Weekend Writing Warriors: March 26, 2023

Happy spring!  Happy last weekend in March. Welcome to a weekly post of Weekend Writing Warriors. If you'd like to check it out or give it a try, click here to go to wewriwa.blogspot.com

I've jumped back to Lily's story formerly referred to as Dai Klavven. That name is changing, but I haven't chosen the new name yet. For the time being, it will remain just 'DK'. 

So, moving forward. I'm working on finishing DK.  In this excerpt--the setup: Lily has been saved from the Bulragers by a "Sand" named Theusand. Sands can speak mind to mind. They are still traveling toward Theusand's home world, Tebrig, on the ship Lily was imprisoned on, but she's no longer in the lower level as a prisoner. She and Theusand are visiting a remote world where people are in hiding. Tonight, after dinner, they sit around in candlelight, telling stories and imbibing. 

Last week's snippet ended with: “Then the invaders scorched our land and destroyed our crops to force us into nonresistance. We prayed for the evil, the pain, the death... to stop.

“Instead, the Jophraths came, our worst nightmare, cruel beyond belief. They mined our beautiful world for every mineral they could haul. Sucking entire lakes dry, they annihilated the grasses and the flowers, the trees and the animals.

"The Bulragers rented our people to them for labor, and then they worked them to their final breath.

His hands clenched into fists when he directed a hard look at Elder Spense. “Love and forgiveness will not bring back our garden." Then he looked around the room as he continued.  "Besides, that ilk would simply come and destroy us all over again. That is, if the Bulragers don’t find our scattered survivors first.”

That's it for this week. Thanks for reading, and if you leave a comment, thank you so much! :-)

Weekend Writing Warriors: DK 3-19-23

Happy-almost-spring!  Welcome to a weekly post of Weekend Writing Warriors. If you'd like to check it out or give it a try, click here to go to wewriwa.blogspot.com

I've jumped back to Lily's story formerly referred to as Dai Klavven. That name is changing, but I haven't chosen the new name yet. For the time being, it will remain just 'DK'. 

So, moving forward. I'm working on finishing DK.  In this excerpt--the setup: Lily has been saved from the Bulragers by a "Sand" named Theusand. Sands can speak mind to mind. They are still traveling toward Theusand's home world, Tebrig, on the ship Lily was imprisoned on, but she's no longer in the lower level as a prisoner. She and Theusand are visiting a remote world where people are in hiding. Tonight, after dinner, they sit around in candlelight, telling stories and imbibing. The peaceful mood has been shattered.

Last week's snippet ended with: “Without warning, a thunderous voice boomed, shattering the tranquility. "Then evil came to our lands!” "

As Lily straightened herself after nearly falling off her cushion, she glanced around at others doing the same. At least she wasn’t the only one startled half to death. 

Theusand’s words filtered into her mind. “That is Narge. Every moment of his life is dominated by anger over the home he lost.”

When Narge continued, his voice was lower, but he gestured wildly with his hands, his facial expressions went from frightened to fierce.  “The Bulragers, a cruel and greedy race of slavers, came from the sky, from our beautiful blue sky. They captured a great number of our people and hauled them away, out into the stars. Forcibly, the diaspora of our people had begun again.

“They dragged children from their mothers’ arms, and beat and chained their fathers for trying to protect their families.

“Then the invaders scorched our land and destroyed our crops to force us into nonresistance. We prayed for the evil, the pain, the death... to stop.

That's it for this week. Thanks for reading, and if you leave a comment, thank you so much! :-)

Weekend Writing Warriors: February 5, 2023

 

Happy February. I'm a firm believer that Punxutawney Phil lies. :-)

Welcome to a weekly post of Weekend Writing Warriors. If you'd like to check it out or give it a try, click here to go to wewriwa.blogspot.com

I've jumped back to Lily's story formerly referred to as Dai Klavven. That name is changing, but I haven't chosen the new name yet. For the time being, it will remain just 'DK'. 

So, moving forward. I'm working on finishing DK. My muse is being awfully quiet though. :-(   In this excerpt--the setup: Lily has been saved from the Bulragers by a "Sand" named Theusand. Sands can speak mind to mind. They are still traveling toward Theusand's home world, Tebrig, on the ship Lily was imprisoned on, but she's no longer in the lower level as a prisoner. She and Theusand are visiting a remote world where people are in hiding. Tonight, after dinner, they sit around in candlelight, telling stories and imbibing. 

Last week's snippet ended with: “Children… We were all children then, relishing the innocence of a world unchallenged by hatred or greed. Our world was a garden, and peace and love were the crops we grew."

“It is where our beliefs were nurtured, that we can work together and survive, that we can be kind to each other without fear of fault or weakness, that we can forgive the trespasses by others on our goods and our hearts, and most of all, that we can love without end.

“These beliefs all live in my heart as much as they live in my mind.” His eyes came back into focus as he looked again at the children sitting around him.  “They must live inside of you, each of you, and you must carry them with you all of your days, wherever your garden may be.”

Lily couldn’t have turned away if she’d wanted to. It was like a child’s story, for no real world could be so beautiful, so peaceful, so full of wonders, or could it?

“It was.” Soft as a whisper, Theusand’s words filtered into her mind, and drifted like a lullaby with the images of what it must have been.

Lily sat in silence, basking in the spell he’d cast.

WIthout warning, a thunderous voice boomed, shattering the tranquility. "Then evil came to our lands!” 

Someone has changed direction of this tale... That's the snippet. Thank you so much for visiting. This is a WIP so comments are especially appreciated. :-)

WeWriWa: DK January 28, 2023

 

Welcome to a weekly post of Weekend Writing Warriors. If you'd like to check it out or give it a try, click here to go to wewriwa.blogspot.com

I've jumped back to Lily's story formerly referred to as Dai Klavven. That name is changing, but I haven't chosen the new name yet. For the time being, it will remain just 'DK'. 

So, moving forward. I'm working on finishing DK. My muse is being awfully quiet though. :-(   In this excerpt--the setup: Lily has been saved from the Bulragers by a "Sand" named Theusand. Sands can speak mind to mind. They are still traveling toward Theusand's home world, Tebrig, on the ship Lily was imprisoned on, but she's no longer in the lower level as a prisoner. She and Theusand are visiting a remote world where people are in hiding. Tonight, after dinner, they sit around in candlelight, telling stories and imbibing. 

Last week's snippet ended with: "“Our people...” he looked around at the children before continuing,” Your people, came from the stars spread out as the night sky above. They answered the call to a garden where they would be safe, welcome, and living amongst neighbors they would not fear.

“And so, they came: The builders, the cooks, the people who worked the land, singers and storytellers, poets and dreamers, those who would lead--and those who would follow." He paused, probably for effect, then added, "And it was good."

“Their journeys were hard but they were accomplished with glad determination. Our people were coming home, and all of its comforts waited for them."

“Water babbled in streams, water so sweet one could barely drink his fill. Aromatic clovers grew on vast plains where wild creatures grazed without fear of man. Children made chains of the flowers that dotted the hills and valleys.”

He reached into a cloth sack and pulled out necklaces made from the thin, silvery leaves she’d seen outside. Children eagerly grabbed for them as he handed them out. Every child thanked him, save for the babies too young to talk.

A little bit more if you're interested.

 When everyone was settled again, Spense looked at something distant, something Lily couldn’t see. She suspected none of them saw it because it was somewhere in his memories. His eyes misted over. “Children… We were all children then, relishing the innocence of a world unchallenged by hatred or greed. Our world was a garden, and peace and love were the crops we grew."

That's the snippet. Thank you so much for visiting. This is a WIP so comments are especially appreciated. :-)

WeWriWa DK 01-21-23

 

Welcome to a weekly post of Weekend Writing Warriors. If you'd like to check it out or give it a try, click here to go to wewriwa.blogspot.com

Sorry I've been absent. I've been grappling with a lot. But, I'm back--and plan on trying hard to remain that way.

Emmily Unbound is back with the editor for its second pass.

I've jumped back to Lily's story formerly referred to as Dai Klavven. That name is changing, but I haven't chosen the new name yet. For the time being, it will remain just 'DK'. I was researching names for the book earlier today, and discovered that no one else has a book with that title, but since Klavven is a made-up word, the dictionary suggested this: Klavern. 

Holy hell. Nope! That is a name for a local unit of the Klan.  

So, moving forward. I'm working on finishing DK. My muse is being awfully quiet though. :-(   In this excerpt--the setup: Lily has been saved from the Bulragers by a "Sand" named Theusand. Sands can speak mind to mind. They are still traveling toward Theusand's home world, Tebrig, on the ship Lily was imprisoned on, but she's no longer in the lower level as a prisoner. She and Theusand are visiting a remote world where people are in hiding. Tonight, after dinner, they sit around in candlelight, telling stories and imbibing. 

Others wandered into the large room, hauling their own cushions and small rugs. Candles flickered on shelves carved into the rock, their amber light casting dancing shadows on dark walls and expectant faces. Children snuggled into parent’s laps, their wide eyes searching the group.  From somewhere in the cave system, an animal bleated. 

Elder Spense cleared his throat and began. “Once, our people were free. We roamed our world, near and far, until the dark day when we fell under the shadows of large ships sailing our skies. That is a tale of our now. For the children, first I will tell of our past.

 “Our people...” he looked around at the children before continuing,” Your people, came from the stars spread out as the night sky above. They answered the call to a garden where they would be safe, welcome, and living amongst neighbors they would not fear.

That bit about answering a call to a garden? Sigh... This manuscript was written long before I ever saw a minute of The Expanse series... Just saying. :-) 

That's the snippet. Thank you so much for visiting. This is a WIP so comments are especially appreciated. :-)

 

WeWriWa:Possible Blurb

 

                                                                Happy August!
     Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors. Thank you to everyone who left a comment last week. If you'd like to participate or read tempting morsels from other authors, please sign up--or check the linky list at: http://wewriwa.blogspot.com/

      Also, check out the Snippet Sunday group on facebook. 
     This is the possible blurb for Emmily, Unbound, an SFR story.  To read a compilation of all snippets posted for this story, click Here: Emmily Unbound, Chapter 1

 

     I'm posting the wanna-be blurb as my snippet. It comes in at 190 words. Give it to me straight; my shoulders are broad.  :-)  I've written and rewritten this maybe 20 times. I had NO idea how hard it is to write a blurb. I really hope it gets easier. :-) 

        Now, the  snippet:

    Implementing some of the suggested changes on the fly.  Now at 182 words.

Emmily lost everything that bound her to her ordinary and happy life. Now she has one simple plan: Start over. Move to the mountains with her dog, Murphy, find her muse, write her book, and never-ever- fall in love again.

But her new life spirals out of control when a UFO crash-lands on the next ridge over, and on a desolate road, its crew waylays her. At gunpoint, they demand help for their wounded leader, Rael. He’s bleeding, confused, and inhumanly good looking…even while sneering and growling at her.

Even though humans are taboo, Rael can’t ignore this Earth woman, Emmily Wagner. Despite how scared she is, her willingness to help them touches his heart.

Although Emmily’s their hostage, she’s sympathetic to the peril they’re in--running from lethal enemies and the men in shiny black cars with government plates. She's the only thing standing between them and an unthinkable end.

Will she risk it all to help Rael and his crew escape despite the heartbreak lying ahead?

        That's the snippet. Would it be better without her last name? Keep the last sentence or not? I might have spent way too much time this week trying to wrangle down my first attempt (280 words) that may have been more of a synopsis than a blurb. :-)I think I'm just really confused at this point. Should I mention Murphy--or leave him out?      
     

    Thanks so much for reading, and if you left a comment, I'll throw in a virtual hug.

Note* I'm re-posting the bit about the relaxed rules in case I've missed anyone:
     In short, the WeWriWa rules have been relaxed. The goal is to maintain ease of finding the weekly snippet, but allowing more promo for published books.  You can check them out here: http://wewriwa.blogspot.com/p/the-rules-of-wewriwa.html
      We love our core group, the close-knit community that has evolved here at WeWriWa, the ease and joy of our weekly 'gathering,' but we also recognize that the time authors spend sharing and commenting has to make marketing sense, too. Time is precious.  This change would also eliminate the need for the "wonky punctuation to stay within guidelines" disclaimer. 

 The Original:

Emmily Wagner lost everything that bound her to her ordinary and happy life. Now she has one simple plan: Move to the mountains and start over. Just stick to the mission, find her muse, write her book, and never ever fall in love again.

But, you can’t plan everything, like a UFO crash-landing on the next ridge over, or being held up at gunpoint—maybe ray-gunpoint—in the middle of nowhere. The gun wielders demand her help for their friend, General. He’s bleeding, confused, and, sweet Lord, he's good looking…even while  sneering and growling at her.

She might be their hostage, but she’s not blind to the peril they’re in. They’re running from something, and they’ll wind up dead if their whereabouts are discovered. And she’s not sure which is worse. If whoever is chasing them catches up, or if they’re found by  the men in shiny black cars with government plates.

Her resolve to never love again is hanging by a tattered thread. She needs to keep her heart where it belongs, because as soon as General's rescue ship arrives, he’s gone.