Book SALE: Captives by Jill Williamson

CAPTIVES IS ON SALE FOR $2.99!

Captives, Jill's first book in The Safe Lands series, is on a special $2.99 ebook sale on Amazon. If you liked dystopian teen books like The Hunger Games, The Giver, The Maze Runner, or Z for Zachariah, you might also like Captives. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Captives-Safe-Lands-The-ebook/dp/B008EGV6LO/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1371562131&sr=8-1&keywords=captives+jill+williamson

Read my review of Captives here

FREE The New Recruit by Jill Williamson

From Jill's Newsletter:

THE NEW RECRUIT IS FREE!
To celebrate the release of Project Gemini, The New Recruit will be FREE on Amazon Kindle for five days. Starting on Tuesday, June 18 through Saturday, June 22, you’ll be able to download the ebook for FREE. This is a great chance to give Spencer and the spy kids a try. If you like YA or know of some teens who’d enjoy reading about a sarcastic spy guy, I’d love your help spreading the word. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/New-Recruit-Mission-Moscow-ebook/dp/B0097ADIGW/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1371560193&sr=8-1&keywords=the+new+recruit+jill+williamson

REVIEW: Captives by Jill Williamson

“Captives” by Jill Williamson is one of those hard to find books that I couldn’t put down. From the prologue I was drawn in, and the tug to keep reading never stopped. (I finished the book in a day, which for a girl who likes the draw out the enjoyment of reading for a week, rather than gobble it all up, is pretty fast)

The book is incredibly fast paced, jumping between the POV of four various characters. While it certainly kept things interesting, I didn’t become as attached to the characters as I have in previous books with fewer characters. Mind you this isn’t because of lack of character development, Jill is fantastic with developing faulted, lovable, unique characters. We simply don’t have to opportunity to spend as much time with the characters. On the flip side we get to skip over boring parts and see what’s going on with a variety of characters. This is simply an observation, as there’s really no way to resolve the issue, and wouldn’t want Jill to have written it any other way.

Jill does touch on some more mature topics now and then, however nothing is explicit and all instances only further the plot and are tastefully handled. I would not recommend the book to younger readers though. I’m fairly conservative in my reading choices, however even at 13-14 I would have found the vaporizing (aka smoking) club life and various lifestyles squirm worthy. As I said, everything is to further the plot and/or development of various characters and excluding them would have made the “gilded cage” much less cage-like and shocking.

One of my only gripes is the book does end on a cliffhanger. (As far as cliffhangers go I’d rate it a medium) Which for a series is almost a requirement, but I prefer an ending that’s a little more wrapped up with a few loose ends and minor cliffhangers. This is more personal preference, and not a big deal, just be forewarned you’ll be searching Jill’s website for the release date of “Captives” sequel. :)

If you enjoy Sci-Fi, Dystopian, or anything in between you’ll certainly enjoy “Captives”. Jill has weaved a unique and drawing story that lucky for us, spans more than one book. Now get out there and dive headlong into the story world and character's in Captives. Enjoy!

REVIEW "The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet" by Stephanie Morrill

"The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet" was a very enjoyable book. Throughout the novel there is a "what's going to happen next" feel. For me it was the kind of book I wanted to keep reading but at the same time didn't because I knew it would end sooner.

I was a little disappointed that the focus was a bit more on Ellie's boy troubles than her book troubles. However, I hardly ever read books with romance (I hate to call it that, it's more like cute, relatable crushes, mixed with problems with dating) so keep that in mind, I'm more into action adventure and mysteries. Having said that, I really enjoyed the book, and have recommended it to some friends who are more into light teen romance type books. From what I've heard they think it's marvelous and I agree with them.

Stephanie Morrill did an excellent job making Ellie relatable, her issues real, and her story interesting. I enjoyed her cast of characters, from Ellie's picky grandmother to the girl's at school to Chase and Palmer. There is a lot of growth in Ellie (particularly with her relationship with her parents) and it was fun to read about her writer's journey, especially as I myself am an aspiring writer. There was a few points in the book where I got really nervous for Ellie, angry at one of the characters, or some other emotion, which for me is an indicator of a good book.

It wasn't hard to dive into Ellie's world, and I will certainly dive into it again this fall upon the second release of Ellie Sweet. Ellie was a light, sweet read. :)     


Purchase a copy of Ellie Sweet here.

"The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet" Audio Recording Chapter 1

Now this was fun, but quite the trick. My character voices are laugh worthy but I think it adds to the charm. ;)

I'm so doing this with the first chapter of my book!

REVIEW Go Teen Writers: How to turn your first draft into a published book

I've been following the blog this book was based around for several years now. So it's no surprise I ended up buying the book within the week of it's release. I was not disappointed!

This book has a ton of information packed into it. It's 300 pages of tips, grammar helps, examples, exercises, general info and generally answers any FAQ a writer has. They make it fun too! It's one of those writer books that is just fun to read. :)

The design is pleasing to the eye. The way the text is formatted, sectioned, and the handling of co-authorship is perfectly done.

The Table of Contents is very thorough. Here is a sampling of topics found in the table of contents.
The Story Problem
Digging Out Your Themes
Giving Your Narrative a Boost
Flashbacks
Writing a Strong Antagonist
Creating Plot Twists
Writing the Cream of Your Story
Filling in the Gaps
Formatting
How to Know When You're Done
Behaving Like a Pro Before You Are
Traditional Publishing
Self Publishing
Your Hook Sentence
Your Target Audience
Dealing With Rejection
+ a whole lot of other topics and lovely Extras Section full of lists and resources. :)

Also, don't be deceived by this book's title. My father started reading my copy and said it appeared to be a very good book, one he plans to read in the future. So, even if you aren't a teen anymore (or yet), this book can certainly help you. It's not dumbed down to teen level or anything along those lines. Jill and Stephanie just have a heart for helping young authors.

I am definitely planning on purchasing additional copies of this book for a few birthdays. If you aren't sure whether this book is the one you're looking for, head right on over to Stephanie and Jill's GoTeenWriter's blog. If you like what you see there, you will certainly love this book!


(Also as a side note: As a person who has both the book and the ebook, I highly recommend the book. This is an invaluable resource, and one of the books that you'll want to flip to a certain section, bookmark, possibly even jot in the margins. I'm not one to usually mind a book over an ebook (yes real books are my preference but it isn't a big deal) however in this case go for the book it's worth the extra $!!)

Three Tips for Being a Better Beta Reader

I found these tips are perfect, all beta readers should go through this article prior to each critique.

Link

I'll definitely do a better job critiquing next time!

Hobbit Birthday Giveaway!

You are invited to a Hobbit birthday with Gillian Adams over at ofbattlesdragonsandswordsofadamant.blogspot.com. Enter the giveaway for a chance to win an awesome speculative fiction book!

March Characters in Costume Reveal

March Characters in Costume Reveal 

http://ofbattlesdragonsandswordsofadamant.blogspot.com/2013/03/march-characters-in-costume-challenge.html 

Today for the March Characters in Costume Challenge, we're focusing on character accessories and answering the following question:

What is one item/object/accessory that your character is likely to have on or about them at all times?

Kyra is one of my supporting characters, but she's become one of my favorites. She always has the key to her parent's bakery on a scarlet ribbon around her neck. When Kyra turned 14 her parent's gave the key to her, to show their appreciation for all she does to help them out.

The key symbolizes trust. Something that has to be earned.

Story Illustrations

I was going through some of my old artwork and came across these old *cough* beauties. I wrote a three book series when I was twelve and illustrated them. It was about three sisters who received special gifts on their thirteenth birthday. The Eldest got a magic book that had a different story every time she read from it. The middle sister got magical dancing shoes that gave her incredible endurance. The youngest got a magical unicorn necklace that turned into a talking unicorn at night. The youngest sister ends up saving the kingdom teamed up with her unicorn.
Did I mention they were princesses?

The youngest sister riding her unicorn to save her kingdom. (She was 16 in this book)

This was an illustration for one of the stories the eldest sister read from her book. I made up a legend on how the Unicorn got it's horn.

The Necklace/Unicorn

Free Kindle Book Today and Tomorrow!

If you have an Amazon Kindle you can download Jill Williamson's By Darkness Hid.

I haven't read this series by Jill Williamson yet. (I was waiting for the first book at my library! Yay! No more waiting. :) )  However, some of her other books have been excellent! If you like Christian fantasy, then this is the series for you.

Feel free to share the link, the more people who download Jill's book, the more people will be able to find out about it!

By Darkness Hid is free today and tomorrow (3/4/13 and 3/5/13).  Click here to visit the Amazon.com Kindle page for By Darkness Hid.

School and Writing: History Edition

 If you are still in school, you can take advantage of what you learn and put it into practice through your novel.

Today is the history edition, I'm only giving one example. (For time purposes)

A few weeks ago I wrote a 1,700 word paper on The Whiskey Rebellion. My book has a rebellion in it, and I was able to break down TWR to it's most basic points and do a similar sett up in my book.

The outline type thing is on the left, and the actual events are on the right.

Guy in power disconnected from people / The government is disconnected from the common citizen.
Does something that messes up the people's "normal" lives / The government passes 25% tax on corn/grain products
The people act (mostly) peacably to get the mess fixed / Farmers try petitions and go to Philadelphia to argue their case
The guy in power refuses to change / Government ignores farmers protests
the people get angry start rioting / Farmers upset and start rioting and refuse to pay tax
the guy in power tries to control the people and makes the mess worse / The government demands that anyone who refuses the tax will be taken to court to be tried. If this happens the farmers crops will be left unattended and will likely die.
the people start going after anyone connected to the guy in power / Tax collectors are attacked in various ways.
Something else sets the rebels off, they cause major damage /  Rebels go after one of the men who encouraged the whiskey tax, they set fire to his house
The guy in power tries to obtain order by force / Over 3,000 soldiers are sent to dispel the rebels.
(Various things can happen after this point, but I'm showing you how the Whiskey Rebellion unfolded.)
The guy in power arrests various rebels and the protestors seem to disappear, the guy in power "wins"/ The government arrests over a hundred rebels, the rest of the rebels dispel and disappear
Rebel's are punished, justice / The rebels are tried in court, however each one is given a presidential pardon.
The rebels ultimately get what they want / The Whiskey tax is removed by President Jefferson

By using this as my basis, I was able to see how a real rebellion unfolds. This gives my book a realism I wouldn't have had otherwise.

Do you have any tips on how to take advantage of daily things, from school to work to chores in improving your writing or story line?

Writing when you don't want to...

There's always that day (or string of them) when you don't want to write. Here's my list of fixes. :)

1. Music
Listen to some music that fits the mood, scene, or character...

2. Talk it out
Find someone to talk it out with, honestly it can work wonders.
Normally my dad is awesome for this, he's a creative genius. However he's crazy busy.
No fear though, I have two wonderfully awesome gal pals who are always ready to help me out.

3. Talk it out 2.
Don't just talk it out, have your friend throw out some plot, character, challenge ideas out for you.
Ex: Recently we created a gangster character for my friend's book, it was fun for me (hopefully) helpful for her, and the three of us got some laughs (bonus!) Someone else inspiration can spark your creativity again.

4. Read a book!
I have a long list of must read books. (Somehow neglected with school and writing goals...)

5. Pray.
Now if you aren't a Christian you don't have to listen to this one, but I find praying for motivation and inspiration can help a lot.

6. Do something else.
I love to do other things besides writing, and doing something else gives my brain a well needed break.
My list:
Chill w/friends
Catch up on emails (Don't shoot me, I'm bad about this kind of thing.)
Blog (again don't shoot!)
Paint or draw
Get outside
Photography
Watch an old Ellery Queen episode <3
Craft something
Etc.

7. Reinvent
Its fun to change up a stale thing. I map out my novel. (Keeps me from going down as many random rabbit trails) So a change of plans can inspire me.
As a fun little example:
I decided to make a boring trip back to the mansion more interesting by introducing a impulsive pickpocket.  It gives one of my character's a chance to be the hero, I get to write a funny little character and I point my characters towards the rebels. Score!

8. Make a writing goal!
Now this normally doesn't work for me. I'm the over achieving, perfectionist, procrastinator type. I tend to make crazy over the top goals I could never reach and then give up on them. (There will be a post up on writing goals within the next week) However, set the bar lower and work up to a higher daily word count or whatever. Most of us don't have hours to muck around in writing I get a set amount of time write my heart away and then get back to life.

9. Daydream a little, think of how you'll feel when you finish your novel. Or whatever else that would excite or motivate you.

10. And now for some fun, do a writing exercise!

A. Take two characters who dislike each other and make them go shopping together. (Girly exercise, but oh so fun.)

B. Get two people who usually get along and have them at each other's throats. (Literally of figuratively)

C. Have one of your characters painting a picture and two other C's (Characters) are trying to figure it our without hurting the painter's feelings. (Or maybe one of them doesn't care and the other one is very sensitive.) 

Now for the hard part, make these things happen in character, and for a reason.  For example with number B. I could get my two MC's to fight if one of them verbally attacked the other's family, even if s/he has a viable reason. Or they could just be in the sparring room, as they both are quite competitive.

Well there you go! How do you stay motivated by writing? Whats your favorite writing exercise?

Giving Characters Playlists

One of my favorite things to do is create "playlists" for each of my main characters. (and minor ones, give those extras a little love! :) )

For me this adds another level to my writing, and gets me in that character's mind set.  (For the record I write with only one POV, but I do like to get in my other characters head so they don't all sound like my MC's clone)

I'll give a couple examples.

1st up, I have some cocky/stubborn/etc. characters. However this one fits two of my character's perfectly.  (Lexi Above and Ash bellow)

A friend recommended this song for my reckless MC Lexi. (Bellow)

Here's one for Jayden (Bellow) He's the villain/betrayer.

And just an awesome Tintin one! (Not one of my characters :) )

There are a ton for each character. :) My friends often are better at finding these than I am. Do you ever listen to music when you write, or think "This song is perfect for____." ?

Generating Story Ideas

Where do story ideas come from?

There have been many times that the well of ideas have been dry. Then there are the times that the well is full and overflowing. Here are a few ways I generate ideas:

Music: Listening to some good music. I listen to Kari Jobe, Britt Nicole, Brandan Heath. I listen to them when I draw as well.

Dreams: Sometimes a weird dream gives me a good idea or two. Sometimes there are just to crazy to get anything, however its worth a shot and its fun t laugh over of dreams. Look into keeping a dream journal. I need to get back into it.

Reading: Reading a good book is one of the best things. Don't be afraid to read outside of your usual Genre, breaking out of the usual helps me sometimes.

Memories: I remember stories, past experiences and work from there.

New Experiences: Take advantage of any kind of new experience, being a page, traveling to California, visiting relatives.

That's all I can come up with of the top of my head, what do you do to generate story ideas?

Turning Experiances into a Story A.

How to. Turn experiance into a story.

Ever hear the phrase, write what you know? I never liked that phrase, I like to write outside of my experiances. My life is relatively normal, I want to write about anything but normal.

However I've learned you need to balance the familiar with the creative, there are times where you need to write what you know.

My question is how do you turn what you know, experiances, into a story.

It's sometimes easier than you think.

First example: I've been entertaining some ideas for my next novel surrounding a poor girl who makes it into an art school by scholarship. It's based on two things, one my love for art, I know a lot about art, and two, an experiance I had when I was twelve. I met a bunch of girls who were good at art, better than I was,(one of them said they had sold a ballerina painting for $300) I felt inferior at first but it spurred me to get better. Remembering this made me want to write about it in a story, about a girl who was always the best when there were no other artists, but when put with twenty other girls finds herself more in the middle.

Second example:
Adding what you know to make it more realistic.
Ive gone to lots of farmer's markets and see bartering first hand here in Africa, this makes writing a market scene much easier for me, I've experienced the pushing crowds, rough barters and people grabbing for your attention. Add in what I know about picking the best produce I can make my character seem knowledgable when she shops in a market.

Third example:
Gathering ideas.
Here in Africa I have a lot of chances to experiance. Foods, people, houses, customs. I record these for later use. I can describe the taste of goat, how laundry was laid on teabuhes to dry, how the women carry anything and everything on their heads, how a length of fabric becomes a tied skirt. I have a lot of chances here, but there are a lot of chances where ever you are.
I take phrases and conversations and turn them into story.


Take advantage of feelings, work your emotions into the story. The bitterness of betrayal, the sweetness of friendship. I base a lot of friendships between certain characters on relationships with my family and friends. (they'll never know which, ;) )

I even took advantage of a nasty sunburn to write about how it feels. Might never use it, but it helps. Next time your really hungry describe the feeling, we've read it described as a gnawing we need something original!


Have you ever turned an experiance into a story?

Creating a Dastardly Villian

First, I love the word dastardly. :)

Now back to the post. The villain, the antagonist, the person who keeps the hero from moving forward. The villain is important, even more so than the hero in some respects. If you want a good book, you need a good villain. One that strikes fear in the heart, of not only your hero, but your reader as well.

 I've always liked the villain, writing him at least. However, he was often cliche and one dimensional so I've been working on creating a memorable villain.

One thing before I start, the scariest kind of villain is the one who seems so normal, but so evil. Someone who is insane and a villain has the advantage of being unpredictable,but isn't as scary as someone sane doing dastardly things. He knows exactly what he's doing and he still does it. His thoughts might be slightly twisted but he hasn't gone over the edge.

 You want the secret to a memorable villian?

Make him human. Easy as that. :)

 Let's break it down. A “Dastardly Villain” is a complex, convincing, and memorable antagonist.  He, She or It must:

Have a story goal. Everyone has one, including the villain. This goal is even better if it contradicts the hero's story goal, or if they get in each others ways because of their story goals. Give it depth, maybe the villains goal isn't to take over the world, but to get a new promotion.

Give him motives, your villain shouldn't do anything without motives and should have a consistent motive in every scene.

Suffer through Inner/External Conflicts (in every scene) that threaten his success/story goal (why do you think the villain hates the hero? he's one more thing that threatens success.)

 Be well-rounded and fully developed  

 Experience growth (but not as much as the Hero)

 Have an individual identity (what makes your villain different?)

Fail to achieve the story goal in the end  (I know.  So sad.)

A Villain must be memorable without being overpowering. (It’s the Hero’s story, after all.)  A Villain must also retain at least one minor, redeeming characteristic.

 Remember:  vulnerabilities humanize your Villains and make them interesting. They also give your Hero a shot at winning in the end.


How does your villain show his humanity? I like to have a few smaller things and a larger one. Such has my villain, Krale, loves tea. That's small, but it makes him more human, he's not all about power, he enjoys the little things. A common thing is to have the villian care about someone or something(an animal) to show he has a heart. I'd only do this one if it fits in with my character.

http://amadeo-amadeo.deviantart.com/art/Jafar-197986165

One last thing, description. Two ways to do this. A normal looking person with one or two cruel qualities. Or an all out fierce looking villain. Think Jafar from Aladdin, or a centurion scared by battles, a king gaudily dressed with fierce eyes.

Here are a few examples:
(1) If it hadn't been for his eyes, I wouldn't have remembered him. His eyes were fiery as he took in the country with a sweeping gaze. He never blinked, which must have been why he reminded me so much of a serpent.

 (2) He moved slowly, deliberately. He seemed old and weak, but moved with a strength that showed he needed no one. The cruel lines that formed around the corners of his mouth were the only hint that this man was not as grandfatherly as he seemed. I sensed a quick temper simmering under those calm blue eyes. I did not want to cross the line, the line that turned the tranquility into fire.


 I came up with these on the spot, these first two are normal looking men who are really villains. The second one has contradictions in the description, I rather like that. The first one is comparing the man to something seen as bad, a snake. A kind of cheat to get the reader to start giving him a personality without me saying much. Another example of this is naming the character after someone famous I only do this with minor character, such as a mouse I named Romeo in one of my stories. It gave him a depth he didn't have.

 Here's an example of an all out looking villain:
(3) His eyes burned with a hatred that no man would wish to experience. His hair came to a sharp point near his temples that added to the cruelty carved into his features, hardened by the dreads of war. This man was not one you wanted to cross, nor meet under any circumstance. Let alone the one I was in now.

How do you describe your villain? What techniques do you use? What do you do to make your villain memorable?

Oh, and to help me out, which description do you like the best?

Bits and Pieces: Dandin

Dandin, Lexi's serious, dependable twin brother.

This one is for Keely, a fellow One-Day-Author, (seriously she will be an author one day) who told me that Dandin was her favorite. :)

If the scene/line doesn't make sense. Your gonna have to read the book to find out!

Disclaimer: Don't know if these scene's and/or lines will be in the book.

NOTE: These are more for trying characters out (how the interact with each other) than anything. So some situations will probably not be in the book. (Unless you comment on how much you loved the scene involving the garden gnome ;) )

Also, yes I am making up for the two weeks I was gone, and for the five weeks I will be gone. (You can find out more about that on my other blog Me My Family and Africa )



Dandin shook his head. "You know-"

"That was incredibly stupid?" I finished the sentence for him. "Yeah."




Dandin shook his head and let out a rushed breath. "How can someone as smart as you always find yourself in such messes?"

"Genetics?"

His eyes narrowed.

"Its not my fault you take after mom." I threw my hands up the air. "Come one, please just help me out this one time." My eyes pleaded with him. "Please."




"I'm older than you."

"By two minuets, that hardly makes you the wiser one." I tossed another box on the stack of crates that leaned precariously to one side.




I glanced at my brother, smiling to myself. Dandin didn't ever tell anyone off, so when he did it was a sight. Especially because this time it was Jayden.




My brother is to polite for his own good, but it makes me love him all the more.




 "Dandin watch out for the-" I stopped and watched as my gentleman of a brother walked into the garden gnome with indescribable grace. He tripped and took a tumble straight into the Pintree bush. Adrianna covered her mouth as a hot flush crept up my brothers neck and accentuated his freckled cheeks.



"I'm not going to let you go through with this Lexi." Dandin's tone was harsh, but his ridged stance and jerky motions indicated he was more concerned than angry.

"Its in the best interest of everyone. It's not something I would do other wise." I ran my fingers through my short hair.

"I'd rather die." Dandin's fist clenched.





My eyes locked with Jayden's, as much as I hated it, I had no choice.  "Fine, you take care of Dandin." I let go of my brother's still hand. "But if anything happens to him-"

"He'll be fine." Jayden's eyes were unreadable "I promise."

"You better." I stepped away from Jayden. "I don't trust anyone, especially you."

Jayden glanced up, face indifferent. "I know."

Bits and Pieces: Ash

Sometimes random tidbits and scenes come to me. This is dedicated to Alley my awesome (seriously awesome) aid-in-writing-a-novel person. Thank you!
BTW you need to let me know which Character is your favorite, I picked Ash 'cause I like Ash and I know you like Ash I just don't know who's your favorite!

Anyway here we go!




"Your crazy." I laughed and tossed Ash a berry, which he caught effortlessly in his mouth.

"If I'm crazy you must be a maniac." Ash bounced a berry off my nose.




"Your not going to forget, right?"

"Of course not." Ash waved his hand in a vague gesture, flipping through the recipe book. "Purple polka-dot plums..." Ash smirked and shook his head. "Yeah right."

"Good." I watched him for a moment before swinging my bag over my shoulder. "I guess I'll see you later then."

"Uh Hu."





"If you'll excuse us for just a moment." I smiled at Kyra and dragged Ash to the side. "What are you doing?"

"Being friendly, thats what you wanted." He raised an eyebrow. "Right?"

"Yeah, of course."




I curled up on the ground, my body felt as though it was on fire and I couldn't escape it. Ash was on Jayden before anyone could react.

"You could have gotten her killed!" Ash's fist made solid contact with Jayden's jaw.

Charity was helping me to my feet while Arron and Martin tried to pull Ash off of Jayden.

"Get off me, it was just a joke!" Jayden struggled to get away from Ash.

"Some joke!"

Bits and Pieces: Jayden

These are scenes, lines and ideas that randomly came to me. (involving Jayden in this post) Don't make sense? Gonna have to read the book to find out!

Disclaimer: Don't know if these scene's and/or lines will be in the book.





"You'll be working in here." Zang motioned with is arm to a large training room that looks just as you'd expect, swords on one wall, a thick mat on the floor, punching bags and a few benches scattered around.

I smirked and glanced at Ash. "Better than the kitchen."  I set my bag down on the floor as the pair moved off into the next room. If this is where I would be spending a good portion of my time, I needed to get familiar with it. My eyes swept the room and rested on a legion tribe sword, I reached up to touch the engraved blade.

"Don't touch that!" I spun around, a boy around my age stood a few feet away with his arms crossed.

"Sorry." My hand dropped to my side. "I'm new here, my names Lexi." I mustered the best smile I could and offered my hand out, he brushed past me with hardly a second look.

"Jayden." He grabbed the sword I had been admiring, flipped it in the air and caught it. "Don't talk to me."

"Trust me, that won't be an issue." I bit my lip as my face scrunched in a insulting face as Jayden's back turned.  I watched him practice a set of steps, lunges, and swings, on thin air. "You know that would be a lot more impressive if you were actually fighting someone."

Jayden stiffened and turned to face me. "Oh, your still here?"

I frowned at him. "And your still a jerk?" His eyes narrowed and he pointed at the door with his sword.

"Get. Out."

I almost muttered a defiant "make me". But who was I to question the man with the sword.




"So are you going to go see your old man?"

"Get out of here Jayden." I threw my other boot in his direction.

"Fine." He dodged the shoe with ease. "I won't give you any help."

I glanced up. "What's the catch?"

"No catch."

"There's always a catch."

 "Not this time." Jayden shrugged.




"Here. You get to clean the equipment." Jayden dumped fencing equipment in my lap, on top of the book I was reading.

"I only wish I could have gotten you something sir." I gave Jayden a steely glare as I set my book aside.




Ash's hands quivered, and the tray of sweetened gelatin dessert shook like a hairless cat.

"Whats wrong Ash?"

"That man over there."

"Yeah, what about him?" I brushed flour off my apron.

"He has blue hair."

I stared at Ash for a moment. "Alright... The man has blue hair. Regardless I'm sure he'd like his food sometime today."

Ash remained unresponsive.

"I'll handle this one Sarg." I whisked the tray from his hands and walked into the dinning room.

"Ah, Miss Netherwood." Krale gave me a sickeningly sweet smile. "I hope you aren't Miss Butterfingers today."

"Not today Sir." I whisked the tray down in the middle of the table. "That already happened in the kitchen." I wiped some flour from my cheek.

"You have a little flour on your-" Jayden tapped his nose then paused. "Well everywhere." He smirked.

I smiled and gave a slight nod of my head. "According to some people I'm a little to sweet, so I thought a little flour might tone it down. Do you think it helped at all Mr. Darison?" A few people snickered quietly and I smiled.

"Your excused Miss Netherwood." said Krale.

"Thank you sir." I curtsied and walked to the door, leaving puffs of flour in my leave.



"Stop it." Jayden's voice brought my back from my thoughts.

"I'm not doing anything." I looked up from my book, my finger resting on the page where I paused.

Jayden smirked and crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back. "Your thinking to hard. I can smell your brain burning all the way over here."

I rolled my eyes, this was not a time for fun and games. "I have to figure a way out of this." Though my tone was serious a smile danced across my lips for a moment before twitching into a frown.

"Or you could wing it." Jayden flipped a pen up in the air, in a manner much like his arrogant swordsman style. "As always." He caught the pen with exaggerated grace.

I shook my head, my mind flirting to Ash. "No... I can't take risks this time. It has to be perfect." I bit on the end of my pencil. "No mistakes."



Jayden is one of my favorite characters. :) Though I say that about nearly all my characters...

Which Jayden scene is your favorite?