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Hello,
I just wanted to come on here and express my gratitude to everyone who has reached out to me, whether it be on here or on social media to buy or order my book. It took a long time to make with a lot of thought and I'm really happy that its out in the world now. The good news is we managed to sell out every single one in such a short period of time! I never expected this much demand and I'm really thankful. Because of the demand, we've ordered more of "The Sword" to be printed and it is available now!
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| The Sword by Najwa M |
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| The Sword by Najwa M |
It's finally here! I am incredibly happy to announce that my debut novella, "The Sword", with an exclusive bookmark launched on my birthday and is available to order by reaching through my email, which can be found if you click on "my complete profile". If you can not reach me through there, you can comment down below :)
I appreciate anyone who can buy the book and I've had so much wonderful support while writing it. It took me a few years to write as I managed writing, editing and all the logistics as I still had school and exams but I'm very proud that I got it published. Many people put a lot of hard work into the creation of this novella so show some love.
Celeste Albus is the heir to the throne of Aerion, a kingdom in the midst of a realm ripped apart from the Great War, a conflict that forced the Energy Guardians into near exile and left a bruising mark on the Elemental victors. With the tide beginning to turn and the wounds of an old war beginning to heal, Celeste is preparing for her ascension with a sword gifted to her on a momentous twentieth birthday.
But the sword harbours some deceptive links to her origins, establishing the unravelling of her own existence, as the past, present and future collide. Facing uncertainty across all paths, she starts to uncover secrets that have consequences on everyone, especially on the growing peace within. Now racing to prevent another war, both inside and outside the kingdom, Celeste must truly fathom her purpose and what it means for the new world.
Hello,
I thought I would come on here to give you some exclusive looks on how my book is going. I'm nearly at the finish line but I haven't hammered down a release date yet as I haven't sorted out the next stages after the editing progress but we are getting very close on my end :)
To describe what my days have been lately, I've been working in the mornings, trying to aim for 1000 words everyday (writers count in words not pages). The skeleton of the book is complete and I've been focusing on ironing the details, making sure there are no plot holes, which is why there is a lower word count. I work for a solid three hours before I have lunch and the majority of the word count would have been completed in this time. In the afternoons, I either continue to edit (while watching a few shows because I am also a teenager guys) or if I've done a considerable amount of work in the week, I just clock off entirely. Sometimes I do pick it back up in the night. I've learnt that I gain the most inspiration at night and my words always flow the best so its a great way to end the day.
Writer's block is a big issue that a lot of people face and it has been an obstacle for me. On days where I feel that I'm not flowing as well, I will do 20 minutes of solid work and then 5 minutes of just scrolling through my phone. Its a nice reward and when I start to write, I always feel more refreshed and it just works better. This doesn't mean you get to spend however many hours you want on your phone, I only stick to five just to stop my brain concentrating so much. Or I just grab a snack. I would read a book, except that I know I wouldn't want to stop reading and then I wouldn't write. If my mind is in a better place then I'll keep writing but if I'm continuing to struggle, its nice to take a longer break. The world won't end if you don't get your daily word goal, it just means you work harder the next few days. But I would like any writer to know that everyone goes through writer's block and it really helps to just take a break and think about something else. You might get inspiration from someplace else!
Speaking of shows, I've really been getting into Drive To Survive on Netflix and I've gone into an F1 deep dive. I definitely recommend the show, just be aware that a lot of the rivalries they try to portray aren't all true and you should go watch interviews of them on YouTube and I assure you there is NO tension whatsoever between the drivers. And I've learnt the rules very quickly but don't ask me to list every world champion because I'm not that deep into it.
I was trying to give you insight on my day but that did turn into a rant. If you did make it to the end, thanks for reading and be on the lookout as I post more updates!
I pick up my pen and I wish to be in the forest.
"Despite years of an unbridled flame burning at her core, she could still enjoy the natural warmth"
Celeste Albus
I have been hard at work creating a solo book that I hope to self-publish soon. While it isn't finished, I can reveal a short excerpt. This is a memory from my main character, Celeste Albus:
It was January 1st and I was nearing seven years old. The clock had struck ten minutes past midnight and I had woken up for a glass of water. I heard laughter as I glided silently down the especially long staircase and creeped to the kitchen. I passed my father’s study and I clearly wasn't as stealthy as I’d hoped because he called out to me.
“Celeste?” he called.
I stopped dead in my tracks, hoping and praying he couldn’t see me and would forget I was there. I closed my eyes and silently counted to ten but I could hear his footsteps reaching the ajar door of the study. The light lit up the dark hallway and illuminated our faces.
My father looked stressed and distracted and he rubbed his head more often these past couple of days than I had ever seen him. His dark brown eyes, that I didn’t inherit, search mine.
“Care to explain why you’re awake at this time, young lady?” he rubs his head again.
I feel myself beginning to shrink beneath his blistering gaze but I pull my posture up.
“I wanted a glass of water,” I defend myself.
My father sighs, like I’ve insulted him. He always comments on how defensive I am. Says that if I feel no shame, I won’t filter my words or my actions. My mother just says I’m a born fighter.
Laughter grows louder from the common room. It just annoys my father more. He has dark circles under his eyes and I doubt it’s because of the loud parties occupying every part of the kingdom.
It’s my grandmother.
The Queen, Daphne Corran-Albus, is sick. She has been, for the past couple of months but no one had been amiss. Even now, ignorance plagues the court. Only the immediate family knew and despite my parents calling in favours from every inch of the kingdom and beyond, nothing was helping. Even the Healer Guardians couldn’t stop the sickness, only stall it.
“Let’s go to the kitchen,” he says. I take that as a sign to grab his hand.
He pushes the doors open and my eyes adjust to the light. Our head chef, Francesco, who is from Rykon, is busy making coffee. I yawn loudly and Francesco registers our presence.
“Your Majesty!” he sweeps into a long and dramatic bow. “What can I do for you on this fine night?”
I giggle and Father manages a small smile. “Francesco, it's the middle of the night. I’m sure my wife and her friends can manage making coffee on their own,”
The chef frowns, “I am more than happy to help, sir,” he assures us.
My father sees no use arguing with him and is about to grab a glass when the chef blocks his path.
“Anything you want, I give,” his accent giving way.
“One glass of water,” I pipe up, holding up one finger. “Please,” I quickly add.
Francesco hands it to me with a wink.
I down it quickly before scurrying to the dishwater and placing it in. I dart back to my father and we leave the head chef back to serving his coffee.
Father leads me back to his study and closes the door. This is the first time I’m really aware of his study. The chairs are ginormous and his table reaches my neck and I'm just able to peek my head at all the sheets on top. The walls are painted a forest green while the furniture is the colour of tree trunks. I lay a hand on the smooth walls, marvelling at how cold they are.
“Celeste, take a seat,” Father says, pacing the room. On occasions, he likes to gaze out windows when he’s thinking. There are no windows to be found.
I place myself down on the chair closest to me and cross my legs, waiting.
“Who are you?” he asks, taking a seat.
I’m unsure of how to answer. So I don’t. Instead, I wait patiently.
“Celeste, it’s a simple question,” Father says, leaning forward, hands clasped. “Who are you?”
Still unsure, I say hesitantly, “Celeste Albus,”
“Good. That’s a start,” he nods, leaning back into a more relaxed position. “What are you?”
I answer that almost immediately, with no hesitation in my voice, “The heir,”
Father’s face curls into a smile. I silently take that as a win. “You will be the most powerful person in the kingdom. The most privileged,”
I sit up, wondering where this is going.
“You will have everything,”
“Like new weapons,” I perk up. I had been begging my father to finally start my sword-fighting lessons but he refused to give me a sword.
“Yes but not just that. You have food, clothes and a roof above your head. You will have everything at your fingertips Celeste. Not everyone in the kingdom has what you have,”
I wonder why he’s telling me this. In fact, I wonder why he brought me to his study and not tucked me back into bed. “Mama always tells me to mind my own business,” I remind him.
“Yes that’s true,” Father nods. “But as rulers, it's our job to make everyone’s life a better place. If someone is sick, we have the medicine. If someone needs a home, we find them one,”
“So it's our job to make everyone happy?” I question, uncertainly.
“If we could make everyone happy, we would. But it’s not that simple. When you grow up, you’ll understand how hard it is. But our job is to make sure everyone survives,"