D.D. Chant's Blog, page 10
March 27, 2012
Fun In The Garden!!!
First of all I think that I should mention the gorgeous weather we're having. Sunshine is such a rare commodity in England and when those rays pierce the cloudy skies, it's a big thing that we all love to talk about! Here in Devon we've had not just one lovely day but FIVE in a row!!!
My blog post today is directly influenced by the aforementioned weather.
After putting off the pruning of the rose garden for far too long, encouraged by the sunshine (Okay, okay….and even more strongly encouraged by my Nana brandishing a garden hoe!) I found myself some secateurs (or rather my mother did, my search and recover skills being somewhat lacking) and bravely entered the garden.
Now before you get the wrong idea I'd just like to mention that I planted this particular rose garden five years ago with the aid of my sister, Amy. It's an L shaped garden and before we had the happy idea of filling it with rose bushes, it had a black plastic covering (not put in place by us!) and a few uninteresting bushes.
After taking the plastic covering off and a month or so passing, we became aware of why someone had resorted to putting it down in the first place:
I have never seen a patch of ground sprout so many weeds, most of which were dock with foot long tap roots!!! It has taken us five years to get rid of them!
Anyway, back to today!
I believe I was in the garden armed with secateurs……
My Nana was with me hoeing the weeds around the bushes, and my baby Cousin Jak Jak had also come to watch and was insisting upon wending her way through the thorny bushes.
Nana and I spent the whole time telling her to be careful or she would get scratched…..
Then it happened.
A thorn scratched, a yelp rang out, blood began to ooze and a plaster was sought.
However in was dear little Jak Jak running to fetch the plaster and me with the wounded hand!!!
The moral of this story??? I'm not sure, but I am fully cognisant of its irony!!!
Also for those of you who are green fingered here is a picture of the first rose bud of the year:
My blog post today is directly influenced by the aforementioned weather.
After putting off the pruning of the rose garden for far too long, encouraged by the sunshine (Okay, okay….and even more strongly encouraged by my Nana brandishing a garden hoe!) I found myself some secateurs (or rather my mother did, my search and recover skills being somewhat lacking) and bravely entered the garden.
Now before you get the wrong idea I'd just like to mention that I planted this particular rose garden five years ago with the aid of my sister, Amy. It's an L shaped garden and before we had the happy idea of filling it with rose bushes, it had a black plastic covering (not put in place by us!) and a few uninteresting bushes.
After taking the plastic covering off and a month or so passing, we became aware of why someone had resorted to putting it down in the first place:
I have never seen a patch of ground sprout so many weeds, most of which were dock with foot long tap roots!!! It has taken us five years to get rid of them!
Anyway, back to today!
I believe I was in the garden armed with secateurs……
My Nana was with me hoeing the weeds around the bushes, and my baby Cousin Jak Jak had also come to watch and was insisting upon wending her way through the thorny bushes.
Nana and I spent the whole time telling her to be careful or she would get scratched…..
Then it happened.
A thorn scratched, a yelp rang out, blood began to ooze and a plaster was sought.
However in was dear little Jak Jak running to fetch the plaster and me with the wounded hand!!!
The moral of this story??? I'm not sure, but I am fully cognisant of its irony!!!
Also for those of you who are green fingered here is a picture of the first rose bud of the year:
March 16, 2012
Joy(?) At The Cinema???
Okay it's time for something random!!!
Me and my Mum and Sister decided to go to see 'The Vow' (weirdly enough this is the name of the 2nd book in my Lady Quill series!!! But I digress!) at the pictures. We decided to go to the earliest showing so that we would have the room to ourselves and armed with a TON of popcorn and a SEA of Coca Cola we took out seats (VIP) and settled down to watch.
Three quarters of an hour later we were still waiting (pretty patiently considering!!!) for the film to start. We had managed to restrain my sister from throwing popcorn at the two other people there to watch the film and sitting just in front of us (she has a short attention span!!!) and had surreptitiously been texting to keep from entering a catatonic state (a problem for me in the afternoon anyway, without adding a dimly lit room to the equation!!!)
Finally the film started......
About ten minutes in and I knew that this wasn't going to be my kinda film!!!
Which is strange because it had ALL the right elements:
Eye candy? CheckPretty heroine? CheckRomance? CheckDid I mention eye candy? CHECK!!!
But still I wanted to stick my head in an oven...I was soooo board!
I think it was because the hero was just sooooooooooooo NICE, he was adorable! He was absolutely lovely to the heroine and I felt so sorry for him.But what of the heroine, I hear you ask.That I think was the problem; I just didn't like her. She gave the hero a hard time, she was pretty selfish and I didn't feel sorry for her at all....
How is it possible to feel unsympathetic toward a girl who wakes up not remembering the last 5 years of her life? A woman that has forgotten who she is? Who has no memory of the man she is married to?
Well the answer is pretty simple:
The man she is married to is Channing Tatum!!!
If you woke up one morning not knowing who you were or what you'd spent the last five years of your life doing I think that you'd be reassured once you saw that you'd married Channing Tatum!Life couldn't have gone so badly!
In conclusion I guess what I'm saying is that it just wasn't my thing! Not enough adventure (hard to believe, right?) it needed a few Vikings to come along and liven things up!
Me and my Mum and Sister decided to go to see 'The Vow' (weirdly enough this is the name of the 2nd book in my Lady Quill series!!! But I digress!) at the pictures. We decided to go to the earliest showing so that we would have the room to ourselves and armed with a TON of popcorn and a SEA of Coca Cola we took out seats (VIP) and settled down to watch.
Three quarters of an hour later we were still waiting (pretty patiently considering!!!) for the film to start. We had managed to restrain my sister from throwing popcorn at the two other people there to watch the film and sitting just in front of us (she has a short attention span!!!) and had surreptitiously been texting to keep from entering a catatonic state (a problem for me in the afternoon anyway, without adding a dimly lit room to the equation!!!)
Finally the film started......
About ten minutes in and I knew that this wasn't going to be my kinda film!!!
Which is strange because it had ALL the right elements:
Eye candy? CheckPretty heroine? CheckRomance? CheckDid I mention eye candy? CHECK!!!
But still I wanted to stick my head in an oven...I was soooo board!
I think it was because the hero was just sooooooooooooo NICE, he was adorable! He was absolutely lovely to the heroine and I felt so sorry for him.But what of the heroine, I hear you ask.That I think was the problem; I just didn't like her. She gave the hero a hard time, she was pretty selfish and I didn't feel sorry for her at all....
How is it possible to feel unsympathetic toward a girl who wakes up not remembering the last 5 years of her life? A woman that has forgotten who she is? Who has no memory of the man she is married to?
Well the answer is pretty simple:
The man she is married to is Channing Tatum!!!
If you woke up one morning not knowing who you were or what you'd spent the last five years of your life doing I think that you'd be reassured once you saw that you'd married Channing Tatum!Life couldn't have gone so badly!
In conclusion I guess what I'm saying is that it just wasn't my thing! Not enough adventure (hard to believe, right?) it needed a few Vikings to come along and liven things up!
March 6, 2012
Dear Cristina.
Hi Cristina!Thank you so much for getting in touch!Is there anything in particular you are interested in knowing???I'll be honest and tell you that I have taken artistic licence with the facts, but I've attempted to stay true to the time....know what I mean???
The biggest deviation from fact is that in the story I state that Whitred of Kent died while Ine was still ruling...that is incorrect as King Ine abdicated to make a pilgrimage to Rome and Whitred didn't die until the following year.But it was necessary for the plot of my story. Also I've given Whitred a daughter although I can find no evidence that he had one and filled in the blanks: I know that he had three sons and three wives, but cannot be sure which son(s) belonged to which wife.
The time period is very fascinating, Ine was Christian and his laws reflected that fact. The time period was also very mindful of women and gave them a great deal of respect that was missing from later times (some point to the Norman invasion as the turning point).
It is suggested that well born women could be very powerful and well educated, and also that in some cases they could inherit. It was also common for people to choose their own spouses rather than enter an arranged marriage and it is suggested that they did not marry so young as it became the custom to after the Norman's arrived.Women would also be given a 'morning gift' by their husbands, often money or land, and that was hers to do as she wanted with which gave her a certain amount of independence. Also if they were mistreated Aethelburt's laws stated that they could leave their husbands, taking their children with them and half of everything he had!!! And Aethelraed's law stated that they could not be forced into second marriages, Cnut later added that they could not be forced to become Nun's either. There were also laws that stated a wife could not be held responsible of her husband's criminal activities.
Which is obviously not what you expect from 'The Dark Ages'!!!?
But the Saxons did keep slaves: it was one of the reasons for war. The capture of booty and slaves was what brought wealth to a kingdom. Or they became slaves for crimes that they had committed.Another reason for becoming a slave was selling yourself during famine.
If you owned a slave that committed wrongdoing, you were legally responsible for their actions; this might mean the paying of a fine depending on what crime they had committed.But wills from the time show that it was not uncommon for slaves (along with their children and any children yet unborn) to be freed in the will of their owner.
There are also recorded incidents of men of the church buying slaves in order to set them free.A master who killed his slave paid a fine to the church.
That got a bit involved, didn't it!?!?! I'm not too sure if I've answered your questions; if not just drop me a note!!!
DeeDee Chant.
(Also for those of you who I haven't told yet: The Promise is now available on Amazon and smashwords!!! Yay!!!)
The biggest deviation from fact is that in the story I state that Whitred of Kent died while Ine was still ruling...that is incorrect as King Ine abdicated to make a pilgrimage to Rome and Whitred didn't die until the following year.But it was necessary for the plot of my story. Also I've given Whitred a daughter although I can find no evidence that he had one and filled in the blanks: I know that he had three sons and three wives, but cannot be sure which son(s) belonged to which wife.
The time period is very fascinating, Ine was Christian and his laws reflected that fact. The time period was also very mindful of women and gave them a great deal of respect that was missing from later times (some point to the Norman invasion as the turning point).
It is suggested that well born women could be very powerful and well educated, and also that in some cases they could inherit. It was also common for people to choose their own spouses rather than enter an arranged marriage and it is suggested that they did not marry so young as it became the custom to after the Norman's arrived.Women would also be given a 'morning gift' by their husbands, often money or land, and that was hers to do as she wanted with which gave her a certain amount of independence. Also if they were mistreated Aethelburt's laws stated that they could leave their husbands, taking their children with them and half of everything he had!!! And Aethelraed's law stated that they could not be forced into second marriages, Cnut later added that they could not be forced to become Nun's either. There were also laws that stated a wife could not be held responsible of her husband's criminal activities.
Which is obviously not what you expect from 'The Dark Ages'!!!?
But the Saxons did keep slaves: it was one of the reasons for war. The capture of booty and slaves was what brought wealth to a kingdom. Or they became slaves for crimes that they had committed.Another reason for becoming a slave was selling yourself during famine.
If you owned a slave that committed wrongdoing, you were legally responsible for their actions; this might mean the paying of a fine depending on what crime they had committed.But wills from the time show that it was not uncommon for slaves (along with their children and any children yet unborn) to be freed in the will of their owner.
There are also recorded incidents of men of the church buying slaves in order to set them free.A master who killed his slave paid a fine to the church.
That got a bit involved, didn't it!?!?! I'm not too sure if I've answered your questions; if not just drop me a note!!!
DeeDee Chant.
(Also for those of you who I haven't told yet: The Promise is now available on Amazon and smashwords!!! Yay!!!)
November 4, 2011
Glitter and 4 year olds DOESN'T mix!!!
Okay, so today I made sugar paste flowers.
Random, huh???
I made them for a welcome home cake that I'm making for my Aunts and Uncles and they took a LONG time!!!
Raspberry and white chocolate.
I knew you were wondering what flavour the cake is going to be!!!
Now, I don't know if you've ever made Sugar paste flowers but it's kind of delicate......and my 4 year old Cousin is sooooooo in to cooking right now! You can imagine what transpired.
First she wanted to sit beside me and watch.
Then she wanted to sit on my knee and watch.
Then she wanted to help me cut out the flowers.
Then she wanted to help me wet the edges ready to stick edible glitter to.
Then she wanted to sprinkle the edible glitter on to the flowers!!!!
Have you ever seen what happens when a 4 year old 'helps' you with the glitter????No?If you possibly can, try to avoid finding out!!!
IT. GOES. EVERYWHERE!!!!!
Lol!!!
Anyway, they turned out pretty cute! Hopefully I'll be able to upload a picture of the cake when it's done but I'll need my uncle (that would be one of the ones that's coming) to help me do that! I'm a complete technophobe!!!
Also I got a review today!!!This is what Jud said:
Jud (Krisztof) rated it ***** I loved this book.
I really got into the story and believed in the characters, so much so when I woke up this morning after finishing the book last night my first thoughts were about Deeta, Tom and the whole gang. While reading the book I couldn't help but think "this could really happen".
The story focuses quite a lot on the differences in people and how everyone is seen differently by others and also on how people cope in difficult situations, in that sense it is more than just a good story.
I recommend this to anyone.
So Happy!!!
Random, huh???
I made them for a welcome home cake that I'm making for my Aunts and Uncles and they took a LONG time!!!
Raspberry and white chocolate.
I knew you were wondering what flavour the cake is going to be!!!
Now, I don't know if you've ever made Sugar paste flowers but it's kind of delicate......and my 4 year old Cousin is sooooooo in to cooking right now! You can imagine what transpired.
First she wanted to sit beside me and watch.
Then she wanted to sit on my knee and watch.
Then she wanted to help me cut out the flowers.
Then she wanted to help me wet the edges ready to stick edible glitter to.
Then she wanted to sprinkle the edible glitter on to the flowers!!!!
Have you ever seen what happens when a 4 year old 'helps' you with the glitter????No?If you possibly can, try to avoid finding out!!!
IT. GOES. EVERYWHERE!!!!!
Lol!!!
Anyway, they turned out pretty cute! Hopefully I'll be able to upload a picture of the cake when it's done but I'll need my uncle (that would be one of the ones that's coming) to help me do that! I'm a complete technophobe!!!
Also I got a review today!!!This is what Jud said:
Jud (Krisztof) rated it ***** I loved this book.
I really got into the story and believed in the characters, so much so when I woke up this morning after finishing the book last night my first thoughts were about Deeta, Tom and the whole gang. While reading the book I couldn't help but think "this could really happen".
The story focuses quite a lot on the differences in people and how everyone is seen differently by others and also on how people cope in difficult situations, in that sense it is more than just a good story.
I recommend this to anyone.
So Happy!!!
October 30, 2011
Hi!!!
Hi everyone!
So I've been a bit busy lately with appointments and such so I haven't been blogging as much as I would have liked!I'm reading 'Moonstone' at the moment, and I'm really enjoying it. There is a lot of subtle humour from the narrator and I'm really getting into the mystery.....I'm pretty sure I know who did it!!!! The characters are well depicted; I'm particularly fond of Betteredge and Cuff. Betteredge because he thinks he knows everything that there is to know about human nature and yet you realize from his narration that he's actually rather clueless and naive! Cuff I'm enjoying because although he's a bit sneaky, he's very clever and I kind of like him....I might feel differently if I was a criminal though!!!
I loved how when the first police officer (whose name escapes me!) comes on the scene the two suitors to Miss Rachel's hand view him so differently. The writer already has you rooting for one over the other at this point and somehow manages to make the other suitors good qualities work against him in your mind. Or at least that's what happened to me! When this secondary suitors charitable deeds were listed to me (In Betteredge's tones of respect and admiration) I found myself becoming decidedly cynical about him and his motives: Helps out rich ladies with their charitable acts does he? Rrrrrrright! *sly wink*. When the pompous Superintendent comes on the scene and talks to everyone individually the Hero comes away with the firm belief that the superintendent will be as much use as a broken leg in a 50 meter sprint!!! The second suitor comes away extolling the superintendent's virtues!!!
So far Miss Rachel hasn't been much of a presence in the story, you hear 'of' her not 'from' her. At the moment she's a bit overwrought at the loss of that HUGE diamond......but really girls, who wouldn't be?!?!?! I've got to admit to feeling a little bit uncomfortable with its loss myself!
Still not sure where her mother stands in the mystery, if she knows, or at least guesses, more than she's letting on.
Feel a bit sorry for the maid, Rosanna, to me she just seems lonely and unloved, but everyone is giving her a hard time. Cuff does too! (I think he called her sly!) I think out of everyone she's having the toughest time of it....and I think she's being used. But like I say the rest of the story may prove me wrong!!!!
I've also done a lot of work on my own book! I'm 70.000 words into 'Fracture' and everything's coming together beautifully! I'm so excited about it.
I just have one more plot twist and then a cliff hanger to end the book on ready for the next book in the series! It's actually morphed into something quite different to what I expected: when I started out it was just going to be one book....now I'm thinking more like three!
First off there's Ben, who I never meant originally to have such a large part!Then there's Councillor Ladron who I secretly very proud of: he makes my flesh creep!Astra's entire family.....never meant to have so much about them in the story!Shin, who started out as a bit part and is now the voice of reason!!!Really, the list is endless!
So hopefully that will be read for uploading soon too!!!!
So I've been a bit busy lately with appointments and such so I haven't been blogging as much as I would have liked!I'm reading 'Moonstone' at the moment, and I'm really enjoying it. There is a lot of subtle humour from the narrator and I'm really getting into the mystery.....I'm pretty sure I know who did it!!!! The characters are well depicted; I'm particularly fond of Betteredge and Cuff. Betteredge because he thinks he knows everything that there is to know about human nature and yet you realize from his narration that he's actually rather clueless and naive! Cuff I'm enjoying because although he's a bit sneaky, he's very clever and I kind of like him....I might feel differently if I was a criminal though!!!
I loved how when the first police officer (whose name escapes me!) comes on the scene the two suitors to Miss Rachel's hand view him so differently. The writer already has you rooting for one over the other at this point and somehow manages to make the other suitors good qualities work against him in your mind. Or at least that's what happened to me! When this secondary suitors charitable deeds were listed to me (In Betteredge's tones of respect and admiration) I found myself becoming decidedly cynical about him and his motives: Helps out rich ladies with their charitable acts does he? Rrrrrrright! *sly wink*. When the pompous Superintendent comes on the scene and talks to everyone individually the Hero comes away with the firm belief that the superintendent will be as much use as a broken leg in a 50 meter sprint!!! The second suitor comes away extolling the superintendent's virtues!!!
So far Miss Rachel hasn't been much of a presence in the story, you hear 'of' her not 'from' her. At the moment she's a bit overwrought at the loss of that HUGE diamond......but really girls, who wouldn't be?!?!?! I've got to admit to feeling a little bit uncomfortable with its loss myself!
Still not sure where her mother stands in the mystery, if she knows, or at least guesses, more than she's letting on.
Feel a bit sorry for the maid, Rosanna, to me she just seems lonely and unloved, but everyone is giving her a hard time. Cuff does too! (I think he called her sly!) I think out of everyone she's having the toughest time of it....and I think she's being used. But like I say the rest of the story may prove me wrong!!!!
I've also done a lot of work on my own book! I'm 70.000 words into 'Fracture' and everything's coming together beautifully! I'm so excited about it.
I just have one more plot twist and then a cliff hanger to end the book on ready for the next book in the series! It's actually morphed into something quite different to what I expected: when I started out it was just going to be one book....now I'm thinking more like three!
First off there's Ben, who I never meant originally to have such a large part!Then there's Councillor Ladron who I secretly very proud of: he makes my flesh creep!Astra's entire family.....never meant to have so much about them in the story!Shin, who started out as a bit part and is now the voice of reason!!!Really, the list is endless!
So hopefully that will be read for uploading soon too!!!!
October 29, 2011
I've been Interviewed again!!! Yay!
Hi everyone!
Today is another Interview!!!
Yay!!!
I'm sooooo excited! Please tell me what you think!!!
http://melcomleyromances.blogspot.com...
Today is another Interview!!!
Yay!!!
I'm sooooo excited! Please tell me what you think!!!
http://melcomleyromances.blogspot.com...
October 22, 2011
I've Been Interviewed!!!
Hi everyone!!!
I've just had an interview go live!!! Yay!!!
Please check it out here:
http://rai29bookreadnreview.blogspot.com/2011/10/author-interview-d-d-chant.html
Thanks!
I've just had an interview go live!!! Yay!!!
Please check it out here:
http://rai29bookreadnreview.blogspot.com/2011/10/author-interview-d-d-chant.html
Thanks!
October 18, 2011
Teaser for 'The Promise'!!!
Hi everyone! I've sorted out my Proofreader promblem!!!! Yay!!!
So I thought I'd post a little teaser for my next book! 'The Promise' is in a different genre to 'Broken City', it's a romantic adventure set in saxson England and is the start of a series. The story tells of how one single battle changes the course of many lives. As you read the book it becomes obvious that just because the battle's over, it doesn't meen that it's finished.
Here's the Prologue!!!
There are many things I could tell you of Calis.
I could tell you the story of how the first Lord Berron was given the lands by his liege, Eaorlman Cerdic, as a prize in recognition of his bravery in battle.
I could tell you how this first Lord of Berron, a younger brother of the great Lord Targhe, had proved himself loyal to his liege and had fought for Eaorlman Cerdic's right to rule.
I could even tell you how the second Lord of Berron had carried off the betrothed of his cousin Lord Targhe, and installed her as his own lady, or how from this point on the houses of Berron and Targhe, although really one, became bitter enemies.
It was this enmity that caused the 8th Lord Targhe to attack Calis with the intention of killing the entire house of Berron. The 3rd Lord Berron sent messengers to his liege beseeching him that he might send aid, which aid was indeed sent in the form of Lord Valrek, Lord Kyule, Lord Drogand and their armies.
The supreme strength of this force defeated Lord Targhe and liberated Calis, but not before Lord Targhe had wrought his revenge upon the house of Berron, killing as he thought it's every member.
In this belief however he was mistaken for Lord Berron's youngest child, a daughter then but two years of age, had been concealed by her nursing woman. Lord Brogan of Valrek, confronted by this vulnerable survivor who had no family to protect her and whose very existence would infuriate the still living Targhe, did the only thing he could do. Lord Valrek appealed to his liege for permission that he might betroth Lady Adele to his only son, Lord Rafe of Valrek, thereby giving her the protection she so desperately needed.
But this action was fraught with its own difficulties, for this would install Rafe as Lord over two kingdoms, giving him great and unprecedented power. Such an action would instil fear and jealousy in the remaining Lords of Wessex. But there had been little choice, with Adele's position being what it was, that power would have to be converged upon someone and king Ine had rather it be Brogan's son than any other.
And so lord Brogan had placed lady Adele of Berron's lands in to his son's hands and Rafe, then but a boy of ten years and under the guidance of his advisors, had set about restoring the war damaged lands of his Lady who was herself sent to live secluded in an old fort in the hills where she would be cared for and instructed until her eighteenth year, when Rafe would arrive to carry his bride with much pompous show to Valrek where he would make her his wife.
It is true that I could tell you any one of these stories, but I am going to tell you Rafe's, and consequently Adele's.
Thanks for listening!!!
So I thought I'd post a little teaser for my next book! 'The Promise' is in a different genre to 'Broken City', it's a romantic adventure set in saxson England and is the start of a series. The story tells of how one single battle changes the course of many lives. As you read the book it becomes obvious that just because the battle's over, it doesn't meen that it's finished.
Here's the Prologue!!!
There are many things I could tell you of Calis.
I could tell you the story of how the first Lord Berron was given the lands by his liege, Eaorlman Cerdic, as a prize in recognition of his bravery in battle.
I could tell you how this first Lord of Berron, a younger brother of the great Lord Targhe, had proved himself loyal to his liege and had fought for Eaorlman Cerdic's right to rule.
I could even tell you how the second Lord of Berron had carried off the betrothed of his cousin Lord Targhe, and installed her as his own lady, or how from this point on the houses of Berron and Targhe, although really one, became bitter enemies.
It was this enmity that caused the 8th Lord Targhe to attack Calis with the intention of killing the entire house of Berron. The 3rd Lord Berron sent messengers to his liege beseeching him that he might send aid, which aid was indeed sent in the form of Lord Valrek, Lord Kyule, Lord Drogand and their armies.
The supreme strength of this force defeated Lord Targhe and liberated Calis, but not before Lord Targhe had wrought his revenge upon the house of Berron, killing as he thought it's every member.
In this belief however he was mistaken for Lord Berron's youngest child, a daughter then but two years of age, had been concealed by her nursing woman. Lord Brogan of Valrek, confronted by this vulnerable survivor who had no family to protect her and whose very existence would infuriate the still living Targhe, did the only thing he could do. Lord Valrek appealed to his liege for permission that he might betroth Lady Adele to his only son, Lord Rafe of Valrek, thereby giving her the protection she so desperately needed.
But this action was fraught with its own difficulties, for this would install Rafe as Lord over two kingdoms, giving him great and unprecedented power. Such an action would instil fear and jealousy in the remaining Lords of Wessex. But there had been little choice, with Adele's position being what it was, that power would have to be converged upon someone and king Ine had rather it be Brogan's son than any other.
And so lord Brogan had placed lady Adele of Berron's lands in to his son's hands and Rafe, then but a boy of ten years and under the guidance of his advisors, had set about restoring the war damaged lands of his Lady who was herself sent to live secluded in an old fort in the hills where she would be cared for and instructed until her eighteenth year, when Rafe would arrive to carry his bride with much pompous show to Valrek where he would make her his wife.
It is true that I could tell you any one of these stories, but I am going to tell you Rafe's, and consequently Adele's.
Thanks for listening!!!
October 14, 2011
Some GREAT News....& Some Not So Great.
Hi everyone! I'm so excited because I've been invited to a live author even to discuss my book! It's going to take place sometime in December and I'm just sooooooooo EXCITED about it! I'll be posting the details soon!
Had a busy few days so I haven't done that much reading, I'm in the middle of 'Moonstone' and I'm enjoying it, but I find it a little hard to get into a book if I just read short snippets. I like a good long session but they're kinda hard to fit in!!!
I've just found out that my supposedly 'Professional' proof reader is trash; this is after I've uploaded my book!!! I'm so upset because proofreaders don't come cheap and she's wasted my time and I feel so embarrassed that anyone who's brought my book so far hasn't had the best. I'm having it done again but it won't be finished until early December!!! Still, it has to be corrected. I think this is probably going to put the release of my next book back as well, but we'll have to wait and see!
Thanks for listening
DeeDee.
Had a busy few days so I haven't done that much reading, I'm in the middle of 'Moonstone' and I'm enjoying it, but I find it a little hard to get into a book if I just read short snippets. I like a good long session but they're kinda hard to fit in!!!
I've just found out that my supposedly 'Professional' proof reader is trash; this is after I've uploaded my book!!! I'm so upset because proofreaders don't come cheap and she's wasted my time and I feel so embarrassed that anyone who's brought my book so far hasn't had the best. I'm having it done again but it won't be finished until early December!!! Still, it has to be corrected. I think this is probably going to put the release of my next book back as well, but we'll have to wait and see!
Thanks for listening
DeeDee.
October 9, 2011
Amazing New Review!!!
Hi everyone! I just had the most AMAZING review!!! And I'm gonna be horribly vulgar and post it here!!!
This is what John said:
Oct 08, 2011 John Steiner
D.D. Chant captures the great themes one would otherwise expect from Machiavelli, Shakespeare and a bit of Steinbeck. In most post-apocalyptic stories the end came from some doomsday weapon or environmental cataclysm. Yet Chant decides that a few numbers on stock market boards and bank balance sheets are just as formidable weapons of mass destruction, and advances that concept into the story's environment, plot and characters rather well.
Furthermore, she an employs of a really excellent literary skill that I'm more than a wee envious of. Chant creates two distinct impressions of a character, one that's their real face and another that is conceived of in the mind of another character. From there she convinces the reader of one and to ignore the other, proving to me that the writer's pen is a tool of mind control.
The portrayal of single cityscape likewise is filled with seeming wholly different worlds, the appearance of and living within reflect the nature of the societies Chant crafts. Chant brilliantly employs economy of language to her witty dialogue, banter, slights and snide remarks between characters that brings forth laughs and efficiently paints the social environment of her scenes. I don't know if D.D. Chant studied the anthropological nature of clan based civilizations, but if she hasn't I find her tribal political framework of the novel that much more incredible.
While the story deals with tensions and armed conflict the story's timing and perspective deals primarily with the home front illustrating the strain of those holding down the fort and keeping the home fires burning. That not only those off to war feel the tribulations, but the people they return to also bear the burden.
Overall, in the years to come if this novel isn't being assigned in schools alongside classics like "The Good Earth" and "To Kill A Mockingbird" I would have to question the literary competency of the educational system.
I can't believe it!!! My head is so big at the moment I can't sqeeze through the doors in my house!!!
This is what John said:
Oct 08, 2011 John Steiner
D.D. Chant captures the great themes one would otherwise expect from Machiavelli, Shakespeare and a bit of Steinbeck. In most post-apocalyptic stories the end came from some doomsday weapon or environmental cataclysm. Yet Chant decides that a few numbers on stock market boards and bank balance sheets are just as formidable weapons of mass destruction, and advances that concept into the story's environment, plot and characters rather well.
Furthermore, she an employs of a really excellent literary skill that I'm more than a wee envious of. Chant creates two distinct impressions of a character, one that's their real face and another that is conceived of in the mind of another character. From there she convinces the reader of one and to ignore the other, proving to me that the writer's pen is a tool of mind control.
The portrayal of single cityscape likewise is filled with seeming wholly different worlds, the appearance of and living within reflect the nature of the societies Chant crafts. Chant brilliantly employs economy of language to her witty dialogue, banter, slights and snide remarks between characters that brings forth laughs and efficiently paints the social environment of her scenes. I don't know if D.D. Chant studied the anthropological nature of clan based civilizations, but if she hasn't I find her tribal political framework of the novel that much more incredible.
While the story deals with tensions and armed conflict the story's timing and perspective deals primarily with the home front illustrating the strain of those holding down the fort and keeping the home fires burning. That not only those off to war feel the tribulations, but the people they return to also bear the burden.
Overall, in the years to come if this novel isn't being assigned in schools alongside classics like "The Good Earth" and "To Kill A Mockingbird" I would have to question the literary competency of the educational system.
I can't believe it!!! My head is so big at the moment I can't sqeeze through the doors in my house!!!
