Gillian Bronte Adams's Blog, page 7
March 8, 2017
Explore Leira Blog Tour: E is for Emhran
Welcome to the fifth stop in the #exploreleira blog tour where we’re celebrating the (almost) one year book birthday for Songkeeper! It is the second book in the Songkeeper Chronicles, which tells the story of a girl who can hear the song that created the world.
If this is your first encounter with the blog tour, we are continuing a series of alphabet posts looking at the world and characters and magical creatures of the Songkeeper Chronicles … and we have an awesome giveaway that you can enter below! You can find a list of the stops and dates here: #exploreleira tour. (Links will be updated once each post becomes live.)
Today, we’re looking at the letter …
E is for Emhran, the Master Singer …
Emhran is the Master Singer. At the beginning of time, his Song brought the entire world of Leira into existence. A remnant of that Song flowed through a river that ran through the entire land. But when the river failed, the melody was lost save for a few broken notes that formed the life-breath of every living thing. That is when the first Songkeepers appeared, tasked with keeping the memory of the Song of the Master Singer alive.
[Gundhrold’s] eyes closed and his voice assumed a rhythmic cadence until Birdie could scare tell if he were speaking or singing. “It is said that long ago, before the stars burned or the sun awakened, the Master Singer wove the fabric of the world through the threads of a Song and bound the melody within a river that flowed throughout the entire land of Leira. It became a source of life and of healing to all the people and creatures who lived here, and the music sang in every fiber of their being.”
When it came time to settle on the Master Singer’s name, I knew that I wanted it to sound Gaelic. After a fruitless scan of Gaelic names, I decided to run a search on the Irish Gaelic word for “music” and then “Creator” and eventually settled on “Song.” Amhran. I liked the look and sound of it, and yet, I wanted to make it my own. Put my own spin on it. Make it Leiran.
I also realized that many of the names in my world already began with the letter A. Amos McElhenny. Artair. Auna. The list kept expanding. And as trivial as it seems, it is actually something that authors have to consider. Names are important, right? And too many names that start with the same letter can become confusing! (It’s such a struggle!)
So Amhran became Emhran instead. Close enough to the original to please my inner-lover-of-all-things-Irish-self and yet different enough to be Leiran.
Somehow she found herself muttering words she never meant to admit out loud. “I don’t know how to do this … any of it.”
The griffin’s gaze slammed into her. “You have a gift that no one else can even fathom. Emhran, the Master Singer Himself, speaks to you through the Song.” There was awe and wonder in his voice. “You must listen, little one.”
It should come as no surprise that there are Christian themes woven into the Songkeeper Chronicles, and yet whatever allegory there may be is not intended to be either precise or direct. Allegory is an imperfect tool. It is meant to serve only as a reflection, as in a woodland pool, with the purpose of drawing the reader to that which is reflected. For that reason, Emhran, the Master Singer, is not a perfect image of God. Nor is he meant to be.
And yet, the way that he works through the Song, speaks through the Song, and prompts Birdie to respond through the Song draws somewhat upon the workings of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, where the Spirit would come upon someone in power for a specific time and a specific purpose and yet it was not a permanent indwelling such as believers have through the new covenant in Christ.
She stood, blinking in the red glow of the fire-lit cavern, striving to understand what had just happened. For she had heard a voice speaking to her out of the melody, out of the light. A whisper, not even words, a distinct melody that she somehow understood, forming thoughts out of the notes, grasping the Singer’s intent.
The voice had called her Songkeeper. Child. Beloved.
Birdie’s growth in her understanding of the Song and of the Master Singer has been a beautiful thing to write, for it is a story of discovery, of hope, and of belonging. It is a journey that continues throughout Orphan’s Song and Songkeeper and into book three as well.
The notes crept toward her and around her, visible now, like specks of fire, of light, of power untold. They swept over and through her, gentle but fierce. Tearing but rebuilding anew. Behind them, the vast melody rose in all its glorious splendor to surround her, and she felt herself pulled into the warmth of that embrace.
Listen, little Songkeeper, the voice whispered, and I will sing you a Song.
Want to find out more about Emhran? Check out the links below for a place to purchase the books:
Amazon: Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper
Barnes and Nobles: Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper
And before you leave, don’t forget to enter the giveaway! One lucky winner will take home a copy of Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper, and a gorgeous handmade mug. Two lucky winners will take home copies of Songkeeper! Open to international entries. Enter through the Rafflecopter below and be sure to continue following the blog tour. You can earn new entries for each post that you visit along the way. Winners will be announced after April 15th.
March 7, 2017
Explore Leira Blog Tour: D is for Dwarves
Welcome to the fourth stop in the #exploreleira blog tour where we’re celebrating the (almost) one year book birthday for Songkeeper! It is the second book in the Songkeeper Chronicles, which tells the story of a girl who can hear the song that created the world.
If this is your first encounter with the blog tour, we are continuing a series of alphabet posts looking at the world and characters and magical creatures of the Songkeeper Chronicles … and we have an awesome giveaway that you can enter below! You can find a list of the stops and dates here: #exploreleira tour. (Links will be updated once each post becomes live.)
Today, we’re looking at the letter …
D is for Dwarves …
The dwarves of the Whyndburg Mountains were some of my favorite characters to write, whether it was the kindly Jirkar, faithful Nisus, irritable Thallus, or incorrigible Migdon. In fantasy, dwarves are often seen as rough and earthy, though they are often noted for their craftsmanship and particularly skilled with metals and stone. They are commonly heavily bearded, frequently stout, and notoriously unrefined.
The dwarves of the Whyndburg Mountains are somewhat more varied. Their hair is often curly, and though many go about bearded, they prefer to keep their beards closely cropped. They are as prone to be fond of tea as strong drink, and many consider matters of etiquette no less important than matters of state. Theirs is an ancient society and a proud one. Known (among less illustrious tribes) for having names longer than they are tall, dwarves are often punctilious about matters of introductions, courtesy, and honor.
“Come, come,” Nisus interrupted. “You know better than that. Introductions, of all things, must be done properly.” He marched toward Birdie.
She shrank from him, but he merely thumped a fist to his helm—just as he had done to Amos—and bowed his head.
“I am Nisus Plexipus Molineus Creegnan, Xanthen Chancellor to the Caran. And this is my brother—“
“Jirkar Mundibus Icelos Creegnan, Commander of the Fifth Cohort of the Adulnae,” Jirkar finished with a helmet thump and a bow.
The Whyndburg Mountains are ruled by the Caran, which is a hereditary position not unlike a traditional monarch. Because the Caran holds the highest power and responsibility in the land, he or she gives up all else, including all other titles, names, or family ties. Nothing matters but duty to country, to people, and to mountain pride.
“I’ve never met any folk more loyal to each other and their way of life or more determined to stand against the Takhran. The rest of Leira will gave way eventually, you can bet your britches on that, but when it’s all said and done and the dust of battle clears, the Whyndburg Mountains will still exist as their own sovereign kingdom, I’d stake my life on it.”
– Migdon, Songkeeper
In the mountains, scholars and warriors are held in the highest regard. The Xanthen form the high council of the Caran and serve as his (or her) advisors. They are the philosophers, scientists, strategists, deep thinkers, inventors, and scholars of the Whyndburg Mountains. Among them are also many versed in the knowledge of herbs and healing arts, a fact that Ky Huntry of Kerby learned from the dwarf Migdon, which is why he was determined to enlist their aid when the white fever struck the Underground. The Xanthen typically go about clad in light colored, loose fitting robes, belted about the waist, and those of high position wear bronze torcs about their necks.
“ … living in the Caran’s stronghold can get a mite stuffy. Too many fierce Adulnae shoving about as if they own the place and those pretentious Xanthen making up excuses for them—that’s our fighters and scholars, two most revered positions in the mountains.”
– Migdon, Songkeeper
The Adulnae are the renowned warriors of the mountains, divided into ten cohorts led by esteemed commanders. To be admitted into the ranks of the Adulnae is a high honor indeed. Each warrior is equipped with a breastplate of bronze, fine chainmail, and tall bronze helmets plumed with feathers. The color of the feathers varies depending upon the cohort. Dual swords and crossbows are the prescribed weapons, although many (like the redoubtable rebel Migdon Hipicarious Listarchus Noonan) also carry slings and sling-bullets.
It is rumored that some (also like Migdon Hipicarious Listarchus Noonan) have been known to inscribe humorous phrases onto their sling-bullets to taunt the enemy, such as “Duck!” or “Catch!” But as few enemies have survived to tell the tale, such reports are largely unconfirmed.
There are also rumors that we may yet get to see more of the Whyndburg Mountains and of the dwarves who call the mountains home in the third book of the Songkeeper Chronicles, but I can neither confirm nor deny such whisperings.
Dwarves named in the Songkeeper Chronicles:
Jirkar Mundibus Icelos Creegnan, Commander of the Fifth Cohort of the Adulnae
Nisus Plexipus Molineus Creegnan, Xanthen Chancellor to the Caran
Migdon Hipicarious Listarchus Noonan, advance scout of the Third Cohort of the Adulnae, among other things
Hogan Micthineous Cadronitus Roardin, philosopher
Commander Thallus Liturgis Xyamphene Noonan, guardian of Siranos Pass
The Caran, ruler of the Whyndburg Mountains
Which dwarf in the Songkeeper Chronicles (or any other fantasy novel) would you choose to join you on a quest?
Want to find out more about the dwarves of the Whyndburg Mountains? Check out the links below to purchase the books:
Amazon: Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper
Barnes and Nobles: Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper
And before you leave, don’t forget to enter the giveaway! One lucky winner will take home a copy of Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper, and a gorgeous handmade mug. Two lucky winners will take home copies of Songkeeper! Open to international entries. Enter through the Rafflecopter below and be sure to continue following the blog tour. You can earn new entries for each post that you visit along the way. Winners will be announced after April 15th.
March 5, 2017
Explore Leira Blog Tour: C is for Carhartan
Welcome to the third stop in the #exploreleira blog tour where we’re celebrating the (almost) one year book birthday for Songkeeper! It is the second book in the Songkeeper Chronicles, which tells the story of a girl who can hear the song that created the world.
If this is your first encounter with the blog tour, we are continuing a series of alphabet posts looking at the world and characters and magical creatures of the Songkeeper Chronicles … and we have an awesome giveaway that you can enter below! You can find a list of the stops and dates here: #exploreleira tour. (I will update the link once each post becomes live.)
Today, we’re looking at the letter C, and there are two posts that you can read! Be sure to stop by Deborah O’Carroll’s lovely blog to read about the Underground leader Cade Peregrine. And come back here to read about C for … Carhartan!
C is for Carhartan …
Carhartan serves the Takhran as the Second Marshal of the Khelari and plays the role of the antagonist in Orphan’s Song. I’ll admit to having a bit of a soft spot in my heart for Carhartan. But it wasn’t always that way. When he first appeared on the page, I despised him and did everything I could to make him completely unlikeable. And it was great.
He was so wicked and villainous …
Only, he wasn’t very human.
So, I went back to the drawing board. I figured out his backstory, started peppering the novel with hints, and even threw in a scene with the Takhran to garner a little sympathy. And it worked. At first. Only I still didn’t like him … and it bled through into every scene, into every word that he said, every action, every little mannerism or characteristic, so that once again, he was a villain …
And he wasn’t human.
So I went back to the drawing board again, and this time, I threw out all my preconceived notions about Carhartan the villain … and started thinking about how to make Carhartan a hero instead. If you follow my blog or Facebook page, it’s no secret that I practically grew up on the Lord of the Rings books and always adored Aragorn. And in the movie, Ranger Aragorn (as opposed to King Aragorn) was the height of coolness.
So … in order to get over my dislike of Carhartan, I decided to make him like Ranger Aragorn. (Crazy, right? Isn’t he supposed to be the villain? Why pattern any part of him after a hero?) I’m glad you asked. I realized that in order to create an antagonist who would come across as human, rather than as a cardboard cutout of an evil villain, I had to give him some redeeming quality. Something that would make me as the author like him.
It started with giving Carhartan a pipe … and yes, the scene in which we first see Carhartan’s pipe is reminiscent of the hobbits’ first glimpse of Ranger Aragorn at the Prancing Pony inn. Call it a nod, if you will, to Ranger Aragorn.
She followed Madame’s directing arm into the common room, her bare feet thudding against the cold, stone floor. The long trestle table gleamed in the firelight. Its lone occupant sat at the far end like a lurking shadow. A pipe in his mouth, meal untouched, studying Birdie with his strange dark eyes. Carhartan.
It seems so trivial, doesn’t it? Transforming a character with a pipe. But as soon as I put that pipe in Carhartan’s hand, I stopped looking at him as a villain, and instead started thinking about him as a character. From there, I made a few more changes, giving Carhartan and his character things that I liked, instead of things that I despised.
The stranger’s voice halted any further movement. “Drop your weapon.” His horse—a massive armored creature with an odd reddish-black mane and tail—danced in place, but he scarcely seemed to notice, moving with the horse like a tree swaying in the wind.
I made him a good horseman and gave him spurs. I made his horse gray, since heroes typically ride “white” steeds. And lo and behold, that subtle change in my thinking seeped into Carhartan’s scenes and his true character began to emerge on the page. He became much less of a cardboard cutout of a villain and much more interesting to me.
All of a sudden, I found myself not only liking Carhartan but feeling a tinge of pity for him. After all, he was fated to be a villain. An author can’t help feeling sorry for that.
“Time to move out.” Carhartan tapped his pipe against the sole of his boot and stood, nodding toward Birdie and Ky. “Bring them.”
Who are some of your favorite antagonists and what things made them seem more “human” and less “evil villain?”
Want to find out more about Carhartan? Check out the links below to purchase the books:
Amazon: Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper
Barnes and Nobles: Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper
And before you leave, don’t forget to enter the giveaway! One lucky winner will take home a copy of Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper, and a gorgeous handmade mug. Two lucky winners will take home copies of Songkeeper! Open to international entries. Enter through the Rafflecopter below and be sure to continue following the blog tour. You can earn new entries for each post that you visit along the way. Winners will be announced after April 15th.
March 2, 2017
Explore Leira Blog Tour: B is for Birdie
Welcome to the second stop in the #exploreleira blog tour where we’re celebrating the (almost) one year book birthday for Songkeeper! It is the second book in the Songkeeper Chronicles, which tells the story of a girl who can hear the song that created the world.
If this is your first encounter with the blog tour, we are continuing a series of alphabet posts looking at the world and characters and magical creatures of the Songkeeper Chronicles … and we have an awesome giveaway that you can enter below! You can find a list of the stops and dates here: #exploreleira tour. (Links will be updated once each post becomes live.)
Today, we’re looking at the letter …
B is for Birdie …
When I first set pen to page on the first draft of the first book in the series, it was with Birdie’s name, the idea of a world created through music, and a vague notion of a rascally, red-headed peddler named Amos. But even though I started with Birdie’s name, it took me a while to figure out who she really was inside.
On the outside, it was easy enough. A young girl. Petite. Dark haired. With eyes that often seem too large for her face. Orphaned and abandoned as a baby, she serves as a drudge at an inn at the beginning of Orphan’s Song. But when it is discovered that she is gifted to hear and sing the Song that created the world, she is forced to flee for her life. Simple, right?
On the inside, it was much more difficult. She is not a flashy, swashbuckling, show-stealer like Amos, nor an indomitable, fight-your-way-up-from-the-ground troublemaker like Ky. So nailing down her character was a challenge. But after a number of drafts, I felt like her true character at last emerged on the page.
She is young, yes. Untrained. Desperate for home and a sense of belonging. And yet … she has steel beneath her skin. There is built within her a sense of self that grounds her even when she does not completely understand what it means to be who she is. Her journey through Orphan’s Song and Songkeeper is one of continued growth.
And in Songkeeper, at last, we see Birdie begin to come i
nto her own—though it is not without a struggle. Throughout the story, Birdie battles with overwhelming fear, anxiety, and an unsettled feeling in her soul. She cannot recall the last time that she felt peace. It is a feeling that I have experienced, and I am sure that others have as well. There are times when I allow the weight of the world, the burden of the things that I feel I must accomplish, or the relentless barrage of my own critique to fester inside, until the turmoil is so great that it feels like it must explode.
In Songkeeper, Birdie fears that she is an imposter. That she will fail in the end and the hope that others have put in her will prove wanting. (Hmm, now how many times have I felt like that as an author?) And in her fear, she seeks control, forgetting that the Song was never her power to begin with.
One of the verses that I thought a lot about when writing Songkeeper was Psalm 46:10. It is a verse many are familiar with, and yet when I truly stop and think about the words, I cannot help but be impressed with the weight that they bear.
“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Be still.
Be. Still.
Man, I need those words stamped on the back of my hands so I can see them all the time.
When I am anxious, be still. Know that He is God.
When I worn thin from striving, be still. Know that He is God.
When I am fearful and trying to wrest things under my control, be still. Know that He is God.
And notice that in our stillness and our knowledge of His power, His name is exalted. He gets the glory.
We see this truth reflected in Birdie’s journey in Songkeeper, and I think that’s what made her story resonate even more with me after the second book. For though there is steel beneath her skin, she feels like there is fear caged inside her chest … struggling to break free. And like us, she must combat that fear through learning to be still and to trust.
She held her breath.
The notes crept toward her and around her, visible now, like specks of fire, of light, of power untold. They swept over and through her, gentle but fierce. Tearing but rebuilding anew. Behind them, the vast melody rose in all its glorious splendor to surround her, and she felt herself pulled into the warmth of that embrace.
Listen, little Songkeeper, the voice whispered, and I will sing you a Song.
Have you ever struggled with being still and simply trusting that the Lord is God?
Want to find out more about Birdie? Check out the links below for a place to purchase the books:
Amazon: Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper
Barnes and Nobles: Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper
And before you leave, don’t forget to enter the giveaway! One lucky winner will take home a copy of Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper, and a gorgeous handmade mug. Two lucky winners will take home copies of Songkeeper! Open to international entries. Enter through the Rafflecopter below and be sure to continue following the blog tour. You can earn new entries for each post that you visit along the way. Winners will be announced after April 15th.
February 28, 2017
Explore Leira Blog Tour: A is for Amos
Thanks for joining us on our first stop on the #exploreleira blog tour to celebrate the (almost) one year book birthday for Songkeeper! It is the second book in the Songkeeper Chronicles, which tells the story of a girl who can hear the song that created the world.
For the blog tour, we are embarking on a series of alphabet posts looking at the world, characters, and magical creatures of the Songkeeper Chronicles. And we have an awesome giveaway that you can enter below! To make sure you keep up with the tour, you can find a list of all the stops and dates here: #exploreleira. (Links will be updated once each post becomes live.)
Today, we’re looking at the letter …
A is for Amos McElhenny …
Because really, could I start with anyone but Amos? From the moment the blustery peddler stomped his way onto the page, he’s held a soft spot in my heart. He’s a man on the run from a varied past, making a measly living on the road with no sight to the future, until the danger that threatens his “wee lass” lands him face to face with the past that’s dogged his heels.
He’s often reckless, impulsive, and prone to rely far too much on his own strength. Though of course, he would sooner drown than admit that he’s in over his head. He is, after all, the great Amos McElhenny—a fact that he is not above throwing in his own teeth on the rare occasion when he is forced to admit his “boggswoggling foolery.”
In all honesty, there are few things that I love more than throwing unlikely characters together and letting them hash their way through all sorts of challenges. It is ridiculously amusing. And Amos, well, Amos breeds conflict by his very nature, which in my opinion, makes him just oh-so-very-fun to read about.
But that’s enough talking about him, because what better way is there to get a feeling for the man than to “watch” some of his interactions? Imagine this as a sort of “best-of” reel. Pull up a chair. Help yourself to a bowl of popcorn. And enjoy!
Warning … there may be spoilers ahead.
Amos is a traveler. A man of the road.
He took a deep breath, puffing out his chest. “We’ve supplies aplenty, the wind at our backs, an’ the open road before our feet. What more could a man wish for?”
He is not known for his patience …
“C’mon, ye fly-swoggled lollygaggin’ worthless lump o’ dragon bait! ’Tis only a wee bit further!” Amos yanked at Balaam’s lead rope, forcing the donkey to stumble after him into the yard of the Sylvan Swan.
Though he can be quite longsuffering when the need arises …
Brog’s voice stopped him halfway to the door. “Amos, haven’t you forgotten something?”
Amos filled his lungs with air and slowly turned around. “No, I don’t think I have.”
“A small matter of four coins…”
Amos dug around in his pouch as he stumped over to Brog, and then dropped the coins into the tavern keeper’s hand. He swept his cap from his head, bowed to the tavern and its inmates, and stalked out into the night, thoroughly disgusted with himself and the whole evening.
“Bloodwuthering blodknockers!”
Some would say that he is not overly good at making friends …
The sword was up to its old tricks again. Amos spat a glob of blood out of his mouth and grinned at the pirate. “Smarts, don’t it?”
The pirate snarled at him and tore the cloak from Amos’s neck, tossing it over the sword before he picked it up again. Then the other pirates closed around Amos and hustled him down the beach.
But his enemies know better than to mess with him …
“Aye, we’ve naught t’ fear from you, Khelari. But ye’ve quite a bit t’ fear from me if ye don’t turn yer prancin’ pony around and get out o’ the Midlands an’ back t’ the North where ye belong.”
And his friends know him well enough to know they can mess with him …
“Ah, ye’ve missed me, have ye? So the first thing ye do when we meet again, is try t’ kill me an’ the wee lass? Fine way t’ greet an old friend,” Amos said.
“Kill you?” The first dwarf snorted. “Well, how do you like that? And here we thought we’d saved your lives.”
“Do not bother asking for an apology, Jirkar,” Nisus said. “Or a thank you. That never was his way.”
When it comes to pure stubbornness, Amos tends to rank at the top.
Dalton swallowed visibly. “Time changes many things, Amos … even men.”
“I’ve heard it said. But there are some things that don’t change, even with time. Amos McElhenny won’t change. The Takhran can be his life on it.”
But he may have met his match in the griffin, Gundhrold. I’ll leave it to you to decide.
With a sigh, he turned back to the griffin. “D’ ye have any idea where we’re goin’?”
“In truth, peddler?” The look of disgust on the griffin’s face might have melted a less hardy man, but Amos McElhenny had walked the secret paths below Mount Eiphyr and witnessed the horrors of the Pit. He was not a man easily dismayed. So he whispered to himself as the griffin’s unblinking stare settled on him.
Amos is a warrior through and through.
Amos clasped his wrists behind his back, coaxing the stiff muscles in his wounded side to stretch. “We are always too few.”
“But fight we will.”
Amos huffed a laugh. “Aye, ‘cause that’s what we do. Ye and I. We’re warriors. It’s how we lived an’ it’s how we’ll die, fightin’ till the last breath leaves our lungs an’ our bodies cling t’ the dust whence we came. It’s the only thing we know.”
And yet, when it comes to his wee lass, he has a heart as soft and gooey as melted chocolate, and that is why we love him.
His arms settled about her battered and bruised shoulders and held her tight. “There now, lass,” he muttered. “It’s all goin’ t’ be all right. Ye’re safe now. Safe.”
Did you enjoy our “best-of” look at Amos McElhenny? If you’ve read the series, what is your favorite Amos moment?
Test your knowledge of the Songkeeper Chronicles! Which of the following is NOT a phrase used by Amos in the series? Leave your answer in the comments.
Crook-pated moldwarps
Blithering barnacles
Clambakes and cribbage sticks
Bleating bollywags
Flibbersticks and roughnash
Want to find out more about Amos? Check out the links below for a place to purchase the books.
Amazon: Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper
Barnes and Nobles: Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper
And before you leave, don’t forget to enter the giveaway! One lucky winner will take home a copy of Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper, and a gorgeous handmade mug. Two lucky winners will take home copies of Songkeeper! Open to international entries too. Enter through the Rafflecopter below. You can earn new entries for each post that you visit along the way. Winners will be announced after April 15th.
February 27, 2017
The Explore Leira Blog Tour Starts in Two Days!
In two days, the #exploreleira blog tour will embark on a celebration of the (almost) one year book birthday for Songkeeper! We’ll be tramping around the blogosphere enjoying a series of alphabet posts looking at the world, characters, and magical creatures of the Songkeeper Chronicles, and we’ll have an awesome giveaway as well!
In fact, here’s a sneak peak of the giveaway, just to whet your appetite.
Grand Prize: A copy of Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper, and a beautiful handcrafted mug
And in addition to the grand prize, two lucky winners will get a copy of Songkeeper!
Want to make sure you don’t miss out on a post?
Mark your calendars with the blog tour schedule.
(Links will be updated once the posts are published.)
March 1, 2017 – A is for Amos
March 2, 2017 – B is for Balaam & Brog
March 6, 2017 – C is for Cade & C is for Carhartan
March 7, 2017 – D is for Dwarves
March 8, 2017 – E is for Emhran
March 9, 2017 – F is for Fireflowers
March 13, 2017 – G is for Gundhrold & G is for George
March 14, 2017 – H is for Hollow Cave
March 15, 2017 – I is for Dah Inali
March 16, 2017 – J is for Jirkar
March 20, 2017 – K is for Ky Huntyr
March 21, 2017 – L is for Langorian Pirates
March 22, 2017 – M is for Melodies & M is for Migdon
March 23, 2017 – N is for Nisus
March 27, 2017 – O is for Oran
March 28, 2017 – P is for Paddy
March 29, 2017 – Q is for Matlal Quahtli
March 30, 2017 – R is for Renegade
April 3, 2017 – S is for Songlings and Songkeepers
April 4, 2017 – T is for Takhran
April 5, 2017 – U is for Underground
April 6, 2017 – V is for Vituain Desert
April 10, 2017 – W is for Waveryders
April 11, 2017 – X is for Commander Thallus Liturgis Xyamphene Noonan
April 12, 2017 – Y is for You
April 13, 2017 – Z is for Zahar
February 16, 2017
Lost At Sea Scavenger Hunt Stop #15
– THE HUNT OFFICIALLY BEGINS FRIDAY – (But you lovelies can have a sneak peek now!)
Welcome to the Lost At Sea Scavenger Hunt where we are celebrating the release of King’s Blood by Jill Williamson, Book Two in the Kinsman Chronicles, and helping the Kinsman people find a new home. If you’ve just found us, be sure to start the adventure at Stop #1, which is Jill Williamson’s blog.
Collect all the clue words in order so you can enter to win the Kindle. If you want to enter to win the second Kindle, you’ll have to take a quiz at the end, so take your time and read each post carefully. The main prizes in the hunt are open to international entries. Individual author contests, however, might have different rules, so please read the parameters on each site. You have until Sunday night, February 19, at midnight, Pacific time to finish.
If you need help, or get lost along the way, click here for assistance.
Wilek didn’t like the rumors about King Respen and felt they’d best move on. They went south, hoping that they would find the rumored desert to be just like their old home in the Five Realms. They reached Stop #15, Leira, from Gillian Bronte Adams’s Songkeeper, book two in the Songkeeper Chronicles.
Welcome, friends! I am a sword-wielding, horse-riding, coffee-loving fantasy author from the great state of Texas. During the day, I manage the equestrian program at a Christian youth camp, but at night, I kick off my boots and spurs, pulls out my trusty laptop, and transform into a novelist. My love of epic stories and a desire to present truth in a unique way drew me to the realm of fantasy.
S
o I decided to create a world where music was magic, the world was created through a song, and one girl alone can hear the Master Melody. That’s the premise of the Songkeeper Chronicles. The story begins in Orphan’s Song, but today, we’re taking a closer look at the second book in the series, Songkeeper.
War ravages Leira and the Song has fallen silent.
Freed from the hold of a slave ship, Birdie, the young Songkeeper, and Ky, a street-wise thief, emerge to a world at war. Hordes of dark soldiers march across Leira, shadowed by whispers of plague and massacres, prompting Ky to return to his besieged home city in hopes of leading his fellow runners to safety.
Desperate to end the fighting, Birdie embarks on a dangerous mission into the heart of the Takhran’s fortress. Legend speaks of a mythical spring buried within and the Songkeeper who will one day unleash it to achieve victory. Everyone believes Birdie is the one, but the elusive nature of the Song and rumors of other gifted individuals lead her to doubt her role. Unleashing the spring could defeat the Takhran once and for all, but can she truly be the Songkeeper when the Song no longer answers her call?
Welcome to the Vituain Desert!
Leira is a large land with a wide variety of landscapes, including the carpeted hills of the Midlands, grass-swept dunes of the Nordlands, and the high moorland and peat bogs of the Westmark. But in the south, the hills of the Midlands give way to a more arid region, known as the Soudlands, and beyond that, all that is green and growing is swallowed by the ever-hungry maw of the desert.
The Vituain desert is a harsh land, a sea of sand dunes ringed about by jagged, red-gold mountains. Heavy winds sweep across the desert, and sandstorms are an ever present threat. The southernmost tip of the desert breaks through the mountains to the coast, where the sea is plagued by heavy winds and fierce currents.
“Storms that blow off and around the tip of Leira are always incredibly fierce and unpredictable, and if they happen to collide with a desert storm inland, the mountains tremble and rocks split apart. We must find shelter before it strikes.” – Sym, Songkeeper
Between the wind and the storms and the ever-shifting sands, the Vituain desert is a land that is constantly being remade. But the people who inhabit it—the Saari—are steadfast, unyielding as the mountains, warriors to the bone. In battle, warriors ride upon lions as steeds—steered by a heavy collar rather than bit or bridle—and wield spears. Some prefer light throwing spears which they wear upon their backs in long quivers. Others prefer heftier lances. For matters where subterfuge is needed, the Saari use a spear pipe to blow an iron-tipped shaft coated in poisonous Vrimgor sap. Throughout Leira, the Saari are renowned as excellent hunters and trackers—a feat made all the more remarkable when one considers the constantly changing sands.
The Saari are divided into tribes who are ruled by mahtems who are in turn ruled by the Matlal. In Songkeeper, Matlal Quahtli rules the Saari, alongside his wife Sa Itera, from the grand city of Nar-Kog. There he sits enthroned beneath the Star of the Desert—a massive crystal and heirloom of the Saari.
Matlal Quahtli stood with his back to the opening, presenting an imposing silhouette against the afternoon sun—a warrior’s figure clad in a massive lion skin cloak, mane forming a collar about his neck, spear held upright in his hand. Gold beads rattled in his dark braids, and jeweled cuffs gleamed on his wrists. – Songkeeper
The Saari typically go about clad in fringed leggings and jackets made from lion’s skins, cloaks made from lion’s fur, and necklaces made from lion’s teeth—in this way, they honor their beasts who are slain in battle. Beyond that, their robes and tunics are made from a light, airy material, typically woven in scarlet, gold, and cerulean blue—colors that reflect and enhance the rich rock, sand, and skies of their homeland.
Sound like somewhere you would like to visit? You can learn more about the Saari and the Vituain Desert in Songkeeper.
You can order Songkeeper on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD or at your local bookstore!
CLUE! Write down this clue: they
The next stop on our map is Stop #16, Adar-iyr, on R. J. Larson’s blog.
Before you folks head on, don’t forget to enter the giveaway! I am giving away a copy of Songkeeper to two lucky winners. (Paperbacks to US winners, ebooks to international winners!) To enter, sign up to get my email newsletter through the Rafflecopter below or note in the entry form if you are already a subscriber. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, February 21st.
Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy the scavenger hunt!
February 9, 2017
Songkeeper is going on tour!
Songkeeper is going on tour! Blog tour, that is. When Songkeeper released last year, I had high hopes of running a blog tour, but I wound up being so busy trying to meet the deadline for book three that I wasn’t able to organize one. Here we are, nearing the one year anniversary, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate! So starting on March 1st and running until the middle of April, we’re going on tour! My hope is that it will be a fun way to share more about the Songkeeper Chronicles, whet your appetite for book three (since it’s still a little ways out), and give you guys a little insider knowledge too.
(Because, let’s be honest here, who doesn’t like being in the know?)
So how will it work?
Well, I have always wanted to run an alphabet challenge for the Songkeeper Chronicles! (What is an alphabet challenge, you ask? Good question! It’s a series of posts that moves alphabetically and looks at different characters, places, and things that begin with the letter of the day: i.e. A is for Amos, B is for Birdie or Balaam, etc.) I thought it could be a fun way to explore some of the people and concepts that are built into the books. After all, you only get the very tip of the iceberg when you read a novel. There is so much more that lies beneath the actual storyline. So … we’re going to do it.
(Because, why not?)
Oh, and did I mention that there would be a giveaway? Well, there will be one … and it will be awesome.
(Now you have even more reason to be excited!!!)
If you have a blog and would be interested in hosting a stop (writing up a brief intro, uploading the post that I would send you along with a link to the giveaway, and then sharing with friends), you can sign up here or scroll down to the form below.
I plan on posting Monday-Thursday of each week, and if a spot is not claimed by another blog, I’ll be posting here. You will be able to earn points for the giveaway by visiting all of the posts, (yes, even if are you are a host site) and there will be fun Songkeeper Chronicles trivia as well!
It is going to be a blast, so mark your calendars! And don’t forget to sign up if you would like to host a stop. :)
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January 28, 2017
A Year of A Thousand Words: Hope
It is strange to me that we are already nearing the end of the month of January. Somehow, the end of last year slipped away when I wasn’t looking. Before I knew it, I was flying out on what has become an annual trip to Haiti to help run a day camp. That week and a half rushed past in a blur too—a blur of beautiful, laughing children’s faces, muddy feet, wet leaves, tramping up and down slopes, breathing in Haitian coffee in the early morning and letting the heat sear through the mug into my hands, and feeling the sun fall warm upon my face when the rain clouds broke at last.
Only a week and a half. And it is gone already. How I miss all those precious little ones. Their hands slipping into mine. Their giggles at my broken Creole. Their enthusiasm at each new game, and the sound of their voices chanting Bible verses in song as they moved from activity to activity. It has been less than a week since I waved “ourevwa” on my way down the road, but it already seems a world away.
Until next year.
January is often a time to look back at the year we left behind and to look forward to the year that lies ahead. It can come with some trepidation. A thousand possibilities can be frightening as well as exciting. The year is raw. The soil is fresh.
The air is heavy with hope.
With 2017, I know there will be countless challenges, obstacles, and painful passages that will force me to grow and learn and be renewed … and oddly enough, I am excited about it. How about you?
Last year, I started in on a series of posts – A Thousand Words, Live, Undaunted – that I very much enjoyed writing, although I didn’t get very far. I intend to carry on with the series, from time to time this year, as the mood strikes. As much as I am drawn to the idea of selecting one incredible word for the year, I can never seem to limit myself to just one. One word is not enough to encapsulate all of the adventures, challenges, and beauty that have come already, and that I hope are still to come in this year.
Hope.
It is a beautiful word, is it not? A beautiful word for a beautiful thing. It is a candle in the night. An unblinking star high above the mist-shrouded world. A sprig of green bursting through snowbitten earth.
It is a thing of contrasts, both fragile and strong. And yet ultimately, transitory. So much of what we place our hope in and long for rests upon things beyond our control. Things that may be here today and gone tomorrow. Hope risks becoming as fleeting and ephemeral as a wish, unless it is rooted in something greater.
“God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for god to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Hebrews 6:18-19a)
In Someone greater.
From a purely earthly point of view, the country of Haiti does not seem to offer much hope. And yet, there is a hope beyond the earthly, beyond the transient puff of dandelion wishes. There is a firm and secure hope that anchors the soul, offered through the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And it is a beautiful thing, because in that hope is borne the death of fear, the release of chains, and the breath of new life.
Strengthened by this hope, I intend to venture forth gloriously into the wild unknown of this New Year.
Will you join me?
December 12, 2016
And the winners are …
Thanks to all of you who entered, nominated friends, and shared the Christmas giveaway! We have our winners.
*drumroll please*
Winners are announced in the video below. Even if you didn’t win this time around, you can still find a copy of Orphan’s Song or Songkeeper for sale online. Winners please send me a private message (either through my Facebook page or the handy dandy contact form here on my website) with your mailing address and choice of book. If you nominated a friend, please send their mailing address and book choice as well. And I will get those books shipped out to you soon as possible!
In the meantime, congrats to the winners, thanks to all who entered, and I wish you all a very merry Christmas!
