Gwen Gardner's Blog, page 17

Realms Trial: Father Dragon Incites Riot

 
Hear ye, hear ye, goode citizens of Blogtown. Welcome to Realms Faire 2013 and the Stockade Brigade, Word Wizards on Trial event.

To learn more about the Realms Faire, please go to Realms Faire headquarters HERE.

Events: Joust ~ Drench-a-Wench/Soak-a-Bloke~ Stockade Brigade~ Dueling Bards ~ Phasers ~ Masquerade Parade ~ Collective Performance ~ Castle Jumble ~ Dragon Hunt

To check out the stupendous Realms Faire Giveaways, go HERE.

Thank you so much to our sponsors for participating in this fun event - check them out HERE.
 Ye Olde Realms Trial Rules:
1.  Prithee, keep order at all times.
2.  There will be no throwing of sticks or stones or anything resembling fecal matter.
3.  Spitting upon our worthy guests or other citizens is strictly forbidden.
4.  Commenters art awarded points based on ye best olde English.
5.  An bribe ebook or $5 Amazon gift card will be bequeathed by each prisoner.
6.  A $25 Amazon gift card will be awarded at the end of the week by Sheriff Gwen.
7. HENCE, ye must comment to win!
 
Let the trials begin!
 

*Sheriff Gwen rolls out scroll to read the charge* Upon a recent tip from a certain dragon hunter, erm, I mean steadfast citizenof this most worthy realmdom, I did receive reliable information about Father Dragon, late of Mexico, now of Blogtown in the land of Realms, and most recently a guest of ye olde Realms Stockade Brigade, courtesy of her highness, Mistress Mary Pax, and overseen by me, Gwen, the honorable Sheriff of Realms. *runs out of breath and sucks in a lungful of air before continuing*
Twas upon the 2nd day of October, Father Dragon was witnessed thinking most deeply when he inscribed upon his cave wall, The Never Ending Battle For Greatness . Tis blasphemous, I say! Father Dragon admitted that two beings existed within his head (a charge for another day) when he spoke of the fight betwixt the two of them; Spirit and Mind.
I charge Father Dragon with attempting to incite a riot in Realmdom betwixt Spirit and Mind, which if successful, wouldst spread throughout the blogoverse like wildfire!
Here is my evidence, taken word for word from the crime scene, Father Dragon’s own talons and lair:
“The more I meditate about life, the more I realize there is a permanent battle between my brain and my spirit. My spirit speaks of greatness and miracles and endless possibilities. My brain speaks of past wounds, fears, flaws and limitations. My spirit compels me to aim for the sky, my brain plots to chain me to the ground.  They fight over the control of my actions and I pay close attention to this war. Today, I share my findings with you.”
“"It's all over. We're so very screwed. Just drop and die!" My brain would scream.
My spirit, however, says different. "There is a reason for this and it is NOT for you to dig your own grave. Don't hide. Face it! Fight it! Win!"”
*Sheriff Gwen looks left, then right, then leans toward the spectators confidentially*  S’truth, Spirit and Mind both argued equally good points.
*Ahem* I invite ye to visiteth the crime scene where you mighteth see for thyself, that Father Dragon did indeed encourage citizens of this fair land to engage in raucous commentary on his cave wall.
How plead ye, Father Dragon?
While my brain says I’m innocent, my spirit says I’m guilty as charged. I mean, it is true that my words encourage the confrontation between brain and spirit but before you cut my head with an Oreo cookie, hear me out. First, let’s make clear that brain and mind are not synonymous. Brain is the muscle inside our skull, mind is a creator. For example, you can hear the 9th Symphony on the radio, but the radio didn’t create the 9th Symphony. It was Beethoven. The radio is just a tool, and so is the brain. We are more than our brain.
I want people to realize that we are meant to be the masters of our brain, not its servants.  I am encouraging the readers to take responsibility for their thoughts and challenge their fears. Excuses and procrastination are the way we often disguise fear and all fears come from the brain. Past experiences programmed it to think we’re not good enough, talented enough, brave enough, or strong enough. Just not enough.
Hrithik Roshan, an Indian actor and remarkable human being, said. "All fear is 99% assumption-based. In fact, almost ALL worries in life would disappear if we just stop assuming things.” The dreadful but familiar *what if…?*
Think about it and you’ll see this is a great truth. I’ve just read that when we assume that reality is a given, what we’re really accepting isn’t the world “out there” but our own limitations “in here”. In other words, limitations exist because our brain is programmed to accept them. We must stop worrying about all the possible things that can go wrong, or who’s to blame. It’s more effective and rewarding to focus on our power to make things right. So I stand by my word. Take responsibility and challenge your brain.
Aye, methinks Father Dragon speaks with forked tongue still. Even I am beginning to feel raucous emotions. Let the commenters decide if he be innocent or guilty.
What say ye, commenters? Shall we free Father Dragon?

IWSG: Trying Something New

 Wow, I really don't know where October went. Halloween is typically a busy month for bloggers and those who write paranormal. Had a really good time, though.
Today is Insecure Writer's Support Group Day. Thank you to Alex Cavanaugh for hosting, and his helpers at the  Insecure Writer’s Support Group  for co-hosting: CD Coffelt, Tina Downey, Isis Rushdan, and Michelle Wallace!

This is probably silly, but I'm going to say it anyway. My latest insecurity has to do with writing something new. Since I'm writing a series, I write the same characters, with the same themes. I have two books published, and a third of my novella series completed - but they're with the same characters. I know them. I'm comfortable with them.

Well, me being me, I've said that I'll participate in an anthology with my Untethered Realms group and I'm sort of freaking out. I don't know what to write. I've only written the Indigo Eady Paranormal Mystery series! What if I'm not able to write other characters? What if I do write something new and the characters are the same as in the series? I really want to write something new, perhaps a prequel that would work as an introduction to a new series...

Like I said, it's just silly, but any advice you have is welcome.

What about you? Any insecurities this month?

A Kingdom of Dust, Oh The Possibilities!

Check out this most lovely cover by the most lovely River Fairchild! But first, let's hear a bit about it. Leave your claustrophobia about caving behind, because this is a whole different kind of thing entirely... Diamonds and Dust: Magic is real. So is betrayal. Two heirs. A Kingdom of dust on a troubled world. One might resurrect it. One might destroy it all. Archaeologist David Alexander investigates the cave where his father disappeared and hurtles into another world, one filled with magic and bizarre creatures. The mad ravings in his father's journals of icemen and dragons may not be fantasies after all. Convinced his father may still be alive, David begins a treacherous journey to find him and discover a way home. Along the way, he encounters a few unlikely friends. A Dreean warrior, a beautiful thief and a satyr join him as he searches. David's arrival into this new world sets off an explosive chain reaction of events. Faced with powerful adversaries and few clues, he may not get the chance to rescue his father before disaster strikes, condemning both of them to death. Or worse.
      Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/x/id719750101 Kobo - http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Diamonds-and-Dust/book-Ak4gDmNfekmJ5ZKAUwNqEw/page1.html?s=lpkJpHfDL0ih26-TFJOaew&r=1 Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/diamonds-and-dust-river-fairchild/1117051844?ean=2940045303385   What do you think? Would you go in?

Our Legacy and Fate Intended

I am so happy to have Elizabeth Seckman on my blog today! And I love what she has to say about independent authors. So-- Heeeeere's Elizabeth!

 Hi Gwen! Thanks for having me over. I’m excited to be out peddling my next book, ummm, I mean visiting blog friends ;)
  I just sent my edits in to the publisher yesterday…a few weeks later than expected, so my release date is all up in the air, but, I am celebrating!Why?Good question…thanks for asking. I am celebrating because I learned something very important with this book. Photo: WikiCommons We are freaking pioneers and we should be proud.  All of us- from the indies; to the small press ; to the bloggers in their underpants- we are all forging our own trail. Sure, it’d be a comfier to wait until the train (or the large pub) had all the tracks laid and there was a nice, warm coal powered locomotive ready to carry us to our dreams, but hey, where’s the American spirit in that?Settlers didn’t settle.  Sod busters didn’t wait for the plow to be invented.Cowboys didn’t become pig farmers because they’re easier to rustle up.And the miners ‘49s didn’t wait to shop at Tiffany’s before going after the gold.When you want something badly enough, then working hard and venturing rough trails is just part of the journey.
We should be proud that we're bold enough to risk it.And that’s the legacy and heart of indie.

Elizabeth Seckman: writer pioneer, who hates to camp. Her third book in the Coulter Men Series is to be released soon from World Castle Publishing.
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Blurb:


Trip is the last of the Coulter sons to find love. He’s smart…he’s handsome…he’s a shadow op. He’s a man with all the skills a spy needs. But when it comes to relationships, he misses the target.

Jane is sweet…she’s beautiful…she’s a cleaning lady. She’s a woman with all the skills a lady needs to sweep a man’s heart right into her hands. She may be wanted for murder, but she has her sights set on Trip. Trip sees her every day, but he never really sees her at all until fate and his bitchy girlfriend bring them together. Nothing about Olivia is average. Not her looks, her body, nor her obnoxiousness. When Olivia turns her full fury on Jane, it’s Trip to the emotional rescue. For him, it’s an opportunity to make amends. For Jane, it’s an opportunity to make dreams come true…to make reality as it was intended to be.

Seance Winners From The Great Beyond

Our séances yesterday were so much fun! The creativeness, the conjurers, the ghosts! Edgar Allan Poe definitely made the rounds yesterday. I saw Mark Twain a couple of times as well. Then there was Jane Austen, and--just so many!

Thanks so much to all who participated!

Now it's time to pick winners.....

Participant Winner:  Michelle Wallace at Writer in Transit wins ecopies of Givin' Up The Ghost and A Guilty Ghost Surprised for channeling Dr. Seuss!

Commenter Winner:  Christine Rains wins an ebook copy of A Guilty Ghost Surprised!

Congratulations to the winners, and thanks again for participating.

Have a fun and safe Halloween.

A Haunting From The Great Beyond

 Welcome to the From The Great Beyond bloghop, where deceased writers can gather around the séance table and chat a bit across the great divide. Come on in, pull up a seat, and take the hands of the people on each side of you. Now close your eyes while I try to summon my favorite deceased author, Charles Dickens.  But before we start, I'll tell you a bit about him. He wrote tons of stories about ghosts and such, the most famous being A Christmas Carol. Remember Jacob Marley, who was dead as a doornail and had to go around rattling chains for his sins? He wore the chains he forged in life. If you'll remember, Marley's chains were cash boxes, ledgers and deeds. Money was his business, when it should have been Mankind.  Did you know that Dickens was one of the first social activists? His father went to debtor's prison when he was a child, and little Charles was forced to work long hours at a factory. He never forgot that, and his stories are full of social commentary, disguised within the pages of his eccentric, yet amazing stories and characters.  Now if you're ready, let's join hands and.... *The table rattles* What was that? Who did that?  *The table begins to rise* *Empty chairs lie on the floor and Gwen is left standing alone* Um, while I go to see what happened to my guests, perhaps you would like to leave a comment? *Gwen hightails it out of there*  Which writer would you choose to contact?


Sorry everyone, but my linky won't work on my blog, but if you'll go to Tara, Angela or Roland, you should be able to see a list of participants to visit. Did I mention there are prizes?! Lots of prizes for both the participants and the commenters.

We'll announce the winners on Halloween (tomorrow)!



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No Moustache Twirling Allowed!

I always love hearing how authors create their characters, because without three dimensional characters, your book may as well just be narrated. So I'm so excited to have Misha Gerrick here to talk about getting to know her characters.

~ ~ ~     I don’t know about you, but I usually root for the more complex character in the story. If this, to my mind, is the supporting character, so be it. And too bad for the writer if it happens to be the villain.
These days it’s fashionable to make a villain complex. I’m grateful for this, not being much of a fan of moustache twirling, snickering fiends. That said, this fashion has had a bit of an adverse effect. Some writers put so much focus into creating this awesome bad guy that they forget that the hero needs to be three dimensional too. No awesome bad guy should conceivably be beaten by a stick figure.
And yet this happens more often than readers would like to admit. It just… well… leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth.
As a result, I focus quite a lot on character complexity when I write. To me, it’s more than one positive, one negative, one habit, one quirk. In fact, I don’t design my characters.
I assume they’re fully formed and spend a draft or two getting to know them. I discover things they hate, but also the levels to which those things are tolerated. Conversely, I know what the characters want, but also at what point they think something’s too much of a good thing.
I know their secrets (if they show me), I know what annoys them for no reason. Often times, I understand why those things annoy them even if they don’t.
Best thing about all this is that, because I discovered all this on the page, the reader will discover these things too. And through that, they glimpse the many facets that make up my characters.
As a result, though, my characters aren’t sweet. Well one is, but she has a temper. Or the other guy… oh wait, he’s hiding something. Or… nope. He’s a bit of a manipulator. But you know what? I prefer my characters on the heroic side of wicked. It’s just that much more interesting to see someone stand up for the right thing despite their characteristics, than having someone stand up because hey, he’s perfect, so why wouldn’t he?
How do you make your characters complex?
Blurb Since the death of her parents, Callan Blair has been shunted from one foster family to another, her dangerous secret forcing the move each time. Her latest foster family quickly ships her off to an exclusive boarding school in the Cumbrian countryside. While her foster-brother James makes it his mission to get Callan expelled, a nearby ancient castle holds the secret doorway to another land...

When Callan is forced through the doorway, she finds herself in the magical continent of Tardith, where she’s shocked to learn her schoolmates Gawain and Darrion are respected soldiers in service to the king of Nordaine, one of Tardith's realms. More than that, the two are potential heirs to the Black Knight—Nordaine's crown prince.

But when the Black Knight fails to return from a mysterious trip, the realm teeters on the brink of war. Darrion and Gawain set out to find him, while Callan discovers there is more to her family history than she thought. The elves are claiming she is their princess.

Now with Darrion growing ever more antagonistic and her friendship with Gawain blossoming, Callan must decide whether to stay in Nordaine—where her secret grows ever more threatening—or go to the elves and uncover the truth about her family before war sets the realms afire.
 
About Misha:
M. Gerrick (AKA Misha Gericke) has basically created stories since before she could write. Many of those stories grew up with her and can be seen in her current projects.
She lives close to Cape Town, with a view over False Bay and Table Mountain.
If you’d like to contact her, feel free to mail her at warofsixcrowns(AT)gmail(DOT)com, Circle her on Google Plus or follow her on Twitter. If you'd like to see her writer-side (beware, it's pretty insane), please feel free to check out her blog. You can also add The Vanished Knight on Goodreads.
 
Links: 
Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
All Romance Reads
Amazon France
Amazon Germany ~ ~ ~ Come back Wednesday for From The Great Beyond Bloghop!    Wish I could get the linky to work. Alas, Blogger is being cranky. But if you want to sign up for this fun and easy hop, go to Tara, Angela or Roland's to sign up. Just post on Wednesday about a writer you'd like to contact from the great beyond, hop around to comment, then come back on Thursday (Halloween!) to find out who wins. 
 

Groovin' To Creepy Hollow

Creepy Hollow is absolutely one of my favorite indie series. Each novella is filled with the magical fae world created by Rachel Morgan.   And now, guess who has the inside scoop to the tunes of the Creepy Hollow series?!
Me and You! Check it out...
Creepy Hollow Playlist For Creepy Hollow: the forest, the magic, and all the creatures in it: Main Title from Edward Scissorhands



For any of the seriously creepy scenes, like Underground or the Unseelie Court: Black, by Sarah McLachlan (It has to be the X-files version. It sounds the creepiest!)



For the graduation ball, the dancing, and the big moment of realization Vi has: All About Us, by He Is We feat. Owl City



For the gazillion glow-bug butts moment (you know what I'm talking about if you've read it!): Meteor Shower, by Owl City



For all the actions scenes: The Best of Epic Music 2012 (I know the dude on the thumbnail is kinda scary, but the music is awesome!)



Remember "that kiss" inside the hidden passage at the Seelie Court? Hotness alert! Kiss Me, by Katy Perry (I'm going with the passion and feeling of this song and not the alienness, 'cause that kinda creeps me out, and not in a good way!)



For the overall feeling and state of mind after all the STUFF at the end of the second book (!): The One That Got Away, by The Civil Wars (thanks, Krista McLaughlin, for the suggestion!)



And this one's for Nate: This Night, by Black Lab



~ ~ ~
Rachel is currently touring the blogoverse to spread the word about the final book in the Creepy Hollow series, The Faerie War. You can find it at the following online retailers (and if you haven't yet read the first two books in the series, you can find out where to get them on this page):


   Amazon US | Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble
AppleiBookstore
CreateSpace (print)
 
 About Rachel:   Rachel Morgan was born in South Africa and spent a large portion of her childhood living in a fantasy land of her own making. After completing a degree in genetics, she decided science wasn’t for her—after all, they didn’t approve of made-up facts. These days she spends much of her time immersed in fantasy land once more, writing fiction for young adults. Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest       And don't forget the giveaway!     a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Magna's Plea Peek-quel

I love that Cherie Reich is giving us a free sneak peek-quel to Reborn, which is Book I in The Fate of Challenges which is coming out in May 2014. See where you can download it below. But for now, I've got a lil' excerpt...


 An excerpt of Magna’s Plea by Cherie Reich
Amora
12-13 Days of Luquiry
Year 1717 AUC
Tendrils of smoke swirled heavenward. The smoldering stench reached Princess Magna at the top of the palace’s northern tower. She wrinkled her nose at the unpleasant odor, yet it still smelled better than the filth plaguing the besieged seven-hilled city.
 She’d vowed to protect Amora. Her heart shattered a little more each day at the devastation afflicting her kingdom.
The once grassy and flower-filled plain sprouted dust plumes from the trampling feet. As the sun neared the western horizon, a bloody hue washed over the battlefield. Tiny, metallic dins and men’s shouts rang out. Magical bursts flashed in the sky like Thean’s lightning, beautiful and deadly. A wooden catapult hurled a human-sized stone slab into the city’s wall. Magna jerked away from the opened window she stood before, as if the object had struck her instead. Rock crumbled from the impact, but the barrier held.
When the reddish orb sank lower, the fighting ceased. War’s chaos parted into two orderly sides, and soldiers crossed the field to gather their dead. 
She brushed a shaky hand over her cheeks. Tears dampened her face, and she struggled to turn away from the battle before her. Almost two months had passed since the Apenthans had begun their attack Amora. How much longer could the Amorans—she—stay safe behind their impenetrable wall?

Book Description: A princess will rise and challenge Fate.

While her father, brothers, and people fight against the Kingdom of Apentha, tenacious eighteen-year-old Princess Magna can only watch the destruction of Amora, her besieged city and kingdom. Her mother, Queen Vyvian, has refused to allow her heir to join the fray.

But Magna won't take no for an answer. She seeks out an end of the war from Prince Cyrun of Apentha, their prisoner. If she can't persuade him toward peace, then Amora may fall.

This short story prequel includes a sneak peek of Reborn, Book One of The Fate Challenges, forthcoming May 2014.

YA Epic Fantasy
The Fate Challenges #0.5
A 5500-word Short Story
To download this short story for free: Amazon / Nook/ iTunes/ Kobo / Smashwords / Goodreads
Read online at Wattpad
Add to Goodreads
 
About the Author:    A self-proclaimed bookworm, Cherie Reich is a speculative fiction writer, freelance editor, book blogger, and library assistant living in Virginia. Her short stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies, and her books include the horror series Nightmare, a space fantasy novella trilogy titled Gravity, and the fantasy series The Foxwick Chronicles. She is Vice President of Valley Writers and a member of the Virginia Writers Club and Untethered Realms.
Her debut YA Epic Fantasy novel Reborn, book one in The Fate Challenges, will be released on May 23, 2014.

Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads/ Wattpad
 

Almost Matched & #W4WS

 Who doesn't love romance?  Check out the lovely cover in Angela Orlowski-Peart's new series,  Almost Bad Boys ~ ~ ~  Almost Matched      This novella is approximately 39k words. It is scheduled for publication on November 8, 2013. The cover was designed by Regina Wamba of Mae I Design and Photography.SYNOPSIS  Would you take another shot at love? Or just settle on a friend with benefits? THEIR HEARTBREAKING PAST WILL MOVE YOU. THEIR PASSION WILL MAKE YOU BLUSH. THEIR ANTICS WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH OUT LOUD.  Twenty-five-year-old Natalie Davenport lugs substantial baggage. One boyfriend after the next has been a total disaster, leaving Natalie distrustful toward the male population in general. So when Colin Hampton crosses her path, she’s cautious. Her heart (and some other body parts!) nudges her to go for it, while her head wants her to run for the hills. Colin is one of those gorgeous guys who attract women, no matter the age or marital status. With a successful career at a popular Seattle radio station, hard body, and charming personality, he is the complete package. But something dark lurks in the corners of his soul; some murky experience that has changed him—maybe for the better, but maybe for the worse. Will he steal her heart and stomp over it like other guys did? Will she let him into her heavily fortified world despite herself? Or will they settle somewhere in the middle—establishing the emotional boundaries to protect them from falling in love?

**O** This contemporary romantic comedy blends humor, sensuality, and angst, with zany characters and witty dialogue.***Warning: contains sexual situations (some quite vivid!), profanity, and a high dose of sarcasm. Oh, and there is a lot of appletini and beer drinking. May not be appropriate for readers under 18 years old. Not intended for prudes and killjoys with no sense of humor***  **O**  THE SERIES: The Almost Bad Boys series are the stories of four feisty twenty-something women who refuse to let their past drag them down. **O** Add Almost Matched to your book list on Goodreads:   
**O**  The author is looking for beta readers. If you are a book reviewer and would like to beta read and review Almost Matched, please sign up HERE ASAP. She will send you the ARC copy in the PDF file.  
**O** ABOUT THE AUTHOR A.O. Peart describes herself as European born, American by choice. She was just seven-years-old when she decided to learn English and translate her favorite Polish fairytales.She is the author of the Young Adult and New Adult fiction novels. She writes in multiple genres, including paranormal, fantasy, urban fantasy, contemporary, sci-fi, and short stories. She is passionate about watercolor painting, fashion—especially stilettos, rock climbing, environment, and organic food and gardening. She lives in the Seattle area with her family and a chronically curious cat.
Find the Author here:  Website | Newsletter signup | Amazon PageFacebook Author Page Goodreads Page Twitter handle @Angela_PeartPinterest Page

*****************************   AND, LEST WE FORGET...

It's Writers 4 Writers Day! Today Alex and Isis are being highlighted. If you get the chance,  please stop by Alex Cavanaugh's and Isis Rushdan's  to see how you can support them.