Showing posts with label Illusion's Reign. Show all posts

Friday, November 22, 2024

On the Taleweaver's Desk Issue 14: November 2024

Hello, friends! It's time for another Taleweaver's Desk update; as always, this is the part of the blog in which I check in with an overview of what projects I'm working on (and not working on) and what might be coming soon — starting with the most active projects on my desktop.

On the Taleweaver's Desk Issue 14: November 2024

On the Desktop

These are the projects you might find open on my laptop or desk if you took a peek at it during a normal day. They're currently in progress and at the top of the priority chart.

Project Kingfisher

What is it? A fairy tale retelling (or possibly series of retellings or series of mixed retellings and original stories) with a Chinese-inspired setting.

Status: In the planning stages; will start drafting the book soon.

This project has a little bit of a funny background — I'd semi-committed myself to write a retelling of a particular fairy tale for an event coming in a year or two, but I was halfway thinking about pulling out because I wasn't excited about the particular version of the fairy tale the event organizer was hoping I'd write and I had so many other stories on my plate. Then I got a little spark of inspiration from the idea of a Chinese-inspired setting with steampunk vibes (like a Chinese equivalent of what you see in some Ghibli movies) and a bigger spark of inspiration when a friend mentioned that the main couple could potentially draw on some character types I'd been writing in my just-for-fun side project, and now I'm a little obsessed with this story and storyworld.

D&D Campaign: Defenders of Serys

What is it? Defenders of Serys is the homebrew D&D campaign that I run for my D&D group.

Status: Still making progress on the tournament arc!

I have written a good portion of the current arc, but hit pause again to focus on other things that took priority because I had a buffer and we had several weeks in a row when we weren't meeting. My group seems to be enjoying the story, which is good, and they hit it off with some of the NPCs I really hoped they'd like, which has also been fun. I do need to get back to work on this sooner than later, though, or else my buffer will run out again . . .

Stacked on the Side

These are the stories that I'm not actively working on (at least not officially), but I'm keeping close at hand because I plan to get back to them soon (or I just work on them sporadically as the urge takes me).

Once Upon a Dream

What is it? A light steampunk (or gaslamp fantasy?) Sleeping Beauty retelling; the predecessor to The Midnight Show

Status: Edited several times over. Awaiting another round of rewrites/expansion/edits (and a useful excuse/motivation for prioritizing those edits).

Secret Star Book

What is it? A secret. An experiment. The product of my having read/watched/otherwise enjoyed a lot of media in a couple specific genres (outside my usual one) in the last half of 2023 and first half of 2024.

Status: I am dabbling in this as I have the time and desire to do so. Right now, that mostly looks like worldbuilding and fleshing out characters.

Shelved for Now

These are stories that are also on hold, but which I don't have specific plans to work on very soon. They're still within easy reach should I decide to return to them, but they aren't a top priority.

Blood in the Earth

What is it? Blood in the Earth is the sequel to Blood in the Snow and a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses crossed with the myth of Hades and Persephone.

Status: First draft finished; awaiting rewrites. I still love this story, but I don't know when I'll get back to it. Currently, that happening in the next twelve months is looking somewhat dubious.

Between Two Worlds

What is it? A portal fantasy adventure about what happens when you come home from the adventure, only to discover that the adventure isn't quite as done with you as you thought.

Status: Awaiting another round of edits/rewrites while I write other things and daydream about its sequels.

The Way of the Pen

What is it? Self-aware fantasy adventure about a girl and her author.

Status: The first draft is sitting on my shelf, patiently waiting for its turn back in the spotlight, as it has been for some time and will probably continue to do for a good while.

Berstru Tales series

What is it? The longest-running series I've worked on (either in the number of books written or in how long I've worked on it. Originally was a classic epic fantasy, but is getting a genre change.

Status: Needs to be rewritten from the ground up, but the bones are good. I've decided that I'm going to try changing it to a different subgenre, and I'm excited to work on that, but I don't think it'll happen in the next six months.

Awaiting Delivery

These are the stories that are on their way, but haven't quite arrived yet to the point where I can write them: ideas I'm toying with but haven't even started to draft because they're still too nebulous.

Additional Bastian Dennel, PI novels

What is it? Exactly what the heading said. Book 4 will be Jack and the Beanstalk (yes, I'm serious); other stories planned include The Little Mermaid, The Goose Girl, The Nutcracker, Rumplestiltskin, and Pwyll & Rhiannon.

Status: Bastian Dennel Book 4 is next up on my priority list to write, and I hope it'll come together quickly. Originally I was going to write it this fall, but I decided to push it back in favor of focusing on grad school and Project Kingfisher. It is next on the list after that, though. Following that, I'm still expecting The Nutcracker as Book 5, followed by The Little Mermaid, The Goose Girl, Rumplestiltskin, and Pwyll & Rhiannon, probably in that order (unless the last two get switched).

Future Daughters of Atirse books

What is it? What the headline said, again. Multiple other stories connected with Song of the Selkies. Specifically, I have plans for some variation on Beauty and the Beast (sequel), Tam Lin (prequel), and Pwyll & Rhiannon (sequel), as well as a prequel (about Prince Diarmad) and at least one other sequel (about Uaine) that don't have specific fairy tales but will be written because I want to tell their main characters' stories.

Status: The Beauty and the Beast sequel, which will focus on Mirren, will probably be the next of these books that I write, and I plan to tackle it after I write BDPI #4. Aside from that, I continue to bounce ideas around with my friend, both to expand existing ideas and create new ones.

Unnamed Fantasy Murder Mystery

What is it? Exactly what the headline says. A prominent noble is murdered; his adoptive daughter is poised to inherit his lands and position — but some are saying her hand was behind his death.

Status: Still just an idea, but it's an idea with a really good soundtrack. May end up being set in the same world as Daughters of Atirse, though not in the same series and later in the world's timeline.

DOSA Files #2 Story

What is it? A story for the second DOSA Files anthology, set in the world of H.L. Burke's SVR books.

Status: I have an idea, probably featuring Steelblood, Quantum, and Ava again, but it still needs to percolate a little more before I can write it. I think I can get it down if I can just divert enough mental resources to speed up that percolation, but I have not managed to do that yet. The deadline is getting close, though, so I really need to get on this.

What projects (writing or otherwise) are you working on currently, and how are they going for you? Tell me in the comments!
Thanks for reading!

Friday, October 4, 2024

September 2024 Doings!

Hello, all! I will be honest; after a month of a really weird blog schedule, I completely forgot that Doings! was a thing until about two days ago. (The fact that this past week of work has been really chaotic and busy did not help matters.) Thank goodness I remembered Wednesday morning instead of Wednesday night so I could still get this out on time!

Also, just as a quick heads-up for those in the Northern Virginia area: my books and I will be at Eat Local, Read Local at the Cascades Library in Potomac Falls on Saturday, October 19, 11:00–2:00. The event will also include many other authors, food, and live music, so come stop by, check out the tables, pick up some new books, or just say hi! I hope I'll get to see you there!

Writing!

In case you missed it: Illusion's Reign officially released on September 27 and is available for purchase on Amazon in both ebook and paperback forms. Thank you so much to everyone for the wonderful reception you gave this book — all the excitement and encouragement was such a joy! I've seen a few early reviews and a few people saying that they're reading and enjoying the book currently, which is also delightful.
Just as a reminder, if you didn't preorder the book but you were thinking of buying the Kindle edition, make sure you do that soon! The ebook price will rise from $2.99 to $3.99 next week.
Most of my writing-related work this month was, of course, on Illusion's Reign: proofreading, formatting, and putting together promo stuff for it and the other Lost Kerchiefs stories. All that went very smoothly, though, with the exception of some delays on blog tour materials, so it was a surprisingly calm release month. I will say that I was very glad to be done with the final round of proofreading, though.
Also writing-related: September was, of course, Silmaril Awards month! I hosted the Silver Tongues category this year, and I was very pleased that someone I've spent years rooting for took home the Silmaril! If you missed the Awards, you can still find links to all the ceremonies on the official website. I highly recommend checking them out! (On a side note, Athelas from City Between has cameos or actual finalist appearances in so many of the awards ceremonies this year, and that delights me to no end.)
Additionally, in case anyone missed it, Song of the Selkies and I were featured on Tricia Goyer's Avid Readers of Christian Fiction blog and podcast! Go check those out if you haven't already; I really enjoyed getting to chat with Tricia about my writing journey and my books.
As for D&D writing for my campaign . . . I admit to slacking a bit on that front. I also admit to once again underestimating the complexity of what I decided to do. Still, I am making progress in bits and pieces, and as long as I'm maintaining a buffer, I'm fine.
I've also been doing some writing on a side project, but that is entirely for fun. Basically, it's an opportunity to recharge with a story that I know won't be published and that doesn't have deadlines, so I can keep in the writing habit without the pressure of an "official" project. (That's not to say anything negative about my published books; I love working on those too. But I've learned too that sometimes it's nice to write something that's just for me.)

Reading!

This was another slightly lighter reading month (two of those seven books pictured are short stories), but it included lots of excellent stories! I can hardly pick a favorite!
Splintered Mind was probably my most highly-anticipated read of the month, and it was every bit as excellent as I hoped it would be. Seeing a different side of Between and Behind was fun, and I also liked the new lead character. Viv is decidedly, determinedly normal, and she is much more reluctant to embrace the new, mad world she's been pulled into than certain previous protagonists — but I can't blame her. Plus, she's also caring and practical and Doing Her Best, and her new perspective gives this book a very different vibe than the previous books in this world. (Also, because Viv is coming into this cold, this is an excellent starting point if you want to give the Between and Behind books a try but are intimidated by the ten-book commitment of City Between!)
Another world I enjoyed revisiting was H.S.J. Williams's Aselvia! I reread Moonscript and read Crown of Sand and Sea in preparation for Collusion's release, and both of those were excellent. Hannah is magnificent at balancing heartbreak and hope, facing the darkness without succumbing to it. I've said before that her books remind me of Goldstone Wood, and I stand by that now. (On a related note, I'm currently reading Collusion, her latest release, and it is excellent.)
On the shorter side, we have Claire Trella Hill's Come by Water and Aeronwy's Stolen Child. Come by Water was a cool take on Tam Lin, and Claire does a good job at deciding what to show from the original myth and what to leave out. It's not my favorite of her books, but it's still a good read. Aeronwy's Stolen Child, on the other hand, is definitely in my top three favorites of Claire's works! It's such a clever reimagining of a changeling story, one in which the faery child might not have been so willingly given and a faery mother is desperate to get her baby back. I absolutely loved it!
Moving on, I read the first Artemis Fowl book as research for my Silmaril Awards ceremony. I almost got into this series at one point when I was much younger . . . and, to be honest, I am not upset to have missed it. To be clear, the author does some interesting things with worldbuilding, the story is exciting, and Artemis is an interesting character, so I see why the series is so popular, but I did not vibe with it.
Wrapping up this month, I finally finished reading Moby Dick via the Whale Weekly Substack! It was . . . definitely something. I admit that, even in email form, I was definitely skimming a lot by the end. This falls solidly into the category of "I'm glad I read it, but I sure hope I don't have to do it again."

Watching & Playing!

I am actually caught up on Star Rail main story content, and it is the weirdest feeling. What do you mean, there's not another big story mission for me to do? What do you mean, I just have to sit here and wait for months to find out what happens next? That can't be right, can it? (It is, apparently.)
So, yeah. I finished the Penacony story and jumped straight into the Wardance, and storms was that intense and amazing. I finished the first part about three days before part two dropped, and the agony of that cliffhanger — I don't know how people who had to wait the full time didn't go crazy. But that whole storyline was amazingly well done. I loved the new characters, and I also loved the way many established characters' arcs continued, both in the main story and the event quests. The Xianghou continues to have some of my favorite characters and my favorite storylines; it's just the best.
And now I'm just waiting for the next update to drop . . .
Or, rather, I would be just waiting, except that my friends who got me into Star Rail talked me into starting Genshin Impact. Which, to be fair, I planned to do eventually, but they were very persuasive in getting me to move that timeline up. And by "very persuasive," I mean that they filled our group chat with pictures and discussions of all the cool characters in Genshin, and they also pointed out that a character they thought I would love (both as a character and in terms of gameplay) was going to be available to pull fairly soon. And given that it probably was going to be the best time for me to start a new game for a while (in that I was entering the gap between Illusion's Reign being done and my next grad school class starting) . . . I really couldn't argue with them.
So, yes, I'm playing Genshin now. It is going very slowly (I just finished Act II of the prologue), and I am still very bad at the combat (I keep forgetting to switch characters and shield), but I'm having fun! The storyline is interesting, and I like the characters I've met so far. The fact that the main story quests are level-locked is a little frustrating to me, but from a gameplay and game design perspective, it makes sense. And it probably isn't a bad thing that I have to wait a little to find out what happens next . . . After all, patience is a virtue.

Life!

September started with a Bible study retreat up at White Sulphur Springs. This was, again, a joint retreat between our study in Virginia and another study group in Ohio that my sister and many of our friends attend. Getting to spend time in one of my favorite places in the world with some of my favorite people in the world was absolutely lovely, as always! We played board games, went up to the shooting range, explored the small town near the retreat center, did square dancing, and just spent a lot of time hanging out and talking. I also got to do a lot of just-for-fun writing on the porch with a gorgeous view of the mountains (which are beautiful no matter the weather). Saturday also came with a magnificent thunderstorm . . . which did put a damper (pun intended) on a lot of outdoor activities and briefly knocked out the power, but I still enjoyed it.
The retreat was a nice break, which was good, since the rest of September was pretty busy. Besides book releases and Silmaril Awards, I had a lot to do at work to get ready for our Stewardship campaign and start of fall programming. Granted, a lot of it was in the vein of "hurry up and wait" because I'd get my part done, then have to wait for the relevant person to review what I'd done or give me more information . . . but that describes many of my busy seasons, to be honest.
D&D was pretty eventful this month. I mentioned back in my August Doings that we'd reached the climax of the campaign and had played the first stage of the final confrontation with the villain. This month, we had the rest of that confrontation, battling the antagonist himself (not just his armies). That was every bit as epic as I expected. Our DM did an amazing job with the setup of the fight, both narratively and mechanically, and everyone had their moment to shine in the battle and in the aftermath. After that, we had one more session as an epilogue to wrap up our characters' stories and figure out what they're doing now that their adventure is over. That was also lovely — bittersweet in that we were saying goodbye, but more sweet than bitter. Pretty much everyone got a happy ending, one way or another, and so I am more than satisfied.
I'm also looking forward to our next campaign, though right now we're doing a mini-adventure DMed by one of the other players in the group. I'm playing the sister of my main campaign character, who is rather different from both her and me personality-wise, so that's been interesting. She's also a paladin/sorcerer multiclass, which means combat is a lot more complicated than it was previously. She's fun, though, and I'm enjoying this new story and the other player's DM style.
We wrapped up the month with another Bible study event, specifically a campfire get-together. Getting to see people there outside of the study, and I successfully made a mountain pie without either burning or underheating it, so yay for that.
That covers pretty much everything — this September was a lot more chill than a lot of others have been, and I am grateful for that.

October Plans

The big thing for October is the start of a new grad school class — my extended summer-and-early-fall break has come to an end, and it's time to get back to work. I admit that I'm not excited, but hopefully it won't be too bad either. This class is on advanced English grammar, so I suspect that either it's going to be chill or it's going to be really technical and frustrating. We'll find out which in a couple weeks!
I plan to spend most of October working on shorter stories for anthologies and writing challenges rather than jumping back in on another Bastian Dennel book. However, there is the chance that will change depending on my mood and inspiration. I do know that I want to write something for the next DOSA Files anthology, though, and it would be good to do that before I start another novel.
As mentioned earlier, I will be at Eat Local, Read Local at the Cascades Library in Potomac Falls on Saturday, October 19, 11:00–2:00! As long as nothing goes wrong, I should have paperback copies of Illusion's Reign there, as well as most of my other books. If you're in the area, I'd love for you to come say hello!
Since I didn't end up going to the Renaissance Faire in September, I'm hoping to make it to one in October instead — ideally with a friend, but I'll go alone if I have to. Scheduling that has been a pain so far, though, so we'll see what happens.
Aside from those things, I expect October will be business as usual. I hope so, anyway.

How was your September? Any plans for October? What's the best for-fun decision you've been talked into by someone else? Please tell me in the comments!
Thanks for reading!

Friday, September 27, 2024

Lost Kerchiefs Release Week: Illusion's Reign Is Here!!!

Hello, hello, hello! Today is day five of the Lost Kerchiefs Arista Challenge release week, and that means it's a very special day for me: release day for my newest novel, Illusion's Reign! I'm super excited to be able to share this story with you after having worked on it so long, and I hope y'all will enjoy it. In fact, I'm so excited to share it that I'm posting an excerpt from the first chapter here . . . and if you're still curious after that, you can visit Light and Shadows for a behind-the-scenes look at some of my worldbuilding for the book.

About . . .

Illusion's Reign

A transformed princess is determined to reclaim what's hers — but can truth prevail when illusion wears the crown?
Crown Princess Onora of Atìrse is eager to prove herself as the heir to her parents' throne. Moving into one of her family's holdings away from the Royal Seat offers the chance to put into practice all she's learned and demonstrate what kind of queen she intends to one day be, and even the shadow of an uprising among Atìrse's faery neighbors can't dull her excitement. Yet her plans go awry when one of her attendants proves false and she's transformed and replaced by a faery imposter.
Though cursed and cast into the role of a lowly goose-keeper, with only her beloved cat as an ally, Onora refuses to admit defeat. She'll do whatever it takes to break the curse, expose the imposter, and take back the role that is rightfully hers. However, that's easier said than done when her opponent can so easily manipulate the truth — and the fickle feelings of the locals and the surliness of the miller's strange assistant don't make her task any less difficult.
Time is swiftly passing, and Onora must reclaim her place before the transformation becomes permanent. But can she do so when nothing is as it seems and even her allies have secrets?
Return to the kingdom of Atìrse and discover what happens when "The Goose Girl" meets "Puss in Boots" in this prequel to the award-winning Song of the Selkies.

Find it on: Amazon || Goodreads

Illusion's Reign Excerpt: A New Beginning

The castle came into view as Onora’s party crested the hill, the grey walls and keep rising against the blue of the summer sky. The sight brought a thrill and a thrumming excitement to Onora’s heart. Nearly there!
The road here had been—not hard. They’d spent every night at the homes of nobles, had been welcomed and feted and given every courtesy. The weather had been fair, the road free of brigands and other hazards. And despite all the unrest in Tìr Soilleir, the kingdom of the faeries and Atìrse’s nearest allies, and despite all Onora’s parents’ and grandmother’s worry about trouble with rogue faeries along the road, especially with message mirrors largely unusable, the greatest inconvenience anyone in the party had suffered was the moping of Onora’s maid, Brigid.

No, the road hadn’t been hard. But it had been long. Onora felt she could have done just as well with a faster pace and fewer stops, even if that would have meant staying at inns or camping rough instead of resting in noble houses. Still, that was past. They were here—they were home—at last.

The same excitement that had caught her seemed to have touched her companions as well. The guards and the handful of servants she’d brought with her exchanged jokes and comments about what they’d do first when they reached the castle, laughing and teasing one another. None addressed Onora, but that was fine. She would be their queen someday, and so it was only right that she should stay a little aloof.

The castle remained in view as they trotted their horses down the slope of the hill and along the road that led through the fields. Spirits remained high as well; when Onora glanced back, she saw that even Brigid had perked up—somewhat, at least. Her petulant frown remained, puckering the burn scar that covered one cheek, but at least she had straightened in her seat on the back of the little-used carriage.

Onora sighed and turned to face forward again. When she got to the castle and got settled, the first thing she’d do would be give Brigid three days off to sort herself out. She knew the woman had reason to be upset. Brigid didn’t like travel, she hadn’t wanted to leave her family in the royal seat, and the man she’d been seeing had broken things off with her three days before the party left.

All the same, Onora had given her the chance to resign, and Brigid had chosen to come. “I’ll manage,” she’d said the day before they departed. “Maybe being far away from Rian will be good for me.”

So far, all Brigid had managed to do was mope, sulk, and be so slow to do as Onora asked that Onora frequently found it easier to fend for herself. But maybe she’d be better once they weren’t on the road anymore—and if not, Onora would send her back to the royal seat and find a replacement among the castle maids.

Despite her eagerness to reach the castle, however, as they drew nearer, Onora turned her horse towards the sea cliffs and the small, round tower set upon one of them. Though it was still day, a light shone at the top. “We’ll go to the Tùr-Faire first to meet with the priest and ask Dèanadair’s blessing on this next stage.”

Brigid groaned, but the guard commander, Captaen Atholl, nodded and called out the order to the company. They all turned with Onora and made for the Tùr-Faire.

The doors of the Tùr-Faire stood open, but Onora could see no one inside. That was hardly a surprise. It was too early for an evening service and too late for a morning one, and Onora wouldn’t expect services on Speuratha, two days after the main day of worship, anyway.

Still, no one visible on the main level didn’t mean no one was present at all. So, as they reached the door, Onora reined her horse in and dismounted, swinging expertly to the ground. As she did, her cat, Càirdeil, roused himself with a sharp “Meowl?” from the nest of blankets Onora had made for him behind her saddle. He stretched and then hopped to her shoulder, landing atop the protective leather she wore there for just such a purpose and hooking his back paws into the chain loops at its edge.

Onora waited for him to settle himself there before addressing Captaen Atholl. “Captaen, will you and one of your men come in with me?” Turning to the others, she added, “The rest of you can come or stay as you please. I do not plan to be long.”

Captaen Atholl dismounted, gesturing for one of his men to do the same. A few of the servants also climbed off their horses or their seats on the carriage. The greater part remained where they were, however, and Brigid sighed wearily.

Was even honoring Dèanadair not reason enough for Brigid to cease her grumbling? Onora shut her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. She would not allow her maid to ruin this day for her, nor would she harbor bitterness in her own spirit when she entered the house of Dèanadair. Her parents had taught her better than that.

Opening her eyes once more, Onora led the way into the Tùr-Faire. It was as empty within as it had looked from outside, but she could hear voices and movement from the second floor, where the priests had their quarters. So, she asked one of the guards, “Will you go inform the priests that I have arrived and wish to speak with one of them, preferably the head priest?” She couldn’t recall his name just now—the one she’d known growing up had stepped down after many long years of faithful service, and she was tired enough that she wasn’t quite sure which of the two possible replacements had been selected.
The guard saluted and obeyed, jogging towards the staircase—cleverly hidden from easy view by a trick in the curving architecture in the walls. He vanished up the steps. Onora heard his footsteps, then muffled voices. A moment later, he returned. Just behind him came a dark-haired man whom Onora judged to be perhaps five or six years younger than her father. He wore the green robes of a priest, trimmed in white to indicate his rank as the spiritual leader of this community.

As he neared her, he stopped and bowed. “Greetings, your highness. Dèanadair’s blessings be upon you.”
“And upon you,” Onora replied, gesturing for him to rise. “So, you have taken Aoghaire Rowan’s place?”
“Indeed, your highness. Dòmhnall is my name.” Now that he’d performed the necessary formalities, Dòmhnall stood straight before her and looked her in the eyes, much like Deòrsa, the head priest who often counseled Onora’s father, did before King Seòras. Good! Exactly what Onora had hoped for. “And you have come to take the place of her majesty your grandmother?”

“I have, yes.” Not that Queen Moireach would be leaving permanently anytime soon—this was her favorite of the royal holdings, and no one would dream of telling her she couldn’t stay. But this was also one of the holdings where heirs to the throne often dwelt between coming of age and starting their reigns, and in the same way, Onora would now take over the ruling of this castle and its lands, with Queen Moireach serving as an advisor.

In ordinary circumstances, the summer would have seen a slow shift of responsibility from Queen Moireach to Onora. However, the business of the faery uprising had kept Queen Moireach in the royal seat for a month and a half now, and she would most likely remain there until the rest of Onora’s family arrived in a few months’ time to make ready for Onora’s wedding. So, the transition would be much more rapid—but this was a quiet location, safe from most threats, and most aspects of life here managed themselves, and Onora doubted there would be any issue.

Dòmhnall inclined his head slightly. “Then I welcome you once more, your highness, not just as yourself but as the new lady of these lands.”

“Thank you, Aoghaire,” Onora replied. “I have not yet taken up residence in nor command of the castle, for I wished to come here first. I hoped that you might pray over these next steps in my path, that I would have both Dèanadair’s blessing and His wisdom as I walk them, before I truly began.”

A smile spread over Dòmhnall’s square face. “It would be my honor, your highness. Will you come kneel at the altar?”

“Gladly.” Onora did as Dòmhnall had asked, walking to the carved and painted altar and kneeling just before it. Càirdeil leapt from her shoulder as she descended, landing with his stub-tail in the air, and padded off to investigate the corners of the room.

Onora clasped her hands and bowed her head as Dòmhnall rested his hands on her shoulders. For a moment, he was silent, no doubt finding the right words. Then he spoke, his voice quiet, but authoritative. “Dèanadair, Maker of Earth and Sea and Sky, we praise You, for You set the paths of men both noble and common according to Your unending wisdom. You lead us through green pastures and by clear streams, and You do not abandon us when we walk through valleys of thorns and snares.

“You set our paths, Dèanadair, and You already know each step that lies before Princess Onora. Until now, she has walked beside her parents and been guided by them in Your ways. Now she steps onto a path of her own, yet I pray that she would remain on Your true path, Dèanadair. May she follow in the footsteps of Cìobair, the Shepherd, walking in the way that leads to life and leading others in the same way, regardless of the cost. May the flame of the Gèadh Naomh, Your guiding Spirit, never dim in her heart; may she listen to its warnings and heed its guidance in each decision she makes.”

Dòmhnall’s hands squeezed Onora’s shoulders in a fatherly sort of way. “May she have courage, Dèanadair. A queen needs courage every day; so, too, does a young woman whose kin are far away. May she not forget that You walk with her. May she have wisdom to discern right from wrong and truth from lie, wisdom to find good friends and counselors and to avoid those who would try to draw her off Your way. And in all things, I pray that she would bring honor to You, her heavenly father, and to the king, her father in this realm, and that, despite her youth, she would be a shining example of what it is to walk in Your ways. As we pray, Dèanadair, so may it be.”

“So may it be,” Onora echoed softly. Dòmhnall’s hands left her shoulders, and she stood. “Thank you, Aoghaire. I appreciate your prayer, and I hope you will not cease to pray on my behalf.”

“I have been doing so long before now, your highness, and I have no intention of stopping.” Dòmhnall looked as though he might have laughed but caught himself just in time. “And if there is aught else a priest may do for a princess, I am at your service.”

“I am of the opinion that a princess always needs a priest.” Onora smiled wryly. “Or so my royal father and mother have taught me. They take council often with Aoghaire Deòrsa, the head priest nearest our castle. I hope I will be able to call on you for advice in the same way.”

Dòmhnall bowed his head. “It would be my honor, your highness, as well as being my duty before Dèanadair.”

“Good! Then I am certain we will see much of each other.” Even from this brief interaction, Onora had no doubt that Dòmhnall would be a valuable councilor. He was younger than Deòrsa, but he was devoted and seemed to know the words of Dèanadair well. “And do not hold back in your council, please. If you see me walking down a foolish path, or a path that would dishonor Dèanadair, warn me of my folly, whether I ask for it in the moment or not. No king or queen is above such warnings when given by a servant of the Maker.”

“I will do my best, your highness,” Dòmhnall replied. There was a hint of humor in his voice as he added, “And you will forgive me if, should such warnings be necessary, I remind you that you made this request.”
“I would expect nothing less.” Onora almost laughed at that. “Thank you once more, Aoghaire, and good day to you.”

~~~

Are you excited to read Illusion's Reign? Please tell me in the comments!
Thanks for reading!

Friday, September 13, 2024

Fall 2024 Reads

Hello, everyone! Much as I hate to admit it, fall is rapidly approaching . . . but at least that means we have a new season of reads to spotlight! Some of you may be saying "Isn't it a week early for this list, Sarah?" — and you are correct, but next week is the Silmaril Awards ceremonies, and the week after is the Lost Kerchiefs release celebration, so we're doing our Fall Reads round up now. As is mostly usual, I'll post the full list here, but if you just want my top five, you can hop over to Light and Shadows for that. So, without further ado, let's find out what this season has in store for us!

Before we get into that, though, a couple quick reminders! First, ARCs are available for Illusion's Reign and the other Lost Kerchiefs stories! So, if you're interested in getting your hands on any of those early in exchange for a review, make sure you sign up ASAP. The blog/social tour form should be available soon as well, so keep an eye out for that. Second, today is the final day to vote in the Silmaril Awards! Go cast your vote for who you think is the most epic hero and heroine, most silver tongue, most nefarious villain, and so on — awards ceremonies begin on Monday!

Fall 2024 Reads

1. Her Fake Superhero Boyfriend by H.L. Burke (September 9). This is another superhero rom-com from H.L. Burke, this time featuring a variation on one of my favorite romance tropes (which goes by many names, but I usually describe as "the rogue and the princess"). I've read this one already, and I absolutely loved it — it was fun to see KC again and get to know him better after having met him in Wishing on a Supervillain, and Mira was such a sweet and fun heroine. Definitely would recommend this one, especially if you enjoyed Wishing!

2. The Handmaid's Blood by Kendra E. Ardnek (September 23). The highlight of the fall reads list is usually the Arista Challenge release group, and this year is no different! We start off the Lost Kerchiefs with a short story retelling from Kendra, focusing on the princess's handmaiden who takes her place. This is another of Kendra's hero/villain swap retellings, and I look forward to seeing how that twist plays out here.

3. Wind Charmer by Meredith Leigh Burton (September 24). Our second Lost Kerchiefs story! This one looks like it'll be the closest to the original Goose Girl fairy tale out of all the retellings, though Meredith has, of course, put her own unique spin on the tale, including interpreting the princess as being on the autism spectrum. I'm definitely curious to see how this version of the story will turn out.

4. Friend and Faux by Erudessa Gentian (September 25). This is a contemporary AnimeLit retelling of the Goose Girl — AnimeLit meaning that it borrows tropes and themes often found in anime and manga, similar to Japanese light novels. I'm not super familiar with the genre, but I'm sure it'll be interesting to see how Erudessa has used it to reimagine this fairy tale!

5. Arabella's Song by Meagan Myhren-Bennett (September 26). This retelling blends The Goose Girl with the Pied Piper, which is not a combination I ever would've expected. Honestly, this might be the Lost Kerchief (other than my own) that I'm most looking forward to, simply because I really want to know how Meagan is going to blend those two stories! It also sounds like she's making more use of Falada than most Goose Girl retellings do, though, which should also be cool.

6. Illusion's Reign by Sarah Pennington (September 27). It's my book! I have been hard at work putting the final polishes on Illusion's Reign over the last couple weeks, and I am so excited to share Onora's story with y'all. I am also excited to be done with proofreading (bane of my existence), but that's neither here nor there. I love Onora, and I can't wait for y'all to meet her . . . and her cat. I do quite love her cat. Y'all will find out why when the book comes out. If you haven't already, make sure you preorder the ebook before release! The price will go up by a dollar or so once the book actually comes out.

7. Collusion by H.S.J. Williams (September 27). Behold! A book that is not a Goose Girl retelling! I realized when making this list that Collusion and Illusion's Reign are release-day twinsies, and I genuinely could not be more delighted. I loved Moonscript when it came out several years ago, and I've been eagerly anticipating the sequel ever since. I admit that there is a fair chance this book will wreck me — Hannah is very good at writing angst — but I also have no doubt that it will come out to light and beauty and hope in the end.

8. Goose Princess by Tricia Mingerink (September 30). Back to the Lost Kerchiefs! Speaking of long-awaited sequels, Goose Princess is the final Beyond the Tales book from Tricia Mingerink. It's another blended fairy tale, combining The Goose Girl and The Wild Swans, which I've thought for a long while would be a natural fit together. And, of course, series fans will be happy that Alex just might get his happily-ever-after.

9. Curse of Silence by Erin Halbmaier (October 1). Our final Lost Kerchiefs story is a mystery retelling of The Goose Girl, which should be a lot of fun! Plus, we have a childhood-friends-to-lovers romance, and that's always a delight.

10. Splintered Life by W.R. Gingell (October). While the exact launch date for the second Shattered Worlds Kickstarter hasn't been announced yet (at least not that I can find), we know it's coming in October, and we do have a prelaunch page. In any case, I am very much looking forward to more of Viv and Luca! I read Splintered Mind, the first book in the series, earlier this month, and I loved it, though the vibe is a little different from the City Between and Worlds Behind series. I will definitely be backing this as soon as it comes available!

11. Wyldling Armor by A. R. Grimes (October 8). Ok, full disclosure, I have not read the first two books in this series . . . but it's a portal fantasy series, and I've been meaning to get back to reading more of those, so it's on my TBR. The concept sounds really cool, and I think the series might touch on some of the themes I really like to see in portal fantasy, so it should be worth a look, at least.

12. The Death of Clara Willenheim by Charlotte Lesemann (October 29). This is not precisely fantasy (though there is apparently a ghost in it) and is therefore not my usual fair . . . but I have been enjoying Gothic stories more of late, and I'm always down for a good mystery. The blurb is definitely enough to make me curious as well — we have an imprisoned heroine, secret passages, and more.

13. One Must Die by multiple authors (October 31). Another mystery story! This one looks and sounds delightfully steampunky as well — it's been a while since I found a good steampunk story. Some early reviewers are comparing it to Clue, and the book has an interesting conceit wherein each of the involved authors wrote a version of the story from a different character's point of view. That sounds like it was probably hard to coordinate and edit . . . but if it was well-done, it could be super cool! I'll be keeping an eye on this one for sure.

14. Valley of Dragons by Christina Baehr (November 15). We wrap up the season with the final Secrets of Ormdale novel! I cannot believe that this series is already ending, but I also cannot wait for the ending. The hints and snippets Christina has shared on her socials are simply tantalizing, and after the last couple books, I desperately need a good happy ending for our heroine (and hero). I have no doubt that Christina will deliver just that.

What book releases are you excited for this fall? Am I missing any? Please tell me in the comments!
Thanks for reading!

Friday, August 30, 2024

August 2024 Doings!

Hello, everyone! After the craziness of July, I'm happy that August was a little quieter — which isn't to say it wasn't busy, but it was a more mundane, routine kind of busy rather than the kind you get when you're celebrating and driving halfway across the country and back. Most of the excitement this month has been on the writing front, so let's jump in there!

Writing!

The big writing-related news of the month was, of course, the cover and preorder reveal for Illusion's Reign! You can click there to get all the details, but in short: Illusion's Reign is Onora's story and is a prequel to Song of the Selkies. It will release September 27 as part of the Lost Kerchiefs Arista Challenge Group, and it's currently available for preorder on Amazon. I'm very excited, but that probably goes without saying.
Aside from that, August has mostly been dominated by edits. I spent most of the month working through the big edit/partial rewrite of Illusion's Reign, following guidance from my beta readers. Most of the book was already in pretty good condition and just needed sanding and polishing, so to speak,, but I did end up adding an extra chapter and rewriting large chunks of some other chapters. Then I took a couple days off before jumping in for editing Round 3, which focuses more on word choice and sentence-level issues, and which I finished this past week. Now I'm just waiting for my physical proof copy to arrive so I can do proofreading. All in all, I've been able to stay pretty much on or ahead of schedule, so I'm happy about that!
Other than Illusion's Reign, I've been working on my next D&D adventure, and I actually made some really good progress . . . thankfully, since we finally got to the start of that new adventure in our last session, which means I can now properly refer to it as the tournament arc. I have enough material prepped to fill the next few sessions, and I think I'm mostly past the hard part of getting the rest put together, so all in all, I'm in a good place . . . as long as I don't get overconfident, anyway.

Reading!

Yeah, it's been a really light reading month. To be fair, that's partially because The Ward took a solid two weeks — it was a much longer book than I anticipated. It was very good, though! I loved the blend of suspense with found family elements, and the alternate-history world was cool. I'm not sure if this is technically historical fantasy or alternate-world magical realism, but either way, it was very well done. It also satisfied while still making me curious enough to want to find out more about the characters, so I'll absolutely be watching for the next book in the series.
My other new read of the month was an ARC of Her Fake Superhero Boyfriend, H.L. Burke's upcoming release. It should probably go without saying that I loved this one! Burke's SVR books never fail to delight me, and this one included a take on one of my favorite tropes. Besides that, getting to see more of KC was fun, and I absolutely loved Mira and Mira and KC's dynamic together. They're just so good for each other.
I do not know why I reread Furiously Happy other than my brain said "I want this" and I said "Ok then." I liked it roughly the same amount as I did the first time around. Nothing much to say here. At least it counts towards my goal of 15 non-speculative-fiction books for the year.
I continue to enjoy Dracula Daily and Re: Dracula, of course! I have somewhat fallen off keeping up with most of my other books-by-post subscriptions, but I'll catch up eventually . . .
Finally, I'm currently reading Splintered Mind by W.R. Gingell, since I got my Kickstarter backer ebook copy earlier in the month. I'm about a third of the way in and liking it very much so far!

Watching & Playing!

So, the other reason why I read less than usual this month is because my gaming sessions kept going later than planned . . . which anyone else who's played Star Rail will understand, as this month was exclusively taken up by the Penacony storyline, which was a roller-coaster from start to finish. There was much screaming (and also some tears) in the group chat I have with two of my friends who got me into the game.
Unfortunately, I can't talk a lot about the storyline because it is very twisty and I don't want to spoil anything. I thought I knew most of the major spoilers going in, but I somehow managed to dodge the biggest ones. (That definitely contributed to the screaming.) All I'll say is that it was so good and so hard to put down, and I loved so many of the characters. I think Acheron is my favorite of the Penacony crew — she's an incredibly dangerous woman who has every reason in the world to be a doom-and-gloom edgelord pessimist, but who is instead one of the kindest and most hopeful characters in the game, second only (I think) to Jing Yuan. She's the best. There were a lot of good characters, though.
So, yes. That was really good, but it was also a really long storyline, and I only just finished it this week (not counting the sidequests). If you play Star Rail and want to talk about it, feel free to message me.

Life!

As I said earlier, August was a lot quieter than July, and thank God for that! Outside of writing, my main excitement happened early in the month when my friend Wyn and I met up for an escape room and lunch (and so I could give her back the costume pieces I'd transported to Realm Makers for her). We very narrowly succeeded at the escape room — we had to use all the hints, alas — but we had fun! Plus, it's always nice to get to hang out with friends in-person.
Also exciting: the D&D campaign I play in reached the climax this month! We've been wrapping up loose ends, gathering allies, and confronting our big bad once and for all. We've also had some really wonderful character moments in the process, including a point at which our ranger had to push back against her (lawful evil) dad's plans for her, giving up some pretty impressive power-ups in the process. At the moment, we're between stages of the climatic battle, but it's been pretty epic so far. Also, my paladin has once again accidentally picked up a cursed item . . . but the curse in question is partially nullified by another of her items, so it kind of turned into an advantage for her. (For the D&D players who were curious: she's under the effects of the Barbarian Reckless feature, but she has adamantine armor, so she has double the chance to get hits, particularly critical hits, on enemies, while they just have a slightly higher chance of getting a normal hit on her. For a paladin fighting a lot of undead, that's a risk worth taking.) I'm still getting a kick out of the fact that she's the only one who seems to get cursed items, though, and that both times, she's gotten the item in question right before a major boss fight.
Outside of that, life has mostly been business as usual. Work is gearing up for fall kickoff and giving campaign, but the workload so far has been manageable, despite my fears. On the crafting front, I'm starting early on Christmas presents (for once), and I finished several embroidery hoops so they can be displayed. Now I just have to figure out where to put them.
I did bake some fun things! Specifically, I finally made asiago and sun-dried tomato quick bread, which I've wanted to try for ages. We happened to get some sun-dried tomatoes from a Bible study friend at the start of the month, so I baked a loaf and took it back to Bible study last weekend. It was very tasty, and I definitely ate too much of it (oops). I also made crispy coconut oat cookies, which are essentially ANZAC biscuits from Baking Yesteryear with some extra butter, and those were yummy as well.
So far, I think only doing one grad school class this semester was the right choice. This time last year, I was already really stressed, even just starting the class. This year has been a lot better, though the fact that I finished the draft and main edit on Illusion's Reign closer to when I intended to also helps. I still do have issues with the lure of busy-ness, especially as I don't like disappointing people or saying no . . . but I'm doing better.

September Plans

I get to start the month out by seeing my sister (and some other friends) and visiting one of my favorite places, so I'm very much looking forward to that.
After that, though, we're tackling a very busy and exciting month! As already mentioned, Illusion's Reign releases at the end of September, and while I have a lot done already, there's always more to do: proofreading, uploading final departments, getting stuff ready for online promo, sending out ARCs, and so forth. Hopefully, though, that'll be less stressful this year than it has been in some past years.
Additionally, September sees the return of the Silmaril Awards! Nominations open on Monday, September 2, and I'll be hosting one of the categories again. Which one? You'll have to wait and see . . .
No grad school classes this month — that doesn't start until October — but I do need to order textbooks sometime sooner than later. Work will also continue to be busy for the same reasons as it was in August.
I'm hoping to make it to the Renaissance Festival sometime in September as well, since that's when most of the theme weekends are. If not, though, I'll go in October; it'll be fine. And, of course, September will probably see the ending of the D&D campaign . . . not the group, though; we already have plans for characters for the next adventure! (Which reminds me, I need to finish some backstory stuff for my character. And by "backstory stuff" I mean a family tree and notes on other relationships, because I like coming up with that kind of thing and it makes the DM's job easier.)

How was your August? Any plans for September? Are you planning to go to any fun events — Renaissance Festivals, fall fests, or anything else — this fall? And have you preordered Illusion's Reign yet? Please tell me in the comments!
Thanks for reading!

Friday, August 23, 2024

On the Taleweaver's Desk Issue 13: August 2024

Hello, all! Welcome back to another Taleweaver's Desk update, in which I provide a broad view of what projects I'm working on (and not working on) and what might be coming soon. At this point, I don't think these posts need a lot of introduction, so let's jump right in with what's on the desktop.

On the Taleweaver's Desk Issue 13: August 2024

On the Desktop

These are the projects you might find open on my laptop or desk if you took a peek at it during a normal day. They're currently in progress and at the top of the priority chart.

Illusion's Reign (Daughters of Atirse #2)

What is it? A Goose Girl/Puss in Boots retelling, the second book in the Daughters of Atirse series, and the prequel to Song of the Selkies.

Status: Two rounds of edits done; starting on the third round of edits and formatting.

In case you missed it, Illusion's Reign (formerly known as Onora's story or Daughters of Atirse #2) now has a title, a cover, and a preorder link (and also a Goodreads listing)! It will release September 27 as part of the Arista Challenge Lost Kerchiefs group release. Information on how to sign up to be part of the blog/social tour or request an ARC is coming soon, so keep an eye out for that! In the meantime, I'm hard at work getting the book ready. I got some really good feedback from beta readers, which resulted in a lot of the climax lead-up getting heavily edited or rewritten — I think for the better. The next round of edits will focus more on word- and sentence-level adjustments, followed by formatting and proofing. Timeline-wise, I'm in a pretty good place with this book, so as long as I don't get cocky, this release should be a lot less stressful than the one for Song of the Selkies (in which I was working up to the very last possible minute).