AwakenVanessa MacLellanPublication date: July 30th 2022Genres: Adult, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Horror Balin stands between two great Powers. One will shatter his mind; the other will destroy his soul. Only one of them can save his people. Fort Resonbirg, a Norse stronghold in the New World, is besieged by the evil sorcerer Ursulard the Dreamspinner. Though… Continue reading Book Launch – Awaken
It’s here! The very on point cover of Awaken. Md Khalid Bin Walid from Crowdspring captured the entrapped feeling I was after. In Awaken the people are trapped. Trapped within Fort Resonbirg because of the Dreamspinner Ursulard sieging them. Then they are trapped in the Fort after the mists arise. And Balin, my poor abused… Continue reading Awaken – Cover Reveal
It’s been a while since I had a novel out. This is a book I’d written years ago and in 2016 I began shopping it out. Yes, 6 years ago. The last four years, this novel has sat on the desk of two presses consecutively with the ‘we’re considering it, please don’t send it to… Continue reading Awaken – Released July 30
Hike: Lyle Cherry Orchard Hike Nearest Town: Lyle, WA Mileage: 5.0 miles (there and back) Difficulty: Moderate. Definitely no Dog Mountain, but it has a good amount of elevation gain. Highlights: Go in spring to see the three flowering cherry trees and desert flowers. Awe-inspiring views. (originally hiked in May) Driving Directions From Portland, take… Continue reading Lyle Cherry Orchard Hike
Better Than Starbucks published a poem I’d written about lies, those we tell ourselves and we tell others. It was a fun poem to write, littered with references to other works, to ideas and symbology. Meaning. Isn’t that what poems are supposed to do? You can read the poem for free here – The Tulips… Continue reading The Tulips Smell Like Week Old Meat
Passive Voice Every writer knows to avoid passive voice in his/her writing. One of The Rules. We have been beaten about the heads and shoulders with this Rule. I’ve got bruises. Wanna see? Passive language includes ‘to be’ verbs, and so for the longest time any is, was, be, been, were, etc. that I came… Continue reading Passive Voice
Friend: What kind of book are you reading? Me: Fantasy. Friend: Magic and dragons? Me: Ah, no. There’s this magical world that this guy falls into and now he’s the main magician. Friend: So, does he have to defeat the demon king, all powerful and everything? Me: Hmm, no, he has to run a school.… Continue reading Fantasy: The Many Colored Horse
Walking around Regent’s Park in London in 2013, I rounded a path, crossed a bridge and nearly dropped by binos when I saw a Smew floating on a pond. A Smew. In central London. Smew – Native to Northern Taiga of Europe and Asia The Smew is a distinctive, gorgeous white and black waterfowl with… Continue reading The Royal Waterfowl Collection of Regent’s Park
Sauvie Island, just north of Portland on HWY 30, encircled by the Columbia River and the Multnomah Channel, is the largest island in the Columbia River. It used to be called Wapato Island, because, apparently wapato grew there in abundance. Now it’s covered in farms and the state-owned Sauvie Island Wildlife Refuge (12,000 acres). The… Continue reading Magical Sparrowland
So, I got a new point and shoot superzoom camera: a Canon PowerShot SX50 HS. Yes, the zoom is super. No, I still cannot take professional shots. Yes, the IS (image stabilizer) sucks the battery. Yes, it’s great fun. I’ve named him Rupert. With the mindset of a friendly, getting-to-know-you outing with Rupert, I went… Continue reading Meet Rupert
