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.*

~*~*~*~*~

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!

Read Me

You know, I've often wondered how people would react if I posted something without any general explanation. *waits* I'm gonna do it. I can't help it. *grins*

1746 – The Coast of Virginia

Bonnie frowned at the coming clouds. It's a dreich day. There'll be a storm tonight sure as sure.

She drew her eyes from the Atlantic Ocean with a sigh and reluctantly turned back up the path leading home. It was quickly nearing dinner and Glenna would not be pleased to prepare it all by herself – again. She was far too busy sewing up the girls' new dresses for the party to be bothered with petty things like dinner. But Bonnie couldn't help it. The sea was in her blood, just as it was in her father's; he'd said so. The smell of the salt water sent thrills that she couldn't explain down her spine, and she loved to spend her afternoons looking down at the surf.

“Bonnie! Bonnie!” A cheerful voice called, and a nine-year-old girl raced down the path toward her. Bonnie caught the child deftly in her arms and spun her around.

“Margaret! What are you doing here?”

The girl wiggled excitedly. “Da's home!”

Bonnie's eyebrow went up. “So early?”

Margaret nodded. “Aye, and he sent me to fetch ye straight away!”

Bonnie caught her sister's hand in her own. “Then we'd better be off!”

They walked briskly through the sands together, hands swinging. Margaret sang a marching song from the old country, but Bonnie was too keen on her thoughts to join in. Da never comes home early. What's going on?

When the two girls entered the house, Bonnie led her sister to the kitchen where they were met by a pair of glaring green eyes and a sharp tongue.

“Bonnie Rose Allaway, you've been gone most of the day. And just what sort 'o trouble have ye been into?”

Bonnie tried to hold back a grin and waved a distant hand at her sister. “Glenna, dinnae worry so much.”

Glenna huffed and planted her hands on her hips. The gesture made her appear much older than her thirteen years, and her Scottish blood ran too deeply to allow her to let the remark pass unchecked. But thankfully, any retort she could make was cut off as Irving Allaway entered the kitchen.

“Noo, lasses,” he announced grandly. “I'm off!”

Bonnie stared in surprise at her father. “Off? Where?”

“My ships were blown off-course by a gale, and I jist got news they're going to Charleston.”

“Charleston?”

Margaret scrunched up her brow. “Isn't that in South Carolina?”

“Aye,” Irving snatched a loaf of bread off the table and wrapped it in a kerchief. Without ceremony, he stuffed it into the bag he'd carried in with him. Glenna moaned softly as her freshly-baked loaf vanished, but she said nothing to discourage him.

“This could be the change 'o our fortunes, me bairns,” he continued, raiding the pantry for other edibles to add to the bread. “This will make us rich! Joseph Smith will be sure to take me as partner then, and all our troubles will be over!”

Bonnie's breath caught in her throat. “Really?”

Irving stopped rummaging to embrace her tightly. “Jist think, me Bonnie Rose, we'll have servants and all the fine things yer wee hearts could desire. No more cooking, no more tending the garden, no more work for any 'o us! We'll have more money than you could ever dream of!”

Margaret clapped her hands. “Da, can I get pearls then?”

“May I,” Glenna corrected under her breath.

But Irving didn't notice. He picked Margaret up and danced her around until she squealed. “Aye, strings upon strings 'o pearls. I'll bring them back for ye!”

Glenna's jaw dropped. “Bring them back?”

Irving put Margaret down to grab his middle daughter's hands. “I'll bring anything ye want back. Tell me, Glenna, what do ye want?”

Glenna's green eyes narrowed for only a moment, and she looked down. Bonnie knew that her sister was seeing the worn blue dress hidden beneath her cooking apron. Despite all her skill with the needle, Glenna couldn't hide their shameful poverty.

She locked gazes with her father. “A dress. A fine silk or brocade dress. Something I won't be ashamed to wear.”

Irving kissed her loudly on the forehead. “Then ye shall have it, me lass!” Lastly, he turned to Bonnie and grasped her shoulders gently. “And what would ye have me bring ye?”

Bonnie's mind raced. Rarely was her father mistaken about the activity of his ships, few that they were. If the trade he boasted of truly waited for him in Charleston, he could easily bring her back whatever her heart desired. Things like pearls and fine gowns were mere items compared to the riches they were promised. What do I want more than anything else?

A laughing face came to her mind, teasing her so that Bonnie could not push it away. There was no use trying to deny it, for her own soul knew her better than she did. “A rose,” she finally said. “A single, red rose.”

Irving's face softened instantly and he covered her cheek with his hand. “Like yer ma's.”

Bonnie bit her lip. You won't start crying. Not now, not when he's about to leave. “I'd like to plant a garden like hers... to remember her by.”

“Then ye shall have it.” Irving whispered. “By the bounty of God, I am what I am, and I will bring it back to ye.”

He quickly bade his three girls farewell, and all too soon he had saddled his horse and was galloping away. Bonnie stood with her sisters at the door, watching and waving until he was completely out of sight.

“I wish he'd waited until morning to go,” Bonnie said. “He's sure to get caught in the storm.”

“Och, let him be,” Glenna scolded. “If he cannae wait, he cannae wait.” She tugged on her sister's arm, drawing her back into their small house. “Come on, ye get to cook the neeps.”

Bonnie wrinkled her nose at the mention of the vegetable. Turnips were her worst enemy, but she knew she should be grateful for the Lord's provision.

The days passed slowly as Bonnie and her sisters waited for news from their father. Glenna took advantage of his absence to assume temporary command of leadership and ordered Bonnie and Margaret around in a mad cleaning frenzy. Windows were washed, curtains were mended, and everyone choked on the dust Glenna stirred up with her broom.

“I won't have him returning to a dirty house,” she told Bonnie more than once. “When we're rich, we'll have servants to clean for us, but I refuse to smell like a barn. If you had more initiative, this would already be done.”

Bonnie gladly surrendered the role over to her younger sister. Even though she had just turned sixteen and was expected to behave like a proper adult, she just couldn't seem to reconcile herself to that fact. It was so much easier to escape to the coast and dream with the sand between her toes. Margaret joined her on a few occasions, but usually the retreat found only Bonnie alone gazing at the waves.

She'd dream about her father returning just as he said, wondering what would happen to them, how they would fit into fine society when the foreign trade giant Mr. Smith accepted Irving Allaway as his partner. Most of the time, though, she thought of her mother and the old country. Moving to America after Aisla Allaway's death had not been easy for any of them, but Bonnie knew their prospects were better here in Virginia than they had been in Scotland.

It was a week since Irving's departure when Glenna rushed into the house, waving a letter clenched tightly in her fist. “It's from Da!”

As the oldest, they all agreed Bonnie had the most right to open it and read it aloud. With trembling fingers, she did so, the sight of her father's familiar scrawling hand bringing tears to her eyes. He had yet to reach Charleston, but he spoke in high spirits, echoing his former promises of wealth. Glenna and Margaret sighed with joy at the thought of their gifts, but Bonnie found herself puzzled over a paragraph Irving had written near the close of his letter.

Do not be alarmed for my writing this, but I can scarcely excuse this from the tale of my journey. A few days past, a storm caught me on the road, throwing me about so that I completely lost my way. I'm not sure what I would have done if I had not stumbled upon a hidden drive. Do not ask me how I found it, only God knows. It led to an old mansion, and I thought it deserted. However, I was greeted at the door by two servants. Neither spoke to me, but they took me in, fed me, and gave me a warm bed to sleep in. The next morning, they brought me bangers and eggs for breakfast and prepared my horse for my journey onward. Odd, that they never spoke, but I now deem them both mute. They must live there alone, for I never saw another soul. Unless their master refused to see me. But Bonnie – as I left the mansion, I glimpsed the most wonderful rose garden on the grounds. I wish you could see it. Your ma would have loved it. The roses are the purest red you could imagine.

“What kind of house do ye suppose it was?” Margaret asked when Bonnie had finished.

“A mansion, that's what.” Glenna rolled her eyes.

“No, no – why was it abandoned? Was it haunted?”

“Really, Margaret!”

Bonnie chewed on her cheek. “Why would the master not greet Da?”

“He probably wasn't home,” Glenna said. “The family could have been visiting...” she searched for a viable place but came up empty. “Somewhere.”

Margaret's eyes gleamed with mischief. “Or maybe they'd all been killed off by pirates. Bloody bandits murdering them in the night, beheading them and cutting off their...”

Glenna's mouth dropped open in horror, and Margaret ran screeching from her prying fingers. Bonnie laughed at her sisters' antics, knowing fleet-footed Margaret too much of a match for Glenna to catch. She might have joined in the chase, as unladylike as it was, but the mysterious mansion bothered her. For some unknown reason, she couldn't shake the premonition that grabbed her when she'd first read the letter. That night she tucked the letter safely under her pillow and fell asleep envisioning the rose gardens. Thousands of roses, rich roses, velvet to the touch, each one sweet with the scent of her mother. Yet her dreams turned on her, and she found that every time she bent to pick a bud, it was dripping blood.

God bless!

June Crusade: Samantha

And this officially starts my third plot bunny for Anne's June Crusade. Click HERE to learn more about this challenge.

I'm sure many (if not all) of you are familiar with the classic American Girl books. We've read their stories, we have some of the dolls (I have Kirsten Larson; how 'bout you? comment!), and we've loved the history behind them. But did you never wonder about what happened to them after their last story? Each girl (of the original set) is introduced, goes to school, has Christmas, turns 10 years old, saves the day, and encounters change. But where does their story go after that? What happens to them? What do they do when they're older?

Now, I told myself I was never EVER writing fanfiction. Imagine -- taking someone else's characters and making them do stuff! But, I don't s'pose most of us can help it. I can't help it. As soon as I read or watch a good story, my mind instantly goes to "What's next?" And then I spend the next week figuring out their future. I've got sequels to Peter Pan, The Borrowers, Epic (2013 film), some of the American Girls, and so many other stories all running amuck up in my brain! Sure, since I have Kirsten, I already have a story planned for her, but for some odd reason, I can't get everything to match up. So, I'm still chewing on that. 

Samantha's was easier to plot, especially of the BIG historic moment that falls right around her eighteenth birthday. What? Can you not know of what I speak? Let's see... Samantha turned 10 in 1904... and then she would have been 18 in 1912, right? The infamous 1912... yes. You know. 

The sinking of the Titanic.

Would Samantha have been aboard that fateful ship? Almost eighteen years old (the Titanic's maiden voyage was in April and Samantha's birthday is in May) and part of a very wealthy family makes me think that... yes, she would have been. That would have been just right around the time that Grandmary would have decided that a European tour was in line for Samantha's education, and April of 1912 would have been the month they returned to New York.

Intriguing, eh? I can't deny that I'm intrigued. 

So, here's what I got for a blurb so far:

For Samantha Parkington, life has always been easy. She's rich, she's beautiful, she's young, she's smart, and even though she's technically an orphan, she couldn't find more happiness than with her aunt, uncle, and adopted sisters, Nellie, Bridget, and Jenny. Life couldn't get better – but she soon discovers it can. Grandmary suggests a trip to Europe to complete her formal education, and Samantha is thrilled at the chance.

In a way, Samantha has always known that she was meant for important things. She's determined to make a difference in the world. Sooner or later, Grandmary will insist that she take a husband, but Samantha's willing to seek out the richest and handsomest man. And while she's at it, why not select one from the glittering and velvet company of the first class passengers of the Titanic? Grandmary could hardly do better.

But who is this Christ people keep talking about? And why do their stories of birth and death affect Nellie so? Samantha thought she had the world figured out, but one cold night throws everything she knew into the deep. It will take tragedy of the greatest kind to show her what's really important in life and what the true meaning of love really is.

Let me know what you think! I don't have a title yet, so I'm just referring to this as the Samantha sequel.

God bless!

June Crusade: Le'seur's Bells

Plot bunny #2, folks. And if you have no idea what I'm talking about, you simply must drop by Anne-girl's delightful blog and learn all about the June Crusade. LINK, in case you missed it.

I love this quote!

This one was inspired purely by my budding interest in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Having just watched the Disney film and loved the story (and especially Alan Menken's score), I determined to read the book. Sure, I knew it was different. I wanted to know how different. Well, peoples, I'm barely a fifth through the novel, and it's very different.

One of the biggest differences is in the main character, the hunchback himself. In the film, Quasimodo is portrayed as a misshapen bell-ringer, and while that's true, Disney tones it down for the kids. Quasimodo is in fact much more hideous, and in addition to being ugly and bent, he's also deaf from ringing the bells. All those huge bells, and the tremendous noise they make... well, that would definitely make someone deaf. Yeah, Disney kinda glossed over that fact.

Then I began thinking about how a deaf person would narrate a story. If he/she had been deaf for as long as he/she could recall, how would they view the world? Without hearing, it would be impossible for them to understand dialogue, so naturally the writer foolish enough to indulge in this plot bunny could not write dialogue from the deaf person's perspective. Interesting, eh? How to write a book with no dialogue? Is it possible?

Now, I'm not entirely sure this story will remain all dialogue-less. Many times I begin a project and it completely turns itself around on me. Just so you all know. But I am determined to see where this goes.

Usually, when a story like this jumps out to me, the story name leaps out along with it. But for this particular story, I'm having a difficult time trying to pinpoint a title. I've been debating with a list of them, and I'm hoping to get some feedback from you, my lovely readers. I'm stuck with Le'seur's Bells for now, but I'm not totally sold on it. I want something that implies the connotation of being deaf, but still speaking. Almost oxymoron-ish. Any thoughts?

Okey dokey, this is my best attempt at a summary:

The Evaristé is undoubtedly the most beautiful building in Cotédor, and perhaps the greatest building in the world. Majestic, ancient, and with a bell tower stretching to the skies, it stands proudly as a symbol of the glory of kings past. Once the Evaristé housed the law courts of Cotédor, royal families and peasants alike flocking the granite steps to hear sentences read on the most desperate criminals.

Bartrid was one criminal whose case was an accident. Convicted of a felony he did not commit, he was acquitted and offered the position of the bell ringer for Evaristé as no one would trust a man branded a criminal. Even when disaster struck and the great building was left to its own ruin, he refused to abandon the only home he knew. Years later, he still remains the bell ringer of the Evaristé, faithfully plying his trade every morning and evening. His only companion is his young grandchild, a girl born beneath the great bells and sorely affected by their song. She is simply called Le'seur – the deaf one.

Le'seur is content to live under the golden splendor of the Evaristé's bells. Being deaf, how could she ever gain friends? What more could she ever want than the joy of being with her grandfather and the bells? When Bartrid's loyalty to Cotédor is attacked, and he is taken into custody, Le'seur will have to clear his name no matter what the cost. And that will mean leaving her beloved bells behind and trusting her safety to strangers. But who can help her? How can one little deaf girl speak the words to change a kingdom and save the life of the only person who ever loved her?

And, just because, how about a bit from the first chapter? I haven't gotten very far yet, but I just couldn't wait to share this with you.

She was strong in body and mind, she was an orphan, and she had the most beautiful smile in Cotédor. Of all of that, Bartrid was certain. But he also knew one thing more about his granddaughter – she was deaf, and the world would not look kindly upon her for it. So he thought on the day she was born, and so he thought twelve years later. But it wasn't her fault; nor did the fault lie with her mother or her father. No, if any could bear the blame it was Bartrid himself. The bells were his, and it was their song that had stolen the sound from his granddaughter's ears. And for that, she was called simply Le'seur – the deaf one.

It must also be pointed out that Bartrid did not have perfect hearing either. His fifty years under the bells of the Evaristé had not gone without consequences. He could hear little, but what was that to him? Le'seur could hear nothing, so it was only natural that he shared in her silence.

But for her silence, Le'seur never made any complaint. She always greeted her grandfather in the morning with a hug and a smile, and her eyes always flashed with the wonder of her surroundings. She did not know what it was she missed, nor did she need to miss it. The work of the bells contented her well enough. And Bartrid was content to let it stay that way. 

God bless!

CinderEddy Cover Reveal

My good friend Kendra of Knitted By God's Plan is publishing her Cinderella short story soon, and I have the very great pleasure of showing you all her fantastic cover! 

But first... let's show a picture of Kendra herself, so you don't automatically get the new cover on your dashboard.

About Kendra: 
I am, first a foremost, a Christian. I accepted Jesus into my heart when I was three and a half, and have never regretted the decision. I am secondly the eldest daughter (and child for that matter) of a homeschooling family. Third, I am the author of The Bookania Quests. Fourth, I am a knitter/crocheter/aspiring herbalist. I think that sums me up.

And now.... CinderEddy, everyone!

About CinderEddy:
Edward, called CinderEddy by his stepbrothers, has been treated as little more than a servant ever since his mother died after her remarriage. When the Princess Elicia is kidnapped, however, his stepbrothers join the other knights attempting to rescue her, and Edward uses their absence to make his own attempt at her rescue. He doesn't expect to succeed, but somehow, he keeps finding himself on the right path.

And don't forget! Kendra is celebrating five years as a blogger in July and August! Be sure to add her party to your calendar!

God bless!