Lotari the Centaur - Never Discount the Underdog

Growing up, my Mom always told me to never discount the underdogs. People and circumstances are not always what they seem. 

Biographical Sketch of Lotari the Centaur from the River Woods:

Age: somewhere around 150 years
Eyes: gray like storm clouds
Hair: brown and wavy. Usually full of leaves and sticks
Height: from head to front hooves - 6'4"


WHAT IS SOMETHING THIS CHARACTER WANTS?
To be useful (Book 1)
To make a difference (Book 2)
To defend what he's worked hard to accomplish (Book 3)
To stop evil's reign once and for all.(Book 4)

CHARACTER TALENTS:
Knows herbal medicine and Healing skills
Is skilled with a bow and arrow, and can manage a sword quite well.
Plays the flute.
He's a mentor at heart.


MEDALLION: Needle and Thread - because he is called to mend broken relations between creature and humans.

 IN BOOK ONE
Lotari (Lot) is called from his safe River Woods surrounding the Kingdom town of Many Rivers to travel with the young girl Alyra. He fears that instead of helping, he will cause her and the hateful Jerin of Yarholm more trouble. However, the girl child has won his heart and he realizes she might be an important key to the Kingdom of Alburnium defeating the dark one, Darnel. So he undertakes the perilous journey to Aloblase, determined to make sure Alyra reaches the city safely, even if it means giving up everything he holds dear.

You can find more White Chronicles pictures on my Pinterest board.

"PAW. Did he just say I had paws..."- Lotari (Illuminated by Jackie Castle)

HERE'S SOME BACK STORY:

It wasn't until I was preparing this book for publication when I realized just where Lotari came from. I suppose, some life lessons are so embedded in our spirits we forget where they came from. So I want to take a moment to share with you the person who inspired Lotari.

In my story Illuminated, Lotari the centaur is loosely based on my friend Joey who I met during my high school years.

At around four or five years of age, Joey woke up one day to that he could no longer walk. He’d contacted some kind of disease that would render his muscles useless. When I met him, he was still the height of a five year old and bound to a motorized wheelchair. I never knew his real age, but think he was in his late twenties or early thirties.

I met Joey in church. He came zipping in, weaving his chair past groups of people conversing, the whine of his motor drowning out the muddled conversations. First thing I noticed, aside from his odd appearance, was his smile. His face wasn’t elated, or excited, but rather content, like one who’d found the most comfortable spot on the couch.

He wheeled up to the front pew, adjusted his chair, then sat and waited for service to start. The girl I was visiting with grabbed my arm and started pulling me toward the front, saying, “You’ve got to meet, Joey. I just love him.”

And that was generally how the whole congregation viewed him. Over time, I found out why.

When Joey talked, to get started took great effort. His small twisted body would tremble and shake as he formed the words he wanted to say. But once he got started, and when he had something important, and usually life changing, to say his words flowed from his mouth with hardly any effort at all.

It didn’t take long before I also totally loved this guy.

He was passionate.

I’d watch him during worship while everyone sang and lifted their hands in praise. Joey’s arms had little mobility, aside from his being able to move his arm enough in a forward direction to push the little stick that moved his chair. But he would always lift his face toward the heavens. And his face spoke of his utter and complete love for the God he served. Never once did I ever hear him ask why he was deformed. If he did, it was between him and God. Never once did I hear him complain about what he couldn’t do. To him, with God, all things were possible. He believed that, he prayed that, and he lived that.

He was fearless.

Because of his condition, he was totally dependent on his mother for all physical care. He wasn’t even able to feed himself. But that didn’t stop him from calling up his buddy who never seemed to mind loading Joey up in the van and driving him wherever he wanted to go. And go, Joey did. He’d talk his friend into driving to downtown Dallas where’s they cruise the back streets. There he’d strike up conversations with the people he met: prostitutes, homeless, and anyone else they came across. What did he talk about? He talked about his favorite topic, God’s love.

He was a friend.

To anyone. Anyone who came to him, from nicely dressed businessmen, to a struggling teenager, like myself, he made time to stop and talk, to listen, to hear your heart and impart some kind of wisdom. Joey helped me to understand God. To understand how to trust God even when things made no sense. He got me through my first time I’d been fired, and through all the teen angst experienced in those years. I counted him as one of my very best friends.

So when I was writing my story Illuminated, and Lotari the centaur popped out of the trees when Alyra was lost in the woods, I knew deep in my heart that Joey had resurfaced. No, I can’t say Lotari is Joey. Lotari is a fictional character in my story. Joey was a real, life-changing friend in my life. But I make that association because I know some people have problems with mythical creatures. They’re generally portrayed as evil, bad. Just as some people who are different (physically, developmentally, or other) are avoided, or shunned because we simply don’t know how to deal with them.

Alyra found a friend in the centaur. Just as I found a friend in wheelchair bound Joey. My hope is that readers will be touched by Alyra and Lotari's fictional friendship and start to understand that looks are deceiving.  Don’t shun away from people who act and look different than you. Why? Because you never know when you’ll find a friend who will help you manage your way through the dark, scary woods and get you back on your path. You just never know.

Here's Lotari's song: Kelly Clarkson's Dark Side

Read more about Lotari and Alyra in Book One of the White Road Chronicles

Illuminated: available on Nook and Kindle 

What Are Readers Saying?
“Quickly grabs the reader's interest.”

“Teens and young adults will really enjoy it!”

Alyra: When We Finally Wake Up

Has there ever been a time when suddenly, you saw your life's situation in a whole new light?

Princess stopped in a shaft of light and spun around, arms outstretched... ah freedom!

 
Going to share something about myself, that might have inspired this whole story. 
I'd left high school and fell into a big mess with my life. And I swear, one day I just woke up to where I landed. I was doing all these stupid things, yes drugs were involved and other dumb stuff. And in all seriousness, I heard, "What do you think you're doing?"

I couldn't answer right away.  However, I knew I was screwing up and I needed to get out of my situation.

And I did.

I managed to break free of the hold drugs were starting to have on me. I did a drastic life change. Most important, I ran back for my home. Not the place where my mother lived. Not that home. I ran back to God. So I suppose, Alyra's journey home is, in a way, the journey I've experienced over time as I've worked my way back into the Kingdom of God.

Along the way, I've met friends and mentors who've helped and sorta-but-not-really helped. You really do need to watch out for the Beasties. I've stepped off the path many, many times. Many times. And I've run for the safe places with the enemy on my tail and have found sanctuary there.

Maybe this started out being inspired by things I've experience. Aren't all stories?  But I can't help but think, that anyone who has found themselves in a dark place might find encouragement in Alyra's tale. She's like any of us who've made mistakes, then realized, there's a better place we can be and we need to run, run, run as fast as we can to get back there.


So, here's a biographical sketch of Alyra and a few tid-bits of info for anyone who's interested:
 
Alyra of Bellavita. 
(Known as Princess in Racah and for the first part of book 1)
Age: 17 in first book, and 18 in second.
Eyes: golden brown
Hair: reddish-brown and wavy.
(I added the red for her fiery personality she can have at times.)
Height: 5'6"


WHAT IS SOMETHING THIS CHARACTER WANTS?
Freedom. (Book 1)
To prove that she is worth the trouble. (Book 2)
To learn to trust again. (Book 3)
To stop running and stand firm for what she wants.(Book 4)

CHARACTER TALENTS:
Illuminate or Light Bearer.
She is one of a very few remaining with this ability.
Lord Darnel has pretty much killed off any Illuminates he's found, except this one. He's kept her so he can control the prophecy. So he thinks.

MEDALLION:
A flame burst

 

Actress Chloe Grace Moretz as Alyra

 IN BOOK ONE

Alyra (Aly) starts off appearing quite immature and incapable of doing anything for herself. She's been sheltered all her life in a castle, with few people she could call friends. Actually, she isn't even sure what friendship and love really mean.

Over the course of the next few books, Aly will grow in both maturity and self-confidence. You'll have to read the stories to see how that happens. =)

Here's a picture of Aly that one of my readers found. I think, if the hair was a bit darker, she'd have a pretty good match.

You can find more White Chronicles pictures on my Pinterest board.




Alyra's Song
Every important character has a specific song. What's strange about Aly's song and Katy Perry's video "Wide Awake" is that I wrote the strawberry scene years ago. I have no idea why Katy holds the strawberry, except that let's face it, they're yummy, and tempting. However, when I saw this video, I was like... "whoa!"
lol.

 

Feeling like your surrounded by darkness? Or your life just isn't what you would hope? Wake Up! Honestly, wake up and take a look around. Nobody is completely stuck. Start off by deciding how you do want your life to be. Then ask for help. You don't have to journey alone. You don't. Yes, prayer is a good start. But God also puts his children in strategic places to help weary travelers on their journey. I wouldn't say this if I hadn't experienced this myself. Find others to journey with. Talk about your struggles and what you need.

If you seek, you will find. That's a promise God gives all of us. He never goes back on a promise. Never.

If you want to read more, check out Illuminated The White Road Chronicles at Barnes and Noble and Amazon. 

Illuminated retains 5 stars on Amazon.

One reviewer said:
"Vivid descriptions of the magical creatures and places on the journey delight and keep the reader spellbound. ”

The Road of Your Dreams vs. The Road of Practicality

For some reason, as I was skimming through facebook working this morning a memory hit me. And since I needed something to write about anyway, I decided to share it with you. I think it's important. Especially if you are now where I was then.

The memory flashed in my mind of me sitting in vocational class way, way... way... back when I was in High School. Let's just not worry about how far back it was. Not so far I can't still remember what happened. Okay?

Anyway, I was sitting in this class watching a video (yes, they had them back then) of possible careers we could venture into. Careers that would keep us from flipping burgers, or in my case, spinning pizzas.

What I really, really wanted to do was go to college. But I'd grown up in a single-parent welfare family. College was out of the question. I was a senior and knew I needed to figure something out and quick.
So I sat there, watching the lady talk about various careers that only required a technical school to get a license. A career would be better than jumping out there into the hodgepodge of low paying jobs available to high schoolers. 

With chin propped on my fist, I remember thinking, "What am I meant to do? How will I support myself when I'm done here?"

And on the screen flashed Cosmetologist. My head snapped up, as a bubbling excitement sizzled in my chest. I had a cousin who went into that field. I remembered how excited she'd been after passing her test and getting her license. We'd all celebrated with her as she painted our nails, fixed hair and laughed. A lot of laughter. Last I'd heard, she'd stuck with it and enjoyed her works.

A reassuring peace settled on me. It wasn't what I really wanted for my life, but I knew it was the first step of getting out on my own. I could have a career. That was a start.

From there, one thing led to another. I didn't stay a hairstylist for too long. Perhaps six years or so, before I felt my path making another turn toward a different occupation.

Oh, and the college dream? I got that. When the time was perfect. And just when I thought it would never happen, God made a way. I attended. I came out owing a miniscule loan. The majority was paid for by grants. How about that? And I now have a degree that I use... well with my writing and when I help people. My degree is in rehabilitation counseling which gives me the knowledge needed to help people overcome obstacles and live the best life they can.

Something I can use on a daily basis.
Despite the many paths, I've used the knowledge gained in my writing.

Illuminated is all about finding the road that will lead you to your life dreams. The next book will be about using the talents you've been given to make the world a better place. That's the basic premise behind a story filled with dragons, centaurs, a quest and finding love. Oh, and so much more.

I don't know if what I'm doing is my final path. Perhaps eventually the road will turn again and head in another direction. My story is far from over.

So is yours. Don't worry if the path you're on isn't really your life dream. Keep asking the Dream-giver for direction. Keep following the open paths He lays out for you. You'll get there. I did.

Sometimes, we start with the practical roads before we can step into our real dreams. Don't lose heart. Just keep walking.

Are You up for the Journey?

Challenges, My Progress and Finding Our Way Through

At the beginning of this month, I'd posted about joining a Chapter Book Challenge. That was when I was all pumped about simply getting the words out.

Since then, in the chaos of life, I've had to redirect myself. Because I'm hoping to have this book out before summer, I found myself in a tangle of editing, rewriting and jumping around in the story until I had no idea what was going on. And I really hate having to go back and re-read the story over and over and over.

Don't get me wrong. I'm really liking this story. I think you will too. There's a lot of action and different things going on. But I simply couldn't keep up. So I had to make a decision. One I think many writers have to make when putting together a novel sized story.

The story is basically written. Except I needed to add in a couple of storylines. I created a story board, which I've shown pictures of in previous post. I have the story mapped out in Scrivener, which I love this program by the way!!

My basic problem was staying on track. Sound familiar? Yes, Alyra comes by it honestly. I find myself in a constant struggle to just stay focused and stay on course in the things I'm doing.

Am I the only one?

Needless to say, I had to ditch my hope of pumping out the words for putting out better work. So I've slowed down, and I work each chapter until I have it right, then move on. Yes, my progress is going slower, but in the long run, I think it'll all work out for the better. When I finish the rewrites and editing this time, I will only need to go back and read for typos and mistakes before I hand it over to someone to edit.

I'd say Alburnium is somewhere between Hogwarts and Narnia.

Finding Our Way
Here's the thing, no matter what we do, we each have to find our own way to do that thing we're trying to do. And there will always be people around who will want to tell you the best way to do it. There will be temptations to do it the quickest and easiest way. Or, there will be the temptation to brood and sweat as you seek for perfection.

My tip? Don't settle for good enough. But don't strive for perfection, either. There is no such thing. Honestly. Look around you, everything has a flaw. Everything, in one way or another will have some kind of flaw.

Take the middle road, friend. Work hard. The Bible encourages us to do everything as if we're doing it for the Lord and not men. That's a good standard to go by. Work hard. Do you best. And accept His grace and mercy for where you fall short. Be okay with not being perfect.

Most of all, have fun. Life is short. Seek to enjoy your days and make the most of every opportunity that comes your way.


Lastly, don't forget Illuminated is still on sale for .99cents until the end of March. Get your copy while you

can. So far, the book has received positive reviews from those who've read it. I'm grateful for all the comments people have given and am taking the constructive criticisms to heart as I write this next book.

And, I've started a board over at Pinterest. I was trying to share the widget link here, and I'm still working on that, but so far have been unsuccessful. However, you can click over to Pinterest and check it out yourself if you have an interest in seeing how I picture some of my characters and scenes from the books. The White Chronicles Board is a work in progress, so check back from time to time, or hit the follow button if you wish.

Be bless and happy reading!

Tips for the Journey #3 & #4

A few weeks ago, I posted Tips for the Journey #1 & #2, which included Don't be Easily Distracted and Pack Lightly. Check out the Page titled Tips for the Journey for the complete list. I'll probably be adding to it as I learn my own new lessons.

Mistakes are a great way to learn a new lesson. Right?
Funny thing is, even though we know what the right thing is to do, sometimes we simply can't help ourselves.
Even Paul, in the Bible, seemed to struggle with staying on the path.

"For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing!"
Paul from Romans 7:19

Isn't it good to know even the saints struggled with staying on track? Of course, I've always believed that what makes a saint isn't all the good they do, it's the fact they keep getting up, keep going, despite how many times they fall down.

So, here's Tips for the Journey 3 and 4. I hope they will help you along your way. All of these are issues Alyra deals with in Illuminated  as she journeys from Racah to Alburnium. Basically, these are issues we all deal with at some point in our lives.

photo found at flicker. click photo for original source.

Tip #3:
Keep Your Friends Near- but don't let them steer you wrong.
Yeah, sometimes you'll travel alone. Don't despair, you will eventually find others heading in the same direction as you. Join up with them. Enjoy the company. When they stumble, be sure to help them back up and they'll do the same for you. However, when the time comes to part ways, be okay with that. Once a friend, always a friend when you allow it. Don't let their individual destiny become your own. You have your own purpose in this life. Follow your own path. Be open to meeting up with new travelers just around the bend. We can never have too many friends.

photo found at flicker. click photo for original source.

Tip #4: Don't Freak Out Over Obstacles
Hey, stuff happens. Life happens. You will come to roadblocks. You will face neck-breaking mountains. Stay Calm and ... I don't know, just don't freak. Okay?  Have you ever heard the Going on a Bear Hunt chant? We can't go over it, can't go under it... gotta go through it. Yes! Just suck it up and keep walking. Hear me on this: There. Will. Be. A. Way. Through.
Really.
Keep going. If the path leads in that direction, there will be a way through.
God is not out to set us up for failure.

He promises that he has a plan and a purpose for us. He wants what is good. He wants to prosper us. So keep that in mind and keep walking. 

Are you up for a grand journey? Let's go!

First Wild Card Blog Tour... Are You Up for a Journey?

Pack your backpack, we're going on a little journey. Through a few blogs, that is.
The First Wild Card Tours is hosting a blog tour for Illuminated. Below, is a list of those who have began posting reviews and other things.  

For those who took time to read my book, I very much appreciate their honest reviews. I take everything people say into consideration and try not to let the good stuff go too much to my head. Try. Anyway. lol.

Our first stop is Jojo's Corner. I'd love to post the video she made here, but I want everyone to go visit her site because she has a lot of cool stuff going on. She not only does video reviews, but she creates Pinterest boards for the books she likes. As I was looking over people she picked for Alyra and Tarek, I was amazed at how close to what I envisioned she was able to get. She even found some fun stuff from scenes in the book.

Anyway, I repinned a lot of her stuff to my own White Road Chronicles Board. There were some great pins! Check her out. 

Next on our tour is Reviews with Art's Chili Pepper.
Check out this site for a whole list of great reads.

Finally, our last stop for today is at Land of My Sojourn 
Inspirational post along with book reviews. I'm sure you'll find a lot of interesting things there as well.

I'll share more links later this week. Stop in and leave comments if you like.

And don't forget, Illuminated is on sale this week for only .99 cents in kindle and nook format.

Get a Life! And Other Things...

So, I finally went to see Warm Bodies.

I hate to admit this because I'm not a real Zombie fan, not at all. However, this story was stupidly touching. Really.

Okay, so let's look at this zombie fad, I mean, for months now I've been looking at the growing number of books and wondering... for real? *rolls eyes* Geeze louise.

And the only reason I agreed to go watch it was because my son wanted to see it, and this was the only movie playing at that time slot. Wait, let me clarify... the only movie he was willing to go with his parents to see. That is. He's fourteen. Nuff said, right?

Here's basically what the movie is about:

Our zombie hero R (because he doesn't remember his real name but thinks it starts with an R) saves the heroine Julie from a zombie attach- which I might add was lead by him. He takes the girl back to his "home" (an abandoned airplane that somehow has a record player and old albums-- cuz he's some kind of hippie zombie? beats me.) and sets in motion an unusual relationship that changes everything. In zombiedom, that is.

Yes, he falls in love with her. Yes, he's sorta dead, but not quite. Which I guess is what makes a zombie a zombie. I don't know. Anyway, as R begins to come more alive, so do the others, inspired by the spark of hope R and Julie's relationship has kindled.

Thing is, all the other so-called normal humans aren't buying the "coming back to life" bit. Especially her dad who's made it his life mission to finish killing off every zombie he comes across.

Thing is, a little ounce of love get's the zombie's heartless blood flowing and they begin to remember what it's like to be alive, to be human.


 And yes, I was hearing the Beetles song: All You Need Is Love.... Playing in my mind.
 I love a story that offers a take-away of some kind. I just do. Something that makes me think.

Today, I came across an article- which I didn't read because the title said it all- about how Zombie fads can be the result of a depressed society.

You think?

As R was narrating the beginning of the story, about his pathetic existence, how he wandered aimlessly from place to place, never really interacting with others who also couldn't talk more than simple grunts... I thought, geeze that sounds familiar. He'd forgotten how to live. He hated his dreary day in and day out nothingness.

Which made me realize how many people are already living like Zombies. Sometimes, I've even found myself in Zombie-mode.

In the movie, love brought back life.
In life, love really does bring us to life. It's love that makes us human. Love of family, friends, people in general. A love for and from God. Love is all we need, as they say. Sing. Whatever.

So perhaps there's something to the Zombie craze. A call to WAKE UP and LIVE. Stop wandering around aimlessly. Stop merely existing.
Find your passion. Find the path you belong on. Find what you are really meant to do in this world and LIVE.

I'm afraid if we don't... they'll keep making stupid zombie movies until we finally get it.

Just saying.



OH, OH!! Guess WHAT!!!
(yes, I used a lot of exclamation points... I'm just that excited.)

Illuminated will have her first blog tour starting tomorrow.

That's right, the First Wild Card Tours is hosting this.There will be several bloggers joining in on the tour. As they post, I'll share the links here. Please, go check them out. They will be giving honest reviews of my book. I'm excited (yeah and a bit nervous) to see what they say. But, hey, this is part of writing... getting reviews... good and bad.

We learn from the bad, and bask in the good. Ha-Ha... yeah anyway.
We try, right?

Either way, I'm blessed to have this opportunity and hope more will come in the future.
Check back again for a list of hosting blogs.

Oh, and one more thing, I've put Illuminated on sale for .99 cents for the next week during the tour. If you've not read about Alyra's journey, I encourage you to check it out now while the price is so low.

 

Are You Up For The Journey?