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Silmarillion Awards – Vote for the Wisest Counselor

Welcome back to the second phase of the 2017 Silmarillion Awards! Last week was a barrelful of fun* as your nominations came pouring in. So many worthy characters were named, so many marvelous fantasy novels were discussed. Are your TBR piles toppling over yet? Mine is definitely reaching its tipping point!

*A barrelful of dwarves, that is! . . . Ahem, that was supposed to be a vague Barrels out of Bond reference.

We’ve tallied up the nominations and seconds (and thirds and fourths and fifths and so on), and only the top five characters in each category have moved into the voting round. If you missed the first round of action, here’s the infographic Deborah made:

As you can see, the voting period is open from today, July 10th, until Friday, July 14th. So be sure to make your way around to all the blogs to read about the top five contenders in each category. And there’s another reason you’ll want to visit everyone: there’s an epic scavenger hunt taking place!

Each of the ten blogs will include the phrase of a poem somewhere in their posts. It’s your job to gather all ten phrases (in the correct order!) and submit them in the voting form. Doing so will enter you into a giveaway for the Grand Prize! I don’t know about you, but that map of Middle Earth, One Ring, and copy of Aratar, Peredhil, and Halflings, Oh My! look delightful.
This is your first stop along the scavenger hunt, and here is the phrase you’ll want to write down:

Three great jewels (though for our purposes, ten)

Then click on the text to head to your second stop.
While we’re talking about giveaways, congratulations to Athelas H. for winning the one hosted here during the nomination phase! You’ve won a paperback copy of Alora: The Wander Jewel by Tamie Dearen and e-book copies of Evangeline, Eun Na and the Phantom, and Foxtails by Erica Laurie. Athelas, the email address you submitted in the Rafflecopter didn’t work, so please send Jenelle an email at Jenelle.L.Schmidt [at] gmail [dot] com. She’ll make sure your prize gets to you!
All right! Now to the moment you’ve all been scrolling down for! Drumroll, please . . .

The top five nominations for the Wisest Counselor Silmaril are:

Puddleglum from The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis: This gloomy Marsh-Wiggle may expect the worst in any given situation, but he’s actually more cheerful than his pessimistic kin. His common sense and steadfast presence keep his young friends on track even in the darkest of times. A bit of a “wet blanket,” he is nevertheless prepared for rain and ruin. Which, when you’re on a quest of great import, is a good quality to have.

Professor Hamilton from Dragons in Our Midst by Bryan Davis: A man of stalwart faith and honorable lineage, this teacher is a mentor in every sense of the word. His sound advice provides a staying anchor and a guiding rudder for those under his care, even going so far as to affect their eternities. Not only does he offer wisdom, but he is a living example of those unshakeable convictions in action. His friends would do well to follow in his footsteps.

Prince of Farthestshore (a.k.a. Aethelbald) from Tales of Goldstone Wood by Anne Elisabeth Stengl: Kind. Strong. Faithful. True. Those are just a few words to describe Prince Aethelbald. He is relentless in his pursuit of those he loves. He doesn’t look the part of a Prince Charming, but there is far more to him than what meets the eye. And while you may not always want to hear what he has to say, it never fails to be exactly what you need.

Beana from Tales of Goldstone Wood by Anne Elisabeth Stengl: Beana isn’t who you would expect to be a voice of wisom. In fact, she’s a stubborn goat. (Though she may also be something more.) But her stouthearted courage, foresight, and protectiveness are precisely the traits a wise counselor needs. Being centuries old doesn’t hurt, either. Whether you need a shoulder to cry on or a bit of tough love, Beana will be there.

Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling: Albus Dumbledore is quite possibly the most powerful wizard the world has ever seen. If he plays his cards close to the vest, it is only because he loves the young people in his charge and would spare them pain if he could. A bit eccentric and secretive, Dumbledore is definitely someone you want on your side, whether you need a powerful wizard or some kind words of encouragement.

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Whew! That’s quite the impressive list from which to pick! Who will you vote for? (Be sure to hit submit when you’re done.) And don’t forget to click on the first line of that poem and embark on that scavenger hunt!

Feel free to discuss everything in the comments! Which characters you’re torn between (all of them, right?), who you end up voting for and why, and whether you’ll cast the One Ring into the fire if you win it.

Beautiful People – Prince Hadrian

Hello hello, daring questers! It occurs to me that I have not done a Beautiful People post in quite some time (ahem, since January). In light of that lack, and in light of the fact that:

a) I’ve been immersed in The Brightest Thread this week
and b) the questions this month couldn’t be more perfect for my male protagonist . . .

I’ve decided to properly introduce you to Hadrian, the precious, frustrated hero of The Brightest Thread!

[For more BP posts, read this one about the female protagonist, Luci, and this one about the villainess, Vyntyri. You can also check out this Dual Character Inquisition, featuring both Luci and Hadrian.]


Beautiful People is a (typically monthly) writing meme hosted by Cait @ Paper Fury (a.k.a ruler of all) and Sky @ Further Up and Further In (a.k.a master of fangirldom). Grab the ten questions, join in, and be sure to leave your link in the shiny little linkup gadget. It’s a great way to dig deeper into your characters and meet other writers!

Meet Hadrian, crown prince of Bauglind.


[via Pinterest]

1. What’s their favorite place they’ve ever visited?

Hadrian loves the outdoors. Put him in the royal garden or out in the jungle/wilderlands, and he’s the happiest you’ll ever find him. The specific location doesn’t matter, as long as something is growing underfoot.

2. What’s one mistake they made that they learned from?

the streets of Vale
[via Pinterest]
On an errand in the heart of Vale, the capital city of his kingdom, he comes across a merchant harassing a customer and trying to cheat money out of her. Hadrian, already stressed due to prior happenings in the story, is filled with righteous indignation and rather . . . forcibly puts a stop to the merchant’s behavior. Later, he discovers that instead of fixing the injustice, he only pushed the merchant into even worse actions.
A flurry of more pressing events hasn’t given Hadrian much time to process this, but eventually he’ll realize that one can’t force morality on another. (Much as he’d like to.) Taking away a merchant’s wares or writing a new law won’t restore his crumbling kingdom–reaching the people’s hearts will.

3. What was their favorite subject in school? Or favorite thing to learn about?

He’s quite the horticulturist. Cultivating, crossbreeding, all of it is of interest to him. His latest project is developing the gildleaf: a plant with roots that have medicinal properties. As far as schooling goes, his tutors were never the agreeable sort, but he has a natural inclination toward history.

4. What’s their favorite flower/growing thing?

All of them! In his words, “To discover the character of each is a joy. I hope to one day know the intricacies of them all.”

5. Have they ever made someone cry? What happened?

He has made Luci cry in a couple of the dreams they’ve shared (since her enchanted sleep enables her to enter other people’s dreams), but the reasons are . . . well, crossing into spoiler territory.

6. Would you consider them a reliable or unreliable narrator?

I would say he’s a pretty reliable narrator. Luci a bit less so, simply because of her rebellious side. But Hadrian’s a balanced person and a good judge of character. So except for situations when his strong moral compass might blot out the shades of gray in a situation, he’s a reliable narrator.

7. What do they dream about at night?

(Do you see how perfect this question is? Do you?! I am delighted.)
Ahem. Hadrian never remembered his dreams growing up, and good thing, too. If that wasn’t the case, having a half-ogress for a stepmother might have caused constant nightmares. (Though I wonder if perhaps he did have nightmares that he’s blocked from memory. Survival techniques, right?) But when Luci started haunting his sleep, he started remembering his dreams in the morning. They often feature strange versions of real places he’s been, like his palace halls, the seaside, or the jungle. And then there’s some that are completely arbitrary.

8. They’ve gone out for a “special meal.” What would they eat?

Hearty fare, that’s for sure. He likes flavor and new spices and has a particular fascination with fruits and vegetables (obviously) but enjoys wild boar and other protein. As long as it’s good food, he’s content.
[via Pinterest]

9. Do they have any distinguishing or unique talents?

His penchant for growing things has already been mentioned, so I won’t repeat myself.
Hadrian is also an above average swordsman, but he compares himself to Chief Rook, a master of swordplay and commander of Bauglind’s army, so Hadrian doesn’t think all that highly of his own skills.
He’s also great with people. His strong convictions might be off-putting to some, but aside from that, he’s very perceptive and–unless provoked–excels in diplomacy. (In contrast, Luci is terrible at being polite. If it weren’t for one of the fairies’ magical gifts, she would offend a lot more people. Having Hadrian around is good for her.)

10. What’s at least one thing they want to do before they die?

Uh, how much time do you have? Hadrian’s dreams are lofty and large.
Bauglind is rotting from the inside out (metaphorically speaking), so one of his greatest aspirations is to reverse the decay once he becomes king. He wants to reinstate truth and justice. He wants to raise the oppressed and rein back the oppressors. This is a task that will take a lifetime and more to complete, but he’s committed.
A more recent goal is to rescue Luci from her curse. She’s stolen his heart, much as she hates to admit it, and he will put aside all other dreams in order to reach her.
On a more lighthearted note, if Hadrian had a bucket list, it would surely include fun, adventurous things like voyaging across the sea, riding a dragon, going spelunking in some dark, forgotten cave, charting the stars, visiting other kingdoms, and turning as much of his palace into a garden as possible.

Hadrian is most likely pleased to meet you, unless you’re a duplicitous scoundrel, and he would love to give you a tour of his garden. Any questions for him, ask away in the comments! 🙂

TAG #2 – Dual Character Inquisition

Welcome to the second instalment of the tag fest! In case you missed it, I’m catching up on all the tags that have piled up over the past few months.
4hfqv1476140500.jpg
Today’s tag is somewhat ironic, considering it’s a Dual Character Inquisition, and I was tagged twice: first by Kate @ Story and Dark Chocolate and then by Lucy @ Tangle Webs and Fairy Rings.

The way this works is I use two characters to answer a list of questions, include pictures of them, and at the end tag three bloggers. Because The Brightest Thread is now my primary work-in-progress (when I actually have writing time, that is), what better time to brush the dust off my two main protagonists and reintroduce them to you lovely questers?

[pinterest]
Princess Luci
[pinterest]
Prince Hadrian

Who inspired this character?

Luci, or Princess Alucinora of Iror, was obviously inspired by the titular character of Sleeping Beauty. The original didn’t have much personality, so I had lots of room for invention.

Prince Hadrian of Bauglind, by the same token, was inspired by the prince in the same fairytale. But . . . the original tale’s prince is not at all like Hadrian. (If you’ve never read the original, maybe don’t. It’s twisted.) To be more accurate, I guess Hadrian was inspired by the montage of noble heroes I’ve read and watched over the years, heroes burdened by other people’s plights and mistakes.

What is their weapon of choice?

Luci has never wielded a weapon, though she wishes her mother would have taught her swordplay.
Hadrian is undergoing rigorous battle training. He’s most adept with a sword.

Have they ever been physically violent with someone else? What instigated it?

Luci has wished she could instigate violence a few times, but some of her magical gifts from the fairies prevent it, such as her grace and diplomacy. (Oh, how she hates the diplomacy.) Honestly, the most violent she ever gets is slamming doors.
In his father’s court, Hadrian drills with Chief Rook, but has never exercised violence with the intent to hurt or kill until the events of The Brightest Thread. Ogres become a bit of a problem, you see.

Are they more of a rule-follower or a rebel?

Ha! Luci is a rebel at heart, through and through. Being squeezed into a predesigned box by her magical giftings is something she deeply resents. She’s too perfect because of them. But inside, where no one can hear her, she’s a passionate young woman with a fiery temper.
Hadrian, in comparison to the corruption running rampant in Bauglind, is a rule-follower. He has a strong moral code that he didn’t learn from his weak-willed father or his greedy ogress stepmother. (I think it was his birth mother that influenced his goodness.) But if there are rules put in place that go against his convictions, he’ll break them without a second thought.

What kind of child were they? Curious? Wild? Quiet? Devious?

Luci was all of the above, actually. Curious about the world she was forbidden to explore, wild at heart, forcibly quieted by her magical gifts, and slightly devious (though she had precious few chances to let that out). She had a fascination with any activity she was terrible at, such as art. The model dragon hanging above her bed is the misshapen product of her enthusiasm as a youngster.
Hadrian was a rough and tumble outdoorsy kid, a boy who dug in the dirt and lost himself in the jungle whenever he could. He was obedient and uncommonly kind, though these traits led to frustration and sometimes even anger against others who acted the opposite way. When his stepmother came into his life, he became noticeably quieter, and retreated to green, growing places more often.

Where would they go to relax and think?

If permitted, and even sometimes if not, Luci would escape to the woods outside the castle. Iror’s fairy steward, Aleida, always accompanies her. Being out in the fresh air, where the only barriers are trees and mountainous slopes, helps Luci breathe.
Hadrian gravitates toward the outdoors too. When palace politics or street depravity becomes too much to bear, he disappears into his personal garden to tend his plants and clear his mind.

Do they have a temper?

Luci certainly does, especially when stifled or forced into things. Hadrian is much more laidback. It takes injustice toward someone else to really rile him up.

Would they be more likely to face their fears or run from them?

Luci will face some of her fears dead on, but her deepest fear–that there’s no love strong enough to break her curse, or that she will draw that love to its death before it has a chance to save her–is something she hides from for a long, long time.

Hadrian will think it over quickly, make a decision, and simply muster up the courage to face his fears, even if they haunt him deeply.

When they are upset, do they turn to other people or isolate themselves?

Luci shuts everyone out and hides in the castle’s library, back hallways, or her chambers. Only Aleida has a chance to get through to her when she’s upset.

Hadrian would turn to other people if he had them, but true friends are few and far between in his life.

Say 3 things about where your character lives (as broad or specific as you like).

Luci: She lives in the upper Branch, a steep mountain range in the kingdom of Iror. Her castle is old and majestic, a blend of her father’s unshakeable personality and her mother’s worn beauty. Her country is struggling financially due to the outlawing of spindles.

Hadrian: He resides in the heart of Bauglind, a kingdom of rainstorms and humidity. His palace has been decadently renovated by his ogress stepmother, at the expense of the people. His country’s wealth is severely unbalanced, due in part to the rich/poor divide, and to the support Bauglind lent to Iror in recent times.

* * *

Well, that was enjoyable! It made me even more excited to dig deeper into The Brightest Thread. Now comes the time to tag three people . . .

Christine Smith @ Musings of an Elf
parchmentpathwalker @ The Parchment Path
Blue @ To be a Shennachie

Looking forward to meeting some of your characters! To all who read this whole thing: who do you think you’re most like: Luci or Hadrian?

Beautiful People – Skaes

Since I introduced you to The Prophet’s Quest not too long ago (and now you finally know what the Dickens this girl is working on), and since I’ve been rewriting The Prophet’s Key (the second book in the series), and since I haven’t done a Beautiful People post in approximately five and three-quarter eons (my last one was in February), and since I appear to be overly fond of parentheses . . .

Let’s do another Beautiful People, shall we? Today I’m introducing Skaes, a young but not-so-young woman from The Prophet’s Key. She is a part of the Five Shifters, a group of individuals blessed with elemental-type powers. Born in Demetria but currently living secretly on Earth (because reasons), she has the ability to shift/control water. I’ve loved her since she appeared on the handwritten pages of the first draft, and coincidentally, her character will probably need the least amount of refining. Nevertheless, I need to get to know her better, because that penciled-in first version of her is sorely lacking in details.

Anyway. Some pertinent details before we begin:

Beautiful People is a monthly link-up hosted by Cait @ Paper Fury and Sky @ Further Up and Further In. Each month, they come up with ten questions to help us get to know our characters better. For more info, follow the links!
Natalie Portman would make a good Skaes, I think. The
dress here is perfect for her Demetrian attire.

How often do they smile? Would they smile at a stranger?
Skaes is the sort of person who smiles often, at friends and strangers alike. She revels in the little joys of life. Nowadays, though, she smiles less frequently. Centuries of living alone in hiding, watching generations go by, will do that to a person.

What is the cruelest thing they’ve ever been told? And what was their reaction?
Skaes is very tender-hearted, and most people can’t help but like her. So she hasn’t been directly told many cruel things. The cruelest jabs are those of silence, omittance, and cold shoulders. The only other female Shifter, Nisi (who controls light), is a dear friend of Skaes’s . . . but Nisi is often guarded and unaffectionate. There are times Skaes wants to reach out for companionship, but Nisi’s standoffishness hurts her.


What is the kindest thing they’ve ever been told? And what was their reaction?
The words Skaes holds most dear, the words that have stayed in her heart over her long life, are from King Jirus (the Jesus-figure in this series). When she and the other four were first called to the Garden to accept their shifting abilities and learn how to wield them, King Jirus’s words of wisdom and affirmation washed over her like sunlight. And they have never left. They’re what she clings to now in the years of waiting.


What is one strong memory that has stuck with your character from childhood? Why is it so powerful and lasting?
As a little girl in Demetria, long before she became a Shifter, she lived in a village on the coast. The song of the sea was ever present, drawing her to the shore on a daily basis. She would stand in the shallows, deep enough that her fingertips brushed the water, and look out to the horizon. The vastness of the sea has always fascinated her. And when storms would fall upon the village, she was perhaps the only one unafraid of the power of water. Even though she can harness it now, she still has that childlike wonder and fascination with it.


What book (a real actual published book!) do you think your character would benefit from reading?
I think she would find Bryan Davis’s Eye of the Oracle very comforting. She has much in common with Sapphira Adi, as far as long lifespans and the need for patience/contentment goes. Sapphira would be a good fictional companion for her.

How I imagine her on Earth.
Have they ever been seriously injured? How severely? How did they react?
Yes. She has seen many battles on Demetrian soil, and thusly has been injured numerous times. Whereas some of her fellow Shifters would stubbornly keep fighting with a broken leg or fatal wound, she is quicker to accept her weakness, adapt to it, and do what she can from the sidelines instead. (See? She’s fluid. Ha. Ha. Ha.) That doesn’t mean she cares any less, just that she will naturally bend with the circumstances and find a way around it, even if that means taking on lowly tasks like dishing out rations to the knights. She realizes that she doesn’t have to be on the battlefield to advance the cause.

Do they like and get along with their neighbours?
Because it’s vital that she lives a solitary life, she doesn’t have many neighbors at all. In fact, she lives on the coast of Scotland (I’m working out the exact details, to be honest), in a sparsely populated area. She has minimal contact with outsiders, and has had to move several times to avoid suspicion. (“What’s with that lady in the cottage? I could’ve sworn she looked just as young when I was a wee child, and now I’m getting up to sixty.”) All that said, if she could have contact with her neighbors, she would get along with them very well. She likes almost everybody, after all.

On a scale from 1 to 10 (1 being easy and 10 being difficult) how easy are they to get along with?
Oh, probably a 2. She’s a kind, quiet soul. Like I said, she likes people and they like her.

If they could travel anywhere in the world, where would they go?
Well, she’d rather travel out of this world she’s been forced to live in so long. She would give anything to return to Alewar, to her homeland of Demetria.



Who was the last person they held hands with?
Probably some young, sweet-faced chap in her old Demetrian village. But that was ages ago. Having a prominent place in the military as one of the Shifters took up all of her time and attention, and then of course, she came to Earth and took up life as a hermit. So romance has not had a chance to blossom in her life. Besides, who could she be with? Anyone she falls in love with would be a mortal. (Speaking of which, I’m not exactly sure if she’s immortal, per se. But she does have a ridiculously long lifespan.) And the three male Shifters are out of the question. Two are like brothers to her, and one is an old man. (Technically speaking, they’re all old, but he was already getting on in years when he became a Shifter, and the role has kind of pickled him. He has spent most of his life looking elderly. Not that he minds much.) (But now I’m overusing parentheses again. Ahem.)

****
I hope you enjoyed meeting Skaes! I may have to feature her fellow Shifters sometime. What do you think? And hey, would any of your own characters make a good friend for Skaes? Poor girl is lonely. But not for long . . . Just as soon as I iron out some details and hammer out, oh, another ten thousand words or so, she’ll find herself anything but lonely. But that’s a story I can’t tell you yet. *wink*