***THANK YOU TO MY FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME EDITS AND ACT I IS COMPLETED AT THIS TIME. ACT II DOES NOT HAVE A DATE OF RELEASE YET BUT IT IS BEING WORKED ON WITH LOVE!!!*** Check out the book trailer with the original soundtrack I composed for the story HERE!!! QUOTE FROM TRAILER: "A tale that was hushed and concealed by the heavens during the final days of the seven warring states of China. Here, in plain words, resonates a love with such fleeting beauty like that of a plum blossom, and fellowship with such force in grace and perseverance like that of a heron." The novel is written in third person in the views of Ying-tai and Xiu Juan who are lovers. Both descendants of Qin, they are separated by the unfortunate events that take place during the 7 Warring States of China and they fight from opposite ends of the world to reunite. In their trials, they are tested against all that they know and the fine line that once divided mankind disintegrates as camaraderie is found amongst the known enemy. OST Track 1: Prayer *PLEASE NOTE: The illustrations in the story do not belong to me. They were artworks done by other amazing artists that inspired me to write what I wrote and to create the characters in the story. Most of the photos shown in the chapters were done by one of my favorite illustrators, Ibuki Satsuki (CHECK OUT THIS PERSON'S WORK! THEY'RE ALL AMAZING!!!) I greatly appreciate and enjoy all of their beautiful pieces of work!*
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The Oresteia (Modernized)
All three of the great Greek Tragedians have written plays about the bloody chain of murder and revenge within the royal family of Argos. Yet theirs is in fact not a story of tragedy, but rather one of redemption. As they move from darkness to light, from rage to self-governance, from primitive ritual to civilized institution, their spirit of struggle and regeneration becomes an everlasting song of celebration to be heard throughout the ages. Forming a discourse set against the emergence of Athenian democracy out of a period of chaos and destruction, the Orestian plays are compelling stories of the tensions between our obligations to our families and the laws that bind us together as a society. In the beginning, we witness how a king's decision to sacrifice his daughter and turn the tide of war inflicts lasting damage on his family, culminating in a terrible act of retribution. In the aftermath of regicide, we behold how a son must set out to avenge his father's death by committing a most egregious sin. In the end, the sinner is tormented by supernatural powers that can never be appeased, but ultimately finds redemption and ends the curse on his house once and for all. Woven through all of this is the story of a friendship so close that it elevates itself to brotherhood - Where the blood of the covenant is shown to be indeed thicker than the water of the womb. In this very brief twelve-chapter modern rendition of the Orestian plays, I have chosen to place my focus mainly on the lives of the characters Orestes and his best friend Pylades. The chapters, each around 2000-2500 words, are split up evenly between them in first-person narrative. I hope that you will come to enjoy reading this heartwarming story, but more importantly, that you see how the conflicts portrayed in the story, whether human or institutional, are still much very relevant to our societies today. Note on Sources: The details of this story is very loosely based on The Oresteia by Aeschylus. And I mean very loosely. Other sources that I referenced for detail and inspiration are Mythology by Edith Hamilton, Electra by Sophocles, and Iphigenia in Tauris by Euripides. You may also find that I have quoted some of these works, and others (such as Shelley's Ozymondaeus), without citations (average of 1-2 such quotes per chapter). I did this because I do not have the ability to describe certain scenes nearly as well as some of those writers. If you read a particularly beautiful piece of prose here, chances are it's probably stolen lol. Also, I wrote this during the summer between my high school senior year and my college freshmen year. It was the summer of 2020, and being quarantined apparently gets my creative side out lol.
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Love Among the Gifted
Pride & Prejudice & Superpowers! In this England the gifted have ruled since the Norman's invaded. How will a series of unexpected attacks in Meryton shortly after the Assembly impact Elizabeth and Darcy? This is a different look at canon with the addition of powers, politics, adventure, and espionage. But the heart of our story is still the rough road to romance for our dear couple. The story is complete.
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Sorcery in Boston
The timid daughter of some of the greatest spellcasters ever to have lived has found herself in another world, courtesy of magic gone awry. In Boston, Massachusetts, in the year 1935, she finds some kind souls in a hard era. In the heart of the Great Depression, as war looms around the corner, she seeks to find her place, and must come to terms with both who she is and what she truly desires. Author's Notes: This story is only sort of complete. There are issues with it and I'm intending to do massive edits to the whole story. I think I'll fix them privately, and then update the RR version all at once. Once the rework is completed, I can start on the second book, though that might be a while. Audience: This story is not for young children - it contains some profanity, sexual content, violence, gore, and significant adult themes. Most of these are handled delicately enough not to upset teens or adults (hopefully), hence the lack of relevant tags, but it is nonetheless unsuitable for youth. It's fairly slow paced, and focused on the development of very human, very flawed individuals. Length / Completion Estimates: The outline currently involves two books. I expect to move on to the far-more-lighthearted Of Gods and Dungeons (currently in progress / on hiatus). Afterwards, I may decide to write Book 2, or actually start sharing the story most dear to me, that I've been working on for several years now. Draft 1:Please be aware that this is first draft material. I do intend to come back to do a second draft after the story is complete. If anyone notices any issues whatsoever with the story, please let me know (pm, etc) so that I can improve the second draft. Writer's Pledge:I've taken theWriter's Pledge, meaning I'm commiting to completing this story. I'm a proud member of WriTE, a group dedicated to finishing stories. I fulfilled the oath :) Behind the Scenes notes: This picture was commissioned from an inked artist by the name of DanP. Up until the time of the protagonist's arrival, history has proceeded as before. Some places andcharacters have been borrowed from wikipedia entries of interesting figures from the time. I will make note in the chapter comments when such things come up. Naturally, I'vetaken a great deal of liberty with them. In interest of respecting individuals, I've either attempted to portray them as accurately as possible, or modified them sufficiently enough that they're simply an inspiration, instead of a real portrayal. I've attempted to be as accurate to the era as possible, but I'm not a historian. If you're aware of inaccuracies, please, bring them to my attention so that I can correct them.
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Dig Two Graves—A Japanese Historical Fantasy
In 12th century Japan, Yoshi, a down-at-the-heels bushi, agrees to do a "small favor" for Surei, his estranged lover. This embroils Yoshi and Surei into a deadly conspiracy for control of the Chrysanthemum Throne. Can Surei and Yoshi put aside their differences and come together to survive traitorous retired emperors, powerful yin-yang sorcerers, deadly shape changers, and vengeful spirits?
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The Unexpected Engagement of the Marvelous Mr. Penn
In May, 1899, a hundred and fifty unassuming envelopes are delivered to households across the city. Most of them will be picked up by butlers and carried on silver trays to their recipients. All of them contain invitations to the wedding of Lady Eleanor Serrs to Mr. Ryce Penn. When the newspapers hear about it, they start buzzing. Who can blame them? This would be the wedding of the century! She's the daughter of Duke Erravold Aubrey-Serrs, and the Marvelous Mr. Penn is one of the most famous men in the country. But Penn is famous for being the city's most notorious thief. He's an unrepentant attention-seeker with a taste for gems and danger. And Eleanor swears that she's never met him. Chief Inspector Lucas Haley, Penn's long-time nemesis, is called in to protect the Aubrey-Serrs family and try to figure out what the master thief is planning. He'll need all his experience and tenacity for this case, as it quickly becomes obvious more is at stake than the reputation of an innocent woman.