My emotions are always a mess on release day. I feel one part elated and the other part nervous as heck. Silverwitch is my personal favorite of the Fairy World MD books, but now I have to release it to the world and let it go out to many readers. Some will love it and some won’t. Personally, I just hope people read it!
Leave me a comment and let me know if you’ve started it yet! Also, be sure to check out my Facebook page…
I will be giving away prizes like this dragon pendant and key charm, swag packs, and signed books, ALL DAY TODAY to celebrate Silverwitch’s release. Also, tonight at 8 PM Central time, I will announce the winner of the $100 Amazon gift card!
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Do you have Silverwitch yet? If not…
to get your copy!
For today’s post, I considered several topics, but there is one scene in the book that I felt really took my writing up a notch. It was the hardest scene in the book to write. In the first draft, I breezed through it and thought it was okay, but when I went back to revise, I realized it needed more depth. I really get into the characters’ inner struggles and personal inadequacies. I talk about their feelings, (gasp!) and I knew this scene needed to be better.
Usually, one scene takes me about half an hour to edit. This scene took three days of non-stop re-writing. At one point, I seriously hated it, but in the end, I felt pretty darn proud of what I accomplished.
I haven’t shared this scene with anyone. It hasn’t gone out to any bloggers or book blitzers. I selfishly kept it to myself so I could share it with all of you.
A note of caution, this scene contains a few mild spoilers, but there is nothing major given away.
From Silverwitch, Chapter Seventeen
I found the end of the hallway and took the wooden ladder leading up, then climbed onto a platform. Several people milled about as I walked through the narrow corridors, but most didn’t pay me any attention. When I reached the western end of the complex, I found a room with a wooden door and let myself inside. Kull and Heidel both sat on the floor with their hands tied and gags in their mouths. Blood dripped down the side of Kull’s face.
Perfectly fine? Maveryck will so be getting a piece of my mind…
I cursed under my breath and untied Heidel, removed her gag, and then moved to Kull and did the same.
“Did Jahr’ad do this to you?” I asked Kull.
He worked his jaw back and forth before speaking. “No. One of his men. I happened to mention that I thought keeping dragons in captivity was illegal, and then he struck me.”
I inspected his wound, but with the blood drying on his forehead and cheek, it was hard to tell how deep it went.
“This needs to be cleaned,” I said, moving his hair away from his face, “and possibly stitched. What did he hit you with?”
“A club of some sort. Made of bone. Possibly dragon bone.”
Heat simmered inside my chest. “Dragon bone?”
“Yes. I think they’re breeding dragons here, most likely for the purposes of illegally fighting them against one another.”
“That’s horrible. And highly illegal. No wonder Maveryck didn’t want me telling them about my relation to my stepfather.”
Heidel paced the room behind us. “What do we do now? Do we continue with this charade and continue to follow Maveryck? Or do we try to escape?”
The room was silent for a moment.
“If we escaped,” Kull said, “we’d have no guide to get us back to the rails, and since they blindfolded us, I would have no idea how to get back. Even if I could, navigating through the desert with those sandstorms would be suicide.”
“And we still wouldn’t know how to free my stepfather,” I said.
“Then I believe we should stay here,” Kull said, “at least until we get what we came for.”
Heidel sighed. “So we just stay here and trust Jahr’ad’s men won’t kill us?”
“They won’t kill us,” Kull said flatly.
“How do you know that?”
“Trust me. I won’t let it happen.”
“Overconfident, as usual,” Heidel said.
“I’m not overconfident,” Kull said. “I’m honest.”
Heidel narrowed her eyes. “Brother, forgive me if I don’t trust you to miraculously get us out of here safely. You don’t understand men like Jahr’ad the way I do. He can’t be trusted.”
“I agree that Jahr’ad can’t be trusted,” Kull said, “but there is still a chance that he can be reasoned with. Not every man is as evil as Geth. You’d do well to remember that.”
“He’s right,” I said. “While Jahr’ad may not be trustworthy, it doesn’t make him like Geth.”
Heidel fisted her hands. “You only say that because you share my brother’s bed. You’d say anything to agree with him.”
“That’s uncalled for,” Kull said.
“And it’s technically untrue,” I added.
“Why is it untrue?” she asked. “You’ve not shared his bed?”
“Uh, well…” I wasn’t sure how to dig myself out of this one. “Technically, no.”
She rounded on Kull. “Brother, is this true?”
“Whether it is true or not is none of your business, is it?”
“It is my business,” Heidel said. “What is the matter with you? Are you damaged? How many women have you taken to bed before her? And now you will not take the woman you’ve pledged your heart to? How long do you think she will put up with you?”
“How I choose to spend my private life is my own business.”
Heidel glanced at me. “Aren’t you concerned at all?”
“Well, it wasn’t really his decision completely.” I could feel my cheeks heating up. I hated being put in this situation. “I wasn’t really… I mean… what I mean to say is…”
“It was you who made this decision?” Heidel asked me.
“It has nothing to do with her,” Kull interjected. “If you must know, after Father’s death I realized I wanted to change my ways, to go back to traditional values and all that. It has nothing to do with her.”
I glanced at Kull, silently thanking him for saving me from a catastrophically embarrassing situation.
“I don’t believe you,” she said to Kull.
“Believe what you want, but you’ve no reason to pry into my life, and you certainly have no right to pry into Olive’s personal life.”
“I have every right. It’s not fair for you to judge every man who shows the slightest interest in me if I don’t also have the same right to judge who you spend your time with.”
“That’s completely different. I’ve never courted a maniac bent on the destruction of the world.”
Heidel laughed. “And I suppose Princess Euralysia doesn’t count? The queen who is now trying to conjure Theht, which will most likely end in the destruction of Faythander? Oh, and that’s right, you are now courting Olive, aren’t you?” She thrust her finger at me. “The woman destined to destroy our world. I’ve heard the rumors, Kull—about the Deathbringer prophecies. Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. Do you even know who she really is?”
My heart hit the bottom of my chest. Heidel had no idea how badly her words hurt me.
Kull rose to his full height. “That’s enough,” he snapped. “You are never to speak to Olive in such a way ever again. Is that clear? And just so you understand, I will never listen to your advice when it comes to relationships. You are the last person on this planet I would seek advice from. You gave your heart to a man so evil he destroyed magic, and then nearly succeeded in destroying our world. How I choose to spend my time is not your concern, and you are never to bring it up again. Is that clear?”
Heidel pursed her lips. Her hands trembled as she kept them fisted. “Perfectly clear,” she said quietly. “And now I see that when you told me you forgave me for my past crimes, you were lying. I don’t know why I’m surprised.” She choked on her words and hastily brushed away a tear running down her cheeks. “Yes, I understand completely.” Turning, she stormed out of the room, not bothering to slam the door behind her.
Great giveaway, love the cover can’t wait to read this book
Thank you, Aline! I’m pretty excited about the cover and the book. I think this cover fits the overall vision I had for the book, which doesn’t always happen for books. I’m lucky to have a fabulous cover artist.
Auggggh! I have to work today!! I started reading the moment I saw it and then stopped after 15 mins or so because I knew if I really got into it I’d never stop until I finished it and I just couldn’t do that as I have a long day at work today. Next time, make sure your book is released on FRIDAY night so I can finish it all at once and not have to worry about getting enough sleep! Thanks!
LOL! Good suggestion! But I think most publishers release books on Mondays so they can have a whole week to promote it. Yeah, awful day, I know. But I hope you love and can’t put it down!