Hi, everyone!
Welcome to another edition of Spotlight Saturday at Darlene's Book Nook, where we feature authors and their books!
We will be joined today by R.T. Kaelin.
About R.T.:
R.T. Kaelin is a loving husband, father of two, and a lifelong resident of Ohio. While writing for a local Columbus gaming group, some suggested he try his hand at writing something a bit more ambitious. He foolishly committed to the undertaking and wrote, Progeny, the first volume in The Children of the White Lions series. The book has garnered critical acclaim while his writing style has drawn numerous comparisons to the giants of the genre. He has also published the Terrene Chronicles, a series of twelve short prequel stories that take place prior to the events within Progeny. Volume II in the series, Prophecy, will be available September 25th, 2012.
Welcome to Darlene's Book Nook, R.T.!
R.T. has written a guest post, so I will now turn the floor over to him!
Look Before You Leapby R.T. Kaelin
A common thing I hear from people taking a crack at writing their first book is how difficult it is to finish it. In fact, at just about every convention I attend, there will be at least one panel focused solely on this problem. I spoke with a guy at Origins who had been working on the same book for fourteen years. Fourteen years ago, Windows 98 was new.
Now, personally, I do not have a problem finishing a novel. So far. Perhaps I have jinxed myself by saying that, but…ah, well, I will cross that bridge when I come to it.
Most writers start out working on their book project in spare time, when they are not at their job or taking care of their family. You know, life. But assuming one carves out time to write, unfinished manuscripts still can languish.
People’s reasons for not being able to ‘The End’ are varied, but I have seen a common theme to most of their difficulties. See if you can glean what it is from some of the most frequent comments I hear:
“I just don’t know where to go next.”
“I can’t figure out what to do with this one character.”
“I don’t know how it ends.”
See it?
It’s a simple lack of direction.
When you sit down at the keyboard, you need purpose. You need to know where you are going with a scene, character, and plot. You can stray from your plan—I do it often—but you need to start with a destination in mind. You do not get in your car, turn the ignition, and start driving without a place to go, do you? No. If you are out of milk, you get in the car with the intent of driving to the grocery store. Your route might vary due to traffic, an accident, or a craving for an ice cream cone, but you still end up at the grocery store.
Writing is no different. You need a goal, a point, a destination.
As important as this point is in writing a single, standalone novel, it is infinitely more so when it comes to writing a series. Nothing is more frustrating to a reader when, two books into a trilogy, you stop and say, “Okay, the author is just making this up as he/she goes along.” If the author did not take the time to plan things out, why should you invest your time in following a meandering tale?
When I made the commitment to write The Children of the White Lions series, I knew that I had to have an ultimate destination from the get go. Before starting to write book one, I had to know how book five ended.
Has everything turned out exactly as I had planned? Of course not. One character wrote himself into a larger role because he was fun to write. Some characters’ personalities were not what I laid out. A couple plot points have changed, but I still know that by the time I get to the end, everything will be pointed to the same, singular goal that I have had in mind from the beginning.
Have a destination. And enjoy the journey.
Thanks so much for joining us today, R.T.!
Three lucky winners will win bundles of both Progeny (Books #1) and Prophecy (Book #2) of R.T.'s epic fantasy series, The Children of the White Lions!!
The Grand Prize will be signed copies of both Progeny and Prophecy to a Canada/US winner!
There will also be two runner-up prizes, and each winner will win a Kindle set of both Progeny and Prophecy! This prize will be open worldwide to anyone who can receive a Kindle gift!
Nikalys and his sister Kenders grew up living a peaceful life in the quiet farming village of Yellow Mud... until the blistering hot day when they go to the nearby lake for a swim. When they reach the lake, they spy an unknown mage conjure a massive water creature hundreds of feet tall. They watch in horror as the water creature plunges toward their home, apparently drowning all in its path, including their parents and older brother, Jak.
As the only survivors, brother and sister strike out on their own, hoping to discover the reason their home and family was destroyed. They must make their way through a countryside where magic is outlawed, punishable by imprisonment or even death while struggling with the revelation that Kenders has magical abilities herself.
Although Kenders can feel and touch the many-colored "strands" of magic she has no idea how to use them until she and Nikalys are attacked by a pack of wolves and Kenders instinctively summons a bolt of lightning, immediately collapsing when the effort drains her of all her energy. From nowhere a giant lynx appears and saves the pair from certain death and then miraculously morphs into his natural self, a seven-foot-tall man. The shape changer's name is Broedi and when the time is right, he reveals to the siblings that he is one of the original White Lions and he recites to them an ancient prophecy that tells of the coming of a new and even more terrible war than the one centuries ago. The evil Gods of Chaos, Strife, and Sorrow and Pain would combine efforts to unite the orcs, gnolls and razorfiends --- normally sworn enemies. The forces of good would be led by two children of other White Lions; those children are Nikalys and Kenders, the Progeny.
As brother and sister struggle with the revelation that the only parents they could remember were not their birth parents, some of the Gods and Goddesses were busy setting other events in motion. Others people - strangers at first - would gather and become allies of the Progeny. Together, they were about to be caught up in the greatest conflict the world had ever seen. Ancient, powerful forces still seek the Progeny on their travels, some intent to eliminate the threat they pose, some hoping to help them fulfill a destiny of which they are unaware. Myths and legends come to life, whisking the pair along a journey they never could have imagined possible.
The God of Chaos is marching. The Borderlands is nearly overrun, shredded by his army. In a dusty village, ninety-four residents led by two soldiers make a last stand. During the assault, one of the enemy isolates Rhohn Lurus, a Dust Man. Yet rather than kill him, the monster gives him a cryptic message and begs he carry it east, claiming it could halt the war.
At Storm Island, Nikalys, Kenders, and Jak are adjusting to their new lives as leader, mage, and soldier. In the nation’s capital, nobles spar, some conspiring with the enemy while others ally together to halt Chaos’ advance. New friends will be made, old rivals rediscovered, and secrets revealed.
The stage is set. War is here. And the Progeny must stop it.
To enter the giveaway, you must complete the Rafflecopter entry form below.
This giveaway is open worldwide (the Grand Prize is available to shipping addresses within Canada/US only). The contest will close at 12:01 AM EST on September 29, 2012.
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