Moonscript Excerpt

Today, I thought that I would share an excerpt from my current work-in-progress with you all. It is called Moonscript. If you would like to learn more about it, you can check out this interview I did over at the lovely Anne Elisabeth Stengl's blog.
In this excerpt, my main character, 14-year old Tellie, is escaping from a prison through the sewer passages with her young friend Kelm, and the mysterious prisoner they have rescued, Errance.  Enjoy.

~

As they continued on, they turned a corner and brilliant white burst in front of Tellie’s vision. She gasped again, and covered her eyes. Spots squirmed under her eyelids.

She heard Errance swear softly, but she was too full of relief and exhaustion to say anything.

“Daylight,” Kelm breathed. “It’s daylight.”

Before them, down a steeper decline, was the exit of the passage. It was small and filled almost to the top with water, but light showed through and reflected upon the water into the darkness. They stumbled down towards it.

But the current of the water had become extremely strong, and all three of them struggled to stay on their feet. Twenty paces away from the exit. Fifteen.

And then Tellie suddenly realized that the speed of the water was getting swifter because it was going into a river.

“Errance!” she gasped. “I can’t swim!”
Then the current sucked her off her feet. Her body was pulled out the exit, bringing her shoulder into sharp contact with a wall. She was in the river, shards of light slashing across her vision. Thrashing her arms and legs against the raging water, she searched for the surface. Bubbles exploded in front of her eyes, and she gasped, drawing in water. Choking, she fought to find air. Her hand broke the surface, but a current of the river sucked her down deeper. Needles began to prick behind her eyes. Her head throbbed.

Ayahwei! she silently screamed. Please! Please!

Suddenly, her hair was pulled taunt and her body was jerked back against the current. An arm clamped around her waist, and she felt herself surge to the top. Her head burst out of the water, and she instantly drew in shrill gasps of air.

Next thing she knew, the upper half of her body was sprawled over the thick branch of a tree, and she was violently choking up water. Her legs were still in the river being pulled hard, but she was no longer at the mercy of it. She looked around her, squinting at the harsh beauty of daylight. She was on the branch of a tree that had fallen into the river. Errance was slumped over a branch near her, and Kelm was closet to the bank. The bank rose steeply upon either side of the water, and trees hung precariously out over it, their roots often sticking out of the soil. To her left, the canyon side rose up higher then she could see and blended into a mountain range. The bank Kelm was near was much lower, and a forest spread out from it as far as she could see.

She stared at Errance, who hadn’t moved. His back was turned away from her, his dark hair was spread out over his glistening skin. But in between the strands of his hair, she could see raw stripes of lacerated flesh.

“Errance?” she croaked. He…he was the one that had pulled her out of the river. “Are you alive?”

He shifted his arm ever so slightly across the log.

“I’m alive, if you’re interested,” Kelm called. He pulled himself up on to the top of the log with several grunts. “I thought I was a goner, but then I smacked into this tree.” He crawled along the top of the trunk down to where she was and extended a hand.

She grabbed it and was able to scramble up out of the water. They started up the bank on their hands and knees and had reached the ground, before Tellie realized that Errance still hadn’t moved. “Errance? Are you coming?” she called.

Over the roar of the river, she couldn’t hear him, but she saw his arms strain and he pulled himself up onto the trunk.

Satisfied, Tellie turned and looked into the forest. It was far thicker then Shadowshade, and the leaves were broad and flat, cutting out any view of the sky. Vines and bushes choked the earth and trees. She squinted up at the sky above them and saw that the sun hovered directly overhead. It was mid-day. How long had it been since she had entered Tertorem? A few days? A week? Forever?

Kelm was beside her, and she unexpectedly heard him whisper the exact same swear word Errance had used earlier. Blood rushing up into her face, she turned on him with every intention of giving him a severe tongue lashing.

But when she turned, she saw Errance, and all words failed her.

He stood upon the bank, swaying, his face tilted as he stared at the sky and the trees, his face filled with undisguised wonder and uncertainty, water shining off his skin and hair like silk. In many ways it should have been a beautiful picture. But that was all ruined by the sight of his affliction.

The wounds were similar to those Tellie had seen as scars, but these were fresh and that made them all the more horrible. But upon his chest was something she had not seen before. Something that must have come at the hand of the Voice.

Burnt black upon his chest were the words Property Of, and below it was a strange symbol; a black ball clasped by a skeletal hand, a symbol she could only assume meant His Darkness. The words were emblazoned with enflamed flesh, both yellow and red.

He was cradling his right arm, which twisted in such a cruel manner that Tellie knew it was broken. An arm that had grabbed either her hair or her waist, saving her life.

Shakily, she leaned against a tree, her legs finding it hard to support her. How could anyone mark a person like an…an animal?

Errance’s gaze flicked down to them abruptly as if he had felt their stares on him, and his face went inexplicably cold. He started forward into the trees. “Come,” he said, in an emotionless tone.“They’re looking for us by now.”

Favorite Book #5--The Taggerung

Note:
So after reading The King of Attolia again, I decided that IT should be Favorite Book #5, with The Taggerung as #6 and Winnie the Horse Gentler as #7. But it's too late to change it now! :) I just wanted to let you know that The King of Attolia is just that good.

 However, this post is about the Taggerung. So. This post will now begin.

Image taken from Amazon.com

 "The clan of Sawney Rath could feel their fortunes changing , much for the better."

A vermin tribe has received a prophecy that they will raise the next Taggerung, a beast fated to be a great warrior. Strangely enough, the creature is foretold to be an otter.
When baby Denya is kidnapped from his Redwall family, his name is changed to Tagg, he is tattoed like a vermin, and he is suddenly destined to become a champion for evil...or is he?
As Tagg grows, he finds his convictions constantly clashing against the tribe that has raised him, till at last he is forced to choose whether to obey them or his own heart.
But what starts as a jounrey to a new life turns into a race for life, for the vermin are now determined to kill him. As Tagg crosses the wilds, he encounters strange beasts of every fashion and makes friends and enemies alike, impressing all with his deadly skill and unexpected nobility.
Meanwhile, his older sister Mhera, who has no idea her brother still lives, navigates her bright and busy life in Redwall as she unravels a mystery. While she gets closer to discovering the answer, her brother draws ever nearer to his true home.
But the enemy is closing in fast. Now not only Tagg, but all Redwall is in danger. Does the Taggerung have what it takes to save the home he never knew?

 ~

Image taken from Amazon.com

I was absolutely thrilled to discover the Redwall series a few years ago. It is composed of twenty-two thick books.This is my favorite one.
The characters are all animals, but they act so human (while maintaining characteristics unique to their kind) it is easy to forget they're mice, otters, and hares!
Each story is a rousing adventure filled with courage, sacrifice, mystery, love, sorrow, and triumph.
They are generally considered children's books, but adults enjoy them just as much. I was surprised by the violence content, considering the age range. I suppose it is deemed appropriate for kids because...um...animals slicing, dicing, drowning, suffocating, and torturing each other is less worse than humans doing the same?
Ah well, but violence aside (and it's not usually too descriptive) these books are absolutely awesome!!!
If you are in need of a great adventure series, check these out!

 By the way, the picture above is the British edition of the book. I was absolutely delighted to purchase it through Amazon.com!

 

Fan Art Contest!

 Well, this is an exciting morning for me! Over at Anne Elisabeth Stengl's Blog the Spring Fan Art Contest for The Tales of Goldstone Wood has just begun! I have four entries this year, and everyone's art is stunning! You should all go take a look!

Favorite Book #6--Winnie the Horse Gentler

Why is this series here in this position of my favorites instead of some of the more magnificent literary wonders listed below?

Quite simply...because I love this series.

I've loved them for quite a long time. They're fairly short and directed towards middle-schoolers, but I absolutely love them.  

There are eight books in the series, but I shall put them all into this position on my list.

~

Image taken from Amazon.com

Winifred, aka. Winnie, Willis's life has fallen apart. Her beloved mom recently died in a car accident, and she, her dad, and her sis have been moving from state to state ever since, switching from school to school. Now they've most recently settled into a small town in Ohio, which is nearly run by the rich and spiteful family of Spidells.

For Winnie, making friends has never been easy. She's not comfortable around people, and the only thing she is confident around is horses--animals she has loved her entire life. Her mother was a horse gentler, and though Winnie is young, she is determined to follow in her footsteps with her knowledge and natural ability.

But before she can hope to become a famous horse gentler, she must learn to work with people, make friends, and mend her relationship with God.

What I love about this series is the honest struggles of Winnie and the colorful characters she meets. I simply adore the cast. The dialogue is witty and often hilarious, or heart-rending and thoughtful. Winnie is a totally likeable young girl with real problems, and she really helped me learn how to write real characters.

Plus, I LOVE horses. The books are stuffed with great information about horses and horse gentling techniques. There's also a surprising amount of history and stuff about cats, thanks to the genius Catman in the book.

Even if you feel you might be too old for these books, I encourage to give them a chance, especially if you like horses. The newest editions of the books have flowers and curly cues around the border which is entirely out of character for Winnie, so don't let that stop you.  : )
Plus if you know any young horse-lovin' gals, these books are a great recommendation!

Book Anticipation!!!

I am really, really, really looking forward to a book. I'm not sure if you, reader, have heard of this series (looking at the list of my followers, I'm sure you have), but there is an incredibly awesome book series called The Tales of Goldstone Wood.

And Book 6 is coming out in July!!! Or June if you happen to get it early. Take a look at this stunning cover!

 

You think this looks great? Quick, if you haven't already, go over to Anne Elisabeth Stengl's Dragonwitch Blog! And be sure you check out her amazing artwork and tantalizing sneak peaks here!

If you have read Book 4, Starflower, you're even more enthused about Dragonwitch, because it continues the story of the terrifically evil and tragic Hri Sora.

So for those of you who are waiting like crazy for this book, I'd like to gush with you. I'm simply dying to know the complete story of Etanun and Akilun!!! What happens to Etanun at the end of the book? Why does Mouse know Etanun's name? And what part will Eanrin play???

What are some things you can't wait to find out? What's your opinion of the Dragonwitch? Did you find yourself sympathizing with her in Starflower? Do you think that sympathy will continue in this book? This is the time to gush. Gush all you want.

Favorite Book #7--The King of Attolia

First of all, readers, this book is the third in its series! I believe it is known as The Queen's Thief series, and it is written by Megan Whalen Turner. Book 1, The Thief was a fairly interesting book, although what made it wonderful was the unexpected ending. Book 2, The Queen of Attolia, followed a much more serious and utterly brilliant storyline that keeps you guessing at every turn until you're reeling with shock by the conclusion.

The series take place in a very realistic feeling country with a Byzantine flavor, and the action explodes in the rival countries of Eddis, Sounis, and Attolia. An uneasy peace dwells between these countries, always waiting to be broken. But they will have to come together if they are to defeat the great Mede Empire, which will swallow them whole if they stand alone...

Let me introduce you the ingenious main character of this series, the Thief Eugenides. In the first book we watched him as a boy cleverly weave through his problems before stunning everyone, including the reader, with his true colors. In book 2, he was a young man, and we saw how he struggled over physical trauma, depression, war, and unexpected love.

And now we have come to the greatest of them all...

~

Image taken from Amazon.com

Eugenides, Queen's Thief of Eddis, has now become King of Attolia. His subjects are far from pleased. They believe him to be entirely incapable of ruling the country and are certain he has their beloved queen trapped in an unwanted marriage. The entire country hates him.

Costis, a young soldier, despises the new King like everyone else. Unlike everyone else, he punches the King in a fit of anger. In the unstable court of Attolia such a crime will result in beheading.

But the King has other plans.

Much to his relief and dismay, Costis is not executed, but is instead assigned to the King as his personal bodyguard! Forced to stay near the King, Costis observes firsthand the life of Eugenides. Slowly, he begins to develop a sympathy for the young King, who is trapped in a life he does not love, surrounded by people who hate him.

And then Costis begins to realize that everything he thought he knew about Eugenides is wrong...

~

Seriously, if you have not read this book, you ought to. I personally believe each book in the series could be read alone, although they are best appreciated in order.  Megan Whalen Turner's writing style is brilliant, and she WILL shock you near the end of each book.

Be known, there is mild language, an array of gods, and though the corruption of the court is not expounded on, you know it's there. As for romantic content, Eugenides is a married man very much in love with his wife (which is a shock in itself considering their history), but everything is seen through the lenses of Costis, so I didn't find that area a problem.

Treachery, assassins, political upheaval, economy, war, love, faith, and truth permeate this brilliant tale set in a royal court. And believe me, after reading this series, I would not become a monarch for a million dollars! 

If you have read the first two books, and thought you knew Eugenides, be prepared to relearn him and discover how magnificent he is as the King of Attolia.

Inspiration

Every written story is born of inspiration. So how does one get inspired? The most obvious answer is perhaps the extraordinary journey called life. That covers just about everything. But there are smaller, individual things that I find particularly helpful when trying to create a new world or a new plot. Music, stories, older works, and visual art have boosted me towards greater scope for my imagination.

Music: Great amounts of my story ideas spring forth from the serenade of music. Whether its soothing or dramatic, I enjoy various sorts of soundtrack music. Of course, it is a little hard at first to wrestle the music to my will, because if it is from a movie I know well, then the movie's scenes dance across my window, instead of my own creations. Nevertheless, when I can at last see my own story playing out to music, I can sometimes be moved to tears or thrills.

Yet often, music that might seem in no way fitting for my fantasy stories might be able to capture the mood I want to express perfectly. In times of dry inspiration I will fire up these songs and be reminded perhaps not of the actual story itself, but why I want to write a story. For me, there is nothing like music for inspiration.


Stories: Today, they are everywhere. Whether in the form of movies or books, stories come in every style. As such, one must be careful in what stories one chooses. Even if a story isn't bad it still might not appeal to the reader. Then there is the time when one finds a story they absolutely love and cannot get enough of it. For the writer, this usually inspires them to fashion a story in the other's likeness, after which is the difficulty of actually making their own story different from the original. But without a doubt, reading stories you love is some of the best fodder for the imagination.

Strangely, I have also discovered that I can be inspired by stories I don't enjoy. I speak mainly of certain choice tragedies in J. R. R. Tolkien's brilliant The Silmarillion. While I love this book as a whole there are those certain stories that rip my heart out and stomp on it. Among these examples are the tale of Maedhros, the self-cursed, struggling, but oh-so-fascinating-elf who eventually despairs and -sob- kills himself. Then there is Gwindor, a heroic elf for whom almost everything goes wrong for, even after he manages to escape from prison before he dies in battle.

Sigh.

As I said, these stories actually inspired me because I was SO frustrated with their endings that I was determined to craft a similar story, but have a happy ending! Thus was born my current-work-in-progress.


The Old and the New: When your story might be feeling dry and in need of greater scope, pull back and look over your old stories that you wrote when you were younger. You might just be surprised with what you came up with way back when. Although for me "way back when" is not so far back, I still have several obsolete books series. From a few of these I have pulled out old ideas and crafted them into something new. 

Observe the picture on the right. The lady you see there looks exactly like a character named Dareseel that features several times in my older stories. But I am seriously considering making a character very similar to Dareseel in skill and looks, and yet have her be a completely different character named Dizca. Whether I will go through with this or not, I'm not sure. Dareseel is a character so firmly set in my mind, that, even if she never features in a book I publish, it would seem wrong to make someone like her in a completely different world. That's something I'll have to decide. Whether that is a picture of Dareseel or Dizca on the right, I do not know.  : )

 
Visual: And last, but most certainly not least, visual can cause some of the most wonderful waves of brilliance. It could be a spectacular range of mountains or a style of attire that you simply must have in your story. Or it could be a gorgeous painting of some mystical being or gentle home that sparks an idea. I have been inspired countless times by visual beauty. 

Just recently, I drew a picture for my brother who was considering adding faeries in his work-in-progress. I sketched up the illustration you see above to help him. I drew them to represent both opposites of the faerie spectrum, light or dark. (And everyone knows faeries are always striking poses like that! The original supermodels. ) Whether he chose to use faeries exactly like the ones shown did not matter. It was all for inspiration. 


Hopefully, these different methods will inspire you and send you sailing on an ocean of genius. What inspires you in your writing?

A Sneak Peak...

Today I thought I might share with you all a little glimpse into my newest novel idea. I've been developing it for awhile, and I'm really enjoying the journey. So here is...

Willing

Is Emotion Worth the Pain?

Forest has always known that he will one day join the emotionless Force, but his preplanned life is unexpectedly changed when he is kidnapped by the friends of his unwilling bride and introduced to a life he never dared hope for--and a war he had never understood.

Well, that's about all I can tell you at this time, but hopefully you enjoyed the preview! How about you all? Are you working on a writing project too? : )

Favorite Books #8--The Blue Sword

Note to Reader: My list of favorite books changes constantly with my mood. I'm trying to sort this out with my average opinion, but these books are often exchanging one another's positions.

Image taken from amazon.com

The Blue Sword

by Robin McKinley

The Homelanders have always been at odds with the free Hillfolk. Their cultures and beliefs are vastly different. But now they have a common enemy--the Northerners, a strange, demonic people out on conquest.

Corlath, King of the Hillfolk, understands the consequences of either outcome of the approaching war. His country, brave but small, will get caught in between. If the Northerners win, their empire will not last, and the Hillfolk might be able to rebel. If the Homelanders win, his people and their colorful culture will be swallowed up by the extenstive arm of Homelander control that Corlath has striven so hard to avoid.

There is the remotest chance that these cultures can come to an agreement for the war ahead, but after negotiations fail, Corlath prepares to face his battles alone...until his kelar prompts him to a drastic action he nor anyone else understands...nor will ever forget.

This is the story of Harry Crewe, the Homelander girl who is thrust into a world she does not know, but strangely loves. Her unexpected journey carries her far into the desert land of Damar, where she learns skills beyond her imagination and ultimately discovers herself. This is the story of how she came to carry Gonturan, the Blue Sword, and how it changed both her worlds forever...

 ~

Ahem...so there's my personal literary trailer to the book. Confusing perhaps, but intriguing, I hope.

I curled up to read this book on a slow day and fell absolutely in love with it. It is not a book stuffed with electrifying action. The author takes time to describe everything in vivid detail till you're seeing it right in front of you. The first few chapters are slow, but by Chapter Three, things are really starting to roll. I loved, LOVED, the cultures portrayed in here. The Homelanders have a distinct British feel, while the Hillfolk have a heavy Middle-Eastern flavor.

I adore the characters of quietly courageous Harry and the proud and powerful Corlath.

Robin McKinley writes books that are like food. Chew slowly. They are not a theme-park ride. If after you have read this book, and you feel like you simply must read more of McKinley, I have warnings for you. In my opinion, her books don't stay consistently great. You have to read them through trial and error. Personally, I didn't care for this book's prequel, The Hero and the Crown. Others, however, do like it.

If you are going to read another of hers, I recommend Chalice, which is a beautiful and unusual tale. Unfortunately, its climax was a bit unexplained and it ended too soon afterwards, but other then that, it was great!

I'll be taking a break from my Favorite Books post until I've read Favorite Book #7 again! : ) But stick around...I'll be talking about my own stories.