Lessons Yoda Has Taught Me About Writing

Yoda is my hero. He's wise, not afraid to show his age, and tough. Or maybe it's his green color…after all, I like Kermit too.

I'm especially enamored by his syntax. It resonates with me, since sometimes backwards I speak. Alone I am not. Understand me you will. Or maybe not.

Anyway, I've gathered together a few of Yoda's quotes which help me with my writing and I'd like to share them with you here.

"Do or do not. There is no try."

One of the hardest things for a writer to conquer is the dreaded blank page.

What this quote says to me – just fill it. You can fix it later.

"Named must your fear be before banish it you can."

Writers have phobias and fears in abundance, nebulous worries about our stories swirl in our heads, unidentifiable problems we can't control.

What this quote says to me – try to pinpoint what's bothering you instead of spinning your wheels.

"You must unlearn what you have learned."

What this says to me – know the rules before you break them.

"In a dark place we find ourselves, and a little more knowledge lights our way."

What this says to me – learn something new each day.

"When you look at the dark side, careful you must be. For the dark side looks back."

What this says to me – don't wallow in negative emotions. If you're stuck in a rut, do something different to brighten your outlook.

"Ready are you? What know you of ready?"

What this says to me – have humility. There's always room for improvement.

"Always pass on what you have learned."

What this says to me – pay it forward. Help others along the way.

"PATIENCE YOU MUST HAVE."

What is this "patience" you speak of? I don't think I've learned this one yet!

"On many long journeys have I gone. And waited, too, for others to return from journeys of their own. Some return; some are broken; some come back so different only their names remain."

I try to keep this quote in mind for my characters while I'm writing. Everyone's experience in life is different and a story should reflect that same variance in the journey.

Can you apply any of these to your life in general? I know I can. That's why I love a nine-hundred-year-old, wrinkly, green dude so much. Yoda is my hero.

 *********************************************

 

Laura Eno. Speculative Fiction wordsmith. The author of fifteen novels and novellas ranging from fantasy to romance to horror, she also has stories included in nineteen published anthologies.

The secret to her stories? Spread lies, blend in truths, add a pinch of snark and a dash of tears. Escape into her world. She left the porch light on so you can find your way down the rabbit hole.

 

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Excerpt - MEN OF FOXWICK - A Hot New Release

"Sword Master" Excerpt

Fallon had never seen so much blood. The drying crimson liquid splattered the walls of the ladies’ embroidery room and seeped into the rugs. He skirted around an overturned chair. A handkerchief caught his attention, and he picked it up. Princess Umbria’s delicate touch had crafted the fox upon the fabric, the creature now blood-drenched. He tiptoed around the chaos as best he could to the cloth-draped bodies.

Four corpses lay prone upon the floor, but they were a small number of the ones killed in the attack. He’d already seen King Javen’s body. While Fallon had hunted in Greymist Forest, Wintermill’s assassins had murdered the elderly king in the throne room along with three guards before they continued their rampage throughout the castle.

Why had Wintermill attacked now? Fallon dug his nails into his palms. Five years had passed since Queen Eirwyn had tried to use dragons to threaten Foxwick. As far as Fallon knew, no one had heard of the sorceress queen since that time.

He clenched his jaw as he knelt beside the first corpse and peeked under the cloth. The woman had once been a blonde, but now red coated her strands. He’d barely known the lady-in-waiting assigned to nine-year-old Princess Umbria. The fabric slipped from his fingers and covered her. He stood and moved to the next body, but this woman was a lady-in-waiting assigned to Umbria’s mother, Princess Kalinda.

The other two bodies had to be Princess Kalinda herself and Prince Tristan. Fallon’s hand hovered over the cloth. He breathed in to quell the shaking, but his fingers still trembled. If only he hadn’t been hunting during the time Wintermill attacked, then he could’ve stopped these assassinations. As sword master, it was his duty to keep the royal family safe. He touched both cloths and revealed the corpses of the prince and princess at the same time.

Prince Tristan’s crown had fallen off. His face appeared lax in death, almost as if he slept. Although Fallon didn’t move the sheet lower, he had heard the prince’s wounds were in his abdomen. He’d been trying to protect his wife and daughter. If Fallon had been there, would the prince have succeeded?

Princess Kalinda’s black hair had come loose from her extravagant braid. Her eyes remained open, unseeing, and Fallon reached down and closed the lids. She appeared so pale, even her normal ruby red lips had drained of color. He swallowed his grief. Those lips reminded Fallon of his wife’s when she died in childbirth last year along with their son.

He covered the royals and stood too quickly. The room spun in his vision, and he gripped a nearby chair to steady himself. What good was a sword master who had never fought in a battle? Fallon needed to pull himself together and be strong. Foxwick had been on the edge of war many times. The kingdom would find a way to thrive under Prince—no, now King Leon’s reign.

Fallon would have to help the nineteen-year-old king. Although Fallon had failed the majority of the royal family, two royals remained. King Leon and Princess Umbria were his main priority. War was brewing, but Fallon wouldn’t stand by and watch Foxwick fall.

This fantasy short story collection features five men from the Kingdom of Foxwick.

A blind teen seeks a place in the kingdom. A dragon seer journeys to Wintermill to spy on the queen. A sword master’s worst fear comes true when he fails to protect the royal family. A king falls in love with an herb witch, but will she feel the same way? A hunter will rise to the challenge to hunt down a man-eating monster.

Short stories in this collection: Blind Scribe, Dragon Spy, Sword Master, Courting Magic, and Monster Hunter

To purchase: Amazon / Amazon UK / Smashwords / Kobo / iTunes / Nook

Also, I have a special announcement for my email newsletter subscribers. Click here to sign up for my updates and receive a coupon for a free copy of Women of Foxwick.

For more information, please visit my website and blog.

A Kiss to Die For - ATONE Hot New Release

Hello Everyone!

Construction's pretty much complete for our great new place here at Untethered Realms :-)

But of course edits and updates will always occur. We want you all to be aware of the latest and greatest happening with the wonderful Untethered Realms authors.

It is my honor to share this Hot New Release for my most recent work, ATONE, a NEO Chronicles: Character Revealed novella.

Without further ado, here it is:

Thank you for the awesome cover, Heather McCorkle @ CP Design!!!

What harm can come from a kiss?

Caine Fordham knows the danger all too well.

As the Kill Circuit’s top lady-killer, business is good. Yet Caine knows the life of an assassin isn’t meant to last forever, just as love is impossible for him. Who could love a man with poison lacing his veins and a kiss that kills?

When Caine decides to take one last job, deal out one last kiss, he discovers there’s more to life than death, and more to love than pain.

ADD TO GOODREADS
BUY FROM AMAZON US (ONLY 99 CENTS!)

This is the second installment in my NEO Chronicles: Characters Revealed series. Available at Amazon US now and other online outlets by Friday, it will make a nice slice of reading for a lunch break or for a quick read during the train/trolley/car pool work commute (ummm...if you're driving, No Reading While Driving lol!!)

So, my lovelies, have you a little something you wish to atone for? Perhaps you've lived your life with no regrets...except for that one eensy, weensy thing. Please do share in the comments below.

Me? Well, for the longest time, I wasn't sure if I could atone for abandoning my creative dreams for those of life's all-too-real burdens. But I've been given a chance to grab hold to that dream and go with it wherever it takes me :-)

Untethered Realms Begins...

Welcome to Untethered Realms. Angela Brown will begin with postings next Tuesday. We all have that to look forward to.

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Under Worlds and Wings, you'll find UR Books. UR Hot has UR newest releases. UR Fun has contests and giveaways. UR Special lists sales and other news. FREE has free reads offered by our talented group of authors. You'll find links to their sites where you can find more of their books under UR Authors. Facebook and Twitter take you straight to FB and Twitter.

Thanks for joining us. Have you read any good books lately? Do share in the comments...