Because of The Day That's In It, it's become traditional at the Ebooks Direct store, on this date each year, to make a particular piece of reading available free.
This means that, for the next twenty-four hours, you can download the tale of how the Fair Folk of Dublin were threatened by a terrible alien force (that is to say, Late-Stage Capitalism in a particularly nasty form...): and how to save themselves from being wiped out, the Good People sought the help of Ireland's first superhero.
The 12,000-word novella Herself is free today!
Just go to the ebook's page at the Ebooks Direct store, go through the checkout process (naturally you won't be charged anything!) and download a copy.
And happy Bloomsday!
(With the usual warning to any British residents who may pass through: even though this is a freebie, due to the paperwork associated with Brexit, we can't let you "purchase" it through the store. Our apologies.)
Taking a slight U-turn as I work on updating my character Andromeda, now going by Nadia. As previously mentioned, I am working on the general fiction story she will be in as well as an Irish myths inspired fantasy (with some broader Celtic elements as mentioned in my Creature Features post). While I am sitting on how to progress on the chapter/scene I'm on, which I'll delve into a bit more for some feedback and suggestions to help me progress, as well as reworking Cian since I'm removing the whole cervitaur aspect, I figured I'd share the deuteragonist/companion for Cian: Oisín (Oh-sheen).
He's one of the more developed characters, alongside Cian and his mother, Róisín (ROH-sheen), which is a given since he plays a major role in the story and is working alongside Cian. I also have an idea for a potential prequel for him to help explain who he is and why he ended up where he was when he was introduced. However, at this point, I haven't really spent a lot of time fleshing his backstory out outside of a few key elements.
Essential Backstory
Keeping some of the more nitty gritty aspects of his backstory to myself, for now, there are a few things about his backstory that I am willing to share for a general idea for his mindset and motivations. The main thing being that he was orphaned at a young age due to an accident and was raised by a a kind soul during his formative years. Initially this was going to be a cervataur as a way to circle back to the main story, but I think I'll change that to a Púca that can change into a horse, cat, or rabbit instead. This way it'll still tie back to Cian while still not being as on the nose about.
His father, who I'm thinking of naming Connor or Finnegan, would love him like his own son and help Oisín understand and hone his abilities. He'll pass at some point during this prequel piece, though I haven't decided if it'd be on or off screen so to speak or how exactly he died. This would help explain why Oisín initially comes off as solitary and unbothered during the main story (along with his own internal/personal struggles).
Between the passing of his father and the main story Oisín learns to use his skills to get out of trouble while taking up odd jobs to get by. He also develops a minute skill in pyromancy as a means of self defense. This is not something that Gancanagh are really known for, but it was something that I wanted to add to give him some kind of defensive/offensive skill outside of relying solely on his charm and the daggers he'd carry.
As for age, I don't currently have one in mind. Right now, it's kind of ambiguous since I haven't really tinkered with the whole immortal thing and how aging works for Gancanagh (and other beings). For the sake of discussion and visualization, I'll say that he looks twenty-five. That way, whether I go with a normal or prolonged lifespan, he's at least an adult, which is what I was going for anyways.
Internal Struggles
His main personal conflict boils down to his sense of identity.
As a Gancanagh, he doesn't believe he is capable of genuine love. Be it expressing or receiving it. Since Gancanagh are known for making people fall in love with them, it warped his sense of what love means. Even if it's not entirely true, in his mind, Gancanagh, and by extent himself, aren't capable of feeling genuine affection for others. The way he tells himself this is by believing something to the effect of, "I'm a Gancanagh, authentic love isn't really our thing" and/or "as a Gancanagh, love in its most genuine form, isn't something we're really known for". Because of this, the idea that anyone could love him or vice versa is foreign to him, and is something I plan on exploring as best as I can as the story goes on.
I may also try to develop this by exploring Oisín being one of a select few Gancanagh that will target both men and women. Based on what I've found, most sources say that Gancanagh target just women. However, I have found a site or two saying how they can affect men.
While I was in the early stages of brainstorming his character, I ended up deciding that Oisín would be bisexual. Which I plan on being as respectful as possible with. What lead up to the decision was me seeing Oisín admitting he never really had a preference when it came to who he seduced (within reason and having the right personality or what have you). I could build off of that by maybe having Oisín feel a spark of legitimate affection for people in his past, but either not acting on them or having been burnt enough times that he doesn't think what he felt was true.
Visual
This is one of my better attempts at sketching out what I had in mind. May be due for a bit of an update, though said update wouldn't really be that different (a style change/update if anything). Silver and blue felt just right as far as color scheme was concerned and I don't really remember if there was a specific reason for it. Unless I wanted to do something other than red and silver, which is a color combo I like. Plus, it kind of gives him that sense of contradiction with his whole fire gimmick (though his would be a more silver color). As for the necklace, it was probably more of a stylistic choice (felt like it was needed) and I may or may not have it be the last thing he has of his mother or (adopted) father.
All in all, Oisín has been a fun character to craft, and I have quite a few things planned for him. Feel free to drop any feedback if you feel inclined to.
Éirely’s famine has been hard on everyone, except those in power.
Rua is a thief grieving her sister.
Furious at the suffering the famine has caused, Rua and her gang of outcasts steal food destined for the rich to give to the poor. Even with an informant on the inside, she is a wanted criminal. Every day could be her last.
Wolf is an assassin dying for freedom.
Wolf has been trained to kill anyone disloyal to those in power. Tasked with rooting out Rua’s informant, she is offered her freedom as a reward. This is the opportunity she's been longing for.
To survive, they must trust each other.
As their worlds collide, Wolf starts to see the thieves as more than a target, and Rua begins to rely on her as more than a friend. But Rua has to figure out who is betraying her, while Wolf must find out what she stands for – before it’s too late.
Hunger: Blighted Empire - Book 1 eBook : Quinn, Fran: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
my mum found me a book at the opp shop, and it did the bury your gays trope in the first chapter, not really surprising, she is cishet and the book is from the 90s, anyway let’s see how The Circle and the Stone by Caíseal Mór goes (yes i am putting the full name of the book and author on blast)
what he did was introduce a few roman monks, insinuate that one of them had been doing some gay shit, and then immediately kill that one in the next page
( but the characters think is was a demon from hell, so it’s a bit like he got sent to hell for being gay, except it was probably just a normal person who killed them because they are Catholics invading Ireland [like at the beginning when they were all still pagan])
i feel like if bury your gays is how the book opens (even though that guy was evil) i probably won’t vibe with the book, i’ll keep reading to see how it goes though and i don’t have another non horror with me at the moment and it’s dark
Sheila reviews Wolf by Chris Fenwick The first book in the State Changers series by Chris Fenwick is Wolf. I wanted to read this book to expand more outside of what I usually read.
I’m taking a little break from the romance genre to read the sixth book of the Sevenwaters series by Juliet Marillier. This is one of my favourite sagas, set in ancient Ireland, it tells the story of a family who dwells in Sevenwaters, a land of magic and legend in the days when the Norse and the Normans were a menace saling towards Erin.
I love Juliet Marillier to the moon and back.
I didn’t take this photo in Ireland but in northern Spain (where I am from) which looks pretty much the same as the Emerald Island. Today I was on a day trip and I needed something to read on the train. It’s a readalong with my friend A. Soon I will start The Lass Wore Black, I swear @diehard-fangirl :)
The young seer Sibeal is visiting an island of elite warriors, prior to making her final pledge as a druid. It's there she finds Felix, a survivor of a Viking shipwreck, who's lost his memory. The scholarly Felix and Sibeal form a natural bond. He could even be her soul mate, but Sibeal's vocation is her true calling, and her heart must answer.
As Felix fully regains his memory, Sibeal has a runic divination showing her that Felix must go on a perilous mission-and that she will join him. The rough waters and the sea creatures they will face are no match for Sibeal's own inner turmoil. She must choose between the two things that tug at her soul-her spirituality and a chance at love...
