*SPOILERS* 10th Reveal for Book 2 - A Tower of Dark Ones

Welcome everyone!

It's Thursday and that means it's time for the Weekly Reveal!

So this week, I'm expanding on a location I've been talking about for a while now. It was mentioned in Book 1, so I don't feel that exposing the name here is much of a spoiler.

So one of the place the characters will have to account for in Book 2 is Tatterdemalion's Tower. As explained in Book 1, it was originally called "Greyfell Tower" and served as a type of lighthouse in the middle of Celandine valley.

Before many of the roads and small hamlets disappeared, wanderers and travelers would stay at the tower on their way to their destinations. When it fell, much of the western part of the valley had to be abandoned. The villagers were all squeezed into Vitalba.

Now, it is a place of evil. Most huntsmen avoid it if possible; villagers never travel there voluntarily. Only those captured by the bloodborn, the vampires, enter its unhallowed gates.

Last chance before spoilers!

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You might notice that the tower seems disjointed and broken. That's intentional. The vampires remodeled much of Greyfell when they took it over to suit their own needs. With vile magic borrowed from Lord Dreadstone, they reshaped the once proud haven into a twisted heap of disjointed architecture.

I do want to point out one thing, however. A small reminder of the huntsmen still remains. A single rose bush hugs against the side of the tower. The vampires never removed it, and it has evaded notice ever since they came. That's some amazing tenacity in my mind!

Anyway, come back next week for something new. And don't forget about the book signing this Saturday 11 to 1 at the Marion County Public Library in Lebanon, Kentucky. Hope to see you there!

Peace,

-Troy

Creatures of Celandine Valley #1 - The Werewolf (Part 1)

Welcome everyone!

A while back I did a series of entries on locations of Celandine Valley. Now I'm moving on to the creatures. I plan to talk in-depth about each one and provide you with background on the mythology of each as well as my own rationale for using them.

We'll begin with The Werewolf.

Werewolves have become ingrained in popular culture thanks, mainly, to movies. From the Wolf Man in 1941 to Teen Wolf in the 80's to the Underworld series, werewolves have been portrayed in may different ways on the silverscreen.

Transforming into a wolf, though, goes WAY back in olden times. How far is hard to say, but the ancient Roman writers like Ovid and Petronius wrote of such transformations.

One thing that has not really transferred to the movies from the old stories is the idea that in order for a human to turn into a werewolf, he or she would need a part of the wolf that bit them in order to do it. Usually, this was the pelt of the wolf but could also be just the tail or a tooth.

I did not fully carry that tradition forward either. However, I did want to make the pelts meaningful nonetheless. So, what I did, was have the werewolf pelts be especially valuable in the world of the huntsmen. This way, they could support themselves and their Lodge with what they hunted.

I'm just scratching the surface here with what I want to say about werewolves. More is coming.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for this week's reveal, which has nothing to do with werewolves, LOL!

See you then!

Peace,

-Troy

This is an Exciting Week!

Welcome everyone!

We've got some great things in store for this week. I am so ready for them!

First, this Thursday is Halloween. As a result, this Thursday's reveal will have a spooky theme to it. I'll give just a small hint: it's a location, one of the scariest locations in all of Celandine Valley. It's going to get an illustration in Book 2, and the description of it is going to blow you away.

Second, I have my second book signing this Saturday! It is at the MCPL from 11am to 1pm. IMPORTANT: If all goes according to plan, I will have make a VERY SPECIAL unveiling at the signing. Only those who attend will be able to enjoy it. So if you can, be there, and stay the whole time!

That's all for now. Keep checking back for updates. If I can, I'll confirm the unveiling. Until then, take care of each other.

Peace,

-Troy

Goals for the Weekend 2019-10-25

Welcome everyone!

I have a busy weekend planned. I'll be doing a bit of traveling during the day and having get-togethers in the evenings. As I've said many times, fall is my favorite time of year, so my family is incredibly active during this time.

As a result, I probably won't have time to get a lot of work done. Still, there are a few things I'd like to accomplish:

• Record another chapter in the audio book
• Gets some posters made for my upcoming book signing

If I can get any of that done, I'll have a successful weekend. I hope you do too.

Peace,

-Troy

*SPOILERS* 9th Reveal for Book 2 - A Corridor of Horrors

Welcome everyone!

As we approach Halloween, I figure it's time to start discussing some of fantasy-horror aspects of Book 2. So this week, we're going to reveal a location in Celandine Valley inhabited by the vampires.

One motif that I really enjoy in fantasy literature is this idea that old buildings get repurposed as time goes on. For instance, take Orthanc from Middle-earth. Most people know it as the tower of Isengard where Saruman the White Wizard takes residence.

It wasn't always that way. Long ago, it was a fortress of Gondor, not a wizard's tower. However, as the decline in Gondor's kings inevitably led to the decline in Gondor as a nation, Orthanc was locked and abandoned. It wasn't until many centuries later, after a siege against the Dunlandings, did control of Orthanc come back to the free peoples and the steward of Gondor pass the keys of the tower to Saruman.

So why the little history lesson? Today's reveal is of a place with a similar history. In the center of the valley (as depicted on the map in Book 1) is Tatterdemalion's Tower. It wasn't always his. It belonged to the huntsmen once, until they fell into despair. But I'll discuss more of its history next week. This week, let's take a look at the inside.

This is your last warning to avoid spoilers!
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I know it may be hard to see, but the door at the end of the hallway is similar to the door I revealed three weeks ago. This is intentional. The huntsmen used the same symbols throughout their history, just as any organization would. Since this tower once belonged to them, it shouldn't be surprising to see their markings everywhere.

The vampires (also known as bloodborn in Celandine Valley) never bothered to erase what the huntsmen had built. They just turned the tower into their own den of villainy. So when our heroes visit the tower, they'll have some knowledge about its inner working that will give them an advantage.

Anyway, that's all for this week. I hope you enjoyed the reveal. Next week, on Halloween, let's have a look at the outside, shall we?

Peace,

-Troy

Vids I Enjoy #3: Beginning With The End In Mind

Welcome everyone!

In my research for how to write good stories, I came across a wonderful channel called "Lessons from the Screenplay." While I am no writing a screenplay, I still find the creator's words extremely relevant to what I'm doing.

In this instance, he comparing two stories and how the ends inform the beginnings. It's really good, and it's something I'm trying to work with myself. It isn't easy to write this way, especially in a book series like I'm doing. But thinking ahead, setting up the end in the beginning, are really important skills all writers should have.

Peace,

-Troy

Motifs I'd Like to Use #8 - The Dancing Bear

Welcome everyone!

When someone says, "Dancing Bear" I'm willing to bet most people imagine the charismatic Grateful Dead icon.

That's not what I'm talking about. The archetype of the dancing bear (and the dancing monkey, which I'll get to in some other post) are much older than Jerry Garcia's band.

I could not truly find where the dancing bear image first appeared in storytelling. There examples in Norse, German, Saxon, and First Nation lore. Each has its own take on the idea.

The version I like the best is as an enslaved creature with a keen mind and big heart. The stories often go that someone has captured an exceptional bear and put it on display to make money either in a carnival or traveling show of some kind.

Then, some good-hearted villager watches the poor bear dance until it is nearly exhausted. Feeling sorry for the creature, the villager secretly frees the animal during the night.

Many years later, that villager is out in the woods collecting berries or chopping wood (depending on the version) and is attacked by wolves. When all seems hopeless, the villager is then saved by the bear he freed so long ago. The two part ways and never see each other again.

I imagine it could be a retelling of some sort of St. Paul and the Talking Lion, but whatever. It's a cool story and one I'd like to use some day :)

Peace,

-Troy

Goals for the Weekend 2019-10-18

Welcome everyone!

This weekend is much like the last. I'll be traveling all over the state to enjoy some fall festivals and the burgeoning colors of autumn, then I'll be trying to get some more recording done for the Audio Book for Book 2.

In addition, I've got to start preparing for my second book signing. I can't wait for that. It's going to be great!

Anyway, here's what I hope to accomplish this weekend:

• Record more chapters for the audio book
• Get some writing done for Book 3
• Collect all the gear and extra books for the November 2nd Signing

If I can do all that, I'll have a successful weekend. I hope you do too.

Peace,

-Troy

*SPOILERS* Eighth Reveal for Book 2 - A Fountain in the Wilderness

Welcome everyone!

We are getting deep into spoiler season now. This marks the 8th week in a row I've been revealing little tidbits here and there. That's quite amazing to me. Yet, we still have a long way to go.

At this point, all of the roses have been revealed. Last week's was my favorite for this book. The Librarian is among my favorite characters in this series. I look forward to giving her more screentime (pagetime?) here in the future.

For now, though, we're going to be moving away from characters and toward locations. This week's reveal is an illustration of a location I've already discussed. If you remember, back in March I made a post about "The Fount of Many Hands." It's an enchanted place, created by evil magic. Dwarves often use it in their machinations.

The fountain plays an important role in this phase in the story. It's not a large role, and I don't feature it for long, yet it explains so much.

This is your last chance to turn back before any spoilers. Fair warning!
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The curious thing about the fountain is why the ancient sculptor - whoever it was - chose hands as the dominating motif. Why hands? You'll have to read the story to find out.

Also, I will reveal this as well: that's not water coming from the spout at the top. It's something else, something a character from Book 1 desired greatly. I can't wait for you to read who it was.

Anyway, that's all for this week! I hope you enjoyed the revelation. If you enjoyed the Door from two weeks ago, you're going to love next week's reveal. Hope to see you then!

Peace,

-Troy

I Have a New Book Signing Coming Up on November 2nd!

Welcome everyone!

I have some terrific news! On November 2nd, 2019 I'll be singing books from 11am to 1pm and having a talk at the Marion County Public Library in Lebanon, Kentucky. You can read all about it HERE.

Now, if everything goes according to plan, I may have something very special to show everyone who shows up. We'll see. I can't make any promises right now. The matter is out of my hands, really.

Anyway, speaking of reveals. Don't forget to check back tomorrow for this week's spoiler.

I hope to see lots of you at the library in November. Be well!

Peace,

-Troy

The Hunter's Moon 2019

Welcome everyone!

Last night, at about 10:30pm, my wife and I went outside to gaze at a dazzling, full October moon. This moon is known as the Hunter's Moon, and naturally, that makes it special to me.

"Hunter's Moon" was one of the early titles for "The Huntsman and the She-Wolf." I toyed with several different names in fact:

• Hunter's Moon
• Hunter's Rise
• Hunter's Gambit
• Hunter's Birth

None of them really stuck. Finally, I happened across some advice when it came to titles. The source of that advice has been lost to time, but essentially it went something like this: "A title should tell a story."

People choose a book to read because they want a good story. Story, therefore, begins with the title. In fact, the whole cover should tell a story. The art, the placement of the elements, the background images, everything should give the potential reader a narrative.

Thus, I went with the title I did for Book 1. It tells a story. There's a huntsman. And there's a she-wolf. And they're in contention with one another. Each is an apex predator - who will win?

So anyway, the moon last night brought to my memory the first title I had, and I just wanted to share that tidbit with you.

I hope this October is finding you well.

Peace,

-Troy

Goals for the Weekend 2019-10-11

Welcome everyone!

So for this weekend, I'll be working a lot on Book 2. I need to approve the interior layout that I received, and as always, there's recording to do. I also hope to enjoy the cooler weather and fresh, autumn air.

So here we go. Goals for this Weekend:

• Record more chapters for Book 2 audio book
• Review interior layout and images for Book 2

If I can do all that, I'll have a successful weekend. I hope you do too.

Peace,

-Troy

*SPOILERS* 7th Reveal for Book 2 - The Last Rose!

Welcome everyone!

Today, I reveal the final rose that will appear within the pages of the sequel to The Huntsman and the She Wolf.

In each book of this series, I plan to have five roses depicted. In the first book, I focused on the main group: Tristan, Mersha, Phen, Mikhelena, and Scratch. In Book 2, I was able to broaden the focus to include other important huntsmen like Thaul, Leo, and now (drumroll) Aranka.

This week's rose is the one the belongs to the Lodge librarian. If it's been a while since you read THatSW, Aranka is a woman in her mid 30's, very intelligent, but a bit eccentric. She refuses to ever leave the library.

"I have found ways to do everything I need, right here in the library," she tells Tristan in the first book.

Makes ya wonder, doesn't it?

Anyway, this is your last chance to turn back before you see any spoilers. Fair warning!
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This is one of my favorites, if not my MOST favorite roses. Notice how the stem is split for a time then comes back together. Fascinating how something could heal like that.

I love the thorns as well. They are numerous and sharp, but not as wicked or large as what you may have seen on the roses for Leo or Mersha.

The bloom is strong and healthy, just coming into its prime. The petals are neatly arranged, complimenting each other in form and function. The stem, though cut in half for a time, is healthy and strong.

As I mentioned, Aranka takes a larger role in this book for reasons I can't get into right now. She has always been respected for her knowledge of lore and history, but her strength and leadership skill will be called on in Book 2 and even more as we move toward Book 3.

Anyway, that's all for now. I hope you enjoyed this week's reveal. Next week, we'll be visiting a place that came straight from one of my dreams.

Peace,

-Troy

Setting up for a 2nd Book Signing!

Welcome everyone!

I've got some great news. I'm making arrangements to have another book signing in the near future! I can't tell you how exciting I am to do this. I have wanted it for a long time.

My first signing was held at the NCPL Comic Con back in June. It was a tremendous success. I sold multiple copies of my books and signed even more. I was so glad to get to interact with people interested in my writing. It had to be the most rewarding experience I've had yet as an author.

I will supply all the details soon. I'm still working to finalize everything. So, if you'll be in the area, I would love to see you.

Stay tuned!

And don't forget, a new reveal will be posted here this Thursday. It will be the final rose for Book 2.

Peace,

-Troy

A lot of Irons in the Fire

Welcome everyone!

So last week I reported that I had seen the rough draft of my cover. It looks great, but it still needed revisions. Obviously, those aren't done yet, and I still haven't seen the rough draft for the interior of Book 2 either.

Everything takes time.

And money.

Therefore, while I wait for the cover to get done for Book 2 and the gumption to finish recording the audio book for it, it's on to Book 3! No, it is not too early to work on that.

There are several steps I need to work on in order to set a good foundation for writing the third book of my quintet (a five book series).

• Assemble all notes I've been accumulating for the last four years
• Write a 7-pt outline for the book
• Create a 15-pt beat sheet
• Do a chapter-by-chapter outline
• Devise the hook

It's a lot of prep work in order to begin writing a new story, and it doesn't get easier with experience. The first step is always the hardest in any project, and when doing a series, there are a lot of first steps.

Anyway, my imagination won't wait for Book 2 to get published. I feel the need to work on something with my hands, so here we go. I'll keep you updated on the progress.

Peace,

-Troy

*SPOILERS* 6th Reveal for Book 2 - The Door

Welcome everyone!

Today, I have something different to reveal! It's a DOOR!

Exciting, I know. However, this is special. It's the door that leads to Thaul's room - the room given to the leader of the huntsmen.

There is a lot of symbolism on the door, which I will not go into right now. I'll reveal all once the book is out and people can read it.

Needless to say, you should examine it in detail. Everything is important.

So, fair warning, turn away if you want to avoid spoilers!

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Enjoy!

-Troy

Motifs I'd Like to Use #6 - The Wishing Well

Welcome everyone!

Today I'm going to talk about the Wishing Well. It's a trope that everyone knows, but you rarely see IMHO. I'd like to use it one day.

As you well know, to get a wishing well to work, you have to drop something of value into it. Usually a coin or bean or personal item. Then you make a wish, which comes true in a few days or so.

What would really interest me, is if the well required something more valuable than it gave back. Thus, there'd be diminishing returns and a real sacrifice. I wonder what sorts of stories could come of that? Maybe someday, I'll get to find out :)

Peace,

-Troy

Understanding Rejection

Welcome everyone!

When I finished The Huntsman and the She-Wolf, I did pitch it to several agents and publishing companies. I was rejected by all, which was fine with me. I never planned on accepting any of their terms unless they blew me away. I wanted to be independent all the way.

However, several people have reached out to me since I was published asking about pitching their books or asking why they might have been rejected.

I don't have a whole lot of experience with agents and/or publishing companies, but I do know some folks who do. So I'm going to post a video here that might explain why someone is rejected by an agent or publisher based only on the first page.

Hope that helps!

Additionally, I do want to bring up the Drive to 25 Campaign.

We're trying to get to 25 copies of the Book 1 audio book sold by November, which is just next month! Currently, we're at 19. Please help by sharing these blog posts or sharing links to my audio book.

You can find it in the following locals:

• Audible
• iTunes
• Amazon

And if you want to start an Audible account, you can get my audio book for free by signing up HERE.

Peace,

-Troy