Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Thursday Thirteen - 226 - 13 Things I've Been Doing to Set Up My First-Ever Blog Tour



1 -  After my summer trip to New York to attend my first writers' conference, and after successfully pitching to an agent and an editor from the traditional print publishing world, I made the liberating decision to self-publish my book on Amazon Kindle.

2 - What that means is a flurry of activity - already well under way - which includes prepping for a social media blitz of my own making. 

3 - First order of business: seek out fellow bloggers who are avid readers, and who write book reviews.

4 - Type things like +indie+vampire+book+blog+reviewer


 +indie+horror+book+blog+reviewer and 


+indie+paranormal+book+blog+reviewer into my search engine.

5 - Click on the blogs to check them out. This is the internet version of pounding the pavement. I have more time than money, so it's well worth the investment. 

6 - Go to the all-important Review Policy tab or Disclosure Policy and find out what the reviewer's reading tastes are like. For me, I'm looking for someone interested in paranormal, vampire or horror. I'm also taking note of fantasy reviewers for my Scorpius story, once it's ready to go. 

7 - Discover that many of these bloggers have reached a TBR pile saturation point and are no longer accepting books for review - but that they enjoy hosting guest authors for blog tours. Yay, me! 

8 - Find their Twitter link and click over into the Twitterverse. Follow them. 

9 - Place them on my Twitter list for Reviewers, which you can view from my Twitter account.

10 - Once within Twitter, I look at who shows up in the right-hand sidebar under the heading Similar to

11 - I click away, going deeper and deeper into the Twitterverse, checking out Twitterers who declare themselves as book bloggers, clicking on the links to their blogs.

12 - Pay attention to the tone and previous subject matter of these new blogs, so I can tailor my guest posts to their blog readership.

13 - Remember to ask for a few days' vacation from my day job in order to launch my author blog tour in early November. Hope you'll be along for some of the stops! 

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Tuesday Serial / The Serialists - Scene 69






My Scorpius serial now posts on Tuesdays for Tuesday Serial.










I'm also posting with The Serialists which appears on Wednesdays.

To recap this dark fantasy story so far:

As a small boy of seven, Scorpius was fetched from the nursery where he'd been raised to live among the nobility - fetched not by his family, but by a falconer to serve as his apprentice.

Scorpius soon learned that a close encounter with a dragon was preferable to the cruelties of the nobles he'd once hoped were family. His master did whatever he could to shield Scorpius from the world outside their cottage, but the falconer was merely a servant who must obey his own masters.

An attempt on the life of a young noble while on a hunt sent the falconer and his apprentice on abruptly different paths.

We continue with Scorpius at age sixteen as he enters the service of Lord Thibault.

You can follow the progress of this story arc by clicking on the Works in Progress link just under the blog header.


Scene 69

“Do you dance?”

“No…” Scorpius stumbled over what to call the chancellor. Why, oh why did Lord Thibault neglect to mention these little details before abandoning him here in the duke’s drawing room? “No, sir,” he said, certain that wasn’t right.

A fleeting smile grazed the chancellor’s lips. “ ’No, my lord’.”

Scorpius bowed slightly, face flushing hot. “No, my lord.”

The chancellor moved closer, so discreetly that Scorpius started. “Your former master, the falconer, never took you to a fête?”

“Ah…”

The chancellor folded his arms across his chest. “How many dinner guests would you suppose attended your largest dinner party?”

Scorpius thought back to the outdoor lunch they’d enjoyed in the forest – Richolf, Ingerith, Alegreza and himself. Where were they, now? “Just three, my lord.”

“Three, including yourself?”

“Four, my lord.” Scorpius shifted his body slightly to keep this man in his sights. He felt like he was circling the sword master.

“Do you ride?”

There was no point in puffing himself up. This chancellor would see through that in a blink. “Not well. Just enough to keep from falling off, really, my lord.”

Again, the barest of smiles. “What did Lord Thibault tell you when he brought you here?”

“That I would be his man, my lord.” Scorpius drew himself up, daring to look into the chancellor’s eyes. He hadn’t the slightest idea if it was forbidden. But a lord’s man must be bold.

“Do you even have a suspicion as to what that entails?” The chancellor gazed at him with a strange mixture of hope and disdain.

A jumble of memories crowded Scorpius' mind. The nobles who’d come to the falconer’s cottage for the hunt, some with a retinue of courtiers, some with harsh words and blows, some with laughter and wineskins. The depravity of the nightmare hunt chilled him now, recalling how they’d all served Lord Dirske, no matter how wretched it had felt to do so.

“I do, my lord.”

The chancellor turned and walked towards the ornate desk. “The duke has doubts that you are up to the task.” He turned and regarded Scorpius, the hint of kindness in his eyes giving Scorpius the heart to press on.

“The falconer fetched me from the nursery, my lord.”

Eyebrows raising only slightly, the chancellor said, “Did he?”

“While I was a small boy, I was treated as a noble. After that, I was trained to serve them.” He shrugged at the oddity of his own life.

“As Lord Thibault’s man, you will need to ride,” the chancellor said. “You will need to wield a blade. You will need to do both things better than he does. You must protect him at every hour of the day. You cannot leave his side for long. You must attend the same dinners, cut figures at the same dances.”

Closing the distance between them, the chancellor looked deeply for something as he gazed for several moments upon Scorpius. “The duke has doubts about you.”

Scorpius bristled inside. The duke had barely glanced at him. Richolf had trusted him. Richolf had saved him from turning into…only the gods knew.

He felt the outrage flowing through him. The chancellor nodded, as if engaged in an internal conversation.

“I do not,” he said. “You will be trained, and Lord Thibault will have his man.” Turning away, the chancellor slipped into the shadows of the vast drawing room, just as Scorpius noticed the double doors swinging open behind him, as if by some silent command.

Though apparently gone, Scorpius felt he had to acknowledge the man whose opinion had been the deciding factor. “My lord,” he said, bowing smartly to thin air. Then he turned and left the drawing room behind, nearly failing to nod at the servants standing at each side of the doorway.

© Julia Phillips Smith, 2011

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Summer Stock Sunday - 43










Robin's Summer Stock Sunday meme invites all to post summery photos, and to visit other bloggers who share their feelings and memories about this magical season.












Traditionally, summer has been the perfect time to hit the road and make a pilgrimage to visit faraway family and friends.

I have been the happy recipient on many occasions of summer visits from my friend of 23 years, Lisa. We met as co-workers in the late 80s and have been soul sisters ever since.












One of the earlier summer visits was this one, when she brought her little guy to see me and Brad when we lived in Toronto. Lisa and her husband had moved to Belleville at that time, and this was a two-hour trip into the city for a new mom, bringing a welcome interlude of reconnecting to herself as Lisa, while I had the fun of laughing with her son.













Her latest trip to see me was a few years ago. This time she traveled from Cobourg, Ontario to Halifax, Nova Scotia.


























On Monday, Lisa will celebrate her birthday. I wish she was here for a hug In Real Life. Maybe next year!

My visits to Lisa seem to roll around in the fall and winter. Until then, my dearest friend...

Friday, August 26, 2011

5 on Friday - Set 81






Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

This week's set is dedicated to fallen Opposition Leader Jack Layton, who died at age 61 on Monday from cancer.

"Like some political Moses, Jack Layton led his people out of the wilderness, only to die within sight of his own Promised Land," wrote John Ward for The Huffington Post

"Deuteronomy 34 says God took Moses up to a high place and showed him the Promised Land in the distance.

'I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.' "


Prior to the spring election, Jack Layton worked as part of a triad of opposition parties, along with the Liberals and the Bloc Québécois, in a constant state of compromise between one another and the minority Conservative government.

Parliament is set to resume on Sept. 19th, denying Jack his moment of glory in the hard-to-swallow irony of life.

1 - #9 Dream - John Lennon

"In order to have the Canada you want, you have to vote for the Canada you want." - Jack Layton




2 - We Can Work It Out - The Beatles

"When you bring good ideas forward in the context of a Parliament where no one party has been given the absolute authority to proceed, then you roll up your sleeves, you discuss, you negotiate." - Jack Layton



3 - Orange Crush - R.E.M.

Orange Crush was the nickname given to the historic shift in the Canadian political landscape during the 2011 spring election. When Jack Layton won the leadership convention in 2003, the NDP - whose party colour is orange - stood at 13 seats in the House of Commons.

The Liberals were in power with 172 seats, Conservatives as Official Opposition with 78 seats, the Bloc Québécois at 38 seats.

Jack's Orange Crush gave the Conservatives their elusive majority, which took three elections and resulted in 166 seats. The Liberals fell to a freakish 34 seats. The Bloc were decimated at 4 seats, and the Green Party made another historic win with its first-ever seat in the House.

The Orange Crush swept through Canada and turned the Opposition over to the NDP with an astounding 103 seats.

“We wanted to let you know that on Saturday, August 27 from sundown to sunrise, the CN Tower will be lit orange to honour the passing of the Honourable Jack Layton,” Patrick Leavey, CN Tower’s marketing manager

"Niagara Falls will be illuminated orange this Saturday in a tribute to NDP leader Jack Layton who died on Monday following his second battle with cancer. The lighting of the falls is set to coincide with the state funeral scheduled to take place Saturday afternoon, said the Niagara Parks Commission who put in the request to the NIagara Falls Illumination board." - NiagaraThisWeek



4 - Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Dianna Ross

"With the last of his life force, he shone a light over this whole country in that sweet, wise letter. And in doing so, he whipped off another miracle.

Jack couldn’t overcome the toll taken on his body by the punishing grandeur of his achievement in this last year of his life. But he has upped the ante in a way none of us could have imagined.

True even beyond form, Jack has left us his spirit, still hard at work. Though we are laying his body to rest this weekend, Jack speaks to us now more powerfully and compellingly than ever.

Who knows how much Jack’s over-the-top election commitment stole from his days on this planet? But his unquenchable zest for love, his unstoppable faith in hope and that crazy, unwavering optimism of his are building an even bigger, better movement from the other side of the veil."
- Alice Klein, NOW Magazine



5 - Rise Up - Parachute Club

This song will be performed at his state funeral on Saturday, at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Thursday Thirteen - 225 - 13 Excerpts From Jack Layton's Letter to Canadians











Like millions of Canadians, my heart was crushed on Monday when I heard the news that Jack Layton, the Official Opposition Leader had passed away.

We all knew that he was declining quickly from cancer. Though he'd successfully treated his prostate cancer following a 2010 diagnosis, the cross-country federal election he ran this past spring took its toll. In leading his party to an historic, political-landscape-changing victory, Jack Layton developed another undisclosed form of cancer, from which he did not recover.

On the day of his passing, Layton's family released a letter to a nation in mourning. Here are thirteen excerpts from this astounding gesture - so typical of a man I've admired since I moved to Toronto in the mid-80s.








1 - "Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.

2 - Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.

3 - I recommend the party hold a leadership vote as early as possible in the New Year, on approximately the same timelines as in 2003, so that our new leader has ample time to reconsolidate our team, renew our party and our program, and move forward towards the next election.

4 - To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don’t be discouraged that my own journey hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future.

5 - My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.

6 - To the members of my party: we’ve done remarkable things together in the past eight years. It has been a privilege to lead the New Democratic Party. Our cause is much bigger than any one leader. Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let’s continue to move forward. Let’s demonstrate in everything we do in the four years before us that we are ready to serve our beloved Canada as its next government.

7 - To the members of our parliamentary caucus: It has been my role to ask a great deal from you. And now I am going to do so again. Canadians will be closely watching you in the months to come. Colleagues, I know you will make the tens of thousands of members of our party proud of you by demonstrating the same seamless teamwork and solidarity that has earned us the confidence of millions of Canadians in the recent election.

8 - To my fellow Quebecers: On May 2nd, you made an historic decision. You decided to work together in partnership with progressive-minded Canadians across the country. You have elected a superb team of New Democrats to Parliament. They are going to be doing remarkable things in the years to come to make this country better for us all.

9 - To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.

10 - And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one – a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity.

11 - Your vote matters. Working for change can actually bring about change.

12 - Consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don’t let them tell you it can’t be done.

13 - My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world."

























Jack Layton's family have asked for donations in lieu of flowers be made to the Broadbent Institute.

"Drawing on contracted studies and volunteer work, the small, Ottawa-based organization will pursue the development of social democracy through research, education and training. It will rely on private fundraising." - Les Whittington, Toronto Star

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Tuesday Serial / The Serialists - Scene 68






My Scorpius serial now posts on Tuesdays for Tuesday Serial.










I'm also posting with The Serialists which appears on Wednesdays.

To recap this dark fantasy story so far:

As a small boy of seven, Scorpius was fetched from the nursery where he'd been raised to live among the nobility - fetched not by his family, but by a falconer to serve as his apprentice.

Scorpius soon learned that a close encounter with a dragon was preferable to the cruelties of the nobles he'd once hoped were family. His master did whatever he could to shield Scorpius from the world outside their cottage, but the falconer was merely a servant who must obey his own masters.

An attempt on the life of a young noble while on a hunt sent the falconer and his apprentice on abruptly different paths.

We continue with Scorpius at age sixteen as he enters the service of Lord Thibault.

You can follow the progress of this story arc by clicking on the Works in Progress link just under the blog header.


Scene 68

“My father has asked for you,” Lord Thibault said in an offhanded way, dismounting from his horse.

A groom moved forward, taking hold of the reins as Scorpius slid smoothly out of the saddle. He dropped to his feet, trying to catch his master’s eye.

“Yes, my lord,” Scorpius said, following behind, dread rolling heavily through his guts. They left the sunshine and the carefree afternoon behind, heading into the cool stone passageway at a brisk pace.

His master led Scorpius to his own room, where a new set of clothes had been laid out on his bed and a basin of fresh water awaited. Lord Thibault supervised every aspect of Scorpius’ preparations, fussing over him like a valet over a bridegroom.

“You mustn’t worry,” Lord Thibault said, tying his sleeves into place with care.

“I won’t, my lord.”

“I have already informed my father that you will serve as my man.” He grabbed Scorpius by the shoulders and turned him toward the door. “The duke must accept you as my acquisition.”

Scorpius nodded, heart leaping as his master nudged him forward. Only when they were both out in the corridor did Lord Thibault take his habitual lead.

“My brother, the markiisi chose his own man, and I am now of an age to do the same.”

“The duke will not be pleased, I take it, my lord.” Scorpius recalled the dark chuckles of his master’s uncle and the guard captain at mention of Lord Thibault's father. As they rounded a corner and the gallery widened to a polished grandeur, Scorpius fought to still his fear.

“He means to assess the damage, so to speak. You see what faith he has in me.”

Scorpius recognized the double doors from their first meeting with the duke. Servants pulled with practiced ease at the golden handles, stepping back as the doors swung open. It was all happening too fast. Scorpius and his master stood before the duke and there was nothing for it but to bow deeply and sweep his arm to his chest.

He straightened only to catch a glimpse of Lord Thibault backing away and striding out through the doors, which closed with a smart click behind him. Like a flash freeze, Scorpius’ blood seemed to stop in its tracks.

“Step forward.”

Scorpius forced himself to move, crossing the carpet which was soft as flower petals. He got as near to the duke as he dared, his gaze solidly averted.

“Where did he find you?”

“Your son arrived at my master’s – my former master’s cottage for a hunt. I served a falconer, Your Grace,” he said, voice breaking just then. He felt his face flush hot.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the chancellor standing once again at a respectful distance.

“So there are none to recommend you.” The satisfaction at this glaring lack made Scorpius shrivel inside.

“Could we not pay this falconer a visit, Your Grace?” the chancellor said.

Was Scorpius prohibited from speaking without first having been spoken to? Why didn’t Lord Thibault take as great care with these few simple rules as he’d done with this jerkin?

“To which estate were you attached?” the duke asked.

“Lord Dirske’s, Your Grace. But you will not find my master – you will not find the falconer there. Lord Thibault sent him away.”

“Did he?” The duke strode forward. Scorpius had grown accustomed to being the tallest person in any room, but Lord Thibault’s father matched him and more. Everything inside Scorpius cried out to back away, but he recalled his master’s words: The duke must accept you as my acquisition.

He remembered the shrieks of that poor young guard, flogged by Lord Dirske during the nightmare hunt. He glanced quickly at the duke and his chancellor, but neither appeared to wield anything that could repeat such a scene.

The guard captain had fully expected to find the scars of similar floggings across Scorpius’ back. That must speak highly of Richolf, surely. Of Scorpius' own level of service. Forcing himself to hold his ground as the duke looked him over, Scorpius bit back the words that wanted to tumble in explanation from his lips.

“You saved his life,” said Lord Thibault’s father. “But who put him in jeopardy? No one to speak for you. No one but the grateful lord you now serve.”

No one but Ingerith, his former master’s lover, whose identity must remain secret.

Scorpius swallowed hard, glancing up to see the chancellor staring intently at him. “Your son showed great mercy to my master, Your Grace,” Scorpius said, his mouth dry with fear. “As my master showed always to me.”

“Thank the gods that Thibault is only a second son.” The duke turned away, heading for the doors. Scorpius’ face grew hot once more, bearing the insult to his new master as if it were his own.

“I shall leave you to it,” the duke said, striding out into the gallery.

Scorpius straightened from his bow to meet the appraising glance of the chancellor, whose gaze took in everything, whose expression gave away nothing.

© Julia Phillips Smith, 2011

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Summer Stock Sunday - 42










Robin's Summer Stock Sunday meme invites all to post summery photos, and to visit other bloggers who share their feelings and memories about this magical season.

Normally my vintage summer offering would go back a little farther than last year - but no matter.

Last year at this time, my sister Michelle was attending two bridal showers given by each side of her family. The first was given by her best friend, our cousin Julianne. The second one was given by her sister-in-law Reta and mother-in-law Joan.

Something I really love about bridal showers and baby showers is the rite of passage element to them. I think deep down, people need these sorts of rituals. I know they make me feel connected, not only to my own community of women, but to the generations of women who came before me and who will follow. The multi-generational aspect of showers really highlights that for me.





Shower 1









































































Shower 2






















































Friday, August 19, 2011

5 on Friday - Set 80






Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

Before we get to the music -

May I present to you my second book trailer for my work-in-progress, Saint Sanguinus:



~~~~~~Roll Credits~~~~~~~

Tanwen - Stevie Cooper

Bearer of bad news - Scott Baker

Vampire Lord - Brad Smith

Producer - Tara MacDonald

Writer/Director - Julia Phillips Smith

Director of Photography - Luke Hudgins

Production Assistant - Caroline Ruyle

Picture/Sound Editor & Special Effects - Doug Woods

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For this week's 5 on Friday, let's take a journey through Tanwen's character arc. Tanwen is the woman featured in the book trailer. She's the main female character in my Dark Ages vampire story.

I put together a previous set for Tanwen - you can check it out by CLICKING HERE.

1 - Paint it Black - The Rolling Stones

She begins the story in this mind frame.



2 - The Hand That Feeds - Nine Inch Nails

She soon realizes she's clashing with just about everyone in her family and her village.



3 - What Have You Done - Within Temptation

She makes a decision which has immense repercussions.

The clips featured in this video are from one of my favorite films, Day Watch / Dnevnoy dozor. If you're into urban paranormal stories and don't mind Russian subtitles, this is the film for you.



4 - Hyper Music - Muse

These are Tanwen's feelings about an unrequited love figure.



5 - Achilles Last Stand - Led Zeppelin

This is where Tanwen finds herself by the end of the story. Update on where I'm at with my manuscript requests: About to turn over the two partials for a final read-through. Then, they're off to see the Wizard.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Thursday Thirteen - 224 - 13 Ways Richard Armitage Serves as My Muse

On Monday, the actor who serves as muse for my Scorpius character will turn 40. To mark this illustrious milestone, here is a series of 13 screencaptures from several of his projects that stand in for my own fictional character, Scorpius, featured in my Tuesday/Wednesday serial feature. You can CLICK HERE to read the boyhood backstory so far.

I wish Richard Armitage a very happy birthday with much gratitude, as he has given me a character whom I have grown to love deeply.

The synopsis for the adult Scorpius storyline:

Scorpius is freed from captivity and torture when the noble he serves is ransomed. Delivered to the service of the Lady Elysande, he rises to become Chamberlain of her Keep, just as the wars between the houses become secondary to a series of dragon sightings and attacks.

Elysande is an adept who works in secret to draw the essences she needs, in order to create enough power to summon a dragon. The terrorizing beasts will be the deal-breaking weapon that will end the wars and restore peace. But she requires pain and suffering in order to draw the right essences.

In Scorpius,she discovers a kindred spirit – but does he truly understand the limits to which she must push him?



















































Screencaptures from:
North & South
Spooks/MI-5
Strike Back
BBC's Robin Hood

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Tuesday Serial / The Serialists - Scene 67






My Scorpius serial now posts on Tuesdays for Tuesday Serial.










I'm also posting with The Serialists which appears on Wednesdays.

To recap this dark fantasy story so far:

As a small boy of seven, Scorpius was fetched from the nursery where he'd been raised to live among the nobility - fetched not by his family, but by a falconer to serve as his apprentice.

Scorpius soon learned that a close encounter with a dragon was preferable to the cruelties of the nobles he'd once hoped were family. His master did whatever he could to shield Scorpius from the world outside their cottage, but the falconer was merely a servant who must obey his own masters.

An attempt on the life of a young noble while on a hunt sent the falconer and his apprentice on abruptly different paths.

We continue with Scorpius at age sixteen as he enters the service of Lord Thibault.

You can follow the progress of this story arc by clicking on the Works in Progress link just under the blog header.


Scene 67

Scorpius’ sharp cry ricocheted through the stone gallery, his hand pinned by the sword master’s boot, the pommel grinding his knuckles into the floor.

A kick to his leg knocked his feet from under him. Slamming to the ground, he lost his hold upon the sword. An iron grip encircled his throat, choking him, just as the merciless tip of a blade hovered over his eye.

All he could do was stare down the length of steel into the swordmaster’s cool gaze.

With a grunt, the older man thrust Scorpius from him and stalked away. Pressing hard against the wall for support, Scorpius bent, coughing. Sweat rolled into his eyes.

“Again.”

With barely enough time to lift his head, Scorpius saw the swordmaster bearing down on him, weapon raised over his head. A chill gripped Scorpius’ limbs. But in two strides the man was upon him. All he could do was roll and scramble to his feet, his sword lying too far away.

The other man whirled to keep Scorpius in his sights, already lunging forward, his long blade blocking Scorpius' escape route. So he dove under it, sliding along the smooth floor, rolling once more towards his blade.

Scorpius was sure he heard a curse as he scooped up the pommel and regained his feet. A surge of purpose burst up through his chest, clearing his head so that he had the chance to think, though his body moved with all the speed he could muster.

Just in time, Scorpius braced himself with both hands on the pommel. The swordmaster brought his blade down in a bone-jarring arc, the steel ringing in the gallery. Laboring hard to meet the man’s powerful blows, Scorpius gave ground, stepping carefully backward, trying to stay free of the wall.

Panting hard, Scorpius blinked against the sweat but dare not let go of the pommel. The swordmaster suddenly charged forward, pulling back when Scorpius moved to parry. With a lunge and a twist, the older man threw Scorpius down at his feet, knocking the wind from his chest.

Gasping at the painful pressure in his lungs, Scorpius watched the swordmaster kick his sword away for a second time, until the breath burned back into him. Once again he lay pinned beneath the older man’s boot.

The only thing he could do was return the swordmaster’s gaze. But this time, the cool stare warmed into a spark of respect.

The older man dipped his head in salute, lifting his foot from Scorpius’ chest, bending to offer a hand of assistance.

Scorpius rose just as his master, Lord Thibault crossed the gallery to join them.

“A falconer’s boy, you say?” the swordmaster said.

“Yes, sir.” Scorpius still gripped his weapon as though the other man might press on with more training. But his master arrived instead, to give him a hearty swat on the back.

“I told you he’d be worth the trouble,” Lord Thibault said, his smile wide.

“He’s got size, and he’s got speed. Often there is one but not the other.” The swordmaster looked Scorpius up and down, which only served to make him draw up as tall as he could.

“If he is to serve me, he must protect me,” his master said, addressing the older man but looking at Scorpius.

“He is accustomed to serving birds of prey, my lord. They have taught him to read the lay of the land, to move with assurance, to be ready.”

The swordmaster closed the distance between himself and Scorpius, coming nose to nose, which forced him to look up slightly. But he remained just as intimidating. “You are used to letting the birds do the killing. Do you have what it takes?”

Scorpius glanced over at his master, who watched with a slight air of uncertainty. Though the swordmaster’s rank was a servant of this noble house, in the matter of whether he would agree to train Scorpius, it appeared Lord Thibault was prepared to defer to the man who ruled in this domain.

He didn’t know how the idea came to him. But when it struck Scorpius, he knew he must carry it through.

Without warning, Scorpius thrust the pommel of his sword up and out, clipping the swordmaster on the chin, putting the older man off-balance. Scorpius charged forward, using his superior weight to pin the man to the floor.

He was just maneuvering his blade to hold it across the swordmaster’s throat, when the older man grabbed Scorpius’ arm, thrust hard to the side and rolled them both over. The swordmaster was like a snake, wrapped tightly around Scorpius’ arms and legs.

A sharp blow to his arm forced his numbed hand to drop the blade. A knee to his gut forced a cry from him.

For a brief instant, Scorpius saw the fierce glow of the kill flash through the swordmaster’s eyes. But it passed just as quickly.

The intense pressure eased off, and the older man released him, gazing down with the slightest suggestion of admiration. “That’s a start,” he said.

© Julia Phillips Smith, 2011

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Summer Stock Sunday - 41










Robin's Summer Stock Sunday meme invites all to post summery photos, and to visit other bloggers who share their feelings and memories about this magical season.
















This is one of the most iconic photos from my childhood.

My sister and I grew up alongside my two cousins as a group of four, with our two families spending both quantity and quality time together.

Because our two dads were scuba divers, we spent many magical days at Polly Cove, near Peggy's Cove. The men dived, the women set up the day's base camp and enjoyed one another's company - while we kids ran over the rocks, climbed, ran, explored, watched the waves, made return visits to the moms for snacks and juice, and generally made the kinds of memories that loom the largest when I think of the happiest times of my life.

Clockwise from left, back row: my sister Michelle, my cousin Charlie, me, and my cousin Julianne











This is my dad with Polly Cove in the background.













This photo was taken by my uncle, Charles E. Doucet - it's one of my favorites of his art photography pieces.

Taken out where we had so many great times together.