Tag: fantasy authors

Flash Fiction Fridays – Sinking

Ariel Paiement

This week’s flash fiction is about Ansiel again! Hope you guys enjoy! If you haven’t read the last post on Ansiel, you can go read it here.

~~~

Ansiel stared as she spun away from him into the arms of another man. He barely caught his newest partner in time. She batted pale lashes at him, her pastel pink gaze darkening with interest. He kept his attention firmly fixed on her. On Queen Saeread. She was the only reason he was here in England at all. But he could only curse the purpose that tied him to her now. That purpose was the reason she was untouchable.

He left his partner dancing with another man and wove through the crowd, left the party to find some place of peace and quiet. The festive air everyone else possessed weighed him down, made his heart freeze and his lung seize. He should be happy right now. Should be glad for the reprieve from court back in Ireland. But he couldn’t find a single spark of thankfulness inside his sinking heart.

Hurrying out onto a balcony that was sheltered by an overhang and the wall, he found his sanctuary. Out in the darkness, listening to the pounding of the rain on the cobblestone below, he tried to regain control. She wasn’t his. She never would be. 

A soft footfall sounded behind him. He didn’t turn around. Didn’t need to when he already knew who it was. “Queen Saeread. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

She came to stand beside him at the rail, stood in the shadows and let the wall block her from view of those in the party. “Do I need an excuse to see you, Ansiel?”

He winced. No, of course not. But he needed a good excuse to stay. Temptation flared. He could excuse it because his King should be wedding his mate, not some random Fae Queen from London. He could excuse it because he knew the pain his sister would endure if this woman was wed to his King. But he also knew the price for betrayal was high, and he couldn’t bear to start a war that would most definitely involve his sister. So, he remained silent.

“Why don’t you speak?” Saeread’s arm brushed against his. “I hadn’t thought I’d done anything to make you angry.”

He shook his head and glanced over to find her watching him with a pout. “Nothing at all, my lady.”

She sighed. “Do you hate me?”

He tensed. Of course not. “Why would you ask that?”

“You tease me more often than not. And you look at me with something burning so hot in your gaze that I assumed you must. Besides, you spend more time running from me lately than you would if you liked me. Is my company that wretched?”

He couldn’t bear this. Groaning, he turned to face her. “Do you know what it feels like to feel as if, with every step forward you take, you might be taking your last? To feel as if you walk on a razor’s edge?”

A dainty frown creased her brow. “I–“

“No, I’m not done.” He pressed closer, didn’t care that he shouldn’t. “Do you know what it’s like to have a weight sitting on your chest every day? To be torn between two decisions? To feel as if you are sinking down, down, down until you don’t know which way is up? Until you feel like you can’t hold your breath any longer?”

She sucked in a breath, her pretty eyes brimming with tears.

“You don’t. You don’t know what it’s like to see what you want right before your eyes and to know that it’s yours but be unable to take it. You don’t know what it’s like to feel as though you’re sinking deeper into the bottomless sea of despair each day with no chance of rescue.” He shoved past her and paused in the doorway. “And until you do, Saeread, you can’t understand why I look at you the way I do.” 

She sucked in another gasping breath, as if he’d wounded her to the core. But he didn’t wait to hear her response. He just fled. Fled from her, the party, himself, everything. It was all that was left to him now, after all. If he couldn’t have the one woman who should be his, then what was left for him, anyway? 

~~~

That’s it for this week, everyone! I hope you all enjoyed. Have a great weekend!

The Mage’s Apprentice Anthology

Featured Ariel Paiement

Hi, everyone! I’m just giving a quick update for everyone on an anthology I’m in. I was just given the green light to share about it and to share the graphics. The anthology is fantasy and is based on the premise of using, learning, or teaching magic. It will be releasing on December 13th of this year. As soon as I have the blurb and the buy links, I’ll share those here for everyone. For now, I’ve just got the graphic I was given to share. There’ll be more on the book once I’ve got it. My particular story is high fantasy set in the same world as Bane of Ashkarith. So if you guys enjoyed that, you’ll probably enjoy this new story. If you haven’t read Bane of Ashkarith yet, then my short story, Rith’s Disciple, will be an awesome introduction to the world and will add new layers of depth to the novella.

Work-In-Progress Wednesdays #29

Ariel Paiement

This week, I’ve got an excerpt from Unseen, a short story I’m working on for the short story collection I’m hoping to release in 2021. Yes, I know that’s a long way off. But I want a headstart on things because I have so much on my plate. Anyway, Unseen connects most obviously to Revelar’s Queen, though it also connects to In Darkness Lost in a roundabout way and to Leap of Faith, which will be in the anthology Glimpses of Time and Magic, an anthology myself and author Joanna White are compiling with a group of other authors.

~~~

Saeread blinked. Her ears popped, and voices pressed in on every side. But the only one she really heard was the smooth baritone of the young man with the glowing amber eyes. Those molten pools pierced into her and held her in place while his silken voice lured her like a moth to a flame. She jolted into a ramrod straight position on her throne and stared at him. In the back of her mind, something nagged at her about this man, this ambassador from Ireland. But she brushed it away the next instant and smiled warmly before allowing herself to sink back against the cushioned seat. “It is wonderful to have you here, Ambassador. I trust you found the young woman I sent to your master’s court pleasant?”

He grinned. “Very affable, mi’lady.”

She nodded. “And your accommodations here?”

“More than generous, truth be told. I have been received far more warmly than I had anticipated.”

She laughed. “What did you expect, sir?”

“Certainly not a woman of such ravishing beauty and wit. And certainly not the warmth with which I have been greeted.” He bowed with a smile. “After all, you didn’t have to stoop as low as to notice an unworthy descendant of the Unseelie. In the fae world, we are the least of the least, after all.”

She grimaced. “Sarcasm doesn’t befit you, I think, Ambassador.”

He lifted his head. “Then if I may be so bold, mi’lady, it’s Ansiel, not Ambassador.”

She rolled the sounds around in her head. Ahnshiel. It was a nice name. But she shouldn’t encourage such a public display of forwardness. “An ambassador is what you are, and so you shall be respected as such when in formal settings.”

A gleam entered his bright gaze. “And might there be an occasion for an informal setting?”

She crossed her arms with a smirk. “Around here, Ambassador, we have more than our share of informal settings. I am certain you will run across more than a few if you remain this charming.”

He ducked his head. “I have offended already. Forgive me, mi’lady. On occasion, I forget myself and am, as a result, too blunt.”

“Honesty isn’t a bad thing.”

“Only when it is presented to those it could most benefit. For I fear, they are the least happy to hear it.”

“Perhaps.” She cocked her head to the side. “You’re a strange one, Ambassador Ansiel.”

He smiled at her, and it held a subtle, feral note to it. How odd he was! But, he was King Feread’s chosen liaison, and she couldn’t turn him away, so she ignored the strangeness of his behaviors and the smile he now bestowed upon her. His grin widened when he saw she wouldn’t remark on it. “If I may, mi’lady, I wish to retire to my chambers. I find myself more worn than I anticipated.”

She stifled a laugh at how formal he made everything sound and gave him a brief nod. “Do as you like. A servant will fetch you later. I wish to dine with you and speak with you of the state of matters for King Feread’s court. It has been some time since he and I last spoke.”

There was that curious glint again. It was almost as if he was mocking her, but she didn’t know what the misstep was. More than likely, she was being to sensitive. She brushed it off and watched him go with a soft sigh. There would be time enough to figure him out later. For now, there wasn’t a point to giving herself a headache in trying.

~~~

That’s if for me this week, everyone! What are you guys up to? Anything interesting? Feel free to share about your projects in the comments below!

Work-In-Progress Wednesdays #28

Ariel Paiement

This week’s work-in-progress Wednesday comes from Trader Prince of Aleshtain. Rhubhian is left alone with Albhia, the Crown Princess of Argos, who is visiting the Aleshtainan court as a potential bride for Crown Prince Eras. And as the tension ramps up, Rhubhian is forced to defend herself.

~~~

RHUBHIAN fiddled with the red silk scarves that wrapped her waist and tried not to look at Albhia. The other girl was gorgeous. Eras had done her an injustice in his description. But the others had given her too much credit in theirs. She was beautiful, but she didn’t strike Rhubhian as particularly kind. 

They were of equal rank, though the witch didn’t know it, and even were they not, she had no right to treat another human being like that. But truth be told, Rhubhian was more hurt by her behavior than anything. The other girl’s dismissal of her and clear disdain made her feel like she was a bug underfoot. As if she wasn’t worthy of Eras’s attention or time.

“So, you’re the wench he’s been messing around with.”

“Excuse me?” Rhubhian lifted her gaze to find Albhia eyeing her critically.

“Well, you’re pretty enough in a foreign sort of way.” She smiled sweetly. “I can see why he’s infatuated. But let me lay it out for you clearly. His old man adores me. He can’t marry a slave first, and he certainly can’t sire the next heir with one. So, if you behave yourself and stay out of my way, I might allow you to have him second. I might be nice enough to share.”

Heat rose in Rhubhian’s cheeks, and she clenched her fists in her lap. “I think my master has made himself clear on where he stands, Princess. I may be no one, but at least he can stand me.”

Albhia’s fair skin reddened, and she shoved herself back from the table with a sneer. “How dare you talk to me that way?”

“I’m only stating the obvious. The Crown Prince doesn’t want you.”

“If you think warming his bed somehow makes you above me, you’re wrong. You’ll never have him if you keep this up.”

Rhubhian snorted and lifted her chin. “I don’t want him.” Liar. “And if I did, I’d be able to have him. Can you say the same? Does he want you?”

“Whether you want him or not doesn’t matter, you ill-mannered wretch.” Albhia’s voice rose. “He’s clearly been bedding you. otherwise, you wouldn’t be acting superior.”

Rhubhian lowered her voice, glancing toward the kitchens. She didn’t want to get them in trouble with this argument, but she also wasn’t going to stand for this mistreatment either. “He has been doing no such thing. I don’t need to whore myself out in order to curry his favor.”

“You… You…” Albhia’s fists clenched, and she looked like she might throw herself over the table at any moment.

Fortunately, the door opened and Eras entered. He took one look at both their faces before striding to his seat and settling down. “Is something the matter, Albhia?”

She sat back down in her seat with a delicate cough. “The roast is a bit spicy for me, and I was startled by it.” 

Eras cast her a glance and she looked away. Her eyes teared up for some reason, and she tried to hold the tears at bay. Why was it that Albhia’s comments stung so much? And why was it that around Eras, those negative emotions always seemed to come out freely?

He didn’t comment on her sudden refusal to face him, and they finished the meal in silence. As soon as he was finished, he eyed her plate. “Are you going to play with that or eat it?”

She bit her lip, still on the verge of crying but trying to hold it in until she had privacy to cry. “I’m not hungry, sir.”

He sighed and pushed away from the table. “Very well. You look like you’re ready to drop. Let’s get you to bed. Are you feeling unwell?”

She shook her head, her throat constricting until she couldn’t even force sound out to form words. He pulled her chair back from the table and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she stood. She shrugged him off, his touch bringing her even closer to the brink of an emotional breakdown. Besides, Albhia was right. She was just a slave. She didn’t deserve the kind concern and gentle caring he’d shown her the last two weeks since he’d bought her. 

He frowned at her display, and she knew he was annoyed by the disrespect. But she didn’t want to embarrass him in front of Albhia even more by bursting into tears. So she held her back erect and hurried to the door. Eras let her go, but stopped her as he reached out to open the door for her. “We’re going to have a talk about whatever that was back there once we’re in my room.”

She stayed quiet but offered him a faint nod of acknowledgement. If he wanted to punish her or yell, she would bear his anger meekly. After all, she was his slave. She didn’t have rights, no matter how much he claimed otherwise. And he was probably going to marry Albhia, despite her refusal to admit that aloud. She might have been defiant in the face of the princess’s caustic behavior, but now she felt small. So very, very small.

So when Eras took her arm this time, she didn’t wrench away or protest. She just lowered her head to hide the tears that she couldn’t quite contain.

~~~

That’s it for this week, everyone! What are you all working on? Feel free to share in the comments below!

Mindfire – Worldviews in Writing

Featured Ariel Paiement

Introduction

Okay, guys! So, this book review is a little bit of a different fantasy sub-genre than I’ve reviewed in the past. Hunter and Shifter were both more allegorical fantasy or high fantasy. This one is superhero fantasy. If you don’t know what that is, you can take a look at my Sunday Sub-Genres post on it here.

Normally, I’m not much for superhero books, honestly, so when Allen asked me if I did book reviews on my blog–which I do–and asked me if I’d be willing to review Mindfire, I was kind of a little bit… Hesitant. Yeah, I know. I read a lot, and so why would I be hesitant about this? Well, my family and good friends will attest to the fact that I seriously have a thing against superhero movies on the whole. I watch very few of them. Sorry to those of you out there who adore the genre! I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with it, obviously. I’m just saying I don’t enjoy it. Doctor Strange and the very rare episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D when my family has it on is the extent of my superhero movie or show watching.

Given that, you might understand why I didn’t really feel overly excited about Mindfire. More like, cautiously curious. I knew Allen was a Christian author though, so I was really interested to see how he would handle superpowers and weaving God into his stories. I was pretty happy with what I got. So, that said, let’s get into the reader’s review first, and then we’ll talk about the writer’s side of it.

Reader’s Review

As I said above, I wasn’t jumping with excitement over reading Mindfire. I approached the book with curiosity because it wasn’t my usual genre. However, since I’d just finished blogging about superhero fantasy, I thought it would be a great example for my blog’s review section to help those looking to write this kind of fantasy.

As a reader, I found that I did have a bit of trouble getting into the story at first. I guess just because I don’t usually enjoy the genre. It also didn’t help that my reading time often consists of ten minutes snatched before work shifts or on a break from grading papers. So not all of the attention issues stemmed from the book. However, once I was into the book, I did enjoy it a lot more. I was invested in the characters and wanted to see what would happen to them.

Allen used a varied approach in how people had powers and why, which I appreciated. Some of the superheros were your typical, my powers just showed up or I had an accident and they manifested, kind of superhero. But others were genetic, like the werecats and werefoxes. One of my biggest complaints about superhero-themed books and movies is that they generally tend to develop the powers because they were in some freak accident or something. Obviously, that doesn’t hold true in every case, but things get pretty predictable after a while in the genre. Because that’s one of my biggest pet peeves about the genre, I was extremely happy to see that Allen didn’t do that. The story, while it may have highlighted superpowers, did not tell the typical story you see in the superhero genre.

One noticeable difference I saw was the characterization. Often, superhero films and the few books I have read seem to portray superheros as these epitomes of goodness. That’s going by the wayside a bit as you get heroes like Arrow who aren’t always morally black and white, and I appreciate that shift. I do believe right and wrong should be clear in any book or movie, and Allen definitely adhered to that, but the choices we make aren’t always black and white. I felt that Allen’s characters stayed true to that. Some of them made really terrible choices and had to live with the consequences, but all of them came across as very human. They had reasons for what they did, even if the reasons weren’t good. Superhero and supervillain alike struggled with decisions made and had things they regretted. In short, the characters weren’t all good or all bad. Even the best of them had their problems, just like we do in real life.

If you really enjoy this genre, you’re probably going to like this book. I will say that, for those who aren’t religious or aren’t Christian, just to be very transparent, you may not be the audience for this book. Allen is very overt in his talk about God, Christ, and salvation. Even when it isn’t directly mentioned, the theme of second chances, redemption, and forgiveness are woven throughout the entire book. If you don’t mind this, you’re probably going to enjoy the story. If you’re actively anti-Christian or just prefer to avoid reading books that are openly pressing home the points of Christianity, you may not like this. Still, if that’s not you or you’re just on the fence, I would highly recommend this book to you. It’s a good choice, and once I got into it, it was a very easy read with relatable characters. I don’t think you’ll regret it. As a bonus, parents, if you’re looking for a good book for your superhero-loving child or teen, this book would be appropriate for even the younger kids, though it might be a little hard for some of the young ones to grasp all the concepts.

If you’re interested in Mindfire, the purchase link is below.

Amazon

Writer’s Review

For those of you who are here to learn more about the craft of writing, this review is for you. Don’t read this if you plan to read the book and wish to avoid spoilers. Read the book first, then come back to this if you’re interested in seeing my take on what we can pull from this book. With that disclaimer, let’s jump right into this.

Characterization

Let’s start here because this is one of the things I felt the author did a phenomenal job with! Now, I kind of came to this book expecting a run of the mill superhero story. I was not, by any means, expecting characters who would come to life on the page the way Allen’s did. I guess I was anticipating larger than life characters for both superheros and supervillains. Relatable was definitely not in the list of expectations.

So, I was very happy when I discovered that the characters were relatable. Particularly Leia and Dane. These two characters both had superpowers, and both of them discovered more about themselves and those powers in the course of the book. These characters definitely went through some traumatic stuff. Dane lost his mom, the only family he felt he had left. Leia lost both of her aunts by the time things were said and done, she killed one of those aunts trying to protect her birth mother, husband, and unborn child, and she discovered her mother wasn’t really her mother, among other things. To top it all off, her birth mother is the supervillain everyone most feared: Malevolence. Not exactly what one wants to discover about one of their parents, right? 

Through all of these challenges and difficulties, these two characters continually rise to the challenge. But they don’t make the choices you normally see people make in the superhero genre. These two, one of them a previous superhero and the other trying to figure out where she fits, both end up deciding not to become superheros. I was a bit shocked by this turn of events, especially with Dane, because their parents were superheros, and they had powers. Normally, things go the direction of saving the world (or at least their city) one crook at a time. But not with Mindfire. 

All throughout the book, every character faces difficulties and decisions that aren’t fun to make. Leia and Dane are only two examples, which I felt were very prominent. But even the super-villain, Malevolence, is made relatable and human for the reader as the reasons for her choices and the difficulties she faced, which led to her assuming the identity Malevolence, are revealed through the book. No character remained flat or inaccessible because of some super-human ideal. Unlike Superman, who almost doesn’t seem touchable, every superhero and supervillain in this book is as human as you and I, with the exception of having a little extra boost of superhuman ability.

While not everyone here is going to write a superhero book, everyone here will have some degree of characterization required for their story. With Mindfire, you see a very good example of how to make characters realistic and relatable for the reader. If you’re writing fantasy, there’s a pretty good chance magic is involved, even if it isn’t in the form of superpowers, and other species besides humanity may also be front and center. You need to ensure that, despite these differences, readers can connect, and Mindfire is an excellent example of how to do that.

Themes

This is another area I felt worked well for Mindfire. Allen did a good job of weaving themes into his story. You can see the Christian influence everywhere, but this book isn’t allegorical like Joanna’s books Shifter and Hunter. Set in this world as opposed to other planets, Mindfire took a much less subtle, but still appropriate, approach to the author’s worldview. The most obvious themes in the book are those of redemption, forgiveness, and second chances.

Malevolence is probably the clearest example of these themes. While she wasn’t necessarily a huge obstacle our heroine had to overcome to save her loved ones and home, she still made choices that, while relatable, led to suffering. In particular, her choices in trying to be a mother to Leia indirectly led to the death of Leia’s mother-in-law and Black Fox, Dane’s mother. Her choices also led directly to deaths or injuries to people around Leia as Malevolence used her telepathy or telekinesis to protect her daughter. Through the course of the book, Malevolence gradually changes. She reverts back to Angela Merrick, her original identity, for a time until that’s too much to bear because of the guilt and pain. But once she’s back to Malevolence’s personality, she still doesn’t quite become like she was. Far from being a heartless villain who wants only power, she is a concerned mother, about to become a grandmother, and a grieving individual who has lost too much. As the story continues, Malevolence eventually does find forgiveness and redemption as well as a second chance. She goes from being the villain everyone fears to being friends with her daughter’s family and having a place to belong.

For writers interested in using themes, what you can learn from Allen’s approach in Mindfire is two-fold. First, you have to realize that a theme should be a natural extension of the story. If Malevolence hadn’t been working toward being better, hadn’t realized her mistakes, hadn’t regretted anything, then Allen’s themes wouldn’t have worked out. The characters and the story have to support it. Two, the integration should be smooth. If it fits well with the characters and story, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem, but the key point here is that readers should get the idea without being smacked in the face with it. It should be clear but not overwhelming or obvious in a heavy-handed way.

Christianity

Okay, so this was an area I had mixed feelings on. Allen wove themes of Christianity into the entire novel. (See my previous point on those themes). That worked really, really well for Mindfire. However, he also included some places where salvation, God, and Christ were discussed quite prominently. As a Christian author, I wasn’t particularly bothered by this. I appreciate the courage it takes for an author to overtly include Christianity that way because it definitely will alienate certain audiences. The mixed feelings came in more with certain conversations. Some of them felt a little bit contrived.

There were a few I really liked, such as the conversation between Leia and Sue, her adoptive mother, at a few points in the book as Sue tries to help Leia to understand that Christ and a relationship with God can be the calm in her storm as well as an answer to her current unrest. However, there were others that felt much less natural. The points where Leia was saved and the conversations between Sue and her mother in the flashback scenes felt a little more heavy-handed. They pulled me out of the story to sit and think about the scene instead of reading through it, grasping the main concept being presented, and moving on. I didn’t enjoy those parts as much because they felt out-of-place instead of intentionally woven in. The different terms used were also very much “Christianese”.

I think the thing to learn here is that your worldview, no matter what it is, can be presented in a way that’s natural and in a way that’s heavy-handed. Obviously, you don’t want to be the kind of writer who tries to hide their worldview. That’s not a good thing, and it’s, in my opinion at least, wrong to manipulate the reader like that. But worldview and beliefs ought to be woven into the story so that readers are able to see how it fits. It needs to make sense. If it’s feeling forced at all, it probably is. So, if you really need it to be there, find a way to smooth it out and fit it in without trying to make a round peg fit in a square hole. Readers will notice if you’re forcing it, and that isn’t what you want.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, despite points where the use of Christian terminology and Christian viewpoints was a little preachy, the book was still a good read. I skimmed those parts and moved on with reading the story without too much disruption to my suspension of belief. For writers looking to learn from Allen’s use of writing techniques in Mindfire, there’s definitely a lot to learn. Picking apart his writing style and the various tools he used will provide you with a lot of different things to learn. I’ve just scratched the surface in covering the areas I felt were most important. Hopefully you’ve learned something from this though. If you’re interested in Mindfire, the purchase link is below.

Amazon

Sunday Sub-Genres: Coming-of-Age Fantasy

Ariel Paiement

Introduction

This week’s discussion of sub-genres is all about coming-of-age fantasy. This genre, both fantasy and otherwise, is fairly popular, particularly for young adults and teens. Why? Probably because the entire premise has to do with change and growing up or finding your place. But we’ll look at things a bit more closely in this post, so let’s get started!

Defining Coming-of-Age Fantasy

As noted in the introduction, coming-of-age fantasy places a large focus on how someone who is unique in some way or another goes from normal life to a new normal. These stories, as a result, generally start out with the protagonist losing something or someone. Some event acts as a catalyst to force them to move from the comfortable place they were at into the unknown where they will discover themselves and ground themselves in who they really are. 

These can make some awesome stories for teens and young adults since that’s the age where many young people are doing exactly what the characters are doing: finding themselves and figuring out where they fit. But people of all ages can and do enjoy coming-of-age stories, and fantasy lovers are no exception.

Please note that, unlike many sub-genres we’ve discussed before, coming-of-age fantasy is often more a theme than it is a specific sub-genre. In virtually any tale, a character can be forced to move from comfort to a hard road towards self-discovery. As a result, the coming-of-age fantasy sub-genre can fit in with many other sub-genres, even if it isn’t the main focus per se. It fits particularly well with epic or high fantasy in many cases because the themes and storylines mesh very well.

Writing Coming-of-Age Fantasy

Now, on to the interesting part! How do we write coming-of-age fantasy? As I said earlier, this sub-genre really works well with almost any genre of fantasy and even with non-fantasy genres. It’s popular with younger audiences because it’s relatable, and because of it’s flexibility, you as a writer can utilize it as a theme with your main sub-genre of fantasy even if you don’t intend to write it as a main sub-genre.

So, let’s dive in to some of the aspects of coming-of-age fantasy.

Magic

Because of the nature of coming-of-age fantasy, the level of magic in your story may vary greatly. Magic is a great way to force the characters to move from innocence to experience in the novel or short story, though, so it is often a strong feature in these stories. Or, at least, the discovery of it and subsequent struggle to learn to use it and control it often ends up being a pivotal point in these stories. Because it’s so useful for getting the ball rolling, most fantasy tales that are going to be specifically coming-of-age stories will feature magic heavily. The protagonist, antagonist, and most of the supporting characters met along the protagonist’s journey will likely be special in some sort of magical way. How, however, is widely variable and entirely up to you.

Violence

Unlike some of the sub-genres we’ve been looking at in the last month or so, coming-of-age fantasy is actually low violence in most cases. If there is violence, it’s rarely disturbing in nature. This makes these books great for younger readers, assuming the content is free from explicit sexual content.

Graphic Content

Speaking of sexual content, this is one area where coming-of-age fantasy really can vary. When older characters are the focus of a coming-of-age novel, I’ve seen a lot of variation in this one. Some of them do include content that won’t be appropriate for younger readers, particularly if the focus is romantic in nature. However, if the character’s story arc is more focused on self-discovery and belonging in other ways, then the stories may still be safe for teens or kids. Because of the low violence level, this area is the main one where parents may worry. As a writer, then, you have to decide on your target audience. If you want something everyone can enjoy, then skip the sexually explicit (and preferably all sexual) content just to be safe. But if you’re aiming for an older audience and choose to include it, that’s your choice too. It’s fine not to be all things to all people. However, you have to decide who you want to appeal to. So this is one area where you’re going to have to make a decision since there isn’t necessarily a standard for the sub-genre one way or another.

Social Implications or Grand Ideas and Themes

This one varies quite a bit too. It honestly depends on the story. Some of our previous sub-genre discussions have been non-negotiable here due to the type of writing. On this one, it’s not such a hard and fast rule that social implications must be made or larger ideas and themes incorporated. It doesn’t mean they won’t be, but here you should go with what feels right for your story. If those kinds of themes and ideas fit in well, then include them. If they don’t, avoid forcing the issue. It isn’t necessary, and readers of the genre don’t necessarily expect it to go one way or the other.

Characterization

By nature, the genre tends to lend itself to higher characterization. The focus is, after all, mainly on the character’s journey of self-discovery and new experiences. This means that the attention is fixed firmly on our protagonist(s), and as such, readers will want to get to know them. Complexity might not always be extremely high in the plot, but the characters must feel real and inviting to the reader because otherwise, the reader won’t want to take the journey witht hem.

Conclusion

I hope this has been helpful to anyone considering writing coming-of-age fantasy or thinking about including it as a theme within another sub-genre. Do you have something to add to the comments made about coming-of-age fantasy? Or maybe you have more questions? Feel free to comment below with either! I’m always happy to hear from you guys as readers and writers!

Further Reading and Resources

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series

**Robin Hobb’s Farseer Trilogy (Hobb is not an author I recommend for children, just based on what I know of her work. For older teens or young adults, they may be a good fit. She is a good writer for those looking to learn what good fantasy looks like.)

Patrick Rothfuss’s The Kingkiller Chronicles (Some of Rothfuss’s work may be suitable for teens, but parental review is suggested.)

**Tad Williams’s Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn (Not sure on the appropriateness of this series for children as I haven’t read anything by Williams.)

Flash Fiction Fridays – Kidnapped

Ariel Paiement

This week, I’ve got a flash fiction about Rhubhian from Trader Prince of Aleshtain. Enjoy!

~~~

RHUBHIAN stared out across the village, almost unable to comprehend what she was seeing. Smoke and fire curled up from the hide and straw huts. She sank to her knees on the promontory above her village, and the tears streamed down her cheeks. She’d heard the stories from refugees about the slavers who were hitting outer villages, but she’d never expected it would come this close to Faeridhia. This close to her cousin’s domain. Why had this happened?

She spun on her heel and hurried down the steep, rocky path to the village. Her mother and baby brother were down there, and her father had probably been involved in the fighting before the village was ransacked. She had to find them. Her foot slipped on the rocky ground, and she struggled for balance. Regaining it, she continued her headlong rush down the path. 

Something rustled ahead of her, and a man stepped out onto the path. He wasn’t wearing the attire of her people, and his skin was paler than anything she’d ever seen. She took a shaky step back up the path. His grey eyes fixed on her, and his lips parted in a leering grin. “Guess it’s my lucky day.” 

She struggled to understand the words, but the look on his face told her what his words didn’t. Her Common wasn’t good enough to understand his accent. But then, it didn’t need to be because the lust and greed was etched all over his face. She backed up more and shook her head.

The man took a step forward with a laugh. “Where are you going, girl?”

She shook her head again and turned to run. Her foot caught on a root, and she stumbled. She fell to her knees and released a cry. The sharp rocks dug into her knees, and she sniffled, forcing back the tears. She shoved herself to her feet and continued running. The man cursed and hurried after her. She could hear his sharp breaths and his footsteps growing closer, and she gasped. Increasing her speed did nothing. A hand wrapped around her hair and yanked her backward. She screamed and thrashed back against the man now holding her. She reached out for the objects around her, prayed that there was something large enough to knock him out. 

Nothing happened. His hot breath fanned over her ear, and he laughed, his hands holding her tight. “Don’t bother. Your mind tricks won’t work against me because I can negate them.”

She choked on a scream as he wrapped his fingers around her throat and dragged her back toward the path. With his grip around her throat, she couldn’t even struggle now. She tried to scream, but he slapped a hand over her mouth. Something bitter coated her tongue. Rhubhian attempted to spit it out, but the man pressed his giant palm over her nose and mouth, leaving her no choice but to swallow.

She squeezed her eyes shut and thrashed in his grip. But it did nothing. And as the bitter tablet he’d shoved into her mouth dissolved and trickled down her throat, she found her muscles slackening. Her heart rate spiked, and a moment later, she felt the line connecting her to her ashtra dim. She couldn’t reach it. She couldn’t use it. Tears dripped down her cheeks. As the man dragged her down the path toward her burning village, she couldn’t even lift a finger to save herself. Her mind drifted as the drugs seeped through her entire body. Then darkness settled over her like a heavy blanket, and she left the world of consciousness.

~~~

I hope everyone enjoyed this week’s flash fiction! If you did, you can look forward to reading more about Rhubhian in Trader Prince of Aleshtain. Once I have more content written, I’ll start posting that on Wattpad and Inkitt for readers.

Work-In-Progress Wednesdays #27

Ariel Paiement

This week’s WIP Wednesday is from Trader Prince of Aleshtain, the second book in the Legends of Alcardia series. This is a scene from the most recent chapter I finished. Let’s take a look!

~~~

WHEN he strode into his room, the first thing he laid eyes on was Rhubhian’s drawings. They were scattered around the room, and the ones she’d done reflected a dark, haunted mood. Pained expressions, empty gazes, and screaming faces filled the pages. He swallowed and stepped past them, his gaze flitting around the room. Where was she? Her mind wasn’t in a good place judging by these drawings, and he didn’t want her trying to hurt herself.

The sharp weapons in his closet came to mind, and he hurried toward the other room and the adjoining bathroom. He was about to go into the closet when he caught a flash of bright red clothing in the bathroom. Stepping back, he stared at Rhubhian. She was huddled in a heap on the bathroom floor, her tiny body curving in on itself. Tear stains tracked her cheeks, but she was breathing slow and steady. At some point, she must have fallen asleep.

How long had he been gone? Now that he thought about it, he’d left her here alone for almost an entire day, if he included the night he’d spent at Ifan’s plaza. He hadn’t even considered how she might feel if he left. In fact, he hadn’t thought she’d care that much. But then, he had taken off after yelling at her for being so stupid. She must have been going out of her mind with worry, boredom, and guilt. 

He walked into the bathroom and crouched down beside her, brushing her damp hair off her neck with a sigh. She stirred, and her long lashes fluttered against her cheeks before she opened her eyes and met his gaze. At first, confusion clouded her eyes, and then recognition dawned, and she bolted into a seated position.

Eras pulled back. She probably wanted her space. Maybe she was even angry at him for leaving her for so long. He’d be angry if he was in her position. But strangely enough, no trace of anger appeared. Instead, she flung her arms around his neck and clung to him, sobbing like a child.

This was new. Not that he’d complain. He liked having her close, and he liked her display of her humanity even more. While he’d prefer she weren’t upset or in pain, he was glad to see her opening up. Hopefully after the trauma faded from her memory a bit, she wouldn’t revert back to her previously closed-off self. He wrapped his arms around her and cradled her against him.

Her fingers fisted in his shirt, and he rubbed her back. Murmuring soothing nothings in her ear, he continued to hold her close and comfort her. She tried to say something past the tears, but the words came out garbled. He leaned back and brushed her tears away with a sigh. “I’m so sorry for leaving you alone for so long.”

She tightened her hold on his shirt. “You are angry at me…” 

“No, No, I’m not angry anymore.” He took her face in his hands and ignored the tears dripping down his palms. “Rhu, look at me.”

To her credit, she obeyed more promptly than usual, but no doubt that was born out of fear he might leave and guilt over not staying put the day before. She didn’t say anything further, and he wished he knew how to convince her he was no longer angry. Frustrated, certainly. But not angry. In fact, now he mostly felt relief over her safety and guilty for leaving her alone. “I never should have left you alone. I never gave you the chance to apologize if you needed to or to tell you that I was only angry because I was so scared for your safety.”

She ducked her head as much as he would allow. “I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you yesterday, but you left so quickly, and I didn’t know what to do.”

He pulled her back into his arms with a sigh. “Rhubhian, everything is forgiven. In your position, I would’ve done the same thing, and you were never told you should stay put in the room. It’s my fault. I should’ve made sure you knew what I was expecting. Next time, I’ll make sure I do. But if you’re ever unsure, you put your safety first, you hear?”

She nodded and rested her forehead against his shoulder. “Why did you leave?”

“I needed time to cool off. But I didn’t think about how it would affect you. I should have, and again, I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry.”

For a while, she didn’t say anything. Maybe she wasn’t willing to forgive him. If it made her feel better, though, he’d bear that burden. He didn’t deserve forgiveness after the way he’d gone off on her before leaving her to stew in her own self-reproach with no way to fix anything. So, he just sat there and stroked her hair while holding her close until the slight trembling of her body stopped.

Finally, she pulled away and looked up at him. “I forgive you.”

He blinked. “You do?”

“You asked me to, right?”

He nodded.

“Then I forgive you.”

He sat there for a few moments in silence. Then he reached out and stroked her hair away from her face with a sigh. “You think I deserve it? Even though I was selfish?”

She shrugged. “You saved me. And…” She bit her lip. “And you were right to be angry.”

He stayed quiet.

“I’m sorry too.”

She understood her mistake, then? But maybe she didn’t. Who could say? She could be apologizing just to smooth things over. “Sorry for what?”

She cast him a look that bordered on rebellious. Eras crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at her. The irritation dimmed, and guilt replaced it. “I’m sorry that I went after you. Even though you didn’t tell me to stay put, I still knew you wouldn’t like it. But I did it anyway.”

“Why?”

“I was… I was lonely, and I needed to get out of this room.” She ducked her head.

He reached out and tipped it back up. “You should have said so.”

Her gaze met his, and she swallowed. The sheen of tears glossed over her eyes. “Are you angry?”

He shook his head with a sigh. “No. No, I’m not angry.” 

She didn’t say anything, and for once, he gave in to the temptation to peek into her mind. He found only pain, fear, and a tiny bit of hope. Hope that he might not be lying.  He shook his head and reached out, gathering her into his arms. She tensed before relaxing. The time they’d been spending together every day and his kindness to her were paying off. At least she didn’t fear him. Only what might happen to her if he didn’t choose to stick around to protect her. He wove his fingers through her hair and pressed her head to his chest. “I’m not going to leave you, sweetheart.”

She shivered against him and sighed. “No matter what?”

“No matter what. After all, I did get you into this mess.”

~~~

Well, that’s it for this week from me. What are you guys working on? Feel free to share in the comments below! Is anyone doing NaNoWriMo this November, by the way? I am, though I’m aiming for 50,000 words total between the various projects I have going on, so I’m not doing it the traditional way exactly. So, what about you guys?

Saturday Setup – Magic: Systems

Ariel Paiement

Introduction

Last Saturday Setup, we talked about establishing rules for magic and how important that was. This week, we’re going to discuss different systems for magic. This is equally important, though it is a much different discussion than the previous post on magic was. This time, we’re looking at the actual system the rules will function in, which will help you to further categorize your magic use in any given world as well as what rules to associate with it. So, let’s dive right in!

System One: Rational

Now, for this, different people have different definitions, but the general consensus is that a rational system of magic is one where there is an underlying rationale and framework for the magic. Sometimes these systems are also referred to as hard magic systems. The rules are more than just formalities necessary to make it work. In a system like this, they are the lifeblood and the indicator of a much larger structure at work.

Most of the time, a rational system is set up so that’s it’s easy to extrapolate from there. You’ve got your systems where things can occur seemingly at random or where things may not always go according to plan. Those aren’t rational systems. A rational system is something that hints at structures that might go back to something like physics (Avatar: The Last Airbender) or some other specific set of rules that won’t be bent (almost any superhero fantasy). Brandon Sanderson uses a rational magic system in Mistborn. The abilities are utilized by ingesting various metals, which then lead to different magical abilities or superpowers. While the individual themselves must have an inherent ability to use that metal in order to get results, the system is logical and rational because each metal can only do the things assigned to it, and no individual who isn’t Mistborn or specifically attuned to that metal will be able to use it to achieve those assigned things. There’s no mystery or question in it, no vagueness that leaves the reader wondering how this works. It is what it is, and it’s made very clear up front what it is.

Let’s break down an example from my work, Pathway of the Moon. Pathway of the Moon has a mix of hard and soft magic systems (We’ll look at the soft side in a moment). On the hard side of things, there is the system that allows for a few things to happen. First, an individual will either be Inherent (possess an ability) or UnInherent (no ability). From there, a clear set of rules governs the power distribution. With the exception of a few special cases, people control one part of one sphere or element. They can either have a specific ability in the mental or physical areas, or they can control some small part of an element (water, fire, earth, and air). No one gets more than one ability, though some may be more practiced in their area and therefore stronger than another or may contain stronger ability in the first place.

Take Amadeira, for instance. She’s one of two female leads in the epic, and her ability has to do with water. (Elemental Inherent). However, she can’t control everything related to water. Instead, she is able to manipulate existing water sources. Not create them. Just manipulate what exists. Someone else might be able to create water, of course, but then they would not be able to shape it to their will. Under this same idea, someone might be able to create ice from existing water or manipulate ice as it already exists. Still another might have the ability to create ice from thin air. This is a rational system though. There are rules, and with one or two exceptions (the special ones who can use dark or light for their ability), everyone follows them. Even the exceptions follow a set of rules and have an explanation for their existence.

Note that there can still be some mystery to a rational system in that not all rules may be explained. However, the key is that there will be subtle clues and hints toward those rules not revealed so that when something we didn’t realize could occur happens, we aren’t questioning how it’s possible. It just makes sense to us. A true rational, hard magic system will lay out all the rules for the reader because it’s necessary. So there is a slight difference in the terms rational and hard even though people often use them interchangeably.

System Two: Irrational

So with this system, it shouldn’t be assumed that there’s no logic or system at all. There usually is something, but this is more the Lord of the Rings style magic where nothing is exactly clear or predictable. We may wonder how Gandalf can appear at all the right times, but we accept that he can, not because we have reasons within the text but simply because he is Gandalf and that’s what Gandalf does. It’s mysterious and definitely goes unexplained, but it’s still accepted because, hey, that’s just the way it works around Tolkien’s world.

Systems like these are usually less focused on the rules. An individual may memorize an incantation to turn someone into a toad, but in a soft and irrational magic system, they can’t turn around and extrapolate out for a way to turn that person back from toad to human.

Worth noting is the fact that systems like this may often include plants or animals that contain some inherent magic of their own. People who use magic aren’t included in this as you can’t create a potion out of them and get something magical. But, just like with the spells, the system relies on memorization of the different potions and incantations because there’s no logic to it that can be discerned by reader or character. Trial and error is the key to the game.

These systems may also include old magic and artifacts. While both of these could show up in a rational system if the rules are clear and unwavering, they most often seem to show up in systems that are irrational or that utilize soft magic simply because these allow some level of uncertainty and mystery to the magic’s workings.

Let’s go back to Pathway of the Moon to talk about the aspects of the system that are soft irrational magics. While, arguably, Pathway of the Moon uses rules even for this second system of magic, it isn’t like the first one I explained. This one is much more vague and unclear. This system is for the UnInherents (those who can’t naturally use magic), and it is much more of a memorization, spells-based system. Certain types of plants and spells can harness the energy of the planet or, in the case of darker forms of magic, even the life force of people to generate various magical effects. While the system is supposedly only for UnInherents, Inherents may use it too if they go dark and are looking for the power. But the system doesn’t have rules that allocate who can achieve what amount of power or even if one spell can lead to another. Included in this are various artifacts both in the Aurelai Universe (the location where Pathway of the Moon and my published work, Bane of Ashkarith, take place) and in other universes. Most of my worlds contain this kind of duality in the system, which leads to the next point.

System Three: Dual or Hybrid Systems

Many fantasy novels these days are using a hybrid or dual system that blends or uses both of the magic systems described above. Pathway of the Moon falls under this. My book’s universe uses more of a dual system as there are, quite literally, two different magic systems at work: one rational and based more on magic with genetics and the other irrational with no clear system or basis in any set of rules that would allow extrapolation. However, this is a less common thing to see. Ordinarily, you will see systems that are a mixture of qualities from the previous two systems. This is why you can end up with a soft rational system or a hard irrational system. While the soft rational or hard rational systems may make sense to us, I’ll make a few quick notes about a hard irrational system. With a hard irrational system, you’re going to take the set of rules that are always explained and combine it with things that are impossible. 

As stupid as the example is, think about My Little Pony (if you have younger sisters or daughters who liked this show, I’m sorry. I was subjected to watching it once or twice with my baby sister, and that was bad enough. Those of you who end up watching it over and over… That’s like your own personal hell, in my opinion…). In the movies and shows, the rules and limitations are always explained. But the reasons for it make absolutely no sense in that there’s no way they could possibly occur. Ever. They’re either impossible or just straight up unexplained. Therefore, it makes a great example for what I was saying about a system that falls between being hard rational and soft irrational. It becomes a hybrid best described as hard irrational, as weird as it may seem.

Conclusion

Hopefully, all of this makes sense and helps everyone creating a magic system to create one that fits their story needs and personal preferences. There’s a ton of leeway with the hybrid systems because it combines elements from the rational and irrational systems. There’s also the option to create a world with dual systems, as I did with Alcardia from Bane of Ashkarith and Pathway of the Moon. (Interestingly enough, when I created dual systems, you see more of the soft irrational system come out in areas of Bane of Ashkarith than you do in Pathway of the Moon, which focuses far more heavily on the rules and extrapolating from them.) Really, you aren’t locked in, though you do want to create what best allows you to implement and tell your story. 

Have other tips or details on these systems? Have a question about implementing them or further inquiries about them? Feel free to leave it in the comments below! I’d be happy to talk about it a bit more in depth!

Flash Fiction Fridays – Ansiel’s Quest

Ariel Paiement1 Comment

This week’s flash fiction is about a new character, Ansiel. This particular character features in a short story on the Fae Queen of the London Fae Court. If you haven’t gotten your free copy of Revelar’s Queen and read through it, then I’ll let you know now that the Fae Queen in my short story, Unseen, is the same one who was in charge of the London Fae Court during the events of Revelar’s Queen. With that note out of the way, let’s dive right in!

~~~

Ansiel leaned on the railing of his balcony with a sigh. A quest to scout out a bride for his king was quite a weight. And while he felt honored that his master had seen fit to send his personal bodyguard to do the scouting, he wished it didn’t have to be him. He wasn’t cut out for all of the diplomatic nonsense and courtly fawning required of ambassadors. It wasn’t even in his job description. Or it wouldn’t be if he’d had a job description. But, he couldn’t tell Faread no. So, here he was on the night of his departure, moping.

Soft footfalls alerted him to an intruder, and he spun on his heel. A slender figure stepped from the shadows, and he sighed. Then he shook his head with a soft smile. “Still at it, Ceili? When will you accept that you can’t sneak up on me?”

“Never.” Ceili matched his grin with one of her own. “So, what is this I hear about my brother becoming a diplomat?”

He put his hands on his hips. “Where did you hear that?”

“‘Read may have let it slip.”

Ansiel crossed his arms. “Nicknames, now, eh? Have you moved from mistress to prospective bride?”

She snorted. “Really, Ansi. Is it necessary to be that way? When are you going to accept that your baby sister is old enough to make her own choices? If I choose to warm my mate’s bed, that’s my own decision. Given what we went through over my career choice, I assumed you’d learned I was an adult.”

“That’s hardly fair! I’m your older brother. It’s my job to protect you, and I can’t do that if you give your heart to a man planning to wed another and risk your life protecting his kingdom from the threats he sees in every shadow.”

“He’s my mate.” She crossed her arms. “What do you want me to do? Abandon him?”

“He’s abandoning you.”

“Mates only happen once for us. You know that. And there’s only a fifty percent chance that you will.”

“I know that too,” he noted.

She shook her head with a huff. “And as for my career choice, I like what I do.”

“You enjoy killing people and living in the shadows. Never thought I’d hear that coming out of your mouth. A year ago, before he finally noticed you, you hated it.”

“Well…” Ceili groaned. “Well, I guess I still hate some aspects.”

He laughed and turned his back on her to watch the moon rise over the Irish countryside. “Ceili, he’ll be the death of you. Marry a man who can love you. A man who won’t make the woman he should cherish into a glorified prostitute.”

She didn’t answer him, but her soft intake of breath spoke volumes. A rustle of cloth filled the silence that stretched between them. When he finally turned, she’d already gone. He dragged his fingers through his hair with a groan. He shouldn’t have said that. Even if it was the truth, he didn’t like that it separated them and caused anger between them. And he really didn’t like that it meant leaving her with a bad taste in her mouth while he traipsed off to the Fae Court in England. Unfortunately, the words had been said, and she was already long gone. Probably headed off to cry in Faread’s arms. The man would console her like he always did, give him an earful about hurting his sister’s feelings, and then move on without a care in the world.

Ansiel gritted his teeth and stomped over to his four-postered bed. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the man wanted to marry a woman besides Ceili. The king wanted to make a ruined woman out of his baby sister, and she seemed determined he should. That alone was enough to make him want to kill the man. But he always bit his tongue and held back his true feelings towards the king. Admitting his hatred would be the best way to his job and his head. And when it all fell apart, Ceili needed someone to be there. He was all she had. He slid into bed and yanked the covers up over his head. For her sake, he would continue suffering this charade of a child in a man’s body and pretend that it didn’t make him sick. For her sake, he would turn a blind eye. And for her sake, he would pick up the pieces when it all shattered.

~~~

That’s it for this week! What did you all think? Have something you’d like to see in future Flash Fiction Fridays? Share your thoughts and comments in the comments below!