Author: Ruth

The Cambriol Riddle, Chapter One–Fish and Bones, continued

The Cambriol Riddle, Chapter One–Fish and Bones, continued

Posted on by Ruth

Prince Isakoa of the Tembelakan Islands, who was sitting in a tree with a view over top the college wall, nearly fell out laughing.

Nahaka, standing lookout in the shadow of the wall, backed away from Kara, empty hands raised in front of him, smiling. “You are just lucky we were returning, and sent the stewards off on a tip about the Levour students setting an illegal bonfire.” Continue reading “The Cambriol Riddle, Chapter One–Fish and Bones, continued”

The Cambriol Riddle, Chapter One–Fish and Bones

The Cambriol Riddle, Chapter One–Fish and Bones

Posted on by Ruth

“Once upon a time, at the end of the world, a young man found a cave. He was likely looking for a place to hide from the fire and madness the world had become,” the Doctor said.

The burned boy nodded, biting his lips as the needle sank into his arm.

“Don’t twitch or I will not continue the story.” Continue reading “The Cambriol Riddle, Chapter One–Fish and Bones”

Go to All the Conventions?

Go to All the Conventions?

Posted on by Ruth

So in addition to Anime next next weekend, I’ll be back in Oklahoma for Soonercon in Oklahoma City the weekend of June 15-17. I’ll have an artist’s alley table, wherever they keep those, and have books available.

Today I packed up the van for Collosalcon and AnimeNext, and I’ll be driving starting very early tomorrow, arriving in Ohio on Wednesday and New Jersey on Thursday. If you order a book online in the next few days therefore, your shipping might take a day or two extra to get to you. I’ll be driving Monday through Wednesday on the way back, so any updates in the next week or so will be minor miracles, entirely dependent on finding an internet connection and having something coherent to share.

Here are five fictional facts to give you while you wait:

Shandor’s first King was named Tam. It has been a popular name since, rivaled only by other such standbys as Willim and Jaimrie

Levour will host the next World’s Spectacle, inviting all other nations to the palatial fairgrounds, where people of all nations will be able to be impressed by one another’s technology, engineering, and deep fried foods. This will be Shandor’s first appearance at a World’s Spectacle.

Many Shandorian surnames begin with “Dar”. This is because it is the old K’shay tanna patronymic. In the old days, Djaren would have been Djaren dar Corin, and if he used that at home in Shandor it wouldn’t be too unusual. K’shay tanna who felt like being more pretentious could list the names of several ancestors to call back to some famous hero (Markaerd dar Xahrenth daer Kaerad dar etc, . . .)  “Daer” means daughter of, as “Dar” means son of.

Djaren’s first foreign language, after Trade Common and K’shay tanna was Sarvarthi. It was the language his parents used when they didn’t want him overhearing. That didn’t last long.

Corin’s unique and peculiar black sword has a name. It’s Myrshon. He is not its first wielder.

Balticon

Balticon

Posted on by Ruth

I’m going to be a guest at Balticon this coming weekend, just outside Baltimore MD. I’ll be on a handful of panels, running two art workshops, and generally available to talk to at my Artist’s Alley table downstairs. Feel free to stop by and say hi! I’ll have books and prints for sale, and I always love to meet people. Next Tuesday’s update may be a bit late, with my plane coming in very late on Monday, but for anybody who comes to my reading at Balticon, I may have a bit of a preview for Book 4.

Chapter Twenty-Six — New Courses Are Set

Chapter Twenty-Six — New Courses Are Set

Posted on by Ruth

The night stars had changed a little, Kara noted. The constellation she called the running dog was now racing for the southern horizon. The night crew wasn’t practicing now; they were resting, recovering from a harrowing series of adventures she was still working at pulling out of Rades and Hirnar.

Continue reading “Chapter Twenty-Six — New Courses Are Set”

Chapter Twenty-Five — Farewell to the Islands

Chapter Twenty-Five — Farewell to the Islands

Posted on by Ruth

Djaren lifted his head from sheaves of notes and rolled plans to look at the new Trimela, just beginning again. The town was gone, with only some charred rubble to show there had once been buildings. The whole lower part, near the harbor, had been submerged by a huge wave on the night of the eruption. The sea had rushed in and back out again, sweeping the land with silvered bubbles, which had changed all they had touched. Instead of mud, char, and devastation, they had left new growth, flowers, young saplings, and an inlet.

Continue reading “Chapter Twenty-Five — Farewell to the Islands”

Chapter Twenty-Four — Battle At Sea

Chapter Twenty-Four — Battle At Sea

Posted on by Ruth

Jon had wanted to see Tuwa again, but not under these circumstances. All the captives had been brought up on deck, awaiting separation and the ships that would take them to their new destinations. There was still no sign of Tam, of any rescue. Jon shivered in the warm breeze. He could feel that something was coming, but not what or from where, if it was a good thing or a terrible one. The luminous island off the starboard deck wasn’t softly glowing as before, but burning from the inside, and not with any visible kind of fire.

Continue reading “Chapter Twenty-Four — Battle At Sea”