Getting to Know Blog Hop - Day 2

Yesterday was a good start to the blog hop.  I’ve seen many people stopping by and checking out my thoughts on my writing and places to eat.  I sometimes wonder what people think of my blog when I’m on a non-book day of posts, or playing catch up.

Because I posted an excerpt of Society of Night and Lies in this blog hop, I didn’t bother writing a post strictly about it.  No need to say the same thing twice.

I’m keeping this short and sweet tonight.  There’s allergy meds trying to kick my butt along with a long and busy day at work.  I will part with this; my co-workers are pleased with this invitation and with the amount of responses I’ve seen.  It does help to have a supportive team at the day job.

While you’re visiting my blog, why not hop over to here and check out the other authors who are joining me in this fun endeavor.

Getting to Know You Blog Hop

Hello, and welcome to the Getting to Know You Blog Hop. We have an eclectic choice of bloggers for this hop and it will run from January 29, 2013 to February 1, 2013. I’d like to thank Vicki M. Taylor  She’s the author and blogger who created this hop and made it happen for all of us.

Let’s get started on getting to know me.

Where are you from?

Originally, I’m from Pennsylvania, around the Philadelphia area.  But, I grew up here, in the South, in Good Ol’ Oklahoma.  Yes, I do have a strange accent compared to most of the locals.  ;)

When and why did you begin writing?

I’ve been writing stories, or at least conceptualizing them, since 9th grade when we had to do a short story for English class.  My teacher, Mrs. Cariker, saw the beginnings of an author and praised my work even though the story written then was for children.

What books have most influenced your life?

Kind of hard to say which ones have influenced me the most.  The Namedseries by Clare Bell helped in forming non-human characters that felt real.  Jean M. Auel’s Clan of the Cave Bear series showed me so much about research and descriptive writing, and of course, Anne McCaffrey’s books, all of them, inspired me in many ways as well.  Looking now, I’d have to say my entire library is an influence.

What is your favorite book from childhood?

This one is easy and I have searched all over to find new copies.  Clare Bell’s The Named series is my all time favorite.  I know the question is which one, but it is hard to decide which of these books would take the prize.

Are the names of the characters in your novels important?

In a way, I suppose they are.  Many are reflections of the people who inspired the character and others give insights into what they are like in personality.  I find myself strangely surprised that most of my character names are tribal, or descriptive, based.

What’s your favorite fruit?

Strawberries.  Yes, they are my addiction and weakness.

Do you ever wish you had an entirely uncreative job?

I’ve had a couple of those in the past.  They are the kind of jobs where they drain the creativity from you and make the muse run away in terror.

What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?

Writers are sane?  Writers, by definition suffer from multiple personality disorder, but we enjoy those voices and make them do pretty dances upon the blank page.  Ha Ha!  Seriously, though, to keep yourself sane as a writer is to not lose yourself entirely in the storybook world you’re writing.  Give yourself breaks from writing to do other things such as being with family, take a walk, or enjoy a pretty day outside window shopping.

What was the greatest thing you learned at school?

Difficult question here.  For me, I would have to say that never giving in to the bullies who want to drag you down and make you feel like something your cat hacked up, would have to be the greatest thing I learned in school.  If it weren’t for the support of teachers, faculty, and my parents, I would never have made it through to learn this lesson.  Of course, knowing who you can trust and work with was another good lesson.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Another hard question.  I think I would have to say… Clare Bell.  The world she wrote in and her characters seemed so real and vibrant, that I always felt like I was a part of it.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

Sure!  This is an excerpt from Society of Night and Lies, a work in progress:

Fifteen minutes later, a late model car pulled into the U-Store-It compound where Reyna kept all her stuff. The storm had quit for the time being, leaving just a drizzle to keep things damp, but even that was fading quickly. With just the headlights to guide her to the lock, Sabrina opened the door and started rummaging through all the different boxes and things to find her case.

Sabrina had ways of getting into most places if she wanted.  But at the storage complex, she had a key to the main gates.  Sometimes, it helped being one of the owners, though her part was small.  She could enter when she needed so long as the security guards were aware of her presence.

On this night, she didn’t bother letting the guard on duty know and went directly to the unit she needed.  Hard-soled boots crunching on rough gravel alerted the busy cat, but she ignored the approach.  “Who’s there?” barked the old badger.  He waved his flashlight at the open storage unit, startling the feline inside.  When he saw her head pop up, he chuckled. “Easy there, Sabrina.  It’s just me.”

She panted and patted her chest as she turned around quickly and smiled. “Hey there, Jimmy.” She looked almost too relieved to see him at that moment. “You shouldn’t sneak up on anyone like that. You almost made me have a heart attack.” As serious as she was, the cat was joking with the old guard.

“What are you doing here so late?” Jimmy asked her as she went back to rummaging through all the boxes.  As nosey as what he sounded, he meant well.  The old badger always looked out for Sabrina since she had done so much for him before.

Without stopping, she responded with a sigh, “I have to find something. I need it for a trip I’m taking.”  She didn’t have time to answer questions and wished he’d leave, but knew his presence would prevent whoever had delivered the letter from catching her unaware.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

My advice is: never be impatient to get your book published.  Take your time, make it as perfect as you can, and be sure to never email it at 2am, otherwise you may send the wrong file.  Also, be persistent.  Just because you have a block doesn’t mean you can’t figure a way around it.  Lastly, have fun.  Writing may be a career choice, but it doesn’t have to be work.

Thank you for reading a bit about me and I’d like to introduce you to other authors along this hop. Their links are below:

http://vickimtaylor.blogspot.com

http://tenthchild.com/wordpress/

http://sfemespiral.com/ego/

http://traceeford.wordpress.com/

http://pacificrimpressblog.wordpress.com/

http://www.notanotherbookreview.blogspot.com/

http://ninjananny.wordpress.com/

http://www.charleneraddon.blogspot.com/

http://simplifyandsave.weebly.com/blog-save–simplify.html

http://candysmonsters.com/

Sunday Excerpt #fiction #fantasy #amwriting #excerpt

What a long and eventful weekend this has been.  I barely spent any time at home.  In my defense, it was to get out and away from the sick child and boyfriend.  Dave was fine with the beginnings of symptoms and Colin was finally recovering from his bout with the flu.

If anyone was wondering why there were three posts so close together, then this one, it’s because I was catching up.  Friday has been just one of those tiring days and I ended up making dinner.  Saturday, I was out of the house most of the day then today, I spent my free time working on these posts.

Onto the excerpt!  This one is taken from the very clean version of How the Kiyrie Got Their Wings.  I chose a small section where StormCloud, a Kiyrie, and Drake, a dragon master hunter (also called hyunitarrii in the Kiyrie language) finally come together to bring about the first evolution in the Kiyrie species.  They are mortal enemies.  He could easily kill her and yet, the Fates decided they were the perfect candidates for their experiments.  There is no dialog in this story.  Just the thoughts of some omniscient being showing the story.

StormCloud wanted to be alone and in silence. She didn’t want anyone to know what she was thinking. As much as it hurt her to do so, she wrenched her mind free of the communal link her people, the Kiyrie, shared.  Immediately she felt an upwelling of sorrow fill her soul and imagined a heart wrenching scream as the depressive shock rise.

For many weeks, she lived alone in the deepest, darkest parts of the northern forests; hunting and gathering her own meals while avoiding the hunters. With each successive week she kept herself apart from the others and the mental link severed, she grew weaker and her hunts less successful.

During self-enforced exile, she couldn’t stop thinking of Drake. He was hyunitarri, the best hunters in all the realms and he was dangerous to her and the rest of her kind. The very thought that some higher force wanted her to mate with him made her shudder in fear and dread.  She’d rather fall from a mountain cliff than be close to a hyunitarri of any kind.

Two months passed without either Drake or StormCloud spotting one or another. It was chance brought them together again and not a moment too soon. The Kiyrie, weak from hunger and the loss of her mental link with her people, lay unconscious on the forest floor, sprawled as if she had fainted in mid-leap. The Earth, always caring for the creatures she created, covered her with the underbrush and leaves until StormCloud awakened.

Drake, tracking a deer for his own meal, stumbled upon her. At first, all he could see was a single paw and the tip of her tail among the leaves and underbrush, laying unnaturally still. Curious, he moved the leaves and forest litter aside and gazed at her sleeping form. Her fur was dull; it no longer had that healthy glow that made the Kiyrie so prized, and she was thin, her breathing very shallow. Once again his hunter’s oath and his heart warred with each other. He could kill her so easily and collect a smaller reward for a less than perfect Kiyrie. But his own honor wouldn’t let either side win. She was too weak for his heart to follow through with what it wanted, and taking a defenseless prey brought no honor or challenge.

He lived for the thrill of the hunt.  This elusive prey was in no condition for any kind of hunt.  Though he wanted to turn and leave her to the forest predators, something made him stop and look at her longer.  Drake couldn’t deny the pounding of his heart was of a different kind of fear.  For someone who has been alone all his adult life, he couldn’t stand the idea of not having this gentle and vulnerable creature near him.

The very thought was interrupted by the darker, more carnal, side of his being, telling him that the Kiyrie was nothing more than prey and a few gold coins at the Temple in any condition.  He shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts of kindness, but they would not be silenced.  Their voices grew louder until he was shouting at the forest and holding his hands to the sides of his head as if to block the turmoil in his thoughts.

Panting, he fell to his knees and stared through unwelcome tears at the slowly dying feline.  He was life was slipping away and he knew it.  He could feel the hope of a brilliant future fading quickly and the eyes of his ancestors boring into his mind and whispering of the honor he would lose if he didn’t help her and fulfill his destiny.  After a long, drawn out sigh, he looked around to see if anyone else was there who could take care of her. Seeing no one, he gently picked her up, tilting his head at the soft, weak, whimper as she was lifted.

He carefully carried her to a clearing then spread his wings and took to the air. The flight was short, a slow glide over the tree tops to where his own hidden oasis was located.  He landed many miles away in a rocky area at the border of the kingdom where the rocky foothills began.  During his short flight, he debated with himself to drop her and let the denizens of the forest finish her off.  But as the idea started to take root, something else pushed the idea away and left in its place thoughts of something far better in the near future.

While he was opening the portal to his lair, StormCloud awakened, dull gray eyes gazing up at him. At first, she didn’t recognize who he was. When realized who was holding her she thought surely her life was going to end right there.  Weak as she was, she shivered and a soft mewl escaped her parted lips.

When he looked down at her, her head rolled against his shoulder and he could see the fear in her eyes as well as her soul giving up and trying to stay alive. Their eyes met again. Time stood still as the universe and to a halt and their souls met once again.  His bright and strong spirit reached out to her, bolstering the growing weakness in her and pausing the slow slide into eternal darkness.

StormCloud shook as she looked into Drake’s eyes then fainted once more, unable to cope with the strong feelings growing inside her. Concerned, the dragon carried her into his lair and placed her gently on the simple bed he had. Drake made sure she was comfortable before lighting a fire. There was little he could do. He was a hunter after all, not a doctor or healer. While she slept, he ventured out to hunt.

Black Friday on Sunday #amwriting #fiction #fantasy

I’ve started plotting out a few things which will be happening to the current group of therians Karina has to watch over now that they’ve finally found shelter.  Yes, I did say plotting out.  I do plan things once in a while, but usually when I need to have a clear idea of what is to happen when and how in a particular time frame.

As I’ve said before, they now have shelter.  There’s a problem.  This shelter has been abandoned for a while.  Say a couple of years while the owners wait for someone to buy it.  Perhaps the previous owners forgot about it or in the shuffle of papers, the inheritors never found out they have a nice little mountain resort to sell or fix up.  Either way, the place is in disrepair.

This means that Marcus and Nick have to scrounge up wood or other materials to cover holes in the roof, the walls, create some kind of bedding for them to curl up on at night, as well as someone finding food.  After their long trek, everyone is hungry.

This is what I imagine the main building Karina and company found to take shelter from the impending blizzard. I could not find the person who took this photo or I’d give proper credit.

In this group of 15 or 20 therians, they have a decent mix of skills to use if they need it.  The question is, which ones were injured due to falls along the trail or fights among the rest of the group.  All of them will have to do something to make sure they are comfortable.

I do have one little dilemma to consider.  Would the previous owners of this resort have left behind things like sheets, blankets and other things, or would they have all been gathered up and sold or put into storage someplace?

That also brings up the question, was this resort closed before the spring re-opening, before being closed for the season, or after winter was over?  Those questions would help decide how much and what kind of stuff was left behind for this poor ragtag group to use until they can move on in warmer weather.

It is a possibility that they could live there for several years as others come to join them.  Eventually, Karina and her core crew will leave to bring in others and to make awareness of their kind less shocking to the bible thumpers and the rednecks and crazy people who think they are abominations.  I need to study more about the civil rights movement to get a better feel of what they’ll be encountering in the coming future.

Talk about a lot of work to do for just one book.  I have an idea how the elitist church goers will react.  I meet plenty of them every day at work.

Weekend Wonder #fiction #writing #fantasy

So, instead of writing a nice post about the novel I’ve worked on for the past 16 years or so, I went to the Home and Garden Show at Expo Square.  I have to say it was an interesting outing and a little more perspective on crowds.

The way the Home and Garden show was set it, it had the feeling of a trade fair back in the medieval times with workers harking their wares or sitting back and letting their product speak for itself.  Crowded?  Definitely.  Loud?  You better believe it.  Ordered chaos?  You bet!  Fun?  Most definitely!  I enjoyed myself and mom and I came home with a few new items to add to our eclectic collections.

To say I am pleased with myself would be an understatement.  I had fun without having to exert myself and relaxed while strolling through the stands.

What does this have to do with Way of the Comet?

A lot has to do with it.  The interactions of people in an enclosed area for one and how the crowd felt on the physical, emotional and spiritual level as well as my reactions to it in all my senses.

I’ll be the first to say I am mildly agoraphobic.  I don’t like crowds.  They make me nervous and with so many people around, everyone invades my bubble.  Unintentionally, of course, but that’s how it feels.  It took about a half an hour before I could distance a portion of my mind to view these reactions and watch the people interact.  All the way down to the babies being held and the little kids running around.

All of that will be used in a scene where our heroine will be up for sale at an illegal trade fair.  She’ll be a slave then stolen property in a short time due to greedy people.  The slave trade in this world Larana lives in is frowned upon and all but one of the countries actively works to weed out all the black market trading and selling of slaves.  The only one isn’t actively working on eliminating the slave trade make passable attempts, but they are actually the ones who are running it for their own gluttonous needs.

In another scene, there will be a more gentle moment where Larana and her small court are entering a kingdom to pay a visit to their leader.  All kinds of trouble can be had in both instances.  It’s just a matter of how, when, and where they’ll happen and what the consequences will be.

All I need to do now is to dedicate some time to writing this one.  My muse keeps pushing me toward another story.  Oh well, at least it’s one I need to work on as well.

What did you do this weekend?

Friday’s Furry Moment #fiction #erotica #anthro

Sorry this post comes a couple of days late.  It has sat in my mind waiting patiently to be written since I left work Friday.  Still not a good excuse.

But, I have looked over my ‘erotic’ stories and have considered doing a bit of re-writing as far s the sex scenes themselves.  Rewriting as in toning down the graphic part of sex and embellishing it to bring out more of the emotion of the moment.  Reading those passages in The Giftand Noble Obligation, I don’t feel the emotion in them.  Sure, they feel right as far as writing, and I can visualize what they are doing, but I cannot feel what these characters are feeling.

Thankfully, I have picked up a few more books on writing emotion which helped me see that those scenes were lacking.  On that deep instinctual level, I knew something was missing, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.  Now that I am more aware of what isn’t there, I can do something about it.  Along with the rest of the scenes in each of these stories.

My Nano 2011 novel, Trysts of the Hearts may not see release until much later than expected.  I was considering a June release on Smashwords.  But, now, I’m thinking October or even November.  A November release will make getting that new novel done a bit more difficult to do, but I think I can swing it.

I want to have at the very least, six or seven short stories for this first one.  If the niche I’m aiming for likes it, along with others, I’ll put out another one.  But these will definitely stories will be tied together.  Test of Ascension will be a bridge between this compilation and future ones.  The goddess Bast appearing in a few of Trysts of the Hearts stories will not be there in books at Test of Ascension.

Pretty good idea?  It’ll chain these stories in Haven together in a way that they fit beautifully.

For this compilation of erotic short stories, I am needing beta readers and CPs now.  

I’ll take anyone who is willing to help go over the completed stories while I work on the rest of them.  

Comment if you are willing to read these stories.  None of them are very long.  I promise.

It Lives!

As the quote says, it lives.  What is it that lives right now, other than, you know, us and others reading this silly sentence?  My car, that is what lives again.  It has been a stressful couple of days without my car, too.

Let it go on record that I don’t take the best of care of my vehicles.  More than one has been driven until it finally gave up the ghost.  The van I had before leaving Arkansas is proof.  It died the day after I sold it.  It was going to be parts regardless.

Long story short, since Saturday, when I’d start the car it would hesitate like it was debating on dying or working then going in favor of working.  I did intend to take it to my brother’s on Thursday to have him check it out, but, Yesterday (Tuesday) morning, it stuttered then refused to move.  The battery had given its last.  If it could have rolled over, it would have and thankfully it didn’t take anything with it.

The battery was five years old and definitely got a lot of use in that time.  The diagnosis my brother gave was it had boiled over and the posts were corroding.  Okay, no problem though I did wonder how a battery could boil over.  No, I did not ask him.  I Googled it.  Either way, I could jump it but not too many times before it would fully give out.  New batteries are not cheap by any standard and I was cringing just at the thought it before knowing the price.

Keith, my brother, let me know some very vital and money-saving information; he bought it at Wal-Mart.  Thank all that’s holy!  I only needed to wait for payday; which is in a week and a half.  ICK!

Thanks to dad, I was able to get my son to the doctor and to work.  Mom, bless her soul, got me home yesterday and we enjoyed a quiet dinner together at the Village Inn.  If you haven’t tried it yet, go and enjoy their Southwestern Salad.  It’s kicky and totally delish.

Also thanks to mom, I was able to have AAA give me a jump-start this morning.  I could have had them replace it then, but I wasn’t about to shell out $120 or so.  Nah, I decided to go where I know I get a discount.  When I can afford it, I’ll be joining AAA.  They responded very quickly.  With an estimated 45 minute wait time, I only had to wait 10 minutes tops.  The technician trying to get any kind of reading from the battery took a bit longer.  He was very thorough and I appreciated it.

Extra stressful day yesterday had me in no real mood to write anything about the book of the day, Society of Night and Lies.  Since today is a news day, or free write night to turn a phrase, I decided to do it tonight.

I’m not going to talk much about the novel and how far behind I am in editing.  Nah, I’ve got better.  It’ll the focus of the blog tour I’m participating in next week.  SQUEE!

This one is a get to know you tour of up and coming novelists.  I’ve pondered the questions given to me and I think I’ve got good answers that don’t come off as sarcastic or lame, or ditzy sounding.  My main problem will be in rambling.  (See paragraphs above about the car)  I have got to keep myself from wandering off on other tangents while doing these.

The blog tour will last from Jan 29th to Feb 1.  I’ll have links to others who are in for this blog ride as well, so please, enjoy them all and pass the word around.  I’m already creating posts and links for Facebook, Twitter, G+, and the art forums I’m in.  I’ll even make a post on LinkedIn as well, and that is where this one got its beginning.  ;)

Now, I am considering putting in a prize for some random person who comments on that post during those days.  Since I don’t have the cash to give out free copies of Black Friday, I can do a sketch of a chosen character in someone’s book or pick something my DA gallery for print.  Sound good?  Yes?  No?  Maybe?

No… back to work.  Let me know your thoughts about the tour prize.  I’m curious to know.  Have you joined tours or hops to help promote your work also?