Nahim didn’t answer, the sweet fragrance of the air and the many different colors about him, the flutter of butterflies with their delicate w…[Read more]

A grazing stallion.
A breeze comes sweeping down from the mountain,
Wading through the grass.
“Be free! Beyond there are grasses and brooks.
Be free!
Let your hooves pound in the open meadows and let your shadow mingle with that of the tree,
Beyond there is freedom. Be free…”
It whispers over and over in his ears.
A swe…[Read more]

I know this reply is coming two years late, but… thank you for the hug.

I just wanted to post here the link to my poem which was published on the SE blog today!

https://storyembers.org/i-knew-him/

Hope you enjoy.

Thank you both so much! I use repetition/refrain often for songs, but lately I’ve started using it in regular poetry. I was concerned that repetition would bore people.

It’s nice to meet you as well, K. A. Grey, and thanks for the stanza tip. I did fragment the lines for emphasis, but that is a good point on readability.

This is beautiful!! Nice use of repetition.  My only critique might be to split it up into stanzas to make each “I am a …” stand out, and perhaps combine some lines instead of fragmenting it to make it easier to read.  But splitting up lines can also add more emphasis too, so it’s up to y…[Read more]

Fair warning, I’m not at all a poet, I’ve never written poetry.

However, I loved this! It gets a clear message across, I love the format with a repeating pattern!

Wayfarer in Wilderness

I am a Wayfarer in Wilderness,
Yet I have a Guide.
I know what it is
To walk barefoot in the snow
At midnight
And there dance
In the silent…[Read more]

I, the Psalter

Rolling peaks in the bleak void,

Dizzying repetition of the mind it toyed.

In soaking misery of the waters endless rush,

The heart heaves a futile hope lost in the hush.

Eternal feelings envelop the waters falling,

Lost to the vastness of the failed…[Read more]

That’s perfect! Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! I look forward to sharing it with you

I looking forward to reading it! 🙂

I can email it to you or just post it here!

Either one’s fine. That all sounds fine.

Mainly focus on whether the story as a whole is working, like character introductions, anything unusual that s…

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Oh, I feel that. I have a small problem with having my writing grow longer and longer as I write. xD

I have the exact same thing! During the first draft of my first book, a ‘long’ chapter was 1500 words. Now, a short chapter is 4000 words XD

I have no idea why that happens, but I find it quite funny XD

Alrighty, let’s plan on the l…

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The story is about 91k long. (The shortest one in the trilogy, I’m already at that with book 3 and I’m still in the second act

Oh, I feel that. I have a small problem with having my writing grow longer and longer as I write. xD

This feedback is just about the biggest issues, plot, world, and character. So, let me know when you…

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All of that happened before I even read a single word. Craziness. xD

Ohmygoodness that gave me such a laugh XD I literally laughed out loud, that’s hilarious!

I’m assuming they liked it, considering how quickly everyone read it XD It’s awesome, the sequel is even better! And absolutely, the Audible version is amazing! That’s how I…[Read more]

So I’ve read some of the Letter for the King, but I thought you would find something that happened rather amusing. I requested it for purchase at our library, and as I was waiting for it to be delivered, my sister saw it. She then got it on audible and began reading it. My sister than told my mother, and the latter started…[Read more]

You do that.

I’m going to try training it first (I want a dragon mount to rush into battle with) but if that doesn’t work, bring a sword just in case 😉

That sounds excellent! I’m looking forward to seeing it.

I look forward to finishing it XD It’s going to be lovely but it’s also an embodiment of my vast overconfidence in my a…[Read more]

I’ll call you when I find a dragon

You do that. 🙂

On another note, the Delphine dress is making good progress! The whole dress is put together, I’m just working on the embroidery. It’s going to take a while, there are 24 ivy leaves besides the vines and one leaf takes me about 40 minutes. I’m going to be working on it for a w…

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I love that. It’s always great when characters’ internal conflict or struggles present themselves in ways like that.

Exactly! Sometimes characters just write themselves and it turns out even better XD

You never know. Perhaps you should go dig in it for a while and find out.

I’ll call you when I find a dragon 😉

On another note, the…[Read more]

Whew, that’s like four countries far XD I can never quite conceptualize how massive America is.

No kidding.

It originally started out as a “LOL, Liorah’s being stupid and impulsive” scene, but when I actually wrote it it was surprisingly sad. She’s trying so hard and pushing herself beyond her breaking point to make that miss…

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Yep, like 13 hours or something.

Whew, that’s like four countries far XD I can never quite conceptualize how massive America is.

I think one reason I can write for longer periods is that I give the quality of my prose…significantly less thought than most people. xD

Hah, same. XD I often reread only to find I’ve forgotten a word or w…[Read more]

One google search later* That’s a really long road trip! That’s from here to Italy! It sounds like you all had a good time!

Yep, like 13 hours or something.

You finished? A l r e a d y?? Wow, count me impressed!!! I can’t wait to read it!

I think one reason I can write for longer periods is that I give the quality of my prose..…[Read more]

My apologies for the belated response, life has been busy, but in a good way. My family and I are on our way back from Georgia state, and all of its great weather, people, and tall pines.

Don’t worry about it! I’m glad to hear from you!

Ohh, that sounds like so much fun! *One google search later* That’s a really long road trip!…[Read more]

How have you been? How are life, school, writing, and the weather? (You know, the important things

My apologies for the belated response, life has been busy, but in a good way. My family and I are on our way back from Georgia state, and all of its great weather, people, and tall pines.

Writing has been going well. I was able…[Read more]

WOWWWW!!!! Emily, this is stunning!! It flows beautifully and your word choice is amazing!! I love the conclusion it reached, it was just awesome!! You should be so proud of yourself, you did such an amazing job!!!

Hey Noah,

How have you been? How are life, school, writing, and the weather? (You know, the important things 😉 )

We’ve had three massive storms over the course of six days. Respectively, Dudley, Eunice, and now Franklin. Eunice was the worst. We didn’t have any serious damages (A few things fell over and broke, a bunch of dead…[Read more]

And about five minutes before I’d had to explain what HEMA was because he’d never heard of it and he instantly turned around and tried to explain it to me.

Wow. Just…wow.

I know you wouldn’t. Never. Absolutely not. The thought never even occured to you.

See, you’re really starting to understand me as a person now. &#x1f…[Read more]

Nice. Y’all have any brigandines?

Nope. Well, the club doesn’t have or use any but I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the reenactment folks have some. I know at least my instructor and probably a few others do or have done reenactment.

That’s hilarious. That ‘they stopped  wearing plate armor because of heatstroke’ part especially…

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The recruits have occasionally practiced throws with swords in full gear, which basically involves tackling your opponent and freedom of movement has never seemed to be an issue.

Nice. Y’all have any brigandines?

Just the other day someone tried to explain to me how crusaders started using maces because it took too long to draw…

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Nice. Are gambeson’s as comfortable as they are purported to be?

I wouldn’t know, I’m a beginner, I don’t have one XD I just have a fencing mask and gloves.

(We’re organized into two main groups, beginners and recruits, with recruits being the senior and allowed to fight with steel. There are far more recruits than beginners in o…[Read more]

However, some of the others were using feders, which are made of steel. However, you aren’t allowed to spar with those unless you have full protective gear, including a chest protector, gambeson, and mask protector.

Nice. Are gambeson’s as comfortable as they are purported to be?

Someone even suggested to me as a j…

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Yeah, sometimes I wonder ‘Noah, why don’t you just write a nice YA trilogy where the novels are a simple 100k’. xD

Honestly I wonder why I didn’t just write a standalone as my first project XD At least I’m practicing determination XD

What material are the swords made of?

So, the longsword videos you saw were wasters, which are made…[Read more]

Oh yikes XD I have no idea how you have enough patience to stick with a project for that long. (I say as I’m writing a trilogy that’s probably going to end up well over 400k total.) But that’s only the first book in the series and you have five planned?

Yeah, sometimes I wonder ‘Noah, why don’t you just write a nice YA trilo…[Read more]

They did eventually salt the roads, but left the house at like 6:50 in the morning, so they didn’t have much time to do it before we were driving.

Huh, that’s odd! With us they usually salt it the night before. I’m glad it was cleared up though!

Technically, you write faster than I do, I just force myself to get up early and put in t…

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They did eventually salt the roads, but left the house at like 6:50 in the morning, so they didn’t have much time to do it before we were driving.

And you started one week ahead of me, about six weeks ago?? Wow, that’s incredibly fast!

Yeah, I think I started on the third week of December.

I never cease to be both horrified a…

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Okay, so did I say the weather was improving here? Well I take that back. I’m driving me, my brother, and dad to school, and we see snow on the road. Then we get to the highway, and people are going quite slow. Then we get on the highway, and discover it’s slick with frozen snow and some ice. We then begin passing cars in ditches and…

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Okay, so did I say the weather was improving here? Well I take that back. I’m driving me, my brother, and dad to school, and we see snow on the road. Then we get to the highway, and people are going quite slow. Then we get on the highway, and discover it’s slick with frozen snow and some ice. We then begin passing cars in…[Read more]