Writer's Challenge: The Winner Announced

And the winner is...

(Drum roll, please!)

Lindsi McIntyre

The rope bit deep into Aaron's palm as he dangled high above the ballroom floor. 

Below, the Lords and Ladies of the land went about their daily lives, too busy looking down on everyone around them to notice him dangling from the ceiling rafters.

A herald cried out for attention from where he stood by the door.
"Her Highness, the Crown Princess Gisselle."

The massive doors opened. The princess entered the room.

Show time.

Aaron's grip tightened around the razor sharp blade he held in his right hand as the Princess made her way up the center of the room. His focus shifted to those gathered on the sidelines, alert to any suspicious movement. He had not been a big fan of the plan to use the Princess as bait to catch her would be assassin. His opinion hadn't mattered though. All he could hope for was to stop the killer in time.

Thank you, Lindsi, for your amazing story! The ending was what sealed it for me. I had a perfect idea of the moment for this picture, what needed to happen, but not of what was going to happen! I also loved your line, "Too busy looking down on everyone around them to notice him dangling from the ceiling rafters."  It perfectly shows the arrogance of the nobles.

Readers, if you wish to expand your knowledge with some great posts related to writing, fun facts, and other useful information, I would highly encourage you check out Lindsi's Blog.

I would also like to thank the other people who entered! (If you want to see their entries you can click HERE in the comments)

• Olivia Giordano
• Kaylin F. from Picked By Hand
• MickyMac from mickeymacblog

All your stories were amazing, and I was thrilled to have you participate! I will certainly be doing this again, and I hope you will join in with your riveting stories!!!

Until next time!

 

Writer's Challenge

Welcome mighty Pens of Valor!

I'm so excited to host my first ever Writer's Challenge!

Here is your Quest: In 100-250 words, create a story that captures what might be happening in this picture!

You can submit your story, with your name, in the comment section below and I will announce the winner next week! Whether you are a writer or not, feel free to enter. Just keep everything clean. (no swearing, gore, or sensuality) 

Let your imagination run free!

P.S Feel free to include your blog address (if you have one) alongside your name. If you win, I'll make sure to post your blog address with your entry. 


P.P. S Also!! I am guest posting on an amazing blog called Heather's Ambitions! You should click over there and check it out!

Liebster Award

I was tossing around the idea of starting my own tag when I received a nomination for the Liebster Award! Now, the first thing I did was google what in the world Liebster means. (It's German for Dearest. Now you know.)
Thanks Heather for tagging me! (btw, I lover her blog) I encourage you to check out the blogs of the people I'm tagging, and Heather's as well, down below. They have some really great posts!

Rules for the Award

Acknowledge the blog who nominated you and display the award.

Answer eleven questions that the blogger gives you.

List eleven random facts about yourself

Nominate up to 11 other Bloggers that you think are deserving of this award (with less than 200 followers)  {I am not 100% certain that every blog I nominated has less than 200 followers. Most of them don’t display the number of followers they have.}

Let the bloggers know you nominated them

Give them 11 questions to answer

My 11 Questions

1) What is the story behind your blog: Your mission and name?

Answer: I've always wished that I could find a simple blog where the blogger just writes what is on their hearts and what they are pursuing. This is especially true when it comes to writing. It's easy to hear the 'happily ever after' of a great author, but have important details about the 'once upon a time' skipped. I figured that I wasn't the only one, so I started blogging just One Word At A Time. My mission is to live a full life pleasing to God, write adventure/christian/fantasy books that point to Him, and share my knowledge and life with the world through my blog!

2) Who is your favorite band/musician? 

Answer: I could probably listen to Taylor Davis all day long.

3) What is your favorite quote?

Answer: Oh goodness, that's like asking me what my favorite book is! Um... Here are some. (I literally have a whole book full of quotes that I add to, so picking one is impossible)

4) Iced coffee or Hot coffee? Or no coffee? 

Answer: I try to avoid coffee because caffeine does weird things to my emotions after it wears off. But on Sunday I'll usually have a tiny bit of hot coffee because I wake up early to get to worship practice before church starts.

5)  What is your favorite ethnicity of food? 

Answer: Mexican

6) Ice cream or frozen yogurt?

Answer: Ice cream, hands down!

7) What is your favorite bible verse and what does it mean to you? 

Answer: Unlike most people, I have never really found that one verse that some call their Life Verse. I go through so many different struggles I have an address book so I know where to turn when a particular trial comes up. But for the most part, I really love Hebrews 12: 1-2 "Let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." Because, though all the trials, I have to keep running!

8) Do you like exercise? If yes, what type is your favorite? 

Answer: Yes! I love hiking! There is nothing that compares to the feeling of victory when you reach the top of a mountain and get to look down on the whole world! Cross country running is also really fun. 

9) What is your favorite thing about Blogging?

Answer: Being able to share the things that I've learned with other people and hearing from them.

10) Do you prefer writing on a computer or using pen and paper? 

Answer: I have the worst penmanship that is only made worse when I try to write fast. I prefer writing on the computer because my fingers can hardly keep up with the pace that my brain works at. If I were using a pen I would have the ending scene playing through my mind while my pen was trying to write out the beginning.

11) If you could travel to one place in the world and money wasn't a problem, where would you go? 

Answer: I'm being pretty silly, but Hawaii would be the place for me. (But not the main island.) I would probably rent a small house on a distant island so I could enjoy the beauty without being crowded out by hundreds of people.

Whew! I did it! Now for:

Eleven Random Facts About Me

1. I like riding horses without a saddle. Even if I fall off.
2. I love re-reading random parts of books to capture the same feelings I got when I first read it.
3. I tend to be a bit blunt.
4. I love eating chocolate chips straight from the bag.
5. I've never broken a bone or had stitches and the only cut that required a trip to the hospital I ended up taping together myself to avoid going.
6. I love Christmas so much I start singing Christmas songs in September.
7. My leg shakes when I'm nervous. (seriously) It got so bad once while I was playing guitar with my church that I started shaking my music stand.
8. I don't like getting wet unless I'm swimming in a deep river or at the ocean.
9. I like smelling old books. (And new books) 
10. I hate letting people down.
11. I can quote many lines from Shakespeare's play Hamlet, but can't get through the first two lines of his famous part "to be, or not to be." 

Who I'm Awarding

• Hope Ann from Writing in the Light
• Nate from You Write Fiction
• Zach Philip from Zach's Musings
• Hannah from Hanashlyn
• Aster from The Artful Author

Here Are Your Questions

1. If you had a whole day with nothing to do and nothing that needed to be done in the future, how would you spend it?
2. What is your favorite book and author?
3. Ice cream or cake?
4. What is your favorite mythical creature?
5. What is the one chore that you absolutely hate doing?
6. Which is your favorite season?
7. What is your favorite breakfast food?
8. Why did you decide to become a blogger and what do you hope to accomplish by it?
9. Would you rather fly or be able to breath underwater?
10. What is your favorite genre of music?
11. What is the most recent crazy thing you have done?

!!Exiles Release!!

It's here! It's here, it's here, it's finally here!!!

Jaye L. Knight’s newest novel, Exiles, has been released! Exiles is the fourth book in the Christian fantasy series, Ilyon Chronicles, and I am absolutely ecstatic about it!!!! I only just discovered this series and the books have quickly climbed my Favorite Books list to Narnia level. This is one of the most fantastic Christian Fantasy series I have ever read and I have dubbed it re-readable! If you want to know more you can check out the official tour page where there will be links to tons of different bloggers posting different things from book excerpts to character interviews.

Today, I am going to introduce you to the amazing author herself: Jaye L. Knight

Question #1: What is the most important message you want people to hear through reading your book?

"I think the biggest theme and message in all my Ilyon Chronicles books is that no matter how bad things get, God has a plan and is in control. My characters face so many hardships and tragedies, but it’s all for a purpose in the end, even if they can’t see it at the time."

Question #2: What are some of your favorite hobbies? (Besides writing)

I’m really big into historical reenactment. I reenact either the French and Indian War or the Revolutionary War, depending on what I’m in the mood to wear. I have a group I’ve camped with for several years now, and they are like family. It’s something I always look forward to every year. Besides that, I just really enjoy outdoor activities.

Question #3: Why did you choose to write Christian Fantasy?

I got hooked on Christian fantasy when I first discovered The Lord of the Rings. Before that, I had been writing the usual stories about girls and their horses (yeah, I was a horse crazy teen). While I’ve done some historical fiction, I love the freedom of fantasy and being able to create my own worlds and civilizations.

Question #4: What would you say was the hardest part of writing the Ilyon Chronicles?

I’d say the hardest part is just that it’s such a long series. It’s the longest I’ve ever written. I’ve been working on it for a full six years now, and am still working on the last book. While I did get one other book written in the meantime, six years is a long time to devote to only one story. It’s a big commitment. I’m glad I didn’t know when I started what it was going to take to finish.

Question #5: Do you do all the editing, cover designs, formatting, and advertising yourself? Or do you have other people who come along side you and help?

I do my own cover design, formatting, and advertising myself. For editing, I have fantastic help from my group of beta readers. They’ve been invaluable to me. In the past, I have hired a proofreader, but since money has been tight, this time my mom skipped being a beta reader for me and was my proofreader instead.

Question #6: Is Jaye L. Knight your real name, or a pen name?

It’s a pen name. My real name is Molly. I originally chose to use pen names to keep some anonymity, but now it’s more about branding. I consider Jaye L. Knight to be my business name and have worked hard to build a platform and brand for it.

Jaye L Knight has truly inspired me to be a better writer and to pursue my goal wholeheartedly!

About the Book
Exiled after their defeat in Samara, the Resistance struggles to find allies in their quest to restore King Balen to his throne and put an end to the emperor’s tyranny. When the crete people refuse to lend their aid, Balen leads a group to Dorland to reason with them and win their support. However, enemies prove to be everywhere, and they find themselves in a fight to keep Dorland from becoming Daican’s latest conquest.

Back in Landale, the arrival of a new enemy forces Trask and Anne to tread more carefully than ever. Tensions are rising, and the enemy is determined to test Anne’s loyalty and root out the location of Trask and the Resistance once and for all.

Feeling trapped within the walls of Valcré, Prince Daniel must contend with an ever-eroding relationship with his father. As their clashes escalate, the situation becomes potentially life threatening when his loyalty is called into question. His sister seems bent on branding him a traitor and actively seeking to condemn him to the fate of those put to death in their father’s new arena. Daniel is certain his father would never execute his only son and heir, but with other forces at work, it might not be that simple.

One small misstep could prove fatal for all.

Review

The only thing that made me put this book down was the fact that my eyes were burning from reading so fast and for so long! This is an absolutely fantastic book that I can't wait to add to my library. I'm usually a skeptic of long series because a person can only come up with so many ideas right? But not in this case. Somehow, Jaye made an edge-of-your-seat thriller with plenty of romance and enough adventure to keep me up until midnight, while still building the tension for the books to come! (I'm honestly a bit scared to find out! I'm getting my tissue box just in case!)

I would say that most of the focus in this book was on the character's relationships with each other and their arcs, which is fantastic because she writes characters that are deep and feel like real people, and less on taking back the kingdom. (Although they do their fare share) The story moves through multiple Points of View as it did with the preceding books, and I would definitely say that Prince Daniel's part was what pushed me to read just "one more chapter." So much happened with Prince Daniel that I was left completely stunned! I'm already chomping at the bit for the book 5&6 to come out!
But Daniel isn't the only one who has his life changed. Leetra and Timothy have their differences to overcome while Anne's resolve to refuse Trask's proposal is beginning to weaken, especially with the increasing pressure of the disgusting Goler. The many adventures will take you on a journey through the various cultures, from Cretes to Ryricks, with something unexpected at every turn! I never knew what was coming next.

Little Warning: Just beware, although the book is clean and nothing actually happens, there are some scenes were some Ryricks have evil intentions are desired upon Karyn.


All in all - this book deserves and exceeds Five Stars! If you have never read the series - or have read them and are thinking about reading Exiles - I can not recommend them enough! Everything about the books are amazing and I am so happy I found them and am able to spread the word so more people will hear about them as well!

Available now on Amazon!

Haven’t discovered the world of Ilyon yet? The first three Kindle books are on sale August 11^th - 14^th!

You can find them on Amazon.

About the Author
Jaye L. Knight is an award-winning author, homeschool graduate, and shameless tea addict with a passion for Christian fantasy. Armed with an active imagination and love for adventure, Jaye weaves stories of truth, faith, and courage with the message that even in the deepest darkness, God’s love shines as a light to offer hope. She has been penning stories since the age of eight and resides in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

You can connect with Jaye on her website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Etsy.








Share in the excitement of the release and enter to win a themed giveaway pack! Prizes include an autographed copy of Exiles, a pewter dragon necklace by treasurecast, and a sword letter opener! (Giveaway is open to US residents only. Cannot be shipped internationally.)

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Best Things To Eat While Reading

(Image Recourse)

I know I'm not the only one who enjoys eating while reading. (or drinking tea for that matter) Some people I've met can't seem to read a book without a snack.
I've tried to eat just about everything while reading, and that includes things that a decent person would use two hands for. There are certainly some foods that are more manageable than others. Unless you are the Ninja of Food&Books, pizza can be a test that would certainly earn you a black belt. But there's also a bit of science behind which snacks you choose to eat. You don't want to eat something to yummy or else it will distract you from the book, or the book will distract you from enjoying the food.
So, if you happen to have a good book but no snack-ies, here's a nice little list to help you out.

Item 1: Chips/crackers
These are great because they don't make a mess. (As long as you leave out the dip. That can be a fun balancing game, but terribly distracting for you and probably the people around you as well.) There are many different kinds to satisfy your preferred taste - salty, sweet, nacho, or ranch. I mean, seriously, who can't eat an entire box of Wheat Thins at one sitting. I always laugh at the box that says, "Family Size."  Apparently I'm a family of one!

Item 2: Popcorn
It's like chips, but with butter! (Butter = Better. Right?) If you want to indulge a tad more, sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top to make a simple version of Kettle Corn.

Item 3: Dried Fruit/Nuts
This one you have to be a little careful with. It is way too easy to eat an entire bag of dried bananas and realize that it was probably the equivalent of eating 12 full-size bananas. But it's a healthy alternative to chips. If you're brave, try eating raisins and cheese together. It's one of my favorites!

Item 4: Smoothie/Tea
OK, so smoothie might sound a little weird to some people. But it's actually not bad! Especially if it's too hot for tea (I mourn the day when that happens) nothing beats an ice cold Key Lime smoothie.
But when the evening comes and things cool down, there's nothing like a nice cup a tea. Preferably  a very large one.

Item 5: Chocolate
Hands down, there is no argument that can deny the fact that Chocolate is amazing, rain or shine. But if you don't feel like gnawing on a chocolate bar, go for something simpler and get chocolate chips! It is a rare and special day in our house when a bag of chocolate chips remains unopened until the day it is placed inside a batch of cookies.

What is your favorite food to snack on while reading? I would love to hear about it because I have a good book to read and nothing to eat with it! (I ate all my snacks during my last book)