Lissette E. Manning

I’ve been busy working on my CampNaNoWriMo project this morning. I’ve until midnight EST to hit the 50k mark. So far, I’m sitting at 38,729 words. I’ve been busy knocking out words since 4am this morning. Truthfully, I’m quite pleased with how far I’ve come. I really am.

I’m not sure if I’ll make the 50k mark, but I’m giving it all I’ve got. This story has taken flight in a way none of my previous stories ever have and I think that’s awesome. I keep wondering what the ending of the book will be like and how long it’ll actually be and am full of excitement in getting every word down on paper.

Truthfully, I never really expected to take part in this event. I’d heard of it, yes, and saw other authors commenting on their preparations for CampNaNoWriMo. I formally decided to take part on the 31rst of May.

You’re probably wondering why I decided to do so. In all honesty, I just wanted to see if I could do it. I’d taken part in NaNoWriMo back in November, but I never got to hit the finish line. I wrote a total of 38k words for that project titled The Corsicanth Princess. That, in itself, was an accomplishment, as is how far I’ve come with this current project.

Even if I don’t make it, I’ve still won, in a sense. I’ve the beginning of a novel that I very much expect to complete soon and prepare for its release when the time comes. I’m honestly proud of my ‘baby’, as this will be my first full-length novel. I hope you’ll all enjoy reading it just as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.

Thanks so much for listening. Before I dive back into writing more of the story, I leave you all with another excerpt from The Secret Keeper.

Enjoy!

***

Arthelda sighed, her green eyes shining with unshed tears. “It’s true. When the Queen gave ye tah me, it was a blessin’ in disguise. I couldna say no. I thought I couldna ‘ave children, ye see. When she found out she was pregnant with ye, she was informed she needed tah get rid of ye. She couldna do it, so she looked for someone tah take care of ye. ‘Tis where we came in. We became yer parents from the moment ye came intah this world.”

She hiccupped loudly and turned away from her mother’s intent scrutiny. “You should have told me.”

“We couldna. We were sworn tah secrecy.”

“I wouldn’t have told!”

Her mother’s thin shoulders slumped with defeat. “We know ‘at now, honey, but ye must understan’, ‘ack then, we had no choice but tah do as we were told. The Queen rules here. We do not. What she says goes.”

“You could have rebelled. If you loved me as much as you say you do, you could have fought for me.”

Her father sighed wearily. “We had no choice in ‘at. The Queen’s word is law.”

“What about the King?” Julian queried. “He consented to giving his wife’s child into someone else’s hands?”

“King Mirosrentir would have nothin’ tah do with ye. In his eyes, yer an abomination ‘at must be squashed. He spared yer life cuz of the love, howev’r minute it may be, he bears fer the Queen. If it were up tah him, he’d ‘ave killed ye from the moment ye took ye first breath.”

“Surely he’s not capable of such a thing?”

“You don’t know him, Julian. You’re not one of this realm so you’ve no clue as to the goings-on within our community. The King is merciless. He’ll do anything to make sure things go just the way he wants them to,” Miles replied, jealousy burning deep within him as he observed the gentle manner in which his adversary cradled Lorelei within his arms.

A muscle twitched across Julian’s jaw as he met Miles’ turbulent stare. “Be that as it may, I’m still a part of this entire fiasco. Lorelei and I have history, something you need to accept whether you want to or not.”

Miles cracked his knuckles audibly, the planes of his face sharpening with anger. “I don’t have to accept anything. For all you know, she might just love me.”

“I sorely doubt that.”

“I’ll have you know —”

“Enough!” Lorelei roared, pushing herself out of Julian’s embrace. “What is it with you two?”

Julian had the decency to look a little sheepish as he rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. “Sorry, but it’s true!”

She stared at him with disgust and pushed herself to her feet. She swiped her hands across her cheeks, reaching into her pocket for the handkerchief Julian had given her not too long ago. She blew her nose and tossed the hankie across the room, uncaring as to where it landed. “We’ve more pressing matters here, guys. Like getting my parent’s out of this infernal cage.”

A loud click rumbled throughout the room as a door in the upper left corner swung open. Curosrenyil stepped inside, his spiky white hair pointing in every direction. He slid his hands into the pockets of his pristine gold robe, observing the five of them with veiled interest. A knowing smirk crossed his lips as he made his way in their direction.