From Yahoo Image Search
He wants her
Willing to destroy all
To claim his unwilling prize
A monster in man’s flesh
Forging nightmares
In his victims’ minds
And reveling in each scream
What will he do to win?
To feel her quiver
Beneath his lurid touch
His plan is set in motion
To capture the key
And rule the one he wants
Things are going to get dark in the series. Looking forward to the day I write that one villain’s death scene.
Captain America
On Monday, I mentioned there was a repeated complaint about Luke Callindor being weak. This stems from people thinking it’s entirely his story when it’s really an ensemble cast. He isn’t as strong as Timoran, as smart as Delvin, as cute as Fizzle, and he lacks the magic of Nyx and Sari. So he can be easily overshadowed. Yet, he does possess three things that make him strong:
These aren’t usually as flashy as the others and the third point tends to get Luke in trouble, but this is where his talent and heroism lie. Needless to say, I think it works within the dynamic of the team and that’s the important part. After all, these skills have gotten him pretty far since Beginning of a Hero. They’ve given him the ability to keep fighting and survive against creatures that he shouldn’t really be fighting. The Lich, the Hellfire Elf, the trolls, and most other enemies have been leagues above Luke’s abilities. Yet, he has always had the courage and determination to fight and think.
And that’s where Curse of the Dark Wind takes a turn for him. For anyone that caught the blurb test, you’ll know that the major story here is that Luke is cursed and dying. He is weak and unable to fight against this enemy because it’s inside him. For the first time in the series, Luke will truly be helpless and this is going to leave him raw. Sure, he’s been saved before and he isn’t always the savior of the day. Those times were either caused by his own reckless plans or one of his friends got there first. He was still able to fight and contribute to the team during these times, but this isn’t going to work the same way.
Does this make him a weak and worthless hero? Well that’s something he’s going to be thinking about himself. I’d like to think this makes him human and will make him appreciate his friends and his place in the team. It will also make the others realize just how important Luke is even though he lacks magic, raw power, and strategies. So, you’re going to see everyone react to this blow. Especially if Luke doesn’t make it out of this thing. Heck, even if he does, he’s not going to be the same at all.
First order of business:
COVER ART BY JASON PEDERSEN (CLICK COVER FOR AMAZON SITE)
Second order of business:
Art by Jason Pedersen
Never too late to volunteer! Just remember that the information will not be sent out until FRIDAY because that’s when I’ll have the Amazon sale page.
As you may know, I’m the founder of Read Tuesday—a Black Friday type of event for book lovers on December 9, 2014—and I’m also one of the many participating authors.
Visit the Read Tuesday catalog to explore the variety of books that are on sale. The catalog includes both print and digital, Amazon and Smashwords, fiction and nonfiction, adult and children, and a nice variety of subjects and genres. Find the full catalog here:
Really, this post is about Read Tuesday and the many amazing books on sale for the event. But I want to show authors that they could promote their own books while promoting the event, so in that spirit, I will describe which of my books are on sale for Read Tuesday.
My self-publishing 4-books-in-1 boxed set is participating. The Kindle edition is temporarily reduced to $2.99 (compare to $17, the price of buying…
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Will and Horus from Ranger’s Apprentice
First, I realized I couldn’t think of a ‘male/female’ friendship in literature that didn’t end up with a romance or have a one-sided interest. It seems we’re incapable of having the opposite genders be closely linked by anything more than love, lust, or blood relations. I know there has to be some out there, but I’m stumped. This may also explain why people keep pushing for a Luke Callindor and Nyx romance. As if his love life needs any more complication or that they would make a good couple.
For those that haven’t read the books, this isn’t really a spoiler. If you haven’t figured this out by now then you’re new to the blog or ignore all Windemere-based posts. Anyway, Luke Callindor and Nyx have developed a sibling relation due to their shared adventures and this continues to be strong. It’s probably the most stable and powerful relationship in the entire series. They will stand by and fight to the screaming end for each other, which is rather endearing. The ‘big sister’ and ‘little brother’ comments are cute and has more impact than a lot of pet names that they have for each other. Timoran calling Nyx ‘fire sprite’ is a close second.
So, what would happen if they find themselves in situations where they’re unable to help each other? In Curse of the Dark Wind, Luke is suffering and cannot be helped by Nyx who is suffering herself. You get to see the depth of their friendship and how raw it can be when they’re not able to be a hero to the other. I’m sure many will see this as a potential romance, but it’s definitely more familial protection. As Sari will point out if there is one person in the world that Nyx would consider true family, it’s Luke. He would gut anyone who tries to hurt Nyx too.
This was an unexpected addition when I was writing and I ran with it when it turned up in the story. It may even come up again if the villains figure out this connection. The best part is that this relationship has really been the most naturally occurring thing in the entire book. That’s a big reason why I wouldn’t push it into a romance because it’s really a different type of spark. One that is about to get tested like all relationships should in a long series.
So, what do people think of best friends in fiction? And, the kicker question, is it possible to write a male/female best friend relationship without going into romance?
READ TUESDAY IS HERE!
TODAY IS THE BIG DAY! THE 2ND YEAR OF READ TUESDAY! CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS DAY OF SALES!
WOW. THAT’S A LOT OF CATALOG SECTIONS. THIS IS A GREAT YEARLY EVENT THAT WILL HELP YOU BEEF UP YOUR LIBRARY AND POSSIBLY GRAB ENTIRE SERIES FOR A FRACTION OF THE PRICE. THERE MIGHT EVEN BE THAT ONE BOOK YOU OR A FRIEND HAVE BEEN EYING THAT IS SUDDENLY ON SALE!
THIS IS WHERE I BECOME SELF-SERVING AND POST ALL THE STUFF YOU NEED FOR LEGENDS OF WINDEMERE!
Cover Art by Jason Pedersen
COVER ART BY JASON PEDERSEN (CLICK COVER FOR AMAZON SITE)
COVER ART BY JASON PEDERSEN (CLICK COVER FOR AMAZON SITE)
COVER ART BY JASON PEDERSEN (CLICK COVER FOR AMAZON SITE)
Art by Jason Pedersen (CLICK COVER FOR AMAZON SITE)
