Helen B. Henderson's Blog, page 33

2021 V : Volcano

Unlike most of the posts in the challenge, I had no trouble filling the letter "V."  

 

Image by Alexander Antropov from Pixabay 

Multiple reasons may have bubbled up from my subconscious to bring me to the topic of "Volcano." It could be because I once lived in the shadow of Mount Pinatubo. After lying dormant for almost 500 years, the volcano’s eruption in June 1991 resulted in one of the most destructive volcanic eruptions of the 20th century. This year is the thirtieth anniversary of the event. Or maybe it was the stunning pictures of Kilauea sending steam clouds rising high into the sky or the red glow of the lava flows. 

As to how volcanoes have appeared in my various works?

Two mages, Bashim and Relliq, lived in the chambers and lava tubes of ancient volcanos, using the earth to hide their use of magic. Their tales are told in Windmaster Legacy and Windmaster Golem. 

Of course, the reason volcanoes have been used as a setting could just be that the dragons shared their love of sitting on a ledge beneath the rim of a volcano's crater to bask in the warmth of the bubbling rock below. In the southern islands of the world of the dragshi, Ollea is a goddess who lives in the bowl of a volcano. And when someone of good heart dies, she takes the dead to live with her in a smokey cave. The first dragon to crack shell in many generations was named in her honor. 

When the curse of childlessness is broken, Broch takes the infant in revenge for the death of her husband, and of all the plans for domination that the dragshi ruined. In the excerpt, Anastasia rescued her friend's child, but is now trapped on the side of a volcano by Broch.

Although she had rejected the tunnel earlier because of the risk a rock fall might have collapsed the tunnel onto itself, now she grabbed onto the slender hope it offered.

Reality pressed its own side. If she did not reach the spot where the trail branched into an even steeper climb, she would be trapped.

<Just around the next bend,> Jessian said. <Then my sister, we will fly.>

Anastasia latched onto the dragon soul’s words. Her steps pounded in cadence to, “we will fly.” She rounded the last curve and grabbed onto an outcropping to stop her forward momentum. The tube that could be her salvation was only a few feet away.

But between the two, stood Broch.

The blood rays of the setting sun glinted off the long sword the raider brandished.

 ~   ~   ~   ~ 

Windmaster Legacy - one click to estores

Windmaster Golem - one click to estores

Hatchlings Curse - one click to estores

Hatchlings Mate - one click to estores

 

If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

To make following the hop easier, here is the link to all my posts. Just remember, the next day's post isn't live until midnight.

~ till next time, Helen

2021 U : Unusual

 

 

 

One way to ground a reader in a fantasy world is to take something familiar and change it, adding an unusual element. If you've been on one of the journeys to my worlds of imagination, you'll know I like horses. But they are not normal equines, but fantastical beings with an earth magic of their own. The seidhern, fàlaire, and seisag are intelligent, loyal, and individuals of the breeds had personalities of their own. The ability to jump higher and gallop faster than true horses were additional abilities. 

As for another fantasy element? They can boost their riders own magic.  Spoiler alert. In one of The Windmaster Novels, the head stallion of the vale herd sprouted wings and flew.

Another unusual fantasy item in the world of Windmaster is the mountain lake Botunn Loghes. The arrangement of mountain passes causes something similar to ocean areas where sea breezes alternate with land breezes. On Botunn Loghes, the winds blow in one direction in the morning  and the opposite direction in the evening allowing ships to easily travel between the ports of Aigeal and Berife.

To visit Botunn Loghes, click on the banner covers of Windmaster, Windmaster Golem, or Windmaster Legend. To ride a magical equine, visit the worlds of Wind master, the dragshi, or Dylan the mage imprisoned in stone.

If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

To make following the hop easier, here is the link to all my posts. Just remember, the next day's post isn't live until midnight.

~ till next time, Helen

2021 T : Time

In the modern world, the measurement of time can be taken for granted. Devices from cellular phones to computer screens, a roadside sign or a cheap digital watch alerts us of actions to be taken or appointments made. Just as in the real world, a fantasy world needs to have descriptions for measurements. If an invented measurement of time or distance, the unit needs to be understandable--and comfortable--for the reader. Measurements different than the familiar could be jarring to a reader and possibly even throw them out of the story.

One thing that is common to most worlds are heavenly bodies. The stars may have different configurations and more than one moon, but they provide an easily understood guide for the characters (and the reader) as they traverse their world much as the stars did for the sailors of old.

Now that the characters have a map how to measure the length of a journey. Historically, the marking of time comes from important event such as full moons and planting or harvesting seasons. A full cycle of the seasons is a year. For the Windmaster Novels, a slightly different term was used to represent a cycle of the world. Turn replaced year.

The heavens are again used with the measurement of a full moon. Since there are two moons in The Windmaster Novels, not only do you have the recognition of the time between full moons, but also the less frequent conjunction of both moons being full at the same time and appearing to coalesce into a super moon.

A week can be a sevenday or ten day depending on the world.

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

At an individual level, a character can use the candlemark to determine how long they have been at a task. A candlemark is how long it takes a candle to burn down between marks notched into the sides for measuring shorter time periods. I particularly like the visual of the candle burning low when the character is researching in an archive. 

Image by Momentmal from Pixabay
Public life can be measured using bells to alert the town, large group, or ship of the time. This works well as long as the keeper of the bell is accurate through the use of an hourglass.

To mark shorter breaks of time, heartbeats or breaths. They may not be quite as accurate since they can both speed up with activity. I wouldn't want to use them to determine when to charge as part of a coordinated battle plan, but to show the reader the passage of a few moments they are more than sufficient.

To read the stories and see the various combinations of time and space, click on the covers in the banner for excerpts of what the music helped create.

 

If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

To make following the hop easier, here is the link to all my posts. Just remember, the next day's post isn't live until midnight.

~ till next time, Helen

Dark Days, Dark Actions #MFRWAuthor

Welcome to the monthly topic from the MFRW challenge. The topic is "How Different Seasons Affect Your Writing." Now there are different aspects to the seasons depending on where you are from which can affect your writing. In the northeast, there are distinct seasonal changes. Of course, some of them might feel only a few weeks long, but temperatures, storms, and different crops in the fields tell the story. Despite the fact that it is springtime outside, I'm just going to focus on one season -- winter.  And to the reason why? 

Winter can be especially stressful and full of dark emotions. There are shorter days, longer nights, parties (or lack thereof) and family gatherings. The effects of these on an author can break through their control and reflect in their writing.

My characters hate the long dark nights between the solstice and turn's end. More than one has ended up captured and in the dungeon. First a short excerpt from Imprisoned in Stone. Colywnn is imprisoned in a cell deep in the citadel of the Brethren He can accept no mercy from those who want to control all magic, even though his father is their leader.

Even though the blocking spells absorbed most of the light emitted from the single candle high on the wall, he used the wan glow to examine the room. Stone by stone, he searched for a way out, either through magic or physical force. His questing fingers found only walls worked smooth by those of countless prisoners. Each time he found a hint of magic and tried to summon his own powers, the prison absorbed them, eating away his strength. Although he spotted his own spell interwoven among those who over the years had placed the restraint on the cell, the faint hope it provided quickly vanished. As he watched in hopeless frustration, his spell faded, dispersed by those of the Brethren members.

His back against the wall, Colwynn slid to the floor. He considered one approach after another, then discarded it. Who could he call upon for help? Gareth’s powers were too weak. And the only other wizards he knew were confirmed members of the Brethren. Only one person had the possibility of reaching him—Maerva.

Gathering his magic, he pictured her in his mind. A prayer on his lips, he cast out a desperate call.

Dead silence greeted his effort.

I wasn't any more charitable for Talann of the dragshi or the archmage Dal. When Talann went undercover in the cult of the Parant in Hatchling's Mate, the cult's leader did not believe the son of a dragon shifter would betray his own kind. Even though no dragons sang a welcome at Talann's birth and to all the world he was an outcast, the Parant turned Talann over to the not-so-tender mercies of a mercenary captain.

Dal's captors weren't happy with just him as a prisoner. They wanted the magical equine he rode also. However because of his actions, Tairneach and his fellow herdmates escaped. Before his dark night in the dungeon, an excerpt from Windmaster of Dal's capture by his former troopmate.

Dal went sprawling to hands and knees from a blow to the back of his head. Dust clogged his nostrils. He tried to stand, but a second blow knocked him flat. He arched his back to dislodge the heavy weight of the men piled atop him. Muscles weakened by the poison collapsed. A heel stomped on his fingers and kicked the sword from his grasp. Rough hands grabbed both arms and twisted them back. Pain radiated from the foot on his neck, and the sharp edges of the rocks cutting into his face. The cold touch of iron chains around his wrists killed any hopes of escape.

The weight of those holding him down suddenly lifted. Dal gasped for air. A hand in his hair pulled him up to a kneeling position. Someone behind him slipped a choke collar over his head and pulled it tight. His skin crawled beneath the metal links. More chains were wrapped around his chest, pinning his arms to his sides. He could not move enough to free himself.

The resonance of Bashim’s essence permeated each link.

Dal swore in wordless anger. The chains were enspelled. They bound magic ... my magic.

If intrigued, you can find buy links for each of the books by clicking on the covers in the banner above.

~till next time, Helen

Be sure to see how the other authors answered the question. https://mfrw52week.blogspot.com/

2021 S : Sea Shanty

 

This was the most fun topic. Like the 2019 and 2020 "S" posts in the A to Z in April challenge, this topic also deals with the sea. A sea shanty is a sailors' work song dating from the days of sailing ships, when manipulating heavy sails by means of ropes, from positions on the deck constituted a large part of a sailor's work. The main purpose of the rhythmic tune was to help workers synchronize their tasks, such as pushing or pulling at the same time when hoisting sails. And before the comments fly, both shanty and chanty are acceptable spellings. I chose shanty to cover the "S."

When I was writing Maerva's tale, no particular words were written for the shanty in the following scene. However, it illustrates the use of a shanty on land.

The morning passed quickly and by the mid-day break, Wayward Bound’s cargo covered the huge tables outside the storage caves. After a quick cup of soup and a cold meatroll, Maerva slid into an empty chair next to Arcil. Farther down the line, a dozen old aunts and uncles sang a sea chanty. Their hands moved in rhythm to the tune as they gutted and prepared the fish for smoking and later shipment to the western provinces.

The inspiration for the shanties was the episode Bad Water of the television series Seaquest DSV. In that use, a grizzled chief got the crew singing to overcome their despair at their vessel’s damage. When I was writing Imprisoned in Stone, the music rang in my head until I wrote new words that enabled Maerva to use the magic inherent in the rhythm to break the spell cast upon her ship. Instead of using the rhythm of a shanty to keep the sailor's movements synchronized, she used it to focus the force of their will to save their ship.

“Ready?” she called.

The crew’s determined, “Sails away,” replaced some of the earlier exhaustion.

Taking a deep breath, Maerva released it and cast her spell. Her voice rang with the full force of her will. “Clear our decks, we’re a sailin’. Curse be gone, our sails a fillin’. Crew be well, that we’re orderin’. Command, it shall be.”

Arcil carried the chorus in a rich bass. “Away ho, darkness leavin’. Away ho, Dawn be rising’. Away ho, curse be leavin’. Command, it shall be.”

Off key or out of tune, one by one the rest of the ship’s complement joined in. Even though the words were different, the tune of an old sailor’s chanty made it easy for the crew to lend their voices—and determination.

She kept everyone singing until raggedness entered their voices. Her grasp tight on Gareth’s fingers, she gathered the will of the crew, added her and Gareth’s magic, and threw it in a final thrust against the squirming mess. It vanished, leaving behind only the spray-covered boards. Maerva turned to Gareth to tell him, but the ship’s bow dipped into a trough sending her into his arms.

 
Imprisoned in Stone - one click to estores 

If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

To make following the hop easier, here is the link to all my posts. Just remember, the next day's post isn't live until midnight.

~ till next time, Helen

2021 R : Revenge #AtoZChallenge #MFRWAuthor

Revenge can be an irresistible urge. The trigger can be the theft of a birthrite or the murder of a friend or kinsman.
 The murder of everyone on the Isle of Mages, from student to master, and child to tradesman, set Dal, the archmage on the vengeance trail. The rogue mage's attack on Ellspeth's ship in an attempt to kill Dal resulted in the death of her cabin boy provided Dal with an ally and traveling companion. (Windmaster)

Vengeance doesn't always pertain to or remain in one generation. Talann of Cloud Eyrie tried to disobey the head of the dragshi to hunt down the killer of two elderly dragon shifters. He failed, not because of his mistress' order, but because neither horse nor seidhern would allow him into the saddle. (Hatchling's Mate)

Leod vowed to kill any and all dragon shifters because they murdered his ancestor. That fact that his kinsman led a failed attack on the home of the dragshi and received a fair trial didn't matter. (First Change)

  To see whether one or two graves was dug when revenge was taken, click on the covers in the banner for buy links. Two writing hops collided today -- the MFRW Book Hooks and the AtoZ in April. To treat them both equally, I decided to add the hashtags for both to the title line and links to the list of posters from both.

 To visit the other participants in the MFRW Book Hooks Hop and read their excerpts, the master list is at https://mfrwbookhooks.blogspot.com/
 
   
  If you're following other blogs in the AtoZchallenge, here's the master list of the other participants.
To make following the AtoZ in April Challenge easier, the post Connections 2001 is a list to all my posts. Just remember, for this hop the next day's post isn't live until midnight.

~ till next time, Helen

2021 Q : Quest

 

Unlike the previous challenges, "Q" didn't require much thought. Quests are a mainstay of fantasy tales. The characters face challenges and danger as they try to find a magic token or complete an impossible task.

There can be quests within quests. Captain Ellspeth and the Archmage Dal sought revenge for the murder of loved ones. They also had a traditional quest. Find the hidden magical tokens and decipher their codes to reach the circlet which would serve as  a source of power. One over-arching quest in the series was to save the future of magic.

Lord Branin Llewlyn sought the person he believed would be his mate. But all he knew was her name -- Anastasia. But finding her still didn't mean his dream of a family would come true. The price the dragshi paid for having a dragon soul twin was the curse of childless mess. 

What could be a bigger quest than saving your kind , breaking a curse, or saving the future of magic? Survival!

The Windmaster Novels  - one click to estores

The Dragshi Chronicles - one click to estores 

If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

To make following the hop easier, here is the link to all my posts. Just remember, the next day's post isn't live until midnight.

~ till next time, Helen

2021 P : Potioner

 

 

The topic chosen for the letter "P" comes from a character in Imprisoned in Stone. A potion is a liquid with healing, magical, or poisonous properties. The potioner is the man or woman who creates it, and in this case her name is Donnelle.

Donnelle is unprepossessive, with neither riches nor beauty. She is an old woman with straggly gray hair and tattered clothes. Noone knew for sure where she came from, but the story was that as a young woman she lost her husband and child in a ship wreck. Although she survived, she retreated to the farthest distance she could from the water to live in a stone hut on the edge of the Cothrom Desert.

To gather the plants to create her potions, she often took a tent and lived for days in the solitude of the desert, her haunting song drifting over the sands.

Although Donnelle isn't a true mage, she has a special aptitude for plants and capturing their healing abilities in potions. Although capable of killing through her elixirs, she held herself to a higher standard and never traded or bartered anything lethal. Her special ability to determine the purpose of those who requested her assistance made sure she didn't assist assassins -- or the Brethren.

 

To learn her fate when she encounters the Brethren,
read the dark fantasy tale of magic, both good and bad.
Imprisoned in Stone - one click to estores

If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

To make following the hop easier, here is the link to all my posts. Just remember, the next day's post isn't live until midnight.

~ till next time, Helen

Midway #AtoZChallenge

The month of April is half over and we're at the midpoint of the #AtoZ Challenge. The theme I chose for the challenge is the characters and settings of my fantasy romances and other genres, thoughts on the writing life, and a touch of something about me tossed in for variety.

Since the challenge takes Sundays off, the slot is being used to reflect on the topics covered so far. A list of posts for easier following of the challenge follows. I hope you'll find a post or two of interest and that you'll consider stopping by for the rest of the challenge.

The list of topics is at 2021 A to Z Connections.

~till next time, Helen

2021 O : Outdoors, Perfect For Writing

 

 

 My favorite writing space is a rocking chair on the deck of a mountain cabin so it is not surprising that one of the things I try to do in my stories is to include a variety of outdoor settings.

 Captain Ellspeth sails the Archmage Lord Dal to a tropical island. On the island is the Kapuna Tree, an ancient tree which bears the history of all mages.

Inspiration for the courtyard
of the Temple of Givneh

Their trail of vengeance takes them across the rainbow bridge that connects the Isle of Mages to the mainland. Outdoor sites vary from the mountains of Dal's homeland, to a secluded glen, and a hidden oasis in the middle of a vast grassland. Although the Temple of Givneh itself doesn't qualify for the topic, the great courtyard where the faithful gather before entering does. More on Givneh can be found in the letter "G" in the 2019 AtoZ Challenge.

The most unusual places they went aren't truly outdoors, but underground. One cave sheltered Ellspeth and Dal in a blizzard. The other cave provided no safety, only a myriad of dangers.

Image courtesy of Pixabay

Another volume in the series takes Ellspeth and Dal to his mother's homeland on the other side of the world. The inspiration for Tarekus was the Australian outback. Tarekus was showcased as the letter "T" in the 2019 AtoZ Challenge.

I hope the outdoors has teased your interest, and that you'll consider looking further into The Windmaster Novels.

The Windmaster Novels  - one click to estores

If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

To make following the hop easier, here is the link to all my posts. Just remember, the next day's post isn't live until midnight.

~ till next time, Helen