Sunday Surfing

WRiTE CLUB 2013 - Submissions Open

Checklist For Adding Suspence & Intrigue

Publishing Spotlight: Interview with John Pitts

Why Are We Stepping On Each Other's Toes?

Backup, Version Control, and Comparing Your Work

Gryphonwood Press: Open Submissions during June 2013

10 Things Your Opening Chapter Should Do: A Check-List for Self-Editing

Elizabeth Seckman's June IWSG post (query/response) is worth the read. Rejecting the Bible...An IWSG Post

50 Essential Epic Fantases (1-25) and 50 Essential Epic Fantasies (26-50)

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Trailer Premieres!

Several of you are already aware, but we bade Sally Sue a final farewell last weekend. She will be missed. Thirteen years in our home. Forever in our hearts.

Sally Sue 2000-2013

August is Awesome Because of Caprice Hokstad

I have very few autographed novels on my bookshelf, but I have one by this awesome guest!

Caprice and I met some years ago.  Being the awesome host that I am, I'll not tell you just how many years ago that was.  She and I were part of a small group of writers that met every Friday night on AOL to discuss writing, critique and have a jolly good time.  (Yes, a Southern boy can say 'jolly good' too.)

Caprice has a heart of gold and a wonderful spirit.  And she agreed to let me interview her.  

Please give her a big welcome!

Tell us about yourself, Caprice.
Your tagline says, "When this world doesn't suit you, write a world that does." That's what I spend most of my time doing--dreaming up other worlds in which to live vicariously. I spent a good half-million words on the fantasy setting of Byntar (where my published Ascendancy Trilogy novels are set). I've spent at least as many words in the undersea future setting of "SeaQuest DSV" fanfiction, my current obsession.

I'm very drawn to the ocean and I try to keep up with marine conservation issues, both to make my fiction realistic and because I'm intensely interested in it. Did you know there is a group of people building a REAL undersea colony right now off the coast of Florida? I want to be part of that colony so badly it hurts.

I have two older teens and a nine-year-old son living at home, along with my husband, a cat, a dog, and a tankful of guppies. I also have an older married daughter with one grandson and a second due literally any day.  (Update: Caprice informed me that her 8lb 15oz grandson arrived Saturday!)

At what point in your life did you know you were a writer?

I guess when I finished my first novel, that rather clinched it. That was back in 1998, I think.

When you were writing The Duke’s Handmaid, did you know all along that it was going to be a trilogy?
Not all along, no. It just got too big for one novel and then I had to figure out how to make three self-contained books when it was still really one story to me.

Was there something that inspired you to write this particular series of books?
Lots of little spurs. I was in an online roleplay group that did nothing else but write collaborative stories (no dice, no GM). When that group disbanded, I missed it so much that I started writing on my own. The hero, Vahn, was heavily based on an online roleplay character someone else created. (I offered that creator byline credit, but he felt I changed it enough that it was all mine.) Another spur was my feeling that too much modern fantasy didn't ever let women be strong unless they became some kind of warrior. I wanted to show a female heroine who doesn’t have to act like men, wield a sword, or play the seduction game to be strong. In a way, it's a backlash against Xena.

How long does it take you on average to complete a book? Do you spend more time drafting or revising and editing?
They have varied. Book 1 took four months on the first draft, but I spent YEARS editing, tweaking, rewriting, learning craft, and rewriting AGAIN. The second book took a while longer for the first draft, but I don't remember clearly how long. I had other things going on that sucked up my time. I know it got edited/revised much faster. The third book took five months for the first draft and about 2 months in editing, and most of that was waiting for my critique partners to do their thing.

I’ve read many of the “The Ascendancy Trilogy” reviews on Amazon. How does receiving so many glowing reviews feel? (We unpublished can only imagine.)

Of course I love the glowing reviews. I should say that up-front and unequivocally. I appreciate anyone who takes the time to review and yes, the positive remarks feel great and help with sales. However, I think I've just been lucky so far and not had enough total readers to start getting the less-glowing type. Not even JK Rowling gets only five-star reviews. I'm sure the other kind are inevitable.

As an author, how (or for what) would you most like to be remembered?

I'd like to be known for unique stories that are different and for rich, immersive prose that makes readers feel they have gone to another world and lived there.

And as an individual?
Being a good mom and grandma. I'd also like to be known as someone who cared about the ocean and its creatures and did everything I could to preserve and restore them.

Can you reveal a “secret” about yourself that almost no one else knows?

I once gave an impromptu, totally unrehearsed, a capella performance of “Just You Wait” from “My Fair Lady” to a very long line of people stuck in a Blockbuster, waiting for checkout. I worked there for a while and, while I am sure they would rather I just got behind the counter to help the line go faster, Blockbuster forced us to have someone out on the floor. We were required to ask certain questions, and when I got such lackluster enthusiasm from people waiting in line, I threatened them if they didn’t talk to me, that I would sing.

They called my bluff. I sang. Guess what, they talked after that!

Favorites:

• Color: Green
• Number: Don't have one.
• Season: Summer
• Food and/or beverage: Chocolate, Iced Tea.
• Song: "Happy Together" by The Turtles
• Movie: I am still rather enamored with The Avengers. Also loved Megamind (Dreamworks)
• Book: All-time favorite is still The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis, but I liked the Harry Potter books too.

What advice or recommendations do you have for writers who aspire to be published?

1. Don't quit your day job.
2. Start building your "platform" now. Public speaking is especially useful.
3. Make sure your manuscript is professionally edited before you shop for an agent or publisher.
4. Self-publishing should be last resort, but it doesn't have to be permanent.

Where can we find your books?
Book 1: http://latoph.com/buy.html
Book 2: http://latoph.com/NIBAC4.html
Book 3: http://latoph.com/BABbuy.html

How can we follow you? 
Website(s): http://Latoph.com and http://UnderseaAdventure.net
Blog: http://caprice.splashdownbooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/capricehokstad
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CFVici

How a Geek Writes an Epic Fantasy part 2

In my previous post (How a Geek Writes an Epic Fantasy part 1) I introduced you to Magic Muse, my writing workbench.  But that's only a portion of my Epic Fantasy Writing tool set.  I also wrote an additional program that I call Visual Story.  (One day I'll merge the two into a single application.)  It has a number of uses, but I use it (loosely) as a storyboard or outline interface.

Essentially, the application consists of textboxes that can be sized and arranged on a large backdrop.  Each box contains one section for a title or heading and a second section for content.  Colors can be applied to each box's borders, titles and content.  I prefer setting the border colors according to plots.

I tend to wrap a complete chapter into a single box.  I list a description of the chapter's scene(s) and indicate which character's viewpoint is being used for each scene.  This works well for documenting chapters already written.  For planning, well, let's just say that this is about as close to true outlining as I get.

I've written a number of other applications over the years.  One served as virtual index cards that I intended to use for character bios, description of places and things, etc., but I've found that my scribblet in Magic Muse serves that purpose well enough for me.

But as much as I love my electronic tools, I don't rely exclusively on them.

Whiteboard
I have a whiteboard beside my desk at all times.  I've been known to draw on the whiteboard.  I sketched out the Hosiyin Citadel from my first book on it.  There were characteristics I knew I wanted, but I needed my eyes to see it so I could see it through a character's eyes.

I use the fine-tipped dry-erase markers so I can scribble loads of legible text.  I'll occasionally jot down the names of characters that need addressing in the story and how soon.  I'll work out plot mechanics for finding logical reasons for Character A to be in Location B so that Event C transpires according to plan.  I may write about dragons and magic, but even they must adhere to some form of logic.

Journal
When it comes down to fleshing out my world's settings, background, history and other such trivia that makes it into the manuscript only by--at best--a passing reference. Journals and diaries are great places for me to discover my world's history, back story.

I used this method for working out details of the last major war in my book, exploring treaty details, discovering the origins of races, even for writing short stories that serve no purpose other than enabling me to flesh out characters before they make it into the book.

The actual manuscript
I sometimes type quick notes, reminders, potential dialog or possible narrative snippets right inside the manuscript itself, usually at the end of the scene or chapter.  I do this when the snippet must be addressed or incorporated before moving too far into the next scene or chapter.

I've tinkered with index cards, college or narrow ruled spiral-bound notebooks, even loose leaf paper, but I really prefer a searchable, organized electronic means to store notes. And of course, I now have my Android tablet.  It's great for proofing what I've written.  The format and display is just different enough that I'll spot mistakes that I've overlooked a hundred times on the computer monitor.

What tools do you use?

How a Geek Writes an Epic Fantasy part 1

It's tough not to be a geek when you're male, a computer programmer and a lover of fantasy.  In fact, I'm so geeky that I wrote my own computer program to help me write my epic fantasy.  (That should rank me fairly high on the geek-o-meter, yes?)

My biggest challenge in writing epic fantasy is consistency.  Spend too many months "discovery writing" anything of that scope and errors are bound to creep into the manuscript.  Red hair becomes blonde.  A character is from Osek-Dahm in one chapter and suddenly from Jerok Thel in a subsequent one.  If you're not careful you may even forget which distant countries are at war with each other.

So I needed to find a quick and easy way to record these details and have them readily available when needed.  I searched the net.  I found some that had good features.  I found some that had marvelous interfaces.  But I didn't find one that tripped my trigger.  But hey, not a problem, I'm a software developer so there was really only one choice I could make.

Write my own!

And so I did.  I created Magic Muse, my very own, tailor-made, writing workbench.

This is a Visual Basic application I wrote many years ago to handle all the things that I felt I needed in a writing application.  I still use it for drafts.  It interfaces with MS Word for word counts, thesaurus, spell and grammar checking.  It even allows me to paste in maps and other diagrams.

All projects can be selected via a dropdown and each project can contain any number of cabinets, folders and documents displayed in the treeview on the left.  

I use the treeview to add, delete and reorder chapters and scenes.  Clicking a scene within the treeview opens it in the RTF (Rich Text Format) editor on the right.  Each scene is saved as an RTF document that I can load into MS Word, Open Office, MS Wordpad, etc.  When the book is finished, I can package its contents into a single RTF usable by those same word processors.  (Handy when you want to pump out a quick eBook using Word and Calibre for proofing on the Android tablet.)

Notes can be handled in one of two ways.  A cabinet can be created to hold all notes, which can also be broken down into multiple folders and documents.  My preference for most notes, however, is the scribblet.  That's the window attached to the bottom of the treeview and editor.  There are dedicated sections for things like characters, places, glossary of terms, etc.

The scribblet is collapsible.  To get items into the scribblet, I highlight the word I want to add, right-click it, and indicate which scribblet list should hold it.  I can then add all the generic information about the term and save it.  I can even "index" the term and Magic Muse will scan every scene and provide me with a complete list of where it was used.  (This is handy if I know I referenced the minor character Terrin, but don't recall which chapters featured him.)

I can do all the basic word processing tasks in Magic Muse.  And being able to quickly toggle between scenes instead of scrolling through a huge document is a massive plus for me.

In part two of this post I'll discuss additional ways I handle notes and plot lines, including my storyboard application that I, of course, wrote for myself.  I call it Visual Story and will leave you with a sneak peek at it.

It Happened...

At work, standing in the cafeteria lunch line, it happened.  A server left his station, walked to the serving station in which line I was waiting and asked, "Are you the one writing the book?"

I nearly fell in the floor!  I made him repeat the question, certain I'd misunderstood it.  "Are you the one writing the book?" he asked again.

Hiding my grin was impossible.  "Yes.  How did you know?"

"Jenn told me."

Jenn is a coworker of mine in another department.  I'd let her read my prologue the previous week.  She told me she liked it, but you know how that goes.  All your friends like what you wrote when they're talking with you about it.  Perhaps she really did.  Or perhaps she was just impressed that I had actually completed my draft.  In any event, it made me feel like a...ahem...writer.

And it felt good!

I don't even need to tell you what the next question was, right?  Anyone who has finished a book (even the first draft) knows the next question.  "What's it about?"

So there it was.  The question I've pondered answering for months.  I've wondered what I'd say, how badly I would answer and whether I'd leave them shaking their heads acting like they understood what I was telling them.

"Well, it's an epic fantasy."  Quickly, I moved to dispel the blank look already forming.  "It's kind of like Lord of the Rings."  Whew.  The nod of comprehension.  I don't need approval, but understanding is crucial.  This way, they can walk away with an inner giggle muttering, "Ha!  The guy thinks he's Tolkien."  That much is acceptable.

So, what makes it even better?  The other server joining the conversation and asking, "Is it like Eragon?"

"A little," I answered.  "It's got dragons."

"I loved Eragon," he told me with a smile.  "When you get it published I'll have to buy a copy."

Then it was my turn to smile.  Yes, folks, it felt mighty good indeed.


Do you have similar stories you'd care to share?

An Epic Fantasy Map

What good is an epic fantasy without maps, right?  Well, I have an epic fantasy.  And I have maps.  Several of them.  Too many of them, yet not all I need.  No, I'm not going to tell you how many maps I've made.  Why?  Because it's embarrassing. 

The map below is one of them.  It shows where the first eight or nine chapters of my epic fantasy take place.  Please keep in mind that the actual size of the map is about 20-30% larger than what is displayed here.  That means that the names of places are much easier to read on the original.

First off, please accept my apologies if this thing doesn't scale or render well on lower resolution (or smaller) displays.  I have limited devices on which to preview it.

I have a couple questions I'd like to ask, so if you don't mind, give the map a gander and scroll down.

(This map depicts a tiny fraction of the Strands of Pattern series' world.)

I posted this map to ask a couple questions.  I would appreciate your thoughts.

• Do you reference maps provided in books?
• If so, do you want one big map or multiple detailed maps?

(For those who may be curious, I did this in Microsoft Paint under Windows XP.)

The Hardest Part

I'm mere chapters away from completing the initial draft of my novel.  And I'm finding it difficult.  It's got to be perfect, you understand.  Believable.  Exciting.  Fun and engaging yet steeped in tension.  I intend to drive the reader to tears, to shouts of joy, to wondering why they've bitten all the nails off their fingers.  And of course, to pondering the inevitable woes to come.  I think, for me, the ending is the hardest part.

I know what has to happen.  The goal is clear.  The climax and its aftermath are not in question.  It's simply a matter of getting the setup just right.  The beginning was easy.  And writing the middle was loads of fun.

You see, I'm essentially a discovery writer and offer no apologies for it.  Were I to treat my outline like the Gospel According to St. John or the Pentateuch then writing would be a chore or a (gasp!) job.  (I already have one of those and it pays better in a month than I'll probably earn in my lifetime as a writer.)

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. (1842)

It amazes me.  All I need to start a story--even a novel--is a simple line of dialog, or possibly a stimulating opening statement without a clue where it will lead.  Two little words launched this current NIP (novel in progress) of mine.  Oh, if wrapping up all the loose threads were as easy.

This is the point in my writing where my muse goes on vacation.  She's done her job.  She inspired.  She dropped impressive vistas, titillating events and dynamic characters right into my lap and let me play.  She smiled as I did so.  But she doesn't write the book.  She doesn't dig plot.  She cares little for consistency.  And she despises grammar.  All that, she leaves to me.

I hear many say they can never get started or they become mired in the muddle in the middle. Some complain of writing themselves into a corner or of losing inspiration or enthusiasm.  I'm sure I'll experience all these hindrances at some point.  I haven't really done so yet with this book.  For the most part it's flowed like a serene stream.  At times it's been a rushing river.  Of course there have been times when I crawled and clawed my way through scenes or meandered at plot detours or fiddled with a setting until I could get it just so.

Now I must master the mechanics.  Now is when the skill must arise.  To reuse my previous metaphor, I'm at bat.  The bases are loaded.  It's a full count.  And the pitcher is winding the payoff pitch.  Will I choke?  Will I swing and miss?  Will I stand idly by and watch the ball sail perfectly through the strike zone?  I'm being sifted and measured.  Do I have what it takes to knock it out of the park?

My epic fantasy needs an epic climax.  Perhaps an epic climax requires an epic struggle on the part of the writer?  I think that before I'm finished, the fingertips without fingernails will be my own.

Is this a dilemma unique to Jeff-the-aspiring-novelist?  Care to enlighten this suddenly frightened writer?  Have any insights or recommendations you'd care to share?  I'll let you borrow my muse. :)

March 18, 2012 Fantasy Writer's Challenge

This was my response to the March 18th, 2012 Fantasy Writer's Challenge.
The challenge: "Describe an unappealing place for a travel magazine."

Perfect Copy

Rodney Rat pulled the sheet from the typewriter.  His grin grew so wide that his whiskers tickled his ears.

Mona Mouse sat at her desk across from him, typewriter forgotten.  Munching straight from a box of Cheez-Its, she had her beady little eyes fixed on him again.  "What now, Rodney?  Another perfect copy?"

"It flows like butter, Mona.  Slices right fine when it’s hot."  And hot it was.  Next week’s commission would have him rolling in peanut butter.  Rhonda Rodent flashed in his mind, his date come Friday night.  She likes peanut butter.  A lot.  His grin grew wider and he squeaked out a giggle, remembering how he liked the way she nibbles.

"So where are you sending them to this time?  Paradise Pub for a night?"

"Better!  A whole weekend at Bernie’s Bistro.  You know the place, right?"

"I don’t travel Maple Ave.  There’s a Terminix at the corner of 17th street."

"Ha!  Bernie’s is at the 21st Street intersection.  Terminix is not a problem."

"Well, come on, let me hear it.  Somebody’s got to proof it before Gerry Gerbil gets it.  You know how he hates typos."  A Cheez-It fell to the floor.  "Rats!  Five-second rule!  Called it!"

Rodney shook his head and began to read.  "Bernie’s Bistro: Hedgehog Heaven."

"Oh, please.  Really, Rodney?  Is that the best you can do?"

"Hush, Mona.  Listen while you munch, okay?"  He watched her force another Cheez-It in her mouth.  The whole thing!  "Manners, Mona?  Is it too much to ask?"

"Just read."

"Two luxurious nights on the wharf.  Amorous aromas for lovers of life."  Mona choked and sent the soggy Cheez-It flying across the room.  It missed his eye by millimeters.  He squeaked his frustration and continued.  "Stay in one of Rodentia’s Twin Green Towers overlooking Bernie’s to the west and the rubbish-laced wharf to the east.  Leave your sunglasses at home and enjoy the shade only the Rodentia’s Towers provide.  They can accommodate your entire family.  Have your meals delivered by drop-in, their taste pre-tested by patrons of the establishment."

"Mmmm," Mona moaned.  Her tail, the only slender bit left on her brown body, rose.  "Leftovers."

"Should you choose to leave the luxury of the Towers and take a leisurely stroll, you’ll find the sleek brick and mortar walls doused daily with fresh refuse.  A manhole cover sits nearby, capping the perfect excursion for you and yours."

"Doesn’t sound so bad.  Maybe I’ll check it out."

"You wouldn’t like it, Mona.  Bernie’s requires a deposit and doesn’t serve Cheez-Its."

"Oh, just go take your copy to Gerry.  I got work to finish."

Feb 18,2012 Fantasy Writer's Challenge

This week's challenge was:  

"What happens to the socks that go missing in the wash?"

So, I figure, who better to answer that than socks, right?  Unwilling to hamper the muse, I rinsed my mind and wrung puns for all they were worth.  (I gave up counting them.)  Let the groans begin!

"Not a foot deep in water and I'd done lost my mate."

"Too late, Woolard," Nylo giggled. "Crue's gonna spin us another one."

"Hadn't even got dark yet and she was gone."

Stretching, Woolard whispered to Nylo. "How many times does he have to cycle through this? Week after week, it's all I hear."

"Crue's been like this ever since he lost Poly. You know that. Best to just let him get it out of his system.  He gets all agitated if you don't let him finish."

"Poly was so athletic," Crue lamented. "She could swim. She was good at swimming. Doesn't make any sense. The surf wasn't that rough. The tide was out. I should have clung to her tighter."

"You did all you could, Crue," Nylo said. "Some things just aren't meant to be."

"We weren't even gonna stay in the water long--an hour, tops."

Woolard rubbed his heel and bent closer to Nylo. "You know he's flipped his lid, don't you?"

"Don't be so rough on him, Woolard. He can't help it."

"Poly wasn't his mate, Nylo. She was his twin! He's sick!"

"Just you be quiet. He gets enough static from the others already."

"We were quite the pair. Don't you think, Nylo?"

"I do, Crue. You two made a beautiful pair."

"Hey Crue," Woolard snapped. "Look over there. You see her? The low-cut? That's Brooks. Jordan Brand said she's been wanting to starch your fabric. Go talk to her."

"I don't know."

Nylo kicked Crue's toe. "Go ahead, Crue. Just walk on over there. It'll do you good."

"You won't gain anything just lying around."

Crue stiffened and rose just as the buzzer sounded and did as they urged. Watching Crue spin away, Woolard asked, "So, Nylo, what do you think really happened to Poly?"

"Don't tell Crue this, but I heard she left Washington and moved west, someplace a lot drier."

Feb 12, 2012 Fantasy Writer's Challenge

This piece was written in response to Fantasy Writers' weekly challenge.

The challenge: "A dragon fight with unicorns coming to the rescue."

"Verithica's wail shook our whole village!"

"The whole village? Oh, Grandpa, did not."

"Sit down, Aric. This is Grandpa's story. Sit down now. Be quiet."

Little Aric sucked in more air than a six-year-old's lungs should hold, grunted his frustration, and sat. His lips protruded in an exaggerated frown that left his charcoal eyes peering at Grandpa from beneath thin, rigid brows.

"Mommas grabbed their babies. Everybody ran trying to find someplace to hide. Dragons are fearsome creatures, you know."

"Uncle Yaris said their wings cover the whole sky! Is that true, Grandpa?"

"Sometimes, Nevin. If they're close enough to you. But you don't ever want to be that close to a dragon. They get mighty hungry and think little boys make good snacks!"

"Dragons don't eat boys, Grandpa," Aric countered.

Nevin's eyes lit. "Uncle Yaris says they do! Especially when you don't do your chores."

"That's cause you never do your chores, Nevin. Tell him, Grandpa."

"Most dragons are rather fond of boys that don't let Grandpa finish talking." He paused long enough for Aric to fold his arms and animate a sigh. "Verithica was angry. And hurt!"

Little Nevin scooted forward in his chair. "Who hurt her, Grandpa?"

"Rendowin! The great red dragon himself. Nasty beast! All fireballs and temper that one is. And he was in a mighty foul mood."

"I thought Rendowin and Verithica were married?"

"Dragons don't marry each other, Nevin. Not like we do anyway. But they were mates. And he was mad. Flying over our houses and shrieking louder than summer's thunder. And Verithica shrieked right back at him too. She had her talons ready in case he got too close. White dragons can't blow fire, you know."

"They can't? I thought all dragons breathed fire."

"Not the white ones, Nevin. All white dragons are females. They can chase you down and claw you up, but they can't burn you like the red ones can. And they can fly higher and faster and longer than any other dragon. So if Rendowin was gonna cook her, he had to catch her first."

"He was gonna eat her?"

"We didn't want to stick around to find out. But there was nowhere for us to go. Every time Rendowin spat fire at Verithica some of it fell down here too! Things started catching fire everywhere. The barns and sheds, even our own roofs! Everything was burning! Verithica kept swooping down at him, trying to knock him out of the sky, but Rendowin's a red dragon, and red dragons are as strong as they come. And he wasn't going to let some white dragon get the better of him--even if it was Verithica."

"What'd you do?" Little Nevin nearly fell off the edge of his seat.

"There was nothing we could do! We were all gonna burn up and couldn't do anything about it!"

"Grandpa, you were not."

"Aric, Grandpa's not going to tell you again now."

"Yeah, Aric, be quiet."

"Only one thing can stop you from getting burned by dragon fire."

"A unicorn's horn! Right, Grandpa?"

"That's right, Nevin."

"Where'd you find one of those?"

"We didn't. One came to us."

"How?"

"On a unicorn, silly. It heard the awful raucous the dragons were making and knew we were in danger. It knew that if we could gather around it, its horn would keep the fire from burning us. And it came and stood right out there," he said, pointing at the village's well. "And everybody in the village gathered around it, squeezing as close as we could. We could hardly breathe; everyone was pressing in so tight. Most of us couldn't even hear it neigh with all the commotion betwixt the dragons a screeching and all the folk a yelling and crying. We didn't know until it was too late."

"Know what, Grandpa?"

"The unicorn couldn't breathe either."

Nevin's voice was little more than a whisper. "It died?"

Grandpa lowered his eyes and nodded. "It died, Nevin, rescuing us from the dragons."

Aric stretched his legs and rested his heels on the floor, his arms still folded and his mouth contorting into a sneer. "Grandpa, everybody knows unicorns don't exist."

Grandpa stood and reached for the mantle. He pulled a length of rolled cloth from atop it. Grandpa met their eyes as he slowly unwrapped it. Nevin gasped and Aric's eyes grew wide at the sight of the slender horn of a unicorn.

"You're right, Aric," Grandpa said. "Unicorns don't exist. Not anymore."