All the Small Things

Naming things is hard for me. I really hate it. I can create an entire universe and get super passionate about it like:

Ask me to name said world or character and I will just stare at you. So, when trying to decide the name of this weeks post, I sat here staring at my screen for a while. It was just about all the small things that were cropping up. Which, of course, got me singing some Blink 182. You're welcome. 

Since I'm always excited about them, I have a new nail update! I'm cat obsessed, and that is the current theme:

I've fallen a little behind with my editing. I was doing so well too. My sister had been wanting to move, and one of the townhouses in her complex had an opening. The place took what felt like forever to say they were approved and told her they would have a week. Great, right? Yea, well, they gave her the keys two days later and basically said, "haha jk, you have two days." It was like two and a half days, but still. We spent the middle of last week scrambling to make it happen. My mom, Naomi, and I were over there helping her. Let me tell you... Her apartment has vinyl floors laid over concrete. My dumbass thought it was a great idea to walk around barefoot all day while helping her pack. My body informed me the next day that I was definitely too old for that. We got it done, though!

Friday I was so sore and tired from all the scrambling that I accomplished getting my nails done, changing all the icons on my phone (new month, new phone screen!), and accidentally napping. That was it. I'm getting everything back on track as much as I can lol 

Tuesday is my cleaning day. I hate cleaning, I like the house clean. So, I lump all the cleaning together in one day. I mean, spot cleaning still happens. I just sweep, clean the appliances, clean the bathroom, vacuum, etc on Tuesday. Cleaning all day and grocery shopping so close to getting my knees and hamstrings to feel normal after the move was not a good call. But I did it. It is done. I am very tired and ready to spend a lot of time sitting with my laptop editing and writing. 

So, I am a little crazy and my brain just loves to give me more things to do. I've started what I'm calling A Guide to Athric (the world the Justified series is set in). It's a history of the place mixed in with a short story that threads its way through it all. It's not my top priority right now, but I do set time aside each week to work on it. There may be more updates about that coming soon-ish. 

That's probably enough rambling for today. I have a lot of stuff on my plate to get done.

Until next week ♥

When Gus Met Cassidy

 

It was another long and hot day. The training schedules were brutal, and Gus could never understand why. There hadn’t been a war in over 500 years. As much as he hated it, there had been some benefits. One of the leading families had been impressed by his skill. He had been offered a position with them. At first, he was managing their house and staff, listening to the staff from other families gossiping and other menial tasks. It had been a few years now, and he had earned his place at the table.

The Monroe name used to command respect, but after his father died, his mother fell apart. They still had their wealth, but being seen in every tavern in the city from open to close had destroyed what was left of their reputation. Gus was going to restore it. He now took meetings on behalf of Mr. Talsa. When he spoke, it was known he was speaking on behalf of the Talsa family. He still had to finish his training at the academy. If he could make it just one more year, he would never have to wield combat magic again.

Gus turned his attention back to the task at hand. He was restoring the family home himself. His mother was still spending all her time with whatever alcohol she could find, but he was now in charge of the estate. He wiped his forehead on his sleeve and went back to sanding. Once he buffed out the rough spots, he could move on to staining. All he had left to sand was the top of the railings.

“If only you had some kind of tool at your disposal that could mold that wood at the flick of a finger,” called a familiar voice.

“I like to work with my hands,” Gus replied with a smirk. “What are you doing on this end of town, Jeremy?”

“Thought I’d come by and check on you. No matter how many times you tell me you like working with your hands, I just can’t wrap my head around it.”

“It feels like more of an accomplishment this way,” Gus answered, tossing Jeremy a piece of sandpaper attached to a block. “See for yourself.”

Jeremey balked at the idea. Gus chuckled and went back to work sanding. He didn’t think it was so strange that he wanted more than just powerful magic. Sure, with a few waves of his hands, he could have the wood bent and melded to his liking in seconds. Where was the pride and accomplishment in that? He had to throw magic around violently all morning four days a week and again at the request of the Talsa family if they needed it six days a week. While at home, he just wanted to create something with his own hands.

To Gus’s surprise, Jeremy started sanding. Gus thought about commenting but refrained. It would be better to just let him have the experience. They worked in silence for another hour. The railing was almost perfect. The soft scrapping of the sandpaper had brought calm in to settle around them.

“Ok,” Jeremy said with a sigh. “I get it. It’s kind of nice. There is a little more pride in the finished product. BUT this way took hours!”

“You’ve only been here for around an hour.”

“It feels like three. And my arm hurts.”

“You get used to it,” Gus said with a grin. “Builds character.”

“I have all the character I need. Can we at least get a beer? If I’m going to be forced to stay here and do hard labor, I should at least be compensated with a nice beer.”

“No one is forcing you to stay or to do mild labor.”

Jeremy scoffed. Gus knew he would never admit to wanting to stay. So he punched him lightly in the arm and went to grab him a beer.

“I love you. You are the greatest person that has ever walked these streets,” Jeremy said as Gus handed him the beer. “You will always have a special place in my heart.”

“Has anyone told you that you’re dramatic?”

“I take pride in it,” Jeremy said before taking a long drink.

“Alright then, Drama King, are you going to help me stain the porch or not?”

“I guess. If you’re going to twist my arm."

 

They were almost done when a call from Mr. Talsa came in.

“Is there any way you can take a meeting for me tomorrow morning? I just got called away to Prush, but this is important.”

“It shouldn’t be an issue. I just need to let the academy know.”

“I’ll take care of it. They need to know it’s on my request, though, I’ll tell them it’s an order,” he said with a chuckle.

“I appreciate it. They can’t very well say no to you.”

“The benefits of my friendship,” he said. “You’re really helping me out here. I won’t forget it.”

“It’s my pleasure to help.”

They ended the call, and Gus turned to finish up but realized Jeremy had taken over. He was concentrating intensely on getting it right. He felt a sense of pride well up in him. Jeremy had become a lot like a little brother. Helping him find his way made Gus feel like he was making a real difference in the world. This was the first time he actually offered to help with something this close to manual labor. He knew better than to expect this level of investment all the time.

“I think it’s done,” Jeremy said as he looked around.

“I’d say so,” Gus answered.

“What might it take to get a hot meal?”

“I think I can make that happen,” Gus said, slinging his arm around his shoulders. “You did good, kid.”

“Kid?” Jeremy laughed. “You’re like four years old than me!”

“And decades smarter.”

 

He was going to be a little early for the meeting, but early was always better than late. He slowed his horse down to meander through the streets. He got the details of the meeting shortly after he got up. It was a routine meeting. Meet, kiss ass, make a pitch, and then wait for them to call. Talsa was in the process of developing some new tech. Gus didn’t understand it all, but he didn’t need to. That wasn’t his job here. All he knew was that it preserved a small amount of magic from creation to perform whatever task. It was genius. The magic wouldn’t last forever, and you’d have to pay to have it recharged. Something about the magic from the power grid wouldn’t give it the enchantment that made the things work.

Usually, Gus was just there to talk up the company and the family, answer general questions, and make the potential client feel special. He could do that easily enough. Afterward, Talsa met to discuss tech details and broker a deal.

His mind continued to wander as he looked around. Something, or rather, someone, caught his attention. She was beautiful. She was walking along one of the balconies above him. She was in an elaborate dress that seemed much too formal for this early in the morning. She wasn’t paying any attention to the street. She was talking to a young woman walking next to her. She laughed and took off running. He had never seen anything like it. She was just so free.

She spun around and called out to her friend. She must have felt him watching her because she turned and looked right at him. She raised her hand, and he thought she was waving to him. That’s when he collided with a sign and managed to knock himself off the horse. The wind had been knocked out of him, so he just lay there for a minute to assess.

“Are you alright?” a voice called down.

“Probably,” Gus answered.

“Should be more careful,” he heard as he sat up.

He looked around and saw the woman leaning against the railing, trying to contain a smile. He raised one hand to her as he jumped back up to his feet. He was going to have a lump on the side of his head. He looked up to the balcony again. The woman waved, letting her smile shine through.

Before he could say anything else, she turned and continued on with her friend. He had a meeting to get to.

I get a LOT of help when I sit on the couch to work

The Weather Outside Is...

 Horrible. Terrible. I'm over winter. I realize it's February in Michigan. I also realize winter isn't going anywhere for months. We literally get snow in April. The snow can be really pretty. If it could just refrain from landing on the sidewalks, driveways, and roads... that would be ideal. I'm just grumpy. I know. All the pressure changes have been doing crazy things to my allergies and my head. I'm ready for 75 and sunny. 

I've been watching a lot of home reno shows lately. I like seeing everything come together, but some of the choices made are... weird. Like, one of the design options added a bathroom to the house, but it would put the master suite and the pre-teens bedroom on different floors of the house. Y'all, they turned it down! How do you turn a full sized spa like bathroom?? I was stunned. 

I feel like the Twittering is going well, but I'm not so great at the LinkedIn lol So that one is going to exist, but probably not get used much. The blog posts have been steady. So yay me keeping on top of a thing!! 

Ok, I'm off to more editing related things. Until next week! ♥

Rage Cover Reveal!

 As the book progressed, I had a vague idea of what the cover might be. However, I was open to anything. My mom asked if she could have free rein on it. She's a fantastic artists, so of course I told her she could. She hand drew the image and did some digital enhancements. I'm pretty excited about it! So, I present to you: The cover of Rage!

Social Media?

 Turns out, I'm terrible at social media. I mean, I'm not all that surprised by it. I bailed on all social media except Reddit a long time ago. I apparently had a Twitter (I don't remember making one...) so I've updated it to reflect all the new writery stuff, followed a bunch of writery people, and we're gunna see how that goes. I'm trying to keep up a LinkedIn too. I feel like a cranky old lady and I'm only in my early 30s. How am I supposed to manage being active on Twitter, LinkedIn, and this blog while keeping up with the working, the parenting, and the homeschooling? Plus I should probably clean my house and cook food on occasion too. 

If you want to follow me on either, whether it's to keep updated or watch me attempt to make this work (o.o) here's my LinkedIn and Twitter.

Alexandria would like me to inform you this is a very hard house to live in. The people are always doing things, and of course, this means they need to be supervised. People cannot be trusted to just do things on their own. Kitty help is a must! After a very long day helping me deep clean the house, she just cannot go on. She's very overworked. Poor thing.

I was really happy with my Valentine's Day nails. The aforementioned cleaning resulted in some damage. They only lasted about eight days. Of course, I had to do them again. I decided to go super colorful this time. I did not think it all the way through... It took me like five hours to get them all done. Whiiiich put me behind on editing. My therapist says that's fine because self-care is important and my nails make me happy. He's probably right, even though I grumble about it all the time. My inner anxiety just likes to remind me that I set ambitious goals the last two weeks and is keeping score of how far behind I have become. I'm working on it. My nails are cute, though! Here's to hoping they last!

Aleiant: The Map

 I'm excited to show off the map of Aleiant! I drew up the original map in excel (what can I say, I love spreadsheets...). After that, I did a mock up in Paint, and it definitely didn't look like a small child did it. Luckily I am related to a fantastic artist that is willing to do things for me! So, my mom drew me the map!

She hand drew the whole thing, scanned it into to her computer, did some editing there, and printed this for me to put in my series bible! She has to do something else to it before finalizing the file itself to go in the book. I'm in love with this map!

Color Me Productive

 

First, Valentine's Day nails! I usually do my nails every two-ish weeks. Sometimes I do them a little sooner, it just depends on how well they are holding up. However, as cute as Valentine's Day stuff is... I actually hate it as a holiday. "Lets hype up a romantic day so much that it becomes stressful and everyone ends up disappointed!" Doesn't that sound great! I just wish so many people didn't mark it as an important milestone to judge the status of their relationship. I've had friends talk about it (from all genders) and now I hear my 17 year old daughter talk about it. Take the pressure off guys. One day of the year shouldn't decide the fate of your relationship. Ok, I'm done now.

I have been more productive in the last couple weeks than I had been in a while. I'm really digging it. I've had so much crazy in my life that maintaining a schedule and making plans seemed like an effort in futility. Hitting this kind of stride is a huge deal for me, so I always try to make the best of it. I have bi-polar disorder. I've been medicated for a little over a year now (I wasn't for a long time after a bad reaction to one set of meds). It really does help me a lot, but it isn't a cure. Toss in the ADHD and anxiety and you've got a party. I've started talking about it more because it's something that should be talked about. 

Even when medicated, I live in constant flow of peaks and valleys. My "normal" floats somewhere above or below what neuro-typical people experience as "normal". I see my therapist every week and he is super great. Even when I tell him that I'm pretty sure he has to tell me he's proud of what I am accomplishing (even when I feel like I have accomplished nothing) because it's in the secret social work rule book and he tells me there isn't a rulebook, secret or otherwise, of what he has to stay to his clients, but, like, that sounds like something the secret rulebook would say you have to say if the secret rulebook is brought up, doesn't it? Doesn't it?? 

Anyway, he puts up with me, he pushes me to challenge the stupid give up thoughts and make them into stupid go-to thoughts and it's helping. Even when I grumble about how if things would just work exactly how I want them to... I wouldn't be stressed out! So, I like to take full of advantage of these moments when my mind is clear and my drive is strong. I'm trying to get as many posts, and news, and whatever else queued up before the downswing comes in. These weekly more personal ones (what will most likely stay as Thursday) are done up either Sunday or Monday. So if they go missing for a little while...Well, they'll come back when I get my shit back together again.

Until next week! ♥

Two of my babies! Alexandria (Peanut) 4, Spade 20

I thought I was going to work. Peanut decided I was not.

When I work on the couch... sometimes it gets a little crowded.. (Turtle 4, is the middle, he's Xander's bio brother!)

It's a SnuggeryStickers Kind of Day

 I’ve posted on here about it before, but I love my planner. I personally use the Happy Planner, but I think all planners are amazing. I am only at peak productivity when I use my planner to map out the week. I sit down on Sundays (or sometimes Monday mornings) and plan out everything that needs to be done. From writing to chores to meals to appointments (and, tbh, parenting stuff ends up in there too). That said, I have always struggled to find writer stickers I liked. I mean, there are some, but they were all either too big, too small, too monotone, or too… something else. I just want to be Goldilocks, ok? I found some super amazing ones, and of course, the shop closes (I feel for her, we had a chat at one point, and some serious family stuff came up).

Since then, my mom has listened to me complain about writer stickers. A lot. So, being the super fantastic and creative mommy she is… she made me some. She has a Circuit, so once she got them designed, it was easy for her to keep supplying me when needed. Then, she asked me if I thought other people would buy them. It’s a resounding YES! She created a few different kinds of stickers, too (caregiver ones, cat lover ones, and woman DIY ones, too!). Her writer stickers are her best sellers. In my opinion, they are the best ones out there. I might be a little biased, though ;) If you are a writer or know a writer that needs stickers… send them to SnuggeryStickers on Etsy!

Published: Into the Flames

 The day has finally come! Into the Flames is officially published! I'm really happy I was able to make it happen today, my grandma's birthday. I'm very grateful for the people in my life that have helped me along the way. I have a lot of plans to for the future, here's to making them happen! 

It's available in print and as an ebook at Barnes and Noble and as an ebook  Smashwords!

How to Not Lose Your Mind

I'm really good at losing my mind. It's my superpower. However, this week, I'm working on not doing that... Meet my organization system! One is my planner. I use it to, well, plan. At least the important stuff, but sometimes the small stuff too. It really depends on how the week is going. Some weeks I need to be reminded to wash my hair. Other weeks I'm basically superwoman. It's really hit or miss.



The other two I call my Series' Bibles. These are where ALL the stuff from my books go. Everything from character descriptions, plot points, world building things, notes, lists of extras I want to produce, and soooo much more. I'm trying to get all my ducks in a roll. Some of them keep getting distracted. It's a work in progress. I'll let you know how it goes.

Fancy Meeting You Here...

 

It has become very apparent that I'm horrible at maintaining a blog! I always come out here with grand intentions of being right on top of everything… so far, it hasn’t been going as planned. But! Just because there is a lag in content here doesn’t mean I’m not doing the writing/editing thing. Things have gone a little off the rails here in other ways. After a lengthy battle with Naomi’s school over their refusal to protect her from bullies (she was literally cornered into a bathroom, held against the wall, and threatened more than once) and their inability to accommodate her cognitive processing disorder… I’m now homeschooling her. It’s been interesting, to say the least. However, she has made more progress with me in five months than she did in almost eight years in trad school. The rant I could give you about the ways kids with a different approach to learning are treated by school systems is long and full of obscenity. We are in a better rhythm now, so I have dedicated work time again (instead of hard cramming it in on nights and weekends). I have plans to keep the blog up again. We’ll see how that goes.

On to book things! Into the Flames is officially ready to go out once I have a finalized cover! The cover is almost done too! I decided to smoosh the two short stories into the book rather than publish them separately. It’s still rougher than I would like it to be, but I think that’s ok. I’m seriously hoping Into the Flames will be published on February 13. It should be, buuuut we’ll see!

I’m working on final edits to Rage. My beta readers have been amazing and have pointed out a small mountain of things that need to be addressed. It’s a little overwhelming at times, but all of it will make Rage better. I’m excited to get it all polished up and things!

So! Here’s to a better-maintained blog and speedy edits!

PS. I'm starting a new thing with pictures either at the beginning or end of the posts. Why? I think it sounds like a good idea lol

I've started trying to keep my nails done. I feel better when I do, and, I mean, they look nice! It helps that I have LED UV light and gel polish so I can do it myself! 

I've also started changing up my phone screen for each month! (Don't mind the calendar, figured I should remove the names from my schedule!)

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.