Birthday Happy, Me!

Today is my birthday. I'm 22. Frankly, I'm not sure how that happened, since I still haven't given it permission to be 2017 yet, and am still considering allowing myself to be 21.

Anywho, it's my birthday. *tosses confetti* (If anyone wants to get me a gift, I accept donations towards paying for my computer. Don't feel obligated. You could also send me random bits of writing to kendraeardnek@gmail.com)

To celebrate, I'm going to make a list of 22 of my WIP's that I can't wait to write and get into your hands. No particular order. Enjoy!

1. Bookania #5. This is the book where Maryanne first gets to really shine, and the book where Rapunzel shows up. In fact, the title may be related to Rapunzel. It might also be related to Meg, who gets the main romance in this book. I'm especially looking forward to writing the proposal scene(s). I'll have you guys rolling.

2. Half-Hidden. Readers of the Ankulen know of a certain redhead whose father wrote stories about dragons. Well, Half-Hidden is that story. I crack into some heavy topics, and the world building is awesome. This won't be a kids' book, though, and I may be rating it as New Adult, instead of YA like my other writing.

3. Love and Memory. The third book of the Rizkaland Legends. I know that all of you are looking forward to this story ... but boy is it breaking my heart right now. My poor characters. But it's gonna be awesome, too. You guys will probably place me firmly within the ranks of evil authors for this story ... even without killing half the cast.

4. Bookania #6. This book has pirates. And Cinderella. And the Odessey. And the Merchant of Menace. This is one story you guys won't want to miss.

5. Rizkaland #5. While I do like the story of book 4, and you won't want to skip that book - it's the center of the series for a reason, book 5 is the one I'm really looking forward to writing. Convoluted timeline, finding out what happened to a certain character's mother, Clara's Chinese heritage coming in handy ... it's going to be awesome.

6. ROCKS. The first volume of my Superhero Dystopia trilogy. This world is so much fun to write, and I love the subversions it places on its genres. Also, it has such a dynamic cast of characters. Everyone has a story, and the stories are all so interestingly interconnected. Also, Roxanne might get to rule the world. We're currently negotiating the details.

7. Bookania #8. This is a bit of an "It's a Wonderful Life" story. It'll star Robin, and everything'll get turned on its head. I'm looking forward to this. Not a nice alternate world, though. If this were the actual timeline, I wouldn't need Love and Memory to push me into the ranks of evil authors.

8. Sing, Aling. One of my contributions to my sister's sci-fi series, this is a sci-fi retelling of Peter Pan, focusing on the Tinkerbelle character, Aling. The story is turned completely on its head, as Peter and Wendy are established recurring characters throughout the series, and this sprang from my asking the question of "hey, how does Tink factor in?"

9. The Worth of a King. This is the book that Jack and I were writing together, but Jack had to bail on and I'm now rewriting it on my own. Don't miss out, though, because it features an intense cast of characters, awesome worldbuilding, a twisting plot, lots of political drama that leads to relationship drama, and Amber and Granite before Amber took up the Dragon Scale. Yes, a GOOD Amber. I can't wait to write her.

10. Bookania #10. You know how Robin always wanted to run away from home but could never muster the courage? Her daughter doesn't have that problem.

11. Rizkaland #6. The only timeline more convoluted than 5's is 6's. Andrew's younger brother, Kyle, and Kevin's younger sister, Tina, are the main characters. And Tina might have a crush on Andrew. And according to the people scouring my Pinterest board, there are babies involved.

12. The Nine Gems of Virtue. Like Half-Hidden, this story belongs to a secondary character in The Ankulen. I've also stolen this story from my mother. Diverse characters, creative worldbuilding. incredible plot twists. And did I mention that the "Nine Gems" are based on the fruit of the Spirit?

13. Bookania #12. This book ... will involve Maryanne trying to make a new friend ... but instead triggering a curse and she and some of her other friends will have to venture into the unknown parts of Bookania and comfront their worst fears in order to break the curse. It's gonna be awesome, especially the part with the wolves and a certain girl in a red hood.

14. Jessica's Summer. This is an interesting story about a girl who becomes Summer. As in, the season. Yeah, it's gonna be awesome.

15. Bookania #14. This one is a revisit to the alternate timeline of book #8. This time, but a different character. It's going to be great.

16. Rizkaland #7. JEJS. The final book of the series. I have five deaths confirmed for this book. You will cry. You have been warned.

17. The Eternal Queen. This story is mentioned in LDTD, and it will be awesome and intense. And you might find a plot twist involving Laura. You'll love it.

18. Bookania #16. This is probably the ... fourth Bookania plot that I came up with. It mostly involves a Greek myth and Arthurian Legend. Stay tuned.

19. Shut the Door. This is Lucy's story. Yes, the same Lucy that Laura mentioned both in WPFP and LDTD. I was plotting around with the climax and ... it was intense. (And this is one of the annoying stories that have been bothering me with the lack of title, and I just came up with this beauty, and I'm just going to leave all of you guessing as to what it means)

20. Bookania #19. I was talking with a friend about this one the other day. This is my Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling. It's based off of the French version, rather than the Grimm, and may involve a subtle commentary on substance abuse. And grief, love, and what happens when the Happily Ever After crashes and burns. (Also, the fox shows up in this book ... I can't wait to introduce all of you to the fox)

21. Fire and Song. This one came from a random song that I woke up with one day, which I think was vaguely inspired by Frozen. It involves birds and fire. And it's going to be awesome.

22. Infiltration. This book serves as a sort-of bridge between my Rizkaland multiverse and my sisters Sci-fi system. It's inspired by Hobbits, and the plot by an element of the Left Behind series (not the rapture part, but the mark part). How would we behave if there was a physical mark on true believers? Also herbs. I love herbs.

And there we go. Any of these that you're particularly lookign forward to? Anything on my WIP list that you think that I missed?

Happy Birthday, everyone!

(Oh, and I'm looking forward to letting all of you read the edited version of Sew, it's a Quest. I can't believe that Younger Kendra published that mess.)

The Other Books

Rizkaland may be the main series, but it's by no means the full story, today I'd like to talk about the (mostly) non-Rizkan stories that will tie in, and possibly fill in a few gaps in the main series.

First of all, I'd like to note that I have four timelines that I use when ordering these books, as well as the Rizkaland Legends themselves.

1. Rizkaland Timeline, which is the order of things by Rizkan time.
2. Earth Timeline, which is the order of things by Earthen time.
3. Amber's Timeline, which is mostly used when exploring her backstory.
4. Laura's Timeline, which is a convoluted, tangled ball that I usually leave alone, but it's occasionally useful.

Good? Good.

Now to the other books that I have planned that you won't want to miss if you're a loyal Rizkan fan.

1. Worth of a King. This is my cowrite with Jack Lewis Baillot, and pre-fall Amber and Granite play a role in it. I can't say yet what sort of role, but I will say that it is one of the stories that Amber has tucked into her library, and a reference or two to the story may be making a cameo at some point in book 2.

2. Dragon Song. This story is, in part, a companion to Worth - how, I can't say - and it was, at one point, going to be book 3 of the main series. Main characters from book 2 will be making large appearances, but I can't say who, just yet, or how.

3. Adventures of Princess Saffron. I need to finish writing this trilogy. I'm about half-way through the second story ... anyways, Saffron makes an apparance in Dragon Song. 

4. The Eternal Queen. This is another Amber backstory - except this time it reaches even further back and features Queen Amorite, Amber's ancestress, whose meddling trapped the royal line in their immortaity.

5. The New Division. This book begins during the Great Depression in the very orphanage where Andrew's dad later grew up, which becomes the house where Petra and her siblings grew up. It also features some POV from Petra's great-grandmother, Amanda Arden, and then at the end, an a breif cameo of some main characters from the series.

6. The Trilogy of Secrets. Two of the main characters from this series, Collie and Susan, live near Petra and Reuben's houses, and their electricty problem is talked about occassionally in LDTD.

7. Infiltration. Have I talked about my elvings, half elf, half something else, before? If I have, have I told you that the elf that they're descended from Rizkan elves? They are! Also, traces of Rizkan abound throughought their culture - indeed, the name of the world is the Rowa - Rizkan for rainbow.

8. The rest of the Mikida Chronicles. Infiltration is technically part of my sister's scifi series, and although it has the strongest connection, tie-ins abound throughout the whole series. Indeed, the main characters of the Eagle's Logs half of the series are two elvings, and two half-human twins who are descended from characters from the Rizkaland legends. (I don't remember, off the top of my head who the ancestors are, however.)

9. An untitled story about Laura set post-Rizkaland. I can't say much about this story, but it takes place several years after book 7 in the earth timeline, and takes place in the same world as Dragon Song. Also, Lucy is in it.

10. Stolen Ideas. This is the book that I recycled Sandra Elizabeth Nedor into. It's interesting, and I hope to share it someday.

And that doesn't even include the "lesser" legends that didn't make it into the main seven of the series. At the moment, I only know of three for certain, but I wouldn't put it past it for more books to appear.

1. Alphego's Hill - The Story of the Eight and the Ten.
2. Through the Mountain - The story of Amber's attack on Klarand 500 years prior to WPFP.
3. Ear of the People - this is a story set about eight years after WPFP, and is about Jasmine and Karlos.

So there's lots of story to look forward! to!

Christmas Around my Imagination

Merry Christmas!

Okay, first off, to celebrate the holiday season, I have free books. (No surprise there, I'm sure, since I always have free books for Christmas.) Every single one of my short stories are free on kindle through to at least Friday, and a few extend through to Sunday as well. And, TODAY ONLY, The Ankulen is free. Just click the image below, or my amazon tab at the top of the page, and you can find all these wonderful books.

Okay, second, since I'm very nice, I'm going to treat you guys to some worldbuilding from several of my worlds. Christmas style. Now, as much as I love holidays in my own life, but for some strange reason, I'm frequently negligent about including them in my writing. (Because that means I have to keep track of a calender, and my brain just isn't that organized ... if you know what I mean.) However, I do have a few worlds with some version of the gift-giving holiday season, so I'll share those.

Via Pinterest

First of all, we have the Rowa. There, they celebrate the Month of Blessings. As the name suggests, it lasts a whole month, and it is a combination of Christmas and Thanksgiving, and contains a lot of medieval tradition. This is the time of year when they've finished gathering any and all of their crops, and they take the time to thank Yshew for his providence. There's quite a bit of feasting over the course of the month, as they are making sure than any and all perishables are consumed before they spoil. The Rowans are generally nice all year round, but this month especially so. Everyone goes out of their way to help each other, and to share the blessings that Yshew has heaped upon them. It's generally everyone's favorite part of the year.

This is one of the few holiday's that has actually gotten into a book. I've not actually experimented with any of the other holidays, and they're still just theories in my head. Good theories though. I quite like them.

Via Pinterest

I've actually done some pretty good plotting for Bookania's holiday, and I've known about it for about two years now. It's called the Turning of the Page, and is a combination of Christmas, New Years, and Hanukkah. The festival lasts a week, and each day has a different focus, and I'm not sure what all of them are. The last day, however, is for turning over a new leaf, so to speak. Any and all graduations take place this day, most knighting ceremonies take place this day, and most girls chose this day to declare themselves of marriageable age. Gifts are given throughout the week, it's a most joyous occasion. It had been my intention to write a short story about this, but Water Princess, Fire Prince kinda took over my life over the last few weeks.

By the way, the girl pictured here is Rhine, the Cloud Sprite in charge of frost and snow. I actually have all ten of the Cloud Sprites well developed, and I meant to have another one of them show up in Kingdom, but it didn't happen. I will have that particular one make an appearance in book 4, though.

Via Pinterest

Speaking of a world that's taken over my life and all that good stuff. (That reminds me, I forgot to mention that I finished WPFP two days ago. 136,000 words. Now I'm plunging into book 2 because ... I want to have it finished by the time I release WPFP.) I actually didn't know what sort of Christmas they had there until today, and I'm still pretty sketchy on all of the details. I do know that theirs is on the first day of the year, which is in ... hang on a moment, I need to go consult my calendar ... Which is also the first day of summer. They celebrate not only the new year, but the creation of Rizkaland itself. (Because, at the moment, I'm only a thousand years into Rizkan history, they haven't had their Sacrifice yet. One of the three auspicious moments of histories where every world is aligned perfectly. That's a topic for another day.) They give gifts, but that's about all I know. When they crossed it in WPFP, they were in the middle of a war, and Clara and Andrew were in Amber's clutches ... either that or inside the Mountain. I need to work on my calendar. They have ten-month years and eight-week days, and their years are 365 days (exactly, they don't have leap year), but I haven't worked out anything else. I need to sit down with a word processor and set up a graph for this. Anyone know a good FREE program where I can make calendars for fantasy worlds?

I really like this picture by the way, which I found just the other day. You see, I believe I've mentioned that Jeptha was originally a giraffe, and then I changed it to a Jaguar? Well, I wasn't liking that, either, and I didn't want to go with the obvious lion, and I needed something that could be intimidating, so a lamb was out ... I was actually considering an eagle. So I took this issue to my mom, and we talked it out, and we decided that Jeptha was something like a griffon, but not quite. (Hum ... just had a thought, what if I changed Jeptha's name to Alphego? I've not been quite comfortable with Jeptha for a few months now ... I like Alphego, though ... shall have to sit on that one. Alphego's Hill ...) The body of a lion, the wings and head of an eagle, solid white, the body covered with lamb's wool, the head and wings with the feathers of a dove. And then I came across this picture the other day and I was like that's IT.

Anyways, have a merry Christmas, and don't fall off the page. (Robin's personal greeting for the Turning of the Page.)

Twelve Things You Didn't Know About The Rowa

There are twelve days in this party, so each day, I'm going to share twelve things about the featured book that I hadn't shared ever before.



1. At one point in Rowan worldbuilding, the girls got to move into their own houses when they were eighteen (cough, nine actually because of the way they counted their years). No, I'm not sure what my sister and I were thinking, because I'm looking at my nine-year-old cousin, and I would not give her her own house.

2. Infiltration is, to date, my only book with guns. Some of my sci-fis have phasers, and The New Division has some sort of laser, but only Infiltration has an actual gun. (This may change in later Rizkaland Legends, however.)

3. Magnol was partially based on a Chinese kid that I had a crush on at a time. He actually picked out the name.

4. I was acting out a scene with my sister and the cousin who inspired The Ankulen, which was really tense and involved Tiger's Ma not being in their village. And Tiger was panicking and wishing that her Ma was there, so Sweet Gum (the cousin) kept trying to go get her. And when I protested that she was too far away for that to be possible, he came up with a weird reason that I don't remember to say that he could.

5. V has actually written more individual stories about the Rowa, though, thanks to Infiltration, I have more words invested.

6. V had an elving costume. Granted, it was originally a hobbit costume, but it became a elving costume.

7. A story I wrote for Library thing to go with the picture above:

Tiger Lilly Grows a Tiger Lily.

Once upon a time in the Rowa there lived a girl named Tiger Lilly. Now yo may think you know all the breeds there is, but did you know about elvings? One day, her mother Dafidil, her, and her sister Mary Gold to go get some Dafidil bulbs, Tiger Lily bulbs, and Marigold seeds. On the way, they saw Spider Lilly and Snap Dragon. When they got there, she took the two bags of bulbs, and Mary Gold took the packet of seeds. When they got home, they planted them and waited till they grew and when they grew they were pretty.

8. Despite what the two pictures above would lead you to believe, it is Tiger who has hairy feet, while Mary prefers shoes.

9. Tiger at one time was a herbalist, knitter, and a baxter (female baker). I realized that having her good at everything (which is something I *cough* am) would be a bit unrealistic, so I cut back and only let her be an herbalist.

10. During the NaNo that I wrote Infiltration, I asked a fellow NaNoer to do up a cover for the book (because, apparently, that's what you do in NaNo forums.) This was the result. (And for the life of me, I can't remember who she was, or else I would give proper credit.

11. Tiger's Pa is a Scribe because I was trying to find an non-electronic occupation that "Computer Programmer" translates into. Although my dad does preach occasionally on Sunday nights (we don't have an official pastor at my church, so the men rotate), and he does have a radio show on Rapture Ready Radio, so it works.

12. One of Tiger's daughters will have the name Mem Mosa (my favorite flower) the other will have one of the rarest occupations in the Rowa - Finder. Which basically means they find things.

Memorable Worlds: The Rowa

The Rowa

My Experience with this World: 

Here we have another one of my own worlds. The Rowa.

The Rowa is my oldest world, the one I cut my teeth on, and it has, perhaps, changed more than any other world I've ever written. It has also had the the most varied array of adventures in it. I don't remember where the name came from, but I do remember, quite clearly, the morning when I walking into the school room and announced it to my mother and sister. They accepted it as good and we have never looked back.

As I'm sure I've mentioned before, the Rowa was inspired by Middle Earth. My sister and I were obsessed with hobbits, and wanted to write books about them ... but they were, of course, copyrighted, so we made up our own short, hairy-footed peoples called Elvings. They, unlike hobbits, were more adventurous and liked trees.

The main characters of our stories never changed. It was always Tiger Lilly and Mary Gold Bunnitoes. Friends and relations came and went, but we never changed ourselves.

Off the top of my head I can recall three different "sets" of stories that have been set in the Rowa. Originally, our stories were basically our own lives and antics set in this psedo-medieval world. When we got a little brother, so did Tiger and Mary. When we decided to set up a top secret girls-only club with a friend of ours (who will be mentioned again when I talk about Rizkaland, just a heads up!), Tiger, Mary, and Maggie had the same brilliant idea. The only one of those stories that I finished was the Christmas one.

Eventually, however, we tired of those plots, and I began my stick and herb obsession. V must have become interested in the hobbit again. (We had possibly found the old cartoon video and watched) since we decided to go back to our roots and retell The Hobbit.  To say the least, it was interesting, since it involved four elving girls (all of whom were still very young things) instead of old Bilbo, magic sticks (I'm not going to begin to tell you what all they did), pocket knifes (For cutting herbs), and a contest to see who would be the next kings or queens of the Rowa.

That was during our "act out the stories" heyday. It was fun, I'll give it that ... but eventually it went back where it belongs. In a drawer (or perhaps the trashcan, since I have never found the notebook), not to be thought of again until I wrote this post.

The adventure that Tiger will eventually officially take is Infiltration, which was my NaNo of '11. Surprisingly enough, Mary actually wasn't a main character. I blame that on the fact that she lost her sense of adventure and hid with the goats most of the time. I tried to include her more, I really did, but some of the other characters stole the limelight. I will rewrite the book (hopefully next year) and I do plan to draw her out better.

But Inflitration is not the only book that will be set in this world. Tiger's daughters have informed me that they are planning a sequel that involves lots of underground tunnels, and my sister has kidnapped a few of the elvings to take to the stars. It's really quite interesting.

Origin:

Originally, I thought this world was in a separate universe, but my sister informed me that it was not so. In truth, it's part of our universe, and shared our creation. (Err ... pretty much.)

However, Rolimbo was an uninhabited world until ten elves from one of my own world, and ten very short women who had *cough* forgotten *coughcough* everything about themselves except their names. They get married and live happily ever after.

Wait, you say, you just called it Rolimbo! Yes, I did!

You see, the elvings (as they were now called) came from fallen parents, and they were, as a result, fallen, so many of them turned their backs on Yshew (what they call God). Eventually, Yshew got fed up with this and cursed the non-believers (though the how of the cursing is forgotten - it is assumed that it meant that they all died, but there is evidence to suggest that this isn't so). He grew a special Hedge around a good-sized section, and all of the believers went to live there. He gave them Rings of Faith to mark them as His. Since then, the part inside of the Hedge is called The Rowa, and the part outside called Limbo.

Geography:

Geography is not an important element to any of the three books. I really don't know the slightest thing about it, other than what I have already said in the origin part. There aren't even any really cool physics craziness, thanks to my sister insisting that it existed in our own universe. I wanted it to be a inverted sphere world inside our own, but, no. It's over in the Andromeda star system.

Peoples and Culture:

The only inhabitants of this world are the Elvings.  They're half elf, half something else, though there are traces of human DNA in them. This is through the elf side, but I can't tell you how because it's top secret!

There are, however, two different types of elvings, the Rowans and the Limboians (who are, contrary to popular belief very much alive on the other side of the Hedge). The Rowans have a very utopic life. All of them serve Yshew with all of their hearts, for if they fail to believe, they do not get their Rings of Faith on their 24th birthdays. Actually, if you count by Limboian years, they're actually 48, and they only look 12. Complicated, I know. One of the side effects of the Rings is the fact that it extends the life of the wearer. I have done up a nice lengthy post here about all of the ins and outs of Rowan culture, so I shan't say anything more.

Limboian culture, on the other hand, is very different, and actually not unlike our own. Since they don't have those really cool rings, they have put all of their efforts into making up for it with technology. They have cars, telephones, guns, even Hedge Destroyers IX6's! However, none of this truly satisfies them. They choose to take out their anger and dissatisfaction on the Rowans, who are blissfully unaware of their existence, by sending specially trained "Infiltrators" through the Hedge to destroy the faith of the Rowan children who have not yet received their Rings of Faith. Many are successful.

What I like about this world:

Well, obviously I like this world, or otherwise it would have crumbled into non-existence years ago. I love those Elvings. They're such fun, you see. I especially like their Rings, whose original purpose was only as a means of telepathic communication. They're still used for that, but they're now so much more.

What I don't like:

The fact that it must be set in a normal world with normal physics. I don't mind having real plants - I like that part of it, actually. Makes Tiger's herbalism lectures actually informative. But I wanted this world to be an inverted sphere inside of our own globe, the bridge between being the rainbows you can actually catch. You can still get there by catching rainbows ... but now you're travelling several hundred (thousand?) light years across the universe, rather than a few hundred feet.

She did this to Ooladada, too. She's a very frustrating sister, honestly. I should never have let her get addicted to Star Trek. It was a very bad move all around.

Also, I'm finding it frustrating the fact that Infiltration hasn't put itself together properly. As I told my mom, "Why is it that my new stories, Bookania Quests and The Ankulen, flow properly and without any major hiccups ... but when I sit down to write anything set in the Rowa, it just ... fizzles?"

What I learned from this world: 

To take chances and don't be afraid to be weird. The best stories are those whose authors aren't afraid to step out of the box and do something NEW. Besides, if it's too weird, all you have to do is bury the notebook in your backyard and never even think about it again.

And since I don't have a map of The Rowa, I'll share the working cover art for Infiltration. 

These world-building posts are for the promotion of the upcoming release of my book The Ankulen. Feel free to do one yourself, just make sure you refer back to my blog and let your readers know about my upcoming book. If you do write a post, post a link in a comment somewhere on my blog and I'll add you to a giveaway for a copy of my book.

Q and A with my Characters

And now it's time for me to post the answers that my characters gave to the questions you asked them. Some of them were easy to get answers from ... others ... not so much. Robin was a bit miffed that she got picked on. I told her that it was because people liked her. She replied that they were meddlesome people who wanted to put their noses where the don't belong.

In the end, however, she answered the questions.

Thanks to everyone who asked questions, most of my characters enjoyed this.

From the Bookania Quests

Robin:

Robyn Hoode asked: Was sword play instinct, or were you trained?

Um ... that's not something I've ever really considered before. I guess you can say it's a bit of both, since I did have lessons. Actually, Father's had every swordmaster in Bookania come to teach me. But, at the same time, I pick it up so fast, it may well be instinct.

Hmm ... I'll have to think about this one.

Miss Melody Muffin asked: How difficult was Snow to train?

Well, as I tell my mother, I didn't break my neck in the process. But I did tear a few dresses. (I think that's what finally convinced Mother that letting me wear pants was a good idea)


Miss Melody Muffin also asked: Do people ever mix up yours and Robert's names?

Uh ... no. Not that I know of, at least. Well, Kendra does sometimes, but she's Kendra. She mixes up everyone's names.


I asked: Why do you like to put swords in the ceiling?

Because it annoys my opponents.



Robert:
Miss Melody Muffin asked: Because you sew so well, will you make your bride's wedding dress?

It's bad luck for the groom to see his bride's wedding dress before the wedding, so no, I won't make my bride's. I make my sister's wedding dress, though. And Kendra says that, once word gets out of my skill, I'll probably be in high demand.


Eric:
Miss Melody Muffin asked: How many times a day do you and Robin argue when you are together?

Her, almost hourly. Me, not so much.


Samson:
Miss Melody Muffin asked: Are you often teased about singing soprano?

Not so much as thou wouldst think. It wast not thought out of the ordinary until my speaking voice started deepening, and by then ... well, have I mentioned that my twin sister is the strongest person in the world? There aren't many people who wish to risk her anger.


Rosamond:

V. Kathie Ardnek asked: What was your first impression of Robin and Robert?

Well, I wast most grateful to Robin for chasing away the thieves that assailed me, and thought Robert most curtious, even though I thought it strange at first that his sister wore a sword, but not he.



From Infiltration 

Tiger:
Miss Melody Muffin asked: Do you have an herbal use for roses?

Of course. The flowers can be boiled to produce a relaxing steam, and the hips are high in what Vitamin C, and are good for dispelling poisons from the body.


Snap:
Miss Melody Muffin asked: What is your favorite dessert to bake?

Actually, Zinnia handles most of the dessert baking we do ... but I do enjoy making fruit bread that we make during the Month of Blessings.


From The Rizkaland Legends 

Clara:

V. Kathie Ardnek asked: Who is your favorite author?

Not Kendra.

Seriously, I don't read any book that isn't at least forty years old, and most have to be at least a hundred.

My Favorite author, though, I'm not sure. Maybe Jane Austen ... or Robert Louis Stevenson (Kendra ... why are you smirking? You haven't even read any of Stevenson's books all the way through) ... perhaps Mark Twain or Charles Dickens ... There were a lot of good authors in the past ... and no, Kendra, you don't even come close.


Andrew:
V. Kathie Ardnek asked: What is your favorite subject in school?

Oh, I don't know. Maybe science, since I'm good at it.

Though that's mostly because my dad's a scientist and he's been teaching me all sorts of odd facts since forever. Seriously, I could already recite the first half of the periodic table when I entered kindergarten.


From my sister's Sci-fi series. (Because there are two characters there who think they're mine) 

Elsie:
V. Kathie Ardnek asked: Why do you prefer Kenj over me?

Because the moon rises in the west.

Kendra just understands me better than you do, V. You're always pushing me to backstage and locking me into the library and throwing me in the brig. Kendra's the one who likes to jump on pillows with me. 

Oh, and popcorn tastes good. Especially with melted sugar!

The Rowa: A perfect world?

Attention!!! Due to the fact that I just got a job babysitting my cousins on Thursdays, my Birthday Bash has been moved to the 22nd.

The Rowa is my oldest world. I've been working with it, living in it, changing it, developing it since I was ... seven? Yes, I think I was seven.

It's gone through a LOT of changes, as This Story demonstrates. I've set many stories against its backdrop - some innocent, like the story above, some not so innocent. My main character (whose family has pretty much been my one constant) has had pretty much every adventure in the book, and has had skills ranging from cake making to herbalism.

However, as it now stands, the Rowa is my interpretation of what the Church would be like if it was pretty much isolated from the world (which is called Limbo). In other words, it a bit of a utopia.

And, since one of my school assignments is to design my vision of a utopia, I feel justified in presenting to you some world building.

Via Pinterest - The word "Rowa" means
Rainbow in the old Elven Tongue.

The Rowa is inhabited by elvings, which are half elf and half ... they don't know actually. All they know is that it isn't human. The Elves came from a dying world (Rizkaland, if you're interested) and the others ... they had no memory of where they came from. God is called Yshew, and there is a physical mark of whether or not you follow Him - the Rings.

The Rings showed up about a year or two after V and I came up with the elvings themselves. I don't remember whether it was V or me, but one of us had a cheep plastic ring and we wanted to add it to the book. We tossed around ideas for what the rings would do, (including growing plants) and we finally settled on communication. Basically, if Tiger wanted to talk to Mary, and Mary was out in the fields while Tiger was still in the apothecary, all Tiger would have to do is close her eyes, picture Mary's face, and wait for Mary to realize that Tiger is trying to contact her.

Since then, the Rings have become far more important, so important that I almost could have given Infiltration the title Ring of Faith instead. (Oh, grrr.... now I want to change the title ...) Elvings did not always have Rings. When the world was young, it was called Rolimbo, and there was no physical difference between those who follow Yshew, and those who don't. When Yshew built the Hedge, however, which divided Rolimbo into Limbo and the Rowa, He judged the Limboians - and gave the Rings to the Rowans.

With the addition of the greater importance, the Rings have acquired a few more abilities, such as being able to grow an Elving's name-flower or the leaves of their name-tree. The most important ability of the Rings is that it helps with an Elving's life-work. If an elving is an herbalist, it helps her to determine whether or not a particular plant has medicinal properties or not, if an elving is a Eagle Flier, it helps him not get lost. This is mostly done by changing the color of the gem, but some life-works also involve the heating of the gem (such as bakers). They also slow the Elving's aging to one-fourth the rate of the Limboians.

(Years, in the Rowa, are the length of two of ours. So if a Rowan tells you that he's 12, he only looks 6, but he's really 24)

The Rings come in two main categories: Rings of Innocence and Rings of Faith. They do pretty much the same things - communicate with family and friends, grow name-plants, and help with the life-work. However, they mean different things. The Ring of Innocence is given to a child by his or her ma or pa (usually ma ... um, yes, I was highly influenced by Little House on the Prarrie growing up ...) as soon as he or she is born. They will wear this Ring until their twenty-fourth birthday when their Ring fades and they are given the Ring of Faith, usually by their Pa. However, while the receiving of a Ring of Innocence requires only that your parents believe in Yshew, the Ring of Faith requires that you believe in Yshew.

If you don't receive your Ring of Faith, you're exiled to Limbo ... and is considered dead. Nothing lives in Limbo you see.

The Ring is worn on the ring finger of the left hand.

Naming in the Rowa is simple. First names are flowers for girls and trees or bushes for boys. Middle names only exist if the name is break-up-able (such as Mag Nolia, Tiger Lilly and White Oak) and in the early days of world building, it didn't even happen then. (Tiger was Tigerlilly for the longest time). Sometimes an elving will go by both, such as White Oak. Other times an elving will use a form of their first name as a nickname (such as Maggie). In rare instances (in my book at least) they will go simply by their middle name. Last names are handed down the same way ours are, and are based on the Animal Kingdom (Bunnitoes, Elkhyde, Skunktail, Beavertoothe ...). An Elving woman will change their last name upon their marriage.

Via Pinterest

Via Pinterest

Housing in the Rowa is divided into two types - hole and tree, as demonstrated above. All elvings prefer one or another, though they can tolerate either. It has been noted that Tree Elvings tend to be more adventuresome than their hole-preferring fellows. The holes can be used for generations (and there are some notable holes that are said to date back to the days before the division), but the trees are used for 50-100 years at the most. Any variety of tree is used, for the the Rings of the Tree-Builders are capable of growing trees larger than natural, and faster than normal.

Via Pinterest. 

Elvings choose their Life-work at a young age, usually before the age of twenty. If they choose the life-work of one of their parents, it's likely to be even sooner than that. Their Life-work is, in simplest terms, their occupation. It's what they do to help out their community. Some Life-works are common - such as the Farmers, Gardeners, and livestock keepers. Indeed, probably over half of the village is comprised of those. The Seamstresses, Builders (whether they be Hole-Builders or Tree-Builders), Bakers, Baxters, Teachers and the like.  Depending on the size of the village, there may be five to twenty of each of those. Then there are the rarer jobs, of which there are usually no more than two (the master and the apprentice) at a time. There are a few extremely rare Life-works, such as that of the Finder, who tend to be only one to every hundred villages. These include the Doctors, Herbalists, and the Scribes. No Life-work is looked down on. 

Most Life-work belong to just men or just women. Women's Life-works include Gardeners, Seamstresses, Baxters, and Herbalists. The Farmers, Builders, Bakers, Doctors and Scribes are always men. There are a few either-or's, such as Finders and Livestock-keepers, and some of them, such as Herbalists and Doctors, Bakers and Baxters, and Farmers and Gardeners, are merely different sides to the same coin.

There are a few Life-works that are family specific, such as the Scribes and Eaglefliers. The Scribe will aways hand down his Life-work to his eldest son, and all Eaglewing boys are trained as Eaglefliers.

Eaglefliers are the messengers. They are so-called because they ride eagles. (And they must be light-weight to do so, which is why the task is kept in the family.)

No one is paid to do what they do. They do it because they enjoy their Life-work, because of their love for one another, and because of their love of Yshew. The Doctor and Herbalist don't hesitate to cure anyone who comes to them sick, and the Farmers and Gardeners do not hesitate to share the food they grow with those who do things that are not food-related.

Children start school at the age of eight, where they learn the three r's. History is taught by the Scribe on Sundays, which is the day of rest. On that day, no one works (unless it is an emergency) and they instead gather at the Great Hall (the oldest, largest hole in the village, and whether they are inside or outside depends on the whether) to listen to the Scribe read.  Children graduate to fully study their Life-work at the age of twenty-four. How old they are when they are considered masters of their Life-work depends on the Life-work, but it is usually between the age of twenty eight and forty-two.

There is no king in the Rowa. Every village functions pretty much on its own. Neighboring villages tend to be friendly with each other, and the Eaglefliers fly constantly between them. Once or twice a year they'll meet with each other, and it's not uncommon for them to intermarry with each other. When another village is in trouble, surrounding villages will offer whatever help they can give.

Via Pinterest

Villages themselves are governed by a board of elders, which is comprised of every man over the age of sixty. The only exception to this is the Scribe's apprentice, and sometimes (in rare cases) the Scribe himself. Every elder has equal vote, but the Scribe's words carry more weight than the others. The Scribe is the keeper of the legends, prophecies, laws and such, and the recorder of anything important that may be decided. His closes equivalent in our world is a pastor.

If a man or woman refuses to work, they are first examined for their reason why. If the Elders deem their excuse faulty, they are denied the services of their fellows. If they are married and have children, their family is also denied services. If they continue to be stubborn, they will be exiled out of the village - though they are allowed to stay inside the Rowa. Their Ring, however, is discolored by a dye (kindly provided by the Herbalist) that marks them as lazy.

If an Elving is caught stealing, or is convicted of murder, the penalty is death. Executions are done by making the offender drink a painless poison (again provided by the Herbalist). This is not a often-used punishment, however, as offences are rare, as children are taught from an early age to abide by the ten commandments (though they don't call them that.) The ones who don't learn usually end up being the ones who do not get their Ring of Faith.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

And that's pretty much everything. So, yes, that's my personal utopia. However, I do not believe that we will ever have anything that good in our world. We don't have a Hedge separating us from the world, nor do we have Rings to mark us as Christian. Limbo, which is, contrary to Rowan belief, still very much alive, is in a constant state of disorder.

A Writing tag I found

1. When did you start writing?

I have been writing since I understood the concept. However, I didn't start writing seriously until the first Narnia movie came out and I decided that they did a terrible job. So when a friend suggested that we write and preform our own version, I thought it a great idea. And since I was the most adamant about the plot (as well as the eldest of the three of us working on it ... We were going to find more people to play the rest of the parts - honest!) I was elected to do the actual writing.

That play has slowly morphed into what is now The Rizkaland Legends. Very little of Narnia remains.

2. Do you have a soft spot for a particular character (come on, be honest!)?

Um ... let me think about this question ...

Yes.

Her name is Maryanne, and she can get me to do anything she wants me to do. It's a good thing that she has (as a friend put it) a strange sense of fun, and loves it when bad things happen so that she can go on adventures.

I've worked with her from age one and a half to in her late forties/early fifties. She's fun at pretty much any age.

3. If you had to choose between reading and writing, which would you choose?

Oh, grr ... must I chose?
Probably writing. I'd go bonkers if I didn't write.

4. How often do you have to "rush off" to write down an idea before it evaporates?

I don't do this as often as I should ... which results in me loosing so much excellent stuff ... but, usually I just think on the good idea for several minutes to an hour (or all day long if it's really good) until it's crystallized and I don't think I'll forget it. It's not often that I forget something that is too terribly good.

5. Do you plot/outline your book or wing it?

I plot, but it's mostly in my head. I've been known to write down summaries, but that's not terribly often. I know where I'm going, but it's not likely that you're going to see where I'm going.

6. Are you a sucker for happy endings or do you leave your readers in misery?

And they all lived happily ever after ...

I love a good happily ever after - especially the sort that have a wedding or two involved. Sometimes they're a bit bittersweet, or more of a cliff hanger, but usually it's a happily ever after. Not always the happily ever after you might have expected ... but, still, a happily ever after.

7. How protective are you of your novel?

Not very.

Would you like to read over Infiltration or The Ankulen? Feel free to email me (You can find my email on my FAQ's page). Please note that what I'm offering are the rough drafts, and that they're both horrid (especially near the beginnings) and the final form will probably be nothing like what I have. Or, at least, very little like.

8. Plans for publishing eventually? Self-publish or traditional?

*cough, cough* Do I HAVE to answer this one?

9. Are you guilty of using the old cliche plot element? How are you trying to make it fresh?

Oh yes. I live and thrive on cliche. Princesses with RPS (rebellious princess syndrome)? Send 'em here. Knocking kids into magic worlds and telling them they have to save it? I've got several. Self inserts? I'm the master.

However, just because I use cliche doesn't mean that how I use it is cliche. For instance, I always make sure that my my princess has a good reason for rebelling (She accidently got her gift swapped with her twin brother, she caught RPS, her mother was secretly a dragon ...), and self inserts ... well, if they're handled properly, they're fine. Tiger, for instance, is the personification of one of my goals - she's an herbalist. I'd like to be an herbalist. However, I decided to draw the line and not give her my other skills (in early versions she was also a knitter and a baxter (female baker). Now Snap's the baxter ...) and I made sure that she had my flaw.

10. Tell a little about a character you are currently fleshing out.

Oh grr ... umm ... Lillillil or Rikkard ... Lillillil or Rikkard?

I'll do Rikkard. I want Lillillil to remain in mystery for a while longer.

Rikkard is an Alivock, which is a Vulcan-like people who live on the planet Silivock. Like Vulcans, Alivocks prize logic and knowledge, and are telepathic  Unlike Vulcans, they do not shun emotion. However, they feel that it can cloud judgement, so they merely let it have it's place - in privacy. They're also shorter, smaller, and have rounded ears.

Rikkard is a teacher. In specific, a high-thoughts teacher (a rough translation - the Alisili word doesn't translate well to English). This means that he is one of the smarter Alivocks - and for a people who Mensa is dumb ... well, that's saying something.

He's also an explorer, so he decides to make a trek into the unknown. Unfortunately he'll meet with the Silions (a people who prize spontaneity and fun. Physically they're just like the Alivocks, only they're more empathetic and, as I've said before, prize spontaneity. They're plenty smart ... they just don't always seem to use their smarts) and end up their prisoner. He ends up the private tutor to Princess Lillillil (who is convinced that he is in love with her. She's in love with him.) and hilarity ensues.

11. Which is the better chocolate? White, milk, or 75% dark?

White. And if they have peppermint mixed in ...

Let's just say, I got some of those candy cane Hershey kisses for Christmas, and I guard them things with my life.

A Christmas Wish from my Characters.

I've talked with various of my characters and they've agreed to come over and wish all of you Merry Christmas.

Or, well, most of them have. Some I've had to force ... others ... they're going to skip this year.

Some I had to explain what Christmas is, first.

So, anyways, here's some Christmas Wishes from my characters. I've sorted them by book, by the way, oh, and allowed them to interact within book. Sometimes I had to step in and make a comment.

Infiltration:

   Tiger: May the Blessings of Yshew be with you! Kendra says that your Christmas falls during our Month of Blessings, and that's the greeting that we give friends and family during the Month of Blessings. Of course, you're also supposed to do something for your friends and family to bless them as well.
   Snap: And eat up any food that might spoil during winter.
   Tiger: But that's not the point of the Month of Blessings, merely an nice side part. Hum. This internet stuff, I never shall understand why you and Kendra like it so much, Snap. It makes for a very impersonal world. How is one to bless their friends if they're connected only by a glowing screen?
   Snap: Never gave much thought to that, we don't have the Month of Blessings in Limbo.
   Tiger: Oh, well. Oh! I know! We can impart to our friends some of the knowledge that we possess!
   Snap: Sounds good.
   Tiger: Okay, my advice to you is this: a mix of honey and oregano are good for sore throats.
   Snap: And it tastes horrid.
   Tiger: Snap!
   Snap: Oh, well, I guess it's my turn. Hmmmm ... Oh, I know! Never slam the bakery door when you have a cake in the oven. It can cause the cake to fall. I learned that one the hard way.
   Tiger: I'm sure you did.
   Me: I posted a story about Tiger yesterday, for those of you who are interested.

Water Princess, Fire Prince:

   Clara: Marley was dead.
   Andrew: Clara, we're supposed to be wishing Kendra's readers a merry Christmas.
   Clara: Bah, humbug.
   Andrew: *Sigh.* Clara's not usually this way. I think she's upset because Kendra forced her to watch the Barbie version of the Christmas Carol on Saturday.
   Me: Hey! I didn't force her to, I invited her so that we could have some character-author bonding time.
   Clara: Ebeneezer Scrooge is not a famous opera singer.
   Me: And Barbie is not a guy.
   Clara: Bah, humbug.
   Me: Just tell everyone merry Christmas.
   Clara: Fine. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. All that.
   Andrew: Yes, Merry Christmas.

Silivock

   Lillillil: Perisna Soup!
   Rikkard: Princess Lillillil, the term Kendra instructed us to use was Merry Christmas. 
   Lillillil: Kendra doesn't even like the name Mary.
   Rikkard: Lillillil, not Mary, Merry. Its a human term for happy.
   Lillillil: Why should I be happy that it's the birthday of Yova's Son is today and everyone is ignoring Him!!!!
   Rikkard: Kendra has assured us that she and most everyone who reads her blog do not ignore Jesus. The people who ignore Jesus are the ones who also ignore Yova the rest of year.
   Lillillil: Kendra says that they put popcorn on trees for Christmas - and she gave me some popcorn! It's really good! It's even better than Swissa cakes!
   Rikkard: Lillillil, can you stay on topic.
   Lillillil: But Rikkie! I'm tired of the topic!
   Rikkard: Just say "Merry Christmas."
   Lillillil: Popcorn trees!
   Rikkard: Sometimes I don't know why I bother.
   Lillillil: It's because you love me!
   Rikkard: It's because your father will have me killed if I don't ... Merry Christmas.
   Lillillil: Merry Christmas! And he does so love me!

Bookania: 

   Robin: Don't fall off the page.
   Robert: Uh, Robin ...
   Robin: Oh, right! *Eye roll* Happy Turning of the Page!
   Robert: You would think you'd have that down by now.
   Robin: It's just more of that you've got to say this right and not do this wrong rigmarole stuff ...
   Robert: Oh ... never mind. Anyways, Kendra says that since she still doesn't have Do You Take This Quest? ready for release, she'll let you in on a tidbit of world building. We don't celebrate Christmas in Bookania.
   Robin: *snorts* I'm glad we don't. From what Kendra tells us about it, it's weirder than anything we have here.
   Robert: But it's closest equivalent is the Turning of the Page, although New Year's would be a closer equivalent as far as what we're celebrate.
   Robin: Yep. We all get together and talk about the last year and about how it could have gone better or worse, resolve to do better next year, and exchange presents.
   Robert: Pretty much. We also have a feast or two.
   Robin: You haven't told them to not fall off the page.
   Robert: That's Robin's personal greeting for this time. The actual greeting is Happy Turning of the Page. Kendra says that she actually mentioned this festival twice in Do You Take This Quest?
   Robin: And it's not me that mentions it.
   Robert: No, it's not. Kendra says that it's a mystery character who says it.
   Robin: Terrific.

The Ankulen:

   Jen: Thanks so much to Kendra who's allowing us to write this on her blog. Merry Christmas!!!!! I ought to get myself a blog, ought I not?
   Tisha: Oh, yes, that would be such fun!
   Chris: And thanks to Kendra also for letting us wish you a Merry Christmas too!!! Not many people let the imaginary friends of other people write on their blogs!
   Megan: Merry Christmas!
   Derek: Personally, I'm worried about Kendra.
   Jen: Oh, why? She's a nice girl, and very understanding ...
   Derek: She's too understanding. She figured out way too quickly that that story you're writing was real. Crazy real.
   Jen: Well, Kendra's an Anka, too, I guess.
   Derek: Has she shown you her world?
   Jen: No ... but I've read her books. They're very good. Not all Anka and Anku can show their worlds to others beyond the written word.
   Chris: Hey, Derek, have a cookie! *Holds out a Christmas Cookie*
   Derek: *eyes cookie* Let me guess, you made this?
   Chris: I put on the sprinkles.
   Derek: Throws up hands. You've got them as kids again, Jen!
   Jen: Kids are more fun to bake cookies with, Derek.
   Megan: Baking cookies just isn't the same without kids, you know!
   Derek: You're all hopeless! All of you!
   Jen: Hey, let's sing a Christmas Carol!
   Derek: You're changing the subject.
   Jen: Yes, I am. Hey, Kendra wrote a really cool song called "Down in a Manger." Let's sing that!
   Derek: No.
   Jen: Yes! One, two, three -
  *All, with the exception of Derek, sing This Song*

And there we go. No these aren't all of my characters. Indeed it's far from it. They're just the ones I could talk into doing this. And, no, Jen is not aware that she herself is a character, nor are Derek and Megan. They are amusing at times when I talk to them.

Anyways, Have a very Merry Christmas, hope you enjoy whatever you're getting, and have fun!

Oh, and I think I'm going to search my Mom's Computer for a nice picture ...

Or ... Nevermind. I can't find anything on mom's computer. Have a picture of a scarf instead. I've posted this picture before ... but anyways ...

Tigerlilly at Christmas

The following story is probably the first story of any length that I ever finished. I think I was nine or ten. (I'm basing this off the fact that Sugar Maple isn't here, but Starlilly is.)

This is an early writing of what has since become Infiltration. I have modified the world some since then, though, and a few names have been changed. Tigerlilly's name has been split into Tiger Lilly, Marigold has become Mary Gold. Buckhyde became Elkhyde. Christmas is no longer celebrated like this in the Rowa. Instead they have the Month of Blessings (which is a combination of Christmas, Thanksgiving, and perhaps some other holidays).

However, this is a very sweet story (I think, anyways) and it shows how far I've come in my writing.

I have one other bit of completed Tiger Lilly writing dating from this time, but it's written on paper (and has a really cute illustration. I might share it at one point. (I also have several unfinished story starts ... including one that was simply a retelling of The Hobbit ... that one was quickly dropped, though it was the one when Tiger first became an herbalist)

So, without further ado ....

Find some Eggs!

Tigerlilly at Christmas


   Once upon a time in a place called the Rowa lived the Elvings.  The Elvings are half elf and half something else.  Girls are named after flowers, and boys are named after trees and bushes, and last names come from Animal body parts.
   This story is about a girl named Tiger Lilly Bunnietoes.  Tigerlilly had curly brown hair witch she got from her pa, Aspen Bunnietoes, blue eyes, and like most Elvings she had hairy feet.
   Her ma’s name was Daffodil Bunnitoes.  She also had a sister whose name was Marigold Bunnietoes.  She had so many cousins I won’t even begin to name them.
   Every year at Christmas time there is held by one of the high Officers, and every kid gets a present.
   On Christmas Morning Tigerlilly would run downstairs, but not to see what’s under the tree, they don’t even have tree.  She’s running downstairs to start breakfast.  When every one is up and breakfast has been eaten then it’s present time.  There present time is much different than ours, it begins with present hiding, one at a time they hide a present in others room, then it’s find time.  “I’d like to know why we do Christmas this way.”  Tigerlilly said once.  
   Her ma answered, “On the first Christmas long before I was even born, the Shepard’s just had to find Jesus and they only one clue, the clue was that he was in a stable, but witch one?  The reason why we follow stars to find the nativity Jesus is because The Wise men followed the star to find the real Jesus.” 
   “Speaking of stars,” said Aspen  “It’s time to do the stars.”  So Aspen took out the hunk of stars and put them in a line. Then when they led to the nativity Jesus he said to young Marigold, “The trick is to follow the stars.” Tigerlilly and Daffodil followed on behind.
   After they found the nativity Jesus it was lunchtime and they went to the place where everyone ate on Christmas day called the Food Center. They had a grand feast and afterwards Tigerlilly went and played outside with her friends Magnolia and Blueberry Eaglewing.  They had a grand time playing zoom tag I guess you need to know what zoom tag is. It is a form of tag played by the Elvings; first you have the player that was chosen to tag first hold still for ten seconds and then run around and tag anther player then that player dose the same. When the thing is over she and her sister receives a present each.  Marigold got a sewing kit and Tigerlilly got some cooking utincles.  Then they headed home.
   When they got home they went strait to Grandma and Grandpa Buckhyd’s compartment in their tree home.  Tigerlilly ran strait for Aunt Paintbrush and gave her a big hug.  Marigold ran strait for Aunt Wisteria and asked if she could hold Baby Starlilly, Starlilly was Aunt Wisteria’s new baby. Everyone was there including Tigerlilly’s cousins from the far north of the Rowa. Everyone there got a nice present. It was fun, but Tigerlilly was getting very tired, so they went to their rooms and went to sleep.
   Tiger Lilly wondered what next year would bring. Would it be a nice one too? Would the Rowa be the same?  Soon she went to sleep, ready for the next day and what it would bring her and her family and friends.


The End

A thingy where I answer questions about What I'm Writing.

I was reading around the back posts on Anne-Girl's Blog (wanted to know more about one of the books she is writing) and discovered this tag thing. Hmmmm ... I thought. Sounded like fun.

I'm going to answer questions about the four stories that are bugging me right now ... Do You Take This Quest?; Infiltration; Water Princess, Fire Prince; and The Ankulen. 

1. What’s your word count?

DYTTQ: Around 43,500 words at the moment.
I: 32,433
WPFP: The computer version is 17,855 words ... however, I'm estimating the notebook version to be somewhere over 50,000.
TA: 43,338

2. How long until you finish? 

DYTTQ: Writing part is done, editing will, I hope, be done before Christmas.
I: It needs rewritten. Don't know when I'll get around to it.
WPFP: No clue. Probably will finish the notebook version first, though ...
TA: Writing is done, is waiting for me to get to editing it.


3. If you have finished, how long did it take you? 

DYTTQ: From the time that I started the version that I ended up finishing, about six months (I'm estimating)
I: This was a NaNo ... of course, it took about a month after that before I was finally able to summon up the brain power to write the last 1,500 or so words.
TA: Six months if I remember right ...

4. Do you have an outline?

DYTTQ: I had a summary ... didn't completely follow it though, because I had written it before Arthur.
I: No.
WPFP: That's what the notebook version is for, right?
TA: Nope.

5. Do you have a plot?

More or less on all of them. I would say that the DYTTQ was the best plotted, while I was the worst.

6. How many words do you typically write a day? 

500-1000

7. What was your greatest word count in one day? 

Hmmm ... 4,000, if I remember right.

8. What was your least impressive word count in one day?

When I actually wrote something? 1.

9. What inspired you to write?

DYTTQ: Needed a sequel to Sew. 
I: My sister and I came up with Elvings when we were little. I wanted to write about them.
WPFP: One night, when I had a headache, I stepped into the shower and wondered what it would be like if I were to be suddenly under a waterfall in a Narnia-like world, and was declared the Waterfall Princess.
TA: A play my cousin and I were trying to write.

10. Does your novel have a theme song?

DYTTQ: Here comes the Bride ...
I: Bring the light! The Blessed Gospel light ...
WPFP: Don't think so ...
TA: Same here.

11. Assign each of your major characters a theme song.

Madeleine: Hmmm ... She has a song written about her ... "Oh, for the gaze ..." Nevermind. She's already beat red.
Arthur: I don't know ...
Tiger: This is my Father's World.
Snap: Amazing Grace
Clara: Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting!
Andrew: The Periodic Table set to music?
Jen: First I close my eyes and dream it ... (from Blues Clues)

12. Which character is most like you?

DYTTQ: I'll go with Madeleine. We look a lot a like.
I: Tiger. Tiger was based on me.
WPFP: Clara, maybe. We both prefer books to movies.
TA: Jen. We both love to make up things.

13. Which character would you most likely be friends with? 

DYTTQ: Madeleine, probably.
I: Tiger. She'd teach me about herbs.
WPFP: Jasmine. I'm better with younger kids.
TA: Jen. We'd make up stories together!

These Eggs are for eating!

14. Do you have a Gary-Stu or Mary Sue character?

DYTTQ: I hope not.
I: No.
WPFP: Clara teetered on that edge for a while.
TA: You can say the Tisha and Chris are ... but they aren't perfect. A five to six year old came up with them.

15. Who is your favorite character in your novel?

DYTTQ: Madeleine
I: Snap.
WPFP: 'Tis close between Clara and Jasmine.
TA: Jen.

16. Have your characters ever done something completely unexpected? 

DYTTQ: Madeleine got embarrassed before I was ready for her to, and ran for cover of a curtain.
I: Snap and Tiger discovered my existence.
WPFP: Knowing Clara, probably.
TA: One character suddenly decided to be heroic on me.

17. Have you based any of your novel directly on personal experiences?

There are scenes in all of them drawn directly from life. None of them, however, are my life. (I comes closest though ...)

18. Do you believe in plot bunnies ?

If they take me somewhere good.

19. Is there magic in your novel?

Yes. All of them. It's more like Narnia or Middle Earth magic, though.

20. Are any holidays celebrated in your novel?

DYTTQ: Ummm ... there's a wedding. Does that count?
I: The Day of Remembrance and the Month of Blessings
WPFP: 'Tis likely one will happen. Haven't had one yet, though.
TA: There's Jen has returned day. (in so many words)

21. Does anyone die? 

DYTTQ: Nah, I'm saving that for book 3.
I: Four characters. Two of which at the very end. Actually, more characters die, but I'm not acquainted with them.
WPFP: 'Tis likely. There's a war.
TA: The monster.

22. How many cups of coffee/tea have you consumed during your writing experience?

Only what my mom and sister have forced down my throat.

23. What is the latest you have stayed up writing?

Four in the morning, I believe. I was on a roll that night.

24. What is the best line? 

DYTTQ: . “Yes, I’m fine,” she said, then smiled ruefully. “I just forgot that I have to move my feet in order to go anywhere.”
I: “SNAP!” exclaimed Magnol. “We were supposed to only destroy it with permission!” “Well, he was trying to destroy us without permission!” retorted Snap.
WPFP: “Oh,” said the girl. “Well, don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone!” Then she added under her breath, “Just wait ‘till Mable hears this one!” “I thought you said you wouldn’t tell anyone,” said Clara. “Oh,” said the girl, “Mable isn’t anyone. She’s my dog.”
TA: “Well, if you haven’t written anything, how can you call it writing?”

25. What is the saddest line?

DYTTQ: All Madeleine could do was watch, and remember. Remember the day that her own twin brother had ridden off and she had been unable to follow.
I: He didn’t have a Ring, and he had taken his own life.
WPFP: One of the lines where Andrew talks about his mother. I don't have the notebook at the moment, and I haven't gotten there on the computer.
TA: “See,” said Tisha, noticing my shaking head. “She doesn’t even remember the Ankulen. She’s forgotten everything.”

26. Have you dreamed about your novel or its characters?

DYTTQ: I dreamed about it four times I believe in the aftermath of writing Book1 for Nano two years ago.
I: No, I don't remember ever doing so. I might have a long, long time ago, though.
WPFP: I once dreamed about writing the series. I'm serious! I found a desk, opened the drawer, found the notebooks, and started writing.
TA: Nope

27. Does your novel rely heavily on allegory?

DYTTQ: Nope.
I: Yep.
WPFP: Somewhat. Not so much as book 2 will.
TA: Yep.

28. Summarize your novel in under fifteen words.

DYTTQ: Finding allies and getting home for the wedding.
I: Infiltrating the Rowa, bringing good news to Limbo.
WPFP: Fall into strange world, fight the dragon, become rulers.
TA: A girl's quest to restore her lost imagination.

29. Do you love all your characters? 

Pretty much. I don't like the creature that's eating Jen's imagination, though.

30. Have you done something sadistic or cruel to your characters specifically to increase your word count?

It's quite possible, especially during my early writing.

31. What was the last thing your main character ate?  

DYTTQ: Wedding feast
I: Wedding feast.
WPFP: Royal banquet.
TA: Spaghetti

32. Describe your main character in three words. 

Madeleine: Tease. Artist. Older.
Arthur: Young displaced heir.
Tiger: Herbs. Rowan. Innocent.
Snap: Infiltrator. Confused. Loyal.
Clara: Catlike. Classics. Unexpected.
Andrew: Steady. Science. Organized.
Jen: Searching. Confused. Playful.

33. What would your antagonist dress up as for Halloween?

They don't celebrate Halloween, any of them. Amber would be a dragon, though.

34. Does anyone in your story go to a place of worship?

DYTTQ: Umm ... marriage in the castle chapel, but other than that, no.
I: There really isn't any specific place that the Rowans worship.
WPFP: Frequently.
TA: Not in the book, but Jen does attend church regularly.

35. How many romantic relationships take place in your novel?

DYTTQ: Do I have to count them?
I: Three.
WPFP: Two and a half.
TA: Two. One's an old one, the other's a new one. Both are between characters in Jen's Imagination.

36. Are there any explosions in your novel?

DYTTQ: Please do not give Vernon any ideas. Please?
I: One.
WPFP: 'Tis Likely.
TA: Nope.

 37. Is there an apocalypse in your novel?

DYTTQ: There is no end to Bookania.
I: Nah, they're still a good ways away from theirs. Not 'til Tiger's an old woman.
WPFP: That's book 7.
TA: Almost.

38. Does your novel take place in a post-apocalyptic world?

DYTTQ: No.
I: In a way, yes. The elves came from a destroyed world.
WPFP: No.
TA: No.

39. Are there zombies, vampires or werewolves in your novel?

No.

40. Are there witches, wizards or mythological creatures/figures in your novel?

DYTTQ: There are Sand Witches, Fairies and Cloud Sprites.
I: Elvings are half elf.
WPFP: Elves.
TA: Flower fairies.

41. Is anyone reincarnated?

No.

42. Is anyone physically ailed?

No, I don't think so. Tiger's an herbalist, though, so she treats ailments.

43. Is anyone mentally ill?

Many people think that the old man is. Jen has a creature eating her imagination.

44. Does anyone have swine flu?

No.

45. Who has pets in your novel and what are they?

Pretty much everyone has a horse in DYTTQ, but other than that, no.

46. Are there angels, demons, or any religious references/figures in your novel? 

There are in TA.

47. How about political figures?

DYTTQ: It revolves around Royalty.
I: Um ... I don't think so. Politics doesn't really come into play in the book.
WPFP: Plenty of Royalty.
TA: Not really.

48. Is there incessant drinking?

No.

49. Are there board games? If so, which ones? 

Chess in DYTTQ. Don't remember any in the others, though.

50. Are there any dream sequences?

A few in TA, and one in WPFP.

51. Is there humor?

I cannot write without humor

52. Is there tragedy?

Some. Especially I.

53. Does anyone have a temper tantrum?

Shira throws a few tantrums. Clara probably will as well, if I push her over the edge.

54. How many characters end up married at the end of your novel?

DYTTQ: There's a double wedding at the end.
I: A double wedding, and then a single wedding.
WPFP: None. But two characters are tied, which is almost the same thing.
TA: A double wedding.

I like double weddings for some odd reason.

55. Is anyone in your novel adopted?

DYTTQ: One character is, but doesn't know it. He suspects it at this point, but he doesn't know it.
I: Snap is, in a way.
WPFP: No, but Andrew's dad had been an orphan.
TA: Yes. Four of the characters. It's an essential part of the plot.

56. Does anyone in your novel wear glasses? 

DYTTQ: No, but one character needs them.
I: It is likely that one of the Limboians does.
WPFP: Nope. Unless it's Andrew's dad.
TA: The Main Character. And then I forgot all about them ...

57. Has your novel provided insight about your life?

I don't know. Probably.

58. Your personality?

Same as above.

59. Has your novel inspired anyone?

Not any of these. Sew has, however.

60. How many people have asked to read your novel?

I don't know.

61. Have you drawn any of your characters?

Plenty of times. Only way I can nail down my character's faces. I'm a horrid artist though.

62. Has anyone drawn your characters for you
  
Two of my cousins drew Eric

63. Does anyone vomit in your novels?


DYTTQ: No.
I: Possible.
WPFP: I think Andrew did ... but I'm not sure.
TA: No.


64. Does anyone bleed in your novel?


DYTTQ: No.
I: Yep. Tiger put Spider web on the wound.
WPFP: Yep.
TA: Yep.


65. Do any of your characters watch TV?


DYTTQ: There is no TV in Bookania
I: Snap used to.
WPFP: Clara despises TV. Andrew watches the educational channels.
TA: Nope. It exists, but they don't own one.


66. What size shoe does your main character wear?


I honestly don't know. Tiger doesn't wear shoes. That's all I know.


67. Do any of the characters in your novel use a computer?


DYTTQ: Nope.
I: Snap does
WPFP: More or less.
TA: There is referrence to a computer at the end


68. How would you react if your novel was erased entirely?


DYTTQ: Panic.
I: Shrug. I needed to start over anyways.
WPFP: I wasn't too far in. I can just start over.
TA: Panic


69. Did you cry at killing off any of your characters?


Not really, I was sad though. (I don't really cry for any reason.)


70. Did you cheer when killing off one of your characters?

The creature that was eating the imagination, yes.

71. What advice would you give to a fellow writer.

Type as fast as you can. It's right behind you.

72. Describe your ending in three words.


DYTTQ: Happily Ever after
I: Bitter Sweet. Hope
WPFP: Home again. Changed.
TA: True ever after


73. Are there any love triangles, squares, hexagons, etc.?

There are echos of some. They're not bad, though.

74. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being the least stressful, 10 being the most) how does your stress rank?

5-6. But, except when it comes to the editing of DYTTQ, it's mostly from other things.

75. Was it worth it?

Of course.


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To read more about the stories, see my WIP page.