#AtoZChallenge: The Princess and the Diamond Darkness

It was dark. Really dark. Princess Diana hugged her knees to herself. She wished that she were home. She wished it over and over again, praying to every god she knew, every spirit she’d ever heard of. Nothing happened. She sighed.

A scrape, a sliver of light, a clank. And then it was dark again. She scooted over cautiously and reached out to find a plate and a cup. Her kidnappers weren’t going to starve her then. She bit into the tuna sandwich with a tinge of relief. After eating and drinking, Princess Diana curled up into a ball and closed her eyes.

~

There was a star in the sky when she awoke, which was strange, because she was still in the dark room. The darkness now had this edgy, hard quality to it.

“Do you want to go home?” The voice came out of nowhere.

“Of course I do,” Princess Diana replied, staring up at the star. “Who are you?”

“A friend.”

She thought about that very carefully. “How did you get in here?”

“Magic.”

“I think you’re lying.”

The voice chuckled, the star growing larger by the second. “Here. Look at me.”

The diamond was as large as her palm, shining brightly in the hard darkness. “You’re a talking diamond.”

“Magic.”

“How do I know you’re not the one who kidnapped me?”

“Mmmm. So you think I kidnapped you and now am offering to set you free? For what purpose, may I ask?”

“To get on my good side. To get on my dad’s good side.”

A long silence.

“It’s true,” the princess said.

“No,” came the faint reply. “I just seek to find the best words to convince you of my sincerity.”

“Or of your duplicity.”

“Why do you not trust me?”

“Why should I trust you?” She waited for a reply, but when the silence dragged on, she started speaking again, cutting off whatever it was the diamond would have said. “This darkness is your doing. This hardness is your essence. For what is harder than diamond? What do you want of me?”

“Of you?” the voice was contemplative. “Nothing, really.”

And then the world seemed to spin.

~

There were voices. She thought she recognised one. Diamond.

“It wasn’t my intention,” the hard, cold voice said, “to give you that impression.”

Diamonds were sparkling, brilliant rocks weren’t they? Nothing but dark, black carbon, made to shimmer. It stood to reason that they were indeed heartless.

“You were only trying to rescue her?” This other voice was warm, familiar, and very angry. Father.

“As intentions go, I was just passing through. She looked out of place in that cellar.”

“She looked out of place. In a cellar.” Flat. Ooh, very angry indeed.

Diamond sighed. “I’m saying this all wrong. I’m more of a dazzle-and-leave person, than a stay-and-explain.”

“Explaining will go a long way today.”

Princess Diana forced her eyes open. A pale young man was on his knees before her father, held there by two burly guards. His green eyes flickered towards her before gazing up again at the king.

“You can believe whatever you want, Sire, but I assure you, I had no ill intentions. It was a simple mistake. I sought to question and explain where action would have sufficed. I apologise.”

There was a shimmer and the man disappeared, leaving the guards gaping. The king merely sighed.

“He has done me no harm, father,” Princess Diana said.

~

Princess Diana was home, in her room, with the lights turned on, as if nothing had happened. She sat, staring into space for a while, then got ready for bed. On her pillow lay a diamond, no bigger than a ladybug, set in a dark velvet choker. It seemed to wink at her.

---

Head over to Yuin-Y's for today's illustration.

#AtoZChallenge: The Princess and the Charmed Chandelier

The chandelier was singing. Prince Paul could not believe it.

“This is straight out of the Beauty and the Beast, dude,” he said, folding his arms and trying to act cool.

Princess Carmen continued walking.

“Wait, wait up. Aren’t you amazed that the chandelier is singing?” He scrambled after her as she approached the opposite door.

“Him? He sings all the time. I’d be more amazed if he could shut up.” Her eyes flicked up with a glare at the Charmed Chandelier who was belting “Be Our Guest” at the top of his voice.

“Be nice, Princess,” the Charmed Chandelier interrupted his own song to reprimand her. “It’s not as if I have anything else to do.”

Princess Carmen rolled her eyes. “CC, you’re noisy. And you don’t even sing in tune.”

A hurt huff came from the direction of the ceiling. Prince Paul and Princess Carmen exited the ballroom, having only used it as a shortcut. As the door closed behind them, Paul could hear the chandelier starting to sing again, in a wobbly sort of voice.

“Um, Carmen, I do think that was a little mean. I think you’ve made him cry.”

An almost-apologetic look crossed her face. The next second, however, she said harshly, “He’ll get over it.”

They were almost at the front door when Prince Paul asked, “How did he get that way?”

To his surprise, Princess Carmen started crying. “It’s… it’s all my fault! I was… I mean, everyone was away, and there was this knock on the door, and I let this old magician in. He looked like a nice old man! I mean, he wasn’t creepy or anything. So I let him in and we were in the kitchens and there was this… this flare.”

“Flare of what?” Prince Paul asked after a while when Princess Carmen didn’t continue.

“Magic. Or something. I don’t know. I think I fainted. When I got up again, the magician was gone, and the… and the chandelier was charmed.” Princess Carmen pulled the door open. “Let’s not talk about it.”

He followed her out of the castle, round the fountain, down the long driveway, past the tall sentinel trees, crossing into the flower garden before he spoke up again. “So how do you release him from the enchantment?”

“I don’t know.”

“What caused the enchantment?”

“I… don’t know.”

“How do you even know it was the old man who did it?”

“I… Look, Paul, I don’t know!”

“And you’re just not going to ask and leave the poor thing charmed like that? Singing Beauty and the Beast songs because he’s bored?”

Carmen stomped her foot. “What do you want me to do?”

“Talk to him! Maybe he knows how to get out of it and he just needs some help.”

“He would have said something earlier, don’t you think?”

Paul jut his chin out obstinately. “Not if you aren’t even listening to him.”

“Fine. You talk to him.”

~

“Oh, you’re talking to me now?” CC said, swinging gently from the ceiling.

“Paul made me,” Princess Carmen replied sulkily.

“Good boy.”

“So?”

“So what?”

“All the stuff Paul wanted to know. Didn’t he already ask you?”

“It would be nice if you asked again.”

Carmen rolled her eyes and huffed. “Fine. So, who are you really? And how did you get there?”

“Me? I’m just a Charmed Chandelier, hanging in the ballroom. That’s all I’ve ever been. I believe some workmen hung me here.”

Carmen scowled. “So you’re not the magician.”

“Oh no. Definitely not. Have never been human. Would never want to be.”

Carmen looked over at Paul helplessly. “Then why are you able to talk? And sing?”

“That’s what all this is about? How I got to be charmed?”

“Yes,” Paul replied. “Carmen thought it was her fault and she just wouldn’t even ask you about it. Is there any way we can break the enchantment?”

CC hummed to himself briefly, breaking out into a chuckle. “No, not really. I was just a freak of magic, really. All the old man wanted to do was to animate some cutlery to amuse the young princess who was so kind to him. But his hand slipped and he let out a larger blast of magic than he intended… resulting in me. He was so freaked out that he ran away as soon as he could.”

Princess Carmen looked a little relieved. “So it wasn’t my fault after all!”

“Nope. And I’m perfectly fine here, singing my songs, so don’t you worry.” The Charmed Chandelier went back to singing random Disney songs as Paul and Carmen slipped out of the ballroom.

---

Head over to Yuin-Y's for today's illustration.

#AtoZChallenge: The Princess and the Blueberry Bane

Princess Barbara was a picky eater. The one thing she hated most in the world was blueberries. This proved to be a problem because there were blueberries in everything. There was blueberry jam for her toast, blueberry sauce with her meatballs and blueberry pie for dessert, and for teatime, besides blueberry tea (of course), there were blueberry donuts, blueberry snacks, blueberry biscuits, blueberry scones, blueberry danishes—anything that could use a little berry in it was stuffed full of blueberries and blueberry preserves.

And there was nothing she could do about it because blueberries were her country’s biggest export. If they stopped growing blueberries, they wouldn’t be able to keep the country afloat.

“You’ll just have to learn to love blueberries,” her mother, the Queen, had said after one particularly bad tantrum at tea.

“No, you just have to stop feeding me blueberries,” Princess Barbara replied with a stomp of her foot.

“But all our traditional recipes has blueberries! We don’t know how to make anything without them!”

“It’s called recipe substitution, Mother, and I’m sure our cooks can handle that.”

The Queen looked dubious, but asked for the head cook anyway.

The head cook came to the dining room, brandishing a wooden spoon in front of him like a weapon.

“Her Highness would like to know if you can make her some food without blueberries,” the Queen asked almost timidly.

The head cook looked shocked. “Sacrilege!” he cried, echoing the Queen’s own thoughts. “We are the country of blueberries! How can you not have blueberries in your food?”

“I can and I will, Cookie,” Princess Barbara said.

“But you have had them for twelve years without complaint!”

“I hate blueberries and have always hated them. And I have always complained, since I was able to talk. But I have now heard of this thing, Cookie. It’s called substitution. You take out the blueberries and you put in something else instead.”

“No, no, all our recipes use blueberries. If you take it out, it will not taste right. And I will not make terrible food!” Cookie replied, folding his arms. “I have my standards to maintain!”

“Just try it once, Cookie, just for me.” Princess Barbara went to him and looked up at him with puppy eyes. She’d been doing it since she was six and she knew that the Cookie would not resist her. “I think, if you tried making me a nice pie with raspberries instead of blueberries, it would taste perfectly fine.”

Cookie looked down at the Princess with exasperation. “Okay okay. I will try. But once only. And only for you. No one else must know of the disaster of a pie without blueberries.”

“Thank you, Cookie,” Princess Barbara said with a grin. She followed the grumbling cook down to the kitchens, where he rummaged around and dug up a jar of raspberry jam.

“This is from my brother’s farm up near the border,” Cookie said, inspecting the labels.

“Perfect.” She watched as Cookie laid out the ingredients for the pie. “No, no, Cookie. No blueberries. You’re using this jam, remember?”

“Ah yes, sorry,” he reached for the jar and put it in place of the blueberries.

When the pie was finally done, Princess Barbara stared at it for a long time, Cookie standing nervously by her side.

“Well?” Cookie said, raising his eyebrow.

“Let’s try it.”

The first bite was wonderful. The second bite was even more fantastic. “Taste it, Cookie! It’s the best pie you’ve ever made!”

And for Princess Barbara, it was. She had found a way to defeat her mortal enemy.

---

Head over to Yuin-Y's for today's illustration.

#AtoZChallenge: The Princess and the Alabaster Admiral

The thing Amanda hated the most about being a princess was the fact that she would never be able to marry for love. Not that she was in love with anyone, just that she wouldn’t have the chance. Assuming she even met anyone worth falling in love with.

As it was, the only people she met were her maids (all female) and her guards (all old). Her family, including her extended cousins, didn’t count. They were family. Though if she remembered right, cousin Emily had married second cousin Roger. And third cousin Katherine had married fifth cousin once removed Peter. Or something like that. But they were… family. And she couldn’t—wouldn’t—do that. No matter what father said.

The suitor that stood before her now was an Admiral and he had no relation to her. He was very young for an Admiral, being only twenty five, but he was very old to Amanda because she was barely eighteen. But princesses had no say in the matter, of course. Whatever they said about it would be (maybe) heard and then quickly discarded if their fathers and related advisors decided otherwise. Mother was eight years younger than Father. Seven years was still a smaller gap than that.

The Admiral sat very still. He was very fair with light yellow hair, and in his white uniform, he looked like an alabaster statue—an exquisitely sculpted alabaster angel. Amanda was extremely distracted by his pretty face.

“I’m sorry, what did you say your name was again?” she asked, blushing.

“Amos,” he replied with a blush, his white cheeks turning a very pretty pink.

“Where are you from?”

“From another country far from here.”

She thought about that. “Does that mean I have to follow you home if I marry you?”

Amos smiled and shook his head. “No, Your Highness. I am stationed here and will remain here for the rest of my life.” He paused, looking a little sad. “We may visit though, if you would like that?”
“Oh. That… that sounds nice.”

Amanda fidgeted. The Admiral sat statue still. Exactly at five, he drank his last drop of tea and took his leave. She was sure that she’d destroyed any chance she with him. And he was such a handsome young Admiral too!

~

To her surprise, the Admiral continued to court her. He would turn up at three in the afternoon for tea, and leave at five. They would sit in her drawing room, looking at each other, Amanda fidgeting as usual—she could never sit still—and the Admiral sitting like he’d turned into stone.

The maids soon started calling him the Alabaster Admiral on account of his pale skin and his statue-like qualities, comparing him to the angels and cupids that stood in the garden. He was handsomer than all those statues, of course—Amanda had stared each one in the face and compared them to her suitor. He had an added advantage—he turned the prettiest shade of pink when he smiled.
He was turning a very pretty pink now, as he cleared his throat and rose to his feet. Amanda was startled. It was only four, and not quite time for him to leave yet.

“Dear Princess,” he said with a husky voice, ignoring her oft-repeated request that he call her Amanda, “I have something to ask you.” He got down on one knee, pulling out a small box from his pocket.

Amanda barely suppressed a squeal.

The Admiral opened the box, revealing not a diamond ring, but a small alabaster figurine. “I know it’s traditional here to present a ring during a marriage proposal, but the custom in my country is quite different. This figurine represents my life and my heart. Will you accept it? Will you give me shelter in your house and your heart even as I pledge my life to protect and serve you?” He looked up at her past long lashes, his eyes fixed on hers.

“Oh Amos,” she replied, using his name for the very first time. “I would, but my heart is not mine to give. It is my father who decides who I can or cannot marry.”

Amos smiled. “I have spoken to your father, Amanda. I have his permission. But what I would rather have is your heart.”

“Then yes, my Alabaster Admiral, I will.”

The Admiral kissed her hands and pressed the figurine into them. “Keep it well, my Princess. I break easily.”

~

Amanda stood by the mantlepiece for a long time, staring at the two little alabaster figurines, recounting the sixty years they’d stood there together. The Alabaster Admiral had broken on the very day Amos took his last breath. Beside its shards, the Alabaster Princess stood alone and forlorn. The princess had wondered before what her life would have looked like if she’d been able to go out into the world and fall hopelessly in love with a random stranger, like they did in all the stories she’d ever known.

But here, at the end of it all, she realised that there was nothing about her life with Amos that she would have changed. Awkward beginnings and all.

---

Head over to Yuin-Y's for today's illustration. 

#fridayflash: Jentayu's Tear (excerpt) from @InsigniaStories

The men screamed and pointed as he transformed back to his true form. His golden feathers blazed in the sun, his horn burning with pure fire; hot white, deep black, flickering blue. He spread his wings and took to the air, the force of each beat of his wings driving the little men to the ground.

“Fight me, Jentayu!” he screamed his challenge into the air.

Lighting flashed across the sky—and there she was before him. Her sleek blue-white feathers gleamed in the rain that now poured, her crest glinting like a diamond crown. For a moment, he caught his breath, mesmerized. He'd forgotten how beautiful she was. How graceful in flight, how tender in speech, how she'd been his closest companion for thousands of years as they ruled the Bird Kingdom together. But the rain was chilling him, dousing his fire, and this would not do.

“It's not so easy to kill me, Jentayu,” he sneered.

“I'm not trying to kill you. It's enough for me to just stop you from carrying out your
nefarious plans.”

“Nefarious! Hah. Maybe you should go back to school and learn how to use your words properly.”

“I said exactly what I wanted to say, Garuda.”

Another beat of his wings. The earth shook and he smiled. “We'll see how you handle that.”

“Handle what? The earth shaking?”

“No. That.”

Jentayu wheeled in horror as the skies erupted in fire and brimstone. The eruption of the volcano filled her senses with searing heat, billowing smoke and the scent of wet ash. In retaliation, she called upon the waves. Two feet. Three. Five. Seven feet high they rose, water against fire. There was nothing she could do to help Merong Mahawangsa and his men now. They would have to survive on their own.

She pressed her apologies into his mind, directing the men to find safer ground far away from the battle. Away from the Garuda's butchery.

“Would you really kill me, my brother?”

“I will destroy anyone who stands in my way—including you, Jentayu!”

And then they crashed against each other, hissing and snarling. Claw raking bloody claw. Beak scoring beak. Mighty wing buffeting mighty wing.

It broke her heart. Where they'd once touched tenderly, as brother with sister, as friends forged in the fight together, they now lashed out at each other. There was death on his claws, and deep sadness in her heart. She knew all his weaknesses. Had once protected them, as he had done hers.

But that was why she had walked away before, wasn't it? Away from his delusions of grandeur, of conquering the world and being Emperor of All Earth—instead of being God's emissary and protector of birds. She couldn't just walk away now.

---

Jentayu's Tear is now available in the anthology Insignia: Asian Fantasy Stories.

INSIGNIA Vol.4 includes 9 Asian fantasy stories with a mix of literary, contemporary, myth-based, and historical fantasy pieces. Countries included are Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Japan, China, India, and Nepal.

PART I: Adventure / Folktales

‘Four Claws’ by Allison Thai
‘I Found Love in an Urn Full of Ashes’ by Joyce Chng
‘Jentayu’s Tear’ by Anna Tan
‘Ribbons & Bones’ by Kelly Matsuura

PART II: Adult / Literary Tales

‘The Fireflies of Todaiji’ by Russell Hemmell
‘Birds of Heaven’ by EK Gonzales
‘Last Train to Begunkodor’ by Nidhi Singh
‘Untouchable’ by Sheenah Freitas
‘White Lady’ by Tina Isaacs

Available on Amazon | Smashwords

Find out more HERE.

P/S want a copy for review? Let me know!

#POAUSM2017: Guardians of the Sea

The Ocean has always been capable of harbouring Life, but it cannot be forgotten that She can also be the bringer of Death. 

But now, it is She who is dying. 

Her waters, once crystal clear, are now clouded and hold trash and toxins in suspension. The treasure-trove of colours that she once held in Her embrace were now almost all washed away to nothing, the corals lifeless and crumbling. Of the creatures that claimed citizenship in Her realm, many are dead or dying, taken as food or for sport without care. 

This shall go on no longer. The Ocean has decided: Before She weakens further, She must take more solid action.

This year, using a mythology theme, Project Ocean Awareness USM is organizing a series of events to promote and spread understanding of marine issues under the banner of ‘Guardians of the Sea’.

Being the fifth iteration since its inception, Project Ocean Awareness 2017 is bringing its A-game and aims to be bigger and better. With various events open to USM students and staff as well as the public, we are inviting you to be part of our quest to save the ocean from further deterioration.

Water are you waiting for? Do you have what it takes to become a Guardian of the Sea?

1. Carnival: Make Waves

Date: 22nd April 2017 (Saturday)
Time: 8.00am - 5.00pm
Venue: USM Main Campus
Fee: Free Admission

Participants are up for some fun-filled learning at our carnival! There will be exhibitions, talks and workshops by various NGOs as well as a special screening of Finding Dory, all stressing on the importance of marine conservation.

2. Competitions

Photography:
Date: 15th of March to 15th of April
Time: Online submission
Fee: Free

Colouring:
Date: 22nd of April
Time: 10.00 am - 12.00 pm
Fee: RM 5

Drawing:
Date: 22nd of April
Time: 1.30 pm - 4.30 pm
Fee: RM 5

Venue: USM Main Campus

With three categories: drawing, colouring, and photography, we aim to cultivate a love of the sea through this competition of creativity. Winners of the competition will be invited to our turtle release event.

3. Turtle Release

Date: 6th of May
Time: 3.00 pm – 8.30 pm
Venue: Kerachut Beach Turtle Conservation Centre, Penang
Fee: Free for Winners of Competition, Half Price (RM 10) for one guardian/friend brought by winners

Get up close and personal with some adorable turtle babies and see for yourself how important it is to preserve our oceans. To prevent the baby turtles from inappropriate handling, this event is only open to competition winners and committee members.

4. Talk + Workshop Series

Date: 12th, 19th and 24th of April
Time: 7.30 pm – 10.00 pm (19th & 24th)
Venue: USM Main Campus
Fee: RM 3

Talks given by NGO representatives or USM officials will be conducted based on our three target issues, followed by an interactive workshop. This is to expose the public to prominent marine issues and leave them with a deeper impression. 
*Not open to the public. 
*Talk on the 12th is free

5. Beach Clean-Up Series

Date: 16th and 29th of April
Time: 7.00 am – 1.00 pm
Venue: Batu Ferringhi Beach and Tanjung Bungah Beach
Fee: RM 10

Participants will collect and sort trash at the beach. At the same time, participants can see how ocean trash and pollution brings adverse effects. After, we can have fun in the Sun! 
*Lunch will be provided 
*Fee only applicable to public is lunch is required

6. Beach and Underwater Clean-Up Trip

Date: 21st to 23rd of April
Time: Thursday night (20th April) departure and return to Penang early Monday morning (24th April)
Venue: Perhentian Island, Terengganu
Fee: RM 400 (snorkelling package) & RM 600 (diving package)

A diving team will clean up underwater trash while those without diving licenses (snorkelling team) will clean up the beach at Perhentian Island. This trip serves to emphasize the difference tourism can inflict on our environment.

7. Human Formation

Date: 12th of April
Time: 5.30 pm - 7.00pm
Venue: USM Main Campus
Fee: Free

We cordially invite everyone to join us in this endeavour! In an attempt to do something out of the box, we plan to create some cool human formations to promote ocean awareness. 
*Only open to USM students

8. Charity Run

Date: 30th of April
Time: 7.00 am – 12.30 pm
Venue: USM Main Campus
Fee: RM 30

Not just a typical marathon, this run incorporates station games, challenges and fun facts to liven things up and spread knowledge. Proceeds from the event will be donated to a marine-related body to support their ocean-saving efforts.

For more information, feel free to contact us via our Facebook page (@poaUSM) or our Instagram page (@poa_USM).

---

Quick shout out for wonderful university students who are striving to make a difference!

#musicmonday: Glorious ruins | Hillsong LIVE

I'll walk through the fire
With my head lifted high
And my spirit revived in Your story
And I'll look to the cross
As my failure is lost
In the light of Your glorious grace

#bookreview: Seekers Trilogy

The Seekers Trilogy starts with Children of Darkness (reviewed here) followed by The Stuff of Stars and The Light of Reason.

The Stuff of Stars by David Litwack
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Orah and Nathaniel have set off from Little Pond, attempting to cross the ocean in search of the keepmasters' kin. What they discover isn't exactly what they were hoping to find.

The technos, those who still cling to knowledge and wonder, are struggling to survive. A cataclysm has claimed their best and brightest - locking them in the Dream - leaving only the very old and the very young who struggle to keep the city alive.
On the other hand, the greenies who have rejected technology, and those who have been cast out of the city, struggle to survive, barely being able to feed and clothe themselves.

Yet what the city has is still more advanced that anything in the Keep and Orah and Nathaniel must walk that thin line between the warring parties if they hope to return home - with or without their hoped-for tech.

The Stuff of Stars is a delicate web of desires and hatred, each party pulling for their own goals to the detriment of all else. It's told in Orah's voice, giving you the insight and folly of a young woman consumed with the goal of making her world a better place.

As with The Children of Darkness, Litwack pushes the narrative to balance the quest for truth and knowledge against the desire to be right, because in this dystopian world, to seek knowledge is synonymous with seeking the dark and destruction.
The Light of Reason by David Litwack
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Orah and Nathaniel are home - but everything they've worked for before they left is gone. The new grand vicar, one they have personal history with, has taken over and is pushing the people back into fear, back into the old ways. Worse - he's taken over the keep and is jealously guarding the knowledge only for his own use.

Nathaniel is slipping down the slippery slope into darkness and Orah can only watch in horror. But she does not know what else to do either. Is violence the only way to win? What if they only thing they can do to counter the brutality of the grand vicar and his men is to be equally violent in return? When will the bloodshed end? Can the light of reason bring about peace when there is so much anger and hurt?

The Seekers' original quest from The Children of Darkness finally comes to a close, laying bare the confusing maze between darkness masquerading as light and light appearing as darkness. What is the truth? Is knowledge and the pursuit of it evil? Or does evil reside in our own hearts, awakened by our insatiable lust for power?

The Light of Reason is a thoughtful book, one that pursues peace through the ravages of war, attempting to grasp the true essence of light amidst the darkness.

Note: I received a free e-copy of this book for review from the author (sometime in Nov 2016 and which should really have been reviewed earlier. Sorry!)

View all my reviews

The #atozchallenge #themereveal: Princesses!

Everybody loves princesses. Or at least we’re conditioned to. Beauty and the Beast just released again (well, not in Malaysia) so there’s Belle to think about. And Mulan is in the works, though she’s not quite a princess. But well, Disney princesses. So much love.

And so much hate.

What you’ll find in this A to Z are 26 princess stories - ranging from the serious to the ridiculous, mundane to the fantastic, the sweet to the annoying. Accompanying these posts will be 26 princess drawings that you can find on ind.elvenstar.net. Because we’re crazy like that.

Here’s the list! (P/S subject to change as I write and she draws.)

Alabaster Admiral

Blueberry Bane

Charmed Chandelier

Diamond Darkness

Egalitarian Eel

Flamboyant Flamingo

Ginormous Grape

Heroic Herring

Infinite Inglenook

Jilted Jellyfish

Killer Kite

Legendary Lemon

Maudlin Monster

Never-Night

Outraged Octopus

Potato in Peril 

Quaffing Quintet

Rambling Rill

Strawberry Scone

Time-Travelling Teaspoon

Unexceptional Umber

Valiant Vicar

Winking Whale

Xeroxed Xylophones

Yodelling Yak

Zany Zebra

Links go live on the respective days.

#bookreview: Shorts

Was planning to review the second two books of David Litwack's Seeker trilogy, but... things came up so here're a couple of shorts from recent archives. :)


Hero Is a Four Letter Word by J.M. Frey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hero Is a Four Letter Word is a pretty short read, consisting of 3 short stories.

The first, The Once and Future King was a cute read, featuring a reborn Arthur Pendragon as a baby.

The second story, Another Four Letter Word was my favourite. It's a retelling of Tam Lin and has echoes of all the things I've ever loved from the Turn Series.

The final story, Maddening Science, felt rather meh in comparison, playing on superhero/supervillain tropes. It's good on its own, I suppose, but after reading the first two, it didn't capture me much.

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book via Story Cartel


Flash Fiction Magazine - Issue 1 by Flash Fiction Magazine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Flash Fiction Magazine is a mash up of everything. Of many beautiful anythings. From bite-sized stories lasting no more than a paragraph to those that run to a few pages, they cover almost all aspects of life: love, joy, sorrow, pain - and the plain weird.

There are some really beautiful pieces in there, which linger a little with you, alongside some which I just didn't get, but that's what it is: 50 little glimpses of life from 50 different perspectives.

I received a free review copy from one of the authors in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Hokay. Now back to doing exciting betas and excruciating edits.
(I apologise for the sudden lack of consistency in book reviews and other posts. In other words, I am simultaneously winning and failing in life at the same time. Just gotta get back on track...)

ALSO, BETHEL WORSHIP NIGHT THIS WEEKEND WOOHOOOOOOOOO.
(See: another win - yay concert; also another fail: ugh timmmeeeeee)

#musicmonday: No Other Name | Hillsong

Find hope

When all the world seems lost

Behold

The triumph of the cross

His power

Has trampled death and grave

Our life found in His name

The greatest name of all

---

Because nothing seems like triumph right now, this is the verse that needs to be on loop.

Because the world seems lost. The world is lost. But we need hope, if only to push us on a day forward at a time.

I cannot see the triumph, but it is there. 

And maybe if I sing it louder, speak it louder, I will see beyond the veil, see through that which shrouds the rightful future from me. Beholding. 

Behold!

The death in me has been defeated. The grave holds no sting. The power of the cross is triumphant.

Behold the triumph of the cross.

#bookreview: Love's Promise by @melstormauthor

Love's Promise by Melissa Storm
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Love's Promise is sweet. Definitely saccharine, diabetes-inducingly sweet. In a very clean, old-fashioned, charmingly pure way. Which is probably why I loved it and am not ashamed to say so.

Kristina Rose Maher has always been not-the-one and she knows it. Attempting to take her life by the reins, she opts for a gastric bypass. But recovery is difficult - food has always been her comfort go-to, but is definitely off the list forever. Then there's the way Jeffrey Berkley, her coworker, is suddenly everywhere in her face, and she's not quite sure if she should really dare hope after squishing all her feelings for so long.

Whilst it feels like the major focus of a romance should be the actual romance, it seems that the major bulk of this story actually focuses on one theme: acceptance. Kristina must learn to accept herself as she is, Jeffrey must accept that his dreams in life will never meet his father's approval, Elise must accept and trust God's timing, even if she thinks it's wrong.

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from the author as part of the book launch.

View all my reviews

Melissa Storm is a mother first, and everything else second. Her fiction is highly personal and often based on true stories. Writing is Melissa's way of showing her daughter just how beautiful life can be, when you pay attention to the everyday wonders that surround us.

Melissa loves books so much, she married fellow author Falcon Storm. Between the two of them, there are always plenty of imaginative, awe-inspiring stories to share. When she's not reading, writing, or child-rearing, Melissa spends time relaxing at home in the company of her four dogs, four parrots, and rescue cat. She never misses an episode of The Bachelor or her nightly lavender-infused soak in the tub. Because priorities.

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#fridayflash: Breathe

"You're angry." A statement. Not a question.

She didn't reply.

"You're spiralling." Another statement.

A flash of something. Dark. Hard. Angry. "What of it?"

"Why?"

Did it matter? Did anything really matter? She shrugged off the hand that was slowly creeping onto her shoulder.

He tucked his hands away. "I didn't do anything."

"That's precisely it."

"What are you really accusing me of?"

She shook her head. She didn't know. Didn't know anymore. All she knew was that tight fist of anger nestled beneath her breasts, the stiff clench of hatred settled along her jawline, the burning fire of resentment in her belly, that wouldn't go away. Wouldn't abate. Wouldn't be quenched.

"Did I promise you anything?"

The word fell from her lips like bitter medicine. "No."

"Then why are you angry?"

Because I'm tired. Because I'm lonely. Because I'm afraid. Because I'm stuck here, one step forward, two steps back, and everyone is leaving. Because I'm not enough. I'm never enough. 

He stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and this time, she didn't push him away. "Breathe."

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#booklaunch: Love's Promise by @melstormauthor

Love’s Promise:  Excerpt from Chapter 13

Kristina clapped as her friend took the pulpit. She had never seen Elise in front of her youth group. Even though they were best friends, Kristina hadn’t been back to youth group since she’d graduated to the big church. A few times per year, Pastor Bernie would take a Sunday off and ask Elise or one of the elders to deliver the week’s sermon, but the teen members of the congregation understandably required a different message and a different style when it came to their own church services and events.

All around her, the kids settled onto their blankets with plates of fried chicken, potato salad, and other fatty picnic fare. Peggy, a girl who worked at the diner sometimes on nights and weekends, joined Kristina on her blanket. “Hi,” she whispered with a grin as Elise flipped on the microphone and shouted, “Boo!”

Kristina jumped back, unprepared for the loud noise that shot through the auditorium. Nervous laughter erupted around them, but Elise stood stock still with a serious expression on her face.

“Halloween was last month!” Peggy called to Elise.

More laughter.

Still Elise didn’t speak, didn’t wear her signature smile, didn’t do anything.

The laughter quieted, and everyone sat waiting to see what their youth pastor would say or do next.

“Fear,” Elise said, enunciating the word slowly, taking time with each sound. “What is it?”

Answers rose up from all around the room. 

“Not feeling safe.”

“Being worried.”

“Spiders!” Peggy added.

“Not knowing how things will work out,” Kristina said through the laughter.

“And were you afraid just now when I shouted boo right here out of the blue?”

A chorus of Nos rippled through the room.

Elise pouted and stalked forward on the stage. “But it was unexpected. You didn’t know what would happen next. A lot of people find shocks like that scary. Why didn’t you?”

“Because you’re not scary.”

“We know you.”

“You’d never hurt us.”

“You’d never hurt anyone,” Kristina added.

Elise perked up, her eyes wide and voice booming. “Ahh, so I failed in my attempt to scare you because you know me, because you trust me to take care of you?”

Everyone nodded and murmured their agreement.

“You know who else is there to take care of you? God.” Elise bobbed her head and traced her way back to the pulpit. “God’s gotcha. 100% of the time, He is there and He’s got your back. So then why do we continue to live in fear? If I couldn’t scare you, then why does life scare you when you know God is just around the corner rooting for you, ready to catch you if you fall?”

Nobody said anything. They all waited to see what their youth pastor would say next, Kristina Rose most of all.

“Easy in theory, right? But hard in practice,” Elise continued. “They say practice makes perfect, but no one is perfect outside of Jesus. Practice can make better. Practice can make easier, but none of us are perfect. It’s kind of why we need God in the first place. It’s why we need to trust Him with our fears rather than trying to figure everything out for ourselves.”

Oh, now she understood why Elise had dragged her here. She saw Kristina’s fear loud and clear. It was in everything she did, no matter how hard she tried to act otherwise. Elise did love to showboat, but she may have also chose this method of delivering her message so that the kids would be there to back her up, so it would feel less like a personal lecture and more like something Elise was sharing with all of them. 

“It’s a lesson we’ve all learned since Sunday School. God’s got you. So then why do so many of us forget as we grow up? As we face new challenges? Why do we think we can do it all ourselves? Why don’t we depend on God for help?”

Some of the teens ventured answers, but Kristina honestly didn’t know what to say. Elise was right, of course. Kristina had been trying to do it all on her own rather than trusting in God—and in her friends—to take care of her. She’d been trying to do it all on her own and still didn’t even fully trust herself. No wonder she was failing so miserably.

Elise reached under the pulpit and pulled out a small black gun. She closed one eye, and stuck her arm straight out toward Kristina Rose.

Nervous laughter broke through the sanctuary once again.

“You’re laughing. Why are you laughing? I have a gun. A gun! Shouldn’t you be afraid?”

“We know that’s not a real gun, Elise,” Peggy said, making a pistol gesture with her thumb and index finger and pointing it back at Elise.

“Are you sure about that? What makes you think it’s not real? It’s the right color, right size, right shape.” She widened her stance and turned the gun to its side, setting up for a kill shot. “Are you scared now?” she asked, her voice flat, menacing.

“No, I’m not,” Kristina answered. “I know you’d never actually shoot me with a real gun.”

“How sure are you? Would you bet your life?” She took two steps forward, unwavering in her aim.

Kristina nodded. “I trust you not to hurt me.”

Elise pulled the trigger and a stream of water hit Kristina on the leg.

The audience laughed some more. It seemed they did a lot of that whenever Elise took the stage. 

“Told ya! We knew it wasn’t real,” they shouted.

Elise returned the gun to the pulpit and banged on her chest with the mic. “Did you see that? Did you see that? Kristina Rose trusted me to shoot her—to shoot her!—because I’m her best friend and she knows I won’t hurt her. But that’s all I am, a best friend. God is our father. Of course He wants what’s best for us. Of course He would never hurt us without a reason.” 

She gave that a minute to set in before jumping off the stage and pumping her arms as she walked animatedly between the blankets. “Here we are, going about our business, and—whoa—a new danger appears.” Elise jerked forward and threw a banana peel she’d been hiding onto the ground in front of her.

This time Kristina found herself laughing along, too.

“Don’t laugh!” Elise warned, spinning around to look at everyone in turn. “This is dangerous. I could slip and fall! How can I keep walking forward when there’s this huge dangerous thing just waiting to knock me off my feet?”

“Step around it!” 

“Walk over it!”

“Just avoid it.”

Elise did as instructed with a skip. “Pfffhew, I’m safe!” she cried. 

Kristina Rose loved watching her friend in action. She had no idea her sermons involved so much physical comedy, but it all made perfect sense. This is just who Elise was—passionate, energetic, the star of the show. They made a great pair, Elise and Kristina, because while one craved attention, the other was all too happy to let somebody else take center stage. Had they been enabling each other all this time?

Elise winked at Kristina Rose, then rolled her eyes and jogged back up to the stage. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I know this is all fairly ridiculous. Who slips on a banana peel other than maybe a cartoon character? But here’s the thing: in hindsight, many of our problems seem equally absurd. Why didn’t I just tell her how I feel, or why didn’t I just take the plunge? Well, I’m here to tell you today, God doesn’t give us problems we can’t handle. You know what Kelly Clarkson says: ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.’ Well, I want to be strong. Don’t you?”

Peggy started humming the pop song quietly beside Kristina.

“I want to be strong,” Kristina said.

Others murmured in agreement.

“Well, guess what. So do I, but you know what else? I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Say it with me this time…”

Everyone shouted in unison, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!”

“Yes, you can.” Elise stooped down to pick up the banana peel, curled it into a ball, and then made a free shot at the trash basket. 

Some muted applause followed the swish straight into the bin.

Elise tapped her heart and pointed toward Heaven. “Now when we break into group, I want us to share our fears, share our problems, and then place them at the Lord’s feet. Trusting in God doesn’t mean that you give up trying. It just means that you know you’re going to win in the end. It brushes aside the worry, makes the task of living a much more enjoyable—much easier—thing to do. How would your life change if you stopped being afraid and started trusting in God to lead you to the place you need to be?” Elise locked eyes with Kristina Rose as she asked this.

Kristina had no idea whether she was meant to answer, but luckily she didn’t have to. A series of beeps and whirls sounded from beside her, and all eyes zoomed toward the blanket where she sat with Peggy.

“Oops! Sorry!” Peggy leaped up and waved her phone by way of explanation. “I forgot to silence it, but it’s my boss. I have to take this.” She rushed out in the hall, leaving Kristina to wonder why Mabel would be calling on a day she knew Peggy would be taking off to attend the retreat.

“Let’s all clean up our plates and move our blankets into a circle,” Elise said, striding over to help Kristina Rose adjust hers.

“Was that for me?” Kristina asked quietly while the kids laughed and joked with one another.

“It was for everyone, but, yes, inspired by you. I love you, you know, and I want you to know that you’ve got this, that God’s—”

“God’s got me?” Kristina finished for her friend. “I know. Thank you so much for the reminder.”

---

She's waiting for her prince to come … but was he right beside her all the time?

Kristina Rose Maher wants to know why fairytales never happen for fat girls. Certain that diner cook Jeff, handsome and fit, will never want her as more than a friend, she stuffs down her attraction to him. But when she finds herself facing a life-altering weight loss surgery, she discovers she's willing to do whatever it takes to embrace life—and love—to the fullest.

Jeffrey Berkley can't bear the thought of losing the friend he’s only just beginning to realize matters so much to him… no matter what size she is. But he is also terrified that helping her reach for her dreams will also mean finally reaching for his own—and letting down his family’s legacy in the process.

Both Kristina Rose and Jeffrey must learn to love themselves before they can find a way to make a promise to each other. Will they finally be able to lay their heavy burdens at the Lord's feet, and trust him to bring the happily-ever-after they both crave?

Don't miss this sweet tale of faith, love, and gastric bypass–get your copy of Love's Promise today!

Apple iBooks | Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble Nook | Kobo | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada | AmazonAustralia | Paperback  

 Melissa Storm is a mother first, and everything else second. Her fiction is highly personal and often based on true stories. Writing is Melissa's way of showing her daughter just how beautiful life can be, when you pay attention to the everyday wonders that surround us.

Melissa loves books so much, she married fellow author Falcon Storm. Between the two of them, there are always plenty of imaginative, awe-inspiring stories to share. When she's not reading, writing, or child-rearing, Melissa spends time relaxing at home in the company of her four dogs, four parrots, and rescue cat. She never misses an episode of The Bachelor or her nightly lavender-infused soak in the tub. Because priorities.


Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube 

Join us at the launch party!

I'll be hosting a slot from 11am - noon today (March 6, 10pm - 11pm EST) at the launch party so do drop by then! Well... drop by the whole week-long fest from March 6 - 11 for daily giveaways, games, and fun conversations and behind-the-scenes info. 

See you there!

LAUNCHPARTYYYYYYYY

#musicmonday: The Wonderful Cross

When I survey the wondrous Cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain, I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride

See from His head, His hands, His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did ever such love and sorrow meet?
Or thorns compose, so rich a crown

Oh the wonderful Cross, oh the wonderful Cross
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
Oh the wonderful Cross, oh the wonderful Cross
All who gather here by grace, draw near and bless Your name

Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all

---

But would you really give your all?

#fridayflash: Marked

“Where is your faith?” you ask. I answer, “In you alone.” Walk with me in that peace today, O lover of my soul, protector of my way.

But one day you were Jacob, and the next you were Israel, and there was no in-between. There was just that struggle, that late night fight; bloody tooth, nail, claw, clinging on desperately for the blessing, the change, anything that would take you from this fear and deception into... peace.

Because that was all you ever knew, wasn't it? That if you didn't fight for it, you'd never get it. It was never yours. Never granted. Always stolen, always torn from its rightful owner. Who didn't even want it. And it's fight or flight - hell, it's fight and flight. Because you knew you couldn't stay. Not when you'd taken everything he'd grown up taking for granted.

But the blessing was yours because you wanted it.

And then you had to go back. Because your blessing was tied to the land and if you weren't there it wasn't yours and then what would have been the point of all that fighting? So you headed home, half your heart believing that God would do it, God would protect you, the other half freaking out because you don't want to die.

Not that you wouldn't fight death itself for the blessing. And it felt like it, wrestling with the angel, grasping again for the blessing, afraid. Afraid of being left behind. Afraid of being overlooked. Afraid of being not enough. Afraid, even after all He's done, that maybe, just maybe, this would be as far as you'll ever get.

And to your surprise, you got all you've ever wanted.

You've come up victorious, no longer the Supplanter, the Trickster, but the Man who Contended with God, the One who has Prevailed. The blessing is yours. Your life is given back to you. Your faith is sealed. You've finally found peace. And you're Marked.

Your hip will never be the same again, but that's a small price to pay for having fought with God and not died.

---

Genesis 32: 24-31

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LENT

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#bookreview: Skyping Back in Time by Agnes Ong

Skyping Back in Time by Agnes Ong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A strange blackout in his Petaling Jaya apartment connects eleven-year-old Kian Kit to nine-year-old Mei Mei from 1946 Malacca. This strange connection opens Kian Kit's eyes to the realities of life after war and how families struggled to survive in 1946. When events threaten to break up Mei Mei's family, Kian Kit tries to help - but what can he do when he's 68 years in the future?

Agnes has written one of the most awwwww-inducing books I've read in a while. It's targetted at kids - a classic MG kind of story, with obvious "learning points" (the war in Malaya, being poor, being nice to your younger siblings, etc) - but that makes it no less adorable. On second thoughts - maybe more adorable for adults than for kids. And maybe more cute for girls than for boys.

It has a nice, pretty ending; neatly tied up with bows and flourishes, even leaving an opening for a maybe-sequel, should Agnes want to make it into a series.

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On a personal, not-so-MG point of view, the beginning was a little clunky, with a Calvin-and-Hobbes-esque opening. Scattered throughout the book are some rather oddly-styled sentences as well, though that's probably a question of personal style & taste. Agnes additionally uses Malaysian English in conversation (E.g. "You sit with Ko Ko here. Ma go find candles"; "Okay, okay. We go together") quite well, adding in that little Malaysian quirkiness and flair, but which may throw off people not used to it.

View all my reviews

On another thought: WHY IS THIS NOT AN E-BOOK YET?

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Also, GIVEAWAY!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Flame of the North releases today!

The Flame of the North is out there in the wild!

About the book:
Ten-year-old Mica hates the cold. Yet he’s bound by duty—and prophecy—to rule over the City of Winter as his grandfather’s heir. All signs seem to indicate that something is wrong and the reappearance of the Yuki-Onna in the Painted Hall is an additional worrisome detail…

The Flame of the North (North #2) follows Danis & Hana’s son as he attempts to fulfil the last portion of Dragon’s Prophecy.

Find out more: The North Series

BUY NOW!
Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | Barnes and Noble | Google Play | Smashwords

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In conjunction with Flame's release, and because I haven't had a giveaway in a while, here's a rafflecopter!

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What's Skyping Back in Time, you ask?

Well, Skyping Back in Time is a MG story written by a fellow Malaysian Writer, Agnes Ong. It won the Merit Award in the 2014 Calistro Prize and is a really lovely read. (Agnes also features in my book, Love in Penang, so obviously I like her writing :p) As far as I know, the only place you can buy this book is from the author herself.
Because I hardly ever keep children's books on my shelf AND I wanted to help a fellow Malaysian writer, I decided that I'll give it away to someone on the Internet! But someone on the Internet who lives in Malaysia because shipping is expensive, yo.

AAAANNNYYYWAAAYYYYY Giveaway is up for a week. Good luck!

(P/S: check back tomorrow for my review on Skyping Back in Time)

#musicmonday: Hello (cover) by @speter_music

Dropping a shout out to the young kid who shared the Say It Like You Mean It stage in Kim Haus yesterday while it's still Monday.

Happy Music Monday, yo.

Oh heck, here's an original too.