Labotomy of a Writer

Hello everyone! How you liking the new blog so far? I LOVE it. So much easier to get posts up here and I’m so glad to have author Beth Barany here for these first two posts on the new place.

So yes, welcome back Beth Barany! We are talking about her book, Henrietta The Dragon Slayer today. I’ve had the pleasure of reading this book. I’ll be completely honest and say I was a bit leary about it at first, as I’m not a fan of books about slaying dragons! I love dragons too much. BUT, never fear, no dragons were harmed in the making of this book! I have to say I really enjoyed reading this story. Henrietta is exactly the type of heroine I love to read about. She can handle her self in a fight but that doesn’t mean she necessarily goes looking for trouble either.

Henrietta is a girl that can’t stand the thought of killing one more dragon – or anything for that matter. She simply wants to live her life. But, when her mentor falls ill she is forced into a quest to get a healing stone to save him. But that requires one more kill. Can she do it!? Well, you’ll have to read the story to find out!

It was a great read – I read it in one sitting. The dialogue and really the whole tone of the book made for excitment from the first line. Beth Barany did a fabulous job grabbing me right from the beginning with this story. I highly recommend this story to anyone who is a fan of fantasy and kick-butt heroines. It’s really a great book to have in your collection.

Okay, I’ll stop raving about this book and let Beth Barany tell you some more about it!

Wow, Anastasia! I’m so glad you liked it!!

I really did Beth! I will have to get a real copy for my book shelf. It’s wonderful. So, tell us how did the idea for Henrietta the Dragon Slayer come to you?

I was 20 years old and taking a fiction class at the community college while I was a full-time student at UC Berkeley. I finally had the confidence to start a story that had been brewing in me since I was a little girl. You know all those folk tale heroes who went after the giant? Well, I always wondered growing up why they were all boys. None were girls. I couldn’t really relate, and I wanted the stories to be about girls, too. So at 20 I started my own, and thus Henrietta The Dragon Slayer was born. I wrote a 3-page scene and got stuck. Years later, I picked the story up again after my first 2 novels were finished and shelved in the bottom drawer.!

Yes, I always wondered that myself. So glad you rose to the occasion and wrote one! Henrietta is a great heroine for sure. What was the inspiration for the characters Henrietta? Franc? Jaxter? Paulette? I loved them all for their own reasons!

Henrietta sprung from my imagination; besides my desire for her to be heroic, she wasn’t inspired by anyone in particular, except by my desires. I suppose you could say she’s one of my alter egos. Franc reminds me of friends I’ve known, who come off fierce but have hearts of gold. Jaxter was inspired by Joxer, Ted Raimi’s character in Xena, and enhanced by the fun humor of my husband, Ezra Barany. Paulette also just came from my subconscious. When my sister read the story, she wondered if Paulette takes after her. Maybe? I am the eldest child and my sister was kinda a pain in the ass, sometimes. Henrietta’s mentor, Master Chen, was inspired by several teachers I’ve had who were big influences, including Marcel Cote, my French teacher when I was an exchange student in Quebec, Canada when I was 16. Marcel took me under his wing when no one else did.!

Wow. Just wonderful people! Franc is one of my favorites after Henrietta for sure. I know you answered this a bit yesterday, but just to remind me and everyone, how long did it take you to write Henrietta the Dragon Slayer?

I wrote the first draft in about 15 months, though it took me about five more years to edit the book.!

Again you sort of answered this a bit yesterday, but I like to repeat myself to make sure I don’t forget things! Did you self-edit this or have any beta readers? How helpful were the comments?

I had a critique group, whose feedback was SO helpful. I also had a committee of proofreaders who helped me prep the book for publication.!

What was your experience like working with a professional editor?

Since I’m indie published, I worked with another author and editor, Ezra Barany, and husband, to proof my book. He read the book aloud and caught all my stupid typos.!

Aww, that’s sweet. I love my husband and he’s a big supporter, but an editor he is not! It’s great that you have someone not only willing, but with the skills to help you with your writing. Now, I’m sure the readers want to read an excerpt from Henrietta. Will you share a little snippet?

This is the beginning of Chapter One. !

Battle-hardened and brave
Ready for the fight
Henrietta the Dragon Slayer
Swings with all her might
—From the chorus of the Song of the Dragon Slayer

Henrietta strode away from the tavern, fists clenched so hard they hurt. At two paces from the forest edge, the ground crunched in the black night behind her. Even with her ale-fogged brain, she sensed the presence of a man, smelled on him soot, leather and metal, and knew he was armed, but wore no armor.

She didn’t have time for this.

“What do you want?” Henrietta whirled to face the thrill seeker, her long sword drawn, her long red hair whipping across her chilled cheeks. Above her head, the bitter wind keened through the forest trees.

The man hovered five feet-lengths away from her, out of sword reach, his face shadowed by the light of the tavern behind him. “I heard your story back there.” His voice, thick with a foreign accent she couldn’t place, held no compliment. “I hear you’re looking for a new quest.”

“Who gave you that idea?”

“The Song of the Dragon Slayer.” The man’s tone was flat.

So he wasn’t a fan. She didn’t care. She cared that he didn’t move any closer. Empty hands at his sides, a sheathed long sword at his belt, he was broad shouldered and taller than her by half a head.

She re-sheathed her sword reluctantly. “So? What does that have to do with anything? It’s only a song.”

“A song about you. That is why you must come with me now.” He stepped toward her, his face still hidden by darkness.

“No, I must not go with you. Leave me be!” she said annoyed and angry. There was a thrill seeker in every town. Facing him, she stepped back to have room to swing her sword if necessary, her hand waiting on her sword pommel. “There’s plenty of others in that tavern to harass.”

She didn’t want to play “who’s the best warrior” just now. The drink had touched her head more than usual, without its usual lovely numbing affect. “Who are you anyway? No, I don’t want to know. Just leave me be.”

“I am a knight, doing his duty. Assessing.” He didn’t move any closer.

Like she needed to know that. Then she opened her big mouth.

“If you’re a knight, where’s your armor?” As soon as she heard herself, she knew that was a dumb question.

“I do not need armor for this.” He said the words as if she wasn’t worth a gnat on sheep’s berries. “You will come with me now,” he repeated.

He dared to order her?

“I will do no such thing. Weren’t you listening in there?” She gestured toward the tavern where she’d just told and re-enacted her tale. A thrill seeker who ordered her? What was this nonsense? “I did my quest. Now leave me to my peace.”

He didn’t budge his bulky frame. What was he waiting for? A royal invitation to depart?

Heaviness pressed against her chest like an anvil, preventing breath from fully entering her lungs.

She’d done her dragon slaying and military campaigns. Done. Finished. Fini.

“There is much coin and glory for the one who takes the Emerald Dragon’s Dracontias,” the stranger knight said, disdainfully.

How much coin? But that didn’t come out. “The what-ias?”

“Thought you knew everything there was to know about dragons.”

Politeness wasn’t this man’s strength.

“Yah, that’s me. A walking, talking dragon-spouting slayer, at your service.”

The man snorted. Very elegant.

Her stomach churned the ale. She knew what the Dracontias was, but didn’t want to be drawn in, though her coin purse was flat.

What was wrong with her?

“Listen, uh, Can we talk in the morning? I need to—.” Henrietta gestured to the woods. Her need wasn’t that urgent, yet. She just needed an excuse to make him go away.

“I’ll wait.”

Great. She had to make good on her words, so she did her best to stomp through the spindly underbrush, ready to move fast if she had to. She had taken no more than two steps when the man spoke again, his deep voice booming at her back.

“You can’t do it anymore, can you? Dragon Slayer.” He drew out the word “slayer” as if it were an insult.

Fear coursed through her at his words, and that made her angry. “I don’t have to listen to this!” A cold sweat broke out under her tunic and across her forehead. She shivered but kept walking, her greatcoat and hat back in the tavern.

“You can’t do it,” he repeated louder. “You have grown soft, weak. That’s what I told my king. You are but a shadow of your former self, if you ever were that Dragon Slayer. I don’t think you killed the Fire Dragon of Britham’s Keep after all. Your story back there was all show. It was your so-called partner who did the deed, and you stole his glory.”

Henrietta froze. She brushed away what little truth he said, and focused on his lies. Anger fired through her body and gave her strength. She turned and stomped back toward the knight. “My partner was a she. But what do you know! I don’t have to listen to your insults.”

“You don’t have it in you,” he said again, holding his ground. “A fool’s errand I was sent on. But duty is duty.” He spat.

Enough. It was time to show this disrespectful knight who it was he insulted.

She didn’t have the advantage of the light, but she was fast. As she feinted toward the trees as if to walk away again, she grabbed the daggers from her belt and slammed them into the frozen ground at the man’s feet, neatly slicing boot leather, hopefully hitting a toe.

He didn’t say a word, but clapped slowly, mocking her, probably smirking. She couldn’t tell. The night shadows still covered his face.

“Fine. Show’s over,” Henrietta said, leaning down for her blades. As soon as she did so, she knew she’d made a stupid mistake. For once she really had had too much ale.

He dug his huge hands into her shoulders, trying to knock her down. The fire of rage washed over her. She ignored the pain and stepped backwards, slipping out of his grasp to head-butt him in the stomach. He fell to the ground with an “oomph.” She had a dagger at his throat before he could open his eyes. She pressed hard, but not enough to draw blood. He got the point. No pun intended.

I love how each chapter begins with a little bit of poetry! It’s a nice added touch. Thank you so much for visiting again Beth. It was an honor to have you.

Thanks so much for having me! It’s been a pleasure!!

And, get this! Beth is having a great giveaway as part of her blog tour! Here are the rules for you to have a chance to win a copy!

We’re doing book giveaways — a print or digital copy — each month May through August, and a grand giveaway at the end of the summer for the necklace around Henrietta’s neck!!

To enter either giveaway, all you need to do is to comment on a post and/or answer a question posted at each blog post.

You may enter as many times as you like throughout the summer for the Grand Giveaway, though you can only win one book. Be sure to include your email address so you can be contacted if you win!!

You can receive the print or digital edition of Henrietta The Dragon Slayer. International okay.!

I will pick a winner on the last day of each monthly using Random.org.!

I’ll pick a winner for the necklace from all the entries from May through August on the last day of August. If you have won a book you are still eligible to win the necklace.!

Individual bloggers may be hosting same-day giveaways. So you have extra chances to win a copy of Henrietta The Dragon Slayer! Be sure to stop by at each stop to enter for the Grand Giveaway!