Today I wrapped up the second half of the scene “What Kind Of Day Has It Been?” with Kettan discovering WHY everything went wrong. Have posted the scene, and it’ll be out soon to the folks who are caught up on the story, and in sequence to those just getting started.
While I’m pleased with the overall progress through the scene, it came out thin. Even as I was writing it, I could feel the detail it was lacking…but I also had the push to get what mattered in the scene down before it eluded me.
This happens a lot. First draft is a constant tension between catching the ideas and making them real on the page—and making sure they’re beautiful. It’s a bit like chasing butterflies. Every time you stop to admire one for too long, to take in everything that’s wonderful about it, a dozen more slip through your net.
Fortunately, once you have them all on your little garden of butterflies, you get to go back and find all the details you didn’t have time for the first time through.
Becky and I are setting up a contest. The winner will:
Be a character in the novel TalysMana.
Have a TalysMana artifact created around his or her character.
And receive a numbered, limited-edition artifact signed by both of us.
We’re still putting together the rules, and the sort of entries we want—because this is a book about the power and value of creativity, you’re going to have to be creative to win.
Contest details will be sent to everyone who’s signed up to read the TalysMana first draft. You have a few days to sign up before we have the rules finished and send them out.
The sign-up form is in the column to your immediate left.
I have had several concepts in the last few weeks and none of them worked for me. I have several goals with this piece and fully intend to meet each one. Every concept – until today – failed to reach at least one if not more of them. When I spend time designing unique jewelry I make sure I have a small, focused list of visual keys, an idea of a basic size and the emotion behind the piece.
Today I finally I came up with the first valid concept in keeping with the characters. Not just my mother’s desire for the piece but her original ideas in what the Fendles wear and what their world is like.
Just note two things:
1. This is a CONCEPT, not the finished idea. Things change sooo much during the actual creation process.
2. This is a hurried sketch. Even so I am not da Vinci and my finished sketch (which will be posted) will probably do no real justice to the piece. I find my physical work is much better when in 3-D. I have issues with proportion and pens
I’d love to hear your comments. Keep things shiny!
I just wanted to thank everyone that purchased the Limited Edition (Signed and Numbered) TalysMana Viewer ! I was also really delighted with your emails, giving wonderful feedback regarding the piece. If you purchased a Viewer, have a moment and would like to help out please click on the link above and leave me feedback on my Etsy page. If you have any customer pictures (you or a friend wearing the viewer) they would be highly appreciated as well. As always any and all questions can be forwarded directly to me at becky@talysmana.com.
There are only 29 of these Limited Editions left, signed by both Holly and myself, so if you want a lower number you want to hurry.
The unlimited version of the TalysMana Viewer is on its way. You should receive another email shortly with the URL to pre-order this new, smaller Viewer. This is a PRE-ORDER as the Viewers are not currently ready for shipment. The next email will have the information on shipping.
Even though this piece is not “limited” it is still handmade. That means I spend time hand carving the models, sanding, painting and working with each and every individual pendant. Colors, sizes, shapes, even the designs will vary so each piece is as unique as a fingerprint.
Lastly, I am currently working on ‘The Fendle Warrior’s Heart’. If you haven’t received Holly’s latest chapter (#10) let me know and I’ll email it to you.
I’m writing Chapter Ten tonight, and I’m so excited I decided to post this here. Kettan is back in her apartment from her first trip to Story, and desperately trying to figure out how to save her Fendles and their world.
So she starts designing the magical piece that will give them the strength and ferocity they need to fight off the attack of the creatures from Nate’s world.
I’m calling it the Fendle Warrior’s Heart. I’m figuring out what it DOES. I’ll send the description to Becky as soon as I finish writing the chapter, and she can decide what the thing will actually look like, because this will be her next TalysMana piece.
The first piece of Official TalysMana Jewelry is now available – The Taylsmana Viewer. This is the original piece that Kettan receives in the mysterious package at the very beginning of the novel. This is what sets Kettan’s story in motion.
I had 30 that I could get shipped and in the mail for Christmas. The first one has sold, leaving 29 left. I will keep a running tally on the Etsy page for those interested in purchase. Since this is an open – or in other words ‘unlimited’ – piece it will be available again after the holidays.
Once I am out of the 30 ready-to-ship I will create a place to pre-order pieces. When purchasing a pre-order please remember it will take about 5 days to create and ship your TalysMana Viewer.
To quote a character from the world of Story, “Darkness begat Light. Light begat Shadow. Shadow created Human. And Human spins Story.”
The world we live in is Reality. The world in which we build our waking dreams is Story.
In the beginning, humans gained their humanity from capturing light along with fire, and discovering the shadows that light creates—shadows in which all sort of things, both wicked and wonderful, can hide. Shadows gave rise to imagination, imagination to complex language, and complex language to the ability to share dreams and what-ifs…and this shared dream of humanity is the world of Story.
Story is the world of what could be, what should be…and what should never be. It is the pure dreams of creators, shared by those who cherish the dreams. Story gave Reality civilization—architecture, art, music, science, agriculture, mathematics, literature, technology, invention, inspiration, the vision that life could be better than starving, scratching in the dirt for food, watching nine out of every ten children die before their first birthday.
Despair always had a place in Reality. Story gave us hope.
But ALL humans build Story, not just creators. Some humans are destroyers, and they, too, have their following, not just in Reality, but in Story as well.
Now the world of Story is in trouble. The dreams of the world are turning to despair and destruction, creators are losing ground to those who claim that individual dreams are worthless, that “better” is no longer possible, that hope and vision are for fools, and that humans as a species and as individuals deserve nothing less than annihilation.
The dreams of story become the truth of Reality.
But there is a path between the worlds—the creation of TalysMana that cast light and shadow, that create gates humans can tread.
And one woman, to escape the dangers of her Reality, is about to flee into Story, discover the even greater dangers there…and take up the fight to bring hope back to the dreams of humankind.
Scene One is available now.
<– Sign up in form to your left to get the first scene… and the complete novel in first draft, one scene at a time, as I write it.
Holly Lisle is e-mailing the first draft of her new novel TalysMana to readers. For free. One scene at a time, as she writes it.
And she's collaborating with her daughter Rebecca Galardo, who's creating both limited-edition and open TalysMana jewelry and artifacts that exist in the story.
We respect your privacy, and appreciate your trust, and will not rent, sell or give away your personal information.
