Shakespeare Michigan Festival

Hi there! So today I am going to talk briefly about the place where my uncle works at. He needs more votes in about 20 minutes. Here is what the voting is for and what its about!

Michigan Shakespear eFestival is a non-profit organization that brings English and theatre education to thousands of student sacross the Midwest

http://www.facebook.com/krista.bergren?ref=tn_tnmn#!/questions/10151091062087773/

That moment when...

...You finally have a chance to work on more of your book!

Whoo hoo!!

Finally got to Chapter 22 of my second book. Its been really hard to write on it and focus on college all at the same time...very intense. Also, check this out, fun fact, I just discovered my book is sold on this website:

http://www.powells.com/biblio/61-9781618630797-1

Crazy huh? Apparently though its like $22.50 on this site. I have no idea what that's all about. Well, no reviews on it yet on this site. If anyone is feeling up to writing a review on there, I would truly appriciate it!

So, other than that, no new news to report, just working on the second book and hoping to get more people to know about the first book.

Have a wonderful weekend! :D

Rest of short story.

Aaaaaarrrrgh. So I can't seem to ever write a short story good enough to get picked up by publishing companies. Arrrgh. Anywho's, here's the rest of the story. Please enjoy! :D

 

 

The silence that filled the air was unbearable, but not as unbearable as the icy glares from Emerald. The ride on the airplane had been a nightmare, filled with screaming children and yelling parents and a really pissed off Jewel who did not want to believe that any of this was true. After what Sea Blade, my apparent father, had told me, I didn’t rush into his arms and we didn’t hug and we didn’t have a happy reunion. I don’t know what I was supposed to feel but at that moment I was just merely overwhelmed. I had asked what happened next and Emerald had blown up at me, going on and on about how I was supposed to be grateful that I was being rescued and how I should act like a princess. Suddenly he stopped his prima donna tirade and left the room. Now we were in a small van together, actually sitting next to each other. If looks could kill I would have been dead a million times over. I was pretty sure that he was plotting ways to murder me in my sleep. I looked out the window and saw the ocean lapping against the beach. A sudden chill went through my body and I shivered. California is so different from Nebraska, I thought to myself, as the van moved along a winding highway running parallel to beaches with half-naked people skating, jogging, bicycling, or just standing by or sitting and chatting on the sidewalks and the cement boardwalks lined with palm trees. Every place we passed by seemed crowded and alien. I would rather be sitting at my favorite restaurant corner in the Old Market of Omaha, sipping on my wine glass, eating cheese and warm bread and watching the shoppers walk across the old brick road while I read an old classic book or worked on a drawing. “So, where are we and what are we doing?” I asked again as I bit into a giant apple.

 “We are in Long Beach where our kind have been living while searching for you, princess.” Emerald snaps sarcastically. “Our kind can’t live without salt water. In the small amount of time we have been here your father was able to purchase a small island where we are currently staying. If you are to be the leader of our people we need to make sure you can return to being a water creature, especially after so long living among dry land.”

“You mean like a mermaid? And why am I the princess? You seem royal enough, especially since you’ve been a royal pain in my butt. Why don’t you be the princess? Or, prince, if you prefer.” I was surprised as he smiled at me instead of giving me the usual glare.

“It doesn’t work like that, buttercup. Besides, I don’t want to be the prince. It doesn’t suit me.”

“Huh.” I replied. “And, excuse me, Sea Blade, how is it that you’re able to afford an island? And what’s with this Gerald Johnson crap?”

“The real Gerald Johnson is currently, um, permitting us to use his identity while he attends to other affairs.”

“Is identify theft then part of being a princess, repo man?”

We had to take a giant boat to the island, which proved that Meurkhounians are not immune to sea-sickness, as I vomited up many food items I had happily consumed earlier that day. But despite how much I was now wishing Emerald would just put me out of my misery, I loved the colors of the Pacific Ocean. Near the shore the water was a bright light aqua that changed to dark blue farther out, and the giant waves swelled proudly with the wind into glorious white tops. Bottlenose and Spotted Dolphins rode on our wake and seagulls circled overhead. When we approached the island I was surprised at how massive it was. The sand seemed to glow as brightly as the mansion that rested on a giant rock cliff on the southwest side of the island. As we neared the docks that stretched out from the land I was taken aback by the eight people who were standing on the dock. Four were girls and four were guys, all about my age. The girls, unlike those I had seen in the city, were dressed in modest long dresses the color of the ocean. The guys, unlike the girls, were topless in swim trunks. They seemed to be excited. One of the shorter girls was actually bouncing up and down. When I got off the boat the bouncy one quickly made her way over to me and gave me a tight hug. She spoke a form of greeting in the most exotic language I had ever heard in my entire life. She kissed me on the forehead before pulling away, standing slightly on her tip toes to be close to eye level with me. She was a bit plumper than the other girls, but she had curves to die for.  Her hair was long and brown and straight and her eyes sparkled brightly like sunlight reflected off the ocean surface “Princess Ocean Jewel, it is an honor to finally meet you.” She smiled in a way that seemed both unearthly and beautiful. I didn’t know it was possible to be jealous of a smile. “I am called Singing Flower.” She stepped away and the taller of the girls approached me in a more reserved manner. Her hair was even longer than Singing Flower's, flowing down the entire length of her body and reaching down to her feet. Unlike the others, who were pale, her skin was tan. Her eyes were green like Emerald Undertow's and she gave me a look of caution. There was a small gap between her teeth visible as she smiled thinly. I couldn’t help but feel slightly glad to know that even perfection had its problems.

“Greetings Princess,” She said formally. “I am known as Orcinus Rose. I am the eldest of my four sisters.” She bowed stiffly before stepping back. The second tallest was the palest of the four and had beautiful red hair flowing down her shoulders and tossed about by the wind. Her eyes were a bright light amber but she looked at me with a slight indifference.

“Hello, I am known as Fiery Radiance. An honor to meet you.”

The last to approach me had long curled blonde hair and dark blue eyes. She grinned nervously at me, wrapping her finger around her curls as if she were afraid of me. “Hi, princess, I am Sun Dazzle. I am m-most pleased to meet you.”

While these introductions took place the guys walked back and forth from the boat to the beach house, shouting out their names as they passed by me. Sword Fin, Rock Crusher, Shark Tooth and Seaweed. The colors of their hair matched those of the girls except their hair was short and spiked. I could not keep their names straight as I was just trying to remember what my own name was. Much to my dismay the school of beautiful girls led me to the house to clean up and prepare myself for dinner. They tried to make me feel at home but I was tired and scared, so quite frankly I didn’t feel that guilty when I slammed my door in their faces. When I came down for dinner, I was surprised to see it was nothing but fruit platters. I had expected them to be gnawing on fish, but that goes to show how little I knew about my own culture. Apparently fruit was a rarity on our planet and they had been overjoyed to see that this was not the case for Earth and had eagerly made all sorts of dishes from the fruit offered here.

“So, who are you exactly and what are these guys to me again?” I asked between bites of a giant mango and papaya sandwich, popping kiwis cut into star shapes into my mouth followed by a swig of passion fruit juice. The Meurkhoun people really knew how to make their fruit dishes.

“We are your ladies-in- waiting and the guys are your protectors.” Orcinus Rose responded as she wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Even though you yourself are protected with your special blood, it is our duty to ensure your safety and well being.”

“Yeah, plus, it means we can always be together.” Singing Flower smiled sweetly. “We’re your friends.”

“Okay, um, we’re not friends, kiddo. I’ve just met you all.” I snap at her. I had hit the end of my chain here and everyone is going to hear about it. “Look, I don’t want to be your frickin’ princess. I never asked for any of this at all. I was content the way things were!”         

“So what you’re trying to say is that you were content being a common dry land girl even though all you’ve ever felt is lonely and useless?” Emerald said as he leaned back in his chair and gazed intently at me, breaking through the silence. “Oh yeah, I creep on your blog.”

“If I tick you off so much why don’t you just get it off your chest and say it now, eh, Emerald-boy?” I snarl in his direction. His eyes turn cold with anger.

“Yeah, I will. I think it was a mistake to come looking for you. It would have been easier to do as you suggested and crown someone else because another ten years will pass before we can return to our own world, by which time who knows what we will be coming back too? Why was it that you were kidnapped in the first place? Is someone trying to start a war with our people? And even if we do make it back in time, you won’t have changed. You’re a self-centered jerk who would make a horrible ruler. You have no drive and no ambition. Hell, you’ve never even gone swimming before! I bet you can’t return to being a meurkhoun.” He said as he stood up, shaking his head in anger. “I know several other individuals who would make a fare superior ruler than you.”

“So why not get them to rule, because I sure don’t care! Oh, and while I’m on it, where were you the night of my kidnapping?”

“At home, taking care of my ill sister.” Emerald answers before leaving the room, slamming the door on his way out.

                                                                           ***

Goosebumps rise on my arms as I step out into the night air, the breeze slowly moving around my body as if it were an amazingly light liquid. Tears gather in my eyes. I feel ugly compared to those “ladies-in-waiting” of mine, and I can’t seem to force myself to get even remotely close to the man who is supposedly my father. And then Emerald is such a bastard … I pause as I find myself standing on the edge of the dock. The dark waters lap quietly against the wood. I hug my wool jacket closer to my body before looking around. Slowly my toe inches down until it dips into the water. A shiver of pure joy explodes through my body and before I can stop myself I plunge head first into the water. As I dive down and the bubbles wrapped around me I feel all my angers and fears vanishing as my legs merge into one giant shimmering tail and webbing forms between my fingers and scales grew over my skin. With each stroke I take I feel as if the song of the ocean is erupting from the very core of my heart. A profound joy I have never known before is now filling my soul. I suddenly feel as if I have a purpose in life, and I am eager to share it, this happiness that was too much for just me. I don’t even have to call out. Within moments Emerald’s flashing green scales appears next to me. He seems a bit angry still, as am I, but that could wait for the time being. It is time to swim.

When we pause to grant me a break after several hours, we both surface and I am amazed by the stars that fill the dark canvas of the night sky. I am surprised as Emerald Undertow wraps an arm around my scaled waist.

“You can lean on me until you are rested.” He says sternly, obviously trying to relay he is not making a move on me.

“Why do you hate me?” I blurt out.

“I don’t hate you. Well, not really. It’s just…to be a ruler, you must not think of yourself, but of our people, your subjects, who happen to be friends and family to me. I do not like to think of anyone being at risk. Being a ruler is filled with responsibility. Can you handle that?”

“I will try.” I whisper.

 

The End

 

SOLD SIX MORE BOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!! And Kissing Dark Vadar, Luke Skywalker and a Storm Trooper.

YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I SOLD SIX MORE BOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So full of very much happiness right now!!!!! I kid you not, I am totally up and dancing around my dorm room right now, listening to my book's theme song. Sing it Gavin Degraw, sing it.

Thank you God for this wonderful blessing and thank you to all of my wonderful friends and readers if you've helped me by talking about my book to friends and family.

I AM SOOOOOOO HAPPY!!! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D  Like, aaaaaaaagh, I can't eve explain how thrilled I am at this moment!!!



So as to the other parts of my title...
So a great old friend of mine was in town and we decided to go do our tradition of going to Barns and Nobles, and when we got there, they were having a huge tribute to Star Wars, with these people walking around in costumes (getting paid to do so, so that's even better) and we got to have our pictures taken with them. Well, in doing so, we decided to get goofy and ask if we could take pictures pretending to kiss them. So, we kissed Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and a few Storm Troopers...
Hopefully I can post up some pictures to show that I am not a lier, that I did indeed, do these glorious things of which I claimed.

On a side note, midterms are coming up. AUGH.
So, I will be avoiding the internet until they are over with, because, I need to study. Stoopid homework.

Anywhoze, that's my totally awesome news! Keep it real and God Bless and remember, bookstores are freakin' amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

~Krista

Reviews Please! ...please...

Perhaps this will come of as me sounding a bit bratty and I completely understand that, but I truly, truly, truly, truly, truly, really, really, really, really, really, really need more reviews for my book. I currently have three on amazon and one on barns and noble, and while that is completely amazing and wonderful and I really do feel blessed (I do, seriously. I still get giddy every time I see those reviews!) but I do need some more.

I have sold at least over a hundred books and out of all those sales I only have three reviews. Well, either I fail at writing a book good enough to actually get reviews or the reviews haven't been showing up...either way, please, to those who have read my book, positive or negative, please write reviews. I desperatly need them! Thank you. :)

Okay, so now that that is out of the way...

Okay so like I know I need to write down the rest of the "Hatched" short story but I am waiting to see if they accepted it or not. A fellow writer and close friend of mine sent in her short story and then was rejected, so I quickly went to check my email to see if that was the case for me as well, and there was nothing in my email box. Um...was it accepted, was it not? I don't know. And too my dismay, I accidently sent in a messed up manuscript. I about cried my eyes out and screamed at the top of the lungs...I think I did the latter...

AAAARGH.

Okay, I gotta go and write an essay and than get ready for the big fight that is about to take place between Krystal Story and Jade Raidon. Empress vs. Pauper. Glaxkaskadium vs. Mutation. Ninja vs. Ninja. Really Pissed Off Woman vs. Really Pissed Off Woman. Jade vs. Krystal.

Oh my gosh, I am going to have to hide under a rock somewhere.  

Um, Whoops.

So, about a week and a half ago on September 15th, I began to work on my book The Portal Hunter. You'd think I would have posted and commented on this amazing achievement on, say, September 15th.

Happy Belated Birthday The Portal Hunter and all the characters in it!!!!!!

Hatched Part Two

 

It’s dark in the room, only a single overhead light is on. Mr. Green Eyes is slowly pacing around the metal table that I’m lying on. I’ve been asking him questions for over an hour but he has refused to even look at me. I sigh deeply before turning my back to him. At that moment the door to the room opens and an older, taller man enters in. He is wearing a tasteless light gray suit and an aqua blue T-shirt, a green tie hanging neatly from his neck. Mr. Green Eyes stops pacing and glares at me hard enough that I get the idea to get off the old metal table and into an uncomfortable metal chair. “Who the hell are you?” The question slips out of my mouth before I can stop it. It sounds snarky and cranky, which is pretty much how I'm feeling at the moment and I really don’t care.  I ignore the sharp glare of Mr. Green Eyes.

“Hello, Jewel. I understand that you have been through a lot in the past twenty-four hours.” He glances over at Mr. Green Eyes. Before I can even open my mouth to speak he holds up his hand, ready to stop the flow of demands and sarcasm that is sure to come. “Please, allow me to speak. I have just gotten off a flight that brought me from California. I am tired and hungry and like you, I am not into bullshit, so allow me to be brief. You’re not human, and you’ve always known that, haven’t you? You realized it from the moment you first opened your eyes because you were hatched from an egg, as was I and my friendly assistant over there.” My lower lip begins to tremble and I suddenly have to fight the urge to cry. I feel as if the deepest and darkest part of my inner being has been wrenched out of my body and flung out into the open, for everyone to see, in its ugliest form, dripping with the slime of hidden truths and desires.  I stare at it, the shame locked out of its dark cage and gazing back at me like a freak creature escaped from a zoo. Mr. Green Eyes looks at me and seems concerned.       

“How do you know this?” I whisper.                                                                                       

“Ah, well, it took us quite awhile to find you, Jewel, but it’s a good thing that we found you when we did. You caused us some serious trouble. The resources it has taken to cover up this fiasco, well, you just wouldn’t believe it. I know I can’t.”

“Oh, right, because I totally planned to melt that man down to his bones. I just do it for kicks.” I snap, the tears threatening to spill. Crap, I’m usually not a crier.  Is it because I am so tired? Or maybe I’m just feeling a bit overwhelmed. I run my fingers through my hair, which is dyed blue and cut into a punk pixie style. My nose ring begins to itch as the first batch of tears trickles down my face, my nose becoming runny. “What kind of freak am I? And who are you guys?!” The last part of that sentence comes out louder than I intended. By now four more men dressed as security guards have entered the room, bringing along a big comfy chair for the older man while I am still stuck in my hard metal one. I bring my knees up to my small chest and wrapped my arms around them.

“Freak? Oh no dear, you are something far more special.” He says, trying to add warmth to his exhausted voice. It makes me angrier. “Ah, and I have yet to introduce myself. On this planet I go by the name Gerald Johnson. But my real name is Sea Blade. The frowning man over there is called Emerald Undertow.”

I can't help it. A giggle bubbles its way out of a sob. “A girl’s name?”

“Where we come from, names do not have gender.” Mr. Green Eyes-renamed- Emerald-Undertow says in a surprisingly deep and mysterious voice.

“Where are you from?”

“We, as are you, are from a different planet.” Sea Blade replied.

I laugh so hard that I begin to hiccup and have to cover my tearing eyes. “Oh my gosh. Really? You’re pulling the ‘you’re an alien’ card? What is this crap, a reality TV show? Are you for real? You’re lying, man, you’re frickin’ lying to me. There are no such things as aliens and other worlds and planets. Shut up, this ain’t funny.”

“If this weren’t real, how do you explain your purple blood then?” Emerald Undertow says smugly. “And how do you explain your mortal wounds healing so quickly?”

I bite my lip as I look down at my wrist.

“It is a defense mechanism that only the prince or princess possesses from birth.” Sea Blade says quietly, the intent gaze of his eyes piercing through my skull as I keep my eyes glued to the thin pale skin over the underside of my wrist, the veins seeming more purple than ever before. I look up slowly.

“We are called ‘Meurkhoun’ and we come from the planet ‘Novaeangliae’. There are no humans on our planet as it is almost completely submerged in ocean waters. We have a few random islands and some fresh water lakes here and there, but nothing like this planet Earth. Every ten years we have a gigantic meteor shower, and during that shower the four moons that surround our planet align and a portal opens on our main island. The portal leads to this planet.” He pauses to make sure he has my undivided attention. He does. “We are not born like whales with live birth but like fish, who lay eggs. All meurkhoun eggs hatch after a year, except the royal egg that does not hatch until its fifteen years of age. When it hatches, the royal heir has knowledge that he or she was given in their dreams. You are the next ruler for our kind.”

“Holy crap. Are you serious?!” I feel like I'm about to hyperventilate. This is going from insane to unbelievable. I pinched myself about a dozen times just to make sure I am not dreaming.

“Yes, unfortunately we’re serious.” Emerald Undertow mutters. I glared in his direction.

 “What’s your problem buddy?” I snarl. “You want a piece of this?”

“Who wants a piece of you?” He snarls right back, slightly catching me off guard.

“Who pissed in your kelp flakes today Emerald-boy, ‘cuz I sure know it wasn’t me, so take your attitude and leave me alone.” 

“Go get eaten by a shark, flat chest, and while we’re at it why don’t you show some respect for your father?”

“Father?” Well, he got me there. I swing my eyes towards Sea Blade. “You’re my father?”

“Yes.” Sea Blade’s face turns a deep shade of gray and he glances down at his feet as if ashamed. “On our planet leaders can be conceived by anyone. I was just a simple kelp farmer making an honest living when you came. When your egg didn’t hatch after a year, we knew that you were next in line to be crowned. But you were kidnapped right from under my nose ten years ago.” Tears are now dripping down his face. “Your mother was so ill and the only cure for her was the Sei flowers on a tiny island. I should have left you with guards but I did not think anyone would harm you or your mother … no one ever had before! We had never known wars or strife!” I watch as his tears drip down his face and turn into scales as they plop down on to the cement floor. “When I returned your mother was barely alive and you were gone. We searched the entire planet and when we couldn’t find you, I just knew you had been brought here to this ghastly planet, but I couldn’t come for you until another ten years had passed.”