Two blog posts in two days! Umm... that probably won't happen again in a while. I'm almost done the outline for Second Chances, the next book I'm working on, and I'll be busy writing again. But I did promise an update on the book I just wrote. It's now been submitted to an agent, by snail mail, so I won't have any sort of answer for another month at least. The last book I mentioned here was Piece of Mind and I've put that one on the back burner. Maybe I'll go back and work on it again sometime, maybe not.
I started Second Chances and Leaving Hope at the same time, figuring I could switch between the two if I got stuck on a part. I wrote the first chapter in each book then wrote the outline for Leaving Hope and never went back to Second Chances. The books are completely different; Leaving Hope is a young adult fantasy while Second Chances is contemporary fiction. I don't have a synopsis for Second Chances, I haven't quite finished the outline yet, but it's about a middle aged woman named Karen who has her oldest grandson Owen dropped off at her home for "a little while". Karen's daughter disappears, with her other two grandchildren, two days later only to resurface after a decade. The novel is about family ties and forgiveness.
As for Leaving Hope, it's easier to share the synopsis and the first chapter...
Seventeen
year old Aren has a secret that's about to shatter her world. Aren
and her friends are half-elven; ostracized by a society that sees
them as less than human. Now the mayor of her province has just
declared himself king, despite having no royal blood. His goal is to
take over the country and claim Avenna's abandoned throne.
His
first proclamation declares it treasonous to lie with one of the fae.
Any resulting baby is proof of this treason and both the mother and
child will die. The fae man Aren slept with hasn't returned in moon
turns and her Papa is dying, neither one can help her now.
She
turns to her friend Toby, who has his own secret to hide, and begs
him to claim her unborn baby as his, setting into motion a chain of
events foreseen and manipulated by the fae.
While
the king places increasingly stronger restrictions on the half-elven,
a new church appears, painting anyone with fae blood as vermin to
exterminate.
Now
Aren and her friends are tangled in the webs the fae have woven, and
trapped by the king's laws and the church. They hope to survive, but
can they make it out of Hope alive?
LEAVING
HOPE is a 65,000-word young adult fantasy. This is my first novel.
Chapter One
“Papa? What's treason?” I asked as soon as I closed our door.
That was the one word I didn't understand on the notice in the town
square and without it, nothing else made sense.
“Treason? It's when you go against the king,” he replied then
coughed. “Of course you need to have a king for that.”
He chuckled when I flinched. “It's okay Aren, I know what Bobby's
calling himself. Smallest province in Avenna and he claims he's king.
I could call myself king of this bed just as easily and it would mean
as much.”
“Papa,” I said warningly, glancing back at the door. Robert had
brought people in for less and with nearly as few witnesses.
“Sorry,” he replied unapologetically then continued, “When King
Nicholas was alive, treason was one of the few crimes with a death
penalty. I assume that much hasn't changed.”
It felt like my heart dropped into my stomach. I stared at him in
horror.
“It's that bad Aren? What is he calling treason?”
“Half-elven babies,” I whispered.
“ All of us or just the babies?” Papa asked worriedly, shifting a
bit against his pillow.
“So far just the babies,” I replied, struggling not to touch my
stomach. Not that it would make much difference, Papa's gift was
seeing the truth. “Any woman who lies with one of the fae is
considered to have committed treason. The baby is the proof.”
“Then any woman who finds herself in that situation better find a
father for her baby quickly,” he noted.
I nodded then changed the subject. “How are you feeling today?”
He shrugged slightly. “About the same as yesterday,” he lied.
I looked at him critically. He used to glow bright yellow but the
glow had dimmed over the last few months to a greyish mustard colour.
Now that colour was disappearing too, leaving him fading to white.
Mama's colours had faded similarly before she died. I didn't think
he'd see midwinter; he certainly wouldn't see spring.
“Why don't you go out for a walk?” he suggested. “I could use a
bit of quiet.”
I was about to protest that he wouldn't even hear me then realized he
wanted me to do something about my predicament. I kissed him gently
on the forehead and slipped outside.
It was autumn now. The air held a mellow warmth but the golden leaves
said chill winds weren't too far behind. It had been spring the last
time I'd seen Ferrin.
I'd felt odd that day, like I was ready for the whole world to change
and take me with it. As if everything was waiting, paused on the edge
of anticipation. Ferrin had his wagon parked in a field just outside
the village. I'd shown him my carvings, he'd looked at them and
promised he had rich buyers who would love them. Once again he'd paid
me almost as much as Papa had made doing cabinetry when he was still
strong. Then he took my hand and told me he had something else for
me, a gift, and led me into the back of his wagon. There was nothing
there except a bed, but that was all we needed.
I knew what would come from that afternoon; I didn't know of any
woman who'd laid down with one of the fae and hadn't come up
expecting. At that point I hadn't cared.
I looked around in surprise and realized I was almost to Toby's
house. He was Papa's former apprentice and one of my few friends. He
was half-elven like Papa and I but he had a harder gift than both of
us combined. He could hear thoughts, which made other people almost
as uncomfortable around him as he was around them.
Toby's home was in a patch of woods, just far enough away that he
could sleep without hearing everyone's dreams. His house was small
but in good repair, although that wasn't a surprise considering his
skills at woodworking. I knocked on the door and hoped he'd answer,
he wasn't always in the mood for company. Thankfully today he was.
He opened the door and smiled slightly when he saw me. His wheat
blond hair was pulled away from his face and the glow around him was
almost the same bright blue as his eyes. I eyed the glow critically,
it was cleaner and brighter than the last time I'd seen him.
“Nate was over, wasn't he,” I commented. It wasn't a question.
Toby nodded but didn't open the door further or offer to invite me
in.
“I'm in trouble, Toby,” I whispered. “I need help.”
He looked down at my stomach then opened the door and gestured
inside. Without waiting he turned and stalked to the kitchen, I
followed.
“I pumped some water earlier,” he said as he picked up a jug and
poured himself a glass. Then he poured me one too.
“Who's the father?” he asked abruptly then blanched. “Ferrin?”
I nodded then took the glass. “I hadn't been worried before.
There's never been any danger in raising a half-elven baby.” I
sighed, “At least not until now.”
“Aren. There's no way that baby's going to be half-elven,” Toby
pointed out gently. “I'm half-elven and Nate's half-elven. You're
about as close to fae as any human could manage.” He gestured to my
stomach then added, “And that baby will be even closer still.”
I watched him hopefully, knowing he'd pick up my thoughts despite the
fact I couldn't articulate them.
“Your Papa stood up for you and I'll stand up for your baby,” he
said finally then added, “but I won't marry you and I want you to
promise I will be your baby's father no matter what.”
“I promise,” I said firmly, looking into his eyes.
He stared at me for a moment then nodded. “ Then I swear,” he
began and everything seemed to pause. Even the birds stopped singing.
“I am the true father of your baby. I will not be your husband but
I will help raise this baby and will love and care for him.”
“Him?”
Toby's smile was almost wistful. He touched my stomach gently then
quickly pulled his hand back. “I can hear his thoughts.”
“You should go,” he added. “It's getting late and your Papa's
going to need you soon.”
“Thanks Toby,” I said then headed out.
I was halfway through the woods when the sound of pipes led me off
the trail. I followed the music to a small clearing surrounded by
scarlet bushes. Nate perched on a fallen tree, a rabbit curled up
against one foot. The breeze tousled his curly brown hair and, as he
glanced at me over his pipes, the sunlight danced in his green eyes.
Toby was right when he said I looked fae but between the two of us I
felt Nate looked wilder, like some sort of tree spirit.
“What brings you out here?” he asked curiously.
“Toby,” I replied as I leaned against him. The rabbit looked up
at me then proceeded to groom itself. “We're going to have a baby.”
“A baby will be nice,” he replied. “So who's the baby's real
father?” I hadn't expected him to think the baby was Toby's.
“Ferrin,” I whispered. He winced and gave me a quick hug.
“Your story might work and some might even believe it,” he mused.
“But I don't think Robert will and he's the one who matters the
most.”
I shifted to look at him. “Toby was the only one I could ask,” I
explained earnestly.
“You could have asked me,” he pointed out.
“Not with Robert as a brother,” I retorted. “He ignores you now
but I don't think he would if you had a successor; then he'd see you
as a rival. Who else would I ask?”
He shrugged. “What about Dirk? He's quiet and single.”
“Dirk?” I blurted. “There's no way I'd ask him.” The colours
around him were less a glow and more a stain. They brought to mind
vomit in a mud puddle. Plus he'd know the baby wasn't his. He'd be
more likely to turn me in to Robert than stand up for me.
“Does Mari still visit you?” I asked worriedly.
He nodded. “She's been with me for a moon turn now.”
I didn't bother to ask if her mother knew. Chances were she hadn't
noticed Mari was gone in the first place.
“Make sure she stays away from Dirk,” I warned. “I know he
spends a lot of time with Mari's mother.” Along with most of the
males in the village, I thought to myself. “And I've seen the way
he looks at her.”
“Where is she now?” I asked, looking around. I couldn't see her
anywhere and considering her hair was the same wheat colour as mine
and Toby's, it should stand out.
“She's over there,” he gestured vaguely, “Taking a bit of a
nap. We were up late last night with a sick foal.”
He stared into the distance, his eyes unfocused. His expression was
thoughtful and a bit melancholic.
“How's the foal?” I asked curiously.
He shrugged. “She was doing a bit better this morning, up and
nursing from her mother. All I can do is wait and see. I think she
ate something she shouldn't have but Robert refused to call in the
animal healer.” He picked up a pine cone and threw it at a tree
trunk. It hit with a thunk and fell to the ground.
I stared at him in confusion. Robert's horses were the best in the
area and worth a fair bit of gold. It didn't make sense for him to
ignore her.
“Why won't he call the healer?” I asked curiously.
“He claims that if she's stupid enough to eat something she
shouldn't then she probably won't be trainable anyway,” he said
then added quietly. “I think he's trying to hurt me.”
A squirrel jumped from a nearby bush to his shoulder. He reached up
and petted it absentmindedly. “He doesn't really ignore me,” Nate
continued sadly. “He's willing to hurt anyone I care about. But I
can't stop caring.”
The squirrel chattered for a second then jumped onto another branch
and ran off.
“Is it safe to have Mari stay with you?” I asked worriedly.
Robert placed a lot more value on his horses than he would the
half-elven daughter of the town whore. “Maybe she could stay with
Evelyn?”
“I tried that,” he admitted. “Evelyn feels children belong with
their parents and promptly brought her home. Mari almost beat me back
to the barn.”
He smiled slightly. “I'm keeping her as hidden as I can,” he
assured me.
I looked back to where he'd gestured and still saw nothing.
Apparently he was doing a good job. Then I remembered something I'd
overheard earlier.
“Did you know there's a bear with cubs in the area?” I asked.
Nate grinned mischievously. “Who do you think is watching her?”
I stared at him and he grinned even wider.
“You have to admit no one could keep her more safe than a bear.
She's sleeping with the cubs,” he explained. “They stuffed
themselves with blackberries earlier.”
A blue jay swooped by screaming and Nate stood up. “She's awake
now,” he said then walked into the woods. I followed.
We walked for several minutes then Nate touched my hand. “Wait
here,” he cautioned then stepped into the meadow on his own. A
brown bear sat up and watched him.
I looked at the bear and froze. She was huge, at least compared to
me. Nate stood in front of her then reached forward and scratched her
behind the ear like I'd scratch a dog; she leaned into his hand with
evident enjoyment and chuffed.
“Come on Mari,” he said cheerfully and her head popped up from
the middle of the pile of sleeping cubs. She scampered across them
then climbed Nate like a tree until she was on his back. Her hair was
a tangle of knots and her face streaked with blackberry juice, but
she was smiling which was a step up from when she'd been at home.
Besides, it wasn't like her mother brushed her hair either.
“Did you have a good nap?” he asked her. She nodded then looked
over at me and waved.
“She's still not speaking yet?” It was more of an observation
than a question. I couldn't remember how old she was, three, maybe
four years old; definitely old enough to be speaking though.
Mari tilted her head and watched me curiously. “I've never heard
her speak but she talks to Toby,” Nate replied. He pushed back a
branch then held it so I could pass too.
“She hears thoughts like him?” I asked. I hoped otherwise, that
was a hard gift.
Nate shook his head. His curls brushed against Mari's cheeks and she
giggled. “He said her gift is close enough for him to talk to her
but it's not the same,” he explained.
We stepped onto the road. The sun was already behind the trees and
shadows gathered. It was later than I thought.
“Do you want to come over for dinner?” I asked. “It's going to
be very simple, just eggs and toast. Papa's not eating much these
days.”
“Thanks for offering but I can't,” Nate said then smiled. “You
have no idea how much birds gossip. If one saw me eating eggs it
would be spread across the province within the hour. I'd horrify them
all.”
He stepped off the road and into a nearby field. “I've got beans
soaking at home and I need to get back to milk one of the goats. Nala
insists Mari has her milk. I get the impression she feels Mari isn't
growing fast enough, which she probably isn't compared to a kid.”
“Okay,” I replied. “I'll see you soon.”
They headed across the field and I hurried home.
