brother can you spare a dime?

Work in Progress: Ashes and Light, week three

Ashes and Light
Swords of Charlemagne, Book 3

21237 / 85000 (24.98%)

Just like that, quarter of a book.

The research bits this week have all involved the intricacies of Charlemagne’s siege of Zaragosa — exactly why the Franks were there, who was manipulating whom, and the ongoing conflicts between the two caliphates that were vying for control of al-Andalus. So basically, I’ve had a crash course in Dark Ages Poly Sci, which I then condensed to about a quarter of a chapter.

***

“I was not in court when the seeds for this venture were planted,” Turpin said slowly. “What I’ve been told is that emissaries came from these lands, and promised Charles free passage to spread the word of God if only he would assist them in their conflict against… who was it, Olivier?”

“The amir of al Andalus,” Oliver answered.

“The amir?” Nasir repeated. “But the amir is in Cordoba! That’s a week’s travel south of here!” He waved one arm in the general direction of south.

“The agreement was that if we came and assisted them in their fight against the amir, that they would submit to Frankish rule, take the Cross, and give the cities of Barcelona, Girona and Zaragosa over to King Charles,” Olivier said.

“I can’t see my uncle ever agreeing to that,” Nasir said slowly. Olivier nodded.

“That’s where the problem lies. Your uncle didn’t agree. But someone speaking in his name did.” Olivier frowned. “Solomon?”

“Sulayman?” Nasir corrected. “Sulayman ibn Yaqzan al-Kalbi?”

“That’s it, yes,” Olivier said. “And when we reached Barcelona and Girona, things went just the way they were promised. The gates were opened to us. There was feasting and the greatest of welcomes. When we got here, though. That’s when the trouble started.”

“Sulayman is wali of those cities,” Nasir said softly. “He’s an ally of my uncle against the amir, one of three, but I had no idea it had gone this far! Nor that he had overstepped so far! I’m certain that once my uncle hears your side of things, that we will be able to resolve everything amicably.”

“And if he wants to deal with Sulayman, we can even hand the man over. When it became clear that his promises weren’t going to be kept, Charles put him in chains. Which may be how your uncle would want him delivered. Now, I’m not clear on the conflict between the amir and your uncle and his allies,” Turpin said. Nasir nodded.

“It’s complicated,” he said slowly. “The easiest way I can explain it is that my uncle and his allies are of one branch of a very old family, the amir is of another branch of the same family. There has been animosity between those two branches for over a hundred years.”

***

In other writing, I’m still working on Heir to the Firstborn. Discovered that I managed to bleed a little of Swords of Charlemagne over into Adavar — in the prologue that I posted, the injured Heir to the Firstborn is named Milon.

Milon is also the canonical name of Roland’s father in the Charlemagne myths. Which I knew, and wrote about in the first two books of Swords of Charlemagne.

I guess I just really like the name.

Double excerpt week, this week. You’ve had a little of Ashes and Light. Here’s a little of Heir to the Firstborn. Remember, you can read along with this every Friday if you support me on Patreon.

***

She [Aleia] handed his bag to him. “And wear this. Aven, I’m serious about this. I want you to keep this to hand from the minute we leave until we reach Forge.”

Aven took the bag from her, feeling the weight of it. “What… Ama, there’s something in here?”

“Yes. Think about it.”

Aven frowned, hefted the bag, then blinked. “The Diadem? And the gems?”

“Don’t let Aria know you have them,” Aleia said. “I don’t want her to know where they’re hidden.”

“They’re hers, though,” Aven said. He slung the bag over his head and across his body, settling it on his hip. “Why not tell her?”

“Because if things go badly, it’ll be on you to keep her, and those, safe.” Aleia folded her arms over her chest. “And she’s got a good heart, for all that she’s spoiled. She has to, or she’d not wear the Diadem. If things go badly, and she thought for an instant that she’d be able to save you by giving Mannon the Diadem, she’d do it.”

“And she can’t,” Aven said. He smoothed his hand over the strap on his chest.

“He can’t have the Diadem, and he cannot have her,” Aleia said softly. “Aven, the only reason that we left Milon behind was that he was dying. If Mannon had gotten his hands on the Heir… no. No, Milon wasn’t the Heir at that point. He was the Firstborn. If Mannon had gotten his hands on the Firstborn… I don’t know. I don’t want to know. You’re her Companion now, Aven. It’s on you to keep her safe.” She sighed. “And that’s another reason to bring the swords. You’ll need them.”

“Me?” Aven said. No, he didn’t say it, he squeaked it, and felt his face grow hot. “Ama—”

“I’ve taught you all of the sword dances, and you’re very good with sword and club.”

“But that’s just dancing!” Aven protested. “Ama—”

“You have the skills,” Aleia cut him off. “You’ll know what to do when the time comes.”

“If—”

Aleia shook her head. “I’ve no doubt that the time is coming, Aven. Don’t deny that. You’ll be fighting. We’ll all be fighting.” She bent, picking up the oilcloth bundle. “These were Abin’s, you know.”

“You told me the story,” Aven said, but his mother didn’t seem to hear him.

“I brought them with me to the Palace, because my mother insisted. She gave them to me before I left, told me to bear them with pride. She was proud of me then, proud that I was going to be Companion to the Firstborn, the same as our distant father. I’d only ever used them to dance. I never used them on another person until the morning Mannon attacked the palace.” She cradled the swords like a baby. “I would dance with these, for Milon. He was a dancer, too. I was teaching him sword dancing, and he was teaching me smoke blades.” She smiled, softly. “It’s fitting that you should have them, that you should use them to protect his daughter.” She looked up. “Do you want to carry these, or the cask?”

“I’ll carry the cask, Ama.” He packed the cask with the canvas and the silk, and the other supplies he’d collected, then hoisted it under his arm. It wasn’t heavy. Not nearly as heavy as the meaning of the weight on the bag that rested on his hip.

 

Posted by EASchechter in accountability, Adavar, Ashes and Light, brother can you spare a dime?, Elemental Project, Heir to the Firstborn, Patreon, progress, promotions, research is fun, Swords of Charlemagne, WIP, wordcount, 0 comments

Ravishing Reads Awards

The Erotic Authors Guild has launched a new contest for erotica and erotic romance.  You can find more information about it here.

What do I have that can be nominated?

Layover (free read, appeared on the Circlet website for Halloween)

“Raise the Dead” in Like a Circlet Editor

Counsel of the Wicked

Anyone want to nominate me for anything?

Posted by EASchechter in Boosting the signal, brother can you spare a dime?, contest, Counsel of the Wicked, promotions, 0 comments

Save Amaya Papaya!

I wrote House of Sable Locks at Amaya Papaya – Play Lounge, a fantastic place here in Central Florida. If you actually read the dedication page of the book, you knew that already. Well, Yolonda (the owner) has had a bad run of luck over the past year, bad enough that 2014 might be the year that Amaya Papaya closes the doors for good.

She doesn’t want that to happen. So she’s started a GoFundMe campaign to save her place.

If you loved the book, please help save the place that helped a working mom to write it

Posted by EASchechter in Boosting the signal, brother can you spare a dime?, Sable Locks, 0 comments

Help for Ari.

I don’t usually get rabid about things… until they hit home.

This is my friend Ari. I’ve quoted from here:

My daughter and I need your help.

Just over three months ago, I escaped from an abusive relationship. My now ex-partner of two years, beat me.

He constantly insisted that I was stupid and useless, monitored every email account, geotracked my phone, accessed every call and text. During the last six months of the relationship the abuse escalated exponentially, and included an incident where I was punched in the head and ribs repeatedly.

It was only through months of very careful planning, waiting for a moment when my parents would be coming in from out of state and my daughter would be safe with them, and being lucky enough to have friends that offered to help when I asked, that I was able to flee.

On March 31st, I ran. I was able to find a place to stay with a friend, and due to some quick planning was able to get most of my daughter’s belongings and some of my own out of the house I shared with him. It was then that I found out that he had not only been beating and abusing me, but had also sexually assaulted my babysitter. This happened night she had an epileptic seizure and stayed in our home after being heavily sedated by paramedics that treated her. Both I and my babysitter filed injunctions (Florida’s version of a restraining order) against my ex. Sadly, my babysitter’s injunction was not granted because she had a panic attack on the stand and was unable to complete her testimony. My ex testified in this hearing that the sex was consensual, even though she was sedated.

Due to the recent sex scandal within the Lakeland, FL police department, the district attorney has been asked to review the sexual assault case against my ex –

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/florida-cops-caught-sex-scandal-article-1.1383107

On June 7th a Florida judge granted me a permanent injunction against my ex due to Domestic Violence. It is a two year long injunction (permanent means officially granted, not forever), but I can ask that it be renewed at the end of two years.

Despite being told by a Florida judge to stay away from me and my daughter, since leaving him my ex has harassed and stalked us continually.

· A few days after I fled, my ex called in a false missing person’s report to Orange County Sheriff department stating that I was unstable and refused to let him see my daughter. I was hiding with my parents at a hotel when he did this. He used the tracking information from my phone (which I have since had to stop using) to find our location and list it on the missing persons report. When the situation was explained to the deputy handling the missing person’s report, the deputy stated that he had been deeply suspicious of how my ex knew my location to list on the report – he’d told the deputy that “a friend” had informed him, but when pressed refused to name this “friend.”

· He has called Department of Children and Family services stating that he is my daughter’s father, and that I was on drugs and endangering her; I had to bring her birth certificate and clean drug report in to DCF to prove that he is not her father, and I am not a drug user. After discovering that statements he made to DCF were easily disprovable lies, the DCF case worker was so concerned about keeping my daughter safe from my ex that she did not even write the home address at which she met us in the file, writing “confidential” instead.

· My email address has been taken over, twice, by an IP address in Lakeland, FL where he lives. My Facebook account has been taken over, twice, by that same IP address. My daughter’s email and Facebook were also taken over by that very same Lakeland, FL IP address. During these times I was either in Orlando or in Houston, surrounded by witnesses.

· My phone has been turned off once, the day of the second email and Facebook takeover. Since I had set my phone as backup in order to prevent account access, he had to turn it off in order to get into my accounts.

· A blog of mine that addressed my past abuse and issues with anxiety, and PTSD (I have a PTSD diagnosis) was accessed by my ex, altered, and emailed to my entire social circle with the statements that I have multiple personality disorder and was having a schizoid break.

· My ex has repeatedly contacted my daughter’s father stating that he intends to fight for full custody.

My ex has no legal relationship to my daughter – he has no parental rights whatsoever. During the time we lived with him, he was a reluctant parental figure at best, leaving the care of my daughter to me. Since I fled him, he has suddenly become obsessed with my daughter, stating to my daughter’s father that he wants to have me involuntarily committed to gain access to Tamora. I’ve been assured by DCF, and by the attorney for my first injunction hearing, that there is no way my ex could ever legally gain parental rights. Even with this reassurance, knowing that this man has an obsession with gaining custody chills me.

I love my daughter, and her safety is the most important thing in my life. Tamora’s legal father (whom my ex insisted have limited contact with her) and I are on excellent terms, and we are working together to build a life for her. After listening to my former babysitter describe her sexual assault, and helping her bring charges to the police, the thought of this man ever being near my daughter again fills me with horror.

I’m coming here not to ask for help for myself, but for Tamora. Not even one month after being granted my permanent injunction, my ex has filed to have another hearing to attempt to appeal it. If he wins his case, he will be able to stalk Tamora and I without the threat of arrest, and in doing so find our location. It is my fear that if this happens he will kidnap Tamora. Every police officer, Harbor House volunteer, and DCF agent I’ve spoken to have told me that this is the worst possible scenario – that if he does gain access to my daughter, he will likely take her and run away with her.

I’ve been able to contact a lawyer to represent me in court, and help me keep my daughter safe. However, lawyers are expensive, and although this one has agreed to work for less than half of his usual fee, it is still more than I can afford. This is why I’m coming to you – to ask you to help me make up the remaining amount and keep my daughter away from my abuser.

I have scanned my Domestic violence injunction and attached it. To verify my situation I can share scanned copies of IP log in records that show my account being hacked, the missing person’s report, emails where my ex admitted abusing me, along with texts, Facebook posts, and emails that document his continued staling of both me and my daughter.

If you can’t throw anything into the hat to help her keep her daughter safe, then boost the signal!

Posted by EASchechter in brother can you spare a dime?, can't stop the signal, 0 comments

A Sale!!!

No, I didn’t sell anything new. The other kind of sale — on just about anything with my name on it through Circlet!

From the Circlet Newsletter:

PRINCES OF AIR NOW ON SALE… AND UP FOR AN AWARD! 

Elizabeth Schechter’s novel, PRINCES OF AIR, is now on sale for 50% off, in honor of a nomination for Passionate Ink’s seventh annual Passionate Plume Awards! In addition, we’re offering $1 off EVERY book with an Elizabeth Schechter short story in it.

Elizabeth has begun an Indie GoGo campaign to try to raise the airfare to get to Anaheim, California for the awards ceremony for the Passionate Plume Awards at the Romance Writers of America conference. We encourage you to throw a few dollars her way, if you can spare it! This is a huge honor for her, and she truly deserves to be there.  Here’s the campaign!http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/120558

For 50% off PRINCES OF AIR, use the coupon code RAVENPRINCE at checkout. You can buy Princes of Air here: http://www.circlet.com/?p=3632

As for the coupon for $1 off for titles featuring Elizabeth, use JUNE2012 at checkout on any of the following titles:

Like a Cunning Plan: Erotic Trickster Tales (new!)
Like a Sacred Desire: Tales of Sex Magick
Apocalypse Sex: Love at the End of the World
Like a Prince: Gay Erotic Fairy Tales
Like Clockwork: Erotic Steampunk

These coupons will last a little longer than usual: until July 25, the date of the annual Romance Writers of America conference, when the awards will be announced.

Posted by EASchechter in brother can you spare a dime?, circlet, 0 comments

Bent metal from a twisted mind…

Since I’m already TECHNICALLY doing a bake sale ($40 into the Indiegogo drive gets you cookies), I had to figure out what else do to to help raise money.

Did you all know I was also a jeweler? Or that I had an Etsy shop?

I’m running a sale there, to help raise money. Check it out! 20% off everything in the shop, until July 13th.

Posted by EASchechter in brother can you spare a dime?, 0 comments

Anaheim or bust!

I just did something that I’ve never done before…

I set up a crowdsourcing project. If this works, I’ll be able to go to Anaheim to see Princes of Air (hopefully) win the Passionate Plume.

If not… no harm, no foul. I can at least say I tried.

Posted by EASchechter in brother can you spare a dime?, 0 comments