A Pseudo-Dragon Mystery? - Livewrite

Alador stood staring down at Latiera.  The baby looked so normal at first glance.  Her hair was coming in and so far it appeared to be silver.  Not like an elder or a mage overtaxed would have, it was silver with that true metal sheen.  Her eyes staring back of him were very aware.  Intelligence glimmered in the deep blue eyes.

“How do you keep getting out?” he whispered down at the baby.

For a week, Nemara had put Latiera to bed in her crib.  In the morning, they would wake up with the baby nestled between them.  Alador did not know if she was manifesting herself between them or some other magic was occurring. What he did know was that somehow the baby was leaving her crib and sleeping with them once her parents were asleep.

Elder Dragons' Wisdoms - Day Twelve

https://deskridge.deviantart.com/art/White-Dragon-418139299

Do not attempt to counsel the foolish dragon.  Do not bring those that scorn to task.  Do not rebuke the wicked.  They will not listen and will turn on you. You will risk cave and hoard for one who does not even wish the help.   The wise will thank you for your censor and counsel.

Elder Dragon's Wisdoms - Day Eleven

http://fav.me/d41t6y0

Work above shared through deviantart link listed


Deception leaves one with things to hide, truth needs no fear for all is known.  

Elder Dragon Wisdoms - Day Ten

http://fav.me/daitg15

Picture shared via above link supplied by Deviantart

If you are sought for help, honor the request.  It takes courage for one to ask for help when it is needed, to turn them away with indifference, callousness, or out of anger is not honorable to the dragon code.   Of course, increasing one’s hoard while helping is always a blessing.

Elder Dragon's Wisdoms - Day Nine

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Shared Via link above supplied by deviant art

Seek knowledge and wisdom, think on them before you act. Many fledglings do not make it adult status due to impulsive decisions.  You need to act with purpose and discretion, never in anger or impulse.  

Elder Dragon's Wisdoms - Day Eight

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Shared Via link above supplied by deviant art

Give to the Gods what is theirs.  Support their creations in all manners of life.  Do not kill for pleasure of the hunt, only in defense and feeding.  In these ways we honor the God that created us in their image.

Elder Dragon's Wisdoms - Day Seven

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Shared Via link above supplied by deviant art

Long-life will present many situations that you will not like.  If you have help and guidance, if you honor the concept of protecting your flight as they protect you.  You will endure

Elder Dragon Wisdoms - Day Six

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Each of you were formed in your God’s likeness, do you honor your creator?  Do you seek counsel from the leaders of your flight?  Acting on your own without guidance from neither will lead to anxiety, foolish decisions and often even death. 

Elder Dragon Wisdoms - Day Five

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Shared Via link above supplied by deviant art

Do not be afraid to admit you were wrong.  While we should be proud dragons, we also should have enough humility to admit our mistakes and make them right where we can.

Elder Dragon Wisdoms - Day Four

Day Four

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Ask for help!  A dragon that thinks he does not need anyone from his flight, family or friends to assist him is a true fool.  That arrogance always leads to a fall which denies many dragons a chance at redemption.

Elder Dragon Wisdoms - Day Three

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Shared Via above supplied by deviant art

Do not ignore that small voice that whispers within you.  It is the guidance of the elders, the pressure of your God that is speaking out.  To ignore that voice will lead to embarrassment, failure and personal harm

365 Dragon Wisdoms - Day Two

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Mihaela-V

Shared Via above supplied by deviant art

Seek to do right by those around you.  The more anger and hate fill your heart, the less room there is for the things that bring joy. Even if the choice is distasteful, your long term happiness and well being depend up doing what is right and good.

365 Dragon Wisdoms - Day One

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by tsitra360

Shared Via above supplied by deviant art

The dragon that quits learning is a fool.  Listen to mortal stories and songs, and learn from your mistakes.  You will never know all things no matter how smart you think you are. You should never stop pursuing knowledge just as you would never stop pursuing treasure for your hoard.  The treasure of your mind is far more valuable.

Travis Hite - Reader's Challenge

Items:
The greatest alchemist in all the lands
A room that does not exist
A game of chess
A poisoned tea set



Oberan moved through his lab as if there were a clear path. To any other guest, the room looked almost impassible. There were tables with burners, beakers, tubing and other necessary items for alchemy. The far wall held the components he needed. He had done so much work for others until a month ago. The young mage eyed the wall of components then referenced his list. A month ago, Oberan had found reference to the possibility of opening a portal to a room no other could enter. He wanted to access this room for his research documents, unique potions and dangerous elements. It would add to his already overfilled labatory and let him protect his most valuable finds and property. Despite a mage by birth, alchemy was his great love.

He had been making extracts all week. You could not make extracts too far in advance as their properties faded over time. Some lasted only a week or two. The last extract he needed to make was from cat eyes. Oberan scoured the shelves. He had harvested all the parts of a cat about two month's ago. The problem was there were a number of elements starting with C was rather extensive. Finally, he found the jar with the two cat's eyes. He moved back to his current work station, side stepping boxes and tables as he went.

The Pixie Test

Gary Jones- Reader's Challenge:
Young Female Pixie,
A rundown hotel,
Homeless looking for somewhere to live,
Little brother

"Isabelle, it is time."  Belcher said, opening the door to the great pixie hall.  All the elders had turned out to observe the test and as she fluttered in, the room became silent.

Isabelle flew nervously to the center of the ring.  Her last two final tests had been in the same room, but there had been few eyes to witness her failures.  There were young lords and some of the oldest pixie families in the seats. She looked about for her mother and was pleased to see that she was there.  It gave Isabelle a sense of calm and she built on this to become centered.

The aged elder fluttered erratically to the small pedestal that was suspended by magic up above the many gathered.  Isabelle's heart jumped when she looked upon the royal box.  The Queen and her entourage filled the box far above the others.

"Let the final test of magic begin for Isabelle of clan Mistywing."  The crowd fluttered the wings and the hall became a buzz.

Where To Go From Here?

Curious about the picture? Check out the new short story book linked below. 

Hello to my fans and fellow authors!

I thought I would post an update and a poll.

I have moved to Minneapolis to attend the Mayo clinic.  The cancer just won't let go.  Currently, it is only effecting my mobility, well that is the chemo but it is related.  I haven't been writing the last two months as I settle into a new home and environment. I will be attending the clinic in Rochester, MN.

I have been asked why I am staying so far away from Rochester?  Two reasons, first I am living with friends that offered to be my caregiver on chemo days.  The second, I wanted to experience big city living.

A Dragonologist's Journal

Dragonologist: June 14, 2014 (First publication of this dragonologist's search for a live dragon and the revealing of the red dragon, Keensight.)


I did not see a dragon at all today even though I am in an area where there was a reported sighting.  I did find some burn marks that might indicate this is a hunting area of a dragon with a breath of flame. However, I am unable to verify at this time.  This area is rife with mosquitoes and other irritating pests.  While this would not deter a dragon, I am finding myself quite uncomfortable and smelling of a great deal of bug spray.  Fortunately I thought to pack my mosquito net and will be able to sleep without such irritations.

Dragonologist:  June 16, 2014

I have entered more dangerous terrain. There is more evidence of flaming here even among the rocks. I think I am getting close and will proceed with caution.  A soot test revealed that some of the marks were as recent as within the month.

Work, Relax - A Needed Concept in an Author

It is amazing to watch others write.  Some write for the money, some for non-fiction as it is a constant source of income and I might do some of this if I ever cannot teach.  Some write for fame - but don't want the work it takes to achieve fame.  And some, write like I do, because the story bubbles behind the self conscious, teasing and creating anxiety until you write it down.  My brain sees things and goes - that would make a good story, hears things and goes - that will make a good story, feel things and goes... well you get the idea.

I cannot refrain from writing. If I am not writing, I am role playing which is just another kind of writing, but you don't know where the end will be.   I am also a pantzer - this means I don't outline. I am all about characters and well, they tell the story.

However, I do have a mentor that I strive to model my routines after - Ray Bradbury.  This amazing author wrote 1000 words no matter what and many of them never reached but a few in the public eye. Regardless, he wrote.  For those of you that like writing novels, that is a new rough draft every 120 days.  As an independent writer, the long tail effect begins to ebb after about 180 days.  So if you want to stay viable, you have to write daily and read daily.

Livewrite: Ferryman of the Damned

Anonymous submission
slavetrader
place where I was born
addiction
Mud puddles

The sound of pelting rain, it never failed to fall when it was most unwelcome. Curt tugged up his collar of his jacket in a gruff manner. Giving a heavy sigh, he ran through the streets of the coastal city of Davenport. The streets barren of anyone living that didn’t have to be out in the pouring rain, soon he would be out of this mess and back to his ship. The new goods had come so quickly from the seller, his crew had hardly set foot onto land before they were wanting to shove off again.

 His thoughts yanked back as he misstepped and sank ankle deep in mud. Falling forward, his right arm came into contact with another puddle as the mud oozed through his fingers. With a growl, Curt wrenched free his arm and foot. The rain making it no easy task and further soaking his clothing.

 “Great, juuuust great.” muttering as he shook off the muck. The squishing of his boot sounded just above the din of the rain falling. Home after warm home and inn he passed, tempting him with a place to hole up until this mess of wind and rain was over. But, duty called and he wasn’t getting paid to sit comfortably on his ass in a warm hut. After rounding yet another switchback in the streets, the port was in view, his ship, Mari Toth, bobbed in the waves.



A smirk crossed his face once he got closer to the warf inns and saloons. The sound of revelry whispered like a siren’s call. He could imagine his men trading slips and tokens for drinks and the touch of soft pleasures, oh how he desired that. A gust of wind whipped surf into his face as he looked up. One of the crew was looking over a soaked manifest near the ship. His expression sour, Curt knew instantly that this was not a job he wanted to be taking.  His crew were standing around with large eyes and the ship was strangely quiet enough to hear the small harbor ripples hit the side of the massive ship.

Monsters in the Stars

Antiquated social orders gathered the stars of the night sky into groups of stars, a practice related to stargazing, the most established of the regular sciences. Confirmation of cosmology can be discovered everywhere throughout the world, including China (around 1300 BC), Mesopotamia (around 1200 BC), Mesoamerica (between 3000 BC and 1200 BC), Egypt (around 3000 BC), and India (around 300 BC). Greek, and later Medieval European, space science acquired the Mesopotamian framework and built up its own special framework something like 400 BC.

Groups of stars regularly memorialize essential occasions, generally of a mythic sort, such a large number of heavenly bodies exposed the names of saints or creatures or divinities. These mythical beasts and serpents have gotten themselves celebrated in the night sky; thus, monsters are among the stars.

Truly Alone - Live Write

Rafael Cerqueira

1. Immortal man, middle aged in appearance, jaded in nature.
2. The crumbling burial site of a loved one from millennia ago.
3. Human race has ended by it's own hand. The land is a barren, rocky wasteland in most directions.
4. Wind up music box. The kind with the spinning ballerina on top.

Ballerina found on Deviant ART - Page was no longer available

Adam made his way through the old burial ground. It was overrun and most of the stones were so weathered they were decaying or at least unreadable.  However, when you have made the trek for a millennia, your feet know where you are going even though the eyes might have deceived.  He was not sure why he still came other than it seemed the one thing that tied him to his humanity.

Adam wasn't sure why he was alive.  Somehow, when the disease spread rapidly through the population of North America, he had come out the other side of it.  But he had come out different, he didn't seem to have aged a day since he got up off that sick bed.

Free and Reduced E-book Sale!

Read an E-Book Week - March 5 through March 11th

The first week in March is always "Read an E-Book Week" on Smashwords.

I have two books in the selection for 50% off!

Outcast - a past top 10 Amazon Best Seller in Coming of Age
Once Upon a... Wait! - Top Seller in Children's Dragon Books

Find them both here: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Dragonsgeas

Here is a little more detail about the week's activities and where to find the full catalog.

2nd Readers' Challenge

So I just completed Wizardry Dayz in Sandy, Utah.  Inspired by my interactions at the conference, I am relaunching challenge writes.

The first challenge writes that were completed are being made into an anthology.  I really have a love of interaction with my audience and the first set where a blast.  The original idea came from a good friend from the book -A Wizard of Dreams (Myrddin's Heir Book 1) -by Robin Chambers- Link: http://amzn.com/B00CKKHFCO . The idea is actually in the next book in his series, but you should read the first one... well first.

 Wahlah.... Readers's Challenge

Dragons Geas Weekly News

Are Dragons Real?

This is an excellent article that you should check out!

Are Dragons Real? Facts About Dragons

Flying Dragons Caught on Camera

Real Dragon Captured by Fisherman

Necessary Items for a Dragonologist's Laboratory

As dragonologists go, Dr. Earnest Drake is the primary authority.  In fact, The Society of Enlightened Dragonologists was to build on Dr. Drake's work and carry on his research.   Today, we are going to cover the necessary items for a dragonologist's laboratory.

Please note as we begin this exploration of required equipment, that we are speaking of already deceased dragons.  There are so few dragons left in the world today that it is important that they are not killed for harvesting of parts. Animals should never be harvested for supposed cures and trophies. Most of these alleged cures are nothing more than hype and falsehoods.

 As far as the laboratory itself, the normal equipment is indicated and only one special tool is needed.  The most useful will be the pestle and mortar, as making potions and elixirs from dragon components and herbs is useful in experimentation.  A good Microscope is also needed.  A diamond drill is the one thing I would recommend as a special tool.  Dragons differing anatomy and parts are very hard and difficult to pierce.

Sensing Nature - A Live Write

Linda Shelton - Reader's Challenge

 

Elf

Mouse

Brook

Rabbit

For this one, I am going to take a storybook approach. 

Meribelle sat down by the brook to enjoy the peace of the morning.  Life had been busy lately as the princess was to be crowned queen in just a few days.  Everyone hurried about here and there in the elven glade.

Being more aligned with nature than most elves, she would sneak away to this quiet little spot as often as she could.   You see, elves like to talk.  They like to talk so much that sometimes she wondered if they ever listened.  

"Beatrice, I have brought you a carrot," she called out.  She pulled the carrot from her bag and set it on the ground beside her.  Beatrice was a rabbit that she had met when it was still a baby bunny.  The rabbit would often sit by her in silence.  A companion that didn't need to talk to remain a friend. 

 

What if Here is Really There? - A Live Write!

Linda Thompson's Challenge

1. An unwanted girl
2. A small village next to a continuous high wall [it divides the land, Here and There]
3. Finding a tunnel
4. A talking Book

For those that are new to my blog, I issued the readers of The Dragons' Geas blog a challenge to see if they could stump me in story creation.  They have taken longer than intended to write due to a struggle with metastasized colon cancer.  However, I am still working on them and will issue a new challenge when they are all done. Some are better than others and as these are live writes, are not edited.  Here is Linda Thompson's challenge

Mila ran her fingers over the gray coarse wall.  It had been there for generations and whenever she asked about it, she was told the wall is to keep there from here. It was an answer that didn't answer anything and in fact, made her want to ask more questions. She did know not to climb it.  She had seen a boy climb it once, he had been shot by the men in the village and fell over the wall to there.  No one ever heard from him again.  

Fallen Tiers Cover Reveal

 Becky Hunt is doing my final cover for the series and this is our draft reveal.  She wants to make adjustments but this is the basic idea of the cover with maybe some small adjustments.  I thought you all would want to see since you have been waiting so long.  It shows I am making progress. As soon as it is in the window, I will be launching pre-sales on both Smashwords and Kindle.  This just means you don't miss the release and get it a day ahead of everyone else.  I hope you love the cover.  Feel free to give Becky and I feedback.  If the change is demonstrative, I will post the next version when it is in its final form.

Live Video- Chemo

I made a live video from chemo if you wish to check it out.  Love to all my readers. I am still fighting.

https://www.facebook.com/latiera/videos/10209988052555870/

Anxiety of Readers Waiting for Fallen Tiers

Hi all,
So... where is Fallen Tiers?  I know it is my most asked question.  It has been a hard year in my cancer fight.  However, it will be going out July 1, major edits have been required do to chemo brain and the length before it is going to be available.  Chemo and creativity don’t mix.  While I know the story’s frame, those intricate details are what makes the story really flow.  It will be up for presale as soon as I get the cover.

More after the jump...

The Blackguard - An Excellent Reader Review

This review was amazing.  I hope you will help me share it and if you have time, hit like on the Amazon page - The Blackguard  Thank you Mr. Kenyon.

Stuart Kenyon on January 28, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition

Having read a fair amount of fantasy books over the last few months, I can confidently say that BLACKGUARD ranks highly amongst its peers. My only regret is that I didn't read the preceding episodes in the THE BLUE DRAGON'S GEAS series. Of course, I can remedy this and will do so at the first opportunity, because this is storytelling of a high standard. Reading other reviews, I see that others have pointed to grammatical concerns, but these do not detract from the overall experience.

To me, world-building is always crucial in any speculative fiction. Author Ms Matthynssens has constructed an complex, beguiling universe, one which I plan to explore more closely. Our protagonist, Alador, finds himself in a heartless world where the strong prosper and the weak are destroyed. If he is to survive and prosper, he must learn new skills, and quickly. I'm a sucker for underdogs, so I loved Alador's personal story. Also, I'm a big fan of political intrigue, and this novel is replete with Machiavellian schemes and dastardly enemies. The plot is intricate, the characterisation astute; there are no real weaknesses. Pacing is perfect, and although this book is close to 500 pages, it read quickly; the pages turned themselves.

If you're into imaginative fantasy with fantastical creatures, dragons and intrigue, THE BLACKGUARD is the book for you. Judging by the plethora of positive reviews garnered by the other episodes in the series, Ms Matthynssens has created a world of Tolkien-esque proportions, with thousands of pages of fantasy excellence on offer. Based on this novel, I recommend you give THE BLUE DRAGON GEAS series a try.

If I Told You, Would You Listen

by Cheryl Matthynssens — This is saved here for the book I am writing after finale is completed.

If I told you would you listen? 

If our eyes met would you turn and walk away?

Would you pretend you didn't hear me?

Would you forget that we were friends until that day 

If I told you would you listen? 

I just pretend to be so strong. 

I can't really be the center, the pillar, 

the one you counted on. 

The First Falling

Bobby Rufener

Impressionable Priestess
Clearing in a forest
Investigating strange chanting
Black Feather Quill

Aniata smiled over at Luck as he playfully dug at a rabbit hole. It was rather amusing to watch the dog dig three or four times then bury his nose back into the hole to see if he was any closer to whatever it was driving him to dig.  She looked down at her notes with a sigh. The Matron had insisted that she copy the precepts ten times to give to new acolytes.  She was fairly certain that Morana's true purpose was to drive them forever into her brain.  The woman was a hard task master.

Recent Books That Have Caught My Eye

Shift by Madison Dunn. $8.99 from Smashwords.com

I'm not sure why it happens, but when I focus just right, I can slow time. Things around me become lighter somehow, and I almost feel the tiny particles of energy spinning inside of them. The thing is, having the ability to transform the world around you isn't all it's cracked up to be -- especially when you are running from the Valencia without any deodorant.

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Celebrity Authors’ Secrets - The World’s Greatest Living Authors Reveal How They Sell Millions of Books by Stephanie Hale. $12.99 from Smashwords.com


Twelve of the world's greatest living authors reveal their tips for writing a book that sells over a million copies in Celebrity Authors' Secrets. A must-have guide - filled with publishing and book marketing info - for aspiring writers, authors, publishers, editors, writing coaches, creative writing tutors and anyone who loves books. Find out how to make your book stand out from the masses!

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The Missing Link by Maureen Murrish. $4.99 from Smashwords.com

It is time for Robby and Abigail to return to Dragon World and begin their role as full members of the community. But things go badly wrong from the moment they leave the cave with their dragons. The Missing Link is book two of the Dragon World series.

Live Write - Just Once

Turkey Leg in Question

James Child

1. A titan of a man with good intentions, but a sour attitude.

2. In a market place

3. Watching someone bolt from a stand with a valuable thing.

4. While he's eating a big turkey leg.

The melody of the market goers combined with the amazing scents rising from various stands brought a smile to Gorun's face.  He loved coming into town even though he only came a couple times a month to deliver fresh fruits and vegetables according to seasons, butchered meats and baked good his wife, Alana would bake up the day before he planned the trek.

Cancer Fight, the True Mole in My Life!

Well here we are again!

Journal entry by Cheryl Matthynssens

I had hoped my days of needing to have an outlet and to write here were over.  My Oncologist told me today that it will never be "over".  He had hoped that I would have more time cancer free then four months, but it just wasn't to be.  My cancer is anchored throughout my body.  It does not appear it will go into remission.  The best hope I have now is to continue to play whack-a-mole with it.

Somewhat expecting this, my oncologist had been monitoring me closely so that the moment it reared its ugly head, we would attack it.  Right now, the tumors are small and they are in my lungs.  One lung has a fair sized nodule of about 1/2 inch and the other one looks like a piece of moss, weaving in and out air passages or the blood veins.  I couldn't tell which.  Because it is in both lungs, it is considered inoperable.  Now that it has shown up in multiple organs, it is unlikely I will achieve remission.