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Showing posts from August, 2011

Tales from Frewyn: Reporter from Marridon novella

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TA DA! In honour of the MONTH-LONG Commander and Den Asaan tour, the new Haanta Series novella, Reporter from Marridon, is only 1$. Thank you to Twisk for making the cover!!! Here is the description: A reporter from Marridon, Frewyn's advanced and allied nation to the north, is dispatched to Diras to meet with the famous Commander and Den Asaan, heroes and saviours of the Two Continents. It would seem to be a simple task, to ask a few questions of the strange woman and giant, but when the reporter slights the king's personal guard, he finds that getting a story to print may be harder than previously conceived.

Boudicca MacDaede: as drawn by Twisk and coloured by Gaspare

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Many a time, readers do really nice things. Artist Gaspare did this really lovely colouring of Twisk's illustration and I just had to show it. :D

Khantara excerpt

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Khantara, the first standalone in the series, is about Rautu's father and mother. Here is a small excerpt. Enjoy!  The instant Khantara began to walk the short path to the barracks he was attacked by swarms of wrens and sparrows from the nearby willows, all of them in a flutter to have their turn to speak to the gentle mountain. The owls and nighthawks had taken his evening and now it was only fair that they should have his morning to themselves. He must hear of their new nests and warbling chicks and horrid neighbors, and they were going to claims their perches on his head and shoulders and tell him whether he wished to listen or to ignore them accordingly. He would listen, however; the quick and nervous conversation of the sparrows was often one-sided and he was therefore required to do nothing but allow them to nest in his hair and continue walking. The wrens, however, were lest content to permit him to be indifferent: they would have him hear of every rude caterpillar and impu

First Look: Reporter from Marridon cover WIP

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Tales from Frewyn: The Reporter from Marridon will be the FREE Haanta Series novella starring characters from books 1-6 of the series. To the right is a first look at Mureadh, who will be on the cover of the new novella. His sword is so cool that my eyes cannot help from tearing up at its awesomeness. As drawn by Twisk. :D

Story for the Day: Kai Linaa's Morning

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Kai Linaa's Morning                 The following morning, Kai Linaa set out to perform her tasks along the shore, but it would be a difficult office to fulfill; her mind was aflutter with what had passed the night before. As she went to the garden well and filled her waterskin, his face was everywhere. She saw him in the trees, perceived his voice on the wind, turned about once or twice in hopes of catching him sneaking upon her, could not wait to be thrown over by him in surprise, looked down into the well waters to see if he were standing behind her from above, but all this was fancy. He could not be there now, for his training and his teaching had called him away. He had even told her so, but she would not believe it. She would rather have him forever hovering near her, waiting to thrill her with a hunt and a capture, but she must own that work must be done, and she therefore left the garden with the sincerest aspiration of seeing the grey mountain during his practices with

Silence and solitude

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Authors do everything to either observe society or ignore it. Silence is our most precious commodity, and though many might feel that we are reclusive, they cannot see the sometimes hundreds of characters that we can. I had such a stressful day that when I was left to myself, I had to express it in the following: the peaceable silence  the quiet rapture  the boundless equanimity  found in an excellent tea  a pen, a paper  and one scowl from the most divine creature in the world:  All my affection is in his pout  and all my security is in the page Twisk says it sounds like poem. Odd that I should abominate poetry.

Story for the Day: Alasdair and Carrigh

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Here is a small piece from the beginning of Alasdair's relationship: It had been a wondrous journey to Hallanys: Mrs Averleigh’s permission and happiness had been secured, Carrigh's worries on her mother's account had been assuaged, and Alasdair, having been treated like a son, was now disposed to enjoy their long venture back to the keep.                  In the privacy of the closed carriage, they were at liberty to express their easy tempers: they talked, they laughed, they were playful with one another. They had spent the night in each other's quiet security, and now that they were able to speak of the event with warmth and happiness for knowing that there was only more to attend the gaieties of the evening previous, their recollection made ride back to the capital a most joyous endeavour. Their raillery together was a reflection of their budding acquaintance: charitable with subjects, free from opinionate conjectures, and though Carrigh's speech was still l

Story for the Day: The Interview: Part 5

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The last part of the Reporter from Marridon story. Enjoy! Part 5                 The reporter groveled in terror when the giant was standing before him: arms built, features austere, a sword so gargantuan, a trove of trappings so varied and astounding as he had never before seen. The giant’s black and violet eyes and intimidating glare were enough to silence him, and though he wished to abscond and hide behind a nearby tree, his notions could not govern his frozen legs.                 The commander held out her hand and the giant made a curt bow without lowering his eyes. “I would like you to meet my mate. Here is the affable Den Asaan Rautu, prepared to answer all of your inquiries with smiling agreement.” She paused and heard a few whimpers from the shivering reporter. “What? Have you nothing to ask? A moment ago you were brimming with questions. I believe you asked about Khopra. My mate shall be happy to illuminate your understanding.”                 “Come, woman,” the giant bel

Why I love Mondays

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Mondays are amazing. Why? I always have excellent luck on a Monday: always manage to write more than 10,000 words; always get something fun in the mail; always have the most silence, and here I'll prove it to you.  So. What is this? This is the paperback version of  Commander and Den Asaan Vol 1!!! Sent to me by my publisher. YAY! But, before I give a copy to the library, what lo! What is this? Aha! Sent to be my a dear friend and reader, the Commander and Den Asaan Vol 2 cast: Captain Connors, Alasdair and Mad Queen Maeve the horse, the commander and the Den Asaan, who resents being green. And now, I'm off to donate some books and write over 10,000 words! Happy Monday!

Story of the Day: The Importance of Breakfast

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The Importance of Breakfast                 Though in Frewyn breakfast was widely believed to be the most important meal of the day, there were those who were determined to feel otherwise. While the various farmers in Tyferrim, the yeoman in Castle Diras and peasantry all about the Frewyn countryside  enjoyed their hearty morning meals of oat porridge, cold sausage pies, smoked bacon and coddles eggs, there were few who declared themselves sated by only having a bite of toast and a sip of tea. These, however, were usually those of foreign ancestry, for even the Frewyn nobles were disposed to have a small basin of gruel when their delicate stomachs warranted some nourishment. Those from Livanon enjoyed their sweets in the morning, expatiating the horrid state of their teeth; those from the islands reveled in their Sindhaas and Phoraas, much to the chagrin of those who disliked them; those from Marridon delighted in their baked beans and poached egg; and those from Lucentia would follow

Story for the Day: The Interview: Part 4

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Part 4 of Tales from Frewyn: the Reporter from Marridon.                 When the sun began to rise the following morning, the commander roused from her short sleep early to tend to the reporter’s summons. Rautu, unused to see her dress before sunrise unless she had been up throughout the night and eager to claim his right for Khopra, asked her where she was going at such an unusual hour.                 “I am going somewhere that shall promise no satisfaction on your account, Iimon Ghaala,” she assured the giant.                 Eager and prepared for his woman, Rautu grunted in disdain for having his morning comfort being taken from him. “I will accompany you to the gate,” he purred, remarking his woman fondly.                 She stood close to the giant and pressed her chest against him to incite his hunger. “And no demand for Khopra?” she said softly, her eyes twinkling.                 Rautu gripped her hair by the end and coiled it around his wrist, pulling her head back and