Christine E. Schulze's Blog: Spinnet's Weave: The Golden Healer's Scoop, page 4

My First UK Publication!

Yesterday I received my first air mail: a copy of Ethereal Tales' eighth edition. They publish this nifty little fantasy magazine, it's a really nice little publication. Anyways, I think Mum was enamored with the envelope and huge, overseas stamp while I was enamored with the pin they sent me matching the magazine cover and declaring I was published in Ethereal Tales. Needless to say, no one cared much about the actual magazine. ^_^

No, but really, I'm excited to add them to my now-growing list of publishing credits and look forward to submitting in the future, especially to get that nifty little pin.

My story is entitled "Autumn Falls", one I published a while back in Calliope, as a finalist in their annual fiction contest. A longer version is published in Bloodmaiden: a fantasy anthology, and the same version will also be published in The Chronicles of the Mira, scheduled to be released as an ebook with Writers-Exchange E-publishing.

If you'd like to check Ethereal Tales out and support them by getting a nifty copy yourself, go here:
http://www.etherealtales.co.uk/

Happy reading, God bless, and enjoy!

~Christine E. Schulze

Get Bloodmaiden, win FREE Ebook!

Hullo, and thanks for your interest in Bloodmaiden! While I cannot give a free copy to all who entered, though I would love to (all 1,084 of you; wow!), I would like to offer a free ebook of any of my other works to anyone who would be willing to buy a copy of Bloodmaiden. There is no rush to this offer, as I intend to uphold it for at least several months. If interested in obtaining a free ebook of one of my other works, all you need do is:

1. Buy Bloodmaiden

2. Email me here: ChristineESchulze@gmail.com answering this question: What is the first sentence in chapter seven?

I will then be able to email you back with a list of my ebooks you can choose from!

Thanks again for all the interest and support, and I hope you all get to experience the magic and adventure of Bloodmaiden in the future. Happy reading, and have a great day!

~Christine E. Schulze

Get Bloodmaiden, win FREE Ebook!

Hullo, and thanks for your interest in Bloodmaiden! While I cannot give a free copy to all who entered, though I would love to (all 1,084 of you; wow!), I would like to offer a free ebook of any of my other works to anyone who would be willing to buy a copy of Bloodmaiden. There is no rush to this offer, as I intend to uphold it for at least several months. If interested in obtaining a free ebook of one of my other works, all you need do is:

1. Buy Bloodmaiden

2. Email me here: ChristineESchulze@gmail.com answering this question: What is the first sentence in chapter seven?

I will then be able to email you back with a list of my ebooks you can choose from!

Thanks again for all the interest and support, and I hope you all get to experience the magic and adventure of Bloodmaiden in the future. Happy reading, and have a great day!

~Christine E. Schulze

Interview with Evie Alexis

I recently had the joy of participating in one of my first online interviews with Evie Alexis:


http://longlivechicklit.wordpress.com/


I am so happy to have a wonderful author with us today, Christine Schulze. The young lady sits down for a one-on-one at The Lit to share in a very real and in-depth manner her ideas, her triumphs and her life.


*********


1. Tell us a little bit more about yourself, Christine.


Well, first off, thank you for having me! I am quite excited to share in this, my second interview as an author.


A little about me, I have essentially been creating books from the time I was too young to write them, probably when I was about four. My first books were comprised solely of pictures. My first “real” book was Jonny to the Rescue. I was a flower girl for a lady at church, and she asked me to make her a book for a wedding present. Thus, I made her a copy of my latest work, Jonny to the Rescue, complete with illustrations. The story itself was inspired by the “Surprise, Surprise, Puppy Surprise!” toys which those in my generation may remember. This book would later provide inspiration for my published Legends of Surprisers series, which is actually for middle readers and young adults.

In addition to writing, I also enjoy drawing, photography, singing, playing piano, and going for exploratory walks in the woods. I draw namely manga style versions of my characters, which you can check out at my blog, www.goldenhealerartwork.blogspot.com. I also love composing and have compiled a couple soundtracks for my books, called “Stregoni Symphony”. Finally, you can always catch me on Youtube singing something or other! While shy in talking in front of others, I’ve always had quite a voice for singing. This love for music often crops up in my books, such as The Gailean Quartet, which I myself like to describe as “a musical, magical series!”


While many of my works are self-published, and I am quite proud of them, considering them of very good quality as I’ve had the opportunity to work with editors and such, I am currently taking particular pride in my first ebook release with Writers-Exchange, Golden Healer, Dark Enchantress, as well my first novel release with Old Line Publishing, Bloodmaiden, which I shall discuss in more detail below.


2. What is your book about?


Well, Bloodmaiden, my latest release and first release with Old Line Publishing, is a fantasy/romance/horror/coming-of-age sort of adventure for young adults incorporating Christian themes of courage and forgiveness. Quite a mouthful, I know! But in short, it tells the tale of a young girl who must choose whether to risk her life to defy tradition, saving not only all she loves but her entire race from future persecution, or whether to accept her fate as it is. It’s written from a first person perspective, and the beginning is written in present tense to give readers the feel that they are really there, embodying Crisilin and all her thoughts, feelings, and perceptions.


Here is the book blurb to give further insight:

Zale. Gauthier. Varden. These three dynasties…They all sound like something out of an ancient, oriental myth or fairy tale. The concept of humans and dragons helping and living in harmony with one another, without fear. To me, that’s exactly what they are. A distant dream only read of, whispered secretly, quietly yearned for. For, you see, I am the new Quelda of Tynan.


These words echo the mystery, horror, and romance found within Schulze’s fantasy novel. Along with her new husband, Chalom, Crislin must choose to embrace cruel tradition, run from it, or stand against it. The young couple’s only hope is to rally the help of the three peaceful dragon dynasties of Sulaimon—but tradition is not on their side, even outside the realm of Tynan. The dragons outside Tynan’s borders have been rumored as too stubborn and proud to believe their Tynanian brothers would commit such horrors as inflicted upon the Quelda. Gaining their aid is not a likely hope. Yet, any hope at all is valued in Tynan…


If they are to stand a chance of bringing cruel tradition to a permanent end, Crislin and Chalom must brave the constant, consuming blizzards of the Ever-white. They must brave the three dynasties and the challenges awaiting there. Together, they must convince the dragon emperors to allow them access to the shrines which house the sacred Aria – protective strands of music which may be able to disperse the evil from Tynan and unite the four dynasties of Sulaimon as a whole once again. Their only aid stems from a sprite whose moods are as unstable as her magic, a young minstrel, and a mysterious fox. Despite the odds, such plans are daring, dangerous, unprecedented, but fully possible – if they can escape the Wall first.


* Also, to let you in on one of those little, author secrets, I always pictured Crislin as being very young, because she is supposed to be pure. Originally, she was to be thirteen, but I removed the age to help give readers the feel of, “Ah, this girl could be me.”


3. Where did you get your ideas for this story?


Oh, goodness. Well, as I recall, that’s sort of one of those questions of: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? I say this because I remember doing a photoshoot with my bf which helped provide inspiration for writing the book, but I don’t remember if I’d started writing it yet. I do remember that the original book was focused more on the quest of finding the aria. In fact, the original book title was Quelda: Quest for Aria. Thank God I changed it. Really, it’s not an awful title, but as Bloodmaiden developed into something more serious than just a quest story, it needed a more serious, mature title.

As for the ideas of the story itself, one inspiration I am sure I drew from is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, my favorite video game. Ever since then, I’ve been writing stories about quests combining music, magic, and a host of unique, quirky characters. Hence, the searching for great fairies and magical, healing aria. The game has also provided inspiration for such books as The Legends of Surprisers series, The Gailean Quartet, and The Legend of Loz and Zephyr’s Islands.


I also took inspiration from, as ever, wonderful people I know. All of the fairies are named after editors or cover artists I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Pan is named after friend Crysania, while Brydon stems from a friend whom I had a brief crush on—especially for his beautiful guitar, which really is black with red roses. And of course, Chalom is inspired by my own personal Chalom. I was quite glad too to develop something different with dragons. Not usually a fan of dragon books myself, I wanted to create my own unique spin on dragons, which I believe I’ve accomplished in Bloodmaiden.


4. Who has been a great source of inspiration in your writing life?


Honestly, what inspires me most for my books is people, so I’m glad you asked! The Gailean Quartet, for example, was inspired largely by Gail Fleming, a favorite college professor of mine who quickly became like a second mother when I was going through hard times. Most of the time she didn’t even know, but attending her Music Appreciation and then Choir classes provided rays of light on dark days. Thus, through her, my favorite series, one where magic and music uniquely intertwine, was born.


Friends also provide great inspiration. Aaron, a best friend whom I was unrequitedly in love with for seven years or so, has featured as a main character in many books, such as Aaryn in Golden Healer, Dark Enchantress, Aaron from The Hero Chronicles, and Phillip from The Legends of Surprisers series. Then there’s Sarah, another best friend who is always a great source of story ideas, especially in the humor department, and who also features in many books as many different characters. In fact, there’s even one book, The Mass, in which she “meets” herself, as Anna, Chryselda, and another character. I copy this in Elantra: Song of Tears, Lady of the Dawn, in which Crispin meets Adrian who speaks of his wicked brother Jonathan; all three are inspired by another best friend of mine!


Even random people I only meet once have inspired inspiration though. Once, at college, I met this very nice girl named Autumn. I only met with her a couple of times, but I really liked her—and her name—and thus, “Autumn Falls”, a favorite tale found in The Chronicles of the Mira, came to be.


Now, in terms of authors, some of my main inspirations are Tolkien, Rowling, and Diana Wynne Jones. You can often tell this from my writing too; I’ve had British editors tell me my writing is too American for them, while one of my American editors was confused when I kept using the word “towards” which is apparently British (“toward” being the American version). Lol, who knew?


But I mainly say I draw inspiration from these authors because of my quirkiness. I know I am quirky and that this translates into my writing, but I don’t always realize how much unless others point it out to me, because it just comes so naturally. I am a person who is very comfortable with herself; I write what I write and do what I do without question, unless I think I’m doing something wrong. I am just myself; I write what I like and hope others will like it too. So when a friend of mine tries to tell me it’s strange that I introduce Panganiban from Bloodmaiden by having her surf on a giant snowflake, I simply think how I never thought that could be considered weird; for me, it’s fantasy, and anything goes.


Actually, a friend of mine who has already written a wonderful review for Bloodmaiden here on Goodreads is considering writing a second called “Schulze and the Techni-colored Dream Fairy” just to compare my writing to other quirky authors of my kind.

I like being different though. I appreciate books like Jones’ Howl’s Moving Castle because of its freshness, its uniqueness. So, sometimes I try to emulate such uniqueness in my own writing as well.


5. Give us some insight to your road to publication. How did it come about?


My, my, what a long and arduous journey, especially for a journey that’s just begun! Well, my first actual acceptance was from Tate Publishing when I was around eighteen or nineteen. I was so excited—especially as they accepted The Prism of Ashlei, first in The Gailean Quartet, my favorite series! Then, I found out they wanted close to fourteen grand to publish the book. I tell you what, I really wanted to do it…but to do so would be to say that my work wasn’t good enough to be published else-where; why should I forfeit to dishonest publishers who didn’t even say on their site what an exorbitant amount of money they wanted just to have the honor of publishing my book?


Well, not long after, a true God-send. I get an acceptance from Writers-Exchange E-publishing for Golden Healer, Dark Enchantress. It was a surreal moment—especially as I didn’t even remember submitting to them at first! But then I remembered sending the book for them because Sandy Cummins, the publisher, mentioned accepting both Christian, young adult, and vampire stories—it was a perfect fit! Thus began my ebook career.


I still wanted to see at least some of my favorite works in print though. The usual string of rejections came, and then one day, I discovered Createspace, a self-publishing website. After debating a little while, I decided to self-publish The Hero Chronicles, sort of for fun, but also with hopes to make some sales. Then, in honor of my favorite teacher, I published The Gailean Quartet as a retirement present. Finally, because I was having so much fun designing cover art, interior files, and such, I added The Legends of Surprisers series to the collection. My hope now is that I might either still publish them traditionally someday or else that people will like my traditionally published books enough to buy them. though, to tell the truth, to date, I have sold more of these books in ebook format than any other, including whole series, so people must not necessarily mind if a book is self-published these days! I do pride myself in them; having the opportunity to work with Laura Shinn, Rebecca Vickery, and other great editors prepared me to do the work necessary to create good-quality self-published works.


Well, in between all this, I made some small publications in magazines and ezines like Calliope and Kalkion, and I continue to search out these fun little opportunities. I joined Rebecca Vickery’s Victory Tales Press which publishes romance anthologies. Rebecca was kind enough to edit and publish Bloodmaiden: A Fantasy Anthology for me, which contains short story excerpts from Bloodmaiden and other books of mine.


Finally, one day I’m browsing online for story contests and such when I come across another true God-send. I found a site listing publishers’ information, but it was one of those sites where they want you to pay for the info. Excepting one of the publishers on the page—Old Line Publishing. After checking them out, I sent in Bloodmaiden and was very soon signing my first contract!


The first leg is down—finding a publisher. I hope and pray it’s all uphill from here—it may be a rocky climb, but I can handle that, just have to keep strong and trust God to seek me through. My next goal is getting the word out and getting people to invest in Bloodmaiden and Golden Healer, though I’m exploring a few other publishing ventures as well, including a young adult personalized novel with Books by You—but that’s another adventure to be told for another time.


6. What are some other projects you are working on?


Oh, goodness! If you’d asked this several years ago, I’d have a running list; I was always starting new books. Good thing is, I’ve finished them all by now. I am, however, working on a new project with a friend of mine called You, Fairie, I. It’s one of those “which-way” books in which the reader gets to be the character and make decisions that affect the outcome of the story. It won’t be one of the cheesy versions though. It will be very deep; while the choices are few, they will be vital, having major impact on how the story turns out. Also, the world of Fairie is comprised of four realms and twelve main races, so you can imagine how intricate things can get before the end! My vision for this book is it should be like playing a video game in book form; there will be side-stories, little subquests, and if you don’t play wisely, it might be game over for you and your kingdom!


7. Share something unique about yourself with your readers if you please.


Goodness. I’ve been brainstorming this one for a couple days now. I thought of plenty of quirks: I like to name inanimate objects, I used to have crushes on cartoon characters like Darkwing Duck and James from Pokemon, I’ve never eaten a taco, I’m allergic to milk and sugar…


But I’ve been trying to think of something really unique and interesting. For some reason, this one stumped me, so I decided just to talk about the uniqueness of my books and the work I center around them. Because I suppose maybe someone will find it unique that at age twenty-two, I’ve completed over twenty-eight books and published a good deal of them. Or that I compose instrumental soundtracks for my books, as well as supplying all of my own coverart, promotional items, etc. Or that I’ve managed to create this vast collection, all the books of which connect in some way, shape, or form.

Yes, I suppose what I really take pride in is the uniqueness of my stories. I aim to never do the same thing twice. I believe you can have too much of a good thing, so now, especially as I’ve written so much, when starting a new project I take time to step back and think: Have I done something too much like this before?


So, dear readers, the answer to this question really lies with you. Do you find my stories interconnecting and yet unique at the same time? Hopefully, time will tell.


8. Where would you like to see yourself five years from now?


Honestly, I would like to be as renowned as J. K. Rowling or Stephanie Meyers, and I don’t say that because I desire fame, fortune, or riches. It is because I have always believed God has a purpose for my writing. I am meant to share my stories with all the world, and that’s what I intend to do—God-willing. I write what I love, never trying to write to a certain market or audience. And yet, in writing what I love, I hope that five years down the line, millions of readers will be loving it too.Bloodmaiden

Christian and Vampires: Two Genres at Odds?

Twilight fans have Team Edward, Team Jacob, and Team Switzerland. In the Christian realm, many have Team Vampire, Team Christian...can there be a Team Switzerland when it comes to two topics which seem to lie at such opposite ends of the spectrum?

I pose this question in honor of my recent ebook debut with Writers-Exchange e-Publishing, entitled "Golden Healer, Dark Enchantress". Inspired originally by Twilight, it takes things a step further by presenting the concept of Christian vampires. No doubt I may someday prove quite controversial and author in the Christian realm, but I do believe that Meyers portrayal of vampires who can be good makes much more since than say vampires from the movie 30 Days of Night, who are pure evil. Why, you ask? My argument includes two simple factors:

1. Humans

2. Salvation

Many Christians may say Twilight is evil because it presents the idea that purely evil creatures like vampires can be good. But...humans have inherently bad traits too. We call them sin. Some humans have a tendency to lie, others are prideful, others vain, but all have something we struggle with. In he same sense, vampires struggle with their temptation to attack and kill, but it's still that: a temptation. Which means they still have, most importantly--

A choice.

So, from a Christian perspective, we have to consider the fact that since it's humans being turned into vampires, they would not automatically be damned or turned pure evil. As Christians, we believe that once a Christian, always a Christian. So, if a Christian got turned into a vampire, they would still be a Christian. God would not all of a sudden just allow one of His children to go around massacring people uncontrollably. It only makes sense that all men--including Christians--would still have a choice between right and wrong. And, since it wasn't usually their choice to be turned, they certainly would not be damned.

So I guess, in my opinion, vampires are just people with extra powers, heightened senses, and different temptations than us. But if they existed, they would still be people with the same choices--and thus souls--as us.

Well, that's my thoughts on Christian vampires.

As a side note, if anyone is interested in checking out that ebook of mine, feel free to here:

http://www.readerseden.com/product.ph...

Thanks, and feel free to leave any thoughts on this topic as well!

Kudos to Taylor and Bring on the Treader!

Well, Mumsie and I finally got to go see Eclipse today! I know, I know, a bit behind, at least as far as all the truly avid fans are concerned. But I prefer waiting a bit and going in the morning when all the crazy, screaming fan girls aren't out--especially since this is Eclipse and we would have had to deal with an entourage of Edward-haters vs. Jacob-haters bantering back and forth. I myself am a Team Switzerland. That is, I always chose Edward for Bella reading the books because I understand about him being her first love and the strong bond they share. However, I would not have been opposed to and actually would have been interested in seeing how Meyers would have pulled off Bella ending up with Jacob. He was a great best friend. But the movies really portrayed him in a way that made me even more Team Switzerland--that is, even less opposed to her ending up with Bella.

In the books, Jacob is loyal, a best friend, very open and honest, someone who will always tell it straight and lets you do the same. He is all these things in the movie, but in the film New Moon, I also found him less annoying and immature than I saw him in the books. I felt as though I was really able to connect with Jacob's character on a different level. Somehow, Taylor Lautner really brings out the struggling emotions, the deep passions that Taylor feels alongside all of his other admiral qualities. In the films, I saw Lautner as more of a possible love interest for Bella; I really felt his love for her even more than before.

So, since I really "bonded" with Jacob in the New Moon movie, I was really looking forward to this one. That and the fact that behind it was the same director from Thirty Days of Night. That was a freaky movie, and I felt this director would be perfect to insert the darker aspects of the story, and I was right--he delivered brilliantly! I think another reason I was looking forward to the movie, interestingly enough, was because it was my least favorite of the books. Yes, many people's favorite was my least favorite--though it did have some of my favorite scenes, like Edward's proposal and Bella's talk with Jacob at the end--so sad! Mumsie cried. I would be interested though to go back and reread the book. I might find I like it much better than the first time around. When I first read it, it just seemed too long, like I really just wanted to move on to the final book to find out if Bella changes, and see the wedding, etc. To me, she was just taking too long to choose!

But the movie looked really good, and since I didn't remember everything that happened in the book, this was a plus because some stuff was partly new.

I will say though that even if the movie had sucked, it would have been well worth going to see again--which I intend to--for the sake of watching the previews. Five words:

Voayge of the Dawn Treader

Coming to theatres around Christmas, this is the third installment in The Chronicles of Narnia series.

IT LOOKS BRILLIANT.

Words cannot describe. I seriously felt so overwhelmed by the beauty of the previews that I wanted to cry. One of my favorite books in the series, it is truly saturated with symbolism. The lilies, showing Christ as the Lily of the Valley. The lion and the lamb. All of the character traits, like Lucy's struggle with vanity. Eustace's salvation. Devoid of all the battles of its predecessors, it is simply a journey, a quest, kind of like island-hopping and exploring in "The Wind Waker". But it is also an extraordinary journey of faith, a portrayal which Christians like myself will thoroughly appreciate.

Well, all that excitement released, all I have left to say is this:

Kudos to Taylor Lautner, and bring on the Dawn Treader.

Zelda: Ocarina of Time Through the Eyes of a Child Author

Most devoted gamers remember their first, truly awe-inspiring, epic fantasy gaming experience. When was yours? Were you staring dumbfounded at the screen as Navi zoomed through the Kokiri Forest to deliver the Great Deku Tree’s summons? Were you hopping aboard a whale in Paper Mario while Professor Kolorado exclaims his incredulity at riding a giant tuna? Maybe you were squealing (like my best friend, Sarah, would most likely do) over the cuteness of Final Fantasy’s moguls.

Mine was The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and I vividly recall those wondrous, child-hood days. In fact, that game inspired many of my books and stories, especially from the Legends of Surprisers series. Zelda inspired me to create my concept of "weaving" until I have now composed a vast, twenty-seven book series; all twenty-seven books intertwine in some way, shape, or form. I always loved whenever Link grew up and I would travel around Hyrule and all of a sudden would exclaim to myself, "Oh, hey, there's such-and-such from that one place!" I treasured the deep intricacies of how characters pop in and out; much of this is seen in Surprisers.

I first saw Ocarina while my mom and I visited a friend of the family. The friend's son, Kevin, was having a birthday party. He and a slue of fourteen-year-old boys piled into his room, embarking on some secret venture. Kevin and I were friends, like brother and sister really, and I itched with curiosity to know what was going on. Finally, my mom let me venture back to his room. From that moment, I was captivated...

I witnessed first-hand the Great Deku Tree, the meeting of Zelda, the creation of Hyrule—you name it, it ensnared me. It was the first video game I saw that was 3D, possessed a deep story line, incorporated imaginative, distinct characters I could interact with—so many firsts! Upon returning home, I created a comic in commemoration of the experience.

In the years to follow, I snatched a few more “tastes” of Zelda, if you will, while visiting Kevin. A partial glimpse of the ice cavern. Getting to play from the start on my own and wander around aimlessly in search for the Kokiri sword; I never found the thing, but thankfully, Kevin came to my rescue—afterwards he shut off the game; I don’t think I ever quite got over not being able to storm the Great Deku Tree that day. Another opportunity, he allowed me to ride around Hyrule on Epona. I made the unwise decision of visiting the Gerudo Fortress; the thieves cast me in prison, and I started panicking, afraid Kevin might not be able to escape. Would he have to turn off the game without saving some of his progress just to get out? Nope, proved as simple as using the hookshot to grapple his way outside.

About four years later, I hadn't forgotten Zelda. Now, a lot of kids want things on a whim, and then the whim passes. I was a strange child. I'm still the kind of person who, when I want something, I often REALLY want it and will work to obtain it.

Well, one day, Mom and I were browsing in wal-mart, and I see Ocarina in the case; I believe the N64 system was on sale at this point. As I'm looking, Mom says something bizarre like, "You know, if you want a new video system, we can get you one."

My mind echoes over and over, "Did she really just say that?" I'm totally stunned speechless and walk around the store in a daze.

But long story short, I got my N64 and Ocarina. It was a lot of money for us, but it was well worth it, especially considering all the inspiration it has since spawned! And for me, it improved upon my Super Nintendo by providing me with another first: no continuous dying! I could play this game without dying every two seconds, which was great. Truth be told, I still don’t possess a skill for older games, though I’ve been told this is because of impatience rather than inability.

Ah, the memories which followed those days! I was home schooling at the time, and Mom worked in a small office, often by herself. I would pack up my little T.V., game system, and game and play for hours in the office. I was also ever-accompanied by my trusty guide book; it never left my side that first play-through. Not only was I unused to playing a game which involved Zelda-type puzzles, but I didn’t want to waste my time wandering aimlessly around dungeons. I wanted to get to the story and the characters. Even today, I consider playing a good video game like playing a good book; both story-line, world, and characters must be intricate, or my interest is not likely peeked.

What memories linger amongst my favorite during those days, and how did their inspirations leak into my writing?

Well, the classics include the story of Hyrule’s Creation, meeting Zelda, and learning all the songs—especially those where link plays a duet with Sheik; the combination of harp and ocarina is subtly stunning. These simple but deep, emotional pieces—such as the soothing balm of the “Serenade of Water”—again helped stir in me a desire to include magical songs in my own stories. A later example of this is the Gailean Quartet; musical magic plays a huge role throughout each book in this, my favorite, series.

In fact, the very concept of the story, the “Song of Healing” reflects Zelda-inspired themes. It follows the journey of a young girl on a quest to save her people, and along the way, she befriends and assists many through playing songs she composes on her lyre. Zelda fans will recognize such a link to both Ocarina and Majora’s Mask.

Zelda also helped me develop a love for quirky, unique characters, from my Sallie Elves, spawned from the noble, mysterious Zoras, to the three great fairy sisters who protect the seven Surpriser kingdoms, to all of the smaller characters who might only be seen once or twice yet still reflect exclusive personalities—such as the male in “The Espial” who does a victory dance when the two girls successfully make their barter for loaves of bread; this is accompanied by the victory song of, “Rumble, ladies, rumble—get those loaves!” Even the Fury thieves stem from Zelda, as evident in their dress.

Specific scenes also inspired scenes in my own writings; note the opening scene of the Surprisers series, as depicted by the picture. The use of great, life-sized fairies and the passing down of legends also wove its way into the series, as did main characters speaking to quirky townsfolk with little other purpose than to amuse and humor the reader and add character to the city or town in which the characters reside.

Frightening memories accompanied those early days as well. I remember the horror of getting caught just once by a redead. I couldn't help staring while the life was sucked from me—it was a traumatizing moment. So was the time a wallmaster snatched me...To this day, I've ensured neither of those things ever happened again! While horror and tales of the undead do not play as big a part in my writing, they too have found their place amongst the Amielian Legacy.

But some of my greatest Zelda moments occurred in the Gerudo Fortress and Spirit Temple, my favorite hang-outs. Readers of the Hero Chronicles will recognize the references to Zelda via my crystal blade and the shield Toby uses in Heroes Reunited. Again, the Gerudo thieves are alluded to in the Surprisers series but also are reflected in the Aquanites from the Gailean Quartet and even the Neptunites from the Legend of Loz and Zephyr’s Islands. And, to let you in on a secret, even the kingdom of Loz is named in honor of Zelda. It is an acronym for “Legend of Zelda” since Loz was also greatly inspired by Zelda. This is much how Johann David Wyss accredited his inspiration from Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe by naming his book Swiss Family Robinson.

Well, so there you have it, my grand journey to the realm of Hyrule—and then to the worlds of Loz, Hyloria, and the Surpriser kingdoms. But that's another story. What's yours?

"Heartbreaking and Wondrous Stories Weaved Intricately Into the World of Fantasy"

A new review for Bloodmaiden: A Fantasy Anthology was posted on "Book Junkie" by Brande; thanks for the brilliant review!


Bloodmaiden: A Fantasy Anthology by Christine E. Schulze is a compilation of stories that lay in the mystical realm, sweet, heartbreaking and wondrous stories weaved intricately into the world of fantasy. There are several stories, all of which have their own individual personalities that make them shine, but I have to say that Autumn Falls is my favorite. Autumn, although the true heir to the throne of Iridescence, she was looked upon as something ugly by the queen, she was half Mira. The queens daughter Summer was to succeed the Queen, but she passed, Autumn was made Queen. This harbored so much animosity in Summer that she was bound to make Autumn pay, after all she was half Mira and the thought of Autumn taking a Mira King was beyond Summers acceptance. It would not happen, she wouldn't let it.


Read in full here:


http://myfoolishwisdom.blogspot.com/2...

Chelsea Perry at Apex Reviews likens "Bloodmaiden" unto Tolkien's works

In the mystical land of Sulaimon, if the brave young couple of Chalom and Crisilin have any chance of bringing an end to a cruel, longstanding tradition, they must rally the support of their three peaceful neighboring kingdoms – all guarded and ruled by powerful dragon dynasties. Faced with seemingly insurmountable odds, the intrepid husband and wife team contend with a host of increasingly dangerous challenges – including everything from deadly blizzards to the arresting power of disbelief – as they strive to rid their beloved land of evil and reunite the four dynasties of Sulaimon into a peaceful, harmonious whole once more. With only a handful of unlikely “warriors” to help them, though, the unsung heroes must ultimately derive their strength from a source more robust than mere numbers...


Crafted in vibrant, visionary fashion, Bloodmaiden is an all-engrossing fantasy thriller. On par with the likes of Tolkien and Herbert, author Christine Schulze has created a compelling world of epic proportions, populated by mystical figures who find themselves swept up in the throes of a momentous, fateful fight for their very lives. In Chalom and Crisilin, Schulze successfully conveys the selfless valor of heroism while simultaneously depicting the underlying vulnerability that gives rise to such bravery. Realizing that their greater battle isn’t for themselves – but rather for the survival of the land they hold so dear – is all the motivation the young warriors need to hold fast to their cherished cause – even at the expense of their own lives.


Highly imaginative and entertaining, Bloodmaiden is a solid new addition to the world of fantasy fiction. A standout debut from a promising young literary talent.

Bloodmaiden: The Novel Receives First Book Review!

Evie Alexis, the wonderful woman who wrote my first review for Bloodmaiden: A Fantasy Anthology, just wrote an excellent review for Bloodmaiden: the Novel:




No, this is not deja-vu. My previous review was for an anthology collection of Christine’s works only providing samples. Think of a demo album for Paul McCartney’s greatest hits.

Now I had the opportunity to read one of the works in the anthology from start to finish. The novel and the anthology bear the same name, Bloodmaiden.

Once again, I was marveled by this young woman’s writing. The depth of her descriptions and the power of her imagery is a testament to more than just years of fine writing tutelage. Christine has true talent. She is a visionary, creating illusory and magical worlds that include sprites, nymphs, dragons and castles. But more importantly she creates heroes, brave and noble and remarkably vulnerable. They spring forward to save others in the midst of terror. Crisilin and Chalom are a vibrant and bold young pair. In saving themselves, they manage to save generations of people, establishing peace in a fear struck society.

Regardless of what your preferred genre is, I hope you get to at least sample Christine’s work. You won’t be disappointed.


Original found here:

http://longlivechicklit.wordpress.com...


It's all up-hill from here, God willing! God bless, and thanks again to all for their prayers, support, and readership!