The Little Things

I recently moved back to the house of my childhood.  This is a great place of healing and nonstop inspiration.  For instance, just as I was leaving the house this morning, I noticed the way the morning sunlight sparkled off of the frost covered rocks in the driveway.  To some this must have just been an act of nature, frost on rocks.  To me, though, there was a story there.  A meticulous tip-toeing of frost fairies throughout the night, gliding daintily along under bright beautiful stars...dancing and singing in circles, spiraling hand in hand...then there was the scene of the trees.  Tall and dark, against the morning sun, with shadows coldly stretching out past the road, into the field beyond.  What are they reaching for?  I'm reminded of a dream.  These are the things of my dreams. Shadow trees, stretching, invading territory beyond their own lands.  Lurking tall and ominous against a distant light too far away for me to comprehend or fully understand...were there fairies nestled in the shadow trees, waiting to ambush me as I rode to work?  Were they perhaps feeling angry that I left without properly thanking them after they had provided me with such sparkle and shine for my morning, or do they not care either way?  Do they know that I even noticed their hard work one cold morning as I stepped into my car?  Are they perhaps at war with each other, these creatures of light and creatures of shadow?  One can only imagine what lies in the thoughts of invisibles...

...and so begins another story in my head...

Angels & Shadows Trivia

A lot of others don't understand how a story can change its shape over time.  Angels & Shadows certainly evolved between its concept in 1995 to it's second release in 2013.  Here are a few interesting things that you might like to know about the book.

1.  The book was originally a short story concept.  I started writing it in the summer between my 7th and 8th grade years in middle school.

2.  My dark angels were originally vampires, but as it progressed, I decided that what I had created was really nothing like a vampire, so I made them into something altogether different.

3.  In the original story, Sark was not a cold place.  It actually took place in a more temperate climate.

4.  Slatkin was originally supposed to turn to stone when he slept.  The idea was that he was something like a gargoyle.

5.  Amicus was originally a wizard, not a Shean god.

6.  The Shean god Amicus got his name from the word Amigo.  I remember it plainly.  I was sitting in an 8th grade English class and someone said the word Amigo, and the word Amicus just came to me.  I just thought it would be a cool name for a wizard.

7.  The hunters were not even created until many years after writing the book.  Originally, it was just a group of human characters.  (I can't imagine the books without them now.  The second book is grounded in their story!)

8.  The original series title for the book (back in 1995) was Six Kinds, Two Lands, Two Times. (I still have a mixed tape that has that title.  I recorded songs on it that helped me write.)

9.  The original book was hand written in red ink (to be symbolic of blood).

10.  I still have the first pen that I originally used to write the then short story.  (It was a Bic ballpoint pen with a kind of Southwestern type design).

I hope these entertain for now.  It's certainly great memories for me!  Maybe I'll have more to share soon.  

Time Past

I've been thinking about life lately.  It passes before we can get a full grasp of it.  It's here and we're so busy living (or choosing not to live) that it really is gone in a wink.  Looking through old writings today, I realized that I have numerous unfinished works that are really good.  I should get them together and make something of them.  As I searched through old notebooks and scraps of little papers that I had saved, I could remember exactly when some of them were created.  It was almost like they froze that moment of my life.  Many of them went back to (what I could not believe, even as I stared at the date) more than ten years ago.  I started looking back to that time of my life and I couldn't believe how much time had past.  Where have the years gone?

One thing that is for sure, since I graduated high school, the years have passed all too quickly.  And since I got married in 2007, they've gone by so fast that they have all ran together.  That must mean that I'm enjoying my life.  It's true.  I am.  And why shouldn't I?

I'm living my dream...to write books.  It's not exactly how I envisioned it, but that doesn't matter.  What does matter is that I'm finding a way to make it happen.  Now, no one can do things alone in this world, that is for sure.  I have been blessed with a husband who is constantly pushing me to succeed, a daughter who is a muse like no other, and family and friends who are always there to support and love me no matter what else is going on in their lives.

Even those who lived before me, and who I miss dearly, are still guiding me in some way from wherever it is that they vanish to when they leave us. I know this because sometimes I can still feel them, leading me forward, guiding my heart to what is right.  

So, I just want to ask, what is it that I can do for the world?  I have some large shoes to fill if I am to ever be as great as my mother, father, and grandparents before me.  They may have seemed to live small lives, but their love made them great people.  I only hope that I can be as great as they are.  To make the sacrifices that they have made, to overcome the things that they overcame.  Until I can be as great as they are, being just another writer seems a small feat indeed!  Tonight, as I write this, I am thankful that I came from this lineage, and that my ancestors are still with me, guiding me.  

I am thankful.  Truly thankful for my many blessings!

Pass it on!

I read somewhere today that it takes ten years to become a known author.  Ten long years.  So, as I continue to write the second book of The Dark Angel Wars, I have faith that one day, it will be read by many.  I want it to be read by many.  I know it is not a series for everyone and I never intended it to be.  My wish though, is that for the few (or perhaps many) who read it, they will treasure it the way that I treasure my favorites.  Elizabeth Haydon, Lois Lowry, and Brian Froud books are certainly treasures to me among many others (including the obvious Tolkien and Rowling).  So if you read it and enjoy it, pass it along, let others treasure it too.  However, please purchase a copy for your friend.  Remember, authors have to work just like everyone else and without your support, we cannot continue to create these treasures.  We have to eat and pay bills just like everyone else.  So read it and pass it along.  Not just my books, but any author that you enjoy!  Without you reading, our books will never see the light of day, and we will cease to be.  Until then, read on!

Attending Crystal Coast Con 2012

I was Celeste!

The glitter fairy glitters hair

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The re-release of Angels & Shadows was on October 20th, 2012 at the Crystal Coast Con which took place at MacDaddy's in Cape Carteret, NC.  It was a fun day, and there were a lot of neat costumes.  I attended as Celeste, the dark angel of love.  In addition to me, some of the other Reimann Books authors attended.  Lorenz Falls was there selling not only copies of  "The Viper's Advice", but he had some of his hand made walking sticks and wands.  Allana Lowe, author of "The Angel Series" was there as well as Laureen Jones, author of "Tales of the Wish Fairies".  Her sister, Linda, made another appearance as the fairy who glittered hair. (I got my hair glittered red by the glitter fairy and I must say, that I loved it!)  And of course another famous fairy made an appearance, also with glittered hair,  Victoria Leigh (Ruby) was on hand to sign copies of "The Ruby Mountains". 

Victoria Leigh (Ruby) gives an autograph!

Other than the Reimann Books table, there were also many other things to see and people to meet.  This was a successful and fun event.  I can't wait until next year, and I must say "Thanks!" to everyone who showed up to both show support and purchase copies. You helped make this event great for all of us.  Happy reading until next time!  

Re-release of Angels & Shadows

Announcing the Re-release of Angels & Shadows:

That time of year has come again.  The Crystal Coast Con at MacDaddy's in Cape Carteret will be on October 20th.  What better way to celebrate this event than with the re-release of Angels & Shadows?  The 2nd edition book has a new cover, a glossary and a couple of lines that didn't make it into the 1st edition.  I'm very excited to present this to my readers.  So many people have told me that I should do my own artwork because I know my characters and story better than anyone else.  Well, I listened.  I did my own artwork and added a glossary for all those character names!  I hope that the book will now become what I've been working for it to be for many years.  Please enjoy, and oh yeah, don't forget to purchase a copy!  Book 2 is in the works, and you'll be lost without reading the first one!

Writing Lately

I haven't written in a while, and this is due to many things.  Holding a full-time job was one of them.  I have been working at a hotel, running our store in Richlands, NC and taking care of my family.  However, I've recently taken on a part time job at a library, which has freed up my weekends for writing.  So Book 2 is coming together nicely now.  I just wrote a part between Belle and Evingh (remember them) that I enjoyed very much, and I hope that the reader enjoys this on many levels.  There will be more to come soon, so I will keep you all updated very soon!  I have many projects that I'm playing with right now, and I hope to have new works and some re-works out very soon.

Until Then,

Have Fun and Keep Reading!