13.... Is a magic number!

As the new year approaches, I gaze back with fondness on the "lucky" serendipities of the previous 365 days. Some of them won't happen again for a long while... some will NEVER happen again during our lifetimes, if ever. Below are some of the greatest hits of 2012:

- August Blue Moon- (2nd full moon of the month)
- October, 11th, 2012 (10-11-12)
- December, 12th, 2012 (12-12-12)
- Survival of 12-21-12 (End of Mayan calendar)
- 13th full moon of the year on New Year's Eve

And as we consider that the 13th full moon of the year ushers us into 2013... it's time to throw out all that triskaidekaphobia crap and embrace 13 as the ultimate power that it effing is! Thirteen is far from unlucky... in fact, many cultures have revered the number 13! 

According to the occult science of numerology, “He who understands the number 13 will be given power and dominion. It is a number of upheaval and destruction; a symbol of power which, if wrongly used, will wreak havoc and destruction upon itself.” 

Here are some little known "lucky" 13 references:

- There were thirteen guests at the Last supper of the Christ.
- The celebration of the Epiphany takes place the thirteenth day after the nativity of the Lord.
- The Jewish Faith has thirteen fundamental dogmas of Judaism.
- Ulysses, the thirteenth of his group, escaped the devouring of the Cyclops.
- The Sumerians used a zodiac including 13 constellations.
- Some purport that the Universe is governed by thirteen fundamental constants of the physics. 
- A card deck includes 13 hearts, 13 spades, 13 diamonds, 13 clubs
- There were 13 original colonies/ states
- the first national flag had 13 stars, and even today it still has 13 stripes. On the green side of the dollar bill there are 13 steps in the pyramid of the Great Seal. The motto above the pyramid, which reads “Annuit Coeptis,” has 13 letters; the eagle on the right side has a ribbon in its beak that bears the motto “E pluribus unum,” which contains 13 letters. The eagle has 13 tail feathers, and on its breast there is a shield of 13 stripes. In one talon the eagle holds 13 arrows, and in the other an olive branch with 13 leaves and 13 berries. Over the eagle’s head are 13 stars that form the six-pointed “Star of David.”


So, 13 is in fact a powerful number... and I urge you to harness and unleash that power to make 2013 your best year ever. 

I am proud to host my very first cover reveal for my friend, Marilyn Almodovar, who is soon to release her debut novel INTERRED! And now without further ado... *pulls the drape off* TADA!

COVER REVEAL!

Interred (Chronicles of the Interred #1)

by

Marilyn Almodóvar

The cover was created by the amazing Devan Edwards of Nimbi Designs.

I'm excited for Marilyn on a couple of fronts. I think the cover is beautifully designed and I had the honor of BETA reading this book for and it's complex and intense! Here is the book's blurb:

Blurb

 *****

Time has never been an issue for Baxter Jacobs, but then she never knew she had the ability to Bend it.

As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Baxter inherits a pendant that will change her life. Connected to the pendant is a dark and mysterious young man named Declan Ashdown. Trapped in a Time loop for the past 122 years, Declan needs Baxter’s help to escape. The only problem is, she has no idea how to do it.

To acquire the power she needs to free him, she’ll become one of the Interred, those whose Magical abilities emerge as they come of age. When she does, she’ll discover that Declan isn’t the only one interested in the fact that she’s a Time Bender.

As the Interment arrives, Baxter knows this will be no Sweet Sixteen. A vengeful relative and the ruthless Council are determined to control her. Declan’s powerful and charming descendant, Jack Ashdown, claims he can save her. She’ll soon have to decide who she can trust, and how to master her new abilities before Time runs out.

*****

INTENSE right?

The release date is JANUARY 22, 2013. Add it to your GOODREADS list now.
Here's a contest Marilyn is running! Enter now! http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1aa0793/

Brief author bio:

Marilyn Almodóvar is an American YA Author born in Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. A lover of words with a penchant for Victorian novels as well as the books of Stephen King, Lyn's favorite past-times have always been reading and writing.

It was this love that propelled her to choose Theater and French as majors in University, with a minor in English Victorian Literature. Lyn lived for almost a decade in England followed by three years in France before returning home to the U.S.

A self-confessed citizen of the world, Lyn is fluent in English, French and Spanish, with basic knowledge of the Italian language. Lyn currently lives in Central Florida with her French husband, English-born eldest son, and French-born youngest son. Her debut YA Novel, Interred, will be published by Iambe books on 01/22/2013.

Ways readers can connect with Lyn:

Twitter (http://twitter.com/LynAlmodovar)
Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/Marilyn-Almodóvar/142589622496531)
Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/MarilynAlmodovar)
Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/lynalmodovar/)
Blog (http://marilynalmodovar.blogspot.com/)

The Oracle and The Muse: The Next Big Thing: The Sky Throne

I am participating in a blog hop/ blog tour in which we have to post and answer a few questions about our manuscript. First, I'd like to thank Dimitri Sarantis, author of ‘Deep blue eyes on the Greek Isles’ a suspenseful romance, for beginning this endeavor. Be sure to go visit his page. 
Also thanks to Melpomene Selemidis for inviting me along for the blog ride. Visit her page wherein she answers questions about her work-in-progress, Sirens of Santorini. Also thanks to Meg McNulty for tagging me in her post. Visit her page where she discusses her work-in-progress, Banshee.

Today is my day to give the world a little more information about the manuscript I just finished.

1) What is the working title of your book?

The Sky Throne

2) Where did the idea come from for your book? 

I was sitting in my room at the SCBWI-NY Internatonal conference back in January 2011 and had just returned from a group bashing circle critique of my MS called Banished (a greek-based historical fantasy) and I had a thought... what would Zeus and his siblings have been like as teenagers? And The Sky Throne was born. It's an "Origin" story.

I've always loved mythology (bet you couldn't guess that from this blog :) ) and thought it would be fun to imagine all of those gods as teenagers. I was right. It was fun. IS fun. Lots!

3) What genre does your book fall under?

Young Adult Fantasy

4) Which actors would you choose to play in your movie rendition?

HA! Well let's see... I could certainly see Maria Menounos, Demi Lovato, Mila Kunis (I realize she's not Greek... but she's hawt and she could pass :) ) I have some more if you visit my Pinterest board [The Sky Throne]

5) What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

In order for Zeus to become powerful enough to avenge an attack on his surrogate family, he must access the power in The Sky Throne, but doing so could kill him.

6) How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

A little less than one year.

7) What other books would you compare this story to?

The Outsiders, in the sense that it's told in first person, yet has an ensemble cast of characters. I would also compare it many ways to the X-Men, character interaction-wise, minus the political underpinnings. The Sky Throne is X-Men meets Greek Mythology. 



Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment and SHARE if you LIKE it!

Next Week:
Be sure to visit those I mentioned above.

And go visit the next brave authors on the tour on December 19th.

Marylin Jeulin

JoLynne Valerie

Sunshine Blogger Award

The illustrious Meg McNulty, writer, photographer, Greek Mythology enthusiast and lover of historical romance has bestowed upon me the Sunshine Blogger Award. 

(insert whistling here to the tune of "I'm Walking On Sunshine")

Usually these types of awards come with questions and/ or instructions which give you a glimpse inside the mind of the blogger. So here goes:

1.      What is your favourite Christmas/ festive movie?

I love, love, love Bad Santa for my irreverent side. The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (animated) makes me split my side with laughter every time I see it... never gets old. And lastly, I love The Holiday and Love Actually to feed my sappy romantic side.

2.      What is your favourite flower? 

I guess I'm partial to Azaleas since I grew up on them in the south.

3.      What is your favourite non-alcoholic beverage?

Ohhhhh, without a freakin' doubt... EGG NOG!! (yes, the all caps was necessary)

4.      What is your passion?

Storytelling. Oh and football. Equally.

5.      What is your favourite time of year?

Can't decide... and I suppose it might depend on where I lived... but Spring is such a time of renewal and rebirth... and hope and dreams and promise. But Fall is just gorgeous, especially if you live where the trees turn to all the hues of fire.

6.      What is your favourite time of day?

NOT MORNING!! lol I'd have to say the quiet and serenity of just after midnight.

7.      What is your favourite physical activity?

Running, when my knee isn't hurting.

8.      What is your favourite vacation?

Hard to say... I've had so many wonderful vacations. My favorite *dream* vacation that hasn't happened yet is to go to Santorini, Greece.

I do thank Meg for selecting me for this blog award. I am so honored and humbled.

ARTFUL THURSDAY: I am Woman, Hear Me Roar. Reflections of Rhea.

As Mother's Day approaches, let us reflect on one of the greatest Mothers ever.


-From www.theoi.com

RHEA was the Titanis mother of the gods, and a goddess of female fertility, motherhood, and generation. Her name means "flow" and "ease." As the wife of Kronos (Time), she represented the eternal flow of time and generations ; as the great Mother (Meter Megale), the "flow" was menstrual blood, birth waters, and milk. She was also a goddess of comfort and ease.


In myth, Rhea was the wife of the Titan Kronos and Queen of heaven. When her husband heard a prophecy that he would be deposed by one of his children, he took to swallowing each of them as soon as they were born. But Rhea bore her youngest, Zeus, in secret and hid him away in a cave in Krete guarded by shield-clashing Kouretes. In his stead she presented Kronos with a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes which he promptly devoured.


Rhea was closely identified with the Anatolian mother-goddess Kybele. They were both depicted as matronly women, usually wearing a turret crown, and attended by lions.


Presenting Rhea:

Hope you enjoyed.

Lucky Seven Meme... and a Sky Throne Excerpt

I have been tagged to participate in the Lucky 7 Meme... a *Get-To-Know-My-Work* exercise, of sorts. Here are the rules:

The Rules:
1. Go to page 77 of your current MS/WIP
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next 7 lines – sentences or paragraphs – and post them as they’re written. No cheating
4. Tag 7 authors
5. Let them know


So here we go: (I went with 7 paragraphs)
*****
This selection is from my WIP The Sky Throne, which recently got accepted to the Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program and is being considered by several agents.
*****

Once the crowd dissipated, the first wrestling match was set to begin. A tall, athletic man with the obvious talent of throwing his voice to the far reaches of the arena, announced the contestants.

“From Elite Academy of Sumeria we have the Asian champion, Enlil.”

The crowd applauded as he jogged out. He didn’t seem very big, but his muscles were well defined and popped out of nearly everywhere. His hands glowed as he walked to the center of the circle. Then he surprised the crowd by slapping himself in the head several times and howling like a rabid wolf.

“And from our own Othrys Prep... Menoetius!”

“O.P.” the crowd chanted over and over until it reverbed in my ears.

As soon as the judge dropped his hand to begin the match, the contestants attacked and mauled one another. Strong stance after clever defense, the combatants clawed their way to points of advantage. I admired their brute strength.

I remembered wrestling with Tos. I’d always beat him, which was interesting in its own right because he was better than me in nearly everything else. I had a signature move that he fell for every time. But as I looked on at Enlil and Money, it occurred to me that Tos and I were only playing at wrestling. Enlil and Money were engaged in the real thing.

Now for seven more victims, I mean, authors.

1. Brooke R. Busse 
2. Carrie Bastyr 
3. Kerri Cuevas 
4. Sarah Pearson 
5. Esther Spurrill-Jones 
6. Andy Brokaw 
7. Tara Tyler 

Spartan Race Wrap Up- Obstacle Course As A Metaphor For Life

The descent to Hades is the same from every place.

Anaxagoras

The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.

Epictetus

You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.

Plato

In many ways, an obstacle course is a metaphor for life. As we go through this one life we have, there are ups and downs, windy roads, easy spots, tough spots, tougher spots, impossible spots, things to go over, things to go under, sometimes you'll have a heavier load, sometimes a lighter load. Along the way you'll notice people traveling faster than you, and some going slower. 

What an obstacle course of this magnitude will teach you, is that you have to run your own race at your own pace. Sometimes you'll get hurt and will have to carry wounds... but you'll be surprised how they pale in comparison to the next task. And in time, they all heal. You will discover when you can push it and when you have to walk a spell. You will figure out when to ask for help and when to offer help.


Most importantly, though, it all boils down to this. Whatever obstacles you face...


"The best way out is always through." -Robert Frost

Yes, I overcame nervousness and trepidation to run my first Spartan Race. They distribute no maps before the race so no one had any idea where they were running except to follow the ribbons and path provided, thereby testing not only your physical prowess but mental toughness as well. Just like in life... there are no road maps, right?


I ran up and down steep inclines, darted along winding forest paths, crossed a rope bridge that spanned raging rapids, climbed a rope out of waist high mud, climbed another rope up a sheer incline, hauled a sandbag, dragged a rock by a chain, trudged/ swam through shallow river water littered with fallen tree limbs, crawled on my belly under barbed wire, hurled a javelin, scaled high walls, and hurdled fire. And now... I am Spartan!

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” ― Neale Donald Walsch

It took me 2 hours and 7 minutes to complete the 4.5 mile course. And at that time, I beat roughly 40% of the field. It was one of the most challenging events I've ever experienced. And I would absolutely do it again now that I halfway know what to expect. What I WILL NOT be doing is going after the Spartan Super Race (8+ miles) or the Spartan Beast (10+ miles). The Spartan Sprint is quite enough for me. Though, I might do a Super with a team. Maybe.

At it's core, the Spartan Race is about overcoming, physical and mental... and in some cases emotional. I discovered new aspects about myself in the process. I shattered limits that I'd previously had in terms of activities performed and general endurance. Three days after the race, my legs are still sore in areas that had not yet known anguish. In the end, I am soooo glad I did it. And even more than that, I'm proud of myself for finishing.

Below are a few pics of me and a video.

Before the race

In action...

http://myspartanvideo.com/view-video/carolinas/2309

After the race.

Battle scars, right leg

Battle scars, left leg

I EARNED that medal!!

Here are some videos and news coverage of the event, which was held in Charlotte, NC.

Here's a link to some still shots from the event

http://www.wsoctv.com/gallery/sports/runners-battle-mud-fire-spartan-race/gfFZ/#1376856

Here's a video

http://www.wsoctv.com/videos/sports/charlotte-area-sports/lnQ/

SPARTAN RACE... Am I Crazy?

"Spartans... Prepare For Glory!" is a line from the movie 300. But it is that, which I am doing right now. Tomorrow, March 24th 2012, I will embark on the most physically challenging undertaking I have ever encountered; The Spartan Race!

The Spartan Race is not just cross country running, not just a trail race or mud run or an obstacle course... No, the Spartan Race is the ultimate obstacle race designed by seven ultra athletes and a Royal Marine. It is designed to test your resilience, strength, stamina, and quick decision making skills.

On a given day, a given circumstance, you think you have a limit. And you then go for this limit and you touch this limit, and you think, 'Okay, this is the limit.' As soon as you touch this limit, something happens and you suddenly can go a little bit further. With your mind power, your determination, your instinct, and the experience as well, you can fly very high.

~Ayton Senna, former F1 champion

There are four levels of difficulty for a Spartan Race
Sprint 3-4 miles, 10 obstacles
Super 8-10 miles, 15+ obstacles
Beast 10-12 miles, 20 obstacles
Death mud runs, obstacle racing, trail racing, physical challenges and mental challenges all in a +48 hour adventure race


I am participating in the Spartan Sprint. (Baby steps, people). Below are some videos to give you an idea of what I'll be facing.









So... what are you waiting for? Click here: Spartan Race and sign up for the closest Race to you.

Artful Thursday: Cronus... Like Father, Like Son- The Prophecy Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree

In Greek Mythology, Cronus (also spelled Kronos) was the youngest male offspring of Gaia (The Earth) and Uranus (The Sky) and leader of the Titans, who were the second generation of deities following the primordial ones. Cronus was also known as Father Time.

According to Hesiod's Theogony, Cronus deeply envied his father, Uranus' power to rule the heavens, so he devised a plan to overthrow him. After a murderous coup in which he castrated Uranus with a sickle, Cronus became king of the gods and ushered in the Golden Age. He ruled with the help of Rhea, his sister and queen and had six children; Hera, Hestia, Demeter, Poseidon, Hades, and Zeus.

It was later prophesied that Cronus himself would be overthrown by one his own sons. In a fit of madness and cunning, Cronus attempted to preempt the prophesy and ate all of his children as soon as they were born... All save one; Zeus, who later fulfilled the prophesy. Rhea gave Cronus a rock in swaddling clothes whom he thought was Zeus. Meanwhile Rhea gave birth to Zeus on Crete. Zeus returned to Mount Olympus, rescued his siblings and a ten year war ensued, during which the Olympian gods overthrew the Titans.

Presenting Cronus as Art:

In case you're confused, this picture is an older version of Marvel Comics' modern interpretation of Cronus.

This is an updated Marvel Comics' interpretation of Cronus that gets back to his roots a bit.

Critique of The Sky Throne By Shelley Watters

I was honored to have Shelley Watters critique my pitch and first 150 words for The Sky Throne. Here are her comments:


Name: Christopher S. Ledbetter
Title: The Sky Throne
Genre: YA Fantasy
Word count: 85,200

Pitch: In order to become powerful enough to avenge an attack on his family, Zeus must access the power of The Sky Throne. But, doing so might kill him in the process.

Shelley's Comments: Great, powerful pitch here. 

Excerpt:

The distance between darkness and light was a nano-moment, my mother once told me. A sliver of space. The breadth of a strand of hair. I hadn’t known what she’d meant until that day. And still wished I hadn’t.

Shelley's Comments: I love this opening paragraph. However, that said, I've heard that you shouldn't open a YA with mentioning the protagonist's parents. But I really do love this.

I trudged up the darkened beach, digging my toes in the sand with each step. Visions of pearl-skinned sea nymphs still danced in my head. Their iridescent eyes and seductive charms made me smile.

"C’mon, Zeus" Anytos called, throwing a stick at my feet.

I held a finger in the air.

"Zeus, seriously." He clapped his hands.

"Wait. Hold on." I closed my eyes to enjoy the images of those sea nymphs. Just a moment longer.

"Zeus!" His words sliced sideways through my memories of them. "Sun’s nearly up. We don’t have much time!" Tos stood at the top of a dune, calling down.

I sighed. “I’m coming.”

Shelley's Comments: I have nothing to critique for this. I loved the opening scene. Other than starting with the mc's parent thing (which, even though that's the advice, I still like it as-is). Great writing, beautiful description. Great job Chris!