Magician of Melody, Herald of Harmony, Rocker of Refrain.

Are you tired of listening to same old songs—built off of the same old three chords—over, and over, and over, and over again on your Christian radio station? If you are, then you're in luck! Here for one blog post only is that magician of melody, that herald of harmony, that rocker of refrain... It's the one-and-only Abbey!!

~cue applause~

Thank you, thank you. It's an honor to be here on the blog today. So, you're tired of listening to That-One-Generic-Worship-Song-That-They-Play-On-The-Radio? Never fear, I, Abbey, am here! Here to help you—yes, you!—find the right Christian music for you to focus on while your stuck in traffic so that you don't yell at other drivers! I'm gonna tell you about albums that have originality, harmony, and variety; I'm gonna tell you about musicians who perform and write their own songs! So, lend me your ears, friends, Romans, countrymen, and anyone else who happens to reading! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the music:

"Out of Breath" by Go Fish.

If you like acappella groups, then this is the album for you! Just listen to that epic train horn at the beginning of this song. It's made completely from human vocal chord sounds! It contains no artificial sweeteners and is gluten free. While Go Fish is primarily known as a children's group now, they came out with several CDs for all-ages in the late '90s and early 2000s. With engaging rhythms and poignant lyrics, you won't want to miss this CD!

"Yesterday's a Sign" by Ken Medema.

Everyone likes stories, and what's better than a story set to music? I know—a Bible story set to music! On this CD, you will find the story of Moses, the story of the man healed at the pool of Bethesda, the story of Mary visiting Elizabeth, and the story of Ananias and Saul set to rollicking piano accompaniment arranged and played by Ken Medema himself! Additionally, this album comes with several tracks of beautiful, original hymns.

"Go," "In the Hands of God," and "Greatest Hits" by the Newsboys.

What other Christian band has lyrics about barbequing hamsters ("Shine") or Hobbits leaving the Shire ("Secret Kingdom")? What other band describes hell as a place where they don't serve Captain Crunch ("Breakfast") and where they play Celine Dion all night ("My Friend Jesus")? That's right, only Newsboys with Peter Furler at their helm has lyrics like this! That's why you should invest in these three CDs.
"Go" contains such hits such as, "I Am Free" and "Something Beautiful," as well as lesser-known greats such as, "The Mission" and "Your Love Is Better Than Life."
"In the Hands of God," Peter Furler's last full album with the Newsboys is a little out-of-the-ordinary, but that's why you're here, right? Some favorites are "No Grave," "The Upside," and "Dance."
If you're already a fan of Newsboys and are looking for a CD with all of their vintage hits, then their "Greatest Hits" album is definitely for you! It features "Shine," "Breakfast," "He Reigns," "Amazing Love," "Stay Strong," and thirteen other fabulous songs!

"On Fire" by Peter Furler.

If you still miss Old Newsboys, before Michael Tait took over as lead singer, then you might want to check out Peter Furler's first solo album after leaving Newsboys. He took Newsboys unique sound and unique lyrics when he left and you can find them, and much, much more, on this CD!

"Songs" by Rich Mullins.

"Mullins had a distinctive talent both as a performer and a songwriter. His compositions showed distinction in two ways: unusual and sometimes striking instrumentation, and complex lyrics that usually employed elaborate metaphors," says paragon of intelligence, Wikipedia.
Rich Mullins' use of hammer dulcimer adds an original layer to his already fabulous worship music. Who doesn't like interesting instruments?
Not suitable for people who don't like their faith challenged by intricate lyrics.

"Art of the State" and "Reconstructions" by AD.

Are you stuck in the '70s? Or, worse, are you stuck in the '80s??

~cue screaming~

 

Or, perhaps, worst of all, you are stuck in the Supernatural fandom and can't stop singing "Carry On My Wayward Son" by Kansas. If you answered "yes" to one of the above questions, you may want to check out AD. One of their principle members, Kerry Livgren, used to be a member of Kansas and actually wrote "Carry On My Wayward Son." He brought that style of music with him when he left Kansas and formed the Christian rock group AD.

"Comatose" and "Awake" by Skillet.

If you like giving yourself whiplash by shaking your head back and forth, hard rock Christian group Skillet may be for you! Their albums "Comatose" and "Awake" feature some of their most prominent hits such as, "Whispers in the Dark," "Hero," "Awake and Alive," and "Monster."
Disclaimer: Abbey will not be held responsible for whiplash damage or for the damage caused by feeling like a monster.

And there you have it! Eleven CDs to break the monotony of the Christian radio station! It's been an honor to be featured on the blog. Remember, I am Abbey, magician of melody, herald of harmony, and rocker of refrain! My agent would love to discuss any comments, suggestions, or undefined hatred toward me with you. Until we meet again, I'll be whipping my hair back and forth to some Skillet!

~cue applause, booing, and tomato-throwing~

 

Thanks for visiting the blog, Abbey! Wasn't she lovely, folks? I'm contractually obligated to say that. I'm also contractually obligated to say that all albums mentioned above can be found wherever good music is sold.

Ahem.

Come back next week when our special guest will be Cristafiora the classical music mogul!

The Long and Winding Editing Road—Characters II

I've been inspired by Katie at Spiral-Bound's "Editing Diaries" posts to do my own editing series. Currently, I'm in the process of editing a fairytale-fantasy novel I wrote in 2014, and I want you to join me on this journey! Maybe, together, we can learn a few things about writing along The Long and Winding Editing Road.

In my last post, I talked about how two of the characters in my fantasy novel were giving me trouble because I didn't know who they were. One thing that helped me get to know them better was to write outlines of what happened to them before they entered my story.
Just like it's important for nonfiction writers to know background information on their topic, it's important for fiction writers to know the history of their characters. Past experiences make people into their present selves. If you don't know where your character has come from, how can you know where your character will go? (Please tell me that I'm not the only one singing "Cotton Eye Joe" after that last sentence.) If you don't know what has molded your character's worldview, how can you know how your character will react to the events in the story?

After finishing the second draft of my novel last November, I took December off. In January, I began working on my character arcs. A character arc is a character's "inner journey" (says Google) within the main storyline of a book.
So, on note cards (I like note cards, okay?) I wrote who each character was at the beginning of the novel, their transformation, and who they are at the end of the story. Here's an example using a character from Star Wars The Force Awakens:

Finn
Who he was at the beginning: Scared, unhappy with his life choices, wishing he were somewhere else.
Transformation: Finn takes the first opportunity to escape life as a stormtrooper and keeps running away until he realizes there is something worth fighting for in the galaxy. He sets aside his selfishness and helps his friends.
Who he is in the end: Willing to sacrifice himself for his friends, loyal to friends, in a much better place than where he was at the beginning:

For minor characters I wrote out their purpose in the narrative and a summary of their character arc.
Here's an example using another Force Awakens character.

C-3PO
Purpose in narrative: Comic relief, information.
Character arc: Originally created by Anakin Skywalker. He and his counterpart, R2-D2, helped defeat the Empire. When Luke Skywalker went missing, R2-D2 shut down, but C-3PO continued to serve Princess Leia. Somehow got a red arm. No character growth because he's a droid.

At the beginning of February I decided that I should probably add physical description, personality, and motivation to my character profiles. So, rather than write new cards for everyone, I typed what I had already written into the computer along with a few additions.
For an example, it is my pleasure to introduce you to my female protagonist, Rozella:

   Rozella

   Appearance: 5’4”. Rib-cage length dark brown curly hair. Blue eyes. Oval face. A little bigger boned/thicker, but not fat. Curvy. Inspired by Barbara Kent and Lucy Griffiths.

I'm not great at seeing my characters (or anyone else's, for that matter) in my mind's eye, but I was inspired by another blogger to make an effort to describe my characters better. It's easy to decide hair and eye color, but what about height, body type, face shape, and type of hair? It's important to know these things for, if you're writing a character with long hair, long hair is less likely to do this:

and more likely to do this:

Pictures courtesy of this Buzzfeed article.

If you want to be realistic while writing, remember that your character's hair won't be perfect all the time, especially if they are adventuring. It's also helpful to know your character's height (can they reach the tomato soup on the top shelf at the store? Does their height give them back problems?) and body type (are they self-conscious or confidant in their body? How does that effect how they interact with other characters?).

Personality: Predisposed to be timid and worry if she’s doing something right or wrong, but when she knows what she’s doing, she’s very confidant. Sweet. Kind.

I wrote three or four basics for each character's personality. When I'm working on the story, I try to keep these basics in my head so that I can ask myself, "Is Rozella too confidant here or should she be more worried? Is Rozella too mean? How can she say that in a nicer way?"

History: Kidnapped by Witch and raised by Witch.

As you can see, I didn't expound on Rozella's history much. This is because most of it is described in the first few chapters of the novel. Other characters have fuller histories.

Growth: Starts out afraid and timid and nervous. Ends confidant, knows she’s loved. Smart and optimistic.

I'm just about to start the second third of my novel, which is where a lot of Rozella's character growth happens. From this point on, I have to watch her very carefully to see if she is gradually becoming confidant, or if it's an instant change. I want it to be gradual, but I'm worried that what I have now is instantaneous change. I guess I'll find out as I continue to write!

Motivation: She wants to belong and feel loved. Also, her natural tendency to care (for animals and, later, people, too).

Just like it's important to know your character's appearance, history, and worldview, it's important to know what motivates your character. Why are they trying to achieve their goal? What motivated them to go on a quest, or to sign up for an online dating service, or start a prank war with their neighbor? Did the prank war spawn from a happy-go-lucky sense of humor, or from the childhood need to prove themselves better than their prank-master father, or from the desire to escape adulthood and regress back to childhood?
Rozella's actions nearly all come from either her compassion for others or from her desire to be loved. She was kidnapped by a Wicked Witch when she was a baby and endured the Witch's torments until she was thirteen. The Witch never loved her, so Rozella longs to be loved and accepted by someone. Her desire to belong makes her worry if people are judging her for her actions.

For each of my characters, I described appearance, personality, history, growth, and motivation. As I've gone through the first third of my novel over the past month, I've been pleasantly surprised with how well I was able to incorporate characterization in the second draft. It's way better than I expected and I haven't had to do much. The next two thirds, on the other hand, I'm expecting to be a mess. Which is why I'm writing this blog post instead of working on my story.

If you're a writer, what kind of character profiling do you do? If you're a reader, do you notice character development, description, and motivation?

Brothers-In-Arms Cover Reveal

My friend Jack Lewis Baillot is releasing a new book and I have the pleasure of sharing the cover with you today!

   Author Bio:

   Jack is one of those strange people who calls herself an Author. She spends a lot of her time writing and even less time editing. She likes to write about friendships which is partly how Brothers-in-Arms came to be. More than ten years in the making, this is the book she dreaded the most writing, but which also has the most meaning for her.

   When Jack isn't writing, which doesn't happen too often, she keeps busy with various other hobbies – such as reading, playing the bagpipes to the dread of her neighbors, and drinking tea – which might not be considered a hobby by most but which should be.

   She lives in a cabin in the woods with her dog and a library which isn't quite equal to Prince Adam's but will be given enough time and a secret doorway.

 

 

   Brothers-In-Arms synopsis:

   Can a Jew and a Nazi survive Hitler's Germany?
   Franz Kappel and Japhet Buchanan never expected their friendship to be tested by the Third Reich. Friends from early childhood, the boys form an inseparable, brotherly bond. Growing up in a little German village, they escape most of the struggles of war until the day Japhet is banished from school for being a Jew, and later has a rib broken when other village boys beat him up. Franz learns he is putting himself in danger for spending so much time with Japhet but continues to stand up for his Jewish friend even at the risk to himself. Then one day their lives are shattered when they see first-hand that the price of being a Jew is dangerously high.
   With the war now on their doorsteps, Franz and Japhet come up with a desperate plan to save their families and get them out of Germany alive. Leaving behind the lives they've always known, they move into Berlin with nothing to protect them but forged papers and each other. Convinced their friendship can keep them going, the boys try and make a new life for themselves while trying to keep their true identities and Japhet's heritage a secret. Taking his best friend's safety upon himself, Franz joins the Nazis in an attempt to get valuable information. At the same time, Japhet joins the Jewish Resistance, neither friend telling the other of their new occupations.
   With everyone in their world telling them a Nazi and a Jew can't be friends, it is only a matter of time before they believe all the lies themselves, until neither is certain if they are fighting against a race of people or fighting for their homeland. Somehow they have to survive the horrors of World War II, even when all of Germany seems to be against them.

A year or so ago, I beta read Brothers-In-Arms. In it's rough form, it was very good, so the finished project will be amazing! If you enjoy historical fiction or stories about strong friendships, go check out this book on Goodreads.
And now, the cover:

If you'd like to find Jack on the World Wide Web, check out these links:

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Blog

Brothers-in-Arms Pinterest Page

What I read in Feburary, and what I hope to read in March.

I read five books in February:

Winter by Marissa Meyer. This was the conclusion of "The Lunar Chronicles," and I enjoyed it. It was a good conclusion to the series, though there was a little too much kissing for my taste.

On Writing Well by William Zinsser. This is a nonfiction book on how to, well, write well. Specifically, how to write nonfiction well. William Zinsser is a genius and I think that every person, whether a writer by choice or for school, should read this book.

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor. My friend lent me this book because she loves it. I did not love it. This is the first book that I've ever rated one star. It wasn't because of content issues or plot holes... It was because the writing was SO. BAD. It was written completely in passive voice and the author told us everything. He showed us nothing. Ugh.

The Wanderer by Sharon Creech. Sharon Creech is my comfort author. She writes middle grade books and she was my favorite author when I was twelve. I still love her stories and return to Replay, Bloomability, and Ruby Holler often. I own three of her other books that I've only read once each. I'm trying to get rid of some books (I'll give you a moment to gasp in surprise and disgust) so I wanted to reread this one and another one to see if I wanted to keep them or not.
The Wanderer is about a girl who sails to England with her three uncles and two cousins. I enjoyed the story, but thought it was weaker than some of her other books, so I'm putting it on the "giveaway" pile.

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. This book uses my favorite type of storytelling: a story within a story. Sal, the main character, is on a road trip with her grandparents but, as they travel across the country, she tells her grandparents the story of her friend Pheobe. The two stories intertwine and it's great. This one is staying on the shelf.

This month, I already finished a book.

Chasing Redbird by Sharon Creech. When I was younger, I thought this was the weirdest Sharon Creech book because there was a ghost... or not a ghost? Anyway, reading it now, it's not as strange, and it's going back on the shelf.
It's cool because Sharon Creech's first book, Absolutely Normal Chaos, is about a girl named Mary Lou Finney. She is also a side character in Walk Two Moons. Chasing Redbird is connected to Walk Two Moons as well because the main character, Zinny, was Sal's best friend before Sal moved away.
In Bloomability, the main character's two aunties write to their niece about Zinny, who is clearing a trail in the woods.

Here's what's on my nightstand right now:

DUN DUN DUN... I'm taking on The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien this month. Wish me luck.

Q-In-Law by Peter David. This is a Star Trek novel that introduces the two most formidable forces in the galaxy to each other: Q, omnipotent being, and Lwaxana Troi, daughter of the fifth house, holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed. If there is anyone in the galaxy—other than Kathryn Janeway—who can take on Q, it is Lwaxana. Their interaction has been hilarious so far.

Below Q-In-Law is a biography on George and Ira Gershwin that I started reading last summer and never got around to finishing. One day... For now, it doesn't fit on my bookshelf, so it stays on my nightstand. Below that is that Tintin book that I can't seem to finish, even though there's only about fifteen pages left.

I'm a little conflicted about to read next, though. On one hand, I'd love to reread The Penderwicks again.

On the other hand, I have three other books I need to read soon so I can decide if I want to get rid of them or keep them.

The first is a Christian murder mystery that I got with a gift card at the Christian bookstore. Sometimes, Christian bookstore buys can be great (Crater by Homer Hickam) and sometimes they can be "eh" (No Place Like Holmes by Jason Lethcoe).
Next is The Mysterious Benedict Society, which I have read before. I really loved it, but I'm not sure if I love it enough to keep it on my shelf.
Finally, there is The Hero of Ages, the final book in the Mistborn trilogy. I'm determined to give this book a second chance, but if I don't end up enjoying it, I think I will get rid of it and the second book in the series and just keep Mistborn: The Final Empire.

I'll probably end up reading The Penderwicks again.

What are you reading right now?

Fortune and Glory

It is the late 1930s, and the Nazis are scouring the earth for rare artifacts to help them take over the world.
Duke Dudley, prestigious British Lord, and Sharon Hunter, daring press photographer, are embarking on separate missions to save as many of these artifacts as possible from the greedy hands of the Nazis. Will Dudley and Sharon be able to defeat their enemies, and will they be able to gain fortune and glory in the process?

Sharon starts her journey from her newspaper's office building in New York City. They've given her a special assignment: accompany the archaeologist who is being sent to recover The Shield of Pharox from the ices of Antarctica and return with an article in photographs, documenting the search. What Sharon's paper doesn't know, however, is that she is the archaeologist being sent to recover The Shield of Pharox...

Sharon stares out the window of the plane she's chartered. She's already taken several photographs of the clouds, of the interior of the plane, and of her pilot.
"Are we almost there?" she wonders.
"Have patience!" replies her pilot, through a wad of chewing gum. "We'll get'der when we get'der."
Sharon sighs and looks out the window again. What was the speck in the distance? A bird? No... it was travelling much too fast to be a bird...
"I think—" Sharon says, but it cut off by the pilot.
"I see 'em!" he says. "They're hot on our trail!"
"Nazis?" Sharon wonders, while snapping a photo of the rival plane.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!
"They're firin' at us!" yells the pilot.
"Well, outmaneuver them!" Sharon yells back.
Her pilot turns around in his seat.
"Look, lady," he says. "I didn't sign up for this! I don't even have my pilot's license yet!"
"Then why are you the one flying this plane?" Sharon shouts.
"You said you needed a pilot right away! I was the only one around."
Sharon stares incredulously at the pilot. Just then, the enemy fires another volley of ammunition. Sharon's plane is hit!
"We're headed straight toward the mountainside!" Sharon shrieks.
"Don't worry!" shouts her pilot. "I can crash anything!"

Meanwhile, in England, Duke Dudley retires his monocle and dons his fedora, ready for his next adventure.

"But where are you going, Dudley?" asks the Duchess.
"I've already told you, mother," replies Dudley. "I am going to the countryside for a few weeks to clear my lungs from this London fog."
"I don't understand why you refuse to keep a phone in your country house," huffs the Duchess.
"I don't like to be disturbed when I'm in the countryside," replies her son.
In reality, Dudley is going to India, to search for The Amulet of the Cursed Eye, but he doesn't want anyone to know about his secret life as an archaeologist.
In addition to his fedora, he grabs his trusty wrench, which he never leaves at home. You never know when you're going to need to fix something... or conk someone over the head.

"We are NOT going to crash into the mountainside!" Sharon says fiercely. "Strap yourself into a parachute!"
She quickly stows her camera in it's case, thrusts the case into bag, and slings the bag over her head and shoulder. Then, she struggles into a parachute. The pilot has opened the side door of the airplane.
"Jump!" Sharon says, and leaps out of the plane.
For a terrifying moment, she plummets toward the mountainside amid a barrage of gunfire from the Nazi plane. Then, she pulls the cable that releases her parachute. She floats down from the sky and lands in the snow at the foot of the mountain. She looks up; the plane is about to crash into the mountain! Rather than thank the heavens that she had gotten out in time, Sharon pulls her camera from her bag, unlatches it from its case, and takes a photograph just as the plane hits the mountain and explodes in flames.

 

A moment later, her pilot lands beside her.
"I saw you: you didn't even look to see if I was okay. I coulda still been up there," he says.
"Sorry," says Sharon, not sorry at all.
"Don't apologize," says the pilot. "I can tell you're dedicated to your work. I'm Randy, by the way."
"Hello, Randy," says Sharon.
They shake hands, strip out of their parachutes, and then look around. Nearby, camouflaged in snow, is a little wooden hut. Smoke trickles out of the disguised chimney.
"Maybe they can help us," suggests Randy.
"Let's get closer," says Sharon, taking a picture before starting to walk.
As they near the hut, they hear chanting coming from within the walls. Sharon puts a figure to her lips and listens, her ear against the wall of the hut.
Her eyes widen when she realizes what's going on inside the hut. She backs away quickly and beckons for Randy to follow her. They run toward the mountain, though what protection that will give them, Randy doesn't know.
"What was that back'der?" he pants, as they stop for breath.
"That was a meeting of the Order of the Crimson Hand," Sharon replies, holding her sides. "They're a cult, and not to be messed with."
"Oh, well, then, I'm glad we ran all this way," says Randy.
Sharon leans against the snow drift next to her—and disappears!
"Sharon? Sharon! Where'd'ya go?" shouts Randy.
He peers at the place where Sharon had been standing just moments before. She had fallen into an ice hole!
"Sharon! You alright?" Randy asks.
"Fine, fine," grumbles Sharon. "Come join me down here. It's very pretty."
Randy steps into the hole. The ice cave is pretty. It gives off a glowing, teal-ish tint.
"Wow!" Randy exclaims. "I'm gonna go in a little further." He starts walking down the tunnel, but soon stops.
"What is it?" Sharon asks.
"Um... haha... uh, Sharon... This ice cave is already occupied."
"What do you mean?"
"There's a Yeti!" Randy says, backing away.
Sharon walks forward and, sure enough, there is a sleeping Yeti at the end of the cave!
Pop!
Sharon spins around to face Randy. He has bubblegum covering his mouth.
"Sorry," he says. "When I'm nervous I blow bubbles."
Pop!
"Cut it out!" says Sharon.
POP!
Randy's last bubble was the biggest. When it pops, the Yeti stirs. It stretches. It opens one eye.
"Now you've done it!" Sharon whispers.

Dudley's flight to India was uneventful. Now, he is off in search of The Amulet of the Cursed Eye! He has an idea of where to look: a shadowy castle hidden deep in the jungle.
"Fedora, check. Bug spray, check. Water, check. Wrench, check."
Dudley goes over his checklist and is finally ready to find that castle. He pulls on his hiking boots and sets off. It takes him most of the day, but he finally reaches his destination. The dark walls of the castle loom above him. It looks abandoned. Could this really be the hiding place of the The Amulet? Will it be this easy to find?

Dudley must break a window to enter into the castle. Once inside, he turns on his flashlight and begins looking around. The castle is much bigger than he expected. He enters room after dark room, but finds no clues.
What was that?
Dudley's heart beats quickly. He realizes that he is not the only one in the castle.
Stealthily, he creeps into the next room. Light and sound come from under the crack of the door at the far end of the room. Someone is having a party. Dudley backs up, intending to leave the way he came, but bumps into a lamp! It falls to the floor and shatters. He hopes that there is enough noise in the next room to cover his clumsiness. But, no. The door opens. Dudley is momentarily blinded and deafened by the bright light and loud music. Then, four strong arms grab him and pull him into the next room.
Dudley's eyes adjust to the light and he recognizes his captors: Nazis! Slightly drunk Nazis, but Nazis nonetheless. They had raided the castle's cellars and had set up a makeshift bar. They had brought in a band and a singer and were celebrating.
"Oh, no... you won't capture me so easily..." Dudley mutters to himself.
With a burst of strength, he frees one arm from the Nazis' grip. He grabs his wrench from his back pocket and smacks the other Nazi in the nose. The Nazi reels backwards. When he regains his footing, he swings a punch at Dudley, but Dudley ducks and the Nazi hits his compatriot. Rather than attack Dudley, the two Nazis begin fighting each other. Accidentally, one of them hits the trombonist. The trumpeter comes to the trombonist's rescue, but hits the wrong Nazi. Soon, the whole room is fighting. Poor Dudley is stuck in the middle of a bar brawl!

Sharon and Randy are frozen in fear. If the Yeti wakes up, they will be killed. They wait for fifteen agonizing seconds, but the beast only turns over and begins snoring.
Sharon and Randy slowly back out of the ice cave. When they are in the open, they run back to their parachutes.
"What do we do now?" Randy asks. "The Order of the Crimson Hand is on one side, and a Yeti is on the other!"
"We'll head that way," Sharon decides, pointing away from the mountain. "We can't be that far from the temple where The Shield of Pharox is hidden. Let's take one of these parachutes with us for warmth, in case we have to sleep in the snow."
She and Randy fold one of the parachutes as best they can, and then begin walking.
They walk for hours, the exertion of wading through the snow while carrying a heavy parachute the only thing that keeps them warm.
Just as night begins to fall, Sharon spots something on the horizon.
"That must be the temple," she says confidently.
"It will take hours to reach!" whines Randy. "Please can we stop for the night?"
"No," says Sharon. "It will get even colder during the night. We have to keep going or we'll freeze. Come on."
So, they continue walking. They walk and walk and walk, until they finally reach the temple, long after dark.
"Can we stop now?" asks Randy.
"We have to get inside first," replies Sharon.
She pulls her camera out of her bag and puts the flash bulb on. She takes a picture of the temple and the momentary flash shows them where the entrance is. There is no door, but there are lit torches in the entryway.
"I don't like this..." says Randy.
Sharon steps forward and a poisoned dart flies out of the wall and narrowly misses her cheek!
"The floor is booby trapped!" Sharon says. She grabs a torch from the wall. "We have to be careful."

Sharon tests each floor panel with her foot before putting her whole weight on it. This way, she is able to reach the other side of the room in safety. Randy follows in her steps.
"Now where do we go?" Randy asks.
"Let's explore this way," Sharon replies, and leads the way into the next room.
As soon as they pass through the doorway, a large stone falls from the ceiling to cover the doorway. Their only escape, blocked!
"Oh no!" Randy cries.
"There has to be another way out," Sharon says, and starts feeling the edges of the room for a secret door.
Just then, they hear a rumbling, scraping noise coming from above them. They look up.
"Is it just me..." says Randy.
"No, I see it, too," says Sharon. "The ceiling has been booby trapped, too! It's coming down to crush us!"

Someone punches Dudley and he reels backwards, into the makeshift bar. Glasses and bottles fall to the floor, sending shrapnel into the feet of anyone nearby.
Dudley clambers over the bar and spends a few seconds crouching behind it, catching his breath. Then he spots it: a sword hanging on the wall in front of him. Dudley has to admit that a sword is a better weapon than a wrench. He grabs the sword and re-enters the battle. With his new weapon, Dudley is able to fight his way to the door. He breaks the nearest window and escapes outside.

Now, Dudley is in the backyard of the castle. Grass rolls down to a lake. Thinking that he'd like to wash the blood from his sword, hands, and face, Dudley walks down to the water's edge. He washes his sword first, and then his hands. He washes one hand at a time so as to keep one hand on his weapon at all times, just in case. As he's splashing water on his face, someone taps him on the shoulder. Dudley reacts fast: he whips around, sword pointed at his enemy, only to find that his enemy is a gnarled old man holding a diving suit.
"You search for Amulet of Cursed Eye?" asks the old man in broken English.
"Yes, that's right," replies Dudley.
"I throw in lake when Nazis arrive," says the old man. "I wait for someone worthy to rescue it and bring it to museum in Bombay." He holds out the diving suit and beckons for Dudley to put it on.
"How do I know this isn't a trap?" Dudley asks suspiciously.
"No trap. No trap," replies the old man, and waves the diving suit in Dudley's face.
Dudley contemplates the old man and the diving suit for a few minutes.
"Alright, fine," he says at last. "I'll trust you."
"Quick. Hurry," says the old man. "They come after you."
Dudley dons the diving suit and hands his sword to the old man.
"Wish me luck," he says.
"Luck," says the old man.
Dudley wades into the water. Soon, he is fully submerged. He turns on the light on his diving helmet and begins searching for the Amulet.
Everything is so quiet under the water, Dudley thinks.
He swims past fish and sea plants, which look like the tentacles of monsters. He swims all the way to the bottom of the lake. An hour has passes. Now, an hour and a half. He only has thirty minutes of oxygen left before he has to return to the surface of the lake.
And then, Dudley spies it. It twinkles in the light from his diving helmet. The Amulet of the Cursed Eye.
Dudley surfaces, the Amulet gripped tightly in his hand. He has gone much farther away from shore than he expected. He can barely see the castle in the distance. The sun is rising behind its spires. Dudley pulls off his diving helmet and takes a moment to look at the Amulet. Then, he hears an engine! Dudley ducks beneath the water so only his hair and eyes are poking above the surface. A U-boat is sailing the lake. He would be able to reach Bombay quicker if he had a boat... Dudley swims toward the U-boat. He climbs aboard and hides himself behind a crate. No one knows he's there. Shortly thereafter, Dudley hears that the U-boat's destination is Bombay. Perfect! Dudley makes himself comfortable behind his crate and enjoys the free ride to Bombay.
Once there, he sneaks off the U-boat and makes his way to the museum. After haggling about price, the museum buys The Amulet of the Cursed Eye from Dudley.
His mission is a success! Dudley only faces one more difficulty: how to explain his bruises and cuts to his mother.

Sharon wakes up in an American hospital.
"What happened?" she wonders.
"Oh, good, you're awake!" says a familiar voice.
Sharon turns her head and there is Randy, sitting by her bedside, his head and arm wrapped in casting.
"Randy? What happened?"
"The ceiling collapsed on us, remember?" Randy asks. "Well, we were both nearly crushed, but, then, the Nazis showed up. They were taking us to interrogation when some American soldiers appeared outa nowhere! I guess they got that S.O.S. I sent out from da plane. There was a shoot out, but they rescued us and brought us back to America. You've been unconscious for a week."
"What about The Shield of Pharox?"
"The Nazis got it," Randy says. "I'm sorry." His face brightens. "But we got your pictures developed and they look great!" Randy waves the pictures in Sharon's face. "Look at this one of the plane exploding. Fabulous, if I do say so m'self."
"Let me see," says Sharon.
Together, they go through the pictures, reliving their adventures, and, though they did not recover The Shield of Pharox, they gained an everlasting friendship.

THE END

 

Fortune and Glory is a pulp fiction board game. You can learn more about it on BoardGameGeek.com.