Saturday, September 4, 2021

A different perspective? - Excerpt from Bridget Bramble and the Wandering Elf for #WeWriWa

 


Relax for the Labor Day holiday! 

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday. Sample the work of a new author. Read snippets of stories in different genres.

For this holiday weekend, I’m revisiting an earlier book. My new epic fantasy, Bridget Bramble and the Wandering Elf, is discounted to 99c for September to generate interest. I’m currently, albeit slowly, writing the second book in this series. Also I’ll need new covers since the initial cover cannot easily become part of a series with consistent images. I’m considering a switch to more abstract, symbolic covers for this series instead of images of characters. What type of cover do you prefer?

Here's a teaser excerpt from the book: The elf, Windswift, is guiding Bridget on a difficult path through the mountains to the haven of Oakenwald. 

The path curved around a ridge out of sight of the main road. Beyond the ridge, it narrowed and cut across a precipitous slope. In many places, the track simply disappeared among the rocks.

Bridget bit back a groan. The track, scarcely wide enough for one person, was not a road in her way of thinking. Elves had a different perspective as well as their mysterious magic. Windswift seemed to be following a clear path, familiar from earlier journeys or marked by secret elvish signs.

Careless of the rattling stones, she hurried up the final stretch to join him.

He merely nodded and walked on.

Nine lines and a little more: 

Past the next curve, the path grew worse. It became a thin rock bridge spanning two mountainsides, a knife edge scarcely wide enough for one person’s feet. Sheer cliffs plunged down for hundreds of feet on either side of the track. 

Bridget gasped in dismay.

Terrified of falling, she slowed to a shuffle, placing one foot at a time with desperate care. Her pulse thudded in fear. She dared not look down past the surface of the track.

A violent gust slammed against her, knocking her off balance.

She stumbled.

Her foot slipped over the edge. Tottering over the precipice, she shrieked in terror.

A vice-like grip on her arm halted her descent. With a strong tug, she was pulled into the elf’s arms.

“You are safe,” he said. “I will hold you secure.” 

She laid her head against his chest and wrapped her arms around him. He felt warm against her cold cheeks and his back was firm under her clutching fingers. Her initial rush of gratitude shifted into a new emotion. His warmth tickled her senses and sparked desire for his embrace. But he would reject her. Elves despised humans.

Gradually recovering her wits, she said, “I’m sorry. I’m scared of falling. I can’t go on.” 

“Don’t be afraid, Bridget. We have only a little farther to go. I’ll hold your hand and steady you on the path.”


 

Fantasy romance. A young witch escapes the destruction of her home and embarks on a perilous quest for the fabled land where elves and humans live in peace.

In a land threatened by cruel invaders from the east, Bridget Bramble lives in a small village where she barters herbs and carved buttons. When marauders target her village and murder her family, she flees into the woods. Armed with her Granny’s advice and a bag of magic buttons, she sets out on the perilous journey to Oakenwald, the fabled land where elves and men live in harmony. As she travels farther from home, she encounters malicious creatures from the worst kind of folktale.

Lost in the foothills of the mountains, Bridget meets the elf, Windswift the Wanderer. He offers to guide her across the mountain range. But what is the elf doing in human lands? Can an ordinary, or almost ordinary, human girl trust a cold hearted elf to lead her to safety? 

Epic fantasy adventure and romance with darker overtones. This story weaves elements of folklore and a quest for a safe haven in a land where magic is real.  

99c at: AMAZON   iBooks   B&N   Kobo  GooglePlay   Other

I’ll be happy to reply to your comments. 

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12 comments:

  1. Definitely a treacherous path! Good thing he was there to save her!

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    1. This story has lots of dangers and twists. Sometimes she saves him.

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  2. I so sympathize with her--I'm deathly afraid of heights. But he seems to have her--in several ways! Tweeted.

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    1. Thanks for the tweet.
      Yes, he may have her, although their relationship is not simple.

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  3. I'd never make it myself, being terrified of heights. He'd have to do a lot more than hold my hand! But a great snippet, really conveyed the feeling of the spot she was in. As for the cover, generally it's best to have a person on the cover, along with enough 'magic'to indicate what genre the book is in...yes, there are more abstract covers out there, looking at both Best Sellers and Hot New Releases in Fantasy, the abstract ones tend to be from Big Name Authors, where it's really the author name selling the books and attracting the attention.The vast majority of books on the lists have people depicted. Best wishes!

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    1. Thanks for answering my question about covers. I'm certainly not a Big Name Author!

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  4. You have a great description of the path. The elf is certainly being helpful.

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    1. Thanks. Yes, he is keeping to his promise to guide her safely through the mountains.

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  5. I enjoyed this snippet and look forward to reading more. I think I'd crawl across, to hell with my self-dignity!

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    1. Me too. I've been know to crawl up or down steep places.

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  6. What an intense snippet. Great descriptions!

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    1. This story has a lot of intense moments. Their first kiss has an amusing interruption.

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