Tag: Literature

The Next Big Thing…again

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That’s right, I was tagged in the Next Big Thing blog hop again, this time by my good friend Sammy HK Smith.  An author of many talents, she wrote about her current WIP called Anna.

Since I’ve already participated in this once with The Lokana Chronicles, and since Sammy was so kind as to tag me again, I was going to try to do it again using my current WIP, tentatively titled The Lokana Chronicles: Fog of War.  Then I reread my original post.  What I discovered is that a lot of the answers apply to my WIP as well as my original novel, since my WIP is a sequel.   But I’m feeling procrastinatey, so here we go! 🙂

It’s that time again!

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Since I had a lovely long weekend, I managed to hammer out a whole chapter in a mere afternoon.  The words were flowing like the rain on Sunday and it was awesome!  If only that happened every time I sat down to write. *sigh*

So, since I’ve moved on to Chapter 9 now, here’s a snippet of Chapter 8:

The forest was darker than Henry remembered.  Sure, it was rainy now and then it had been a beautiful sunshiny day, but he had a feeling that this darkness had nothing at all to do with the weather.  Something else was amiss, though, and for a moment, he couldn’t quite put his finger on what.  But as he moved cautiously through the trees, eyes and ears alert for possible signs of danger, he finally realized what was bothering him.

It was quiet.  Too quiet.

I’m really having fun writing a sequel, but it’s challenging in a lot of ways, too.  I try to incorporate a bit of the first book – references to earlier people and events, for instance – but I don’t want to give away too much.  On the other hand, I don’t want to be so vague that I confuse readers.  It’s a fine line to walk.  I hope I’m walking it well.  I guess we’ll see once I’m done, won’t we?

Happy Hump Day!

(c) 2012.  All rights reserved.

And then there were seven…

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That’s right, I’ve finished Chapter 7!  I plan to get a good start on Chapter 8 tomorrow, assuming I don’t have to spend all day in Convenient Care with Cricket, who seems to have a nasty eye infection thanks to a little girl at his new daycare.  He seems particularly susceptible to eye infections; this isn’t the first time it’s happened.  Hopefully it’ll clear up quicker than last time, though.

Anyway, here’s a snippet from Chapter 7.  Happy weekend!

“Don’t worry, my dear,” Narok said, offering his arm and bestowing on Luta one of his most winning smiles as Ramila disappeared into the crowd.  “I could never abandon a lady as lovely as yourself to the cruelty of solitude.  Shall we take a turn about the room?”

Luta glowed under the warmth of his praise.  “That is exceedingly kind of you, good sir, but surely there are others with whom you would rather spend your time?”

“Nonsense!  What could be finer than the company of a beautiful woman?”

She hid her smile behind her fan, but the sound of her laughter bubbled up from behind it.  “If you keep complimenting me like that, Maru Doon, I fear I may not be able to leave the room.  I will have no choice but to stay here and listen to you forever.”

He laughed, though he sensed she was only half-joking.  “That would not be altogether bad, would it?”

“Maru Doon, what are you talking about?”  Luta’s smile faded; the mirth was now gone from her voice.

“You know your place, my dear, and I find that quality singularly pleasing in a woman, especially one of your caliber,” he said evasively.  “I find that knowledge of one’s duty and one’s place in society can make an otherwise ordinary person remarkably attractive, don’t you?”

Luta nodded, desperately hoping he didn’t think her ordinary.  “I am nothing, sir, if not devoted to my duties as a woman and a citizen of our great kingdom.  I think you will not find me ordinary.”

(c) 2012.  All rights reserved.

Death Scare

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One day in 1202 a boy named Jack told a legend to Trey in 1995.  A little boy named Steve disappeared on Halloween night, trick or treating.  A ***** took him.  The legend says that he was found the next morning DEAD!  One person knows what took him and that person is Tom Smith.  So Trey died of fright.

If you want to know what took him it will cost 5 bucks.

Note: I’ve been advised that the thing that took him was a ghost, but the author wanted to get people excited about the story, so he crossed out the word ghost and replaced it with a shaded box.  Nine years old and already a writer after my own heart.

Bubbles brought the preceding story home from school a week or so back.  He had written it for a project and set it rather unceremoniously on my desk in a pile with everything else from his Friday Folder.  I was tickled to see one of his stories because it seems like they all end up at his dad’s house.  His teachers have been telling me for years now that he is very creative and that they love reading his stories, which naturally makes me extremely proud.  As a matter of fact, his teacher invited me to speak to their class at his last conference when she found out that I write.

I love the way he ended his tale.  It reminds me of many of the things I wrote as a youngster.  I only hope that his love of storytelling will stay with him as he grows up.

(c) 2012.  All rights reserved.

Another award!

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I’ve been nominated for the One Lovely Blog Award again!  This time I was nominated by Rooster Lady Sister, a most interesting character.  As always, I’m flattered to receive such an award, but since I was nominated for the same award by our mutual friend Lindsey just a month ago, I’m going to let that post do double duty.  So if you would like to read my seven random facts, you can find them here, along with the people I nominated when I initially received the award.

And now, back to the grindstone.  I’ve got the day off of work, but I’m working hard on The Lokana Chronicles: Fog of War.  Or at least I would like to be – I keep getting distracted by other things that also need doing.  If anyone has a spare time turner, I’d really appreciate it if you could lend it to me for…um…a period of time that has yet to be determined.  I’ve got a crap-ton of stuff to get done. 🙂

(c) 2012.  All rights reserved.

Excerpt time!

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That’s right, I’ve finished another chapter, so it’s time for another excerpt.  Today’s snippet comes from the newly-finished Chapter 5:

When the servants brought out the food, Michael was relieved to see what looked like roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, and fresh bread.  He was even more relieved when his tongue confirmed what his eyes suspected – he hadn’t had a thing to eat since breakfast and he was starving.  Michael couldn’t count the number of times he’d eaten this same meal growing up.  It was one of his favorites; it should have tasted like home.

And yet…it was different somehow.  The meat had a different flavor.  And it was juicier, more tender.  The potatoes were lumpier; the gravy richer, more flavorful.  And the butter – was it hand churned?  He’d had samples of hand churned butter a few times at the local pioneer fair.  Was this what it tasted like?  I can’t remember.

So there you have it!  Michael’s journey through the strange new world of Lokana has only just begun.  I hope you’ll stay tuned for further adventures – rest assured, there will be plenty.

(c) 2012.  All rights reserved.

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Another interview

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I’ve been again.  The interrogator extraordinaire was none other than the zombie master himself, everyone’s favorite sock puppet, Splinker.  That’s right, in a new feature called “Someone Else Who Isn’t Me!”, I’ve Been Deader author Adam Sifre interviews other authors and today, that author is yours truly.  So pop on over and have a read!  We talk steaks and books and killer dust bunnies.  There’s even an excerpt from The Lokana Chronicles.  Leave a comment!  After all, even zombies love comments. 😉

(c) 2012.  All rights reserved.

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