Don't forget that answering the questions at the end of the post can win you a free paperback copy of My Kingdom for a Quest.
Also, I have a goodread's group set up for fans of Bookania, and over there, I'm asking for questions for me and my characters to be answered here on my blog. (Though if you aren't on goodreads, you can email them to me, but it's not quite as fun. Honestly, I'm not sure why any book-loving body wouldn't be on goodreads. It's like Facebook, but with books instead of politics.)
Anyway, the commentary.
Still at Doranna's Castle
This chapter was one of the last to be written, being one of the ones that I skipped over during NaNo. I knew it was something that I needed to write, that it was important to the story, but I just didn't feel like writing it during NaNo.
One reviewer has brought up the fact that despite the urgency of Robin and Robert's quest, they seem to do very little travelling. There are ... two reasons for that. One is the fact that I needed to cover four month's time, and actually had very little planned *cough, cough,* and the other is the fact that Robert would much prefer to NOT be travelling, so if his sister seems to be happy staying in one place at any given time, far be it from him to remind her that they have to keep moving.
The Ball
I'm not sure this is the most logical reason to have a ball. But ... I needed a second dance for character/romance development, so I tossed this one in.
Anyway. We have a ball, and while Rosamond dances with servants and Doranna dances with Casperl, Robert watches wistfully (Poor boy), and Robin is completely bored. Notice once again she is in a dress, but her main complaint is that it's in conjunction with a ball.
Of course Doranna notice the wistful Robert and strongly suggests that he get over his shyness and ask Rosamond.
A confused Robin
Meanwhile, Robin is still bored. Possibly contemplating how welcome it would be if she were to get her sword and make things interesting, and wishing that there was a curtain to hide behind.
She's clearly not paying attention to the dance floor, as she's quite surprised when Rosamond comes by to praise her brother's dancing skill. But before she can ask questions, Rosamond has danced away. Doranna, fortunately, comes to Robin's rescue with her confusing explanations.
More Gills
It seems that one of Rosamond's gifts is dancing - and it's not the mysterious Sayenda's. This is a new fairy: Drayana.
Side note here: I said in a previous chapter that the slippers were more significant than I managed to reveal in the book, and now's the time where I can say why and how. Readers of Take know that Drayana likes to give out physical companions to her gifts, and Rosamond is no exception. That particular pair of slippers will never wear out, will always fit perfectly, and will always match whatever she's wearing perfectly. Side note over.
And while Robin is spluttering over the fact that Rosamond has four Fairy Godmothers, Doranna admits to a third for herself - Kriasta, who's to blame for her constant and courageous laughter.
And while we're talking about fairies, I'm going to make another side note. In a previous chapter, Rosamond confirms that there are seven good fairies, and I actually have all seven fairly well developed to one degree or another (Yifinna, Sayenda, and Fallona are the best, but that's another story). However, during the final stages of editing the book, I realized that, while there had been a complete list in one draft, I didn't even know if I had included every fairy here in Sew. So I did a quick search, to find that yes, indeed, I had! It was such a brilliant moment of relief.
So, the fairies in their proper order and where they're first mentioned:
Fallona the red: R&R's Fairy Godmother.
Malina the orange: Doranna's Fairy Godmother
Drayana the yellow: Rosamond's Fairy Godmother
Lufawna the green: The fairy that Sir Hugh met
Yifinna the blue: The fairy who makes mistakes
Kriasta the indigo: Doranna's Fairy Godmother
Sayenda the purple: Rosamond's Fairy Godmother.
I also manage to reveal the name of one of the fallen fairies ... but later on. There's a second, but I don't think her name has been mentioned yet ...
Favourite Quotes:
“My brother?” she said, to herself, since Rosamond
was gone. “Robert? A good dancer?”
She heard Doranna’s laughter, and turned. “Aye,”
said Doranna, “It seems as though thy bother hath discovered an hidden talon.
Or else it may just be Rosamond sharing again. She does that, and relives it
not.”
“I’m not following,” said Robin.
“Worms,” said Doranna. “They are so exacting. I
like numbers far better.”
“Are you joking?” asked Robert, “She’s too good.”
“I know,” said Doranna, her eyes twinkling
mischievously, “That is why thou shouldst ask her. To keep her from having to
prance with the serpents.”
“The servants are better than I am,” said Robert.
“Ask my cousin,” said Doranna. “Thou mayest find
thyself survived at thy own skill.”
“I know my own skill,” said Robert. “I’m a
terrible dancer.”
“So have claimed many,” said Doranna, she laughed
her bird-like laugh. “So have claimed many. Frankly, I think not that she
wouldst mind an inferior partner.”
Discussion Questions:
1. Can you dance?
2. What do you think of this rapidly lengthening list of Fairy Godmothers for Rosamond?
3. Are you excited for Kingdom's release tomorrow?
1. I can dance. I used to take ballet, and was required to do jazz and modern, though I liked ballet best. I love Civil War dancing, forgot pretty much all of the Scottish Country Dancing I learned, and hope I can have an opportunity to learn more swing dancing sometime.
ReplyDelete2. When I read Sew, I was interested by the growing list, and the growing number of gifts. It would certainly be interesting to have fairy godmothers.
3. I am excited for Kingdom's release, though not as much as I would be if I wasn't an advance reviewer. :)
To 2 ... I know! I sometimes wonder what it would be like to have a Fairy Godmother myself. What would have been my gift ...?
DeleteI kind of liked the slower pace of the actual quest. And I liked that you kept mentioning that nothing much happened here and there. So many things can be covered over if the author acknowledges their presence (or absence).
ReplyDelete1. No, I cannot dance at all. I wish I could, but grace and coordination were not gifts I received upon my christening (or perhaps it is because my parents neglected a christening in the first place) either way, no fairy godmother gave me the gift of dance. Unless you count DDR... I am quite good at DDR.
2. I thought the growing list of fairy godmothers was quite interesting, but did not realize until just now that they correspond to the colors of the rainbow, that's cool.
3. So excited! (Of course, I need to read "Take" first...)
Yep. Since rainbows were ours first (a symbol of God's promise) I am intent on taking them back. If I have anything that's seven (which is a number that is also prevalent in my writing), such as the fairies or the Riv's of Rizkaland, I give them each a different colour of the rainbow. Very fun.
Delete1. No, I do verily believe that the gift of the dance was not one bestowed upon me. The dance of the mere child is all that has graced my life thus far - the ballet and the tap dance. Still, as my feet have not attempted the steps for many a long year, it may be that I should be most surprised were I to yield to the attempt.
ReplyDelete2. If a princess or peasant hath one godmother, says I, what mattereth it if she hath three - or five - or seven - or seven hundred, says I? 'Tis equally likely, and equally good. Why would not all the godmothers wish to bestow a gift upon a soul that seemeth to be most deserving? 'Tis the most natural thing in Bookania.
3. If thou wantest not thy followers to be excited, thou shouldst not hype up thy grand event for many long months prior. Excitement is only a natural reaction to one who hath read any of thy previous works. I do offer thee my most sincere and hearty congratulations upon this momentous occasion. If thou hast another royal ball in celebration, I shall most certainly endeavor to the greatest of my abilities to attend. This milestone is an exceedingly bright star in thy bookish crown, and in which all thy friends and acquaintances do most exceedingly rejoice.
Oh, this is fun. Thy hold upon the archaic manner of speech is art indeed!
DeleteLove the slippers/Drayana's gift thing.
ReplyDelete1. No. Well, I don't know and real dancing, just hopping around with my little siblings.