Kyra Halland's Blog, page 35
April 7, 2014
Writing Process Blog Tour Guest Post
Today I'm pleased to present James John Loftus, who has asked me to host him on the Writing Process Blog Tour:
1) What am I working on?
I am working on a sequel to my debut novel, ‘Celtic Blood’. Celtic Blood is set in early 13th century Scotland and traces the rise of clan MacAedh. The MacAedhs in time became known to us today, as clan MacKay. MacKay is a fairly common Scottish surname with a very illustrious history which few people know anything about.
Bar for an accident of history the MacKays could of ruled Scotland instead of the Margaretson’s. The Margaretsons became the Stuarts, who became … wait for it … Windsors - yes, those Windsors, the English Royal family. An accident of history made one family prestigious another forgotten but back in the day.
My new novel again delves into that heroic age, also a time when the land was wild and a mass of greenery, of forest, and wildlife. I find great spiritual fulfillment in the untamed wilderness, far from the madding crowd, where the Green Man has his kingdom. Both novels have supernatural content dealing with witchcraft. Scotland is the perfect place to depict the dark, the dark of men’s minds, away from the light the demons glare out with red-glowing eyes ready to devour the unwary. Seek not the light and the darkness will find thee, and it does so in my medieval Scottish world.
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
It differs, in that it is written by me, like all writers I have my personal writing style and through my life experiences I bring a unique perspective. I am a knowledgeable historian adnd I bring a wealth of historical fact to my writing.
3) Why do I write what I do?
I write many kinds of stories. I also write screenplays and have screenplay writing credit for ‘Underdog’s Tale’, which was a million miles away from ‘Celtic Blood’ Underdog’s Tale is a Ocker (Aussie trailer-park types) comedy, with heart, a love story, where a lovable loser invents a persona to impress a girl and is found out then seeks to redeem himself in her eyes, and all others, remakes himself into a very modern very successful man. No it isn’t autobiographical.
By the way, doing a film was a hoot. The distributer of my film also distributed Adam Sandler’s movies so for a while I moved in exclusive circles and thought I was someone, that lasted about a week.
4) How does your writing process work?
At the moment I am chipping away at my sequel which is pretty casual doing a bit here and there on my days off. My day job is a hospital orderely, which I enjoy no brain work involved so I have energy to engage with the page when I get home.
Celtic Blood is available from Amazon.
Celtic Blood trailer:
Don't miss next week's Writing Process Blog Tour stop!
C.J. Wright: C J Wright has had a fascination with all sorts of horror fiction since childhood, and it has been the driving force of his desire to write. He has published 5 novels so far, with more on the way.
1) What am I working on?I am working on a sequel to my debut novel, ‘Celtic Blood’. Celtic Blood is set in early 13th century Scotland and traces the rise of clan MacAedh. The MacAedhs in time became known to us today, as clan MacKay. MacKay is a fairly common Scottish surname with a very illustrious history which few people know anything about.
Bar for an accident of history the MacKays could of ruled Scotland instead of the Margaretson’s. The Margaretsons became the Stuarts, who became … wait for it … Windsors - yes, those Windsors, the English Royal family. An accident of history made one family prestigious another forgotten but back in the day.
My new novel again delves into that heroic age, also a time when the land was wild and a mass of greenery, of forest, and wildlife. I find great spiritual fulfillment in the untamed wilderness, far from the madding crowd, where the Green Man has his kingdom. Both novels have supernatural content dealing with witchcraft. Scotland is the perfect place to depict the dark, the dark of men’s minds, away from the light the demons glare out with red-glowing eyes ready to devour the unwary. Seek not the light and the darkness will find thee, and it does so in my medieval Scottish world.
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
It differs, in that it is written by me, like all writers I have my personal writing style and through my life experiences I bring a unique perspective. I am a knowledgeable historian adnd I bring a wealth of historical fact to my writing.
3) Why do I write what I do?
I write many kinds of stories. I also write screenplays and have screenplay writing credit for ‘Underdog’s Tale’, which was a million miles away from ‘Celtic Blood’ Underdog’s Tale is a Ocker (Aussie trailer-park types) comedy, with heart, a love story, where a lovable loser invents a persona to impress a girl and is found out then seeks to redeem himself in her eyes, and all others, remakes himself into a very modern very successful man. No it isn’t autobiographical.
By the way, doing a film was a hoot. The distributer of my film also distributed Adam Sandler’s movies so for a while I moved in exclusive circles and thought I was someone, that lasted about a week.
4) How does your writing process work?
At the moment I am chipping away at my sequel which is pretty casual doing a bit here and there on my days off. My day job is a hospital orderely, which I enjoy no brain work involved so I have energy to engage with the page when I get home.
Celtic Blood is available from Amazon.
Celtic Blood trailer:
Don't miss next week's Writing Process Blog Tour stop!
C.J. Wright: C J Wright has had a fascination with all sorts of horror fiction since childhood, and it has been the driving force of his desire to write. He has published 5 novels so far, with more on the way.
April 5, 2014
Weekend Sneak Peek 4/5 - 4/6: Sarya's Song
For this weekend's sneak peek, a look into
Sarya's Song
. Here, Sarya first sees the chained man:
She awoke with a start and found herself – somewhere else. She was still kneeling on a stone floor, but it wasn’t as cold as the floor of the Shrine. The air on her bare arms and feet also felt warmer. Looking around, she realized that she was in a small room about the size of a dormitory room – or a prison cell. The room was dimly lit, and shadows veiled the walls and corners. The cramps in her legs and the sting on her back where the lash had broken her skin seemed very distant.
A sense of presence, of someone waiting and watching, brought her to full alertness. She didn’t feel afraid, though. Instead, a desire filled her to know who was there and what they wanted. Her mind and body strained in eager anticipation as she waited…
“Sarya dyr-Rusac,” a deep, quiet voice said from a dark corner of the room.
Sarya caught her breath at the sound of the voice. It resonated deep within her heart and soul, in places that she had shut away long ago, and stirred feelings that she had tried for years to pretend she didn’t have.
She looked in the direction the voice had come from. The shadows in the corner lifted to reveal a man sitting on the floor. He had long black hair, a pale face that was achingly beautiful yet entirely masculine in its lines, and a lean, firmly muscled body. A complex pattern of curving black lines cascaded over his right shoulder and right breast, and Sarya felt a sudden wild urge to trace her fingers along those lines, to feel the skin of his chest beneath her fingertips.
The light in his corner brightened a bit to reveal the color of his eyes, deep sapphire blue. He appeared to be tall, but his wrists and ankles were bound with short chains attached to an iron ring on the floor, which prevented him from standing up. He met Sarya’s eyes with a gaze that reached as deeply into her as his voice had. He looked at her as though he saw her standing naked before him, with all her thoughts and secrets and yearnings revealed, and desired her.
Sarya's Song , coming April 10, 2014! For release news and information about the special low introductory price, sign up for my email alerts!
For more Sneak Peeks, visit the Sneak Peek Sunday blog. #SPeekSunday on Twitter and Facebook.
She awoke with a start and found herself – somewhere else. She was still kneeling on a stone floor, but it wasn’t as cold as the floor of the Shrine. The air on her bare arms and feet also felt warmer. Looking around, she realized that she was in a small room about the size of a dormitory room – or a prison cell. The room was dimly lit, and shadows veiled the walls and corners. The cramps in her legs and the sting on her back where the lash had broken her skin seemed very distant.A sense of presence, of someone waiting and watching, brought her to full alertness. She didn’t feel afraid, though. Instead, a desire filled her to know who was there and what they wanted. Her mind and body strained in eager anticipation as she waited…
“Sarya dyr-Rusac,” a deep, quiet voice said from a dark corner of the room.
Sarya caught her breath at the sound of the voice. It resonated deep within her heart and soul, in places that she had shut away long ago, and stirred feelings that she had tried for years to pretend she didn’t have.
She looked in the direction the voice had come from. The shadows in the corner lifted to reveal a man sitting on the floor. He had long black hair, a pale face that was achingly beautiful yet entirely masculine in its lines, and a lean, firmly muscled body. A complex pattern of curving black lines cascaded over his right shoulder and right breast, and Sarya felt a sudden wild urge to trace her fingers along those lines, to feel the skin of his chest beneath her fingertips.
The light in his corner brightened a bit to reveal the color of his eyes, deep sapphire blue. He appeared to be tall, but his wrists and ankles were bound with short chains attached to an iron ring on the floor, which prevented him from standing up. He met Sarya’s eyes with a gaze that reached as deeply into her as his voice had. He looked at her as though he saw her standing naked before him, with all her thoughts and secrets and yearnings revealed, and desired her.
Sarya's Song , coming April 10, 2014! For release news and information about the special low introductory price, sign up for my email alerts!
For more Sneak Peeks, visit the Sneak Peek Sunday blog. #SPeekSunday on Twitter and Facebook.
April 4, 2014
Good Helpers, and Sarya's Song Playlist
I'm working hard on the final edits to Sarya's Song, but want to take just a moment to shout-out to all the nice folks who are supporting me this week while I'm the featured author at the Paranormal, Fantasy, Dystopia, and Romance Writers and Reviewers group on Goodreads. Go check them out; maybe you'll find your new favorite author or book!Aoife Sheridan
Steve Downes
Antoinette J. Houston
Lisa Marie Gabriel
C.J. Wright
J.J. DiBenedetto
Lynn Thompson
Brandy Isaacs
Neely Powell
A.S. Johnson
Jamie Eubanks
D.A. Rhine
Catherine L. Vickers
Heather Heffner
Shannon Pemrick
H.M. Jones
Lenore Sagaskie
Lyn C. Johanson
Baine Kelly
Sharon Stevenson
Billy Wong
Denna Holm
Also, one of my favorite book extras - here's the playlist for Sarya's Song. Kind of a variety here, pop to country-ish (as close as I ever get) to symphonic metal. "Another Heart Calls" ("I'll never ask for anyone but you") and "The Golden State" ("You are the hole in my head, I am the pain in your neck, You are the lump in my throat, I am the aching in your heart") are especially good for Sarya and Adan's rather... complicated relationship. "The Story" would be from Sarya's point of view, and this sounds a little like how I imagine her voice. "Sunshine" is how Adan sees her hair, and how he feels when she leaves. "Sleepwalker's Dream" and "Angels" are for Sarya's dreams about the chained man. "Crash and Burn" is Adan's point of view, to Sarya, and "All I Need" is Sarya in the aftermath of everything that happens. Enjoy!
Sarya's Song playlist on Spotify
April 2, 2014
Book Review: The Dreamweaver's Journey
The Dreamweaver's Journey, by Diana L. Wicker[I would like to thank Library of Erana and the author for the free copy of this book which I won in the Library of Erana Valentine's Day giveaway.]
The Dreamweaver's Journey is a sweet fantasy for preteens and teens that takes the reader on a tour of a world the author invented for her children. It starts out with two pairs of young sweethearts becoming engaged at a ball. When one of the teens goes missing, the other three go searching for her, and find themselves on an adventure through their magical world where they meet the mythical Guardians and learn more about their own powers.
At first I had trouble with this book until I realized it's written for a much younger audience than the books I usually read are written for. With that perspective, I was better able to enjoy the journey through the world and the gentle lessons (mostly gentle; there's one shocking moment (view spoiler)) our young heroes and heroines learn. There's a framing device where the story is being told by a Storyteller to a group of children, which makes the target age of the book seem much younger. Going by the reviews, some readers enjoy this story around the story, but I found it distracting. The sections that cut away to the Storyteller can be skipped without missing anything important if you prefer to concentrate on the main plot. The novel also includes legends and history, which aren't essential for understanding what's going on, but are fun to read and add interest to the tour of the author's world.
The pleasant writing style invokes a charming, colorful world and is very easy to read. Recommended for readers of all ages who enjoy light YA fantasy.
March 31, 2014
Writing Process Blog Hop
Welcome to the ongoing Writing Process Blog Hop! This week it's my turn to share a little about my writing process. First, I want to thank Isabella Norse for inviting me to participate. Make sure you go check out her blog hop post!
And now I get to talk about my writing process a little.
1) What am I working on?
Right now, I'm getting Sarya's Song ready to publish. The release date is April 10, and I've got some proofreading to do and then the formatting.
Up after that is my six-book series, Daughter of the Wildings. It's in the initial stages of revision (the whole series at once, to get it all consistent). Once Sarya's Song is out the door, I can work on Daughter of the Wildings full time.
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I write fantasy which has a strong romantic storyline between the two main characters pretty evenly balanced with the fantasy plot. You couldn't take away either the fantasy or the romance from my novels and still have a story left; both are essential.
3) Why do I write what I do?
I've always loved fantasy, and I've always loved a good love story, but I had trouble finding books that combined the two in a way I found satisfying. Either the fantasy or the romance was an afterthought; I like them both the be equally important to the story. So I write the kinds of books I'd love to read.
Plus, wizards in love. :D
4) How does your writing process work?
My ideas usually come in the form of a character or two in a specific situation. I can see the characters, what they look like, what their surroundings are, what they're doing. I start exploring who they are, what sort of world do they live in, why are they in that situation and doing what they're doing, and the story develops from there.
When I start writing, I like to know who the main characters are and what they want or need to do in the story, what sort of conflicts and opposition they face, the first few scenes, at least a couple of major scenes throughout the story, and a general idea of the ending (good triumphs over evil; girl/guy gets guy/girl). The more detail I have figured out ahead of time, the happier I am, but usually the story also develops in different ways while I write it from what I planned. And some stories don't like to be planned much in advance; when that happens, I end up feeling my way through a few scenes at a time. I have to know what I'm going to write before I sit down to write, so I'm not staring helplessly at a blank screen.
When I'm writing a first draft, I aim for about 2000-2500 words a day, though I'd love to increase that. At that rate, a first draft will take a month or two to write (depending on the length of the novel and disruptions to my writing schedule). When the first draft is complete, I take it through a major revision using a method based on Holly Lisle's How To Revise Your Novel course. After that, it goes out to the test readers, then I take it through another major revision based on their feedback. Then I do a revision to refine things like description and dialogue and any plot points I'm still struggling with, then another editing pass to polish up the prose, followed by a couple of proofreading rounds. Then I format the book and put it up for sale! Thanks for joining me this week, and be sure to check out next week's stops on the Writing Process Blog Hop:
John James Loftus is the author of Celtic Blood . He has been interested in medieval history since seeing a book with a cover detailing the battle of Agincourt. The book engaged his imagination, and drew him to the period. He has one novel to date and a co-credit as a feature film writer, Underdog's Tale. He was in the Queensland Police Service for ten years reaching the rank of senior constable. A former Karate instructor, he is a past Queensland champion. He lives in Brisbane with his wife and two children.
Heather Heffner is an avid fan of fantasy/science fiction books, the longer the better! She is the author of the urban fantasy Changeling Sisters Series and the dark fantasy Afterlife Chronicles.
And if you still can't get enough, I came across another Writing Process blog tour post today, by Dyane Forde. Check it out!
And now I get to talk about my writing process a little.1) What am I working on?
Right now, I'm getting Sarya's Song ready to publish. The release date is April 10, and I've got some proofreading to do and then the formatting.
Up after that is my six-book series, Daughter of the Wildings. It's in the initial stages of revision (the whole series at once, to get it all consistent). Once Sarya's Song is out the door, I can work on Daughter of the Wildings full time.
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I write fantasy which has a strong romantic storyline between the two main characters pretty evenly balanced with the fantasy plot. You couldn't take away either the fantasy or the romance from my novels and still have a story left; both are essential.
3) Why do I write what I do?I've always loved fantasy, and I've always loved a good love story, but I had trouble finding books that combined the two in a way I found satisfying. Either the fantasy or the romance was an afterthought; I like them both the be equally important to the story. So I write the kinds of books I'd love to read.
Plus, wizards in love. :D
4) How does your writing process work?
My ideas usually come in the form of a character or two in a specific situation. I can see the characters, what they look like, what their surroundings are, what they're doing. I start exploring who they are, what sort of world do they live in, why are they in that situation and doing what they're doing, and the story develops from there.
When I start writing, I like to know who the main characters are and what they want or need to do in the story, what sort of conflicts and opposition they face, the first few scenes, at least a couple of major scenes throughout the story, and a general idea of the ending (good triumphs over evil; girl/guy gets guy/girl). The more detail I have figured out ahead of time, the happier I am, but usually the story also develops in different ways while I write it from what I planned. And some stories don't like to be planned much in advance; when that happens, I end up feeling my way through a few scenes at a time. I have to know what I'm going to write before I sit down to write, so I'm not staring helplessly at a blank screen.
When I'm writing a first draft, I aim for about 2000-2500 words a day, though I'd love to increase that. At that rate, a first draft will take a month or two to write (depending on the length of the novel and disruptions to my writing schedule). When the first draft is complete, I take it through a major revision using a method based on Holly Lisle's How To Revise Your Novel course. After that, it goes out to the test readers, then I take it through another major revision based on their feedback. Then I do a revision to refine things like description and dialogue and any plot points I'm still struggling with, then another editing pass to polish up the prose, followed by a couple of proofreading rounds. Then I format the book and put it up for sale! Thanks for joining me this week, and be sure to check out next week's stops on the Writing Process Blog Hop:John James Loftus is the author of Celtic Blood . He has been interested in medieval history since seeing a book with a cover detailing the battle of Agincourt. The book engaged his imagination, and drew him to the period. He has one novel to date and a co-credit as a feature film writer, Underdog's Tale. He was in the Queensland Police Service for ten years reaching the rank of senior constable. A former Karate instructor, he is a past Queensland champion. He lives in Brisbane with his wife and two children.
Heather Heffner is an avid fan of fantasy/science fiction books, the longer the better! She is the author of the urban fantasy Changeling Sisters Series and the dark fantasy Afterlife Chronicles.
And if you still can't get enough, I came across another Writing Process blog tour post today, by Dyane Forde. Check it out!
March 29, 2014
Weekend Sneak Peek 3/30: Urdaisunia
Welcome to this week's weekend sneak peek! Here's another peek into
Urdaisunia
: After being sent on an errand by her village to the Royal Palace, Rashali was taken to a guest room and left to cool her heels for three days. Finally, she's summoned to meet with Prince Eruz, to find out why he's been keeping here there:
“I’m sure you’ve been wondering why I’ve kept you here.”
Rashali’s heart pounded; finally she would learn what her fate was to be. During the last two days, she had wanted only to find out, just to get it over with, but all at once she wished she could go on wondering a little longer. Delaying the knowledge wouldn’t change her fate, though; the only thing she could do was face it. “I assume that if you meant to imprison me or put me to death, I wouldn’t be in that room. Therefore it seems more likely that you mean to make me a slave or a concubine, though it would seem strange for a slave to be given such a room.”
“A concubine, then. Is that what I should do with you?”
Her face burned, and she found herself shaking; whether more from anger or fear, she couldn’t tell. “I’d rather die than be made a harlot.”
“Would you really?”
She didn’t want to die, but there was no other possible answer when being given such a choice. Her heart pounded harder, and she swallowed as she tried to gather her courage to say yes.
Urdaisunia
$3.99 ebook/$10.99 trade paperback
Available from:
Amazon | AmazonUK | AmazonCA | Barnes & Noble | Apple
Smashwords | CreateSpace | OmniLit
For more Sneak Peeks, visit the Sneak Peek Sunday blog. #SPeekSunday on Facebook and Twitter.
“I’m sure you’ve been wondering why I’ve kept you here.”Rashali’s heart pounded; finally she would learn what her fate was to be. During the last two days, she had wanted only to find out, just to get it over with, but all at once she wished she could go on wondering a little longer. Delaying the knowledge wouldn’t change her fate, though; the only thing she could do was face it. “I assume that if you meant to imprison me or put me to death, I wouldn’t be in that room. Therefore it seems more likely that you mean to make me a slave or a concubine, though it would seem strange for a slave to be given such a room.”
“A concubine, then. Is that what I should do with you?”
Her face burned, and she found herself shaking; whether more from anger or fear, she couldn’t tell. “I’d rather die than be made a harlot.”
“Would you really?”
She didn’t want to die, but there was no other possible answer when being given such a choice. Her heart pounded harder, and she swallowed as she tried to gather her courage to say yes.
Urdaisunia
$3.99 ebook/$10.99 trade paperback
Available from:
Amazon | AmazonUK | AmazonCA | Barnes & Noble | Apple
Smashwords | CreateSpace | OmniLit
For more Sneak Peeks, visit the Sneak Peek Sunday blog. #SPeekSunday on Facebook and Twitter.
March 27, 2014
City of Mages Cover Art Reveal
It's time to unveil the cover art for City of Mages, book 5 of Daughter of the Wildings! Help yourself to some virtual cookies and punch from the refreshment table, and have a look. (And a big thank you to Mominur Rahman (me-illuminated) for the wonderful art!) And don't forget to enter the giveaway down at the bottom of the post for a signed paperback copy of
Urdaisunia
or an ebook Estelend 2-pack of
Chosen of Azara
and
The Warrior and The Holy Man
!
And now for City of Mages:
First, here's the full wrap-around version, for the paperback:
Mominur Rahman me-illuminated.deviantart.com And the ebook version:
Mominur Rahman me-illuminated.deviantart.com If Silas looks like he's been through a rough time, that's because he has. Poor guy. I'm so mean.
I'm working on putting the lettering on, for the official book covers, but I also wanted to show off the pretty art without any lettering in the way (except for the watermarks).
a Rafflecopter giveaway
And now for City of Mages:
First, here's the full wrap-around version, for the paperback:
Mominur Rahman me-illuminated.deviantart.com And the ebook version:
Mominur Rahman me-illuminated.deviantart.com If Silas looks like he's been through a rough time, that's because he has. Poor guy. I'm so mean.I'm working on putting the lettering on, for the official book covers, but I also wanted to show off the pretty art without any lettering in the way (except for the watermarks).
a Rafflecopter giveaway
March 26, 2014
Book Review: Scriber
Scriber, by Ben S. Dobson* * * * * (5 stars)
I have a soft spot for books about disgraced scholars and lost or forbidden knowledge, so Scriber was right up my alley. Scriber is the story of historian Dennon Lark who, several years after a terrible accident in the course of his search for the lost knowledge of Kingsland, is living in obscurity in self-imposed exile and only wants to be left alone. All that changes when Bryndine Errynson and her band of female warriors (considered sacriligious in Kingsland) come charging into his life with a band of mysterious Burner rebels hot (ha!) on their heels. Dennon is caught up in events he wants nothing to do with, but, unfortunately for him, he learns he holds the key to saving the kingdom from the Burners and to restoring the knowledge that was banished and destroyed centuries ago.
I really liked Dennon. I have a preference for adult characters who have settled into their lives and then have those lives disrupted (as opposed to young, coming-of-age characters). He's a thorough curmudgeon who uses his crustiness to hide his intense guilt over the lives that were lost and the priceless treasures that were destroyed in the accident. He only wants to be left alone so he can keep from doing any more harm to anyone, and finds comfort in wallowing in his own self-pity and self-recriminations. But when it comes down to it, when lives and the continued existence of Kingsland are depending on him, he finds his inner hero and does what has to be done, no matter how scared he is or how much he doubts his abilities.
We also meet a number of the women in Bryndine's company. Each of them have a unique personality, background, and goals - they aren't just cardboard-cutout Female Warriors (tm), but they all hold to their ideals and try to do the right thing even in the face of scorn and disapproval from the very people they're trying to save.
The world is rich in history and lore, and it's fun to discover its long-hidden secrets alongside Dennon.
The book is well-written, and Dennon's unique voice comes through clearly and memorably. There's lots of exciting action to go along with the scholarly mystery, and even just a touch of romance, which I always enjoy. (But it's a light touch, so if you're not so much into romantic storylines, don't let that put you off.)
Highly recommended, especially if you like stories about unconventional heroes, strong heroines, and mysteries of the past.
March 24, 2014
What's Happening? 3/24
So, time for a progress report. Mondays seem like a good day for regular progress reports, but don't hold me to that. :P ;)Sarya's Song : I'm on the final polishing round of edits. After this I'll put it through a few proofreading rounds, then format and release. I'm looking at an official release date of April 10. It'll be coming out at a special limited-time low introductory price, so to make sure you don't miss out, sign up for my email alerts.
Daughter of the Wildings has been waiting patiently while I get Sarya's Song finished up. Still doing a little prep work for the big revision. I do have the preview files for the covers for books 5 and 6, so watch for some cover art reveals coming up soon! These two covers are some of my favorites in the series (though I love them all!). I also expect to receive the final high-resolution versions soon, so I can start making the actual covers. Got some cool fonts in mind for the lettering. And I'll be announcing some more exciting cover news soon!
Those two projects are taking up all my time and attention for now. Once Sarya's Song is out, I'll be able to start planning some new stories and novels.
Next week, I'm participating in the ongoing Writing Process Blog Tour. Should be fun! Check out this week's post at Isabella Norse, Romance Author.
Finally, on the health front, I had another ultrasound of my heart last week, and the report from the cardiologist was that it showed normal heart function and a significant decrease in the amount of fluid around my heart. So that was very good news, that I'm very thankful for. And now I just need to remember all the good resolutions I was making when I was a lot more scared and worried about exercising and watching what I eat!
March 22, 2014
Weekend Sneak Peek March 22-23: Chosen of Azara
Time for another weekend sneak peek. Here, in
Chosen of Azara
, Lucie finally meets the man of her dreams, and finds out he isn't exactly what she expected:
“Azara gave me her life, so that I would not die before my vow was fulfilled. I figure I’m close to four hundred years old.” He smiled again, a faint shadow of a grin that was quickly gone. “I’ve lost track of a few years here and there.”
Everything he was saying was pure nonsense. It had to be. Her fantasies of what it would be like to meet him crumbled away, leaving a hollow disappointment behind. Either he was playing a stupid, cruel joke on her—and there was nothing in his manner to suggest this, only absolute sincerity—or he was only a madman, a wandering beggar lost in dreams and tales of long ago and, for some reason, obsessed with her pendant.
If he was indeed mad, she realized, he might be dangerous if she refused to give him what he wanted. With a pang at giving up the gift her mother had given her, she unclasped the slender chain with the crystal vial from around her neck and held it out for him. “Here. If all you want is my pendant, you can have it. You don’t have to make up these stories to get me to give it to you. Just take it and leave.”
He took her hand in his, laid the crystal pendant on her palm, and gently closed her fingers around it. He held her closed hand for a moment—why did she have to like the feel of him holding her hand so much?—then released it. “That won’t work,” he said. “The power in that token can only be used by a daughter of Juzeva’s blood. I need you to come back to Savaru with me and use that power to restore Savaru to life.”
The outrageous request left her stunned—she wasn’t sure she could have possibly heard him correctly. “Excuse me?” she finally managed to say. “You want me to go away with you?”
“Yes.”
Chosen of Azara is available at
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple | Diesel
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For more Sneak Peeks, visit the Sneak Peek Sunday blog. #SPeekSunday on Twitter and Facebook.
“Azara gave me her life, so that I would not die before my vow was fulfilled. I figure I’m close to four hundred years old.” He smiled again, a faint shadow of a grin that was quickly gone. “I’ve lost track of a few years here and there.”Everything he was saying was pure nonsense. It had to be. Her fantasies of what it would be like to meet him crumbled away, leaving a hollow disappointment behind. Either he was playing a stupid, cruel joke on her—and there was nothing in his manner to suggest this, only absolute sincerity—or he was only a madman, a wandering beggar lost in dreams and tales of long ago and, for some reason, obsessed with her pendant.
If he was indeed mad, she realized, he might be dangerous if she refused to give him what he wanted. With a pang at giving up the gift her mother had given her, she unclasped the slender chain with the crystal vial from around her neck and held it out for him. “Here. If all you want is my pendant, you can have it. You don’t have to make up these stories to get me to give it to you. Just take it and leave.”
He took her hand in his, laid the crystal pendant on her palm, and gently closed her fingers around it. He held her closed hand for a moment—why did she have to like the feel of him holding her hand so much?—then released it. “That won’t work,” he said. “The power in that token can only be used by a daughter of Juzeva’s blood. I need you to come back to Savaru with me and use that power to restore Savaru to life.”
The outrageous request left her stunned—she wasn’t sure she could have possibly heard him correctly. “Excuse me?” she finally managed to say. “You want me to go away with you?”
“Yes.”
Chosen of Azara is available at
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