Soulmender from Magic the Gathering
In the pages of Legends of Windemere, the priests of Durag are heroic and help our heroes in their quest against evil. You have Aedyn Karwyn who is noble and loyal to the very end. It is clear why the sun god has such a widespread system of followers and is involved in so many battles for Windemere. The temples are home to healers who will jump into action immediately when the heroes are in need.
Within the pages of War of Nytefall, the priests of Durag are a zealous force of mortals armed with holy magic. They are a constant threat to the vampires, especially during the 50 years that Clyde was buried. It was a devastating war that the Duragians nearly won before the Dawn Fangs emerged. Even after that war, they continue to be a danger and Eradication brings them back into the spotlight. With the Fist of Durag on the battlefield, they are poised to wipe out the vampires who are the heroes of this story.
Interesting how the Duragians can work as hero and villain depending on who they are facing. Some may say that they are still heroes since they are facing ‘monsters’, but the Dawn Fangs aren’t really threatening anyone. They tend to stay in hiding and give the Duragians no reason to be hunted, but they have to defend themselves. It is getting really nasty now since the Fist of Durag can depower and kill them. A reader may be hard pressed to defend the assault and murder of people who aren’t doing anything wrong. It is only that they are seen as evil, which is totally biased and hateful when it comes to the Dawn Fang. That doesn’t work in the Duragian’s favor.
Strangest thing is that I didn’t find it difficult to make them the bad guys after spending 5 years with them on the hero side of a story. Part of it is because this is in the past and the Duragians haven’t really figured out that Dawn Fangs aren’t threats. You’ll see in Eradication that there is mention of them starting to question the existence of such vampires, which is causing a schism. One group even believes that Clyde and his people are favored by the Sun God. This wasn’t hard to write either because we’re looking at religion here. I’ve found that people take such things in different degrees, so why wouldn’t there be the same thing in Windemere? You have your zealots that refuse to see things beyond ‘vampires evil’, those in the middle, and those who think there is something different about the Dawn Fangs.
You can say that this book will be a big evolution for the Duragian order. This is when they reclaim the infamy that they had in Loyalty even if it isn’t across the board. Leo Kandrel is . . . Well, I’m going to need to give him Wednesday’s post.
Image courtesy of bigstock.com
Hello SErs. Harmony here. As promised earlier, here is the fourth installment in the post series dedicated to taking a step-by-step look at how to get your finished manuscript from your computer and on sale on Amazon in both ebook and paperback.
If you’d like to take a look back at the previous posts in this series, please click on the links below:
Outline: https://wp.me/p7OGru-29c
Part 1 (Software) : https://wp.me/p7OGru-29t
Part 2 (General Formatting Necessities) : https://wp.me/p7OGru-29J
Part 3 (Ebook Conversion) : https://wp.me/p7OGru-2ah
To make it easy to browse back and forth, I’ve set all links to open in new tabs. As this series progresses, I will update the links for you so that each post includes links to all past posts in the series.
So, here’s Part Four: How to Format for Paperback
Today’s post covers the nuts and bolts of getting your finished manuscript…
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Next Sunday, I will release the fourth volume of the War of Nytefall series:
I’ll be sending the promo posts to all volunteers on Saturday, but you can still offer to lend a hand at any moment. This is going to be the same post I put up on my blog on Sunday. You can already put it on your ‘To Read’ list on Goodreads. For now, enjoy the big reveal:
Cover Art by Alison Hunt
Today is the first full day of my Winter Break and it feels like things aren’t going to be calm in any way. First, I want to say that there is A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT coming tomorrow that I’m surprised I’m not blurting out now. Okay, let’s get to the rest because this has been a really busy week.
My son is with his mom for the first half of the break, so you would think I can dive right into War of Nytefall: Ravenous. I’m hoping to get some done, but I won’t have as much time as I thought. This is frustrating because I started 2020 with a clear plan of when I could write and how I could complete and publish 3 works before the end of the year. I didn’t have any writing time the last 3 weekends and weekdays are a bust, so I needed this period of time. Could have gotten 3 of the remaining chapters done and then snuck in a 4th when my son was back during his sleeping time. This is factoring in hanging out with friends at times, so what went wrong?
That would be the flooring. Everything in mine and my son’s rooms has been moved to the garage, basement, living room, or dining room. Things are moving along, but there’s going to be another spontaneous project done up there. This means, I won’t be able to start moving things up there until the day my son comes home. I’ll have to use the rest of the week to piece everything back together instead of spending time with my son. This is going to suck because I’ll have a 6 week run of full work weeks after this break, which means I need to gather some strength. There’s a constant ignorance of what I’m doing or need. Currently, I’m sleeping on a pull out couch that leaves my neck and shoulders stiff in the morning. My laptop is at the dining room table with my hat rack on one side and a pile of drawers on the other. I feel exposed, so I don’t expect to get much done. Just really want my space back.
A plus side is that I can rearrange furniture to make more space and replace my old exercise bike. That heavy one is in the garage and I don’t like the idea of lugging it back up to plop it in the middle of my room’s walkway. I’ve been looking at foldable exercise bikes, which I can keep in the closet. This is becoming a slight debate because I’m trying to explain it to certain people with strong opinions. Doesn’t help that these bikes aren’t in stores and I have to order them online. Figure this is something I can splurge on because I really need to create a sustainable exercise schedule. Having a bike that I’m not tripping over will certainly help.
What else is going on? I ordered a large box of oak tag to use as backings for my puzzles, so I’ll start setting that up once I get my room back. Won’t be tackling another puzzle until I finish studying a book I got for the GRE. This is a test one takes when one wants to go for a Masters degree. I took it in 2003 and I hated it, but the score doesn’t count anymore. I need to try again and my plan is to study this giant math book and then one for English before taking the test in late March. Once this is done, I can get the rest of what I need to get into a program in the Fall. Geez, I’m really busy these days.
Finally got back into my Instagram and I still don’t know what I’m doing. Going to gradually put up each of my book covers along with the opener for the blurb and the Amazon link. Still not sure how the whole thing works and I’m not a big fan of it only being done through the phone instead of the laptop. Check it out HERE!
Next week is break, so I don’t have anything really planned. Can’t until the upstairs is finished and refurnished. I’m afraid that’s going to take the entire winter break, which feels like a waste. Sucks when you want to get things done fast to enjoy the rest of a week, but the people you’re working with aren’t in a rush. After tomorrow, I won’t even be able to go upstairs until Monday. Yeah, I’m really not thrilled with this mess. Swear, I’m going to scream if Spring Break has something like this too. As it stands, I can no longer predict how my writing and publishing will go this year. I know people keep saying ‘every step is a success’, but there’s a limit. I spent nearly all of 2019 barely writing while the divorce was in high gear. It’s 2020 and everything seems to be rearing up to prevent me from even getting back to half strength as an author. Seriously, the last time I touched War of Nytefall: Ravenous was JANUARY! This is getting ridiculous. I’m not getting any younger and my 30+ ideas aren’t getting any duller. The idea of junking them because certain people routinely throw up path destroying obstacles doesn’t sit well with me. At times, it genuinely feels like this is being arranged at times that specifically stop me from pursuing writing again.
Goals of the week:
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War of Nytefall: Eradication will delve a little into this question. You can get a feeling that he does because he’ll show some fear. There’s another event that will cause Clyde to act incredibly human. Yet, I believe there have been other humanizing scenes with him that many ignore. At least if they’ve read the book. If they don’t then they look at his action teasers here and assume he’s nothing more than a destructive monster with no morality. Is this true?
Nope, but it may be complicated.
You see, a big part of War of Nytefall is about Clyde retaining his humanity. He is incredibly powerful and has a battle lust that drives him to hunt for strong opponents. It is a big problem for someone who is trying to lead a new race of vampires and prove that they are not a threat to mortals. The times that he releases this side is bloody, violent, and savage, so it sticks in your memory. It overshadows the times that he is talking, planning, or doing anything other than destroying. Perhaps it’s like how we see predators. In reality, they are more scared of humans and harmless as long as you don’t provoke them. Yet, we always make them bloodthirsty and vicious in our minds. Clyde may not be scared of others, but he certainly isn’t uncontrollable destructive. Otherwise, he would have leveled Nyte, murdered all his enemies, and ended the series halfway through War of Nytefall: Loyalty.
While it isn’t harped on, there are times when Clyde talks about his humanity. It isn’t direct, but you can get an idea of what’s going on inside him. The best way to explain it is that he knows what is wrong with him, but doesn’t want to speak about it in blunt terms because he could scare others. Yet, all of them know that they have to be on the lookout for him to go over the edge. Clyde’s connections to Mab, Chastity, Gregorio, and the Vengeance Hounds help ground him, especially that first one. He focuses his power on protecting them, so it gives his destructive instincts a purpose. It isn’t him being a monster, but defending his family. If he goes too far and can’t come back then Mab is under orders to eliminate him immediately. There are times when he acts like this is an inevitability too. I think all of this shows that there is a lot of humanity in Clyde even though he considers himself a monster.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to portray this in a subtle fashion. People miss his comments and concerns that reveal his inner turmoil. He keeps up a mask of confidence and some arrogance, which can trick everyone. I can’t make Clyde very sensitive or he’ll lose too much of his edge. He needs to be monstrous to some degree in order to keep the threat of him going berserk around. The balance is a challenge because I can’t keep it consistent and stable. If it wasn’t rocking back and forth, it would be under control and Clyde would not be worried. That ends the story too because his own fear of turning into a full monster restrains his actions. One could say that his enemies are being protected by this issue because he doesn’t know if killing one would start a domino effect.
As the series progresses, I hope to make this a bit clearer without being blunt. Events will happen that will push Clyde closer to that edge and further away from it. Hopefully, it all works out in the end and people are happy with his fate.
Great first post of a useful series. Hitting as many senses as possible is how you increase immersion levels.
Hey, SE Readers. Joan with you on this Valentine’s Day. My post today is the first of a new series on using the five senses in writing.
As authors, it’s easy to overlook one or another (at least for me). But incorporating each of these elements—sight, feel, sound, taste, touch—makes a stronger story and helps to get into deep point of view. Today, I’ll begin with sight.
Sight is probably the easiest and most frequently used in writing. Done correctly, it can not only give the reader a vivid description of the setting, but it can also be used for foreshadowing. Consider the following from the book Music of The Deep by Elizabeth Hall:
From here, she had just enough height to look down on the main street of town, two blocks long, filled with various businesses of the tourist trade, or at least filled when the economy was good…
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(Previously on Immortal Wars.)
Disclaimer: Immortal Wars was the book I came up with and wrote in high school. I hadn’t even hit college by the time I wrote the first two books. That means I hadn’t developed my style yet, wasn’t good at self-editing, and the story was fairly basic. So, you’ve been warned that this is the ultimate author throwback segment for my blog and will show my author origins. FYI- I put the first book (The Summoning) through a Print-on-Demand publisher and the second one (Light, Blood, & Tears) never saw the light of day. Enjoy!
“I hope they aren’t fighting again,” says Kelly while she peacefully rests her head on Ed’s shoulder. They had stopped walking and decided to sit on a wooden bench, which overlooked a calm lake. The sun was slowly going down and the sky was filled with the evening’s vibrant pinks and purples. The lake looked just like a natural mirror that reflected the sun’s romantic departure behind the horizon. This place was their favorite place to be at this particular time of day.
“Probably not. They don’t fight with each other that much. Delila usually saves her energy in order to argue with one of us,” replies Ed.
“Don’t remind me. She just makes me want to tear her loud and empty head off her scrawny neck. And that’s when I’m not pissed off at her.”
“That’s just the way she is, Kelly. The only one that can change Delila’s personality is Delila. We just have to wait for her attitude to change.”
“I’ll wait. But I don’t have to like her before that happens. Or after it happens.”
“Fine. Now, can you please think of something else? There has to be something else that you want to talk about. You’re starting to get obsessive about Delila’s personality.”
“Do you know what day it is today, Eddie? It’s an important day for the two of us. Do you remember?” She gives him a cunning grin before she lies down on the bench.
Ed’s face suddenly turns a little pale when Kelly asks him the question he has never liked to hear from anybody. Especially from his girlfriend. His nervous mind races to think of the answer and a way to get out of trouble.
“Her birthday. No. That’s in April. Valentines Day. Nope. This is March. Damn it, I don’t remember,” he thinks as thin beads of sweat start to form on his brow.
“Well, Ed. What is so special about today?” A small amount of disappointment is in her voice, but her eyes give no sign of what is going on in her head.
“Well. It’s . . . ”
“I don’t have all year. Just say something or admit that you don’t know what today is. I promise that I won’t be angry if you don’t remember. I’ll simply remove certain parts of your anatomy that most men don’t want to part with.”
“It’s been one year since we’ve been going out with each other.”
“You do remember. What did you get me? Wait a second. I want to give you the present that I got for you first.”
Kelly takes out a simple, golden ring with a red jewel on it. The jewel has a small, but very clear, picture of Kelly’s smiling face in it. She slips it onto Ed’s finger and stares at him expectantly.
“Now, where is my present?” Kelly asks.
“Your present? It’s right hear in my jacket somewhere. Give me a minute to find it in all these pockets,” says Ed.
“You only have two pockets on that thing.”
Ed shoves his hand into his jacket pocket and finds a small, velvet box that he doesn’t remember ever having before. He takes it out and silently hands it to Kelly. When she opens the box, her mouth gapes at what she sees inside. The first thought that goes through Ed’s mind is that he should start apologizing as fast as he can.
“I’m sorry that it isn’t as nice as your present. But I honestly didn’t know what you would really want. And you know that I couldn’t afford that bracelet that you really wanted, so I’m sorry if it isn’t that good,” Ed says.
“Nice joke. I can’t believe you got me this bracelet. How could possibly afford it on minimum wage at the ice cream store? Is this the one with the real gems on it?” gasps Kelly as she pulls out a thin gold bracelet. There are several colorful jewels going around the slender piece of jewelry. As Kelly puts it on her wrist, she gives Ed a long, intense kiss on the lips.
“I must be the luckiest person in the world,” whispers Ed as the kiss finishes.
“Of course you are. You have me. Let’s go show these little presents to Steve and Delila. I would just love to see that annoying brat’s face when she sees all the beautiful gems on this thing!” exclaims the emerald-eyed girl while admiring the bracelet that is twinkling in the dimming sunlight.
“Nothing like bragging about presents to people that you don’t like. Maybe Steve is still there, so I can talk with him. We should start walking right now if we want to make it there before it gets very dark. Where did you get this ring?” says Ed.
“My mom picked it up for me somewhere. It was originally a birthday gift for my dad, but his finger was too fat for it. Mom didn’t bother telling me the name of the store she bought the ring at. How did you afford the bracelet?”
“That is one of my little secrets.”
“Did you steal it?”
“I love you too.”
“I know. Race you to the mansion.” Kelly sprints off before Ed can say anything else and he quickly runs to catch up to her. Neither of them look up to see a small flash of light come from the grounds of the Mandervale house.
Monster Inc.
(Okay. Not the best picture for a postthat involves War of Nytefall: Eradication. A part of the story is Clyde showing fear or at least getting nervous because of a new weapon that is being used. So, I thought I’d make a fun poem.)
Top of the food chain
Destroying with ease
And never feeling fear
The life of a monster
At the top of his game
Can lead one into hubris
*
It only takes one shot
Removing those he made
Destroying kin
With the ability of a ghost
Lurking in his shadow
That is tainted with blood
*
The alpha predator
Has become the anxious prey
On the trail of a beast
That is on the hunt
Fear has gripped the monster
And he does not like it
For all budding Romance Writers out there, and for those of us who might like to dive into the complexities of personal relationships…editor Sarah Calfee shares a step by step guide to getting the romance plot sizzling.
The Romance Plot by Sarah Calfee
Guess what most romance authors do on Valentine’s Day—they duck and run for cover. This is the time of year the media pounces on them as “love experts” and asks tongue-in-cheek questions which are usually thinly veiled insults to the romance genre as a whole.
I have a whole lot of opinions about why romance is awesome, and how it is (and has always been) progressive and ahead of the learning curve socially. But for today, and as a romance editor, I’d like to discuss the romance plot and how, contrary to popular belief, it is actually extremely difficult to write.
The main reason the romance plot…
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Legends of Windemere 