The Little Owl

March 28, 2022 by acackler Leave a Comment

Sisters – New Digital Art

I’ve completed my latest digital art, featuring Gwen and Josephine from Little Owl. This isn’t from any particular scene from the book, but I just wanted to paint something happy. This is how I picture the sisters hanging out when life is a little less exciting. These little slices of life are beautiful to look at and are certainly desirable for our day to day lives, but they don’t make very exciting fiction lol.

The scene I used to add the background text was from about halfway through the book, when Josephine comforts Gwen through some confusion and regret. It doesn’t fit the image at all, but it is a very “big sister” kind of moment for them. They have only just met, and they haven’t got a feel for each other yet, but Josephine knows that Gwen needs her. And she is more than up to the task.

You can watch the time lapse for the drawing below. Enjoy!! And let me know what you think of it in the comments. 🙂

July 3, 2021 by acackler Leave a Comment

Waking Up the Giants

I am so excited to announce that my latest short story is available now! Waking Up the Giants is one of those niggling little stories that started out one way… and of course became something entirely new and amazing that I would have NEVER predicted.

This story started with a song, specifically Waking Up the Giants by Grizfolk. Every time this song came up on my playlist, I always thought, “Man, this could make a great story.”

And I was totally right. Here’s the song itself, for anyone who isn’t familiar:

So one day when I was driving home, trying to think of a new short story idea, this song came on the car stereo. And I resolved to finally write the story that this song begged for.

I came home that day, ignored everyone in the house, and ran straight up to my computer to write down the rough premise. Just so I wouldn’t forget.

An Unexpected Connection

I was obsessed. I couldn’t think about anything else but this. It took about a month to write the whole story (in between other daily work things), and something magical happened somewhere in the middle. The main character, Eoghan, stood at a high up vista and could see the ocean on the distant horizon.

That meant I needed a name for that ocean. And that’s when I remembered something from my upcoming novel, Little Owl. In that book, there was a brief mention of a far off land across the Arigua Ocean.

The idea hit me like a bolt of lightening. THIS was the foreign land. Waking Up the Giants and Little Owl are (of course) in the same universe — though an ocean apart.

From there, the dominos started falling. I had intentionally set up Little Owl so that the ending left room for a potential sequel. And here, in Waking Up the Giants, I found the direction that sequel would take. Both the story and the novel stand alone, but someday they will be connected by an epic sequel.

I am extraordinarily proud of Waking Up the Giants, and I can’t wait to hear what everyone thinks of it. This short story is entirely free for subscribers and can be downloaded instantly. Let me know what you think!

Waking Up the Giants

Adult | Fantasy | Word count 13,569
Content warning: Some swearing and mild violence.

Eoghan and Nora are on a mission. In a last ditch effort to save their war torn country, they have been sent to climb the Mountain and wake the Giants.

Eoghan is certain the old legends about the Giants are just stories from his childhood. But when they find the fabled Clarion, he begins to believe the impossible.

His job is to get Nora safely to the peak. But if the Giants are real, it may be safer to go back down.

Get Your Copy

If you’re already a subscriber, simply look for the download link in your July 1st newsletter (or any newsletter moving forward – you can download it any time!). Alternatively, you can reach out to me on Facebook, and I’ll send you the link no problem.

Not a subscriber yet? Simply add your email below and click “Subscribe.” You will find the download link in your welcome email, which goes out instantly.

February 4, 2021 by acackler Leave a Comment

The Possibility of Paul

A deleted scene from The Little Owl.

Last night, I typed two magic words into my third draft for The Little Owl:

The End

Don’t get too excited. There is still a lot of editing and cutting to do before final edits, beta reading, and more edits. Right now, I’m sitting heavy at 108,815 words. That’s about five to ten thousand too many.

Nonetheless, I started this story way back in high school, nearly two decades ago, and this is the first time this story has had an actual climax and ending. So I’m calling that a big fat win.

Woo!

To celebrate, I’d like to share this deleted scene from The Little Owl between Gwen, the main character, and her best friend Paul. In early drafts, I toyed with the idea of a mild love interest between them (I know, I know. I’m a romantic. Cut me some slack.)

That idea got scrapped in the latest draft for fear of producing a love triangle or a friend zone. I love Paul far too much to dump him into either of those categories as a third wheel.

But I found this scene lovely, so at least I can share it here. Enjoy!

The Possibility of Paul

Leaning against the door jam with the swaths of crimson and lilac spilling from the sky, he was like a painting. The doorway framed him in pure color and peace. I watched his profile, saw the bright colors reflected in his clear eyes. This was Paul. My most steadfast friend, most reliable, most sure. Until now, he’d only been a companion, true and real. But now, in this light, I could see the seeds of something more.

I walked over to him and stood in the doorway next to him. From this angle, his eyes were just his eyes again. Warm and brown. He looked down at me with his usual, calm expression. He raised one eyebrow in question.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said,” I answered. “About getting married.”

His eyebrow lowered and he nodded. It was an acknowledgement. There was no nervousness or hopefulness, just waiting. “And what have you decided?”

I frowned a little, just a little. “What would that life be like?” I asked thoughtfully. “I can almost see it, like it’s just out of the corner of my eye.”

He continued to watch me, waiting. It was times like this that I wished I could see into his mind, see what he was thinking. He was my biggest mystery at all times, and my greatest intrigue.

I don’t know what made me do it. An urge came over me and my body obeyed. Gently, I rose up and kissed him on the mouth.

He didn’t pull away as I approached, though he had plenty of time to do so. In fact, he bent down and kissed me back. It was calm and quiet, like the vivid sunset that painted us. And in that kiss, in the unexpected softness of his lips, in the scratch of his beard, in the touch of his hand on my arm, in the sigh of his breath, I could see it then. I could see that life.

I could see us in a stone cottage near the fields with a great sycamore casting shade over the front door. Children chased bugs in the tall grass. Paul walked home in the sunset, sweat on his brow and a sack of grain over his shoulder. He touched my face in greeting as passed into the house to wash up for dinner. It was easy and comfortable and good, and in that moment, it was all I wanted.

And then the kiss ended, and the scene dissipated.

I looked up into his eyes and saw a warmth and a wonder there. Then I knew that what I had seen had not been my imagination.

“Did you see it?” I asked.

He nodded, his hands on my face.

“It could be a beautiful life,” I said.

He gave me a rueful smile. He pulled me close and kissed me on the forehead, then wrapped his arms around me in a tight embrace. “It could be,” he agreed. “But it’s not our path, I don’t think.”

I soaked up his warmth in the cooling sunset and stared out over the fields. “No,” I said. “I don’t think it is. But I’m glad you’re here now.”

He gave me one final squeeze before letting me go. He smiled down at me and put my arm in his. “It’s getting late. Time to head back in,” he said.

I nodded, and we started down the dirt track that led back to town.

January 9, 2021 by acackler Leave a Comment

On the City of Valheid.

Taken from the notes document for The Little Owl. This is some world building for Valheid, the seat of government for Derehan, where the bulk of the story is set.

In the northern country and at higher altitudes, so the buildings will have extremely steep roofs with thatch or sod. Stone and wood construction. Cobbled streets and dirt roads.
Well thought out drainage ditches and canals with a very simple sewer system for runoff only. No indoor plumbing or black water management. Chamber pots and out houses.
There is no military, but there is a guard. They are not a war-like kind of people, but they do recognize the need for military-like men. Members of the Guard train in hand to hand combat, often live in the barracks (but are not required to). They act as community service, civil peace keepers, defense, and emergency assistance. They are basically the army, police, firemen, etc. They are very well trained and organized, running under Cynebald (general), 2 captains, then sergeants who manage smaller squads. All of the city states of Derehan have guards, and in time of national emergency, they can all send men from their guards to make a national militia, who would be led by Cynebald.
The only real natural disaster possibilities are blizzards in the winter and the occasional flood during a particularly rainy spring (while the melting snow is still making everything too wet anyway). This is managed with simple planning. The only real social assistance is to make sure that everyone has enough supplies and to help neighbors dig out if they get snowed in. The guard distributes any supplies needed and provides assistance. In the case of flooding, the city was designed to handle it so the flooding only ever endangers some farming fields or outlying properties outside of the city proper.
How did the city get its name?
City’s main exports are barley, wool, livestock, oats, medicines, and flax. They have artisans and also export wool and linen cloth, both luxury and plain. The market has room for all kinds, preserved and fresh foods and herbs, cloth, tools, alcohols, livestock auction (held in the outskirts), medicines, and services. The leatherworks guild is very well respected in the area, as is the blacksmithing guild.
The city’s main imports are sugar and exotic foods like citrus fruits and spices, iron and other metals, coal, salt (there are very few mining operations in Derehan, especially around Valheid). There is some market for things like gems and precious metals, but only a little so traders just bring some and try to sell, sometimes with success and sometimes without.
The greathouse oversees all import laws and settles disputes, but almost all of the importing is done privately by local merchants.
Other major land holdings: All of these also have extensive farming etc to provide for themselves, but these are the exports that are of main interest to Valheid specifically.
- Mairn: owned by Leland. Main produce is grapes, hops, grain, wine and beer.
- Purgo: owned by Nanette Graves. Main produce is grain and livestock
- Silda: owned by Heidi known for healing and medicines, and also has a fish hatchery so they export salt fish and smoked fish, specifically trout.
- Barano: owned by a wealthy merchant named Cornelius, basically just a farming community.
Turly is the shady street. It’s close to the city walls on the western side where the slope gets extremely steep, and is the least valuable property. Therefore it has over time become a haven for criminal activity, sex work, and tramps and is rife with poverty. The guard spends a lot of time dealing with Turly Street, and Gwen and Jo often go there to assist with social programs.
The wealthier homes are closer to the center of town near the greathouse and run along avenues branching off of the main road.
The roads are in a grid formation, very practical and simple. The water is provided by wells.

Sisters – New Digital Art