Character Interview: Tomas Dyrease

Today, I'm here with another character interview for a book that also released this month. Honor by Rachel Rossano, which shares a title with the fourth book of my Bookania Quests (why are these authors doing this to me, I ask. Grin.)

It's a great book, and I'll be posting my review on the O.Scarlett blog later today, and you can read my review for the first book here. I will say that I preferred the romance of Duty, but Honor has a tighter, easier to follow plot.

The character I'm interviewing was the hero of Duty, though he fills a very important side role here in Honor. Let's welcome Tomas Dyrease, Earl of Irvaine!

1. Can you give me a summary of what has happened between Duty and Honor?

Brielle and my daughter, Linora was still a wee one when we last saw the readers of Duty. In the epilogue, I had just brought our adopted son, Lander Briaren, home. Since then the boys, my son from a previous marriage and Lander, have become like brothers. Getting into trouble, arguing, and just running about, they do everything together. Brielle and I enjoy our little family, which is about to expand again. We are expecting the new arrival very soon.

Politically, Rhynan has been a fractious place. When King Mendal took the throne after the civil war, we hoped for a period of peace. There have been some significant improvements, but Mendal is growing fretful. Dentin spends all of his time tracking down every rumor of possible insurrection. Lately there have been murmurings that I am gathering support for a rebellion. Thankfully Dentin knows them for what they are, lies.

2. How would you describe your friend, Lord Dentin?

I would consider him my best friend. He is loyal and honorable in all of his dealings. Some find him difficult, especially those who frequent the court. Dentin’s manner tends to be direct. He doesn’t tolerate those who try to manipulate him, which is probably why the women folk don’t like him much. Though, Brielle earned his respect somehow. He treats her differently than other women. I have noted that he tempers his bluntness around her. He also tends to be tenacious and stubborn, but I have never known him not to listen. I can usually reason with him even when we are opposed.

3. What is your role in this story?

The king wants custody of my adopted son as a way to control me. Dentin shows up at a wedding we are attending to take our son. Thankfully his conscience is torn between the oath he has given to the king and our friendship. He has long been struggling with the duties King Mendal required of him of late. I suspect his differences with the king are going to come to a sticking place soon. Mendal will find himself ill-equipped if he sets himself to oppose Dentin.

Besides being in the center of the controversy that begins the book, my role in Honor is largely as a friend to both Dentin and Elsa. I supply my skills as a verbal sparring partner and confidant. Also, I offer significant support in the form of men-at-arms. The rest of the time I am consumed with the very special duty of supporting my wife and tending to my family. We have a new baby coming after all.

4. About the heroine, Elsa, how good is she at "letting go"? (Sorry, I just had to throw in a Frozen reference!)

Ha, ha! Elsa is actually quite good at letting go of the things she should. She has forgiven her brother for far more than I think I would’ve been able to manage. He is a sad figure of a man. What she isn’t willing to let go are the things that are most important in life: faith, family, friendship, and hope. Knowing when to stand firm and when to give way is a valuable quality in any person.

5. Okay, serious now. How would you describe her role in the story?

From the beginning, she doesn’t let Dentin get away with trying to intimidate her into doing what he wants. She makes him treat her as an equal. Few men have the gumption to match him glare for glare.

On the other hand, she gives him the benefit of the doubt. Most people are not willing to look for the man behind the fearsome reputation.

Also, she needs help. Her brother has her in a mess far bigger than she can manage on her own. If she will just let Dentin assist her, he will do what he does best.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And that's it, folks! This is probably my last post of the month, as I need to focus on editing part 1 of Water Princess, Fire Prince and figuring out the middle of its sequel. I love the beginning, and I know exactly how it ends ... but I'm sitting at about 15,000 words (if that) and I'm not sure how I'm going to get it to measure up to WPFP's 136,000. My current plan is to coax 90,000 out of the story (by WPFP's publication , if I can ... but I don't know if I can do it. Sigh, I love this story. It's an important chapter of the world's history. It's the book that taught me how to write. I just need to figure out how to do it justice.

But while I'm trying to sort out my mess, you guys can sign up to beta read part one of WPFP here.

WP,FP Part 1 Beta sign-up!

I told you that I'd be issuing a form for you to fill out if you're interested in beta-ing part one of Water Princess, Fire Prince, and here it is. Anyone and everyone can fill this out, even if this is your first time here. There are no "right" answers (as long as they're accurate), and while I won't promise you that I'll send out a copy to everyone who volunteers, since this is just part one, I'm prepared to be a bit more liberal. After all, if I can whet your appetite, you might actually buy the book when it comes out, right?

Info for Part 1:
Aprox. 30,000 words
11 Chapters
Main Character: Clara
Blurb: Thrust into a unfamiliar world and given the unfamiliar title of Water Princess, Clara has no idea what these people expect of her. Should she trust them with her skills, or should she keep them secret just in case?

Estimated date of send-out: First week of March ... though if you sign up mid-June, I'll probably still send this to you.
When Do I need Feedback? By mid-July. However, the sooner you get your feedback to me (and the more detailed it is) the more likely I am to include you for the subsequent four parts.

Can you get credit for it on Goodreads? Sure! Add it to your bookshelf here!


And, to make you more eager to sign up and get your chance to read: Snippets!!!

  Clara clenched her teeth, and then with a show of more exertion than she actually gave, pulled the string back about two inches and let go.
  Needless to say, it did not hit the target at the other end of the field.
  “How was that?” she asked, turning to her instructor with a hopeful smile.
  “You … show potential, milady,” he said, though she suspected that this was a great admission on his part. He strode the three feet that the arrow had flown (or fallen) and picked it up. “Let’s try it again.”
  So Clara again set the arrow to the string, this time mostly properly – she didn’t want Sir Rigel to see her as too stupid, after all – though she fumbled quite a bit, partly thanks to her cold fingers, and the end of her arrow was about three inches higher on the string that it was supposed to be.
  “How’s this?” she asked, hopefully.
  “You are improving,” said Sir Rigel, just as she dropped the arrow.

 ~~~~~

  “When I open my eyes, I will be back in my own bed, and this Water Princess business will have all been just a bad dream.”
  Clara opened her eyes to find herself staring up at the velvet curtains of the canopy bed that was in the Blue Room. She rolled her eyes, then squeezed them shut again.
  “Let’s try this again. In any normal situation, I would be waking up back at home and I would not be a prophesied hero who has to fight a crazy dragon lady.”
  She opened her eyes again. Still in the canopy bed.
  Sighing, she sat up. Obviously, this was a bit more than just a dream. Frowning, she pulled back a corner of the curtain, only to be hit by a blast of cold air. “Oh, that’s right,” she muttered. “It’s winter here.”

~~~~~

  “Well,” said Lord Erik, “have you done any training with a bow and arrow, perhaps with a knife? I know this may seem like a strange question, you being a girl and all.”
  Oh, please. “Do you really expect me, a young girl to know how to use a weapon?” she asked. “Besides, where I come from, we barely even use those sorts of weapons anymore.” She paused a moment, then added, “I can throw my shoe at mouse kings, but that’s probably about it.”
  “Unfortunately, our problem is a bit bigger than a mouse king,” said Lord Erik, sounding a trifle confused as he narrowed his eyes. “Really? Because mouse kings can be huge problems, eating all of the sweets and chewing holes in dresses,” said Clara in her best shocked voice, layering in plenty of concern. “What could be worse than that?”

~~~~~

And if you're that sort of person and would like to start helping me promote, I've made a button of sorts that you can put on your sidebars. Link it to this search label: http://knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com/search/label/Water%20Princess%20Fire%20Prince

The sword, by the way, is Clara's. I drew it myself and am quite proud of it, though it'll probably go through a few more drafts before I have what I want for my cover art. Enjoy!

Within the next few weeks, I'll be gearing into its promotion with world-building and character spotlight posts. You won't want to miss it!

King's Scroll's Character Interview: Captain Darq

I don't know if you've heard me rave about the Ilyon Chronicles. They're only one of my top ten favorite Epic Fantasies (right up there with Narnia and Middle Earth.), and the second volume only just came out last week (about three days after Kingdom). And ... I just noticed this, but both My Kingdom for a Quest and The King's Scrolls have KING in it. Anyways.

My Review Here

Following the harrowing events that brought them to Landale Forest, Jace and Kyrin have settled comfortably into their new lives and the mission of protecting those under the emperor’s persecution. The fast approach of winter brings with it the anticipation of a quiet few months ahead. That is until the arrival of four mysterious, dragon-riding cretes who seek aid in a mission of great importance—not only to their own people, but to all followers of Elôm.

Hidden in the vast mining valley north of Valcré, a faithful crete has spent years sharing his knowledge with the destitute miners and their families and is known to possess what may be Arcacia’s last surviving copies of the King’s Scrolls—the Word of Elôm. Joining the cretes, those in Landale must find the crete teacher and bring him to safety, but it is a race against time. Should Daican’s men find him first, execution and the destruction of the Scrolls is certain.

When disaster strikes, all seems lost. Could Elôm have a plan even in the enemy’s triumph?

About the Author

Jaye L. Knight is a homeschool graduated indie author with a passion for writing Christian fantasy and clean new adult fiction. Armed with an active imagination and love for adventure, Jaye weaves stories of truth, faith, and courage with the message that even in the deepest darkness, God’s love shines as a light to offer hope. She has been penning stories since the age of eight and resides in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

You can connect with Jaye on her website, blog, Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and Etsy.

And to celebrate this release, I get to interview one of the new faces from this volume: Captain Darq. He's something of a background character, but he's a CRETE and cretes are awesome. Basically, if I fail my hobbit entrance exam, I'm going to sign up for cretes next. They live in trees and raise dragons. The only drawback is the fact that I think I'm a bit too friendly, but ... dragons and trees, my friend. 

On to the interview!

1. Hello, and welcome to Knitted By God's Plan! Can you tell my readers a bit about yourself?

Thank you. It’s not often a member of my race has, or at least, takes advantage of an opportunity like this. I am Verus Darq, a captain among our dragon riders. Since we haven’t been at war in many years, this mostly involves scouting, patrolling our borders, and going on certain missions for our leader, Lord Vallan. I have two brothers, one younger and one older, who are also captains. I’m from the Hawk Clan, which is one of the most prominent of my people’s twelve clans. 

2. You're a Crete. Can you tell me a bit about Crete culture?

I can’t say that my people are the most friendly you’ll meet. We keep to ourselves and don’t care for outsiders. It can be difficult to earn our trust. I try to be more open to the world around us, but that is not a very common practice, especially among the younger cretes. We are a very proud people. Too proud, I’m afraid. And very blunt. Some of the greatest differences between us and other races in Ilyon is that we do not build our cities on the ground, but in the trees, and we are the only ones who can train dragons. This also tends to be one of our greatest sources of pride. But we are fiercely loyal and family means a great deal to us. 

3. What are your personal opinions of Elom?

I’ve had faith in Elôm since I was a boy. My parents raised me and my brothers in a home where they took their faith very seriously and took care to nurture such faith in us.

4. Who is your best friend and how did you meet?

My lieutenant, Glynn. He and I have been close friends for several years now. Glynn came from an abusive home. His mother died when he was young and his father turned to drinking. Glynn, being the youngest in the family, became the target of his drunken rages. It was kept a secret for a while. After all, such abuse, while obviously not non-existent, is a terrible crime amongst the cretes where family is so highly valued. I happened to be the one who discovered it and invited Glynn to stay with my family. He’s like one of my brothers now.

5. And lastly, is it at all possible for me to get a dragon?

Well, we’re not in the habit of giving out dragons to just anyone . . . but, if you can figure out how to visit Arvael where I live sometime, I’ll see what I can do. 

Ah, well, if I ever manage to find my way to Ilyon, I'll be sure to make a visit! Thanks so much for coming by Darq! 

Actually, one of my characters gave me a dragon egg for my blogoversery last August and I've been rather busy making sure I sing to it twice a day (her instructions). I don't know if I can juggle both of them.

Moving onwards! Currently, Jaye has the first book of the series for just 99 cents - and believe me, it's worth it. Kyrin and Jace are two of the best characters you can ever hang out with. 

Giveaway

Share in the excitement of the release and enter to win a themed Epic Winter giveaway! Prize pack includes an autographed copy of The King’s Scrolls, a CD by Future World Music (some of Jaye’s favorite writing music), a dragon bookmark, a stone hawk pendant (much like the ones mentioned in the book), and a few packages of Twining’s Winter Spice tea to sip while you read! (Giveaway is open to US residents only. Cannot be shipped internationally.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can see all of the other stops on the tour here.

CE Bookania - Q&A

Today's the last day of my Blog tour, which has been fairly successful. I haven't seen as great of sales as I would have liked, but I think I've gained a few more readers, and those are always great to collect.

I have three stops for today:
The Splendor Falls on Castle Walls: Author Interview - This is the most unique interview I've ever had, since instead of asking the regular questions, she asked for insight into the details that have been hazy in Bookania. Gotta love Miss Melody.
Spiral-Bound: Book Review: My Kingdom for a Quest - Which was short, sweet, and to the point
Eagle Nest Mom: Guest Post - Favorite Fairy Tale Retellings - Pretty self-explanitory. Basically, I like high-concept retellings.

Also, today's your last chance to get Saffron's Big Plan for free, and Kingdom itself for just 99 cents! 

And now for the Q&A. I'm going to steal like an artist and use Jaye's idea of writing the Q&A in story format, which means that I can call it my Character encounter of the month. And so, let's begin:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I walk down the forest road, my purple cape billowing about me as I approach an old, dilapidated building that seems about to fall apart. Pausing at the doorway, I check to make sure my pen is still clipped securely to my belt. There are a few characters within who are willing to question my authority as the Arista, and it's always better to be safe than sorry in this situation.

Taking a deep breath, I push the door open and walk inside to be confronted by the smell of delicious food and Sal's cry of "CUSTOMERS!!" I glance about the cafeteria to find that almost every table is filled with people. 

"Greetings," I announce. "I have arrived. Sorry about running a bit late, I was waiting until the last second to see if anyone else had any questions for you guys."

"Did they?" This question comes from Robin, who is seated between her brother and husband, chin resting on her hand as she glares at me.

"Sadly, no. Well, Abbey says she had one, but couldn't remember it. I guess I'll leave the comment section open on this blog post to see if anyone else has one."

"Well then, no questions, let's call off the party," says Robin.

"Not so fast," I say, whipping out a pad of paper and my pen, watching her eyes widen, as she knows the power of the Arista's Pen. "I said anyone else, there have been five questions submitted previously, two of them directed at least partly to you."

She mumbles something I can't quite hear from my position in the room, then squeaks as Eric kicks her under the table.

"But I'll start with Madeleine, since I know that she's actually the one dreading this the most. Best get it over with, right?"

Madeleine glances up from her paintbox which has been receiving yet another layer of paint. "Indeed, Arista. What would your readers like to know about me?"

"The questions are from my sister, she'd like to know how young you were when you started painting."

She nods slowly as she regards her box. "I don't think I'd had my second birthday yet when I first found my paintbox and decided that I wanted to paint my puppy, Mopsey. It wasn't very good, and I can assure you that if you search Locksley castle, you won't find it, since I painted over it when I was five, but still, it was my first painting."

"I remember Mopsey," Samson speaks up. "That black mess of hair thou called a dog."

"She was a dog," Madeleine protests. "Anyways, I continued to paint animals and flowers until my parents hired me three leading tutors when for my fourth birthday. So yes, I've had official training."

"Interesting," I say, nodding. "She'd also like to know what was your favorite painting you ever did."

"The one I put in Samson's room when I was six," she answers, without a moment of hesitation. "I put several day's work into it, not that he appreciated it."

"You painted roses," he mentions.

"Well, I'll leave the two of you to that argument," I say, turning back to Robin's table. "Now, the rest of the questions are for you four. First of all, my mom would like to know what you guys did on your honeymoons."

Robin stiffens, glancing towards Eric. "Uh ..."

"Well, as you stated in the final chapter of Do You Take This Quest?" Eric speaks up, "we went to the mountains where there were a collection of lakes and I taught her how nice adventuring could be."

"Indeed," she agrees, relaxing. "He also took me mudriding, which was lots of fun."

"Sounds like it. Oh, that reminds me, a year or so ago, a Miss Melody asked me what Mudriding was, and I answered her in an email, but if you two would like to answer now, I'm sure my other readers would appreciate it."

"Uh, we ride our horses through the mud and get dirty. Mother would never approve."

"What your mother doesn't know can't hurt her," Eric mentions.

"Indeed." I turn my attention to Robert and Rosamond. "And how about the two of you? What did you do on your honeymoon?"

"Well, we spent the first week travelling from village to village until we reached Skewwood forest, so we decided to spend the rest of it at Robin Hood's camp," explains Robert.

"We did a good deal of sewing," Rosamond adds. "And Robert taught his cousin Arthur archery."

"He's not doing bad at it, but I think he's more of a swordsman," said Robert.

"He is," said Robin, nodding firmly.

"The next question's for Eric," I continue. "I know you already answered it on Abbey's blog, but Morgan would also like to know: When did you realize you loved Robin."

Eric laughs. "About five seconds after she accepted the proposal I still don't remember giving her."

"I think it took me ten seconds," Robin admitted. "It was just the heat of the moment and all that. And ... yeah. Not that there ever was anyone else for either of us. I mean, I had my suitors, and he had his enchanted princess obsession, but we never actually seriously considered anyone."

"I believe this last question leads fairly naturally off of that, then," I say. "Robin, Morgan would also like to know who your favorite sword opponent is."

She casts Eric a sidelong glance, as she leans forward mischievously. "That's a complicated answer," she admits. "I mean, I don't like it when my opponents aren't very good, since I like the battle to last a little while. However, I don't like it when they're cocky, because we all know who's the best swordsman in the world, and it isn't them. And of course-"

"It's me," Eric cuts in.

She flicks him an annoyed glance. "Look who's so sure of himself."

"Well, you only spent how much of your childhood swordfighting him?" I ask, "And even now that you're married, you still cross blades with him quite frequently."

She shrugs. "Can't let him get out of shape, now can I?"

I laugh. "Well, that's it for the questions," I announce. "However, I am going to leave the door open, and if anyone wants to come in and ask a question or two more, I'm going to let you guys answer it, understand."

"I think that translates into make," said Robin.

"In your case, yes."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And there we go, and the party's officially over. I hope you guys enjoyed it, and as I mentioned, I'm going to leave the comment section open - and you can ask a question of any Bookania character, including myself, because as Arista, I am part of the Bookania world. I haven't reached the book where that element is introduced, but I'm looking forward to it.

Cover Reveal - Wildcats of Braeton

Today, I'm here to share with you the cover of a friend's new book, The Wildcats of Braeton by Claire Banschbach. She and I have only been chatting a little while, but I've been working on reading her first book, and so far, I'm really enjoying it.

About the Author:

Claire Banschbach was born and raised in Midland, TX, the fourth of eight children. She was homeschooled through high school and is now a proud member of the Texas A&M University class of 2014. An avid reader of Lord of the Rings, Narnia, and many other adventure novels, Claire was prompted to begin writing her own fantasy novel at seventeen after several years of daydreaming. She continues to write in her spare time (and often when she doesn’t have spare time). When not scratching out stories and homework with pen and pencil, Claire partakes in the joys of watching the Boston Red Sox, Aggie football, playing volleyball, and horseback riding. She hopes her faith and strong foundation in God will continue to help guide her writing. She is currently working on her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at the Texas Tech University Health Science Center. 

And now for the cover:

Gorgeous, ain't it? I'm really looking forward to read it. Oh, and here's the description:

About the book:

“If you’re fighting our battle, we’d best make you look like a champion,” Tam said to Aiden. Tam and Blair began to apply the war paint the Clans had worn into battle since before they arrived in Braeton.

“You ready?” Tam asked when they finished.

“As I’ll ever be,” Aiden replied. “Tam, if everything goes wrong, you take charge after me.”

“I’m praying nothing goes wrong,” Tam said. “Just remember what Diarmad said when he built this place: ‘In times of trouble, a Champion shall rise up and Scodra shall not fall.’”

His term of service to Lord Rishdah now complete, Aiden returns to his home in Braeton. As he travels he hears rumors that trouble plagues Braeton. Clan Canich is being attacked from within. He arrives, determined to save his father, his brothers, and his Clan from the treachery of one man.

A year has passed since the Calorins were driven from Aredor and Corin is struggling to rebuild his country. Despite the peace, a fear haunts him that the Calorins aren’t far away. The Hawk Flight takes to the forest again to defend the borders against a possible attack from the neighboring country of Durna and its Calorin ally.

As Aiden and Corin struggle to adapt to their new lives they know one thing for certain - war is coming to the North!

Add it on Goodreads here!

Join her Blog Tour

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On another note, I'll have my final post for my blog tour up this afternoon, giving you guys a bit longer to submit questions. At the moment I only have three, and that's only for four of the characters. I was hoping that someone other than Robin, Eric, Robert, and Rosamond would be questioned. You can ask me your questions in an email, here on this post, or you can go over to my goodreads group and ask over there. Ask whatever you want - even if I've already answered the question somewhere else, as long as it isn't a flat-out spoiler, I don't mind having my characters answer again.

Bookania - Your Way

First of all - this is my 700th post! *Throws confetti*

Secondly, it seems that my quiz yesterday is tilted, since everyone is getting Robin or Serendipity, although I've personally received Joan and Doranna a few times.


And now, for the mad-libs. First: the original text:

“Only twelve hours! Leo, there is no way to escape Briton Dungeons. No way!”
“That’s what they said in the dungeons of Fronce, too,” said Leo absentmindedly, taking a sip of his gruel. “Now be quiet while I think. And eat up. We’re going to need our strength!”
“Dungeons in Fronce!” Gavin squeaked.
“Yes, now those were dungeons! Now be quiet.”
Gavin fell silent and simply stared in the direction of his friend, the look on his face (had it been visible in that dark cell) a mixture of confusion, awe, and horror.
“You wouldn’t have happened to have fallen in love with any young lady who would be able to arrange for a soldier to play traitor and get us out of here, now would you?” Leo suddenly asked.
“No…”
“Ah, well, I suppose that not every young lady can be so obliging. And now that I think about it, it’s as good a way into the dungeon as out. Now where was I … No, bribing the guards is out of the question. All we have is gruel to call our own, and I’m sure they have much better food in the soldier’s quarters.”
“We’ll never get out of here!” Gavin moaned.
“That’s what you think. That’s what everyone thinks,” said Leo. “But I tell you, there’s a way out of every sticky situation. You just have to be observant and look for it.” Leo frowned as he set his now-empty bowl to the side. “It’s too bad Mordreth doesn’t have any daughters for us to charm. Only that good-for-nothing Kew, and I really don’t see him helping. And Arthur’s gone, so that’s out of the question.”
“If Prince Arthur was here,” said Gavin, “we wouldn’t be in the dungeon.”
“Good point,” said Leo. “As I was saying, we could always try to steal a key and unlock the door, but that can be a very tricky business, and it’s very easy to get caught. And then where would we be? Probably talking about death sentences some more. Honestly, they don’t bother me, just all this talk about them. It’s enough to drive a man mad.”
And now for your versions.

Abbey:
“Only one month! Leo, there is no way to escape Briton Dungeons. No way!”
“That’s what they said in the dungeons of Fronce, too,” said Leo absentmindedly, taking a sip of his omelet. “Now be quiet while I think. And eat up. We’re going to need our strength!”
“Dungeons in Fronce!” Gavin creaky staired.
“Yes, now those were dungeons! Now be quiet.”
Gavin fell silent and simply stared in the direction of his friend, the look on his face (had it been visible in that dark cell) a mixture of confusion, awe, and horror.
“You wouldn’t have happened to have fallen in love with any young lady who would be able to arrange for a lieutenant to play traitor and get us out of here, now would you?” Leo suddenly asked.
“No…”
“Ah, well, I suppose that not every young lady can be so obliging. And now that I think about it, it’s as good a way into the dungeon as out. Now where was I … No, bribing the guards is out of the question. All we have is omelet to call our own, and I’m sure they have much better food in the soldier’s quarters.”
“We’ll never get out of here!” Gavin moaned.
“That’s what you think. That’s what everyone thinks,” said Leo. “But I tell you, there’s a way out of every daring situation. You just have to be observant and look for it.” Leo frowned as he set his now-empty bowl to the side. “It’s too bad Mordreth doesn’t have any Taylor Swifts for us to charm. Only that good-for-nothing Kew, and I really don’t see him helping. And Arthur’s gone, so that’s out of the question.”
“If Prince Arthur was here,” said Gavin, “we wouldn’t be in the dungeon.”
“Good point,” said Leo. “As I was saying, we could always try to steal a dictionary and unlock the door, but that can be a very tricky business, and it’s very easy to get caught. And then where would we be? Probably talking about tar and feathering some more. Honestly, they don’t bother me, just all this talk about them. It’s enough to drive a man mad.”

Morgan Huneke:
“Only twelve milliseconds! Leo, there is no way to escape Briton Dungeons. No way!”
“That’s what they said in the dungeons of Fronce, too,” said Leo absentmindedly, taking a sip of his macaroni and cheese. “Now be quiet while I think. And eat up. We’re going to need our strength!”
“Dungeons in Fronce!” Gavin kaboomed.
“Yes, now those were dungeons! Now be quiet.”
Gavin fell silent and simply stared in the direction of his friend, the look on his face (had it been visible in that dark cell) a mixture of confusion, awe, and horror.
“You wouldn’t have happened to have fallen in love with any young lady who would be able to arrange for a surgeon generals to play traitor and get us out of here, now would you?” Leo suddenly asked.
“No…”
“Ah, well, I suppose that not every young lady can be so obliging. And now that I think about it, it’s as good a way into the dungeon as out. Now where was I … No, bribing the guards is out of the question. All we have is macaroni and cheese to call our own, and I’m sure they have much better food in the soldier’s quarters.”
“We’ll never get out of here!” Gavin moaned.
“That’s what you think. That’s what everyone thinks,” said Leo. “But I tell you, there’s a way out of every slimy situation. You just have to be observant and look for it.” Leo frowned as he set his now-empty bowl to the side. “It’s too bad Mordreth doesn’t have any Rose Tylers for us to charm. Only that good-for-nothing Kew, and I really don’t see him helping. And Arthur’s gone, so that’s out of the question.”
“If Prince Arthur was here,” said Gavin, “we wouldn’t be in the dungeon.”
“Good point,” said Leo. “As I was saying, we could always try to steal a peanut butter jar and unlock the door, but that can be a very tricky business, and it’s very easy to get caught. And then where would we be? Probably talking about playing Barney songs some more. Honestly, they don’t bother me, just all this talk about them. It’s enough to drive a man mad.”

Amanda:
“Only a century! Leo, there is no way to escape Briton Dungeons. No way!”
“That’s what they said in the dungeons of Fronce, too,” said Leo absentmindedly, taking a sip of his french bread. “Now be quiet while I think. And eat up. We’re going to need our strength!”
“Dungeons in Fronce!” Gavin splooshed.
“Yes, now those were dungeons! Now be quiet.”
Gavin fell silent and simply stared in the direction of his friend, the look on his face (had it been visible in that dark cell) a mixture of confusion, awe, and horror.
“You wouldn’t have happened to have fallen in love with any young lady who would be able to arrange for a soldier to play traitor and get us out of here, now would you?” Leo suddenly asked.
“No…”
“Ah, well, I suppose that not every young lady can be so obliging. And now that I think about it, it’s as good a way into the dungeon as out. Now where was I … No, bribing the guards is out of the question. All we have is french bread to call our own, and I’m sure they have much better food in the soldier’s quarters.”
“We’ll never get out of here!” Gavin moaned.
“That’s what you think. That’s what everyone thinks,” said Leo. “But I tell you, there’s a way out of every capricious situation. You just have to be observant and look for it.” Leo frowned as he set his now-empty bowl to the side. “It’s too bad Mordreth doesn’t have any Elizabeth Swansons for us to charm. Only that good-for-nothing Kew, and I really don’t see him helping. And Arthur’s gone, so that’s out of the question.”
“If Prince Arthur was here,” said Gavin, “we wouldn’t be in the dungeon.”
“Good point,” said Leo. “As I was saying, we could always try to steal a brick and unlock the door, but that can be a very tricky business, and it’s very easy to get caught. And then where would we be? Probably talking about the stocks some more. Honestly, they don’t bother me, just all this talk about them. It’s enough to drive a man mad.”

Addyson M. Huneke:
“Only twelve minutes! Leo, there is no way to escape Briton Dungeons. No way!”
“That’s what they said in the dungeons of Fronce, too,” said Leo absentmindedly, taking a sip of his macaroni and cheese. “Now be quiet while I think. And eat up. We’re going to need our strength!”
“Dungeons in Fronce!” Gavin bamed.
“Yes, now those were dungeons! Now be quiet.”
Gavin fell silent and simply stared in the direction of his friend, the look on his face (had it been visible in that dark cell) a mixture of confusion, awe, and horror.
“You wouldn’t have happened to have fallen in love with any young lady who would be able to arrange for a general to play traitor and get us out of here, now would you?” Leo suddenly asked.
“No…”
“Ah, well, I suppose that not every young lady can be so obliging. And now that I think about it, it’s as good a way into the dungeon as out. Now where was I … No, bribing the guards is out of the question. All we have is macaroni and cheese to call our own, and I’m sure they have much better food in the soldier’s quarters.”
“We’ll never get out of here!” Gavin moaned.
“That’s what you think. That’s what everyone thinks,” said Leo. “But I tell you, there’s a way out of every pusillanimous situation. You just have to be observant and look for it.” Leo frowned as he set his now-empty bowl to the side. “It’s too bad Mordreth doesn’t have any Nancy Pelosies for us to charm. Only that good-for-nothing Kew, and I really don’t see him helping. And Arthur’s gone, so that’s out of the question.”
“If Prince Arthur was here,” said Gavin, “we wouldn’t be in the dungeon.”
“Good point,” said Leo. “As I was saying, we could always try to steal a snowman and unlock the door, but that can be a very tricky business, and it’s very easy to get caught. And then where would we be? Probably talking about being whipped some more. Honestly, they don’t bother me, just all this talk about them. It’s enough to drive a man mad.”

Deborah O'Carroll:
“Only twelve seconds! Leo, there is no way to escape Briton Dungeons. No way!”
“That’s what they said in the dungeons of Fronce, too,” said Leo absentmindedly, taking a sip of his chocolate cake. “Now be quiet while I think. And eat up. We’re going to need our strength!”
“Dungeons in Fronce!” Gavin resounding crashed.
“Yes, now those were dungeons! Now be quiet.”
Gavin fell silent and simply stared in the direction of his friend, the look on his face (had it been visible in that dark cell) a mixture of confusion, awe, and horror.
“You wouldn’t have happened to have fallen in love with any young lady who would be able to arrange for a colonel to play traitor and get us out of here, now would you?” Leo suddenly asked.
“No…”
“Ah, well, I suppose that not every young lady can be so obliging. And now that I think about it, it’s as good a way into the dungeon as out. Now where was I … No, bribing the guards is out of the question. All we have is chocolate cake to call our own, and I’m sure they have much better food in the soldier’s quarters.”
“We’ll never get out of here!” Gavin moaned.
“That’s what you think. That’s what everyone thinks,” said Leo. “But I tell you, there’s a way out of every frightened situation. You just have to be observant and look for it.” Leo frowned as he set his now-empty bowl to the side. “It’s too bad Mordreth doesn’t have any ladies for us to charm. Only that good-for-nothing Kew, and I really don’t see him helping. And Arthur’s gone, so that’s out of the question.”
“If Prince Arthur was here,” said Gavin, “we wouldn’t be in the dungeon.”
“Good point,” said Leo. “As I was saying, we could always try to steal a unicorn tapestry and unlock the door, but that can be a very tricky business, and it’s very easy to get caught. And then where would we be? Probably talking about being tied to a chair and locked in a closet some more. Honestly, they don’t bother me, just all this talk about them. It’s enough to drive a man mad.”

Jenelle:
“Only many moons! Leo, there is no way to escape Briton Dungeons. No way!”
“That’s what they said in the dungeons of Fronce, too,” said Leo absentmindedly, taking a sip of his avocado. “Now be quiet while I think. And eat up. We’re going to need our strength!”
“Dungeons in Fronce!” Gavin whistling winded.
“Yes, now those were dungeons! Now be quiet.”
Gavin fell silent and simply stared in the direction of his friend, the look on his face (had it been visible in that dark cell) a mixture of confusion, awe, and horror.
“You wouldn’t have happened to have fallen in love with any young lady who would be able to arrange for a colonel to play traitor and get us out of here, now would you?” Leo suddenly asked.
“No…”
“Ah, well, I suppose that not every young lady can be so obliging. And now that I think about it, it’s as good a way into the dungeon as out. Now where was I … No, bribing the guards is out of the question. All we have is avocados to call our own, and I’m sure they have much better food in the soldier’s quarters.”
“We’ll never get out of here!” Gavin moaned.
“That’s what you think. That’s what everyone thinks,” said Leo. “But I tell you, there’s a way out of every chill situation. You just have to be observant and look for it.” Leo frowned as he set his now-empty bowl to the side. “It’s too bad Mordreth doesn’t have any ma'ams for us to charm. Only that good-for-nothing Kew, and I really don’t see him helping. And Arthur’s gone, so that’s out of the question.”
“If Prince Arthur was here,” said Gavin, “we wouldn’t be in the dungeon.”
“Good point,” said Leo. “As I was saying, we could always try to steal a baby monitor and unlock the door, but that can be a very tricky business, and it’s very easy to get caught. And then where would we be? Probably talking about time outs some more. Honestly, they don’t bother me, just all this talk about them. It’s enough to drive a man mad.”

I'm ... honestly not sure which one is my favorite.

Meanwhile, I'm making three stops today

Author blog of Rachel Rossano: Guest Post - Arthur: Bookania vs. The Legend, where I talk about the differences between the legend and the version that's in Bookania.
Singin' My Own Song: Character Interview - Eric, where he reveals his favorite food.
Thoughts and Rants: Author Interview, which also includes an review of Sew, It's a Quest! Do check it out.
And I'm down to two books free today:

Do You Take This Quest
Saffron’s Big Plan and Other Stories

But Kingdom is still just 99 cents!

Game Day in Bookania!

I thought about developing some sort of tournament for all of you to compete in, but I realized that the logistics would be far too complicated on my poor brain, so I've opted for some much safer games. First of all, I've set up a "Which Character Are You?" Quiz of sorts. Just the girls, since I was limited to eight characters, and I actually had found pictures for all of the girls. (Can't quite say the same for my boys, but we'll dwell on that later.)

Do go take it, I'll wait. Back? All right - who did you get? Let me know in the comments. I ... don't personally remember who I got, as I took it several times to test out the options. I know Robin and Doranna were frequent.

Also, I have a quiz on goodreads to test your knowledge of Sew, It's a Quest. It's actually a year or two old, but it's still good. I meant to do up a quiz for Take, but didn't get around to making it. Let me know how you score!

And now to the fun stuff!

As some of you may remember, back when I published Take, I had a mad-lib as part of the party, and it was a smashing success, so I'm going to do it again this year. Just comment with words to fit the quota, and tomorrow I'll put up the post with all of your versions of the snippet I've chosen - have fun with it!

Unit of time:
Food:
Sound:
Military position:
Adjective:
Female:
Object:
Form of Punishment:

My stops on the tour today are:

Singin' My Own Song: Guest Post - Writing Tips - Which actually turned into a post on how NOT to write a book. I have no regrets.
Rivershore Books: Character Interview - Arthur - where Arthur invites his interviewer to a ball.

And Sew is no longer free (though it's still only 99 cents, as is Kingdom), but there are three other books that still are!

The Woodcutter Quince and Other Stories

Do You Take This Quest 

Saffron’s Big Plan and Other Stories

Interview with Robin

Greetings Robin, and welcome to Knitted By God's Plan! *Loud trumpet fanfare.*

No. Just, no, Kendra.

What? I was just trying to introduce you properly.

I think your readers all know me well enough by now. You've written, what, three books about me?

Well, yes, but you're my favorite character so far, in Bookania. I can't have a big release party without having you over over for tea.

You don't even like tea, Kendra.

Common misconception. I like tea when it doesn't taste good. There is a difference.

If you say so Kendra. Now, why did you drag me onto your blog today, because I'm quite certain that it wasn't so that you can pretend to like tea.

Eh, no, now that you mention it, there are things that I should like to discus with you. *Pulls out a list*

Please no.

First off, what is your opinion of this latest volume of the Bookania Quests.

Better than the first two, except for the fact that I only see my brother for ONE afternoon.

Sorry. I was dealing with a few time constraints, I wanted to have the two of you together longer, but it didn't happen. So you approve of the rest of your story.

*Shrug* As I said, it was better than the first two. You're learning how to make your stories fun, that's for certain, Kendra.

Why thank-you. Any particular thoughts, maybe on a certain Prince Arthur? I'm sure my readers would love to hear your opinions on him.

His swordsmanship could use some work, but I'm seeing to that. He's not bad for not having ever had a real sword before in his life, and he's had a good teacher. Absolutely smitten with Shira, though I'm not sure he's quite realized it himself.

And how about the other narrator of this lovely little story. What are your opinions on him?

You mean Eric? Uh ... he's my husband. I married him at the end of the last book. Do my opinions matter?

You're grumpy today.

And you're nosey. It's one thing when you're just writing the books, though it's bad enough, but pulling me out and making me answer questions ON your blog is quite another thing.

Well then, be that way. Guess you'd like me to return you to your book now?

Will you? Not that it was terribly exciting from where you pulled me. We were just wandering through woods.

*Zaps her back into the Book*
Eh, I guess she wasn't interested in being interviewed today. I'll have to try again later. That reminds me, on the 21st, I'll have all of my characters answering questions, so you can either ask them in the comments below, or you can check out the Goodread's group where you can ask the questions on the characters' specific threads. Currently, I only have two questions to ask, and one has technically been answered during Abbey's interview with Eric. 

While you're over at Goodreads, you can also vote on what Bookania's fandom should call itself, and speculate on what will happen in future books.

And on to the stops I'm making today. I only have two, but they should be good ones:

Author Blog of Jenelle Schmidt: Character Interview - Arthur - Where he divulges some facts about himself that even I didn't know about.
Shire Reviews: Book review: My Kingdom for a Quest. I actually have no idea what her review will be, but she gave the book 5 stars on Goodreads, so that's a hopeful sign!

And with the exception of The Ankulen, all of the books are still free, and My Kingdom for a Quest is still just 99 cents! Snag them up!

Sew, It’s a Quest

The Woodcutter Quince and Other Stories

Do You Take This Quest 

Saffron’s Big Plan and Other Stories

Things about Kingdom

My internet was not being nice last night, and then my brain was scattered all this morning. As a result, this post is on the late side.

So, basically, I haven't talked that much about the trivia and plot of Kingdom, so I've decided to change that.

- Robin list comes up a few times, and she manages to mark some things off.

- Robin and Robert discover a few more facets of their gifts.

- My favorite chapter would be chapter six, which involves Robin, Arthur, and swords. I also really like four, because Robin and Eric are just so sweet in that chapter.

- The diary entries in Do You Take This Quest are referred to and explained at the end of Kingdom.

- I'm really not sure why this book gave me such trouble. The characters themselves behaved beautifully. The book just didn't want to get written.

- There was a whole dream sequence planned for between chapters 10 and 11 where the whole cast turned into animals. It didn't get written, indeed, it's what tripped me up in the first draft, but I think you might find the animals I'd picked out interesting.
Robin: A red horse
Eric: A large St. Bernard dog
The old man: A lion
Shira: A white dragon
Samson: A yellow canary
Madeleine: A mink

Solomon: An orangutan

Serendipity: An owl

Casperl: An eagle

Doranna: A parrot

Dick and Theo: Herons

Vernon: A beaver

Robin Hood: A wolf

Maid Marian: A swan

- At one point in the writing, I had three different opening chapters, but wasn't sure which one I wanted to use.

- They're all still there, but the one I wrote came up with last is the first one in the book.

- I actually only wrote through to chapter 9 in the notebook. I typed the rest because the notebook was falling a part and I suddenly had more computer time than I used to.

- There isn't much pun presence in this book. There was so much going on, I didn't have time to have them show up. 

- I wanted to bring in the Cloud Sprites Echo and Zephyr in this book, but it didn't happen. They're two of the more interesting of the sisters, Zephyr being the onlyonewhotalkslikethis, as ... apposed ... to ... this, and Echo is based on the Greek myth.

And I'll leave you guys with that, since this post really needs to go up.

Stops on the tour today:

However Improbable: Guest Post - Necessary Elements of Arthurian Retellings, where I tell you the seven items that are required to make your Arthurian Legend great.
Author Blog of E. Kaiser Writes: Author Interview, Where we indulge in a philosophical discussion about fairy tales.
Author Blog of Jenelle Schmidt: Book Review: Sew, It's a Quest, Where she confirms that the book does not have a cliff hanger, despite what you may think.

And, also, I have FIVE books free today, though today's the last day to pick up The Ankulen if you don't have it already.

Sew, It’s a Quest

The Woodcutter Quince and Other Stories

Do You Take This Quest 

Saffron’s Big Plan and Other Stories

The Ankulen

And Kingdom itself is just 99 cents (I checked this time.)

So treat yourself to a lovely little adventure and get all of my books today for just 99 cents! What could be a better deal?