GUEST POST: NIGHTSPELL BEGINNINGS by Leah Cypess


I'm so pleased to have this opportunity to kick off Leah's NIGHTSPELL Blog Tour. If you haven't read these two fine books I highly suggest them:








Now Here is Leah with some words on writing Nightspell:





Beginnings are hard” – so I hear – but when it comes to writing books, I find beginnings fun and exciting. In fact, I come up with beginnings – first lines, ideas, characters – all the time. The challenge, for me, is coming up with the middles and endings.


So to start off the Nightspell Blog  TOUR I thought I’d show you the original beginning of Nightspell. This was what the beginning looked like for most of the book’s creation. But when I sent my final draft around to critique partners, one of them mentioned that it was a bit passive. Sometimes, a comment just hits you right; by the time I had finished reading that critiquer’s email, I had thought of a new way to start the book and written it down.



          Curious about the beginning that hit the dust? Here it is:



                                                                                  #

The ghost was watching them from behind a tree.

Darri started to tighten the reins, then thought better of it and forced her hands to relax. Her horse, not fooled, snorted nervously and tossed its head. Darri stared straight ahead and thought, as hard as she could, of sunlight and blue sky and empty plains. The mental image had worked until now, keeping her just at the edge of panic. But the farther they rode into the tangled trees that towered over them in the darkness, the more difficult it was to pretend she was riding through her father’s lands, where the dead were safely hidden beneath the earth and you could see an enemy coming for miles.

No one else had noticed the ghost. Even Varis had passed it right by, wearing his habitual focused expression and scanning the ground and the trees. True, none of them was used to riding at night or among trees, and the torches cast flickering shadows that made it difficult to see anything. Still, their lack of attention was testimony to the general quality of the men who had been willing to ride with them into Ghostland.

Despite herself, Darri looked back. Beyond the pale glow of the last torch, the forest was so dark there could have been a thousand ghosts there – or none at all. Or just the one she had seen, the tall girl in a tattered gown, with her long hair twisting around her shoulders and a tree branch clearly visible through her translucent torso.

Here be ghosts the maps said, and that was all they had to say about the kingdom known as Ghostland. There would be more than a thousand ghosts where she was going. There would, the legends whispered, be as many ghosts as there were people. Each ghost looking for vengeance, and each unkillable. You couldn’t kill the dead, but they could kill you.

Varis glanced over at her swiftly, frowned – at what, she couldn’t imagine – and went back to scanning the shadows between the thick tree trunks, as if expecting a ghost to leap out from between them.

She tried to feel scornful, but in truth she was no better. She had reached for her dagger a dozen times since they crossed the border. In her case, though, her tension was only partly because of where they were. It was mostly because of where they were going, and who she was going to see there.

“Don’t be nervous,” Varis said, making her almost jump out of her saddle. She turned and glared at him. “We’re almost there.”

                                                                                     #

(If you want to compare it to the original beginning, it’s available for free at HARPER TEEN)


What do you think? Which of the two beginnings do you like better? Are beginnings easy or hard for you? Let us know in the comments, and be entered to win a one-of-a-kind annotated copy of Mistwood!



Thanks so much Leah!


Comments

Kaye M. said…
Personally, I like the beginning that ended up in the book (I read the sample, but haven't been able to get my hands on a complete copy yet).

I think it's interesting that you find beginnings so easy, Leah. Maybe it's just my issues with writer insecurities/thinking that I have to prove how good of a writer I am from the first sentence, but I have troubles with the beginning.

It always doesn't sound right, or I feel as though I could have made a better "hook". Obviously I should stop reading so many how-to-write books. :s
Anonymous said…
I know this may sound like a suck-up answer, but I loved both. I'm obsessed. But I haven't been able to read Mistwood yet so I'd love to win a copy! :) Thank you!
Grace
Anonymous said…
I know this may sound like a suck-up answer, but I loved both. I'm obsessed. But I haven't been able to read Mistwood yet so I'd love to win a copy! :) Thank you!
Grace
I liked both of them, but I would have to say that the one that actually ended up in the book is better. I love it when a novel hooks you with the action right at the beginning. The passive ghost wasn't as frightening as a ghost who knocks you off your horse and laughs when you plunge a dagger in his chest. Thank you for sharing the original with us--it is nice to see how a book can change with revisions!
Jordan Finch said…
I prefer the one that ended up in the book- start me off with some action, and I'm totally hooked. My luck with beginnings vary. Sometimes they flow right onto the page without a problem, while other times I can almost finish the entire story before I think of a good beginning.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Vivien said…
I definitely prefer the finished version. I need a book to start with a bang and rope me into the story. If that happens, I can outlast just about anything. If it's too slow in the beginning, my mind set is just screwed.

Thanks!

Vivien
deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com
I think both versions can be unique and very different. Thank you for the giveaway!
guguberis@hotmail.com
I love seeing the original beginning and how far the book came. I agree that the new beginning is much less passive. You're thrown right into the action and then start piecing components together rather than being told everything. It also seems like Darri and Varis initially had a different relationship with one another initially, and their relationship is biting from the beginning in the final writing.

This was interesting to see. Thank you for sharing! <3
Charlotte said…
I can come up with beginnings as easily as breathing....it's the next bits that are tricky!

I loved Mistwood from its first pages!
Alison Can Read said…
I like both versions - but maybe it's because I love Leah's writing so much. Beginnings definitely are hard. It's hard for me to get it right as a writer. I have to remember that I can come back and change things later if it's not right at first.
I haven't got the chance to read this book yet which why I hope to win it.Please count me in. Thanks

darkenf(at)rocketmail(dot)com
Kristi said…
This is a great peek at some text that didn't end up in the published version. I definitely like both beginnings so I'll have to think about this for a little while...

Anyway, as both a reader and aspiring reader, I think most beginnings are hard. In other words, writing them has been difficult for me (so far) because I only write as a hobby and haven't picked up that skill on figuring out a good place to begin a story. As a reader, I feel like there's a lot of pressure on a book to capture my attention, otherwise I might toss it aside and never finish.

I would say my favorite beginnings are ones that immediately draw me into a world and take me on this crazy ride from there.

:)

Kristi S.
quailsrock23(at)yahoo(dot)com
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol ultram how get high tramadol - tramadol dosage premature ejaculation
Anonymous said…
tramadol 100mg tramadol 50mg t7 - tramadol with acetaminophen high
Anonymous said…
tramadol online no prescription tramadol online cheap no prescription - tramadol kratom
Anonymous said…
tramadol buy tramadol hcl nausea - buy ultram online no rx
Anonymous said…
ativan drug side effects of ativan .5 mg - lorazepam online india
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol with mastercard tramadol overdose in canine - tramadol ultracet dosage
Anonymous said…
cheap clonazepam klonopin for anxiety panic - long do effects 2mg klonopin last
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol online no prescription cheap tramadol hcl 50mg tab mylan side effects - tramadol hcl er 200 mg tab
Anonymous said…
clonazepam mg klonopin 5 panel drug test - generic klonopin cost
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol 180 tramadol online 99 - tramadol online buy
Anonymous said…
tramadol online buy tramadol free shipping - tramadol hcl dosage
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol cash on delivery tramadol dosage sizes - tramadol hcl ibuprofen
Anonymous said…
generic tramadol can u overdose tramadol - generic tramadol online no prescription
Anonymous said…
2mg klonopin therapeutic dosage klonopin - klonopin side effects and breastfeeding
Anonymous said…
buy ativan online usual dosage ativan anxiety - ativan side effects and withdrawal
Anonymous said…
cheap klonopin online side effects 4 mg klonopin - klonopin withdrawal opiates
Anonymous said…
tramadol online buy tramadol in canada online - buy tramadol in canada online
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol online no prescription cod tramadol hcl paracetamol tablets - tramadol online www.tigblog.org
Anonymous said…
ativan sale ativan high cortisol - buy ativan cheap
Anonymous said…
tramadol online buy tramadol store - tramadol dosage mayo clinic
Anonymous said…
buy ambien there generic ambien cr - ambien 10mg images
Anonymous said…
carisoprodol no prescription do soma pills get you high - soma 350 mg drug interactions
Anonymous said…
generic ambien sales of ambien - what does ambien cr 12.5 look like
Anonymous said…
buy ambien online no prescription side effects ambien cr 12.5 - ambien cr instructions
Anonymous said…
soma online generic soma good - soma 350 mg vs flexeril
Anonymous said…
tramadol generic tramadol dosage oral - order tramadol with money order
Anonymous said…
zolpidem online buy brand name ambien online - ambien dosage for insomnia
Anonymous said…
soma online soma quote from brave new world - buy watson brand soma online
Anonymous said…
generic ambien ambien price on street - much time sleep ambien
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol online cheap buy tramadol online reviews - buy tramadol without rx
Anonymous said…
klonopin online no prescription overnight klonopin .5 street value - companies make generic klonopin
Anonymous said…
generic ambien ambien side effects amnesia - ambien side effects yahoo
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol online with mastercard tramadol hcl restless leg syndrome - legit online pharmacy tramadol
Anonymous said…
buy ambien ambience mall gurgaon review - buy ambien cheap online
Anonymous said…
buy ambien online ambien side effects double vision - cheap ambien generic
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol 180 where to buy tramadol online - tramadol no high
Anonymous said…
buy klonopin online 1mg of klonopin high - combining klonopin and alcohol
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol buy tramadol from canada - tramadol dosage body weight
Anonymous said…
online soma buy somatropin in usa - side effects soma muscle relaxer
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol online buy tramadol online cod no prescription - tramadol 50 mg canine
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol online cheap tramadol overnight delivery - buy tramadol no prescription
Anonymous said…
generic ambien ambien cr price comparison - ambien drug warnings
Anonymous said…
where to buy tramadol tramadol 93 58 pill - buy tramadol online dogs
Anonymous said…
generic soma online somo 650 hard reset - cheap parking soma san francisco
Anonymous said…
buy zolpidem online ambien cr vs temazepam - ambien reset sleep cycle
Anonymous said…
viagra online why not to buy generic viagra - viagra online discreet
Anonymous said…
buy ambien online no prescription ambien 10 mg with alcohol - ambien dosage chart
Anonymous said…
order viagra overnight buy viagra ebay - viagra online ireland
Anonymous said…
carisoprodol online how to buy soma - buy genotropin (somatropin)
Anonymous said…
buying ambien online buy ambien fast shipping - can i take 3 - 10mg ambien
Anonymous said…
ambien for sale online long does 10mg ambien work - ambien side effects fatigue
Anonymous said…
buy ambien ambien for sleep in pregnancy - how do ambien pills look like
Anonymous said…
soma 350 mg soma muscle relaxant drug - getting high soma drug
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol tramadol not working - buy tramadol ampules
Anonymous said…
buy ambien online ambien 5 panel drug screen - 10 mg ambien too much
Anonymous said…
buy klonopin online cheap klonopin side effects fetus - klonopin diphenhydramine erowid
Anonymous said…
viagra online purchase generic viagra canada - buy herbal viagra online
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol online cheap can you order tramadol online legally - buy tramadol dogs
Anonymous said…
buy viagra buy viagra malaysia - buy viagra 100mg uk
Anonymous said…
viagra no prescription tosh.0 viagra episode - viagra online shop
Anonymous said…
buy soma soma medication strengths - cheap generic soma
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol online half life tramadol 50mg - tramadol hcl 50 mg get you high
Anonymous said…
how to buy viagra online can i buy viagra in japan - buy viagra online cheap with no prescription
Anonymous said…
soma online who sells soma bras - buy somatropin online
Anonymous said…
buy viagra las vegas cheap viagra to canada - order viagra now
Anonymous said…
buy viagra cialis online cheap viagra tesco - viagra 800
Anonymous said…
soma for sale soma drug experiences - buy aura soma london
Anonymous said…
how to buy viagra online buy viagra online canadian pharmacy - reputable viagra online pharmacy
Anonymous said…
cialis online tesco cialis price - cialis online 4rx
Anonymous said…
buying viagra viagra online pharmacy india - buy viagra hujagra 2011
Anonymous said…
soma online soma quill stem adapter - buy somatropin usa
Anonymous said…
buy viagra online pharmacy buy viagra forum - viagra dosage maximum
Anonymous said…
generic viagra 50mg can buy viagra online canada - buy viagra online new york
Anonymous said…
order viagra online without a prescription buy cheap viagra online australia - buy viagra online generic
Anonymous said…
buy viagra online pharmacy buy viagra online uk cheap - generic viagra online cheap
Anonymous said…
order tramadol online cod tramadol 100mg seizure - tramadol to buy online in usa
Anonymous said…
propecia pills cheap generic propecia finasteride - propecia generic cost
Anonymous said…
buy propecia online buy propecia walmart - generic propecia manufacturers
Anonymous said…
buy cheap generic viagra online generic viagra canada review - online pharmacy viagra south africa
Anonymous said…
buy cialis online overnight shipping buy cialis online overnight - buy cialis online pay with paypal
Anonymous said…
generic strattera medication comparable strattera - strattera drug class
Anonymous said…
how to buy cialis cialis online legal - cialis online from us pharmacy
Anonymous said…
propecia sale is the generic propecia as effective - propecia cost no insurance
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol online buy tramadol no prescription cod - xymel 50mg tramadol hydrochloride
Anonymous said…
buy cialis generic cialis joint pain - price for cialis 5mg australia
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol cod online no prescription for tramadol - tramadol 180
Anonymous said…
buy viagra viagra 100mg price - generic soft viagra online
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol online mastercard overnight tramadol withdrawal stomach pain - tramadol prescription
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol online no prescription cod tramadol ultram same thing - tramadol addiction 2010
Anonymous said…
tramadol online order tramadol online 100mg - tramadol hcl 50 mg
Anonymous said…
where to buy retin a retin-a how to use - buying retin a in usa
Anonymous said…
how to buy viagra online buy viagra kamagra - buy cheap viagra usa
Anonymous said…
buy generic tramadol no prescription cheap tramadol no prescription needed - tramadol 50mg street
Anonymous said…
strattera cost strattera 80 mg cost - buy strattera no prescription
Anonymous said…
tramadol overnight shipping tramadol 50 mg for ultram - tramadol hcl 50 mg does get you high
Anonymous said…
buy propecia buy propecia generic online - propecia generic buy
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol online tramadol hcl 150 - tramadol 50 mg street value
Anonymous said…
tramadol online pharmacy buy tramadol online australia - tramadol hcl tab 50mg
Anonymous said…
tramadol no prescription tramadol 50mg can you get high - buy tramadol 50mg online
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol tramadol withdrawal rls - tramadol 50 mg buy online
Anonymous said…
tramadol online tramadol 50 mg to get high - buy tramadol with cod delivery
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol buy tramadol cod delivery - buy tramadol uk
Anonymous said…
buy propecia online propecia 6 month results - buy propecia ebay
Anonymous said…
tramadol 50 buy tramadol online overnight shipping - buy tramadol online legit
Anonymous said…
tramadol online neurontin and tramadol high - tramadol 50 mg common side effects
Anonymous said…
propecia for sale generic version of propecia - legal buy propecia online
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol tramadol 400 - buy tramadol legally online
Anonymous said…
order strattera generic for strattera medication - strattera discount card
Anonymous said…
propecia hair loss buy propecia europe - propecia generic patent
Anonymous said…
tramadol 50 mg tramadol withdrawal after 2 weeks - tramadol withdrawal symptoms and duration
Anonymous said…
tramadol 50 mg tramadol online 180 - tramadol dosage to get high
Anonymous said…
order tramadol online order tramadol cod - buy 100mg tramadol
Anonymous said…
tramadol 50mg buy tramadol online no prescription mastercard - buy tramadol us pharmacy
Anonymous said…
generic viagra viagra for cheap online - viagra street price
Anonymous said…
buy cheap cialis buy cialis from mexico - cialis daily vs. cialis 36 hour
Anonymous said…
cialis online canada generic cialis paypal - cialis 36 vs daily
Anonymous said…
order viagra online generic viagra best place to buy - purchase viagra paypal
Anonymous said…
buy cialis cheap cialis canada - how much cialis daily
Anonymous said…
buy tramadol buy tramadol with a mastercard - tramadol online without rx
Anonymous said…
purchase viagra generic viagra quality - buy viagra online tesco
Anonymous said…
order cialis online cialis or viagra - cialis online order canada
Anonymous said…
cheap viagra buy viagra online boots - viagra 50mg online
Anonymous said…
tadalafil no prescription buy+cialis+online+without+prescription+in+canada - cialis 2.5 mg price
Anonymous said…
generic cialis no prescription buy cialis johor bahru - cialis online vancouver
Anonymous said…
buy generic viagra generic viagra in the united states - viagra edema
Anonymous said…
cheap viagra buy viagra online cheap category - where to buy viagra online forum
Anonymous said…
cheap viagra can you purchase viagra - viagra+buy+pharmacy
Anonymous said…
generic cialis generic cialis with no prescription - cialis daily basis
Anonymous said…
cheap tadalafil cheap generic cialis from canada - buy cialis online from uk
Anonymous said…
generic cialis buy cialis with paypal - cialis online drugs
Anonymous said…
buy cialis buy cialis online from uk - eli lilly cialis price
Anonymous said…
buy cialis buy cialis online from usa - cialis 30 day price
Anonymous said…
generic cialis price for cialis 10mg - cheap-cialis.net
Anonymous said…
buy soma online soma withdrawal - soma food trucks
Anonymous said…
viagra online buy viagra online to us - viagra sales
Anonymous said…
buy soma online salzarex generic soma - soma pills pictures
Anonymous said…
generic cialis buy generic cialis in usa - cialis 60 mg
Anonymous said…
soma drug buy soma online usa - soma muscle drug
Anonymous said…
buy cialis daily use cialis reviews - buy generic cialis generic cialis
Anonymous said…
tramadol online no prescription tramadol 50 mg 377 - tramadol hcl user reviews
Anonymous said…
buy soma online soma pajamas - buy soma muscle relaxer
Anonymous said…
online soma order soma online - soma pills online
Anonymous said…
viagra 100mg best place buy viagra yahoo - generic viagra joke
Anonymous said…
viagra online buy viagra online no rx - generic viagra online from us
Anonymous said…
buy soma online soma medication narcotic - buy soma in us with
Anonymous said…
viagra online buy viagra professional online - buy viagra online generic
Anonymous said…
buy cialis target pharmacy price cialis - can buy cialis usa
Anonymous said…
buy soma best place buy soma online - buy soma online no prescription cheap
Anonymous said…
http://www.integrativeonc.org/adminsio/buyklonopinonline/#buy klonopin max dose - klonopin side effects common
Anonymous said…
learn how to buy tramdadol tramadol not working - canadian tramadol no prescription
Anonymous said…
http://www.integrativeonc.org/adminsio/buyklonopinonline/#buy klonopin 0.25 - buy klonopin in canada
Anonymous said…
Our motivation is to dispatch the is to ranch the erotic love of play among the hoi polloi just about. [url=http://www.tasty-onlinecasino.co.uk/]online casinos[/url] online casino It's the simply Reformist pot in the creation that can be won the casino Tender me? http://www.tasty-onlinecasino.co.uk/
Scarlet said…
Hi there,

Thank you so much for the post you do and also I like your post, Are you looking for buy genotropin online at best rates in the whole USA? We are providing stanolic 10mg,buy hygetropin hgh online,buy hygetropin hgh online,buy mdppp,winstrol balkan with the well price and our services are very fast.

Click here for MORE DETAILS......

Mail Us:info@globalroidsmedsshop.com

Popular Posts