Some exciting things happening!

Hello there once again, my friends! I do realize that things are a little quiet on my end. I’m very happy and excited to finally be in Philadelphia. Yeah, I’ve been here for almost three weeks. It’s been a great time, and I’m slowly adjusting to being back on the Midwest/East Coast region of the world. Plus, now that I’m here, I don’t always want to be at a computer. I have always loved this city, and it’s really coming out as I want to explore. Never felt that way about where I lived before so I’m enjoying every single moment.

This doesn’t mean I’ve been idle. The Sons of Thor is coming along quite nicely now, and inspiration has struck for another story, which I’m using my cell phone to write. You see, over the last couple of days, I’ve had people ask me what I’m writing. I’m still not used to answering this question. Talking about my work is difficult because I’m never sure how to describe what I’m working on, but I do have a bit of a twisted sense of humor. When asked, I’ve said how the homeless start the zombie apocalypse here in Philadelphia. It started out as a bit of a smart aleck reply. I know zombies are overdone at this point, but this is a story that did plant itself in my head.

So what does this mean? Well, for starters, this new story, being written on my cell phone, is going to be a freebie. Chapters will be posted here, at deviantArt, fictionpress, and possibly at archiveofourown. Chapters will be uploaded in-between Arch of Fantasy and other story publications until the story reaches completion. Once it’s completed, it will be available for download on Kindle and NOOK. I’ve wanted to do a freebie story, and, since zombies have been done heavily over the last few years, a zombie story seems the best way to go.

I hope all of you out there are having a wonderful start to 2015. My year has had a rough start so far, but it’s all uphill now. Thanks for sticking with me.

Don’t forget that Portal to Gaming and The King and Queen of Wands are available for purchase for Kindle and NOOK.

About:
Portal to Gaming

Portal to Gaming is the first story in my six book series, Arch of Fantasy. Arch of Fantasy is a science-fiction/fantasy blend involving space travel, multiple worlds, and the fate of the universe hanging in the balance. The series itself features several different heroes, each with specific goals and tasks.

Portal to Gaming introduces three of those heroes, nineteen-year-olds Fen Willows and his best friends, twin brothers Daniel and Wolfgang Evans. Fen is the only child of Farold and Victorie Amie Willows, two universally renowned alien archaeologists and pioneers in the field. Set in a shining distant universe, mankind has achieved all kinds of wonderful, beautiful things, such as space travel and equality for all. Life on Earth itself is idyllic, peaceful . . . and not for Fen. He longs for travel and excitement, anything to distance and distract himself from the painful break-up with his boyfriend. However, war with an alien race known as the Salmorians keeps Fen stranded on Earth while his parents, thanks to military funding, continue to travel to dig sites, hoping to uncover anything to end the war. To gain what his heart desires the most, Fen takes to the gaming simulators of entertainment juggernaut, Portal to Gaming. Daniel and Wolfgang join him.

It is in the simulators that Fen’s life takes a dramatic turn towards the interesting and bizarre. A stranger approaches him from behind and utters three words.

“Draw your sword.”

He does so, but the fight never happens. Fen is whisked away to the safety of the real world where he’s told no one approached him. Fen, who is suspended for two days, and his friends leave the facility.

Life is about to become more complicated for Fen. Strange events take place around him when he least expects it, and he’s at a loss for how to explain them. He’s convinced he’s not going crazy, but Fen keeps the incidents to himself, a secret of his own to bear.

Fen isn’t the only one with a secret. His parents and his best friends have a few of their own as well. The ones his parents keep are at the heart of the conflict with the Salmorians, and they are ones that will alter the universe. Forever.
Portal to Gaming is available on Amazon Kindle for $3.99
http://www.amazon.com/Portal-Gaming-Arch-Fantasy-Book-ebook/dp/B00MQ68JNQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1418677871&sr=1-2
Portal to Gaming is now available on NOOK for $3.99
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/portal-to-gaming-elise-k-rasha/1120942910?ean=2940150257382
*********
About:
The King and Queen of Wands
The King and Queen of Wands is a fantasy short story, blending the Greek and Norse pantheons.
Rumors are circulating around Asgard – Loki and his son, the dire wolf Fenris, have broken free of their bonds. The time for Ragnarök, their doom, is at hand, thus putting the Gods of Asgard on edge.
Loki and Fenris never show.
For weeks, the Gods wait and prepare, wait and prepare, only for the impossible to happen.
After three long, harsh winters, spring, colorful spring blooms. The change of events disturb Odin, Allfather and King of Asgard, and he decides to investigate the truth behind the rumors. With his son Thor, he heads to the cavern where Loki and his son were bound away.
**
Zeus has it made. He is the King of Olympus and all the Gods. Even his elder brothers bow to his might. He has a beautiful wife in Hera, the worship of the mortals, and kingdom filled with plenty of food. The lives are the mortals are his to play with as he deems fit. Life is grand for there are no others like him.
Or so he assumes.
Everything changes the moment Hermes approaches him and says words he never expects to hear. There are trespassers in Olympus. Worse, they are stealing from the sacred groves, and they are not mortals. Curious and a bit angered, he sets out with Artemis and Athena to capture the thieves and to bring them to justice.
**
Loki is hungry. For centuries, he and his family have had little to nothing to eat. For centuries, he’s sworn vengeance upon the Gods of Asgard for their slights and insults and for the deaths of his sons, Narvi and Vali. However, things have changed. His wife, Sigyn, needs food more than she does vengeance for the loss of their children, and Loki intends to care for her. Fortunately for him, he’s stumbled into a land where food is plentiful and the weather warm. No one will mind if he takes a few things here and there.
Worlds are about to collide with interesting and devastating consequences.

http://www.amazon.com/King-Queen-Wands-Elise-Rasha-ebook/dp/B00PM9R6SS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1418677871&sr=1-1
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-king-and-queen-of-wands-elise-k-rasha/1120960202?ean=2940149969357
*******
This is the current listings for both Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Stay tuned for the release dates for Arch of Fantasy, Book 2: The Sons of Thor and Snow in Olympus, one of the “missing” scenes from The King and Queen of Wands
Also, I do want to thank my sister, Kyla, for her hard work on the covers. I’m quite proud of her and her abilities. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
And I want to thank my best friend, Kami Simon, for constantly encouraging me to not quit. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Follow and friend me on facebook, goodreads, and twitter!
https://www.facebook.com/archoffantasy?ref=hl (Arch of Fantasy page)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elise-K-Rasha-Author/144995235564573?ref=hl
https://www.facebook.com/elise.rasha
https://twitter.com/EliseRasha

About the novels

First, I have made it to Philadelphia, safe and sound. Things are in motion for me to go back to school and to survive. Thanks to everyone who has helped me to make it this far. Lots of love! Still hasn’t hit me that I’m home, but I am, and I’m happy.

Second, I need to get back on the book promotion wagon. So, without any further ado!

About:
Portal to Gaming

It is in the simulators that Fen’s life takes a dramatic turn towards the interesting and bizarre. A stranger approaches him from behind and utters three words.

“Draw your sword.”

I’ve finally found what I’m looking for, and it’s great.

So one thing I’ve had to learn a bit the hard way is that plans are never set in stone. At least, it’s a good idea to try and not set them into stone so that way when something comes up as an obstacle, I can at least adjust accordingly. This isn’t to say to not make plans but to make them and to allow wriggle room for obstacles. I know I keep saying this, and it’s because it’s been a truth of life for quite some time. We tend to forget such things as we go about making plans for what we want to do with our lives rather than taking those moments to stop and just breathe it all in, enjoy those moments because they may never come our way again.

This isn’t stopping me from making plans, though, especially on the eve of my departure to Philadelphia.

I’m thinking of doing a lot upon arriving in Philadelphia. I’m looking at going back to college to finish out my English degree but take a few business courses as well. These were things I felt like I couldn’t do here in Washington, even in light of how healing and positive living out here for the last three months has been for me. I plan on promoting my stories in person more and being in a better position to do so. I was excited about coming out to Seattle to do just this. I plan on coming back to do this as well, but I’ve always known my life was to be in Philadelphia.

I am going to be looking for work to support myself and my writing habits. In fact, I’ve already started that and will need to update my applications upon arriving in Philadelphia. I will be looking for a place to live, so I can have a quiet haven, a place to decompress from the outside world. I’m not expecting everything to happen within the first week of arriving. I’m not done with writing. I have so many ideas, so much inspiration from the Bhagavad Gita and my experiences here that I have no idea how I’m going to get everything out and amongst the reading world, but rest assured I will.

I have found many things in my short three months here in Washington. And I am happy.

Have a great Sunday, my friends. Next time you hear from me, I will be in Philadelphia.

A tip in regards to quotation marks – Inner Monologue-ing It

Here I am, a few days before I set out to Philadelphia (I’m so excited about this), and I’m writing a bit of advice in regards to quotation marks. I’m not sure if I’ve written about this before, so if I have, I apologize for the repetition. I will get my writing advice straightened out!

Quotation marks
This is the one thing that can trip up almost anyone at any given point. A few years ago, after I’d posted parts of a fanfiction piece up called “Destinies Intertwined by Fate” to deviantArt, someone left me a comment about my usage of single and double quotation marks.

You see, I’m someone who employs about every single writing tool out there, including the dreaded information dump (more on that at a later time), and this includes inner monologues. I started out using italics, italics with single quotes, and single quotes. Never all three in the same story – the idea is to be consistent because consistency is key and keeps confusion from the readers at bay – but I have used them. I’ve progressed over time to which I prefer, which is the single quotes with the occasional tag of she thought or he mused to avoid any potential confusion.

“Destinies Intertwined by Fate” was no exception, and this lady (who is friends with me on deviantArt) pointed out this:
Single quotes are used for dialogue, double for thought.

Where this comes from, I’m not entirely sure. She isn’t the first person to have said this to me over the years, and it’s unlikely she’ll be the last – we writers love to stick to our beloved “rules” that are more like guidelines than anything else.

I do have some ideas, though, and the only real explanation I can come up with is a genuine difference between North American and British/European standards when it comes to writing and what’s acceptable for dialogue. Between the U.S. and Canada, single and double quotation marks are both used to indicate dialogue, but most authors tend to use the double quotes. In Britain and Europe (as well as Australia and New Zealand), the standard for dialogue is single quotes. In fact, to do double quotes in order to sell to a North American audience, I’ve had writers from Europe say they have to do the single quote twice because they do not have such a thing on their keyboards. Otherwise, they’re marketing their stories for their country of origin. (Of course, we Americans are currently in a “we love everything British” phase in our current era after a few centuries of trying to break away from those British rules.)

Back to the reader’s helpful “advice” – I pointed out my logic and provided examples of how come I could get away with using double for speech and single for thought/inner monologue.

It all comes down to what I’ve grown accustomed to reading in my books. Double quotes have always denoted speech. Single, italics, single with italics have always denoted thought/inner monologue. I’ve even seen inner monologue woven throughout the narrative, something that in some circles would be potentially demonized as telling, not showing. Heck, I’ve even seen dialogue written with no quotation marks at all. (That was a fun read in my creative writing book!)

So writer be ware! While there is no real wrong way to write inner monologue and dialogue, there is a poor way to go about writing both. Always consider what the reader is used to seeing and plan your usage accordingly. Be consistent throughout the story itself, and the reader will not complain.

I’m now trying to vary it up between characters, who thinks out loud (talking to him/herself), who doesn’t, and so on. At the same time, I try to be consistent on this as well. This adds to the character’s unique traits and takes away a potential cookie-cut quality throughout the entire story. Portal to Gaming was the first attempt at this, and I hope it’s been an enjoyable read for those who have purchased the story.

Now, for a bit of a personal update.

As mentioned (repeatedly) before, I’m leaving Washington for Philadelphia. I originally thought I had enough to go by bus. Turns out I didn’t, and I am now flying out from Seattle to Philadelphia on Monday. This is a brand new adventure for me. The last time I was in a plane, I was six years old and flying over Cadillac as part of a school field trip. All of my traveling adventures over the years have either been bus (when either I’ve not owned a car or had one down for repairs) or by driving alone or with friends. I’m excited about this prospect at the same time I am a little disappointed to not be traveling across the country. The Wandering Author facebook page will be revamped to accommodate this change and placed on hiatus in the meantime.

I have truly enjoyed my time in Washington, and I’ve made some wonderful friends. Being homeless has been one of the best and most humbling experiences of my life. I know it sounds so odd to say this. However, it’s the truth. I’ve enjoyed the company of the women staying in the shelter with me. I’ve learned how to laugh again. Yes, my life is a struggle right now, but I believe better things are coming my way. I may be homeless, but I am not without hope, without joy, without love, or without friends in my life.

I do ask this of anyone who reads this blog: Pay kindness forward. Random acts of kindness are beautiful things, ones well worth performing!

Until the next time, my friends!

There is nothing but the flow

It’s a reminder that life is fluid, not rigid. Time flows forward, not backwards. We must do as life dictates.

The Wandering Author will take on new meaning, new life. I’m excited and stressed, but I’m also more than capable of tackling this new challenge head-on. My time in Washington has not been in vain. I feel stronger, more confident in myself and in what I want than I have in a long time.

May the road ever lead me forward.

Hello, 2015

I haven’t left the women’s shelter just yet, but that time is drawing quite close. I’m very nervous about this, scared, and excited all rolled into one about hitching rides to Arizona then to Pennsylvania. It’s going to be very valuable research for me and one of the biggest adventures of my life.

I will also miss these women. There has been a lot of laughter in this home, and that in itself is a beautiful miracle.

Now to do a little book promoting. 🙂

About:
Portal to Gaming

It is in the simulators that Fen’s life takes a dramatic turn towards the interesting and bizarre. A stranger approaches him from behind and utters three words.

“Draw your sword.”

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The World of Elise K. Ra'sha

A Writer's Blog

Month: January 2015

Some exciting things happening!

About the novels

I’ve finally found what I’m looking for, and it’s great.

A tip in regards to quotation marks – Inner Monologue-ing It

There is nothing but the flow

Hello, 2015