Monday, October 12, 2015

Beautiful Books; Akeaka


Alright, so I know I've been pretty silent on the writing front, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten about my stories. Next month is NaNoWriMo, and while I'm not planning on posting it on the official site, I am planning on at least trying to write 50K in a month. So, as to not get lost in the woodworks of life... or at least challenge myself to actually do it.


Alright, so here we go. 

1. How did you come up with the idea for your novel, and how long have you had the idea?

The idea for the book came from another book I was reading. It's kinda clicha' actually, kids get stuck somewhere and have to be rescued.' I've been plotting this story however for three years now, and have developed it greatly. 
2. Why are you excited to write this novel?
That is a hard one, while it's been on my mind for a while, it's not the only one begging to be written. But I am excited to work with the Ooklicks, my world's changelings. 
3. What is your novel about, and what is the title?
 The story is called Akeaka, and it is about the friendships made between some captured friends, and the daughter of their captor. 
4. Sum up your characters in one word each. (Feel free to add pictures!)

Udiah= motherly

Zelpha= Logical


Hachi; Innocent


A'Ching; Protective.


Onette; Resourceful (She has white angel-like wings)


Twison; Absent-minded


Theo: Princely
Birdy: Pocahontas

  
(Theo's twin) Trecia (Tr 'see ya): Soft

5. Which character(s) do you think will be your favourite to write? Tell us about them! 
Udiah is the one who started this story. But personally I think it'll be Birdy, because she is the one stuck in the middle of it all. She's the Commander's daughter. So permitted to see the prisoners, but she knows the truth of the what is going on on the prisoner's side as well. 
6. What is your protagonist’s goal, and what stands in the way?
To go home. They are prisoners of a people group that before that point in time they had no idea had existed. So they are unsure even where they are, let alone how to get home. 
7. Where is your novel set? (Show us pictures if you have them!)
Mikada: Sorry, no pictures. The story flips between two places, Udiah's home, Quao, and the prison camp in Ooklick space. 
8. What is the most important relationship your character has?
This story is about relationships. Akeaka is a made up word for the bond twins have. And it's about the group pulling together to survive. 
9. How does your protagonist change by the end of the novel?
At the beginning of the story they are all scared and quarrelsome (One will die pretty quick in the story.) By the end they have come to understand oneanother, and have built deep lasting relationships. 
10. What themes are in your book? How do you want your readers to feel when the story is over?
Huh... I'm an emotional writer period. So it'll go with the story. The first emotion is scared, then horrified, then afraid, then trapped.... by the end- understanding. 

NaNoWriMo BONUS: Tell us your 3 best pieces of advice for others trying to write a book in a month.

Hold on tight, and you might make it. 
Don't let writers block stop you. 
If you doubt yourself for a second, you won't make it. 

Now, I've got to get back to work. 

VK out. 

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Summer Fun


English Lesson 3: Improving your writing Style
V.Kathie Ardnek
P. 19-22
August 5, 2015
A. Write a composition of 150-200 words, telling about an interesting experience you incorporate originality and creativity that will make your writing interesting to read? Do your best.
=========================================================
As you guys can see, this is a school assignment. :D Oh I love killing two birds with one stone.
This story starts around the school room. Each one of us were doing our own thing. Despite there nobody talking, the room was not quiet, the hum of the AC, the clank of keyboards, the screech of pencils and chalk, and the rumble of falling blocks echoed through the room. Each one of us had plans for the day, each one of us knew what we would be doing- or so we thought.
Mom's mind never stops, she is always planning something. July heat, plus all that noise had really gotten it going. She had an idea, and we were going to help.
Mom suddenly looked up and over her monitor screen at me, "Hey V, go find four fence posts."
I blinked, my eyebrows shooting straight up like a rocket. "W-why?" I stammer, trying to pull myself up and back out of the story I was working on.
"We are giving the AC a house."
I blinked once more. "A house?" I say, trying to put the puzzle pieces where they belong.
"Yep, with a tarp."
"What tarp." By this point, I was not only confused, but hoping mom would forget this harebrained idea. Fence posts, tarp, Ac; that to me sounded like a project. A big project. One of those projects that first of all wouldn't work. Second of all, would only waste money and time.
However, my luck was not going to get me out of this notion, no sir-y-bob! I was in for the ride, and the bronc was ready to go.
Kendra and I were able to stall mom for a while. Each of us finding something new to bring up in order to maybe let the sun go down, and thereby get out of pounding posts.
At sundown, we breathed a sigh of relief, flashing smiles of success... We spoke too soon. Mom grabbed a flashlight, the two littles and we marched outside.
The AC, or the big silver noisy box that we have to save from the weed monsters every few days or so, sits beside our back door on the north side of the house. From nine in the morning, to five at night, it is in full, unrelenting sunlight. Being almost too small for the area it's supposed to cool, it struggles to keep our house tolerable. This was the reason for the project. To attempt to make life easier on that poor abused contraption.
So with everything that could possibly be needed, (and a few that made no sense) We set to work. The first post, being into a mud puddle was easy. With two whacks the six foot green steel post slid into the ground with ease. The second one wasn't much harder. It went straight into the harder dirt with but five or six mighty thunks. But after that, it got hairy. The other side of the square decided it wouldn't cooperate, We set the third right smack dab in the middle of  a flower pot it was so dark. Our 'wait till sunset' idea was beginning to back fire.
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. CLANK!
We all cringed, Kendra examined the spot. "Ooopse, It's the basil pot." She told me.
Palm met forehead as I groaned. "Really!"
We yanked the post back up and moved it a couple of inches running into another flower pot. Then into another, and another. Backwards and backwards we moved it. Finally finding another muddy spot we pounded the post in and followed that one in with the fourth corner.
Then we all scattered like roaches to find the tarp. In getting outside we had not been able to get our eyes on it. I had done a deep clean of the kitchen (stalling) and had moved it from the place we had had it. We were in trouble.
Scouring the house from top to bottom, I finally found it on the couch. Back to business five minuets later, it was time to put our non-existent building skills to the test.
The posts were too far apart. In avoiding flower pots, we had ended up making the rectangle double the size it should have been. Groaning, I lay on the post rocking it as hard as I could back and fourth to yank it up out of the rocky soil to be placed someplace new.
That one was easy, it took a bit, but there were no roots in that location so once I had made the hole bigger, it came out without any fuss. The other one wasn't so easy. That one too I yanked back and forth with the whole of my 102 pounds, the lifted, and got stuck on a root. I don't know  how we got that thing in without hitting the root, then on the way out found it, but I did. Growling, I rocked harder. Twist, rock, lift, twist, rock, lift- POP! Third time's a charm as they say, I was just about to go get a shovel and dig the brute out.
By this point the last light of the day had disappeared, being replaced by the moon's luminescence and fireflies.
In the dark, we went searching for that post banger once more in the dark, finding it, we set to pounding the two posts once more into the ground for a repeat of operation AC house.
That being done, it was time to mount the tarp on top of post and secure them... or not. We forgot that the top of those posts were sharp, and very likely to rip the tarp, making the entire project worthless. So back inside we went to find yogurt cups.
We actually have quite the supply of them, I don't think we've thrown away one ever unless it was split in half, and only if we couldn't find something else to do with it. (Like shovels, boats, scoops, mother's day cards, exc.) Digging through the kitchen, we grabbed the first set we found, short, squat and four times larger than the top of the posts. But it worked.
Now that our posts had hats, we were ready to mount the tarp, or so we thought. We had brought out string, mom wanted twine, and Po had disappeared completely. So with me after the brother, and Kendra after the twine, we met back back outside ready to install the roof.
It only took nine times, and all four of us yanking and pulling, and catching flying yogurt cups before we finally got done. The last twine almost tied on, the AC popped on. And we discovered... we had just suffocated the contraption.
I went inside to allow mom and Kendra to solve that one, (Which they did with cloths pins) and set to work on the laundry.
Mom however, was not done with the big projects. BANG! I looked down the stairs and here mom came with the board mom bought to fix the hole in the floor we made from jumping on the bed. I looked at Kendra, Kendra looked at me, "No!" We both exclaimed.
Five minuets she said. It will be easy she said. Nothing to it! V and I will lift, Po and Sunshine will take care of the wheels (Yeah, her bed has wheels on it) And Kendra will push the board under. The bed.
Three problems. Alright, four... or five. First problem. Kendj and I are so tired, we were falling asleep. Po was now in the middle of a five hour bubble bath. -_-. And we had a five year old girl with a shoe obsession looking UNDER the bed..... But that's an adventure for another day.
Looking under the bed, Sunshine suddenly cried, "MY SHOE!" And dove deep under the bed to grab the object.
"DON't DROP IT!" She cried muffled as us two wimpy girls held up a very heavy bed.
-------------
Oh man I can only laugh as I think back. The AC's house has been rebuilt, and remolded many times. We still are not happy with it. But for now, it's staying as is.




Friday, February 20, 2015

An Eric Interview


*Insert bored look... or the not pleased with her situation look* Greetings folks. Yep... she somehow roped me into two of these... That sister of mine. Anyhow. Let's get this setup so I can get going on other stuff that I need to do.

Back Cover Blurb:


Arthur is the rightful king of Briton, but his Uncle Mordreth refuses to give up the regency.   Arthur and Grandfather are now returning with allies to wrestle the kingdom from his uncle's grasp.  But not all is as it seems among his allies, and everyone has secrets.  New loves, old loves, lost loves, kingdoms conquered and kingdoms stolen.   Who is the real "rightful heir" and will the nearly forgotten sword in the stone finally answer this question?



Author Person: (Nope, she's a Ladybug) 

This isn't her

This is


Kendra E. Ardnek loves fairy tales and twisting them in new and exciting ways.  She's been practicing her skills on her dozen plus cousins and siblings for years, "Finish your story, Kendra", is frequently heard at family gatherings.  Her sole life goal has always been to grow up and be an author of fantasy and children's tales that also glorify God and his Word. You can read more about her on her blog,knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com.

Goodreads Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23563093-my-kingdom-for-a-quest

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Quest-Bookania-Quests-Book-ebook/dp/B00RN7T004
Paperback: https://www.createspace.com/4322491


To help promote my new book, I have my other books scheduled to be free on the various following days. Please include on your post whichever books are free on the day of your post(s).

16th-20thhttp://www.amazon.com/Take-This-Quest-Bookania-Quests-ebook/dp/B00CFDHFT4/
17th-21st http://www.amazon.com/Saffrons-Big-Plan-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B008EYY1C2/

Link to tour Schedule: http://knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com/p/blog-tour-sign-up.html


As they continued to search for some sign of life – even Doranna’s aviary was empty – Robin became more and more frantic. Soon “everyone’s missing” escalated into “they’re in danger,” from which naturally followed “we must rescue them!” And that somehow translated into Robin storming through the entire castle, gathering every weapon she could find, and depositing them in a huge pile in the front entry way.
“You know,” Eric remarked, as he followed at a safe distance – Robin with a sword in her hands was a dangerous thing in any situation, and right now she was on the warpath, “I’m not sure King Jonathan would be too excited about finding every weapon in his castle in the front entry way …”
She spun around. “Well, we can’t just sit around doing nothing!” She spun back around and continued her march. “They’re in trouble, I know they are!”
Eric took a deep breath. “And I’m quite sure they’re not.”
“And what makes you so sure?” she threw over her shoulder. “They’re missing – explain that!”
Eric hesitated a moment, not exactly sure how to put it in words. “It’s a feeling I get. I just know when someone’s in trouble. They’re not.”
“You’re the one who thought that the path was going to disappear.” She reached the pile and deposited the sword she carried.
“Robin, can we please think about this logically for a moment,” Eric pleaded, positioning himself in front of the door she headed towards.
“Them being in danger is perfectly logical,” she pointed out, shooting him a glare before she disappeared through a different door.
Eric sighed and followed her. “Yes, but piling all the weapons in the entry way is not.”
“We have to do something!”
“I understand, but how will a pile of weapons help them?”
“They’ll need them when we find them.”
“And exactly how are we going to get the weapons to them?”
She actually paused for half a moment. “I …” she began, and then she snapped back into her brisk pace.  “You think of something.”
“Ah, so that’s how it’s done,” said Eric, shaking his head.

And now for the questions. 

1. What went through your mind when suddenly your sword was in the ceiling and a girl had put it there?

It was something along the lines of “Father’s not going to like this, and there goes my chance of being the youngest student ever to be admitted to the academy.” 

2. Which attempted rescue of an Enchanted Princess was your favorite?

The Mountain Princess, because I met Casperl during it, and set him on the path towards his own rescue of her. The other attempts were pretty much futile.

3. Favorite Memory involving your brother?

The first time I ever bested him with the sword. He was nine and I was five, and he didn’t speak to me again for three weeks. Ah, good memories, though I don’t think he’s ever forgiven me for it.

4. What is your favorite food?

Blueberry tarts. For some reason, I always associate them with a job well done.

5. What was your earliest memory?

Well, it’s not any one memory in particular, but I do remember that I could frequently get my rocking horse rocking so hard that I would actually travel across the room as I imagined myself the hero of the tales my nurse would tell me.


And so, that is it, I have tons to do today, so I have to go. 

Till Next time

V. Kathie Ardnek Out. 




Thursday, February 19, 2015

Kendra's Blog Tour; How (not) to write a book.

As Many of you guys know, Kendra, my elder sister, is an author... and as an author she sometimes publishes books, and when you just happen to be the younger sister... You just happen to get in on it whether you like it or not. Enjoy. 

Back Cover Blurb:


Arthur is the rightful king of Briton, but his Uncle Mordreth refuses to give up the regency.   Arthur and Grandfather are now returning with allies to wrestle the kingdom from his uncle's grasp.  But not all is as it seems among his allies, and everyone has secrets.  New loves, old loves, lost loves, kingdoms conquered and kingdoms stolen.   Who is the real "rightful heir" and will the nearly forgotten sword in the stone finally answer this question?




Author Person: (really sis! I thought you were a giraffe)


Kendra E. Ardnek loves fairy tales and twisting them in new and exciting ways.  She's been practicing her skills on her dozen plus cousins and siblings for years, "Finish your story, Kendra", is frequently heard at family gatherings.  Her sole life goal has always been to grow up and be an author of fantasy and children's tales that also glorify God and his Word. You can read more about her on her blog,knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com.

Goodreads Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23563093-my-kingdom-for-a-quest

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Quest-Bookania-Quests-Book-ebook/dp/B00RN7T004
Paperback: https://www.createspace.com/4322491


To help promote my new book, I have my other books scheduled to be free on the various following days. Please include on your post whichever books are free on the day of your post(s).

14th-18thhttp://www.amazon.com/Sew-Quest-Bookania-Quests-Book-ebook/dp/B005G3ZFKG/

14th-18thhttp://www.amazon.com/The-Woodcutter-Quince-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B00QHEGJEY/

14th-17thhttp://www.amazon.com/Ankulen-Kendra-E-Ardnek-ebook/dp/B00EZAXWYM/

16th-20thhttp://www.amazon.com/Take-This-Quest-Bookania-Quests-ebook/dp/B00CFDHFT4/

17th-21st http://www.amazon.com/Saffrons-Big-Plan-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B008EYY1C2/


Link to tour Schedule: http://knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com/p/blog-tour-sign-up.html

Snip it

Her posture relaxed slightly, and a grin pulled at the corner of her mouth. “Well, in that case, catch.”
Arthur had barely enough time to put up his hand before he found the sword she had been polishing in it. And then he had barely enough time to raise that sword before the blade was crossed with the one she wore at her side.
After barely blocking a few vicious blows, the sword was twisted out of his hands. A moment later, Robin was back at the bottom of the pile, polishing the sword as though it had never left her hand. A smirk pulled at one corner of her mouth. “Well, now I know what we have to work with.”
Arthur swallowed, glancing down at his empty hand. She didn’t sound terribly impressed.
“I’ve had suitors worse than you, that’s for certain,” she continued. “Your worst problem, as I suspected, is that you’re nervous about the fact that it’s a real sword.”
“Well, I’ve never actually held a real sword before in my life,” Arthur protested.
“My condolences. It’s taught you bad habits.” She held up the sword he’d used and pointed to a few notches in the blade. “These weren’t here five minutes ago. You blocked wrong – with the edge rather than the flat. Of course, that is precisely why I gave you a sword with such inferior metal, so you wouldn’t damage my sword.”


And now folks, for the main event. Her tips for writing... *insert face palm* You guys will understand in a moment. Here we go.


It seems my sister wrote a post about writing an essay several weeks back and you guys loved it and wanted her to follow it with a post about how to write a book. Except that, while she’s a good writer, she doesn’t consider herself to be an expert on the subject, so when I told her that she had to put up a post for me during my blog tour, she presented me with the topic.

I’m the author of six books now, I should be an expert, right?

It’s a simple process, really. I don’t know why everyone insists on making such a huge deal of it.

First, decide you want to write a book. (See, I said it was simple) Whether or not you have story is another issue. Just decide you want to write a book.

Once you have that goal fixed firmly in your mind (and blasted across every social media site you can find), find Microsoft Word on your computer (unless it’s Windows 7 or newer, in which case, you’ll have to go find a program to download online, such as Open Office – or a Mac, but I’ve never used a Mac, so I can’t help you there), and open up a nice, new, shiny document and … stare at the flashing curser for about ten minutes as it crashes upon you that you don’t even have a title.

Quickly back-peddle back to those social media sites and beg and plead for tips from anyone who might have any experience with writing. Among all of the bad advice (which you assume is solid gold), you get directed to a couple dozen writing blogs and books, which you devour eagerly, and that in order to write a book, you need Characters, Conflict, and Conversations.

Characters first … well, you’re an interesting person, so you decide that your main character is going to be just like you … except, well, you don’t really want to include the fact that you’re actually terribly lazy and wouldn’t survive five seconds on an epic quest (you’ve already decided that you’re writing a fantasy novel that will rival Tolkien), you leave that out. No one wants to read about a lazy person, right? And while you’re at it, you get rid of those few extra pounds and tone up your muscles, since your main character has to be awesome. You are smart enough not to give your character your own name, instead giving your brainchild something fittingly awesome, like Destinee, or Hunter, maybe Rowan.

For conflict, well, naturally, you need a quest, so you have a random old man show up with a prophecy and a map, which your character realizes was meant for them, and so they pack up their bags, including the last bit of coin that their parents had been saving for some special occasion and the old sword that they’ve been practicing in secret with for the last few years. Oh, and you decide that their father died when they were an infant, because nothing sparks sympathy in the hearts of readers faster than a dead parent.

After dutifully tapping away for about three hours, you run out of ideas, but no matter, you have some good words, and your story is moving, and besides, it’s time for supper, so you head downstairs to eat, play a few video games before bed, and then crash.

When you pull up the document the next day, you stare at the blinking curser for about twenty minutes, as you realize you still have no ideas. So you bring up your problem in the writing forum you joined the day before, and you get told to introduce a new character. One person suggests that it be a love interest, and you really like that idea.

So you create this new character, giving them all the qualities you’d like in a mate, making them smoking hot, or drop-dead gorgeous, because you NEED to have them fall in love at first sight in order for your plot (or lack thereof) to work. Oh, and you make them an apprentice mage, because this is a fantasy world, and you need to do some worldbuilding.

And so your writing day continues, and you get more good words in until you run out of ideas, and you go eat supper and go to bed.

The next day, as you stare at that blinking curser, contemplating your lack of ideas, you recall the advice of yesterday, and decide to add a second love interest, because love triangles are popular, and you can never have too much of a good thing. You decide that this second person will be the complete opposite of the first, but also smoking hot/drop-dead gorgeous as applicable. But let’s make this person a thief, who’s trying to undermine the whole mage system.

You’re main character will take FOREVER trying to figure out which one to choose.

The next day, you realize that you need to put that sword to good use, so you defeat some ogres that randomly pop out of some friendly woods, and then realize that you need to be focusing on that prophesy, so your Mage Love Interest suggests that they go to visit an oracle. When you get to her, the Thief Love Interest reveals her for the shame she is, and thus succeeds in toppling the mage system. Your character realizes that this is the one for them, since the other was nothing but a phony who wanted you only for the prophesy … which, it turns out, was fulfilled when you took care of the oracle.

You excitedly type the words “The End,” publish it immediately to the fiction site you had just joined, and blithely ignore everyone who declares it the worst thing they’d ever read. They obviously wouldn’t know good fiction if it hit them upside the head with a fish.

-----------

SISTER! I do hope you guys enjoyed my sister's snarky, not give you straight answer, side... Cuz I didn't. Believe me guys, DON'T FOLLOW HER ADVICE! In this post, she gave you all the things "NOT" to do. Anyways... Good grief. 

VK 






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