1 July – Wow, we hit 100 comments so it’s time to blog again

Really, 100 comments on the last post… You guys are going crazy. As always, thanks for helping to explain things to each other and anyone who might just wander in. Also thanks for all the good book suggestions. My to-read list keeps growing.

So, right up front. No, I don’t know what the official release date for “Sands of Nezza” is going to be. I don’t know if the publisher is happy with the last re-write and fix, or if they are going to ask for more changes and such. I did send them an email on Friday asking where we are and what still needs to be done before we can start printing the books, and I hope to hear back from them this week. (Man, I hope they are happy with the changes I made and don’t want too much more changed.)  I honestly don’t think the August 5th release date that Amazon has online will happen. I know for a fact that once everything is done and happy with writing and edits and such that it takes something like six or eight weeks to print the books. I will post as soon as I have a “Real” release date so you will all know when it is.

So, with that out of the way, Questions:  (Oh, if I missed some from previous posts I’m sorry. If it is something you really need or want to know, re-post it and I’ll try to answer it next time. Some questions don’t get answered because 1. I don’t want you to know that yet. 2. I want you to make up your own mind about how something works or how someone looks. 3. It’s a question I never thought of and I don’t know how to answer it or even if I should. Sorry about number three.)

Science101: Yes, the pyramid on the cover is important to the story, but I’m not telling you why.

Zach: On the “Guardian of the past” question. No. Salinor is the only guardian of the past, but there are other guardians and at some point we might get to meet them. As for Alex mastering other elements, besides fire, I’m not sure. I know he can use them and work with them, but master them… I’ll have to think about that. In this series there are not special names for different levels of wizards and their powers, but less magical people might have different names.

AALivengood: Don’t blush too much. Shadow Mountain setup the sight and when there are problems they are the ones I talk to… well, email, to get them fixed. I don’t think they monitor the site, at least not that close. If you have questions about publishing and what I know, which isn’t everything but I do know somethings, please feel free to email me and we’ll talk. Bregnest@gmail.com. I check that at least 4 or 5 times a week.

Ankit: Dobkin was hexed while working at a smith’s shop, not while he was in the magic bag. There were, at one time, around 20 smithies in the bag, but most of them have found smiths in various lands to go and help. Others will probably come and go as they leave smiths or find new ones to help. Hope that helps.

David: A familiar and what one is:  Hard question as most stories have their own ideas and definitions on familiars. Mostly, familiars are linked to witches and take the shape of some animal. The classic definition is something like a spirit that the witch gives form to, and then the spirit or animal serves the witch in whatever way is needed. (Witches and black cats, that kind of thing.) I’m not sure what type of familiars are in the worlds of Adventurers Wanted. I think there might be different kinds. The black cat of a witch, maybe an imp or little demon for say a warlock… hmmm.  Wizards are sometimes thought to have familiars, but I’m not sure that they do, but we’ll have to wait and see. I think Alex has something like a familiar in Sands, but then not really a familiar at all… now you’ll have to think about that and wait to find out what I mean.

Daniel: Right, guys with spears. Got it and I’ll see what I can do.

Andrew: Alex is the only human that can change into a dragon, so I don’t think anyone else will, at least not in the series. And yes, I believe Alex does get into a single sword fight with someone, but I think that’s in book 5… For!#$% oops, cant revel the title yet.

***TEST READERS*** Yes, it sounds like a super cool, fun job. No, I don’t know how they are chosen, I don’t know if they get paid, and I don’t know if it is a real job or they just find people, probably family members and friends, to read stories and tell them what they think. I think I asked about this once, but I’m not sure the publisher ever gave me a real answer.

Daniel: A familiar might be helpful for spying and sneaking into places to get info and such. They might know things that could be helpful as well, so maybe Alex needs something and maybe he doesn’t.  And: The dark elves were mostly destroyed by evil creatures in the known lands. They didn’t like the magical true silver weapons and armor that the dark elves made and sometimes sold or gave away to other races, so they tried to get rid of the dark elves.

Jacob Meyers: Thanks for the input on familiars. Yes, I think I do favor the hybrid model for familiars, but I’m just not sure about them at this time.

Zach: Yes, there are some things more powerful than dragons, and people don’t classify them because most people don’t even know they exist. I think, however, that most people would think of these “Things” as good, because most dragons are considered bad.  Also, I don’t have any plans for someone to gain magical power from one of the “Special” books, but it is a thought.  And, in this series at least, magic is all around us, kind of like the force. And yes, I have thought of another series where there is a source of magic that isn’t just everywhere but in a fixed location. (What did I do with that story idea?)

Eve: What Alex looks like in my head may not be what he looks like in your head. I know he’s what, nearly 20 now (depending on how you count years and adventures and changing age in Mr. Clutter’s shop.) Sandy blond hair, blue-green eyes. He’s normally easy going and smiles freely. No scars or anything like that, and his hair is not a mullet and he doesn’t wear robes, well maybe for a special occasion, but not a big fan of the robe thing. Draw him as you see him in your mind and you should be close.

David: Sorry, no true gold.

BookAddiction: You are welcome. Maybe I should post more often and try to slip in tips and thoughts on writing. I will say that there are two things every writer needs to do. 1.) Read a lot. 2.) Write a lot. If you do those two things you are well on your way.

Daniel: it is possible that Alex will meet some creature that would be considered evil but the one he meets isn’t evil… Wait, he did that already when he met Salinor.  Most people consider dragons as evil, because most of them are, but Salinor isn’t.

Zach: Alex is the only human who can turn into a dragon. Dragons can, if they want, take a human form. Not many ever do.

Jacob Meyers: (again?) The magical librarian idea is something I’ve been thinking about. Not sure if I should call the “Creature” just the librarian or make up a different name for it. I think the librarian will do more than just organize all of Alex’s books. It will also be able to tell Alex about things from the past, things from books it has read in other libraries, and maybe do some kind of “Research” for Alex and try to discover the true story behind something like an ancient legend or myth. What do you guys thing?

Dtsims: I can’t post the dates when I’m going to blog because I never know when I’m going to blog. I suppose I could try to set dates, but what if I don’t have anything to say?

Nazanal: No, Alex will not become part of the secret society that his father left him the amulet for. (The Order of Malgor.) I know I wrote at one time that Wizards were not allowed to join the order, but that might have gotten taken out when we did edits.

Rhyme90: Not telling which creatures might be stronger than dragons, but I will tell you that, Yes, Alex will find love. (I think that’s in book 5 as well.)  Also, Alex will live a very long time, unless of course he gets killed along the way.  Hmmm… does he get killed along the way? I’d better check and see.  The movie rights belong to Shadow Mountain, but I would love for someone to make a movie or movies out of the books.

Kyle: Yes, the Order of Malgor is having problems, and you’ll find out more in Sands.

Michael: Yes, I do need to do more with other people because they are part of the team. Sands is mostly about Alex, as he isn’t really part of the company of adventurers who go to Nezza. (No, I’m not explaining that.) I will try, however, to include others more and more as the series goes on.  Thanks for reminding me.

Smiley Face: Kat got to the top of the tower the normal way… she used the stairs.

O.K. a moment here, 60 something comments in and the post is getting really long… dang, might have to save some of these to answer in a week or so. (Nooooo! that’s too soon.)  Oh, that’s not what the moment was about: Salinor and Alex being equals, that’s what this moment is for. Now I know what I said on the Isle of Bones. I know that Alex is still gaining power and that Salinor is probably gaining knowledge and wisdom, but here’s the real deal. Alex and Salinor are equals. They will never fight, but if they did they would still be equal. I’m not sure I can say it any clearer, and I’m not sure you all will understand. They are equal and no matter how much either of them grows and learns, they will always be equal.  O.K. that’s that.

Maren: Wow, lots of questions there. I don’t remember Alex talking in his sleep when he woke up after the wraiths, but it’s been awhile since I wrote/read that. If he was talking it was mumbles and probably had something to do with a very bad dream or maybe with the vision of greatness the shadow showed him. Justin is right on the second question. When being called back from “The Wall”, people tend not to remember what happened there and the one calling them back has to help them remember or maybe forget if it is too painful. Death being called the wall?  Well, I think that came from another series of books I read… I’ll have to think about it and see if I can figure out what books they were. Names for different races? I don’t have a real plan, but I think about the race and what kind of name goes with that race. Elves, musical interesting names, Dwarfs, I normally think of viking like names, Nors names, things like that. Humans?  Humans are a mix and I try a few different names for characters until I find one that I think fits. When the name sticks in my mind and I write and think, “That sounds like something Elmore would say.” Then Elmore is the name I use.

Haley: on Nanowrimo. Yes I think I will do it again this year. Last year I started but didn’t get very far. This year, if things go well, I will do it and I will post my Nanowrimo info on the blog so that any of you who are also doing it can friend me and see how I’m doing.

Right, I think that’s it, and a good thing to. My fingers are tired and it’s 1:30 in the morning so I should go to bed.  As soon as I have any news worth reporting I’ll be sure and put it up. Until then, I will remain yours in fellowship.

-Mark