Michelle Erickson's Blog, page 5
December 23, 2013
Revaya's Ring
This ring doesn't appear until Winds of Change (book 4 of the prequels)
In the story, the three rows of 'gems' you see consist of Rubies, Emeralds, and Diamonds.
It was a gift made by Lord Jaydren and Lady MarisNow for the story behind the ring itself.
This ring was among other pieces of costume jewelry I received from my mother at her death. I wondered why mom had such a ring and on what occasion she would have worn it.
The ring isn't my style, nor, in my opinion, was it my mothers. However, I knew that things always happen for reasons and I ended up with the ring.
I confess that I would never wear this ring unless it did what I had Revaya's ring do. If you want to know what it does, you'll have to wait for "Winds of Change" which will be released next year.
November 23, 2013
New Cover Artist: Mates Laurentiu Said In Stone - Book #16
-Jaydren the Just -
The more I look at this cover, the more I like it. My husband and I spent an hour just looking at it the night it was finished and we had received the final product. There are many details on this cover that might be lost to the casual observer - you might think, oh, its a man with anger-management issues sitting on a really expensive throne in a castle. Wrong. So wrong.
Artist: Mates Laurentiu from Romania. http://mateslaurentiu.deviantart.com/
This cover has had several incarnations and I will be dedicating a post to show how it came about and put the link in, but I really wanted to share this because COS fans who've tried to imagine him, will want to see him.
If you've read the first two prequels (Five: The Power Rising and Fathoms Deep), you will know that Jaydren is the most handsome of the three male Macshara that make it to the new land. Usually, he is not so foreboding. Even MY first impression when I looked at the finished product was this is not a man you mess with. I had to firmly remind myself that this is how you would look if you had to judge the dregs of society millennia after millennia. It would have been ridiculous to have him smiling and looking really happy as he dispenses justice in Utak. This particular look would be when someone has lied to him.
The bricks? When you read the book, you'll know what is happening here.
Click here to read more about this particular cover:
http://chest-of-souls.deviantart.com/art/Said-in-Stone-Cover-Art-by-MatesLaurentiu-415221881
Go here to see the COS gallery of art: http://chest-of-souls.deviantart.com/gallery/
This book will be released next year. If it happens before then, you will know a miracle has occurred. I will add the link to Amazon when it's posted.
October 19, 2013
Tales from the Chest: Iskar goes swimming...ooops
Trying something new: Posting stuff that didn't make 'final' cuts in Chest of Souls.
Set up: This is what Iskar was up to after Talon left Utak. I didn't put it in the book, because it was such a short piece and it pulled the story too far from where I was going. In hindsight, I probably could have put it in, if only to show Soline's unforgiving nature.
Iskar Goes Swimming....
At long last, after suffering fields of blisters that felt the size of Mt. Benamii, Iskar felt liberated.
Because of his invention, the Burang, which was used to kill the flame-throwing Ybarra herds, he was something of a hero in the city of Lander. Life had never been sweeter.
He no longer needed someone to introduce him to the Utakian girls. They all knew his name. Several came to him with hero-worship in their eyes and told him tales of the difference he had made in the lives of their families. Their compliments were ambrosia and he was in an almost constant state of euphoria.
Respect was something he had earned in Utak and it was hard won. Without Talon present, the tanners and skinners listened to him as they planned how to eradicate the Ybarra herds. Best of all, he didn't have to share the glory. Rube was in Rykett and Talon, well, Talon was somewhere with General Monus. Being with Talon wasn't safe and it wasn't fun.
He could be himself! All he had to do to remain safe was stay out of the water. It made him nervous to see water in any greater amounts than a glass. He stared out at the ocean from a safe distance.
With the half-moon casting her reflection onto the surf, it appeared haunted. Iskar didn't think it was, he knew it was. The entire ocean was the playground of the Keeper of the Waves and he was on her list of people to kill; likely first on the list. She thought of him as a betrayer and he didn't know why.
After she attacked Talon, he'd thrown a burang at her, which she caught and threw back at him, slicing Iskar's arm open. Later, he had gone to the water to wash away the blood and her voice had come to his mind, "You will never be safe in the water, Betrayer. Every Raykah in the world knows the taste of your blood. It will sing to them and they will come."
When he first heard about the enormous kite-shaped fish that inhabited the Ammon Islands, he'd wanted to ride one like Talon had. It sounded adventurous. The blue-haired Sea Witch had changed those plans. Since then, he made it a point to stay well away from the edge of the water, even if it meant the other young men poked fun at him. None of them had been threatened by a living legend as he had.
He settled his blankets on the sandy rise above the beach, listening to his co-workers and sometimes-friends tease each other. They were splashing in the water after a hot afternoon working with the tanners and skinners.
"Hey, Iskar! Come join us!" the self-proclaimed 'leader' of the group ordered. It was just that - an order. He knew the tone. He also knew that none of them would have made a fuss about Iskar staying dry if Talon had been there.
"Afraid of the water?" taunted one.
"Can't you swim?" asked another.
Irritated, he hollered back, "Yes, you dung-eating Pursha, but I don't want to!" Not ever.
"That's what we thought," came a voice behind him.
Four sets of arms grabbed, lifted, and carried him down to the sea. When he realized what they were going to do, he began to fight as he'd never fought anyone before. Panic raced through his system.
"Let me go!" he demanded, twisting, jerking, kicking, pulling anything and everything he could reach. "LET ME GO!"
"No chance," the leader scoffed. "That foot in my face just cost you a dunking."
"The Keeper will come!" he promised, trying to claw free. These boys were all farm workers and strong as oxen.
"I didn't know you listened to fairy tales!"
"She's going to kill me!" he warned them, twisting like a wild animal. They kept a firm grip on him.
"There's no such thing!" sneered the one he'd kicked in the face.
"DON'T DO THIS!" he begged, terrified to the very center of his soul. He ripped one of his arms out of their grasp, loosening their hold, feeling his skin tearing away in the effort he was making to gain his freedom - his life. Two more came to help their companions.
"Ready to get wet?" he was asked as they carried him out into the surf.
"NOOOOOO!" he screamed as they flung him out into the deeper water. Part of his mind told him he was a dead man. He was bleeding and the carnivorous Raykah knew the taste of his blood.
They would come.
The Keeper had promised him they would.
Water surrounded him and he knew he only had moments to break free of the tide. Raykah were fast swimmers and their mistress was faster. His head popped out of the water and he took a breath of air. With every ounce of strength he had, he plowed through the water, heedless of the current, his threatening-to-burst-lungs, and the stitch in his side. Fear fed his speed and he was sure he'd never swam faster in his life . His heart roared in his ears.
He wanted to sob when he reached the shore, but knew he didn't dare stop.
His 'friends' had deserted him. The last one was racing up the small pathway, looking as terrified as he felt. Now that he was on shore, he dared glance back. Fifty feet from shore were large wakes and behind them, Soline herself! She raised her arms and threw her hands forward. A large wave rose and he knew that if he didn't find something to hang on to, he would be dragged to the sea and eaten or worse: Soline would handle things herself.
He had always hated the Hydra tree when he was out in the fields. It started as a small choking vine. It's roots, Rube had once joked, went to the center of the world. You had to pull every speck of it up or it would grow back - with two vines, getting thicker each time if you didn't eradicate it. Finally, if left alone, it became a tree you had to plow around.
It looked like heaven. He jumped, grabbed the lowest limb, and swung himself up just as the wave Soline had created hit. He was under water and hanging on for all he was worth. The water seemed to get deeper for a moment. He worried it was deep enough for a Raykah to reach him. Thank All, the water receded and he was finally able to get a breath.
He looked the direction of the water and saw she wasn't finished. He slipped to the other side of the Hydra and climbed higher, keeping the Sea Witch in his sight. She pushed her hands forward and the next wave was higher.
A small yellow Raykah rode the crest of it. She had to know it wouldn't make it back, so it was a sacrifice she was willing to make - to kill him.
The rubbery-looking fish would have one chance and he wasn't going to stand aside and let it take a chunk out of his hide! He remembered Talon telling him Raykah had two pair of eyes, one on top and the second underneath the first set. He pulled his burang out and when it got close enough, he shook it open and, with every muscle he had, brought it down on the creature at an angle, slicing through the front part of its head. It stopped moving. He had killed it! He triumphantly looked out at the water. The wakes had disappeared, and Soline was no longer riding a water spout, she was hovering in the shallows!
He was a dead man.
In a clear voice, she said, "You will die a thousand deaths in the time you have remaining on this land for the crimes you've committed and those you will commit. Remember, when your time comes, that I offered you a way to die with honor, Betrayer. Justice will be served, sooner than you think."
Set up: This is what Iskar was up to after Talon left Utak. I didn't put it in the book, because it was such a short piece and it pulled the story too far from where I was going. In hindsight, I probably could have put it in, if only to show Soline's unforgiving nature.
Iskar Goes Swimming....
At long last, after suffering fields of blisters that felt the size of Mt. Benamii, Iskar felt liberated.
Because of his invention, the Burang, which was used to kill the flame-throwing Ybarra herds, he was something of a hero in the city of Lander. Life had never been sweeter.
He no longer needed someone to introduce him to the Utakian girls. They all knew his name. Several came to him with hero-worship in their eyes and told him tales of the difference he had made in the lives of their families. Their compliments were ambrosia and he was in an almost constant state of euphoria.
Respect was something he had earned in Utak and it was hard won. Without Talon present, the tanners and skinners listened to him as they planned how to eradicate the Ybarra herds. Best of all, he didn't have to share the glory. Rube was in Rykett and Talon, well, Talon was somewhere with General Monus. Being with Talon wasn't safe and it wasn't fun.
He could be himself! All he had to do to remain safe was stay out of the water. It made him nervous to see water in any greater amounts than a glass. He stared out at the ocean from a safe distance.
With the half-moon casting her reflection onto the surf, it appeared haunted. Iskar didn't think it was, he knew it was. The entire ocean was the playground of the Keeper of the Waves and he was on her list of people to kill; likely first on the list. She thought of him as a betrayer and he didn't know why.
After she attacked Talon, he'd thrown a burang at her, which she caught and threw back at him, slicing Iskar's arm open. Later, he had gone to the water to wash away the blood and her voice had come to his mind, "You will never be safe in the water, Betrayer. Every Raykah in the world knows the taste of your blood. It will sing to them and they will come."
When he first heard about the enormous kite-shaped fish that inhabited the Ammon Islands, he'd wanted to ride one like Talon had. It sounded adventurous. The blue-haired Sea Witch had changed those plans. Since then, he made it a point to stay well away from the edge of the water, even if it meant the other young men poked fun at him. None of them had been threatened by a living legend as he had.
He settled his blankets on the sandy rise above the beach, listening to his co-workers and sometimes-friends tease each other. They were splashing in the water after a hot afternoon working with the tanners and skinners.
"Hey, Iskar! Come join us!" the self-proclaimed 'leader' of the group ordered. It was just that - an order. He knew the tone. He also knew that none of them would have made a fuss about Iskar staying dry if Talon had been there.
"Afraid of the water?" taunted one.
"Can't you swim?" asked another.
Irritated, he hollered back, "Yes, you dung-eating Pursha, but I don't want to!" Not ever.
"That's what we thought," came a voice behind him.
Four sets of arms grabbed, lifted, and carried him down to the sea. When he realized what they were going to do, he began to fight as he'd never fought anyone before. Panic raced through his system.
"Let me go!" he demanded, twisting, jerking, kicking, pulling anything and everything he could reach. "LET ME GO!"
"No chance," the leader scoffed. "That foot in my face just cost you a dunking."
"The Keeper will come!" he promised, trying to claw free. These boys were all farm workers and strong as oxen.
"I didn't know you listened to fairy tales!"
"She's going to kill me!" he warned them, twisting like a wild animal. They kept a firm grip on him.
"There's no such thing!" sneered the one he'd kicked in the face.
"DON'T DO THIS!" he begged, terrified to the very center of his soul. He ripped one of his arms out of their grasp, loosening their hold, feeling his skin tearing away in the effort he was making to gain his freedom - his life. Two more came to help their companions.
"Ready to get wet?" he was asked as they carried him out into the surf.
"NOOOOOO!" he screamed as they flung him out into the deeper water. Part of his mind told him he was a dead man. He was bleeding and the carnivorous Raykah knew the taste of his blood.
They would come.
The Keeper had promised him they would.
Water surrounded him and he knew he only had moments to break free of the tide. Raykah were fast swimmers and their mistress was faster. His head popped out of the water and he took a breath of air. With every ounce of strength he had, he plowed through the water, heedless of the current, his threatening-to-burst-lungs, and the stitch in his side. Fear fed his speed and he was sure he'd never swam faster in his life . His heart roared in his ears.
He wanted to sob when he reached the shore, but knew he didn't dare stop.
His 'friends' had deserted him. The last one was racing up the small pathway, looking as terrified as he felt. Now that he was on shore, he dared glance back. Fifty feet from shore were large wakes and behind them, Soline herself! She raised her arms and threw her hands forward. A large wave rose and he knew that if he didn't find something to hang on to, he would be dragged to the sea and eaten or worse: Soline would handle things herself.
He had always hated the Hydra tree when he was out in the fields. It started as a small choking vine. It's roots, Rube had once joked, went to the center of the world. You had to pull every speck of it up or it would grow back - with two vines, getting thicker each time if you didn't eradicate it. Finally, if left alone, it became a tree you had to plow around.
It looked like heaven. He jumped, grabbed the lowest limb, and swung himself up just as the wave Soline had created hit. He was under water and hanging on for all he was worth. The water seemed to get deeper for a moment. He worried it was deep enough for a Raykah to reach him. Thank All, the water receded and he was finally able to get a breath.
He looked the direction of the water and saw she wasn't finished. He slipped to the other side of the Hydra and climbed higher, keeping the Sea Witch in his sight. She pushed her hands forward and the next wave was higher.
A small yellow Raykah rode the crest of it. She had to know it wouldn't make it back, so it was a sacrifice she was willing to make - to kill him.
The rubbery-looking fish would have one chance and he wasn't going to stand aside and let it take a chunk out of his hide! He remembered Talon telling him Raykah had two pair of eyes, one on top and the second underneath the first set. He pulled his burang out and when it got close enough, he shook it open and, with every muscle he had, brought it down on the creature at an angle, slicing through the front part of its head. It stopped moving. He had killed it! He triumphantly looked out at the water. The wakes had disappeared, and Soline was no longer riding a water spout, she was hovering in the shallows!
He was a dead man.
In a clear voice, she said, "You will die a thousand deaths in the time you have remaining on this land for the crimes you've committed and those you will commit. Remember, when your time comes, that I offered you a way to die with honor, Betrayer. Justice will be served, sooner than you think."
July 25, 2013
Newest Cover: Fathom's Deep by Daekazu
Wow. That was the first word that popped into my mind when I saw the final edit of the cover.This makes book number 15 for me and the fourth book which I've commissioned Daekazu to do. He loves water pictures and it shows.
The woman is Soline, Keeper of the Waves, Sea Goddess, Sea Witch, Siren of the Sea...former Water-Mac from the Fortress in Brissa. In this book, the second of the prequels, I take the characters and dig a bit deeper. Soline, I found, was Fathoms deep - hence the name.
Last time she was on a cover was book two: Lend Me Your Mind.
"It can't be," you say, "Her hair was blue!"
I answer, "You're right! Except, this picture is underwater."
She IS all that and a bag of surprises too!
The octopus that rides her shoulder is Garb. Those of you who are familiar with the first nine books of Chest of Souls, will remember Garb from the book called Traps.
The fish in the background that look like manta rays are actually called Raykah - or Kah, for short. Soline created them, but Ammon does a bit more...like, well, read the book when it comes out.
The book is in its final edits and will be released by the end of August or first of September.
June 22, 2013
Five the Power Rising: First prequel to Chest of Souls
Too Cool for words, right?
The blurb talks about the "Tattered Lace of Legend." In these books, you'll discover how the Tattered Lace of Legend got all those fancy holes...
Here it is, the cover of the first of four planned prequels to the Chest of Souls series. Books 1-9 do not have to be read before this one for it to makes sense.
Front Cover: The thing with wings is a harpy - one of many varieties/colors in the world of Shara. The harpy is delivering the boy - a Macshara (one of the 'gifted') - to the Fortress where he will be trained to use his power in whatever element he can control. The man is Ammon, a man hired to be a Guard. Of course, if you've read Chest of Souls 1-9 you will know Ammon is so much more.
The Back Cover: The man in the middle is Ammon wearing the leather-based armor of the Fortress in Brissa. The women are (on the left) Soline. To the right is Revaya. The men with their backs to you: Vael on the right, Jaydren on the left.
The artist is, once again, Daekazu. At this moment, he is accepting commissions.
You'll find him here: http://daekazu.deviantart.com/ Not all of the art is G-rated, so be careful.
Originally, I planned on using what is now the back cover for the front, but changed my mind about the dynamics. While the back is excellent, I wanted action and lots of color. I didn't have the clouds in the first go-round, but the artist put them in and I liked them so well, I'm using it.
For those that did read the first nine books, the prequels are not paced the same way as the original nine because it takes place on a different continent with characters that live millennias-long. Keep in mind that the main characters are millennias-old adults and that made a big difference.
Daekazu does it again - Five the Power Rising.
Too Cool for words, right?Here it is, the first of the four planned prequels to the Chest of Souls series.
The thing with wings is a harpy - one of many varieties/colors.
The man, if you had no idea, is Ammon - the ultimate grandfather of Talon, and the other direct-line sons of Ammon. The man in the middle is Ammon wearing the leather-based armor of the Fortress in Brissa. The women are (on the left) Soline. To the left is Revaya. The men with their backs to you: Vael on the right, Jaydren on the left.
The artist is, once again, Daekazu. At this moment, he is accepting commissions.
You'll find him here: http://daekazu.deviantart.com/ Not all of the art is G-rated, so be careful.
Originally, I planned on using what is now the back cover for the front, but changed my mind about the dynamics. While the back is excellent, I wanted action and lots of color. I didn't have the clouds in the first go-round, but the artist put them in and I liked them so well, I'm using it.
The prequels are NOT paced the same way as the original nine because it takes place on a different continent with characters that live millennias-long. They are also adults and that made a big difference.
In these books, you will discover how the tattered lace of legend got all those fancy holes...
May 18, 2013
Sweet Success!!!
So, here's how the promo on Amazon went for me: SWEET SUCCESS:)
Several thousand people in 9 different countries downloaded Chest of Souls Book One and Pic Jump during the Free Amazon Kindle promo. Wahoo!
Amidst stiff competition, Chest of Souls Book One rose to #8 in the Epic Fantasy charts, and #9 in Family Saga-Fiction. Pic Jump reached #14 in the Romance/Inspirational category, #15 in Suspense, and #15 in Thrillers!
Soon to be released: Five: The Power Rising
I know I've said it before, and if I had my artistic eye screwed in right, I would not have made the mistake Idid and the book would have been released earlier. The fault lies with me, not the artist.
Daekazu didn't fail me - he did what I asked. However, when I saw the cover, which was what I asked for,the feeling I had anticipated missed the target. I want my covers to evoke emotion. I want to keep pullingthe site up just to keep looking at them. Yes, as a matter of fact, I continue to do that with my first two covers.
You will see the first cover because I'm going to use it for the back cover. In fact, I'm going to paste the blurbover the top of it to cover MY faulty idea.
Here is the blurb:
In the tatted lace of legend, there were Five Creators:The Tree: Ammon of Rozan-SteadingThe Pillar: Jaydren of Stones FistThe Keeper: Soline the Water-witchThe Weaver: Revaya the would-be QueenThe Blaze: Vael, the Betrayer
Ammon of Rozan-Steading exists to bring change. While serving as a Guard at the Fortress, he met the other four Creators and freed them.
Jaydren of Stones Fist was forced to kill his family.His father’s last words were “Close your eyes son,” just before he’s forced to bury his parents and sister under a mountain he created. He has plans to escape, but can’t do it alone.
Soline doesn't remember where she came from.When she was three, her world was colored by pain that never ended. Her goal: return to the sea, no matter the cost.
Revaya was told she would be Queen someday, but only after a journey she’d never take by herself.
Vael was carried to the Fortress by harpies, monstrous winged creatures that abduct those with ‘talent’ and take them to the Fortress. He plans to burn whatever stands in his way.
These Five are already legends.Inside them, their power is rising.
May 9, 2013
2 FREE ebooks 9 May - 13 May 2013
Offer: 2 FREE eBooks Where: Amazon When: 9 May - 13 May 2013 For anyone that loves Romantic Suspense and thrillers: The Award-WinningPic Jump
Pictarine Nebbie Jump's happily-ever-after started with a coma. While in that coma, she must thwart the plot of terrorists, save a little girl, and somehow, find her way out of her coma and back to her husband, Mason. She has one question: How can she do all of this when all she can do while in her coma is jump from one set of eyes to another?
For those who love to escape into another world: The Award-Winning Epic FantasyChest of Souls Book One
Talon and Brenna have been hunted their entire lives by the very evil they must destroy.No one will tell them that when they finally meet the evil, they may not win.Brenna doesn't know that her mother is Hi-Sha of Eyes, or that her father was an assassin and he's supposed to be dead. Brenna is safe because she's oblivious to all but Talon. Talon Felt safe until he met Brenna.Once he is ordered to protect her, he's had to fight monsters he never knew existed, run away from an assassin, and escape a forest full of carnivores. His father burned down their cottage and left him with people he just met and he isn't sure who to trust. In the meantime, the Chest of Souls waits to be powered and neither child can guess the price.
Pictarine Nebbie Jump's happily-ever-after started with a coma. While in that coma, she must thwart the plot of terrorists, save a little girl, and somehow, find her way out of her coma and back to her husband, Mason. She has one question: How can she do all of this when all she can do while in her coma is jump from one set of eyes to another?
For those who love to escape into another world: The Award-Winning Epic FantasyChest of Souls Book One
Talon and Brenna have been hunted their entire lives by the very evil they must destroy.No one will tell them that when they finally meet the evil, they may not win.Brenna doesn't know that her mother is Hi-Sha of Eyes, or that her father was an assassin and he's supposed to be dead. Brenna is safe because she's oblivious to all but Talon. Talon Felt safe until he met Brenna.Once he is ordered to protect her, he's had to fight monsters he never knew existed, run away from an assassin, and escape a forest full of carnivores. His father burned down their cottage and left him with people he just met and he isn't sure who to trust. In the meantime, the Chest of Souls waits to be powered and neither child can guess the price.
February 12, 2013
Lend Me Your Mind - new cover, same artist
Some pictures are worth a thousand words. Here we have Soline, Keeper of the Waves, Sea Witch, Lady of the Sea (and unprintable names that sailors use).
Our Polish artist did a fantastic job and he is busy at work on the first of the prequels' covers. More on that later.
December 5, 2012
Daekazu commissioned for Chest of Souls
The first picture I commissioned Daekazu to do was of Brenna and Talon in a happier time. It was also a test - we were looking to upgrade the covers and needed to see if his style was what we had in mind. This picture let us know he was more than capable, though it is not a book-accurate depiction of either character. Talon is much taller, Brenna much prettier.How it was done: we found pictures of the clothing for both, and he interpreted the pictures of the actor's face we used for Talon and Brenna. Some people thought Talon was portrayed by Haley Christensen (the guy that played Anaken Skywalker) but it is William Levy - we sent him two pictures (one full-size, one a face-shot) that are already on this blog and this is what he drew inspiration from.
Daekazu aims to satisfy. I chose his style specifically for this series because he understands how to draw light - he makes things shine and that is the magical/mystical feel I needed. There is a language barrier (he is Polish). He writes in broken-english and we found, after the above picture was finished, that making a rough sketch of what we want/expect helps him understand better than a lot of detailed written instructions. Communication is an ongoing process, but he is worth every penny we paid him.
Here is his link on Deviantart: http://daekazu.deviantart.com/ if you would like to see more of his work. Warning: not all of his art is child-appropriate.
When Daekazu did such a great job on the first picture, I made the decision to commission him for all nine of the covers. This was the first cover - his interpretation of the sketch we sent for Book One. In one word: Fantastic. How it was done: We sent him pictures of tigers, the face of the girl we thought best represented a very young Brenna, the nightgown, and my oldest daughter made a sketch of the basic design we were looking for (I can draw, but haven't done so for decades) and, with a few corrections, he made this eye-popping cover.
I can't express how important this was. In spite of sage advice to not judge a book by its cover, we all do and the public LOVED this cover. During the 5-day promo, there were over 2200 FREE Amazon downloads, thanks to his enormous talent.
We wait in great anticipation for him to finish the cover for the second book. We already sent him the sketch and the information he needs. Hopefully, by the end of the month, we will have it and can show it off here, with his other COS works.
