Solitaire Parke's Blog - Posts Tagged "dragomeir-series"

BUBALOS-

An animal that is similar to what we know as a bison or buffalo; they roamed on the Provinces of Hell and were the main food source for dragons, and also on the menu for the citizens. They were bulky oversized animals, not terribly intelligent and often cranky, but extremely useful. Large fields were cultivated outside the Palace, and as the bubalos were procured, pens were built for the massive number of creatures. They migrated twice a year from the more barren lands of the Provinces to the northwestern edge of Hell proper, where they fed on the grasslands produced during that time of year. The Dark Lord’s daughter, Katherine, even had bubalos brought in to feed the Hell hounds living within the city. Being such large creatures, they were often bridled and used for transporting supplies from place to place when needed. The hide from a bubalos could be tanned and used for various articles of clothing or types of baggage.

Read more about life on the Provinces in the following book -

DAUGHTER OF THE DARK LORD - Part One - The Burning Sky

A prequel book to the Dragomeir Series

Find this book and many more at

www.solitaireparke.com

Solitaire

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Once again it is Memorial Day, and for many it is a long weekend for camping, parties, lots of sales, and even Memorial Day cruises. There are many reasons why this day is notable. But let’s not forget the real reason – the important reason. It was set aside to remember and honor all those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the military service of America . . . Those who died fighting to preserve our lives and our freedom. They won’t be here to celebrate with us because they gave up everything for us. So amidst our celebrations, let’s pause and take time to remember the thousands of men and women whose lives were cut short so that we could live, and be with those we love to enjoy our freedoms.

God help us to remember the cost of our blessings and to remain worthy of that cost.

 

Solitaire

http://www.solitaireparke.com

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Father’s day is just a few days away. It’s a time of honoring your father and his contributions to your life. This day is dedicated to all the fathers in the world who have given many sacrifices in bringing up their children and molding them into better people.

Here are some of the famous quotes for special fathers.

 

“A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child.”

 

“A father is a fellow who has replaced the currency in his wallet with the snapshots of his kids and family.”

 

“It is not flesh and blood, but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.”

 

“Father!—to God himself we cannot give a holier name!” - William Wordsworth

 

“The imprint of a father remains forever on the life of the child.” - Roy Lessin

 

“We never know the love of a parent till we become parents ourselves.” - Henry Ward Beecher

 

“My father gave me my dreams. Thanks to him, I could see a future.” - Liza Minnelli

 

“The greatest mark of a father is how he treats his children when no one is looking.” - Dan Pearce

 

“A father is the one friend upon whom we can always rely. In the hour of need, when all else fails, we remember him upon whose knees we sat when children, and who soothed our sorrows; and even though he may be unable to assist us, his mere presence serves to comfort and strengthen us.” - Émile Gaboriau

 

“Good fathers do three things: they provide, they nurture and they guide.” - Roland Warren

 

“A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.” - Billy Graham

 

“Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance.” - Ruth E. Renkel

 

“One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.” - George Herbert

 

"Real fatherhood means love and commitment and sacrifice and a willingness to share responsibility, and not walking away from one’s children.” - William Bennett

 

Fatherhood is a very natural thing; it’s not something that shakes up my life but rather it enriches it.” - Andrea Bocelli

 

To all of you who have been lucky enough to have a wonderful father, or those of you who are working hard at being a great father - HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!!

 

Solitaire -

www.solitaireparke.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Father’s day is just a few days away. It’s a time of honoring your father and his contributions to your life. This day is dedicated to all the fathers in the world who have given many sacrifices in bringing up their children and molding them into better people.

Here are some of the famous quotes for special fathers.

 

“A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child.”

 

“A father is a fellow who has replaced the currency in his wallet with the snapshots of his kids and family.”

 

“It is not flesh and blood, but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.”

 

“Father!—to God himself we cannot give a holier name!” - William Wordsworth

 

“The imprint of a father remains forever on the life of the child.” - Roy Lessin

 

“We never know the love of a parent till we become parents ourselves.” - Henry Ward Beecher

 

“My father gave me my dreams. Thanks to him, I could see a future.” - Liza Minnelli

 

“The greatest mark of a father is how he treats his children when no one is looking.” - Dan Pearce

 

“A father is the one friend upon whom we can always rely. In the hour of need, when all else fails, we remember him upon whose knees we sat when children, and who soothed our sorrows; and even though he may be unable to assist us, his mere presence serves to comfort and strengthen us.” - Émile Gaboriau

 

“Good fathers do three things: they provide, they nurture and they guide.” - Roland Warren

 

“A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.” - Billy Graham

 

“Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance.” - Ruth E. Renkel

 

“One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.” - George Herbert

 

"Real fatherhood means love and commitment and sacrifice and a willingness to share responsibility, and not walking away from one’s children.” - William Bennett

 

Fatherhood is a very natural thing; it’s not something that shakes up my life but rather it enriches it.” - Andrea Bocelli

 

To all of you who have been lucky enough to have a wonderful father, or those of you who are working hard at being a great father - HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!!

 

Solitaire -

www.solitaireparke.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Fourth of July—also known as Independence Day or July 4th—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues.

In tribute to our country - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LSarhZpnM

Have a great holiday!

Solitaire

The Dragomeir Series and all other books are now available on ebay!

You can go directly to ebay

or check out my website for all other available locations in various formats.

www.solitaireparke.com

 

 

 

 

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It’s about time for another novel, this time Part Two of the Daughter of the Dark Lord Series. The first book, Daughter of the Dark Lord - Part One - The Burning Sky, has been out for a while now, and is available at a variety of locations - all of which can be reached from my website - www.solitaireparke.com.

I am very anxious for you to read the Daughter of the Dark Lord books as they are the prequels to my previously published Dragomeir Series - a must read for anyone who loves dragons and other wonderful creatures - also available at my website. I’ve always been intrigued by dragons. They are magnificent creatures who interact in the most extraordinary ways with their riders and fellow beings, and have characteristics that are remarkably like humans at times. They’re really quite wonderful, contrary to all the bad press they’ve been given so much of the time.

The second book in the series, Daughter of the Dark Lord - Part Two - The Alberra Project, is almost finished, I am happy to say. These last few months have been a bit crazy, as life and the consequent stress of other projects seemed to take over from time to time, but I am hard at work on Book Two and it has progressed quite nicely. So, before long it will move forward into editing mode, there will be a cover reveal, and it should be out before year’s end.
In the meantime, check out my other books at www.solitaireparke.com .

Solitaire

Happy Summer Reading!

 

 

 

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Here are the Prequel books to the Dragomeir Series -

Daughter of the Dark Lord - Part One - The Burning Sky -

AND NOW AVAILABLE -

Daughter of the Dark Lord - Part Two - The Alberra Project

Follow the journey of the daughter of the Dark Lord on the Provinces of Hell, Katherine Pendragon, from a baby to a young adult as she struggles to discover who she really is and make a difference in the world around her.

In Part Two - The Alberra Project, she unwittingly learns the truth about her father, the Dark Lord of the Provinces, revealing the reality she has long dreaded. With the beloved dragon, Exxa, by her side Katherine makes an incredible and frightening discovery that leads to an uncertain future, both for herself and those she would free from this vile world. She must somehow survive, prove her worth and save the people of the Provinces before it is too late.

You will find this book and many others at solitaireparke.com.


If you love dragons and other amazing creatures check out the Dragomeir Series.

Solitaire

 

 

A prequel is a work that forms part of a back-story to the preceding work. Simply stated, it sets the stage for the existing novels and usually comes after the original work was written.

If you have followed my blog or perhaps seen my books on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or various other sites then you know I have authored a succession of books called the Dragomeir Series, an urban fantasy/sci-fi saga of dragons and their riders, along with some rather unusual creatures and captivating characters.

Some readers might ask, “Why write a prequel?” I had originally planned to finish this series and then push on to other projects but began having second thoughts as I put a close on the third book in the Dragomeir Series, “Egg of the Amphitere.” One of the main characters known as Queen Mother needed to be expounded upon to give a better understanding and proper closure as to who she was and why. I realized there was a fascinating back-story to be told, and the prequel was born. The story, albeit told by Tanis Theatra (one of the dragon riders), was more about the life and times of Katherine Pendragon (Queen Mother) than anything else.

The only way to pursue that was to go back where it essentially started and tell her story as it began on the Provinces. So, the prequel series, “Daughter of the Dark Lord” was created to give credence to Queen Mother’s life, why she was so passionate about family, and to clarify her dedication to stopping the Dark Lord from invading earth. Last, but not least, it was to express how she eventually planned to liberate the Denizen people of the Provinces. While telling her story, it would also give the reader a bird’s eye view into Tanis Theatra’s beginnings, and of course the amazing dragons. To accomplish this there will also be one more installment to the original Dragomeir Series , entitled “Back from Oblivion.” This book describes Queen Mother’s ultimate objective which is exclusively detailed in the “ Daughter of the Dark Lord” prequel series. There are two books available in this series now, and a third is currently being written.

All together it should delineate the complete story as first introduced by Tanis Theatra and recanted by me, Solitaire Parke. Check out my website at

www.solitaireparke.com

to read sample chapters, discover exciting extras and purchase books at multiple locations in a variety of formats. I hope you enjoy!

Here is a question for my readers – Do you enjoy reading a prequel to a novel?

Have you written a prequel? I’d love to hear about your writing experience.

Solitaire

What process do you use on a day to day basis to determine what happens next in a novel? What is your decision-making process for introducing new characters and how do you determine their importance?

Early on I researched how other authors went about prepping for writing a novel. Some created elaborate outlines and spent inordinate amounts of time agonizing over every detail. The system works, just not for me. In the attempt to recreate the entire book in outline form, I lost contact with what I was trying to say. Consequently, it would take me months to find I wasn’t getting any closer to the actual writing process.

I finally hit on how it functioned for my level of impatience and trust me, once you find it, stop butting heads with the inevitable . . . just write. I started over a lot until I realized one key thing; by trying to adhere to an existing outline, letter by letter, number by number, the story got lost in the translation from my attempt to force the outline to become the book. The story has to come from the gut, not from a preconceived notion that was designed before the writing began. The story needs to have a mind of its own, and at times, should not be controlled. Sometimes, you should just let the monster out of the box.

I usually dig back into my past and find that moment, everybody has them, where everything that could go wrong . . . does, and then allow the characters to go through, at least in spirit, the same level of agony, just to see where they will take it instead of me. I discovered that if I put on my writing shoes, and then just followed my feet, the characters managed to get themselves into enough trouble to satisfy my wanderlust. Sometimes, I don’t even know what they’re about to do, but isn’t that how life works?

The importance of characters in a story should be dealt with in primarily the same way that God deals with us down here on earth. No one person is of greater importance than anyone else. If we treat any single character with less importance than their counterparts, we have done them a grave injustice. We as writers never know which character will surface again in a subsequent story. Today’s sidekick might be tomorrow’s hero.

Do you have a certain process that inspires you to create new characters or prep for a new piece or novel you are writing? I'd love to hear your comments.

Thanks,

Solitaire

You can purchase or preview my books at www.solitaireparke.com.

 

 

 

From everyone at solitaireparke.com, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

"Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go.” – Brooks Atkinson

”It’s New Year’s Day Hurray! Hurray! The old year’s past and gone away. We’ll raise our glasses and make a toast, because this Now and this Present is what means the most.” – Sharon Gardner

”This bright new year is given me to live each day with zest, to daily grow and try to be my highest and my best!” – William Arthur Ward

”A brand new year could be considered the seed, and your goals could be the buds, but taking action and achieving your dreams, well, that is the flower. May the New Year be your seed and may you have lots of flowers to inspire you!” – Kate Summers

”It Doesn’t Matter Where You Came From. All That Matters Is Where You Are Going.”- Brian Tracy

”Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.” – Benjamin Franklin

”Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, ‘It will be happier.’” –Alfred Lord Tennyson

”With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” –Eleanor Roosevelt

”I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.” –Thomas Jefferson

”It is our attitude toward life that determines life’s attitude toward us. We get back what we put out.” – Earl Nightingale

”I close my eyes to old ends. And open my heart to new beginnings.” – Nick Frederickson

”Take a leap of faith and begin this wondrous new year by believing.” – Sarah Ban Breathnach

”What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet.” – Anne Frank

”Every single year, we’re a different person. I don’t think we’re the same person all of our lives.” – Steven Spielberg

”Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.” – Brad Paisley

”And suddenly you know: It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.” – Meister Eckhart

“If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.” – Paulo Coehlo

”Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” – John D. Rockefeller

”We all get the exact same 365 days. The only difference is what we do with them.” – Hillary DePiano

”A New Year brings new grace for new accomplishments.” – Lailah Gifty Akita

 

Have a wonderful new year of fantastic and inspirational reading!

Solitaire