Welcome to the scenic route! I've got news to share on all fronts this week. Grab your favorite drink &/or snack and settle in. This'll probably take a little while.
Author Journey: Chaos Will Not Be Avoided
I know I shouldn't have expected a smooth process while publishing Outh'n's tale. No matter what, there's always a hiccup somewhere.
In the past couple of weeks, I've been waiting to see if my book would post to Goodreads on its own. It did not. I tried adding it myself. Goodreads told me there was already a book with that ASIN number and it couldn't find a book with the ISBN I have Outh'n registered with.
I started thinking back and realized I probably missed the 'verification of publishing rights' email that Draft2Digital sent out the last time I published a book. I'm still thinking that's the case, but I can't find the email, which probably means I accidentally deleted it. So I guess it'll be a little longer before I can actually focus on getting the print option out there.
What really bothers me about all this is that when I click on the UBL (universal book link) to purchase The Tale of Outh'n Durr, I see all online book stores but Amazon, BN Nook, and Google Books. And I know you can purchase it at Amazon and BN. I checked manually through their search box. It's just frustrating that anyone looking for my book won't find it easily if they want to buy through Kindle or Nook. Thankfully, Apple iBooks is still showing, as well as several other options.
Since I started prepping this post, I found out that Draft2Digital isn't linked with Google Books any more. That probably happened when Google made the changes which ended up with Amazon Kindle being so clunky. I loved that I could buy books through the app. It was so streamlined!
I'm almost positive Ripples was available in Google Books for a time. So since I couldn't find either Ripples or The Tale of Outh'n Durr on Google Books, I'm getting them both into their system...manually. They're in the approval stage now. As soon as they go live, I'll make sure to add the links to their books2read pages.
There are so many other stores I could sell my books through, but I'm debating the wisdom of trying. It would be time consuming to go through a similar process as Google Books. Even though the process was simple, it still took about half an hour to get everything lined up and ready to go. There were at least thirty more options shown on the books2read dashboard. That's a lot of half hours! Still, I'll be glad to have my books in the major ebook hubs.
Writer's Life: Did Someone Say 'Chaos'?
Unfortunately, the mayhem isn't confined to the publishing part of my life. My husband's uncle passed away unexpectedly last week. There's been far too much death on his side of the family in recent years. My heart breaks for my family who's dealt with so many unexpected losses so quickly.
My mom finally is getting some answers as to her health issues. We're thinking what's happening now, since she's long past the virus which kicked all of this off, is withdrawal symptoms from her getting off a medicine which she'd been taking for years. Seriously, it makes me debate the wisdom of taking pharmaceuticals so blindly. Reading the fine print the pharmacy sends home with a patient is essential. It's been good to get some answers we can be proactive with, though.
Otherwise, we've been blessed with calmness for the most part. Life is always a struggle, but God is good to give us the strength we need to make it through.
Spartacus is doing well. I've been trying to take more time to play with him, since he really loves that interaction. We don't have another pet for him to interact with, so I know it's important. Right now, he's chilling with our youngest.
Please keep our family in your prayers as we mourn the loss of a loved one and continue the battle for my mom's health.
Just Keep Writing: Friday Fascicles
If this is your first time participating in this kind of writing exercise, you're in for a treat. If you've done this with me before, just keep scrolling for the prompt.
Rules:
- You can use any/all of the words and/or the photo in the prompt below to create a unique written work. Fiction or nonfiction, poetry or prose, even lyrics are acceptable.
- Please keep the material you write clean (i.e. nothing R-rated or worse) if you wish to share the link to your work here, as well as if you link back to my site. I strive to keep my site free of such things. My readers know and expect this. I respect your right to write whatever you feel you need to write. And you're free to use my prompts. But if your material is graphic, I'd rather not view it, and most of my readers will not wish to.
- Have fun! This type of exercise is perfect for growing in the writing craft, or for helping through a rough patch in your current WIP. If you're looking to push your author limits and you normally write in nonfiction prose, try a whimsical collection of lyrics. If you normally write poems about real life events, try your hand at a fanfic. Give yourself some room to explore.
Don't forget to leave a link to your creation (unless you're writing graphic material) so my readers and I can check out your work. I'd appreciate a link back to this post to help me reach more readers, but it's not required.
I hope you have fun with this collection of words. They sound suspenseful to me.
Story Snippet: Surge (Children of Y'Dahnndrya, book 2) by Robin McElveen
Chapter 5
Surprising Connections
"Be at ease," Edrea sighed.
The graceful woman relaxed her shoulders slightly and placed her hand on a nearby wall covered with flowering vines.
"I cannot help myself. I see in her a younger me and I know time is short. Festifi Geil'ya will come before we are ready. If only I had not..." She got no further as a dainty bare foot stepped into the circular room. Turning to face the youngling, she offered a formal greeting. "Welcome to the heart of Yacan, Ya’el Shirasdatir."
The younger woman blinked eyes the color of meadow grass. Hair the color of Tsifi’ra at setting brushed her shoulders in gentle waves. It had been cleverly coiffed when she had arrived. Mi’yat assumed she’d done so to hide the single silver streak she could now see. Edrea had kindly dimmed the blue-green light, but the Serafin knew it would take time to adjust after spending so long in the dark tunnel.
"Thank you, Honored Guardian." Her rich, alto voice held a lot less confidence than before. Serafin nodded. It was good the youngling showed some hesitance. Perhaps she wasn’t completely reckless.
"What is this place? You say it's the heart of Yacan? What does that mean?" Ya’el cocked her head as if positioning her ears to hear better.
"Well, it did not take you long to find your courage again." The Serafin couldn't hide her mirth. "From this point on, you will follow me. Ammyr Kol, wait here."
"Yes, Serafin," he rumbled as he bowed.
*****
The Lady Guardian led Ya’el through a crack in the wall. The clever disguise hid a hallway from casual view. Her jaw dropped in amazement and she had to jump and run before she lost sight of it again.
As her guide strode away, Ya’el popped her head back out of the opening and grinned. "Thank you, Ammyr Kol," she crooned with a wink. When he froze in surprise, she knew the risk had been worth any hardship or punishment she might receive later. She pulled back and trotted to catch up to the Serafin.
The taller woman's long strides meant Ya'el had to take two for each one of the Guardian’s to keep up. When the path angled sharply down, Ya'el tripped several times on roots which poked up at odd intervals. She was keenly aware there was no Ammyr Kol to catch her. Nor would he be there to encourage her if darkness closed in again. Though her irrational fear and his laughter irritated her, she had to admit she’d been grateful for his presence. She lifted her head in time to see her guide slip through another cleverly hidden slit in the wall. She followed as closely as she could.
The air warmed the further they went and it wasn't long before Ya'el panted for breath. "How much...further...Guardian Serafin?"
"It is not long now," came the easy reply. "Surely you are not already tired?"
The thinly disguised jibe spurred Ya'el to greater attempts but her lungs were gripped as if by the Ammyr’s stone-like hold. Instead of wasting precious air on a reply, she simply focused on keeping up.
Suddenly, the air freshened and cooled. Ya'el's lungs were released from their prison and she gulped great gasps of air. "Finally!" she gasped out, spontaneously.
"You will be silent now, at least until you are presented the opportunity to speak."
"Will I meet Edrea here?"
"Youngling, do you not know the meaning of the word silence?" The Guardian was visibly annoyed and it marred her smooth skin.
Ya'el gasped again. That face was familiar to her, but from where?
"I think we've met before."
"Hmmm...I see you must be taught the meaning of silence."
A vine snaked its way across the floor behind Ya'el and slithered up and around her torso to clamp over her mouth. It happened so quickly she didn't have time to react.
"Mm..hmmhm...amm!" The unintelligible sounds meant nothing to anyone and Ya'el was forced to keep silent.
"Now, that we have your undivided attention," began Serafin tartly, "I will carve out a tale for you."
Ya'el tried to smile. She did love a good spin!
"Long, long ago, long before either you or I were born, the lands were green and fruitful. The mountains didn't terrify those passing through them and the beings of Y'Dahnndrya lived in harmony. These beings, though, were nothing like you have met in your tsimikin, youngling. They were mighty and magnificent displays of the Creator's power. The Menterria were the stone giants, guardians of the western and north-western mountains and all who lived in them. The draconisi of the earth-fires, the La'weia, guarded and protected the peoples and mountains of the north and north-east. The draconisi you have heard of but which are rarely seen are the descendants of the La'weia. The Ui'shiikia guarded all the waters of Y'Dahnndrya. The Orria were giant fliers whose markings of black and white flecked with gold protected the dry lands and the beings which dwelled there."
"Mm...ah...mmmhm," Ya'el mumbled. The vines tightened, raising her off the ground to meet the eyes of the Guardian, and she whimpered. The only thing Ya’el could do was nod. As soon as she did, the vines loosened just enough to relieve her, though she wasn’t set on the floor.
"No more interruptions, youngling, or I will have Ammyr Kol take you to visit Zashi Binya. Have you understood me clearly?" The pale blue eyes were as hard and sharp as a Genzettin faceted gem and then she realized the truth. Ya'el knew why this woman looked so familiar. She wiggled in excitement but held her tongue. The older woman nodded and continued her tale, though it was now difficult to focus on the details.
"The last and greatest of these guardians were the Terreilia and they guarded the beings of the eastern forests and swamps. The sentient trees of Y'Dahnndrya spread everywhere they were able to set down roots. Once their numbers were so vast they could not be counted. Now, there is only one. I exist so that she may exist. And one day, you will exist for the same purpose. But that dawning has not yet brightened. You are far less ready to take on your role than we had hoped." Ya’el gazed and wondered as the woman before her stared into the distance for a long time before she sighed and spoke again.
"As you know, I am Serafin. Or perhaps it is better to say I am the Serafin. There have been many Serafin in Edrea's lifetime. Each has been summoned just as you were -- chosen of the Creator, agreed upon by Edrea. I was younger than you when I received my Dreamsooth. But the Creator allows us choices and my choice at the time was to stay. There was a man I loved and he had only just shown interest in me. I wanted a life-mate and a child of my own to love. The Creator allowed me to have them both for a time. That time ended and the time to take the path of my purpose came. While everyone was on the hunt, I went off alone and as far as they are concerned, I am dead. This is how it must be for the Guardian of Yacan."
Ya’el frowned and gulped as she thought of the surprise she’d left for her youngest sibling. Had she made a huge mistake before she’d even begun?
"A difficult path lies ahead of you. Memories of the past can hinder you. Here and now, you must choose whether you believe your memories will be your strength or become an unconquerable hindrance to you. Now you may speak."
The vines loosened and slithered away. Ya'el sat where she'd been dropped, mouth agape once more. When she recovered her voice, it wasn't to answer the call put before her, nor was it to confess the revelation she left for her sibling.
"Akal'a," she whispered. "You are Tsadok's morah! He is my friend and he loves my sister, Yetsye. She hasn’t accepted it yet, but she loves him, too. I'm so happy to meet you!"
"Child!" The coldness in the reprimand chilled the air and drove straight into Ya'el's bones. "Do you take nothing seriously? This is not the time for idle talk." The Serafin stood her ground like a stone statue.
Ya'el smiled ruefully. "I understand. Really, I do! I just want to know everything. It's my curse, I think." She hung her head. "I'm sorry. I am ready to choose."
So what did you think of today's post? Did something grab your attention? Was the word prompt helpful? Would you like to hear more of Ya'el's story? Let me know in the comments.
I'll be back next week with more word prompts and book reviews. I hope I'll have some good publishing news to share with you, too. Please visit again!
Until next time,
Turn the page...
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