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!

Random Monday: I Don't Feel "Graduated"

According to my class, I'm the odd one out...but did anyone else feel like nothing had really happened when they graduated? I mean, I feel about $2000 richer, but not quite...graduated.

I represented my class. I gave the valedictorian speech. I played a song for everyone. I took my diploma and shook the hands of the school board. But for some reason, I still don't feel like it's changed much. I'm sure, come August, it'll all flood in...but why not now?

Even afterward at my party, looking at my tassel. Even on Saturday, when I went to be filmed for the news... Why don't I feel like I've graduated?

Maybe others feel the same way. Maybe it's just a valedictorian thing? I don't know. But I have a diploma, and my tassel has changed, and I am now an alumna...

Well, until the feeling sinks in, I guess I'll just continue writing. And even after.

Please, share your graduation stories in the comments. (:

Writing World Wednesday: Short and Snappy

Yep, gotta keep it short. This week's gonna waylay me, guys. So, I'll just give an update on something I'm planning to do writing-wise and get your opinions on the same topic.

Horror.

I want to submit to an anthology, and I need to write a short horror story.

So, naturally, I started investigating a surefire way to make a horror horrifying. One of my friends told me, "You can't be obvious. You have to be subtle. Your enemy can't be right in your face. It's the distance and the invisibility of the enemy that makes him horrifying."

Other tips say to remain in the dark, not to overuse viscera, to make your characters very close to your heart, and other such things.

What tips do you have? Do you write horror? Have you ever tried? Will you try? Give me all the details! We can learn together!

Random Monday: Expectations vs. Reality

As the van rolled forward and I scrolled through the song list on my iPod, a shadow fell over us. I glanced over at my classmates, then at my teachers in the front seat, and then finally spied outside of the window. My heart came to a screeching halt.

Five lanes of traffic on one side of the road. A train riding on its tracks overhead. And, in the distance through the fog, buildings upon buildings towering up into the sky, so high that the fog veils the tops. Skyscrapers. The first time I've ever seen them. Disbelief consumes me as I stare around at all of the people waiting at the train station between the lanes of traffic, and the cars around us, the way we loop up toward those enormous buildings that seem to tower toward Heaven.

Chicago. I hear a laugh behind me, and my friend states, "Well, here's Chicago, Kendra. Everything you thought it would be?"

No. No, it wasn't. I knew to expect the skyscrapers and the traffic, but...to be honest... I'm a little shocked at the condition of the place. The stories I'd heard about Chicago had me thinking we would pull in and see nothing but slums and the occasional big building, but to my pleasant surprise, this place was cleaned up really well... Beautiful, really.

---

This morning I walked into a store two towns away from me. At night, the employees are expected to sweep, vacuum, and mop the floor as well as clean the tables and services available to patrons. I was stunned to see that none of this had been done. I've seen the store in the morning when it has been cleaned, and now, I suppose I've seen it when it hasn't been cleaned.

It's a surprising, and not overly pleasant, experience. I felt sorry for the worker who had to be there that morning. They expected to walk in and have everything ready to go for the day, but instead they were walking around cleaning everything up.

------

It's strange how such little things can cause such a big change. My experience in Chicago was sweetened so much by the aspect of such an amazing city. The people weren't as rude as I had expected them to be, and altogether, it was amazing. Whereas in the store, the experience was a little bitter.

Basically, that's all I have to say about that. Isn't it weird?

What stories do you have where reality defied your expectations (and vice versa), for better or worse?

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.

The Next Big Thing! (Week 32)

Charlee Vale (click her name!) asked me last week to join up in The Next Big Thing blog hop, an event where we share some information about our current work-in-progress. I hope no one minds since it’s a sequel. Here we go! This is Week 32!

1: What is the working title of your book?

Flame Warriors.

2: Where does the idea come from for your book?

FW is the third book in a series, but honestly, it’s different from the others. The first book focuses on how far people will go for family. The second, how far they’ll go for power. My third diverges to address all that and more. Learning to forgive yourself and fighting fate are two main plotlines.

I’m not quite answering the question though. The idea came from something my mom said after she read the second book. She said, “You couldn’t really tell in book one, but Fortune has a soft spot for Ashley.” Fortune is the primary MC of Flame Warriors. Ashley is the MC of the first book, Flame Dancer. I considered the statement for a while and wondered why he would have a soft spot for her, and suddenly I had an entire book on my hands to address that simple question.

3: What genre does your book fall under?

YA Urban Fantasy.

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Fortune: Callan McCauliffe – He needs to straighten/flatten his hair first though. (: No Edward Cullen hair permitted beyond this point.

 

Ashley: Joey King – She’s young, but her eyes are perfect.


Aroha: Mackenzie Foy. In myyyy opinion she looks a little like Joey, hehe.

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis for your book?

Eeeek, I haven’t considered that for this WIP. I’m going to wing this (therefore it’ll be awful).

With a prophecy to determine the world's freedom over his head, Fortune Treston attempts to reconcile his past with the present to protect those he loves.

6: Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I hope to be agented first, and then represented by an agency.

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

This question made me cringe... I started it in January of 2011, wrote steadily until August, and then stopped writing until July of 2012. I finished it in December. It shouldn't have taken so long considering in between July and December I wrote more than 100,000 words.

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

There aren’t really any books IN the genre. The closest one is The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa.

9: Who or what inspired you to write the book?

I always knew what the third book would be about, but my past books haven’t really addressed deeper issues such as love or faith. I guess this book was more of a challenge to see how well I could incorporate those worldly themes into the lore of this book.

10: What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?

Love, life, death, hugs of death, a manor, elements, immortality, some uncontrollable flames, purple eyes, a challenge to save the world, and a promise for redemption.

Now I’ll tag some super awesome writer buddies for them to answer these questions, so we can learn more about their works-in-progress! Make sure to check them out for Week 33, January 16th!

Danielle (and Will!)

SC!

 

Rules:
Answer these ten questions about your current WIP on your blog.
Tag (up to) five other writers/bloggers with their links so we can hop over and meet them.

 

P.S. I was tired when I wrote this. I apologize for any grammatical errors in advance. ): Have a good Wednesday!

Bringing in 2013!

My school has its homecoming in January. This year my class, the Junior class, won the contest we have during homecoming week. We all participate in a bunch of different activities and gain points, and the winner gets the Spirit Stick. The Seniors decided to tear up the poster our class made for homecoming week, so they were disqualified…which sort of helped, but hey, we still won the contest!

In February a friend and I went out job-hunting in the local area. It was rainy and it was cold. However, it was pretty fun—though stressful—since the next day she was like “I’m turning my apps in!” and I was like “OMG BUT I HAVEN’T EVEN STARTED!” Regardless, since I don’t get out very much, it was a social and fun experience for me.

In March, I went to see the Hunger Games. Enough said.

April was so much fun. I went to my school’s prom. Since I’m not a celebratory person or a social person at all, I didn’t plan to go until a friend convinced me to. So after a few days of panicking over what I’d wear, make up, hair, etcetera; the night finally showed up. I went, everyone freaked out because they’d NEVER seen me dressed up, and I more or less had the best night of my life. No words can describe how much fun I had.

School got out in May, turning me into an official Senior. We have a “Fun Day” like the second to last week of school, and this year, the Juniors got together and had a cookout off of school grounds. The food took longer to prepare than expected, so some of us decided to disregard the bell saying we had to be back on school grounds—me included. We were forty minutes late. Therefore we were grounded to the cafeteria for forty minutes. I had no problem with this. Everyone else was just stunned that I’d “turned into a rebel.”

June was the month my blog was revived and I met alllllll of my writing friends on AgentQueryConnect! Kela, Cat, SC, Charlee, Utsav/Brighton, Krysten, you’re all awesome!

July was when I met the rest of my buddies! I entered a blogfest and met a bunch of amazing people, notably Danielle (and her sidekick, Will!). I also turned seventeen.

I left my home for three straight days to stay by myself for one sole purpose in August: writing. I wrote 13,000 words in that time. That’s a lot!! I finally got out of my writing funk for the MAIN work-in-progress I have, and my senior year started.

September was relatively boring aside from a sleepover I had with a friend of mine. That sleepover consisted of scary stories, WiiFit, and Truth or Dare. One of the dares in the game was to drink soy sauce. Another ended up with me saying the words “playing charades in bed”. Ah, good times.

In October…well. I got VERY, VERY excited. I received an offer of publication for my book. However, over the next two months, I did some research and tried to prepare myself for the things I’d face after it happened, and determined I wasn’t quite ready. Issue is…I still haven’t told them…so… HEADWALL. My fault. Now I'm scared to contact them.

November: Breaking Dawn Part II! Aro’s laugh! Enough said!

Of course, the one thing that someone would normally speak about in December is Christmas. Christmas WAS indeed amazing for me—I got all seven seasons of Supernatural and my new laptop—but as of yesterday, I finished the first draft of my third novel. The same one I was talking about in my previous blog post. It was a grievous thing to write, and at the same time so fun. I did indeed succeed in writing the full-on tragedy. Now I’m editing it, for it is 274,000 words, and I HAVE A LOT OF EDITING TO DO.

Now, you know how my year went. Share yours! Most of all, HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR! Good luck in all of your resolutions for 2013!