Covers and Sheets...I mean updates...

Salutations!

What a great two months it's been. I learned a cool new technique in Photoshop about text effects, so I spent several hours throwing together this poster to further solidify my plans for Winter Child:

 So look forward to that around Christmastime. It's already started, but I've been ill for a few days, in fact I'm still recovering my voice, but I'll be doing my best to deliver. There will most likely be a few other things included in the Christmas package, but for sure a copy of Winter Child will be included. Look for a poster for Memento soon. That's about it for now, except to say that I have completed the first deck in my planned Psych deck for Epic Duels. But I'm not sure yet how to show that. It's a pet project I've been working on since I Saw Dave's Avengers deck. It's just for fun, but it feels great to have finished two things in one night. But I will keep you posted on Winter Child and Memento. 'Til next time!

Updates and Progress(Not Pilgrims)

Greetings to one and all!

My my, it has been ages since I last gave any updates. Well, then it's time to remedy that. First up, continue to expect Memento in the Spring, probably April or May. I might post more excerpts in the meantime, but we'll see. But the story is progressing by bounds, even though I've been doing more brainstorming than writing. But let me assure you I look forward more than anyone to finishing.

    Now, about Christmas. I still haven't any solid plans as to presents, but I've got several exciting ideas that I think will be amazing. But in regard to my Christmas Story that I've alluded to several family members already. It is a little project that has been percolating in my mind ever since my mission, so five years ago! I regret to inform you that I won't be able to complete it before Christmas, but I do have something in mind to help whet your appetite in the meantime. First however, I will tell you about the story itself.

    On my mission, at the time of my first Christmas season I was given to thinking of anything and everything in the evening to distract from the pressures of the day. Thankfully I have been blessed with an active imagination, so finding absurd, or random ideas was never too difficult. It was during one of these evenings, I think listening to Christmas songs on the radio, that an image popped into my head. To this day I have no idea what thought, or action, or whatever caused me to think of it, but in my minds' eye I pictured all nine of Santa's reindeer as humans, dressed from head to toe in black leather, like a motorcycle gang. And from then on, I began building a story around it. Over the course of five years it has tossed and tumbled around in my head. When I got back from my mission, I sat down several months later and actually wrote a Chapter fresh from my head just to get it out there and so I could actually say that the wheel had begun turning. Five years later this idea has become the first in a planned series in which Rudolph and friends are the main protagonists. This is a story I have wanted to tell since that night five years ago and I look forward to sharing it with you.

    This new series will start with this first tale I am working on and which I have entitled Reinsdyr (Rines-deer). This name is simply the norwegian word for Reindeer as a little shout out to my Norwegian ancestors. It will follow Rudolph and friends as they struggle to return to the North Pole after being transformed into humans by a rebellious elf who has overrun the North Pole and endangered Christmas. But this tale is forthcoming and will be finished sometime next year. Until then I am planning to release a short story entitled, Winter Child that will serve as a prequel to Reinsdyr. Also look forward to a sneak peek of Frost, the second book, that will accompany Reinsdyr.

    Well, you have been brought up to speed on my plans for the near future. I will also be working to get some of my Fan Fiction off the ground in the coming year. Projects in that area include, my treatment of an eighth Chronicles of Narnia adventure, an idea for a fifth Jaws, a post-series MacGyver adventure, a Jumanji sequel and a Calvin and Hobbes story. But that is just a handful. I love new ideas and new possibilities. Until next update, keep your eyes out for tidbits and news. BTW Happy Thanksgiving.

News and Updates

Greetings all!

It's been a while since I last blogged and I apologize but a lot has occurred since then and I wanted to bring you up to speed on what has been going on. I have been on a writing hiatus in regards to the two projects I have mentioned. I still intend to keep to my schedule, but for now, until the beginning of April, I have been in a research and education period, studying many different manuscripts involving creative writing in hopes that i my hone my skills even further. I feel that this will enable to deliver my best possible work.
    So, continue to look forward to Memento, the first book in the Secrets of the Bartons series this summer. In the meantime I have two plans in motion. The first is the releasing of an untitled MacGyver Fan Fic that i have been tossing around since last year. I don't want to reveal too much about it, but suffice it to say that I felt that there were some arcs in the MacGyver story that had possible resolutions. This is purely a work of fiction, meant to exhibit my skills as a writer only and in no way is to be construed as a continuation of the series. This all in fun, because I love to write.
    In the spirit of fun, I would like to introduce my second project. Starting in the first or second week of April I will be launching a blog, currently untitled, that will feature one item (Picture, story or simple joke or quote) every week. The goal for this is to have a place where not only can I exhibit examples of my singular wit, but also my love for laughter. I believe it is the best medicine, not a cure-all. But I know the need for a good laugh every now and then and I plan to use this blog to instill a need for good, wholesome humor in our lives and hopefully, by giving a little taste of that, others will want that too. For those of you who already know what I'm talking about.
    I hope to be able to serve you in other ways with more examples of my talents as the year progresses.
    Yours in friendship and love, Lenard Grae Nevit

Progress...

So I finally managed to acquire a new monitor and hopefully it will be strong and last for a while, but well, we'll see. At any rate, I can move forward with Secrets Book 1 as well as perhaps finishing a short story or two to whet your appetite. I'm excited about this year. Look forward to progress!

First post of 2013

Hey everybody! I'm exceedingly sorry for being so amateurish at being a blogger, but I mean to rectify that in the coming year. 2013 invites so many thoughts and desires of things I mean to accomplish in the next twelve months. The first of which is posting one or more items per month. I'll readily admit that writing has been going slowly, more so then I first thought. But I have plans to complete at least two projects this year (call it a new years resolution :). The first and foremost is of course the currently untitled first book in my magic satchel series. If all goes well, you should be seeing results by early summer. As for the second, I have been working on a Christmas tale that I call 'The Noel'. Believe it or not it's inception in my mind began on my mission. Of course the body of it could not come to fruition during that time, but in the years since then it has stayed prominent in my mind. I have not fully laid out the plot yet but I will give you a tantalizing hint: What if the reindeer were unexpectedly transformed into humans? So I'll be busy with these projects, but I will give you peeks into some of my work. Also, keep your eyes open on fanfiction.net. I plan to post a few projects on there as well. Until next blog, I will bid you farewell.

Excerpt From Memento, Book 1 in the Secrets of the Bartons Series

Here it is. Holy cow it's seemed like forever ago that I started this and now here is my first post and I hope the start of many, many more. Enjoy!

Prologue

Colorado, 1900

           

Young Carter stumbled down the ravine, nearly out of breath. He nearly lost his footing without the use of his hands which were clutched around the bundle in his arms. When he’d reached the bottom, he ran along it in a southwesterly direction until he came to his secret place. He hid there to catch his breath and to wait for whomever it was that was pursuing him to leave the area. When it was safe he could take his treasure home and hide it for the time being. It was his task, young as he was, to keep it safe as long as he was able. From what he did not know, but this task was one he would not take lightly. It was a task he had to fulfill, a task from a friend.

         The sound of hoof beats echoed from somewhere outside his hideaway, at least thirty yards away from the echo of the sounds outside. He tensed as a voice spoke closer than he expected.

          “Did you see whereabouts he went?”

          “Nah,” came another, “young bucks can disappear in these woods. They play in here most every day.”

          The first voice cursed savagely. “We’ve got to find it! It belongs to me!”

          “Easy,” replied the second in an effort to console the first. “We’ll ask around. Somebody’s bound to have heard something.”

         The first voice grunted a muted response and the sound of hoof beats rose than fell in volume as they disappeared into the night. Carter crawled slowly out from the mouth of the hidden cave, glanced furtively around him, then took off up the ravine in the direction of the town. Five minutes later he veered up the left wall until the rear of a ranch yard hove into view. Yet even with his home in sight he didn’t slow his pace, even though his lungs burned and his sides ached badly. Not until he was in his room and had secreted his trust within his secret niche under the floorboards beneath his bed, did he finally fall flat on his bed and breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

          A soft knock at the door, brought his senses up to the alert once more. He held a baseball bat out of sight at his hip as he opened the door to his bedroom. He let it slide quietly to the ground as he recognized the warm features of his mother.

         “Mother,” he breathed and backed up to the bed. “It’s you.”

         She frowned as he drew in a deep breath.

        “Carter is something the matter?” she inquired.

        He turned his eyes away in no certain direction and replied as calmly as he could,    “Nothing, I-It’s nothing, mother.”

      She raised her eyebrows. “And did this nothing cause you to be short of breath? Or, maybe you didn’t want to be late getting home? Where have you been by the way?”

        He gulped and looked at the floor. “I was at Old Man Darrington’s place.”

        His mother knitted her brows in simultaneous indignation and confusion. “And what pray tell, did you do there?”

        He sighed, “Ah Ma, you know I like his stories. He’s the best in these parts.”

        She put her hands on her hips. “Carter…you know how we feel about that.”

       He stood up and spoke before she could. He already knew the words that would come from her mouth. “He’s not an old crackpot, mother. He’s not crazy either.”

      She looked at him, her eyes betraying the doubt she felt, fumbling for a response. Nothing came and she could only continue to stare into her son’s eyes, seeing not only the truth, but the conviction in his eyes.

     “He’s my friend, mother,” he said softly. She knew he was set in his belief and she would abide by it. Sighing she spoke before exiting the room. “You make sure and tell us where you are from now on. We love you, you know.”

       He bit his lip. “I love you too, mother. I just don’t like people talking about Mr. Darrington that way.”

       She smiled and strode across the room to hug her son. “I know dear.”

       She kissed him on the forehead. “He’s lucky to have a friend like you, Carter. You have a good heart son.”

       She walked to the door and laid a hand on the light switch. “Good night.”

       “Good night, Mother.” He whispered. She turned the light out and closed the door. Carter fumbled around in his dresser drawer for a night shirt and got dressed for bed, all the while his mind on Old Man Darrington. He climbed into bed and lay awake. Sleep would not come easily tonight, not for him, not knowing what he knew.

********

A mile and a half away, Samuel Darrington lay on the floor of his house, fading fast. The men had ransacked his house earlier, had not found what they wanted, had left him for dead. He smiled wryly as his life ebbed away, satisfied that his work was done. He had passed the baton; he had put it beyond their reach, at least for now. He only hoped that good fortune and the hand of God would watch over the couriers of the treasure, that the people entrusted with its safety would have the aid they needed to guard it from the prying eyes and slippery hands of those who would use it to do ill.

      He drew the last vestiges of air into his lungs and breathed, with his last breath, “And so it begins.”