Unfortunately...

Yep... I have to do it again. This time, however, I am finally going to write a short heads-up post.

Life got overwhelming, really fast. Beyond issues at the workplace, my school load piling higher and higher, concerns about my future, minor health issues, and so on and so forth; I can't really bring myself to focus on much writing let alone blogging.

I'm hoping to get most of these issues figured out by the end of October. So, until then, I wouldn't expect to see much here.

-----

On a happier note, most of you will already know this if you're friends with me on Facebook, but... I finished the book series I've been writing!

It's the book series this blog is named for, in fact - the Flame Cycle. I've been writing this series since I was 11 years old. Nine years of writing, four novels, and an incredible journey. 

Now, I have a ton of editing to do, but the fact I've hit the finish line on all of the first drafts is pretty intense for me since this series is what got me into writing as a professional goal (I had written just as a hobby before). These characters have been with me through everything - my crappy junior high years, enduring high school, graduating with me out of high school and out of my community college...

Their stories may be "over," but I doubt I'll ever let them go. No author should ever let their stories go, even if they move onto something else. When you pour your heart into something you've written, you can't step back and just move on. You'll always leave a piece of yourself with that work.

That's why it's so wonderful to be a writer. When you write, you're giving yourself to the words, and in essence giving a part of yourself to your readers. It's one of the most magical things about writing.

-----

And with that, I'm going to end it here. I'll see you guys as soon as I can figure everything out and, if I can, I'll try to slide in a post here or there. Remember why you write and keep at it. (: Write on!

~~~I will still be posting for Danielle Shipley's FINAL BOOK of The Wilderhark Tales! Don't forget to check back in for those and go see more information on her blog!~~~

Random Monday: Only Two Posts in 2014 - How Uncool!

A year with no posting?! For shame!


Since my creator has such a terrible time keeping up, I'll contribute a post. Hi, I'm Ashley, and I'm the protagonist of the Flame Cycle Saga, which this blog is so named for. So, to keep this short, here's a Random Monday, which used to fit the schedule so well. By random I mean my author only wants me to do a general update of stuff. So, here goes.


A list of happenings in the author's life -
- School
- More school
- Lots of school
- Work
- More work
- Almost getting electrocuted/set on fire at work
- Other life matters


A list of happening in the character's life -
- Illegal cross-ocean journeys
- Heart-to-hearts
- Exploring places unseen for 2000 years
- Talking to Greek gods and goddesses
- It seems fun, but it's not.


So, with that, there's the update. If anyone still reads, lemme know in the comments what's going on for you characters and your authors! Also, another well-wishing for NaNoWriMo. My creator desires to offer an extension for writing buddies, so her profile name is:


kconine57715


Some others you might buddy up with areeee -
Mastermaid22 [everonword.wordpress.com]
ZG Writer [keytoeden.BlogSpot.com]
and Kela McClelland - she's not doing a NaNo project this year that we know of, but it'd be fun to buddy with her regardless! [teardropsonmybook.BlogSpot.com]


Have a happy Monday, friends!! Ashley Vaandere out!
[There's a formatting issue that hasn't been solved quite yet. Why does a double-space look like a triple-space? No fun.]

Book Review: Inspired by Danielle E. Shipley (& Where Have I Been!?)

Title: Inspired

Author: Danielle E. Shipley

Number of Pages: e-book

Rating: 4/5

Date to-be Published: March 17, 2014

Goodreads Link

 

SUMMARY

For a muse like Lucianíel, one story’s end is another’s beginning.

In the wake of his author’s sudden death, Luc takes ownership of her surviving creations—four fantastical characters with tales yet to be told—saving them from unwritten lives crumbling around them and giving them a second chance at a literary future.

Luc finds that chance in the unsuspecting mind of Annabelle Iole Gray, a quirky teen with her head in the clouds, nose in a book, and imagination ripe for a brilliant muse’s inspiration.

Or so he hopes.

Neither Luc nor Annabelle, however, realize all they’ve undertaken. Even with a to-write list including accounts of a shape-shifting cat creature, gentle knight-in-training, vigilante skater girl, and a mystery boy smothering in unspoken fear, the most remarkable saga created between author and muse just may turn out to be one stranger than fiction.

Their own.



REVIEW

Summer classes started when I said I started this, and I didn't have time to read... Let me tell you what, cramming five months worth of classes into two months is no walk in the park.

I finally sat down to read this yesterday, and the first few chapters were, surprisingly, a bit grueling for me. Trying to keep up with each different character's personality and Luc's rushed explanations were a bit daunting, up until we meet Annabelle. From there on, I could not put this book down. I laughed. I despaired. I wanted to hug each and every character. Each one had such a different charisma you felt a different love for each and every character, and THAT is why I love Danielle Shipley's books. Her characters are so DIVERSE! I'm sure she'll blush if/when she reads this, but I could very honestly say her characterization is on par with JK Rowling.


SPOILERS AHEAD
(view spoiler)I didn't even know Yves' backstory yet, and I already just wanted to hug the crap out of him every time he spoke. Uri's attitude, Wilbur's amity, Luc's openness, Abishan's love for Annabelle (that was adorable!!), and Annabelle's - well, everything about her was terrific. The pacing of the story was fantastic, as usual, and the twists and turns were both expected and unexpected - enough to keep the reader on their toes.

I'd be a liar if I said this book didn't have its cons, though. Some points got a bit rambly, and those mainly belonged to Annabelle's writing. I can understand why, and how, for that was just her character and she was learning. That didn't change that I had to fight not to skim a few times.

I also felt like the main premise of the story was... I don't really know how to explain it. I feel cruel to say that Luc was acting parasitic, but I don't know how else to say it. I understand, I mean, and I LOVED the premise, but I just felt like it was almost cruel. MAINLY because Luc seemed to, I don't know, kick Annabelle's old muse(?) out and he was never heard of again. Despite that, the ultimate relationship was symbiotic, so it wasn't exactly a horrible point, but it had its moments where you just wonder...

Somewhat branching off of that, Annabelle's and Luc's relationship deteriorates later, and it struck me as odd as how Annabelle was willing to ignore her characters so quickly, and how easily Luc told her she was replaceable. I never once saw my characters like that - but hey, that IS just me. I've always loved my muse and always looked forward to seeing him (for I do have a muse that often pops up in dreams!) and I don't think I could just toss him in a pit of darkness like that - though, if he spoke to me as Luc had to Annabelle... *Shrugs* I'm not sure what I'm trying to say here. Maybe just that Annabelle's sudden cruelty to Luc and vice versa was unprecedented. Luc's demand that Annabelle write his story and Jean's seemed unreasonable to me. THIS, however, is just my problem as a reader, and should not let any possible readers detract their possibility of reading it. Because if you haven't read it yet and plan to, why are you reading this? Get out of here, there are spoilers here! :P

Final nag: I felt like Yves' arc went too fast. The end of the book itself went too fast. I got...very lost. What I essentially understood was that Yves and Avelaine were one and the same, but were his three short stories one and the same as well? If Avelaine was a dancer because of his parents, when did Yves fall in love with Lucille and get Streetcar? Were they separate beings for the sake of Annabelle's lesson? (Which was AWESOME, by the way, I loved her learning the hard way that some characters have sad endings.) I also lost sense of where the mask came into it in the circus blaze. Maybe I was reading too fast? No doubt I'll reread this later, so this opinion could change.
SPOILERS END

Altogether, this book was fantastic. As I said before, the characterization was out-of-this-world, the pacing was phenomenal, as both are expected from Danielle Shipley at this point, the premise was well-thought and creative, and the story itself was just enchanting. The tale did have a few stalling points, as mentioned, but with the overall quality of the book, they could be forgiven, as seen from the four-star rating. As always, my expectations have been exceeded, and I eagerly await Danielle's next addition to her family of characters.


----~-----~----~----~----


Where Have I Been?!


School, work, scholarships, procrastination? All are valid answers. My writing is getting a little bit more into the flow now. As mentioned above I took some summer classes, and those were time-consuming. Work has been hectic as we've been undergoing massive staff changes and been shorthanded, so I've had to take several hours. I'm preparing to go to a university, so I'm doing what I can to fill out scholarships in hopes of avoiding loans I worry I won't be able to pay back. And then, yeah, laziness/procrastination. Why write blog posts when I could, I don't know, watch Orange is the New Black or play the Sims? Haha... Yeah, that happened.


I'm not going back into posting on here with high expectations. What I'm going to try to do is just make SMALL posts. And by small, I mean maybe one or two paragraphs. Maybe this will work out for the better of us. Those of us who are busy will only have a little to read, and maybe - just maybe - I can keep up. Not making any promises. We've seen where that gets us (:


I hope everyone who sees this is doing well and let me know how you are in the comments if you so desire! Let's try to keep the rest of 2014 semi-productive!

BRT: The Stone Kingdom by Danielle E. Shipley [ARC]

 

Title: The Stone Kingdom

Author: Danielle E. Shipley

Number of Pages: 179

Rating: 5/5!

Date to-be Published: September 20, 2013

 

SUMMARY

“Love and prince,
Both true, wed rose of white in realm of stone;
For blood begins,
But naught can be put right by blood alone.”

One thoughtless act is all it takes to bring the curse threatened on Rosalba’s christening day to pass. Now the princess must combine her desperate determination with the service of benevolent tailor Edgwyn Wyle to find the second half of the key to her kingdom’s restoration.

<> ~ <> ~ <>

An enchantress’s curse turns a spoiled royal into a beast; a princess’s pricked finger places her under a hundred-year spell; bales of straw are spun as golden as the singing harp whisked down a giant beanstalk – all within sight of Wilderhark, the forest that’s seen it all.

You’ve heard the stories – of young men scaling rope-like braids to assist the tower-bound damsel; of gorgeous gowns appearing just in time for a midnight ball; of frog princes, and swan princes,and princes saved from drowning by maidens of the sea. Tales of magic. Tales of adventure. Most of all, tales of true love.

Once upon a time, you knew them as fairytales. Know them now as Wilderhark’s.

 

REVIEW

Ah, Danielle has done it again. *Slow claps* I swear, she must take classes on how to twist all of these words into clever incantations and riddles! Either that, or she is the teacher. Well-rounded characters, ingenious pace and plot, and twists at all the right turns are my favorite. The author excels in all of these areas, and her descriptions are beautifully vivid.

 

Something else I want to take into account is the cover. It's so much brighter than the cover of The Swan Prince, and for good reason. The debut book of this series had a dark, mysterious tone to it while this one was an adventure of soul-searching for open-minded, heart-on-her-wrist Princess Rosalba. Danielle has an incredible artist, to say the least.

 

Let's talk about Edgwyn for a second. A lot of research was put into this, I'm certain, regarding Edgwyn Wyle's love for fabric. His character is so lovable! He has a great love for animals and a heart of gold is the best thing Rosalba could have, given her standpoint for a majority of the book. He's completely selfless, clever, and kind. I definitely hope to see more of him in later books.

 

Another skill Danielle has is voice. She wrote from several different perspectives in this installment, and each one sang of its own independent feelings and thoughts. That's something all writers struggle with, and she makes it seem effortless.

 

She also takes real life experiences and morphs them into a fairytale, something I can see many readers learning from. At the same time, she weaves true, already-existing fairytale scenarios into the writing, and I LOVE IT. Every time I would spy such a happening, I had to stop for a minute just to absorb it.

 

The Wilderhark Tales are all about learning morals. How to be honest, to respect oneself, to be brave enough to face any threat for the ones you care about. It's beautiful, really. It makes you wish the Wilderhark Forest was a real pace, despite the anarchwitches!

 

Honestly, I can't find anything to rag on here. Perhaps a little bit more explanation was needed for a few minor details of the book, but it wasn't enough to detract from the story whatsoever. Being that I don't want to spoil anything, I'll leave the review off here. Please, get your hands on The Swan Prince as well as this when it's released.

 

Another thank you to Danielle for giving lucky-ol'-me an ARC for this amazing installment!

Cover Reveal!! THE STONE KINGDOM by Danielle E. Shipley!

An enchantress’s curse turns a spoiled royal into a beast;

A princess’s pricked finger places her under a hundred-year spell;

Bales of straw are spun as golden as the singing harp whisked down a giant beanstalk –

All within sight of Wilderhark, the forest that’s seen it all. 

You’ve heard the stories –

of young men scaling rope-like braids to assist

the tower-bound damsel; of gorgeous gowns

appearing just in time for a midnight ball;

of frog princes, and swan princes,

and princes saved from drowning by maidens of the sea.

Tales of magic. Tales of adventure. Most of all, tales of true love.

Once upon a time, you knew them as fairytales.

Know them now as Wilderhark’s.

 

<> ~ <> ~ <>

 

“Love and prince,

Both true, wed rose of white in realm of stone;

For blood begins,

But naught can be put right by blood alone.”

 

One thoughtless act is all it takes to bring the curse threatened

on Rosalba’s christening day to pass. Now the princess must combine

her desperate determination with the service of benevolent tailor Edgwyn Wyle

to find the second half of the key to her kingdom’s restoration.

 

 

Full Title: “The Stone Kingdom (Book Two of The Wilderhark Tales)”

ISBN: 978-0-9891846-1-8

Genre: Young Adult Fairytale

Length: Novella (179 pages)

Release Date: September 20^th, 2013

Future availability: Paperback (Amazon.com) and eBook (Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com)

Add “The Stone Kingdom” to your Goodreads shelf today!

 

About the Author:

Danielle E. Shipley’s first novelettes told the everyday misadventures of wacky kids like herself. …Or so she thought. Unbeknownst to them all, half of her characters were actually closeted elves, dwarves, fairies, or some combination thereof. When it all came to light, Danielle did the sensible thing: Packed up and moved to Fantasy Land, where daily rent is the low, low price of her heart, soul, blood, sweat, tears, firstborn child, sanity, and words; lots of them. She’s also been known to spend short bursts of time in the real-life Chicago area with the parents who home schooled her and the two little sisters who keep her humble. When she’s not living the highs and lows of writing young adult novels, she’s probably blogging about it at www.EverOnWord.wordpress.com.

 

 

~-~-~-~-~

 

I don't know about the rest of you, but I am so excited and so honored to give you this! I absolutely loved The Swan Prince, and The Stone Kingdom is just gonna be amazing. The cover is so beautiful! Danielle's artist always does such a great job and keeping everything accurate to the smallest detail. Not to mention the colors, and just the fairytale vibe from it.

Ahh, so exciting! Be on the lookout for the release of The Stone Kingdom! Also, check in next week for my review of this lovely gem of literacy! 

Random Monday: It Might Be the Sound of Motivation

*Listening off into the distance*

It might be the sound of all my writer buddies making me participate in 1k1hrs... Honestly, if you've never done a 1k1hr, you've never wrote like you will during one. Do it!

I hope all of you liked last week's interview Saturday. I enjoyed talking to Danielle about it and letting Ashley and Sula have at it. Their responses were so fun and, yes, Ashley and Sula still have both arms. No need to worry.

I'm actually keeping on top of the blog posts. Let's hope it stays that way. Happy Monday, everyone! Tune in this Saturday for the second-ever Interview Saturday!

Interview Saturday: The First! With SULA from THE SWAN PRINCE

“Welcome, welcome! Welcome to the first ever… Interview Saturday!”

 

A brown-haired girl bounces out from behind a blue curtain onto a stage, facing the curious readers who await the first-ever character to be interviewed. Ashley holds her arms out, expecting applause, and frowns when there is none. Or maybe there is. Either way, she turns back to the curtains.

“Come on!” She spins around. “Will everyone please welcome Sula from The Swan Prince, a newly-released novella by Danielle E. Shipley! Below is the summary of The Swan Prince, and a little bit about Sula herself.”

Catching her leg in a bear trap proves the least of Sula’s worries. Haunted by an enchanted monster from a past she dare not reveal, and hounded by the perilously perceptive young village doctor, Villem Deere, the headstrong girl of the woods gambles with fate by binding hers to that of Sigmund, the captivating orphan boy with mysterious nightly business of his own.

16-year-old Sula claims to hail from Rohrburing Town, kingdom of Tipsilvren. She says her parents died before she was old enough to know them, leaving her in the care of various foster homes until her recent appearance in Wilderhark Forest. She expresses the hope that further questions steer clear of her backstory, because she’s tired of making up lies.

Sula walks onstage (with a valiant lack of limp, considering her recent encounter with the bear trap), waving like the focal point of a parade. “Hello, everyone. If you’re applauding, keep it up a little longer… yes, that will do; thank you.”

Ashley smiles and beckons Sula to a seat sitting off to the side, and grabs a chair, turning it so she leans forward against the back of the chair. “It’s nice to meet you, Sula. How’s it going?”

“My pleasure to be here, Ashley. And as far as I know, it’s going well enough.” She shrugs an unruly lock of chestnut hair off her shoulder. “I don’t pay much attention to the business side of things, once the story’s typed up. I just live it; and, well, live beyond it, of course. ‘The End’ is nothing like the end, you know.”

“Definitely not,” Ashley agrees. “So how in the world did you get caught in a bear trap? And by the by, who’s this Sigmund?”

“You know how grownups tell you not to run around with a sharp stick?” Sula says. “They should throw in a warning about running around in dark forests where people leave steel traps lying about, as well. Or they should post signs, or something. Honestly, is a big, red ‘BEWARE’ and a little picture of spring-powered metal teeth too much to ask? I doubt most bears would know the difference, and it might have spared me a world of pain! As for Sigmund…” Her eyes slide away evasively. “Oh, what to say about him? He’s a boy I met and stalked for a bit and happened to be able to relate to on… certain levels. We were traveling companions, for a good portion of the book. Anything more than that, I don’t think my publicist would be terribly happy about me discussing in detail. …Well, I suppose I can say he’s strangely beautiful. That’s allowed, right, author?” she calls offstage.

With a mischievous grin, Ashley responds, “Companions, sure. At least you’re admitting to call him beautiful.” She snickers, then nods. “This story is kind of like a fairy tale, judging by the blurb of the series itself and by the words of your author. Do you see it as a fairy tale…or nightmare? Why?”

Sula lifts an ironic eyebrow. “Who says the two need be mutually exclusive? Some old tales of the genre read like a surreal pageant of horrors. My story’s not as bad as all that, thank goodness; no murdered people’s body parts singing at me, or any such nonsense. Still, to read, it’s an obvious fairy tale. And to live... yes, I would say ‘nightmare’ sometimes applies. Dealing with a magical curse is not all sunshine and roses; more like moonshadow and thorns.”

“I’ve never heard of moonshadow, but it doesn’t sound pleasant. Nor does singing body parts…” She shies back uncomfortably at the mental image. “If you could tell or do something to your creator, what would it be? Please keep it rated G! Though if you wish you could punch her in the face, I totally sympathize. Just don’t punch me. No violence permitted on this stage!”

“Oh, I can tell her anything I want. She lives for verbal abuse from characters.” Her lips’ corners tug upward. “All right, perhaps that’s a slight exaggeration. But anything I want to tell her, she’s heard. Now, if I could do anything to her… I think I’d write her into a book or three, and see how she likes going through ‘adventures’ for the entertainment of others. Maybe I’d give her a happy ending, maybe I wouldn’t. No guarantees, the story does what it will, blah-blah-authorial-blah.”

“Well, that’d be the scary part for her,” Ashley says with a hint of sympathy. “Having no idea what sort of ending you’ll get.” After a moment, she inquires, “So, this Villem Deere guy… What’s with him? He helped you out of the trap, I’m guessing. What’s with the animosity?” Ashley grins. “Is he cute?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” Sula grimaces. “Yes, he is. And yes, he treated my injury. All of which would be all well and good, if he weren’t so sky-blasted nosey. Not all of us have the luxury of honesty, you know. Some of us have secrets to protect, which becomes far more problematic when you’ve got people like Doctor Deere trying to dissect your soul at every turn with that scalpel-sharp gaze of his.”

Ashley laughs, then says, “The story you’re in just recently released. If you could say something to the readers, what would that be?” Ashley taps her chin. “I’ve never thought about that myself… I guess I might tell them to not be jealous over my awesome power and…” She blinks at a probably glowering Sula. “Right. Sorry. Speak! Speak to your readers.” She gestures audience-ward.

“Well, if they’ve bought the book – or even just nagged their local librarians into stocking the book to be borrowed (hint, hint, audience: These are good things to do) – I would like to extend my thanks. Most of the readers have probably never been fictional characters, and so they may not know, but having your story out for sale is a big, legitimizing deal. Having total strangers in another world reading about your misfortunes makes living it more worthwhile; like, oh, good, somebody’s getting something out of this fiasco; cheers. And triumphs are made to be shared, so I like readers knowing about the good parts, too. I also like letters. It would be nice to receive some fan letters.” She peers narrowly out into the darkness beyond the stage. “I do have fans, don’t I? I’d better. I mean, I don’t know that I would necessarily get along with myself, but I would certainly be Team Sula!” Decisive nod.

I think I’m on Team Deere, Ashley decides. “Alrighty, then. Something a little in my realm. If you had a superpower, what superpower would you want? It can go as far as flying to being able to make your bed with a snap of your fingers!” Ashley snickers. “Other than the one I have, that last one would be awesome.” She catches herself before running off on another tangent.

 

Her eyes gleam greener. “Any superpower? The one that flies to mind is invisibility. My life would have been drastically easier if nobody saw me when I didn’t want them to! But then, it wouldn’t have solved everything. What would have?” She presses her lips tight and squints into the distance, considering her options, then thrusts a finger in the air. “Aha! An anti-enchantment power! No magic-worker’s power would work upon me – no, sir, it would backfire right onto them! – and any curse I came in contact with would automatically unravel.” She crosses her arms, expression smugly victorious. “That would set my story to rights by Chapter Two!”

Ashley starts laughing. “But then what would the point be of releasing your story?” she asks. “What if you could just decide which curses would be lifted? Some curses have good reasons…” She trails off. “Hmm, hmm… Okay, here’s one. If you had a library, what books would someone expect to find in it? Aside from yours, of course!”

“Mm, the exciting kind. People doing things, not just a lot of talk and philosophizing and rubbish. Something with attractive men being daring, and clever girls being daring… I’m all for those who dare. Not terribly thick books, I expect; I like stories to get to the point. And I expect high-quality binding; a good book, like a good dinner, should be a feast for the eyes as well as your innermost parts. That’s what my father liked to sa— would have liked to say,” Sula says abruptly, her face gone tight and hot. “Or so I like to imagine; as those who’ve never known their parents are known to do.” 

“I agree!” Ashley states passionately, but seems a little confused at the double-take. “So, judging by the fact he seems to be the other half of the equation of this story, aside from this Villem Deere… How does Sigmund perceive you? How do you perceive yourself?”

“Oh, he started off thinking I’m pigheaded and full of myself with an inflated sense of entitlement,” she says dismissively. “I won’t say I’m not those things, to a certain, wholly justified degree. But I’m also adaptable; I know how to play nice, when it’s necessary – which it was with Sigmund, a wearying amount of the time. So I sucked it up, soldiered through, and got him to change his tune about me pretty quick, thank you very much.”

Ashley tilts her head to the side, just a bit. “Um, okay.” She hesitates. “You know, you’re kind of…uptight. You might try to relax a little. On that topic, how do you alleviate stress? I dance, myself.”

“Alone time. I swear up and down by it. No people, no playacting, just me and a few hours to kill wandering around. It helps me clear my head, settle my blood, get my masks back in order and ready for wear. Sula Time: It saves lives.” 

“Seems effective…and sounds like a friend of mine. Okay, so since we’re all human, we’re bound to have downfalls. Or at least I hope we are. Or there’s something wrong with me. Help me out…name one or two of your downfalls.”

“When I fail to think twice before I speak.” Her mouth twists downward. “That’s caused problems. Being clever only works when you remember to involve your brain. Blind impulse will only take you so far. Not that my impulses are blind to everything; just the things to either side of the straight line between me and my goal. I get single-minded about going after what I want, and everything else gets blurred out. It’s all too easy to miss important things, that way.”

“I actually sympathize there,” Ashley murmurs. “Alrighty, I think I’ll call just one more question. Hm, let’s make this a good one.” Ashley stands up and turns in a circle, looking around, hmming in search of a question. “Ooh, I know!” She turns back to Sula. “In the traditional interview manner…” She tips her chin up to give the best impression of an official-businesswoman look she can. “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

“Oh, I know exactly where I’ll be in five years,” says Sula, her smile both keeping and flaunting a secret. “I’ve seen my story’s sequel, which I’m afraid you won’t be able to do until the fall. I can give you a few hints about the five-year mark, though. One, I’m happily married to my true love. Two, I use the term ‘happily’ loosely; my husband and I shall actually be privately distressed about something. Three, that distressing something will be resolved by the second page of Book Two’s first chapter, and I won’t have a care in the world. …until about a page-and-a-half later. Read all about it upon the upcoming release of ‘The Stone Kingdom (Book Two of The Wilderhark Tales)’.”

“Whoo! Looking forward to it! Thank you so much, Sula.” Ashley runs over to her and pulls her out of her seat, dancing in a little circle. “For being part of the very first Interview Saturday! Here’s to hoping your book gets lots and lots of sales. It was awesome getting to know you more.” She holds her hand out to Sula to shake. Then she turns to the audience. “Wave!” And so she waves, probably waving Sula’s arm out of her socket as well.

Sula glares offstage like, So help me, if this little goose doesn’t unhand me in the next half-a-second… In the shadows, her author can be seen making gestures like, Just grin and bear it, you’re nearly through!

“With that, we’ll see you next week! C’mon, let’s grab lunch. It’s on me!” With that, Ashley drags Sula offstage, probably off to ask her brother for money for said lunch. Then she leans back on stage. “Thanks for reading, audience!”

And…curtains close.

BRT: The Swan Prince by Danielle E. Shipley



 

Title: The Swan Prince

Author: Danielle E. Shipley

Number of Pages: eBook format {ARC}

Rating: 5/5 stars

Date to-be Published: May 31, 2013

 SUMMARY

Catching her leg in a bear trap proves the least of Sula’s worries. Haunted by an enchanted monster from a past she dare not reveal, and hounded by the perilously perceptive young village doctor, Villem Deere, the headstrong girl of the woods gambles with fate by binding hers to that of Sigmund, the captivating orphan boy with mysterious nightly business of his own.

<> ~ <> ~ <>

An enchantress’s curse turns a spoiled royal into a beast; a princess’s pricked finger places her under a hundred-year spell; bales of straw are spun as golden as the singing harp whisked down a giant beanstalk – all within sight of Wilderhark, the forest that’s seen it all.

You’ve heard the stories – of young men scaling rope-like braids to assist the tower-bound damsel; of gorgeous gowns appearing just in time for a midnight ball; of frog princes, and swan princes, and princes saved from drowning by maidens of the sea. Tales of magic. Tales of adventure. Most of all, tales of true love.

Once upon a time, you knew them as fairytales. Know them now as Wilderharks.

REVIEW

*Deep sigh of content*

I loved it. The writing, the pacing, the characters, the plot, all of it—it’s superb. I kept trying to put the book away but found myself incapable. I’d be able to stop for maybe a few minutes, but then I’d keep going.

There was perhaps but one thing in the entire book that didn’t satisfy me, and that was how some of the characters’ relationships felt rushed. I understand, however, that this book was a novella and it required that small rush involved. Same with the quick comprehension of some characters—such as how Doctor Deere suddenly jumped to an accurate conclusion after a seemingly vague explanation.

Still, the content of the story and the diversity of the characters; the entrancing dialogue and scenery; and just the author’s voice made all of that very worthwhile. Oh, I loved it.

Since it’s not released and I don’t want to spoil; and as it’s a shorter story, I feel like there’s not so much I can say. Danielle’s voice is sort of similar to that of a fairytale (which is sooo perfect!) and it also reminds me a little of Tolkien’s. It’s amazing how Danielle made such a strong plot—I feel like this is a story I could’ve learned about when I was younger. It wouldn’t surprise me if people will tell their kids this story in a few years.

Another topic to address is how well she veils her truths and plot twists. Oh, wow. Within the last three pages of the book, there were so many amazing plot twists! I was reeling in amazement from them all, and when I finished the story, I just kind of sat there staring at the pages in dumbfounded awe for a few minutes.

This story is so successful in everything it wants to achieve. Inspiration, creativity, empathy, grace, and lessons learned… I fell in love with all of our protagonists. I want to know what happens to them in the future, for if Danielle has wrapped everything up so neatly in this tapestry, surely she has even greater twists and coincidences planned in their futures.

Seriously, read this book. It’s awesome. This may be one of my shorter reviews, but I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone. Just take my word for it.

Not to mention, this was my very first Advanced Reader’s Copy [ARC]! Thanks so much for letting me read it, Danielle. It was truly an honor!

THE SWAN PRINCE comes out on May 31, 2013!  Be immersed in the magic of the Wilderhark Tales!

A Break and a Rebirth

January?! That was my last post?!

Wow.

Have you missed me? Wondered where I was? Questioned if I died and fell off the face of the earth? ...Didn't care? (That's cold.) Heh. Well, anyway, hi! If you don't remember me, my name's Kendra and I run this nice little fiery blog here.

The one I abandoned for a while in January.

See, though, I've been busy. Here's a small overview of what I've done.

- Become Homecoming Queen of my school
- Prepared a valedictorian speech
- Prepared a song for my graduation on Friday
- Met one of my best friends from Ohio
- Went to prom with said friend
- Applied and was accepted to a two-year college
- Got a full ride to said college
- Won first place in two divisions of a business contest
- Went on a Senior Skip Day and almost died in a war between projectiles flying from cars
- Opened a bank account
- Went to Chicago
- Writing wise, I finally finished the initial editing process of Book 3 in my series, started the editing on Book 2 (don't ask), and wrote a novella.
- And more!
Future events?
- Wednesday: Class of 2013 Bachaloriette
- Friday: Class of 2013 Graduation
- 18 and 21: Dinners for being valedictorian.

I've been a busy bee, and I just kind of gave up blogging/tweeting/etc in favor of these activities. I didn't want to force myself to do it, or I knew the work would be shotty. Anyway, I'm going to try and get back into the groove of all this.

So, my break consists of doing LESS drafting of works, and MORE querying/blogging/tweeting. I should be able to keep up! I thank you all for your patience, and hopefully soon, I'll be back into book-reviewing and maybe some posting about writerly things!

To conclude, I want to share the great news of Danielle Shipley, A.K.A. Ever On Word:

SHE'S BEING PUBLISHED. TWICE! One in an anthology, and another for self-publishing. Please, go see her here and give her all of your support!! You won't have to wait long to grab these books and enjoy the heck outta them!

It occurs to me I didn't proofread this. ...Oh well. Please ignore errors.