The wait is finally over (for you and for me)! "Wonderland" is now available for purchase through Amazon and Createspace, for both eBook and paperback. I can't tell you how much I've been dying to share this with all of you! And your excitement has truly made this absolutely thrilling! Synopsis They think she’s mad. They’re right. After returning from Wonderland again, Alice Liddell has been sent to the Facility—an asylum specially designed for others like her. Such fantasies are no longer suitable for a girl of seventeen, or so they tell her. Everyone around her demands she be sensible. Her story has been twisted for the entertainment of children. But Alice knows the truth. She won’t be moved to sensibility. And she’s not the only one. Along with her new friends, Alice is thrust into a journey to save the Mad Hatter from the Queen of Hearts. But things are never so easy. Alice quickly discovers her fate is tied closer to her fellow Facility escapees than any of them could’ve imagined. Stories weave together in unexpected ways as Alice and her friends find themselves deep in something that effects far more than just Wonderland. This is just the beginning. As the first installment in The Realms Series, "Wonderland" is a unique take on the classics and the marvelous characters they include. I have had such a blast diving into these stories and making them my own, honoring the originals, and exploring the characters' endless potential. Yes, you read that correctly. Wonderland is not the only familiar aspect of this series. In fact, there are a total of five key characters, and their stories, that I hope have been given new flavor in this retelling/mash-up. I'll give you a hint: one of them is Alice. Sorry, I know that was cruel. If you really must know, my beloved quintet consists of Jack, Kai, Wendy, Red, and Alice. I'll leave their origins up to your imagination. Well, now my creation has been released! I hope you all enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. You can order it now here: www.amazon.com/Wonderland-Realms-1-Emory-Frie/dp/0997435410/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Thanks for reading! Emory R. Frie P.S. The second book in The Realms Series is estimated to be released 2017.
3 Comments
Yes, I know, it's been a long while since I last updated my blog. I've been a little busy with writing and graduating and all that fun stuff that comes with life. But I'm back now, and I'm really excited to announce my upcoming book in my first ever series! "Wonderland" is the first in The Realms Series, a major fairytale re-telling and mix up featuring Lewis Carroll's Alice Liddell, J. M. Barrie's Wendy Darling, Hans Christian Andersen's Kai, and the famed Little Red Riding Hood and Jack and the Beanstalk. Of course, there are many other well loved characters in the series, but I don't want to give away all the fun! That's the best part of writing a series: I'm the only one who knows all the secrets! Anyway, back to "Wonderland". As I said, I'm extremely excited to share this with all of you! I am in love with the cover, which turned out better than I could've imagined (Thanks to the lovely tips from diybookcovers.com). Though the book itself is still in the editing process, I am hoping to have it released by Fall 2016 at the latest. Keep an eye out for updates, as I'm hoping to potentially release it sooner! I've put the synopsis below to give you all a taste of what's coming!
I hope you all enjoy it as much as I love writing it! Have a wonderful day! Thanks for reading! With love, Emory R. Frie P.S. If you're interested in my already published novel, "Heart of a Lion", it is available on Amazon for paperback and kindle. Click the link to check it out: http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Lion-Emory-R-Frie/dp/0997435402?ie=UTF8&keywords=heart%20of%20a%20lion%20emory%20r%20frie&qid=1464364486&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1 The wait over! "Heart of a Lion" is now up and ready on Amazon, and I am so excited to share this with all of you. Thank you so much to all who helped in the development of this story. I couldn't have done it without all of you! I had such an adventure writing this book and I will never stop loving it. I hope you all enjoy it too! Inspiration I have always been into fantasy and medieval times. I'm intrigued by the fairy-tale aspects and adventure themes that the medieval time period includes. Stories like those of Robin Hood and King Arthur based in this time have always drawn my interest. Thus, the inspiration for my kingdom of Etheland, though women's rights are much better in my story. I'm not exactly sure where my beloved characters were coaxed from. They simply came and were there. Perhaps it had to do with the movies I watched or the books I read, but somehow or another, my characters were traveling from the recesses of my imagination to the pages of my story. Hence, I created my lionhearted Samantha and courageous William who are brave and strong but perhaps not quite as brave and strong as they might've thought. Synopsis It seems as though Sam is split between three different people. She's torn between Sam the Lion Heart—one of King Richard’s Great Knights, Samantha Lionton—a girl of the past who cannot be ignored, and Princess Samantha—the adopted daughter of the King and Queen themselves. William of the Silver Blade, a Great Knight by inheritance, has his own hardships in life. Despite the abruptness of his sudden reign as lord, Will has yet to discover what real misfortune is, and how easily it can flourish. When a tournament brings them together—two knights who might actually match each other in skill and heart—and an old threat rises in the kingdom, Sam and Will are both forced to face their pasts in order to save the kingdom from the return of Akelin. Final Thoughts Heart of a Lion is largely about the concepts of bravery and what it can truly mean in regards to different situations and people. Though perhaps when I began to write this book, this was not exactly what I had in mind as the underlining message of the story, but it has revealed itself to me all throughout this process. Stories have a tendency to reveal itself to the author, or so they say. I think I understand that now. Well, now my precious project is exposed to the world. I really do hope you all enjoy it. It's been a long time in the making. And as I said before, I'll never stop loving it. Leave any comments or questions below and I shall get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks for reading! Emory R. Frie P.S. If you wish to buy my book, Heart of a Lion, just follow the link here http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C20S3UE?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 It is only available in kindle ebook format right now, but I will be working on getting it available for print. Having already composed a list of books I really want to read, I believe now is the time to create a list of excellent reads I absolutely love. So, if you are looking for a great novel to read or a series to dive into, here is the place to look! Now, I absolutely love reading, and there are far more books that I love than I could include here, so here is a list of nine books I adore and highly recommend. The Maze Runner series by James Dashner These are the kind of books that are super hard to put down. There's so much going on and so much suspense that you just have to keep reading! James Dashner is a professional at cliff hangers, especially at the end of the chapter. His writing is quick and simple, but captivating and ingenious. These books are filled with groping adventure, killer suspense, unique characters, frustrating plot twists, and pretty much everything you could ever hope for in a post-apocalyptic dystopian science fiction. Oh yes, be warned, you will want to scream, you will want to cry, you will want to throw the book across the room. But don't! I will not promise you things will get better, but the books are too good to damage or give up on them. The Inkworld Trilogy by Cornelia Funke Gorgeously written, brilliantly strung together, beautifully created characters, and fantastically whimsical worlds; Cornelia Funke's Inkworld trilogy is a book lover's dream! Inkheart is completely magical as you're introduced to darling Meggie and follow her on her sudden adventure into the magic of bringing books to life, literally. Then, of course, you're sucked into Inkspell in which you only just begin to wind down the zigzag road of plot twists and you get to venture a great and terrible world you only got a taste of in Inkheart. And at last, after all hope is lost in the heart wrenching cliff hanger of Inkspell, you reach the dramatic and unexpected finale of Inkdeath, in which you find that you hate everyone just as much as you love them, and visa versa. Trust me, when you read these books or if you have already read them, you will understand exactly what that all means. But I absolutely adore the bonus of recognizing references and quotes to other well loved books in which Cornelia Funke weaves throughout the story. What else can you expect when the main characters are bookworms? The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry These incredible books are of the few utopian and dystopian books I actually enjoy. I love how much I get to know different aspects of this futuristic world Lois Lowry has so cleverly crafted, getting to know Jonas in The Giver, Kira in Gathering Blue, Matty in Messenger, and Claire in Son. Once you complete all four books, everything makes so much sense and comes together so perfectly. So, if you have read The Giver and find it odd how different Gathering Blue is from the first book, no worries! It all fits into place. The beautiful way in which Lois Lowry has written these books truly makes you look at the world in a new light and puts so much value on the little things in life such as feeling emotions both good and bad, finding truth and individuality a strength rather than weakness, the power in sacrifice, and the true bond between mother and child. And for those of you out there who believe that The Giver is a play off of The Hunger Games or Divergent, remember this: those two book series were inspired by The Giver. Without this book, you would have no mega dystopian franchises. Besides, I personlly think The Giver quartet is the best utopian/dystopian book series out there. Don't judge me! Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson Now is the time for a novel. Tiger Lily is an engrossing retelling of my favorite classic, Peter Pan, told in the perspective of the sassy and curious Tinker Bell. However, even though it is told through this pixie's eyes, it is really about Tiger Lily's side of the story. Oh yes, this is a love story, but a very different love story, and you end up so frustrated and so confused with your emotions that you have no idea what to do with yourself. After all, as much as I love Peter Pan, this book really captures his character in that he is probably not the most romantic of all guys. Of course, Tiger Lily falls for him, as does Tink, but don't get mad at me for spoiling because it's all in the synopsis! But I adore the way Jodi Lynn Anderson spins this tale, creating a Neverland that may just exist, forming characters you can practically see, and taking you on a fantastic ride you never expected. Because even though I'm sure most of us know the basic story of Peter Pan, you will never anticipate how this ends. Be prepared for the tears, grab some tissues, maybe even get out other Peter Pan movies to watch afterwards just for assurance that some versions are happy. Even so, read the book! It's truly incredible. Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls and Heist Society I know I have mentioned before how much I adore Ally Carter's writing, but now I can rant about how much I adore her two series, Gallagher Girls and Heist Society. Now, I have been reading Gallagher Girls longer, so I shall talk about that one first. These books are definitely of the best young adult spy books out there! Yes, the titles are a little odd, but I've come to enjoy Ally Carter's play on words in her titles, even if it does take a while to say I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You. And I will promise this, because I've had to reassure my sisters the same thing: it does get better after the first book! But you have to read the first book in order for things to be explained. You have to get introduced to Cammie's world even if it seems a bit awkward with her trying to date Josh. It gets more action packed and intense as the story moves along. Then there's the thieves series, Heist Society. Don't worry, the titles are much easier to say! In these books, you follow Kat and her ventures with her family of thieves. Filled with humor and incredible plot twists, trust me, you will never know what happens next! And I do think that both of these series go so perfectly together, especially in that Gallagher Girls seems to focus on friendship is the best kind of family, and Heist Society is family is the best kind of friendship. And then of course my squeal of delight upon the crossover book, Double Crossed! The Tiger's Curse Saga by Colleen Houck These magnificent books by Colleen Houck are probably some of my absolute top favorite books! I've loved them ever since I first saw the first at a book store, and even more so when I finally got my hands on this literary beauty. The Tiger's Curse saga is overflowing with gorgeous writing, heart pounding adventure, sweet romance, and fantastical destiny. Kelsey is one of the most relatable characters I have ever read, with sass and confusion and rationality and kindness. Besides, she's from my home state, beautiful Oregon, so I can definitely testify the legitimate locations throughout the story featured in Oregon. Besides Oregon, Tiger's Curse takes you to enchanting India, which I find a nice change from other books taking you to Europe and such. Along with Kelsey, you also get to know some other amazing, deep, personal characters to make your heart sing: the Indian princes, Ren and Kishan; the lovable Mister Kadam; the Indian goddess, Durga; and many more amazing and terrible people you will constantly love and hate. I can hardly imagine how Colleen Houck will continue with the series, seeing as how perfect she ended the last book. Gail Carson Levine Now for an author. You may recognize Gail Carson Levine's award winning book, Ella Enchanted, which is definitely one of her most popular novels that I absolutely adore! However, this magical book is not the extent of Mrs. Levine's incredible works. Yes, I do very much encourage anyone to read Ella Enchanted if they have yet to, but seeing as it is so popular, I wish to shine a light on Gail Carson Levine's other novels. Fairest is a fantastic book based on the classic Snow White story, though not how you may remember it. Aza has little to no good self image, which is one of the key roles in the story, and I believe Levine does a beautiful job in weaving this modern struggle into such an enchanting book. Another amazing novel is Two Princesses of Bamarre, which portrays the sisters, Addie and Meryl, as extremely close but as different as night and day. In this tale, when a terrible disease takes hold of brave Meryl, Addie is forced to overcome her fearful shyness in order to save her sister. In this tale, Levine plays with the theme of overcoming self uncertainty for the good of all. In a way, I believe that is the primary theme in all of Levine's novels: taking one's inner struggles and doubts and conquering them, whether it's through confidence, image, or courage. There are other books by Gail Carson Levine if you would like to check them out, such as The Wish and Ever, which are also amazing novels. Never Never by Brianna R. Shrum Yes, another Peter Pan rewrite. However, like most every Neverland book, Never Never takes a whole new perspective of the classic story we know and love. This amazing novel takes the story from Captain James Hook's point of view and will challenge everything you know about Peter Pan and Neverland! Brianna R Shrum has created a world that fits perfectly into the classic book, so I would definitely recommend reading Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie before reading Never Never. In the beginning of the story, or rather, the first half of the book, it features James as a boy before Neverland, his time as a Lost Boy, and through the last stages of his childhood. It is there that all throughout, he is always referred to as James. It is written more towards middle grade in this first half, much like the way Barrie writes Peter Pan, but as James grows up, so does the writing style. It does breach upper YA in the last half, however, and I would skim over a few uncomfortable scenes, but it does show the difference in how James changes to Hook, to which he is solely called in this last half. Truly, this is a beautifully written, carefully thought out book that I would gladly and tearfully read again. And... I just have to say that the last page is probably my favorite part, it's so perfect and emotional and perfect and... that's all I shall say at this point. Out Of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper This mind boggling novel is quite possibly one of the most eye opening books I've ever read. Out Of My Mind is about Melody, a brilliantly smart girl with a photographic memory, incredible spirit, and lovable nature. However, the catch is this: Melody has cerebral palsy. She cannot speak, she cannot write, she can hardly control her movements but for her thumbs, and no one knows of the various facts and feelings going on in her head. Because of her inability to express herself verbally, to the world, she is incapable of understanding anything. But she can understand, very much so. In Out Of My Mind, the world is revealed through Melody's eyes. You don't fall in love with her dialogue exactly, for she has none, but you fall in love with her soul. This book gets every possible emotion in you raging! Joy, sadness, frustration, laughter, love, hate, and so on and so forth. There is not one moment in this beautifully written novel in which I wanted to put the book down. Melody will capture your heart in more ways than you can ever imagine, and enlighten you to a world you never thought you needed to understand. This book is one for all ages, so no matter who you are, read this. You will not be disappointed. So there you have it! A brief list of books I love and highly recommend. I hope this has inspired some reader out there to pick up a few of these magnificent books to enjoy.
So, tell me, have any of these peaked your interest? Have you read any of these paper and ink beauties? What other books do you think I should do reviews on? Leave any comments or questions below and I will get back to you as soon as I am able! I can't wait to see what you have to say. Thanks for reading! Emory R. Frie Perspective is always a major portion of the creative writing process. The scope, or Point of View, of a story can make or break the novel, it can set up the entire story, it can eliminate and add to the way a tale is written. So, which to choose? First person? Third Person? Second Person? No, I'm just kidding! Unless you're up for a challenge (a near impossible challenge), or a letter, then I'd stray away from that Second Person. So, I guess the question is, First or Third Person? Well, I'm going to run through some scenarios of each in order to help you figure out which eye(s) your story should look through. Bear in mind, I have tampered in all! First Person: Single Character First Person, in case you need to be reminded, is the persona of the renowned pronoun I. This enables you to pick a single character in which to base your entire story around. Whichever character you choose (this being typically the main character) is the eyes to which the reader will see your story! Now, this is a type of writing style that many great writers have used, and it is a style many readers enjoy diving into because it lets them see the story as if they were the character. Catching my drift? It's easier to write in this way because of a few reasons: 1. You get to experience the events, relationships, emotions, thoughts, etc. of your character as if YOU were the character! Isn't that great? You get to be someone else for a while! 2. You can dive deeper into the very depths of your main character. This establishes that personal connection between a writer, a character, and a reader. You can dapple into the character's past and into his/her hopes for the future. You can reveal his/her greatest fears and greatest joys and why! You can literally open the heart, mind, and soul of your character to the pages of your story! 3. It makes things less confusing. Sometimes being shackled to a single perspective helps untangle some confusion. It helps that you have a single character to stay anchored to so that you're not distracted by some other mess going on in the background. It can also enable that mystery side of things, keeping your readers in the dark about future plot twists. If your character has yet to figure things out, why shouldn't your readers? Now, as fun as First Person: Single Character is, there are some drawbacks as well. Again, since you are shackled to one character, that means you have boundaries. You must STAY rooted to that character, you can't reveal things that your character doesn't know unless you want your character to find out. You have to be creative with your sentence structure, not using too many Is or Mes. And sometimes you have to be extremely careful with explaining things without it seeming like a information guide; keeping in character without seeming like a textbook. And descriptions, unless your character is looking in a mirror, are really difficult. You can't just say "I have eyes as blue as the sea", because who in their right mind (unless you're Gaston from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast) is going to say that about themselves? Unless your character looks in the mirror and has a high self esteem or a vain personality, he/she is not going to know that he/she has eyes as blue as the sea! Here are a few books that have done First Person: Single Character very well: Golden by Cameron Dokey The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter The Tigers' Curse series by Colleen Houck Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper Tiger Lily by Cassandra Morris First Person: Multiple Characters Like the previous perspective, this one is First Person, so it does involve a lot of Is. However, this persona is different, because this involves more than one perspective. You can switch your view between two or three or even five characters within one story. Personally, I've used only two characters thus far, and that's probably the most popular number to use. However, it is possible to do more than that. Readers like these stories because it gives them a broader sense of the story, more than just one pair of eyes to see it through. Sometimes we like having some new perspectives on a tale, getting a taste of each. Here are a few reasons why this method of writing is beneficial: 1. It enables you to get down and personal with more than just one character! It's like with the previous perspective, but with more characters to mess with. When one character is, say, not doing much, it's easy to switch to the other character. Or you could leave the readers hanging by switching the Point of View in an intense part! 2. This broadens the story. With multiple characters, you can see more of what's going on behind the scenes. You can get a look at other characters from a different perspective, and you can say what characters look like in someone else's eyes. 3. It still keeps things less confusing. Like with First Person: Single Character, your reader is going to still understand what's going on in the perspective of the characters. Rather than being shackled to one character, you're shackled to a few more. You've still got your basis going on. This perspective does have drawbacks as well. A lot of the disadvantages are the same as First Person: Single Character. You still have to watch the sentence structure and repetitive Is and Mes, you're still attached to whichever characters you pick, and you've got to still watch those explanations (though they should come easier with multiple eyes). In addition, you have to be careful that you're not jumping heads too much. Pace your Point Of Views carefully, and don't use them as an excuse to leave things out. Here are a few books that have done First Person: Multiple Characters beautifully: The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors Ever by Gail Carson Levine The Kane Chronicles series by Rick Riordan Third Person: Single Character Recently, I've noticed this to be a very popular choice among Young Adult novels, as well as others. Third Person: Single Character is pretty much the same as with First Person: Single Character except you get to use the character's name instead of I. It's a way to feel connected to your character but be reminded that he/she isn't you, but someone else. A lot of readers like this form of writing because of this, too... plus it helps keep the character's name in mind. Here are a few reasons why this is a great way to write: 1. As stated previously, it does help remind the readers what the character's name is right off the bat. It keeps the character memorable. You still have that connection and insight, but also have the detachable emotion to it. Which leads me to my next point... 2. Because you have that connection and yet not, it's easier to describe emotions and feelings for the character to experience. Instead of saying "I felt pain explode at the back of my skull, spots growing before my eyes. Somewhere, I heard a roar, and then I felt nothing", say "Pain erupted in the back of his head, and Saphira roared. Then Eragon toppled to the ground, unconscious" (This quote is from Christopher Paolini's book, Eragon, page 263). See, it can help cut some of the unnecessary details if you use Third Person: Single Character. 3. If you happen to cross a plot twist or ending in which, say, you kill off your main character-- something that many of your readers will probably hate you for, but hey, it happens!-- with Third Person, it makes it easy to kill your character without having to try and explain the prospects of death! And, it helps with the aftereffects. You can go ahead and move on to the next scene after your leading fellow/lady has died. Maybe explain what happens to your secondary characters? Maybe show the funeral? Whatever it is, if your going to end with a main character's death, try Third Person. That way, you don't have to say "And I then died." Now, a lot of the disadvantages to this method are the same as First Person: Single Character, but I'll just list a few. When writing this way, it is easy to jump heads, or switch to Third Person: Multiple Characters. Remember, you're still in one head, but you're using a name instead of I. If you do end up killing your main character in the end and you want to say what happens afterwards to everyone else, make the transition smooth. Maybe add the aftereffects in an epilogue. And don't use the easy excuse to not explain things because you're using third person. Description, good description, is still apart of writing. You can't get away from it. Here are a few books that have done Third Person: Single Character excellently: Eragon by Christopher Paolini The Maze Runner series by James Dashner Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M. M. Blume The Giver by Lois Lowry The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling Third Person: Multiple Characters Now, in this perspective, there are a lot of ways to go about it. Most older tales, fairy tales, or stories with a whole cast of characters use this method of storytelling, because it enables you to be in more than one head, more than one place, and even more than one time. Sometimes, writers will select certain characters to dive into in a book, others will go into more of a storytelling rout. Dive into a few heads or even just record the story as if the reader were observing it from the side. This is a great perspective, but it can also be a damaging perspective. Here are a few reasons why Third Person: Multiple Characters is a great fit: 1. It gives you more freedom. You can hop into one character for a few pages, then move on the the next. You can zoom in on one spot where the fields are being planted with the new year's crops, then flash over to the battle waging on the other side of the country. It's a very free-range way to write, but with so much freedom, you might have to develop your own pattern. 2. The reader and writer know more about the story than the characters themselves. This is good for drama. You want your readers to get a little antsy at times, maybe scream to your characters "IT'S A TRAP!!!" That's good, you've got them engaged. Just make sure your readers don't know more about your book than you do. 3. With head hopping, you can explore more of your character's minds. Don't you want to dabble into the villain's head? What about the child who saw their favorite superhero walk by? Or the dog who's been hunting rabbits all day and finally gets to nap by the warm hearth of the fire? It's kind of fun to head hop, just don't get too crazy! With so much freedom, it's very possible to make a sloppy novel, though. For example, as fun as head hopping is, you can't go crazy with it because then you're leaving your readers confused. "Whose perspective am I in now?" Not good. Also, if you decide to do Third Person: Multiple Characters, develop your own pattern. In Rick Riordan's book series, The Heroes of Olympus, he had a few characters selected per book to go into and then switched between them every few chapters. C. S. Lewis went the more storytelling rout in The Chronicles of Narnia where he recorded it as if he were there observing it all, but also dabbled into some of the character's minds and emotions. Find your pattern and roll with it. Here are some books that have done Third Person: Multiple Characters exquisitely: The InkWorld series by Cornelia Funke The Kingdom Keepers series by Ridley Pearson The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis The Beast Within by Serena Valentino The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien These are only a few ways to write, so don't limit yourself to a box. Take a basic basis to go on and experiment with it. Try different things out. Maybe write one story in First Person: Single Character and another story in Third Person: Multiple Characters. Personally, I've experienced with most of these. My soon-to-be debut novel, Heart of a Lion, is written in First Person: Multiple, my first series is in Third Person: Multiple, a new series I'm messing with is in First Person: Single, and I've got several ideas that could end up Third Person: Single! So don't feel like you have to commit to one style of writing for every book you write! Get a feel for what you like and roll with it.
I hope this helps you decide which perspective to use in your stories! Which perspective do you most like to use? Is there a writing style you've come to adapt that isn't one of the ones I've mentioned? Any specific books you've come to enjoy that incorporates these styles? Leave a comment below! I'd love to hear what you have to say! Thanks for reading! Emory R. Frie Below is a very special piece I wrote for a friend of mine, Bryce Koetitz, for an amazing video he's created. The video is called "Extraordinary" - Fine Arts 2015 by Bryce Koetitz. The narrator is another friend of mine, Asher Koetitz. These two have definitely made this video extraordinary. I had a lot of fun writing this and I hope I have the chance to do this again! Hope you all enjoy my poetic prose, "Extraordinary". "Extraordinary" by Emory R. Frie Extraordinary. The very word sends a shiver down your spine, huh? Like a lightning crack and a thunder roll, or an eagle’s cry and a lion’s roar. Extraordinary. Isn’t that what we all want to be? More than what we are, more than what’s expected. To be someone special, to do something indescribable. Be incredible, outstanding, incomparable, unfathomable… extraordinary. What is extraordinary? A mountain is extraordinary, yet what does it do but stand against the sky, rise from the earth? It doesn’t have to do anything spectacular to be extraordinary, it simply is. The sun, a floating ball of fire suspended in space, is extraordinary for being merely what it is. The rush of a stream, the roar of a waterfall, both deemed extraordinary. Even creatures are among the extraordinary, birds and beasts, predator and prey. Why? Why are these objects and creatures and forces of nature so extraordinary? Because God made them so. What if I told you that you are capable of extraordinary? Because if God made extraordinary things, and all things He made are extraordinary, shouldn’t that mean we are extraordinary? After all, we are all made by God, loved by Him, created in His image; in fact we are called His children. Extraordinary? Incredible? Outstanding? Absolutely. Don’t you see? We’re all capable of being extraordinary. And extraordinary is not all that we expect it to be. For the longest time, for the most extraordinary event in the world, a time prophesized for centuries, a day awaited near forever, something valued above all treasure, a promise God had constantly assured, when the God of heaven and earth would come down as the Savior. It was something unimaginable, yet imagined none the less. There was to be trumpets sounding, symbols crashing, victorious rejoicing, people cheering, “The Savior is here!” They expected spectacular, they expected a warrior, they expected extraordinary… but what they got was a different kind of extraordinary. And when the King came down, it wasn’t a warrior striding white steed, but a child who grew to ride a donkey. No battle cry, but baby’s cry; no sword and shield, but cross and nails; no ring of gold upon His head, but crown of thorns from which He bled; not a slaughterer of sinners, but a conqueror of sin. Extraordinary. It’s not something that need be attained by greatness and rule, no, that’s already done. Extraordinary is in the unexpected, in the small things and the large, in the smile of a stranger, in the hug of a friend. It’s in the laugh of a child with nothing but love, in the dance in the rain for no reason but one. Extraordinary. So get up. Go! Be who you want to be, do what you were made to do. Rise from the ashes, put a smile on your face. Face the world with strength and grace. We’re ready, ready to be more than we are and go out to be what we can be! We are already extraordinary thanks to the power of grace, but it’s through the power of grace and the power of the cross and the miracle of redemption that we can be so much more. Let the world know that they’re special, they are incredible, they are extraordinary. Do marvelous works for the Lord who made you extraordinary. Be extraordinary. Not only be extraordinary, but be your own kind of extraordinary. It is so much better to be a one of a kind original than a poor quality copy. We are capable of extraordinary. Hope you all like the video and my poetic prose! I will also be adding "Extraordinary" to my "Written Works" for easy access. Thanks for reading! Emory R. Frie How many of you have been to Disneyland? Disney World? Well, if you haven't, don't worry, this is just an example. For those of you who have, you'll probably know that both parks have this sneaky way of hiding little Mickey Mouse head silhouettes all around the place, some being more obvious than others. These, as you may know, are called Hidden Mickeys, a fun kind of scavenger hunt people can play when roaming the parks. There are even Hidden Mickeys in some of the movies! Anyway, my point is that we, as writers, can use this same kind of method in our writing. Some people call it the art of foreshadowing, or hinting, or even "cool insight". I like to call it the Hidden Mickey Method. Tip #1: Master the Hiding Now, I realize this may seem obvious, but trust me, this is always good to remember. Hiding things is an art, especially in writing. We can't give too much away, but we can't make it impossible. The whole point of foreshadowing is to make it surprising when the actual event occurs, yet obvious when looking back at the foreshadow. Think of it this way: Bob is reading your book, he comes across a special little piece you've carefully constructed to hint what's coming up. The suspicion comes to play, the anxiety takes hold. Later, when Bob finally comes to the actual event that had been foreshadowed before, you want Bob to be shocked. You want him to think "Man, didn't see that one coming". But then, when Bob decides to look through the book again, he comes across that little piece of foreshadowing again. This time, you definitely want him to look at that piece and think "What?!?!?! It was here the whole time!" This is the reaction that means you've mastered the art of hiding. If you get that, you have every right to pat yourself on the back. Tip #2: Suspicion is Good No question, suspicion is very good. But, like with anything, one must be cautious. When placing Hidden Mickeys, you need to be careful which ones you want people to ignore for the time being and which you want to be reveled over. Suspicion is good, it keeps people interested, but don't give anything away. Sometimes, less is more. But don't dispatch so easily hints that could give things away! People don't typically analyze whilst reading for the first time, but they do analyze after. Let things be confusing without the end. Let things only make sense when the time comes to reveal them. Give readers reasons to suspect something's amiss, but not enough to tell them what exactly that is. Also, sometimes you can give readers little insights to make them proud of themselves. Maybe you allow them to find a Hidden Mickey before you reveal what it means. That's fine! But give them something to be shocked about later. Readers are fun to mess with. Tip #3: Buried Treasures Another aspect I've found interesting (and humorous) about Disney is their way of putting in little hints or hidden characters, such as Mrs. Pots in "Tarzan" and Scar in "Hercules". Those are always fun to find. J. K. Rowling does a similar trick in her Harry Potter series, in which she places certain hints inside the story through the meanings behind certain words, names, spells, even characters' lines. See where I'm getting at? What I find fun as a writer is putting in different treasures in my stories, like naming a knight's steed after my grandparents' horse. These little Mickeys are unnecessary to the story as a whole, but are loads of fun to put in or discover, especially when constructing a fairytale rewrite. One reason I believe the Harry Potter franchise is so big is because J. K. Rowling was the master of putting in tons of these little treasures in her books. Now, sometimes these treasures go unnoticed by readers, which is why you could later say the meaning behind them more bluntly (not in the book, but in a blog post or interview or something). I can't wait to reveal some of my buried treasures. Tip #4: Spoilers Yep. Spoilers. People underestimate the value of spoilers. They stink really bad if you've never read the book or seen the movie that is being spoiled. I don't like spoilers, to say the least. However, that is essentially what foreshadowing is. Spoilers. Or, baby spoilers. It's like giving the reader a taste of what's coming, a mere glimpse of the upcoming future. Spoilers are good in moderation. Give the readers a bite so sweet they're craving for more. But don't give them all of it! Save the spoilers, horde the spoilers, act like the spoilers are gold and you the dragon. But let the little burglars have a small coin every once in a while, just to keep them coming. Don't give them the whole treasure until the end. But until the then, feel free torch the little hobbits if ever they try to steal more than you wish. Tip #5: Element of Surprise I touched on this subject a bit, but this one is worth repeating. As fun as it is to give hints and place Hidden Mickeys all around the story as if you were the Easter Bunny, you must always always always always keep the element of surprise. Embed this in your mind: Surprise. Your. Readers. Keep them on their toes. In fact, keep yourself on your toes. What's the point of all of this if there's no surprise in the end? Yes, there may be suspicions. Yes, there may be those who can read between the lines like a hound dog. Yes, there may be some aspects that are a given. But do not, absolutely do NOT give up the end or the journey altogether! Hidden Mickeys are fun, but not if they will completely spoil everything with absolute and utter obviousness. Value surprise above the Hidden Mickeys, but don't value it so much that there isn't even a hint of a whispered riddle. Well, that's all for now! I hope this helps with understanding the art of foreshadowing.
What's your method to foreshadowing? Any other Disney nerds or Harry Potter fans out there? Suggestions for future writing tips? If you have any questions about the Hidden Mickey Method, feel free to comment below and I'll answer as soon as I can. Thanks for reading! Emory R. Frie Books are the best, especially new books with new stories just waiting to be discovered and new characters just waiting to be introduced. Here's a list of some of the books I can hardly wait to get my hands on, some I must wait for and others I simply need to get the money for. Hope you enjoy! Embassy Row #1: All Fall Down by Ally Carter I have been a huge fan of Ally Carter's since I fell in love with her writing in her spies series, The Gallagher Girls. Ever since I heard the news of her new series, Embassy Row, I was hooked! Only just now have I discovered that the book's been released! In the novel, the main character, Grace Blakely, witnessed her mother's murder, but no one believes her (or at least never acknowledges it). Even her friends at Embassy Row won't help her. Grace is determined to avenge her mother's killer, and must endure the complicated life of granddaughter to the American ambassador of Adria (a fictional European country) as well as pursue her goals. The book looks like an exciting, adventurous, and hang-on-every-word start to the series. I can't wait to envelope myself into another one of Ally Carter's beautiful works! My Name Is Rapunzel by K. C. Hilton I know that one shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but look at that cover! It's so exquisite I just had to point it out first. When this photo and the little teaser synopsis was released, this book has been engraved in my mind! K.C. Hilton has written a rewrite of the classic fairytale, "Rapunzel", as an enchanting, 3-dimensional tale incorporating memorable characters and epic twists. Just reading the back of the book gives me the chills: "My tale has been told again and again, and I’ve heard each one. Except for my hair, I barely recognize the pitiful renditions. Muddled versions, crafted to entertain laughing children…but the children wouldn’t have laughed if they’d known the real story. It wasn't their fault. They didn't know the truth. Nobody did. My name is Rapunzel. I will tell you my story. I will tell you the truth." Isn't it beautiful? I'll be ordering this novel on Amazon as soon as I can. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak This is a novel I've been meaning to get for a long while now. The movie made me cry, and since then, I can't wait to sob over the pages of this beauty. The quotes I've read from this book are pure masterpieces, so I definitely know that Markus Zusak's writing is splendid. Nazi Germany during World War 2 through the eyes of young Liesel Meminger, this novel captivates the aspects of love and friendship and the power of books. The story line is gorgeous, the wording is spectacular, and the characters are endearing. I'm more than certain that Liesel is going to capture my heart. This is sure to be one of my favorites, added to the classics. Melanie Dickerson I absolutely love Melanie Dickerson's writing style and the way in which she retells fairy tales. Though I do like my fare share of magic, Melanie Dickerson tells her stories in such a way that they don't need the pixie dust and bippity-boppity-boo. I read one of her books, The Fairest Beauty, which I wholeheartedly adore! Seeing as she's written so many books, I'll include a few of them. The Captive Maiden is a wonderful spin on the story "Cinderella", focusing on the beautiful inside-and-out serving girl, Gisela, as she ventures to visit a life outside the walls of servitude her stepmother has barricaded her in. The Healer's Apprentice is loosely based on "Sleeping Beauty", incorporating the blood-shy healer's apprentice, Rose, and the injured future duke, Whilhem, this is sure to be an enthralling tale of love and danger. Finally, the last novel I will include is the first book in the Medieval Fairy Tale series, The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest. This thrilling mixture of "Robin Hood" and "Swan Lake" is about the gold-hearted outlaw, Odette, and the mangrave's forester, Jorgen, embarking on a page-turning adventure to stop the dangerous poaching ring... and falling in love, perhaps? I'm very tempted to go over to the closest bookstore to purchase Melanie Dickerson's whole collection of works! Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen by Serena Valentino I am a sucker for fairy tale rewrites, in case you haven't figured out by now. And I am a huge fan of Disney, so when I saw this cover, my heart skipped out of my chest! I had the opportunity to read a sample of the novel, and I am now dying to read the rest! A rewrite of the classic story, "Snow White", this book tells the tale from the Wicked Queen's side, which is incredible in itself! I have read another of Serena Valentino's Disney books, The Beast Within, which was so beautifully written from the Beast's side of the story in "Beauty and the Beast." Serena Valentino is also currently working on another Disney novel based on "The Little Mermaid" from Ursula's side of the story. I can't wait to read the both of them, plus any other fairy tale stories she has in store. Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan Now, I know I've mentioned Rick Riordan's new upcoming series before, but I just have to add it to this list! Magnus Chase is, presumably, Annabeth Chase's cousin. Anyway, in this series, Riordan has modernized the Norse myths in an epic series with the new young teen hero, Magnus Chase. And, of course, he's the son of a Norse god. The first book, The Sword of Summer, is set to release October 6th this year! I'm super excited about this new series, and I know that Rick Riordan isn't going to disappoint. Esther Friesner Another spinner of myths and legends, Esther Friesner is an author who includes both history and fantasy into her tales. I was very intrigued by her Princesses of Myth books, and I've been meaning to pick them up. These books include these renowned women: the beautiful Helen of Sparta in Nobody's Princess, the clever Nefertiti of Ancient Egypt in Sphinx's Princess, the confident Himiko of ancient Wa in Spirit's Princess, and the headstrong Maeve of Connacht in Deception's Princess. I honestly cannot wait to get my hands on these! Just the whole idea of getting into these strong, magnificent women's minds... Now the problem is which one to read first... The Mermaid's Sister by Carrie Anne Noble This book looks so good, I can't wait to get a hold of it! The way the summery is written makes it stand out from the other teen fiction, focusing on the fairytale side of fantasy rather than the modern movie side of fantasy. I love how straight from the get go the synopsis says how the book is about sisterly love. Not that there's no romance in the novel (because I'm thinking there is), but that I greatly appreciate a novel that doesn't instantly announce that two characters are going to fall in love (because it's very hard to exclude it!). The Mermaid's Sister is about the journey a young girl makes in order to save her sister from a fate she'd never have imagined! Clara soon discovers that perhaps the stories their Auntie told them were not as fictional as they'd thought. I've yet to read one of Carrie Anne Noble's books, but I'm certain that I'm going to fall in love with her writing right away! The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg I don't know what it is about this book that catches my eye... perhaps it's how artsy the cover is? The title is so unique? One of the characters has the same name (though differently spelled) as me? Well, whatever it is, The Paper Magician has caught a hold of my ink and paper heart and has made a home in a nice room of my mind. I love the new aspect Charlie N. Holmberg brings into the land of literary magic, and his character, Ceony, seems destined to take her place among the greats (great characters, that is). And in case you were wondering, the paper magician's name is Emery! I don't know why I find it so cool finding people/characters with basically the same name as me... even if this Emery is a man... Anyway, I'm ecstatic about this enchanting book! Enchanted by Alethea Kontis Yes, another fairytale rewrite. But this is "Princess and the Frog!" I love reading the stories based off of the not-so-popular tales. It's good to be unique (though of course I always enjoy the well-known legends as well). This is a story of Sunday, the youngest of seven girls... plus she's a story teller! This is a tale of frogs and princes, secrets and mysteries, and of course, love has to be involved. This is the first of the Woodcutter Sisters series, and I'm very excited to dive into Alethea Kontis' books! Grounded: The Untold Story of Peter Pan & Captain Hook by Jorge Enrique Ponce Peter Pan has always been my favorite story. Always! From the books to the movies, I just adore it! Grounded looks like it'll be added to another of my favorite stories of Neverland. Jorge Enrique Ponce has created a tale of the time before the Darlings came to Neverland, before James became the notorious pirate, before Pan was the boy who never grew up. I'm excited to see the back story to the characters I've always loved, or at least the way this author tells it; just follow the second star to the right, and straight on til morning. Queen of Hearts: The Crown by Colleen Oakes Wonderland is hands down my close second favorite world (right behind Neverland). And stories of the villain's side are always fascinating to me. Then, of course, the Queen of Hearts is such an intriguing villain, and I'm very curious to see how Collen Oakes portrays the blood thirsty Queen of Wonderland's back story. How and why did the Queen of Hearts become who we know her as today? That is the question. Dinah must have become this villainous queen somehow, right? As I understand it, this saga incorporates the beloved (and re-imagined) characters such as the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, and White Rabbit, a kind of epic sisterly grudge, and of course some romance involved, all held in the most curious and whimsical world of Wonderland. I can't wait to read some of Colleen Oakes' works... plus, I've heard wind of a Wendy Darling series she's working on??? I'll be looking into that. Entwined by Heather Dixon Okay, firstly, look at that cover! Just look at it! Isn't beautiful? Alright, now that I've said that, I'm really excited about this read because I've been wanting to read it since I saw it at Barnes & Noble's a year or so ago but haven't had the chance to actually purchase it. This is a retelling of "the Twelve Dancing Princesses" by Heather Dixon, and I've heard a lot of good things about it. Told by the eldest of the dancing sisters, Azalea has everything any princess should desire... until it's taken away (*dun, dun, dun*) She's trapped, and apparently the Keeper is too (whoever he is...) With lavishing characters and enchanting scenes, Entwined is sure to bring mystery, excitement, and of course dancing! I can't wait to read it! There you have it! My list of but a portion of the books on my ever-growing reading list!
Has anyone read these novels? Any other book suggestions? If you have any suggestions or feedback of books, feel free to comment below! I'd love to do another one of these lists again (And I could always do with some more books on the shelf). Thanks for reading! Emory R. Frie I am extremely partial to words. I just love them! Different ways to say different things, strange patterns that feel fascinating on the tongue, fancy speech that causes language to sound exquisite. Awe, I adore it! The only problem with my word passion is that it takes a while for my mouth to get used to saying them, much less my brain to recall all the definitions. When I wish to say one word, my mind dwindles, forgetting what the word actually is and means. Thus, I do not use extravagant vocal speech as often as I'd like. I suppose that's why I enjoy writing... Huh, new insights. Anyway, the mastering of various word usage is key to the writer. You see, people are drawn to that kind of thing, the producing of different synonyms throughout a novel (or essay, short story, blog post, etc.). It's simply another tactic to attract readers. Of course, us authors must pick our words carefully. We can't have a long word that no one knows the meaning of (unless that's the intention). And dialogue is tricky with this also, for different characters have different personal dictionaries. We can't have a 5 year old talking in perfect language, or a lawyer taking up heavy slang... again, unless those are the intentions. But avoiding repetitive words would most definitely improve any form of manuscript. We all have our comfort words that we automatically insert into various texts, especially talking. I, for one, tend to say "like" a lot more out loud than when I'm writing. But when writing, I have a tendency to put in "well" or "so", thus I have to keep an eye out for those type of terms. Another thing we tend to do is go for the first word that pops in our head, such as "big" and "small, "good" and "bad", when we could use other synonyms such as "gigantic" and "minuscule", "fantastic" and "cruel". Simple changes like that can really bring a story together, make it flow. Currently, I'm reading "Eragon" by Christopher Paolini (excellent book so far; I'll have to do a review on it), and a few of the reasons why I really enjoy it are: 1: It's an incredible story 2: I am in love with Paolini's descriptions And 3: He rarely ever has the same word repeated on the same page. Of course, the basic "he", "she", "it" and such are there, but Paolini's use of various word choice is spectacular! It draws me in and paints the picture so beautifully! Plus, I'm a sucker for pretty words... Hope this helps with other writers out there! What are some of your favorite words? Is anyone else in love with Christopher Paolini's writing? Having any synonym struggles? Leave your responses and reflections in the comments and I shall respond as soon as possible! Thanks for reading! Emory R. Frie Okay, so I have recently finished watching BBC's TV series, "Merlin" (which you probably already know if you follow me on Pinterest) and I've gotta say that this is one of the best TV shows I have ever watched! If you haven't seen it, you should watch it, because it's amazing-- and it's on Netflix. I only wish that I had started watching it while it still aired... my mom confused "Merlin" for "Game of Thrones" for the longest time, so I hadn't been allowed to watch it... But holy cow! That ending was horrifically, beautifully, depressingly, incredibly emotional, I still get tears in my eyes or a hole in my stomach when I think about it! It's among the top things I obsess over. Ugh! I love that show so much! And let me tell you, there were so many concepts about it that I just have to share! First of all, I've always been a fan of the Arthurian legends as well as fairytale rewrites, so the way BBC took their spin on it was absolutely marvelous! I love how they focused in on Merlin-- who is typically only used as a side character in rewrites-- and gave more depth to the story and each of the characters. The character development is so rich! And I mean all of the characters: Merlin, Arthur, Gwen, Morgana, even Mordred and the Knights of Camelot! I love every single one of them... except for Uther... I never could find a love for him... I also love that the writers and directors included so much more than a "good vs. evil", "love triangle" drama series. Of course, the romance is there at points (Gwen and Arthur are just too adorable!) and the epic evilness reigns (Morgana is so awesome), but the themes vary considerably! Comedy is mostly always present, tensions remains high, adventure is killer, and friendship is what this whole show is all about. All the relationships are beautiful, whether it be romantic like Arthur and Gwen or Merlin and Freya, or friendship like Merlin and Arthur or the Knights of Camelot, or even the damaged ones like all of Morgana's or Uther's (even though I really dislike Uther, I admire the love Arthur has for him). I also love finding little parallels in the show, like with Morgana and Merlin especially, seeing as they're both so similar with similar goals in mind, but the thing that sets them apart is that Morgana is ruled by hate whereas Merlin is ruled by hope Then, of course, the cast is so amazing! Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Katie McGrath, and Angel Coulby have definitely been added to my list of favorite actors. Finally, the costumes are so incredible, I just have to point them out! Just look at the gorgeous attire these guys have! Exquisite. How many "Merlin" fans are out there? What's your favorite part about the show? Anyone else dying for a modern Merlin series? Tears, anybody? Comment and let me know your thoughts and questions, and I'll respond as soon as I'm able! Thanks for reading! Emory R. Frie |
"Stories help us remember what we never want to forget" - Neverland (The Realms Series, Book Two) AuthorEmory R. Frie is the award-winning author of Heart of a Lion and The Realms Series, and has works published by The Journal, Darling Magazine and Ramifications. She is the founder of Life Lights Copywriting for social businesses and nonprofits, has a bachelor's in creative writing at Berry College and currently lives in Boone, NC. |