Excerpt from, "Children of the Mist"

~CHILDREN OF THE MIST~

On the shingle of the boulder-strewn shore, several small boats bobbed against their moorings. After ensuring his pack was securely fastened around his waist, he climbed into one, and lashed the torch to the prow. He cast off, and took up the paddle. The river bore the craft along at a tremendous rate and it needed all his skill and attention to save the craft from dashing against the rocks. He'd heard about the fabled river of Mimir, but this was not the tranquil stream of his imagination. The walls still reflected a phosphorescent glow. Vidarh noticed several gigantic, human-like statues on the banks as he passed, but had no time to contemplate or admire them. Rounding a bend, he came upon a wall of water ahead, cascading from the roof in a fury of white froth. The torrent boiled and raced. He gritted his teeth as he headed into the maelstrom.
There was no way he could control the boat's frantic motions as it heaved and bucked like an unbroken colt. He threw down the paddle, gripped the sides of the vessel, and sent a desperate message through the ether.
Tamarith, I'm in trouble. Please—send me images of your location, quickly. I need to know what it looks like where you are.
The raging current tossed the boat around with relentless fury. All Vidarh's attention focused on maintaining contact with Tamarith, and even his finely-tuned powers could not prevent the craft from capsizing. Gasping as he hit the icy flood, he struck out with his arms in desperation, and tried to keep the watery demons from pulling him under.
Tamarith!
Into his head came a shimmering picture of mountains and a snowy plain beyond, like the one he had recently crossed. A path before the mouth of a cave wound down the declivity to the plain. He closed his eyes and forced himself to concentrate on the image, while trying to keep his head above the water.
The mountains and the plain solidified in his mind. He saw a group of people gathered at the entrance to the cave, halfway down the craggy slope. Four sturdy ponies stood tethered a short distance away. Vidarh struck a barrage of water with a force that winded him. Myriad rainbow colours flashed before his eyes. For a nanosecond, he sped through a vortex of black nothingness, sucked through the eye of a raging whirlwind. He hit hard ground and rolled over onto his side. A few moments passed before he could catch his breath and scramble to his feet. He stood in embarrassment, aware of the slightly shocked expressions on the faces of the three people gathered before him.
Welcome, Vidarh. Not quite how we were expecting you to arrive.

The young woman, at whose feet he had fallen, was pleasing to look at, even if her expression was one of bemusement. He'd formed a vague picture in his mind and thought she would be attractive, although he had not expected her to be so stunning. Large, dark eyes framed with feathery lashes lit up her delicate features. Thick black hair in a long braid reached almost to her feet, and the close-fitting riding gear she wore emphasised a petite, shapely figure.
Tamarith smiled, an action that made her seem even lovelier, and extended her fingers in the Nifl custom. How did you do that?

Purchasing info
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/children-of-the-mist-p-1280.html

The SPOTLIGHT is on, Hywela Lyn

Hywela Lyn has lived most of her life in Wales and the beautiful countryside and legends inspired her to write. Although she now lives in England she is very proud of her Welsh heritage and background. She enjoys weaving romantic tales of the future, and distant, mysterious worlds. Her pen name is a combination of her first two names.' Hywela is Welsh and her first name but it was never used and she has always been called by her second Christian name, Lyn. One thing remains constant in her writing: The power of love. Love, not only between her hero and heroine, but between friends and siblings, and for their particular world and the creatures that share it. She is crazy about all animals, especially horses. She lives with her long suffering husband, Dave, and has two horses, two feral cats and an adopted Jack Russell terrier. Hywela Lyn’s first novel, 'Starquest', a futuristic romance was released by The Wild Rose Press in 2008 in print and electronically, and is available from Amazon and the Publisher’s and Author’s website. The sequel to ‘Starquest’, 'Children of the Mist' was published by the same publisher in June 2009 and her novella about the Greek Muse, Terpsichore, ‘Dancing With Fate’ is available now as an individual E-book from the Publisher, or one of three stories in Book II of the anthology ‘Song Of The muses’ on Amazon.

What people are saying about Hywela Lyn and 'Children of the Mist'-

The Long and Short Of It Reviews (Five Star Plus Best Book Review)
"This book is wonderful! There are few books that hold my interest to the point where I can't bear to put it down, but Children of the Mist is most certainly at the top of this list. The attraction between Tamarith and Vidarh is beautifully written. The involvement of telepathy would appear to make it easier for them to share their feelings, but this isn't the case. If anything telepathy makes it harder as they hide their minds from one another. This puts their lives in danger more than once......Well done Hywela Lyn. I haven't read the first book in this series, but you can be sure I'm going to buy it as soon as I can. This is the type of book I love to read."

http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2009/07/children-of-mist-by-hywela-lyn.html
Reviewed by Orchid

You Gotta Read Reviews 'You Need To Read' (Equivalent to Four Star Review)

"The story is fast paced and filled with interesting action: travelling some beautiful but difficult terrains, facing a deadly virus, and battling evil alien slavers. The psychic powers add an exciting dimension and are an integral part of the plot and romance. The story jumps into action from the very beginning and keeps you engaged to the end...
... Although this book stands well on its own I definitely want to read Starquest now too! I encourage you to pick up the series for exciting and enjoyable reading."
http://yougottareadreviews.blogspot.com/search/label/Hwyela%20Lyn
Reviewed by: MarthaE

Writers And Readers Of Distinctive Fiction Reviews (Black Seal)
" Chock full of suspense and well-developed characters, Children of the Mist is exciting and well-written. There are a lot of characters to root for, and a lot of twists and turns as Virdah and Tamarith discover their feelings, and try to save each other in this edge of your seat suspenseful romance."
http://blog.lyndacoker.net/2009/09/09/wrdf-review-of-children-of-the-mist-by-hywela-lyn.aspx
Reviewed by Holli Herrle

Classic Romance Revival (Five wings)

"Packed with excitement, adventure and cliff-hangers, Children of the Mist also has moments of profound tenderness and beauty, with stunning description of snow, ice-cats, glaciers and mountains. Telepathy features strongly through the novel and I was touched by the way Vidarh and Tamarith fell in love with, and also rescued each other, via telepathy." http://www.classicromancerevival.com/blog/?cat=http://www.classicromancerevival.com/blog/?cat=281

Reviewed by Lindsay Townsend

Purchasing info for Children of the Mist.
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/children-of-the-mist-p-1280.html

Visit Hywela Lyn on the web-

http://www.hywelalyn.co.uk/

The Spotlight is on, "Children of the Mist," by Hywela Lyn

CHILDREN OF THE MIST

Two minds united against a common foe. Two hearts afraid to show their love: Long ago Tamarith fell in love with a man she can never have, and is convinced she will never love another. However, she cannot help but be intrigued by a handsome stranger whose psychic powers exceed even her own.

Vidarh seeks only to find his true purpose in life and to win the regard of his father, who eschews his son’s psychic abilities. Thrown together by a common threat to their planet, then torn apart by an evil greater than any they could have imagined, can Vidarh save the lovely Nifl woman who has captivated him, before it is too late?

Will Tamarith and Vidarh overcome the deadly enemy who threatens to destroy all they know and love? Will they find the happiness they both seek? Or are they fated to live their lives alone?






To learn more about Hywela Lyn and 'Children of the Mist,' please visit her on the web.

http://www.hywelalyn.co.uk/

Buy 'Children of the Mist' today-
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/children-of-the-mist-p-1280.html

Check back with us tomorrow to find out more about Author Hywela Lyn, and to hear what's being said about 'Children of the Mist!'

Excerpt from, "Children of the Mist"

"Children of the Mist"
by Hywela Lyn

EXCERPT:

I would like to talk to you before Gullin calls us all together, if you can spare a few minutes.

Of course, Vidarh agreed as he followed her outside and walked with her along the mosaic path beside the banks of flowers that edged the lake.

Tamarith stopped and gazed for a moment across the water. The G-type sun, now fully risen, caused the lake to shimmer like a veil of golden silk, with scarcely a ripple disturbing its calm. The pastel-colored walls of the graceful buildings on the shore reflected the glow of both suns. In the distance, the mountains encircling the settlement reached high into the cerulean sky. The swirling mist that hid their summits was as much a part of Niflheim as the earth upon which she and Vidarh stood.

She sensed his mind discreetly touch hers, and realized he was staring at her keenly. She turned back to face him, returning his questioning glance and studying him in turn.

Taller than average, and broad-shouldered, today he wore a sleeveless, belted leather shirt over thick breeches, with long, icecat-wool lined boots. His upper arms were well muscled, his skin tanned as if he were used to working outdoors. His curly, dark auburn hair, kept away from his face with a plain leather band, reached almost to his shoulders. It caught the sun's rays and gleamed like the polished dark red wood of the trees that flanked the feet of the mountains. She took in his clear, hazel eyes, with their friendly twinkle, the long, straight nose, strong jaw line and smiling mouth. He would have been fighting off the local unattached young women if the situation they found themselves in were not so serious.

Not that she was particularly interested in his looks, or those of any other man, for that matter. No,something else about Vidarh of Ragnak excited her curiosity. It's about yesterday

The SPOTLIGHT is on, "Children of the Mist" by Hywela Lyn

Two minds united against a common foe. Two hearts afraid to show their love: Long ago Tamarith fell in love with a man she can never have, and is convinced she will never love another.

However, she cannot help but be intrigued by a handsome stranger whose psychic powers exceed even her own. Vidarh seeks only to find his true purpose in life and to win the regard of his father, who eschews his son’s psychic abilities.

Thrown together by a common threat to their planet, then torn apart by an evil greater than any they could have imagined, can Vidarh save the lovely Nifl woman who has captivated him, before it is too late?

Will Tamarith and Vidarh overcome the deadly enemy who threatens to destroy all they know and love? Will they find the happiness they both seek?

Or are they fated to live their lives alone?

Check back tomorrow for a sneak peek at "Children of the Mist!"

Order your copy from the Wild Rose Press today-

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/children-of-the-mist-p-1280.html?zenid=e3120c2a7f6840eb3298c371555801d6

To learn more about Hywela Lyn visit her on the web- My Website

Interview w/Song of the Muses author, Hywela Lyn

Today I would like to introduce everyone to another author contributing to the "Song of the Muses," anthology from the Wild Rose Press, Hywela Lyn.

Welcome Hywela!

Your story, Dancing with Fate, is Terpischore's story and the final story in book two of the Anthology. I am going to post your stories blurb and then we'll get started with your interview.

Terpsichore's task --- to restore a love of dancing, to the Celts of Wales -- seems simple. However, all is not as it seems. Danger follows. Legends are threatened; and she had not meant to lose her heart ,or have to save the man she loves by dancing with Fate.

C of C- How long have you been writing
HL- Since I was about fourteen – a long time ago. I wrote a really bad 60.000 word Western by hand. There was a long gap while I did other things, mainly involving horses and long distance horseback riding in the Welsh mountains, although I still wrote on and off. Then, a few years ago I took a month off work to look after my sister’s smallholding while she was abroad, and dug out an old MS of mine which had been gathering dust for several years - an early draft of ‘Starquest’, my first futuristic novel. I loved it when I wrote it and the characters were always with me. I’d just never got around to doing anything with it. I completely revised it and submitted it to The Wild Rose Press and re-discovered my love of writing.

C of C- Are you a plotter or a pantser?
HL- A pantster really – I always have a rough outline for guidance, but mostly it’s writing by the seat of my pants.

C of C- What is your favorite part of the writing process?
HL- Writing ‘The End’ and then starting self editing. Seriously though I’m always a bit sad when I have to say goodbye to my characters, although, in my mind there’s always more going on with them. I enjoy working out a difficult scene and seeing where it takes me, sometimes to a place I hadn’t expected. I love to imagine myself as my lead character and try to get inside her skin.

C of C- Amen to that!

C of C- Where do you find your inspiration?
HL- Sometimes the characters come to me, demanding a story. Sometimes a picture, or a piece of music, or something I see in the countryside will start a story germinating.

C of C- Do you write in short stretches or for long periods of time?
HL- Usually long stretches. If a scene or story is flowing well I hate to have to stop and do something else.

C of C- Do you write in silence or listen to music?
HL- I love listening to ‘mood’ music, which can be anything from classical to folk music. If I’m really engrossed though, often my cd will finish and I won’t even notice, so then I’m writing in silence. I find music helps to get me started though.

C of C- I agree, Hywela. I have certain songs that can pull different emotions from me. Its actually kind of amazing.

C of C- Do you eat or drink while writing?
HL- I find chocolate is a great source of inspiration. It’s also a good reward for achieving a set number of words, finishing a chapter, etc. I sometimes eat fruit or sip fruit juice or tea, but It’s easier to type when my hands are free - chocolate is easier.

C of C- Ah, yes chocolate! Finally someone who admits it!!!

C of C- Do you research your story before you write it, or as you go?
HL- If a story needs research I always do this first – often it can help in the actual plotting, and avoids having to go back and correct something. I usually find I still need to research things as I’m writing, though. If I’m not sure of something I’ll always look it up.

C of C- What have you learned through research that you’ll remember for the rest of your life?
HL- History and myths contradict each other. Always check more than one source of information and use the one that fits your story best. Also, history has a tendency to repeat itself, and there are parallels in most societies.

C of C- I never thought of it that way, but its very true, and thats also a great piece of advice!

C of C- How do you decorate your writing space?
HL- I have pictures of scenery and my horses on the walls, and some soft toys on the book shelves. I try not to have too much on my desk as I need that for books, pens, screen wipes etc.

C of C- Are you a neat/organized writer or is your office and/or space a complete mess with sticky notes everywhere?
HL-I tend to accumulate reference books, dictionaries, notes and cds on my workspace. Every now and then I have a tidy up but it doesn’t last for long. I can’t work in complete clutter but I like to have things I’m likely to use close to hand.

C of C- Does all your writing take place on a computer or do you ever write on pen and paper?
HL- Everything I write is done on the computer these days – I find if I try to write by hand it slows me down and I’m concentrating more on my handwriting than the words. I even type out my rough notes and file them on-line. I do have lots of back ups though – flash drives, cds and a zip drive.

C of C- Thank God for flash drives!!

C of C-What is your favorite time period? And why?
HL- The distant past – or the distant future. For some reason I don’t feel I belong in the present.

C of C- I feel the same way. Strange, eh?

C of C- Do you feel a draw to the people and time period you write about.
HL- Absolutely. I become very fond of them and often play out scenes in my mind with myself as the central character.

C of C- What character did you most enjoy writing?
HL- Jess. The heroine of ‘Starquest’. I still imagine her in varying situations and weave different stories about her. She also appears in the sequel, although another character is the lead in this. Myrddin the hero of ‘Dancing With Fate’ my story for the Wild Rose Press anthology , ‘Song Of The Muses,’ is a favorite of mine as well. Based on a well known mythical figure the more I researched him the more I grew to love him.

C of C- Readers are always curious to know about authors lives. What is the worst job (non-writing related) you’ve ever held?
HL- Working in a government office. It was regimented, boring and laborious – the only good thing about it was that most of the people I worked with were really nice.

C of C- What is one thing you think your readers would be interested to know about you?
HL- They might be surprised to learn that I’m quite a ‘spiritual’ person. I don’t attend Church regularly or anything, because I feel that God or whatever you like to call Him, is everywhere, especially in the mountains and the wild places. I feel a great affinity to the Native Americans whose religious beliefs were tied in with nature, and who therefore treated the Earth with love and respect and never took more than they gave back to it.

C of C- Are you reclusive or do you like being with other writers?
HL- I love being with other writers but most of the time I write alone since I reside in a small village and don’t live close enough to any writers groups. I belong to lots of on-line groups and loops though and have made some wonderful friends over the internet. Most of them I have never met, and most are in the US.. My first proper crit partner, though, who helped me work out the kinks in ‘Starquest’ lives in Scotland and I met him and his wife when I visited Scotland for a short holiday. I don’t know what I’d do without the internet, I have learnt so much from it and made so many friends.

C of C- I know what you mean Hywela, without my internet friends I would be LOST!!!

C of C- Do you find love scenes easy or hard to write?
HL- I love writing love scenes but don’t go in for anything too explicit. I believe love scenes should, above all, be very romantic.

C of C- I totally agree!

C of C- Do you ever act out your scenes?
HL- All the time. Especially when I’m trying to go to sleep at night.

C of C- lol! Only another writer can truly understand that!!! :O)

C of C- How long do you wait once a story is finished to revise it?
HL- Not long enough. Although one is supposed to put a story away for several weeks, I’m impatient to get back to work on it. The revision is where I take time to expand on my favorite scenes and cut out some of the rubbish. I’m lucky if I can last a week. I revise and revise and am never really satisfied – and I still miss things and don’t recognize the waffle!

C of C- I wish some of your impatience would rub off on me!! sigh*

C of C- Is it necessary to have a Critique/Writing partner?
HL- I couldn’t manage without one. It’s almost impossible to spot one’s own errors, however many times one goes over ones work, one is too close to spot everything. Reading and reviewing a partner’s work also gives one an insight into where one is going wrong oneself and helps alert one to the pitfalls. A crit partner who is able to give clear and concise advice and reasons for their suggestions, without hurting your feelings or destroying your confidence, is worth their weight in gold.
C of C- I couldn't agree more!

C of C-Do you allow family and friends to read your stories?
HL- Since most of my family is in Wales and I now live in England, my family is limited to my husband, and although he is supportive, he doesn’t really read much of my writing. I will occasionally ask a friend to read something, but I find my on-line friends and critique partners are more honest and will tell me if something isn’t working, whereas family and friends might just think they have to be encouraging.

C of C- Authors make writing look so easy. Is it harder than most people imagine it to be?
HL- Yes. For me, anyway. It’s one thing to write a good story, it’s another to be sure the grammar, punctuation and everything else is correct. Then you have to ensure there are no plot holes, that all the loose threads have been tied, that the characters speak with their own voices, that they act consistently, that you’re not ‘head hopping’. There are a lot of rules to follow these days, and there are often contradictions. On top of all that, there’s the dreaded writer’s block where you hit a snag and it seems to take forever to write your way out of it. I believe it is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding things one can do, though.

C of C- So true, most readers don't really know what goes into writing a good, "industry acceptable story."

C of C- When you write a new story are you apprehensive about allowing others to critique it?
HL- No, I’m anxious to have a second opinion as to whether it’s worth the hard work of revision, or whether I should just shelve it and start again! It sometimes hurts to have your work criticized and torn to pieces, but if it’s done in a constructive manner and makes the book better, then it’s necessary and worth it.

C of C- What advice would you give to a new aspiring writer?
HL- The advice I was given myself a long time ago by Anne McCaffrey when I wrote to her and told her I wanted to write. She wrote back and said: ‘Write what you would like to read.’ It’s not failed me yet. I’d also say develop a thick skin and be prepared to take criticism from people who are genuinely trying to help you with your writing. It’s your story though so be prepared to also stick to your guns.

C of C- Excellent advice!!! .

Thanks so much for being here with me today, Hywela. I've enjoyed getting to know you, and I wish you the best of luck in all your future endevours!!!!!

**TERPISCHORE'S STORY WILL NOT BE RELEASED BY THE WILD ROSE PRESS UNTIL FRIDAY, JULY 25th.**

For more information on Hywela Lyn please go to: http://www.hywelalyn.co.uk/

For more information on Terpischore's story and the rest of the muse anthology, browse the Wild Rose Press. http://www.thewildrosepress.com/

Song of the Muses, Book II ...

Starting July 4th, we will be interviewing the authors of "Song of the Muses," book II.

Masha Holl - July 4th

Reece Herring- July 11th

Hywela Lyn-July 18th

You don't want to miss it!!!

"Songs of the Muses," an anthology ...

SONGS OF THE MUSES

Coming Soon

from the Wild Rose Press

"Nine stories of Inspiration"

Together we are about to embark on a journey where we will have the pleasure of meeting the nine muses of inspiration borne of Greek

mythology. The daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, these goddesses each inspire something different within the minds of us mere mortals. We will follow 9 fabulous authors and will find out what befalls each muse in her own unique story.

Muse Authors

Skhye Moncrief- The muse of Writing

Sky Purington- The muse of tragedy

Robyn Wren- The muse of Music

Masha Holl- The muse of Astronomy

Reece Herring- The muse of Love

Hywela Lyn- The muse of Dance

Alisha Paige- The Muse of History

Michele Hart- The muse of Comedy

Valerie Everhart- The muse of Hymns

Schedule of Muse interviews:

June 6th- Interview with Skhye Moncrief- Calliope, the muse of Writing

(Book- "Ancient Musings)

June 13th- Interview with Sky Purington- Melpomene, the muse of Tragedy

(Book- "Highland Muse")

June 20th- Interview with Robyn Wren- Euterpe, the muse of Music

(Book- "Destiny's Light")

July 4th- Interview with Masha Holl- Urania, the muse of Astronomy

(Book-"The Brightest Heaven")

July 11th- Interview with Reece Herring- Erato, the muse of Love

(Book- "Erato's tears")

July 18th- Interview with Hywela Lyn- Terpsichore, the muse of Dance
(Book- "Dancing with Fate")

August 1st- Interview with Alisha Paige- Clio, the muse of history

(Book- "A love beyond time")

August 8th - Interview with Michele Hart- Thalia, the muse of Comedy

(Book-"No funny stuff")

August 15th - Interview with Valerie Everhart- Polyhymnia, the muse of Hymns

(Book- "The victory of Lugh")

This is going to be an incredible journey, that you don't want to miss!