Christa Kinde's Blog, page 35

Sage and Song, Chapter 3: The Tempting Offer

Chapter 3: The Tempting Offer

���I also gathered for myself silver and gold and

the special treasures of kings and of the provinces.

I acquired male and female singers, the delights of

the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds.���

ECCLESIASTES 2:8

After singing freely, Kester found it difficult to hold himself in check. An instrument offered new avenues for expression, and he wanted to explore them. Given the chance, he would have continued straight through until morning, but an ordinary boy could not sing through the night watches. And I am meant to be an ordinary boy, not an unusual one.

Kester took advantage of a musical interlude to peek at the king. Solomon reclined on a footed couch, listening with eyes half-lidded. Surrounded by comforts. Lost in memories.

My instructions were to act as a scribe and copyist, not a temple singer. Asaph had cautioned Kester against singing in any place where he might be overheard. Wise counsel, given the attention he���d drawn in a single, unguarded moment. What will come of my carelessness?

���Kester.��� Solomon languidly announced, ���The hour is late.���

He nodded but kept right on playing. ���I am not sleepy.���

���Unusual.���

���Oh?��� Asaph politely countered, ���Were you a boy who gladly obeyed the summons to sleep?���

The king chuckled. ���Far from it. But my mother would insist.���

���As must I.��� Asaph bowed and added, ���With your permission.���

Solomon sat up and stroked his beard. ���Why is a child with such a voice laboring in silence? He would be an asset to the chorus. Shall I take him off your hands?���

Kester���s heart sank.

But Asaph only shook his head and smiled. ���The quality of Kester���s singing hasn���t escaped my notice, but weigh it against a rarer gift.���

���Oh?��� The king sat up, all traces of drowsiness gone. ���What can your servant do?���

With unhurried poise in the face of Solomon���s keen interest, Asaph retrieved one of the scrolls. ���Many voices can blend in chorus, but few can write as neatly as Kester. He has been a great help to me in collecting your father���s songs.���

Kester held his breath as Solomon scanned the lyrics.

Finally, the king sighed. ���I don���t know where you found such a treasure, but you are wise to keep him close.���

Asaph bowed. ���Kester is indeed precious. I continually thank God for him.���

���If I cannot take him, may I borrow him from time to time?���

Without hesitation, Asaph answered, ���I can withhold nothing, my king. Ask, and it will be so.���

Solomon beckoned. ���Come here, Kester.���

Slipping from his perch, he knelt amidst the pillows scattered around the king���s couch. Solomon held out hands that glittered with many rings. The unspoken command was clear, and Kester was startled by the reluctance that flared through his heart. He didn���t want to let the instrument go. But he yielded, and the king took the lion���s head harp. Setting it to the side, Solomon held out his hands again.

This time, Kester didn���t know how to respond, but Solomon took charge by catching the boy���s hands. He turned them over, casually inspecting his palms. The king found the ink smudge, on the pad of one finger and rubbed distractedly at it. ���Your hands are soft, yet you play with such skill.���

Kester lowered his gaze.

���Do you prefer scribe���s work to singing?���

An honest answer might jeopardize his place, so Kester framed his answer as a question. ���How can I sing your father���s psalms if I do not first apply myself to learning them?���

���Well said.��� Solomon released him and sat back. With an inscrutable gaze, he said, ���Calluses cannot form on hands left empty; therefore, I propose a trade.���

Kester rubbed his fingertips together, then folded his hands in his lap, waiting.

���You may play my father���s harp whenever you like. But only if you play for me.��� With all the confidence of a haggler who knows he has the advantage, the king inquired, ���Does my offer appeal to you?���

Kester stole a glance at his mentor.

Asaph gently prompted, ���The truth.���

���Yes, my king.��� Leaning forward, Kester added, ���Most assuredly.���

��� Are you more of a night owl or an early bird?

��� Asaph and Kester certainly know more than they’re saying. Do you think the same could be said for Solomon?

��� What kinds of things have been stirring your curiosity lately?

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Author���s Note: This story is a prequel to Christa Kinde���s Threshold Series [Zonderkidz] and updates twice a week (Wednesdays and Saturdays). More information can be found on the Sage and Song index page.

Sage and Song, �� Copyright 2015 Christa Kinde, all rights reserved. If you want to receive an email whenever my stories update, subscribe to this blog. You can also watch for notifications on Twitter.

MONDAY: Do you have a bulletin board?

After poking and prodding my new posting schedule, I’ve come to the conclusion that my Friday posts (The Week’s Accumulation) need to migrate. So weekly chit-chat and updates will now happen in MONDAY posts. They’ll be linked daisy-chain style to one another, same as ever, and I’ll also give them a slot on my new Index page. This week was all kinds of fun (with a side of hard work), and I can’t wait to share! Come see all the glorious clutter!

Name Change. One of the biggest, loomiest deadlines I’ve ever labored under was officially vanquished over the weekend. I turned in my rewrites and revisions for the angel-themed devotional due out next September. The book has changed shape quite a bit since the beginning, and it’s gone through another title change. Let’s see if this one sticks!

Originally: Realms of Glory: A 90-Day Devotional

And Then: Angels of the Bible: A 90-Day Devotional

Finally: Angels: A 90-Day Devotional about God’s Messengers

This isn’t my first brush with name changes. For example, my publisher decided to switch my original title for the second book in the Threshold Series to The Hidden Deep. I’d called it The Chained Deep. No big deal. The working title of “Angels All Around” was “The Providential Prince.” And “Angels in Harmony” started out as “Improvisation and Accompaniment.” But Zondervan wanted to keep the word ANGEL in the titles. (And for me to stop using big words.) : 3�� I’m curious. How would you react if a publisher decided to rename your book? What about a character?

Angel Unaware. I’m so happy that the first installment of Angel Unaware is available. If you haven’t read it yet, scoot! And here’s a picture that cropped up in comments a while back. I was all coy at the time, but I’ll reshare his portrait now. Meet Aleff, a.k.a. “Uncle Al,” a Caretaker who makes an appearance in this storyline.

Bulletin Board. Just for fun. Do you have a bulletin board? I do. (Well, I have several, but I keep this little one close.) Wanna share a snapshot of yours? I love show and tell. ���

<< LAST MONDAY�� |�� NEXT MONDAY >>

Angel Unaware, Part 1: Wannabe

The January issue of Christian Fiction Online Magazine has released, which means it’s time to unveil the first chapter of this year���s serial! Are you ready for Angel Unaware, Part 1?��

He was the new kid, and he needed a friend.

Story Summary: Marcus had never been a typical cherub. Raised on earth instead of in enclaves, he blended right in with humanity. The perfect Graft. But what Marcus wanted more than anything else was to become a warrior. So he asked God for a mentor. Marcus gets his armor fittings and swordsmanship lessons. But he also ends up with a couple of well-meaning foster parents, three nosy siblings, a lonesome landlord, and a new best friend.

Angel Unaware, �� Copyright 2015 Christa Kinde, all rights reserved.

Part One: ���Wannabe���

Christian Fiction Online Magazine, January 2015 | Read it now >>

After you���ve read there, I hope you���ll come back here with any comments and questions. : )

Sage and Song, Chapter 2: The King’s Favor

Chapter 2: The King���s Favor

When you lie down, you will not be afraid;

Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.

PROVERBS 3:24

Up until this moment, Kester had only seen the king at a distance, and always surrounded by many people. Asaph���s passing remarks and his own impressions added up to very little of consequence. He is king. He is wealthy. He is wise. But Kester was finding all the rumors of vast power and worldly influence hard to reconcile with the man standing before him in hastily-knotted sleeping attire.

Solomon stepped closer. ���Who do you belong to?���

In his heart, Kester answered, God. But that wasn���t what the king was asking. ���I serve your servant Asaph.���

A faint smile. Another step. ���So you know who I am?���

���Most assuredly.���

���And you know why your singing pleases me?���

Kester could guess, but that wasn���t the same as knowing. So he gently deflected the question. ���Can a child know the mind of a king?���

Solomon���s chuckle was as rich as the tapestries he strolled across. ���Tell me your name.���

���I am called Kester.���

The king���s eyebrows lifted. ���Unusual.���

���I apologize.���

���Don���t. I like unusual things. And you are far from typical.���

To Kester���s bewilderment, Solomon knelt before the pedestal where he sat. This is not kingly behavior. I do not want any man to bend his knee or bow to me. However, when the king extended a hand, Kester was reminded of the cats that sauntered through corridors and basked in courtyards. Is he trying to tame me? Am I supposed to be afraid of this man? Kester���s gaze flitted to his mentor.

Asaph looked on with a thoughtful expression, but he showed no signs of undo alarm over this unforeseen meeting. At times like this, an angel could only wait and watch to see what God would do. His ways were mysterious, but His plans were always good.

Kester loosened his grip on the harp and relaxed his shoulders. ���If I have pleased the king, I am glad.���

Solomon rested his fingertips on Kester���s arm. ���You have, and I think my father would have been pleased as well. This was his.���

���King David,��� he said, cradling the harp closer. ���The father you love and miss.���

���Out of the mouth of babes.��� Solomon���s expression turned wistful. ���Is it ignorance that makes you bold?���

Kester cringed inwardly, and Asaph spoke up. ���You have given him no reason to fear, my king. And for that I���m grateful. Bid us go, and we���ll leave you in peace.���

Solomon ignored the offer. ���Kester, do you want to play some more?���

���If you wish it.���

���Oh, child, I do.��� The king gestured urgently with his hands. ���Grant me this favor, and I will show you great favor.���

Kester shook his head. ���I want for nothing.���

Asaph suggested, ���Let him sing as David sang. For joy. For love. For God.���

���So be it. Sing to your heart���s content.��� Solomon made himself comfortable right there on the floor, and in a softer voice he added, ���I want to remember.���

��� Solomon seems to like unusual things. Do you? Like what?

��� Hypothetically speaking, if a king offered to grant a favor, what would you ask for?

��� Fun Fact: Solomon quotes his father in this chapter. Did you catch the reference?

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Author���s Note: This story is a prequel to Christa Kinde���s Threshold Series [Zonderkidz] and updates twice a week (Wednesdays and Saturdays). More information can be found on the Sage and Song index page.

Sage and Song, �� Copyright 2015 Christa Kinde, all rights reserved. If you want to receive an email whenever my stories update, subscribe to this blog. You can also watch for notifications on Twitter.

Sage and Song, Chapter 1: The Greatest of Treasures

Chapter 1: The Greatest of Treasures

��In the house of the righteous

there is much treasure.

PROVERBS 15:6

Kester sat back and rubbed at a smudge of ink on his finger. ���I am finished.���

His mentor hummed in an interested way and strolled over to check the boy���s work. Neat rows of letters marched from right to left across the scroll: the lyrics of a song. ���Very nice. An archivist couldn���t have done better.���

Flushing under Asaph���s compliment, Kester asked, ���Is this a prayer?���

���Certainly. Are you curious about the inner workings of human hearts?���

���The idea of prayer is ��� pleasant.���

Asaph hummed again. ���I wonder how many of them realize what a rare gift they possess.���

���David knew.��� Kester gently tapped his record of the former king���s psalm. ���He sings like an angel.���

���High praise, considering the source.���

Is he teasing? Kester stole a peek at his new mentor. Hair the color of peacock plumage framed a tanned face, and thick lashes drooped slightly, giving Asaph���s smile a sleepy quality. He often dropped his human guise when they were alone, perhaps to put him more at ease. No, Kester decided. He is simply considering the source.

After a thoughtful pause, Asaph asked, ���Did you ever hear David sing?���

���I am too new.���

���Yet you call his singing angelic. Are you repeating hearsay?��� Asaph eased onto the bench beside Kester. ���People do flatter, hoping to please King Solomon.���

Since his mentor never rushed, Kester took his time framing an answer. ���I do not need to hear David���s voice to know his song. Here it is upon the page. And he speaks as one who has heard the voice of God. Like an angel.���

Asaph skimmed the verses and smiled. ���So he does!���

Much to Kester���s delight, he sang out the section with the loveliest melody line.

The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars ���.

The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.

The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness.*

Kester asked, ���How did he know?���

���Oooh, in his case, it probably was hearsay. For it is the privilege of angels to hear God, and it is the privilege of humanity to be heard by God.��� Asaph gestured for Kester to roll up his scroll. Collecting his own days��� work, he said, ���Let���s take these to their rightful place.���

When they left their room, Asaph looked human once more. Blue hair gave way to black, and emerald eyes dulled to an ordinary shade of brown. The Caretakers had found little to change when Kester was given to Asaph. Perhaps God prepared me for this grafting from the start. With his olive skin, black curls, and brown eyes, he fit right in with the children of Israel.

Not far along the passage, a guard slipped out of an alcove and fell in step behind them.

Even without turning to see who it was, Asaph greeted him pleasantly. ���Good evening, Captain.���

Kester glanced at the tall soldier who often prowled the halls at night. He���d seen the man half a dozen times already, but this time he noticed something. His gliding steps didn���t match the creases on his face nor the silvering hair that strayed out from under his head covering.

Catching his eye, the guard said, ���Hello, Kester.���

The boy blinked. He knows my name?

���Something on your mind, newbie?���

���I do not think you are as old as you look.���

���Older. Probably,��� the guard replied offhandedly.

Kester checked on Asaph, whose sleepy smile remained in place.

The captain said, ���Fear not, Kester. If you ever have trouble, holler. I���ll be quick.���

Not until the guard disappeared down an intersecting passage did Kester find the courage to whisper, ���Is he ���?���

���Someone you can trust,��� Asaph said with finality. ���Get the door, please?���

Hurrying forward, Kester yanked on the heavy ring. Two flights down, they entered a vast room lit by golden lampstands. Asaph strolled ahead, heedless of the decadent clutter, but Kester paused to consider an interesting jumble of polished stones. ���Why does the king keep songs in his treasury?���

���What gave you the notion that this was the king���s treasury?���

The room was a trove of carvings, panels, rugs, goblets, tapestries, and jewelry. Indicating a delicate cask of priceless perfume, Kester asked, ���Are these not considered great luxuries?���

���Yes and no. Given Solomon���s wealth, these count as lesser luxuries.��� Asaph smiled faintly. ���The royal treasury is kept under much closer guard. This is little more than a closet.���

���A storeroom?���

���One of many.��� Asaph crossed to a wall that was given over to orderly niches. He added their scrolls to the pile on the table and pulled forward an index. Waving in the general direction of the ceiling, he added, ���Granted, these are luxuries Solomon keeps close. So they may be special.���

Something new caught Kester���s eye. A set of polished wooden pipes rested on a pedestal that had been empty the previous night. ���Does the king like music?���

Asaph hummed. ���Given our task, I would say he treasures it. See for yourself. He keeps many instruments in this room.���

While his mentor made notations, Kester drifted through the room, searching for signs of musical interest. A set of silver trumpets. Bright tambourines. Drums in several sizes. A curling shophar. He discovered another set of pipes, much humbler than the first. They were hardly more than a collection of reeds, and he picked them up for a closer look. Cautiously raising them to his lips, he produced a quavering sound that was more whimper than note.

Kester shook his head over the piteous noise he���d made. But it stayed with him as he moved on. He almost turned back to try again, but then he spotted a squat pedestal set apart from the rest. Prompted by heavenly whispers, Kester dared to tease loose the knots that held soft leather in place, and the covering fell away, revealing an old harp. Beautiful. He admired the carving of a lion���s head on its frame, then rested his fingers against its strings. Other Worshipers had harps. He���d watched them play. Perhaps this would suit him better than reed pipes.

The polished wood was a comfortable weight in his hands. Kester plucked a string and pouted in disappointment. Sour.

But this time, he didn���t give up. Crooning a more pleasant note to the instrument, he tightened one peg, then its neighbor, teasing the strings into pitch. Test and tweak. Hum and hone. By the time Kester was satisfied, he���d memorized each string���s voice. He made himself comfortable on the pedestal, crooking one leg and nestling the harp against his chest. Now the notes vibrated against his breastbone, and he plucked more sharply, letting the instrument sing boldly.

Notes became a cascade. Open chords became fragments of a song. Enthralled, Kester hummed along, matching the harp, but then he dropped into harmony. All at once, he was one angel with two voices. And it was bliss.

Kester impulsively switched from improvisation to the songs that had been reeling through his mind since his arrival on earth. David���s psalms. Forgetting himself, he pitched his voice to carry, letting the verses ring out. With each new melody, Kester���s fingers gained confidence. The harp drew out his best, and he offered the king���s songs to God in a voice pure enough for heaven���s reaches.

As he reached the end of a song as gentle as a lullaby, Kester heard a scuff. Sandal on stone. Eager to show Asaph the treasure he���d found, he turned ��� and quailed in dismay. Angels who lived as men were not supposed to draw attention to themselves. Were he and his mentor discovered?

Hugging the harp close, Kester looked from the king to Asaph and gasped, ���Sorry!���

���Don���t stop, boy.��� Solomon swept a tear from his cheek and earnestly exclaimed, ���Surely, you have the voice of an angel.���

*Psalm 29

��� Do you play an instrument? What kind?

��� What kinds of things do you keep close? What do they tell us about you?

��� Are there undiscovered, unappreciated treasures hidden away in your house? Where might they be? How would you recognize their worth?

NEXT CHAPTER >>

Author���s Note: This story is a prequel to Christa Kinde���s Threshold Series [Zonderkidz] and updates twice a week (Wednesdays and Saturdays). More information can be found on the Sage and Song index page.

Sage and Song, �� Copyright 2015 Christa Kinde, all rights reserved. If you want to receive an email whenever my stories update, subscribe to this blog. You can also watch for notifications on Twitter.

FIRST MONDAY: Happy New Year

How odd to come to a Monday and not have a weekdaily chapter to write! I miss Taweel and Tamaes already. Of course, I’m not exactly twiddling my thumbs. I have both writing (Sage and Song) and editing (Angels of the Bible devotional) on today’s agenda. But I wanted to drop in and highlight a few recent changes on my blog.

New Tabs. As promised, I’ve been rearranging some of the pages on my website. Several things are still in-progress (place-holders and broken links aplenty), but it’s been fun to mix things up. Some notable additions are the Threshold Story Index, which is arranged chronologically, and the Threshold Cast page, which has often been requested. I’ll be adding short descriptions soon, so it won’t simply be a list of names. But it’s a start! : )

New Board. For those of you on Pinterest, I’ve added another board to the Threshold Collection. It’s simply called Zeke! I hope you’ll also explore…

Threshold Series

Threshold Series – Misc

Prissie Pomeroy

Give Baird a T-Shirt

Threshold Series – Secret Santa

Story Art – Threshold Series

Reader Show-and-Tell

Ask the Author. To quote myself… It hasn���t escaped my notice that many of my ���regulars��� are writers in their own right. While I���m happy to field your questions as usual (by email or snail mail), using the blog as a forum will give us more room to share and compare notes. If you have a writing-related question for me, please add a comment over on the Ask the Author page >>�� You may inspire an upcoming (as in next week’s) Ask the Author blog post!

Serials in 2015. I���m juggling multiple serial storylines this year, and I invite you to join me as these three very different tales unfold. Sage and Song updates on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Angel Unaware appears in my column at Christian Fiction Online Magazine and updates monthly. Deuce is a Galleries of Stone prequel that posts to my other blog, where I write family-friendly fantasy under my maiden name.

Milestone Celebration. Looking ahead, we have a book birthday to celebrate later this month. On Wednesday, January 28, The Garden Gate will reach its first anniversary. Festivities will include a cast Q&A. Plan to take part!

Tried and True, Chapter 300: Share My Hope

Chapter 300: Share My Hope

���I am Taweel, mentor to Tamaes.��� His knuckles lightly rapped Tamaes���s breastplate. ���And my joy is full.���

���But you are pierced.���

���I am.���

Tamaes tried to understand his mentor���s reasoning. ���Is it ��� the child? Do you share Milo���s hopes?���

Taweel grunted. ���Will the coming child be the beginning and end of your joy?���

He whispered, ���No?���

���No,��� his mentor confirmed. ���Joy comes from God, who gave you to me.���

Hope trembled in Tamaes���s weary heart. Different than he expected. Better.

Just then, Milo returned, leading a dark-skinned warrior with silver eyes. His slow smile warmed a single syllable. ���Ah.���

<< PREVIOUS CHAPTER�� |�� READ AGAIN FROM THE BEGINNING

Author���s Note: This story in small chapters is a prequel to Christa Kinde���s Threshold Series [Zonderkidz] and updates every weekday (Monday through Friday). More information can be found on the Tried and True index page. And don���t forget, story art is on display in my gallery.

Tried and True, �� Copyright 2013-2015 Christa Kinde, all rights reserved. If you want to receive an email whenever my stories update, consider subscribing to this blog. You can also watch for notifications on Twitter.

Tried and True, Chapter 299: More than a Match

Chapter 299: More than a Match

Taweel ached for Tamaes. Even Milo���s good news had barely registered. Tamaes stood mute and marred in the farmhouse kitchen, so Taweel acted. Herding his apprentice into a corner, he sternly said, ���You are ready for this.���

���I disagree.���

���You bring great skill and experience to this Hedge.���

���Your skill. Your experience,��� Tamaes shook his head. ���I am merely an apprentice.���

���Only in name.��� Taweel gave him a small shake. ���You outgrew your need of me long ago.���

���No!��� In a feat of strength that proved Taweel���s point, Tamaes reversed their positions, pinning his mentor against the wall. ���Stay mine.���

<< PREVIOUS CHAPTER�� |�� NEXT CHAPTER >>

START AT THE BEGINNING

Author���s Note: This story in small chapters is a prequel to Christa Kinde���s Threshold Series [Zonderkidz] and updates every weekday (Monday through Friday). More information can be found on the Tried and True index page. And don���t forget, story art is on display in my gallery.

Tried and True, �� Copyright 2013-2015 Christa Kinde, all rights reserved. If you want to receive an email whenever my stories update, consider subscribing to this blog. You can also watch for notifications on Twitter.

COVER REVEAL: Sage and Song

New Year’s Eve! To give a little flourish to the final day of 2014, I’m revealing the cover of next year’s serial. Sage and Song will take you into the past, where Kester spent a portion of his boyhood in the courts of the king of Israel. This story with a devotional twist is scheduled to update on Wednesdays & Saturdays, which means the first chapter will release a week from today!

Story Summary: During Israel���s golden age, two angels quietly take up residence in the royal household. Asaph and his apprentice have been Sent to record the songs that are David���s legacy. But when Kester finds a harp in the treasury, a song brings him to the king���s attention. The boy soon begins a new collection: sage words from the man whose name means peace. The proverbs of Solomon.

COMING JANUARY 7, 2015

Tried and True, Chapter 298: Tenderhearted

Chapter 298: Tenderhearted

Eventually, every eye swung to the Messenger.

Milo sat with his chin on his fist, a gentle expression on his face, and a suspicious shine to his eyes. He sighed happily. ���I���m going to like having Guardians around.���

Taweel grunted. ���Where is our Flight���s tent?���

���We don���t bother with one.��� Milo gestured to the surrounding glade. ���For the angels of Jedrick���s Flight, this is home.���

Tamaes ventured, ���And ��� my charge?���

���I���m here to guide you to your new family���s home and Hedge.��� Milo stood and held out his hand to Tamaes, warmly adding, ���I have good news for you.���

<< PREVIOUS CHAPTER�� |�� NEXT CHAPTER >>

START AT THE BEGINNING

Author���s Note: This story in small chapters is a prequel to Christa Kinde���s Threshold Series [Zonderkidz] and updates every weekday (Monday through Friday). More information can be found on the Tried and True index page. And don���t forget, story art is on display in my gallery.

Tried and True, �� Copyright 2013-2014 Christa Kinde, all rights reserved. If you want to receive an email whenever my stories update, consider subscribing to this blog. You can also watch for notifications on Twitter.