Fantastical thinking~

I've been reading a high fantasy novel series lately. While I'm enjoying it, I'm struck by the amount of killing in it. The protagonist is a fifteen year old girl, but she acts like an adult so it bascially reads like adult fantasy.

The story actually jumps around several characters' points of view, all of whom are involved in life threatening situations that require fighting and lots of killing. One of the characters is a professional assassin that's apparently killed hundreds of men and continues to do so in these books. And of course, there are large battle scenes described in great detail, which again result in lots of deaths. 

Maybe I'm just not accustom to this kind of fantasy, but the level of killing is getting a little distracting and I find myself skimming past the chapters that describe the battles. They really aren't developing any characters anyway. Is it just me that finds all the battling and descriptions of killing a thousand different ways a bit dull after awhile?

What kind of fantasy do you like to read? Is the gore a necessary element? Does it come from the video game/role playing realm? I'd really like to know.

#SampleSunday on Saturday ~ my treat :)

I wanted to share a bit of my current work in progress with you, but I'm too impatient to wait until Sunday to do it. This is from Storyteller III: The Last Page. Enjoy~

Dreamtime

Between awake and asleep,

I’ll find you again~  fairy ballad

 

Big, crisp, orange leaves floated down on the park like a constant, slow motion rain as the sunlight dappled the green grass.  Lily looked up at the clear blue, autumn sky. The swings swayed in the breeze without making a squeak. Lily knew this place. She had been here before.  She and Peter came here after school sometimes.

“Where are you?” she called out.

“Not far,” said a voice. “You can always find me if you know where to look.”

A wind chime on the porch of a house across the street played sweet tones, but there was no one there.

“Peter, come out!” It’s not fair if you use magic.”

“Are you sure? You’re so close.”

“I don’t see you anywhere.” There was no reply. “Please?”

“Oh, all right,” said Peter, right behind her. Lily whirled around to face him. He hung upside down from the monkey bars, his arms dangling in the air. “I win again.”

Lily wasn’t about to let him gloat. She tickled under his arms while he giggled and squirmed to get away. His legs slipped and he ended up in a heap on the grass, laughing as he knocked Lily down next to him. They lay there, catching their breath. Lily watched the white clouds against the blue sky, soaking up the sunshine on her skin. She couldn’t remember when she felt so happy, which is what made her realize she was dreaming. She reached out for Peter’s hand, hoping he was real. His fingers locked with hers, warm and firm.

“You said I could find you. Where are you now?”

“Do you know what a griffin is?”

“One of the portal keepers, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“So, it’s some sort of magical creature.”

“A griffin is a lion with the head of an eagle. It’s beak and talons are like razors.”

“What does the griffin have to do with finding you?”

“You won’t be able to reach me until you find the griffin.”

“What do I have to do? Kill it?”

“No, restore it.”

“But how do I do that?”

“You’ve got to hurry.”

Suddenly, clouds covered the sun and the sky darkened.

“Peter?” Lily sat us and squeezed his hand, but he didn’t respond. The brightness of his eyes dimmed. Lily watched as the darkness seeped into the whites until they were solid black.

“Peter!”

“Hurry, Lily. I haven’t got much time.”

Blog #15 Thirteen Stories 'til Halloween or Why Flash Fiction is Fun

Not too long ago, I came across a link on twitter. I followed it down the rabbit hole to this website called Thirteen Stories 'til Halloween .  The web site had an open call for writers willing to write a spooky story to be posted just before Halloween.  Now Halloween is probably my favorite holiday, so I was all over that. I mean, my first book, Storyteller, takes place just before Halloween. :)

If you don't know, flash fiction is a tinnie, tiny story...like less than 750 words, which is maybe 3 pages. You'd be surprised how hard it can be to write a fully formed story in so few words.  It's quite the challenge.  Here's one I did last year for a contest called Troll Teeth.

Entries were due today.  Cross your fingers I get picked! Of course, I can write flash fiction any time I want to, but contests are always kind of a challenge to me.  They give me an incentive to meet the deadline and to make it especially good.  Maybe if I don't get sucked into this flash fiction event, I'll throw one of my own some time. Anybody interested??

Blog #3, July 3rd - My latest writing goal

I have a problem. I started a three part fantasy series, finished the first two books in the series, and then got a contract with Featherweight Press for Hush Puppy .  Just a slight six month distraction there.  Now I need to finish last book of the Storyteller series. Readers have been asking about it, so it will be the next project.  No matter that I have two other books that could use editing.  Storyteller Book Three comes first.

Unfortunately, with two young kids and a full time day job, writing often comes last.  I’m not really a night owl, so staying up late to work on it is not really an option.  So I told myself- write a chapter a week- and in twenty weeks or so, the first draft will be done.  It‘s been going pretty well. I’m still on track so far. This week is Chapter Six.  If only I could up that to a chapter a day, I’d have it made!
How do you stay on track and find time for writing/reading?  Here's a little trivia for you...know what library this is??  :)

Blog #2, July 2nd

How can I write more?  I’m always asking myself this.  I have two rough drafts that need editing, a sequel that needs written, and another story idea waiting in the wings.  There aren’t enough hours in the day for me to write all the things I need to.  I’m not complaining. There were years where I had no ideas and no inspiration, much less editing to do.  What happened?  I stopped writing books and started writing scripts for awhile. I learned structure and outlining in the shortened format of the screenplay, which was much less overwhelming to me than a novel format.  Of course, once I realized that most movies these days are based on novels or comics, I gave up writing screenplays and went back to novels. 

I always enjoyed fantasy. For so many years, I was caught up in trying to figure out what would sell, but I gave all that up and decided to write what I enjoyed, something fun with a spunky female heroine. The result was Storyteller. When it was finished, publishers were drowning in fantasy, thanks to Harry Potter, so I published it myself.  It didn’t make me famous or rich, but it made me read, which is all I really ever wanted.

How do you find time to write more?

 

 

 

A flash fiction story in honor of Anna and Michael’s wedding~

The Magical Properties of Troll Teeth

And so, dear reader, due to the magical properties of the aforementioned troll teeth, I found myself in the unfortunate service of Mortalus.  Brighter than most trolls, Mortalus had a nasty streak almost as terrible as his own breath.  The tooth I’d tried to steal from him dangled from a twisted silver chain around my neck to remind me of that awful fact as I nervously approached Princess Anna with his wedding gift.

“Come forward, imp,” flame-haired Anna beckoned.

I clutched the jewel-encrusted box even tighter, if that was possible, afraid of what lay inside.  I was bound to obey Mortalus, who had bid me deliver the golden box to Anna and her betrothed. I had tried to sneak a peek, only to ensure the Princess’s safety mind you, but my Master had sealed it with an enchantment only Anna’s touch could open.

“Be sure she knows it’s from me, slave,” Mortalus warned me before he left. Perhaps the mere mention of his name would alert her? It was all I could do.

“A gift from my Master, Mortalus.  Forgive me, mistress.”  I fell on one knee before the fairy princess and offered her the box above my bowed head.  Several in the crowd gasped. Someone cried out “Don’t take it, Princess!”, but Anna smiled graciously down on me.

“Do not be afraid for me,” she said, taking the gift from my shaking hands.  Her touch created a glow that spilled from the box as she opened it. I had prepared myself to run.  Should any harm befall the princess, it would certainly mean my sure, swift death.  Only now, I discovered I was rooted to the earth, unable to move, mesmerized by what happened next.  All the chattering voices in the chamber hushed. The pure song of a lark rang out clear and sweet in the silence, but what emerged was no lark.

A fully-formed dragon, long of fang and green as cut emeralds, sprang from the box into our midst. The beast hovered over our heads on blurry wings, like a giant hummingbird selecting its next flower. Setting its sights on the princess, the creature shrieked and dove for her with jaws wide. Before I knew what was happening, her Highness grabbed the unbreakable chain around my neck and held my talisman high with me still dangling from it. The dragon hit the troll tooth and fell back as if it had slammed into a stone wall no one could see. With an ear-splitting scream, the beast crashed through a window and flew away.

Princess Anna released my chain and I fell to my knees once more.

“My lady, how did you…?” I stammered.  Princess Anna pushed her wild hair back and smiled at me.

“Troll teeth have many magical properties, imp. Didn’t you know?”

My wish for you, Anna and Michael~

May you know peace, both near and far from each other~

May you grow together, not only when times are sweet, but when they are hard~

And may you always protect each other from the trolls of this world~