Please welcome Jadette Paige to the blog today with an exciting guest post!Challenges
I love challenges. You know the ones where you feel dared to complete a goal in a limited amount of time. I guess, you could say I’m very competitive where my writing is concerned. I used to belong to a critique group that loved to issue writing challenges. My favorite was the one where Blue Heaven, my debut novel, was conceived. We were instructed to write approximately 1500 words using a song (our choice) and a picture that was assigned to us. I was given a painting of a knight kneeling before a lady. Easy, right, especially since I love writing fantasy and paranormal stories. The piece started with a mercenary entering a holy center to kidnap the land’s holiest of men, the Godchild. It was natural for the characters to be both male. I found their love story—yes, that is exactly what their story is all about—was endearing and enchanting. The more I wrote about them, the more they came to life until I ended up with a finished novel.
With this particular challenge, I learned one important aspect about my writing. I love writing in the male point of view. For some reason it feels natural. It makes me wonder if in a distant past I wasn’t a man. You never know. All this makes me think about how challenges bring out the truth of one’s abilities. For me, it opened the door to an entirely new genre, one I’d never considered writing in. Several of my old critique partners were surprised at the path I decided to travel on. I normally wrote sweet romances. I still consider my romances sweet only they are gay romances and (grins) they are a bit hotter. So now with each day, I compose pages in my works in progress with an ease that surprises me, and it’s all because of a simple challenge issued in the past.
How do challenges affect you and your life? Share some of the moments which led you to a realization about you and/or some part of your life.
Blessings,
Jadette Paige
Heaven is just a touch away.
Blurb
Take him from Heaven’s Seat. Bring him to me. We will protect his sacred head.
Stryver Zorti’s mission appears simple. Kidnap the Godchild and deliver him to his master. But with the first meeting of the holy man’s azure gaze, desire surges in him to strip bare the God and touch the man within.
Worshiped all his life, the Godchild is shocked by the stranger who dares lay hands on him, even if it is to save him from assassins. With a different name given by his new ally, Blue is freed from the constraints of the holy order for the first time. He revels in the extraordinary experiences opening to him, then in the passion that sparks between him and the hard-edged, oddly gentle Stryver.
But a god does not love, and if discovered, their precarious utopia will shatter, destroying any chance for a future together--that is, if the assassins don’t kill them first.
Click Here to see the Blue Heaven Book Trailer
STORY EXCERPT
Stryver leaned against the broad trunk, waiting with waning patience. Blue had been fine until the rain. He had melted with the first drops, shivering and gasping until Stryver helped him move under the protection of the oak.
He frowned at Blue where he huddled among the roots’ knobs at the base of the trunk. His knees were drawn up against his chest, his thin arms wrapped around them.
Rain never hurt anyone. Why him? Stryver couldn’t figure it out.
Everything about the holy man confused him—in particular, the reason why someone wanted him dead. He didn’t appear to be a threat to anyone, yet from what Aidal said and what Stryver had witnessed in the cathedral, his life was in imminent danger.
Shaking his head, Stryver dug a cloth-covered bundle from his supply bag. He unrolled half a loaf of bread and a small wedge of cheese. He squatted next to Blue, his own back pressed against the bark. He stared at the holy man, his hand frozen in the act of offering him a share of the bread.
Head lowered, gaze caught on something next to him, Blue held one finger out. A small, black ant crawled onto the tip. He lifted his hand, his gaze centered on the ant.
Uncomfortable with the intensity of Blue’s survey of the insect, Stryver released a low laugh. “You act like you’ve never seen an ant.”
Blue’s gaze stayed riveted on the tiny creature as he murmured, “That is its name?”
Confused even more by the strange question, Stryver shook his head. “Yes. You’ve never seen one?”
“No. It’s different from us. So fragile.”
Disbelief replaced his confusion. “There had to be ants at the monastery.”
“No. Only the monks and myself. No other creatures were ever allowed to enter.”
Stryver looked at the ant. What sort of problems could an ant cause? “Why?”
“No distraction, nothing to influence or interrupt my growth. No threats to my development.”
Amazed at the calm, accepting manner with which Blue repeated this simple mantra, Stryver asked, needing an answer, anything to clear the muddle in his mind, “What
is your ability?”
This question brought the azure gaze over to meet his. The gentle patter of the rain striking the dirt road and leaves surrounded them, enfolding them in a secluded place. For the space of a breath, Stryver forgot to look away. Then he blinked, focusing on the ant again, making sure not to stare into the innocent orbs studying him.
“I was instructed not to tell anyone.”
“You can’t tell me your name. Now, it’s your true power. Why the secrets? The last Godchild’s name was proclaimed across the land. People rejoiced in his abilities.”
The finger lowered to the ground. The ant hurried away to resume its work. Blue spoke low, and Stryver had to lean closer to hear. “Some things are best not known.”
Unease rippled along Stryver’s back. So there were reasons why the assassins tried to kill him. “You’re not going to tell me, are you?”
“No.”
“Even if it means life or death for both of us?”
Fresh, crisp, rain-washed air breezed over Stryver’s face with the gentle shake of Blue’s head.
The answer struck Stryver full force. So the odds for this mission to fail had increased. His mortality loomed in front of him. All because of one small, quiet man. Compassion for him and unease for what the future held washed over Stryver.
When he broke the quiet, his words came out low and gruff. “Here. Eat. You have to keep your strength up.”
Blue’s slender fingers broke off a small hunk of bread. Stryver pulled the cheese apart and gave him the larger half.
As he chewed in the peaceful rain, he tried to find a way to discover the truth about the Godchild. His life depended on knowing it.
Well done. I really love the excerpt! Another book to add to my monster list.
Nicely done Jadette! :) Thank you so much for being here today.
Readers: Jadette is giving away a copy of her book, Blue Heaven. All you need to do is say something. Simple. :) Lets get going and show her some love. Thanks for joining us, Jadette!
3 comments:
Writing in male POV is difficult for many female writers. Men speak differently than women. They get straight to the point and use words women usually don't. I wish you every success with Blue Heaven, Jadette.
Hi Rawiya! Thanks so much of allowing me to guest today.
Hi Sarah!
Thanks so much for stopping by. I agree with you on the pov for a female to write from a male pov. To me, I find it comes easy.
I like stories where the POV is first person because I usually put myself in that character's shoes and can see what is happening through his/her eyes. Challenges help me to push myself and do things I'd never do but for the challenge of doing it. This past autumn I did two road trips. I hate driving and almost rolled a car on the one trip. I decided as I was in the grass median I could either suck it up and continue my trip or go home with my tail between my legs admitting failure and never hearing the end of it from my family. I decided to suck it up and continue. I had a good weekend. Spent my sister's birthday with her and went to the Celtic Thunder concert.
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