Writing Friday: Swept to Sea

Hello, everyone!

A while back I asked you what you wanted to see in these weekly writing posts, and, along with writing tips, some of you asked to see a little more of my novel, Swept to Sea.

Well, yesterday a friend of mine (you know who you are ;) ) suggested that I share a scene or so from Swept to Sea.

So, today I will be sharing a small excerpt from my novel.

""Hmmmm, what have we got here?" Caspian chuckled, tossing his baldric and weapons onto an armchair rather than putting them away. "Why, I do believe that I have a beautiful young lady hiding out under my desk. Now, is that not a strange occurrence, Reed?" Caspian asked. The child giggled, his eyes sparkling in amusement. "I daresay this has not happened to me before."

Lady Trenton's face flushed to a comely pink. She clambered to her feet, but tripped on her voluminous gown.

"Blast these skirts!" She muttered. Caspian chuckled at the word “blast” coming out of those pretty pink lips.

"Shame on you, Lady Trenton. A lady such as you should not use such loose language. Surely 'tis most improper." Caspian suppressed a grin at her reaction.

Lady Trenton gave him a deadly glare. The woman ceased struggling with her skirts and tried to rise quickly. In the process, she whacked her head against the corner of his desk.

After a moment of looking dazed, she crumpled to the floor in an unconscious heap. `

Caspian immediately sobered and stooped down to take her limp form in his arms.

After a second her head jerked up and she struggled against his grasp. Caspian gently laid the woman on his bed. She moaned and curled onto her side, mumbling something incoherent."

--From Swept to Sea by Heather Manning

      

 

Did you like that excerpt? Hopefully yes. :) Next week's post will be about writing again. Until then, have a good week!

Writing Friday: Character Quotes

Lady Aimee Dawson from Swept to Sea

Matthew Emery from Swept to Sea

Hello, everyone!

So, some of you told me that on these weekly writing posts, you would like to hear about my own novel, Swept to Sea.

That's what I'll do today!

Some of my writer friends in the Go Teen Writers group have been doing character quotes using a quote from their character and a photo.

I loved that and did it for my own characters, so I will share the ones I came up with with you all today. :)

Lady Eden Trenton from Swept to Sea

Captain Caspian Archer from Swept to Sea

Lady Ivy Shaw from Swept to Sea

Captain Gage Thompson from Carried Home

What do you think of these quotes? Do you like them?

Writing Friday

Hi everyone..

Today I thought I would share something fun...
This site has some cute "doll makers" which are basically a technological form of a paper doll.
Well, the other day I saw that they had one based on The Hobbit so I decided that I just had to turn my characters into hobbits...

Here are the results...

Complete with big, hairy feet and pointy ears! Do you like them? I had fun creating the costumes.

From left to right: Eden Trenton, Caspian Archer, Ivy Shaw, Gage Thompson, Aimee Dawson, and Matthew Emery. (Aimee and Matthew have not been interviewed on the blog yet)

I just thought it would be fun to share a "picture" of them all for you today. I hope you liked it!

Writing Friday

Last week, you asked Reed Archer some questions. This week, he'll be answering them!

If you missed my description of Reed last week, look at it here.

Alright, without any further ado, let's start on this interview!

1. I hear you like to help the cook on your Dad's ship. What's your favorite food? What do you like to cook? (From Cortney)
Well, my favorite food has to be pralines. They are so sweet and yummy! but for cooking, I like to help roast pork. We don't do that very often, especially on the ship, but when we do, it is very tasty.

2. What do you call your Dad? Daddy? Papa? Father? (from Eden)
Are you Miss Eden, the lady stowaway that my Papa found? Hmmm. Anyway, I call my papa "Papa".

3. What is your favorite thing (or task) to do on your Dad's ship besides cook? (from Nathan)

Papa really doesn't let me do much around the ship except help cook. He says I am too young to climb up in the rigging, even though I know I can do it! One time, when Papa was in his cabin, Master Thompson, the first mate, allowed me to climb a little ways up the rigging. It was the most fun that I ever had! Other than that, I like walking around on the decks and looking at the ocean. Sometimes, I get to see dolphins swimming by, and Papa lifts me up so I can see them better over the rail!

Reed only got three questions this week, but that's okay, because he was getting a little fidgety by the end of the interview. ;)

I hope you enjoyed this. See you Monday!

Writing Friday

First, I want to mention that I have chosen a working title for my manuscript. I will call it Swept to Sea. Anyway, today my male main character, Captain Caspian Archer, will be answering the questions some of my readers posted last week
If you missed the description of this character, check it out here.

Here is the interview!

1. Why is your ship called Dawn's Mist? Did you name it? (from Cortney)

I named my ship Dawn's Mist because of my late wife, Isabelle. Almost every single morning, we used to go outside and watch the sunrise. I especially loved to watch the sun rise over the ocean from the bow of my ship when it was a foggy day, and I enjoyed the mysterious sight of the mist creeping over the water.

2. What's your favorite color, Caspian? (from Eden)

Hmmm. I suppose I have not given much thought as to having such a thing as a favorite color. I suppose I like blue a lot, since it is the color of the ocean and it comes in so many different shades.

3. What is your favorite place to visit? Is it a country, an island, a building, etc.? (from Eden also)

I suppose my favorite place to visit would be the island of Jamaica, but my very favorite place to be is anywhere on my ship. There is nowhere I would rather be than on Dawn's Mist, having the freedom to go where ever I please whenever I please, with the ocean beneath me and the wind guiding me. Aye, my ship is my favorite place to be.

4. Who is the person you admire or look up as a role model? (from Nathan)

I look up to Isabelle, my late wife, because she was everything that I never was. I wish I had her here with me to help me raise our son, for I fear that I am doing a terrible job of it.

5. Why do you take your son with you if you plan on killing the man who murdered your wife and your son's mother? (from Sandy)

Egad, you are just as bad as Lady Trenton bothering me about the way I raise my child! I understand that I am probably not doing what I should with the boy, but I do not need strangers telling me I am wrong in their opinion. I take Reed with me on all of my voyages, as he has no other place to stay. He knows nothing other than life at sea, and I know that some day he will make a great captain. I attack other vessels, including other pirates, regularly, as it is my occupation as a privateer for the King's Navy. To me, this is no different than any other voyage, and Reed is safer with me than with a stranger at some port.

Thank you so much for your questions, everyone, and thanks, Caspian! 

Sorry that Caspian got a little rude in that last question...he is very touchy when it comes to the subject of how he treats his son. :)

Thanks again for your participation, everyone. What do you think of Caspian's responses?

Writing Friday

In the last two weeks you learned about my main character Lady Eden Trenton, and even got to interview her.

Today, you will learn about my male main character, Captain Caspian Archer. 

You may remember that Eden stows away aboard a pirate ship ... well, that ship she stows away on belongs to Caspian!

Caspian has dark, almost black curly hair that falls down just below his chin. His eyes are a light, clear crystal blue and his skin is tanned dark from years working on the decks of his ship. He is about twenty-four years old.

He has a five year old son, Reed, and he is the captain of the privateer ship, Dawn's Mist.

Caspian has spent the last five years of his life searching for the man who  murdered his wife in a battle at sea. He wants to exact revenge and then continue ridding sea of pirates since he is a privateer. He will stop at nothing to kill the man who wronged him.

Caspian is a born leader and his crew respects him. He hates not being able to protect those who he cares about, and he worries if he is raising his son right without the boy's mother.

He was raised in the American colonies and his mother died at a young age. He grew up with Henry, his older brother, and Gage, a boy who his family took in and who is now his first mate. Caspian's father has always been harsh with him, and was displeased with his dreams of a life at sea. He married Isabelle at the age of eighteen and she died shortly after. He is convinced her death was entirely his fault, and he has not forgiven himself for not being able to protect her.


So, what do you think of Captain Caspian Archer?

I would like to interview him next week like I did with Eden last week, so please post a question or multiple questions for him to answer next week! Thanks, and have a great weekend.