Anne Elisabeth Stengl's Blog, page 23

Doings at Rooglewood: Jumping into 2014

Dear imps, every time I started trying to write up this post before, I'd feel so tremendously overwhelmed by all the doings to be done, I choked. However, now that some of those doings are did (if you'll pardon my butchering of the language), I find I have the breath to talk about them. Or type about them, as the case may be. So here you are! Rooglewood and its doings as of the beginning of 2014.

Read-Along: We finished up the Christmas read-along of Veiled Rose in high style, including a facebook chat party on the last day. How much fun was that? I know I enjoyed it and an opportunity to interact more personally wit all of you. The read-along was great, with so many participants bringing interesting points of view, questions, and answers. Not to mention the fan art! Great times were had by all, and I hope to be able to do another read along in 2014. Probably not until much later in the year, but possibly before Christmas this time (since Christmas is always such a busy time of year). Is everyone up for Moonblood?

Fan Art Contest: Speaking of fan art . . . I have made mention already that there will be a 2014 fan art contest coming up. No details posted yet, but they will be forthcoming. I will tell you that it will be fan-voting like it was last year to select the winners. And I believe voting is going to start on my birthday, April 11, which will be a fun way to celebrate. But I will be posting rules and details sometime in February. Until then, be brewing ideas!

Polishing: One of the major tasks I had to accomplish in January was the revisions on Golden Daughter, novel #7. I had determined back in October to finish the draft before the end of the month, so the last third of the book was blazed through so quickly, I scarcely remembered what I'd done! But during November/December, I thought up several changes I wanted to make. Nothing tremendously extensive, but it did require reading through the bulk of the manuscript in order to get a grounding in the story again. I was delighted to find that I really enjoyed the book . . . all the more once the revisions were in place. I think the heroine of this story may be my favorite yet. But  you'll be learning more about her during the cover reveal!

Cover reveal: I am starting to make plans for revealing Golden Daughter's cover by middle-late February. If you are a blogger and would like to participate, email me (aestengl@gmail.com) and let me know! It is still subject to last-minute change (a couple of details need ironing out), but at this point, I'm pretty sure I'll be able to go ahead with it as planned. I will also (ideally) be revealing Golden Daughter's book page with a variety of fun extras, including the Characters You Will Meet tab. That will definitely give you some exciting insight into what to expect!

New Manuscript: Another major project of this month is the drafting of my newest novella. I had intended to release it between Golden Daughter and Untitled Book 8, but have recently decided that I want to try to get it ready for publication much, much sooner. I am now aiming for July, 2014--a nice little in-between story for Shadow Hand and Golden Daughter. Though I will warn you, this new tale is unrelated to either of those stories. There will be more details about this book forthcoming, but in the meanwhile, I'll let you know that it is set in a time way before Starflower, making it chronologically the earliest story set in Goldstone Wood. As of today, the manuscript is approaching 10,000 words, and I hope to put in a couple thousand words more before the day's end.

New Novel: Following the completion of this novella, I hope to dive right into drafting Book 8. This book has been brewing in my head for quite a long while, and I find I'm getting a bit nervous the nearer I get to starting it. It's rather an enormous concept, and many of the more important details are still hazy in my brain. But it's got an interesting cast, and the time period is going to be quite intriguing too, I think. Drafting should commence as of March, so wish me luck!

Editing: My mother's novel, Until That Distant Day is coming up for release quite soon now! Or rather, by the end of April. But to me, that feels quite soon since there's still rather a lot that needs to be done before it'll be ready to send off into readerly hands. She has finished what I hope will be the final draft. I plan to begin line editing for her in early February, then moving on to the formatting and design stage after that. Won't be long now before we'll be looking for early reviewers, so keep your eyes open for that! Until That Distant Day is a wonderful story, and I am eager to share it with all of you.

 Five Glass Slippers: But I know many of you readers are skimming all the rest of this, searching for updates on the Five Glass Slippers creative writing contest. Alas, I don't have much to tell you on this score just yet! I am reading away at the stories, and still have 16 more to go. Then I will need my fellow editors to read the top picks, and we'll be in discussion as to the finalists. I still hope to be able to up the announcement date to February 1 . . . but no promises just yet! Making the final decision is not going to be easy. Even once I've narrowed down to top picks, I think I and my fellow editors will be scratching our heads to decide. But I do have an inkling. There are definitely stories that stand out from the rest. Stories that have just grabbed my heart and charmed me silly. There are favorites emerging. Particularly wonderful favorites. And I know this is going to be a very special collection.    A Second Collection: The submissions and interest in Five Glass Slippers far exceeded my wildest expectations--both in quality and quantity. So Rooglewood Press is planning to move ahead with a second contest along a similar vein later this year. I'll be officially announcing it and the contest rules on June 1, so be on the lookout. In the meanwhile, I have contacted my wonderful cover designer, and she is in the process of putting together a cover that will, I think, be even more beautiful than the one for Five Glass Slippers. You'll be seeing that on June 1st as well! Blogging Events: There are lots of fun features coming up on this blog in the next few weeks, blog tours, interviews, and guest posts . . . and giveaways, of course! You'll definitely want to stop in and meet the authors I am featuring, or reconnect with some familiar authorial faces. Kitties: So you remember Mama Kitty, the feral cat I set about taming last summer? You remember how she was finally allowing me to start petting her, sometime before Christmas? Well, she has turned into quite the darling little lovebug in recent weeks. And I think Rohan and I are going to try bringing her inside. Whether or not we'll keep her remains to be seen. If she integrates really well and is safe for a new family, we might put her up for adoption. We also might keep her. It's still a bit up in the air, and I cannot predict how she'll interact with my other kitties and Milly. (Or how she'll bend under the iron-paw rule of Minerva Louise . . . you understand.) But say a prayer for Mama Kitty, and we'll see where her story goes! Minerva: Minerva has decided that nothing tastes so good as when it has been stolen. So she refuses to eat out of her own food bowl but will only eat food stolen from the bowls of her fellow kitties. She slips a sly little paw under their noses, pulls out a nice spilling of kibble, and dines robber-queen-style. Marmaduke is her chief victim. He's a bit of a pushover. So when they have eaten all of his food together, I switch bowls, placing her food under Marmaduke's nose. Then Minerva will steal that as well.  She is a strange, wicked, evil thing.
And we love her. Shadow Hand: And before I go, I should say something enthusiastic about Shadow Hand's upcoming release! Which is quite soon now. I seriously could get my first printing copies in another week or so. I have to admit, Shadow Hand has been sneaking up on me. I keep forgetting about it, so wrapped up as I am in all of these other projects! And when I do think about it . . . I get a little scared. Shadow Hand is a book you really should read only after having read at least Veiled Rose and Moonblood. I'm a bit nervous about how new readers to the series are going to react to it. I keep seeing nasty, negative reviews in my nightmares . . . reviews I won't read, of course! At least not intentionally. Somehow, reviews always seem to find their way to my doorstep, despite my best efforts. But I know you imps will enjoy it. And I know that you'll be kind! And I really do love this story. I think (other than Golden Daughter) it is the best I have written. It's a bit daring, and I definitely had to expand outside my comfort zone in order to write it! But I'm very proud of it. And I'll be glad to hold the final copy. That's a feeling that never gets old, even by novel #6. Anyway: Anyway, I think that's about all the major doings at Rooglewood as of this time. and I really should get back to work on the new novella for a few more hours. But I would love to hear of your doings as well! Is 2014 shaping up to be an interesting year for any and all of you? Any writing goals you're hoping to accomplish? 

Giveaway Winners!

Hello, dear readers! Here I am with the winners of the last two Veiled Rose read-along giveaways. First, the winner of the regular weekly giveaway for this final week. That copy of Veiled Rose goes to . . .

MOLLY
Congrats, Molly! (aka, "The Writer") Please email me (aestengl@gmail.com) with your mailing address, and I'll get your prize in the mail to you shortly.

And the winner of the Veiled Rose chat-party giveaway (which was hosted on facebook just last night), is . . .

CORTNEY MANNING
Congrats, Cortney! You have won signed copies of Veiled Rose and Goddess Tithe (the new novella that takes place within the context of Veiled Rose.) Please email me (aestengl@gmail.com) with your mailing address to claim your prizes!

Thank you again, dear readers, for all of your participation and support. Your kind words, encouragement, and enthusiasm mean more to me than I can possibly say! I love being able to share the world of Goldstone Wood with you. I hope to be able to do another read-along, this time for Moonblood, sometime in this upcoming year. I'll keep you posted if I do.

In the meanwhile, there are lots of exciting events coming up on this blog. Including the 2014 Fan Art Contest! You can see the banner here. Rules for the contest will be coming up in the next month or two, and I'll begin accepting submissions at that time. The contest will be hosted AFTER the release of Shadow Hand, so hopefully you'll have some exciting new inspiration by then! In the meanwhile, you can start brewing up ideas . . . .

Hugs to all of you lovely imps.

VEILED ROSE Read-Along: Chapter 2, Part Five

Wow! I can't believe we're at the end already. That time sped by too fast.

It's been a busy time for me here at Rooglewood. I'm happy to say that, before writing up this last chapter, I completed the revisions on Golden Daughter, so it's ready for it's copy edit and polish. Huzzah! That's always a great feeling. I'll hopefully be planning the cover reveal for this book quite soon now, though there are a couple of details that need to be wrapped up first.

But before we get too caught up in Golden Daughter enthusiasm, Veiled Rose deserves its wrap-up and farewell. I hope you'll enjoy this last chapter. And I hope to see you on my facebook page tonight, from 8-9 Eastern! I'll be there to chat, answer questions, etc. Looking forward to "seeing" all of you who can make it.

PART FIVEChapter 2
Full circle: So at long last, we end this story where it began—with a young man, all alone, climbing the mountainside up to Hill House. We now know the source of this man’s solitude, and we understand his purpose. What a long, sad tale is his . . . and (as readers of the next book already know), it will be longer and sadder still.

But for now, he just needs one thing: a friend. And I think we can allow him that, at least for the moment.

Bloodbiter’s Wrath: It’s nice to see Lionheart take up his childhood “weapon” once more. We can see him here, after the many, unsuccessful labors that drove him to maturity, longing to reach back into the past. To reclaim that childhood innocence and the dream of heroism. That dream which the Dragon killed. That dream which he has forgone in place of the dream the Lady gives him.

But the longing in his heart—the real longing for a heart of courage—remains. And it will not be fulfilled so long as he walks this road. He knows it. But I think he believes that, somehow, if he can just find Rose Red again, she will make him feel that he isn’t the person he knows he’s become. She will make him feel a hero again.

Reminiscing: Lionheart’s reminiscing takes us back to the early chapters of this novel, allowing us to relive along with him those childhood adventures. Again, that sense of bringing everything full circle is created.

This was an important sense for me to establish here at the end of the book. Because, as you know, Lionheart’s story doesn’t really endhere. Veiled Rose ends, but the story goes on. I had already drafted Moonblood, so I knew where things were heading. My readers, however, would not get to read Moonblood for several months after that. I had to do whatever I could to bring a sense of a closure . . . a sense of closure where there could be no closure, really!

Thus I used this technique of the beginning connecting to the ending, of reminiscing, etc. Call it a “writerly trick” if you will, an attempt to make this story feel as though it’s reached its conclusion. For some readers this worked well. For others, it did not (as the painful reviews will attest!) . Following Veiled Rose’s release, I often found myself wishing I could call out to those angry reviewers and say, “No, please! Just trust me! I know where I’m going with this story, really I do, and it’s worth the wait.”

But Veiled Rose did not end on a successful moment for the hero. It did not end with a kiss for the heroine. And sometimes, readers will not forgive that. Oh well. You faithful imps stuck with me, and I appreciate that more than I can say!

“You said once . . .” Again we find Lionheart alone in the forest, calling out for his friend to find him in his trouble. “I’m lost. I need you,” he says. And he does. Not for any romantic feeling—no, no. Readers are much mistaken if they think Lionheart has any romantic interest in Rose Red here at the end of Veiled Rose. But he knows her to be the one faithful friend in his life. The only one who will trust him and believe in him, no matter his failures. At least, so he believes.

And he needs a friend like that. Desperately.

What Leo saw: Here in this chapter we finally learn what exactly Leo saw in the pool of the Mountain Monster’s cave. We learn that he did indeed see Rose Red’s face. We also learn that he saw his own face and, in a moment of clarity, recognized what he saw. Recognized that he was not the hero he wanted to believe himself to be.

And he spent the entire rest of this novel fleeing that image. But he cannot escape it forever.

The goblin: Here, in the very last chapter, we learn the truth of Rose Red’s face. She is a goblin. There is no Faerie princes of unreal beauty hiding behind those veils. There is only an ugly, hideous monster, with jagged, jutting teeth and enormous, moon-wide eyes, flattened nose, rocklike hide . . . she is a monster out of children’s stories and nightmares. Our dear, sweet, loyal Rosie.

But after spending an entire novel with this character, does her appearance really matter so very much?

Again, I faced some backlash for this revelation. People expecting a romantic moment between these two characters were bitterly disappointed. Because, of course, how can we expected Lionheart to have romantic feelings for such a creature? How can there be a kiss when she looks like that?

Well, there can’t be. And if that’s’ what readers want, they will be disappointed. But there can be something more, something much deeper and more profound. There can be real honesty. There can be true friendship. Even between the monster and the coward.

A confession and a promise: Lionheart tells Rose Red what he has not had the courage to tell anyone else: that he failed. He doesn’t tell her the whole of the story, but he tells her the most important aspect. He tells her of his failure. Because he knows that she, of all the people in his life, won’t care.

And Rose Red, wrapping her arms around him in a surprising moment of tenderness and demonstrative affection, promises him: “There ain’t nothin’ you can do that will turn me from you.”

A powerful promise. We can only hope that she’s right . . . because Lionheart has not done his worst yet.

But for this story, let it end here. Let it end with friendship and devotion. Let us hope that Lionheart may indeed prove himself worthy of a friend such as Rose Red. That he may indeed, with her at his side, recover himself and transform into the king Southlands needs.

A reminder: And yes, I used Rose Red to remind my readers that they need to read all the legends together to know how everything turns out. Not that everyone paid attention, mind! But I tried.

And there we are, dear readers all! The end of this read-along. Thank you for joining me on this exploration of Veiled Rose, my sophomore novel. Keep checking back for more fun upcoming events on the Goldstone Wood blog, including the upcoming 2014 Fan Art Contest! Dates to be announced shortly.

Questions on the Text:

1. What were your thoughts on first learning the truth of Rose Red’s secret?

2. How does this chapter strike you as an ending? Bittersweet? Sad? Hopeful? Incomplete?

3.  Having come to the end of this story, who would you pick as your favorite character?

4. And, one last time, any favorite lines?

Q&A

Allison wants to know: "My final question of the read-through is, aside from Shadow Hand, will we ever come back to the Southlands again? You mention books set in other locations, but I don't know if you've elaborated on this."

You know, I'm not actually certain. Not for a little while at least. The next several books after Shadow Hand are set in Noorhitam, Parumvir, Corrilond, Arpiar . . . and then after that, things are little bit more up in the air. But the fact is, this series is constantly growing, so the likelihood is we will return to Southlands at some point and time. At least for some novellas, if not full-length novels!

Jemma wants to know: "Is Golden Daughter book 8 or 7? I have this weird feeling that it was once refered to as book 8 but that doesn't make sense."

Heh, I probably did refer to it as book 8 at some point . . . it's all too easy to get my numbers mixed! But no, Golden Daughter is definitely book 7. Book 8 has an as-yet unrevealed title . . . but I should be letting you know about that pretty soon now!

Jemma also wants to know: "When will you do a blog page for you next book? (Because I can't wait!)"

I'll be doing a blog page for Golden Daughter around the same time as the cover reveal. Right now, the cover reveal is tentatively planned for the end of February . . . just before Shadow Hand's release. I have a couple of loose ends to tie up first, but believe me, I'll be letting everyone know! And yes, I hope to do a "characters you will meet" page for Golden Daughter too, time permitting.

Caitlyn wants to know: "Those inhaling dragon smoke were in stasis and didn't age, but this chapter describes how the smoke poison aged them. Were they only in stasis when the Dragon was there?"

Well, they didn't age in years. No more than they starved or grew longer hair or anything like that. But the poison definitely took years out of their life, so they aged in that respect, particularly the Eldest. I think he suffered the most because he was king, and it was his kingdom that was being poisoned.

Caitlyn also wants to know: "Did it ever say Lionheart really loved Rose Red? We saw Rose Red loved Lionheart, and Lionheart loved Una."

Nope, I don't think I ever said anything about that. Lionheart does love Rose Red, of course, just not romantically. Romantically, he fell in love with Una. But he loves Rose Red as his most trusted, most devoted friend.

Whether or not he ever falls in love with her remains to be seen . . .

Anna wants to know: "You keep pointing out the Cinderella parallels in Veiled Rose. Were those intentional or not-intentional?"

LOL! I really don't think they were intentional. I'm pretty sure I am just so steeped in Five Glass Slippers submissions at the moment that Cinderella parallels jump out at me everywhere. However, I do suspect that I unconsciously was including those themes, since I have always been nuts for fairy tales. I consider my genre to be "allegorical fairy tales," after all.

Heather wants to know: "Within your next few books, how many of them will take place after Shadow Hand?"

Um . . . well. That's a bit hard to answer. Sort of all of them. But also, not really. Um . . . I think you'll need to read Shadow Hand before I can answer that (Since I would hate to give away spoilers!).


Allison also wants to know: "Were you aware of the events of Shadow Hand when you were writing Veiled Rose and Heartless?"

Not while writing Heartless, no. And not while writing Moonblood either, actually! But late in the drafting of Veiled Rose, I began to realize that I couldn't leave Daylily's story untold. And more of it was beginning to come compellingly to mind. I still sat on the ideas for it through the drafting of Starflower and Dragonwitch, but it was pretty much roaring to be told by the time I sat down to it! But no, the first idea for it didn't come to me until part way through drafting Veiled Rose.

Fan Art:

Here are some fun pieces of fan art to celebrate the end of the read-along! First, this photograph by Caitlyn:

INTO THE WOOD
By Caitlyn and HunterThe picture is of a girl in a long skirt making her way into a mysterious, dark forest. And viewers should search for the "Easter egg" copy of Veiled Rose, hidden in the image!

And here is a beautiful poem by Allison, inspired by characters and events in Veiled Rose:


Ashes and DreamsAllison 

I wear a coat of dreams.
It glistens and it gleams.
It catches lives and begs for them
To join in its grand dance.
Though the wise refuse and wander on,
It always will give them the chance.
The stThe galaxies combine.
It stirs its broth of life and death
Into a mix refined.
Sometimes it weighs me down.
It pinches and it twists.
It drags my shoulders to the floor.
It strains and hurts my wrists.
Sometimes it shows me dreams
That are too grand for me,
And though I cry and though I beg,
It will not let me be.
I wore my coat of dreams.
It glistened and it gleamed
Until I tore it off.
 
And now that it is gone,
I wonder if I’m wrong.
But though it gave me dreams,
It never gave me life.
Although it gave me beauty,
I though it not the price.
It never gave me love,
Although it dearly tried.
For all its wild grandeur,
My coat could only lie.
So listen to my warning:
Do not scorn the idle dream.
Be wary of your coat
Although it glistens and it gleams.
If it ever asks you for your life,
Be sure to throw it out.
For I’ve had my dreams fulfilled,
And they’re ashes in my mouth.

VEILED ROSE Read-Along: Chapter 1, Part Five

Nearing the end now, dear imps. Tomorrow is our final chapter of this read-along! Hard to believe it's already coming to an end. But there's still time to enter your name in the giveaway for this week!

Tomorrow is the last day I'll be answering questions, so be certain you get your questions in tonight! If you come to the end of tomorrow and haven't had your questions answered, I will be on my facebook page for the chat party from 8-9 pm Eastern. So I hope to see all of you there!

And I'm sorry to you non-facebookers. I did look around for another option, but didn't find one that looked like it would work well. I will hunt again, more thoroughly, before the next read-along. And in the meanwhile, my page is open so that you can come and follow what's happening even if you aren't on facebook yourself. Hope you will! Should be fun.

Anyway, here is today's chapter:

PART FIVE
Chapter 1

Another part: While this last part of Veiled Rose is quite short, I chose to separate it into its own section since it again requires quite a large time jump. We go from Lionheart’s betrayal of Una to his return home, skipping over whatever long travels he must have endured in between. It couldn’t have been an easy journey . . . but spending time dwelling on it would have stretched out the ending of this book too long. The climaxes for each major character have taken place, and it’s time for a resolution.

However sad that resolution may be.

Hiding: We pick up with Lady Daylily hiding away at the Eldest’s House. This section definitely provides a little more insight into her relationship with her father. We knew already that she has been controlled by him throughout her life, polished and prodded according to his great Plan. But now she has stood up to him, and she’s left terribly afraid. Brave, unbending, unmovable Daylily is too frightened to return to her father’s own house.

But what you have to ask yourself is . . . is she frightened of her father? Or is there something else going on here, something more insidious which we have not yet guessed? (Answer: Yeah, there’s something else. And you’ll find out about it in Shadow Hand.)

Notice her control: Even when Daylily sees Lionheart approaching—Lionheart, whom you can guess she’s been longing to see, however she might hide that longing—Daylily refuses to run out to greet him. She feels that running gives the sense of flight or pursuit. Again, this is a little bit of a hint of what is coming for her.

Something has changed in Daylily. Or rather, not changed. Let’s say instead that Daylily has become aware of something she has long repressed. And she has to be careful now. She doesn’t want anyone else to also become aware of what she knows . . .

He would not find the one he sought: Lionheart, upon returning, is searching the crowd for one person he knows he needs. One person who will comfort him, love him, trust him, no matter what he has done.

But she is not there. And Daylily can never fill her place. (And no, I don’t think Lionheart was searching for his mother, despite Daylily’s wonderings of whether or not anyone has informed him of Queen Starflower’s death. I’m pretty sure he was looking for Rose Red, and Daylily’s thoughts of the queen are deflection.)

A dream come true: After all the long time Daylily spent watching her dreams burn and die, you’d think she would be excited and even pleased to see them finally coming true. But I think Daylily has learned a difficult lesson : the realization of dreams is often no better—may even be worse—than a dream that is dead.

The Dragon may be gone. But his dark Sister’s influence continues to work in Southlands via Prince Lionheart. And that is a poison more insidious still.

“Tell me what you want,” Daylily says, in exact echo of the Lady’s repeated refrain. Now we certainly know who is ruling Southlands in the wake of the Dragon’s leaving.

Daylily: In many ways, Daylily is the other major protagonist of this story. Oh, it is certainly Leo and Rose Red’s story on the whole. But Daylily really developed into a dynamic presence with quite an interesting plot arch all her own. She surprised me. Thus, as I came to the end of this book, I knew I had to give her a conclusion chapter. Of a sort.

As you all know by now, this book doesn’t really have a full conclusion. The plot lines of this particular novel are wrapped up—Rose Red and Southlands are free of the Dragon, and Leo has returned from his long quest. But the stories of these characters must continue on, for they are not through growing just yet.

Come back tomorrow for the last chapter and wrap-up thoughts . . . and, of course, don’t miss the chat party tomorrow evening!

Questions on the text:

1. Daylily states that “we all saw her true face,” when Rose Red’s veil was removed. But  whose true face (or faces?) did we really see in that moment?

2. Why do you think Daylily’s dream come true is, as the text says, dust and ashes?

3. Any favorite lines?

Q&A

Christa wants to know: "If everyone inside the Eldest's House was frozen in time during the Dragon's occupation, what happened to the rest of the people of Southlands during that period? Were they also in stasis? And were they as deeply affected by the dragon smoke?"

No, I don't think the whole of the nation was frozen in time, just the folks in the House itself. The House was spliced onto the Netherworld, therefore it (like the Netherworld) wouldn't experience time, or at least wouldn't experience it in the same way as the mortal world does. So all those not in the house (including Beana) weren't in stasis. And while they would be affected by the dragon smoke, they wouldn't have breathed in quite so much of it! Good question.

Allison (sorry I missed these yesterday!) wants to know: "Is the Southlands based on any real country?"

Southlands is loosely (and I do mean very loosely) based on Sri Lanka. Though only bits of it. A lot of their food, architecture, clothing, etc. is Sri Lankan in inspiration. But not the names at all, obviously! My husband is from Sri Lanka (my fiancé as he was at the time when I wrote this novel), so he was rather too good a resource to pass up!

Allison also wants to know: "Will Daylily and Rose Red ever meet again (in the series, not in this particular book)?"

In Moonblood, yes. But after that . . . you know, I'm not sure! They  won't meet again in Shadow Hand, I'm sorry to say. But I don't actually know if they'll meet in a later book after that. I don't currently have plans for Daylily to appear in the next book I intend to write about Rose Red (as Queen Varvare . . . and that won't be for a few years yet). But things could easily change in the meanwhile! (Unless, of course, Daylily dies or something in Shadow Hand, which you won't know until you read it.) ;)

Allison also wants to know: "Did the Lady or the Dragon bring the Duke of Shippening to Lionheart, or did he bring himself?"

I think the Dragon may have told the Duke to find Lionheart, since the Dragon was probably well aware that his ally, the Duke, had encountered Lionheart sometime in the last few years. And it is quite possible that the Lady guided the Duke to Lionheart. But no matter what, I'm pretty sure the Duke believes he's the one handling all of this on his own. (Though what the Duke believes and what actually is may be two different things entirely!)

Allison also-also wants to know: "Is the Duke of Shippening older, more powerful, and different than he appears, as Captain Sunan seems to be?"

Ooooh, what an intriguing idea! But no, I don't think he is. Sunan has quite an interesting backstory that winds its way through history. But I think the duke is just a mortal man who found himself a powerful "patron," as it were, in the Dragon.

Allison also-also-also wants to know: "Are those perhaps opals ringing the mirror on the cover of Veiled Rose?"

I don't think so, sadly. They look like just little gold facets to me. Would be lovely though, right? Do you know, those were added onto the cover only a few weeks before the publication date. If you compare the cover of the kindle edition (which was the original cover) to the cover of the print edition, you can see a number of subtle changes made!

Fan Art:

Here is a lovely drawing by our chief questioneer, Allison!

VEILED ROSE
By AllisonIt is a pencil drawing of a girl peering through the slit in her veil. Her eyes are wide, her lashes long, and her hands are very delicate. The shadow of the Dragon is behind her, his eyes peering down at her through the gloom.

I also received some photos from Caitlyn, but I am sadly having difficulty getting them to load right on my computer. Hoping to have them posted by tomorrow, though!

VEILED ROSE Read-Along: Chapter 13, Part Four

Oh, dear. This is the longest I've gone without posting the daily chapter! Sorry about that, dear readers, but here it is. I've been spending my day working on revisions for Golden Daughter and reading submissions for the Five Glass Slippers contest. I haven't forgotten you, however!

I haven't decided quite yet how the chat party is going to go down on Thursday evening. I know several of you don't have facebook, but I'm unfamiliar with other chat forums, so I haven't yet figured out something that would be free, accessible, safe, etc. Still looking into it . . . I'll let you know tomorrow.

Anyway, here's today's chapter!

PART FOURChapter 13
Skipped the conversation: I felt a little bad to skip the revelation conversation between Lionheart and Princess Una. After all, many of the readers picking up Veiled Rose were first time readers of Goldstone Wood, and I know they would have enjoyed seeing that conversation. However, I really didn’t think I could recount the entire thing a second time without frustrating the readers of Heartless. So, while it was a difficult decision, I decided to skip ahead to just after Lionheart’s conversation with Una and see what happened to him then.

Ultimately, I think this was still the best decision. Una is such a minor character in this story. Yes, she is a major influence on Lionheart, but she herself is quite incidental (if sweet). So it didn’t make sense to spend more time with her, particularly when the climax of Rose Red’s story had already taken place, and everything is moving toward it’s resolution for this novel.

Besides, their conversation would have really been nothing more than a thin recap of everything the reader had just read . . .so not a whole lot of point there, eh?

“I don’t know how much it is worth.”Eeeeeeeeeeeeek! None of you know this yet, but I, of course, am now fully aware of exactly what Una’s ring is worth . . . and it is a LOT MORE than a king’s ransom! But the story behind this ring has been mostly lost between the time it first came into being and the time Una was in possession of it. So I can’t really blame her. After all, opals are not one of the more valuable gemstones even in our world (though they are one of the most beautiful, in my opinion. For sheer beauty, I would pick opals over diamonds any day!).

“You said nothing of killing the Dragon.” Though Lionheart has believed all along that thiswas the reason he was sent to fetch Una’s ring, the reality is, he has never really sought to kill the Dragon. He has striven to find a way to drive the Dragon out of Southlands . . . and he has desired to become king. But killing the Dragon? That’s another dream entirely.

And not one Lionheart is about to possess.

The Duke: As he says to Lionheart, he’s “not the fool here.” The Duke may seem like a beastly lout, but he’s a cruel and cunning sort of beast. And he’s not forgotten Lionheart. Not for a moment.

The original version: In the original version of Veiled Rose, I didn’t involve the Duke. In fact, Lionheart and Duke Shippening didn’t cross paths until their brief encounter at Oriana. Lionheart never liberated the Faerie slave and ultimately became a jester through very different circumstances.

So that means, Lionheart’s final encounter with the Dragon in this book was also very different from how it looks now. In the original, I had him encounter the Dragon in the ruins of an old Parumvir city,  a city built by a woman known as Tacita the Protectoress. And in the middle of that city was an old palace called Amarand, thoug h this was after Tacita’s day.

Readers of Moonblood might recognize the name “Amarand” from Prince Felix’s discussion with King Fidel. I don’t believe I have mentioned the name “Tacita” yet, but I know I’ve mentioned a woman named Tavé, who is referenced several times, also in Moonblood.  Tavé, a mortal woman who succeeded in mastering an army of dragons . . .

Anyway, in the original version of Veiled Rose, there were more hints about Tavé and this particular city and the palace called Amarand . . . all of which are now long gone in favor of this version. Which makes me a little bit sad.

Want to know a secret? The name of one of the protagonists in Book 8 (which I am about to start drafting) is “Amaranda.”

“Years I have wasted!” Notice something interesting about the Dragon’s exclamation. He is upset at a matter of years . . . he, who is older by far than all of this world, and to whom time matters very little if at all! Why should he care about five years?

It’s not the years. It’s the manner in which he spent them . . . bound in an incarnate body as he kept Southlands captive.

Bear in mind, during  Southland’s captivity, the Dragon was also wooing and tormenting Rose Red. So there is a strong implication that the Dragon is not bound in one body. That he can be in Dragon form, terrorizing the nation, while simultaneously following Rose Red in spirit form through the Netherworld.

After all, readers of Moonblood will remember that Ragniprava, Lord Bright as Fire, was able to split himself in two and live two Faerie lives at once. If he could do such a thing, surely the Dragon—who is greater, older, and more terrible than any Faerie—can do as much or more.

Anyway, it’s a subtle little hint about the Dragon, but one which bears considering as the stories continue to unfold. It’s too easy with the Dragon to try to put him into an understandable box. But he is not mortal. Nor is he immortal in the same way the Faeries are. He is something else—and something rather dreadful.

“Ask the prince what he has in his hand.” Whoa. I need to get Golden Daughter out so you all can read it. I just read this part where the Lady tells the Dragon, “ask the prince what he has in his hand,” and it gave the shivers. Because, though I had not remembered it while writing Golden Daughter, there is a rather frighteningly similar moment in that book 7 that parallels this moment.

I think Veiled Rose is going to be interesting to reread after reading Golden Daughter. There are so many little things that are going to be that much more intriguing . . .

The Lady’s speech: Notice that in this place—wherever it is, beyond his world—the Lady speaks in regular quotes, not the italics that have always served as her voice in the past. Wherever he has been brought, Lionheart is very physically present before the Dragon and  the Lady. No barriers. Nothing.

Maybe gives you a tiny bit more sympathy for Prince Lionheart and his subsequent reactions?

Behind his back: I think it’s interesting that, while the Dragon has been steamrollering ahead in his pursuit of Rose Red, the Lady, meanwhile, has been finding the actual young woman he seeks. The Dragon is quite a dreadful character, but I think the Lady may be the more intelligent of the two!

Another reason I personally think she is the more frightening.

Failure: The Dragon’s threats and poison work their dangerous effect on our hero . . . and when the Dragon demands that Lionheart give him Una’s heart, Lionheart at last responds, “It’s yours. Take it.”

And so his great sin is committed. His great failure . . . the same failure that made him an object of loathing to all the readers of Heartless.

A failure committed when in this strange realm, possibly the Netherworld, face to face with both the Dragon and the Lady. A failure committed upon hearing the Dragon’s threats to return and utterly decimate Southlands if Lionheart does not comply.

But the fact is, the Dragon didn’t just take the ring. Implying that he couldn’t. Implying that he also probably couldn’t follow through with his threats. If Lionheart had held on . . . if Lionheart found a Name in his heart to call even as Rose Red did . . . might things have turned out a little differently?

But there is no knowing the answer to these questions now. The deed is done. And our hero is a hero no more.

Questions on the text:

1. How many of you noticed that the Dragon—who has always called Rose Red “princess” and “beautiful” up until now—refers to her as “the little goblin” in this scene? Has his attitude toward her changed since his failure, or is it only his words that are different?

2. Now that you know the story and circumstances behind Lionheart’s betrayal of Princess Una, what do you think of him? Particularly in contrast to what you thought of him after reading Heartless.

3. Any favorite lines?

Q&A

Jemma wants to know: "Will Una have any children? Because that is what most ladies do, and I am curious to what they would be like if she did."

You know, I never actually considered this before . . . But you're right, she probably will at some point. Though, given that she's married a man who is not human, it might be a little different than a normal, human pregnancy or a human birth.

Psalms w Guitar wants to know: "May I ask if there is a main message you, Anne Elisabeth, are trying to convey through this device?"

I think you are asking about what message I'm trying to communicate with Rose Red's revealed appearance, right? Correct me if I'm wrong . . .

In this story, I am using Rose Red's shocking appearance to communicate something about truth. The truth of her character--who she is at heart--I unrelated to what she looks like on the outside. Thus I spent the better part of this book allowing readers to develop a deep attachment to her without knowing what she looks like. The revelation is shocking . . . but it shouldn't change our ultimately perspective on her.

In Dragonwitch, Sir Eanrin has a conversation along these lines with the Chronicler, bemoaning the mortals' tendency to fixate on outward appearances--size, strength, beauty, etc.--when none of these things have anything to do with the truth of a person. Outward appearances are as transient as youth and health, here today and gone tomorrow. But the truth of a person is eternal and will last forever.

VEILED ROSE Read-Along: Chapter 12, Part Four

A little bit late in the day yet again, but here I am! It's a short chapter anyway, so hopefully you don't feel too deprived.

We're coming close to the end of this read-along. Tell me, dear readers, would you like to do something fun to celebrate? I was thinking about a facebook chat party from 8:00-9:00pm eastern on Thursday evening perhaps. Over on my author page. Everyone who participates will have her/his name entered for a chance to win Veiled Rose, Goddess Tithe, and one other Goldstone Wood book of choice. Just a chance for chatting about the book, asking/answering questions, sharing art, thoughts, insights . . . basically what we've been doing, but all at once! Let me know if you like this idea, and I will add it into the schedule.

Anyway, here is our daily chapter!

PART FOUR
Chapter 12

The Eldest’s Hall: Upon waking, Rose Red finds herself lying in the ruins of the Eldest’s Hall.

Which may at first seem quite dreadful, until we realize that at least she back in her own world!

We also realize just how deeply connected the Eldest’s House had become with the Dragon’s Netherworld. As the Dragon, in his rage, tore apart the cavern of the Village, he simultaneously tore down the stones of the mortal hall. He is a supernatural force, unbound by single times or single spaces, but moving in many times and places all at the same time. Truly a dreadful foe.

But he is gone. Long gone, even. Rose Red regains consciousness in ruins, but ruins free of the Dragon.

Beana: Though the last we glimpsed of her she was wearing human form, Beana has returned to her goat shape as she reunites with Rose Red. The lantern is gone too, you’ll notice. It is probably not easy to carry it out of the Netherworld (readers of Starflower will recall that the moment Eanrin left the Netherworld, he lost his hold of the lantern as well. If I remember correctly, the same happened to those who carried it in Dragonwitchtoo. Is it terrible that I don’t always remember details like this from my own work? It’s been a while since I wrote those, though! LOL).

“The prince left us long ago.” Rose Red tells Daylily that the Prince saved them from the Dragon, but Daylily is unable to receive this sort of information, not at this time. Though she was there and quite possibly witnessed the entire climactic events, she could not conceive of what transpired. And when Rose Red speaks, Daylily immediately assumes that she means Prince Lionheart. And Lionheart did not face the Dragon. He hasn’t even returned yet, leaving them to get by as best they can.

And the poison in Daylily’s veins continues to work on her, making her perceive Lionheart’s absence on a personal level Lionheart himself probably never intended.

Five years: Beana informs Rose Red that five years of mortal time have passed since Rose Red passed through the gates into the Eldest’s House. Yet it seems like so little time to Rose Red! And those who have been imprisoned, though sick with poison, are not long-since starved and dead. No, they appear to be waking from a long, restless sleep.

I wonder if they aged at all during that time? The Eldest is obviously aged by the dragon-poison, but that’s not the same. And the text doesn’t say if their hair has grown long or their nails (poor Foxbrush still hasn’t grown a beard!), so I would think they were in a state of stasis. Not aging nor feeling any bodily needs. Completely frozen. Rather like Sleeping Beauty and her long sleep.

Daylily glanced at Rose Red. There is a strong implication here that Daylily knew exactly what would happen the moment everyone in that room set eyes upon Rose Red. The text doesn’t say overtly that she intended for Rose Red to be chased away by the terrified inhabitants of the House . . . but the fact that she looked from her to Foxbrush and back implies a certain calculation. And why else would she call his name suddenly, effectually drawing Foxbrush’s attention to her . . . and the unveiled creature supporting her.

Foxbrush’s reaction I do not blame (all considering, this is a pretty brave moment for him!). Nor the reaction of the others. It’s sad to see such violence and fear turned upon our beloved Rose Red, but it’s hard to cast stones at these poor, poisoned souls so newly wakened from dreadful sleep.

But Daylily . . . for the first time, I find I cannot forgive Daylily. She has been a tough cookie all along, on a difficult character to quite get a handle on. But I’ve been able to sympathize with her, understand her actions and point of view. But this? This is just wrong.

However, even now I would beg the reader to remember that Daylily is suffering under terrible dragon-poison . . .

Questions on the text

1. Were you surprised at the reaction to Rose Red demonstrated by Foxbrush and the others? Or did you remember that she was unveiled?

2. Any favorite lines?

Q&A

Allison wants to know: "Did any of Leo's reasons behind his choices-- such as why he did not take Una's ring by force-- surprise you as you wrote Veiled Rose?"

I wish I could say yes, but not really, honestly. For one thing, I knew he couldn't take Una's ring by force because he hadn't in Heartless, so all along I had to be developing reasons for him not to. That was such a key element, there wasn't much room for surprise.

Also, you have to bear in mind that I had already drafted Moonblood before writing this version of Veiled Rose . . . so I knew Lionheart pretty well already and was carefully structuring everything to lead to the events in Moonblood. Again, not a lot of room for surprise! At least, not in this respect.

Allison also wants to know: "Also, would you mind if I made a Wikipedia page for you? I know computer programming, so it won't be a problem. I just want to make sure you don't have a particular reason for not wanting it."

I would LOVE to have a Wikipedia page! What a concept, being able to look myself up Wikipedia . . . :) Feel free to build one, and also feel free to email me if you have any questions about content details. I'm happy to help (even if, as I said in the previous post, it takes me a little while to get back to you due to the current schedule).

Jemma wants to know: "Will we get to read the story of the child with a white lion?"

You sure will! Very soon now, actually . . . click here to find a hint.

VEILED ROSE Read-Along: Chapter 11, Part Four

We are getting so close to the end of this book now! It makes me a little sad and a little relieved, I won't lie. I love being able to share like this with all of you, to read your insights and observations. But finding the time to write up these posts is getting a bit difficult! I keep meaning to write up a "Doings at Rooglewood" post for this month, but every time I start trying to list all of the things I need to do in the next few weeks . . . I choke. There's just too much.

So I won't list them, I'll just do them, and I think I might be able to handle it all a little better! Hopefully I'll be able to jump back into regular "Doings at Rooglewood" posts again next month.

Anyway, we still have a few days of read-along left, so I hope all of you will continue with me to the end.

Whoops! Almost forgot! Here is the name of this week's winner:

CHRISTA
Well done! And what perfect timing, since you just submitted the lovely fan art below! Please email me (aestengl@gmail.com) with your mailing address, and I'll get your prize in the mail. (I still haven't mailed two of the other prizes too, so I promise all of you who are patiently waiting that I'll get your copies of Veiled Rose to you this next week.)

PART FOUR
Chapter 11

Those monsters were never supposed to be real. Here is another one of the major themes of Veiled Rose, captured in a nutshell. And it definitely illustrates all over again the hidden truth’s of Lionheart’s soul. The monsters were never meant to be real . . . but his courage and heroics were. Yet as the story progresses, Lionheart is beginning to realize which was the truth and which was the fiction. It’s not the reality he would like to face, however, so he continues to deceive himself. He continues to tell himself that somehow, someday, he will be the hero.

Only now, he believes being the hero means somehow taking that precious ring from a sweet, naïve young lady.

The ring: Again, it’s so much more interesting to me reading these scenes in the context of more recent stories . . . specifically Golden Daughter, in which you, my dear readers, will learn some of the history and significance of Una’s ring. It means much, much more than either Heartless or Veiled Rose ever reveal!

Have I mentioned to the two-fold inspiration behind this ring yet? I think I did back in the Heartless read-along, but I don’t believe I’ve talked about it yet in this one. So I’ll mention it now . . .

I needed to give Una some physical symbol of her heart. Something she could give away that would represent what she was truly giving. So I made it a ring. And then it expanded from there. I chose to make it an opal ring in a literary nod to George MacDonald and The Princess and the Goblin. In that story, Princess Irene is given an opal ring by her great-great-great grandmother, a ring which also boasts some interesting allegorical significance (though not the same allegorical significance for which I used it). I made my ring a cluster of opals because of a lovely opal ring my grandmother gave me years back, which looks like this.

Since then, I have been very pleased with the opal-cluster concept, since it fits that much more naturally into the newly-developed history behind the ring. A history that fits so perfectly (I think), that I am sometimes surprised I didn’t know it from the beginning! But many aspects of this world has surprised me the same way . . . as though it’s all right there, waiting for me, and I simply have to dig down to find it.

The old bridge: The old bridge features in Heartless as well, and all of the characters are very carefully warned never to cross over it. That is a mystery that remains unexplained through both Heartless and Veiled Rose . . . but keep reading! Moonblood may just have some answers for you.

As to the origin of the old bridge, well, that you’ll have to wait for a little bit longer. But I think you might be getting your answers as of Book 9. I just need to write Book 8 first!

Another new look at an old scene: The scene between Una and Leonard down by the old bridge featured in Heartless as well. However, in Heartless we viewed the scene entirely from Una’s perspective . . . and here, we are seeing it entirely from Lionheart’s.

We realize now that there was a surprising amount of menace in this scene of which Una was entirely unaware! She had no idea how desperately Lionheart wanted to take her ring, even by force. She had no idea how strong were the urgings whispering in his head, telling him to take what he must, telling him to possess his dream.

Again, I think this is further prove that, immature though they might be, Lionheart’s feelings for Una were genuine. Were he simply using her or even just casually interested, I think he would have succumbed to the Lady’s urgings much more quickly. He would not have been able to control himself . . . to wait until Una was ready to offer the ring of her own accord.

The duke returns: Another new little development is our insiders’ knowledge that Lionheart and the Duke of Shippening have met before. Definitely changes our whole perspective on the scene of Lionheart’s song . . . reemphasizing our hero’s brashness. I mean, does he really think the duke won’t recognize the jester’s costume? Or the man who freed his Faerie slave?

The declaration: Again, we get to see Lionheart’s declaration of his true identity, now from his perspective. It was definitely interesting trying to find ways to make this scene feel fresh! But I like some of the lines in it, such as: “A Fool? Try idiot instead!”

But it’s all or nothing for our hero now . . .

Questions on the Text:

1. For readers of Heartless, how did you enjoy reading this chapter, comparing it to the original scenes from Una’s perspective? Did add some depth of drama that perhaps made Heartless more interesting as well?

2. Do you have any speculations about the history of Una’s opal ring and what might be revealed about it in Golden Daughter?

3. Any favorite lines?

Fan Art:

Christa has painted a wonderful watercolor to go along with the ending of today's chapter! I hope you will all enjoy it as much as I do:

UNA AND LIONHEART
By ChristaQ&A

Allison wants to know: "Will any future books take place within the same time frame or context of other books, as Veiled Rose does of Heartless?"

I suppose Goddess Tithe does that since it takes place within Veiled Rose. But I don't have any current plans to do other novels that overlap like Veiled Rose and Heartless do. I may write some novellas that overlap--I have plans for a novella that will overlap with the opening Golden Daughter, for instance.

But we'll see! The series is still growing, and there are always so many stories-within-stories going on here. It's certainly possible that I'll do something like this again. And possibly do it better, now that I have more experience!

Allison also wants to know: "Also, almost completely off topic, would Leonard be pronounced phonetically or like Lin-erd?"

I've always pronounced it "Leh-nard," which is, I believe the typical pronunciation of that name. Though I suppose "Lee-oh-nard" would also make sense.

Allison thirdly wants to know: "The role of Lady Life in Death very much reminded me of the witches in Macbeth. To echo the frequent argument about Macbeth, to what extent do you believe the Lady influenced Leo's actions?"

The Lady preys on Lionheart's natural inclinations and instincts. She doesn't change who he is, but she makes use of who he is. Whether or not he would have done differently without her influence . . . that's difficult to say. He would still be himself, after all. But perhaps with an alternate, more beneficent influence, his natural instincts could have been better directed. But without any influence at all . . . who could say what his choice would have been? I do not believe the Lady motivated Leo to make any choices that were outside of his natural character or inclinations, however.

Caitlyn wants to know: "How did you come up with the name Monster for the cat?"

My family has a tradition of doing "M" names for our cats. The current Rooglewood cats include Minerva, Marmaduke, Monster, Magrat, Makoose, (Milly the "big kitty" who's really a dog), and our outdoor kitty, Mutti-cat. So an "M" name was almost an instinctual choice for me. I didn't even think about it!

In the original version of Heartless, Monster was not Eanrin, but just an ordinary black cat. Or, rather, not so ordinary. There were hints along the way that he may or may not be sentient, even magical. So I liked calling him "Monster," which implied possibilities without anything being overtly stated. When I decided to bring Eanrin into that book during a later draft, he still needed a "pet" name, since neither Una nor Felix were aware of his Faerie-nature. So I kept "Monster," which worked in nicely.

Sarah wants to know: "Can I ask a quick question about Starflower? Ever since I read it, I've wondered if the prince in ChuMana's demesne was possibly Prince Gervais. Is he?"

Maybe . . . ;) But I really can't say for certain.

Allison wants to know: "Was your choice of the name Daylily at all symbolic? Daylilies, called the perfect perennials, are, despite their dazzling color, quite hardy, resistant to droughts and require little to no care. Kind of interesting."

I confess, Daylily was given her name simply because I liked the name Daylily. In fact, I almost named Rose Red "Daylily," though once the rose theme began to develop, I made the switch.

Allison also wants to know: "Also, would you say Daylily is more like Rose Red or Una?"

Well, her reactions to the dragon poison is much more like Una, since she and Una are both mortal. But her veiling of her true self is much more like Rose Red . . . Una is very open and honest about who she is, to a fault even! Having written Daylily as the protagonist of Book 6, I have trouble thinking of her as being particularly like either girls now, though. She is such a distinct character on her own, and I really love her for who she is.

Allison also wants to know: "Also also, what day is Shadow Hand released? Amazon has gone from January 28 to March 3. Bleh."

Oh, I know! I'm really not entirely certain anymore, I won't lie. I know the print copy has been pushed back until March, though the preorders will likely be going out to readers sooner than that. As for the ebook version, I really don't know! It could be much sooner . . . but it might not realize until March either. I have no control over release dates, though, so I can only feel sad when it gets changed up, not actually do anything about it.

VEILED ROSE Read-Along: Chapter 10, Part Four

I am so late posting this! I do beg your pardon, dear readerly imps. Rohan took me to a cat show this afternoon . . . which, yes, may seem odd considering my entire life is one ongoing cat show. But it was a lot of fun! So many pretty kitties of all different shapes and sizes! Some particularly beautiful Abyssinians (though none as beautiful as my Marmaduke, of course). And Rohan and I agreed that, were Minerva ever taken to a show, she would surely beat out the whole lot of them, if not for beauty, then by virtue of sheer will.

Anyway, as a result, I have been scrambling around all day and typing up bits of this post every here-and-there as I have a chance. Here it is at last, however! And I do hope you'll enjoy it . . . and the lovely fan art at the end as well.

PART FOURChapter 10
Back to Beana: If we didn’t know before that Beana wasn’t only a goat, we do now. For the text tells us that Beana, upon approaching the door to the Netherworld, “dropped all traces of her goat disguise.” It doesn’t tell us what the truth behind the disguise is . . . but we do know she isn’t really goat!

And nothing is going to keep her from Rose Red, not a moment longer than she can help.

She had passed this way before: So we learn one more small hint about Beana and her past. We know that she has traveled into the Netherworld upon a previous occasion. The text also implies that she was afraid the last time she did so.

But this time, she is not afraid.

Unveiled? At last, we get a glimpse of Rose Red’s face behind the veil. At last we see what we have only been able to guess at up until now, putting together what pieces we can from the hints of others.

We see that Rose Red’s is a face of unreal beauty.

But that description right there, that description must give us pause. If hers is an “unreal” beauty, doesn’t that make it . . . false?

We do know one truth for certain, though. Rose Red is Faerie. But this we could have guessed much earlier on, when she was able to walk the strange Paths which Leo could not see, when she could navigate the treacherous Wood with such ease and climb to the mouth of the Mountain Monster’s cave. She surely must be a Faerie. But a beauty . . . ?

Varvare: I believe this is the first time we hear Rose Red’s Faerie name spoken in this story (though correct me if I’m wrong). Readers of later stories will recognize the pattern. Varvare, Palace Var . . . even Queen Vartera, who is mentioned a few times in Dragonwitch. The Dragon tells us that “Varvare” means “the loveliest rose.” So you can bet that roses are going to be an important theme later on (as hinted at by Rose Red’s mortal name and earlier passages in the book). But not this book. Sorry. You’ll have to read on into Moonblood.

Vanished: Again, rather like Cinderella at the stroke of midnight, all the magic surrounding Rose Red disappears the moment she refuses to let the Dragon kiss her. And she finds herself once more in her serving garments. And the lantern is gone . . .

I wonder if I’m simply spending too much time reading Five Glass Slippers submissions and seeing Cinderella everywhere . . . :P

The Dragon’s Throne: We glimpsed the throne in Heartless when the yellow-eyed dragon took Una to see it. And, of course, we’ll see it again in Moonblood where we will learn how it burns the skin of all who touch it. But Daylily isn’t touching it here, so she is, as far as we know, unharmed. At least physically . . .

“Your veil is gone.” Daylily—who is, granted, filled to the brim with dragon-poison at the moment—doesn’t seem particularly surprised to see Rose Red without her veil. Of course, she has seen Rose Red’s face before. You have to wonder . . . is she seeing what Rose Red just saw in the mirror? Or something else?

“I’ve watched my dreams die.” Through Daylily’s speech, we learn all over again why one of the Dragon’s names is the Death of Dreams. Like Queen Starflower—and like Una, really—Daylily is utterly plagued by the continued death of all her hopes and dreams. She knows she will never marry Prince Lionheart. She will never satisfy her father. She will never be anything real, true, and strong.

And now she wants to die.

“She’s so selfish sometimes, I wonder how she can live with herself.” Snort. This line always makes me laugh, coming from the Dragon’s mouth, of all people! I remember this was a line in the first (unpublished) version of Veiled Rosethat just had to make its way into this version. The Dragon is definitely not the most self-aware character ever to walk the literary floorboards.

A powerful image. This moment when Rose Red sits cradling poor Daylily in her arms even as the Dragon approaches is one of my favorites in the entire book. It says so much about Rose Red, both her virtues and her vices. She is so self-sacrificing and so stubborn. She is determined to do what she believes is right, but determined to do it on her own . . . even when she really can’t anymore. You almost feel that she’s trying to prove something to herself by saving Daylily. To prove that she doesn’t really care that Daylily is her rival, or to prove that her love for Lionheart is truly sincere by rescuing his future bride. But while this proving may not be wrong, neither is it entirely virtuous.

Is it virtuous to demonstrate virtue simply to prove that one hasvirtue? An interesting line of questioning.

But I adore Rose Red. I admire her, even with her faults. And I love this picture of her holding Daylily in her arms before the mighty terror of the Dragon.

The Dragon’s speech: Dark and dreadful. Full of subtle poison. Full of lies spoken with such sincerity, masquerading as such truth. It’s a terrible speech . . . and it gives me the shivers.

I remember that his speech came to me early on in the writing of the first version of this book. I was reading a devotional by Oswald Chambers, speaking of the lies we so easily believe. A line or two from it struck me. I pulled out a notebook and pen and dashed out this speech of the Dragon’s . . . this speech that felt all too familiar, all to near. But when I wrote it out and put it in the context of Rose Red’s own story, I could see it for what it was. Poison.

Poison for which there can be only one antidote.

It’s still a good speech, I think. I’ve improved as a novelist quite a bit since the writing of this novel. But I still like how this speech worked. I still feel God’s hand upon my shoulder, and remember the pressure of it when I wrote this speech and, later on, this scene as a whole. I know what it means to be an instrument of creativity, not a creator in and of myself. And those are the best scenes, the best moments.

Eshkhan, come to me! The moment she speaks the name, Rose Red knows that the protection surrounding her has always been there. The Prince never really left her. He has never abandoned, never forsaken her. All along he has been near, even though she did not realize it. Her calling his name did not call him to her, for he was never away. The act of speaking his name served only to make Rose Red aware of his constant nearness.

Rose Red . . . and the Dragon as well.

“I won, and I must have my due!” And so it becomes clear that though the Dragon and his Sister may play dice for the lives of mortal men . . . it doesn’t matter. The Prince of Farthestshore is not ruled by fate. He is beyond it, more powerful by far. The Dragon may rant and rave about his due, about his rights. But ultimately, it is only so much furious ranting.

“He has released his hold.” The Prince tells Rose Red that the Dragon has gone, fleeing Southlands never to return. We do not know how long this took in mortal time. We do not know how many years, weeks, or months may have passed. All that Rose Red currently experiences takes place outside of Time as she is held in the arms of her Imaginary Friend . . . who is not at all imaginary, but very, very real.

“I will always protect you. But that does not mean you will not know pain.” Every fairy tale has a deeper meaning hidden in its heart. This is the heart of this fairy tale. This is the heart of Rose Red’s story. That she can be loved, protect, cherished even . . . and yet still be made to suffer.

A strange dichotomy of truth. And yet, the more we learn of this truth, the more whole and healed we may become, even in the depths of our hurts.

Q&A

1. What are your thoughts on the truth of protection in the midst of pain, of pain in the midst of protection? Have you experienced this for yourself or seen others who have?

2. What do you think might have happened had Rose Red not called out Eshkhan’s name? If he was always there protecting her, but she was simply unaware, how might things have gone differently for her story had she not obeyed Beana in that moment? Would she still have been protected?

3. Any favorite lines?

Fan Art: Here is a beautiful poem written by Meredith, inspired by this chapter in Veiled Rose.


ESHKHAN’S PLEA
(To the Tune of “Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day”)

I sang her to sleep with my melody sweet.
On lonely nights my watch did keep.
Now I stand within Death’s ballroom of hate
To rescue my daughter from his poisonous embrace.
Sing Rosie fair,
Rosie fair
Rosie, Rosie,
I wait for her call of broken despair.
 
Another repines in Death’s cold dark chair.
So torn and wretched beyond all compare.
A wise yet rash daughter with intentions so kind
I wait for her answer, her choice to be mine.
Oh, Daylily fair,
Daylily fair,
Lily, Lily,
I wait for her call of broken despair.
 
The one who stands gloating is bound as well.
So empty and starved for a kernel of love.
He does not know, for he does not hear
My plea to release him from his Path of Tears.
Oh, Death so bound,
Death so bound
So bound, so bound
You will not reach for my helping hand.
 
My daughter has fallen.
Her strength is spent.
In broken despair she is at her wits’ end.
Mor lovely is she in her helpless dark plight,
For now I stand ready to lift her to life.
Oh, Rosie fair,
Rosie fair,
Rosie, Rosie.
At last Death’s chamber is flooded with light.
 
My Name flutters forth upon wings so dear.
What joy to hear its tones ring clear.
I cradle my children and blot their tears
As Death-In-Life flees in tumultuous fear.
Oh, children fair,
Children fair,
So fair,
So fair,
I’ve answered your call of broken despair.
 
Oh, children of mine as the ages roll by,
Remember this story that never shall die.
Death holds out his arms full of poisoned delights
And seeks to trample and throttle pure life.
Oh, call to me now.
Call to me now.
Right now, right now.
I wait for your call of broken despair.

VEILED ROSE Read-Along: Chapter 9, Part Four

Just a short chapter today . . . which is good, since I am up to my eyeballs in Cinderella stories at the moment! Not that I'm complaining. I mean, it's not exactly a hardship to spend my working hours reading fairy tale retellings . . .

Anyway, let's pick up with this chapter and move along. Not a whole lot left to this book now! Events are speeding fast to their crisis points.


PART FOUR
Chapter 9 Lionheart’s dream: There are a couple of things that may or may not have happened during Lionheart’s dream . . . the dream which he seems to share, however briefly, with Rose Red. Obviously, Rose Red is down in the depths of the Netherworld, which is quite a separate realm from the Near World, a spiritual realm unlimited to mortal restrictions. So it is possible that Lionheart’s spirit traveled into those depths and took on a sort of solidity. It wouldn’t be beyond the Dragon’s powers to call him down to the Netherworld temporarily. I don’t think the Dragon could call him there for very long without more specific willingness on Lionheart’s part (or Lionheart’s death), but for such a short dream, it should be possible . . .The other possibility is that Lionheart and the Dragon formed a sort of psychic bond. That while the Dragon assumed Lionheart’s form in the Netherworld while dancing with Rose Red, Lionheart himself experienced the dream in his own mind. This would also make sense, since to create such a believable impression of Lionheart, the Dragon would probably need some sort of connection to Lionheart himself. And Lionheart did breathe quite a lot of dragon-poison all those years ago, and much of it likely still lurks in his lungs.Anyway, those are two different possibilities of what may have happened. Either are reasonable conclusions to draw, based on the rules of this world (and further rules revealed in later books). But, as is the practice with Veiled Rose, much is left open to readerly speculation.Dreamlike voices: Following the dream or vision that Lionheart experienced, he wakes up to hear the Dragon and Life-in-Death arguing in the depths of his mind. Just faint echoes of their argument . . . but their wrath is so great, and his connection to both of them so intense, that he can hear it even when waking, on the very edge of consciousness.Years had passed since he’d spared a thought. Here we learn that Lionheart has forgotten the promise he made to Rose Red; the promise to think of her now and then. He has all but forgotten her while away on this quest.If you think of Rose Red as representing all that is good, all that is best in Lionheart, it’s no wonder that the Lady should drive him far away and oust all thoughts of her from his mind. But it’s very, very sad.Eanrin! Other than in Goddess Tithe, our fan favorite poet-cat of Rudiobus has made at least a brief appearance in every Goldstone Wood novel thus far. We spied him momentarily during Lionheart’s performance a few scenes ago, but this is his one “big moment” in Veiled Rose. As a Faerie and a knight, Eanrin (currently disguised as Princess Una’s pet cat, “Monster”) is probably at least partially aware of the strange things plaguing Lionheart in his dreams.And he definitely knows that Lionheart needs help. Powerful help. In fact, that there is only one person who can truly help Lionheart now . . .Lionheart, the consummate cat hater. Lionheart is one of my favorite characters in the series . . . but in this respect, he and I will never see eye-to-eye! However, it does make for some interesting drama in the next book . . . when you’ll never guess who Lionheart’s primary travel companion turns out to be!Snatching the jester’s hat. At the time I wrote this scene, I didn’t have a cat in my life who would really snatch anything that large. In fact, I doubted it was particularly realistic, but justified it by the fact that Eanrin isn’t justa cat. So it worked.Since then, we have adopted Makoose. Makoose who will swipe and run with anything. If he can possibly budge it, he will try to steal it. Recently, I purchased a 2lb bag of oranges (you know the kind, the red netting?) and set it on my counter. Minutes later, Makoose had grabbed it and was trying to haul the whole lot off the counter and away down the hall!So, yeah. If a “normal” housecat is willing to do that, then I have absolutely no problem with Eanrin swiping the jester’s hat.An Overheard Conversation: Here in this scene, we catch a little bit of a conversation between Aethelbald and Una from Heartless. Who would have thought that Leonard the Jester had overheard their parting?Hate him! Loathe him! For all the Lady of Dreams referred to Prince Aethelbald as the Dragon’s enemy, she obviously has some intense feelings regarding him herself! Hatred and loathing, which she communicates with all her most potent poison into Lionheart’s brain. Her icy calm is broken as she, through Lionheart’s eyes, faces the Prince of Farthestshore. She becomes as fiery and wrathful as her own brother.Perhaps she and the Dragon are more alike than first meets the eye . . . Perhaps there is yet more to be learned of the Lady Life-in-Death.One of mine is threatened: In Heartless, Prince Aethelbald made this same statement to Princess Una when telling her that he must go. At the time, however, we did not know to whom he referred.Now, we can pretty safely infer that it is Rose Red of whom he speaks. And the Prince of Farthestshore, clad in a mortal body (a far more unusual, even phenomenal situation that we realize in these first two books), must go to her aid, down to Southlands, and down much, much deeper still.But as he tells Lionheart, she is one of his own as well. And Lionheart should return with him. He should give up his current, hopeless errand and turn to one who can truly aid him in this dangerous mission.And what might have happened had Lionheart gone? Might they, together, have defeated the Dragon before he even got to Parumvir? Might Princess Una have been spared her coming suffering and Prince Lionheart his coming shame?Ultimately, it was not meant to be. And while the Prince of Farthestshore gave Lionheart the option, the Prince’s ultimate purpose and will were not thwarted by Lionheart’s refusal. Somehow, I think the Prince knew all along that Lionheart would refuse. That Lionheart had a much darker, harder, longer journey to pursue. But in his kindness, the Prince gave him the chance anyway. And continues to give him chances over and over again . . .Questions on the text:1. What do you think happened to Lionheart during his dream of Rose Red, based on the two suggestions given above? Or do you have a third idea?2. Any cat-lovers out there? Have your cats ever tried to swipe anything surprising? (Or are you more on Lionheart’s side in the issue of cat-love?)3. What do you think might have happened had Lionheart followed the Prince of Farthestshore now rather than insisting on his dream?4. Any favorite lines? Q&AAllison wants to know: "My question is... did The Divine Comedy at all influence your Netherworld? It reminded me of it, what with the lost souls Rose Red meets, the despair, and the journey through it to some higher place."Yes, but probably in more of a subconscious manner. I more consciously modeled Rose Red's journey through the Netherworld after the Orpheus and Eurydice theme. But, as a former English Lit. student, I'm sure passages of The Divine Comedy are firmly lodged in various nooks and crannies of my subconscious, offering subtle inspiration along the way!

Cover Reveal: MORNING GLORY

Dear Imps, we're taking a short break from the read-along this morning (the usual chapter post will follow in a few hours!) to take part in an exciting cover reveal! Historical Romance novelist Amber Stokes has been blessing her readers with exciting new product since summer of last year . . . and now, she is preparing for the summer publication of Book 3 in the Heart's Spring series.

Presenting the cover of Morning Glory!

 The Depths of FearThe Dawning of HopeMyghal’s story continues…Summer 2014
In conjunction with the cover reveal, Amber’s doing a double “blog reveal,” as well! You can check out the book extras for Morning Glory (more coming soon!) on the Morning Glory blog, and you can keep up with all the exciting news for the series on The Heart’s Spring blog, the new home site for all three of the main books and the companion short stories!Many of you readers have already met Amber via this blog. But just in case she is a new face to you, allow me to introduce her officially:    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 editing and self-publishing. You can connect with Amber on her blog, Seasons of Humility.Amber is offering a generous giveaway today! You (US residents only, please) can enter your name to win these beautiful earrings and lovely set of Morning Glory notecards.


Do take the time to congratulate Amber on her exciting accomplishment. And be certain to grab a copy of Bleeding Heart , her debut novel of 2013!
 a Rafflecopter giveaway