Saturday, May 30, 2015

Resistance Anniversary Celebration–Character Q&A - Part 5


I look back to the stack of question cards that is starting to get a lot smaller. “Daniel, my readers are curious, what is your mother like?”

“Well, she’s very regal, which is only expected for a queen. I think she intimidates people who aren’t part of the family. But she does have a softer side. I’ve always been closer to her than to my father. She’s the peacekeeper between us.”

“So do the two of them get along well?”

Daniel nods. “Yes. If there is one thing I would give my father credit for, it’s that he’s a devoted husband. He’s not like a lot of nobles I know who fool around with other women even if they’re married. So yes, despite how I feel about my father, my mother loves him and he loves her.”

“As long as we’re discussing family, what bothers you most about your sister?”

Daniel snorts. “Just one thing?” He shakes his head. “She’s so cruel and heartless sometimes. Definitely not someone you want to cross. She has so much disdain for those she deems below her.”

I nod slowly. “I may be the author of your story, but she even scares me. She can give quite a look of disgust.”

Daniel laughs dryly. “You can say that again.”

“Was it always this way between you two? Or were you closer when you were children?”

“As far as I can remember, it was always this way. That look of disgust? I’m convinced she had that down even as a toddler.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me.”

“How do you put up with her?” Kaden asks, shaking his head.

“With a great deal of difficulty and going to extreme lengths to avoid her when I can. Unless, of course, I want to annoy her . . .”

Kyrin raises her brows. “That sounds dangerous.”

“More and more so every day, it seems.” Daniel gives me a look. “She’s not going to show up here, is she?”

“No. Don’t worry, I learned my lesson last time.”

Everyone looks relieved.

“Why don’t we move on to a slightly more pleasant topic.” I look down at the cards for another question and then look at Talas. “Kendra would like you to describe a crete house and home life.”

“Well, one of the biggest differences between crete houses and regular houses is that they are mostly circular since we build around trees. Different rooms are often on different levels, being built where there are tree boughs to support them. No two crete houses are the same because no two trees are the same. I guess you’d say the interior is kind of like a cabin. We’re not what most would call sophisticated. Our houses reflect our love for nature—so there’s a lot of wood, leather, and earthy colors.”

“I’m jealous,” I tell him. “I’ve always wanted to live in a treehouse like that.”

He grins. “Now, as far as home life, it depends, but since most cretes have large families, our home lives are usually pretty loud and busy, but we like it that way. Family is incredibly important to us.”

I look over at Leetra. It’s always a bit intimidating to question her. “What do you like most about being a crete?”

She’s quiet a moment. “I’d say our loyalty to family.”

“And who would you consider your closest friend, besides your family?”

“Talas. We’ve always been very close. Since I’m the oldest in my family, he’s like the older brother I don’t have.”

He gives her a grin. “I love you too, Lee.”

She rolls her eyes. Usually cretes, especially ones like Leetra, aren’t so vocal about their feelings.
“So Leetra . . .” I clear my throat, unsure how this conversation will go. “Kendra wants to know how you became engaged to Falcor?” I sense her mood change as she stiffens.

At first, it doesn’t seem that she’ll answer. Shifting her jaw, she blows out a hard breath. “We knew each other since we were children. We always got along well. Once we were older, it was only natural that our relationship would progress toward marriage.”

“So you two had a lot in common?”

“Yes . . . or so I thought.” Her eyes spark.

“How are you moving forward after what happened?”

Now her eyes narrow. “Who is asking all these questions?”

I hesitate. “Um, well . . . that would be Kendra.” I shrug. “She’s just curious.”

Talas nudges her shoulder. “Come on, Lee, everyone else gets uncomfortable questions too.”

She frowns at him. “I don’t remember you getting any.”

He gives her an innocent look. “Maybe because I’m so charming. You might try that.”

She rolls her eyes again before looking back at me. “I’m fine.”

I take it that’s the only answer she is going to give. I speak carefully. “Do you think what happened has driven you closer to Elôm?”

She crosses her arms and looks about done with these questions. “In some ways. It’s shown me how foolish I’ve been about some things.”

I nod and look through the cards. I should probably let her cool off a bit before I ask her any more questions. “Ah, here’s one for me. Bria wants to know how I chose the name Elôm. I guess because it sounds a lot like some of God’s names in the Bible. When I wrote my old fantasy series, Makilien, I used the name Elohim. Elôm is very similar to that, so that was probably what sparked the name in the first place.” I flip to the next card. “Here’s a question for the whole group. What differences between our world and Ilyon strike you the most?”

They all consider it for a moment before Talas speaks up. “I’d say your vehicles and technology.”
Kaden nods and chimes in. “Yeah. I don’t even know what you do with all of it.”

I chuckle. “It is quite different. However, I would trade our vehicles for some of your dragons.” I look over at Jace. I always kind of feel bad now whenever I drag him back into the conversation. “Morgan and her sisters are curious what your dream job is.”

“Farming and working with horses.” He smiles slightly, and I can tell he’s thinking back. “I would like to return to the farm someday . . . if it would ever be possible.”

“I know you have Niton, Tyra, and Gem, and you had a bird, but what would you say is your favorite animal?”

“Horses. I’ve always enjoyed working with them.”

“Horses are very special,” I agree. I then give him an apologetic look. “Some of these questions might be a bit difficult, but why don’t we get them over with?”

“All right,” he says quietly.

“First, if you knew that you had a half-ryrik brother or sister, would you want to meet them? And would you want to meet your parents?”

“Yes,” he says without hesitating. “I would like to know more about where I came from.”

“What would you say was the worst part about being a slave and a gladiator?”

He grimaces. “Not having a say in anything I did, and being forced to do things that have haunted me ever since.”

I smile to try to cheer him up. “Here’s a question from Serena. Would you rather not have fangirls? She really wants you to say you love having fangirls.”

Kaden laughs, and Jace just shakes his head. “Fangirls are . . . odd.”

I laugh too. “It’s true, we are odd. Now Ysa wants to know if you want to kill the fangirls for their curiosity?”

Jace shakes his head again. “No, they can be curious it’s just . . . unsettling.”

“Ysa also asked me if you all could ask the fangirls questions since they’re so nosy.”

Kaden perks up. “We can ask them questions?”

I nod, then stop him as he’s about to speak. “But be nice.”

He gives me an annoyed look. “Of course. My question is, who’s their favorite?”

Marcus frowns at him. “That’s your question? You know most of them will say Jace.”

I notice Jace duck his head in embarrassment.

“All right then, who’s their favorite besides Jace?” Kaden amends.

“And what’s their favorite color,” Kyrin joins in. “It seems like we’ve all gotten that question.”

“Oh, and do they have anyone special in their life?” Kaden asks with a gleeful grin. “How do they feel about this particular person?”

I laugh and shake my head. “Okay, this could go on a while. Why don’t we just get back to the questions for you?”

“Aw, you’re ruining the fun!” Kaden says.

“You do realize we’ve been here quite a while now? If I let you all go on with your questions, we’ll never get anywhere. Now, Kyrin, here are some questions for you. If you could do whatever you wanted for a job, what would it be?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” She looks thoughtful. “I guess I would just like a family to take care of.”
Kaden looks slyly between her and Jace. I quickly move on. “What do you like to wear, and do you care about fashion?”

“I like to look nice, but I’m definitely not into fashion like so many are in Valcré. Usually I wear practical clothes since we live in the forest—shirts and pants and an overdress.”

“Here are a couple more serious questions. What do you think that the worst thing that could ever happen to you?”

She sobers. “Losing everyone I love.” She glances at Jace and her brothers.

I read the next question. “Do you love the General?”

She looks at me and considers the question for a moment. “I would like to . . .” She sighs. “It’s difficult after everything he has done.”

“So what was your first thought when you saw Jace?”

“Well, I could tell he was in a lot of pain and it made me sad. I hate seeing people treated badly. There was too much of that in Tarvin Hall.”

“Speaking of Tarvin Hall, do you miss anything about it?”

Kyrin shakes her head. “No.”

“What about the palace?”

“No. I’m very happy where I am. Happier than I’ve been anywhere, except for home when I was little.”

I switch my focus to Kaden. “So, Kaden, are you most afraid of?”

“Like Kyrin said, I would hate to lose people I love and not be able to do anything to stop it.”

“Here’s an interesting question. If there was any famous person in your country's history you could meet, who would it be?”

“Probably my grandfather, Jonavan Altair. He’s more infamous than famous, but I’d love to meet him now that I know the truth about him.”

When I look down at the next question, I have to bite back laughter. This could get interesting. “Leetra . . .”

Her eyes flash to mine and hold suspicious. “Yes?”

“Is there anyone special in your life?”

Kaden chokes back a laugh and Leetra shoots him a searing look. She straightens her shoulders and speaks coolly. “Not since Falcor.”

I quietly clear my throat. “What is your opinion of Timothy?”

The suspicion in her eyes grows, and I add on, “Was he worth everyone risking their lives for him?” I notice he’s watching her with interest.

Leetra sits stiffly, a very unamused look on her face. “Yes.” She answers finally. “He has a lot of wisdom about Elôm that we all need.”

He smiles warmly at this, but she doesn’t look at him.

“So,” I try to ask causally, “do you think you'd ever want to get married again?” I send a pointed look Timothy’s way.

Her eyes widen. “This seems an odd time to ask that question.”

I shrug. “It was just the next one.”

She tips her chin up and remains silent.

“You’re not going to answer?”

“No.”

“Okay then.” I smile at Timothy. “Have you ever had a special girl in your life?” I can practically feel Leetra bristle.

Timothy laughs quietly and glances at her. “No, not yet.”

“What is your opinion of Leetra?” I catch her fiery look out of the corner of her eye and turn to her. “What?”

“Why are they so curious about what the two of us think of each other?” Her eyes narrow. “What, exactly, are they after?”

“They’re fangirls. They’re naturally curious about such things.” I hope that satisfies her. When she doesn’t speak again, I return my attention to Timothy.

He hesitates, but then answers the initial question. “I think the tough way she portrays herself outwardly hides a soft heart.”

Leetra huffs.

I glance between the two of them. “And, if it’s not too embarrassing, Kendra wants to know if you can describe Leetra’s eyes for her.”

Leetra gives me a horrified look. “Seriously?”

I shrug. “Fangirls.”

Now Timothy clears his throat. He shifts a little awkwardly. “I’d say they’re a soft lavender rimmed in stormy purple that grows even deeper when she’s upset.”

I can tell Leetra is grinding her teeth together and that stormy purple is very clear at the moment. Now’s probably a good time to change the topic. “Timothy, while your new life is better, is there anything you miss about your hometown?”

Timothy lets out a breath as some of the tension abates. “The only thing I’d say I miss is the people I used to teach. I enjoyed it, and I miss being able to give them that opportunity.”

I flip to a new card. “Here’s another question for me from Ysa. She wants to know if I ever base my characters off of people that I know, or are they all completely made-up? I have sort of based a character off of someone I knew before. And there are things about Kaden and Liam that were inspired by my two brothers. Then there’s Jace, who is very much like me. Besides that, they’re pretty much all completely made up.”

I read the next question. “Oh, this one’s always interesting,” I say with a bit of sarcasm. “What is your opinion of me, your author?”

They all look at each other, and Kaden shrugs. “Well, without you, we wouldn’t even be here, so I guess we have to like you.”

“If you had a chance to get revenge for everything I’ve put you through, would you?”

Kaden and Talas share a mischievous grin. “I suppose we could throw you down in a dungeon for a while.”

“Hey! Don’t you dare. I get claustrophobic.”

“We wouldn’t do that,” Kyrin says, giving her brother a look. “You’re just doing your job as an author.”

I give her a grateful smile, and then giggle. “So what about the fangirls?”

“Oh, they can keep you company,” Kaden says with a laugh.

I ball up the question card and chuck it at his head. “Sometimes I don’t know what to do with you.” The next card contains a question for Trask. I turn to him. “If you were, hypothetically, given the opportunity to beat any one of your enemies black-and-blue, would you enjoy it?”

“That is an interesting question,” he says slowly. “Honestly, yes . . . at the time, though I’d regret it later.” He shrugs. “I know it wouldn’t be right.”

“Along the same line of questioning, if any of you had the chance to kill the emperor, would you do it or be seriously tempted to?”

They all consider this. Finally, Kaden answers. “I think we’d all probably be tempted to. Some of us might go through with it, depending on the circumstances.”

The others nod.

Before turning to the next card, I glance at the sky, only now realizing the sun will soon set. “Wow, we’re really running out of time. I do have one more typical fangirl question for Jace and Kyrin—what would you have done without each other?”

They smile at each other and then Jace answers, “I might not be here. I’m not sure what would have happened if she hadn’t come along and helped me through things.”

Kyrin covers her hand with his. “And I wouldn’t have the closest friend I’ve ever had.”

The others all smile.

“I’ve got just a couple more questions,” I tell them. “Kyrin, what is the nicest thing Kaden has ever done for you?”

“I’d say all the times he defended me in Tarvin Hall, even when it meant he would get beaten up. He was always there for me when I needed him. And he still is.”

I grin. “Brothers are awesome.” I now turn my attention to Talas. “Here’s a question from Hannah. If you were an animal, what would you be? Or what would you like to be?”

“I think you’d be hard pressed to find a crete anywhere who wouldn’t want to be a dragon. It would be tough for us to give up flying.”

“I could definitely see you as a dragon.”

He laughs.

I look around at everyone. “All right, one more question before it gets too late. Katie wants to know who is the best at dancing, and she wants you to show everyone.”

There is silence, and then several of the others point at Talas. He looks around at them and shrugs. “I do like to dance.”

“Care to show us?”

He shakes his head. “If I had some crete music, I would, but these fangirls will just have to find a way to attend a crete celebration if they want to see me dance.”

I laugh. “I’m sure they would love that.” I set aside the cards. “I guess that is all we have time for. Amanda does want me to give you all a message. She says you’ve all been such an inspiration for her and she’s really proud of you. Your faith, actions, selflessness, and who you are has truly encouraged her, and she loves you all.”

They all smile.

“Tell her thank you,” Kyrin says.

“I will.”

We all get up then, and they help me fold up the blankets and carry everything back to my dragon. As they mount up and prepare to fly off, I tell them, “I’ll see you later, back in your stories!”

“I hope good things will be happening,” Kaden calls back.

I shake my head and quote Kyrin. “Troublemaker.”

* * *

Thank you to everyone who has joined me for these Q&As over the last few weeks! I got to as many of the questions as I could. For those of you who submitted questions for my villains, don’t worry. I still have all the questions. I may do a special villains only Q&A session with them when I have a chance.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Resistance Anniversary Celebration - Sneak Peek #4

Here is the final sneak peek for the Resistance Anniversary Celebration! It was technically supposed to go up yesterday, but since it was a holiday and there was a lot going on, I postponed it until today. For this sneak peek, I have another scene from Samara's Peril.

via Pinterest
 
She walked to the door to set her boots down and looked out the window toward the fire pit. A few flames still licked at the logs. Three figures sat around the fire. In the orange glow, she saw Kaden’s face and recognized their other two older brothers.

Not yet ready for sleep, Kyrin slipped her boots back on and grabbed her coat. “I’m going out by the fire,” she told her mother and Lenae.

Quietly opening the door, she stepped out into the cool night and pulled on her coat. Her brothers’ deep voices and chuckles drew her closer. She was surprised more weren’t gathered here, but on a night like this, time with loved ones was precious and they’d probably been left alone on purpose.
All three looked up when she reached the firelight. “I hope I’m not interrupting any boy talk.”

Marcus shook his head. “We were just remembering some of the things we used to do as kids.”

Claiming a seat next to Kaden, Kyrin said, “We sure had some fun.”

“Remember the old swamp fort?” her twin asked.

Kyrin smiled fondly. “That was especially fun.” Their mother never thought much of them always tromping home muddied and wet, but their father had built them a small fort there anyway, complete with a working drawbridge. She frowned. “Except you three always made me the princess who was trapped by cave drakes.”

Marcus chuckled. “And Kaden was the evil knight standing guard.”

“Was not,” Kaden protested.

Kyrin cocked her brow wryly. “Actually, you were.”

He couldn’t argue with her memory so he shrugged. “Well, I had more fun throwing mud at Marcus than pretending to be the hero.”

All four of them laughed. Of course, Marcus was always the hero coming to rescue the princess with his trusty companion Liam following.

“Those were the days,” Kyrin breathed.

The men nodded.

“But I’ll never forget that one time we came back plastered in mud and the General had come for a visit.” Marcus shook his head. “He was furious.”

Kyrin’s mind jumped back to that day, but it wasn’t their grandfather’s displeasure with them that stood out to her. It was his heated words with their father. William had tried to get him to realize they were just children enjoying their play, but the General wouldn’t have any of it. That was just before Kyrin and Kaden were taken away.

Kyrin shook off these memories as Kaden murmured, “I wonder if he’ll be in Samara.”

They all looked at him.

“He’ll be there,” Marcus said with quiet certainty. “He’ll be at the front, leading.”

Silence settled as they each came to terms with this. It was the first time Kyrin had considered her brothers facing the General, their grandfather, in battle.
 
Copyright 2015 by Jaye L. Knight
 
* * *
 
I hope you've all enjoyed these looks into upcoming Ilyon adventures! If you haven't read any of Ilyon Chronicles yet, today is the final day to get both of the first Kindle books for only $1.99! That's half off their usual price. And for those of you interested in the contests I'm holding this month, the photo contest deadline is this Thursday and the fan art contest deadline is this Saturday! Make sure to get me your entries!
 

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Resistance Anniversary Celebration–Character Q&A - Part 4

AnniversaryQ&A4I set my cards aside momentarily to pour myself a cup of the lemonade sitting in a jug by one of the baskets and try one of shortbread cookies before they all disappear. “Mmm, these are good. I can’t eat these in my world.”

“Why not?” Kyrin asks.

“Because the wheat used to make the flour wants to kill me.”

Several of them raise their brows.

“Well, maybe it’s not quite that dramatic.” I shrug. “But I am allergic to it, so I can get pretty sick.”

Kaden looks taken aback by such a thing. “If you can’t have wheat, what can you eat?”

“I find other alternatives, but that’s not very easy.”

He and Talas share a look. I think Kaden’s glad to be living in his world and not have any food allergies. I finish my cookie and brush the crumbs off my hands before gathering the question cards again. Before I can read any of them, something rustles in the brush. Jace looks alert, and the others look at each other. None of them have weapons. After all, I told them this picnic would be perfectly safe. I’m not sure they believe that anymore.

A moment later, a man in earthy clothing emerges from the trees. As soon as everyone sees his face, they relax. I stand up with a grin. “Prince Daniel.” He’s clearly wearing one of his disguises to blend in with the common people.

“Sorry I’m late.” He grins at me. “You have no idea what it took to lose my guards.”

I chuckle. “Don’t worry. There’s still plenty of time left, and some food.”

He glances at the picnic baskets, and I invite him to take a seat. As he greets everyone and picks out some cookies from one of the baskets, I scan my cards. “Since you’re here, Daniel, we’ll get right to some of your questions.”

He munches his cookies, unconcerned.

“So this is kind of a combination of questions I received, but if you were to run away from the palace or actually got disowned, would you have any friends that would help you?”

He swallows. “Well, we established in our last gathering like this that genuine and trustworthy friends are hard to find when you’re in my position. Usually people want to be friends with a prince to gain something. I suppose I might go to Baron Arther’s son, Alex. We were always good friends when we were younger and talked about running off together.”

“Where would you go and what would you do for a living?”

“I’m not sure. Far away from Valcré. I’m not really picky about how I’d make my living. It would be worth it being out from under my father’s thumb. Alex and I did talk about going to sea. It would be a good way to see more of Ilyon.”

I smile. “I could see you two doing that.” I flip to another card. “Here’s a question for you Jace.”

He straightens. He’s probably just started getting comfortable with the lack of questions.

“Kendra wants to know, now that you've flown several times, are you bothered as much by heights? Or is it still a struggle every time you go up?”

Jace glances over at the dragons. “I have gotten used to it, but it’s that I trust Gem than that the heights don’t bother me. I still don’t like heights.”

“Tamara is curious, if you could choose one place to live for the rest of your life, where would it be and what would it be like?”

“The farm. I wish I could go back there. It was always so peaceful and felt safe. I never had anything like that before I met Rayad and he took me there.”

“Speaking of Rayad, before him, was there ever anyone who showed you kindness?” I look at him apologetically. “Sorry, we’re getting to some of the difficult questions again.”

Jace shakes his head. “No. Rayad was the first one.”

“So there really was no one?”

“No. And it’s not that every person I met was cruel, it’s just that, those who weren’t were the ones who avoided me out of fear.”

I quickly look to the cards again, hoping for a question to cheer him up. “Here is a question for both you and Kyrin. What were you both thinking when you went hunting together for the first time?”

They look at each other, and Kyrin chuckles. “I think we were both feeling pretty awkward and wondering what we were thinking by doing it.”

Jace nods in agreement.

I look at him. “Did you think Kyrin was crazy?”

He hesitates. “Well . . . yes.”

She smiles at him. “Don’t worry. I thought I was crazy.”

“I just wasn’t something I’d expect a normal person to do.”

Kyrin chuckles again. “I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself normal.”

“Normal is overrated,” I say with a grin. “If I was normal, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here having conversations with fictional characters.”

“Sounds boring,” Kaden chimes in.

I laugh. “Very. So, on the topic of not being normal, Micailah is curious what your special abilities are and why your grandfather took you to Tarvin Hall with Kyrin.”

“I guess because I’m an unusually fast learner. Even though I can’t remember everything the way Kyrin can, I do retain things easily. And I think he just liked the prestige of having two of his grandchildren in Travin Hall.”

I nod. “That reminds me. Amanda asked me what your mother did exactly to Kyrin.” I look at her. “Would you like to explain the reason things were difficult between you?”

“All right,” Kyrin says slowly. “I suppose it started with how things were between her and my father—how she would side with the General all the time. He was never kind to my father. I didn’t really understand any of it when I was still at home, but when I grew older and remembered back, I hated how my mother didn’t defend my father or side with him more. And I guess I always sort of blamed her for us being in Tarvin Hall. I always thought that if she and my father had felt the same, they could have hid our abilities and kept us from being taken.” She shrugs. “I let it make me bitter toward her, which I should never have done.”

Jace touches her shoulder comfortingly, and Kyrin smiles at him. I try to hide my own smile and act casual. “Amanda also has a question for the two of you. Do you love each other, or just as best friends, and have you ever talked about getting married?”

Their gazes both snap to me.

“What? You had to know such questions were coming.”

Kyrin shakes her head, but then smiles mysteriously at Amanda’s question. “Maybe.”

I chuckle. “Is that all you’re going to give them?”

They both nod.

“Well, now seems a good time to ask one of Erika’s questions. She wants to know if any of you want to remain single for the rest of your lives.”

There is silence for a moment before Ronny speaks up. “Girls are weird.”

I laugh, but Meredith has obviously taken offense. Her forehead crinkles in a frown. “That’s not nice. Boys are weird too.”

I bite back my laughter. “Let me rephrase—do any adults here wish to remain single?”

Again, no one speaks until Rayad finally says, “Well, I wouldn’t say I necessarily want to remain single, but I’ve managed all right on my own so far, so I won’t be too disappointed if I do stay single.”

“So has there ever been a woman in your life?”

“I’ve had my head turned a few times, but never anything serious. I was always busy with one thing or another and just never met the right girl.”

“What about you, Kyrin?” I look at her. “Have you ever been interested in someone? Serena adds, ‘besides Jace’.”

She glances at him. “Not really. I mean, I liked Collin, but not like that. There just wasn’t anyone who was very kind at Tarvin Hall. And even when Kaden and I were out and about in the city, I never met anyone I had a real interest in.”

“Jace, what would you do if someone started hitting on Kyrin?”

He shifts and clears his throat. “Depends on how they were acting.”

I smile. “You’d probably just give them a look and they’d back off.”

Kyrin grins too. “Yes, that sounds like Jace.”

“And Kyrin, Kendra wants to know what would your dream wedding look like and what do weddings look like in Ilyon?”

Her brows lift. “Now we’re talking about weddings?”

I shrug. “Those are the questions.”

She takes a breath. “Well, weddings depend on your station. They can be grand affairs or simple family gatherings, depending on who you are. They’re not much different than weddings in your world. Personally, I would like a small, intimate wedding with only family and close friends.”

I notice how Jace appears to be listening closely while trying not to look like it. “So, Kaden, would you let Jace marry Kyrin?”

They all look at me with wide eyes.

“Like I said, those are the questions.”

Kaden chuckles, and looks at his sister, who is blushing a bit. He speaks in a teasing tone “I don’t know . . . I’m just not sure they’re quite right for each other . . .”

She smacks his arm and looks at me. “Why don’t move on to the next question?”

I try not to laugh. “I’m not sure this one is all that much better. Ysa wants to know, if Kaden were to wind up with nieces and nephews, what would your first reaction be?”

Kaden can’t resist giving Kyrin another teasing grin. “Oh, I’d love to have nieces and nephews.” He nudges Kyrin. “So you better get on that.”

She smacks him again. “Marcus is sitting right here. Why don’t you pick on him?”

Kaden and Marcus both laugh, and Kaden adds, “Better hurry and find a girl, Marcus.”

“You too,” Marcus responds.

I shake my head and laugh at their antics and then start reading a new question from Ysa. “If they can't have gunpowder, can we introduce the guys (aka Kaden and Trask) to nitroglycerine?” I pause, hoping neither of them were paying attention, but Kaden perks up.

“Nitro-what?”

I quickly shake my head. “Nothing, never mind.”

He looks suspicious. “What exactly are you hiding from us?”

“It’s nothing, really.”

“Could it save our lives?”

I waver. “I suppose . . . theoretically . . .”

“And you’re still going to keep it from us?”

“It’s not part of your story.”

“It’s a wonder any of us even make it to the end of our stories.” He narrows his eyes at me. “We do make it, don’t we?”

“Of course some of you make it.”

“Only some of us?”

I give him a look. “Now you’re just trying to cause trouble. Let’s move on, shall we?”

Monday, May 18, 2015

Resistance Anniversary Celebration - Sneak Peek #3

Sneak peek time! Here’s a little bit from a scene between Jace and Holden in Samara’s Peril.

jaceholden

Jace looked up as Holden left the shelter and offered him a plate of beans and salt pork that Mick had prepared for them.

“Thanks.” He sighed, stirring the beans listlessly before finally taking a bite.

Holden took a seat on second stool. “She’s still inside?”

Jace met his gaze and gave a short nod. If Holden had noticed, then he wasn’t just paranoid.

“You should go talk to her.”

Jace sighed again. Of course, in a close community like this, he couldn’t hope the rift between him and Kyrin had gone unnoticed. “I don’t think she wants to see me.”

Holden shrugged, and gave him a pointed look. “Or maybe she’s just waiting for you to come.”

Jace wasn’t as sure, but if he had to wonder much longer it was going to kill him. He picked at his food, but it was the thought of Kyrin that made him keep eating.

“You know, Jace.”

He focused again on Holden.

“When you’ve been scarred by a past like you and I have, it can shadow things and make it difficult to differentiate between who we are now and who we were in the past. We’re not the men we were. You can’t let yourself fall into the trap of thinking you are. It’ll only ruin you.”

Jace stared at his dish, considering these words. Of everyone in camp, Holden would understand his struggle the best. The two of them had the most in common as far as past bloodshed and the regret of it, but the one thing they didn’t share was Jace’s ryrik blood. None of them would ever know how much it tortured him and kept him held captive to his fears.

Copyright 2015 by Jaye L. Knight

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Resistance Anniversary Celebration–Character Q&A - Part 3

AnniversaryQ&A3

As I flip through my question cards, a child’s laughter catches my attention. I look up and spot a small group of people walking along the riverbank. Marcus and Liam are leading the way, while Michael, Ronny, and Meredith follow behind. Meredith stoops to pick a flower to add to the fistful she has already and then skips ahead of everyone. When she spots Kyrin, she hurries to the blankets and settles in beside her.

“Look what I picked.” She hands the bouquet of trilliums and May flowers to Kyrin.

Kyrin grins. “Those are beautiful.”

I smile at the two of them and then at Kyrin’s brothers as they reach our picnic spot. “Thanks for joining us. Have a seat.”

They find spots on the blankets, which are starting to get a little crowded. I should have brought an extra.

“So, what kinds of questions do you have for use?” Michael asks curiously. After all, they weren’t here for our sessions in February.

“Nothing too uncomfortable,” I assure him.

“Lucky,” Kaden mumbles, but he grins good-naturedly.

“Look at it this way, the hard questions just prove how much my readers love you.”

Kaden shrugs. “If you say so.”

I pull out a question card. “Before we begin, I just want to warn my readers that some answers may contain spoilers for The King’s Scrolls. Read at your own risk. Now,” I focus on Marcus, “since you’re the oldest, why don’t we start with you?”

“All right.”

He looks calm and ready for anything I might throw at him.

“Kendra would like to know what you would say are the essential elements of leadership.”

He barely takes a moment to think before he answers. “Leading by example. You can’t expect someone to respect your orders or loyally follow you if you don’t set forth a good example. It also helps to see those you lead as people and not just pawns to order around.”

I nodded in agreement and then look to his left. “Liam.”

He looks a little nervous but smiles.

“Don’t worry,” I try to put him at ease, “You’re questions are pretty basic. First, Amanda wants to know, if you had never become a soldier, what would you have done instead?”

He’s quiet for a moment. “Well, I’m not sure. Since my life was pretty much planned for me, it wasn’t something I gave much thought. Of course, I always wished things were different, but thinking about it too much just made it more difficult.”

“I have a question from Lynn that’s very similar. She asks, if you could do any job you wanted, in your world and mine, what would it be?”

“It’s hard to say since I was never really sure what I was good at. I do find something I like doing, but you probably don’t want me to talk about that yet.”

I smile. “Yeah, it’s probably best we keep it a surprise. I’m sure readers will love to discover what you end up doing. I know I did while writing. And I just know they are going to hate me for teasing them like this.” I quickly flip to a new card. “Michael, Ronny, what do you two like to do most in your free time?”

“I always liked when Grandfather or Marcus took us up to visit the fort,” Michael answers. “I like to practice sparring too.”

I look to the youngest Altair. “What about you Ronny? Do you like visiting the fort?”

He tilts his head. “Sometimes. But I like playing in the woods more.”

“I always liked playing in the woods with my brothers too. What kinds of things do you do in the woods?”

Ronny shrugs. “We build forts and stuff.”

I grin. “Forts are always fun. So, what do you two think of each other?”

They trade glances.

“We like each other just fine,” Michael says.

Ronny nods. “Yeah, with Kyrin and Kaden gone at Tarvin Hall and Marcus and Liam at the fort all the time, Michael was the only one I had to play with every day. We fight sometimes, but not for too long.”

“I know you two were pretty excited to meet Kyrin and Kaden after so long. What would you say you admire most about Kaden?”

“He’s cool,” Michael answers, and Ronny quickly adds, “and he has a dragon!”

Both Kaden and I laugh.

“He also plays with us,” Ronny says, “even though we’re a lot younger than him.”

Michael nods in agreement. “He’s a good brother.”

“What about Jace? What do you think of him?”

“We like Jace,” Michael answers as they both nod.

I wait for a moment for them to say more, but they both appear to think the answer is sufficient. They are boys, after all. I lean toward Meredith who is weaving a crown out of her flowers. “What about you Meredith? What do you think of Jace?”

She looks up at me with her deep blue eyes, and then glances at Jace, who smiles at her. “Jace is nice,” she says happily. “I like Tyra too.”

I smile. “I think everyone likes Tyra. Speaking admiring people,” I turn my attention back to Marcus, “Ysa wants to know what you admire most about your grandfather?”

Marcus contemplates this for a moment. “Well, he is a good military leader. I might not agree with all of his tactics, but he did work hard to get to where he is. If you take away other things, I think that’s admirable.”

“So what did you think when you learned that your father, Kyrin, and Kaden were traitors?”

A frown slowly overtakes his face. “I guess we got through all the easy questions, didn’t we?”

I give him an apologetic look. “Pretty much.”

“Well, it was very tough. I didn’t understand it at first, and knowing what the penalty was, it was just hard to accept. I tried to find ways to understand but, without knowing the truth, it was almost impossible.”

“Did you side with them or your grandfather in your mind?”

“My grandfather.” He looks ashamed. “Or at least I sided with what I’d been taught my whole life about the emperor and the gods. It wasn’t necessarily a wholehearted agreement, but I did hold to it for a while.”

“At least you came around. I understand how your duty and loyalty to the emperor fought with your loyalty to your family.” I hope I’ve consoled him. “What do you think of Kyrin and Kaden now?”

“I admire them for standing up for what they believe in, even if it meant death. It takes a lot of courage to do that. I love them, of course. It was never my intention to have my loyalties divided. I didn’t even realize it had happened until things started to go wrong.”

“Kendra is curious which of your siblings you’re closest to.”

All five of them look at him. He laughs dryly. “This is my uncomfortable question, isn’t it?”

I nod.

“Not that I love any of my siblings any more or less than another, but Liam and I have been pretty close over the years. I mean, it’s not like we were all together very much. Kyrin and Kaden were gone and Michael and Ronny were at home. Since Liam and I were both together at the fort so much, we grew close.”

Kyrin touches his arm. “Don’t worry, we understand. It’s just like Kaden and I growing up in Tarvin Hall. We each have different relationships with each other.”

He smiles and doesn’t look so uncomfortable.

“Why don’t we get back to the fun questions?” I turn to Liam. Ants and Epic are curious what your favorite food is?”

Kaden laughs. “I knew there had to be more food questions coming.”

Liam grins. “Chicken hand pies. Ethel always made really good chicken pies.”

My mouth waters. “That sounds delicious. I’ve always loved chicken pot pies. Ants and Epic are also curious what are some of the things you actually enjoy doing?”

“I enjoy being with my family. Army life is so rigid. I enjoyed any time I could be away from it. And I always enjoyed playing with Michael and Ronny whenever I was home.”

“Since we’re still on the topic of family and siblings . . .” I pull out a new question card and look at Kaden. “Ysa wants to know what is the most annoying thing that Kyrin has ever done to you?”

“Ha! Finally I get this question.” He gives Kyrin a mischievous grin.

She raises her brows, attempting to hide a smile. “And your answer is?”

He thinks a moment. “Probably being right all the time.”

She shakes her head. “I’m not right all the time.”

He shrugs. “Feels like it sometimes . . . especially when, underneath, I know I’m not right.”

I laugh quietly at them. “So, Kyrin, Merenwen wants to know if you have ever wanted to give your Kaden a swift kick in the pants for any reason?”

Now Kyrin laughs. “Of course, especially during those times he knows he’s not right. Haven’t you wanted to do the same to your brothers?”

“Oh yes. I think everyone wants to do that to their siblings at one time or another.”

Kaden nudges Kyrin. “Come on, I’m not that bad.”

“Sometimes you are.” She smiles. “But that’s okay.”

“So now that we’ve established all that—” I look at Kaden “—who would you consider your best friend?”

“Does that exclude family?”

“Let’s say it does.”

“Well then.” He pauses. “Probably Talas.”

Talas grins and gives him a nod of appreciation.

“You two do get along really well. I don’t think I ever saw that coming when I first introduced Talas into your story.” I glance at the cards again. “Amanda wants to know what you like to do in your free time . . . you know, besides eat?”

He throws his hands up in exasperation and gives me a look. “Now you’ve made everyone think all I do is eat. I can survive without food.”

Kyrin chokes back a laugh and Talas joins in.

He narrows his eyes at them. “Okay, technically I can’t survive without it, but you know what I mean. I do have a life beyond food.”

I bite my lip to keep from laughing. “Don’t worry, Kaden, we know. It’s just become a bit of a joke, that’s all. So, what do you like to do?”

He still looks a bit disgruntled, but it clears quickly. “Well, flying, for one thing. I don’t think I’d ever get sick of that. And I like to hang out with everyone. Camp life never gets boring.”

“Nope, it doesn’t,” I agree.

Talas looks at me slyly. “Perhaps that’s because right when things start to get settled, you have some calamity befall us.”

“Hey, I can’t help it. That’s how stories go.” But I have a feeling he and the others don’t quite agree with me.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Resistance Anniversary Celebration–Random Facts Post #2

Last week I talked a little about Aaron’s character and how he came to be part of Ilyon Chronicles. Today I’m going to switch gears a tiny bit and talk about one of my villains—Davira. Just writing her name kind of gives me the creeps. She’s definitely the creepiest villain I’ve ever written about. She’s just so cold . . . and, well, evil. So where did she come from? You might be surprised to learn that she wasn’t originally part of the series. Like Kaden, she didn’t even exist when I started writing Resistance. I first started Resistance in June of 2011. Davira didn’t come to be until February 8, 2012. Yeah, that’s quite a while. The series looked quite a bit different before that.

So how did it happen? The night of February 8th, I was going through one of my character folders on the computer. I don’t know who I was looking for. I suppose it was just for inspiration. That’s when I came across this picture I had saved.

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There was just something about it that made me pause and started the wheels turning in my head. All these what if questions flooded my mind. Here are the notes I wrote the next morning.

-February 9, 2012-
I had this highly fascinating idea last night when I came upon this picture I had saved. What if Daican has a daughter? I have all kinds of ideas for her, and let me tell you, she’s a nasty piece of work.

Since then, she has become a very important piece of the series’ storyline. It might not seem like it now, but her role in the story does grow as the series progresses.

I find it amazing how important both Davira and Kaden are to the story when I didn’t even know about them in the beginning. That’s what I love so much about writing this series—seeing how God has given me prompts and inspiration and guided this story into what it has become. I never imagined what it would actually grow into when I started writing those first words of Resistance.

So that’s the story behind Davira. Next week I’ll be sharing a special post on how I was inspired to write Ilyon Chronicles in the first place. If you haven’t been keeping up on the celebration this month, you can find out all the information here. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Monday, May 11, 2015

Resistance Anniversary Celebration - Sneak Peek #2

Time for another sneak peek! Today's a special one because it's not from Samara's Peril or Half-Blood. It's actually from book four and is part of one of my favorite scenes in the book. (Keep in mind, it has had very little editing since I wrote it.)

* * *
 
The ringing echo of blades bounced off the circular walls of the training court inside Auréa. Daniel blocked a high strike and pressed against his opponent’s blade. The young man backpedaled, leaving Daniel with an opening to attack. He swung low and then across the man’s middle. Both attempts were blocked, but with another thrust, Daniel had his sword point pressed against his sparring partner’s chest. He breathed out hard and shook his head as he lowered his blade. The young man hadn’t even tried to block that last attack.
 
“Ian, how am I supposed to know if I’m a halfway decent swordsman if you always let me win? You’re not going to hurt me with a blunt blade, and even if you did, I wouldn’t do anything about it.” He tried to temper his frustration and soften his tone. He hadn’t minded so much when he was young and it was all fun and games, but he had begun to take it more seriously in the recent days.
 
“Now, come on. Fight me. For real this time.” He raised the sword for a second match, but Ian looked questioningly at the other instructors. Daniel sighed and let the sword drop. Shaking his head again, he turned to look around the room. He put his arms out in exasperation. Surely someone had the guts to actually try to beat him. “Is there anyone who will give me a proper fight?”
 
“I will.”
 
Daniel’s gaze shifted to where Aric stood in the doorway. How long had he been there? Daniel had seen him sparring a couple of times. The man was one of the most skilled swordsmen at Auréa. He had to be to have secured the position as head of security.
 
Daniel nodded, eager. “Thank you.”
 
Aric strode in and unbuckled his jerkin and sword belt. “Like you said, you won’t know what kind of swordsman you are if you’re never challenged.” He handed his jerkin and sword to one of the attendants and took the blunt practice sword from Daniel’s previous sparring partner, who backed quickly to the perimeter of the room.
 
Giving the sword a few test swings to get the feel of it, he faced Daniel. Daniel took his own sword in both hands with the feeling he was about to get exactly what he wanted, and he honestly didn’t have a clue how he would fair against it.

Copyright 2015 by Jaye L. Knight

 

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Resistance Anniversary Celebration–Character Q&A - Part 2

AnniversaryQ&A2I get up from the blanket and walk toward the dragons that have just landed. “Welcome,” I say as Talas, Leetra, Timothy, and Aaron dismount. “I’m so glad you could make it since you weren’t part of this last time.”

“Happy to be here,” Talas replies with a grin.

I laugh. “You are much more enthusiastic about this than the others. Just wait until we get to the questions.”

He shrugs. “I don’t mind answering questions.”

“Hopefully you’ll still feel that way once we’re finished. I don’t think you realize how . . . probing these girls can be with their questions.” I glance at Leetra. She doesn’t look nearly as relaxed. I have a feeling getting answers from her will be like pulling teeth.

I lead them to the blankets where they greet the others.

“Help yourself to the food,” I tell them.

Talas glances into one of the baskets. “Wow, there’s actually some left.” He gives Kaden a teasing look.

Kaden shakes his head. “Ha ha.”

“Right then, let’s get back to the questions.” I look at Talas. “Since you’re so eager, why don’t we start with you?”

He gives me a ready smile.

“Stargazer wants to know how old you are.”

“I’m twenty-four.”

“She also wants to know if crete time moves differently that humans.”

“No, it moves the same. Cretes just mature in a shorter time than humans do.”

“This isn’t one of the questions, but what age would you say you matured?”

“About seventeen or eighteen. That’s when most cretes are to be considered adults. Basically, in human terms, fifteen to sixteen for cretes is about eighteen and seventeen to eighteen is about twenty-one.” He grins. “I’m not sure my older siblings would say I’ve finished maturing yet, however.”

“I take it that it’s your unusually friendly disposition.”

“Probably. They don’t think our grandfather is particularly mature either.”

I laugh. “He sounds fun. All right, next question . . . Leetra.”

She gives me a cool look.

“Tamara wants to know what your family is like.”

Her face softens a little at the mention of family. “I have six younger siblings, so we have a pretty full house.”

“I imagine that can get pretty chaotic.”

“Yes, but that’s pretty normal for cretes. I wouldn’t trade i4e0ca45654d347c67f436b7bb6afb6f3t for anything.”

“I actually have a picture of your youngest sister. Mia, right?”

Leetra nods with a bit of a smile.

“How old is she?”

“Four.”

“Speaking of families . . .” I turn my attention back to Talas. “You have six siblings as well, but you’re right in the middle.”

“Yes, two older brothers, an older sister, and three younger sisters.”

“Kendra really wants to know about your youngest sister—what her name is, how old she is, and anything else you can share. She thinks she’ll be important in the story later on.”

“Ah, Kendra is fishing for information.” He chuckles. “Well, let’s see what I can share. My youngest sister is named Trenna and she’s fifteen. We’re quite a lot alike. I’d probably say I’m closest to her out of all my siblings.”

“So she’s fun and friendly like you?”

“Exactly.”

Leetra gives him a look. “Are you saying other cretes can’t be fun and friendly?”

“No . . . but some of you take yourselves too seriously.”

She rolls her eyes, and he just grins.

I hold back a laugh. “So, Timothy . . .”

He straightens. “Yes?”

“Amanda wants to know what your favorite verse is in the King’s Scrolls?”

The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, A stronghold in times of trouble; And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. After everything that has happened in my life, it is good to be reminded of the strength and protection we can find in Elôm.”

“And is that the verse you turn to when you’re at your lowest?”

“One of them, yes.”

“Kendra is curious why you were the one who took over writing the letters instead of Aaron or Josan.”

“I guess, when my father died, I felt a calling for it. And I felt as though it were a way I could be closer to him, carrying on his work.” He smiles faintly.

I can see how much he misses and loved his father. “Do you have a favorite memory of him?”

His smile widens. “I think it would be hard to choose just one memory. I cherish all of them. But I think some of my favorite times is when he would teach me from the Scrolls in the evenings when he’d come home from work. Those were special times and really shaped me into who I am.”

I look over at Aaron. “Do you understand the Scrolls as Timothy?”

Aaron smiles and shakes his head. “I don’t think there are many who have his understanding. I think it’s a gift of his and why our father was so intent on teaching him.”

Everyone agrees with Aaron’s assessment, and Timothy looks down modestly. I know such praise makes him uncomfortable, so I change the subject. “Timothy, do you have any happy childhood memories you wouldn’t mind sharing.”

He looks up, a little sparkle in his brown eyes as he remembers back. “Any time my father, Aaron, Josan, and I could all be together were good times. All three of them worked so much that the times we were all home at once were rare. By the time I was five, Aaron already had a job in the mines. I do have very fond memories of when Aaron took me out hunting the first few times and tried to teach me how to shoot a bow. I never did get the hang of it, but they are happy memories.”

“Who would you say is the most important person in your life besides Elôm?”

“Aaron,” he answers with a glance at his brother. “Other than Elôm and Josan, he has sacrificed more than anything for me.”

“He’s a great brother.” I give Aaron a smile and then look back to my notes. “All right, here’s a question from Erika for everyone, though Talas or Leetra are probably the best ones to answer it. She wants to know more about dragons. What shape are their heads? How large are their heads? How long are their necks? How large are they compared to a person? Do they have any spikes? Are their scales rough or smooth? Do their faces show personality or are they more animal-like?”

Talas and Leetra look at each other, and then Talas speaks up. “Well, their heads are . . . ovalish. I know a lot of dragons in stories have longer, narrower heads, but Ilyon dragons aren’t quite like that. They’re shorter and rounder. They’re about the same size as a horse’s head, though not as long. As for their necks, they’re about four to five feet long, depending on the size of the dragon. Ilyon dragons are just a bit larger than horses, comparable to a large draft horse. They don’t have spikes, but they do have two horns on their heads, and they’re scales are smooth. Their faces do show personality in ways, much like a dog, I suppose, even though cretes don’t have much experience with dogs. I wouldn’t say there at all human-like, but I can tell if my dragon, Storm, is miffed with me just by how she looks at me.”

I have a good laugh over this. “I can just imagine. Dragons really are quite fun. So what is your favorite thing about flying.”

“Uh . . . everything?”

He glances at Kaden who nods his agreement. Talas then shrugs. “I guess just the freedom of it. You can pretty much go anywhere with a dragon.”

“Yeah, I sure wish we had dragons in my world,” I say. “It would make travel so much easier.” I glance at my question cards and smile to myself before looking at Talas again. “Serena wants to know if there’s a special girl in your life.”

Kaden elbows him. “Finally, you get one of these questions.”

Talas grins charmingly. “That would be a no. I haven’t met the right girl yet.”

I’d volunteer, but that would just be weird. “Well, I’m sure you’ll find her one of these days.”

To be continued…

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Resistance Anniversary Celebration–Random Facts Post #1

I’m getting this up kind of late because I only just sat down to write it this morning. My excuse is that I was gone most of the day yesterday from seeing Avengers: Age of Ultron, which was fantastic by the way, and didn’t have time to get it written up ahead of time. So, I thought I’d tie today’s post in with that. I’m going to talk a little bit about Aaron, one of the new characters that was introduced in The King’s Scrolls. How does that tie in with Avengers, you ask? Well, because my “casting” choice for Aaron has always been Jeremy Renner.

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Even though people don’t dress like this in Ilyon, I still imagine Aaron being cool like this in a fantasy sort of way. ;) As some of you may know already from posts such as this one, Aaron was initially inspired by The Bourne Legacy. If I had not gone to see the movie when it first came out, Aaron probably wouldn’t be part of the story, and I’m not even sure how that would have worked out since his character has a big part in bringing together certain characters and circumstances that were crucial to the plot of TKS. I should have known it would happen though, since he floated around in my head for days, insisting on being in the story before I even saw the movie and made my decision.

So, to see the movie yesterday was great fun. To see people I’ve cast as my own characters always gives me a boost of creativity and excitement for the characters. And I won’t give away any spoilers for anyone who hasn’t seen Age of Ultron yet, but Hawkeye’s storyline in this one was . . . *squeals* Yes, it was awesome and totally unexpected, which I was thrilled about. I love all the Avengers, but Hawkeye is up near the top of the list.

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And Aaron’s bow skills in Ilyon Chronicles may or may not have been partially inspired by Avengers. ;) Another thing about seeing the movie yesterday is that it was perfect timing. Aaron just so happens to have a rather big part in book five, which I’m currently writing. (There’s a bit of a sneak peek for ya.) Now I have all kinds of inspiration to go on as I write his storyline. So there you go, a little bit of Ilyon randomness for the day. What do you think? Do you like Jeremy Renner as Aaron? Or do you picture someone entirely different? After all, they say no two people read the same story. We all have very unique imaginations. That’s why I sometimes tell my mom that I wish I could read my stories without knowing anything about them, just so I could see what it would be like. ;)

Don’t forget to check out all the other posts from the Resistance Anniversary Celebration. I’ve got the whole schedule and special anniversary giveaway here.

Monday, May 4, 2015

Resistance Anniversary Celebration - Sneak Peek #1

Today I'm sharing the first sneak peek for the Resistance Anniversary Celebration. It's a small seen from Samara's Peril (Book 3) that is the beginning of an important storyline in the book.

* * *
 
via Pinterest
 
With the sun setting behind them, the riders approached Ashwood, Sir Rothas’s grand estate. According to Anne, it was part of Lady Rachel’s dowry. Acres of soon-to-be tilled farmland spread out around them, dotted with cottages and barns, but the center point of it all was the magnificent stone manor house. It was old and weathered with ivy weaving up the three stories to the roof, yet not rundown by any means. There was much beauty in it, as well as history and strength.

Following the rutted path that branched off the main road, they passed through a low, rock wall, the horses’ hooves clacking when they hit the stone courtyard. Here, they all reined to a halt. Jace’s gaze traveled up the height of the manor house, its many windows blazing in the red-orange sun.

His attention shifted again as a man exited the manor house and descended the steps to meet them. Dressed in a burgundy and black uniform with gold trimming, he carried himself with confidence and authority, no doubt a ranking member of Ashwood’s security. He had a strong, serious face, though pleasant, and his dark hair was tied back. His brown eyes came to each of them in turn.

Rayad, being the head of the group and expected to handle Anne’s affairs, nudged Aros forward. “Lady Anne, daughter of Sir John Wyland to see Sir Rothas Cantan.”

The guard’s eyes shifted to Anne. Jace glanced at her. She was already playing her part, projecting herself as the opulent daughter of a fellow knight. She said it would make Rothas less likely to suspect her or them of duplicity. Amazing how something as simple as posture could change her entire appearance. Just the way she perched in her saddle, chin at a slight angle, exuded superiority. It was almost amusing.

The guard nodded. “Please, come inside, my lady,” he invited, his deep voice surprisingly soft-spoken.

As they dismounted, he motioned to two young men who had come from the stables to tend the horses. Attention returning to Anne, he led them all into the manor house. Jace found his gaze drawn to the lovely furnishings, comparing it to Baron Grey’s castle in Landale. The castle had been too dark and stifling for him, but Ashwood clearly had a woman’s touch. Lady Rachel had filled it with warm, rich colors that made it seem homey and welcoming in spite of its intimidating size.

Copyright 2015 by Jaye L. Knight

Saturday, May 2, 2015

Resistance Anniversary Celebration–Character Q&A - Part 1

AnniversaryQ&A1I fly over a lush mountain meadow on a sapphire and black dragon and land near a river. Huge weeping willows grow along the bank, making it an ideal spot for a springtime picnic. I slide off my dragon and gather the supplies I brought with me. Stepping under one of the willows, I spread out a few blankets on the edge of the river and set out the baskets of food. I sit down to wait as my dragon suns herself nearby. I don’t have to wait long. Her happy trill alerts me to the approach of other dragons. One by one, several of them land nearby—some slate blue and white and others green and black. I smile as their riders dismount, and Jace, Kyrin, Kaden, Rayad, and Trask walk toward my picnic site.

“Welcome,” I tell them. “I hope you like the spot I picked.”

They look around and seem satisfied, but Kaden quirks his brow as he looks at me again. “I thought you said we wouldn’t have to do this again until your next book release.”

“Uh . . . well.” I give him a sheepish look. “That was before I realized I was going to have this month long anniversary celebration. It’s kind of a big deal, after all.” I feel the need to look over at Jace and say, “Sorry.”

He shrugs. “After last time, I’m starting to get used to it.”

“I don’t think it will be quite as difficult as last time,” I assure him. “But I do want to congratulate you all. Your story has been out in the world for one year now. I know it’s kind of overwhelming, for some of you at least, but you’ve gained a LOT of dedicated fans in that time. That’s partly why I’m doing this. You know how much they enjoyed our last sessions. “I gesture to the blankets. “Why don’t you sit down. There’s food to snack on. The Goodreads Girls sent along a bunch of desserts as consolation.”

Kaden grins at the prospect as they take seats on the blankets. He lifts the lid of one of the baskets to peek inside.

I give him a look. “Just make sure to save some for when the others show up later.”

He smirks and pulls out a cookie.

I take all the question cards from another basket and sit facing them. “As long as we’re talking about food, we’ll start off with some food questions. Jace—”

Kaden nudges Jace with his elbow. “Notice how she always starts with you?”

I shake my head. “What? He usually has the most questions. Now, as I was saying, Jace, what is your favorite food?”

“I like good, home cooked meals.” He glances at one of the baskets I packed especially for him. “But I think I’d have to choose shortbread cookies as my favorite.”

I nod. “And readers will soon know why that is once they get to read Half-Blood.” I switch my attention to Kaden. “Stargazer wants to know what you’re favorite dessert is.”

“I’m not sure I could choose . . .” His gaze goes to a basket again. “But I’m liking the look of that ice cream.”

“The mint chocolate chip with crumbled shortbread on top?”

“Yeah, who gave us that?”

“Amanda did. She says she’s sorry for all her questions and loves you all.”

Kaden grins again. “I’ll answer her questions for the ice cream.”

I laugh. “Of course you will.” I flip to my next card. “Rayad, I don’t believe you were part of our last Q&A sessions.”

He shakes his head. “No, I wasn’t.”

“Well, there are a couple of questions for you this time. Merenwen wants to know what made you want to follow Elôm?”

“That would be my parents.” A reminiscent smile comes to his face. “They were strong believers and raised me well. My father was particularly influential. I respected him a great deal.”

“Is there anything that makes you doubt Elôm?”

Rayad looks thoughtful. “I had some moments of doubt when I was younger. Most people probably do, but I’ve experienced so much over the years that I’m completely assured of His plans.”

I nod. “One of the benefits of age.” I look down at the cards. “So, Trask, Stargazer wants you to pick your favorite mode of transportation: horse, dragon, or pickup truck?”

He laughs. “You can’t really compare a dragon to a pickup truck. I’ve always loved horses, but it’s pretty hard to be traveling with a dragon, so I’d have to go with dragons.”

“Yeah, that is a tough choice. I love both too. Speaking of animals,” I look at Jace, “Stargazer wants to know if you ever wanted a saber-toothed tiger as a pet? Actually, what none of my readers know yet is that wildcats in Ilyon are very similar to saber-toothed tigers, so this question isn’t implausible within the realm of the story.”

Jace thinks for a moment. “I haven’t considered having one as a pet, but I wouldn’t be opposed, depending on the situation.”

“Kendra wants to know if you ever adopted any other pets besides Gem and Tyra.”

“When I was younger, I had a jay named Strune. I guess you could say he was a pet.” Jace pauses. “But I can’t say much more than that since it would give too much away.”

“Readers will have to wait until Half-Blood comes out to learn more.” I switch my attention to Kyrin now. “I’ve got a question for you from Amanda. Do you like living in the woods, or would you rather live somewhere else, providing it was completely safe, with your friends and family?”

“I love living in the woods, or at least very near it. I’ve gotten my fill of the city after living so long in Valcré. Besides, living in the woods reminds me of my childhood. Kaden, Marcus, Liam, and I used to play in the woods near our house all the time.”

“I love living near the woods too,” I agree. “I also had spectacular adventures out there with my brothers. Here’s another question from Amanda. Do you consider yourself an introvert, extrovert, or somewhere in the middle, like she is?”

“I’m definitely more introverted, but I’m used to being around a lot of people after living in Tarvin Hall. Still, I prefer more one on one interaction than large groups. Kaden’s better at that than I am.”

“That’s a lot like me and my middle brother, although I’m still a bit more introverted even than you.” The sound of wings draws my attention. I smile. “Looks like some of the others have arrived.”

To be continued…

Friday, May 1, 2015

Let the Celebration Begin!

AnniversaryBanner

It seems I’ve been doing nothing but planning this for months (actually, it’s only been about a month), but the Resistance Anniversary Celebration has officially begun! I feel like this little clip of Rhino from Bolt is much too appropriate not to include.

I can’t wait to share all the fun activities that are scheduled, and I thank all who are celebrating this exciting time with me. I published several other books in my early years of writing, but none of them have been nearly as exciting as Resistance, and the fact that it has only now been out for a year means there is sure to be much more excitement to come.

Before I get to the schedule for the month, I do have an exciting announcement to share concerning Resistance. Back in March, I announced on Facebook that I was going to pursue an audiobook version of Resistance, so I uploaded it to ACX (Amazon’s audiobook creation service). I waited and WAITED to see if I’d get any auditions for it. Well, finally I did, but I just couldn’t quite find that perfect narrator. I mean, Jace is the heart of these stories. I needed to be happy with how he was portrayed, right? Originally I wanted to male narrator but, in the last week or so, with a lot of prayer, I came to realize that perhaps that was what wasn’t working for me. Perhaps trying to find a male narrator for Jace’s voice was just impossible because I’d never find anyone who fit him perfectly. That’s when I started thinking that, maybe, a female narrator would be more “neutral.” Long story short, I contacted a female narrator, got her audition, and my mom and I both really liked it. Now I can tell you today that I’ve hired an author many of you may know, Miss J. Grace Pennington, as the narrator for Resistance! I’m very excited to be working with someone I “know.” This is a completely new adventure for me, being my first audiobook. I can’t wait to share more in the coming months.

Now, on to the celebration! Below you’ll find the schedule of all the coming activities. It may shift a little as the month goes, but this will give you an idea of what’s to come. And make sure you enter the giveaway at the end! I’m giving away several different prizes!

Friday, May 1

  • Celebration Begins! Yay! ;)

Saturday, May 2

  • Character Q&A

Monday, May 4

Wednesday, May 6

  • Random Facts

Thursday, May 7

  • How I Discovered Ilyon post by Amanda

Friday, May 8

  • How I Discovered Ilyon post by Emily
  • How I Discovered Ilyon post by Sierra

Saturday, May 9

  • Character Q&A

Monday, May 11

  • Sneak Peek

Wednesday, May 13

  • Random Facts

Friday, May 15

Saturday, May 16

  • Character Q&A
  • How I Discovered Ilyon post by Anna

Monday, May 18

  • Sneak Peek

Wednesday, May 20

  • Anniversary Day

Friday, May 22

  • Half-Blood Cover Reveal

Saturday, May 23

  • Character Q&A

Monday, May 25

  • Sneak Peek

Wednesday, May 27

  • How I Discovered Ilyon post by Katie
  • Random Facts

Thursday, May 28

Saturday, May 30

  • Character Q&A
  • Photo Contest Winner Announced
  • Giveaway Winners Announced

Monday, June 1

  • Fan Art Voting Begins

Wednesday June 10

  • Fan Art Winners Announced

And now, last but not least, the giveaway! (Giveaway is open to US residents only. Cannot be shipped internationally.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway