Spring Send Off – A One Word Photo Challenge Sonnet

Spring Send Off Everywhere he looked spring had sprung green, gold and clear running streams no longer ice-choked. Nights still froze his balls off, but leave the wold he would to see Shayari ‘fore he croaked. Nothing tied him here now that his wife had gone. His children grown no longer wanted him around, an inconvenience he’d become. He set off that morn adjusting his brim, to hide the tear tracing his grizzled cheek. He put his home of five decades behind and headed for the last time to that creek which marked the end of home, no time to whine about loss, giving … Continue reading Spring Send Off – A One Word Photo Challenge Sonnet

The Scribe – A Prompt Sonnet

The Scribe: Miren The quill scratches, making marks that record the deeds of Sarn, his beloved brother, who can’t see his worth. That task never bores Miren as he sits writing of his brother by lumir light every night. How many words must spill on journal pages before he finds the spark for an epiphany? Every day his brother fetches food for orphans then works to earn his bed, his bread and his brother’s education so that Miren won’t have to work until he’s dead. Sarn sacrificed freedom to an autocrat. Miren’s still writing, recording the deeds of a life sacrificed in love and need. ~ ~ ~ Mired was feeling left … Continue reading The Scribe – A Prompt Sonnet

A Dream Out of Reach – A Daily Post Sonnet #2

A Dream Out of Reach On the field of glory, his armor bright, the knight sat his white steed ready to ride. He extended his hand, asked if Sarn might: “Ride for truth. Ride for one and for all. Ride for justice and peace. Ride out now with me.” The sun gilded the knight, made him too bright. He shined with all Sarn had wanted to be. Take that hand and his life would be so right… A tug on his pant leg, a whispered word, “Papa,” interrupted the dream, breaking the dream on his son‘s face, that had captured … Continue reading A Dream Out of Reach – A Daily Post Sonnet #2

Hands of Flame – Photo-Fiction Challenge #9

Hands of Flame: Gevret* Fire burned cold in his eyes, a corona of red that coated the world, blotting out other colors, showing no nirvana just a holocaust snap shot to call out the future and leave him holding firelight. Flames that crack and curl everything except him because he’s got that firelight under his skin. It’s his kin, and throwing it takes no skill, just a snap of the wrist and flames shoot to kill the man menacing his adopted brother. The boy’s head kissed; He’s unharmed; his relieved smile disarms, quenches fire with a hug, such is his charm. – – – … Continue reading Hands of Flame – Photo-Fiction Challenge #9

Soul Singing: Prompt Stomp Sonnet #2

Soul Singing The band whose playing gave her two hours’ bliss before had to depart. So quiet fell. Her soul, bereft, trod graves in music-less accompaniment. A clarion bell, a voice like no other, cut through the night. A soprano singing; the wind sighing– a sweet duet of nature, life and light. She sang of a place beyond all telling, a place ‘cross distant seas called Eversong. Her song continued ’til night spent itself. and the graveyard’s souls would fly to her song. She bid souls to gather at the seas’ shelf. Their bodies left to rot in graves that lie. They rose on … Continue reading Soul Singing: Prompt Stomp Sonnet #2

A Sonnet for Your Sunday: Legacy

Legacy (the Legend of the Curse Breaker) Not all gold glitters while some lies hidden. In caves deep and under waters sweet, bides that which can set all to right. Unbidden it rises from the depths to hand the guide knowledge true to right a wrong God still sees. Cursed since birth this child of a magic ban, to his hand draws kingmaker Legacy– the blade that shattered in the traitor’s hand. There it merges into a gleaming whole– Blade that regicide and fratricide broke– to heal a sundered land and plug a hole left by betrayal. Still remains the yoke … Continue reading A Sonnet for Your Sunday: Legacy

Crown of Sonnets: Tales of Shayari

20130905_153500smallA Crown of Sonnets: Tales of Shayari

{Drigorem’s Curse}

Not enough for you, the councilor’s seat.
Not for you, little brother, for your eyes
set upon a higher goal. A planned meet
sealed your fate and mine. What price in blood buys
a state? Did you think you could steal the crown?
Continue reading “Crown of Sonnets: Tales of Shayari”

Tales of Shayari: Death of a King

Death of a King & Drigorem’s Curse (A revised version of this story appears in Chasing Dragons, book 11 of the Curse Breaker series.) Blood pooled, weeping from a gash in his chest  and soaking into Drigorem’s clothes. He shivered. The chill stone sucked up his warmth. Boots thudded on stone. Screams and bellows competed with the metal on metal clang of a fight. How had it come to this vile betrayal, this victory via wicked trickery? Lady Shayari stood in her alcove, her marble face catching the light falling through the slit window. She held her torch topped with … Continue reading Tales of Shayari: Death of a King

Who Will Narrate: Listen and Cast Your Vote

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Okay, we’ve talked these last two days about audio books both the professionally produced variety and the self-narrated too. If you need a refresher, pop by this post here for a discussion of professional voice acted audio books and here for the DIY option.

You are armed with knowledge and ready to cast your vote an a very important issue. Who should narrate?

With the above posts in mind, I come to you, wonderful followers and one time visitors alike, to ask your opinion on the matter. Below I submit to you two scenes from my novella narrated by me, the author. Worry not, neither one is longer than 7 minutes. Together they comprise the first two scenes from my forthcoming audio book. It will be available for sale in 2016.

Continue reading “Who Will Narrate: Listen and Cast Your Vote”

Off to the NY Renaissance Fair!

I’m taking a break from editing/rewriting today to attend the NY Renaissance Fair in Sterling Forest. I’m so excited! Having no running water Thursday night through this morning at my apartment, I feel like I’m halfway to the renaissance already. Losing power overnight added to the effect. I hope all is restored to normal by the time I return home from the fair tonight. Pictured with me above are the gals from  Vixens en Garde, a show featuring bawdy jokes, bodices, Shakespeare and gratuitous sword play; and my cousin-in-law, the Rising Phoenixxx, the talented bath, body, lotions and notions innovator. … Continue reading Off to the NY Renaissance Fair!

Inspired

Jodi Taylor, author of the Chronicles of St. Mary’s series, which I love by the way, got her start by self-publishing. She published the first Chronicles of St. Mary’s story as an ebook! (I love that book by the way: Just One Damned Thing After Another) If you like history, time travel and a lot of comedy, her Chronicles of St. Mary’s series will take you on quite a thrill ride. Her latest book, The Nothing Girl, is today’s daily deal on Audible. You can pick up a copy for $3.95. For nine hours of contemporary fiction mixed heavily with comedy in her skillful manner, that’s a bargain. Reading … Continue reading Inspired

Breaking Curses

Sarn has a problem. His eyes glow green all the time due to a magic that’s slowly chewing away at his sanity. Sarn indentured himself to pay for his younger brother’s education and was assigned to the Rangers at sixteen. In the four years since then, he has built a tenuous and often strained relationship with his fellow Rangers. It doesn’t help that odd things happen around him all the time. Odd things that begin to add up into a terrifying whole… Continue reading Breaking Curses

Between the Lines: Rachel Wollaston

Welcome to the first post in a new series, Between the Lines, which features indie author Rachel Wollaston. Have you ever thought of inanimate objects having preferences? Well Rachel has and one particular inanimate object has an agenda of its own. Let’s see how this idea plays out in Kingdom.    Rachel Wollaston: When I was two years old, I decided I wanted to become a fairy (I still do, really, but that’s beside the point). I guess you could say that was the start of my fascination with all things fantasy. As cliché as it sounds, it has always been my dream … Continue reading Between the Lines: Rachel Wollaston