Colored Numbers, Angels, and a Free ARC

Do you see numbers as colors? (For me, 1 is off-white, 2 is lavender, 3 is yellow, 4 is green, 5 is red, 6 is blue, 7 is blue-violet, 8 is orange, 9 is black – and who knows why.) Anyway, I enjoy a variety of colors. I minored in art in college. Enjoyed painting with acrylics and drawing with pastels. Enjoyed batik (dying fabric), getting my hands – and clothes – messy. Then I discovered pottery and got even more messy – with “mud.”

These days I just mess up my novel characters. Speaking of which, there are only two more days left to enter a drawing for an ARC of Breath of Angel. Here’s how:

As you may know, angels in the Angelaeon Circle novels sense each other by the color of light they bear. The lighter the hue, the more adaptable, easygoing, and subtle the angel is. The darker the hue, the more resolute, assertive, and bold.  For two more days (there’s still time!), you can enter a drawing for an autographed ARC of Breath of Angel by commenting on this blog with a word linking your color to your personality. For example: “I’m mysterious purple.” Or “I’m energetic red.” Today we’ll look at orange and brown.

In general, an ORANGE aura indicates that an angel is organized, goal-oriented, and challenge-loving. (In the Angelaeon Circle novels, one angel – a tavern-owner named Paullus – is sensed as rusty orange.) Here’s a description of the personality tendencies of ORANGE:

Bright orange: assertive, bold, resolute, organized, goal-oriented, challenge-loving

Burnt orange (orange brown): industrious, logical, physical, organized, goal-oriented, challenge- loving

Tangerine (reddish orange): bold, physical, emotionally energetic, involved in life, organized, goal-oriented

Apricot: (moderate orange): communicative, sharing, organized, goal-oriented, challenge-loving

Sunrise (pastel orange): subtle, easygoing, adaptable, organized, goal-oriented, challenge-loving

In general, a BROWN aura indicates that the angel is industrious and logical and enjoys working with his or her hands. (In the Angelaeon Circle novels, one angel – a priest and warrior-angel named Jarrod – is sensed as warm brown.) Here’s a description of the personality tendencies of BROWN:

Dark brown: bold, assertive, resolute, industrious, physical, logical

Chestnut (rich, grayish brown): assertive, observer, industrious, logical

Burnt sienna (reddish brown): bold, resolute, emotionally energetic, involved in life, industrious, physical, logical

Beige (grayish yellowish brown): easygoing, observer, industrious, physical, logical

Tan (light yellowish brown):  subtle, adaptable, fun-loving, communicative, industrious, physical, logical

So if you were an angel, what color would you be? To enter the drawing, comment with a word linking your color choice to your personality. And if you tweet about this drawing, announce it on Facebook, or blog about it, let me know in a comment, and I’ll give you another entry (one each for Twitter, Facebook, and blog). So you get up to four chances to enter. I’ll gather names for two more days. Random drawing is Sunday, May 1. (This is just for fun, not to collect your name. I’ll delete all entries after the drawing.)

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Aha! – and Angel Green

“You’ll know you understand it when you can do it,” writes Robert McKee in his screenwriting book Story. Before I read this quote in McKee’s book, I had been musing over a strange fact: Before I went through the editorial/publishing process, I read dozens of books on how to write novels. But now as I reread some of them, I understand what they were telling me all along. I didn’t “get it” until I plowed through the rocky field with writing mentors, astute critique partners, and editors. I’m sure I’ve still got a lot to learn. But I’ve been through so many Aha! moments, I now understand a lot of the writing advice I thought I understood before. Once I did it right, I understood it. That’s probably true in other fields as well.

Now for Angel Green: As you may know, angels in the Angelaeon Circle novels sense each other by the color of light they bear. The lighter the hue, the more adaptable, easygoing, and subtle the angel is. The darker the hue, the more resolute, assertive, and bold.  During the month of April (there’s still time!), you can enter a drawing for an autographed ARC of Breath of Angel by commenting on this blog with a word linking your color to your personality. For example: “I’m mysterious purple.” Or “I’m energetic red.”

In general, a green aura indicates that the angel is altruistic, skilled in administration, and relationship-oriented. (In the Angelaeon Circle novels, one angel – a young woman named Serai – is sensed as apple green. Here’s a description of the personality tendencies of greens:

Forest green (moderate yellowish green): bold, fun-loving, sharing, administrative, relationship-oriented

Hunter green (dark yellowish green): resolute, industrious, communicative, altruistic, administrative, relationship-oriented

Pine green (dark bluish green): assertive, emotional, heart-oriented, administrative, relationship-oriented

Apple green (golden green): spiritual, goal-oriented, altruistic, administrative, relationship- oriented

Chartreuse (brilliant yellow green): dares to be different, communicative, altruistic, relationship-oriented

Pea green (moderate yellow green): fun-loving, loves challenges, sharing, altruistic, administrative

Spring green (pastel yellow green): adaptable, easygoing, fun-loving, communicative, altruistic, relationship-oriented

Olive (yellowish, brownish green): industrious, communicative, administrative, relationship-oriented

Mint green: calm, harmonious, adaptable, altruistic, administrative, relationship-oriented

Turquoise green (light bluish green): easygoing, straightforward, heart-centered, administrative, relationship-oriented

So if you were an angel, what color would you be? To enter the drawing, comment with a word linking your color choice to your personality. And if you tweet about this drawing, announce it on Facebook, or blog about it, let me know in a comment, and I’ll give you another entry (one each for Twitter, Facebook, and blog). So you get up to four chances to enter. I’ll gather names through the end of this week. Random drawing is May 1. (This is just for fun, not to collect your name. I’ll delete all entries after the drawing.)

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“Famous” Debut and Angel Purple

The Year We Were Famous. Great title, isn’t it! This newly released debut novel by fellow Elevensie Carole Estby Dagg sounds fascinating and is based on true events. Congratulations, Carole! Here’s the scoop:

“In 1896, Clara and her suffragist mother left Mica Creek, Washington to walk to New York City to prove  the endurance of women and win a $10,000 wager that would save their family’s farm if they reached New  York on time. They met famous people (Mrs. William Jennings Bryant and president elect McKinley), and  survived harrowing dangers, arriving at their destination eight months and 32 pairs of shoes later.” Make  you want to read it? Me too.

 

As for Angel Purple: As you may know, angels in the Angelaeon Circle novels sense each other by the color of light they bear. The lighter the hue, the more adaptable, easygoing, and subtle the angel is. The darker the hue, the more resolute, assertive, and bold.  During the month of April, you can enter a drawing for an autographed ARC of Breath of Angel by commenting on this blog with a word linking your color to your personality. For example: “I’m mysterious purple.” Or “I’m energetic red.”

Today we explore PURPLES, who in general are expressive, visionary, and spiritual.

Violet (reddish-blue): physical, emotionally energetic, involved in life, expressive, visionary, spiritual

Fuchsia (vivid reddish purple): bold, resolute, expressive, visionary, spiritual

Grape (deep blue-purple): assertive, resolute, helper, heart-oriented, expressive, visionary, spiritual

Mauve (moderate purple, violet, or lilac): intuitive, expressive, visionary, spiritual

Lavender or orchid (pale purple): dreamer, subtle, easygoing, adaptable, expressive, visionary, spiritual

So if you were an angel, what color would you be? To enter the drawing, comment with a word linking your color choice to your personality. And if you tweet about this drawing, announce it on Facebook or blog about it, let me know in a comment, and I’ll give you another entry (one each for Twitter, Facebook, and blog). So you get up to four chances to enter. I’ll gather names through April. Random drawing is May 1. (This is just for fun, not to collect your name. I’ll delete all entries after the drawing.)

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Eye Candy, Book Two – Plus Red Angels

A good-looking guy with a sword – and he’ll use it if he has to: that’s the impression I get from the cover comp for Eye of the Sword, book two of the Angelaeon Circle. I wish I could show it to you, but it’s just a comp, a first pass. My editor has graciously linked me up with the designer, and we’re now discussing the type of sword, clothing, skin tones, etc. The cover background is similar to that of Breath of Angel, but the colors are golds and orange-reds. And, wow. It’s going to look great. I’ll post it as soon as I can.

Speaking of colors, as you may know, angels in the Angelaeon Circle novels sense each other by the color of light they bear. The lighter the hue, the more adaptable, easygoing, and subtle the angel is. The darker the hue, the more resolute, assertive, and bold.  During the month of April, you can enter a drawing for an autographed ARC of Breath of Angel by commenting on this blog with a word linking your color to your personality. For example: “I’m mysterious purple.” Or “I’m energetic red.”

In book two, Eye of the Sword, one of the angels, a warrior-woman, is sensed as red-orange. In general, reds are physical, emotionally energetic, and involved in life all around them. Here’s a run-down of the different shades of RED.

Fire-engine red (bright red): physical, emotional, glad to have attention, resolute, bold

Copper (golden red): aspiring, spiritually and emotionally energetic, involved in life

Rose (moderate purplish red): expressive, visionary, physical, energetic, life-focus

Maroon (dark red): resolute, assertive, bold, direct, physical, involved in life

Burgundy (reddish purple): visionary, assertive, physical, emotionally energetic

Brick red (moderate reddish brown): industrious, enjoys physical work, emotionally energetic

Magenta (deep purplish red): flamboyant, resolute, visionary

Mahogany (dark reddish brown): industrious, logical, assertive, physical, emotionally energetic

Sienna (orange red): goal-oriented, organized, physical, energetic, involved in life

Baby pink: easygoing, subtle, adaptable, likes to love and be loved

Carnation (moderate red): balanced, physical, emotional, life-focus

Hot pink (strong, bright pink): bold, resolute, physical, emotionally energetic, involved in life

Yellowish-pink: charitable, kind, likes to be involved

Peach (moderate yellowish pink): fun-loving, sharing, physical, involved in life

Salmon (strong yellowish pink): bold, resolute, sharing, relational, physically energetic

So if you were an angel, what color would you be? Comment with a word linking your color choice to your personality. For example: “I’m mysterious purple.” Or “I’m energetic red.”

If you tweet about this drawing, announce it on Facebook or blog about it, let me know in a comment, and I’ll give you another entry (one each for Twitter, Facebook, and blog). So you get up to four chances to enter. I’ll gather names through April. Random drawing is May 1. (This is just for fun, not to collect your name. I’ll delete all entries after the drawing.)

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What Makes a Hero a Hero?

Who’s your favorite fictional hero (or heroine)? Why is that person a hero?

It occurs to me that being a hero does not come from the degree that the heroic act is spectacular. Instead, heroism seems to be linked to a highly unusual measure of self-control or self-regulation. Heroes decide, deliberately or impulsively, to act against the normally expected human response, the normal self-response.

Recently I read Dead Man’s Ransom,one of Ellis Peters’s Cadfael mysteries. The guilty cousin saves the life of the innocent by standing between him and an arrow. Later the innocent cousin takes the guilty one’s punishment. Both are heroic acts, about as high as self-control can go. Why is Edward, the hero vampire of the Twilight series, so adored? I think it’s because of his self-control. He chooses to love and save others. Grand, public heroics, fictional or real life, are based on a self-control or self-regulation that goes against a self-preserving logic and instead steps into harm’s way.

Other heroics occur every day in real life but largely go unnoticed, like the self-control that’s willing to inconvenience self and accept hardship for the sake of others. As parents most often do for their children. As teachers and librarians do for kids. As good friends do for each other. People rarely gasp or applaud or even think of small acts of self-control as heroic. But they are.

When we do admire a hero or applaud him or her, it’s the self-control that awes and inspires us. So who’s your favorite fictional hero or heroine? Comment with your response to enter the drawing for an autographed ARC of Breath of Angel at the end of this month. As an alternative, you may answer the question: If you were an angel of the Angelaeon, what color of light would emanate from you? Comment with a word linking your color to your personality. For example: “I’m mysterious purple.” Or “I’m energetic red.”

As a reminder: If you tweet about this drawing, announce it on Facebook, or blog about it, let me know in a comment, and I’ll give you another entry (one each for Twitter, Facebook, and blog). So you get up to four chances to enter. I’ll gather names through April. Random drawing is May 1. (This is just for fun, not to collect your name. I’ll delete all entries after the drawing.)

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More Debuts – and Yellow Angel Auras

Elevensies just keep coming. For your enjoyment this week are two debuts. Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder and Zitface by Emily Howse. Congratulations to both!

 

 Lipstick Laws: Britney is queen bee at her high school. She dates whomever she likes, rules over her inner  circle, and can ruin anyone’s life with a snap of her manicured fingers. But April has zero friends. No one  even seems to know she exists. Until Britney notices her. But Britney’s friendship comes with a price. How  much is April willing to pay?

 

 

 Zitface: Just when Olivia is on her way to becoming the actress of her dreams with her first national ad  campaign, she gets a full-blown case of acne with serious side effects for her career and her budding  romance with the new guy at school. She goes from being envied to being teased, dumped, and even fired.  All Olivia wants to do is hide. But she can’t.

 

As a reminder, during the month of April, you can enter a drawing for an autographed ARC of Breath of Angel. Here’s the background. Angels in the Angelaeon Circle novels sense each other by the color of light they bear. The lighter the hue, the more adaptable, easygoing, and subtle the angel is. The darker the hue, the more resolute, assertive, and bold.

In Breath of Angel, Cilla is an angel who is sensed as a muted yellow. In general, yellows love to have fun, communicate, and share.  Here are some other shades of yellow and their particular differences.

Banana (bright yellow): flamboyant

Dandelion (intense yellow): straightforward, no nonsense

Ochre (earthy yellow): industrious

Dun (grayish yellow): laid back, prefers to observe fun

Flaxen: (pale, strawy): subtle, adaptable, but fun-loving and communicative

Gold: success oriented, confident leader

Mustard yellow (moderate to slightly brown yellow): industrious, logical

If you were an angel, what color would you be? Comment with a word linking your color to your personality. For example: “I’m mysterious purple.” Or “I’m energetic red.”

If you tweet about this drawing, announce it on Facebook or blog about it, let me know in a comment, and I’ll give you another entry (one each for Twitter, Facebook, and blog). So you get up to four chances to enter. I’ll gather names through April. Random drawing is May 1. (This is just for fun, not to collect your name. I’ll delete all entries after the drawing.)

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Angel Blue and One Incorrigible Kat

Celebrating Kat! Congratulations to Stephanie Burgis on the release of Kat Incorrigible this week! Kat  inherited her mother’s magical talents, and despite Stepmama’s objections, she’s determined to learn how  to use them to help her family. Her eldest sister’s sinister fiancé is strangely interested in Kat’s potential,  her other sister wreaks romantic havoc with her own magic, and a highwayman lurks in the forest. Will  Kat be able to control her new powers, rescue her family, and win her sisters their true love? Read Kat  Incorrigible and find out!

 

Now to angels. The angels in the Angelaeon Circle novels sense each other by the color of light that emanates from them. The lighter the hue of an angel’s color, the more adaptable, easygoing, and subtle the angel is. The darker the hue, the more resolute, assertive, and bold the angel is.

Today’s angel color is BLUE. In general, blues are helpers, emotional and heart-oriented. In Breath of Angel, Livia is an angel sensed as clear blue or water blue.

Dark blues: resolute, assertive, and bold, loves to be the decision-maker

Midnight (deep blackish blue): resolute, assertive, bold, self-assured leader in helping others and in matters of the heart

Indigo (deep blue): resolute, assertive, bold, seeker of truth

Teal (dark, greenish blue):  resolute, assertive, bold, optimistic, has faith in others

Turquoise blue (medium greenish blue): harmonious, people-oriented, caregiver

Peacock blue (moderate greenish blue) assertive, humanitarian, heart-sensitive

Aqua (light greenish blue): adaptable, easygoing, subtle, follower in helping others, heartfelt concern

Light blues: creative but analytical

Baby blue: adaptable, easygoing, subtle, creative thinker

Periwinkle (light gray blue): adaptable, easygoing, subtle, retiring, concerned for others

Cornflower (moderate purplish blue): visionary, helps others, follows the heart

If you were an angel, would other angels sense you as a blue? During the month of April, you can enter a drawing to win an autographed ARC of Breath of Angel by commenting on this blog. Name your chosen color with a word linking the color to your personality. For example: “I’m mysterious purple.” Or “I’m energetic red.”

If you tweet about the giveaway or announce it on Facebook or blog about it, let me know in a comment, and I’ll give you another entry (one each for Twitter, Facebook, and blog). So you get up to four chances to enter. I’ll gather names through April. Random drawing is May 1. (This is just for fun, not to collect your name. I’ll delete all entries after the drawing.)

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A Giveaway . . . At Last!

Entering the final eleven-week countdown toward the June release of Breath of Angel! I hope you’ll join the anticipation by entering the drawing for an autographed ARC and a couple of gorgeous bookmarks my publisher has created for Breath of Angel. You have the whole month of April to enter and to encourage reader-friends to enter as well. I plan to make entering fun, interesting, and easy. Here’s the way it works:

In the Angelaeon Circle books, angels are in essence forms of pure light who often take on human forms in order to fulfill their earthly tasks. In Breath of Angel, angels have been trapped in the world within various human forms. But they still sense each other by the light they emanate. Each angel’s light is a different color depending on the temperament and personality of the angel.

Colors have different emotional effects on us or symbolize different characteristics. (I’ll blog more about that – and other Angelaeon details – in coming weeks.) For now: if you were an angel, what color of light would you be? To enter the drawing, comment on this blog with your chosen color plus a descriptive word that links the color to your personality. For example: “I’m mysterious purple.” Or “I’m energetic red.” Or “I’m a laid-back blue.” Turquoise? Taupe? Magenta? All the colors are fair game.

You may enter only once as a color, but if you tweet about the giveaway or announce it on Facebook or blog about it, let me know in a comment, and I’ll give you another entry (one each for Twitter, Facebook, and blog). That means you get up to four chances to enter. I’ll gather names through April and will do a random drawing of all entries on May 1.

So . . . what color angel are you?

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New Faces

A new face for my blog today, a new direction for my blog next week, all in preparation for the presentation of my new book eleven weeks from now. (Since I’m with the Elevensies, the number is significant to me!) Next week, I’ll be blogging about the world of the Angelaeon Circle novels, including angels and characters and inspirations for building the world of the Angelaeon. For you who have followed the journey of Breath of Angel from manuscript to release day, the morphing of this blog shows you first hand another step in the process, and I’ll still keep you informed about happenings behind the scenes. And … drum roll, please …

Next week I’ll give you details about the giveaway of an autographed ARC and some stunning bookmarks my publisher made for me. I’ll let you know on Monday how you can sign up for the drawing. It will be easy – and fun. So stay tuned.

Speaking of new faces, another Elevensie debuts today: Happy birthday to Angie Smibert‘s novel Memento Nora. Here’s a bit about the intriguing story:

“Nora witnesses a horrific bombing in her near-future world where terrorism is so commonplace that all  she has to do is pop one little white pill to forget like her mother does. But when she discovers what her  mother has been forgetting, she decides to split her pills and hold on to her memories along with two  friends who also have reasons to remember. However, they soon learn that remembering has  consequences.”

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