Author Journey: March 17, 2023 - Moving Right Along
It's Friday, dear readers and writers! I hope you have something wonderful to look forward to this weekend. If not, perhaps something in this post can inspire you. I've got a writing update, a few things to share about life, and a writing prompt in today's post. I was also able to run a quick edit on another of my short stories. It'll be in its usual spot at the end of this post. I better get moving!
Author Journey: Proofreading and Beta Readers
Most of you know I've had tons of trouble getting beta readers to actually follow through on their offers of reading through my work. I get it that time is short and life gets crazy and hectic. But it can be disheartening to have someone say they'd love to read through your work and help you, to have them say they can't when the time comes. It can be even more harrowing when they start to work through it, but stop half-way through.
A lot of work goes into writing a book. Editing is probably the largest portion of the work for the author, unless you self-publish. Then it's the second largest, following after marketing. When you read books from indie authors, it's important to remember this point. I say that because I can review one of my own books multiple times and still find problems.
I'm happy to say I was invited to join a writing server on Discord. I've been able to share The Tale of Outh'n Durr with the members. One of them is reading through the story and has offered a couple of helpful hints. I think this may be my answer to getting proofreaders and beta readers. I hope so, anyway!
Some of you may be wondering what the difference is between proofreaders and beta readers. Proofreaders look for technical issues -- grammar, style, flow. Beta readers are actually looking at how this story plays out, along with the technicalities. Their focus is more about whether the story comes across as a form of entertainment or whether it's a chore to get through.
In any case, I'm excited about this new opportunity.
Writer's Life: What's Been Happening Lately?
Our schedule has shifted again. If you've been reading a while, you know that affects my whole way of doing things. I think we've been hanging in there pretty well, though.
- School with my daughter is progressing as it should.
- The blog has been kept up, even though I had to make some slight changes this week to save time.
- I'm learning how to incorporate audio books into my busy life so I can keep reading and learning.
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Just Keep Writing: Friday Fascicles
If this is your first time participating in this kind of writing exercise, you're in for a treat. If you've done this with me before, just keep scrolling for the prompt.
Rules:
- You can use any/all of the words and/or the photo in the prompt below to create a unique written work. Fiction or nonfiction, poetry or prose, even lyrics are acceptable.
- Please keep the material you write clean (ie. nothing R-rated or worse) if you wish to share the link to your work here, as well as if you link back to my site. I strive to keep my site free of such things. My readers know and expect this. I respect your right to write whatever you feel you need to write. And you're free to use my prompts. But if your material is graphic, I'd rather not view it, and most of my readers will not wish to.
- Have fun! This type of exercise is perfect for growing in the writing craft, or for helping through a rough patch in your current WIP. If you're looking to push your author limits and you normally write in nonfiction prose, try a whimsical collection of lyrics. If you normally write poems about real life events, try your hand at a fanfic. Give yourself some room to explore.
Don't forget to leave a link to your creation (unless you're writing graphic material) so my readers and I can check out your work. I'd appreciate a link back to this post to help me reach more readers, but it's not required.
Today's words are:
- Solve
- Parade
- Pat
The Actual Writing: The Healer's Assistant
Before reading, here are some things you might wish to know.
- Ra’elin Morevsdattir - (rah’ eh LEEN MORE ehvs dah teer)
- Hanokh Berashoneh - (HAH nohkh beh RAH shoh neh)
- Miklanin - (meek LAH neen) - an herb which grows from crystaline seeds. Different parts of the plant can be used, but it must be harvested carefully since it’s habitat is small and its needs precise. Some of its healing properties aren’t echoed in any other substance on Y’Dahnndrya.
- Hesp - (hehsp) - roughly, an average handspan, used for measure time by the larger sun's distance from the horizon, as well as for height and shorter lengths.
- Dahlsik(in) - (DAHL seek) (DAHL see keen) - season(s)
- Fierra Lorynsdattir - (fee AIR rah LORE yins dah teer)
- Batir - (BAH teer) - M’Neshunnayan word for ‘brother’
- Yozef Lorynsshoneh - (YO zehf LORE yins show neh)
- Mana - (MAH nah) - Short, shaggy fur covers these creatures which have a face similar to a donkey, but a bit wider, barrel-shaped bodies, and four legs ending in paws. They eat mostly vegetation but will in dire need eat other, small creatures.
- Weavings - tales
- D’gut - a M’Neshunnayan home which is built into the surrounding hills, much like Bilbo’s hobbit hole, though less stylized and more organic and certainly not filled with luxuries.
- Meila - (MAY lah)
- Morrowdawn - tomorrow
- Dawning - today, or this day
Ra’elin Morevsdattir scanned the leafy forest floor. The plant she sought preferred the shady areas under younger kho’ni trees. She’d found a small grove of them near the village she’d been sent to help. The healer’s task was never an easy one, but it certainly was rewarding.
For a M’Neshunnayan, or at least, for her, there was no higher calling than being able to use what Azilet’zal had graciously provided to create healing balms, soothing ointments, easing tinctures, comforting teas, and effervescent oils. Ever since she’d been a tiny thing, her family had encouraged her interest in the world around them, teaching her how it could be helpful to them.
And then she’d met Hanokh Berashoneh who taught her everything she needed to know to be a more effective healer. Ra’elin bloomed under his tutelage, taking up every bit of the healer’s craft he was willing to offer.
It surprised her to learn the healer didn’t have all the answers. Much of their skill was built on willingness to try new things and see how they worked. Of course, one couldn’t do that with a patient. It was best to try new things out on oneself first. And while there was always the risk of an allergic reaction, it wasn’t too often it happened.
Ra’elin considered herself blessed beyond measure. And this dawning was like a special gift. Hanokh had given her the task of finding the herb miklanin. It was normally found in the borderlands where Bot’ha and Genzet met. Rarely, it could also be found in one or two places in M’Neshunnaya, depending on the weather in the appropriate dahlsik. The village Ra’elin had been sent to sat near one of those places.
So here she was, hunting for miklanin. Miklanin was unique among Y’Dahnndrya’s flora. The seeds were crystaline in structure and appearance. The plants themselves, grew about fifteen hesps tall on a central stem and bore wide, spear-shaped leaves which were mottled with a new-growth green and a deeper forest green on their shiny tops. The underside, though was a solid, flat, new-growth green. The leaves were about the size of an average woman’s hand. The flowers were a pale, sickly, yellow-green and looked frail, like wilted blooms. They grew on tall thin stalks around the main stem of the plant. Once the blossoms lost their petals, the crystal-like seeds could be gathered. It was the perfect time to harvest seeds, if only she could find the patch she was looking for.
“Eiya! Healer!”
Ra’elin startled at the rough sounding voice coming from behind her. Two people hurried after her, one of them a broad, muscular fellow with dark features she remembered seeing at the structuring guild hall, the other a more willowy woman with striking blond hair. She stumbled and the man slowed his pace to place one hand under her elbow.
Ra’elin waited for them to catch up to her, wondering what she’d done to upset them. When they were within range of her normal speaking voice, she asked, “How can I help you, good people?”
The woman panted. How fast had this man made her run? She frowned up at him, only to see him in a similar state. She settled her mind and waited until they were ready.
“Would you like some?” she asked, holding out two leaves from a sprig of jinj she’d just plucked. The root made wonderful tea, but the leaf left a pleasant feeling in the mouth and spirit.
“Thank you, Healer,” the woman spoke in a light soprano, her blue eyes sparkling with joy, as she pinched one between two thin fingers and popped it into her mouth. Now Ra’elin was really confused.
“My name is Ra’elin Morevsdattir. I’m happy you’re smiling. May I ask how I can help you?” Since the man made no move for the remaining leaf, she ate it herself.
The woman spoke again. “My name is Fierra Lorynsdattir and this,” she gestured to the man, “is my batir Yozef Lorynsshoneh. We need your help.” She smiled brightly again, but the big man scowled and turned away.
Ra’elin was more confused than ever. When people needed her help, she’d seen worry, fear, anger, and despair mar their features, but never joy brightening them. “What can you mean? You look too happy to need a healer.” Honesty was best, wasn’t it?
“This is…I don’t know why I let you talk me into coming out here, Fierra.” The big man turned and strode back toward the village.
“I’m sorry, Healer Ra’elin. I’m going to have to go get him. We’ll be back.”
Ra’elin reached out a hand and stalled her. “There’s a plant I’m looking for. I won’t be in this spot. And my threads of time are raveling.”
Fierra nodded, her straight, bright tresses swaying with the graceful movement. “We won’t be long and we’ll find you.”
With that, the woman spun on her heel and sped after her batir. The tails of her long vest flew out behind her and her laughter drifted back on the breeze.
Ra’elin smiled, then turned to continue her search. Foraging was her favorite part of healing, aside from seeing a positive result. The birdsong combined with the suns’ light to create a welcome outdoor experience. The hand of Creator was so apparent in their world and no matter the dahlsikin, whatever the weather, Ra’elin loved seeing it all. Nothing brought a person closer to the Holy Voice than walking through the very world that Voice spoke into existence.
She’d gone quite a distance before she heard rustling behind her. “I’m over here, Fierra, Yozef. I’ve finally found what I needed.” She smiled as she gathered the crystal-seeds which were the length of the first digit of her pointer finger and only about one-third as wide.
The rustling stopped as Ra’elin collected the the last seed she needed. There were still plenty for the plant to continue growing in this spot for many years to come, provided the growing conditions remained favorable. Ra’elin smiled in satisfaction, then turned to face her returning visitors.
Except where her visitors should be, a mana stood staring at her. Its sides heaved with exertion and its shaggy coat was matted in places.
“Where did you come from, eiya?” Ra’elin wasn’t very good with animals, but she knew mana were normally docile. This made it easy to smile and reach out a hand to the beast. It snorted and chittered at her lightly, almost like a giggle. She cocked her head to one side and smiled. It didn’t come close to her hand, so she lowered it back to her side.
“I wonder if my new friends got lost. What do you think?” she asked the shaggy beast.
It didn’t answer but a vague call of “Healer Ra’elin!” sounded quite a distance back the way she had come. If those two were still looking for her so diligently, she needed to find them. Waving a gentle farewell to her unexpected visitor, she walked in the direction she’d come, hoping to meet with them.
It took the better part of a hesp but she finally located the two. They would never have found her considering the direction they were heading. She waved when Yozef looked in her direction. She saw him turn and start walking toward her. Soon his siveh’s golden head bobbed above the tall grasses and she could see them both. Ra’elin released the breath she’d been holding, relieved.
Most often, she saw only the beauties in Y’Dahnndrya’s plant life and forgot about the dangers of the fauna. She shivered thinking that the mana could’ve been a blud’ig or tsa’gra. When the two got closer, Yozef sped ahead of Fierra and grabbed her by the shoulders, his intensity shocking.
“Are you alright?” He was panting, reminding her of the mana.
“I am. Why? And why are you so out of breath?” She was beginning to think there was something wrong with his breathing or perhaps his circulation.
“We’ve been searching for a good long while. When we couldn’t find you, I confess I panicked.” He released her shoulders as if just realized he held onto them. “The villagers have made mention of a wild mana that’s been troubling them.”
“Mana? But they’re docile,” Ra’elin retorted. Was the mana she met the one worrying the villagers?
Fierra answered her. “They are—usually. From time to time, though, one is born which angers easily or simply causes mischief. This one has been of the angry variety from the sound of the weavings.”
“I saw one.” Ra’elin barely got the words out of her mouth her throat was so tight.
“A mana?” Yozef asked. She nodded. “Where?” he barked.
She waved back the direction she had come from. “Far back that way. It came upon me while I was harvesting. I thought it was you two. I should’ve known the sounds were too quiet to be people, though.” She gave a weak chuckle. “I get caught up in my work and forget things sometimes. But it never bothered me or caused me trouble. I put my hand out to it and while it didn’t come to me, it didn’t do much. Just snorted and make a giggling sort of sound.”
The two looked at each other. Then Fierra turned to her. “What color was it?”
Ra’elin squinted her eyes and thought hard. She’d been in a deeply shaded spot. I believe it must have had some white or pale gray markings and a few darker spots. But since it was facing me and never turned, I couldn’t tell much.”
Yozef nodded once, his scowl returning. “We should go back, especially if you have what you came for, Healer.”
“You can both call me Ra’elin. Our tsimikin must be close. And I agree. I don’t want to be out here much later. These seeds need to be prepared soon to be most effective.”
As they walked back to the village, Yozef on one side of her, Fierra on the other, the latter asked, “Yozef, wasn’t there something you wanted to ask Ra’elin?”
Ra’elin turned to look up at him, wondering what question could make such a man turn so red in the face. “You can ask me anything, Yozef. I don’t mind.”
His eyes flicked to hers for the briefest of moments, then he faced forward. They’d gone a few paces when he finally spoke again. “There’s to be a celebration in the village on the morrowdawn. The harvest has come in and it’s a good one. We thought to give thanks to Azilet’zal, even though it’s not the offical festival time yet. Extra praise for the Creator is always a good thing, right?” He clamped his jaws shut and Fierra snickered. What was going on?
Yozef cleared his throat. “I know you’re only here for a short time as our village needs your help. But would you, mayhap, consider saving a dance for me?”
Fierra cut in. “Oh, no, Batir! That’s not what you wanted to ask her.”
“Fierra, maybe I changed my mind and thought this was more appropriate.” His words were clipped, as if he was hanging onto his patience by a thread.
Ra’elin decided to cut in before there was more trouble. “I would be happy to dance with you at the celebration, Yozef. If I go, though, I would like to stay near you two. I’ve met lots of people, but only the both of you have taken the time to simply talk to me of mundane things. Just because I’m a healer doesn’t mean that’s all my life consists of.”
With each word she uttered, Yozef’s color normalized and Fierra’s grin grew into a bold smile. Ra’elin liked these two young M’Neshunnayans. And to think while Azilet’zal provided all a body needed to heal, there was also provision for fellowship and companions to keep the spirit healthy, too.
The trio chatted all the way back to the village. When they got to one of the d’guts, Fierra said, “I’m going to stop in and visit with Meila, see how she’s doing.”
Yozef shook his head and opened his mouth, but before he could get any words out, she was gone. He growled and Ra’elin chuckled. “It’s fine, Yozef. My lodgings are right there.” She pointed across the grassy and muddy path through the middle of the village. “I can make it on my own from here.”
Yozef shook his head and grinned ruefully. “I’ll take you to your door. Besides, I did want to ask you something and now I have a chance. I love my siveh, but she makes my life difficult more dawnings than not.”
“I wish I understood. I was an only child.”
“I wanted to ask to escort you to the celebration.” Yozef blurted out the words and his cheeks flamed again, but his expression spoke of determination.
Ra’elin smiled gently at him and nodded. “Thank you. I’d like that.”
Before they could say anything more, they were at the door and the village healer was pulling her through the arched portal. "I thought I heard your voice, Ra'elin. There's so much work to do!"
What the morrowdawn would bring, only Azilet’zal knew. But Ra’elin was convinced it would be something special.
First let me say, if this story is a repeat, I apologize. I'm almost positive I worked on this story this week. But, I also remember working on a different story this week. The trouble is...both of them have the mark I assign to the stories I blogged. I'm not sure how else to label them, but perhaps a highlight will do. On the bright side, though, I should have another story ready to go next Friday.
What did you think of the story? And was the writing prompt helpful? What about the information about proofreaders and beta readers? Did you find it informative? I'd love to craft better blog posts which touch on topics which interest my readers. If you leave comments for me, I'll be better equipped to do that.
With that, I'm signing off for another week...and just in time. I have eight minutes to finalize everything for this post. So no proofreading...effusive apologies for any typos are offered.
Until next time,
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