BRBC week 34: Pity

Leeli's sweet, fierce heart is remarkable. I want to see the world the way she does.

Leeli turned her thoughts to the heavens, and took up her pleading where Nia’s left off, praying a blessing of safety on her brothers, who even now walked deeper into darkness with each step.Strangely, she felt no anger toward Gnag, who had wrought such evil on the world—only pity. And that pity aimed her prayers toward her brothers and their safety.What could she do? Her leg was twisted by Fangs, and she was only nine years old. She was as weak as a flower. She stroked Nia’s hair, as Nia had often stroked hers whenever she was afraid. Then her hand drifted to the whistleharp. If she couldn’t go with her brothers into the heart of darkness, she would defend the Hollows. She would play. Her song was all she had, and she would send it skyward as long as she had breath to do so.Long into the night, the Song Maiden of Anniera practiced fingerings in silence, recalling song after song and arranging them as a warrior might lay out weapons and sharpen blades. If, when the sun rose, the Fangs returned, she would be ready.
Discussion: How is Leeli able to feel pity toward Gnag? How does that pity shape her prayers?Do you agree with Kal and Janner's decision? That's a spoilery conversation perfect for the forum.What was your favorite part of this week's reading?Activity: Who's got a soup song, a gravy song, or a goat lullaby? Let's hear it! Jesse wrote a delicious bacon song to get us started last week. It made me super hungry and I might have eaten bacon after reading it. :-)

The Bible Tour

Andrew's about to head out on his first of TWO tours this fall and winter. The Bible Tour, where the Bible itself is the headline act, features Matt Maher, Natalie Grant, Daniel and Harvest Bashta, Steven Malcom—and our own Andrew Peterson. The tour starts next Wednesday, September 19, and runs all over the United States for a full month. To find out if it's coming near you, click the image below or the link here. You can also find his full tour schedule at his music site.image001.jpg

This week, Madame Sidler will be reading chapters 19-24 of The Warden and the Wolf King. Come back on Friday for an excerpt, and to share one of your own! Meanwhile, we hope to see you discussing fruit fanaticism, writing gravy songs, and enjoying assorted gamery in the forum. :-)

BRBC week 33: Points of Light

Bravery, heroism, loss, sorrow—light.

Leeli made her way through the dogs, touching their heads as she passed and thinking of Nugget. Brave Nugget who had leapt into a company of Fangs to protect her.When she reached Biggin, she sat on the floor beside her Guildmaster. A resurgence of the day’s horror washed over her as night fell on the Hollows, and her soul was dark with sorrow. She saw the same sorrow in the eyes of her dogs, and heard it also in Biggin’s voice. There had been so much death, so much suffering—and yet, in the face of it, so much bright defiance. So many brave men and women whose stories would be in the hearts of the Hollowsfolk for the rest of time, because they had died for the sake of their friends. It did little to ease the present sadness, but she wept—for she knew her tears were medicine—and she realized that Gnag the Nameless’s best efforts to blacken the world would only serve to scatter light like the stars in the heavens.“When Leeli closed her eyes and inhaled the pleasant musk of the many hounds and felt their noses nudging her shoulder and shins, she recalled the look on Nugget’s face as he clawed at the Fangs on Miller’s Bridge. His courage was as big as the world, and when he died a bit of the world died with him. And yet here she was, months later, on another terrible day, experiencing a miraculous lightening of her heart’s burden at the memory of Nugget’s selfless act. It was as if a strand connected that day with this one and the Maker’s pleasure was coursing through it like blood in a vein. Then she thought of this one battle, in which there were countless acts of heroism, sacrifice, and honor, which were seen and would be remembered long after the heroes died and became points of light in a dark sky, connected by memories like constellations, each of which painted a picture that all the darkness of the universe could never quench. Light danced along the strands. Gnag couldn’t stop it in a million epochs. Leeli grieved but knew, in a way she couldn’t explain, that her grief would lead to something good.
Discussion: Can you think of any lights in dark skies—stories or people or sacrifices which show that while the dark is dark, the light is lighter? What helps you be brave?What was your favorite passage this week?Things to talk about in the forum: Ridgerunners and trolls, doing wrong things for love, Fangness, feelings of guilt. And visit Community conversations for a brand-new game and other friendship opportunities. :-)Activity: Leeli tries every kind of song she can think of in her effort to find her brothers: "...Hollish reels, sailing songs, battle songs, sad songs, happy songs, Skreean dirges, soup songs, bacon songs, gravy songs, goat lullabies, songs about the Maker, to the Maker, and even some songs that were so old people claimed they were written by the Maker." What do you think some of these sound like? Write us a gravy song or a goat lullaby. Share it in the forum. :-)

The Local Show returns

If you live close enough to Nashville to take in a concert now and then, you'll want to know about The Local Show—a live songwriter-in-the-round event that happens every other Tuesday each fall and spring. The season is starting up again tomorrow (September 4), and Andrew is hosting an incredible lineup that includes such legends as Buddy Green, Ron Block, and Jeff Taylor. This first show is sold out for in-person attendees, but the good news is that it streams FREE from the Rabbit Room's Facebook page! If you want to hear some good banjo, harmonica, guitar, and friendship, I hope you'll join us online. Go here at 7:30 pm Central for a front-row online seat. :-)Ticket: The Local ShowFor information on upcoming shows (Skye's playing next week!), here's the ticket page at the Rabbit Room.

This week, Madame Sidler will be reading chapters 14-18 (including the preceding interlude) of The Warden and the Wolf King. Join us on Friday for an excerpt, and to share one of your own! And join us in the forum—we've got some great conversations happening about last week's reading and other topics both fun and serious.

BRBC week 32: Blindploppings for everyone!

Sometimes when everything is terrible, a little humor goes a long way in helping us get through. :-)

“Rudric jammed the lock into place and pressed against the door, panting, while the Fangs pounded and scratched. “Help me!” he ordered, and several other men, women, and even a few children pressed against the door.“Kal! Where’s Leeli!” Nia spun him around and looked at him frantically.“She’s all right. She’s fine.” Kal took Nia by the arm and pulled her down the corridor to where Leeli waited among the others.Nia squeezed them both tight. “Janner’s out there,” she said. Kal had never seen her so upset. She was usually calm in the face of great danger, but she wasn’t merely afraid, she was angry—at herself. “I can’t believe I let them blindplop him. I should never have let him out of my sight. This is my fault.”“Mama,” Leeli said, “this is Gnag’s fault. Not yours. Like Kal said, Janner might be safer than we are.” Nia put her face in her hands and shook her head. “We’re the ones who are stuck in a dungeon, surrounded by monsters.”“Maybe you should have blindplopped us too,” Kal said.“Next time, please just blindplop us all,” Leeli said with a smile, and Nia laughed a little through her tears.”
Discussion: What helps you when everything is terrible?Why do you think Andrew picked Carnack Ban Soran to be the one who first saw Kal on the hilltop?New forum conversations: Fangness and hard choices. Come talk to us—I want to hear your thoughts.

Blindplopping adventure!

Last week a Durgan from the Rabbit Room happened upon an online exploration game where you're set down in a random place and have to find out where you are. Blindplopping, I thought immediately! So, since Janner was blindplopped in last week's reading and he's still working on getting himself back to where he needs to be, I thought it'd be fun to give ourselves the same challenge. :-)The game is called GeoGuessr, and it has maps for different continents or regions, different famous cities or landmarks, movie locations, or—if you want something a bit tougher—the whole world! Can you figure out where you are if all you have is terrain and perhaps buildings and street signs, and maybe those signs aren't in a language or even alphabet you know? I'm not completely familiar with your world yet, so for my first challenge I just went with the United States, but I think Connolin Durga would be proud of me. :-)Try it for yourself and let us know how it works! Select a region and then just click "Play"—no need for an account unless you want extra features.GeoGuessrNote: We work hard to keep WingfeatherSaga.com as safe as we can, but it is always a good idea to check with your parents before exploring new websites.Have fun, and thanks to Hannah for finding this game!

This week, Madame Sidler will be reading chapters 7-13 of The Warden and the Wolf King. Come back on Friday for an excerpt, and to share one of your own!To chronicle your blindplopping adventure, comment here or in the forum. We've got other fun conversations happening in the forum, too. All they need is your voice. :-)

BRBC week 31: Carnack and the Jewels

Happy Friday, Featherheads! Here is our first excerpt from The Warden and the Wolf King. What would you do if you were in this situation?

“Come, Carnack.” Rudric held out a hand. “For the sake of our strength.”“No.” Carnack folded his arms and looked away. “I pledge nothing to no Fang.”Leeli put her whistleharp away and leaned over to the boys. “Kal, this would be a good time to do something.”“But what?”“You could fight him,” Janner suggested. “That seems to be how Hollowsfolk work stuff out. See?” He pointed at Rudric, who was barely restraining Horgan Flannery from leaping off the stage and pummeling Carnack.“Look at that guy!” Kalmar whispered. “He’d destroy me.”“No he wouldn’t,” Leeli said. “You’re stronger and faster than any of these people.”Kalmar sighed and shook his head. “I hate this stuff.”In one swift motion he leapt from the platform and landed just a few feet in front of Carnack. There was a gasp from Rudric, Horgan, and the rest of the chieftains. Carnack sprang into a fighting stance and backed away, sword in hand. For the first time that day, the perfect snow of the Field of Finley was marked with footprints.But Kalmar drew no sword, for he had none to draw. Nor did he circle the warrior as if he wanted to attack. He merely stood before him in the snow, his black cloak hanging about him like a shadow.“What’s your game, wolf?” Carnack spat.“I don’t have a game.” Kalmar spread his hands to show that he held no weapon. “I just want Gnag the Nameless to lose. Don’t you?”“I do,” said Carnack after a pause. His sword dropped a few inches.“Janner, the flag,” Leeli whispered, pointing at the Annieran flag behind them.He understood in an instant what she meant. Janner removed the Annieran flag, then helped Leeli to her feet. The Throne Warden and the Song Maiden stepped down from the platform and joined Kalmar on the snow. Carnack looked at the three children uncertainly. Conscious of the eyes of every warrior present, Janner planted the Annieran flag in the snow and knelt, pulling Kalmar down with him.“If you won’t fight for the Shining Isle,” Janner called out so all could hear, “then let it be known that the Shining Isle fights for you.” He stared at the snow and waited for some response. All he heard was the flutter of the flag in the cold wind.“What say you, Carnack?” asked Horgan finally.
Discussion: How would you feel if you were Carnack? If you were in Kal's place, what would you do?How would you like to be blindplopped? Tell us in the forum what you'd bring and how you'd find your way home.What was your favorite passage this week?

Welcome to the Warden and the Wolf King

Good Monday, dear readers! This year in the Ban Rona Book Club we've been reading and posting through the whole Wingfeather Saga, starting from a little homey cottage in Glipwood and following the Igibys on their journeys from wonder to danger, from safety to exile, from their little township to the Ice Prairies to the Green Hollows.Last week we finished book three and today we begin book four. If you've been following along, welcome back! And if you haven't, you're still welcome to jump in at any time. The forums are wide open for anyone to play in. :-) And if you feel like binging the series this week to catch up with us, or have read the books before but it's been a year or two, that's okay too.

Fan Art

Would you like to see your art on the official Wingfeather site? We'd love to see what's happening in your imagination as you read these books. Just send your art to Andrew via the Art By You page. :-)

This week, Madame Sidler will be reading chapters 1-6 of The Warden and the Wolf King. See you on Friday for an excerpt, and all week in the forums!

The stories are true.