I Spy. I’ll let you in on a little secret. Every Byways book cover has a game of its own. There are items hidden in plain sight. Just so you can have the fun of finding them. On Ewan’s books, you’ll find a compass rose. On Zane’s books, it will be a paw print. And on Ganix’s books, look for a ladybug.
The Keeper charged through the Harrow’s front door, bellowing, “Aurelius!”
“In here,” his brother-in-law sang out.
Following the sound of his voice into the sleeping chamber, he found the man packing for his trip. Holding up two vests in slightly different shades of brown, he asked, “Chestnut or nutmeg?”
—Galleries of Stone, Book 2: Harrow
Gilded Fingers. I’m forever running into things that remind me of my stories. In a recent perusal of Continue reading CHIT-CHAT: Harrow
At first, he wasn’t sure what kind of animal it might be, but Tupper liked watching as Freydolf added reticulated lines until the tiny animal looked shaggy and real. Then, he switched his attention to the creatures head, teasing away unneeded flakes of stone until a muzzle poked out, sloping up to a broad brow adorned with a pair of curving horns.
As Freydolf used a shiv to give them texture, Tupper glanced warily at the sculptor’s face; his people were sometimes picked on for their passing resemblance to herd beasts. To his relief, the Pred’s expression was one of serene concentration; his half-smile bore no hint of malice or mockery, so the boy relaxed.
Finally, Freydolf asked, “What do you think, lambkin?”
“A ram?”
“Aye,” he said, offering him the finished sculpture. Its head tilted at a proud angle, and there were curls on its chest and fetlocks. “He’s a noble little thing.”
—Galleries of Stone, Book 1: Meadowsweet
Curling Horns. While Tupper is adjusting to life in the Statuary, his new master decides that the best way to explain his magic is to … well, to show off a bit. Freydolf crafts a small ram from Continue reading OLEXI: My Indie Imprint
City Spotting. Details have always intrigued me, and so have words. I’m that former cereal-box reading child who still scans the fine print on everything from coins to candy bars. So I shouldn’t be so surprised about a recent trend in my life. I keep spotting Continue reading CHIT-CHAT: Byways Places
Spotted in SCBWI. When I flipped through the latest issue of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators magazine, my attention was snagged by an article called “Where’s My Editor?” by Kim Childress. Why? Because she’s one of my editors for the Byways books! Continue reading CHIT-CHAT: Where’s My Editor?
I’ve been following wordnik since my first days on Twitter, participating in their (now defunct) daily challenge to use their Word of the Day in a sentence. I have fond memories of silly word-related contests, and I often retweet their List of the Day. Hey, I even won a wordnik t-shirt! So it’s only natural that when they began putting words up for adoption, I jumped at the chance to Continue reading CHIT-CHAT: Adopt a Word
Freydolf couldn’t help comparing this quiet celebration to the citywide extravaganzas in his homeland. The quarterly festivals were a matter of pride, with those born during each season doing their best to outdo the rest. Presents were lavish and plentiful, and those who had attained another year dressed all in white. Boys grudgingly submitted to having their claws gilded with copper, and girls proudly added a new coin to jingling headdresses.
—excerpted from Galleries of Stone, Book 2, Harrow
This post falls under the category of authorial chit-chat. Which means it’s story-related, but doesn’t really fit in the glossary. We’ll call it … anecdotal. Or in plain-speak, a quaint story about an author, an artist, and an old German cuckoo clock. Continue reading CHIT-CHAT: The Byways Header
This post falls under the category of authorial chit-chat. Which means it’s story-related, but doesn’t really fit in the glossary. We’ll call it … anecdotal. Or in plain-speak, a funny story about an author, an artist, and a pair of swimming trunks.
C. J. Milbrandt 