Christa Kinde's Blog, page 75
December 16, 2013
In which gifts are given and received…
Authorial Endeavor #030. I have good news! Glad tidings which shall be of great joy to all readers! For unto us is released this day a story … ahem. Enough undue allusion and gratuitous paraphrasing. I’m announcing another FREE digital short story illustrated by Anna Earley. “Angels in Harmony” is a Christmas gift for readers from Christa Kinde and Zonderkiz, and there’s joy in the giving.
Starched and pressed. Ragged and distressed.
Poised and polite. Bouncing and bright.
♦ Download Now ♦
Story Summary: An illustrated companion to the Threshold Series by Christa Kinde. Angels have always served in pairs, but Baird is sure there must be some mistake when Kester shows up on his doorstep. The vividly energetic redhead couldn’t have been more different from his genteel new apprentice. Yet their rocky beginnings give way to a unique balance, proving that friendship can flourish in the unlikeliest of places, given time, trust, and the Twelve Days of Christmas.
As I’ve mentioned before, the events of this short story overlap those in Threshold Series Book 3: The Broken Window. Zondervan has included the first chapter of that book as a teaser at the end of the story.
Illustrated by Anna Earley ♦ Anna Earley Illustration
And don’t forget that you can also download “Angels All Around,” the Threshold Series prequel that crosses over with Rough and Tumble. Summary: Angels and demons collide over West Edinton, a small town where not everyone is what they seem. In this companion story to the Threshold Series, a divine Messenger becomes one little girl’s prince, and a fledgling Guardian becomes their knight.
♦ FREE DOWNLOAD ♦
After you’ve had a chance to read the story, I’d love to hear what you thought! And please do leave a review to help spread the word. : )
December 13, 2013
The Week’s Accumulation lxviii
It’s been one of those cookie-baking, gift-wrapping, envelope-addressing kinds of weeks. Looking back, it seems I’ve been nothing but busy, and it’s been fun. But I can feel the old restlessness setting in. I need more writing time, and to get it, I may need to turn to my alarm clock. Early mornings are still my best spot for carving out creative space! There’s a little of this and that on my desktop after this week. If you want a peek at my clutter, you’re welcome to it!
This week’s accumulation:
♦ I’ve been checking each morning, but there’s still no sign of “Angels in Harmony.” Rest assured, I’ll do a post announcing when Zondervan makes the free short story available for download. In the meantime, a teaser!
A couch. A rug. A coffee table. A floor lamp. The cupboards were barren, and the walls were beige. Kester’s new apartment wasn’t much, but it gave him the veneer of humanity. When an angel became a Graft, such things were necessary for blending in.
“Are you ready?” Jedrick asked. The warrior gestured to the front door. “Myron lives directly below you. Usually, that means … less quiet than you have been enjoying.”
Kester’s gaze flitted briefly to the plain wood floor. “How convenient.” Giving his vest a tug and straightening his tie, the Worshiper reached for his suit coat, slipped it on, and buttoned it up. “I am ready.”
An echoing stairwell. An ordinary door. Kester glanced inquiringly at his captain, who didn’t bother knocking. He ducked through, leaving Kester to follow. The apartment was garish. Every wall and door was painted a different color—red, turquoise, orange, purple, green, yellow. And the place was even more sparsely furnished than his own. A mound of beanbag chairs was heaped in one corner. Kester also noted a drum set, several amps, three music stands, and a tangle of black cords strewn across the floor.
“Myron …?”
“It’s Baird,” muttered the wiry redhead who stood staring out the window. He wore faded jeans with ragged hems and a tie-dye tank top that exposed the pattern made by furled wings. The weary look he shot his captain turned blank when he spotted Kester.
—excerpt from “Angels in Harmony,” a free illustrated short story, due out any day now from Christa Kinde and Zonderkidz!
♦ This past week, my family kicked off the holiday season in fine style by taking in a performance of Handel’s Messiah at one of the local churches. Having written so much about the concert that takes place during the Threshold Series, it was pure joy to sit in the pews of a small Presbyterian church with its stained glass windows and pipe organ. The orchestra and choir did a beautiful job, and my mind was filled with the accompaniment of angels. ♫
♦ Another fun outing this past week was our church’s Christmas Tea. Only in San Diego can we gather outdoors in December. One of my daughters made the chicken salad filled puffs that were our contribution to the delicacies. My other daughter won a potted poinsettia in the raffle. One of my sons donned coat and tie and helped to serve the ladies. And my husband lent his voice to a male trio and sang a few Christmas carols during the program. A good time was had by all:
We three: my daughters and me. ♥
♦ My first batch of Christmas cards will go out tomorrow, and I’d like to extend the invitation once more. I’d be delighted to add you to my mailing list. Would you like a bookplate? Let me know how you’d like it personalized. And if you haven’t signed up for postcards, please allow me to send some your way.
♦ And for those of you who enjoy fairy tale-like fantasy, I’ll nudge you toward the newly-available first installment in the Galleries of Stone trilogy. Since reading the tale on this blog was out-of-the-way and awkward, I’ve made the story accessible to a wider audience. Book 1: Meadowsweet introduces a world where magical mountains are entrusted to master sculptors like Freydolf. Necessity drives this recluse from the Statuary to search for a new servant. The villagers thereabouts fear him—with good reason—but when people are poor and homes are crowded, all it takes is a handful of coins to loosen family ties. Tupper Meadowsweet isn’t the cleverest child, but he’s brave enough to follow Freydolf onto the gray mountain, whose galleries hold wonders that introduce Tupper to faraway lands, diverse races, unique customs, long histories … and danger. Find out more at CJMilbrandt.com.
So what’s cluttering up your desktop? Do tell!
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Tried and True, Chapter 25: Six Fingers
Chapter 25: Six Fingers
Messengers carried messages. Protectors protected. Each order did their part, but Taweel only knew his own. “Weavers weave cloth … sew raiment.” He searched his mind. “And you have six digits.”
Loris held out a hand, displaying the secret to every Weaver’s dexterity. It was as if the thumb and first two fingers were mirrored, doubling each hand’s usefulness. Having two thumbs allowed Loris to stitch with two needles at once. “If you’re curious, I could mentor you.”
Taweel grunted and turned his face to the wall.
“On second thought,” Loris said in serious tones. “We’ll apprentice you to Weft.”
<< PREVIOUS CHAPTER | NEXT CHAPTER >>
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 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 24: Meaning
Chapter 24: Meaning
“Why am I here?” Taweel sighed.
Loris glanced up from the complex pattern of sea-green thread he was embroidering onto a pant cuff. “Because you refuse to leave.”
“I meant … why did you offer me this place?”
“My alcove needed brightening.”
There was no denying that raiment had an inherent glow. And for the first time, it occurred to the Guardian to ask, “Why?”
“Some answers belong to God alone.”
Taweel shook his head, for this was a new question. “I meant … why does raiment shine?”
Loris’s smile widened. “For that answer, you need only ask a Weaver.”
<< PREVIOUS CHAPTER | NEXT CHAPTER >>
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 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.
December 11, 2013
Tried and True, Chapter 23: Slip
Chapter 23: Slip
Taweel scrutinized the sun-bright angel hanging limp in his grasp. Pointed ears poked through long yellow hair. Small hands pushed against his knuckles, then balled into fists. The yahavim gazed up at him with a pout. It was such a childish expression. Innocent. Injured. And perhaps justified. But before Taweel could apologize for his unkind remark, Loris lifted away the last loop of sapphire thread.
The little manna-maker wriggled free and darted straight up through the tumble of overhead vines. Taweel stretched out a hand, but the little one was gone without a backward glance. He was too late. Again.
<< PREVIOUS CHAPTER | NEXT CHAPTER >>
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 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.
December 10, 2013
Tried and True, Chapter 22: Hold Still
Chapter 22: Hold Still
Loris sat and showed off his captive. “This bit of curiosity flew too close to the skeins of dyed thread Weft and I hung out earlier. Keep him still for me?”
Taweel’s hand felt over-large and clumsy as he gingerly took the yahavim between his thumb and forefinger. The tiny manna-maker hummed an unhappy note. Angels of this order might not be capable of speech, but this one showed enough sense to accept the Weaver’s help freeing his delicate wings.
“Where is his shepherd?”
Faceted eyes blinked up at him.
“This one is wild,” murmured Loris.
Taweel grunted. “It shows.”
<< PREVIOUS CHAPTER | NEXT CHAPTER >>
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 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.
December 9, 2013
Tried and True, Chapter 21: Changing of the Guard
Chapter 21: Changing of the Guard
“Not yet?”
The boy was entirely too optimistic. Yet implied a future in which Taweel might leave this shadowed haven. But he couldn’t think of a single reason to emerge. “Go without me.”
Disappointment filled Weft’s eyes. “Again?”
Would the boy ever give up asking? Taweel simply shook his head.
Before Weft’s patter was entirely gone, Loris’s approaching steps met Taweel’s ears. The changing of the guard. Except … the Weaver was running. Suddenly, a splotch of brightness hit the filmy curtain that hung across Taweel’s alcove. Loris caught up and caged the buzzing, squeaking intruder between both hands. “Gotcha!”
<< PREVIOUS CHAPTER | NEXT CHAPTER >>
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 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.
December 6, 2013
The Week’s Accumulation lxvii
This was a good week to join the hustle-bustle of holiday preparations. Secret Santa name swaps. New sprinkles and sugars for cookie decorating. Lights on the tree. Seasonal music on the stereo. I’m spending much more time away from my computer. It’s a nice annual break, though I’ll admit to coasting along with a daily minimum word count of 1,000. If I didn’t write at all, I’d get all ‘Bah, humbug!’ on folks. So for a peek at my week’s clutter, read on!
This week’s accumulation:
♦ First off, I have an update on the short story “Angels in Harmony,” which was scheduled to release on December 3. Zondervan is doing their best to get this gift to us in time for Christmas, but we’ll have to be patient for another week or so. Many apologies for the delay. All I can say is … Baird and Kester will be worth the wait! : ) To tide you over, how about a peek at some of the art-in-progress?
One fun thing about writing a story that overlaps The Broken Window was the chance to fill in some “missing” scenes. For instance, Ransom mentions in passing that he’s thinking about inviting his friends Christmas caroling with the youth of the DeeVee. “Angels in Harmony” confirms that he followed through with his plan.
♦ Part of the clutter on my desktop this week is my mailing list. Family. Friends. Readers. I’ve started in on my Christmas cards for this year. Would you like one? It’d be a pleasure to drop something in the mail for you and yours. Nudge me by email with your mailing address, and I can send holiday greetings … plus some pretty little extras:
♦ Would you like a bookplate? Let me know how you’d like it personalized!
♦ If you haven’t signed up for postcards, I can send some your way!
♦ Selected readers will receive a set of 4 promo cards!
♦ I’ll be at Rockpile Bookstore this coming Sunday, December 8, 2013 to sign books in the Threshold Series. The Rock Church is located at 2277 Rosecrans Street, San Diego, CA 92106. I’ll be around during their first three services, which puts me in the building from around 7 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. There’ll be free art cards, beautiful bookplates, and a Christmas special. The Rockpile will be selling The Blue Door (Bk 1), The Hidden Deep (Bk 2), and The Broken Window (Bk 3) for $9.99 apiece. Or you can get a set of all three for just $24.99. Perfect for Christmas gift-giving!
♦ Here’s some seasonal fun! All throughout The Broken Window, Prissie tries to think of the perfect gifts for her angelic friends. I’m curious what you would choose! So here’s your chance! Thanks to Pinterest, you already have the chance to Give Baird a T-shirt. This morning, I opened a new board called Threshold Series – Secret Santa. Pick a gift for any of the Threshold Series characters. Tell us who it’s for and why you chose it. If you want to join in, tell me what name you use on Pinterest, and I’ll add you to the group!
So what’s cluttering up your desktop? Do tell!
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Tried and True, Chapter 20: Blank Canvas
Chapter 20: Blank Canvas
Two by two. That’s how the ranks of heaven were organized. Whenever the newly-formed were brought in, each youngster was paired off with an older, wiser angel of their order for training. Taweel could remember being a child. Vaguely. But he had no idea what to say to one. Especially an inquisitive Weaver.
Weft plucked at his sleeve and asked, “Don’t you have a name?”
“I do.”
“Is it a secret?”
“I am Taweel.” He touched his tunic’s unadorned collar, which revealed nothing about his former place. “Your mentor gave me empty raiment.”
“Not empty,” argued Weft. “This is ready.”
<< PREVIOUS CHAPTER | NEXT CHAPTER >>
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 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.
December 5, 2013
Tried and True, Chapter 19: Eyes and Ears
Chapter 19: Eyes and Ears
Taweel turned over and stared hard at the entrance, automatically tensed to defend … what? His cot? With a grunt, he flopped back onto his bed and waited for the culprit to show himself.
Delicate brown fingers stirred the sheer curtains. Dark eyes with thick lashes peered through the gap. Twisting braids. Pointed ears. The boy was definitely a Weaver. And curious.
“Who are you?” Taweel asked.
The question was all the invitation the young angel needed. He hurried over to confide, “I’m Weft. Loris is my mentor.”
Taweel grunted again. So the Weaver had a name. And an apprentice.
<< PREVIOUS CHAPTER | NEXT CHAPTER >>
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 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.
