Cursed with Power: New prologue

Cursed with Power: Prologue

*NEW*

In the original prologue of Cursed with Power the story went that Celestria wrote a letter to Adam, her ex-lover, addressing her fears of the new world she must now face.  However, the new prologue does not follow that same outline.

The new prologue introduces a side to Celestria that does not begin to develop until the middle of the book. Since Celestria is a Dark magician, should we feel sympathy for her?  She comes off at first as a headstrong, determined woman and the sympathy we want to feel for her and the relations we want to share with her might seem at first too far off.

A horrifying event occurs and Celestria is faced with a tough decision to make.

Heat rose from the floorboards of the church the moment I entered.  I covered my mouth with the sleeve of my dress, but a dark cloud of smoke struck me in the face.  Falling against a board, I struggled to regain balance.  I gathered my dress together and took another step toward the fire, but I could not see a sign of the child’s presence.  A piece of wood dropped from the ceiling, nearly hitting me.  I ducked and glanced around the room, but in the blaze of the fire I could not see anything.  A cross near the altar lit up in flames as a pile of wood toppled it.

“Hello?” I cried out in a muffled voice.  Coughing, I backed away as the fire spread.  Tears swelled up in my eyes, and an overwhelming nausea swept over me.

Suddenly there was a faint cough and a girl whispered, “Help.”  My ears perked up as I tried to determine where the child was.  There was a crack, and when I glanced up I was horrified to realize another part of the ceiling was falling apart.  The board came down at me, but before it hit me something else did.  My face slammed into the wooden floor, and something heavy lifted off my back.

For readers who have already read the entire book or read the original prologue, this new addition is optional to read.  The events in the prologue do return later on in the book and show significance, and Alaire has an appearance in the prologue as well.

The new prologue has already been uploaded onto inkpop.  It's been awhile so I'm trying to catch up with myself again, but if you've enjoyed the book so far definitely take a look at the new material.  Any questions or concerns can be directed to my email.
Lindsey R. Sablowski


"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

Alaria *book cover*

Alaria

Just found a website where I can edit photos.  This is new for one of the upcoming books in the Magicians series.

Thoughts?

Lindsey R. Sablowski

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

Check back in soon for...

It's been awhile since I've been able to update this blog.  However, I will say there is a lot I'll be blogging about (when I find the time) that you'll definitely want to check back in for.  If you have other ideas you'd like for me to post, email me or leave a comment.

• Alaire --Now I know I've mentioned him before, but we'll be taking a deeper look into how one character can have an effect on an entire book.
• Fans final thoughts on Cursed with Power --If you've read all the way through Cursed with Power now you'll be able to hear what other readers such as yourself think.  Readers can send in their thoughts via email to me and I'll post them.  Spoilers will not be posted.
• Writing the sequel --Whether it's outlining, brainstorming, or writing the first four chapters... I'll talk about it all.  How are Esmour and Destin returning in the second book, what has evolved (so to speak) since Cursed with Power?  (And so forth.)

There is plenty more around the corner coming to you.  Check in again to see the latest.

Lindsey R. Sablowski

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

The sequel

Speaking of the sequel, I figured I'd let you all know that I am currently outlining the chapters for this book.  Even though I have the first two chapters written out, I learned from Cursed with Power that outlining everything out can save me from writer's block and be very helpful.  We'll see how it turns out.

On a side note, I did some outlining for the other books in the series yesterday and went over well.  There's plenty of spaces I need to fill in, but at least we're working toward it.

Also, if you're up for a challenge I would love ideas for the title of the last book in the series.  I know it's a while away and it's impossible to figure out a title if you've only read the first book.  All the same, I'll tell you the original title was Gracien's Staircase but since last year a lot has changed and I feel that title wouldn't work.  If you think of anything feel free to comment.

Lindsey R. Sablowski

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

Save her

"Now if only I knew your name," I said.  She smiled at me and laughed, but it was not until she spoke her name that I recognized the name.
"Celestria Hale."
"A pleasure to meet you." I responded.  A thousand thoughts raced through my mind.  She was the woman from my visions, she was the one Esmour had told me about.  All I could think about were his warnings, his threat, and how I was forbidden to have her.
Save her. He had said, but I already had without knowing it.
Celestria said something else and I nodded in reply, though I barely paid attention to her words.  I walked in front of her as we traveled out of the swamp.


For any of you who read through chapter seven, this one is for you.
Lindsey R. Sablowski

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

OH MY GOD!

In case you haven't visited my other blog, Cursed with Power has received a publishing contract.  This is very exciting news, and I can't wait until I can share all of the details with you.

Believe me, I nearly died when I found out this morning.

I'll be posting later on to tell you more, but for right now I'm going to refocus on revisions and see where I can go with that.  There is  a long road ahead of me.  Anyways, hopefully you'll join me as I conquer this madness (or die trying).  More details will be posted soon!

Lindsey R. Sablowski

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

The story behind Alaire

For those of you who have read through chapter eight of Cursed with Power, you may recognize this name: Alaire Sencler.  Even if you haven't met him, don't worry there's never spoilers and we're solely talking about how he came into the story.

In the first draft of Cursed with Power Alaire was not in the story.  Not once.  I discovered this for myself the other day.  To be honest, I was horrified when I realized he wasn't in the story.  Mind you it was a first draft, but I felt the story was lonely without him.

I do remember how Alaire entered into the novel, however.  I was working on a fighting scene and in my mind I couldn't think of a realistic way for Celestria to live.  I had to decide who could save her; Leal, who at that time already left, could come "out of the blue" and rescue her or... A new character.  You already know by now what I chose.

Alaire discovered Celestria in a way that no one else could.  He listened to her secrets, he offered her comfort, and he expressed feelings for her.

This picture is property of: michellemonique of DeviantArt

By this point you're thinking, "Yadayada, when did this turn into a love story?"  It's not.  Alaire and Celestria have a unique relationship in the book, and that's why now I just can't imagine the story without him.  Ultimately, the connection I made with Celestria would not have happened if it had not been for Alaire.

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

Here's a secret... Shh, don't tell.

One day you will hear about a woman. She will be tortured, beaten, and bruised in the street until you save her. Either you save her or she will die, and I assure you her death will lead to a war in which no one can be victorious.

Her name is Celestria Hale. No matter what you think of her, how you feel about her... She can never be yours.

You have been given a gift, much similar to mine, and you too must have foreseen this. I forbid you from having Celestria; destiny forbids it. Protect her, shelter her, care for her, but nu you cannot love her.

The choice is yours: live with her and never love her, or let her die because of your cowardice. 

Today I spent a lot of time working with what you read above, and I'm considering writing it into the Magicians series.  

When I wrote it I had the chills just thinking about never being able to be with the one person you love.  And for the person this letter was address to, that's exactly what he was faced to accept.

Coming Next: It's time to talk about chapter two of New Life.  I'd also like to answers questions including:

• Why wasn't Alaire in the first draft of the story?  Who/what inspired you to include him in the story?
• Dark magicians, frightening visions, foreseers, healers... Where did this come from?
• Cursed with Power might be getting published?!  

Later on: There's exciting news about Cursed with Power.  Looks like the book might be getting published soon, so I'll be sharing with you the news I receive.  Questions?  Requests?  Give me them all; I'm ready for anything!

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

Revision of: Great Evils, chapter 1

Great Evils

Cursed with Power

For those of you who have read Cursed with Power, it's most likely you made it past chapter one.  You might be wondering what I can possibly be talking about at this point when the chapter is done.  Let's make it brief then, shall we?

"Great Evils" is the first chapter in Cursed with Power that originally seemed to "tell" instead of "show."  The original version of the chapter actually had a biography feel to it.  Celestria narrated past events that had already occurred --Dyanna's leaving, Aunt Ilena's death, etc.  When I rewrote the entire book it changed to Celestria walking through her house having flashbacks of what happened, but all the same it felt too... too dull.

A few nights ago something finally clicked.  In the new revision I've brought together the flashbacks, and instead of Celestria walking through the house and grieving over her sister's absence she lives it.  She tells an account of the story from how it happened.  When the second chapter, "Dark meets Light," comes about it has been three weeks since Dyanna left for the battle she never returned from.

There you have it, and I decided while I'm working on New Life I will also be posting about originals and "official" versions of chapters from Cursed with Power.  Later this week I'll hopefully be sharing chapter two of New Life with you.  Until then, head over to read the new revision of "Great Evils" and let me know what you think.

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

A man and his horse

When we think of a horse and its owner we generally think of the bond they share.  Some owners are extremely loving and caring of their horse, while others are unfortunately brutal and careless.
In Cursed with Power there were not as many scenes of Alaire and Vinur as I had hoped for, but I do believe that because of the way they were a "team" together brought on a new addition to Alaire.  (For those of you who haven't read CWP Vinur is Alaire's horse.)

With a story where your MC cannot or is not willing to trust new people, it can be difficult to find the answer to that problem.  What is it that will gain their trust?  With CWP this definitely was a question that came across multiple times, and I wanted to talk about in more detail so for those writers out there this can be a first hand account of how you can come to resolve problems involving trust.
Celestria could not trust anyone with how everything in her life had changed.  Her lover left her, her sister died, and she was forced to leave the only home she knew.  When Alaire walked into her life there was a question of how they could trust each other.  However, Alaire had an advantage no other character had.  He saved Celestria's life, and in return she had no reason to doubt his desire to help her find a haven or answers to the questions they both desired.  By the time chapter 12 came about and Celestria met Alaire's horse, she was quick to realize the horse's closeness to his owner.

What had happened to him? The horse nudged his head; its eyes looked almost human with the sympathetic way it observed him. Slowly, I extended my arm over Alaire and held two fingers against his neck. There was a pulse, yet his breathing was faint. As I withdrew my fingers I realized the horse was staring at me; almost glaring at me. The look it gave me seemed human, and it was enough to make me think twice about the animal. It had appeared out of nowhere, but there it was standing loyally by Alaire's side.
“He’s not really much to fret about, you know.” I said, though the joke did not make me laugh.

This scene not only helped Celestria realize how Vinur felt for Alaire, but it was also the beginning of how her feelings were developing for him.
Having a "sidekick" or "partner" for your MC helps move the plot along and bring in realistic emotion.  So remember when he/she comes into the story, there needs to be a reason for them to be trusted.  Whether they have a loyal animal by their side, their life is put at risk, they fall in love, etc. etc... It needs to be something.

We may certainly see Vinur again in the story.  If you'd like to read the chapter where Vinur is first introduced --assuming, of course, you've already read the chapters before--take a look at it: here.  As always, if you have a favorite scene you'd like me to post up from Cursed with Power send me an email or leave a comment.

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

New life Chapter 1

O N E

Make Me Smile

In the first chapter of New Life, we meet again with Léal Irvine.  Though it is a different time since when Celestria's story began, he goes through his day as any ordinary man would.  He attends service and all seems well, but of course that is before he hears that Esmour desires a meeting with him.

Léal meets the beautiful and charming Rahela, who seems all too good to be true.  With her fancy clothes, cheerful smile, and optimistic attitude what's not to love?  However, Léal seems struck by her beauty and personality and lets his guard down.  In no time at all shocking news is revealed to him; however, Rahela is not likely to disappear any time soon.  When Esmour explains the new arrangements it becomes evident that neither of them will be able to doubt each other.  Though they know nothing about each other and are in every way strangers to one another, Rahela and Léal may have to learn to trust one another.

Either trust or love, but it cannot be both.

He walked away the instant I raised my hand to comment on his remark. Rahela came in from behind and smiled at me. I smiled back at her without thinking, and then I remembered how I had acted earlier. Perhaps Mama had been right when she said I did not seem like myself, but everyone was acting different. It felt like there was something changing; however, I could not assure myself that it was anything positive. “Pardon me for my actions in the church. I assure you I did not mean to startle you,” I said. Rahela blinked steadily, as if waiting for something more. Unaware of the time, I glanced over to the window but the shades were drawn back and a candle was lit on the bureau. Night had crept upon me without my noticing. Rahela giggled. “Pardon you? My, you certainly are the gentleman.”

New Life has reached 5k; it'll be another 5,000 more before it can go public on inkpop.  If you want a notification of when it is posted or you'd like to suggest it be posted on inkpop let me know: email.  For now enjoy the updates!  More are on the way.

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

A Greater Destiny

Just another thought, but again this is the third book in the series so it may be a while before I can determine which cover fits best.
On another note, I've been considering whether A Greater Destiny should be the third book.  It's difficult to explain without giving away any spoilers, but for now it is fine where it is in the series.


"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

Not without you

If I do not return, I want you to find someone else.


Nu.


Nu? Why not?


Because if the world turns bitter enough to take away everything I care about and love, to tear my heart out of my body, and I lose you in a way I can never be with you again... I rather be alone.

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

New Life Prologue

Prologue

There are mornings when you wake up and wonder what went horribly wrong.  For Esmour that morning came all too soon.

A shocking new secret is taken away never to be found again, and someone must pay the price.  In the town of Celvont there are few who know of it.  Miles away from Esmour's home, Léal is asleep without any recognition of what occurred the night before.  

In the morning it will be the first day of July; as well as the first day of a new beginning.  In the new world there are no rules.  Survival is essential, life is not guaranteed, magic roams in the shadows and daylight, and there is nothing more powerful than power itself.  Magic, weapons, secrets, knowledge, love... None of it means anything without the power to control it.

Esmour told him there was no end.  Perhaps he was right, but then again no one ever knew what to think of Esmour.  Maybe he was a mad man, or maybe he was the wisest of them all.

If someone endangered your life, what would you do?  How do you save yourself from a fate that seems sealed?

Read the first book in the Magicians series:

CURSED WITH POWER

Read it online: here
"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

An awaited escape

No more waiting.  Let's running away from here tonight, right now.  Who knows how far we'll get, but I promise I won't let go of your hand.  Come love, escape from this place with me.

A dream or reality?

Tell me, is this real?  Have you put me in this dress, or is this simply another dream?  It has come to the point where I cannot tell the difference.

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

A year passed.... Working on the sequel

Since it's been a while --which I know and I apologize for, but in case you did not hear that was due to family matters I needed to attend to first-- I am going to attempt to begin catching you up with everything that has been going on.

Rejections... Well, I think I speak for everyone when I say I'm sick of hearing that word.  I received my latest rejection a few days ago.  Nonetheless, I am continuing to strive forward with Cursed with Power. 

Finally! I've been waiting to fill in everybody about New Life.  It actually gets a bit exciting here because before there was so little I could tell you about the book.  I'm proud to say I've already started a journal and began writing down various ideas when they come to me.  Maybe it sounds maddening, but believe me if it wasn't for the journal I'm writing in right now this book would not go anywhere when I do begin writing it.

Where did the time go?  I realized today that only a year ago I had just begun writing Cursed with Power.  I never imagined I was going to be at this point, starting on the sequel and querying agents.  It may sound like I'm taking too much pride in myself at the moment, but believe me it's been a while since I've been able to feel... To feel accomplished.  A year ago the idea of five Dark magicians all struggling for their own survival sounded ridiculous.  Now that I'm here I cannot imagine what I would have done if I hadn't gone through with the idea.  However, this has to be one of the best decisions I've made in my life.  I don't regret writing the book, creating the characters, and continuing to spend mass amounts of time on my work.

Getting back on track.... During the last few weeks, I've spent my free time writing up anything that comes to mind.  Any idea, no matter how crazy, bizarre, or useless it sounds is written down.  I even mapped out what Léal's city looks like.  (And believe me when I say I'm a writer and can never be an artist.)  Throughout this process, I've become aware of what lays ahead --not only for this sequel, but for the entire series as a whole.  Cursed with Power is the book that needs to drag readers in and interest them to want more, but the books following have to be the ones adding into the suspense, mystery, magic, love, and everything else in between.

Unlike Celestria, Léal doesn't have dreams that hold significance to him or others he cares about.  All the same, that doesn't go without saying that there's no dark history of his own.  I don't want to ruin how anyone sees him from what they read in Cursed with Power, but I will say this: He is a much different magician from Celestria.  The good part about Léal's story being the sequel to CWP is that events in the first book can be referenced back and be meaningful to the reader.

After reactions on Léal's character in Cursed with Power, I'll admit it's going to be a new experience working on the sequel.  The last thing any author wants to do is deceive their reader because once they've fallen in love with one idea you snatch it away from them.  

Before the week gets crazy again hopefully I'll be able to post more about New Life.  In the meantime be sure to comment and tell me what your favorite scene from Cursed with Power is so I can share it with the rest of the followers.

What pulled you toward Léal's character?  Did he stand out to you or was he simply just another person Celestria met?  Any thoughts on the sequel?  And yes, fans, this is the part where you can scream and squeal.

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

New Life book trailer

Everyone I finally got this trailer done. (I was so good about it I did it while you weren't even expecting anything.)

Since I haven't started writing New Life, a new trailer might be posted up later on because of whatever changes are made and whatnot. Nonetheless, for those of you who have read Cursed with Power, finished it, or haven't read it at all but still remain curious --I urge you to watch this trailer. I am looking forward to writing New Life as much as you are excited to read it.

I'll try to update later on --another day--about everything that is going on with the series. Until then I hope you enjoy the trailer and I'll be posting this on my other blog tomorrow (or so I plan to, if all goes well.) Enjoy, and let me know your thoughts. While the trailer isn't perfect, tell me your reactions to what the story is about.

Enjoy!

Fictional Setting

When we think of fantasy books we typically think of the typical setting --an unknown place the author makes up and in time we come to understand.  However, this does not to be the type of setting for every fantasy novel.  
Today I'm addressing the setting in Cursed with Power.  Whether you've read the book or not, it should not be all that much of a surprise that the book is set back in Transylvania during the late 1500s.  Transylvania is a part of what we know now of as modern day Romania.  I'm no history teacher, though, so I won't bore you with what I do know about the place.  Instead, I decided to talk about the locations in CWP and what inspired them.  Let's be honest, for those of us who do write fantasy novels... Where the heck do we get these ideas in the first place?


Even before I figured out the official setting for the book, Celestria lived in a rural area.  Her town was a typical, small, warm and friendly place where everybody knew each other.  In this kind of setting, it intrigued me to figure out how Celestria could hide the dark secret of hers.
Though the setting is in Transylvania, all of the places Celestria travels to are fictional places inside of the state/country.  (I'm fairly certain in the late 1500s it wasn't considered a country yet.)  Anyways, coming up with the names for Deloys, Finton City, Belsgar, and so forth was an interesting battle... to say the least.  When you're writing fiction all you have to depend on is your own imagination; most days I looked out of the window I was staring at and tried to imagine as much as I could.
I am, however, proud to say that none of the places in Cursed with Power are at all similar to locations in The Magic of Light.  (That's my other book, for those of you who don't know.)  It felt good to finally feel a real change, and CWP definitely brought the change I desired.  The most difficult part with working on the scenery was describing everything in Celestria's world.  Even in her flashbacks I still struggled, trying to find the words that could elaborate on everything around her.
On the bright side, that's over with and what do I have to think about now?  I actually did realize when I finished CWP that I have a lot and a lot of planning to do for New Life.  A sequel is complicated; a sequel that is part of a five book series... More complicated.  I'll have more updates later tonight perhaps.  First I need to look over more chapters of Cursed with Power.  Until then...

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

A Greater Destiny *possible cover?*

Of course it is much too early for me to begin talking about the third book in the series when New Life is barely even in the "making".  However, I wanted to share this cover with you to hear your thoughts.  Now mind you I understand it could be a bit more interesting, but this caught my eye.

Anyways, this is an extremely short post so apologize.  Don't worry, there are numerous times you'll be able to see this cover again and we can all debate about it.  (It's the third book...  Did you see how many times the cover for Cursed with Power changed?  Exactly.)

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

Inseparable

How close are we to the people we know, care for, and love?  I asked myself that same question when I was writing Cursed with Power.  And that was when I started thinking...
What if you were close enough to person that even when they weren't with you, it felt like they were?  You would never truly be separated because you would be able to feel each other's presence.  The idea of this inspired me during the writing process.  As you know, I've recently announced that I'll be posting excerpts from CWP that are reader's favorites.  Since I haven't received any requests lately I'm posting a scene I enjoyed writing.  

Léal stood up and came toward me, and I was unable to back away. He approached me and stared into my eyes. I raised my brow, for no one else before had been able to see me. Why did Léal take notice of my presence? How could he notice me when I was incapable of seeing myself? The questions ran through my mind as he stood before me, breathing and waiting for a response that would never come. He extended his hand to me and…
“Sir?” A woman opened the door. Léal dropped his hand while she shook her head at the pieces of paper scattered on the floor.
“How is she,” Léal said.
“She is better, sir. She needs rest and time, but she has improved since she first arrived.” The woman replied. He smiled and then placed the quill onto his desk.
“What of these papers, sir?”
Léal laughed, though he sounded uncomfortable. “Clean this up and leave the letters in my room. I shall attend to them later when I return from speaking with our quest. I expect Alaire is with her already?”
“Da, sir, he has been with her ever since the accident,” she said. She picked up the papers Léal had written on, and he slowly walked out of the room. I tried to call out to him as he entered into the hallway. However, the walls surrounding me were fading. I watched Léal as he continued on with a sense of pride. The gray jacket and black pants he wore were all that remained colorful. The writing on the letters vanished, and slowly a bright light raised and shined into my eyes.

“Celestria, welcome back.” Floarea said from behind.
I realized I was in the forest again and standing on the other side of the river, as if I had never walked across the bridge. I turned around to look at her and she began to ramble about the history of the river. However, I was incapable of hearing everything she said because there was a voice in the wind calling out to me.
“Celestria?” It was a man’s voice.
“Léal?” I whispered.

This scene is an excerpt from chapter 24 in Cursed with Power.  Whether it feels like a dream or not, doesn't it seem like sometimes the impossible is real?  Suppose Celestria and Léal were close enough to feel and see each other when apart?  I continue asking myself that question, and if that were so I cannot think of how that would be an issue.
This isn't one of your nightmares, Celestria.

Read the first book in the Magicians series....

Cursed with Power

Readable online on inkpop.com.  Here: link  

For updates via email about Cursed with Power and/or the following four books in the series, visit my contact page to email a request.

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

Unexpected Love

When I first started Cursed with Power I thought there wouldn't be any romance involved.  Celestria's relationship with Adam was over --the distance between them kept it that way.  How was it romance came into the story, then?  Well in case you were ever curious, I'll enlighten you.


Originally I had a very brief image in my head of a romantic relationship that could begin in Cursed with Power, but it wasn't that image that ended up on paper.  Instead, it was a different kind of relationship that wasn't so much focused on love, but rather more so on friendship.  Even so, I was amazed at how quickly romance could still jump onto the pages before my eyes.  (I make it sound like it all happened fast.  Psh, I wish it had been that easy).  Love is a strange thing to incorporate in a book.  Personally, I just always find it as an interesting experience because the love your character is involved in is not often something that you can relate to.
Celestria and I had our first connection because of Adam.  Though there's no clear evidence about how she feels for Adam, her mentioning of "scars" in the prologue of the book was only the beginning of allowing readers to see the heartbreak Celestria experienced.  I was inspired to give her this dark past with how the relationship ended by a past relationship of my own, though I cannot say ours were alike.
I think it wasn't until Alaire came into the story that he changed around everything.  For me, Alaire was that beam of light that the book needed.  Something new, something interesting, and for once maybe someone Celestria could stay with.  I am not going to say anything about Celestria and Alaire's relationship in great detail (for those of you who haven't read the book, I'm purposely not for you), but I will say that their encounter with one another changed a lot in CWP.  There didn't seem to be anybody for Celestria to care about until Alaire came along, and when he did it was both challenging and intriguing to unravel how they could interact with one another.
Some writers say they rather stay away from romance --they want to focus on the wonders, the fantasies, the mysteries in their story.  Celestria's story doesn't focus on romance, but in the end I am pleased with the decisions I made.  And even though Celestria's heart was broken and she lost a great many people she loved, did she not find others later on?  


I do care about you, Alaire.
Perhaps we can only infer from Celestria's account of events.  Nonetheless, when I say romance was added into the book I do quite honestly mean that there is love even though no one actually admits to any feelings of such.

Coming next: Remember, that you can still request excerpts from Cursed with Power.  And the "questions" section of this blog is getting awfully quiet --ask away anything you like.  I'm going to try to post more this week, but we'll have to see if I find the time.  You've probably had enough of my rambling for one night, so until then I have writing to do and you... eh, who knows.  Good night all.



"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

Coming of New Life

With Cursed with Power being finished, I understand that some are you are waiting to hear the news about New Life.  Truth be told, there is a lot that I have gotten myself involved in for when I do start writing the sequel.  I've only beginning writing down ideas here and there and briefly thinking about them, so it will be a while before I will actually be able to start the book.
For those of you who are patiently awaiting the arrival of the second book, I promise I will post little excerpts here and there from the book --that could be possible excerpts.  I'll also be posting excerpts from Cursed with Power and I may briefly mention new ideas for the second book.  Please just keep in mind that this is a maddening process so it will take a lot of time and effort, especially since New Life is the sequel to CWP and therefore involves even more detailed thinking about how it will relate back to the first book and etc., etc.

I'm looking forward to all of it, though.  I'll keep you posted!

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

Who you are

You think I don't understand you because I've never experienced what you have gone through.  The truth you seem to forget is I understand perfectly; I watch you suffer through it.


I need you to do this --not for me, but for yourself.  This is the person you are, and nothing you do will change my feelings for you.

Another possible quote for one of the books in the Magicians series.  Just a quick post with one picture because this was what inspired me.  More is to come later on when I have the chance.

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

A woman, dangerous magic, and an unavoidable battle

When I think about everything my characters have been through in Cursed with Power, I realize that the rejections I read almost daily are not at all comparable.  Today I decided I would talk about the aspects in CWP that are... shall we say extraordinary?

From the post title, you can probably already determine that what I am mainly focusing on is the battle that is foreshadowed, mentioned, and shown in CWP.  The idea of magicians fighting one another was not anything new; good vs. evil has always been a common theme in various fantasy books.  For me, I felt like I needed to change things up to make them unique and different from other books.  It came across to me that the fighting could not simply be between good and Dark magicians.  Instead, each time Celestria fought there was more and more evidence that magicians were not fighting for any principle.  They were fighting simply because of their blood lust and their desire for power.

What really made the battles more intriguing for me to write was the fact that Celestria tried to avoid other magicians.  It did not take long for her to come to the conclusion that a majority of people wanted her dead --not to mention that most of them were magicians.  You might even recall Alaire ordering Celestria to leave behind her staff and other belongings (in chapter 11) because they wanted to avoid further outbreaks of violence.

I'll admit that both Alaire and Celestria had their close to death experiences, but between the two I'm not sure who I could say was damaged more severely.  During the time Celestria was with him, Alaire seemed to be the one in constant pain.  (Poor guy, I put him through so much).

Anyways, I know I've been rambling and to be honest I partially forgot where I was going with this.  Just remember, no matter how much you put your characters through they have no choice but to eventually forgive you.

Read book one of the Magicians series....

Cursed with Power

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

Reader's Requested Excerpt (1)

As I said last week, I'll be posting excerpts from Cursed with Power that YOU request.  What do you have to do?  Simple, just leave a comment on any post telling me that you have a favorite excerpt and what it is OR email me the details about your request.  The reason I am doing this is because it allows for there to be more interaction on the blog between me and all of you.  


This excerpt --coming from chapter 4--was requested by Josiphine.

4: someone to need

The city of Deloys was nothing like what I expected. Everything I had imagined proved to be wrong. I had thought it would be a grand city crowded with people and hovels. There would be merchants selling goods and children running through the streets playing games and laughing. The sign to my left said I was entering Deloys, yet what was yonder appeared like a nightmare. The problem was I could pinch myself repeatedly, but I would not wake up because this was more real than I could comprehend.

There was smoke, ashes, and scattered material everywhere. What had once been homes were now only the remains of soot and sparks of flames. As I stood in Deloys I continued to look around at the horrors. Not too far from where I stood was a small doll. It had surely not been expensive, but the little girl who owned it would never return. Everything was black, and I dared not to stare too long at any part of what was left of the city.

Farther ahead there appeared to be no part of the city that had been spared. What had happened here? Who had done this? While I stared and remained motionless, I realized someone was coming. Walking through the ashes was a man I had met before. It was his eyes that aided my memory of his name. Léal…

Something did not seem right with his entrance into Deloys. I was not sure if that was due to the nausea that swept over me suddenly or the thought in the back of my mind that kept begging me to leave. Whatever had happened to the city was not good, and if those who caused the destruction were lingering nearby there would be no hope of escaping.

For the first time I was able to see all of Léal’s features. His black cloak he held in his arm. He had short black hair that hung to the side of his face. He wore a white tunic with elegant designs on the sleeves, dark blue pants, and dirty black boots. No matter how much I did not like his arrival, his eyes continued to draw my attention in. There was something about the glimmer in his eyes that was mysterious and striking.

“Why are you here? More importantly, what has happened?” I said, though I asked with caution. Léal walked forward until he was closer to me. At first he seemed to have nothing to say, and then at last he spoke.

“I am as shocked as you with the current state of Deloys.” He replied. To say his voice sounded melodic would have been an understatement.

“That doesn’t answer my first question… Why are you here?” I repeated again. Agitation rose in my voice; I had never been one to lose my patience so quickly with individuals I do not know well, yet I was acting strangely.

“You and I met in the street. After you left, I spoke with Mervyn Silvers and he told me about a woman who had asked him if he was a Dark magician. I had him describe what the woman was wearing and what of her name, and then a man in town said he saw you traveling out to Deloys. You are Miss Hale, are you not?” Léal said. I stared at him for a considerably long time. Who was he? Why had he followed me? I sighed and tightened my grip on my staff, though he did not look at all intimidated. He actually seemed to be in a cheerful mood, despite the surroundings.

“That is quite a story you have there. However, I do not give my name freely to any man who asks.” I said. He shook his head at me, but I did not know what else he had expected. Of course I was going to be careful with giving information when I was speaking with a seemingly rich and well known man who I knew nothing about.

“My name is Léal. I am a Dark magician,” he said, and then he added something more very calmly, “Like you.” He spoke as if we were friends and should remember these dark secrets of each others’.

I was horrified by what he said that revealed he knew more about me than anyone else. Only a day ago I had considered him to be a Dark magician, and now he was here telling me that’s exactly what he was. Somehow he had found out about me, yet I could not think of who could have told him. Mervyn certainly did not know my true identity; the only person who knew was Dyanna, but there was no way she would have told anyone about us. How did he know?

“Léal… Yes, I remember hearing that name. While I am the person you came in search of, I must ask what makes you certain that I am a Dark magician,” I said as I kept my focus on him and him alone. I searched his eyes, seeking truth in what he was doing here. Dyanna had always reasoned a person’s eyes said everything… it was something to do with one’s soul; however I unfortunately had not listened when she spoke about it.

He’s handsome… I thought abruptly as I waited for his response. I surprised myself with my own thoughts. I was admiring his looks when there were more important matters to focus on? At any given moment I felt I would faint, but if Léal noticed this he did not take advantage of that fact.

“Well, you have not denied it. Also, not any person would ask a local tavern owner if he’s a Dark magician. There are only five Dark magicians alive now, thus I supposed in dark times you would take desperate measures.” He replied. I knew he had caught me in the attempt to cover up the truth, but he was giving me no reason to trust him.

“I do not know what to think of you… You act…” I searched for the word. “Strange. You tell me you are a Dark magician as if that should be all that matters.”

“All that matters? You are the first Dark magician I have seen since the news of what has occurred, and you think it not important?” Léal sounded angry for the first time. He brushed his hair back from his face and kept a stern look. He was right; he being a Dark magician was almost equivalent to someone giving me a bag of gold. While I did not fully trust him, I did not doubt now that he was a Dark magician. In times like this no one would try to fake something that would only get them in danger… or killed.

“What do you want?”

“There’s a lot that I want.” He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience. I was not sure why he was doing that; perhaps to see how much longer I could take his nonsense. Daylight was slipping away from me as I stood in Deloys and spoke with him, yet my mouth continued to betray me and would not let me leave.

And that ends today's Reader's Requested Excerpt.  Once again, if you have a favorite scene from Cursed with Power, let me know and I'll post it as soon as I'm able to.

I know it's been a week since my last post, so I promise I'll try to catch up again and let you know what's happening.

read the first book in the magicians series....

cursed with power

power, love, heartbreak...

violence, screaming, blood...

his eyes rolled back into his head. i had done this.

Read it: here

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.

A long day of querying. New posts to come

Good evening all!  After basically spending my entire Thursday querying agents about Cursed with Power, I am relieved to be done with that for the moment and back to writing.

What amazes me even more is that by next month I will have been working on CWP for an entire year. Though that's nothing compared to the time I've spent on The Magic of Light, I am glad progress is slowly beginning to show through.

**ANNOUNCEMENT: If you've read Cursed with Power and there was a scene that really stood out to you, email me and I'll post the scene on this blog.  This is a new & exciting way for us to connect!

As I've said before, I have made countless changes to the book.  These changes have not only been the ones I mentioned earlier, but also the major changes I made after the first draft of the book.  The beginning, the characters, the ending... Everything.  There is so much that I revised, but revisions are far from over.  Over the past couple of days, Celestria and I have both come to a new realization.  What she and I both realized is also yet something else that needs to be worked out in the book because right now it is there... but there's some sticks and rocks that need to be moved out of the way.

Even so, I am pleased there was something else that could be added into Celestria's feelings.  Her and I used to struggle with how she felt about certain matters, but now I think we're much closer to each other than originally from when this first started.

Enough of my rambling, though.  It's time to get down to business.... From here, I have to wait for responses from agents, query more agents, and of course more revisions.  *dies*  It needs to be done.  In the mean time, I'll keep any of you who read this blog somewhat entertained by telling you about the new scenes I added in a few days ago --or was it last week? Eh, I don't remember anymore--and I will also try to fit in time to review a few different matters here and there.

In other words, expect a post (or posts) about the new scenes and a new post & review about Alaire Sencler.

And maybe, just maybe, I'll start talking about Esmour.

Either way, I've hopefully have a few different topics to talk about and discuss while I'm editing and querying.  If I only posted about revisions, I think we all would get bored, so I'll save you from that.  Until then, I have more revisions to return to.

The first book in the series:

Cursed with Power

Power, love, hearbreak...

Violence, screaming, blood...

His eyes rolled back into his head. I had done this.

Read the book on inkpop: here.

Coming next.... the sequel and second book in the series:

New Life

Have details and progress updates about the book sent to your email: sign up here.

"There's a lot that I want." He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience.