A.D. 1415 Fiona's world is a carefully built castle in the air, made up of the fancies, wishes, and memories of her childhood. It begins to crumble as she watches her brother march away to join in the English invasion of France. It falls to pieces when he is brought home dead.
Robbed of the one dearest to her and left alone in the world, Fiona turns to her brother's silver cross in search of the peace he said it would bring. But when she finds it missing, she swears she will have it and sets out on a journey across the Channel and war-ravaged France to regain it and find the peace it carries. Published by Ambassador International; available from Amazon, your local bookstore, or here on Scribbles and Ink Stains (with an autograph!)
Thank you for joining me on Homeschool Authors. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Thanks for having me, Sarah! First and foremost I am a Christian. As believers are called upon to be salt and light in the world, I hope that everything I do and everything I write reflects my beliefs in some way, even when my novels do not carry a blatant “message.” I am also a book-lover from a book-loving family. My sister began writing before me and I, being a typical younger sibling, wanted to follow in her footsteps. So I suppose I must credit my writing to her and to my own jealousy.
What was your favorite subject in homeschool?
I’ve enjoyed many if not most subjects, but I would have to say that history has always been my favorite. Fact is truly stranger than fiction, and there is so much in the annals of history to both thrill and amaze. Oddly enough I was never fond of literature, merely because I dislike having to analyze the life out of classic works; and as for English, although I love the language itself, it was hardly an exciting subject!
What inspired you to write The Soldier’s Cross?
People frequently ask this question, but unfortunately I find it a difficult one to answer. The idea came not so much from a subject or a theme as it did from one initial image: a girl with a cross pendant. The only things I knew at that point were that she was in France and was herself English, and that the time period was the Hundred Years’ War. After that, the story grew by degrees until it was ready to be written.
What was your journey to getting it published?
I wrote most of The Soldier’s Cross for National Novel Writing Month in 2009; my total at the end of that November was 62,000 words, and in the following six months I completed the story and edited it. After that I began the business of querying. Thankfully the mind blocks out pain and I don’t remember much of how difficult it was. But the result was that in 2010 I was accepted by Ambassador-Emerald Intl., a Belfast-based publisher of Christian works. Interestingly enough, my sister, Jennifer Freitag, was also accepted by them without the publishers knowing that we are related, so we were able to be published at the same time.
What has been the most rewarding moment as a writer?
Being a writer brings with it so many rewarding moments, it would be difficult to pick a single one and call it the best. It is rewarding to be accepted by a publisher. But it is also rewarding to finish a novel; to fall in love with a character; to work out a difficult scene so that it finally feels right. Writing certainly has its trials, but I for one wouldn’t trade it for any other career.
Where can people get your book?
The Soldier’s Cross is available just about wherever books are sold: Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Christian booksellers like Christianbook.com, and your local bookstore.
When will your next book come out?
My second novel, Wordcrafter, is currently in the querying stage. I hope for it to be my next published work, but you will have to stay tuned!
Do have any final thoughts?
Simply that I would encourage aspiring authors not to worry overmuch about getting published. Often times I feel that writers are driving themselves toward that goal with the thought that if they can only get accepted by a publisher, their writing will have worth. This is by no means the case. While it is good to reach a stage where you are ready to pursue publication, it should never be the justification for your writing itself.
Again, thanks for the interview, Sarah! I enjoyed answering these questions.
The Dragon King Seeks His Princess--Who Dares to Stop Him?
Princess Una of Parumvir has come of age and will soon marry. She dreams of a charming prince, but when her first suitor arrives, he's not what she'd hoped. Prince Aethelbald of mysterious Farthestshore has travelled a great distance to prove his love--and also to bring hushed warnings of danger. A dragon is rumored to be on the hunt and blazing a path of terror.
Una, smitten instead with a more dashing prince, refuses Aethelbald's offer--and ignores his cautions with dire consequences. Soon the Dragon King himself is in Parumvir and Una, in giving her heart away unwisely, finds herself in his sights. Only those courageous enough to risk everything have a hope of fighting off this advancing evil.
A Monster Prowls the Mountains of Southlands
Rose Red trusts no one with her secret. She hides in the forest, her face veiled in rags, shunning the company of all save her old father and her nanny goat. Her life is bleak and lonely.
Until she meets a privileged young man sent to spend his summer in the mountains. Headstrong young Leo startles everyone by befriending Rose Red, and together they begin searching for the monster rumored to be stalking these lands.
But the hunt, which began as a game, holds greater risk than either imagines. Soon both are forced to test their trust in each other as a far more terrifying scourge puts their entire land at risk.
The Night of Moonblood Approaches
In a desperate bid to earn back the trust of his kingdom, Prince Lionheart banishes his only friend, Rose Red, to certain death. Now, his last hope for regaining his honor is to descend into the treacherous Wilderlands and find her.
But many perils stand in Lionheart's path. A mysterious Hunter is on his trail, a dangerous unicorn prowls the darker shadows, and Rose Red herself has been drawn into the hidden realm of Arpiar where the goblin king holds her captive for foul purposes of his own.
With the help of a blind cat, an ugly knight, and the gentle Lady of the Haven, Lionheart can only hope he will find Rose Red before the Night of Moonblood . . . when the sleeping dragons will awake . . .
One Should Never Become Embroiled in the Affairs of Mortals
When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps lovely Lady Gleamdren, Bard Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission . . . and a race against his rival for Gleamdren's favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal.
But when he stumbles upon a maiden trapped in an enchanted sleep, he cannot leave her alone in the dangerous Wood Between. One waking kiss later, Eanrin finds his path entangled with that of young Starflower. A strange link exists between this mortal girl and the dragon-witch. Will Starflower prove the key to Lady Gleamdren's rescue? Or will the dark power from which she flees destroy both her and her poet rescuer?
Anne Elisabeth Stengl!! She is here with a giveaway!!
Anne-Elisabeth, welcome to Homeschool Authors. Would you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Hullo, all! I am Anne Elisabeth, a newlywed cat-loving writer of fairy tales who lives on a steady diet of Sri Lankan teas, lots of prayer, and good fiction. I am the author of the Tales of Goldstone Wood through Bethany House Publishers. These are YA adventure fantasies written in the classic Fairy Tale style . . . and always with a spiritual twist!
I met my handsome husband while researching fencing for my first novel, Heartless. We dueled at a fencing tournament, fell in love, and were married seven months later. It was all rather swashbuckler! We live in NC with our sixteen million (as my husband says) cats and one longsuffering dog.
My first published novel, Heartless, won the 2011 Christy Award for Debut Novel, and the sequel, Veiled Rose, is a finalist for the Romantic Times Inspirational Novel of the Year. The third in the series, Moonblood, releases this spring, and will be followed by book four, Starflower, this coming autumn. I live in a constant state of drafting, researching, and revision, and the line between Faerie and Reality has never been more blurred!
What was your favorite part of being Homeschooled?
I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to tailor the curriculum to my specific interests. Of course, I was required to study all the basics and to do them well . . . but where my interests and talents were keen, I could drive forward at whatever pace I liked! For me that meant all things literary and writing-related (though I also practiced piano a compulsive three hours a day and studied drawing and painting). Because of this individualized education, I was also able to graduate early and begin taking classes at the local tech college before transferring to the college of my choice.
Home schooling taught me the fine art of self-motivation which has contributed significantly to my ability now to meet deadlines and to succeed in the professional writing world.
What caused you to start writing?
I have always been a writer/storyteller, sprung from a family of writer/storytellers. My mother, Jill Stengl, has sixteen published inspirational romances to her name (including 2005 Carol Award-winning Faithful Traitor). I grew up coloring pictures on the backs of her discarded manuscripts, so noveling always seemed very present and very possible to me. I wrote my first "novel" when I was eleven, my first fantasy when I was twelve. And I began developing the first ideas for the Tales of Goldstone Wood when I was fourteen. I scarcely remember a time when I was not writing.
Which book was your favorite to write and why?
My favorite book to write is always the one just finished. Each one has been more difficult than the one before . . . which I take as a good sign, indicating that I am growing as a writer! But that often means the initial "fun" of drafting is not what it was back when I wrote as a hobby. It is now my job, a job I love, and a job I take very seriously.
Possibly the easiest one to write was Heartless, my debut novel, though it went through close to ten major revisions before reaching final published form. Veiled Rose was the fastest, but it was drafted on an intense two month deadline which I would never choose to repeat! I really love my most recent novel, Book 5 in the Tales of Goldstone Wood (as yet untitled). Now that it is finished, I would claim it as my favorite . . . but the writing process itself was often heinous. A good reminder to me that I do this work entirely by God's grace and sustained by His strength!
4. What is the inspiration for your latest book, Moonblood?
Moonblood, as the third in the Tales of Goldstone Wood, continues storylines from both Heartless and Veiled Rose and brings them to a dramatic resolution while leaving the door open for many more books in the series. It picks up the story of Prince Lionheart, who has dug himself a pretty dreadful hole lined with good intentions . . . and he's about to dig it deeper! The crux of the plot was inspired by the heroine, however, veiled Rose Red, an outcast with a secret past that even she cannot guess.
The inspiration for these characters and this plot--as in most of my plots--is the beauty of broken people in God's hands. Looking through Scripture, it never ceases to amaze me how all the primary characters in the history of God's people were broken, sinful, frustrating, and frustrated men and women. Men and women like you and like me. But God chose them and worked powerfully through them to accomplish His will. That's what I like to write: Broken people, unbeautiful people, frustrated, frustrating, loveable, pathetic people who must be rescued from themselves before they can hope to face the monsters in their lives. With characters like these, I never lack for plots!
Where can people get your books?
My books are available wherever books are sold. You can get them through Amazon, Barnesandnoble.com, CBD, or your local Barnes and Noble, Book World, or Christian book stores. You can also visit me at anneelisabethstengl.blogspot.com and keep your eyes open for various name-drawings and giveaways. I'm running several in the next few weeks to promote Moonblood's release, so don't miss out!
Do have any final thoughts?
If God has given you a passion for something, He intends for you to use it. Pursue your passions, pursue your dreams, be open to learning from many different sources, and remember that every experience, whether good or bad, can be used by God to shape your life in amazing directions as long as you are submitted to His leading. He uses broken people, not perfect people. And His grace is sufficient.
For those of you aspiring writers out there, my best advice is this: READ! Read a lot, read in many genres, read things you disagree with, read things you love. Study what you read, figure out why you love it or why you don't. Then WRITE! The only way to finish a novel is to write it. No excuses. Put words down on the page, good, bad, or indifferent. Foster a teachable spirit . . . remember that we are called to lives of courageous humility, and the writing world is a top-notch arena in which to practice that lifestyle! *preaches to self*
Feel free to contact me via my writing blog. I love to interact with my readers. And I hope you will pick up Tales of Goldstone Wood and disappear with me for a time into the strange and wonderful realm of Faerie!
On the book list, under each others name, you can now see the genres the write.
Would you like a free book by a homeschool author? No this is not a trick question. This is from Perry:
FREE BOOK!!! Follow the link and enter code: NC32W and get this book free! (Expires March 31, 2012) Read more about this book and others by yours truly at Parry Elizabeth
Click on the picture to get The Heavens Declare for free!
An empire among the stars, a child heir, an empty throne
Everyone has his own motives. Everyone has his own desires.
“I feel about the emperorship the way a husband feels about the wife he loves.”
“I desire that high seat. Do you condemn me?”
“My loyalty is mine to give; I will give it as I see fit.”
It has begun.
Only time will tell how it will end.
Emperor Judah Zebulun III has died, leaving behind a wife, a young son, and an empire. Whether by one man or many, this empire must be ruled until the heir has grown. Judah’s empty throne affects more than anyone could have anticipated…
The Governing Halls: political intrigue and conspiracies abound as men scramble to use the situation to gain power and position
The Men and Women Involved: loyalties are tested, relationships are tried and trust is challenged.
All must tread carefully. More than just the Empire hangs in the balance.
Political suspense, touching moments, unexpected twists… The Last Heir.
Well, I'm thirdborn in a family of thirteen children and was homeschooled through high school, so my life has been somewhat outside the cultural norm. My first novel was published when I was twenty (about two and a half years ago). Since then, I have been working to establish myself as a writer, while helping in my family and working for my parents' magazine as a writer/editor/researcher.
What is your earliest memory of homeschooling?
Watching my older brother learn how to read. Our father was teaching him, and I remember asking when I would learn to read. The answer was three years. My earliest memory of my own homeschooling is learning how to read. As I recall, it was a frustrating experience.
What inspired you to start writing?
My mother used to give my siblings and I creative writing assignments. This is how she discovered what grammar and spelling errors we were prone to, and marked out a better way for us with red ink. It started me writing, and I have never stopped.
What was the inspiration for "The Last Heir"?
I don't know. I was looking for something to write and, as they say, it seemed like a good idea at the time.
Once I began work on it, a guiding idea did emerge – that of slow corruption. In so much fiction, the turn to evil is very sudden, the fall of a character very abrupt. A fairly decent person experiences some sort of horrible tragedy, flips, and becomes criminally psychopathic. I never thought this was a very interesting or accurate idea of corruption. I wanted a path to evil that was more complex, more gradual – a path that began with good, as evil always does. I wanted it to recall the truth that we are more likely to be led into evil by our desires than by our suffering. I attempted to portray this slow descent in one of my characters.
People talk about character arcs, usually meaning the journey of the man who became a hero. I wrote a downward arc, the journey of the man who became the villain.
I have another manuscript completed – The Valley of Decision, a fantasy novel with Trow and Fay and hobgoblins (oh, my). I hope to see it published this year. In the meantime, I'm working on a novel based on the idea of time dimensions. The basic concept is that time has dimensions, just as space does, and so its own geography. This works out to time-travel, with the discrepancy that time is not here a straight line.
As the theory goes, the dimensions of time are these: Time (the first dimension, on which we live); Eternity; and Hyparxis (Totality or Ableness-to-be or the “summit of summits” – and no, I don't really know what, exactly, that's supposed to mean).
What has been the most rewarding moment in your writing career?
Hard to say, though the moment I first held a published copy of The Last Heir would be a good pick.
Do you have any final thoughts?When I first looked at this site I was surprised by how many authors and books were already listed. It's encouraging and I hope to see the numbers grow steadily. Congratulations, Sarah—you've got a good thing going.
I have to begin this review by saying that I stayed up ‘til 1:00 in the morning to finish this book the day after I got it. I haven’t enjoyed a book this much in a very long time.
Behold the Dawn by K. M. Weiland is set during the third Crusade. If that doesn’t ring a bell, this is when Robin Hood and Ivanhoe were saving England from Prince John. Here is the books description from the website you can order the book from (go here also to see the trailer).
Marcus Annan, a tourneyer famed for his prowess on the battlefield, thought he could keep the secrets of his past buried forever. But when a mysterious crippled monk demands Annan help him find justice for the transgressions of sixteen years ago, Annan is forced to leave the tourneys and join the Third Crusade.
Wounded in battle and hunted by enemies on every side, he rescues an English noblewoman from an infidel prison camp and flees to Constantinople. But, try as he might, he cannot elude the past. Amidst the pain and grief of a war he doesn’t even believe in, he is forced at last to face long-hidden secrets and sins and to bare his soul to the mercy of a God he thought he had abandoned years ago.
The sins of a bishop.
The vengeance of a monk.
The secrets of a knight.
This book had an extremely relevant and powerful message and an ending that will leave you gasping for air. Some elements make this unsuitable for young children however I think that ages 13 and up can read it, with parents’ permission of course.
All his life Shane Lassiter revered the man who stood in place of the father he'd never known. Nathaniel Wilcock took Shane into his own home, loved him as a son, and placed within his grasp the largest ranch in the Wyoming Territory. But Shane had heard the stories. He knew the whispers about the fugitive gunman who stood against Wilcock during the land wars that rocked the valley thirty years ago. In Wilcock's eyes, the gunman was a vigilante and an outlaw and as such he had died. To the people of Hangtree, he was a hero-a martyr who stood against corruption and injustice. When Wilcock's greed endangers the only woman Shane has ever loved-a woman who holds the secret that could resurrect everything for which the outlaw fought-Shane finds himself a place not so very different from that of the outlaw. He must make a decision, the shadow of which will be cast over the lives of all those he loves. A decision between truth and power-between honor and life-between right and wrong.
Behold the Dawn
Marcus Annan, a tourneyer famed for his prowess on the battlefield, thought he could keep the secrets of his past buried forever. But when a mysterious crippled monk demands Annan help him find justice for the transgressions of sixteen years ago, Annan is forced to leave the tourneys and join the Third Crusade. Wounded in battle and hunted by enemies on every side, he rescues an English noblewoman from an infidel prison camp and flees to Constantinople. But, try as he might, he cannot elude the past. Amidst the pain and grief of a war he doesn't even believe in, he is forced at last to face long-hidden secrets and sins and to bare his soul to the mercy of a God he thought he had abandoned years ago.
Outlining Your Novel; Map Your Way to Success
Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly wielded, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer’s arsenal. Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success will help you choose the right type of outline for you, guide you in brainstorming plot ideas, aid you in discovering your characters, show you how to structure your scenes, explain how to format your finished outline, instruct you in how to use your outline when writing the first draft, reveal the benefits of outlining, and dispel the misconceptions.
The Memory Lights
A short story (9,000 words) by K.M. Weiland. Even as she scrabbles for a living as a pickpocket on the streets of Victorian London, Mary somehow knows her terror of the streetlamps holds the key to her forgotten past. But not until she and her conman protector are drawn into a daring prison break will she come face to face with the horrifying memory of the night that shattered her life and trapped her in a world of darkness.
The Saddle Daddy Rode
A short story (2,000 words) by K.M. Weiland. For as long as Lail McGurney can remember, her father has managed his ranch and lived his life with a stalwart faith in a God he believed would never abandon them. Now, as Lail watches leukemia eat away her father’s life, she must discover a faith of her own and the strength to say goodbye.
One More Ride in the Rain
A short story (7,000 words) by K.M. Weiland. In the waning days of the American Civil War, three Confederate cavalrymen and their wounded sergeant are forced to take refuge in a widow’s shack. One more battle looms on the horizon—one more battle none of them want to fight—and they must each make a decision that will influence the rest of their lives: to run or to fight?
