R.M. Ridley's Blog, page 8

New Release – Hohenstein!

 

Author Didi Lawson’s Favorite Things

– Quote

I have actually two quotes that I like:

1. CHOICE by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: Choose well; your choice is brief, and

yet endless.

2. CREATIVITY. If one can imagine, he can create. If he can create, he can make

the world a better place.

– TV show

I like documentaries, and especially the ones about foreign countries a history and

animals.

– Comic book character

Don’t have any

– Movie

Pride and Prejudice, Ann of Green Gables, Harry Potter, The Proposal, Second-hand

Lions

– Book

The Work and the Glory, Hunger Games

– Candy bar

My very favorites are the dark Lindt truffels, but I also like milk chocolate with

whole toasted hazelnuts

– Junk food

BBQ potato chips once in a great while

– Place you visited

Germany, France, Spain, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, Romania, Denmark,

Holland, Israel, Belgium, USA, Canada, Alaska

– Restaurant

I like GOOD Chinese food, but also like to eat at Olive Garden and try to find some

Mom and Pop places to eat if the food is good.

– Island

Nieblum, Sylt and Amrum (Germany), The Outer Banks, Martha’s Vinyard (don’t

know if this is an island)

WordPress rafflecopter link:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed under: Book Release Tagged: Aristocracy, book trailer, Didi Lawson, Hohenstein, Rafflecopter giveaway, Xchyler Publishing

Ah… the SCA life

This morning I woke and came down for my coffee and my wife was looking at a Kijjii add for a very nice pavilion for a very nice price… alas, just a couple hundred over what we can do. Shame, we need period camping gear and this one is delightful. But there it is, the life of a scadian. Some times it is being teased by a wonderful tent at a wonderful price, but not being able to get it. Other times, it is attending a great event, meeting new friends and being challenged to expand your skills, and embrace new skills.

The event yesterday was just such an event – crown tourney. First we have attend in over a decade. We swore fealty to the crown, got accepted into our favourite barony, and I met a woman whose persona is Chinese 10th century, and who really needs a jewellery to work with her to complete the wondrous garb she has.

I am so very glad we are playing again. It’s like coming home and awakening after a long trip. I am also glad to see the positive changes it has brought about in my wife. She is renewed and excited about life… and, I guess, I am as well.

So we may not get this tent – but we can still live the life.

Filed under: SCA Tagged: barony, Jewellery, SCA, tent

Another day to Remind Me why I Used to Play

Yesterday, we went to another SCA event. By the time we got on the road and started driving back, it was dark. But that didn’t stop my wife and I, from chattering about new friends we had made, fun ,silly, plots that we were embroiling ourselves in, and the next event. That is what being a scadian is all about. It goes beyond the dressing up, it’s more than the actual words and deeds done during the event, it is the way it tickles your brain, making it smile and laugh and dream up more and different ways to make the next event enjoyable.

I attended an advanced chainmail making class. Do I remember exactly how to make the chain linkages I was shown – no. Do I have samples so I can fumble my way through to relearning – yes. Why? because some other scadian took his time to show myself, and others attending the event, how to do it. There was a fun ‘how to’ class on documentation for arts/science. Since that is what I do, knowing how to document it properly, and present that documentation is important and fun – not that you need to. You can make things without worrying about documenting, and no one will say- boo. Why…because you play they way you play.

We sat around the baronial encampment and it felt like being home. So we decided to do endeavour to actually make it so, which gave us another topic to bounce about between us as we drove home, and will lead to more actual event fun and frivolity. Belonging, and being part of something that is all for you and yet all about being a part of something so much larger than you. That’s being a scadian.

I should have taken a picture of how lovely ,and ‘portrait perfect’ my wife looked with her stunning garb and, if I do say so, spot on jewelry. She looked so ‘right’ that I told a new friend we made, who is planning on going 1500’s Venetian, that is she produced a proper dress, I’d supply some bling. The jewelry just made that much of a difference. It was partly a gesture of friendship, partly to make sure I had challenges ahead of me (yeah- that’s a worry), and partly so I don’t twitch when I see her wearing the right garb but no proper ‘bling’.

A week until crown tourney – so much to do!

 

Filed under: SCA Tagged: chainmail, event, garb, jewelry, SCA, Scadian, wife

Book Release ! The Winter Creek Hunter

When a bounty hunter arrives looking for the Beast armed with silver bullets, Jay faces the proposition

that he could be in the crosshairs as another, deadlier creature rises from the curse of the past.

Cover Art By R.J. Keith

About the author: Where do I begin? Well first I guess it’s only fair to say that CP

Bialois isn’t my real name. It’s a collaboration I made out of the three greatest pets anyone could ever

want.

[image error]My real name is Ed and I’m just an average person that has found a way to do what he loves.

For as long back as I can remember I loved to pretend. Whether it was with my Transformers, GI Joe, or

He-Man toys I loved to create intricate plots and have them fight it out. As a fan of horror, science

fiction, action, and comedy I dare say my taste in movies are well rounded. Some of my favorites were

Star Wars, Star Trek, martial arts, and anything with Schwarzenegger in them.

I’d write my own stories about the characters I saw in the theaters or TV or I’d just daydream about

what I’d see myself as the hero of course. You can’t have a daydream without beating the bad guys,

getting the girl, etc. It’s just not right to envision yourself as a flunky or sidekick.

As far as books I loved Sherlock Holmes, Treasure Island, Dracula, and the normal assortment. My early

love was the Star Trek novels, I’d read them or the Hardy Boys relentlessly. For a time I could tell you the

plot of over a hundred books not to mention comics.

I have to come clean and say that I learned to read because of comic books. I was bored, make that

extremely bored when we started to read in school. Reading “the cat fell down” really didn’t interest

me. My dad, who continues to astound me with his insight to this day, figured comics would work. With

that in mind he went to the newstand in town and bought issues of Donald Duck, Scrooge McDuck, Tales

From the Crypt, and Spider-man. He patiently read through them with me until I picked it up. Whether it

was him or the comics I learned to read in about two weeks and for a while few were as good as I was.

For years after that whenever we’d go out he’d always spring for a couple of comic books for me.

While it wasn’t exactly the perfect beginning everything I’ve ever read or have seen has influenced me in

some way and now is the time I’d like to share some of the ideas I’ve had over the years with all of you. I

hope you enjoy my stories, they’re always fun to write and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon.

Find CP Bialois:

Web site

Amazon

Twitter

 

Filed under: Book Release Tagged: Book Release, CP Bialois, The Winter Creek Hunter

I am Editing and Just so Damn S-M-R-T

I realized this morning that I was not necessarily editing the right chapters of Binding & Spines. I gave the beginning a serious overhaul during the last rounds of edits, making a better read without doubt. These newly organized chapters were sent to my beta-reader and, from them, I compiled a new manuscript. What I had been working off of was the returned, and corrected, chapters from my beta-reader (may the gods bless her).

The flaw in this? When I recompiled these chapters into the new manuscript, I made more changes as was fitting for chapter length, and natural breaks. I also did further edits, as I can’t seem to read my words without having to tweak them yet again.

So this morning, I started the process of re-re-reediting. Opening the chapters I just edited, and the completed manuscripts, side by side. Then I worked through line by line. There were differences between the two, not counting the edits I had just made. I’m not talking about a slew of radical disparities, but they were there.

Why bother? Well, taking the best from both, means I am making the best, strongest, story I can. On a more practical level – the changes I made in the manuscript also affect chapter break. So chapter six, in the individual chapters I was going from, doesn’t match with the manuscript version, which is the newer, better version–the last version I decided on.

So I have a bit extra on my plate, a going back over, for a few chapters. I’ll catch up soon enough and then can just go from the manuscript. Ain’t edits fun!

Filed under: Writing Tagged: beta reader, Bindings & Spines, Brain, current work in progress, edits, Jonathan Alvey, paranormal private investigator, plot, Urban Fantasy, White Dragon Black Series, world building, writing

Brass, Glass, & Bad Ass

I’ve been busy these last few days and loving it!

Let’s start with the Bad Ass — Jonathan Alvey. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I wrote a new��chapter that fit near the end of Bindings & Spines. ��This��opened up the way for��a new final chapter to be tagged on – a sort of wrap up, on a lighter note. My editor, McKenna, over at Xchyler Publishing, told me to get to work on final edits, because��she couldn’t get to working on the project soon enough. Not one whose foolish enough to argue with Muse or Editor, I did just that.

(cover art for Bindings & Spines – created my Carrion House)

I have started the edits, which will also involve adding new material. The path opened by that new chapter, allows for the occasional incursion of a tertiary plot, which I hope will be a nice, slightly comical, side line. So as I edit, when the opportunity arises, I will include new scenes. Bit more work, but I believe it will help the flow over all. If I’m wrong – I have no delusions that McKenna will allow them to stay.

Now, on to the Brass and Glass.

The other creative side of my life, the making of pretty shiny things for SCA play, has been going rather well. I made a new bronze ring for my wife, with a nice blue glass ‘gem’ set in it. And another that has a small little St.Mark lion engraved into the face. St. Mark being the patron saint of Venice, where our scadian persona are from. She didn’t have any rings that fit anything other than her pinkie or ring finger so I had to change that. Woman of the period wear many rings on their fingers, sometimes two on the same finger, so she definitely needed more.

I also am working on a brass signet ring for myself. It will have my heraldry and my makers mark on it, and will be able to be used to make a seal in wax – a very period thing for a male to posses. I have been running into some difficulty getting the soldering job to hold. I don’t know if this is because I simply haven’t done soldering of any sort in a decade, or if the solder I have is crappy, or if it’s because I’ve never worked with brass before, or if my pieces are just not fitting true enough. Many things to factor into understanding why something isn’t working. The process of figuring out just what is the the problem, is one of trial and error. Patience is a virtue when trying to teach yourself something as tricky as proper jewelry techniques, luckily I seem to possess that– at least when it comes to this aspect of my life.

I have to admit to finding this reoccurring mistake less frustrating that I might have a decade ago. This can be laid squarely at the feet of being on the right medication. Just one more reason I’m glad that we found out about my mental health issues, and worked to get them under control – no more hammers flying across the room.

Well, that’s my update, now I have to see if the latest refitting and solder job held. If not, well, maybe it’s time to hit the manuals and see why.

Filed under: Mental Health, MIscellaneous, SCA, Writing Tagged: Bi-polar, Bindings & Spines, brass, bronze, Carrion House, cover art, current work in progress, editor, edits, frustration, glass work, heraldry, jewelry, Jonathan Alvey, maker mark, Mental Health, muse, novel, paranormal, paranormal private investigator, period, persona, plot, ring, SCA, Scadian, scene, self taught, Urban Fantasy, venice, White Dragon Black Series, wife, writing, Xchyler Publishing

The Bitch is Back!

There is no doubt, the Bitch is back, and am I glad to see her!

Yesterday, I wrote most of a new chapter for the next novel, Bindings & Spines. Just over 1300 words, put down and those words set a certain path before me. It opened up a small part of the novel I wasn’t sure I was going to traverse, but now, with my Muse giving me the words for that chapter, it’s inclusion or not was no longer a question.

With that chapter, I could now add a new wrap up chapter, which also opened the way for me to include a small element of the novel, enrich it slightly and weave it through the course of the tale. Mostly it will serve as a bit of a light hearted break, a jog into the slightly silly to adjust the flow of mood in the novel.

Just to prove she was back for some serious work, this morning I sat down and my Muse opened up the understanding for how that new last chapter would go. I wrote essentially the whole thing in one sitting – 1600 words.

It feels so good so have those words pour out of me, and I think I can say – the fever has caught me because…the Bitch is Back!

Filed under: Writing Tagged: Bindings & Spines, current work in progress, edits, Jonathan Alvey, muse, novel, paranormal, paranormal private investigator, plot, scene, Urban Fantasy, White Dragon Black Series, world building, writing

Life’s Little Ups and Downs

I haven’t been writing much these past few weeks, as I’ve said, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been picking at the flesh of the stories already started. ��Last night, I get into bed relishing the fact that it is finally warm enough that I can sleep unencumbered by clothing. I no sooner lay my head down, and my Muse sends me a postcard from wherever it is she’s off vacationing. What is this notice about? It seems it may be the key to unlock the plot snafu of a certain short story. What do I do? What every good author does – get out of bed and head for the computer.

So there I am, happy to be possibly working out this issue, happy to be out putting words, happy I’m not freezing to death in my birthday suit. I know, an image none of you wanted in your head, but it made me happy. It’s nice to not have to put on layers just to get out of bed and do anything. There is a freedom and ability to be spontaneous.

Anyway – I only wrote 450 words or so, but I did write. At this point I’ll take every single word with joy. The bitter sweet part of this is that the story was started to be submitted to this years Xchyler’s paranormal anthology. So if I can work it out, it’s a little too late to be submitted. I feel strange about this as I first got a WDB story published in such an anthology, Shades and Shadows, and then was in the following years, Legends and Lore.

On a��down side, my drive belt slipped off the tensioner pulley and shredded. I got a new belt – ouch, that wasn’t cheap – and put it on. I only ran the truck for roughly 30 seconds, and then stopped and checked out how the belt was sitting. It was half off the tensioner pulley and the next one in the route. Not good. So a couple hours of internet searching told me that I needed to swap out my tensioner unit – not good – but it did tell me how, which is good. Whether I can actually accomplish this feat is yet to be seen. The replacement part is ordered and should come in Tuesday, so that gives me some time to fight with it (which, hopefully, won’t actually be the case).

In other news, I finished the jewelry piece I was working on, my wife’s maiden Heart, and am not entirely displeased with the outcome. Mostly, I wish that when I started it, way back when we were last playing in the SCA, that I hadn’t used epoxy to put it together. I am sort of on a kick now to do everything properly. I guess time has made me a purest. I do the same with my writing – I don’t make up monsters but work hard to find folktales and myths that have creatures that fit what I am looking for – more work, but more satisfaction.

I can now move on to one of the other projects I have in mind to do for our SCA life.��I am making a ring for myself, and there is feast gear to make period and pretty, and a toothpick pomander for my wife. All of these will be made in a manner I can proudly show off, even if it means it takes longer to finish them.

I need to start going through the next White Dragon Black novel, Bindings & Spines, once again, to make sure it it as good as I can make it. I will soon be working with my editor, McKenna Gardener, at Xchyler Publishing to get it out into the world, and the more issues I can spot and repair myself the better for us both.

Speaking of novel’s out in the world; my first, Tomorrow Wendell, just recently had a bounce up in the Amazon ratings. It shot up from 768 684 on Wednesday��to 116 252 on Friday. It is now slowly sinking again, but this is the second spike it has had since the Ad Astra Con. This makes me hope that maybe, just maybe, people actually downloaded the free version of the anthology, Blondes, Books, & Bourbon, and not only enjoyed it, but enjoyed it enough to get my novel.

So all in all, I can’t complain about where life has me situated right now. Taking each day in stride, and trying not to worry and stress about tomorrow.

Filed under: MIscellaneous, Publishing, SCA, Writing Tagged: anthology, author, Bindings & Spines, Blondes Books & Bourbon, current work in progress, editor, edits, jewelry, Jonathan Alvey, Maiden's Heart, muse, novel, paranormal, paranormal private investigator, pomander, publish, readers, recreation, SCA, short story, Tomorrow Wendell, truck, Urban Fantasy, White Dragon Black Series, wife, world building, writing, Xchyler Publishing

Words about my Muse

So I have been dry on the writing front for a couple weeks. No real desire, no scenes in my head, no dialogue��in my inner ears. No Muse . . . well, no usual Muse.

While my writing Muse may have stepped out, another has taken��her place. I have been making, crafting, constructing, with great joy and success. I don’t want this to stop, and have lots of inspiration and many things that need making, and that’s just for me, and my lady’s, use. The real fun comes in making things for other people, especially when they don’t know you are doing so. So, I’m glad to be creating, and to know my skills are still there.

But – I’d also still like to maintain my relationship with my other Muse.

This morning she dropped by just let me know she hasn’t forgotten me, and to make sure I remember how much she enjoys torturing me. I was on the toilet! Sitting there, pants around my ankles and suddenly – ‘Hey, here’s a scene for you with a bit of dialogue to go with. It’s for a new short story – in case you didn’t catch that. So any way, gotta run, have fun.’

So the next place I sat down was my desk. ��I put that short story opening into my word processor and saved it. One more started short story. One more file waiting for more words to fulfill it’s purpose. But if I can finish this one – it may just be that it is destined for somewhere, that my Muse gave it to me in response for a wish to submit to a particular magazine. I have often thought about submitting to this well established, detective magazine and only recently told myself to go for it.

Maybe later today, I’ll write more, or maybe tomorrow. In the mean time, at least I can make pretty things be.

Filed under: MIscellaneous, SCA Tagged: current work in progress, Jewellery, Jonathan Alvey, muse, paranormal, paranormal private investigator, plot, short story, Urban Fantasy, White Dragon Black Series, wife, world building, writing

The Series Continues with – FATED

 

 

Training Log

Vanguard: Elora Walker

Day: 278

Posting: Keystone, Earth���s End

Quad Commander: Marcus Vaughn

Vanguard Superior: Elias Adamsson

��19:30

Reported for duty. Marcus informed us that we were on standard patrol in Breakers. Resisted the urge to complain about the boring routine of hitting the same town for the eleventh night in a row. I know my luck���that���s just asking for trouble.

20:15

Departed on foot for Breakers. Was still pretty warm so the long run in black uniform was unpleasant, but not unusual. Nothing else to report. It was still too light out for much of the local Dark Seeker population to grace us with their presence. Received a ���gentle reminder��� from Marcus that they could all here my not-so-polite complaints through the mental link. Made a point to stop complaining about the heat and apologised. (Honestly, only mentioning it because he won���t and I was in the wrong.)

22:38

Encountered a single vampire. He was young, turned within the last fifty years at a guess. It was clear to us that he was hunting. We stalked and surrounded using the box formation, made much easier by our ability to communicate without speaking aloud. Vampire was captured by 23:02 with no injuries. He was logged in to command, who sent a detention vehicle for him (or it, whichever you prefer).

23:25

Returned to open patrol after transfer of the detained vampire. Water break at 00:00, but no other observations to report throughout the patrol.

06:30

Marcus ordered return to Keystone. A quiet night on patrol, but a long time to run for. The half hour run back to base was icing on the cake. Made a note to request (again) that vehicles be used to collect quads at the end of long patrols out here. Dehydration took out three more Vanguards last week. That makes almost twenty-five in the last month. It���s hot, we run for nine to ten hours, without a break, and the run back is an unnecessary and cruel punishment. Why can���t we just catch a bus?

07:45

Training session with Vanguard Leith. Focus was on new approaches towards tracking. Received another informal reprimand that making jokes during training wasn���t appropriate, even if the only people who could hear them were my quad and I. Apologised to Vanguard Leith, who shrugged because she hadn���t noticed. (Again, Marcus won���t say anything so I will.) Training was interesting and the teabag approach may be useful. For my own reference at a later date, the teabag approach is a method of distraction used to draw focus onto one player in the field to allow the others to flank and then tighten up around the Dark Seeker, while reducing the risk of confrontation.

09:00

Dinner followed by endurance training. Twelve mile run (because we don���t run enough out here) followed by weights and some yoga to stretch out the muscles. Then Marcus and I worked on my hand to hand techniques, with a focus on ensuring that I use my diminutive height to my advantage. Worked long enough and hard to enough to sustain minor injury to my left shoulder. Marcus ordered me to get checked out.

10:27

Reported to the infirmary. Suggested to the nurse they name a wing after me���not sure she saw the funny side. Doctor confirmed injury was just muscular and would heal with rest over a few days. After reading through my notes again, the Doctor then asked if I understood the concept of rest. I recall rolling my eyes but this wasn���t seen as reprimand-worthy, this time. I assured the doctor I would take it easier than usual. I tried to be convincing and was sent away with pain killers to take.

11:36

Bed. Signed off duty until later today. Call-back time is 17:15 due to dual quad mission.

15:45

Went for a run. Unable to sleep due to pain in shoulder, bad dreams and stress. Took the outer path which tracks around the wall. Presence was confirmed by Vanguards at all nine checkpoints. Did three laps before stopping in at the Sanctuary for some quiet reflection.

16:30

Breakfast with my quad. Marcus seemed worried about the mission, but I think he���s just over protective. Simon and Maria spent a lot of time making jokes at his expense, but there were no further reprimands (formal or otherwise).

 

I certify that this is a true and honest account:�������� Elora Walker��������

 

(PS: Mom, if you wanted to read my reports, you could have just asked. I would have sent them to you. No need to ask Marcus to do it for you. And seriously, he can���t keep a secret from me, so why did you try? Love you. E)

 

��

 

Now we put Joanne to the task of answering some tough questions

If you had 3 wishes, what would they be?

First, that all the dreams my children have come true. I just want them to be happy and healthy (and that the teenage years aren���t too awful!). Second, that more and more people fall in love with this series! I love to interact with fans and am so eager to hear what they have to say about Fated! And third���this is tough���I guess that I just want to write new things, different things, and still be able to teach, because I love my ���proper job���!

Given unlimited resources, what would be your ideal writing environment?

I guess, I would love a small hut at the end of my garden. All I really need is a wireless connection and my music, so I don���t need much beyond that! Windows���so I can see the children while I work!

Where do you actually write?

Either on the sofa, wrapped in a quilt my mum made for my when I was sixteen, or at my desk in the playroom (which is actually our conservatory, so is either roasting or freezing with no real in between!). Our cat is usually curled up next to me and it���s always late ��� so dark.

How long does it normally take you to write a novel?

Five to seven weeks is the usual timescale. It���s the only time I have in between school terms. This is the first draft, of course. Depending on the availability of my editing team, it can take another eight to ten weeks to edit, but that is far less intensive. (Well, now I don���t make all of the awful mistakes I made before my awesome editor, McKenna Gardner, got her hands on me!)

What are your inspirations?

I read a lot of YA literature, which made me realise more and more that I wanted to write my own���that I could write my own! I write for my children as well. I wanted to show them that anything is achievable if you work hard enough. If I can inspire them to go after their dreams, then I have done something right in terms of parenting!

How did you come to write this particular book or series?

The series started many years ago, when an unexpectedly free summer holiday gave me time to just put fingers to keyboard and hammer something out. The series came about because my publisher, Xchyler, took a chance on me. They saw the diamond of my story in the rough of my first novel and were the best support I could have asked for. Honestly, Fated exists because of the incredible editing team at The X.

What was the hardest part of writing your book, and how did you overcome it?

I knew what had to happen in this novel. The hardest part was knowing that the right ending, the ending that had to happen, was going to upset people. As part of the process, I wrote an alternative ending, but it was such a disappointment to read. I hope that my readers can see why it has to end the way it does, and the come and interact with me to discuss it. (Bet you���re all intrigued now, aren���t you?)

What is your writing drive? The power that keeps you going when your writing gets difficult?

I think that because my time is so limited, that is my drive. I don���t have the time to get stuck or lose focus���I just have to get on with it! It does help that there���s been a long gap between books, so there has been time to write the story in my head before I sit down to type it. It makes the whole process much quicker.

How did you come up with the title?

When I signed on with Xchyler Publishing, part of that was an agreement for the full series. When we were getting ready to release Foretold, we brainstormed titles in series. With all three of books already penciled out, the titles had to link them together. Honestly, I think my editor in chief came up with the titles!

Name one entity that you feel supported your writing, outside of family members?

My friend, Karen Banks. She might as well be family, but isn���t! She supported the books from the very beginning, encouraged me to submit to publishers and agents, and has generally been my cheerleader! I don���t think that the series would exist without her. I wrote the second novel (in its original form) for her as a Christmas present. She spent the whole of her Christmas Day that year sat on her sofa with the book and an editing pen! Her husband didn���t complain once.

What is your favorite late night snack while writing?

Sweets, biscuits, chocolate, crisps. Pretty much anything! I���m not a very healthy snacker.

What was the most surprising part of writing this book?

I don���t think anything was surprising. The novel had been planned out for over three years, and I���d been writing it in my head for two of those years, so writing the novel was actually the easy part!

Here is the Rafflecopter Giveaway!

The Fated tour schedule!

4/19: theauthorvisits.com

4/20: projectshadowlondon.wordpress.com

4/21: afstewartpromotion.blogspot.ca/

4/22: jaurelguay.wordpress.com

4/23: creativityfromchaos.wordpress.com

4/24: scotttarbet.timp.net

4/25: amindwandering.blogspot.com

Filed under: Book Release, Publishing, Writing