I see a child stand at the valley entrance. Alone. Forlorn. Blood on his feet. Tears on his cheeks. The shadows draw him in. I can’t…I can’t reach him; pull him back. I can’t even speak.
Valleys
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Hope Ann
Story Embers Newsletter Manager
Hope Ann likes to think herself a dragon-riding, griffin-taming founder of worlds and explorer of legends. Using chocolate, she bribes a wide ring of spies, from the realm leapers of Aslaria to the double agents of Elkbend, for their stories. She thrives on frost, steel, and the tears of her readers, which she secretly mixes into iced coffee. Deep in her hobbit hole, her actual life involves staying up too late writing, reading, researching stab wounds, and struggling to remember the difference between effect and affect. Based in Indiana, she is the self-published author of the Legends of Light series. Hope Ann helps other writers as a personal writing coach and the newsletter manager at Story Embers. You can find out more about her at AuthorHopeAnn.com, or click here to pick up her novelette about a sister willing to defy Death himself to reclaim her sibling.
I Took Life Apart
I took life apart to see what made stars glow; I wove a web of silver truth, untangled row by row.
How Personality Types Should Affect Characters’ Thought Processes
Personality assessments are a hot topic today. But, like everything in life, people’s opinions differ widely. Some treat personality types as the explanation for all human behavior. Others are skeptical for reasons ranging from personal to religious. The truth, as so often happens, falls between those two extremes.
Masks
Each mask hides another, veil on tearstained veil. Each tattered page of my heart, inked and stamped and sealed in the shadows of my mind.
The Light of Shadows
When I peered into the blush of dawn, I saw only dreams, but slowly my laughter faded, as in my mind I found the shadows left behind.
Shadow Heir
Josan clutched the doorframe, doubling over with a ragged cough. Smoke pricked his eyes with a hundred tiny daggers. He gagged, pressing his face into the crook of his arm.
How Should Christian Authors Depict Darkness?
Light is a paradox. Without darkness, the light’s ability to reveal hidden wonders and dangers would be lessened. Without the night to conceal, gloom can’t be driven away by dawn. Without shadows for contrast, even the brightest light cannot manifest its full strength. This is true of the gospel as well as writing.
How to Use Themes to Create a Fantastic Story Outline
You can plan a novel many ways. Perhaps you begin with a glimpse of a character, a snippet of a scene, a thread of plot, or even a line of description. You have a spark of a story, and now you need to turn it into a cohesive plan.
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