Vacation day one: Author problems

I worked on Lizzie and the hat this morning, and am struggling with a few different things. This usually means it’s time to jump stories.

As I take this series further, I’m getting great mileage out of expanding the supernatural world around Lizzie St. Laurent. If you’ve followed the series, Good Liniment is a prime example. The witches coven is fertile ground to spawn new tales.

I’ve done some of that, but don’t want it to become a theme. I never want to feel like I’m dialing it in because I have access to more powerful characters to help Lizzie in her efforts.

My intent is for Goodbye Old Paint to be more light-hearted and geared more toward the humor side. Past tales did this with a scoop of graphic violence, but this one doesn’t really need that.

I finished my chapter this morning, and the monsters behind the story have all been dealt with. Problem is that I’m at just over 30,000 words. I want all these to come in at slightly over 40K. That’s one hell of a denouement.

I added a section about Night Bump Radio and that always seems to fit into these stories. What’s left is returning some of the blackmail to the government agents who forced Lizzie into this project, a gig with her band, then a girls night with her new besties. (Two witches)

At the outside, I could include an epilog about the government domestic spying. Kind of like horror films always show you the real monster still exists.

Including any or all of these things feels right, but I don’t know if there’s 10,000 words there.

Part of the fun of writing an ongoing series is all the new ideas. I came up with a cool character that’s going to force me to dive into philosophy, and a monster that’s kind of gruesome and unique. Fortunately, I have years to think about them and find a plot for them.

I’ll have to figure out how, with my monster killing the homeless people and leaving no evidence behind, how is Lizzie ever going to get on the trail in the first place. Right now my options are Detective Joe Yoder, or Kevin the vampire. Maybe something else will come to me in the next year.

I need to figure out my new unaffiliated witch/circus midget/former philosophy professor and what kind of monster Lizzie will be chasing to lead her to his door. Then it’s all going to lead to a bipolar talking toilet, because it is one of those stories.

I’ve started cheat sheets for both characters so I don’t forget anything.

It really does feel like time to switch back to Mari’s story in the swamp. Maybe something will pop into my head while I’m being more serious.

International Day of Awesomeness

Hi, gang. A little something special for you today. Sally Cronin has been a huge supporter of mine, both here, and at the Story Empire blog. She’s always there to share my new releases, and to review my books.

I’ve sold books on days when Sally posts a review or shares my newest news. She’s a very active blogger, and someone every author should get to know.

She also bundles up her promotions and posts a Weeky Roundup which gives authors a second bite at the apple. She does all of this without being asked, and never asks for anything in return.

She also covers such diverse topics as cooking, health, music, and more. She’s traveled the world, and lived in an interesting few sections of it. She’s also hosted her own radio show. Through it all, she’s managed to publish over a dozen books of her own. I don’t know how she keeps up with it all, but she does.

What I’m getting at here, is that Sally is a very interesting person.

Someone smarter than I am thought it would be wonderful to do a surprise blog blast on her behalf. I couldn’t agree more.

She’s benefitted my career, and helped us grow the Story Empire blog.

It’s the least we could do to try driving some of our traffic back her direction. I think Sally is someone you should get to know. Won’t you visit her site today, leave her a comment, and check out all she offers?

Just click this link, to visit her site.

This link will take you to her Amazon Page.

Secrets of a Handbag, on #LisaBurtonRadio

Don’t touch that dial! You’ve landed on Lisa Burton Radio, the only show that brings you interviews with the characters you love. I’m your host, Lisa the robot girl, and my special guest today is Elisa’s handbag. Wait. Is that right? Are you on the line?

“Yes, here I am. Thank you for hosting me on your show. It’s not every day that an object has the chance to speak her mind.”

“Welcome to the show. Are you, in fact, a handbag?”

“As strange as it may seem, I am a handbag. Elisa’s handbag. I’ve been with her for many years now since her grandmother gave me to her for her birthday. I think very highly of my owner. She treats me very well, and in exchange I strive to protect her belongings. At least, she used to treat me very well, until she forgot me on the bus.”

“I’m so sorry. Are you alright?”

“Yes, thank you. Now, I’m fine. But it’s been an awful adventure for me, tossed around on the bus by one of those careless drivers. I thought all was lost for me. I already saw myself forgotten on a shelf of some lost-and-found forever. Or in some criminal’s den emptied of my content.”

“That’s terrible. A woman has to be pretty distracted to lose a handbag.”

“Oh, Elisa can be a very organized sort of person when she puts her mind at it. When it comes to her job at Palmieri’s Bookstore, for instance, she is very efficient. She makes list of tasks and is perfectly able of performing several tasks at once. In the rest of her life however…

“Well, her studies are a muddled mess of abandoned lecture notes. I’m not sure she will ever go back to University and get her degree, and that’s a pity. She was such a promising student when I met her.

“But what worries me the most is her private life. Her relationship with her boyfriend is taking a turn I don’t like. Especially since the day she left me on the bus.”

“But, you got rescued, not robbed, so that’s a good thing.”

“That’s definitely a good thing. Now I’m in a safe place and, even if I was scared at first, the guy who found me seems a really good guy. His name his Diego and, from what I gathered, he does some kind of job at the Chemistry Department. At first, I was scared. You know the stories they told about mad scientists and all that. But he didn’t do anything untoward. For now.

“I still have to spend some time with him, because it seems Elisa didn’t write her number anywhere. I hope he finds the time to bring me back to her home, but between his experiments, his supervisor’s demands and his ex-girlfriend I don’t know when it will be.”

“They both sound kind of distracted to me.”

“They both have many things on their minds, that’s for sure. But from what I saw, Diego is different from Elisa. He is so rational and calm, always trying to find the best solution for every situation. Elisa instead is more a… go-with-your-gut sort of girl and this puts her in awkward situations. In a way, I think they could complement each other quite well, If you get my meaning.”

“Oh! You little matchmaker you. That’s so cute. What do you have planned?”

“In truth, I can do very little but watch. And that’s a pity because if I could do something more they’ll get a piece of my mind. Anyway, I fear they’ll have to get by by themselves. And it’s not going to be easy. There are a few people who won’t look kindly upon their friendship.”

“Who could object to such a good guy?”

“Well, Elisa’s boyfriend, for one thing. Marco wants to keep Elisa all for himself and doesn’t take interferences well. And Elisa’s friends from University. They’d probably think Diego is not at their level.”

“So, you have team Elisa, with a possible angry boyfriend. If they’re really on her side, wouldn’t they eventually figure out that Diego is good for her?”

“Hope so…even if I’m not sure which side they are on. Then there’s Diego’s ex. I haven’t met her, but she seems pretty determined to have Diego back.”

“Adults seem to have baggage, no offense intended. You might not be able to do much about her.”

“Honestly, now my main concern is getting back to Elisa. I can’t wait to be with her again. I don’t know how she is coping without me. I contain most of her life, and she absolutely needs me. I’m not sure you can understand. Do you know what it means to be the constant companion of someone’s life and then be torn away from her? Probably Elisa needs me more than she knows.”

“We all wish you the best of luck, both in getting home, and helping Elisa find the right focus in her life.

“You can read all about Elisa, her handbag, and Diego in the book “Secrets of a Handbag,” by Irene Aprile. I’ll share all the details on the blog later.

“Don’t forget to use those sharing buttons today. I’m sure Irene and the handbag would do it for you when you’re character appears on the next Lisa Burton Radio.”

***

Blurb

What if your handbag could talk?

What kind of secrets would she reveal?

What shameful truths would surface from its recesses?

What if a stranger found it; how would they look at it?

And if the handbag is very opinionated, things may become even more complicated.

When Elisa—student and bookseller—leaves her handbag on the bus, her life takes a dramatic turn. The handbag holds every aspect of her life, and without it, she can barely manage even the simplest of tasks.

Diego, a pragmatic, no-nonsense chemist who dislikes complications, finds Elisa’s handbag. He couldn’t be more different from Elisa and can’t wait to return the handbag to its owner so he can go back to his life.

When Elisa and Diego meet, however, things don’t go as planned. And while Diego tries to keep his distance, everyone (the handbag included) seems determined to put Elisa on his path again and again.

The only ones who don’t seem to agree are Lorena—Diego’s ex-girlfriend—and Marco—aspiring journalist and Elisa’s boyfriend…

Buy links: https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Handbag-Amazing-Objects-Book-ebook/dp/B07XFQM3CV/

Author Bio

Irene Aprile is a chemist at day and a writer at night (or early in the morning). She is 31, but her brain refuses to accept she is more than 25.

She has been writing since she was a child, but she started to get real with it recently. When she doesn’t work and doesn’t write, she reads novels, translates novels, thinks about novels. She loves spending time with her family and binge-watching TV series with her husband; she likes to travel (but nothing too adventurous), she adores Christmas and chocolate in every form.

Info

Website: https://www.ireneaprile.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/IreneAprile

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ireneaprilewriter/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14678164.Irene_Aprile

Newsletter Sign-up: http://eepurl.com/QiPGz

Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B075R3XJMJ

Buy links: https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Handbag-Amazing-Objects-Book-ebook/dp/B07XFQM3CV/

Circumstances of Childhood, on #LisaBurtonRadio

Welcome to this week’s edition of Lisa Burton Radio. I’m your host, Lisa the robot girl, and we’re waiting for a very special caller. While doing that, let me ask you something.

How would you feel if you were accused of something you didn’t do? What if the ramifications were beyond serious? Would you rely upon the system to get it right? You only have so much energy and time. Would you focus on proving your innocence, or would you try to find the actual culprit?

Oh, my phone lit up. “Hello, this is Lisa Burton.”

“You are receiving a collect call from the Suffolk County Jail. Do you accept the charges?”

“Yes, please.”

“Hello. Is this Lisa? Please forgive the collect call. I didn’t know when we scheduled this interview that I would still be in jail.”

“Yes, Greg it’s me. Don’t worry about the call. I’m sure you will have some interesting information behind the fact you are in jail. For our listeners, this is Greg Petros. Can you give us a bit of your personal background?”

“First of all, Lisa. I’m totally embarrassed having to call you from a public phone in jail. I was to have a bail hearing this morning and it was postponed so I need to spend the night. More games by the District Attorney to get me to say I’m guilty. He accused me of hiding funds and revoked my original bail. Secondly, I’m not too sure what your listeners want to hear about me.”

“I understand how you feel especially in your current position. Okay, I’ll do it. Greg is a football guy at heart. He was a Heisman Trophy winner in college and went on to quarterback the New England Patriots for ten years. After that he became a highly successful sports commentator.

“Greg wanted to do some good with all the money he earned, so he started a new company called Petros Investments, with worldwide clients. So, Greg, how do we go from there to Suffolk County lockup?”

“Oh man, Lisa you don’t beat around the bush. Well, I have to say direct questions are very appropriate given what happened. As you mentioned, I started an equity fund. I started by putting in my own money and then attracted a whole bunch of the people I knew. I had some very important and wealthy friends.

“The fund grew to over a billion dollars under investment. Our objective was to invest other people’s money and be able to sleep at night. I guess about a month ago I got a heads up from my financial guy that the SEC had some findings on a routine audit. They called in the Justice Department and I was hit with an indictment on twenty-three counts of mail fraud, securities fraud and insider trading.

“All this over a so called mishandled twenty million in funds. Hell …oh excuse me. I should know not to use that word on the radio. Anyway, even if there was twenty million missing it was probably my money. I put a hundred million into the company. Of course, that is academic since once the news of the indictment got out, all my so-called friends pulled their money and the firm tanked. All for what? Some accusation that I mishandled the funds. I haven’t even been to trial yet and I’ve been punished as if I’m guilty. I’m not. Guilty that is. I’m sorry Lisa. I haven’t had much sleep over the last few days and it is looking worse by the hour. I shudder to think of closing my eyes in this place.”

“That has to be tough. Are you getting any support from outside?”

“My daughter Constance has been frantic since she heard what happened. She has decided to stay in my house in the Boston area for the duration. She lived in New York and tells me she can work anywhere. I also have a terrific lawyer. He used to be the corporate council but has been hired by the law firm defending me. Finally, my oldest friend, Keith who I grew up with showed up. He and I were like brothers. His parents adopted me when mine passed away. He is giving me moral support and excellent advice.”

“Keith sounds like a great friend. Maybe he can run down some leads for you or something.”

“Keith and I were in college together as well as childhood friends. We revolutionized the game of football. Stuff taken for granted now like quick huddles and option plays we were pulling off every week. One night we went to a party. Neither of us liked to drink but on the way home we were hit by a drunk driver. I was driving and tried to avoid the accident. I yelled to God to help me find a way out. There was no way out and we crashed head on. Keith hit the dash with such force that er um he was killed”

“Wait a minute, you’re talking to a dead guy? I need to download The Sound for some of these shows. You know The Sound, from Law and Order? I could play it at moments like this. What did they do to you in there?”

“You just made me think of the first time I heard the cell door lock. I thought about the Sound myself. I think I keep hearing that dun, dun, dun too. With Keith it isn’t like that. I have to admit sometimes I think I’m just making his presence up. Keith first came to me when I thought all was lost. He told me this fabulous story about someone he calls The Leader. He tells me the afterlife is about earning the right to be in the presence of The Leader. He even told me he knows who hacked my computer and took the twenty million, but he can’t tell me. He says there is a time continuum that can’t be altered. He has been forbidden to interfere. I understand his predicament and want him to get to the goal he seeks. He can help but can’t alter history.”

“It all sounds a bit like helping Clarence get his wings. I mean, it would be nice to help Keith, but you have troubles of your own.”

“Your wings analogy is spot on. I love Greg and want him to progress and would never ask him to violate the sacred instructions he has been given. Brothers are like that, Lisa.”

“So how is the trial going?”

“I get this feeling that the prosecutor is out to make a name for himself. I can imagine getting a guilty verdict on Greg Petros would be a ticket to higher office. The case all centers on whether or not I used my computer to take twenty million out of the firm. Our experts say I was hacked and had nothing to do with it. I understand they have an expert who will be on the stand tomorrow who takes the opposite position. At this point it’s very convoluted. I think it will be a matter of who the jury believes. I know I didn’t do it and that is all I know. I can’t figure out how the twenty million came up missing.”

“So. if you can’t figure it all out, maybe the prosecution can’t either. Will that help you in some way?”

“I don’t think he cares if he figures it out or not. All he can see is a former jock and rich guy who is brought to his knees by his fine legal work. He will do anything to get a conviction.”

“I wish you the best of luck, Greg. Keith too, if he’s listening out there on his cosmic radio. Any last thoughts for our listeners today?”

“Thank you so much, Lisa. I’m sorry if I sounded all in earlier but I had a life that would be the envy of most of the world and it turned to a nightmare in the blink of an eye. I think my friend Greg would advise us all to enjoy the moment since that moment is all that counts.”

“To learn more about Greg and Keith pick up the book, Circumstances of Childhood, by John W. Howell. I’ll post all the links after I go off the air.

“You can help John and Greg by using those sharing buttons today. I’m sure they’d do it for you, and John has a long history of supporting other authors. Here’s your chance to pay a little of it back.

For Lisa Burton Radio, I’m Lisa Burton.”

***

When a former pro football star and broadcaster, now a Wall Street maven is accused of insider trading, will he be able to prove his innocence and expose those who are guilty?

Greg and his boyhood pal dreamed of big success in professional football and then later in business. Greg was the only one to live the dream. Now the founder of an investment fund Greg is faced with a routine audit finding by the SEC. The audit points to irregularities and all the tracks lead to Greg. The justice department hits him with an indictment of 23 counts of fraud, money laundering, and insider trading. His firm goes bust, and Greg is on his own.

His best friend knows he is innocent but has been ordered under penalty of eternal damnation not to help.

If you enjoy stories of riches to rags, redemption, brotherly love, and a little of the paranormal, Circumstance of Childhood will keep you riveted.

Circumstances of Childhood

Book Trailer

YouTube Book Review

John began his writing as a full-time occupation after an extensive business career. His specialty is thriller fiction novels, but John also writes poetry and short stories. His first book, My GRL, introduces the exciting adventures of the book’s central character, John J. Cannon. The second Cannon novel, His Revenge, continues the adventure, while the final book in the trilogy, Our Justice, launched in September 2016. His latest book Circumstances of Childhood, a thriller fiction story, was launched in October of 2017. All books are available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions.

John lives in Port Aransas, Texas with his wife and their spoiled rescue pets.

Blog Fiction Favorites, http://johnwhowell.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/john.howell.98229241

Twitter –https://www.twitter.com/HowellWave

Authors db –http://www.authorsdb.com/authors-directory/6604-john-w-howell

LinkedIn –http://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-w-howell/48/b59/462/

Google +https://plus.google.com/+JohnHowellAuthor/

Goodreads –https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7751796.John_W_Howell

Amazon Author’s page –https://www.amazon.com/author/johnwhowell

Sir Chocolate stops by #LisaBurtonRadio

Hey there all you conquistadores and knights in shining armor. Today is Thursday, and you know what that means. It’s time for Lisa Burton Radio. I’m your host, Lisa the robot girl, bringing you another fabulous interview with one of the characters you love from your favorite books. My guest today is Sir Chocolate. “Welcome to the show, um, Sir.”

“Thank you, Lisa, I am delighted to be here. You don’t mind if I try up the air conditioning, do you? It is a bit warm in here and I don’t want to start melting.”

“I’m kind of indifferent to temperatures, so help yourself. I understand you’ve taken up a quest, as knights often do. Can you tell our listeners what kind of challenge you’re facing?”

“Lady Sweet and I own a chocolate factory where we make chocolate goodies, sugar mice and other sugar decorations that we sell in our chocolatier. One of our most popular products is our range of homemade soda pop which we make using sugar water from the Sugar Crystal Cave. This cave is nestled at the heart of the Chocolate Chip Hills. To get there we have to cross the chocolate mousse swamp which is infested with alligator sours, who feed on travelers, giant mosquitos and a fondant ghost.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad. I mean chocolate mousse swamp ought to be a pretty good time. I know several female authors who would happily move there.”

“The chocolate mousse swamp is a great place to stop for a snack. There are delicious marshmallow flowers to enjoy with a dollop of chocolate mousse on top, the only problems are the alligator sours and fondant ghost.”

“There’s always a catch, isn’t there. So what do you do to avoid those hazards?”

“Well, the alligator sours are very fond of the sugar mice I make so I bring a bag of those along to distract them with. I cleverly laid down some chocolate disk stepping stones which helps Lady Sweet and I cross the swamp. The fondant ghost haunts the swamp at night so we get around that by always crossing it during the day time. Once across, we always stop and have a chat and a picnic with the marshmallow sheep who told us the story of the Candy-striped Roc. That is how we knew he was lonely and needed a friend.

“On this latest trip to the Sugar Crystal Cave, the marshmallow sheep warned us that something strange was afoot. The area around the cave was warmer than usual and there were sobbing sounds coming from inside.

“When Lady Sweet and I arrived we quickly saw that something was wrong. The temperature was so high we had to put on our quick freeze suits to make sure we didn’t melt. Once inside we saw the sugar crystals were all starting to melt. Something had to be done or our famous soda pop would be at risk as we use the sugar water run off to make it in my chocolate factory.”

“Bummer. How will you make your soda now?”

“Well, when we ventured inside we came across a very miserable Baked Alaska Dragon. A magnificent creature who breathes fire in different seven different colours depending on his mood. The dragon was very sad and depressed and his fire was blue. Although he looked very fierce, I know something had to be done to save the sugar crystals and cheer up this anguished creature. He was very nice when we approached him and explained that he was very lonely as everyone was afraid of him because of his fierce looks.”

“I know this one author, who shall remain nameless, that could probably slay that dragon in one setting. So what are you going to do?”

“Well, Lisa, in Chocolate Land we prefer to find nonviolent solutions to problems. What this dragon needed was a friend. Lady Sweet remembered the conversation with the marshmallow sheep and their comments that the Candy-striped Roc was also very lonely as he was another scary and fierce creature. We decided to introduce the two creatures and they hit it off straight away. The Baked Alaska Dragon’s fire changed colour to yellow with happiness that very same day. They decided to live together in the Roc’s nest high up in the Chocolate Chip Hills.

“With that problems solved, Lady Sweet and I rushed back to the Sugar Crystal Cave. We had a high powered portable fan that we carry around to keep things cool. We turned this on high and the temperature soon returned to normal and the crystals hardened. We were able to gather more sugar water than usual due to the initial melted state of the sugar crystals so we went home very happy. We won’t need to make this journey again for quite a while as we have plenty of sugar water to keep us going in our factory.”

“That sound like a wonderful solution, Sir. Do you have any closing remarks for us today.”

“Well, we find in Chocolate Land that most fierce creatures also have a kind and tender side. If you can discover this side then they will usually be much more helpful. Look at the trolls, Stinkpot and his wife, who have helped us out more than once after we got to know them a bit better. Most creatures are also keen to help save their environment if it is at all possible so we always get the help we need on our adventures.”

“You can read all about Sir Chocolate’s quest in the book Sir Chocolate and the Sugar Crystal Cave, by Robbie Cheadle and Michael Cheadle. This book also comes with five outstanding recipes, including one that shows you how to make those beautiful sugar crystals yourself. Sounds like a great book to read with your children, and it gains longevity as a craft session later.

“Robbie provided some wonderful photos, and I’ll add those to the website. Don’t forget to click on those sharing buttons today. Sir Chocolate, Robbie, and Michael would do it for you when your character appears on the next Lisa Burton Radio.”

***

Sir Chocolate and Lady Sweet journey to the sugar crystal caves to collect the sugar water they need to make their soda pop. To get to the Chocolate Chip Hills they must cross the Chocolate Mousse Swamp infested with alligator sours and a meringue ghost. When they arrive, they discover that the sugar crystals are melting, and something needs to be done to save them. Learn how to make some four fun creations out of biscuits and the sugar crystals too.

Purchase your copy here and here.

Robbie Cheadle was born in London in the United Kingdom. Her father died when she was three months old and her mother immigrated to South Africa with her tiny baby girl. Robbie has lived in Johannesburg, George and Cape Town in South Africa and attended fourteen different schools. This gave her lots of opportunities to meet new people and learn lots of social skills as she was frequently “the new girl”.

Robbie is a qualified Chartered Accountant and specialises in corporate finance with a specific interest in listed entities and stock markets. Robbie has written a number of publications on listing equities and debt instruments in Africa and foreign direct investment into Africa.

Robbie is married to Terence Cheadle and they have two lovely boys, Gregory and Michael. Michael (aged 11) is the co-author of the Sir Chocolate series of books and attends school in Johannesburg. Gregory (aged 14) is an avid reader and assists Robbie and Michael with filming and editing their YouTube videos and editing their books. Robbie is also the author of the new Silly Willy series the first of which, Silly Willy goes to Cape Town, is now available.

You can follow along with Robbie at the following places:

Blog

Goodreads

Google+

Facebook: @SirChocolateBooks

Twitter: @bakeandwrite

Advice about writing a series

A big thanks to Craig for hosting a guest post to celebrate the release of the newest volume in the Legends of Windemere saga. The topic he tossed my way is a real head-scratcher too. Being the author of a long series, I have to keep the final book in mind when I write. Everything needs to be tied up and continuity has to be retained for the end to make sense. If you’re ending with a giant battle then you have to at least consider killing characters off. Not only the villains, but the heroes too. In fact this topic stems from J.K. Rowling’s teasing of character deaths and closure before the release of Deathly Hallows. The real trick here is to tackle this topic without revealing a bunch of spoilers. Fingers crossed there.

Going by how popular series have ended, I would say that the first thing to accept is that some people won’t be happy. Yet this is probably a sign that you did a good job. If you wrote every character with depth and relatability then each one will have fans who want them to get a happy ending. There are also those who think certain couples should be created by the end and those who believe some of the survivors should be dead. In other words, don’t drive yourself crazy trying to please everyone or you’ll end up in a padded room eating tapioca pudding without a spoon. Follow where you want the story to go and make sure that the finale makes sense from your perspective. That’s really the only one you can trust without fail.

Now for myself, I have a 15 book series, which means I have to put a lot of ups and downs in there. With an ensemble cast that has a 7 protagonist core and several high profile supporting characters, I can actually do multiple ending types. Some of my heroes will get happy endings while others won’t be walking out of the final battle. There’s more variety than live and die if you think about it. Those are the basic categories, but what condition the character is in determines part of what I do. For example, a hero who survives to find that they have nothing left doesn’t really get happiness. They claimed victory at such a cost that they having become broken and isolated. Will I be doing this? Not sure yet, but it’s a possibility.

One of the ‘complaints’ I get is that my fantasy series lacks a high body count, but I do enjoy battering my characters and having them grow through the hardship. Once they’re dead then that’s the end of their evolution even if they appear as a ghost. Yet I did add a piece into the story that has been gnawing on the heroes and might be a slight spoiler. Destiny and free will get brought up a lot. The champions are chosen to face a great evil, but their actions determine how they get there and in what condition. Also if they win, which is where the little wrinkle came up due to the God of Destiny being a jerk.

Since Legends of Windemere: The Compass Key, my heroes have known that at least one of them will die in the final battle. It could be all of them and the Baron wins or one who simply has terrible luck. They don’t know and the worry comes up from time to time. Some characters are worried that they will die, but they carry on because leaving would mean abandoning their friends. Others are determined to use their free will to prevent this from happening or sacrifice themselves to save the others. The point of this revelation is to show that these heroes all know that they could be walking to their demise. From my own reading experience, most heroes are told they will survive the final battle or never have any doubt that they will. So it’s fun to keep this needle of fear in all of them.

Returning to the original topic, I do think a final battle requires at least one death and for there to be some scars. Especially when you put the world at stake, it’s rather unbelievable for the good guys to win unscathed. It doesn’t even have to be death, but there needs to be a sense that the heroes lost something to make the final hurdle. Just so happens that offing a character in a violent battle is the easiest and most expected path. Even wiping the memory of everyone involved so that they don’t realize they’re the champions wouldn’t sit well with some people because that can be undone. You do need some level of permanency in your finale because that’s what closure is about. Leaving a few openings for future stories or appearances is fine and recommended if you plan on continuing to write in the same world. Yet you need a limit and have to bring home the fact that the heroes’ journey is complete. That’s really the central part of finishing off a long series. Alive, dead, or whatever, you need to make sure the readers know that this is the end. Hopefully I can pull that off when the time comes.

Then again, maybe I’ve already done it for a character or two in the latest volume. Mwahaha!

Check out my newest book

LEGENDS OF WINDEMERE: THE MERCENARY PRINCE

And visit me at

LEGENDS OF WINDEMERE

@cyallowitz

 

The Mercenary Prince

My friend Charles has a new addition to his Windemere series. This time the focus is on a different character, and he’s dropped off some promotional material to tell us all about it. I’ve also got to say, this is the best Windemere cover so far.

 

Now on Amazon for $2.99!
LEGENDS OF WINDEMERE:
THE MERCENARY PRINCE

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

Delvin Cunningham has left the champions.

Lost to his tribe in the Yagervan Plains, fear and shame have kept the former Mercenary Prince away from his homeland. With his confidence crumbling, he has decided to return and bring closure to his past. Reuniting with his old friends, Delvin’s timing could not be worse as a deadly campaign is brewing within Yagervan’s borders. Dawn Fangs are on the march and these powerful vampires are determined to turn the entire region into a graveyard.

To protect his family, friends, and two homelands, Delvin will have to push his doubt away and become the cunning Mercenary Prince once again.

Art by Jason Pedersen

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Excerpt from The Mercenary Prince

With the hint of a smirk, Selenia quickens her pace and unleashes a barrage of blows on her former student. Each strike and stab is deflected by the sweat-covered champion, his speed increasing to match her every time. At one point, the half-elf leaps forward and is struck in her stomach by his shield, which forces her to flip over his head. The headmistress lands in a crouch and whirls around to block the counterattack, the point of Delvin’s sword gently running along the leather patch over her stomach. Realizing that he is still holding back, Selenia bats his next attack away and delivers a painful kick to his exposed side. The blow knocks him against the fountain and he comes dangerously close to falling into the water.

While rubbing his bruised side, Delvin circles the headmistress who turns to continue facing him. He makes a few feints that she refuses to acknowledge because they are clumsy and pathetically amateurish. The gathered students and teachers shout for more action, all of them believing the brown-haired warrior to be afraid of the legendary woman. None of them realize that his circles have been getting tighter and his fake attacks have caused Selenia to misjudge his distance. It is something she realizes when Delvin makes a quick swing for her hip and their weapons strike closer to their hilts than she expects. The moment the half-elf steps back to gain some space, her former student pushes forward with precise strikes that mirror the onslaught she previously unleashed. Without a shield, the headmistress finds it more difficult to block every attack and has to twist her body away from several attacks. The movements prevent her from throwing a kick or punch, which would probably hit the shield that he has yet to include in his advance.

Selenia eventually catches Delvin’s blade and slides her weapon along its edge to step within his swinging range. The pair push against each other, their muscles straining to gain the upper hand. Every time one of them is about to gain ground, their opponent shifts enough to continue the frustrating stalemate. With a grunt of exertion, Delvin moves his shield in front of the headmistress’s face and blocks her view. Knowing she is expecting him to push forward, the warrior falls onto his back and lets the surprised half-elf’s momentum slam her face into the wooden disc. The back of his head bounces off the ground as he flicks his wrist to deliver an extra shot to Selenia’s chin. She rolls away from him to recover her senses, but Delvin scrambles to keep her in reach and continue his attack as they stand.

“You actually hit me,” Selenia states when she notices that her nose is bleeding. She ducks under her opponent’s swing and aims her hilt for his stomach, the blow only grazing his shirt. “I think you’ve achieved two firsts for this academy, Delvin. Nobody has ever drawn my blood or made me dizzy during a match.”

Want to Dive into the Adventure from the Beginning?

Collage by Chris the Storyreading Ape

Find all of these exciting adventures by visiting the Amazon Author Page of Charles E. Yallowitz

So charge up your Kindle and end 2015 with an adventure full of action, humor, old friends, new enemies, grudge matches, tears, ale, and vampires.

About the Author:

Charles Yallowitz was born and raised on Long Island, NY, but he has spent most of his life wandering his own imagination in a blissful haze. Occasionally, he would return from this world for the necessities such as food, showers, and Saturday morning cartoons. One day he returned from his imagination and decided he would share his stories with the world. After his wife decided that she was tired of hearing the same stories repeatedly, she convinced him that it would make more sense to follow his dream of being a fantasy author. So, locked within the house under orders to shut up and get to work, Charles brings you Legends of Windemere. He looks forward to sharing all of his stories with you, and his wife is happy he finally has someone else to play with.

Blog: Legends of Windemere
Twitter: @cyallowitz
Facebook: Charles Yallowitz
Website: www.charleseyallowitz.com

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Charles is coming back next week to tell us a bit about writing an ongoing series. Check out The Mercenary Prince, and come back next week for some insight into writing such an epic series.