Moorish Tavern-the Siege of Tunis

As I've mentioned before, I'm in the SCA, a historical re-creation organization that focuses on the Middle Ages and Renaissance. One of the things we do is hold wars and battles. This weekend I went to a mini war in northwestern Northshield called Moorish Tavern. It is an annual event, aways held at the same campground near the Canadian border. There are battles, and feasting, and singing. And there is often rain, as was the case this year. The was a brief but furious downpour, with 40 mile an hour winds. Some tents were tested, and some were swamped, but none fell.

In addition to the usual fighting in armor with swords and shields, there was also a rapier tournament to determine who would have the honor of wearing the Princess' Sleeve. The level of swords(wo)manship was outstanding. Sadly, in the final bout an accident occurred, resulting in Lord Marcus being rushed to the hospital with a dislocated knee. It must have been unbelievably painful, but he returned in a few hours on crutches and showed such high spirits and chivalry that the Princess named both he and Dona Margolit (his opponent during the final bout) as co-holders of the sleeve. She carefully cut it down the middle and gave half to each.

I was very excited to see Sir Yngvar, recently returned from Iraq.

Also, there is a lady whom I love as a dear sister and friend, the honroable lady Eabblean of Castel Rouge. She is generous to a fault, always making garb and giving gifts to her friends. So about a dozen of us got together and planned to make her some garb she has always wanted: an Elizabethan loose gown over a kirtle with all the appropriate jewelry, foot wear and head gear. She cried.

It was a wonderful weekend. I applied bug juice religiously, but it must have been wiped off mys feet by wet grass, because my feet look like smallpox victims. Yikes! Still, I had a great time!

Full Manuscript Requested

About two weeks ago I sent a query with a synopsis and the first 3 chapters of Sleeping With the Wolf to an epublisher whose books I have enjoyed in the past. On June 2 I received a nice email saying thanks, they had received it, it had been added to the queue and I should hear something in 4-6 weeks. Cool. So I began playing with some of the other books in the series, writing some scenes, developing some outlines and character sketches and generally taking a little break from Sleeping. It was finished, but I wanted to review the middle for any improvements I could make after I'd had a chance to get away from it. After all, I had at least a month before they would ask for it, if they ever asked for it. I figured there was a good chance they would tell me thanks, but no thanks.

And when I got to work and checked my Maddy email what did I see? An email from the epublisher. Oh, no, I thought. It's been only two weeks, and I'd heard that a quick answer was usually an R, a rejection. So I heaved a sigh and opened the email.

And squealed loud enough for people three aisles over to poke their heads up to see what was up with me. I waved my hands frantically at my buddy Jill and ordered her to get over to my desk tout suite and read this email. She did, and squealed and gave me a hug. We told everyone within earshot that the publisher I had submitted a partial story to had requested the full manuscript. Someone in the third aisle was disappointed to find out that I hadn't won the lottery. But I feel like I did. I know that this is by no means an indication that the publisher will accept and publish my book. But I had been prepared to receive my first R and it was a thrill to see the full manuscript request instead. Not much work got done by yours truly today.

I may well open my email in another couple weeks and find the thanks, but no thanks message. But at least I've gotten this far. Not too shabby for someone who didn't take her writing seriously until a couple months ago. And if it is rejected maybe the publisher will give me some reasons why and suggestions for improving.

That's the news from Maddy-land today. Off to plunge back into Eddie's Prize.

After the Crash

That's the name for the series I am currently working on. Over on Romance Divas I posed the question "What should I name my futuristic/post apocalyptic romance series? It's about how five women from the year 2014 find their true loves when their plane crashes in 2064." And of the suggestions I got I liked "After the Crash" best.

The first story is Sleeping With the Wolf. Carla Z, a rising country music star who is won in a Bride Fight by the alpha of a local Wolf Pack has to find a way to accept the fact that her world is gone and that she can't go home. In a way this is the hardest story to write. I have to set up this new world and try to get it to make sense. Taye knows Carla is his mate; the wolf who lives within him told him so. He fell in love the first time he scented her. Will Carla ever accept him? 40,000 words. Submitted.

The second story is tentatively named Eddie's Prize. Lisa Anton, a well known model, is won by Eddie Madison, the son of the mayor of Kearney. Eddie is handsome and young and hot tempered, and, of course, a virgin. He has fallen deeply in love with his bride. Lisa is a little older and far more experienced. Eddie is thrilled by her lovemaking, but expects her to behave modestly outside the bedroom. According to the standards she lived by in 2014, Lisa is behaving like a puritan, but Eddie is jealous of her ease with other men, particularly rancher Dane Overdahl. This book takes place at the same time as Sleeping with the Wolf. Aprox 18,000 words. Outline complete, mostly written. This one doesn't quite fit with the other stories, which are all connected to the Pack and Clan, and it is shorter than the others are planned to be.

The third story is Courted By the Wolf. Loud mouthed goth Gloria Peterson stumbles on the Clan while looking for help for the plane crash survivors. The chief of the Clan, Wolf's Shadow, knows she is his mate. Glory is perfectly happy take a roll in the hay with him while she's waiting for transportation back to civilization, but when she finds out she's stuck living in a tent on the prairie in 2064 her attitude changes fast. Her idea of camping involves a luxury RV and a microwave. Shadow is the chief of his Clan. He can't leave them to follow his mate to live in a town. And he won't let her live there without him. He is left having to court her. Will she ever love him enough to accept life in a Tipi? Takes place at the same time as books 1 & 2, and a few months longer. First two chapters written.

The fourth story is Tracked By the Wolf. Mountain guide Tami was taken by a half dozen men to be their wife. After two weeks of abuse she manages to escape and use her survivalist skills to hide from them. They hire The Tracker, a silent loner from the Clan with a knack for retrieving lost items, to find her and bring her back. Behind his stone cold face lies a tender heart yearning for a wife of his own, but what woman could live as he does, constantly roaming the prairie without a house to live in? Tracker and Tami engage in a game of hide and seek: she to hide from him and he to find her. Her skills rouse his admiration. When he catches her can he bear to take her back to her husbands? Chapter 1-3 are written. Begins one month after books 1 & 2

The fifth story is Captured by the Wolf. Fifteen year old Rose Turner is taken with the other plane crash survivors to the Clan. Once there a man claims her as his wife. But seventeen year old Sky insists his wolf has chosen her as his mate and carries her off to the Pack by Kearney. After Carla refuses to allow him to consummate his mating, Sky leaves Rose under the Pack's protection and heads east to take work with the man trying to rebuild the railroad. Six years later he returns to claim his mate... who has formed an attachment to a Kearney boy. What's a wolf to do but capture his rebellious mate and take her home to teach her to love him? He just didn't expect to learn any new lessons himself. Takes place approx 6 years after the others.

I Did It!

I have submitted a story for the very first time. That's a scary thing. I feel kinda light headed. I think I need some chocolate...