Slippers of Pearl by Danyelle Leafty

Slippers of Pearl by Danyelle Leafty

Faryn is a teenage boy surrounded by the unwieldy magic that manifests itself in often annoying ways at home. Ready for something better, he determines to become a shoemaker. Unfortunately his uncle Harvey, a magician of some renown, has managed to die. Again. But this time it seems that his uncle will not be coming back. And guess who is his uncle's heir and must go to the castle at once to learn magic and save the kingdom?

A whimsical ride through a world where magic permeates everything whether anyone realizes it or not. Slippers of Pearl by Danyelle Leafty is an enjoyable read that entertained me with smile after smile after smile. As I read this magical tale, I knew that if I were to share it as a bedtime story, my children would stay up longer just to hear more and more.

I highly recommend Slippers of Pearl.

~M

Off to the Editor

I must admit that this makes me happy. There is something about the feeling I get when I have finished writing a manuscript. A sense of accomplishment, or perhaps it is anticipation.
Book 2 in our series, Remnants of Betrayal, is entitled LOSIAN.
And again, just as it was with the first book, Coren, I have enjoyed imagining, creating and writing an enjoyable story.
Writing a book is a very satisfying experience.  Oh, not every day - some days can be frustrating. Sometimes a character doesn't know what to say or the setting isn't right. Once in a while the scenery just doesn't seem to cooperate. But eventually, they all settle down and find their places in the story.
Losian will be out in paperback soon. And although I've read it once or twice already, I'll definitely be getting a copy for myself! ;)
~M

Collings Notes: Point of View

Dr. Michael Collings is an exceptional poet, writer, mentor, friend and inspiration. Enjoy his discussion on point of view:  Point Of View and Other Oddities  I did.

~M

Writing a synopsis - a character approach

Writing a synopsis can often be a difficult challenge. It is the part of sharing my novel with others that I dislike the most. Not sure why, but I find it difficult to summarize a story of 300 pages in just a few paragraphs. If it was a short story, then I wouldn't need all those pages... But a writer friend of mine posted this link: http://randomwritingrants.com/2012/07/11/a-new-approach-to-synopsis-writing-and-dissecting-the-hunger-games/, which I enjoyed reading.
Using your main characters' point of view to tell their story is a refreshing and creative way to share your novel with others, such as an agent or editor or indie publisher.
I find another benefit for me: character depth. By telling the story from each character's point of view, I can spot weaknesses and unexplored potentials that can be worked into the plot or a subplot. And my characters can become stronger and more memorable, too.
Enjoy the blog - it helped me.
~M

Seven

Driving back from the pool with my seven year old daughter. At an intersection, a car passes us going the other way; a metallic burnt orange Mitsubishi. The driver is about my age. Then I hear a voice from the back seat.

"Whoa, that's an old guy; but he's got a sweet car!"

A Change of Scenery

A key element of writing fiction is to create a setting for the characters and plot that connects with the reader. Often we find that the setting we thought would be best for a scene or segment of our story is lacking. And so we make a change. The change of setting can add to the strength of the work.

During the past few weeks (has it been that long?) I moved to a new place, 300 miles away from home. But now that I am here, this is home. The change of setting leaves me with good memories and friends, giving me much to anticipate in my new locale.

After four weeks of preparing for a move, making the move and then unpacking, I can return to doing that which I love to do: writing.

Review: Shooting Stars by L Hodgson

I enjoyed the creative premise of Hodgson's shooting stars. Stella and Isaac, the stories central characters are believable teenagers dealing with their parents' disappearance and a series of revelations about themselves that carry the story through to a satisfying end. However, I found myself struggling with the author's tendency to tell rather than show her story; additional edits or rewrites would strengthen this work. Thus my three star rating. Overall, it is a memorable first novel by Hodgson.

Book Giveaway - 4 days left!

Only 4 more days for the GoodReads Giveaway of our book: Coren - Remnants of Betrayal!

Check it out at Coren - GoodReads Giveaway!

Perspective & Point of View

A student walks into her high school math class, tardy again.

"Hi, teacher!"

Her athletic bag and back pack thud to the floor. She plops down in her seat, not assigned seat, but the one she has claimed - front and center.

The teacher smiles and continues with his introduction of the lesson.

Within minutes, she stands up. "I'll be right!" she says, cell phone in hand as she disappears out the door.

If you were the teacher, what would you do? What would you be feeling? 

About twenty minutes later she returns. The other students are now working on their assignments. Again, she plops down in her chosen space, turns around and chats with another student, interrupting his work.

Now what do you do? Many of us would be focusing on the lack of respect, or disregard of class rules, or her disruptive behavior. And in many situations, these would be appropriate responses.

The teacher talks with her about the lesson, summarizing what she had missed. Then, after a reminder that she should be doing her assigned work, the teacher goes to help another student. At the end of the class, she turns in her assignment - only partially completed.

How do you think the girl did in school today? Did she do well?

At the end of the day, the teacher is going through the all the students' homework and updating grades. When the teacher comes to the girl's assignment, he smiles. She has just made his day. Why?

On the back of the assignment, she has written the following:

When something bad happens, you have three choices. You can let it define you, let it destroy you or you can let it strengthen you.

Oh. I forgot one part of this story. That day, the girl had just become homeless. Again. She was looking for another place to stay for the night.

Perspective is powerful. When we can see and feel the world around us from more than one point of view, our lives are enriched immeasurably.

~Morgun

Free Book Giveaway!

I am giving away 5 copies of Coren through GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13076800-coren
Click the link and enter! If you're not a member of GoodReads - join!
~Morgun

Read to write and write to read.


Mark Twain is quoted as writing: "Let us guess that whenever we read a sentence and like it, we unconsciously store it away in our model-chamber; and it goes, with the myriad of its fellows, to the building, brick by brick, of the eventual edifice which we call our style."


How can I find my voice in writing?

At every writer's workshop, conference and gathering I have attended I was encouraged to read, read, read. Read? Why read? If I read, won't I be tempted to copy or plagiarize, to use an other's words instead of my own? Won't I sound like someone else?

But then, are we not writers because we were readers first? For me, it was the reading of well written tomes and  poems, that dared me to take up the pen. Or more accurately, the keyboard.

What a joy it is to develop a style of writing by assimilating the best offered by others. My style, my voice, is a blending and balancing of my own creative desires and with those of the many writers and artists I have encountered. Was all that I read great? Of course not. But whether great or not, I have been touched by each one.

So read. Read regardless of your circumstances or perceived limits on your time. Read and then write. Write in a journal. Scribble short stories on a yellow pad of paper. Compose poetry for fun or to express you feelings as you walk or ride or drive. Sing new lyrics to welcome another day. Find a new passion for the written word.

And in time, your voice will emerge; uniquely you.

~M

I Love This. . .

I just received a call (yes, sometimes my number gets out...) from a 13 year-old young man who had just finished my book, Coren. He was excited about it, had questions about who it was in the last chapter, how big one character is and wanted to make sure the protagonist would be in the next book.

I must admit that there are few things more satisfying as a writer than to have a reader enjoy one of my books. For me, it is  the fuel that fires my passion for writing.
Thank you N. You made my whole day.

Morgun

"If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it and let it become you, and you will find great things happen for you, to you, and because of you." (T.A.Armstrong)

It took me a long time to discover my passion for writing, but now that I have embraced it, I wonder how it was that I lived without it.


If you are like many of us, struggling to share in words what we see or hear or feel inside, then tapping into your creative passion can free you from the day-to-day challenges of writer's block, lackluster plots, vanilla characters and mundane subtext.


Unless, of course, you are trying to write a dull short story with boring characters and a shallow plot.


When I was wading through another rewrite of my last novel, I found it difficult to continue pushing through the self-doubt and tedious work. So I took a break for a week (or was it two or three?) and enjoyed life's other pleasures. When a friend of mine called and said that he would be in town, I accepted an invitation for lunch. It was good to see him again.


Sitting at a fast food restaurant, we began talking about writing. He's published poems, short stories and political cartoons over the years, and he shared some of his favorite poems. Then he asked me if I had begun writing my novel. As I talked about my book, my friend would interject comments or ask questions. I was enjoying the discussion. But then he leaned back and held up a hand. I stopped.


"That's your passion! You have a passion for writing."


His words struck me, ringing true in my ears. His revelation swept over me, energizing me. For some unknown reason, I had not realized it before. Writing was enjoyable, but at times quite frustrating. I wrote because I had promised myself that I would finish a book.


Once I embraced my passion, the drudgery of writing, rewriting, and editing evaporated. My passion freed me.


Do I still have "those days" when the plot stumbles or my dialog drags? Of course. But it is my passion that brings me back again and again to push through (or go around) whatever blocks my creativity.


Embrace your passion. Live your dream. Change the world.


~ Morgun

"Years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Mark Twain's wisdom and wit are a wonderful spice to life.

Find your passion. Live your dream. Change the world.

~ Morgun