Sunday, January 29, 2012

Spotlight On: Leyrkan Mekanni

Another early Onizard drawing to laugh at.
Name: Leyrkan Mekanni
Aliases: Leyrkan, Mek, Mad Mekanni (don't use that nickname, please)
Race: Onizard (Child of Light)
Age: Roughly 20
Sex: Male

Notable Things About Him:
* Mekanni is the ruler of the Night Kingdom, a position that once held great respect. Now it means simply watching over the Onizards while they are sleeping.


* A traumatic fight in his past has left Mekanni with two mangled legs and a "sickness" that occasionally makes him forget where he is and see past events instead of present events. Think of an empath suffering from untreated PSTD and you'll begin to understand why this sickness is so dangerous and difficult to control. Mekanni's sickness has brought him the cruel nickname "Mad Mekanni".

* He acts tough as a teacher to hide his fears of what could happen to Jena and Senraeno if they are caught. His gruff exterior hides a gentle heart.

Notable Quote:
Do you have any idea whatsoever of what you’re up against? The Fire Queen will not fight fair, and she will watch you for your weaknesses. She will delight in finding out what makes you scream in terror, and once she finds out, you had better pray to the Lord of the Sky that she kills you quickly. But she will not kill you quickly.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Eclectic Reader Challenge 2012: Thriller/Suspense


I saw "Crack-Up" by Eric Christopherson mentioned in the Amazon forums, and thought it looked interesting. I'm glad I picked up a copy, as it was a very entertaining read.

The main character, Argus Ward, is a "high-functioning paranoid schizophrenic" with a seemingly good life. He has a wife, children, and a high-paying job as a security consultant. All of that goes downhill when his medication fails and he kills one of his high-profile clients. But was it a case of medication failing, or something more sinister at work?

The suspense in "Crack-Up" works well because we're never entirely sure what events are real and what is only the delusions of Argus' schizophrenia. It's possible that Argus was the pawn of a major conspiracy to murder his client, John Helms, or it's possible the conspiracy is only as real as the voice of Darth Vader talking from the air vent. Christopherson's writing keeps you guessing until the end as you try to figure out the truth from an unreliable narrator.

There is some nudity in this story, as well as cursing and tense situations. I would recommend "Crack-Up" for ages 16 and older.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

The Speed of Wind cover!

It's not coming out until March, but I had to share this cover:

Six years after the events of "The Zarder", Zarder Bryn and his Bond Xoltorble (a.k.a. Xolt) must save three important hostages with the help of a ten-year-old girl who is fresh from the wilderness outside of the Sandleyr. Much more is at stake than even they can guess...

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Spotlight On: Alair

Considering my most recent review, there's only one character that could feature in the next spotlight.

Look at me, abusing the Photoshop effects
Name: Alair
Aliases: Silly Kitten
Race: Onizac (think of a psychic cat with a spike on the end of its tail)
Age: 6
Sex: Male

Notable Things About Him:
* Alair "had all the usual quirks of the barn cats she had grown up with as well as the ability to scream in her head for food." If that doesn't sound scary, you haven't met many cats. 

* Alair randomly changes grammar, depending on his mood. Do not let this fool you; he is smarter than even Jena, his Bond, knows.

* Most think he belongs to Delbralfi; he encourages this mistake to protect Jena from the Fire Queen's wrath. If a human's mind is strong enough to tolerate an Onizac, they aren't as dumb as the Fire Queen says they are.

* Since he went into hiding and slept for most of the novel, Alair is probably my smartest character. Either that or the laziest.

Notable Quote:
 
How did the nature lady know I’m Jena’s Bond? Jena’s not dead. Is Jena in trouble?

Friday, January 13, 2012

Eclectic Reader Challenge 2012: Non-Fiction



I picked up a copy of Six Cats in My Kitchen by Lyn Horner when I mentioned the Eclectic Reader Challenge in Amazon's Meet our Authors forum (on a side note, it's amazing how many people will respond when you mention possibly getting featured on someone's blog as a review). It is a non-fiction story about, you guessed it, six cats that at one time lived together in the author's house. The idea of six cats living together seems like mass chaos even to this cat loving reader, but the book, thankfully, managed to make sense out of the situation and give each cat a chance to shine.

Like all good animal stories do, this cat tale brought out anecdotes about their human housemates as well. I learned a little about life, death, and the Horner's struggles with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease. The story read like a story that someone would tell at the kitchen table, complete with asides about interesting things that were happening at the same time.

I was alarmed, however, when I read about Horner letting her declawed cats outside because "they need their taste of freedom". Without going into too much of a rant, I must note that there's a reason why most shelters won't let you adopt cats you plan on letting outside; it's extremely dangerous for the cat. Horner advises in the end, "Please be wise; don't do as I do."

Overall, if you're looking for an honest memoir with some cats that shared the author's life over the years, you should take a look at Six Cats in My Kitchen.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Spotlight On: Idenno

Behold, one of my earliest Onizard drawings. Mock at your leisure.

Name: Idenno
Aliases: Watchzard, Iden
Race: Onizard (Child of Water)
Age:  Roughly 20, which makes him middle-aged in Onizard years
Sex: Male

Notable Things About Him:
* Twin brother of Mekanni and the son of Senmani, Idenno is technically a Lord of the Night Kingdom. He hasn't considered himself a part of that kingdom for quite some time. He's too busy looking out for Rulsaesan as the Watchzard of the Day Kingdom.

* His feelings for Rulsaesan are the worst kept secret in the Sandleyr. He will never act on them, as Rulsaesan's mate Deyraeno is one of his best friends.

* Idenno was one of the first Onizards that I ever drew. He also has his own theme song, which can be heard here.

Notable Quote:
I made a promise to Rulsaesan long ago, and I intend to keep it. As long as I’m still breathing, the Fire Queen will not harm your family.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

What's in a Name? Or, Find Your Onizard Name!

Someone once asked me where I got the names for my characters, as they were confused by the structure of Onizard names. While some of the names can be daunting when written out (Deybralfi's name sounds as harsh as she is), their naming structure follows a very simple system.

There are two syllables in the first part of an Onizard's name. Usually, one syllable is chosen by the mother, and the other syllable is chosen by the father. Though to humans they may seem like random letters that sound cool when placed together, these syllables are actually words in the old language of Senbralni's time.

The arrangement of these words can give a different meaning to a name. For the best example, there was once a Leyrkan named Mesenni. The first syllable, me, means "hope". The second syllable, sen, is a very common naming word which now means "star" (no one really knows what it meant during Senbralni's time, when stars didn't exist). Placed together, the name Mesen means "hope star", as in the star others are placing their hope in. Senme, on the other hand, means "star hope", as in someone placing hope in the stars.

Stars are precious to Onizards, as are children. Is it any wonder, then, that Del, which is the Onizard equivalent of "Jr.", is one of the other more common naming words? Delbralfi, Deldenno, Delculble and Delsenni are just some of the Onizards with this name! Senraeno originally wanted to join the "Del" party, but a great friend wisely pointed out that Senraeno would sound better than Delraeno.  Del is the only naming word that must come first in an Onizard's name. It is a sign of respect for the friend or ancestor the child is named after.

Onizard parents have to be cautious when giving their children names, as the last part of the child's name is out of their control. This last syllable identifies what element the Onizard is.

no = Child of Water
na = Child of Earth
ble = Child of Wind
fi = Child of Fire
san = Child of Light (Day)
ni = Child of Light (Night Kingdom)

While both of Teltrena's parents were Children of Earth, there was no guarantee that she would be one as well. Luckily, she did not end up being called Teltrefi for the rest of her life. Delbralfi's name if he were a Child of Earth is only slightly better.

In summary, two syllables of name followed by one syllable of an Onizard's element equals one proper Onizard name.

Now, to give you a bit of fun, here are some Onizard naming words and their meanings. Figure out who you would be, and post in the comments! In the unlikely event that you happen to pick the same name as a character in one of my future novels, I'll laugh at the coincidence and e-mail you a short, major spoiler-free description of said character to see how closely you match. Onizards can repeat names in later generations, so don't feel too bad about it. You might find out something no one other than myself knows about the next novels! If your name is truly unique and it inspires me, you may find yourself in possession of an original hand-drawn Onizard. In other words, please leave your e-mail in the comments.

Note that some of these names clearly came from the time when the Onizards were separate clans, while others are later editions. Also note that the Onizards chose interesting things to divide along gender lines.

Am(female)/Em(male) = beloved
Blom = of the lost
Bral = long-lasting fire
Brul = a quick fire
Cul = thunder
Del = the younger ("Jr.")
Den (male) / Dan (female) = one who loves
Dey = great in power
Er = two (in this case, usually given to one of a pair of twins)
Fas = son
Fal = daughter
Gra = healer
Hur = storm
I = proud
Kan (male) / Que (female) = heart
Ma (female) / Me (male) = hope
Rae = renewing wave
Ran = unlooked for (mostly given to "WHOOPS!" babies. :P)
Rul = bright
Sae = one who sees
Sai = eyes
Sen = star
Stai = legs
Tai = wings
Tel = steadfast
Tor = gust of wind
Tre =  tree (the Onizards worked hard on this one. It's pronounced "treh" and it has one less letter e!)
Xol = lightning

Let the fun begin!