Hi everyone, happy Saturday!
Today, we have Dana Sitar with us. I met her through the WordPress.com forums probably about a year ago. Her first book came out a short while back, and the second one will be coming out soon. This post is going along with her blog tour.
So, let’s get on with this interview!
Hey guys, this week has been crazy.
Basically, I don’t have a Friday Findings post for you.
So, will you tell me what cool and exciting things are happening with you? Found any interesting writing advice or contests this week?
And while we’re at it . . . please go and read my Campaign Challenge entry and “like” it if you, well, like it. I’d greatly appreciate it!
See you tomorrow, everyone!
Hey everyone! Along with the Campaign means that challenges are rolling around again! The first one is up!
The criteria:
Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “Shadows crept across the wall”. These five words will be included in the word count.
If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), do one or more of these:
- end the story with the words: “everything faded.” (also included in the word count)
- include the word “orange” in the story
- write in the same genre you normally write
- make your story 200 words exactly!
Shadows crept across the wall, cast by orange-red torchlight. Daylight, the last she’d ever see, waited beyond the dungeon doors.
The doors swung open on silent hinges, she squinted when the sunlight stung her eyes. The guard shoved her forward, and she stumbled blindly across the threshold. A cloud passed over the sun, easing the light in her eyes.
She barely noticed the bits of broken glass and nails biting her feet, or the refuse pelting her face. The crowd’s hateful roar barely whispered in her ears.
She focused solely on him.
Her execution march could have been her wedding processional. Taphim would have been the man waiting for her, either way. She stood tall, confident and at peace, but her heart ached at the unending torment in his eyes.
His voice was hoarse. “Sachi, I have poison.”
He offered mercy. She shook her head and was the only one who saw the tears in his eyes.
The roar of the crowd grew louder – they were impatient.
“I love you, Taphim.”
Sachi stepped back from him. Tears slid down his face as he hefted the weapon.
She barely felt the blows. Her eyes gazed steadily into his until everything faded.
Hi again everyone! Today is the final day for this month’s CSFF blog tour, and I’m relieved because the rest of the week won’t be quite as hectic, but also sad because it’s been fun so far! Though this afternoon/evening, I’ll hopefully have time to go around and visit all my fellow tour participants!
So today, I’m going to actually review The Realms Thereunder.
I’m going to give you a warning – I don’t enjoy reviewing books. I’m definitely a read-it and keep-it-to-myself kind of girl. Part of this is because I don’t always know how to get my analytic thoughts out on paper (it’s been a few years since Freshman Comp in college 
). The other part is since I write so much, and I have 4 critique partners that I work/swap stuff with, I can’t seem to get out of critique mode. So, my review may be a bit more technical from the story-writing point of view.
Overall, I very much enjoyed reading The Realms Thereunder.
People, let me tell you it has been a crazy hectic week! And it’s not even half over yet >_<.
First things first, though, we have a winner for the Restless Spirits giveaway from last week!
Shannon, you’ll be getting an email from Amazon shortly with your Kindle copy of Restless Spirits. If you don’t own a Kindle, you can download the app for PC or another device 
.
And, on to the CSFF part of this blog . . .
I sat down today and cleared my schedule, because I had reading to do – namely, finish The Realms Thereunder and read Halflings for the DAC so that I can send it on to the next person. I did get them both done, in between caring for an under-the-weather husband and having a chiropractor appointment.
Reading The Realms Thereunder was fun. It was definitely not the most intense story I’ve ever read, but it was an enjoyable read. I’m not going to do an in-depth review right now, but I’m going to give a few impressions.
I’m going to reveal a little bit of my utter nerdness here – I used to do Lord of the Rings forum-based role-playing. I role-played as a Rohirrim, and so familiarized myself with smattering of Old English. I even served a stint as the Third Marshal of the Riddermark .
I bet I was one of the few of you that didn’t have to look up how to pronounce some names, or what certain letters were . I’m pretty proud of that fact!
I kept having flashbacks to those role-playing days. I also kept having flashbacks to The Hobbit every time someone broke into song . . .
That said, I found the story an enjoyable read, but it was still too easy to put it down. I like books that keep me reading as quick as I can, and this one had the potential for it, but just didn’t quite draw me in. We’ll touch on that a bit more tomorrow .
Disclaimer: Through participation in the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
