So today I’m taking a little bit of a detour from Character Snapshots in order to talk about Athering’s approach to mental illness. I’ll be using examples from the books (Bellica and The Jade Star of Athering), so spoilers ahead. Why? Well, it’s #BellLetsTalk day, and I like contributing to it on the blog. As it is also a Wednesday,… Read more »
Hey there! I haven’t participated in this in a while, for various reasons, but I decided it’s time I start again. Especially as I’m working on a new book and writing every day — I have lots to actually share. If you’re new to SFFSat, basically every Saturday a group of writers share sentences from one of their works on… Read more »
Welcome to Character Snapshots, the new series where I interview my characters at certain points in their lives. Today I’m interviewing Yarrow in 4020, after the events that take place in Bellica. Beware of spoilers! Name? Yarrow Achi deZameera Zarqon. Er. Queen Yarrow, I guess now. That’s tough to get used to. Age and birthday? 30 years old; Duema 2nd,… Read more »
Welcome to Science-Fiction Fantasy Saturday! Here we have the final snippet of Yarrow’s fate on the slopes of Mt. Impri. Read snippet one here and snippet two here. The shape came closer, and she saw six legs – no, wait, now two legs and four arms as it moved to trot upright, large iridescent wings behind it for balance. It… Read more »
To read the first part of this snippet click HERE. The thought was half-formed in her mind when the sound became a high-pitched keening scream. She tried to clamp her hands over her ears but stood paralysed, rooted to the spot. Out of the darkness came a lumbering white shape, galloping towards her with deadly purpose. It continued to scream… Read more »
In this snippet from Bellica Yarrow is walking back up the mountain after her hunting trip. True to her pessimistic prediction, the sun had set by the time she reached the treeline, and she laboured up the rocky, snow-sprinkled slope in the dark. Soon the moons rose and cast their silver light, giving an eerie shine to the rust-coloured rock… Read more »
As promised, here is the rest of yesterday’s little snippet. “Who’s this, then?” she asked into the long silence. “Beats me,” Jules said, face earnest. “I’d hazard a guess and say it’s the last Queen who was exiled to here.” “Thanks, Chief Officer of the Obvious,” she said sardonically and explored the rest of the room. Finding nothing of interest,… Read more »
Hello! I’m finally back for SFSat, and this week I have two snippets for you — one today, one tomorrow. I know, I know — I’m awesome. This week’s Bellica snippet follows Yarrow and Jules’ adventures on Mt. Impri — after safely navigating past the first door, they explore what seems to be an ancient, long-abandoned city within the mountain…. Read more »
For a bit of change of pace this week I’m giving y’all a small snippet from Bellica, my first novel. This is from later on in the novel, when Yarrow (my protagonist) and one of her closest and oldest friends, Jules, are investigating the insides of Mt. Impri — the capricious guardian of Atton, Athering’s northernmost town. Here they find… Read more »
This week’s snippet is a continuation of last week’s, posted here. It caught her completely off guard. She swallowed convulsively in the raw emotion crackling the air. She grasped at her old, Umbra-may-care mood, but her jesting tone fell flat. “What, you’d sacrifice your life for me?” His look didn’t waver, but a small smile, almost as infinitesimal as his… Read more »
Today’s entry is a conversation snippet between Bellica Yarrow and Major Caelum from Bellica. Yarrow is the Empress’s best bellica, and yet she feels herself descending into madness: she committed a crime she has no memory of committing. After a night of drinking, she confesses her actions to her second, Caelum, and his reaction surprises her… “What do you suggest… Read more »
So, I released a cover a while back that was still tugging at me, saying “No, no, I need more, preciousssssss.” (Yeah, I don’t just have characters telling me what to do — I have covers as well.) I realized it was missing green. I’d always envisioned Bellica as a green covered book, and then I designed this cover with… Read more »