Writing Dares

Ooh, I love yours, Hope! And, Anne, I'm intrigued! I can't wait to read your series, holler when it's published! ;D

Thanks Hope and SierraJoanne. I hope to have Dawn finished by late spring, then I'll start on Dusk. I've put the Chosen Three on hold until October, and I'm hoping when I'm done with that I can start on my other book, the one that I posted the scene from. I have the basic plot, character names, and minor details worked out, but I still don't have a title. When I know more about it, I'll put some details on here, and you could suggest a title for me. The Chosen Three is halfway done, so I should have that totally done by the end of this year. I'll let you know on here when Dawn is done, but I have no idea how you can read it. Any suggestions? I have no idea how to put anything on the internet, and I don't have a blog or website. Oh, and just to clarify, the trilogy, Dawn, Dusk, and Deliverance are not the book from which I posted the armor scene.

This was supposed to be the easy part.
After sneaking into a highly guarded area, removing a valuable treasure, and making it back to my unicorn without being detected, the gallop back to base was supposed to be simple, a stroll in the park compared to previous adventures. Even if I had been caught, Crystal's speed would have quickly left those simple horses the guards possessed far behind.
Then the griffin decided to make it interesting.
I had to admit, this one was larger than usual. While most were large enough to easily consume a man, this one looked capable of eating me and Crystal in one bite. Ah, well, I suppose it was too much to hope for a regular mission- one without any surprises.
The wind being caused by the griffin's wings increases in intensity as he nears, and I can feel Crystal struggling to maintain a straight path- and I find it increasingly difficult to see as the snow begins to swirl upward.
We can't run any longer- the time has come to turn and face the beast.
Crystal spins quickly around, and I set an arrow carefully in my bow. This won't do much good against a creature so large, but if I can blind him, we might have a chance.
The griffin pauses at our sudden turnaround, and I see hesitation in his eyes. Maybe he was hoping for an easy meal. He's possibly not used to fighting very much- his size probably does most of the work for him.
I take careful aim before my chance is gone, and loose the arrow.
It was so small compared to him- either he didn't think it would hurt him, or he didn't see it coming.
But the arrow struck true.
The griffin screamed in pain, falling back and pawing furiously at his right eye. I hesitated only a moment before turning and riding off. I had already been delayed too long- if I didn't return soon the others would be worried.
I didn't really know why, but I felt kind of guilty for leaving the injured griffin behind. I glanced over my shoulder, and saw him watching me warily with his left eye, a protective paw shielding his right one.
I hurriedly turned away. Maybe- if chances ever allowed- I would find the griffin and apologize. I almost laughed at the thought- why was this bothering me so much?- but it persisted until I felt it was almost my duty to find him again, and to help him. Hmm.
Maybe I would.

I’d been a professional luremaster for years; dragons, lions, great wolves. I flattered myself I knew monsters. I knew how they thought, how they moved, how to enrage them. And, with Ice Mane beneath me and a mist lamp in my hand, I could take on anything Alisara had to offer.
Then I met the Shade Griffin. Yes, the legends said his wings carried night and his great clawed feet shook waves of snow from the mountainsides and sent them thundering down to smother whole villages, while his beak could easily devour several oxen at once. I guess I didn’t believe them. I should have.
It was one of the arrogant knight heroes who’d hired me. All I was to do wake the beast, frankly not the best way to start any attack but hey, the knight was paying me good gold. I just made sure he paid me before we started out into the northern wilds. Anyhow, how hard was would it be to wake a Shade Griffin and then luring him down the mountain to the ambush where the knight was waiting?
I’d sat easily on Ice Mane and lifted a silver trumpet to my lips. The fact I had to wind the thing seven times before there was even a rumble from the gaping cavern should have given me some warning. And the Griffin’s first steps, shuddering the whole mountain side, did make me hesitate.
And then I saw him; wings made from living shadows, eyes as bleak as a starless night, legs as thick as pillars and a body which would crush have a village.
Ice Mane spun, tearing down the hillside so quickly I reeled, barely keeping my seat. Behind me, mist spun from my lamp, but there was no need of that now. We were hurtling into the darkness, barely keeping ahead of the Griffin’s easy stride.
And, as I pressed myself on my mount’s one final thought surged back and forth though my brain. Why, oh why, hadn’t I chosen to bait the fiery fen serpent instead?

Mine's shorter, but that's all the time I had for. I love making sarcastic, silly, ridiculous people in my books. Like my cool bad guy in the story game.

That was in her newsletter that she emails out. I'll email you the picture, and you can sign up to receive her newsletter if you like over on the blog.

Would you mind if I posted a picture for you guys to write about? I have a few good ones...