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Multivolume fantasy author, M. Ainihi introduces us to the latest and fourth volume in The Blood Inheritance Quartet, “Resist”: After finding out that she and the other half-bloods were created to help bring the world to its catastrophic end, Amanda did the unthinkable. Ashamed, disfigured, and alone, she has spent weeks in the Chaos realm, determined to uncover the secrets that sleep below the gardens before she dares to return to the others. She works to blend in with the strange inhabitants that dwell nearby, but as the moon wanes and a visit from the dictatorial celestial is imminent, following their strict rules becomes impossible. Emily and Kiami push to continue the search for the final half-blood, but a remnant of an old foe resurfaces, bringing unexpected consequences and causing them to question whether they can right the wrongs of the past. After an unknown ally tips Amanda off, completing the puzzle, a bargain is struck, and it’s a race against time. Once the half-bloods are united, the celestial will come at them with everything he has… Their gifts have pushed them together and forced them to make unfathomable choices. Now, Amanda, Emily, and Kiami lead a charge against the celestial, sealing Sumir’s fate forever. I have enjoyed all of these books and this brings a fairly tidy conclusion to the storyline. I say fairly because the author has left a pretty large opening to start a new series, and I welcome that possibility. Kiami has been an intriguing character throughout as a shapeshifter with other powers. One of her other powers plays a pivotal role in the story. I am committed to not revealing spoilers so I can't say any more about it. Everything is permanent until further notice is a universal constant and certainly true in this story. I loved this book and I think you will too. You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Resist-Blood-Inheritance-Novel-Ainihi-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/-resist-book-4-M-Ainihi https://www.barnesandnoble.com/resist-book-4-m-ainihi You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/m_ainihi https://mainihi.wordpress.com https://ConcealedRealms.com I have reviewed the first three books in the series and a collection of short stories in the horror genre, here are the links: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/rise-a-blood-inheritance-novel-by-m-ainihi https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/lost-a-blood-inheritance-novel-by-m-ainihi https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/endow-a-blood-inheritance-novel-the-blood-inheritance-quartet-book-3-by-m-ainihi www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-warning-signs-by-m-ainihi Tags: Teen, Young Adult, Sword and Sorcery, Fantasy, dark, Horror Copyright © 2023 Mark Schultz except for the author’s introduction
49 Comments
Mark
3/20/2023 01:11:26 pm
You are welcome. I did enjoy this story quite a bit.
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I have quite a lot of story ideas that I have been working on, but the next manuscript I would like to complete is a second compilation of short tales.
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Mark
3/20/2023 03:48:32 pm
Short stories are a different game, usually. There is little to no time to build a character or characters. Except in your case with Warning Signs. Some of the characters and settings were drawn from your series. Another collection seems like a good idea as long as it brings something new to the table. I am certain that won't be difficult for you.
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I enjoy reading books in almost any genre and I believe many authors have influenced me in different ways. When I was younger, I really appreciated a good mystery, especially if I couldn’t figure out the who and why before the ending, yet if I had to pin it down to just a few authors, I would say writers such as Stephen King and Edger Allen Poe had the most impact early on.
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Mark
3/20/2023 07:42:57 pm
We are alike in that way; I enjoy reading many different genres. I like mysteries also, but I am not good at all figuring out who committed the crime.
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Mark
3/21/2023 08:26:18 am
That is a great idea and they might be surprised about that. Many fans want something specific in mind or want to talk about the characters in depth.
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The vast majority of the authors I have met and have had a conversation with, whether up and coming or more well known, have been very friendly and inquisitive. Many even go out of their way to be helpful with offering insight regarding their own experiences within the publishing industry.
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Mark
3/21/2023 10:50:00 am
Most independent authors are very friendly as you have reported. They realize that another author is not competition but a fellow traveler in a wild and wonderful world. Few, though there are a few, consider another author to be a competitor and are not very forthcoming usually.
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Mark
3/21/2023 03:59:56 pm
Most authors do not consciously insert themselves into the story. Your chosen genre of dark fantasy and horror certainly doesn't permit much of that also. I love the thought that you asked that question.
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First, just write. Don’t worry about all the technicalities. Get your words down in any format and tell your story. The hard stuff comes later, like finding the right editors.
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Mark
3/22/2023 09:10:53 am
That is good advice! I have repeated it many times to authors of all stripes. An idea becomes a story as it is written. If an author can't get the story out of their head, then it will never be seen by others. Getting the idea onto paper allows for editing and polishing so others can enjoy it.
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I have tried a lot of tools out over the years but there are a few that I consistently use over and over again. For writing a first draft, I tend to gravitate to Microsoft word. It is true that as your manuscript grows, it can be harder to stay organized, but I have a tendency to rewrite chapters separate from the main manuscript then update the master file for editors. Many editors seem to prefer to edit books in Word and therefore require you to submit it to them in Word formats (.doc).
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Mark
3/22/2023 02:16:02 pm
You use a nice set of tools. Microsoft Word is the default word processing program almost everywhere. Word lists more than 40 versions of English so nearly everyone can write using their country-specific version. I love that it differentiates between UK English, Canadian English and Australian English to mention only three.
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I suppose I have evolved into more of a hybrid method over time. I do have at least a basic outline for the short stories and books I am working on currently, but I started out as a pantser. For me, it’s a fun way to accomplish my creative endeavors. I enjoy beginning with a rudimentary idea of what I want the story to be about, then write whatever pops into my head all the away to the end, before I go back and fix anything.
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Mark
3/22/2023 04:33:38 pm
Quite a few authors have said they have to write the story to see how it turns out. That works perfectly well for the first draft. Then comes the editing and all the factors such as pace, battles, struggles and more. That initial story idea can change a lot. Writing across a series and having short stories in the same world does complicate things as you have found.
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Thanks Mark. I am delighted to hear that you like the way I handled the POV changes!
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Mark
3/22/2023 06:29:07 pm
A story bible is a great idea and very necessary for an author who is writing broadly in the world as you are. A lot of authors do that. Not enough in my estimation, I have found various hair and eye color changes in some manuscripts in the past. Some authors scour the internet for pictures that look like the characters in their mind.
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I do sometimes look for pictures of certain people or places, for ideas on expanding descriptions and such, but I really enjoy working with artists to help give life to my ideas. As such, I have had several illustrations made, including a few for the three main heroines in the Blood Inheritance series.
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Mark
3/23/2023 11:15:18 am
Many authors report similar experiences. A few even say they write mostly to quiet the voices they hear their head.
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It was probably about eight or nine years ago after I received a paperback of Legends of the Fire Spirits: Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Zanzibar by Robert Lebling. Shortly after that, I began developing stories around the fictitious world of Sumir, in which the Blood inheritance quartet takes place.
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Mark
3/23/2023 03:25:22 pm
That is interesting and it exemplifies that everything we read, watch and listen to can have an impact on our own creative pursuits. I love it. It has been said that there are only 9, 12, 17 or 20 original plots, depending upon who you ask. But there are infinite ways to write a story about any of those plots. A few authors worry needlessly about another author stealing their story. Every author has a unique voice when they write.
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Mark
3/23/2023 06:27:28 pm
That makes a lot of sense. I have many ideas for breaking writer's block and you have just given me another. I will share that in the future.
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Mark
3/24/2023 08:12:52 am
Many authors are like you, needing quiet to work. I am the same. I do like to go to coffee shops because I can meet writers.
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I listen to all sorts of music.Like the authors you mentioned above, when writing, which songs I choose depend heavily on the scene, the characters involved, and their emotional states. I actually have music playlists for each of my main characters and books. For me, listening to these playlists can help me get to the right mood for a segment or get into my character’s head when switching between POV’s.
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Mark
3/24/2023 10:28:41 am
You have a lot of good company.
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I haven’t thought about posting them in my books, but I have brainstormed a few ideas for website articles pertaining to them. Generally, on my site I alternate between articles about mythology and creativity, so the subject has come up within a few of those and there are a variety of ways I could accomplish revealing playlists, but thus far I have posted only one article specifically related to music on ConcealedRealmscom. It is a guest post published in April of 2018.
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Mark
3/24/2023 03:02:40 pm
Varied and many are the ways to include music in a book. One of the most unique methods I have seen was in a book titled, "Dear Heart" by Linda Lingle. I reviewed this book in 2019. The two protagonists communicated secret messages to each other, after their illict affair ended, by sending records to each other across the country. It and the follow-up volume were very well written.
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Mark
3/25/2023 08:49:06 am
Every author encounters the easy and the hard parts of their writing. Finding the proper balance is essential and can make or break a book.
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I believe sight is the easiest of the senses for me to describe when I am writing, and I think that touch is probably the most difficult, especially if a sensation isn’t something I have experienced before. When that is the case, I tend to do quite a bit of research before I attempt to put it into my own words.
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Mark
3/25/2023 11:29:17 am
Many authors have responded similarly about sight being the easiest sense to write about. Admittedly, we are visually oriented creatures. We gather so much information with our eyes, it's a natural form of communication. For some authors touch is hard also, while others struggle with taste or smell, in a few cases.
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I have heard of synesthesia, and I agree it really seems like an interesting phenomenon, although I only know the basics of the condition. I should make time to read more about it.
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Mark
3/26/2023 07:28:53 am
Synesthesia is a fascinating condition and expresses itself in so many different ways.
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Thank you so much for the information! I look forward to learning more.
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Mark
3/26/2023 12:37:46 pm
I completely understand about research and rabbit holes. Growing up on a non-working farm in a small town there was little to keep me occupied much of the time. I read a lot and was frequently looking up words in our unabridged dictionary. It was huge, at least five inches thick. I would look up to discover I had been engrossed for an hour or more.
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I wouldn’t say much time passed at all between the idea and the start of writing the series, although, there were a few different variations before I settled on the characters' ages and such. In one early version, Amanda was younger at the start and had a brother.
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Mark
3/26/2023 06:04:21 pm
I think almost every author does a lot of fine tuning on their manuscript. And names are very important. A name carries so much weight for a character. Felicity is a nice name and makes me think of an English girl. Kiami, for me, suggests a Japanese heritage and I have a very different image in my mind than Felicity.
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The number of drafts varied widely between each book in the series. Rise went through a lot of stages. I believe I rewrote it from beginning to end at least nine times before I even consulted a developmental editor. For my second book, I contacted the developmental editor much earlier in the process and I feel like it was a great decision. It was completed in five drafts.
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Mark
3/27/2023 08:32:12 am
It's interesting to learn of all of those rewrites. As many authors have said, in one way or another, a good book is not written, it is rewritten many times. I have said there has never been a perfect first draft and never will. I forget who I stole that from.
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I do get many ideas for future books and stories while I am working on a project. I keep a running document with notes about these ideas so that I can work on them later. I also generally carry a notebook with me. You never know when inspiration will strike, and some ideas will nag at you until you get every word out and onto paper.
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Mark
3/27/2023 10:07:31 am
Many authors have similar experiences. A pad of paper and a pen are perennial favorites while the more digitally minded create a note on their phone.
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All the time! I haven’t noticed a pattern in regard to particular instances. Sometimes its when I am writing or researching, but just as often it’s when I am taking a break to recharge. During those timeouts when you start concentrating on something else, all of a sudden new inspiration can strike.
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Mark
3/27/2023 11:04:46 am
While good ideas can show up while you are working on a book, the best ideas seem to show up at other times like you mentioned. I have recommended to many authors that there is value in having more than one WIP. If you get blocked on one project jumping to another can restart the creative juices flowing.
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Who am I?An avid reader, typobuster, and the Hyper-Speller. I am a husband, father, and grandfather. Archives
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