Sunday Excerpt, "Crucible"

Mandrean stomped down the stairs of the tower with soldiers rapidly moving out of his way in order to avoid his wrath. In spite of their efforts, several were violently cast aside as his anger swelled. When he reached the ground floor he saw Acreas leaning on a staff and speaking with the Commander of the Imperial Guard.

Mandrean addressed Acreas in a firm tone. “You called out where Grithinshield was heading.”

“Yes, My Lord,” Acreas responded in hopes of praise.

“So you saw him?” asked Mandrean.

“I did indeed My Lord. He was carrying Princess Mirianna over his shoulder and climbing the stairs.”

“Were you armed?” Mandrean asked harshly.

Acreas began to realize the direction the conversation was heading. He chose his words carefully. “I was armed, and we clashed. Amidst the fighting, I fell and he escaped.”

“Everyone else around here is incompetent,” Mandrean barked. “I should not be surprised you have joined their ranks. Did you at least put up a good fight?”

“While my effort was there, my execution was lacking,” Acreas answered in a humble voice.

“In other words he beat you with ease,” Mandrean scoffed.

“No more ease than he dispatched anyone else in this palace, My Lord. Next time will be different.”

“How so?” demanded Mandrean. “Do you intend to let him kill you next time? He was clearly in too much of a rush to finish you today.”

“I underestimated him,” Acreas answered in an ever-firming voice. “That will not happen again.”

Mandrean was angry with the boy he knew to be his son. Even so, he could not bring himself to be overly critical of Acreas when he, himself, was nearly killed by Linvin. “You tried, Boy. Have my physician tend to your wounds.” Mandrean then turned and left the tower.

Acreas slumped against a wall to relieve pressure on his injury. He hung his head in shame as he reflected on Linvin’s effortless victory. One of Lord Mandrean’s physicians came over and addressed the brooding young man. “Master Acreas, your ankle is swelling. I must examine you at once.” Then he called to another in the room. “Attendant. Master Acreas has a large cut above the eye. Come stitch him closed while I look at his ankle.”

As the attendant came near, Acreas shoved him aside. “No stitches,” he commanded. “Just bandage the wound.”

The physician was shocked. “Young Master Acreas, if the wound is not sewn there will be a large scar when it heals.”

“I am aware of the repercussions, Doctor. This was a day I was humiliated. Every day I look in the mirror I want to remember this feeling and the one I must repay in kind. In the future, you will call me Acreas only. No longer will ‘Master’ or ‘Young’ be used before my name. I will be addressed as an equal or not at all. Do you understand, Doctor?”

“You can call yourself Lord Mandrean for all I care,” the doctor flippantly replied. “I am just here to see to your ankle. It looks severe. This injury will heal but it will take time.”

Acreas slid to the floor in order to allow the doctor better access to his injury. He looked at the ceiling in wonder and said. “I understand. If I must wait for your prediction to come to fruition, then that is what I shall do.”

 

Saturday Excerpt, "Quest"

“Are you referring to the Land of the Gnomes?” Anvar inquired.

Newminor showed great offence.  “Just because it is not a sovereign nation, does not mean it is without a name,” he scolded.  “My homeland is called Letheria.  It lies deep in the heart of the Endless Mountain Range.  Hidden behind all the rock and snow is a magnificent high alpine meadow.  In its center lies Leaking Lake; a shallow pond which is free of ice only a few months of the year.  There my people have lived a hard life inthe intemperate climate.  The summer is too short and the soil too poor to grow crops.  Every spring, wild herds of all types gather to graze and mate while the water is unfrozen.  My people would have a great annual hunt for bucks.  Their meat would sustain us through the long winter.  The short-lived season would end with a great festival to celebrate the success of the hunt.  Great barrels of Racik would be aged from the previous year and brought to the festival.  When the barrels were dry, the grasses and roots from the meadow would be gathered to brew the spirits for the next year’s festivities.”

“Being so exposed to the elements, how do your people manage to survive the winter?” Linvin asked.

“The problem with a place like Letheria,” Newminor noted, “is that no amount of seclusion can keep you hidden from your neighbors forever.  With the Goblin Nations on one side of the mountains and the Mandrean Empire on the other, it was not uncommon for raiding parties from either side to descend upon the meadow.  Though we are a proud people, our numbers and resources have never been great.  Combine with that the fact that there was little wood to be found, and we chose to build our society completely underground.   Goblins and men would stumble across the land, never knowing that beneath their feet lay our city.  There, the bite of winter’s chill had no teeth.  My people were safe and could surface when the invaders had left.”

“How is it that no one ever found the entrances to the city?” Rander asked.

“Only a gnome can see the doorways,” Newminor explained.  “Living underground for so many generations, we developed much more refined sight than surface-dwellers.  We can see what you cannot.  We even see in total darkness.  Since the first tunnel was dug, only gnomes have entered Letheria.

“Yet you have left Letheria, come through the Mandrean Empire and into the Unclaimed Territory,” Linvin commented.  “What drove you to do so?”

Newminor finished his drink and poured another.  “When you grow from a child in total darkness, save for a few months here and there, it becomes a strain.  I want more from life than living in a hole and hiding like a rabbit.  There is a whole world of opportunities and I want my share.  In fact, I want many people’s share.  When old age has robbed me of my strength, I want to remember that I lived my life on my terms.  No person will tell me what to do or where to go.  My destiny is in my own two hands,and I would rather die than relinquish that truth.”

Hard Drive Gives Hard Time

I am almost done with the first set of edits for Book 3, “Mandrean Revenge” and have just been sent the final edit of “The Sapphire Crucible” to go over one more time before it is released in its second edition.  So I have a lot of work ahead of me.  But what do I find myself working on for the last 3 hours?  The computer!  Specifically I was working on my external hard drive I use to back up my data in case of the unthinkable.  It backs up the data again and again but doesn’t write over the old data.  Instead it writes on the disk again and again until it is full.  Now I have a full external hard drive.  If I had to restore my computer, it would totally fill the memory.  So I read the manual.  All it said was how to hook it up.  Then I went on line and found their help page.  It gave me some numbers to call so I called.  After being transferred around because they only seem interested in computer problems, I finally reached a tech who told me the unit was working fine and the problem was in the settings on my computer.  He gave me a number for the computer manufacturer and I called them.  After being transferred around again the representative for the computer company told me the computer had nothing to do with it and that I should format the hard drive and then just save items manually to it.  That sounded pretty radical so I called back the hard drive manufacturer and told them there was no problem with the computer.  The best they could suggest was to format the drive and reload the software.  Being the sceptic that I am, I checked out the site before doing anything and found all it showed was the same user’s manual I already have and there was no software to download.  So I am here after hours and hours with the same problem I had before.  My only consolation is that I didn’t make the problem worse by erasing everything first.  I’ve thought about diving back in but I’ve had enough for today and I have too much work to do.  On the other hand, I’ve wasted a good part of my day on this and have nothing to show for it.  I have a hard time just walking away from such an epic failure.  These help desks sure don’t help very much. 

Graduation Day

Well my daughter’s graduation has come and gone and here is the story.  We were nearly late but managed to get her to the arena (nearly 600 graduated in her class alone and 2 more local schools had their ceremonies right after hers).  I still object to paying $8 to park at my daughter’s graduation but it is what it is.  The stadium seating was packed along the sides and we ended up sitting pretty high.  As a result I could not tell which person was my daughter.  It was a sea of caps and gowns.  The family member with the camera kept pointing to her but I had no idea where she was pointing.  So I just played along.  It took a little bit to get to our letter of the alphabet as the students were seated alphabetically.  When my daughter’s row stood up, though, I spotted her right away.  She had a dress on under her gown but she was wearing her tennis shoes.  Everyone else had dress shoes on but not my daughter.  She even told the school, “I don’t care about the rule.  I’m not even wearing heels when I get married…Well, maybe I will then.  It depends how cool the shoes are.”  Now that’s my daughter!  I could see those shoes from way up in the stands.  Then there was her walk.  She didn’t walk tall and gracefully like a runway model.  She walked like her skateboard was under her arm.  While the girls in heels had to watch their step getting on and off the platform, my daughter hopped the steps like it was a rehearsal (which she slept through instead of going)  My daughter shook hands like she just met a new kid in the neighborhood and held up her diploma like Rocky with his belt.  After the ceremony we met up and the first question she asked was, “They can’t take this diploma back now, right?”  I assured her they couldn’t.  It was only then that I realized she graduated with honors.  So much for keeping track of the little things.  We went to dinner at a restaurant we frequented.  My wife’s side of the family was there and so was mine.  Everyone got along fine and then we went home for presents and cake.  When I brought out the printer and laptop for my daughter she started to cry because she was so happy.  She’s having an open house next month at my father-in law’s house.  As for the cake, my wife said we only needed a quarter sheet but I insisted we needed a half sheet in case her friends came over.  I put my foot down and just ordered it.  Well my daughter asked if she could have one of her girlfriends over for cake and I agreed.  That one girl brought 13 boys!  So much for my daughter saying she had no friends.  You would think that I would be alarmed by all the boys but they were all respectful.  That’s pretty rare these days.  They all went out for a while and that was the night.  So overall, it was a good day and I was so proud. 

Sunday Excerpt, "Crucible"

“Your family has a very strange dynamic,” Miri said as she added to her green pile.

Bander was jumping to reach higher branches with his axe and answered, “How so?”

“Well,” Miri began. “Take the relationships. Linvin and Anvar are close. Anvar, Rander and you are close. You seem to be getting closer to Linvin but you seem to have some bad blood from the past. Rander and Linvin simply do not get along at all. Has it always been this way?”

“Near as I can remember,” Bander answered casually. “Ever since I can recollect me and Rander have hated Linvin. Whenever we done got put together we always ended up in fights. Yep. Shed a lot of blood scrapping with each other. Lost some teeth too.”

Miri was horrified. “Whatever were you fighting about?”

“Actually, I don’t rightly know. We just hated him. Come to think of it, he didn’t start most of the fights but he sure did lay a good whooping on us. “

“Why did you hate him?” Miri pressed.

Bander stopped working and thought for a long while. His puzzled expression finally changed and he answered succinctly, “Because Rander said we hated him.”

“That is not reason,” Miri protested. “There must surely have been more to it than that.”

Bander simply shrugged his shoulders and said, “Rander’s the smart one in the family. If he said ‘we hate him and we’re going to put a beating on him’, then he must know what he was talking about.

Miri walked over to Bander and said softly but firmly, “I mean no disrespect to your brother but in the short time I have known Rander he has never seemed to know what he was talking about. In fact, every judgment he has made since our escape has been completely wrong.

“I see the changes taking place with you. Deep down you know I am right. That is the reason you follow Linvin’s orders. You know your brother is wrong and Linvin is correct. Don’t you?”

Bander became flustered and walked back and forth in a very small area so it had the effect of him doing little more than turning in circles. “You don’t understand,” he said in frustration. “Greenliths don’t like Grithinshields. Mom said so and Rander said so. That’s two big people saying ‘So’. Dad died in the war and I don’t remember him having anything good to say about Grithinshields. He called them ‘greedy humans’ and ‘members of a diseased race’. They really didn’t like how Linvin’s family was all rich and we were all…not.

“All the Greenliths were real mean to Aunt Jelena too. Ever since she married Uncle Dirk, Mom said she didn’t like her no more and we weren’t going to either. Only Uncle Anvar was nice to Linvin and his folks. Mom 303

 

would get real mad at him but he somehow had sort of like these ways of making everybody get along. Well, maybe we didn’t get along but he broke up a lot of fights.”

Miri sat down as the pieces of the puzzle came into place for her. Then she smiled and said, “Sit by me for a moment.” Miri was a difficult person to refuse. Bander sat down next to her like a schoolboy by his teacher. “You have given me reasons why your family dislikes Linvin. If I understand correctly, the Greenliths simply do not like Humans. By marrying your uncle your Aunt Jelena was ostracized from the family. They thought she was a traitor. When Linvin’s family became wealthy the resentment grew. Does that sound right?”

Bander nodded forcefully. “Yep. That sounds about right. You got a real nice way of making sense of things. It’s nice and short. Makes it easy to understand.”

“Thank you,” Miri said graciously. “What bothers me the most, however, is you have not given me one reason why you dislike Linvin so. All you have said is that Rander told you to hate him. We have just established Rander does not know what he is talking about.

“I have watched you and you are not the fool of which you play the part. You are perfectly capable of making your own decisions. So I put it to you alone. Do you really hate Linvin?”

“Well, he seems pretty nice,” Bander answered quickly.

“Do you trust him?”

“He’s saved our lives a whole bunch of times and he always thinks of what is best for the group. So yah, I suppose I do trust him.”

“Did you promise to follow him?”

“Sure did,” Bander nodded. “Me and Rander promised although I think Rander just wanted the money Linvin offered for coming along.”

“Did you just come because Rander said to do so?”

“That and Linvin said he needed our help. So I figured ‘if he’s asking for our help after all the bad blood, he must really need it. I best be going with him’.”

Miri smiled and returned to her work. “You have a good heart, Bander. Be mindful of your brother. If you really think over your lives together I would bet he made sure he was always the one who came out on top while you bore the brunt of the work. He is not to blame either. You have been taught from birth how to behave and to despise your cousin. You are a man now who can decide for himself.

Saturday Excerpt, "Quest"

“Newminor,” Linvin repeated.  “That is a fine name.  Is there a last name to go with it?”

“Newminor is sufficient,” the gnome responded.  “There is only one of me in the world, so I need only one name.  If the concept is too strenuous for your mind, you can think of me as Newminor the Gnome.”

“So Newminor it shall be,” Linvin asserted.  “I believe I have heard all I need to hear, though you certainly have not said all you have to say.  With the twilight upon us, we were planning to make camp.  Would you care to join us for supper? 

You could regale us with your explanation of the exercise to which we have borne witness.”

“I would be delighted,” Newminor answered.  He turned and walked over to his small pony near a great boulder and began to rifle through his saddlebags.

The twins approached Linvin and angrily gestured to their new associate.  Linvin turned his head and again held out his hand.  “Set up camp, boys,” he ordered.  With heated discontent, they obeyed their leader while keeping a close watch of Newminor.

As the tents were unpacked, Newminor joined them with a brown jug, capped by a loosely-affixed cork.  He rolled out a blanket that he had carried over his shoulder and sat cross-legged on the ground.  Removing his shirt and vest revealed the extent of his beating.  His sides were badly bruised and covered in blood.  Using several rags as dressings, he tended his wounds.  His skill with the bandages revealed extensive past experience in the practice.

“Why do they always kick at the ribs?” he questioned as he wound the cloths around his body.  “They could hit me anywhere else, but no, they always kick me in the ribs.  Gutless cowards!  Afraid of a little gnome.”

Anvar had already set the fire before his return in order to avoid questions.  Numerous stray sticks were found among the rocks.  The wind had most likely blown them across the prairie to their resting place.  Anvar then turned his attention to unpacking food for dinner.  The twins finished setting the tents and sat across from Newminor with the fire between them.

Linvin sat beside Newminor with such proximity that their knees nearly touched.  “So, Mr. Newminor,” Linvin began.  “Why were those men attacking you?”

Newminor pulled the cork from the bottle and produced a small shot-glass from his vest.  He poured a drink and then handed the bottle to Linvin.  “Me, I’m riding along, not harming a blade of grass.  Innocent as a newborn calf am I, when along come these three humans.  We get to riding for a spell and I suddenly realized that these gents had no sense of humor at all.  They seemed to take offence at the slightest comment.”

“I cannot imagine,” Linvin mused as he poured a cup from the jug and passed it to Anvar.  “They found your comments insulting?”

Newminor sipped his drink.  “Hard to believe, I know, but they let their tempers get the better of them and started the fracas.”

“And what of the label of thief they bestowed upon you?” Rander eagerly questioned.

“I have been called much worse,” Newminor noted.  “Try the drink, but sip slowly.  To drink too quickly might cause it to bounce.”

Everyone had filled a glass by that point and drank cautiously.  The liquor was a harsh blend, never before tasted by the group.  Its potency was stronger than any Linvin had tried and made the lumberjack beverage resemble water.  The taste was initially a bitter rye whiskey, which finished with a hint of mint.

Linvin’s throat burned as he swallowed the drink.  “That’s quite a tonic you have there.  What is it?”

Making the Purchase

As I told you last week, I planned to buy a laptop for my daughter for her high school graduation present.  Being who I am I have been researching all the models that fit my criteria at my local store.  The problem I ran into was that not all the details of each model were listed on line.  Some would say they have a DVD and CD burner while another would just say that it has a DVD burner.  I haven’t heard of having one without the other but then again, it doesn’t say it has the feature.  Maybe they make ones without CD burners and I just don’t know it.  I am going under the assumption that if it doesn’t list it as a feature, it is not on it.  Some said they had Bluetooth (again, what for?) and others don’t.  I don’t want to get to the store and have a salesman tell me a laptop has all these things and then come to find out it doesn’t.  Then certain ones promote specific graphic cards which I suppose are better while others don’t.  Some say they have cameras while others don’t mention it.  Don’t they all have cameras now?  I can’t assume that.  Were they the old batteries that ran down fast or the newer lithium-ion batteries?  Some said it and some didn’t.  I tried my method of listing them out on a piece of paper but it didn’t work.  They each listed different components they were bragging about which I assume were unique to their brand.  It was impossible to compare.  My frustration was at its peak.  I had spent hours each night trying to narrow down my choices and was back where I was a week ago.  Yesterday I took my wife and went into the store.  I asked to see the manager and told him what I wanted, my situation, and that I needed a salesman who knew what they were talking about.  I asked what gets returned the most.  He pointed them out and I took them off my list.  Then I started grilling the salesman.  It turns out; all of them do have cameras.  The graphics cards are virtually the same in each of the units.  They each have DVD/CD burners.  The processors are the same.  The batteries are all lithium-ion.  The screens are the same size.  They each had Bluetooth.  I narrowed in on one that was on the safe list when my wife said, “This one over here is red and has a red backlight for the keyboard.  That’s cool.  Then she can type when it’s dark.  We should get this one.”  There was just one problem.  It was one of the models the manager said was returned a lot.  So I asked the salivating salesman about the quality of the unit.  He said they sell so many of them that of course a few are going to be returned based on the sheer volume.  It’s just a percentage.  Overall he said it’s a good unit.  Then why did his boss tell me to stay away from it?  I reasoned with my wife but she agreed with the salesman and we were buying the warranty on it anyway.  I asked her 3 times and every time she voted for the red one.  I caved.  So now I am hoping I am in the percentage of happy customers who have bought this laptop.  It’s funny when you think about it.  After all my planning and hours reading reviews, the decision came down to a backlight and the color red.  I think I try too hard.

Building a Fence

My wife has wanted a fence for a long time in our back yard.  We have a grand-daughter who is over quite a lot and she brings her dog along.  The neighbors’ children also have a habit of running through our yard and it’s quite annoying.  After debating this for 3 years and doing some saving we have finally decided to put up a 6 foot privacy fence.  We are having plastic fencing put up because my health restricts me from bending and painting that wood requires on occasion.  Being the king of research, I solicited bids from 4 companies.  Then I chose one and sent the proposal to our HOA for approval.  After they signed off I gave the company a deposit and waited.  And waited.  And waited.  It has been over a month that they have had my money and there is no sign of them coming.  When I call them I am told there has been too much rain to dig fence post holes.  As of today they say it will be at least another 2 weeks.  I understand delays but this is ridiculous.  I talked to our neighbor who had his fence put in at Christmas time and he said that it was originally planned for fall but there was too much rain.  He had to wait months.  Let’s hope I don’t have that problem.  Where’s all this rain coming from?  This is Nebraska, not Seattle.  In the meantime, I can’t help but worry that they will drill through my underground sprinklers, or cable wires (they aren’t marked by the city), or build over the property line.  It seems like a lot of hassle and expense for such a simple thing.  It’s a good thing I have writing to work on to distract me during this time.  Even so, every week the frustration mounts.

Sunday Excerpt, "Crucible"

Rander approached Linvin, who was searching through shelves of medical supplies. “Where’s Miri?” the leader asked as he read the names on the jars.

“She is coming Linvin. At the moment she is…well…brushing her hair.”

Linvin stopped moving and turned to face his cousin. “She is what?” he said in an ill-favored voice.

“You heard me right,” Rander confirmed. “She is currently brushing her hair with a horse brush. She will be along momentarily.”

Linvin shook his head and mumbled under his breath. Then he returned to his task. “Go over to your brother and pick out your outfits. They will be large on you as they are proportioned for a human but I saw a couple on the smaller side. Then find something to cover your feet and locate a pair of boots that fits. The weather has been forgiving to this point but that will not last long. Dress warmly and find yourself some gloves as well.” Rander joined his brother and began to search for the smallest outfits.

Linvin filled his arms with several earthen jars and a pile of bandages. He turned to set them on a nearby table when the door swung open. All motion in the room stopped, as they feared the worst.

Standing in the doorway with the morning sun surrounding her silhouette was Miri. The light behind her made her glow with the radiance of an angel. Particularly mesmerizing to Linvin was her hair. It flowed effortlessly past her shoulders. Though not perfect, even the loose hairs that would not be tamed created an aura around her in the sun.

“What’s wrong?” Miri asked.

At first, no one could speak. Then Linvin answered, “Nothing is wrong. We have just never seen someone do so much with a horse brush.”

Miri walked confidently over to him and asked, “Does my appearance please you?”

Linvin looked at his cousins whose gaze was fixed on him and answered, “It is fine. Yes. Fine. Um…here. I have two ointments you may find helpful. The first is here.” He opened a large jar, which concealed a brush in its lid. The smell was horrific.

Miri plugged her nose and asked, “What is that terrible stench?”

“It is a suave made from the mearock root. Once I apply it to your back, it will cause puss to excrete from the wounds. I will bandage it. After about a day, all the moisture leaves the medicine and the hardened root flakes away. Your back will heal much better and faster. I have seldom had a chance to use it. The root only grows in the northern climates and is nearly impossible for my company to obtain in trade. It is worth more than gold.”

Miri retained her hand on her nose. “Is there perhaps one that is only worth as much as silver that might smell better?” she asked.

Linvin sighed. “Just lift up the back of your shirt and let me put this on you. If it helps, you can take solace in the fact that your hair is beautiful.”

“Beautiful?” Miri asked as she fished for compliments and lifted the back of her shirt. Linvin wiped her wounds with a thick coat of the ointment and answered, “Well, as beautiful as you can get with a horse brush.” He sliced a cotton shirt in half and pressed it against the mixture. It adhered perfectly and required no wraps. Miri lowered her shirt.

“I feel like a slice of bread covered in marmalade,” she said as she turned around. Perhaps tomorrow I will thank you but for the moment sentiments lean toward repulsion.”

Saturday Excerpt "Quest"

The gnome spoke first, “I suppose you did make it a touch easier for me to disassociate myself with those ruffians.  If your ego be in such need of stroking, then by all means, accept my most gracious and humble thanks.”  The gnome placed his hand over his heart and bowed before Linvin.

The sarcastic remark and gesture enraged Rander as he regained his feet.  Linvin, however, found entertainment in their new acquaintance.  He held his open palm toward Rander in order to withhold his rage.

“Such sincerity in this day is rare, indeed,” Linvin said with tongue-in-cheek.  “As long as we are exchanging pleasantries, I believe introductions are in order.  My name is Linvin Grithinshield.  These two over here are my cousins, Rander Greenlith and Bander Greenlith.  The other fine gentlemen is our uncle, Anvar Greenlith.”

The gnome nodded as he followed Linvin’s references.  “Rander and Bander, huh?” noted the gnome.  “You must have a bunch of older siblings that used up all the good names for your ma to saddle you with those.  Not to be mean, but you sound like carnival folk.”

Rander put his face directly across from the gnome and spoke in a loud but shaky tone.  “You insult us for no good reason!”

“Now, that isn’t true,” the gnome quipped, as he gently created space between himself and Rander.  “I insulted you with good reason.  Your names are, for lack of a better word, stupid.  Remember, I did say that I wasn’t trying to be mean.”  The gnome cocked his head sideways to look around Rander and spy Linvin again.  “Bit of a touchy one, this little guy here, aye, Elf-Man?”

Rander panted hard and gnashed his teeth as he stuck his face in front of the gnome once again.  His eyes flashed with rage and his fists clenched.  The gnome shook his head in disappointment and brushed him aside on his way over to Linvin.

“Please,” the gnome told Rander, “if you were going to make a move, you would have done it already.  It’s not your fault, though.  Probably nursed too long as a babe.  Have cheer, young elf.  I have not come near to pointing out your greatest shortcomings.”

Bander stepped between the gnome and Linvin.  He, too, was seething, like his brother.  The gnome looked at him from one angle and then another.  The gnome gently placed his hand on Bander’s shoulder.  The elf shrugged it away and brought his fists to bear.  The gnome laughed at the overreaction and said, “You poor soul.  You must be the best-intentioned elf in the world, but there isn’t a single thought in your sad mass of a head, is there?  Well, take heart, big fellow.  You are fortunate that your lack of aptitude does not prohibit you from action like your brother.”  He proceeded past the bewildered elf.

Linvin stepped forward to meet him with his hand outstretched.  “You have spoken many words, my good gnome, but none of them contained your name.  Perhaps you would share it with us now?”

The gnome shook Linvin’s hand firmly.  “Now that was impressive, Elf-Man.  You have an uncanny way of detecting the obvious.  My name is Newminor.”

Buying a Laptop

My family is very supportive of my writing.  That being said, I can say with near certainty that my children do not read my blog.  Perhaps if I talked about music or movie icons they might give it a look but for the most part they have no interest in the blog.  It is for that reason that I feel comfortable writing about my daughter who is graduating high school in less than two weeks.  It seems like just yesterday that she was an obstinate little girl lying in the doorway of her room coloring at 2AM screaming, “You told me to go to my room and I’m in my room.  You can’t make me sleep!”  She was a handful as a child.  I am happy to report that she mellowed quite a bit with age and has grown into a fine and honorable young lady.  I am so proud.  Her next phase of life is college and her mother and I decided in today’s era she needs a laptop.  So that is what we are getting her for graduation.  Sounds easy, doesn’t it?  I haven’t owned a laptop in 13 years and it would seem the features have changed.  I asked around to people I knew who had children go through college and received all sorts of advice.  Here is what I have discovered on my fact finding mission.  First of all, I want 1 laptop that will last 4 years without becoming too outdated to be useful.  I do not want the 17 inch screen because it is cumbersome in the classrooms.  It is better to go with the 15 inch screen.  I must buy a carrying bag or else it will fall out of normal book bags.  Then came the issue of RAM.  One person with a little older daughter said 4G of RAM saw her through all 4 years.  That was several years ago, however.  Computer years are like dog years.  If that was 3 years ago, that’s like 21 computer years.  Technology becomes outdated that fast.  Another situation had a person buying a 4G RAM computer for their son who is in their third year of school.  They are having problems with some programs not running on it.  That tells me I need more RAM.  I’ve settled on 8G.  That should give me breathing room for 4 years.  Then comes the processor speed.  I’m a little in the dark on this one but I do know the faster the processor, the better it runs programs.  I have looked on line at hundreds of computers and can’t determine a happy medium.  What’s worse, no one seems to be able to tell me more than I know already.  I might be at the mercy of the salesman on that one.  Then there’s options.  I want the DVD/CD burner in case she needs to make presentations.  Does she need a camera?  What about blue tooth?  Actually, what’s the point of blue tooth on a laptop anyway?  I have to buy the warranty because I have used mine 18 times already just for viruses and problems in just over a year.  It’s comprehensive service.  The last factor is cost.  Every option raises the price a little more.  In the end I usually go overboard but I wish I didn’t feel like this computer stuff was like reading a foreign language in which I only know every third word.

New Edits

If I were a baker I would love baking the cake from scratch.  It is the decorating and finishing I would find tedious.  I adore writing books.  It is the most fun thing in the world to me.  Editing is not.  I have the manuscript for my third book, “Mandrean Revenge” (I get excited just saying the name.)  It is now time to edit.  You would think after so much writing I wouldn’t have many corrections but I would be wrong in that thinking.  Perhaps it’s good to have so many errors found.  That means fewer were missed and it wouldn’t need to be re-edited like the first books.  On the other hand, some of these “corrections” are simply wrong.  For example, the name of the gem IS the Red Sapphire.  That’s not a description.  It’s a title.  Likewise, its counterpart is the Blue Sapphire.  They need to be capitalized.  The editor unknowingly took the capitals out of the entire book.  That’s a lot of fixing on my part.  To be fair though, most of the corrections needed are my fault.  It’s not easy to see your work pulled apart but it makes you a better writer.  Constructive criticism is a very effective learning tool.  This editor seems civil and that makes the whole process much easier to handle when someone is basically insulting your baby.  (See previous blogs on the subject)  So in my spare time I will be sifting through the edits and correcting what is needed.  What’s important is that when I’m done, my third book will be ready to publish.  The hairs on my neck stand on end just thinking about it.  Until then I will decorate my cake and take the time to do it right, even though I just want it to be iced and done.  Time to get back to it.

Sunday Excerpt, "Crucible"

Mandrean could finally understand Fendri’s reluctance to speak. His words cut deeply. “You think Linvin could beat me in combat? How can you hold such an opinion? You have seen me in battle and watched me dispatch many foes. All you know of Linvin is talk. He is no different than any other man. Your position shocks and displeases me to great measures.”

Fendri could retain pretenses no longer. He vented his frustration by throwing the empty serving tray across the room. “You wanted truth, didn’t you?” he asked as he brought his face directly across from Mandrean’s. “Here it is for you. As I have said, your hand has not touched a sword in nearly ten years. You are at least as many years Grithinshield’s senior and have done nothing to keep your body in condition for battle. Meanwhile, your opponent is highly experienced and motivated. He is said to be the greatest warrior alive. Even if that proves to be an exaggeration, you cannot beat him in a fair fight.”

Mandrean gently pushed him back to a more comfortable distance and stated. “Your lack of faith in me is disappointing. Do not fear, Old Friend. I never said it would be a fair fight. According to my plan, I will only finish the life of our hunted game after the huntsmen have brought him down. You should have more faith in me. I am no fool.”

As if on cue, the great door swung open and an army of tailors and servants entered the room. The Lead Tailor observed the scene and commented. “Are we too early? We could return later if breakfast is not over.”

Mandrean addressed the tailor, though he was looking most angrily at Fendri. “Your timing is fine. We are done here. Are we not, Lord Fendri?”

Fendri nodded and said, “I will remove these trays and leave you to your packing, My Master.” Fendri bowed and left with the trays.

Mandrean led the entourage to his room where they began sorting through his closet. Like a child’s doll Mandrean stood in his undergarments in the center of the room as different outfits were placed on his body. Then the tailors would critique the look and ultimately change him into something different.

Saturday Excerpt, "Quest"

Even as gnomes go, the one before them was not particularly grand. He was shorter than Rander, but as thick as Bander.  Though not husky and rotund like dwarfs, gnomes were quite strong for their size.  They had a low center of gravity and powerful arms and legs.  In spite of those strengths, they were far more likely to talk their way out of a fight than to actually partake.  A rare breed to be sure, they were seldom found so far south and usually traveled in large groups.  To find one gnome in the middle of the territory was an oddity, even to the naive elves.

The gnome did not wear the traditional pointed beard of his people.  He was clean-shaven and gave the impression of putting great stock in his appearance.  Though certainly not inferring wealth, his clothes were, nonetheless, well-tailored.  Colored entirely in blue and gray, he wore what had been a crisp shirt and trousers.  Over the shirt were a vest and cloak.

Bander helped the gnome to his feet.  “I can manage,” he was told as the gnome slapped his hands away.  Stumbling, he managed to stand.  He brushed the dirt off his vest and turned his attention to Linvin.  “You had no right getting involved in that disagreement!”

“Disagreement?” laughed Rander.  “It looked like the only thing they hadn’t agreed on was how they were going to dispose of you.”

“Hey, Buttercup!” the gnome called to Rander.  “Do you mind?  I was talking to Elf-Man over here.  Just keep your mouth shut while the grown-ups talk.”

Rander was incensed “You have some nerve, talking to us like that after we saved your life.”

The gnome calmly walked over and kicked Rander in the shin with his boot.  Rander bent down to grab the leg in reaction.  Once his head had lowered, the gnome put his mouth by Rander’s ear and screamed.  “I didn’t ask for your help!  I don’t want your help!  When I have something to say to you, I will say it to you!  Now sit down and shut up.”  The gnome chopped with his open hand at the back of Rander’s knee and the elf fell to the ground.

As Rander rolled around in pain, the gnome walked over to Linvin.  “Bit of an annoying one you got there, aye, Elf-Man?”

Linvin was surprisingly amused.  “He has his moments, my good gnome, but by and by, he is still my kin.  He did not deserve your treatment any more than I believe you deserved the treatment by those men.  I do not find your gratitude for our efforts to be in keeping with custom.  Perhaps you wish we had not come along when we did?”

The gnome looked each party member in the eyes for a few moments at a time.  Bander looked away from the gnome’s brazen stare.  Rander was angered but also looked away, turning his attention to his pain.  Anvar looked straight back like some curious flower had been brought to his attention.  Linvin watched the gnome the entire time and did not blink when their eyes met.  As if they had rehearsed, a wicked smile appeared on both their faces at the same time.  They looked like they were the only ones in the group knowing the answer to a riddle.

My Guest Appearance

Bernard Foong was kind enough to put me on his blog today.  Check it out at http://bernardfoong.typepad.com/in_the_harem/2015/05/the-sapphire-chronicles-by-rival-gates.html

In a pleasant surprise “Quest for the Red Sapphire” is still listed on Amazon at .99!  It was supposed to come down but has not yet.  Here’s a great chance to dive into a great adventure.   http://amzn.to/1npYd0S

 

"Just a Writer"

I have a tendency to see the world a little differently than some other people and I’m ok with that.  In my mind, I am an artist.  I paint pictures with words.  I also think many people are artists in a wider interpretation.  The bricklayer is creating a masterpiece I could never make.  The person handling my 401k puts together the right blend of investments to make my assets grow.  Mechanics working on my car do a wonderful job of putting it back together so it will work for me and be safe.  The person cutting my hair takes a shaggy mess and creates a less shaggy mess out of it.  If you really look at the world from an open viewpoint, there are artists all around.  I am pleased to count myself among them.  Then I ran into someone the other day I was working with who said, “So you’re just a writer?”  The Louis Armstrong singing “What a Wonderful World” in my head came to a screeching halt.  ‘Just a writer?’  That cut me to the quick relatively speaking, I have accomplished what only a select few in the world have.  Many more have tried and failed.  Even more never had the nerve to try in the first place.  I would never say someone was just a bricklayer or an investment banker or a mechanic or hair dresser.  These are hardworking people who take pride in their work and so am I.  Writing may not require heavy lifting or other manual labor but it is a hard job all the same.  You have a vast array of characters you must develop and make real for the reader.  They each must have their own storyline.  Those storylines must intertwine with the main tale.  Then you must have it all planned out and placed with the events in order.  From there you must dance from one point to another in the story through dialogue and minor scenes.   When it works you pull it together to have your masterpiece.  When it doesn’t work, you go back and find where it went astray.  It is a painstaking act of love.  There is no feeling as satisfying as when the story comes together.  Then you have it published and get feedback from readers.  This is like giving your 5^th grade speech in front of the world.  Some people won’t like it.  Others will love what you have done.  They are the ones who fortify you.  When you have a down day, you can read those positive comments about how your book was a positive part of their life.  That spurs you on.  So when someone says I’m ‘Just a writer’ I feel an immediate outrage and then remember that this person likely has no idea what goes into my art.  My anger turns to pity and I move on.  They aren’t worth the explanation.

I'm Back

I have just finished a stretch of 12 eleven hour plus work days in a row at my day job.  I was kept going by my memory that I could get back to book editing after this was all over.  Today is my first day off and I have to say, as much as I love my writing, all I want to do is sleep.  I feel guilty about that but it is true.  Perhaps after a nap I can start work again or else tonight.  Writing is my passion.  It is one of the greatest things to come into my life.  But I am not a young man anymore.  My body is aching in places I didn’t even know I used.  I will jump back in the saddle and work on my books…after a little rest.  The .99 sale on “Quest for the Red Sapphire” was a smashing success.  The book moved up over 1,000,000 spots on the best seller list at Amazon at one point.  I am so glad so many people have started the journey.  It is a fun trek to take!  Thanks to all the new followers.

Sunday Excerpt, "Crucible"

Rander rubbed his eyes and asked, “Why are you waking us up now. It is not even light yet.”

“We must move out now,” Linvin answered. “Any farmer with livestock and crops still in the fields this far into the fall will be up at the break of day. We must not be discovered here. Furthermore, anyone running that store would find items missing when they open. In a farm community that store would open when the farmers awake. With the ground muddied by the rain there is a chance we could be tracked here. It is better to think a local thief had sought refuge here than us. Saddle your horses and leave nothing behind that links to us. When you are done I will introduce you to Miri.”

“She is awake.” Bander cried.

Linvin put his fingers to his lips and reminded him to stay quiet. “She is in pain and is confused. So do not overwhelm her right now. She says she can ride. Bander, I will assign you to aid her. Ride by her side and hold her reins if need be. See to it she does not fall from the saddle. Everyone else make sure we have all the apples we can carry and full water skins.”

“What is the plan?” Rander inquired.

“We will flee to the south,” Linvin responded. “We would be expected to head back to the east as we came but that is too obvious. It will undoubtedly be re-enforced by the time we reached the river mouth. To the west we already know the number of troops concentrated along the Silver River. A stealthy escape would prove most difficult in that direction. We will go to the Lake and find a boat. Then we will sail to the south shore and continue our journey home.”

“Do you think they are pursuing us?” Rander wondered.

“Most assuredly,” Linvin answered. “We damaged Mandrean’s home and his pride. He will bring all he has to bare in order to prevent our escape. Though you scattered their horses at the message depot, me must assume that the entire Empire has been put on alert and that prices will surely be placed on our heads. That means no contact with anyone. We must disappear. Anyone seeing us will bring the weight of the army down upon us. That will be enough questions for now. Be ready to leave by the time I return with Miri.” He turned and went to the injured woman’s side.

He found Miri feeling her side where Hugon struck her. Her face winced as she touched the wound. “There are at least a couple of broken ribs in there,” Linvin said as he sat down. “Fortunately, they do not appear to be dislocated. They will heal in time. Until then, keep your breaths shallow and make no sudden movements.”

Miri’s eyes cleared and she gave herself the rest of the water Linvin left in the cup. She looked at Linvin and gave a weak laugh. “You have me practically mummified here. I doubt I will be making any sudden movements. Who was it that undressed me and bound me like this?”

“For your information,” Linvin said firmly, “It is called a field dressing and I was the one who applied it to you.”

“It hardly seems appropriate for you to see my body unclothed,” Miri firmly noted.

“There was no time for civility,” Linvin stated. “Either I had to tend to you or you would be dead. If you still are displeased then you had better get used to it. If we live to see the end of this day I am going to have to change those dressings. Fear not. When tending wounds I look at you as just another man.”

Miri pursed her lips and said, “Well if that is how it will be I suppose I will just envision you as a woman. Then neither of us is embarrassed.”

“Whatever gives you comfort, My Lady” Linvin said with tongue in cheek. Linvin prepared a sack to cover her upper and lower parts. He used his magic to lift her into the air so he could easily dress her without causing pain.

Saturday Exceprt, "Quest"

Drawing his sword Linvin strutted in a confident manner from the protection of the rocks.  The men and gnome took no notice of him as he came within striking distance.

At last, he spoke, “This gnome must be quite the terror if the three of you are required to subdue him.”

The men were surprised and stopped their attack.  Tossing the gnome to the ground, they moved to encircle Linvin.  “This is none of your affair, traveler.  Be gone with you or share the fate of the gnome.”

Linvin laughed with aconfident grin.  “You three are pathetic.  What crime has this fellow committed that warrants such a beating?”

The man doing the talking drew his sword and pointed it at Linvin.  The others followed suit.  “Like I said, Mister, it’s none of your business.”

Linvin looked at the tip of the sword in amusement.  He shook his head and smirked.  “Oh, my dear gentlemen,  you are about to do something most foolhardy.  If you keep weapons out of this, I will deliver a sound thrashing to you.  But if you insist on using your blades, I will be forced to kill you.  Think,for just a moment,before you throw your lives away.”

The man closest to Linvin was incensed.

“Why, you impertinent little dog!”  He raised his sword to strike his foe.  Linvin anticipated the move and knocked the sword to the ground with a sweeping blow from his own.  In the same motion, he wheeled around and struck the pommel into the man’s forehead, depositing him on his bottom.

Before the other men could respond to the action, Linvin raised his arm and made a forward gesture with his hand.  The twins appeared from behind the rocks with their bows drawn and pointed squarely at the other humans.  The men froze in their positions, close enough to see the intricacies of the arrow tips.

Linvin saw that his blow had sliced the man’s sword hand.  The extent of the wound was obscured as blood flowed freely from the region.  He cowered on the ground and pressed it against his shirt to stop the bleeding.  Linvin kicked the man, sending him to his back.  Then Linvin stuck a foot on wounded man’s chest and brought the blade of his sword directly against the man’s neck.

Linvin held his free hand aloft as he addressed the other men. “Gentlemen, allow me to introduce my cousins.  They can strike a sparrow’s eye with an arrow from five times this distance, so cutting down two spineless wretches like you would prove little challenge.  If you think that I am bluffing, then by all means, make a move.  Otherwise, I need only lower my arm to order your demise.”  The men still standing lowered their weapons.

Linvin once again turned his attention to the man on the ground.  He pressed the blade with greater firmness against the man’s neck.  “Your friends make better choices than you, good sir.   

 

Now you will answer me.  Why do you terrorize this gnome?”

The man answered with the question “Who are you?”

“I am the one who’s going to be burying you if you do not answer me now,” Linvin responded ashis anger swelled.

The man shook with fear but managed to speak. “This gnome is a thief and he was getting his due.”

Linvin shook his head.  “I do not care if he is the most wanted criminal in the world.  It still should not take three men to handle him. You will let him go!”

The man became obstinate.  “I don’t take orders from elves or half-breeds.”

Linvin raised his eyebrows at the statement.  Then he removed his foot from the man’s chest and ground his heel onto the man’s wounded hand.  The human shrieked in pain.  “You are in no position to bargain here,” Linvin told him.  “Swear to end your vendetta against this gnome.”

The man nodded his head in agreement.  Linvin removed his heel from the man’s hand but kept his blade to the man’s throat.  “Now tell your friends to drop their weapons.”  The man urged his companions to disarm, but they did not move. 

Linvin began to lose patience.  “You know my cousins are becoming fatigued from holding those arrows.  If you wait much longer they might just slip through their fingers.  I would hate for such an unfortunate accident to take your lives.  So drop your weapons or I drop my arm!”