Welcome to the scenic route! I hope you're ready for November, because it's just around the corner. Wow! This year has flown past. I have to admit, some days seemed to take forever. But looking back over everything that happened this year... I can't help but gape in shock. And if I think back over everything that's happened since 2020, it's even more shocking how many major things have happened since then. It's no wonder I can't keep track of what happened yesterday! In any case, let me get going on this post. It might be published a tad late, but it's going out today.
Author Journey: It's Almost NaNo Time!
Yep. If you've heard of NaNoWriMo, or followed my post for a year or two, then you know what next month is. You also might be aware that Octowrimo is the month of preparation. (I think I remember it being called Octowrimo, but remember that statement in the opening about memory?)
While meant to spend at least a little time every work-week day on prepping for NaNo, I didn't meet that goal. Granted, my mom's health is far more important, so I'm not regretting any loss of prep time. I'm just that much more determined to write to win.
The cover art for OLUS is still not complete. I might complete it before the end of the month, but I really don't have a whole lot of time.
I had also planned to prep as many blog posts as possible before Nano started, but I haven't done that either. I still want to prep those, but, again, time is short.
One thing I have been able to accomplish is reading through a good portion of the manuscript in preparation for editing it during NaNo. I don't usually like editing a manuscript during an event intended to help you get a new book or half a book written. But short or writing more short stories, I don't have any other novel-sized ideas right now. I'm more focused on completing what I've started. That's actually a huge victory for me, because my tendency is to start and never finish.
So pray for me as I edit OLUS during this NaNo event. I want to keep it focused on characters who exhibit good morals win in many ways while those who exhibit bad ones lose in some way that's truly detrimental. For my own sanity, I keep to the moral system I see in the Bible. You may or may not see it clearly in the manuscripts I write as fantasy. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on any of my books you've read, or on the sneak-peeks I've shared on the blog. Feedback is almost always helpful.
Writer's Life: Time For What? What'd I Miss?
Nothing. It's all slamming at me at the same time so I don't actually miss things. I just can't always work with those things. LOL
My mom's still gaining strength. Please continue keeping her in prayer, though. She's still not strong enough to take those tests she needs to figure out what's disturbing her digestion. We're thinking it may be a food allergy, but not sure which. It's not what I deal with, though.
Other than that, we have a gathering planned for this weekend. I look forward to spending time visiting with family and friends. I'm also looking forward to having food cooked on the grill.
One time-consuming thing I had to deal with this week was treating our room to get rid of carpet beetles. I only found one little larvae, but no sense letting it get out of hand. I'm just thankful I spotted it! God is good! And I was able to do most of the treatment before my husband got home from work, so he didn't have to handle too many things. The military was not exactly kind to his joints.
No Spartacus pictures for this post, sadly. He's still fat and happy, but his food is a precarious issue. I noticed that the place I usually buy it doesn't seem to be stocking it anymore, or maybe there's a supply shortage. I tried switching him to another grain-free option they sell, but he doesn't seem to be adjusting to the switch. I'm not despairing yet. If I have to order online, I'll do it. But it's the interim, yanno?
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.
What do you think, creators? Can you work with this list? I hope you'll create something truly wonderful. Let me know how it goes!
Story Snippets: Surge (Children of Y'Dahnndrya 3) by Robin McElveen
Chapter Eight
Grueling Work
"No! That's not what I asked you to do. Listen!" Kol snapped.
Ya'el wanted to scream. No, that wasn’t enough. Ranting and raving might be what she needed to do to let off enough of her frustration. They'd been training since the suns rose. The two orbs now soared high overhead, mocking her lack of progress. Setting aside what she wanted to do, Ya’el sighed instead and made ready to try again.
"Wait.” Kol’s command stopped her immediately. "Do you really want to do this?"
"Want?" Ya'el snickered mirthlessly. "The moment I chose to accept Azilet’zal’s call, I gave up what I want.” She paused to think a moment, then clarified, “Well, it’s more a matter of my wants lining up with what the Creator wants. So you don’t have to ask me that anymore. I'll do what I have to do." She looked directly into his shadow-black eyes and scowled. "Or I'll die trying."
He stared back at her for a moment and then gave her a sharp nod. "Alright then. Let's go."
Ya'el took up her staff in the defensive stance once again. "Don't hold back," she urged with a grin.
"Huh! If I did that, you'd miss at least three nainda of training, if you survived at all."
"Just because you’re the most advanced opponent I’ve ever faced, don’t think I'm incapable of winning." Ya'el beamed, determined to follow through on her promise.
"You are without doubt the least capable whelp I’ve ever had to train." Kol grinned, which would have taken some of the sting out of his words if he hadn’t simultaneously bared his fangs. Ya’el secretly admitted it was a sight which would set a greater enemy's bones quaking like a bowl of ojila.
Suddenly, he charged. Ya'el was ready this time. She blocked his swing, though it sent her to her knees. At least, she’d been prepared for a strong hit. Kol kept his staff against hers, steadily pressing her down toward the ground. It was time to turn the tables. She arched back and to the side, swinging her legs around just in time. There was only one opening, and it wasn’t great -- his shoulder. Trying an upward sweep with her staff was the only way she might get a hit in. Risky, but there was no other way. Kol was ahead of her. His feint sent out a resounding crack as he blocked. The reverb was brutal, forcing to drop her staff.
"Argh! I will get this!" Ya'el slammed her mostly numb fist into the soft mazh. She’d marveled earlier on the pale purple and soft blue colors.
"Come on. Get up," Kol reached down a hand to help her. She accepted his offer and winced as the nerves in her fingers suddenly crackled back to life. "If you're hungry, we'll stop and eat."
Ya'el nodded, still too annoyed to trust the words that might spill out of her mouth. Dropping his hand, she rubbed hers together to settle the nerves.
Kol led the way to a shaded area near a cascading, leaf-covered vine. He set down his training bag. Ya'el had wondered why he’d brought it along. It wasn't like they were far from their homes. From inside, he pulled out an earthen jar covered with rough fabric which had been coated in dried hahne'en leavings, a transparent glashiin flask filled with pale blue liquid, and a parcel wrapped in more of the rough fabric. Then he drew out a bigger wad of fabric which he spread on the ground. He placed the food and drink on it and sat. Gesturing for her to sit opposite him, he offered her the small parcel, lowered himself to recline on the cloth, and then took a sip from the flask.
"Eat what you like."
"My thanks, Am...iteik’I," muttered Ya'el. She'd almost slipped up. He'd cracked her lightly on the head the last time she'd called him Ammyr instead of by his current occupational title. When she'd asked, he said it meant teacher and that she should worry more about defeating opponents.
Some kind of bluish-green bread was wrapped in the fabric. She broke off a chunk and set the rest down near his knees. "What's in the flask?" She dared a question, wondering if he would answer it. She'd gotten used to him ignoring her questions today.
To her surprise, he said, "Precious stuff. From home."
She waited. In vain. He wasn't going to enlighten her. She pressed him. "Alright. But what is it? It has a name, doesn't it? It's made from something, isn't it?"
"You are a curious youngling, aren't you? Don’t they teach you about imports in M’Neshunnaya?"
Ya'el nodded and risked a confused smile. "Yes, they do, iteik’I. But they don’t teach us about all of them. I’d say it’s a strong brew of some kind. I wouldn’t have been taught about those, since my focus was on healing. But I've always been interested in everything about our world. I want to know it all."
"Impossible," he snorted and laughed derisively. "It's better to focus on one or two things and master them than spread yourself so thin. You have potential."
"Potential for what? If I don't know enough, I won't be able to do anything well."
"True. But you're missing a few important words."
"Is that so?" she raised an unimpressed eyebrow.
"Indeed."
Ya'el waited but he remained silent. Oh, how it infuriated her and she was already irritated. He had to know it, but he was goading her anyway.
"Well?" When he still held his tongue, she daintily put down what was left of the chunk of bread, brushed the crumbs from her hands and thighs, and rose. Spinning on her heel, she stalked back toward the training area.
"Rested already?"
"I guess I am, iteik’I," she snapped, the last word a hiss.
(I'm including another chapter because it was my original intent to get to this one before the end of October. Also, it's one of my favorites. That's the last chapter you'll get of this story until it's published. I hope you'll find it interesting enough to grab a copy when it's published!)
Chapter Nine
You Again?
Ya'el arrived at the training area and passed it. Kol called out to her but she didn't stop. Her mind was in such chaos there was no way she'd be able to focus right now. She didn't hear him pounding up behind her and figured he must have worked it out for himself. Suddenly, she felt the need to run — free, fast, furious running.
The wind whistled past her ears as she leaped over long loops of vines, rotten logs, and holes. Faster and faster she sped through the tangle of foliage that was Yacan. Fear didn’t exist, not when annoyance and anger drove her on.
She was still running at her fastest when she collided with a rock solid mass. She took it down with her momentum and pushed herself up, shaking her head to clear the stars from her vision. When she realized the mass was a person and her hands rested on a solid, bare chest, not a plant or beast, she quickly moved away.
"I'm so sorry," she gasped out, still trying to catch her breath and more thankful than ever she’d donned fitted breeches and a high-necked vest today.
"Eiya, Serafin'an," drawled a familiar tenor, "running away?" It was that wretch, Outh'n Durr. And he was laughing. At her or at the situation, she couldn’t be sure.
"No," Ya'el replied cautiously. "Just running." She scrambled to rise but he grabbed her wrist.
"In a hurry then?" One corner of his lips turned up in the menacing smirk she remembered. His eyepatch was plain this time.
"Yes, I am." She wasn’t sure if she should be as nervous as she was. After all, he was part of Edrea’s colony. Kol had called him ‘zashi’ and that was the same title Binya held. Ya’el risked looking into his uncovered eye and found it the most beautiful pale brown she’d ever seen on a being. Something flickered in its depths and evoked a niggle of doubt. She'd given her all to running, not expecting a need to defend herself. In her current state of exhaustion, there was no way she could defeat this warrior if he chose to challenge her.
"Well, I'm not." His smirk grew to a grin.
Ya'el looked at him, really looked at him. He was almost handsome. His messy thatch of dark brown hair was short at the back and sides and longer on top. It needed a good combing but didn't detract from his looks. The eye she could see was set under a heavy brow topped with slightly angled brows resembling elongated spear tips. She wondered whether the eye-patch was aesthetic or functional. A bump disrupted the otherwise straight line of his bold nose and it was set between sharp cheekbones. Medium-full lips slightly darker than his tan skin now stretched into a full smile which revealed two nicely aligned rows of gleaming white teeth. All were straight but for one eye tooth which had turned a bit. His chin matched his cheekbones, the sharp point almost like an exclamation.
He may not have been as tall as his purple friend, but he was head and shoulders taller than Ya’el. Lean muscle covered a tanned, wiry body. Solid, broad shoulders tapered slightly to his waist. A loincloth topped a pair of hide boots cuffed at the knee and was the only clothing he wore. If she’d had time, and if he was perhaps wearing a bit more, she would’ve like to examine the design on the cuffs of his boots. It was a pity his attitude got in the way. Otherwise, Ya’el felt certain such a capable and decent-looking man would’ve been life-mated by now.
Shaking her head, she spoke, hoping he’d believe her and let her go without an argument. "If I don't get back soon, iteik’I will skin me." She gave him her most serious face.
He laughed again but let go of her wrist and rose to his feet, lithe as a tsa'gra. "Well, it's not like you can run far anyway."
"I already told you. I'm not running away, just running. Haven’t you ever run for fun? Or just to feel the wind on your face?" Her annoyance grew and she took a step back. He grabbed for her wrist again but she was ready this time and jerked her arm out of his reach.
"Well, this could be fun. It's been a long time since I've played a good game of wuve and skichii."
Outh’n’s eyebrows dipped and he hunched over, snarling. His hair darkened to a richer brown and the gold flecks intensified. His fingernails changed to claws. He kicked off his boots while his legs grew fur and changed shape.
Ya’el backed up, torn between fascination and dismay. She couldn't turn away as Outh’n’s nose and mouth stretched, bones popping and creaking in the process. When the transformation was complete, an oversized wuveia stood before her, head dipped so they were eye to eye.
"Well," it growled. "I'm giving you a head-start. I'll play fair."
Ya'el stood slack-jawed and speechless for a moment. "Is -- that you -- Outh'n?"
"It's Zashi Durr, to you, Serafin'an. I'd remember that, if I were you." He snarled and bared his fangs. "Now, you should run. Fast and sly, because I'm the top hunter in this game." The snap of his jaws punctuated his words.
Ya'el believed him. Taking three backward steps, she spun on her heels and took off, slipping and sliding on leaf loam and tripping over lumpy roots in the path.
The Zashi was on her in moments, pounding paws scattering leaves and twigs as he closed in on his prey. He barely had to try.
"You're no fun, M'Neshunnayan! Come on! Make this game worth my time," he sneered, snapping at her heels.
"Ugh!" she gasped out her reply as her foot landed wrong. The painful jolt in her ankle and the spreading heat told her she wouldn't be running anymore this dawning. "You slichit! I won't forget this."
He reared up, but before he could do anything more, a black blur slammed into his side. He yelped, twisting in mid-air to face the new enemy. He growled, ready to tear his opponent to shreds. He relented, turning tufted ears down and tucking in his tail. Ya'el gaped. He bowed in submission to the largest tsa'gra Ya'el had ever seen. Or was it a tsa'gra? It looked similar, but she'd never seen a black one, nor one so large. Its teeth weren’t quite right, either. The beasts she knew from home had tusks which grew past their lower jaw. This beast didn't.
"Isn’t your shift over, Zashi Durr? Go back home," growled the creature, "or I'll send you to Binya again."
Outh'n Durr rose, bowed his snout to the ground once more, and loped off, disappearing into the underbrush in the blink of an eye.
"iteik’I? Is that you?" Ya'el was amazed. Kol could fly and had a beast form like Zashi Durr. How? She had to know. But the only answer she got was a growl that grew more menacing the longer she stood there.
"I'm sorry, iteik’I." Her teacher was difficult to figure out when he wore his own face. There was no way she could read his expression now. If she had her sister's skills, she'd probably know. But she didn't and the only thing she could think to do was to follow Zashi Durr's example. She bowed, turned, and headed back the way she'd come. She walked, because she feared running almost as much as she feared turning her back on the black beast behind her.
"If you ever run away from the training again, I will make sure you regret it for a long time."
"iteik’I, just like I told Zashi Durr, I wasn't running away. I was just running. My mind was in chaos and I was annoyed." She was surprised that he allowed her to keep talking. Her old mentor back home would've halted her after the first two words. "I didn't think I would do much good in that state. I was hoping to calm down and clear my head. All I managed to do was pick a fight with someone I was hoping not to meet again."
"Outh'n Durr is a resident on this island. It’s a vain hope that you wouldn’t see him again. Also, he is your superior. In almost every way, I might add. He's a slichit, you say? Well, I disagree for reasons I won't share. But you should know he's a good ally in battle in spite of his nasty tongue and tricks. He's got his own set of problems."
"iteik’I! That was a lot of words." Ya’el attempted a slight bit of humor.
"I speak when it’s necessary."
They walked a long time before Ya'el couldn't hold her questions in any longer. "What kind of beast are you? I thought you were a tsa'gra at first. Will you transform into your usual self soon? Or does it take a while?"
He snorted, or it could’ve been a sneeze. "You and your questions," came the rumbling response.
After a time, he said, "My current form is a karyna, a beast which hunts in the mountain tunnels of my home. I can return to whatever form I wish whenever I like. But to do so now would be...improper. I’ll wait until I’m nearer home, where I left my clothes. I didn't think I'd be shifting today."
Heat flooded her cheeks and ears as Kol chuckled.
I hope you enjoy this post, even though it's a good bit longer than usual. Let me know what you think about anything I discussed in this one. I'd be most interested to hear what you think about these chapters of Surge. Just leave your comments in the section below.
I'll be back next week with more word prompts, book reviews, and updates on my writing. I hope you'll visit again and bring more friends with you.
Until next time,
Turn the page...
.png)
.png)
Comments
Post a Comment