tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72985788117532813192024-03-13T05:10:43.460-07:00The Ranting BookwormThis blog will discuss, debate, babble, & of course RANT about books & all things book related. I'll also include reviews, author interviews, & anything I can find to keep you on your toes. I Love books & hope my blog brings more book lovers together, until then, read until your head hurts ;-)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840058533553867365noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298578811753281319.post-26678139875131003402018-01-21T08:02:00.001-08:002018-01-21T08:02:55.413-08:00I'm Back!<p dir="ltr">  I know my subscribers were few, but for those of you who knew of The Rantings Bookworm before, I'm Back! For those of you who didn't, please allow me to re-introduce my blog. This is a blog about books, my (and your) love for books, and any book related rants, babblings and reviews I feel like posting. I stopped posting a few years back due to life just not letting me, but I'm back now and plan many fun blog posts for 2018. </p>
<p dir="ltr">  To give you an idea of the type of books I read and review here I have devised a rough list of generes you can expect to see. Please realize this is a general idea of what to expect and it is completely possible to see book topics and reviews for books from a non-listed genere. </p>
<p dir="ltr">FICTION<br>
* Paranormal \ Supernatural<br>
* Paranormal \ Supernatural Romance<br>
* YA (usually of the paranormal \ supernatural bent)<br>
* Science Fiction<br>
* Classics (such as: Dracula, Pride and Prejudice, Alice in Wonderland, etc.)</p>
<p dir="ltr">NON-FICTION<br>
* Anything about animals ( this applies to the FICTION category too)<br>
* Science<br>
* History</p>
<p dir="ltr">  Hope that helps you decide if this blog could be of interest to you. You can also check out my past blogs to see if you might like hanging around for more. Be aware, they are only an idea of what i write here, I plan to expand on this blog and make it more fun this time round. I'm hoping to do a few blogs a month. This is is my first post for 2018 and I hope to get one more in before the months end. </p>
<p dir="ltr">  Also, my next author review, wether it be at the end of January or beginning of February will be a review of two books from my favorite YA author Merry Brown. I have reviewed and interviewed her in the past about her two YA book series. I just finished book two of both series and plan to share a few thoughts on it with anyone willing to listen. Feel free to check out the my past blog entry about Merry Brown and her books at:  http://therantingbookworm.blogspot.com/2014/08/interview-with-author-merry-brown.html</p>
<p dir="ltr">  Finally, I will also have a FB page open to help make everyone aware of all new blog entries from me and to simply post fun book related memes. So, if you are interested in seeing more from me, please add The Ranting Bookworm FB page: https://www.facebook.com/The-Ranting-Bookworm-562817020518089/?ref=bookmarks</p>
<p dir="ltr">  I'm very <u>e</u>xcited and hope to see a few of you there. Thanks for your time. <br>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840058533553867365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298578811753281319.post-32857048122997706912014-10-16T23:00:00.000-07:002014-10-19T13:52:08.149-07:00What I'm Reading Update: 10-16-14 I told everyone that I would have more posts like this & here it is, #2 in What I'm Reading. This is an update since I'm still reading some & I've finished others. First, I would like to mention that today has been my best day to date for page views, 78 total page views. I would like to thank everyone who has helped me do this, the authors who share my blog on their pages & the people who re-tweeted me on Twitter. I would also like to thank the readers, everyone who took the time & interest to read my silly posts. I'm new to blogging & stuff like this means a lot to me. Now on to the topic of this post. Last post like this I explained the categories of what I read & why. Those categories were: something from the stack of books I won from Goodreads, a pick from my online book club All About Animals, a suggestion from my best friend Amy who sends me books to read, &, last but not least, a personal book selection, something I read just because I want to. For those who've been following all my posts, you'll remember that I mentioned in a later post that I failed to mention a category, I know, a fifth, how can I read so many? Well, that was also discussed in my last post like this, but for those who didn't read it let me remind everyone the how & why I do this. I feel reading is like watching TV & who likes to watch the same thing all day or even all week, so, I liven things up by reading multiple books at the same time. I try & read at least a minimum of 10 pages before I pick up another book, but sometimes I read more before I tire & have to read something different. Now that I've made that clear again, lets proceed. The fifth category is an eReader pick. I win a lot of great books in digital form from Librarything.com & sometimes authors are just nice enough to share their books with me this way in exchange for an honest review. Since I've so many to read I have to make it a fifth category or I'd never get them read. Now I've got all that out of the way, lets proceed with the fun part, the books. In this post I will share with you the books I've finished since last time, the reviews I wrote for them, what I chose to fill the empty category & finally what my eReader choice is. I hope you enjoy this post & if you have any comments or books you'd like me to read please feel free to mention them in the comments part of this page.<br />
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Lets review, I was reading Wicked by Gregory Macguire for the personal pick. I was also reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon for Amy's suggestion. I am still reading them & they are good, but my focus was kind of on the other two categories this past month. The two I finished were Travels With Casey by Benoit Denizet-Lewis for my Book club selection & The Curse of the Thrax by Mark Murphy for my Goodreads win choice. And I loved both of them tremendously. So much so I had difficultly putting them down, hence the other 2 books not being close to done. Let me share with you my thoughts on these books and then I will share my fifth pick at the end.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Travels With Casey </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>by: Benoit Denizet-Lewis</b></span></div>
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For anyone who doesn't know about this book yet or those who haven't read my other write up on Travels With Casey, let me try & sum it up. The author, an assistant professor of writing & writer for The New York Times Magazine has also written a few books, including his latest Travels With Casey. His latest book was an idea that came to him when he not only wished to understand Americas obsession with their dogs, but also wanted to strengthen his relationship with his dog, Casey. Benoit, as silly as it may sound, always feared his dog didn't love him as much as he wanted &, if given the choice, would rather live with someone else. So, to remedy this problem & study our cultures obsession with dogs, he packed Casey & himself up in an RV & hit the road for four months. During this four month journey he traveled the US & spoke to every type of dog person you could imagine. He explored shelters, Indian reservations, people who've made the news with their dogs, new things like Doga (yoga for dogs), & he even visited Cesar Milan. It doesn't stop there though, he visited ranchers, conventions & wolf/ dogs. I can't possibly list everything, it would take too much time, but this is only the tip of the doggy iceberg that Benoit explores. Check out my review, which can also be found on Goodreads.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Review of Travels With Casey</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> by The Ranting Bookworm</b></span></div>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview984588272">This
book was fantastic. Benoit Denizet-Lewis went the whole 9 yards &
more when it cam to fulfilling his goal of traveling around the U.S. in a
motor home with his dog meeting the dog-lovers of our country. I felt
like I was a part of his journey & I didn't want it to end. Benoit
has a way of writing that makes you feel like a close friend, like the
two of you are siting down to a drink & a chat. There were times
that almost brought me to tears, but more often then not I laughed. Much
of the authors writing was done with an appropriate sense of humor
which I believe was needed for the long trip & many heart wrenching
situations he had to deal with & came across in his journey. Benoit
also peppered the book with all sorts of great dog facts & quotes I
never knew existed until I read his book. I don't have a dog, but I love
all animals & I loved this book. Dog-lovers & animal-lovers
alike will enjoy this book. Even people who think they know all there is
to know about dogs can find enjoyment & learn something from this
book. I read a lot of books about dogs & dog training & anything
related to the subject of dogs & with all that knowledge I still
had fun reading this book & learned a lot when I thought I couldn't
possibly learn anything new. I would happily read anything else this
author writes & I hope he decides to write more dog related
literature in the future, perhaps he can update us on Rezzy, a new dog he found during his journey, & his
relationship with Casey. If you love animals and or if you love dogs,
then I suggest you find a copy of Travels With Casey & read it. </span></span></div>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview984588272"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Cure of The Thrax</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview984588272"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>by: Mark Murphy</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview984588272"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> This was my selection for books to read that I won on Goodreads & I'm glad I won it, because as I've pointed out, I probably wouldn't have picked it up initially based on the cover. I know this is a horrible thing for someone as well read as I am to say, since we should "never judge a book by its cover". Still, I believe, </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview984588272"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview984588272"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm not the only one to fall victim to falsely judging a book by its cover, I believe it can happen to the best of us. Thankfully I won it, it may have taken me a while to get to the point where I wanted to read it, but when I did I fell immediately in love with it. Anyway, I got lucky enough to get the author to stop by & do an interview with me & also give us a preview on the next book in his Bloodsword Trilogy, which this book is a part of. All of that can be seen an read in my last post titled: <a href="http://therantingbookworm.blogspot.com/2014/10/interview-with-author-mark-murphy.html" target="_blank">Interview With Author Mark Murphy</a></span></span></span></span></span><span id="freeTextreview984588272"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview984588272"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">. Also feel free to check out </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="http://mark-e-murphy.com/" target="_blank">Author Mark Murphy's Web Page</a> where you can check out what else he's written & what he's up to. For those of you who've already read my last post with Mr. Murphy & or those who want to wait to read it, I'll just post my review below. This review can also be found on Goodreads, Amazon , Barnes & Noble, & Librarything.com.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Review of The Curse of the Thrax</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>by The Ranting Bookworm</b></span><br />
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<b> </b><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461">If
I had to describe this book in one sentence I might say this, " The
Curse of the Thrax is an original, smartly paced, YA Dystopian Fantasy
& I want more". Thankfully, I have more than enough room here to go
into more detail than that. </span></span></div>
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<span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"> Mark Murphy has created a fun new
world that I will bravely say is in the same league as Hogwarts. The
genre it's written in is a fascinating combination of Fantasy &
Dystopian, something I've never seen before. Perhaps I'm a bit naive
when it comes to the whole dystopian genre, but I've never seen it
combined with dragons, mythical creatures of all sorts, & "magic"
that's actually more of a combination of science & mystery than what
is commonly thought of as real magic. I personally would label it as
Dystopian-Fantasy, perhaps it sounds a bit contradictory to some, but my
label slowly reveals itself as you work your way past the first chapter
or two. I don't want to giveaway any spoilers, but I will
try & paint a quick picture as to why you should read Mr. Murphy's
first novel in what is called The Bloodsword Trilogy. It is what I would
call a YA novel, but just like Ms. Rowling's books, I feel it can
appeal to a much wider & older audience than just YA community. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"> The
first chapter is a bit slow, but only so Mr. Murphy can ease you into
the world he's created & introduce you to our young heroes, Jaykriss
(14yrs) & Marda (16yrs). No worries though, after the introductions
& everything else has been introduced to the reader the story takes
flight & your feet barely touch the ground until the last page is
read. I was hypnotized by the world the author created & enjoyed
slowly understanding the mysteries of a world that was surprisingly
familiar, and I stress the word FAMILIAR, once some of its secrets are
revealed. Jayykriss & Marda live in a rough Medieval type world
where the young aren't as young as the young of our world & must
help provide for their family in ways that children aren't expected to
in a society like ours. Not far into the book the two main characters
find themselves thrust into a hero's quest or an odyssey of sorts. While
the story yo-yo's from young men having troubles with school work &
girls to battling dragons & looking for lost cities & weapons, I
feel nothing happens without good reason & it's all done rather
smoothly.</span></span></span></span><br />
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The book is rather large, 317 pages, but I think it's
about time authors write good meaty stories for people under the age of
21. Still, as a 36 year old, I fell in love with the characters &
the world the author created. Somehow Mark Murphy found a way for me to
feel for the character in way that not many authors are always able to
do. I felt myself wanting what the character wanted & simply
put, sympathizing with the character in every way. There wasn't
anything Jaykriss did that I felt was out of character. Now that the
story is done, all I can feel is anticipation for the next book in the
trilogy. I know this is a trilogy I will read over & over & weep
for when the last page of the last book is written, it's certainly a
world I don't want to see the end of.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"> </span></span><br /> Still don't take my word for it, please read it yourself see how awesome Mark Murphy's The Curse of the Thrax is.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> So, what have I replace these two books with? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> For my book club choice I've picked War of The Whales by Joshua Horwitz</span>. So far it's a wonderfully written book that not only teaches us about the whales of our ocean, but tells the story of the whale researchers & an environmental attorney who discover & not only have to prove that the navy is doing dangerous sonar tests that are beaching many endangered whales & dolphins, but must also try to stop the tests all together. The story is beautifully narrated, taking us from the first time scientist Kevin Balcomb noticed there was a serious problem, to him asking for help in understanding what was causing the animals to act against their natural instincts. Currently, this is as far as I've read the book. One of the things I really liked was the prologue, which explains how humans have slowly endangered the whales & their habitats throughout history, I thought was lovely. The prologue is written rather poetically & sets the stage for the rest of the story. Another thing I'm enjoying is how each chapter begins with a fine hand-drawn picture of a different whales & their corresponding names. The story is a little known problem that needs the publicity that the book is giving it. Actually, anyone who has seen the Mermaid hoax that was shown on Animal Planet may have already heard about the navy doing sonar testing. Though the mermaids & the the scientists in the show were made up , whoever created the show must have heard about the naval sonar issue & used it in their story. I say this because, if you subtract the mermaids, it's almost exactly what is going on in the book. I'm only 28 pages in so far, but the author has me feeling like I'm there, experiencing the events, fighting to keep the whales alive, & searching for answers. Anyone who likes animals or simply understands the importance of protecting the whales & sea creatures, needs to read War of the Whales. </div>
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For my Goodreads win, I chose to read Scott Shepard's Descending Son. This was a book I won quite a while back, but it took so long for me to get, due to the book being shipped to the wrong place, that I lost interest in even picking it up once it got here. In an attempt to clear out some of the older books I won I picked it up again & am currently on my way to finishing it. Originally I thought this might be a good read because part of the storyline is supernatural & it eventually leads us to the Mexican jungle. With my ancestry being part Mexican, I always find anything about Mexico fascinating. So, the two things, Mexico & the supernatural, really had my interest. The author is also a producer & among his many credits are shows like "Miami Vice" & "Quantum Leap", but the ones that really have me excited are "Haven" & "Dead Zone". Haven & Dead Zone are based on Stephen King novels & are two of my absolute favorite shows, so, I think, I figured that I couldn't go wrong with someone who helped produce & write for two of, what I consider, the best shows on television. The book does starts out kind of slow & though I'm 100 pages in I have yet to see anything supernatural or the Mexican jungle. Obviously that doesn't mean it's not in there, the book is 466 pages long & I'm only on page 112. Perhaps the things I've been anxiously waiting to read will show up in the next 100 pages. Two things I do like about the book so far are the authors familiarity with the area he's writing & how he's telling the story. The book starts out in California, Los Angeles to be exact, and not long after the story starts, we're taken to Palm Springs where the character grew up. I use to live in southern California, San Diego & Los Angeles, and I can tell the author has not only lived there as well, but fully understands, & I kind of get the feeling that he kind of loves, the area he's writing about. He gives so much detail to what the city & desert are like, that even if you haven't lived there before, you should finish reading the story feeling like you've been there, even if you've never stepped foot outside your house. The second thing I like is the way he wrote the book. It definitely feels like someone who deals with & writes a lot of television scripts. The layout of the book kind comes across like a TV or movie script, but I don't think it hurts the book, I just feel like I'm watching a show rather than reading. I also feel like the action is just barely getting ready to show it's self. I say this because the first 112 pages has mainly been about getting to know the characters & some of their back-story. The main character is only just now starting a fact finding mission to understand what he believes to be the mysterious death of his father & one of his fathers former employees. I'm really hoping that the story will start to pick up speed soon, but that remains to be seen. I'll let you know how that all goes once I'm finished with it & write another one of these posts. So, until then, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that it lives up to the standards of some of the shows the author works on.<br />
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Finally, I promised to tell you what book I planned to read in my eReader category. Well, I browsed through & though I've many eBooks & hated to pick just one, I made a decision. Save My Soul (book 1) by K.S. Haigwood, & though I hate to admit it, part of my decision was made due to the fact that the author was giving away a free copy of her book & said she would do an interview with me once I finished reading it. I have yet to start it, but it does have a nice cover & it has a fabulous combination of death, angels, soul-mates. So, hopefully in the near future, I'll not only have a review of it for the next What I'm Reading post, but I'll also have another author Interview with K.S. Haigwood.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b><span style="font-size: small;">So, that's it for tonight. I hope I introduced you to some new & interesting books. Just so you know, aside from a possible future interview with K.S. Haigwood, I'll probably have an interview with Goodreads All About Animal founder & author Barb A.</span><b> </b></span>Foley before Ms. Haigwood's interview. If anyone has any topic ideas I'm open to suggestions. So until my next post, I would like to encourage everyone to take a risk a read one book you might normally pass by. I pose this challenge in honor of Mark Murphy's fabulous new book The Curse of the Thrax. And may you be able to share your love for books with both friends & family . TTFN!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840058533553867365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298578811753281319.post-58104681420405113262014-10-11T18:30:00.000-07:002014-10-11T18:30:48.539-07:00Interview with Author Mark Murphy<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Today's Guest Author</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mark Murphy</b></span></div>
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<b> </b>Welcome back everyone. I decided to surprise the few followers I have with a back-to-back author interview, due to popularity of the post type & the fact I had another ready to go. Today's author is Mark Murphy, a talented writer from birth who also loves science. The two interests at war with each other caused him to become a doctor after changing his majors 3 times from journalist to Zoology to medical doctor. Mr. Murphy has been a doctor since 1988, but says that he's been a writer his entire life & it it shows. <br />
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<b> </b>After wanting to write a novel for many years, even before college, he's finally written two. The first one is written for an adult audience. It was published in 2012 & is titled The Shadow Man. I haven't had the honor to read it yet, but after reading his second book, published this year, I can say with confidence that he's a writer I want to read more of. His second book was actually one of the books I spoke about in a previous post titled <a href="http://therantingbookworm.blogspot.com/2014/08/what-im-reading-8-20-14.html" target="_blank">What I'm Reading: 8-20-14</a>, feel free to check it out to see my thoughts on it before I finished reading it. The book is titled The Curse of the Thrax & while it is labeled
as a YA book, it is definitely a book that Fantasy loving, Dystopian
enjoying adults can appreciate as well. I will place one word of warning
about it, I was less then thrilled with the cover art & almost
didn't give it a chance because of it. I know a well read reader such as
myself should know better than to" judge a book by its cover", but even
the best of us slip & at the same time a good cover can help steer
an audience to read the story within. Unfortunately, I feel the cover
for this book failed to do that for Mr. Murphy. It is a hand drawn
picture of someones idea of what the characters look like & though
the interpretation doesn't bother me it's the style of drawing, it seems
to speak more to a Middle Grade audience rather than a YA/Adult
audience. I hope my guest author doesn't take offense to this opinion,
but I do know I'm not alone in being slightly off -put by the cover art
& felt it best to warn others that might have the same inclination
that I had. Cover aside, the actual book is a fabulous piece of
literature that I don't want the world to miss out on just because of a
silly minority that might "judge a book by its cover". Moving on, I
started The Curse of the Thrax with doubt & by the time I finished
it I wanted more & didn't want to put it down. Please see below for
pictures & links to his books on Amazon, along with my review of The
Curse of The Thrax which I will then follow up with a Q&A with Mark
Murphy & a small surprise at the very end of this post.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lLYq4ba_MCs/VDWMsk1bHWI/AAAAAAAAAOU/-5mW4bpZpgI/s1600/shadowman2-vc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lLYq4ba_MCs/VDWMsk1bHWI/AAAAAAAAAOU/-5mW4bpZpgI/s1600/shadowman2-vc.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1938296036/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1938296036&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon link to purchase a Kindle or paperback copy of The Shadow Man.</a></div>
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<b>Synopsis as written on Goodreads:</b></div>
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<span id="freeText9021700019879750650"> Savannah surgeon Malcolm
King had a perfect life--a loving wife, devoted daughter, and a
thriving medical practice. But when a random airport parking lot
hit-and-run links him to a dead body in a Florida hotel and an
acquaintance is found dismembered and stuffed into a garbage bag,
Malcolm finds himself on the run as a suspected serial killer. But he's
no murderer. Or is he?<br />Who is the mysterious Thin Man who lurks at
the edges of his vision? Are the ravens that crowd the skies overhead a
warning of impending doom--or do they exist at all?<br /><br /> With the help
of Seminole tracker Billy Littlebear, Malcolm tries to untangle the web
of clues left behind by a mysterious chameleon-like killer known as the
Shadow Man. But will he be too late? The Shadow Man is a complex,
atmospheric thriller in the tradition of Stephen King. Darkly evocative
and relentless in its twists and turns, it dares the reader to put it
down--even for a minute.</span> </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1491276363/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1491276363&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon link to purchase a paperback copy of of The Curse of the Thrax.</a><br />
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<b>Synopsis: written by The Ranting Bookworm</b><br />
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This story revolves around 14 yr old Jaykriss & his eyes being opened to the world he lives in. Jakriss's world, Godswood, appears to be a Medieval one ruled by a Dark King & priests. It starts after the death of Jaykriss's father, Godswood's War Chief, who fell after after a run in with the Thrax, a dragon of sorts. Jaykriss & his friend/ cousin Marda,16 yrs, help supply food for their families since both theirs fathers passing's & go to school like any other kids their age. After a run in with the same creature that took Jaykriss's father they meet a hermit by the name of Zamarcus who allows them refuge from the Thrax. This chance meeting changes Jaykriss's world, for Zamarcus opens the young boy's eyes to the world around them, showing them things aren't what they seem or what they were taught. This eye-opening encounter is just the beginning of what will change their life forever. For Jaykriss is more important than he realizes & soon travels to the ancient Dead City, with Marda & Zamarcus, where he discovers that he must confront his fears, dragons & all, & fulfill a prophecy that will free his people. This is only book one of a trilogy called the Bloodsword Trilogy, a trilogy where Jaykriss will grow into a man & change the world around him forever.</div>
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<b>Review by The Ranting Bookworm</b><br />
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<b> </b><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461">If
I had to describe this book in one sentence I might say this, " The
Curse of the Thrax is an original, smartly paced, YA Dystopian Fantasy
& I want more". Thankfully, I have more than enough room here to go
into more detail than that. </span></span><br />
<span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"><br /></span></span><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"> Mark Murphy has created a fun new
world that I will bravely say is in the same league as Hogwarts. The
genre it's written in is a fascinating combination of Fantasy &
Dystopian, something I've never seen before. Perhaps I'm a bit naive
when it comes to the whole dystopian genre, but I've never seen it
combined with dragons, mythical creatures of all sorts, & "magic"
that's actually more of a combination of science & mystery than what
is commonly thought of as real magic. I personally would label it as
Dystopian-Fantasy, perhaps it sounds a bit contradictory to some, but my
label slowly reveals itself as you work your way past the first chapter
or two. I don't want to giveaway any spoilers, but I will
try & paint a quick picture as to why you should read Mr. Murphy's
first novel in what is called The Bloodsword Trilogy. It is what I would
call a YA novel, but just like Ms. Rowling's books, I feel it can
appeal to a much wider & older audience than just YA community. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"> </span></span></span></span><br /><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"> The
first chapter is a bit slow, but only so Mr. Mruphy can ease you into
the world he's created & introduce you to our young heroes, Jaykriss
(14yrs) & Marda (16yrs). No worries though, after the introductions
& everything else has been introduced to the reader the story takes
flight & your feet barely touch the ground until the last page is
read. I was hypnotized by the world the author created & enjoyed
slowly understanding the mysteries of a world that was surprisingly
familiar, and I stress the word FAMILIAR, once some of its secrets are
revealed. Jayykriss & Marda live in a rough Medieval type world
where the young aren't as young as the young of our world & must
help provide for their family in ways that children aren't expected to
in a society like ours. Not far into the book the two main characters
find themselves thrust into a hero's quest or an odyssey of sorts. While
the story yo-yo's from young men having troubles with school work &
girls to battling dragons & looking for lost cities & weapons, I
feel nothing happens without good reason & it's all done rather
smoothly.</span></span></span></span><br />
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The book is rather large, 317 pages, but I think it's
about time authors write good meaty stories for people under the age of
21. Still, as a 36 year old, I fell in love with the characters &
the world the author created. Somehow Mark Murphy found a way for me to
feel for the character in way that not many authors are always able to
do. I felt myself wanting what the character wanted & simply
put, sympathizing with the character in every way. There wasn't
anything Jaykriss did that I felt was out of character. Now that the
story is done, all I can feel is anticipation for the next book in the
trilogy. I know this is a trilogy I will read over & over & weep
for when the last page of the last book is written, it's certainly a
world I don't want to see the end of.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer932567511"><span id="freeText151148956172676461"> </span></span><br /> Still don't take my word for it, please read it yourself see how awesome Mark Murphy's The Curse of the Thrax is.</span></span></div>
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<h3>
<b>The following is the Author Interview As Promised</b></h3>
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(<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>=the Ranting Bookworm aka Jolene<span style="background-color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: white;">,</span><span style="background-color: red;">MM</span></span> =Mark Murphy)<b> </b><br />
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<b>*</b><i>P.S.
I hope none of my questions come across as repetitive. Just so everyone
understands, I generally write up a bunch of questions which I then
email & get the answers to later. I try & write the questions in
a way that hopefully prevents the author from repeating themselves, but
sometimes there is just no way to avoiding it. Please enjoy.</i></div>
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<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span> – I like to describe the genre of
your new book The Curse of the Thrax as YA Dystopian Fantasy, do you agree with
me? If not, what genre do you label it as? Did you know what kind of genre it
was going to be when you started writing?</div>
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<span style="background-color: red;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span> MM<span style="background-color: red;"><span style="background-color: white;"> -</span></span></span> <span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5488" style="font-size: x-small;"><i id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5565">The Curse of the Thrax </i>is indeed a YA Dystopian Fantasy. I wrote it as a YA book in the tradition of such works as <i>The Once and Future King </i>and
the Harry Potter and Hunger Games series. It is really an amalgamation
of those types of works, with a twist (spoiler alert!): because it is
set in a post apocalyptic version of our own world which has been thrust
back into a limited-technology environment reminiscent of the Middle
Ages, I have the opportunity to integrate belief in magic and the
supernatural and the existence of numerous strange and fantastic
creatures (dragons! giant poisonous snakes! half-human hybrids!)--all
products of biologic manipulation gone horribly wrong--with the gradual
revelation of amazing technology from the "Time Before." This all
provides a historical context for what happens in the novel--and for how
the world that is now represented in the Godswood Village came to be
the way it is. From the standpoint of Jaykriss, my protagonist, the
gradual unraveling of his prior world view is important. First of all,
it allows him to see, at age fourteen, that the universe he thought he
was living in is actually quite a bit different from the things he had
been taught up to that point. Second, the evolving revelation of this
different world view forces Jaykriss to push the envelope of his own
experience and discover things about himself that he never realized
before. This is, of course, the core of any good YA novel--the whole
idea of a young person coming of age and engaging in a progressive
journey of self-discovery. Readers of all ages can relate to that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span> – What was your inspiration for writing The Curse of the Thrax? I notice from
your bio that you were a very imaginative child, much the way I remember being,
and so I wonder if your childhood dreams & play-time were part of your
inspiration? Basically, is this a story idea you’ve always had? How long have you
had the idea to write this book?</div>
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<span style="background-color: red;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span> MM<span style="background-color: red;"><span style="background-color: white;"> -</span></span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5488" style="font-size: x-small;"> First of all, I read a lot. The worlds I have encountered in my
reading have been a great source of inspiration for my subsequent
writing. One of my favorite books growing up was T.H. White's classic
King Arthur tale <i>The Once and Future King, </i>I enjoyed seeing
Arthur as a carefree young boy, then a young man, and finally as a king
having to struggle with the burden of his own tortured destiny. The
Harry Potter series was another take on this theme--a young man, having
lost his parents, who lives an ordinary life as a "muggle" only to find
that the world is entirely different than what he previously
believed--and that he has a great destiny, filled with magic and
intrigue, that he could have never imagined possible in his mundane
prior suburban muggle life. Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games series, a
third source of inspiration, describes a world where a powerful and
corrupt government controlled its citizens through limiting their access
to knowledge and technology. Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist in
those novels, frees her people by challenging that corrupt government.
Jaykriss of Godswood, my protagonist, is an amalgamation of these
characters--a young boy who has lost his father, adrift in a world in
which he has a bleak and uncertain future, who then discovers that he
has the potential to become something far greater than he ever imagined
possible. But the knowledge of that destiny comes with a price.
Jaykriss, in assuming his destiny, also must assume the mantle of
responsibility for his actions in search of that destiny. He is forced
to grow up pretty fast--and growing up is not easy. So, in answer to
your question, the ideas behind <i>The Curse of the Thrax </i>have
developed over time. I read these other works and thought, "I'd like to
write something like that." And then I outlined a story I'd like to
tell and began to flesh it out on paper.</span></span> </div>
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<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span>– When you started writing The Curse of the Thrax did you write it all as one
big story & decide to split it into three parts? Or did you decide after you
wrote the first book that you wanted to make it a trilogy & write two more
stories?</div>
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<span style="background-color: red;">MM<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span> <span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5488" style="font-size: x-small;">The Bloodsword Trilogy, of which <i>The Curse of the Thrax </i>is a
part, was always intended to be a trilogy. I've actually outlined the
plot of the entire series from start to finish. It is simply too big a
story to tell in one book. The first book in the series, <i>The Curse of the Thrax, </i>which
shows Jaykriss between the ages of 14 and 16, introduces readers to the
world Jaykriss lives in, defines his conflicts in that world, and
allows readers to see his relationships to friends and family. The loss
of his father in a fight against the Thrax (which had occurred in the
year prior to the beginning of this novel) is, of course, central to
this part of the story. In his quest to learn more about the world he
live sin, he finds himself pitted against both t</span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5622" style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5621" style="font-size: x-small;">he Geshans, the members of a mutant race of outlaws, and t</span>he Godswood Priesthood, allied with the legendary Dark King, </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5623" style="font-size: x-small;">
Jaykriss ultimately clashes with Harros, the High Priest of the
Godswood, in this novel, but you never actually see the Dark King. </span>The second book in the series (<i>Vengeance of the Dark King</i>)
follows Jaykriss between the ages of 16-17. It further shows Jaykriss
wrestling with the burden of his own destiny and learning the skills
that will be necessary to defeat the Dark King. The Dark King himself
makes an appearance in the very first part of in this second book in the
Trilogy, although the principal antagonists are actually Uzo, the
military commander who has placed the Godswood under martial law, and
the nefarious High Priest Harros. The third book in the trilogy, <i>The Bloodsword Apocalypse, </i>shows
Jaykriss as a young man of 18-21. In that book, he will assume his
destiny as the leader of the resistance--but that assumption comes with a
heavy price. He ultimately encounters the Dark King directly in this
novel.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span>-I see that you’ve always had an interest & talent for writing, but took
a detour from it when you entered college? Just out of curiosity, what got you
writing again & or inspired you to start writing with what seems to be the
same enthusiasm you had in your youth?</div>
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<span style="background-color: red;">MM<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span> <span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;">I wrote a lot of things as a child--I wrote poetry as far back as
fifth grade, and I penned a play that same year which was performed for
my entire elementary school--so writing has always been a passion of
mine. I won a statewide poetry contest when I was fifteen, served as
editor of my high school newspaper for three years (and won a few awards
for that sort of writing), and kept on with creative writing (mainly
short stories) all through college. I stopped writing creatively during
medical school because I was simply too busy. Daphne and I married, we
had two children, and I was in the throes of acquiring a medical
education for about 10 years--although I did write several medical
journal articles and textbook chapters during that time. A few years
back, one of my wife's best friends, a woman from New Orleans named
Lisa, died unexpectedly in her 30's. When we went to the funeral, I saw
that she was buried in a green sequined Mardi Gras dress she had bought
the week before. I was moved by that, and wrote a short story about it
as a tribute to Lisa, who loved to read and who had always said that I
should start writing creatively again. That short story ended up being
published in a short story collection called <i id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5633">O, Georgia!--</i>and it
awakened my long-dormant muse. A few summer trips to polish my short
story skills at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival followed, and then I
decided to move from short stories to novels. I published my first
novel, a thriller called <i>The Shadow Man, </i>in 2012.<br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span>- I noticed you have another novel you wrote before this one called The
Shadow Man, which I haven’t gotten the chance to read yet, but hope to in the near
future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s evidently based in your
hometown of Savannah Georgia & the main character is in the medical field
like you, except he’s a surgeon. You said you wanted to write a Stephen
King-like – thriller with a hint of supernatural & that you wanted to share
the parts of Savannah that most tourists don’t normally get a glimpse of. First,
do you find it easiest to write a story following the old saying of, write what
you know? Second, is this a standalone novel or can people expect to see it
become a series like The Curse of the Thrax? Finally, when you were describing
The Shadow Man it seemed like a genre that you were really interested in &
excited about, can we expect to see more books in the future written about your
hometown that has this “Stephen King like-thriller” feel to it?</div>
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<span style="background-color: red;">MM<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span> <span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"> I love thrillers, and I'm a big Stephen King fan, so <i id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5640">The Shadow Man </i>was
a lot of fun to write. My protagonist in that novel was a surgeon named
Malcolm King (his name is an oblique homage to Stephen King, by the
way). I put poor Malcolm through hell in that book. I've been asked by
a number of people to write a sequel to that story--but if i do, I
think it will center around Billy Littlebear, a Seminole tracker who was
a pivotal character but not the main one in the original novel.
Malcolm may or may not make an appearance in a new novel, but he and his
family have earned a little peace and quiet.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span>–The Curse of the Thrax is a huge
leap genre wise from your previous book The Shadow Man, why the leap? Was it
simply another genre that interested you and therefore you wanted to challenge
your writing skills & see if you could write it or was there a different
motivation for writing such a wildly different book from your first?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-color: red;">MM<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;">I like all sorts of writing. I love thrillers, I enjoy YA and
fantasy, and I even like historical and literary fiction. Since I have a
"day job" (I'm a doctor), I am not bound by the commercial imperative
of trying to satisfy a certain market genre. I wanted to write a
thriller, so I wrote one. I wanted to tackle YA next, hence the
Bloodsword Trilogy. My latest work (I've just completed a novel called <i>The Lost Year</i>)
is straight literary fiction, and I'm working on the second book in the
Bloodsword Trilogy now, I have an idea for a medical thriller after
that (I've already outlined the entire plot for that book). So I stay
busy--and I don't want to be confined to one area of writing. I like the
challenge of doing something different.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span> –I feel like J.K.Rowlings books
have changed the way YA fiction is written, mainly their length. What kind of
affect do you think her books have had on the world of YA literature & do
you feel her writing has had any effect on how you chose to write The Curse of
the Thrax?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: white;"> <span style="background-color: red;">MM<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span> </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;">First of all, JK Rowling made YA cool, in my opinion--in a way that
it had never been cool before. People of all ages loved the Harry
Potter books. She could have written 30 of them and sold millions of
each. I think book series like that have been around for a while
(Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy and Frank Herbert's Dune series
come to mind right off the bat), but she made that sort of thing an <i>expectation </i>for
YA, at least in the fantasy genre. That tends to happen when you sell a
gazillion books. And yes, Harry Potter was a big influence on <i>The Curse of the Thrax, </i>as I said above.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br />
<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>
- When you sit down to write what are some of the comfort items you like to
have near you to help your creative juices flow? (music, coffee, tea, a pet,
pics, etc...)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: white;"> <span style="background-color: red;">MM<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;">I can write anywhere--and have, from hotel bathrooms to subways to
Amtrak trains (I'm writing this in the dark in a hotel room right now).
My favorite place to write is in my office--I have a big desk there,
and it looks out over the river--but I don't really need to be there to
write. I'm lucky in that I just don't get writer's block. Writing is
like thinking for me. It just happens. Having the time to do it is the
biggest thing; I have a pretty busy medical practice, so my time during
the week is limited. Weekends and vacation time are my most productive
times writing. I wrote the first 60-70 pages of <i>The Curse of the Thrax </i>during
a week when we were on a family vacation at Glacier National Park.
Contrary to the stereotypes about most writers (and most Irishmen!), I
don't drink coffee or alcohol, and I don't smoke--but I do drink lots of
iced tea when I'm writing.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>
- Do you have any favorite hobbies outside of reading & writing that help
center you & relax you in between putting pen to paper or fingers to
keyboard?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: red;">MM<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;">Running is relaxing to me, so I do a good bit of that. And I enjoy
all sorts of music. I usually listen to classical music or movie
soundtracks when I'm writing; I'm a big fan of the composer Hans Zimmer,
and I also like John Williams.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>
- Who is or are your literary hero’s?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: red;">MM<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;">Classic heroes: JRR Tolkien, Mark Twain, Harper Lee, Joseph Conrad,
Flannery O'Connor (who is from Savannah), Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Louis
Stevenson, Bram Stoker, William Faulkner, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C.
Clarke.<br />
</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>
- I like to believe most avid readers have a book or series that they
remember reading as a child or young adult that helped fan the flames of their
love for reading & writing, I'm not too embarrassed to admit that mine was
the Bunnicula series by James Howe. What was yours?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: red;"><span style="background-color: white;"> <span style="background-color: red;">MM<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span></span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"> I read so much when I was young. We went to the library every
Sunday after church, and I'd bring home 8-10 books each week. I read a
lot of Encyclopedia Brown books in second grade, and lots of these
little biographies of famous people as children. I remember being
enthralled with Jules Verne's <i>20,000 Leagues Under the Sea</i> in
third or fourth grade, and I read tons of Edgar Allan Poe, short stories
by Guy de Maupassant and O Henry, various science fiction writers
(Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, Robert A. Heinlein) and
Tolkien's <i id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5710">The Hobbit </i>and the Lord of the Rings trilogy in middle
school. In high school, I really enjoyed the works of writers like
Joseph Conrad, Flannery O'Connor, Hemingway and Faulkner. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>
- How often do you write?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: red;">MM<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"> I write whenever I can. Most times, I have no time to write during
the work week, as I get up at 4 AM and go in to work by 5:30 or so, and I
don't get home until 7 PM most days. I write on weekends from 4 AM
until 10 or so when I am not traveling. I can usually knock out an
editorial one of those days ( I write a column for the Savannah paper)
and a book chapter the other one when I am not on the road.<br />
</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>
- Is there any advice you might have for new & or aspiring writers that
you never got when you first started, but looking back you would have liked
someone to have shared with you?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: red;">MM<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"> My biggest advice to aspiring writers is quite simple: keep reading,
and keep writing. Reading keeps your creative juices flowing, and gives
you ideas to build on regarding style, syntax and sentence structure.
Writing is to the mind like exercise is to the body: the more you do it,
the stronger you get. Don't be afraid to share what you've written and
get feedback from others. I once had an editor tell me that my dialogue
was "wooden." That hurt, but he was 100% right. I started paying
attention to dialogue when I was reading and to the way people spoke in
conversation--and it made me a better writer.<br />
</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>
- Did you have a parent or teacher that inspired you to follow your dreams
& ambitions for writing?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: red;">MM<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;">Lynne Davis, my high school English teacher, actually loved my
writing but encouraged me to go into medicine because it was a great
source of characters for my writing. That was the best writing advice I
ever got. She still advises me about my writing 35 years later; I did a
lecture at her request as a benefit for our local symphony this past
year.<br />
</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>
- Did you always want to write or is this a new hobby and or passion? This is
a question I would ask most authors, but from what I’ve read in your bio I can
tell you’ve always been a talented writer, so, I think the better question is,
when did you realize this was a true talent of yours or is this something you
sadly took it for granted in your youth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Also, how does it feel coming back to & devoting more time to
writing, something you use to do pre-college, do you feel time & age have
improved your writing skills and or added wisdom to your words?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br />
<span style="background-color: red;">MM<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"> As you noted from my bio, I have always enjoyed writing. I never
took that ability for granted; I simply applied it to different areas
(textbooks and medical journals, for example) during that interval when I
was not writing creatively. But I've really enjoyed coming back to the
creative aspect of it later on in life. Having a few life experiences
(and being able to live vicariously through the experiences of some of
my patients) helps keep the cast of characters alive. I have an almost
infinite selection of personalities to choose from when I am writing
now. Ethan Canin, a physician-writer now on the University of Iowa
faculty, has said that physicians, like soldiers, make good writers
because they have seen "great and terrible things." I tend to agree with
that. So yes, I think I am a better writer now than I was earlier in
life because of the things I have been privileged to bear witness to as a
member of the medical profession.</span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>
- How do you feel about the whole eReader vs Paper debate?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br />
<span style="background-color: red;">MM<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;">Whatever makes people read more is ok with me. I have a number of
e-reader devices; I was an early Kindle adopter. I read novels on my
phone if I'm stuck at the car wash, or if I have a few spare moments
during the day. But I love paper books; I have floor-to-ceiling
bookshelves in my office at home, and when I write there I am surrounded
by books. So I can see both sides of the argument. Ultimately,
however, it's all about the content, not the packaging.<br />
</span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"> </span></span>- Do you have any other book ideas, aside from what we’ve already mentioned,
in the works that you can share with us? </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: red;">MM<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span> <span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"> I mentioned these ideas in my answer to question #6 above--the rest
of the Bloodsword Trilogy, a recently completed work of literary
fiction, a thriller about a bio-terrorist and a possible sequel to <i>The Shadow Man </i>should keep me busy for the next few years.<br />
</span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>
- Finally, is there anything I may not have covered already that you would
like to share with us about yourself & your writing?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: red;">MM<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span> <span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;">I'm just grateful for any and every reader who takes the time to read what I have written--and that includes you!</span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>**********</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"><b> </b> </span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;">First,
I want to thank everyone for joining me again for another fun Author
Interview. My apologies for it taking so long, I not only was feeling a
bit under the weather, but I also had a crazy amount of technical
difficulties. Still, I managed to wade my way through my troubles &
get this out to my few adoring fans, lol. I hope you enjoyed it & if
you have any questions for me or even for Mr. Murphy, I would be happy
to answer them & or have Mark stop in to help answer your questions. I'm also open to constructive criticism if anyone has any. And if you have any suggestions for post topics, just feel free to put them down below in the comment section of this post. Second, I would like to thank the man himself, Mark Murphy, for being kind enough to do this interview with me & supplying me with all the pictures I needed &
more. He certainly didn't have to take the time to entertain a nobody
like me, yet he treated me with all the respect one could ask for. Finally, as to what is in store for my next post... I'm not 100% sure, but I think it will be a simple update on the books I'm reading. I hope you had fun & if you did please feel free to not just let me know, but also our visiting author. You can do that at: </span></span><b><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://mark-e-murphy.com/" target="_blank">http://mark-e-murphy.com</a>. </span></span></b><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;">Also, if you really took a liking to Mr. Murphy's writing he also writes a column for what is called </span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1413066715661_2524" style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1413066715661_2523" style="font-family: arial;">Savannah Morning News, here is the link for those who are interested: </span></span><b><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1413066715661_2524" style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1413066715661_2523" style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://savannahnow.com/authors/mark-e-murphy" target="_blank"> http://savannahnow.com/authors/mark-e-murphy</a>. </span></span></b><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;">Now, please stick around, I've a special surprise below from author Mark Murphy. </span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>**********</b></span></span></div>
</div>
<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;">
</span></span></div>
</div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Spoiler Alert!!!</b></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span><br />
</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5489" style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412987388945_5624" style="font-size: x-small;"> I've a special treat for those of you who've already read <b>The Curse of the Thrax</b> or those of you who don't mind reading ahead. Mark Murphy was kind enough to supply me with a sneak peak of book two in The Bloodsword Trilogy, <b>Vengeance of the Dark King</b>.
The Due date for it is a little unclear, it all depends on how fast he
decides to write. You could roughly say you will be seeing it around
2015-16. Despite all that, for those of you who can't wait for more of
Jaykriss & the world he lives in, Mr. Murphy was kind enough to
share this. I hope you enjoy it. And please understand that this is a
preview, it's not meant to be a perfect final draft & that when the book itself actually comes out that parts of
this story may change. Still, that doesn't mean this can't be enjoyable
just the same. So, without further delay, here it is....</span></span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-876b5447-0145-3597-f5f6-9ad084a45323" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vengeance of the Dark King</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Book Two of the Bloodsword Trilogy</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mark Murphy</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For lo, there shall come a new King, clothed in righteousness and blessed by the gods. And he shall rise up and smite the false prophets, driving the darkness back into the Valley of Shadows, and the people shall shout out his name with voices filled with joy and hope: All Hail the One Who Leads!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">--The Prophecies of Ramallah, Ch 4, Verse 14 (Forbidden Version)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">***</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo gazed at the view screen and shook his head.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“One single, stupid boy,” he muttered. “That overly ambitious child changed </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">everything</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">From the sky, at least, the dense Godswood forest still seemed to be the same beautiful, peaceful place it had been for centuries: a verdant ocean of trees that rolled all the way to the western horizon, its immense green expanse criss-crossed by the silver ribbons of its three great rivers and punctuated by plumes of smoke from its various isolated pockets of human habitation. To the east gleamed the endless sapphire waters of the Great Sea; to the north loomed the massive snow-capped spires of the Zephyr Mountains, a set of jagged peaks vaulting into the sky just beyond the Dragon Lake. The sun was brilliant, a golden coin sailing peacefully across an aquamarine sky. </span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo, sitting in the flying ship Commander’s Chair clad in full battle armor, took in the view and cracked his knuckles absently. Flying over the Godswood always reminded him of his </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sweet Misha, who hailed from these parts, back home tending to her piebald goats and the cackling flock of frizzled chickens as the sun warmed her slim shoulders. His heart ached a little for her.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Home and hearth, hearth and home, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the old song went. Wasn’t that it? He had not sung it in so long.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But Uzo knew that appearances could be deceiving. He had to remind himself of that poisonous little fact every time a gap-toothed villager hurled a bottle bomb at one of his centurions, or set fire to a cache of armaments, as had happened in the stubborn little hamlet they had wiped out in the Southern Islands last week.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One silly little boy was all it took, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">he thought. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But that wasn’t quite all, was it?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One boy </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> one dragon, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">he reminded himself, his dark eyes narrowing ever so slightly. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo was not a big believer in musty old prophecies. And teenage boys were not generally something to fear, either—although he had to admit that he had been pretty formidable as a teenager. He would always remember the time he beat Barbigan, the neighborhood bully, to a bloody pulp for terrorizing Umiah, his younger brother, at school. At the end--bloodied, battered and unable to stand--Barbigan had pleaded for his </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">life, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">even though Uzo had not had any intention of killing him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So Uzo killed Barbigan anyway, smashing his in feeble brains with a wooden club. After that, no one ever bothered Umiah again. Abject fear, as it turned out, can be a powerful motivator.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That was perfect, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo thought, chuckling to himself.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Contrary to popular opinion, Uzo did not particularly enjoy killing people. He only did killed if the circumstances demanded it—as they had with Barbigan. And on this occasion, they did as well. High Priest Harros had been right, of course: The boy had to be stopped. The dragon, quite simply, had to be destroyed. Any faint hopes the villagers had needed to be crushed mercilessly under the heel of Uzo’s steel-toed boots. Uzo was not afraid of teenaged boys or old prophecies. But dragons were another thing entirely. For he had seen firsthand the sort of carnage even one dragon could bring. If the boy and his comrades somehow found a way to breed them, well . . . </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The flying ship banked sharply right, past the banks of clouds that always seemed to billow up from the depths of the Mist Valley. The ship’s lurch sent a cascade of cold, stinking broth over the edge of the bowl that the servant girl was holding. One of the shillix larvae plopped onto the floor as well—a wriggling pink thing, soft as a baby’s bottom, with tiny blue eyes and a toothless pucker of a mouth that seemed to always be looking for a bosom to suckle.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Pick that up!” Uzo bellowed, kicking the helpless larva with his boot.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Wh-where is it, sire?” the servant girl asked, balancing the bowl deftly on one outstretched palm.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Her voice shocked Uzo. He gazed up at her.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">She might have been pretty once—but she was pale and bony now, her lips thin and bloodless. There was nothing much to her at all.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo had not heard a servant girl speak in years. They usually fluttered about the ship like moths, noiseless in their flowing white robes, deftly balancing platas and bowls filled with refreshments for the centurions, or scurrying here and there with papers and tablets and such. On a day-to-day basis, Uzo never even noticed them; they were merely animated furniture, serving their stated purpose aboard the Dark King’s vast airborne vessel dutifully, without questions, opinions or hardly any thought at all.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The perfect woman, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">he had thought to himself more than once.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“It’s to your right,” he grunted.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">She was blind, of course—like all of them. Her sightless eyes roved aimlessly in her bald head like a pair of marbles. But the fat shillix larva was wriggling on the oval Command Room floor, its tiny mouth making a thin mewling sound that sounded like the air being let out of a balloon, and she heard it. The servant girl’s head cocked to one side and she dipped down, graceful and lightning quick, scooping the larva up in one hand while holding the broth-filled bowl perfectly upright in the other.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In an instant, the servant girl was standing at attention once again—silent and motionless, dead eyes staring straight ahead at nothing. Uzo settled back in the Commander’s Chair and waited for the landing blasters to fire. He took another moment to stare at the 360-degree holographic screen as it rotated about his head. He saw nothing out of the ordinary, which pleased him immensely.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">No crazy villagers this time, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">he thought, glancing at the flickering monitors of the ship’s Command Room.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Command Room, when dormant, was a simple oval space nicely appointed with rich mahogany and burnished steel. It was outfitted with a swivel-mounted command chair in its center, perched on a slightly raised round metal podium. Framed full-length pictures of Uzo, Harros and Kranin hung on one wall; a doorway portal was on the opposite wall, although when it was closed it was difficult to make out where the wall began and the portal ended. Closed down, the room looked like the office of some minor public official in Capitus.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When it was battle-ready (or “Up” in centurion lingo), the Command Room was something else entirely.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">At present, the room was Up—and it was filled with clusters of holographic monitors that hovered and wavered like mirages glimmering on the edge of the desert. Uzo’s eyes flicked from one monitor to the next, scanning for threats. The computers did this as well, their automated observations driven by an arcane algorithm known only to the Dark King’s most experienced battle <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">advisers</span>. That was good enough for most people, but not for Uzo. His warrior instincts were as finely honed as the edge of a Valerian sword—and sometimes he would see things that the computers would not.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo wrapped his clawed fingers around one of the fattest of the larvae and speared its heart with his long, pointed thumbnail. He felt the crimson blood run down his hand, warm and sticky.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“This one’s ripe,” he said, to no one in particular. “It’s perfect.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He stared at the pink, bloody creature for a moment. Its mouth was open, gasping frantically in a perfect little O, and its glittering bead-like eyes bulged with pain.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Off you go, then,” he said, sinking his teeth into the softest part of the larva, just behind the head. In another year, the shillix would have been a flying insect as large as an eagle, its tiny <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">mouth parts</span> hardened into a beaklike proboscis filled with thousands of razor-sharp teeth—and it could then join its swarming brethren in the Western Wilderness, eating anything that dared to live. Uzo had seen shillix swarms skeletonize an entire herd of cattle in a matter of minutes, descending from the heavens in a boiling cloud of wings, legs and fangs, leaving nothing behind but blood-spattered bones. He had even seen a swarm of shillix eat a centurion right out of his armor, their chitinous forelimbs gripping his helmet and <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">chest-piece</span> and violently tearing them away like so much tissue paper. He could still hear the centurion’s screams if he thought about it (which he tried not to do)—hoarse shrieks of sheer terror, crescendoing as the shillix clustered about his face and hungrily tore out his eyes and tongue. This was followed, ultimately, by a horrific silence as the swarm dutifully worked its way through the rest of him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Better to eat them now than for them to eat us later,” Harros had once said. And the old High Priest was right---as he usually was.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The ship was landing in the clearing next to the entrance to the Priestbain Road. Uzo always hated that part of the journey. The Priestbain Road was long and tortuous, meandering along a roadway set in a deep trench dug through the densest thickets of the Godswood Forest. Each step of the way along the Priestbain Road, Uzo knew he was being watched. He could feel the eyes of the priests’ sentries staring down at him from the treetops, their gaze boring into him unseen from the shadowy cascades of vines and dangling, moist clumps of moss. And even though the sentries were ostensibly on his side, the whole ordeal unnerved him. The warrior in him told him that it was simply </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">wrong.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Never concede the high ground,” was something Urgo, his old regimental Commander, had always said, all those years ago. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But Urgo was dead, of course—baked in his own armor by Xixan, the last fire-breathing dragon from the huge, ancient vermithrax nest on the north shore of Dragon Lake. The damned red-eyed thing had come screaming down out of the sky, right out of the sun, and its flaming white-hot breath had cooked the whole regiment in their tracks. Uzo had been on sentry duty that day and had been posted on the edge of their encampment, over two hundred paces away. Otherwise he would have died along with the rest of them.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You gave up the high ground that day, old man, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo thought. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He grabbed another shillix larva and popped it into his mouth whole, feeling the creature’s fat little body rupture between his sharpened teeth like a large pink grape.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Anyhow, all men die, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">he thought absently, standing up.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He strapped on his helmet, switching on the infrared sensor once just to check it, and pulled on his thermal biogloves. Uzo could hear the vanadium blast shield outside being lowered—</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">clank!clank!clank!—</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and then the great ship was on the ground at last, its metal undercarriage audibly groaning as it settled onto the forest floor. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo waited. He always waited until the indicator lights had changed before he would switch the monitors off—for Uzo did not like surprises. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A band of rebels had once fired on him from the edge of the treeline at a clearing near the Dead City just after the ship had landed, apparently believing that he had already closed down the Command Room. But they had been wrong—</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dead </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">wrong, in fact. And he had lit them up, blasting their pitiful little band into oblivion in a matter of seconds with the flick of a single switch. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He had enjoyed imagining the surprised rebels’ eyes widening as the pulse cannons on the ship’s undercarriage opened up, belching great gouts of flame and heat as the trees around them exploded. There had been nothing much left of those poor sots when they picked through the incinerated remains later that afternoon—merely a scorched boot, the cooked foot still inside, some nondescript scraps of clothing, and a couple of unrecognizable bones that had been charred strangely gray, like pieces of driftwood. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A great day, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">he thought, recalling his triumph. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He glanced at the monitors again, his eyes roving from screen to screen, and sank his teeth into another wriggling shillix larva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The indicator lights that rimmed the ceiling flickered once, and then again, before shifting from red to solid green.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Close down,” he barked—and the monitors all vanished at once, leaving him alone in the Command Room with his now-empty glass of Capitus’s finest ale and the framed pictures of himself, Harros and Kranin staring at him reproachfully from the opposite wall.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And the blind servant girl, of course—as still as a statue, so motionless he could not even see her breathing.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Another night in the bloody Priestbain,” he grumbled out loud.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The airlock equalizer hissed, flooding the room with the humid summer air of the Godswood, and then the doorway opened like the gaping mouth of some great metal viper.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros was standing at the foot of the walkway, leaning heavily on a gnarled blackwood cane <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">topped</span> with a ruby orb of impressive size. He was clad in the full High Priest’s regalia—heavy gold-brocaded black robes, with thick gold chains draped about his neck and waist that seemed to pull him down towards the forest floor. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Greetings, old friend!” Harros said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo nodded, but said nothing. His eyes were fixed on the treeline.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The old priest was physically unimpressive--a small-statured man, balding, with a thin scrim of gray hair and a pair of glittering silvery eyes that looked like coins set deep inside his skull. The other centurions, seeing the old man’s stooped gait and hooked nose, had nicknamed him “The Buzzard.” And, indeed, Harros looked very much like a dried-up old carrion-bird. That moniker was what Uzo thought of when he saw Harros waiting on him—patiently, a thin smile painted primly across his lips, as if he had all the time in the world. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But Harros was anything but an innocuous old bird. He was, in fact, more </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">zharga </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">than buzzard—a deadly viper lying in wait, not to be crossed. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros only resembled a buzzard in the way that he fed upon the dead.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Walk with me, Uzo,” the old priest said. His voice, by some strange alchemy, was the voice of a man far younger.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros made the slightest motion with an arthritic forefinger and the two young priests that accompanied him stepped away, bowing. Four armor-clad centurions, in full battle regalia, took their positions in front of them; four more fell in step behind them. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The door to the flying ship closed behind them with a soft </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sssssssss.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros walked slowly and deliberately through the clearing was they moved toward the huge stone gate at the edge of the forest that led to the Priestbain Road. The old High Priest’s gait was measured, as though the potential consequences of each step had to be carefully considered. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“So what have you heard?” Harros said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“There are rumblings that the boy lives.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Hogwash!” Harros snorted. “I killed him myself. Cut him right through the ribs, just under the heart. No one survives that.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“So have we recovered his body yet?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros shook his head. The chains around his neck jingled softly.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“It remains . . . missing. You may remember that his body was stolen that night and never recovered. Taken from the scene by a despicable band of rebels posing as health workers.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“So where are these body thieves? Perhaps they could lead us to the boy’s stinking corpse. We could parade his rotting head about on a stick and teach the rabble a lesson in obedience.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros leaned heavily on his cane as he stepped over a tangled mass of roots at the edge of the forest.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He sighed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“The body thieves remain missing, as well. Someone orchestrated a jailbreak on that first night, before your centurion brigade arrived from Capitus. The culprits escaped, but we have been hunting them.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Any leads, then?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros shook his head.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> “I’ve had War Chief Kranin on it, but he’s had no success thus far. It was as though the rebels vanished into thin air.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Kranin! But isn’t he the boy’s stepfather?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros leaned upon the mossy rock face of the gate to the Priestbain Road, catching his breath, which came in staggered wheezes now.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Perhaps you’re not quite so dangerous anymore, old man, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo thought.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“There’s no . . . love lost between them, Uzo. Kranin and the boy . . . did not exactly see eye to eye. Kranin was a rival with the boy’s father for his mother’s affections. The boy was stridently opposed to their marriage. He didn’t even attend the wedding ceremony. Do you . . . do you see?” the old Priest said, catching his breath.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo nodded.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">They stood in front of the gate now—a gate that towered forty paces above them, capped with the jagged spiked crown emblematic of the Dark King. Massive rolled steel bars backed by a heavy cedar-planked door blocked their passage. Stone-faced centurions, four on each side, had flanked the gate, their stark white armor gleaming in the midday sun.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros inserted the ruby at the end of his staff into a depression in the stone gate and rotated it a quarter-turn clockwise. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gears began turning inside the gatehouse. A mob of beady-eyed crows that had been roosting atop the gate took noisily to the sky, wheeling about and cawing. Slowly, laboriously, the gate began to open, revealing the dark, damp gash of the Priestbain Road that ripped through the Godswood like an open wound.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“We should ride through this someday,” Uzo said. “The walk is too long. Perhaps we could bring a carriage.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“No riders. No carriages. Everyone walks,” Harros said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“But why?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros pointed up to the trees that lined the road.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“You may recall our sentries?” he asked.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And, sure enough, Uzo could make out the archers hidden among the leaves and branches of the trees that lined the road. Lots of them, in fact. An ordinary observer would never have seen them—but Uzo was no ordinary observer.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“They have their orders. Any carriage is burned. Any rider is shot—even me. It is the only way we can protect ourselves. You remember the old saying?” Harros said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo nodded. “No one flees the Priests’ Bain and lives,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Precisely,” said Harros. He grinned, revealing a mouth filled with tiny, pearl-like teeth.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros turned a flat stone over with his staff to uncover a squirming grayish-pink earthworm beneath it. He crushed the worm with the end of his staff, watching it writhe under his gaze for a moment before taking his first few steps down the rock-strewn pathway. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“So I’m curious, Uzo--how do you propose that we squelch these whispers? We can’t have people going around chattering false tales about the One Who Leads. That’s quite a dangerous rumor. It makes the citizens thirst for things that they should have no reason to hope for. Despite your proclamation of martial law, I’ve even seen a poster or two in the Godswood Village, of all places! Right in our own back yard!” Harros said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“What did the posters say?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Simply ‘Jaykriss lives.’ And there’s a picture of the boy with a wry smirk on his face. Not a flattering portrait, I might add.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“If you can find out who put up the posters, we could torture them. A man will do a great deal of talking if one breaks a few of his fingers.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros rolled his eyes.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Is that is your solution to everything? What if the people putting the posters up are mere children? What then? Do we earn the trust of the people if we torture their </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">children</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo grunted.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“We could just kill them all,” he said. “It’s simple and elegant, don’t you think? Wipe out the Godswood Village and we wipe out the rebellion. The rumors stop right here—and everyone in the entire kingdom will learn what it means to spread false tales that subvert the Dark King’s rule. Certain death is a powerful motivator.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“You would kill everyone?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo nodded.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Extermination of the nest is the only way to be sure the vermin are dead,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“While certain nihilistic aspects of this plan appeal to me, I have to ask you a question: if you kill all of your subjects, who shall we govern? Each other?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo was silent.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“And if there are no townspeople, who would pay the taxes?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Well, I didn’t . . .”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros dismissed him with the wave of a hand.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“You think like a warrior, and that’s good. That’s your job, my friend. But leave the political strategy to me. And, for the sake of our King, don’t enact any of your rash, half-baked plans without speaking to me first. The repercussions for error can be harsh.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The skies seemed to have darkened as their band of twelve approached the Priests’ Bain. It was always this way. Shadows seemed to collect here, pooling beneath the trees and under rocks.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is the darkest place I have ever seen, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo thought. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Even darker than the Kingsguard Prison. The Priest’s Bain seems to suck the light out of the sky.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The trail opened up like a funnel in front of the massive stone Priestbain Gate, which was in many ways a mirror image of the gate they had encountered in the clearing at the beginning of the Priestbain Road. This gate was the only entrance into the Priests’ Bain compound, an enclave encircled by a sheer granite wall topped with thousands of iron spikes. The walls next to the gate were decorated with elaborate carvings of intertwined images. Some of the carvings Uzo had always recognized as representations of the Old Gods, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">worshiped</span> by people from the dim period they simply called the “Time Before.” Others he did not recognize at all. Uzo had never been a very religious man; his system of belief was deeply rooted in the stark, blood-soaked reality of war. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Life and death, my boy. That is all there is,” Urgo had once said. It was a sentiment Uzo agreed with whole heartily.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But he stared at the Priestbain Wall as they approached. Something was different now. He could not put his finger on it, but the idea unsettled him nonetheless.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And then, with a shock, he realized what it was.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Several of the ancient carvings had had had their faces smashed and ruined, rendering them completely unrecognizable. Old markings, once inlaid with gold and silver, were obliterated. The intricate and ornate images on the Priestbain Wall had taken scores of nameless long-dead men years to complete, but other men—</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">lesser men</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Uzo thought—had taken only a few seconds to destroy them.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“What happened to your wall?” Uzo said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Time, my boy. That’s what happens to all of us, at least eventually. Time changes things. Rivers shift, glaciers melt, and oceans rise and fall. It is the inexorable nature of the world, “ Harros said, shrugging his shoulders.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“But the carvings of the Old Gods! All of that history!”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros shot Uzo a stern glance.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“The Old Gods were false. There is only one God, Uzo. Having the representations of false deities on our walls was a blasphemy. Time had passed those old religions by. Their images had to be . . . erased.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo gazed at the deep gouges that had been hammered into the granite face of the wall, stunned. While he had not understood the meanings of all of the old carvings, he had always been impressed by their exquisite detail. What sort of devotion would make a man spend </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">years</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> carving something so painstakingly intricate? And there was the mystery of it all—the intrigue of knowing that other men had <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">worshiped</span> other gods, and had other systems of belief that got them through the day. Even if those belief systems had faded into obscurity with the passage of time, they still had some relevance, did they not?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But now it had come to this: wanton destruction, all in the name of faith.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While Uzo had never been fond of organized religion, he could respect the fervor of the True Believer. Strong belief often made a man a better warrior. The next level, religious fanaticism, could inspire even greater things—or far worse ones. Indeed, the most fervent devotees of any religion drank a fragile and often deadly cocktail—an utter willingness to die for the cause admixed with an innate recklessness, the white-hot intensity of the warrior’s religious devotion having burned away all logic and all discipline. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And here, right in front of him, was one such example.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ever since that day in the Godswood Village when the Thrax had declared that Jaykriss of Godswood would be the King, the Godswood Priests had made one thing abundantly clear: the Old Gods were to be forgotten, their religions rendered into smoke and ash, their myriad beliefs and customs consigned to oblivion. Before, the Old Gods were tolerated, if not venerated. Worship was, at least to some degree, a matter of personal choice. But those days were gone; there was no longer any decision in the matter. Now, there was but one religion: the religion of the Godswood Priests. And there was but one object of their worship: the enigmatic figure they called Dhatzah-il. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It was said that Dhatzah-il had once been a man—but that had been long ago. Now, he had been transformed, metamorphosed into something beyond men: a transcendent being, all-powerful and all-knowing. It no longer mattered what he had once been, or where he came from--for Dhatzah-il was now immortal, eternal, and righteous beyond all reproach. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Indeed, Dhatzah-il had become God. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To the one true God, Dhatzah-il, we pledge our faith, our lives, and our very souls.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This was the prayer the priests called the Prayer of Dawn. Each day, as soon as the first slivers of light stole into the Godswood, the priests in the Priests’ Bain would gather and shout this in unison from the towers and the rooftops, over and over, until their voices cracked and their vocal cords split. They would then continue chanting, rasping the prayer, coarse and dry-tongued, until they could barely speak. And then they would still chant it, again and again, until there was nothing left of their voices but a whisper--and the inexorable, undying will of the righteous, distilled into something pure and holy by the ragged voices of men.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">By the end of each visit to the Priests’ Bain, Uzo heard the Prayer of Dawn in his sleep. The incessant chant wormed about in his brain like a parasite—a stubborn invader that he could not remove, relentless and insistent, its grim teeth latched deep into the very meat of his subconscious mind.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Even now I can hear it, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo thought grimly. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is already with me and I have not even entered the Priestbain Gate.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Godswood Priests had long called Dhatzah-il “The God Who Walks.” But most of the world knew Dhatzah-il by yet another name: The Dark King. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Dark King’s ubiquitous symbol—a spiked crown, the tips gleaming gold in the stray beams of sunlight that filtered through to the forest floor—loomed heavy over the top of the Priestbain Gate, much as it had on its twin, the gate that had opened up for them at the Priestbain Road.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Priests’ Bain itself was gargantuan—a dark mountain of stone and timber, reaching above the treetops and towards the invisible sky, its smooth surface randomly spangled with myriad windows that gleamed like diamonds. It was ancient, having stood for thousands of years. More than a mere residence for the Godswood Priests, the Priests’ Bain was a symbol, a towering monument to the sheer power of the priesthood. And it was filled with secrets. One could almost hear the whispers that scurried about within its dark walls like so many mice, their sharpened teeth gnawing away at the very souls of men.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros approached the gate and inserted the ruby on his staff into it just as he had at the prior gate, rotating it a quarter turn to the right. There was a clanking noise inside and the massive iron gates began to swing open.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Form up! High Priest Harros at the gate!” shouted a hoarse voice from within the Priest’s Bain walls.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The centurions, clad in spotless white battle armor topped with gleaming gold-domed helmets, had lined up two deep, forming a pathway between the Outer and Inner Baingates. As Uzo and Harros passed, the centurions averted their eyes, casting them downward, and raised their gleaming sword tips above their heads.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Your centurions have been well-trained, Priest Harros,” Uzo said, chuckling.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“It’s a credit to their trainer,” Harros said, smiling.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo nodded, taking stock of the impassive faces of his men.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A fine crew, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">he thought, admiring their discipline.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The centurions closed ranks behind Harros and Uzo as the two men passed, moving as one, with machine-like precision. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Body like iron, nerves of pure steel, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Heart of a lion, unable to feel. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That credo was inscribed in the stone archway over the centurion’s training facility in Capitus. To be a centurion was a singular honor—but it was a life of perpetual sacrifice, a life of service to King and country. A centurion could not marry until he retired from service, and could not have a lover until he had served his King selflessly for at least five seasons. Children were forbidden; they might cause a man to hesitate in battle, and a split second of indecision could lead to death in times of war. Nevertheless, several of the older centurions had offspring hidden away in various hamlets and villages throughout the land. Women wanted children, of course. Some men simply could not tell their women no, and as a result they were forced to keep secrets. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secrets are like poison</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. He remembered reading that as a child, although he could not remember where it came from.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">His thoughts drifted once again to his Misha. He thought of her long, dark hair and her slim, muscular figure, of her brilliant smile and her mysterious onyx eyes. Misha asked nothing of Uzo. She kept no secrets. She was never demanding; she never screamed at him in anger or cried at some imagined slight. She did not browbeat Uzo for all the time he spent away from her, nor did she ask for expensive jewelry or fine clothes like some of the centurion companions. Instead, she simply seemed pleased that Uzo loved her. She lived to serve him. And she was grateful for the attention that came with being associated with such a high-ranking centurion officer as Uzo. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I’ll be back to you soon, love, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">he thought.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tend to your chickens.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo and Harros entered the Inner Baingate alone. The cast iron doors slammed shut behind them, deadbolts clicking and locking in a mad clatter of gears.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“He wishes to speak to us tonight, Uzo,” Harros said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo cocked his head.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“How? Are we to return to Capitus?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros shook his head.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“There is a new device that he is using—a device that throws one’s image over space. The scientists call it the Splinter, because it allows the user to send a piece of himself over great distances. The God Who Walks can now be anywhere he wants to be at any time.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Can he see us with this device? Or can we only see him?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A thin smile crept across Harros’ dry lips.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Dhatzah-il sees </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">everything</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Uzo. Surely you know this.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“You know what I mean, High Priest. So the Dark King can see what we are doing when we are talking to him.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I would not communicate with the King via the Splinter in the nude, if that’s what you mean. It would be considered a measure of disrespect.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Well, I can assure you that I have no intention of doing </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">that</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Walking across the Priestbain yard, they approached the iron-clad wooden door to the Priest’s Bain. Once again, the ornate images of the old gods that had once adorned it had been obliterated, their stern visages battered and gouged beyond all recognition. The twin lanterns that illuminated the doorway flickered with gaslight the way they always had—but the names of the gods the lanterns had once been dedicated to had been crudely scratched away.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Seeing all of this saddened Uzo. This sort of wanton destruction was a tragedy, especially for a pragmatist like him. It was senseless; it accomplished nothing of value. Uzo wondered who had given the order to wipe the old gods off the pages of history—but then, as he shot a glance over at Harros, who was standing beside him, he wondered no more. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The old man’s usually benign, sallow face had ripened into a virulent eggplant hue. Harros ground his teeth together so intently that Uzo thought they might shatter; the old priest’s fists were clenched tight, his knuckles blanched.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Who did this? </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Who?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Scratched in block letters into the metal base of both lanterns was a single crudely written name, gleaming in the flickering torchlight:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">JAYKRISS</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“WHO DID THIS?” Harros screamed, his voice breaking. His silver eyes were ablaze with fury.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There was no answer. And then, without warning, everything in the Priestbain began to change.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo noticed the stillness first. It was a subtle thing—the way an entire forest would suddenly grow quiet when a wolf was near. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The darkness came next-- insidious and unexpected, like a solar eclipse. Shadows lengthened and coalesced. Uzo felt his pupils dilate; his chest tightened a bit, and he wrapped his thick, battle-scarred fingers around the hilt of his sword.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Better to be ready, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Urgo’s long-dead voice said inside his head.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Time crawled to a dead halt. A flock of ravens took flight, making one sweep around the yard before flapping off into the forest—and leaving Uzo and Harros as the only living things left in the now-empty Priestbain Yard. The Yard was now a vacuum, a desert, a tomb; the air was thick with nothingness, the last little bits of life having been completely sucked out of it. Even Harros’ enraged tirade seemed muffled, smothered in an oppressive blanket of gloom that loomed over them like a thundercloud. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“What . . ?” Uzo began.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Suddenly subdued, Harros put a bony index finger to his lips.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shhh,” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">he said, eyes wide.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He pointed to the darkening sky, which boiled ominously overhead.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“He’s coming,” Harros whispered.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Who’s coming?” Uzo said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“The God Who Walks. The Dark King. Dhatzah-il. The One in Three and Three in One—all divine, all holy, all-powerful and all-knowing. Dhatzah-il walks in the darkness. The darkness has come to clear the path, to make way for him.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Harros looked about anxiously.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There was a fluttering rush of wings coming from above them and around them, from </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">everywhere</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. The darkness grew even deeper, more insistent. Uzo could feel it wrapping around his throat like a snake, constricting tighter and tighter, stealing his every breath.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And then, suddenly, the Yard was pitch black.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Harros?” Uzo said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the viscid, dreamless night that had swallowed them both, two blood-red eyes opened wide. Uzo could see the bulk of an impossibly massive creature looming above them, a being with glittering edges that sparkled like stars. Its mouth was a yawning void, a gaping black hole that stretched into eternity.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I am here,” the Dark King said. His voice was at once a whisper and a scream; it spoke from someplace deep inside Uzo’s brain. Uzo could </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">feel </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the Dark King inside him, probing among the various gyri and sulci. It felt as though an incessant mass of invisible tentacles was sifting through each and every memory, fingering his thoughts and ideas, tossing aside his myriad hopes and dreams like so many empty husks. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Misha! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">he thought. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vainly, he tried to block her memory, tried to hide her from Him, but it was too late. The Dark King was powerful. He ripped though Uzo’s defenses like they were nothing but smoke, discovering the girl with ease.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Horrifyingly, the grizzled centurion commander could feel the echoes of the Dark King’s unadulterated delight at having discovered Uzo’s one true locus of vulnerability. His brain filled with a thick bubbling sound, like boiling mud.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He’s laughing, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo realized with a shock. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He’s laughing at my weakness.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Uzo closed his eyes tight, fighting back tears. He dared not look up. If he had to stare into those crimson eyes again, even for a second, he was certain that they would tear his living soul from his flesh. Instead, he cast his sightless eyes at the invisible ground beneath him, feeling rivulets of cold sweat trickling down the small of his back. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For the first time in forever, Uzo was afraid.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And the Dark King knew it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Look—thrust, then parry my blow, stand back, then thrust again! Really, Jaykriss, how hard can this be? You used to be </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">better </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">than I was at this,” Marda said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The vast cavern that the warriors of the Dead City called the Arena was cold, wet and lined with a sticky moss seemed to adhere to any fabric like glue. Stalactites hung from the ceiling like dragon’s teeth; water dripped from some of them, pooling in spots on the limestone floor below and running in small streams into a metal drain in the center of the room. Twin rows of torches had been lit in the center of the room, around the drain, to provide the combatants with light, and sconces along the walls held other torches which flickered with tongues of orange flame as well. Some of the torches flared up periodically as water dripped upon them from the cavern roof. Zamarcus had said that the torches flared like that because the “water” dripping on them was not really just water.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“There’s oil mixed in it,” he said. “Comes from a pool two levels up. It’s what we use to keep the torches lit.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The cavern walls themselves were suffused with a blue-green glow from the entangled roots of the massive bioluminescent trees that grew overhead, in the Great Hall of the Dead City. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It had been three weeks since Jaykriss had awakened from the dreamless slumber that had captured him for seven moons. He barely remembered the day Harros plunged a dagger between his ribs, slicing him open like a melon. He could recall the hateful flash of Harros’ silver eyes, and his muttered words the old priest spoke in his ear, like a whisper, but the rest was lost someplace—like fragments from a dark dream, a nightmare best forgotten.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The pain was still fresh, however. He remembered the taste of blood on his lips, like rust, and the struggle to breathe as the world slipped away from him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And then Papa met me at the shore, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">he thought. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But Jaykriss had come back from the Otherworld. He had come back for Sola—and, perhaps, for something else.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jaykriss had practiced swordsmanship here every single day since the day after he awoke, but the technique was not coming back to him, not at all. He was not the same. He seemed weak and unfocused, as though something vital had been stolen from him. The first few days, he could barely walk, but that was understandable. Now, however, it had been long enough for the effects of his long sleep to have worn off. The nausea he had experienced at first had dissipated, and he was eating well again. All of the tubes that had kept him alive while he slept had long since been removed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But still, things were not the same.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jaykriss wondered if Harros’ blade had been poisoned, of if there had been some sort of dark witchcraft involved. He had heard of such things, of course. They all had.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Everyone thinks you are dead, Jaykriss, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sola had said the day he awoke.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Everyone but us.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, when he looked at his reflection in the mirror, he saw something that looked only like a pale imitation of himself. His ribs showed through his skin. His arms and legs were pitifully thin, almost emaciated; his eyes were sunken, and rimmed with dark circles. It was like he had died and come back as a ghozim—something ephemeral, a mere shadow.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And there was the scar—still raised and red after all this time, a thin ribbon of pain around his chest, along the place that Harros had slid the blade that was meant to end his life.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He knew he should not even be breathing. He thanked the gods for their grace. He was grateful for the efforts of Zamarcus, whose scientific expertise had saved his life. And he was appreciative of his friends, who had saved him from certain death by spiriting him away to this place, the Dead City—the one place in the world where the Dark King could not find him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He was grateful, but he had doubts. They crowded into the darkest recesses of his brain like fish swimming upriver to spawn—insistent, unrelenting, never allowing him to rest for even a moment.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">They all see me as the fulfillment of a musty old prophecy, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">he thought. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And I’m as weak as a kitten. I could not even defeat my little sister in battle right now.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He smiled, in spite of his doubts, at the thought of Annya. She would be a feisty one to meet in battle—that much was certain. She had a great deal of their father in her.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I miss seeing her, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">he thought. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And Mama.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jaykriss felt a tightening in his chest, like a knot being tied.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Marda knocked the Bloodsword aside effortlessly and placed the tip of Icebreaker, his father’s battle saber, over Jaykriss’s heart.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Are you dreaming of Sola? Is that why you are distracted? Because your girlfriend is currently working on her archery skills in preparation for battle. Meanwhile, the illustrious One Who Leads is asleep on his feet.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jaykriss dropped the Bloodsword to the floor and wiped his brow with a dirty sleeve. His arms ached, and the scarred place where Harros had slipped the dagger between his ribs burned white-hot.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“You might recall the small detail of my being comatose for seven moons while you, Sola and the rest had sword and archery practice </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">every single day</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Of course I remember that! How could I forget? I was at your bedside every one of those days. We </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">all </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">were.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He grinned at Jaykriss.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“In fact, if it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t all be stuck here in the Dead City, with all of these other freaks of nature.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Watch your tongue, boy!” Zarg growled, standing up.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The giant crocodilian had been slumbering in the corner of the Arena in full battle gear, snoring so loudly that the practice swords stacked up in the racks nearby were vibrating.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zarg lumbered over to Jaykriss and Marda and picked up the Bloodsword, handing it back to Jaykriss by its ruby-tipped hilt. His ochre eyes glittered within his spiked steel helmet.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“The key to this is positioning. Strength has nothing to do with it. It’s all about leverage. See here,” Zarg said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He picked up a heavy, dull-edged practice sword with his reconstituted left hand—the one that the Queen’s anglerfish had picked completely clean of flesh just a few moons ago--and flipped it over effortlessly, as though it were made of pine instead of steel.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Come at me, Marda,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Marda charged him, sword upraised. He swung Icebreaker in a vicious downstroke, but Zarg deflected it with a minimal flick of the wrist.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“How did you do that?” Jaykriss said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“By using Marda’s own force against him. Let the attacker’s momentum carry them past you, then deflect the blade as they pass. You can get a counterswing in then if you’re quick enough. Again, it’s not about brute strength. It’s about technique.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Let’s try it again,” Marda said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“The results will be the same,” Zarg said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I’ve got some moves you’ve never seen,” said Marda.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zarg feigned a yawn.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I doubt that,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Marda charged again—but this time, at the last moment, he dropped his sword and tried to slide it beneath the crocodilian’s battle armor. Zarg deftly stepped to one side and forced Marda to swing wildly. His sword struck only air, and Marda staggered past Zarg like a stampeding buffalo. The giant crocodilian then added insult to injury when he slapped Marda on the rump with the flat edge of his practice sword, sending him sprawling face-first onto the Arena’s mossy floor. He knocked one of the torches over as he fell and it flared for a moment, igniting a small pool of oil-laden water on the cavern floor. Zarg stamped out the flames with his boot, then turned back to Marda. The Stygian commander’s crooked fangs were fixed in a mischievous grin. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“That wasn’t fair!” Marda exclaimed, his face flushed red.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zarg glanced at Marda.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Leverage,” he said, his eyes dancing.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“How did we ever beat you?” Jaykriss said, shaking his head.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zarg snorted, dropping his sword.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Pah. I let you two win. I don’t fight children—especially not Outlander children. It wasn’t a fair fight.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But Zarg’s momentary glance at his left hand—a forelimb still pink with newly-grown skin, in stark contrast to the thick black scales that covered the rest of his body--said otherwise.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“You’ve got to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">feel </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the Bloodsword, Jaykriss. Link with it. Let it work with you,” said a familiar voice from the shadows.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Startled, Zarg wheeled about, sword upraised—and blinked at the bearded apparition he saw standing before him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“By the gods, old man! You’ve got to stop doing that!” Zarg bellowed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zamarcus stepped forward from the shadows. His white cloak gleamed apple green in bioluminescent glow of the room. The torchlight danced along the rims of his spectacles, making it difficult to see the old man’s eyes—but Jaykriss thought he looked amused.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Not all of us must enter a room like a hurricane, Zarg. Sometimes, it is better to be a simple summer breeze,” Zamarcus said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“A Stygian militiaman will </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">never </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">come in like a summer breeze, old man. It is not in our nature.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Fair enough,” Zamarcus said, nodding. “It is admittedly difficult to be stealthy when you are over nine paces tall and weigh as much as a cow.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“A bull,” Zarg said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“What?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Do not compare me to a cud-chewing </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">cow</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. I am like a bull—powerful and strong.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“A bull, then. A really large, mean bull, right?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zarg grinned.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Yes. The largest and the meanest.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zamarcus turned back to Jaykriss.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Zarg is right. The battle does not always go to the strongest. Sometimes it goes to the most cunning. And the use of leverage is one aspect of swordplay that one gains from experience—and a good teacher, like Zarg here.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Mmph!” the Stygian commander grunted, nodding.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“But there is something else, something I mentioned before. Your sword is yours for a reason. It has been in your family for generations. Your father used it, and his before him. It </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">knows </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">you, Jaykriss. It </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">feels </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">you. And you must feel it.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I thought that you were a scientist,” Jaykriss said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I am.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“So this smacks of something else. Witchcraft, perhaps. The old hocus-pocus.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“It’s neither.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“So what is it, then?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zamarcus took off his spectacles and began cleaning them with the edge of his robe.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“It’s faith,” he said. “And that is outside of science, or magic, or anything else in our world. There are things in the universe that you cannot see, things you cannot prove or disprove. That’s where faith comes in. Sometimes you simply have to believe that something is true to make it so.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jaykriss frowned.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“That sure sounds a lot like magic to me.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zamarcus grinned.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I suppose it is in a way. It sure seems like that when it happens. You know, many of the things that seem like magic have scientific explanations that we just haven’t found yet. But every once in a while, you run into something that simply defies logic. That’s where this sort of thing comes in. Faith is belief in the unknowable—the sort of thing which is the foundation of most religions.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zamarcus picked up a rusty iron helmet from the practice armor rack and placed it backwards on Jaykriss’s head.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I can’t see!” Jaykriss said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“That’s the point. You’ve got to trust your instincts. Swing, and the sword will follow. Feel its power in your hand. Know where it is in space. You don’t need your eyes to see that,” he said. “Only your heart and soul.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jaykriss shook his head.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“It’s as dark as pitch in here,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Marda, take our Stygian friend here and go to the observation room. I’ll join you in a moment. Jaykriss has something he must do alone.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zamarcus turned an iron knob on the wall. A droning buzz filled the air. The metal plate covering the “drain” in the center of the room began to move.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“What’s that sound?” Marda said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Shillix. They live in the drainpipe,” Zamarcus said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Blood-sucking little bastards,” Zarg said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Zamarcus! You’d let them out?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“What’s going on?” said Jaykriss.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I’m opening the drainpipe, Jaykriss,” Zamarcus said. “There’s a shillix nest below. It’s time you learned to trust what you already know.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“But you’ll unleash them! They’ll kill us!” Jaykriss said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“We won’t be in here. Only you,” Zamarcus said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Marda’s eyes widened.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Go,” Zamarcus said, frowning.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“But . . .”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zamarcus pointed to the door.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Go </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">now</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. He needs this.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“The boy’s not ready,” Zarg said, shaking his head. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Yes he is,” Zamarcus said. “He just doesn’t know it yet.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He turned the knob another notch. The buzzing sound grew louder, more insistent. Things were banging intermittently on the opposite side of the large metal plate that covered the drain.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Feel the sword, Jaykriss. Let it be your eyes,” Zamarcus whispered. His hot breath was close to Jaykriss’s ear.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“What is happening?” Jaykriss said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“You are about to wake up. It’s time, Jaykriss—time to fulfill your destiny.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He turned the knob another notch. The drainplate edged to one side, revealing a sliver of utter darkness—and suddenly there they were: a frantic flurry of arms and legs and wings, a score of proboscises tipped with razor-sharp mouthparts crowding through the widening gap between the stone floor and the metal plate.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“The shillix are going to try to eat you. You must kill them first,” Zamarcus said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“What?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zamarcus strapped the helmet down tight. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I can’t see a thing! How can I kill them if I cannot see them?” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“You can </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">hear </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">them, can’t you? Their wings buzzing, mouthparts clicking? Aim for that,” Zamarcus said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He turned the knob another click to the left. The metal plate began to slowly inch aside.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Have faith in yourself, Jaykriss!’ Zamarcus said over his shoulder as he ran to the Arena’s metal doorway. He opened it up with a dull </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ker-chank! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and dead-bolted it behind him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The first shillix had already wriggled through the widening gap in the floor, its chitinous lower body squeezing through as its forelimbs scrabbled furiously against the stone floor.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zamarcus joined Zarg and Marda in the Arena Observation Room, located above the practice floor.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Are you crazy, old man?” Marda asked. “He’ll be nothing but a pile of bones once they get ahold of him!”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“No, he won’t. Look at him,” Zamarcus said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jaykriss stood right in the center of the Arena, his sword upraised. Twin rows of torches flickered on either side of him, their light reflected in the spider-webbed rivulets of water that flowed across the Arena’s stone floor.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The shillix was as big as an eagle. It circled above Jaykriss’s head, its huge compound eyes darkly reflecting the flickering torchlight. The ravenous insect looked like a giant six-winged mosquito, its segmented thorax a gleaming obsidian, with one exception: the long proboscis that drooped from its head was tipped with a circular array of razor-sharp teeth that moved incessantly, as though they </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">needed </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">a gobbet of</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">soft flesh to gnaw on. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jaykriss could clearly hear the creature’s wings whirring above him. He whirled about, turning his blinded eyes upward.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Suddenly, the shillix dove downward, its spindly claw-tipped legs spread wide.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Watch out!” Marda screamed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There was a flash of steel as Jaykriss swung the Bloodsword through the air. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The glimmering blade sliced through the shillix’s dark torso, cleaving the giant insect neatly in two. Dark red blood splattered across the floor at Jaykriss’s feet as the two halves of the insect’s body tumbled across the floor.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Bravo!” Marda said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“There’s more of them,” Zarg said, pointing upward.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, three shillix hovered above Jaykriss’s head. Others were trying to squeeze through the ever-widening gap between the drainplate and the floor, their clawed forelimbs straining with the effort.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Ye gods,” Marda said, shaking his head.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Two of the three circling shillix dove at Jaykriss at once. Jaykriss whirled and deflected one with the flat side of the Bloodsword, knocking it to the ground, then sliced the second in half. The third dove on him then, but it had no chance. Jaykriss whirled and decapitated it with a single stroke.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The battered shillix that Jaykriss had knocked down was nursing a broken wing and could no longer fly. It was crawling along the Arena floor, its left wing limp and useless, in an attempt to take further refuge in the dark drainpipe it had come from. But as it reached the edge of the plate, it was attacked by the other shillix that were trying to escape through the opening in the floor. The wounded insect shrieked as its brethren tore it apart in a matter of seconds, ripping its limbs off and tearing into its convulsing thorax with their razor-sharp mandibles.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Kill them, Jaykriss! Kill them now, while they are distracted!” Marda said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But Jaykriss turned his back on the ravenous creatures and walked away.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“What is he doing?” Marda asked.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jaykriss plucked one of the torches from the floor and dipped it into the water pooling at the edges of the Arena. The torch sputtered and flared up yellow-orange, the flames rising three feet in the air. Black smoke spiraled off of the end of the torch.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And then Jaykriss dropped the torch straight into the water.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The water ignited with a muffled </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">whoomp! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and suddenly Jaykriss was invisible, his thin body surrounded by walls of flame.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Is he crazy? He’ll burn to death!” Marda said.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zamarcus, grinning, gently patted Marda’s broad, muscular shoulder with a bony hand.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“No, Marda, he’s not crazy. He’s brilliant. He’s figured it all out. Watch.”</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>***</b>To be continued in </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Vengeance of The Dark King</b></span></span></b>, Book 2 of The Bloodsword Trilogy<b>***</b></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840058533553867365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298578811753281319.post-74226143409604461792014-09-21T20:35:00.000-07:002014-09-22T06:24:42.010-07:00Interview With Author Mary Adair<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Today's Guest Author</b></h3>
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<b>Mary Adair</b></h3>
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<b> </b>Hello everyone! I'm back again with what I've discovered to be my most popular part of my blog, the Author Interview. Today we have lovely Mary Adair, Amazon's best selling author of Native American Romance<b>. </b>These Native American Romances are directed at a more mature audience, an adult audience. Now when I say Romance I want to make clear what type of Romance. It wasn't until I was in my late 20's that I realized that a romance novel can be more than some cheesy Harlequin paperback. My apologies to anyone who is a Harlequin fan, it's just not my thing, too much fluff & a lot of times the story suffers because the focus is all on the romance & nothing else. Then I came across a few authors who showed me that you can have a story & romance. I found that romances were capable of having strong female characters who could take care of themselves & story, a deep storyline at that, who knew?! LOL! Anyway, the latter is what Mrs. Adair writes. Her stories are smart & well researched, her characters are interesting & strong, & she still manages to fit in just the right amount of romance without taking away from the wonderful Native American history & well thought out story. That's my kind of romance author & as you'll come to see, those are the only Romance authors I'll read & talk about on The Ranting Bookworm. The name of Mary Adair's first book in her Native American Romance series is called Passion's Vision. Passion's Vision also won the <span id="freeText7489169977943402891">Betty Hendrick's Award for Most Publishable Romance at the Dallas Writers Association Convention, evidently I'm not her only fan. Mrs. Adair continues to build on the wonderful story she created in Passion's Vision with two more books called Raven's Passion & Passion's Price. So far I've only gotten to read book one, Passion's Vision, but if the other two are even half as good as her first then I know I'm going to love them just as much. For those of you who are into history & are sticklers for historical accuracy, Mary Adair hits the nail on the head in that department. Mrs. Adair got lucky while looking for reference material & inspiration, while trying to write her first book, when her husband brought to her attention that he had a relative from the 1700's who wrote a book about Native Americans during the 1700's. Not only did she use a lot of his research to make her story more real/ alive, but she also loosely based the male lead after him. I personally would label this series as Historical Fiction with a tiny bit of Romance for some spice, but no matter what you label it as, I'm confident you'll love her story as much as I did.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText7489169977943402891"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Passions-Vision-Passion-Book-1-ebook/dp/B006QQ0LVA/" target="_blank"> Passion's Vision eBook Link</a></span></div>
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<span id="freeText7489169977943402891"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ravens-Passion-Series-Book-ebook/dp/B00KMYA6UI/" target="_blank">Raven's Passion eBook Link</a></span></div>
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<span id="freeText7489169977943402891"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Passions-Price-Passion-Series-Book-ebook/dp/B006UKCAG6/" target="_blank">Passion's Price eBook Link</a></span></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span id="freeText7489169977943402891"><b>Synopsis of Passion's Vision</b> <b>by: The Ranting Bookworm</b></span></h3>
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<span id="freeText7489169977943402891"> New Moon is a young Cherokee woman & warrior who still morns the death of her husband, a well respected warrior in her tribe.<b> </b>A white man killed her husband & now New Moon is troubled even more when the spirits give her a vision of the man to be her new mate ,"...A man with hair the color of the great river's clay & eyes the color of the summer sky.". She vows to never let this happen, but will the spirits let her off so easily, with a simple, stubborn vow? Before she knows it, James Fitzgerald rides into her village. Mr Fitzgerald with "...hair the color of the great river's clay...", red, & "...eyes the color of the summer sky...", blue. He's an agent in King George's court & has been commissioned to blend into Dancing Cloud's tribe as a trader in order to take out a French agent causing trouble for both tribes & settlers. Yet, from the moment he see's New Moon, James can't take his eyes off her & decides to win her over, which turns out to be harder than he realizes, for she's not your average girl, Cherokee or not. James & New Moon defend her tribe & fight side-by-side, a love that New Moon thought was impossible slowly blossoms. A love that heals two wounded hearts & a love they will have to fight to protect. </span></div>
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<span id="freeText7489169977943402891"><b>The Ranting Bookworm's Review of: Passion's Vision</b></span></h3>
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<span id="freeText7489169977943402891"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview973185707"> Passion's
Vision, best described as a romantic historical fiction, is much like a
beautifully written history book that on closer inspection reveals a
reluctant, yet passionate love story. It's obvious that Ms. Adair did
her research as she proceeds to detail a young America that was so
tangible & alive to me that I swore I could feel the soft fur
blankets against my skin, smell the campfires burning, taste the corn
flour rations, & hear the war cries of the Cherokee at battle!<br /><br />
Yet, as amazing as all the historical accuracy is, the real heart of
the story lies in New Moon's & James Fitzgerald's growing passion
for each other. The author continues to amaze by introducing us to New
Moon who has the spirit of a warrior & is a big departure from what
many period pieces often overdo, the damsel in distress syndrome. Not
even Mr. Fitzgerald follows the unwritten rules for how a male leading
character does in a story like this. Instead of forcing the white mans
ways on the natives he, instead, brings a level of understanding &
admiration to them that is different than anything I've seen in any book
or movie like this. <br /><br /> Mary Adair keeps you glued to her book
with her unique characters & passionate, one of a kind, historical
fiction love story. While there were a few typos throughout the tail end
of my copy, it did nothing to take away from the story. The deeper I
got into the book the harder it was to put down. I can't wait to read
the next 2 books in her Passion series.</span></span></span></div>
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<span id="freeText7489169977943402891"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview973185707"> ********</span></span></span></div>
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<span id="freeText7489169977943402891"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview973185707"> </span></span><b> </b></span></div>
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<span id="freeText7489169977943402891"> Mary Adair also writes a YA Fantasy series by the name of Legends of Aztar. The first book is called Captive Spirits. The rest of the series is on it's way. I have yet to read this book, but when I do, I promise to post a review on here for everyone to see. Still, with as impressed as I was with Mary's writing style in her adult series, I'm sure she won't disapoint me with her YA series.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText7489169977943402891">*You can't really <i>Look inside</i> this book from here. Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of the book cover that doesn't have that written on it.</span><span id="freeText7489169977943402891"> But you can take a look at it here: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Captive-Spirits-Legends-Aztar-Book-ebook/dp/B00BWWJVS2/" target="_blank">Captive Spirits eBook Link</a></span></div>
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<h3>
<b>The following is the Author Interview As Promised</b></h3>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
(<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>=the Ranting Bookworm aka Jolene<span style="background-color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: white;">,</span>MA</span> <span style="background-color: cyan;"></span>=Mary Adair)<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>*</b><i>P.S. I hope none of my questions come across as repetitive. Just so everyone understands, I generally write up a bunch of questions which I then email & get the answers to later. I try & write the questions in a way that hopefully prevents the author from repeating themselves, but sometimes there is just no way to avoiding it. Please enjoy.</i><b> </b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411337780127_14652" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411337780127_14652" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- I saw one on of the books you drew some of your research
from for Passion’s Vision was written in 1930 by one of your husband’s
relatives James Adair, can you tell us a little about him & how you found
out about him? Did his book have anything to do with your desire to write a
book about that time period & the Cherokee, if not, what was your
inspiration? </span></li>
</ul>
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<div class="yiv1967340270MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411337780127_14657" style="font-size: large; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411337780127_14656" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411337780127_14656" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>- James Adair lived
in the 1700 and wrote the book, Adair’s History of the American Indian, about
his time living with the Native Americans. It was published in England in the
1700s, but was not published in the United States until 1930. Some facts about
James Adair, he came to America with his father and two brothers. He did have
ties to England and the King. He set up a successful trading post which is
actually marked on an old map I found during my research. He spent his life in
America with the Native Americans and wrote his book, Adair’s History of American
Indians which was published in England in 1775. It was first published in the
United States in 1930. </span></div>
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<div class="yiv1967340270MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411337780127_14724" style="font-size: large; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411337780127_14723" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I was hip deep looking into my family lines hoping to find
an ancestor I could draw inspiration from when my husband said, in a very
matter of fact way, “I just don’t know why you don’t read James Adair’s book on
American Indians.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">My husband is such a tease. “Yes,” I scoffed. “And just who
is James Adair?”</span></div>
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<div class="yiv1967340270MsoNormal" style="font-size: large; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Well, when He told me he was an agent to the king and trader
to the Indians in the 1700s I just laughed and turned back to my family
research. We were at the library at the time. He quietly laid the book down in
front of me. Just reading the introduction was enough for me. I checked out the
book and that was the beginning of Passion’s Vision.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">After returning Adair’s History of the American Indians to
the library they had an old book sale and it was sold. I was sick because I
didn’t hear about the sale before the old book was sold. Of course, now Adair’s
History is readily available.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I have to say though James Fitzgerald aka Red Panther, was
inspired by the man James Adair and his remarkable adventures, James Fitzgerald and his remarkable adventures
came from my own imagination. <br />
</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>
- What drew you to writing about American Indian tribes from the
1700’s? </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>- The fact that my husband had such an exciting ancestor
was the first draw. Reading the Adair book and learning about Native American
customs and ceremonies I never knew about as well as the intimate look at the
brave and noble people won my heart. <br />
<br />
</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>– I was impressed with your creation of a white man who integrates with the
Cherokee, living with them, observing & appreciating their way of life, not
trying to change them or force the white man’s ways on them. That’s not a
common character idea, most books portray the white man more like your character
DuPrey, perhaps not as evil, but in the way he moved in & slowly changing
the way the natives did things to replicate the European way of life. So, my
question is, how did you decide to write the character of James like this, a
person who lives with the Cherokee & learns from them, but doesn’t try
& change them? What inspired you to write a character like James?</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>- James Adair was that type of person. So James Fitzgerald
was as well. James Adair had a respect for Indian customs and beliefs. He never
thought of a Native American as anything less than they are. He was fascinated
by them and chose to spend his life with Native Americans. From his writings we
learn he believed the Native Americans to be a lost tribe of Israel. I don’t
know if he came to this conclusion after living and practicing their customs or
if he was drawn to them because of that belief.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>–You gave us a very strong Cherokee Female Character by the name of New Moon
whom I feel is very admirable, what was your inspiration or drive to write a
character like her?</span></li>
</ul>
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<div class="yiv1967340270MsoNormal" style="font-size: large; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>- The Cherokee are matriarchal. That basically means
they respect their women and women have a strong voice. A woman chose her
husband, the children belonged to the mother and she had the final say. If a
woman no longer wanted her husband, all she had to do was toss his stuff out
the door and he was no longer her husband. The Beloved Woman had the swing vote
in the decision of war. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv1967340270MsoNormal" style="font-size: large; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Another interesting thing I learned. The old widows who had
no family to care for them and the orphaned were respected and cared for. There
is a scene in Passion’s Vision where a large skin is placed on the ground and
before a warrior could dance and tell his story of the hunt he would place an
offering on the blanket for the needy within the tribe. I learned about that
custom in Adair’s book.<br />
</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- I know you’ve written 2 other books that follow Passion’s Vision, Raven’s
Passion & Passion’s Price, I suppose you could call it The Passion’s
series, anyway, do you plan to write anymore books for this series?</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>- Yes. I am plotting Passion’s Promise as we speak. I
don’t want to say more about it than Johnny Cloud, Raven and Dawn’s son, makes a
promise to his wife. After this promise he is captured and placed on a prison
ship. During my research on the Revolutionary
War I found a list of prisoners on a prison ship. I had already named Raven and
Dawn’s baby in Passion’s Price as Johnny and the book was already published
when I found this list. To my great excitement there was a John Cloud on that
list! <br />
</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>– I saw that you did a lot of literary research about the subject of Native
American history & way of life during the time period you wrote about, but
did you actually receive any help from people on the subject, visit any place
in preparation to write your story? Basically did you do anything extra special
to add a little more authenticity your tale, because I have to admit that you
did a spectacular job covering the subject?</span></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv1967340270MsoNormal" style="font-size: large; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>-I visited the Cherokee Heritage Center in Tahlequah
Oklahoma.</span> (<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://www.cherokeeheritage.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.cherokeeheritage.org/</a>)
This is a realistic village of 1710. There is also an awesome museum and
Genealogy records. They have events
throughout the year, but the village I believe is open most of the year. Also,
I live in Oklahoma where I am surrounded by Native American history. <br />
</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>
– I noticed that you also have another book out called Captive Spirits which
is a YA Fantasy. I haven’t gotten the chance to read it yet, but if it’s half
as good as Passion’s Vision then I know I’ll love it. Anyway, I was wondering
if you might tell us a little bit about it, like why you chose to change genres
& age groups to write it? </span></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>-Actually, Captive Spirits was my first book to write. I took
a creative writing class at UTA at Arlington in preparation to do something I
had always wanted to do…write a book. My son was in grade school and I would
bounce the story off him. I finished the book, “learning book” and set it
aside, as my son was now a teenager and required a good amount of parenting and
guidance.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv1967340270MsoNormal" style="font-size: large; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I didn’t pick it up again until I had published Passion’s
Vision and Passion’s Price. On a day while having a stressing day filled with
“empty nest syndrome” I picked Captive Spirits up and started reading. I first
though, “Did I really learn something in this class, how did I ever pass it?” Then, “This story is really good.” So, I
found my red pen and went to work. I published Captive Spirits and it has
received great reviews, but I set it aside again as I threw myself into
promoting Passion’s Vision and so it has not received much attention as far as
promotion goes. I would love to get your opinion after you read it.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- When you sit down to write what are some of the comfort items you like to
have near you to help your creative juices flow? (music, coffee, tea, a pet,
pics, etc...)</span></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv1967340270MsoNormal" style="font-size: large; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>- I love to walk outside while thinking about my
storyline. I live in the beautiful hills of Oklahoma so I can walk out a short
way from home and I will be surrounded by nature that is still as it was in my
Passion book. I also like sitting on the porch with my husband at sun up and
sun set. We are far enough out that there is nature all around us. I hand write
notes till I pretty much have the story figured out. Then I go to the computer.
Laptop on my lap (of course) TV on, Coffee cup close at hand, the little dogs
barking to beat the band because they are not allowed in my lap with the
computer, the big dogs outside barking and rolling round the yard, my husband
periodically calling my attention to something on the TV, I begin to write.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">If I were in total silence, I don’t think I could write a
word.<br />
<br />
</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- Do you have any favorite hobbies outside of reading & writing that help
center you & relax you in between putting pen to paper or fingers to
keyboard?</span></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>- I love walking in the wood, visiting museums, garage sales, any
movie…I love to go to the movies.<br />
<br />
</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- Who is or are your literary hero’s?</span></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>- The Bible, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Margaret
Mitchell and Kathleen Woodiwiss are the authors that started my love for
reading and influenced my desire to write. <br />
</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- I like to believe most avid readers have a book or series that they
remember reading as a child or young adult that helped fan the flames of their
love for reading & writing, I'm not too embarrassed to admit that mine was
the Bunnicula series by James Howe. What was yours?</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>- Mark Twain. I
absolutely loved Huckleberry Finn and
Tom Sawyer. My son did as well. <br />
</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- How often do you write?</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>- I work on a project every day. I may not write every
day, but I am thinking and plotting sometime, I think even when I sleep.<br />
<br />
</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- Is there any advice you might have for new & or aspiring writers that
you never got when you first started, but looking back you would have liked
someone to have shared with you?</span></li>
</ul>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411337780127_14710" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>- Life is full of responsibilities, but life is also meant
to be enjoyed. Take care of your responsibilities, and do not neglect to set a
time apart just for yourself. If writing is your passion and your vision for
yourself, you can do it. Never give up. <br />
<br />
</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411337780127_14710" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- Did you have a parent or teacher that inspired you to follow your dreams
& ambitions for writing? </span></li>
</ul>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411337780127_14706" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>- No. I actually don’t remember anyone encouraging me to
write. <br />
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</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411337780127_14706" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- Did you always want to write or is this a new hobby and or passion?</span></li>
</ul>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411337780127_14703" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>- Always. I can even remember writing stories when I was
very young. Before I could write I drew pictures and pretended it was a
storybook and told the story of the pictures to my mother.</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>-</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> How do you feel about the whole eReader vs Paper debate?</span></li>
</ul>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411337780127_14698" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>- I love a BOOK. I love to see books on a shelf. I love holding a book in my
hands. I love curling up before the fireplace with a good book. On the other
hand, an eReader is a handy convenience.</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- Do you have any other book ideas, aside from the two you already have
going, in the works that you can share with us? </span></li>
</ul>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411337780127_14693" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>- Yes, I am working on a Christian Contemporary Romance, In Her Father’s Will,
and another one clamoring around in my head that I am not at a point to mention
yet. <br />
</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411337780127_14693" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- Finally, is there anything I may not have covered already that you would
like to share with us about yourself & your writing?</span></li>
</ul>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411337780127_14689" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: magenta;">MA</span>- I would like to remind all the wonderful readers and fans out there, we
(authors) live to write and find tremendous joy in your response to our
writing. I want to hear the good and the bad because I want to know what my
fans enjoy. I believe most if not all authors feel the same way. So If you want
to really make your favorite author happy, write her or him a review.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText7489169977943402891"> Thank you, Mary, for your wonderful answers & I hope to be reading more great books by you in the near future. As to my readers, please read Passion's Vision, there is so much to learn historically from it & I swear opening that book transports the reader physically to another time, the 1700's to be exact. I do plan to eventually read her other books & when I do I promise to share my reviews with everyone on my blog. Before I let you go I have a few small things to share with you. First, I just started a new Twitter account to help promote my blog. I've never really been into Twitter or even understood it in the past, but recently I got a book on the subject by Elaine Orr & it helped me not just understand Twitter better, but it made me realize how it could be of use. My Twitter name is @RantingBookworm . I tried to set it up to look similar to my blog & thus it has the same cute worm picture & picture of a book with flying letters, that way those familiar with my blog recognize it as me. Feel free to stop in & say hi if you do the Twitter thing, if you don't I won't hold it against you, as I mentioned earlier, I'm new to Twitter & feel it has limited use as it is. Second, be on the look out for an interview YA Dystopian / Fantasy author Mark Murphy, I should be talking to him about his awesome new Bloodsword Trilogy. Finally, I finished one of my books on my reading list & forgot to mention a 5th small reading category, so, I should be posting an update to my What I'm Reading section of my blog to make the corrections & updates as needed to this part of my blog. Lastly, I want to thank everyone who has stopped in to read this post & if you have any comments or questions please feel free to use the comments section below to write them. Hopefully I didn't make too many mistakes, but if I did, please feel free to let me know about them, preferably nicely, in the comments section as well. Anyway, before I go, I'd like to remind everyone to keep reading & share your literary love with the young & old alike. Peace, Love & TTFN...</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840058533553867365noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298578811753281319.post-78232234729102785342014-09-14T21:46:00.000-07:002014-09-19T02:06:13.023-07:00Memorable Books of My Youth... Last post I mentioned I was going to talk about books that had the largest affect on me. I actually kind of got the idea from a Facebook chain wall posting that asked people to list 10 books that affected us in some way. I thought it might make a nice little conversation piece for my blog, but I want to change the request at bit. Instead of 10 books I am only going to list about half that. I also only want to bring up books that mainly shaped my reading tastes & desire to write as a youth & as I grew. You know what I mean, anybody who has loved reading & writing all there life has a mental if not physical stack of books that they remember fondly, a childhood favorite that they could read over & over, something that ignited a literary fire within them. I'm sure I've more than made my point, so lets get to the fun part of this post, the books!<br />
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Number one on my list, for those who haven't been following my blog on a regular basis, is James Howe's Bunnicula series. I'm not shy about admitting this is a childhood favorite that I still love to read & if you've read my author interviews you've seen me mention it as a part of one of my favorite questions, the question being basically a shorter version of this topic. I'm not 100% sure where I first saw the book, but I'm pretty sure I saw & purchased it from aWeekly Reader's monthly book insert. I don't know if I'm such an old fogy that what I'm referencing is lost on some of the younger people who might swing by my blog, so let me quickly explain. A Weekly Reader was like a mini elementary school newspaper that we would read in class or as homework once a week. Once a month the Weekly Reader would come with an insert that was about 4 pages long that listed books that we could purchase for our age group. My parents, being the smart & wonderful parents that they were, never had a problem letting me buy one or 2 books from it each month, depending on the cost. We may not have had a lot of money, but they saw the importance of feeding a young mind & loved nurturing my not quite realized love for books & writing. Anyway, I believe that is where I first saw Bunnicula. Please allow me to explain the concept of Mr. Howes series to those of you who haven't read or heard of it yet. Bunnicula is a vampire bunny that sucks the juice out of vegetables to sustain his appetite & life. The father & son in the book found the bunny while leaving a movie theater after watching Dracula & thought it would be neat to name the bunny partially after the movie they were watching just before they found him. They later bring the bunny home to a house with a dog by the name of Harold & a cat named Chester. Chester is actually a well educated cat that the father named after a set of encyclopedias & when no one is home he reads anything & everything in the fathers library. Sadly, Chester actually has a little more knowledge than he can handle or comprehend & gets it in his mind after reading way too many books about vampires that the bunny must be destroyed in the same way a vampire would be killed to protect the family. Harold on the other hand just thinks he's an innocent little bunny, & what's the harm in a few drained veggies? The entire book is written from the dog's point view & the manuscript was supposedly personally delivered to the author with a note explaining everything. I don't I know what I expected when I first saw the book, except that my decision to read the book may have been based solely on the cute bunny & dog on the cover & the peculiar name. I do remember that once I started reading it I couldn't put it down & when it ended I wanted more. Luckily at the time there were 3 more, now there are a few more I haven't had the chance to read. The other 3 books are: The Celery Stalks at Midnight, Nighty-Nightmare, & Howliday Inn. I remember getting the entire set eventually & being so entranced with the stories that on one particular camping trip I spent most the night in the tent reading the story out loud to my tape recorder so I could have it on tape to listen to if I so choose. I was so into the books that I could of cared less that we were camping at our favorite lake. It was so bad, my parents had to eventually haul me out of the tent & put me in book timeout, LOL. After that I fell in love with not just stories told from an animals perspective, but all things paranormal. If you haven't read it I suggest you do, it's a fun quick read that I think everyone should experience, young & old.<br />
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*Not all the stories in the series are about the bunny, but they all involve most the household animals getting mixed up in something supernaturally & or spooky.</div>
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Even though Bunnicula is the book & series I hold closest & dearest to my heart, Choose Your Own Adventures is probably what eased me into my interest in reading in the first place. For anyone who doesn't know what they are, let me explain. Choose Your Own Adventures, lets call it CYOA for short, is not really a series of books as much as it is a group of books. Almost any author could write one. The concept behind these stories was that the authors would take a story idea and every few pages or chapter they'd make the reader decide how they want the character in the story to react to a situation by giving them different pages to turn to for the different choices, thereby <i>choosing your own adventure. </i>You can read the story over & over & if you choose differently each time you could basically create a new story with each read. Each book is like having several books in one. I think it's a great way to introduce kids to reading, by making them a part of the outcome of the story they are reading. I know that the idea of such a thing fascinated me when I was 8 & at 36 I still find them a fun way to pass time. When I was around 8 I also became sick & couldn't run around & go outside like a lot of kids my age & these CYOA books helped pass the long hours indoors. My favorite one out of the hundreds that exist was called The Magic of the Unicorn & I must have read it so much I almost broke the spine & wore the pages out from turning them so much. I think that CYOA also helped ignite my interest in writing. I don't know how exactly, but CYOA showed me that there was unlimited writing possibilities & I remember even trying to write my own CYOA a time or 2. While I don't have a thirst to read CYOA's anymore I still think of them fondly & I particularly remember The Magic of the Unicorn, I was horribly in love with unicorns & wizards for much of my youth. If you have kids I suggest you show them these & if you've never read one I think you should try & read at least one because if you don't your missing out.</div>
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*This is just one title & author in The Choose Your Own Adventure book series. They wrote about everything from space aliens to baseball. I no longer have a copy of The Magic of the Unicorn, but if I ever find a copy I'm sure I'll snatch it up & not let it go, I have so many great memories attached to this particular copy.</div>
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Finally, I think I will end this walk down memory lane with Where the Sidewalk Ends. This was a spectacular book that I think at least everyone from my generation either read or had read to them. Shel Silverstein is the author of this collection of bizarre poems. They are fun & bizarre. Something both girls & boys alike can enjoy. Some of my favorite poems were <span id="freeTextContainer15564314847074164109">Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout</span> Would Not Take the Garbage Out & another about a worm that lives in our nose & bites your finger off if you pick it, I told you bizarre & sometimes a little gross. Of course my absolute favorite poem was, I'm not 100% clear on the name, The Unicorn & it told the story of why the unicorn no longer exists. Shel Silverstein's poems were fun & showed me that poetry wasn't just stuffy ballads. Every year my elementary school would prepare all the children for a poetry contest between kids at our school & ones at a neighboring elementary school. We had to write a poem that we would read in front of an audience & judges that would later decide the winners & runner-ups for each grade. I think to prep us & to help get our creative juices flowing the teachers would have us read poems from Where the Sidewalk Ends out loud in class. This book, like the rest I've mentioned, ignited my interest in writing & helped push it into overdrive. I was constantly trying to write poems to rival Mr. Silverstein's. I think Where The Sidewalk Ends is a timeless book of poems for kids & adults who are young at heart, like me. I also think every school should make it required reading, but hey, don't trust me. check it out yourself.</div>
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I'm going to stop here. I think, no matter how hard I try, that these 3 books/ series helped shape my mind & interest in reading & writing. I mean, isn't it what we do in our youth that helps shape who we'll become? I hope this post brings back good memories for some & I hope those who may never of heard of them will try & find them & read them. For these books are fond memories for me & helped me through tough times when I wasn't able to be a kid like my friends. I'd love it if anyone who reads this has the urge to share, that they do so below in the comments section of this post. Also, if you've noticed any mistakes about the books I'm referencing, please feel free to correct me, but I think my only real mistake, if there are any, is what Shel Silverstein book The Unicorn poem is from. Real quick, anyone following my blog on a regular basis can expect an author interview from Mary Adair who wrote Passion's Vision & Mark Murphy author of the YA book The Curse of the Thrax real soon, so please keep an eye on my blog for the next interview if you're interested. For everyone else including my regular readers, I would like to end this post by saying, Read, Read, Read & share your love for reading with the young. Thank you for join me again. Peace , Love & TTFN.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840058533553867365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298578811753281319.post-58170690089725283422014-09-06T13:12:00.002-07:002014-09-07T11:25:48.300-07:00Interview With Author Jeff Bauer<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Today's Guest Author</b></div>
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<b>Jeff Bauer</b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gHi8r3_4h4M/VAbMnYN_j3I/AAAAAAAAAMA/sQzvWhAGTWY/s1600/Jeff%2BBauer%2Bscuba%2Bheadshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gHi8r3_4h4M/VAbMnYN_j3I/AAAAAAAAAMA/sQzvWhAGTWY/s1600/Jeff%2BBauer%2Bscuba%2Bheadshot.jpg" height="320" width="261" /></a></div>
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I apologize for having been away from my blog longer than I would have liked, but to make up for my rather lengthy absence I've got author interview #3 with Mr. Jeff Bauer. Above I've placed a rather out of the norm head-shot. It's a wonderful picture of Mr. Bauer in his SCUBA gear. As you read everything I've got to say about the author you'll come to understand why I felt this picture was more appropriate then a more formal head-shot. Anyway, what's the fun in formal & normal.<br />
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I first heard of Mr. Bauer when I won a Goodreads Giveaway for his book called Sadie Sapiens. This is not his first book, he's actually written two other books before Sadie Sapiens. They are SCUBA based stories & you could quite possibly call them The Josh Jenson Chronicles. Book one of the series is called The Cavern Kings & book two is Wakulla Bones. While I will briefly mention these two books, my main focus in this blog will be Jeff's latest book Sadie Sapiens.<br />
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Jeff Bauer is a SCUBA instructor who specializes in teaching cave diving. So, it's no surprise that his first two books The Cavern Kings & Wakulla Bones would cover this topic. As a SCUBA diver myself, I have to say that I'm excited to see that someone with knowledge on the subject has written a fictional series showcasing this recreational activity in a light that both avid & novice divers alike can respect & enjoy. Often I've found that any book that even talks about SCUBA diving fails to approach it in a realistic or even respectful manner. So, a dive instructor writing a story about it should take the subject to a level that I've never seen before & can't wait to read.<br />
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Here is a fun pic of your friendly neighborhood Ranting Bookworm having fun diving in Maui. I miss it terribly, both diving & Maui. Since I currently can't do or have either then reading Jeff's books about the fictional dive instructor Josh Jenson will have to satisfy my appetite for the moment & fill the gaping hole that not being able to dive has left inside me.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GoUszVqMrHE/VAbIPtIoRcI/AAAAAAAAALY/EdDH6RqUfdc/s1600/SCUBAme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GoUszVqMrHE/VAbIPtIoRcI/AAAAAAAAALY/EdDH6RqUfdc/s1600/SCUBAme.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now back to the more important subject of Mr. Bauer & his latest book Sadie Sapiens...</div>
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<b>My Synopsis</b></div>
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Jeff Bauer also happens to be an animal lover who helps rescue chihuahua's. Yet another interest that bleeds into his writing. Sadie Sapiens, his third novel is about a Chihuahua named Sadie. The story is fictional, as you may be able to tell, since it's a story about a girl named Emma who discovers her new puppy is smarter than your average dog. Actually, Sadie turns out to have the intelligence level of your average Homo Sapiens, get it? Sadie Sapiens, Homo Sapiens?... Anyway, fictional characters & dog talking skills aside, the book also approaches the subject of dog guardianship & what can happen to an animal outside a loving environment. The author covers everything from puppy mills & animal shelters to dog fighting & abusive/ neglectful pet guardians. All this is intelligently narrated through the eyes & voice of a little chihuahua named Sadie. Still, the Sadie story doesn't end here. The author has planned another Sadie book that is currently in the works. So, if you enjoy book one, don't fear, your next Sadie fix is on its way. One final word, there are a few points in the book that are sad or upsetting, actually the book starts out with one of the saddest beginnings I've ever read, but it's all done with the utmost respect & never without reason.<br />
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<b>The Ranting Bookworm's Review of: Sadie Sapiens</b></div>
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<i>(FYI: this review was written a few months back before I got word a sequel was being written)</i><b> </b></div>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview902500988"> One
word describes this book the best: Unique. I loved the unique idea of a
dog with a higher consciousness then your average dog learning to
communicate with humans. The title of the book is explained near the
end, but it makes sense if you think hard about it before you get to
that part. There were times I disliked people in the book & stuff
that happened that put me on edge, but really I think it's a sign that a
book is well written when you want to yell at a character for doing
something you don't like, LOL. Nothing happened without good reason.
The author has a smooth easy to read writing style. Obviously, Jeff
Bauer (the author) chose chihuahuas as the star dog for this book
because he loves them & rescues them. I can appreciate someone who
loves a pet so much that they use them as their personal muse for
creating a story about. I only hope that someday I can do for my
ferrets what Mr. Bauer has done for his chihuahuas. I could see there
being a sequel to this book. I don't want to giveaway why I think that,
but if you read it you will understand what I mean after you read the
last sentence of the book. If there is a sequel, Ill be there with
wings on my feet to get it. The author did a great job showing the
world through the eyes of a dog & making you love her & her
human family member Emma.</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The following is the Author Interview As Promised</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>=the Ranting Bookworm aka Jolene, <span style="background-color: orange;"><b>JB</b></span>=Jeff Bauer)<b> </b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB<span style="background-color: white;">- </span></span>How did you come up with the idea for Sadie Sapiens? Does
your love for the chihuahua's you rescue play into it?</li>
</ul>
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<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_23488">
<span style="background-color: orange;">JB<span style="background-color: white;">- </span></span>I actually have a cute little Chihuahua named Sadie in real
life. Her likeness is on the front cover.
She was a rescue, our second one. My wife and I now have five Chihuahuas
we’ve adopted and are fostering a sixth from the local animal shelter. You can
see some of our pack in a photo at the beach on the back cover. So, clearly
we’re either really passionate and caring people or on the verge of being on
the next episode of Hoarders. No,
actually we love the little guys and are meticulous about keeping things clean
and under control. Luckily, Chihuahuas don’t shed much and easily train to pee
pads.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_23337">
Anyway, as I wrote my first two books about scuba diving I
noticed that I always had a Chihuahua on my lap, sometimes two, which made
moving the mouse a challenge. They love
to rest their cute little heads on my arm.
Anybody who has loved an animal at one point in their lives wonders just
how intelligent they are or can be. We’ve all wished our dogs, cats, ferrets,
lizards and other beloved pets could communicate to us on our terms. Thus, having a dog constantly on my lap
during writing was the genesis of Sadie Sapiens – a desire to write a fictional
story that could <i>almost</i> be true. A
dog, under the right conditions, that could bridge that gap between animal and
human intelligence and learn to truly communicate – and not in a Disney-esque
cutesy manner.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_23493">
Writing the early Sadie chapters, about how she and her
human “owner”, Emma, discover this miracle was the fun part. I tried to make it
just barely believable so that the reader would stop, look at their own pet and
wonder, even if just for a moment. After
that, it was just a matter of creating and resolving conflict after conflict
for the main characters in the story arc style of modern novels. Along the way
I wanted to hit on some hefty topics, like the horrors of dog fighting and forced
breeding in puppy mills and the selfless people that work and volunteer at
animal shelters. I wrapped it up all in a family drama with a smart dog and let
the characters go where they may.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_23494" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB<span style="background-color: white;">-Before I move on to anymore questions I would like to share some pictures of Mr. Bauer's awesome little Chihuahua crew</span></span><span style="background-color: white;">.</span> I would also like to thank him for being kind enough to send these pictures. I know that some of you are probably more than curious, after reading the answer to the previous question, about what the real life Sadie & the rest of the dogs that helped inspire this book look like. So here you go, enjoy...</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LBrWUJJKkF4/VAtW-FBjEoI/AAAAAAAAAM4/8lKdffIWjo8/s1600/Jacki%2Bwith%2BBear-Snickers-Poncho-Melinda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LBrWUJJKkF4/VAtW-FBjEoI/AAAAAAAAAM4/8lKdffIWjo8/s1600/Jacki%2Bwith%2BBear-Snickers-Poncho-Melinda.jpg" height="320" width="311" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Jeff Bauer's Chihuahua Clan</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qSdzAHIu51g/VAtTqy5MIiI/AAAAAAAAAMY/Voz61X36NlI/s1600/photo%2B2a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qSdzAHIu51g/VAtTqy5MIiI/AAAAAAAAAMY/Voz61X36NlI/s1600/photo%2B2a.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The real Sadie checking out one the authors many hobbies</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l5qUHq9s6Os/VAtTzgqaegI/AAAAAAAAAMg/uCChYZVK1d0/s1600/Poncho%2Band%2Ba%2Bbee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l5qUHq9s6Os/VAtTzgqaegI/AAAAAAAAAMg/uCChYZVK1d0/s1600/Poncho%2Band%2Ba%2Bbee.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Stopping to smell the roses, wait, those aren't roses...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HI_48qZ-0lU/VAtT2Lm_5wI/AAAAAAAAAMo/LqVWH_ZC3oM/s1600/Sadie%2Bin%2Bfront%2Bof%2Bfireplace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HI_48qZ-0lU/VAtT2Lm_5wI/AAAAAAAAAMo/LqVWH_ZC3oM/s1600/Sadie%2Bin%2Bfront%2Bof%2Bfireplace.jpg" height="290" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The real life Sadie getting ready for bed ;-)</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_23494" style="text-align: center;">
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<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- Do you think dog's could ever evolve to be as intelligent
as Sadie? </li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_23497">
<span style="background-color: orange;">JB</span>- Well, supposedly the Chihuahua has the largest brain size of
any dog, relative to their body size, so if dogs were to actually become Sadie
intelligent it might actually be a Chihuahua. I’m sure a vet or neurologist
would argue there’s not enough “hardware” or “wetware” to bridge the
intelligence gap as much as Sadie does. In fact I purposely sprinkled in some
pseudoscience speculation, using the scientist character Dr. Sangster. That leaves room in a future sequel to answer
that question (or not). Who knows? Maybe Sadie was a product of a secret
military intelligence project? Imagine
military trained tiny dogs taking over the world (grin).</div>
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<br /></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- What is it about the chihuahua that you love so much? </li>
</ul>
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<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_23513">
<span style="background-color: orange;">JB</span>-<span style="background-color: orange;"></span> A few years ago our adult daughter got a Chihuahua one
Christmas from a friend, a long haired name Noel, and we “dog sat” one weekend
and just fell in love with this tiniest of breeds. It wasn’t too long after
that when my wife found a cute black Chihuahua puppy named Bear that we
rescued. They are just so portable, loving, easy maintenance and darn cute, it’s
hard not to love them. Sure, they get yappy and can sometimes find it difficult
to meet new people. We’re not exclusive to Chihuahuas, though – we’ve owned
chocolate labs in the past and have other larger dogs in our lives, as well as
cats, rabbits, goats and horses throughout the years.</div>
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<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_23514">
I promote the theory in the book about how dogs became
domesticated by purposefully attaching to humans, realizing that by
ingratiating themselves to us they have guaranteed shelter and food. At the risk of anthropomorphizing the
relationship we have with our pets, I believe that this may be been the
original biological survival strategy but that both humans and dogs alike have
reached a higher state of bonding. They aren’t just parasites (even if my vet
bill says differently). It’s a mutually beneficial relationship and the perfect
breeding ground for animal intelligence to increase to the degree enjoyed by
Sadie. </div>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_23515">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- I believe you mentioned that you're in the process of
writing a sequel to Sadie Sapiens, how many books can we expect to see in the
Sadie Sapiens series?</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28407">
<span style="background-color: orange;">JB</span>- Short answer – I don’t know yet. Sadie hasn’t told me all of her stories. My
plan is to finish the “Sadie Sequel” and then go write another scuba diving
novel, since my scuba fans snap those books up like doggy treats. The Sadie
sequel picks up where the last one left off. I am weaving Sadie’s point of view
with four other new characters. All are initially separated and we wonder if
they’ll ever get back together and under what conditions. If you’ve finished
Sadie Sapiens you’ll know who I’m talking about. Each of these characters has a
different survival strategy which has been lots of fun creating and weaving.
I’ve got plenty of juice left to finish that Sadie book and write another, and
another, if demand and time permits. In this one I’m also letting my love for
science fiction out a tad more but trying to keep it character-driven (even if
the characters happen to have paws and fur).</div>
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<br /></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- I noticed that you have two other books that you've
written about SCUBA diving. I'm an avid SCUBA diver myself & I think a
story where SCUBA is part of the storyline sounds wonderful, I don't think I've
read a book yet that has done that & that's saying something considering
how much I read, LOL. I completely understand being passionate about something
& you certainly seem to take the phrase "Write what you know" to
heart, is that how you decide what to write next?</li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28415">
<span style="background-color: orange;">JB</span>- Yes, “write what you know” is definitely what I did in my
first two novels – The Cavern Kings and Wakulla Bones. There aren’t too many
fictional scuba stories and few that get the diving right. I’m a scuba
instructor and also a cave diving instructor for the non-profit National
Association for Cave Diving. Being involved in teaching people how to safely
dive underground and underwater, and having the awful task of helping in body
recoveries for those who don’t, gives me a unique perspective. A decade of
diving in underwater caves provides rich material for scuba fiction. It’s one
of the main reasons my small but loyal group of readers enjoys the cave diving
series – the diving depictions are as accurate as a splash of chilly North
Florida spring water on your face on a hot August afternoon.</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- When you sit down to write what are some of the comfort
items you like to have near you to help your creative juices flow? (music,
coffee, tea, a pet, pics, etc...)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28435">
<span style="background-color: orange;">JB</span>- Of course a Chihuahua is on my lap. The rest are within
reach, patiently waiting their turn by napping on a nearby doggy bed. I try to
round robin the little critters so they all feel special. Something about having a small dog breathing
gently on your lap, all soft and warm and sleepy, centers and grounds you. I do
enjoy a “spot of tea” (as my sister would say) now and then, to perk up. Probably the best thing is peace, quiet and
long stretches of time. My wife is great at creating the former and since I
work full time in IT only the weekends provide the latter. Like all aspiring
authors I’d love to quit the day job and just write full time. Definitely when I retire.</div>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28434">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- Do you have any favorite hobbies outside of reading &
writing? This is a question I would ask most authors, but I think it's safe to
say, rescuing chihuahua's & SCUBA diving are 2 of your favorite hobbies, do
you have any others that you would like to share that I didn't mention yet?</li>
</ul>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28439">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28440">
<span style="background-color: orange;">JB</span>- Flying airplanes, scuba diving, teaching scuba diving, doing
fun things with my wife, volunteering at the local animal shelter and taking
care of the pack of dogs all make for a very full life.</div>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28441">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- Who is your literary hero?</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28442">
<span style="background-color: orange;">JB</span>- I’ve stuck to popular fiction throughout the years after a
childhood of science fiction and have enjoyed the works of Stephen King,
Michael Crichton, Tom Clancy, Clive Cussler, JK Rowling, Nicholas Sparks and
even Janet Evanovich. Not the most
impressive literary bookshelf I’ll admit, but I have tried to read some of the
higher brow stuff, like Infinite Jest, with limited results. So I have lots of literary heroes and like
comic book superheroes they all have their own special powers and draw. Now
when I read it’s half for pleasure and half for admiring and learning from their
craftwork.</div>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28443">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- I like to believe most avid readers have a book or series
that they remember reading as a child or young adult that helped fan the flames
of their love for reading & writing, I'm not too embarrassed to admit that
mine was the Bunnicula series by James Howe. What was yours?</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28606">
<span style="background-color: orange;"></span><span style="background-color: orange;">JB</span>- I loved the Tom Swift series and gobbled them up at an early
age. It piqued an interest in the sciences. That transitioned to science
fiction, where I read all of the now classic sci fi writers – Asimov, Heinlein,
Delaney, Niven, etc.</div>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28609">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- How often do you write?</li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28603">
<span style="background-color: orange;">JB</span>- I tell you, working full time to pay the bills doesn’t leave
enough time to write. I find that to
write well I have to be fully rested, comfortable and not mentally distracted
by the weekly things that plague people who work. So, I really look forward to the weekends and
holidays, where I can get a nice long burst of writing done. If a week goes by when I can’t write I feel a
sense of loss. It’s helped by things
like this, blog interviews and short contests like the 250 word picture stories
on the All About Animals Goodreads group.
What fun those are and it keeps the creative juices flowing, even during
droughts.</div>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28610">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- Is there any advice you might have for new & or
aspiring writers that you never got when you first started, but looking back
you would have liked someone to have shared with you?</li>
</ul>
<div class="yiv0788736642MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28611">
<span style="background-color: orange;">JB<span style="background-color: white;">- </span></span>Here’s my list:</div>
<div class="yiv0788736642" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28612">
1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span>Learn how to write properly, either by self-study
or by paying a professional editor after you sweat over your first draft of
your manuscript. Maybe take an actual writing course, if you have the time and
money.</div>
<div class="yiv0788736642" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28613">
2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span>Join a writer’s critique group and be active in
it. Learn how to take and give constructive criticism. Don’t forget they are
artists with egos possibly as fragile or more so than your own, so be
considerate and learn from them. Don’t listen to every little thing that they
tell you in your group, though. Consider joining a larger writer’s group or
attending a bona fide writer’s conference.</div>
<div class="yiv0788736642" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28614">
3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span>Learn the ins and outs of social media and how
to use it to promote your work, if you really care about it. Find that
population of readers out there who just might enjoy your stories. This
includes doing guest blogs, like this one. Promote the heck out of your work
because unless you have a rich uncle in the publishing business, more than
likely nobody else will toot your horn. Even your rich uncle may not want to
publish your drivel if it’s no good and not marketable.</div>
<div class="yiv0788736642" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28615">
4.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span>Consider self-publishing your work in multiple
media. It only takes a bit of computer savvy to type and format a document and
then learn how to upload it into the various print-on-demand and eBook
distribution web sites.</div>
<div class="yiv0788736642" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28616">
5.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span>Unless you are a really good graphic artist, pay
for a professional book cover. It’s not
that expensive and people do judge books by their covers, be it on paper or
digital.</div>
<div class="yiv0788736642" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28617">
6.<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28628" style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span>Watch out for businesses or individuals that
prey on the hopes, dreams and wishes of aspiring writers. You may find yourself
dumping thousands of dollars into a promise of many sales just to discover you
ended up with a box of your books that barely sell, a handful of bookmarks with
your book image on it, a lame web site and little to no actual promotion.</div>
<div class="yiv0788736642" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28627">
7.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span>Learn how to query for a real, live literary
agent and keep plugging away at it. Maybe you’ll win the writer’s lottery,
maybe you won’t. It’s still a fun game to play, even if you end up with a
growing pile of rejection emails, like me.</div>
<div class="yiv0788736642" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410014708704_28631">
8.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span>Get honest reviews of your work. Be willing to
give away your work in person or through giveaway systems on sites like
GoodReads and LibraryThing. Nurture those places where you stumble across a
reader who actually enjoys what you write and if you’re diligent and persistent
it might grow from that one reader. Be honest and open with your readership, be
it one person or a million. Be humble about any success, be it fleeting or
permanent.</div>
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9.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span>Finally, only write if you enjoy doing it. And keep doing it, even if you don’t get rich
or break even. It’s rewarding as hell. If it isn’t, go find another hobby or
career.</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- Did you have a parent or teacher that inspired you to
follow your dreams & ambitions for writing?</li>
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<span style="background-color: orange;">JB</span>- Thinking back, not really, at least not for literature. I
had some excellent science teachers and one really outstanding math teacher in
high school. I wonder, though, if a
great English teacher had encouraged me to pursue writing at that age if I’d
gone a different path. No regrets,
though. To paraphrase Chico Escuela of
SNL fame years ago, “computer technology been berry berry good to me”.</div>
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<li><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- Did you always want to write or is this a new hobby and
or passion?</li>
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<span style="background-color: orange;">JB</span>- I’ve always wanted to write but career and family came first
for many years. I studied science in college (Biology and Computer Science) so
didn’t chose writing or journalism, although it’s always been there, in the
back, waiting to come out. I knew I wanted to live life first, experience
things and feel triumph and pain before starting to sit down and write about
them. I suspect there’s plenty of writers that start the habit after the kids
have grown up and left. For me I just woke up one day three years ago and
decided I wanted to write a novel.</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- How do you feel about the whole eReader vs Paper debate?</li>
</ul>
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<span style="background-color: orange;">JB</span>- Being a technologist, I’m not sure there’s much left to
debate or that the debate is even valid now – these days we have more choices
in how we want to be entertained and educated and rather than gnash teeth about
it we should just embrace it. Some
prefer the printed book, I get that. I’ll read a printed book if it’s nearby
and convenient. It never crashes, never gets viruses and doesn’t need charging.
As a writer it’s much more satisfying to sign and hand a physical book to a new
reader than just give them an eBook download link. On the other hand we’re more
and more mobile and our devices are everywhere (even underwater and on Sadie’s
back). Some people prefer reading eBooks on their
computers/laptops/tablets/phones. I
don’t mind that media either – I can be reading a book much faster and more
often than having to wait for a physical thing to arrive or go out and get
it. Audiobooks are getting more popular,
too. I came across yet another Amazon
service for writers called ACX that you can use to get an audiobook version of
your book made. I was lucky enough to find a producer who’s creating an
audiobook of Sadie Sapiens. I can’t wait to hear how they vocalize her Doglish.</div>
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I’d say the need and hunger for original content hasn’t
changed, just the delivery mechanisms.
Writers should aspire to find as many ways and formats to get their work
out there, realizing that it’s a consumer-oriented world. Why not provide them with
as many formats as they want? With more and more writers out there and more and
more ways to distribute work this isn’t the time to crawl into a corner with
your tattered book and mutter you’ll never use an eReader. I do worry about less people reading at all,
instead being content with having stories fed to them via
TV/movies/streaming/youtube/you name it. On the other hand, turning Sadie
Sapiens into a screen play would be really cool. Maybe that’s where all this
creativity is headed and nobody will read much.
Only writers and screen play writers will read, the rest of us will get
our stories visually? I’m more optimistic than that, though. There’ll still be
people that love to read, that love to create their own visuals, their own
special effects and their own Ultra Hi Def screens in their minds. There’ll
always be bookworms that love to crawl and rant over the printed words. Thank
God.</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- Do you have any other book ideas, aside from the two you
already have going, in the works that you can share with us?</li>
</ul>
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<span style="background-color: orange;">JB</span>- Another life’s experience that I’d love to write about is
flying – general aviation. An airplane is bound to show up in a Sadie or diving
novel or perhaps in its own book one of these days. One of the non-profits we
like to fly for is Pilots ‘N Paws (<a href="http://www.pilotsnpaws.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.pilotsnpaws.org</a>) – a service that
coordinates the transportation of animals from one place to another for medical
or adoption reasons. Lots of tragic and triumph in doing that.</div>
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I’d also like to write a true hard core science fiction
novel and a non-gimmick novel about the human condition. The secret is being
patient while waiting for the inspiration.</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>- Finally, is there anything I may not have covered
already that you would like to share with us about yourself & your writing?</li>
</ul>
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<span style="background-color: orange;">JB</span>- I want to thank you for the chance to rant on my own about
my life and my writing.</div>
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Wow! I loved your answers. It's been great reading your book & writing these questions that you so thoughtfully responded to. It's awesome talking to an author that I seem to have so much in common with ( SCUBA, Reading, Writing, & a love for our animals that extends to us rescuing them, except I rescue ferrets). I promise to read your SCUBA diving based books & write about them on The Ranting Bookworm when I get the chance to get a copy & I can not wait for the sequel to Sadie Sapiens. I'm always a big fan of books about animals, any animals, fiction or nonfiction & I have to say that Sadie Sapiens is one of my new favorite fictional animal books. One more thing of interest for those interested in Jeff Bauer's Sadie Sapiens, evidently, the lovely fictional character Sadie has written a blog. It's very cute & funny & anyone interested in the book should come check it out: <a href="http://outcasts-tlh.com/2014/07/18/the-dog-days-of-summer/" target="_blank">http://outcasts-tlh.com/2014/07/18/the-dog-days-of-summer/</a> . For anyone curious about what's in store for The Ranting Bookworm I would like to share that I'm planning to possibly write a post about the most memorable books I've read & or books that have affected me the most. Then, after whatever rant I post next on this blog, the next interview will be with author Mary Adair, author of an adult Native American Indian historical fiction book called Passion's Vision. So, while I may not write a post everyday, please don't lose interest, please come back periodically to see what's new on The Ranting Bookworm. I hoped you enjoyed this interview & please feel free to ask questions for me or for Jeff Bauer & I will try & make sure anything you ask gets answered. Take care & I hope to see & hear from a visitor or soon;-)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840058533553867365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298578811753281319.post-65304259122923926112014-08-20T16:37:00.001-07:002014-08-20T16:37:42.277-07:00What I'm Reading: 8-20-14 A friend of mine recently told me that I should probably share what I'm currently reading with everyone on my blog. The more I thought about it the more it made sense to me. So, from now on, every time I start a new set of books I'll do a post like this. Just so you know, when I read I usually read several books at one time. Why would I torture myself by reading multiple books at one time? Real simple, I look at reading kind of like watching TV. I don't like to watch the same thing on TV all the time, so why would I want to spend days just reading one book. Therefore I pick several books & go back & forth, from book to book reading as low as 10 pages at a time before I switch reading material. Sometimes I can't put a book down & I read more. Still, I eventually have to read another book while in the middle of another, usually my max is about 100 pages before I need a break. It's nothing personal to the authors, perhaps I have some strange literary version of ADHD, but no matter the reason this is how I do things when it comes to reading. So I try & pick a book out of several different genres & a list of personal categories I made up myself. The categories are, one book from a Goodreads Giveaway, at least one book from the book club I help moderate called All About Animals, & one personal pick. Sometimes there is a fourth category and that would be one my BFF not only suggested I read, but mailed me. This may seem chaotic, but it helps me move through books faster when I hit a slow spot in another or tire of reading the same genre after a few days. Each time I finish a book I will start a new post like this to update you on how I feel about what I've read so far & what new book I've added to the mix.<br />
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Now that I've explained the insanity that will soon be my post about the books I read & how & why I read them that I way, I will try get to the more interesting part of the post & attempt to not bore you with anymore explanations.<br />
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First, in my stack of books currently being read, is one that I'm reading for my book group All About Animals. I found out about it when the publishers asked if I would like to read their book & review it since I was a moderator for an all animal book group. I said yes of course since I can't say no to a free book & I love anything animal related. The name of the book is Travels With Casey by Benoit Denizet-Lewis. It is a terrific book so far & I suggest that animal & dog lovers alike should add this to their Must Read book list. The book is essentially about a gentleman who decides to take a cross country trip with his dog because he not only wants to explore & understand our countries obsession with our dogs, but he's also afraid his dog doesn't like him that much & hopes the trip will help them strengthen their bond. I can see where one might initially think that this book can't possibly be that interesting, I mean how much can there be to report on the dog culture in the US & who in the world could possibly feel their dog dislikes them. Trust me, even I at first wasn't sure I would find much interest in it, but once I started reading it I had plenty of laughs, learned a lot & didn't want to put it down to read the next book in my Currently Reading selection. First off, the book starts with him in a psychologists office, who much like Freud, believes in taking his dogs to work with him. There he explains his hangup with his dog Casey & why he believes that dog would prefer a different life. From there we move onto the authors RV trip where he has preplanned many stops around the US where he will talk to people who have been talked about in dog culture, train dogs, sell dog stuff & a great many more people who do something related to dogs in one way or another. The book is jammed full of fun & interesting facts about dogs & plenty to learn even for the most avid dog owner. It is also very entertaining, not just because of some of the weird people the two of them meet, but because of the authors ability to bring an appropriate amount of humor into his story telling. From crazy NY dog parks & the war about the poop scoop laws in 70's NY city to a discussion with PETA leader Ingrid Newkirk, on over to Florida for a pet Expo & even all the way to California with famous dog Trainer Cesar Millan & many many more well known & even obscure dog people. There are also a bunch of great photos from his trip included in the book. There are not enough words to express how much I'm loving this book, so, please grab a copy & read it with me. I'm also including a nifty book trailer my fellow book club moderator found. In the video the author shares some video clips of his trip & explains his book, please check it out if your interested or need some more convincing.<br />
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Now for my next book selection, which falls under the category of Gooreads Giveaway. This is an important category to me since I regularly enter these & if you've read my earlier post about Free Books you know I feel strongly about reading & reviewing these gifts. This one is called The Curse of the Thrax By Mark Murphy. On first look at this book it appears rather unimpressive. The cover illustration is a little cartooney & doesn't do the book justice. It was described by some to be a middle grade story & comparable to Harry Potter, but that doesn't seem like a correct description. Yes, like Harry Potter, the book is a great read for all ages & rotates around a group of early-teen to mid-teen friends who attend school together, but that's where the similarities stop. Honestly, it starts out reading like a fantasy with dragons & prophecy's, but as you start to understand some of the stuff the main character, 14 yr old Jaykriss, is describing you slowly start to see that things aren't what they appear. What initially seems like a book with a backdrop that appears Medieval eventually starts to look like a Dystopian world that has been covered up by a Dark King. The world is kind of what I imagine a world might be like if someone banned books & machines that were created around the turn of the century to the beginning of the 20th century. A world that fell back to the way Medieval Europe was, but not everyone is aware of what is being covered up. So far, the book is wonderful. The dialogue is great & the character motives are believable. I am actually spending a large amount of my time bouncing between this & Travels With Casey. Pretty much I read about 20-30 pages of this & then do the same with Benoit Denizet-Lewis' book. This too has become a surprisingly hard book to set aside & stop reading. It is evidently going to be part of a trilogy that is being called The Bloodsword Trilogy & I can say with certainly that even though I'm only about halfway through it that I'm extremely excited for the second book. I know once I'm done with it that I won't want to stop there & will need to follow that characters through the rest of their journey. It is a rather large book about 317 pages, but definitely a great read for middle school & up. The author doesn't dumb anything down & I truly feel that the characters are written the way they would act if such a place were real.<br />
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So far we have talked about my online book club book & my Goodreads Giveaway book, but we still have two more to tackle. My next book is one that my BFF, the same BFF who told me to write posts like this one, suggested I read. Long before these posts, Goodreads, co-moderating a book club, & doing reviews for free books I was trading & suggesting books with my best friend in Las Vegas. We use to work together, since then we have moved apart, or perhaps I have since she still lives in Vegas & I live near Pittsburgh now. Still, that hasn't stopped us from sharing our favorite books & occasionally mailing each other stacks of Must Read Literature. This book is one she sent me months ago & I've been meaning to get to, but it's just so damn big. She raved about it, but unfortunately it took me waiting so long to read it that two weeks ago Starz came out with episode one of a new series based on it. Of course, now that it is a TV show I feel the need to read the book so I can watch the whole first season when it comes out on DVD. Sadly, I didn't realize what I was watching until halfway through the show & thus had to at least finish episode one before swearing off the rest of the series until I can finish the extremely large book called Outlander by: Diana Gabaldon. The general gist of the story is a British ex WWII nurse & her teacher & genealogist husband go on a second honeymoon in Scotland after the war ends. Part honeymoon & part excuse for her husband to tract his ancestral roots. while there they visit a few places & when she decides to go back to a set of standing stones, where her husband & her had watched what appeared to be a pagan ritual the night before, to find a flower that caught her eye she is suddenly sucked back in time through one of the stones to 1743 Scotland. The Highlands of Scotland during this time are war torn as well & she has no idea where she is at first or how to get back home once she does figure it out. Evidently this becomes a series of books that my friend tells me are equally as good as the first. I personally have only read a few pages, but a wonderfully written & well researched first few they are. I'm sure as I wind down reading on one of my other books that I'm currently reading I'll pick up some speed on this one. All I can tell you is that my slow progress on it isn't from lack of interest, just a full plate of reading material. Though the show appears to be doing a fabulous job interpreting the book to TV, I have to admit that if you are the type who enjoys the details in a story then the book is filled with little bits the show misses.</div>
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Finally we reach my more personal book selection. This is a category that I chose to remind myself that I need to occasionally read something for myself. That though it is great having so many people willing to send me books & suggest books, that I really need to make sure I take care of my personal reading interests as well. I picked this book up at my favorite book sale, Oakmont Library's $5 bag sale where you can purchase a grocery bag for five bucks & you're allowed to stuff it full of whatever books catch your eye or interest. The library does this about twice a year to make room for their backstock of used books that are donated for sale in their library used bookstore. Quite possibly the best library bookstore I've ever seen. While I know this has been made into a Broadway musical, I still haven't seen or read Wicked By Gregory Macguire. This book is a particularly nice copy since it also has about 16 pages of full color pictures from the Brodway musical staring one of my favorites Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda & Idina Menzel as Elphaba aka The Wicked Witch of the West. Right now I'm about 1/3 of the way through the book & I love it. I've always loved the Wizard of OZ & all the crazy variations people of come up with like the Sy-Fy channel's mini-series The Tin Man & so on. I will warn that this is a very adult version of the story we all know & love & is really meant for the fans who read the original books & grew up & want to read another take on the story. This take on L. Frank Baums classic story is from the witches point of view. The adult topics that are approached in the book are things like the mother of the witch cheating on her husband constantly & an OZ separated by racism. The witch is born to a relatively normal family, but it is hinted that the mother slept around & that the deformed baby that becomes the witch is not the husbands child. She is misunderstood, mistreated & later sent to boarding school with a young Glinda who is a snobby & pretty young girl initially going by the name of Galinda. By a peculiar twist of luck & some bad decisions the two end up becoming roommates & from there the story really starts to take off. So far, as far as I've read, The Wicked Witch of the West is actually a kind misunderstood girl who is green with sharp teach & goes by the name of Elpahba. I still have yet to get to the part that turns Elphaba into the witch we all know. Still, I'm enjoying every page. The author certainly has a knack for taking a well known story & turning it into something new & original. I also have another book of his that I need to read that is about Cinderella's stepsisters side of the story & he's written one about Ebeneezer Scrooge having family. A definite must read for adults who enjoy all things OZ.</div>
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So, that should rap this post up. Those are my four picks for my Currently Reading pile. As I finish each book I will post updates of my final thoughts & my review & what book I will be reading next to take it's place in the category I finished. Please stay tuned for more thoughts about these four fabulous books & perhaps an author interview with one or two of them. I'm still working on writing up Mr Jeff Bauer's interview questions about his book called Sadie Sapiens, so please check back for that too. Thank again for stopping by & feel free to tell your friends about my blog & to post any comments you have about it below. Take care & TTFN.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840058533553867365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298578811753281319.post-84023417659729190662014-08-16T14:14:00.001-07:002014-09-07T11:20:14.497-07:00Interview With Author Merry Brown<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Today's Guest Author </b></div>
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<b>Merry Brown</b></div>
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Hello, it's good to be back. My apologies for having been away for so long, I've been feeling a bit under the weather. Anyway, on to more exciting things. Today I have an author Interview with new YA Paranormal writer Merry Brown. Currently she has two YA Paranormal book series in the works. Her first & debut book series is called The Exiled Trilogy. At this point in time she only has two of the three books to this trilogy in print. Book one of The Exiled Trilogy is called The Knowers & book two is The Second Fall. Her second series is The Four Families Series. She also has two books published in this series too, book one is Gold Manor Ghost House & book two which just came out about a week ago is Crimson Hall Ghost House. Both series are wonderful & though they can be categorized as YA Paranormal I will warn that the real focus of both series is the human element. She does a great job with character development, pulling you in by making you invested in the people the story is about. Of course what else do you expect from a teacher of Philosophy. I have to admit that my personal favorite is her Four Families Series. I think the thing that fascinated me about series is that the whole story primarily takes place on the set of a TV show. Before I get into the actual interview I just want to share the two reviews I wrote for the first book of each series, the description of each series, & what the cover of all four books looks like. Of course if none of that interests you & you just want to skip to the interview itself than please feel free to scroll to the bottom & enjoy.<br />
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<b>The Ranting Bookworm's Review of: The Knowers: The Exilled Triology, #1</b></div>
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<b> </b> <span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview884747713">Just
when you think you've read every type of supernatural book there is
& know everything there is to know about the topic, an author like
Merry Brown surprises you with something new. I don't know what to say
without ruining the surprise of what some of the people in this book
are, but what I will say is that it surprised me & for as much stuff
as I've read in this genre it takes a lot to surprise me. The book was a
little slow at first, but that was only because the author is great at
building her characters & getting you invested in who they are. This
is the second book I've read that Ms. Brown has written, the first in
the Exiled Trilogy, & I was just as happy with it as I was the last
book I read. I am now a full fledged fan of Merry Brown books & I
hope more people join me in my love for all she writes.</span></span><br />
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview884747713"><span id="freeText13232093684497184248"> Will’s sole ambition is
to get out of high school alive and away from his vicious father. His
brilliant plan to fly below the radar blows up in his face when he gets
involved with the mysterious Lizzy. Will worries for Lizzy’s safety,
exposing her to his dangerous world, only to discover what Lizzy really
is and what she fights. How can Will, a Knower, and Lizzy, a daughter
from The Garden, possibly find a way to be together?</span> </span></span></div>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview884747713"><b>The Ranting Bookworm's Review of:</b> <b>Gold Manor Ghost House: The Four Families Series, #1</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview884747713"><b> </b></span></span><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview884747713"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview884746853">
I loved the concept of a YA Paranormal Fiction taking place on the set
of a new TV show that's being filmed. It was a fresh new approach.
The characters are all either very likable & or just plane fun to
read about. I really don't have a bad thing to say about it. As I don't like
to rehash the synopsis of a book since that can be easily found on the
book cover or in the Goddreads descriptions, I will keep this short.
Occasionally there were a few typos, but it wasn't so bad it interfered
with the story & quite frankly I haven't read a book lately that
doesn't have something that slipped past the editors. I also really
felt like the characters where real people from the entertainment
business with paranormal problems. Obviously this ends with a bit a of
an open ending, but not so open that you are left feeling heart-sick due
to lack of some resolution. I finished the story craving more & I
can't wait to read the second book in the series. Thank You, Merry Brown for introducing me to your books
& making me fall in love with your writing. You have gained a new fan.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview884747713"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview884746853">*** A quick note to those interested in the book covers to the Four Families Series. There is an eerie beauty to them, but I think some of it is missed when you don't have the books in front of you. Both books have a similar picture on the back of the book with the character in a slightly different pose. Gold Manor Ghost House for instance has the same picture on the back of the book as the front, but in that one the girl is looking directly at you with her crazy off color eyes, much like the eyes of the character Anna. The second book Crimson Hall Ghost House shows the girl from the front of the book on the back as well, but there her scarf is removed & her hair is down. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview884747713"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview884746853"> <b>Synopsis</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview884747713"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview884746853"></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText11436175722950174262">Anna thought life was going to be awesome. She was right…and wrong.<br />Won her dream job acting in a hit TV series. Check.<br />Working with her best friend. Check.<br />Met the boy of her dreams. Check.<br />The set’s haunted and she’s in the middle of a supernatural war. Uh, check?<br /><br /> Anna
Rose Ellington is sixteen and living in Hollywood, hoping to be a star.
Anna just landed a major role on Ghost House, Teen TV’s new fall drama.
A show promising to be so hot, Meg Sweet (the reigning teenage diva),
signed on for the lead, and Adam Lewis (international rock sensation) is
a principal player.<br /><br /> Her dreams are falling into place until she
gets on set and begins questioning her sanity. It’s true she has an
unusual dream life, where once in a while her dreams literally come
true. But it’s been a while. On top of her dreams not staying put in
her brain, including the guy she’d been dreaming of for years, the house
they’re filming in, Gold Manor, might actually be haunted. But that’s
the least of her worries.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText11436175722950174262">*** Another quick note. As you may have noticed, I only have reviews for the first book of each series. That is due to the fact that I've only read the first of each. As soon as I read & finish the next two I will post my thoughts on them on here too. </span></div>
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<b>The following is the Author Interview As Promised</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(<span style="background-color: lime;">TRB</span>=the Ranting Bookworm aka Jolene, <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB</span><span style="background-color: lime;"></span>=Merry Brown)<b> </b><br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;" type="disc">
<li style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white;">How do you feel being a teacher
of philosophy helps & or effects your writing? I find it difficult to
believe that the two don't effect each other, whether intentionally or
not.</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></ul>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
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</span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB<span style="background-color: white;">: </span></span><span style="background-color: white;">It is because of my philosophical interests that I
decided to write. I love reading YA paranormal
novels, but many of the philosophical assumptions I’ve come across drive me
crazy! Certainly in the Exile Trilogy I
get on and off my philosophical soap box quite a few times. In the Four Families series, my perspective
is still present, as it is for most writers.
I think I will always work in philosophical themes I’m passionate about.
</span></span></b></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
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</span></div>
<ul id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_3981" style="text-align: left;" type="disc"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
<li id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_3980" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;">I noticed all your books have
some sort of basis in or connection to either Bakersfield, CA or Martin,
TN. Do you do this because you find it easier to write about places you're
familiar with or just because you love them so much?</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></ul>
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</span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_3988" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_3987" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_3996"> </span></span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_3987" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_3996"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></b> </span><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_3986">Both, really. I was happy to set the first book of the
Exiled Trilogy in my hometown of Bakersfield, CA because I wanted Lizzy to see
the beauty present, even there.<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_3990"> </span>I
thought it would be fun for The Four Families to be primarily set in Martin,
TN, where I currently reside. </b></span></div>
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</span>
<li id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_3993" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_3992" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_3992" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span>What made you choose the YA
Paranormal genre to write for? Is this a genre you set out to write about
or was it just a happy accident?</span></li>
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</span></ul>
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</span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4002" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4001" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4001" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></b> <b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4000">As a philosopher I love thought
experiments. Writing in the paranormal genre
is suited for thought experiments because you have the rules of the normal
world, with a few exceptions. You get to
play the “what if” game: What if everything is as it is, but… and you get to
see where the exception(s) takes you. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<ul id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4006" style="text-align: left;" type="disc"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
<li id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4005" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4004" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span>The Paranormal theme in your
stories always seem to be a secondary theme / element. I find the human
relationships seem to be the actual focus of the stories, would you agree
& is it on purpose?</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></ul>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4029" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></b>Yes! What is more
interesting that real relationships? To
me, nothing. The paranormal sets the
world askew, sets up the drama, but the heart of the matter, the driving force
is the relationships.</span></b></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4004" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>What inspired you to place the Four Families Series on the set of
a TV show?</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4028" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4027"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4026" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4027"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4026" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></b></span></b>When I started writing <i id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4035">Gold Manor Ghost House</i>, before it had a name, there was Anna who
had vivid dreams that sometimes followed her into the waking world. I was quite a few chapters into the story,
but I didn’t know what surrounded Anna.
At that time, my oldest child was into a teen TV drama and the idea of a
TV show as a backdrop hit me. </span></b></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It just about killed me,
but I started the book over, saving only the idea of Anna and her dreaming
condition.</span></b></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span>Where did the inspiration for Four Families back story come from,
is it drawn from some sort of already known mythology or is it all your own
creation?</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></b></span></b> I came up with it.</span></b></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;" type="disc"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
<li style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span>How many books can we expect
from the The Four Families Series, so far we have two?</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></ul>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></b></span></b> I’m planning at least two more in the series, maybe
three. I’m not certain. In my mind The Four Families is a TV series
and I’m writing episodes.</span></b></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;" type="disc"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
<li style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span>Why did you start writing
books? What inspired you to start writing your first book The Knowers:
Book One of The Exiled Trilogy?</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></ul>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></b></span></b> I started writing because I was under the misimpression
that if I was writing, I wouldn’t be eating.
As a weight loss strategy of sorts.
Well, I’m here to tell you it’s easy to eat and write at the very same
time!</span></b></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I wrote The Knowers
because I wanted to write a love story for my boys to read. I’ve read many YA romances that didn’t paint
the picture I wanted them to see the possibility of, so I decided to write it
myself.</span></b></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;" type="disc"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
<li style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span>When can we expect the third
book to your Exiled Trilogy?</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></ul>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></b></span></b> Early 2015? It’s tentatively
called <i>The United</i>.</span></b></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;" type="disc"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
<li style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span>Now back to some slightly more
personal questions about you & your love for writing. As a teacher,
mom, & wife how do you find time to write? </span></li>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></ul>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></b></span></b> I think it’s like anything. If you care, you can usually find the
time. When I’m inspired to write, I write. Sometimes I really want to write, but I have
to work or take care of the people I love.
But I’ve arranged my schedule such that when there’s down time, I write
(for instance, all members of my family are currently asleep!).</span></b></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;" type="disc"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
<li style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span>When you sit down to write what
are some of the comfort items you like to have near you to help your
creative juices flow? (music, coffee, tea, a pet, pics, etc...)</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></ul>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></b></span></b> I usually drink coffee, I eat snacks (when I can, I love
a piece of orange cake from The Looking Glass), and I usually listen to
music. I’ll put my headphones on, choose
an album and put it on repeat. The music
recedes into the background and I’m in the zone.</span></b></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;" type="disc"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
<li style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span>Who is your literary hero?</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></ul>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></b></span></b> Can I say Plato or Augustine?</span></b></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> Of course you can, they count ;-)</span></span></span></span></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;" type="disc"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
<li style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span>How often do you write?</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></ul>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></b></span></b> During the school year I meet with my writing partner,
Lisa Smartt (you should look her up! She
has a great Southern romance series, Doug and Carlie), three times a week. Some days I have to work on lectures or
grade, and some days I watch cat videos, but many days I eventually settle down
and write.</span></b></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;" type="disc"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
<li style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span>Is there any advice you might
have for new & or aspiring writers that you never got when you first
started, but looking back you would have liked someone to have shared with
you?</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></ul>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></b></span></b> In the beginning, after I published my first book, I
couldn’t think or talk about anything else.
I drove those around me crazy! Find someone who writes and is doing what
you do to talk to about it because you will drive your friends insane if you
don’t. This is your interest, your life,
not theirs. Find others writers to talk
to.</span></b></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It is really hard! Only do it because you love it. Have realistic expectations. </span></b></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;" type="disc"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
<li style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span>Did you have a parent or
teacher that inspired you to follow your dreams & ambitions for
writing?</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></ul>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></b></span></b> My parents have always been supportive of my endeavors. My husband too, for which I am very
grateful. But as for writing, given my proclivity
to misspell any and all words in the English language and beyond, I never
wanted to write until recently. </span></b></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;" type="disc"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
<li style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span>How do you feel about the whole
eReader vs Paper debate?</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></ul>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13587" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_14075"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_14074" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_14075"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_14074" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></b></span></b> I have no feelings about it, really. I personally prefer paper. I say, read, read, read!</span></b></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<ul id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13586" style="text-align: left;" type="disc"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
<li id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13585" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13584" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span>Do you have any other book
ideas, aside from the two you already have going, in the works that you
can share with us? </span></li>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></ul>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13575" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13583" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<b id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13582"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13581" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13582"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13581" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></b></span></b>After I finish The United, the last book in The Exiled
Trilogy, I plan to write another Four Families book. Then I plan to write a stand-alone dystopian
book about … I guess you’ll have to wait a few years to find out!</span></b></div>
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<li id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13579" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_13578" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_6_1408110040075_15" style="font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span>Finally, is there anything I
may not have covered already that you would like to share with us about
yourself & your writing?</span></li>
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<b id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_14078"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_14077" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_14078"><span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_14077" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4032"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408221669533_4031" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: magenta;">MB:<span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></b></span></b> I love to write and I love to share my stories with
others.<span id="yiv4280723218yui_3_16_0_1_1408110040075_14076"> </span>I feel incredibly blessed that
my life took this unexpected turn into the world of writing! Thank you, Jolene, for all of your enthusiasm
and support.</span></b></div>
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<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview884747713"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview884746853"> To finish this post I would just like to add a very hearty thank you to Merry Brown for being kind enough to find the pictures I needed to do this post & to answer my silly questions. I have many more fun post in mind for the future, just stop by on occasion & see what I have going. I also have several authors set up for a 3rd interview, but haven't decided who I'm going to harass next. I don't want to make any promises, but I think you can expect to see one from Mr. Jeff Bauer author of Sadie Sapiens. Thanks & feel free to post any thoughts , questions, & complaints down below. Lets try & stay away from the complaints though if we can, LOL.</span></span> </span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840058533553867365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298578811753281319.post-15474816805391769122014-08-10T02:52:00.002-07:002014-08-10T02:52:48.183-07:00Book Furniture?! Today is neither a Rant nor an Interview. I thought I would simply do a fun little post sharing some of the fascinating book related pictures I found when, out of boredom & a need for a few photos I plan to use for a logo I'm making for The Ranting Bookwom, I Bing(ed) the words "Book Furniture". Yes, I use Bing instead of the popular Google & not because it's better. I only use it over the other search engine because I LOVE the daily pictures they post on the Bing homepage. A silly reason I suppose, but aside from my love for books I've always been a bit of a photography nut, but I digress. So, lets get back on topic, this whole Book Furniture thing all started when I first typed the words "Book Pics", which lead me to an amazing picture of a chair that doubled as a bookshelf & so my Bing search, due to curiosity, morphed into a search using the words "Book Furniture". I imagine right about now you're thinking I should have named this blog The Babbling Bookworm, which it almost was, & that I should get to the point. Your grumbles would probably justified too & while I see your point, I have to say that I never made any promises at any point on this blog to give my followers a dry & serious book blog. I've been up late or early, depends on how you want to look at it & this is what happens when I have little sleep & no plan for a structured posting. So, if my babble is too much to take, then I suggest you move along & try & find one of those wonderfully uptight book blogs that might be more your style, but if you like a little silly in your blogs, then hang in there & I'll try & get to the point as fast as I can for the amazing few followers who were kind enough to not leave, yet, lol. Anyway, back to what I was originally talking about, I found an amazing chair that doubled as a bookshelf, & after that, I wanted to see what other crazy book related furniture I could find, & so, my search changed once more from book related furniture to furniture made from books. Evidently, there appears to be a larger group of people than you'd imagine that enjoy taking old books that nobody likes or wants to read & turning them into beautiful works of art & furniture that we often call "Green". I even happen to know a person or two who actually have a collection of those horrible, but good looking, Reader's Digest books that no one ever seems to like. They keep them in case the artistic bug bites their butt & they're suddenly filled with the urge to create book related art. Even though I've got the creative juices for this type of project & the materials to do it, I feel I've more than enough stuff going on in my little life without adding to it with something like this. Perhaps, in the near future, I'll find the time to do it & if I do I'll gladly share my masterpiece or disaster with everyone here on my blog. Still, that won't stop me from sharing some of my favorite pictures of book furniture that I found while searching the web. So, please hang in there, put your mental seat belt on, & get ready for a wild ride through the crazy, but fun world of recycled book furniture.<br />
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To begin things, this is the beautiful bookshelf chair that started this whole exploration of book related furniture. I would die for one or two of these awesome chairs:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Af30ahEIe5c/U-c5YrXFzAI/AAAAAAAAAHE/Id4AruQBKXU/s1600/BookChair2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Af30ahEIe5c/U-c5YrXFzAI/AAAAAAAAAHE/Id4AruQBKXU/s1600/BookChair2.jpg" /></a></div>
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Now lets move on to a book lovers dream come true, furniture made from actual books. A book fanatics answer to the Green movement:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PApy8dz6QPc/U-c7Jl4osrI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/MxVHW7cY4Do/s1600/BookLamp2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PApy8dz6QPc/U-c7Jl4osrI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/MxVHW7cY4Do/s1600/BookLamp2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LAdR9sc5Fes/U-c7M-0ETBI/AAAAAAAAAHY/X__tVgUsKC4/s1600/BookCoffeeTable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LAdR9sc5Fes/U-c7M-0ETBI/AAAAAAAAAHY/X__tVgUsKC4/s1600/BookCoffeeTable.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-usDDrSDR4Gg/U-c7RvY3JmI/AAAAAAAAAHg/Wt33Pg-TJP0/s1600/BookBed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-usDDrSDR4Gg/U-c7RvY3JmI/AAAAAAAAAHg/Wt33Pg-TJP0/s1600/BookBed.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wnb2Dnw8IZ0/U-c7elT73wI/AAAAAAAAAH4/rQQev57MRTg/s1600/BookShelfWBooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wnb2Dnw8IZ0/U-c7elT73wI/AAAAAAAAAH4/rQQev57MRTg/s1600/BookShelfWBooks.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2Izs1zVw4nQ/U-c7ev5gjsI/AAAAAAAAAH8/ISEpdVDRhz8/s1600/BookSideTable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2Izs1zVw4nQ/U-c7ev5gjsI/AAAAAAAAAH8/ISEpdVDRhz8/s1600/BookSideTable.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SR9PkVMx9xU/U-c7wKIsRSI/AAAAAAAAAIs/GgKKLY_XK2c/s1600/FancyBookTable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SR9PkVMx9xU/U-c7wKIsRSI/AAAAAAAAAIs/GgKKLY_XK2c/s1600/FancyBookTable.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VvNpmVEoPco/U-c7k0xk0PI/AAAAAAAAAIk/ocJZ8s6B2V4/s1600/CookingBookShelf2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VvNpmVEoPco/U-c7k0xk0PI/AAAAAAAAAIk/ocJZ8s6B2V4/s1600/CookingBookShelf2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pt88NoXvnbE/U-c7wABIIrI/AAAAAAAAAIw/KqBH0QTXC-c/s1600/FishBookShelf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pt88NoXvnbE/U-c7wABIIrI/AAAAAAAAAIw/KqBH0QTXC-c/s1600/FishBookShelf.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ExxBVysFoq0/U-c76drWy6I/AAAAAAAAAJA/jUM3UTu5dA8/s1600/BookLamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ExxBVysFoq0/U-c76drWy6I/AAAAAAAAAJA/jUM3UTu5dA8/s1600/BookLamp.jpg" /></a></div>
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Last, but not least is this neat little pencil holder made from phone book pages:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pVEZHsVnFs0/U-c70j3DLAI/AAAAAAAAAI8/cbYgQr-JKuc/s1600/PhoneBookPencilHolder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pVEZHsVnFs0/U-c70j3DLAI/AAAAAAAAAI8/cbYgQr-JKuc/s1600/PhoneBookPencilHolder.jpg" /></a></div>
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Alright everyone, that's all I managed to scrounge up for now. I'll keep looking for more fun creations like these to share in a similar, but future post. Please feel free to let me know what your favorites were & what you think of the whole idea of using books for furniture. Also, if you have any pictures of book furniture that wasn't posted here today I would love for you to share it with us in the comments section of this posting.<br />
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Just for those curious, I am in the process of doing another interview.This time it will be with YA Paranormal author Merry Brown. I should hopefully have her interview on my blog within the week. So, please come back to see what other crazy things I talk about or share & don't miss the fabulous Merry Brown's interview with The Ranting Bookworm. Until then, keep reading & share the love of books with as many people as you can. It's one addiction you should never be ashamed of ;-)<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840058533553867365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298578811753281319.post-34651020993082929632014-08-08T03:13:00.000-07:002014-08-08T21:32:53.771-07:00Interview with Author Paul G. Day Welcome back. Here is the first of many author interviews to come on The Ranting Bookworm. This interview post will be a bit more explanatory than future posts, but after I've gotten some of my views out of the way I promise to be more to the point the next time I interview someone. The views I plan to discuss will be things such as why this is a genre I enjoy reading & how I feel a review should be written. I'll also share cover art & synopsis to the books I discuss whenever possible. This post is a little long, but I believe you'll find it enjoyable. So, sit back, relax, & grab a nice cup of coffee, tea, or whatever you enjoy drinking while reading.<br />
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Today's interview will be with the fabulous children's author Mr. Paul G. Day. Recently I got the privileged to read & review his first Black Fairy book called The Black Fairy & The Dragonfly. I love a good children's book every now & then, I know it sounds crazy, why would a 36 year old woman with no kids of her own read literature written for such a young audience? Why not? I think everyone should have a little fun & get in touch with their inner child from time to time. At the very least reading such books can bring a smile to your face & beautiful memories of yesteryear. Even though I've only read the 1st book in the Black Fairy duo I've nothing but good words for the series & I can already tell I'm going to enjoy it's sequel & final chapter, Escape From The Dark Queen.</div>
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Now lets dive into my review of Mr. Day's book, The Black Fairy & The Dragonfly. My belief is that a review should simply be: what type of book it is (genre), whether I liked it, pros & cons of the story, would I read it again, & whether I'd suggest it to others. I believe it's alright to occasionally bring up various events in the story, but only if I think it will help draw in readers. It's best to keep the plot & details vague. The point of a review is to help others decide if they want to read the book, by no means is it appropriate to rehash the story as if it were a book report, possibly ruining surprises for those who have yet to read it.<br />
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<b>The Ranting Bookworm's Review of: The Black Fairy & The Dragonfly</b></div>
<b> </b> The Black Fairy & The Dragonfly is a beautiful fast paced children's
story that's great for both young & old. This could probably be
considered a middle grade book, but honestly, its beauty could be
enjoyed by all ages, 1-101. Like an old-school fable it carries a
valuable lesson that every child
should know, that being different doesn't mean you're less, yet it
doesn't talk down to the more mature readers. The story concludes with a
suspenseful & massive cliffhanger. To quench your appetite &
ease your mind the author concludes this beautiful story in his sequel,
Escape From The Dark Queen. Though the second book resolves the
cliffhanger at the end of this story, it's not a requirement for the
full enjoyment of book one. I did feel the book could have benefited
from a few illustrations to compliment Mr. Paul Day's lovely narrative.
Still, the lack of illustrations did not take away
from the story. I see this being a great bedside read for a child, I
know I would have loved having this read to me at night when I was
young
& so I will do the same if I am ever blessed with kids. I will
definitely reread this story
anytime I want a quick read & a smile.<br />
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<b>Synopsis</b></div>
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<b> </b><span id="freeText9852990032163829344">When Lilly is shunned by
her own kind, the little black fairy embarks on a journey to find her
true purpose. Along the way she forges an unusual friendship with a
dragonfly and an enduring alliance with the Dragonfly Kingdom. This is a
story full of wonder, adventure and even danger. When all the other
fairies suddenly vanish, leaving no trace behind, Lilly is forced to
face her past and confront an unseen evil. If she is to triumph, she
will need to draw on a rare magic hidden deep within. Only then can she
rescue the fairies, destroy evil and restore the kingdom.</span> </div>
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<b>The following is the Author Interview As Promised</b></div>
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(<span style="background-color: red;">TRB</span>=the Ranting Bookworm aka Jolene, <span style="background-color: lime;">PGD</span>=Paul G. Day)<b> </b></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: red;">TRB:</span> I read your first book in your Black fairy series called The Black
Fairy & The Dragonfly & I loved it. It's obviously a great
little book that can be appreciated by bot<span style="background-color: red;"></span>h young & old. Still, I
was curious as to what your inspiration was for writing a book about
fairy's?</li>
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<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">PGB:</span></span> </span>The
story started out as a poem on a writing group I belong to called
Writers Network. After writing that I thought it would make a good
story, so I wrote the first book back in 2012. After putting a few
chapters online, the comments I got was so encouraging I decided to
publish it. From there the book underwent several revisions until now,
happily it is finished. The story was
inspired, in part, by my own experiences growing up in a large family
and feeling unwanted. But the story is influenced by what I have
observed in society and our ideas about what evil is and the nature and
beauty and magic of life.</div>
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<li><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;">TRB:</span></span> </span>I noticed a great deal of your books,including The Black Fairy &
The Dragonfly, are targeted primarily at children. That obviously
doesn't mean they can't be enjoyed by more than that target age group,
but I was curious why you chose this as your primary group or whether it
was just a happy accident?</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<span style="background-color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: lime;">PGD:</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span>Well,
I have been a teacher for more than a decade. I am one of nine children
and I have two grown children of my own. I have also worked with
young people in youth groups for much of my adult life. So it seemed
perfectly natural to me to want to write for children and young adults.
But it wasn’t until I began studying writing for children at university
that I realized it was a calling. I am also writing for adults, but it
is children who I am most comfortable writing for.</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span></span>When writing a book like The Black Fairy & The Dragonfly do you
start out with the aim to teach a lesson, like the one I felt I found in
it (being different doesn't make you less), or does it just happen
organically?</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">PGB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>Not
necessarily. I write instinctively. Allowing the story to unfold
naturally and that includes any lessons that may be
subconsciously embedded. Having said that, I think that lessons or
teaching lessons is part of who I am as a teacher, so naturally it will
find its way into my writing. It’s not overt, but it is there and even I
am surprised sometimes at how important those lessons turn out to be.
Once I recognize there is a lesson in the story, I do refer back to it,
but in the most subtle ways possible. The story is the focus, but the
lesson is up to the child reading the story to learn for themselves. I
think writing is ten percent skill and ninety percent instinct.</div>
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<div class="yiv4385792033" style="background-color: transparent;">
<ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>I'm getting ready to read your second book in you Black Fairy series
called The Black Fairy & The Dragonfly: Escape From The Dark Queen.
I'm very excited to read what happens next to our kindhearted, but
strong little heroine. Still, I can't help but jump the
gun & ask if we should expect a 3rd book about our favorite little
Black Fairy?</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">PGB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>Not
a third in this series, but this story is connected to another
different story called The Last Boy Fairy. I plan on writing a new
series where the worlds of both characters come together to form a
unique story. There was always only going to be two books in the Black
Fairy series as it is, unfortunately.</div>
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I
have loved writing this series and I adore Lily and the other
characters. I believe, more than any other book or series I have
written, that this one would make a great feature animated film. It is
also this series which has solicited the best responses from readers and
whether they are 8 or
88, they all love it the same.</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>I've checked out your Goodreads page & have noticed that it appears
you have a couple books that are directed at perhaps an older audience,
can you tell us a little bit about them & why you stepped away from
your usual audience?</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">PGB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>Let
me just make the point here that I haven’t really “stepped away” as you
put it, more like branched out to other ages and genres. I always like
to test myself and write in multiple genres and for multiple ages, just
to keep things interesting and experiment with writing. However, though
my style may change, the stories themselves follow very similar paths of
thought and if you were to deconstruct my
stories, they are, at their heart, the same stories about loneliness,
isolation, coming of age etc. </div>
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Now
having said that, I had wanted to write stories for older readers for
quite some time. I actually wrote one called The Girl Who Kept Secrets
for older readers, but have shelved it for the time being while I give
it considered thought. In the meantime, I am writing two sequels to Star
Child and another separate series for older readers called Children of
Mars. But my long term project and the one with the most detail and
pages, is my upcoming novel, The Four Edged Sword, aimed at adult
readers. It’s an epic in every sense of the word. It has detailed maps
unlike anything else you will see (find them at this link:
https://www.behance.net/gallery/16264853/The-World-of-BenEden) as well
as a highly developed
world with lots of different characters, including dragons.</div>
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</div>
<div class="yiv4385792033" style="background-color: transparent;">
<ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>Now lets get slightly more personal & see if we can't discover a
little bit about Paul G. Day & who he is as an author & every
day man. First, how long have you been writing & did you have a
parent or teacher in your past that inspired you to
follow your writing ambitions?</li>
</ul>
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
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<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">PGB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>I
started writing more than a decade ago, but it took a long time before I
had the confidence to publish. I was inspired by my English teachers at
school, but it was at university that my lecturer Jeri Kroll (herself
also an author) encouraged me to explore writing for publication. As a
youngster I was in love with stories and I have what you might call a
constant internal narrative every day of my life. </div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>Who is your literary hero?</li>
</ul>
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
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<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">PGB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>There
are a few actually. Arthur C Clarke, for the detail in his work,
Tolkien for his observations about society and the human family as well
as the corrupting influence of power and Isaac Asimov for his vision of
our future. I can add a new one here, New Zealand born author, Russell
Kirkpatrick, whose highly detailed maps in his fantasy series inspired
me to write The Four Edged Sword.</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>I know I remember the first series of books that helped fan the flames
of my book obsession (BTW, it was Bunnicula By: James Howe & the
Choose Your Own Adventures, LOL), but do you remember what book or books
you read as a child that made you fall in love with reading?</li>
</ul>
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
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<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">PGB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>The
first book I remember loving enough to remember was The Loaded Dog,
based on a poem by
Henry Lawson. The first novels I loved was I Can Jump Puddles. I was
also very much inspired by the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and David
Copperfield, which also inspired me enough to write my own adventure
series, Kipp The Copper Coast Kid.</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> I</span></span></span></span> find most authors & writers in general have items that I refer to
as comfort items that help them sit down & get in the mood to write
or perhaps not get in the mood, but that they just can't write without
having by their side. I know I have to have some good instrumental music
& a chai tea helps. Do you have anything like this that you do as a
bit of a ritual or habit when writing? (music, picture, food, tea,
coffee, a pet, etc...)</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">PGB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>Oh
yes, but being a fifty year old male I am almost ashamed to admit that I
have a collection of toys like Bears, robots etc. I only started
collecting them as models for characters in my stories, but my wife
thinks I like them a little too much. Lol. All jokes aside, they are
part of the inspiration, but it is the children I teach and the people
around me that provide the greater portion of inspiration.</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>How often do you write? Is it a daily passion or does the urge come & go?</li>
</ul>
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
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<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">PGB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>I
would like to say it is a daily passion, but that is too simplistic. I
said earlier I write on instinct. If the inspiration doesn't come, I
simply don’t write. I
write best when I am inspired enough to write and keep on writing until
I am too tired and forced to sleep. Then, for several days at a stretch
I think of nothing but the story and writing becomes my number one
obsession, almost to the exclusion of everything else. I’m blessed with
an understanding wife who largely lets me go until I come back to the
real world again.</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>I read that you're a teacher, if you don't mind me asking, what kind of
teacher are you & how do you find the time to write while shaping
minds?</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">PGB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>I
am a qualified Drama Teacher with many years experience. I found it
hard to do that and write, but I still found time. But, because I am no
longer permanent (I
am now a relief teacher working part time) I have much more free time
on my hands and am really producing a lot of books. In my time teaching
Drama I was responsible for many school and community productions and
they helped me immensely with my writing as well. I love that you said
“shaping minds” because even though I teach perhaps 2 or 3 days a week
only now, I still take it very seriously, though I try to have a lot of
fun with the kids I teach.</div>
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</div>
<div class="yiv4385792033" style="background-color: transparent;">
<ul>
<li> <span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>Do you have any hobbies aside from writing & reading?</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<div class="yiv4385792033" style="background-color: transparent;">
<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">PGB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>I
love to go camping and my daughter and I like to make films together.
My wife and I are slowly renovating our country cottage and property so
there is plenty to keep
us both busy.</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>Do you have any advice for aspiring writers that you would like to
share that you never got, but looking back could have used or liked?</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">PGB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>My
advice to anyone who aspires to be a writer is to simply write. Write
often, write in different forms other than prose. Poetry teaches you the
art and beauty of language. Those who can write good poetry can
generally write very well. As I said before, writing is ten percent
skill and ninety percent instinct, so don’t force your story out, rather
let it come out as you write.</div>
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<ul>
<li> <span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>Now I'm
still getting use to the whole eReader thing & still prefer the
good old fashioned physical version of a book over an electronic version
(that doesn't mean I don't read eBooks), still, how do you like the new
world of eReaders? Is this something you have fallen in love with or do
you still prefer the physical version of books? And has the eReader
world helped you as a author in anyway that physical books can't?</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<div class="yiv4385792033" style="background-color: transparent;">
<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">PGB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>It’s
an enigma for me. I find it exciting and at the same time strangely
bewildering. I actually still prefer a good, physical book in my hand,
yet eReaders are so versatile and can hold whole libraries and their
portability cannot be denied. I think things will swing around the other
way after a decade or so, like they have with vinyl records. In our
insatiable appetite for technology, however, we have
forgotten that reading is an organic thing and that has been lost a
little. Having said that, eReaders are here to stay and whether we like
it or not, we must absolutely accept and embrace them.</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: black;">TRB:<span style="background-color: white;"> I</span></span></span></span> believe I have taken up enough of your time, but to end this I would
like to ask you if there is anything about yourself, that I haven't
already asked, that you would love to share? (like: where you're from,
pets, family, etc...)</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<div class="yiv4385792033" style="background-color: transparent;">
<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">PGB:<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>I
would love to say that my own personal struggles, identity and journey
are very much reflected in my work. My books are full of subtle
references to my upbringing, my thought processes and personality, as
well as those around me. This is the only way to
write and how I always approach it. Otherwise my books would be
lifeless and devoid of a soul.</div>
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Thanks
so much Jolene for this fantastic opportunity and for your great
questions. Answering them has given me pause to reflect on how far I
have come and where I am heading.<br />
<br />
<b>Thank you for joining us. If I've failed to cover something in the interview please feel free to post your questions in the comments box below & we'll happily answer what we can. I am also always open to suggestions & observations about my posts. Until next time, Live, Love & Laugh ;-)</b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840058533553867365noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298578811753281319.post-52732442040223566022014-08-05T22:53:00.003-07:002014-08-05T22:53:57.535-07:00Overpriced eBook Rant So, I think I have a relatively short & simple rant for everyone tonight, Overpriced eBooks. Now, as I've said before, even though my preference for reading is usually paperbacks & hardbacks, I'm not beyond reading an eBook. I can see their use, easy to travel with & a great way to browse books to find new authors. I personally downloaded Kindle to my HP mini (a mini laptop that was popular before the whole tablet craze) & I use it to find new authors to read who are giving their books away for free or cheap. I've even recently bought a few books from my favorite authors, but only when I had issues getting my hands on a physical copy of their book & only as long as the eBook cost less than the actual book. So, I'm not against eBooks & eReaders, everything has its purpose, everything its a place.<br />
<br />
What I do have an issue with is the pricing of some of the books being sold as eBooks. Now let me know if you think I'm wrong about this, but I feel that when I get an eBook it's not right for it to cost as much as a physical copy, there should be some sort of discount for the electronic version. I don't feel that I'm being greedy asking for this, just reasonable. Look at it this way, the author didn't have to pay for paper, ink or the people running the machines to print the book, so why should it cost as if they did? I figure that if I have to pay the same amount as a physical copy then I may as well buy the actual thing. I only bring this up because I've noticed a lot of books lately asking an unreasonable prices for their eBooks . Yes, I like a deal & prefer my books to be $2.99 to Free, but I'm not beyond spending a little more for an eBook as long as I'm spending less then it's physical counterpart. I mean I've seen some eBooks being sold for as high as $12 or more! Seriously, it seems to me that these people selling their books for such high prices are to trying to capitalize on the money they save by not printing, by still charging the same price & pocketing the excess money. Even if I was one of those people who've chosen to switch completely to the eBook platform & replace all my books for electronic versions, I'd still have a problem spending the same price as a physical book for an eBook. I mean, what's the point of going paperless if you're going to pay prices that are equivalent to the tree chopping prices, LOL. Am I wrong? I know everyone needs to make their money, but lets be reasonable, if you want to charge these crazy prices as an author then have your books printed, don't expect the eBook market to bring you the extra money you want. The author should be saving money by selling their books online, anything else just seems greedy. I harbor no ill feelings to this new generation & style of books, I just don't feel that some of the authors & or publishers are doing the right thing by charging paper prices for a incorporeal versions of their books.<br />
<br />
So, do me a favor & don't encourage these prices by giving in & purchasing their overpriced digital stories. There are plenty of great books out there that only cost a few bucks or even nothing at all if you get lucky. All I ask is that you think twice & if it seems that there is no discount for the eBook you want then purchase the actual book, sensible, right? If you're going pay all that money then you may as well have all the perks & pleasures that come with the physical item. Alrighty peeps, that's all I got for you this time. I told you it was going to be a relatively short & simple rant. I'm hoping, before the week is over, to have one of the many authors who've been kind enough to agree to an interview with me stop by & say hello. So, please hang in there & I plan to have more thought provoking rants & fun surprises in the near future.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840058533553867365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298578811753281319.post-7734997007153374492014-08-01T17:46:00.000-07:002014-08-01T17:46:05.093-07:00Free Book Rant Alrighty peeps, I promised you an actual post that wasn't just about what I was going to talk about on my blog & so here it is. It is a small rant, but I just have to throw it out there & where my rant lands I can only hope it's not on deaf ears (or blind eyes in this case, LOL). For those of you who may not know, there are a great many ways to earn free books. You can go to a site called Goodreads & they have daily pages of books being given away by authors & publishers. You can also go to another site called Librarything, which tends to cater more to the eReader society, but they have their own pages of electronic & physical books that are given away throughout the month. I'm a part of both, I love books & I love free books even more. The less I have to spend to feed my book obsession the better. The way these sites getaway with doing this is, first, the authors & or publishers list how many of what books they are trying to giveaway. Then, you are allowed to put in a request for it. You are then notified the next day & or whenever the drawing is over if you won. Now you are probably asking how they can afford to do this & why would they give away all these books. While the publisher or author is paying out of pocket to send you this book it is still beneficial to them. They mail you the book with the understanding that you are to read it & then post a review on as many sites as possible once you've finished. This then generates publicity for them & their book & all it cost them was postage & a few of their books, all paid for out of their own pocket. It's really a great thing & I do this all the time, sometimes my book stack gets a little out of control, but I eventually get to everything & post my reviews. I may never have to buy another book again if I keep this up.<br />
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So, now you may be thinking, "That sounds great Ms. R. Bookworm, but where is the rant in all this?". Let me explain. A while back I got curious about what some of the other reviewers thought about some of the books I read. When you enter the contests on Goodreads you can see the other members that won the book too. So I started doing occasional checks to see how everyone else felt. You see, some of these books were so new that they didn't have a single rating or review until I posted mine. Sadly, after about a month & a half I still wasn't seeing anymore reviews other than mine & some of the giveaways had given 15+ books away! That's 14 or more people who got the same book & who either read it & tossed in the corner of there room or never even picked it up after it made it to their house. Now I know some people may not be fast readers, so I tried to give the benefit of the doubt to the other winners, hoping I would still see more reviews & ratings. To this day some of those books still don't have more than my review & perhaps one more, & like I said, a lot of the authors gave away 15-20 books. I was astonished! So, I explained all this to my loving but non book reading boyfriend. Even though he isn't into reading like I am he is at least as passionate about what he feels is right or wrong, just as I am, & we came to the conclusion that to enter these giveaways & to not read & review it, after the author or publisher paid out of their own pocket to get it to you, was a lot like STEALING! Now some of you might think that's an extreme word to use, but the more I think about it the more I believe we are right. I get that the publishers may have cash to spare, but not everyone hosting a giveaway is a publisher, a good deal are simple authors. Later down the road I found out from one of the authors I've recently done a review for that he did his own giveaway & spent somewhere around $300 or more to do this & out of all the people he sent stuff to he only got 2 responses. Though he understood that not everyone was going to post, this really astonished him. He said that even at that he might have been able to live with the lack of reviews (which was really the point of the whole thing, to advertise his book), but what hurt him the most was that no one even bothered to thank him. Three hundred dollars & all he got was 2 thank yous & one review & that one review came from one of the people who thanked him, so in reality he only heard from 2, only 2 people out of the $300's worth of people he contacted. Imagine, putting all your blood, sweat, tears, & money into something & getting that kind of response in return. It would hurt, no matter how thick skinned you are. While you may not cry, I'm sure you'd at least want to throw something.<br />
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So, do you see why we came to the conclusion that if you get a book for free & don't post a review that it's pretty much like stealing? I hope so. So, please do me a favor, if you ever do one of these giveaways that you will first & foremost find a way to thank the author for their kindness & then take the time to rate & review their book no matter how long it takes you to finish it. This is their livelihood & they chose to do us a kindness (which, granted benefits them too) by sending us a free book, some of these books running $15-$30 a piece. I don't know, let me know what you think, I am always happily open to intelligent discussion about what I talk about here so feel free to post a comment if you want to weigh in or if you have a question about something I said, but was unclear about.<br />
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Thant Should conclude today's post. For anyone interested, I have an interview with an author who has written a wonderful childrens book that appeals to not just young but any interested age coming soon. His name is Paul G. Day & he wrote The Black Fairy & The Dragonfly & has promised to have my interview questions answered & back to me hopefully by the end of the weekend. So, please stop back by & hopefully at the beginning of next week you will see my first interview. I realize I failed to mention in my earlier posts that one of the other genre's I enjoy reading is YA / Childrens Fantasy, not just adult. This blog will be covering a wide range of books from adult Paranormal Romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Animal & Insect related books, Historical Fiction , occasional Non Fiction, & YA / Childrens Fantasy. So, if you have an open mind for various book genres please keep stopping by my blog & I promise to try & keep you on your toes. So, as Tigger would say, TTFN.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840058533553867365noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298578811753281319.post-22130414169317639472014-07-30T16:06:00.002-07:002014-07-30T16:06:59.434-07:00More of What's to ComeHello blogging universe! As I write this post I can hear the crickets chirp. I hope as the weeks pass I start to see my followers grow. Since I'm still getting my feelers wet I thought I would just hop on here & fill everyone in on some of the stuff I plan to do with my time as a blogger. I promise my blogs will slowly grow from informatory to eventually becoming fun rants about books & the book loving world & its readers. First, I would like to share that I have a number of eLetters to potential authors to be interviewed for this blog. I often do reviews for Goodreads & because of this I eventually strike up conversations & friendships with various new authors. I thought it would be fun to have some of them stop by & talk to us about their craft & their books. Aside from that, I thought I would start sharing with you what books I'm currently reading. I am also a part of a book group on Goodreads called All About Animals where I help moderate an online book club that reads upwards of two different animal books a month. I would like to share the fun stuff we do there here. As I mentioned I live on top of a bookstore, I was hoping to have the owner stop in for a nice chat about her new place & what she has going on there. There will also be mindless diatribes about topics such as eBook vs. paperback, what genres bore or interest me, what makes a great book, etc. I hope this gives you a taste and idea about what I want to do here & I start seeing some interested faces. Thanks for stopping by & I promise to have a slightly more fun rant next time you stop by The Raning Bookworm ;-)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840058533553867365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7298578811753281319.post-36650607642011217072014-07-29T11:57:00.000-07:002014-07-29T11:57:20.592-07:00Go Easy On Me... So this is my first time in the world of Blogging. My apologies if I don't follow your preconceived ideas of what a blog should be like. The reason I finally decided to dive into the world of blogging is that I found my love for books had grown to such a ridiculous point that I felt I needed another way to express it, aside from just using the Goodreads & Librarything sites. Neither site gives me enough room to express myself. Those sites are really set up more for the author to share their books & to get reviews. Don't get me wrong, I am obsessed with Goodreads & love it dearly, but I have limited means of expressing myself on their site aside from posting a review every time I finish a book. I want to discuss books in depth & I don't feel that a review page is the appropriate place for that. Of course there are many people who try & make it that, but I'm not one of them. Those people turn the review pages into full on book reviews, which I feel often spoils the book for those just trying to see if they want to read the book in the first place. I feel a review should simply be whether you liked the book, if you'd read it again & maybe even whether you like the authors writing style. Anything more & I believe you may as well start a blog, LOL. So, here I am, ready to babble & rant about all the books I love so much. So, if you choose to read this blog you will be experiencing firsthand what a first time blogger looks like. So, please go easy on me & bare with me as I figure things out.<br />
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So what will the majority of what I talk about be? I will be straightforward & let you know that I will of course only be reading & chatting about the types of books I like reading. I don't plan to read just any genre just because it was put to ink & paper. Now mind you I am very open minded & occasionally I will read, review & discuss books outside my norm, but overall the books you will see here should fall under just a few categories: Supernatural, Paranormal Romance, Sci-Fi, anything Animal related (this can even include insects, amphibians & reptiles),and last but not least an occasional historical fiction & or non-fiction book (generally American Indian, Egyptian, Black history, Hawaii, & Las Vegas are usually my primary focus). So, if you are hoping for a wider range of books please turn back now. I will often discuss the books I am currently digesting & will try on occasion to get some author involvement which I have had luck to acquire from time to time. I actually receive & a lot of books from authors who want reviews for the generous gift of their books & thus those will be part of this blog too, still I only ever request books within the genres that I have an interest in. Sometimes my bogs may not even be about a particular book, but about the beauty & appeal of books in general. Really I just plan to start out with a simple idea of what I want to do here on my blog & if I head in another direction then so be it. So, please hang in there & perhaps this first time bloggers blog will turn out to be half way decent after all.<br />
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A real quick intro of who I am & I will gladly let you go until I choose to babble again. My name is Jolene, & yes, I'm a book addict, LOL. I'm not really from anywhere in particular, but currently I'm living in a small town near Pittsburgh. I was born in Hawaii & have moved all over the place ever since & not because I'm running from the law as some have suggested nor is it because my family is in the military, simply put I just might have a little bit of gypsy in my genes. Aside from books, I love animals & have 5 ferrets & a cat currently. Aside from reading & animals I enjoy doing digital photo restorations (which you can see examples of my work at:: https://www.facebook.com/MemoryMD). I also like to make gel candles out of random drinking glasses & elaborate friendship bracelets out of embroidery thread in my spare time. I live atop a nice little used bookstore with my animal brood & my boyfriend & of course living there has only served to make my book addiction worse. So, that is me in about as small of a nutshell as I can place myself. Anymore questions about the blog or me, if I failed to cover anything, will be gladly answered in the comments section or my next blog. Until next time, TTFN ;-)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840058533553867365noreply@blogger.com0