She's Reminded Me To Do My Job

(I'm listening to 18 by Moby.)

And I've reminded her to do her job.

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, had the gall to remind me after her online marketing presentation today that I haven't posted anything to this blog for a couple of months. In a move she referred to as "deflection," I informed her that I've nothing to promote because she hasn't refined the final novel in the Choices trilogy. My lovely bride, Chariss, is stuck in a sort of literary limbo as far as I know.

So while Sandy fixes a snack for me, I'm posting a little something here at the blog. When I'm finished, she promises to work on the Choices Made for All edits.

As it turns out, it's important that I continue to spread the good word about the current novels in which you can read Chariss's story. Choices Meant for Gods and Choices Meant for Kings are now available in Kindle format, as well as hardcover and pdf for Sony eReaders and smart phones and iPads and such. Both are rather important to ingest prior to diving into the third novel in the trilogy. Of course, I can't confirm that statement because Sandy won't let me read the third--

I'm being censored.

She informs me that it would be wise for readers to be familiar with the first two novels, thus I need to stay on topic. Personally, I think readers should get the novels just to read about Chariss, but Sandy has this hangup about the story being all-important. (These crazy writers.)

I welcome everyone to support my concept of placing great importance upon the lovely maiden. Hopefully it will influence Sandy. For now, I must turn the computer over to her and watch her like a hawk to make sure she stays on task. I've held up my end of the bargain.

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, Choices Meant for Kings, Chariss, fantasy author, Sandy Lender

She's Home Again

I'm not listening to music at the moment, so I can't report on the moment's iTunes selection. I'm watching The Transporter with my fantasy author. Quite the violent movie, I must say. She's transfixed by it, even though she's seen it before.

On to the blog post.
My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is home from her crazed Duran Duran vacation in Orange County, California, where she and two of her girlfriends, Christine and Jennine, enjoyed all the chaos and mayhem that a Duran Duran vacation entails. Now that she's home, I've got her on a strict writing schedule in the evenings so we can complete Book III of the Choices Meant for Gods trilogy. Luckily, she can write while watching this Jason Statham person in The Transporter.

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Duran Duran

She Has Another Great Review

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, asked me to direct you to this link to read a new review of Choices Meant for Gods:
http://tinyurl.com/LASReview

Tags: review, Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy author, Sandy Lender

She's Being Smug With Me

We're listening to Mandy by Barry Manilow.

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, says this song has more meaning for me than I realize. It is quite lovely, but I don't believe, as a man, I should admit that openly in your society.

So let us begin the blog post.

My purpose today is to tell you should be reading about my bride-to-be, Amanda Chariss, in the Choices trilogy. She's just great, you know. You can pick up the full-length novel, Choices Meant for Gods at the Publisher's site, or on Amazon, or at your local bookstore. Or you can pick up this nice little chapbook titled What Choices We Made that has a short story about Amanda as a child. Oh, sorry, Chariss, as a child. (I still use the name I prefer for her despite Sandy's constant badgering...)

The next installment in the trilogy is due out soon. Choices Meant for Kings gives you more of Mandy's story and the...wait a minute...is that why the song's important? Now Sandy's giving me that smug smile of hers.

All my best to you readers.
Nigel
Tags: Mandy, Barry Manilow, Choices Meant for Gods

She's Impressed by the Bird

I'm being forced to listen to Rudebox by Robbie Williams.

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has this pet bird that she's talked about over on her main blog, Today the Dragon Wins. Today, she gave him some millet as a treat and proceeded to marvel over how easily he uses his beak to pick the tiny little seeds out of their husks, leaving the husks to float like dust in the air. (She now has to dust...)

In her first novel, Choices Meant for Gods, I recall only a short reference to one ofersey'n's possession of hawks. Now that I come to think of it, I believe that may have been edited out. The original work was over 250,000 words, you know. Her publisher still took it on, but, really, there was no doubt editing was required.

Now when Choices Meant for Kings is released, Lord Akelous Foresterson will be brought in again, and, again, he has one of his hawks on his arm. My lovely bride-to-be is taken with birds, and I can't help thinking that Sandy forced this characteristic upon her because of Petri. Oh. Sandy assures me that Chariss loves all animals, and that's why she tolerates a dragon in her bedchamber. Nice. Why, again, do I help this woman with marketing?

Tags: pet bird, dragon, Choices Meant for Gods, Choices Meant for Kings

She's Posting About Pet Rights for Earth Day

Right now I'm listening to Mack the Knife (and Sandy says I should make it clear I'm listening to the version from the Brian Setzer Orchestra) on Sandy's iTunes.

Tomorrow is Earth Day and my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has been irritating me today with her soapbox topic for her blog over at Today the Dragon Wins. Pardon me. I need to rephrase that. Sandy has shared her views concerning the topic about which she'll post for Earth Day. (She's just shared these views ad nauseum...)

Seems someone in your government has introduced a bill (don't ask me what that means exactly--I'm still grasping the concept of Earth Day) that will dictate what kind of animals you can keep as pets, and will prohibit you from moving your animals with you if you should move to another region of your land. But because the bill will prevent you from transferring ownership of your pet to anyone else, it will require you to have your pet put to sleep if you choose to go ahead and move. It seems to stomp all over the rights people in this land are supposed to have. (Oh, Sandy says that's one of the reasons people should be upset about it.) Personally, I would be upset if someone said my pet had to be killed. Doesn't that go against everything Earth Day stands for?

You can read all about this bill and Sandy's opinion (and you know THAT will be a treat) at Today the Dragon Wins April 22. Enjoy.

In the meantime, I'll work at promoting the books. You all remember my lovely bride-to-be, Amanda Chariss? Yes, I'm still pleased to suggest you should read all about her and her duties in Choices Meant for Gods, What Choices We Made, and the upcoming Choices Meant for Kings. And I promise to keep Sandy hard at work on Book III, the prequel, and the spin-off novels that seem to be growing like mad out of her mind. It's an exciting time in the writing den.

Tags: Earth Day, Choices Meant for Gods

She Says It's a Form of Flattery

I'm supposed to tell you all that my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is currently listening to Mad World by Tears For Fears. I guess it would be more appropriate to say I'm listening to Mad World by Tears For Fears while I post something promotional for her and she leans over my shoulder to make sure my promotional efforts are acceptable.

Anyway. The reason she says this is a form of flattery is because we're stealing the "update on iTunes" from an agent's blog that she was perusing last night. She was most impressed with the woman's musical selections on her iPod (I actually know what that is, by the way. Sandy has one. An iPod Nano that...what? Of course they care. They'll want to know what you listen to just as you wanted to know what that woman listened to.)

I have just been informed that no one cares yet what Sandy listens to. But for those of you who don't already know, it's usually Duran Duran.

I've also just been informed that I've wasted everyone's attention span on this nonsense instead of promoting Choices Meant for Gods, What Choices We Made, or the upcoming release Choices Meant for Kings, so you'll have to come back another day to hear more about them. My apologies.

Nigel Taiman
Tags: Mad World, Tears For Fears, Duran Duran, Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy author, Sandy Lender

She Hasn't Repressed This One, Careless Memory #13

A Glimpse into a Writer's Life
When my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, was a young girl, she stood in the check-out line at the grocery store with her mother one day. In your society, towns are so highly populated that people have to stand in line with their food to pay for—oh, she tells me you already know this.

Anyway, Sandy stared at the headlines on the magazines while they waited their turn in line, and one particularly large title stood out from the others. It said, "Talking to Your Teens About Virginity". She found this curious, so, in front of everyone in the store, she turned from the magazines to her mother and asked, out loud, "Mom, what's virginity?" And she pronounced it incorrectly, to boot.

Given the nature of this parent-offspring moment, she knew, in the future, that she had to incorporate it into a story. (You know how those writers are…everything's fair game.) She knew that a young Amanda Chariss, the heroine of her epic fantasy trilogy, had to supply one of these embarrassing moments to her guardian and mentor, the great wizard Hrazon. Because there's no room for such backstory in the Choices Meant for Gods trilogy, Sandy included the little tale in the upcoming short story anthology What Choices We Made. You won't be able to get your hands on the piece until the end of November (the busiest shopping day of the year, she says…whatever that means), but, as soon as the book is available, she'll let me announce it here and you can enjoy Hrazon's embarrassment as much as I did when I read it.

In the meantime, the first novel in the trilogy is already out. You can pick it up at Barnes & Noble, Borders, etc., or order it online or at Amazon.

Tags: virginity, Choices Meant for Gods, What Choices We Made, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, writers life

She Reminds You That Choices Meant for Gods is Available as an Inexpensive eBook, Too

Whether you enjoy collecting hardcover books for your shelves or not, sometimes cash for such luxuries runs low. Fantasy Author Sandy Lender is in a "low-cash" phase these days due to medical bills, foreclosure, etc., so she empathizes with others in negative cashflow situations. (She says "it sucks a lot.")

So, for those of you who want to read new fantasy but don't have the funds to pick up Choices Meant for Gods at the local Barnes & Noble or Hastings book store, Fantasy Author Sandy Lender has your answer. Download the pdf from the publisher's site. It's only $3.99.

You see, the epic fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods is the story of the amazing heroine, Amanda Chariss. It tells of love, tolerance, overcoming insurmountable odds, standing up for yourself, not backing down, coming of age, befriending dragons, and irritating evil sorcerers…but not everyone in the world is able to shell out nearly $30 for a hard cover, first edition book from a fantasy author they've never read before. Enter the oh-so-economical eBook.

If you're unsure about your $4-purchase, you can read a bunch of five-star reviews of Choices Meant for Gods on the Amazon page... Then link over to ArcheBooks Publishing to order/download the electronic version for much less money than the physical book. You can also read the first three chapters for free at that same link.

I know you'll enjoy the story.

Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy novel, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, eBook, five-star review, Amanda Chariss

She Has A Bizarre Early Review for Choices Meant for Kings

These writers can be so creative. Check out the format of the latest early review for Choices Meant for Kings at The ChrisChat Reviews. Thank you to Chris for the glowing praise!

And if you haven't already gotten your copy of Choices Meant for Gods, you'll want to check that out to get caught up on the series. The eBook is available for only $3.99 at the publisher's site. Or you can get the real thing at amazon, b&n, the publisher's site, etc. Enjoy!

All my best,
Nigel
Tags: Choices Meant for Kings, Choices Meant for Gods, ebook, review

She's on Suspense Magazine's Site

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is pleased to announce that Suspense Magazine's online presence now includes a page devoted to her and an early review of the upcoming fantasy novel Choices Meant for Kings. You can check out the direct link to the page here. At the site, you can see Megan Kissinger's map of Onweald in full color, a blurb about the book, and an interview of Sandy Lender (complete with inane ramblings about snails).

If you're still in need of the first book in the Choices trilogy, the easiest way to get your copy is through Amazon or the publisher's site. You can also walk into Barnes & Noble or Borders, etc., to order it if you don't see it still sitting on the shelf, but online ordering is faster, and, if what folks are telling Sandy still holds true, less expensive. It appears the book store's fees are more exhorbitant than the online shipping fees, and both Amazon and her publisher have discounts at the moment.

All my best.

Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Suspense Magazine, Choices Meant for Gods, Choices Meant for Kings

She Hasn't Repressed This One, Careless Memory #12

A Glimpse into a Writer's Life
When my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, was about 7 years old, she lived in an apartment complex across the breezeway from a child named Debbie. One day, Debbie and another girl, who Sandy can't even picture, much less name at this point, wanted to ride their bikes up to the convenience store a few blocks away.

Because Sandy's mother wouldn't let her go with them, Debbie and the other girl began to mock her, telling her she was "a baby" and "too little" to go with the "big girls" to the store. (That's mean. These were your friends?) Ah, back to the story. It gets strange, she tells me.

When Debbie and the other girl returned from the store, they taunted Sandy with the candy they'd bought (by the gods, you surely didn't remain friends with such people…oh, she tells me children are just cruel beasts in this society…great). As I was saying, the girls taunted her with the candy until they decided they wanted to go to the store again. This time, they told her that she was too little to go to the store, but she could watch their candy for them, if she promised not to eat any of it.

For pity's sake. I think we can all see where this is going.

As soon as the girls were out of sight, Sandy unwrapped all the pieces of gum and smeared them around in the dirt. (You've got to be kidding.) She licked some first to make the dirt really stick, she says. (Hey, she was 7; this was 7-year-old logic.)

Once all the pink gum pieces were lying there in their random disarray of dirty inedibility, she went inside to play with her dolls or something pleasing like that. (Your mind frightens me.) When Debbie and her friend returned a second time, they were incensed, of course, and came to Sandy's door to find out what had happened. Sandy quickly came up with (What? Thought up a lie and thought it up quick? What does that mean?) Sandy quickly came up with a story about some older boys riding by on their bicycles and stopping to smear the gum in the dirt, which the girls believed, and smugly went back to playing with her own toys.

I think I'll do everything she tells me to for the marketing and promotion of Choices Meant for Gods. It's available at a discount at the publisher's site, you know. And I think Amazon still has it on sale as well. Choices Meant for Kings is due out this fall.

Tags: writer's life, careless memory, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Choices Meant for Gods

She Doesn't Like the Fire Alarm

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, had just settled into sleep when something loud and obnoxious began screeching in her "new" apartment. No, the bird was not to blame. In fact, the bird remained remarkably calm...

Now that she lives in an apartment community again, there comes with that joyous community living all the mature activities the neighbors find fun, such as pulling fire alarms when there's no fire. The resulting noise is supposed to empty the building of half-dressed, groggy apartment dwellers waiting for the fire department to come turn off the alarm.

It took them over ten minutes.

Sandy figures she needs a better back-up system for the Choices Meant for Gods trilogy so she can grab that (and the bird) on her way out should there ever be a real fire because this place obviously isn't high on the priority list of places to rush in and save.

Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, fire alarm, Choices Meant for Gods

She's Hosting Pseudonym Bloggers at Today the Dragon Wins

That title makes no sense at first.

Here's what it's supposed to mean. My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is hosting a variety of authors at her main blog, Today the Dragon Wins, throughout the month of June, to talk about their use of (or non-use of) pen names for writing. Today's guest is Lisa Haselton, whose name you might recognize because I mentioned her several days ago. She's a book reviewer and author interviewer who recently read Sandy's upcoming novel Choices Meant for Kings. You can read the review here.

Today, Lisa discusses her need to use a pseudonym for her fiction writing because a celebrity already had her name on bookshelves. Pity. I think Lisa should have gone in with sword drawn to demand her place right beside...wait...Sandy's censoring me.

Fine.

If you'd like to read what other authors have contributed to the pseudonym discussion, the posts are archived at Today the Dragon Wins throughout the month of June. If you participate in the comments, you are automatically entered in a contest to win an electronic version of Sandy's epic fantasy Choices Meant for Gods and Raven Bower's paranormal thriller Apparitions. (Really? Raven? That's fantastic! When did you post Raven's story?) Everyone should read the article on Friday, June 13 (oh, how appropriate!) as well as Lisa's story today.

All my best,
Nigel
Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Choices Meant for Gods, pseudonym, Apparitions, Lisa Haselton, Raven Bower

Choices Meant for Kings Gets First Official Review

You can read the first official review for Choices Meant for Kings at Lisa Haselton's review and interview site here. My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is thrilled. She wishes to extend her appreciation to Ms. Haselton for her time and for her positive comments.

When CMFK is available later this summer, we'll announce it all over the blogosphere. In the meantime, if you need a copy of the first novel in the Choices fantasy trilogy, Choices Meant for Gods is available at the publisher's site as either a hardcover edition or eBook (the eBook is only $3.99 so we're recommending that, of course), or at Amazon or anywhere fine books are sold.

Tags: Choices Meant for Kings, Lisa Haselton, Choices Meant for Gods, eBook, fantasy

She Announces Choices Meant for Kings has its ISBNs

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is pleased to announce that the second book in the Choices fantasy trilogy, Choices Meant for Kings, now has its ISBNs.

Hardcover (10): 1-59507-219-5
Hardcover (13): 978-159507-219-1
eBook: 1-59507-220-9

If you wish to read the first novel, Choices Meant for Gods, before the second book comes out, you can pick it up at Amazon or anywhere fine books are sold. The eBook version is available for only $3.99 at the publisher's site.

Tags: ISBN, Choices Meant for Kings, Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, eBook

She's Got Nests and Pellets

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is pleased to announce that there are now four sea turtle nests in her "zones" along the Gulf. So when she patters along the shore looking for turtle activity, she gets to inspect the nest areas to make sure all is well with the little lives forming beneath the sand. She's very happy about this.

And in complete contrast to that good-natured story, she's in the kitchen putting all Petri's least-favorite food pellets into one container so she can tease him. Isn't that nice?

Petri, for those of you who aren't already aware, is the pet bird that rules the household. He's very particular about his food and doesn't eat the white pellets in his food mix. So, to make life easier for Petri, Sandy spends valuable time that I'd prefer she spent writing (it's my job to keep her writing, you know) picking out the white pellets so he doesn't have to. Tonight, for some odd reason, she's putting them all in one little cup to present to him as if that's his dinner. She's done this to him before and was so entertained by his expression that I guess we just have to do it again.

I'll get her back to the computer shortly. Never fear. We do have the third book in the Choices trilogy to complete, you know.

In the meantime, the second book is awaiting its release date at the publisher and Book I, Choices Meant for Gods is still available at the publisher's site and Amazon.

All my best,
Nigel
Tags: sea turtle, Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy author, Sandy Lender

She Has Choices Meant for Kings ARCs Ready for Reviews

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has advance reader copies of Choices Meant for Kings prepared for professional review.

While she's contacted several reviewers who are placing CMFK on their summer review schedule, she wishes to make a more concentrated effort to gather opinions on this fantasy novel than she did with Choices Meant for Gods. As a complete novice with the first of this fantasy trilogy, she waited until the book's release before approaching reviewers, and found most of them disappointed that the novel would be "old" before their opinion could be shared with the world. She doesn't want to make that same mistake with the second book in the series.

Choices Meant for Kings rests at the publisher awaiting its turn on a backlogged production schedule. The release date could be sometime later this summer or early fall, so the timing is perfect to get ARCs to reviewers now. If you're interested and haven't already been contacted, please let Sandy know by leaving a comment here or at her blog.

If you need a copy of Choices Meant for Gods, she has the pdf available for reviewers. Readers can also find the eBook and hardcover edition at her publisher's site. The hardcover is also available at Amazon. If you take your copy with you to ConQuesT39 over Memorial Day weekend, she'll be happy to personalize it for you.

Tags: Choices Meant for Kings, Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy novel, fantasy trilogy, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, professional review, advance reader copy, ARC, eBook, ConQuesT39

She's a Faculty Member at ConQuesT39 Next Weekend

ConQuesT39 "Fanimal House" announces its Memorial Day Weekend lineup and encourages fans of sci-fi/fantasy to enroll now. The faculty list (that would be the panel participants) includes my fantasy author, Sandy Lender. She'll read from her first novel Choices Meant for Gods Sunday at 11:30 and will have an autograph session Saturday at 4:30. The panels she participates in include "Blog 101: Oops, I Blogged Again" and "Out 101: Out of the Space Closet, Homosexuality in SF/F/H."

If you've ever been to a ConQuesT convention before, you know there's loads of fun fan activities from art viewing to seminars on your favorite sci-fi shows to opps to meet the guests to a masquerade (on Saturday night) to improv story-telling to sessions on creative writing. The special media guests this year are Jeff East from Young Clark Kent and Ellen Muth from Dead Like Me. Check out the ConQuest site or visit Sandy's blog to get more information. But do it fast! Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner.

If you need a copy of CMFG to take to the signing, Amazon still offers free two-day shipping. Click here. I don't think you can get it that fast from the publisher's site. Sandy will have some copies on hand that you can purchase directly from her and have autographed on-site, but don't count on there being copies in the dealer room. Dealers don't always play nicely with the Ingrams or Baker & Taylor distributors...

Tags: ConQuesT39, blogging, Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy novel, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Jeff East, Ellen Muth, Dead Like Me, Today the Dragon Wins

She Read a Great Scene on the Radio Last Night

I'm quite pleased with the scene my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, selected for the Internet Voices Radio program last night. The authors were labeled as romance writers, and the fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods has that element running beneath the plot(s), so Sandy read the following. (I'm very pleased with you, dear. You'll have my uncomplaining marketing efforts redoubled for weeks because of this.)


This is a romantic scene as Nigel Taiman and Amanda Chariss ride from the estate at Arcana to Arcana City. Her wizard guardian has already clued her in to the fact that Nigel wants to court her, and she's upset over it. The scene mentions the bear-like ryfel creature that nearly killed Nigel in the training arena.

Nigel frowned at her. Spurring his horse slightly, he reached out to take hold of Shadow’s bridle. Bringing them both to a stop, he turned in the saddle to face her.

“Hey!” she objected.

“Indeed. Have I done something to anger you?”

Her cheeks reddened with embarrassment.

“’Manda?”

“You’re staring at me.”

“By the gods, Woman. All right, I’ll look at your horse. ’Manda,” he said to Shadow, “what have I done that’s made you angry?”

“I’m not angry.”

“You’re not a liar,” he spoke to Chariss again.

“All right, so I’m a little angry. It will pass.”

“And you don’t want to tell me what it is?”

She couldn’t blame her reticence today on worry over Drake. She also couldn’t blame her health because she’d completely recovered from her telabyrinth poisoning. With Hrazon and The Master attending the summer festival, she couldn’t blame some sort of timidity at being ‘alone’ in the city. No, she had to take a deep breath and be honest with him. Considering the number of suitors she’d sent packing in the past few years, this should have been an easy thing to do again. It wasn’t. She sighed, closing her eyes as if she could make the scene disappear.

“Do you agree that you’re my friend?” she finally asked.

He watched her open her eyes then, realizing where the conversation must be going.

“Yes.” It was said with exasperation.

“And that I’m your friend?”

“Yes.”

“And does that please you?”

He sighed, but didn’t get a chance to answer.

“You see, Nigel, it pleases me. I appreciate your kindness, and I would be disappointed if we hadn’t built such a…such a…”

“Friendship?” he retorted.

“Such a rapport.”

He rolled his eyes. “A fancier word with even less affection.”

“My stay at Arcana is much more pleasant because I have this relationship with you. But someone has tried to convince me that your…your…”

“Feelings?”

“Well…your…”

“Intentions?”

“Well…your opinion of our relationship might be somewhat different from mine.”

“’Manda, just say what you’re thinking. You won’t hurt my feelings.”

She looked miserable then. “I don’t want to say what I’m thinking.”

“Good!”

“No, that’s not good. Hrazon thinks you’re…Hrazon believes you spend time with me because…” She paused, searching for the words.

“Because I’m in love with you?”

She nearly fell backward. “Just blurt it out!”

He chuckled slightly. “This is uncomfortable, isn’t it? I’m sorry to embarrass you. This conversation would be better in a darkened corner of Arcana’s parlor. ’Manda, I’m not going to lie to you. Hrazon has every reason to believe I’m after his ward because I am. It’s no secret to anyone I enjoy your company. What, where are you…You’re the only woman I know who can scoot that far away on a saddle without falling off.”

“I don’t think you should say those things.”

“Aye,” he sighed, watching her fidget with Shadow’s reins. But he made a decision to press the matter. “I’m going to say them and get them out in the open. Then we can decide if you’re to die of embarrassment, or slap me across the face.”

She couldn’t help smiling, even though her heart beat as if it would burst through her bodice from the tension she felt.

“I enjoy being with you because you’re my perfect match,” he said. “Have you noticed that we agree on almost everything? And the few things we don’t agree on are intriguing to argue because you make them intriguing. There’s no one at that entire estate, The Master and every intelligent student combined, who can hold my attention as you do. None of them compare.

“I’m attracted to everything about you, including your compassion. Even now, when you’re on the verge of falling off a horse with embarrassment, your concern is for my feelings, not your own. Godric, who doesn’t deserve to wash your feet, who finds every excuse to correct you, gets your respect because you remind yourself that he’s your benefactor. Do you know what strength of character that shows? Do you know how it endears you to me to know you bite your tongue after his arrogant remarks to save my mother’s feelings?”

She merely nodded, her eyes cast down.

“And do you know how it endears you to me to know you would fight to the death for Kaylin?”

She nodded again.

“And do you know how it endears you to me to know you instinctively threw yourself into healing spells to save my life?”

“You shouldn’t assume that means—”

“I remember sliding toward death that night, life spilling out of me, and poison seeping into me from that thing’s claws. But do you know what I remember most distinctly? I remember you commanding me not to bleed to death…and I remember your hands afterward. Once I was healed, once Master Rothahn became preoccupied with the dead ryfel, you crawled over to me and put your hands on me again, as if you had to be sure He’d done a good enough job of healing me. But you would’ve done it for any member of my family. I daresay you would’ve done it for any student in the school. And it’s because you care about others, and you want the best for everyone around you. And you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

The last comment caught her off guard. It didn’t seem to fit with the logical argument he tried to make.

“I fail to see how these things tell you you’re in love. Kaylin enjoys my company. Mia enjoys arguing with me. I saved Sorne’s life once. Does this mean they’re in love with me?”

“If love could be explained that easily, it wouldn’t be real.”

“But what makes you think it’s real now? If you can’t explain your feelings, how do you know you’re not misled?”

“How does the rose know to bloom in spring?”

“Oh, now that talk I’ve heard before. I didn’t believe it then, and I don’t think you should let yourself believe it now.”

“’Manda, I’m telling you the truth and I’m telling you what I know. If I’ve made you angry by falling in love with you, you’re just going to have to deal with it. Because you’re not currently interested in me, you have to give me time to change your mind.”

They were silent then; he waited for some sign that she wasn’t going to cast him aside, she waited for her heart to stop beating so loudly in her ears. As far as she was concerned, she was often a foolish girl, but her intentions at the beginning of this conversation were foolish beyond compare. She realized—with alarm—that the blood rushing through her veins, the lightheadedness, the excitement at getting to spend an afternoon with him, were all signs she had chosen to ignore. She swallowed hard against the fear in her throat, and, with as much calm as she could muster, said: “What gives you the idea that I’m not interested in you?”


Now isn't that grand? I'm overjoyed that she'd share it with the masses. If you want to read more, you can read the first three chapters of the fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods at the publisher's site at http://www.archebooks.com/BookIDX/Indexes/Fantasy/CMG/CMGDesc.htm. You can also download the eBook there for only $3.99 (which still makes no sense to me, but Sandy says it's possible). You can also order the hard cover edition there, or go to the Amazon site to order it and get free shipping. If you look at the Amazon site, you can read the five-star reviews that are already posted. Either way, there's more to learn about Amanda Chariss.

Don't forget to enter the contest to win the basket, as well. That information can be found by scrolling below. The question is "Who is Chariss chosen to protect?" You can find the answer on this blog, on Sandy's blog at www.todaythedragonwins.blogspot.com, at her publisher's site (URL in the graph above), at www.authorisland.com, or in the book itself. Send your answer, with your name and snail mail address, to authorisland at yahoo dot com before the end of May. DeNita at Author Island will pull the winner May 31. Sandy originally thought it was happening on Memorial Day, but that's just her addled brain trying to keep track of too many details. And that's why she has me at her side.

Good luck!
Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, Internet Voices Radio, fantasy novel, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, contest, Author Island