For those of you on Facebook playing Castle Age, you may or may not be aware that a new (free) general is out there – Arielle. I’ve seen really complicated posts on how to get her, as well as some really sparse information.

Here’s what I did to get her as well as her item bonuses. I hope this helps!

Bio:

“Arielle grew up with Celesta and her sister Sylvana. However, she has grown distant from the two since Celesta and Sylvana became the guardians of the Crystals of Fire and Air, respectively. Rumors of Sylvana’s involvement in recent attacks has pushed Arielle to investigate.”

Special Ability
When Arielle levels up, she gains +2 to attack and defense

Stats:

Level	Attack	Defense	Ability
1	12	10	+2 Attack and Defense to Arielle when she levels up
2	14	12	+2 Attack and Defense to Arielle when she levels up
3	16	14	+2 Attack and Defense to Arielle when she levels up
4	18	16	Maximum Level Reached
Set	21	19	Maximum Level Reached

Arielle is acquired through the Land of Mist Epic Quest. Be forewarned: it will take many entries into these quests to complete the missions and a LOT of energy.

Arielle:

To get Arielle, you need to save 10 princesses in The Kingdom of Mist Here’s the catch. To save the 10 princesses, you will need 10 Mystic Scrolls (which requires 10 Shadow Leaves). So here’s what you need to do: 1. In the Kingdom of Mist, get 10 Shadow Leaves by entering the area and advancing until you are in the outer campsite and you can search for Mystic Scrolls.

What you are looking for is:
“Attack the Enemy Ranger!” or “Attack and capture the Ranger!” (2 stamina)
You should get a Shadow Leaf.

Do this until you have 10 Shadow Leaves.

2. Next you want to exchange those Shadow Leaves for Mystic Scrolls. Again, remain in this outer camp site searching for Mystic Scrolls. Now you are looking for the option to:

“Trade a Shadow Leaf for a Mystic Scroll!”
You should get a Mystic Scroll.

Do this until you have 10 Mystic Scrolls

3. Lastly, you want to use those Mystic Scrolls to save 10 princesses. This time you want to progress to the very end of the quest where you “Search the Tents!”. What you are looking for here is:

“Use a Mystic Scroll to dispel the magic!” or “Save the princess with a Mystic Scroll while looting the Tent!”.
Do this until you have saved 10 princesses.

Upon completing the quest (and you will need to complete it multiples times) with 10 princesses in your Population Achievement Rewards, you will be awarded Arielle.

(NOTE: Don’t expect to get this on the first run through. The Population Achievement Rewards are cumulative so you can run through the quests many times over until you get the rewards you are looking for.)

Shield of Arielle:

The Shield of Arielle is acquired by capturing 10 Assassins. To capture them you need 10 Dark Elixirs which are in the Kingdom of Water: Docks.

Go to this quest and advance to the area where you can “search the Merchant Ships”. Look for the options where there is a “Chance for Dark Elixir.”. Do this 10 times.

Now that you have the 10 Dark Elixirs, you can use them to capture the Assassins. Advance to the end of this quest where you can “Use a Dark Elixir to Hypnotize the Enemy Forces!”. Do this 10 times. You should now have 10 Assassins in your Population Achievement Rewards and you will be rewarded the Shield of Arielle.

Armor of Arielle:

The Armor of Arielle is acquired by getting 10 Champions. To get the Champions, you need 10 Golem Banes which are located in The Dark Tower.

In the Tower you want to ascend to the Middle Tower where you will come across Maiden Shadows. You want to “Compliment her on her beauty”. You will get a Golem Bane. Do this 10 times.

Then go to the Kingdom of Water: Caves.

Here you will go right to the end of the quest where you will “Explore vault!”. You will want to “Use a Golem Bane to control the Golems and capture the Champion!”. Do this 10 times and you will have captured 10 Champions and as part of your Population Achievement Rewards, you will get the Armor of Arielle.

Blade of Arielle:

The Blade of Arielle is just as complicated as the rest. For this you need to capture 10 Maidens, but to do that you need 10 Empty Crystals. Here’s what you do:

Go to the Kingdom of Water: Caves.

In here, go right to the end of the quest where you “Explore vault!”. You will want the option to “Rush the Enemies with overwhelming force!”.

Do this 15 times for 15 Empty Crystals.

Now you want to go to the Kingdom of Water: Tower.

In here, you need to go the middle tower. Here will encounter the Maiden Shadows and you want to “Hold an Empty Crystal in her direction!”.

Do this 15 times for 15 Maiden Souls.

But wait, you’re not done yet!

Now you want to go to the end of this same quest and look for the option to “Shatter a maiden soul in her presence!” to capture the Maiden. Do this 15 times and as a reward for your Population Achievement, you will get the Blade of Arielle.

Good luck!!

When we first learned about our boys, there was a video playing with photos of them. The song that accompanied was “Little Wonders” by Rob Thomas. This song will remain with me forever as a reminder of our own little wonders.

Tonight, we were watching The Robinsons and this same song played at the end of the movie – just as the lead character was being adopted. How fitting!

Felt nostalgic today and thought I’d share an old Sesame Street episode that’s been running through my head. Enjoy!

I’ve been running a series of interviews with authors that are releasing new books. I hope you’ll take the time to check out their work. Today, please welcome author, Keith Gouveia.

————

To start, can you tell me a little about yourself.

I am a Mechanical Engineer who writes fiction in his spare time. I live in Orlando, FL with my wife Lisa, our dog Murphy, our parrot Marley, and two rabbits, Scooby and Lilo. My writing bounces back and forth from Horror and Fantasy, but no matter which genre I'm in, you can bet I'll startle you at some point.

How long have you been writing and how did you get to this point in your career?

I've been writing seriously for ten years now. My first book was self-published and I learned the ropes the hard way. It has taken me many years, and tens-of-thousands of words to overcome that hurdle, but today, my writing is stronger than ever and I receive a fraction of the rejection letters that dissuaded me from traditional publishing what seems like a lifetime ago.

Tell me what inspired you to write this particular novel?

My latest book, Animal Behavior and Other Tales of Lycanthropy came to be from a challenge laid down by fellow author AP Fuchs. He had asked if I had enough werewolf material, without duplicating too many ideas, to fill a book. At the time, I had two short stories and four months later, I had eleven stories and one poem. He, like many others since, believe I answered that challenge.

I have a keen interest in dark fiction. Tell me how you would classify this book and what’s dark about it?

Within the stories of Animal Behavior and Other Tales of Lycanthropy we explore the human condition by focusing on the beast lying dormant in all of us. Some go to extreme measures to protect others from the beast's cruelty, while others unleash it. I believe these tales are a fine example of the Horror Genre with enough blood and guts to satiate the jadest of fans.

Sometimes we have to be ruthless in writing/editing. We cut scenes, eliminate characters or even kill them off. Tell me what was the hardest of these in this book.

That's a tough question to answer for me. When I sit down to write, I start with a single thought and I explore that thought as I write. I do not outline so for me, the story's conclusion is a surprise and a natural occurrence. I have no predefined boundaries I have to force myself to change or meet. By the time I'm done, that's the story my heart wanted to tell, and I'm true to that.

This blog is called Random Musings, so give me a random quote from the book – something you’re particularly fond of.

From the opening tale, The Beast of Garden Row, in Animal Behavior and Other Tales of Lycanthropy:

The next night, under the light of the full moon, Jim transformed into the monster that had taken everything away from him. As the beast, he had full knowledge of its actions, but control was lost. After a hundred years he had learned to influence the beast, but in the end, it was a wild animal whose actions were unpredictable. As a former man of the cloth, he would never gamble with an innocent life so he chose this existence. To live among the dead and allow the beast to release its destructive impulses on those it could not harm.

What can we expect from you next?

Multiple projects actually. The reading period for The Snuff Syndicate is over and stories have been selected for this Serial Killer themed anthology, edited by yours truly. Final product should be out late this year, or early 2011. I have completed The General and the Puppeteer, part two of my Death Puppet trilogy, which Coscom Entertainment will be publishing soon. The first part, Revolt of the Dead, published by Coscom Entertainment is currently available. I have several short stories due to be published in various anthologies and I am currently writing a Vampire novel with fellow author Giovanna Lagana. I also have a secret project going with Coscom Entertainment and I hope to be able to share details on that soon.

Where can we find you on the internet?

Though I'm terrible with updates, you can always find me on the web here: http://www.keithgouveia.com or you can join me on Facebook where I frequent the most.

Any final comments or thoughts?

Just a thank you, David, for allowing me this opportunity and to your readers: Regardless of your dreams, never let anyone stand in your way.

————

My pleasure, Keith! And that’s a great motto about your dreams – I totally agree!!

Thanks for the interview and best of luck with Animal Behavior and Other Tales of Lycanthropy and your other upcoming works. I look forward to your secret project with Coscom entertainment! Be sure to come back and fill us in!

Purchasing information:

Amazon – Kindle
Smashwords

I’ve been running a series of interviews with authors that are releasing new books. I hope you’ll take the time to check out their work. Today, please welcome author, Emma Newman.

————

To start, can you tell me a little about yourself.

I write. A lot. I also drink too much tea. My debut YA dystopian novel, 20 Years Later, comes out later this year – a fact that still makes me grin like an idiot – and I publish two flash fiction stories on my blog every week. I’m currently writing the sequel to my novel and have just launched my professional voice acting and audio book narration service.

I’m at my best with a few hours to write my fiction, a hot cup of tea and a little bit of chocolate. I’m like a bizarre pastiche of the incredible hulk – if I don’t get these things regularly, I go a horrible colour, get really grumpy and want to smash things.

I live in Somerset, England, in a tiny town that is way past its best, and lacks its own bookshop. The countryside is beautiful though.

How long have you been writing and how did you get to this point in your career?

I started writing stories at the age of four according to my grandmother. I wrote all the time until a short story got me into Oxford University when I was 17. That created a block that lasted for ten years! Then I began to write again and the first draft of 20 Years Later poured out of me over 26 days. I barely felt in control of it. My poor husband was a writing widow.

Three years later, after over thirty rejections, I got my publishing deal and have carved out a lifestyle that enables me to write everyday. Life is good, but it took a long time to get here.

How did I get to this point? Well, the decision to start a blog in January 2009 was a huge part of it. I learned how to be comfortable with sharing my work with other people, have found an amazing group of people and finally feel part of a community. My first contact with my publisher was actually through Twitter, so I owe a lot to the joys of social media.

Tell me what inspired you to write this particular anthology?

I never set out to write an anthology, it happened organically. Last year I started a Short Story Club. Every month I invite people to submit prompts, then I pick a winning prompt and write a story from it. The winner gets to read the story first and then everyone in the club gets to read it. Members get to read a free short story every month that they have contributed to – and it’s taking off. At the time of writing this there are 204 members. They are hugely supportive and give wonderful feedback.

I realised after a few months that I had a number of stories that had gone down very well with the club, and all of them were dark. I had found my niche. I’d been writing flash stories for a few months on my blog and realised that I had accidentally created an anthology.

I named it From Dark Places after the first story in the anthology – the first written for the short story club in fact. It fits well.

I have a keen interest in dark fiction. Tell me how you would classify this book and what’s dark about it?

Dark fiction is exactly how I would classify From Dark Places. The stories feature people caught in crisis, subject to the influence of frightening forces – both within and from without – and who are struggling to find a way through. The stories are gritty, fantastical, some are lighter than others, but all deal with dark themes such as loss, revenge, the brutality of selfish love and the desire to have power over another’s life.

Sometimes we have to be ruthless in writing/editing. We cut scenes, eliminate characters or even kill them off. Tell me what was the hardest of these in this book.

I didn’t have that problem so much in the anthology, I think because of the way I approach short story writing – I don’t start writing until I have the shape of the story straight in my head.

However, I do know it well in my novel writing and have made some agonising decisions. The first draft was told from the perspective of an active narrator – someone who witnessed the events – but it simply didn’t work. It distanced the reader and I realised it was actually a crutch for me. He was pushed into footnotes in a later draft, but his prologue and epilogue left in place. In the final draft that’s going to print, he is gone from the main body of the book altogether.

There are also scenes that I’ve loved but had to cut because they were indulgent – just because I loved them didn’t mean they could stay and slow the pace down.

This blog is called Random Musings, so give me a random quote from the book – something you’re particularly fond of.

This is a snippet of conversation between two characters in a coffee shop.

He winced. "The last one was a disaster."
"The Cultural Revolution was not a disaster!"
He glanced at the woman at the next table who had looked over at the outburst. "Keep your voice down, beloved."
She laughed and glared at the woman who looked away with all the British embarrassment bred into her for generations. "It wasn't a disaster," she whispered across the table in a mock conspiratorial tone.
"Millions died!"
"But it was so interesting."

What can we expect from you next?

I am writing the sequel to 20 Years Later now, and at the time of this interview I’m just over a third into the book. I also write a piece of flash fiction (1000 words or less) every Friday on my blog as part of the #Fridayflash Twitter community.

I am also writing a serial that is building the world and sowing plot seeds for the trilogy I plan to write when the 20 Years Later trilogy is finished. I have committed to a year and a day of stories in that world, published every Tuesday on my blog. I’m almost half way through that year now. It’s set in the Split Worlds and is quirky urban fantasy. This is how I recently described it to a friend:

Tales From The Split Worlds: Where tea and good manners meet spiteful fairies and the political machinations of powerful dynastic families.

You can find the index to the stories here.

I almost have enough stories to bring out From Dark Places Volume 2 soon.

Where can we find you on the internet?

My blog can be found at www.enewman.co.uk and I am @emapocalyptic on Twitter.

From Dark Places can be found on Amazon for the Kindle and on Smashwords for all other e-book formats.

My publisher created a Facebook page for 20 Years Later too.

Any final comments or thoughts?

Self-promotion can be agonising, so I wanted to say thank you for the opportunity to talk about what I do as a writer, and about my anthology. I really don’t want to become one of those authors who only shouts about their own book so I end up over-compensating and not mentioning it at all. Having the chance to talk about it without that risk is most welcome.

————

You’re very welcome! I really enjoy doing these interviews. I learn a lot from other authors.

Best of luck, Emma, with From Dark Places and your sequels!

Purchasing information:

Amazon – Kindle
Smashwords

I’ve been running a series of interviews with authors that are releasing new books. I hope you’ll take the time to check out their work. Today, please welcome author, P.A. Woodburn.

————

To start, can you tell me a little about yourself.

I am officially retired. However, I have a part time job as a caregiver, and I spend the rest of my time writing. If I made enough money writing I would drop the care -giving. I have had many different jobs during my working life. DSHS was the longest. I have also done nursing and laboratory work as well as fundraising in the non-profit sector.

How long have you been writing and how did you get to this point in your career?

I have been writing for thirty or more years, but I did not submit anything, and it was a long time before I dared to show my writing to anyone. When I was working full time, there never seemed to be anytime. Now that I am retired I am a lot more focused, but I still feel that I lack time. I felt less and less inspired to submit my novel to a publisher as time passed. I had read a lot of the horror stories about the publishing industry. Then I read about JA Konrath on Kindle, and my ex husband died on St Patrick’s Day. Those two things were a call to action, and I spent every spare minute editing my novel, Cries in the Dark. I put it on Kindle on June 24th, 2010.

Tell me what inspired you to write this particular novel.

For many years I have wanted to write a novel that might encourage people to protect animals. I had some experience working in a lab that used rats. I was not happy when they ate their own feet from pain. I was very interested in signing chimps, and even went to see some. I know several people who claim to be able to talk to animals. I enjoy murder and crime stories so I put it all together to make a novel.

I have a keen interest in dark fiction. Tell me how you would classify this book and tell me what’s dark about it?

From people’s reactions I think that people do not mind reading about human’s being cut up or tortured because they don’t think it is real, but several people stated that animal research is very controversial. My challenge in this novel has been to understate the torments animals go through while trying to retain the interest of the reader. Talking about laboratory animals is very dark, and although I have presented it as fiction we all know it happens everyday. I have also introduced more than six dead humans into the book to try and keep everyone guessing.

Do you think it might be possible to end animal research in our lifetime?

Yes I do think it will be possible. I also think it is very necessary. The physiology of all animals even the chimpanzee is very different from ours. Animal experiments do not work. A lot of money is wasted on animal research that would achieve better results if it were funneled into experiments using computer data and/or clinical trials.

Sometimes we have to be ruthless in writing/editing. We cut scenes, eliminate characters or even kill them off. Tell me what was the hardest of these in this book.

I killed off a very popular character in a very gruesome way.

This blog is called Random Musings, so give me a random quote from the book – something you’re particularly fond of.

Though anaesthetized, her body jerked, as her arms struggled upwards as if trying to grab some air. Then she was gone. Feeling for the pulse, he found none. One less whore to pollute the earth, he thought.

What can we expect from you next?

I would like to write another novel dealing with a different animal issue. There is no lack of animal problems to write about, and creatures cannot speak for themselves.

Where can we find you on the Internet?

At the minute I’m on Facebook and Twitter. I do intend to start a blog and website in the near future.

Any final comments or thoughts?

Although I’m retired, I intend to write so long as I continue to be in good health. I just ordered a pedometer so that I can monitor my daily exercise.

————

I’m really impressed by your inspiration and focus on the plight of animals. I’m sure it comes across well in your book. Best of luck with Cries in the Dark and all your future novels!

Purchasing information:

Amazon – Kindle
Smashwords

I’ve been running a series of interviews with authors that are releasing new books. I hope you’ll take the time to check out their work. Today, please welcome author, Lynda Hilburn.

————

To start, can you tell me a little about yourself.

I’m a vampire book author who makes most of her living as a licensed psychotherapist and certified clinical hypnotherapist. I’ve been a fan of all things paranormal/vampire since I was a kid and first read Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I live in Boulder, CO, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, which I consider to be one of the most gorgeous places on earth. I also spent many years singing in rock and roll bands. I guess I have eclectic interests!

How long have you been writing and how did you get to this point in your career?

I have been writing nonfiction for the last couple of decades, and only became bewitched by fiction in 2002. In the midst of reading all of the new “paranormal romance” novels featuring vampires, I decided it was time to try my hand at writing my own bloodsucker books. The first thing I sold (to an epub) was a very short story about a self-absorbed vampire, called Diary of a Narcissistic Bloodsucker. Since then I’ve sold two, 105,000-word novels (The Vampire Shrink and Dark Harvest) to a medium-size, independent print publisher, and several shorts and novellas to epubs and print anthologies. Since I hold the e-rights to most of the things I’ve written (thanks to my smart former agent and my own requests to various epubs), I was able to upload the two novels and a novella on Amazon and Smashwords. I have been so excited by the results, so far. What a wonderful opportunity for authors. It’s a great time to be a writer.

Tell me what inspired you to write this particular novel?

The inspiration for The Vampire Shrink came directly from a client session. I have many clients who are involved in one unusual lifestyle or another. That particular day, a young woman was talking about her desire to join a non-human group (not vampires, but I do have Goth and vampire-wannabe clients). As I listened to her words, I began to wonder what it would be like if a real vampire showed up in my office (I haven’t met a “real” one yet, but my door is always open!). So, I went home that night and started writing. It was the most fun I’ve ever had with a manuscript. The main female character in the book, Kismet Knight, Ph.D., is an idealized version of me. She is younger, prettier, thinner and having much more fun. I get to live out my fantasies through her.

I have a keen interest in dark fiction. Tell me how you would classify this book and what’s dark about it?

The dark elements of this book didn’t occur to me until I started getting feedback from readers. Some of my romance reader fans were surprised by the level of reality in the book. Bad things happen to everyone, including the protagonist. They told me it wasn’t what they expected from a book they thought would be predominantly a paranormal romance. I never really intended it to be a traditional romance. I can’t imagine writing anything without romance/interpersonal aspects, but I’m definitely a “with romance elements” writer. Maybe because I’m a therapist, and I see the shadow side of people on a daily basis, I am used to expressing those dark things. So, the very worst aspects of human (and vampire) nature get played out on my pages. I now refer to my books as Dark Contemporary Fantasy, but they actually have so many genres (another thing that got me in trouble, early on), it’s hard to categorize them. The books could also be described as: urban fantasy, dark paranormal, vampire chick lit with mystery, humor, sex, satire, metaphysics and horror elements!

I understand you got a bit of negative feedback because 1) your heroine takes a while to accept the existence of vampires, and 2) she isn’t an ass-kicker. Would you like to talk about those issues?

Yes! I’d love to. I have been taken to task by readers and reviewers because of these things. Over the last few years, a lot of the popular vampire books had vampires who were known to the world (not hidden, like mine) and featured very physically-aggressive female main characters (vampire slayers, like Buffy, etc.). I like all those books and movies/shows, but that wasn’t the story I wanted to tell. Since my heroine is very much an enhanced version of me, and she shares my professional career, it just seemed rational that she would use her mind before her body. She’s cerebral — a scientist. I know that when a client comes to me and tells me a fantastical story, I don’t immediately make the assumption that the tale is true. I always allow for odd possibilities, but I have discovered over the years that most of the non-human exploits I hear about usually turn out to be mundane expressions of repressed emotions and fears. When someone tells me he/she is a vampire, and gives evidence, I can always find a mental health explanation. Same with my heroine. She is always going to look for a pragmatic reason for the symptoms and behaviors. I hope readers will keep an open mind!

Sometimes we have to be ruthless in writing/editing. We cut scenes, eliminate characters or even kill them off. Tell me what was the hardest of these in this book.

This book went through so many critique partners and critique groups, and was transformed over and over, that by the time it was picked up by an agent and we went through his desired changes, I was used to the process. I actually enjoy editing/rewriting. I love when someone makes a suggestion that opens up an entirely new plot aspect. The hardest part with this book was holding onto my voice and my vision for the story.

This blog is called Random Musings, so give me a random quote from the book – something you’re particularly fond of.

How about a brief excerpt from the scene where the bad vampire comes to visit our psychologist in her office:

He lowered his mouth to within an inch of mine, and I twisted my head to the side, shifting away from his hot, unpleasantly sweet breath. He grabbed my chin between his thumb and first finger, holding tightly enough that I knew there'd be bruises, and forced my face back level with his. “I’m Bryce. I believe you’ve heard of me.”

"Stop it! Let go of me. . ."

He swallowed my words with his mouth, clamping his lips on mine with enough pressure to cause my teeth to break the skin on the inside of my lip. Then he sucked my lower lip into his mouth, holding it with his teeth until I made an involuntary yelp of pain. Only then did he pull back, giving what could only be called an evil grin, and gazed at me with his dark green eyes, which seemed suddenly magnetic. I tried to look away, but I couldn’t. I literally couldn't. It was as if his eyes were pulling me. I managed to briefly squeeze my eyelids shut, and he dug his fingers into my chin again, jerking my head roughly. "Open your eyes," he roared.

My eyelids flew up and his eyes were directly in front of mine, the green darker than before, almost black. I fell into them and felt the edges of my vision blur – a strange haze settling over everything – as part of my mind drifted off on a cloud.

What can we expect from you next?

I’m working on the third book in my series, along with expanding a short story I sold to an anthology, as well as making notes about a spin-off series in the same world as The Vampire Shrink. I wish I would win the lottery so I could quit my full-time job and write!

Where can we find you on the internet?

Website
Blog
Facebook
MySpace
Book Trailers

————

Lynda, thank you very much for the interview. Sounds like your professional life has really inspired your writing. Good luck with the series and I hope you can come back in the future to tell us more!

Purchasing information:

Amazon – Kindle
Smashwords