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March 17 - 23, 2014

Mimgardr

(Oblivion's Gate: Book 1)
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What Do You See?

It's time to stimulate your mind and have a little fun. We're going to release that writer inside you and let it break away for a minute. Put aside thoughts of your college papers, financial reports, writing projects, all of that. Just relax and let's write for a minute.

Here's the challenge:

Close your eyes (after you finish reading these instructions, of course) and imagine one of your favorite animals. Imagine everything about them. Then click on the comments section below and describe it in a few sentences. Don't tell us which animal it is until the end of the paragraph, and describe it the most captivating way you can. Let your eyes and imagination describe what they see; give us those words. Have fun with it. Be passionate about it.

I can't wait to read what you see.

Get Mimgardr for $0.99!

Mark your calendars and tell your friends!

March 17 - 23, 2014

Mimgardr

(Oblivion's Gate: Book 1)
Kindle Edition

$0.99 USD

Don't miss out!

Why I Love the Thorns Just As Much As the Roses

Everybody has heard the age-old cliche: every rose has its thorns. Many wise people have even thrown in their two bits (aka 25 cents) to say, "Don't be mad that roses have thorns; be grateful that thorns have roses." To me, these rose-colored glasses comments are annoying because neither the roses or the thorns really has the other; it is the rose bush that has both. The blossoms and the thorns are pieces of something greater than themselves, equally important contributors to a whole bush's survival.

There are thousands of lessons to be learned from the relationship between a plant's thorns and its blossoms, of which a rose is. One is defensive, the other is reproductive, both are beautiful. Everyone loves the scent of roses and wants to take that sweet smell with them, but without the presence of the rose the bush cannot seed nor can it grow as well. This is where the thorns come in.

You can't walk up to a rose bush and simply tear the blossom off with your bare hands. Why? Thorns. They hurt. Now think about this, if something walked up to you and wanted to tear off your reproductive organs so that they could carry their unique smell away with them, you'd probably be a little prickly about it too. (Its a disturbing image to imagine, I know, but that's exactly what we do to the rose bush.) The rosebush's thorns protect the otherwise defenseless plant and make us much more hesitant to reach in and steal its most precious parts.

Thorns teach us to respect something that we would otherwise exhaust without thought of consequence. You have to treat a bush tenderly if you ever hope to gain the blossom as your well-scented prize and comely decoration. The same is true of many other plants. Thorns teach us that every living thing has a right to defend itself, its place in the world, and its right to reproduce.

I think there are many good lessons we humans should take a reminder of from the world around us, particularly those of us in the "first world" nations. I hate being pricked by a strong thorn, but I respect the fact that even roses deserve to defend their lives and, in a way, their children the same as you and I do.

What do you think? What lessons have you learned from the world around you? Comment below.

New Arrival!

I wrote previously that I had two projects going on. The first was cataloging a library and the second was setting up a terrarium. I later reported that the library project was finished, and now I am pleased to announced that the new terrarium is not only set up but is also inhabited.

As of yesterday morning, I am now the happy owner of a beautiful female pastel ball python. She's only an infant, weighing in at 100g even (that's about 3.53 oz), but her coloration is beautiful and she's settling into her new home well.

I'll probably share the pics later via my facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/officialauthor.SRFord

Here's a couple quick shots. They really mute the colors with yellow, but they'll do for now.

Got any good name suggestions?

Comment below.

Scared People and their True Identities

Why is it that scaring people is so much fun? Most people love to scare and be scared, but why? In my personal opinion, it's because when you really scare someone, when you startle them right down to the core, you get to see them for who they really are.

As illustrated by the lyrics of Billy Joel's "The Stranger", "Well we all have a face that we hide away forever and we take them out and show ourselves when everyone has gone." UNTIL... of course, someone drags out that true self against our will. And that is the liberating miracle of a good scare.

It all starts with the hair standing up, the eyes bugging out, the screaming, the jumping, and then off comes the mask and the real person is revealed before they have time to recover. Some people reveal that they are vengefully aggressive, some are completely timid and deeply scarred, some are hiding very dark secrets, and some just love to be surprised by life.

Each person in this world is so different, and the experiences we face shape and mold us. Some things we let go of very easily, yet others dig deep down into our cores and become part of who we are. For example, due to things that happened while I was a kid, I really don't like large dog barking, nor forests at night. I get very skittish around them.

In addition, we bottle up so many emotions for so long, usually, that it becomes detrimental to our health. I believe scaring relieves that deeply held tension, freeing a person's spirit a bit and letting out their true feelings and opinions with no prolonged attachments to follow.

I know there are people out there who hate to be scared, and I think that's because they are either incredibly ashamed of who they really are or simply think it will destroy their "ultra-tough" image. Something along those lines. They don't want anyone to know that they are vulnerable.

What do you think? Why do you think scaring is so infectious and receives so varied reactions? Do you like being scared? What scares you?

The Twins' Mother

This last week I was talking with a reader about Kimira and Raeleen and answering some questions about their upcoming roles in the Kingdom Chronicles series. Then suddenly my new friend changed topics on me and blurted, "Was Kalea's companion white?"

I was surprised by the question and didn't have a chance to regain my conversational footing before my friend expounded with, "According to genetics, it would take a black dragon (Damos) and a white dragon to produce a black and a white offspring. So was Kalea's companion white?"

Now this person is thinking intelligently! However, I answered that the well thought out assumption was in fact incorrect. Kalea's companion was not white, and would be introduced later in the story along with other dragons. I then explained that the twinship of Brazor and Rokai goes much deeper than simply the dual fertilization of a single egg and basic genetic rules. Rokai and Brazor, like their companions Zarrys and Fallon, bear specific markings and traits that pertain to signs and powers, including physical traits that have been buried in their bloodlines for generations.

It was an excellent thought, and I am loving the fact that I have readers who are digging into the back stories in hopes of finding little golden nuggets. As I've said before, I'm one for complex characters, characters who each deserve a series of their own. I'm also a fan of telling things in their own due time and not rushing into too much revelation. These books have barely scratched the surface of Brazor and Rokai's story, and the same is true of Raeleen, Kimira, Namine and Kirah as well.

The coming books will bring to light much of the individual characters' back stories and personal developments. The story isn't over yet, and I hope you'll be there with me till the very end.