Rediscovery of Childhood Joy… Part 6 “The NeverEnding Story”

Tags

Believe, book, dreaming, fantasy, movie, The Neverending Story, wish

The NeverEnding Story, a German film directed by Wolfgang Petersen and distributed in the USA by Warner Bros in 1984. Based on the book by Micheal Ende.

The movie covers about the first half of the book, which is really great, so if you love this movie, read the book.

Once again, I don’t remember where or when I first experienced the magic of this story. All I know is that it changed my world.

We meet Bastian and his dad on a normal morning, before work and school.

Having lost his mother, Bastian is having problems and his father is trying to tell him to grow up. But Bastian doesn’t want to let go of the magic of believing.

His dad gives him a great speech about the blah blah real world… blah blah and sends the kid to school. Where we meet more of Bastian’s problems…

Bullies. Fabulous. Bastian escapes and jumps into a dumpster to hide. When he decides the coast is clear he climbs out and brushes himself off and continues to school. But the boys reappear. Bastian ducks into a book store.

The grumpy bookseller gives him a hard time, expressing that if kids would read instead of playing those video games maybe they would be better off. *cue eyeroll* Bastian proclaims that he loves books.

“Safe books,” the old man counters.

Bastian eyes the curious book the old man holds in his hands.

“That book isn’t safe?”

The shop owner chuckles and tells him to forget it.

Books can’t be dangerous, but the boy is intrigued. So when the man turns his back, he takes the book and runs, leaving a note that he’ll return it.

At school, the bell has rung… kids huddle over their desks engrossed in a test. No fun. Bastian sneaks up to the school attic and begins to read The NeverEnding Story.

We are transported to the land of Fantasia a place created of dreams and wishes. But it is in trouble, threatened by The Nothing, the lack of dreams that has come to destroy the land.

The ruler, the Childlike Empress is ill. Her advisor calls for Atreyu, the bravest warrior of the Plains People.

Cute, right? I had such a crush on him as a girl.

He travels to the Ivory Tower to learn why he is summoned.

They give him the task of finding a cure for the Empress. He is given the Auryn, the symbol of their land to help him.

However, The Nothing doesn’t plan on losing, so sends out the Gmork to kill Atreyu.

Atreyu rides off on his horse Artax in search of Morla a wise one, hoping he will know how to cure the Empress.

He meets a few strange, but wonderful denizens of Fantasia along the way. The man and his racing snail.

The sleepy bat and his friend.

And a Rock Biter, who you guessed it eats rocks…

They are all going to the Ivory Tower to spread the word of The Nothing’s devastation. Atreyu wishes them luck, as he sets off with new knowledge of this evil and with a stronger desire to help.

Morla lives in the Swamps of Sadness, where the marsh will claim any who let the sadness overtake their minds. As they struggle through, not sure if they can even find him, Artax gives up.

Atreyu can’t save his horse, his best friend. And is left in tears and alone. I cry too! But he continues and finds Morla.

Yup. A giant turtle, who sneezes all over him.

“For we are allergic… ah, ah… to… ah, ah… YOU! CHOO!”

Ew.

In the end, Morla can’t help, but says that “if it matters” he can go ask the Southern Oracle.

Which is 10,000 miles away.

Atreyu has lost his horse and has failed on his quest and loses hope, nearly sinking into the swamp. As he blacks out, a something swoops out of the sky and pulls him free.

Atreyu wakes in a strange place next to a sleeping creature.

Falkor, a luckdragon,

who has carried him almost the entire way to the Southern Oracle.

And finds more friends. Two gnomes.

The little man shows him the Oracle, warning the boy of the trials he will face.

He watches as a brave looking knight in armor rides up to the statues. The statues’ eyes open and blast the knight, killing him. For they see into the hearts of men, any self-doubt makes a person unworthy to pass.

Atreyu, eager to finish his quest, rushes to face the test, leaving the poor little man screaming warnings about the second gate.

Atreyu’s confidence wavers as he passes the guards, watching their eyes to see if they will open. And they do! *holds breath*

Yet he doesn’t let fear freeze him, he gathers his courage and runs, successfully clearing the first trial and going on to face the second. A mirror.

One that shows his true self. In this mirror Atreyu sees Bastian, a boy reading a book.

Bastian can’t believe it! He throws the book across the room. How can it be? How can he be IN the book? But even though he is afraid, the story draws him back, his desire to see Fantasia saved grows. And Atreyu passes through the mirror gate to find the great Oracle.

The gigantic statues tell him he can save the Empress by giving her a new name.

“Is that all? I can give her any name she wants!”

The name must come from a human child, which he can find beyond the boundaries of Fantasia.

The Nothing grows stronger and the statues crumble under its power, telling Atreyu that he must hurry.

Atreyu flies through the air on Falkor’s back intent on reaching the boundaries of their world. But The Nothing is everywhere and attacks. Atreyu falls from the luckdragon, landing in the Sea of Possibilites and losing the Auryn.

He crawls onto the beach, devastated, and finds a cave with pictures drawn on the rock walls, images of him, of his journey, coming finally to a picture he doesn’t know… a black wolf creature.

Turning he comes face to face with the creature from the picture. The Gmork.

The wolf growls, happy to have a last kill before he is lost. For he failed and The Nothing will finish him.

Atreyu asks what The Nothing is.

It is the loss of dreams. It is the apathy and cynicism eating away at humanity’s imagination. And there was only one person who could have stopped it and the Gmork had been tasked with killing that person… Atreyu.

Atreyu draws his stone knife, a bit of fight left. “Then come for me, Gmork. I am Atreyu!”

The boy stabs the creature and kills it.

Falkor finds the Auryn and returns it to Atreyu. Together they fly into the sky, only to find Fantasia gone.

Yet the Auryn guides them to the Ivory Tower, still standing. He meets the Empress, where, through tears, he admits, “I failed.”

“No, you didn’t…” She explains that the human child is there with them that Atreyu brought him, “listening to every word we say.”

“Then why didn’t he show himself?”

“Because he doesn’t know it’s him.”

“Then we will disappear.”

Of course, Bastian is freaking out. It’s just a book. How can this be happening?

The Empress pleads with him.

“Say my name!”

Bastian struggles. He needs to grow up, but he wants to believe. Finally, he decides and throws open a window. Into the storm raging outside, he screams…

Now, as a kid, I never understood what he said. I figured that meant I could add what ever name I wanted, that we all could. I have learned that he calls “Moon Child”, so that works too. And he finds himself in the dark with the Empress.

He asks what happened to Fantasia. She tells him it’s gone.

A tiny light shines in her hand and asks what it is. It is all that’s left of Fantasia.

But he can save it. It can be reborn through his wishes and dreams.

“What are you going to wish for,” she asks.

“I don’t know.”

“Then Fantasia will be no more.”

Bastian gazes at the glowing light. “How many wishes do I get?”

“As many as you want.”

“Then for my first wish…”

And the sweeping music plays! And I laugh and cry and feel generally awesome.

Of course there are those bullies…

Who end up in the dumpster.

Cue cheering as Bastian flies over Fantasia, everything back to how it was. He waves to Atreyu riding on Artax over the plains.

*happy sigh* And then I sing the end song, which they would play on the radio and I did a spectacular lip sync version for my friends. Not my finest hour, but that song spoke to me.

The entire movie did. Who wants to be told they have to stop believing in magic? No one. Who wants to be told who to be and what to think? No one. This movie showed me that I didn’t have to “grow up”. And so far, I have done a pretty darn good job at holding onto my dreams and wishes.

This is why I write YA, because somewhere in teenage-dom a change happens. The magic fades. If I can write something that keeps the magic alive for just one person, then I will be happy.

So… what do you want to wish for?

I have two movies left. Two more movies that became a part of me. But next week I will be on vacation. No blogging. It’s spring break and we are doing the rounds, visiting all the family. I’ll be busy chatting with my mom, dad, sisters, and nieces. And after we leave there, I will be sadly without wifi at my in-laws. I’m bringing books.

Until I return. Happy wishing!

Rediscovering Childhood Joy… Part 5 “Krull”

Tags

adventure, Black Fortress, childhood movies, fantasy, Krull, love, memories, prophecy, The Beast, weapon

Another movie from my childhood. One I watched A LOT! One I haven’t seen in a long time because I own it on VHS tape and we no longer have a working VCR.

I shall have to fix this soon. Moving on!

TA-DA…

Krull directed by Peter Yates and released by Columbia Pictures in 1983.

A girl of ancient name shall become queen and choose a king. Together they will rule their world, and their son shall rule the galaxy.

A prophecy. A hero. A fabled weapon. A powerful evil. A great love. And of course rescuing the princess.

Seriously, Kathy? Well… yup.

We meet Prince Colwyn and Princess Lyssa on their wedding day. They will unite to bring together the kingdoms of the world of Krull and form a stronger force to defeat The Beast, who has invaded with his army of Slayers.

The fun begins when the wedding is interrupted by the Slayers, who devastate the castle, kill the Kings, and kidnap the princess.

Corwyn survives, saved by the Old One Ynyr. Poor Princey… there is crying. My home! My father! AND LYYYYYSSSSAAAAA!

Until Ynyr tells him to suck it up. They can save Lyssa and defeat The Beast.

How?

There is a weapon. The Glaive.

Up the mountain he goes in his spandex pants… ew… to find this weapon.

In a cave, he sees a shape. He thrusts his hand into molten lava (which doesn’t hurt HIM because *cough*chosen one *cough*!) and pulls out a black five pointed star.

The blackened crust falls away revealing a shiny star and with a flick of the wrist… or a thought… or something, who knows…

Blam-O

The Glaive.

Triumphant he skips down the rocky slopes, returning to Ynyr, who gives him the bad news.

The Beast’s lair the Black Fortress isn’t easy to find for each day at sunrise it transports itself to a different location.

Perhaps Ynyr knows who can help them.

Let the journey begin! Along the way they meet Ergo “the Magnificent” an inept magician, who just wants a gooseberry pie.

But ends up turning himself into a goose…

Sensing that maybe they could use his powers, and because he has nowhere else to go, Ergo joins them. They also meet a band of fugitives.

Colwyn asks for their help to defeat The Beast. Why would they help him? Because he can grant them freedom, a pardon. But only the King can do that!

“I am the King,” Corwyn says. So they decide to accompany him on his quest.

They travel to the blind Emerald Seer. His aide, a boy named Titch, ushers Colwyn and Ynyr to see the Seer and ask him to discover where the Fortress will appear next, but The Beast is powerful. As the blind Seer’s emerald spins, a clawed hand crushes the stone.

But don’t give up hope! They can go to the swamp where the Seer’s power will be stronger than The Beast’s. But the Slayers attack (seriously, people, I love these guys, they’re so cool!).

Losing a couple of their number to the attack and the swamp, the group drives the Slayers back, then stop for a rest. The Beast takes another’s form and tries to tempt Colwyn to give up the quest, and, when that fails, kills the Seer, takes his form and attempts to kill the Prince.

But before The Beast can complete his task, the form he possesses is struck and killed by a Cyclops Rell, who has been following our band of misfits. And without the Seer poor Titch has no one, so they take him too.

But with no Seer how will they find out where the Fortress will be?

Ynyr has a plan and sneaks off to visit the Widow of the Web. A woman with the power to see kept locked away in a giant web for her crime of killing her child (her and Ynyr’s child).

She helps them, because her name is Lyssa the same as the princess imprisoned by The Beast. She looks into the future and tells him where the Fortress will appear.

But Ynyr will never be able to leave and give the Prince the information. The spiders who guard the web will kill him. So the Widow gives him the sands of her hourglass, the sand of her life, so he can escape the web. Leaving her to die.

Speaking of Lyssa, she’s not having much fun. Inside The Fortress is crazy. One of my favorite things was the weirdness she encounters as running through the halls, or whatever they are.

The Beast asks her to stay with him, but she holds onto her love for Corwyn. He will save her.

Back to our troop. Because now they know where the Fortress will appear. But it’s really far away. They’ll never make it.

Yes, they will.

Rell suggests they capture the Fire Mares, horses that can run at great speeds. I love these animals! They run so fast that fire blazes under their feet and they don’t need ground when they run on flames! They can travel leagues in a day. Getting a rope around these fabulous creatures’ necks proves interesting, a bit of comic relief, but they succeed.

And make it to the Black Fortress. Where our group gets smaller again when Slayers fire at them as they scramble to climb inside the Fortress before it moves again. Rell gives his life to hold the door open just long enough before it crushes him.

*sniff* It’s okay, he knew he would die. Cyclops are born knowing when their lives will end. Crazy.

Now our questers try to navigate the strange Fortress, getting split into a few different groups. The boy Titch and Ergo end up facing Slayers, where Ergo turns into a tiger to save the boy. A few of our fugitives become trapped in a room where giant spikes come out of the walls, growing closer and closer.

But Colwyn finds Lyssa.

And The Beast.

Meaning it’s time for that fabled weapon he’s been carrying.

He throws The Glaive. Over and over it strikes the Beast, bouncing off the walls, always returning to Colwyn. Finally, he sets the spinning blades to hover before The Beast and attacks. The Glaive hits the creature, and will not return.

Now what?

Lyssa has the answer. Together they can use their love to destroy it. She calls the flame from the wedding ritual that had been left incomplete.

Colwyn hold the fire their hands, sending it to burn the evil that has invaded their world.

As soon as The Beast is gone, all the people trapped in the Fortress are freed and the few who remain run from the structure as it trembles and falls to pieces.

From a field they watch as the Black Fortress is sucked into the sky.

Together they ride off. And we are reminded of the prophecy that a girl with an ancient name will become queen, choose a king, and together they will rule their world, and their son will rule the galaxy.

Okay, I know. The story isn’t anything fabulous. A prophecy. A hero that in all honesty is a bit whiny and cocky. A princess, who I thought was a much stronger character, but our prince needed a brisk slap across the face to give him humility. We had a rag-tag bunch on a quest, and, of course, most of them die.

But the music by James Horner was fantastic!

And I was a huge high fantasy fan. And this gave me all the stuff I loved. A creepy evil with a cool army. Fights with swords. Magic (Ergo turns into a goose, puppy, pig, and tiger). In the end, the good wins. The hero learns about sacrifice and he’s not as awesome as he thinks he is. The princess doesn’t sit in a corner and cry, waiting to be rescued. She faces The Beast, searches for a way out, always sure she would win.

Overall, this movie took me somewhere far away. It made me laugh and gasp in awe of the neat images. It left me smiling. It set my mind spinning with otherworldly ideas. Sometimes that’s enough.

A few movies left to do. What could they be? Will you know them? Have you known the ones I have shared?

 

 

 

 

 

Rediscovery of Childhood Joy… Part 4 “Legend”

Tags

childhood memories, dwarves, elf, fairies, fantasy, Legend, movie, Tim Curry, Tom Cruise, unicorns

As a kid, this movie enchanted me time and time again.

Legend… release in 1985, directed by Ridley Scott

This one is a bit darker than my previous movies. See, I even liked creepy way back then. And this movie has real people… no Muppets… no cartoons.

I can’t tell you where I first saw Legend. All I do know is that I watched it a bajillion times. I bought the soundtrack and would belt out the final song “Loved by the Sun” with gusto. I own this on VHS tape… which is a problem, since we no longer own a working VCR. There is much sadness.

So I rely here on my expert memory.

We begin our tale with Jack. Yes, that would be Tom Cruise.

As he meets with his love Lili and teaches her to talk to the forest animals.

Yet he has more to show her this day. He takes her to see the unicorns, magical creatures, sacred to all of the forest.

Lili can’t resist. Against Jack’s warning, she goes to touch one.

Enter the goblins, Blix and his crew, who shoot one of the pair of unicorns with a poison dart, for the Lord of Darkness wants their power, which resides in their horns.

The animals flee and Jack berates Lili for her actions, but she laughs, saying all is well, then distracts him with her ring and a promise to marry whoever finds it… and tosses it.

Jack chases the ring, diving into a pool to get it, but as he searches the world changes. The pond freezes and Lili, scared at what is happening, runs away. She hides in a cottage, where she spies on the goblins with the unicorn’s horn and overhears them talking of how they had taken down the unicorn because “’tis beauty held the beast at bay.”

Knowing she messed up, Lili follows them to make things right, ending up captured by the Lord of Darkness (Tim Curry, who is FABULOUS!).

He falls in love with her. Tempts her. And I have to say the scene where he offers her jewels and a very cool dress freaked me out as a kid. She dances with the dress, lured by its magic…

Then accepts it.

Now Jack finally fights his way out of the frozen pond and searches for Lili. But finds the unicorns, one dead the other scared.

Through tears, he apologizes for his wrong doing and promises to save them.

He meets a group of fae… and my child heart GOES WILD! Gump an elf. Two dwarves Brown Tom and Screwball, who like to drink Elderberry wine. And Oona a fairy, who is a flickering light.

They know the world’s magic has been thrown into chaos and learn that Jack knows why. Together they set off on a quest for weapons to bring down the Lord of Darkness, to keep the unicorn safe. To save the world.

A cave full of weapons means that our simple forest-boy Jack gets a make-over.

They journey to the Lord of Darkness’ home.

Meeting Meg Mucklebones, who wants to eat them.

Jack’s first test. Taking his newly acquired sword he kills her. Maybe he can be a hero.

But they get caught and are thrown into the Dark Lord’s dungeon. If only they can get the key…

Gump turns to Oona. She can get it. How? Jack asks, she’s so small. Here Oona shows she is no mere ball of light and transforms into a girl.

Then she turns on Jack, trying to tempt him. She’ll get the key if he kisses her and even uses her fairy glamour to change into Lili. But what Jack feels isn’t love and won’t…

She does get the key and frees them. They group sneaks off and finds Lili and the Lord of Darkness… it seems Lili is on his side, begs to be the one to kill the last unicorn. Jack is devastated, but they learn that light can kill the Lord of Darkness. Sunlight is his destroyer.

They set to work placing gold plates in just the right spots to reflect light into the deepest dark of the Lord’s domain. They send Screwball up the shaft to set the final plate.

They wait, watching the Lord and Lili as they prepare to slay the unicorn, hoping Screwball makes it in time.

Jack trains an arrow on his love, ready to kill her to save the unicorn. But he can’t… “I trust you, Lili.”

And Lili hasn’t been swayed to the dark side… for as she goes to kill the unicorn, she strikes the chain that holds it and sets it free.

The Lord of Darkness strikes her, sending her flying to the ground and Jack leaps in clad in his golden armor and wielding his sword.

He doesn’t stand much of a chance against the brute…”What have we here,” Lord Dark spits, “a little boy?”

Yet just as hope seems lost, Screwball sets the last plate, catching the final rays of the sun. The beam of light bounces off each carefully placed plate striking the Lord in the chest. Gump lets loose his arrow and Jack stabs the evil-doer.

But as the Lord of Darkness’ life drains away he reminds us that he lives in everyone, for…

Yet the evil is destroyed. And our heroes pick up the pieces.

Jack finds Lili’s ring, his challenge, and brings it back to her, which revives her.

They take the horn back to the unicorn and heal him.

Light beats the dark. Love conquers evil.

All well-known plots, good plots. Good feels. And as a kid I loved that, but this movie wasn’t as much about the feels for me. It was the world. The way it brought to life a land I wanted to see so badly.

The magic. Unicorns. Fairies. Dwarves. Goblins. The terrible Lord of Darkness.

The message that darkness might live in us, but we can choose the light.

“Legends can be now and forever, loved by the sun…”

 

 

A Review of Sachael Dreams

Tags

book review, fantasy, Melody Winter, NA, romance, Sachael Dreams

Twenty-two-year-old Estelle Bailey has had enough of busy city-life and her hot-tempered ex. She escapes to the seclusion and peace of her family’s clifftop home in Ravenscar, where the soothing solitude whispers to her soul as strongly as the sea itself does. But her newfound contentment is interrupted when a mysterious man—a Sachael, master of seduction—joins her midnight swim unexpectedly.

Estelle struggles against his charm and the overpowering attraction she feels for him. He offers her a life she never could have imagined, a life beneath the waves . . . but at what cost? Before she can decide, she’s captured, ensnared by the Sect, a secret enemy of the Sachaels, becoming a pawn in a war she knew nothing about.

Now, she’s left with a new choice—escape the clutches of the Sect and flee into the ocean, or side with her alluring, intimidating captor and destroy the Sachaels forever. Can she turn her back on the man she might love, or will the secret of her heritage change everything?

Set against a picturesque backdrop, Sachael Dreams is the first in a new series, exploring themes of romance, love, and identity, and the struggle that happens when all three collide.

Get Sachael Dreams Today!

Growing up, Melody Winter showed a natural ability in art, a head for maths, and a tendency to write far too long English essays. Difficult to place in the world when she graduated, she pursued a career in teaching, but eventually ended up working in Finance. Melody is convinced the methodical time she spends working with numbers fuels her desire to drift into dream worlds and write about the illusory characters in her head.

Melody Winter lives in North Yorkshire, England, with her husband and two sons. When not dealing with football, rugby, and a whole plethora of ‘boy’ activities, she will be found scribbling notes for her stories, or preparing for another trip to the beach. With an obsession for anything mythical, Melody revels in reading and writing about such creatures. In fact, if she wasn’t such a terrible swimmer, she’d say she was a mermaid.

Sachael Dreams is her debut novel, and the first in her New Adult Romantic Fantasy series—the ‘Mine Series’.

You can view more of Melody Winter on her website, Twitter or Facebook.

She’s simply fabulous, so go say hi!

I was given a copy to read and review! LUCKY ME! And even though I don’t read romance…

I said YES! Hello… fantasy people. Sachaels. How can I not read it?

And now onto my thoughts…

I give this book four stars.

We begin with a prologue. Lilith. Some people don’t like prologues, but this one was perfect. Her story stays with us after we move on… to Estelle. What happened to Lilith… will it happen to Estelle?

That kept me reading, the mystery, the questions.

For it starts with a shell. And continues with a voice, one that haunts Estelle’s dreams. Azariah. But who is this stranger? Can we trust him?

Azariah, a sachael, a creature from the sea, seems very nice. A little too nice for me, but Estelle begins to fall for him. In the end, this is a romance, kids. I am not a big fan of romance. The first half of the book did, I admit, have me rolling my eyes at all the so much in love parts, the so happy parts, the sappy stuff, the I-want-him-SO-MUCH-but-I-just-don’t-know parts.

So, you kept reading, Kathy? You might ask? Well… that prologue… it stuck with me, making me wonder, question. And Sachaels. Fantasy.

And the entire book is extremely well-written, descriptions, emotions… everything. And the characters…

I like Estelle, there is something to this girl. And the mystery of her family is fascinating.

Azariah bores me a bit, falling a little flat, BUT he is not just some flirty fish-man, he has hidden sides, I glimpsed them.

Michael is a nice guy, just mixed up with the bad crowd.

Which brings us to Orontes… who is awesome. Sure he’s bad, but so powerful, and knows what he wants. Bad boys for the win!

Seriously, people, after reading this, pick your favorite guy, and tweet the author @MelodyWinter with your choice.

#teamAzariah?

#teamMichael?

#teamOrontes? – pick this one! (picture… THOR… enough said)

Yes, there are teams. No, I do not think we will have to meet on the battlefield… at least, not yet.

Anyway, I’m getting distracted by the men.

Last but not least the setting. Ravenscar is a character in itself. And someday, I’m going, cause it’s real and sounds like heaven!

Once the story gets going, and it does, the action pulled me right along. The mysteries kept my mind spinning with ideas. The answers satisfied and intrigued me. And the ending put a smile on my face, even though a battle would have been very cool. (I expect a big fight later in the series… yup)

But the story isn’t finished. Will I, the non-romance reader, read the rest of the series? Yup.

For one, I need to see the underwater world! NEED! This is what I live for… fantasy!

Two, I want to know the other sides of Azariah, looking forward to him developing.

Three, I want to meet Lilith (she’s still around!), to see how she has been affected by her past.

Four, the mystery of Estelle. HOW… WHY DOES SHE EXIST?

Five, Orontes… I like him. There must be a bit more to his story. Right, Melody?

Right, Melody?

Anywho… I shall move on with my day and read a horror book. Happy reading, everyone!

 

 

SMAWESOMENESS! #nestpitch

Tags

#nestpitch, #TeamEggsellent, critiques, Twitter writing contests, writing

#NestPitch is coming!

Yes, another Twitter pitch contest. Another chance to get eyes on your words, possibly the eyes of agents. I have said that I never had good luck with these contests, but many have. So this year, I’m going to come at this adventure at a different angle.

I am going to be a slushie! When they asked, I couldn’t say no. Sounds like fun. A chance to help writers, to be a part of something that could very well launch a new book, bring a new face into the crowd.

And I get to read all the words. That’s my favorite.

I’ll give a quick run-through, but for the full list of rules and the list of all the teams PLEASE visit our fearless leader Nik Vukoja’s site here.

April 1^st (submission date).

The submission consists of:

1. 35-word pitch

2. Answer to this question: If your MC was an Easter Egg, what flavour would s/he be? (no more than 15 words please)

3. 1^st 300-words of your manuscript*

*1^st 300 = if you have a prologue, then your 1^st 300 starts from your prologue.

Finish at the end of a sentence. This is 300-word MAX, so your last word is 300-words. If your sentence finishes on 292-words, submit that. If your sentences run into 30 or more words, then rethink the length of your sentence(s). Broken sentences do no one any favours.

So, the first page… Hmmm… You judge a ms on the first 300 words?

I don’t think it’s completely possible.

So what do I look for in a first page?

Character.

I can leave that page knowing whether I want to get to know the main character, to go on whatever journey they are about to take.

I will get a sense of the writing. Is the page full of passive voice? Filter words? Are there little brush strokes of details that bring the opening to life? Or am I confused?

I’m not going to get the big question… what the book is about. That’s a chapter one, not page one, thing. I don’t necessarily want a wham bang opening action scene, unless in that scene you give me character, voice.

I would LOVE to give EVERYONE feedback, but having never done this before, I am not sure how possible that will be.

My critiques are honest and meant to be helpful. I do not want anyone to finish reading a crit and feel terrible. I want them to feel inspired. I want their minds to spin with ideas on how to make their words the best they can be. Critiquing is one of my favorite things to do as a writing and I would do it all the time, except I would never get my own words written and have been told that is unacceptable.

Do you have a finished manuscript? Has it been through the hands of your critique partners and you think it’s ready? Then enter. If you’re thinking of entering, just do it. You may get nothing and that’s okay, because you can still query all those agents on your list. (Seriously, my ms Doors never got into Twitter contests, got no feedback and months later I signed with Reuts Publishing, so… yeah.) And you might get to work WITH ME AND MY FABULOUS TEAM AND WE WILL HAPPY DANCE INTO ETERNITY!

And you can make new friends! Follow me on Twitter. Tweet strange things to me in ALL CAPS with lots of !!!!!!! and gifs (I like gifs, can you tell?) and we’ll be buds. Unless all my rambling here is scaring you, then RUN… I am a bit weird.

Now for my team!

Oh… we’re not scary!

That’s better.

#TeamEggsellent  (cause we are)

Stacey Nash – Mentor

Twitter

Blog

Author of YA & NA (HarperCollins), and fellow Aussie, Stacey is also part of the blogging Team at AussieOwnedAndRead. When not writing, Tweeting or Facebook- ing, she can be found spending time with her family.

Kathy Palm – Slushie

It’s ME! Magic-wielding, TARDIS-traveling, stay-at-home mom, and YA fantasy/horror writer Kathy recently signed with REUTS Publications, her debut DOORS to be released in winter of 2016. She loves chocolate and all the weird, creepy, and fantastical words.

Twitter 

Liv Rancourt – Slushie

Liv writes romance: m/f, m/m, and v/h, where the h is for human and the v is for vampire…or sometimes demon. She writes funny, not angst. When not writing Liv takes care of tiny premature babies or teenagers, depending on whether I’m at home or at work. She decribes her husband is a soul of patience and her dog as the cutest thing evah(!)

Twitter 

 

So… will I see you there? Keep watching for more details.

 

Rediscovery of Childhood Joy… part 3 “The Last Unicorn”

Tags

be happy, Believe, fantasy, fear, journeys, magic, movie, the big scary world, The Last Unicorn

“Unicorns? I thought they only existed in fairy tales?”

“I tell you, there is at least one unicorn left in the world…

Good luck to you! For you are the last!”

And from in the forest the beautiful Unicorn wonders… “Am I the last?”

OMG! This movie.

“The Last Unicorn”, by Rankin and Bass Productions in 1982. Based on the book “The Last Unicorn” by Peter S. Beagle… the screenplay written by him as well, so the movie is pretty much the same, but buy the book anyway! Gorgeous songs written by “America”.

One summer while visiting my grandma up in St. Paul, Minnesota, my sisters and I befriended the neighbor girl, whose parents had rented this movie. I think during our stay I must have watched it a bajillion times. Something about it.

Magic. Beautiful, wondrous, fantastical magic. For as Molly says, “If you have been waiting to see a unicorn for as long as I have…”

The Unicorn longs to discovery what has happened to the other unicorns and asks a passing butterfly, who finally tells her to listen, that she can find them if she is brave… that the Red Bull has chased them, covering their footprints.

 

So she journeys out into the world, for her friends might need her help. But as we all discover when we leave our homes and enter the world, we don’t know as much as we think. We face fear, doubt, danger.

Men can’t see the Unicorn for what she is… they don’t believe, not anymore. WHICH IS THE SPOT IN THE MOVIE WHERE I CRY OUT… “I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!!!”

A witch finds her, sees her true form and captures her. Mommy Fortuna and her traveling show. Cages are filled with animals magicked to look like fantastical creatures, but the unicorn is real, but so others will believe, the witch gives her a false horn.

Except there is another who sees her. Schmendrick the Magician, though not a very talented one.

He helps her escape because she is true magic, something he desires to have. They meet a band of robbers, use magic to get away from them, and add Molly to their number.

Together they travel to find the other unicorns at the castle of King Haggard and the Red Bull.

Because quests are better with friends, with support.

But as they reach the castle, the Red Bull senses the unicorn’s presence and attacks. to save the unicorn, Schmendrick magically changes her into a woman, a form she can use to search for the answers, to complete her quest.

She becomes the Lady Amalthea. However, a being a unicorn trapped in a human body isn’t good.

She begins to forget as she falls in love with Prince Lir. Molly and Schmendrick keep her focused, reminding her of who she is, of why she is there.

The Red Bull. Save the other unicorns. But how?

When the wine drinks itself. When the skull speaks. When the clock strikes the right time. Then will they find the Bull. Then they can save the others.

And the King knows, guessing what she is… enjoying the fact that she is within his reach.

“There they are. They are mine. They belong to me.”

The Red Bull drove the unicorns into the sea.

For the King. For he had to have them all, because they made him happy.

She must choose. Forget, be human, and leave her kind trapped. Or fight.

They discover the entrance to the cave of the Red Bull. Yet Lady Amalthea barely remembers who she is… why she is there. If she remains human, she can escape the Red Bull, she can stay with her Prince.

But her Prince is a hero and heroes don’t let the quest fade and die. Happy endings only come at the end.

Yet Schmendrick says, “There are no happy endings, because nothing ends.”

They come face to face with the Bull, who now recognizes Amalthea for what she truly is. Schmendrick transforms her back into a unicorn. And the Bull chases her to the sea, to fulfill his purpose.

Now it’s up to her, to choose.

And she fights, finding her strength to free the unicorns, and drives the Red Bull into the sea. Once again, unicorns roam the world. And there is one, who regrets, who keeps a bit of what it is to be human, to love, tucked in her soul, forever changed.

Life is tricky. We set out on our journey. We hold onto dreams. Yet, things happen. Life happens, we’ve all said it or thought it. Eventually, we face choices. Each decision adds to who we are, either pain or joy, fear or excitement. We question. We doubt. Our dreams change. We change.

Sometimes we let what is easy distract us from what we want.

Never let fear keep you from listening to where dreams will lead. Never fear a new journey. The quest for who we are, for who we want to be doesn’t ever end.

“Unicorns are in the world again. No sorrow will live in me as long as that joy.”

 

All we can do is try to be happy with where the paths have taken us.

Random News of the Craziness

Tags

#nestpitch, amazingness, CPing, creepy story, Julie Hutchings deadlyeverafter, Short story, The Midnight Society, writing

HI!

I know. Monday is fast coming to an end and WHERE HAVE I BEEN? you might ask. Well, out truck shopping. Woo… hoo. Hubs is happy anyway. My job here is done.

Anyway, I want to tell everyone all the things.

First… you will be able to find me over at The Midnight Society! I have been asked to join them and SAID YES, because I LOVE THOSE HORROR-LOVING GALS! You can find me here, yes in the obituary section with all the other fabulous members. I will post the first and third Fridays each month, spreading my love of all things creeptastic. Join us!

Second… the wonderful Julie Hutchings has begun her March Madness flash fiction showcase on her blog deadlyeverafter. Of course, I submitted. I can’t resist the challenge to write something creepy. You can read it here! Be sure to check out the others and stay tuned for more through this month. So fun!

Third… I have decided to be a slushie for the upcoming pitch contest #nestpitch. So lots of reading and a bit of critiquing. I love it!

So in-between all this, I will continue to figure out my next writing adventure, the sequel to Doors. I will do other CPing, because I have peeps and we NEED each other. I have one more short to sub… oh, wait, I learned of another place looking for shorts (AND I CAN’T SEEM TO RESIST THE CHALLENGE)… so two more?

Somewhere in this mess that I have created, I will get notes from my editor and begin the process of making DOORS the bestest. OH MY GOODNESS! THIS IS REAL!

Of course, there are my fabulous kids! Tis baseball, softball, and track season.

I am really excited about being involved in such a great community, putting myself out there, helping writers, and sharing things I love. We are all awesome and together we will rule the world. Everyone out there is capable of amazingness.

However…

At some point, you might find me babbling in a dark corner.

If you do, throw chocolate and run.

Seriously. Chocolate. A lot of chocolate.

 

Getting to Know… Me. Sisterhood Blog Hop

Tags

blog hop, books, characters, fun, thoughts

I know I promised a post about one of my all time favorite movies from my childhood… The Last Unicorn. And I will do that!

Promise!

But I was tagged for this bloggy hoppy thingy…

By a Twitter writer friend and fellow Whovian Lisa Hope! Go check out her blog.

I thought I’d play. Why not. Here are Lisa’s questions for me… and these things I call answers.

1. What’s your least favorite book?

Oooooohhhh. Well, in high school they made me read Wuthering Heights, but I couldn’t finish it. Blah.

Not long ago, I was sucked into the swirling Twilight abyss. I read the first, but said no to the rest. Not for me.

2. What’s your favorite book from your childhood?

I’m gonna cheat here…

1. The Spell of the Sorcerer’s Skull by John Bellairs. It scared the crud out of me… I loved it!

2. Another horror… The Watcher in the Woods by Florence Engel Randall.

3. And the last one that really stuck with me… A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle.

I still have those books from so long ago, I was never able to give them up.

3. What author(s) inspired you to become a writer?

Well, J. K. Rowling. I know! But as I was getting sucked into the world of Harry Potter, I realized that the stories in my head were for kids/teens. The light bulb moment.

But also, Neal Shusterman. I dream of writing like him. So good!

4. How do you feel about eBooks?

There are words I can read. Works for me. And I love my Nook.

5. Are you a compulsive reader or do you take your time getting through the story?

Depends. Maybe a bit of both. I will tend to forget things like making dinner and will ignore life for the right book.

6. Which book(s) have you reread the most?

The Harry Potter series. Probably The Goblet of Fire has been read the most. But I have read Stephen King’s The Shining a few times.

7. If you could live in any world depicted in a book, what would it be?

AH!

Hogwarts…

Narnia…

Don’t make me choose!   

8. If you could kiss any book character, who would it be?

I would give Liesel Meminger from The Book Thief a big kiss and a hug because… she’s awesome.  

9. Do you communicate with your favorite authors on Twitter?

Not really.  However, Tony DiTerlizzi did respond to me once. As did Patrick Ness… O.O

10. If you could have dinner with four literary characters, who would you choose?

But there are so many… okay…

Dorian Gray.

Danny Torrence.

Gandalf.

Ron Weasley.

WHAT A DINNER THAT WOULD BE!

Once again, I am breaking protocol and not tagging people. I know. Let the Universe strike me down.

 

 

Dare to Dream Showcase *jazzhands*

Tags

aliens, apocalyptic catastrophe, Believe, Carys Jones, Dare to Dream, dark, fantasy, Reuts Publications, Stonehenge, survival, YA

I know… I have more movies to share and I have been tagged in another blog hop, but FIRST…

Carys Jones released her book Dare to Dream on February 17th!

I am proud to showcase this new book… give you a taste (an excerpt from the book appears later!)and my thoughts.

Yes! I have read it! And you might just want to too!

The world was going to end. Of that, Maggie Trafford was certain.

Fourteen-year-old Maggie Trafford leads a normal life. Well, as normal as being crammed in a three-bedroom house with four siblings and a single parent can be, anyway. But despite being somewhat ignored at home, Maggie excels, earning top grades, a best friend who would do anything for her, and stolen looks from a boy in Maths.

It’s not until the dreams start that Maggie realizes “normal” is the least of her problems. Every night, she lives the same nightmare—red lightning, shattered glass, destruction. But nightmares are just that, right? No one believes her when she says it’s an omen. At least, not until the already mysterious pillars of Stonehenge start falling.

No longer alone in her fear, Maggie and the world watch with bated breath as one after another, the historic stones tumble, like a clock counting down. But only Maggie knows what it means: when the last stone falls, destruction will reign. And when the world ends, there’s only one option left—survive.

Horrifying and raw, Dare to Dream is equal parts tragedy and hope, detailing the aftermath of apocalyptic catastrophe, the quest for survival, and the importance of belief.

Buy DARE TO DREAM by Carys Jones today!

Carys Jones loves nothing more than to write and create stories which ignite the reader’s imagination. Based in Shropshire, England, Carys lives with her husband, two guinea pigs and her adored canine companion Rollo. When she’s not writing, Carys likes to indulge her inner geek by watching science-fiction films or playing video games. She lists John Green, Jodi Picoult and Virginia Andrews as her favorite authors and draws inspiration for her own work from anything and everything. To Carys, there is no greater feeling then when you lose yourself in a great story and it is that feeling of ultimate escapism which she tries to bring to her books.

Find more of Carys Jones on her website, like her on facebook or follow on twitter.

And here is an exclusive Dare to Dream Excerpt!

Maggie just couldn’t settle as she sat in registration. She didn’t hear her teacher drone out the names of her classmates to record their afternoon attendance. Her mind was racing, her eyes focused on the ebony skies. Her unusual behavior went unnoticed by everyone except Andy Greene, who watched her from across the room. Maggie was oblivious to his attention. She knew she had slowly been falling apart for a while; she was starting to get accustomed to people eyeing her warily. Maggie wasn’t even pretending to listen to her teacher; she had given up on conducting a charade of interest.

“I just have a few things to go over with you,” Miss Foley, their form tutor, began. She was young, barely out of school herself.

“I need to talk to you all about the girls’ toilets out by the sports hall,” Miss Foley continued. No one was really listening; people were subtly playing with their mobile phones, which were contraband. Others were whispering amongst themselves, delivering the latest lunchtime gossip. All of these Miss Foley ignored, as they were acceptable levels of disruption, but when Maggie Trafford abruptly got up from her seat and proceeded for the classroom door, she had no choice but to challenge the girl.

“And where do you think you’re going, Miss Trafford?”

Maggie stopped and sighed in annoyance before turning back to face her teacher.

“I’m leaving.”

“Leaving?”

“Yes, I’m leaving school, right now. I can’t stay any longer.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’ll be doing no such thing—now sit back down,” Miss Foley said as sternly as she could. Though her eyebrows bunched together, her tone lacked the true conviction to make Maggie take her seriously. Miss Foley was the kind of teacher who cared about being liked by her students, but Maggie was in no mood to appease such a desire. Maggie would be mean to Miss Foley if she had to be: there was too much at stake to waste time being pleasant and obedient.

“No, I’m leaving.”

“Maggie Trafford, you will do as I say! Now sit back down.”

“The world is about to end!” Maggie cried, gesturing to the black sky beyond the classroom windows. “And I for one am not going to sit here and wait for it to happen!”

“The world is not ending. Don’t be absurd. Now, sit down.”

“No, I told you, I’m leaving. Expel me if you like—it makes no difference. Tomorrow, none of this will be here.”

“You’ve clearly lost your mind, Margaret. Please stop disrupting the rest of the class with your insane ramblings.”

“She’s not insane! She’s right, and I’m going with her!” Dawn declared, rising to her feet and heading over to her friend.

“Miss Brady, your loyalties to your friend are only going to land you in trouble. Both of you, sit down.”

“No, we are leaving,” Maggie said calmly, turning away and opening the classroom door.

“Then leave,” Miss Foley said from behind gritted teeth, her patience wearing thin. “But walk through that door, and I promise you—”

“Wait!” a male voice called out from the other side of the room. The other students had now ceased to text or gossip, transfixed instead by the drama unfolding before them. Everyone turned and stared at Andy Greene, who was now on his feet, his eyes locked on Maggie.

“Miss Foley, Maggie’s just sick. She’s been unwell for a while. Don’t be so hard on her.”

“Since you’re also intent on being so vocal, perhaps you should leave too.” Miss Foley scowled, angered by the growing disruption in her class. “And I’ll see all three of you in detention later.”

“What?” Andy looked both horrified and devastated at the same time.

“Well, let’s go, then,” Maggie ordered, not quite knowing what to say. She had not anticipated followers.

“There’s the door.” Miss Foley pointed fiercely at the exit. “Anyone else who has a desire to leave before the world ends can see me in detention at three.”

Andy slowly stood up and placed his bag on his shoulders as, around him, some of his friends made teasing sounds. He never got in trouble—his record was as golden as Maggie’s.

“Today, Mr. Greene!” Miss Foley said cruelly, her eyes still narrowed. “Apparently, you don’t have time to waste.”

Andy reluctantly navigated his way through the maze of desks and joined Maggie and Dawn at the door.

“I’ll see you all at three, since the world won’t be ending, but your bad behavior will be!”

“I’d say go to hell, Miss Foley, but you’ll be there soon enough,” Maggie said, her voice deadpan. Then she turned and left the classroom, feeling empowered.

 

 

As I mentioned, I have read this! I was given a eARC, for my chance to read and review.

I am giving this book four stars.

After reading this excerpt, you wonder… does the world end? How does Maggie know?

It began with a dream, Maggie’s dream, of red lightning flashing from a dark sky, turning buildings to ash. A dream that shook her to her core. It began with the falling of the massive structures of Stonehenge, one by one.

The image of the dream will stay in my head forever. Just so cool.

Warning… spoilers may appear…

The book is told through Maggie, but switches point of view, nearly omniscient POV. We end up in the mind of the therapist, the news reporter, Maggie’s mother, and friends. The switching did bother me a little, keeping me from really connecting to the characters, leaving me wondering why I needed to see into the mind of the therapist for that one moment, or get a view from the head of the news reporter a few times. However, when we move into her father’s mind, I was intrigued!

I enjoyed the interaction between the characters. Maggie’s family life, the chaos of five kids and a single mom living in a small house felt true. The need Maggie had to find her absent father, certain that he could fix everything, made my heart ache. Maggie’s struggles in school, and not grade-wise, people, she’s a smarty-pants, but with her peers made me remember high school (and not fondly). Her best friend, surprisingly a popular girl, hung by Maggie’s side, even believed her when she spouted crazy talk of the end of the world.

And when the world ends, cause it does… she saves her friend and one other, a boy who has had a crush on Maggie forever. The dreams give her an image, a place to go, lead her to safety. They walk miles and miles, slowly realizing what has really happened and the impact it has on their lives. Their reactions are all different and believable.

And the alien orbs flying through the wreckage… completely creepy and awesome.

The way Maggie immediately connects the falling of Stonehenge to her dreams seemed fast to me. Her certainty that they would be safe at the caves, which she had seen in her dreams, bothered me a bit. I guess I needed more there.

However, I continued to read, because I needed to know. What had happened? Why? The scene with her father… well, he better not be dead, because I need more of him)… yeah.

And the final scene. The final line of the book sent my heart a flutter. I love it when books do that. And when she publishes the sequels, she has told me there will be (cause I asked), I will read them.

Because there are things I need to know.

Happy reading, everyone!