Anne Elisabeth Stengl's Blog, page 29

Interview Feature: Jessica Greyson

Dear imps, you know I'm always on the lookout for new novelists--fantasy, YA, or just plain fun--to feature on this blog. Well, a little while back, I started seeing a pretty cover cropping up here and there across the blogging world. Then, a few weeks ago, I happened to exchange emails with the authoress who wrote the story behind that pretty cover. And I thought, hey! Why not introduce her and her work to all of you?

So allow me to present the author of Annabeth's War, Jessica Greyson.



Jessica Greyson, a homeschool graduate loves words, first as a hungry reader, and now as a passionate writer. She seeks to write for the glory of God, and be the writer He has called her to be. When she is not writing, Jessica is daydreaming, serving coffee and lattes at her job—while people watching, spending time with her wonderful family, taking pictures, listening to music, and trying to keep up with all of her amazing friends.

You can learn more about Jessica and her books at
jessicagreysonauthor.blogspot.com or her personal rambles at safirewriter.blogspot.com.

And here is that pretty book cover I mentioned!


With King Harold away at war Lord Raburn has his eye on the throne. Those who dare to stand in his way fall beneath his power. All but one. A girl named Annabeth. Can a commong, ordinary girl, with love for king, country, and her father, achieve the impossible?

Trained by her father, a master swordsman, outlawed Annabeth has only her sword, her wits, and her disguises to keep Belterra from falling entirely into Lord Raburn's  clutches. Can she rescue her captured father and Prince Alfred? Will one girl keep the kingdom from falling?




 I hope you'll enjoy this interview an a chance to learn a little more about Jessica and her work. And be certain to check out the fun giveaway she's offering at the end of this feature!
Interview Welcome, Jessica! To break the ice, how about telling us a little about yourself? What’s your favorite hobby? Introvert or extrovert? Any pets? Coffee or tea? Jessica: Writing and reading are certainly on the top of the hobby list. Though currently, I am dabbling a little in watercolor painting, alongside my graphic art business. Definitely, in introvert, though I’ve picked up some extrovert tendencies from my family. I’ve always loved animals and wanted to keep a menagerie but those plans never quite worked out. We have one dog. Bridget, a West Highland Terrier, who is adored by all and keeps us entertained with her squirrel hunting antics.  Tea if you please, with two lumps of sugar and some cream, or a chai tea always hits the spot. What led you into the writing life? Were you always a storyteller? Jessica: I’ve always been a story lover, and would lay awake at night inventing stories for myself or acting them out with my dolls and stuffed animals in the dark. (I have been a night owl since I was a wee thing). I came into voracious reading a little later than most of my friends, but once I fell in I was hooked for life. Writing came later, and I started scribbling my first stories in earnest around age twelve. I asked God for something to do, something I could do all of my life for Him and He called me to be His ready writer and my books have been the result of that call. Tell us a little about your debut novel, Annabeth’s War. How long did you work on this story? How did the idea come to you? Is it part of a series? Jessica: Annabeth's War is a stand-alone novel at present. It is the result of an old story spark reigniting with a twist and the passion to portray a strong heroine, who still retained her feminine side. The whole process for Annabeth's War to come into full-fledged book, from first words to published finish, took 23 months. Can you pick a favorite character from this story? Jessica: Oh, it's really difficult to choose. I love Annabeth for who she is, and Ransom for who he becomes.  What inspires your work? Where do you turn when you need a renewal of inspiration?  Jessica: There are a wide variety of things I like to glean from. Movies, reading other peoples works, music, pictures, being creative in a different artistic mediums, or simply a day off. No writing, no word count no perfection just a day of living and being with the people I love sometimes is the best place for renewal and finding inspiration. The other day my family took a trip to a waterfall we’d never been to, and as my sister (who is aspiring to write) and I climbed up into a rock crevice behind the waterfall we started talking about how we could use it in a story.  What are your favorite and least favorite parts of the writing process? Jessica: My favorite is the spark of a new story. Fresh words and characters tumbling from my fingertips. The least favorite is probably editing, and saying goodbye to my characters for the last time. 
If you were forced to pick a single favorite author, who would it be? Jessica: Without it doubt it would be Elizabeth Ender. Though she only has only one work out, I have had the privilege of reading some of her yet to be published works. She has a way of creating characters, worlds, and touching heart issues as I have yet to find in another author. Her writing has touched my life and inspired me in a way no one else has.  So what is next on your publishing horizons? Can we look forward to a sequel to Annabeth’s War? Or do you have something completely new in the works? Jessica: Captive of Raven Castle, is the next book slotted to be published, hopefully releasing sometime in November. It’s along similar lines as Annabeth’s War, being in the Middle Ages, and a struggle between kings, and it is a standalone novel. What are you actively writing right now? Jessica: Its work in progress title is Becoming Hannah, and is the sequel to Sufficient Grace the next book I’ll be working on publishing once Captive of Raven Castle is happily established. It’s a change up in genres as I go from being in the middle ages to out west in the 1800’s. Would you share a short snippet from Annabeth’s War? Jessica: I would be delighted to! Snippet fromAnnabeth's War  Ransom rolled over to face her. “You are making a mistake.” “I am saving your life,” she said, sinking his dagger deep into the tree above her head and well out of his reach. Then, taking his sword belt, she climbed up into the tree and hung it also out of reach before dropping to the ground. Ransom glared at her and a smile pulled at the corner of her mouth. “Godspeed to you, sir. May He keep you and your noble sword safe. Thank you for everything you did, but I cannot accept your help. This is my war and I must live or die by the results.”    Thank you so much Anne Elisabeth! _____________ You're very welcome, Jessica! And now, dear imps, Jessica is offering a print copy of Annabeth's War to one lucky winner. Be sure to enter your name below, and take time to congratulate Jessica on this wonderful new story! http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0cd52418/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway





A Numb Sort of Happiness

I just typed, "The End."

It's not really the end. In some ways, it's still just the beginning. There will be rewrites, line edits, revisions, type-settings, more line edits, typo-checks, more revisions, more edits, formatting, and so forth. There will be times when I love it, and times when I absolutely despise it.

And then it will go out to the reading public, who will also love and despise it. And I can't control one any more than the other.

But for the moment, I'm not going to think about that. I'm going to look (not too closely, 'cause I'm not ready for revisions) at the enormity of this manuscript which is now written. Not finished, perhaps. But written. Beginning, middle, and "the end."

As many of you know, I proclaimed this last week "Crazy Week," because I was determined to meet my deadline and finish this manuscript by the end of October. Would it have hurt anything to creep a little into November? No. Not really.

Well. Maybe actually.

When I sat on the brink of Crazy Week, looking ahead at what all had to be done before I could call this draft complete, I realized something. I would never be ready to write those last chapters. I would never be ready to write that climax or figure out that resolution. It was too big. Too hard. We're not talking epic here. I've done epic. I've done epic in my sleep. I can handle epic.

We're talking cosmic.

We're talking Marduk and Tiamat--but I am no ancient Babylonian poet.

We're talking Paradise Lost--but I am no Milton.

We're talking concepts and images and themes I barely understand, and definitely do not feel qualified to write. So, last Sunday, I faced the big moment: I must either take the plunge, not waiting for that elusive muse of inspiration, and write what I am not prepared to write . . . or I pack up and call it quits.

It's been very tempting many times to call it quits with this book. It's by far the longest and most complicated story I've ever written, aside from that cosmic climax. And besides all of that, this book will be published by a new house. That's right, dear imps . . . I will no longer be a Bethany House author after Shadow Hand, but will be publishing book 7 through a new venue.

And that venue hasn't even been decided yet, nor even a specific release date. I hope to release this story to the reading public by autumn 2014, and if all goes as I currently anticipate, that will still happen. But I don't know. Not for certain. Probably won't know until the end of this year. In the meanwhile, I must wait.

And wait, and wait.

Anyway, all of that to say Crazy Week has come to its end. I have clocked in a total of 35,000 words in one week, which might be a new record for me. Rohan says we should celebrate with cake. I would be all right with that.

Okay, technically, this is still a secret, since I don't even know the release date yet . . . but I really want to celebrate with you guys too! So I'm going to go ahead and give you the title and teaser for this story early:


 What do you think? Does it look like something you might like to read?

The Last Enchanter Blog Tour!

Welcome to the official blog tour for 

THE LAST ENCHANTER, 
Book II of The Celestine Chronicles, 

a fun-filled fantasy adventure series for middle grade readers!  
_______________________________________________________________




In Book I, THE ROCK OF IVANORE , enchanter's apprentice Marcus Frye and five other boys set out on a dangerous journey to locate the Rock of Ivanore and bring it back to their village.




In THE LAST ENCHANTER , months have passed since they succeeded in
their quest. One of the boys, Kelvin, is living as royalty in Dokur,
and Marcus is studying magic with Zyll. When Lord Fredric is murdered and Kelvin
becomes king, the Enchanter Zyll and Marcus head for Dokur in hopes of protecting Kelvin from
meeting the same fate, though it quickly becomes apparent that none of them are
safe, and Marcus has had disturbing visions of Zyll's death. With the help of
his old friends Clovis and Bryn, joined by new friend Lael, a feisty girl in
search of her mother, Marcus uncovers a powerful secret that will change the
course of his life forever.




In addition to THE LAST ENCHANTER being released on OCTOBER 15th in hardback, THE ROCK OF IVANORE is also now available in paperback! Both titles can be purchased at bookstores nationwide and online at Barnes & Noble , Amazon , and Indiebound . They are available as E-books, too.






To celebrate the release of her newest book, author Laurisa White Reyes is giving away a brand new 16 GB NOOK HD!!!  Details on how to enter the giveaway can be found at the end of this post. In the meantime, please enjoy this excerpt from THE LAST ENCHANTER followed by an interview with the author, Laurisa White Reyes.




Laurisa's Website

Laurisa's Blog

Facebook

Twitter 






 






EXCERPT from THE LAST ENCHANTER











 



 


Marcus waited until he heard Zyll turn the lock in his door
before heading back down the corridor. Zyll had told him to do what he thought
was best, and that’s exactly what he would do.




He passed several armed sentries, one at every door, as he
made his way through the lower level of the Fortress. Kelvin was determined not
to let the Agoran rebels get inside again. Maybe Marcus shouldn’t worry about
his brother. With all these guards around, Kelvin was far safer than Fredric
must have been. Still, he deserved to know how their grandfather died. Secrets
had nearly destroyed Marcus and Kelvin’s relationship during their quest eight
months ago. There would be no secrets between them ever again.




Marcus didn’t want to go back to the dining room. Kelvin and
Jayson were probably still arguing over dinner, and what Marcus had to say was
private anyway. He would go instead to Kelvin’s council chambers and wait for
him there.




Other than the sentries, the interior of the Fortress was
quiet. Most of the servants had already retired to their rooms for the night.
Marcus hurried across the vast entry hall toward the east alcove where the
offices were located. He had made it halfway when he suddenly had the feeling
that he was not alone.  He turned and
looked behind him, but there was no one beside the guard standing at the
Fortress’s main door. The light from several oil lamps left the corners of the
room hidden in darkness. Someone could easily conceal himself in one.




This is silly, Marcus thought. I’m letting my mind play
tricks on me. Still, he walked the rest of the way as fast as he could without
actually running.




The door to Kelvin’s council chambers stood just inside a
narrow alcove. To Marcus’s surprise, the sconces on the wall were not lit. The
alcove was dark except for a weak glow from the lanterns in the great
hall.  He had expected to find a guard
here, too, but the alcove was empty—or was it?




Near the door to Kelvin’s chambers Marcus saw a large, dark
clump of something on the floor. He approached cautiously and touched it with
his foot.  An arm fell forward, hitting
the floor with a dull thump. Marcus stepped back, his breath quickening. The
dark clump was a sentry. In the dim light, Marcus couldn’t tell if he was
unconscious or dead.




Behind him, Marcus heard the sound of footsteps which
stopped abruptly.




“Hello?” Marcus called out hoping it was one of the other
guards. “There’s a man here,” he said. “I think he’s hurt!”




When no one replied, Marcus realized once again that his
imagination was running away with him. But he did need to find help for the
sentry. He was about to leave when he heard a new sound coming from inside the
chambers: an unmistakable rattle as if something had fallen and rolled across
the floor.




Marcus stepped over the guard’s body and took hold of the
door handle. Slowly he turned it, pushing open the door just an inch.
Candlelight spilled through the narrow crack into the alcove. Marcus saw now
that the sentry’s eyes were open, staring dully up at nothing. He was most
certainly dead. And Marcus suspected that whoever was inside the room had done
it.




Pushing the door open a little further, Marcus stepped
inside. Large tapestries hung floor to ceiling against the walls. Three stories
above, the stained glass ceiling looked like a patchwork of black and gray.
Charred remains of a log stood cold in the fireplace, though six candles burned
in an ornate candelabra beside Kelvin’s desk. On the floor lay an ink bottle,
dark liquid trailing from it like a tail. This must be what had made the noise.
Marcus bent to pick it up. The glass bottle felt warm to the touch.




The air in the room was chill. So why would the bottle be so
warm? Someone must have been holding it, Marcus thought, but who?




As he set the bottle back on the desk, he noticed movement
from the corner of his eye. A tapestry fluttered ever so slightly. Marcus’s
heart raced. He reached for his knife, but then remembered he had left it in
his room for he had thought he was just going to talk to Kelvin. What would he
have needed it for? He reached for the tapestry with trembling fingers and
jerked it aside, but the only thing behind it was a bare wall.




All of sudden, something heavy hit him from behind. Sharp
pain exploded across his shoulders, and Marcus’s face smashed into the wall. He
felt drops of hot blood trickle onto his lips. Licking them, he tasted copper,
and he wondered if the loud crack he’d heard had been his back breaking or
something else. He turned and saw Kelvin’s chair in pieces behind him on the
floor. Someone had thrown it at him! He had only a second to think before
something else came flying at him, but this time it was a man.




The man yelled. Marcus caught the glint of a blade in his
hand just before it came down on him. Marcus twisted away just in time, the
blade grating instead against the stone wall. But the man did not stop. He
sliced his dagger wildly in every direction. Marcus jumped and slid his way
across the room, doing his best avoid the attacks. The man was slender, almost
frail-looking, and yet was surprisingly fast and strong. He lunged at Marcus,
not with the dagger, but with a set of blood-stained claws extended for the
kill. It wasn’t a man at all, Marcus realized. It was an Agoran.




Marcus grabbed the candelabrum. As he swung it in an arc,
the candles flew off. Two went out as they hit the floor, but the other four
stilled burned, casting long, unnatural shadows onto the tapestries. One lit
the corner of a tapestry on fire, the flames soon licking the woven patterns
like a hungry snake. The candelabrum hit the attacker with a force that would
have knocked most men to their knees, but this one didn’t even flinch. When the
Agoran took hold of it, Marcus expected him to yank it out of his hands. Instead
he thrust it forward, pushing Marcus off balance. He fell onto his back,
sending a fresh tremor of pain through him. A second later, the attacker was on
top of Marcus, holding the point of a blade to his throat. Damp tendrils of
long, shaggy hair clung to his face. His pupils, narrow like a cat’s, peered at
Marcus, recognition slowly dawning.  The
Agoran and Marcus stared at each other, both remembering the day months earlier
when they had first met.




Just then the door to the chamber flew open. A guard rushed
in, his sword raised. Behind him came Kelvin and Jayson. The Agoran leapt off
of Marcus and crossed the room in half a breath’s time. The guard ran after
him, but the Agoran tore the burning tapestry free from the wall and flung it
at him. The guard screamed in pain as fire engulfed his uniform. The tapestry
dropped to the floor, the flames trapping the Agoran at the back of the room.
Marcus managed to roll clear of it, though he felt his skin blistering with the
heat and smelled the guard’s scorched flesh.




Jayson ripped the burning fabric from the guard’s body as
Kelvin picked up his fallen sword. Kelvin slashed at the tapestry, trying to
make a path through the fire. As he broke through, Marcus looked up to see what
would happen next, but to his and everyone’s surprise, the Agoran was gone.




 INTERVIEW w/ LAURISA WHITE REYES






What books influenced you most when you were growing up?


My favorite series for years was the TRIXIE
BELDEN MYSTERIES. I still have the entire set of books in a box in my
garage. Some of my other favorites included ROBINSON CRUSOE, OF MICE AND
 MEN, GONE WITH THE WIND, WUTHERING HEIGHTS and ROOTS.  Heavy duty stuff
 for a kid, I know, but I loved them. Still do. As an adult I learned
more about writing from Dan Brown (THE DAVINCI CODE, ANGELS &
DEMONS) than anyone else. He is a master of suspense, every chapter a
cliffhanger so that you just can’t put his books down. Period. And I
love how he weaves multiple points of view together until they all
collide at the end. I wish I could write like that.




What gave you the idea for your book series The Celestine Chronicles?


I’ve always enjoyed reading to my kids at
night before they go to bed. When my oldest son was about 8 years old,
he asked me to make up a story instead of read one. So I told him about
an enchanter’s apprentice who botched his spells. Each night my son
would tell me what he wanted to hear that night, whether it was dragons,
 or magic, or sword fighting, and I’d weave it into the story.
Eventually I started writing it down. A year later I had a completed
manuscript of THE ROCK OF IVANORE. I wrote THE LAST ENCHANTER two years later.



What is your writing day like?

I don't have a typical writing day. As a mom of five kids, I actually have very little time to write. Years ago I used to stay up late at night to write, but I now I try to wake up an hour before the kids do and get a little work done then. On a good day I might write 1,000 words -- the equivalent of about 5 printed pages.




Who are your favorite characters in THE LAST ENCHANTER?

That's a tough question. While I like all the characters (I wouldn't write a character I couldn't like) Lael is new to this book. She wasn't in Book I. Lael is Marcus's age but wasn't included in the original quest because she is a girl. She really proves herself, though. While the boys use swords and bows and arrows, Lael is adept with the sling. Also, Bryn (the Groc who parades around in the form of a little boy) is particularly fond of her. And any friend of Bryn is a friend of mine.



Will there be a book III in The Celestine Chronicles?

Yes. The Seer of the Guilde is tentatively slated for 2015. However, in the meantime, I am working on the parallel series called The Crystal Keeper, which chronicles Jayson's years in exile in Hestoria. Anyone interested in the story of Jayson and Ivanore will want to read it. In the meantime, I hope everyone will enjoy THE LAST ENCHANTER.





 







GIVEAWAY TIME!!!



Laurisa White Reyes, author of THE LAST ENCHANTER, 
is giving away a brand new 

16 GB NOOK HD!!!  





There are many ways to win:


1) Take a pic of you and your copy of THE LAST ENCHANTER - post it on the web (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, a website, etc.) and email the link to:  laurisawhitereyes(at)yahoo(dot)com


2)  Follow Laurisa's blog and/or Facebook page


3) Tweet about this giveaway


4) Leave a comment below


The winner will be chosen at random via Rafflecopter. 

To enter the giveaway, fill out the form below. 

U.S. residents only, please.  

This giveaway will end on November 6th. 
 



 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview Feature: Amy Green

Hi, imps! I am delighted to get to introduce a new author to you today. I learned about her because she was just hired as the new Fiction Publicist at Bethany House Publishers. An awesome profession right there, but she even more involved in the publishing world than that! She is also the author of an exciting YA fantasy adventure series, The Amarias Adventures. Allow me to present to you:
Amy Green: “There aren’t any good books left,” I told my librarian in fifth grade. “I’ve read them all.”
“Well, then, you’ll just have to write some,” she replied.
And I said, “Okay.”
So that’s how I became a writer.
Of course, it wasn’t really that easy. As a kid, I wrote pages and pages of messy, badly spelled, hilariously awful stories. When I was homeschooled for jr. high, I did the same, only I typed most of them, so the spelling improved.
In high school, I wrote longer things. Book-length things. I was never sure what to call them, since none of them were really books. Not yet. And a few were still mildly awful. But I felt like God had given me a gift, and I was determined to use it.
By the time I went to Taylor University to study writing, I had written several book-length things, including a fantasy youth novel that my twin sister Erika wanted as her birthday present. Along the way, I had learned what to do and what not to, so I decided to try sending one in to a publisher.
They liked it. Who knew? So, I got my first book contract at age eighteen, for Quest for the Scorpion’s Jewel. That’s the beginning of (a very, very short version of) my story. I’m still turning pages, but God’s the one doing the writing, and I know He’s got a great ending in mind.

Find out more about Amy Green and her books on her website.
You can also follow her blog: Just the Fiction, Ma'am.

Amy has joined us today for an interview and a giveaway. So please enjoy learning more about her and her exciting series, and do remember to check the bottom of this post for how you can enter to win one of THREE copies of her first novel, Quest for the Scorpion's Jewel.

Interview Hi, Amy! Welcome to the Tales of Goldstone Wood blog. To start out this interview, would you mind telling us a little about yourself? Hobbies, personality . . . tea or coffee?

Amy: Hobbies…well, I enjoy helping out with my youth group, I’m a reader (obviously), and I’m on a personal campaign to save the US Post Office by writing lots of letters. It’s a dangerous thing to ask someone about their own personality, but I’d say it’s safe to say that I’m a strange combination of logical thinker and emotional dreamer, who really likes people and board games and theological discussions. I am making a valiant effort to like tea because it seems like a writer-like thing to do, and I have, on occasion, managed to drink a full cup. But not coffee, although I love how it smells.

What led you into the writing life? Were you always a storyteller?

Amy: There was this moment, around fifth grade, where I looked around my school library and realized, “Someone actually wrote these!” And I decided I wanted to do that, because I had noticed that real life was generally pretty boring and if you wanted to tell stories about exciting things, they were going to have to be fiction.

Tell us a little about your series, the Amarias Adventures. When did you begin writing them? Are they stand-alone adventures, or should readers pick them up in order?

Amy: The first book, Quest for the Scorpion’s Jewel, was a present for my twin sister’s eighteenth birthday, although it went through a lot of editing before publication. The series goes in order (although it wouldn’t be terribly confusing to start in the middle). The books follow the adventures of four Youth Guard members—Jesse, Silas, Rae, and Parvel—who are fighting a corrupt government in a highly personal way…by going on a mission to save some of their friends who have been condemned to die. My favorite thing to do is stack the odds ridiculously against them. They’ve faced assassins and a cave-in, been sold into slavery, solved a series of ancient riddles, and survived poisonous snakes, a sandstorm, a wild boar, and a really spoiled noblewoman. Sometimes even I don’t know how they’re going to get out of whatever perilous situation I put them in.

Can you pick a favorite character from the series?

Amy: Captain Demetri, who you meet in Chapter One of the first book as the assassin sworn to kill Jesse and his friends. Not exactly your typical choice, but I feel like it’s only fair, since he’s the main villain and there are several main protagonists. But also he’s really just my favorite, probably because I see so much potential in him and find his story very sad. A close second is Owen, a kid who shows up in Book Four, because he’s hilarious and a lot of fun to write.

What inspires your work? Where do you turn when you need a renewal of inspiration?

Amy: I love people. I love how we all have stories—that there are reasons for the things we do, good or bad. I love watching people and seeing their fears and failure and hopes and dreams and how all of those things make them treat others. This makes me a chronic people-watcher and also a better writer. I’m convinced that you can’t write well-developed characters unless you have spent a lot of time learning to care about others.

What are your favorite and least favorite parts of the writing process?

Amy: For me, the process of figuring out what happens next is even more fun as a writer than as a reader. My outlines are usually one vague paragraph long…and most of that changes by the end. As for a least favorite part…I’m one of those strange people who enjoys even the editing process, so I guess I would say when I have to delete large chunks of the story (usually several chapters) and start over. It’s almost always worth it, though.

If you were forced to pick a single favorite author, who would it be?

Amy: This…this is a terrible question. But since we’re talking fantasy here, I’m going to pretend this question is limited to that and say Brandon Sanderson, because his books often have a team-feel instead of being about one ruggedly independent protagonist, which I like.

I see that books 3 and 4 both released this year, Curse of the Forbidden Book and Secret of the Giant’s Staircase. So what is next on your publishing horizons? Is there a book 5 forthcoming?

Amy: I certainly could write more in the series, although I haven’t signed a contract for a fifth book. Book 4 was my absolute favorite so far, which I hope means I’m getting better (of course, it could also be because the plot was basically a treasure hunt, and who doesn’t like treasure?).

What are you actively writing right now?

Amy: This is an extremely exciting answer for me: I don’t know. I plan on participating in National Novel Writing Month in November with a project entirely unrelated to anything I’ve done before…and I have no idea what that will be. It’s been a while since that has happened, and I’m looking forward to it.

Can you share a short snippet from the first book in your series, Quest for the Scorpion’s Jewel?

Amy: This comes halfway into the story, where Samar, Jesse and his friends’ guide through the desert, wakes them up in the middle of the night.


Excerpt fromQuest for the Scorpion's Jewel 
Outside the tent, Samar was waiting with Silas. “Come,” Samar said, motioning them forward. He carried a wicker basket lashed to his back, the kind that hung from the saddles of the camels, and a large water skin. “We must go on foot.”
“Where are we going?” Jesse asked.
“No more questions,” Jesse remembered that trick from one of Samar’s stories. But I never thought I’d been in one of them.
“Do not look back, and move silently,” Samar advised them. “Riangen da’ede. ‘Even the sand dunes have eyes.’”
Someone is watching us? But why?
Old as he was, fear had apparently made Samar quicker than his years. He hurried through the camp and over the hills near the oasis. Even with the use of his walking stick, it was hard for Jesse to keep his pace.
The moon on the white sand made it easy for Jesse to see where he was going. Which means that it will be equally easy for anyone to see us. The thought made him hurry to the top of the first of the hills.
“The Patrol did not know of the smugglers’ pits when I came last year,” Samar said, leading the way. “Let us hope that they have not learned of it since then.”
Even though Samar had warned him several times not to turn back, Jesse took one last look at the camp from the top of the hill. There, three men with swords hacked their way into his tent. ___________ There you go, my dears! Are you excited to dive into The Amarias Adventures now? Good thing, because Amy is giving away THREE copies of The Quest for the Scorpion's Jewel. So that's THREE of you who will be winners! Enter your name in the form below . . . and don't forget to thank Amy for her time today!

 http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0cd52417/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

Crazy Week

Dear imps, here is your official heads up . . . I am entering into Crazy Week as of tomorrow morning and will probably be out of commission until said week is through.

What is Crazy Week, you ask?

Crazy Week is I-really-want-to-finish-my-deadline-on-time-no-extensions-but-to-do-so-will-mean-some-crazy-writing-so-I'm-going-to-purposefully-go-insane-to-get-this-deadline-met.

I don't recall ever having quite so much trouble meeting a deadline before. Every other book (even Dragonwitch, which I found insanely difficult to write) was finished a good two or three months before the deadline so that I had time to look it over and do revisions before submitting it. But every manuscript is a different animal with different needs and different processes. This Book 7 has been no exception.

I find myself right on the edge of my deadline (which is the end of October), with still a chunk of book to write. Which would imply that this book is the hardest I've ever written. Eh. I don't think so. Unlike all of my other projects, I've not had any false-starts with this one. Everything I chose to write at the beginning of manuscript is still in place--with tweaks, sure, but still in place. I've added scenes rather than tossing and rewriting. I've stalled out (during those weird sicknesses) and wondered if I was going to have to change tack, only to discover that really all I needed to do was press forward. Even the storylines that have had to be adjusted have been pinpointed and fixed before I actually wrote them (yay, outlines!). I adore my characters, I am thrilled with the plot, and I like to think my writing is continuing to improve.

So what's the problem?

I don't know. Book 7 is much bigger than my other projects, so there is that. And it is Book 7, which means I have six books' (and a novella's) worth of pressure and expectations built up, which, I won't lie, can be paralyzing at times. I'm also MUCH busier than I was back when I was just writing for my living--I'm now running an editing business and developing Rooglewood Press, working with (wonderful!) writing students, receiving and reading manuscripts for possible publication (all of which have to be carefully reviewed), studying new skills such as typesetting, formatting, and new elements of design I never covered in college, etc. I'm marketing in a much bigger way, both for my own work and in preparation for Five Glass Slippers and my mother's Until That Distant Day. And the blogging, while one of my favorite things ever, does take up a certain amount of time, particularly if there's a big event happening such as the Fan Fiction or Fan Art contests. Couple all of that with the weird sickness, and it's been a busy year aside from the writing.

When I stop and consider all of this, I think Book 7 has come together remarkably well!

Seriously, if I really buckle down, I'll have this manuscript drafted by the end of this week. And I decided that if I make a public statement about this goal, I'll be so much more likely to meet it. So here I am, publically declaring my intention.

And I hope to be able to announce a complete manuscript by next Saturday! But don't let me get too far ahead of myself . . .

In the meanwhile, there are two features with giveaways happening here this coming week, so do check back for those. One is for an author you have met here before, and one is for a brand new-to-me author whom I think you will really enjoy meeting.

And think of me with prayers as you go about your week . . . and know that if you email me, I probably won't get back to you until Saturday, but I will get back to you as soon as I can. (Mentoring students, don't expect your final edits back until at least the 28th, okay?) Hugs to you all!

Secrets Kept--Release Day Blog Tour

I know I am not the only one who has been looking forward to the release of Jennette Mbewe's novel, Secrets Kept! Many of you will remember her from a feature back in March, when she visited the Tales of Goldstone Wood blog to introduce us to her debut story, Desert Rose, a short story set in her exciting, fantastical world of Nälu. She offered a generous opportunity for all of us to grab her short story for free! And so we were introduced to a realm of mystery, of tragedy, of vivid characters and settings, all just waiting to be unleashed in a full-fledged adventure.

Since then, she has seen two more short stories released, Dragon Thief and Indestructible . Each more epic than the last, but still only the primer setting up for the big adventure to come.

And now the time is upon us. Secrets Kept is released, and those who have already fallen under the spell of Nälu will have a chance to dive into a novel-length adventure, encountering both new and familiar characters along the way!

Speaking of characters . . .

Jennette is with us today to briefly introduce (or re-introduce) us to some of the folks we will meet between the pages of Secrets Kept. So do enjoy!

Meet the Characters ofSecrets Kept 
Thank you so much for having me on your blog and celebrating the release of Secrets Kept with me! Today, we get to meet three characters, one of which, readers might recognize. J
Desmond is a draper of the finest silks and weaves to be had in most of Nälu, but his eyes are on the courts o

We first get a glimpse of Saeed in the short story Desert Rose. He is the High Guardian and headmaster of the Kayulm'sa Nutraadzi, the School of Nevins. The oldest living elf among the nations, he witnessed the last sacrifice that broke the tainted covenant between the queen of the underworld and her mortal lover.  He was one of the first to volunteer to become a Guardian, even if he was only five years old at the time. But he'd rather forget those memories. Aside from a dwarven civil war and the Great Fairy Rebellion, he led the Guardian Circle in relative peace until now. The end of his days are drawing near, he can feel it his soul, and he must choose his successor among the remaining Nevins to lead the Guardian Circle. Unfortunately, one of them is a traitor.

Prince Vian, son of King Valdamar of Badara, has lived a sheltered life, more so than most nobility, but his father is distant, and the servants whisper behind his back. He can’t help but wonder if they see him as a bad omen since his mother died at his birth, or is it something else? Alone, he finds friendship with Desmond and hopes to win the approval of his father when the time comes for him to take the throne.    Welcome to the World of Nälu!The Tales  Can a desert princess find love with a foreign king?Johari lives in the shadow of her beautiful sister until a foreign king notices her, but in her haste to prove herself worthy of affection she finds herself compromised and on a difficult journey to make things right.Find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and Goodsread    What if all you knew had been a lie? The teaching of the Guardians has guided Semine's footsteps since her infancy. When her mentor shows up with information contrary to what she's been taught, she doubts her decision to follow in their footsteps. She must decide if there is life beyond what she has always known or embrace a new, mysterious path and reject the Guardians' legacy. Find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords   To what lengths would you go to save the world?Elothryn keeps the darkest secret of Nälu: The cursed dagger of Raemoja. A weapon powerful enough to release the greatest evil from the underworld. For generations, his family has lived without incident until now. The hunters have his scent and will stop at nothing to reclaim the dagger. Elothryn and his son flee, seeking help, but will they find it?Find it on Amazonand Smashwords
 Coming soon: All three Tales of Nälu in paperback!   The Novel  With a curse, she will build an army.
With the dagger, she will undo the last sacrifice.
But first the sorceress must find the secret keeper.Torn from her homeland and thrust into a betrothal against her wishes, Ayianna learns her family has a deadly secret that now has her on the run. She joins forces with Kael, an embittered half-elf, and Saeed, an elderly High Guardian, to seek answers to her father’s death, the destruction of Dagmar, and the plains people’s bizarre behavior.Ayianna discovers there is more at stake here than just her mother’s disappearance and her familial duty to her betrothed. The sorceress has cursed the plains people, and it is a race against time to release them before the sorceress resurrects an ancient evil.Find it at Amazon and Goodreads.

Writing as J. L. Mbewe, Jennette is an author, artist, mother, wife, but not always in that order. Born and raised in Minnesota, she now braves the heat of Texas, but pines for the Northern Lights and the lakes of home every autumn. She loves trying to capture the abstract and make it concrete. She has two short stories published in The Clockwork Dragonanthology, and is busily creating worlds inhabited by all sorts of fantasy creatures and characters, all questing about and discovering true love amid lots of peril. Her debut novel Secrets Kept and her short stories set in the world of Nälu: Desert Rose, Dragon Thief, and Indestructibleare now available. She is currently living her second childhood with a wonderful husband and two precious children who don’t seem to mind her eclectic collections of rocks, shells, and books, among other things. For more information about her journey as a writer mama and all things creative please visit her at http://www.jlmbewe.com/Social MediaConnect with Jennette!Website/BlogFacebook Twitter PinterestGoodsreadsGoogle+ (But I’m still learning the ropes here!) Be certain to follow the rest of this exciting Release Day Tour! October 16thJ. L. Mbewe: Release Day Kick-OffThe Writer’s Window: Meet the Characters Part 1Sitting on the Porch with Lynn: InterviewIn Darkness, There is Light: ExcerptOctober 17thThe Wonderings of One Person: Meet the VillainsLightly Salted: Guest PostAaron DeMott: ExcerptWriting without Compromise, Clare Davidson: Top Ten favorite YA novelsOctober 18thJ. L. Mbewe: Top Secret Project RevealAnne Elisabeth Stengl: Meet the Characters part 2Emerald Barnes’ Dreaming Awake Blog: InterviewPauline Creeden: Dream CastSheila Hollinghead’s Rise, Write, Shine: Review of Dragon Thief

Cover Reveal: FORGET ME NOT

Dear imps, I am so delighted to be able to reveal the cover for Amber Stokes' sophomore novel, Forget Me Not. You may remember that I participated in the reveal for her debut novel, Bleeding Heart, which released this summer. Now for the great unveiling of the prequel novel in her "flowers" series!


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
Isn't it a lovely cover? I particularly love the use of complimentary colors blue and orange, which create such a dynamic contrast, really making the girl stand out! I also love how well it matches the first cover in the series . . . lovely girl in a white dress. But this girl, Elizabeth, looks to me as though she has a very different personality from Sally in Bleeding Heart. Aren't you curious to learn her story?

Cover credit to Lena Goldfinch, who has created a lovely brand for Amber's series which will continue to stand out in the historical romance market!

Oh, speaking of Amber, her is a little about the author (in case you have not met her yet).



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. You can connect with Amber on her blog, Seasons of Humility.
I had the fun of creating a couple of blog buttons for Amber's new story. Do pick one to share on your blog!

 Link back to www.forgetmenotnovel.blogspot.com  Link back to: www.forgetmenotnovel.blogspot.com/Amber is graciously offering a fun giveaway for one lucky winner! (US only, please). A lovely set of Forget-Me-Not notecards done by Carol Sapp Watercolors. Be sure to enter your name below! And tell Amber how much you love her new cover too. http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/15cee311/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway


Spooky Story Blogging Challenge!

The other day, my mother I were swapping stories about our most dread childhood "monsters." Of course we look back on them now and laugh, but at the time these fears were very real terrors for both of us!

As we talked, we challenged each other to write a short story about our childhood terrors. A "ghost story" if you will, which we will then post on Halloween.

And I thought . . . hey! Why not open this up to all of you too?

So I am inviting you to take part in this story challenge:


  It's very simple . . . you write a short story (less than 2000 words--flash fiction would also work really well here!) about your most dreadful childhood fear. The fear needs to be real, but make certain the story itself is fictional--we're looking for stories, not memoirs! And the big goal of this challenge: End on the punch line. End on the moment of highest terror. No resolution! Mummy and I have already written ours which we'll be sharing, and Rohan decided to write one as well.  And it's awesome! I'll be sharing it on Halloween along with mine. It's called What If It Comes Back? and it gave me goosebumps. If you decide to participate, simply publish your story on your blog on Halloween, then email me (aestengl@gmail.com) the link. I will compile all the links to all the participating stories so that everyone can easily go around and read everyone else's. It's just a for fun exercise. But I have to say, I really enjoyed writing mine, and Rohan had a blast dusting off his creative writing skills to participate as well. So what do you think? Do you have a childhood chill that might turn into a fun, spooky story?

Movie Suggestion

As most of you know, I rarely do reviews of any kind any more. Ever. I guess I have become so gun-shy of my own reviews (appreciative though I am to have them, since they definitely help with the ongoing slog that is actually selling my work) that I don't like contribute anything more to the review world at large.

And really, this isn't going to be a review so much as a recommendation. Because I'm not a reviewer, and I fear that any attempts to summarize either the plot or my feelings on the plot might giveaway something important . . .

But I recently watched a movie which I truly loved. And somehow I think many of you would enjoy  it too.

Here's the trailer:



That's right. It's a Korean film. Now I had heard wonderful things about Korean cinema before, but hadn't actually settled down to watch any. A few weeks back, however, Rohan and I came upon this one, War of the Arrow, randomly on Netflix.

Here is a brief summary that doesn't give away too much: "Set during the second Manchu invasion of Korea, Nam Yi, the best archer in Korea, goes up against the Qing Dynasty to save his younger sister Ja In - who was dragged away by Manchurian."

It looked okay. So hey! Why not?

It was FANTASTIC.

I found it particularly interesting since I had just been reading up on the Manchu a few months before. I hadn't realized there'd ever been a first Manchu invasion of Korea, so I learned something new . . . and feel inspired for more research.

Lots of action, lots of epic. I mean, LOTS of epic. The handsome hero is great, and the villain is terrifying, but in a wonderfully motivated sort of way. And neither of them is even my favorite character! My favorite character is probably the sister, who is quite the spunky lady (but not in any stereotypical warrior-maiden sense). I also really like her romantic interest, whom my best friend Erin has labeled, "The Asian Joseph Gordon-Levitt" if that means anything to any of you.

It is quite a violent film. No more violent than Lord of the Rings, but pretty grim. So you are fairly warned. Not a "family film." But I still highly recommend it for the right context of viewers.

Have any of you seen it? What did you think?

Oh, the soundtrack is pretty amazing too!

A Few More Doings at Rooglewood

Life is as busy as usual around Rooglewood these days, and I thought I'd give you an update on some of the events and activities transpiring.

First is a big one! I have decided to start running a quarterly newsletter.


As you can see, it is called The Haven Chronicler, and it will pretty much take the place of these "Doings at Rooglewood" blog posts by gathering in one convenient place any and all Goldstone Wood and Rooglewood-related events of interest. I'll alert you to upcoming features, special deals, exciting events about to take place, book signings, cover reveals . . . and, of course, book releases! I'm planning on sending it out once every quarter--spring, summer, autumn, winter--with short extra editions on the days of project releases.

You can find the sign-up form in the top left-hand bar. It's quite simple, really. Just type in your email address and hit submit. You will then have a chance to reaffirm that you do, in fact, want to subscribe via an alert in your inbox. This is to prevent my newsletter from getting lost in your spam folders!

The Five Glass Slippers contest is still running strong. I receive new submissions every week, and I know I'm going to get utterly deluged in them come December! So much fun reading. Several of these stories have kept me up late into the night because I couldn't put them down, and others have distracted me during the day from my regular work because I'm so eager to see what will happen next.

I've made a slight change to my plans for the front cover, which might interest many of you:

 Do you see the difference? That's right! I've arranged the text to allow plenty of space for all five author names on the front cover. So that means the winners will have their names on the cover (and spine too, actually) of this product, and not my name as editor. (For marketing purposes I'll still be listed as a contributor, just not on the cover.) Personally I find this very exciting! I feel like a kid on Christmas morning every time I find a new manuscript in my inbox. What exciting surprises await within these pages? As most of you know, the cover reveal for Goddess Tithe went off like a song a couple of weeks ago (thank you again to all of the bloggers who participated!). The blog button is still up for grabs, those of you who keep blogs! Here it is:  Please link it back to:
http://goddesstithenovel.blogspot.com/p/read-chapter-1.html And, of course, I am still offering the review file to any who are interested in being reviewers for me. Click here to read the details! I'll probably cap it at 100 reviewers, so if you want to be part of this let me know sooner, not later. (And Meredith, I'm working with Laurie to get everything set for her to transcribe the Braille editions, so you should be able to get an e-file Braille version for review if you want it!)

There are so many fun features coming up for October. We  have got a cover reveal for Amber Stokes' upcoming novel, Forget Me Not  on the 16th. I am featuring 2 (possibly 3) new YA and fantasy novelists whom I believe you will enjoy learning about, with possibilities to win their books! And there is a blog tour event for Laurisa White Reyes' new fantasy novel, The Last Enchanter, which you don't want to miss.

I am still working away at Book 7 in the Tales of Goldstone Wood. I have been hoping to finish it by the end of October, but there is still rather a monstrous amount of novel to go, and I have so many irons in the fire . . . so I'm not certain about that deadline just now. Prayers would be appreciated! I do hope and expect to officially announce the title--and hints as to the storyline--for that book in November. And I should be planning a cover reveal for January, Lord willing, so keep your eyes open for that!

I had a sudden epiphany about Book 8 last night. Book 8 has been sitting in rather a nebulous form in the back of my brain for years now. But as I'm coming closer to completing Book 7, Book 8 has been pushing itself closer to the forefront of my brain, demanding some consideration. And I was rather terrified to realize how little I actually knew about that story. Like most of my stories in early stages, it contained a number of seemingly disconnected threads and characters, but not that cohesive binding that would draw them all together.

But the binding came to me last night. I suddenly realized what needed to happen in order to make these storylines fit. At least, I think I realized. I won't know for sure until I sit down and start working on it. When I think about it, however, it is no longer like observing a cloud. It's like observing a distant mountain peak appearing through that cloud . . . and realizing I have to climb all the way up there . . .

But climbing a mountain is so much easier than climbing a cloud!

I have recently signed new mentoring students, and recently lost a few others (Oh, college! You thief in the night!). I miss those students, though I wish them well in their budding academic careers. And I have other students who are still with me. Hannah of The Writer's Window has now been working with me for a year, which is amazing! Her story, Moonscript, and her characters have become like dear friends to me by now.

By the way, I do have two mentoring slots available if any of you are interested in signing up! Email me to let me know (aestengl@gmail.com). Details about the service can be found here.

I think the time might be coming soon to do another set of interview features for all of my students and their works. Whet your appetites for all the good reading coming as soon as these stories are complete, polished, and have found their way to publishing homes!

In the meanwhile . . .

Have you seen Dame Imraldera's Library, which is hosted by imps Hannah and Beka? It's a gathering place for Goldstone Wood fan fiction and fan art, both from the contests and others submitted just for fun. Two recent tales have been added which were not featured in contests. "Clipped Wings," by Meredith Burton and "The Lady of Ice," by Charissa. If you're looking for some exciting storytelling and elegant writing, do have a look.

Oh, do any of you remember the read-along I hosted for Heartless last Christmas? Well . . . I might be doing one for Veiled Rose this year! I might. This is the plan, anyway. This is the plan if I can get Book 7 drafted in time. And possibly even if I can't. Don't share the banner or anything yet, but you can start dusting off your copies of Veiled Rose, because I do hope to settle in for a nice read with all of you come December 1!


Rather a perfect year for it, since we'll be doing this read-along right after Goddess Tithe's release . . . and Goddess Tithe is so tied up with the events of Veiled Rose. It will be fun to revisit the full-length novel in light of the shorter novella.

All right, I must go. Makoose has settled in upon my lap and is using his soft white paws to make my stomach nice and squishy. So I think that means I must write . . . .