J. Michael Radcliffe's Blog, page 3

The Amaranthine Flask

A friend and fellow author, Maria Savva, was beta-reading ‘Rise of the Shadow’ for me and suggested the name ‘amaranthine flask’ for a magical object in the story.  While I didn’t use her suggestion for that item, I absolutely loved the term and could not let it go unused.  Following is an excerpt from my newest short story, ‘The Amaranthine Flask’:

 

Khamsin stood on the edge of the flat tower roof, looking out across the sun baked city of Sakkara.  She shielded her eyes against the harsh noonday sun as she scanned the horizon.

Where is that damn dragon?  I summoned him twenty minutes ago!

She pounded her fist against the rough, sandstone parapet as she fumed in anger.  Although she was well over three hundred years old, she appeared to be in her early fifties, her long black hair streaked with gray.  Harsh lines around her eyes and at the corners of her mouth, the product of years of scowling, had defied her attempts to erase them.  A fiendishly beautiful woman in her youth, she was also a powerful dark witch, and not one to be trifled with.

She paced back and forth, her jet black robes shimmering in the sunlight as she waited for the dragon to answer her call.  As she passed the small window set into the stone wall of the minaret that rose even higher above the tower, she saw her reflection, her hand tracing the lines and creases along her cheek with her fingers.

I will finally win this battle once and for all…

***

The bright sun glinted off the giant golden dragon’s scales as he glided over the hot sands of the desert outside Sakkara, Egypt.  The warmth radiated throughout his body and reveled in the energy coursing through his veins.  Tucking his wings close to his sides, he dove downward at a steep angle, a smile of satisfaction crossing his toothy face as thunder echoed around him when he broke the sound barrier.  At the last possible moment, he spread his great wings and leveled out, causing a fierce sandstorm to flare into existence as it chased his trail across the dunes.  He tore across the sky leaving destruction in his wake, as the hot winds and static discharge of his passing toppled several small buildings on the outskirts of the city.  He slowed as he reached the protective wall of the city, knowing he would invoke the wrath of the temple priests if he created too much havoc.  Shai’tan, or ‘Firestorm’ as the humans called him, was late.  His mistress had summoned him, and though he loathed to be in her service, he had no choice but to appear as she had enslaved him when he was but a hatchling.  Shai’tan’s egg had been stolen from the nest by a raider, who then sold it on the black market.  The egg had passed through the hands of several merchants until Khamsin became aware of its presence in Sakkara.  Knowing how valuable a dragon would be, she had quickly acquired the egg and proceeded to hatch it.

His mistress, or “Mother Khamsin,” as he knew her, was the first sight Shai’tan remembered.  To ensure his loyalty, she placed a silver chain around his neck laced with wards that made him susceptible to her magic.  A shock that would normally be deflected by his thick scales was instead magnified, so as to cause him great pain.

She ruled Sakkara and the surrounding area, and was feared by all for her cold, ruthless grip on power.  The city had descended into chaos after the murder of old Khafra, the temple priest of the god Horus.  He had been killed at the altar in the temple of the god Set, the sworn enemy of Horus.  Although Master Ammon, the high priest of Set, had vowed to find Khafra’s killer, he never had, and many began to whisper that Ammon himself had slain the old man.  As the accusations grew, an undeclared war erupted between the temples of Set and Horus.  In the anarchy that followed, Shai’tan’s mistress rose to power, quickly undermining or killing those who opposed her.

He banked to the right and climbed slightly as her tower in the center of town came into view.  Originally built for one of the pharaohs, the delicate spire rose high above Sakkara, giving the occupant a stunning view.  The tower was built on an artificial island in the Nile River, which snaked through the middle of the city.  Shai’tan could see his mistress pacing at the top of the tower as he gave a powerful downward flap of his leathery wings and shot skyward.  He spiraled upward around the tower and turned sharply as he spread his wings and settled skillfully in the middle of the tower’s flat roof.

Khamsin glared as she walked towards the dragon, his bulk dwarfing her as she approached.  He lowered his head, bowing down before her in a sign of respect, or at least acquiescence.  She had raised him from a hatchling, teaching him magic and the ways of wizards, but never showing him affection or even respect.  Quick to anger, she had a sharp tongue and was unforgiving if he made a mistake.  He often wondered what it would be like to be free of her overbearing will, but the thick silver chain around his neck ensured he would never stray too far.

“Where have you been?” she asked angrily.  “I summoned you over twenty minutes ago!”

“I am sorry, Mother Khamsin,” he rumbled, staring at the stones beneath her feet.  “I came as quickly as I could when you summoned me.  I was far out in the desert, hunting…”

“Bah!” she snapped, cutting him off before he could finish. “Spare me your excuses, Firestorm,” she said, using his human nickname which she knew he hated.  She snapped her fingers and a violent shock coursed through the silver chain hanging around his neck.  He winced slightly, but had learned long ago not to cry out no matter how bad the pain.

“I raised you from an egg, and this is how you repay me.  Have I not trained you well?  Have I not taught you magic and educated you in the ways of wizards?”

“Yes, Mother Khamsin,” Shai’tan said respectfully.  “You have trained me well, and I owe you my life.”

“Hmph!” she snorted, as she crossed her arms.  “Then stop cowering before me and stand tall!  I have a task for my brave dragon.”

Shai’tan obediently rose and sat with his tail wrapped around him, like some giant housecat, tendrils of smoke curling from his nostrils.  Khamsin crossed her arms and looked off into the distance to the East.

“Have you ever heard of the old wizard, Kronos?” she asked.

The dragon nodded his great horned head.  He had indeed heard of the old wizard – a hermit that lived alone in his castle, forsaking the company of others for his books and potions.  No one had seen him in over a hundred years.  “I have, Mother Khamsin, but surely he does not still exist?”

“Oh, but he does, my pet,” she said quietly with a smile as she turned to face him.  “And you are going to find him.  His tower is located five hundred leagues to the East, high in the mountains.”

Shai’tan looked down at the witch, so small and seemingly insignificant before him, yet so powerful with her control of the dark arts.  It would be such a simple task to crush her beneath his talons, or incinerate her with his flame.

No, I cannot harm the one who has raised me from a hatchling…

He was jolted from his thoughts as she snapped her fingers again and sent another powerful shock through his chain.

“Pay attention you dolt!” she barked.

“Forgive me, my Mistress,” he said as he bowed his head.

“That’s better. Now, I want you to fly to the wizard’s castle and fetch me a potion.”

“A potion?”

The witch raised her hand, causing the dragon to wince involuntarily.  “Yes, a potion.  I want you to acquire the Amaranthine Flask for me.”

“And the price you are willing to pay, Mistress?”

She turned and walked over to the parapet again, gazing into the distance.  “Oh, I doubt he will sell it to you,” she said simply.  “The Flask has been sought by many over the centuries, and yet all who seek it are refused.  You see it will not only restore the beauty of my youth, once restored my youth will never fade.  I shall be eternally young and beautiful; no longer will I have to bear the thought of an old woman’s face looking back at me from the mirror.”

Puzzled, Shai’tan carefully walked up behind the witch and looked down at her.  “And if he refuses your request for the Amaranthine Flask?”

“Kill him.”

***

[end of excerpt]

“The Amaranthine Flask” – a short story for 99¢ - is available on Amazon here.

New Release – ‘Rise of the Shadow’

 

 

I’m pleased to say the third and final(?) book in the ‘Beyond the Veil’ series has been released.  ’Rise of the Shadow’ follows Keegan Whitestone as he tries to stop a murder – 5,000 years in the past.  Keegan must stop an old enemy, who has returned from the abyss with the aid of the Shadow.

Some familiar characters will return, such as Keegan, Nisha, Acamar, and of course, Ms. Hoskins.  There are also some new faces in this novel as well, namely Rami, the young acolyte who serves in the temple of the old god Set.  The seventh son of ten children, Rami was given to the priests of Set in exchange for the god’s blessing upon their family.  An adept student, being abandoned by his family has made him eager to please Master Ammon, the high priest of Set.  His best friend is Fer’al, a novice acolyte who is constantly playing pranks and getting into trouble.

In ‘Rise of the Shadow’ you will learn the true nature of Ms. Hoskins, who is much more than she appears, and you will find out the origin of the most evil necromancer to walk the Earth.

Now available on Amazon!

 

Halloween Post & Giveaway - 13 Questions for author Maria Savva

I have the privilege today of interviewing talented London-based author, Maria Savva. Her new novel, 'Haunted' is being released on October 31st.

Maria is not only a talented author, but a tireless supporter/promoter of Indie authors across the net. You can find her on Twitter as @Maria_Savva.

With the release of her new novel on Halloween, I thought it appropriate to ask her 13 questions - now on with the interview!

1.      'Haunted' is a departure from your usual genre or style of writing, isn't it?  What inspired you to write on the 'dark side'?

You did, Michael, as you are always saying that evil is best LOL.

[LOL - well, evil IS more fun...]

But, seriously, I don’t think it’s a departure from my usual style. I think it will still seem familiar for those readers who are used to my style, but it’s just a darker theme. I did venture into the dark side, dipping my literary toes into the water, so to speak, in Pieces of a Rainbow. Although it’s a colourful title, and colours of the rainbow are quite bright, that book delves into some dark areas, such as violence, addiction, death etc. When my beta readers read Pieces of a Rainbow, a couple of them said that the stories were quite dark. I suppose my writing reflects my own state of mind; when I write dark stuff, I think I’m working out some dark things from my own life. Writing has always been like a form of therapy for me. In the case of Pieces of a Rainbow, I had just been made redundant when I set out to write that set of stories, so my darker thoughts probably leaked out into the stories. With Haunted, it was a bit different because I wasn’t necessarily in a dark place when I was writing it, but it was inspired by a couple of dark events, so the writing reflected that.

2.      I thought you did a magnificent job of showing Nigel's descent into a very dark place; what was the most challenging about showing his change?

The biggest challenge for me was living my normal everyday life while I was writing this story. When I write characters, I get into their minds; like an actor getting into character to portray them, I always try to put myself in the character’s shoes, and wonder how they would react, what they would think, what they would say. With Nigel, getting inside his mind was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Writing this book really took me to some dark places within my own psyche.

3.      There seems to be a common thread of justice throughout the book, not only with Nigel, but also with Darcia and Russell.  What about Ramiro, though?  Was (what happened to him) justice as well, or simply an unavoidable part of the story?     

I suppose what I wanted to show was that bad things don’t only happen to bad people. Sometimes there are tragic endings for people who are totally innocent. That’s probably one of the things that inspired the book in the first place.

4.      Now that you have written a darker tale which could even be considered paranormal, do you think you will write more in this area?

I probably will. I think my paranormal leanings in my writing can be seen as early on as in my first novel, Coincidences, where Alice’s whole adventure basically too place because she believed something in her dream. This theme was further explored in my novel, The Dream, which also contains elements of the paranormal, as well as time travel. I grew up in a haunted house, and was always interested in ghost stories as a child. In fact, one of the scenes in The Dream is inspired by paranormal experience I had while living in the haunted house as a child. I have also written quite a few ghost stories which are featured in my short story collections. It’s something that has long fascinated me, and will probably continue to inspire my work.

5.      What was the most difficult thing about writing 'Haunted'?  What was the easiest?

The most difficult was, as discussed above, getting into Nigel’s mind and facing his demons. The easiest was actually writing the story. It didn’t take me long to get it down. And, even though it is a dark tale, it was fun to write and I enjoyed reading it over when editing it. It is probably my favourite novel so far.

6.      Is there a certain time that you find is best for your writing?  Do you write at specific times or when inspiration strikes?

Inspiration is floating around me constantly. When I pass someone in the street and hear a sentence they speak to another person or even into their mobile phone, I could pretty much write a short story based on it there and then. I am always being inspired by things I hear, like news snippets and headlines in the papers, watching people, chatting with someone, or even just staring out of a window. I am sure that if I was given the chance, I could be writing consistently all the time and never running out of ideas. Life is so full of stories waiting to be written. For me, right now, I just don’t have time to write everything that I could write because I have a full time job. I have to fit my writing into my life. I do find, though, that for me, my daily working life is where I get most of the best ideas for my novels, so I can’t knock it. I just wish there were more hours in the day. The most usual time of day you’ll find me writing is just before I go to bed, late at night. I don’t know why, but that time is more productive for me as a writer. It’s not only because I have a day job, because even when I was out of work, I seemed to prefer writing at night. Maybe it’s the silence that inspires me.

7.      When searching for ideas, what helps inspire you?

I am inspired by everything and everyone around me. I know it’s an in joke that novelists will write people they know into their novels. For me, it happens all the time. People I know or people I don’t know. It could just be a person I have seen for a few minutes and their face or something they said inspired me to write them into a story or novel. People should probably be on their best behaviour around me as they will usually end up in one of my books.

8.      As a writer I often struggle with time - there is never enough to balance between the day job, family and writing.  How do you balance the demands on your time?

I don’t, is the short answer. I constantly feel like the proverbial headless chicken. But writing is like a drug. When I get an idea for a story, I write it, even if it means staying up into the night. I am always yawning.

9.      As a cat lover, I have to ask you to introduce your cat to our readers - his name is Starsky, yes?





Starsky. Yes. He was named Starsky because his coat reminded me and my sister of Starsky’s cardigan in Starsky and Hutch! Our cat, Tiger, died at the age of 18 in 2001. I’d grown up with her and found that it was like losing a best friend. I was devastated. I literally could not live without a cat, so I went out and bought Starsky a couple of weeks after Tiger died. He was only about 2-3 weeks old when I brought him home. The woman who sold him to us seemed more interested in getting money by selling kittens rather than looking after them or making sure they stayed with their mother for the requisite 6 weeks. She told us he was 6 weeks old but the vet confirmed to us he was much younger. He was so tiny. He’s half-Persian and very beautiful, and very spoilt. Unfortunately he had ringworm when he first came to live with me, and I caught it!  Because of his ringworm, we couldn’t handle him for a good few weeks when he was young and now he doesn’t really like being picked up. He’ll allow you to stroke him for a while, but then he’ll bite. He seems to think biting is a way to play with people. He’s also very dependant, more like a dog than a cat in that way.

10.  If a major publisher offered you a contract on this or any other of your works, but required you to give up creative control, would you?

Absolutely not. The thing I like about self-publishing is that I get to retain control over my work. I am a bit of a control freak anyway, so this suits me well.

11.  Is there any specific advice you would offer to a new writer wishing to publish for the first time?

Only that they should make sure they have their work edited properly before they publish it. That’s the most important advice anyone can give. And, by editing, I don’t mean pay an editor to tell you which bits to cut out and which bits to leave in. I am all for freedom of creative expression, so if you like your story the way it is don’t let anyone talk you into changing any of the characters or any of the story unless it's because of continuity issues. By editing, I mean make sure the grammar is up to a decent standard and that the book is not riddled with typos. I would also advise anyone who is thinking of publishing these days to do it by themselves. Don’t pay a publisher to publish for you. You can upload your work onto Kindle and other e-book formats quite easily by yourself, and you keep rights and royalties. The control freak part of me is coming out again!

12.  Do you have any new projects in the works?

One project I am excited about, and you probably are too, Michael, is the joint novel that is currently being written by members of the writers’ forum, BestsellerBound.com

It’s all very much at the top secret stage at the moment, but will be a great novel when it’s published.

On my own, I am hoping to put together another collection of short stories. These are new and old stories. Some of them I found on my computer and an old floppy disk. The oldest ones in the collection probably date back to the early ’90s! I will of course be editing them and updating where necessary.

I am mulling over a few ideas for my next novel, but have nothing definite at the moment. The ideas seem to float past like butterflies and if I don’t catch them they fly away. I really should note things down when I get ideas for stories and novels. I always think I’ll remember them, but my memory is like a sieve these days. I did have a really good idea for my next novel, but can’t remember what that was. Oh, well, it’ll probably come back to me if it was meant to be written.

13.  Finally, are there any other thoughts you would like to share with our readers?

I will just remind readers that the nicest and most helpful thing they can do for their favourite authors is to write a review on Amazon and other such sites. It’s the best way to show your support, apart from buying our books, of course.

Thank you again for joining us, Maria!  Readers - be sure to enter the contest for a copy of Maria's upcoming novel, 'Haunted'.  To be included in the drawing, just 'like' this post or leave a comment.  A winner will be drawn at random on November 15th at 10:00 pm CST

The Next Big Thing

My friend and fellow author, Maria Savva, was kind enough to tag me in a challenge called The Next Big Thing.  As this gives me an excuse to write, I owe her a ‘thank you’ for extending the invitation.

The rules of the challenge are:

Answer 10 questions about my current WIP (Work-In-Progress)
 Tag five other writers and link their blogs so we can all hop over and read their answers.

The questions are:

What is the working title of your book?
Where did the idea come from for the book?
What genre does your book fall under?
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Who or What inspired you to write this book?
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

This is going to be fun!  So here are my answers:

1.  My upcoming novel is called, ‘Rise of the Shadow’.  I won’t say that is a ‘working title’ as I am 99% certain about it.  Previously it was going to be called ‘Blackstone’ after a character that was going to be in it, however my story has completely changed now – for the better, I hope.

2.  Oddly enough, the idea for this book came from my previous two books.  There were simply too many loose ends that I felt needed to be explained – plus I knew I could have some fun exploring a couple of minor characters from the first two books.

3.  Genre:  Unfortunately, since dragons have not decided to show themselves in real life, this book would be categorized as ‘fantasy’.

4.  Who would play my characters in a movie?  Sadly, I have given this a LOT of thought – as I find that when I am writing, I actually picture the characters in my mind’s eye.  As a result, I draw from television and movies to ‘cast’ my novels as it where so they can take place in my imagination while I am striving to get the words on the page.  So here they are, in no particular order:

Dame Judi Dench, would play Ms. Hoskins

John Rhys-Davies would be perfect as Acamar Wycroft

 

Alfred Molina would excel as Alexander Ducat

Catherine Zeta Jones would be cast as Nisha Black

Ian McShane would voice Nekk’ar, the dragon spirit

Benedict Cumberbatch would play Keegan Whitestone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.  A one sentence synopsis of my book is:  How do you stop a murder, five-thousand years in the past?

6.  To quote my friend, Maria Savva, “I am self publishing this book.  Indie authors are the best!”  Besides, I’m just not sure the mainstream publishers are quite up to my standards.

7.  How long did it take?  Well, I’m not done yet, if that tells you anything.  I started writing in earnest about April, and it is now August and I’m done with eight chapters.  My hope is to have it finished, edited and polished by January 2013. (fingers crossed)

8.  I would compare this to ‘The Ring of Solomon’ by Jonathan Stroud, I think.  Although with the dragons and other magical elements, they could probably be compared with the ‘Harry Potter’ or ‘Eragon’ series as well.

9.  Although I thought I wanted to continue the series with a third book, I must credit my friend, Maria Savva, for helping push me over the proverbial edge, as it were.  In her review and comments on book two ‘Bloodstone – The Guardian’s Curse’, she commented that she felt the ending left open the possibility for a third book.  When I read her review, that comment reaffirmed to me that a third book was needed to wrap everything up.

10.  In this novel, you will learn much more about the mild mannered caretaker, Ms. Hoskins.  You will also learn the origins of the most feared necromancer to ever walk the Earth.

Okay, here are the 5 authors who I would like to challenge:

1.  Joel Kirkpatrick

2.  Lindsay Buroker

3.  Maeve Greyson

4.  R J McDonnell

5.  Al Boudreau

A Dragon’s Curse

For those of you who are not fortunate enough to know me yet, I am a dragon.  A fierce warrior and powerful magic user, I have roamed this world for centuries.  Like many of my race, I also have a scholarly side, and as you can see I am quite fond of books.  Now, what you may not know is that I am under an enchantment – why else do you think I would spend my time perched upon a stack of books with a sword in my claws? (We dragons don’t need swords of course, unless perhaps to use them to clean between our teeth).  The spell was placed upon me several hundred years ago by a conniving little sneakthief of a wizard.  He wasn’t even a very good wizard, but he caught me by surprise.  Apparently he was upset because I had eaten his cat – but I couldn’t help myself as I was quite hungry, and the fat furball was in the wrong place at the wrong time (honestly, what would you have done?).

As part of my penance, I was cursed to serve as the familiar for a writer.  Now just who this writer would be, I knew not, rather I was told he (or she) would find me in due course.  And so I sat, counting the hours in a display case, watching hordes of tourists scurrying about, pressing their faces against the glass and peering in at me (you humans truly are an odd lot!).  Finally, after what seemed like ages, a man asked my jailer (I believe he called him a cashier) to examine me.  Much to my dismay, this man with white hair and beard looked me over closely, examining my beautiful scales, fearsome teeth and claws – you get the idea.  Finally I could take no more and I spoke – or tried to speak – to him.

Either pay my ransom and free me from this prison, or put me down!

Now, to be honest, I never expected him to hear me.  But to my surprise, the man looked directly at me and, with a twinkle in his eyes, answered me!

“It would be my pleasure – I would certainly never want to cross a dragon, especially one so magnificent as you,” he said with a smile.

I smiled, or would have if it weren’t for this blasted curse, in spite of myself.  Obviously this human was intelligent, having recognized what a fine specimen of dragon I truly am.

So he paid my rather exorbitant ransom and took me to his home in some strange land called ‘Ken-tuck-y” or something like that.  I was then placed in a position of honor (as I should be) next to the man’s computer.  That was when this rather clever human spoke to me again!

“What is your name?”

None of your business!  We dragons do not share our true names with the lesser races.  If you must, you may use my human-given nickname, which is ‘Shimmerscale.’

“Look, Shimmerscale, I need your help.  I’m an author…”

Oh damn!  I’ll kill that wizard if I ever get free of this curse…

“I write about magic, wizards and dragons, and I need inspiration,” he said earnestly.

Not my problem.

“But, you’re a truly magnificent dragon – surely you could help me with my stories.  You would want my tales about dragons to be accurate, yes?”

Hmph. (he did have a point)

“If you will agree to help me, I will grant you special power.”

Now he had my attention – was this man a wizard as well?

I’m listening, human.

“Supervise my writing.  Help inspire me to tell stories of magic and fantasy.  If you agree, I will grant you the power to edit my work – what you do not like, I will delete.  You may revise, edit and criticize to your heart’s content.  I do not give this power lightly – I am entrusting you with my work.”

Now this was an unexpected turn of events.  I knew as part of my curse I would have to serve as a familiar for a writer, but this man was giving me power over both him and his writing.  Perhaps this might work after all.  I would guide his hand and help him tell the true story about those of my race – no longer would the world simply hear the wizards’ side of the truth.

I will accept your terms, human.  I will help guide your stories and I will critique your work, but you must swear you will listen and heed my advice – ignore me at your peril.  Do you understand?

The man smiled and nodded in agreement, acknowledging my superior intellect (at least that’s what I took the nod to mean).

“There is just one thing…”

That’s the trouble with you humans and the other lesser races.  Only the elves are worse at dragging out negotiations after you think you are finished.  We dragons are much more to the point, as it should be.

What?

“If I am to truly trust you, then you must trust me.  I wish to know your true name.”

The human had a point; he was giving me power over him, even though I am cursed to be his familiar anyway.  He obviously recognizes dragons as superior creatures (which we are).  Perhaps this partnership will work after all.

My name is Idris.

The man smiled and began typing away at his keyboard.  To this day, I supervise his writing and give him hints and suggestions about how to structure his stories.  I help guide him to the truth about dragons and the nature of magic.  I only wish he and his family didn’t have quite so many cats.

The Versatile Blogger Award

I was very honored today to be nominated for the ‘Versatile Blogger’ award by my friend Darcia Helle - thank you, Darcia!  I have always enjoyed Darcia’s blog, and I would highly recommend you pay her a visit at Quiet Fury Books.

Now on to the award. First, here are the instructions I received:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award (check)

2. Include a link to their blog. (check)

3. Paste the award on your blog. (check)

4. Share 7 things about yourself. (okay, this is the tough bit…)

5. Pass this award on to as many as 15 blogs you enjoy reading and let them know about the award!  (this is the easy bit!)

So, in the spirit of sharing, here are 7 things about me:

I absolutely abhor spiders of any shape or size.
I am quite fond of cats.
Chocolate to me, is like blood to a piranha – just hand me the Hershey bar and no one gets hurt…
I’m addicted to Starbuck’s caramel macchiato.
I have never traveled outside of the U.S. (sad, I know)
One of my bucket list items is to visit England and Scotland (and also have my picture taken in front of Radcliffe tower, just outside Manchester).
My favorite song is Heart and Soul by T’pau, although a very, very close second is No Myth, by Michael Penn.

And now you I am a very drab little author. *sigh*

I’m now passing this award on to some of my favorite people, who are also among my favorite authors and bloggers. Alas, I am only listing three as several others have already been nominated!  I shall now pass the torch to:

1.  Maeve Greyson for her Celtic paranormal romance themed blog.

2.  Lindsay Buroker for her steampunk & indie author focused blog.

3.  E. P. Marcellin, fellow dragon lover, for her fantasy blog.

Thanks for reading. 

Rise of the Shadow

In my research for Book Three of the ‘Beyond the Veil’ series, I stumbled across an ancient, tattered scroll.  It was difficult to read, and it appears to have been written in dragon’s blood.  I’m not certain, but I believe it may be an excerpt from the diary of Oriannus, the very first necromancer to darken our world.

…In the time of the great pharaohs, the gods first came to our world.  The light and the dark – each trying to best the other – had named our world as neutral territory.  It was decided they would live in peace among us, teaching us their ways, until we were ready to choose a path – and a side.

Arriving through a great disk of light in the sky, they settled amid the drifting sands of Sakkara.  Their arrival unleashed the power of the universe on our planet, the energy that is all around us and is known by man as ‘magic’.  They have taught mankind how to recognize magic, to see beyond the mere physical senses, and to shape and use the energy.  It was with this knowledge that man first became aware of the magical creatures living amongst us all this time.  No longer were imps, pixies, haggles and mongers hidden from our sight.  No longer were the dragons a shadowy mystery.  Many men fear this new power, but they are merely ignorant fools.  I have embraced it, and the universe has opened before my eyes!

The new gods have smiled upon our pharaohs, helping them become even more rich and powerful.  One of the gods, Horus, has even become the royal sorcerer to his highness,  Semerkhet the First.  I have learned much from this strange visitor, this traveler from beyond.  Yet I shall learn even more through his death, for I have discovered how to kill a god.  His rival, Set, the great god of chaos, has taught me many secrets, among them how to conquer death – and therefore mankind.  Dominion over the darkness is my destiny, and with it I shall destroy them all.  So it is written, so shall it be.

Mirrikh Oriannus

Master of Shadow

Lucky 7

Lucky 7 is a blog challenge I was invited to participate in by author Maria Savva.

The challenge is to blog 7 lines from unpublished works of fiction.  Here are the instructions:

Go to page 7 or 77 in your current manuscript (fiction or non-fiction).
Go to line 7
Post on your blog the next 7 lines, or sentences, as they are – no cheating!
Tag 7 other authors to do the same

I am currently working on book three in my ‘Beyond the Veil’ series, which is tentatively titled ‘Rise of the Shadow’.

Here are the 7 sentences from page 7 of my current manuscript:

Stepping through, she pushed a stray strand of white hair back up into the tight bun on the back of her head.  The doorway spiraled shut leaving her in the dim blue-white light of a wisp suspended from the center of the ceiling. 

This small room was her inner sanctum, her retreat where she could meditate and ponder upon the things she witnessed over the ages.  It was sparsely furnished, with a small writing desk in one corner, a comfortable leather chair and a small bed, both surrounded by stacks of books.  She gathered her robes about her and settled down into the chair.  She closed her eyes and relaxed, allowing her consciousness to flow outward again, seeking answers to the presence she had felt at Talith Nor.  After almost five thousand years, measured in the time of the mortals, she had seen many things, but only once before had she encountered an energy sensation like the one she sensed today.

I would now like to challenge the following authors:

Maeve Greyson

Lindsay Buroker

Lainey Bancroft

E. P. Marcellin

Joel Kirkpatrick

Jaleta Clegg

Thomma Lyn Grindstaff

How to Write a Novel in just Eight Short Years…

I have been asked by fans, coworkers and family members "How long did it take you to write a book?"  When I respond with "Oh, about eight years…" they seem somewhat shocked.  Why did it take so long?  Let me answer that with a warning:

Beware the demons of Apathy, Lethargy and Procrastination!

When I first started writing, I didn't really think I could do it, so I didn't take it seriously.  I did not discipline myself to write every day or even every week.  The result?  Sometimes months would pass (that's right, I said months!) with my manuscript lying untouched on the harddrive of my computer.

Now, I will be the first to advise any writer, that you should strike a balance – don't spend all of your waking hours glued to the computer screen.  Pay attention to your spouse or significant other, your kids and your family – they won't be around forever and if you blink a few times the years will have passed you by.

But, that being said, make time to write!  Even if you have written yourself into a corner on your novel, step back and write a short story based on some of the minor characters.  I did that with four stories – it gave me some needed breathing space with my novel and let me explore the depths of those other characters.  As a result, I think it helps make their backgrounds richer.

Another suggestion – don't listen to the negative little demon whispering in the back of your mind.  Shove the little beast into the darkest, deepest closet in your head and then slam the door shut and lock it.  Regardless of what that wicked little monster says, you CAN write and you SHOULD write, so put fingers to keys and get to it.

When I finally got serious about writing, I discovered that the more I wrote, the easier the ideas came – not always, but usually.  Staying in the habit of writing keeps the knife edge sharp.  Of course I need to take my own advice here, since you can see I've not updated my blog in a couple of months – that whole work/life balance thing again.

Lastly, something that helped motivate me to finish my story and continue writing was to network with other authors.  Join a writing group such as Bestsellerbound.com or Critters.org.  You will meet wonderful new friends and have a chance to share your triumphs and your tribulations.

So until next time, go write the story that has been rattling around your head for a while – unfetter your muse and go WRITE!

Signed paperback giveaway!

My writing partner, Idris, is not pleased with me.  You see, he occupies a prominent place on my desk near the computer, so he can supervise my writing from the comfort of his perch.

The problem?  Clutter.  Over the past few months I have allowed several stacks of papers, books and heaven-knows-what else to intrude upon Idris' territory.  Not being one to mince words, Idris has told me in no uncertain terms to tidy up the desktop – or else. Now, I don't know about you, but I find it best NOT to argue with a dragon!

So, what better way to eliminate some clutter than to give away some books!  I have five (5) signed paperback copies of my first novel 'The Guardian's Apprentice' to offer.  Now here are the rules:

No purchase necessary – just follow these instructions and five (5) lucky people will get a signed copy of  'The Guardian's Apprentice' shipped to their doorstep.
There is no cost – I will pay for the shipping.
This offer is without borders – I don't care where in the world you live, you can still participate.
To enter the drawing, just leave me a comment on this blog.  Please let me know:


If you have read the story, who (or what) is your favorite character in the series, and why?  (if you want to refresh your memory, check out the 'characters/creatures' tab over on my website at http://www.theguardiansapprentice.com)
If you have not read the story, what is your favorite fantasy novel?
Make sure you check the box that says "notify of follow-up comments' when you leave your comment – that way you will know when the contest is over and I have posted the winners.
That's it – everyone who leaves a comment will be entered in the 'pool' of names.  On February 1st, I will draw five random names from the people who left comments and will send them a signed copy of 'The Guardian's Apprentice'.

Cheers!

Michael