Melanie Nilles

Hello to all those who join us for another insightful interview with the characters of the Legend of the White Dragon series!

We’re visiting with General Marjan this week. He is one of the five regional commanders of Cavatar’s army and cavalry. Welcome, General…or should I call you by your first name? What is your first name?

I’d rather not give that but to those who need it.

Then General it is. Tell us something about what you do.

You’ve said so already. I’ve nothing more.

Then perhaps you can tell us about your position.

I oversee a regiment of eight thousand fighting men in the north central region of Cavatar, plus all the men and women and livestock that supply them. Mind now, not all year do they fight, but return to families and homes; nor are they together but deployed under their captains to where they are needed. In recent years, I’ve had orders to maintain a…we’ll say a large fraction…on rotation through the winter, as Tyrkam has not stopped for the cold seasons. I’ll not let Cavatar fall.

That’s impressive, and you sound like a loyal officer. Can you tell us how you came to command so many men?

*scowls* I earned my commission. I grew up in a merchant family but wanted to serve something greater than money. I had wealth enough at thirteen to pay for the best training of the country’s finest officers. Under Cathmor’s teaching, I stood out and was placed as a lower Lieutenant by the age of nineteen. By my thirtieth year, I was a captain at Setheadroc under General Hammel. Five years later, he recommended me to replace General Korsden, who had died in battle, and the king approved. I have commanded this legion for twelve years.

That’s…twenty-four years, a long service, most of your life, in fact.

An I’d not change a thing. My family understands, though I see little of them in recent years. I’d give it up only if I knew they would be safe, but the situation grows worse. I’ll not have my daughters made slaves to his brigands nor my son…*he looks away to hide his face* Pardon me, lass, I meant my youngest son…to be slaughtered because he would fight against tyranny. He is a proud lad, loyal to his family and his country.

Who’d follow in his father’s footsteps?

Aye. That he would.

Do you see your family often?

Every winter and most of the summer. I travel often but stay with them in our home–I’ll not say where for their protection–as much as I can.

What can you tell us of the current strategy to confront Tyrkam?

Nothing.

Not even a hint?

His spies are everywhere. I’ll not risk it.

All right. I get the hint. So, what does a man like you dream of, besides peace and security?

You’ve said it there. Peace and security would allow me to return to my family.

Not much of a talker. Are you?

Not when it comes to current strategies and expectations.

Well…thank you, General. We’ll see you again, next year.

Thank you, readers, for joining us. I promise next week to give you something unique–a dragon! Actually, it’s one of the drakin, a small reptile of the Second Realm, the sanctuary of the dragons. I must warn you–they like to talk!

Mark your calendars for next week!

Admit it–we all wish we had more than 24 hours in a day. Some days, between two kids and a husband (who usually gets short-changed), a horse, my writing, working full-time in a non-writing profession, etc., I wish I had more.

My latest project–besides the character interviews, which take one-two hours of writing time total–is a read-through of the Legend of the White Dragon series in a final pass for consistency and readability. I’ve found a few minor things to fix and some places where the writing needed a little more than a few words to smoothen the flow. I’ve said before that writers write. We have a need to express ourselves through words.

Some of us also have the need to feel busy, or just can’t say no. Then, again, I finished the latest newsletter of the Bismarck English Riders, a volunteer position I enjoy but which takes a couple hours every other month. It doesn’t take long, but it does take away from other projects and happened to be due this month. At least I’ve accomplished something.

Now, to get back to work on the series. However, I have this other idea for another novel in the same world I created for Dark Angel, but an adult story. I keep getting bits of scenes for that one and have to make notes. That’s a third project, but one I have to tell myself to not immerse myself in. It’s hard, but it just has to wait.

Priorities are a necessity when we are given a finite number of hours and minutes in each day. First come the kids, then myself (because, let’s face it, kids are a handful and demanding but we need a break no matter how much we love them), then my writing, my husband, and my horse. The cats (yes, I found another one, but two is enough) come last, although they have a knack for pushing ahead in the line, as anyone who has or has ever had cats knows ;P

But I always make time, even if only fifteen or thirty minutes a day. When you want something, you make the time. I just wish I had more of it.

Good evening, ladies and gentleman. Tonight we’re sitting with Damaera Isolder, queen of Cavatar and mother of Phelan and Istaria.

Welcome, your majesty…or do you prefer something else?

That is appropriate.

My lady, could you tell us a little about yourself?

What would you like to know?

Anything. Everything. Perhaps it would be easiest to start with your position as queen of Cavatar. What is life like for the wife of the leader of one of the world’s largest nations?

My life is one many think they would desire, but had I a choice, I would not wish for myself. For generations, the descendants of Isolder have ruled this land, both a part of and apart from the people. I watch everyday the worries that weigh upon my king. I observe his meetings with the provincial councilors and have attended in his stead when he could not. Those days I long for the company of the wives.

How has the war affected your life?

*though she tries to pass off a smile, the pain is evident* We serve no single province but all at once, a neutral position for all of the country. This burden I watch growing heavier each day on the king. He sends my son away as emissary, securing allies and resources from across the oceans. I worry for his safety and for my daughter’s no matter where they are and fear the day the enemy surpasses our strength. Sometimes I wonder if he sends Phelan away to protect him rather than to keep their distance. The young are impatient with their elders.

Parents are the bane of most children’s existence…

I’ve heard it said by some men that they regard you as one of the most beautiful women they’ve seen. What’s your secret?

I have no secrets. Nor do I consider myself more beautiful than any other woman, but for the fortune of having servants of superior skills to hide the flaws.

Surely, a woman of your upbringing has some deep secret of maintaining her beauty.

*smooths a crease in her gown* I’ve heard accusations that the Lumathir can bewitch men, but it is purely by accident. Only my family knows this part of my past. Not by my choice do I draw the attention of others. I’ve spent only a few years in training with little talent more than feeling the presence of magic. As a descendant of the Majera, I have a part of the Light within me. This inner source of power I suspect is what others see in a way they do not realize but interpret as outward beauty. But, please, I would rather this not be known.

Can you tell me about the Lumathir and this ‘Light’?

No. I was already a child when my mother sent me to live with the women of the Lumathir with my infant sister. Tahronen tried to train me, but I had trouble learning her ways. After a couple years with the Lumathir, she sent me to the nobles of Brethin to learn the ways of the court. I was groomed to fit the role of queen and sent to marry Alric Isolder soon after my fifteenth year.

I’m sorry, your highness. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.

You do your part; but I…would prefer that no one know of my connection to any magic. We are not evil or dark, those of us known as magi, but a few in history have tainted the impression people have. The true “children of the Light” may have the same darkness in their hearts as any man or woman, but they have been taught for generations to use the power of our lineage to serve. Much of that involves secrecy, so the truth of the good they do remains hidden and fear persists.

I would like to hear more, but I will honor your request to avoid the topic…And it looks like our time is up for the day.

Thank you, your highness, for joining us. And thank you to our audience.

Join us next week when we sit down to chat with General Marjan, one of the top five commanders of Cavatar’s military forces.

I’ve been working on the character interviews and must say that it’s fun. On the one hand, I get to revisit the character while also being outside that character, like writing a scene from an observer POV.

In a way, I’ve already done this while writing the story.  When I write, I start out with some basics about the characters–but I don’t know everything–and put it in a brief bio. They surprise me with details as I write. If I planned everything from the beginning, I wouldn’t have half the fun I do writing. Discovery is the aspect of writing that keeps me going. I love to learn new things about the characters and world I’ve created. Sometimes I have to really exercise the gray matter to make sense of something that popped up, while other times the characters “speak” of their own accord as clearly as if I was interviewing them. Most writers have experienced this at some point. In that point of discovery, we do conduct a micro-interview.

However, this is a regular interview in which the interviewer (sort of me but not quite, more like a neutral character, since I know both sides already) sits down with the character and ask questions and receive replies.

The first is nearly done. I’ll give it the final polish this weekend and post it by Sunday evening.

Who is it? Well, I have about 30 candidates–yeah, a lot!–and they include four dragons (two elder drakes and two younger), a few darker creatures, and a couple dozen humans (non-magical and magi First Race and some from the Second Race). I had a hard time deciding from among all those!

The first will be Damaera Isolder, queen of the country of Cavatar, at least for a while. I promised no spoilers, so that’s as much as you’ll get out of me until February 2008 (after the release of the first book, Dragon Prophecy). For information on who will follow, you’ll have to wait and see!

Check back in three days for the first character from Legend of the White Dragon!

Starting July 22nd (or after I finish reading Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows), I will be posting a series of interviews of the characters in my books.  Learn who they are and what you can expect in the upcoming Legend of the White Dragon series.  I won’t post spoilers, but I will provide some insight into the world and the events that have shaped who they are.  Learn about their histories, skills, lifestyles, and their likes and dislikes.

Meet the characters before you meet them!

I have no order in mind but will pick random characters anywhere in the spectrum of main characters through the supporting characters, down to the unnamed ones mentioned only in passing.  They all had a part to play and important ones, perhaps even if only in the background.  They will stick around for any questions you may wish to ask in comments, so feel free to ask after the interviews.

These will be cross posted to my Live Journal also.

I’m so happy! I have my moody ol’ mare back from her vacation. I’ve lost all but a pound of what I gained in my pregnancy (over 40 lbs!) and all the medical bills are paid. Now I’ve had her back at the boarding stable for a couple weeks. She *insert tongue in cheek* LOVES me right now. Oh, at first I was all right, but when I started making her work again, I turned into the bad guy.

I might have been in good shape, but not riding shape. I was sore after each of the first few rides. I’ve adjusted now, but she still has a long ways to go. She tends to drop her left shoulder and right hip, which makes for some very crooked and unbalanced work, but the longeing is helping with that. It’ll take another month or more to really get her strong again and not falling on her forehand, which is another issue we have to work through. She knows what to do, but she’s lazy. Her workouts consist of lots of circle work to make her balance.

And, I’ve figured out that I don’t want to even really touch on dressage but to focus on the hunter showing in which she excels. She is no dressage horse. Sure, the training has helped us, but it’s not our focus. I’m at a point where I just want to have fun, but I may want to show at the fall BER show coming up and I want a balanced, correctly moving horse. That means we actually have to work.

She hates it But she tries. She doesn’t have much of a choice, and I make the effort painless. It gives us a goal to work towards too, which I need.

Now, to get her slimmed down! She’s off pasture and on a diet now…the fat pig.  If I can do it, so can she.

I’m glad to get back to the old me, and it will help my writing.  You’ll see more horse posts now with updates of what we’re doing.  I used to keep a diary from her perspective, but I quit doing that long ago.  Now, it’s my turn.  My mare and me, a team again.

I’m proud to say that a friend who is putting together a map of Gairdra, the world of the Legend of the White Dragon series, is nearly complete. I have little artistic talent in that area, but his specialty is in the arts. When it’s complete, I’ll post it on my website and an update here.

I asked him for two reasons. First, he’s a friend and I’d rather feature a friend’s work in connection to my books than a stranger, when possible. Second, all good fantasy series seem to have a map of the world.

Now, I tend to not pay much attention to maps unless I get confused about locations. And I certainly didn’t work with a map all drawn out. I had an image in my head, but that was the extent of it. The map isn’t the central focus of my books–story and characters are. However, for those who want a clearer picture of the main locations described in my books, the map will be available.

Keep checking back for more!

At some point as writers, we think to ourselves, “My writing sucks!” No it doesn’t! But it’s hard not to think it. I go through moments of self-doubt, even now, with five books contracted. I still doubt whether my stories will be read and appreciated. I see other similar books by prolific, successful authors and think “Mine is horrible compared to that! He/She already did something similar. How can I beat that?”

I can’t. But…

Mine are written as only I can write them. My stories are not theirs. I have been accepted above thousands of others who submitted. Those other authors wrote what they know. They haven’t had my experiences, nor do they see the world the same as I do. My stories may have similar elements but they are completely different, as only I can write them, and I do write well. Mine are good. Someone will read and enjoy them, and they can’t be compared because they are different plots, different characters. I wrote what I like and know; they wrote what they know. And–dammit!–I have a more farfetched imagination and am not limited by what’s on this world. (The fact I enjoy anime is evidenced in Dark Angel, which is nothing like a certain popular YA series, which takes a more scientific, Earth-based, approach with a similar element.) I’m just starting, and I’ll make my own mark. I didn’t copy anyone. My stories will stand strong for their own merits, because it satisfies a different niche.

Next time you start feeling depressed because of rejections and reading similar stories to yours, remember this. Only you can write your story. It may need editing, but the world you create is yours. When it’s accepted for publication, it happened because someone believed in your work. You should too.

It may be the name of the program for expectant mothers at our Primecare medical facilities, but it’s also works for a writer’s baby, the story. Each story has its own personality, just like every child that comes into this world, and we want to give it a good start, a healthy beginning.

Beginning a story is difficult to do, or, rather, beginning a story so readers keep reading–one sentence leads to the next–and turning pages. You’ll find examples of many ways to open a story. Some stories use a prologue, some jump right into the heart of the story. No good story begins with description and “set up” or “fluff”, to use my word for it.

The key is to keep the reader reading for more. Don’t bore them. Yes, you may be thinking “But…but…but…” because “the reader needs to know that–” or “This is really cool–”. To you, the writer, maybe. But think like a reader. Would YOU pick up a book that began with paragraphs or pages of description or background info unrelated to the main plot? Do YOU want to read about what shade of green the paint is or an essay about some insignificant fact that has no bearing on the story? Okay, those are made up examples, but I wouldn’t doubt they’ve been used.

My point is to begin with action. Make the opening intriguing in some way that the reader will continue. I’m still practicing myself; it’s one of my weaknesses, and a common one for many writers. If you have to, trash every chapter at the beginning until something happens to the main character making the reader wonder what’s next. If there is anything you feel needs to be said or details you can’t live without, insert them elsewhere. You’ll find a way…eventually.

Don’t be afraid to turn into Edward Scissorhands–or, more likely, Edward Deletefingers–and hack it to pieces. You’ll be attached; I know. But having the right opening is tantamount to keeping the audience’s attention.

You need a healthy beginning to give your baby the best chance of success in life.

I have one word–AWESOME! I know someone who would have loved the Transformers movie as much as my husband, but unfortunately he will never see it. I know that where he is now, he’s giving it two spectral thumbs up

It’s rare when you have kids to find the time to go out to a movie. So far this year, we’ve seen Shrek the Third with our older girl, but Transformers was a night out for me and my husband. I’ll give you a hint of how old we are–we both grew up with Transformers when we were kids. Having grown up with two brothers, I didn’t have much of a choice, but I didn’t mind as I have always been a tomboy and never a girly girl. My brothers, like my husband, had a bunch of the toys. The cartoons were cool, because the concept was unique.

Well, Michael Bay has gone and turned that into one of the most intense, action-packed movies you’ll see this summer. If you like action, SEE IT!! The villains were evil. The one-liners were hilarious. Bumblebee stole the show. Megatron was nasty (”You want a piece of me?”-Jazz; “No, I want two pieces”-Megatron). Optimus had his same voice from the cartoons (same voice actor). And, ladies, Josh Duhamel is from Minot, North Dakota! We raise ‘em right! (I think the Roughrider Hall of Fame will be adding another portrait to the hall in the Capitol building in the near future

The story was well-scripted with witty dialogue and a well-thought out plot. We start with a surviving group of soldiers, led by their captain (Josh Duhamel) in Qatar after an attack by a Decepticon (Blackout–mind you, I’m getting these names from my husband) takes out a USAF base. They are followed by another Decepticon while seeking a means to communicate with the Pentagon what they know. Meanwhile, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) gives a speech in his high school history class where he’s trying to hock his explorer grandfather’s items for money to buy a car. Well, that car (Bumblebee) chooses him because they have discovered that his grandfather’s glasses have some secret etched into the lenses. The story follows Sam and the others as both sides seek the glasses to find a cube known as the All Spark, an alien device that can bring technology to life (basically turns a pop machine into a Decepticon). Bumblebee leads Sam to the Autobots while protecting him from the Decepticons, who take the form of a police car, a fighter jet, and other military vehicles. The race is on and the fighting intensifies with each round between Autobots and Decepticons with the human race caught in between and learning that some of these giant robots are on our side.

While I loved the movie and the eye-candy was dazzling, I would give it a four and a half out of five stars. I would like to have had the dialogue explain some things more clearly and the plot to slow down enough to catch my breath. It’s a good lesson in pacing. Fast is good, but too intense for that long and the mind goes numb. A well-written story has some slow moments to allow the reader/audience to catch their breath and sort out of the jumble before the next big moment. A story is made up of several mini-climaxes before the last big one where all is revealed. While Transformers is well-done with the CG and plot, I would have liked to have had a chance to get the know the characters a little better with some down time and time to explore with the human race exactly what was going on. The only weakness of the plot was that they didn’t follow the authority figures enough to see how they came to their conclusions and made the decisions they did. Their actions seemed premature and full of assumptions. The videography could have pulled back also. The fight scenes were a little too close to the action from the camera angle and much of that action ended up blurred because they moved fast!

Otherwise, AWESOME!