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Exploring Character and Place in A Seared Sky #9

Chellyth: Chellyth, as visualised by Alice Taylor
This is the 9th in a series of pieces on characters and places featured in Joinings: A Seared Sky. This background information, isn’t covered in the book, but should enhance the reading experience. For some of my people, there’ll be a character drawing, supplied by Alice Taylor, maybe a video interview, and accompanying script. I may do short pieces of fiction, deepening knowledge of certain minor characters as well. For the places, I may use sections of the map, to indicate location, along with a description of the place, as I see it, and, where appropriate, links with characters. Perhaps I’ll indicate the way of life there with a short anecdote or story. I won’t reveal any of the main story, either as already published or as written in the series, merely enhance readers’ enjoyment of the trilogy by providing more information. I hope this will give pleasure to those who’ve bought the book and, perhaps, persuade others to take that step.
Pronunciation hints:Chellyth – chell-ithPor-Kildu – paw-kill-doDagla Kaz – pronounced exactly as written.Aklon-Dji – ak-lon-djy (think of the Dj sound in the name of tennis player, DjokovicMuhnilahm – murn-ill-armNames are pronounced phonetically. But this is my take on them; how I hear them in my head. You may pronounce them as you wish, of course; reading is, after all, active rather than passive.
Chellyth is the female half of a pair who lead the rejects, criminals and so-called deviants imprisoned on The Point. I know some will balk at her lack of apparel, but, like all those who live in her community, she lacks the means to make clothing. She is 30ish, attractive, and a strong woman who exists in a very harsh environment. She has to be tough to survive. Here she talks to our Fantasy editor from Fantastic Books Publishing, where you can purchase the first book in the series: Joinings, A Seared Sky .
FE:         So, Chellyth, how do you fit into this fantastic story?
Chellyth:            Fit in? An interesting idea for the leader of a group of people rejected by the rest of society, don’t you think?
FE:         Rejected? In what way, and why?
Chellyth:            I don’t know your world. But here, on the island of Muhnilahm, everything’s ruled by a tyrant who holds the title of High Priest. Dagla Kaz is a cruel, intolerant, bigoted and basically dishonest man. You get on the wrong side of that bowelcreep and you’ve generally got two choices: an agonising death – he loves to invent ever more painful ways to kill people – or escape to The Point.
FE:         The Point?
Chellyth:            Por-Kildu, who’s my partner, and I, are known as ‘The One’. We rule on The Point and give sanctuary to those who either run away from the main part of the island or are brought here as a punishment by the High Priest’s gang of corrupt officials, the Holy Ones.  This place is effectively cut off from the rest of the island; a long narrow peninsula isolated by a huge scar that runs the width of the landward end of The Point. It’s more or less unscalable, except that Aklon Dji manages to get up and down it. He’s the High Priest’s son and a man we admire more than any other.
FE:         So, you live a segregated existence on this Point?
Chellyth:            Exist, yes. We’ve no choice. There’s no way down the steep cliffs, unless you want to kill yourself on the rocks below. And, as I said, only Aklon Dji seems to know how to ascend the scar onto the main island. We’ve no fabric for clothes here, the only water comes from a spring that dwells under the shadow of the small copse of trees on the low hill. The rest of the land is arid and parched; home to venomous snakes and carrion birds. We grow what little food we can on a small piece of land hard by our village.
FE:         Sounds a hard life, Chellyth.
Chellyth:            Hard? It’s all I’ve ever known. I was born here. Por-Kildu, he’s different. He was tortured by Dagla Kaz and then brought here to die. I restored him to health and we became lovers. But he describes life on the main island, telling tales of luxury and plenty. Yes. It’s a hard life.
FE:         If you’re governing a bunch of criminals, law-breakers and social outcasts, how do you keep control?
Chellyth:            Don’t make judgments about people you’ve never met. My people are fine. They’re victims of an unjust system. They’re not really criminals, except in the sense they’ve broken unreasonable laws.  It’s a harsh land and I have to employ harsh rules. Break the rules of my society and you’d better be prepared for a horrible death.
FE:         Doesn’t that make you as bad as Dagla Kaz?
Chellyth:            Fool! He has a choice, and he chooses to inflict pain and suffering for entertainment. Nothing to do with imposing his will or governing the people: he has the Holy Ones and an army for that. I have to keep control of people who have nothing. You can’t take anything away from them, except their lives. And some of them would welcome that, so I have to make it a difficult ending. It’s the only way to rule here, as you’d know if you’d ever lived in such a place.
FE:         Do you have dreams, hopes?
Chellyth:            Aklon Dji will save us all one day soon. He’ll overthrow his evil father and allow us back onto the main island. Then we can lead normal lives.
FE:         Sounds a bit unlikely.
Chellyth:            You think our hero can’t fulfil his promise to us? What do you know?
FE:         One man against all the High Priest’s forces? There’s a price on his head, isn’t there? Suppose they catch and kill him?
Chellyth:            I’ve nothing more to say to you. You delight in inflicting pain on a repressed people. Leave me be. Go! You’re no friend of mine.
FE:         A remarkable woman, but I get the feeling she’s delusional.  Mind you, if things are that hard, who can blame her for clinging to a dream?

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Court of Conspiracy, by April Taylor, Reviewed.

April Taylor’s Court of Conspiracy is the first in her series, The Tudor Enigma. This fascinating alternative history fantasy is crime novel set in a Tudor England where Henry VIII’s son by Ann Boleyn, Henry IX, is on the throne. Much of the action takes place in and around Hampton Court Palace. It’s clear that the location is very well known by the author, who makes the place live with her subtle descriptive passages intertwined in the action.
Her hero, Luke Ballard, is an apothecary; a combination of doctor and chemist in times when such separate professions didn’t exist. He’s also an elemancer; a person able to harness elemental powers for good. The opposite number of such a magic practitioner is the sunderer, who uses the same powers for evil. So, we have all the intrigue, prejudice, ignorance and jealous fear of an age when religious allegiance ruled, mingled with magical powers for good and evil. It makes for a powerful and intriguing mix.
April Taylor has a facility for selecting just the right tone and syntax to reflect the times she’s depicting, using unusual language in context so that it’s easily understood. The dialogue is of its time, but no barrier to comprehension, so the story flows easily and without pause. The reader is submerged in this imagined world, which feels historically authentic.
It’s a story that examines good and evil, but in the context of the underlying threat of religious conflict between established Catholicism and the newly founded protestant dogma. This is a world where torture is routine and justice is a concept based more on power than right. The King’s word is God’s word and you’d better make sure you don’t get on the wrong side of those with in authority.
In this atmosphere of fear and mistrust, where political intrigue is a daily reality, Luke is engaged by the Queen to discover who is plotting to kill the King. This is a task steeped in danger, fraught with difficulty, and hindered by the need to keep on the right side of authority: a wrong move can easily get a person into the Tower and put to the test of iron and flame.
All of April Taylor’s characters are real people who come alive on the page. These are players with flaws to counterbalance their gifts, heroes and heroines who make mistakes. Proper human beings the reader can so easily empathise with. And the villains are deliciously evil, their motivations fully developed.
The mystery of the threat to the throne is revealed slowly through the actions, skills, mistakes and deductions of Luke and his various helpers. The author skilfully displays the underlying mistaken prejudices against women of the times, showing her heroines through the eyes of the distrusting young Ballard with his preconceptions borne of religious, political and personal bias.
The denouement is a real page-turner, as the action gains pace with the discoveries piling up evidence and increasing the danger to all concerned. The resultant ending is at once both satisfying and enigmatic, leaving the reader wanting more from this series, hungry to know what is in store for the reluctant hero and his helpers of both genders.

This is a book that will be enjoyed by readers who appreciate fantasy, historical mystery, romance and crime novels. You’ll find all of these elements in this tale that manages to successfully blend the genres. I thoroughly recommend it and look forward to the next in the series.

Are You Very Very Sure of This? #3

Over these few weeks, I’m looking at the very frequent use of ‘very’, which is very bad, as you know so very well.
Okay; overkill, but you know we all do it: use ‘very’ to modify a verb or an adjective rather than search for a stronger one that will say the same thing, only better. So, here are a few examples to make it easier for you to reject that easy option. Choose with care; synonyms are not always exact matches and you need to consider context.
Very pretty – beautiful, pulchritudinous (though, why anyone would use such an ugly word to describe beauty is beyond me!), radiant, comely, gorgeous, adorable, exquisiteVery big – immense, enormous, huge, gigantic, colossal, towering, monumental, gargantuanVery hungry – ravenous, famished, starving, could eat a scabby ‘orse between two bread vans, (colloquial, but you get the idea.)            Very wicked – villainous, evil, heinous, villainous, depraved, contemptible, sinful, irremediable     Very bright – dazzling, resplendent, radiant, sparkling, glowing, brilliant. Or intelligent, forward, brilliant, scintillating, brainy, gifted, talentedVery risky – perilous, dangerous, treacherous, hazardous, frightening, scary, dicey, dodgy, alarming

This is the third lot; there’ll be a few more next week.

A Short Post on the Future

Some of my writing is available free on a great site called Readwave. It's a place that hosts short - 2-3 minute - pieces of fiction, opinion and fact. There are currently half a dozen pieces of mine on the site. This morning I posted one relating to our future. That's 'our' in the sense of the human race, and looks at what we might do to ensure we maintain a presence on this wonderful world of ours. Please visit the site, read the 3 minute piece, and, if you feel so inclined, give the post a 'like' - You'll find a little pink heart at the bottom left of the story to do that. You can click this link to reach the story. Thank you.

Reviews?

There's an interesting, and short, piece on the value of well considered reviews for authors and readers on my writing group's site. Take a quick click over there, using this link, and see what you think.

Exploring Character and Place in A Seared Sky #8

Character interview with Tryonta.
This is the 8th in a series of pieces on characters and places featured in Joinings: A Seared Sky . This background information, isn’t covered in the book, but should enhance the reading experience. For some of my people, there’ll be a character drawing, supplied by Alice Taylor, maybe a video interview, and accompanying script. I may do short pieces of fiction, deepening knowledge of certain minor characters as well.
For the places, I may use sections of the map, to indicate location, along with a description of the place, as I see it, and, where appropriate, links with characters. Perhaps I’ll indicate the way of life there with a short anecdote or story. I won’t reveal any of the main story, either as already published or as written in the series, merely enhance readers’ enjoyment of the trilogy by providing more information. I hope this will give pleasure to those who’ve bought the book and, perhaps, persuade others to take that step.
Pronunciation hints:Tryonta – try-on-taDagla Kaz – pronounced exactly as writtenYtraa – eet-rahNames are pronounced phonetically. But this is my take on them; how I hear them in my head. You may pronounce them as you wish, of course: reading is, after all, active rather than passive.

Tryonta is around 35. He’s a snake. Amoral and utterly self-centred. His voice holds the sinister charm of the man who knows how to manipulate others. Although his responses may appear terse, they’re spoken more with a superior questioning quality than with overt anger. Here he is interviewed by Fantastic Books Publishing’s Fantasy Editor.
FE:         Good morrow, Tryonta. I gather you’re a sort of aid to the High Priest?
Tryonta:            What of it?
FE:         Ah, I merely want to get your view of your position and your feelings about the…
Tryonta:            Feelings are for fools. My position is that of guardian, helper and informer for the most important man in the land.
FE:         What sort of things do you do to…help Dagla Kaz?
Tryonta:            You don’t look like a fool. Does a trusted deputy discuss his duties with all and sundry? No. I don’t wish to appear obstructive, but you must understand the delicacy of my position.
FE:         Let’s try a different tack. What are you feelings…thoughts about your religion?
Tryonta:            What is there to think about? We are Followers. We obey the will and the regulations set out by our High Priest. We do our duty. Those who fail to obey are dealt with according to the law. Such fools deserve the pain and humiliation they suffer for their failure to do as they are required. What more is there to say?
FE:         Do you have personal pleasures you’d like to share with us?
Tryonta:            A good meal, served with good drink. A compliant partner for joining; preferably someone who understands rank and status. A well-made tabard, of silk and decorated with suitable designs.
FE:         You enjoy joining with a willing woman, then?
Tryonta:            What man does not enjoy the pleasure to be had with a compliant partner?
FE:         How do you view the High Priest?
Tryonta:            You choose your words with care; that’s good. The High Priest is my commander, my provider; dare I say, my friend? But I am also his protector and his most trusted aid. We form a team, in which he plays the part of the leader, of course, since he is blessed by Ytraa, and in which I play the role of reliable and unquestioning assistant.
FE:         And, if Dagla Kaz were to ask you to do something, shall we say, not quite within the law?
Tryonta:            A foolish question, if you will forgive my bluntness. Dagla Kaz is the chosen of Ytraa. It is impossible for him to act outside the law, since he is the law. You understand?
FE:         I believe I do. Thank you for your time, Tryonta. Most enlightening.
Tryonta:            Really? And I thought I had been so circumspect in my answers. If you believe yourself enlightened, I can only assume you’re a better questioner than I imagined, or, perhaps, not honest enough with yourself to understand the true nature of our exchange.
FE:         Perhaps. Honesty and truth, however…
More to follow.Related articles Joinings: A Seared Sky. Couldn't put it down Exploring Character and Place in A Seared Sky #7 Exploring Character and Place in A Seared Sky #5 Exploring Character and Place in A Seared Sky #6

A Marathon Run and Done.

Regular visitors will be aware I’ve been engaged in a final edit of the last two books of the fantasy trilogy, A Seared Sky, following publication of book 1, Joinings , by Fantastic Books Publishing at the end of March this year.
This edit has involved reading aloud from a printed text to discover those errors and other problems that might slip by the more usual, silent, screen read. I’ve ended up with Book 2, Partings, at 199,000 words over 46 chapters and 600 pages, and Book 3, Convergence, at 189,000 words over 54 chapters and 577 pages.
Both books are now ready to go the publisher, as and when they are ready for them, so readers who’ve already bought Joinings can now be sure they’ll get to finish the story.
Although it’s been a labour of love, it’s also been a lot of hard work. Not because there were many errors; in fact there were relatively few. But because I tend to empathise with my characters when writing and reading, and I’ve placed some of them in very difficult situations, making the read an emotional roller coaster ride for me. I’m hoping readers will suffer the same highs and lows as they encounter the many problems along with the protagonists.
But I’m pleased the job is done. I was ready to let go of this particular piece of writing and hand it over to the book producers. Now I can get on with new work.
A science fiction work set on Mars, which will probably become a novelette, is thrashing about in my subconscious and eager for freedom. So, once I’ve spent a couple of days seeing to those tasks I’ve placed on the back burner during the marathon edit, I’ll be making a start on creating the new book.
Watch out for more news on that over the next few weeks.Related articles Writers Reveal

Are You Very Very Sure of This? #2

Over the next few weeks, I’m looking at the very frequent use of ‘very’, which is very bad, as you know so very well.
Okay, a touch of overkill, but you know we all do it: use ‘very’ to modify a verb or adjective rather than search for a stronger one that will say the same thing, only better. So, here are a few examples to make it easier for you to reject that easy option. Choose with care; synonyms are not always exact matches and you need to consider context.
Very bad – atrocious, unprincipled, black-hearted, evil, heinous, wicked, diabolical, monstrousVery poor – destitute, underprivileged, impecunious, broke, bankrupt, penurious, impoverishedVery lively – vivacious, animated, vital, effervescent, impassioned, enthusiasticVery worried – anxious, nervous, alarmed, hysterical, dismayed, apprehensiveVery beautiful – exquisite, radiant, divine, picturesque, sublime, heavenly, ravishing, gorgeousVery large – colossal, huge, enormous, vast, immense, gigantic, monumental, Very quiet – silent, hushed, calm, noiseless, mute, peaceful, serene,Very wise – sagacious, brilliant, profound, reasonable, intellectual, experienced

A few more. There’ll be others, next week.Related articles + 45 Ways to Avoid the Word "Very"

A Fine Piece of Poetry

Henry Lawson. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)I belong to an online email lottery, which allows its members (currently 24,669) the opportunity to send an email to all the other members. Each member has the chance of being selected and just one email is sent per day. So far, I haven't been lucky. If you wish to join, by the way, you can do so easily, by following this link.

Of the messages I've received over the months I've belonged, some have been personal stories, some far too lengthy, some advice, some requests for help. The one below came through a couple of days ago, and I was so impressed with the short piece of poetry I asked the contributor if I could post it here on the blog. He agreed. It appears he has no blog or website, which seems a shame since he clearly has something worth hearing. Read the poem and see what you think.

"And my dreams are strange dreams, are day dreams, are grey dreams,
And my dreams are wild dreams, and old dreams and new;
They haunt me and daunt me with fears of the morrow –
My brothers they doubt me – but my dreams come true. "

  -from The Wander-Light
   Henry Lawson

Tomorrow is a human a thing.  For other minds there is only now.  But not for us.

We sleep and wake and live our lives by tides and shapes of nights and days and nights.

Tomorrow is our dance; the steps of our rhythms with legs astride.

Because it's pain that teaches best, we fear the morrow.  And so we should.

Yet tomorrow is the promise of a better thing.

I live now.  Fears of the morrow mine are now.  But my dreams too come true.

My dreams too come true.


Max Goff
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Exploring Character and Place in A Seared Sky #7

Dilanthas
This is the 7th in a series of pieces on characters and places featured in Joinings: A Seared Sky . This background information, isn’t covered in the book, but should enhance the reading experience. For some of my people, there’ll be a character drawing, supplied by Alice Taylor, maybe a video interview, and accompanying script. I may do short pieces of fiction, deepening knowledge of certain minor characters as well. For the places, I may use sections of the map, to indicate location, along with a description of the place, as I see it, and, where appropriate, links with characters. Perhaps I’ll indicate the way of life there with a short anecdote or story. I won’t reveal any of the main story, either as already published or as written in the series, merely enhance readers’ enjoyment of the trilogy by providing more information. I hope this will give pleasure to those who’ve bought the book and, perhaps, persuade others to take that step.
Pronunciation hints:Dilanthas – di-lan-thassKrohtl – krow-tulMuhnilahm – mew-nee-larmYtraa – eet-rahNames are pronounced phonetically. But this is my take on them; how I hear them in my head. You may pronounce them as you wish, of course; reading is, after all, active rather than passive.
Dilanthas, from Krohtl, Muhnilahm, is a shy girl Chosen to go on the pilgrimage as a Virgin Gift. Here is a short piece about her initiation into womanhood.
All her life, Dilanthas had lived under Ytraa’s Peak, rising tall and dark to the southwest of her home. Her father urged the whole family to make their prayers at the back of the house, so they could see the craggy mountain before and after their acts of worship.
Tomorrow, she must make the journey up to the Plain of Ytraa, surrounding the high peak, and spend a whole sixday with other girls her age. Under strict instruction by the Holy Ones, she’d learn discipline and devotion, earning hard smacks for every failure to do exactly as they demanded.
It wasn’t the prospect of punishment she most feared, though she was certain she wouldn’t pass the sixday without pain and humiliation; it was the way she must leave the town. To walk the entire length of the main road and allow all to see the butterfly tattoo adorning her left breast and, worse, the hummingbird pointing its long sharp beak at the very centre of her womanhood. These were things only her betrothed and Ytraa should see and this exposure was what she most dreaded. After all, naked was sacred.
‘You’ll no be on yer own, lass.’ Her father’s words were intended to hold comfort. She wanted to make him proud, make that walk with head held high and her whole body declaring her love of Ytraa. Shyness and modesty warred with her desire to do her best for her family and her beloved, as she made her way to the ceremony that would end her life as a daughter and announce her readiness to join and become a wife.
‘All t’other girls your age ‘ave to do same, Dilanthas. Me an’ your father did it when we was gettin’ ready to marry. Think on your pride as a Follower an’ go to yon Peak like our founder did all those ‘undreds of cycles ago.’ Her mother’s words were encouraging; she seemed happy with her life, and she and Father got on well.
It was true that Dilanthas looked forward to the ceremony that would come a few sixdays later. She and her betrothed would take the same route together, leading their families to the Plain of Ytraa, there to join before Ytraa and become as one.
She’d talked with the other girls, of course. They’d be fourteen in total. One by one they’d leave town and head into the hills. They were supposed to go to the Peak alone, but most intended to wait on the edge of the olive grove above the river and travel together.
Dilanthas would be sixth to leave and she’d vowed to follow the rules and make her way on her own. But she’d have to pass the place where they were due to collect and she wondered if she’d have the courage to leave them behind. There’d be safety in numbers. Should they pass an isolated farm, or come upon travellers, she’d be one of a group rather than a girl alone.
She could see the attraction of their intended disobedience. But would she be bad, or would she do as she’d been told, and make a solitary journey? It was considered part of the test.
For now, evening prayers were over and she’d had her last meal with them. Mother had prepared Father’s freshly caught fish with wine, something they rarely had in the house, and the tangy flavour lingered in her mouth. She’d placed her few needs in the rush bag she’d hang from her shoulders at her back. Now, all she needed was a good night’s sleep to be ready for the morning.
The family would take the short walk to the beach. There she’d remove her tabard and present it to her father as a sign of her independence. She’d step into the sea until her whole body was submerged. Then she’d turn and walk past the townspeople to the initiation on the Plain, following the tradition set by the first Follower, as he set out to explore their new home on this island. If she kept that thought in her mind, she might get through the ordeal with less anxiety. She might even feel the pride and joy her father expected her to show.

And, of course, her betrothed would be there, watching. On her return, he’d make the same trip, with the other bucks of his age, and she’d watch them. That was something to look forward to, after all.Related articles Exploring Character and Place: #1 Exploring Character and Place: #2 Joinings: A Seared Sky. Couldn't put it down