Path Unchosen Cover

Path Unchosen is the title of my novel. It’s the story of an apprentice necromancer who discovers that someone is deliberately raising zombies. She risks her life, and her soul, to stop them before any more innocent people die. This book is the first in a somewhat darkish urban fantasy series I’ve called Daughter of Ravenswood.

I’m very happy with the cover, which was designed by Andrew Brown, of Design for Writers.  I like its feel, its just the right amount of creepiness 🙂

According to Dr. Carl Jung ravens symbolize our shadow selves, the dark side of our psyches. If we want to be whole we need to acknowledge and communicate with that dark side. Wholeness brings balance, and facilitates wisdom (something the wise raven would be very pleased with). It might be the end of the series before we see how much balance and wisdom my heroine achieves.

Can you see the dragon? Nothing thematic here. I just like dragons, and can’t imagine writing a story without one!

I am also pleased with the series and book titles. It’s funny though, as soon as you decide on a book title, you can’t remember or imagine any others. The hours, days, even weeks of indecision and brain pain are forgotten.

The name Path Unchosen was suggested by one of my beta readers when I begged for help after pulling out the last strands of my hair! The series name and future books in the series came slightly easier 😛

It will be available as an eBook soon, and in print in a few weeks. I’m so glad I decided to self-publish. Even though its mentally exhausting I can’t imagine not being in control of my own business. Exciting times ahead 🙂

What do you think of the cover? What does it suggest to you?

I Have My Pet Dragon. Now What?

zoe52 on flickr.com

Firstly his all important name. Even tiny dragons are proud creatures and won’t succumb to a fluffy or boring name. I asked my friends and they told me their dragons were called Smokie, Felix, Diedre, Drago, Smaug, Ilkra, Venus, Trevor, Indly and Sebastian.

A fabulous collection but I was still stumped. I asked what their dragons did, why they chose that particular dragon.

Did they pick a dragon for their flying skills? Protection services? Fire breathing? Just to look awesome? Or is he a companion dragon who keeps toes warm and who reads feelings and fears?

My friends have dragons that light the fire and BBQ, cook bacon, keep their toes warm, fly them over the ocean, comfort them when they are afraid, and smote their enemies with fierce snarls and flaming curls. One friend has twin dragons who morph into 6′ tall devilishly handsome men, she tells me they have very large … feet.

My silvery grey baby is bouncing around the house like an excited puppy. A rather large one admittedly. I’ve planned how I’ll train him, my new baby dragon. The fire-proofing was more expensive than I thought it would be. And he bounced onto the bed with a such a whoosh he vaulted right over to the other side – it’s lucky the bed is king-size and the room large, and I may need to widen the doors as he grows …

As he prowled along the perimeter like a medieval knight, his name came to me. I whispered it into the chill grey evening with a smile growing on my face. He swiveled his ears, released a few sparks and bounced into the air. I may need to rethink the garden!

Aymon followed me inside and nosed at the treat cupboard, eyes bright and tail bouncing on the floor. Jumping over his tail will be great exercise I think 🙂

What are your tips for dragon training? Do you have a favorite name? At what age will you let your child choose their own dragon?

Do You Believe in Ghosts?

Have you lain awake at night and felt someone or something watching you? Walked into an empty room and seen flickers of black spots at the corners of your eyes? Felt an unexplained coldness cut to your core? There could be a perfectly sane scientific explanation. Or you could have experienced something we don’t really understand.

Do ghosts really exist?

I think they might.

My grandfather died when I was five years old. I was deemed too young to go to his funeral and he was whisked away by adults who spoke in whispers and pushed me out of the room. But I never forgot him, he had taught me to read and cuddled me while I read haltingly from my Children’s Bible almost every evening.

Once, I was about seven or eight years old, I fought with my mother and ran away from home. It wasn’t a well-planned escape, I had no money and only the shorts and T-shirt I was wearing. At dusk I became disoriented and realised I was lost. I pressed myself into a doorway and slumped to my knees. How would I ever get home? And what would my mother do to me when I did?

It felt hopeless. I had no idea which way to walk. But as I sat in that doorway I heard my grandfather’s voice calling me. I followed the sound to the end of the alleyway, then along the street and across the road. At the busy intersection I didn’t know what to do, until an elderly man crossed the road and turned into another street. As he disappeared around the corner, he lifted his cap and turned to smile at me. I sped after my grandfather; of course he wasn’t at the corner when I got there. But the road to my house was.

Had Grandpa come to help me get home? My mother didn’t believe me. But I don’t know how I would have got home otherwise. How about you? Do you believe in ghosts?