Truly Great Words Never Die

Say, does anyone around here remember the fun of Save-a-Word Saturday? Well, the best of it is back, and then some! …Or it will be, this July. Behold: Outlaws of Avalon, Book 2.5.

Welcome to Avalon, where truly great heroes – and words – never die.

Join the Merry Men and denizens of Camelot in a collection of flash fiction as neo-“ye olde” as a Renaissance Faire, every slice of their immortal life served up with an archaism ripe for revival – from “accismus” to “Weltschmerz”, with plenty of laughs in between.

Come for the language lesson, stay for the Will Scarlet shenanigans, along with a facet or two of your Fey isle friends that you’ve never seen before.

Can we talk about that cover??

“Oh, do let’s!” Will Scarlet jumps in. “That art is phenomenal! Who the heck do we thank?”

That would be Hannah Vale Illustrations and Art, the same talent behind the cover of “An Avalon Christmas Carol”.

“What a concept,” says Allyn-a-Dale, eyes tracing the shape of the lute grown wild. “I hope the like shall never befall my own dear instrument, but visually, it takes one’s breath away.”

Will laughs. “The day your lute becomes a tree is the day you transform into the little blue birdie in its branches.”

Allyn smiles. “There are stranger ways to spend an afterlife.”

As Book 2.5 can attest, along with the rest of your series. X)

Like the Christmas special, “Truly Great Words Never Die” will be e-book only, at least until further notice. So ready your Kindles and compatible apps! Add the title to your Goodreads to-read list! And stay tuned, for the book shall soon be available for pre-order. ^o^

(Interested in reading an early copy in exchange for an honest review? Let me know!)

Hounded Heroes (Scarlet’s Fairytale Spin, Act 16)

“Welcome, one and all,” says Will Scarlet, with a broad smile and a bow, “to Will & Allyn’s Interactive Theatre!”

“Every Saturday,” says Allyn-a-Dale, “Will and I and our friends from the story world of ‘The Outlaws of Avalon ’ trilogy—”

“Coming one of these days to a book retailer near you!”

“—Will take at random two of the suggestions gleaned from you, our gentle audience, and incorporate them into… well, the sort of tomfoolery Will calls entertainment.”

“So make yourselves comfortable,” says Will, “as we now present to you: ‘Hounded Heroes’!”

<<<>>>

[The curtain rises on the interior of the Antichristmas Beast’s tower – for a change, set up on a platform raised high over stage left. A handheld mirror shakes in the clawed hand of the Beast, portrayed by Little John.]

Little John/Beast: Previously in this blasted serial fairytale, my flying monkey captain defected to my enemies, and the Puffwolf  sold me out for a Gant-o’-the-Lute concert. Now Jack Snow has taken possession of the singing sword, which shall surely mean my doom if wielded against me! I must at all costs prevent him from reaching my castle! [raises arms high over his horned head; his voice booms like thunder as the lights flicker and flash ] By the dark powers vested in me, in the name of all evil things anti-Christmas, unleash the Baskerville hounds!

[Across the stage, Allyn as Jack Snow, Will Scarlet as Peter “The Woodsman” Pan, Marion Hood as Wendy Darling-Pan, and Robin Hood as Simian the aforementioned flying monkey enter the scene.]

Will/Woodsman: Three miles to the Beast’s castle, and all’s well!

[Through a trapdoor just a step ahead of the players, up spring a pair of simplistic but rather terrifying puppets resembling English mastiffs that happen to be glowing a ghoulish green. Ferocious snarling abounds.]

Will/Woodsman: I spoke too soon.

Marion/Wendy: Baskerville hounds! How are we to defeat them?

Robin/Simian: Allow me.

[Robin whips out and slips on the magic britches introduced in Act 11, simultaneously throwing off his furry coat with its attached wings and tail which he turns inside-out to become a dark blue trench coat. He winds a scarf around the turned-up collar and affects a haughty, high-functioning-sociopathic expression.]

Allyn/Jack: Heavens above, he’s a dead ringer for Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes!

Robin/Simian Cumberbatch [coolly ]: I am Sherlock Holmes. And as any Shelockian could tell you, Baskerville hounds, I’ve not only dealt with your kind before, but ultimately emerged victorious. [scathingly ] You would do well to crawl back into the hole from which you came, and inform your master that his end comes without mercy. For we may be on the side of the angels, but don’t think for one second that any of us are one of them.

[Whimpering in fear, the hound puppets slink back through the trapdoor.]

Will/Woodsman: Do you know, Simian, when you’re not being an insufferable coward, you’re actually somewhat amazing?

Robin/Simian Cumberbatch [with a small smile ]: I may have some information to that effect stored in my mind palace, yes.

[Meanwhile, up in the tower…]

Little John/Beast: A thousand curses! I need a Plan B! [more light/sound effects ] By the dark powers vested in me, in the name of all evil things anti-Christmas, unleash the ice hounds!

[Back across the stage…]

Will/Woodsman: Two miles to the Beast’s castle, and all’s well!

[Expert light-‘n’-shadow-puppetry thrown onto the backdrop creates the distinct impression of huge, coldly glittering canines. Blood-chilling growling abounds.]

Will/Woodsman: I stand corrected.

Marion/Wendy: Ice hounds! How do we handle this?

Allyn/Jack: Allow me. [sings ]

Firebird, firebird, hither fly at speed.

Bring your light, blazing bright, that we may proceed.

[From above, a pyrotechnic bird puppet swoops across the stage. Their howls growing fainter by the moment, the ice hound shadows melt to nothing.]

Will/Woodsman: Well, you made swift work of that!

Allyn/Jack [with a grin ]: The cold never bothered me anyway.

[Up in the tower…]

Little John/Beast: Ohhh, hell, oh— [snaps his fingers ] Hell! That’s it! [light/sound effects ] By the dark powers vested in me, in the name of all evil things anti-Christmas, unleash… Cerberus!

[Across the stage…]

Will/Woodsman: One mile to the Beast’s castle, and—

[From the stage left wings, what should roll in but an enormous mechanical construction of three-headed monstrositude. Horrific roaring abounds.]

Will/Woodsman: Never mind.

All is so far from well.

Marion/Wendy: Cerberus the hellhound?! How in the world are we supposed to deal with that? [turns to Robin ]

Robin/Simian: [turns to Allyn ]

Allyn/Jack: [turns to Will ]

Will/Woodsman: Yeah, I got nothin’.

[The four huddle together in fear as Cerberus draws nearer, three pairs of red eyes burning like hellfire, until a howling gust from off stage right blows in, blasting Cerberus back the way he came.]

Our Heroes/The Beast: What the…??

[Enter the Puffwolf, portrayed by Edgwyn Wyle.]

Edgwyn/Puffwolf: Just a quick puff to thank you for scoring me that private concert from Gant-o’-the-Lute. It rocked! As did the opening act. You ever hear of the Rock Minstrel?

Allyn/Jack [pulling a face ]: Not that screeching bardolater who goes up against the Merry Men’s minstrel in a ballad-off in “The Ballad of Allyn-a-Dale”?

Will/Woodsman: Sheesh, I know you’ve had your musical differences, but is that sort of name-calling really necessary?

Allyn/Jack: “Bardolater” isn’t a slur, Woodsman. It just means someone who idolizes Shakespeare.

Will/Woodsman: Oh. Well, hello, Save-a-Word Saturday.

Marion/Wendy: Speaking of saving, thanks for the rescue, Puffwolf!

Edgwyn/Puffwolf: My pleasure. Give the old Antichristmas Beast my regards.

Allyn/Jack: Oh, don’t worry. [draws the singing sword from the scabbard at his belt ] We soon shall.

<<<>>>

“Aaaand SCENE!” says Will.

“Thank you to audience members Miranda McNeff and Eric Wilder,” says Allyn, “for providing us with the inspiration ‘hounds, lots of hounds’ and ‘bardolater’.”

“If you enjoyed yourselves,” Will says, “(or if you didn’t, but you totally did, right?), don’t forget to leave suggestions for future productions in the comments! Words or phrases we’ve got to include, a prop to use, a prompt to run with… anything goes! ‘Til next time, friends:  Will and Allyn out!”

“Panegyric” or “The End of Save-a-Word Saturday”

And now for the grand finale (yes, it’s true) of Save-a-Word Saturday! For any who need a reminder of/never knew what that means, here’s how it goes:

1) Create a post linking back to the hosts, The Feather and the Rose.

2) Pick an old word you want to save from extinction to feature in the post. (If you find yourself in want of options, Feather ‘n’ Rose recommended a site that may have some word-lovers drooling. Luciferous Logolepsy. Even its name is old and delicious!)

3) Provide a definition of your word, and use it in a sentence/short paragraph/mini story vaguely related to the particular week’s chosen theme.

4) Sign up properly on the host post’s linky list so participants can easily find each other and share their logophilistic joy.

5) Be a hero by sharing these retro words with the world!

The final theme: Finale.

The word: “Panegyric”, a noun meaning “a lofty oration or writing in praise of a person or thing; a eulogy”.

The example:

Will Scarlet stares ahead, expression dazed, the threat of tears in his twitching eye. “I can’t believe it’s ending.”

“All things do,” Allyn replies, though not without sympathy. “But we’ve made a good show of it, have we not? Every week since the ninth of February – nine whole months of Saturdays out of the year-long existence of the blog hop – we’ve married archaic words with arbitrary themes whilst sharing small glimpses of our story-world that even devoted readers of our future ‘Outlaws of Avalon’ trilogy would not otherwise have seen. That is a feat worth remembering with pride, and—”

“I don’t want to hear a panegyric, minstrel!” Will moans in frustration. “I don’t want to lay a lily on the grave of my beloved Save-a-Word Saturdays!”

“A rose, then?” Allyn suggests. “Perhaps a feather, as well?”

“I see what you did there. Seriously, though, we can’t let this end here. I need my Saturdays in the spotlight. More than that: My adoring fangirls need them!”

“But the event’s creators have declared this to be the finale.”

“Yeah, okay,” Will says, pacing back and forth as his mind’s mechanics pick up speed. “So we create a new event. One curtain falls, another rises. Our author’s still got a blog, and we’ve still got mad showmanship skillz. I’ve got it!” He snaps his fingers and spins around to point at Allyn. “Remember that thing we did, once? The ‘Peter and the Wolf’’ thing?”

An involuntary expression of pained horror crosses Allyn’s face. “You’re not suggesting a resurrection of ‘Will and Allyn’s Storytime Musical Theatre’, are you?”

“One better: ‘Will and Allyn’s Interactive Theatre’!”

“Wait—”

“Right, that’s the acronym. Just think of it!” Will spreads his hands before him, eyes dancing with a manic light. “Every Saturday, you and I and potentially other members of the Merry Men and the ‘Outlaws’ cast in general can do more or less as we’ve been doing all along, except instead of working with themes and ancient words, we’ll be working with suggestions from the audience!”

“What kind of suggestions?” Allyn asks uneasily.

Will Scarlet grins. “Anything they want. They can toss out words or phrases we’ve got to include, a prop to use, a prompt to run with… anything. We will ‘Yes, And’ the heck out of it like the professional improvisers we are, the audience will wet themselves laughing, and the public attention requirement for my fragile ego’s health will be met. Winning all around.”

“Well,” Allyn says, bracing for the inevitable, “I suppose if the readers would be interested…”

“Pfft, ‘suppose’. Why suppose anything when we can know for a fact? Go on, all you beautiful reader people.” Will gestures to the comment section below with a smile of anticipation. “Lay it on us: What do you want to see next?”

“Montivagant” or “Holiday Is Where the Heart Is”

It’s Save-a-Word Saturday! For any who need a reminder of/never knew what that means, here’s how it goes:

1) Create a post linking back to the hosts, The Feather and the Rose.

2) Pick an old word you want to save from extinction to feature in the post. (If you find yourself in want of options, Feather ‘n’ Rose recommended a site that may have some word-lovers drooling. Luciferous Logolepsy. Even its name is old and delicious!)

3) Provide a definition of your word, and use it in a sentence/short paragraph/mini story vaguely related to the particular week’s chosen theme.

4) Sign up properly on the host post’s linky list so participants can easily find each other and share their logophilistic joy.

5) Be a hero by sharing these retro words with the world!

I’ve been participating in the weekly fun via my “Ballad of Allyn-a-Dale” Facebook page, giving myself the extra challenge/fun of relating every word I pick to my re-imagining of the Robin Hood legend, the “Outlaws of Avalon” trilogy (a.k.a. the magnum opus to be self-published after the completion of “The Wilderhark Tales”). But I figure, hey, with my vignettes generally pre-written and ready to go, no reason I can’t post them here for the blog-inclined to see!

So, without further delay, here’s my word-saving civic duty of the day.

The theme: Journeys.

The word: “Montivagant”, an adjective meaning “wandering over hills and mountains”.

The Example:

The pair lay back on the lake’s bank, eyes on the summer stars, the sleepy silence between them slow to break, until, “If you could journey anywhere,” Will said at last, “where would you go?”

Allyn shrugged a shoulder in the grass. “I’ve never much cared. The ‘where’ means less than the ‘who’. To make my montivagant way to our world’s edge and back with Father was no better or worse than to sit still with him in one place. Only perhaps the latter was the more thrilling,” he supposed, “for being the rarer.”

Will’s head turned Allyn-ward. “So you would be pleased to lie here just like this, night after night?”

“With my band brother beside me?” Allyn touched a hand to Will’s elbow. “Every night forever.”

“Hmmph,” said Will, returning his gaze to the sky. “Well, maybe a stay-still forever with you won’t be so bad.”

Allyn smiled. “Time may tell.”

“Bowdlerize” or “Words and Wallpaper Unfit to Print”

It’s Save-a-Word Saturday! For any who need a reminder of/never knew what that means, here’s how it goes:

1) Create a post linking back to the hosts, The Feather and the Rose.

2) Pick an old word you want to save from extinction to feature in the post. (If you find yourself in want of options, Feather ‘n’ Rose recommended a site that may have some word-lovers drooling. Luciferous Logolepsy. Even its name is old and delicious!)

3) Provide a definition of your word, and use it in a sentence/short paragraph/mini story vaguely related to the particular week’s chosen theme.

4) Sign up properly on the host post’s linky list so participants can easily find each other and share their logophilistic joy.

5) Be a hero by sharing these retro words with the world!

I’ve been participating in the weekly fun via my “Ballad of Allyn-a-Dale” Facebook page, giving myself the extra challenge/fun of relating every word I pick to my re-imagining of the Robin Hood legend, the “Outlaws of Avalon” trilogy (a.k.a. the magnum opus to be self-published after the completion of “The Wilderhark Tales”). But I figure, hey, with my vignettes generally pre-written and ready to go, no reason I can’t post them here for the blog-inclined to see!

So, without further delay, here’s my word-saving civic duty of the day.

The theme: Wallpaper Removal.

The word: “Bowdlerize”, a verb meaning “to remove those parts of a text considered offensive, vulgar, or otherwise unseemly”.

The Example:

“Take it down.”

“But—”

“Take, it, down,” Merlin repeated, each word hard and distinct as the first drops of a freezing rain.

“It will help with insulation!” Will argued. “You know how drafty castles are. And so dreary, with all this dull gray stone everywhere. High time we got a bold pattern and splash of color to liven things…” He trailed off into silence beneath the wizard’s glare, full of sentiment he suspected his sensitive author would be forced to bowdlerize if spoken aloud.

“Mr. Scarlet,” Merlin said quietly. “You will remove every scrap of this hideous wallpaper from the Round Table room by morning, or you will suffer.”

Will swallowed. “Suffer what?”

“Not half of what I do,” Merlin grumbled, stalking away toward his supply of aspirin.

<<<>>>

IN UNRELATED NEWS: If you haven’t yet, don’t forget to enter the “Inspired” Journal Giveaway, where winning the delightful notebook of your choice could be as easy as answering a fun question about muses, ideas, and of course, inspiration. I draw the seven winning names on Monday, so delay ye not!

“Sagittipotent” and the “One More Day” e-ARC Winner!

*Stay tuned at the end of this post for the announcement of the winner of the e-ARC of the “One More Day” anthology!*

It’s Save-a-Word Saturday! For any who need a reminder of/never knew what that means, here’s how it goes:

1) Create a post linking back to the hosts, The Feather and the Rose.

2) Pick an old word you want to save from extinction to feature in the post. (If you find yourself in want of options, Feather ‘n’ Rose recommended a site that may have some word-lovers drooling. Luciferous Logolepsy. Even its name is old and delicious!)

3) Provide a definition of your word, and use it in a sentence/short paragraph/mini story vaguely related to the particular week’s chosen theme.

4) Sign up properly on the host post’s linky list so participants can easily find each other and share their logophilistic joy.

5) Be a hero by sharing these retro words with the world!

I’ve been participating in the weekly fun via my “Ballad of Allyn-a-Dale” Facebook page, giving myself the extra challenge/fun of relating every word I pick to my re-imagining of the Robin Hood legend, the “Outlaws of Avalon” trilogy (a.k.a. the magnum opus to be self-published after the completion of “The Wilderhark Tales”). But I figure, hey, with my vignettes generally pre-written and ready to go, no reason I can’t post them here for the blog-inclined to see!

So, without further delay, here’s my word-saving civic duty of the day

The theme: Chandeliers.

The word: “Sagittipotent,” an adjective meaning “having great ability in archery”.

The Example:

“Aaand it’s another bull’s-eye,” Will sighed, plucking the shaft from the straw target. “I hate to say it, Robin, but this is beginning to lose the thrill of surprise.”

Robin lowered his bow, shrugging in acknowledgement. “’Tis the price the sagittipotent must pay, I’m afraid. What would you have me do? Shoot blindfolded and drunk?”

“One, yes, we are so doing that!”

“I wasn’t being serious, Will.”

“Two,” Will continued, “I think it’s time we found you a challenge beyond simply hitting things with your arrows. What say we move this operation into the Round Table room and see if you can’t shoot out the flame of a candle in the chandelier?”

“Tempting,” said Robin. “Honestly tempting. But I don’t believe the residents of the castle would appreciate that.”

“I’m a resident of the castle, and I’m all for it! Come on!” Will dashed away across the Archer’s Green, calling behind him, “Last one there buys the ale for the blindfolded and drunk round!”

Shaking his head, Robin stayed where he was, and eyed the straw target in contemplation. Maybe trying to draw the bow left-handed would shake things up a bit.

<<<>>>

And now, the name of the lucky duck who gets to read a copy of the upcoming YA anthology “One More Day” ahead of its December 2^nd release…

Eric Wilder!

Congratulations! I’ll be in contact to get you your e-ARC courtesy of J. Taylor Publishing A.S.A.P. You’re in for a treat with the fun variety of stories therein (including, of course, my own contribution, “A Morrow More”.) I can’t wait to hear what you think of the book!

As for everyone else, sit tight. December will be here before half of us are ready for it, and then you’ll be able to scoop up a lovely e-copy or paperback of your own. ;D

<<<>>>

What if today never ends?

What if everything about life—everything anyone hoped to be, to do, to experience—never happens?
Whether sitting in a chair, driving down the road, in surgery, jumping off a cliff or flying … that’s where you’d be … forever.

Unless …

In One More Day, Erika Beebe, Marissa Halvorson, Kimberly Kay, J. Keller Ford, Danielle E. Shipley and Anna Simpson join L.S. Murphy to give us their twists, surprising us with answers to two big questions, all from the perspective of characters under the age of eighteen.

How do we restart time?

How do we make everything go back to normal?

The answers, in whatever the world—human, alien, medieval, fantasy or fairytale—could, maybe, happen today.

Right now.

What would you do if this happened … to you?

“Ostent” or “By Your [Autumn] Leave”

It’s Save-a-Word Saturday! For any who need a reminder of/never knew what that means, here’s how it goes:

1) Create a post linking back to the hosts, The Feather and the Rose.

2) Pick an old word you want to save from extinction to feature in the post. (If you find yourself in want of options, Feather ‘n’ Rose recommended a site that may have some word-lovers drooling. Luciferous Logolepsy. Even its name is old and delicious!)

3) Provide a definition of your word, and use it in a sentence/short paragraph/mini story vaguely related to the particular week’s chosen theme.

4) Sign up properly on the host post’s linky list so participants can easily find each other and share their logophilistic joy.

5) Be a hero by sharing these retro words with the world!

I’ve been participating in the weekly fun via my “Ballad of Allyn-a-Dale” Facebook page, giving myself the extra challenge/fun of relating every word I pick to my re-imagining of the Robin Hood legend, the “Outlaws of Avalon” trilogy (a.k.a. the magnum opus to be self-published after the completion of “The Wilderhark Tales”). But I figure, hey, with my vignettes generally pre-written and ready to go, no reason I can’t post them here for the blog-inclined to see!

So, without further delay, here’s my word-saving civic duty of the day

The theme: Fall Leaves.

The word: “Ostent”, a noun meaning “display, show, manifestation”.

The Example:

Robin woke to an ostent of autumn. Sherwood’s treetops seemed to have all caught fire overnight, the misty light of early morning as smoke to the flaming red and gold of the leaves.

All too soon, Robin thought with an internal sigh of displeasure, those leaves would fall from overhead, thinning the cover for his Men who would hide there, crunching underfoot when they would fain walk in silence. And all of it a harbinger of winter, a cruel season for most any Englishman, still worse for the poor and the outlaws who fought for them.

All told, Robin felt he had little enough to thank autumn for – though he wagered his cousin would feel differently.

“Today, Robin?” Will asked, the eager hope in his face drawing a smile out of his harried leader.

“Today, Scarlet,” he consented. “Go forth in hood of red until we don our winter coats of brown.”

Will Scarlet leapt with a near-silent whoop, seized Robin to kiss him full on the lips, and scampered away to make the most of his favorite few weeks of the year.

“Obfuscate” plus #PonyFest13 Update

It’s Save-a-Word Saturday! For any who need a reminder of/never knew what that means, here’s how it goes:

1) Create a post linking back to the hosts, The Feather and the Rose.

2) Pick an old word you want to save from extinction to feature in the post. (If you find yourself in want of options, Feather ‘n’ Rose recommended a site that may have some word-lovers drooling. Luciferous Logolepsy. Even its name is old and delicious!)

3) Provide a definition of your word, and use it in a sentence/short paragraph/mini story vaguely related to the particular week’s chosen theme.

4) Sign up properly on the host post’s linky list so participants can easily find each other and share their logophilistic joy.

5) Be a hero by sharing these retro words with the world!

I’ve been participating in the weekly fun via my “Ballad of Allyn-a-Dale” Facebook page, giving myself the extra challenge/fun of relating every word I pick to my re-imagining of the Robin Hood legend, the “Outlaws of Avalon” trilogy (a.k.a. the magnum opus to be self-published after the completion of “The Wilderhark Tales”). But I figure, hey, with my vignettes generally pre-written and ready to go, no reason I can’t post them here for the blog-inclined to see!

So, without further delay, here’s my word-saving civic duty of the day – a sequel to the “buttered toast” themed S-a-W-S a few weeks back.

The theme: Bacon.

The word: “Obfuscate”, a verb meaning “to confuse, bewilder, or stupefy”.

The Example:

All hope of a quiet breakfast dissipated as Allyn and Little John were joined by a breathless Will Scarlet. “All right, fight practice is over, here I am! Sorry I’m late!”

At the sight of the partially empty skillet sitting on the banked fire, he moaned. “…Sorrier than even I first supposed. I can’t believe you people didn’t save me any bacon!”

“No bacon to save,” said Little John, in his habitually minimal manner.

“As is evident,” said Allyn, gesturing to the skillet, “he chose to make sausage this morning.”

“Sausage over bacon??” Will’s stare for Little John suggested the man utterly obfuscated him. “It’s like you’re not even American.”

Little John gave him a loaded look. “We’re not.”

“Like that’s an excuse,” Will grumbled, dropping to a seat on the ground and piling the remainder of the sausages atop a generous slice of toast. “Destroying the evidence,” he said, when Allyn opened his mouth to protest. “When Robin and Marion arrive, we’ll tell them it was bacon. Your reputation will thank me later, Little John.”

“Which will be more than Robin and Marion will do,” said Allyn under his breath.

<<<>>>

IN OTHER NEWS, the polls are open in #PonyFest13 (as hosted by Rebecca Enzor)! If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, my “Stone Kingdom” leading man Edgwyn Wyle explained it all during last week’s Save-a-Word Saturday. As a reminder in brief, if my pony design racks up the most votes, I’ll win a sweet prize package including various books and (wow-y-wow-wow) an actual My Little Edgwyn Pony doll, custom made!

So if you’re looking at my pony pic thinking, “Aw-w, how can I resist voting for a cutie like that?!” then throw resistance to the wind, hop on over here, and cast your vote for my ponyfied tailor! Huge, mega-appreciative thanks in advance to all you kind souls who do. (: May the best pony win!

“Habiliment” or “My Little Edgwyn (#PonyFest13!)”

I’ve got a very special Save-a-Word Saturday for you today, folks! For any who need a reminder of/never knew what the day usually means, here’s how it goes:

1) Create a post linking back to the hosts, The Feather and the Rose.

2) Pick an old word you want to save from extinction to feature in the post. (If you find yourself in want of options, Feather ‘n’ Rose recommended a site that may have some word-lovers drooling. Luciferous Logolepsy. Even its name is old and delicious!)

3) Provide a definition of your word, and use it in a sentence/short paragraph/mini story vaguely related to the particular week’s chosen theme.

4) Sign up properly on the host post’s linky list so participants can easily find each other and share their logophilistic joy.

5) Be a hero by sharing these retro words with the world!

I’ve been participating in the weekly fun via my “Ballad of Allyn-a-Dale” Facebook page, giving myself the extra challenge/fun of relating every word I pick to my re-imagining of the Robin Hood legend, the “Outlaws of Avalon” trilogy (a.k.a. the magnum opus to be self-published after the completion of “The Wilderhark Tales”). But I figure, hey, with my vignettes generally pre-written and ready to go, no reason I can’t post them here for the blog-inclined to see!

So, without further delay, here’s my word-saving civic duty of the day – plus an adorable treat!

The theme: Masks.

The word: “Habiliment”, a noun meaning “clothes, dress, attire, outfit”.

The Example:

“An inter-storyworld costume party!” Will Scarlet enthuses, rummaging through his chest of elaborate garments. “This is going to be great! We’ve never gotten to hang out with Danielle’s other characters in public before!”

“Well, the party itself won’t be in public,” Allyn-a-Dale points out. “And that’s assuming there’s to be any real party at all. She’s just using this scene of us talking about it to further her own ends, as authors will do.”

“Leave me my fantasy, minstrel. Blast it all,” he complains, digging deeper through the trunk. “I haven’t the faintest idea what to wear. I daren’t show up in the same habiliment as anyone else – that’s tackiness defined!”

“I doubt anyone else will come arrayed as flamboyantly as you, Will.”

Will’s eyes narrow in apprehension. “I know one of them who just might. Ho, tailor person!” he calls, pitching his voice to travel across the loose boundaries between the worlds of his author’s creation. “What are you wearing?”

From the fairytale realm of “The Stone Kingdom (Book Two of The Wilderhark Tales)”, Edgwyn Wyle enters Will Scarlet’s castle bedchamber. “To the costume party?” he says. “I was thinking of going as a pony.”

“A… pony?” Will repeats. “Well, no fear of us both showing up dressed like that. How were you planning to create the look? Some sort of mask, or…?”

“I didn’t create a thing. It was our author’s dear friend, Jeannie Stine. It seems friendship truly is magic after all,” he says, eyes sparkling with delight, “for she recreated me in My Little Pony form for #PonyFest13!”

Valiantly ignoring his distaste for hashtags, Allyn takes his cue. “#PonyFest13? Whatever might that be?”

“It’s a marvelous bit of fun, is what it is! Danielle’s other lovely friend, Alyson Grauer—”

Taking his own cue totally over the top, Will jumps in dramatically, “Contributing author to the steampunk anthology ‘Mechanized Masterpieces’? That Alyson Grauer?”

“Yes, that Alyson Grauer,” Egwyn laughs. “She told Danielle about this contest in which authors come up with custom My Little Pony designs inspired by their books or characters therein. All the details are over at the blog of the host, Rebecca Enzor, but the short of it is, everyone gets to vote on their favorite, and the author of the pony with the most votes will win – among other grand things – an artist by the name of Kalavista turning the winning design into an actual, physical, real world My Little Pony doll!”

“You don’t say! And what would you look like in My Little Pony doll form?” Allyn asks – still on script, true, but also legitimately interested.

“Minus the hat and cape, like this,” says Edgwyn, pointing to the accompanying pic. “Kalavista is a customizer of dolls, not their tailor, so the final product would come sans any habiliment,” he explains (slipping in another instance of our Save-a-Saturday word in the process!). “Under normal circumstances, I’d be appalled to go around nude, but as a pony, I think I could pull it off!”

“Well, if you aren’t just too lucky to live,” says Will, trying to keep a reign on his spike of jealousy at not being the character chosen to be pony-fied. “Go on, spill all: What’s the story behind you and your little pony self?”

“I suppose this is where I should insert the ‘short description of your pony(s), and a one sentence tag-line for the book’ as specified in the contest rules. Oh dear, but Danielle’s dreadful with single-sentence summaries.”

“How about, ‘In their search for her true love, princess and tailor will leave no stone unturned’?” Will suggests.

Edgwyn lights up. “That is actually less than dreadful! Have you lately been told you’re a mad genius?”

Will beams. “Not recently enough, no.”

“You are. Thank you. As far as my pony’s appearance, it’s all very deeply symbolic. To start with, I’m a horse, because I love horses. (*cough* And because that’s what the contest is about.) Speaking of horses I love, my pony’s coat color is a nod to my dear, demanding horse friend in ‘The Stone Kingdom’, who is likewise gray. My cutie mark is a heart because, well,” – he ducks his head and blushes – “I am apparently best known and appreciated for my loving heart. And of course there’s a needle and thread in it, because part of that love is for sewing! The dark hair and green eyes, meanwhile, are an obscure, esoteric reference to the fact that my human self has dark hair and green eyes.”

“Profound,” Allyn says, with a straight face and everything. “Your pony’s got my vote, Edgwyn, for whatever it’s worth. You’ll let the people whose votes actually count know when and where they’re able to cast them, yes?”

“Oh, we can count on Danielle to do that,” Edgwyn says with assurance. “She’s too much in love with that little pony not to.”

A subtly wicked grin tugs at Allyn’s lips. “In love with the pony, or with you?”

“And now would be a good time to have a mask…” Edgwyn mutters, dropping his burning red face into his hands.

Since he’s blushing anyway, go ahead and sound off in the comments: What do you all think of My Little Edgwyn Pony? ^^

“Accismus” or “Save-a-Word/Scavenge-for-Words Saturday”

It’s Save-a-Word Saturday!

It’s also the second day of my “Stone Kingdom” Launch Week Giveaway, and the first in which I’ll offer up a chance to earn a raffle entry through a scavenger hunt! So stick around ‘til the end of the post for more on that!

But first, Save-a-Word Saturday. For any who need a reminder of/never knew what that means, here’s how it goes:

1) Create a post linking back to the hosts, The Feather and the Rose.

2) Pick an old word you want to save from extinction to feature in the post. (If you find yourself in want of options, Feather ‘n’ Rose recommended a site that may have some word-lovers drooling. Luciferous Logolepsy. Even its name is old and delicious!)

3) Provide a definition of your word, and use it in a sentence/short paragraph/mini story vaguely related to the particular week’s chosen theme.

4) Sign up properly on the host post’s linky list so participants can easily find each other and share their logophilistic joy.

5) Be a hero by sharing these retro words with the world!

I’ve been participating in the weekly fun via my “Ballad of Allyn-a-Dale” Facebook page, giving myself the extra challenge/fun of relating every word I pick to my re-imagining of the Robin Hood legend, the “Outlaws of Avalon” trilogy (a.k.a. the magnum opus to be self-published after the completion of “The Wilderhark Tales”). But I figure, hey, with this week’s vignette all pre-written and ready to go, no reason I can’t post it here for the blog-inclined to see!

So, without further delay, here’s my word-saving civic duty of the day.

The theme: Pantaloons.

The word: “Accismus”, a noun meaning “feigning disinterest in something while actually desiring it”.

The Example:

“I say, Marion?” said Will Scarlet. “Random question. Do you wear pantaloons?”

Marion’s brows rose. “Pantaloons? What, you mean like bloomers? Long, lacy underwear? No, of course I don’t.”

“No? Hmm. Would you like to wear pantaloons?”

“Certainly not,” Marion laughed. “Why in the world would I?”

“Well, suppose I were to hand you a pair of pantaloons with a monogram of your initials on the bum? Would you wear them then?”

Marion stared at him. “Tell me you did not waste a dime on any such ridiculous thing.”

“It wouldn’t be a waste if you liked the pantaloons.”

“But I’ve told you I don’t want any pantaloons!”

Will cocked his head and regarded her with one eye narrowed. “Is this a mere display of accismus on your part, or do you honestly not want to wear pantaloons?”

“Wear pantaloons? I don’t even want to hear the word anymore! Why have you brought this up?”

Will shrugged. “No real reason. Just making conversation. I say, random question: If Robin and I had been born conjoined cousins, do you suppose you would ever…?”

This man has entirely too much time on his hands, Marion thought.

<<<>>>

Now, onto the “Stone Kingdom” Scavenger Hunt Question! (No, none of your accismus, readers – I know you want to play!)

Fill in the blanks: ___ and ___, both ___, wed ___ of white in realm of stone; for blood ___ begins, but naught can be put right by ___ alone. (Hint: The answer is somewhere in this post!)

First person to answer correctly in the comments below gets an extra spot in the raffle pool. Good luck, you guys, and I’ll see you all back here on Monday to announce our first prize-winners! (:

* * * * *

Recap of the “Stone Kingdom” Launch Week Giveaway!

[Action] = [Chances to Win]

Every mention/link to the giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, or blog = 1

An addition of “The Stone Kingdom” to your Goodreads “To Read” shelf= 1 (Find “The Stone Kingdom” on Goodreads here! )

Schedule a day with me to host me on your blog for an author interview, character interview, or guest post = 3 (Message me through my contact page here!)

Every purchase of an e-book copy of “The Stone Kingdom” = 3 (Available for Nook and Kindle!)

Every purchase of a paperback copy of “The Stone Kingdom” = 7 (Launch week only, Buy One Paperback on Amazon and Get One Kindle E-Book for just 99 cents!)

Your chances to win will accumulate over the seven days of the giveaway (didn’t win on Day One? You’ve still got your rollover entries for the days to come, and you can continue earning more), so the sooner you jump on board, the better your odds of winning!

The prizes:

Day One = A signed print of the lyrics to a Danielle E. Shipley-original “Stone Kingdom”-inspired song!

Day Two = A signed print of a Danielle E. Shipley-original dual portrait of Rosalba and Edgwyn!

Day Three = A signed mystery print of a Danielle E. Shipley-original “Stone Kingdom” scene illustration!

Day Four = A different signed mystery print of a Danielle E. Shipley-original “Stone Kingdom” scene illustration!

Day Five = Seven selected chapters of “The Stone Kingdom” with author commentary!

Day Six = Seven selected chapters of “The Stone Kingdom” with character commentary!

Day Seven (Grand Prize Day!) = 3 Winners each get to select any 2 previous prizes, and one of the three gets a free, autographed paperback copy of “The Stone Kingdom”.

**Note to all winners: If I don’t hear back from you within 7 days after your name is announced, I go back in the pool to pick a new victor. Prizes feel sad when no one comes to claim them. Of course, I’m sure you’ll all be far too eager to lay hands on your winnings for this defaulting rule to come into play; still, figured I’d best give you fair warning.**

* * * * *

“Love and prince,

Both true, wed rose of white in realm of stone;

For blood begins,

But naught can be put right by blood alone.”

 

One thoughtless act is all it takes to bring the curse threatened on Rosalba’s christening day to pass. Now the princess must combine her desperate determination with the service of benevolent tailor Edgwyn Wyle to find the second half of the key to her kingdom’s restoration.

The Stone Kingdom

Book Two of The Wilderhark Tales

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An enchantress’s curse turns a spoiled royal into a beast;

A princess’s pricked finger places her under a hundred-year spell;

Bales of straw are spun as golden as the singing harp whisked down a giant beanstalk –

All within sight of Wilderhark, the forest that’s seen it all.

You’ve heard the stories –

of young men scaling rope-like braids to assist the tower-bound damsel;

of gorgeous gowns appearing just in time for a midnight ball;

of frog princes, and swan princes,

and princes saved from drowning by maidens of the sea.

Tales of magic. Tales of adventure. Most of all, tales of true love.

Once upon a time, you knew them as fairytales. Know them now as Wilderhark’s.

<> ~ <> ~ <>

“A charming and excellent read.”

“Wry wit, clever twists, and, of course, dashing love interests.”

“Not only fun and funny, but relevant and wise.”

“A highly vivid, carefully formulated story … [Shipley] has a style all her own, and it’s lovely.”