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Sunday Excerpt, "Crucible" @Solsticepublish, @Solsticeshadows

11/30/2014

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It was before dawn when the staff woke him. As he opened his eyes he saw Miri staring back at him. He was fully awake in moments and rushed to her side.

“Who are you?” she asked in a weak voice.

Linvin poured her a cup of water and helped her sip. “I am Linvin. Remember I promised to free you? I am not one to break my word.”

“We are not in the prison?” Miri asked. She looked around and saw the barn. “The last thing I remember was Hugon punching me in the side.” She looked down and saw her bandages. “I see that was not a nightmare.”

“Oh that was a nightmare alright,” Linvin said as he gave her more water. “It was just a nightmare that had come to life. I killed Hugon and stole you away from the prison. We have sheltered overnight at in this barn and will be continuing our flight soon. How do you feel?”

Miri rested her head on the straw as her eyes grew wide and showed confusion. “I feel…disoriented. My side hurts. My back is on fire. Everything I see is blurry.”

“Can you hold onto a saddle if I get you upon it?” Linvin asked.

Miri clenched her hands into fists and then released them. “I…I think so.

Linvin gave her some more water and said, “I will be right back. It is time to wake my kin.” Linvin eagerly strode over to the corner where the others were sleeping.

They were huddled together in an effort to stay warm. With staff in hand, he decided to use his newfound skill. A balmy mist surrounded the sleeping elves and gently woke them.

Rander rubbed his eyes and asked, “Why are you waking us up now. It is not even light yet.”

“We must move out now,” Linvin answered. “Any farmer with livestock and crops still in the fields this far into the fall will be up at the break of day. We must not be discovered here. Furthermore, anyone running that store would find items missing when they open. In a farm community that store would open when the farmers awake. With the ground muddied by the rain there is a chance we could be tracked here. It is better to think a local thief had sought refuge here than us. Saddle your horses and leave nothing behind that links to us. When you are done I will introduce you to Miri.”

“She is awake.” Bander cried.

Linvin put his fingers to his lips and reminded him to stay quiet. “She is in pain and is confused. So do not overwhelm her right now. She says she can ride. Bander, I will assign you to aid her. Ride by her side and hold her reins if need be. See to it she does not fall from the saddle. Everyone else make sure we have all the apples we can carry and full water skins.”

“What is the plan?” Rander inquired.

“We will flee to the south,” Linvin responded. “We would be expected to head back to the east as we came but that is too obvious. It will undoubtedly be re-enforced by the time we reached the river mouth. To the west we already know the number of troops concentrated along the Silver River. A stealthy escape would prove most difficult in that direction. We will go to the Lake and find a boat. Then we will sail to the south shore and continue our journey home.” 185

“Do you think they are pursuing us?” Rander wondered.

“Most assuredly,” Linvin answered. “We damaged Mandrean’s home and his pride. He will bring all he has to bare in order to prevent our escape. Though you scattered their horses at the message depot, me must assume that the entire Empire has been put on alert and that prices will surely be placed on our heads. That means no contact with anyone. We must disappear. Anyone seeing us will bring the weight of the army down upon us. That will be enough questions for now. Be ready to leave by the time I return with Miri.” He turned and went to the injured woman’s side

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Saturday Excerpt, "Quest" @Solsticepublish, @Solsticeshadows

11/29/2014

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“Look what I found,” called the lumberjack with the lantern.

“What’s their story?” called one of the bearded men from a table.

“Been chased by Trogos, they have,” the first man explained. “Darn near got eaten.”

The men grumbled at the naming of the wolves. They were clearly no greater fans of the monsters than Linvin’s party.

“May we shelter here from the storm?” Linvin asked most earnestly.

“Do ya tell good stories?” called an indiscriminate voice from the group.

“We have all kinds of stories,” Anvar interjected.

“Can ya hold your liquor?” called another voice. In unison, the men reaffirmed the question by yelling “Ya?”

Bander stepped forward in an unexpected move and cheerfully pronounced, “Put the drink in front of us and see!”

The men cheered at the acceptance of the challenge. One handed his mug to Bander, who drank the contents in one drink. It was harsh liquor that did not agree with his empty stomach. Still, Bander kept it down as promised. He slammed the mug down on the table. The men jumped up in celebration and patted him on the back.

“Get some blankets and drinks for our new friends,” called the man with the lantern.

The lumberjacks treated them like younger siblings coming in from the cold. They peeled the wet clothes off their shivering bodies and hung them on branches near the fire to dry. There was no room for modesty among the woodsmen, who knew all too well, the illnesses that could set in from exposure. They wrapped the elves tightly and placed them at a table of prominence near the fire. Each was handed a full mug of whiskey.

At first, the rye drink was bitter to the tongue and hard to take. Gradually, as the effects blended with the merry disposition of their hosts, the beverage became more palatable until it was consumed with ease and even enjoyed.

Obviously cut off from outside news, the men begged for stories. Linvin did not want their quest revealed and thought he should be the one to tell their story. He explained that they were headed for the Unclaimed Territory when the wolves began stalking them. As the story brought them into the moment, the men began to mutter curses about the beasts to one another.

“The King needs to do something about those mongrels!” cited one of the men.

“He don’t care about nothin’ that don’t make him no profit!” called another. The grumbling continued until Anvar chimed in with a question. “You seem to have a story of your own to tell. Please enlighten us?”

In the back of the lean-to, were dozens of barrels of whiskey. A lumberjack who was grander than any of the others was refilling his mug. He took a deep drink, allowing some of the liquor to run down his red beard. Then he strode, as best he could, to the table with the elves and sat by them. Sitting his mug on the table, he wiped his hand on his pants before offering it to the group.

“The name’s Iron Hand. At least, that’s what I’m called out here. We are the best loggers in all of Sartan. That’s why we got sent so far into nowhere to cut these trees. They’re worth good money if we can ever get the logs out of here.”

“What’s stopping you?” asked Rander.

“See,” Iron Hand continued. “We’ve been up here for a while. The plan was for us to chop the wood. Then a couple times a month, wagons would come up with supplies for us and haul away the logs. Problem is, those Trogos are messing with the plans. They killed two of my men already and chased off the wagons the last two times they came. So here we sit, with our wood rotting and no food except for a few pots of beans.”

“You seem well stocked with drink,” noted Anvar.

Iron Hand looked back at the kegs. “Oh those,” he said. “Yeah, we provide all the wood for that distillery to make their barrels. It’s hard wood to come by and fetches a good price. They wanted to pay us for it but we decided to take our money in trade. Right boys!” The men raised their mugs and cheered. “So we have lots of wood. Lots of drink and we are stuck out here waiting to be the Trogos' dinner. The men will hardly leave the camp anymore.”

“Can you hunt them and rid yourselves of the problem?” Linvin asked.

Iron Hand took another generous drink and answered, “With what? It’s pretty hard to hunt with axes.”

The thought inspired Linvin. He turned to his relatives and whispered. For several moments the woodmen watched as the elves talked amongst themselves. At last, Linvin regarded Iron Hand again. “Perhaps we can help one another.”

“How’s that?” asked Iron Hand as he sat back.

“Let us rest here and share what food you have,” Linvin offered. “Once the rain stops, we will hunt some game with our bows. We will give some of it to you and your men and we will take some with us for the road.”

“What about the Trogos?” asked their host?

“If we see any, we will only be too glad to kill them,” affirmed Linvin.

Iron Hand stroked his beard for a moment. “Well,” he concluded, “we can’t be any worse off than we are now. You have a deal Mr. Linvin.” The two parties shook hands. “But tonight,” continued Iron Hand, “we drink!” The men cheered the arrangement and gathered around the fire with their drinks. They indoctrinated the newcomers to their group with a slew of drunken songs.

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Funniest Thanksgiving @Solsticepublish, @Solsticeshadows

11/26/2014

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Another Thanksgiving is almost here and I am writing this blog as I wait for a layer of my 7 layer Jello (it’s actually 14) to set.  I looked back and saw my blog from last year in which I described finding out about my mother’s passing on Thanksgiving Day.  She was a marvelous woman who would not want me to dwell on the subject so this year I am going in the opposite direction.  I would like to share, with the help of www.Youtube.com , the greatest Thanksgiving moment in television history not involving a football.  There was a comedy show in the late 1970s and early 1980s called “WKRP in Cincinnati” about a radio station with a host of bizarre characters.  Every week something crazy seemed to happen but their most popular and controversial episode ever came on the clip I am about to reference.  You may have to paste it into your browser.  It is worth 5 minutes of your day to watch this.  I view it every year and still laugh every time.  Happy Thanksgiving. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf3mgmEdfwg

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Editor Assigned @Solsticepublish, @Solsticeshadows

11/25/2014

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The work has started.  I have an editor assigned by my publisher to “Quest for the Red Sapphire” to spruce it up for its second edition.  I’m not sure if he’ll want to shorten it or not.  As I mentioned once in a blog, these works are like my babies and you wouldn’t want someone snipping part of your baby away.  I have to set my emotions aside and remember that this is a business.  I happen to be on the creative (fun) side of the business.  This editor is supposed to know what will make the book more appealing (such as a shorter length) to the public as a whole.  I must trust in his judgment and be thick-skinned…to a point.  If I feel deep in my heart that something crucial to the storyline is about to end up in the delete file, shouldn’t I say something?  Then again, am I going to feel that way about every cut?  This is the reason why people don’t edit their own work.  Obviously they like the way it is.  I don’t want to sound conceited but I believe in my heart that I am a good writer.  Therefore, if I believe in my publisher (which I do), then I must believe that I now have a good editor.  Sacrifices will have to be made but the end product will be improved, I am assured.  If, however, you have been on the fence about buying a copy of “Quest for the Red Sapphire” buy it now before any of it is lost…that is…changed.

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Sunday Excerpt "Crucible" @Solsticepublish, @Solsticeshadows

11/23/2014

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Linvin springs into action

 

Linvin looked down at the pathetic form on the ground before him. His first impulse was to kill him right then but found the execution of such a defenseless adversary dishonorable. He did need to act quickly, as his human shield was gone. “Coward,” he branded Mandrean and kicked him in the jaw with great force. Before the guards could react, Linvin ran through the doors and yelled to Anvar, “Close them now.” Anvar stretched forth his hands and the doors glowed with orange magic. In an instant they slammed closed. “Wedge the spears between the door-handles,” Linvin ordered.

After doing so they huddled for a moment to catch their breath. “That won’t hold Necromancer for long,” Anvar commented. “I hope you have a plan.”

Before Linvin could say a word, one of the Imperial Guards on the main floor spotted them and screamed, “The prisoners have escaped. To arms.” He blew a horn by his side.

“How about that plan?” Rander asked impatiently. “Is there one?”

Linvin surveyed the grand area and answered, “No time to explain. Just do as I do.” He led his uncle and cousins along the hall toward the tapestry. Soon they took shelter behind its massive width.

Clanking of armor was heard in great numbers coming from the far hallway. On the ground floor the guards from the outside stairs entered the room and were joined by a host of others. They ran with haste toward the great staircase. Moments later the great double doors to the throne-room blasted open from the Colorful Magic of Necromancer. Though Linvin’s party was safely distant, the situation became that much direr.

“This is your plan?” asked Rander. “Hide behind a rug? They already know we are here and are coming. Can’t you do anything else with that gem at all? Where’s all the great power we heard about? We are trapped in this hallway. You have no way out. We are all doomed.”

Linvin paid little attention to the complaints. He concentrated instead on the progress of the guards coming up the stairs, the ones emerging from the far hallway and the rapidly growing group from the throne-room. His gaze shifted around the three approaching enemies as he gauged their rate of closure. Without breaking his concentration Linvin spoke firmly to his uncle. “When this is over and we are free, reminded me to beat the life out of Rander.” Anvar simply nodded in an effort not to affect Linvin’s thought process.

The guards from below reached the landing on the second level and were ascending the two side stairways. Guards took up positions at the two ends of the hall and were slowly advancing from equal distances.

Anvar finally spoke. “I can take out a few but I cannot channel enough magic for this fight.”

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Saturday Excerpt "Quest" @Solsticepublish, @Solsticeshadows

11/22/2014

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About the staff…

 

“We are not lost,” Linvin corrected.

“You’re right,” Rander agreed. “In order to be lost you must know where you are going. We are aimless.”

“You are wrong again,” Linvin corrected. “I know that we must head north and north means we go through that forest.”

“Just how do you know this?’ Rander said tauntingly.

“I just know,” Linvin answered.

“That’s not going to be good enough anymore!” Rander spouted. “Do you just wake up in the morning and say, I think we’ll ride north and look along the ground until a magic gem shows up? There is no plan. You don’t know what you’re doing and now you want us to follow you in there? You must think we are as big of fools as you. Well I have had enough. Come on Bander, we are going home.”

Rander gestured to his brother who reluctantly followed him back down the path. Linvin bit his lip hard as he watched them. After what felt like a lifetime he called out to them. “Wait! I know where we are going and how to find the Red Sapphire.”

The twins stopped and turned to face him. “We are listening,” Rander chided.

Linvin exhaled a deep breath before speaking. “The staff tells me where to go.”

At first, there was only the sound of the rain falling. Then the air filled with laughter from Rander and then Bander, after he received his cue.

“I mean it!” Linvin yelled. “When I hold the staff, it points us in the right direction. It is because of this that I know that this is the way to go.”

Rander rode up to his leader and sarcastically stated, “I must see this.”

Linvin was angered but showed restraint. He pulled the staff from his saddle and his arm moved once again without any effort by its owner. The staff was pointing straight down the path into the forest.

“Am I to be impressed by this action?” Rander asked. “You could have at least made it look more dramatic. No, I suppose you aren’t that good an actor. What you did proves nothing. I could do the same thing with that stick in my hands. It wouldn’t mean any more than it does from you.”

The comment gave Anvar inspiration. “You’re right nephew. That does not prove a thing. Why don’t you try holding the staff? Show us some real drama. Linvin, give your cousin the staff.”

Linvin looked betrayed at first. Then he quickly decided that Anvar must know what he was doing. Reluctantly, Linvin handed the staff to Rander.

Rander casually took the rod. Instantly he felt a jolt run through his body with such force that it knocked him from his horse. A deep, echoing voice entered his head and cried, “Violator! Return what you have taken! I am the Path of the Red Sapphire. I am only to be used by Linvin Grithinshield. Release me!” Rander was terrified. Though the sound was deafening to him, he was somehow aware that no one else could hear it.

“Did you slip good nephew?” laughed the knowing Anvar.

Rander wished to keep the pretense of calmness when his face said otherwise. “I am well uncle.”

Meanwhile, the staff resounded, “Return me now or you will suffer!”

As usual, Bander was not sure what side to be on, so he encouraged his brother. “Go ahead point the staff like Linvin did.”

Anvar leaned on his saddle in a sign of relaxed enjoyment. “You may want to do something soon,” he said with a smile.

As the words hit Rander’s ears the staff began to turn hot in his hands. In moments, it felt like he was holding on to the wrong end of a branding iron, just out of the hearth. The voice in his head became deafening. “RELEASE ME NOW OR YOU WILL DIE!” Flames erupted from the staff and surged across his body. Rander screamed, as he smelled his flesh cooking. His nearly petrified body finally heeded the command and dropped the staff to the ground. He rolled violently on the wet grass to put the flames out, only to find that there was no fire. His clothes and body were unharmed.

“What’s wrong, Rander?” Bander asked as he rushed to his brother’s aid.

“Are all the flames out?” cried an exasperated Rander.

Bander looked around curiously. “What flames? We are in the middle of a rainstorm. How could there be flames?”

Rander looked at his uncle and cousin. Linvin was as confused as Bander while Anvar just smiled like a parent putting an uppity child in their place. “None of you saw the flames?” Rander asked.

“Whatever are you talking about?” Anvar grinned. “We saw no flames, perhaps you hit your head when you fell. That might explain your delusions.”

Rander stumbled to his feet. “Don’t act like it didn’t happen, Uncle, you knew! You knew what it would do. It could have killed me, if I didn’t let go.”

Anvar continued to bait him. “You mean that stick? You’re saying the same stick that didn’t mean anything a few moments ago, nearly killed you? You must be mistaken. We merely saw you fall to the ground and roll around like a pig in slop, but I will credit you for making it look dramatic.”

Rander walked to his horse as Anvar began to speak again. “Now do you believe the staff can lead us to the Red Sapphire and what Linvin has told you is true?”

The humbled young elf took to his saddle and meekly told Linvin, “I have been such a fool. I doubt your words no longer. Please forgive me, cousin.”

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New Web Site @Solsticepublish, @Solsticeshadows

11/19/2014

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I have launched an additional Facebook page entirely devoted to my books.  It is called The Sapphire Chronicles and you can find it here:  https://www.facebook.com/thesapphirechronicles.  There will be updates about the books as well as sales.  I have some new information posted there today so check it out and “Like” it if you would.  Enjoy.

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A Tacky Divorce @Solsticepublish @Solsticeshadows

11/18/2014

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Yesterday a good friend of mine told me after 5 years of marriage, his wife was leaving him and divorcing him.  Not only was she doing that but she also told him about it in a letter!  On top of that, he stopped to buy something after work and she had cancelled their credit cards and bank card.  I’m no expert on the subject but that’s pretty cold.  I asked him what went wrong in their relationship.  Everything seemed fine on the surface.  They were both older with previously deceased spouses and she said she just decided she wanted to move closer to her grandchildren so she was leaving him.  No conversation.  No back and forth.  Just thanks for the 5 years.  There’s really not a lot you can say as a friend in a situation like that.  Sadly, I have seen most of my friends divorce over the years.  One friend said at my wedding twenty some years ago that my wife and I would never last.  He has been divorced twice.  When I first hear that someone is divorced I don’t know what to say.  Should I say “I’m sorry”?  Maybe they are glad to be out of the marriage.  Divorce is not always so bad compared to a volatile marriage.  If you are in a toxic relationship, it’s likely that you would be happy to get out.  Perhaps the other person is abusing you in some form and they are cruel.  A person has limits.  Do I say, “Congratulations”?  Somehow that doesn’t feel right either.  They might have been truly hurt by the disillusion of their marriage.  It would be like congratulating someone on making it to the Super Bowl and then losing.  More times than not, there seem to be hard feelings left over from a divorce.  I don’t think putting a grin on and patting them on the back is the way to go either.  As you can see, it is complicated.  I had wanted to throw a statistic in for good measure but the good people at Google threw me a curve ball.  One article said the statistic about half of all marriages ending in divorce was incorrect.  As Vince Lombardi once said, “There are lies, there are damn lies and there are statistics.”  The article says the statistic depends on how you measure it.  Then it measures it “As it Pertains to Real Life”.  After that we have divorce statistics in the Political Arena.  Finally it looked at Divorce Rates in Second Marriages”.  It all sounded like doubletalk to me.  Another article explained that divorce rates went hand in hand with the state of the economy; but not in the way you would think.  When the economy was poor, there were fewer divorces because people couldn’t afford to get divorced.  They needed one another for financial reasons.  When the economy improved the divorce rate went up right along with it.  It was time to unload that pesky spouse I guess.  Ironically, the birth rate mirrored the divorce rate.  I didn’t see that coming either but it makes sense when you think about it.  When money is tight, people have fewer babies.  When times are good, those little ones start showing up.  So what am I actually saying here?  Divorce is a messy, expensive and painful ordeal that so many people must endure.  I am neither here to condemn or condone their lives just as I would not want someone to judge me.  If you are reading this though, and you are going to divorce your significant other, have the good taste not to do it in a letter!

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Excerpt. "Quest" @Solsticepublish, @Solsticeshadows

11/16/2014

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“These woods are beautiful,” agreed Rander, “but they can be a dangerous place.”

“I sense no danger,” Linvin noted.

“We are only a day’s ride from Varns,” Rander reminded his cousin. “Remember, there was no logging allowed in this end of the county before a couple of years ago. With no trade going into the territory, this area has been largely undisturbed. It is undeniably breathtaking, but there are natural predators out here with which to contend. It is good that we are traveling in numbers.”

Bander joined the conversation. “Land that was cleared by the ax men was sold to farmers real cheap. They done tried it for a spell, but then quit and done gone elsewhere. Seems they was losin’ all their animals to the beasts from the forest.”

“Why did they not enlist help to drive the animals away?” Linvin inquired.

“Tried,” said Bander. “Sent a lot of men out. Real few returned. Pretty soon, no one was gonna’ go lookin’ to get eaten.”

“So they all just moved and left their land behind?” Linvin said in disbelief.

“Them that weren’t eaten,” Bander replied.

“You see,” Rander said, rejoining the conversation, “we are simple folk up here. We are good with our bows, but when the trees get thick, they aren’t much use. The predators all nest there for that reason. We can only get a shot at them when they venture out to hunt.”

“Why not use a sword or spear?” Linvin asked.

“Oh that’s not the elf way,” Bander pointed out.

Linvin’s temper began to rise, “Is dying the elf way?”

Rander retorted, “Real elves stick to their traditional ways.”

“You are mistaken, good cousin,” Linvin corrected. “I believe what you are referring to are dead elves. Real elves adapt to their environment. In my part of the county, the farmers grow crops as much as livestock. Why can Varns not adapt to that? The soil appears good and the climate is sound.”

“When you went to the shopping area, did you see any plows or sickles or anything to run that sort of farm?” Rander asked. “We are isolated out here. Even if one wanted to adapt, we have no means.”

“That is a defeated excuse,” Linvin said indignantly. “Think about the economic boom this country is having. You have an increasingly abundant amount of land available at good prices. Your soil and climate are favorable and it is not exploited because you are afraid of some wolves and do not wish to change? How does this community not see what it is missing? If farmers want to grow crops here, that creates a market. They will need to buy and sell goods. Stores will jump at the opportunity to fill that need. Why wouldn’t they? There is profit to be had. If I could get in on something like that I would have a store built so fast that you would wonder from where it came. There would be jobs for anyone who wanted one. The town would grow overnight.”

Linvin paused a moment and thought. “Maybe the reason for the excuses, is that the people of Varns do not want it to grow. Perhaps they enjoy their isolation and subsistence living?”

Bander noted earlier that the conversation was surpassing his ability to comprehend, so he turned his attention to the sausages Anvar was cooking. He looked them over very closely to see which was the largest.

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Interview & Book Review @Solsticepublish, @Solsticeshadows

11/15/2014

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I have a new interview and review of “Quest for the Red Sapphire” at http://thebooksbuzz.blogspot.com/  They gave it 4.5 stars.  Enjoy

 

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    Fantasy fiction is my passion.  This series embodies my love for a good story and action.  You will find it to be many things, but not boring!  Read what you love and love what you read...

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