Her Book Self

I thought it might be fun to provide a progress ticker for my Jane Eyre in a Week challenge (I couldn't resist going with a St. Paddy's Day theme!).  I didn't get the jump start that I wanted this weekend so I'm already a little behind, but nevertheless it is a lovely novel and I'm greatly enjoying it so far!  I'm just past the first ten chapters which chronicle Jane's early life with the Reeds and at the orphanage.  Brontë is a master at emotional writing and right from the start it's easy to get drawn into Jane's story.  I'm hooked already and since Mr. Rochester has been introduced - in name only - I'm plenty eager to keep reading!

Thanks for all the wonderful encouragement on my previous post!  It's great to know that there are others out there who have not (yet) read Jane Eyre and equally delightful to hear from so many who highly recommend the book!

I think I might be the only person in the book blogging world - and possibly even on the planet - that has not read Charlotte Brontë's masterpiece.  I'm not sure how I got through high school and all of college (including multiple elective literature classes) without reading it, but it's true. I know the story. I've seen the play and bits and pieces of the multiple film adaptations. I know the characters and could probably even bluff my way through a conversation about the book and appear to know what I'm talking about.  And I've read Wuthering Heights which also lends me some credence to be able to talk about the Brontë sisters with some semblance of intelligence.


With the release of the new movie version of Jane Eyre (starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender), I think its time for me to get with the program and move this one off my TBR pile.  I'm really interested in seeing the film - as I said before I already know the story and the trailers for this one have me hooked - but I want read the book first.  So here comes my challenge - Jane Eyre in a week!  I know how long the book is and I know how slow I typically am in reading classics (yes, I started The Count of Monte Cristo in December; no, I still have not finished it) but I really want to push myself to see if I can get through Eyre in seven days or less.  I have the book on my Kindle (oh trusty, glorious reading device!) and it's over 8000 "locations" long.  I don't normally endorse speed reading and generally feel that great work should be savored, but for me Jane Eyre has been my ultimate procrastination, so I'm hoping a potentially frenetic pace will get me to dive into this one and finally read it start to finish.  (For those who see no challenge in getting through a tome this long in a week, keep in mind that I work full time and have multiple commitments outside my job as well.  Everyone reads at their own paces, and for me this will definitely be a stretch!)

Wish me luck!  I'll be sure to blog about my progress!

As I mentioned with my review of Progeny, I first discovered this book on LibraryThing and along with raving reviews, I was introduced (in the online sense) to the book's author who graciously agreed to a Her Book Self interview!  Please join me in welcoming R.T. Kaelin!

*applause, applause*


Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I live in the swamplands of Ohio – otherwise known as Columbus – with my wonderful wife and two small children who keep me on my toes. I am a lover of books but the selection of books I read now is more of the Llama Llama, Red Pajamas flavor. I am a sports fan – Bengals and Reds – but do not get to as many games as I would like. I love good music, although my taste is quite varied (Mumford & Sons, Owl City, Eminem, Green Day, OneRepublic, The Beatles, O.A.R., Third Eye Blind, Steve Miller Band).

How did you get started as a writer and why did you choose fantasy as your debut genre?

How much space do you have? Here is the short version: I would write when I was younger but had this horrible trait of hating to read my own writing. Such an aversion to editing makes producing anything of worth difficult. I used to read a lot, devouring books in a day or two, but as I got older, went to college, got married, and had kids, the amount of time I had to read decreased more and more.

A couple of years ago, I made the conscious decision to start making time to read again. I picked up Magician: Apprentice by Raymond Feist – a book I remembered really liking when younger – and re-read it after fifteen years. I happily discovered Mr. Feist had continued with the world he had created and quickly devoured every book he had written. I love immersing myself into an entire world to the point where it becomes a familiar place I long to return.

After writing a number of short stories for a gaming group I was a part of, I challenged myself to do something larger. Fantasy was a natural choice for me as I have an active imagination and love storytelling.

Progeny is definitely epic - both in its story and the world that you created. Did you start off to create such an expansive work or did things develop as you wrote?

A little of both. Before writing anything, I worked for months on crafting the world. I came up with maps, countries, cultures, people, places, mores, weather, gods, histories, laws, events, etc. I wanted a solid backdrop for when I wrote the story – I wanted characters to react to the world around them just like ‘real’ people do. The choices each one of us makes every day are based on the world around us. I wanted the same thing for the characters so their decisions felt natural.

After the framework of Terrene was done, I developed the overarching plot for the series (Progeny is just #1) and put it aside. I had a basic plotline for the first novel and I finally started to write Progeny. As I went along, many things evolved from my expectations and details about the world seeped up from nowhere. Great swaths of the story were very organic, though. In fact, one of the main characters was an accident; he just sort of wrote himself into the story. Overall, it was a combination of planning and not being afraid to let the story tell itself.

Were there any characters or scenes that you wanted to include but ended up cutting out for length?

Not at all. That is one of the benefits/curses of self-publishing a novel: the author can put in whatever he or she wants. My copyeditor focused only on typos, grammar, and structure – all editorial decisions on content were mine. Now, the goal is to have Progeny picked up by a major publisher, and if that happens, I fully expect them to chop things from it. Personally, I began re-reading the Kindle version and I think I could chop about 15% now, easy. It is my debut novel and I will freely admit I was a little wordy in places. I am much more conscious of that as I continue writing the second in the series.

Your historic heroes are known as The White Lions - why did you choose that color and symbol for them?

To be honest, I am not exactly sure. I looked back at some of my early notes, and from what I can decipher, it seems I plucked the name from nowhere. I do recall having the idea for the origin of their name from the beginning. I wanted to mimic real life and illustrate that even momentous things (like acquiring the mantle of “The White Lions”) are often guided by somewhat random events.

The White Lions did not choose their name, nor was it bestowed upon them. Rather, it was something they inherited from the populace due to a chance circumstance. Their introduction to the world of Terrene and people of the Oaken Duchies happened to be under the banner of a minor baron who was willing march into battle with them despite their fantastic claims they were sent by the Gods and Goddesses. The baron’s coat of arms happened to be a stylized white lion on a black pennant and “The White Lions” were born.

I will say this: I wanted a version of the white lion on black background for the cover of the book at a very early point in the process.

The system of magic in the book was one of the most unique and creative story elements I've encountered in a while. How did you come up with it?

This is a great question as the origin of the Strands is a good story that shows the randomness of the human mind.

Early in world-building process, I did not know what I was going to do with magic. I did not want to rehash or reinvent traditional systems already in use in other’s works, nor did I want to shout ‘poof!’ whenever something fantastic happened and expect the reader to swallow it. However, as I worked on everything else, I left that problem alone, figuring I would address it eventually. Then, one night, I had a dream where I saw these golden, pulsating strings of energy hovering around me. I woke up and had my answer for magic in Terrene. I sat down, and in a half hour, the entire way magic works in Terrene was done. The nine types of Strands, the colors and what they represent, how they can be combined, how only some people can see or ‘touch’ them…nearly all of it flowed out in one sitting. I made a few modifications as I wrote, but most everything from that half-hour has stuck.

If you could touch and weave Strands, which elements would you want to control and what sorts of things would you want to do with them?

All nine, please. However, assuming I was like most mages in Terrene and I could only touch a handful of types, I suppose I would choose Will, Void, and Air. Void and Air for the simple reason that I could use the two together to create the ports to allow me to travel instantly between two places (Tuscany, here I come!) and Will for the simple reason it would let me talk my way into/out of any situation.

Your book has so many great characters that I'm hard pressed to choose a single favorite. From which character's perspective did you most enjoy writing?

Jak (the elder brother) and Nundle (the out-of-his-element and resourceful Halfling) were my two favorites to write. I am a very empathetic person, which helps me as I write from the different characters’ point of view. However, Jak’s personality is very similar to my own, so his chapters were even easier. Nundle is fun to write as his perspective on the world is unique in relation to the others we meet in Progeny. He is a short Halfling in a tall person’s world whose spirit cannot be beat down, no matter the situation.

What other hobbies or activities do you enjoy besides writing?

Well, I do not have as much time to spend on other activities right now as writing has taken up a large portion of the little free time I have. I like to cook when I have the time – I am the chef in the house – and enjoy making dinner for the family. As mentioned earlier, I am a Reds and Bengals fan so I like to watch baseball in the summer and used to like to watch football in the fall… however, the Bengals have ruined that for me as of late. When I am not writing in the evenings, I enjoy watching a handful of television shows (Castle, House, Big Bang Theory, and – I will admit it – Glee).

Cubs vs. Reds - Jackie Robinson Day

I will extend a belated congratulations to your Cincinnati Reds for winning the 2010 NL Central - are you expecting your team to take the division again in 2011? Keep in mind that the Cubbies are hopeful about the addition of Carlos Pena to our team as well as the return of (my fave!) Kerry Wood...

Thanks for the congratulations. Here is to hoping they can repeat, but as a Cincinnati sports fan, I have come to expect disappointment. Perhaps not to the level that Cubs fans have, but typically, a good year for a Cincinnati team is immediately followed up with an incredibly frustrating one. However, if the young core of players continues to get better, then I am optimistic. Check back in July, though.

I know a sequel to Progeny is in the works. How much can you reveal about it at this point?

The rough draft is well on its way but I do not want to give away much. We meet some new people in the second of the series and a little more is revealed about what is really behind what is happening in the Borderlands. I would love to say more, but I do not think I should at this point. The one person who I have shared the first (thrice-edited ) twelve chapters with said she thinks she likes the story more than Progeny’s.

What other projects are you currently working on?

I am glad you asked, actually. As I have already mentioned, Progeny is a self-published title – a decision I made to prove an ambitious undertaking by a new novelist could be really good (after literary agencies ran from the length of the book). The great reviews the novel has received tells me that not only can I legitimately write, but encouraged my belief the book can be a commercial success.

However, I am struggling with the same issue all self-published authors: no one knows about the book. I am the author, editor, publisher, and marketer. The stigma around self-published titles is crumbling amongst readers, but it is still difficult to overcome and gain any sort of recognition.

So, in an effort to draw new readers, I am going to be releasing a series of short stories detailing past events relevant to characters or places in Progeny (and perhaps a few sneak peeks of what is in store for the future novels). Each installment of the “The Terrene Chronicles” will be about 5,000-10,000 word short stories, released as I write and finish them and available free at my website. I'll also be bundling up a few (as they are completed) and selling them for the Kindle for $.99.

Links to the short stories as they become available can be found here: http://www.progenythebook.com/The-Terrene-Chronicles.html

Where can we find out more about you and your work?

http://www.ProgenyTheBook.com is the website of the book (http://www.rtkaelin.com also points there). The book has a following at LibraryThing.com and GoodReads.com (where I blog). You can get details on the book or see reader reviews at either of the sites (as well as at Shelfari.com) or purchase print editions at Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com. The Kindle version was released last month for those of you with a Kindle (or Kindle reader software).

Thanks so much for agreeing to the interview and sharing your time here!

I'm curious what the general book blogging population thinks about book trailers. Generally, I don't watch a lot of online videos but I certainly see the value of video trailers as a promotional tool for book marketing.  If a picture truly is worth a thousand words, than book trailers might be a more effective means of advertising than simple book summaries.  But again, I'm curious to hear other book bloggers weighing in on the topic - Do you watch book trailers?  Why or why not?

Since I posted my review of Progeny yesterday and will be sharing my interview with R.T. Kaelin tomorrow I thought I would take the chance to share Progeny's book trailer today:

I know in the past I've written a bit about the inherent duality in seeing something labeled as a "debut work".  Do you read those words and foresee a fresh new writer to discover, or do you shy away and ponder that maybe that author still has a bit of polish and buffing yet to accomplish?  I've always leaned more toward the former and when I heard some buzz around LibraryThing about a new fantasy novel hitting the scene I jumped at the chance to read and review it!

Nikalys and Kenders Isaac have lived a simple life as children of a farmer in the town of Yellow Mud. When a summer day leads them away from their village, they never predicted that it would also save their lives. From a distance, the two witness the magical destruction of their town - including their friends and family - by a mysterious elf and several robed figures. After watching the terrifying encounter, the two siblings flee. Magic has always been outlawed in their home, but even more startling than seeing it destroy their lives is the discovery of unique powers within themselves. Setting out to notify the authorities, Kenders and Nikalys soon cross paths with a giant of a man named Broedi. Possessing the rare talent of shapeshifting, he is a fortunate ally who holds the secrets to their past - as well as their future.

Progeny: The Children of the White Lions by R.T. Kaelin is a stunning work of epic fantasy. The story is wonderfully told and full of action and adventure. Along with the Isaac siblings and their large companion, the book is populated with well-developed characters. The story lines are beautifully woven together and each new multi-dimensional hero or villain that is introduced adds a new layer of perspective to the tale. These characters flourish in the the expansive fantasy landscape that Kaelin has created. A single village or kingdom is not enough to contain the story, so the setting is an entire nation with multiple terrains, laws, races, and cultures. Along with a pantheon of gods - good, neutral, and evil - the story refers to seasons, history, education, politics, ancient prophecy, customs, and legends of the land, all of which contribute to bringing the world to life. The universe also contains a richly detailed and unique system of magic. The system is built upon the concept of Strands - nine of them, each with a unique color and property - and those with a gift for magic wield it by weaving together the types of Strands they are able to use. Some users can control multiple types such as fire, air, water; some can only touch a few; others have no knowledge of magic at all; while some can sense it but not use it.

Cleverly conceived and expertly crafted, Kaelin demonstrates great talent as a writer with this work. The grand scale world-building, rarely seen in a debut novel, is on par with current greats of the genre such as Brandon Sanderson (Warbreaker) and Jim Butcher (Furies of Calderon). Though it nears seven hundred pages long, the epilogue comes far too soon; but the story holds great promise for future adventures in the series. Overall, Progeny is a fantastic book! It is appropriate for young adults or fans of high fantasy of any age. While it does tell a succinct story, it will definitely leave readers eagerly anticipating its sequel!

For fans of the genre, Progeny is definitely THE book to read this year!  (Or at least it is THE book to read while awaiting the immensely anticipated George R.R. Martin work, Dance with Dragons on July 12...) Available in paperback and recently released in Kindle format as well, I hope Progeny gains the popularity and readership that it most definitely deserves!

I like how the cover art on the new one (left) compliments the style and form of the first (right).  The pictures are beautiful and I like how the portrait style - which played a role in the plot of the first book - and the inclusion of flowers ties them together despite the vastly different color schemes.  There's also a play on words in the title of the sequel as the main character (the daughter of the first book's heroine) is named Joy - so the titular dreams are both those of a hopeful future and those of a girl of a new generation  Dreams of Joy won't be released until May 31, but I'm glad to have a date to look forward to that will continue the story begun two years ago in Shanghai Girls!

       A Weekend to ReCOVER is a meme hosted by Her Book Self that is all about discussing and analyzing interesting and unique cover art - new or old, classic or pre-release, anything that strikes your fancy!  Whether it's a comparison or just a single work that stands out to you, feel free to chime in with a comment below or join in the fun with a post of your own.  Be sure to leave a link so I can stop by and read about what cover(s) you're admiring or criticizing this week!

For this week's edition of Fairy Tale Fridays, I wanted to revisit a classic story that I remembered and loved from my childhood.   The Emperor's New Suit (or "The Emperor's New Clothes" as it is often called) by Hans Christian Andersen relates a fable about a vain ruler whose "only ambition was to be always well dressed."  This seems a very selfish goal for someone in such a high position but it is this attribute that leads to his troubles and ultimately to the grand lessons of the tale.  As the story begins, 

"...two swindlers came to this city; they made people believe that they were weavers, and declared they could manufacture the finest cloth to be imagined. Their colours and patterns, they said, were not only exceptionally beautiful, but the clothes made of their material possessed the wonderful quality of being invisible to any man who was unfit for his office or unpardonably stupid."

I love that the story takes place in a fairy tale like realm where the general populace would possess enough superstition and naivete to accept the existence of such magical fibers.  And of course none of them - at first - have the humility or courage to admit that the cloth is invisible to them or to challenge the so-called weavers' claim.  As the swindlers work, the emperor sends many people to inspect their progress.  Both a minister and a courtier that the emperor deems honest go to see the fabric.

Neither wants to admit to being unfit for their position or to be declared "unpardonably stupid" (love that phrase), so both of them lie and report to their leader that the cloth is beautiful, the design and colours exquisite.  At this point in the story, I always wonder what would happen had the emperor sought to see for himself rather than sending others in his stead.  The emissaries he sends to report for him are both described in the tale as "honest" and yet neither is truthful to the emperor.  Here we see one of many important lessons coming out of the tale and it's not only that honesty is the best policy but it's caution in whom we trust.  In a quote usually attributed to Shakespeare, Sir Walter Scott wrote,
I can't think of a more appropriate way to summarize what happens in this story.  All of the townspeople and everyone close to the emperor begins to fabricate (pun intentional) what the cloth looks like and when the emperor is finally presented with the work, he goes along with the charade.  Often in telling this story, blame of some sort is placed on the emperor but I like to cut him some slack.  In many ways he's the last person to pretend to see the fabric and in his situation, with everyone around him declaring to see the material, it would be immensely difficult to admit to not seeing it.  However, since all we ever learn about him is that he is the ruler and enjoys fine clothing, I often wonder why he did not just pretend to disagree with the weavers' taste.  Why did he not throw out the "suit" and declare it ugly?  Or, when pretending to try it on, why not argue the fit as uncomfortable and refuse to be presented in it?

Yes, it was foolish of the courtiers and the people to pretend to see what they did not, but in the end, the emperor was the only one who went so far as to don the imagined clothing!  The ending of the story is rather amusing as a young child finally declares - as the emperor is paraded through the streets - "But he has nothing on at all".  This is both a testament to childlike innocence as well as an observation of mob mentality.  Once the statement is made it ripples through the crowd until reaching the ears of the ruler.  Andersen closes the tale with the statement, "That [hearing the crowd] made a deep impression upon the emperor, for it seemed to him that they were right; but he thought to himself, 'Now I must bear up to the end.'"  So despite knowing the truth, he goes on with the pretense in order to once again save face, providing Andersen a final satirical barb.

This story is a wealth of morals and lessons and I really enjoyed rereading it.  I was surprised at how close the text was to the various versions I heard and read as a child.  It wasn't a twisted or darker version of what I remember and still maintains a lighthearted humor and silliness for bedtime enjoyment.

The Emperor's New Suit by Hans Christian Andersen marks 3/12 in my 2011 Fairy Tale Challenge and continues Fairy Tale Fridays originally started by Tif of Tif Talks Books!  Feel free to share your thoughts on  this tale in the comments below or join in the fun with a post of your own!  I'd love to hear about what fairy tales - new, old, reinvented, retold - you're reading this week as well!

It's historical fiction time again!  I realize that the past few reviews I've posted have all been historical fiction, but especially in the doldrums of winter, it's a genre I love.  There's something wonderful about allowing a book to spirit me away - not only to distant lands, but to long ago times as well! - when I am most in need of a vacation.  My most recent bookish trip was to London in the summer of 1553 in which I explored the pageantry of the English court!

C.W. Gortner's The Tudor Secret is the first novel in the new Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles. The book tells the story of Brendan Prescott, a young man who was raised in the Dudley household after being abandoned as a baby. Prescott is brought as a squire to the court of the ailing King Edward VI. Immediately caught up in the intrigue and drama surrounding the nobles who seek the throne for themselves and others, Prescott is drawn to the charismatic and commanding Princess Elizabeth and soon finds himself working as a double agent for her and the Dudley family.

This book was really interesting and well constructed. The fictional hero fit in seamlessly with the setting and players of the Tudor court and the novel provided an imaginative look at the final days of Edward VI. Where as many historical fiction works focus on King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn or on the reign of Queen Elizabeth I; this book was unique for portraying a younger Elizabeth and the turmoil in London surrounding the task of crowning a rightful heir. The Tudor Secret was a fast and entertaining read. I enjoyed Gortner's writing and am excited to see further drama and mystery unfold in future books in the series.

 Do you enjoy "traveling" via historical fiction?  What place or time period have you visited lately?