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Greetings All,
   I've been invited to enter my manuscript's first page for review and comments at an upcoming Writers Conference - so here it is, below.  As I still have some time to further polish it, I would welcome others' feedback as well...

I thank you,
Cym

Updated/revised as of 23 March 2012

Twinned Souls, Book One – The Janus Paradox  by Cymbric Early-Smith (c) 2012
Chapter One:  Connections
Darach Tor, Ireland ~ One hour after sunset - Beltane Night, 3 May 1102 AD


   Beneath the comforting shelter of an ancient and forgotten oak and with the warm scent of the forest surrounding them once more, Hrogn and Ælfwyn felt protected – at least for the moment.  No matter how beguiling it had seemed, their chance venture into the Otherworld just moments before was far more than troubling.  And yet, since they could not begin to fathom how they had come to see what they had seen – or heard or felt – for the moment they settled themselves upon Hrogn’s thick crimson-wool cloak at their feet.  

   What little moonlight dappled the earth there wavered and danced with the firelight of the single torch wedged between the fallen circle-stones.  Braced against the time-weathered granite sunk deep into the turf at the tree’s roots, Hrogn and Ælfwyn watched as the wind breathed softly through the interlace of leaves – even as they themselves tried to catch their breaths.

   At last, with a skill neither had known they possessed before that night, they began to converse with their thoughts alone, as they each exchanged their impressions of all the astonishing things they had experienced in their brief but baffling foray into the Annarr-heimr – the Otherworld!    Ælfwyn leaned back as Hrogn wrapped his arms around her shoulders folding her into their shared warmth. Then, perhaps in the hopes that doing something ordinary might quiet the hammering of her heart; Ælfwyn pulled her long, red-gold hair forward and began to braid it. Still, Hrogn could plainly feel Ælfwyn's mounting distress as they puzzled over the event.

   Hoping to distract her, Hrogn pointed up into the arching canopy of the aged oak, known as Arsa-Darach, as he leaned close to whisper in Ælfwyn’s ear, his beard just brushing her cheek,  “She looks to be the world-tree, Yggdrasil, herself, does she not?  What wonders has she witnessed? How old must she be?”

    As she looked up, her gaze followed Hrogn’s as it traced the tree’s limbs all the way up to the shadow of the last leaf where it seemingly touched the stars and Ælfwyn replied within their shared thoughts, “Doubtless she has witnessed the passage of centuries as easily as men mark the turning of the seasons, my lord.”  Ælfwyn sighed as she finally spoke aloud, "Oh... but I believe there are bards who would do battle for the privilege of describing such a sight!"

Views: 71

Comment by GD Thompson Sr. on March 5, 2012 at 9:39pm

I don't really read this genre. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the way you wrote than the story itself. You should do well with readers of this genre. I am sure they are earnestly going to enjoy your work. Honestly, you seem like a good inspiration for all of us. However, we do have one thing in common. Our characters names are hard to pronounce. haha. Take care fellow author.

GD Thompson, Sr.   

Comment by Cymbric Early-Smith on March 23, 2012 at 2:15am

Comment by Cymbric Early-Smith 1 second agoDelete Comment

I wanted to thank GD Thompson Sr for the comment on this blog post.  I have been so busy writing, that I had not checked here recently - 'bad author! No biscuit break for me!  ;)  Thank you so much for the encouraging words... And now back to writing - only two weeks until my next conference.  Eeek!

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