Anne Elisabeth Stengl's Blog, page 9
February 26, 2015
Fan Art Contest 2015--Announcement!
The time has come, dear Imps! The time of the 2015 Fan Art Contest! I hope you're as excited about this event as I am. It's one of my favorite times of the year.
If you are eager to contribute to this year's contest and see your work featured here on the Goldstone Wood blog for all the world to enjoy and vote on, here are the rules:
1. You must create Goldstone Wood-themed art. This can be in any visual medium you prefer--drawings, paintings, quilts, knitting, pottery, photography, photomanipulation, jewelry, stick figures, video, sculpting, crafting . . . anything you like! It must be recognizably related to Goldstone Wood in some way, but other than that, the sky is the limit!
2. You must email a JPG image of your art (no PDFs, PNGs or other formats, please) to me (aestengl@gmail.com) no later than midnight, March 28, 2015, Eastern.
EDIT: Please include: Your Name, Title of Your Piece, and the Medium.
3. You may submit as many pieces as you like.
4. Your images will be displayed in a series of blog posts which will go live on April 1, 2015.
5. The winners of this contest will be chosen via Fan Voting. Note: Voting is open to fans of the series only. Please don't ask family or friends who have not read the series to vote on your work. (However, if they HAVE read the series, they are welcome to contribute their votes.)
6. First, Second, and Third-place winners will be announced on April 11, 2015. (Runners-up may also be selected, but that will be up to my discretion.)
PRIZES:
The Third Place Winner will receive one autographed Goldstone Wood novel of her or his choice.
The Second Place Winner will receive two autographed Goldstone Wood novels of her or his choice.
And the First Place Winner will receive one autographed advance copy of Draven's Light, two other autographed Goldstone Wood novels of her or his choice, and . . . .
Monster wants it known that he was not a willing participant in this image.. . . this most excellent Bard of Rudiobus hat!
This hat was made to order by the amazingly talented Paula Pruden-Macha. Didn't she do a wonderful job? And admit it . . . haven't you always wanted an Eanrin hat? Complete with starflower button and plumes?
So there you have it, dear creatively-minded Imps! The 2015 Fan Art contest is officially launched. Go forth and create!
You can view the previous contest entries at Dame Imraldera's Library. Have a look and be inspired.
February 18, 2015
KittyTheme Song Lyrics
Many of you are familiar with the "Minerva Louise" song. It is a revision of an old (oooooooooooold) song popular in the 1920s, which I have altered and arranged for the sake of my beloved Evil One, Minerva Louise. You can hear me sing it (as a duet) here.
What you may not know is that I have songs and lyrics for most of my other kitties as well! And since all of you seem to appreciate my great lyrical prowess (as my husband, sadly, does not), I am going to share with you the fruits of my kitty-inspired labors, the likes of which would surely make even Ira Gershwin and Oscar Hammerstein sigh with envy. I give you . . .
Kitty Theme Song LyricsRohan wants it herein stated that he claims no part of the following.(Which is untrue, because he helped refine several of these.)
First of all, I will present you with:
MARMADUKE'S THEME SONG
(So you can see what a beautiful, intelligent creature Marmaduke is.)This was the first of my great lyrical triumphs composed for the benefit of my kitties, preceding even the "Minerva Louise" song. This was inspired by Marmaduke's tendency to help himself to anything left unattended on the counter, combined with his great desire to "help" me clean plates before sticking them in the dishwasher. It is intended to be sung to slightly-warped version of the tune "Don't Fence Me In," by Cole Porter.
Marmaduke, Marmaduke,You’re my precious MarmadukeMy favorite boy!Marmaduke, MarmadukeSuch a lovely MarmadukeA furry joy!You’re the prettiest kitty that I ever had,Fuzzy and funny and rarely bad,But when you’re on the counter it just drives me mad!Oh, Marmaduke!
Rohan says he will give this song props for honesty, but little else.
Moving on! Next I will give you:
MONSTER'S THEME SONG This one is sung to its own, original tune, and should be performed in a cloying baby voice, because (though Rohan doesn't believe me) this is the only sort of voice Monster understands.
(Does this look like a face that understands anything more than babytalk? I mean, seriously!)
He is a Monster Boots, he’s really sweetHe’s just a Monster Boots, he’s kinda neatHe’s just the dearest little kittycat that ever there wasHe’s got big fluffy boots and little white pawsI guess he’s just my favorite cat if only becauseHe is a Monster Boots!
(Bridge)
You can talk about your kittycats, they’re pretty swellBut there ain’t no other kittycat I love so wellThere’s no one like Monster Boots!
He is a Monster Boots, he’s really niceHe’s just a Monster Boots, don’t ask me twice!He’s just the sweetest little kittycat I ever have seenHe’s always purring and he rarely is meanI guess a better kittycat there never has beenNot since my Monster Boots!Yeah.
Monster has been known to follow me all around the house, cheeping sweetly when I sing this song to him. Rohan says it's because he's asking me to stop. Or to speak to him intelligently. But Rohan doesn't understand Monster the way I do.
Next up, allow me to present to you:
MAGRAT'S THEME SONG The thing you have to understand about Magrat is that she would like to be an only kitty. She is my baby, my most constant lap-companion, and extremely jealous of me and my attentions. If I call any of the other cats by name, I'm lucky if they even turn their ears to acknowledge me. But Magrat will come running. Not just for her own name, but for ANY of their names . . . because she knows, ultimately, I must have meant her.
(She's also a bit on the plumpy-side.)So one day, while she was hogging my lap, gazing at me with utmost adoration, I decided I needed to spontaneously compose a memorable ballad describing to her just how important she really is in the grand scheme of life and the universe. Thus was this song born. (It should be sung to the tune of "O What a Beautiful Morning" by Rogers and Hammerstein.)
There’s no kitty I love quite like Magrat!There’s no kitty I love quite like Magrat!She’s the most importantest kitty I knowAnd the more she keeps eating the more she will grow!
(Chorus) Magrat’s the kitty who mattersNo one else matters at allShe’s getting fatter and fatterSoon she’ll be a butterball!
Other kitties are not so importantOther kitties are not so importantWe have a great many, but as you can seeThere is no other kitty who matters to me!
(Repeat Chorus)
Sometimes, only song can express those great truths of the soul. (I know you understand this, dear reader, even if Rohan does not!)
Next up I give you:
MAKOOSE'S THEME SONG
(Sing to me, human!)Okay, the truth is, Makoose doesn't really have a theme song. The muse has been strangely silent when it comes to this lovely boy. This is about as far as we've ever come:
Makoose-MooseYou are a goose-gooseA bit obtuse-tuse . . .
Yeah. And that's all she wrote. (Rohan says this one is his favorite.)
Last but not least is:
MUTTI'S THEME SONG
(Who wouldn't want to sing to that sweet face?)
Mutti has managed to acquire several songs in the short time since she's been with us. She has been christened "Mutti Bear" as her full name (for obvious teddy-bear reasons), and that name lends itself to many rhymes. For instance:
Mutti Bear built her lairUnderneath the rocking chairSo beware, don't go thereOr you'll surely get a scare.
Which morphed into: Mutti Bear sitting thereOn her fluffy derriere In her lair by the chairGiving me a deadly glare
And so on and so forth with many variations on the same. But her most elaborate and preferred theme song is this one, sung to the tune of "Sir Eglamore" by Kate Rusby:
Mutti is my favorite catFa la lanky don dilly!She’s soft and sweet and kind of fatFa la lanky don dilly!I like to pet her plushy furThere’s never been a cat like herFa la lanky don lanky don lanky don dilly!
Mutti is my darling girlFa la lanky don dilly!I love her more than jewels and pearlsFa la lanky don dilly!I gently stroke her silky earsWhere has she been for all these years?Fa la lanky don lanky don lanky don dilly!
Mutti is a lovely queenFa la lanky don dilly!She likes to groom and she likes to preenFa la lanky don dilly!I much admire her velvet pawsBut touch them not! For she has clawsFa la lanky don lanky don lanky don dilly!
And for all Rohan's complaints . . . he actually wrote the last verse for this song. (See? He DOES get me after all!)
All right, there you have it. I know you must have been worried (must have been!) that Minerva Louise was getting special treatment with her theme song. You may now rest easy. Everyone has a theme song. (Except Makoose . . . and Milly . . . and Rohan too, oddly enough . . .)
What you may not know is that I have songs and lyrics for most of my other kitties as well! And since all of you seem to appreciate my great lyrical prowess (as my husband, sadly, does not), I am going to share with you the fruits of my kitty-inspired labors, the likes of which would surely make even Ira Gershwin and Oscar Hammerstein sigh with envy. I give you . . .
Kitty Theme Song LyricsRohan wants it herein stated that he claims no part of the following.(Which is untrue, because he helped refine several of these.)
First of all, I will present you with:
MARMADUKE'S THEME SONG
(So you can see what a beautiful, intelligent creature Marmaduke is.)This was the first of my great lyrical triumphs composed for the benefit of my kitties, preceding even the "Minerva Louise" song. This was inspired by Marmaduke's tendency to help himself to anything left unattended on the counter, combined with his great desire to "help" me clean plates before sticking them in the dishwasher. It is intended to be sung to slightly-warped version of the tune "Don't Fence Me In," by Cole Porter.Marmaduke, Marmaduke,You’re my precious MarmadukeMy favorite boy!Marmaduke, MarmadukeSuch a lovely MarmadukeA furry joy!You’re the prettiest kitty that I ever had,Fuzzy and funny and rarely bad,But when you’re on the counter it just drives me mad!Oh, Marmaduke!
Rohan says he will give this song props for honesty, but little else.
Moving on! Next I will give you:
MONSTER'S THEME SONG This one is sung to its own, original tune, and should be performed in a cloying baby voice, because (though Rohan doesn't believe me) this is the only sort of voice Monster understands.
(Does this look like a face that understands anything more than babytalk? I mean, seriously!) He is a Monster Boots, he’s really sweetHe’s just a Monster Boots, he’s kinda neatHe’s just the dearest little kittycat that ever there wasHe’s got big fluffy boots and little white pawsI guess he’s just my favorite cat if only becauseHe is a Monster Boots!
(Bridge)
You can talk about your kittycats, they’re pretty swellBut there ain’t no other kittycat I love so wellThere’s no one like Monster Boots!
He is a Monster Boots, he’s really niceHe’s just a Monster Boots, don’t ask me twice!He’s just the sweetest little kittycat I ever have seenHe’s always purring and he rarely is meanI guess a better kittycat there never has beenNot since my Monster Boots!Yeah.
Monster has been known to follow me all around the house, cheeping sweetly when I sing this song to him. Rohan says it's because he's asking me to stop. Or to speak to him intelligently. But Rohan doesn't understand Monster the way I do.
Next up, allow me to present to you:
MAGRAT'S THEME SONG The thing you have to understand about Magrat is that she would like to be an only kitty. She is my baby, my most constant lap-companion, and extremely jealous of me and my attentions. If I call any of the other cats by name, I'm lucky if they even turn their ears to acknowledge me. But Magrat will come running. Not just for her own name, but for ANY of their names . . . because she knows, ultimately, I must have meant her.
(She's also a bit on the plumpy-side.)So one day, while she was hogging my lap, gazing at me with utmost adoration, I decided I needed to spontaneously compose a memorable ballad describing to her just how important she really is in the grand scheme of life and the universe. Thus was this song born. (It should be sung to the tune of "O What a Beautiful Morning" by Rogers and Hammerstein.)There’s no kitty I love quite like Magrat!There’s no kitty I love quite like Magrat!She’s the most importantest kitty I knowAnd the more she keeps eating the more she will grow!
(Chorus) Magrat’s the kitty who mattersNo one else matters at allShe’s getting fatter and fatterSoon she’ll be a butterball!
Other kitties are not so importantOther kitties are not so importantWe have a great many, but as you can seeThere is no other kitty who matters to me!
(Repeat Chorus)
Sometimes, only song can express those great truths of the soul. (I know you understand this, dear reader, even if Rohan does not!)
Next up I give you:
MAKOOSE'S THEME SONG
(Sing to me, human!)Okay, the truth is, Makoose doesn't really have a theme song. The muse has been strangely silent when it comes to this lovely boy. This is about as far as we've ever come: Makoose-MooseYou are a goose-gooseA bit obtuse-tuse . . .
Yeah. And that's all she wrote. (Rohan says this one is his favorite.)
Last but not least is:
MUTTI'S THEME SONG
(Who wouldn't want to sing to that sweet face?)Mutti has managed to acquire several songs in the short time since she's been with us. She has been christened "Mutti Bear" as her full name (for obvious teddy-bear reasons), and that name lends itself to many rhymes. For instance:
Mutti Bear built her lairUnderneath the rocking chairSo beware, don't go thereOr you'll surely get a scare.
Which morphed into: Mutti Bear sitting thereOn her fluffy derriere In her lair by the chairGiving me a deadly glare
And so on and so forth with many variations on the same. But her most elaborate and preferred theme song is this one, sung to the tune of "Sir Eglamore" by Kate Rusby:
Mutti is my favorite catFa la lanky don dilly!She’s soft and sweet and kind of fatFa la lanky don dilly!I like to pet her plushy furThere’s never been a cat like herFa la lanky don lanky don lanky don dilly!
Mutti is my darling girlFa la lanky don dilly!I love her more than jewels and pearlsFa la lanky don dilly!I gently stroke her silky earsWhere has she been for all these years?Fa la lanky don lanky don lanky don dilly!
Mutti is a lovely queenFa la lanky don dilly!She likes to groom and she likes to preenFa la lanky don dilly!I much admire her velvet pawsBut touch them not! For she has clawsFa la lanky don lanky don lanky don dilly!
And for all Rohan's complaints . . . he actually wrote the last verse for this song. (See? He DOES get me after all!)
All right, there you have it. I know you must have been worried (must have been!) that Minerva Louise was getting special treatment with her theme song. You may now rest easy. Everyone has a theme song. (Except Makoose . . . and Milly . . . and Rohan too, oddly enough . . .)
Kitties Theme Song Lyrics
Many of you are familiar with the "Minerva Louise" song. It is a revision of an old (oooooooooooold) song popular in the 1920s, which I have altered and arranged for the sake of my beloved Evil One, Minerva Louise. You can hear me sing it (as a duet) here.
What you may not know is that I have songs and lyrics for most of my other kitties as well! And since all of you seem to appreciate my great lyrical prowess (as my husband, sadly, does not), I am going to share with you the fruits of my kitty-inspired labors, the likes of which would surely make even Ira Gershwin and Oscar Hammerstein sigh with envy. I give you . . .
Kitty Theme Song LyricsRohan wants it herein stated that he claims no part of the following.(Which is untrue, because he helped refine several of these.)
First of all, I will present you with:
MARMADUKE'S THEME SONG
(So you can see what a beautiful, intelligent creature Marmaduke is.)This was the first of my great lyrical triumphs composed for the benefit of my kitties, preceding even the "Minerva Louise" song. This was inspired by Marmaduke's tendency to help himself to anything left unattended on the counter, combined with his great desire to "help" me clean plates before sticking them in the dishwasher. It is intended to be sung to slightly-warped version of the tune "Don't Fence Me In," by Cole Porter.
Marmaduke, Marmaduke,You’re my precious MarmadukeMy favorite boy!Marmaduke, MarmadukeSuch a lovely MarmadukeA furry joy!You’re the prettiest kitty that I ever had,Fuzzy and funny and rarely bad,But when you’re on the counter it just drives me mad!Oh, Marmaduke!
Rohan says he will give this song props for honesty, but little else.
Moving on! Next I will give you:
MONSTER'S THEME SONG This one is sung to its own, original tune, and should be performed in a cloying baby voice, because (though Rohan doesn't believe me) this is the only sort of voice Monster understands.
(Does this look like a face that understands anything more than babytalk? I mean, seriously!)
He is a Monster Boots, he’s really sweetHe’s just a Monster Boots, he’s kinda neatHe’s just the dearest little kittycat that ever there wasHe’s got big fluffy boots and little white pawsI guess he’s just my favorite cat if only becauseHe is a Monster Boots!
(Bridge)
You can talk about your kittycats, they’re pretty swellBut there ain’t no other kittycat I love so wellThere’s no one like Monster Boots!
He is a Monster Boots, he’s really niceHe’s just a Monster Boots, don’t ask me twice!He’s just the sweetest little kittycat I ever have seenHe’s always purring and he rarely is meanI guess a better kittycat there never has beenNot since my Monster Boots!Yeah.
Monster has been known to follow me all around the house, cheeping sweetly when I sing this song to him. Rohan says it's because he's asking me to stop. Or to speak to him intelligently. But Rohan doesn't understand Monster the way I do.
Next up, allow me to present to you:
MAGRAT'S THEME SONG The thing you have to understand about Magrat is that she would like to be an only kitty. She is my baby, my most constant lap-companion, and extremely jealous of me and my attentions. If I call any of the other cats by name, I'm lucky if they even turn their ears to acknowledge me. But Magrat will come running. Not just for her own name, but for ANY of their names . . . because she knows, ultimately, I must have meant her.
(She's also a bit on the plumpy-side.)So one day, while she was hogging my lap, gazing at me with utmost adoration, I decided I needed to spontaneously compose a memorable ballad describing to her just how important she really is in the grand scheme of life and the universe. Thus was this song born. (It should be sung to the tune of "O What a Beautiful Morning" by Rogers and Hammerstein.)
There’s no kitty I love quite like Magrat!There’s no kitty I love quite like Magrat!She’s the most importantest kitty I knowAnd the more she keeps eating the more she will grow!
(Chorus) Magrat’s the kitty who mattersNo one else matters at allShe’s getting fatter and fatterSoon she’ll be a butterball!
Other kitties are not so importantOther kitties are not so importantWe have a great many, but as you can seeThere is no other kitty who matters to me!
(Repeat Chorus)
Sometimes, only song can express those great truths of the soul. (I know you understand this, dear reader, even if Rohan does not!)
Next up I give you:
MAKOOSE'S THEME SONG
(Sing to me, human!)Okay, the truth is, Makoose doesn't really have a theme song. The muse has been strangely silent when it comes to this lovely boy. This is about as far as we've ever come:
Makoose-MooseYou are a goose-gooseA bit obtuse-tuse . . .
Yeah. And that's all she wrote. (Rohan says this one is his favorite.)
Last but not least is:
MUTTI'S THEME SONG
(Who wouldn't want to sing to that sweet face?)
Mutti has managed to acquire several songs in the short time since she's been with us. She has been christened "Mutti Bear" as her full name (for obvious teddy-bear reasons), and that name lends itself to many rhymes. For instance:
Mutti Bear built her lairUnderneath the rocking chairSo beware, don't go thereOr you'll surely get a scare.
Which morphed into: Mutti Bear sitting thereOn her fluffy derriere In her lair by the chairGiving me a deadly glare
And so on and so forth with many variations on the same. But her most elaborate and preferred theme song is this one, sung to the tune of "Sir Eglamore" by Kate Rusby:
Mutti is my favorite catFa la lanky don dilly!She’s soft and sweet and kind of fatFa la lanky don dilly!I like to pet her plushy furThere’s never been a cat like herFa la lanky don lanky don lanky don dilly!
Mutti is my darling girlFa la lanky don dilly!I love her more than jewels and pearlsFa la lanky don dilly!I gently stroke her silky earsWhere has she been for all these years?Fa la lanky don lanky don lanky don dilly!
Mutti is a lovely queenFa la lanky don dilly!She likes to groom and she likes to preenFa la lanky don dilly!I much admire her velvet pawsBut touch them not! For she has clawsFa la lanky don lanky don lanky don dilly!
And for all Rohan's complaints . . . he actually wrote the last verse for this song. (See? He DOES get me after all!)
All right, there you have it. I know you must have been worried (must have been!) that Minerva Louise was getting special treatment with her theme song. You may now rest easy. Everyone has a theme song. (Except Makoose . . . and Milly . . . and Rohan too, oddly enough . . .)
What you may not know is that I have songs and lyrics for most of my other kitties as well! And since all of you seem to appreciate my great lyrical prowess (as my husband, sadly, does not), I am going to share with you the fruits of my kitty-inspired labors, the likes of which would surely make even Ira Gershwin and Oscar Hammerstein sigh with envy. I give you . . .
Kitty Theme Song LyricsRohan wants it herein stated that he claims no part of the following.(Which is untrue, because he helped refine several of these.)
First of all, I will present you with:
MARMADUKE'S THEME SONG
(So you can see what a beautiful, intelligent creature Marmaduke is.)This was the first of my great lyrical triumphs composed for the benefit of my kitties, preceding even the "Minerva Louise" song. This was inspired by Marmaduke's tendency to help himself to anything left unattended on the counter, combined with his great desire to "help" me clean plates before sticking them in the dishwasher. It is intended to be sung to slightly-warped version of the tune "Don't Fence Me In," by Cole Porter.Marmaduke, Marmaduke,You’re my precious MarmadukeMy favorite boy!Marmaduke, MarmadukeSuch a lovely MarmadukeA furry joy!You’re the prettiest kitty that I ever had,Fuzzy and funny and rarely bad,But when you’re on the counter it just drives me mad!Oh, Marmaduke!
Rohan says he will give this song props for honesty, but little else.
Moving on! Next I will give you:
MONSTER'S THEME SONG This one is sung to its own, original tune, and should be performed in a cloying baby voice, because (though Rohan doesn't believe me) this is the only sort of voice Monster understands.
(Does this look like a face that understands anything more than babytalk? I mean, seriously!) He is a Monster Boots, he’s really sweetHe’s just a Monster Boots, he’s kinda neatHe’s just the dearest little kittycat that ever there wasHe’s got big fluffy boots and little white pawsI guess he’s just my favorite cat if only becauseHe is a Monster Boots!
(Bridge)
You can talk about your kittycats, they’re pretty swellBut there ain’t no other kittycat I love so wellThere’s no one like Monster Boots!
He is a Monster Boots, he’s really niceHe’s just a Monster Boots, don’t ask me twice!He’s just the sweetest little kittycat I ever have seenHe’s always purring and he rarely is meanI guess a better kittycat there never has beenNot since my Monster Boots!Yeah.
Monster has been known to follow me all around the house, cheeping sweetly when I sing this song to him. Rohan says it's because he's asking me to stop. Or to speak to him intelligently. But Rohan doesn't understand Monster the way I do.
Next up, allow me to present to you:
MAGRAT'S THEME SONG The thing you have to understand about Magrat is that she would like to be an only kitty. She is my baby, my most constant lap-companion, and extremely jealous of me and my attentions. If I call any of the other cats by name, I'm lucky if they even turn their ears to acknowledge me. But Magrat will come running. Not just for her own name, but for ANY of their names . . . because she knows, ultimately, I must have meant her.
(She's also a bit on the plumpy-side.)So one day, while she was hogging my lap, gazing at me with utmost adoration, I decided I needed to spontaneously compose a memorable ballad describing to her just how important she really is in the grand scheme of life and the universe. Thus was this song born. (It should be sung to the tune of "O What a Beautiful Morning" by Rogers and Hammerstein.)There’s no kitty I love quite like Magrat!There’s no kitty I love quite like Magrat!She’s the most importantest kitty I knowAnd the more she keeps eating the more she will grow!
(Chorus) Magrat’s the kitty who mattersNo one else matters at allShe’s getting fatter and fatterSoon she’ll be a butterball!
Other kitties are not so importantOther kitties are not so importantWe have a great many, but as you can seeThere is no other kitty who matters to me!
(Repeat Chorus)
Sometimes, only song can express those great truths of the soul. (I know you understand this, dear reader, even if Rohan does not!)
Next up I give you:
MAKOOSE'S THEME SONG
(Sing to me, human!)Okay, the truth is, Makoose doesn't really have a theme song. The muse has been strangely silent when it comes to this lovely boy. This is about as far as we've ever come: Makoose-MooseYou are a goose-gooseA bit obtuse-tuse . . .
Yeah. And that's all she wrote. (Rohan says this one is his favorite.)
Last but not least is:
MUTTI'S THEME SONG
(Who wouldn't want to sing to that sweet face?)Mutti has managed to acquire several songs in the short time since she's been with us. She has been christened "Mutti Bear" as her full name (for obvious teddy-bear reasons), and that name lends itself to many rhymes. For instance:
Mutti Bear built her lairUnderneath the rocking chairSo beware, don't go thereOr you'll surely get a scare.
Which morphed into: Mutti Bear sitting thereOn her fluffy derriere In her lair by the chairGiving me a deadly glare
And so on and so forth with many variations on the same. But her most elaborate and preferred theme song is this one, sung to the tune of "Sir Eglamore" by Kate Rusby:
Mutti is my favorite catFa la lanky don dilly!She’s soft and sweet and kind of fatFa la lanky don dilly!I like to pet her plushy furThere’s never been a cat like herFa la lanky don lanky don lanky don dilly!
Mutti is my darling girlFa la lanky don dilly!I love her more than jewels and pearlsFa la lanky don dilly!I gently stroke her silky earsWhere has she been for all these years?Fa la lanky don lanky don lanky don dilly!
Mutti is a lovely queenFa la lanky don dilly!She likes to groom and she likes to preenFa la lanky don dilly!I much admire her velvet pawsBut touch them not! For she has clawsFa la lanky don lanky don lanky don dilly!
And for all Rohan's complaints . . . he actually wrote the last verse for this song. (See? He DOES get me after all!)
All right, there you have it. I know you must have been worried (must have been!) that Minerva Louise was getting special treatment with her theme song. You may now rest easy. Everyone has a theme song. (Except Makoose . . . and Milly . . . and Rohan too, oddly enough . . .)
February 16, 2015
Interview Feature: Dina Sleiman
Dear Imps, I have a fun feature for all of you today! I have the opportunity to introduce an exciting new author of an upcoming medieval YA trilogy, beginning with
Dauntless
. She is here today to answer some questions about her work and she is offering an awesome giveaway for bloggers/reviewers! But more on that to come. In the meanwhile, please meet:
DINA SLEIMAN writes stories of passion and grace. Most of the time you will find this Virginia Beach resident reading, biking, dancing, or hanging out with her husband and three children, preferably at the oceanfront. Since finishing her Professional Writing MA in 1994, she has enjoyed many opportunities to teach literature, writing, and the arts. Her debut novel, Dance of the Dandelion with Whitefire Publishing, won an Honorable Mention in the 2012 Selah Awards. Also look for her novels, Love in Three-Quarter Time, Dance from Deep Within, and her Valiant Hearts series coming with Bethany House Publishers in 2015. Dina serves as an acquisitions editor for WhiteFire Publishing as well, and she loves to teach at writers conferences throughout the US.
INTERVIEW
Welcome to the Tales of Goldstone Wood blog! First of all, would you mind telling us a little about yourself? Hobbies, personality . . . tea or coffee?
Dina: Hi, Anne Elisabeth! I’m so happy to be here. Above all things, I love the arts, and my hobbies include dance, drama, music, and occasionally painting. I also love nature and spending time at the beach or in the mountains: walking, hiking, swimming, and riding bikes. I’m married with three children, ages 20, 17, and 12. My family keeps me active. Personality, wow, I guess I’m introverted but still fun-loving and humorous. I enjoy the company of good friends, but I’m also very content with my own company or spending quiet contemplative time with God. To your last question—both! Coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon.
What led you into the writing life? Were you always a storyteller?
Dina: I first felt drawn to writing in late elementary school when I got to write a short story about a Venetian alien who came to earth. In high school I loved creative writing, but then I had a very discouraging teacher who scared me away from it for a time. Thank goodness, though, the writing bug never left me. Although it took me a few years to get up the courage to write again, I ended up going to graduate school for writing. As someone who writes in a number of genres, I’ve tended to think of myself more as a word smith than a storyteller. But I’ve really grown as a storyteller in the last few years, and that’s my primary focus now.
Tell us a little about your work! Dauntless is your debut YA novel, am I right? Is this your first venture into publishing?
Dina:Dauntless is my first YA novel, but my fourth published novel. I don’t want to bore you with my long sob story about my journey from writing hard to market books to one that finally caught the eye of a large company. Suffice to say, I’ve been all over the genre gamut looking for my breakout opportunity. Finally, I had the idea to shift my original interest, medieval, to a more action packed, YA type historical romance. That caught the eye of Bethany House Publishing right away. And since you asked about publishing, I should also mention that I am a part-time acquisitions and content editor for a small company, WhiteFire Publishing.
Tell us a little about how this story came about! It’s a medieval adventure novel with a hint of Robin Hood, is that right?
Dina: Yes! Years ago a YA editor suggested that I try writing a medieval romance series along the lines of Melanie Dickerson’s successful novels. But I didn’t have any strong ideas. Finally, after watching the new BBC Robin Hood, I was walking and praying about a YA idea, and the inspiration for my Valiant Hearts series popped into my head. BBC’s version of the story has lots of feisty women. Maid Marian is a thief and crusader for justice in her own right, their Djaq character is a female, and many of the villains are tough women as well. So that is how I came up with my idea to put strong young women in legendary medieval roles. And of course, I started with the Robin Hood story.
Can you pick a favorite character from this novel?
Dina: The fun thing about working with the Robin Hood motif was having a broad cast of colorful “merry men” to work with. Since my Robin Hood type heroine is a teenage girl, I thought it most natural to put her in charge of a group of younger men, women, and children. My favorite is a little two-year-old girl named Wren, who they rescued when the evil King John burnt their village to the ground and killed all the adults. Wren is adorable and funny. She brings out my heroine’s softer side, and she alone sees the “sunshine men,” who add a fanciful twist to the story. As a mother, I’m very fond of this character. She brings back some wonderful memories from when my own children were small.
What inspires your work? Where do you turn when you need a renewal of inspiration?
Dina: I often find inspiration in television and movies, as I did with this series, as well as in other books. Basking in story feeds my creativity. But I also rely heavily on the Holy Spirit for that creative spark. When I need renewal and inspiration, I often spend time in prayer and in worship. I also exercise and spend time in nature. But when I just need to veg and let me mind refresh, Netflix is my best friend. So there you go, my own weird mix of spirituality and pop culture.
What are your favorite and least favorite parts of the writing process?
Dina: My favorite part is that initial creative burst. I can completely get lost in a creative haze, to the point that I warn my family to remind me to do stuff like make dinner, shower, and pick up the kids from activities. I love that state. It’s pure bliss. My least favorite part is when I first receive critiques or edits on my writing. I really have to brace myself for those moments. They always make my writing better in the long run, but because I’m such an intuitive writer, it can be really painful to have to face those areas in my story that need to change. I want to say ridiculous things like, “but that’s not what happened,” or, “the people in my head didn’t do it that way.”
If you were forced to pick a single favorite author, who would it be?
Dina: Just one!?!?! I guess in order to pick just one author, that person would have to capture all the things I love best about literature. And to find that, I’m going to go with the little known Roseanna White. She is a close friend, a critique partner, and also my senior editor at WhiteFire Publishing. Roseanna has it all. Her writing is smart, insightful, funny, romantic, beautiful, exciting, and spiritual. I love everything about her books, although I love her Biblical novels the most. And her books always have happy endings. Other favorite authors who capture many—but not always all—of these elements include James Rubart, Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth, Steven James, Lisa Samson, Tosca Lee, and Karen Hancock. Those are the writers I read for inspiration.
What are you actively writing right now?
Dina: Right now I’m doing some re-writes on book two in the series, Chivalrous, which is the story of a young lady who longs to be a knight, but her father views her as little more than a marriage pawn. The story pulls from King Arthur legends and turns the Lancelot/Guinevere story upside down. I’m also
Would you share a short snippet from Dauntless?
Dina: Here is the opening of the book.
Excerpt fromDAUNTLESS
I am air.I am wind.I am stealthy like a cat. A wild lynx of the forest.I whisper my chant as I await my prey, crouched in the branches of a tree, one with it, as I must be. My green tunic and hood, my brown leggings, even my stray wisps of hair blend into the forest about me. The rough flaxen sack, the quiver and bow upon my back, add texture and disguise my feminine shape. Only my trembling hands give me away as human, as other. But I must be dauntless to accomplish this task.Again I steel my heart. Steady its beating. Will it to turn hard and sharp like the dagger in my belt. Though I have never thrust it into human flesh, if needed, I think I would. I fancy myself a fearless leader, but my hands—I glance down and rub them together—my trembling hands always give me away. Taking deep, calming breaths of maple scented air, I study the forest across the dirt trail from me, picking out the eyes from leaves, bushes, and branches. My “men” remain well-camouflaged as usual, but if I peer closely enough, I can always find their eyes. Tough eyes, strong eyes, yet with echoes of little boys hidden in their depths, begging me to care for them. To somehow, someway, be the mothers and fathers they have lost, though I am naught but seventeen myself. My men wait as I do, silent and still, ready to pounce. They will back me up, protect me with their lives if needed. But I cannot call upon them to do so. I will do this thing alone. Stealthy like a cat. In and out before they realize. ’Tis always best this way.At a distance, I hear the first creaks and jangles against the rustling of the leaves. I sigh. Soon it will be over. One way or another, until next week, or perhaps tomorrow. I must not think about that now.I have heard tales of a fellow in Sherwood Forest, not so terribly far away. Robyn of the Hode, they call him, with his own band of men, although I imagine his are actual grown men. Oh, a few of mine are large enough. And I’ve trained them like the guards who once protected me…in a stone castle that used to be mine…until it was all taken away. Robyn and I, we have this in common if legend holds true.Yes, I tell myself, I am ready for this.
______________
Thank you for sharing with us today, Dina! Sounds like you've written something exciting which many readers are going to enjoy.
And on that note, dear readers, Dina is offering her giveaway. She is looking for bloggers and reviewers to help launch her new series, so this giveaway is specifically for those among you who have BLOGS and are ready and willing to write REVIEWS! If you can agree to both of those counts, please enter your name below.
And be certain to congratulate Dina on her upcoming release!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
DINA SLEIMAN writes stories of passion and grace. Most of the time you will find this Virginia Beach resident reading, biking, dancing, or hanging out with her husband and three children, preferably at the oceanfront. Since finishing her Professional Writing MA in 1994, she has enjoyed many opportunities to teach literature, writing, and the arts. Her debut novel, Dance of the Dandelion with Whitefire Publishing, won an Honorable Mention in the 2012 Selah Awards. Also look for her novels, Love in Three-Quarter Time, Dance from Deep Within, and her Valiant Hearts series coming with Bethany House Publishers in 2015. Dina serves as an acquisitions editor for WhiteFire Publishing as well, and she loves to teach at writers conferences throughout the US.INTERVIEW
Welcome to the Tales of Goldstone Wood blog! First of all, would you mind telling us a little about yourself? Hobbies, personality . . . tea or coffee?
Dina: Hi, Anne Elisabeth! I’m so happy to be here. Above all things, I love the arts, and my hobbies include dance, drama, music, and occasionally painting. I also love nature and spending time at the beach or in the mountains: walking, hiking, swimming, and riding bikes. I’m married with three children, ages 20, 17, and 12. My family keeps me active. Personality, wow, I guess I’m introverted but still fun-loving and humorous. I enjoy the company of good friends, but I’m also very content with my own company or spending quiet contemplative time with God. To your last question—both! Coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon.
What led you into the writing life? Were you always a storyteller?
Dina: I first felt drawn to writing in late elementary school when I got to write a short story about a Venetian alien who came to earth. In high school I loved creative writing, but then I had a very discouraging teacher who scared me away from it for a time. Thank goodness, though, the writing bug never left me. Although it took me a few years to get up the courage to write again, I ended up going to graduate school for writing. As someone who writes in a number of genres, I’ve tended to think of myself more as a word smith than a storyteller. But I’ve really grown as a storyteller in the last few years, and that’s my primary focus now.
Tell us a little about your work! Dauntless is your debut YA novel, am I right? Is this your first venture into publishing?
Dina:Dauntless is my first YA novel, but my fourth published novel. I don’t want to bore you with my long sob story about my journey from writing hard to market books to one that finally caught the eye of a large company. Suffice to say, I’ve been all over the genre gamut looking for my breakout opportunity. Finally, I had the idea to shift my original interest, medieval, to a more action packed, YA type historical romance. That caught the eye of Bethany House Publishing right away. And since you asked about publishing, I should also mention that I am a part-time acquisitions and content editor for a small company, WhiteFire Publishing.
Tell us a little about how this story came about! It’s a medieval adventure novel with a hint of Robin Hood, is that right?
Dina: Yes! Years ago a YA editor suggested that I try writing a medieval romance series along the lines of Melanie Dickerson’s successful novels. But I didn’t have any strong ideas. Finally, after watching the new BBC Robin Hood, I was walking and praying about a YA idea, and the inspiration for my Valiant Hearts series popped into my head. BBC’s version of the story has lots of feisty women. Maid Marian is a thief and crusader for justice in her own right, their Djaq character is a female, and many of the villains are tough women as well. So that is how I came up with my idea to put strong young women in legendary medieval roles. And of course, I started with the Robin Hood story.Can you pick a favorite character from this novel?
Dina: The fun thing about working with the Robin Hood motif was having a broad cast of colorful “merry men” to work with. Since my Robin Hood type heroine is a teenage girl, I thought it most natural to put her in charge of a group of younger men, women, and children. My favorite is a little two-year-old girl named Wren, who they rescued when the evil King John burnt their village to the ground and killed all the adults. Wren is adorable and funny. She brings out my heroine’s softer side, and she alone sees the “sunshine men,” who add a fanciful twist to the story. As a mother, I’m very fond of this character. She brings back some wonderful memories from when my own children were small.
What inspires your work? Where do you turn when you need a renewal of inspiration?
Dina: I often find inspiration in television and movies, as I did with this series, as well as in other books. Basking in story feeds my creativity. But I also rely heavily on the Holy Spirit for that creative spark. When I need renewal and inspiration, I often spend time in prayer and in worship. I also exercise and spend time in nature. But when I just need to veg and let me mind refresh, Netflix is my best friend. So there you go, my own weird mix of spirituality and pop culture.
What are your favorite and least favorite parts of the writing process?
Dina: My favorite part is that initial creative burst. I can completely get lost in a creative haze, to the point that I warn my family to remind me to do stuff like make dinner, shower, and pick up the kids from activities. I love that state. It’s pure bliss. My least favorite part is when I first receive critiques or edits on my writing. I really have to brace myself for those moments. They always make my writing better in the long run, but because I’m such an intuitive writer, it can be really painful to have to face those areas in my story that need to change. I want to say ridiculous things like, “but that’s not what happened,” or, “the people in my head didn’t do it that way.”
If you were forced to pick a single favorite author, who would it be?
Dina: Just one!?!?! I guess in order to pick just one author, that person would have to capture all the things I love best about literature. And to find that, I’m going to go with the little known Roseanna White. She is a close friend, a critique partner, and also my senior editor at WhiteFire Publishing. Roseanna has it all. Her writing is smart, insightful, funny, romantic, beautiful, exciting, and spiritual. I love everything about her books, although I love her Biblical novels the most. And her books always have happy endings. Other favorite authors who capture many—but not always all—of these elements include James Rubart, Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth, Steven James, Lisa Samson, Tosca Lee, and Karen Hancock. Those are the writers I read for inspiration.
What are you actively writing right now?
Dina: Right now I’m doing some re-writes on book two in the series, Chivalrous, which is the story of a young lady who longs to be a knight, but her father views her as little more than a marriage pawn. The story pulls from King Arthur legends and turns the Lancelot/Guinevere story upside down. I’m also
Would you share a short snippet from Dauntless?
Dina: Here is the opening of the book.
Excerpt fromDAUNTLESS
I am air.I am wind.I am stealthy like a cat. A wild lynx of the forest.I whisper my chant as I await my prey, crouched in the branches of a tree, one with it, as I must be. My green tunic and hood, my brown leggings, even my stray wisps of hair blend into the forest about me. The rough flaxen sack, the quiver and bow upon my back, add texture and disguise my feminine shape. Only my trembling hands give me away as human, as other. But I must be dauntless to accomplish this task.Again I steel my heart. Steady its beating. Will it to turn hard and sharp like the dagger in my belt. Though I have never thrust it into human flesh, if needed, I think I would. I fancy myself a fearless leader, but my hands—I glance down and rub them together—my trembling hands always give me away. Taking deep, calming breaths of maple scented air, I study the forest across the dirt trail from me, picking out the eyes from leaves, bushes, and branches. My “men” remain well-camouflaged as usual, but if I peer closely enough, I can always find their eyes. Tough eyes, strong eyes, yet with echoes of little boys hidden in their depths, begging me to care for them. To somehow, someway, be the mothers and fathers they have lost, though I am naught but seventeen myself. My men wait as I do, silent and still, ready to pounce. They will back me up, protect me with their lives if needed. But I cannot call upon them to do so. I will do this thing alone. Stealthy like a cat. In and out before they realize. ’Tis always best this way.At a distance, I hear the first creaks and jangles against the rustling of the leaves. I sigh. Soon it will be over. One way or another, until next week, or perhaps tomorrow. I must not think about that now.I have heard tales of a fellow in Sherwood Forest, not so terribly far away. Robyn of the Hode, they call him, with his own band of men, although I imagine his are actual grown men. Oh, a few of mine are large enough. And I’ve trained them like the guards who once protected me…in a stone castle that used to be mine…until it was all taken away. Robyn and I, we have this in common if legend holds true.Yes, I tell myself, I am ready for this.
______________
Thank you for sharing with us today, Dina! Sounds like you've written something exciting which many readers are going to enjoy.
And on that note, dear readers, Dina is offering her giveaway. She is looking for bloggers and reviewers to help launch her new series, so this giveaway is specifically for those among you who have BLOGS and are ready and willing to write REVIEWS! If you can agree to both of those counts, please enter your name below.
And be certain to congratulate Dina on her upcoming release!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
February 10, 2015
Doings at Drakenheath
Time for an update on the many Doings around here. I hope you will enjoy seeing what we've been up to!
Of course, the biggest doing of this last month was the announcement of our Five Enchanted Roses winners . . . .
We are so excited about these stories and this collection as a whole. If you read the descriptions, you'll see that the premises of these tales are all much spookier than our Cinderella collection last year . . . which is only to be expected, as Beauty and the Beast is a spookier fairy tale. However, while all of the stories will give the readers little chills as they read, none of them are horror stories. They are wonderful adventures, and they all go together beautifully.
I'd also like to point out, for those of you who entered the contest but, sadly, did not win this year: Three of the authors who won places in Five Enchanted Roses submitted excellent stories last year for Five Glass Slippers, but did not get in. So let them be inspiration to you, dear aspiring novelists! Sometimes, it's not a matter of whether or not you were a good enough writer or whether or not you wrote a great story. It's the individual contest that makes the difference. And you truly never know when you will pen the right story for the right contest at the right time. All you can do is keep on writing the best stories you can!
While we're on the subject, let's not forget Five Glass Slippers and the excellent news pertaining to that collection! Which is excellent indeed. Rooglewood Press tried an experimental marketing venture last month, the results of which were . . . Five Glass Slippers shot to #1 Bestseller status, not only in the USA, but also across the globe. We were completely thrilled. I am so proud of the great marketing team we've got working together, figuring out new and exciting ways to get this collection out to a bigger and broader reading audience. This was but one step on a road we hope to continue walking for many years to come!
I have other fun and exciting news concerning this particular collection as well . . . but, it's still secret for a little while yet. Stay tuned for updates!
In case you haven't noticed, Rooglewood Press has a newsletter now, for which you can sign up to receive periodic updates on sales, promotions, new releases, etc. Do take a moment to add your name to the list!
Anyhoodle, those are all Rooglewood Press related updates . . . what about Drakenheath? Well, there is fluffiness to be had at Drakenheath:
This is Magrat and Monster, who are litter-mates. Monster I rescued as a tiny, tiny kitten, but Magrat eluded my grasp until she was already grown up and expecting her own litter of kittens. Even though they were separated for many months, they seem to remember their sibling bond, and spend quite a lot of time cuddling, and quite a lot of time feuding. Definitely siblings.
Here's a photo of my new writing study in Drakenheath. This is the view from my desk:
Magrat is on the left, casting evil glares across at Mutti, the solid gray lump of fluff on the right (those two hate each other. Too many queens in one castle!). Mutti, who was a feral adult and completely wild when I first started working with her, is now so tame and sweet! She loves to come up to the study and hang out with me while I work. Right now, I'm sitting on the couch, and she is on the back of it, right behind my head, purring away and sometimes touching my shoulder with a velveted paw. You would never know she was wild.
I do love all my kitty-babies.
So, how is Poison Crown coming along these days?
Poison Crown is ridiculously exciting. I am loving this book so much more than I can begin to express. It is just too fascinating for words, and I can hardly keep myself away from the manuscript, which, in the midst of its second draft, is absolutely alluring to me.
It's also long. Very long.
Which means I am waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay behind my deadline of finishing a polished second draft by the end of February. It is physically impossible for me to meet that goal at this time. Even writing at my most frantic pace, it simply cannot be done. So I have set the deadline back to the end of April. If I manage to meet that deadline, we should still be on a good track to get the book itself launched in late November. If I don't meet that deadline, we may be looking at putting off the release by a month or two.
However, while I know that would not be your preference, please know that this book, whenever it does release, will be by far the longest, most epic, most exciting, most page-turning, most complex and compelling story I have ever written, complete with, I think, the most interesting cast of characters. Most of whom you have not yet met, though there are a few favorites tucked away in these pages (i.e. Eanrin, Rogan, and Imraldera).
For the fun it I thought I'd give you a few tiny, tiny, tiny, spoiler-free peaks at the manuscript. At random I picked page 36, seven lines down, and selected five complete sentences. Here you go:
Could Earl Dian imagine the horror an immortal must experience upon finding himself trapped in a decaying realm of mortality?
Rogan shuddered. Here alone in the snow-covered city center he felt all the eyes of the city turned upon him with such loathing. The earl himself must hate him now, even as he hated all Faerie-kind. And the memory of their many adventures—the memory of escapes and rescues and deeds worthy even of minstrel’s song—were already forgotten.
Terrible sores blistered Rogan's skin where the iron touched him.
Also at random, I picked page 100, twenty lines down, and selected five complete sentences:
The fire must have only just been lit, however, for when the castellan opened the door and ushered her in, she found the room itself was equally as cold as the passage she’d just vacated. Someone—presumably the queen—sat in a chair drawn up close to the fire, silhouetted against its light. She leaned in toward the warmth, her arms wrapped about herself, and seemed totally absorbed in discerning the secrets of those flickering flames.
“My queen,” said Calytrix, curtsying with great dignity despite her rags.
“Are you the herbalist?"
And, one last one . . . I picked page 71, twelve lines down, and selected five complete sentences:
He moved like a drunken man, his footsteps stumbling in the dark even as he mounted the steps of the Prince’s Tower and at last achieved the solitary quiet of his own chambers. Here, perhaps, he might shut out all else and, casting himself upon his bed, slip into unconscious peace for a few stolen hours.
But this was a forlorn hope. For now, in the darkness of that winter’s night, with no holy songs of the priest to sooth his spirit, with no tirades from his grandmother to occupy his mind, without the relief of his knights and their coarse conversation to distract his thoughts, he found himself suddenly obliged to look into his soul.
And he shuddered.
All right, that's enough for today! Moving on . . .
Pre-Order Today!Draven's Light is still a high priority on my to-do list as well. The galleys are sitting on my desk even as we speak, begging for a proof read, which I simply have not had a chance yet to do. So, basically, this project is exactly where you saw it during the last Doings post. Sigh . . . I hope to make a start on it this next week, if possible. And we're still on a good track to have it ready for launch!
We had a little design glitch which became apparent during this first round of galleys, which sent us scrambling back to the "drawing board" temporarily. But, after a few hours of recovery work, we've got it looking spiffy once more. And I still say this is the most beautiful interior design for one of my books yet.
Oh, and in other fun news, the audio recording of Goddess Tithe is now complete and has been sent off for production! I am so excited to see this project launch. It hit a few bumps in the road during the recording stage, which slowed down production unexpectedly. But those issues have been resolved, and the end result that I got to listen to was very beautiful. I hope to see it up for purchase in another two weeks or so. And to celebrate I may just host a giveaway, offering a few copies to lucky listeners.
Would you like to hear the opening credits? Click this link!
Have I forgotten anything? Probably, but I can't think what. Oh well. I hope you enjoyed reading about the February Doings. What are you up to this month?
Of course, the biggest doing of this last month was the announcement of our Five Enchanted Roses winners . . . .
We are so excited about these stories and this collection as a whole. If you read the descriptions, you'll see that the premises of these tales are all much spookier than our Cinderella collection last year . . . which is only to be expected, as Beauty and the Beast is a spookier fairy tale. However, while all of the stories will give the readers little chills as they read, none of them are horror stories. They are wonderful adventures, and they all go together beautifully.
I'd also like to point out, for those of you who entered the contest but, sadly, did not win this year: Three of the authors who won places in Five Enchanted Roses submitted excellent stories last year for Five Glass Slippers, but did not get in. So let them be inspiration to you, dear aspiring novelists! Sometimes, it's not a matter of whether or not you were a good enough writer or whether or not you wrote a great story. It's the individual contest that makes the difference. And you truly never know when you will pen the right story for the right contest at the right time. All you can do is keep on writing the best stories you can!
While we're on the subject, let's not forget Five Glass Slippers and the excellent news pertaining to that collection! Which is excellent indeed. Rooglewood Press tried an experimental marketing venture last month, the results of which were . . . Five Glass Slippers shot to #1 Bestseller status, not only in the USA, but also across the globe. We were completely thrilled. I am so proud of the great marketing team we've got working together, figuring out new and exciting ways to get this collection out to a bigger and broader reading audience. This was but one step on a road we hope to continue walking for many years to come!
I have other fun and exciting news concerning this particular collection as well . . . but, it's still secret for a little while yet. Stay tuned for updates!
In case you haven't noticed, Rooglewood Press has a newsletter now, for which you can sign up to receive periodic updates on sales, promotions, new releases, etc. Do take a moment to add your name to the list!
Anyhoodle, those are all Rooglewood Press related updates . . . what about Drakenheath? Well, there is fluffiness to be had at Drakenheath:
This is Magrat and Monster, who are litter-mates. Monster I rescued as a tiny, tiny kitten, but Magrat eluded my grasp until she was already grown up and expecting her own litter of kittens. Even though they were separated for many months, they seem to remember their sibling bond, and spend quite a lot of time cuddling, and quite a lot of time feuding. Definitely siblings.Here's a photo of my new writing study in Drakenheath. This is the view from my desk:
Magrat is on the left, casting evil glares across at Mutti, the solid gray lump of fluff on the right (those two hate each other. Too many queens in one castle!). Mutti, who was a feral adult and completely wild when I first started working with her, is now so tame and sweet! She loves to come up to the study and hang out with me while I work. Right now, I'm sitting on the couch, and she is on the back of it, right behind my head, purring away and sometimes touching my shoulder with a velveted paw. You would never know she was wild.I do love all my kitty-babies.
So, how is Poison Crown coming along these days?
Poison Crown is ridiculously exciting. I am loving this book so much more than I can begin to express. It is just too fascinating for words, and I can hardly keep myself away from the manuscript, which, in the midst of its second draft, is absolutely alluring to me.It's also long. Very long.
Which means I am waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay behind my deadline of finishing a polished second draft by the end of February. It is physically impossible for me to meet that goal at this time. Even writing at my most frantic pace, it simply cannot be done. So I have set the deadline back to the end of April. If I manage to meet that deadline, we should still be on a good track to get the book itself launched in late November. If I don't meet that deadline, we may be looking at putting off the release by a month or two.
However, while I know that would not be your preference, please know that this book, whenever it does release, will be by far the longest, most epic, most exciting, most page-turning, most complex and compelling story I have ever written, complete with, I think, the most interesting cast of characters. Most of whom you have not yet met, though there are a few favorites tucked away in these pages (i.e. Eanrin, Rogan, and Imraldera).
For the fun it I thought I'd give you a few tiny, tiny, tiny, spoiler-free peaks at the manuscript. At random I picked page 36, seven lines down, and selected five complete sentences. Here you go:
Could Earl Dian imagine the horror an immortal must experience upon finding himself trapped in a decaying realm of mortality?
Rogan shuddered. Here alone in the snow-covered city center he felt all the eyes of the city turned upon him with such loathing. The earl himself must hate him now, even as he hated all Faerie-kind. And the memory of their many adventures—the memory of escapes and rescues and deeds worthy even of minstrel’s song—were already forgotten.
Terrible sores blistered Rogan's skin where the iron touched him.
Also at random, I picked page 100, twenty lines down, and selected five complete sentences:
The fire must have only just been lit, however, for when the castellan opened the door and ushered her in, she found the room itself was equally as cold as the passage she’d just vacated. Someone—presumably the queen—sat in a chair drawn up close to the fire, silhouetted against its light. She leaned in toward the warmth, her arms wrapped about herself, and seemed totally absorbed in discerning the secrets of those flickering flames.
“My queen,” said Calytrix, curtsying with great dignity despite her rags.
“Are you the herbalist?"
And, one last one . . . I picked page 71, twelve lines down, and selected five complete sentences:
He moved like a drunken man, his footsteps stumbling in the dark even as he mounted the steps of the Prince’s Tower and at last achieved the solitary quiet of his own chambers. Here, perhaps, he might shut out all else and, casting himself upon his bed, slip into unconscious peace for a few stolen hours.
But this was a forlorn hope. For now, in the darkness of that winter’s night, with no holy songs of the priest to sooth his spirit, with no tirades from his grandmother to occupy his mind, without the relief of his knights and their coarse conversation to distract his thoughts, he found himself suddenly obliged to look into his soul.
And he shuddered.
All right, that's enough for today! Moving on . . .
Pre-Order Today!Draven's Light is still a high priority on my to-do list as well. The galleys are sitting on my desk even as we speak, begging for a proof read, which I simply have not had a chance yet to do. So, basically, this project is exactly where you saw it during the last Doings post. Sigh . . . I hope to make a start on it this next week, if possible. And we're still on a good track to have it ready for launch!We had a little design glitch which became apparent during this first round of galleys, which sent us scrambling back to the "drawing board" temporarily. But, after a few hours of recovery work, we've got it looking spiffy once more. And I still say this is the most beautiful interior design for one of my books yet.
Oh, and in other fun news, the audio recording of Goddess Tithe is now complete and has been sent off for production! I am so excited to see this project launch. It hit a few bumps in the road during the recording stage, which slowed down production unexpectedly. But those issues have been resolved, and the end result that I got to listen to was very beautiful. I hope to see it up for purchase in another two weeks or so. And to celebrate I may just host a giveaway, offering a few copies to lucky listeners.Would you like to hear the opening credits? Click this link!
Have I forgotten anything? Probably, but I can't think what. Oh well. I hope you enjoyed reading about the February Doings. What are you up to this month?
February 8, 2015
Playing Around with Design
Sometimes, despite the fact that I really don't have any spare time to my name, I like to goof off. And one of my favorite pastimes is to fool around with art and design! As many of you know, I studied illustration back in my college days, and while I don't get to dabble in that side of my creativity nearly as much as I would like to, it comes out in little bursts here and there.
For instance, around 10:00 at night the other evening (I was already tucked into bed and reading a novel, trying to soothe myself to sleep) I got struck with an idea for a cover design for Heartless.
Random, I know.
Anyway, I hopped up, pulled out my computer, and . . . thought you might like to see the results!
stock model by faestock Kind of fun, right?(And no, this is not a serious project, nor will Heartless be receiving any cover change anytime in the near future. This was nothing more than me playing when I should have been sleeping.)
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed seeing that. Perhaps it will inspire you for the upcoming Fan Art Contest . . . which will be announced very soon now!
February 6, 2015
FIVE ENCHANTED ROSES: Best Title Winner!
And the winner of the Five Enchanted Roses Best Title of the Year Contest is . . . .
Congratulations, Ariana! You have, by popular vote one a beautiful mug featuring the above banner and a certificate from Rooglewood Press guaranteeing you one free entry in any of our contests from now through 2017!
Bound by Tattered Wings was the winner by quite a tidy margin. Our two runner-up titles were:
The Rose of the Underworld -- Camryn Lockhart
This Dark Lit Place -- Alexandra Ray
But all of the titles received many votes! They really were fantastic, and I am, as always, amazed by all of you and your creativity.
Give Ariana Hocking a big round of applause. And thank you to all of you who participated, both in the voting for this contest and with submissions to the writing contest itself. Looking forward to doing this again next year with an all new fairy tale!
Congratulations, Ariana! You have, by popular vote one a beautiful mug featuring the above banner and a certificate from Rooglewood Press guaranteeing you one free entry in any of our contests from now through 2017!
Bound by Tattered Wings was the winner by quite a tidy margin. Our two runner-up titles were:
The Rose of the Underworld -- Camryn Lockhart
This Dark Lit Place -- Alexandra Ray
But all of the titles received many votes! They really were fantastic, and I am, as always, amazed by all of you and your creativity.
Give Ariana Hocking a big round of applause. And thank you to all of you who participated, both in the voting for this contest and with submissions to the writing contest itself. Looking forward to doing this again next year with an all new fairy tale!
February 2, 2015
FIVE ENCHANTED ROSES ~ Best Title Contest
As many of you know, Rooglewood Press announced the five winners of the Five Enchanted Roses creative writing contest, and we are so thrilled with those stories! However, there were many other fantastic stories sent in by so many talented authors. It's always a shame when we have to pick just five winners.
So the four judges and I thought we would offer a little extra contest. I had each of them send me their top five favorite titles, which I have compiled in a list below. You can see these twenty titles are excellent, intriguing hints of the stories they herald.
Here's the game: Each of you gets to vote on your three favorites. Email your picks to me (aestengl@gmail.com) listed in order of preference. Your top pick will get 10 points, your second pick will get 5 points, your third pick will get 3 points.
I will tally up the points on Friday, and the author whose title received the most points will win . . .
A certificate from Rooglewood Press guaranteeing her/him one free entry in any of our contests from now through 2017.
A personalized Best Title Mug to commemorate her/his achievement, featuring this banner:
Let it here be said: There were many more fun titles sent in as well. We simply thought these twenty were the very best of the best. It was difficult narrowing down to just twenty!
BEST TITLES: FIVE ENCHANTED ROSES
THE IRON CURSETIGER, TIGERTHE ROSE OF THE UNDERWORLDTHE CURSE OF EDENBERRY WAYPHOSPHORESCENCETHE BEAST IN THE MOORTHE CAROUSEL IN CASIMIR GARDENSTHIS DARK LIT PLACEHOUSE OF THE WANDERING WAYROSES OF PROPHECYREPTILIAN ROMANCEBOUND BY TATTERED WINGSTHE SCENT OF BLACK ROSESTHE MAGICIAN’S ASSISTANTCRACKS IN THE MIRRORWITCHY AND THE BEASTFINDING THE MAGICENGLISH FOR PARISIANSTHE WATERFALL’S WAGER
Which of these titles makes you the most eager to see the story that goes with it? Send in your votes by Friday! I will announce the winner on Saturday.
So the four judges and I thought we would offer a little extra contest. I had each of them send me their top five favorite titles, which I have compiled in a list below. You can see these twenty titles are excellent, intriguing hints of the stories they herald.
Here's the game: Each of you gets to vote on your three favorites. Email your picks to me (aestengl@gmail.com) listed in order of preference. Your top pick will get 10 points, your second pick will get 5 points, your third pick will get 3 points.
I will tally up the points on Friday, and the author whose title received the most points will win . . .
A certificate from Rooglewood Press guaranteeing her/him one free entry in any of our contests from now through 2017.
A personalized Best Title Mug to commemorate her/his achievement, featuring this banner:
Let it here be said: There were many more fun titles sent in as well. We simply thought these twenty were the very best of the best. It was difficult narrowing down to just twenty!
BEST TITLES: FIVE ENCHANTED ROSES
THE IRON CURSETIGER, TIGERTHE ROSE OF THE UNDERWORLDTHE CURSE OF EDENBERRY WAYPHOSPHORESCENCETHE BEAST IN THE MOORTHE CAROUSEL IN CASIMIR GARDENSTHIS DARK LIT PLACEHOUSE OF THE WANDERING WAYROSES OF PROPHECYREPTILIAN ROMANCEBOUND BY TATTERED WINGSTHE SCENT OF BLACK ROSESTHE MAGICIAN’S ASSISTANTCRACKS IN THE MIRRORWITCHY AND THE BEASTFINDING THE MAGICENGLISH FOR PARISIANSTHE WATERFALL’S WAGER
Which of these titles makes you the most eager to see the story that goes with it? Send in your votes by Friday! I will announce the winner on Saturday.
February 1, 2015
FIVE ENCHANTED ROSES ~ The Winners
Rooglewood Press is proud to announce the winners of our second annual creative writing contest . . .
Rediscover theENCHANTMENT A ship bearing the souls of sinful sailors drifts upon a ghostly sea. An abbey looms as the final defense between mortals and ghouls of the underworld. In the stillness of a throne room, statues stand forever frozen in a moment of terror. Monsters and men stalk their prey deep in the jungle’s shadows. A rose blooms in the dead of winter, sheltered in the ruins of an ancient Scottish castle.
And only true love can free the Beast from his prison.
______________
Esprit de la Rose By Kaycee Browning
To steal from the Fee is to suffer their wrath! So Cecilia learns when these fabled beings charge her father with the theft of a certain mirror and sentence him to torment. But when she is taken as substitute, Cecilia discovers that the punishment meted out by the Fee is far stranger than she could ever have imagined. Trapped aboard a ghost ship with a crew of condemned souls and aided only by charismatic Captain Pepin, can this pirate’s daughter unlock the secret to the Fee’s dark omens?
Wither By Savannah Jezowski
As penalty for the merchant’s theft of a single rose, the Beast of Briarstone Abbey demands his youngest daughter, sweet and innocent Sookie. But Lilybet Haverly will never allow her sister to face such a dreadful fate! Armed only with a butcher knife and her own determination, Bet climbs the wall and plunges into the Neverway, where the dead walk and ghouls hunt human flesh. She will find this Briarstone Abbey—and the Beast who lives there—whatever the cost.
Stone Curse By Jenelle Schmidt
Years ago a terrible curse swept over the revelers at Thorndale Castle, turning them to stone and transforming Prince Barend himself into a hideous beast. But Karyna, a former lady-in-waiting, will not abandon either her father, who stands in the throne room among the other statues, or the prince. Indeed, she sets out alone on a dangerous quest to find the one responsible for this dreadful spell. If she can but discover the reason why the stone curse was cast, perhaps she can also discover the solution.
Rosara and the Jungle King By Dorian Tsukioka
Maor has determined to take her as his third wife, by force if necessary. But Rosara would rather risk her life alone in the jungle than submit to any man’s brutality. When a beautiful jaguar tells her that it knows where to find one of the karawara, she resolves to seek out this jungle spirit and request its aid. The jaguar warns Rosara, however, that gifts from the karawara are never without a price . . .
The Wulver’s Rose By Hayden Wand
A life is a high price to pay for stealing a rose. Nevertheless, Bonnie honors her father’s agreement and travels to the remote, ruinous castle wherein dwells the legendary creature known as a wulver—half man, half wolf. Though he is monstrous to behold, this beast is oddly gentle, tenderly caring for his beautiful rosebush, which blooms out of season. Is there more to the wulver than meets the eye? Is he somehow connected to the frightened child who visits Bonnie in her dreams?
______________________
Congratulations to the winners! You have written five wonderful adventures, each a perfect picture of the beloved fairy tale but simultaneously so unique. Together, your stories, styles, and individual voices will create a beautiful collection.
Tremendous thanks to all of you writers who participated in this contest. The Rooglewood Press judges and I had quite a time of it, narrowing down to five winners. As always, there were many talented writers who submitted stories we very much enjoyed but which didn't quite fit in the collection as a whole. Your talent is not measured by the results of a single contest, so be of good cheer! And write on . . . .
In the meanwhile, do take a moment to congratulate these five authors who have worked so hard and who will continue working hard as we move forward in preparing Five Enchanted Roses for publication.
Would you like to see how the cover will look?
Feel free to share the cover along with a link to the Rooglewood Press Page announcing the winners. You can also share the congratulations banner below on the sidebars of your blogs, along with a link to the Five Enchanted Roses Goodreads page.
Rediscover theENCHANTMENT A ship bearing the souls of sinful sailors drifts upon a ghostly sea. An abbey looms as the final defense between mortals and ghouls of the underworld. In the stillness of a throne room, statues stand forever frozen in a moment of terror. Monsters and men stalk their prey deep in the jungle’s shadows. A rose blooms in the dead of winter, sheltered in the ruins of an ancient Scottish castle.
And only true love can free the Beast from his prison.
______________
Esprit de la Rose By Kaycee Browning
To steal from the Fee is to suffer their wrath! So Cecilia learns when these fabled beings charge her father with the theft of a certain mirror and sentence him to torment. But when she is taken as substitute, Cecilia discovers that the punishment meted out by the Fee is far stranger than she could ever have imagined. Trapped aboard a ghost ship with a crew of condemned souls and aided only by charismatic Captain Pepin, can this pirate’s daughter unlock the secret to the Fee’s dark omens?
Wither By Savannah Jezowski
As penalty for the merchant’s theft of a single rose, the Beast of Briarstone Abbey demands his youngest daughter, sweet and innocent Sookie. But Lilybet Haverly will never allow her sister to face such a dreadful fate! Armed only with a butcher knife and her own determination, Bet climbs the wall and plunges into the Neverway, where the dead walk and ghouls hunt human flesh. She will find this Briarstone Abbey—and the Beast who lives there—whatever the cost.
Stone Curse By Jenelle Schmidt
Years ago a terrible curse swept over the revelers at Thorndale Castle, turning them to stone and transforming Prince Barend himself into a hideous beast. But Karyna, a former lady-in-waiting, will not abandon either her father, who stands in the throne room among the other statues, or the prince. Indeed, she sets out alone on a dangerous quest to find the one responsible for this dreadful spell. If she can but discover the reason why the stone curse was cast, perhaps she can also discover the solution.
Rosara and the Jungle King By Dorian Tsukioka
Maor has determined to take her as his third wife, by force if necessary. But Rosara would rather risk her life alone in the jungle than submit to any man’s brutality. When a beautiful jaguar tells her that it knows where to find one of the karawara, she resolves to seek out this jungle spirit and request its aid. The jaguar warns Rosara, however, that gifts from the karawara are never without a price . . .
The Wulver’s Rose By Hayden Wand
A life is a high price to pay for stealing a rose. Nevertheless, Bonnie honors her father’s agreement and travels to the remote, ruinous castle wherein dwells the legendary creature known as a wulver—half man, half wolf. Though he is monstrous to behold, this beast is oddly gentle, tenderly caring for his beautiful rosebush, which blooms out of season. Is there more to the wulver than meets the eye? Is he somehow connected to the frightened child who visits Bonnie in her dreams?
______________________
Congratulations to the winners! You have written five wonderful adventures, each a perfect picture of the beloved fairy tale but simultaneously so unique. Together, your stories, styles, and individual voices will create a beautiful collection.
Tremendous thanks to all of you writers who participated in this contest. The Rooglewood Press judges and I had quite a time of it, narrowing down to five winners. As always, there were many talented writers who submitted stories we very much enjoyed but which didn't quite fit in the collection as a whole. Your talent is not measured by the results of a single contest, so be of good cheer! And write on . . . .
In the meanwhile, do take a moment to congratulate these five authors who have worked so hard and who will continue working hard as we move forward in preparing Five Enchanted Roses for publication.
Would you like to see how the cover will look?
Feel free to share the cover along with a link to the Rooglewood Press Page announcing the winners. You can also share the congratulations banner below on the sidebars of your blogs, along with a link to the Five Enchanted Roses Goodreads page.
January 30, 2015
Featuring: Gillian Bronte Adams
Today I have the pleasure of featuring Gillian Bronte Adams and her upcoming spring release, Out of Darkness Rising . . . and what I must say might just be the most beautiful and exciting fantasy cover I've seen in a long time! Mark your calendars for:
Darkness reigns unchallenged. For the villagers on the accursed Island, life has only one meaning - death. Bound to the Island by the curse, the villagers suffer beneath the iron claw of the serpent, daily breathing the poison of his breath and dying to appease his insatiable appetite.
When Marya’s parents are slain by the serpent for their belief in a legendary king, she becomes an Outcast. Struggling to survive and avoid the vengeance of the Tribunal, Marya is torn between legend and the harsh reality of the Island. Yet when a forgotten promise springs to life, she cannot help wondering if the old stories might in fact be true. And if they are, will the promise prove stronger than the curse?
Coming March 15, 2015
See the Book Trailer Today!
GILLIAN BRONTE ADAMS is a sword-wielding, horse-riding, coffee-loving speculative fiction author from the great state of Texas and the dreamer behind the Songkeeper Chronicles. During the day, she manages the equestrian program at a youth camp. But at night, she kicks off her boots and spurs, pulls out her trusty laptop, and transforms into a novelist.
To find out more about Gillian Bronte Adams's books, visit www.OfBattlesDragonsandSwordsofAdamant.blogspot.com.
Gillian is offering a generous giveaway in honor of this book's upcoming release. Be sure to enter your name! And take a moment to congratulate her on this thrilling new release.a Rafflecopter giveaway
Darkness reigns unchallenged. For the villagers on the accursed Island, life has only one meaning - death. Bound to the Island by the curse, the villagers suffer beneath the iron claw of the serpent, daily breathing the poison of his breath and dying to appease his insatiable appetite.When Marya’s parents are slain by the serpent for their belief in a legendary king, she becomes an Outcast. Struggling to survive and avoid the vengeance of the Tribunal, Marya is torn between legend and the harsh reality of the Island. Yet when a forgotten promise springs to life, she cannot help wondering if the old stories might in fact be true. And if they are, will the promise prove stronger than the curse?
Coming March 15, 2015
See the Book Trailer Today!
GILLIAN BRONTE ADAMS is a sword-wielding, horse-riding, coffee-loving speculative fiction author from the great state of Texas and the dreamer behind the Songkeeper Chronicles. During the day, she manages the equestrian program at a youth camp. But at night, she kicks off her boots and spurs, pulls out her trusty laptop, and transforms into a novelist.To find out more about Gillian Bronte Adams's books, visit www.OfBattlesDragonsandSwordsofAdamant.blogspot.com.
Gillian is offering a generous giveaway in honor of this book's upcoming release. Be sure to enter your name! And take a moment to congratulate her on this thrilling new release.a Rafflecopter giveaway
