WIPjoy Wrap Up - What I Learned

Day 15: Genre of Art That Best Describes Your WIP

As you all know, I took part in #WIPjoy this month. It is a Twitter event that celebrates your Work In Progress and helps authors to connect and encourage one another.

Aside from the social aspect, the part of the fun of the event is that I find most helpful is that it forces me to look at my story from angles I wouldn't necessarily see otherwise.  The amazing Bethany Jennings @simmeringmind  and S.D. Grimm at

@SDGrimmAuthor 

did a flat out awesome job at coming up with the daily prompts.

Some of my favorite ones included other types of art that best describes your story. So for Veridian's main character, tech hunter, Elara Savoya, I used the future noir graphic arts.

Day 29: Fall, food, festivities, and family.

We were also asked to share our writing playlist which was a lot of fun. If you'd like to check it out, its on Spotify here: Veridian Playlist

But it was the more personal questions that really served to help me solidify my main character in my head. 

There was  a question about what my main character's loved about fall.

Or what childhood dreams she had that will never come true...that was a really hard one!

It made me think about her outside of the story...outside of the high stakes drama. What was she like at home?

Day 23: Elara dreamt of the stars.

She loves her family. They drive each other crazy because they work together in the tech recovery game.

I realized they may fight a lot...but they fight best together.

Graphics and playlists aside, I feel like I learned a lot more about my characters and story through this event. 

Overall I feel pretty excited to head into next month's craziness of NaNoWriMo. 

If you are taking part in the race to 50K add me as a buddy. I'm under Raquel Byrnes on the site.

As a reader, do you like to see more than the books? Do songs, art, and other fun stuff get you excited for the story? 

I'm off to plot for #NaNoWriMo. Wish me luck and see you soon!

Giveaway and Skywatch Musings

July and August are my favorite months of the year because the sky has to offer so much to skywatchers like myself. From aphelion to Mars in opposition, its spectacular...as summers should be.

However, as we slide into September, big changes are on their way. Venus sinks deeper towards the horizon and gets brighter. The gas giants will dominate the southern view of the sky. And all of it points towards the autumn equinox on the 22nd.

I find skywatching both relaxing and exciting. If there is a thing. I anticipate the beauty and fun with my family. We often have viewing parties and we blow up an inflatable mattress, haul out the hot coco, and snuggle in soft blankets with our faces towards the heavens. But after the kids have grown fidgety and gone to bed and hubby wanders off to grade papers, I relax and wait for the moon rise or the fleeting streak of a comet.

I am trying to keep this attitude with my current WIP. Right now there is the anticipation that research and daydreaming and plotting brings. The want of what will come. But I am not enjoying the rest and enjoy part of it. I need to change that.

So today I broke out the watercolors and messed around with adding some creativity other than writing to my daily life. I am not good at painting. Terrible really. Which is freeing somehow because I can do it with the goal of having fun as opposed to making it perfect.

I keep trying to remind myself that the first draft is the sand. I'm shoveling it into the sandbox so that I can make castles later. Thank you, Shannon Hale, for that awesome reminder that first drafts are supposed to suck. 

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I have some great news to share with all of you! This month until September 20th The Tremblers will be .99!  Its to celebrate this HUGE giveaway and contest going on over at My Book Cave. There's prizes up to $400 and tons of gifts.

So if you'd like to check it out, head on over to My Book Cave's Pelican Book Group Extravaganza! And check out The Tremblers a steampunk thriller for only 99 cents!

Feature Friday Futures

Today I am over at Erik Klein's blog for a Feature Friday Futures interview! A technology geek and an author, Erik's questions were so much fun to answer. We explored the interesting treasures research for my steampunk thriller, The Tremblers, unearthed. No pun intended!

Take a peek at the interview where we get into military history and Victorian ingenuity. What was surprising to learn about and what everyday item has a cool twist in my steampunk series, The Blackburn Chronicles.

Silently in the Night Collection

SILENTLY IN THE NIGHT

A collection of tantalizing tales with more twists than braided hair:

Here you will find mystery, murder and mayhem – plus a moment of romance. All the stories will make you stop and think, even question your role in the world and the universe. Just what are we doing here, and where are we going? Easy questions with problematic answers.

This anthology of sixteen short and thrilling tales of unusual, extraterrestrial and conspiratorial stories is the latest compilation from Clayton Graham, the author of science fiction novels Milijun and the soon to come Saving Paludis. The characters in this eclectic collection are mostly ordinary people whose reactions to their fears and to unexpected events will have you guessing at every turn of the page.

This collection is intriguing reading which, among many other things, encourages the reader to:


Sympathize with a doomed husband and connect with an altruistic robot.

Explore an isolated Scottish isle and touch down on a far-flung asteroid.


From the light-hearted to the darkest depths of the human psyche you would be hard pressed not to find something to like about Silently in the Night.


Many different visions of the future are within these pages. And as a bonus, there is an excerpt from the soon to be published Saving Paludis, which introduces the reader to two of the principal protagonists in this tale from the edge of mankind’s known universe in the year 3898AD.


If you love mystery with a hint of the paranormal, and the interplay of human foibles, grab this smorgasbord of short stories then get yourself a copy of Milijun, the mind-bending sci-fi novel by Clayton Graham.  

Travel Tales & Goodies!

Today I am over at Tanya's Travel Topics to discuss the inspiration behind the bustling sky settlement of Outer City in my YA Steampunk thriller, The Tremblers!

Stop by to say hello, leave a comment, and don't forget to sign up for the chance to win a free, signed copy of The Tremblers below!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Tremblers

by Raquel Byrnes

Giveaway ends January 31, 2018.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Cant wait to win? How about TWO FREE NOVELLAS? Discover the secrets that set in motion the incredible adventures of The Blackburn Chronicles with two FREE READS!

Weapons of Light & Power

"A soldier leaned out the window, taking aim at Charlotte. A frisson of energy pulsed from the weapon, barely missing her. She screamed, flailing. 

Ashton flipped the rocket ignition on the power cycle and the force of the thrust slammed him against the seat as he shot skyward toward the roof. Pulling his tracer gun, he fired blindly at the building. The soldier dove for the floor." ~Ashton Wells, The Tremblers

Kraken Killer by Clothed Eye

Creating the weapons for my YA Steampunk novel, The Tremblers took me on a fascinating path. The invention of destructive devices was vexing and addicting all at once.

Weapons of light -- Tracer Guns are the weapon of choice for the soldiers of the Peaceful Union. Powerful blasters that syphon the glowing purple energy from the massive Tesla Domes caging the city-states are feared by the average citizen. Constantly realibrating to the dome's pulse, they are outlawed to everyone but the soldiers of the government.

Charlotte's sketchess

Charlotte is a tinkerer and inventor. The daughter of a renowned soldier and chemist, her weapons needed finesse. I designed the metal spheres of her Shrieking Vilolet grenade to cluster together like a flower. Its shrill screech disables her enemies while a curtain of magenta gas shields her escape.

The outlaws and Lawmen of Outer city favor guns and pistols of the old world. Sheriff Sebastia Riley's revolver helped him to rise to power among the pirates and pioneers of the sky settlement. 

Another daunting tool as the lightning stick. Capable of lashing whips of energy. Used by the ruthless Lawmen of the floating ports, Charlotte learns of its devastating effects while trying to flee with Ashton. 

Photo:
Encyclopedia of Balloons

However, it is the power and might of the Peaceful Union Aero Squad that strikes fear into the heart of every citizen. Their searing lamps and concussion bombs send rioters scrambling. Creating airship battles and desgining the infamous rebel ship, The Stygian, was great fun!


Myself the daughter of a military man, I grew up visiting airshows and sitting at the controls of massive machines of war.  I wanted to bring that fascination and awe to the Blackburn Chronicles.

To celebrate the release of the Tremblers, I am giving away 2 Free Novellas that take you into the mysterious beginnings of the entire series!


For a peek at more dangerous weapons and ships of Charlotte's world, take a peek at my Young Adult Steamunk novel, The Tremblers, available for pre-order!

+Raquel Byrnes

Memories and Mechanica

Dark Sky by Beglib

"Whipping rotors stirred the air and vibrated through me. Security aero craft hovered overhead, the bulbous silhouettes of their blimps dark against the sky. Dirigible pilots trained powerful lamp beams down on the road, the lights sweeping to and fro. Above it all, behind the clouds, nearly touching the stars, the Tesla Dome’s protective grid glowed purple against the inky night." 

~Charlotte Blackburn, The Tremblers

The steampunk world of The Blackburn Chronicles is a dangerous place. Its tales are those of dark heroes, fantastic devices, and unbreakable love. 

In book one of the YA series, The Tremblers, 1885 America is vastly different from the one you and I read about in our history classes. 

A Great Calamity has fractured the whole of America toppling the government and killing millions across the entire nation. From the embers rose The Peaceful Union, with its symbol of the dark phoenix that promises protection and order from the chaos and death outside the city-states.

Charlotte blackburn, is a daughter of this new society that huddles beneath the massive churning steamworks of the electric Tesla Domes.


The thought of a city caged with an electric grid was so fantastic. And yet, it was not unheard of. 

Creating the carefully cloistered city-states was an idea that began several years ago when I read about a proposed project to dome the city of Houston, Texas. 

The Victorian Era in America was era of technology on the cusp of unimaginable innovation. Captains of invention moved our nation forward in communication, electrical advancements, and mechanical might. Steam devices and railroad steel dominated.

Now imagine all those great minds pushed by a panicked populace to invent and create at breakneck speed. Not for the expansion of knowledge, but for survival. A population rocked by massive disaster would advance differently.

Charlotte's story takes placee in a vastly reimanged history. Massive machines to clear rubble churn in the cracked roads of Manhattan. Rebuilt landmarks sparkle with metal facades and ornate decoration. Steam-powered carriages and power cycles roar along the avenues. And yet, outside this electrical marvel, the wasteland teems with poison vapors, sand storms, and bright flaming chasms. 

What might force a debutante to flee from this safe place?  Charlotte Blackburn is beautiful, intelligent, and a gifted tinkerer who lives in a cloistered world of wealth and privilege. But when her father is abducted, and a strange sickness starts transforming men into vicious monsters, she discovers that technology is no protection at all.

I can't wait to share with you more of Charlotte's dangerous world! From the monstrous Wind Reapers to the strange creatures of the deep, the Blackburn Chronicles will take you on a journey you won't forget.

If you like alternative history, sweeping adventure, and fantatic devices, check out my upcoming Young Adult Steampunk novel, The Tremblers.

For a sneak peak at the dangerous world of The Tremblers, here are 2 Free Novella Downloads...

+raquel byrnes

A Dangerous Place

The steampunk world of the Blackburn Chronicles is a dangerous place. Its tales are those of dark heroes, fantastic devices, and unbreakable love.

Researching the concepts for the world, the characters, the mechanica technolgy, and the sweeping adventure all took me down unexpected paths. Charlotte's adventure takes her from under the protective electric Tesla Domes that cage her entire city to wild frontier towns above the clouds, the fiery wasteland deserts, and even the depths of the roiling sea.  World building for this series was always on the epic scale.

Photo:Altair Mikoto

Charlotte, on the run from the shadowy Order of the Sword and Scroll with the mysterious spy, Ashton Wells, flees via air ship to the floating settlement of Outer City.

The last frontier of the broken world of the Blackburn Chronicles, the sky territory is home to outlaws and pioneers. Lawmen keep the peace at the bustling ports where every kind of fantastic air ship and hodge-podge dirigible brings those who seek their fortune.

Inspiration for the wild-west settlement of floating buildings and countless air ships gathered around a central market came from my fascination with Asian cuisine and the water markets of the far east.

I drew ideas from places like the Mekong Delta floating markets where hundreds gather from along the coast to sell fruit, meat, teas, whatever a customer may need. Lunch pontoons with pots of bubbling soups bob alongside motor boats selling strong coffee or perhaps the occassional chicken.

Photo: Vladimir Tkalčić

I wanted to create that chaotic, lively market where customers link their motor rafts together and toss goods back and forth overhead. The frenetic port where Charlotte first encounters what is outside the fortified city life she knew was teeming with sights and smells and dangerous individuals.

It was the perfect setting for harrowing air battles and deadly chases amonst the fragile beauty of the clouds. Air ships, dirigibles, personal balloon craft all strung together in a dangling city above the fractured nation of the Peaceful Union.

Photo: Angelina Early

Among the drifters and outlaws in floating frontier Charlotte encounters fellow tinkerers, dangerous privateers, and Port Rodale's Sheriff Sebastian Riley, the man who tamed the wild sky settlement with a crooked smile and a revolver.

Looking to the wild west for that unpredictable frontier feel, Outer City's sheriff is a throwback to the iconic lawmen of the old boom towns. From his long dark duster jacket to the mechanical hand that sparks in the rain, Sheriff Riley is a true mix of steampunk mechanica and old west charm.

Outer City is just one of the fantastical places found in the world of The Blackburn Chronicles. I can'twait to show you more!

To celebrate the release, I'm giving away 2 free novellas that take you deep into the world of The Tremblers and gives a sneak peek of what's to come! You can find them here... Blackburn Chronicles Free Reads.

If you like epic stories with adventure, romance, and danger...check out, The Tremblers coming in 2018.

+RaquelByrnes

Deadly Reasons

The steampunk world of the Blackburn Chronicles is a dangerous place. Its tales are those of dark heroes, fantastic devices, and unbreakable love.

When concieving the world of The Tremblers, I wanted the aesthetic of a steampunk world, but for me, there had to be practical reason for all of the gears and sprockets. Cogs and brass for fashion's sake only didn't match with my vision for the series.

There had to be a reason for someone to don mechanical devices and articulated lens goggles. So, I created The Great Calamity. A continent-wide disaster that set off a chain of earthqukes fracturing North America.  It is what changed the world of Charlotte Blackburn forever.  Her world no longer felt safe and the fashion and architecture of the post disaster era reflected that.

Deadly vapors from the burning chasms called for face masks or filters when leaving the safety of the Tesla Domes. From glass face plates to leather nose and mouth covers, the citizens of the new Peaceful Union were familiar with every kind of breathing apparatus.

Corsets now had gum rubber lining to minimize shocks from the static energy created by the massive electric Tesla Dome that caged a rebuilt Manhattan. The outer bodice of gowns bore the aluminum metal links of chainmail; another measure of protection against possible flying debris in the event of another quake.

In Outer City, the floating sky settlement, the wild boom town citizens wore leather lined with armour. Assistive devices like mechanical braces to strengthen injured arms, hands, and legs were common in the sky harbors. Being so high in the sky, the sun required the use of tinted goggles and additional filters. Many citizens bore hidden weapons tucked into the ribbon of a top hat or disguised as jewlery.  

One of my favorite wardrobe research pojects was the bedouin inspired wraps and tunics worn by the Wind Reaper clans. Exeedingly hot with poisonous sandstorms, the brutal conditions of the Wasteland called for a different kind of clothing. Reapers lived on humongous walking fortresses that roamed the constantly shifting dunes and required more ease of movement and protection from the airborn embers that smoldered on the winds.

The most classic treatment of clothes in The Blackburn Chronicles is the uniform of the those belonging to The Order of the Sword and Scroll. Crimson cloaks and armor breastplates worn by the knights harken back to the centuries old origin of the powerful society. Ashton Wells, spy for the Order, favors a knight's blade over the more modern tracer gun.  

Charlotte Blackburn, the heroin of the series goes through a tremendous transformation from debutante to dissenter and later...to the Dark Wrath.  Her ice-blue ball gown signifies the wealth and priveledge she enjoyed before Ashton Wells enters her life. As she becomes Blackburn's Daughter leader of the rebel group, Defiance, she dons the leather and linen of the sky dwellers up in Outer City. And finally, as she comes into her own as a warrior, her dark cloak, arm guards, and electrified baton transform her into the weapon she had become.

The world of The Tremblers, the first book in my YA steampunk series, The Blackkburn Chronicles, was so much fun to write. I can't wait to share the epic story with you!

+raquel byrnes

Unexpected Adventures

Got to FINALLY meet fellow COTT alumni and Tosca Lee at SCCWC

I was in the midst of a very hot, very busy summer of writing and editing. I cannot believe I survived it, quite frankly. I had no time for play...at least, that is what I told myself.  

Deadlines loomed. Social media called to me. I had all but barricaded myself in my office to get my work done. However, in an attempt to keep the creative juices going, I went to the Southern California Christian Writer's Conference's inaugural event this past July. 

Held at the beautiful Biola University, I had an absolute blast!  I opted to stay in the dorms and eat in the cafeteria because, why wouldn't I? Not only did I get to chat with fellow book lovers, I had the pleasure of meeting some of my own favorite authors.  It was a total out-of-the-blue opportunity and I was so glad I took it.

The best part was the workshop on Writing Fight Scenes in which we acted out specific fist fights with each other while a Krav Maga guy encouraged us how to 'be more aggressive.' I can't tell you how funny a room full of writers looks practicing assault. We are sort of an awkward group. An unexpected bit of adventure...and I loved it!


Book News!

I am so excited to announce that The Tremblers is on pre-order on Amazon! 

And speaking of unexpected fun...I have been working on a surprise for you guys...To celebrate the launch of the first book in the Blackburn Chronicles, my publisher is releasing Three Free Novellas!  I hope you enjoy them!

Of Books and Blades, Ashton's story of how he became a spy for The Order of the Sword and Scroll.

This Perilous Path, tells of Lizzie's rise from nursemaid to leader of the violent rebel group, Defiance.

A Dream of Darkness, Tesla's tale of the strange device that set in motion the dangerous events of The Tremblers.


Recommended Reads and Fun Stuff

This fall we see the release of so many hotly anticipated installments in quite a few of our favorite series. From Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare to Mari Lu's Warcross, the offerings this fall are amazing.

All I need at this point is a cozy cardigan, some coffee, and a quiet crevasse in which to binge read.

This October is the Gaslight Steampunk Expo in San Diego!  This is year they will be having an Escape Room, Grand Ball, and an Ice Cream Social.  Yes Please!

I am so close to buying a corset just so that I can go and take part in all the fun!  Wish me luck!


Until Next Time

I would love to hear about your summer or what you plan to do this fall. With school starting, holidays just around the corner, and work responsibilities nipping at our heels, what unexpected adventures do you see yourself taking? 

Welcome To Disaster

So I've been playing around with gifs and ended up doing this fun collage about my upcoming YA Steampunk, The Tremblers over on my Tumblr. I have to say...it was a lot of work, but such a blast!

I figured out how to add text to gifs so I put some of the quotes from my first book on various scenes that hint at the story...

Trying to capture the danger and awe of a world crumbling into disaster was challenging and really got my creative juices flowing!

What sort of non-writing creative outlets do you turn to when you're seeking that imagination pick-me-up?

Until next time...

Speculative Fiction Radio Show

Anyone interested in talking books? Evan over at Writestream Radio is looking for authors for a couple of fall dates...

The Speculative Fiction Cantina: your weekly hypodermic injection of science fiction, fantasy, horror, alternate history, steampunk, cyberpunk, and things weird and wonderful in the world of books and writers. We ask authors the hard questions. You'll hear from writers who bend the rules and drive the narrative.  Join S. Evan Townsend on this journey over the rainbow and through the looking glass. And remember to take the red pill.

The Speculative Fiction Cantina is an internet radio program on the Writestream Radio Network that airs every Friday at 6:00 P.M. Eastern.  It last approximately an hour. The format is I have two writers on to interview. Also, the writers are asked to do a 5-8 minute live reading out of one of their works. We look for speculative fiction writers (scifi, fantasy (and all its subgenres), horror, alt history, steampunk, cyberpunk, dieselpunk, etc.). It’s very conversational and, I hope, fun.

Evan can be contacted through this page: http://sevantownsend.com/contact-us/

#NaNo Blah Blah Blah

NaNoWriMo or bust!  That was my mantra all of October. I plotted...I outlined...I scribbled on my little note cards like a pro.

It started off so well. I was on fire. I was going to crush it. What really happened was I realized I was not as prepared as I thought. Actually, I was completely prepared to write a book that no longer went in the direction of what I was writing. Gaaah!

Though my story was going at good clip and #NaNoWriMo had totally jump started me out of my slump, I was quickly going off of my carefully constructed rails. Normally this is not a big deal. I can totally be a Pantser like the best of them.

The problem was that this was book three in a series...and it really needed not to suck. Like, seriously. Which led to an epiphany of sorts. I devised a solid plan for dealing with the situation...

I had to decided if I should soldier on and take the advice of my friends to keep writing and 'see what happens' or give in to my inner control freak and stop. I decided to stop. I know...I KNOW...that is totally against the spirit of #NaNoWriMo. You shelf your inner editor and just go with the flow, right?

Well I am a rebel, I guess. I didn't write for a few days and worked on my synopsis. I wrote a fourth...yes a 4th draft of the synopsis for book three. And you know what? I am so happy that I did. I may not win my t-shirt, which thank goodness I procrastinated on ordering, but I will 'win' this book challenge. 

Now I am back at a steady pace. I am no longer having nightmares about reams of paper that need to be pared back and edited. My Type A twitches have ceased.  Hallelujah! 

Anyway, that is an update on me.  Hope you all found your way, whatever that is, during this crazy adventure called, National Novel Writing Month.

Blessings and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
+Raquel Byrnes 

Aurelious Forty, Book Blitz and Giveaway!

So excited to introduce this cool book from author, Dianna Beirne that I'm taking part in her book blitz and GIVEAWAY!

Don't forget to sign up on the RAFFLECOPTER link BELOW ---->

Summary from Goodreads:

Aurelious Forty has led a lonely, troubled life. He stays disconnected from the world around him with no family and no friends. He lives merely to exist…to survive.

Aurelious’ life changes in an instant when an impulsive decision forces him to abandon everything he has ever known. Choosing to follow strangers into a new world, he discovers he was born with a gift so strong, so unique; it could give him the power to change humanity.

But the shadows of his childhood are long and dark and run through every fiber of his soul. Can Aurelious break the chains of his past and use his gift for good? Or will the nightmare of his tormentors set him on a path of revenge so fierce it could destroy us all?

Add to Goodreads

Buy Links:
Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books

A Deeper Look at a Main Character: Aurelious Forty

Aurelious is, at times, a bit of an enigma. He is a very emotional character and while he shares his emotional experiences with the reader, he tries desperately to hide them from the characters that he interacts with on the page. He is typically unsuccessful in masking his own emotions from those around him though he’s generally unaware of how unsuccessful he is because he’s fairly self-absorbed, at least in the beginning of the book. Enigma.

There is a lot to love in Aurelious but he makes you work at loving him, he doesn’t give it right away. There are times when you might think it’s easier to dislike him but then he draws you in and you’re reminded of what he endured as a child and you’re proud of how far he’s come.

Although he is the main character and the one telling us his story, he isn’t the hero. He is really more of a sidekick who has to learn from the hero and finds himself fumbling along the way, a lot. He fumbles so much that he makes the hero a little less heroic for a minute. But, when he starts to look outside of himself, when he starts to connect with and care for the people around him, when he shows us how much he changes and overcomes, then he does become a little bit more of a hero himself. Or at least makes us question how a hero could be defined. 

Aurelious Forty struggles. He learns. He grows. He changes. He is an imperfect character, just like the rest of us. And, in his imperfection, he is worthy of being loved, just like the rest of us. As the person who created him, I must confess, I hope people will embrace his flaws and love him.

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About the Author

Dianna Beirne lives in a fantasy world. Okay not really, but part of her wishes she did and, since that’s technically impossible, she writes about fantasy worlds instead. Her first Young Adult novel entitled Aurelious Forty; Volume One quickly turned into her first Young Adult series with the addition of Aurelious Forty; Volume Two and, Aurelious Forty; Volume Three.

When not writing, she’s generally daydreaming which morphs into wondering if that last daydream could turn into a book. She has also recently discovered podcasts but doesn’t exactly understand what they are or why they’re different from regular radio shows. So it’s safe to assume that her next book won’t be about a podcast. Instead she’ll just keep listening to the ones that she finds that hilarious because laughing is one of her favorite pastimes and she finds way too many things funny!

Prior to dedicating her time to writing, Dianna taught undergraduate and graduate courses about using literacy in the elementary, middle, and high school classroom. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, a Master’s degree in Literacy and a Doctorate in Education specializing in Curriculum and Teaching.

Dianna lives in New York and is the grateful mother of a son whom she misses terribly when he is away at college.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

GIVEAWAY: a Rafflecopter giveaway