R. F. Long

a photo-slideshow of our holiday. Warning: contains lots of knights, lots of castles and many many fish.

Blame La Rochelle Aquarium!

Oh, but it was fun. If you want to know details about any of the pictures, leave me a comment and I’ll endeavour to answer. Read more…

Better late than never in so many ways. First of all it has taken me all week to get around to posting this. Secondly WHY have I not been going to this coference for years???

I am, as with most writers, not the most extroverted of individuals. Never really had been, although I can do a good impression when I need to. I was determined to make it to my first RNA conference this year and I am so glad that I did. Had a bit of a stressy trip out to the airport between a late bus and heavy traffic, and a bit of a stressy time at the drop-off-your-bags points when I found a large group of Japanese tourists had arrived just before me and proceeded to re-pack their luggage in the queue! But Air France/City Jet were wonderful and the flight itself was a dream. When the air hostess asked if I wanted a drink I had a budget airline flashback and just asked for water, only to realise too late they were giving out wine as well. And sandwiches. And boiled sweets for take off (a trip back to childhood). And chocolates just before landing.

I should warn you, food will probably be a theme of this post.

The DLR was also wonderful and in no time at all I arrived at our accomodation in Greenwich. Yes, it was like being a student again. There was a party going on as I arrived and my lovely flatmates were drinking wine out of plastic cups. That didn’t stop the hugs and warm greetings.

Another theme of this post will be the friendliness and fun-filled nature of everyone I met at the conference. I couldn’t have asked for a better gang to hang around with than the ladies of flat 20, but everywhere we went people chatted, exchanged ideas, joked and generally had a wonderful time.

Read more…

as in, I have been.

This is what I’ve been up to. I have photos and everything.

We had a holiday. An unprecedented move as holidays tend to happen at the end of August. But as the schools ended when they ended and the summer camps started when they started we were left with a week of childcare juggling and thought hey! Why not go away? Read more…

Plotbunny: A tempting idea for a story that hares off into strange territory upon pursuit. Known for breeding rapidly and dividing a writer’s attention to the point of achieving nothing at all. (unword.com)

I think we all know the scene. We’re working away, dutifully writing our current WIP, enjoying the character development, the fight scenes and the build towards a showdown between the forces of good and evil (or the showdown between dog and cat for that matter – it’s your story). Maybe you take a break, listen to some music or read a book.

BLAM!

“What ifs?” explode all over your brain. The entire plot for a new book arrives in a blinding vision of glory. Characters start yabbering away inside your head, telling you everything their life story and all the intricacies of their conflicts with each other.

And it won’t. Go. AWAY!

The plotbunnies have got you. aka Teh Shiney! Read more…

A friend gave me a copy of “Peter Pan in Scarlet” by Geraldine McCaughrean yesterday. It’s one of those books I’ve toyed with the idea of reading, but something has always stopped me. I started it last night and so far I’m really enjoying it. Really. Such a pleasant surprise.

It got me thinking about a number of things, however. Why was I reluctant to read this book? A number of reasons I suppose, chief among them being the fact that I love Peter Pan. LOVE. Almost as much as I love Robin Hood (I’m also strangely reluctant to see the new Robin Hood film). And in my love of Peter Pan I’m reluctant to see that character mangled. Again.

If you haven’t read Barrie’s Peter Pan, (or Peter Pan and Wendy) you should. Not that I am a purist but Peter embodies something about childhood, youth and the wild that I think gets missed in most of the interpretations. You see, Peter, while a hero, a marvellous boy, a dazzling exciting friend, is not a very safe person to be around. And that makes adults very uncomfortable.

Peter is dangerous because Peter has no concept of death. Nor of injury or disaster. Peter can’t conceive of anything “bad” happening because it doesn’t happen to him. Ever. “To die would be an awfully big adventure” he says. And that is that. Prepared with these words, assured of his own continued existence even beyond death (because nothing, not even death, can destroy Peter), he puts fear aside. And of course survives.

Wendy and the boys can’t continue on like this, as we are reminded right from the outset “all children grow up, except one”. Peter will rescus them, no doubt about that, but only to drop them into greater peril  the next moment. Read more…

I love release days. They’re also terrifying. They also sneak up on you far too stealthily and, in the manner of Keyser Soze… like that, they’re gone.

I’d never written a sequel before. I’d written some very long stories, but not a sequel to one I’d finished, believing it stood on its own. So when Jeren and Shan told me that they weren’t finished yet it came as something of a surprise.

I had no idea where it was going to go, or the things they were going to face. It got a lot darker than I expected.But Jeren and Shan grew as characters in ways I hadn’t imagined. Now, as I write The Wolf’s Destiny (part 3) I have two strong, determined people who are more than a match for the terrible things I throw at them.

In the course of writing The Wolf’s Mate there was a certain song which I listened to (almost all the time) and which sums up the major themes of the story. It also expresses some of the fear and pain that Jeren endures.

And its very very beautiful.
~

The Wolf’s Mate: a Tale of the Holtlands

ISBN:   1-60504-702-3; 978-1-60504-702-7

“It’s well written, fast paced and filled with interesting and unique characters….The best part of the story is Jeren herself. I liked her in The Wolf’s Sister but in this release, she really grows and shines, as she turns into a confident and determined woman, willing to fight for her man. I’m very curious to see what happens to these two mates with the next and last release.” – 4 Nymphs, Mystical Nymph, Literary Nymphs Reviews Only

Their love is a forbidden gift. Keeping it means a fight to the death…

A Tale of the Holtlands, Book 2

After escaping from her Holtlands home and her brother’s madness, Jeren looks forward to a new life with her beloved Shan and his people. She doesn’t expect the Fey’na to readily accept someone of her bloodline, but she’s determined to prove herself worthy. Then the jealous eyes of the beautiful sect mother, Ylandra, fall on Shan—handsome, strong, matchless among warriors—turning Jeren’s fragile new world upside down.

Shan wants nothing more than to be with Jeren, the courageous beauty who’s captured his heart. But their ancient enemy has attacked, and Ylandra cleverly uses an archaic oath to bind him to her service—fulltime. As he sets out on a suicide mission into the heart of enemy territory, he promises Jeren he’ll return—somehow—to claim her as his mate.

Jeren is left alone to make a place for herself among the elite Fey’na warriors, until a Holtlands envoy arrives bearing her ancestors’ sword. This magical artifact calls to the innate magic in her blood and forces her to make a terrible choice. She could lead the battle to free her people…but only if she forsakes Shan.

Warning: contains scary monsters, desperate acts, burning jealousy and the consummation of a timeless love.

Read An Excerpt Online

Buy from MBaM

So: as is traditional it’s competition time.

I’m going to give away a copy of The Wolf’s Mate so someone who comments below, telling me what songs you think tell the best stories and I’ll pick someone using Random.org by Wednesday evening.

Comment away.

I think I’ve said before I get a lot of my inspiration from music. And sometimes the song comes after the story, but still manages to encapsulate everything I was trying to say.

This just happened for May Queen, my YA paranormal/fantasy with this song, “Green the Whole Year Round”.

Plus, its Christmassy too! A bonus!

Or perhaps its lining up for a place with the sequel, should I write one. Hmm…

… I’d forgotten how awesome this is.

… it always cheers me up.

… some things are universal.

… someone may have missed this in the last year and that’s a shame.

which also doubles as a method to show off more pictures.

I mentioned a little while ago that Madrid inspired me. Many of the places I have visited have. Andalusia gave me much of the architecture of River Holt, which Mdina in Malta still epitomises Ithian in my mind, despite the fact it isn’t a port like Klathport. The forest walks nearby in Wicklow could easily be those in Soul Fire and the forests of the realm in my WIP May Queen. And of course Moy Tura Echoes (another infamous WIP) is mainly set in Dublin.

So I thought you might like to see the latest photos that have the plotbunnies leaping around the place. This is Kilruddery House and Gardens in Bray, Co. Wicklow.

And just for fun, a link to Anna Netrebko singing, for background music.

Enjoy…

Hi all

got back from Madrid over the weekend with lots of inspiration for future stories. That’s always the way when I travel, even for work. I was there for a weeklong conference but that didn’t preclude some sight seeing, as the pictures below will attest.

A beautiful city (although I would have prefered to visit at a cooler time of the year!!!), lively, friendly and filled with stories, many still to be told I suspect.