Science degree in English and a passion for the written word - from blogging to writing poetry, short stories, and novels. After her brief time at college in Oregon, she is now back home among the redwoods of Northern California, living life one day at a time and pursuing her passion via freelance editingand self-publishing.
And let's have a quick look at the story itself!
Prequel to Bleeding Heart
Old hurts, new betrayals, and a love that survives them all...
Summer 1885
A startling revelation sends Elizabeth Lawson escaping into a stormy night - and tosses her into the arms of a young mountain man with secrets of his own. When he offers to take her to the Nevada mining town where her long-lost brother lives, she accepts. Suspicions and uncertainties are pushed aside as she struggles to forge a future for herself by meeting her past.
David has been hiding from his painful memories for years. The solitude and wildness of the Rocky Mountains are challenge and comfort enough for him - until Elizabeth's arrival. Fueled by anger and a sense of obligation, he strives to take control of his new situation...only to find control slipping from his grasp with each new emotion Elizabeth evokes in him.
When their journey leads them on unexpected paths, can two lonely hearts find the strength to remember the good amid the heartbreak?
Inspirational Historical Romance
Book Website: http://forgetmenotnovel.blogspot.com/
Series Blog: http://theheartsspringseries.blogspot.com/
Amber is with us today to share about the story behind the story . . . .
The Long, Long Journey to Publishing Your First Manuscript Amber Stokes While Forget Me Not may be the second book I’ve self-published, it was my first book—my first “baby,” the first novel-length manuscript to reach “The End.” That first draft was written over the course of about five years, an off-and-on labor of love for a story I knew I wanted to finish and share someday. As you can well imagine, though, starting a project in my young teens and then completing it in my college years made for a weaker beginning and a need for lots of polishing and fixing up. But we’re talking about my baby, the one that I had dreamed about and planned for so long that it could do no wrong in my eyes. When I reached “The End” I immediately felt that everyone should read it and love it, and that queries should be sent out posthaste. After all, she was beautiful, and heaven help the (well-meaning) people who pointed out her flaws! So how did I get from there to here, with Forget Me Not now available for Kindle? 1. Separation. Elizabeth (my book’s heroine) and I needed some time apart. I was too close to her story, too attached to the way her journey played out. It frustrated me to even think of making changes. And you know what? I think that’s for the best. Sometimes, probably most especially when you’re first starting out, it’s too daunting to face edits right away, and you might not be entirely sure how to even go about them. So in my case, I went on another journey, writing Sally’s story over the course of the next two years. By the time that second book was done, I was at a place in my life where I was determined to make that story better and could see more clearly where I needed help. Meanwhile, Elizabeth waited patiently in the background for her turn. 2. Starting Over. After releasing Bleeding Heart, I made and shared plans to self-publish Forget Me Not in the winter. Setting a goal helped motivate me, so that I finally went back and revisited my first draft in the fall. (Here’s a glimpse at my reaction via Twitter.) Then when this past December rolled around, I knew I couldn’t put off facing edits any longer. Revisiting the first draft and taking into account the initial feedback I had received from an author friend two years prior helped me realize that the beginning of the book needed a complete overhaul. Back-story dumping? Lack of a real attention-grabbing first page? Too much time before the hero and heroine meet? All of that needed to be changed, and I was finally at a place in my life where I could face that truth. I went on to rewrite Part 1 (of the 3-part book) almost entirely, while still keeping some similar scenes and a few lines I really liked. From there I took what I had learned as a freelance editor and now-published author with editors of my own and applied it to the next two parts of the book, keeping the main content but polishing and tightening the writing. Yes, I lost about 20,000 words in this whole process, dropping the story down to either a very short novel or a decent-sized novella. But yes, the manuscript needed it! 3. Seeing the Light. The light at the end of the tunnel was finally in sight. I sent the revised manuscript to my proofreader, then went through another (lighter) round of editing after receiving her feedback. Then on to a final read-through (aloud) to catch remaining errors, and suffering through formatting woes. (Formatting is not my friend unless I start from scratch. *sigh* But the thing is, we can’t do it all. I love editing and publicity, but I’m not well-versed in graphic design or formatting. I needed other pairs of eyes for the editing, and I needed a cover designer and formatter—the fabulous Lena Goldfinch—to help Elizabeth look pretty in a way I could not.) And now my baby is up on Amazon. Because she was my first, she presented a different set of challenges than Bleeding Heart, and probably future stories, I’d imagine. There are some who suggest tucking away those first stories for an even longer time, or never sharing them at all. But I believe each journey is different, and if you come to a place where you can see how to make your first story better and you’re willing to make the necessary changes, I think there’s hope for those firsts. After all, they certainly hold a special piece of your heart... What are your thoughts on first manuscripts? Do you believe they can still be worth sharing in time?
________
Thank you, Amber! I appreciate you taking the time to walk us through your publishing adventures. I'm sure it will be encouraging and inspiring to many other aspiring young novelists!
Readers, be certain to up for Amber's newsletter and/or follow The Heart’s Spring series blog to stay up-to-date on the latest news for this series.
If you would like to follow the rest of the Forget Me Not blog tour, click here to visit the tour page. All the links are compiled there for easy access.
An "Unforgettable Journey" Giveaway!Enter for the chance to win an epic entertainment package that includes a signed paperback copy of Forget Me Not, The Journey of Natty Gann on DVD, and “Barton Hollow” by The Civil Wars on CD. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.
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February 4, 2014
Doings at Rooglewood: February
My dear imps, I can't believe it's already time for another Doings at Rooglewood post! January went by much too quickly for me, and February looks ready to fly right over my head as well. But we do what we can . . .
Anyway, I thought you might like to learn what's happening at Rooglewood these days and add me and my frazzled brain to your prayers!
Edits. Oh, yes. February is going to be the Month of the Edits. I am tackling the first round of line edits for the Five Glass Slippers winners. Which, truth be told, are not terrible extensive. All of the winners are talented young authors with excellent stories that will really need only a little tweaking here and there to get them ready. It's not the quality of work, it's the quantity in this case . . . five stories which all must be done before next Monday if Rooglewood Press is going to keep on its tight schedule. Yikes!
And speaking of tight schedules . . . my other big edit is for Until That Distant Day , which I had hoped to finish last month but barely started. Sigh. But while that novel is significantly longer than the multitudinous Glass Slippers, it is a polished draft and needs little help to get it publication ready. My work involves much time spent looking up French phrases to make certain they're accurate (it's been a while since I studied French!), and switching one character name from "Lance" to "Claude" . . . which, while using the search-and-replace option on Word. resulted in a number of characters casting each other "gClaudes" instead of "glances" for a little while there.
But Until That Distant Day is scheduled to release in just three months, so it's definitely taking priority through February! Do remember to add it on your Goodreads pages and tell your friends.
Winners. Speaking of Five Glass Slippers (which we just were a few paragraphs up, so this isn't a random segue, I promise), congrats again to the five winners! I hope to take a moment sometime in the next few weeks to write up a post about the five winning stories. Nothing to give away the plots (because they're too good to spoil!), just talking up the uniqueness of each story and how they all fit together. So be watching for that!
A Second Contest: And yes, the rumors are true . . . there will be another Five Something Something contest hosted by Rooglewood Press this year. Featuring a new fairy tale! You'll have to wait until June 1 to learn more. But we are in the process of designing the cover right now, and I am super excited. We just ordered the costume, and I think we have the model picked (though that is subject to change at a moment's notice). One way or another, the image is going to be stunning. I think this year I'll host an actual Cover Reveal for this project at the same time as the contest announcement. So bloggers, keep it in mind! I'll be asking for blogging hosts as we get closer to June.
Speaking of Covers: The Cover Reveal for Golden Daughter should be happening on February 24. Huzzah! Though this is still subject to last minute change, so don't be quite holding your breath yet. I think it's going to happen though. Which means I'm starting the process of gathering bloggers to feature the image, finalizing the back cover copy, figuring out whether or not I've got time to build the book page before the reveal (we'll see about that one), and selecting a passage for a sneak peek. That's right, dear imps! I hope to give you a little insider's peek at Golden Daughter, possibly a long one even.
And . . . oh dear. Yes, I still write. I really do! But these days, it doesn't feel like I get to write as much. (And yes, I am perfectly happy to have myself a pity party about this, thankyouverymuch.) I had hoped to write all of my new novella through the month of January, but that proved a vain, futile effort. Not for lack of interest in the story but for lack of focus. Even when I have time to sit down, I find my brain SO FULL of other projects, it's hard to keep any plotting and characters in line.
However, despite this lack of focus and a surplus of self-pity, I have managed to get nearly 20,000 words written on this little tale. And really, it's not going to be such a little tale as I first thought. Goddess Tithe is only 25,000, and this new project is going to pass that tally up in short order and still have half a book left to go. So I'm thinking this novella may turn into more of a short novel, rounding out at an estimated 50,000. I'm just more comfortable with longer pieces.
If I can get this novella/novel done by the end of February, I hope to reveal the title by early March, around the same Shadow Hand releases. And the cover is partially designed already, so I should be able to do a Cover Reveal soon after that . . .
Book 8: Lord willing, I'll start seriously working on Book 8 in the Tales of Goldstone Wood this March. In the meanwhile, I am researching and making notes and otherwise preparing for this project. I am reading
Blood Sisters
for research, which is quite a fascinating read, and I highly recommend it to any and all of you history buffs out there.
Finding time to sit and read bulky research books has been much easier than I would have imagined! You see, I decided last month to bring my wild Mama Kitty in from the cold and begin the process of taming her for indoor-kitty living. She is currently living in a cozy little pen down in my basement, learning litter box etiquette and the joy of snuggling in laps. And doing very well at both, I might add! Turns out she's much older than we had believed . . . and is missing most of her teeth, poor baby. She's had a tough life out in the bamboo forests of Rooglewood, and I think the time has come for her to experience some cuddles. So I sit down in her pen, reading Blood Sisters and talking kitty-baby-talk by turns. Hoping to bring Mama Kitty (also called Mutti-Cat--"Mutti" being the German word for "Mama") upstairs quite soon now. Then we'll see how she blends in with the rest of our animal family.
Anyway, all that to say, Book 8 is currently in active percolate mode. And let me see, what hints can I drop about it . . . Well, there is a hero and an anti hero, and you have heard the name of one and met the other. The major antagonist is a woman, and you have heard her spoken of, though not by her real name. Una admired the heroine of this new story and tried (unsuccessfully) to emulate her at one point in Heartless.
I think that's enough for the moment. I'm really looking forward to this project! I've been tentatively planning it since the year before I first drafted Heartless and seriously planning it since the winter I drafted Moonblood. So it's about time this story got told!
Sickness. My sweet Rohan is sick with a stomach bug. He claims he has never had a stomach bug before, so this is all new torment for him. He's quite adorably pathetic when he's sick. He boasts the worlds THICKEST hair, and when he's too sick to tame it down, it stands up in the most epic anime hero styles you ever did see. No product needed. But no, I don't laugh at him! Not at all. Not when he's sick, poor darling. Yesterday, he was well enough to stagger out to the living room, so I worked from the couch (instead of my study). This way I could make comforting crooning noises at need. Please say a prayer for him today! I hate to see him so unhappy . . . even if the hair is epic.
That's enough. I started trying to type up the rest of my current doings . . . and it's too much. So I'm going to just sit here with Makoose in my lap (Makoose says, "Hi!" It sounds like, "Purrrrrrrr" but you get the idea.) and work on one of my edits for a bit.
If you have emailed me about anything, do forgive me if I'm slow getting back to you! I promise to get to you as soon as I can. And I'll have word on the upcoming art contest and other fun doings later on . . .
Anyway, I thought you might like to learn what's happening at Rooglewood these days and add me and my frazzled brain to your prayers!
Edits. Oh, yes. February is going to be the Month of the Edits. I am tackling the first round of line edits for the Five Glass Slippers winners. Which, truth be told, are not terrible extensive. All of the winners are talented young authors with excellent stories that will really need only a little tweaking here and there to get them ready. It's not the quality of work, it's the quantity in this case . . . five stories which all must be done before next Monday if Rooglewood Press is going to keep on its tight schedule. Yikes!
And speaking of tight schedules . . . my other big edit is for Until That Distant Day , which I had hoped to finish last month but barely started. Sigh. But while that novel is significantly longer than the multitudinous Glass Slippers, it is a polished draft and needs little help to get it publication ready. My work involves much time spent looking up French phrases to make certain they're accurate (it's been a while since I studied French!), and switching one character name from "Lance" to "Claude" . . . which, while using the search-and-replace option on Word. resulted in a number of characters casting each other "gClaudes" instead of "glances" for a little while there.
But Until That Distant Day is scheduled to release in just three months, so it's definitely taking priority through February! Do remember to add it on your Goodreads pages and tell your friends.
Winners. Speaking of Five Glass Slippers (which we just were a few paragraphs up, so this isn't a random segue, I promise), congrats again to the five winners! I hope to take a moment sometime in the next few weeks to write up a post about the five winning stories. Nothing to give away the plots (because they're too good to spoil!), just talking up the uniqueness of each story and how they all fit together. So be watching for that!
A Second Contest: And yes, the rumors are true . . . there will be another Five Something Something contest hosted by Rooglewood Press this year. Featuring a new fairy tale! You'll have to wait until June 1 to learn more. But we are in the process of designing the cover right now, and I am super excited. We just ordered the costume, and I think we have the model picked (though that is subject to change at a moment's notice). One way or another, the image is going to be stunning. I think this year I'll host an actual Cover Reveal for this project at the same time as the contest announcement. So bloggers, keep it in mind! I'll be asking for blogging hosts as we get closer to June.
Speaking of Covers: The Cover Reveal for Golden Daughter should be happening on February 24. Huzzah! Though this is still subject to last minute change, so don't be quite holding your breath yet. I think it's going to happen though. Which means I'm starting the process of gathering bloggers to feature the image, finalizing the back cover copy, figuring out whether or not I've got time to build the book page before the reveal (we'll see about that one), and selecting a passage for a sneak peek. That's right, dear imps! I hope to give you a little insider's peek at Golden Daughter, possibly a long one even.
And . . . oh dear. Yes, I still write. I really do! But these days, it doesn't feel like I get to write as much. (And yes, I am perfectly happy to have myself a pity party about this, thankyouverymuch.) I had hoped to write all of my new novella through the month of January, but that proved a vain, futile effort. Not for lack of interest in the story but for lack of focus. Even when I have time to sit down, I find my brain SO FULL of other projects, it's hard to keep any plotting and characters in line.
However, despite this lack of focus and a surplus of self-pity, I have managed to get nearly 20,000 words written on this little tale. And really, it's not going to be such a little tale as I first thought. Goddess Tithe is only 25,000, and this new project is going to pass that tally up in short order and still have half a book left to go. So I'm thinking this novella may turn into more of a short novel, rounding out at an estimated 50,000. I'm just more comfortable with longer pieces.
If I can get this novella/novel done by the end of February, I hope to reveal the title by early March, around the same Shadow Hand releases. And the cover is partially designed already, so I should be able to do a Cover Reveal soon after that . . .
Book 8: Lord willing, I'll start seriously working on Book 8 in the Tales of Goldstone Wood this March. In the meanwhile, I am researching and making notes and otherwise preparing for this project. I am reading
Blood Sisters
for research, which is quite a fascinating read, and I highly recommend it to any and all of you history buffs out there.Finding time to sit and read bulky research books has been much easier than I would have imagined! You see, I decided last month to bring my wild Mama Kitty in from the cold and begin the process of taming her for indoor-kitty living. She is currently living in a cozy little pen down in my basement, learning litter box etiquette and the joy of snuggling in laps. And doing very well at both, I might add! Turns out she's much older than we had believed . . . and is missing most of her teeth, poor baby. She's had a tough life out in the bamboo forests of Rooglewood, and I think the time has come for her to experience some cuddles. So I sit down in her pen, reading Blood Sisters and talking kitty-baby-talk by turns. Hoping to bring Mama Kitty (also called Mutti-Cat--"Mutti" being the German word for "Mama") upstairs quite soon now. Then we'll see how she blends in with the rest of our animal family.
Anyway, all that to say, Book 8 is currently in active percolate mode. And let me see, what hints can I drop about it . . . Well, there is a hero and an anti hero, and you have heard the name of one and met the other. The major antagonist is a woman, and you have heard her spoken of, though not by her real name. Una admired the heroine of this new story and tried (unsuccessfully) to emulate her at one point in Heartless.
I think that's enough for the moment. I'm really looking forward to this project! I've been tentatively planning it since the year before I first drafted Heartless and seriously planning it since the winter I drafted Moonblood. So it's about time this story got told!
Sickness. My sweet Rohan is sick with a stomach bug. He claims he has never had a stomach bug before, so this is all new torment for him. He's quite adorably pathetic when he's sick. He boasts the worlds THICKEST hair, and when he's too sick to tame it down, it stands up in the most epic anime hero styles you ever did see. No product needed. But no, I don't laugh at him! Not at all. Not when he's sick, poor darling. Yesterday, he was well enough to stagger out to the living room, so I worked from the couch (instead of my study). This way I could make comforting crooning noises at need. Please say a prayer for him today! I hate to see him so unhappy . . . even if the hair is epic.
That's enough. I started trying to type up the rest of my current doings . . . and it's too much. So I'm going to just sit here with Makoose in my lap (Makoose says, "Hi!" It sounds like, "Purrrrrrrr" but you get the idea.) and work on one of my edits for a bit.
If you have emailed me about anything, do forgive me if I'm slow getting back to you! I promise to get to you as soon as I can. And I'll have word on the upcoming art contest and other fun doings later on . . .
February 3, 2014
Beautiful Stories
Today, I want to write a little post for all of the Five Glass Slippers participants, both those who ended up with stories in the collection and those who did not. Just a few thoughts and reflections, hopefully for your encouragement.
Announcing the winners of this contest was, for me, tremendously exciting . . . and also rather sad. You see, I am a novelist. Which means I have an active imagination and a (possibly overly-developed) sense of empathy. I've also been in both the winning and the losing position of the publishing life.
Which means I could easily feel the emotion of those who saw their names listed that day . . . and I could just as easily feel the disappointment and even depression of those who did not.
It's so hard to write a story, to love a story, to put your whole heart into a story. And it's even harder to send it out for strange eyes to look over. And it's hardest of all to have decisions come back that aren't what you'd hoped for. That rejection letter. That list excluding your name. That award with some other story's title listed underneath it. It's easy to start feeling as though the problem is you. You, as the storyteller, aren't good enough.
But let me remind you, gentle reader, that writing a story is not about winning and losing. It's about writing a story. It's about love of those characters, love of those themes. It's about vulnerability and courage. It's about enjoyment of the language and the magic of expressing sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations that exist purely in your reader's mind.
Remember--storytelling is very different from publishing. Publishing is a business. It's practical, unemotional, based on concrete numbers and a dash of instinct. It's about risk and investment.
Believe me, I see both sides of the equation. I've been on both sides of the equation. I've had work rejected by publishing houses because they felt it was too much of a risk for the market. I've also had work accepted because it struck a particular publisher as worth the risk. I've won awards because judges thought my story breathtakingly beautiful. I've lost awards because judges thought my story completely stank. (Same story! Seriously. And those judges who hated it posted nasty reviews all over the Internets expressing their hatred, which is beyond embarrassing! LOL.)
So, dear writers, believe me when I say I understand your joy at success and your disappointment at loss. And I felt invested in each writer who sent me a story. I felt a kinship. I know the courage it took for each and every one of you to put your heart on the line and submit a story, hoping to see it succeed, fearing it would not.
Remember this--you wrote a beautiful story. You wrote from your heart and to the best of your ability. That is a success! It may not have been a "winner," and it may not have been right for this particular publishing opportunity. But you wrote it.
So I want to make these little statements about some of the stories that didn't win . . .
There were two stories that made me cry. And neither of them made it into the collection.
There was one story that utterly grabbed me by the eyeballs and fastened me to the screen so that I couldn't look away until I saw how it turned out. And it didn't make it into the collection.
There was one story that I read so quickly and kept trying to scroll down to find more because I didn't want it to be over. And it didn't make it into the collection.
There were five stories that had me laughing so hard my sides hurt. And they didn't make it into the collection.
There were three stories that took my breath away with their three very different presentations of magic, demonstrating creativity I had never before seen . And they didn't make it into the collection.
There were four stories that felt so authentic to the time period presented, I could have believed the authors lived and walked in those times. And they didn't make it into the collection.
There were four stories of such unique genres, I could hardly get over the authors' cleverness at fitting them into the Cinderella storyline. And they didn't make it into the collection.
There was one story that I and two of the other readers would (if pressed) possibly have named our very favorite of the whole contest. And it did not make it into the collection.
There were thirteen stories that I tried so hard to fit into a collection meant for five, shuffling around to find the perfect combination. But no matter what I did, eight of those stories could not fit, so they didn't make it into the collection.
All that to say, dear writers, there were only five winners. But that did not mean that the rest of you did not succeed! You wrote wonderful stories. You wrote beautiful, hilarious, powerful, fascinating stories that ultimately reflect the beautiful, hilarious, powerful, fascinating people you are. I felt as though I got to know a little bit of your hearts as I read your work, and I thank you for that opportunity.
Keep writing! Keep supporting and encouraging one another. Keep loving those tales and those characters, enjoying the gift that is your personal creativity. And in this way you will be a winner. A conqueror of worlds.
Announcing the winners of this contest was, for me, tremendously exciting . . . and also rather sad. You see, I am a novelist. Which means I have an active imagination and a (possibly overly-developed) sense of empathy. I've also been in both the winning and the losing position of the publishing life.
Which means I could easily feel the emotion of those who saw their names listed that day . . . and I could just as easily feel the disappointment and even depression of those who did not.
It's so hard to write a story, to love a story, to put your whole heart into a story. And it's even harder to send it out for strange eyes to look over. And it's hardest of all to have decisions come back that aren't what you'd hoped for. That rejection letter. That list excluding your name. That award with some other story's title listed underneath it. It's easy to start feeling as though the problem is you. You, as the storyteller, aren't good enough.
But let me remind you, gentle reader, that writing a story is not about winning and losing. It's about writing a story. It's about love of those characters, love of those themes. It's about vulnerability and courage. It's about enjoyment of the language and the magic of expressing sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations that exist purely in your reader's mind.
Remember--storytelling is very different from publishing. Publishing is a business. It's practical, unemotional, based on concrete numbers and a dash of instinct. It's about risk and investment.
Believe me, I see both sides of the equation. I've been on both sides of the equation. I've had work rejected by publishing houses because they felt it was too much of a risk for the market. I've also had work accepted because it struck a particular publisher as worth the risk. I've won awards because judges thought my story breathtakingly beautiful. I've lost awards because judges thought my story completely stank. (Same story! Seriously. And those judges who hated it posted nasty reviews all over the Internets expressing their hatred, which is beyond embarrassing! LOL.)
So, dear writers, believe me when I say I understand your joy at success and your disappointment at loss. And I felt invested in each writer who sent me a story. I felt a kinship. I know the courage it took for each and every one of you to put your heart on the line and submit a story, hoping to see it succeed, fearing it would not.
Remember this--you wrote a beautiful story. You wrote from your heart and to the best of your ability. That is a success! It may not have been a "winner," and it may not have been right for this particular publishing opportunity. But you wrote it.
So I want to make these little statements about some of the stories that didn't win . . .
There were two stories that made me cry. And neither of them made it into the collection.
There was one story that utterly grabbed me by the eyeballs and fastened me to the screen so that I couldn't look away until I saw how it turned out. And it didn't make it into the collection.
There was one story that I read so quickly and kept trying to scroll down to find more because I didn't want it to be over. And it didn't make it into the collection.
There were five stories that had me laughing so hard my sides hurt. And they didn't make it into the collection.
There were three stories that took my breath away with their three very different presentations of magic, demonstrating creativity I had never before seen . And they didn't make it into the collection.
There were four stories that felt so authentic to the time period presented, I could have believed the authors lived and walked in those times. And they didn't make it into the collection.
There were four stories of such unique genres, I could hardly get over the authors' cleverness at fitting them into the Cinderella storyline. And they didn't make it into the collection.
There was one story that I and two of the other readers would (if pressed) possibly have named our very favorite of the whole contest. And it did not make it into the collection.
There were thirteen stories that I tried so hard to fit into a collection meant for five, shuffling around to find the perfect combination. But no matter what I did, eight of those stories could not fit, so they didn't make it into the collection.
All that to say, dear writers, there were only five winners. But that did not mean that the rest of you did not succeed! You wrote wonderful stories. You wrote beautiful, hilarious, powerful, fascinating stories that ultimately reflect the beautiful, hilarious, powerful, fascinating people you are. I felt as though I got to know a little bit of your hearts as I read your work, and I thank you for that opportunity.
Keep writing! Keep supporting and encouraging one another. Keep loving those tales and those characters, enjoying the gift that is your personal creativity. And in this way you will be a winner. A conqueror of worlds.
February 2, 2014
Interview Feature: Janalyn Voigt
Today, dear imps, I have the pleasure of featuring fantasy novelist Janalyn Voigt! She is the author of the Tales of Faeraven, and somehow I think she's one you will all love. I hope you will enjoy getting to know her and her work a little better . . . and do be certain to check out the giveaway at the end of this post!
Janalyn Voigt's unique blend of adventure, romance, suspense, and fantasy creates worlds of beauty and danger for readers. Tales of Faeraven, her epic fantasy series beginning with DawnSinger, carries the reader into a land only imagined in dreams.
Janalyn is represented by Sarah Joy Freese of Wordserve Literary. Her memberships include ACFW and NCWA.
When she's not writing, Janalyn loves to discover worlds of adventure in the great outdoors.
Author Site: http://JanalynVoigt.com
And here's a little about her newest book, Wayfarer:
Trouble stirs between nations and rebellion threatens Faeraven.
When Kai returns with the supposed DawnKing, Lof Shraen Elcon cannot trust that the Elder youth truly is the prophesied deliverer. Driven to prove himself, Elcon banishes the boy and embarks on a peace-keeping campaign into the Elder lands, where he falls in love with an Elder princess betrothed to another.
Sometimes the deliverance of a nation comes only through the humility of one.
Declaring his love would shame the nations, but Elcon is torn. As war approaches, Elcon's choices lead him on a journey of discovery that will either settle the lands or leave them mired in conflict. Can his kingdom ever be united, or will the consequences of his decisions forever tear asunder the fabric of Faeraven?
Show more Show lessJanalyn is with us today to talk about her writing, inspiration, and the world of Faeraven. Enjoy!INTERVIEW 1. Welcome to the Tales of Goldstone Wood blog, Janalyn! First of all, would you mind telling us a little about yourself? Hobbies, personality . . . tea or coffee?
Janalyn: Hello, Anne Elisabeth, and thanks for the welcome. I’m a study in contrasts, being a daydreamer who schedules her day to optimize productivity. That’s not so surprising, really. I need a schedule to remind me where I am and what I should be doing. Early on, my mother took that role. As you might guess from what I’ve written so far, I’m highly analytical. As for tea versus coffee, both offer delights. My reading and writing tastes are equally eclectic, although sometimes the limitations of necessity dictate a narrower approach.2. What led you into the writing life? Were you always a storyteller? How did you get into publishing?Janalyn: One of my earliest memories is of me sitting on the front lawn of my home with a small circle of neighborhood children gathered around me as I told them stories. I have no idea what those stories were about, but they definitely pleased my audience.I blame my father for my literary leanings. He read chapters from classics like The Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan as bedtime stories. After I grew older and he stopped reading stories to me, I put myself to bed with my own.
When I was twelve, a teacher noticed my storytelling ability, and with his encouragement, I decided to become a novelist. Just like that. Only it wasn’t so simple, as it turned out. I thought I had made it into publication when I signed a contract with a small press for DawnSinger, the first novel in my Tales of Faeraven trilogy. When the contract fell through, I was devastated, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Within three months I’d signed with a larger publisher for both DawnSinger and WayFarer, the first two novels in the trilogy, with right of first refusal on DawnKing, the third. As a bonus, I also signed a contract for agency representation with Wordserve Literary.
Many years later and after several wrong turns, my dream of becoming a published novelist has become a reality.3. Tell us a little about your series! What led you to start writing Tales of Faeraven? Can you remember the first ideas for these stories?Janalyn: My young daughter was bored on a car trip, so to entertain her, I invented a story around her favorite doll, Cinda. I twisted the doll’s name into Syl Marinda and told a story about a young, half-cast girl who had been hidden for her protection and must now step up to the throne of a divided people to unite them. This early story became the foundation for the Tales of Faeraven series. Syl Marinda is found in books two and three.
Long after my daughter had forgotten the story, it lived within me, taking hold of me in a way I couldn’t ignore. After a series of disappointments, I tried to turn away from writing forever, but this story would not let me go. For my own peace of mind, I had to birth it.
4. Now tell us a little about WayFarer, Book 2 in Tales of Faeraven. How long have you been working on it? Did it present any unusual challenges? Does it pick up where the first novel, DawnSinger leaves off?Janalyn: The hero and heroine of DawnSinger continue their story in WayFarer, but the main focus switches to Elcon’s difficult assent to the high throne of Faeraven. An ancient foe mounts a challenge to his claim, and Elcon must try to unite a kingdom divided by his own mistakes.The world of Elderland within the pages of Tales of Faeraven is based on 13th-Century Europe, so I studied medieval siege warfare to write the battle scenes. I filled a binder with notes and finally had to call a halt to my research. Since the topic is so enormous, I could have gone on studying it for years. War is tough to think about, though. The sufferings of those caught in bad situations, even though they happened centuries ago, broke my heart many times.
5. Can you pick a favorite character from this new novel?
Janalyn: That’s like asking a mother to choose between her children, but Kai has a special place in my heart because he is analytical, auditory, and overly committed to duty. We share those characteristics.6. What inspires your work? Where do you turn when you need a renewal of inspiration?Janalyn: It’s hard to answer this question because writing for me is so intuitive. I’ve mentioned my early exposure to great literature, and I’m sure that plays a part. Also, certain authors I’ve read will have influenced my writing. Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Anne McCaffrey are in that number. Prayer helps me most when I’m stuck—that and figuring out where following the allegory might take the story.7. What are your least favorite parts of the writing process?Janalyn: I don’t care much for edits from my publisher, although I’m willing to do them and even thankful for the growth they bring. But by the time I submit a manuscript, I’ve already gone over it so many times I’m sick to death of it. Edits also demand that I pull my mind from a new project to prioritize a manuscript I’d really rather not go through, yet again. Sigh. I’m working toward the day when edits will be a mere formality.8. If you were forced to pick a single favorite author, who would it be?Janalyn: Reading Mary Stewart’s novels helped teach me to write. Many other writers credit her as well. She’s a vintage author, and some of her stories are a bit dated, but I find that to be part of their charm. It’s not any wonder that I was drawn to her, since the elements of our writing are much the same: adventure, romance, suspense, mystery, history, and fantasy or whimsy.9. What are you actively writing right now?Janalyn: In just a few thousand words, I will complete DawnKing, book three of Tales of Faeraven, but I’ve taken a break from that to edit an elf story to give away free to subscribers of my Creative Worlds newsletter. 10. Would you share a short snippet from WayFarer?Janalyn: One of my favorite scenes is when Elcon meets Aewen, a princess who sneaks out of her castle to feed the poor.Excerpt fromWayFarer “Who goes there?” The watchguard’s voice halted her. “Let me pass, Lyriss. It’s only Aewen.” From behind the portcullis above the watchtower, Lyriss gaped at her in surprise, and then broke into a toothy grin. “I thought to see you giving alms no more.” “I will serve while I may.” She choked on her brave words but took a steadying breath. “Raise the portcullis so I and the others who will soon follow may distribute leftovers from the king’s table.” Chains clanked as the portcullis raised with a groan. Outside the castle, the poor waited. She walked among them, not fearing these faces she knew. Her friends hailed her with gladness and without jostling stretched out thin hands to take their portions. She smiled to herself. She’d taught them that, to consider one another even in their need. She recognized the face of Jost, a weaver whose cottage stood just north of Willowa’s farm, and gave him the last trencher. “Do you have news of Caedmon? Does he heal?” “Aye, he heals.” Jost delivered himself of this speech and bowed his head with a jerk, acting as strange as those inside the kitchen. She swallowed against a lump in her throat. When had she become someone else? Movement caught her eye. At the edge of the torchlight pranced a black horse with wings—a creature of surpassing beauty bearing a Kindren youth with fair hair tinged red in the torchlight from the guardhouse. She took a step toward him but halted, speechless. “Well met, fair one.” His voice, soft and cool, stirred her. She stared back at him with wide eyes. His brows drew together. “Do you speak?” She dipped her head and found her voice. “You are of the Kindren.” He smiled. “I am indeed of the Kindren, as are my companions. Pray tell the watchguard that Lof Shraen Elcon seeks audience with King Euryon. But if the hour be too late, we can return tomorrow.”His light gaze went over her as he spoke, touching her hair, her eyes, her mouth, speaking things his mouth did not say. She stumbled backward and ran from him as laughter broke from the Kindren riders who accompanied him. “Princess Aewen, are you unharmed?” The voice of Darbin, one of the gatehouse guards, rang out as she approached. The sounds of mirth behind her ceased, and she realized the Kindren riders must have overheard. They’d taken her for a servant before, despite the rich garments she wore. It was one thing, it seemed, for a Kindren to laugh at a servant, but quite another to mock a princess of Westerland. She turned her head and shamed them all with a glance. But her gaze snagged with the light-eyed Kindren’s.
Thank you, Janalyn! What a fun excerpt. It was great to get to learn more about the Tales of Faeraven.I'm sure you readers are now eager to swoop up a copy of Janalyn's work. In the meanwhile, you can enter your name in the WayFarer Launch Celebration Giveaway! One person will win a $20 Starbucks card. One entry per person per day. Do be certain to thank Janlayn for her time . . . and I'm sure she would be happy to answer questions.
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Janalyn Voigt's unique blend of adventure, romance, suspense, and fantasy creates worlds of beauty and danger for readers. Tales of Faeraven, her epic fantasy series beginning with DawnSinger, carries the reader into a land only imagined in dreams.Janalyn is represented by Sarah Joy Freese of Wordserve Literary. Her memberships include ACFW and NCWA.
When she's not writing, Janalyn loves to discover worlds of adventure in the great outdoors.
Author Site: http://JanalynVoigt.com
And here's a little about her newest book, Wayfarer:
Trouble stirs between nations and rebellion threatens Faeraven.When Kai returns with the supposed DawnKing, Lof Shraen Elcon cannot trust that the Elder youth truly is the prophesied deliverer. Driven to prove himself, Elcon banishes the boy and embarks on a peace-keeping campaign into the Elder lands, where he falls in love with an Elder princess betrothed to another.
Sometimes the deliverance of a nation comes only through the humility of one.
Declaring his love would shame the nations, but Elcon is torn. As war approaches, Elcon's choices lead him on a journey of discovery that will either settle the lands or leave them mired in conflict. Can his kingdom ever be united, or will the consequences of his decisions forever tear asunder the fabric of Faeraven?
Show more Show lessJanalyn is with us today to talk about her writing, inspiration, and the world of Faeraven. Enjoy!INTERVIEW 1. Welcome to the Tales of Goldstone Wood blog, Janalyn! First of all, would you mind telling us a little about yourself? Hobbies, personality . . . tea or coffee?
Janalyn: Hello, Anne Elisabeth, and thanks for the welcome. I’m a study in contrasts, being a daydreamer who schedules her day to optimize productivity. That’s not so surprising, really. I need a schedule to remind me where I am and what I should be doing. Early on, my mother took that role. As you might guess from what I’ve written so far, I’m highly analytical. As for tea versus coffee, both offer delights. My reading and writing tastes are equally eclectic, although sometimes the limitations of necessity dictate a narrower approach.2. What led you into the writing life? Were you always a storyteller? How did you get into publishing?Janalyn: One of my earliest memories is of me sitting on the front lawn of my home with a small circle of neighborhood children gathered around me as I told them stories. I have no idea what those stories were about, but they definitely pleased my audience.I blame my father for my literary leanings. He read chapters from classics like The Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan as bedtime stories. After I grew older and he stopped reading stories to me, I put myself to bed with my own.
When I was twelve, a teacher noticed my storytelling ability, and with his encouragement, I decided to become a novelist. Just like that. Only it wasn’t so simple, as it turned out. I thought I had made it into publication when I signed a contract with a small press for DawnSinger, the first novel in my Tales of Faeraven trilogy. When the contract fell through, I was devastated, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Within three months I’d signed with a larger publisher for both DawnSinger and WayFarer, the first two novels in the trilogy, with right of first refusal on DawnKing, the third. As a bonus, I also signed a contract for agency representation with Wordserve Literary. Many years later and after several wrong turns, my dream of becoming a published novelist has become a reality.3. Tell us a little about your series! What led you to start writing Tales of Faeraven? Can you remember the first ideas for these stories?Janalyn: My young daughter was bored on a car trip, so to entertain her, I invented a story around her favorite doll, Cinda. I twisted the doll’s name into Syl Marinda and told a story about a young, half-cast girl who had been hidden for her protection and must now step up to the throne of a divided people to unite them. This early story became the foundation for the Tales of Faeraven series. Syl Marinda is found in books two and three.
Long after my daughter had forgotten the story, it lived within me, taking hold of me in a way I couldn’t ignore. After a series of disappointments, I tried to turn away from writing forever, but this story would not let me go. For my own peace of mind, I had to birth it.
4. Now tell us a little about WayFarer, Book 2 in Tales of Faeraven. How long have you been working on it? Did it present any unusual challenges? Does it pick up where the first novel, DawnSinger leaves off?Janalyn: The hero and heroine of DawnSinger continue their story in WayFarer, but the main focus switches to Elcon’s difficult assent to the high throne of Faeraven. An ancient foe mounts a challenge to his claim, and Elcon must try to unite a kingdom divided by his own mistakes.The world of Elderland within the pages of Tales of Faeraven is based on 13th-Century Europe, so I studied medieval siege warfare to write the battle scenes. I filled a binder with notes and finally had to call a halt to my research. Since the topic is so enormous, I could have gone on studying it for years. War is tough to think about, though. The sufferings of those caught in bad situations, even though they happened centuries ago, broke my heart many times.
5. Can you pick a favorite character from this new novel?
Janalyn: That’s like asking a mother to choose between her children, but Kai has a special place in my heart because he is analytical, auditory, and overly committed to duty. We share those characteristics.6. What inspires your work? Where do you turn when you need a renewal of inspiration?Janalyn: It’s hard to answer this question because writing for me is so intuitive. I’ve mentioned my early exposure to great literature, and I’m sure that plays a part. Also, certain authors I’ve read will have influenced my writing. Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Anne McCaffrey are in that number. Prayer helps me most when I’m stuck—that and figuring out where following the allegory might take the story.7. What are your least favorite parts of the writing process?Janalyn: I don’t care much for edits from my publisher, although I’m willing to do them and even thankful for the growth they bring. But by the time I submit a manuscript, I’ve already gone over it so many times I’m sick to death of it. Edits also demand that I pull my mind from a new project to prioritize a manuscript I’d really rather not go through, yet again. Sigh. I’m working toward the day when edits will be a mere formality.8. If you were forced to pick a single favorite author, who would it be?Janalyn: Reading Mary Stewart’s novels helped teach me to write. Many other writers credit her as well. She’s a vintage author, and some of her stories are a bit dated, but I find that to be part of their charm. It’s not any wonder that I was drawn to her, since the elements of our writing are much the same: adventure, romance, suspense, mystery, history, and fantasy or whimsy.9. What are you actively writing right now?Janalyn: In just a few thousand words, I will complete DawnKing, book three of Tales of Faeraven, but I’ve taken a break from that to edit an elf story to give away free to subscribers of my Creative Worlds newsletter. 10. Would you share a short snippet from WayFarer?Janalyn: One of my favorite scenes is when Elcon meets Aewen, a princess who sneaks out of her castle to feed the poor.Excerpt fromWayFarer “Who goes there?” The watchguard’s voice halted her. “Let me pass, Lyriss. It’s only Aewen.” From behind the portcullis above the watchtower, Lyriss gaped at her in surprise, and then broke into a toothy grin. “I thought to see you giving alms no more.” “I will serve while I may.” She choked on her brave words but took a steadying breath. “Raise the portcullis so I and the others who will soon follow may distribute leftovers from the king’s table.” Chains clanked as the portcullis raised with a groan. Outside the castle, the poor waited. She walked among them, not fearing these faces she knew. Her friends hailed her with gladness and without jostling stretched out thin hands to take their portions. She smiled to herself. She’d taught them that, to consider one another even in their need. She recognized the face of Jost, a weaver whose cottage stood just north of Willowa’s farm, and gave him the last trencher. “Do you have news of Caedmon? Does he heal?” “Aye, he heals.” Jost delivered himself of this speech and bowed his head with a jerk, acting as strange as those inside the kitchen. She swallowed against a lump in her throat. When had she become someone else? Movement caught her eye. At the edge of the torchlight pranced a black horse with wings—a creature of surpassing beauty bearing a Kindren youth with fair hair tinged red in the torchlight from the guardhouse. She took a step toward him but halted, speechless. “Well met, fair one.” His voice, soft and cool, stirred her. She stared back at him with wide eyes. His brows drew together. “Do you speak?” She dipped her head and found her voice. “You are of the Kindren.” He smiled. “I am indeed of the Kindren, as are my companions. Pray tell the watchguard that Lof Shraen Elcon seeks audience with King Euryon. But if the hour be too late, we can return tomorrow.”His light gaze went over her as he spoke, touching her hair, her eyes, her mouth, speaking things his mouth did not say. She stumbled backward and ran from him as laughter broke from the Kindren riders who accompanied him. “Princess Aewen, are you unharmed?” The voice of Darbin, one of the gatehouse guards, rang out as she approached. The sounds of mirth behind her ceased, and she realized the Kindren riders must have overheard. They’d taken her for a servant before, despite the rich garments she wore. It was one thing, it seemed, for a Kindren to laugh at a servant, but quite another to mock a princess of Westerland. She turned her head and shamed them all with a glance. But her gaze snagged with the light-eyed Kindren’s.
Thank you, Janalyn! What a fun excerpt. It was great to get to learn more about the Tales of Faeraven.I'm sure you readers are now eager to swoop up a copy of Janalyn's work. In the meanwhile, you can enter your name in the WayFarer Launch Celebration Giveaway! One person will win a $20 Starbucks card. One entry per person per day. Do be certain to thank Janlayn for her time . . . and I'm sure she would be happy to answer questions.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
February 1, 2014
FIVE GLASS SLIPPERS -- The Winners
Rooglewood Press is pleased to announce the winners of the Five Glass Slippers creative writing contest . . .
What happens when Cinderella is so painfully shy that she cannot bear the idea of attending the royal ball? Or when the slipper fits . . . but on the wrong girl? What happens when Cinderella is determined to oust an imposter prince from her rightful throne? Or when she is a cendrillion miner working from a space station orbiting a toxic planet? What happens when Cinderella, a humble housemaid, is sent with a message for the master of a frightening fairy circus?
Here is Cinderella as you have never met her before, wearing glass slippers and off on unforgettable adventures!
WHAT EYES CAN SEEElisabeth BrownPainfully shy Arella begs her stepmother to let her stay home from the prince's ball. But Duchess Germaine is determined that her beautiful stepdaughter should be presented at court along with her own two daughters. So, dressed in a gorgeous gown and a pair of heirloom slippers, Arella catches the eye of the crown prince . . . and finds her life suddenly far more complicated than she ever desired.
BROKEN GLASSEmma CliftonThe slipper fits . . . but on the wrong girl! Rosalind never once danced with Prince Marius at the ball, for she is in love with his brother Henry. If only Rosalind and Marius would stop bickering long enough to invent a scheme, perhaps the three of them can find the real mystery lady. But they must work quickly, for dark deeds are afoot, and the kingdom is poised on the brink of disaster.
THE WINDY SIDE OF CARERachel HeffingtonAlisandra is determined to have her rights. She knows that she is the king’s secretly dispossessed daughter, the true heir to the throne. Prince Auguste is an imposter, and if she plays her cards right, Alis will prove it to the world! That is, if charming Auguste doesn’t succeed in winning her heart before she gets her chance . . . A CINDER’S TALEStephanie RickerIt’s a dangerous life, yet Elsa wouldn’t trade this opportunity to work at Tremaine Station, mining cendrillion from the seething surface of planet Bounder. Nevertheless, when a famous deep space explorer and his handsome son dock their starcraft at the space station, Elsa finds herself dreaming of far galaxies beyond Bounder’s blistering heat. There is no time for dreaming, however, when danger threatens the station, and Elsa and her fellow miners are tested to the limits of their courage. THE MOON MASTER’S BALLClara Diane ThompsonAfter her terrifying experience there several years ago, the one place young housemaid Tilly longs to avoid is Bromley’s Circus. But when kindly Lord Hollingberry begs her to deliver a message to the mysterious Moon Master hidden away among the circus dwellers, Tilly can’t refuse . . . and finds herself ensnared in a web of enchantment cast by the loathsome Mrs. Carlisle and her beautiful goddaughter.
Congratulations to the winners! This was a very difficult decision, but when I and the other editors at Rooglewood Press finally put together this list of five, we all knew it was the perfect combination of stories and styles for the Five Glass Slippers collection. And we can hardly wait to share your stories with the reading world!Winners, please email me (aestengl@gmail.com) letting me know that you have seen this announcement. If I don't hear from you between now and Monday, I will contact you then.Enormous thanks again to all of you who participated. You didn't make my job of narrowing down to five easy! There were so many wonderful stories that didn't get picked despite how much we loved them. Your talent and storytelling abilities impressed us at Rooglewood Press, and I wish you all the very best in your writing future.And at last we can reveal the cover as it will look in print!
Feel free to share the new front cover of Five Glass Slippers on your blog, facebook, or Twitter, along with a link to this post or to the Rooglewood Press announcement.
What happens when Cinderella is so painfully shy that she cannot bear the idea of attending the royal ball? Or when the slipper fits . . . but on the wrong girl? What happens when Cinderella is determined to oust an imposter prince from her rightful throne? Or when she is a cendrillion miner working from a space station orbiting a toxic planet? What happens when Cinderella, a humble housemaid, is sent with a message for the master of a frightening fairy circus?
Here is Cinderella as you have never met her before, wearing glass slippers and off on unforgettable adventures!
WHAT EYES CAN SEEElisabeth BrownPainfully shy Arella begs her stepmother to let her stay home from the prince's ball. But Duchess Germaine is determined that her beautiful stepdaughter should be presented at court along with her own two daughters. So, dressed in a gorgeous gown and a pair of heirloom slippers, Arella catches the eye of the crown prince . . . and finds her life suddenly far more complicated than she ever desired.
BROKEN GLASSEmma CliftonThe slipper fits . . . but on the wrong girl! Rosalind never once danced with Prince Marius at the ball, for she is in love with his brother Henry. If only Rosalind and Marius would stop bickering long enough to invent a scheme, perhaps the three of them can find the real mystery lady. But they must work quickly, for dark deeds are afoot, and the kingdom is poised on the brink of disaster.
THE WINDY SIDE OF CARERachel HeffingtonAlisandra is determined to have her rights. She knows that she is the king’s secretly dispossessed daughter, the true heir to the throne. Prince Auguste is an imposter, and if she plays her cards right, Alis will prove it to the world! That is, if charming Auguste doesn’t succeed in winning her heart before she gets her chance . . . A CINDER’S TALEStephanie RickerIt’s a dangerous life, yet Elsa wouldn’t trade this opportunity to work at Tremaine Station, mining cendrillion from the seething surface of planet Bounder. Nevertheless, when a famous deep space explorer and his handsome son dock their starcraft at the space station, Elsa finds herself dreaming of far galaxies beyond Bounder’s blistering heat. There is no time for dreaming, however, when danger threatens the station, and Elsa and her fellow miners are tested to the limits of their courage. THE MOON MASTER’S BALLClara Diane ThompsonAfter her terrifying experience there several years ago, the one place young housemaid Tilly longs to avoid is Bromley’s Circus. But when kindly Lord Hollingberry begs her to deliver a message to the mysterious Moon Master hidden away among the circus dwellers, Tilly can’t refuse . . . and finds herself ensnared in a web of enchantment cast by the loathsome Mrs. Carlisle and her beautiful goddaughter.
Congratulations to the winners! This was a very difficult decision, but when I and the other editors at Rooglewood Press finally put together this list of five, we all knew it was the perfect combination of stories and styles for the Five Glass Slippers collection. And we can hardly wait to share your stories with the reading world!Winners, please email me (aestengl@gmail.com) letting me know that you have seen this announcement. If I don't hear from you between now and Monday, I will contact you then.Enormous thanks again to all of you who participated. You didn't make my job of narrowing down to five easy! There were so many wonderful stories that didn't get picked despite how much we loved them. Your talent and storytelling abilities impressed us at Rooglewood Press, and I wish you all the very best in your writing future.And at last we can reveal the cover as it will look in print!
Feel free to share the new front cover of Five Glass Slippers on your blog, facebook, or Twitter, along with a link to this post or to the Rooglewood Press announcement.
January 31, 2014
Cover Reveal: SECOND SON
Dear imps, this morning I have the privilege of participating in a cover reveal for fellow NC fantasy author Jenelle Schmidt's sophomore novel, Second Son. Her covers are always so much fun to see since her artist does them the "old fashioned" way . . . classic watercolors! Here, you really should see for yourself:
SECOND SONIn an attempt to manipulate the future, a family and a nation are forced to decide between two brothers. Guided by a prophecy spoken hundreds of years before, the King and Queen of Llycaelon have set their course. Their goal: to fulfill the prophecy and save their nation from a dire fate.
Rhoyan has always understood and accepted his own role as second born and perpetual prince. He looks forward to the day when he will be a warrior in his older brother’s guard. When Rhoyan is sent on a quest filled with unimaginable danger, nobody anticipates the greater repercussions.
As Rhoyan journeys far across the seas on his appointed trial, he will battle creatures of legend, suffer shipwreck, endure captivity, and lay claim to a fallen star. When tragedy strikes, Rhoyan must struggle to return home believing his quest has failed. However, the home he left no longer awaits him and the true test of his strength and character has only just begun.
Long before Aom-igh needed a champion, Llycaelon had a Second Son.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jenelle grew up the oldest of four. Every night before bedtime her father read to her and her siblings, and it was during these times that her love for adventure and fantasy were forged. While she adored the stories of The Lord of the Rings, the Chronicles of Prydain, the Wheel of Time, and the Chronicles of Narnia; it wasn’t long before her imagination led her to the creation of a world and story all her own.
In 2001, Jenelle completed King’s Warrior, originally titled The Dragon’s Eye, as a project for her father who wanted something new and fun to read to the family at night. This first endeavor gave way to the completion of a four book series that is full of the same adventure that Jenelle grew to love in literature as a little girl. Jenelle graduated from Taylor University in Indiana in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in English Education.
Jenelle has written numerous short stories and many poems, as well as some full length work within the realm of science fiction. King’s Warrior is her first published work and she is currently working on bringing the rest of the series to public availability. Jenelle lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband Derek and two little girls Leiana Arwen and Nathalie Eowyn.
You can find out more about Jenelle, King's Warrior and Second Son on her website: JenelleSchmidt.com.
SECOND SONIn an attempt to manipulate the future, a family and a nation are forced to decide between two brothers. Guided by a prophecy spoken hundreds of years before, the King and Queen of Llycaelon have set their course. Their goal: to fulfill the prophecy and save their nation from a dire fate.Rhoyan has always understood and accepted his own role as second born and perpetual prince. He looks forward to the day when he will be a warrior in his older brother’s guard. When Rhoyan is sent on a quest filled with unimaginable danger, nobody anticipates the greater repercussions.
As Rhoyan journeys far across the seas on his appointed trial, he will battle creatures of legend, suffer shipwreck, endure captivity, and lay claim to a fallen star. When tragedy strikes, Rhoyan must struggle to return home believing his quest has failed. However, the home he left no longer awaits him and the true test of his strength and character has only just begun.
Long before Aom-igh needed a champion, Llycaelon had a Second Son.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jenelle grew up the oldest of four. Every night before bedtime her father read to her and her siblings, and it was during these times that her love for adventure and fantasy were forged. While she adored the stories of The Lord of the Rings, the Chronicles of Prydain, the Wheel of Time, and the Chronicles of Narnia; it wasn’t long before her imagination led her to the creation of a world and story all her own.
In 2001, Jenelle completed King’s Warrior, originally titled The Dragon’s Eye, as a project for her father who wanted something new and fun to read to the family at night. This first endeavor gave way to the completion of a four book series that is full of the same adventure that Jenelle grew to love in literature as a little girl. Jenelle graduated from Taylor University in Indiana in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in English Education.
Jenelle has written numerous short stories and many poems, as well as some full length work within the realm of science fiction. King’s Warrior is her first published work and she is currently working on bringing the rest of the series to public availability. Jenelle lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband Derek and two little girls Leiana Arwen and Nathalie Eowyn.
You can find out more about Jenelle, King's Warrior and Second Son on her website: JenelleSchmidt.com.
January 25, 2014
FIVE GLASS SLIPPERS--Winner Selection Moved Up
Dear readers, I am excited to tell you that Rooglewood Press is officially moving up the announcement of the Five Glass Slippers winners by a full month! Rather than March 1, we will be announcing our selection a week from today on February 1.I have now read all of the submissions and am beginning to put forward my top picks. One of the two other readers is not quite finished but hopes to put forward a list by the end of the weekend. Then we'll be discussing the stories and making the final selection.
So all that to say, the winners aren't officially picked yet. There is only one story out of all the submissions that all three readers have already agreed must be in the collection . . . but that's only because one of the readers hasn't finished reading the submissions yet. I have thirteen stories in my "Favorites" file, and I have probably narrowed down to seven top favorites. But that's still too many! Which means I will end up having to pass on several stories that I particularly love. *tears* Ultimately the other two readers and I will be selecting stories based on what we think will make the most interesting collection. Which of the stories are most unique but still complimentary, etc.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: the submissions for this contest astounded me. Even narrowing down to the too-many-favorites file I have was extremely difficult. The variety of ideas and styles and genres and characterizations blew me away! I can hardly wait to share this collection . . .
Only one more week, dear readers and writers!
January 24, 2014
Blog Tour: SIXTEEN by Emily Rachelle
Dear imps, today I am taking part in a fun blog tour for Emily Rachelle and her debut novella, Sixteen. I hope you will enjoy meeting Emily Rachelle and learning about her work and her writing!
Born in Panama, Emily Rachelle has traveled throughout the country and the world with her Air Force family. Currently, she lives with her parents and three brothers in middle Georgia. While Emily enjoyed reading as far back as she remembers, writing didn't come to her until she learned the forms of poetry and the basics of story in fourth grade. Since then, she's written scripts for homeschool dramas, poems for birthday presents, and stories for friends and family to enjoy. Sixteen is her debut into the professional world of words. You can find Emily at her blog, Emily Rachelle Writes, http://emilyrachellewrites.blogspot.com.
Emily Rachelle's blog's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmilyRachelleWritesSixteen's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sixteenemilyrachelleTwitter: https://twitter.com/EmilyRachelle15Website: http://emilyrachellewrites.blogspot.com/
Be sure to visit Emily Rachelle's blog for a list of other stops on this tour!
INTERVIEW 1. Welcome to the Tales of Goldstone Wood blog! First of all, would you mind telling us a little about yourself? Hobbies, personality . . . tea or coffee? I was born in Panama, but I don't really remember it. My dad's in the air force -- we moved around a lot. I lived in Europe, America, and Asia, but I only remember the US and Japan. Right now, my three brothers, two cats, and I live in middle Georgia. Other than reading and writing, I'm a bit of a Netflix junkie, and I absolutely love making things. Jewelry, party decorations, you name it. Can't say I'm great at it, but crafting's fun! :) My personality is officially an ENFP, or extroverted intuitive feeling perceptive. I'm not exactly your typical writer - most writers are introverts. Not to mention I don't write very often (at least compared to the rest of my writers' group) and there's many days I would rather see the movie than read the book. I'm not really a tea or coffee person... but I never say no to chocolate.
2. What led you into the writing life? Were you always a storyteller? How did you get into publishing? I enjoyed writing for school assignments throughout elementary school, but I didn't start writing for fun until fourth grade. That year, I was in public school (I've mostly been homeschooled) and we studied a writing unit, learning about the types of poetry and how to write a business letter. That got me started on journaling and poetry. Later, in middle school, I wrote a short story and a children's chapter book for assignments. From there, I abandoned assignments and discovered how to write just for me. That's when Sixteen came about.
3. Tell us a little about your work! Is Sixteen your debut novel? What was the inspiration for this story? Sixteen is my debut, but it's not a full novel - it's a Christian coming-of-age novella. I originally wrote Sixteen as a Mother's Day gift for my mom, and it focused on a pro-life message. Later, when I found the story sitting on my computer, I gave it a major overhaul. Now it's hardly the same book - I focused on the mother-daughter theme and enhanced the romance subplot, and I cut the whole pro-life bit. No book written to teach a message is going to be as good as a story from the heart.
4. What led you down the self-publishing path?
Plan A was the traditional route, but the more agents I queried, the more I realized that a novella was going to be hard to sell. I knew about self-publishing companies, but I also knew about their crazy price tags. Then I started reading self-publishing blogs, particularly http://catherineryanhoward.com/ and http://selfpublishingteam.com/. I rejected the idea at first - I didn't have the money for a cover or editor of quality. More research uncovered a premade cover on one designer's site that I loved and was on sale. Then my pen pal started freelance editing. To top it off, I found a job cleaning a lady's house, and later as a cashier at Chick-Fil-A. Once I knew I could afford self-publishing, I could see absolutely no reason not to pursue it. I've never been scared of a little hard work, and the control factor thrilled me. I could have the final say in everything! What's not to love?
5. Can you pick a favorite character from this novel? My writer friends say choosing a favorite character is like choosing a favorite child. Either I'm a very bad mom, or that's not true, because I have favorites, without a doubt. Nikki, in this book. While her love interest is sweet and her best friend is based off me, the main character will always have my heart.
6. What inspires your work? Where do you turn when you need a renewal of inspiration? Usually, dreams are the original spark. Sixteen can be traced back to two dreams I had of being a teen and pregnant - in fact, the climax is practically lifted straight from one of those dreams. Once I've gotten a story started, Pinterest keeps me going. Having a visual of my characters, of the setting, even of just a certain outfit, makes me long to write a story. There's a reason I have over 10,000 pins in less than a year on that site.
7. What are your favorite and least favorite parts of the writing process? My favorite is the brainstorming. I love to build worlds, create characters, design the perfect plot. I log thousands of words in notes before ever writing my first sentence. My least favorite part is editing. To be honest, I hate it, through and through.
8. If you were forced to pick a single favorite author, who would it be? Cidney Swanson. She's not a Christian writer, but her writing is gripping, compelling. If I'm staying up late with a book, there's a 75% chance it's hers. I can't get her characters out of her head, and her worlds are more real to me than any others I've read - or even written.
9. What are you actively writing right now? After all the editing with Sixteen, I'm struggling to get back into the writing mindset. I'm trying to pick up where I left off with a Little Mermaid retelling called The Rebel Mermaid. I prefer to call it The Rebel Manuscript -- it's the most difficult story I've faced yet.
10. Can you share a short snippet from Sixteen? This is the second scene in the book, when Nikki meets Matt: Excerpt fromSixteen
____________ Thank you for letting us get to know you a bit, Emily Rachelle! It was delightful to have you here today on the Tales of Goldstone Wood.
Born in Panama, Emily Rachelle has traveled throughout the country and the world with her Air Force family. Currently, she lives with her parents and three brothers in middle Georgia. While Emily enjoyed reading as far back as she remembers, writing didn't come to her until she learned the forms of poetry and the basics of story in fourth grade. Since then, she's written scripts for homeschool dramas, poems for birthday presents, and stories for friends and family to enjoy. Sixteen is her debut into the professional world of words. You can find Emily at her blog, Emily Rachelle Writes, http://emilyrachellewrites.blogspot.com.Emily Rachelle's blog's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmilyRachelleWritesSixteen's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sixteenemilyrachelleTwitter: https://twitter.com/EmilyRachelle15Website: http://emilyrachellewrites.blogspot.com/
Be sure to visit Emily Rachelle's blog for a list of other stops on this tour!
INTERVIEW 1. Welcome to the Tales of Goldstone Wood blog! First of all, would you mind telling us a little about yourself? Hobbies, personality . . . tea or coffee? I was born in Panama, but I don't really remember it. My dad's in the air force -- we moved around a lot. I lived in Europe, America, and Asia, but I only remember the US and Japan. Right now, my three brothers, two cats, and I live in middle Georgia. Other than reading and writing, I'm a bit of a Netflix junkie, and I absolutely love making things. Jewelry, party decorations, you name it. Can't say I'm great at it, but crafting's fun! :) My personality is officially an ENFP, or extroverted intuitive feeling perceptive. I'm not exactly your typical writer - most writers are introverts. Not to mention I don't write very often (at least compared to the rest of my writers' group) and there's many days I would rather see the movie than read the book. I'm not really a tea or coffee person... but I never say no to chocolate.
2. What led you into the writing life? Were you always a storyteller? How did you get into publishing? I enjoyed writing for school assignments throughout elementary school, but I didn't start writing for fun until fourth grade. That year, I was in public school (I've mostly been homeschooled) and we studied a writing unit, learning about the types of poetry and how to write a business letter. That got me started on journaling and poetry. Later, in middle school, I wrote a short story and a children's chapter book for assignments. From there, I abandoned assignments and discovered how to write just for me. That's when Sixteen came about.
3. Tell us a little about your work! Is Sixteen your debut novel? What was the inspiration for this story? Sixteen is my debut, but it's not a full novel - it's a Christian coming-of-age novella. I originally wrote Sixteen as a Mother's Day gift for my mom, and it focused on a pro-life message. Later, when I found the story sitting on my computer, I gave it a major overhaul. Now it's hardly the same book - I focused on the mother-daughter theme and enhanced the romance subplot, and I cut the whole pro-life bit. No book written to teach a message is going to be as good as a story from the heart.
4. What led you down the self-publishing path?
Plan A was the traditional route, but the more agents I queried, the more I realized that a novella was going to be hard to sell. I knew about self-publishing companies, but I also knew about their crazy price tags. Then I started reading self-publishing blogs, particularly http://catherineryanhoward.com/ and http://selfpublishingteam.com/. I rejected the idea at first - I didn't have the money for a cover or editor of quality. More research uncovered a premade cover on one designer's site that I loved and was on sale. Then my pen pal started freelance editing. To top it off, I found a job cleaning a lady's house, and later as a cashier at Chick-Fil-A. Once I knew I could afford self-publishing, I could see absolutely no reason not to pursue it. I've never been scared of a little hard work, and the control factor thrilled me. I could have the final say in everything! What's not to love?5. Can you pick a favorite character from this novel? My writer friends say choosing a favorite character is like choosing a favorite child. Either I'm a very bad mom, or that's not true, because I have favorites, without a doubt. Nikki, in this book. While her love interest is sweet and her best friend is based off me, the main character will always have my heart.
6. What inspires your work? Where do you turn when you need a renewal of inspiration? Usually, dreams are the original spark. Sixteen can be traced back to two dreams I had of being a teen and pregnant - in fact, the climax is practically lifted straight from one of those dreams. Once I've gotten a story started, Pinterest keeps me going. Having a visual of my characters, of the setting, even of just a certain outfit, makes me long to write a story. There's a reason I have over 10,000 pins in less than a year on that site.
7. What are your favorite and least favorite parts of the writing process? My favorite is the brainstorming. I love to build worlds, create characters, design the perfect plot. I log thousands of words in notes before ever writing my first sentence. My least favorite part is editing. To be honest, I hate it, through and through.
8. If you were forced to pick a single favorite author, who would it be? Cidney Swanson. She's not a Christian writer, but her writing is gripping, compelling. If I'm staying up late with a book, there's a 75% chance it's hers. I can't get her characters out of her head, and her worlds are more real to me than any others I've read - or even written.
9. What are you actively writing right now? After all the editing with Sixteen, I'm struggling to get back into the writing mindset. I'm trying to pick up where I left off with a Little Mermaid retelling called The Rebel Mermaid. I prefer to call it The Rebel Manuscript -- it's the most difficult story I've faced yet.
10. Can you share a short snippet from Sixteen? This is the second scene in the book, when Nikki meets Matt: Excerpt fromSixteen
"Arabesque, and plie, two, three, plie, two, three, plie. Very good, Marissa!" The song ended, and Nikki glanced at the clock. She looked to Ms. Renee, the senior ballet teacher, who nodded."Okay, girls, class is over! Line up at the door and no running, please." She skipped over to the cabinet at the far wall and pulled out a sheet of stickers, returning to the nine five-year-olds waiting impatiently for their prize after an hour of hard work. As she stuck a kitty or a puppy on each child's outstretched hand, they scurried out the door to their waiting parents and siblings. One of the girls, however, stayed behind. A new student, the shy blond with sparkling green eyes displayed amazing concentration in class for a five-year-old. Nikki knelt down to eye level, knowing her five-foot, ten-inch height would most likely seem imposing to a girl about three feet tall."Hey, sweetie. Your name's Abigail, right?"The girl nodded."Well, Abigail, how about we go find your parents?" Nikki stood and held out her palm. The child’s tiny, trusting hand wrapped around Nikki’s front two fingers.Once outside the dance room, Nikki glanced around the small community center. After a moment, she noticed a tall, broad-shouldered man with blond hair sitting at one of the tables in the corner. A National Geographic magazine held his attention; he wore a plain brown t-shirt and jeans. Nikki pointed at the man. “Is that your dad, Abigail?”The girl began leading Nikki to him, so she took that for a yes and followed."Sir?"The man looked up sharply and smiled, first at Nikki, then at Abigail, who climbed into his lap and picked up the magazine."Dance class is over, so I thought I'd bring your daughter to find you. She's very good, you know."The man laughed. "Oh, she's not my daughter -- she's my niece. My older brother is out of town on a business trip, and his wife teaches piano from three to six. They asked me if I could take her to her classes."Nikki smiled. "Cool. My name's Nicole, by the way -- but everyone calls me Nikki. I'm the junior dance teacher here. And like I said, your niece is really good. You should tell your brother.""I will. My name's Matt." He offered his hand, and Nikki shook it. She felt something -- almost a jolt, as their fingers touched. She smiled into his clear, green eyes."Nice to meet you, Matt."
____________ Thank you for letting us get to know you a bit, Emily Rachelle! It was delightful to have you here today on the Tales of Goldstone Wood.
January 16, 2014
Influencers Needed
Are you a blogger/reviewer? Would you like to be added to the influencer list and receive a print copy of SHADOW HAND for review?Well, you're in luck! If you have a blog and at least 40 followers, you may email me (aestengl@gmail.com) and ask to have your name added to the list. Please send your mailing address and a link to your blog as well.
Availability is limited, so this will be on a first-come-first-served basis. And I would definitely recommend having read Veiled Rose and Moonblood before diving into this particular story . . .
I have to get my list back to my publishers by February 1, so please email me right away if you're interested.
