I could wait a day or two to post the next chapter, but I have the time now (at least, I hope) so I might as well do it.
Chapter 5
Ben slumped against a tree in the forest above the dwellings. He, Kaela, Josh, and Lindsey had just finished exploring the network of tunnels the followers had once lived it. But it was completely deserted, just like the place where Klii, Learka, and Yev had once lived. And Josh and Lindsey's bad attitudes hadn't helped a bit.
"Why are we sitting here?" Josh pouted. "We looked all over the smelly tunnel-thingy and we couldn't find your precious friends, and who cares? Let's go home! I left my cell-phone on and it's probably running out of batteries."
"And I can't find my lip gloss!" shrieked Lindsey, searching her pockets. "If I lost it in the tunnels you'll be sorry, Kaela!"
"Guys," pleaded Ben. "Could you stop being so concerned about your stuff? I'm not sure we can go back. I think it's more of the thing that Adonai has to make it happen. It's not like you can just cross over between the two worlds whenever you like."
"Well, then, this Adonai-thing you keep on talking about is really--" That was how far Lindsey got before Kaela hastily covered her cousin's mouth with her hand.
"Ahem. Why don't we go to--Lindsey, stop biting!--look for a village or something? We wil need a place to spend the night, after all."
Ben rose to his feet. "Good idea. Come on, let's go."
--- --- ---
It was beginning to be dusk by the time they found a village. They had come out of the woods long ago, and now were on a sort of plain. The path they had been following still continued on, winding away like a dusty snake into the distance.
Ben squinted away to the east before entering the village. "We should have seen Mahal a long time ago," he mentioned to Kaela.
She nodded. "Yes, we should. Maybe it's gone to ruins, just like all the other things that were here when we were last."
Josh and Lindsey, eager for a bit of civilization, were already in the crowd in the village, and Ben and Kaela had to hustle to catch up to them. The people they passed stared curiously at odd clothing--jeans and t-shirts--as they walked.
"Where are we going to sleep, in a barn?" Lindsey asked in her usual manner. "This place is filthy! Call this a town? It's not even as big as the first floor of a mall!"
Ben ignored his obnoxious cousin. "Let's see...we can't sleep in an inn because we don't have any money, I doubt the people will let us stay in their houses--look at the way they stare at us. They look pretty hostile, wonder why--so I guess we will sleep in a barn tonight, Lindsey."
They were about to begin looking for a suitable barn when a man came up to them. He had a short brown beard, and wore the customary robe of the other people around him. "Good day, children. I hear you are looking for a place to stay?"
Ben, as the oldest of the group, was the spokesman. "Well...yes."
The man's smile put his fears at ease. "Would you like to stay with me and some more of my friends? We have plenty of room for all."
"Sure," Ben replied. "Thank you."
Following the man, who introduced himself as Hans, they came to a house on the edge of the village.
"It's only a temporary stay." Hans told them. "Us followers and our master travel the country and beyond. Do come in,"
Ben pricked up his ears at the word 'follower'. Could they possibly be among the company of followers of Adonai? But Hans continued.
"My master, Yeshua, will be very happy to receive you." Hans held the door open.
The cousins entered, and found themselves in a room, filled with several people. When they came in, one of the men stepped forward to greet them. "Hello Ben and Mikaela. Greetings, Joshua and Lindsey." His eyes reminded Ben of someone he knew, but he couldn't place a finger on it...
"How do you know my name?" Lindsey asked defiantly.
The man, Yeshua, turned his eyes on her. "I know many things about you, daughter. More than you would know. Now come to the table, we were just eating."
Later that night, when Ben lay down to go to sleep in the house the followers of Yeshua were staying in, he suddenly recalled who the eyes of Yeshua had reminded him of: Adonai.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Izori
Friday, June 12, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Our First "YTBPA", Black Jaguar
A "Yet-to-be-published Author (YTBPA)" already! So, without further ado...
Black Jaguar
Writing since he was nine, Black Jaguar does it "'cause it's fun". The books that he's working on now are The Assassin's Knife and The Monster in the Shower. He thinks that the second one mentioned will be published. Black Jaguar's summary of the book: "Something evil, something mysterious, something dangerous is lurking in the shower. And it's up to Wally and Mo, six year old twins, to kill it and protect their home."
The main characters in his book are Wally and Mo, and their older brother, Ryan. Wally is cautious and will probably grow up to be a rocket-scientist. Mo, a daredevil, is a future archeologist, lion tamer, or explorer, and Ryan..."He's a typical older brother," Black Jaguar says. "Gave Wally his first i-pod and gameboy!" None of the main characters are based on anybody in particular, just a mix of personalities Black Jaguar has encountered.
The authors Black Jaguar suggests to read are Brian Jacques, Bill Myers, and John Erickson.
His writing tip is: Don't write for the audience, and don't be dismayed if someone doesn't like your book. There's always going to be someone out there who doesn't like your book.
And there you have it. I might not do the layout like that next time, so they'll all look pretty different. Next time I might do it a lot like a chart.
Izori
The main characters in his book are Wally and Mo, and their older brother, Ryan. Wally is cautious and will probably grow up to be a rocket-scientist. Mo, a daredevil, is a future archeologist, lion tamer, or explorer, and Ryan..."He's a typical older brother," Black Jaguar says. "Gave Wally his first i-pod and gameboy!" None of the main characters are based on anybody in particular, just a mix of personalities Black Jaguar has encountered.
The authors Black Jaguar suggests to read are Brian Jacques, Bill Myers, and John Erickson.
His writing tip is: Don't write for the audience, and don't be dismayed if someone doesn't like your book. There's always going to be someone out there who doesn't like your book.
And there you have it. I might not do the layout like that next time, so they'll all look pretty different. Next time I might do it a lot like a chart.
Izori
"Yet-to-be-published Author"
I had this really cool idea last night. I'm not sure what to call it; I guess it's "Yet-to-be-published Authors". What you would do is you would send me some information on your 'future writing career' (:D) and the book your writing that you think will be published first. Then I'll post it up here, and when your book does get published, it'll be more advertisement! And it's always nice to know that you aren't alone in writing. (Wow, maybe I should be a salesperson, instead of an author. Aren't you convinced?)
If you would like to be a "Yet-to-be-published Author", just answer the questions on the chart below, and then comment your information. I have to approve the comments before they go on my blog, so I'll get it before the rest of you do (haha).
Here's the information. If you have any suggestions to the questions (that rhymes, maybe I should also be a poet), please comment.
Name (blog user name only)
Should I have a link to your blog (not recommended if you have a blog with pictures and information on you and your family, but recommended if you have a writing blog that you would like more publicity):
Books you're writing:
Book that is most likely to be published:
Summary of the book:
Characters in the book (personality, were they based on real people?):
Why you like writing:
When you first started writing books:
Writing Tip(s):
Suggested books/authors to read:
Remember, comment your information if you want to be a "Yet-to-be-published Author".
Izori
If you would like to be a "Yet-to-be-published Author", just answer the questions on the chart below, and then comment your information. I have to approve the comments before they go on my blog, so I'll get it before the rest of you do (haha).
Here's the information. If you have any suggestions to the questions (that rhymes, maybe I should also be a poet), please comment.
Name (blog user name only)
Should I have a link to your blog (not recommended if you have a blog with pictures and information on you and your family, but recommended if you have a writing blog that you would like more publicity):
Books you're writing:
Book that is most likely to be published:
Summary of the book:
Characters in the book (personality, were they based on real people?):
Why you like writing:
When you first started writing books:
Writing Tip(s):
Suggested books/authors to read:
Remember, comment your information if you want to be a "Yet-to-be-published Author".
Izori
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Chapter 4 (The Deserted Dwelling)
Finally, the long overdue...
Chapter 4
"What?" Josh squeaked. "Who's Elandai?"
Ben and Kaela took turns explaining their last adventure in Elandai--from falling into the follower dwelling to fighting Daran in Mahal--and when they were finished, Josh and Lindsey looked much more pale then they had before.
"That's no fair!" whined Lindsey. "You didn't tell us we were going to Bananai, and I want to go back! Take us back, Ben!"
"Actually, we're in Elandai, not Bananai--" Ben barely caught a smile "--And we aren't going back. Trust me, you'll have fun! All the swordfights, adventure...come on, Josh, don't you like adventure?"
"No," Josh stuck out his lip. "I don't like adventure, and I want to go home."
Kaela rolled her eyes, an action she'd probably do a lot of over the next weeks. "Well, by the end of our time here you'll love Elandai. Now come on." With that, she began marching through the path that led straight on. Ben followed her, and Josh and Lindsey unwillingly took up the rear.
Kaela looked around at the forest they were walking through. This was so different then last time. Her and Ben's first walk was a spooky one; the path had been surrounded by skeleton trees. But then Adonai had made the trees come alive again, so now they were green and friendly. Some had flowers in their branches, and birds chirped from all over. A squirrel dashed across the path, and then paused to look at the humans.
She glanced from side to side. Somewhere...there it was, a highly disguised, stone trapdoor. She and Ben had fallen through it on their first visit. It was the entrance to the dwelling of Klii, Learka, and Yevelina (Yev for short), three followers of Adonai and good friends to Ben and Kaela.
Ben caught up to her and knocked on the trapdoor. "Hello? Klii? Learka? Yev?"
No answer.
He knocked louder. "Guys, open up! It's Mikaela and I, and we brought our cousins. Hello?"
Still nothing.
Puzzled, Ben turned and looked at Kaela. "They aren't answering!"
"Well, maybe they're out or something," Kaela suggested. "And they might have moved back up to the surface once Daran was defeated. Open the trapdoor and we'll see."
Ben pulled on the door and it opened with a rusty creak. Peering inside, he shouted, "Hey guys, it's me!"
He hopped down into the dwelling and stared around him, shocked. Cobwebs and dust were all over the small room, chairs were falling apart, the lamp chain on the table had all but rusted away--everything was a wreck.
"What happened!" Kaela cried as she followed him down. Josh and Lindsey stared down into the dwelling, not very interested.
Ben shrugged helplessly. "They must have left to live above ground. But that would have been a month ago--or less--and this looks as if it had been deserted...years ago!"
"What kind of place is this, anyway?" Lindsey said from above. "People just run off and leave their homes like that?"
"Oh, be quiet!" Kaela shouted back, starting to get annoyed. "You aren't helping much!"
"Well, sorry, your highness! I didn't mean to upset your royal crown," Lindsey had more than a hint of sarcasm.
With an effort, Kaela ignored her cousin and turned to Ben. "But that can't be possible; them leaving their home years ago when only a month could have passed."
"Maybe someone trashed the place," suggested Ben. "Though that wouldn't account for the rust."
Josh stuck his head down the hole. "What are you guys doing?"
"We're trying to find out what happened to our friends," Ben replied grimly. "You're welcome to help."
The cousins cautiously entered the dwelling, squeaking whenever they got dirt on their hands. At one point during the descent, Lindsey screamed, "A spider! A spider! Ewww, get it off! Off!"
She waved her arms around desperately and lost her balance, falling down the rest of the way, taking Josh with her. He was also squealing, "Spider? Where? Oof!" (The last part was when they fell and Lindsey landed on top of him).
Ben and Kaela exchanged glances. Not un-similar to our first landing, Kaela thought with amusement.
Ben walked over to the old, familiar rug on the wall and brushed it (and more cobwebs) aside, revealing the door behind it. The wood had rotted some, and he nearly pulled the knob out trying to get the rusty thing open.
He glanced around inside. "It's dark in there," he reported. "We need illumination."
Kaela had been scanning the room for something, while Josh and Lindsey sat, huddled in the middle of the room, glancing fearfully around them. Then she suddenly exclaimed, "Aha!" and pulled out...her and Ben's old swords!
She touched the purple pommel stone of her sword. These weapons were special; they shot light for all the followers of Adonai, and did many other things. At the end of their last adventure, they had disappeared when Ben and Kaela had crossed the creek back over to their world, and she had always wondered what happened to them. Adonai must have brought them back here.
Handing Ben's sword to him, she drew her own out of it's scabbard. Josh started at the shink it made and looked fearfully at her. "Don't point that at me! It's sharp!"
"I wasn't pointing it at you, and the swords are supposed to be sharp." Kaela explained slowly and carefully, trying not to yell. "You're going to have to get that into your noggin if you're going to stay here, Josh. Now c'mon, we're going down the tunnel."
The cousins followed her and Ben as they stepped into the tunnel. Immediately, Ben and Kaela's swords lit up with the same pure glow as before.
Kaela grinned as they started down the passageway. It's good to be back.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's so fun making Josh and Lindsey spoiled. I know, it's sad.
Izori
Chapter 4
"What?" Josh squeaked. "Who's Elandai?"
Ben and Kaela took turns explaining their last adventure in Elandai--from falling into the follower dwelling to fighting Daran in Mahal--and when they were finished, Josh and Lindsey looked much more pale then they had before.
"That's no fair!" whined Lindsey. "You didn't tell us we were going to Bananai, and I want to go back! Take us back, Ben!"
"Actually, we're in Elandai, not Bananai--" Ben barely caught a smile "--And we aren't going back. Trust me, you'll have fun! All the swordfights, adventure...come on, Josh, don't you like adventure?"
"No," Josh stuck out his lip. "I don't like adventure, and I want to go home."
Kaela rolled her eyes, an action she'd probably do a lot of over the next weeks. "Well, by the end of our time here you'll love Elandai. Now come on." With that, she began marching through the path that led straight on. Ben followed her, and Josh and Lindsey unwillingly took up the rear.
Kaela looked around at the forest they were walking through. This was so different then last time. Her and Ben's first walk was a spooky one; the path had been surrounded by skeleton trees. But then Adonai had made the trees come alive again, so now they were green and friendly. Some had flowers in their branches, and birds chirped from all over. A squirrel dashed across the path, and then paused to look at the humans.
She glanced from side to side. Somewhere...there it was, a highly disguised, stone trapdoor. She and Ben had fallen through it on their first visit. It was the entrance to the dwelling of Klii, Learka, and Yevelina (Yev for short), three followers of Adonai and good friends to Ben and Kaela.
Ben caught up to her and knocked on the trapdoor. "Hello? Klii? Learka? Yev?"
No answer.
He knocked louder. "Guys, open up! It's Mikaela and I, and we brought our cousins. Hello?"
Still nothing.
Puzzled, Ben turned and looked at Kaela. "They aren't answering!"
"Well, maybe they're out or something," Kaela suggested. "And they might have moved back up to the surface once Daran was defeated. Open the trapdoor and we'll see."
Ben pulled on the door and it opened with a rusty creak. Peering inside, he shouted, "Hey guys, it's me!"
He hopped down into the dwelling and stared around him, shocked. Cobwebs and dust were all over the small room, chairs were falling apart, the lamp chain on the table had all but rusted away--everything was a wreck.
"What happened!" Kaela cried as she followed him down. Josh and Lindsey stared down into the dwelling, not very interested.
Ben shrugged helplessly. "They must have left to live above ground. But that would have been a month ago--or less--and this looks as if it had been deserted...years ago!"
"What kind of place is this, anyway?" Lindsey said from above. "People just run off and leave their homes like that?"
"Oh, be quiet!" Kaela shouted back, starting to get annoyed. "You aren't helping much!"
"Well, sorry, your highness! I didn't mean to upset your royal crown," Lindsey had more than a hint of sarcasm.
With an effort, Kaela ignored her cousin and turned to Ben. "But that can't be possible; them leaving their home years ago when only a month could have passed."
"Maybe someone trashed the place," suggested Ben. "Though that wouldn't account for the rust."
Josh stuck his head down the hole. "What are you guys doing?"
"We're trying to find out what happened to our friends," Ben replied grimly. "You're welcome to help."
The cousins cautiously entered the dwelling, squeaking whenever they got dirt on their hands. At one point during the descent, Lindsey screamed, "A spider! A spider! Ewww, get it off! Off!"
She waved her arms around desperately and lost her balance, falling down the rest of the way, taking Josh with her. He was also squealing, "Spider? Where? Oof!" (The last part was when they fell and Lindsey landed on top of him).
Ben and Kaela exchanged glances. Not un-similar to our first landing, Kaela thought with amusement.
Ben walked over to the old, familiar rug on the wall and brushed it (and more cobwebs) aside, revealing the door behind it. The wood had rotted some, and he nearly pulled the knob out trying to get the rusty thing open.
He glanced around inside. "It's dark in there," he reported. "We need illumination."
Kaela had been scanning the room for something, while Josh and Lindsey sat, huddled in the middle of the room, glancing fearfully around them. Then she suddenly exclaimed, "Aha!" and pulled out...her and Ben's old swords!
She touched the purple pommel stone of her sword. These weapons were special; they shot light for all the followers of Adonai, and did many other things. At the end of their last adventure, they had disappeared when Ben and Kaela had crossed the creek back over to their world, and she had always wondered what happened to them. Adonai must have brought them back here.
Handing Ben's sword to him, she drew her own out of it's scabbard. Josh started at the shink it made and looked fearfully at her. "Don't point that at me! It's sharp!"
"I wasn't pointing it at you, and the swords are supposed to be sharp." Kaela explained slowly and carefully, trying not to yell. "You're going to have to get that into your noggin if you're going to stay here, Josh. Now c'mon, we're going down the tunnel."
The cousins followed her and Ben as they stepped into the tunnel. Immediately, Ben and Kaela's swords lit up with the same pure glow as before.
Kaela grinned as they started down the passageway. It's good to be back.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's so fun making Josh and Lindsey spoiled. I know, it's sad.
Izori
Book Review: Dragon Rider
I'm back! I finished this while we were out of town. It was 523 pages, not including the bonus material at the back of the book.
"Dragon Rider" by Cornelia Funke
Firedrake, a young dragon living in a valley with the others of his kind, is shocked when he is informed that humans are preparing to come to Dragon Valley. The dragons must find a place to move to quickly--and the only safe place they know of is the Rim of Heaven, a dragon paradise. Some say that it's just a myth, but Firedrake believes that it's real and sets out with his brownie friend, Sorrel, to find it. At the beginning of their adventure they find an orphan boy named Ben, who joins them. The three continue their search with the help of a map made by a rat, but the dangers of their route isn't the only problem. Nettlebrand, a vicious creation of an alchemist who wants to destroy all dragons, is on their trail, also trying to find the Rim of Heaven. Unfortunetely for Ben, Firedrake, and Sorrel, he is closer to finding it then they thinkn.
Even though they have their differences, the three main characters help each other out and would care if one of the others got killed. One of my favorite characters is Lola Graytail, a daring aviator rat. The negative is there's a bit of Hinduism in part of it (the idea that when a person dies, he or she comes back in another form). Overall, it was a very good book.
Izori
"Dragon Rider" by Cornelia Funke
Firedrake, a young dragon living in a valley with the others of his kind, is shocked when he is informed that humans are preparing to come to Dragon Valley. The dragons must find a place to move to quickly--and the only safe place they know of is the Rim of Heaven, a dragon paradise. Some say that it's just a myth, but Firedrake believes that it's real and sets out with his brownie friend, Sorrel, to find it. At the beginning of their adventure they find an orphan boy named Ben, who joins them. The three continue their search with the help of a map made by a rat, but the dangers of their route isn't the only problem. Nettlebrand, a vicious creation of an alchemist who wants to destroy all dragons, is on their trail, also trying to find the Rim of Heaven. Unfortunetely for Ben, Firedrake, and Sorrel, he is closer to finding it then they thinkn.
Even though they have their differences, the three main characters help each other out and would care if one of the others got killed. One of my favorite characters is Lola Graytail, a daring aviator rat. The negative is there's a bit of Hinduism in part of it (the idea that when a person dies, he or she comes back in another form). Overall, it was a very good book.
Izori
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Notice
There won't be any new posts until Monday (or maybe even Tuesday) because our family will be out of town. I would post a chapter of "The Return to Elandai", but I don't have time. Just an FYI.
Izori
Izori
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Book Review: Ironhand
I wasn't quite sure how to review this book (I missed a lot of the explaining since I haven't read Book 1 yet) so I'll just resort to the much easier method of copying the description off the book. How convenient :D.
"Ironhand" by Charlie Fletcher
Book 2 of The Stoneheart Trilogy
Now that George Chapman has upset the fragile truce between the warring statues of London, he has been drawn into a war that will test his mettle. He and Edie, a glint who can see the past, may have succeeded in their quest to find the Stoneheart, but their journey is far from over.
Edie and the Gunner, a statue of a World War I soldier, have been captured by the walker, and it's up to George to save them. But first he must deal with the stree strange veins made of marble, bronze, and stone that have begun to grow out of his hand and curl around his wrist. Legend has it that unless he successfully completes three challenges, the veins will continue up his forearm and eventually pierce through his heart.
As George struggles to find the strength within to face the choice he has made, to take the Hard Way, he is determined to use his power for good--even as others wish to harness it for its great potential for evil.
The book was fine. The Gunner and George do a fairly decent job of protecting Edie (a girl) from all the stuff that's going on, and the friends help each other out and get along well. The negatives are that "Ironhand" has glints in it (women or girls who can see the past. They aren't exactly like fortune-tellers but they're close to it), and that sometimes the characters use English swear-words. Because of one sentence in it I actually stopped reading the book for a little bit, but if you read a little past that it explains the sentance, and I'm really glad I did start again. Some of the ending parts were really good and really surprising. Very suspensful. It's a little confusing at some parts. Overall, it's a pretty good book.
Izori
"Ironhand" by Charlie Fletcher
Book 2 of The Stoneheart Trilogy
Now that George Chapman has upset the fragile truce between the warring statues of London, he has been drawn into a war that will test his mettle. He and Edie, a glint who can see the past, may have succeeded in their quest to find the Stoneheart, but their journey is far from over.
Edie and the Gunner, a statue of a World War I soldier, have been captured by the walker, and it's up to George to save them. But first he must deal with the stree strange veins made of marble, bronze, and stone that have begun to grow out of his hand and curl around his wrist. Legend has it that unless he successfully completes three challenges, the veins will continue up his forearm and eventually pierce through his heart.
As George struggles to find the strength within to face the choice he has made, to take the Hard Way, he is determined to use his power for good--even as others wish to harness it for its great potential for evil.
The book was fine. The Gunner and George do a fairly decent job of protecting Edie (a girl) from all the stuff that's going on, and the friends help each other out and get along well. The negatives are that "Ironhand" has glints in it (women or girls who can see the past. They aren't exactly like fortune-tellers but they're close to it), and that sometimes the characters use English swear-words. Because of one sentence in it I actually stopped reading the book for a little bit, but if you read a little past that it explains the sentance, and I'm really glad I did start again. Some of the ending parts were really good and really surprising. Very suspensful. It's a little confusing at some parts. Overall, it's a pretty good book.
Izori
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