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Rosalie Valentine

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June 13, 2016

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Uh, This is Random

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Welcome to Penprints

As stated at the end of last week’s blog post, I have decided to change the name of this blog.

First of all, let it be known that I really struggle with keeping the same blog name for very long.

Second of all, be sure to load the pics in this email (you know who you are, email hermits) because there are stunning (stunning) visuals to go along with this momentous occasion.

Some of you may remember that when my blog began, I christened it Not All by My Lonesome. I think we can all agree that that was a weird, mouthful of a blog name. This is typically my reaction when I think back on the days of Not All by My Lonesome:

So after a year of… that, I renamed the blog The Fox Hole because I’m mildly (okay not mildly, majorly) obsessed with foxes.

Just look at this beauty!!! How can you not be obsessed????

(I plan to own my own fox one day. It shall be wonderful and glorious and I shall call it squishy and it will be my squishy.)

*ahem*

And so my blog has been The Fox Hole for over two years (yeah, this blog has been around three years; I try not to think about the early days of this blog… those were the Dark Days when I had no idea what I was doing, and those of you who weren’t around back then should be thankful that you weren’t around).

*ahem again*

The time has come, once again, to change the blog name, and this time, I think this is The One (yeah, sure I thought the same thing about the last two blog names, but I’m sure–as in positive, without a shadow of a doubt–that that won’t be the case this time… hehe, right?).

Penprints.

That’s right; I’m rechristening the ol’ blog Penprints.

So now onto the purpose of the post ~~wait, what? Blog posts are supposed to have a purpose? I thought they were supposed to just be my meandering thoughts as they come to me… oops~~–why Penprints?

Now, I can hear some of you groaning and wailing, “Who even cares?” Others are crying out (*cough cough* I’m looking at you, Mom), “But The Fox Hole was such a cute name! And Penprints is… what does it even mean?”

To which I reply: “It’s unique and relates to writing. Sort of. Vaguely. In a roundabout, makes you think of pawprints and puppies, sort of way.”

And The Fox Hole has copyright stuffs–I could get a cease and desist order any time which would mean bye-bye meandering blog posts from Rosalie for all you lovely people (I know, we’d all be shedding some tears if that happened).

Also, check out this new header.

And another thing, since ya’ll go nuts all over social media talking about this blog (because you do, right? Right? RIGHT???), I have also taken the liberty of creating an official hashtag for Penprints.

Get ready for it: #penprints (whoa. whoa. you did not see that coming. at all.).

Why #penprints? Well, I wanted a hashtag for us all (haha, basically just me) to use on social media so that our discussion (because we’re gonna have lots of discussion, right? Right?? RIGHT??) can be easily tracked. And #penprints is the obvious choice because it’s the name of the blog. So, if any of you feel like sharing something from Penprints on any of your social medias, now you have #penprints to tag it with. :) (No, guys, I promise I’m not obsessed with this blog; like, what are you even talking about?)

There you have it.

Welcome to Penprints.

Now, you ask: “How do you feel about this new name, Rosalie?”

To which I reply:

SO. What do you guys think? Penprints or The Fox Hole? And what do you think of the new header and such? Do you think blog renaming should be a thing? What are the names of your blogs?

P.S. – Guys. I used thirteen parenthetical statements in this blog post! That’s crazy!

P.P.S. – The next post you receive in your inbox will be from Penprints instead of The Fox Hole, just so you know. :)

P. P. P. S. – I just fired up a Facebook page; you should check it out because things are cool there.

Posted by

Rosalie Valentine

Posted on

May 21, 2016

Posted under

Books

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Nälu Worldbuilding: Behind the Scenes with J.L. Mbewe

Happy Saturday, dear followers! :)

Today I have the privilege of J.L. Mbewe guest posting here on The Fox Hole!
She is the author of Secrets Kept, the first in her Hidden Dagger trilogy, and the second book in the series–Darkened Hope–just released earlier this month! Her worldbuilding has always floored me, and so I invited her over to talk about how she built Nälu.

The Post:

JL Mbewe guest post

The journey to Nälu has been over ten years in the making, and it’s getting harder to remember how the world of Nälu came to be. But I do remember that I had the characters and rough idea of the story. Ayianna, Kael, Desmond, etc. were just cardboard cut-outs at the time, although their names have changed considerably from the initial concept. As I was building the characters and the story, questions arose which pushed me to explore their backgrounds, their cultures, and customs. So it was kind of like a dance. A lot of two steps forward, one step back, and sometimes, I had to take five steps back before I could move forward one. Thus the world of Nälu grew up around them as the story grew from a thirty page rough draft into three novels that expanded into nine books.

In the early stages of writing the first draft, I sketched maps to get an idea of where everything was located. I LOVE maps, so I might have spent longer on it than I needed. But I had to get everything just right. I studied climates and world geography to create a believable terrain and weather interaction. The initial map went through several drafts until I finally solidified the final markings, but even then the names kept changing right up until Secrets Kept went to print back in 2013.

The nations and cultures that rose up were influenced by where they lived and my studies. I love the various cultures and ethnicities our world has and I wanted Nälu to reflect that. In Nälu, we have humans, elves, dwarves, feline-shapeshifters, merfolk, giants, fairies, and pygmies. As my story grew, my characters faced questions of their own histories and how that influenced their interactions with each other, their motivations, purpose, etc. The information kept growing and getting harder to manage. It was a beast! So I ended up creating an Excel document with all the nations and their influential events and people from the beginning of their recorded time until their end.

The second most important thing I had to nail down was the languages. I couldn’t have all these nations running around with only one language. Sure, I have the common tongue and Táchil, the language of Zohar and power. Then each race has their own language: Zjótharyn (elves), Tarôc (dwarves), Nihi (merfolk), Hazrul (feline-shapeshifters), Pyamor (giants), and even the jungle natives have one (Raklho). I love languages. I can hold my own speaking Spanish and know a few good phrases in Nyanja (hubby’s language). But I am no J. R. R. Tolkien. Now, I am going to tell you what I’ve only told a few people. The base of each language is a code. Yes. I know. I’m a hack. But it works. From the code, I used my knowledge of Spanish and Nyanja and tweaked it. But I had to stop by myself before I started creating a whole list of verbs to conjugate. Ack! There is a fine line between keeping it real in fantasy worlds and going too far. I don’t know if I will ever do that again for future worlds.

Once the foundation of each race was built (where they lived, what they look like, major history events, languages, textiles, agriculture, military, etc.), I started layering social customs. I created another Excel document with a worksheet for each race and started filling it out like a character sheet. How did they greet each other? Express sorrow? How did they treat/punish criminals? I wrote out their social expectations, educational system, laws, and such.

Building Nälu took years. I hope to take what I’ve learned through this and apply it to the future worlds I’m building. I do hope you all enjoy it.

The Blurb:

The Secret Keeper is on the run, but does she know the secret she keeps?

Ayianna is a cursed half-elf betrothed to Desmond, but her heart belongs to another. After discovering the cure for the Sorceress’s curse, she and her companions embark on a dangerous quest to retrieve the ingredients.

When dragons descend upon their party, Ayianna realizes the Sorceress is searching not just for the corrupted dagger, but a human sacrifice that will open a portal to the underworld. Battling deadly creatures and natural disasters, Ayianna is forced more and more to confront her insecurities and conflicted heart.

Now she must decide whether to be true to her family or true to herself. As the nations rally for war, betrayal threatens to destroy them all, and it’s a race against time to return before the curse devastates the plains people.

The Author:

Writing as J. L. Mbewe, Jennette is an author, artist, mother, wife, but not always in that order. Born and raised in Minnesota, she now braves the heat of Texas, but pines for the Northern Lights and the lakes of home every autumn. She loves trying to capture the abstract and make it concrete. She is currently living her second childhood with a wonderful husband and two precious children who don’t seem to mind her eclectic collections of rocks, shells, and swords, among other things. Here, between reality and dreams, you will find her busily creating worlds inhabited by all sorts of fantasy creatures and characters, all questing about and discovering true love amid lots of peril. She has two short stories published in The Clockwork Dragon anthology, and four short stories set in the world of Nälu. Her debut novel, Secrets Kept, was nominated for the 2014 Clive Staples Award, and its sequel, Darkened Hope is coming May 2016.

Stay up-to-date with all things Nälu and her journey as a writer mama at JLMbewe.com. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and/or Pinterest.

A Chance to win the books:

The Darkened Hope Facebook Launch Party which is TONIGHT!!!! *throws confetti*

FB party DH launch 2

There will be so many things that you can win at this party.

The Grand Prize.

Awesome playing cards.

Groovy journal.

Elegant mug and gift card.

Buy the books:

Here are links to buy Secrets Kept and Darkened Hope! (Oh, and btw–the Kindle edition of Secrets Kept is on sale for only $0.99 for this month only! Go buy it!)

The other stops on the tour!

The Fashion of Nälu.

An Interview with Prince Vian. (Guys, Prince Vian is one of my one true loves from fiction. You should go check out this interview with him.)

An Interview with J.L. Mbewe.

The Powers of Nälu.

The journey of The Hidden Dagger Trilogy and what it means to J.L. Mbewe.

P.S. – review of Darkened Hope forthcoming.

Posted by

Rosalie Valentine

Posted on

January 25, 2016

Posted under

Books

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Darkened Hope Cover Reveal

Happy Monday, ~~peasants~~ my dear followers!

Today I have the pleasure of participating in the cover reveal for Darkened Hope by J.L. Mbewe. Some of you may remember that I said it is one of the speculative fiction releases for 2016 that I’m most excited about, and let me tell you, this cover gets me even more jazzed!

So, I’ll quit blabbing and give you the good stuff!

Note: If you don’t know much about the Hidden Dagger Trilogy, go here to read up about the first book in the series, Secrets Kept.

The Blurb:

The Cover:

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000026_00038]

Coming May 2016

About the Author:

jennette headshot Writing as J. L. Mbewe, Jennette is an author, artist, mother, wife, but not always in that order. Born and raised in Minnesota, she now braves the heat of Texas, but pines for the Northern Lights and the lakes of home every autumn. She loves trying to capture the abstract and make it concrete. She is currently living her second childhood with a wonderful husband and two precious children who don’t seem to mind her eclectic collections of rocks, shells, and swords, among other things. Here, between reality and dreams, you will find her busily creating worlds inhabited by all sorts of fantasy creatures and characters, all questing about and discovering true love amid lots of peril. She has two short stories published in The Clockwork Dragon anthology, and four short stories set in the world of Nälu. Her debut novel, Secrets Kept, was nominated for the 2014 Clive Staples Award, and its sequel, Darkened Hope is coming May 2016.

Stay up-to-date with all things Nälu and her journey as a writer mama at JLMbewe.com. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and/or Pinterest.

And as if that wasn’t cool enough, the Kindle version of Secrets Kept, the first in the series, is only $0.99 on Amazon right now!

This is an adventure that fantasy lovers won’t want to miss.

But wait. There’s more. One of the short stories that goes along with the Hidden Dagger Trilogy, A Princess No More, is free on Amazon right now. Free! FREE!

Out of all the short stories, I think this one might be my favorite. (This short story is tragic, so be sure you have some chocolate. Lots of chocolate. Just go get a bag of Doves. Maybe two bags. Yeah, probably two bags. You’re welcome.)

So, hop on over to Amazon to pick up your Kindle copies of this gripping stories!

Have a fantastic week!

P.S. – if you go over to J.L Mbewe’s website and sign up for her newsletter, you get an exclusive deleted scene from Secrets Kept so… go do that too. :)

Posted by

Rosalie Valentine

Posted on

December 22, 2015

Posted under

Uh, This is Random

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How to Wrap a Gift (for the exceptionally challenged)

The days until Christmas have dwindled into single digits. People are running around like chickens with their heads cut off trying to get last minute shopping in. Children stalk the presents under the tree. Mothers angst over the big Christmas meal. Sweethearts kiss under the mistletoe. Blah, blah, blah.

This post isn’t about any of that.

I’ll do some real advent posts next year, but for 2015, this shall be the only Christmas post I write.

I think that this is an issue that a lot of people struggle with. I mean, there are those few out in the world who have this down and make the rest of us want to gag, but I think that this doesn’t come naturally to most of us. It’s a real, deep struggle.

I am, of course, talking about gift wrapping.

how to wrap a gift (for the exceptionally challenged) So, here is a four-step tutorial on how to wrap a Christmas gift, and because I am exceptionally challenged, this should be suitable even for even the most inept.

Step 1: Assemble your supplies

Find your wrapping paper. If you cannot locate any wrapping paper in the house, you must venture out of doors and buy some from the nearest store. Choosing the correct wrapping paper isn’t that big of a deal; all you have to do is make sure it’s pretty. However, I recommend paper with one side as a grid because this makes cutting a relatively straight line a world easier.

Find your scissors. This can be difficult. Pull out all of your drawers, and if you still are unable to locate them, dump the contents of the drawers on the floor in a fit of frustration. (It helps.) Even in a pinch, DO NOT USE KITCHEN SCISSORS UNDER ANY CIRCUMASTANCES. I cannot emphasize this enough. Using kitchen scissors will only elevate the already high risk of mental breakdown.

Find your tape. Don’t buy unproven, cutsy holiday tape. Even if it says it’s “specifically for” gift wrapping, don’t believe it. (It’s a trap!) If you already possess trustworthy holiday tape, go ahead and use that, but otherwise, buy some good old, clear scotch tape. For the inept, this is a must because you will most likely end up using obscene amounts of tape in an effort to wrap your gifts, and cute tape will make it look more like even more of a mess than it already is. For the advanced, use this holiday tape at your own risk.

Find your fine-tipped Sharpie. This is for labeling your gifts once they are wrapped. It is best to track this bad boy down at this time so that you can label your gifts as soon as they are wrapped. Use fat Sharpies at your own risk.

Pro-tip: never let your mom “borrow” any of your supplies as the odds of seeing those supplies ever again are extremely slim.

Step Two: Wrap the gift.

Pick the gift you wish to wrap first. Usually, it is best to start with something fairly simple like putting the gift in an Amazon shipping box. Find a flat surface to be your operating table. DO NOT USE A BED. This is the worst place to wrap gifts because beds usually an odd height and squishy which usually means lots of unwanted rips in your paper. I highly recommend the floor instead of a table because you will likely be sinking to the ground in a heap of tears at some point anyway.

With your supplies assembled and your gift chosen, you can begin wrapping the gift. Begin by unrolling a portion of your paper and placing the gift in the center. Practice wrapping the gift before you cut. Figure out how much paper you will need, and then cut the appropriate amount of paper with your scissors.

Start folding the paper around your box and tape as needed.

At this point, you will discover that you have too much paper, so find your scissors again and trim the paper.

Eat some chocolate and start folding the paper around your box and tape as needed.

At this point, you will realize that you trimmed too much paper and do not have enough to cover the box.

Drink some wine and start over.

After three tries, you have the right amount of paper cut. You’ll start folding your paper around your box, but when you reach for your tape, it is gone. Pin the box and the folded paper to your chest and feel around for the missing tape. Once you have rediscovered your tape, use your free hand and teeth to get a piece of the tape. During the struggle of getting a piece of tape, you have ripped your paper and dropped your box.

Cry for a while and start over.

After failing to wrap the box two more times, you have finally successfully (more-or-less) wrapped the box! Congratulations!

Step Three: Label the gift

Whip out your Sharpie and prepare to finish this! At this point, it has been two hours since you put the gift in the box and began wrapping. Now, you no longer remember what the gift is or who it is for.

Take some time to throw some things and cry, and then go through your gift inventory to see what is missing. Theoretically, the missing item will be the item in your box.

Wipe your eyes, steady your hand, and carefully write the recipient’s name and then your name on the paper. Do this SLOWLY. If you do end up making a mess of writing the recipient’s name, find some labels and put it over your mistake and try again.

Step Four: Repeat Steps One – Three as necessary.

There you have it!

This is generally how gift wrapping goes for me, and so I wanted to share my process with you all. :) :)

Merry Christmas!

Posted by

Rosalie Valentine

Posted on

December 14, 2015

Posted under

Writing

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3 Ways to Glorify God in Your Writing

Recently, I came to realize that I tend to compartmentalize. I like to keep God in His box, and I like to keep writing in its own little box, far away from God.

I’m not saying I’ve written things that are graphically sinful, completely unwholesome, and rife with heresy because I haven’t. I just tend to be buddy-buddy with God during my devotions and talk with Him some throughout the day, but when I light my writing candle, I tend to shut everything out. Including God. I’m not so much, “God, don’t interfere with my writing!” as I am “You can go away now.” Both are bad.

3 ways glorify god 2 Anyway, I’ve thought up some ways to bring God into my writing. Or rather, bring my writing into God. I don’t want to write just stories. I want my writing to be a reflection of my love for God. I want my writing to glorify Him. I want Him to use my writing to turn hearts to the Truth.

So, here are three ways to glorify God in your writing.

Pray before you write.

This is the time when you’ve got your notebook, maps, and all other supplies. You’ve lit your writing candle, and the blank page blinks at you.
Stop and pray. It doesn’t have to be long (it can be though, if you want it). It’s just bowing your head and having some words with the Creator the universe. There’s lots you can say. Lots you can ask.

Thank Him for the gift of writing. He’s the one that gave it to you.

Thank Him for your creativity. He’s the one that built you with it.

Thank Him for the sunshine (or the starlight).

Ask Him to guide you as you write.

Ask Him to help you with a troublesome plot point.

Ask Him to help you glorify Him.

Pray that He will enjoy the time writing with you.

Pray that it will be a sweet time of fellowship.

Basically, invite Him into your writing time. If there’s some sin that’s come between you and Him, confess it. Your writing won’t glorify Him much if you aren’t in communion with Him. If you want your writing to truly be an offering to Him, a sweet fragrance to Him, you need to start with Him.

So, take two minutes before you start scratching away at the page or plucking away at the keys, and talk with God.

Read Scripture before you write.

If you have a key verse or Scripture passage that inspires your writing, read it a couple times. It can be for your writing as a whole or your WIP.

I understand not all writing projects will have a key verse, but I encourage you to find one that reflects one of your main themes. And for writing as a whole (for life as whole, actually) I encourage you to pick a verse (or verses) that is your anthem.

For instance, my verse for writing as a whole is 1 Corinthians 10:31 which says, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” I want the glory of God to be the goal of my writing. I want to write to glorify Him. So I decided that 1 Corinthians 10:31 would be my writing verse.

An example of a specific project verse is Matthew 5:14-16 which says, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before other, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in heaven.” This is my primary passage for Flickering Lights.

Once you have your verse(s), read it before you write. Put it on an index card or write it in your notebook. Keep it somewhere accessible, and read it before you write. It doesn’t have to be aloud, but really think about the words. You’ll have it memorized soon enough.

This isn’t supposed to be some ritual to empower your writing. It’s supposed to turn your heart to God and let Him move in your writing.

Write for God, not yourself.

So much, I hear the advice, “Write for yourself! When you stop relying on other people for your motivation to write, that’s when you write more. That’s when you’ll stay true to yourself.”

I say no.

Write for God.

That’s when you’ll stay true to Him because honestly, this isn’t about you. At least it shouldn’t be. If you truly want to glorify Him, your writing (and everything else you have, for that matter) will be about Him and for Him. When He’s your inspiration and motivation, you will glorify Him.

There you have it!

These aren’t tricks or guarantees. But I’ve been using them for a few weeks now, and it has changed my mindset on writing. I hope that these ideas/practices are as helpful to you as they have been to me.