Wednesday 29 February 2012

Distractions

So, I find myself eager to complete my current WIP, Bengaria's War and move along to a completely different story.  By new story, I don't mean my other WIPs (The Grosjean Chronicles or To Catch A Marlin)...I'm talking about Time Fracture (working title that's kinda working well).

To be honest, it's not really my story, but a collaboration of sorts with my brother (the original geek in the family).  Since it's still in the working stages, with generalized outlines and stuff, I can't get into too much detail.  But I'm greatly enthused with it, to the point I'm terribly distracted with my final read-through of Bengaria's War.

Speaking of Bengaria's War...once it's done, it's wending its way to another beta read.  From there...well...I'm not quite sure what to do with it.  Seek agents probably.  Wish me luck on that.  Within the week, it'll be done with my meddlesome tweaking and I'll have to let it go and grow up on its own.  Like all WIPs and completed MSs, letting go is the most difficult phase in the writing process.  But I'm learning.

Anyway, better get back to the final tweaking (for now) and send it off to be beta'd.

Cheers!

Friday 24 February 2012

SFF Saturday - Feb 25

Once again, I bring you another snippet from my current work in progress, Bengaria's War. This is a story set way into the future, where man has colonized star systems, wages war to steal other Systems, grow cabbages and sword fight, shoot energy guns and fly Nezu-class warships...while drinking tea.

The tale centres around, Ryn Bengaria, the daughter of a farmer who finds herself married to a King and at the brink of war as the evil Regent Sibur tries to steal their System.  Along the way, they encounter the Nezu colony.

In this scene, we have Ryn and her former weapons master, Til, in relaxed conversation...

    “And I’ll bet your mother always had good reason to clobber you.  I can just see you as an unruly child.”  Ryn affected aloofness, but her mood had shifted—at last—enough that he saw her relax.  “Always up to no good.”
    Til grinned.  “I had a fabulous childhood, as one does on a huge tea plantation.”
    “And I bet it was a misspent one filled with mischief.”
    “Adventure,” he corrected solemnly.
    “Is there a difference?” she blinked back pretending to be shocked.
    “Huge.  Adventure means I didn’t get half as many clobberings as when I did mischief.”
    Ryn laughed loudly.  It made her entire face light up, even bringing some colour back to it.  “You’re too silly, you know that.”  Then, she slid out of the armchair, dropped to her knees, leaned forward, and kissed him.



If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules and use the #SFFSat hashtag.

Cheers!

Monday 20 February 2012

Featured Today at Kaye Manro's Blog

Just to let you know, I'm doing some shameless promotion today at Kaye Manro's Blog.  So stop by and find out about the Lancaster Trilogy.

Cheers!

Friday 17 February 2012

SFF Saturday - Feb 18

Still with the WIPs...I bring you a snippet from my current work in progress, Bengaria's War. This is a story set way into the future, where man has colonized star systems, wages war to steal other Systems, grow cabbages and sword fight, shoot energy guns and fly Nezu-class warships...while drinking tea.

The tale centres around, Ryn Bengaria, the daughter of a farmer who finds herself married to a King and at the brink of war as the evil Regent Sibur tries to steal their System.  Along the way, they encounter the Nezu colony.

In this scene, we once again meet Commander Thrater from the infamous Nezu colony.  Ryn and her former weapons master, Bur'et, now her advisor, have boarded Thrater's ship for an informal meeting...

But, Thrater admitted as he watched, unless he was mistaken, Bur’et had managed to capture Ryn’s capricious attention.  It made him feel like a brutish ogre in comparison.  Perhaps their first meeting didn’t go as well as he’d imagined it would.  Perhaps pretending to be a brutish ogre like their legend suggested might not have been the ideal way to go.  Social decorum with outsiders was truly confusing—they seemed highly offended with touching.  Did they not know that a mere touch was enough to relay a multitude of questions and answers, which the mouth was incapable of speaking?  Ah, her mouth, it had been simply too irresistible to ignore…to sample.


If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules and use the #SFFSat hashtag.

Cheers!

Monday 13 February 2012

A Review: Zirconya - The Sage of Aluh'Nehn

Continuing with my Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge review for 2012, the second book I chose to read is Zirconya - The Sage of Aluh'Nehn by Diana Ilinca, the first in her Zirconya trilogy.

Form the very beginning, I was drawn into Diana's rich and colourful world of Zirconya, including being intrigued enough with her character's lives that I felt like a nosy intruder as I spied on what they did next.  There's a lot that going on too, spying.  You'll understand once you read this amazing novel.  And don't trust them pigeons!

Diana Ilinca's debut, young adult fantasy novel simply draws you into the lives three young elves. But before you know it, you're transported from the land of Zirconya, into modern day Earth. Diana knows her young adult audience well, as we follow the life of young Caelum/Chloe and her friends as they deal with the day to day happenings of being a teenager. Throw in some Elven magic, just to make things even more trickier, and you have a wonderful, engrossing, coming of age tale. It's about growing up, discovering your strengths, overcoming odds, dealing with your peers, and love. But before you know it, the tale has come to an end, leaving you eager to find out what happens next. Thankfully, Diana Ilinca is writing the sequel, which I am patiently waiting for its publication release.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  And just to whet your appetite with all things Zirconya, click on over to her website to find out more.  Be sure to read the free read Nahtaia: A Faery's Tale as well.


My next book in the reading challenge: Ambassadora by Heidi Ruby Miller

Friday 10 February 2012

SFF Saturday - Feb 11

Keeping up with the WIPs...Again, I bring you a snippet from my current work in progress, Bengaria's War. This is a story set way into the future, where man has colonized star systems, wages war to steal other Systems, grow cabbages and sword fight, shoot energy guns and fly Nezu-class warships...while drinking tea.

The tale centres around my protagonist, Ryn Bengaria, the daughter of a farmer who finds herself married to a King and at the brink of war as the evil Regent Sibur tries to steal their System.  Along the way, they encounter the Nezu colony.

In this scene, Ryn is about to learn a little bit more about herself while visiting her father.  In her company, Til, her former weapons master and now her advisor.  And as for teacol, it's a strong, bracing liquor made from tea...think single malt whiskey with a green tea flavour.


“Da?” Ryn said impatiently.  While a reunion between her father and Til, however intriguing, was not as urgent as why she’d come back home in the first place.  “Since when do you drink?”
“Religiously since you got married.”  Sul raised his hand gently, urging Ryn and Til to sit.  They sat side by side on the couch, while her father chose his favoured armchair and poured out three glasses of the strong, yellow-green spirit.  Before speaking again, he held up his glass in a silent toast and took a small sip.
“I’d hoped you would never have reason to find out.  But as circumstances have changed so drastically this past year, I’ve lived knowing that one day you’d be here, seeking answers to the one thing I have fought hard to keep from you,” he reached across and laid a gentle hand on her knee.


If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules and use the #SFFSat hashtag.

Cheers!

What's Up With Me?

Well, other than scratching my head, wondering about blog posts and scheduling stuff for future blog posts (both here and there), I've been neck-deep in WIP reviewing.

Bengaria's War, is complete, the second draft needs just a wee bit more tweaking and then...that's it.  I still haven't decided what I'm going to do with it, but, I am hoping it'll interest an agent.  Hoping big time!  I suppose, I should get cracking and send out some query letters.  That would help...

Anyways, I'm eager to get BW off my To Do pile, and tackle a new project that landed on my lap via my brother -- the original geek in the family.  Our idle musings and daily instant messaging conversations sparked a story idea about Time (not to mention the fact that he lives in Toronto, which is an hour in the past from my time, here in Barbados).  At the risk of giving away too much about it, this is a story I see coming out in short story installments.  My brother is thinking Twilight Zone-like stories.  So, once BW is scuttled off to one side, this new project will be my focus.  I envision lengthy researching and many Google searches on Time itself.

Aside for writing projects, what up with me otherwise?  Not much.  I know, I lead such an exciting life.  Well, at least the weather's still mild and cool.  It won't last long, since March approaches quickly, and so too the dry season and heat.  Such cheery things to look forward to.

Well, that's all for now.

Cheers!

Friday 3 February 2012

SFF Saturday - Feb 4

This week, I bring you a snippet from my current work in progress, Bengaria's War. This is a story set way into the future, where man has colonized star systems, wages war to steal other Systems, grow cabbages and sword fight, shoot energy guns and fly Nezu-class warships...while drinking tea.

The story centers around my protagonist, Ryn Bengaria, the daughter of a farmer who finds herself married to a King and at the brink of war as the evil Regent Sibur tries to steal their System.  Along the way, they encounter the Nezu colony.

In this scene, Ryn sets eyes for the first time on the Nezu...


Commander Thrater walked in, unhurried, flanked by two others. They were similar in appearance, dressed in muted black and silver, clad in moulded armour, which enhanced their chests, shoulders, and their forearms and legs. Each wore black gloves with burr-like protrusions along the outer wrists, knee-high boots in similar fashion. Across their hips, weapons she’d never seen before draped from their belts, along with tadra blades and odd-looking objects that caught the light.
From Ryn’s vantage point, with the sunlight filtering through intermittently, they looked to her like ancient warlords returning from a battle, proud and stoic. With their purposeful stride, which sounded like steady drums beating in the silent hall, they lazily swept their gazes around them as if marching through a crowd-filled street. The only thing missing was the roar of cheers and the proud prancing of their equally heroic steeds.



If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules and use the #SFFSat hashtag.

Cheers!