My entry for Frankie's NO KISS blogfest
http://frankiediane.blogspot.com/
is from my YA urban fantasy, LOVE LIKE DEATH :
detailing the adventures of the orphan reputed to be the clone grown from the tissue sample taken from the Spear of Destiny.
Helped by the 14 year old fae assassin, Fallen,
the clone, Blake Adamson, has just escaped his captors, though mauled by the claws of Fallen in the doing of it :
Fallen crabbed slowly back away from me on her knees, still shaking her head in horror and dismay.
"N-No. No! Oh, Blake, I told you I-I'd be a hard friend, but not like this. Not like this!"
I shrugged, trying to hide how much it hurt, and forced out of my weak throat, "N-Now, show me a rose that doesn't have its share of thorns."
"I'm no rose," whimpered Fallen.
"Well, to me, you're as much a rose as the black roses whose perfume you have in your hair."
Fallen shook her head and, with so much self-hate in her voice it scared me, whispered in a hiss, "I'm no rose."
"Not a tame one, that's for sure," I sadly smiled. "But don't you know, Fallen? The wild roses have the sweetest smell."
Her long faerie face almost all eyes, she said softly, "Your lips just twitched, there, Mr. I-Don't-Lie."
I looked at her with so many warring emotions going at it inside me. Did I dare tell her the truth? Did I? I saw the lonely, self-hating hurt in those wet green eyes and knew I didn't have a choice.
"It's ... It's not just when I lie that they do that, you know."
"Oh, no? Then, when else, boy scout?"
Oh, man, did I have the nerve to say it? "Ah, well, ... they've been known to do it when ... when -"
"When what?," murmured Fallen, edging closer, her green eyes seeming to swallow my whole world.
"When, ah, I'm ... next ... to a pretty girl."
There, I had said it, and I could feel my cheeks blushing. No. Oh, no. Fallen looked miserable. Man, couldn't I do anything right? Not anything?
One single tear rolled down her cheek. "B-But that's just it. I'm not pretty. I'm not! I'm not even a girl. You heard Tartan. I'm a frea-"
Her next word I knew would break my heart so I didn't let her finish.
I reached out for her, taking both of her hands in mine. I put them next to my chest, hoping she wouldn't notice the blood on both our fingers. I hiked up my left shoulder a bit and smiled sad back at her.
"-a wild, beautiful rose w-who I'm proud to call 'friend'," I said soft, and without even realizing what I was doing until I had gone and done it, lightly kissing her fingers, claws and all.
I stiffened. Oh, man, what had I done? Was I crazy, or what? I had kissed Fallen. Sure, only on the fingers, but -- oh, no.
Look at what I had done. Big tears were welling up in her jade eyes. She just looked at me for what seemed a frozen eternity in time. I started cussing myself up a storm. What a moron. Why did I always screw up? Why?
And then, so fast it was a blur, she bent and kissed me soft on the cheek. She snapped back, looking as shocked as I felt. She cocked her head timid at me.
My lips not wanting to work right, I knew better than to try and say anything, so I just smiled shy back. I could feel my blush burning like a hot neon sign.
"Oh, no!," I cried aloud, dropping Fallen's hands.
"What's wrong?," she yelped, springing to her feet and spinning in a clawed crouch.
"Mr. Myers and Mr. Heke. They're still trapped in the Eldritch Industries Building."
Fallen slowly turned around, her face so sad and bittersweet.
"Blake, Blake. You big, dumb boy scout. You worry about everyone but yourself."
Fallen stamped her right foot angrily. "Blake Adamson, when are you going to start worrying about you?"
I smiled sad, "That's what I've got you for."
"Oooh, Blake, sometimes you make me so crazy!"
I hoped you enjoyed my entry.
***
http://frankiediane.blogspot.com/
is from my YA urban fantasy, LOVE LIKE DEATH :
detailing the adventures of the orphan reputed to be the clone grown from the tissue sample taken from the Spear of Destiny.
Helped by the 14 year old fae assassin, Fallen,
the clone, Blake Adamson, has just escaped his captors, though mauled by the claws of Fallen in the doing of it :
Fallen crabbed slowly back away from me on her knees, still shaking her head in horror and dismay.
"N-No. No! Oh, Blake, I told you I-I'd be a hard friend, but not like this. Not like this!"
I shrugged, trying to hide how much it hurt, and forced out of my weak throat, "N-Now, show me a rose that doesn't have its share of thorns."
"I'm no rose," whimpered Fallen.
"Well, to me, you're as much a rose as the black roses whose perfume you have in your hair."
Fallen shook her head and, with so much self-hate in her voice it scared me, whispered in a hiss, "I'm no rose."
"Not a tame one, that's for sure," I sadly smiled. "But don't you know, Fallen? The wild roses have the sweetest smell."
Her long faerie face almost all eyes, she said softly, "Your lips just twitched, there, Mr. I-Don't-Lie."
I looked at her with so many warring emotions going at it inside me. Did I dare tell her the truth? Did I? I saw the lonely, self-hating hurt in those wet green eyes and knew I didn't have a choice.
"It's ... It's not just when I lie that they do that, you know."
"Oh, no? Then, when else, boy scout?"
Oh, man, did I have the nerve to say it? "Ah, well, ... they've been known to do it when ... when -"
"When what?," murmured Fallen, edging closer, her green eyes seeming to swallow my whole world.
"When, ah, I'm ... next ... to a pretty girl."
There, I had said it, and I could feel my cheeks blushing. No. Oh, no. Fallen looked miserable. Man, couldn't I do anything right? Not anything?
One single tear rolled down her cheek. "B-But that's just it. I'm not pretty. I'm not! I'm not even a girl. You heard Tartan. I'm a frea-"
Her next word I knew would break my heart so I didn't let her finish.
I reached out for her, taking both of her hands in mine. I put them next to my chest, hoping she wouldn't notice the blood on both our fingers. I hiked up my left shoulder a bit and smiled sad back at her.
"-a wild, beautiful rose w-who I'm proud to call 'friend'," I said soft, and without even realizing what I was doing until I had gone and done it, lightly kissing her fingers, claws and all.
I stiffened. Oh, man, what had I done? Was I crazy, or what? I had kissed Fallen. Sure, only on the fingers, but -- oh, no.
Look at what I had done. Big tears were welling up in her jade eyes. She just looked at me for what seemed a frozen eternity in time. I started cussing myself up a storm. What a moron. Why did I always screw up? Why?
And then, so fast it was a blur, she bent and kissed me soft on the cheek. She snapped back, looking as shocked as I felt. She cocked her head timid at me.
My lips not wanting to work right, I knew better than to try and say anything, so I just smiled shy back. I could feel my blush burning like a hot neon sign.
"Oh, no!," I cried aloud, dropping Fallen's hands.
"What's wrong?," she yelped, springing to her feet and spinning in a clawed crouch.
"Mr. Myers and Mr. Heke. They're still trapped in the Eldritch Industries Building."
Fallen slowly turned around, her face so sad and bittersweet.
"Blake, Blake. You big, dumb boy scout. You worry about everyone but yourself."
Fallen stamped her right foot angrily. "Blake Adamson, when are you going to start worrying about you?"
I smiled sad, "That's what I've got you for."
"Oooh, Blake, sometimes you make me so crazy!"
I hoped you enjoyed my entry.
***
Oh so good. First, I loved these two characters immediately. They're vulnerable, caring and tough. Your language is wonderful, such as "crabbed slowly back" and "green eyes seeming to swallow my whole world."
ReplyDeleteThis is a story I would love to read. Great job.
P.S. That photo you found to go with it is fantastic, what with the crabbing slowly and roses. :D
ReplyDeleteI really like Fallen- I like how you portray her, and I love the imagery you caused with the roses reference!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Summer. I like how Fallen is portrayed and you use the imagery of the roses. I also love how both of them are in a vulnerable position. Great job.
ReplyDeleteOoh, dangerous and beautiful! This is great, Roland.
ReplyDeleteEdge of Your Seat Romance
Kelly : I'm glad you liked the imagery of the roses. Blake was raised in an orphanage out in the country. He thinks in terms of nature. Thanks for liking my portrayal of vulnerable young teens.
ReplyDeleteSummer : I like Fallen, too. She appears in many of my novels, sometimes in a major role, sometimes just a background character. I wrote a whole series of short stories spotlighting her. I could never seem to find a publisher who felt about her as you. Sigh. Thanks for making me feel as if I succeeded in making her real to someone.
Tricia : I'm so glad you enjoyed this snippet. I tried to find an agent who liked this novel and its sequel. I couldn't.
I just figured it was because I basically wrote them for a 14 year old girl in the hospital, undergoing painful treatments. I made them both long so as to involve the girl as long and as deeply as I could. Her mother wouldn't let her read the then, two Harry Potter novels, but she trusted me, so I wrote within the strict parameters she gave me, while including fairies, Avalon, unicorns, animal angels like in Ezekiel, etc.
Both mother and daughter loved them. The daughter would have her mother read passages aloud to her at night. So in a way, I made a very select bestseller list. Have a great Sunday.
Raquel : Yes, Fallen is definitely both. Blake has the Sight -- and he knows she is destined to be the death of him -- but to be with her, he is glad to pay that price.
ReplyDeleteI just love your tragic love stories. Always pitting a doomed young man against some gorgeous creature.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I heard about this book. How many books have you written, Roland?
Michael
Thanks again for the suggestions. I really like them.
Have you tried short story publishers? If you have wrote several short stories you can submit alot of them- if they get out there and do well you might have a better chance with an agent at the novel? Just an idea. Here is a good site with lots of short story sites some pay some don't so you will have to pay attention to them and if they require a fee, actually I'm going to give you two.... www.glimmertrainpress.com and www.ralan.com
ReplyDeleteWonderful, sensuous writing. So happy to have stopped by your blog after ages.....:)
ReplyDeleteSummer : Thank you so much for those links. I have written quite a few short stories ... some spotlighting Samuel McCord, Drew August (the last Lakota shaman hunted by the world's intelligence agencies), Luke Winter (a Lakota psychologist in love with a Maffia Donna), and, of course, Fallen, the last Sidhe.
ReplyDeleteMichael : I wrote two novels for that ill girl. Then, I liked them so well, I took the characters, blending them into another story arc and wrote two more novels. All in all, I've written 8 novels and writing sequels to two of those. Whew! Thanks for asking.
Damyanti : Welcome back after so long! I've missed you. I'm gratified and pleased that you enjoyed my excerpt from my Young Adult fantasy. Don't be a stranger.
ReplyDeleteTricia : I didn't mention your liking my picture, fitting this snippet so well. Blake and Fallen have been a part of my imagination for so long that I preserve pictures that remind me of them. This one was from before my fire some years back. Thanks for enjoying their story. Roland
thanks for sharing this :)
ReplyDeleteFlying High In The Sky : Thanks for liking it enough to comment. Have a great first week of 2011.
ReplyDeleteHey, Roland. I enjoyed this as much as all your writing. I'm trying to do a better job of letting you know it. :D
ReplyDeleteThis snip is wonderful.
Awww this is so sweet!! I love how the symbol of the rose threads throughout this piece!!!! Lovely!Thank you for sharing! Take care
ReplyDeletex
Charity : Thanks for letting me know you still read and like my posts. It means a lot to me. Only happy surprises for 2011 for both of us!
ReplyDeleteKitty : I'm glad you like my interweaving of the rose symbolism and thinking Blake and Fallen sweet. Have a lovely first week of 2011!