Sometimes you need to get away to write
And what better place to get away than a place with a view like this?
So after a bit of a break, I am back to writing Western Watch, Lady Merreth’s debut novel. The current word count is about 90,000 words and I estimate there is about another 30,000 to go. Of course, I do enjoy the University Tales that I have posted, so I might put up another installment of them before long.
Lady Merreth’s First Contest Winners
First Prize — Theme: “Puppy Dog Tails”
Artist: MashyTaytew
Second Prize — Theme: “Puppy Dog Tails”
Artist: Aliciane
Third Prize — Theme: “Best Served Cold”
Artist: gravity9000
All other entrants and contest information available on my DeviantArt page.
Western Watch, Chapter 4, First Draft
Author’s Commentary
This is not a bad chapter, but it needs a fairly significant re-write in order to improve the scene structure. This chapter is entirely from Merreth’s point of view and does convey some information which will be significant later on. I do like the interplay between Merreth and Sarrit.
Enjoy.
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The heat hits her like a hammer. Westhold Hall had been oppressively warm. The outside, still some hours before mid day, reminds Merreth of the inside of a blacksmith’s shop. She stands on the wooden boardwalk that runs down the eastern side of Westhold’s main street, a wide ribbon of granite-
Tuition
The University Tales Part II
Author’s Commentary
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An impulsive decsion on Merreth’s part begins to entangle her in politics — which she loathes — and with commoner man who wants to teach women.
I quite like this chapter. It’s got some nice dialogue and Simma’s character begins to come into it’s own. She has a quick wit and a sharp tongue and most of the time she gets the better of Merreth in verbal jousting. Still, the chapter needs better imagery and general tightening up. Also there’s a couple of places where I tell, rather than show.
That said however, it’s fun to watch Merreth struggle in a setting where all
The Red Hand: It’s Good to be Bad.
My friend SYoshiko gifted me this artwork of two Red Hand Mistresses. The figures are modelled after two people who are both thrilled with the image.
Well, with images like these for inspiration, you just know that both these two are going wind up somewhere in my stories.
See more of SYoshiko’s work here.
Western Watch: Lady Merreth & Co.
From left to right are Lady Merreth of Sable House, Lady Samretta, Domina Charadell and Lady Ashttia, all of the Western Watch and Lady Tiandraa of the Red Hand.
This artwork is done by the incomparable SYoshiko. You can find many samples of her work here.
