Into the Flames Excerpt 4: The Dinner

 I had almost forgotten that Onyx and I were supposed to fight and we were halfway through dinner. This was going to be amusing, because I was the only one that knew the fight was a set up.

I decided I would get up to get more tea when it was time, so I picked up the glass and finished it off. I looked up to watch Onyx and find something to fight with him about. I noticed his elbows were on the table. That was about the only thing I could see that wouldn’t be completely out there.

“Do your elbows really need to be on the table?” I said to Onyx with a glare.

He looked momentarily shocked, then he looked down.

“I didn’t realize they were on the table.”

I lowered my voice to almost a whisper since he was right next to me, but I made sure it was still loud enough for everyone to hear.

“I bring you over here so you can get to know my parents and then you disrespect them in their house.”

“Harley, dear, it's ok. It looks like it was just an accident,” my mother said looking confused.

“No,” I said, “It’s not. I thought he had better manners than that.” I stood up abruptly and grabbed my glass. “I think I need more tea.”

Everyone else was too busy looking anywhere, but at Onyx and I, they didn’t see me wink at him. A glimmer of question flipped across his eyes, but he didn’t say anything.

All excerpts are taken from a lightly edited first draft. The contents here may or may not make in to the final product as written here.

Into the Flames Excerpt 3: Beginnings

 At that moment we pulled up to the parking lot Onyx’s car was in, and I was speechless. Without another word he got out of the car and started to walk over to his. I put the car in gear, rolled down the window, and pulled up next to him.

“Onyx?”

He turned around and bent down to my window. I quickly wrapped my arm around his neck and kissed him the same way he kissed me in the garage. I pulled away, smiled, and took my foot off the break. The look on his face as I drove away was priceless.

Again, for some unknown reason, I felt like I had known him my whole life. I had never been so comfortable with someone before. I couldn’t wait to see him again tomorrow.

Right at that moment my phone went off. At the next light I pulled it out of my pocket, a text from Onyx.

Pick you up at your house at 3:00 tomorrow.

I didn’t know why he needed to pick me up. We were supposed to have dinner at my house at 6:30. So I responded:

Dinner is at 6:30.

He responded pretty quickly, but the light changed, so I had to wait until the next one before I could read it, and of course all the rest of the lights were green. As soon as I pulled into the garage I pulled my phone out.

I know.

That was all he said… I had to smile.

Okay, as long as we’re back in time.

Don’t worry we will be.

Are you always so vague?

Maybe :)

Are you going to tell me where you are taking me, Mr. Fielding?

Nope, you will just have to wait and see. So what are your plans for the evening Ms. Jennings?

Nothing really, just relaxing. How about you?

Same thing. Have a good night, darling.

You too.

All excerpts are taking from a lightly edited draft. The contents may or may not make it into the final product as written here.

My Editing Assistant Has a Wet Nose

Massive edits are probably my least favorite part of the process. I love writing. I love engaging with readers. I love formatting and layouts. I severely dislike editing. However, when I need to do big edits, I have a lot of help. When I'm ready to be done for the day, Alexandria (Peanut) steps right in. In my opinion, she's the cutest and most accurate editor anyone could hope to have. 

Into the Flames Excerpt 2: The Fire

 I woke up choking.

When I opened my eyes there was smoke everywhere. A set of large hands shot at me through the dark and ripped me from the bed. Without thinking I struck out with my leg, and I fell to the floor.

“Harley! It’s Arthur!”

I could hear the smoke alarm blaring in the background and I continued to cough.

“Use your air magic, pull clean air to your face!” Arthur yelled through the chaos. “When you can breathe, use your fire magic to slow the fire down!”

“Ok,” I croaked as I followed him from the room.

We went into his bedroom and he lifted the rug, once he got the panel open, he had me go down first.

“Why…are we…down…here!” I yelled between coughs. “We will…burn…to death!”

“This room doubles as a bunker,” he replied. “We will be fine down here. I'm going to call your dad and let him know what's going on. Sit down and catch your breath. If you can, do your best to keep the damage to a minimum. I’m sure one of the neighbors has called the fire department.”

I sat down and reached for my fire magic. I coaxed it to slow down. I used every ounce of energy I had to try to contain the fire, but it was massive and I didn’t have enough control. Once Arthur was off the phone, I felt him gather up some air and send it out. I listened for it to come back. The fire department was here.

This excerpt was taken from a lightly edited first draft. All content here may be changed or removed from the final book. 

Into the Flames Excerpt 1: Onyx

 When I was almost finished eating, I saw someone watching me from the other side of the river. He was in the fountain and partially hidden. Something about him drew my attention. I had an overwhelming need to talk to him. Part of it was driven by the need to know why he was watching me so intently, the other part I couldn’t explain. I finished the last few bites of pizza and tossed the container in one of the trash bins. I walked back over to Saginaw St., and across the river. I could feel his eyes on me the whole time. I carefully made my way down to the concrete fountains and falls.

He was tall and lean. He had short, rumpled, light brown hair, and amazing deep blue eyes, which further showed off his handsome face. He was wearing black dress slacks and a cream button up dress shirt, but he was barefoot in a fountain…watching me.

“Aren’t you afraid you’re going to mess up your pants?” Yep, that was the first thing out of my mouth. Wonderful.

He slowly raked his eyes up my body. Black skateboard shoes, long legs, covered only by cut off denim shorts, with a band t-shirt that was slightly too big. He took in every detail of my face, studying me like there was going to be a test later. He was silent for so long I was starting to get uncomfortable.

“Not in particular. I can always change my pants,” he said with a grin.

“Harley,” I breathed. His voice struck a chord in me. I couldn’t help but to smile back at him.

“Onyx. It’s nice to meet you.”

When he shook my hand I felt a spark and flinched slightly. I can read thoughts, but only through physical contact. I had hoped to figure out why he was watching me. For some reason I couldn’t. That had never happened before. Interesting.

In a secret world of elemental control, I was in my own secret corner. Hayden is the only other person that has my particular talent that I know of. We try to keep it under tight wraps; we don’t want people trying to use us, even in our own community of Elementals. Hayden and I had learned that the two of us, if we focus really hard, can send thoughts back and forth without having to touch or be close together for that matter. We tried sending them to other people but that didn’t work.

“So, Onyx, why are you standing in the middle of a fountain, with pants on no less?” No one can say I’m not direct.

“Just thought I would enjoy the view. Besides, the water is cold; I thought it would be nice to cool off for a few minutes,” his grin was wide as ever.

“It is beautiful here,” I said. “I used to play here as a kid.”

“I wasn’t talking about the park, my dear.”

With that he turned and walked away, vaulting out of the fountain with more grace than a cat. I stood there for a moment stunned at the abruptness of his departure.

“Wait!” I yelled as I started to run after him.

I took three steps before my foot slipped. I tumbled out of the fountain and into the river. When I came up to the surface I saw him standing on top of the concrete bank chuckling.

“You could come help me, you know.”

“Ah, but that might mess up my pants.”

He flashed me a grin and walked off, still chuckling. Great.

This excerpt was taken from a lightly edited first draft. All content here may be changed or removed from the final book. 

Beta and Edits

 After a couple severe illnesses and some personal matters came into play... I am back on here! I have been pushing through with the writing/editing processes! It's been a journey for sure!

Rage is officially up for beta (and has been for about three weeks now)! I'm most likely running the beta through early October. After that I need to push it over to my editor (who is also my cover artist, yay for knowing a professional graphic designer/corporate editor). My mom is still working on drawing the map up for me. Right now it is still just a loose, and kind of sad, paint drawing. I'm seriously hoping for a February release date. My grandma's birthday is February 13th. We lost her this past December She was one of the greatest human beings I've ever known. She was the second person to buy the first thing I ever published (beaten out only by my mom). She always made sure I knew she was proud of me. She is greatly missed, and it would mean a lot to me to dedicate the publication of one of my books to her.

Into the Flames is more than halfway through the massive overhaul I'm putting it through. Even with all the changes I've made to it, it still doesn't quite sound like the writer I have become. I've decided it will just have to be acceptable enough. The second book in the series will sound a lot more like me as I am now. 

Looking forward, the second book in the Spirit of Fire series is up next. Once I have that written and out there for beta and edits, I'll be jumping back to Justified. This blog should start getting back to regularly scheduled posts soon. I'm still trying to find my rhythm again after all of the crazy of the past few months (thanks to scheduling way in advance, the posts continued on for a while after I had to take a step back). 

Rage Excerpt 13: The Interrogation

 I assessed him a minute, glanced to Lexi, and tipped my head toward the door. She only hesitated a minute before getting up and leaving the room. After the door closed behind her, I waited a minute longer. The prisoner was still laughing. I’ve been told I have “Alpha blood” in me. Time to test that. Hopefully Lexi got the hint and would keep Nic and Ty out.

I took a slow deep breath and flicked my wrist, yanking the chair out from underneath him and shattering it against the wall behind him. I leaned back and crossed my arms. He was on the floor, awkwardly trying to get up since his hands were still chained to the top of the table.

Once he was on his feet, he tried to yell something at me, but squinted at the collar on his neck and tightened it. I steeled myself for what was next. Nic was going to kill me if this guy didn’t.

I waved my hand absentmindedly, snapping the chain that was connecting him to the table. He started to move toward me, and I let him.

“You want to know why he “bows” to me?” I asked, with a calm only years of practice had given me. His hands reached out to my neck, and I let them get within inches. I seized the steel cuffs with my magic and yanked them straight up into the air, so quickly and violently he cried out as the strain on his shoulders intensified.

“You see, he didn’t find me very intimidating either. Until he went head to head with me.” He was on his tiptoes, unable to pull his hands back down. I tightened the steel so his wrists couldn’t slide through. I hadn’t moved at all from the causal pose I had taken up when I sent Lexi out. “I want information. You are going to give it to me. Whether it’s by sitting at this table or getting slowly pulled apart by my friends.”

Just as quickly as I flung his cuffs into the air, I slammed them down almost to the ground, bringing him to his knees. I stood up and took a step closer to him. He raised his head defiantly as I stood over him.

“Look at that. It’s your turn to bow.” I walked in a slow circle around him, concealing my shaking hands. “You’ve got 30 seconds to make that decision before I fling your cuffs to the ceiling and invite them in to do as they please.”

“You bitch…” he started.

“Yes, I know. I’m told I can be quite the pain in the ass.”

“I won’t give you anything. Send the wolf in and I will tell him what he wants to know.”

I flicked my wrist and brought his cuffs up to waist height, watching as he struggled to stand. I looked him right in the eye before tipping my head to one side.

“I have that effect on people. Sure you can talk to him. If I’m not happy though…” I clicked my tongue.

I moved his cuffs slowly over to the table, then made the chair I had been sitting in zoom over to his side. Once he sat down, I scooted him and fused the cuffs to the table.

“Be right back,” I said brightly.

As soon as I closed the door behind me, I doubled over. My hands and legs shaking violently. I heard the door to the viewing room open, and wasn’t able to hide the shaking. It was Lexi, with a gleam in her eye.

“The boys would like a word with you,” she said formally.

I shook myself, literally and physically, and nodded to her. I straightened my spine, capped my emotions, and braced for the whirlwind that was about to come out of that door.

This excerpt was taken from a lightly edited first draft. All content here may be changed or removed from the final book. 

An Interview: Lexi

 “Thank you for coming in for the interview today.”

“Author didn’t really give me a choice, did she?” Lexi said, leaning back in the chair and crossing her arms.

“It shouldn’t take up too much of your time. What do you like about your job?”

“It pays, and I’m good at it.”

“Ok, what got you started in it?”

“I’m good with numbers, and it sort of fell in my lap at a time when I needed something. It’s as good a job as any.”

“Some would say you should find a job you have a passion for.”

“I have a passion for not going hungry and having a house to live in,” she said with a snort.

“Would you ever consider changing jobs, and if so, what would you want to do?”

“Accounting is easy enough for me, and it pays well. I don’t see a change ever coming. Unless, of course, things don’t work out in our favor in Aleiant.” Lexi crossed her legs, arms still locked over her chest. She had a knack for being intimidating. Her face did nothing to hide any emotion she was feeling.

“What’s a hobby you have?”

“Books and flowers.”

“How did those come to be hobbies of yours?”

She pursed her lips and jiggled her legs. For the first time since she sat down here, she didn’t look angry or intimidating. She drummed her fingers against her elbow.

“Books are an escape for anything and everything. They let you live as someone else, even if only for a fleeting moment. They don’t change, they don’t argue, they just are. As they have always been.”

She dropped her leg back to the ground, and her arms loosened their grip on each other. She wasn’t relaxed per se but close. She bit her lip and glanced up toward the ceiling.

“Flowers, on the other hand. They shift, but incrementally. If they are cared for and loved, they reciprocate. They speak in hushed tones to offer support and change the intensity of their scent to suit you. I can always go sit in the garden and leave feeling relaxed and centered. On the best days and on the worst.”

“That’s an interesting perspective. Not many experience flowers like that.”

“Then they aren’t paying attention. Fairies are more attuned to it, but anyone can experience the emotions flowers can bring you.”

“What skill do you have that might be surprising?”

“I don’t know how to answer that. I’m not all that secretive.”

“That’s fair. How about a skill you’re most proud of?”

She scrunched her face up but didn’t say anything. Her fingers resumed drumming on her arm as she thought about it, and the silence was stretching into almost uncomfortable territory. The question needed an answer, though.

“I’m proud of all of them. I honed them. I practiced. I put in the time to make them worthwhile. It’s not like someone else chose most of my abilities while I sat on the sidelines.”

The silence stretched on while waiting for an actual answer. Lexi didn’t like to give them up easily, but she would have to give up something. That is what interviews are for, after all.

“Finding and maintaining accurate history,” she finally said with a scowl. “Happy?”

“You could say that. Why is that the skill you are most proud of?”

“It’s not as easy as it sounds. You can’t always count on first-hand retellings, even less than second or third-hand ones. Everyone has their own narrative. Everyone sees events through their own lens. Your experiences and choices impact what you see and how you see it.” She leaned forward slightly, hands resting on her knees as she thought of how to continue.

“If you had a person in your life that was always yelling at you and criticizing you, and I never did. The only yelling I experienced was when something horrible happened. Then you and I witness a couple arguing in a coffee shop. You might feel sympathy for the one on the receiving end while feeling like the giver was a horrible person. I might see it as the receiver has done something terrible, and these are the consequences. That is a terrible example, but it’s all I can think of at the moment.”

“I see what you are saying. So if that’s the case, how can any account be taken as real and valid?”

“A lot of thought and investigation. The more accounts you have, the more accurate a picture might be. Going back to the argument in the coffee shop. We each have our account, but then you ask someone closer. They heard the conversation, and they were both mad at someone else. Not arguing at all, but mutually angry at a third party. It’s not always perfect, but that’s what happens when you pour through history and history in the making.”

“How much time do you spend on this?”

“Obviously, I’m not chronicling every person’s life in detail. It’s major events or anything that seems like it will be. It’s paying attention to the world around you. I can’t say I sit and do this for a set amount of time. It happens as history happens, but sometimes I like to look back and gain more perspective.”

“Fair enough. Ok, next question: what does the perfect vacation look like to you?”

Lexi snorted and leaned back again. Her enthusiasm and willingness to talk visibly deflated. Talks of vacations did not stir the same passion in her as thinking about history.

“Everyone leaving me to read in the garden. There is no danger of that, though. There is always something to be done. Vacations are a dream afforded to those who don’t need to work in this city. Or those who are lawful and good and work for lawful and good people. Go ask Vanessa when the last time she took a vacation was. Take off around here, and you’ll be replaced and rendered obsolete.”

“So you’ve never taken a vacation?”

“No. Next question.”

“What about a perfect date?”

“I don’t date.”

She tipped her head to the side slightly as if studying something. Her arms weren’t any more tightly crossed than they had been before. She was completely indifferent to the question and its answer.

“Ever?”

“Too complicated. I like living alone. I like not being connected to another person in such a way. If I want someone to share my bed… it’s not too hard to find someone and have them out before the sun rises. It’s exactly how I like it.”

“That sounds lonely.”

“That’s such a bullshit response,” she snorted. “It’s exactly how I want it, and I have people around me. I just don’t have a partner. I’m not lonely; I’m happy.”

“My apologies. And that was the last question. Thank you for…”

“Yep, yep, thanks, you’re welcome, bye,” she said as she stood and stalked toward the portal to take her back.

Rage Excerpt 12: Open Attack

 I couldn’t get the door open fast enough. Ty and Tray tried to stop me, but after one fierce glare they let me be.

The room was filling with smoke. Nic was already rushing around to bring everyone into the main rom. I looked around, but I couldn’t tell where the smoke was coming from. It just seemed to be everywhere.

“What happened?” I asked Nic.

“I have no idea. The window shattered and smoke started pouring it.”

“Have you seen any flames?”

“None.”

“They want to flush us out. For some reason they don’t want to launch an outright attack on a Committee building,” I said as I brought my sleeve up to cover my face. The smoke was getting thicker.

“Vanessa… we can’t stay in here, we’ll suffocate,” he said amidst a fit of coughing.

“We can’t go outside either. The room next to us, is it empty?” I asked.

When Ty nodded, we all started moving at once. It didn’t take me long to get the lock open with a bit of magic. They really should ward against that. I jerked my head toward the window, and James and I crept up to it. Slowly and carefully I pulled the curtain back just enough to peer through.

There were two witches in the courtyard behind the building. One of them was coaxing a small fire to increase in intensity, while the other was directing the smoke through our broken window.

“Thomas still has his bow and we’ve got your magic,” James murmured to me as we watched. 

“I’ve got a better idea. I was able to catch the signature of one of the Committee member’s magic,” I said with a grin. “That means I can send him a fire message.”

“What will that get us?” Nic asked.

“We can get the Guard to surround them. So far we’ve had to play defense. I’m more than a little ready for some offence.”

James kept an eye on the witches in the courtyard while I slipped away to send the message. I didn’t want to be too close to them, but they would feel my magic either way. At least this would only be a little burst.

It wasn’t long before my phone rang.

“Parker,” I answered.

“I have contacted the Guard. I also warned them you might send something out from the second floor. I wouldn’t want them storming up to get you too.”

“I appreciate that. Do you have any witches on staff?” I asked.

“None that will be close enough to help. What do you have in mind, Ms. Parker?”

“Just little containment.”

“Very well. I shall meet with you in your room soon. We don’t have time to wait.”

“We helped ourselves to the room next door,” I said.

“Very well.”

We both hung up, and I turned to Cassidy.

“You up for a bit of containment?” I said with a grin.

“I would love to be of assistance,” she replied.

“I will aid as well. I would like to see firsthand what we are up against,” Randle added.

The three of us went to the window and watched as the witch’s frustration grew. They hadn’t expected it to take us this long to leave.

I focused on the fire for a minute, trying to gauge the amount of power being used to keep it alive. It didn’t seem like he was worried about it getting snuffed out.

“As soon as that fire goes out get ready to freeze them where they stand,” I murmured.

I took a deep breath, shattered the window with a brief touch, and flung a solid chunk of magic at the flame. It went out immediately, much to the surprise of the witch fanning it. Before they could react, their bodies froze mid movement. I summoned more of my magic and did my best to mimic the bubble they had used against me more than once. I wasn’t as strong as they were, but I hoped it would hold.

“I don’t think we can hold them for long,” Randle said through gritted teeth. “Their magic is fighting hard against ours. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“The Guard needs to hurry then.”

I felt a surge of magic join mine. It surprised me enough that I almost lost my grip on mine.

“I can help you keep their magic in check,” Gus said as he stepped up next to me.

Dex also squeezed in and added his magic to Cassidy and Randle’s. Still, they were focused and strong. I didn’t know what was taking the Guard so long.

“In Vale they train fairies with witches in combat. They learn how to fight each other. It isn’t so much that they are strong, it’s that they are skilled at exploiting weakness in other’s magic,” Gus said. “While their governance is brutal, their unity among races is unmatched.”

“Perfect. That should make this easier,” I snarked. 

This excerpt is taken from a lightly edited first draft. All content here may be changed or removed from the final book.

The Proposal; The other Side

 A glimpse into what happened at the safe house to get ready for the proposal. 

A frenzy of activity started as soon as Vanessa left with James and Ellie. While Vanessa and James had set off to get coffee, Ellie showed Cassidy where her mother’s decorations were kept. Everyone wanted to get moving after we ate. Some of the decorations were too formal, and some were too holiday-centric, but others were just about perfect.

Cassidy sent Gus off to procure some seeds for her stash at their house after Thomas told them what he was thinking, and he was going to stop and grab Thomas one of his suits. While he was gone, Thomas, Cassidy, and Ms. Claudette got to cleaning. The place was well taken care of; Vanessa and Gus reckoned it was some sort of stasis spell that kept dust from accumulating while it was unoccupied.

“The couch will need to be shifted out of the way,” Thomas said. “I want to be able to walk straight through here.”

“We can turn it and slide it up against the wall instead of having it out in the middle. The table behind it can be moved in front of it for the time being,” Cassidy answered.

“I think we should extend the path into the entryway,” Ms. Claudette said. “He will see the flowers everywhere but won’t have the full effect of this room immediately. It would build up the anticipation as he walked around the corner.”

“I love that!” Thomas said excitedly. “Will you have enough seeds to do that?”

“I can generate more,” Cassidy said with a wink.

When Gus got back with pots, vases, and seeds, Cassidy set to work on the flowers while Gus took her place in cleaning. While he didn’t like using his magic for mundane things, they had a lot to do and not much time to do it. He slid the furniture around with ease while Thomas decided precisely where it needed to go. Watching Thomas scrutinize every detail and want it to be perfect for James caused some tears to well up in Gus’s eyes. Thomas was thinking through everything he knew James loved. Everything from furniture angles, lighting quality, flower fragrance, and unique relations and meanings behind it all.

“This is as much for you as for him,” Cassidy said.

“None of those details matter to me. I don’t care about the lighting strength and how it might change the feel of a room. James does. He is meticulous, thorough, and on top of everything all the time. It would make him happy to have all of these things right, even if he would never mention it if I didn’t do it. I want him to be happy.”

Cassidy burst into tears and threw herself into Thomas’s arms. Her tears brought some to Thomas’s eyes too. Ms. Claudette turned away, trying to stop tears from spilling down her cheeks.

“We still have a lot to do,” she said in a carefully controlled voice. “And Thomas still needs to change and grab the stone he picked out.”

“You’re right,” Cassidy said, sniffling as she released Thomas. “There will be time for all of this later. I’m just so happy for them!”

Cassidy went back to the flowers. They were coming along nicely as she coaxed them to keep growing. She caressed their leaves softly and cooed at them as they bloomed. She carefully potted some of them and asked others to release flowers for her so she could put them in various vases.

When Ellie came through the portal, it startled everyone. They weren’t expecting anyone until Vanessa gave them a warning.

“It’s me,” Ellie said quickly. “Oh my Gods, it’s so beautiful! And it’s not even done yet!”

“It’s getting there,” Cassidy said, still sniffling. “The plants should be ready soon, but I’m not sure what else we need to get done. How come you’re back?”

“I have to drop this off. James really wanted to come back to talk to you, Thomas, but Vanessa told him we didn’t have time.”

“He’ll be weirded out by that,” Thomas said, a little worried.

“I know, but he will understand soon enough,” Ellie said. “How much longer do you need?”

“Maybe… like, an hour?”

“Ok, I have to go now, but I’ll make sure we aren’t ready to head back before then!”

Ellie popped back into the portal, and it closed. She was only here about a minute, two tops. Thomas pointed out some of the metallic decorations and, after a discussion with Ms. Claudette, decided the best way to put them up to reflect the lighting the way he wanted. Candles and lanterns were lit and placed around the room to give an intimate feel. He had decided the overhead lights were too bright and harsh for the moment.

Thomas gave a few last-minute instructions before he slipped off to put his suit on. Gus didn’t go by James and Thomas’s house for a suit like he said he was. He bought him a brand new one in charcoal gray. As he slowed pulled it on, he realized Gus had done the alterations himself. The suit fit perfectly. Thomas stood in front of the mirror and turned slowly, looking at it from all angles. He had no idea how Gus managed something like this so quickly, but it was perfect. He could feel his eyes welling up again and tipped his head back to hold them in.

Gus sent vases and pots gliding through the air as he took instruction from Cassidy and Ms. Claudette. He threw in an opinion on occasion, but he thought the flowers looked beautiful wherever they were placed.

“The sweetpeas shouldn’t be in the entryway,” Gus said. “They are his favorite, so he should be surrounded by them when he is asked.”

“Oh, that’s lovely!” Cassidy said. “I think if they are all in there, the peonies should be too. I think that would have the best feel to it.”

Since that was settled. Gus guided several pots into place simultaneously while Ms. Claudette and Cassidy swept away all the unused decorations and the seed packets, empty pots, and cuttings.

As Thomas came down the stairs, they turned to look at him. He looked fantastic. His sandy hair was ruffled and unruly since he kept running his hands through it, but it was charming. An outward sign of nervousness and excitement.

“I’ll be in there,” Thomas said, gesturing to the door leading into the kitchen. “When he comes in, can you guys open the door so I know it’s time for me to come out?”

“Of course,” Gus said as Cassidy sniffled, fresh tears running down her face. “Fire message. Are we ready?”

“Tell her to give us a few more minutes,” Thomas said as he ran his hand through his hair again.

“Everything is perfect, dear,” Ms. Claudette said as she smoothed his lapels. “You look fetching, and you can feel the love you have for him in each and every aspect of this room. Take a deep breath, and go wait behind that door.”

“Thank you,” he said as he pulled her into a hug.

Gus and Cassidy each got a hug before he strode through the door. Ms. Claudette settled herself on a chair in the corner. Gus pulled on a suit coat. His pants were a little dusty, but he wasn’t worried about that. Cassidy straightened her sweater and picked off invisible lint while she waited.

They heard the portal open, and both held their breath. They heard Vanessa mumble something just before James stepped into view. His eyes were wide, and his hands were shaking slightly. You could see the warmth sweep over him as he took in the scene before him. A tear spilled down his cheek as he turned to hug Vanessa. Gus pushed the door open, revealing Thomas. The pure love and admiration that swept over James’s face as he saw Thomas sent more tears cascading down Cassidy’s cheeks. But James didn’t notice quite yet; he only had eyes for Thomas.

Just Kidding... Updated Release Info

 After doing some thinking and planning and looking at the logistics, I’ve decided to make some changes to the Harnessing the Flame series. The series is being renamed Spirit of the Flame, and the first book will be renamed Into the Flames (I just added an S there). I feel it will make it less confusing in the long run to give it just a little bit of space from the original releases. I don’t think I’m changing the name of Firebombed, but I will know for sure relatively soon.

 As of now, I am modifying the publishing schedule I was considering. Once Rage has undergone its overhaul, I’m shifting focus to Spirit of the Flame. I need to get the rereleases ready and scheduled. By the time that is completed, I should have Rage back from my betas. Changes will be made, concerns addressed, and then it’ll be sent off to my editors. While my editors are tearing into all the possible (read likely) mistakes I’ve made, I will dive into the second book of the Spirit of Fire series. Releases will alternate between the two series. This will allow me to write for one while the other is undergoing edits.

When Thomas met James

 A glimpse into the day Thomas met James for the first time. This is only the very beginning of their story, but I hope you enjoy it!

It had been one of those days. The hours at the bank were increasingly more erratic as his boss wanted to make sure to land a deal with one of the most influential financial powers in Aleiant. To have Raffe come over to handle all his dealings would be a significant gain for the bank.

It just meant more work, more stress, and longer hours to Thomas. His staff was incompetent, in his opinion. Nothing was ever done the way he wanted it to be, and it was his call godsdamnit. He was in charge, and they needed to get in line. He had to yell at two of them before lunch. The fact that one of them cried just showed how weak they were.

“Coffee. Black,” he said to the pretty blonde girl behind the counter when it was his turn.

“Sure thing, sugar!” she replied brightly.

He scowled.

“Do not call me that,” he said sharply.

He didn’t like this place. The owner, Kylie, Cara, something like that, was just too happy. She owned a coffee joint; what did she have to be so happy about anyway? The fact she couldn’t tell he was important and busy and didn’t have time to be bothered by the likes of her was just another strike against her.

“Your coffee, your excellence,” she said with a toothy grin as she set the coffee in front of him with such force it sloshed onto his sleeve.

“Godsdamnit!” he yelled. “Your only job in life is to serve coffee, and you can’t even manage that properly!”

“My apologies, good sir,” she replied silkily. “My apparent lowborn background didn’t prepare me for things such as grace or poise, but I see you were never taught manners or decency. So, I think we can call it even.”

She leveled her gaze at him and didn’t flinch as he returned her stare. Several tables around them had gotten quiet. He was fuming such a person would speak to him in that manner.

“Do you know who I am?” he snarled.

“No, but I suppose you’re going to tell me.”

“I am a top-level manager of Casey’s Vault and Trust,” he said, straitening his spine. “I could have any number of people come into this hellhole and shut you down permanently. Mind your tone.”

“Ah, very impressive indeed,” she said, tipping her head to one side. “I’ll just have to give Daddy a call to help me out. I’ll make sure to give him your name. He and Ralph Casey take the horses on a run together every Saturday night.”

“You know Mr. Casey?” he asked incredulously, taking a step back.

“Ralph is my godfather. I grew up playing in his gardens with his daughter, Amy. It would be in your best interest to remember kindness in all aspects of your life, sir.” She leaned across the counter and spoke in a low whisper. “I have enough gold sitting in a vault at Casey’s Vault and Trust to hire a staff to attend my every need for the rest of my life. I like this coffee shop and what it means to the people that come in here, and I like getting to know everyone from every path in life.” She leaned back, crossing her arms over her chest. Thomas was stunned into silence. “Working for a living, no matter the position, is a noble endeavor, and it would serve you well to remember that.”

Thomas grabbed his coffee and turned to stalk out of the place. He wanted to yell. To scream. To knock someone over. He did not like being spoken to like that. He couldn’t say anything else to that wretched woman, though. If she talked to Mr. Casey she could cause real and lasting trouble for him.

He was halfway to the door when a woman started to stand. He was waking too quickly to stop and collided with her. His coffee splashed all over his shirt and over the woman’s shoulder, running down to her skirt.

“Oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” the woman snarled as she whipped around. “This was new!”

“You need to watch where you’re going,” he yelled back. “Because of you, more than half of my coffee has been thrown around in here! You will go get me another one!”

“You here that, James?” she said with a laugh, turning to her companion.

“Be nice, V,” he said, leaning back and putting his elbow up on the back of his chair. “You heard Carly. Kindness is a virtue.”

The insufferable woman in front of him snorted and stalked around Thomas toward the bathroom. He looked over at James. A small smile played at his lips as he shook his head. Thomas watched his lips a moment longer.

“It’s apparent you aren’t having a very good day,” James said. Thomas couldn’t tell whether or not he was being mocked, but before he could answer, James continued. “Let me see if I can help any.”

He leaned to the side a little and stuck his hand out. To his surprise, the woman behind the counter, Carly, according to James, came right over and hugged him.

“James! I didn’t see you come in! Did I get your coffee right? I don’t like guessing when I can’t see you!”

“It’s perfect as always, Carly,” he said with the most dazzling grin. “I was wondering if you could do me a personal favor?”

“All you have to do is ask,” she said, still pointedly ignoring Thomas’s presence.

“This man here…” James paused.

“Thomas.”

“Right, Thomas here is having one hell of a day. Would you be willing to brew him up a couple of your best brews and toss in some muffins on me? He’s going to sit down with me and wait.”

Carley gave Thomas a sideways glance but nodded at James.

“You, James, are just too nice for your own good.”

“Vanessa reminds me of that every day,” he said with another dazzling smile.

Carley made her way back to the counter as James gestured to Vanessa’s vacated chair. He reluctantly sat down. More out of curiosity than anything else.

“Why would you do that?” Thomas asked with narrowed eyes.

“Why shouldn’t I?”

Thomas didn’t know how to answer that under his calm but scrutinizing stare. They sat in silence for a few minutes, a few minutes that seemed like hours to Thomas.

“While I agree with everything the women have said to you, I have a slightly different view on things. Yelling at you won’t help you. Showing you kindness while you obviously need it might. If I’m wrong…” he shrugged. “It didn’t hurt me at all to be kind anyway.”

Thomas stared at him a moment longer before Carly walked back over and set the coffee and muffins down in front of him. She looked him over once and walked back to the counter without a word. He could tell there was more she wanted to say but had decided against it for whatever reason.

“James! You have got to be kidding me!” James just grinned over Thomas’s shoulder. “Why in the world would you even consider helping this pompous asshole?”

Vanessa stalked up to the table and stood there with her hands on her hips, glaring at Thomas.

“Why shouldn’t I help him?” James said with a grin.

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because he was rude to Carly, spilled his coffee all over me, and then he demanded I pay for him to get a new one?”

“We all have bad days, V.”

Vanessa snorted and rolled her eyes.

“You owe me a new skirt.”

“Fat chance of that happening,” Thomas said, returning her glare. “If you had been paying attention, none of this would have happened!”

“If I had been paying attention? If I had been paying attention. Oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me…”

James put both his hands out. Vanessa stopped in her tracks and shot him a dirty look that didn’t seem to phase him.

“Thomas is sorry for spilling his coffee on you. Vanessa is sorry she yelled at you,” James said, looking at them both in turn. Before he could be interrupted, he continued, “and now we will go our separate ways and continue with the rest of our day.”

James stood up and held his elbow out to Vanessa. She grudgingly took it, and they started to walk away as Vanessa mumbled under her breath. James paused a second and looked over his shoulder at Thomas.

“I hope you have a better day,” he said, giving Thomas a wink.

An Interview: Ty

 “Good morning, Ty. How are you doing today?”

“Can’t complain,” he said as he leaned back in his chair, propping his elbow up on the back of it. “How about yourself?”

“Can’t complain. Are you ready to get started?”

“Mhmm,” he said, sounding more like a grunt than anything else.

“What do you like about your job?”

“Keeps me busy,” he said with a furrowed brow. “Raffe is a good guy. Coin is more than fair, don’t have to worry about much… Well, until recently. Lots of worrying across the board now.”

“Would you ever consider changing jobs, and if so, what would you want to do?”

“Nope. Work can be hard, but I’m good at it. My brother and I get to work most of it together. Not a bad gig.” He stretched his legs out in front of him and ran his hand through his hair.

“What’s a hobby you have?”

“Wood carvings. Small things mostly.”

“Small things like…?”

He pulled his legs back to him and leaned forward in his chair slightly. The first sign of more than professional courtesy or indifference he had shown.

“Usually small animals, but sometimes houses. I started making a small village a while ago,” he said with a gleam in his eye. “It’s on hold while other things are being handled.”

“I’m sure you could get some carving done while waiting for information or plans. Vanessa wouldn’t mind.”

“Maybe. I need my attention on the matters at hand, though,” he said as he leaned back. His expression shuttered. He wouldn’t go on with that line of questions.

“What got you started in carving?”

He relaxed a little, glad the subject of making time to carve now wasn’t being pushed.

“My mom carved things. She did figures and statues of all sizes. Sometimes things so big she had to make them in parts and attach them together. My dad would paint them. Sometimes the whole thing, other times just details.”

“That’s really great. I would love to see one of them sometime.”

He grunted in return. It was unclear if he agreed or not.

“What skill do you have that might be surprising?”

“Gardening maybe,” he said thoughtfully. “Nothing about me looks delicate, but I can cultivate flowers, fruits, and vegetables almost as well as a fairy. Just not off-season like they can.”

“That is fabulous! Do you grow a lot of your own food then?”

“Not a lot, but some,” he said, propping one ankle up on his knee. “I don’t have the time to dedicate to a full garden. I focus on a few flowers in the yard, some tomatoes, and some peppers.”

“Sounds rewarding.” 

He answered with only a grunt.

“What does the perfect vacation look like to you?”

“I haven’t really thought of it,” he said, frowning. “I work when Raffe needs me. Sometimes it’s constantly like now; other times, I have several days to myself. If I ever need time for something, Raffe would allow it. Unless, of course, something significant needed tending.”

“So you’ve never had a vacation?”

“I… I guess not in the traditional sense. But I am happy with my work and unbothered by not having a traditional vacation. If Raffe sends us to another city on business, he always tells us to take a tour of the city and enjoy ourselves.”

“Vanessa mentioned at one time that Raffe was not someone to mess with, but he doesn’t seem that frightening the way you talk about it.”

A Cheshire grin spread slowly across his face as he leaned back into his chair. “That’s because he knows I am loyal, work hard, and he likes me. Cross him, lie to him, or interfere with his business or family and you will see a very different side of him. Raffe runs in extremes.”

“I see. I’ll make sure to stay on his good side then. Ok, our last question before we wrap up: what do you think would be a perfect date?”

“Good food and starlight.”

“That’s pretty straightforward. Can you elaborate at all?”

“I think that’s about it. Good food; I’m not picky on what kind. Sitting under the stars.”

“Why is that the perfect date for you?”

“What someone considers good food is important in the long run. Sitting under the stars allows for conversations, but silences are spent looking up, so not awkward.”

“I like that. Ok, I’ve taken up enough of your time. Thank you for sitting down with me!”

“Mhmm,” he grunted as he stood and stretched before heading back to the portal that would take him home.

It is done!

Ok, not DONE done... Rage is officially written! Now it's on to editing. I have to do a major overhaul that includes: continuity, plugging plot holes, making sure everything is as fleshed out (or vague) as I imagined it, and my technical due diligence. After that, it's off to my lovely betas! They have to let me know what works, what doesn't, and whether or not they would buy it if they didn't know me. Followed by more edits of mine. Finally, off to my editors to make it all shiny and ready for consumption. I'm hoping this process will only take 4ish months, but I can't promise that. 

However, once I get through the overhaul, I will get going on the second book. I won't be getting excerpts out for the second book until a few weeks after the first book's release. I'm going to try to get some extra's rolling, though! There are already two more excerpts from the first book scheduled and a peek into the Thomas and James story! 

But! As it stands now, Rage is 365 pages and 115,669 words! I'm tired and happy and about to go enjoy some very nice apple brandy to celebrate its (sort of) completion! Cheers!

Rage Excerpt 11: The Date

 “Thank you, Vanessa. Now you take care of yourself, and don’t hesitate to call if you need anything.”

“I won’t. You enjoy your night.”

When I hung up, I felt lighter.

“I wouldn’t have thought of that,” Nic said, startling me.

“What?” I asked as I turned to face him.

“Asking Raffe for support with the Committee.”

“Well, you don’t work for or with him, so it might be weird for you to call him,” I teased.

“He probably wouldn’t even take my call,” he said with mock hurt.

“What are you doing out here, Mr. Corbeau?”

“Well, Ms. Parker, I’m taking you on a date.”

“You’re doing what now,” I said with a bit of disbelief. “We are camping out for the third day in a row, which means no showers or clean clothes. Not to mention tomorrow is a make or break kind of day.”

“I know,” he said with a mischievous grin.

I laughed and rolled my eyes. “I’ll give you this, you sure are persistent.”

“You did tell me you’d let me take you out.”

“That I did… Your timing is impeccable.”

“I know,” he said with an even bigger grin.

He walked slowly toward me and held his hand out, the question in his eyes. I could tell he was afraid I would reject him again. He really was sweet when he wasn’t being an ass. I put my hand in his and nodded. His answering smile made it all worth it.

This excerpt is taken from a lightly edited first draft. All content here may be changed or removed entirely from the final book.

Rage Excerpt 10: The Rescue

Dex gave me a panicked look before scurrying off, no doubt to tell Randle what happened. As soon as the door closed behind us, I pointed to the balcony, and everyone followed me. I created a box of silence for us to talk in.

 “That sadistic bitch! We can’t leave without Cassidy!” Nic growled as soon as the box was covering him.

“We aren’t. We just need a plan,” I replied. “The problem is, I don’t know where they are keeping her…”

Just then, a small rock flew into view and tumbled across the balcony. I held up my hand before creeping to the edge of the balcony and peering down. Randle was looking up at me. He looked disheveled. He started to open his mouth, but I shook my head and held up a finger. I turned and slipped back into my box.

“Randle is down there. I’m going to bring him up,” I said. 

“Is that a good idea?” Nic asked. “He’s one of them.” 

“He helped her before. Maybe he’ll do it again.”

Nic and Ellie both nodded. Tray was silent. I walked back to the edge and held my fingers to my lips. He nodded. I called on my magic and used a gust of wind to bring him up. He was so surprised, he almost called out, but at the last second, he brought his hands to his mouth. He landed harder than was intended, but I was trying to keep from using the magic for too long. I held up my finger again, telling him to wait, and I expanded the box. I made sure he could sit on the table comfortably without touching the box. I gestured from him to get on the table. He looked confused, but nodded and came forward. As he passed through the boundary of magic, he shuddered and quickly scrambled onto the table. 

“What was that?” he whispered. 

“You don’t have to whisper in here. I made a soundproof box. No one can hear us.” 

“That is really amazing,” he said with a touch of awe. “I have heard a lot about you, Vanessa. I have tried to keep tabs on you to make sure Cassidy was ok. You do not disappoint.” 

“Thank you? I think?” I said as I furrowed my brow. “I’m not thrilled about the spying thing… but we can talk about that later. Tell me, how can we help Cassidy?”

“It is… well… I know where she is being held. I do not know how to release her. The Queen will not let me enter, and you cannot leave your room.” 

“Lucky for all of us, I’m not good at following the rules. Does her room have a window?” I asked. He nodded, looking perplexed. “Perfect. How I just got you up here? I can get her down from up there.” 

“But then we will still be trapped. You will never make it off the grounds. Once Cassidy is discovered as freed, I will lose my life for treason, so I will be of no assistance to you.” 

“First of all, you will not be dying today. Not if I can help it.” 

“You cannot. The Queen will not be persuaded by an outsider.” 

“Randle, you underestimate me,” I said with a grin. “Your Queen does too. Do you trust me?” 

“Yes,” he said with no hesitation. 

“Good, then saving your life will be easy. Now, tell me what I need to know about this room Cassidy is in.”

This excerpt is taken from a lightly edited first draft. The content here may change or be removed all together from the final book.