L. Blankenship's Blog, page 11

Coming soon...

The week of January 21st, there will be two more character interviews along with portraits (which will be available in the Goodies Page too), a stop at Mutterings from the Oubliette (excellent blog name) and an interview with Sharon Bayliss.

As promised, I'm guest blogging about "theme songs" for my characters over at Charity's blog on January 28.

AND, right here to wrap up the blog tour I will be participating in the Worldbuilding Blogfest at Curiosity Quills. That runs from the 28th through the first of February.

 
Disciple, Part II on sale April 1st!Pre-order Part II, or pick up a bundle of both parts, NOW at Kickstarter! Click on the widget to see the book trailer and the pledging options -->Blog tour runs through the 31st, stay tuned for more character interviews, portraits, soundtracks...  

Read a sample of Part I, Chapter 1 • Read a sample of  Part II
Cover and blurb for Part I or Part II

Extra note: Disciple, Part II is now on Goodreads!

DISCIPLE: what I hear in my head

I love music. It's an important part of my writing habit and it greases the wheels of my creativity.

My iTunes collection is fairly hefty, and I've organized it into groups by flavor (melancholy, angry, upbeat, etc.) and energy level (ambient, dance-floor, heavy rock, etc.) so that I can tailor my background music to what I'm writing at the time.

I also create specific playlists for my projects. Those are songs that, for whatever reason, put me in the story's mind-set. Often it's easy to see why, but sometimes it isn't. It's not unusual for songs to attach themselves to characters, in my head, or to stories. Later in my blog tour, I'll tell you about the "theme songs" for my three main characters.

For now, the "theme songs" for Part I and II... and Part III. Since I've written all six parts of Disciple, all six do have theme songs. But I don't want to be spoilery. Note: the video is irrelevant, here. YouTube is just the most complete source and easy to embed.

PART I



There are tons of wonderful, melancholy love songs out there and a lot of them would fit Disciple well. "If You Could Only See" became one of Kiefan's melancholy songs early on in the story and fits a lot of the situations.

PART II



There are lots of chemicals being thrown around in Part II. XD My characters try to ignore the chemicals between them, and things get complicated as a result. Very complicated.

Sneak Peek -- PART III



A little explaining: in Part III, war arrives like an avalanche. Fitting a song to the violence and fear of a siege isn't easy -- the song that previously had the job was on the abstract and spiritual side. By luck, I heard this recent track by old fave Jane's Addiction and it instantly took over the role: the irresistible force is the enemy army, the immovable object is the walled city on the hill, and yes, the gods are real men. Plenty of banging, shock-waves, and unexpected blow-ups.

Just because I still love the previous theme song, here's a link to it: Live's "Run to the Water." Maybe it's a better fit, maybe not -- "Burnt to the core but not broken" describes the siege, too. Vote in the comments!

 
Disciple, Part II on sale April 1st!Pre-order Part II, or pick up a bundle of both parts, NOW at Kickstarter! Click on the widget to see the book trailer and the pledging options -->Blog tour runs through the 31st, stay tuned for more character interviews, portraits, soundtracks...  

Read a sample of Part I, Chapter 1 • Read a sample of  Part II
Cover and blurb for Part I or Part II

Extra note: Disciple, Part II is now on Goodreads!

Now on Goodreads: Disciple, Part II

I have set up the ISBNs for Disciple, Part II, and added it to Goodreads! Its page is here.

It will be on sale April 1st, but you can add it to your to-read list now so you don't forget... :)

Blog tour stop dishes geeky details

My writing addiction has pushed my knitting down to "hobby" status, but I've loved it for a long time. Today, my blog tour stops at White Knight Studio and I talk about natural fibers and color palettes in Disciple. Geeky, yes, I admit it's pretty geeky. But I've talked about both wool and alpaca over at my writing blog, so this should come as no surprise.

I love world-building and I get pulled down into the small details of it all the time. I have to take care not to blather on about something the reader will be bored to tears about -- just a little dash, to make the world feel real and lived-in.

Just as an update, I am working on writing the Disciple Prologue (it needs a title) which you'll only be able to get as a Kickstarter supporter. See the project page for more details on that.

The Storybundle.com offer ended yesterday -- an extra welcome to readers from the Holiday Bundle!

And I'll see you Saturday for the next blog tour stop.

Character interviews & portraits

The first of my three character interviews, paired with portraits, is over at Laurie's Paranormal Thoughts and Reviews.

I am starting a Goodies Page here at the blog to keep all of the portraits in one place. Other goodies will be available there as I create them!

No Kiss Blogfest

Welcome! I am kicking off my January blog tour with the No Kiss Blogfest!

A little background for this no-kiss scene: my narrator, Kate, was sent on Prince Kiefan's mission across the wild mountains as his physician -- she was only an apprentice, but her magical talent is growing and she was promoted for the job. The journey was long and dangerous, and she and Kiefan found that they shared an interest in philosophy and reading... and he kissed her, on the trip home. (That was Disciple, Part I.)

But he's a prince, doomed to a political marriage, and she's just a peasant-born physician. They agreed, in the castle garden, that they should be only friends.

[image error] Here's a no-kiss scene from Disciple, Part II -- they're trying so hard to ignore their chemistry --

He joined me just outside the door as I untied the bundle, and he tossed the cloth back inside when I got it free. “Are these all new essays in this book?” 
“I leafed through and saw several new titles. But I haven’t read any yet. I decided to wait when I came to one…” Kiefan faded into uncertainty, then, and I looked up from the page I’d opened to. His grey eyes had lost their smile, and that sank my heart. But he finished, voice low. “I found one titled ‘On Love and Fidelity’ and thought we could start with that. Forgetting, for a moment, what passed in the garden.” 
Sitting with him by a fire, warm and indoors rather than under a storm-beaten tarp, sharing an essay and the questions it posed — longing tore at me. “There wouldn’t be time, even if we could read it together,” tumbled out of my mouth. “They already think me an upstart peasant girl foisting some scam on the Elect. Whenever they look for me, I must be busy and sure.”
“Who?” 
I shook my head. “I can prove myself.” 
“Kate —” 
“I will prove myself,” I said. I tried to hand the book to him. “Perhaps after… Arcea is turned back?” 
“Take it,” Kiefan said. “Read and remember it, and we can talk as I read it. You can return it at the Solstice banquet, if not sooner.” 
My brows took flight on their own. “The banquet?” 
“You’re physician to the castle. You’ll be expected,” he said. 
“Me?” My voice faded, still disbelieving. 
“Yes, you.” A bit of a smile tucked up the corner of his mouth. His fingers nearly stroked my cheek before he caught himself, clenched that hand in a fist. “I insist. You must return the book to me for Solstice. And we must get back before we’re missed.” 
We both regretted that, but it was true enough. 

Disciple, Part II on sale April 1st!Pre-order Part II, or pick up a bundle of both parts, NOW at Kickstarter! Click on the widget to see the book trailer and the pledging options -->
Blog tour runs through the 31st, stay tuned for character interviews, portraits, soundtracks...  

Read a sample of Part I, Chapter 1 • Another sample of  Part II
Cover and blurb for Part I or Part II

Next Big Thing, Part II

Disciple, Part II is my Next Big Thing!

[image error] What is the working title of your book?
As you know (Bob): Disciple, Part II. Subtitled, "Claims Laid."

Where did the idea come from for the book?
As a continuation of Kate's story, Part II was driven by thoughts on how teenagers wrestle with both adult responsibilities and their hormones... and the idea of "you can't always get what you want" that was so well expressed by the Rolling Stones.

What genre does your book fall under?
Hard fantasy romance, heavier on the "romance" in Part II. Part III will be heavier on the "hard." :)

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I named some actors for the three main characters in the meme post for Part I... in Part II, we meet the three saints who rule Wodenberg. So let me cast them:

[image error]
Chris Hemsworth. Angry Thor: perfect.Saint Woden: He's the saint of war that I named this fantasy universe after. When I saw Chris Hemsworth in Thor, he was very close to how I picture Woden -- the saint being a little older, angrier, and uncompromising. Woden doesn't need to compromise, you see, he's powerful, he's dedicated to his people, and he's right.

Well, mostly.  [image error]
Abrahan BenrubiSaint Aleksandr: He's a crafter saint and a shape-shifter, the kind of rock-solid guy you would always want at your back. Aleks doesn't take the lead because he knows Woden is better suited to it, and he knows his advice and tempering influence are much needed. Fortunately, Woden knows this too.

I never had a solid portrait for Aleks, I'm sorry to say, other than that he's a big, teddy-bear type of guy. I kept Abraham Benrubi as a reference photo while I was writing, but if I were casting this for real I would love for this to be a chance for a big guy to strut his stuff in a serious role.   [image error]
Assad BouabSaint Qadeem: When I sketched out the three saints of Wodenberg, I wrote down: saint of war, saint of craft, and saint of nerds. I wanted one of them to be a clear outsider, but just as vital to the kingdom as the two native-grown saints. Yes, Qadeem was inspired by classical-era Arabic scholars -- the ones who kept science and philosophy alive after the collapse of Rome. As with Saint Aleks, I would love for Saint Qadeem to be a great acting part for a talent pool that gets unfairly overlooked: men of Middle Eastern descent.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Kate worked hard to master her healing magic to serve in the front lines of the coming war, but now she must choose between love and duty.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
It will be self-published -- Part I is available at all the major online retailers. Part II will go on sale April 1st.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
According to my notes, 39 days. November 15 to Christmas Eve, 2011.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Yeah, I still don't have an answer for this. Serious war, serious romance, hard fantasy. I'm not going to compare myself to GRRM, but if anyone knows another novel with the same parameters, I'd love to read it.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?
I wrote Disciple because I needed to. I don't really deal in inspiration.

What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
Disciple is a six part story, and all six parts have been written. This series is not going to vanish halfway through.

Disciple, Part II arrives April 1st, 2013!Pre-order Part II, or pick up a bundle of both parts, at Kickstarter starting January 1st!
Blog tour starts here January 2nd with the No Kiss Blogfest and runs through the 31st.
Watch for three character interviews with collectible portrait wallpapers... and the soundtrack... 

Hitting the ground running in 2013

Disciple's Kickstarter project begins January 1st! The Kickstarter project will be your chance to pre-order Part II and also get in on the Prologue offer... I wrote one, you see, back when I was getting settled into the Saints of War universe (that's what I call this fantasy world.) It was set before my main characters met each other, and it was a chance to work out the magic system, their personalities, things like that. Much of the magic is inaccurate, now, but there are some important personal moments in there.

I offered the Prologue as a bonus gift, when I ran the Kickstarter campaign for Part I. Since I did get some pledges at that level, I'm committed to rewriting the Prologue and publishing it for only the Kickstarter pledgers by November 2013. So if you're interested, make a pledge...

The blog tour begins here on the 2nd with the No Kiss Blogfest (have you signed up?), continues all month, and wraps up here again on the 31st.

Watch for three character interviews during the blog tour -- one with Kate, Kiefan, and Anders -- because they will come with character portraits! These portraits were created by S. Gina Shellie (link to DeviantArt.com profile) and I love them.

And watch for the soundtrack post! I've created a YouTube playlist of "theme songs" for my main characters.

See you on the 1st!

Anniversary of the Veil blog tour!

[image error]
Vanna Smythe's Anniversary of the Veil blog tour stops by today! World-building is one of my personal obsessions, so my interview questions were, unsurprisingly, mostly about world-building. :)
I'm completely the opposite ;) Beyond the basics of cultural hierarchy, lay of the land, architecture,... I tend to build the world as I go along. I then make it cohesive in the revision.

Were you inspired by a particular culture or time period, when you created the world of the Veil?
I've always been fascinated by the middle ages, the role of the Catholic church in those times, and sword fighting and royalty and all else.  For this reason, the entire Anniversary of the Veil series is set in a medieval-like world. This doesn't mean that the world I created is entirely historically accurate, though.  I did, however, model it on  the model of life in medieval times in Europe. There's many small villages and towns, each with a church and a priest to oversee the spiritual guidance of the people.

The world itself is governed by a High Panel of Priests, though there is also a King who oversees the more day-to-day affairs of state.  It is, however, the priests who have the final say in most matters.  The priests also have their own army of Protectors who assist the King's guards in policing the Realm.

What's your favorite little world-building detail?
That would have to be the priests' secret army of assassins, the Pure Ones. These men are totally ruthless and have no human emotion left, except for the desire to do as commanded by the High Panel.  The King doesn't know of these men, nor do the majority of Protectors, except for the top commanders.

Do you have a favorite reference/research/inspiration source for world-building -- costumes, weapons, etc?
I love watching historical documentaries and movies and reading historical book, so that's where I draw most of my world-building ideas from. I'll also check some Internet resources to get a more detailed account of anything I want to use. But like I said, I don't strive for historical accuracy, nor is the world the most important aspect of my books. For me, it's all about the characters ;)

It's always tricky to keep magic from creating characters who are too powerful, too able to just wave a wand and solve all the problems. How did you keep magic in its place, in your novels? <
Well, actually, my main character, Protector Kae, is all powerful. The way I've dealt with this not making everything too easy for him, is by having him come to his full strength gradually. The magic in the world I created can only be practiced by some, while the general public is kept ignorant of its existence.  Protectors can all use this magic, but are only told so once they become Protectors. It is the same with Kae, and before he can master his full potential he still has a lot to learn.  Also, the most important choices he must make, the ones that could shape the outcome, can't be avoided or made easier through use of magic.

What are you working on now?
I just finished Decision Maker (Anniversary of the Veil, Book 2) which concludes the story I started in Protector. Next, I will write a shorter prequel to the series, and then Book 3 which will wrap everything up.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vanna's also giving away two ARCs of Decision Maker -- enter to win at her blog.

www.vannasmythe.com • Twitter: @Vanna_Smythe • FacebookProtector (Anniversary of the Veil, Book 1) at Amazon • Decision Maker (Anniversary of the Veil, Book 2) at Goodreads

Cover reveal: Disciple, Part II

At last, it's time to officially unveil the cover of Disciple, Part II. Artwork by Unreal Studio (DeviantArt page).

[image error] Back cover text:
The prince first kissed Kate Carpenter for fear of missing the chance if they didn’t survive the journey home through the monster-prowled mountains.
Now that kiss seems like a fever dream. It’s back to work for her, back to the fellow physicians jealous of her talents and the sneers of an infirmary director who wants her shipped off to some tiny village. Kate means to be on the front lines to save lives. She’s worked too hard to overcome her past to let them deny her the chance to serve her homeland when the enemy’s army reaches their kingdom.
The grand jousting tournament is a chance to prove she can manage combat wounded, and at the royal Solstice banquet Kate means to prove she isn’t an ignorant peasant girl anymore.
But the prince’s kiss still haunts her. Their paths cross at the joust, at the banquet, and the easy familiarity they earned on the journey home is a welcome escape from their duties. It’s a small slip from chatting to kisses.
Kate knows it’s foolish; he’s doomed to a political marriage. As a knight, he will be on the battleground this spring. The kingdom needs every defender, every physician, focused on the war. The vast and powerful empire is coming to slaughter anyone standing between them and the kingdom’s magical fount.
Kate ought to break both their hearts, for duty’s sake.

Read a sample from Disciple, Part II. (it's not the sample that was included in Part I.)

Disciple, Part II arrives April 1, 2013!Pre-order Part II, or pick up a bundle of both parts, at Kickstarter and help cover production costs. The Kickstarter project starts January 1!
In other news, I am finishing up the first draft of Part VI (the end!) and then tackling the second draft of Part V. My beta readers will be getting a Christmas present...