Everyone loves recognition. It’s basically a human necessity to live. He wants to be recognized for all the hard work he completes just to pay his bills. She wants to be recognized for how easily she can solve a problem. You want to be recognized because you want to matter. There is nothing wrong with being proud. You have every right to be proud of your hard work and your hardly-feels-like-work work. If no one will recognize you for whatever accomplishments you hold dear, stand up and promote your successes. The world deserves to hear how amazing you are.
I’m here to shamelessly self-promote the fact that I am a self-published author. I was inspired to write about this because I’ve only finished Book One of six total, so I’m hoping this will motivate me to continue writing. However, I am extremely proud of how far I’ve come already. Writing a book is a daunting task. Publishing it for the world to read is terrifying.
Now that I’ve brought up the whole I-wrote-a-book-thing, I might as well give you a little teaser. Here is the entire prologue to my first book, The Sword of Souls:
“The fog on the glass was spreading....
Thicker....
And thicker.
Then it was gone with a single swipe of his hand.
The man's face was nearly pressed up against the inside of the car window, his breath continuing to crawl across its surface like fresh ink on white paper. He rolled it down to get some air.
It had taken him a very long time—seventeen years to be exact—to reach this particular moment in his extremely elongated life. Over the last few months, he had zeroed in on his target to the town of Akron, Ohio, and knew that he must do whatever it took, no matter the cost, to get what he needed.
He sat back in the driver's seat of his police car, scratching his beard in excitement. He was quite proud of his beard; it hadn't been a hair out of place since the day he became immortal. It didn't bother him that he never physically changed because it took away the need to constantly alter his appearance to blend in with everyone. Ever since his family had been shattered, only one thing remained necessary: reunite them back together again.
But he knew that task was easier said than done. A lot depended on the Prophecy of Seven, and of a particular boy who could make it come true. That particular boy was the reason this immortal man was forced to move from place to place, while staying undetected by his many enemies. It also explained why he was parked out in front of the high school, watching as the kids poured out the front doors, embracing their summer vacation.
He pulled a cell phone out of his pocket, dialing the number he'd memorized, and raised it to his ear. The other line rang twice before someone answered.
‘I found him,’ the man relayed.
‘Where?’ A raspy voice responded through the phone.
‘He's at Woar High School, in Ohio. I'm looking at him right now. Waited until I was absolutely sure it was the right one this time before I told you.’
Three teenage boys were walking down the front steps of the school. Only one of them trapped the man's attention, however; the one from the Prophecy. Elijah Kain, the boy who could burn the world, and he didn't even know it. The man saw him merely as a tool he could use to shape a new era, a tool he was dead-set on wearing down until he got what he wanted.
Elijah didn't look like anything special. In fact, if you looked past his devastating potential, he was almost as ordinary as they came. He stood at average height, with short dark hair and prominent cheekbones that framed a square jawline. His slight above-average build was evident in a simple t-shirt and khaki shorts, which exposed his lightly tanned skin. The only thing outstanding about him was his eyes; heterochromia made his right eye a blue-gray swirl, like the ocean's horizon just before a winter storm, and his left eye a warm brown color that resembled hazelnut-chocolate spread. The effect of them together was enough to dazzle anyone.
To Elijah's left walked an awkward-looking boy named Zackary Carter. A curly mess of dark brown hair sat on top of his head, matching his muddy eyes. He wore a goofy grin on his round face, and his skin was the color of burnt sugar. Even though he stood slightly taller than Elijah, Zackary was so much less of a threat to the man.
The third boy walked to the right of and behind Elijah. The immortal in the car knew he was Elijah's younger brother, and realized that if he had not already known, he would have never guessed; the two brothers shared almost no resemblance. Seth Kain, only a few years younger than his older sibling, stood just a few inches shorter. His hair hung down in sand-colored locks to his earlobes. He carried a sarcastic smirk on his face, as if everyone were of lesser significance than him.
‘Do not make a move, Theodore.’ The ragged voice carried a note of warning. ‘Not until the seven of them are together.’
‘Not to worry. I'm all eyes for now,’ the man said proudly. ‘In fact, I've infiltrated and commandeered the local police force and dubbed myself the new Sheriff.’
‘Impressive,’ the voice sounded truly amazed.
The man licked his lips and continued on. ‘Yes, not a single human cop remains in this town. They've all been replaced by the Dark Warlock's followers. Though the process to reach such a point took many memory altercation spells on his part...’
‘Well done, indeed. I'll be in town by Saturday. I expect their Auras to be activated by then.’
‘Brother, we have only been apart for a mere decade. Please don't tell me you've forgotten how...persuasive I can be.’ His lips curled into a wicked smile.
‘It's been more than a decade. The seven of them are already seventeen. At least that much time has passed since our family was whole.’
‘That time will come again,’ the man assured his brother. ‘And we will reclaim the world as our throne.’
‘Soon.’
The line went dead and he clicked the phone off. Now, he thought, another poisonous grin appearing on his face, it's time I meet Elijah Kain face to face.”
Remember, your successes, no matter how big or small, are worth recognition. You deserve to be proud and you’re meant to be loud about it!
