Who's Who in the Annabelle Universe? Glorianna Foresight

GLORIANNA FORESIGHT

No picture at this time. Hopefully that will change someday.

Name Origin:
"Glorious Grace."

Physical characteristics:
Glorianna was a woman of medium height, long curly red hair and was in excellent shape.

Personality:
Friendly, kind and determined to help others if needed. She always provided a kind word and a shoulder to cry on. Very caring, she provided the softer side when Anthony was cross with his son. She supported her family in any endeavor.

Abilities:
Glorianna had the normal abilities of a full grown woman.

Known History:
Glorianna grew up in London, England. She met her husband Anthony during the great London Fire of 1666. They struggled together to rebuild their lives. They had two children, Roland and Annabelle.

Anthony and Glorianna did something unheard of, they taught their children to read. It was his hope that Roland would one day take over the business but Roland never could get interested in books or staying still inside. Annabelle, however, loved the business and learned a great deal, even reading all the books that came through her father's shop.

Everything changed when a strange woman dressed in black visited the Foresights, and convinced Anthony to sell his business, buy property in the American colonies and move his family to Jorgantown, Massachusetts.

Shortly after their arrival the Foresights met Eliza Pratchet. Anthony stood up for her against some rough men. For some unknown reason, Eliza fled into the woods and when Roland followed, Anthony gave chase. Soon the entire family were trapped in the dark wood, surrounded by wolves. They met Dominic Pratchet, the rightful owner of the land Anthony was sold. Dominic killed Anthony and his wife Glorianna.

Annabelle and Roland would forever remember their parents love and devotion. They strive every night to live their undead lives in honor of their parents.

Bite of Story Thursday

Once again, this Bite of Story Thursday will show something I'm currently working on. Keep in mind, any preview bits like this is due for changes upon future reviews.

This week we're previewing Myths!

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Lyndi let out a surprised scream as something huge and green pushed her into a thick tree trunk.  She fell to the ground, dazed.

“Oh my stars and tree nymphs,” Frunz exclaimed.  “What is that thing?”

A locust the size of a rhino kicked the dazed Lyndi into another tree, knocking her unconscious. 

“That’s my best friend, you over grown cockroach!” Flitty sent several pixie-bolts at the bug, which made it back up.

Eli notched an arrow but before he could let it fly, another giant locust landed in front of him.  Its wings knocked him down, along with Heilgar and Celeste.

A third locust landed behind Frunz and Mark, prompting both to scream and duck for cover.  The large insect let out a blast of sticky goo which covered Flitty and plastered her against a tree trunk.

“Yuck!  Do you know how much this dress cost?”  She tried to pull out from the stuff but it held her tight.  “Little help here.”

“I’ll put you on my ‘things to do’ list,” Eli replied as he let several regular arrows fly.  One punctured a locust’s eye while two others pinned its wings to its body.

Who's Who in the Annabelle Universe? Gertrude

GERTRUDE

No picture at this time. Hopefully that will change someday.

Physical characteristics:
Physically Gertrude is weak due to her advanced age. She has grey eyes and hair and a permanent scowl on her face.

Personality:
Angry, uptight and in need of constant control. She answers only to Dominic Pratchet, the vampire lord. She hates children, Dagda and the North American Coven of Warlocks and just about everyone. She has no patience for less experienced witches or warlocks.

Abilities:
She is an expert witch with an arsenal of spells and the skills to match.


Known History:
Not a lot has been revealed about Gertrude's history. Once she was part of the North American Coven of Warlocks. She became corrupted by Dominic at an early age but the master vampire never actually turned her. Still, she remained in his service as a spy until found out by Dagda and exposed. She took part in many of Dominic's North American schemes and trained Penelope Chesterfield.

OMG! Mermaids are real?

I just watched a documentary on Animal Planet. Yes, you guessed it. It's called Mermaids : The Body Found. They were very convincing in their evidence and almost got me going except some of the experts clearly seemed to be acting and the "actual footage" was clearly false and in one case extremely computer generated.

They did a great job leading up to their results. Nice use of drama. Of course it's all bupkis. I mean there was beached sea life a few years ago and there was an unexpected "Bloop" sound recorded, but everything else was just pure fun.

I did some research and apparently many people thought it was real. I could see how they would because the docufiction was pretty compelling. Guess the government and NOAA (National Oceanic and  Atmospheric Administration) both had to issue statements that mermaids aren't real. Sigh. It's 1939 and the radio broadcast of HG Wells' War of the Worlds all over again.

Regardless, the docufiction sure got me in the mood to tweak my mermaid chapter in Myths. Sure, they may be fake in the real world, but in fiction, anything is possible!

Starry Night Books!

I just began a working relationship with Starry Night Books in Tooele. The owner, Brandon, is reviewing Night Children: Dark Threats. It's a strong possibility that Dark Threats will be sold at their store! We set up a future book signing for September 28th!

More info to follow. Watch this space!

Bite of Story Thursday

Night Children: Dark Birth

Chapter One; Arrival

Annabelle watched Mother give Father a quick hug.  Her parents were nearly as excited as they were, she realized.

She felt a surge of joy. Despite their crammed, stuffy spot below deck, her mother always seemed to make their long trip at sea seem almost like home.  Happiness shone through her long, gentle face like the warm sun.  Her beautiful red hair rested on her slender shoulders.  Some might’ve seen it as unkempt due to the rigors of traveling at sea, but Annabelle thought its beauty still glowed.

“They’re excited again, I see.” 

“Yes,” he chuckled.  “Can you blame them?” 

“No.  I believe there’s excitement enough for everyone.”  She kissed him.  “In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this happy.” 

“I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy.  Back in London, our lives were so constrained.  Out here in the New World, there are so many possibilities.” 

Roland shouted, “Father, Mother, we’ve stopped.  We’re docking.  Let’s go!  Let’s go!  Let’s go!” 

The excited boy led his family up on deck where they watched the sailors toss heavy ropes over to the wooden jetty.  The boatswain shouted for the crew to furl the sails.  Annabelle jumped as the heavy anchor chain splashed into the water.  She couldn’t believe it.  They were finally here. 

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For more check out Dark Birth at your local online store. Links to Dark Birth on the web can be found on the Store Page on this blog or you could just go here, Dark Birth on Amazon.

Who's Who in the Annabelle Universe? Anthony Foresight

ANTHONY FORESIGHT

No picture at this time. Hopefully that will change someday.

Physical characteristics:
Anthony was a man of medium height, dark brown hair and was in excellent shape.

Personality:
Friendly, kind and determined to help others if needed. He always encouraged his children in any endeavor and was willing to take any challenge on.

Abilities:
Anthony had the normal abilities of a full grown man.

Known History:
Anthony grew up in London, England. He was apprenticed as a bookbinder at age fourteen, became a journeyman at age nineteen, and a master at twenty-two. He met his wife Glorianna during the great London Fire of 1666. They struggled together to rebuild their lives. He built up a successful bookbinding business on Threadneedle Street. They had two children, Roland and Annabelle.

Anthony and Glorianna did something unheard of, they taught their children to read. It was his hope that Roland would one day take over the business but Roland never could get interested in books or staying still inside. Annabelle, however, loved the business and learned a great deal, even reading all the books that came through her father's shop.

Everything changed when a strange woman dressed in black visited the Foresights, and convinced Anthony to sell his business, buy property in the American colonies and move his family to Jorgantown, Massachusetts.

Shortly after their arrival the Foresights met Eliza Pratchet. Anthony stood up for her against some rough men. For some unknown reason, Eliza fled into the woods and when Roland followed, Anthony gave chase. Soon the entire family were trapped in the dark wood, surrounded by wolves. They met Dominic Pratchet, the rightful owner of the land Anthony was sold. Dominic killed Anthony and his wife Glorianna. 

Annabelle and Roland would forever remember their parents love and devotion. They strive every night to live their undead lives in honor of their parents.  

Bite of Story Thursday

Night Children: Dark Threats

Chapter Four: 1899

       “Wait.”  Roland rolled his eyes.  “Invisible spies?  Vampires can’t turn invisible.  The most we can do is turn to mist and most can’t even do that.”

“No, his spies will be human,” Aisling replied.

Annabelle’s jaw dropped, as did Roland’s.  “Invisible humans?” she asked.  “Working for Dominic?  How?”

Aisling explained, “Let me start at the beginning.  Two years ago a man from England named Charles Griffin found a way to turn animals invisible.  He experimented on himself and went insane.  Griffin became paranoid, and hurt some people.  A mob of scared and angry townspeople tried to kill him.  Dominic’s bride, Penelope, watched the commotion and used her magic to sneak Griffin to safety.”

“So Dominic already has him?”

“No Roland.  Griffin’s experiment deranged his mind.  He fled Penelope, traveled here to America and went into hiding.  He’s in Florida, counting on the warmer climate to help keep him hidden.”

“Huh?” Roland always looked silly when he was confused.

Annabelle nudged him.  “If he’s invisible, he could go anywhere naked.  It’d be pretty tough walking around in the buff in the middle of a snowstorm.”

“Ah.”  A light came on in Roland’s eyes.

Aisling continued, “He wrote the formula down in two journals.  A man by the name of Thomas Marvel kept them in secret but he wasn’t very bright.  He opened an Inn by the name of The Invisible Man.”

“What an idiot.”  Roland slapped his forehead.

“What happened to him?”  Annabelle already guessed the answer.

“Penelope killed Marvel, took the journals and burned the Inn down.  Dominic’s servants tried to reproduce the formula.  It was written in a mixture of Russian and Greek.  That wasn’t hard to interpret but some pages were washed out.  They failed.”

“So why worry about it now?  It’s a dead end.”  Roland still appeared frustrated.  He shuffled his feet in the snow.  He still didn’t want to help.

“King Corbin received another vision yesterday.  He saw the chaos the invisible army would commit, and then he saw the two of you trying to protect Griffin from Penelope in Florida.”

“Did we succeed?”  Annabelle asked.

“Uncertain.  His visions cloud up after you arrive at his beach house and begin fighting with Penelope.  We need you.  You’ve got to rescue him.” 

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For more check out Dark Threats at your local online store. Links to Dark Threats on the web can be found on the Store Page on this blog or you could just go here, Dark Threats on Amazon.

What I'm reading

Thought I'd drop a quick note that I'm enjoying Watership Down by Richard Adams.
Back in 1980, this was one of the first books I ever read. I loved it and have had fond memories ever since.

I haven't, however, reread it in all this time. Rereading it has been wonderful. My daughter Katelyn had to read it for English last school year and I decided to read it fresh after all these years so we could better talk about it.

I'm enjoying it. I forgot how wordy Adams is in his description. I tend to wander when I read heavy description so I've had to catch myself. I do the same things with Tolkien. Despite this, Adam's characters are strong, believable and once again I love sharing adventures with Hazel, Fiver and Bigwig all over again.

Anyway, got to get back to the bunnies.

Who's Who in the Annabelle Universe? Isi

ISI

No picture at this time. Hopefully that will change someday.

Name origin:
Native American Choctaw unisex name meaning "deer."

Physical characteristics:
Isi has black hair and dark brown eyes. She is thin and short, allowing her to fit in most tight spots. She is very beautiful and extremely exotic.

Personality:
Closed off. She is very guarded, mysterious and only opens up to the vampire who turned her, Fenroth.

Abilities:
Isi has the basic vampiric abilities; strength, speed, stamina, sharp nails that are used like claws, enhanced senses and the ability to heal from most small injuries. Like all vampires, she can't handle sunlight, wooden stakes to the heart or beheading. Each of these turn her to ash. Like all evil vampires, religious artifacts harm her as well. She has not learned how to transform or fly. She can

mimic voices perfectly.  She is an excellent fighter, trained by Fenroth to hunt, fight and kill any opponent. She prefers to ambush them, striking before they know what's hit them.

Known History:
Not a lot has been revealed about Isi. Fenroth found her in North America the late 1600s. A Choctaw , Fenroth found her at age sixteen, influenced her and turned her. She is constantly at his side, eager to kill for him.

Movie Review: The Amazing Spider-Man

Last Saturday I finally saw The Amazing Spider-Man

Now I must tell you, originally I wanted this movie to do badly. I judged this book by its "cover". I didn’t want the reboot. Sure, I wasn’t very fond of Spider-Man 3, and I was aware of the fact that Sony cancelled the lame idea for Spider-Man 4 (thank goodness!) and had to release a Spider-Man film before the rights reverted back to Marvel, where they would rock at it like they've done with most everything else. I didn’t think Andrew Garfield looked the part and hoped the film would bomb so Marvel could do better.

I couldn’t have been more wrong. Garfield captured Parker. I never realized what Spider-Man 1 and 2 was lacking until I saw this film. Parker is strong, flawed and improving. Now whining and self depressed all the time. Sure, Peter has crappy luck and does get down, but Garfield captured the character's essence in a more believable way.

Martin Sheen and Sally Field are excellent as Peter's aunt and uncle. I've never been a fan of Fields but I must admit this is one of my three favorite performances from her. Emma Stone is perfect as Gwen Stacy. She makes me really like her character, with makes the unavoidable events in a sequel that much harder to face (anyone familiar with Gwen in the comics knows what I mean).

I thought the hints towards Norman Osborn, and how it leads to future films, was nice. I just hope Gobby doesn’t have a stupid Power Ranger mask in his reboot.

I loved Rhys Ifans was great at Curt Conners/ the Lizard. Lizard has always been my favorite Spidey villain. Maybe it's the whole 'Lizard in a lab coat' thing? Maybe it's because as a child I really wanted that Mego Lizard figure? A lost gem for sure! Maybe it's because he's so different from your usual villain? Or it was like the Creature from the Black Lagoon fought Spidey. OK, he's nothing like the Creature, but a Universal Monster fan can imagine, can't he? All I know is that this movie Lizard was worth the wait and we even got to see the tattered lab coat twice! I also love the mid-credits scene which allows for more at a later date. Can anyone say "Sinister Six"? Yeah, I'm hoping for too much, but I can hope .

So all in all, a great film. Far better than any of the prior Spider-men films. I'm ready for this franchise and the fact that Sony said there is no reason their Spidey can't team up with the Avengers in the future, well that's having the cake and eating it too!

Vacay was OK

Hey there gentle readers!
We returned from sunny California with smiles on our faces and a desire for our own beds. A nice time was had by all. It kinds felt more like a visit than a vacation but I guess that's because it was.

We headed out early Saturday morning the 14th of July. The car was acting up a bit but all turned out OK. We drove out the entire day, stopping for breakfast and lunch as well as a trip to the Donner's Museum in the Sierra Mountains.

We arrived in Friant California (on the outskirts of Fresno) that evening. My family proceeded to spend the next three days with my parents and had a wonderful visit. My dad is getting older and my mother has major sight problems so as a family we rededicated ourselves to move to California some time in the near future.

On Wednesday we traveled to Santa Cruz and spent time with my sister. She showed us a redwood park with amazing trees and we relaxed on the beach during a beach party with live music.

That night Janeen got pretty sick so we left for home the next two days, staying in Reno, Nevada overnight.

All in all a good trip. We had some mishaps and some things occurred that I wish we did differently, but over all it was good seeing family again.

Now for pictures (of which I didn't take a lot).

Bite of Story Thursday

Once again, this Bite of Story Thursday will show something I'm currently working on. Keep in mind, any preview bits like this is due for changes upon future reviews.

This week we're previewing Myths!

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Eli eyed the large mouth that resembled a beak but with pointy fangs as big as a full grown human male.  It snapped open, ready for its next meal. 

Two thick tentacles lashed outward.  Before he realized it, Eli and Celeste were caught.  The creature lifted them upward into the air and Eli’s stomach threatened to give up his breakfast.

The smell of rotten fish forced Eli’s gag reflex.  “What is this thing?”  Luckily the creature had him by the waist.  His arms were free to pull an arrow and aim it further up the monster’s tentacle.

Celeste breathed inward, obviously trying to remain calm.  She closed her eyes and replied, “It’s a Kraken.  They’re native to the Atlantiatic Ocean.  We must be in their hunting grounds.”

“Well this one picked the wrong prey,” Lyndi growled before she ripped the tentacle holding her in two. 

The beast screamed in pain, its various legs lashed out.  The ones holding Eli and Celeste tightened, causing them both to moan.

Eli complained, “Did you have to hurt it while the thing was holding us?”

Bite of Story Thursday

Night Children: Dark Birth

Chapter Seven: A New Beginning

Annabelle began to stir.  Her memories were spotty, but she remembered a horrible nightmare. 

Her body no longer hurt.  The terrible agonizing pain had vanished, and her left arm felt whole again.  She felt hungry, but she counted her blessings that she was alive.  The world could be quieter, however.  It sounded noisier than London at noontime.

Her heart sank when she opened her eyes.  Annabelle wished it was all a nightmare.  If only she could wake and find Mother smiling down on her.

Instead, she saw the cabin and her dress drenched in blood.  The nightmare was real, and there would be no waking from it.

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For more check out Dark Birth at your local online store. Links to Dark Birth on the web can be found on the Store Page on this blog or you could just go here, Dark Birth on Amazon.

Who's Who in the Annabelle Universe? Henry Dunston

HENRY DUNSTON

No picture at this time. Hopefully that will change someday.

Physical characteristics:
Henry has brown hair and is in excellent shape due to the constant chores he must do on his father's farm. Like his younger siblings, Thomas and Polly, Henry wears worn hand me downs because his family has just enough to survive the harsh living conditions of Colonial America.

Personality:
Pessimistic, kind off mature for his age because his father is always gone from the house to other colonies for his trading business. Henry has had to take charge. He doesn’t approve of his friend Roland Foresight's recklessness. Very cautious of the vampires living near the town. Doesn’t trust them completely.

Abilities:
Henry has the normal abilities of a child and later, a full grown man.

Known History:
Henry grew up in Jorgantown, Massachusetts. He has two younger siblings, Thomas and Polly. As a child, he spent most his time with his chores. In his era (the late 1600's to early 1700's) children did not attend school. Instead they were apprentices to their parents. For Henry that meant helping with the livestock and the crops. He would also travel to town for errands.

After two children from London England moved to town things became very stressful for Henry. He became fast friends with Roland and Annabelle Foresight but only knew them for a day before they were lost in the woods. Shortly afterward they reappeared at the Dunston's home and announced they were now vampires.

Henry was no fool. He knew vampires to be dangerous creatures. He could never truly trust them. After Annabelle and Roland introduced him to their adoptive vampire mother, Eliza Pratchet didn’t help his fears when the vampire Fenroth captured him. Even though Annabelle and Roland helped Henry's brother to rescue him from Fenroth, Henry couldn’t help but wonder if knowing Annabelle and Roland made his family targets.

There is much more to say on Henry but it would include spoilers for NIGHT CHILDREN: DARK BIRTH.

Going to California

On Sunday the 15th we're leaving for California. I've been excited for this trip for a long time! My parents live in Fresno and I have a brother in Sacramento and a sister in Santa Cruz. My other brother lives in Fortuna.

I live in Utah so you can imagine how hard it is for me to visit family. We're going to go to Yosemite, the beach and boardwalk, the Monterrey Bay Aquarium, and even do some shopping. I can't wait for this vacation!

We'll be gone for a week so I'll see you all when I get back. I'll post some pics when I get back.

Bite of Story Thursday

Night Children: Dark Threats

Chapter Four: 1899

The new-fallen snow glittered under the bright moon like the unseen stars above.  The Foresight Coven House had a large front yard, showcasing the snow’s white beauty 

The white blanket seemed magical.  It almost felt to Annabelle like the snow wasn’t normal.

She ignored the silly thought and relaxed on the porch swing.  A new book rested on her lap while Charlotte snuggled under her arm. 

“Next year I’ll finally turn nine.”  The child vampire said with glee.  “I’ve been eight for a hundred years and I can’t wait to be older.”  She tried to make her voice deeper when she said ‘older’ but failed.  Ann suppressed a smile.

Memories flooded Annabelle’s head.  She remembered the night she woke after living a hundred years as an eleven-year-old.  Her body hurt and she had to relearn some abilities, but it was glorious to finally age.  Sure, others would still treat her as a child, but she was slowly catching up.

As long as Annabelle could remember, people were amazed at how mature she behaved.  Working with her father in his bookbinding business at a young age helped her mature a little faster. 

People assumed she was ignorant, so she simply worked around that obstacle.  Now, after two hundred years of people looking down on her, she couldn’t imagine anything else.  It simply meant more opportunities to prove them wrong.


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For more check out Dark Threats at your local online store. Links to Dark Threats on the web can be found on the Store Page on this blog or you could just go here, Dark Threats on Amazon.

Book Review: The Serpent's Shadow

Once again Rick Riordan has given us a masterpiece. Excellent pacing, strong characterization and adverse troubles all pack these pages. There is so much I want to go on about, such as Walt’s fate, Zia’s fate, Carter and Sadie’s growth as characters and the use of all the supporting characters and even some settings from the prior two books. All of this was perfect.

Personally I love not only the cameo from Lacy and Drew, two background characters from the Heroes of Olympus series, but the out right admission of a potential major crossover with the Percy stories! I knew it!

Read this, it’s worth it.

Who's Who in the Annabelle Universe? Wildes Blut Teir

WILDES BLUT TEIR

No picture at this time. Hopefully that will change someday.

Other names: Wildes, slobber-puss, Wild Man, Blood Man, Wild Blood Man, Wild Blood Beast.
Wildes Blut Teir means "Wild Blood Beast" in German. When he met Roland Foresight for the first time, Fenroth mis-translated the name as "Wild Blood Man" due to his faulty German.

Physical characteristics:
Dressed in rags, smelly from his lack of hygiene, Wildes is unmistakable.  He has a small iron cage around his head with a small trap door to allow his mouth to stick out and bite his victims.  Most time the door is closed and only opened when his master allows it. There is an iron chain that drags from the back of the cage which allows Fenroth to restrain Wildes. He has crazy long hair that goes every which way.

Personality:
Insane. He is absolutely crazy. This vampire has more in common with a wild animal than a human. He eats, walks and behaves in every way like a savage. While on the hunt he lets out a primal scream/laugh which strikes terror in the souls of his intended victims.

Abilities:

He has the standard vampire abilities. This means he’s faster and stronger than humans, his senses are extremely acute as are his reflexes. However he can not fly or transform. He cannot mesmerize others either. He cannot communicate with animals.

His tracking skills are stronger than most vampires and werewolves. His senses are stronger and more acute, allowing him to sense other vampires, creatures, humans and animals for miles around. He is second to his master, Fenroth. He can jump higher than most vampires and his brute savageness allows him to constantly hone his strength and agility. He is more agile than most vampires, including his master, Fenroth.

Known History:

No one knows how old Wildes is or when he was turned into a vampire. The master tracker vampire known as Fenroth heard reports of a wild man that feasted on blood in the Black Forest of Germany. The locals called him Wildes Blut Teir  for wild blood beast. Fenroth successfully captured Wildes after a vicious battle. Fenroth earned Wildes' respect when he lasted through the battle. Wildes Blut Teir would follow Fenroth anywhere because he knows it means a constant hunt followed by a tasty meal.

Where Wildes  is currently, that is if he's still around, remains to be seen.

Bite of Story Thursday

Unlike other "Bite of Story Thursdays", this one I'm giving a peice of something down the road. Keep in mind, any preview bits like this is due for changes upon future reviews.

This week, we're previewing Multi-Mart!

Multi-Mart
Chapter Three: Way More Than a Zillion Sold

Kyle took a good look at the customers in line.  In all of television, movies and comics, he’d never seen such an odd collection of beings in one place at one time.

In line stood a tall elf with a bow and a quiver full of arrows.  He glanced back, giving the customer behind him a rude stare.  Kyle almost jumped when he saw the huge werewolf but then spotted the two little werewolves jumping up and down, trying to grab the package of bones the monster held.

Behind them two Roman centurions waited impatiently.  A Velociraptor in custom high heels and a matching dress and purse stood behind the centurions.  It ignored the humans and continued to apply bright red lipstick to its horrific mouth.

Kyle shook his head.  The whole place was nuts.  He decided to look deeper into the store.  Maybe he could find someone friendly enough to help him.