The Write Engle

Your words have power. Did you know that? You can shape tomorrow with what you say today. In fact, your present is a result of what you said yesterday. Think about it... What are you saying about yourself, your art, your business, your family? Are you sowing seeds that will produce a harviest of fruit or weeds? In this episode, I work to inspire you to think about your words and how they affect your life, keeping in mind that your speech isn't the end of the journey. It's the compass that provides you with your next steps, your next door, and your next big thing! Please like, subscribe, and share this podcast. And don't forget to share your #winsfortheweek every Friday so we can celebrate the small steps toward big milestones together. Tag me on social @thewriteengle (@jaimieenglewriter on Insta).

In this crazy world of show business, we have to ask ourselves, "Why do it?" If you don't know your 'why' then it will be very hard to stay in the game. If you don't know 'why you do it' it will be impossible to find satisfaction and joy when you actually do achieve your goals. In this episode, I look into the importance of finding a reason that is not related to the goal but rather to the journey. Please like, subscribe, and share this podcast and be sure to post your #winsoftheweek on social media each Friday and tag me!!

Confidence is a mindset. It is not a result of our efforts. Too many of us make the opinions of others the root for our confidence. What happens when those opinions falter? The whole confidence tree falls to the ground. In this episode, I break down some ways to think differently about confidence and some places to find some that lasts, regardless of the whims of others. Please follow, like, and share to inspire others!

From waking up in the healer wing, episode two takes Arud through Vithalia Castle. This setting came about from a Pinterest photo of a man staring out at a castle at the end of a long bridge in the sea. I love to “write what I know” and I live near the ocean.

Mixing what I know about the sea with my research on Labrador, Canada gives me insight into the world, the weather, the vegetation, and the animals. Adding these elements gives the world more depth.

Arud explores his new world in Vithalia Castle and during the experience, he finds Lykke is struggling with their missing father, her new powers as a Cur, and their new home. Scalvia worries that she can no longer be trusted. What I loved about this episode is the use of dreams and dolls to show the character’s inner emotional struggles. Subtext is huge and it’s always fun to write in a way that feels organic. Here’s a passage from chapter two:

“The painful truth was hard to grasp.

A monster lived within him.

He was a monster.”

I love the way Arud’s love for Lykke and Scalvia contrasts his hatred for the evil that now lives inside him. Especially his love for his sister, like Katniss with Prim from Hunger Games. Don’t we do that, though? Misjudge ourselves, show zero tolerance and unforgiveness to ourselves while justifying the behavior of others? To me, those develop a character substantially. The more juxtaposition the better! That’s why Katniss is such a powerful character. And Ender Wiggins, from Ender’s Game. They both become what they fear the most. That’s beautiful writing to me.

The interaction between Scalvia and Lykke through the dolls was super fun to add in edits. They allowed Lykke to safely express what she was feeling inside, such a kid move, right? And so creepy… dolls and kids meshed together. Gives you all the heebie-jeebies. She shares that there’s something wrong in her and the fear of becoming a Cur, of her ferine blood, of her fragility, and of death and dying, wrapped up in a game of dolls.

It connects us to the story, I think. We all face our mortality for the first time and it’s difficult to come to terms with. Lykke is no different. She’s just a little girl who realizes that in her human form, she can easily die, but shifted into her wolf form, she has powers that can save her. I think that holds true because her world is upside down with her mom dead and her dead missing. And telling it through playing with dolls was a cool way to share it.

ACCESS EPISODES WEEKLY through Kindle Vella every Tuesday and catch up with the behind-the-scenes podcast, MOON CAST, each Sunday! (links below)

KINDLE VELLA EPISODES: https://amzn.to/3lswbJl

MOON CAST PODCAST: https://anchor.fm/the-write-engle

CATCH UP WITH BOOK ONE: https://amzn.to/2Yk2zVT

ABOUT DREADLANDS: BLOOD MOON

A new monster hunts the realm.

The Mayan Bat God, Camazotz, has been released. Once trapped within the Torngat Mountains, Sorceress Edda has released him from his hundreds of years in captive to wreak havoc on Vithalia. Arud and Scalvia work to get human and ferine to unite against this werebat threat. However, Arud's little sister Lykke has other allegiances. Her treatment as a halfling Cur has left her feeling betrayed by mankind and she leaves to join the ferine, the shifter wolves that were once the enemy. Arud’s uncle calls upon Vikings from other lands to arrive by sea and fight while Arud and Scalvia search for his father in the Great Beyond. Will they unite in time or fight blood against blood?

Blood Moon... Book Two in the Dreadlands Dodecad. Not familiar? Check out Dreadlands: Wolf Moon Book One, in paperback, ebook, and audiobook here: https://amzn.to/2Yk2zVT

EPISODE ONE begins with Arud’s dream back home. Nothing is as it should be. Not to mention he murdered his grandmother who morphed into his sister. Pretty tragic turn of events. He loves his sister and would never hurt her. So why did he dream it? What’s going on inside of him? The answer is soooo much!! He’s dealing with his new powers, new home, missing father, dead mother, and his first crush. It’s a lot for any teenager to take in.

Dreams hold power. What do they mean? How much is real and how much is symbolic? Dreams are a great tool for backstory. A reminder for readers of book one and enough to understand the origins for new readers.

This world is super expansive and it’s important to note the lay of the land. I’ve rebuilt Labrador, Canada into Vithalia, and here’s an excerpt from DREADLANDS: BLOOD MOON chapter one to explain:

“His home was in the Outlands of Vithalia, past the Torngats Mountains and the less travelled Sindri-Urd range. Beyond the Scythe Valley, the Tess Woods where Scalvia’s family hailed, and along the Thiannes River that bordered the Great Expanse to the west.”

I wrote it this way to show the characters connection to their respective homes and to introduce new places such as the Great Expanse, which will play a major setting in this book.

The chapter is titled ANEW. Why? Arud wakes up in the castle healing from the epic battle and reality hits. Here he pieces together which of his dream was reality and which was symbolic. His dad is missing. Truth. But Lykke is fine. Half-truth. She’s with Scalvia, the girl Arud loves. Truth. His home he knew in the Outlands is gone. Truth.

But deep down, he knows one truth absolutely: it’s not over yet.

ACCESS EPISODES WEEKLY through Kindle Vella every Tuesday and catch up with the behind-the-scenes podcast, MOON CAST, each Sunday! (links below)

KINDLE VELLA EPISODES: https://amzn.to/3lswbJl

MOON CAST PODCAST: https://anchor.fm/the-write-engle

CATCH UP WITH BOOK ONE: https://amzn.to/2Yk2zVT

ABOUT DREADLANDS: BLOOD MOON

A new monster hunts the realm.

The Mayan Bat God, Camazotz, has been released. Once trapped within the Torngat Mountains, Sorceress Edda has released him from his hundreds of years in captive to wreak havoc on Vithalia. Arud and Scalvia work to get human and ferine to unite against this werebat threat. However, Arud's little sister Lykke has other allegiances. Her treatment as a halfling Cur has left her feeling betrayed by mankind and she leaves to join the ferine, the shifter wolves that were once the enemy. Arud’s uncle calls upon Vikings from other lands to arrive by sea and fight while Arud and Scalvia search for his father in the Great Beyond. Will they unite in time or fight blood against blood?

Blood Moon... Book Two in the Dreadlands Dodecad. Not familiar? Check out Dreadlands: Wolf Moon Book One, in paperback, ebook, and audiobook here: https://amzn.to/2Yk2zVT

Moon Cast is the Behind the Scenes look at the Kindle Vella episodic release of Dreadlands: Blood Moon, book two in the Dreadlands Dodecad by Jaimie Engle. 

Basically, I’ll be sharing chapters of my book through episodes that you can read on your e-reader by purchasing token blocks. If you’re familiar with my Dreadlands series, you may have read book one, “Wolf Moon.” If not, check out the paperback, ebook or audiobook edition of Dreadlands: Wolf Moon, book 1. 

After a long wait (and a nudge from Riley Gish, who the book is dedicated to), I am so excited to announce the sequel “Blood Moon” will be the book I’m publishing episodically. In addition, I’m inviting you to join my book club where you’ll have opportunities to win in monthly drawings. Plus, I’ll be broadcasting behind the scenes author insights through my new podcast “Moon Cast” available on your favorite podcast player. I know it sounds like a lot, but you can access the Kindle Vella episodes, Moon Cast podcast, and join the Book Club through a single link at www.linktr.ee/jaimieenglewriter. 

I’ll be sending out information on how Kindle Vella works to my newsletter subscribers. If you’re not subscribed, don’t worry. I’ll be sharing that initial email on social media and you can click to join then. This is a really cool program and I hope you’ll join me on this journey, share with friends, teachers, and classmates, and each week you can like, comment, and crown the episode. 

The first three episodes are free and coming soon! As always, you can reach me through my website contact page at www.thewriteengle.com/contact!

ABOUT THE BOOK: A new monster hunts the realm.  The Mayan Bat God, Camazotz, has been released. Once trapped within the Torngat Mountains, Sorceress Edda has released him from his hundreds of years in captive to wreak havoc on Vithalia. Arud and Scalvia work to get human and ferine to unite against this werebat threat. However, Arud's little sister Lykke has other allegiances. Her treatment as a halfling Cur has left her feeling betrayed by mankind and she leaves to join the ferine, the shifter wolves that were once the enemy. Arud’s uncle calls upon Vikings from other lands to arrive by sea and fight while Arud and Scalvia search for his father in the Great Beyond. Will they unite in time or fight blood against blood?