Water Gambit Free!

This day has come. My new, beautiful Siren book is Free for mass consumption in the hope that it will lure some to my diabolical writerly world. Hopefully I don't get a lot of one star reviews. Although sometimes they're quite funny. :D

Happy Reading!

Oh! Watergirl 3 It's coming along.

Page 289 of Watergirl 3, possibly Water Guile or Water Gasp. Or Water Grasp Ooooh, that last one is kind of nice. It won't come out for some time since it needs edits and time to cook, but there will definitely be a 3rd one.

Wagter Gambit! Watergirl 2 Out Today!!! WATERGIRL FREE!!!

Watergirl FREE!!!! 

I'm finishing up edits for Watergirl 2, Watergambit. This is the cover.

Watergambit, coming soon. Very soon. So soon, why am I blogging about it instead of doing edits???

New Story! Barbarian and Elves, a romantic fairy tale.

Barbarian and Elves fairy tale novella

A broken-hearted general on a deadly mission
A mad elf maiden cursed for a hundred years for loving him
The cruel power that separated them long ago and a new threat that now wants them dead…

Before a decisive battle victory in the century-long war against the elven Elsyrians, Balthaar of the Barbarian Empire finds the combat halted and his mission changed from general to ambassador. 

But Elsyria holds more than former and current enemies. His lost love Hatia resides there, in a fog of madness and amnesia induced by torture magics at the hands of Barbarian priests. Their reunion sets off a chain of events that imperils the ill-fated lovers and involves political intrigues, royal secrets, and murderous treacheries.

Will the lovers-- kept apart for a hundred years-- forge a weapon from their love strong enough to end divisions and break curses...and ensure a future where they will never part again?

I've been working on this piece for 6 years. It was time to throw it out or publish it. I decided to take the hard route and publish. This is my year for finishing things I've been writing. Finishing means publishing. I think the shorter things are, the harder they are to write. This thing turned out nice in spite of the difficulty. At any rate, it's a free fun romance that won't take you long to get through.

Happy Reading!

House of Slide Hunter!!!! Also, Hotblood and Hybrid giveaway!

This is out today. The blurb is kind of horrible, but I promise, it's my best book yet. Worst blurb, best book... I'm seeing a trend that I'm not sure I like, but I suppose it beats the opposite.

We have The Hollow One!!! We have hunting and alternate realities and madness and salvation, friendship, betrayal, and of course, feathers and flying. I love it so much. And Lewis. Of course. It's his birthday. No more or it will be spoilers.

Hotblood is Free today and Hybrid and Hunter 99cents. You're welcome.


Have a magnificent Holiday!

Free Watergirl! Last day.

Cover Reveal for Hunter!!!

Will be available for pre-order soon! Comes out November 25th, 2015!

Update on this writing thing

I am half finished with the final draft of book 3 of House of Slide, Hunter. It will come out in November.

WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!

That is all.

Life as Zoo

Isn't he cute? His name is Otis, and we saw him at the library. Now all the kids want owl pets just like in Harry Potter. I'm inspired to include more wonderful flying scenes in my House of Slide series. Silently gliding through the night, eyes watching from the darkness, sharp beaks and claws, feathers floating down from the sky.

I am rewriting Hybrid. Still. It's slow going because I'm changing so much. I feel like Dariana and Lewis's voices are off. I need to get so much in before the end of the book, and it's really exciting. I'm really finding the fun in editing with this story. I hope other people like it as much as I do. I reread a scene three times last night I liked it so much.

I'm so lucky to be able to write stories. And see owls. And sloths, penguins, baby kangaroos and lizards.

Rewriting Hybrid.

It's been published for a few years, and now that it's been in the slush and mush for a while, it's time to regroup, recoup, and make up for lost opportunities for tension and passionate dialogue. Or maybe just tighten the plot up and refresh everything.

Random alligator I happened to see one day this spring.

So, this light edit became a rewrite, and now I'm halfway through the monster and spinning my wheels. I like it, but I've resisted changing it because I want to be over this so that I can move on, but I've finished the whole series, as in, it is over, people, so I KNOW what needs to be going on before the end, and it's going to happen in this book. I'm excited about it. Or I was when I started. Now I'm kind of ambivalent, but it will happen, the finalizing of editing, and then I can move on to the rewrite of book 3. I hope it's not summertime by then because man, I have a hard time digging into Hotblood in the summer. Oh well. The Watergirl fans will be happy. You know who you are. (Sean's fans. Let's be real here.)

That's what I'm doing. I've just rewritten the Intending scene, and now I'm all, sigh. I want to get back to the parts I already liked so that I don't have to rewrite the whole entire monstrous thing. Novels are so long. Whine whine whine. Like anyone made me do this. Like I'd do it if anyone tried. Unless they offered me money.

Thank you people for buying my book! Heart. Ex. Oh. Peace Sign.

Oh, I watched Strange Magic, and loved it. Basically an 80's musical cartoon by George Lucas about love. Had that song, 'What do you get when you kiss a guy, get enough germs, to catch a pneumonia, and when you do, he'll never phone ya, I'll never fall in love agaiiaiaiaiaaiaiaian. I'll never fall in love again." If you know the song, you know what I'm saying. Except they ruined the lyrics because the cartoons are all fairy type people who don't have phones, so she's all, 'what do you get when you kiss a guy, you get enough germs to catch a fever, and when you do, he'll up and leave her..." Do fairies get fevers? So if you're the kind of person who gets all upset about that kind of liberating, feel free to skip it. Also if you dislike nonsense in general, although then you'll probably reading a different sort of blog.

70 + K And still not done?

This bodes ill for the final thing. I want to wrap it up so badly, I've beginning thinking about bringing everyone back to life for the end. Doesn't that sound FUN? As in insane? Yes, I agree. Fantasy can't be that annoying. Sigh. I really did want to bring Devlin back. He's been dead for such a long time. The whole time, actually. Wouldn't it be wonderful if he'd never been dead after all? Wonderful, but still annoying. Sigh. Following arbitrary rules are terrible.

Front Page News

I just got back from vacation! It is too cold in Ohio.

I'm a little bit in shock with some exciting news. Back when I first published my first book, when I googled House of Slide, I got pages of houses with slides. Cool, right? I thought so, but now those brilliant slides are relegated to other pages because my story has taken the first page.

Happy Dance! High Fives! I'm front page news, at least House of Slide is.

Thanks to all the brilliant readers and reviewers who brought me this far on my exciting journey of life in fantasy.

Relax and enjoy the sunset.

58,689 Words of Hollow, Book 4, House of Slide

Not really a landmark, but the last ten thousand words have been very slow. I've been editing, and going back and forth with this strange back and forth between different POV's, (point of views) of the MC's (main characters) and writing the same scenes from different angles, and the Hollow One has all these other viewpoints to see things through, you know, corpse poachers, librarians and rats, oh, and spies and ninjas... (I'm rolling my eyes. This is getting a bit ridiculous, you know?) At any rate, it's confusing to write, and probably confusing to read, and maybe the whole thing will get cut, which shall be a sad day because it's so interesting to read about how things look from a slightly red tinted mostly black and white visual perspective.

So, I'm writing, and trying to wrap up this monstrously lovely thing, but I'm distracted by all these wonderful things, Watergirl two, oh, this scene where she's in this glass cage filled with water and she shatters it and kills the scientist woman and steals a car and breaks out this other gilled dude, only a Vashni, you know, the evil ones, and has to find out what's going on with Sean and why he got replaced by an evil clone at his university... And then the other thing, that I don't even barely remember except it has to do with a kickboxing girl who moves to a small town to put her bad girl life behind her and ends up as a near victim of a necromancer and a werewolf and a vampire who are part of this mystery of who killed the head cheerleader and wants to bring her back... in her body! dun dun dun. And then book three, where Dari is in this car chase with the Hollow One and her trainer Matthew, and they're tunneling underground and trying to escape this horde of possessed truck drivers... AGH! It will be so creepy good. Anyway, that's my writer's life, too much too write, too little time, and that's why I haven't been blogging. Well, that and I don't really like blogging. I never feel like I have anything to say. I have no advice on how to write or anything. I do get lost more often then most people, so if you'd like, I could write a blog post on that...

Anyway, Happy reading, writing, or both probably.

Happy Snow Day!

8 inches and falling. Beautiful day for a nap.

47 K of House of Slide Book 4

I am really getting into book 4. Of course I feel doubts about the ultimate GOOD inherent in writing fantasy. Fun, yes, but is there PURPOSE? Particularly dark, violent stories I won't let my kids read... but they're CLEAN! If bloody. Purpose....

I will finish House of Slide and then decide if I'd rather write christian romances, or illustrated children's  stories. Maybe I'll retire writing and keep the house clean instead. Oh, the dire prospect inspires me to begin something new, fresh, magical. Hopefully stand-alone.

Happy Monday! Enjoy your interests while you have them.

This writing gig is making my eyes twitch...

I've been writing like a crazy person the last two weeks. I've gotten 100+ pgs of the 4th Book done. DONE!!! And now I'm stuck at this point where there's going to be this amazing clever plot twist but I can't think what it's going to be, so maybe I'll write, CLEVER THING and skip to the witty dialogue. Oh dear. Witty dialogue. Sigh.

Anyway, I'm so grateful for the person who bought all my books. I LOVE YOU!!!

Back to the workbench.

What I'm working on. A Bit. House of Slide; Hollow

This unedited piece comes from nowhere. Not exactly nowhere, but this isn't what I expected to see tonight. I hope it stays in the final edit of book 4. 

The slide and glide of the wind over my face ruffled my hair and feathers, swirling them together over my face until I felt avian. Just one more pass over this tangled web of streets, one more search for the bloody hot gaze of a rogue demon man and I'd call it quits. I'd been out long enough. Too long if I listened to the ache of my arms as they held out the strips of black silk that carried me through the night sky.

I heard laughter below, human, unconscious laughter that held no fear and awareness of what the darkness hid. I suppose the laughter drew my gaze to it the way it would catch the attention of one of the lurking monsters. I didn't see the bolt until it whistled close enough that I barely whipped the arm flaps closed, twisting to the side in a lurch that brought me against the stone of a looming business tower. I felt the scrape pulling across my skin, heard as well as felt the awful noise as the metal rune rubbed with stone, a sensation like chewing chalk.

I tumbled down, hitting the back of my head on a protruding ledge before I could straighten out and stop my freefall. The fear of falling, the clawing panic up my throat competed with the throbbing of my skull as it ached, then burned. Another bolt whizzed by me, but I dodged it easily before I landed, crouched in an alcove where my black feathers could blend into the shadows.

I gasped a breath as I waited, searching for a furtive movement, a flicker of crimson in the darkness, or the scent of demon brought to me on the cool night breeze.

Two bolts came at me from different directions, crossing each other, pinning me for a moment between two iron shafts before I yanked it out of the stone. I preferred to be hunter rather than hunted, but without the comforting presence of Snowy and her coordinating handgun, I had no choice but to run, or fly as it were.

Pardon the Silence

We've been ill and traveling. Gah! A combination I do not recommend. I have been writing in my head all sorts of House of Slide, so as soon as I get a chance to stick it in my computer, will have a good bit of book 4 finished. I am trying to remember bests of 2014, but it's mostly a blur. Best books, movies, places, etc. Any help remembering would be good.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Happy Thanksgiving! Barbarians and Elves Part 13

I am thankful for my wonderful readers and friends who make writing a bit less isolated.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Part 13

Elve

I felt awkward, standing at attention while my ankle throbbed. I disliked the way the Head Precept had separated me from my charge, gesturing with overlarge movements with his voice keyed up in barely checked excitement.  

“How’s the ankle,” the gardener asked me, leaning close, only a breath but I could feel his concern.

I shrugged and focused on the conversation before me.

The Barbarian spoke in smooth High Elven with barely a trace of accent. “High City is as beautiful as it was fabled to be, which I hadn’t thought possible. I haven’t had chance to foray much, but as far as I can tell, there isn’t more beautiful architecture populated by a lovelier people.” He kept a smile on his mouth as he spoke. I’d expected more grunting.

“I admit that it has a certain grandeur, which is to be expected when the rich heritage of our people spans millennia, but of course, it lacks charm of simplicity, as well as the wonder of modern architectural feats. From what I hear the Emperor has changed the face of his city dramatically.”

The Viceroy shrugged. “I haven’t been to the Emperor’s city for years. From what I hear the improvements have made it one of the cleanest, safest places known to man.”

“Very good. How do you like the wine?”

The conversation went on, Head Precept asking questions the Viceroy answered as perfectly and diplomatically as anyone could, while the rest of those on the dais grew bored. Eventually they left to dance, leaving me standing with the gardener feeling like everyone had forgotten me. It was strange that I hadn’t forgotten me too. I watched the Viceroy through the haze of gauze and felt irritated at the fabric for clouding my vision.

As I watched his face, it didn’t seem to shift much, nothing was revealed besides a politely bored expression that bothered me. Surely if I could see better I could catch twitches of emotion as they crossed his face.

“I find the relish from the south sea lands preferable to incubated duck eggs of Salaam,” on second though, there might be a reason he sounded bored. Apparently sheer magnificence and otherworldly beauty wasn’t interesting to the Viceroy.

At that moment some people brought out trays and torches. Good. Fire dancing would entertain even an old jaded man like the Viceroy. Dolores had abandoned her mint confection of a dress to take part with a small thread of fire that she made grow into a shimmering rose, flames chasing around the edges of the petals. She spun, throwing her flower into the air, twisting into a flip as the flower exploded in a bright pink puff. When the gardener took a turn brandishing flames, I stepped a little closer to the dais. He and Delores began juggling flaming balls to each other that came quite close to the Viceroy and the Head Precept.

The Viceroy remained impassive. Though he smiled and nodded at appropriate places he appeared less than impressed. Perhaps the hardened warrior in him made him immune to explosions. He would have seen all kinds of fire; the Emperor loved explosives. 

I watched him watch the fire dancers, feeling like an observer, not a part of either insider or outsider, not a part of anything at all, until my hat caught on fire.

Barbarians and Elves Part 12

Part 12

Barbarian

I shouldn't have danced with her, even if she were the only person who didn't wish to kill me. The other Elves showed more than disdain for her and distrust for me. When they saw her, they veered away as though she had a disease they did not wish to catch, a pariah.

Her gown and veil were not the end of her eccentricity. When the gardner interrupted our dance, I felt a slight shock when I realized that I'd almost forgotten about him as I engaged with the Lady.

 “Of course,” she'd said then led us like a small parade trailing through the staring dancers. She seemed to hesitate the closer we got to the dais that seemed suspended on strands of dew from the concave ceiling.

I knew I treaded through enemy territory, but I felt strangely relaxed as I stalked after my mad host through the ranks of vicious Elves.

"Perhaps..." Lady Perr murmured as she looked around worriedly. Had she only just realized the danger of our situation? If I were an elve, I would have mentioned the energy in the room, the wild excitement someone powerful struggled to dampen. Would the Precept behead me right in the middle of the ball? It would be a peculiar climax to the war I'd waged.

“Lady of Perr,” the High Precept said cheerfully coming forward with hands outstretched. I recognized him from the face imprinted in their coinage. Not gold, but stone. Elves had few uses for gold. “What a charming hat. I’m certain it will cause waves in the fashion world.”

A female on the dais in a gown that reminded me of whipped mint chiffon tittered at the Precept's words. Apparently the preferred fashion leaned towards pastry more than beekeeping. Pity.

“A Tsunami,” she whispered, the sort of court whisper that could be heard throughout the whole room. Her sharp toothed smile triggered an emotion that I did not have time for. All the same, I bared my teeth at her and spoke out of turn.  

“As a Barbaran I appreciate the effort for Lady Perr to adopt the customs of my people in order for me to feel more at home.”

You could have heard a pin drop as everyone stared at the me while I tried to keep my gaze firmly on the Head Precept.

“Quite.” Head Precept said as though there were nothing odd in my acknowledgment of an insult in a voice like a stringed instrument. He nodded to the musicians at the side to resume their playing. “Lady Perr is noted for her ability to make people feel at home.”

The mint pouf choked on her laughter, lifting her drink to camouflage her flagrant disrespect.

“How do you like High City?” Head Precept asked gesturing beside him for me to sit, waving for someone to bring us food and drink.

Lady Perr stood at the edge of the dancers who'd resumed their graceful cavorting with most of their attention clearly towards the dais. I could have killed him, strangled him with my hands, but the idea didn't appeal to me. I hadn't been directed to do anything other than spy out the lay of the land. Somehow, It felt as though I'd been hand-fed to the lions, however well polished they kept their teeth.