80,000 Word Count Challenge (FINISHED!!)

As some of you may have seen on my Instagram or Twitter accounts, I finally finished the rough draft of my WIP last Thursday!

The Runic Saga: Book One

When I originally started this summer challenge, I had hoped to reach 80,000 words in 10 weeks.

Instead I reached 99,641 words in 11 weeks and I am thrilled! I know that The Runic Saga has a TON of revision in it’s future, but I am so happy with how this draft turned out!

I have sent out my copy to two Beta-Readers who I trust entirely to give me feedback on general story and plot elements. After I receive their feedback, then the real battle begins with editing, revisions, query letters, and hopefully publishing! I’ll be sure to keep you updated along the journey.

Interested in The Runic Saga? Read a blurb here!

Happy Writing Everyone!

GIVEWAY! Working Toward 3,000 WordPress Followers!

You still have a chance to enter the Agency in the Hunger Games FREE Giveaway! Do you love the Hunger Games? Do you know someone who does? Do you simply love receiving new books in the mail?

Make sure to reblog the original GiveAway (click here!)

Rememeber, you can earn extra entries by sharing my Giveaway on WordPress, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Just hastag #AgencyintheHungerGames

Every time that you share, I will award you a new entry (that means you can literally have countless entries by sharing and re-sharing!)

Thank you to everyone who have already shared; you guys are amazing!

See all the rules by clicking the link:

*Almost 3,000 WordPress Followers GIVEAWAY “Agency in the Hunger Games”

80,000 Word Count Challenge Update (1)

Hey Everyone!

Alright, so it has been two weeks since I posted the start to my 80,000 Word Count in 10 Weeks Challenge! (If you did not read that post, you can read it here!) Today, I am keeping myself accountable and letting you know how it’s going.

After two weeks of writing every day, (well, okay, ALMOST every day, I took one day off for my one year anniversary) my goal word count was 16,000 words. I have a grand total of . . .

16,160 Words

To be more precise, I am in my fourth chapter. I have 54 pages and 16,160 words.

I am pretty pleased with how I have been able to stay on track with this project. I sometimes believe the start of any new project/challenge is the easiest because we are filled with so much passion and energy. I can feel this ebbing as I head into my third week and I know that this project will only require more from me as I continue forward. I won’t lie, somedays, the words just flowed, and other days, well, other days I was Ron . . .

Thank you Hayley Cavanaugh for showing me this meme!

My goal is to be able to keep up this pace for the next eight weeks by continuing some tips and tricks I have been implementing along the way:

• Keeping a notepad handy so that I can jot down any ideas
• Try plotting out the next chapter ahead of time to refer to when I need direction
• Creating character boards on Pinterest (for fun and to keep my creativity flowing!)
• Stopping at a certain point (THIS ONE IS KEY)
  • Once I hit my desired word count for that day, I wrap up my current thoughts and even if I have an idea for where I am going next, I jot down the general ideas (so I don’t forget them) but then I leave them for tomorrow. I’ll be explaining in an upcoming blog post why this tactic works!

Anyhow, that is it for my first update! Thank you to everyone supporting me; I hope to be able to share more about this project (plot, title, etc.) SOON!

 

©KaylaAnnAuthor2020

© KaylaAnn and KaylaAnnAuthor.wordpress.com, 2020. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to KaylaAnn and KaylaAnnAuthor.wordpress.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Looking for a Last Minute Christmas Gift?Book of the Month – “Everlasting”

Every month, I will do my best to read and review one book (non-fiction, fiction, poetry, etc.) from an up-and-coming author. These authors are often times my friends and fellow bloggers. They “gift” me their books and in return I offer up 100% honest and genuine reviews. If you would like for me to feature your book, please see my original post on the matter here: Now Offering: Book Reviews.

Book of December: Everlasting

Author: Valerie Cotnoir

Brief Summary

There once were two magical lands: Memiana, the home of the humans, and Orutia, the home of the fairies. It was hoped that the union of King Zechariah of the humans and Queen Crystal of the fairies would bring the two lands together into an era of peace. Alas, it was not to be. This book follows the life of King Zechariah’s and Queen Crystal’s daughter, Mertia. Mertia is the only hope of reconciliation between the two broken lands, but there’s only one problem. No one knows that the princess is still alive, not even Mertia herself who grows up unaware of her own heritage. However, once she learns the truth, she can never return to her former ignorance. Mertia must make alliances with humans, elves, dryads, and fairies alike if she even has a chance at overcoming the new King and reclaiming her throne.

Review & Star Rating

Valerie Cotnoir does an amazing job in her book at bringing back the classic fantasy fiction genre. In our current young adult novels, fantasy can mean just about anything. We have epic fantasy, like Eragon, with its royalty, magic, and dragons, and we have modern-day fantasy, like City of Bones, with its cell-phones and mystic rune powers. In her novel, Cotnoir invites her readers to journey back in time to the era of Grimm Brother fairy tales with her classic fantasy that involves magic, fairies, dragons, evil royal uncles, and yes, even true love. While the ending may have been a bit expected, I think that it adds to this genre. We reread fairy tales, not because we expect to be surprised, but because of their classical nature that continuously draws us in. Likewise, readers may guess at the ending to Everlasting, but they will love it all the same! There is just something about this book that reminds me of when I first sat down to read a collection of fairy tales.

Recommendations

In particular, I highly recommend this book for young adolescents (middle school/lower high school). The writing style is engaging enough to stimulate their brains, but simple enough that they will be able to understand and follow along on their own. They will love the play on the classical fairy tale and appreciate the new twists and turns.

©KaylaAnnAuthor

© KaylaAnn and KaylaAnnAuthor.wordpress.com, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to KaylaAnn and KaylaAnnAuthor.wordpress.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

An Unexpected Tide

When they started to sing, I knew it was over.

The other men, the sailors, the first-mate, and even the Captain, were enthralled by the voices that arose from the sea as if they had already forgotten the life they had sacrificed to its waves.

But I had not forgotten. I knew that her eyes, demanding that I show her no pity, would remain with me for the rest of my life.

I just did not expect the rest of my life to be so short.

When the voices came up out of the water, I did not hear the sweet seduction that the other men claimed to have heard. I could hear what was underneath, the anger and the pain and the desire for revenge.

As we began to sink, I saw you rise from the water. Those same eyes, now tinged red from the salt, staring at me. You added your voice to the mix and while I heard you anger, as you looked at me, I wondered if I also heard something else: a mixture of pain and sympathy.

When the men realized what was happening, they quickly tried to save the ship, some even armed themselves with guns. The first mate shoved one in my direction, “Take this, minister!”

“I’ve got all that I need,” I said, revealing the small book still held in my hands.

“Let it be on your head then,” he snarled, shoving the gun in his waist.

When the shots rang out, you and your kind dove beneath the surface but we could still hear your singing. Water ran up from the bowels of the ship and over our feet. The men panicked, climbing ropes and masts, attempting to escape the sea.

With one last look up to the sky, I braced myself and ran, over the deck and into the water. My body splashed the water much like yours once did. Behind me, the ship quickly capsized and sank, pulling in the water and sailors surrounding it like a whirlpool, including me. Even though I pulled, I could not escape its suction. With one last gulp, my face was pulled under into the dark sea.

**************************************************

I watched him, the religious man, as he struggled against the waves. All around me, my sisters sang in triumph as we watched the men drown and die.

I felt a twinge of regret course through me as I watched the minister and remembered how he had spoken up for me. I remembered his eyes that had shown no pity only a great sense of sorrow and anger at the men who would throw me overboard simply due to superstition.

Without thinking, I swam toward him, my powerful tail propelling me quickly toward the sinking ship. With one hand I reached out to the unconscious man-

Another hand grabbed my arm, “What are you doing?”

It was her, the one who saved and then made me, the one who led my sisters and I to our revenge. Her husky voice was as harsh as her nails in my skin.

“This one is innocent,” I said, trying to pull my arm from her grasp.

“None are innocent. He watched as they tried to kill you. Did he stop them? No! Leave him to his fate.”

I glanced once more at the man. It was true, he had watched, he had not stopped them from throwing me overboard. I could let him die, it would be the exact same thing that had happened to me, but could I live with myself if I did?

Yanking my arm free from her grasp, I held his face in between my long, webbed hands. Acting on an instinct as old as time, I pressed my lips against his and breathed out long and slow. To my surprise, I saw his chest rise and fall.

Behind me I could hear my sisters muttering in disgust and protest. In my peripheral, I could see that they were turning tail and leaving me alone in the vast ocean with only this man beside me. It did not matter.

Again, I kissed him and breathed into his lungs. To my surprise, his eyes opened, tinged red by the salt water, much like man. When he raised a hand to touch my face, his fingers were webbed and beneath his torso, his legs had melded his a strong tail, even longer than mine.

That’s when I saw them approaching from the dark sea. Both women and men with swinging tails and swaying hair. They were similar in looks to my sisters, the Sirens, but different as well. They rose up from beneath us with a song on their lips. But their song was not like the sirens, there was no hate, no revenge, no anger.

There was only forgiveness, peace, and understanding in their words. In their song, they welcome he and I, they praised me for my forgiving nature, for my rescue of the innocent man, and offered us both a place in their family.

His hand in mine, I realized I was not a siren. I was a mermaid and while some might deserve death for their actions, it was not my duty to insure it. Instead, I would protect those like me, the innocent.

 

*****************************************************************

Hey Everyone! A huge thank you to everyone who has stuck around and read all four parts of my “Siren Series.” If you missed a part, be sure to check them out below:

On the Godless Sea

In the Depths

We are Coming

An Unexpected Tide

I had a lot of fun writing these short stories and I hope that you enjoyed them. Be sure to leave a comment below with your thoughts!

©KaylaAnnAuthor

© KaylaAnn and KaylaAnnAuthor.wordpress.com, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to KaylaAnn and KaylaAnnAuthor.wordpress.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

We are Coming

“We are coming.”

It is the cry of my people that I hear reverberating through the water. A low and angry melody that fills my ears as my new family swims by my side. The water is salted by the fresh tears they shed on my behalf.

We cut through the water as if it were light as air. I can feel the powerful muscles in my tail as it slices through the ocean. My hair, once bound in societal expectations, now stream-lines over my naked shoulders.

So, this is freedom.

As we approach the ship, we slow. By some unspoken rule, I know that I must wait. I watch as she, the one who breathed new life into me, surfaces and breaks the water. At first, all we can hear are the shouts of men on board the ship as they stare at her with wonder. They seem to believe that a mermaid is a token of good fortune.

Then she begins to sing.

Her voice, husky like mine, is soft and alluring. She sings words of promise and sensual fulfillment. She sings of clear skies and calm seas. She sings of love requited. She sings.

Then, one by one, we, her sisters, join her. We surface slowly, individually, blending our voices into hers. We harmonize, layers and layers of voices overlapping and mingling with one another. We sing of love lost and love gained. We sing of torn ships, brought down by the unbiased sea. We sing.

We float toward the ship and cling to the sides of the wood. We slowly scrap off the barnacles and other organisms growing there. With nails, strong as coral, we softly burrow into the wood, so calmly that they do not notice. Still, we sing.

The men lean over the sides, some have removed their shoes. They are thinking about jumping, about joining us. They do not see or hear the water that now flows in through the holes we made. They do not realize that their ship is sinking. Still, we sing.

Our voices grow and the men shift. Do they hear it? The subtle turn in our song. We sing of betrayal, we sing of pain, we sing of canon balls tied to ankles, we sing of cheers heard at death, we sing of salt water coating and burning our lungs. We sing.

The ships sinks and the men finally understand. It is not bad luck to have a woman on board, but it is bad luck to throw one over. The men run, desperate to save their ship, they are shouting orders, but it is too late. Our voices grow and block out their fear.

Their bodies fill the water, much like ours once did.

And still, we sing.

******************************************

Hey there! I hope you enjoyed the third installment in my short “Siren” series. For a more complete experience, once you reach the line, “Then she begins to sing,” play the song below and listen to it softly as you continue to read rest of the story.

If you are interested in reading the first two parts, check out these links:

“On the Godless Sea”

“In the Depths”

“An Unexpected Tide” will be the fourth and last part published next Thursday!

Did you enjoy this installment? Let me know in the comments!

©KaylaAnnAuthor

© KaylaAnn and KaylaAnnAuthor.wordpress.com, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to KaylaAnn and KaylaAnnAuthor.wordpress.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

In the Depths

My body hits the choppy waves with a large splash.

Right before I submerge entirely, I hear whooping and hollering from the deck above.  How those savages cheer on my death, wrapped up in their own ignorance and fear.

Then the noise is gone, as is the light.

These canon balls chained to my ankles care even less than the men upon that ship that I cannot breathe. I struggle, even knowing how useless it is, but I cannot help it. I do not want to die. I pull through the water with my arms, my arms that they cruelly left untied as if to mock my efforts. I am not strong enough to pull against these weights, I continue to sink.

The water gets darker, but still I sink through the depths. No longer do I only feel the pressure from within my lungs, but the water that surrounds me is also pressing in. It slams against my head, squeezing against me like a vice. Still, I continue to sink. Unable to stop myself, I try to gulp in air but only swallow water. The salt burns as it snakes down my throat. I start to choke and black spots speckle the dark water that surrounds me.

I never thought this was how I would die.

Out of the depths, I hear a sound, the sound that truly signals my demise. I hear the singing of angels and demons mixed together. Their voices are heavenly, but their tune is dark and full of rage. At first, I am afraid, but then as the voices cascade over me, I no longer fear death and willing allow my heavy eyes to close.

There is pressure on my lips and suddenly, my lungs expand with air. The weight from my ankles is released.

There is pain in my legs, the pain of slashing and tearing and burning. Once I was cold, but now I am hot as the heat radiates up my skin, crawling up my thighs, racing between my ribs, tearing into my mind.

The voices continue their song, it grows louder and beneath it, there is a hum that speaks a warning.

I can breathe, but the pain, make the pain stop . . .

Silence.

The pain is gone. I open my eyes, shocked by many things. The first is how clear my vision has become. The second is how clearly I can see the creatures that surround me. Hundreds of women, with pale skin and iridescent tails float in the space around me. Their hair, dark and light, swirls around them and reveals bright golden eyes. When they smile, their teeth are sharp, but their eyes are kind.

When I look down, I am not surprised to find that my legs are gone, replaced by a scaled tail that swishes beneath me. My sharp teeth grind against each other in my mouth as I continue to breathe easy within the depths.

“You are one of us,” she says, her husky voice coated by salt.

Far above us, we see the shadow of a ship sailing away, carrying my would-be-murderers. The woman in front of me flicks her eyes toward the bow of the boat, and raises an eyebrow. I understand.

This is my initiation.

Without a second thought, I turn tail and glide through the water toward the ship with my new family at my side.

We are coming.

 

***This short story was written in response to a prompt that I found on Pinterest.***

©KaylaAnnAuthor

© KaylaAnn and KaylaAnnAuthor.wordpress.com, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to KaylaAnn and KaylaAnnAuthor.wordpress.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Flash Fiction – Results!

The Flash Fiction Contest closed on Friday and I had all weekend to read over the submissions and let me tell you, there were some really amazing pieces!

The Winner of the Flash Fiction Contest goes to . . .

Savannah the voice behind Rejoicing in Hope!

Although there were several pieces in the running for first place, I kept coming back to Savannah’s post time and time again. Only 6 words long, her flash fiction slams into the reader’s heart and steals their breath while they are left wondering what happened. So here it is:

“Single Mother: Now she’s just single.”

Author’s Bio:

At Savannah’s foundation, she is a Christian, a wife, and a mommy. She enjoys writing, coffee, Hallmark movies, and going on adventures with her little tribe. She says, “I have a Bachelors in English, a GED in life, and a Masters in making mistakes. I’ve learned the hard way that I’m not perfect, and I hope to use my own failures and experiences to help and encourage you.”

Her blog is a little bit of a lot of things but it is centered around making her and her readers better: better Christians, friends, spouses, individuals, and forces for good. Her blog might challenge you, inform you, encourage you, or maybe you’ll just have some fun! As a newer blogger she looks forward to branching out and meeting other bloggers on this wonderful world of WordPress! So be sure to click the link, stop by, congratulate her and say hi!

 

 

A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who participated, re-blogged, and commented! You guys are awesome and I’ve had another blast reading your pieces!

 

I haven’t decided when or what my next contest will be on. What kind of contest would YOU be interested in participating?

Contest Time Once Again: Flash Fiction

That’s right, you heard me! I am hosting a third contest through my blog!

In October 2017, I hosted a Poetry Contest that was not only a success but also a ton of fun! I got to meet amazing poets from around the globe and enjoy their work. In December 2017, I held a Blogmas Contest that really encouraged bloggers to interact with one another.

Now, I am hoping to connect with some writers (poets or no; new or old followers) who are ready to write some Flash Fiction!

What is flash fiction? It is a story told in 100 words or less. Some of the most poignant stories can also be the shortest. One of the most famous works attributed to Hemingway is a six-word short story:

“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

Doesn’t that just send chills up your spine?

Here is a sample of my flash fiction.

“Unexpected phone calls carry the brevity of life.”

Your story does not have to be that short (although it can be), but it does need to be under 100 words. Anything over 100 words is automatically disqualified.

RULES:

• To be eligible for this competition you must be subscribed to my blog (i.e. following and receiving emails.) Not subscribed yet? No worries! Go to my home screen and click FOLLOW (I’ll receive a notification when you do :D)
• Leave your flash fiction submission in the comment section.
• I will be using a point system to chose the winner (this one is similar to the poetry contest system but it is a bit different):
  • You will receive 5 points automatically for subscribing (everyone must subscribe to be eligible)
  • You will receive another 2 points for sharing the contest on your your own blog and linking back (apparently WordPress removed the reblog button and replaced it with “Press This”)
  • Your flash fiction will be rated on a 1-10 scale based on creativity, structure, content, theme, and overall awesomeness.
  • Technically someone can still win without sharing my contest, but sharing would provide additional points for any submissions that are tied.
  • You can only submit one flash fiction per blogger.
• Last date for submissions is March 16th!

Prizes:

• The WINNER of this Flash Fiction contest will receive:
  • Their flash fiction and their blog/bio will be featured on my site. This will be a great chance for you to get some publicity on another blogger’s site.
  • It will also include a short author interview!

I can only hope that this contest will be as successful as the last. I am anxiously awaiting your amazing submissions. Good luck!

Happy Writing Everyone!

 

The Poor Miller’s Boy and the Cat

. . . Where did all the time go?

Summary

There once was a miller who was getting old in age who had three field hands. He told these three boys that whoever brought back the best horse would inherit the mills when he died as long as they swore to take care of him for the rest of his life. Two boys were friendly with one another and hated the “simpleton” who was the third boy. When the three set off on their journey the other two boys abandoned the third boy while he slept. When he woke up, he was found by a cat who promised to give him the most magnificent horse if he stayed with and served her for seven years.

The years seem to pass in a matter of days for the simpleton boy and he returns to the miller without a horse although the cat promises to bring one in three days. The other two boys (who apparently also took seven years to find horses) return with one lame horse and one blind horse. While the miller initially dismisses the simpleton boy, after three days, he accepts the boy as his successor when the cat (now a beautiful human princess) returns with six gorgeous horses and one utterly magnificent horse. The story ends,

“The princess said that she would give him the horse and that the miller could just keep the mill for himself. She took faithful Hans by the hand and got into the coach with him and drove off . . . Then the two married, and he was so rich, so very rich, that he had more than enough money for the rest of his life. So don’t let people tell you that a simpleton will never amount to anything in life.”

 

Review

Another not-so-well known fairy tale, perhaps even less known than the Frog King. Perhaps one of the most interesting things happening here is the role reversal in which it is the princess who comes to the rescue of the helpless male.

The obvious moral of the story: Faithfulness is rewarded

• Throughout the story it seems like Hans is just caught up by the cat and her magical home. However, in the last paragraph the princess focuses on the phrase “faithful Hans.” Therefore, we can assume that perhaps Hans was not simply swept away by the princess’s magic; instead, he intentionally remained and served her.

The not-so-obvious moral of the story: Don’t judge a person by their appearance.

• In the last sentence of the story, the Grimm brothers warn their readers to not judge a simpleton’s abilities or accomplishments. Can it be assumed that they are arguing against judgement of any kind? Perhaps.

The interesting involvement of time, or lack thereof.

• Time is a curious thing in this story. The narrative itself is only four and half pages, yet the story is supposed to cover 7+ years. Time quite literally flies in the story as seven years passes in a matter of days. Time becomes insignificant and malleable. Does Hans servitude mean as much, is his faithfulness as important when seven years is hardly a wrinkle in time?

What do you think of this story? Have you read it before?