R.E. Washington's Blog, page 4
December 14, 2011
Official Book Release Tomorrow!
Tomorrow is the official book release of Burnt Children and Stone Bearers: The Gift. For your viewing pleasure, here are the wonderful covers.
They were done by the wonderful PiqueBug. Stone Bearers: The Gift and Burnt Children will be released at a promotional price until January, where they will go up to their normal prices. They'll be available as ebooks on Kindle, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble. (Actually, they are already out, because I had to make sure they showed up on time. Shh! That's a secret.) I hope you'll look out for them!
They were done by the wonderful PiqueBug. Stone Bearers: The Gift and Burnt Children will be released at a promotional price until January, where they will go up to their normal prices. They'll be available as ebooks on Kindle, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble. (Actually, they are already out, because I had to make sure they showed up on time. Shh! That's a secret.) I hope you'll look out for them!
December 11, 2011
Stone Bearers Excerpt
Here's the excerpt from Stone Bearers: The Gift.
---
I pointed to the exit. "We have to go there."
She nodded and then we both were running. Glass crunched under my feet and behind me I could hear a shriek. The light was glowing bright, almost encompassing the entire greenhouse. We were almost at the exit. Danielle was a little ahead of me, when she froze. "No. No!"
That's when I saw it. The black glutinous body that looked like hot bubbling tar and white, white teeth. For a second, I could only stare as my mind denied what was in front of me. The monster didn't have such a problem. It leapt at Danielle. Instantly, I reacted. I shoved her out of the way and slashed with the glass shard I grabbed earlier.
The monster jumped back and bared its teeth. I watched it. Its fingers twitched, its claws glinting in the light. I only had a second to decide. I pushed Danielle.
"Run!"
---
I hope you enjoyed the short excerpt. It's pretty exciting to have two books coming out at the same time. It's also exhausting, but I love it.
---
I pointed to the exit. "We have to go there."
She nodded and then we both were running. Glass crunched under my feet and behind me I could hear a shriek. The light was glowing bright, almost encompassing the entire greenhouse. We were almost at the exit. Danielle was a little ahead of me, when she froze. "No. No!"
That's when I saw it. The black glutinous body that looked like hot bubbling tar and white, white teeth. For a second, I could only stare as my mind denied what was in front of me. The monster didn't have such a problem. It leapt at Danielle. Instantly, I reacted. I shoved her out of the way and slashed with the glass shard I grabbed earlier.
The monster jumped back and bared its teeth. I watched it. Its fingers twitched, its claws glinting in the light. I only had a second to decide. I pushed Danielle.
"Run!"
---
I hope you enjoyed the short excerpt. It's pretty exciting to have two books coming out at the same time. It's also exhausting, but I love it.
December 9, 2011
Burnt Children Excerpt
Here's a short excerpt from Burnt Children. BC is a YA epic fantasy. I'll be posting up the first few chapters on the release date.
***
"It's here," he whispered, as though speaking too loud would break the magic. He stood up and walked toward the other side of the road. The rustling became louder and louder and finally it was there.
It was not a horse. It was a very large brown bear. Korvin took a step back.
"Not a horse, definitely not a horse."
"Send it back," Elaria said and slowly got to her feet.
Korvin nodded and whistled. The strands came out crooked and disintegrated before they even fully left his mouth. The bear looked at Korvin and growled deep in its throat.
"It's not working."
"Try again," Elaria said.
Korvin took a deep breath as the bear started walking toward him. The growl grew deeper. Korvin closed his eyes, mumbling under his breath, his body shuddering.
"What are you doing, Korvin?" Elaria looked at him and then back at the bear.
"I need to concentrate."
The bear growled and charged.
"Korvin!" She ran, but she knew she wouldn't make it in time.
***
I hope you enjoyed this short excerpt. More is to come. Next time I'll share an excerpt from Stone Bearers.
***
"It's here," he whispered, as though speaking too loud would break the magic. He stood up and walked toward the other side of the road. The rustling became louder and louder and finally it was there.
It was not a horse. It was a very large brown bear. Korvin took a step back.
"Not a horse, definitely not a horse."
"Send it back," Elaria said and slowly got to her feet.
Korvin nodded and whistled. The strands came out crooked and disintegrated before they even fully left his mouth. The bear looked at Korvin and growled deep in its throat.
"It's not working."
"Try again," Elaria said.
Korvin took a deep breath as the bear started walking toward him. The growl grew deeper. Korvin closed his eyes, mumbling under his breath, his body shuddering.
"What are you doing, Korvin?" Elaria looked at him and then back at the bear.
"I need to concentrate."
The bear growled and charged.
"Korvin!" She ran, but she knew she wouldn't make it in time.
***
I hope you enjoyed this short excerpt. More is to come. Next time I'll share an excerpt from Stone Bearers.
December 7, 2011
Burnt Children and Stone Bearers Blurbs
Here are some blurbs from my books Stone Bearers and Burnt Children. I'll be posting excerpts later.
Stone Bearers:
There's a war going on and humanity is the prize.
Caught in a battle between two supernatural forces, five junior high students are killed. But Constance, Jonathan Avery, Maria, and Danielle return from the dead -- and they've changed.
They each carry a piece of a soul stone and with it they have extraordinary powers. Now they can summon weapons from thin air and even start fires with their minds. With these powers comes a connection they never wanted, and coming back from the dead hasn't wiped away the grudges between them. When one of them loses themselves to the power, they are soon caught in a battle against themselves and an enemy that wants to make sure that this time they stay dead.
Burnt Children:
In Meli, if you're born with the wrong magic the Purifiers rip it out. They'll etch a black flame into your skin, labeling you a Burnt Child. Elaria is one of those Burnt Children.
She's not allowed to handle magical items and the only thing she can do is work with dangerous rokas stones that are likely to explode at any moment. But Elaria has a secret. She can see magic.
This rare ability draws Elaria to a strange locket that holds a dangerous mystery surrounding the leader of the Purifiers and a conspiracy that could change all of Meli. Soon, Elaria is hunted by Purifiers, befriended by a murderer, and haunted by the ghost of the very woman who doomed the Burnt Children fifty years ago.
All Elaria wants is to find a place to belong. But with a strange power growing inside of her, Elaria realizes she must choose between saving herself or saving the world.
Stone Bearers:
There's a war going on and humanity is the prize.
Caught in a battle between two supernatural forces, five junior high students are killed. But Constance, Jonathan Avery, Maria, and Danielle return from the dead -- and they've changed.
They each carry a piece of a soul stone and with it they have extraordinary powers. Now they can summon weapons from thin air and even start fires with their minds. With these powers comes a connection they never wanted, and coming back from the dead hasn't wiped away the grudges between them. When one of them loses themselves to the power, they are soon caught in a battle against themselves and an enemy that wants to make sure that this time they stay dead.
Burnt Children:
In Meli, if you're born with the wrong magic the Purifiers rip it out. They'll etch a black flame into your skin, labeling you a Burnt Child. Elaria is one of those Burnt Children.
She's not allowed to handle magical items and the only thing she can do is work with dangerous rokas stones that are likely to explode at any moment. But Elaria has a secret. She can see magic.
This rare ability draws Elaria to a strange locket that holds a dangerous mystery surrounding the leader of the Purifiers and a conspiracy that could change all of Meli. Soon, Elaria is hunted by Purifiers, befriended by a murderer, and haunted by the ghost of the very woman who doomed the Burnt Children fifty years ago.
All Elaria wants is to find a place to belong. But with a strange power growing inside of her, Elaria realizes she must choose between saving herself or saving the world.
December 6, 2011
My Fictional Heroes - Batman and Hakkai (Saiyuki)
Throughout my life, I've been asked who was my hero. For most people, this is an easy question. Answers ranged from George Washington to Martin Luther King to Freddie Mercury. For me, the answer was always a hard one. I didn't have an hero or anyone I aspired to be like. Sure, I admired people. I admire my mom for being a single parent who always made sure we had food, shelter and love. I've always admired Charles Drew for discovering the wonders of blood plasma even as he died tragically despite his research. There are many people I admire, but none of them I think of as my hero.
Maybe it's because of the way I view heroes. For me a hero is a person who does wonderful and nobel things despite the odds against them. My Mom, Charles Drew and so many people are heroes. Heroes are around us everyday, going that extra mile. Having a hero shifts the responsibility of being your own personal hero to someone else. I could never make someone else my hero. I needed to be my own hero. That's why I could never answer the question.
So what does that have to do with Batman and Hakkai? Well, I realized the closest I could have as heroes were fictional heroes. Their worlds aren't my worlds and so I can give the responsibility of being heroic to them, because it's all pretend (no matter how much I want them to be real *sigh*).
So I will proudly say that I do have fictional heroes. Batman with his jaded self, fantastic mind and independence. Hakkai with his smile and his dangerous need to protect those around him. Oh yeah, he also has a brilliant mind. I guess I have a thing for intelligence combined with really messed up lives. Meh.
Yet, for all their heroics. In really life, my only hero is me, because it's my responsibility to give back to all the wonderful people who have done so much for me from my Mom to Charles Drew to the soldiers who have sacrificed themselves to help me live in a beautiful country. Thank you. You're all heroes and I'm working on becoming one too.
Maybe it's because of the way I view heroes. For me a hero is a person who does wonderful and nobel things despite the odds against them. My Mom, Charles Drew and so many people are heroes. Heroes are around us everyday, going that extra mile. Having a hero shifts the responsibility of being your own personal hero to someone else. I could never make someone else my hero. I needed to be my own hero. That's why I could never answer the question.
So what does that have to do with Batman and Hakkai? Well, I realized the closest I could have as heroes were fictional heroes. Their worlds aren't my worlds and so I can give the responsibility of being heroic to them, because it's all pretend (no matter how much I want them to be real *sigh*).
So I will proudly say that I do have fictional heroes. Batman with his jaded self, fantastic mind and independence. Hakkai with his smile and his dangerous need to protect those around him. Oh yeah, he also has a brilliant mind. I guess I have a thing for intelligence combined with really messed up lives. Meh.
Yet, for all their heroics. In really life, my only hero is me, because it's my responsibility to give back to all the wonderful people who have done so much for me from my Mom to Charles Drew to the soldiers who have sacrificed themselves to help me live in a beautiful country. Thank you. You're all heroes and I'm working on becoming one too.
December 1, 2011
Facebook and the Frog
Yes, it's official. I'm now on facebook. I actually have a personal account there, which I didn't use much to my friends' horror. After fiddling around for a while and making a new account (which I discovered I wasn't supposed to do) and then deactivating, I finally discovered the secret to author pages.
Now it's up and all shiny and new. Well, except for the frog. (Technically it's a toad, but lets not get into semantics.) People have been asking what's up with the frog avvie. Ah, such curious minds.
Like in all fairy tales, my frog is waiting for a special something. This something is a very special day in December where my frog will turn into not just one book but two. What is that about, you may ask? (If you didn't ask, I'm still going to pretend you did.)
I have two books being released this month. One is a YA epic fantasy and the other is an urban fantasy tween book with not your normal superheroes.
Details and excerpts will be forthcoming in the near future.
Now it's up and all shiny and new. Well, except for the frog. (Technically it's a toad, but lets not get into semantics.) People have been asking what's up with the frog avvie. Ah, such curious minds.
Like in all fairy tales, my frog is waiting for a special something. This something is a very special day in December where my frog will turn into not just one book but two. What is that about, you may ask? (If you didn't ask, I'm still going to pretend you did.)
I have two books being released this month. One is a YA epic fantasy and the other is an urban fantasy tween book with not your normal superheroes.
Details and excerpts will be forthcoming in the near future.
November 28, 2011
Rocking Out Steering Wheels and Excerpts
A couple of days ago, I was on my way to see Hugo when I caught sight of this guy in the car behind me. He was gripping the steering wheel with one hand and his other was whipping through the air in an uncoordinated spasm with his body. It took me a second, but I caught the head bobbing and realized he was jamming to whatever song was on his radio. He didn't have a care in the world at that moment and I could completely appreciate that. Dance on!
It got me to thinking about what songs I instantly rock out too when I hear them come on my car radio. Well the first (and I think most people can agree) is anything by Queen. As soon as Bohemian Rhapsody or Champions starts playing everyone busts out into song at the top of their lungs. It is the great unifier and to this day I believe heavy doses of Queen can help to bring about world peace.
There are other songs I dance too in my car as well, Maroon 5's Moves Like Jagger being one of them. Since I'm not going to go into a completely embarrassing list of songs, please feel free to share.
On another note, I'll be posting some excerpts from my books on my blog soon.
It got me to thinking about what songs I instantly rock out too when I hear them come on my car radio. Well the first (and I think most people can agree) is anything by Queen. As soon as Bohemian Rhapsody or Champions starts playing everyone busts out into song at the top of their lungs. It is the great unifier and to this day I believe heavy doses of Queen can help to bring about world peace.
There are other songs I dance too in my car as well, Maroon 5's Moves Like Jagger being one of them. Since I'm not going to go into a completely embarrassing list of songs, please feel free to share.
On another note, I'll be posting some excerpts from my books on my blog soon.
November 26, 2011
Hugo and the Magic of the Reel
Earlier today, I went to see Martin Scorsese's Hugo. I heard many good things about it and since I am a huge movie buff, especially movies for younger audiences, I was really pumped to go. I was not happy to see that Hugo was under the 3D plague that many movies have been suffering from, but I put the glasses on and moved forward.
It was worth it. The movie was not action pack or filled with witty dialogue or filled with edgy subjects like sex or drugs. It was a movie that was a bit of Oliver Twist mixed in with the magic of film. In many ways it was a quiet film about people and the wonderful things around us that we see but don't notice.
The way I described it to my sister was that it was a movie about remembering what we already know. She looked at me in confusion when I said that, so I went on to explain.
You drink water all the time. You have to in order to survive. It's normal. Now if you ever been running or been walking in a hot amusement park You'll understand this example. You're almost finished up and you've started to get thirsty. You're keep delaying, because you have to finish up this mile or visit one more attraction. By time you're done, you're dying for water. You go to get water, but forgotten it. So you have to either drive home or stop in a shop to grab it and you realize that your car or the shop is a long way off, at least 50 steps away and the noon day sun is rising up.
Anyway, you walk those 50 steps and finally manage to get your bottle water. Twisting off the cap, you take a gulp. The water splashes across your tongue and for a moment you remember just how good it tastes, how refreshing, and how much you need it.
That's what Hugo does. It reminds people why they are sitting in the theater. It's a magical thing having our stories come to life in front of our eyes. It makes us remember how amazing it is to seeing a moving picture. Especially it makes us remember how we have taken fantasy and made it reality. Throughout the film, a part of me sat in wonder that everything in the film were things that are actually real.
As a YA author that mainly writes fantasy, science fiction and paranormal, sometimes I forget to appreciate the magic in the everyday. Thank you, Hugo, for helping me to remember.
Hugo is based on the book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Seinznick. I am planning to buy the book as soon as I can make it to the bookstore.
It was worth it. The movie was not action pack or filled with witty dialogue or filled with edgy subjects like sex or drugs. It was a movie that was a bit of Oliver Twist mixed in with the magic of film. In many ways it was a quiet film about people and the wonderful things around us that we see but don't notice.
The way I described it to my sister was that it was a movie about remembering what we already know. She looked at me in confusion when I said that, so I went on to explain.
You drink water all the time. You have to in order to survive. It's normal. Now if you ever been running or been walking in a hot amusement park You'll understand this example. You're almost finished up and you've started to get thirsty. You're keep delaying, because you have to finish up this mile or visit one more attraction. By time you're done, you're dying for water. You go to get water, but forgotten it. So you have to either drive home or stop in a shop to grab it and you realize that your car or the shop is a long way off, at least 50 steps away and the noon day sun is rising up.
Anyway, you walk those 50 steps and finally manage to get your bottle water. Twisting off the cap, you take a gulp. The water splashes across your tongue and for a moment you remember just how good it tastes, how refreshing, and how much you need it.
That's what Hugo does. It reminds people why they are sitting in the theater. It's a magical thing having our stories come to life in front of our eyes. It makes us remember how amazing it is to seeing a moving picture. Especially it makes us remember how we have taken fantasy and made it reality. Throughout the film, a part of me sat in wonder that everything in the film were things that are actually real.
As a YA author that mainly writes fantasy, science fiction and paranormal, sometimes I forget to appreciate the magic in the everyday. Thank you, Hugo, for helping me to remember.
Hugo is based on the book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Seinznick. I am planning to buy the book as soon as I can make it to the bookstore.
