C.J. Brightley's Blog, page 3
December 29, 2017
Twelve Days of (Faerie) Christmas Release Date Poll
I hope your Christmas was wonderful, filled with the love of family and friends and the joy and wonder of Christ’s birth. We had fun with my parents and Skyped my brother and new sister-in-law, whom we haven’t seen in far too long.
Twelve Days of (Faerie) Christmas (obviously) wasn’t ready in time for a Christmas release. Partly this was because I needed to tweak a few things and editing always, without fail, takes longer than I expect it will. And partly this was because my fantabulous cover designer was booked up until well past Christmas! So this leaves me with a dilemma – when should I release it? As soon as it’s done, July (Christmas in July?), or hold onto it until next Christmas?
I made a temporary cover. It’s not nearly as good as what Jenny will do (you can laugh at it if you want), but it was fun to do! It captures the sweetness of the story, but not the magic or monsters (or magical monsters). So you’ll have to use your imagination.
Scroll down to vote on when I should release it.
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} .yop-poll-forms-display{}When should I release Twelve Days of (Faerie) Christmas?
As soon as it's ready, maybe mid-February (give it to me now!)
July for Christmas in July (I'm patient, but not THAT patient!)
December 2018 (Christmas stories should be read at Christmas!)
Other
Vote
View Results
Total Answers 63
Total Votes 63
The post Twelve Days of (Faerie) Christmas Release Date Poll appeared first on C. J. Brightley.
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Still Waters Release!
The Lord of Dreams – New Release!
Release Week for Luminous!
November 24, 2017
Thanksgiving Sale! 10% off all books (direct only)
All my books are 10% off until Dec 3, 2017, to celebrate Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, winter, noblebright fantasy, and my gratitude for you lovely readers!
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All the paperback listings have the ebooks included FREE, so you can purchase the paperback as a gift and keep the ebook for yourself. Or just keep both!
I sell my paperbacks through Gumroad, which doesn’t always do combined shipping very well. If it doesn’t seem to be combining shipping for you, go ahead and check out and I’ll send you a refund for the excess after I ship the books. I ship via Media Mail within the US – 1 book is about $3, and six books is about $5.50.
Here are the direct links with the code already embedded and the discount applied:
Erdemen Honor:
The King’s Sword: paperback + ebook, ebook only
A Cold Wind: : paperback + ebook, ebook only
Honor’s Heir: paperback + ebook, ebook only
Street Fox: FREE if you subscribe to my mailing list, ebook
Heroes: ebook only
Heroes and Other Stories: paperback only (includes Street Fox, Heroes, and Color, all stories available as ebooks individually)
Erdemen Honor Boxed Set: Books 1-3: ebook only
A Long-Forgotten Song:
Things Unseen: paperback + ebook, ebook only
The Dragon’s Tongue: paperback + ebook, ebook only
The Beginning of Wisdom: paperback + ebook, ebook only
A Fairy King:
A Fairy King: paperback + ebook, ebook only
A Fairy Promise: paperback + ebook, ebook only
The Lord of Dreams: paperback + ebook, ebook only
Still Waters: A Noblebright Fantasy Anthology: paperback + ebook, ebook only
The post Thanksgiving Sale! 10% off all books (direct only) appeared first on C. J. Brightley.
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Eclipse Pictures and A Giveaway of The Lord of Dreams!
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Get Heroes for FREE! Write a review and tell me about it
November 21, 2017
What I’m Reading #12
These are some of the standout books that I’ve enjoyed lately.
[image error] The Magician’s Elephant – Kate DiCamillo – I went on a DiCamillo binge a month or two ago, and have enjoyed every single book. Definitely recommended for adults as well as children.
In a highly awaited new novel, Kate DiCamillo conjures a haunting fable about trusting the unexpected — and making the extraordinary come true.
What if? Why not? Could it be?
When a fortuneteller’s tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller’s mysterious answer (an elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that you will hardly dare to believe it’s true. With atmospheric illustrations by fine artist Yoko Tanaka, here is a dreamlike and captivating tale that could only be narrated by Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo. In this timeless fable, she evokes the largest of themes — hope and belonging, desire and compassion — with the lightness of a magician’s touch.
[image error] The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane – Kate DiCamillo – Lovely, and very much in the vein of The Velveteen Rabbit.
Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who adored him completely. And then, one day, he was lost… Kate DiCamillo takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the depths of the ocean to the net of a fisherman, from the bedside of an ailing child to the bustling streets of Memphis. Along the way, we are shown a miracle–that even a heart of the most breakable kind can learn to love, to lose, and to love again.
[image error] Because of Winn-Dixie – Kate DiCamillo – This is my niece’s favorite book, and I can completely understand why. It’s charming.
A classic tale by Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo, America’s beloved storyteller.
One summer’s day, ten-year-old India Opal Buloni goes down to the local supermarket for some groceries – and comes home with a dog. But Winn-Dixie is no ordinary dog. It’s because of Winn-Dixie that Opal begins to make friends. And it’s because of Winn-Dixie that she finally dares to ask her father about her mother, who left when Opal was three. In fact, as Opal admits, just about everything that happens that summer is because of Winn-Dixie. Featuring a new cover illustration by E. B. Lewis.
[image error] The Tethered World (The Tethered World Chronicles, #1) – Heather L.L. FitzGerald – This was chosen in an online book club of which I am a member. I very much enjoyed certain aspects of it and didn’t enjoy a few others quite as much, but overall the book was a fun, clean read.
“Normal” means different things to different people. For sixteen-year-old Sadie Larcen, family dynamics look a little different than most. Parents with oddball occupations? Normal. Five homeschooled siblings—one with autism? Normal.
Police knocking on the door and parents gone missing? Definitely not normal!
When Sadie uncovers the reasons behind her parents’ disappearance and the truth about her heritage, she despairs of ever feeling normal again. Especially when she learns that her mother’s interest in Bigfoot, Dwarves, and other lore extends beyond her popular blog. Sadie’s family has been entrusted with keeping the secrets of the Tethered World—home to creatures that once roamed the Garden of Eden.
Sadie and her siblings must venture into this land to rescue their parents. Stepping out of reality and into a world she never knew existed is a journey Sadie fears and resents. But she chooses to risk all to save her family.
She’s just not sure she will survive in the process.
Young Adult Christian Fantasy
[image error] The Wave Speaker (The Powers of Amur #0.5) – J.S. Bangs – A magnificent, dark(ish) fantasy with some beautiful noblebright aspects even in the midst of the darkness. Mike Reeves-McMillan introduced me to J.S. Bangs as a fellow noblebright fantasy author, and I’m very glad of it. Powerful prose, a rich world, and deep, complex characters make this a series you don’t want to miss.
Pirates. Sharks. And a woman walking across the sea in a storm.
Patara is returning from a trade voyage when he is chased by pirates and runs through a storm—and then he catches a woman walking atop the waves and speaking to the sea. He and his crew pull her out of the water, only to find that they’ve caught more than they bargained for. Will Patara sacrifice his cargo and his livelihood to save the last member of a mystic tradition?
This short novel is an introduction to the forthcoming epic fantasy series The Powers of Amur.
[image error] White Hart (White Hart, #1) – Sarah Dalton – This was another selection in my online book club, which I enjoyed. It was a little more YA than I’d prefer, and I think the characters annoyed me a little, but the character growth made sense, especially given that there are several more books in the series. The world is rich and the challenges the characters face are entertaining.
The first novel in this coming of age fantasy series filled with magic, adventure, and heart.
In a land where magic has dried out, Mae Waylander is the last magic wielder in Aegunlund. She is the craft-born. But Mae has kept her true identity hidden from the world, and she’s not about to reveal her secret. Not when the King is searching for the craft-born to marry his heir, Prince Casimir.
In Mae’s town of Halts-Walden, the ambitious miller claims his daughter Ellen is the craft-born. All Mae has to do is sit back and wait until Casimir and Ellen are married, then she will finally be free of the threat of her fate. But on that day an event so shocking and terrible occurs that Mae finds herself entering the neighbouring cursed forest on a quest she never thought she’d have to follow.
Join Mae as she rides her white stag through the Waerg Woods with a pampered prince at her heels. She’s out for revenge and nothing—no one—will get in her way.
[image error]Dragonfriend (Dragonfriend #1) – Marc Secchia – Just wow. Marc Secchia is a new favorite author. The dragons are amazing, the human characters are complex, and the world is rich and beautiful and magnificent. This one is classified as YA, but I think it’s full-on epic fantasy that happens to have a coming of age story with a young protagonist. It’s more than “just YA” – it’s epic fantasy first and YA/coming of age second. Definitely enjoyable for those who don’t normally read YA fantasy.
Gold Award winner – 2017 Readers Favorite Awards (Young Adult / Coming of Age) and Gold Award winner – 2016 Independent Publisher Book Awards
Stabbed. Burned by a dragon. Abandoned for the windrocs to pick over. The traitor Ra’aba tried to silence Hualiama forever. But he reckoned without the strength of a dragonet’s paw, and the courage of a girl who refused to die.
Only an extraordinary friendship will save Hualiama’s beloved kingdom of Fra’anior and restore the King to the Onyx Throne. Flicker, the valiant dragonet. Hualiama, a foundling, adopted into the royal family. The power of a friendship which paid the ultimate price.
This is the tale of Hualiama Dragonfriend, and a love which became legend.
Series Note:
Dragonfriend is a YA fantasy novel set in the same world of the bestselling dragon adventure series Shapeshifter Dragons and Shapeshifter Dragon Legends. It can be read in any order alongside Aranya, Shadow Dragon and The Pygmy Dragon. Awesome dragons, epic stories and deep dragon lore abound in this unique series set in a world of volcanic islands above the clouds.
[image error] Mourning Cloak (Taurin’s Chosen, #1) – Rabia Gale – This was dark and beautiful, and I’m looking forward to finishing the series. It was fairly short; I think it’s a novella rather than a full novel. If you’re looking for something new and creative, check this one out.
A failed hero. A woman turned into a demon. Their second chance.
Kato Vorsok lost everything the day he was defeated at the gates of his enemy’s stronghold. Deserted by his god, estranged from his people and living in exile, he wants nothing to do with his old life.
Until the night he encounters a wounded mourning cloak, a demon who can walk through walls and spear a man’s heart with a fingernail.
She knows who he is. She speaks his dead wife’s name. And she needs his help.
Kato failed once. Can he fight again—and win?
The post What I’m Reading #12 appeared first on C. J. Brightley.
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November 7, 2017
Upcoming Events and a Giveaway!
Good afternoon! How are you? Thank you for making the Still Waters release fantastic! Super special thanks to those of you who have written such lovely reviews! The paperback is now available, as well as the ebook. If you don’t have it yet, I’ve pasted a snippet of Francesca Forrest’s “The Stars’ Chill Song” at the bottom of this post so you can get a taste of the stories.
To celebrate the release, I’m giving away an audiobook of The King’s Sword! If you win and you already have an audiobook of The King’s Sword, you can choose another of my audiobooks or a signed paperback of any of my books. 
October 24, 2017
Still Waters Release!
I’m excited to announce that Still Waters: A Noblebright Fantasy Anthology is now available!
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Amazon | B&N/Nook | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play | Smashwords
Noblebright fantasy is fantasy with a thread of hope even in the darkest hour, with characters who strive to do the right thing, even when it costs them everything.
In this exciting collection of noblebright fantasy, fresh new fantasy voices and award-winning authors explore grief and hope, sacrifice and heroism. Rediscover the best aspect of classic fantasy – the noblebright ideals that made heroes heroic, even when the world grew dark around them.
Wizards, princesses, peasants, schoolchildren, griffins, and the song of the stars shine brightly in these wide-ranging tales of possibility, courage, and hope.
This anthology features stories from JA Andrews, Gustavo Bondoni, Christopher Bunn, M.C. Dwyer, Yvonne Eliot, Francesca Forrest, Chloe Garner, Corrie Garrett, Joanna Hoyt, Cate Isert, Glenn James, Jim Johnson, Ville Meriläinen, A. K. R. Scott, Sherwood Smith, and John Taloni.
Edited by yours truly and Robert McCowen.
The paperback will be available shortly as well.
This is a fantastic new anthology, and I’m honored to be able to work with such talented authors! Read it today!
Thank you for reading!
~ C. J. Brightley
The post Still Waters Release! appeared first on C. J. Brightley.
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October 6, 2017
Luminous Interview: I Interview Marc Secchia
The authors of Luminous, including yours truly, are celebrating the release of the boxed set with a series of interviews and a giveaway! I’m interviewing Marc Secchia on my blog today.
What is noblebright fantasy? Noblebright fantasy is fantasy set apart by a sense of hope. Noblebright fantasy includes at least one character who, although flawed, still deliberately pursues goodness. And that goodness has the power to make a difference. In a noblebright story, even villains are not without hope. Their redemption isn’t guaranteed, of course, but it is a possibility. You can find more detail here on Noblebright.org.
Marc Secchia is the author of The Pygmy Dragon, Shapeshifter Dragon Legends Book 1.
Be sure to check out the other interviews, too! Oh, and don’t forget to scroll down to enter the giveaway!
C. J. : What is Noblebright to you?
Marc: ‘Noblebright’ describes a brand of fantasy fiction which is generally uplifting, hopeful and searches out the good or even noble in characters, events and storylines. That does mean that these stories are without pain and peril, of course, but rather that the light always shines through.
C. J.: How do you portray the Noblebright ideals in your work in general and the Luminous selection in particular?
Marc: My writing is clean and written to inspire, to celebrate the beauty and wonder out there, and to transport the reader while working subtly on their heart. Often, my book characters are faced with powerful choices – what do I do with this fate or power which has been granted to me? And those choices form the backbone of the tales that I tell, which also explore topics such as racism, overcoming obstacles, coming of age and friendship against the odds.
My selection for the Luminous anthology was The Pygmy Dragon, the tale of a girl taken into slavery, raised by apes and liberated by a Dragon. It is about her journey against the odds to become the one who saves those she loves.
C. J.: Other than your own, which is your favourite book in the Luminous collection; and why?
Marc: Perhaps my favourite is Sunbolt by Intisar Khanani, who weaves lush, believable tapestries of words. Her stories are always riven by the failings and foibles of human nature, yet are ultimately triumphant.
Khanani’s ability to weave atmosphere and intrigue is her greatest weapon. This is not a long book, and it moves at a heck of a pace, but it draws the reader in effortlessly and never lets go. The main character Hitomi, is a beautifully drawn reluctant thief, streetwise yet vulnerable, honourable and genuine. She thinks about life at a deeper level than many characters you will read in fantasy, and everything about her rings true. She forms an unlikely alliance with a monster when imprisoned, and sacrifices herself for the good of others. This is Noblebright at its best.
C. J.: What is your favorite kind of character?
Marc: I love characters who are spunky, snarky and defy the odds. They must also be realistic, so have failings and not be so super-powered they simply cannot be defeated. I also really enjoy well-drawn animal characters. Whiny characters turn me off a book in an instant.
C. J.: Do you have plans for a sequel to your novel included in Luminous?
Marc: The sequel to The Pygmy Dragon is already written and published – it is called The Onyx Dragon and is available on Amazon.
C. J. What would you like to see more of in Noblebright?
Marc: I’d love to see a wider selection of Fantasy’s subgenres represented in Noblebright writing. – and for more authors to consider the very deep philosophical questions of life in their writing.
C. J.: How do you like to write? Longhand (shorthand?), typewriter, computer, blood, nail scratches on the walls?
Marc: I have a very secret A5 notebook filled with my scribblings, one double-page spread per book. 23 books later, it has served me well. It is dogeared and very well loved, and has been drawn on by three year-old hands, and annotated in places by my daughters. That’s where I do my planning.
When I feel an idea is ready, I outline the book in MS Word (3-5 pages), do any research or try to fill any gaps I can anticipate, and then I start writing from the top, filling out that frame while hopefully not allowing it to constrain my creativity too much.
Sometimes books come to me in dreams. Other times they spring from the germ of an idea. And my record is writing 25,000 words in 24 hours – on The Pygmy Dragon, which you’ll find in this collection.
C. J.: What tends to affect your writing the most?
Marc: I’m the kind of writer and person who is led by the heat of the idea. I love mad complexity and beauty and the poetry of words. That’s why my series intertwine and come out haphazardly, because I’m chasing one burning idea – an all-consuming storyline – that simply MUST be written. The muse wakes me at 4am begging for time at the keyboard. I fly dragons whilst washing the dishes and produce at a manic rate. I want to use every waking hour for writing. I splash words on paper at 3-5,000 words per day.
Not so fun when the muse is silent, or at best, misfiring. I’m not wanting for ideas. I have 4 or 5 ideas bubbling at any one time, but as I’ve been labouring on the 4th book of Aranya, to be entitled ‘Beautiful Fury’ I’ve been struggling for months now to reach that place where the prose simply flows – where I know I produce my best writing. Partly this stems from a struggle with depression this year, worse than I’ve ever experienced. Those who’ve experienced depression or loss will know all too well that feeling of living under a dark, oppressive cloud that may not have any particular reason to exist, but it does and it colours everything.
We all know there are seasons in life. This has been a hard and deeply frustrating season for me and for my family, who have been brilliant. That said, I’m stubborn. A fighter. So I am determined to chase that next burning idea for all it is worth, because I know that the process of creation and crafting to completion will bring back the joy.
C. J.: Tea or coffee?
Marc: There is nothing but coffee. Nothing! And Ethiopian coffee is by far the best.
C. J.: Music or no music?
Marc: Definitely music, something epic and uplifting! Have a look at the Dragon Storm compilations on Youtube or BrunuhVille.
Marc was kind enough to make these fancy GeoLinks for the Luminous Boxed Set!
B&N: http://geni.us/LuminousBN
Kobo: http://geni.us/LuminousKobo
Amazon: http://geni.us/LuminousAmazon
iTunes: http://geni.us/LuminosIT
Smashwords: http://geni.us/LuminousSW
Google Play: http://geni.us/LuminousGP
Thank you so much, Marc!
A Luminous Giveaway!
For a chance to win this awesome Lord of the Rings book tote, Harry Potter journal, plus swag from LUMINOUS authors, enter here:
The post Luminous Interview: I Interview Marc Secchia appeared first on C. J. Brightley.
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October 5, 2017
Still Waters: A Noblebright Fantasy Anthology is up for preorder!
Still Waters: A Noblebright Fantasy Anthology is now up for pre-order!
Amazon | B&N/Nook | Kobo | Google Play | Smashwords
Noblebright fantasy is fantasy with a thread of hope even in the darkest hour, with characters who strive to live.
In this exciting collection of noblebright fantasy, fresh new fantasy voices and award-winning authors explore grief and hope, sacrifice and heroism. Rediscover the best aspect of classic fantasy – the noblebright ideals that made heroes heroic, even when the world grew dark around them.
Wizards, princesses, peasants, schoolchildren, griffins, and the song of the stars shine brightly in these wide-ranging tales of possibility, courage, and hope.
This anthology features stories from:
JA Andrews, Gustavo Bondoni, Christopher Bunn, M.C. Dwyer, Yvonne Eliot, Francesca Forrest, Chloe Garner, Corrie Garrett, Joanna Hoyt, Cate Isert, Glenn James, Jim Johnson, Ville Meriläinen, A. K. R. Scott, Sherwood Smith, and John Taloni.
Edited by yours truly and Robert McCowen.
If you’re interested in more like
The paperback will be available shortly as well.
The post Still Waters: A Noblebright Fantasy Anthology is up for preorder! appeared first on C. J. Brightley.
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Still Waters – the first anthology by Spring Song Press!
Noblebright Fantasy: An Overview
Luminous – A Noblebright Fantasy Boxed Set
September 27, 2017
Luminous Interview: J.S. Bangs Interviews Intisar Khanani
The authors of Luminous, including yours truly, are celebrating the release of the boxed set with a series of interviews and a giveaway! I’m hosting J.S. Bangs interviewing Intisar Khanani on my blog today.
What is noblebright fantasy? Noblebright fantasy is fantasy set apart by a sense of hope. Noblebright fantasy includes at least one character who, although flawed, still deliberately pursues goodness. And that goodness has the power to make a difference. In a noblebright story, even villains are not without hope. Their redemption isn’t guaranteed, of course, but it is a possibility. You can find more detail here on Noblebright.org.
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Intisar Khanani is the author of Sunbolt, book one of The Sunbolt Chronicles. J.S. Bangs is the author of Heir of Iron, book one of The Powers of Amur.
Be sure to check out the other interviews, too! Oh, and don’t forget to scroll down to enter the giveaway!
J.S., take it away!
J.S.: I’m really pleased today to present a brief interview with Noblebright author Intisar Khanani, who shares the recent Noblebright anthology with me. Now I admit: I didn’t know anything about Intisar before we were in this anthology together, but we both have family which is partly in the American Midwest, and partly overseas.
Also, she has excellent taste in books, as detailed below.
Intisar, what is Noblebright to you?
Intisar: It’s writing with hope, and with a sense of struggle towards something that is just and true. We don’t always reach such high ideals, but noblebright stories give us heroes and heroines we can believe in, people who are trying to do the right thing, however hard that may be.
J.S.: Other than your own, which is your favourite book in the Luminous collection; and why?
Intisar: I haven’t yet read the full anthology (I’m working on it, I promise!), but so far my favorite is Wolfskin by W.R. Gingell. I loved the heroine’s strength of character as well as her absolute obliviousness to both love interests (hands down one of the best love triangles I’ve read, and I usually hate love triangles). That said, I also really enjoyed C.J. Brightley’s Lord of Dreams—it took me a little while to get into, as the heroine starts out quite young and ages up to an adult over the course of the story, but I stayed up late reading it, which says quite a bit about it!
J.S.: Do you have plans for a sequel to your novel included in Luminous?
Intisar: Sunbolt is the first in a projected four-book series. Book 2, Memories of Ash, released last year, and I’m hoping to have Book 3 out sometime next year (but shh! I didn’t say that out loud!). I absolutely love writing Hitomi. She’s courageous and loyal, and stubborn as all get out, and about as resourceful as you can get. I’m looking forward to writing the rest of her story!
J.S.: Are you a speed writer, or a turtle writer?
Intisar: I’m totally a turtle, but I’m trying to strap on roller skates to see if that helps…. I tend to spend a month or so outlining, then anywhere from 3 to 6 months writing a first draft, and then I go through 3-5 revision rounds, each one lasting a few months. It’s absolutely exhausting, and I sometimes do wonder about the life decisions I’ve made. Nothing to do but keep going!
J.S.: Tea or coffee?
Intisar: What even is this question? Clearly, the answer is hot chocolate.
J.S.: Music or no music?
Intisar: Absolute silence.
Thanks so much for having me on your blog!
For a chance to win this awesome Lord of the Rings book tote, Harry Potter journal, plus swag from LUMINOUS authors, enter here:
The post Luminous Interview: J.S. Bangs Interviews Intisar Khanani appeared first on C. J. Brightley.
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Eclipse Pictures and A Giveaway of The Lord of Dreams!
September 7, 2017
Eclipse Pictures and A Giveaway of The Lord of Dreams!
Good morning!
How are you? It has finally cooled off here. We recently returned from a week visiting my husband’s family in South Carolina, which was wonderful! His parents just moved to a new house with a swimming pool, so we enjoyed that every day with our nieces. And of course, we got to see the total eclipse! Unfortunately, the pictures I managed to get with my phone were less than impressive, so the best one I have is this one, taken by my sister-in-law at her house. The eclipse wasn’t total yet, but it was getting close!
Luminous: A Noblebright Fantasy Boxed Set
Luminous is now $3.99, which is still a fantastic deal for TEN novels! All the novels are clean and noblebright, appropriate for YA and adult readers.
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The Lord of Dreams signed paperback giveaway!
Click here (or the image above) to enter a giveaway for a signed paperback of The Lord of Dreams! If you win and you already have The Lord of Dreams, you’re welcome to choose another of my books. By entering, you’re not giving your email to anyone but me.
I’m nearly through editing the Still Waters anthology, and I’m looking forward to sharing that with you!
What have you been reading?
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August 13, 2017
Who Is Your Favorite Fictional Character?
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My answer:
I have so many favorites for different reasons! But one of my enduring favorites is Reepicheep, from the Chronicles of Narnia (the books much more than the movies!). He’s arrogant and quick-tempered, probably partly to hide a little insecurity. He makes mistakes, but he’s always quick to apologize. He follows hard after Aslan, risking his life without a thought to do the right thing and inspiring others with his courage. He’s kind, generous, valiant, and a respected leader among the mice. When the party on the Dawn Treader is at the edge of the world, he is overcome with excitement at the thought of seeking Aslan’s country, pursuing his King past the edges of the world just for the joy of being in Aslan’s presence.
[image error] Tabitha Caplinger
Wonder Woman…because, Wonder Woman. I might still be riding the high I had after seeing the film in June but I have always loved her. (Yes, I know I saw the film two months ago, but I love it and her that much. I cried watching it people, cried!)
Polgara the sorceress in David Eddings’ the Belgariad and Mallorean series. She is a strong female with spunk and intelligence (Think a younger McGonagall) but she also has the softness of a woman, the mothering instinct and that fire that Kipling References in The Female of the Species.
I was trying to think of someone besides Belle/Beauty from any Beauty and the Beast re-telling, but the truth is… I can’t. She’s intelligent, sassy (depending on the tale), and knows what she wants and how to get it. She’s resourceful and wonderful.
My most favorite fictional character isn’t one at all, but two both from the same series. I will have to vote for Stefan Salvatore and Bonnie Bennett, from the The Vampire Diaries.
My favourite characters are Holden Caulfield (A Catcher in the Rye), Scout (To Kill A Mockingbird), and Esther Greenwood (The Bell Jar).
As an author I think we all are inclined to feel that our own characters are our favorite fictional characters. That being said, I really love the character that is superman. In all of the retellings I find it hilarious the methods he uses to hide the fact that he moonlights as Clark Kent and somehow manages to keep that information away from “ace” reporter Lois Lane. Even though he is strong and has various abilities the writers have always managed to create a detailed character arc for him. He makes mistakes and learns from them. He’s not omnipotent or all powerful (as one might be inclined to make a super powered super hero).
[image error] Jebraun Clifford
So many characters I’ve loved over the years! Emily Byrd Starr from the Emily books by L.M. Montgomery might be my favourite. She has a burning desire to write that I identify with. She’s sensitive and artistic. Looks for the beauty in life. Feels the odd one out in her small provincial town. And she does things in her own fierce, independent way!
Ok, I’m going to leave the world of novels and hop over to manga for a moment (My apologies to those who don’t enjoy the medium). There’s a series called Fruits Basket. It begins like any story geared toward young girls, except it just gets deeper and more psychological as it continues…and there’s this character named Kyo. He starts out a typical “tough guy” who’s actually super kind at heart. He could have easily become a cliché . But my goodness. The things he goes through and how he slowly develops over the story while still remaining “him” at the core…I think it’s brilliant. The author made me fall in love with the character, and he’ll always be a favorite.
