Mirabella the Mermaid Detective - Children's Book Review

Image: Copyright Emma & Margo Gibbs

www.mermaiddetective.com

My good friends Margo Gibbs and Emma Gibbs have a wonderful story for children. I met Margo and Emma back when a friend directed me to their completed crowdfunding page for their Mirabella story, and I contacted them to do a post for the Chapter Book Challenge. They very kindly donated time and effort and write a post that was helpful to the other writers in the challenge.

Now, about Mirabella the Mermaid Detective: My ten year old read it easily and really enjoyed it. My seven year old just started reading it. She is enjoying it so far.She is like me in that she has a soft spot for mermaids and stories about them.

I read the book too, and I think it is a wonderful little book. Mirabella, as a mermaid, is a believable young girl. She is adventurous and courageous, which are two traits I like to encourage in my own daughters. She has two friends who remain mostly by her side in the book, a lionfish named Seamese and a cuttlefish name Luna. The book chapters are a series of connecting stories, each being able to be read on its own. This makes it easy for me to read the stories to my four year old son too, as his attention span would not last for the entire book in one sitting. I can just read him one part of the story at a time and he will feel as though he has had a complete story. (And before you think anything about boys not liking mermaid stories, stop right there. Boys can and DO like mermaid stories, and there is no reason why they shouldn't!)

The story is enchanting, and the pictures are even more magical. The artist has captured the story so well in the smattering of full-color pictures that can be found throughout the book. I know my daughters would be thrilled to have any one of the illustrations as a poster in their room. Laurent Lalo, as the illustrator for Mirabella has done a beautiful job.

We have it downloaded onto my husband's iPad. My children love the interactive touch they get when reading a story on the iPad. Getting to move the pages with a finger swipe, for some reason, appeals to these children who have grown up being very well-versed in technology.

I think most children will enjoy Mirabella the Mermaid Detective's story.

*****

Margo & Emma Gibbs are a mother-daughter writing team from the Sunshine coast in Queensland, Australia, who have been creating stories together ever since Emma was very little. They both love reading, exploring, the magical natural world around them, and secretly both wish that they were mermaids. Mirabella the Mermaid Detective is their first book.

Laurent Lalo is a French-born world traveling illustrator who has over 40 years of experience transforming imagination into illustrations. He has illustrated hundreds of books and currently lives in Nournea, where he regularly swims on the New Caledonian Reef.

 



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Secret Subject Swap - Inspiration

Today I am participating in the Secret Subject Swap. It happens once a month. This month the subject was sent to me by J. C. Wolfe and the subject sent was "inspiration." To see the others involved, click here.

For me, inspiration takes on many forms. There is inspiration for my stories. The ideas created for my stories often come from my children. I have seven children, some grown and some still young, but they have, throughout their lives, provided me with inspiration for many, many stories. My youngest will sometimes say something that is completely ridiculous, but it will spark a new picture book idea in my mind. My ten year old daughter might be bossing her siblings around during a game of make-believe and idea is formed for a chapter book. My 6 year old son might ask me a question, and an idea for an early reader comes to me. My seven year old daughter might be trying to find a superhero toy for her to join in with her brothers game of "Superheroes" and a need for a new superhero story pops up in my mind. Sometimes just knowing the things that my children love and are interested in can bring me oodles of story ideas.

If you ask me who inspires me as an author, I can't give you any names as there are too many. Inspiring authors run the gamut from relatively unknown names to world-famous names. Whenever I read a story that sucks me into its world and doesn't let go until I finish reading the book and, reluctantly, have to leave its world and come back to reality, I am inspired to make my writing just as gripping and just as unforgettable.

I am inspired when I see other authors helping one another, whether it is through offering to be beta reader,s offering manuscript critiques, sharing each others' books through social media, blogging about one another and each others' books, commenting on each others blogs, congratulating each other on achievements, encouraging one another and any number of other things that authors do to support and lift each other up. Being an author can be lonely and really hard on the ego. We need each other.

I'm inspired by everything in the world around me. Being a writer means that I have a vehicle for making myself heard if there is an injustice I have noticed or a topic I desperately want to share with the world. And I am incredibly inspired by writers who stand up for what they believe in by writing about it and sharing their views in the wide world of the Internet.

What inspires you?

*****

The the other writers in the swap are:

• Jodi Gibson
• JC Wolfe
• Melissa Gijsbers Khalinsky
• Josefa
• Rhianna
• Ashley Howard
• Zanni Louise

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Creating a Female Superhero Challenge - Announcing the winners! #CAFSC

image found on Pinterest

We had 27 entries into the Creating a Female Superhero contest, with 4 of them ineligible for the prizes because they were written either by me or a member of my family, that still left 23 entries to judge. I loved reading all of the stories, but having to pick a first, second and third place story sucked, because the stories were so good! I decided to score them based on certain (secret to me) criteria being met, and then the winners were arrived at based on highest scores. I'm still annoyed that not everyone could win. If you didn't win, DO NOT assume that means your story wasn't good. There was a very high quality to every story submitted to the competition, and that is what made this so difficult to judge.

First off, it is my pleasure to announce which charity has won the vote to receive the proceeds from the anthology. The winning charity is (winning by three votes):

Because I Am a Girl

From the website: "

"Because I am a Girl is a global initiative to end gender inequality, promote girls’ rights and lift millions of girls – and everyone around them – out of poverty.

Girls in the poorest regions of the world are among the most disadvantaged people on the planet. They are more likely to live in poverty, more likely to be denied access to education, more likely to be denied medical care, and more likely to be malnourished, simply because they’re girls. And yet, studies show that if you give a girl enough to eat, an education and a safe environment, she’ll work to raise the standard of living for herself, her family and her community.

 We operate a wide range of programs worldwide to improve the status of girls and give them equal access to health care, education, protection, independence, and an opportunity to participate in society.

Our State of the Worlds Girls report series is an ongoing investigation to shine the light on specific barriers to young girls’ development and their access to basic human rights."

Now for the winners of the Creating a Female Superhero Challenge:

In first place, with his female superhero called S.O.S, is Stephen J.Mitchell.

Stephen has won:

- A trophy, proclaiming you the winner of the "Creating a Female Superhero Challenge"
- A print copy of  "The Everything Guide to Writing Graphic Novels: From superheroes to manga - all you need to start creating your own graphic works" by Mark Ellis and Melissa Martin-Ellis

In second place, with his female superhero called Arcana, is Phil Johnson.

Phil has won:

 - A Superhero Writer t-shirt 
In third place, with her female superhero called Snowfire, is Lisa Shambrook.

Lisa has won:

 - A Superhero Writer mug


The three of you need to e-mail me with your mailing addresses so I can send your prizes to you. Congratulations!

To read all of the stories submitted, just click on the linky tool:
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ANNOUNCEMENT:

I have not started putting the anthology together yet, so I am still allowing submissions for the anthology. Please follow the format suggested for the competition. You can either post the stories on your blog or e-mail them to me. We already have nearly 30,000 words worth of stories and details to include. I will take submissions until we reach 50,000 words or I start putting together the anthology, whichever comes first.


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Work - Insecure Writers Support Group Post for August 2013 #IWSG

This is my sixth monthly Insecure Writer's Support Group post. The IWSG is hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the IWSG is:

 "to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!"

This is my post for Insecure Writer's Support Group for August 2013. The topic I chose for this one is "work."

The one thing that will make the dream of becoming a published author come true, the most important ingredient in the mixture of success, is a strong work ethic. It will never happen without putting the work in. If you want to publish a book, you first have to sit down and write it. It won't be easy, and once you are finished, then the real work starts. That's when you have to start editing and revising it. You will have to cut some of it out, rewrite some of it and write some new parts to it. You will have to make sure that everything makes sense and nothing is out of context. You will have to check your language and then, once all of that is done, you will need critique partners to tell you what else you need to do, and beta readers to tell you even more ways that it can be improved. You will need to check and re-check and check some more to make sure there are no spelling, grammar or punctuation errors. It takes work and drive and the will to keep at it no matter what might try to get in your way.

I am about to publish the anthology of fairy tales written by members of the Chapter Book Challenge.  The Kindle version is almost finished. I have spent a ton of time editing and proofreading each story and working on getting the format just right. I am determined to make sure that the Kindle will have useful clickable links. I have made the table of contents clickable to take a person to the story of their choice and the title of that story once they get there is clickable to take them back to the table of contents. The author byline under the title of each story will be clickable to take the reader to that particular author's bio. And in the bio, there are clickable links to take the reader to that author's websites. In an anthology which has several different authors, I think this kind of things increases the reader's enjoyment of the book and the ease for them to use it. It's a lot of work, but worth it to create a fabulous book for people to buy. The editing and proofreading is also a lot of work, but no one wants to read a story full of typos, spelling mistakes, poor punctuation and grammar problems.

And once the Kindle version is out, I have to spread the word about it while I am putting together the print version. The print version won't need any clickable links. and through all of this, the germ of an idea for a new kind of publishing company is growing in my mind, so I know I will be doing a different kind of work if I want this new idea to come to fruition.

But you know what? It feels good to do the work. And even more? It feels great when everything comes together and the finished product is there, ready to go out into the world.

Have you been doing the work it will take to make your dreams come true?

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Three Questions Blog Hop

My friend Christine Irvin asked me to join a Blog Hop. I have to answer three questions and then list three people who I would like to also answer the same three questions on their blog. The only problem is that I was worried about getting this blog written and forgot to find three people willing to join in! So at the end of this post, I will list three friends of mine who's blogs I think you will enjoy reading, and, hopefully, they will read this and be willing to answer the questions on their blogs too.

 

1) What are you working on?
I am working on a variety of writing projects right now. I am writing my Skinny Dreaming nonfiction book. I am revising and editing a YA paranormal novelette, revising and editing three NaNoWriMo novels (all urban fantasy), editing and revising two middle grade books, and currently working on perfecting three different picture books. It's frustrating to work on several projects at the same time, because sometimes I feel like I want to be done with at least one of them, and focusing solely on one would make that happen faster. But working on multiple projects also works for me in that, when I get blocked with one, I can move on to another one for a while.

2) How does your writing process work?
Basically, I take any spare minute I have and I sit down to write. Then I struggle for a while to not let Facebook distract me from my writing. Once I get into it, I can write quite a lot, but I don't do a lot of research in my first draft, and I completely pants the whole thing and let the story tell me where it wants to go. I start with a strong idea, and it helps if I know how I want it to end, but sometimes, I don't even know that much until I'm much further into the story. 

Once I get that first draft down, that's when my revising and editing should begin. But that's when I usually begin a new project instead and put off working on the one I have just finished. In fact, I'm terrible about procrastinating when it comes to perfecting my novels. It's a trait I am working through.

3) Who are the authors you most admire?
There are so many! I can't possibly name just one. I think I am going to say that I really admire my writing friends who have successfully self-published and Indie-published their books. They have not only finished some awesome books, but they have learned all about marketing themselves and using Amazon to their advantage. 

 

I have one friend who is a mother of three, and between her and her husband, they have written over 18 books and have achieved enough success to make writing their full-time jobs. They are supporting their family off of their writing. I've read the books they have written and they are so incredible that I am not surprised about their success.

****

 And now here for three four blogs I know you will enjoy reading:

Yearning for Wonderland (Anna Loy)

The Seal Island Trilogy (Sophie Moss)

Anonymous Legacy (Angela Goff)

Minstrels & Heroes (Missy Ames)




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Lists, Timelines Goals & Submission Dates

Lately, I am finding it difficult to keep up with all of the submission dates and writing deadlines I either have committed to or would like to do. I seem to have built up a huge To-Do List when it comes to my writing and my writing goals, and it is not easy to keep track of it all.

So I am writing this post to help remind me of dates that are coming up (and then I am going to plug all of these dates into my Windows Calendar and set it to send me reminders). This will do two things: 1 - It will remind me of my own submission dates and timely goals. 2 - It will give my blog readers some idea of when some of my publications will be made available.

Anthology projects I am in charge of:

1 - The Chapter Book Challenge's fairy tale anthology is due to come out on August 1st, 2013. We are still choosing a name and voting on a cover for it, and I am putting it all together. (Anyone who has not gotten back to me with their revised stories - if you were sent the editor's comments  - please do so in the next week.)

2 - The Creating a Female Superhero Challenge is over and the anthology is being created. I still need a cover for it, and I am still deciding whether or not to crowdsource it in order to get some professional artwork done for the 27 stories and female superheroes. (I know of a fabulous artist who creates them for $50 per character, which would cost about $1,350 in order to have each female superhero represented, not including the cover art. Possibly I could ask for a discount since this is an anthology for charity. Still thinking this one through. We may only have cover art, in the end.) There is still a lot to do for the anthology and some things that are not decided yet, but I want it available for Christmas shopping. so although there is no hard and fast completion date yet, I am shooting for no later than November 1st, 2013 to make this anthology available for purchase. (Also, if anyone would still like to submit to this anthology, see this post to check out the details. The competition is closed, but I will take submissions for the anthology up until August 7th.) The winner of the competition is to be announced on August 7th, 2013.

3 - Amazing Pets: An anthology of short stories in memory of those special pets who stole our hearts - This one has not been officially announced yet. Proceeds will go to an animal shelter. It will be announced both here and on The Kitty's Corner. No set date yet. Publication will be sometime in 2014.

 ****

Anthology projects I have committed to writing for:

Crock of Charms - submission date of September 1st, 2013

Keepsakes - submission deadline of February 1st, 2014

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Anthology projects I am thinking about submitting to:

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game - submission deadline of July 29th, 2013

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Multitsking Mom's Survival Guide - submission deadline of July 31st, 2013

Dreamspinner Press: Heartwarming - submission deadline of August 1st, 2013

Vampirical Lyrical Press' Vampire anthology (for charity): submission deadline of August 1st, 2013

Open Doors: Monstrous Myths and Legends anthology (for charity) - submission deadline of August 2nd, 2013

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles Happen - submission deadline of August 15th, 2013

Xyler Publishing: Back to the Future (fantasy) Anthology: submission deadline of August 31st, 2013


Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories about Cats - submission deadline of August 31st, 2013


Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories about Dogs - submission deadline of August 31st, 2013


Shadows of a fading World: A Sword & Sorcery Anthology: submission deadline of October 31st, 2013


Hauntings: An Anthology - submission deadline of October 31st, 2013

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Overcoming Challenges - submission deadline of October 31st, 2013

A Crampus Antholgy by World Weaver Press - submission deadline of November 30th

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Reboot your Life - submission deadline November 30th, 2013


Xyler Publishing: Around the World in 80 Days (steampunk) Anthology: submission deadline of November 30th, 2013


Deepwood Publishing: Ruined Cities, The Death God's Chosen, The Ways of Magic, and Splintered Lands - all four anthologies open until filled

Vamptasy Publishing: Cirque d'Obscure: A Dark Carnival Anthology - details soon

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Picture Book Submissions:

Cheerio Spoonful of Stories - submission deadline of July 31st, 2013

Various 12 x 12 agents - submissions monthly from the 1st to the last day of each month in 2013

****

Other goals for 2013:

Finish editing and revising picture book "Jenny Dreams" and begin submitting - deadline of July 30th, 2013

Finish editing and revising picture book "Bluebell the Fairy"and begin submitting - deadline of August 15th, 2013

Finish editing and revising picture book "Princess Parade" and begin submitting- deadline of September 1st, 2013

Create Isabella's collection of short stories for her Tangle Fairies series (after getting Robert to complete the drawings) - tentative release date of November 1st, 2013 (author: Isabella Fyfe)

Create photo-picture book about Caspian (similar to the one I helped Kayla create when she was 5) - tentative release date of November 1st, 2013

Create collection of my own short stories and make available in print and ebook - tentative release date November 15th, 2013

Create poetry collection or very short story collection to accompany Robert's beautiful fairy photos - tentative release date of November 15th, 2013

Create poetry and photo collection book using my photos and poetry - tentative release date November 15th, 2013

Create Skinny Dreaming Recipes (healthy recipes) book - tentative release date of February 28th, 2014

Create Kids Creating Cakes: Cooking for Kids recipe book - tentative release date of March 31st, 2014

And I can't forget that I am part of the 12 x 12 community and need to write one first draft of a completed picture book every month.

****

Long-term writing goals (deadlines to be added soon):

Finish writing the Skinny Dreaming book

Finish editing and revising "Walking With the Dead"  YA novelette

Finish editing and revising "Prophecy Girl" urban fantasy novel

Finish editing and revising "The Magic Necklace" chapter book

Finish editing and revising "The Guardian" chapter book

Finish writing "Through the Veil" YA novel

Finish editing and revising three of my other picture books


Other goals and deadlines to be added later in all categories


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Moving Forward - Insecure Writer's Support Group for July 2013 #IWSG

This is my sixth monthly Insecure Writer's Support Group post. The IWSG is hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the IWSG is:

 "to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!"

Moving Forward

No matter how often I try to be "good" and not let my fears take over, I still suffer from self-doubt on a regular basis, especially as it pertains to my writing. I am trying to behave in such a way as to suggest that it doesn't have an effect on me, but I don't always succeed.

I've been sharing more of my short stories and flash fiction writing on my blog. I don't get many comments on my blog posts, no matter what the topic is, but the few comments I get on my stories that compliment my stories make me feel better, if only for a short while, about my writing.

I think I am what might be called a "lazy writer." I love writing my stories, and I feel great when I have finished a longer novel. But the hard part, the nitty-gritty work that is involved in editing and revising, that part I put off, leaving my novels to languish forever in obscurity, never to be read by others. Naturally, I can't possibly share my novels with my critique groups or beta readers or even an editor until I have at least made a first pass-through at perfecting the writing.

I'm really good at proofreading. I can catch spelling errors, typos, grammatical errors and punctuation errors EASILY. But going through a piece of writing and making it go from writing that tells a story to writing that sucks you into another world and hangs on to you until you have emotion roiling through you and you never want to leave, THAT is something I need to work on. And I will not be happy with my novels until they can do that to a reader.

But, as a writer, I have to move forward. If I leave my writing as is, then it never changes. My writing will never raise from the level it is at unless I am willing to work at it and let it grow. So, to move forward with my writing and with my goals this year, I am determined to make ONE of the many novels I have written SHINE. And I will get it past the first edits and send it off to a professional in order to help it get to the shiny stage.

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For those of you who don't know, the Chapter Book Challenge has a fairy tale anthology coming out, hopefully by August first, in both print and Kindle format. The title and cover are still being worked on,  but you can head on over the ChaBooCha to find out more about it.

The Creating a Female Superhero Challenge came up with 27 female superheroes for the anthology and 23 entries for the contest. The winner of the contest will be announced on August 7th, along with the charity that won the vote for the proceeds to go toward. The stories are all from 500 to 1,000 words long, and have varying lengths for each of the "about" sections for each superheroine. I think it is going to be a pretty decent little anthology. (I am open to new submissions for the anthology before its creation is complete, because it is for charity, so more stories can only be a good thing.)

I also am in the process of creating a story for the Crock of Charms project, which is a short story project where everyone will be writing interconnecting stories suitable for young children through teenagers. They have a new project out, for adults, called Keepsakes, that I am currently looking into. (I like challenging myself by writing short stories. It helps hone my writing.)

I love hearing from you, so let me know in the comments what you have been up to and what your plans and goals are through this year.

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Kindle Fire #Giveaway

My friend Sophie Moss is participating in a joint author and blogger sponsored giveaway, hosted by Blkosiner's Book Blog. There are also a few books and additional prizes up for grabs, including an e-copy of The Selkie Spell!

Sponsoring Authors and Bloggers:
Mike Hartner
Trisha Wolfe
Chris Everheart
Ashley Lavering
Susan Kaye Quinn
Sophie Moss
Rebecca Ethington
Emma Michaels
Kelly Hashway

The giveaway is open to anyone who can use Amazon. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Bella Blake - Creating a Female Superhero Challenge entry #CAFSC

This is an entry sent in by Jules Harley. It's being added in late, but she had it written on time; it's late because I posted it late, so it is being included in the competition.

photo courtesy of Fyfe Photography

Name - Jules Harley

 Word count - (Not including these details) 730

Anthology: Yes

Charity - Because I am a girl

Name of female superhero: Bella Blake

Name of human alter ego, if different: N/A

Superhero appearance: 15years old. Long straight chestnut hair with flame red streaks. Green eyes intense and burning. 5ft6 and slim build.

Human alter ego appearance (If she has an alter ego): N/A

Costume: Blue flared jeans, a white long sleeved shirt with the top two buttons undone, a black velvet waistcoat and a gold necklace with a small tear drop ruby. Black converse shoes.

Personality: She's a teenager and has the passion and attitude that you might expect from one. She is very caring and would do anything for her family and to protect her brother. It takes her a while to get on the right path with some ups and downs on the way. Fiery, protective and a braveness that almost goes to the point of stupidity. Direct and to the point.

Brief Description of how the super heroine gets her powers: She's born with them but they don't manifest until puberty. Her brother discovered his own ability age 14. Bella would probably have recognised hers at 13. No one else in their family have special abilities.

Powers: 'Extreme gardening'. Flowers grow beneath her feet as she walks. As she develops her talents she learns how to grow deadly plants, lethal thistles and even forests to lose people in.

Anything else important: Her ability is very mood based. I'm bi-polar and though I didn't want her to officially have any mental health issues, I have enjoyed her moodiness and exploring how her talents are effected by her feelings.

A walk in the woods

By Jules Harley

Bella walked along, looking at her feet as she did so. She loved what she could do and never tired of it. OK it wouldn't change peoples lives like her brothers ability did, but it was pleasing all the same. She liked to walk through the woods each day if she could. She found it relaxing and it kept her fit. She would take different routes. She knew many ways staying on the path and wander off it. When she'd had an emotional day, this was the only way she knew how to unwind. Of course anyone else walking the path after her would know her moods too. Blue bells and snap dragons if she's joyous. Roses in varying shades of red if she's in love. Daffodils and primroses when she's relaxed. Thistles and ragwort when she's angry, and snow drops if she's confused or anxious. Of course very few people knew what she could do to be able to make the link so she was safe.

Today the snowdrops appeared beneath her feet. She was indeed anxious. Her brothers ability had been found out by the authority’s and now they wanted to recruit him for the British Special Powers Army. They thought he would make a useful soldier and weren't giving him much of a choice. Bella's brother Stephen had the ability to share how he was feeling. If he touched your skin, then whatever emotion he was experiencing, you would enjoy or endure too. Right now, he was feeling sad and angry with the situation. Bella was avoiding his touch! She just wished there was something she could do.

She walked past the church yard. It was a mess. Weeds and debris and one lone man crouching in front of a new grave.

She glanced at the man and he glanced at her. Bella was surprised, it was the General from the BSPA. He looked distraught. Bella leaned down, grabbed a handful of Snowdrops and presented them to the General.

"Here," She said as she handed him the bunch, "The grave shouldn't be empty."

The General took a moment, then accepted the flowers with a smile and a small nod.

"You're Stephen Blake's younger sister, aren't you?"

Bella nodded her head.

"He's a good boy, your brother. He'll make a fantastic soldier."

"No he wouldn't." Her nod turned to a shake. "His ability, have you actually thought about it?"

"Well of course! We get any of our enemies to touch your brother and they'll be ours. Easy."

Bella sighed sadly.

"Depends what mood he's in though. If he's happy, then they'll feel happy. More to the point, if he's angry, maybe because he's being forced away from his family, then your enemies will feel that too and that could make things a whole lot worse."

She stopped talking, took a few more steps forward, picked a fresh bunch of snowdrops and put them on the grave next to the one the General stood by.

The General screwed his face up thoughtfully. A truth uncovered by a child. He said nothing.

Bella continued.

"For years the government tried to imprison those of us with special talents. Now we get forced into an army. We are just slaves to persons of normality. When are you going to learn that prejudice of people who are different in some way is wrong? Let us make up our own minds for these matters."

"Your saying, ask your brother to join us, and if he says no, then leave him be?"

Bella nodded and took another step towards the general.

"Leave him and take me instead!"

That took him by surprise.

"I'm sorry kid. Your talents nice and all, but I hardly think it will be useful in a battle!"

With that Bella closed her eyes in concentration. She took one more step, leaving her right beside the General. In front of them stood an 8ft thistle with razor sharp thorns.

"I can do that." She stated, "I can also grow a forest 20ft high, an impenetrable maze. You need me." She glared into his eyes, "My brother doesn't want to go, but I do. When are you going to let the minority have the right to choose?"

The General nodded, and Bella knew that now her life was really going to begin.

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