Brothers in Arms - Character Spotlight

Okay. Hi! Kendra here with the last of the blog tour posts for this month. Then we go back to my irregularly scheduled own stuff. Yay!

Today I'm doing a spotlight post for Jack's newest book, Brothers in Arms, a WWII story that I'm not sure I want to read ... not because I don't think it'll be good, but ... pain. It's about two best friends who get stuck on opposite sides of the fence, and those stories are never fun.

However, without further ado. Jack stuff!

Can a Jew and a Nazi survive Hitler's Germany?
Franz Kappel and Japhet Buchanan never expected their friendship to be tested by the Third Reich. Friends from early childhood, the boys form an inseparable, brotherly bond. Growing up in a little German village, they escape most of the struggles of war until the day Japhet is banished from school for being a Jew, and later has a rib broken when other village boys beat him up. Franz learns he is putting himself in danger for spending so much time with Japhet but continues to stand up for his Jewish friend even at the risk to himself. Then one day their lives are shattered when they see first-hand that the price of being a Jew is dangerously high. 

With the war now on their doorsteps, Franz and Japhet come up with a desperate plan to save their families and get them out of Germany alive. Leaving behind the lives they've always known, they move into Berlin with nothing to protect them but forged papers and each other. Convinced their friendship can keep them going, the boys try and make a new life for themselves while trying to keep their true identities and Japhet's heritage a secret. Taking his best friend's safety upon himself, Franz joins the Nazis in an attempt to get valuable information. At the same time, Japhet joins the Jewish Resistance, neither friend telling the other of their new occupations.

With everyone in their world telling them a Nazi and a Jew can't be friends, it is only a matter of time before they believe all the lies themselves, until neither is certain if they are fighting against a race of people or fighting for their homeland. Somehow they have to survive the horrors of World War II, even when all of Germany seems to be against them.

Goodreads link - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24703965-brothers-in-arms

Brothers-in-Arms Pintrest Page - https://www.pinterest.com/jackbaillot/brothers-in-arms/

Author Bio

Jack is one of those strange people who calls herself an Author. She spends a lot of her time writing and even less time editing. She likes to write about friendships which is partly how Brothers-in-Arms came to be. More than ten years in the making, this is the book she dreaded the most writing, but which also has the most meaning for her.

When Jack isn't writing, which doesn't happen too often, she keeps busy with various other hobbies – such as reading, playing the bagpipes to the dread of her neighbors, and drinking tea – which might not be considered a hobby by most but which should be.

She lives in a cabin in the woods with her dog and a library which isn't quite equal to Prince Adam's but will be given enough time and a secret doorway.

Contact Info

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/JackLBaillot

Twitter – https://twitter.com/JackLBaillot

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5862775.Jack_Lewis_Baillot

Blog – http://www.jacklewisbaillot.com/

And now I'll let Jack talk!

Kendra is doing a spotlight for me today as part of my book tour. Therefore, I will be spotlighting James Rodgers, known as Jimmy to everyone who isn't angry and yelling at him.

Jimmy is an American pilot who flies Reconnaissance missions over Germany. One day he flies off course and gets himself and his co-pilot, Sam Winters, shot down over Berlin. The Jewish Resistance spots the plane going down, gets to Sam and Jimmy before the Nazis, and hide them away in a basement until they can find a way to get them out of Berlin. While in hiding Jimmy meets Japhet.

Jimmy arrived in the final stages of the book. He walked in, cocky and annoying, and said he had to be there or the ending wouldn't work. I threw boots at him but didn't chase him off, I've learned my lesson long ago that the characters know what they are doing.

As the story went on and Jimmy spent more time with Japhet I realized he was lightening the book up, a nice relief for me. He made me smile, sometimes laugh, but something felt off with him. He was bright, colorful, annoying, and loud but I still loved him. I just couldn't figure out what he wasn't telling me – until I started to edit and he opened up about his back story. (In the words of Marlin from Finding Nemo, “Happy feeling gone.”)

In spite of his realization I still loved him and he could still make me smile through the pain.

Jimmy grew up in New York on a farm with his family. He would steal his dad's crop duster and take it for joy rides and after Pearl Harbor he joined the Air Force so he could fight the Japanese. He made the rank of 1^st Lieutenant on a bomber squad and all his men loved him because he was always happy and joking around.

Even after trouble strikes Jimmy is a well liked person who gets along with almost everyone he meets – when he's not throwing things because he''s grumpy being locked up in a basement.

A big brother, Jimmy has a lot of protective qualities about him even though he tries to hide them. He can't hide it all the time though and Sam at least knows he's a big softy deep down.

And there he is, more or less. Of course I can't tell you spoilers so you will have to read those in the book and find out how he ended up in Germany.

Cover Reveal, Spotlight, and More, Oh My!

Okay, first off, I'm participating in a cover reveal for my dear friend, Miss Jack Lewis Baillot.

Author Bio

Jack is one of those strange people who calls herself an Author. She spends a lot of her time writing and even less time editing. She likes to write about friendships which is partly how Brothers-in-Arms came to be. More than ten years in the making, this is the book she dreaded the most writing, but which also has the most meaning for her.

When Jack isn't writing, which doesn't happen too often, she keeps busy with various other hobbies – such as reading, playing the bagpipes to the dread of her neighbors, and drinking tea – which might not be considered a hobby by most but which should be.

She lives in a cabin in the woods with her dog and a library which isn't quite equal to Prince Adam's but will be given enough time and a secret doorway.

Contact Info

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/JackLBaillot

Twitter – https://twitter.com/JackLBaillot

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5862775.Jack_Lewis_Baillot

Blog – http://www.jacklewisbaillot.com/

Goodreads link - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24703965-brothers-in-arms

Brothers-in-Arms Pintrest Page - https://www.pinterest.com/jackbaillot/brothers-in-arms/

Synopsis

Can a Jew and a Nazi survive Hitler's Germany?
Franz Kappel and Japhet Buchanan never expected their friendship to be tested by the Third Reich. Friends from early childhood, the boys form an inseparable, brotherly bond. Growing up in a little German village, they escape most of the struggles of war until the day Japhet is banished from school for being a Jew, and later has a rib broken when other village boys beat him up. Franz learns he is putting himself in danger for spending so much time with Japhet but continues to stand up for his Jewish friend even at the risk to himself. Then one day their lives are shattered when they see first-hand that the price of being a Jew is dangerously high. 
With the war now on their doorsteps, Franz and Japhet come up with a desperate plan to save their families and get them out of Germany alive. Leaving behind the lives they've always known, they move into Berlin with nothing to protect them but forged papers and each other. Convinced their friendship can keep them going, the boys try and make a new life for themselves while trying to keep their true identities and Japhet's heritage a secret. Taking his best friend's safety upon himself, Franz joins the Nazis in an attempt to get valuable information. At the same time, Japhet joins the Jewish Resistance, neither friend telling the other of their new occupations.
With everyone in their world telling them a Nazi and a Jew can't be friends, it is only a matter of time before they believe all the lies themselves, until neither is certain if they are fighting against a race of people or fighting for their homeland. Somehow they have to survive the horrors of World War II, even when all of Germany seems to be against them.

To be honest, WWII fiction is not my comfort genre, and I've heard that this is in particular a painful story, so I don't know when I'll gather the courage to read this particular book. It sounds intriguing, though. I enjoy Jack's Steampunk and Fantasy ...

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Also, I'm taking part in a blog tour for Claire Banschbach's newest book, Adela's Curse.

Synopsis:

A curse. A murderous scheme. A choice.

A witch and her master capture a young faery and command her to kill their enemy. Adela has no choice but to obey. If she does not, they will force the location of her people’s mountain home from her and kill her. To make matters even worse, the person she is to kill is only a man struggling to save his dying land and mend a broken heart.

Count Stefan is a man simply trying to forget the woman he loves and save a land crippled by drought. When a mysterious woman arrives at his castle claiming to be a seamstress, he knows she is more than she seems.

Adela enlists the help of Damian, another faery, to try and delay the inevitable. He insists she has a choice. But with the witch controlling her every move, does she?

Goodreads link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29085448-adela-s-curse

Author Bio:

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. She is currently working on her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Texas Tech University Health Science Center. She continues to write in her spare time (and often when she doesn’t have spare time). She hopes her strong foundation in God will help to guide her writing. 

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Unlock the rest of the series!

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5 new newsletter subscribers by Wednesday, March 9, to get a sneak peak of Book 2!

Newsletter link: http://eepurl.com/bhArR9

10 Facebook likes by Friday, March 11, for a first look at Book 3!

Giveaway!

3 winners! Prizes include 2 copies of Adela’s Curse, and a paperback version of The Rise of Aredor to celebrate its 2 year anniversary on March 11! Open to international entries.

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You can read my review for the book here: http://oscarlettreviews.blogspot.com/2016/03/claire-banschbach-adelas-curse.html

And check out the rest of the blog tour: https://clairembanschbach.wordpress.com/blog-tour-schedule/

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And, finally, I just thought I'll let you guys know that I have beta reading for the first part of LDTD open. The link (Just a link, not the form itself) is hidden somewhere on my blog, on a post with the Rizkaland Label. Said link is at the very bottom of its post, and is in big, bold letters so you won't miss it.

Happy hunting!

Interview with Jack!

I told ya'll that I'd try to get an interview with my coauthors, and while it didn't happen for The Trilogy of One or Mikada, I did get an interview with Jack. She considered having Obsidia over to her blog for interview, but since she's busy with a release party for her newest book A Test of Loyalty (a book I highly recommend), we decided to content ourselves with just an interview with her.

Via Pinterest
Because everyone needs a picture of a panicked Adrian.

1. How would you describe our book?
I'd like to just say it is one of those must read books, because it would be nice if people read it 8-D But, if I was going to be serious, I'd say it is fun and exciting. Because it has been fun and exciting to write. I enjoy working on it, and it has twins. Stories are always more fun with twins, right?

2. Always. What other projects are you working on?
I am currently working on four projects. Because I do crazy things like that. I am editing A Test of Loyalty and preparing it for publication. I am writing the third Blade book and re-writing the third Haphazard book. And I started a new book which has been taking more time than I should probably spend on it. It is my first Historical Fiction and, while being sad, it fun to work on and therefore hard to stop working on.

3. How would you describe your writing process?
It is crazy, just like me. I run here and there and work on this and that and somehow manage to get everything done. Don't ask me how though

4. Magic. That's how it works. How do you balance writing and blogging?
I have no idea. I don't have any method to it, I just, sometimes while writing, realize I need a post so I stop writing and work on one.

5. How would you describe me as a coauthor?
As far as co-Authors go, not mad. At least you write 8-D Can't say the same for most I tried to write with. 

Oh, but Jack, we're all mad here! Thanks for coming over, I quite enjoyed interviewing you! You're a dear, sweet girl, who I'm constantly forgetting is older than me, and I agree. At least you can write, and have a good feel for what makes sense in a book. Again, I can't say the same for many of the people I've attempted coauthoring with.

Welcome to Dialcia

Via Pinterest

About a year and a half ago, Miss Jack Lewis Baillot posted that she found writing girls hard. I responded that that was my strength, and that we should write a book together. She loved the idea, and we soon began shooting emails between each other. We settled on Medieval Fantasy, since that was what both of us loved writing, and we knew for certain that our main characters would be twins.

Jack and I write well together, we have similar writing styles, so I think the book is flowing well. We've only just stumbled into the territory where we're working with each other's characters, and that's been interesting. Sure, I dreamed once that she sent me a chapter that completely messed up the book, but it hasn't happened in real life.

I love the world of Dialcia, as it is a inverted sphere with some pretty cool physics. I haven't scene Jack really playing with it, but we've both had fun with the politics. The politics and culture have been fun. I've been messing more with the politics (since Adrian, Jack's MC, hates them), because I've been the one at the castle. Plot's thickening and all that.

I need to get my chapter done and sent back to Jack, but since she's been busy, I guess I could be forgiven. Our goal was to finish the first draft by the end of the year, though I don't see that happening at the moment. We'll see!

Also, swing by Kiri Liz's blog to read an interview with Obsidia, my MC, and Nadilynn, the daughter of the King Ossian, the man who killed Obsidia's father. Not that it comes between their friendship, as you'll see in the interview.

A Test of Loyalty

I said that a friend of mine, one with whom I'm coauthoring a book, is releasing her fourth book soon. And since there are only two people with whom I am in the current process of co-authorship, my sister and Miss Jack Lewis Baillot, and since my sister doesn't have three published books to her name ... it's probably obvious whose book it is.

Miss Jack is publishing the second book of her fantasy Because of Loyalty Trilogy, and today is the cover reveal. Jack has some gorgeous covers, and I think this one may top them all.

First the author picture and blurb: (Because I'm mean like that)

Jack Lewis Baillot has the ability to wear a red shirt because she is convinced she is Scottish and therefore immune to expendable dying. It also helps that she has a last name. Jack claims the title of Author, which makes her feel like a Time Lord when she capitalizes it. She has a sonic pen which deepens her Time Lord claims.

She enjoys a good Science Fiction story though spends most of her time writing Fantasy and Steampunk, or a mixture of both. She believes cliff hangers are terrible and feels the need to apologize over and over when one of her books ends on one. When Jack isn’t writing, which doesn’t happen often, she goes on long hikes through the ice lands she calls home. She believes she will one day meet the Abominable Snowman and share a cup of hot chocolate with him.  You can learn more about Jack’s other published work and upcoming books at her website.


And now for the book blurb:

Upon learning he is one of the sons of the now dead king, Prince Lachlan is forced to leave the only home he has ever known. Fleeing for his life, his step-brothers a step behind, Lachlan finds safety and friendship with a young seamstress named Magda, a hermit, an Elf, and two Dwarf brothers. Determined to keep the young prince alive, Magda and the others seek out help in the surrounding Nations.

Everywhere they go, the fugitives are constantly turned away. They are followed by Lachlan's half- brothers who are determined to kill him so that one of them might take their father's crown and become the next king. With every place Lachlan is taken, his brothers close in and when the finally catch up Lachlan is forced to face the question that has been haunting him since he left home.

Lachlan was saved in the hopes he would become a better king then his father and his brothers. But the last thing he wants is to sit on the throne. If he refuses the crown, will there be anyone willing to fight to keep him alive? 


I've had the privelige of editing the book, and while I wasn't thoroughly impressed with book 1 (that isn't to say that I wasn't impressed - just not thoroughly), this book is rapidly rising the series in my estimation. (Also, the fact that I'm assisting in the editing means that I can make sure that the worst of the grammar issues are gone)

And since you've all waited so patiently, here's the lovely cover!

And, on another note, I've finished CinderEddy, edited and formatted it, and I have a cover art for it, so I'm hoping to publish it some time next week. Just a heads up, and if you want to send me an email, I'll send you the cover and blurb for you to post on your blog. And I'll be by possibly Monday with details for my Ginormous blog party that I'm planning for the celebration of my five years as a blogger and three years as a published author. Sure, the party won't officially start until July 24th (my blogoversery, and it will run until August 4th, Sew's release day), but several of the activities and giveaways are things you can - and possibly should - start working on now.

Fantastic Favorites

A friend of mine is releasing her fourth book shortly (Most of you know who she is, and if not, I'll let you guess. Hint: I'm coauthoring a book with her), and even more shortly is the cover reveal. In celebration of said cover reveal, she's having us post about our favorite fantasy books.

I read a LOT of fantasy, of all levels and brands, and flavors, and honestly, picking favorites isn't easy. So I'm going to go with books that have had a lot of effect on my own writing.

Despite my initial misgivings on this book, once my mother made me sit down and watch the BBC videos, it was love at first sight. You can't find a more enchanting fantasy world, or delightful Christian messages, and I blame this book for my current career as a writer. Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that the new movies got a few things wrong, I may still be piddling around with my Tiger Lilly stories. Which brings me to my next favorite.

No, I don't know why this wants to be on this side of the screen. Anyways, while Narnia is where I go to learn how to build a fun world, I study Middle Earth to know how to build it deep. My introduction to this world was the opposite of Narnia. My mom and dad were going to go see one of the movies as a date, and my sister and I begged my mom to tell us the whole story. After she gave us a very condensed version, she later got the books on tape from the library and we went to bed listening to them every night. Good memories. Also, my sister's desire to write about hobbits led to our Elvings, which gave me my first taste of world building.

Fairy Tale retelling at its best. This book taught me that just because you are retelling a fairy tale doesn't mean that you have to rely on the plot. I'm not sure I even realized that this was a retelling of Cinderella until I was almost done with it. There are few books that I reread, but this is one of them.

Xanth is my guilty pleasure reading. It's not quite as clean as I would like it to be, but the humor and worldbuilding are delicious. It's responsible for the Punch Line and other such things in Bookania.

Despite all the books I had read, it had never occurred to me that magic wasn't necessary for a fantasy novel until I read Molly's Makilien Trilogy. And while I'm not going to go through and edit out the magic from every book I'm writing, I have decided to cut it on a few of my books. (Won't tell you which, though!)

I can't tell you for certain what exact influence this has had on my writing, but I've read it so many times, it has colored my writing, in particular The Trilogy of Secrets, and possibly The Faerie Realm. I've never encountered a book quite like it.

While again, I can't tell you exactly what influence Oz has had on my writing, it's another book that I've read so many times, it can't help but bleed into my own words. For instance, his Sea Fairies, (which, while isn't strictly part of the series, does tie into it and shed light onto a small plot element in The Lost Princess), is the book that taught me that mermaids can be modest.

This series, and its two sequel series, deal with a topic similar to the one that I mess with in Half-Hidden.  I had my premise for Half-Hidden long before I even heard of these books, but reading them has caused me to refine and seriously look at the side effects of my premise.

And there we go. Not so painful after all. I may actually be missing some, but that's another issue. I can't wait for the reveal tomorrow, and just a heads up, tomorrow is also the last day to submit a review of The Ankulen for the giveaway! Currently, you have only two competitors, and the odds are seriously in Kiri's favor - and I can't have her win ALL of my giveaways, now can I?

And on another issue, I discovered yesterday that Kew, Arthur's cousin, had been one of Robin's suitors ...

Interview with Obsidia

Today I have decided to kill two birds with one stone.

First of all, a fellow author and blogger, Jenelle Schmidt, is in the process of releasing her newest book, The Second Son. I've read the first book of the series, and it was pretty good. I can't wait!

In celebration of this event, she's having us do some character-related things, for instance,  interviewing a character from your own book.

What's the other bird? Well, Jack and I have decided that, since we're making it our goal to finish Worth of a King before the end of the year, we'll motivate ourselves by sharing details about the story, starting with the characters. Yesterday, she interviewed Adrian, her main character, while today I'm interviewing Obsidia, my main character.

Via Pinterest

Welcome, Obsidia, Princess of Dialcia, it is an honor to have you with us today.
*Waves shyly* It's nice to be here, Kendra.
Do you mind if I just call you Obsidia here, your full title is rather pretentious, and I am your author, after all ...
Oh, it's perfectly all right.
So, what's it like being a princess?
Having never experienced any other life, I'm not sure what you wish me to compare it to, but I've never had anything to complain about. There are people who lead far worse lives than mine.
Yes, I do believe that you've so far led a pretty nice life compared to some of my characters. I hear you just had a birthday, though.
Yes, I turned sixteen.
Which is, I believe, an important birthday for a princess in Dialcia.
It is, for that's when her future husband is selected. *blushes slightly* I am now engaged to Prince Delaney, King Ossian's son.

Via Pinterest

And are you pleased or disappointed with this decision?
Oh, I'm quite pleased with it. Delaney and I have grown up together, so I'm not marrying a stranger like so many princesses have to do. His father killed mine, you see, and according to Dialcian law, if you kill the king and he has no male heir, you get the throne.
And you're not upset about this?
I never knew my father, King Ossian has been the closest thing I've had. Besides, it's the law.
So you're absolutely fine with marrying the son of the man who killed your father?
I am not the first Dialcian princess to do so. You sound like my mother, though. She's seriously questioning my sanity.
Well, I suppose she would be taking it harder than you, since she did know your father quite well I gather. Well, death of your father aside, can tell me anything else about yourself? Best friend? Favorite activity? Thing you hate most about being a princess?
My best friends are Delaney and his younger sister, Nadilynn.  We're practically siblings, except for the fact that I'm going to marry Delaney. My favorite activity is reading. Worst part of being a princess? Well, I think that would be appearing before people and being expected to make speeches. I don't like people. No ... I mean, I do like people, but I don't like people ... if that makes any sense?

Via Pinterest

Perfect sense. I have the opposite problem, but that's neither here nor there. Do you have any pets?
I do believe that you're hinting towards one pet in particular, are you not?
Probably, because I'm only aware of one pet in your possession.
I thought as much. Well, for my birthday, Princess Zara of the Zovordians, my cousin, gave me a winged horse named Windwing.

Via Pinterest

Oh, she's very pretty.
She is, isn't she.
So, what do you think of me as your author?
Well, so far, nothing too terrible has happened, which while I'm quite grateful for the stability, makes me wonder what's the point of my story.
.... Um ... well, right now, the conflict is all over with Jack's character. The printer's son you just met.
Oh. He's the other main character? So, he's important?
I'm the one supposed to be asking questions.
Oh ... I'm sorry.
But yes, he is important. Now, on to an unrelated topic. What's your opinion of twins?
Twins?
Yeah, I have a twin obsession. With the exception of one book, there has been at least one set of twins in every book I've written.
Oh, well ... I'm ... not quite sure how to answer that question.
Then you don't have to. Anyways, I'm going to let you go now, though I may call you back for a Character Encounter or something of the sort later. Hopefully you'll get the happily ever after you deserve!
You mean ... you don't know?
Just wave good-bye.
Oh ... right ... *waves shyly*


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And sorry about not posting this yesterday when I told Jack I would. I was asked last second to babysit for my aunt on Thursday, and then didn't have both the internet and my computer at the same time until 9:30 last night.

Jack's Newest Book!

I think all of you have heard me talk about Jack - Miss Jack Lewis Baillot. We are writing a book together, after all. Currently its in her court, and I'm eager to read what she writes next ... but with NaNo on, I'm going to have to wait a while. If it weren't for the fact that I'm working on my NaNo at the moment, I'd be pacing impatiently for it - she has some pretty funny characters on her side, and I'm eager to see Adrian adjusting to the big reveal.

Speaking of my NaNo, I writers block last weekend, did two thousand-days, and then wrote nothing on Monday. And since my target wordcount is 2,000 a day, that was unacceptable. So in trying to catch back up (I was now a day behind even going by the 1,667 word-goal) I completely forgot that I had agreed to particpate in Jack's cover reveal for her newest book. (No, not Worth of a King. That's still miles from needing a cover, we haven't even talked about it!) It's the sequel to her first book, and entitled Abolished Impracticality. 

I had the privilege of beta-reading this book, and I can assure you that it's better than the first (mostly because I caught most of the bad spelling errors that slipped past Jack in the first), except for the ending where Jack is pretending that she's Moffat writing Sherlock. Or at least I hope that's what she's doing.

But back to the cover reveal. I do have the cover, and I do intend to show it to you. And since it's late, I won't even beat around the bush anymore!

That's Singur on the cover. He's possibly my favorite character. Although I like Darcy too.

Oh, and I gave her three questions to answer, and here are the answers! (Something new for those of you who have already seen all of the reveals on Thursday)

 One. Why did you choose the title Abolished Impracticality?

 Aw, that question. There is a meaning behind all the titles in this series. I keep meaning to do something special when I reveal it, but I don't know when that will be or what I will do. For now, I will just say it kind of fits the book, because a lot of things are abolished in the book. (Peter's idea of who he can trust and who he can't. Isidore giving up something he really wants. And so forth.)

Two. What is your least favourite scene?

I don't think I have one. I figure if I don't like a scene then neither will the readers. I had some in, but I took them out while editing. I can't think of examples right off the top of my head, but I know one of them was a conversation scene which was really dorky and boring.

 Three. So you think this book is better or worse than the book before?

Neither I suppose. I think I learned a lot more grammar wise and it has a lot less mistakes, thanks to my wonderful beta readers. But I like it just as much as the first. I just like the story of the whole series and I'm kind of endeared to this cast of characters. 

 And once again, sorry Jack about forgetting about you! I didn't mean to! But you know how NaNo is!

Speaking of my NaNo, I am now at 26,000 words (Or at least I was when I wrote this, I haven't done my Friday writing yet). I'm mostly happy with it, though my mom doesn't like what I'm doing with one of my characters. She's supposed to be smart and mysterious - but she's coming off as a know-it-all and snob. Sigh. I'm writing her first chapter at the moment, and she's about to make a call to her twin brother (who isn't in the main cast) and hopefully that will shine light on her nice side. Because she really is nice ... Sigh. Oh, and on Monday I'll post a quiz about my writing, all questions will be answerable if search my blog or have read Sew, which I'm pretty sure all of my readers have done. (It's either been free on Kindle, or I've sent it to you in PDF as prize for something.) The prize for answering the most questions correctly (and if there's a tie, I'll pull a random name out of the hat), is getting to read the first three chapters (and the lengthy introduction) in PDF form. You will, of course, have to answer a quick survey about the chapters and characters and such, but I'm sure you'll understand.

Oh, and because I feel like it - some snippets! Again, names removed when possible, shortened when impossible. I have a reason for keeping the names under wraps, honest I do ... but I don't know when I'll tell you what the reason is.

“I was pointing out that I am not in awe of his travel history, and that I have no need to go and listen to his boastful adventures.”

“And it's not as though you sit around telling us about yours."

“I would rather not even think about them. They're terribly distracting when I'm trying to read.”

“There are days when I doubt that you ever had any."

“Same here. Sometimes I suspect that they were taken by someone else, and the memories just tricked their way into my brain. I'm far too young to have invented the computer, you know.”

Thirty minutes later, they were putting away their rapiers and borrowed gear.

“You're not bad,” he admitted.

“Not bad?” she arched an eyebrow. “I bested you twice.”

“As I said, not bad,” he repeated, nodding. “There's a good chance I let you win.”

She snorted. “And there's a good chance I don't believe you.”

(Yes, there's a rebellious princess. What can I say? I'm addicted.)

“I feel very reassured,” he said, not quite sure if he was or not. “So… uh, is it true that Catalin computers use the programs of their… deceased?”

“Affirmative.”

“Then… if I'm not prying…”

“Sugar poisoning.”

“What?”

“I died of sugar poisoning."

“Perhaps so, but I have a strange allergy.”

“And what is that?”

“Bribes. Can't stand them. They make my ears ring.”

R - Rubik's Cube

Via Pinterest

R - Rubik's Cube

A Rubik's cube is only mentioned once in The Ankulen, in chapter six and only in the second draft.

You see, they were discussing the layout of Jen's imaginary world, and the fact that locations ... don't stay put. Just like on a Rubik's cube.

 “Oh come on!” I exclaimed in frustration. “Don’t tell me this place goes on forever! Just how big did I make this place?”

Tisha looked down and sighed. “It’s not that you made the land terribly big or anything,” she admitted. “But it doesn’t work the same way the real world does. You liked things to be different and spontaneous, so while within a particular location things are fixed, the locations themselves move around.”

I blinked. “So … this is a big Rubik's cube that’s constantly moving?”

“You can put it like that,” Tisha confirmed.

“That’s just great!” I stood up. “How am I ever going to reach my destination if my destination keeps moving!” Unable to make real progress, I started pacing.

“Usually,” said Chris, hesitantly because of my foul mood, “if one has a destination in mind, then the next location they reach will contain that destination. Like when we went to go see the Old Woman.” - The Ankulen. 

And therefore, drawing a map of her world would be impossible.

But I will tell you the names of some of the locations Jen built:

The Ocean: Home of the Mermaids and the largest location to accommodate the many features, such as the Sea Castle and Choral Mountain.

Green Valley: Home of the leprechauns. Edged by emerald mountains, and full of lush, green grass. The site of Jen's climatic battle with the Polystoikhedron.

The Orchard: Full of fruit and nut trees, inhabited by Wood Children.

Rushing River: The narrowest locations, and where they have most of the parties. Inhabited by frogs and Water Babies.

Babble Brook: A very winding brook. Inhabited by frogs.

The Mountain: The tallest mountain in her imagination. Inhabited by Dwarves and Goatherds.

Flower Field: Field of flowers. Inhabited by Flower Fairies.

Valley of Song: First location that the Polystoikhedron destroyed. Inhabited by the Singers, which are very similar to the muses of Greek mythology.

Glitter Forest: A forest of trees with glitter coated leaves. Nothing lives there, though, but I can't tell you why.


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On another note, I was interviewed by Miss Jack yesterday! Go check it out!

And I just realized that The Derao is free for the next few days, so if you don't have a copy of this delightful little tale, go pick it up now!

May Writing Update and Character Post 2

Firstly, My writing update.

Since I finally laid my hands and money on a new computer, I have done quite a bit of writing this month.

The Ankulen: Finished writing draft 2, and have typed up all but the last twenty notebook pages into the computer. I have a few people lined up to critique it next month, through NaNoCritMo and the June Crusade. (Note: Anne-Girl posted today that she only has five participants, and she needs and even number, so if you have a book that's has at least 10,000 words, please sign up! It doesn't have to be completed, just have 10,000+ words)

I have also finally set foot in a craft store and found something that will do for the jewel on Jen's Ankulen. I'll have to rewrite the descriptions of it in the book, but that's no big deal. I'm saving that for July. Fun.

My Kingdom for a Quest: I decided to try writing it by hand because I was stuck and thought that restarting it might help ... I've written a page and a half. Sigh. I love all of the scenes in this book, but stringing them all together so that it works is a challenge. Sew was easy to write. I had to pull a few teeth for Take ... But Kingdom is like pulling fingernails! Sigh. I will get it written. But ... maybe after I have The Ankulen out of the way.

The New Division: I finished the 100 for 100 challenge with about 1,000 words to spare. Not the most spectacular word count of the bunch, but I was satisfied. I haven't pulled the book up since, though, mostly because I let myself finish during a lull scene. Alistaar and Melisza are arguing in the library about whether or not it would have been better for Tabetha and Jaqob to stay at the human orphanage. On another note, while I've been cataloging the books in our personal library, I've found a whole slew of oddly-spelled names that I plan to use. Yes, I constantly look out for oddly spelled names.

Behind the Rainbow: V and I are now off of the big pillow and headed towards the rainbow that has books sticking out of it. I now need to get us into the library, and talking to Otis. I love Otis, he's so funny. (And for anyone who's watched Barbie of Swan Lake, Otis was inspired from the librarian there whose real name I've forgotten. Kathlenea, the other librarian, is also inspired from Swan Lake, but the connection is very complicated and I don't feel like explaining.)

Worth of a King: I've written the first chapter, and Obsidia has selected her future husband. The ball is now in Jack's court and I can't wait to read what she's going to do with Aiden.

Water Princess, Fire Prince: I have been stuck on this book for several months now. On the computer, I have been at Andrew's breaking point. In the notebook, it's been Clara's. (Yes, Andrew breaks much sooner than Clara, mostly because people recognize his inadequacy and he sees the effects much sooner.) However, while the computer is still grinning at me with a "You're never going to get me written" smirk, I think I have finally broken through on the notebook. Now Clara is a ice statue, and Andrew is watching a girl jump off a very high balcony. Fun.

And that's about it, other than the fact that I tried to cut my finger off the other day with a pair of scissors, so typing has been a bit painful. Don't worry, my finger's all right. I only cut a small v into it, and I had the presence of mind to apply pressure until my sister could get me a bandage. Very little bleeding, and not until I had the bandage on it.

I wonder if I'll get a scar ... that would be cool.

................................................................................................................

Now, I have another post for Miss Jack's Character contest, which she's holding in honor of the release of her next book, A Stretch of Loyalty. I've had the opportunity to edit the first few chapters, and it's quite good so far!

The characters I'm going to talk about today are the ones I told her I would talk about. The reason I didn't before is that I remembered that I had lent my copy of their book to my church library, so I had to go check it out to reread it.

Yes, I lend books to my church library. My Gma is the librarian, so ... I store a good number of my books in her library.

My seven book box set of The Chronicles of Narnia is one of them. (Mostly because, when I have them on hand, I read them too much, and if I read them to much, I begin basically cloning his books, and that is not a good thing.)

Please note, there will be many spoilers in my examination, and if you haven't read this book, I do not suggest that you continue.

My copy looks like this. It's very shiny.

Many people say that The Horse and His Boy is the one book that doesn't belong in the series. I disagree. It's the only one that's truly all about Narnia. It was the first one that I attempted rewriting (I wanted to make a stop-action film using my Madeline Dolls, and I didn't have two Pepitos. I had to Madelines, though, so she got the part of Shasta/Cor and Corin. It never came to anything though, and was soon replaced by The Giraffe, the Witch, and the Tunnel Tube ...)

The Horse and his Boy is a story of salvation, and Shasta and Aravis are the two who must be saved. (Bree and Hwin are too, but I'm not a huge fan of horses, so I won't talk about them.)

But their backgrounds are very different. Though he doesn't know it,  Shasta was born Cor, crown prince of Archenland. He was kidnapped at birth and has been raised instead as a fisherman's son in southern Calormen. Of course, a better word would be slave, but Shasta is unaware that Arsheesh is not his father. It is only when he discovers that his life is a lie, and that he really belongs up north, that he decides to make a run for it.

Aravis, on the other hand, she's a born and bred Calormen - a Tarkheena, which means she has a pedigree to prove it. She's quite happy with her life, too ... but she ends up with a wicked stepmother, and even that's not so bad ... until she's betrothed to Ahoshta, who is way older than her. He may be powerful, but to a 13-or-so-year-old-girl, well, marrying a 90-year-old man is not her idea of romantic. So she decides that Calormen is not all it's cracked up to be, and when she finds out that her horse is native to Narnia, she decides to run away.

Shasta belongs to Aslan already, he just doesn't know it. Aravis belongs to Calormen. She has no business going north, and yet, when she does, she is accepted. Not only that, she later becomes the queen of Archenland.

I love how the two of them play off of each other, and I think they are the ones who taught me to love the "Bitter enemies turned lovers" plot twist. He's humble, hardworking, simple, and awkward. She's proficient, smart, athletic, and arrogant. She doesn't think much of him, and he is put off by her haughty ways. But they become a team, each realizing that they need the other if they're going to get to Narnia. When Aravis is attacked by the lion right before they reach the Hermit's house, it's Shasta who goes back and tries to save her.

And that's the moment that she realizes that, though he may be simple and common, he's brave.

I think they're one of the inspirations for Clara and Andrew's relationship. Subconsciously.

Several really cool announcements!

Today I am going to make a few announcements. I know that my last post was an announcement post too ... but, I have more lovely announcements!

1. This is the 400th post on Knitted by God's Plan. Wow ... Excuse me a moment while I get all teary and all that ...

2. I wrote the ending words of The Ankulen into the notebook yesterday. Oh! That ending! Please excuse me again while I get all teary ...

Okay, not really. I don't get teary unless it's the ending of Les Miserables (sp?) which I watched for the first time the other night. Wow. What an ending.

But still, I did finish the second draft of The Ankulen. Now to just get the last 20,000 words or so typed up into the computer before the first of June so that I can get it sent off to some critiquers.

3. (Drumroll please ...)

I now have the go ahead to reveal the big Secret Project I've been hinting about.

It is called ...

The Worth of a King

What's so special about it? Well, you see, it isn't just my book. I'm coauthoring it with Miss Jack Lewis Baillot, author of Haphazardly Implausible - which I really need to review over at O.Scarlett ...

You see, we were talking about our strengths and weaknesses as authors, and we discovered that she writes boys very well, and I write girls. "We should write something together" said I. "That's a good idea!" said she. And so we started plotting.

The Worth of a King is about a pair of twins who were separated at birth. I'm writing the girl, Jack is writing the boy. It's going to be full of family and fun and political intrigue. My favorite part is that it's going to take place in a hollow sphere world - which is something that I've wanted to write about for a long time. 

We have a pinboard that you can look at to see some of our visual inspiration. (Although I'm the only one who's actually pinned ...)

It's going to be fun! 

And don't forget to participate in Bookania Day! Robin and Robert are anticipating your interviews!

More Randomousity

- Miss Jack released her book today:

- I found these really cute fingerless gloves at old navy a few weeks ago.
- They're purple and fuchsia, two of my three favorite colors.
- I found my camera last night.
- Now to get the batteries charged
- Oh, and find a SD reader that will read the SD card.
- My laptop's built-in one was the only one that would.
- Sigh.
- It was on my desk under a bunch of papers.
- I've come to the realization that the reason Reuben (as well as Tyler and Noraeto) are flat is that they aren't essential to the plot.
- I'd written the book three times without them, and won the war just fine.
- I need to figure out how to make them essential, since Rizkan law will not allow a queen to reign without a King.
- Or a King to reign without a Queen.
- They like a balanced leadership.
- I'm almost in tears over this, book 2 of the Rizkaland legends is practically my baby!
- The girl's stories are wonderful - heart-wrenching, even.
- The guys, however. Meh.
- Sigh, but at least Andrew (the hero of book 1) bleeds when I cut him.
- Or, at least, I think he does.
- I've never actually cut him.
- I ought to get back to Do You Take This QUest?

Interview with Miss Jack Lewis Baillot

Today I get to interview Miss Jack Lewis Baillot.

She blogs over at her blog, However Improbable ... but the most important thing is that she is going to self publish her book Haphazardly Implausible in just a week or two.

And so I get to interview her about her book.

One. Summarize your book in fifteen words. If you find this impossible you may raise your limit to a thousand.

Hm...does the hm count?
An adventure filled with airships and misfit characters who learn they are more then what they assume.
Aw, seventeen...I was so close too.

Two. I'm curious, and I have an obsession with book titles. How did you come up with the title Haphazardly Implausible?

Oh, this is sad. I've been waiting for a long while for someone to ask this one. Now I feel bad that the person who finally asked did so on an interview and I must say, “Can't say! Sorry!”
I mean, I could say...but I'm hoping to hold a guessing game and see who gets it first. It might be easier when the other books come out, but I can give a hint now.
I got the idea from a very famous quote. Grin And I hope that wasn't too evil of an answer...

Three. When did you realize you were called to slavery of the pen? Or did you always know?

I kind of always knew. I was probably born weird, and with my imagination a million miles away. When I was little I would tell stories to my siblings and imagine how different my life would be were I living in a different time and place. I would spend my afternoons sitting outside, staring off into space, seeing what no one else could.
However, I was thirteen when I found ways to write down these wonderful adventures my mind went on. And ever since then I knew I wanted to be an author when I grew up. (This has annoyed some of my friends who were turning eighteen and had no clue what they wanted to do with their lives. It always made me wonder what it might be like to not know. Personally, I think it might be a bit of fun. Kind of like a grand mystery one must solve.)

Four. I've not read any Steampunk, but from what my mom has read she says that it seems like Historical Fiction stuffed with Sci-Fi and lightly sprinkled with Fantasy. Do you agree or disagree with her assessment?

Wow, I think she's spot on. I don't think all Steampunk has fantasy elements, but a lot of them do. I want to use this description from now on though. I've had the hardest time trying to explain Steampunk and this sums it up so nicely.
So aye, I very much agree with her. It is like getting to re-write history, and add in all kinds of machines of your own creation. I find it a lot of fun.

(Note from Kendra: Feel free to use the description.)

Five. Do you have any current projects you are willing to disclose to us?

Hm, I have a lot of projects – some might be out rather soon as they just need editing, but I've yet to pick which will be next on the editing list.
Writing wise? Well, there is my NaNo book, and The Broken Blade. I've mentioned this one off and on on my blog and hope to start writing it again when the first wild months of publication pass. Also, there is book two in this current series. Sadly though, I cannot say too much on them, they are kind of waiting until I figure out what is going to happen with publication.

Six. I hear you have a pet hedgehog named John (who is incredibly adorable, I may add). Does he have anything he would like to say to us?

Yes, he says he does. I shall let him say it though. Smirk
I like you, because you think I am adorable. And I am hoping time goes faster because Jack is writing this while we wait for midnight and NaNo to start and I want to write my book. And I am hungry too....

(Note from Kendra: This was written just before midnight October 1st. John has his own blog, by the way.)

Seven. What was the hardest part of your book to write?

The ending.
I didn't plan on liking the story so much when I started it. In fact, the first draft I hated. Peter irked me so badly I wanted someone else to be the main character. So I scrapped that one and started over, and let Peter be himself. And over the next few weeks I grew very fond of him but I began to notice something. Very slowly, my beloved Peter was changing. Not in any bad ways, but he was...I can't really say because of spoilers, but basically...he was growing up. And I knew that, in book two, he would be different. Of course, I still liked him, but I missed him as well. If that makes sense. I am sure you other writers will understand. So, to say good bye to my little boy Peter was very crushing.

Eight. If you had a time machine and could go anywhere in time, where would you go?

Oh, I must just pick one place? Oh, this is going to be hard.
Grabs a flower and pulls off pedals while saying “Ben, Wallace, Ben, Wallace, Ben, Wallace, Ben, Wallace, Ben.”
I guess Ben Fane wins. I would go back to the Civil War and I would track him down and we would end up being best friends and having all kinds of fun together. (It helps that I have the same name of his real life best friend.)

Nine. What do you do when you aren't writing?

People do things besides writing?
Wait, no, I do have a life. You know, kind of.

I like to read, a lot. Unless I find the book boring and the plot too obvious. And I love going for walks and looking for spies. I watch movies a bit, such as Doctor Who...okay, so I watch that a lot. And when I can get them away from work long enough I spend time with my very busy family. And John who is my constant companion.

I also avoid my characters, some of which come after me with swords when I try and take a holiday. Some of them are just so ill tempered.

Ten. Which authors do you find most inspiring?

Aw, I love listing them!

Philip Reeve, for his wonderful imagination and the world he created in Larklight.

Rick Riordan. Even though I believe in just one God, I do enjoy his books. Rather, his characters. I love Percy, because he isn't the typical, “I can do everything,” hero. Very often he is clueless, he is absent minded, and he doesn't like to think things through too well. But he is loyal to his friends, and he has one of the quirkiest senses of humors I've ever read. (Also, I must admit, I think a dyslexic hero is kind of cool.)

Arthur Slade. Like Mr. Reeve, he is a very nice author who won me over when he took the time to help me when I was thinking of traditional publishing. On top of this, though, he wrote a very fun Steampunk series which is filled with a colourful cast of characters. He is one of the few authors I've read who was able to pull off having a lot of characters without making it confusing.

William Joyce. I love his take on the North Pole and Siberia. It was so magical and quaint with just the right amount of adventure.

C.S. Lewis. (Of course I had to mention him, seeing as how I was given his name and all) But the world he created in Narnia, what better place for a kid to spend a winter's day?

Let's see. Now I shall quicken my list. The fellow who wrote Peter Pan, the chap who wrote The Wind in the Willows, and Brain Jacques. And J.R.R. Tolkien for reasons you can guess.

Yep, so there it is, my list.

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Oh, and she has a collection of Short Stories already out.