Tell Me A Story Of Loyalty

I've always loved stories of deep loyalty. Tonight I'm pondering a lot of threads and seeing how they cross each other.

As a child as young as six, I told stories to myself to help me fall asleep... The one I remember and have written in an old journal was about the adventures of Ophelia the cat. She led a group of orphan children who lived in the woods, fishing and having adventures... Even then it seems I had a fascination with the idea of leadership and family.

My most frequent type of dream involves running and leading. I'm usually unafraid as I lead groups of people through forests, down metal tunnels, across rooftops... Sometimes I am afraid. Sometimes I turn and fight.... They're exhausting dreams, but interesting none the less. They remind me every time that somewhere in my brain, I'm still wanting to protect people, even while I sleep.

The only story I've ever truly worked on is all built around this feeling of protecting those you love. Rider of Pure Motion is a present day story about a girl who finds dragon eggs and ends up leading a group of dragons and their riders. She doesn't want to. She's afraid to trust, but they stay by her. They fight and tease and grow into a loyal family... I don't know how to make the story all it is in my head, but the emotions that wrote it means I'll never be able to shake those characters from being dear to me. Most people who know me know I like the Ninja Turtles. I love how they are family. They bicker and tease - they protect each other and work as a team. Leo interests me in his desire to lead, but his deep fear that he's going to let them down. It's a kid show, granted - but there are still those themes that drew me in as a child and keep me still. The themes that runs through my dreams, and resurface in books I love the best, and in my own writing. Leadership. Protecting the weak. Friendship. And yes - Loyalty. As I'm considering stories tonight, I'm sorting out what draws me to certain ones so deeply. I'm wondering at my own dreams and writing....

Ender's Game

Red Rising

Sparrows in the Scullery

The Unwind series

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Agents of SHIELD (Especially the earlier seasons.)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

What do these books and shows have in common besides being stories I love? I will protect you. Even at cost to me - I will protect you, become your family, give what I have, and stand by you. They don't circle around romantic attraction - though some of them have that in the story - it's about friendship.

What makes friendships turn into family-like bonds? What makes leaders worth following? What moments break or make loyalty? What are they willing to do to protect each other, even at risk to themselves? Even if your story drags in parts or has some confusing plot holes - if you can make me love the characters for their loyalty for one another, I will probably love your story... Because that? That is real.

There is so much more I could say, but for now I will stop because it's almost 2AM. Some blog posts are meant to be an outpouring of thoughts, not well-thought-out pieces. That's why I have this blog. ;)
I suppose I'll end up writing on this topic more in the future - there's so much to ponder.

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What are your thoughts on loyalty and how it makes good stories?

And all that to say... Do you have any book recommendations?

~Ophelia - Marie

**Photo 1 - Pinterest Link

Photo 2 - Pinterest Link

Dragons, Books, And Giveaways

Well, finally today's the day! A giveaway day!  I have officially published my third poetry book, and have decided to celebrate!  ^_^

Writers' Colors and Dreams is a small collection of abstract and colorful poetry with themes of nature, dreaming, dragons, and writing. 

From today, until the  23rd, the book will be listed at whole-sale price for $2.75 at the CreateSpace E-store.  Afterwards, the book will go up on Amazon, and it will no longer be "on sale".

To celebrate, I am hosting two giveaways with two prizes.

The first prize is this little dragon, and a signed copy of Writers' Colors and Dreams.

The other prize is another dragon and book pair, over at ZA's Clay Critters on Facebook. Go check it out!

Feel free to enter both! The giveaways end March 23 at midnight, EST timezone.

Side note - My second book, Zeal Aspiring, is free on ebook from now until the 20th : Free ebook

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by!

You can find me on: Pinterest
Goodreads
Twitter
And Facebook: ZA's Clay Critters

~Ophelia - Marie

A Dragon Giveaway

              I am co-hosting a giveaway with Donita K. Paul, Author of The Dragon Keeper Chronicles.

             It is the tenth anniversary of Dragon Quest, and we are giving away Dibl and Ardeo! ^_^

             To enter, just follow this link: GIVEAWAY

              I also have some other characters available over on my FB page: ZA's Clay Critters

~Ophelia - Marie 

dragon keeper chronicles , giveaway , dragon giveaway, Donita K. Paul giveaway 

Krioson And Saphieka - Dragons

 

 

 Rin, known as Lady Kitra Mimetes on Holy Worlds made these crocheted dragons for me!

(If you'd like to see the pattern, it is here: The Leaky Cauldron)

 

The tan one is named Krioson. (His name is pronounced: Kuh -rhye - Oh -Son).

The blue one is named Saphieka (Her name is pronounced: Saff - I - Kah).

 

They are from my work in progress, 'Rider Of Pure Motion'.

 

 

 

 

 

How did I choose their coloring? Hehe, it wasn't a complicated process. ;)

After I read Eragon when I was about 13, I went dragon crazy and started drawing dragons.

 *Points to first drawing* (Yeaaah... I've never been good at drawing. *Grins*)

I thought Kri was the cutest out of the dragons I had drawn, so he became my favorite. Later, when I actually  began trying to write a story, I went back and chose from the nineteen dragons I had drawn to be in my book. Eventually I ended up with five dragons that stayed in my story.



I made changes later on to how they looked. (Spines, horns, etc.)

These drawings were drawn a few months after the first set.

Saphieka's name used to be Safire, until I decided she needed a more original sounding name.

          I'm not totally satisfied with this back cover text (or whatever you'd call it) but here you go anyways:

        Anza, a girl with unusual powers, tries to hide from the world in the shadows of the North Carolina Mountains - hurt, angry, and intent on forgetting. After narrowly escaping the police, she is suddenly responsible for a run-away orphan who is in possession of five large gem stones, and left wondering what to do next. When two of the stones hatch as dragons a few days later, she has to face the reality that more people are coming to claim the remaining eggs and her quiet, hidden existence has ended. Now with three others to look after, and more on the way, how long before her secrets will come out?

       As people she thought she'd never see again arrive and the past resurfaces, she struggles to maintain control of something much bigger than her. By the time she lets go of her hate and mistrust will it be too late to find a new future?

And here's the (current) prologue (I've completely changed it several times) :

 

Prologue

I don't know when I decided to stop caring.

Maybe it was when my only friend began to use me.

Or maybe it was when she turned on me.

It could have been the night when Jared came to taunt me.

I just decided it wasn't worth it to care anymore. . .

But I think the real question is,

When did I start hating?

I think it was the night my parents died.

Or the day Denise screamed at me.

Even the night I slammed Jared against the wall; it's his fault she hates me now.

Hating is even easier than pretending not to care.

When I'm filled with anger I don't have to think about how empty I feel.

 

 

      And thus ends this random mishmash of: the wonderful dragons Rin made, an explanation of why they are those colors, pictures showing my complete lack of drawing skills, and a teeny bit about my book that I may never actually finish writing. ;)

 

 

 

 ~Ophelia - Marie

 

 

 

crocheted dragon pattern