Publishing Update #1 - Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Great News!
We are currently formatting our books for ebook and paperback. Very soon fans will be able to hold the book in their hands. We are near the finish line on two more novels set in the same world as well.
As I type this, Narcisse is busy creating fantastic new graphics, converting the text to a fabulous font and designing a kickass experience for both e-readers and print readers. Stay tuned for more details!
We have decided to unpublish Book Two to support the new edition. Book One will remain on Wattpad for the near future.
Fear not though, as soon as the new edition is ready we will post the details on how to get it.
Thank you for all your support,
Marzio
Temporary Note #11 - Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Hi guys, Narcisse here. We haven't released a note in a while so I thought I'd drop in and say a few words. First, thank you for the continued support, votes, comments, and reads. Marzio and I are thrilled to have crossed 100K reads. That is just...awesome!!! Thank you.
Summer is a crazy time for both of us and we've been super busy.
A few years ago my husband and I bought a fixer upper in upstate NY and when Spring and Summer come around, the repairs begin. This year, my garden was featured in a countryside garden tour and just a few days ago I welcomed 350 people to my backyard. Needless to say, I'm exhausted. Marzio came over to help and on July 4th we spent about 12 hours in grueling heat pulling weeds and getting the place ready. Friday and Saturday were no different. I've been spending 3-4 hours a day after my workday ends on the garden. I love making things grow, but this year was more intense than usual. I decided to landscape/hardscape a large portion of my yard, hoist a 3,000 lb. Pan statue, rebuild my Victorian gazebo, and establish two new garden areas. Crazy, I know but the results were worth it!
Ravensrook Gardens
This week, I'm flying to Ecuador while Marzio is hopping from plane to plane across the US. The next chapter is 3,000 words and not ready to be posted. We are still editing. I'm sad to say we won't be updating the story this Friday, but we didn't want to leave you hanging.
Huge hugs from New York! Hope you are all soaking in the sunlight and the warmth and basking in the glory of summer!
Cheers,
-Narcisse Navarre
Temporary Note #10 - Friday, March 23, 2018
Oops!
Today we discovered a continuity error in the chronology of our chapters. Posting our novel one week at a time on Wattpad has helped us find this glitch.
The arc covered by the most recently published chapters: Let the Games Begin, The Elegy, and Unfinished Stanzas reads well sequentially because they are interconnected. However, there are two unpublished chapters which contain events which chronologically coincide with those chapters that need to precede them.
Narcisse and I discussed unpublishing The Elegy and Unfinished Stanzas until the new chapters were ready, but we agree that doing so will only create confusion. We feel it is better to add the missing sections as soon as possible.
For those of you who are up to date, we encourage you to go back and reread the inserted chapters once they go live.
The correct sequence will be:
• The Games Begin
• Through the Thicket (Coming soon)
• The Elegy
• A Tale of Two Guards (Coming soon)
• Unfinished Stanzas
Last but not least, we have a new art commission in progress! Check it out.
(Artwork by Agata Fiszer)
Thank you for your support. We love your comments and feedback!
-Marzio and Narcisse
Temporary Note #9- Friday, February 2nd, 2018
Yes, many consider Groundhog's Day a silly tradition (and superstition) but in this day and age, we need frivolity and humor more than ever.
If you are unfamiliar with the tradition, it goes something like this: German settlers in North America brought many traditions with them. One holiday was Candlemass, which in itself is an iteration of a much older holiday known as Imbolc. The holiday falls midway between Winter Solstice (the darkest day of the year) and Spring Equinox (when day and night are of equal length). It marks the turning point from Winter toward Spring. The superstition states that if the weather is fair, there will be six more weeks bad winter weather. If the weather is cloudy and bad, spring will arrive early. In Germany, the prophetic animal was the badger, whereas in America (and Canada) that responsibility falls to the groundhog (marmota monax).
The earliest mention of the groundhog as winter forecaster was in a diary written by James L. Morris of Morgantown, Pennsylvania on February 2, 1840. The first news article about the event was published by the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper in 1886. A year later, Groundhog's Day became an official holiday.
And thus it is in the spirit of fun and warmer weather that we offer you our best wishes on Groundhog's Day. Let us hope the groundhog doesn't see his shadow because we are soooo ready for SPRING!
Be safe, be well, be happy!
-Marzio & Narcisse
Temporary Note #8- Saturday, December 24, 2017
Greetings everyone!
As I type this, my wonderful coauthor and friend Marzio is on his way to my house bearing gifts and gluten-free shortbread cookies. Yes, I said gluten-free shortbread. For those of you who aren't gluten-free and can enjoy flaky pastry whenever you like, I will tell you that gluten-free shortbread is nothing short of a Christmas miracle. Marzio is really spoiling me by baking this delicious treat.
But the cookies are not the only reason for my sunny mood. I'm about to drive to my parents' house where I'll be reunited with family members that I haven't seen in a while. I'm Cuban and Christmas Eve is the night when we party. It's going to be loud and boisterous around the table as we await the chime of midnight so we can open presents.
I didn't grow up in the United States, and English is not my first language. I grew up in rural Cuba in a three-room home with packed dirt floors and no plumbing. I know that's hard for many of you to imagine, but I didn't see a toilet flush until I was six years old. Electricity ran only till around eight at night. I went to school on a horse.
Growing up, we didn't have toothpaste or chocolate or gum or even toilet paper. There is a joke in Cuban households that Cubans breed "smart asses." This makes sense when you consider that the average Cuban wipes with newspapers, not Charmin.
Where am I going with all of this?
Well, I'm here to say that I'm grateful for all the sacrifice my parents made to give me a better life. I'm blessed to have had the opportunity to go to college; to pursue my dreams; to live in a place where freedom of expression is possible. I'm an immigrant, and life hasn't always been easy, but with perseverance and hard work, I've managed to turn my dreams into a reality.
I used to dream of castles. Now I live in one!
In the words of brave Harriet Tubman, "Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars."
I hope that during the holidays, regardless of where you find yourself, you will feel cozy, happy, and (even a little) spoiled. Always be grateful for your blessings; always consider that there are many who have less than you do; many who are living in deplorable conditions; many who don't have clean drinking water, never mind gluten-free shortbread. Be kind to those who are different from you. Appreciate the little things. Be humble.
AND REJOICE!!!
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! May 2018 grace you all with inspiration, health, and success.
-Narcisse
_,.-'~'-.,__,.-'~'-.,__,.-'~'-.,__,.-'~'-.,__,.-'~'-.,_
Lastly, I'd like to thank all of you for reading, commenting, and just being awesome!
As of right now, The Tendrils of Fate has 47.7K views and 2.3K votes. The book has just hit its best ranking ever. We are currently #62 in Fantasy. Wow!
THANK YOU!
WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!
Temporary Note #7- Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Here in America, we are about to celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a time of family, friends, and feasting. Sometimes in the happy pandemonium of food, booze, and good company we forget that the holiday is also about gratitude for the good things we have in life.
Narcisse and I have not had easy lives, like everyone else we have endured and overcome our share of troubles and woes. And it is true that like you, there are things in our lives that we desire and have yet to acquire or achieve. It is equally true that what we do have in our lives right now is pretty damned good. Not all wealth is measured in coin; not all success is measured in victory. We are both in a good place and are painfully aware that many are not as fortunate.
This world is an unforgiving place, and it doesn't take much effort to see the darkness. Lately, it seems that people are scared, angry, and resentful. Debate has given way to argument, differences of opinion have become lines in the sand, and fear mongering is in overdrive. If one isn't careful, one can drown in the misery. And we all know what misery loves.
Which is why we embrace positivity. It is a choice, perhaps a rebellion. Blithely ignoring what is all around us is folly of course. Positivity is not about living a life in blissful ignorance nor is it checking out of reality. Positivity is a decision to seek the light no matter how dark it gets, a conscious effort to look for the good, to seek the beauty in life, and when found, to cherish it. It is about recognizing and appreciating what we do have and not on the things we do not.
It sure isn't easy, but it is a much better way to live.
As we prepare for our Thanksgiving holidays, Narcisse and I wanted to take a moment to recognize and cherish another of our blessings. You, our dear readers. Your enthusiasm, feedback, and support have been an ongoing source of joy for us. We cannot thank you enough, but we will try.
Thank you for reading our work.
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.
Thank you for supporting us. You make a difference.
We wish you and your families all the best in life.
Gratefully,
Marzio & Narcisse
Temporary Note #6 - Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Hello everyone!
The publication of Chapter 30: Command of the Fleet marks the end of Book One (of Three) for The Tendrils of Fate.
That was a wonderful statement to type.
Five years of writing, rewriting, laughing, shouting, crying, quitting, restarting, editing, and re-editing is all that it took to get here! XD
From the very beginning of our partnership, Narcisse and I have held to one particular rule of writing as paramount: Write what you want to read. The real question remained unanswered —would anyone else enjoy reading our book? We were pretty sure there was an audience out there. However, aside from beta readers, there was only one way to find out for certain. Release it.
When Narcisse and I discussed whether to upload our novel to Wattpad, we were uncertain of the response our work would receive. Wattpad represented the wilderness in a manner of speaking. Our book would be read and judged by the world at large. It was also the first opportunity to connect with you—our audience.
You! Yes, you!
Thank you so much for all your comments and support. Every time we see a new comment in our Notifications, it is a thrill. Your feedback inspires us, it fuels our purpose more than I ever could have imagined.
Thank you for joining us on this journey. I promise you this, the story so far was a build up and now things are about to intensify. Book Two begins this Friday! The fates of our characters will begin to converge and a mysterious presence will make itself known.
Finally, a very special shout out to @Ms_Horrendous who took a pair of Wattpad first-timers under her wing and introduced us to this terrific community. She was kind and willing to share her knowledge with us. Her generosity made all the difference in our foray into Wattpad. Thank you, Senpai!
With all sincerity,
Marzio and Narcisse
PS - Some of you may have noticed that Narcisse is not reading and commenting as often as she has in the past. This is because she has accepted the NaNoWriMo challenge and is devoted to succeeding. So far she is knocking it out of the park. I am spoiled because I get to read each chapter as she completes it! Narcisse will return once she has conquered the challenge.
PPS - Speaking of Narcisse, did you know that her story "Innocents" was added to "Jack" by @ShaunAllan , a collection of Jack the Ripper inspired short stories?
This is the URL to read all the stories (including one by @Ms_Horrendous ) https://www.wattpad.com/story/122621999-jack
Temporary Note #5 - Monday, October 23, 2017
Greetings! As many of you have seen, we've published a new bookplate illustration for the Whisperers chapter. We're very happy to be working with talented artist Agata Fiszer. Her interpretation of our book is nothing short of amazing.
The Whisperers scene was not an easy one to render as it includes four characters and a cluttered captain's cabin. Gøran is seen on the right side towering over the Seh'nahiel messengers.
Many of you have asked questions regarding the various bloodlines mentioned in The Tendrils of Fate. We've used terms like Curskin, Bissatiel, Seh'nahiel, etc. While the answers can be found in the context of the book, we thought we'd provide a glimpse into our behind-the-scenes world building.
Those of you interested in world-building geekery read on, otherwise skip. :D
---The Bloodlines of Éveillé---
As we mentioned in our previous temporary note, there are planes that surround the world of the waking (also known as Éveillé). Laremlis, where the story takes place, is part of the waking world where mortals dwell.
The bloodlines of Éveillé have remained constant since the creation of humanoid life. Yes, our mythos is creationist in nature. No, we don't believe in Christian creationism in real life. We're pretty sure dinosaurs walked the earth. In a future update we'll expand on the creation myth itself, but for this update, we'll focus only on bloodlines and their characteristics.
---Seh'nahiel---
Descendants of Anvaari Iahhel, Seh'nahiel pride themselves in being the purest of the ancient bloodlines. The Seh'nahiel are tall and lithe. They are gifted with the longest lifespan of all the bloodlines, but often have trouble conceiving. As a result of time, wars and instability, their bloodline has begun to decline. Skin tone among the Seh'nahiel varies greatly from golden and rosy tones to deep mahogany. Their main distinguishing features are their jewel-like eyes, elongated and pointed ears and fine, silken hair. Many have an affinity for magic. Males average 6'2" and females 5'8".
---Vendraedi---
Descendants of Anvaari Ven (Ruler of the Underworld), the Vendraedi are a widespread race found across the world from Ibea to Ursachia and even in parts of Cypricha. Anvaari blood traits are more nuanced and less obvious in the Vendraedi than other races. Vendraedi people have noticeably longer fingers and melodic voices. Therefore it should be no surprise that most of the lauded bards and minstrels of legend have had Vendraedi blood in their veins. Skin tone and features vary drastically. Vendraedi come in every shape and size. Males average 6' and females 5'6".
---Bissatiel---
Descendants of Anvaari Issatiel, Bissatiel form the tallest of the bloodlines. They are typically fair in skin tone and hair and fare well in areas that are cold. Many Bissatiel live in the northernmost parts of Ibea and Cypricha and possess great strength. Other races consider them giants. Males average 7'5" (2.25m) and females 6'5" (1.9m).
---Bel'Eldriim---
Descendants of Anvaari Bel (The Laughing God), the Bel'Eldriim appear almost human. They typically have lustrous hair, earthy good looks, and a buoyant charm. Their dominant trait is brilliant, intense green eyes that are found in no other bloodline. Their eyes glow softly in darkness and gleam in the sunlight. The Bel'Eldriim also have pointed ears similar to those of the Seh'Nahiel. Males average 6' and females 5'7".
---Cer'bel---
Descendants of Anvaari Addonel, the Cer'beli are a strong bloodline with a high resistance to pain and extreme temperatures. They favor the desert wastelands where other bloodlines fear to tread. Their resistance to thirst and hunger is legendary. Many Cer'beli are nomadic horse riders who are said to have an almost supernatural bond with their horses. Cer'beli eyes glow a bright, almost iridescent shade of blue. Skin tone among the Cer'beli ranges the gamut from golden sand to pale gray and dark slate. They are the shortest of the bloodlines. Males average 5'11" and females 5'5".
---Yerr'drak---
Descendants of Anvaari Taloniel, Yerr'draki are a visually striking people. Their eyes are pure black, like those of a shark and their bodies are naturally more muscular than other bloodlines. Their bone structure is broad and pronounced, and their physiques favor brawny strength over athletic leanness. Skin tone varies from albino whiteness to bronzes and stark onyx. The Yerr'draki have some natural immunity to the effects of magic. Geographically, Yerr'draki can be found in the cold wastes of Cypricha, the southernmost tip of Ursachia (Sullosia) and in Ibea (Dessia). Males average 6' and females 5'8".
---Iah'gren---
Descendants of Anvaari Fi'ehl, Iah'gren are the least populous of the bloodlines. Most people of this bloodline live in the island nation of Xio-Bahnn and surrounding archipelagos. Fi'ehl's bloodline manifests in the form of fangs (pronounced upper and lower canines) and epicanthic folds around the eyes. Iah'gren skin tones vary drastically from ivory and olive to grayer tones. They are lithe with dextrous physiques and shiny, smooth hair which grows at a swift rate. Much of the hair used for wigs comes from Xio-Bahnn. Many myths centered on blood drinking surround the Iah'gren. Males average 6' and females 5'5".
---Curskin---
Curskins are the ultimate blend of all bloodlines and have the greatest diversity of physical traits. The Anvaari blood in their veins has been thinned beyond exhibiting any of the dominant characteristics of any of the bloodlines. They are what we would recognize as merely human. They lack the long fingers of the Vendraedi, the fangs of the Iah'gren, the black eyes of the Yerr'drak, the glowing eyes of the Cer'bel and Bel'Eldriim, the pointed ears of the Seh'nahiel and the height/strength of the Bissatiel. Curskins come in all shapes and sizes. Their height varies. They have no innate abilities and are often discriminated against.
---Why are curskins so reviled?---
All bloodlines can interbreed successfully. A child of two parents of different bloodlines will always demonstrate the blood of the dominant Anvaari. For example, if a Yerr'drak breeds with an Iah'gren their child will either be Yerr'draki or Iah'gren. Once that child has children of his/her own, however, the bloodline of the subsequent generation will weaken unless either a Yerr'draki or an Iah'gren is the chosen mate. The purity of Anvaari blood can diminish in just three or four generations of careless interbreeding resulting in children known as curskins.
Curskins are treated poorly if not outright shunned by purebloods. In some extreme societies like Sullosia, they are seen as abominations and slaughtered at birth. For millennia, the people of Laremlis have proven insular in their desire to propagate outside of their own bloodline. Purity is power, dilution as weakness.
A male or female curskin can only beget another curskin regardless of whom they mate with. Curskin blood destroys pure lineages. Thus, having children with curskins is avoided at all costs.
----
Let us know if you enjoyed reading this. If so, I'll post more of this type of information. Thank you for all the votes and reads. Peace, -Narcisse & Marzio
Temporary Note #4 - Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Hey, hope everyone is doing well. Yesterday was an awful day for us as a nation. Marzio and I have no words...the massacre in Vegas both shocked and saddened us. My husband was in that very spot just three weeks ago. I know some of you live there.
Our thoughts go out to the victims' families. We hope everyone who is hospitalized makes a speedy recovery.
The world feels like a seething cauldron right now. There are millions of people affected by natural disasters, police beating protesters in Catalonia, foreign governments subverting democracy, and North Korean bombs flying over our heads.
Truth, as they say, is stranger than fiction.
But hang in there, there are wonderful things happening around the world too. On this ordinary Tuesday, I'd like to call to your attention that for the first time ever doctors have managed to reverse the brain damage of a two-year-old girl. We are closer than ever to discovering sustainable energy in the form of nuclear fusion. A drug to treat autism has just entered clinical trials. And if that weren't enough, Cuban doctors may have stumbled upon the cure for lung cancer. Last but not least, hyperloops will make it possible to go from NY to Washington in 29 minutes.
Alas, I digress, but I figured I'd send a little ray of sunshine your way. God knows I needed it yesterday.
––Switch––
Since I got back from vacation, I've been busy catching up on my reading on Wattpad. I'm currently reading some amazing stories by some very talented authors.
Both Marzio and I pride ourselves in reading carefully. We do our best to be detailed and helpful in our comments. We are open to doing read for reads but only with committed individuals who will give us the same respect we give to the books that cross our path.
As some of you may have noticed, I unpublished the Cover book. I simply don't have the time to design free covers for folks with my current workload. I know I told some of you I'd have time in October, but it's not looking like I will. Sorry.
Thank you for reading and voting on The Tendrils of Fate. We appreciate it from the bottom of our hearts. The book hit its best ranking this week, coming in at #108 in Fantasy.
Lastly, Marzio and I have begun work on a trilogy which picks up after Tendrils. We're about six chapters into The Soulbinder's Covenant which will star a character you have already met–Redmane.
Here's a piece of original artwork I created for the new books we're currently crafting. It is a diagram of realms beyond the prime material plane. Laremlis, the world where Tendrils takes place in, is in Éveillé, the realm of the waking.
This diagram factors into the mythos of our world. Many of you will recognize the god of death Ven as the ruler of Thule. Hel (which many of you thought was misspelled) is also represented in this diagram. The world we've created is vast.
"The Dream" Diagram by Narcisse Navarre
Temporary Note #3 - Monday, September 18, 2017
While Narcisse continues her fantastical adventure in Germany, I am holding down the fort here in the States.
We have a wonderful new piece of artwork being done by the amazing Agata Fiszer for one of the upcoming chapters. I am excited because it is the chapter that reveals more of the magic of our world and the mysterious Seh'nahiel.
Most of all, I want to thank you all for your support! Your comments are the high point of my week. Thank you!
- Marzio
Temporary Note #2 - Thursday, September 7, 2017
Hey guys, The Tendrils of Fate hit its best ever ranking of #153 in Fantasy. Wow! Narcisse and I are thrilled. Thank you all for the stars and the comments!
Narcisse will be traveling for the next few weeks. She'll be in Barcelona and then in Munich in time for Oktoberfest. Gods only know, she needs lots of beer after dealing with me for all this time!
;) -Marzio
Temporary Note #1 - Monday, August 28, 2017
Happy Monday, everyone!
We're thrilled that The Tendrils of Fate is turning the corner on 800 votes and 30k reads. The large number of reads is partly due to us sharing the link of the first five chapters on blogs and social media sites. While Wattpad counts such an interaction as a "read" it's really just a page refresh, so that number doesn't mean much to us.
Here's what matters to us: Actual readers.
Marzio and I are humbled to have awesome readers like you who have genuinely inspired us to keep writing. We are grateful for all of you who have come over and had conversations with us; who have given us a little bit of your time to join us in the world we've created. We can't thank you enough–seriously.
There was a time when we weren't sure if we wanted to do this writing thing anymore.
Here's a bit more honesty. For over a year we queried the work with agents who repeatedly told us that our work was not good enough, and not marketable enough. Rejection after rejection piled up, but we didn't give up. We kept polishing the book and working on it, but one very serious part of the writing formula was missing: Readers.
Before we came to Wattpad, only our editor and three beta readers had read the book.
Here on Wattpad we have not only found readers, but a community of amazing and supportive creative souls to travel the road alongside us. We are thrilled to have crossed paths with you all.
You guys get it!
You get why we write, why we read, and why we create.
So we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for stopping by and checking out our work. It means more than you can imagine.
-Narcisse & Marzio
PS...
Here's a sketch for our upcoming bookplate "FORKLEAF." The final version is coming soon.
Artwork by Agata Fiszer.