Anne Elisabeth Stengl's Blog, page 7

Doings at Drakenheath

A Doings post . . . again? Didn't I just post one of these? Lumé, does the time ever fly!

Anyway, let me put together a quick post of the doings just so you know I'm still here, still breathing, and still up to my eyeballs in projects.

First of all, the newest doing . . . 



Those of you who follow my newsletter may be interested to learn that I am making some changes to it. Good changes, I believe! I've realized that the newsletter has never quite taken on the interesting life that I wanted, tending to recount things already mentioned on this blog and ultimately serving as little more than a string of glorified advertisements. Just not that interesting either to me or to my readers.

With this concern in mind, I've been brainstorming with my team about what I can do to make this newsletter more about you and giving you quality content that you look forward to seeing in your inbox . . . and I think we have hit upon a really fantastic solution!

"The Haven Chronicler" will be starting an official quarterly schedule beginning this coming July, and it's no longer going to be advertisement- and specials-based. Oh, no! From now on it will boast a selection of (I hope) interesting, entertaining, and completely original articles, not to mention "flash giveaways" for lucky subscribers.

So if you're already a subscriber for "The Haven Chronicler," be watching for this fun new format coming in July! And if you aren't a subscriber, consider signing up today. It's very easy, no strings attached, and I intend for it to be well worth your while!



The last few weeks I have been working away on Five Enchanted Roses edits, which ended up taking quite a bit longer than I had anticipated. Part of this is due to the nature of these stories, which are all more complex than the Five Glass Slippers stories of last year. Several of the stories in this collection are historicals, which requires a lot more research and checking on research than the straight-up fantasy stories need. I found myself researching a variety of fascinating topics over the last few weeks, including but not limited to: the colonization of Bermuda, the treatment of burn victims in the mid-18th century, the history of the machete, the development of the townhouse, and ladies' hairstyles of the 17th century. Great stuff . . . but time-consuming.

Ultimately it will be worth it, however, knowing that the stories we release later this summer will be as good as we and these talented authors can make them. We are currently aiming at a mid-July release date (though we don't have an official date set yet), and I hope to see the book become available for pre-order sometime this month.

Most of you have probably already seen the wonderful title pages for these stories, but just in case you missed them . . .


I am so proud of how these turned out, I'm not going to lie! Each one is such a great fit for its individual story, and I can hardly wait to see how internal formatting develops based on these designs.

Now that I'm done with my part of Enchanted Roses (for the time being), I am moving back into work on Poison Crown . . .


I had hoped to have the revisions done on volume I by now . . . but, alas, this was not to be. So I am tackling those revisions as of this week, and so far they're going pretty well. I've gotten all the way up to the one scene that needs MASSIVE revision, and I'm a little intimidated. I didn't like this scene in the rough draft, liked it only a tiny bit better in the second draft. Now it's time to make it a truly GREAT scene in this draft. If I can . . .

But, seriously, I've got a good idea for what I want to change to make this scene work for me. Basically, I need to give it a major shakeup and approach it from a different angle. I'm going to tackle it today, so wish me well!

Due to some set-backs suffered by my poor cover designer, the cover for Poison Crown is not yet quite complete. Not to worry, however! It should still be finished in time for the cover reveal. Speaking of which . . .

I've decided to go a different direction for this book's cover reveal. Ever since Dragonwitch, I've been doing big blog-tour reveals, and the truth is . . . I'm a bit bored with those. They were fun for a while, but now everyone is doing them, so I'm no longer quite as keen as I was. So BIG THANKS to all of you who generously offered to participate. I really do appreciate your sweetness and enthusiasm! But we won't be doing the reveal via blogs after all.

Stay tuned to learn how/when this book cover will be revealed.

Though I am taking Poison Crown a different direction, we will still be going ahead with the cover reveal launch for Five Something Something. Which is coming up really soon now! Less than a month, would you believe it? I've got a nice list of folks already on board for this release, but I would really love to get it out even farther! So if you have a blog and would like to participate, do let me know.

Some of you have asked in comments what a cover reveal is, so let me offer a quick explanation: Basically, a week or so before the cover is officially revealed online, I send the cover image and write-up about the book (or, in this case, about the contest) to a selection of bloggers. All on the same day, they post the cover and write-up on their blogs, creating a lovely "blitz" of excitement for the particular book in question.

It's a fantastic way to get word out about this new writing contest, so do consider joining in if you are blogger! I would love to have you on board.
 
Another Drakenheath Doing pertains to my sweet Mutti-Bear, who is going in for surgery on Wednesday. Say a prayer for her if you think of it, dear Imps! She has a set of very bad teeth . . . well, I say "a set," but in reality, she's missing most of them. But those that remain are rotted and causing her quite a lot of pain, poor baby. So she's going in to get possibly all of them extracted. She might be able to keep her canines, but we're not sure. The vet says she'll be much happier even with no teeth, so I shouldn't worry. Though my wallet is worrying a little bit (yikes! Kitty oral surgery is expensive!). But Rohan, who loves this girl as much as I do, says we'll make it work and get her the care she needs.

Still, as a former feral, Mutti gets completely traumatized by vet visits, and surgery is always scary. So please say a prayer for her safety and quick recovery. In the meanwhile, she's on pain meds, which she gets to eat with her favorite chicken n' gravy baby food, so she's not complaining too much.

  Back to book news: the Draven's Light launch is coming up at the end of this month, and I do hope all of you are looking forward to it. I plan to host a Facebook chat party on May 25 in honor of this launch! More details to follow, so be certain to keep your eyes open. I've got several particularly fun surprises to share with all of you who attend, but which shall remain secret until then . . .

Oh, do you remember how I mentioned last time that I had a fun announcement concerning Five Glass Slippers? Well, I can officially share now: We have begun the process of getting that anthology translated into other languages. The Italian translation just launched on April 24, and it's so pretty! I can't read it, but it's very pretty. I had thought the translated editions would be in eBook form only, but it turns out that the Italian translation at least will be offered in print as well. Not for a few more weeks, but soon. In the meanwhile, if you have any Italian-speaking loved ones in your life, be certain to let them know about this great read.  

And last, but not least, let me give a nod to the Goldstone Wood Music Contest, which is in process as we speak!
You can learn more about this contest here if you have not seen anything about it already. I am excited to see how it turns out this year! Last year was very fun, but this year might bring some new twists and surprises. I've had several competitors write me with questions, revealing small hints about their possible submissions, which have me very intrigued. Prizes aside, it's going to be a tremendously fun concert, and I hope all of you will "attend" and possibly participate.

This is one of those Doings posts that feels like a bit of a slog to me. Pretty much the same doings as last month, still incomplete, still trucking along. But that's kind of how this business is much of the time. One has to keep chipping away at the mountain if one ever hopes to move it. Hopefully next month will see Poison Crown: The Smallman's Heir complete and sent off to my editors, and I'll be diving into volume II . . . but I suppose we'll not count those unhatched chickens just yet.

In the meanwhile, I've got fluffy kitties to keep me firmly planted in my writing chair, my lovely husband to cook me great meals (he put a roast on before going to work this morning . . . I keep getting distracted by good smells wafting up the stairs . . .), and all of you to make me smile!

Tell me what your doings are these days. Some of you must be finishing up classes pretty soon, and all of you are looking forward to summer, I'm sure! Any great events or projects on your horizons?

2nd Annual Goldstone Wood Music Contest

Back by popular demand . . . I give you the 2nd Annual Goldstone Wood Music Contest!


This year's contest is going to be a little bit different from last year, and I for one am very excited about the change! Here's the scoop for all of you musicians . . .

1. Competitors are invited to write and perform music inspired by the Tales of Goldstone Wood. You may write original lyrics or use lyrics from some of the songs and poems included in the series. The only requirement is that your submission must be clearly part of the Goldstone Wood universe.

BUT THERE'S A TWIST!

2.  Animator Melanie J. Morgan will be selecting the winner or winners of this year's contest. The song she chooses will be used to create an animatic--which is a storyboard for a scene as it would be illustrated in an animated movie, complete with speaking/singing parts for the characters!

Curious to know more? Well, here is a wonderful animatic which Melanie created last year with the collaboration of singer, Brittany, and accompanist, Camryn.


SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?

This means you want to be certain your submissions for this contest would translate well into an animated sequence! For instance, if you pick a song from the books, then the sequence may be the scene in which that song is sung. Or you might want to write a completely original piece to be sung by one of the characters (as in the animatic above).


WHAT ABOUT MALE VOICES?

I know most of our competitors are ladies (last year, all of those who submitted music were female). But we do want to allow for our musicians to compose songs and scenes for the male characters in Goldstone Wood! So I have contacted a talented vocal musician, Zachary Friberg, and he has agreed to be a stand-in performer for any of the male characters.

That means you musicians and composers may feel free to write and sing music intended for male voices, knowing that if your piece is selected as the winner, we've got a wonderful male musician on standby to record  the song for the animatic.

Personally, I think he'd make a particularly fine Bard Eanrin . . . .


TEAMWORK

I strongly urge all of you creative types out there to collaborate! If you are a musician but not comfortable with lyrics, find yourself a writer who will work with you! Or likewise, if you are comfortable writing lyrics but can't play an instrument or sing, ask a more musically-inclined Imp to join forces with you.

Feel free to use the comment section below to let folks know if you want to team up with someone.


PRIZES

ALL of those who collaborate on the final animatic (including Melanie herself) will receive an autographed copy of . . . Poison Crown: The Smallman's Heir . Just as soon as it releases, of course.


DEADLINE

You have until June 24 to submit your music for this contest.

All the music submitted will be displayed on this blog from July 1-10. Melanie will then select the piece she wants to animate, and the winner(s) will be announced on July 11.


HOW DO I SUBMIT?

Please record your performance as a video or audio and upload it onto Youtube. Email me (aestengl@gmail.com) the Youtube link, and I will share it here on this page for the "concert."


WHAT DO I INCLUDE?

Please include a short write-up introducing yourself and your collaborators (if applicable), detailing who wrote or performed what part. Also let me know which book in the Goldstone Wood series inspired your piece.


WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE CONTEST?

After Melanie has selected the winning piece, the musician(s) will be put in direct contact with her. From that point on, Melanie and the musician(s) will work together over the course of several months to create the animatic. This may involve a fresh recording of the winning piece or some slight alterations to the music.

Melanie is on a tight schedule these days but hopes to have the final animatic ready to share with the world before the end of the year.


So there you have it! I don't know about you, but I am VERY excited about this year's concert. Have a blast coming up with your compositions and do let me know if you have any questions. I'll be looking forward to receiving your pieces!

HEIR OF HOPE by Morgan L. Busse!

Dear Imps and other blog readers, I know many of you are fans of Morgan L. Busse and her Followers of the Word series. (And if you aren't, seriously, the time has come to pick up these epic adventures.) This acclaimed fantasy series has been waiting for its final book for quite some time, but the wait is over at last! The conclusion to the series is here! Along with a whole new look for the cover designs.

It is my pleasure to present to you . . .
HEIR OF HOPE
Grab your copy!What Would You Sacrifice to Save Mankind?

The great city of Thyra has fallen and shadows spread across the land. Rowen Mar, the last Truthsayer, is taken before the Shadonae. But the Shadonae are not who she thought they were, and now they want to claim her as their own.

Caleb Tala, former assassin and prince, is now a Guardian of mankind. Exiled from his country, Caleb wanders the desert in search of his mother’s past and clues to who he is.

These are the last days of the Eldaran race. Rowen and Caleb must find their way along the dark path set before them by their ancestors: to heal what was wounded and love where hatred grows. But the road is narrow and the darkness beckons. If either of them fails, all will be lost…

And the human race will be no more.

What Others Are Saying About HEIR OF HOPE 
"I definitely recommend this series to readers of fantasy. Heir of Hope was the perfect ending with full of action and faith. It was epic and beautiful all at the same time." Laura Pol, Craftybooksheeps book review
"The allegory is very strong and very well written in this story. It does an excellent job painting a picture of Jesus' sacrifice and the great love it takes to offer one's life for another." Christian Teen Fiction Devourer
Don't miss any of the thrilling adventures by Morgan L. Busse! Buy the series today.
    MORGAN L. BUSSE writes fantasy for the adult market. She is the author of the Follower of the Word series, including Daughter of Light, Christy and Carol Award finalist. Morgan lives on the West Coast with her husband and four children. You can find out more about Morgan at www.morganlbusse.com
  Visit Enclave Publishing to learn more about her books.
Morgan is generously offering an autographed copy of Heir of Hope to one lucky winner. Be certain to enter your name in the giveaway below . . . and congratulate Morgan on this wonderful release!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Scavenger Hunt Winners!

Dear readers, I am pleased to announce the winner's of this spring's Scavenger Hunt! They are . . .

Grand Prize: Shay Teague
Purple Prize: Kristine Klein
Pink Prize: Dana McCall Michael
And the winner of my own smaller giveaway, who will receive one autographed copy of  upcoming Draven's Light is . . .
Kristie Monroe Porter!
Congrats to the winners! And thank you to everyone who participated. It's great to see a bunch of new followers on this blog . . . A big welcome to all of you. I'm so delighted to have you around! Definitely keep your eyes open for more fun events and giveaways hosted right here on the Tales of Goldstone Wood.
Thanks for all the fun and participation everyone!

Christian Fiction Scavanger Hunt--Stop #8--PINK Team!

Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! I am a part of TEAM PINK and this is Stop #8. If you’re just joining us, there are two loops—pink and purple—and they begin at Lisa Bergren’s site and Robin Hatcher’s site for stop #1 for either stream. If you complete either the pink loop or purple loop, you can enter for a Kindle paperwhite and the 17 autographed books from that loop. If you complete BOTH loops, you can enter for the Grand Prize of a Kindle Fire HDX and ALL 34 autographed books.

The Hunt begins at NOON Mountain time on April 16 and ends at midnight Mountain on April 19, 2015, so you have a long weekend to complete all 34 stops and maximize your chances at prizes!
BE SURE to keep track of the clues at the bottom of every post in the loop and the favorite number mentioned. You’ll need those clues to enter for the loop prize and every number mentioned in order to enter for the grand prize. 
ALSO, please don’t use Internet Explorer to navigate through the loops. Some web sites won’t show up using IE. Please use Chrome or Firefox—they’re better anyway!
Without further ado, it is my pleasure to introduce you to my guest for the Scavenger Hunt, R. J. Larson! She is a unique voice in Christian Fantasy in that she writes adventurous, romantic tales based on stories from the Bible . . . all set in her own world. Intrigued? Learn a little more about her . . .


R. J. LARSON is the author of numerous devotionals and is suspected of eating chocolate and potato chips for lunch while writing. She and her long-suffering husband live in Colorado. Contact R. J. online: www.RJLarsonBooks.com,  Facebook, Pinterest, and Goodreads.
Here's the summary of her latest book: A Fantasy Inspired by the Book of Esther.
Bel-Tygeon, the fallen god-king of Belaal, has bowed to the Infinite and accepted life as a mortal. Now, he is desperate to return to his kingdom. Hunted by his enemies, he accepts refuge among the Eosyths, at the bidding of Serena of Clan Darom. But Serena and her family are also Bel-Tygeon’s enemies and he must conceal his true name and royal rank from them—even when he realizes that Serena is the woman he has sought for years. The woman he loves. The woman he longs to proclaim as his queen. Yet she can never be his. Serena of Clan Darom wants nothing more than to protect her family—and to save her people, the Eosyths, from their many enemies. She cannot afford to fall in love with a madman. A stranger. Yet honor dictates that she must shelter Ty and protect him with her life. Will one act of kindness destroy everything she’s worked for and believed? And how can the unknowable Infinite, worshiped by her lord-father, ever help her in their struggle to survive?Child of Dust, are you My servant?

And here’s her EXCLUSIVE content, that you’ll only find in this hunt!

Esther Fan
Queen—Biblical Fantasy partially inspired by Esther—is a story that’s been on my heart for several years, and I’m delighted to see it finally hitting the shelves! As I wrote Queen, I studied Esther’s character, her fears, her courage, and her faith, all pointing toward her loving Creator quietly working His will in the background to save His chosen people. No matter how many times I read these ancient verses, I confess, I’m still intrigued. Why are we so captivated by Esther’s story? Your answer might differ, but for me, it’s not just Esther’s dazzling rise from obscurity to royal status that delights me when I read. I’m watching the others around her, each struggling to survive against the backdrop of a glittering yet forbidding realm. The capricious, often brutal king who ultimately falls under Esther and Mordecai’s sway, the faithful servants and scheming guards, a villain whose grandiose plans are undone by one young woman’s courage, and a level-headed prime minister’s rise to stunning power and wealth. Above all, the quiet Presence in the background, drawing those who trust in their Creator toward a deeper faith in Him. Yes, I’m beguiled enough to take inspiration from Esther’s story and place it into a fantasy realm. Which brings up all the questions I’d ask about any unwilling queen in this distant realm. Does she love the king? What are her core beliefs? Has this unexpected honor changed her? What was life like before she was obliged to accept a crown? Wait…what sort of crown? (I actually roughed out a sketch, though I haven’t drawn in decades, so please excuse the mistakes!) As you can see, I’ve loved writing Queen for fantasy-realm lovers.
Blessings, Dear Everyone, and happy reading!
____________________________

 THE SCAVENGER HUNT SKINNY:

Thanks for stopping by on the hunt! Before you go, make sure you WRITE DOWN THESE CLUES:Secret Word(s): SHOULDSecret Number: 29, a number I chose because I just turned 29 years old a few days ago. Last year of my twenties . . . Hoorah!
Got them down? Great! Your next stop is #9, R.J. Larson’s site . Click on over there now. And if you get lost, a complete list of the loop with links can be found at our mother host’s site.

 BEFORE YOU GO!!!
I want to offer you a giveaway of my own! I am giving one lucky winner a copy of my upcoming new release, Draven's Light (May 25, 2015). Be certain to enter your name in the giveaway below by signing up for my newsletter and following me on Facebook!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Doings at Drakenheath

Iubdan's beard, dear Imps, it has been a busy month! And looking ahead, I see lots more busyness to come. Sometimes it gets a little bit overwhelming, but at least it's always work that I truly enjoy, which definitely makes a difference.

Anyway, here's what's been happening, what's in the process of happening, and what I hope to see happening soon . . .

Draven's Light launches next month! Well, late next month, so it's still a little ways out . . . but still! It's coming soon!

I worked like crazy with the final edits sent in to make certain this volume is truly ready to go. And, after a bit of a scramble, I think it really is ready. I've approved the final version, my copy editor has approved her final version, the interior work is all complete, pre-orders are up . . . Yes. I think we are all set to launch.

Particularly considering this is only a 50,000 word novel, I feel as though I've been sitting on it for a while. I wrote it last February, after all. Still, I hope it will be worth the wait to all of you. I love this story, though it is pretty dark at times. I particularly love the role Akilun plays in this adventure. He's not really had a big role in any of the stories yet, and it's nice to see him get some time and development. Writing this story definitely made me think that someday I'd like to go back and tell more stories about the Brothers Ashiun and their adventures. So much to potentially be explored . . . .

Anyway, we are still looking for a few more influencers (last I checked), so if you'd like to read this story before the launch in late May, click here to check out this opportunity! Influencers make a huge difference in the success of a book launch, so I would definitely appreciate your help.

And I hope to do a fun Facebook chat party launch on May 25, so keep that in mind! Should involve some great discussion, some sneak peeks of Poison Crown, and other insider fun.

Moving on . . .


I have officially finished the second draft of Poison Crown . . . volume I, that is. Which means that I'm actually only halfway through Poison Crown, but I am SIGNIFICANTLY closer to having this first volume ready to launch this coming autumn! Which is a good feeling indeed.

There's still a ton of work left to do on this volume alone. I am hoping to dive into revisions as of next week and get the manuscript tidied up before it's sent off to my editors for a go-over. Revisions aren't extensive . . . some of them are actually pretty cool. One involves an interesting and subtle tie-in to Draven's Light, and that revision I am very excited about! Another revision involves rewriting a burial mound to a funeral pyre, which means some unique changes in the subsequent story. Another revision involves weaving in a bit more foreshadowing for one of the main characters . . . that sort of thing.

One way or the other, the revisions themselves shouldn't take me terribly long to write. But going through the entire manuscript, tightening, trimming, adjusting, and spell-checking will be a bit of a task! This manuscript ended up a little over 160,000 words long. A bit shorter than Golden Daughter, a bit longer than I'd anticipated. I'm curious to see if I can get it down closer to 150,000, but we will see how that goes!

Rohan, being not only the handsomest man in the world but also the sweetest, gave me a right proper celebration for finishing this very difficult draft. The day I texted him at work to tell him it was complete, he came home with a big bunch of stock (my favorite flower . . . I know the name isn't romantic, but they're so pretty and smell like heaven!), a box of my favorite cookies (Trader Joe's Maple Leaf cookies. Have you had them? I thought I was too grown-up for sandwiches cookies, but then these came into my life . . .). Then, to top off the surprise, he pulled out a gorgeous necklace and earrings set which he had purchased a few weeks before in preparation of celebrating this event!

Yeah, he really is the sweetest. (I should finish more manuscripts . . .)

By the by, you may be interested to learn that the covers for both Volume I and Volume II are in development! I am so excited about the concept of these covers and the mockups I have seen from the artist so far. And I'm hoping to be able to launch the cover reveal for Volume I some time in May . . . so let me know, bloggers, if you'd like to participate! You can email me (aestengl@gmail.com), and I'll put you down on the cover reveal list.

Speaking of cover reveals . . .

 We are already gearing up for the THIRD Rooglewood Press Creative Writing Contest! Five Something Something is going to be announced on June 1, and I would love to have you involved in helping me reveal the gorgeous cover and selected fairytale to all the potential participants!

To say I'm excited about this third contest is a ridiculous understatement. I mean, I am SO excited! I personally find the fairytale we've selected so inspiring, I even have tentative ideas for a retelling of my own. Not for the contest, though! No, this is an idea I'm tucking away for a few years down the road . . . part of the Super Secret project . . .

All that to say, I rather think all of you will find this fairytale very challenging and very exciting all at once. I can hardly wait to see what you come up with!

So let me know if you would like to join in this launch. You can email me (aestengl@gmail.com), and I'll put you down on the Five Something Something list.

Speaking of the Fairytale Collections . . .
 
Four out of five of the Five Enchanted Roses authors have sent in their revised stories, and I expect to see the fourth one in just a few days. These were some intense revisions, but so far what I've read has led me to believe all of these authors blew it out of the water.

And don't  get me wrong when I say the revisions were tough! We loved all five of these stories the first time we read them. But all stories require editing. It's the nature of the beast. My own stories go through a process very similar to what we asked of the authors, so I know what I'm talking about. The truth is, revisions refine the gold that is already present. And these stories really are gold.


I hope to share the title pages for each of them soon! The designs for them are almost complete, and I have to say, I might like them even better than the designs for Five Glass Slippers. We went a slightly different direction from last year's title pages . . . similar, but different. You'll see what I mean when the time comes to share!

I mentioned two months ago in a "Doings" post that I had some fun news concerning Five Glass Slippers to share soon as well . . . And I still do, I promise! But we had a slight set-back in the timing for that news, so it'll have to wait a little bit longer. But I might have something to announce by next month, so keep your eyes open for it.

So last week, tucked in between finishing the second draft of Poison Crown and starting the second round of edits on Five Enchanted Roses stories, I had the fun of a cover design commission thrown in. That was unexpected and delightful. I don't ordinarily take cover design commissions these days, but the timing worked out, and it happened to be for a story I had already read a few years back. It was fun working with the author to refine a concept, and I had a blast tapping into my designer/artist  brain for a few days. Not sure when this author plans to do a cover reveal, but I will look forward to sharing the image with all of you then!

What else has been happening? Well, I had a wonderful visit with my family last month. I guess that's getting to be a while ago now! But it really was great. My brother Peter and I played our favorite crazy board game, "Arkham Horror," which involves the slaying of many deadly monsters and probably takes more time to set-up than it takes to actually play. Rohan, as much as he loves me, won't play it with me, so I save it for Peter-visits, and we hunt monsters together to our little hearts' content.

Papa and Mumsy had fun walking around our new neighborhood and enjoying Rohan's epic cooking skills. Then Mum stayed with me for an extra week after the boys left, and we did some fun projects together. Including preparing my new quilt for actual quilting! When I say "new quilt," I should say, "very, very old quilt," however. It was pieced by my great-great-grandmother, Lillian, as a gift for my grandmother when she was a little girl. I have the joy actually finishing it, which is very exciting! I've already made some good progress on it . . . and I imagine I will make even more progress while test-listening to the audio recordings of Five Enchanted Roses later this summer! (I like to have something to do with my hands while audio-testing.)

I don't have a great picture of the quilt,but you can see it behind me here in this photo.It's the cutest pattern of ladies-in-bonnets, holding little parasols. (Don't you love how Milly and I are wearing our matching pink, too?)

Another project Mumsy helped me with was my new author photo! That's right, Imps. I have finally updated from my debut-author-in-her-earl-twenties photo to a grown-up-author-in-her-late-twenties photo. Mum helped me with makeup and hair (and picking out the outfit . . . plus she loaned me a fantastic necklace), and came along to assist with posing as well. And Rohan was my photographer. Want to see how they turned out?

 This one was the Top Pick and is now my official author photo.
This one is the "glamor shot," which I'll use for various social media profiles, etc. (And I'm going to pretend that my hair and makeup always look that good. Yes. And I wear stunning gold necklaces and crisp white shirts on a daily basis as well.)
We took a bazillion and one photos, and I really liked how many of them looked. And I'm very glad to have a new photo!
  I must quickly mention before I forget . . . I'm participating in another epic Scavenger Hunt at the end of this week. Details to follow, but know that this will be tremendously fun opportunity for YOU to win 34 books or a Kindle Fire, or other great prizes! So definitely come back on Thursday for all of the details.

Wow, there have been so many other doings! Let's not forget the wonderful Goldstone Wood Fan Art Contest, which was a HUGE success this year! You can view the winners here. And keep scrolling back to see the rest of entries! Honestly, this was such a talented group of artists, I can't begin to express how in awe I am. And so grateful and humbled that they wanted to turn their artistic talents to images of my stories! 
And can I just say that I'm really pleased to see the winner was an image from Goddess Tithe? It may be a short little story, but Hannah Williams absolutely captured the drama and excitement of the tale in her award-winning piece, "Sunan Challenges Risafeth." She definitely earned her title as this year's champion.
Now I must take a moment to acknowledge Handel in the Strand. For those of you who don't recall, I have, in an effort to give my brain something to focus on that is not work-related, taken up practicing the piano again. And I am specifically focusing on this rather difficult piece by Mr. Percy Grainger.It is actually coming along surprisingly well. Still a mess, absolutely. But coming along. I decided it might make the piece easier to learn if I started by learning both the first and the last page, eventually meeting in the middle . . .
If you would like to hear how it's coming along, Milly and I are offering a little taste! Be forewarned: it's pretty bad. But if you've got your sound turned down to a bearable volume and you're feeling particularly brave, here is the first page . . .

And here is the last page . . .




Yes, all of those crazy facial expressions absolutely make a difference in my ability to play. Absolutely.

So there you have it, dear Imps. I'm pretty sure that's all the doings of this last month. Busy, yes indeed. And yet when I look at what I had HOPED to accomplish this year, I am woefully behind. Ah, well. The best laid plans of mice and men . . . and novelists . . .

What are your doings of this month? Any exciting projects, both current and upcoming? Do tell in the comments!

Calling All Influencer Readers!

Dear Imps, the time has come! That's right . . . the time for Draven's Light influencer readers. And I could really use YOUR help!

What is an influencer reader, you may ask? Simple. It's one who reads a book before or shortly after publication for the sake of expressing a public opinion in review form across the internets. Basically, an influencer reader lets potential buyers know right away what kind of book they are considering buying.

Good influencer readers can make a HUGE difference in a successful book launch. So I  would be completely delighted if you would like to jump on board and help get the word out about Draven's Light.

All the details may be found on the Rooglewood Press website (click THIS link). You'll notice that we're shaking things up this year by offering a giveaway for all of the influencer readers! That's right . . . everyone who joins in will have her or his name entered to win an autographed print copy of the final book.

David Cross will be sending out the PDFs on April 25, so there's still time to get your name to him if you are interested. Super simple requirements, anyone can do this.

And if you aren't picked as an influencer reader for this project, we're going to be looking for readers for Five Enchanted Roses in just another few months!

2015 Fan Art Contest - THE WINNERS!

Dear Imps, this year's Goldstone Wood Fan Art Contest was such a blast. Seriously! So much talent on display. And more than that, so much class, grace, and sweet encouragement was demonstrated among all the wonderful artists who participated. Such a great group of people, all blessed with such artistic ability! It was a true joy to witness.

Huge thanks to all of those who wrote in to vote as well. The participation and enthusiasm was such fun, and it was even more fun to see all of the artists get at least a few votes for their efforts. But in the end, three images rose above the rest and became this year's winners. And those three images were . . .


THIRD PLACE

 DAME IMRALDERA'S LIBRARYArtist: Hannah RogersMedium: Watercolors
 Congratulations, Hannah! This image is a perfectly wonderful depiction of the Haven Library. And how adorable to see a scene from Dame Imraldera's daily life as she labors at her eternal task, only a little distracted by the attention-seeking Bard Eanrin. And Eanrin gazes at the lovely dame with such admiration . . . though she remains apparently oblivious! Your attention to detail is superb, your use of color gorgeous, and the characters look exactly as I would picture them. This is an image I want to frame and put right up on my wall!

You have won one autographed Goldstone Wood novel of your choice! Please email me (aestengl@gmail.com) to let me know which novel you would like and the mailing address to which it should be sent.

And now . . .

SECOND PLACE

 UNA AND MONSTERArtist: Christa WilsonMedium: Pencil
Congratulations, Christa! This is a peerless depiction of Una in all her youth, sweetness, and naivete, enjoying a cuddle with her not-too-terribly reluctant pet/guardian! Monster looks quite pleased with himself (this is how he DESERVES to be appreciated, after all), and I just adore how perfectly fluffy he is. All the details make this image so lovely--Una's ring, the wildflowers in her hair . . . even Monster's little white muzzle (which looks exactly like my own dear Monster's muzzle with the white "slip" on one side! Don't think I didn't notice). You could not have drawn a more perfect portrait of these two characters.
You have won two autographed Goldstone Wood novels of your choice! Please email me (aestengl@gmail.com) to let me know which novels you would like and the mailing address to which they should be sent.

And finally . . . .

FIRST PLACE
 SUNAN CHALLENGES RISAFETHArtist: Hannah WilliamsMedium: Colored Pencil on Black Paper
Congratulations, Hannah! A well-deserved win indeed! Could there possibly be a more epic, more energized, more terrifying and simultaneously beautiful illustration? I think not! I am as breath-taken by this image now as I was the first time I saw it. Your striking use of high contrast, the out-of-this world perspective created by the driving rain, the roiling action of the water, and the characters . . . all comes together into an image that truly merits that shiny gold medal.
You have won a copy of the newest upcoming Goldstone Wood story, Draven's Light, plus two autographed Goldstone Wood novels of your choice. And let's not forget your very own most excellent Bard Eanrin hat (as designed by Paula Pruden-Macha, a fantastic artist in her own right). Please email me (aestengl@gmail.com) to let me know which novels you would like and the mailing address to which they (and your hat!) should be sent. 

Hold your horses! We're not through yet . . .

Because there were so many fine pieces sent in, I am also taking the liberty of naming the three runners-up for this year's contest.

Runner-Up #1:

 DREAMS OF REALITYArtist: Courtney D.Medium: Photomanipulation
Runner-Up #2:  THE CHRONICLER'S RELUCTANCEArtist: T. GemmellMedium: Watercolour Pencil
Runner-Up #3:  THE FUNNY PAGES FROM DAME IMRALDERA'S RECORDSArtist: Heather McDermottMedium: Digital Art

Congratulations Courtney, T. Gemmell, and Heather! Your art was well-loved and appreciated by all the voters. You email me (aestengl@gmail.com) to claim your runners-up prize . . . a collection of Goldstone Wood bookmarks!

There you have it, dear Imps and readers all. The 2015 Fan Art Contest is at an end. But we'll be back next year with a whole new gallery of work for you to enjoy!

And don't worry: We have more contests coming up for this year as well. Be on the lookout for the official announcement of the 2nd Annual Goldstone Wood Music Contest to be held early this summer. And later this summer we'll be enjoying the 2015 Fan Fiction Contest, which is always a real treat. Let's not forget that 2015 will also be the year of the first ever Goldstone Wood Costume Contest, coming in October. So be thinking ahead for all of those contests. The next winner could be you!

Take a moment to congratulate all of this year's winners. Big thanks again to all of the participants whose beautiful work made this contest such a success.

2015 GOLDSTONE WOOD FAN ART CONTEST - First Set

Welcome to the 2015 Goldstone Wood Fan Art Contest. Check out the contest rules in yesterday's post if you would like to vote or leave comments on any of these galleries.

Have fun and enjoy all of these wonderful works by talented artists!





 DARKNESS CANNOT ENTER THE REALM OF LIGHTArtist: Natasha H.Medium: Pencil Drawing


 DEATH-IN-LIFE Artist: Alaina Hornberger Medium: Digital Painting


 DRAGON PRINCESSArtist: Olivia K. FisherMedium: Wax, Pencil, and Paint


 YOUNG UNAArtist: CatalinaMedium: Pencil Drawing


 UNDAUNTED LOVEArtist: Natasha H.Medium: Pencil Drawing



 UNA AND MONSTERArtist: Christa WilsonMedium: Pencil Drawing


 HEARTLESS WILL SHAPE YOUR WORLDArtist: Olivia K. FisherMedium: Wax, Paint, Pencil, and Digital



 THE SACRIFICEArtist: Sarah BaileyMedium: Digital Painting


 THAT STILL SMALL VOICEArtist: Hannah RogersMedium: Pencil Drawing


SIR ROGAN AND SIR IMOO WAITING FOR THE DRAGONArtist: T. GemmellMedium:  Watercolor Pencil


 MONSTERArtist: CatalinaMedium: Pencil Drawing 


  MARRIAGE IN GLASSArtist: Alaina HornbergerMedium: Digital Painting



Visit the "older" post to see more Fan Art!

2015 GOLDSTONE WOOD FAN ART CONTEST - Second Set

 



  DOODLED VEILED ROSE COVERArtist: Katie GraceMedium: Fine Tip Pens and Colored Pencils


HIDE AND SEEKArtist: AbbyMedium: Colored Pencil


 LADY OF DREAMS REALIZEDArtist: Alaina HornbergerMedium: Digital Painting


 ROSE REDArtist: Beth AndrusMedium: Pencil


 ROSE RED UNVEILINGArtist: Jack CashenMedium: Pencil and Colored Pencil


 ROSE RED INTERPRETEDArtist: Michael (4 years old)Medium: PencilInterpretation: Michael's big sister told him the story of Veiled Rose. She told him that Rose Red was a kind person, but her skin was hard like rocks. So Michael drew her smiling (upside-down, apparently), and drew lots of rocks around her to represent her skin.Well done, Michael!


 THE JESTER Artist: Seth CashenMedium: Pencil and Colored Pencil


YOU WILL HAVE YOUR DREAMArtist: FaithSongMedium: Black and White Crayola Colored Pencil on Black Construction Paper


 THE FOOLArtist: Jack CashenMedium: Pencil and Colored Pencil






  WITHOUT MY SONGS, THERE WOULD BE NO HEROESArtist: Alaina HornbergerMedium: Watercolor


 VARVARE, ROSE OF ARPIARArtist: Rebekah L.Medium: Pencil and Colored Pencil


BEANA, LADY KNIGHT Artist: Lydia O'Neil and SisterMedium: Costume and Pose


 EANRIN AGAINST THE BANE OF CORRILONDArtist: Trey LockhartMedium: Manga Drawing


FALLEN CHILDRENArtist: Rebekah L.Medium: Pencil and Colored Pencil


 THE HAVEN LIBRARYArtist: JemmaMedium: Computer Graphic


 IF I BUT KNEW MY FAULTArtist: Sarah GraceMedium: Colored Pencil and Gouache Paints


 IMRALDERA LOOKS OUT FROM THE HAVENArtist: Rebekah L.Medium: Pencil and Colored Pencil


 STRENGTH IN THE NIGHT OF MOONBLOODArtist: Kailin RichardsonMedium:  Pencil and Watercolor Pencil


 LIONHEART ABANDONS DAYLILYArtist: Rebekah L.Medium: Pencil and Colored Pencil


 PROMISEArtist: Hannah WilliamsMedium: Colored Pencil


  THE QUEEN OF ARPIARArtist: Hannah RogersMedium: Water Color and Colored Pencil




Proceed to the "older" post to see more Fan Art!