Originally Posted by rugbymatt

Anyone got Ray's posting rules?

Originally Posted by jackytoo

Who is Ray? he deserves some karma.

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl

You don't know who Ray is?

Originally Posted by jackytoo

Is he the Ray of the Florida forums?

Originally Posted by Lynn R

I don't think Ursula LeGuin or Terry Pratchett need have any worries about being overtaken in the bestsellers list.

I'll read almost anything but one extract from that is more than enough, thanks.

Originally Posted by jackytoo

If it is he he is brilliant. Got some really good advice when we were thinking of investing in the USA.

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl

He's a huge 'father figure' on BE...posts across all the forums. He used to post a lot in The Lounge and TIO...though not so much nowadays. No-one crossed Ray and got away with it.

Originally Posted by EmilyPenguin

Yeah... It might be a suprise to you.. But I actualy co-wrote half a book! (That isnt published yet.. for everyone that trys to jump down my thorat) As well as writing my own! .... I might even post you a page as a preview if your all good lol! .... I can spell when I try, I just find it hard...

I have never been good at spelling, yet I was reading age 15 school books when I was 9...

I just find it hard.... So can we please move on from the subject? If it bothers you that much that I cant spell... then dont read ... simple

Originally Posted by JLFS

My advice was meant in good faith, it will stand you well for future job hunting.

A book has the chance of being a best seller or not,but good skills will always win over average ones.

If you co wrote half of a book, who wrote the other 75 percent?

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl

He's a huge 'father figure' on BE...posts across all the forums. He used to post a lot in The Lounge and TIO...though not so much nowadays. No-one crossed Ray and got away with it.

Originally Posted by EmilyPenguin

I owe the rights to thetext written bellow.



DiMoretti.
Chapter 1 – Antheia
As you looked out upon the dense misty lake of The DiMoretti Empire, you could see tall trees shadowing the rims of its stony shore, a small wooden boat lost in the middle of the cold water, and tall reeds that poked out from the blackness. It was dawn, the sky was arrange of blues, from dark navy were only the brightest stars shone in the remains of the night , to a misty pastel blue were the planets sun was peaking out from behind the mountains and resting in the mix of the colours that painted the sky were Genúsis and Jubilia the two twin moons that orbit simultaneously.
A chilly mist hung low in the winter air, and it was almost silent, except for the noise of a forest frog singing on a lily pad and a solitary red bird flying over the clearing of trees. From the shore of the lake, a dark wooden pier extended out onto the water, underneath algae clung to the pillars, while ivy took care of covering the top. Tea light silver lanterns and pink flowers marked out the way to a small white wooden gazebo at the very end; it was carved out gracefully with flowers and curls, its decorative borders highlighted in thin delicate black paint. There were white wooden trellises framing the entrance with lush pink Bougainvillea climbing over the crisscross wood. White flowing curtains hung loosely so that they could flutter in the gentle breeze and give the small hut like structure a sense of privacy. It was a cute area but mature, minimalist and romantic, if you were to peek inside you would see dozens of pillows in all kinds of textures, some embroidered in whites, greys and silvers, some with sequins and tassels, a white wolf fur rug covered the dark worn out looking wood floor, white burnt out candles melted to the wooden ledges and stacks of old books piled in the corners; it was obvious that this secret hide out had been carefully planned and designed up to every last pebble stone that was placed around the bottom. Inside, in the middle of the bundles of material laid a pale skinned girl, she was young and slender, thick black locks trailed down her back and over her shoulders, her strong facial features peeked out from under the wolf fur rug that half covered her naked body. She looked peaceful and cosy with a slight pink glow to her cheeks, one bare leg extended out from under the covers reviling the curve at her hips. And this is what Antheia’s life consisted of, lazing about in her lake hut she tended to call her little paradise plus the odd lesson here and there that her mother insisted on, after all; Every Princess needs to learn her history…

The white cotton candy clouds that were dusting the sky turned into a black duvet as the hours passed, rumbles of thunder could be heard over the tall snow capped mountains that followed the bright flashing lights that lit up the sky for the shortest second. Shortly after the first rumbles the angered sky opened up and fell over the lake and forest of Rinji, each drop causing ripples to form in the still waters. Before long it was pouring, the rain falling hard to the floor, each drop making its own crashing sound, Antheia woke with a jump as the next bolt of lightning struck with a crackle followed almost instantly with the low loud boom of thunder. “Darn it” Antheia mumbled as she sat up, pushing the covers and pillows off her and peering out of the open gap to the back of her white hut to see the lake and sky, both black and wet. Her arms lifted to rub her head a little then carried on into a stretch just as another clash in the sky made her shudder again. The cold wind entering her warm boudoir and licking at her bare skin causing Goosebumps to rise up her back. She grumbled again before standing up and reaching for her moss green dress that was hanging by a silver hook on the wall, quickly she dressed herself and pulled a dark brown cloak over her shoulders then grabbed her leather bag to stuff in all her books and quills before darting out of her hideout after a quick look in the mirror and a slight adjustment of her hair just as the clouds crashed once more in the sky. Her bare feet skipped over the wooden boards of the long pier, each lantern that was protected by its glass windows from the wind and rain, turned off as she dashed past them and jumped over the large puddles of mud that had formed on the path way that lead into the forest. The tall trees acted like a cover from the hard falling rain, softening it as it fell to the floor, Antheia slowed her pace to enjoy a smell of the damp greenness of the forest as she tiptoed around the nettles and twigs that covered the floor. It was about midday she judged by the sun’s weak position, the sky was dark, and the deeper Antheia went into the forest, the darker it got, but this caused her no bother as she had been walking back and forth along this trail since before she could remember. Memories of her childhood drifted though her mind as she walked, pictures replayed in her head of the fun times she would have with her siblings, when she was 12 playing hide and seek in the spring time with her 8 year old little brother Dante who had now turned into a dashing young married man, or the afternoons picking autumn flowers for her mother who was pregnant with her youngest sibling.
Antheia jumped out of her trip to the past with the simultaneous actions of stepping on a large thorn causing it to pierce through her skin and the clapping of thunder that was still going on above her head. With a frown upon her face she hobbled towards a half rotten tree trunk that had fallen to the floor nearby, as she lifted her foot up she saw the dark red thorn that was stuck in the ball of her foot, with a grunt she swiftly pulled out the splinter from her skin to carry on her way with a slight limp. Antheia arrived back at the towns walls soaked like a drenched rat. Not to her surprise there was none of the ordinary chit chat of the women in market square or busy narrow streets that should be filled with farmers and fishermen or the children peering into the candy shops cluttered window and laughing. DiMoretti although called an Empire, It wasn’t that big, the tall brick walls held the main city safe inside while outside was surrounded by forest and famers fields for miles and miles with a few villages scattered around the mountain sides between fish filled rivers and lakes. Before entering the main gates she slipped her hand into her satchel and pulled out a gold broach, she pinned it to her cloak and carried on.
“Good afternoon your majesty” called out one of the guards as Antheia passed. She turned and frowned at him before laughing. “Will you ever stop calling me that Harry?” She responded. “Nop, I believe not” He chuckled back at her, “What about if I order you to?” She smirked “You think I'm going to listen to you? HA, Now go on, before you catch a cold” Harry shooed her in and locked the gates after her. Harry was at least in his 40’s, grey hair and a plum beer belly made him look rather like a adorable granddad. He was always joking around with Antheia, deep down he loved her like a granddaughter, and she like a granddad. Harry had been the one that played with her the most as a kid, he took her dear hunting, or now days he would sober her up before escorting her back to the castle when she had had a little too much to drink,.
As Antheia pattered across the cobble stone floors with her bare feet she heard her name being screamed from above. She knew the voice well, she didn’t even have to look up while a smile crept across her face, she also knew exactly where it was coming from, and without a second thought she made a dash for it, running up a set of wooden stairs that were nearby. The hood of her cloak falling off her head to show her long dark locks that even when soaking wet looked soft and beautiful. If you were to look carefully you would see the tips of her ears that poked out from her hair at the sides of her head, pointed and longer then a normal ear, the only true features that showed that Antheia wasn’t all that normal.
As she reached the ladder that lead her to the roof of the tea shop, located midway up the main town centre she spotted him, his blonde straight hair blowing in the breeze that the storm had left, his perfect childish grin on his face “what are you doing up here young man?, Its wet”.. Antheia chuckled as she climbed up the ladder and lent her elbows on the edge at the top. “Watching out for you” the child responded in a sweet but cheeky voice. “Spying on me more like” Antheia said with another giggle as she reached out her hand for him to take “Come on, Mother will be waiting for us, be careful these tiles are slippery.”