HEARING VOICES BLOG FEST, Day Three

You can find all the details, and a complete list of entrants and links to their blogs HERE

DAY THREE

It's the final day of the Festival today.  I've really enjoyed taking part and want to thank everyone who's taken the trouble to visit my blog , especially if you left a comment as well.  I've loved reading all the great posts of the other participants as well, this has been such a fun exercise.

Today we were supposed to write a 'flash' fiction piece representing 'emotion' .  This is my effort, from my current WIP, 'Beloved Enemy' which will be the third book in the futuristic romance series that started with Starquest.  I'd be interested to know if you think the emotion comes through, and what emotion I am actually trying to portray.  The male character is Kerry Marchant, and the female one is Katt O'Brian.  Because I love to illustrate my posts I've included the cover I designed to keep my motivation going for this story.

"That  cross and the locket are priceless—to me. Steal them and you would be very, very sorry.”

The pain she saw in his eyes told her it was dangerous to probe more deeply, but somehow she couldn’t help herself. “She was pretty. You must have loved her very much.”

"The woman in the locket was my mother. I never knew her. She died when I was a small child.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No need to be. It happened a long time ago, as I said, I was only a child.”

“The cross was hers too?”

He was silent for so long she wondered if he was ever going to answer her. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. It’s none of my business.”

“No, it's not. But if it makes you happy, you might as well know. The cross didn’t belong to her. It belonged to …a woman I cared for—a great deal.” He stared at her with that blue gaze that seemed to look into her very soul, and yet somehow not see her at all. “Before you ask, she’s dead too. She died from a laser bolt intended for me. Satisfied?”

The anguish in his eyes, the pain in his voice, almost tore her in two. She wanted to reach out, to touch him, offer some words of comfort, but none came. This man who had such an effect on her was in love with a phantom from the past, and it was apparent that the wound ran deep and raw, far deeper than any physical hurt he sustained over the last couple of days.








'STARQUEST'    'CHILDREN OF THE MIST'  (The sequel to Starquest)  Dancing With Fate      'Freeread':'A BARGAIN WITH DEATH 'STARQUEST'    'CHILDREN OF THE MIST'  (The sequel to Starquest)  Dancing With Fate      'Freeread':'A BARGAIN WITH DEATH'

                  Also available on Kindle

I'm Hearing Voices Pt II - Dialogue

 

http://livetowrite1.blogspot.com/p/im-hearing-voices-blogfest.html

It's day two of the "I'm Hearing Voices Blogfest" and this time we have to introduce two characters using nothing but dialogue. 

I've set up an imaginary conversation between the heroine from my futuristic romance novel, 'Starquest', and Narjohol, the antogonist.

JESS: I have to confess to being a little nervous, considering what Narjohol put me through when I was his prisoner, but I've been asked to introduce him to this Council. I’m grateful for the force shield between us. He is one of the most evil beings  I've come across in all my travels through hyperspace.

NARJOHOL:  My dear, you are not usually so judgemental. Your words hurt me. I merely pursue my legal vocation. You on the other hand, preach peace and love and yet you led a band of mercenaries to destroy another living being, the unfortunate mutant, Ayandos. Hardly the act of a Missionary of the Sisterhood of the Universal Spirit.

 

JESS: On the contrary, the people of  Phidia begged me to fetch help to free them fromAyandos when he invaded their  world and enslaved the population to mine the planet’s minerals and precious stones.  Ayandos was much like yourself really.  I would hardly call rounding up innocent citizens on remote planets, and selling them as slaves a 'legal vocation'. Slavery is a crime on most of the civilised planets. 

AYANDOS: Not in the sector of space where I come from. Slavery is considered a very respectable occupation there. You may be feisty, for a human female, but you are very naïve too. My spies tell me you were foolishly willing to sacrifice yourself for the love of one of the men on board the Destiny, when you brought the crew to Phidia. 

JESS: Love is something a cold blooded monster like you could never understand, Narjohol. I would do it again – and I intend to search the galaxy until I find the Destiny, and he and I are reunited. I hope that one day you will be made to pay for your crimes, because I’m certain you will never change your cruel ways. 

AYANDOS: Take care my dear, you were lucky to escape from me,   Should I ever get the chance I will take the greatest pleasure in torturing you again, and if that happens, I promise  - you will not live to tell the tale!

'STARQUEST'    'CHILDREN OF THE MIST'  (The sequel to Starquest)  Dancing With Fate      'Freeread':'A BARGAIN WITH DEATH 'STARQUEST'    'CHILDREN OF THE MIST'  (The sequel to Starquest)  Dancing With Fate      'Freeread':'A BARGAIN WITH DEATH'

                  Also available on Kindle

Review, Guestpost and Giveaway - Heroes and Hounds by Bill Miller

I'm thrilled to welcome Bill Mller here today.  I love both horses, hounds and nearly every fourlegged animal on the planet so I knew I would enjoy Bill's book. I was not disappointed.
Heroes and Hounds is a wonderfully charming story about a young girl’s adventures with her pony and her friend as she seeks to fulfill her dream of riding “to the hounds” with the hunt. Although the story is written for young audiences, it has multi-generational appeal as it touches on such issues as the plight of families with parents in military service and the welfare of veterans. Anyone who loves horses, dogs and other animals will enjoy this book. The illustrations are beautiful and create a nostalgia of their own in their old-style look reminiscent of children’s books decades ago.
Carly is 11 years old and lives with her grandfather on a 200-acre Virginia farm while both parents serve in the military overseas.  She loves the farm, and befriends all of the animals including a sneaky red fox that stalks her grandfather’s prize chickens. Her best friend is her pony, Monroe, who shares her enthusiasm for adventure.  Carly’s constant dream is to ride with the Riverdale Hunt Club that passes through her grandfather’s property.
On one particularly rainy Saturday, Carly watches from her front porch as the finely dressed ladies and gentlemen ride to the hounds.  Later in the day, Carly finds out that a young hound named Hampton has become lost and Carly is determined to find him and by so doing endear herself to the hunt’s Master; perhaps to be asked to ride Monroe in an upcoming meet.  Carly enlists the help of her friend, Freddie, but the adventure is just beginning.  Carly, Monroe, Hampton and the red fox have no idea what’s dangers await them.


My Review:


This delightful  story is full of excitement and action.  The main character, Carly, has all the characteristics of a typical eleven year old girl. She lives with her grandfather, 'Grandpa Oakley' while her parents are in the armed Forces.   Her  best friends are Freddie, a young lad of about the same age, Buster, her grandfather's cat, and her pony Monroe. Although she was brought up in the suburbs, she has quickly adapted to life on her grandfather's farm and loves living in the country.

The animals in this story are as important as the human characters.  They have their own personalities but are not 'humanised' and are written as 'real' animals.  Apart from Monroe, there is the foxhound, called Hampton and a wily red fox. The two become unlikely allies - and they and Carly and Freddie become unwittingly involved with an aging Vietnam veteran, 'Strange Willie' rumoured to be half mad and more than a little dangerous.  The story moves along at a fast pace, from the beginning of the adventure when Hampton becomes separated from the hunt, is injured and lost to the the thrilling climax when Freddie goes missing and suspicion falls on Strange Willie. Carly, riding Monroe, leads the search party in a desperate chase across country, and Strange Willie saves the hunt pack from a terrible fate.

Apart from being a really good adventure story, with animals and characters that children can easily relate to, there are some good lessons to be learnt along the way, like not making hasty judgements, and that honesty, friendship and loyalty are the things that are really important in life.  Altogether a delightful story which any animal loving youngster is likely to throughly enjoy. The beautiful and lifelike line drawings by Mary Burkhardt add even more to the story.

Buy the book at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Amazon.co.uk

Barnes & Noble

ChaptersIndigo

Smashwords

Create Space

I asked Billl if the the animals in his story are based on real animals or purely imaginary?

This is what he has to say:

All of the animals, both four-legged and two-legged, are imaginary but based on friends I have know or met over the years.  I have been riding horses for over 50 years and have horses, dogs, cats and various other animals have shared their lives with me. I have been an honorary whipper-in with Norfolk Hunt Club for the last twenty years and in doing that job have gotten to know many of the hounds up-close and personal.   

So Hampton, the lead dog in the story, is an amalgam of many of the hounds I have known over the years. His personality really comes from a dog I got from the pound when I graduated from college a million years ago. He was a great dog, part Beagle, part unknown with a wonderful personality and great quirkiness. His portrait still adorns my living room wall. Much of his personality is reflected in Hampton’s inner thoughts. My little dog would do wonderful and unexpected things, had a vocabulary of over 100 words, and I had many people convinced the brown spot on his white back moved up and down according the temperature of the day.  I remember one day I was up on my brother-in-laws roof helping fix the TV antennae (anyone remember those).  I looked around and there was my dog up on the roof with us.  He had climbed the rung ladder two stories to join. I almost expected to see a tool belt strapped to his waist. Another time his foot was nicked by a car and he ran three blocks to the ocean to soak his foot.  I think that’s where I got the background for Hampton soaking his foot in mud. Another time we were driving off with two other dogs in the car. He jumped on the hood and starred us down.  He wouldn’t be left behind. So yes, the animals
are based on real life.           

Hampton sounds absolutely delightful, he must have been a real character.  I've had beagles in the past and I know what clever little dogs they are, full of personality. I laughed out loud when you said he climbed the ladder to join you on the roof and you almost expected to see him with his own toolbelt!
Thanks so much for being my guest today, Bill, I've really enjoyed learning more about you and 'Heroes and Hounds.'

Author Website

Other Website, Twitter,Goodreads, Facebook Page

Visit Minding Spot tomorrow for the next stop  in Bill's Tour, and the other stops can be found here:
http://nurtureyourbooks.com/vbtblog/2011/12/upcoming-book-tour-heroes-and-hounds-by-bill-miller/

GIVEAWAY

leave a comment on this post to be entered in a draw to win a free download of Bill's book!

I'M HEARING VOICES BLOGFEST - February 6th - Characters on the couch

 

Cover Art by Miss Mae

February 6th - Monday: Characters on the couch

THE CHARACTER WHO VOLUNTEERED FOR THIS SPOT IS TERPSICHORE, MUSE OF DANCE, FROM 'DANCING WITH FATE' AVAILABLE AT THE SPECIAL PRICE OF 99C for a limited time HERE 
(Paperback version HERE)

Terpsichore seats herself on the low couch, arranging her chiton  so that it falls in graceful folds around her,  her long, silky hair, the colour of burnished chestnuts, reaching to its hem.

(*whisper* between you and me, she was not the easiest person in the universe to write about being rather complex and a Greek Goddess!  She's rather strong willed but fun as well as being a bit of a challenge!)

Q: Good morning Terpisichore.  Thank you for agreeing to answer these questions.  I hope the ambrosia is to your liking.  Without further ado, lets start with the first question.

What is your biggest vulnerability? Do others know this or is it a secret?

T: Well of course, being a Muse, I don’t have many vulnerabilities at all. However, when Apollo and Zeus sent me to Wales in the 5th Century, I wasn’t allowed to use any of my powers which was rather disconcerting to say the least.  Also, like all the muses, if I give anemos too often it could be fatal – yes even Greek goddesses can lose their immortality. Of course all the gods are aware of this so it’s no secret to them – but the first one, being deprived of my powers,  was something only Apollo and Zeus were aware of.  No-one on Earth had any inkling that I’d ever possessed any magical gifts.

Q: What do people believe about you that is false?

T: That's easy (Terpsichore frowns a little in annoyance.)  It's the idea that all I can do is inspire people to dance.  There’s a lot more to it than that and I have many other talents.

Q: What would your best friend say is your fatal flaw? Why? 

T: My best friend is also my soulmate – Myrddin! He would say I’m too impetious.  Of course I disagree! 

Q:What would the same friend say is your one redeeming quality? Why? 

T: Only one? Well, I imagine he’d say it’s my unswerving loyalty – and of course my undying love for him!

Q:  What do you want most? What will you do to get it?  

T: Now,  I want for nothing.  My immortal life is truly complete.  However in the story I dictated to my author, I thought my beloved was in grave danger – that he might even die, so I would do anything, including giving up my immortality, in order to save him. Thankfully it didn’t quite come to that or I wouldn’t be here now!

HL: And I wouldn't have been able to write your Happy Ever After.  Thank you so much, Terpsichore.

T:  It's been a pleasure, Now I must get back to Olympus, and my beloved. I see my golden horse, Sal, is waiting for me, and pawing the ground impatiently! Farewell, and remember, 'Dance As if no-one is watching!'

artwork by talented 'Sister Muse' Masha Holl, author of 'The Brightest Heaven'

Hywela Lyn first published 'Dancing With Fate in 2008 as part of The Song of the Muses Anthology. Find the list of authors original to this anthology at her website under 'Muse Anthology'.

Some of these authors have also republished, or are in the process of republishing their stories, among them Sky Purington, whose Story 'Highland Muse' can be found here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Highland-Muse-ebook/dp/B006J2U0Q2/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328528426&sr=1-6

FIND EVERYONE ELSE'S INTERVIEWS HERE




 
'STARQUEST'    'CHILDREN OF THE MIST'  (The sequel to Starquest)  Dancing With Fate      'Freeread':'A BARGAIN WITH DEATH 'STARQUEST'    'CHILDREN OF THE MIST'  (The sequel to Starquest)  Dancing With Fate      'Freeread':'A BARGAIN WITH DEATH'

                  Also available on Kindle