Opening day thoughts– Chance to win a copy of Dragonborn

 

When you hear the term opening day, what comes to mind first? (For a chance to win a free copy of my novel Dragonborn, add your first thought to the comments below.) For me, opening day brings baseball to mind. Going to Wrigley field and still wearing my winter coat as the wind whips across Lake Michigan.

 

Today, is an opening day of sorts for my newest fantasy novel, Dragonborn. It just dropped this morning across all the platforms. It’s a whole new episode in my life as a writer. And it all started with an idea that is now found in book four of the series. I liked the scene and characters but their situation raised questions. The main question was why? Why were they in that situation? I followed the trail of questions until I found all the answers I needed. Of course I’m still fleshing the story out, I know the basics. I know why and am now discovering what, who, where, and when. 

Pumping Your Muse writing prompt

Write a scene showing your opening day thought. It can be a store, first day of school, a sporting event, or any other opening day. Include some details that show where you are, why you are there, when you are there, who you are with, and what you're doing. And don’t forget to add your opening day “first thought” to the comment below or on the writing prompt link for this blog post on my FB page or Twitter @birdiesquill for a chance to win a copy of Dragonborn.

About Dragonborn

Dragons. Magic. Rents in time. Dragonborn follows the journey of the young prison guard, Ervig Greenfields, as he seeks the help of dragons to remove a curse. The dragons offer Ervig access to the Labyrinth of Times, which will purge the dark magic. But there’s a catch. Erving must take the Dragon Oath—an oath to secrecy which requires him to fight alongside the dragons for centuries, never to return to his own time.

Dragonborn available through the following outlets.

• Amazon Kindle
• Amazon print
• Smashwords
• Barnes and Noble
• Kobo
• Google Play
• Google Books
• Apple link

When you read Dragonborn, do me a favor and post an honest review over on Goodreads to let others know what you think. Thanks for your support.

Photo credits: Pxfuel, Each Voice Publishing

Action - Writing a Fight Scene

Writers often draw on personal experience to help bring their writing to life. Fight scenes can be hard to write for those of us who don't have that experience in our personal arsenls.al. Today's writing prompt is designed to help hone those skills.

 

 

In my book Beyond the Fifth Gate I needed several fight scenes. For me it was a challenge, but I found help from stuntman and actor Teel James Glenn in his book Them's Fighting Words. He recommended watching a movie fight scene for inspiration. This worked for me. I watched more than one fight scene. As I did, I paused it, wrote, sometimes rewinded, as I captured moves that happen so fast you often don't think about it. But on paper, you need those quick moves to show your reader what is happening. This is only one way to develop an understanding of all that's involved in writing action/fight scenes. 

Pumping Your Muse Writing Prompt

For today's writing prompt, watch a movie fight scene. I recommend a scene that uses skills you what to describe. For instance, if your character will be using a sword, then a sword fight. If a staff, a fight scene that incorporates a staff. Write out the action. Don't be surprised...you'll need to do some research to complete this prompt in order to know what to call moves, weapons, etc. But the final product will make your fight scene come alive.

• Watch a fight scene. 
• Research what moves are called. 
• Watch the fight scene again and write out the moves. 

About Dragonborn by Donna Sundblad

A captivating story of love, magic, and adventure for readers young and old. In this epic tale of sacrifice for the greater good, Dragonborn and their dragons become seeds of change traveling through time to change the future.

Dragonborn is available on Kindle, paperback on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo (Christian fiction), Smashwords Apple and Google Books. When you read it, be sure to leave a review! Thanks for your support.

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Some links in this post are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliate sites.

Photo credit: mikemol

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Discover Your Fictional World Through Drifting

One way I discover new elements to add to the world-building process when writing fiction is what I call drifting. Drifting lets you hopscotch above and through an area picking up details and fresh ideas as you go. This is accomplished by following a benign item not necessarily related to your story. For example, a leaf falling from a tree whirls in the wind higher into the bright fall sky only to drift slowly toward the frost covered grass in the park where a sole individual sits on a park bench...

The leaf is used to introduce the world.

  

Today's Pumping Your Muse Writing Prompt:

Introduce your world as you discover it by drifting. Follow one of these or an item of your own:

*Feather
*Leaf
*Butterfly
*Snowflake
*Ash
*Bug

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About Dragonborn by Donna Sundblad

Dragonborn conjures up a winning fantasy with dragons, humans, time travel, and magic. Follow the journey of the young prisonguard, Ervig Greenfields, as he seeks out dragons to remove a curse. The dragons offer him access to the Labyrinth of Times, which will purge the dark magic. But there’s a catch. Erving must take the Dragon Oath that requires allegiance--to fight alongside dragons for centuries, never to return to his own time. He and a handful of others take the selfless oath and become Dragonborn. The Dragonborn and their dragons become seeds of change, in this epic tale, of sacrifice for the greater good. Ride along with them as they slip through a tear in time to the past to change the future. 

Dragonborn is available on Kindle, paperback on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo (Christian fiction), Smashwords Apple and Google Books. When you read it, be sure to leave a review! Thanks for your support.

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Some links in this post are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliate sites. Thanks so much for being part of our success.