The Liebster Award

Christina L of Idlewild has given me the Liebster award!! Thank you so much, Christina!! Even though it was back in September that you awarded me. I do apologize for not posting about this promptly. And, if any of you readers happen to be curious, liebster is German for "dearest."

Liebster Award Rules:

Acknowledge the blog that nominated you. (Idlewild)

Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger created.

List 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers that deserve some recognition.

Post 11 questions for them to answer.

Notify them that they've been nominated.

Christina's Questions
1. Have you read Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery? Do you like it? Yes, I've read the entire series. Did I like it? Uh... they were interesting to read, even though I was only ten or so when I read the books and didn't quite understand everything that went on all the time. I wouldn't consider them some of my favorite books of all-time, but I respect and enjoy them as stories.

2. What is your current favorite song? Nooo!!! *covers eyes* You didn't ask me that! Please tell me she didn't ask me that!! *peeks* She asked me that. Okay... I will think up a legitimate answer. Let's say since it's October and because I'm in the mood for Christmas (what? don't you start playing Christmas music in October?), it's Ten Thousand Hallelujahs by the SMS Men's Chorus. OR... if we're talking soundtrack, I've been listening to Jack and Isabelle from the Jack the Giant Slayer soundtrack by John Ottoman (please note that I don't wholly endorse the movie), OR if we're talking musical, it's Ten Minutes Ago from the Broadway Cinderella (sung by Laura Ones or Lea Salonga... take your pick), OR if we're talking classical, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Ballet has always been a favorite, No. 15. Closing Waltz and Grand Finale in particular, OR if we're talking all things sacred, it's Shadow of the Cross by Benjamin Everson. Wow! If you have not heard that, you are missing out!

{Edit: I just realized I uploaded the wrong video...

sorry, folks! Here's the right one!}

Enough songs? Okay, I'll stop now...

...

After I make sure that you did listen to the above video? No? GO BACK NOW AND HIT THE PLAY BUTTON!

Yes? Good. Now I can move on.

3. If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be? Would it have any special skills? (talking, wisdom, etc.) A dragon. And yes, it would fly. *grins*

4. What are three blogs that you highly recommend? Three blogs? THREE?! How can I pick just three? There's a list of blogs on my sidebar that I love to stalk, so you must browse through that selection, but for the sake of the question, I'll say I recommend The Inkpen Authoress, Yet Another Period Drama Blog, and The Musings of an Elf. There are so many more I could write down, but I will be good and stick to three.

5. What is your favorite thing to do at the beach? Be in the water. I'm not a huge sand person, but I love swimming. Emphasis on love.

6. What book character is most like you? (or you consider to be most like yourself) Uhh... probably Jo March. But I'm not as quite outspoken as she is... I'm more of an introvert, with her flair for writing and the obnoxious.

7. What has been your biggest personal achievement? (got into a play, read the entire Bible, etc.) Hmm... this is difficult because I've done both those you mentioned... and wrote and directed the play I acted in. My biggest personal achievement......? I guess I'd consider that writing a novel (CoaL, if you were interested). Now the editing part is... something else.

8. What is one of your favorite Bible verses? Judg-- *gets glaring look from sisters* Uh... *cough* one of my favorite passages is Psalm 40.

"I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord."

9. If you could experience one book (only one!) for real, which would it be? Would you go as one of the characters or as yourself? Ooh, so hard to choose!! *firstoneoffthetopofmyhead* The Horse and His Boy. And most likely as myself. I'd love to experience Narnia firsthand. And sniff the wonderful smell of bacon, and eggs, and mushrooms all cooking together in a frying pan.

10. What is your favorite thing to do in the kitchen? Okay, this is gonna sound weird, but wash dishes. I don't like baking and cooking very much, and I tend to burn, set on fire, ruin, kill, etc. anything that I try to make ('cept mug cakes... I'm getting good at those). But washing dishes gives me a break from life, to stop, get my fingers clean, and just stand. I've come up with a lot of good story ideas at the sink, and I can sing there to my heart's content. Anyone knows that coming in the kitchen to criticize my song selection will get roped into drying and putting all the dishes away, so I'm usually uninterrupted.

11. Yes or no? Maybe so. I haven't the foggiest.

Okay, now to award 11 bloggers... here's what we're gonna do. For everyone who reads this, please comment below. And that's not a friendly suggestion. Well, it is... but... anywho.... please? Pretty please with cherries on top?

The first eleven people to leave a comment I happily give this award. You may drag it off to your blog now, or you can simply respond to all of my questions in your comment (but honestly, I'd take it to show off on your blog 'cuz it's one of those moving awards; kinda spiffy). Anyone who comments after the first eleven, you can answer the questions, too. The more answers to questions that I have, the happier I will be. Who likes making up eleven questions and then see them go unanswered? 

So!

You read, you comment.

My Questions
1. Would you rather go to a Jane Austen style ball or a barn dance?
2. If you could only see one color for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
3. You were just given a pet rabbit! What do you name it?
4. Don't like rabbits? Fine... then name your pet iguana and tell me its favorite snack. 
5. If you could ask any Disney character a question, who would you pick, and what would you ask them?
6. What would you consider as the most iconic tune of all film music (i.e. Chariots of Fire, Star Wars, Indiana Jones)?
7. When is it acceptable to start playing Christmas music?
8. What was your favorite children's story growing up?
9. What was the first thing you ever memorized (or one of the first if you can't recall the exact first)?
10. I'm visiting your house tonight and your mom asks you to prepare dinner. What do you make?
11. Pick up the book closest to you, and then type out the first full sentence on page five. 

God bless!

A Mother Holds Her Daughter's Hand...

"A mother holds her daughter's hand for only a little while, her heart, forever."

Anne-girl of Scribblings has just released her novel, Queen Mother, and she's invited us all to participate in a fun mother tag to celebrate the event!

And no, of course I'm not late in posting this. How could you even insinuate such a thing? *cough*

It took me a while to go through my stories to find a mother to use for this tag. And not because I couldn't pick a favorite, but I discovered that I have an appalling lack of mothers in my stories. Really, peoples! In CoaL, the only living mother I mention is Vystera Gransen who makes an appearance for about two chapters, and the mother of pretty much my every other main character in every story doesn't appear in the story as actually living, either. I am ashamed of my overuse of deceased maternal figures. I will fix that this, folks. I will write a good mother story because I love my own mother to pieces and I can't imagine what my life would be like without her.

However, I am not totally desolate. There are two strong mother figures that I can pinpoint, and both are mothers in stories that I have mentioned little here on Lianne Taimenlore. One is from my story The Masked Pianist, and the other from Kianna. At first, I wasn't sure which one to choose, but the one I knew better won out, so, my dear readers, I present to you:

Athlia Baléine from Kianna

1. What do you think she would think of the statement used as the title for this post (Well, mother... a real mother, is the most wonderful person in the world.)? She would probably agree with it muchly. Except, perhaps, when thinking of her husband. That would be the most wonderful person in the world in her eyes.

2. How many children does she have? What are their names? Ages? Two. Both girls. Kianna Ardyn Feuraire and Evenette. I'm assuming that Evenette has a middle name or two, like Kianna, but I don't know for certain what they are, considering she hasn't gotten in trouble yet and invoked the whole-name-summons from Athlia. Kianna is 18, and Evenette is only 11.

3. Could you say she "plays favorites"with her children? If she only has one what is her favorite thing about her child? No, she doesn't. Her children are both different, and each one has her pros and cons, you might say. Kianna thinks quick on her feet and loves adventures and new things, yet she has a terrible habit of keeping grudges. And do I mean keeping those grudges. Evenette is a bit of a priss; she loves all things elegant and sophisticated, but she doesn't like to get her hands dirty. Literally. She's all girl. Athlia loves that Kianna is very willing to help people, at least, those people she doesn't think poorly of, and she appreciates that Evenette strives to obey in everything, just as any daughter should.

4. Would she adopt a child in need if she could? Probably. She's very tender-hearted, and she couldn't stand to see someone go unloved.

5. What does she consider her greatest accomplishment? Raising both daughters without her husband. Galfort Baléine died soon after Evenette was born, when Kianna was about seven or eight. Neither Athlia nor Kianna ever really got over his passing, but Athlia knows that she cannot dwell on the sorrow of his death and forget about the present. It was with great effort that she moved forward after he was gone. 

6. If she could change one thing about the world what would it be? Hatred. Athlia disapproves that Kianna is too quick to form a hasty opinion and base an utter dislike on things and people, and she wishes that there were no such things as enemies.

7. What was her favorite activity as a child? Huh... I really don't know. I'll have to ask her. (momentary interlude) Sitting with her father and doing things with him: talking, reading, singing, etc. She has a very strong sentimentality for family.

8. Give this mother a theme song { cannot be "your mother and mine"}. I would say "Mother Knows Best" from Tangled, yet Athlia is vastly different than Gothel. Instead of trying to hide her children from the truth, she strives to lead her children in truth, just as the Creator commands. "No Matter What" from Beauty and the Beast: The Broadway Musical would be a close second, because no matter what happens, Athlia will do what it takes to keep her family together and united.

9. If she could go one place where would she go? One place? In her world or our world? She's happy where she is at home in Pennin, so I don't suspect that she'd want to leave it anytime soon. However, if Kianna's wanderlust got to her, she might think about going to see some of the other kingdoms (Pennin is one of the twelve kingdoms mentioned in TK, you know) or stay for an extended visit at a good friend's house. She loves socializing with loved ones. In our world (I originally wrote that as my world because that's how I think of it in terms of earth and Pennin, but it sounded too selfish so I changed it), she'd like to visit places such as New England with its rocky coasts and gorgeous mountains.

10. Is there anything more important to her than being a mother? Uh, nope, not really. I would say being a wife, but in my opinion, she succeeded in being the best wife while her husband was still alive.

God bless!

30 Day Middle-Earth Challenge Details

Melody Muffin of The Splendor Falls on Castle Walls and I would like to proudly invite you to join us for a 30 day, fun-filled, everything Middle-Earth event! Starting the first of November, we will be hosting a challenge in which we will share 30 days' worth of pictures, quotes, characters, and anything else Tolkien. The challenge will run until the end of November. You may choose to do all 30 days of the challenge, or you may participate only for a few days, whatever you wish. The posts you share may be as short or as long as you want, either being simply a picture or a single quote, an essay several paragraphs in length, or something mixed or between the two. Below is an entire list of which post will correspond with which day, as well as a picture containing the list so you may drag it off with ease to your own blogs.

The only rule we have for you is simply to mark all of the posts you do for the challenge with a 30 Day Middle-Earth Challenge tag and share the link either with us here on my blog, Lianne Taimenlore, or on Melody's blog, The Splendor Falls. For example, when I participated in Amy's Celebrate Musicals Week, my link looked like this: http://liannetaimenlore.blogspot.com/search/label/Celebrate%20Musicals%20Week This is to simplify matters when Melody and I post the link-up at the end of the month, it's easy to put everyone together. 

For those of you who don't have blogs, but are interested in joining us in this challenge, please do! Melody and I will be (hopefully) posting every day, so just leave a comment on one of our posts, stating how you would have filled out that day. Or, if you'd rather, you can do the challenge on your Pinterest page! For that, I'd ask that you'd only leave a link to the board on which you'd pin the challenge answers in a comment here on my blog or Melody's. We welcome every and all participation!

Any questions? Please leave a comment below!

Day 1: Favorite Book

Welcome to the challenge! The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King, The Hobbit, The Silmarillion... Tolkien wrote many books about Middle-Earth. Which one is your favorite?

Day 2: Favorite Movie

The animated films from the 1970s or Peter Jackson's more recent live-action adaptions? Tell us which movie about Middle-Earth is your favorite!

Day 3: Favorite Quote

What's the best spoken line in any of the Middle-Earthian books or movies? Please share it with us!

Day 4: Favorite Scene

Out of all the scenes in the books and films, which one is your favorite?

Day 5: Best of the Fellowship

Nine members made up the Fellowship of the Ring. Which member, in your opinion, is the best?

Day 6: Best of Thorin's Company

Thirteen dwarves, a wizard, and a burglar... who would you say was the best from Thorin Oakenshield's company?

Day 7: Favorite Weapon

Middle-Earth is riddled with weapons beyond count, bows, swords, etc. Which one is your favorite?

Day 8: Favorite Costume

Eowyn's white dress, Elrond's council robe, Merry's red waistcoat... there are many costumes worn throughout the various Middle-Earth films. Which one would you say was your favorite?

Day 9: Prettiest Dress

What would you say was the prettiest dress in Middle-Earth? Galadriel's? Arwen's?

Day 10: Most Epic Armor

Battle is nothing new to Middle-Earth, so armor is as common as second breakfast. Who, in your opinion, wears the most epic armor?

Day 11: Favorite Battle

The Battle of the Five Armies, the Battle of Pelennor Fields, the battle at the Black Gate... which one is your favorite?

Day 12: Favorite Location

Middle-Earth is strewn with beautiful lands (the Shire, Lothlorien, Rohan), unforgettable cities (Gondor, Helm's Deep, Minas Morgul), and amazing dwellings (Bag End, the Golden Hall). Tell us your favorite location!

Day 13: Funniest Quote

What is the funniest quote said in Middle-Earth, from either book or film? We'd love to know!

Day 14: Saddest Quote

Middle-Earth is not without its tragedy and sorrow. What is the saddest quote spoken in either book or movie?

Day 15: Best Steed

The horses Shadowfax, Mertle, Arod, Bill, Minty, and Brego aren't the only steeds to be ridden in Middle-Earth, as other, fouler creatures such as wargs and fell beasts are used to get around. Which Middle-Earth steed would you say was the best?

Day 16: Best Antagonist

Sauron, Gothmog, Wormtongue, Morgoth, the Witch King. Who is Middle-Earth's best (or worst, rather) enemy?

Day 17: Favorite Male Character

Who is your favorite? Aragorn, Bilbo, Samwise, Beren, Thorin, Gandalf, Faramir, or another male from Middle-Earth? Let us know!

Day 18: Favorite Female Character

There aren't many female characters that Tolkien wrote, but I'm sure we all have a favorite from the epic few he created.

Day 19: Least Favorite Character

We've covered favorites, now let's get into the opposite. Who is your least favorite character to walk the lands of Middle-Earth?

Day 20: Scariest Moment

Aragorn walking the Paths of the Dead, Bilbo escaping the goblin halls. Which, in your opinion, is the scariest moment to occur in Middle-Earth?

Day 21: Saddest Death

With battle comes death. Which Middle-Earth death is the saddest?

Day 22: Favorite In-Book Song

 Tolkien included many songs that his characters sing in The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, etc. Which song is your favorite from any of the books?

Day 23: Favorite Soundtrack Song

Howard Shore wrote the score for Peter Jackson's iconic LOTR trilogy as well as for the new Hobbit films. Which song from any Middle-Earth soundtrack is your favorite?

Day 24: Best One Does Not Simply

We've all seen Boromir's meme, "One Does Not Simply." They've multiplied all over the internet world. Which one would you say was the best?

Day 25: Epic Actors' Saying

Seen or read any interviews with the actors that played in Middle-Earth films? What is one of their sayings that you consider funny, inspiring, or just plain informing?

Day 26: Character You Pity Most

Gollum is usually the most pitied Middle-Earth character, but perhaps you pity someone else more, or in a different way. Please share with us!

Day 27: Coolest Visual Effects

The beasts of Middle-Earth, the stunning architecture of Gondor or Erebor, a specific fight sequence... much of Peter Jackson's films were shot against a green screen. Do you have a favorite CG (computer generated) location, animal, or action?

Day 28: Most Inspiring Scene

What would you consider the most inspiring scene in any of the Middle-Earth books or movies?

Day 29: Your LOTR Collection

By "LOTR" here, I mean all things Middle-Earth, of course. What does your Tolkien collection look like? Do you have the all the books? The extended DVDs? A soundtrack, or a bookmark, perhaps? If you want to include a picture, that'd be awesome!

Day 30: Best LOTR Picture Ever

Have a favorite Middle-Earth picture that you've either found somewhere on the internet or made yourself? For the last day of the challenge, share the best Tolkien related picture that you've ever come across.

By the way, this entire post can be found here on the 30 Day Middle-Earth Challenge page on my blog. 

God bless!

Elves, And Hobbits, And Dwarves... Oh My!

Yes, I'll admit that I'm a little late in posting this (okay about a month late, but who's keeping track? *ahem* I'm not), but so many other things came up that I never had the chance to finish this whole tag out. Anywho, this tag was part of a Tolkien Blog Party of Special Magnificence back around the twenty-second of September to commemorate the anniversary of both Bilbo's and Frodo's birthdays, hosted by The Edge of the Precipice, and you can find the link to the original party HERE. And yes, I'd highly suggest that you visit there.

1.  Have you read The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit? If so, how many times? YES! Currently working on my fifth time through. And that includes reading The Hobbit and ALL of the appendixes at the end of The Return of the King.

2.  Have you seen any movies based on them? Only Peter Jackson's amazing film adaptions: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), The Return of the King (2003), and An Unexpected Journey (2012). "Seen" is rather uninformative, considering I have the majority of all four movies memorized.

3.  Who first introduced you to Middle Earth? I'd have to say probably my parents. My dad read the books when he was younger, and then after RotK came out in 2003, he allowed us kids to watch them AFTER we read the books. Of course, we all immediately loved them.

4.  Who are your three favorite characters?  (Feel free to elaborate on whys.) I'm torn! Favorite characters because of humor and quotes would be Legolas, Pippin, and Merry, otherwise for actual character and morals I'd go with Samwise, Faramir, and Eowyn.

5.  What's your favorite Middle Earth location? Lothlorien. Hands down. But I have a sneaking suspicion that it might change once I see how Peter Jackson visualizes Mirkwood.

6.  If you could belong to one of the races of Free Folk (Men, Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits, Ents), which would you choose? Elves. Without a doubt. Or, if I had to choose a second, I'd say either part of the Rohirrim or a quiet inhabitant of the West Farthing.

7.  Would you rather eat lembas or taters? Lembas. 

8.  If you lived in Middle Earth, what weapon would you prefer wielding? A bow. These long-range weapons have always appealed to me, even before I knew about LOTR, so once I saw that so many in Middle Earth used them, I was only more enticed.

9.  What draws you to Tolkien's stories?  (The characters, the quests, the themes, the worlds, etc.) First and foremost would be the adventure. I love a good fantasy. And these are clean, wholesome stories that you don't have to worry about immoral things popping up while you're reading. The characters that Tolkien created were so memorable, so quotable, that you can't help but like them. I went into this a little more in this post here, if you'd like to read more.

10. List up to five of your favorite lines/quotes from the books or movies. I thought about ignoring the five limit and posting tons of favorite quotes from the movies, but on second thought, let's follow instructions and simply keep to quotes from the book, though not including any songs, because that just wouldn't be fair. And I just noticed that the majority of my favorite quotes come from The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring.

There was a terrific splash, and a shout of "Whoa!" from Frodo. It appeared that a lot of Pippin's bath had imitated a fountain and leaped on high. Merry went to the door. "How about supper and beer in the throat?" Frodo came out drying his hair. "There's so much water in the air that I'm coming out here to finish," he said.

No spider has ever liked being called Attercop, and Tomnoddy, of course, is insulting to anybody.

"Go not to the elves for counsel, for they will say both yes and no."

In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat; it was a hobbit-hole, and that meant comfort.

 When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would be shortly celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton.

And, please don't forget about the great event that Melody and I are hosting during the month of November! We'd love to see you join us! 

God bless!

You're Invited!!

What: A 30 Day Middle-Earth Challenge

Who: Everyone is invited to participate (even if you don't feel like doing the entire challenge, or if you don't have a blog)!

Where: Here on Lianne Taimenlore and my excellent friend Melody's blog, The Splendor Falls on Castle Walls

When: The entire month of November, from the 1st all the way to the 30th

Why: A few months ago, Melody and I came across a picture on Pinterest of a 30 Day Lord of the Rings Challenge, and we both decided that we'd love to be able to do something like that. However, at the time, we were both too busy to do anything with that idea, so we swapped a few emails and decided to wait until the great month of November, in preparation of The Desolation of Smaug coming out in theaters in December, and that instead of only doing LOTR things, we'd incorporate all things Hobbit as well as the rest of Middle-Earth just because we love all of it. We'd love to see you join us! 

Below are buttons for you to share the challenge. I apologize that I wasn't able to get the HTML code to perfection so you could simply copy and paste onto your blogs and Pinterest pages, so instead, I'm going to ask you to save the buttons to your computer, add them to your sidebar or Pinterest as a picture, and then link to either my blog (Lianne Taimenlore) or Melody's blog (The Splendor Falls on Castle Walls). Thank you so much!

 

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to post a comment! Hope to see you all there!

God bless!

October Snippets

Well, September was a slow month as far as writing was concerned, but I did manage another couple thousand words on Rebirth of a Legend. Here you are, folks. Enjoy!

“Hey, Dick! You're not listening!”

The offended speaker grabbed his pillow and flung it across the small room. The missile hit Dick square in the face and, combined with his unawareness of being attacked, the sudden torque of the pillow, though soft, sent him reeling backwards on his bed.

“Blast! Axel! What was that for?”

 

Axelsen Elnefar was prepared for the returning projectile his younger brother sent his way. Reaching out with one long arm, he snagged the pillow before it hit his forehead and yanked it aside to give Dick a glare. “I was talking to you.”

 

Dicksen rubbed his poor attacked nose. “I was listening.”

 

Axel gave a rough guffaw. “No, you weren't. Your mind was a million miles away.”

 

“I wish I was with it.” The grumble was so slight that Axel almost missed it. 

~*~*~*~*~

Axel gave the shoulder a jerk that stilled Dick into submission. At twenty four years of age, he claimed the right to be the stronger of the two, and although Dick worked hard at upsetting that claim, so far Axel held it tightly intact. 

~*~*~*~*~

“No, no, no.” Grant shook his head, approaching the dueling pair rapidly, the heels of his boots stomping madly against the stone floor. “You've got it all wrong, Dav. If you don't fully own your sword, then your opponent will own your flesh.”

 

Davin stepped back and swung his weapon around in a defeated gesture. “That's a lovely mental picture.”

 

“How in all of Dron did you ever survive any of our skirmishes with Krunnerus? The battle in the pass? I'm sick just thinking about it, Dav.”

~*~*~*~*~

“Ye'd better be careful 'bout drinkin' that much,” Fircanel offered quietly. He didn't fancy pulling the heavy man, completely drunk and unconscious, to the door later on that night.

 

The man ignored him, setting the glass down with a thump and giving his mustache an exaggerated wipe with the back of his hand. He swayed slightly on his stool, the motion, no doubt, induced by the multiple glasses of beer, but he kept his seat and merely peered at the tavern owner over the top of the now empty mug. His eye should have been clouded over by the affects of the drink, yet it still glowed with an uncanny alertness and anger that unnerved Fircanel. The tavern owner congratulated himself on facing many unsavory characters in this very room innumerable times, holding his ground with every encounter and never backing down, winning every face-off, even during that unforgettable event when a drunken youth had pulled out a knife and threatened Fircanel's daughter, Irell, yet there was something about the sandy bearded drinker that the tavern owner couldn't stand against, still considering that he was the tavern's best customer.

 

The man leaned forward and blew a blast of fetid-smelling breath in Fircanel's face.

 

“More.”

~*~*~*~*~

The dragon's roar echoed through the cold stones of the stronghold, dancing off the smooth walls of the tunnel leading to the distant library. The sound had barely reached their ears then Davin and Ahmis exchanged a quick glance and dropped their books. Davin nearly ran into his brother and a number of chairs and desks in his haste to exit the chamber. Both knew that the dragons rarely released a roar such as that one, and what alarmed Davin more was that he didn't recognize the roar. The lack of the familiar musical note behind it and the confused sensations he was receiving from Pennar told him immediately that the roar hadn't been of the green dragon's making.

 

“Was that...?”

 

But Ahmis shook his head. “Not Borlo. Quinessa, do you think?”

 

Davin shrugged as he ran. “Can't tell.”

 ~*~*~*~*~

“I did nothing, Ahmis!” Grant flung his arms wide in his frustration. “Why do you think it's all my fault?”

 

“You've been showing off with that dragon of yours since the day we arrived at the stronghold! How can that not be encouraging to her? She copies everything else you do! Why wouldn't she try some stupid stunts on a dragon of her own?”

 

“They're not stupid! And since when did Netsrik become that dragon? She's just as good as Borlo, probably better!”

 

Ahmis brought an accusing finger to level with his brother's chest. “Any dragon that freely bonds with you as a rider must be...”

 

“That's enough!” Davin leaped between his two brothers before Ahmis could finish the insult, pushing them apart as best as he could with his hands against their torsos. This was the angriest that Davin had ever seen his brother, and he knew Grant wasn't far from a retaliation. Already, he could see the young fighter had balled his fists in defiance, and Davin feared that he wouldn't limit himself to striking back only verbally. Grant couldn't have lived at the barracks in East Delt for years without knowing how to forcefully attack his opposition.

 

“The dragons are all equal, just as we are. No one is higher than anyone else, not even me. You both heard Olette. She knew it was foolish to try to mount Azulla like that, but she did it because Lyndee asked her to. I don't know what she was trying to prove by doing that, but it's over. No one was hurt, and I'd like very much to forget about this whole thing.” He looked at both of his brothers in turn. “Can we leave this in the past peaceably?”

~*~*~*~*~

It wasn't until she had neatly tripped on an obstacle in her path that Olette realized that she wasn't the only one not sleeping at that hour. With a sudden cry, she thrust out her hands to catch herself and landed sprawled across someone's legs.

 

“I'm sorry!” The obstacle hastened to apologize, stand, and assist the girl to stand as well. The attempt, however, was a failure as neither could see the other in the dark, resulting in bruised knees and bumped elbows. Olette finally gave up on her feet and sat with her back to the outer wall, when at length she found it, pulling her own legs up to her chin in case the obstacle decided to take a walk of his own and trip over her.

 

“Grant, what are ya doin' up still?”

 

He gave a quiet snort. “I could ask the same of you.”

 

“I asked first, an' I think ya sorta owe me an answer considerin' ya almost killed me.”

 

Olette fully expected Grant to debate that statement, and she was greatly surprised when he said nothing. She had almost begun to think he wouldn't even answer her question at all when he sighed, sat down opposite her, and gave her one word.

 

“Pouting.”

 

Olette knew her eyebrows went up, but she knew that he would be unable to see the confusion in her face so she pushed it into her tone as she threw another question back at him. “Why?”

 

“I can't sleep, so it seemed like a good way to pass the time.”

Don't forget to visit Whisperings of the Pen, the home of Snippets of Story, to check out more story snippets from other amazing writers!

God bless!

Rewriting Fairy Tales: Guest Post By Kendra

Hello there, Kendra E. Ardnek here. You may have heard of me from the Character Encounters that Kiri Liz takes part in every month. Perhaps you've heard of me from the Memorable Worlds posts that she did in honor of the release of my newest book, The Ankulen.

One thing you may or may not know about me is that I love fairy tales and fairy tale retellings. In fact, my first three published books are mostly retellings, and while The Ankulen is mostly Christian allegory, there is a fairy tale is mentioned in one chapter. At one time, I called myself the Arista of Fairy Tales, which basically meant that I knew everything there was to know about fairy tales, could control them, and bring them to life. Yeah … I indulged in strange fantasies as a child.

I love reading retellings, too. However, while there are many out there that I'll recommend without hesitation (and probably talk your ear off while I give away the entire plot), there are others that I just can't get into. Personally, I'd like for every retelling to fall into the first category. So that's why I've come over to Kiri's corner of the blogosphere, so I can tell all of her readers how to write the books I love so much.

How to Rewrite a Fairy Tale so that I Will Rave About It.

(Disclaimer: No, I don't recommend following ALL of these suggestions. This might result in you writing my books, and I wouldn't like that. Also, every example I give will be a real book, with the odd movie thrown in, but I don't necessarily recommend every one, nor have I necessarily read every single one.)

Come up with an creative title.

As much as I enjoy the Disney versions, most of them annoy me on some level – except for Tangled. For the longest time, I thought it was the changes that annoyed me (I can be a very strict cannon purist), but when Tangled came out and I loved it, I realized that it wasn't JUST the changes. You see, when they used the title of the original tale, that's what my brain expected. Finding Belle (not Beauty) the only child of an inventor rather than the youngest daughter of a merchant annoyed me. Aurora's two hour nap rather than hundred year sleep irked me. But Rapunzel being a princess and Flynn a thief? Well, I was a bit upset when I first found out, but once I saw the movie, I was fine with it. Why? Because the title wasn't Rapunzel. My brain expected a retelling, not the actual fairy tale.

Really, it doesn't matter to me what your title is (as long as it's not THE original). If you want to do something obvious, like Beauty Sleep, that's lovely. If you want to surprise me with a title that has nothing to do with the official tale, like Sew, It's a Quest (my first book's title), I'll be ecstatic when I find out what I'm reading. Just have fun and let me know this is a retelling and not the real thing.

Forget Disney.

I like Disney princesses as much as the next dreamy-eyed girl, but I get very annoyed when I see people treating them like they official. I don't mind a slight nod (like the mention of talking mice in Just Ella), but if your book is Disney on paper, I probably won't finish it.

Retell a lesser known tale.

Most retellers choose either Cinderella or Beauty and the Beast. If they don't do one of those, they pick one that Disney or some other well-known film company has popularized. And while I don't mind reading some of these for the hundredth time if it's well done, there's only so many ways you can twist a tale. There are hundreds of fairy tales out there. Don't limit yourself to twenty. If you don't want to go too far out on a limb, pick one similar to a well-known tale. For Biddle's Sake is a retelling of Puddocky, one of my favorite fairy tales. However, this tale shares traits with both Rapunzel and the Frog Prince, so while readers like me know it for what it is, lesser read people don't sit around wondering where the story came from.

Mix and Match.

This is another way to sneak in obscure tales. Every reader of Sew, It's a Quest knows that it's a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, but what most don't realize is that the Mountain Princess is not of my own invention either (actually, there are only two characters in the entire book that are purely original to me, but that's a topic for another day). She comes from the fairy tale Casperl and the Princess, which is so obscure, the only place you'll find it online (to my knowledge) is my blog. In fact, the more nods you can make to other fairy tales, the more I like it. A word of caution, though. Combining the two Snow Whites (Seven Dwarves and Rose Red) is something I've seen three too many times. So unless yours looks REALLY good, I'll probably not even pick it up.

Don't just stick with other fairy tales!

Add in legends (there's a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk that also has Robin Hood in it that I'd really like to read), myths (one of my favorite retellings of the Twelve Dancing Princesses is The Princess Curse, which mixes in the story of Hades and Persephone), Shakespeare (Cinderella and the Merchant of Venice, anyone? actually, no, that's mine – no stealing), other classics (Kiri, I'm really looking forward to Twelfth Kingdom!) and even history (I'm just waiting for someone to rewrite Sleeping Beauty with Richard the Lionheart's dad as the prince).

Have a REALLY good twist.

My favorite retelling ever is Ella Enchanted (though the movie can be skipped, in my opinion). Why, well, Ella has a really good voice, and she and the prince actually get to know each other before the fateful ball – but the clincher for me is the twist. Ella's steps don't make her a servant because she's good and sweet and more beautiful than them and all that, but because she was “gifted” and/or “cursed” with obedience as a child. Any order she is given, no matter who gives it or what it is, she must obey.

Don't hinge the plot on the Fairy Tale.

With the above example, it followed the plot of Cinderella almost to the letter (which is something cannon-purist me loves) but the conflict is different. Ella wasn't an innocent girl with impossible dreams. (Come on, sing it with me, you know you want to – iiiiiimmmpooossssiblllle!!!) She was a fiercely determined young lady who wanted to get rid of her curse. Not that she was rebellious, but she wanted to be able to choose who she obeyed and not feel like a puppet. (Or endanger the prince if she married him.) The question wasn't so much would she get to the ball and marry the prince – but would she ever be free from her curse.

Tell it from someone else's point of view.

Everyone knows the hero's and heroine's stories, but what about the evil stepsister? No, I haven't read Cofessions of an Evil Stepsister yet, but I'd like to. Or better yet, make a completely (or mostly) new character and tell it from her (or his) point of view. For instance, Do You Take This Quest? the sequel to my first book, is mostly from the perspective of the prince's great-great-aunt, who had attended Sleeping Beauty's fateful birthday party. In The Frog Who Would Be Prince, one of my favorite Frog Prince retellings, the main character is Tom, the boy who's helping the frog find a princess to kiss him.

Don't focus on the Romance.

Yeah, I know that most fairy tales are prince meets princess, they fall in love, they face a few trials, they get married. But I'm not a huge fan of the romance genre. I like to see character development, new exciting trials, relationships with new characters … not … kissing and how each makes the other's heart go all a flutter.

Make me laugh.

This is, perhaps, the most important thing to remember. I can forgive the most glaring of faults, even suffer through a romance, but if a book doesn't make me laugh (or at least crack a grin, I can be a very stoic reader), I probably won't connect with it. I love all sorts of humor, as long as it's clean and doesn't victimize anyone.

I think I shall close here before this guest post becomes a book. Basically, if a book's unique, well written, and not TOO serious or Grimm, I'll probably like it.

Thank-you Kiri Liz, for having me over and letting me lecture your readers. Tell your twelve princesses that wonderful and that if they ever get impatient with waiting for you to write about them, they're welcome to come have tea with me. My own Twelve are being stuck-up snobs right now, and arguing with their cousin about the legality of kidnapping Robin Hood's son.

Kendra E. Ardnek is the author of many lovely stories, including a recently published novel, The Ankulen, which you can find HERE on Amazon. She posts all sorts of fun and writerly things over at Knitted By God's Plan and her official website is located HERE.