The Birth of "Amari's Love"
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Late 2006 I started working on a story called "Amari's Love", which I referenced in my first post. It actually started as a game scenario idea for the RPG game Blades of Avernum by Spiderweb Software. They have a system for this game where developers can make their own scenarios to play, and many of the developers would offer those for free for others to play. I never finished the game, but the title "Amari's Love" was burned into my soul so I started to write the story.
It's about a unicorn, Amari, who has a different color horn than her fellow unicorns. While theirs' are the standard mother-of-pearl, her's is crimson.
She is best friends with a young girl from a nearby village, and when the girl's visits come to a stop, Amari learns that she and the entire village have succumbed to a terrible sickness, one that is immune to normal remedies. It turns out that her crimson horn is the only remedy, and she has to decide what to do with this knowledge. Does she save her friends, or does she let them suffer and die?
Image created by me
It's a basic savior story told in a fantasy format, and yet it touches my heart and brings tears to my eyes every time I re-read it. It's been through many many many MANY changes until I settled on the one that I published through Amazon. "Amari's Love" is available for Kindle download for $0.99, or paperback for $4.99, but I may one day post it here for Steemit readers :)
The Shard of Myrsi
I started working on The Shard of Myrsi (henceforth referenced as TSOM or Shard) for NaNoWriMo in 2006. At the time it was titled Unicorn Amulet, but that changed later when I scrapped most of it and started afresh many years later.
It originally began as a crossover story (between our world and the fantasy world I created), but over the years of brainstorming that eventually changed. If I remember correctly, and it's been a while since I worked on it, it all takes place in the world I created.
Current premise: Unicorns, once a strong presence in the kingdom of Emtia, have vanished. All that remains are shards from the horn of one of the first unicorns created, and the first to be killed by the hands of a man named Darad. It is now up to Sina, an outcast princess, to find the unicorns, defeat Darad, and restore her kingdom.
As promised, here's a teaser scene, written from the antagonist's POV. This is part of the prologue for TSOM, and takes place 12 years before the main portion of the story. The last time I worked on this was January 2013, so it may still be a bit rough.
Rays of morning sun bled into a corner of the cell, casting their light on the dungeon's sole inhabitant. Darad cursed, squinting as he scrambled to get away from the sun's glare. I should know by now not to fall asleep there. What had I been thinking?
He moved to the opposite corner, then leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes.
“Good morning, Darad” a deep voice said.
Darad's eyes sprang open. On the other side of the prison bars stood a unicorn. His body shone golden, not from the sun, but from an inner light that refused to go out. The mother-of-pearl horn protruding from its forehead also carried an unearthly glow.
Just like Myrsi...
Darad avoided the unicorn's piercing amber gaze and cleared his throat. “You're early, Nyltir. Where's Varyti?”
“The First Unicorn is with the King, preparing your judgment.”
His heart skipped a beat, and fear threatened to rise up like acid. He swallowed hard, scoffing. “So it's finally come, huh? How long has it been?”
“It has been one year since your crime.”
“And it took Truhan that long to decide what to do with me?” Darad laughed. “He always did take his time to do anything.”
“His Majesty has been busy.”
Darad rose slowly to his feet, and then shuffled to the bars. Though he wore no chains, his joints and muscles ached from the long imprisonment. “I'm sure he has. Tell me, my friend, what has his majesty been doing all this time?”
Nyltir narrowed his eyes. “I am not your friend. I am also not allowed to tell you the King's plans.”
Darad pressed his face against the bars of his cell. The unicorn took a step back and Darad smiled. Even after a year of visits, Nyltir was still nervous around him. He lowered his voice. “Oh, come on, you can tell me. No one will--”
Nyltir stamped his hoof. “No! And don't bother asking again.”
Darad gripped the bars with his hands and raised his eyebrows. “No?” He shrugged. “It was worth a try.” He backed away, holding his arms out in front of him, palms facing up. “Let's get this over with.”
Nyltir tilted his head so that his horn passed effortlessly between the bars, then grazed the tip along Darad's wrists. Amber-colored shackles formed around them, followed by ankle cuffs and a chain connecting the two. The unicorn then touched the horn to the lock, and the cell door slid open to the right, allowing Darad to step through. The dungeon hallway extended thirty feet on either side of him, parallel to his cell.
“Ahhh.” Darad turned to his left and followed Nyltir. “Feels good to stretch my legs again.”
Nyltir stared ahead and said nothing.
Darad let his arms hang limp in front of him. “Are you at least allowed to tell me how I'm going to die?”
Nyltir threw him an incredulous glance, then looked forward again.
“Really, now. I'm going to find out eventually. You could at least prepare me.”
“No."
Darad sighed. “Fine.”
As they walked, the dungeon grew brighter, and a minute later they reached the door at the end. Nyltir nudged it open with his nose, revealing a flight of stairs leading up. Darad and his warden ascended the steps into a wooded area behind the palace. Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting a blueish hue over the forest and warming his skin.
“The leaves are the same color as when I was brought here. So it has been a year.” He looked around them as he shuffled down the path, lifting an eyebrow. “You're my only escort? Aren't I a dangerous criminal or something?”
Nyltir walked beside him and nodded towards Darad's bound hands and feet. “Without those shackles, you are. If you were to try anything, they would deliver a painful jolt to your body, disabling you.”
Darad inspected the metal shackles around his wrists. Other than the color, they looked like normal cuffs. “They weren't like that last time. A new magical element?”
Nyltir huffed. “Never. Just a new power that Duna gave us recently – a protective gesture. You'll do well not to test it.”
Darad relaxed his arms. “Don't worry. I won't.”
When they reached the edge of the trees, and were in sight of the palace building, Nyltir stopped. Fixing his gaze forward, he said “I have one question for you. Do you have any remorse for killing Myrsi?”
Heat rose in Darad's cheeks, but he mentally pushed any shameful thoughts away. They wouldn't help his current situation, and he disliked the weakness they provided. “No,” he said. “No, I don't.”
Nyltir blinked, then walked forward. “That's all I needed to hear.”
Words Born From Sorrow
Changes in my life soon got in the way and for a long while I lacked both the energy and the drive to continue this story, or any other story. March 2015 I married the love of my life, and then the following year we experienced 2 miscarriages and moved twice, before finally settling in the mountains of Virginia. A few months later we became pregnant with our rainbow baby, Evelyn Rose (where 
The first miscarriage was very very early, and although I was sad, it was the second miscarriage that hit me the most. I was filled with so much sorrow and heartache, someone recommended that I write a journal of letters to the baby I had lost, who we had named Chris.
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It was in this journal that I wrote the poem below for Chris, the other baby we lost, and any future children I knew I would have one day.
Sleep Now, My Beautiful Angel
Sleep now, my beautiful angel
In gentle arms of grace.
Let my love shine over you
And fill your lovely faceRest now with the Father of dreams,
Cradled with new hope.
For one day I will see you again
At the end of the road.Dream now, my sweet child
And please don't forget me.
I'll always be waiting
Wherever you may be.Hush now and don't you worry,
Sometimes life is hard.
Lay your cares with the Father of love
Let him mend your heart.