Ashlee Willis's Blog, page 8

Cover Reveal, Excerpt, and Giveaway for DRAVEN’S LIGHT by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

I’m thrilled today to have the privilege of being a part of the cover reveal for authoress Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s book, Draven’s Light. If you’re a fan of The Tales of Goldstone Wood, I’m sure you’re already pretty hyped about this brand new addition! If you haven’t discovered this great series yet … well, just make sure you do!

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First, here’s a bit about the book itself:

In the Darkness of the Pit�� The Light Shines Brightest

Drums summon the chieftain���s powerful son to slay a man in cold blood and thereby earn his place among the warriors. But instead of glory, he earns the name Draven,�����Coward.��� When the men of his tribe march off to war, Draven remains behind with the women and his shame. Only fearless but crippled Ita values her brother���s honor.

The warriors return from battle victorious yet trailing a curse in their wake. One by one the strong and the weak of the tribe fall prey to an illness of supernatural power. The secret source of this evil can be found and destroyed by only the bravest heart.

But when the curse attacks the one Draven loves most, can this coward find the courage he needs to face the darkness?

Coming May 25, 2015

Are you ready to see the cover?! ��Here it is!

Isn’t it stunning?

Anne Elisabeth will be giving away 3 ARCs (advanced reader copies) of the book, so be sure to visit her site and enter your name for a chance to win!

Draven’s Light is also available for pre-order as of today! It will officially release May 2015.

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To top off the excitement, here’s an exciting excerpt from Draven’s Light.

He heard the drums in his dreams, distant but drawing ever nearer. He had heard them before and wondered if the time of his manhood had come. But with the approach of dawn, the drums always faded away and he woke to the world still a child. Still a boy.

But this night, the distant drums were louder, stronger. Somehow he knew they were not concocted of his sleeping fancy. No, even as he slept he knew these were real drums, and he recognized the beat: The beat of death. The beat of blood.

The beat of a man���s heart.

He woke with a start, his leg throbbing where it had just been kicked. It was not the sort of awakening he had longed for these last two years and more. He glared from his bed up into the face of his sister, who stood above him, balancing her weight on a stout forked branch tucked under her left shoulder.

���Ita,��� the boy growled, ���what are you doing here? Go back to the women���s hut!���

His sister made a face at him, but he saw, even by the moonlight streaming through cracks in the thatch above, that her eyes were very round and solemn. Only then did he notice that the drumbeats of his dream were indeed still booming deep in the woods beyond the village fires. He sat up then, his heart thudding its own thunderous pace.

���A prisoner,��� Ita said, shifting her branch so that she might turn toward the door. ���The drums speak of a prisoner. They���re bringing him even now.��� She flashed a smile down at him, though it was so tense with anxiety it could hardly be counted a smile at all. ���Gaho, your name!���

The boy was up and out of his bed in a moment, reaching for a tunic and belt. His sister hobbled back along the wall but did not leave, though he wished she would. He wished she would allow him these few moments before the drums arrived in the village. The drums that beat of one man���s death . . . and one man���s birth.

His name was Gaho. But by the coming of dawn, if the drums��� promise was true, he would be born again in blood and bear a new name.

Hands shaking with what he desperately hoped wasn���t fear, he tightened his belt and searched the room for his sickle blade. He saw the bone handle, white in the moonlight, protruding from beneath his bed pile, and swiftly took it up. The bronze gleamed dully, like the carnivorous tooth of an ancient beast.

A shudder ran through his sister���s body. Gaho, sensing her distress, turned to her. She grasped her supporting branch hard, and the smile was gone from her face. ���Gaho,��� she said, ���will you do it?���

���I will,��� said Gaho, his voice strong with mounting excitement.

But Ita reached out to him suddenly, catching his weapon hand just above the wrist. ���I will lose you,��� she said. ���My brother . . . I will lose you!���

���You will not. You will lose only Gaho,��� said the boy, shaking her off, gently, for she was not strong. Without another word, he ducked through the door of his small hut���one he had built for himself but a year before in anticipation of his coming manhood���and stood in the darkness of Rannul Village, eyes instinctively turning to the few campfires burning. The drums were very near now, and he could see the shadows of waking villagers moving about the fires, building up the flames in preparation for what must surely follow. He felt eyes he could not see turning to his hut, turning to him. He felt the question each pair of eyes asked in silent curiosity: Will it be tonight?

Tonight or no night.

Grasping the hilt of his weapon with both hands, Gaho strode to the dusty village center, which was beaten down into hard, packed earth from years of meetings and matches of strength held in this same spot. Tall pillars of aged wood ringed this circle, and women hastened to these, bearing torches which they fit into hollowed-out slots in each pillar. Soon the village center was bright as noonday, but with harsh red light appropriate for coming events.

Gaho stood in the center of that light, his heart ramming in his throat though his face was a stoic mask. All the waking village was gathered now, men, women, and children, standing just beyond the circle, watching him.

The drums came up from the river, pounding in time to the tramp of warriors��� feet. Then the warriors themselves were illuminated by the ringing torches, their faces anointed in blood, their heads helmed with bone and bronze, their shoulders covered in hides of bear, wolf, and boar. Ten men carried tight skin drums, beating them with their fists. They entered the center first, standing each beneath one of the ringing pillars. Other warriors followed them, filling in the gaps between.

Then the chieftain, mighty Gaher, appeared. He carried his heavy crescent ax in one hand, and Gaho saw that blood stained its edge���indeed, blood spattered the blade from tip to hilt and covered the whole of the chieftain���s fist. Gaher strode into the circle, and the boy saw more blood in his beard. But he also saw the bright, wolfish smile and knew for certain that his sister had been correct. The night of naming had come.

���My son,��� said the chief, saluting Gaho with upraised weapon.

���My father,��� said Gaho, raising his sickle blade in return.

���Are you ready this night to die and live again?��� asked the chief. His voice carried through the shadows, and every one of the tribe heard it, and any and all listening beasts of forests and fields surrounding. ���Are you ready this night for the spilling of blood that must flow before life may begin?���

Gaho drew a deep breath, putting all the strength of his spirit into his answer. ���I am ready, Father.���

Gaher���s smile grew, the torchlight flashing red upon his sharpened canines. He turned then and motioned to the darkness beyond the torchlight.

The sacrifice was brought forward.

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ANNE ELISABETH STENGL makes her home in North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, Rohan, a kindle of kitties, and one long-suffering dog. When she���s not writing, she enjoys Shakespeare, opera, and tea, and practices piano, painting, and pastry baking. She is the author of the critically-acclaimed Tales of Goldstone Wood. Her novel Starflower was awarded the 2013 Clive Staples Award, and her novels Heartless, Veiled Rose, and Dragonwitch have each been honored with a Christy Award.

To learn more about Anne Elisabeth Stengl and her books visit: www.AnneElisabethStengl.blogspot.com

The Word Changers Has a NEW COVER!!

Oh, yes … but you can’t see it on my site! At least, not today.

The cover reveal is being hosted by the talented and lovely authoress, Anne Elisabeth Stengl. Head over to her blog to see the new cover for The Word Changers, and to enter your name into the giveaway for a signed paperback of the book … one sporting its new cover, of course!

The entire process was a new and thrilling and somewhat daunting one, truth be told. Working so closely with the artist who designed��it was an eye-opening experience. What a wonderful thing to watch the concept in my head brought to life by someone else in a way even more lovely than I imagined!

You can leave comments over on Anne Elisabeth’s��blog, or you can head back over here to let me know what you think of it. To be honest, I’m pretty giddy about it, myself :)

True Evil in Christian Fiction: Where Do You Stand?

Two things happened recently which made me want to explore this question, which is a rather broad one: Should there be evil ��� true evil ��� in Christian fiction?

The first thing that made me begin thinking about it was a conversation I had with a family member. She told me that she couldn���t understand why books had to be so full of evil. She just wanted to be able to pick up a book that gave her a sense of peace and happiness. Why bad guys? Why horrible obstacles?

The second thing that made me question this was a 1-star Goodreads reviewer who emailed to explain to me that she didn���t enjoy my book because it was ���filled with witchcraft and premarital romance.��� This example is a bit extreme, especially if you’ve read my book, and I have to admit I didn���t let it effect me greatly. In my book the small amount of magic used is certainly not glorified (although magic is a whole other blog post, honestly …). Also, I’m happy to say that I myself didn���t venture into marital romance without a bit of premarital romance first ��� I���m afraid of what the consequences would have been if I had, and certainly wouldn’t wish such a thing on my characters or anyone else! :)

However, after hearing the words and views of my reviewer and of my relative, I still had to wonder. Where does evil have its place in Christian fiction?��What do you, as readers and Christians, believe?

Is magic wrong, even when it is used solely by the antagonist? Is romance (the holding hands, kissing, puppy love kind) wrong for Christian teens (or anyone else, for that matter) to see? Where do you draw the line? And is it wrong to depict evil ��� you know, the kind that makes you shiver and feel like your stomach has dropped ��� within the confines of a Christian story with a God-glorifying theme?

I���ll admit, sometimes my tastes in reading and my personal beliefs don���t perfectly coincide. I suspect we���re all guilty of this in one way or another. I like reading about epic battles, and magic, and mysterious murders. Does that mean I���m going to grab a sword and run someone through, or sit pining for my letter from Hogwarts to come ��� or worse yet, go kill someone? No, not even a teensy bit.

In my opinion, reading about sin only becomes a sin itself when you find pleasure in the evil you see. More so when you not only take pleasure in reading about it, but take it to the next level and perhaps indulge in it yourself. As I heard Bob Ross say (as he was painting happy trees ���) on a recent re-run, ���You have to add the dark to make the light more striking.��� He was speaking about painting, of course, but the minute he said those words, I thought, ���Yes! That���s exactly it!��� And so it is.

It was much like I told my relative after she expressed her concern over evil in stories. I explained to her that, as a writer myself, my desire is for my stories to mirror the world we live in, the battles (sometimes invisible) we fight every day against an evil that is all too real. To show the reader that evil (whether it takes the form of magic or murder or any other immoral thing), and then to show her a heroine much like herself who overcomes that evil ��� what could be more powerful than that? What else could leave such a deep sense of peace? Even ��� no, especially ��� if that hero or heroine overcomes the evil with grace and mercy and love, things God fully intends us to overcome our real-life troubles with.

So where do all these preferences and beliefs, so seemingly at war with each other, leave me? With several questions, actually, for myself and for you:

Where do we draw the line when reading for entertainment about things we may not morally agree with?
What if truly evil things come only from the antagonist in a��story? Are they still wrong to read about?
If we protect ourselves from all thoughts, books, and talk of the things we don���t believe in or agree with, what could be the possible consequences of that, for better or worse?
How much responsibility do we take, as readers, for the direction of our thoughts and actions in relation to what we read, and how much responsibility lies with the author? What does that responsibility entail (for reader or author?).

You, as my readers and friends, have opinions that are extremely important to me. Opinions that I want ��� and need ��� to hear, if my future books are to be ones you will want to read. So what do you think? Do you have answers to any of these questions? Opinions? Questions of your own? I want to hear them!

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For some interesting and varying thoughts on magic and romance in Christian fiction, you may want to check out these articles:

Standing Up for Magic

Fantasy Magic and the Christian Author

Magic in Christian Fantasy

How Far Should Couples Go in Christian Fiction?

Light and Peace

Well, I suppose it’s not too late (yet!) to wish you a Merry Christmas! My plan was to write a Christmas post full of depth and meaning … But the truth of it is that I haven’t had a spare moment to sit down and write a post of any kind in a shamefully long time! I have been up to my eyeballs in revisions, which are taking soo much longer than I anticipated *sigh*. But mostly, I am just attempting to find joy in this Christmas season with friends and family.

Jacob Marley tells Scrooge he will be visited by 3 spirits.

Caroling with my son’s school, leading my poor family on a merciless quest��for the “perfect” Christmas tree, taking my son to his first play (A Christmas Carol, of course!), and lots of hot chocolate, story-reading, game-playing and snuggling have been uppermost on our family agenda of late!

So since I have not had the time to conjure some inspiring words about Christmas myself, I’ll borrow some instead! Hope your Christmas is blessed and bright, friends!

 

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���Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!��� (Dr. Seuss)

“Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share our blessings, all the snow in Alaska won’t make it ‘white’.” (Bing Crosby)

���How many observe Christ’s birthday! How few, His precepts!��� (Benjamin Franklin)

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” (Charles Dickens)

���Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.��� (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

photo by legate01

���Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. ��� (Norman Vincent Peale)

“We consider Christmas as the encounter, the great encounter, the historical encounter, the decisive encounter, between God and mankind. He who has faith knows this truly; let him rejoice.” (Pope Paul VI)

���He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.��� (Roy L. Smith)

“Christmas is the day that holds all time together.” (Alexander Smith)

“Christmas in Bethlehem. The ancient dream: a cold, clear night made brilliant by a glorious star, the smell of incense, shepherds and wise men falling to their knees in adoration of the sweet baby, the incarnation of perfect love.” (Lucinda Franks)

“Christmas is joy, religious joy, an inner joy of light and peace.” (Pope Francis)

���And when we give each other Christmas gifts in His name, let us remember that He has given us the sun and the moon and the stars, and the earth with its forests and mountains and oceans–and all that lives and moves upon them. He has given us all green things and everything that blossoms and bears fruit and all that we quarrel about and all that we have misused–and to save us from our foolishness, from all our sins, He came down to earth and gave us Himself.��� (Sigrid Undset)

“And in despair I bowed my head;

‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said;

‘For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!’

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

‘God is not dead, nor doth he sleep!

The Wrong shall fail,

the Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men!'” ��(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)

 

Fairy Tale Gifts for All

I have been making lists and checking them twice, readying myself for both giving and receiving for Christmas this year (although giving is much more fun, as we all know!). I thought it would be amusing��to look up gifts strictly in the fairy tale realm. I don’t know many people whom I’d be able to actually buy these gifts for … but how whimsical and wonderful they are, all the same!

FOR THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE

A prince frog ring? Why yes, please :) And he’s so cute, who wouldn’t want to kiss him??

A castle necklace for your prince (or princess!) charming.

FOR BOOK LOVERS

This version features enhanced illustrations (150 of them!), as well as annotations that explore the historical origins, cultural context, and psychological effects of the tales (wow!). It also has a biographical essay on the lives of the two brothers Grimm.

As if E.E. Cummings isn’t awesome enough without having written a fairy tale book for his daughter … and wait till you see some of the amazingly unique illustrations in it! Eek.

FOR KIDDOS

I’ve been meaning to create��a crochet pattern of my own for a cute and cuddly dragon for some time now. But in the meantime, this felt one is pretty adorable (not to mention organic and … ahem … a bit pricey!).

I can just imagine��making these fairy tale shadow puppets dance on my��wall in the light of the Christmas tree …

FOR ANYONE

This tea is supposed to “induce quiet creativity.” ��Um, bring it on!

In anticipation of spring, a whimsical garden stepping stone.

Which is your favorite? Who would you give it to?

And the Winners Are ….

So, my wonderful reviewers, the time has come to pull the names from the hat – literally :) (Does it make it more fun if I tell you��it was a pirate hat?!)

My little Bug helped me out in drawing the names, and here’s what they are!!

The winner of the Amazon gift card is …..

And the winner of the memory��authors game is …..

Congrats, you two! ��If both of you would e-mail me, that would be great. For the winner of the game, I will need a physical address to send it to. Winner of the gift card, I will try my best to get it sent to you as soon as I can. I warn you, I’ve never bought an e-gift card before (I’ve led a very sheltered life …), so here’s hoping I can do it right and get it to you without any hitches!

ashleew(at)zoho(dot)com

As for the rest of you, I was tempted to spend my vacation savings and buy every one of you a gift, because I’m so thankful for you! But for now you’ll have to accept no more than my heartfelt thanks, and of course an Internet hug or two … *hug!!*

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

A Giveaway for Reviewers of THE WORD CHANGERS!

Once upon a time, there was an author who was very thankful for all the support she had received from her readers and reviewers. As grateful as she was, she knew that “thank you,” and lots of smiles (which no one saw anyway) could only go so far….

So she decided to give something away … no, make that two somethings. They weren’t much, but they at least said “thank you” in less of a virtual way, and in a bit more of a physical way.

Here’s the first something:

Because who in the world can’t use an Amazon gift card??!!

And here’s the second something:

Make no mistake, this game has more to it than an ordinary memory game. You can become an author, publisher or editor (um, yes!), you can create your own personal library, and you can challenge other players to a literary duel. Too much bookish fun to handle, really! If you want to travel to Missouri, I’ll even play it with you ….

Here’s the Giveaway Info

WHO QUALIFIES?  Those who have read The Word Changers and posted a review of it on Amazon.

WHEN DOES THE GIVEAWAY END?  It will run from today until Tuesday, November 25th (and yes, I changed the original dates I had decided on because I didn’t want it to run through Thanksgiving!).

HOW DO YOU ENTER?  Simply e-mail me with the link to your Amazon review of The Word Changers, (ashleew(at)zoho(dot)com), or comment with the review link below.

HOW WILL YOU KNOW IF YOU WON?  I will announce the two winners here on my blog first thing on November 26th (that’s a Wednesday, and yes, it’s the day before Thanksgiving!).

Perhaps you are in the middle of reading The Word Changers, or maybe you haven’t got a chance to start it at all yet … No fear! You have a week to finish it, write your Amazon review, and be eligible for this giveaway!

I really can’t tell you how much I appreciate it, readers and reviewers, for your taking the time from reading books whose authors you have at least heard of … and  agreeing to read and review mine instead! ;)

Vanquished Release

I’m excited today to introduce you to a new Christian series for teens published by Pelican Book Group. A novel set in a world where sickness is rampant and medication is limited, Vanquished was written by author Katie Clark. The entire series is available in paperback at Amazon or Barnes and Noble, and will be available in eBook form on November 22, 2014.

I myself had the privilege of being an early reader for this book, and if you like dystopian novels with a foundation of faith and hope, you’ll want to consider this one!

Here is a little about Vanquished!

When Hana’s mom is diagnosed with the mutation, she is denied the medication that might save her life.  Fischer, a medic at the hospital, implies there are people who can help—except Hana’s not sure she can trust him; Fischer is involved in a religious group, and religion has been outlawed for the last hundred years.  Hana embarks on a dangerous journey, seeking the answers Fischer insists are available. When the truth is uncovered does Hana stick to what she knows?  Or does she join the rebellion, taking a stand against an untrustworthy society?

 

KATIE CLARK writes young adult speculative fiction, including her dystopian Enslaved Series, made up of Vanquished, Deliverance, and Redeemer. You can connect with her at her website, on Facebook, or on Twitter.

 

Fun News for Reviewers of The Word Changers!

Most of you probably know the importance of getting reviews for your own book, or leaving reviews for others’ books. They help potential buyers find a book to begin with, and then help them to decide whether or not it’s the book for them. Real, honest opinions from real, honest readers – for me, at least – count far more than even the book’s blurb or cover.

The Word Changers now has 55 reviews on Amazon (thanks to 55 very awesome readers!). When it reaches 60 I am going to be doing a giveaway. For what, you ask? Well, there will be an Amazon gift card involved, and something bookish and creative which I haven’t yet made a final decision on. But trust me, it will be lovely, and you will want it ;)

So my request for you is this:  If you have read The Word Changers but haven’t yet left an Amazon review, hop over to their site and write one! And if you’ve been wanting to read The Word Changers but haven’t got around to it yet, get your own copy over at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Smashwords (see sidebar for links), and then leave a review. It’s just $2.99 right now in eBook (rather than its original $3.99).

If you know a friend who may like to read it, lend her your e-copy, or buy her a copy as an early Christmas present … and then ask her to leave a review as well! The more the merrier!

This opportunity will be for Amazon reviewers ONLY … and we only need 5 more reviews for me to start the giveaway!  Yay! So get your review in so you can enter your name when the giveaway begins.

Ok, my shameless requests for you to read and review my book are over. But I will have you know they are just a front for what I truly want to do:  THROW A GIVEAWAY!  :D

Have a great weekend, a fun Halloween … and happy reading!

Vital Imagination

“The soul without imagination is what an observatory would be without a telescope.” (Henry Ward Beecher)

I suppose there are people who believe imagination isn’t essential. People who think the visible realm is the important one, facts are what matter, not theories or dreams.

I’m not among those people.

I believe imagination is important. I’d even go so far as to say imagination is vital to our well-being as humans and as Christians.

Imagination helps us empathize with others.

Romans 12:15 tell us to “rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.” Then of course there’s the Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12: “treat people how you want them to treat you.” Have you ever considered how difficult this would be if you had no imagination? How can we weep with the brokenhearted if our hearts don’t break a little with them? How can we truly rejoice with the joyful if we don’t feel some of their happiness as if it were our own?

Imagination is the bridge that takes us from the world we live in, the world that has “me” at center, to the world of others’ hopes and tears and joys. It broadens our feelings, our views and our ideas. It forces us to treat others not as something separate, but as a part of ourselves. Which is exactly as God intended, isn’t it?

Imagination helps us picture the future, and prepare for it.

Pretty straightforward, right? You have to imagine what your future will be like, sometimes tomorrow or next week, sometimes in a year or ten years. It doesn’t matter if you’re grocery shopping for the week, or budgeting for the month, or planning a marriage, or raising a child … you have to picture the future in order to make smart choices now. Say what you will, that takes imagination.

Imagination helps us know God better.

Imagination is at the heart of God, really. As the Creator of the universe, imagination was crucial to Him. His very nature is a creative one. And when we feel His nature speak through us in the form of our imaginations, we know Him better. Yes, our attempts at creating things are pathetic and second-rate compared to His. But they bring us closer to Him, still; they forge a strong link between ours hearts and His. We are like children emulating our Dad, and finding joy in it. When I create things I understand my own inadequacy, but in the light of my Father’s greatness, that doesn’t seem to matter … I just find joy in the act of creating, and in my creations, however flawed. Like He does.

Imagination gives us hope.

Try for a second to stop thinking about what will happen to you in a minute – an hour – a day – a week – a year – a lifetime. The dreams you have always had? Nowhere to be seen. The hope you have for a husband and family of your own?  Gone. Becoming a stronger Christian tomorrow than you were yesterday? Don’t even think about it. In fact, you can’t think about it … because you have no imagination … remember?

What a dismal picture.

My efforts for myself and my family and my son and my career would flag and die if I couldn’t conjure an image of a hopeful future. Why discipline or love my son if I can’t picture his future as a man after God’s own heart? Why live a life for God at all if I can’t imagine the hope of heaven, if I can’t picture being there myself?

“And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.” Psalm 39:7

Imagination makes us stronger Christians.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not certain I’d be a Christian if I didn’t have an imagination. It always seemed to me that you could take every fact in the world to prove something – Christianity included – but in the end it still comes down to a matter of leaping. A matter of faith.

Yes, the facts are lined up for me. Yes, the evidence of God’s works are before me. His Word is written on the pages beneath my fingers. … But perhaps my heart is wary still. What will such a leap mean for me? When I believe, what will be required of me? I imagine looking into the face of God, for that’s what such a leap will mean, surely … I can imagine being in His presence, accepting Him not as a fact, but as all-consuming, beyond facts, Alpha and Omega, Creator of the world and of my soul.

So the leap must be made. And to make it, imagination is vital. And what do I imagine? Arms that hold me, a voice that whispers truths unseen. I see God’s face in my imagination. And not only do I have to believe He is God … I want to believe.

Imagination: Necessary

Some of the most important things in life have a basis in imagination. Foresight. Hope. Wisdom. Faith. Even love. Can you imagine life without even one of these things? No? Then you are like the rest of us. You are like me. You have an imagination. Personally, I think it’s one of God’s greatest gifts.