Interview with Ashlee Willis

Ashlee Willis just published her debut novel, The Word Changers, and today it is my great joy to share with you the interview Ashlee so graciously allowed me. 

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First, give me a short description of The Word Changers. 
The Word Changers is a book about a girl named Posy who, trying to temporarily escape her troubled home, falls straight into a book. She soon finds that even though she has fallen into a fairy tale, and all the characters within the book are treating her as the heroine, the story is a dark one. One she is not sure she wants to be a part of. 

What gave you the idea to write this story in the first place?
Book ideas are, at least for me, similar to seeds. They begin so tiny. Just one thought or image or word. And then they grow. I build on them, more and more, until I’ve got a whole cast of characters, a theme and a structure. The Word Changers’ “seed” began when I was only a child. It wasn’t even something I thought of as a story idea at the time. It was merely my own strong desire to actually become a part of the books I was reading. It was only after I got older and had a child of my own that that idea came back to me again, this time in the form of a potential story.

Who is your favorite minor character and why? 
Alvar is a main character I came to love. I usually am a big plotter, and have most things planned out before I even begin writing my books. But Alvar surprised me. He just popped into existence while I was writing, and I knew he was right for it. He’s a bit harsh, and perhaps even a little scary … but he’s got a huge heart, and more bravery than any warrior.

I know many times, most of my stories run away with me, and end up being totally different than what I had originally planned. Is the current ending of The Word Changers exactly as you imagined it would be when you first began writing the story?
No, it’s really not! The main theme of the ending is the same – the “message” of the story. But there were many of the actual events that happened near the end that just naturally changed in the scheme of things. Plotter though I may be, things do have a way of getting away from me sometimes. I used to get a bit panicked when that happened, but I’ve learned to see the great potential that could be to my story. It doesn’t always have to be a bad thing when stories take unexpected turns …

I love the title -- The Word Changers! Can you tell us what inspired it?
I don’t title my books until I’m pretty deep into them, or even finished. There is a part in The Word Changers, where the owl Nocturne is speaking with Posy and Kyran, maybe two-thirds of the way through. He tells them their actions have begun to change the story and he tells them that folk have begun to refer to them as “the word changers.” I think that was when I really made a solid decision on the title. I was pretty thrilled when my publisher decided not to change it!

Let's suppose that someone just finished reading The Word Changers and laid the book aside. What would you expect or hope his/her reaction to be?
Some of my strongest and best reactions to books have been almost physical. I feel pained to part with them – with the world within them, with the characters I’ve come to know and love. Yet I feel a satisfaction, too, because I’m taking with me a part of that story forever. It meant more to me than just entertainment. And that’s what I hope, even in small part, that readers of The Word Changers will feel when they close its last page.

Now let's switch topics from the enchanting story to the lovely creator. What is your purpose in writing?
I hope to write stories that my readers will find entertaining, full of adventure, fantasy, danger and intrigue. But I hope as well that they will see the meaning beneath. That the stories I write will not only entertain, but lead my readers to a better understanding of both themselves and God. To let them know that the world we see all around us is only a small part of what we are meant to be a part of. To give them a bit of longing for the world we were truly created for.

Do you often find what you believe coming through in your writing?
Very often! I think if you believe anything strongly and truly, there is no way you will keep it from seeping into every aspect of your life. In fact, many times that is my aim.

Every writer struggles with something when it comes to writing, whether it be plot, character development, dialogue, etc. What would you consider your weak point, and how do you plan on perfecting that?
I tend to get a little wordy with descriptions, I think. I see things so clearly in my imagination, I have trouble holding back from wanting to paint a detailed picture of it with words. I’ve learned (I hope!) to trust my readers a bit more to fill in those blanks with their own imaginations. 

If you were able to give up-and-coming writers a bit of advice, what would you tell them?
There’s a point – a rather dangerous point – where passion fades and the real work begins. That’s not to say that passion never returns again, because it does. But don’t let its absence fool you. Don’t let the lack of it make you think your talent has run its course. Your writing, or even your pursuit of publication, may feel like the most strenuous thing you’ve ever done. But don’t give up. Push on past that wispy feeling, muscle your way straight into determination, and you’ll find a world of imagination and depth that you probably never dreamed of. Keep writing, keep querying, keep studying the craft. And one day, your story will be told.

Thank you so much, Ashlee!

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The Word Changers is a must read for anyone who dares to call themselves a Christian fantasy fan! Click here to read my review of The Word Changers on KiriBeth, and then stop by Goodreads and add it to your shelf! If you're eager for more information about this novel, please visit Ashlee's website.

About Ashlee Willis:
Ashlee Willis is the author of fantasy for young adults. She lives in the heart of Missouri with her husband and young son. While most of her days are balanced between writing, reading and homeschooling, she also finds time to enjoy tea with friends, forest walks, photography, and piano playing.

June Crusade: Criminal, Like Jellybeans

Whoa! Is this already Plot Bunny #8?? Sufferin' cats, I never expected them to come this quickly! Ah... well.

Don't forget to stop by Anne-girl's blog to learn more about the June Crusade!

To be blunt, Criminal, Like Jellybeans was spurred on just yesterday as I was browsing Pinterest. Nice site, that. Tons of inspiration. But I digress... 

La inspiration:

 

Snippet first, just to make thing different.

“I'm sorry, 6-1-2,” was all the guard said before he shut me in. “But this is justice.”

The door slammed, echoing fiercely in the small, dark chamber. He hadn't bothered with the lights, and I was in no mood to flick them on. The detaining room was boring and cold, anyway; why would I want to view it? Most things looked better in the dark, where a thick blackness swallowed lies and secrets, hiding them away so that the day could never expose them. I knew.

I moved to the low cot and sat, pulling my knees up to my face. With my arms wrapped around my legs, the hard world seemed that much farther away. I was the master of myself, and as long as I knew that I was in control, everything would be fine.

But I wasn't in control. No, here at last, the master assassin, Agent 6-1-2, was done for; caught, locked up, and waiting for a life sentence that was sure to come within the next forty-eight hours. I'd been in jails and other courtrooms before, but that had always been in disguise, me acting as someone else, never myself. I'd always seen them from a different viewpoint, and now here I was – stuck behind the bars I'd so often gazed upon from the reverse side. After all those years of blood and deceit, Agent 6-1-2 was put away for good.

That's an optimistic attitude, I grumbled to myself. Agent 6-1-2 has pulled through greater obstacles. This one setback won't take her out forever... will it?

I groaned. You're talking about yourself in third person again, 6-1-2. Why can't you be just like normal people? Normal people refer to themselves as I and me.

With a sigh, I dropped my arms and allowed myself to fall onto my back on the narrow cot. “Who am I fooling?” If I'd landed in jail a few years ago, I'd have thrown myself into the guards, pounded them for all I was worth, snatch as many firearms as I could get my hands on, and do whatever it took to get out of there. But now... no, now I was a nobody. An agent, sure, but an agent no one cared about. One that was cheaper than a can of tuna at the grocery store.

The thought forced a rough laugh up my throat. The hardened criminal was now on the same level as dead fish.

“Some criminal,” I muttered.

“Like jellybeans?”

Blurb:

Agent 6-1-2 has spent her whole life running from her past, and now she's so different no one would ever recognize her. She's made a name for herself with her wits, her stealth, and her gun. No one would dare to call her anything other than a master assassin, and she enjoys what she'd call “little tasks” – assignments given by some of the world's top villains. It's an exciting life... until the master assassin gets caught. Agent 6-1-2 does not like jail. Nor does she approve of her new cell mate – a six year old girl named Alice.

Alice has spent her whole life locked behind the relentless iron bars. She doesn't know her crime, and no one seems able to explain it to her. No one in the world would stoop to befriend her, but Alice doesn't mind. Life could be worse, and the Chief is kind enough; who else would let her watch Disney movies, eat popcorn, and listen to musicals while in jail? At least, he does when he remembers she's still there.

The last thing Agent 6-1-2 wants to do is spend her life sentence locked in the same cell as Alice. And that's only before Alice shows her the portal to her imagination – a place where people break out into random songs, dragons plague the land, and candy is illegal. Agent 6-1-2 knew she was a criminal, but she never knew she was criminal like jellybeans.

And yes, Alice was named for that iconic character who travels to Wonderland. In a sense, this story is kinda based on that, too.

God bless! 

June Crusade: The Riddle

Because this road is important...

Have you ever had just way too many ideas all at once? Well, that's what this month has been for me. Ever since Anne-girl announced that this year's June Crusade was going to be all about plot bunnies, I've been overrun with those cute hippity-hops. 

For the official Plot Bunny #7 for the Crusade, I'm introducing you all to a semi-favorite (I can't abso-favorite it because of weirdness in the second half), lesser-known fairy tale. Yes, I know I already started a fairy tale retelling this month with Beyond the Thorns, but one day I'm going to retell them all (or just as many as I can with clean, fun, magic-free, realistic, Dicken-ish contents), so I might as well get a start on another.

Have you ever heard of The Riddle? No, probably not. I'm going to be mean and direct you to the Wikipedia page for information on that one, because I want to get to the main stuff here: the blurb and the first snippet. 

Okay, here's what I got:

Prince Rian enjoys laughter, fun, jokes, and riddles – and in his royal place with little else to bother him, who wouldn't? Yet Rian has but one curse in life: he will never be able to understand his father. When King Ro'de Lar publicly announces his intentions to marry his son to a foreign princess and bring about a marriage alliance between the two kingdoms, Rian is certain that it's a joke. His father, unfortunately, is of a completely serious mind and secretly warns his son of treasonous whispers – whispers that could start a war, if they had but a single match to light the fire. And what's worse, the king wants Rian to find that match. Never mind the princess; that's the real purpose of his visit.

Reluctantly, Rian leaves the home he loves and travels to Veymark to meet his maybe bride-to-be. The journey is long, and it doesn't take much for something distracting on the side to pull Rian from his task. His path soon takes him to the doorstep of a crotchety old lady who, despite her crooked smile, is more than just senile. Things begin escalating when Rian's horse dies after contact with poison meant for the prince himself, and the old woman is the prime suspect.

Rian's adventures don't stop there, though, as he encounters a band of robbers and plenty of other dangers. All along the road, he uses his light-hearted laughs and jokes to keep the time pleasant, yet he discovers that there are riddles in the world that even he cannot fathom. In fact, his whole life, including everything he knows, might just be one of those riddles.

Because masked guys are important...

Annnnnnd, the snippet:

Riddles were Rian's best friend. The cleverness, the wit, the jabs; nothing fascinated him more than a crafty line. Jokes and a good laugh, of course, were close behind in his estimation, yet even they could not top a genuinely ingenious riddle. To say in the least, Rian thrived on them. No, if one did not take into account the loyalty of Alven – which Rian usually didn't – riddles were definitely the prince of Renarda's best friend.

When Rian was four, he told his first riddle to Renarda's royal court and succeeded in making even the stolid Baron Surlorest let loose in a guffaw. King Ro'de Lar was the only one who failed to laugh, and he was not amiss in pointing that out to his son later that evening.

“It's not dignified for a young prince to gallivant about telling jokes!” He said, waving his arms around in frustration. “I insist that you cease this unseemly behavior and begin acting like the prince you were born to be!”

Rian wrinkled up his freckled nose. “Why?”

“Because we are supposed to be the leaders of society! The rulers of the kingdom! If we stoop to petty things, what will become of our public image? I wish to hear no more about bears lying about in the woods.”

A grin swept over Rian's face. “But don't you know, Papa, they do that to trip the beetles!” He giggled at the thought.

King Ro'de Lar's face got very red. “Enough! No more bears, no more beetles! There are more important things in life than riddles, and once you learn that, the better off you'll be.”

But the giggles and chuckles only made Rian want to seek out more. He'd seen the laughter once, and in that instant, despite his youth, he determined to seek out the greatest riddle in the Twelve Kingdoms and bring it home to his father. Perhaps then, only if it was indeed the greatest riddle, King Ro'de Lar would enjoy it. He was careful not to tell any riddles around his father, but that didn't mean he couldn't divulge in an innocent laugh now and then. If riddles were forbidden, then practical jokes would have to suffice for the time being.

It was after no less than twenty-nine court members and thirteen royal advisors suffered through the varying humiliations of water buckets over doors, cream pies in their chairs, and frogs in the teapot that they begged the king to reconsider the riddles. 

Because I like this pic. His body language says it all!

God bless!

June Crusade: The David Team

Hey, look! Two posts in one day! This oughta be a record!!

*trumpet blare* All hail our marvelous Anne-girl and her noble June Crusade! You should know by now what I'm talking about. LINK.

Plot Bunny #6 is unlike any story I've ever penned before. I'm only just starting to get into reading the science fiction/dystopian/apocalyptic/whatever genres, and I never anticipated myself to ever be writing that kind of story. Yet, I found some awesome inspiration on Pinterest, and I couldn't let it go. 

..... Why did I just sing that last line? *shrugs* Anywho...

I told Kathryn that I was going to write a dystopian novel. And I fully intended to. So, I began chewing on ideas. What goes into a dystopian novel? What sort of things should you, or should you NOT, write about? And while I was thinking all that, here's what I found on Pinterest:

And then I found this:

Yes. I nodded. I could make a story out of that. And then the ideas came way too fast.

Blurb:

United States – 2714

With the world in chaos, all men battle for superiority. Regimes rise and fall daily, and it seems that no one group can hold the power for very long. Yet, some of the most influential groups have targeted the Christians. They kill wherever they can, determined to destroy all of God's followers, no matter what the race or age of their victims.

When he woke up, he could only remember David. Was David his brother? His father? His enemy? A friend? He didn't know. He didn't even know his own name, where he had come from, or even why he could manipulate light and heat. All he knew was that he had to find David. People laughed at him; there was no such person as David; David never existed. Yet because he would not give up, they called him Jonathan – David's friend.

Now Jonathan struggles to place himself in society, but he's turned out on the streets, unwanted wherever he goes. He keeps his strange powers to himself, fearing that someone might turn against him if they were made known. Of course, nothing can stay hidden forever, and it's not long before Jonathan finds himself with two options – flee from all civilization or join a resistance group eager to welcome him and his manipulating powers.

But this is no ordinary group. This is a group dedicated to snatching the condemned out of harm's way, a team whose only purpose is to save the lives of those who claim Christ. In an apocalyptic holocaust, Jonathan finds more conflict than he wants – proving to the world that David was real, finding out who the true villains are, and understanding what it means to be snatched out of the flames. 

Snippet from the first scene (I apologize it isn't longer, but I'm still working on it):

When I woke up, the only thing I remembered was a smile. And not just any smile – it was David's smile. I was sure it was David's smile. I wasn't sure who David was, but I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I had to find him.

The second thing I knew was that I was on fire. My hands burned, my legs burned, my face burned. Everything was warm and searing, and I was certain it was swallowing me whole. Yet when I opened my eyes, I could see nothing. All around me was dark, a dense blackness unlike I'd ever seen before. Not that I could really remember seeing black. Why can't I remember? Who am I? People had names, didn't they? What was my name?

I struggled to sit up, ignoring the pain of the fire. My fingers clutched at air, but it wasn't warm; instead, it was cool and dusty, with a breath of wind teasing around my thumb. Where's the fire?

The questions buzzed my brain. I tested my tongue. “This has to be a nightmare.” The sound of my voice calmed me; I could still talk, even if I couldn't see anything.

Just to be clear, I have absolutely no genre to stick this in. Think of it as Scarlet Pimpernel meets the Avengers meets the story of David meets end times meets... I'm not sure what else.

God bless! 

June Crusade: Allen's Revenge

Plot Bunny #5, folks! Hope you're ready for it! If you're interested at all for plot bunnies #1-4, just take a peek at the list on my sidebar. And don't forget to stop by our lovely hostess's blog to learn more about the June Crusade.

This story sparked from a dream I had. I won't tell you all of it, but I'll dish out just the general sense of it all... I was a stranger in an odd land, a land that I knew I had been promised great things from, yet it was a land that was dark and violent and unforgiving. The rich laughed scornfully, and everyone else who didn't have money was instantly clapped in slavery's chains.

What was wrong? I wondered. Why is everything so horrible? I remember feeling scared when I got branded a slave, and then I heard whispers surround me. It's the king's fault. He did this to you - to everyone. He hates goodness. He'll do whatever he can to pull you down.

Well, now I'm sure you can imagine how one must feel in that situation. I woke up soon after, but not before I'd been befriended by a man I didn't know. I didn't want to agree to his proposition, but I knew even without him asking what he wanted me to do: sneak into the castle and put an end to all the suffering of the common people, the people held as slaves. Free them and go to whatever extreme to help them.

And of course, that extreme was... killing the king.

To say in the least, I woke up laughing at myself. What had I eaten the night before to give me such a dream? But when I chewed on it, I decided that made a great story starter. What if there was someone who'd yearned for freedom and wealth and great things, but instead fell into the dark pit of slavery? Someone who became part of a rebellion, and against his better judgement, agreed to kill for the sake of freeing others?

Well, my friends, that's where Allen came in. And this is his story.

Because everyone loves a nice collage... and because it was easier than trying to finagle a bunch of pictures into this post.

Orphans Perden and Allen Wolfhouse hated their childhood, and why shouldn't they? Forced to work day and night, even as young boys, and slapped with the name of their shame – the orphanage Wolfhouse. Both brothers vow to one day rid themselves of the labor they abhor, dreaming of a new life that can only be found on the Lower Home island. One day, they promise each other, that life will be theirs, and they'll have anything they could ever desire.

But on Perden's sixteenth birthday, Allen's world comes crashing down. The orphanage cannot keep the older boys, so they are turned out to fend for themselves. Only eleven, Allen is not permitted to accompany his brother. Perden hates to leave him behind, but they have no choice. He promises to work and come back for Allen when Allen is old enough, and then together they'll venture onward to a glorious new life.

Ten years later, Allen is out of the orphanage and just finishing work as a lowly farmhand to earn money for his passage over the channel. Perden never returned, never sent word, but Allen doesn't give up hope – even when he discovers that Perden crossed over to Lower Home without him. No, he'll just meet him there. Nothing could be simpler.

But that's before Allen finds Lower Home is nothing like what he imagined, before he's thrown off his ship into the hands of slavers and chains. Before he's roped into a rebellion he didn't want. Before he falls victim to a dying man's unbearable request and a madman's whims.

First scene:

Is this what freedom feels like? Allen leaned dangerously over the side of the ship. The cool breeze felt refreshing on his face, and the ocean sent up droplets of water as the waves crashed against the side of the vessel. He brushed the saltwater out of his eyes and threw a smirk down into the clear, blue depths.

“Laugh all you want now,” he told the water. “Soon I'll be rich and happy, and I won't have to work another day. Then Perden and I will have nothing to worry about.”

He heard someone snort behind him and a heavy hand clamped down on his shoulder. “Now why might ye be talkin' down there? Can't hear ye none.”

Allen grimaced. The sailor's breath smelled thickly of beer. Even though the captain declared alcohol absent on the voyage, Allen supposed there were plenty of secret caches which held smuggled beer for the enjoyment of the more foolhardy crew members. But he said nothing, merely pushing the drunken sailor away. Not even his halitosis could dampen Allen's excitement for this day. Let the crew think him mad, talking to the water of the channel as he did. It mattered little to him. He stared outward, his eyes strained on the dark line just on the horizon.

“I'm coming, Perden,” he whispered. “And once I get there, we'll be a family again.”

He didn't know why his brother had made the crossing without him; why he had never tried to contact Allen at the orphanage. They had promised to come together to Lower Home, to face the new life together, but for some reason, Perden hadn't waited. It had taken Allen almost two years to finally discover the truth about his brother's whereabouts, each month passing anxiously, each night lonelier than the last. Doubts grayed the corners of Allen's mind, but he thrust them into oblivion.

Perden knew what he was doing. I'll find him in Lasarett.

The mere mention of the name sent a thrill down his spine. Lasarett. The capitol, the place where the waters stopped, the home of every dreamer whether he be twenty-one or not. As the dark smudge on the horizon steadily grew larger, Allen couldn't contain the smile that swept over his face. They'd dock that evening, and he was certain it would only take a few short hours – if that – to locate Perden.

 Allen took a deep breath. Soon.

God bless!

June Crusade: Bonnie Rose

Oh, boy, is my Little Writer upset with me. 

So, I'm sure most of you will recognize the Five Glass Slippers Cinderella short story contest Anne Elizabeth Stengl and Rooglewood Press hosted last year. Yes, and our dear own Rachel Heffington won a place in that collection with her The Windy Side of Care. I'm raw-ther excited to read it.

Well, this year's contest is called Five Enchanted Roses and it's all about fairy tales based on... you guessed it: Beauty and the Beast. 

"Now, now, Kiri," my Little Writer told me, "you've too much to do without beginning another story. You're working on Secret of the Hazel Tree, and you just foolishly jumped into the June Crusade. There's no way you can take on a Beauty and the Beast story right now, and I won't even mention how it's your favorite fairy tale."

I made my counterattack. "But a Beauty and the Beast story could count for one of my plot bunnies! I could kill two birds with one stone!"

My Little Writer was not impressed. But I won. 

Ladies and gents, just so you know from the start, I have absolutely no idea how this story is going to turn out. Secret of the Hazel Tree was meant to be my entry for the Five Glass Slippers contest, and yet I finished it four months too late and 180,000 words too long. Yeah... the rules stipulate that your story must be between 5,000-20,000 words, and I am not known for short stories. Squeezing everything I want in the story into a mere 20K is going to be difficult. Pray for me. Will this story ever see the light of the contest? I haven't the foggiest.

What's my Beauty and the Beast retelling? Chewing on it, I've got lots of plans for a medieval/fantasy type retelling, but everyone and their brother will be doing that route for the contest. I wanted something fresh. Besides, I tend to flesh out my fantasy far too much for 20K. *cue Pooh Bear* Think, think, think. 

What do I love? What could make Beauty and the Beast real but unique? And then it came to me.

What about pirates?

...

Pirates, it is.

Bonnie Rose is only my temporary title, as I'm not entirely pleased with it. I might be changing that sometime in the future. We'll see. But please don't expect some gushy, pirate, passionate romance story, because this is far from it. I abhor that drippy type of book, and I've resolved never to write something like that. No, this is about adventure, betrayal, and the meaning of true beauty.

Blurb: 

Bonnie Rose Allaway loves the simple things – her family, the sea, and the roses that remind of her deceased mother. When a chance comes to leave their homeland of Scotland and seek a better life, Bonnie's family eagerly moves to Virginia. Though still poor, they are content with their lot. And the overseas trade promises them even greater things – so much so that Irving Allaway promises his daughters the gift of their choice when his big investment comes in at Charleston. Bonnie, of course, asks for a rose.

Of course, that is until Mr. Allaway's ships were lost to the brutality of pirates. With no fortune to claim, Bonnie's father is devastated, but he still tries to bring back what he promised. How little anyone knows how Bonnie's gift will change their lives forever.

Captain Henry Kerr is called “the Beast” for good reason; his reputation spreads throughout the Caribbean before him, and no man wishes to stand in his way. The Black Thorn is his pride of the seas, and it is his path to freedom, riches, and whatever he may want – save for the one thing for which he yearns more than anything else. For years, he has seen nothing but the sharp, ugly thorns in the world. It may take a young, Scottish girl to help him find beauty in the roses.

And if you've seen this post, then you've already read the first chapter. Yes, I was mean to post it without the slightest explanation, but I was too excited to think straight and I wanted to share it with you all.

God bless!

The Loyalty Trilogy: Books 1 & 2 Review

{These reviews taken from my book review site, KiriBeth.}

Title: A Stretch of Loyalty

Series: The Loyalty Trilogy (Book #1)

Year: 2013

Author: Jack Lewis Baillot

Summary: Prince Lachlan's only crime is that he is the youngest son of the king, a selfish man who took what he wanted no matter the cost. Now Lachlan's life is in danger because his father's last law was that the last of his sons left living will be the new king.

Lachlan's half brothers are determined to get rid of him first before they work on killing each other, but their plans are foiled when Lachlan is saved by a young girl named Magda. Knowing Lachlan would make a better king then any of his brothers, Magda flees into the wild, hoping to find help and safety for the boy in one of the neighboring kingdoms. Instead, all Magda finds is rejection.

But help might be closer then she thinks, and it comes in the form of a grumpy, one handed hermit, an elf with a sense of humor, and two dwarf brothers. Together, they might have a chance to save the boy - but what price do you pay to keep a stranger alive? Just how far are they willing to go to make sure he is kept safe? (from Goodreads)

Main Characters:
~ Magda Kalmyk
~ Stefan Haulier
~ Prince Lachlan
~ Ennion
~ Golon
~ Cordon
~ Prince Igor

Review: You know that feeling when you find a book that you're certain is going to be wonderful, and then when you finally get to read it, it's even more amazing than you hoped? That's how it was with A Stretch of Loyalty. The author, Jack, is a friend of mine, and from the snippets and character posts she's done on her blog, I knew I was going to like this story. Of course, I didn't realize *how* much I was going to enjoy it. I am so ready to dive into book two, A Test of Loyalty!

The story starts off with a bang - the king dies and pretty much tells his sons to get rid of each other so that the last one of them living will be the next king. And of course, the three eldest immediately decide to get rid of their youngest brother first: little seven-year old Lachlan. Magda, the daughter of a local seamstress, is recruited to save him, and the whole adventure tumbles down from there. It's a twisting, wild ride from page one that keeps you in suspense of the next chapter. 

The characters were astonishingly so untypical of a usual fantasy. Magda is a seamstress who has practically no fighting skills whatsoever; Stefan is a grumpy, one handed hermit with a bundle of secrets; even Lachlan is no usual fantasy prince - a fact that I was greatly appreciative of. Ennion was an epic character, and although his race (the elves) reminded me muchly of Tolkien's descriptions of elves, he had enough personality to draw him completely out of the stereotype that J.R.R. Tolkien created. For anyone who loves LOTR and Narnia, or just a good, clean adventure story (with no magic - I might add), A Stretch of Loyalty is the perfect book. I don't think I could recommend it enough. Since this is a self-published novel, there are a few typos and grammatical errors, yet they don't detract from the awesomeness of the story.

And can I just say, I loved the title. How far *can* loyalty stretch? The friendships forged in this book were some of my favorite in any novel I've read in a long time. A true, caring friendship that faces storms together and battles through them. All around epic, and definitely deserving 5 stars. And now that I've finished the book, I'm on my way to hand it over to my brother who, having picked it up when I first got it read a few chapters to himself and really enjoyed it, gets to read it next.

Advisory: The only thing that bothered me in this story was something concerning King Garolds. He had four sons, and each child had a different mother. However, the matter is very discreetly handled, and always shown in a bad light. There's also some fantasy action and fighting, as the travelers meet a lake monster, giants, and other creatures, but it's exciting and not graphic.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.*

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Title: A Test of Loyalty

Series: The Loyalty Trilogy (Book #2)

Year: 2014

Author: Jack Lewis Baillot

Summary: Upon learning he is one of the sons of the now dead king, Prince Lachlan is forced to leave the only home he has ever known. Fleeing for his life, his step-brothers a step behind, Lachlan finds safety and friendship with a young seamstress named Magda, a hermit, an Elf, and two Dwarf brothers. Determined to keep the young prince alive, Magda and the others seek out help in the surrounding Nations.

Everywhere they go, the fugitives are constantly turned away. They are followed by Lachlan's half- brothers who are determined to kill him so that one of them might take their father's crown and become the next king. With every place Lachlan is taken, his brothers close in and when the finally catch up Lachlan is forced to face the question that has been haunting him since he left home.Lachlan was saved in the hopes he would become a better king then his father and his brothers. But the last thing he wants is to sit on the throne. If he refuses the crown, will there be anyone willing to fight to keep him alive? (from Goodreads)

Main Characters:
~ Magda Kalmyk
~ Stefan Haulier
~ Prince Lachlan
~ Ennion
~ Golon
~ Cordon

Review: Another epic tale from Jack Lewis Baillot! Lachlan is still on the run from his brothers, yet everywhere he and his small band of companions go, they are met with danger or dismissal. No one seems to want to help the little prince, and those who do can only do so much. Safe-havens are no longer safe, and conflict is brewing much faster than anyone might have realized. Lachlan knows his half-brothers seek his life, but just how far can he run from their evil schemes? And is there someplace where he can truly be safe from them? 

Okay, did I love the first book? Yes. Did I love the second book? YES. Am I going nuts waiting for the third book in the trilogy? Double YES. This has all the flavor of Lewis or Tolkien, but in a completely new way. From what I expected from this book, Jack took all of that and threw it away. The epicness of the tale remains intact throughout the entire novel, but there was so much that jumped out at me unexpectedly. I just don't know if 5 stars do these books justice. Do I recommend this book and its predecessor? Triple yes.

A Test of Loyalty brings back all the fun characters we knew and loved in A Stretch of Loyalty. Magda -- the young seamstress; Stefan -- the one-handed hermit who is finally learning how to laugh; Ennion -- the "funnest" elf ever since Legolas; and then Golon and Cordon -- two very untypical dwarf brothers. And they are all banded together to help the little prince Lachlan. I really like the way Jack portrays her characters. They're not the best of friends (Golon and Ennion hardly ever see eye-to-eye, and that's not even because of their height difference), yet they still work together to help Lachlan. Learning to trust each other is no easy task. Humor is high, danger is around every corner, secrets are discovered, loyalties are tested (huh... now why would that sound familiar?), and it's a non-stop ride from start to finish. 

Now I realize this review must not make much sense, but I don't intend it to. I'd get too easily wrapped up in giving away all the spoilers if I tried to be sensible, so I'm just letting my fingers do the typing right now. Seriously, I've read a lot of fantasy over the years, and if there was one book/series that showcased everything I loved about that genre, it'd be this one. Dwarves, elves, journeys, hermits, jokes, adventure, swords, etc. What more could you ask for?

Advisory: Some fantasy violence (creatures, fighting, etc.), but nothing graphic.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Related reviews: A Stretch of Loyalty

*I received a free advance copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. A Test of Loyalty will be released on July 14th. Please click HERE to visit the author's website to learn more.*

God bless!