tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59345806063740097162024-03-13T20:38:45.847-07:00Author Frances Pauliaward-winning animal storiesFrances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comBlogger435125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-26888184303152224212019-10-06T14:07:00.007-07:002021-04-04T07:45:05.274-07:00Latest Releases: <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goalpublications.com/store/p133/throwback-paperback.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="433" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnZ1JIT0Dhd-stNM_3BnULyimezYAYu6lSJxxyBp6tN3erFzd3Le9L-VInZGpvsZ4H0cn__z9DbGYm-Mlupd-ZpUznTkEQnnySWHvUnvKZQzkxpvOzkaZ12_MXsmBvwWYpohhc4OIa9Cx/w288-h433/Throwback+Front+Cover.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goalpublications.com/store/p133/throwback-paperback.html" target="_blank">Available For Pre Order</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">Jode is a throwback, given up by his parents and raised in an institute that was never meant to serve his needs. All he wants is to get free and find his mother, and when Gen-Fang scientist Rowla Arl shows up to study the genetic anomalies in children in the facility, he tries to convince the wolf to help him.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">Rowla has her own agenda and secrets, and the kid’s atypical blood might hold the answers to her own genetic problems. But if she wants to unlock his DNA, Rowla’s going to have to convince him to take a chance so big it could shake the whole Hybrid Nation.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">They’ll have to work together to keep Jode out of enemy hands, keep his DNA away from a psychotic monkey, and keep the biggest secret in Hybrid Nation history from destroying them both.</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "PT Sans"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><a href="https://www.goalpublications.com/store/p97/disbanded-print.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1045" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPPxSDg2BcA-P8JRqoJ-Y2NRLiZAUaE6M_2pffJVWOwW7OBbhaXGNeHYAuNEP_NQLCTMGLeg6pcvE6usw7zk1TTBjKry6xIf8ZmqFTHj5QJtVUWPcEaSoeD1wPuJ0Y_ZK5avPatKVJO8n/s400/Disbanded+Front+Cover.jpg" width="261" /></a> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggmdyOw0LVLp7lQOip9xFp7hQO0EUaVzwOw2mdL-kd_eCIY0DvdBUm2ow9SprVqNhatNZNPdQAjpHUANedQCyt4TeLM9kS0trwWeO-WYNEDyVOGg7cCwiH4Sonp6RnVKziKGPWW-M3tLQ/s2048/Elqri0XXIAE7iqT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1329" height="411" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggmdyOw0LVLp7lQOip9xFp7hQO0EUaVzwOw2mdL-kd_eCIY0DvdBUm2ow9SprVqNhatNZNPdQAjpHUANedQCyt4TeLM9kS0trwWeO-WYNEDyVOGg7cCwiH4Sonp6RnVKziKGPWW-M3tLQ/w267-h411/Elqri0XXIAE7iqT.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><br /></div>
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Sookahr the architect is just one of many snakes within Serpentia, an underground society where snakes and their rodent companions have lived in peace for as long as anyone can remember. Their destinies are preordained at birth, when they are fit with skymetal bands to enhance the telekinetic powers that aid them everyday.</div>
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Given an opportunity unheard of for a snake of his caste, Sookahr and Kwirk, his mouse aid, venture to a recently-destroyed outpost at the far edges of Serpentia, hoping to redesign the structure and prove his skill as an architect. But something watches from the jungle, and whatever attacked the outpost is poised to strike again. Will Sookahr's drive to rise above his station get his team killed? Or will he respond to the call he's heard since birth, and be the hero who can save them all?</div>
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Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-13314048496766400712019-09-30T09:28:00.000-07:002019-10-31T09:53:12.338-07:00Free Halloween Story<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
Kundalis
De Los Muertos<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(set in the Soulstar Dragons universe)</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Earth to Karin." Cade's face came into focus,
frowned and then grinned when he realized I was finally paying attention to him.
"What are you coming to the party as?" <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Not going." I leaned against the breakfast bar
and glared at the Fabio lookalike I'd somehow been saddled with. "I don't
do Halloween."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I ignored his scowl and focused on my afternoon coffee.
Third cup of the day and still not doing anything to perk me up. Cade deserved
a better explanation. After all, I lived in his house, bossed him around, and
thanks to the invisible dragon attached to my navel, had pretty much stolen his
position as leader of our little band. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I won it fair and
square.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Blue's giant invisible tail might have been attached to my
bellybutton, but his constant sarcastic commentary had embedded itself in my
head. Most days, I could differentiate between his thoughts and my own. But
considering the dragon was just a manifestation of my metaphysical energy, I'd
given up trying to sort him out.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ha</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, most days I'd given it up. Today, I had no time to
wrestle with my psychic demons. I had a houseful of excited dragon anchors
digging into drawers for costumes and makeup, and the way I saw it, a Halloween
party to dodge. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We could always go
play in the astral?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"No." <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Or visit the Reiki
lady?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Not a chance." I'd meant to answer the dragon,
but poor Cade deflated. He leaned his elbows on the breakfast bar and sighed.
Then he flipped his hair back over his broad shoulders and tried to catch me in
a smoldering look. Uh oh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not having any
of that either. "I'm going to Medical Lake tonight to check on Sly."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nice one, liar</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"But everyone is going to the party." <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Even more reason for me to skip it, Cade." I
checked the hallway leading from the kitchen into the living room and then
lowered my voice. "It's not like Li will want me there."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"But it's Halloween!" Cade wailed and the racket
summoned the others. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sharp steps echoed in the hallway and Li appeared. Her
boyfriend, Curt, followed her in, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he </i>managed
a friendly smile. Li didn't do friendly. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Karin's not coming tonight." Cade ratted me out. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Ah shucks." Li grinned. Not friendly. Not in the
least. Her long black hair gleamed in the kitchen lights, matching the teeth
she bared at me behind Cade's back. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"You should come." Poor Curt earned himself and
elbow in the gut.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"I'm going to see Sly." The more I thought about
it, the more it sounded like a good idea. "He's been in Medical Lake for
awhile now, and I want to check on the Flame."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Flame was the biggest, craziest dragon we'd yet to
encounter. Blue had bested that monster, but only just, and at the price of
Flame's anchor, Sly, who now resided in a quiet room in a state facility. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Only just?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Is there any particular reason you want to visit the
lunatic?" Li's voice dripped disdain. She tossed her hair again, was
starting to act more and more like Cade. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Ask your dragon." I might have snapped at her.
Who could blame me? She rolled her eyes and made a face that indicated she took
my advice. Her belly beast was smaller than mine, a black dragon with as much
attitude as its owner. At the moment, I could see the translucent scaly hide
wafting upward from Li like a parade balloon. Most of it vanished through the
ceiling, but something in the undulations told me we'd annoyed them both. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I let Blue handle them. The idea to visit Sly had probably
come from him anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he explained
that we had concerns about the security in Medical Lake, or about the
effectiveness of anyone trying to keep a Kundalis dragon's anchor incarcerated,
it would leave me free to glare at my coffee.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Your favorite sport. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I let my irritation with<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>the dragon spill over to my crew a little too often. Then again, today
was no time to start making exceptions. "If you guys are done playing
dress up, maybe we can squeeze in some training?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Sure thing." Cade, at least, brightened. He liked
nothing better than playing dragon master on the lawn and I suspected he
fancied he'd be the next one to take in his dragon. Personally, I didn't care
who did it first, so long as they all managed the feat as soon as possible. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A Kundalis out of control could lead to all sorts of nasty
problems. We'd learned that the hard way... and so had Sly. I'd learned how to
take Blue inside my body, to harness his power and control it, which had the
unusual side-effect of making me glow like a neon sign.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Don't forget the flying
part</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And the flying. Yeah. That part I could get into. So could
my crew if their eager expressions could be believed. Before I could abandon my
coffee and lead them out to the back of the cabin, however, our resident runaway,
Chelle, bounced into the room. Her dragon was black too, but a lot less snarky
than Li's. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"What's going on?" The kid slept in late.
Something about teenagers. Anyway, she'd missed the holiday hullabaloo and I
had a second to pray she'd pull an "I'm too cool for Halloween" attitude
and join me in Medical Lake. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"We're going to a haunted house tonight," Curt
offered. "Want to come?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Yeah!" Chelle squealed and dashed my hopes of
companionship. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Great." Li muttered, gave me the instant
impression Chelle had joined me in enemy status. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"We'll get you a costume," Cade started, but I'd
had enough of Halloween already. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And it's not even dark
out yet. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I took Blue inside. His energy pulsed bright blue, felt like
lightning under my skin. The rush of a dragon spirit suddenly occupying your
body isn't something I can explain easily. Despite all my cautions and warnings
for the crew, I still highly recommend the experience. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My hands glowed blue. Little sparks of lighting flickered at
the tips of my fingers, and I pushed away from the ground just enough to hover
out of my chair and favor all of them with a grin that had to look as insane as
Sly. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It got their attention, got their minds off of Halloween and
parties and haunted anything. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Party pooper. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I pointed an arm toward the back door and gnashed Blue's
teeth together in my mind. "Training first."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Li groaned and stomped back the way she'd come. Cade flashed
me a jealous look. Yeah, he wanted this bad. If only he could focus. Curt had
little choice but to follow Li, but I imagined the look <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he</i> gave me had an apologetic edge. Good. I'd work them half to
death trying to fly, and then maybe they'd be too tired for Halloween anything.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So much angst over a
silly holiday.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"I don't do horror, death, spooky, or gross," I
said to nobody in particular. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Or maybe you're just
sore about Doc leaving and want to make everyone miserable.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"I just think it's overrated. And I don't get the whole
scaring the crap out of yourself for fun."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shall I ignore that
abrupt subject change?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I didn't want to talk about Doc. Ever. The stupid dragon
knew it too. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Karin?" Chelle's tone dragged me back to reality.
I still hovered, but fighting with Blue had distracted me and I floated a few
feet above the table now. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Sorry."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Do you mind if I go to the party?" <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Great. I suffered a twinge of guilt. Just because I didn't
get national spooky day, didn't mean I had to ruin everyone else's good time. I
sighed and drifted back down to my chair. Then I let Blue loose and wondered
for the hundredth time if his personality wasn't affecting me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Only in the best way. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Sure kid," I brushed the smart aleck in my head
aside and focused a kinder smile on my crew member. "You go ahead and have
a good time." <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So were going to visit
a mental hospital... on Halloween.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Yup." I tightened my resolve and watched the fringes
of Spokane drifting by below us, trees finally. The rest of the Columbia Basin
boasted lots of scrubland and dust and the occasional interesting rock.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Great thinking.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Just focus on keeping us out of sight, okay?" <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bossypants</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"And let me know as soon as you spot the Flame."
If Sly's dragon was still nursing a hankering for Blue's position, I could
easily end up in the middle of a dominance battle I didn't need. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Flame is already aware
of our proximity. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fabulous. I took a moment to second guess my decision to
come all this way alone. Sure, the flying was great, exhilarating, a lot
quieter than our home front at the moment, but I'd managed to underplay the
possibility of a fight. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I don't anticipate any
trouble. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Why?" I imagined all sorts of trouble. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You'll see. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay, that definitely triggered alarm bells. Blue did cagey
too well, and almost always when something meant big problems for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I flew lower still, had to dodge the
scattered trees that populated this stretch of the I-90 corridor. The night and
my dark clothing would make us close to invisible. Except for the blue glow,
and I didn't feel like taking any chances with my dragon in a recalcitrant
mood.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"How much farther?" I slowed down too, let the
pines hide as much of our passage as possible just in case someone looked in
the right direction at the wrong moment. Maybe on Halloween, they'd suspect a
trick or a decoration or write the whole thing off as a cider-induced
hallucination. "Are we there yet?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seriously?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I squinted at the trees. The hospital where Sly lived should
be just a little to the north, but to fly high enough to see it would expose us
too much for my tastes. Which left me little choice but to trust the dragon. I
considered the risk, ducked closer to the branches, and caught a glimpse of
fire between the needles. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flame.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The fire dragon slithered low to the ground, winding between
the trees like a blazing snake. Considerably bigger than Blue, Flame stretched
a quarter mile through the forest, glowing orange and translucent. Only other
dragons and their anchors could even see him. At the moment, I wished I
couldn't. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Is he challenging?" I reached for the nearest
tree branch, steadied myself and prepared to unleash my dragon. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Flame drew closer. His wide head lifted, pointed a smoking
snout in our direction. Fire rippled from the nostrils, swirled over invisible
scales. Sly's dragon slunk to us, blinked yellow eyes, and rolled onto his back
to expose his pale belly. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">See.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Blue was hard enough to take when he wasn't completely full
of himself. I reined in the glow, tightened my control over my Kundalis while
his subordinate squirmed at the base of our tree like a Cocker Spaniel about to
pee itself. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"You broke my dragon, chica." Sly's voice drifted
up from the forest, from a place it most certainly wasn't authorized to be in
the middle of the night. "He's like a big puppy now. Soft."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"I doubt that very much." I squinted at the tree
trunks, made out a slender shadow slumping against one. "Are you supposed
to be out here, Sly?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Flame and I are celebrating El Dia De Los Muertos."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Not you too." I forgot for a second that Sly was
completely nuts. He'd always done a great job at feigning lucidity. "What
is the big deal about Halloween?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Come on, chica. You of all people ought to get
it."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Why is that?" I remembered he was outside the
facility, that he should have been under lock and key. "And how are you
two even out here?"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"No worries, chica. Flame wanted to see his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">master</i>, right? No harm in taking a
little walk."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Except I'd bet the hospital would see it differently. I bet
this wasn't Sly and Flame's first little walk outside. I'd been right to worry.
Anyone with a Kundalis attached would be impossible to keep incarcerated. I
wanted to ask Sly why he hadn't bolted for good, but didn't want to plant the
suggestion either. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I checked with Blue silently, did my best to ask him if we
could force Sly to stay put without being obvious. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I could order the
Flame to stop breaking him out. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not that I had anything against the guy. Nothing personal
except, of course, he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">had</i> killed
someone. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"How's my gang?" Sly squinted up at us. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My gang.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"They're good." I gave up and floated down. Once
my feet hit the pine needle mat, I loosed Blue and felt the rush of his
leaving. Flame's head came up. Blue rose like a ghost straight overhead,
gorgeous, but then, I'm a little biased. He twisted and wound into a corkscrew
and then tilted his big head to gaze down at us with whiskers trailing away
between the tree tops. "Mel's in charge of Moses Lake."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Maybe I should visit sometime."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"I don't think that's a good idea." I tensed. Blue
towered over Flame at the moment, but if the fire dragon decided to fight, I
was going to wish I'd gone to the stupid party. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Relax, chica." Sly's laugh bounced away through
the trees. " I like it here... most days."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Good. I mean, you know, I hope you're getting some
help. Feeling better."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Sure. We're good." <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I sent the message to Blue then, knew better than to trust
this guy at his word. Order Flame to remain in Medical Lake. Tell him not to
leave without your permission. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He will. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Good. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Though he's distressed
at the idea of giving up their walks in the woods</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, now I felt like a brute. I modified the order, let
Blue know that walks in the woods aside, we just wanted Sly to get better.
Stress on the get better part. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Noted.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"So why aren't you at a party somewhere tonight?"
Sly showed no sign Flame had relayed the message. He leaned against his tree
trunk and stretched his arms leisurely. "I figured your man would have you
playing tricks or treats tonight."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"I don't do Halloween." Also, my man was a sore
subject. I considered ordering Sly to lay off, but figured that would look even
more pathetic. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Agreed. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Why not?" Sly managed to sound genuinely shocked.
"The day of the dead, chica. It's a big deal."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Why?" <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Because you face death, right? You look that monster
in the face, lady, and you don't blink."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"You lost me." I'd seen the sugar skulls, of
course. The art community loved Dia De Los Muertos too. I'd been plagued by the
wretched designs at school, the flowers surrounding dark, empty eye sockets. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"It's the big fear, chica. The biggest. You face it
tonight, buy it a drink, and have a good laugh over the final curtain. Because
everybody knows she's coming for them eventually. Might as well give her a kiss
and make nice in the meantime."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Facing death doesn't make it any less inevitable,
Sly."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Dancing with fear is healthy. You try it. You'll see
what Sly means." He stepped from the tree's shadow and mimed a suggestive
tango across the pine needles. "Makes you free, right? Free is good."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Free is overrated." I didn't want him getting any
ideas my Kundalis couldn't handle. "But I'll think about it if you promise
not to take too many walks. Deal?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"The big Blue already took care of that, yes?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yes. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"You seem nervous tonight." Sly stared at me. Blue
stared at Flame. "You wanna talk about it?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"No. Thanks."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Smooth. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"You face your fears, chica, and you take away their
power."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A soft wind riffled the pine needles. They hissed at us.
Translucent fire flickered over Flame's belly. In the distance, a tractor
trailer rumbled away down I-90. I inhaled and pulled my dragon in. Glowing and
full of Blue's power, I rose a few feet into the air,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>just enough to look down on Sly. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Now who's posturing?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Have a nice walk, Sly."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Blue kept his mouth shut until we reached Moses Lake. A
difficult feat for him, I knew, and I considered rewarding him with some kind
of dragon cookie. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I am not a Cocker
Spaniel</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Well I was beginning to wonder if you were awake in
there."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Just a little tired. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Oh." I watched the lake, dark and broken into
little fingers in all directions. "Wait, what?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tired. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We'd taken a good long break in Medical Lake, but the flight
out had been solid and I'd never fully tested the limits of his stamina. Still,
the way the dark water flickered below had me nervous. The way his voice faded
in and out sent a huge chill up my glowing blue spine. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Maybe we should rest in Moses. Can you contact our
crew here?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No one's here.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"What?" We had a huge crew in town, Sly's old gang
lived in a run-down motel up on the hill. There were always dragons fluttering
over Moses Lake. Always. "Are you sure?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They're all gone</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Where? How can they all have..." I dropped five
feet, straight down. "Blue!"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Very tired.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My flight stabilized, but I could feel the wobble in it. My
heart, on the other hand, pounded like a marching band inside my ribcage. I
scanned the area, looking for somewhere out of sight but near enough to prevent
my dragon from dropping me onto the freeway. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The island is near</i>.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When Sly's Flame ran things here, the dragons had
congregated on a large island south of downtown. I'd only seen it once, through
Blue's eyes, but if he thought he could make it that far, I was certainly game.
I sent the okay with a thought and we veered away, flying far lower than I
would have liked. Someone would see us at this rate for certain. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No dragons. Need to rest</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By the time he set me down on the sand, my toes nearly
dragged the lake. Blue had lost his oomph, and the silence in my head had
raised little goose bumps along my arms. No sooner than I stood on solid
ground, I felt the dragon energy trickle away. Not the rush I was used to. The
glow faded, but instead of billowing overhead into a rampant Kundalis, it
soaked into the ground and vanished. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Blue?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A wind scuttled through the scrub on the island. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Blue? Are you okay?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hadn't projected, a little trick that set him free to
wander and give me some peace and quiet. I'd loosed his energy, certainly, but
he should be attached at the moment. I checked my navel. A faint blue line
snaked out of my center, wrapped my hips and then sagged down to the sand. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Blue!"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No answer. The island remained dark and dragonless, and the
soft lapping of the lake against the shore turned very creepy. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Slap, riffle</i>. The wind joined the song,
moved the brush in time to the waves. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Slap,
slap</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There should have been a good dozen dragon anchors in Moses
Lake tonight. Some weird desert bug hummed past my ear. I jumped to one side,
smacked at the empty air. Sly had said something about a visit. He'd been
outside the hospital, met us even, as if he'd expected the visit.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Slap, riffle, slap</i>.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Sly?" I called it like a moron, like the old gang
leader might be hiding behind a scrap of sage. Stupid. He couldn't have beaten
us here and, even if he had, wouldn't have guessed I'd land on dragon island.
"Blue?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I turned a slow circle, took in the water, the lights on the
far shore and the dark lake between the ground I stood on and the mainland
where help could be found. No way I could swim that. If Blue couldn't fly me
out... I swallowed what felt like sandpaper. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Slap, slap</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With a ball of lead in my stomach, I crept closer to the
water's edge. Maybe it was shallow here. In some places, Moses Lake was more of
a puddle than a legitimate body of water. I leaned out, peered down into my own
reflection. No dragon. Only a fat moon overhead. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Slap. Riffle, hisssss.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I spun around. My heart tried the marching band thing again.
That hadn't sounded like a bug or the wind, and though I doubted rattlesnakes
would have crossed the lake to get here, I still checked the earth around my
feet. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Blue's pale ghost still vanished at ground level, as if he
hung from my navel instead of rising up from it. Had I drained too much of his
power? Had Sly or Flame done something to us in Medical Lake? To our dragons
here? What if Blue was...<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Colors exploded around me. The island burst to life,
sprouted dragons from every pore. The air filled with snaking translucent
Kundalis, and I screamed like a five-year-old getting a tetanus shot. My mouth
fell open, and the shriek reached decibels I doubted my voice had ever even
flirted with before. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I lost air, sucked in a breath that came from my toes, and
stumbled ankle deep into the lake. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Blue!" <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
His gigantic, annoying head appeared in front of me, rising
from the sand he'd used for cover and blinking bowling ball-sized yellow eyes
with mock innocence. I knew him a lot better than that. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Did it work?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"I'm going to murder you." <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Considering I am a
manifestation of yourself, that seems unlikely. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Are you trying to kill me?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How do you feel?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"What?" I slogged out of the lake and kicked sand
right through him. "What is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wrong</i>
with you?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How do you feel?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"I feel like making you dead."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No. You don't.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That stopped me for a second. He had a point about us being
the same person. Inconvenient, considering I was planning his murder, but
unfortunately true. I sucked in another breath, tried to force some air back
into my terrified lungs and watched the other Kundalis lining up around the
island. They'd been here the whole time. My stupid dragon had set me up. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How do you feel?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My heart raced. I felt the oxygen leaking back into my body
as if each cell inhaled one at a time. It tingled, to be honest. My whole body
felt awake and ready to pummel my dragon into nonexistence. It felt bright and
alive and...<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So it worked.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"You did this because of what Sly said."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Of course.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"What have I told you about listening to other people's
advice."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You said not to listen
to Li. You never specified that I should ignore Sly. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He had me there. Still, I felt like I had earned a temper
tantrum. Instead, I sat on the sand and stared up at him. Stupid dragons. I
stifled the urge to giggle. The rest of our local crew draped themselves around
the sage like deflated balloon animals. Huge, deflated balloon animals. My
heart might still be hammering, but I had to admit I felt pretty good. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Free, Sly had said. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">See.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Don't ever do that again."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Deal.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Sly is a bad influence."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Like Li?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Yes." I considered that. Li and the others were
at a party in Ellensburg. They'd probably be out till well after midnight. It
gave me a little time. Over my head, Blue's big muzzle nodded up and down. His
whiskers twitched, and I decided <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he</i>
just might be a bad influence too. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I like the way you
think. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I painted my face like the sugar skulls I'd seen at school. We
had just enough time, once I'd blacked out my eyes and drawn the flowers around
them. Just enough time to sneak onto Cade's porch and hunker in the shadows
behind the railing. I loosed Blue, projected, and gave him strict orders to
stay incognito. Out of sight and out of contact with my crew's dragons. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I want to watch. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Then do it without letting anyone know."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It was my idea. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Just lay low." <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tires already crunched on gravel. Cade's truck bounced back
up our driveway. I squatted lower and prayed the headlights didn't hit me. I'd
look like a fool then, like the lunatic I was. What had I let my dragon talk me
into?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Here they come</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I contemplated standing, leaning casually against the
railing as if I always hung out with my face painted like a dead hippy's. The
headlights flashed, flickered as Cade rounded the bend, just missed me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Did you do that?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shhh.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The truck parked in front of the porch. Cade turned off the
engine, and the house and surrounding forest went pitch black. I heard the
doors open, the conversation leaking from the cab. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Forgot to leave a light on."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Footsteps crunched. Something heavy landed in the parking
area, a passenger jumping from the truck bed... or a body. The wind lent me a
howl, set the mood as the first of them placed a foot on our bottom stair. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Now?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I inhaled. The wind moaned again. I sent the order to Blue
and stood up, fast, as sudden a motion as my halfway numb legs could manage. If
I stuttered a little, it hardly mattered. Blue rushed in at just the right
second, cast my face in a blazing glow of dragon power, a skeleton mask
floating from the darkness. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I might have growled a little. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cade screamed the loudest. Also, at the highest pitch. I
heard Curt curse, Li or Chelle gasping in the dark. Someone tripped over the
steps. By the time they got the lights on, I was having second thoughts. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chicken.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I backed a good ten feet farther down the porch and set my
dragon loose. My crew glared at me from the steps, but I thought, maybe, Curt
at least looked amused. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"What is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wrong</i>
with you!" Li howled and scrunched her face a step closer to murderous. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Uh." I'd run out of porch, considered jumping the
railing and making for the trees. "Happy Halloween?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"You almost gave me a heart attack." Cade's voice
sounded a lot less mad than Li's. He even smiled a little, now that I wasn't a
spirit come to steal his soul. "Good one."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"What?" Li turned her snarl on him.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Yeah," Curt agreed. "Well played."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Li would make him pay for that later. For now, she growled
and pushed her way past Cade, vanishing into the house with a nasty muttered,
"you scream like a girl."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Sorry." I shrugged and eased a step closer.
"You guys okay?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"I did it!" Chelle hollered from the parking
strip. "Karin, look!" <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I heard the kid, but even with the porch light on, I
couldn't find her. The guys turned too, and all of us scanned the gravel around
the truck for any sign of Chelle. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Look. Up here." Her giggle arched overhead.
"I did it."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chelle has taken in
her black. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I tilted my head back and caught sight of Chelle streaking
past. Her laugh echoed in her wake, celebratory, infectious. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"She took her dragon in." Curt jumped out onto the
gravel to watch. "She did it too."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chelle flew past again, full of her black's power and her
own success. This was the goal I'd set for them. Get the Kundalis under control.
Take the power in. Somehow, we'd managed to trigger it for the kid. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We scared her in</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Well done!"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thank you.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"I was talking to the kid."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cade and I joined Curt on the gravel. We watched Chelle play
with her Kundalis, with flight and all the complications that came with it, and
all was suddenly well with our little world. If Chelle could do it, eventually,
they'd all manage. We'd be okay. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Li is planning our demise</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Almost all of us would be okay. Li furious with me was
nothing new. I could live with it, if it got us all a step closer to
controlling the beasts we harbored. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Beasts?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I ignored my dragon's indignation and hollered up to
Chelle's shadow. "Keep a rein on her. Make sure you're calling the
shots."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The kid squealed and shot past us, a streak of hair and
giggles. A success to my thinking. Sly had been right after all. Now, I could
see it too. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And Li?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Li would always be a problem. We had a confrontation coming,
sure. But I could always claim the dragon made me do it. Tonight, I planned on
celebrating. I pulled my dragon inside too, glowed like a neon angel of death,
and shot up into the sky to join the kid. Now wasn't the time to worry about
Li. It was time to play. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In my mind and underneath my skin, my dragon's power tingled
in agreement. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-66963055716802135752017-05-04T23:00:00.000-07:002017-05-04T23:00:19.093-07:00Sci-fi Romance Showcase!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
SFR Brigade presents SFR Showcase!</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWuaAhOd4TkLG8-yKyWdlcicRtuD1omnleNCRdHGJtzyI5iV93Rgo_b_XSsBlaWWR9v6h796paBruWN82Ze3GQ9xngeVreK1smcg762apW1HbyJZw-qXhgWM43xsGD7vwHEVXLyjyP0YXo/s1600/SFRB-ShowcaseBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWuaAhOd4TkLG8-yKyWdlcicRtuD1omnleNCRdHGJtzyI5iV93Rgo_b_XSsBlaWWR9v6h796paBruWN82Ze3GQ9xngeVreK1smcg762apW1HbyJZw-qXhgWM43xsGD7vwHEVXLyjyP0YXo/s400/SFRB-ShowcaseBanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The scifi romance authors of the SFR Brigade are hosting another great SFR showcase with snippets, excerpts, covers and new releases! To enjoy all that SFR has to offer, just dive over to this link: <a href="http://sfrcontests.blogspot.com/p/sfr-brigade-presents.html">http://sfrcontests.blogspot.com/p/sfr-brigade-presents.html</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
and see who all is playing. First, have a peek below at the Heartstone recovers and re-release.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Thanks so much! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXMJ067" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXMJ067" border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglecNaQ4zBGEy4o3lT6kCJjpCm9_iLD3vKO9OGKcDUDwZLz_abZxrvVuNTlgngbg9kxqJNhkRinBwtf0cDjXpZf75q7Fsaa-bxS3rb1wwS6rSAMu5GB1S12PGjxwQou_90Qo9akP76dNbZ/s400/banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
HEARTSTONE</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
sfr series re-brand/re-release</h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXMJ067" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXMJ067" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Np7VUJTfjUkRlQLJB7qXXiFx1ncFAtr7v3Nm0YZ0U_x-SWq6DX1wwqsC_IjbxcoOpsL2meM0o22cYkzQhfFRfqYYivZRDv8iAuFRZ-6bscReZkIlSkwFUmZaSdmu2_grqR9SvNBrill_/s1600/FSHOURED3x2.jpg" /></a> Book One: SHROUDED</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="a-size-medium series-detail-description-text">Dolfan believed in the Heart... until it gave her to another man. <br /> <br />When
Vashia arrives on Shroud as an indentured bride, Dolfan recognizes
immediately that they are meant to be together. Broken, lost, and on the
run, she trusts no one, but Dolfan has enough faith for the both of
them... Until his people's sacred ritual gives Vashia to someone else.
Until Dolfan's faith, and his heart are tested. <br /> <br />Vashia's
arrival ignites a storm on Shroud, and the full-scale invasion that
chases after her threatens to destroy Dolfan's home, his culture, and
his planet. If he can't challenge his own beliefs enough to admit the
ritual was wrong, the only woman he wants will likely be the end of
everything he's ever known. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXMJ067" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXMJ067" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tD1wuFZEzrNoyyYHJFUMuNyJ_2sylLYp_wRLzlhFKoic-u833vPbVaexoatgcUaANeOAVnmANZynd7qIsNpdM_fbQ0OiGKvHx1QwdhTP2M2cF2i5MzK6qJb-OHkeXjfLlKpMfsSdWszZ/s320/FSEEN3x5.jpg" width="215" /></a> Book Two: SEEN</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Shayd's visions serve the Heart... until it asks him to betray his own future.</div>
<br />
When
the Shrouded Heart sends him on a mission of diplomacy, Shayd is eager
to obey. The treason of his predecessor has stained the rituals and
weakened his relationship with the sacred crystal, but when it brings
him to Rowri, he is certain the alien priestess is destined to be his
heartmate. Despite the fact that their mission is to deliver her to her
wedding... to someone else.<br />
<br />
Rowri's duty to her people insists
Shayd must give her away, even as their heartbond draws them closer and
closer together. Though he understands her loyalty, honoring her choice
will put her in danger, leave her planet open to attack, and unleash an
old enemy dead set on destroying them all.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXMJ067" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXMJ067" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOsM0nFgO01PgBw-N5F3z6U4PM5argKoNyOVbE1-Kk0oLMUekM79FDKNNEODrYdcViKpPRu9oyCL_b2mbBfDlKKYevTX6OIAqHUFbFmssrwZuAXlzv4RF_i0r25rRHnVYBtGQWSJnH6Yu/s320/FECLIPSED3x5.jpg" width="221" /></a> Book Three: ECLIPSED</div>
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Mofitan has no more faith in the Heart... until he meets the enemy he can't help but believe in.</div>
<br />
Disguised
as a slave, Mofitan infiltrates the enemy forces on Eclipsis. Certain
his people's Heart is all a lie, his only mission is to help his
friends, to overthrow an evil man, and free the people of Eclipsis from a
tyrant. Except the enemy's right hand man just might be the woman he's
meant to be with.<br />
<br />
If the Heart isn't fooling him again, Mofitan
is on the wrong side... or she is. Between sabotage, deep core mining,
alien extermination and random explosions Mofitan has to work out how to
get Corah on his team before she gets orders to take him out. If his
heart wasn't breaking, he'd definitely be having the time of his life. <br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
</h3>
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Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-10731218675416098912017-04-04T10:58:00.000-07:002017-04-04T10:58:12.800-07:00Re-branded and Re-released: Fairy Trilogy Gets an Overhaul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwLROjEhOXjmI8qH2IaZ9AJpeHaN_mFPgUq_HvEiW6Oi6vOITyce94_QF02gxDLT5vf195W4TDx6Kgo_bIXa6fR9DPGq-Hy8sITxNGNxTP9nPn4ZRhbdRP3l2QMgCalRGUJr2T1Q_xF0m/s1600/crbanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwLROjEhOXjmI8qH2IaZ9AJpeHaN_mFPgUq_HvEiW6Oi6vOITyce94_QF02gxDLT5vf195W4TDx6Kgo_bIXa6fR9DPGq-Hy8sITxNGNxTP9nPn4ZRhbdRP3l2QMgCalRGUJr2T1Q_xF0m/s640/crbanner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
One of the things I meant to do when I started all this "writing stuff" was to be prolific, to keep writing until I had a solid backlist of books to manage. For the most part, I've pulled that off. Along the way, I learned some lessons about focus and publishing, and most significantly about crafting a good story.<br />
<br />
So when I look back on that very first published novel it's with mixture of affection and trepidation. The writing, well, it's changed since then. There are certainly story things I would have done differently, but most obviously there are ways I would have put the words together now versus how I thought it worked then.<br />
<br />
Which made it a mixed blessing when I got my rights back for the Changeling Race trilogy. These characters are my oldest and dearest friends. I didn't want to change their story. It felt somehow like erasing their history. But I did want to fix the writing. Boy did I want to.<br />
<br />
And thankfully, choosing to publish them myself has allowed me that option. The process was a bit of an eye opener, and not always easy, but the trilogy has been given a bit of an overhaul, language-wise, and is now re-covered and ready to go out into the world and cause all sorts of fairy msichief.<br />
<br />
I hope it has a heck of a time.<br />
<br />
~Frances<br />
<br />
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
A Moth In Darkness </h4>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://draft2digital.com/book/228254" target="_blank"><img alt="https://draft2digital.com/book/228254" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9aNlp7ILN3iDZRdhq95slZlXariSVNGU1f0k0WYIb2pwV_sVNpZWq6ItTP_sKil8Cy9zeFULQb9gi6xGqq3Q03G9Vnox2dfePJj7D5xBHf1Szn9VbFDEm2LviD9fCWfIb0AS2p504PTcW/s320/mothfront1.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://draft2digital.com/book/228254" target="_blank">free at most retailers</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
The Fly In Paradise</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fly-Paradise-Changeling-Race-Book-ebook/dp/B06XRN1PTZ" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.amazon.com/Fly-Paradise-Changeling-Race-Book-ebook/dp/B06XRN1PTZ" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Pz2QVlDLkHCS3I-D3_GQ_wYmsfAAGzzYFSN5oswbAin_Ht77AHh2b8_yb2szYapSgM9vOeEHBXwp8zPRbsn8liTCaUpdXMwQXsPNj2P07506YO0fH3ixCmdgzICE46CHPET8kFnWG6H2/s320/flyfront.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fly-Paradise-Changeling-Race-Book-ebook/dp/B06XRN1PTZ" target="_blank">now on kindle</a></div>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
Spiders From Memory</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spiders-Memory-Changeling-Race-Book-ebook/dp/B06XVHMWC4" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.amazon.com/Spiders-Memory-Changeling-Race-Book-ebook/dp/B06XVHMWC4" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPtmQK1auh6VVuoSvivZNYKHAplA0YYkbAqTVoAUYVTuUfzJf2vMjTN6PlubiaDe6ceJSyc5p2Q_J4y6w9RA9v4MKNHh0xvhdmyPky_1i4bcixwO05TVymBSIKhVN35OZ2FZ7ZxiIBPlq/s320/spiderfront.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spiders-Memory-Changeling-Race-Book-ebook/dp/B06XVHMWC4" target="_blank">now on kindle</a></div>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<br /></h4>
</div>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-41216006005084740222016-10-07T09:17:00.000-07:002016-10-07T09:17:24.948-07:00Furry Reading Challenge<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In case you haven't jumped to the challenge of Furry Book Month yet, I've got some reading suggestions for you. They are very broad, you'll find, because the genre is broad. Also, I suspect you'll see some familiar titles on the lists. Find an old favorite perhaps, or snatch something new that looks interesting, and give books with bite a try!<br />
<br />
For my part, I'm still reading <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Fur-Fred-Patten/dp/1614503346" target="_blank">Gods With Fur.</a> </i>Nearly done now, in fact, and this month I've also read:<br />
<br />
The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Necromouser-Other-Magical-Cats/dp/1614502838" target="_blank"><i>Necromouser and Other Magical Cats</i></a>, which I highly recommend, and also <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Stormfront-M-C-Hogarth-ebook/dp/B00480P3UK" target="_blank"><i>Stormfront</i></a>, a well-written military space opera short. All great reads.<br />
<br />If, however, you'd rather attempt this toe tipping into new territory for free, I have even more suggestions.<br />
<br />
Possibly the best short story I've read in years is free for reading. It's also just won the short story Coyotl for 2015 -- <a href="https://www.sofurry.com/view/956867" target="_blank">The Analogue Cat</a> can be read here; https://www.sofurry.com/view/956867 and it's brilliant, so please go read it.<br />
<br />
I also have two furry serials available for free online as well as a few short stories as follows:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://muchadoaboutbluebottles.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Much Ado About Bluebottles</a><br />
<a href="http://theearthtigers.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Earth Tigers</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sofurry.com/view/1012945" target="_blank">Beast (horror/scifi)</a><br />
<a href="https://www.sofurry.com/view/1046676" target="_blank">Live Cargo (humor/scifi)</a><br />
<br />
I'm going to be linking to some lists and articles about furry-lit as well, but before I post that, here's a short list of furry stories I consider must reads. :) (Which Just means they're my favorites)<br />
<br />
Wind in the Willows<br />
Black Beauty<br />
Call of the Wild<br />
Algonquin<br />
Bambi<br />
Animal Farm<br />
The Island of Dr. Moreau<br />
The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Blue Bear<br />
Cat's Eye (Andre Norton)<br />
Iron Cage (Norton)<br />
The Jungle Book<br />
Barsk: The Elephant's Graveyard<br />
Watership Down<br />
The Book of Night with Moon (Diane Duane)<br />
<br />
And if you still can't find something you love to read, I suggest this list: <a href="http://dogpatch.press/2015/09/25/the-well-read-furry/">http://dogpatch.press/2015/09/25/the-well-read-furry/</a><br />
<br />
which has an update addendum here as well: <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="http://dogpatch.press/2016/04/11/the-well-read-furry-2016-update/">http://dogpatch.press/2016/04/11/the-well-read-furry-2016-update/</a></div>
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Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-42803229085866833962016-10-01T09:07:00.000-07:002016-10-01T09:07:01.378-07:00Read Something A Little Different Month<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In celebration of Furry Book Month, I will be posting (probably a lot) info, history, recommendations and excerpts from some anthropomorphic fiction including both my favorites from well-known authors (read: Andre Norton folks, you know me.) and some of my own work. :)<br />
Today, here's the low down on the event. Enjoy!!<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">October 2016 is Furry Book Month</span></b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This October, we're raising the profile
of anthropomorphic literature and bringing furry stories to a wider audience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The <a href="https://furrywritersguild.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Furry Writers' Guild</span></a> has joined forces
with some of our fandom's great authors and publishers to offer special deals
during the month, from free shipping and discount codes to free books.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If you don't read furry fiction, take
advantage of the special offers and try a furry book in October.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Already a reader? Give a book to a
friend, try a new author, or write a book review. Reviews on Amazon and
Goodreads needn't be long, and really help authors. Got lots to say? Submit a
review to <a href="https://www.flayrah.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Flayrah</span></a>, <a href="http://dogpatch.press/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Dogpatch Press</span></a>, or <a href="http://clawandquill.net/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Claw & Quill</span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What will you do this Furry Book Month?
Spread the word on social media using #FurryBookMonth!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Visit <a href="http://furrywritersguild.com/furry-book-month/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">furrywritersguild.com/furry-book-month/</span></a>
for the list of offers.</span></div>
</div>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-42191668026536288782016-08-06T08:47:00.002-07:002016-08-06T08:47:34.516-07:00Go For Launch.... PARTY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1226177067415915/?active_tab=posts" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.facebook.com/events/1226177067415915/?active_tab=posts" border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPL4Lbh0rqFUpNCQOQqqt_xiB1H743c9ATmeUq0d3tXP8qLuMR_XfLgyilERuhQ3GuIlmC66mlH7AfrkXp7BGDu7UEnNqLh6JanzLb0Sgj7pyfr-gAOgAr2RMBLuDGMsffcx9HFlGjqobO/s640/banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Good morning, boggy reader! If a few of the titles above look familiar, it's because I am relaunching the Heartstone Series, (originally the Princes of the Shroud books) with new covers, formatting and some additional edits and polish.<br />
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In celebration, we'll be having a humongerous (it's a word, really) party on Facebook with a ton of free books, fun games, and a seriously nice lineup of guest authors. To put date on your calendar and make sure you get in on the goods, hit the event page here:<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1226177067415915/" target="_blank">GIVE ME FREE STUFF PARTY</a></div>
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Here is our amazing line-up of Scheduled guest authors! <br /> 2:00 Jaleta Clegg<br /> 2:30 Heartstone Series<br /> 3:00 S.M Schmitz<br /> 3:30 Danielle Arnett<span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> 4:00 Trish McCallan<br /> 4:30 Siana Wineland<br /> 5:00 Prizes! <br />
Times are in PST and guest author bios and such will be coming as we
wait for the big day! Please make use of the share/invite buttons. The
more the merrier!</span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show"> In addition, anyone looking for a review copy of a book in the series can contact me here or on Facebook (or anywhere you can snag me) and there will also be a big 'ol blog tour courtesy of </span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show">Coffee and Characters.</span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show">I love them.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SLJds-mChUmtFb54i2lTrA8NJh6caoNC834N2EYUfs1AOTxtXk7hugpVl-lalNamhABUj6EdGVq6rAak54ZlLzMr0LJe8samtzV0lBXLlH7aMqd4OSPbBCJ3nv-iOqcn0K9lJoKjtTgw/s1600/13692214_10209997532672167_345039947_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SLJds-mChUmtFb54i2lTrA8NJh6caoNC834N2EYUfs1AOTxtXk7hugpVl-lalNamhABUj6EdGVq6rAak54ZlLzMr0LJe8samtzV0lBXLlH7aMqd4OSPbBCJ3nv-iOqcn0K9lJoKjtTgw/s400/13692214_10209997532672167_345039947_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show">And of course, the first three Heartstone books are already available for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shrouded-Heartstone-Book-Frances-Pauli-ebook/dp/B01IIRICEC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1468683497&sr=1-1" target="_blank">pre order </a>on Amazon! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text_exposed_show"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shrouded-Heartstone-Book-Frances-Pauli-ebook/dp/B01IIRICEC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1468683497&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Heartstone Book One</a></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show">Here's hoping we'll see you on Sept. 1!! </span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show">~Frances </span> </div>
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Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-58362150331871736452016-06-28T12:23:00.002-07:002016-06-28T12:25:21.191-07:00Gods With Fur Anthology<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img alt="patten08" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-27686" height="400" src="https://i2.wp.com/dogpatch.press/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/patten08.jpg?resize=194,300" width="258" /> </div>
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Gods With Fur, Edited by Fred Patten, Cover by Teagan Gavet<br />
Dallas, TX, FurPlanet Productions, $19.95 (453 Pages) <br />
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Fred Patten’s newest anthology, Gods with Fur, will go on sale at Anthrocon 2016 at the end of this month. Published by FurPlanet Productions, the trade paperback book contains 23 original stories by Kyell Gold, Mary E. Lowd, Michael H. Payne, and more, featuring the gods of anthropomorphic worlds and the anthropomorphic gods of our world. <br />
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You may know about Egyptian mythology’s jackal-headed Anubis, but do you know about wolf-headed Wepwawet? You may know about China’s Monkey King or the native North Americans’ Coyote (well, they say they’re gods), but do you know about the Aztecs’ 400 drunken rabbits? <br />
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Here are historic gods, the gods of their authors’ series (Kyell Gold’s Forrester University; Heidi Vlach’s Aligare, Kris Schnee’s TaleSpace), and totally original gods: <br />
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“400 Rabbits” by Alice “Huskyteer” Dryden<br />
“Contract Negotiations” by Field T. Mouse<br />
“On the Run from Isofell” by M. R. Anglin<br />
“To the Reader …” by Alan Loewen<br />
“First Chosen” by BanWynn Oakshadow<br />
“All Of You Are In Me” by Kyell Gold<br />
“Yesterday’s Trickster” by NightEyes DaySpring<br />
“The Gods of Necessity” by Jefferson Swycaffer<br />
“The Precession of the Equinoxes” by Michael H. Payne<br />
“Deity Theory” by James L. Steele<br />
“Questor’s Gambit” by Mary E. Lowd<br />
“Fenrir’s Saga” by Televassi<br />
“The Three Days of the Jackal” by Samuel C. Conway<br />
“A Melody in Seduction’s Arsenal” by Slip-Wolf<br />
“Adversary’s Fall” by MikasiWolf<br />
“As Below, So Above” by Mut<br />
“Wings of Faith” by Kris Schnee<br />
“The Going Forth of Uadjet” by Frances Pauli<br />
“That Exclusive Zodiac Club” byichael Fred Patten<br />
“Three Minutes to Midnight” by Killick (Tom Mullins)<br />
“A Day With No Tide” by Watts Martin<br />
“Repast (A Story of Aligare)” by Heidi C. Vlach<br />
“Origins” by Michael D. Winkle <br />
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Gods with Fur will be on sale at Anthrocon 2016 on June 30 – July 3, at the FurPlanet table in the Dealers’ Den, and on the FurPlanet online catalogue later in July. <br />
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<img src="https://i0.wp.com/dogpatch.press/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/GwF-highres-text.jpg?resize=500,354" /> <br />
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–<a href="http://en.wikifur.com/wiki/Fred_Patten">Fred Patten</a> <br />
<a href="https://furplanet.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=876">Pre-Order on Furplanet</a></div>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-28679659262667827142016-05-13T16:09:00.000-07:002016-05-13T16:09:58.680-07:00New Release: Elvin Romance<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A sorcerer, a rebel, and a whole kingdom under fire...</h4>
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<br /></div>
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As the sorcerer's new apprentice, Kia's fiery temper is bound
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<h2>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FL4SCGI" target="_blank">Now On Kindle </a></h2>
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Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-33457011099465744592016-03-29T09:06:00.001-07:002016-03-29T09:06:43.885-07:00Among The Living<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have very few delusions about any regular blog readers, but it did occur to me for a breath this morning, that there might be one person out there thinking, is she still kicking?<br />
<br />
In other words, the guilt monkeys pointed out I hadn't blogged this century.<br />
<br />
So here is the state of things, and a reassurance to my own guilt. I live. I write. Sometimes, I do both at the same time. It turns out that's a lot easier than it sounds.<br />
<br />
The current book in my Scriv binder is Sky Dragon, the third Kundalis dragons novel, and it is well past the midpoint and racing for home.<br />
The third Princes of the Shroud book is with typesetting etc, and should be a real live launched book late this summer.<br />
The second Corduroy County Coven book is begun and in the queue to finish as soon as the Kundalis novel is awaiting edits.<br />
Speaking of awaiting edits, I should have The Elf's Apprentice back from the proofreader soon and we'll have an indie launch on the schedule.<br />
<br />
Farther out, I'm afraid, the final Dogs of War books will still be coming soon... (seems like the soon is a bit too much, there huh?) As will the next Kingdoms Gone title, Powers that Be. That series has a lot more coming from it, and I hope I can keep the releases at least to a bi-annual sort of pace.<br />
<br />
In the "new business" category, I am working hard to lay the groundwork for my next series, Hybrid Nation, which I'm only half jokingly calling "Divergent meets Zootopia." For a sneak peek at that one, there is a short story in the current issue of <a href="http://goalpublications.com/" target="_blank">GoAL</a> that has to do with my protagonist's origins.<br />
Not for the faint of heart thought, that particular short has a horror edge to it.<br />
<br />
Should be a lot of shorts coming, in particular in that world since it's haunting me and I can't quite get to it in earnest yet.<br />
<br />
Both the web serials are still available for free reading as well. Just follow the bouncing links.<br />
<a href="http://theearthtigers.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> The Earth Tigers</a><br />
<a href="http://muchadoaboutbluebottles.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Much Ado About Bluebottles</a><br />
<br />
Thanks to anyone/everyone who is still reading. It's been a helluva a year, a lot more awesome than the last on so far. Health is good, new critique group is appropriately kicking my arse, and the convention season has gotten off to a bang of a start.<br />
<br />
Here's hoping everyone out there is having as much fun as I am!<br />
Best,<br />Frances</div>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-76572113976525314002016-02-04T15:36:00.000-08:002016-02-04T15:47:40.041-08:00Why My Favorite Miyazaki Film is the One Where Nothing Really Happens<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm a big fan of movies about writers. I'm an even bigger fan of anything by Studio Ghibli or having anything at all to do with Hirao Miyazaki. Well, who isn't really?<br />
<br />
But instead of the painfully cute Totoro, the adventurous Laputa and the ever-adored Howl, my favorite of all is Whisper of the Heart. The which of the what? I know, I know. It's not exactly the best known either.<br />
<br />
What Whisper of the Heart is, is a delightful, soft, tender first romance that could probably be considered sickeningly sweet. But don't write it off yet! There's a lot to love in there. Trust me.<br />
<br />
Why it's my pick.<br />
#1- Writer movie. Okay, that's an easy win for me. I'm a writer. Like many of my kind, I'm a bit obsessive, slightly narcissistic, and always a fan of a film about my favorite topic. So... onward.<br />
<br />
#2- The cat returns...FROM Whisper of the Heart. Didn't yall wonder where the cat returned from? Well, he makes his first appearance, and a ton of his back story here in Whisper of the Heart. If you love the cat... this one is a must watch too.<br />
<br />
#3- Parenting. A lot of the Ghibli films, and anime in general, give me fits about the parenting going on... or more importantly NOT going on. The father in Totoro needs a visit from CPS. Seriously, how long was little Mae running about in the yard and he has NO IDEA where she is? The kids wander the countryside, go on adventures, and I'm having an anxiety attack on the couch the whole time. But... the parents in Whisper of the Heart do something that I find extremely wonderful. When the little girl confesses that her studies are failing because she has this great dream to write a book... the father thinks a little, smokes a lot, and then says, go for it. Dreams don't come along every day, if you don't try it, you'll never know. Parenting win.<br />
<br />
#4- The moment.This is really the reason I love Whisper of the Heart. There is a moment in the movie that every author knows intimately. It goes like this: Girl wants to write. Girl is possessed with the obsession to write. She fills her head with the idea of being a writer. She dreams. She writes like mad, like a bat out of hell. She knows it's good. It's what she's meant to do. It's her opus. She clutches said masterpiece to her chest and rushes out to share it with someone. They read it. While they read it she paces, whimpers, pulls her hair, dreams some more. And then they're done.<br />
How was it? she asks. Well? WELL WELL WELL?<br />
and they guy says, basically.... well, yer no Hemingway.<br />
CRASH.<br />
This moment is so deliciously portrayed it hurts. It's the moment that every writer's life turns upon. This is the second when you discover if you're a writer or not.<br />
Yer no Hemingway... yet.<br />
Will you take up basket weaving or keep trying? Will you give up? Are you going to stand there and take that or are you going to pick the pen back up and show them what you can really do...?<br />
<br />
I love this movie, for the sweet, the cute, the cat and the romance, but its THE MOMENT that makes it so special.<br />
So personal.<br />
So brilliant.<br />
My favorite. :)<br />
<br />
~Frances <br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YvMn8H9tgjU" width="420"></iframe>
Secret reason #5- John Denver Karaoke!!!! WIN. </div>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-62628601887464879032015-12-15T08:04:00.000-08:002015-12-15T08:05:56.797-08:00Black Dragons: Guest J.M. Scheirer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Please welcome J.M. Scheirer to the blog today! She is celebrating her first solo release, a short story titled, <i>Black Dragons. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Welcome J.M.! <i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>We've always called it the Cluster
of a Thousand Suns. Are there truly a thousand stars with inhabited worlds within
the cluster? Perhaps, but I doubt anyone has made it a point to count them all.
We much rather prefer the romance of the name to its reality.</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>
</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>
</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Still, as we look to the night sky,
and all those points of light, we have to wonder about the worlds that surround
us. What are those other people like? What stories do they have to tell? A
thousand planets means billions of possibilities...</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><i></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The Thousand Suns Saga</i>'s story begins almost 15 years ago. Inspired by <i>Star Wars</i>,
my partner, Tim, and I started by creating a couple of imaginary worlds
where magic and technology lived side by side. Almost every day, we've
added something new, building on the lore and mythology.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When
asked to write a story with assassins as the theme, my mind immediately
flew to the cluster's most notorious band, the Black Dragons. But what
tale could I tell to best reflect their nature?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Black
Dragons" deals with the struggles of secrecy, of duty, and of failure.
Does our heroine manage to overcome her hurdles, or is she destined to
become one of the deceased herself? Find out for yourself, if you dare.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDd8qUH6wdIwmRjmY9c7uYeLo9GLlYw9Vy8BXE-_0qwrWH5NflaKYtAyuznjVZGvNIE_jykT4pBGrPlRsqHMTwU1WqJy7R3DYChadkDQqxfbkzcWMp4OBFi1pBxv34bLW4okL_aSlI7uWn/s1600/blacckdragons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDd8qUH6wdIwmRjmY9c7uYeLo9GLlYw9Vy8BXE-_0qwrWH5NflaKYtAyuznjVZGvNIE_jykT4pBGrPlRsqHMTwU1WqJy7R3DYChadkDQqxfbkzcWMp4OBFi1pBxv34bLW4okL_aSlI7uWn/s400/blacckdragons.jpg" width="266" /> </a></div>
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As the most feared group of assassins within the cluster, the Black
Dragons rarely have reason to worry. When their reputation is
threatened by outsiders, it's up to Selena Olian, prostitute by day,
Viper by night, to stop them. However, she discovers that even the most
talented of assassins sometimes fail...</div>
<br />
Buy link: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B019AM2YRA" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/dp/<wbr></wbr>B019AM2YRA</a><br />
<br />
Webpage: <a href="http://www.jmscheirer.com/" target="_blank">www.jmscheirer.com</a><br />
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EXCERPT:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The
door was the same non-descript metal as the others that dotted the stone
hallways. Selena pressed the access pad on the side and waited for the distinct
“chink” of it unlocking. The door slid to the side.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Master’s
office was a good-sized room dominated by a large, dark wooden desk near the
opposite wall. The only real decoration was a stiff black rug beneath the desk.
It extended out to rest beneath the two chairs on the reception side and the
few weapons of the trade that hung on the walls. Master himself sat in the more
comfortable executive chair behind the desk. He wore the close black outfit and
mask of the order, so she could never make out much about him except that he
was shorter and stockier than her. He looked up from the datapads scattered
over the surface of his desk when she approached.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“<i>Viper</i>.” He greeted her in <i>quen’nare</i>, the modified voice low and
grumbly. “<i>Please, come in and sit down.</i>”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Selena
approached, offering a bow before she sat. “<i>How
did you know it was me?</i>”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> “<i>I would
not be a very good leader if I did not recognize those under me… And Fox called
to let me know that you were here. Now, what can I do for you?</i>”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“<i>The imposters are getting bolder, Master.</i>
<i>I had one openly brag that he was a Black
Dragon when I saw the bad replica of a tattoo on his skin.</i>”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“<i>I assume you took care of the problem.</i>”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Selena
dipped her head. “<i>He will not be making
that claim again.</i>”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“<i>Good. The imposters need to know that we
will not tolerate them besmirching our name. Our profession may not have the
most favorable impression, but we have a long, honorable history and a
reputation that we have well earned. I will not let that falter under my watch.</i>”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Selena
nodded. Everyone in the surrounding systems knew about the Black Dragons, and
she had heard their name spoken in both fear and awe even before she joined. If
you wanted someone dead, you went to the Black Dragons. “<i>I understand, Master.</i>”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Master
sat back in his chair, draping his covered arms over the armrests, and sighed.
“<i>See if you can find out where this
imposter was inked. If you do, do not kill the artist. See if he or she inked
others, and make it very clear to this person that further marking will not be
tolerated.</i>”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Selena
nodded again. “<i>Of course, Master</i>.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“<i>I am very pleased with your work, Viper. I
do not regret welcoming you into our Brotherhood.</i>”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“<i>Even though I am a Sister?</i>” she smiled
back.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Master
waved it off with a hand. “<i>There is a
reason we keep our sun lives separate from our moon lives. Do you know how many
people would be all too happy to arrest us, even kill us if they recognized us?</i>”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“<i>I imagine it would be quite a few. I
understand the reasons for all the precautions we take.</i>”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“<i>Of course you do, Viper. Is there something
else you need to discuss with me?</i>”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Selena
shook her head. “<i>I came here right away
to let you know. I did not think it was something that should wait.</i>”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“<i>No,</i>” Master agreed. “<i>We operate on information. You have done
well, Viper.</i>”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">She
dipped her head to him. “<i>Thank you,
Master. By your leave</i>.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Master
waved a dismissive hand at her before returning his attention to ’pads in front
of him. She stood, bowed, and turned to leave. It wouldn't be easy to track
down the tattoo artist, but she was a Black Dragon. If Master wanted it done,
it would be done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><b>J.M. Scheirer: </b></span></div>
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On a cold day on Hoth…er…in Eastern Pennsylvania, in the depth of night
in the year of 1978, J.M. emerged into the world. She moved to
Endor…er…Southern Maryland as a young child, where she began the process
of creating worlds and stories about them. As an adult, she moved to
Tatooine…er…Eastern Washington to spend the rest of her life with her
soulmate (aka Tim).
</div>
There’s not enough time in the day for everything she tries to fit
into her life. On any given day, you can find her reading and/or
writing and/or playing video games and/or watching TV shows and movies
and/or sewing and/or baking.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9f_L4wqsBlEV6zivvnVZRa2tkRjjPQU53IfC7XweXK_RgLKBGvGNHtHrhDzEnMILRjegIkKCczYQBSOg6fNLq5B20lls_vPGm3I1rHmpkDsmzylJB3JWZyB2LjRnXFOVfNEzE1p0Abc3D/s1600/jenna.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9f_L4wqsBlEV6zivvnVZRa2tkRjjPQU53IfC7XweXK_RgLKBGvGNHtHrhDzEnMILRjegIkKCczYQBSOg6fNLq5B20lls_vPGm3I1rHmpkDsmzylJB3JWZyB2LjRnXFOVfNEzE1p0Abc3D/s320/jenna.png" width="276" /></a></div>
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Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-26499912889671449442015-12-06T11:20:00.000-08:002015-12-07T13:32:04.758-08:00In Which I Try Something Different<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today is the launch of the Kindle Scout Campaign for The Elf's Apprentice.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/X1REXGY7PXNL" target="_blank"><img alt="https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/X1REXGY7PXNL" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd117gbvxFiC1wWxBcTmqG0J5krdK4O-5RvKuGHjcb1ePdsQGP-dOSKT9zGQH4YqzFH1ADXCJxtFbcLL4mpSVwHP-G78PNlaCw1hfz0v9c7NI6UkGxFGj3yB31f_GcdVgJQUaTosmihjAv/s320/scoutapprentice.png" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The first two chapters are uploaded and available for preview on the campaign page here: <a href="https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/X1REXGY7PXNL">https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/X1REXGY7PXNL</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
If you like what you see, please NOMINATE the title for publication (in the sidebar) or save it for later consideration. If you help get the book to publication, there's a free copy for everyone who nominates the title. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So, if the story seems like something you think others would enjoy, sassy, humorous, irreverent fantasy romance. Sexy elves and smart-ass apprentices, magic, sword fights, true love, etc. :)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Please spread the word! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Thanks so much to every last person who has help or will help with The Elf's Apprentice's long journey.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Best to you all!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Frances</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div class="a-section a-spacing-medium">
<h2 class="project-title">
The Elf's Apprentice
</h2>
by
<span class="author-name">
<a class="smooth-scroll-anchor dark-gray" href="https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/X1REXGY7PXNL#authorBio">
Frances Pauli </a></span></div>
<div class="a-section a-spacing-medium">
<h2>
<span class="author-name"> </span>A sorcerer, a rebel, and a kingdom under fire
</h2>
</div>
<div class="a-section a-spacing-base">
As the sorcerer's new apprentice, Kia's fiery temper
is bound to get her into hot water. Evander is obnoxious, arrogant,
intolerable, and undeniably the most beautiful elf alive. Even if she
passes his relentless testing, working at his side just might kill her.
Worse, her master has powerful enemies inside the palace. When their
attacks turn personal, the sorcerer's apprentice becomes the perfect
bait in a deadly trap set to destroy the man who has become far more
than just her boss.
</div>
</div>
</div>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-58127478094291525642015-11-23T10:00:00.001-08:002015-11-23T10:01:28.047-08:00How's the NaNoWriMo coming?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Actually, not so good. I'm probably not going to hit fifty K for the first November in... well since I started. Still, The third Kundalis book is on the page. At least, the beginning of it is. So that's something. If I keep plugging away at it, hopefully, this one will make its deadline.<br />
<br />
So... Chuck Wendig, (my dark god, don't tell him) has asked for excerpts and I do whatever Chuck says... also don't tell him that. You can read everyone's excerpts by following the links in his comments here: <a href="http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/11/23/nanowrimo-challenge-a-snippet-of-your-work-if-you-please/">http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/11/23/nanowrimo-challenge-a-snippet-of-your-work-if-you-please/</a><br />
<br />
Here is mine.<br />
:)<br />
It's rough, this is Nano people.<br />
<br />
Kundalis: book three<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">The Ryegrass rest stop stayed busy year round. Central Washington didn’t exactly have much to offer, in particular on the dry hump of scabland rising above Vantage, but to anyone crossing the state from the wet, Seattle side to the wheat infested east, usually ended up winding down this particular hillside toward the Columbia River Gorge below. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">I watched the traffic from a distance, perched on top of a 300 foot wind generator while my Kundalis dragon flirted with the gigantic white blades. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Bored.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“Li should be back soon.” I held a thin silver wire toward the sunlight and poked the tip into a blue glass bead. My jewelry kit sat beside my knee. A tackle box I’d found back at school in Cheney, the green case sported enough compartments for my tools, wire, findings and as many colored beads as I could pack into the little plastic squares. “We can head for home as soon as we’re done with the interview.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Home is also boring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">I ignored the jab and strung two more glass orbs onto my wire. Then I fished out my needle nose pliers and began to twist the piece into a dragon that only slightly resembled the snakey blue monster currently complaining in my head. The pendants had been born out of my own boredom. Not that I liked to admit aloud that Blue was correct. Li had been the genius to suggest selling them online, and with the help of the ravenous media, our financial problems had been sorted out in the frenzy of Kundalis mania.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Which only lasted a few months, thank god.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">You miss it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“Only when our sales dip.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Blue twined between the blades of the wind generator and twisted his huge head in my direction. Thank god no one else could see him. The patronizing look he favored me with wouldn’t be easy to live down in public. His whiskers trailed away like ribbons on either side of his dragon smirk, and I wondered, suddenly, what would happen if one got caught in the mechanism. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Nothing. I am not physical at the moment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“Let me fantasize, brat.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Li is back. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">I stopped myself from saying, good. Glad to see Li was a new thing for me. Since our crew had all bolted with Doc, however, any company counted for something. We’d spent months in a state halfway like hiding out and the other half like being on tour. I did my best to plead to the media’s sense of intelligence, and Li spent her time proving to me that the media had no intelligence. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">I’d manage to get an article with a shred of fact published, and she’d show up with a stack of papers about whacko dragon attacks, secret agendas and instructions on how to protect your children from being assimilated by our Kundalis cult. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Had to love Li.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">She keeps you grounded. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Fair enough. The dragon had me there. Not that I’d ever needed grounding before he’d spawned from my navel like a rotten, sass-mouthed tumor. I twisted the wire into a curling tail, added a final smaller bead, and clipped off the excess wire. In my palm, a two inch mockery of my Kundalis caught the light and flashed from its facets. Li kept me grounded? Interesting. I was pretty sure I wanted that to be Doc’s job.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">I set the pendant into the bottom of the tackle box, on top of the other four I’d finished before Blue got impatient. Before I could decide to close up shop or start a new one, my partner in crime shot past our perch like a cranky, Asian bottle rocket. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Li liked taking her dragon in a lot more than I did. Her black beastie could make her invisible, could put out fires, and when Li was feeling spunky, allowed her to pass through solid objects like smoke. Right now, however, she was more than visible, she hovered over Ryegrass like a anti-gravity goddess, long hair streaming behind her and nothing beneath her feet but open air and the transparent support of her Kundalis. </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">She lifted slight arms over her head, spun a little pirouette for effect and then lighted like a bird on the white housing in front of me. Almost blocking my view of Blue’s face, almost less annoying than my own dragon’s condescension. </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“I got the papers.” Li took a step and her dragon slipped away, wafting out and upward until it stretched over her head like a black ribbon and left her less glowy, but just as snotty as ever. “Next time you fetch.”</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“Sure.” I didn’t have the energy to argue with her today, or maybe, I’d just learned that agreeing saved me a lot of headaches. I cut a new piece of wire and picked up the pliers again. </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“We made the A’s.” Li dropped a stack of local newspapers and then sat cross-legged across the box from me. “But Teddy’s been banished to D section.”</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“He won’t like that.” I twisted a dragon snout out of wire and slipped an onyx bead on in honor of Li. “Poor Teddy.”</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Li snorted. She spun my tool box around and fished inside. “We got ten more orders.”</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“Really?” I set my half formed pendant down and reached for the top paper. “At least the attention is doing some good.”</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“Good picture of you too.” She kept her voice level. It was hard to tell what Li was thinking on a good day, but I suspected she hid a barb in the comment somewhere. </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">I ignored it and opened the newspaper, separating out section A and scanning the pictures. A month ago anything about us made the front page automatically. Two months ago we </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">were</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> the front page. Ever since Teddy and Rick Waters outed the existence of dragons on the late night news, my Kundalis might as well have been a Kardashian.</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">I hardly think.</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">I might have only imagined a note of pride in that. It washed away quickly enough when I found the picture Li had referred to. Definitely a barb, though she’d opted to let the photographer do her nasty for her this time. I looked like a circus freak in the photo, despite the title claiming: Metaphysical Heroes Assist with Wildfire Battle. Why did they always catch me with my mouth hanging open?</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Because you never stop flapping your jaws?</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">I growled at my dragon and Li flinched. At least our public image was pretty. I could live with that. Li and I had worked our asses off all summer to live with that. </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">I might have helped a little.</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“Shhh.” I closed section A and flipped the rest of the paper over. The back page, and no photo either. Poor Teddy. I read his article rather than stare at my own hideous image. Our self-appointed spokesman had gone from starlet to snore faster than I’d expected, but then, he hadn’t taken his monstrous white Kundalis in yet. He couldn’t control her, and so, he couldn’t back up any of his talk with the fancy show that Li and I always managed to pull off whether we liked it or not. </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Teddy couldn’t fly. He couldn’t shoot lighting from his palms. As far as I could tell, all he did was talk and cause me trouble. </span></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-75096195841129831052015-11-15T11:35:00.000-08:002015-11-15T11:35:14.786-08:00Do YOU Have A Dragon Problem?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh666hEt_HGz0f-JqdfKS15z96-PJNeZ6bqrPS9_o3DaqacKS6_Q-RhsUt-LMvrMBvLtWPyTA1qBPA6EsPb7uRrKBTlGdt3BmTwOeLxKiXdLLZS3cN8-M_nx4vyxqg4zCaJ8iBnfNA6bMrS/s1600/dragonad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh666hEt_HGz0f-JqdfKS15z96-PJNeZ6bqrPS9_o3DaqacKS6_Q-RhsUt-LMvrMBvLtWPyTA1qBPA6EsPb7uRrKBTlGdt3BmTwOeLxKiXdLLZS3cN8-M_nx4vyxqg4zCaJ8iBnfNA6bMrS/s320/dragonad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It's new release day, and I am back in dragon-land ready to play! The above excerpt is from the second Kundalis book, and was published (fictionally) in a metaphysical newspaper entirely of my imagining. <br />
<br />That being said, I'd love to hear YOUR responses to the advert. (again, fictional--or ??) and if you post them in the comments below, I'll pick one person at random to receive e-copies of both Kundalis dragons books.<br />
<br />
Let's hear your about dragon sightings!<br />
<br />
~Frances<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EeurX5ZGIRvW2RuZLUH4YHXH1RZMgzfFJUYbj-ODAPnu6mpq8TDQ7Loye0fFW88M5TwWp9Its6O3Vf4RQgmbgZWCRXslaKgk1hl_p7FeVsL7_PStWYjIvQJOHrGVuOcwKe8GBj5GzijK/s1600/seriesinstagram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EeurX5ZGIRvW2RuZLUH4YHXH1RZMgzfFJUYbj-ODAPnu6mpq8TDQ7Loye0fFW88M5TwWp9Its6O3Vf4RQgmbgZWCRXslaKgk1hl_p7FeVsL7_PStWYjIvQJOHrGVuOcwKe8GBj5GzijK/s320/seriesinstagram.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-23489832589854647682015-10-26T11:27:00.002-07:002015-10-26T11:27:38.806-07:00My Favorite Dia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm a big fan of the Day of the Dead. Not just in the, you know, recently very popular way either. It started when I was wayyyy back in High School, and I promise you... that's been awhile.<br />
<br />
Not even going to tell you how many years.<br />
<br />
But you definitely couldn't by sugar skull decorations at Walmart yet. In fact, you couldn't get ANYTHING assoiated with Dia de los Muertos here in the states unless you knew people who had relatives south of the border.<br />
<br />
A few years later than that my family decided to take a vacation to Puerto Vallarta on Halloween without me.<br />
<br />
With. Out. Me.<br />
<br />
I've forgiven them, trust me. But they did ask if I wanted anything as a souvenir and I immediately started dancing around shouting: flower skeleton, flower skeleton. My brother did the noble thing and offered to book me a room in a special facility, so I had to explain.<br />
<br />
He gave me a sideways look and said, "How will I find this? What if I get the wrong thing?"<br />
<br />
I assured him that on Oct. 31st in PV he would not be able to miss my flower skeletons. I'm still pretty sure he thought I was nuts. When he returned with my hand carved wooden Dia de los Muertos dude. (still my favorite decoration of all) He understood. He told me he almost bought me the life-sized one, for which he gets major points, but he'd have had to get it a seat on the plane and didn't want to foot the bill for an extra fare. For which... well, I suppose I understand that.<br />
<br />
Life sized.<br />
<br />
Sometimes I still imagine him riding back on the plane with it.<br />
<br />
<br />
So... the point of all this is that I LOVE DIA DE LOS MUERTOS.<br />
<br />
and I have a free short story up on the Zharmae blog for y'all to prove it. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://zharmaeblog.wordpress.com/2015/10/22/kundalis-de-los-muertos/">https://zharmaeblog.wordpress.com/2015/10/22/kundalis-de-los-muertos/</a><br />
<br />
It feautres the Kundalis dragons and makes a tidy bridge between book one (out now) and book two.<br />
(coming very very soon)<br />
<br />
I hope you all enjoy it.<br />
<br />
Best<br />
Frances</div>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-90914813122442278472015-08-04T09:45:00.000-07:002015-08-04T09:45:35.187-07:00Dragons: Kundalis Book Two Cover Reveal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Coming soon from the Zharmae Publishing Press:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nB9pTtrnyMYnmuNZa45tN7EoeE2YUOETu4eZ5A-oXRT9By-6nFoQQL5RKlOZoPQuaWjUFvngTf7_hIy2EROviOXBc72IlpC3w3vbiRIwk5bGZ2Mew9XHDza1y851n23io3JK2-7Yt4PZ/s1600/Shadow+Dragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nB9pTtrnyMYnmuNZa45tN7EoeE2YUOETu4eZ5A-oXRT9By-6nFoQQL5RKlOZoPQuaWjUFvngTf7_hIy2EROviOXBc72IlpC3w3vbiRIwk5bGZ2Mew9XHDza1y851n23io3JK2-7Yt4PZ/s640/Shadow+Dragon.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
sequel to:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kundalis-Storm-Dragon-Frances-Pauli/dp/1937365433" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/Kundalis-Storm-Dragon-Frances-Pauli/dp/1937365433" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZEKjIikhyh-TfRlgbC5HEDyLy3mIkajqT_sW1nkl6jy86iyZLvVI_9D_2UI4iUfs6KOgcZC7eF2SYlxRLUkP7TGKpMXemdZYoVqhBU6mtQFzWg9eXmEIwtK2A4xKL87qAVdtswNkZ4Ba/s320/dragon1+copy+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="223" /><span id="goog_1473082626"></span></a><span id="goog_1473082627"></span></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kundalis-Storm-Dragon-Frances-Pauli/dp/1937365433">http://www.amazon.com/Kundalis-Storm-Dragon-Frances-Pauli/dp/1937365433</a><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-32937617661699978832015-07-22T07:56:00.001-07:002015-07-22T07:56:03.558-07:00Drinking the Novel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Writers have a long history of drunkenness (Both real and completely Exaggerated). In the spirit of authorly angst and punchy "I"m finally almost done with the book" fun, I have procrastinated all morning devising the following drinking guide to the story creation process.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Drinking the Novel:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Inspiration strikes(Glorious): Glass of wine</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Plotting(Intellectual time): Gin </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Facing the blank page (Nerves): Shot of Vodka</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Inciting Incident: (Getting excited) Appletini</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Commitment Point: (Go time)Stout Ale</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Midpoint:(Shifting Gears) Rum</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Downtime:(Relaxing) Fuzzy Navel</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dark Moment: (Tragedy) Shot of Whiskey</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Main Conflict: (Ahhhh!) Tequila</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Third Act Twist: (Surprise) Grab anything!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Resolution: (Tie it up neatly) Kahlua </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finished the book: (Celebration) Champagne</div>
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Editing:(Kill me now) Rum, Tequila and the rest of the
Whiskey</div>
<br />
<br />
Don't try this at home, kids.<br />
*above guide is intended for novel creation of a long and arduous nature. For the freaks of nature who whip theses things out in a weekend, alcohol poisoning is no laughing matter.<br />
<br />
~Morning!<br />
Frances</div>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-68860233758545954892015-06-17T00:00:00.000-07:002015-06-17T00:00:03.828-07:00Favorite Heroines Blog Hop<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today we are playing in the Favorite Heroines Blog Hop. I'll be sharing some of my favorite heroines, and if you follow the links to the other blogs, you can meet even more. In addition, each blog will be holding some kind of giveaway. For my prize, one commenter below will get their pick of either a first print proof copy of HORDED or an electronic copy of any one of my books.<br />
<br />
Best of luck on all your hops!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9SLQ3otmSykcwWRnfR-4q3LXzNE6-LMybPe3QiXDnyOkw4-6ucjFDSwHQxRKIuKOhEJ2ObxiJVxmTOIThv889xyAjk1PLH5KPw9HCjFEXYFz8gD1tFSViSFwcOc4o5oy1JvuspGcGkUck/s1600/favorite+heroines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9SLQ3otmSykcwWRnfR-4q3LXzNE6-LMybPe3QiXDnyOkw4-6ucjFDSwHQxRKIuKOhEJ2ObxiJVxmTOIThv889xyAjk1PLH5KPw9HCjFEXYFz8gD1tFSViSFwcOc4o5oy1JvuspGcGkUck/s400/favorite+heroines.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
First let me say that my favorite heroines are not "badass" in the usual sense of the term. I mean, sure I like a girl that can kick butt as much as the next reader, but to be honest, the ones that really stand out for me are the heroines that are strong in a different way.<br />
<br />I appreciate strength of character, perseverance, gentleness,personal growth and okay, a lot of badass magic too. So, my picks are less kicking butt and shooting targets and more, delving the inner reaches of their own psyches to route out some pretty ugly personal demons.<br />
<br />
That being said, my all time favorite heroine is Sybel from Patricia McKillip's, Forgotten Beasts of Eld. She's a high wizard who calls ancient, mythological animals to her and keeps them as her servants. Sybel starts out powerful as hell, but her journey is about learning to be soft, allowing herself to need more than just power, and I am absolutely enamored with her character arc and her story.<br />
(I own two signed copies to my great delight)<br />
<br />
Gillan from Andre Norton's, Year of the Unicorn, is a very close second. In truth, it's probably a tie. Gillan is studying to be a nun and herbalist when her story begins. In order to save a friend, however, she takes the girl's place in secret and ends up offered as a bartered bride to a group of wer riders from out of the wastes. No one knows anything about these men except that they are dangerous. Despite the fact that she is low-born and was never meant to be a part of the bride tribute, Gillan is the one who uses her strength to uncover the truth about the mysterious wer riders, and then uses her own power to battle for her life and the man she loves.<br />
Gillan's battle is also internal, though she faces outward foes as well along the way. In the end, she is trapped inside her own mind and forced to find her true self and her own way back out into the light.<br />
<br />
Both stories are lyrical and beautiful and I suppose, show how my own work has been influenced. The themes are certainly some of my favorites to use as well. The inner journey, facing down the shadow, and personal growth... In my book, that's some badass heroine-ism.<br />
<br />
So, what are your thoughts? Do heroines have to kick butt and take names to be badass? Can they do both? Comment for an entry into my giveaway, and hop via the links below to enter the rest!<br />
<br />
~Frances<br />
<br /></div>
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Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-52506714867384514812015-05-27T15:04:00.001-07:002015-05-27T15:04:15.026-07:00WIP Wednesday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Okay, so I skipped a few weeks. I'm still trucking along on the Shrouded Princes novel, so here's the (somewhat) weekly excerpt. :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2>
Excerpt:</h2>
<h3>
(disclaimer- from the W.I.P excerpts are from works in progress and therefore not edited or proofed. Please expect errors)</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">“I think we should contact the king,” Jadyek whispered, but it wouldn’t matter if Jarn had their room bugged. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">“Shh.” He’d had the same thought a dozen times. If they turned themselves in, begged King Peryl for mercy, it would mean prison again, but Shroud had no death sentence. At least they’d live. Knowing what he did about the king, it would probably mean they could see each other, even if only on occasion. The heartbond was too revered on Shroud to be blatantly sundered… even for traitors. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">Dielel put up a hand and leaned his head to the side. Did Jarn listen to them? Did the demon know they’d happily go back to a hole in the ground than remain at his mercy? There had to be a way to do neither. He chewed on that thought all the time now. Throughout the lifeless days and all through the nights he spent half awake, waiting for some sign that their air had been terminated.</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 36px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">“We still might get away together,” he said. “Jarn will find us a safe port, and then we can start over somewhere alone.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">“I know.” Jadyek managed to smile for him. Hope sparkled in his wide eyes that didn’t, couldn’t, possibly still believe in that future. “It’s been longer than I’d thought is all.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">And they’d both seen the looks Jarn cast in their direction when they dared venture from the cabin. Unless he’d summoned them for a purpose, their pilot wanted them out of sight. Until he needed them, he wanted them only as something to torture. </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 36px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">Maybe screwing with them helped him pass the time. Maybe it helped Jarn sleep, though Deiel hadn’t managed to catch him at that. He’d fancied it a dozen times, catching Jarn fast asleep and summoning the courage to slit the man’s throat before he could wake, but even in his fantasies Dielel suspected he’d never have the guts to really do it. </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 36px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">He’d have to find another way to be rid of the madman. He’d have to, for Jadyek’s sake. And they’d have to think of it in a hurry, he suspected. If Jarn found a use for them, the man wouldn’t hesitate to seize it. When the time came, there wouldn’t be any room for contemplation. They’d have to act, fast, and that had never been Dielel’s style. </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 36px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">Jadyek’s hand settled over his, a warm comfort. “It will be fine, Deilel. You’ll see.”</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 36px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">Looking into Jadyek’s pale face, he could almost believe it. He breathed, felt the heart beating in his chest, and the ship they rode on lurch to one side as something impacted the hull. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">The devil’s voice screamed through the intercom, Jarn, coming through the walls to reach them. “Get out here! The bastards have found us.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-84255308131076151852015-04-29T10:56:00.001-07:002015-04-29T10:56:41.115-07:00From the Work In Progress...It's work in progress Wednesday! I am still slogging through draft one of the third Princes of the Shroud book. (book one and two are available from Zharmae books) Let's see what the characters are up to today...<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2>
Excerpt:</h2>
<h3>
(disclaimer- from the W.I.P excerpts are from works in progress and therefore not edited or proofed. Please expect errors)</h3>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">“Yes? What shall I ask?” She looked him in the eye, held her thoughts under a sharp thumb and smiled for her boss. “What do you want to know?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">Dern’s eyes squinted into slits when he tried to shield himself. He shouldn’t have bothered. Corah saw his plan forming, a dark seed wrapped in intrigue and weighed from all directions against Gervis’ goals. How could he use this man, that was his real question. What could Gervis Dern do with a lookalike to the planetary governor’s mate. She read it, and she understood now exactly why this particular slave had been singled out, why he waited now on a chair in an empty room enduring what was supposed to be torture. She understood it better than Dern did, and she saw her chances in that understanding too, and angle she might play as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">She hid that quickly, waited for a probe from Mawl or Santel, for any sign they’d caught her deceit and meant to turn her out, to trade her life for an ounce of favor from their master. Nothing. No fingers in her mind, no invasion. She breathed and focused on her hearing, on the next words from Gervis Dern. She felt him huddled around his idea, happy with it, but nervous too. When the question came, Corah was ready for it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">“Can I trust him?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">She needed time. If the man was here for murder, she needed to make sure it happened in the way that would serve her purpose too. If he was here for anything else, then she’d need time to sway him, to get him on the right side or else, to get rid of him before Dern could make him his. For now, she needed him alive, but not in Dern’s pocket as of yet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">“Corah! Can I trust the man or not?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">“Not.” She watched Dern, felt his impatience flutter dangerously close to disappointment, to a final decision to kill the man and be done with the whole thing. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Not yet, Dern. Not until I’ve had a chance to use him too.</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;"> “You can’t trust him yet, Gervis.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">“Ahh.” Dern smiled, a wormy twist of lips that made his face into a parody of itself. “Dear Corah. Of course. I’m too eager, too careless. Good. Yes. Not yet, but… eventually?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">“It is possible.” </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 36px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">“I knew it.” Gervis clapped his hands together and turned the wiggling smile on the viewing wall. The prisoner shifted on his perch, turned his head in a swivel that brought the eagle to mind again. “Not yet, of course.”</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 36px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">The lilac man found her, somehow, though no vision could pierce the one way wall. His eyes found Corah just the same. They pegged her down, accused her and named her all at once. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Betrayer.</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;"> She heard his thoughts in her own head, through shields that no one had ever breached. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Heart.</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 36px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">She heard it in the blood pounding against her temples. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Heart.</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<h3>
</h3>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-34013301458276489662015-04-24T08:30:00.000-07:002015-04-24T10:12:51.529-07:00Flash Fiction FridaySince I missed WIP wednesday this week, and some great authorly friends of mine partake of Flash Fiction Friday, I decided to hop along for the ride.<br />
<br />
Check their great stories out too:<br />
<a href="http://www.trgoodman.net/2015/04/flash-fiction-friday-an-ocean-without-rails/">http://www.trgoodman.net/2015/04/flash-fiction-friday-an-ocean-without-rails/</a><br />
<a href="http://www.trgoodman.net/2015/04/flash-fiction-friday-an-ocean-without-rails/" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Future
Gazing</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">first published on <a href="http://www.romanceflash.com/stories/68-future-gazing" target="_blank">Romance Flash</a> website</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I
don’t see anything.” She tossed her hair, long, luscious blonde, and frowned at
him. The expression set his knees trembling. “Are you sure?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s
tonight,” he said. “I’m certain I read the tables correctly.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well.”
She flopped back onto the grass and shrugged. “We’ll see, won’t we?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tam
nodded, but his hands shook. He bent over the eyepiece and checked the view
again. A circle of night sky, a spattering of stars, and no sign of the comet.
He sighed. The dials all read correctly. He checked the book on the TV tray
they’d lugged outside. Tonight. They should be able to see it by now. He looked
through the telescope one more time. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Joe
Milligan said you could only see it in the southern hemisphere.” Lily’s voice
tittered from his lawn. Its music was tainted by the whiff of suspicion and by
the name of his nemesis. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Joe
Milligan got a B minus in astronomy last term.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I
know.” Lily leaned back onto her elbows and eyed the sky. “He said he just partied
too much.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Maybe
he had. Tam could see them attending the same campus events, Lily had the
popularity to fit in with that crowd. She had the looks as well. Tam clenched
his fists and shook off the image of her dancing with Joe Milligan. She had too
much brains for it, should be able to see through idiots like Joe. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He
eyed the tables and re-calculated the viewing angle. Then he tweaked the dials
and took another look. Behind him, Lily sighed again. He heard the rustle of
her changing position and knew her patience had just about run out. He was
going to lose the moment, his moment, and his once chance to impress the girl
he’d been in love with since the fourth grade. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I
don’t know, Tam. It’s getting late.” She stood up. He’d blown it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Wait,
Lily.” He spun around, bumping the TV tray and sending the tables spilling to
the grass. He dove to catch them, and his elbow smacked the eyepiece. The scope
swung to the left. “It’s tonight. I’m not wrong.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">His
papers littered the hillside. His heart cracked as a breeze lifted one and
scuttled it farther out of reach. He crawled after it on hands and knees, like
a dog, a kicked dog who’d never have another moment alone with the girl of his
dreams, who’d hear about her years later. He’d share her future through the
town gossip. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Did you hear about lily and
Joe Milligan? Honeymoon in Tahiti, another baby on the way. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tam’s
throat closed at the thought. His lungs pressed in. He’d left his inhaler by
the bed, hadn’t wanted to use it in front of her, to remind her he was the
geeky kid next door--still. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Tam?”
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Of
course crawling down the hillside after his astronomy tables looked so much
cooler. God, why did he invite her? Just because she’d always liked the stars,
because they’d been able to share that much over the years.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Tam!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What?”
He sat up and turned back toward the apex. Lily Anderson leaned over his
telescope. Her golden hair blocked her face, but she looked through the
eyepiece and her voice drifted down the slope to catch him. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Come
back, Tam. I think I see something.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Really?”
He’d hit the thing pretty hard. It had to be half a sky away from the comet. He
stood and brushed his pants free of dry grass, then did his best to climb the
hill with a little decorum. “It might be a galaxy,” he said. “What are the
readings?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s
the comet, Tam. Look.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lily shifted to
the side a few inches, but she didn’t move away. When he bent for his turn at
the eyepiece, their shoulders brushed. Her hair tickled his forearm. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tam
swallowed hard and closed his left eye. His comet blazed against the circle of
sky. Front and center. “How?” He leaned away for a second and caught sight of
her grin. He double checked the view. “But, I must have knocked it off a
good--”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well,
you’re not the only one who knows how to work that thing.” Lily whispered right
at his side. “It’s not like I haven’t paid attention in class. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I</i> got an A.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tam
turned to find her staring at him. Her eyes had stretched wide, and her lips
twisted into an amused little pout. “You didn’t party too much?” He held his
breath. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Not
my scene, Tam.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">His
heart danced. Their arms still touched, and her eyes narrowed just enough to
make him wonder if she hadn’t known all along, if she hadn’t asked about the
comet for a different reason. He blinked and imagined kissing her. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Tam,”
she whispered again, his angel. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Lily?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You’re
hogging the view.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Right.
Oh! Sorry.” He leaned away, and Lily Anderson squeezed in beside him. She
looked at the comet he’d found--they’d found--and only giggled when he put an
arm across her shoulders. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s
beautiful, Tam, isn’t it?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes.”
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
breeze danced across the hill, and sent his tables wandering again. It was
late. They had a few more weeks of school. He should pack it in, put the scope
away and see Lily home. The lights were still on at Mr. Murray’s house across
the street. A few cars slow as they passed two kids on a hillside in the middle
of the night. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A honeymoon in Tahiti, another baby
on the way. </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tam
could imagine the rumors already. </span></div>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-89433926543054007222015-04-15T10:39:00.000-07:002015-04-15T10:39:27.712-07:00From the W.I.P.My new year is just now kicking into gear. I know, right? A bit on the lazy side? Anyway... I am hip deep in a new Work In Progress and have no plans on not being so for the rest of pretty much my life. So, I'm going to try to post at least weekly (probably more) with a little excerpt from whatever it is that I am writing. Trying to make some kind of regular meme/posting/content out of it, but we'll see.<br />
<br />
I don't do commitment so well.<br />
<br />
For now, however, here is the first installment of <b>From the W.I.P. </b>Today's excerpt is from Eclisped, the third Princes of the Shroud book, my romantic Science Fiction series from Zharmae Books.<br />
Books one and two are available already. Gods willing, book three will join them on schedule.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Excerpt:</h2>
<h3>
(disclaimer- from the W.I.P excerpts are from works in progress and therefore not edited or proofed. Please expect errors)</h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">Inhale.</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">Shuffle forward. Mof’s chain buddy passed into illumination, and the official flicked a glance out and back. Not good enough. They needed him looking, paying very close attention. He let the rumble have full rein this time, growled with all his breath, for all he was worth. The slave ahead hurried his feet. The guards’ heads swiveled toward the hold. Mofitan growled like a shadow cat on steroids and stepped, fully upright, into the light. </span><br />
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">The slaver emitted a girlish scream and backed into the port official. The cargo manifest, so carefully checked and re-checked, fell to the ground with a sharp, expensive-sounding crack. Mof kept his eyes on his target, on the thin, well-dressed man who was definitely paying attention now. He met those calculating eyes with his own, flicked a half grin for the man’s benefit and then held his chains up between them and flexed once. </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">Metal snapped. The cuffs came free of one another and it took only one good jerk of his fists to separate the looped chains, to free the other slaves from the futile and blatantly stupid thing he was about to do next. The rain of links rattled against the open hatch. Mofitan growled over the sound, winked at the man he’d bet belonged to Gervis Dern, and then bolted straight into the nearest line of guards. </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">They should have been fired to a man. He’d never have hired anyone so incompetent in the first place. Spectre’s protection fell away in the face of the lavender giant. They parted courteously and let Mofitan slip between them. Damn. If he got away the whole wretched ruse would be for nothing. If the idiots in Spectre couldn’t catch a rampaging Shrouded prince, why had he come in the first place?</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">He slowed his feet after passing them, growled in real frustration now and heard, at last, a thin voice shouting orders. Mofitan pretended to flee while avoiding anything truly helpful. He leaped over a motorized cargo sled, ran past at least three dark alleys, and kept himself in the light, visible, as obvious as a man of his size and color could possibly be.</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">Like a vein of heartsone in a basalt matrix.</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">Mofitan glowed against the night. He shouted and feigned a stumble. A web of darts landed against his bare back. Electricity fired from the studs, lanced through his body and curved his spine backwards. Pain, lightning through his veins. He howled it out, let his muscle spasms feed Shayd’s mind shield, let it keep his thoughts genuine. Pain and freedom… Shit that hurt.</span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">He fell forward, no pretending now. The electric web embedded in his back zapped his spine again and turned his limbs to jelly. They had a remote on it. The ground slapped against him and he lay on it twitching and imagining what sort of weapon fired a unit like that. Useful. A good non-lethal option. He might look into picking some up if he survived this shit. </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">They gave him another jolt after he was down. Probably to keep him there. It blazed through already raw nerves and, possibly, made him drool a little. The ground might have been wet before he whacked it. Now, something sticky clung to his face and his body registered the impact of the fall as a dull background to the fire of pain from the dart net. </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">Perfect really. When they rolled him over, he burbled something he’d meant to be an argument. It came out in bubbles that might have contained blood. Possibly, he’d done his job a little too well. The men glaring down at him didn’t look amused. They shuffled aside for their boss, but someone triggered to jolt again, just to be sure. </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">Mofitan screamed. His back arched, lifting his considerable bulk from the pavement until only his shoulders and heels touched down. He saw stars outside and inside, and he heard the enemy for the first time, the soft chuckle of a man who he prayed actually worked for Gervis Dern. The stars winked and began to fade. Dark, dark and more dark. A voice snapped like the metal whips of the net in his back. </span></div>
<div style="-qt-block-indent: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12pt;">“Well now. Isn’t this just something.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-46486033208075714162015-04-04T05:00:00.000-07:002015-04-04T05:00:05.228-07:00Guest Author: Elle BocaI have an amazing Urban Fantasy guest today, and I'm super excited that she found us here and wanted to come share her world. Her characters sound seriously original and she's going to give us a little more information about them and her newly released book<br />
Welcome, Elle! Take it away....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOh6_OVHKt0Luf6pbHl12Yrpjm0CNVXvFo5TmLBnVXsZ2x31Mor39Ug1M0Zi_rh1mLf1A5h4uRfIQ6nyk_eQQ3otAJY5UhVrSr8ATQxyzRgqndE6tJz1cEgbkhNpFyTrr6uhlZdYQuTGvZ/s1600/eb_weeiabanner4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOh6_OVHKt0Luf6pbHl12Yrpjm0CNVXvFo5TmLBnVXsZ2x31Mor39Ug1M0Zi_rh1mLf1A5h4uRfIQ6nyk_eQQ3otAJY5UhVrSr8ATQxyzRgqndE6tJz1cEgbkhNpFyTrr6uhlZdYQuTGvZ/s1600/eb_weeiabanner4.jpg" height="181" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Do you wonder how or why it is that some people stand head and shoulders<br />
above others in their work? It there someone you admire especially? Say,<br />
a celebrity, athlete, singer, guitar player, chef or dancer. Perhaps the<br />
person you noticed is not known outside his or her field. It could be<br />
anyone, a dog walker who has a knack for understanding your pet pooch;<br />
an organic farmer with a green thumb, a steak rub maker with an uncanny<br />
ability to match flavors to perfection; an athlete who breaks world<br />
records; or a diver who can do impossible things in the water you.<br />
<br />
Perhaps they are Weeia (pronounced way-yah), superhumans who are like<br />
you or me in almost every way except that they have extra abilities.<br />
They live hidden among us unnoticed. Who is Weeia? It's hard to know. It<br />
could be your neighbor, the person behind you at the grocery store, your<br />
banker, boss or doctor, maybe a person you’ve known all your life.<br />
Although many Weeia live in secluded communities, from time to time a<br />
few Weeia choose to live with people, usually in big cities where<br />
they’re most likely to blend in with the crowds. The abilities of Weeia<br />
among us are always explained away. They look like us; they hurt and<br />
bleed like we do. Test their DNA. Go ahead. You won’t find anything<br />
extraordinary.<br />
<br />
Their superhuman abilities, which vary by type and strength, fall into<br />
four main categories: Emotional, Material, Mental, and Temporal. Weeia,<br />
it’s the same word for one or many, can be Lowes, Medius or Maximus.<br />
Lowes is the most common which might explain how extraordinary beings<br />
have lived on the same planet with ordinary ones for a long time without<br />
anyone, or hardly anyone, discovering their existence.<br />
<br />
Weeia abilities are varied, some common and some rare. For example,<br />
there are Weeia who can move so quickly no one sees them. Others heal<br />
hyper fast. Some can read people’s thoughts; pick up impressions from<br />
inanimate objects; or move things with their mind. Others can influence<br />
people and issue commands that must obeyed without fail. Rare Weeia<br />
control reality through dreams or travel in time.<br />
<br />
Weeia abilities first manifest in young adults. Something strange is<br />
happening and the most recent generation is not developing abilities the<br />
way they should. Amy McKnight is an exception. Raised as a human, she
discovers her true Weeia nature and rare abilities without warning or
preparation.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U9W8EKC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00U9W8EKC&linkCode=as2&tag=simonandbaker-20&linkId=6U7NDD2LANNAXZNG" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U9W8EKC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00U9W8EKC&linkCode=as2&tag=simonandbaker-20&linkId=6U7NDD2LANNAXZNG" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZfCWK8il3U6EdlnBhugkYAK-8LA6xq8CqLh8I1gAR-g__TizLxItRVYvY5COz9qBXdy_t0b-lVgeakGd8SpfyS8T_8sK32inYrZ9ixx3QhLHyqtW7gG9rDY1CYN6CUdFpET80Rq5FfqtZ/s1600/Unelmoija+Paradox+400.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="19229086" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386318596l/19229086.jpg" /></div>
<br />
About Elle Boca<br />
<br />
Elle is the author of the Miami Weeia urban fantasy series about
superhumans. Unelmoija: Paradox, the final book in the series, was
recently published. Growing up the only child of a monkey mother and a
rabbit father she learned to keep herself entertained and spend time
reading. She makes her home with her husband in South Florida. Find her
at http://elleboca.poyeen.com/<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Links:<br />
<a href="http://Goodreads www.goodreads.com/book/show/19 229086" target="_blank">Goodreads www.goodreads.com/book/show/19</a><br />
<div class="a3s" id=":19r">
<wbr></wbr><a href="http://Goodreads www.goodreads.com/book/show/19 229086" target="_blank">229086</a><br />
Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/elleboca">https://twitter.com/elleboca</a><br />
Amazon author page<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Elle-Boca/e/B00HRCBEYK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Elle-Boc</a><wbr></wbr><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Elle-Boca/e/B00HRCBEYK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1" target="_blank">a/e/B00HRCBEYK/ref=ntt_athr_</a><wbr></wbr><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Elle-Boca/e/B00HRCBEYK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1" target="_blank">dp_pel_1</a></div>
Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5934580606374009716.post-14659910333144286482015-03-31T20:44:00.000-07:002015-03-31T20:44:24.647-07:00Missed a Release Day! Well my brain has officially derailed. Call it old age, not enough coffee, brain damage, whatever you like. They probably all apply. The second Princes of the Shroud book is out, and while I think I put it up on the books page. (reminding self to go check) I missed an actual, like announcing it.<br />
<br />
So..here it is. A day late and....well you get it.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Princes of the Shroud</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
book two</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
SEEN</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Seen-Princes-Shroud-Book-2-ebook/dp/B00TMX0EIO" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/Seen-Princes-Shroud-Book-2-ebook/dp/B00TMX0EIO" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKjMi76mLDAUfS5hIyk3WDIZdLP9GV3dbi9S0W2lUH-6FXeRFzIaPhPxeDElVzHCW96FQTne3_o0Poh6CHD8AE1dBB0CoMxrlBh2-YrMboxlMBVWlvSoQEVzkS8yqftYIz9suh2nmy_Yv/s1600/71g13aOiYXL._SL1500_.jpg" height="400" width="278" /></a></div>
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now available :)</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Seen-Princes-Shroud-Book-2-ebook/dp/B00TMX0EIO" target="_blank">Kindle</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seen-frances-pauli/1121223067?ean=2940150128910" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a></div>
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Rowri is a priestess with prophetic dreams—and she’s dreamt of her
soulmate. So when she volunteers to be the gifted bride in a peace
negotiation between her own peoples and the Tolfarians, she is certain
that the lilac-skinned man in her visions is the Tolfarian leader she is
to marry.
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<br />But prophecy is never simple, and visions are never clear. Shayd, a
seer and one of the Shrouded, is summoned to transport Rowri to her new
husband-to-be. When Rowri sets eyes on his lilac skin, she knows she’s
made a terrible mistake—one she’ll have to live with for the rest of her
life if she wants to save her people and prevent war.
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<br />The two are drawn together, and the fates of two races hinge on the
decisions they make. On the precipice of volcanic eruptions, galactic
terrorism, and mercenary attacks, Shayd and Rowri must give up every
hope of happiness for their people, or sacrifice everything for true
love.
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Frances Paulihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690177907315923299noreply@blogger.com