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Tried and True, Chapter 214: A Good Place

Chapter 214: A Good Place

Brotherhood with Adin had shaped Tamaes’s whole life. He’d always had someone to chase after, to learn from, to love. Following Adin’s lead came naturally … until the moment his twin entered the stone pavilion beyond the encampment. “What are you doing?” he whispered.

“I know a good place to train,” Adin said.

Tamaes shifted uneasily. “I cannot go into Time without Taweel.”

“Wrong.” Adin gestured to the ring set into the floor. “Heaven is no prison. The way is open.”

“Y-you do this often?”

“It’s like Taweel always said. Are we not Guardians?” Adin laughed. “Where is your courage?”

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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.

Tried and True, Chapter 213: Wobble

Chapter 213: Wobble

Back in the encampment, Tamaes ducked into their tent and felt welcome. “It is the same.”

Adin shook his head in amazement. “Of course it’s the same. Nothing changes here.”

“We do,” Tamaes countered. “You have.”

“I’ve improved! Isn’t that the point?” Adin flopped onto his cot. “But why are you carrying a sword? You were finally getting good with a spear!”

“This weapon suits me better.”

“Show me.”

Tamaes unsheathed his new blade. Struggling with its heft, he quickly adopted a two-handed grip.

Adin laughed and bounded up. “Come on. I know a good exercise for building arm strength.”

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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.

Tried and True, Chapter 212: Stepping Aside

Chapter 212: Stepping Aside

In Loris’s garden, Valerian called over the newfoundlings one by one. Quiet words. Calm answers. Warm smiles. He explained everything with such poise. “Bern, this is Taweel, the encampment’s new overseer.” Valerian guided the young Guardian’s hands into Taweel’s and added, “We are in his care.”

This boy’s grip was strong, his gaze trusting. But like the others, his eyes soon strayed to Taweel’s shoulder.

Omri chirruped, as if offering his opinion on the proceedings.

“Bern.” Taweel called back the boy’s attention and made the expected response—short, gruff, yet earnest in every regard. “My tents will be your shelter.”

<< 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.

Tried and True, Chapter 211: In Common

Chapter 211: In Common

“I am Bern,” said the boy whose knobs of hair made him look like a cub. He pulled his silver-haired friend forward. “And this is Taji.”

“I can unfurl now,” Taji shyly shared. “I was last.”

“And well worth the wait!” exclaimed Adin, who leaned into the alcove. “He is sunlight through ice, a yellow diamond set in silver.”

Tamaes blinked at the analogies. Had Valerian taken Adin into creation after all?

The boy with lavender curls said, “I’m Jacinto. Can you be our brother, too?”

Adin beamed. “He has to be! Because I’m the one who named you all.”

<< 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.

In which I come home to a surprise…

Authorial Endeavor #040. There have been a LOT of posts lately, but I really do need to share this. Those who follow me closely know that I was out of town all last week with my daughters. Which meant leaving my sons home with my husband. Some may cringe, but I’ve always come home to a chaos-free home. They’re good boys. (Can you feel the looming HOWEVER… ?)

However, this time the manly section of my lot were suspiciously quiet. Skimpy with news. Sketchy with details. Which usually means they’re up to something. And since I know them purt near as well as anyone can, I’d prepared a mental list of possibilities. For the record, I was right on two counts. But they actually managed to take me by surprise.

In a good way.

I’m sure there are mothers out there who would have freaked out … or been horrified to come home to something like this. But I squee’d like a fangirl … and my readers will understand why.

This.

And for those of you not in the know, may I introduce you to Marcus, one of the characters in the Threshold Series.

   

My son dyed his hair like Marcus’s. And I’m totally making him keep it. : P

 

<< Authorial Endeavor #039  | 

 

CONGRATULATIONS: The Broken Window

Thank you, everyone! All the entries for the prize drawing have been neatly queued up, and I just finished drawing numbers with the help of Random.org. Congratulations to our winners!

Winners of 5 x 7″ Glossies

   

Sheay
Kiara
Jesslyn
Elayna
Starr
Samantha
Micailah
Paige
Sarah

I’ll add the tally of limited edition postcards to this post later on. I simply wanted to post these “big” prizes as quickly as possible. ♥

[drumroll]

and finally…

Grand Prize Winner

of an author-annotated copy of The Broken Window

Congratulations!

Soleil

 

 

DRAWING: Prize Peek

The special limited edition postcards for The Broken Window‘s milestone arrived at home while I was in Minnesota, so this is my first chance to give you a peek at some of the prizes.

I’m working on the lists for the big drawing now. There’s still a little time to drop your name in the proverbial hat! ; )

Anyone else excited?

Reminder: Milestone & Giveaway

Just a quick reminder that today is the last day to take part in the festivities surrounding the book birthday for The Broken Window. We’re less than six hours away from the prize drawing, which is set for noon (Pacific). Details are on the original Milestone & Giveaway post >> and indulge your curiosity on the Threshold Q&A post >>

Here’s a fresh sampling from readers who took my challenge to take a picture of The Broken Window in front of a window. This batch is compliments of Starr, Savvy, and Soleil. ♥

SHOW-AND-TELL: Stained Glass

One of my readers asked if I grew up with a stained glass window like Prissie’s. While I had nothing as fine as Miss Priss’s treasure, this old farmhouse does have a pane of colored glass set above the door leading out onto the screen porch. (I’ve always loved this shade of greenish blue!) The first picture gives you a peek at the old woodwork found throughout the house, which was built in 1880.

However, there used to be a beautiful stained glass section in the big picture window. I don’t remember it because the window had to be replaced when I was tiny, but it matched this stained glass light fixture, which hangs over the base of a beautiful wood staircase.

And since I mentioned the staircase, here’s a look at the newel post at its base. Some of you may understand: growing up with all this woodwork, the smells of Murphy’s Oil Soap and lemon oil are very nostalgic for me. : )

What about you? Does a pane of stained glass color your view in some way?

This Week’s Accumulation ci

This has been an eventful week, mostly because I’m currently in Minnesota, visiting my childhood home. I’ve share pictures and stories from my hometown in the past (here’s one of them), and today’s post has a hefty helping of show-and-tell as well. Come and see what’s been going on in my neck of the woods!

This week’s accumulation:
♦ First off, we’re a full week into the celebrations for the book birthday of The Broken Window (Book #3 in the Threshold Series). There’s still time to take part in the festivities to earn chances in my prize drawing! That’ll happen at noon (Pacific) on Monday, September 1. Details on that are on the Milestone & Giveaway post >> and you can still indulge your curiosity on the Threshold Q&A post >>  Here are some of the questions that have come up so far:

♦ Mrs. Kinde, what does the “J” in your name stand for?
♦ Harken, what color are Gabriel’s wings?
♦ Ethan, why are you ‘short’ compared to the other angels?
♦ Mrs. Kinde, when is the sequel to the Threshold Series coming out?
♦ Baird, what words would you use to describe each of your band mates?
♦ Mrs. Kinde, will you do another weekdaily serial series after Tried and True finishes?

♦ The little library in Marine-on-St.-Croix, MN where I worked when I was a teen has a creek with a waterfall right next to it. Some of my earliest memories include watching its rush.

♦ To my delight, Marine celebrated its 175th anniversary during my stay. The town picnic included speeches by prominent citizens, a pie-baking contest, kegs of root beer, and plenty of good food supplied by the local Lion’s Club. My daughters and I strolled down the road to the general store where I used to buy penny candy. The stuff’s up to twenty-five cents now, but I sifted through and bought a couple of cream soda suckers for old time’s sake. ♥

♦ I’ve been sharing pictures this week on both Twitter and Facebook, so check out those profiles (and follow, if you like) if you don’t want to miss out. Here are some more from around the yard:

You can see a little of the brick on this old farmhouse in the backdrop of this picture. There’s a rich purple clematis vine climbing on the bird feeder in front of the family room’s big picture window:

And then there’s the round garden out front. When I left earlier this summer, the peonies were in bloom. Now, the flowering kale is the show-stopper in that garden bed.

♦ The big excitement attached to this visit was definitely our plans to attend the Minnesota State Fair. I remember trips when I was little, and when I was a college student, I was there from dawn until the closing fireworks several times a year. This year’s wishlist included a visit to the poultry barn … the all-you-can-drink milk stand … kettle corn … and Tom Thumb mini-doughnuts:

♦ And let’s wrap up today’s round of show-and-tell with another Tried and True chibi by Terri Delgado. This time, it’s Adin’s mentor Valerian.

So what’s cluttering up your desktop? Do tell!

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