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: Community College

In May I graduated with an Associate's Degree in the Arts. Something that struck me as odd was that I didn't feel quite as excited as some of the people graduating with me. Regardless, it was still an enjoyable night of my life. There was a hot gym, not a lot of seating, a 'powerful' statement from my state governor claiming to make our state "the greatest nation on Earth," and diplomas. 

College has been one of the best educational experiences I've ever had. In high school I dealt so much with classmates who didn't care about education and spent most of their time hassling my teachers (or me). High school wasn't a good time.

College is where you meet the people who care. They want their degree, they want their education. Whether it be because they're paying for it or because they simply enjoy learning, they do their best. I didn't have to dread group assignments anymore because most of my teammates put in proper effort. There are the party-people, but they still do their best in classes.

Now, I went to a community college, so the classes were reasonably smaller than they might have been. My biggest class had maybe 35 people. That's huge to me, considering I graduated in a class of 13. With these smaller classes, the teachers were able to offer much better one-on-one help. They could also take a more personal interest. I will always remember my days here fondly just due to my Composition and Literature teachers. 

Assignments in high school usually came across as easy to me, unless they were math related. I rarely had to study, made study guides only if I had to... Hell, in high school, we got study guides for use during finals sometimes. Yeah. College challenged me, and I liked that. 

So it was with bittersweet emotions that I took my diploma on the stage and turned my tassel. It didn't really feel like the end. After all, I'm still going to transfer to a university, but I'm still a student at this college despite having graduated! I have to finish out a certificate (one-year program) that I'd started last semester. It still feels like it deserves a post on my blog, though, because it was a big experience in my life - one that obviously kept me away from my blog for some time.

If anyone reading this ever doubts that college would do anything for them, at least try some classes at a community college. A lot of people claim community colleges to be "not as good" as universities, but I promise they're wrong. In some ways, I bet community colleges are better.

BRT: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Shatter Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Number of Pages: 338

My Rating: 3/5

Released: November 15, 2011

Summary (also hyperlink to GR page)

I have a curse
I have a gift

I am a monster
I'm more than human

My touch is lethal
My touch is power

I am their weapon
I will fight back

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

I've actually read Shatter Me a number of times, but never got around to reviewing it. I reread the entire trilogy recently, so I figured to review all three over the next three weeks. 

Shatter Me has both strong and weak points. One strong point is its own self-awareness. The heroine, Juliette, is - in a word - unstable. Her thoughts read off like rambling, similar to the way words are struck out in the summary. Now, when I say the book has self-awareness, I mean that Juliette is very much a Mary Sue, but the book doesn't deny this. She knows she's ridiculous at points and has an understanding that her thought process is wrong. I do like that about Juliette's character, other flaws aside.

The strikeouts are an abundant stylistic choice in the book, one that I found irksome at first but came to admire. It's a rather neat way to see what she's thinking while denying those thoughts. They do become weak points at times due to the writing. If you want a book that DEFINES "purple prose," this is your book. Sooo much purple prose. Regardless, the writing remains interesting enough. I do think that the writing will be a hit-or-miss with a lot of readers, however, so it's best to get this from a library this before buying it.

Another strong point goes to plot pace. Nothing is too rushed and nothing is too slow. Everything happens when it feels like it should; nothing feels forced. While I'm at it, I'll also give a strong point to description. The descriptions alone make this world seem believable and immersive.

Two weak points go to characterization and world building. 

-Just because the book is aware that Juliette is a Mary Sue doesn't make it okay. She spends most of the book whining, crying, and drooling over the boys. ...All the boys. Her main love interest (it isn't even love, this is lust), and...the villain?! Yeah. Even this villain, who's maaaaybe the most developed of all the characters, is one of the smexiest people in the book, and therefore it's okay she drools over him. Because he's bee-a-you-tee-ful. 

-The world building could have worked so much better. Here's what we know: The Reestablishment claimed they could fix the world and went back on that and everything went to hell. Oh, and it's ruled by this faceless dude. ...That's the only backstory we get. It's a very "Big Bad" cop out. Somehow the world got so polluted that everything's wrong and people are suffering. How? Why? Humanity never got their act together? The [Shatter Me] world may never know.

Now for the plot itself:

I liked it. From a lot of reviews I've seen, people found it tired or convenient or annoying. I can see where all these people come from. For example, like I've mentioned, the writing can be agitating. I honestly didn't notice some of the more awkward metaphors within the prose, mostly because this book is a very fast read. The plot kept me moving.

The idea of this girl with a lethal touch being recruited against her will by a man who wants to use her power as a weapon enticed me. The coincidence that one of her 'guards' was a childhood friend was convenient, but I didn't mind it. I enjoyed the trials Juliette had to face with Warner (the antagonist) and her thoughts trying to develop from cornered-Mary-Sue to something more. The twist at the end regarding Juliette's power remains one of my favorite parts.

Shatter Me, despite its claims, contains very little action. About the most involved action scene occurs after a low-key attempted rape.  One bullet and it's over. This book is mainly about the emotions and the romance with some paranormal add-ins and a lot of mental abuse on the antagonist's part. 

Judging by this review, it doesn't seem like I liked it as much as I did. It is true that I recommend getting it from a library before deciding to buy it. I got it for $3 as a clearance deal. I enjoyed the strikeout stylistic choice, the pacing - the stuff I listed above. The book is problematic, relies heavily on love-at-first-sight ("It's the bird from my dream so we are MEANT to be!!"), and there is a lot of whining. I...just happened to enjoy reading it. For some reason.

...I do wish I hadn't bought the two sequels at full price though. More to come on that next week. Have a good weekend, everyone!

W3: Storyboards

Writing can be the most frustrating thing in the world, especially if you want minute details in a fast-paced situation. Details like the color of someone's shirt or whether the right or left hand is holding something can be a bane.

A couple days ago I reached a point in my WIP where one of my characters is in a combat scene. Back in grade school I had no difficulties whatsoever coming up with details for fights. The inspiration came, snap-snap-snap!

Long story short, I miss those days, haha. I'm not sure what's so different about how I write now that makes it hard for me to keep those details in place. Today my fights seem a lot of "he did this, she did that, he did this, she did that, okay-let's-finish-this-I'm bored." 

Normally my remedy for this kind of situation is to act it out while I'm home alone. Talking, choreographing, music optional. Since I've been juggling around work, school (even in the summer!), and Tae Kwon Do classes, my alone-time has reasonably shrunk. 

My storyboard. How did I differentiate
the fighters, you ask? Well, one
stayed on the right and one of the left.
...Genius, I know. 

I tried something new one day at work while it was slow. I grabbed a piece of paper, drew a big grid on it, and created a storyboard. Nothing fancy at all - just stick figures and arrows with sketched 'special effects.' It served its purpose, though. I now have a detailed, recorded idea of how I want this fight to go.

Point being that storyboards are the type of thing you only see for movies, cartoons, or other media. Not a lot of people apply it to writing. I suggest giving it a try the next time you're stuck on small details/events. Events are also a little easier to X out prior to the actual writing. 

It's easier to get creative with the storyboards if you have the right resources too. Something I want to try next time I do this, if I have to, is color-coding characters (since stick figures are much easier to work with). It'll allow more flexibility than I had with my board.

Just a thought for you all who might be having some writer's block!

Random Monday: Smoothies

Trying out a new font, everyone.

I'm not a big fruit fan. 

Now believe me, I've tried. I can handle the classics - apples, oranges, grapes - but give me a banana or a piece of cantaloupe and I'm going to recoil. I've just never had a taste for them, until I tasted a smoothie on the day of my college's welcome fair two years ago.

It was a strawberry banana smoothie, one of THE staple smoothies, and I was reluctant to try it but, to be honest, it looked appetizing. The smoothie consisted of only a few swallows anyway, so I got one (for free) and tried it - and loved it.

It took me a few weeks to realize, "Oh. I can make those." I got my mom's old blender down and dug some frozen fruit out of the fridge, putting together what looked good. Voila, I consider this to be my signature smoothie: the strawberry-pineapple-mango-peach smoothie.

Making smoothies turned out to be a strong point last semester when, for a business course, we created a business with smoothies as its main menu. I got to really expand my own menu by making new recipes.

There were a few failures - blueberry pear and apple kale weren't great - but some like mango pineapple were fantastic. 

Anyway, the point of this is that, texture can sort of change the concept of taste dramatically. Just because I don't like cantaloupe doesn't mean I don't like the smell of it. Maybe if I tried it in a smoothie I'd like it better. 

So if you find a food you don't really like, instead of condemning it, try it cooked or prepared a different way. A few weeks ago I had broccoli as a part of a stir fry and adored it, even though I despise it raw. Heck, maybe thinking of it like this can give a character in a book a special perk. Possibilities are endless.

Here's some tips for making smoothies:

1. Use REAL juice. Not V8 Fusion. I did for a while, but the smoothies were always so sweet it could make me queasy if it was a big smoothie. You can use water, too, but I personally hate the taste of watered down fruit. Watered down anything, really.

2. Freeze your fruit (unless you're sensitive to cold things). I'm of strong belief that a cold smoothie is one of the best things ever. Not only that, but you can't make a ton of smoothies and drink them all within a couple days. Freezing your fruit can give you months of time until you're ready to make your smoothie. 

3. Use ENOUGH juice/water. Otherwise your blender is going to have so much trouble chopping up your fruit, especially if it's frozen, and it's agitating for everyone and everything involved. I find that pouring in enough juice to keep it equal with the fruit prior to blending does a good job. 

4. There's very little difference between pre-frozen fruit and freshly chopped fruit. Sure, there's a feel of more 'authenticity' if you chop it on your own, but I personally have never had an issue with simply getting a bag of frozen strawberries from Wal-Mart and using that. It's actually easier when I'm in a pinch.

5. Remember that you can preserve smoothies for a couple days. For my class I made 4 liter-sized smoothies. For optimum time, make sure the smoothie fills almost all the way up to the lid to keep oxygen out, and make sure the lid is tightly sealed. 

6. When blending, blend until it's swirling like a funnel at the top of the mixture without any pauses or chopping sounds. This means you won't have any fruit chunks. If you want the chunks, just stop earlier.

7. Toss in some greens. Just a handful of spinach can do it. I don't do this too often, admittedly, but mainly for aesthetic reasons. Believe it or not, you can barely taste greens when you put them into a smoothie, but it makes it SOOOOOO healthy! I just don't like the color it makes my smoothie, that's the only reason I don't do it often.

8. Get creative! I haven't found a smoothie that pears work well in yet, but considering how good they taste, I'm determined to find something. 

Finally, here's the recipe for my 'signature' smoothie:

1 cup frozen strawberries, diced into halves

1 cup diced mango and/or peach and/or pineapple

1 and 3/4 cup of your choice of juice (preferably something tropical, I use an orange pineapple blend)

Blend until smooth. 3 servings - or one... 

Have a happy Monday!

I'm off to drink my strawberry pineapple smoothie. 

BRT: The Sky-Child and Other Stories by Danielle E. Shipley

Title: The Sky-Child and Other Stories

Author: Danielle E. Shipley

Number of Pages: e-book

Rating: 5/5

Released: July 7, 2015

Summary

Born into a world his heart knows as beneath him, an extraordinary boy becomes a man of music, hopeful that someday he’ll find a way higher.

As the first day dawns, a world comes awake, order and disorder striking a dangerous balance.

Under the stars, a princess and tailor trade age-old lore, little dreaming of the future that could trap them in the past.

All of it in, around, and far above the timeless trees of Wilderhark, the forest whose secrets reveal themselves slowly, if ever at all.

Tales of beginnings. Tales of quests for belonging. Most of all, tales of true love.

Once upon a time, you knew something of Wilderhark’s tales. Now for the stories that fall in between.

W O R L D    B U I L D I N G.

I'm one of those people who has trouble with creating lore in a fantasy/futuristic world. So, whenever I see a world that's very much had its homework done, I take heed. The moment I knew this work's title, the world building is what I was anticipating and very much looking forward to.

Gant-o-the-Lute's background is much more heavily explored in this addition to the Wilderhark Tales. For any who might have been confused about him or wondered about his past, or just want more content with him, this is your read! As far as origin stories go, Lute's is fantastic. It explains how he came to be minstrel, his gifts from the beginning, his parents, and how he came to meet Viralei. On an off note, I thought I noticed a lack of continuity regarding that, but I'm sure it's how long it's been since I read The Seventh Spell because I know Danielle wouldn't have missed something like that.

(That should tell you something about the faith you can put in this author.)

After The Sky-Child's conclusion, the Other Stories that take place regard different characters. We see some flash fiction between Sula and Villem (Fluff! <3) and a piece with Sigmund, delving more into the characters than the world around them. But then - then comes the story of the Sun and Moon.

As far as creation tales go for a fictional world, this instantly ranks one of my top favorites. I had to read this story twice just to absorb and enjoy it all properly. Another story somewhat branches off of this later into the installment as well, regarding some of the rougher times the world has gone through due to troublesome winds and a difficult Sun (and son). 

After that, the installment Starheart includes some more world-building and fluff regarding Edgwyn and Rosalba. (For anyone who doesn't know what fluff is - I just refer to it as a rather cute scene between two characters being romantic). The differentiation between what the world thinks of the Stone Kingdom legend versus the reality of it is explored here. 

Two more stories fill the pages - Affected and A Gallivanting Soul. The former takes place during The Seventh Spell and the latter finishes Gant-o'-the-Lute's backstory.

You will cry. If you don't cry, you will at least tear up.

As usual, the writing and pacing are flawless. You never get bored reading this book and there's always more to learn about the world of the Wilderhark Tales. Danielle Shipley will always give you just enough to satisfy you, but the moment you know there's going to be more - well, you're probably pre-ordering it, or waiting to have that option. 

The characters remain as investing and lively as always, leaping out of the pages and into the reader's soul. Not many writers have the ability to connect to their characters and let their characters connect to readers the way this writer does. We may cringe at some of the attitudes the characters have or ponder on why some characters act the way they do, but in the end, we relate, and we understand.

The Sky-Child and Other Stories has, once again, proven itself a worthy successor to the series, even as an in-between book. It does read a bit like a stand-alone, not too heavily requiring the knowledge of prior books to understand it, but for the full enjoyment I would highly recommend you read the others. You never know, though. Maybe this will be the book that captures you for this series!

{This review is quite late! I unfortunately had to open at work today and then attend a Tae Kwon Do meeting this evening, so I had been stretched on time. I hadn't had time to write it last night. Either way, it's still Thursday, and the review is still true. Enjoy your night and your upcoming Friday!)

Cover Reveal: THE STORY'S END by Danielle E. Shipley (Wilderhark Tales #7)

...

*Sob*

The end is nigh, I don't know if I can take it. I don't know if I can say goodbye to it, but believe it or not, it's coming!

Seriously, if you haven't been able to read Danielle's books, please do so. Her writing is so amazing and you will not be sorry. The Wilderhark Tales is the most wonderful combination of returning your childhood and taking a new and fresh twist on fairytale lore perfect for any age. 

For Gant-o’-the-Lute, “ever after” has been less than happy. With the last of Carillon’s charm over him gone, the minstrel-king puts royalty behind him in pursuit of the music he once knew and the lifelong dream he let slip through his fingers. But dark whispers on the wind warn that time is running out – not only for Lute and the apprentice in his shadow, but the whole of earth and Sky.

The Story’s End

Book Seven of The Wilderhark Tales

  

<> ~ <> ~ <>

 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.

 I'm so honored to have been able to share the cover reveals, the book reviews, the giveaways, and everything that has to do with the Wilderhark Tales. It's an unforgettable tale of true love for so many people in so many ways, and if you haven't yet, I hope you'll join us for the end of the tale. A number of characters are waiting to welcome you with open arms!

And of course, for the person who gives these characters their voice to be heard in our world:

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, publishing, and all that authorial jazz, she’s probably blogging about it at www.EverOnWord.wordpress.com.

 Definitely go check out her blog. Not only does she keep it more updated than me (*Slumps to corner of shame*), she has some fantastic and fun content on there too! 

So glad I've been able to take this journey with you all. To close this, here's the general information on the final book of the Wilderhark Tales. 

Genre = fairytale novella

Release date = October 13, 2015

Available to add to your Goodreads shelf 

Future availability = Paperback (Amazon and CreateSpace) and e-Book (Kindle and Nook)

October 13, here we come!!

Expect a review of Wilderhark 6.5, The Sky-Child and Other Stories, this Thursday! 

I hope you're all having a GREAT summer! 

(Especially since it's almost over. Nice going, self.)

Random Monday: I'm Marrying a 6-Year-Old, Apparently

Let's kick off my once-again-revival with some good fun.

If you have me on Facebook... I am indeed copy-pasting. Shame on me. But I'm going to have more posts later that aren't from Facebook, so it'll be okay. 

(:

Last night at work a little boy was there, and when I was about to start cleaning he took a very big interest in me. I'd been answering a question for his mother when-

Boy: Hey! Hey! Hey! Excuse me! Hey!

Me: ...Yes?

Boy: You...are you the guardian of this place?

Me: Guardian? Sort of, I guess!

Boy: Do you open at night and close in the morning?

*His mom is trying not to laugh, I'm grinning*

Me: Close, it's the other way around. I close at night and open in the morning.

Boy: Ohhh. It's already night... What's your name?

Me: Kendra. What's yours?

Boy: Nathaniel! (Or, at least, I think that's what he said. His mouth was full of pizza.) I'm six, I'm going to be seven soon!

Me: That's neat! My birthday was just this past week. Last Tuesday.

Boy: Wow! Happy Birthday! My birthday's November 22nd.

Me: That's coming right on up.

Boy: Hey, uh... Have you ever, uh... Do you know Walmart?

Me: Yeah?

Boy: It's like, just down the street. It's got so much stuff.

Me: I know, it's a pretty big place.

Boy: You can BUY all the stuff. There's so much.

Me: I know, right? Get this. About two months ago now, I went all the way across the country. *Boy's eyes widen* I went to a mall there, which is sort of like Walmart, but it has a bunch of different stores. It had FIVE floors of stuff.

Boy: WHOA. Were there lots of shoppers?

Me: Yep. There was even an ice rink.

Boy: WHOA. Are you, uh, are you off tomorrow?

Me: I open in the other store, why?

Boy: When you get off...you should take me to that mall.

Me: *Laughs* Well, that might take a while! It took me almost three days to get there!

Boy: Whoa. Oh. ): 

Me: I'm going to go to the bathroom now, okay? 

Boy: Okay. When you finish, you should come back so we can talk some more.

Me: I need to get started cleaning, but if you want, you can follow me and we can talk while I clean.

Boy: Oh, okay!

(I went to the bathroom and came out, and he got out of his chair when he saw me, running over to me. I start spraying down tables.)

Boy: Can I help? Can I can I?

Me: Um... Sure. 

(I give him the spray bottle and instruct him to spray down some of the washers. He runs off and does so. In that time I've moved to another table, and he yells, "Kendra! Where are you?" until he finds me.)

Boy: You scared me!

Me: I was right here, sorry!

Boy: Hey, Kendra, you know something?

Me: What's that?

Boy: When I get older, I'm gonna marry you.

Me: ... *Laughs* Oh, really?

Boy: Yeah! I like you that much!

Me: You've got this all figured out then.

He asked me a couple more random questions about myself and the workplace, and his mom thanked me for humoring him and letting him help me clean. They left after that. Unfortunately I didn't get to tell my "future husband" goodbye; I'd been helping another customer in that time. It turned out to really help me make it through the night. He was so adorable. 

Make sure to check back in tomorrow for something special.

There's also going to be some book reviews in the coming weeks on Thursdays, and remember that Interview Saturday is indeed still open if your characters have any interest at all in getting some spotlight here.

Cover Reveal: The Sky-Child and Other Stories by Danielle E. Shipley!

((I'm still here, promise. School is just about over!))

===================================

The Sky-Child and Other Stories (The Wilderhark Tales #6.5)

By Danielle E. Shipley

Genre: Fairytale Fantasy

Age category: Young Adult

Release Date: July 7, 2015

Born into a world his heart knows as beneath him, an extraordinary boy becomes a man of music, hopeful that someday he’ll find a way higher.

As the first day dawns, a world comes awake, order and disorder striking a dangerous balance.

Under the stars, a princess and tailor trade age-old lore, little dreaming of the future that could trap them in the past.

All of it in, around, and far above the timeless trees of Wilderhark, the forest whose secrets reveal themselves slowly, if ever at all.

Tales of beginnings. Tales of quests for belonging. Most of all, tales of true love.

Once upon a time, you knew something of Wilderhark’s tales. Now for the stories that fall in between.

The Sky-Child and Other Stories

A Wilderhark Tales Collection

You can find The Sky-Child and Other Stories on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25392492-the-sky-child-and-other-stories

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, publishing, and all that authorial jazz, she’s probably blogging about it.

Writing credits include: “Inspired” (a novel); short stories in paranormal, fantasy, and Steampunk anthologies via Xchyler Publishing; and, of course, her series of fairytale retelling mash-ups, “The Wilderhark Tales”.

You can find and contact Danielle here:

- Website: http://www.deshipley.com

- Blog: http://www.EverOnWord.wordpress.com

- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Danielle.E.Shipley.Author

- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DEShipley

- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7021985.Danielle_E_Shipley

- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/DEShipleyYo/

- Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Danielle-E.-Shipley/e/B00HG4A0N0/

 ~*~*~*~*~EXCERPT~*~*~*~*~

A farmer’s life was irreconcilably different from that of a traveling entertainer. It was the sort of life where years were marked in seasons, not in miles; a life of sameness where, rising morning after morning on the same piece of land, one got to know that piece of land as well as one’s own self. …Assuming, that is, that one could be induced to take any part in the never-ending tilling and sowing and growing and reaping – all tasks in which Jackillen took no interest whatsoever.

For the most part, his adoptive father would let him alone. Not so at harvest time. During the late summer and autumn months, virtually every creature breathing was called upon to do its share. And though Jackillen may have been able to get by well enough with little food and sleep, breathing was an essential he was unprepared to go without.

Jeromey first assigned Jackillen the simple task of helping to dig up the ripe root vegetables, but soon observed with dismay that the youth appeared to wilt a little more with every row.

“It’s this business of rooting about in the dirt,” Jackillen said droopily, when questioned. “Everything focused down, down, and farther down… It’s torment. I don’t want to burrow deeper into the earth, I want to be free of it – I want to fly!” He tipped back his head to stare with longing at the vivid blue expanse above him. “What I wouldn’t give to reach the sky…”

In all truth, Jeromey Gant understood his son as little as Jackillen did him, and was at a loss in trying to comprehend how such a lively, sturdy body and personality could coexist with such a strangely sensitive spirit. Whatever the reason, it was at least clear that this particular aspect of the harvest did not at all suit the lad, so Jackillen was reassigned to the barn, under instruction to thresh the freshly harvested grains.

Hours later, Jeromey thought he had better go see whether the boy found his new chore to be more to his liking, or if he considered the dust of the beaten wheat or the confinement of the barn to be killing him by inches. He got as far as poking his head around the door. Then he froze, mouth agape, eyes blinking repeatedly as they attempted to make sense of the sight before him.

Everything in the barn was in motion. The grain swirled through the air in a golden cyclone. Twirling in the center of it all, smiling and laughing with delight, was Jackillen, a stout wooden staff a whirring blur in his hands. The spinning staff stirred the air, holding the grains aloft, and rapidly rapped out again and again, beating the wheat as it whirled past.

The late afternoon sunlight slowly waned as the implausible scene continued until, upon some variation of Jackillen’s extraordinary dance, the wheat rode the air into the harvest sieve, the edible grain separating from the unwanted chaff. Then at last, his work completed, Jackillen let the air go still and lowered himself to one knee, visibly fatigued, but just as visibly pleased.

He gave no sign as to whether Jeromey’s presence was a surprise or had been long since noted, only announcing cheerfully, “Threshing’s done.”

Jeromey stared at the boy in silence for another moment before remarking, “Most people can’t do that, you know.”

Jackillen grinned, the color of his eyes brighter and more erratic than ever. “Oh, yes, I never doubted that. But I am not most people: I’m Jackillen Gant.” He leapt to his feet and breezed through the doors past his father, turning to add in casual afterthought, “I can do anything, you know.”

No, Jeromey hadn’t known. And “anything” was a big enough word that he wasn’t prepared to admit he knew any such thing even now. However, he thought it reasonable to assume, if ever there were someone capable of anything, that one would most likely be Jackillen Gant.

~*~*~*~*~

As always, I'm thrilled to be one of the people to announce Danielle's upcoming releases. I hope everyone who sees this is willing to give her books a try. They're full of so much adventure, excitement, surprises, and heartwarming moments. On top of that they're wonderfully written and all of the characters are so developed it's hard to believe you're actually reading instead of just hanging out with these characters. 

The cover is just beautiful, as always! I love the colors of the sky - I guess that's fitting with it being called SKY-Child and all! *Bdm-tshhh* Ha...haha. Okay, so that wasn't very funny, but the cover is still pretty. Lemme point out a word: "Collection."

Collection. *Whispers* This probably means there's even more world-building. *SQUEE*

Make sure to add The Sky-Child and Other Stories to your Goodreads to-read list!

Cover reveal organized by:

W3: My Favorite Writing Habits

You know what I love about writing?! I love writing and making sentences super intriguing the best way to do that is to go on for a while!!! And making sure to start sentences with the appropriate words while maintaining consistent punctuation! You also need to make sure you have everything in one big block of text you know because that makes things super easy to read and that's just how this thing kind of works!! This is how I write all the time!!! Make sure you don't use quotation marks because those can confuse your readers!! Quotations are for the week! Make sure most of your characters think and talk the same because changing voices can be confusing too! I'm just offering my advice because I'm really good at this so you definately should listen to me!!!

--------

Happy April Fools.
Oh my goodness. That hurt to type out.

On another note...

Camp NaNoWriMo started today. Best of luck, everyone!

On another note, I was going to make a post on Monday about deadlines. IRONIC, HUH? Ha ha ha. Have a happy Wednesday!

Interview Saturday: PRINCESS LILIAVAINE from The Surrogate Sea!

 “Oh, wow, there are a lot of cobwebs in here.” Ashley Vaandere meanders out onto the Interview Saturday stage and looks around before brushing some dust from the interviewer’s armchair. Though the stage wasn’t visibly moved, the sounds of seawater crashing against the shore can be heard. “This just won’t do at all.” Blinking her blue eyes and shooting the audience a grin, she throws her arm out and spins in a circle.

A swath of flame bursts over the stage, brushing over everything and scorching away the dust and cobwebs, all without burning anything (or anyone). Once the stage is nice and shiny again, the flames vanish, and Ashley rubs her hands together. “Much better! Alrighty – I’m Ashley Vaandere, your host, and here today I’m pleased to welcome Princess Liliavaine Wyle of The Surrogate Sea by Danielle E. Shipley!”

A massive seawater wave crashes onto the stage, its retreat revealing a tall, slender girl, her long flaxen hair and fashionable blue riding coat miraculously non-soaked. She strides to her seat with a smile for the audience and nod for her hostess. “My thanks for the invitation, Ashley. And for moving your studio seaside! Dreadfully considerate of you.”

“Our pleasure!” Ashley drops into a quick curtsy for the princess before sitting down in her seat. “So, Lily – is it okay if I call you that? – I’ve heard that you’re ramping things up in this new addition. In such a way that you become a sea. Is that for real? Is it fun?”

“Entirely real,” Lily laughs. “And far more fun than not! Mind you, it wasn’t my original plan. But practically everyone else in my family has had a magical adventure, and my sister got to marry a king of the Sky, for goodness’ sake. So when the opportunity to take the place of the Great Sea came my way, I was hardly going say ‘no’!”

“Heck yeah, I don’t blame you. Adventure received where adventure is due!” Ashley empathizes. “Y’know, I thought controlling fire was cool, and I’m not a fan of water, but being the ocean would be rad. Now, the book blurb explains that you go to look for love in the most ‘fantastical of places.’ What about your bestie, Chancewaine? Can we give the audience a bit more background on the where and why for that?”

“Oh. Chance. Well.” Lily’s expression vacillates between pleasure and discomfort. “We’ve known each other forever. He’s like the brother-friend Laraspur has in Ionquin – (they’re my elder sister and brother, you know) – but… well, that’s all very wonderful, but it’s not for marrying, is it? So I have to look elsewhere, for something more. Something – someone – to blow me away with their exceptionality. And the natural world seems the place to look for that. I mean, have you met the Sun?”

“That is very true. Someone you see as a best friend and brother isn’t marriage material. Haha, I can’t say I’ve met the sun. I’ve met someone who knows someone who represents the sun, but not a personal meeting. And not your sun, either.” Ashley grins and crosses her legs at her ankles as she leans back. “Your parents couldn’t have been happy with you deciding to, well, become the Sea on them. Were you planning to tell them what happened? What about Ionquin or your sisters?”

“I’m going to tell them,” Lily protests. “…Eventually. But it isn’t as simple as— what is it modern people in your world do? Text and tweet? Not an option in my society. Nor did I have a courier on hand to take down a letter and run it back to my family, first thing. And one of the few limitations on the Great Sea is her inability to travel far beyond her borders. Besides…” She squirms. “If I told them straightaway, and word reached the Moon, he might make me go right back to being human. Where’s the adventure in that?”

“Talk about restrictions,” Ashley comments. “I get where you’re coming from. One person hears the wrong thing, and it’s game over for your journey. Man…it’s so hard to get adventure nowadays!” She thinks about her next question.

“Erring on the serious side here, but being the Sea and all…sorry, I can’t seem to get over that.” Ashley grins sheepishly, scratching the back of her neck. “Is it all fun, or is there more work involved than you’d think? Do you feel it when people are sailing on the water? What about if they’re swimming?” Questions continue to pour out of her mouth without a filter. “Does it tickle? What about all the fish and other ocean life? Do you get to talk to them? Does it get lonely, on that note? Do you still sleep? Eat? Do you-”

Laughing, Liliavaine holds up a hand. “Slow your stream, Ashley! Let me see if I can recall even half of your hundred questions. Can I feel ships upon me and creatures within me? Yes, if I’m paying attention. My waters are so vast, and those things so small, it’s like the touch of a gnat; it might go unnoticed. Talk to fish and such? I could, the same as the air could talk humanity – that is, the living air can; the winds. But they won’t generally bother because, frankly, they see it as beneath them. And in fairness, what isn’t beneath the Sky? As for loneliness,” she snorts lightly, “who even has the chance? The South Wind won’t leave the Sea in peace for more than a day.”

“That is so cool,” Ashley informs her. “Being able to feel everything. Hm, I don’t know; maybe fish would know more than you expect! I guess I understand though.” She laughs quietly. “Ah, a pesky admirer, then. Hm… So what did you think of this Muirigan, who you traded places with?” Ashley queries, leaning back in her chair and folding her arms behind her head. “It’s kind of weird that she’s competing for the love of someone you’re really close to, isn’t it?”

“I see Muirigan and I as being much the same, in some respects,” Lily muses. “We both know what we want, and we’re willing to go after it, never mind the lines drawn around us at our births. Her romantic interests may not make perfect sense to me, but when you’ve spent your whole life in the world of water, maybe a human prince ends up looking pretty exotic.”

“Wow, not to mention the fact you two had similar circumstances in the first place. Like you said, bound by lines drawn at birth, but once you met you could break them. That’s awesome.” Ashley nods in understanding. “Right, I can see the uniqueness of a human prince in that scenario. And what do you think about Austeryn, the Wind you end up associating with?”

Lily’s lips screw sideways. “I believe your world categorizes his kind as ‘creepers’. The other three winds come across as so straightforward, but him? He’s a snake of a storm. And… complicated. Though if nothing else, I suppose one could admire his persistence. He’s determined to make me trust him.” She crosses her arms. “Best of luck with that.”

Ashley has to take a minute to laugh at Lily’s expression, as well as the reference to creepers. “Oh, man! That’s gotta be something.” She snickers once more before calming down. “Yeah… And I wish the best of luck to you to persist those advances. How about some more casual questions?” Ashley looks around thoughtfully and back to Liliavaine. “What kind of hobbies do you have? What are some of your likes and dislikes?”

“Well, Father got me into horsemanship early; I do love a good gallop o’er the hills. Used to enjoy going to balls more, too, before it all started to go a bit same-old, same-old. And anytime Chanewaine would visit my kingdom, or vice versa, we could do any old thing and have fun. Anything but sitting around, doing nothing. That’s no way to live a life.”

“So. True,” Ashley agrees wholeheartedly. “You and I need to go on an adventure together. I had once been intended to own a horse, but then that idea changed down the road.” She shrugs. “Especially when some of your balls don’t get the magical intrigue some others get, I bet it would get boring! How about some self-perceived strengths and weaknesses?”

“As the Great Sea,” she says, grinning, “the strengths are beyond measure. Simply as myself, though… boldness. Audacity. A proactive spirit. These traits may have gotten me into an awkward spot, a time or two, but I’d rather that than wait around, bored, for what I want to come to me. Because there’s no guarantee that it will, is there? It’s either risk having things happen to you, or risk having them not. I’ll take my chances with the former, thank you.”

“Totally. Those who seek activity shall receive!” Ashley responds. “No point in being passive. Life is too short.” She motions around the stage. “Now, I had a light show just a bit ago. This stage is pretty durable. If you’ve got the power, would you want to give a little show of what you’re capable of?” She stands up and backs away from the main area of the stage. “Although, being a bit of a fire-inclined person, maybe try not to drench me, heh… Otherwise, have at it!”

Lily’s fingertips tap her chin. “My entrance wave may be tough to top, this far onto the shore. Oh!” Her face lights up. “But I can do this.” With a smile, she closes her eyes and dissolves, her from gone in an instant from solid and girl-shaped into clear water running down from her seat and off the stage. After a few beats, she runs back in from the wings and stikes a pose. “Ta-da! Sorry for the short delay,” she says, sitting again. “I had to rejoin with my greater waters before I could resolidify my core. Elemental law. You know how it is.”

Ashley rises from her seat in surprise as the princess suddenly turns to liquid, and gasps as the water runs off the stage. “H-hey, we’re not done,” she protests, just as Lily runs back in. “Oh! That was awesome!!” she exclaims, a huge grin on her face. “Elemental law—yes, I definitely know how it is.” She settles back into her seat as well.

“Final question, then! It was a bit of a coincidence that you got to become the Sea. If you could turn into any being, however – yourself, a different person, or Wilderhark, or the Sun or Moon… If you had your choice, what would it be, and why?

“Ooh, anyone at all? High Goodness, how to choose? I think… I might go with a wind. After all, they can take on any shape they wish, so in a way it would be like being one person and a million! If there’s no room for a fifth wind, in addition to North, South, East, and West, I’d take the East.” She flashes a grin. “He’s lord of the lightning.”

“Lord of the lightning—that would be fun,” Ashley muses, looking thoughtful and nodding in agreement. “Well-thought answer!” She gets to her feet again and smiles.

“That’s all the time we have for today.” Ashley steps forward and bows to the audience once, and then to Princess Liliavaine. “It was an honor to meet you, milady! And now, in the tradition of past interviews, we’re gonna go have some lunch, on me. How about seafood?” Ashley can’t help a snicker at her own ‘clever’ joke, and insists, “I was totally kidding.” Taking Liliavaine’s hand, she waves farewell to the audience.

“Until next time on Interview Saturday! Liliavaine’s journey can be read in The Surrogate Sea, available for purchase on Amazon, Createspace, and Barnes&Noble. Also, the links for the other stops on the blog tour today are just below. C’mon, Lily – let’s go talk dancing with our powers!” Grinning, Ashley leaves the stage with the Surrogate Sea.

*~*~*

Saturday, March 28th =

Flame Writer (Character Interview)

Four Thousand Words (Author Interview)

YA Chit Chat (Character Profile)