We're taking you on an adventure
We're taking you on an adventure
Hey,
Before we set off on our quest to catch the scribe, I have some updates for you. First, this is the last week to get copies of the illustrated Rogue Gods Trilogy. Late pledges end on Saturday, Sept 1.
The Scribe is still struggled to end Rogue Gift, book 5 of the Robin of Larkspur series. But the characters don’t want it to end, so they aren’t cooperating. No change there since last week. It looks like it’ll be battle to the end. No surprise there.
Melinda made some progress on the Robin of Larkspur special editions this past week and she’s got some rough concepts she wants me to share. So here are some ideas the scribe is playing with:
She’s licensed twenty new icons so far like the one shown above and about 20 photos of winter landscapes. Instead of every chapter having character art, Melinda is thinking that some chapters will have winter photography or illustrations licensed from stock photo sites since the landscape and weather play significant roles in book 1, 3, and 4 of Robin of Larkspur books. They are almost characters in their own right.
It could look something like this. The image on the left hand page is a licensed image.
That’s one idea. The question is, do you like the image to fade into a dark colored background and the text to turn white on the first page of some chapters?
The pages after this one in that chapter would return to white with black text. We have to check the bleed through of course and maybe go for a thicker paper to make sure the text on the reverse side is readable, but that’s something to consider down road when we’re ready for proofs.
And that’s it for book updates. Now, it’s time to Catch the Scribe!
Chapters 1-10 are published on Patreon. So if you want to read ahead, you can do that for a small fee that will probably go towards buying art for the special edition of the Robin of Larkspur books since that’s where all the money is going right now. Melinda even hired an artist to make a logo for her!
I’m Ran, Sarn’s son from the Curse Breaker series, and I’m trying not to be mad at him since he is my dad. Even though he stole the story, I still play a significant role in it because he can’t go anywhere without me.
And now without further ado, I bring you:
Catch the Scribe
by Melinda Kucsera
Chapter 1 - The Enchantment Breaks, Part 1
(AKA the last scene from Curse Breaker Enchanted but from my (Ran’s) perspective. If you haven’t read Curse Breaker Enchanted, first off, why not? It’s been free for 2+ years already! Go get it and read it, I’ll wait. )
Ran hugged Papa hard because he needed it, and Papa returned the embrace until no more tears fell upon his head. Papa’s magic didn’t like water, so his tears had drowned their green glow, extinguishing it, and the sight was disturbing.
Ran slid off his lap, and his knee broke the circle of shining leaves, shutting off the projection. Oops. Although, that might have been the right move since the sight had just depressed Papa. “Why does Shade get to climb on her?” By her, I mean the thousand foot tall silver-glowing Queen Tree standing on the hill framed in the--what was the light and the scene it had showed us?
The Queen Tree had pretty silver star-shaped leaves, and they carpeted the stone floor of our cave from our last run-in with her a few hours ago. But she was gone now and so was that slice of what? Another place and time? Anything was possible with magic, and that made Ran smile, but he flipped it into a frown because Papa was talking about serious things, and he didn’t want Papa to take his smile the wrong way. Ran wasn't sure how to feel about Papa’s friend’s death, but he wasn’t as sad as Papa was.
“Because Shade’s gone,” Papa said, derailing that line of thought. He wiped his eyes on his sleeve, drying them, and their green glow crept back into them. Knowing his odd friend Shade was with the Queen Trees must make him feel better or it did until he yawned.
Papa gathered Ran, his blanket and bear, both of which Ran dropped when he helped him make circles on the floor with shiny silver leaves, and crossed to the mattress. Then Papa just stood there staring at his teenage brother, Uncle Miren, sound asleep on it.
Ran hid a smile and stifled a giggle. Uncle Miren would be livid when he found out what he’d been up to with Papa. Score one more for team Bear. Ran hugged Bear hard. He didn’t complain. But Ran loosened his grip before Ghost Bear noticed, and he undid the catch at Papa’s throat to release his magical cloak.
Rather than locate a blanket for himself, Papa dragged his magic-infused cloak over us as he laid down still holding Ran. As if I would ever try to escape him. We’re a team, and I’d remind him of that when I woke up. It was way past Ran’s bedtime, but there was one important issue he must clear up before he could give into the exhaustion creeping over him, and it had to do with the uncle snoozing away in ignorance beside them.
“Uncle Miren won’t unner—udder—” Ran whispered into Papa’s good ear, but the word I needed kept slipping away from him. It would have been frustrating if Ran wasn’t fighting a yawn. Adventuring was tiring work.
“Understand?” Papa suggested.
“Yes, I mean no. He won’t get it. So, it’s a secret,” Ran smiled, “our secret.”
But Papa frowned, not liking that as much as Ran did. But it was a secret, and Ran knew he’d keep it because Papa was a quiet man who didn't like talking about himself.
Content with the world, Ran pillowed my head on his chest while still smiling because he knew a great many things Uncle Miren would dearly love to know. While Ran gloated, Papa did something with his magic. Ran heard its timbre change and watched it flow away from Papa in waves of green light but then they bounced back on him. Those waves tingled as they passed through Ran, but none of that magic stayed inside him. It cycled back into Papa. So not fair. Why did he get all the magic?
“Papa?” Ran lifted his head so he could see Papa’s face. He’d almost forgotten to ask my usual question, but tonight it had a special meaning.
“Mmm?” Papa stirred, but didn’t open his eyes.
“When you wake up—we’ll have an ad-ven-ture?”
“Yes, but I have to sleep for a while first.” Papa froze as those beautiful words fell out of his mouth confirming Ran would his heart’s desire tomorrow.
“Okay,” Ran grinned and snuggled close while hugging his bear. All was right in his ever-expanding world, but Papa remained tense for a long while as sleep took me off and filled my head with strange dreams.
But Fate had handed Ran another adventure before he was rested enough to enjoy it. How rude.
***
Next week, we’ll continue with the next chapter. But you can read ahead on patreon right now. And of course, I’ll keep you updated on all the book things. Have an awesome week!
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