Guest Post and Giveaway by Sarah-Jane Lehoux - a stop onThe Sevy Series Blog Tour.

Greetings, friends!


This post is dedicated to the awesome author Sarah-Jane Lehoux and her Sevy Series. I first met Sarah-Jane through Facebook and was honoured to be asked to host a guest post and Giveaway by her as part of her Sevy Series Blog Tour. She's giving away an entire ebook set of The Sevy Series, which I think is stupendous - something not to be missed! See the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of this post for your chance to enter. 

I decided to read the first book in this series, Thief, and write a review before you get to Sarah-Jane's guest post. Don't worry though - I won't be giving away any spoilers!

 

Sarah-Jane Lehoux

Author Bio:

Sarah-Jane Lehoux has always had a passion for storytelling. From grade school tales of cannibalistic ghosts, to teenaged conversations with God, to her rebellion against adulthood with fantasy kingdoms and fairy magic, she has attempted to share her love of the quirky and unconventional with her readers.

She currently resides in Southern Ontario with her husband and her horde of Machiavellian cats. In addition to her own writing, Sarah-Jane works as an editor and freelance cover artist.

 

Thief:

Happily Ever After Doesn't Come Without a Price

In the crumbling city of Eloria, there are two indisputable facts. First, everyone has a dream. Secret, seemingly unattainable, altogether irresistible, it is the kind of dream that aches and, at times, burns. For most, it will forever remain a teasing enigma, but there are those for whom dreams grow into obsession. Which brings us to the second indisputable fact: everyone has a price. Protestations of morality have little meaning when confronted with the all-consuming passion of the soul. Better judgment is pushed aside for the chance to obtain the unobtainable. The only question remaining is just how much a person is willing to sacrifice in order to get what they want.
Sevy has always been a quick study in the wicked ways of Eloria. Since childhood, she has eked out a living for herself with the help of her sticky fingers and her indomitable spirit. She has no qualms about taking what she desires, and when the unrequited love of her life is mysteriously murdered, Sevy will stop at nothing to get him back. Elvish black magic, necromancy and demonic pacts are of little consequence if it means she can once again have her beloved at her side. But is she willing to murder her only friend to get the job done?

Is there a line that even this selfish, self-proclaimed bitch is not prepared to cross?

My Review of Thief by Sarah-Jane Lehoux
Sevy is a young girl who lives on the streets of Eloria, eking out a living by stealing, doing whatever she can to stay alive. Street-wise and cunning, Sevy knows a mark when she sees one – but she also knows a pimp. Her best and only friend Trena has taken up with a gorilla whom Sevy knows is going to exploit her – but all Trena can see are the benefits. Sevy is determined to steal enough so she can rescue Trena from the ape’s clutches, but her life takes an unexpected twist when the mark she targets turns out to be even savvier than herself. Her growing infatuation with this man, and his apparent attraction to her, throw Sevy into the deepest love, and also the deepest fury, she has ever known. Demons and black elvish magic combine in one of the most treacherous and evil-bitch antagonists I have ever encountered in a fantasy novel . It’s doubtful that even Sevy’s smarts and hard-won skills can save the lives of her lover and friend.
There is plenty of action, tension and emotion in this fast-moving fantasy novel. You won’t be able to draw your breath!

Ok - now that you've heard what I think of Thief, it's time to hear from the author herself. In this post, she talks about how she finds the right balance in her writing.
Over to you, Sarah-Jane! 

How Much Is Too Much?

Gratuitous. Sounds like it should be a good thing. I mean, free stuff is awesome, right? Wrong. When it comes to storytelling, being gratuitous will cause more harm than good.

What kind of gratuitousness am I talking about? Anything. Everything. Sex. Violence. Cursing. Eating. Sleeping. Whining. Whatever. Do a quick Google search on the definition. Go on; I’ll wait.

Back? Okay, see the third meaning? “Unnecessary or unwarranted.” That’s what I’m talking about. We’ve all read books/seen movies where there has been a scene that makes us roll our eyes and wonder why anyone thought it was a good idea to add it in. Sex for the sake of sex, violence for the sake of violence, cutesy, lovey-dovey behavior for the sake of being cutesy….all it does is turn the reader off and tarnish what was otherwise a great tale.

The universe I’ve created with The Sevy Series has been described as gritty and realistic. I don’t shy away from hard subject matter, but I like to think that I come at each scene, even the R-rated ones, with some class. After I finish the first draft, a HUGE part of the editing process is seeking out the unnecessary, the out of place, the gratuitous, and reworking until they fit into the vision I have for the story.

Sure, sometimes bucket loads of gore is called for—Taratino wouldn’t have a career without them—but for most stories and story-tellers, less will always be more. It’s all about finding the right ratio between being authentic to your universe and being respectful to your readers.
Sarah-Jane Lehoux

Great post, Sarah-Jane, thank you!



Below are the covers and blurbs for Shades of War and Masquerade, Books Two and Three in the Sevy Series:

Shades of War:

There is More Than One Road to Redemption

Sometimes the past can't be forgotten. Sometimes the truth refuses to be buried. And sometimes the dead won't stay dead.It began as a simple request: Journey to the Northern Jungles and bring a wayward son back to the safety of his farm and family before the racial tension that is building between humans and dark elves erupts into civil war. But life is never simple for Sevy, and she soon finds herself entangled in a bloody battle of good versus evil, love versus hate.Old friends and enemies reunite, familial bonds are broken, and loyalty is tested. And in the midst of the steamy, sultry jungles, the ghosts of a serial killer's victims come out to play. Sevy, as petulant and irascible as ever, must overcome her personal demons in order to expose a madman and bring peace back to the kingdom. But just how much of her sanity must she sacrifice to help her friends? And how can she save anyone when she can't even save her own soul?

 

Masquerade:

Never Trust a Liar, especially when they're telling the truth.

Starting over isn’t easy, especially when the world isn’t ready for you to change. Sevy, thief turned assassin turned mercenary, isn’t having any fun adjusting to a normal, law-abiding life. Luckily for her, an old partner in crime arrives with an irresistible proposition: a getaway to a tropical island, an adventure of a lifetime, and an amazing friendship ready to blossom into an even more amazing romance.

Things are looking up for Sevy. That is, until a pack of maniacal fairies with a taste for human flesh arrive on the scene.
Now she must unravel a web of magical intrigue hidden behind the outwardly idyllic atmosphere of the islands of Belakarta. Nothing is as it seems, and no one can be trusted. Trapped under the spell of a handsome and mysterious stranger, Sevy must fight fairies and tricksters to regain her freedom.
Or spend an eternity as a sorcerer’s plaything.

 

The books look great, don't they? I certainly think so - which is why we're doing a fantastic Giveaway of an entire ebook set! Yes, that's right  - the entire Sevy Series as an ebook set! See the Rafflecopter Giveaway widget below to enter.
And if you don't get lucky in the Giveaway, or you simply can't wait, here are the links to purchase the series on Amazon:

Thief http://www.amazon.com/Thief-The-Sevy-Series-Volume/dp/148417433X/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1280675778&sr=8-1

Shades of War http://www.amazon.com/Shades-War-Sevy-Sarah-Jane-Lehoux/dp/148485716X/ref=la_B003VH11VG_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1368296808&sr=1-4

Masquerade http://www.amazon.com/Masquerade-The-Sevy-Series-ebook/dp/B00CPOWRSC/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1368317728&sr=1-2

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I am delighted to announce that the winner of the Sevy Series eBook Set Giveaway is:

Rosalie :-)



Well done, Rosalie, Sarah-Jane will be in touch soon to send you your prize! 

The Dream Keeper - Guest Post and Giveaway!

 

Hello friends! Today I have the honour and pleasure of hosting a guest post and GIVEAWAY by my lovely friend and wonderful author MIKEY BOOKS!

For those who don't know Mikey, here's his author Bio:

Mikey Brooks is a small child masquerading as adult. On occasion you’ll find him dancing the funky chicken, singing like a banshee, and pretending to have never grown up. He is the author/illustrator of several books including BEAN’S DRAGONS, the ABC ADVENTURES series, and author of the middle-grade fantasy-adventure novel, THE DREAM KEEPER. He spends most of his time playing with his daughters and working as a freelance illustrator. Mikey has a BS degree in Creative Writing from Utah State University. He is also one of the hosts of the Authors’ Think Tank Podcast.

I had the great privilege of meeting Mikey at Rhemalda Publishing's first ever Got Stories? conference in Salt Lake City in June 2012. We got talking, and once I returned home to the UK, we carried on the friendship through email and Facebook. When he was looking for a copy-editor to help him prepare The Dream Keeper for publication, he came to me. I was honoured to work with him, especially as The Dream Keeper is such a brilliant book!

Dreams: Dorothy called it Oz, Alice called it Wonderland, but Nightmares call it HOME.
When an evil shifter takes over the gateway to the realm of Dreams, it falls to 14-year-olds Parker and Kaelyn to stop him. Their only hope lies with Gladamyr, the Dream Keeper, but can they trust a Nightmare to save their world?

SYNOPSIS:
Loser—the most frightening word to ever be uttered in junior high school. Even the coolest kids are afraid of being associated with it. 14-year-old Parker Bennett is no exception. He can’t even be himself around his friends for fear they might not accept who he really is. When circumstances force him to team up with Kaelyn Clarke, the biggest loser in the ninth grade, Parker has to decide what is more important; protecting his social status or saving the world. Nightmare named Fyren has taken over the gateway to the realm of Dreams, with the intention of controlling mortals, and it falls on Parker, Kaelyn, and Gladamyr – the Dream Keeper – to stop him. They learn being called a loser is no longer a fear, when compared to the terror of real nightmares.

In Praise of THE DREAM KEEPER:
“This really is a cracking novel. Action-packed and spellbinding!”—Cas Peace, author of the Artesans of Albia series.

So you see, I am already a fan of Mikey's work. Below you will find links to where you too can connect with Mikey, and also links to The Dream Keeper on Amazon. Oh - and don't forget the GIVEAWAY! You'll find the entry form at the bottom of the post. But now Mikey would like to share some of the thoughts that were going through his mind while he was planning and writing The Dream Keeper. Over to you, Mikey!

 

The Darker Side of Dreams

By: Mikey Brooks

 

I am excited to announce the release of my middle-grade fantasy THE DREAM KEEPER. It is an action-packed adventure with a toe in both the real world and the fantastic. When an evil shifter takes over the gateway to the realm of Dreams, it falls to 14-year-olds Parker and Kaelyn to stop him. Their only hope lies with Gladamyr, the Dream Keeper, but can they trust a Nightmare to save their world?

One of the most thrilling things that came from writing THE DREAM KEEPER was being able to delve into the nightmares of children. It was fun to explore the realms that scare kids. One thing that I’ve been asked is, how do you know when the ‘scary stuff’ is too much?

I believe kids can handle a lot more than we give them credit for. Look at the Harry Potter books; there is some scary stuff in there that kids didn’t pick up on because they think differently than adults. They don’t worry, like a parent, about losing a child to a dark wizard. Adults fear tangible things that may or may not happen, like death, an attacker, a break in, a terrorist act, and natural disasters. All these things have happened and we as adults fear they could happen to us. That is what is scary for adults. Sure kids have similar fears too, but it is the unknown that is scary for kids. Not knowing is worse than knowing. They fear the dark intangible things.

When I write to scare kids, I try to emphasize the dark hidden things. I try to look at what kids are afraid of and set that as my goal. While I was writing THE DREAM KEEPER I did a lot of research into what kids are afraid of. What I found interesting is the number one thing kids are afraid of is the dark. Kids are afraid of the unknown. They fear what might be there hiding. I built off that fear in creating the nightmares for my book. I did find myself pulling back on some of the scenes in the book, but only when I found myself questioning if that was just too freaky or not. Mostly I ignored it, knowing I’m a wimp compared to most kids.

Mikey. 
 

Thanks for sharing that, Mikey, it's always fascinating to hear the mechanics of how an author decides what to write. And now that everyone's read your guest post, and heard so much about the book, I think it's time to read an excerpt! And people, below the excerpt are all the links you'll need to buy The Dream Keeper. Please don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY to win a SIGNED COPY of The Dream Keeper!

EXCERPT FROM BOOK:

Parker was about to assassinate the general of the goblin army. It wasn’t murder, it was an assignment. He tried to justify what he was about to do as he jumped from the rooftop and landed just above the battlement wall. It was the perfect spot to scout the camp. The goblins filling the keep were everywhere, sharpening blades and axes or gathering weapons for the impending battle. Parker noticed a large troll in the right hand corner of the space below, hammering solidly on a sword large enough to split three men into six. He spotted his target.

The general of the goblin army was a large brute with golden braids hanging down his chest. He was the one who had ordered the burning of Parker’s home village. The one who had ordered the death of Parker’s family and friends. This monster, this villain, was the reason Parker had set out on his journey to seek vengeance upon the unjust. This was the creature responsible for Parker swearing allegiance to the Mightercore army, who quickly gave him the role of assassin-scout.

Parker maneuvered his way down the wall, careful not to move too fast or his invisibility cloak would lose its power. He placed his foot in one crevice, then his hand in another. After a few moments of skilled climbing, Parker found himself precariously positioned just behind the golden haired brute, leaving only a small distance between him and his foe. In a quick session tactic, Parker could ignite his blade with the magic of the Mightercore and his target would be no more. He positioned himself to strike, raising his sword and whispering the incantation that would release the blade’s power—

“Parker.”

He ignored whoever was calling his name; they did not matter. All he saw was the villain before him. The completed spell ignited Parker’s sword with a blazing haze of blue fire, and he had to act fast.

“Parker!”

The loud call startled him and he swung too late. The goblin general had already turned and he struck, forcing Parker back against the rocky battlements. Parker parried the attack and thrust forward with a low slash. The general sidestepped and lunged forward again. Parker parried and rolled away from the wall. A lightning spell was the only magic he had left. If he could find enough time to call out the incantation, he could have the general radiating electrons from every appendage.

He rolled until he was a good ten feet from his opponent, then quickly stood. Lifting his hand into the air, he called down the lightning. The sky filled with a brilliant white light, and the crack of thunder reverberated off the walls. Parker briefly closed his eyes then opened them, praying he had hit his target. As the white dust began to clear, he made out an image before him. He peered at it, his heart thumping.

The screen went black.

“Parker, I’ve called you three times. Now get off that machine and go do your homework.”

EMAIL MIKEY: insidemikeysworld@gmail.com

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website: http://www.insidemikeysworld.com/

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Mikey-Brooks/e/B00B8ICZ4W

Blog: http://writtenbymikey.blogspot.com/
Podcast: http://www.foreverwriters.com/category/podcast/
Goodreads at: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17727253-the-dream-keeper  
Facebook at: http://facebook.com/writtenbymikeybrooks
Twitter as: @writtenbymikey
WattPad: http://wattpad.com/MikeyBrooks

BOOK LINKS:
Hardback: http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Keeper-Mikey-Brooks/dp/1939993016
Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1939993032
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/The-Dream-Keeper-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00CPE0PT0
Paperback Create Space: https://www.createspace.com/4260677
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17727253-the-dream-keeper
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1115262781?ean=9781939993014

TITLE: THE DREAM KEEPER
ISBN:
Hardback: 978-1-939993-01-4, Paperback: 978-1-939993-03-8, EBook: 978-1-939993-02-1
PRICE:  (US)
Hardback: $19.95, Paperback: $12.99, EBook: $4.99.
PRICE: (UK)
Paperback: £852, EBook: £3.30.

THE DREAM KEEPER GIVEAWAY!! ENTER TO WIN A SIGNED COPY!!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Alchemy of Song.

I adore being a writer. I love it for so many different reasons, but one of the strongest is being able to use something I’m good at for helping other people, or making them smile.

 

Of course, I hope that my fantasy series, Artesans of Albia, connects emotionally with my readers. I like to think I can feel them laughing, crying, getting angry, feeling sad, experiencing the first pangs of love, grieving, and all the other human emotions that keep us alive, along with me as I write. I have always written from an emotional viewpoint, and I have a hard time imagining how you could NOT write from an emotional viewpoint. I invest every bit of my heart and soul into what I write – be it fiction, non-fiction, or songs. I know from the wonderful reviews that King’s Envoy and King’s Champion have received that many readers are able to feel what my characters feel, and this is something vitally important to me. I know I have succeeded as a writer when that happens.

 

The other aspect of my creative life, however – song writing – is different. The addition of music to the words heightens or changes the listener’s responses, because there are two different connections going on. First you have the meaning conveyed by the words of the song. This, generally, is unambiguous, although some song writers do seem to delight in producing words that confuse and puzzle! With those who don’t, the listener immediately knows what the writer is trying to say.

Then there’s the more visceral, maybe even spiritual, connection formed by the music, which is a far more subjective and fluid medium than the written word.

With written words, readers can impose their own ‘voice’ or imagination over that of the writer, and this can sometimes alter the meaning of those words beyond anything the writer envisaged. Written words can be fickle, even misunderstood. Think of those texts or emails sent in haste, whose recipients took umbrage over what was meant as a joke. It is nigh-on impossible to convey tone of voice with a few bald words, and emoticons must be used instead, to provide a visual key.

With music, however, it is so much easier to convey emotions that everyone can instantly relate to. Even people who don’t like music can hear the mood the composer intended to create. And when you put both together! – well, an alchemy occurs unlike any other, instantly transporting the listener to a unique place inhabited only by that song.

 

This is what I have tried to do in my own song writing. The songs I am creating for my Artesans series are steered by each book – some exist in full within the book itself, in poem form, such as The Wheel Will Turn, from King’s Envoy, used here in the book trailer from Rhemalda Publishing. Others exist as snippets, or are only mentioned by title. Creating these is a challenge I relish.

A completely different challenge, however, comes into being when you decide to create a song for someone else. It becomes a beast with dual nature, because there is someone else to please – someone else’s feelings and desires to consider.

When I read Mikey Brooks’ soon-to-be-published MG novel, The Dream Keeper, I immediately wanted to create that alchemy by writing the lullaby that eases young sleepers into the Land of Dreams. Mikey’s prose enabled me to hear the song so clearly, and the more I thought about it, the more I found myself humming a pleasing and soothing melody. In his book, the lullaby exists only as a hummed melody – there are no words. However, my creative juices had started to run and I simply had to add some words. Once this was done, of course, I had to face the hardest part of all – I had to let Mikey hear it! What he didn’t know – and won’t know until he reads this blog post – is that I have never written a song for anyone else before. I have written songs with people, and I have worked with others on my own songs, but I have never actually created a song completely and totally for someone else – let alone without their knowledge! Plus, I had to record it on my computer, with just my voice and my rusty old guitar that I haven’t played for years!

 

Thankfully, the recording came out well enough for Mikey to imagine how the polished lullaby would sound. I was so relieved he liked it! I recorded it to a lovely sound track created by my wonderful song-writing partners: David Snell (my brother) and David Shepherd (collectively known as Nex’t’Nothin). I will be adding it to my website as a free download, and I’m sure it will feature on Mikey’s website too. Maybe even on a trailer for The Dream Keeper, so why not watch out for it? And while you’re at it, why not buy The Dream Keeper when it is published? It’s a wonderful book, well written, with lots of tension and action. It’s classed as MG, but it’s a great read for adults, too! I will be hosting a Giveaway and a guest post by Mikey on this blog on May 24^th. Hope to see you then!

Take Your Opportunities Where You Can.

Recently, I attended the British Fantasy Society convention in Brighton, UK. I had never been to one before and I have to say that these things are not normally my cup of tea. I’m quite shy among lots of people I don’t know and I’m not good at starting up random conversations with strangers. Even when those strangers share a common interest, i.e fantasy novels. However, because King’s Envoy had so recently been launched, and because I’d had the excitement and acclaim of having a short story accepted for the Society’s 40^th Anniversary Anthology, ‘Full Fathom Forty’, it was too good an opportunity to miss. So, along with my husband, I went.

The convention was held over three days, Friday through to Sunday. Due to work and other commitments, we couldn’t go until the Saturday morning. This meant I missed being in the signing line up for Full Fathom Forty on the Friday afternoon, which was a shame. It would have given me the chance to meet my co-anthology-authors, and also the opportunity to speak to buyers of the anthology about King’s Envoy. Still, it couldn’t be helped.

Once we registered on the Saturday and collected our goodie bags full of free books and other yummy stuff, we planned our day. Christopher Paolini, author of the Inheritance Cycle, was being interviewed that morning and I thought it would be interesting to hear what sort of questions he was asked and how he handled them (just in case someone ever wanted to interview me like that!). The interview lasted around 45 minutes and it was quite interesting. I was slightly surprised to see how few people turned up to listen though – he was one of the major convention guests yet only about a third of the available seats were taken. The best bit for me was when he was asked a question concerning what he thought about the fantasy genre in general. His answer was that in his opinion, there was a lack of strong, credible female main characters in fantasy novels. My husband nudged me at this point and whispered that if Christopher Paolini wanted to see a really credible and strong female fantasy character, he ought to read MY books. I smiled and nodded – like THAT was ever going to happen. Imagine my surprise when, after audience questions and the interview broke up, my husband went up to Christopher and gave him a copy of King’s Envoy! To the guy’s credit, he actually looked interested and said he’d read the book when he could. I would never have had the guts to do that, but my husband is very used to conventions in his own business life and he’s very good at connecting with people.

That was the first good thing to happen at the convention. The second occurred when I was waiting to try and catch the eye of an agent who I knew would be attending the convention. This agent is known for representing fantasy authors and years ago, when I first began submitting King’s Envoy, she was very helpful to me. She was the first real publishing industry professional to give me any feedback on my work. She was very encouraging, and looked at my work on three separate occasions. Although she didn’t take me on, she did give me much helpful advice. As she was going to be at the convention, I thought it might be nice to introduce myself and thank her for all her help.

While I was waiting for her to come out of another meeting, I was approached by a guy who said, “I saw you in Christopher Paolini’s interview. Would you mind giving me your thoughts on how it went?” It turned out that he was working for Random House, Christopher’s publishers, and he was doing video interviews with people. I agreed to be interviewed and managed to get in a few good plugs for my book, including the one about strong female characters. That was a bonus I didn’t expect!

I then managed to catch the agent as she came out of her meeting and found that she was as nice as she had seemed from her emails. I think she was genuinely pleased that I’d taken the time to connect with her and thank her, and then she asked for a copy of my book! I hadn’t tried to plug it at all and I hadn’t shown it to her, so there was no pressure on her to ask for one. Her favorable reaction to the cover picture really pleased me and she seemed genuinely interested in reading the book. Who knows what could come of this? I’m not even sure I’m looking for an agent, but when opportunities present themselves like this, I believe in taking them. I also believe in thanking people who go out of their way to help me.

These three things all came about quite unexpectedly, and stemmed from me pushing myself to do something out of my comfort zone. The lesson here is that you should never think something isn’t worth doing, and you should take these opportunities where you can. Who knows where they might lead?

What is an Artesan? (originally posted at Rhemalda in April 2011)

When I first began writing my fantasy series Artesans of Albia, it had a very different title. The premise is that a section of my world’s populace, drawn from five separate races, would be born with a certain talent. One manifestation of this talent is the ability to learn how to control one’s inner life force; an energy I call ‘metaforce’. Once this was decided, I found I needed a vehicle through which this metaforce would be channelled; something possessed by every living thing but which was unique in each case. I experimented with various terms until I hit on the word ‘matrix’. The matrix would be akin to the psyche, and it would be a thing of ephemeral, mystical beauty. It can only be seen by another practitioner of the craft and is an intricate, four-dimensional ‘pattern’, consisting of whorls, spirals, helixes, colors and emotions. The more skilled the practitioner, the more complex their matrix would be.

Having decided these things, the series’ title became obvious. It just had to be ‘Masters of the Matrix’. Brilliant title, I thought – I love it! (Can you see where this is going?)

I wrote happily on, oblivious to the slap in the face that was coming my way. Sometimes I just hate the film industry… Ok, of course you know, it was the release of the Matrix films. I spat feathers when the first one came out – how dare they ruin all my careful planning – not to mention a perfectly good series title? Not fair! For a while I toyed with the idea of keeping my masterpiece – maybe I could capitalize on the connection? Thankfully I thought better of it; can you imagine how mad someone would be if they bought one of my books by mistake, thinking it was related to the films? And I could just imagine what agents or publishers would say…

Anyway, now I had a problem. The people who exhibit this talent are not magicians or wizards in any sense of the word. Their ‘powers’ owe more to Druidical beliefs, or that of Wicca, than to such creations as Gandalf or Merlin. I had to find a unique name for them, a term that reflected their knowledge; their artistry.

One of the best-loved books in my writer’s arsenal is my Roget’s Thesaurus. It was a 21st birthday present from two great-aunts. (Actually my parents bought it, but the money came from my great-aunts.) They are both gone now – my 21st birthday was a long, LONG, time ago – but I still frequent my Thesaurus. When I’d exhausted all the obvious and immediate terms I could think of for my talented people, I dug through its many permutations and suggestions until I whittled all the possibilities down to two words. Artist and artisan.

Both these words carried elements (pun intended) of the skills my people possess, but both were too ordinary. I rejected them, but it wasn’t long until I realized there was nothing else. I’d already decided against coining a brand new word; I wanted potential readers to at least have an inkling of what the term might mean. Eventually, in desperation, I tried altering the word ‘artisan’ by exchanging the ‘i’ for an ‘e’. Bingo! The rest, as the old cliché goes, is history.