2025 A: Apprentice

An apprentice is a young person who works for someone in order to learn their skill. In the Dragshi Chronicles, apprentices at the Ceoltier Guild learn from the guilds masters and scholars to be teachers, musicians, and arbiters of justice. An apprentice can be identified by the color of his cloak lining which is a light green the color of new hay as opposed to the darker emerald of a master.

The master - apprentice relationship is not always congenial. In the Windmaster Novels, the wizard Bashim treated his apprentice, Nobyn, as a slave. He also kept his knowledge to himself sharing very little.

The following excerpt from Windmaster Legacy shows a different relationship. To set the stage, Ellspeth, not much more than a fledgling mage herself, is Bashim’s prisoner. Yet she sees Nobyn's yearning and starts to teach him how to use his magic. Nobyn had just brought Ellspeth's meal to her cell. A meal tainted with a sleep potion. And she asks him remove the magic spell. 

Nobyn’s low question interrupted Ellspeth’s reflection. Another sliver of hope joined the others to produce more optimism than Ellspeth had thought possible a few hours before. An evenness she didn’t feel colored her tone. “I’ll give you the incantation and show you how to use it by taking the sleep injunction off the water. Then you try clearing the food.”

Held breath and a sparkle in Nobyn’s eyes told Ellspeth she was on the right track.

“Your powers are strong enough to know if the spell worked,” she added.

On Nobyn’s next visit, she did not even have to ask him to remove Bashim’s spells from the food and drink. Nobyn sat the jug of water and plate with meat and bread on the floor in front of the bench. His eyes scrunched in concentration, he mouthed the words he had learned such a short time ago. Sheer joy filled the youth’s face at his success. “I never knew I could feel this way,” he muttered. “Is this how it feels to be a mage?”

Ellspeth answered the only way she could, with a knowing smile.

~till next time Helen 

If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the participants.

 

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Meet Relliq #MFRWHooks

Continuing the series of posts introducing some of my favorite people (or people I love to hate) from Windmaster Golem, the sword and sorcery romantic fantasy series, the Windmaster Novels, you are invited to meet the mage, Relliq. A few thoughts on the character. He wants to be archmage and control the world. A thorn in his plans to make Kiansel his obedient mate is the Isle of Mage's weaponsmith, Brodie. The fact that Brodie is a non-tal, someone without powers of his own is to Relliq the ultimate insult, and something to be eliminated.

Physical Description

Relliq has intense brown eyes. His dark curls like to fall over his forehead. He is handsome enough to catch the eye of the opposite sex. 

Background 

As a boy, his parents recognized Relliq's untapped ability. Knowing that without powers of their own, they could not teach him control, they did want the best for their younger son and at the age of 16 sent him to study with the Oracle of Givneh at his temple.  However, knowing he was different set Relliq's attitude. He rejected the discipline of service to others and preferred to use his magic to gain power or whatever else he wanted.

An excerpt of one of Relliq's early experiments with magic. The power came about by accident, but he was not one to waste the opportunity.

Boredom added to Relliq’s dark mood. He blew on knuckles bloodied once again from scraping the edge of the bowl as he ground herbs for poultices. The bag Ysbail had left to be ready for her return was still three-quarters full. “I’m not a healer,” he snarled. “Smashing herbs into small pieces isn’t magic. It’s just woman’s work.”

But Ysbail was not only the healer of Montrat, she was also his teacher. At least for the moment, he thought. Soon the student will surpass the master. Sighing, he dropped another clump of the dried leaves into the bowl and picked up the heavy stone grinder. The cool stone rubbed against skin not yet callused. Only three turns later, sharp pain meant another blister raised and broken.

“Enough is enough,” he hissed. Swift movements dumped the clumps of herbs back into the bag and half-filled a bowl with water. The liquid cooled the sting in his hands. A slight movement of his fingers swirled the drops of blood that oozed from his knuckles into an intricate design. The rune for fog appeared, then the one for entrapment.

Snatching his spellbook from the shelf, he quickly flipped through the pages looking for instructions on how to pair the two runes. “There must be something that will work,” he muttered. “Even if the fog only affects the mind, confuses the will, it will be a useful tool. But how to direct it?” His search of the book revealed no answer, still, the lure of the envisioned magic called him. Careful so as not to disrupt the symbols, he cast the spell and peered deep into the bowl to watch the result.

The image of a rolling surf changed to a narrow, rock-lined path. Recognition dawned. The Isle of Mages? What if the archmage finds out? fear wondered.

It doesn’t matter, Relliq countered. One day, and not too far away, I will be in charge. His plan settled, he threw more magic into the spell. A man appeared. Tall and wide-shouldered, he strode with confidence along at steep trail. Gray ropes snatched at his legs. The air around the figure thickened and within a heartbeat became an impenetrable haze.

Now the liquid in the bowl once again showed its true nature. As he had just moments before, Relliq searched his memory for the means to use and control the spell. A pairing came to mind. “Night be dark, light be gone, mist turn into a living fog,” he hissed

What had been a haze thickened and pulsed in a rhythm that mirrored a heartbeat.

Relliq’s lips parted. He leaned closer to the bowl. The shadowed man fell, rose to his feet, shambled a few paces, fell again, then on hands and feet crawled through the swirling mass. Movement ceased when the figure placed his back against a sheer rock face.

More on the attack can be found in the posts Fog Attack and The Mist Strangles. As to the man? You're invited to meet Brodie, weaponsmith of the Isle of Mages, and friend to Lord Dal and Lady Ellspeth.

More About Him (Secrets or Public)

He doesn't believe in the use of sword or any other traditional weapons. In his mind, the ability to wield magic is the only weapon worth learning. You have to read Windmaster Golem to see whether the archmage or Brodie teach Relliq the truth.

 I hope you enjoyed this introduction to Relliq. Find excerpts for Windmaster Golem by clicking on the cover in the banner. To purchase Windmaster Golem, use the links below. 

Buy Links: One click to ebook sellers
Paperback at Amazon

Meet Brodie #MFRWHooks

Continuing the series of posts introducing some of my favorite people (or people I love to hate.) You've met Kiansel, future leader of the Temple of the Oracle. Now, you are invited to meet Brodie from the sword and sorcery romance fantasy series, the Windmaster Novels.

Physical Description

In Windmaster, Brodie is fifteen. In Windmaster Golem, he is thirty. The slender youth grew taller and broad shouldered with muscles developed from intensive weapons training. One thing that doesn't change is his intense brown eyes. The following excerpt is the first introduction to the young man who would later be an important part of the Isle of Mages.

Dal and Ellspeth’s weapons rose and fell in unison. In the face of their combined attack, one by one the soldiers between Dal and his target fell until only three remained. Ellspeth faced Gille Erim, who screeched at the retreating and wounded men to “stand fast.” Defending Ruaridh stood his last remaining soldier, a sword held in a manner more inexperienced than mercenary.

Dal allowed himself several heartbeats to get his breath. His chest heaved in an effort to refill his lungs. His arms tiring, newly-healed cuts burned from the sweat that now streamed down his back. Yet he stared cold-faced at those before him.

“Ruaridh will not leave the field alive.” Dal closed the distance to Ruaridh’s fragile protection. He lunged forward and knocked the sword from the soldier’s hand. Beneath the askewed helmet, Dal saw frightened eyes within a pale face.

He could not be more than sixteen turns, Dal realized. “Unless you want to join him, I suggest you leave.” The hope that flickered across the youth’s face brought a memory of another boy who stood disarmed before a superior warrior. He heard Telarim the Red’s words again, as if for the first time.

I might as well use Telarim’s technique. “Return to your home,” Dal ordered the youth. “If in two turns you still want to soldier, find Telarim the Red. Tell him Lieutenant Dal sent you. Telarim will teach you well if you’re willing to learn.”

The boy stepped aside, careful to keep his hands away from his sides. His throat convulsed several times before he was able to speak. “My lord, my life is now yours. I have no home to return to. For your mercy, command me and I am yours.”

Dal stared down into brown eyes young with life. “Take that black gelding. Go to Stratven and present yourself to the King’s Guard. The toiseach of the guard will assign you work until I get there.”

Background 

After Ruaridh's troop was defeated, Brodie followed Dal's command and studied for a year with the tioiseach of King Fraunces court. He learned quickly, picking up both strategy and weapons then spent a cold season at the winter camp of the mercenary, Telarim the Red. It was during this time he discovered his talent for weaponsmithing and he learned everything he could from the unit's master.

Brodie honed his skills upon his return to Stratven where he earned commissions making custom weapons for the town elite, including the king. What would set the course for the next phase of Brodie's life came when he received a request from the king to take a message to Dal at the Isle of Mages. Dal and the isle's sergeant-at-arms offered Brodie a position at the School of Mages. Brodie stayed on, making the journeyman daggers for the apprentice mages who did not have one and teaching them weapons and self-defense. 

An excerpt from Brodie's time at the Isle of Mages can be found in the posts Fog Attack and The Mist Strangles.

More About Him (Secrets or Public)

Brodie is friends with the residents of the Isle of Mages,  both those possessing powers and well as not. His friendship with Lord Dal and Lady Ellspeth came with a potential problem. Their teen-age daughters have a crush on him.

Although not a mage, Brodie rides a fàlaire stallion. Wirake is not just a member of the herd of magical equines that live near the Isle of Mages, but the son of the head stallion.

A secret not known by many is that the long sword Brodie wields is named, something only give to special weapons. TânOer was blessed by both Dal and Ellspeth, imbuing it with special powers.

I hope you enjoyed this introduction to Brodie.  Find excerpts for Windmaster Golem by clicking on the cover in the banner. To purchase Windmaster Golem, use the links below. 

Buy Links: One click to ebook sellers
Paperback at Amazon

Time and Turns, Seasons and Candlemarks #mfrwhooks

Time waits for no one. The topic began to percolate as a possible post while watching a beautiful June sunset. And thinking that the sun was going down earlier than I remembered as a child. And that outside activities are less and less. Of course, the heat index for most of the day was over 100 degrees, which precluded leaving comfort of air conditioning.

Time passes not only in the real world, but also in the worlds we create. A few examples follow where the word "Time" appears in a tale. First, from Hatchling's Mate, a volume in the Dragshi Chronicles. To set the scene, water is literally lapping at Talann's feet and there is a group of women and children stranded on a rapidly disappearing hillock on the other side of the river.

Talann pulled off his boots and tossed them aside. He let enough air escape to give the order. “Let’s do this.” His teeth chattering from the cold, he waded out into the rough waves and in a lithe move, dove into the dark depths. Currents countered his every stroke. Despite throwing every ounce of his will and muscle into the task he made slow progress. Each time he surfaced for a breath of air, the opposite shore seemed more distant.

Next, a few lines from Windmaster Golem, from the Windmaster Novels, of how time can change people.

Kia felt the strength of the Oracle in her brother’s gaze. Unlike the other times she had seen him in his official role, for the first time she saw him in the full splendor of this position. He seemed a pillar of lambent energy. Before she could react, he was once again the brother of her childhood.

Finally, a scene from yesteryear and today from the short story, The Introduction, which is part of the collection, Hearth and Sand: Stories From The Front Lines and the Homefront.

The flickering streaks of day’s end penetrated the deepening shadows. Barely visible was the shape of a man, a rifle held by his side. A closer view revealed a statue, frozen in time in a uniform of long ago.

 

May you have all the time to do all the things you want.

  ~till next time,  Helen

Be sure to check out the other excerpts by the authors of MFRW.

Dark Days, Dark Actions #MFRWAuthor

Welcome to the monthly topic from the MFRW challenge. The topic is "How Different Seasons Affect Your Writing." Now there are different aspects to the seasons depending on where you are from which can affect your writing. In the northeast, there are distinct seasonal changes. Of course, some of them might feel only a few weeks long, but temperatures, storms, and different crops in the fields tell the story. Despite the fact that it is springtime outside, I'm just going to focus on one season -- winter.  And to the reason why? 

Winter can be especially stressful and full of dark emotions. There are shorter days, longer nights, parties (or lack thereof) and family gatherings. The effects of these on an author can break through their control and reflect in their writing.

My characters hate the long dark nights between the solstice and turn's end. More than one has ended up captured and in the dungeon. First a short excerpt from Imprisoned in Stone. Colywnn is imprisoned in a cell deep in the citadel of the Brethren He can accept no mercy from those who want to control all magic, even though his father is their leader.

Even though the blocking spells absorbed most of the light emitted from the single candle high on the wall, he used the wan glow to examine the room. Stone by stone, he searched for a way out, either through magic or physical force. His questing fingers found only walls worked smooth by those of countless prisoners. Each time he found a hint of magic and tried to summon his own powers, the prison absorbed them, eating away his strength. Although he spotted his own spell interwoven among those who over the years had placed the restraint on the cell, the faint hope it provided quickly vanished. As he watched in hopeless frustration, his spell faded, dispersed by those of the Brethren members.

His back against the wall, Colwynn slid to the floor. He considered one approach after another, then discarded it. Who could he call upon for help? Gareth’s powers were too weak. And the only other wizards he knew were confirmed members of the Brethren. Only one person had the possibility of reaching him—Maerva.

Gathering his magic, he pictured her in his mind. A prayer on his lips, he cast out a desperate call.

Dead silence greeted his effort.

I wasn't any more charitable for Talann of the dragshi or the archmage Dal. When Talann went undercover in the cult of the Parant in Hatchling's Mate, the cult's leader did not believe the son of a dragon shifter would betray his own kind. Even though no dragons sang a welcome at Talann's birth and to all the world he was an outcast, the Parant turned Talann over to the not-so-tender mercies of a mercenary captain.

Dal's captors weren't happy with just him as a prisoner. They wanted the magical equine he rode also. However because of his actions, Tairneach and his fellow herdmates escaped. Before his dark night in the dungeon, an excerpt from Windmaster of Dal's capture by his former troopmate.

Dal went sprawling to hands and knees from a blow to the back of his head. Dust clogged his nostrils. He tried to stand, but a second blow knocked him flat. He arched his back to dislodge the heavy weight of the men piled atop him. Muscles weakened by the poison collapsed. A heel stomped on his fingers and kicked the sword from his grasp. Rough hands grabbed both arms and twisted them back. Pain radiated from the foot on his neck, and the sharp edges of the rocks cutting into his face. The cold touch of iron chains around his wrists killed any hopes of escape.

The weight of those holding him down suddenly lifted. Dal gasped for air. A hand in his hair pulled him up to a kneeling position. Someone behind him slipped a choke collar over his head and pulled it tight. His skin crawled beneath the metal links. More chains were wrapped around his chest, pinning his arms to his sides. He could not move enough to free himself.

The resonance of Bashim’s essence permeated each link.

Dal swore in wordless anger. The chains were enspelled. They bound magic ... my magic.

If intrigued, you can find buy links for each of the books by clicking on the covers in the banner above.

~till next time, Helen

Be sure to see how the other authors answered the question. https://mfrw52week.blogspot.com/

Chatting about my favorite things at the BWL Insider Blog. Hope you'll stop by. ~till next time. Helen

 

 

Windmaster To Sail Again

Edits for my latest novel, Windmaster Golem, have been incorporated and await proofreading and the final audio review. Since the next part of the tale of the archmage and the sea captain won't be available until October, why not start at the beginning of the series. You're invited to cast off and fill the sails for love and adventure.

Windmaster - Revenge set Ellspeth and the archmage, Dal, on the path to her destiny, but prophecy controlled the journey. Adventure, magic, and the search for a hidden treasure in an epic fantasy.  buy link

Windmaster Legacy -  As archmage, Dal might be able to survive killing the future of magic, but as a man could he live with the knowledge he caused the death of a loved one.  buy link

And stay tuned for the cover reveal of Windmaster Golem. 

~till next time. Come join me as we journey the high seas, and from mountain heights to cavern depths on an epic quest to save the future of magic.

W is for World Building

One of the more interesting parts of writing fantasy is creating the world you'll be living in for months or years. World building includes the joy of research, but that letter was taken by "R is for Religion." Which is one aspect of world building.

While I write, photos of various setting are either in a notebook for easy reference or pinned to the wall of my writing space. There have been images of the horses that inspired the magical equines of the Dragshi Chronicles, the Windmaster Novels, and Imprisoned in Stone. Real-world setttings that inspired the fantasy ones of Windmaster Legacy included the Australian Outback and Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock.)

A trip into a Pennsylvania coal mine provied the basis for Ellspeth's experiences as she traveled in the cave of the circlet. The culture for FIRE AND ICE from the novella and short story collection First Change: Legends From the Eyrie came from time in the orient. Besides personal experience (which is a bit difficult for writers of fantasy) there are resources such as Worldbuilding Magazine to help you design your culture.

While I may not be able to physically travel to Hawaii or Scotland, my characters, and through them you, can. I hope you'll enjoy your travels to the stars and worlds of imagination. As a special gift, I invite you to visit the planet Withym and search for artifacts. But be warned, the volcano means to protect her treasures. To join the adventure, click on the cover.


  Click on the button to find my next post in the challenge.  Remember, it won't be live until midnight after this entry.
 

If you're interested in following other blogs in the A to Z in April challenge, click on the logo for the master list of the other participants.

~till next time, Helen 

R is for Religion

One aspect of building a fantasy world is the religion. Or for some worlds, there is more than one belief system. For the "R" post in the A to Z in April Challenge, a few thoughts on the religions that appear in the Dragshi Chronicles, the Windmaster Novels, and Imprisoned in Stone.

In Nerelan, the world of the Dragshi Chronicles, the primary aspect of religion is ancestor worship. Members of some clans claim to see the ghosts of those who passed through the veil to the next world. Although the dragshi are the ultimate arbiters of justice, because of their few numbers and the fact they can take on dragon form and fly, they are not worshiped.

In the far eastern land of Eruichin, while they honor ancestors, the main religion is the rule of law that is overseen by the Emperor. The law was expanded with stronger liberties for women by Mirabeesh, Queen of the land after she shifted form with her dragon soul twin, Kimeshi. The rule of law then became known as Dragon Law. The tale of Mirabeesh is told in FIRE AND ICE, one of the stories chronicled in First Change: Legends From The Eyrie.

The other religion in Eruichin was run by the Daxa, religious leaders who served the temple of the god Tagachim who lives in the volcano that towers over the capital city. The temple leader was one step below the emperor/empress. His power comes from his authority as servant to Tagachim, an authority which includes human sacrifice. Chosen by lottery by the placing of carved ivory tokens placed in a wooden tube, single women over the age of fifteen, married women younger than forty without children, were selected as brides of Tagachi. A marriage made by either throwing the chosen one into the volcano or sealing her into an ice cave.

An even darker religion was the cult led by the Parant in the Dragshi Chronicles. He was discussed in the post, P is for Parant. The counter to the Parant is the Oracle of Givneh from the Windmaster Novels. From their temple on the plateau of Givneh on the main continent of Katheul, by tradition the followers of the oracle's teachings are a community of service. However, in Windmaster, a rogue mage took over the temple, usurped the will of the followers and twisted the religion to his own beliefs. Among his tenets was that magic is evil (unless it serves him.) Something that the false oracle didn't tell his followers? Blood sacrifices and blind obedience enhanced his powers.

To end this post, I'll end with the water gods popular with sailors when they ask for intercession. ~till next time, the Sailor's Blessing. "Fair skies and following seas."


Click on the button to find my next post in the challenge. Remember, it won't be live until midnight after this entry.

If you're interested in following other blogs in the A to Z in April challenge, click on the logo for the master list of the other participants.

L is for Legends

It is not uncommon for a fictional story to be built upon an ancient tale. Legends appear in both the Windmaster Novels and the Dragshi Chronicles.

The dragshi are more than just a man or woman. Each are two beings--one a dragon, the other a human--sharing one body in space and time and able to change forms with the other at will. Their world and adventures are recorded in the Dragshi Chronicles. Within each of books in the Dragshi Chronicles, the ceoltiers, the keepers of the past and the present recount some legend. Usually as a means of making a point or teaching a lesson. Talann's instructors used the story of Lasair and Cailin to help him curb some of his impetuous behaviour.

A different approach was taken with First Change: Legends From The Eyrie. Where a legend was only given a brief mention in the previous volumes, First Change features the full story behind the legends. As with all tales, some contain larger than life deeds. Others are the simple story of a man or woman doing what must be done, regardless of the cost. But a lesson to be learned. When you shift into dragon form, sometimes Fate controls the flight.



As a teaser, the excerpt from Windmaster, of Captain Ellspeth recounting to her passenger, Lord Dal, the story behind the bright stars in the nighttime sky named Iol and Pelra.

Iol and Pelra were captains; both had won their gold bracelets. Their rank was suitable, but his mother had rejected her father’s courtship, so a joining between Iol and Pelra was not allowed. Since no one had ever sailed the southern island route in less than four sevenday, the two families proposed a wager. If Iol and Pelra made the trip in less than two sevenday, the families would allow the marriage. The pair set off in their respective ships with all masts carrying as much canvas as the rigging could handle.

“Iol and Pelra prayed, and in recognition of their devotion the water god favored them with fair skies. Brisk winds pushed them faster than any vessel had ever sailed before. The ships returned in the final hour allowed by the bet. Despite their return within the allotted time, the parents reneged and declared Iol and Pelra had lost the bet and refused to allow the marriage. The ruling council of Iol’s house ordered him to a remote inland lake to captain an old scupper. Pelra was confined to her family complex. Unable to return to their ships and the sea, the pair sneaked to the twin rocks that guarded the harbor entrance. When the families sent soldiers to enforce their orders, the water god brought up a storm to protect the lovers. Then he transformed Iol and Pelra into shipfish. Legend has it they swam together to the end of the world. One powerful leap carried them into the night sky.”

Windmaster Legend tells the story that gave birth to the legend of the star-crossed lovers.


~till next time, Helen 

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Click on the button to find my next post in the challenge.  Remember, it won't be live until midnight after this entry.

 
 If you're interested in following other blogs in the A to Z in April challenge, click on the logo for the master list of the other participants.

G is for Golem #MFRWauthor

Image by darrenquigley32 from Pixabay

A creature from myth and legend, a golem is a living being created out of an inanimate substance such as clay or metal. The inspiration for the golem came from a terracotta statue.

When the disgraced mage Relliq discovers cave after cave filled with clay soldiers he thought he had the perfect tool to destroy the Archmage Dal and the rest of the Council Isle mages.

But he discovers magic isn't enough to bring the statues to life. Blood is needed. He decides it's not a real problem. For his first battle he doesn't need an army of golem, just a few would break down the gates of the hidden city of Diomharid. And it doesn't matter iif the members of the bandit group he leads don't want to assist in bringing the golem to life. The donor of blood doesn't need to be willing.

Windmaster Golem - Coming October 2020

Before then, read the other books set in the world of windmaster.

Click on the button to find my next post in the challenge.  Remember, it won't be live until midnight after this entry. If you're interested in following other blogs in the A-to-Z in April challenge, click on the link for the master list of the other participants.
 
Or if you haven't had your fill of excerpts, there are always the MFRW Book Hooks. 

~till next time, Helen 

S is for Shipfish

S is for shipfish

The sea and its creatures appear in many ways in the fantasy world of the Windmaster Novels. Vessels are named after the inhabitants of the deep blue (Sea Falcon, Red Fish, Loch Bird) or the ocean’s fickle nature (Dragon Wave, Cloud Dancer.) Monsters from the deep blue form the basis of myth and legend.

Image courtesy of Pixabay

On the other end of the scale, are the shipfish, commonly regarded as a sailor's friend. The sight of the tall fins skimming through the waves and the luminescent trail left in their wake provided the sailors a sense of safety and security. Most captains kept a supply of fresh bait fish to toss to the shipfish as offerings to the sea gods for the boon of a smooth voyage.


According to legend of Iol and Pelra, the lovers jumped into the sea to avoid capture and the water gods turned the pair into shipfish. Since the legend was already covered in the A-Z post for the letter "L," here's an excerpt from Windmaster where shipfish perform a special service, the final requiem.

Dal’s somber rendition of the words of final journey seemed far away. She hardly noticed when four crewmen took the wizard’s place at the opening in the rail. Her fingers moved of their own volition to send the flute’s haunting refrain over the water. On the dirge’s final note, the crew tilted the board. A solitary ripple marred the surface of the lake when the body dropped into its dark depths.

A crewman’s cry of surprise at the two shipfish who rose alongside the ship broke Ellspeth’s inward focus. She felt the crew’s awe as the sea creatures’ whispery sounds repeated the funeral dirge. Their silver bodies surged upward to balance on split tails. “Almost like the King’s Guard,” a grizzled crewman at the rail offered. His observation of an honor guard came true when two more shipfish surfaced—the body balanced between their large back fins. The Sea Falcon’s crew stood motionless while eerie whistles echoed across the lake. When the final note of the unusual dirge faded away, the shipfish and their cherished burden slipped out of sight. Full dark had settled upon the still lake before the crew sought their bunks.

Unwilling to move, Ellspeth stood alone at the bow rail.

Windmaster - universal buy link
Windmaster Legend - universal buy link

Next up is the letter, "T." If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.
 
~ till next time, Helen

K is for the Kapuna Tree

K is for the Kapuna Tree.

In the following excerpt from Windmaster the archmage, Lord Dal, is introduced to the tree of mages by his friend and mentor, Semelen. The tree holds the heritage of every wizard back to time immemorial and to a future not yet revealed.

Three steps took Dal into the veiled clearing. The stillness, the feeling of peace, was even more overwhelming here than on the mountain. Even the need for vengeance, bred into his bones by the traditions of generations of his ancestors, gave way before it.

An ancient tree, old before time began, almost filled the small space. Long tendrils hung finger-like from the branches that formed a high canopy. Heart-shaped leaves covered each narrow strand. In each leaf, veins, the brown-red color of dried blood, made the tree look like the grisly aftermath of battle. Dal slowly walked around the tree. Close up he could see a faint symbol—a mage identification—on each leaf. With each step he traced the names of dead friends and the fellow members of the Wizard’s Council.

Something shimmered at the end of a branch. The leaf’s vein was a vibrant pure red. Instead of the stillness of the other leaves, this one pulsed. Even before he spotted the rune that symbolized his own name, Dal realized the leaf’s rhythm was that of his own heartbeat. The leaf marked his lifeline.

At the end of the branch, a leaf without a symbol also vibrated. He ran a finger along of its main vein. Despite the feather-light touch, a shock numbed his arm. Ellspeth’s face appeared then faded, leaving behind only an undefined yearning.

The name for the ancestry tree of mages came from the Hawaiian word for ancestor. Not only does the Kapuna Tree have a leaf on it for every living mage, in the vein of ancestry, the tree has a leaf on it for every mage that has ever lived, even those that have passed beyond the veil. Where the previous excerpt forshadowed one mage's destiny, another leaf tells not of life, but of death. of a mage who is about to join his ancestors.

The flicker of the adjacent leaf was noticeably slower, and with each passing second, the color turned darker and darker. Its small veins had already shifted into deep red. Dal knew without even looking that the name marked on the leaf was Semelen’s.

Semelen’s hand felt warm on Dal’s shoulder, despite the coolness of the glade. “It was not your fault, my friend, that you were away when it happened. The poison spread so quickly not even the most skilled healers among us could have saved those on the island. We’re just fortunate you survived to carry on the work... and to rebuild the council.”

Dal wrenched away from the intended comfort. “There is no council anymore. Everyone is dead. I built the pyres myself.” His voice grew quieter with each word, until it was almost a whisper.

Semelen spun Dal around, his grip firm despite his impending death.

Windmaster - universal buy link


Tomorrow’s letter is "L" and stands for Legend as in Windmaster Legend. If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

~ till next time, Helen

J is for Jardrese

J is for Jardrese

To me, creating a world involves more than magic and swordplay. The characters need food and drink, and occasionally, recreation. In the world of the Windmaster Novels, jardrese is a dice game or sometimes called a game of tiles. It is played with multiple rows of dice or tiles each bearing a specific symbol designating its ranking or power. The game can be played with multiple players or in a two-handed, single-player version.

A Hint? Play ivory against the wolf.

Tomorrow’s post is about the Kapuna Tree, from Windmaster Legacy.


If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

~ till next time, Helen

Out and About, A Legend Sets Sail

With Windmaster setting sail, I'm going to be taking a virtual cruise through the worlds of Windmaster and the Dragshi Chronicles. Passengers on cruise ships used to throw streamers at those on shore when the anchor lifted.  For this sail, the streamers will be shimmering ribbons cast by mages or dropped by dragons. In a change of pace, instead of a focusing on a single topic, this post will change and expand as the links go live with a note about each port of call and as the distribution becomes expanded.

Buy Links: Paperback: Amazon / Barnes&Noble / Amazon UK / Foyles / Booktopia / Powells / Waterstones

Ebook: Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon CA /  Barnes&Noble  / iTunes  /  Smashwords  / More ebook stores




Itinerary for Windmaster Legend's inaugural sail

First port of call.

Talking about magical equines, pets, and a cat with attitude (as well as books I've written) on Marcia James blog, Go Pets. A special itinerary note: Will be there all March.

Next on the itinerary, Finding The Write Words for a short, fun, and insightful interview. Where would you be mortified if your cell phone went off? that's one of the questions I answer.

Come see what swims in the ocean with Here Shipfish Swim on Delilah Devlin's blog.

Meet Iol of the House of Cszabo as he answers questions from Viviana MacKade.


There's a quick stop with Nancy Badger Where Happy Ever After Takes the Road Less Traveled

Out and About with Fiona Mcvie

Some interviews are fun... some reveal yourself. Some are both. Fiona Mcvie is a  mum and granny. Her "About" section mentions a love of reading and baking. She is also a great interviewer. Stop by her blog to see mine.

I pulled one question as a teaser, selected because of the nearness of All Hallow's Eve.


Fiona: What do you want written on your headstone and why?

This is definitely a different question. Surprisingly, it is one that has been on my mind recently. Name and dates don’t capture the imagination of the viewer when they walk through the cemetery. I prefer the old-fashioned sandstones with epitaphs rather than the new-fangled markers with a video embedded in it. So here goes.

Here lies an author, storyteller and historian.
She captured the past for the future
and cared for all.

The rest of the story  is at  https://authorsinterviews.wordpress.com/2016/10/28/here-is-my-interview-with-helen-henderson/. 

Hope you'll stop by for a visit.

~till next time. Helen