Anne Elisabeth Stengl's Blog, page 5
July 28, 2015
Launch Week - Five Enchanted Roses
And we are back with day two of our week-long celebration of Five Enchanted Roses and the five authors who made this book possible! Today we are featuring Savannah Jezowski, whose story, "Wither," was the very first one picked for this collection. A fantastically frightening and strangely beautiful tale that has already left its mark on early readers . . .
INTRODUCINGSAVANNAH JEZOWSKI
How did you find out about the Five Enchanted Roses contest?
Savannah Jezowski: I was already a fan of the Goldstone Wood Series and one of Anne Elisabeth’s mentoring students. I entered the Five Glass Slipperscontest the year before and knew before the subject of the second contest was even revealed that I would be entering. I created a story world for the "Cinderella" contest that I felt needed further developing and was determined to branch out and explore some alternate stories in the same story world—a world I call the Neverway. Ironically enough, I was already putting together some ideas for a “Sleeping Beauty” story . . . and then “Beauty and the Beast” was announced, and I realized I had the right idea all along . . . I simply had the wrong Beauty.
Did your story idea spring immediately to mind or did you have to work to find it?
Savannah Jezowski: As I said, the story world had already been established. I knew that the Neverway was the setting for my story. I simply had to figure out what kind of characters would do the beloved fairy tale justice and still seem natural in my spooky, enigmatic world. I brainstormed with my husband and Marmie for a few days, playing with multiple ideas. I knew that I wanted roses to be significant—with a title like Five Enchanted Roses, I knew they would have to be. I even considered a humorous and outlandish storyline with a Cyborg beast and a spunky Beauty searching for her missing father on an airship . . . but the characters just did not grab me. I wanted a unique but still familiar retelling, with characters as endearing as the ones from the Broadway musical. Around this time, I also decided that I wanted the Beast to be as strong a presence as Beauty, perhaps even telling the story completely from his viewpoint. All at once, the pieces began to fall into place—the terrifying and tragic hero, the spunky but awkward Beauty, a brooding castle filled with mysterious but endearing servants. All these were familiar characters from the original tale, but when they began to explore the Neverway, bit by bit, they came into their own.What makes this retelling of the classic tale uniquely special to you?
Savannah Jezowski: Corwin’s journey is the heart of my story. I did not want to tell the usual tale about a Beast who was cursed by an enchantress who then disappears and never reappears in the story. I wanted to dig deeper into what made him a monster, and what made him heroic. The idea came to me to create new circumstances for the Beast, to create circumstances for his ugliness that were not the result of his bad character . . . but rather a result of his good character. His true struggle would not come in escaping his outward appearance, but in maintaining his integrity and staying true to his calling. At this point, I began to realize how deeply I was sharing my own story while telling the tales of Corwin and Bet. I began to draw upon the questions I had asked in the darker times, upon the fears I had faced when I was alone for weeks on end while my husband drove long distance for a trucking company and while all of my family lived on the other side of the country. Out of my own struggles, theirs emerged.
If you had to pick a favorite fairy tale, which would it be and why?
Savannah Jezowski: When I was a little girl I liked "Cinderella" and "The Little Mermaid." I liked the star-crossed lovers, the pretty dresses, the dancing, the handsome princes . . . but when I got older, "Beauty and the Beast" became my favorite fairy tale, partially because I loved the music, but mostly because I felt the themes in the story had so much significance. In our world, where movie stars are more famous than real life heroes, I think we all need to be reminded that our outward appearance pales in comparison to the condition of our hearts. I also like that there are sacrifices made in this tale—when Beauty sacrifices her freedom for her father, when the Beast gives up his future to give Beauty back her freedom. I also love that theirs is a slow, painful love story—they grow to love one another once they put aside their prejudices and take the time to truly get to know one another. It seems more realistic than a “Love at first sight” scenario. Although we do not read fairy tales for their realism, the truer the tale, the closer it will hit to home. True love is often gritty and desperate. It is refined in difficult times and on dark days. It is a journey of small steps, of awkward looks, of blossoming affections that gradually lead to unbreakable bonds. Truly, of all the fairy tales, I feel this one is the most romantic. Keeping in mind the many themes of the classic fairy tale, have you ever experienced a "Beauty and the Beast" moment in your life?
Savannah Jezowski: In so many respects, I often feel like the Beastly character, while my husband is the kind, generous Beautiful one who loves me in spite of my shortcomings. I fear, of the two of us, I would be the one more prone to stumbling into curses and needing to be rescued and reminded of the things that truly matter. I sometimes feel like such an ugly duckling, and then my White Knight looks at me, with that dreamy “I think you’re adorable” look on his face, and then I feel like a princess even though I can’t figure out why he likes me so much. It’s tAs a fun conclusion, I thought I would share my favorite song from the Broadway production of this timeless tale.“If I Can’t Love Her." _________________
SAVANNAH JEZOWSKI lives in a drafty farmhouse in Amish country with her Knight in Shining Armor, who is no less shiny after eight years of matrimony, and a loyal brigade of kitties, who may or may not sleep on the job. Her work has been published in Ray Gun Revival, Mindflights, and in the student publication of Fountains at Pensacola Christian College. She likes books, faeries, writing hats, and having tea with her imaginary friends.
GIVEAWAY!
In honor of this exciting release, the authors of Five Enchanted Roses have teamed up with Rooglewood Press to offer an exciting Giveaway Bundle for one lucky winner! Included in the bundle will be:
1 print copy of Five Enchanted Roses
1 "Book of Omens" red leather journal from Kaycee Browning1 Lilla Rose cameo hair clip from Savannah Jezowski1 pressed rose bookmark from Jenelle Schmidt1 pair of jaguar sunglasses from Dorian Tsukioka1 gorgeous rose and pearl necklace
If you would like to enter your name for a chance to win this awesome bundle, here's what you do:
Share any of the following images (or any of the images from our Launch Week Celebration) on your social media sites -- Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, blogs, etc.
For every image that you share, copy a link and compile all your links into a list. Send your link list in an email to David Cross (david.cross@rooglewoodpress.com) using the subject header: "Five Enchanted Roses Giveaway." Be sure to send him your links NO LATER THAN MONDAY, AUGUST 3. The winner will be selected later that week.
You may also gain one free entry by leaving a comment for Savannah down below, congratulating her on her new story or asking her a question about "Wither."Have fun spreading the news about this awesome new collection from Rooglewood Press!
__________________Don't forget to purchase your copy of Five Enchanted Roses today! Add the book to your Goodreads shelves and let your reader friends know how much you enjoy these beautiful tales.
July 27, 2015
Launch Week - Five Enchanted Roses
Dear readers, welcome to a week of celebration! TODAY marks the launching of Five Enchanted Roses, an all-new collection of "Beauty and the Beast" stories from Rooglewood Press, and the authors and I are pretty much thrilled!
To start the party, I am featuring Kaycee Browning, the talented young author of the very first story in the collection, "Esprit de la Rose." This piratical adventure novel has already beguiled early readers with its breezy combination of charm and spookiness. Here's a little more about that story . . .
INTRODUCINGKAYCEE BROWNING
How did you find out about the Five Enchanted Roses contest?
Kaycee Browning: Short answer: Jenelle Schmidt. Long Answer: I became a fan of Jenelle's after reading King's Warrior when I was twelve years old (and then discovering we attended the same church, and then inadvertently babysitting her daughter... but that's a longer story). I followed her blog and I followed her progress as she prepared a story for the FiveGlass Slippers contest. Even though she was not one of the five winners, I bought the intriguing collection. I loved all five of the Cinderella retellings. I especially loved the little advertisement at the end of the collection- it featured a gorgeous cover with the title Five Enchanted Roses. I was pleased to see that the next contest focused on my favorite fairy tale. I sincerely hoped Jenelle would enter because Jenelle's writing + Beauty and the Beast = even more awesomesauce, but I had no intention of entering. I was too busy with my original novel. Or, at least, I thought I was.
Did your story spring immediately to mind or did you have to work to find the right tale to tell?
Kaycee Browning: Like I said, I had absolutely no intention of entering the contest. I planned to spend all available time working on my novel, Hail Frost.
Then my grandad died.
He died in the middle of my junior year of high school. I was swamped with schoolwork, SAT, ACT, and AP exams, college visitations, and stress. My family and I drove down to Georgia, attended the funeral, and then returned to North Carolina. I had an anatomy test and an AP exam the very next weekend.
Kaycee with her grandparents and siblings.I cried once for about five minutes during the entire ordeal. I remember being briefly concerned by this. I loved Grandad. He had been one of the first people to encourage me to write. He was the source of so much inspiration and so much happiness. Why wasn't I more upset? Why wasn't I wrestling with sadness, like my brother, sisters, relatives, and parents? I wondered, but then I picked up my ACT prep book. I could think about it later.
That summer, exams and school and stress finally over, we went to stay at a beach condo in Florida. I was very excited. I would finally have time to write! I could finally work on Hail Frost!
Nothing. I could write nothing. I could read over what I had written, I could know in my head what needed to happen, but I could not make my fingers type. I could not move.
That was terrifying.
I nearly cried, but my sisters were in the room and I didn't want to try to explain what I could not explain, so I hastily clicked over to the spotty Internet and started blog-hopping.
I don't know which blog it was, possibly Jenelle's, but I was again reminded of the Five Enchanted Roses contest. I allowed myself a brief moment of fancy; what Beauty and the Beast story would I tell?
A pirate ship. The silhouette of a man in a tricorn hat. Cold blue lights. Mermaids.
"Esprit de la Rose" istantly sprung to life.
What makes this retelling of the tale uniquely special to you?
Kaycee Browning: I wrote my first novel when I was thirteen years old. It was a pirate adventure titled Shadow's Fire, featuring a shy but strong heroine, an enigmatic pirate lad, an evil government scheme, and epic ship battles. It also featured poor narration, deus ex machina, inconsistent plot, and a complete lack of character development. I love Shadow's Fire, but very few people have and ever will read it. Grandad was one of the few who read it. I think I was grieving Grandad, in a way, by abandoning my usual genre of quirky sci-fi/fantasy for pirates once again.
Also, grace is one of the main themes of Esprit. While writing Esprit, I went through some huge character development myself. I learned the true meaning of grace. I learned the true significance of mercy. I learned that I had been playing the role of a villain for most of my life, especially when it came to judging others. It felt good, almost cleansing, to put thoughts I had actually harbored into the mouth of a fictional villain. Those are my two “deeper” reasons for finding Esprit special. Here are some fun reasons!
Pirates have always been a bit of an obsession of mine. During middle-school, I was the queen of pirate trivia. I would often corner my poor friends and siblings and quiz them. “Which of these flags belonged to Blackbeard?” “What are the names of the two most well-known female pirates and which captain did they sail under?” “Which of the following killed Henry Morgan: a cannon ball, old age, rum overdose, or sickness?” When my poor victims floundered for answers to these oh so important questions, I smirked and would recount the proper answer, along with a bunch of other pirate facts. I'm so glad I'm not such a dweeb now! (BTW, the answers to the above are “The one with the skeleton stabbing the heart”, “Anne Bonny and Mary Read served under Captain Jack Rackham”, and “sickness possibly caused by rum overdose”.)
I have always been fascinated by colors, lights, and the water- especially when all three are combined. The Beast's transformation scene in Disney's film is my favorite piece of animation for this very reason. There's a lot of imagery in Esprit involving brilliant colors, flashing lights, and ocean water. I had a lot of fun simply thinking about the story, because I found it eerily beautiful.
While outlining the story, I was learning quite a lot about grace. To try to push myself to show grace to everyone, I decided to think of personality traits that I despise. I gave those traits to the Beast character and then I challenged myself to like him. This was fun, though I still can't exactly bring myself to like real-life people with those particular traits. At least I can show them understanding and grace now.
If you had to pick a favorite fairy tale, which would it be and why?
Kaycee Browning: My favorite fairy tale is definitely Beauty and the Beast, but I also love a rather unknown Grimm fairy tale titled The Robber Bridegroom. In the tale, a young maiden is forced to marry a wandering, and evidently rich, stranger. The stranger only wants her because she is beautiful, and her father is only pushing her to marry to earn money. She is suspicious of the stranger, but she has no power to refuse. Her betrothed insists she visit his cabin deep in the woods. She goes, but she spies on him before entering. She watches as he and a gang of thugs brutally murder a young girl. She returns home without him ever knowing what she saw. At the wedding, she tricks her bridegroom into giving himself away. He is arrested, and she escapes both an unwanted marriage and her own murder. I love this tale because, while the world was exceedingly unfair to the poor protagonist, she used what she had- a quick mind and clever wit- to save herself and no doubt many others. She did not whine or sob or beg. She thought her way out of her problem. I doubt Disney will ever make a movie out of this particular story (lol), but I wish more people knew of it.
Keeping in mind the many themes of the classic fairy tale, have you ever experienced a “Beauty and the Beast” moment in your life?
Kaycee Browning: I can think of several distinct "Beauty and the Beast" moments in my life, but there is one in particular that stands out in my memory. It was when I realized it was fun to be different.
I can't pinpoint an exact day or time when this happened. I do know it was a slow and sub-conscious process that built into an epiphany.
I first realized I was a bit different when I overheard some criticisms as to how I was being parented. I was around nine years old. I loved reading Greek mythology, fantasy, and fairy tales. I scowled and stormed at even the mention of romance, lady-like behavior, or any attempt to “boss me around”. I was always in blue jeans and T-shirts. Within my community, I was different. And, from what I gathered, different was bad.
I set my jaw and determinedly plucked up my plastic sword. I stubbornly endeavored to be even more different. There's a twisted type of power in being able to make others predictably mad by unpredictable actions. I was rude and abrasive and I certainly was not having fun. I was just trying to prove a point. What that point was, I didn't know and I still don't know.
I was around fourteen years old when I finally realized why I was so unhappy. It was because I was spending all of my energy on trying to make others uncomfortable to make up for the fact that I was uncomfortable. I don't know when it happened, but I suddenly realized that yes, I was different. Yes, it was okay to be different. Yes, I needed to be who I wanted to be. But I finally realized that I did not need to be so obnoxious about it! I needed to simply be who I was and not care at all what others thought. I realized that I had spent so much energy on trying to make people irritated I was not enjoying the differences I pretended to love. I decided to stop paying any heed to what people said. I decided to just be me.
I have no idea what people think about me. I do know I'm a much more likable person now. I know I'm nerdy, practical, ambitious, stubborn, brave, and different. And I know that I am having so much fun! The theme of "Beauty and the Beast" that has always resonated with me is that people are different. Because of our differences, the same person might be viewed as a hero from one perspective and a beast from another. The same person might be viewed as beautiful one moment and crazy the next. The same person might seem charismatic and handsome on the outside, but vile and vain on the inside. There are so many perspectives in the world that in the end, the best thing to do is to simply be kind to yourself and be kind to others. You can't change the perspectives of the world. You can only change yourself. That, to me, is a truly beautiful concept.
___________________________________
KAYCEE BROWNING is a homeschooled teenager living in North Carolina. She wrote her first novel when she was thirteen and published a novel at age fifteen. When not writing, she is most likely amusing herself by reading, fangirling, hanging out with friends, or (occasionally) doing her schoolwork. She resides with her two amazing parents, her three awesome siblings, and her two bossy dachshunds.
GIVEAWAY!
In honor of this exciting release, the authors of Five Enchanted Roses have teamed up with Rooglewood Press to offer an exciting Giveaway Bundle for one lucky winner! Included in the bundle will be:
1 print copy of Five Enchanted Roses 1 "Book of Omens" red leather journal from Kaycee Browning1 Lilla Rose cameo hair clip from Savannah Jezowski1 pressed rose bookmark from Jenelle Schmidt1 pair of jaguar sunglasses from Dorian Tsukioka1 gorgeous rose and pearl necklaceIf you would like to enter your name for a chance to win this awesome bundle, here's what you do:
Share any of the following images (or any of the images from our Launch Week Celebration) on your social media sites -- Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, blogs, etc.
For every image that you share, copy a link and compile all your links into a list. Send your link list in an email to David Cross (david.cross@rooglewoodpress.com) using the subject header: "Five Enchanted Roses Giveaway." Be sure to send him your links NO LATER THAN MONDAY, AUGUST 3. The winner will be selected later that week.
You may also gain one free entry by leaving a comment for Kaycee down below, congratulating her on her new story or asking her a question about "Esprit de la Rose."
Have fun spreading the news about this awesome new collection from Rooglewood Press!
______________Don't forget to come to the LAUNCH PARTY tonight on Facebook and chat with the five authors themselves! Fun insider's scoop on each of these awesome stories and a good time to be had by all. See you there!
July 21, 2015
Cool Eating in July
I should be working on Poison Crown. Yes. I admit it. And I WAS working on Poison Crown, I promise! But . . . I hit a snag in the scene, and I need to step back from it for a little bit . . . give the characters time to think about their actions and see if they want to play nice later . . .
And in the meanwhile, I thought I'd post a random blog post for all of you. And my topic is: sandwich wraps.
I know. I told you it's random.
Here's the thing--Most of the praise for culinary mastery goes to Rohan here at Drakenheath, and deservedly so. But the truth is, since I'm the one who works from home, I do the majority of the cooking. And while it is a rare day that I come close to equaling my sweet husband's prowess in the kitchen, I do have my moments.
And I am going to write about TWO of those most recent moments now . . . and, in the process, possibly give you recipes you might like to try.
While living in North Carolina in the middle of July, my primary focus in the kitchen is finding something I want to eat in this hot weather. Something cool and refreshing. And something healthy. (Rohan rolls his eyes at this. He doesn't believe in healthy cooking, per se . . . which is one reason why his food always tastes so much better!)
This summer, I've been on a sandwich wrap kick, and the following are two recipes I have hodge-podged together that have become favorites in Drakenheath. Because I don't LIKE being in the kitchen for any longer than is absolutely necessary, both of these recipes are great because, after the initial prep work is done, you've got quite a lot of food to last you for several days. I like to do prep for these over the weekend or on Monday evening, and then enjoy easy throw-together meals for the rest of the week!
First off, I give you . . . my very own special favorite Mediterranean Sandwich Wrap! (I'm very proud of this one. Well, I'm very proud of both of them.)
Sadly, I have no pictures (this is a writing blog, not cooking blog, after all), so please just trust me when I say, this turns out looking rather beautiful.
First you need slow-cooker chicken. I like to get a package of organic chicken thighs (maybe eight pieces? Somewhere thereabouts . . . as you'll see through the rest of this recipe, I'm not exactly a precise cook). I put them in the slow cooker with a dollop of olive oil (approximately 2 tablespoons, maybe?) and enough chicken broth to mostly cover them. Then I season them with . . .
Paprika
Garlic Powder
Dried Sage
Dried Rosemary
Oregano
Basil
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper
No precise measurements here either. My method with seasoning is, shake-shake-shake-shake-that-looks-good! I would like to claim this as part of my great culinary genius . . . but alas, it's actually due to my extreme laziness, which prevents me from going through the bother of fetching measuring spoons. (I will say that I emphasize the paprika and the garlic powder over the rest of the seasonings.)
Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 5-6. The chicken should be falling apart when it's done, very easy to shred with two forks. You can go ahead and use it in your wraps that same day, if you don't mind the meat being hot. I like to store it in a container and serve it cold the next day, however.
When you're ready to assemble your wrap, you will need:
Tomato -- chopped in large chunks
Cucumber -- either sliced thin or chopped in chunks. I've done both.
Spring Mix Lettuce OR Fresh Spinach -- Seriously, both are delicious
Red Onion -- either sliced or diced. I like red onion, so I'll eat it in slices, but Rohan prefers it to be diced small.
Kalamata Olives -- I used to buy a jar of whole olives and halve them. Then I discovered, wonder of all wonders, they also COME PRE-HALVED! I just need to pick up the jar that is clearly labeled "halved." So easy! (Is this not a beautiful world, my friends?)
Pepperoncini Peppers -- These ALSO come pre-sliced in a jar. Such a glorious discovery.
Sandwich Wraps -- Easy to find in your bread section of the grocery store. I like to get the green ones because they are pretty.
Feta Cheese -- You can use regular or try one of the fancy flavors, like tomato basil! You can also skip the cheese if you like. It adds decadence, but the wrap is quite wonderful without it.
So you put a handful of lettuce down the center of your wrap, top it with shredded chicken and your mixture of veggies and the feta cheese. If you want a dressing, I have tried it with Green Goddess dressing, which is both tasty and healthy. Rohan likes it with his favorite Girard's Champagne Dressing. Or if you prefer to skip the dressing, you can try it the NEW way I just discovered, which is . . .
Hummus -- Spread a spoonful of hummus on the wrap before piling up the veggies. Completely delicious with the rest of the flavor profile and even more healthy! Rohan's homemade hummus is the best, but for quick and easy, I've been buying Sabra Hummus, which comes in a variety of awesome flavors.
Anyway, I know it looks terribly complex, but it's really SO SIMPLE. And once you've chopped the veggies, you can just store them in plastic containers in the refrigerator for several days, just like the chicken. Then all you have to do is a super-quick assembly, and you've got an amazing assortment of raw veggies added to your diet in a completely simple and delicious manner.
Also, if you want to shake up the chicken recipe, I've done the exact same thing with pork, and it's equally amazing. If you're vegetarian, you could probably do it with garbanzo beans as well.
______________________
Now, on to my second Sandwich Wrap of this random post. This is my Best Chicken Salad In the World Ever Sandwich Wrap:
So this is another experiment of randomly assembled ingredients, but trust me . . . it's delicious! I just made it last week, and Rohan is already asking when I'll make it again. It's just that good!
Here's what I do . . . I again use chicken thighs (though only four pieces, this time), and I put them in the slow cooker with just enough chicken broth to cover them and a bit of salt and pepper. Cook on low 7-8 hours, shred with two forks, and store in a container overnight. Or, if you want them that day, put the shredded chicken on a plate and pop it into the refrigerator to cool while you prep the rest of your ingredients.
For the rest you will need:
Golden Raisins -- Several handfuls. I just poured them in until I thought there were enough. Maybe 1 cup worth? Or a little more
Craisins -- Same as the raisins above
Diced Celery -- Two sticks. I don't like the texture of celery, but I diced these quite small, and they add a great crunch and brightness.
Diced Red Onion -- Maybe half an onion. Just little pieces.
Honey Roasted Almond Slices -- I found these among the salad toppings at my local grocery store, thought they looked good, and gave them a try. They were AWESOME in this salad!
Mayonnaise and Greek Yogurt -- These two I used in equal parts. Maybe start with half a cup of each, and if it doesn't seem wet enough, add more by the spoonful, still keeping in equal parts. The mayonnaise brings flavor but can quickly start to taste . . . cheap, I guess. The Greek Yogurt adds freshness.
A dash of Salt
A dash of Pepper
Mix all of the above with your cooled shredded chicken. It makes quite a lot, so you'll have leftovers for several days!
I put this with a handful of spring mix lettuce on a sandwich wrap . . . and ended up with one of the most delicious, cool, refreshing sandwiches ever! I don't think I have ever before had a chicken salad I liked this much. Definitely a Rohan-pleaser as well.
All right, so there you have it. My two favorite recipes for Cool Eating in July. If you're willing to do the prep-work in advance, these are such great, easy meals, both of them very tasty!
Now I will turn the kitchen back over to my husband . . . and get back to work on cooking up a little fantasy adventuring . . .
What are some of YOUR favorite summertime recipes? I need to menu plan!
And in the meanwhile, I thought I'd post a random blog post for all of you. And my topic is: sandwich wraps.
I know. I told you it's random.
Here's the thing--Most of the praise for culinary mastery goes to Rohan here at Drakenheath, and deservedly so. But the truth is, since I'm the one who works from home, I do the majority of the cooking. And while it is a rare day that I come close to equaling my sweet husband's prowess in the kitchen, I do have my moments.
And I am going to write about TWO of those most recent moments now . . . and, in the process, possibly give you recipes you might like to try.
While living in North Carolina in the middle of July, my primary focus in the kitchen is finding something I want to eat in this hot weather. Something cool and refreshing. And something healthy. (Rohan rolls his eyes at this. He doesn't believe in healthy cooking, per se . . . which is one reason why his food always tastes so much better!)
This summer, I've been on a sandwich wrap kick, and the following are two recipes I have hodge-podged together that have become favorites in Drakenheath. Because I don't LIKE being in the kitchen for any longer than is absolutely necessary, both of these recipes are great because, after the initial prep work is done, you've got quite a lot of food to last you for several days. I like to do prep for these over the weekend or on Monday evening, and then enjoy easy throw-together meals for the rest of the week!
First off, I give you . . . my very own special favorite Mediterranean Sandwich Wrap! (I'm very proud of this one. Well, I'm very proud of both of them.)
Sadly, I have no pictures (this is a writing blog, not cooking blog, after all), so please just trust me when I say, this turns out looking rather beautiful.
First you need slow-cooker chicken. I like to get a package of organic chicken thighs (maybe eight pieces? Somewhere thereabouts . . . as you'll see through the rest of this recipe, I'm not exactly a precise cook). I put them in the slow cooker with a dollop of olive oil (approximately 2 tablespoons, maybe?) and enough chicken broth to mostly cover them. Then I season them with . . .
Paprika
Garlic Powder
Dried Sage
Dried Rosemary
Oregano
Basil
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper
No precise measurements here either. My method with seasoning is, shake-shake-shake-shake-that-looks-good! I would like to claim this as part of my great culinary genius . . . but alas, it's actually due to my extreme laziness, which prevents me from going through the bother of fetching measuring spoons. (I will say that I emphasize the paprika and the garlic powder over the rest of the seasonings.)
Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 5-6. The chicken should be falling apart when it's done, very easy to shred with two forks. You can go ahead and use it in your wraps that same day, if you don't mind the meat being hot. I like to store it in a container and serve it cold the next day, however.
When you're ready to assemble your wrap, you will need:
Tomato -- chopped in large chunks
Cucumber -- either sliced thin or chopped in chunks. I've done both.
Spring Mix Lettuce OR Fresh Spinach -- Seriously, both are delicious
Red Onion -- either sliced or diced. I like red onion, so I'll eat it in slices, but Rohan prefers it to be diced small.
Kalamata Olives -- I used to buy a jar of whole olives and halve them. Then I discovered, wonder of all wonders, they also COME PRE-HALVED! I just need to pick up the jar that is clearly labeled "halved." So easy! (Is this not a beautiful world, my friends?)
Pepperoncini Peppers -- These ALSO come pre-sliced in a jar. Such a glorious discovery.
Sandwich Wraps -- Easy to find in your bread section of the grocery store. I like to get the green ones because they are pretty.
Feta Cheese -- You can use regular or try one of the fancy flavors, like tomato basil! You can also skip the cheese if you like. It adds decadence, but the wrap is quite wonderful without it.
So you put a handful of lettuce down the center of your wrap, top it with shredded chicken and your mixture of veggies and the feta cheese. If you want a dressing, I have tried it with Green Goddess dressing, which is both tasty and healthy. Rohan likes it with his favorite Girard's Champagne Dressing. Or if you prefer to skip the dressing, you can try it the NEW way I just discovered, which is . . .
Hummus -- Spread a spoonful of hummus on the wrap before piling up the veggies. Completely delicious with the rest of the flavor profile and even more healthy! Rohan's homemade hummus is the best, but for quick and easy, I've been buying Sabra Hummus, which comes in a variety of awesome flavors.
Anyway, I know it looks terribly complex, but it's really SO SIMPLE. And once you've chopped the veggies, you can just store them in plastic containers in the refrigerator for several days, just like the chicken. Then all you have to do is a super-quick assembly, and you've got an amazing assortment of raw veggies added to your diet in a completely simple and delicious manner.
Also, if you want to shake up the chicken recipe, I've done the exact same thing with pork, and it's equally amazing. If you're vegetarian, you could probably do it with garbanzo beans as well.
______________________
Now, on to my second Sandwich Wrap of this random post. This is my Best Chicken Salad In the World Ever Sandwich Wrap:
So this is another experiment of randomly assembled ingredients, but trust me . . . it's delicious! I just made it last week, and Rohan is already asking when I'll make it again. It's just that good!
Here's what I do . . . I again use chicken thighs (though only four pieces, this time), and I put them in the slow cooker with just enough chicken broth to cover them and a bit of salt and pepper. Cook on low 7-8 hours, shred with two forks, and store in a container overnight. Or, if you want them that day, put the shredded chicken on a plate and pop it into the refrigerator to cool while you prep the rest of your ingredients.
For the rest you will need:
Golden Raisins -- Several handfuls. I just poured them in until I thought there were enough. Maybe 1 cup worth? Or a little more
Craisins -- Same as the raisins above
Diced Celery -- Two sticks. I don't like the texture of celery, but I diced these quite small, and they add a great crunch and brightness.
Diced Red Onion -- Maybe half an onion. Just little pieces.
Honey Roasted Almond Slices -- I found these among the salad toppings at my local grocery store, thought they looked good, and gave them a try. They were AWESOME in this salad!
Mayonnaise and Greek Yogurt -- These two I used in equal parts. Maybe start with half a cup of each, and if it doesn't seem wet enough, add more by the spoonful, still keeping in equal parts. The mayonnaise brings flavor but can quickly start to taste . . . cheap, I guess. The Greek Yogurt adds freshness.
A dash of Salt
A dash of Pepper
Mix all of the above with your cooled shredded chicken. It makes quite a lot, so you'll have leftovers for several days!
I put this with a handful of spring mix lettuce on a sandwich wrap . . . and ended up with one of the most delicious, cool, refreshing sandwiches ever! I don't think I have ever before had a chicken salad I liked this much. Definitely a Rohan-pleaser as well.
All right, so there you have it. My two favorite recipes for Cool Eating in July. If you're willing to do the prep-work in advance, these are such great, easy meals, both of them very tasty!
Now I will turn the kitchen back over to my husband . . . and get back to work on cooking up a little fantasy adventuring . . .
What are some of YOUR favorite summertime recipes? I need to menu plan!
July 20, 2015
Fan Fiction Contest - UPDATE
All right, dear Imps, I am UPDATING the schedule for the Fan Fiction Contest! Rather than being due on August 1, I am instead asking that all submissions to the contest be sent to me no later than August 28.
The submissions will be posted on September 1, and voting will last through September 12, with the winners announced on September 13.
Hopefully this will give all of you a little more breathing room as you work on your stories. The rest of the rules remain the same, and you can check them out here.
Looking forward to reading your work!
July 17, 2015
Doings at Drakenheath
The month of July is more than half over, and I realized I have not yet written up my Doings post! So here I am, dear Imps, and here are the Doings as they currently stand:
The most pressing doing is, of course, Five Enchanted Roses.
The book launches in just a little over a week, and this last week has been mostly spent in all the finalizing details involved in prepping for launch. Which involved a couple of last minute, unexpected tasks that had me and my lead editor scrambling for a few days there! But the issue was resolved and very handily as well, and I have to say . . . I think the end result is a collection of beautiful, varied, and tremendously fun stories. I am so proud of both my team at Rooglewood Press and the authors themselves, who worked very hard over the last several months to make this launch possible! Most of you probably aren't aware of how much work goes on behind the scenes after the contest is over. Because, for the winners, that's really just the first step in the process.
But it's an exciting process, and all five of these authors dove in with so much enthusiasm. I could not have asked for a better collection, not only of stories, but of people. I did not think I would be able to find five authors who would be as much fun to work with as my wonderful Glass Slippers authors were last year! These five, however, rose to the challenge.
And now I can hardly wait to see who I end up working with for Five Magic Spindles!
To celebrate the launch of Five Enchanted Roses on July 27, Rooglewood Press is hosting a Chat Party on Facebook. I know many of you don't have Facebook, but you are welcome to visit the page and read along even if you cannot comment! And you will still be eligible to participate in the giveaway . . . which is quite grand, as you can see from the picture here. Along with a print copy of the final book, the lucky winner will receive a red leather journal from Kaycee Browning, a gorgeous hair clip from Savannah Jezowski, a pressed-rose bookmark from Jenelle Schmidt, a pair of jaguar sunglasses from Dorian Tsukioka, and a gorgeous rose necklace.
So be watching for the giveaway rules! They're quite simple, really, and I'll be posting them here as well as on the event page by July 27.
All is still quiet on the Five Magic Spindles front at the moment. We've received the first submission forms, but no stories yet, so I'm guessing everyone is hard at work polishing up submissions. My assorted first-round judges are waiting eagerly, so don't be shy, brave writers! Your audience awaits your tales! Little rumors and story notions float back to me here and there, so I have a vague inkling of some of the submissions due to come in over the next few months. And I have to say, they sound SO exciting! So different from what we've received from previous collections, which is also very exciting. I want each collection to have its own distinct flavor, and I am very eager to put together another set of five stories that stands out from the crowd.
But we will see! It's still very early days for this contest. Hard to believe that a year from now, I will (Lord willing!) be in the midst of launching this whole new collection. Stories which, even now, are being written. An exciting thought . . .
Be certain to check out the contest and rules if you haven't already. It's a great opportunity for new writers who are looking for a first time publishing experience AND for more established writers looking for an exciting way to grow their reading audiences! Take a moment to explore the blogs of such contest winners as Emma Clifton, Stephanie Ricker, and Savannah Jezowksi, who have used their wins as a means to springboard spinoff works, giving readers more of what they loved in the anthologies. Some of the other winners, including Rachel Heffington, Jenelle Schmidt, and Dorian Tsukioka, already had budding indie careers and have used this opportunity to grow their markets. Definitely some smart authors, who might just give you that extra boost of inspiration as you follow their careers (and, of course, read their books)!
Okay, so . . . Poison Crown . . .
This is the big Doing still. The huge, enormous, completely life-swallowing Doing. The Doing that is always so close and yet so far away . . .
Poison Crown is . . . making progress. Faster progress now, as it is the primary task on my plate from now through the next few months. However, as I believe I already mentioned in an earlier post, Volume I will not be launching this autumn as originally intended. The current plan is to see both Volume I and Volume II launch in 2016, hopefully within three months of each other.
Anyway, I'll probably take time to blog more about this development later. But for now, rest assured--I am still working at it like mad! It's simply a much bigger and more difficult project than I could have anticipated, and some unforeseen setbacks happened which, well, set me back.
I truly am sorry, though! I hate missing deadlines. But this was a particularly aggressive deadline, more aggressive than I at first realized. More aggressive than I could have realized until I dove into the project. It is coming, however. And I fully intend to make certain it is worth the wait . . .
I've already got BOTH of the cover designs in, by the way! And they are FANTASTICALLY awesome. I kind of hate having to sit on them for the time being. Eventually . . . eventually I'll get to share . . . and I rather think you'll love them.
In the meanwhile, we all have the Goldstone Wood Fan Fiction Contest to look forward to!
Prize Journal Cover If you haven't had a chance to check out the rules yet, you absolutely should. It's going to be quite a fun contest, judging form the submissions already sent in. I did realize that I set a much tighter deadline for this one than I ordinarily do . . . I believe I usually give you two months, but this time really only gave you one. So let me know in the comments if you guys want a little more time! An extra two weeks or something. I am happy to extend that deadline for all of you. If not, that's fine as well. We'll continue as is. As I said, there are some great pieces already submitted.
And the prize this year is particularly fun! The three winners will all receive a beautiful, personalized, hardbound journal . . .
What do you think? Kind of pretty, right?
Another exciting project in the works right now is the audiobook version of Draven's Light! Having been SO impressed by EverRising Productions submission to the Goldstone Wood Music Contest, we went ahead and hired them to produce this audiobook. I received the first chapter from narrator Stephen Shutt earlier this week and have been listening to it as I have time over the last few days. Oh, my goodness! It's going to be so beautiful! I particularly love his voice for Etanun, who sounds very . . . powerful. Perfect, honestly.
I'm very excited to be pursing this project and look forward to launching it for all of you.
We are also on the cusp of the audiobook for Five Enchanted Roses. We sent the final document to our narrator, Becky Doughty, along with the pretty music clip. It's going to be gorgeous! I have a quilt in waiting to work on as I spend several hours proof-listening (as opposed to proof-reading) this book. I anticipate quite an enjoyable time.
My dear friend Esther came to visit me last week, which was fantastic! Esther is currently pursuing her doctorate in French literature, and has been spending this summer studying the Theory of the Sublime. Her conversation is much made up of Racine and Diderot, Rousseau and Sartre, all spoken of with such Enthusiasm (yet another theory she's studying, which is related to the Sublime), that one can hardly spend a day with her without finding oneself desperately eager to pick up and devour Phèdre or Huis Clos or Pensées philosophiques . . . a desire which is, sadly, much hampered by my inability to read French. (Those two years of college French are looooong gone . . .) But that's all right, because Esther can act out the best scenes from the best plays, and communicate her passion so effectively, one is left with at least a TASTE of what joy is to be found in the pursuit of higher education.
And she paid me the highest of compliments by saying I would have fit wonderfully into the literary scene of 16th-Century France! I don't remember the last time I've been so flattered . . .
Speaking of Sublime . . .
Sadly, her husband John (who is also pursuing his doctorate, though he is studying Physics . . . yes, they are one of THOSE couples!) was in Germany for a conference and unable to join us. Thus he missed out on Rohan's most recent culinary masterpiece--the Three-Days-To-Make-It-Lemon-Poppyseed-Raspberry-Curd-Butter-Cream Cake. A sad loss for any soul, and my spirit wept a little for John . . . as I gobbled up another slice . . .
Esther always makes a point to visit me once a year, a kindness this rather hermit-ish writer-type appreciates tremendously! We had a wonderful time, and I ended the visit feeling much refreshed and ready to tackle my work with more vim than I had been experiencing for weeks. (I also ordered English translations of several French literary works she recommended. So my reading is set for the next few months as well!) I look forward to more visits with her and her husband over the years . . . And one of these days, Rohan and I will make it out to Chicago to visit them in return.
Anyway, I think that's enough for the time being. I will speak more of other Doings as time permits, and will try to find time to write up a more detailed post on the progress of Poison Crown. In the meanwhile, I need to go MAKE more progress on Poison Crown . . .
How about you? Are you having a successful summer thus far? Working on any exciting projects, possibly of the "Sleeping Beauty" variety? Summer jobs? Summer camps? Summer travels? Do tell!
The most pressing doing is, of course, Five Enchanted Roses.
The book launches in just a little over a week, and this last week has been mostly spent in all the finalizing details involved in prepping for launch. Which involved a couple of last minute, unexpected tasks that had me and my lead editor scrambling for a few days there! But the issue was resolved and very handily as well, and I have to say . . . I think the end result is a collection of beautiful, varied, and tremendously fun stories. I am so proud of both my team at Rooglewood Press and the authors themselves, who worked very hard over the last several months to make this launch possible! Most of you probably aren't aware of how much work goes on behind the scenes after the contest is over. Because, for the winners, that's really just the first step in the process.But it's an exciting process, and all five of these authors dove in with so much enthusiasm. I could not have asked for a better collection, not only of stories, but of people. I did not think I would be able to find five authors who would be as much fun to work with as my wonderful Glass Slippers authors were last year! These five, however, rose to the challenge.
And now I can hardly wait to see who I end up working with for Five Magic Spindles!
To celebrate the launch of Five Enchanted Roses on July 27, Rooglewood Press is hosting a Chat Party on Facebook. I know many of you don't have Facebook, but you are welcome to visit the page and read along even if you cannot comment! And you will still be eligible to participate in the giveaway . . . which is quite grand, as you can see from the picture here. Along with a print copy of the final book, the lucky winner will receive a red leather journal from Kaycee Browning, a gorgeous hair clip from Savannah Jezowski, a pressed-rose bookmark from Jenelle Schmidt, a pair of jaguar sunglasses from Dorian Tsukioka, and a gorgeous rose necklace.So be watching for the giveaway rules! They're quite simple, really, and I'll be posting them here as well as on the event page by July 27.
All is still quiet on the Five Magic Spindles front at the moment. We've received the first submission forms, but no stories yet, so I'm guessing everyone is hard at work polishing up submissions. My assorted first-round judges are waiting eagerly, so don't be shy, brave writers! Your audience awaits your tales! Little rumors and story notions float back to me here and there, so I have a vague inkling of some of the submissions due to come in over the next few months. And I have to say, they sound SO exciting! So different from what we've received from previous collections, which is also very exciting. I want each collection to have its own distinct flavor, and I am very eager to put together another set of five stories that stands out from the crowd.
But we will see! It's still very early days for this contest. Hard to believe that a year from now, I will (Lord willing!) be in the midst of launching this whole new collection. Stories which, even now, are being written. An exciting thought . . .
Be certain to check out the contest and rules if you haven't already. It's a great opportunity for new writers who are looking for a first time publishing experience AND for more established writers looking for an exciting way to grow their reading audiences! Take a moment to explore the blogs of such contest winners as Emma Clifton, Stephanie Ricker, and Savannah Jezowksi, who have used their wins as a means to springboard spinoff works, giving readers more of what they loved in the anthologies. Some of the other winners, including Rachel Heffington, Jenelle Schmidt, and Dorian Tsukioka, already had budding indie careers and have used this opportunity to grow their markets. Definitely some smart authors, who might just give you that extra boost of inspiration as you follow their careers (and, of course, read their books)!
Okay, so . . . Poison Crown . . .This is the big Doing still. The huge, enormous, completely life-swallowing Doing. The Doing that is always so close and yet so far away . . .
Poison Crown is . . . making progress. Faster progress now, as it is the primary task on my plate from now through the next few months. However, as I believe I already mentioned in an earlier post, Volume I will not be launching this autumn as originally intended. The current plan is to see both Volume I and Volume II launch in 2016, hopefully within three months of each other.
Anyway, I'll probably take time to blog more about this development later. But for now, rest assured--I am still working at it like mad! It's simply a much bigger and more difficult project than I could have anticipated, and some unforeseen setbacks happened which, well, set me back.I truly am sorry, though! I hate missing deadlines. But this was a particularly aggressive deadline, more aggressive than I at first realized. More aggressive than I could have realized until I dove into the project. It is coming, however. And I fully intend to make certain it is worth the wait . . .
I've already got BOTH of the cover designs in, by the way! And they are FANTASTICALLY awesome. I kind of hate having to sit on them for the time being. Eventually . . . eventually I'll get to share . . . and I rather think you'll love them.
In the meanwhile, we all have the Goldstone Wood Fan Fiction Contest to look forward to!
Prize Journal Cover If you haven't had a chance to check out the rules yet, you absolutely should. It's going to be quite a fun contest, judging form the submissions already sent in. I did realize that I set a much tighter deadline for this one than I ordinarily do . . . I believe I usually give you two months, but this time really only gave you one. So let me know in the comments if you guys want a little more time! An extra two weeks or something. I am happy to extend that deadline for all of you. If not, that's fine as well. We'll continue as is. As I said, there are some great pieces already submitted.And the prize this year is particularly fun! The three winners will all receive a beautiful, personalized, hardbound journal . . .
What do you think? Kind of pretty, right?
Another exciting project in the works right now is the audiobook version of Draven's Light! Having been SO impressed by EverRising Productions submission to the Goldstone Wood Music Contest, we went ahead and hired them to produce this audiobook. I received the first chapter from narrator Stephen Shutt earlier this week and have been listening to it as I have time over the last few days. Oh, my goodness! It's going to be so beautiful! I particularly love his voice for Etanun, who sounds very . . . powerful. Perfect, honestly.I'm very excited to be pursing this project and look forward to launching it for all of you.
We are also on the cusp of the audiobook for Five Enchanted Roses. We sent the final document to our narrator, Becky Doughty, along with the pretty music clip. It's going to be gorgeous! I have a quilt in waiting to work on as I spend several hours proof-listening (as opposed to proof-reading) this book. I anticipate quite an enjoyable time.
My dear friend Esther came to visit me last week, which was fantastic! Esther is currently pursuing her doctorate in French literature, and has been spending this summer studying the Theory of the Sublime. Her conversation is much made up of Racine and Diderot, Rousseau and Sartre, all spoken of with such Enthusiasm (yet another theory she's studying, which is related to the Sublime), that one can hardly spend a day with her without finding oneself desperately eager to pick up and devour Phèdre or Huis Clos or Pensées philosophiques . . . a desire which is, sadly, much hampered by my inability to read French. (Those two years of college French are looooong gone . . .) But that's all right, because Esther can act out the best scenes from the best plays, and communicate her passion so effectively, one is left with at least a TASTE of what joy is to be found in the pursuit of higher education.
And she paid me the highest of compliments by saying I would have fit wonderfully into the literary scene of 16th-Century France! I don't remember the last time I've been so flattered . . .
Speaking of Sublime . . .Sadly, her husband John (who is also pursuing his doctorate, though he is studying Physics . . . yes, they are one of THOSE couples!) was in Germany for a conference and unable to join us. Thus he missed out on Rohan's most recent culinary masterpiece--the Three-Days-To-Make-It-Lemon-Poppyseed-Raspberry-Curd-Butter-Cream Cake. A sad loss for any soul, and my spirit wept a little for John . . . as I gobbled up another slice . . .
Esther always makes a point to visit me once a year, a kindness this rather hermit-ish writer-type appreciates tremendously! We had a wonderful time, and I ended the visit feeling much refreshed and ready to tackle my work with more vim than I had been experiencing for weeks. (I also ordered English translations of several French literary works she recommended. So my reading is set for the next few months as well!) I look forward to more visits with her and her husband over the years . . . And one of these days, Rohan and I will make it out to Chicago to visit them in return.
Anyway, I think that's enough for the time being. I will speak more of other Doings as time permits, and will try to find time to write up a more detailed post on the progress of Poison Crown. In the meanwhile, I need to go MAKE more progress on Poison Crown . . .
How about you? Are you having a successful summer thus far? Working on any exciting projects, possibly of the "Sleeping Beauty" variety? Summer jobs? Summer camps? Summer travels? Do tell!
July 11, 2015
Goldstone Wood Music Contest - THE WINNER!!!
Dear Imps, as a special feature, I invited animator Melanie J. Morgan to visit the blog today and let us all know what she thought of the FANTASTIC music sent in for this year's contest! Seriously, I think you'll be able to see from her comments that she was pretty much wowed across the board. At the very end, she will name her winner, the song she will go on to turn into an awesome animatic! But you did not make her job as judge and easy one . . .
___________
MELANIE J. MORGAN
Greetings and Salutations everybody! I can’t even begin to tell you how much of an incredible blessing it was to be able to hear all of your work! It warmed me right down to my toes!
At the same time, I felt I had been afflicted with the curse of having to choose only one! It’s all your faults for being too fabulous! Oh my goodness! So, in honor of all of you wonderful darlings, I’d love to spare a moment to tell you all how fantastic I think you are.
“Rise Up My Heart” – Meredith Burton: Meredith, I absolutely love your voice! It was such a blessing to hear it again this year! I LOVE the flowing hymn-like quality you gave this song! It’s so beautiful!! I’m glad I got to hear more of your music! So beautiful!
“Down the Mountain” – Meredith Burton and Abby Cashen: Ladies, this song is beautiful! I love the contemplative tone, it really echoes Rosie’s mindset, and the lyrics are gorgeous! And what instrument did you use, Abby? The music has such a unique tone! Awesome job!
“Eanrin’s Lullaby” – Clara Diane Thompson: Ah, Clara, what a blessing it is to hear this song again! It carries the lullaby SO wonderfully and is so beautifully performed and orchestrated! It flows wonderfully! It sounds like a legitimate lullaby! Fantastically done!
“The Ballad of Goldstone Wood” – Ryebrynn and Abby: Wow, I’m amazed how much content you could cover in a single song!! The setup is simply wonderful. I love how you frame it in a story told to a child, and how each portion doesn’t give any “spoilerific” information, and just keeps you wanting more. And that instrumental bridge! Gorgeously done! It has such a beautiful flow and build-up to it (I especially love the second half)! Splendid!
“The Wood Between” – Melissa Snow: Oh my goodness! I love this song, I really do. The vocals, the music, the editing, the tone, the visuals….Wonderful!! It’d make such a wonderfully mysterious introduction to Goldstone Wood…SO beautiful…It definitely feels like a song from a film soundtrack. I really love it, and it’s so well put together!! Amazingly done!
“Lullabies and Dreams” – M. S. L. Miranda and Meredith Burton: Wow, this was so beautiful!! Meredith, your voice astounds me once again!! The lyrics are fantastic and you both work together so wonderfully! And M.S.L. Miranda, your ethnic music is just SO gorgeous….It sets a FANTASTIC mood to the song and it works wonderfully! I love how the setup could easily shift from a scene of a lullaby into a perfect introduction of the setting of Golden Daughter. Such a wonderful job!!
“Coming Through the Roses” – Allison Rudivich: Oh Allison, this was WONDERFUL! And your recording has improved leaps and bounds from last year, this is gorgeous! The set up is fantastic and the visuals the lyrics inspire is wonderful! And the music! It’s SO wonderful! I LOVE the build-up, the lyrics, the music, UGH it’s all so fantastic! It’s been getting stuck in my head often this week! Awesome job!
“Song of Spheres” – Clara Diane Thompson: Ahhh Clara, so wonderful to hear this song again as well! It’s so beautiful! I still find myself singing it here and there even after this long. It creates such a great visual of an introduction to Goldstone Wood…and has this inexplicable tone of foreshadowing. As if just by listening, the listener can tell the song is important even without knowing what it’s about. I love this song and you’ve done an amazing job!
“Ballad of the Beanpole” – Michael Jones and family: There is no one word to express my feelings on this one. It was so heartwarming, so entertaining, and so awesome at the same time. I pretty much literally can’t listen to it without watching it too. You guys have done such an AWESOME job of collaborating with each other, and it’s so wonderful to watch! The performance was great, the lyrics were fabulous, and even just the fact that you rallied your whole family into creating it was incredibly awesome. It warms my heart and makes me laugh every time I watch it. And all the work you put into lyrics, arrangement, music, costumes, etc…wow. You and the family have done a wonderful job!!
“Moon’s Lullaby” – Allison Rudivich: And now, this week on “Allison Finds a Way to Make Everyone Cry!” Seriously, though, this song was absolutely breathtaking. The lyrics were gorgeous and genius and fit into the setting absolutely beautifully. And I love the parallel you made between the lullaby of Goddess Tithe and Hymlumé and her children. Ugh, so many feels… And the music fit so perfectly! It was just absolutely fantastic.
“Daughter of Gold” – Hannah Williams: Oh Hannah, darling, this is beautiful! I wasn’t expecting the privilege of getting to hear piece from you! The lyrics are fantastic, and it has such a wonderful emotional tone that is so bittersweet, so reminiscent of Sairu’s unconscious longing. And I love the hint of the orient in the tune, it’s such a nice touch! Fantastic job! It’s so awesome to hear something from you!
“It’s Lovely to Be Me” – Beckah and Abby: Ladies, this is so awesome! I love how you chose to write a song for Gleamdren, and it’s so fantastic! The lyrics are genius, it’s got a confident, lovely sing-song quality, and I LOVE the idea of the “ME!” musical number for Goldstone Wood belonging to Gleamdren, the likes of “Gaston” (Beauty and the Beast) and “Perfect Isn’t Easy” (Oliver & Company) (Forgive the Disney nerd). The song is just so entertaining, and you both have done an amazing job!!
“In Between” – Hannah Williams and Clara Darling: Ladies, this is so wonderful! So mysterious…It’s so fantastically written, recorded, and composed together. It comes together so nicely! It’s such a wonderful introductory song to Goldstone Wood. It gives just enough to get people interested but holds back just enough to hook people in and get them wanting more. So well done, ladies! Bravo!!
“One and Only” – Ruth, Kara, Laura, Lydia, and Beckah (I mean…Eanrin): This concept is genius. Absolutely genius. And I’m so impressed that all of you have collaborated together, let alone collaborated so well and edited it all together in one piece! The music gives such a perfect Celtic atmosphere, and really echoes the atmosphere of what I’d imagine from Rudiobus (And I love the visuals you chose!). And the lyrics fit the tune so well! Splendidly done, ladies!
“Finding His Path” – Brittney: Ahhh, Brittney I was hoping to hear something from you this year!! And WOW…you have done the most difficult thing…I have always had a really hard time forgiving Lionheart’s character because of stuff in my own life…but not only have you made me FEEL for Lionheart, you’ve made me RELATE to him. And it scares me and it’s beautiful all at the same time. And the song itself is just GORGEOUS, and the pictures you’ve taken with the help of your brother and mom are just so perfectly appropriate! It all fits so well and I just love this song!! Bravo, my dear, bravo!!
“Where Did the Songbird Go?” – Daniel and Erin Hodge: Oh gosh, you guys…this was so beautiful… the tune is so wonderful, and it portrays the lullaby so wonderfully! It’s so memorable and the way it’s composed easily carries a theme of Goddess Tithe as a whole. Daniel, your piano creates such a perfect mood, and Erin, your voice and his piano complement each other PERFECTLY. Such a beautiful job!
“Rise Up My Heart” – Hannah Rogers: WOW…just wow…All I can say is this gorgeous thing sounds like Lord of the Rings credits song-level (That is a giant compliment in Melly-speak). The music and composition is just wonderful and creates such a beautiful, bittersweet, haunting mood that is perfect for its setting. I love it. It’s so beautiful. And your performance is just breathtaking. Wonderfully done, my dear!
“The Waltz of Arpiar” – M. S. L. Miranda: What a blessing it was, my dear, to hear this song again! The ATMOSPHERE you create with this song is so haunting and so beautiful and creates such a gorgeous picture and dynamic, and it creates such a unique and distinct picture of what Arpiar is, and I love it. It’s so intricate, and there’s so much depth to it. Such an awesome song, darling, bravo!!
“The Roses of Arpiar” – Stuart McAdam and Jemma Tainsh: Wow, so much emotional tone in this song! It’s wonderful! The way it’s composed it makes it so easy to sing to, and I could easily sing the song in my head while listening to it. It’s clear, and clean, and so beautiful and a bit melancholy. It has such a nice effect that soothes but keeps you in a mood that could be somewhat sad. It’s such a deep and complicated feeling that you’ve captured so well! And the tune is so memorable! You guys have done an awesome job!
“Etatun’s Lament” – Erin and Daniel Hodge: Oh. My. Goodness…Are you guys going to be making this a habit, making me cry? Shame on you. In all seriousness, the tune, the composition, and music, how it all came together. It was absolutely gorgeous. And the feeling you’ve captured in that single song, and how you handled its composition…awesome. It paints such a clear picture. And that picture is gorgeous. Tragic, but gorgeous. Fantastically done, you guys!!
“Black is the Color” – EverRising Productions: Words? Words exist? Oh my goodness…Hannah, the visuals you used fit perfectly and made it a joy not only to listen to, but to watch. Bryn, the writing was amazing, and so on point. It was absolutely perfect. Stephen, your voice acting for Eanrin was PHENOMENAL. I was totally floored. And David, your singing voice is shockingly gorgeous and perfect for Eanrin. The music was fantastic and had perfect pensive and melancholy tone with that hint of longing. It was just a perfect collaboration, and the production quality is absolutely astounding, and how you brought the ending into the beginning of Heartless? Genius. It was an absolute joy to listen to. Splendidly done, you guys!
Thank you guys so much for giving me the absolute pleasure of listening to your amazing, beautiful music. You’re all so talented and it gives me such incredible joy to listen to your fantastic work. Thank you. And thanks to Anne Elisabeth for allowing me to be a part of this.
So! I’ll have you all know you’ve made my job an almost-literal nightmare trying to choose amongst your fabulousness. If I didn’t enjoy your work so much, I’d tell you all to stop being so fabulous. Judging was nigh impossible. I’m sure if I had to judge on a typical scale I may have never come to a solid conclusion.
It took quite a while and multiple listens to even come close to a decision of which song to storyboard. The decision I came to was a song that stirred me with such a vivid picture and such a heart-wrenching vision that I couldn’t stop thinking about the story in my head. Its tune and emotional tone were striking and fit perfectly in its context. When I listened to it, I could easily hear a piece that I could storyboard without fail. It quite honestly moved me to tears. And it was the best candidate that I knew I could storyboard well.
So! Without further adieu, the song I’ve chosen to storyboard is…
ETANUN'S LAMENTBy: Erin and Daniel Hodge ____________________________
Thank you, Melanie, for those wonderful write-ups! And BIG CONGRATULATIONS to Erin and Daniel on their win! I can hardly wait to hear your music performed in Melanie's animatic!
A note to everyone else . . . EverRising Productions, who submitted the "Black is the Color" piece are teaming up with Erin Hodge and Melanie to produce the animatic, with the amazing David Chamberlain offering Etanun's singing voice and the talented Stephen Shutt creating voices for both Etanun and Akilun. So the folks at EverRising are part of the winning project as well and will also be receiving copies of Poison Crown: The Smallman's Heir when it releases. So congratulations to them too!
It's going to be fantastic. Thank you, EVERYONE, for your participation! You made this year's concert even more exciting than the last one (which I wouldn't have thought possible). It was so much fun to share and enjoy your talents.
Next up . . . the Fan Fiction Contest!!! Don't miss your chance to participate. (Here are the rules.)
Have a lovely weekend, and do take a moment to congratulate our winners!
___________
MELANIE J. MORGAN
Greetings and Salutations everybody! I can’t even begin to tell you how much of an incredible blessing it was to be able to hear all of your work! It warmed me right down to my toes!
At the same time, I felt I had been afflicted with the curse of having to choose only one! It’s all your faults for being too fabulous! Oh my goodness! So, in honor of all of you wonderful darlings, I’d love to spare a moment to tell you all how fantastic I think you are.
“Rise Up My Heart” – Meredith Burton: Meredith, I absolutely love your voice! It was such a blessing to hear it again this year! I LOVE the flowing hymn-like quality you gave this song! It’s so beautiful!! I’m glad I got to hear more of your music! So beautiful!
“Down the Mountain” – Meredith Burton and Abby Cashen: Ladies, this song is beautiful! I love the contemplative tone, it really echoes Rosie’s mindset, and the lyrics are gorgeous! And what instrument did you use, Abby? The music has such a unique tone! Awesome job!
“Eanrin’s Lullaby” – Clara Diane Thompson: Ah, Clara, what a blessing it is to hear this song again! It carries the lullaby SO wonderfully and is so beautifully performed and orchestrated! It flows wonderfully! It sounds like a legitimate lullaby! Fantastically done!
“The Ballad of Goldstone Wood” – Ryebrynn and Abby: Wow, I’m amazed how much content you could cover in a single song!! The setup is simply wonderful. I love how you frame it in a story told to a child, and how each portion doesn’t give any “spoilerific” information, and just keeps you wanting more. And that instrumental bridge! Gorgeously done! It has such a beautiful flow and build-up to it (I especially love the second half)! Splendid!
“The Wood Between” – Melissa Snow: Oh my goodness! I love this song, I really do. The vocals, the music, the editing, the tone, the visuals….Wonderful!! It’d make such a wonderfully mysterious introduction to Goldstone Wood…SO beautiful…It definitely feels like a song from a film soundtrack. I really love it, and it’s so well put together!! Amazingly done!
“Lullabies and Dreams” – M. S. L. Miranda and Meredith Burton: Wow, this was so beautiful!! Meredith, your voice astounds me once again!! The lyrics are fantastic and you both work together so wonderfully! And M.S.L. Miranda, your ethnic music is just SO gorgeous….It sets a FANTASTIC mood to the song and it works wonderfully! I love how the setup could easily shift from a scene of a lullaby into a perfect introduction of the setting of Golden Daughter. Such a wonderful job!!
“Coming Through the Roses” – Allison Rudivich: Oh Allison, this was WONDERFUL! And your recording has improved leaps and bounds from last year, this is gorgeous! The set up is fantastic and the visuals the lyrics inspire is wonderful! And the music! It’s SO wonderful! I LOVE the build-up, the lyrics, the music, UGH it’s all so fantastic! It’s been getting stuck in my head often this week! Awesome job!
“Song of Spheres” – Clara Diane Thompson: Ahhh Clara, so wonderful to hear this song again as well! It’s so beautiful! I still find myself singing it here and there even after this long. It creates such a great visual of an introduction to Goldstone Wood…and has this inexplicable tone of foreshadowing. As if just by listening, the listener can tell the song is important even without knowing what it’s about. I love this song and you’ve done an amazing job!
“Ballad of the Beanpole” – Michael Jones and family: There is no one word to express my feelings on this one. It was so heartwarming, so entertaining, and so awesome at the same time. I pretty much literally can’t listen to it without watching it too. You guys have done such an AWESOME job of collaborating with each other, and it’s so wonderful to watch! The performance was great, the lyrics were fabulous, and even just the fact that you rallied your whole family into creating it was incredibly awesome. It warms my heart and makes me laugh every time I watch it. And all the work you put into lyrics, arrangement, music, costumes, etc…wow. You and the family have done a wonderful job!!
“Moon’s Lullaby” – Allison Rudivich: And now, this week on “Allison Finds a Way to Make Everyone Cry!” Seriously, though, this song was absolutely breathtaking. The lyrics were gorgeous and genius and fit into the setting absolutely beautifully. And I love the parallel you made between the lullaby of Goddess Tithe and Hymlumé and her children. Ugh, so many feels… And the music fit so perfectly! It was just absolutely fantastic.
“Daughter of Gold” – Hannah Williams: Oh Hannah, darling, this is beautiful! I wasn’t expecting the privilege of getting to hear piece from you! The lyrics are fantastic, and it has such a wonderful emotional tone that is so bittersweet, so reminiscent of Sairu’s unconscious longing. And I love the hint of the orient in the tune, it’s such a nice touch! Fantastic job! It’s so awesome to hear something from you!
“It’s Lovely to Be Me” – Beckah and Abby: Ladies, this is so awesome! I love how you chose to write a song for Gleamdren, and it’s so fantastic! The lyrics are genius, it’s got a confident, lovely sing-song quality, and I LOVE the idea of the “ME!” musical number for Goldstone Wood belonging to Gleamdren, the likes of “Gaston” (Beauty and the Beast) and “Perfect Isn’t Easy” (Oliver & Company) (Forgive the Disney nerd). The song is just so entertaining, and you both have done an amazing job!!
“In Between” – Hannah Williams and Clara Darling: Ladies, this is so wonderful! So mysterious…It’s so fantastically written, recorded, and composed together. It comes together so nicely! It’s such a wonderful introductory song to Goldstone Wood. It gives just enough to get people interested but holds back just enough to hook people in and get them wanting more. So well done, ladies! Bravo!!
“One and Only” – Ruth, Kara, Laura, Lydia, and Beckah (I mean…Eanrin): This concept is genius. Absolutely genius. And I’m so impressed that all of you have collaborated together, let alone collaborated so well and edited it all together in one piece! The music gives such a perfect Celtic atmosphere, and really echoes the atmosphere of what I’d imagine from Rudiobus (And I love the visuals you chose!). And the lyrics fit the tune so well! Splendidly done, ladies!
“Finding His Path” – Brittney: Ahhh, Brittney I was hoping to hear something from you this year!! And WOW…you have done the most difficult thing…I have always had a really hard time forgiving Lionheart’s character because of stuff in my own life…but not only have you made me FEEL for Lionheart, you’ve made me RELATE to him. And it scares me and it’s beautiful all at the same time. And the song itself is just GORGEOUS, and the pictures you’ve taken with the help of your brother and mom are just so perfectly appropriate! It all fits so well and I just love this song!! Bravo, my dear, bravo!!
“Where Did the Songbird Go?” – Daniel and Erin Hodge: Oh gosh, you guys…this was so beautiful… the tune is so wonderful, and it portrays the lullaby so wonderfully! It’s so memorable and the way it’s composed easily carries a theme of Goddess Tithe as a whole. Daniel, your piano creates such a perfect mood, and Erin, your voice and his piano complement each other PERFECTLY. Such a beautiful job!
“Rise Up My Heart” – Hannah Rogers: WOW…just wow…All I can say is this gorgeous thing sounds like Lord of the Rings credits song-level (That is a giant compliment in Melly-speak). The music and composition is just wonderful and creates such a beautiful, bittersweet, haunting mood that is perfect for its setting. I love it. It’s so beautiful. And your performance is just breathtaking. Wonderfully done, my dear!
“The Waltz of Arpiar” – M. S. L. Miranda: What a blessing it was, my dear, to hear this song again! The ATMOSPHERE you create with this song is so haunting and so beautiful and creates such a gorgeous picture and dynamic, and it creates such a unique and distinct picture of what Arpiar is, and I love it. It’s so intricate, and there’s so much depth to it. Such an awesome song, darling, bravo!!
“The Roses of Arpiar” – Stuart McAdam and Jemma Tainsh: Wow, so much emotional tone in this song! It’s wonderful! The way it’s composed it makes it so easy to sing to, and I could easily sing the song in my head while listening to it. It’s clear, and clean, and so beautiful and a bit melancholy. It has such a nice effect that soothes but keeps you in a mood that could be somewhat sad. It’s such a deep and complicated feeling that you’ve captured so well! And the tune is so memorable! You guys have done an awesome job!
“Etatun’s Lament” – Erin and Daniel Hodge: Oh. My. Goodness…Are you guys going to be making this a habit, making me cry? Shame on you. In all seriousness, the tune, the composition, and music, how it all came together. It was absolutely gorgeous. And the feeling you’ve captured in that single song, and how you handled its composition…awesome. It paints such a clear picture. And that picture is gorgeous. Tragic, but gorgeous. Fantastically done, you guys!!
“Black is the Color” – EverRising Productions: Words? Words exist? Oh my goodness…Hannah, the visuals you used fit perfectly and made it a joy not only to listen to, but to watch. Bryn, the writing was amazing, and so on point. It was absolutely perfect. Stephen, your voice acting for Eanrin was PHENOMENAL. I was totally floored. And David, your singing voice is shockingly gorgeous and perfect for Eanrin. The music was fantastic and had perfect pensive and melancholy tone with that hint of longing. It was just a perfect collaboration, and the production quality is absolutely astounding, and how you brought the ending into the beginning of Heartless? Genius. It was an absolute joy to listen to. Splendidly done, you guys!
Thank you guys so much for giving me the absolute pleasure of listening to your amazing, beautiful music. You’re all so talented and it gives me such incredible joy to listen to your fantastic work. Thank you. And thanks to Anne Elisabeth for allowing me to be a part of this.
So! I’ll have you all know you’ve made my job an almost-literal nightmare trying to choose amongst your fabulousness. If I didn’t enjoy your work so much, I’d tell you all to stop being so fabulous. Judging was nigh impossible. I’m sure if I had to judge on a typical scale I may have never come to a solid conclusion.
It took quite a while and multiple listens to even come close to a decision of which song to storyboard. The decision I came to was a song that stirred me with such a vivid picture and such a heart-wrenching vision that I couldn’t stop thinking about the story in my head. Its tune and emotional tone were striking and fit perfectly in its context. When I listened to it, I could easily hear a piece that I could storyboard without fail. It quite honestly moved me to tears. And it was the best candidate that I knew I could storyboard well.
So! Without further adieu, the song I’ve chosen to storyboard is…
ETANUN'S LAMENTBy: Erin and Daniel Hodge ____________________________
Thank you, Melanie, for those wonderful write-ups! And BIG CONGRATULATIONS to Erin and Daniel on their win! I can hardly wait to hear your music performed in Melanie's animatic!
A note to everyone else . . . EverRising Productions, who submitted the "Black is the Color" piece are teaming up with Erin Hodge and Melanie to produce the animatic, with the amazing David Chamberlain offering Etanun's singing voice and the talented Stephen Shutt creating voices for both Etanun and Akilun. So the folks at EverRising are part of the winning project as well and will also be receiving copies of Poison Crown: The Smallman's Heir when it releases. So congratulations to them too!
It's going to be fantastic. Thank you, EVERYONE, for your participation! You made this year's concert even more exciting than the last one (which I wouldn't have thought possible). It was so much fun to share and enjoy your talents.
Next up . . . the Fan Fiction Contest!!! Don't miss your chance to participate. (Here are the rules.)
Have a lovely weekend, and do take a moment to congratulate our winners!
July 1, 2015
Goldstone Wood Music Contest - 2015
Welcome to the second annual Goldstone Wood concert!
Our talented musicians were invited to compose and perform music inspired by the Tales of Goldstone Wood series, all for the honor of being named this year's music champion. Gathered together here in this post are all of their submissions! The winner will be selected by Miss Melanie J. Morgan, a talented young animator, who will work with the composers/performers to create an animatic of the winning musical number. (You can enjoy a previous animatic of hers here .)
But really, while the prize is exciting, this is much more about simply sharing the fun! So whether you were a competitor this year, an avid imp, or simply a curious bystander wondering what all the fuss is about, I hope you will thoroughly enjoy the offerings before you.
Many blessings! And happy listening . . .
(If you have trouble understanding the lyrics, many of the artists posted them in the Youtube descriptions. Visit those pages to read the lyrics there.)
RISE UP MY HEART Book: Golden DaughterCharacter: HymluméMusic and Performance by Meredith Burton
DOWN THE MOUNTAIN Book: Veiled RoseCharacter: Rose RedLyrics by Meredith BurtonMusic and Vocals by Abby Cashen
EANRIN'S LULLABY Book: StarflowerMusic and performance by: Clara Diane Thompson
THE BALLAD OF GOLDSTONE WOOD
Lyrics by: RyebrynnVocals and music by: Abby
THE WOOD BETWEEN Book: Veiled RoseMusic and Vocals by: Melissa Snow“Venture into the Wood Between. It is a place of mysteryand one never knows what one may find."
LULLABIES AND DREAMS
Book: Golden DaughterMusic Composed by M.S.L. MirandaVocals by Meredith Burton
COMING THROUGH THE ROSES Book: Veiled RoseMusic Composed by Allison RuvidichPerformance by Allison Ruvidich“Coming Through the Roses” is a song I wrote based on the novel Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. It is a dark pseudo-folk song for solo voice and guitar, both of which I perform. All the images are in the public domain. I hope you enjoy.
SONG OF THE SPHERES Book: Heartless and othersMusic and performance by: Clara Diane Thompson
BALLAD OF THE BEANPOLE Book: Veiled RoseThe tune is “Forest Green” which is an anonymous English ballad in the public domain. The arrangement was done by Ralph Vaughan-Williams in 1908.Performance by Michael Jones and Family
MOON'S LULLABY Book: Goddess TitheMusic Composed by Allison RuvidichPerformance by Allison RuvidichMoon's Lullaby is a song I wrote based on the novella Goddess Tithe by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. It is a lullaby for solo voice and piano, both of which I perform. All the images are in the public domain. I hope you enjoy.
DAUGHTER OF GOLD
Book: Golden Daughter
Lyrics and Singing by Hannah Williams: aspiring author, artist, and Goldstone Imp
IT'S LOVELY TO BE ME
Book: StarflowerWritten and Performed by: Beckah and Abby
IN BETWEEN Book: Moonblood Contributors:Hannah Williams: Reader, writer, artist, and Extreme Imp Enthusiast!
Clara Darling: The beautiful voice that haunts Goldstone Wood! One of the Five Glass Slippers authors.
ONE AND ONLY A song of Bard Eanrin, written at some point after the events of Starflower. You will most certainly have heard "One and Only" before, although perhaps under a different name and different lyrics. The reason for that is simple. As its popularity spread in the Near World, mortal songsters found themselves wishing to mimic the brilliance of this song. So, they swiped the melody and set their own (much inferior) words to it. But these are the true lyrics. Keyboard: Ruth
Vocals: Kara, Laura, and Lydia
Pennywhistle: Kara
Lyrics: Beckah. I mean, Eanrin.
FINDING HIS PATH
Music and Lyrics by: Brittney
Performed by: Brittney
This piece was inspired by Lionheart's journeys in the Goldstone Wood series. In the song, Lionheart is on his way back home after being knighted by the Prince, and is reflecting back on all the mistakes he's made. All he longs for is to find his place, or Path. I (Brittney) wrote the song and played/sang it; my brother and mom posed as Lionheart and a traveler, respectively.
WHERE DID THE SONGBIRD GO? Book: Goddess Tithe
This lullaby was performed by Daniel Hodge, pianist, and Erin Hodge, vocalist. We read the Goddess Tithe novella aloud together last summer, and both of us were in tears when we read the final lullaby. Erin composed the music not many months after, and the lyrics are, of course, the work of the incredible author, Anne Elisabeth Stengl.
RISE UP MY HEART
Book: Golden Daughter Written and performed by: Hannah Rogers
THE WALTZ OF ARPIARBook: Veiled RoseWritten and performed by: M.S.L. Miranda
THE ROSES OF ARPIAR Book: Moonblood Music written and performed by: Stuart McAdamLyrics written by: Jemma Tainsh and Stuart McAdam
ETANUN'S LAMENT
Book: Dragonwitch (prologue)
Music Composed by: Erin Hodge
Vocals by: Erin Hodge
Accompaniment: Daniel Hodge
Lyrics by: Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Read them here.
BLACK IS THE COLOR Producer: EverRising Productions
About the producer: EverRising Productions is a collective of Christian artists seeking to glorify God through the medium of audio and visual presentations.
Collaborators for this project:Hannah Williams: award winning artist, blogger, and aspiring novelist with a love for all things Tolkien and Stengl
Bryn Riplinger-Shutt: writer, historian, publishing director, and general neat freak
Stephen Shutt: professional musician, blogger, nationally recognized lecturer on apologetics, and voice actor (someone had to find jobs for all those voices)
David Chamberlain: staff musician for an internationally acclaimed recording studio who believes that bagpipes and accordions should be used very little and from very great distances.
Enormous thank you to all of the talent that participated in this contest! What a fantastic event this turned out to be. I hope all of you listeners enjoyed the concert. Do leave the artists and performers some love in the comments! They worked so hard and they deserve praise for their efforts.
Our talented musicians were invited to compose and perform music inspired by the Tales of Goldstone Wood series, all for the honor of being named this year's music champion. Gathered together here in this post are all of their submissions! The winner will be selected by Miss Melanie J. Morgan, a talented young animator, who will work with the composers/performers to create an animatic of the winning musical number. (You can enjoy a previous animatic of hers here .)
But really, while the prize is exciting, this is much more about simply sharing the fun! So whether you were a competitor this year, an avid imp, or simply a curious bystander wondering what all the fuss is about, I hope you will thoroughly enjoy the offerings before you.
Many blessings! And happy listening . . .
(If you have trouble understanding the lyrics, many of the artists posted them in the Youtube descriptions. Visit those pages to read the lyrics there.)RISE UP MY HEART Book: Golden DaughterCharacter: HymluméMusic and Performance by Meredith Burton
DOWN THE MOUNTAIN Book: Veiled RoseCharacter: Rose RedLyrics by Meredith BurtonMusic and Vocals by Abby Cashen
EANRIN'S LULLABY Book: StarflowerMusic and performance by: Clara Diane Thompson
THE BALLAD OF GOLDSTONE WOOD
Lyrics by: RyebrynnVocals and music by: Abby
THE WOOD BETWEEN Book: Veiled RoseMusic and Vocals by: Melissa Snow“Venture into the Wood Between. It is a place of mysteryand one never knows what one may find."
LULLABIES AND DREAMS
Book: Golden DaughterMusic Composed by M.S.L. MirandaVocals by Meredith Burton
COMING THROUGH THE ROSES Book: Veiled RoseMusic Composed by Allison RuvidichPerformance by Allison Ruvidich“Coming Through the Roses” is a song I wrote based on the novel Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. It is a dark pseudo-folk song for solo voice and guitar, both of which I perform. All the images are in the public domain. I hope you enjoy.
SONG OF THE SPHERES Book: Heartless and othersMusic and performance by: Clara Diane Thompson
BALLAD OF THE BEANPOLE Book: Veiled RoseThe tune is “Forest Green” which is an anonymous English ballad in the public domain. The arrangement was done by Ralph Vaughan-Williams in 1908.Performance by Michael Jones and Family
MOON'S LULLABY Book: Goddess TitheMusic Composed by Allison RuvidichPerformance by Allison RuvidichMoon's Lullaby is a song I wrote based on the novella Goddess Tithe by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. It is a lullaby for solo voice and piano, both of which I perform. All the images are in the public domain. I hope you enjoy.
DAUGHTER OF GOLD
Book: Golden Daughter
Lyrics and Singing by Hannah Williams: aspiring author, artist, and Goldstone Imp
IT'S LOVELY TO BE ME
Book: StarflowerWritten and Performed by: Beckah and Abby
IN BETWEEN Book: Moonblood Contributors:Hannah Williams: Reader, writer, artist, and Extreme Imp Enthusiast!
Clara Darling: The beautiful voice that haunts Goldstone Wood! One of the Five Glass Slippers authors.
ONE AND ONLY A song of Bard Eanrin, written at some point after the events of Starflower. You will most certainly have heard "One and Only" before, although perhaps under a different name and different lyrics. The reason for that is simple. As its popularity spread in the Near World, mortal songsters found themselves wishing to mimic the brilliance of this song. So, they swiped the melody and set their own (much inferior) words to it. But these are the true lyrics. Keyboard: Ruth
Vocals: Kara, Laura, and Lydia
Pennywhistle: Kara
Lyrics: Beckah. I mean, Eanrin.
FINDING HIS PATH
Music and Lyrics by: Brittney
Performed by: Brittney
This piece was inspired by Lionheart's journeys in the Goldstone Wood series. In the song, Lionheart is on his way back home after being knighted by the Prince, and is reflecting back on all the mistakes he's made. All he longs for is to find his place, or Path. I (Brittney) wrote the song and played/sang it; my brother and mom posed as Lionheart and a traveler, respectively.
WHERE DID THE SONGBIRD GO? Book: Goddess Tithe
This lullaby was performed by Daniel Hodge, pianist, and Erin Hodge, vocalist. We read the Goddess Tithe novella aloud together last summer, and both of us were in tears when we read the final lullaby. Erin composed the music not many months after, and the lyrics are, of course, the work of the incredible author, Anne Elisabeth Stengl.
RISE UP MY HEART
Book: Golden Daughter Written and performed by: Hannah Rogers
THE WALTZ OF ARPIARBook: Veiled RoseWritten and performed by: M.S.L. Miranda
THE ROSES OF ARPIAR Book: Moonblood Music written and performed by: Stuart McAdamLyrics written by: Jemma Tainsh and Stuart McAdam
ETANUN'S LAMENT
Book: Dragonwitch (prologue)
Music Composed by: Erin Hodge
Vocals by: Erin Hodge
Accompaniment: Daniel Hodge
Lyrics by: Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Read them here.
BLACK IS THE COLOR Producer: EverRising Productions
About the producer: EverRising Productions is a collective of Christian artists seeking to glorify God through the medium of audio and visual presentations.
Collaborators for this project:Hannah Williams: award winning artist, blogger, and aspiring novelist with a love for all things Tolkien and Stengl
Bryn Riplinger-Shutt: writer, historian, publishing director, and general neat freak
Stephen Shutt: professional musician, blogger, nationally recognized lecturer on apologetics, and voice actor (someone had to find jobs for all those voices)
David Chamberlain: staff musician for an internationally acclaimed recording studio who believes that bagpipes and accordions should be used very little and from very great distances.
Enormous thank you to all of the talent that participated in this contest! What a fantastic event this turned out to be. I hope all of you listeners enjoyed the concert. Do leave the artists and performers some love in the comments! They worked so hard and they deserve praise for their efforts.
June 23, 2015
Fan Fiction Contest Announcement - 2015
I don't know about you, but of all the Goldstone Wood contests hosted each year, the Fan Fiction Contest is probably my favorite! It's YOUR chance to create your own stories set in the worlds Near, Far, and Between, exploring themes, characters, and places more deeply than ever before.
Here are the rules for the contest for those writers among you interested in participating.
1. Your story or poem must be set in the world of Goldstone Wood with recognizable Goldstone Wood themes and elements. You may feel free to invent your own new characters and Faerie demesnes, just be certain that there are enough Goldstone Woodish aspects to make it recognizably part of this world. You may also explore aspects of the novels or characters you are curious about . . . The sky is the limit!
2. Your story may be any length you like. Poetry is also welcome and encouraged!
3. You may submit as many pieces as you like.
4. To submit your story, email it to me (aestengl@gmail.com) no later than August 1, 2015.
5. The stories will be posted on August 3, and voting will run through August 14. The winners will be announced on August 15.
We are shaking up the methods of winning this year to create more opportunities for each of our talented writers! Here's how it's going to happen . . .
ONE WINNER will be chosen for best STORY. This winner will be picked via fan voting. To vote, send your top THREE choices to me (aestengl@gmail.com), listed in order of preference. Your top pick will be given ten points, your second pick, five points, your third pick, two points.
ONE WINNER will be chosen for best SONG OR POEM. This winner will be picked via fan voting. To vote, send your top THREE choices to me (aestengl@gmail.com), listed in order of preference. Your top pick will be given ten points, your second pick, five points, your third pick, two points.
ONE WINNER will be chosen by me as MY PERSONAL FAVORITE of the year.
Three prizes . . . three winners . . . but three different categories! Because I definitely want to allow for the talented poets to win as well since, during the last several years, no poems have been picked, though some very beautiful pieces have been submitted.
Now . . . the prizes!
All three of the winners will receive the same prize which is . . . a gorgeous, hardbound, Goldstone Wood Imp journal! What's more, this journal will have a PERSONALIZED imprinting on the back cover, with the name of the winning story/poem and the author's name.
So what do you think, dear Imps? Are you ready to make some literary magic?
June 19, 2015
POISON CROWN Update
Dear Imps, I have a sad-ish announcement. You know that cover reveal for Poison Crown that I promised you? Well . . . I'm afraid something has come up, and I'm going to have to put it off until at least October 1.
I do apologize! I know I keep promising and then keep having to back up on the promise. This is certainly not typical and not my preference. This whole project has been a unique one, however, throwing me a number of curveballs along the way. And this newest setback was from an outside source over which I have no control. So . . . that's where it stands.
I'm afraid this also means that Poison Crown will probably NOT be launching this autumn as I had originally intended either. Again, I am sorry. I hate promising and not delivering on time. But the book itself is coming along well, and I hope to present it to all of you as soon as is humanly possible. I just don't know what that date is going to be just yet.
I'll keep all of you posted! In the meanwhile, I hope you're all looking forward to the upcoming Goldstone Wood Music Contest . The deadline is June 24, so be certain to get your submissions in on time! I look forward to sharing on July 1 . . .
I do apologize! I know I keep promising and then keep having to back up on the promise. This is certainly not typical and not my preference. This whole project has been a unique one, however, throwing me a number of curveballs along the way. And this newest setback was from an outside source over which I have no control. So . . . that's where it stands.
I'm afraid this also means that Poison Crown will probably NOT be launching this autumn as I had originally intended either. Again, I am sorry. I hate promising and not delivering on time. But the book itself is coming along well, and I hope to present it to all of you as soon as is humanly possible. I just don't know what that date is going to be just yet.
I'll keep all of you posted! In the meanwhile, I hope you're all looking forward to the upcoming Goldstone Wood Music Contest . The deadline is June 24, so be certain to get your submissions in on time! I look forward to sharing on July 1 . . .
June 10, 2015
Doings at Drakenheath
And here we are . . . again. And I'm still breathing. And I'm still Doings-ing. The world still seems to be turning, the lark's on the wing, the snail's on the thorn, God's in His heaven . . . so I'm going to assume, along with Robert Browning, that all's right with the world.
Besides . . . Flexibility is the key to air power!
So, all that aside, what have the Doings been of late? Many indeed. Let's take the plunge . . .
The BIG doing is, of course, Poison Crown: The Smallman's Heir. Though I have to say, one of the main struggles of this last month has been the tendency for Poison Crown to get put off, despite its being the BIG doing. So many pressing LITTLE doings will insert themselves as vital, and . . . truth be told, the little doings are easier, not to mention most of their deadlines are more up-and-coming. So Poison Crown gets bumped.
I am still in the revision stage of this project just now. The book is technically drafted, but requires smoothing in a number of places. I DID manage to get through That Scene which had been holding me up for so long. By the grace of God alone . . . and the inspiration of Diana Wynne Jones, Ghandi, and Tolstoy. How's that for an odd trio?
I'm not kidding, though. While struggling through that scene, I read a book by Diana Wynne Jones, an essay on the life of Ghandi, and a short story of Tolstoy's, all of which inspired aspects of the scene in question. Can't tell you how, of course, without giving away something vital, so you'll just have to mull over it. Like a riddle. Or the beginning of a really bad joke: "One day Diana Wynne Jones, Ghandi, and Tolstoy walked into a bar . . ."
I also found myself turning to old writing techniques as a means to overcome one of the most severe attacks of writer's block I've had in some time (probably since Dragonwitch). I'm pretty much certain this attack stemmed from utter overwhelmed-ness. There was simply too much on my plate this last month, and even when I had a day devoted to nothing but writing, I couldn't make myself write. At least, not on the computer. But I COULD make myself write by hand . . . for a set period of time . . . if I started first thing in the morning . . .
So, last month found me rising early, picking up a notebook by about 7:00 am, and "jam writing," as I like to call it, for about an hour and a half. ("Jam writing," for those of you who don't know the term, is the art of blathering on a page. You tell yourself, "This doesn't have to be perfect. Lumé love me, it doesn't even have to be good!" And then you just start writing and see what happens. In this instance I focused on That Scene, of course. It wasn't just any jam write. But the principle is sound.)
Once the jam writing was complete, I typed up what I had and found it to be surprisingly all right. I really do like writing by hand, and if I lived in a perfect world that did not involve writer's cramp, simple fatigue, or the devilish temptation that is a word processor, I would write whole novels this way. But it is a very, very, very slow process. A process that saw me achieving 4,000 words in a week. Which, when you consider my normal pace is 4,000 words a day . . . yeah, it's a bit pathetic.
But, as my father so wisely stated (as seen in the previous blog post), "Flexibility is the key to air power." So I'm being flexible. And I'm writing slowly. If that is what it takes, I'll finish these rewrites by hand and draft the whole of the next volume in a followup notebook!
Lord willing, this won't be the case.
So anyway, that's Poison Crown: The Smallman's Heir for you. Oh! Except and it has a cover now! Yes, indeed. After one of the most frustratingly drawn-out cover processes I have yet to experience, this novel has its very own bright-and-shiny new face, and it is, if I do say it myself, rather beautiful. Though "beautiful" might not be the right word, since this is a serious epic fantasy, not a pretty little fairy tale. I'll amend it to: It's rather awesome. "Awesome" is a great word for it. And I think you are going to love it!
For those of you who have signed up for my newsletter, you'll get to see the new cover along with some exciting sneak peeks on July 1. For those of you who have not signed up for my newsletter . . . well, no time like the present!
On to other doings . . .
I have a new website! I'm sure most of you have seen this already, but since it's a Doing that emerged over the last month, I'm going to mention it anyway. It is an actual, honest-to-goodness, not-a-blog-anymore, www.AnneElisabethStengl.com website. And I am very proud of it.
I know, I know. It's been a long time coming. Truth is, I had a very specific idea in my head of what I wanted this website to look like. And while we tossed around hiring a designer for the last several years, budget limits meant I really wasn't going to end up with a look I wanted.
But times have changed. I've learned a LOT over the last few years. Now I've got the ability to make myself quite a nice looking website (with some input from my brilliant husband, of course).
But yeah, spending time on putting that together took up rather a lot of last month too. I feel it's worth it, however. Now that it's built, it's all a matter of upkeep, which is much simpler. And I was very pleased to have it done, ready in time to introduce to readers at the Draven's Light launch party.
Speaking of . . .
Draven's Light is now launched! Another great Doing of this last month. I had a tremendous time at the chat party with all of you who were able to make it and am so grateful that you would come and "hang out with me" to celebrate. The book seems to be doing quite well in these first weeks of its launch too. I don't read my reviews, but a few of you have written me lovely notes to let me know how you're enjoying the story, which is very encouraging and uplifting to my spirit. I do love that book, short though it may be.
It's been interesting since I wrote it seeing how much that story has influenced Poison Crown. I did not originally plan Poison Crown with Draven's Light in mind (Draven's Light came to me rather suddenly out of the blue . . . Thanks, Beka!). But because of that little story, my big story has taken on some fascinating themes which I have had great fun (and great difficulty) exploring. Again, I can't give it away . . . though, looking at the subtitles for the volumes might give you a clue what I'm talking about . . .
Okay, I know many of you are eager to learn how the other HUGE doing of this summer is coming along. I am, of course, referring to Five Enchanted Roses.
It's coming along quite well, actually! My part of the process is very stop-and-start these days. The book has been through it's final round of honest-to-goodness edits, has received its basic typesetting, and is now simply going through layers of proof reading. At the moment, the galleys are in the hands of the five authors themselves (plus one more proof reader), checking for issues in the text and typesetting. They have two weeks to get their finds back to me, at which point the document will be polished up . . . and then sent out to proof readers one more time. (Proof reading is a never-ending journey. A tragic one at that, since I have yet to read a single book in my life that did not boast its share of typos. But you have to KNOW that you did all you could.)
I'll be one of the last proof readers, and I fully intend to read the whole thing backwards. "Eh?" you say. "Aye," say I. I'll read it backwards, one page at a time. Helps the eye to catch things it would otherwise miss. One of the first editors I worked with at the beginning of my career taught me that trick, and it's a classic.
We will also be sending out the Influencer Reader files by June 27! So if you are interested in reading this wonderful collection a full month before the actual release date, do click this link and check out the rules. We'd love to have you on the team!
Mutti, looking stylish in her post-surgery collar.So some of you, I'm sure, are curious to learn how my Mutti-Bear came through her surgery last month!
She's doing very well, thank you for asking. They ended up having to remove all of her teeth, poor girl, but she is so much happier now! Indeed, this former feral, who used to run at the sight of any human, has transformed post-surgery into a loving lap-baby. I think it may have been the trauma. Or the drugs. Possibly both. But the day after her surgery, when she was out of her mind on pain killers, she crawled into my lap, purring (and drooling rather badly . . . poor numb little mouth), and stayed there for several hours. I couldn't move, of course. Can't disturb the kitty. So I got a much-needed sitting-up nap, and she rolled around in my arms, made herself ridiculous and adorable, and ultimately learned the joys inherent in the life of a lap cat. She's sold out on that way of life now, and will come to my lap at the smallest beckoning. I never thought I'd see the day!
So thank you for all of your prayers. Mutti is so much happier now without all those rotten teeth in her head!
Here is a picture of Marmaduke for you:
That's his, "Hold me! Hold me!" face. (And yes, Makoose is trying to upstage him.)
Here's a picture of Minerva Louise for you as well.
Oh, Evil. Thou art so precious!
I gave my husband a big birthday party this last weekend. I haven't hosted a large birthday party since his 30th, so this was quite the endeavor! He helped out a ton, of course, because he's sweet like that. And he absolutely deserved some extra love this year, as he has been so helpful and encouraging and wonderful to me through all the work craziness . . . Why, just last night, he emailed right before coming home from work to say, "Put on something nice! I'm taking you out for dinner." And he proceeded to sweep me away to what might have been the best meal I've had in a LONG time. What's more (proving yet again what an angel he is) he allowed me to talk/gripe about work almost the whole time! I love him so much.
So yes, he had to have a party. A big one. And it really was lovely! He asked for pound cake stuffed with strawberries, topped with blackberries, with an orange sugar glaze. Fancy. But if that's what my Handsome wants, that's what he's going to get!
Two of them, even!He contributed by making homemade raspberry iced tea that was to die for! We offered champagne to our guests, but they almost all went for his tea instead (so now we have four bottles of leftover champagne we really don't know what to do with. I don't drink, and he doesn't drink THAT much. Looks like we'll have to host another party . . .) Anyway, it was really lovely, a great chance to catch up with a lot of people we just don't often see in the midst of our busy schedules. And I think Rohan felt very loved. Which he is!
Oh, and he got THE MOST EPIC BIRTHDAY CARD EVER this year. I really have to share:
Imps will recognize our own Hannah William's brilliance here. I love how she captured his likeness with striking accuracy, complete with heroic aura (even his culinary creation sparkles! Which is absolutely true to life, I'll have you know.) Milly and Minerva enjoyed making appearances here as well.
And what is that you ask? Why, yes. Yes, I do wear flowing white dresses every day while I write. I wouldn't be caught dead in penguins-with-pink-hearts pajama pants at 5:30 in the evening (the time at which I am writing this post). Only flowing white dresses. Thank you.
"Handel in the Strand." I'm still learning it. Sometimes. It's actually ALMOST done, with just a few ticklish passages I haven't refined yet and some dynamics that could use some . . . like . . . existence. I also desperately need to tune my piano (which hasn't been turned since our move, so you can imagine how pleasant it sounds about now). Once these things are done, however, I shall endeavor to record a full performance for all of you.
Oh! Speaking of!!! I almost forgot!!!!
Don't forget the Goldstone Wood Music Contest is still running! I am accepting submissions through June 24, so don't miss the deadline! It's still a pretty small contest at this point, with just a few fun pieces submitted. Hopefully we'll get a handful more so that we can offer a proper concert for all of you . . . and a goodly pool of songs for Melanie J. Morgan to pick from for her animatic! Rules are here if you want to refresh your memory. Let me know if you have any questions!
I probably shouldn't let a Doings post go by without at least mentioning the Five Magic Spindles creative writing contest! I am so pleased to have finally been able to share this gorgeous cover with all of you, not to mention the secret of this year's theme. Are you excited about "Sleeping Beauty"? Getting some good inspiration for your entries? Do tell . . . or at least, tell as much as you feel you can at this point. Wouldn't want you jinx your inspiration!
Well, there are other Doings, mostly little ones. And some big ones I can't talk about yet. It's been a busy month, and this month bodes to be busier still. So say a few prayers for me if you think of it!
What are YOUR Doings these days? Any great projects? Plans for your summer? New jobs? Old jobs? Travel?
Are you writing a fairy tale retelling???
Do tell!
Besides . . . Flexibility is the key to air power!
So, all that aside, what have the Doings been of late? Many indeed. Let's take the plunge . . .
The BIG doing is, of course, Poison Crown: The Smallman's Heir. Though I have to say, one of the main struggles of this last month has been the tendency for Poison Crown to get put off, despite its being the BIG doing. So many pressing LITTLE doings will insert themselves as vital, and . . . truth be told, the little doings are easier, not to mention most of their deadlines are more up-and-coming. So Poison Crown gets bumped.I am still in the revision stage of this project just now. The book is technically drafted, but requires smoothing in a number of places. I DID manage to get through That Scene which had been holding me up for so long. By the grace of God alone . . . and the inspiration of Diana Wynne Jones, Ghandi, and Tolstoy. How's that for an odd trio?
I'm not kidding, though. While struggling through that scene, I read a book by Diana Wynne Jones, an essay on the life of Ghandi, and a short story of Tolstoy's, all of which inspired aspects of the scene in question. Can't tell you how, of course, without giving away something vital, so you'll just have to mull over it. Like a riddle. Or the beginning of a really bad joke: "One day Diana Wynne Jones, Ghandi, and Tolstoy walked into a bar . . ."
I also found myself turning to old writing techniques as a means to overcome one of the most severe attacks of writer's block I've had in some time (probably since Dragonwitch). I'm pretty much certain this attack stemmed from utter overwhelmed-ness. There was simply too much on my plate this last month, and even when I had a day devoted to nothing but writing, I couldn't make myself write. At least, not on the computer. But I COULD make myself write by hand . . . for a set period of time . . . if I started first thing in the morning . . .
So, last month found me rising early, picking up a notebook by about 7:00 am, and "jam writing," as I like to call it, for about an hour and a half. ("Jam writing," for those of you who don't know the term, is the art of blathering on a page. You tell yourself, "This doesn't have to be perfect. Lumé love me, it doesn't even have to be good!" And then you just start writing and see what happens. In this instance I focused on That Scene, of course. It wasn't just any jam write. But the principle is sound.)
Once the jam writing was complete, I typed up what I had and found it to be surprisingly all right. I really do like writing by hand, and if I lived in a perfect world that did not involve writer's cramp, simple fatigue, or the devilish temptation that is a word processor, I would write whole novels this way. But it is a very, very, very slow process. A process that saw me achieving 4,000 words in a week. Which, when you consider my normal pace is 4,000 words a day . . . yeah, it's a bit pathetic.
But, as my father so wisely stated (as seen in the previous blog post), "Flexibility is the key to air power." So I'm being flexible. And I'm writing slowly. If that is what it takes, I'll finish these rewrites by hand and draft the whole of the next volume in a followup notebook!
Lord willing, this won't be the case.
So anyway, that's Poison Crown: The Smallman's Heir for you. Oh! Except and it has a cover now! Yes, indeed. After one of the most frustratingly drawn-out cover processes I have yet to experience, this novel has its very own bright-and-shiny new face, and it is, if I do say it myself, rather beautiful. Though "beautiful" might not be the right word, since this is a serious epic fantasy, not a pretty little fairy tale. I'll amend it to: It's rather awesome. "Awesome" is a great word for it. And I think you are going to love it!
For those of you who have signed up for my newsletter, you'll get to see the new cover along with some exciting sneak peeks on July 1. For those of you who have not signed up for my newsletter . . . well, no time like the present!
On to other doings . . .
I have a new website! I'm sure most of you have seen this already, but since it's a Doing that emerged over the last month, I'm going to mention it anyway. It is an actual, honest-to-goodness, not-a-blog-anymore, www.AnneElisabethStengl.com website. And I am very proud of it.
I know, I know. It's been a long time coming. Truth is, I had a very specific idea in my head of what I wanted this website to look like. And while we tossed around hiring a designer for the last several years, budget limits meant I really wasn't going to end up with a look I wanted.
But times have changed. I've learned a LOT over the last few years. Now I've got the ability to make myself quite a nice looking website (with some input from my brilliant husband, of course).
But yeah, spending time on putting that together took up rather a lot of last month too. I feel it's worth it, however. Now that it's built, it's all a matter of upkeep, which is much simpler. And I was very pleased to have it done, ready in time to introduce to readers at the Draven's Light launch party.
Speaking of . . .
Draven's Light is now launched! Another great Doing of this last month. I had a tremendous time at the chat party with all of you who were able to make it and am so grateful that you would come and "hang out with me" to celebrate. The book seems to be doing quite well in these first weeks of its launch too. I don't read my reviews, but a few of you have written me lovely notes to let me know how you're enjoying the story, which is very encouraging and uplifting to my spirit. I do love that book, short though it may be.It's been interesting since I wrote it seeing how much that story has influenced Poison Crown. I did not originally plan Poison Crown with Draven's Light in mind (Draven's Light came to me rather suddenly out of the blue . . . Thanks, Beka!). But because of that little story, my big story has taken on some fascinating themes which I have had great fun (and great difficulty) exploring. Again, I can't give it away . . . though, looking at the subtitles for the volumes might give you a clue what I'm talking about . . .
Okay, I know many of you are eager to learn how the other HUGE doing of this summer is coming along. I am, of course, referring to Five Enchanted Roses.
It's coming along quite well, actually! My part of the process is very stop-and-start these days. The book has been through it's final round of honest-to-goodness edits, has received its basic typesetting, and is now simply going through layers of proof reading. At the moment, the galleys are in the hands of the five authors themselves (plus one more proof reader), checking for issues in the text and typesetting. They have two weeks to get their finds back to me, at which point the document will be polished up . . . and then sent out to proof readers one more time. (Proof reading is a never-ending journey. A tragic one at that, since I have yet to read a single book in my life that did not boast its share of typos. But you have to KNOW that you did all you could.)
I'll be one of the last proof readers, and I fully intend to read the whole thing backwards. "Eh?" you say. "Aye," say I. I'll read it backwards, one page at a time. Helps the eye to catch things it would otherwise miss. One of the first editors I worked with at the beginning of my career taught me that trick, and it's a classic.
We will also be sending out the Influencer Reader files by June 27! So if you are interested in reading this wonderful collection a full month before the actual release date, do click this link and check out the rules. We'd love to have you on the team!
Mutti, looking stylish in her post-surgery collar.So some of you, I'm sure, are curious to learn how my Mutti-Bear came through her surgery last month!She's doing very well, thank you for asking. They ended up having to remove all of her teeth, poor girl, but she is so much happier now! Indeed, this former feral, who used to run at the sight of any human, has transformed post-surgery into a loving lap-baby. I think it may have been the trauma. Or the drugs. Possibly both. But the day after her surgery, when she was out of her mind on pain killers, she crawled into my lap, purring (and drooling rather badly . . . poor numb little mouth), and stayed there for several hours. I couldn't move, of course. Can't disturb the kitty. So I got a much-needed sitting-up nap, and she rolled around in my arms, made herself ridiculous and adorable, and ultimately learned the joys inherent in the life of a lap cat. She's sold out on that way of life now, and will come to my lap at the smallest beckoning. I never thought I'd see the day!
So thank you for all of your prayers. Mutti is so much happier now without all those rotten teeth in her head!
Here is a picture of Marmaduke for you:
That's his, "Hold me! Hold me!" face. (And yes, Makoose is trying to upstage him.)Here's a picture of Minerva Louise for you as well.
Oh, Evil. Thou art so precious!
I gave my husband a big birthday party this last weekend. I haven't hosted a large birthday party since his 30th, so this was quite the endeavor! He helped out a ton, of course, because he's sweet like that. And he absolutely deserved some extra love this year, as he has been so helpful and encouraging and wonderful to me through all the work craziness . . . Why, just last night, he emailed right before coming home from work to say, "Put on something nice! I'm taking you out for dinner." And he proceeded to sweep me away to what might have been the best meal I've had in a LONG time. What's more (proving yet again what an angel he is) he allowed me to talk/gripe about work almost the whole time! I love him so much.
So yes, he had to have a party. A big one. And it really was lovely! He asked for pound cake stuffed with strawberries, topped with blackberries, with an orange sugar glaze. Fancy. But if that's what my Handsome wants, that's what he's going to get!
Two of them, even!He contributed by making homemade raspberry iced tea that was to die for! We offered champagne to our guests, but they almost all went for his tea instead (so now we have four bottles of leftover champagne we really don't know what to do with. I don't drink, and he doesn't drink THAT much. Looks like we'll have to host another party . . .) Anyway, it was really lovely, a great chance to catch up with a lot of people we just don't often see in the midst of our busy schedules. And I think Rohan felt very loved. Which he is!Oh, and he got THE MOST EPIC BIRTHDAY CARD EVER this year. I really have to share:
Imps will recognize our own Hannah William's brilliance here. I love how she captured his likeness with striking accuracy, complete with heroic aura (even his culinary creation sparkles! Which is absolutely true to life, I'll have you know.) Milly and Minerva enjoyed making appearances here as well.And what is that you ask? Why, yes. Yes, I do wear flowing white dresses every day while I write. I wouldn't be caught dead in penguins-with-pink-hearts pajama pants at 5:30 in the evening (the time at which I am writing this post). Only flowing white dresses. Thank you.
"Handel in the Strand." I'm still learning it. Sometimes. It's actually ALMOST done, with just a few ticklish passages I haven't refined yet and some dynamics that could use some . . . like . . . existence. I also desperately need to tune my piano (which hasn't been turned since our move, so you can imagine how pleasant it sounds about now). Once these things are done, however, I shall endeavor to record a full performance for all of you.
Oh! Speaking of!!! I almost forgot!!!!
Don't forget the Goldstone Wood Music Contest is still running! I am accepting submissions through June 24, so don't miss the deadline! It's still a pretty small contest at this point, with just a few fun pieces submitted. Hopefully we'll get a handful more so that we can offer a proper concert for all of you . . . and a goodly pool of songs for Melanie J. Morgan to pick from for her animatic! Rules are here if you want to refresh your memory. Let me know if you have any questions!
I probably shouldn't let a Doings post go by without at least mentioning the Five Magic Spindles creative writing contest! I am so pleased to have finally been able to share this gorgeous cover with all of you, not to mention the secret of this year's theme. Are you excited about "Sleeping Beauty"? Getting some good inspiration for your entries? Do tell . . . or at least, tell as much as you feel you can at this point. Wouldn't want you jinx your inspiration!Well, there are other Doings, mostly little ones. And some big ones I can't talk about yet. It's been a busy month, and this month bodes to be busier still. So say a few prayers for me if you think of it!
What are YOUR Doings these days? Any great projects? Plans for your summer? New jobs? Old jobs? Travel?
Are you writing a fairy tale retelling???
Do tell!
