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The Song of Arasi
This is a song I wrote for some of my books, the Guardian Sagas. Arasi was a sword forged by Teren Tebre Swordforger at the command of Naran Ara (my God figure). The sword was named Arasi because in Diresth (Teren's country) the word arasi means 'hope'. Arasi was forged as the only weapon that could stand up to a mace forged by a wizard and bound with spells so that every other weapon that touched it would break. Throughout the last age of the world Arasi, the Sword of Hope, was born by men called the Guardians of Arasi.
Hear the hammer hammering
In the dwarf caves glimmering
He leans over the hot forge fire
Teren Tebre, raising sorcerer’s ire
Swordforger of the Wizard’s Bane
Arasi, Arasi! The sword of fame
Ten Naran Ara said
To Diresth’s hope would be led
They drew the sword
They spoke the word
Swearing protection to Absor
Trembling to its very core
Seven have evil fought
Dear it was bought
Hardships no mortal man can face
Defeating the Wizard’s Mace
Still Absor awaits the other three
Come sailing, sailing over the sea
Arise, Arasi, rise and fight
Defeat the evil with Naran Ara’s might
To glory and honor, and sorrow perhaps
Though time should pass and centuries lapse
Arasi, Arasi! The Wizard’s bane
Will always rise to the walls again!
The Guardian Saga sounds interesting. Is there any place I could read it?
Wish there was! Right now I'm not even working on that series. However, sometime in the future I plan to publish them (if I ever get them all written!) Thanks for commenting, Anna. l8ers!
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God wove a loveliness
Of clouds and stars and birds
But made not anything at all
So beautiful as words
~Anna Hempstead Branch
You could make a blogger or wordpress and post it on one of those. You can also make bloggers private. I know this because my blogger IS private...
It would be so cool if you could publish something... but most of the publishers I really like require you to have an agent... which I don't. :) Not that I have a finished book/a book worth publishing.
I've considered blogging...but actually right now I'm taking a writer's course from Christian Writer's Guild. Jerry B. Jenkins (Left Behind Series) is associated with them. It's a two year course and with the course I get membership in the guild, which includes being able to enter their novel writing contest this fall. I have one book finished that I'm submitting (it's The Second Crown, what I wrote about in 'Something to Celebrate'). The first prize of the contest is getting published, but the benefits are that if I don't win, I still get exposure to editors and publishers. It's going to be interesting, but I think I'll get some good experience out of it too.
As for the agent thing, someone told me one time to just go to a lot of writer's conferences. Sometimes editors will be at the big ones and you can make contacts there. I have a friend who knows a girl who got her books published that way (you can check her out at erynnmangum.com.) And the big thing, of course, is NEVER GIVE UP! If you feel like God's calling you to write, then go for it! Also get a support group built, like your family and close friends who will pray for you as you write and who you can share your struggles with. My family is really good at this, and I've got an amazing small group with some incredible adults who hold me accountable, and other teens who like to hear about my latest story ideas. Also while you're in highschool, see if you can do some writing courses as part of your schoolwork. I took an online writing courses for the last three years of my highschool education. The writing courses I took are available at writeathome.com, it's specifically for homeschooling students.
OK, I hope I didn't totally overwhelm you with all that, and I also hope you didn't feel like you were getting a lecture! :0) Let me know if you have any questions or anything.
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God wove a loveliness
Of clouds and stars and birds
But made not anything at all
So beautiful as words
~Anna Hempstead Branch
I've heard from a lot of published authors: Go to the conferences.
Also, this page here is a great resource from an author/editors perspective on what they look for and what you should and should not do:
http://www.wherethemapends.com/writerstools/writers_tools_pages/tip_of_the_week.htm
It's long, but well worth the read.
Thanks for the advice! Unfortunately, I don't have much chance to go to conferences and stuff.
Heather, I really hope your book gets published. If it does, I will definitely buy it. I hope you get to meet authors and editors who can help you.
About the whole agent thing... I really don't mind none of my books are published. 1) I haven't finished any, 2) I could use practice, 3) I really just write for fun. I fI ever get a chance to publish my work, I will jump at it, but for now I'm content to watch, wait, and write. :)
Shane: thank you! I'm always open for more resources and ideas on what to do. I'm definitely going to check this site out.
Anna: yeah, I've done a couple small conferences, nothing big yet, but I'm hoping to really work on that next year. Thank you, we'll see if God has publishing in store for me soon or not! And writing for fun...that's still cool, and you have some amazing stuff so far. I love 'Brey' and the 'Stars over Llorleya'. I fact, with Brey especially, you made me wish I could write like that!
I've been to wherethemapends many times... It's a good website.
Another website connected with it is:
http://www.marcherlordpress.com/Home.htm
If you read wherethemapends, you will find that there is not a big market for Christian fantasy... that is where marcher lord press comes in.
Thanks Ezra, I'll have to check that site out. I've never heard of it before.
Sweet poem! Are you going to post the books this poem's about? Please do.