Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 337

INCREDIBLE DREAMS Blog Tour & K3 Giveaway

My deepest gratitude goes out to those who are following the Incredible Dreams Blog Tour & Kindle 3 Giveaway this month. Now that the tour is winding down (the last stop is May 30th at Everybody Needs A Little Romance), please don't let that deter you from entering the giveaway. A nice starter library from a group of fantastic authors (about 20 ebooks) will be awarded to the winner in addition to the new Kindle 3. For more information on the Kindle 3 Giveaway, please check the details at my website (http://www.sandrawrites.com ).



Here are the questions for this stop on the tour:



1. In Convergence by T.M. Roy, On what planet does this book take place? -- Find the answer at:http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0036RTYLA



2. In Cathy Wiley's book Dead to Writes, in what city does this book take place? -- Find the answer at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ZYEVWG



** Please do not post your answers here in the comments section. Send an email directly to Sandy at sandywrites@sandyslibrary.com.

GIVEAWAY: 5 FANTASTIC FANTASY TITLES

Are you looking for something new to read over the long Memorial Day weekend?  Here's just want you need.  Enter to win one of the 5 fantasy titles listed below (actually 1 lucky winner will be given both books by David Dalglish).  I have read the other titles and they are fantastic.  The participating authors are: LK Rigel, BLEEDER, David Dalglish, DANCE OF CLOAKS and DANCE OF BLADES, yours truly, QUEST FOR NOBILITY and Daniel Arenson, BLOOD OF REQUIEM.



Just leave your name and email in the comments section BY THURSDAY, MAY 26 along with your ereader device(KINDLE, NOOK etc) so the authors can be sure to send the right files off to the lucky winners.  4 lucky winners will be announced on Friday, May 27!





LK Rigel, BLEEDER

The King of Garrick wants to kill her.

The King of Allel wants to love her.

And shapeshifters stole her baby's soul! 



It's been a hundred years since sea-level rise and global nuclear war wiped out most of humanity. Mallory is a chalice, one of the world's rare fertile females who contract with the kings of the Concord Cities to provide natural-born heirs. 



It was supposed to be a pampered and uneventful life, but Mal becomes caught between King Garrick's scheme for world domination and the goddess Asherah's desperate plays for another god's attention. 



In her struggle to survive, Mal must confront the most terrifying threat of all -- the truth of her past and the inevitability of her destiny. 



REVIEW QUOTES:

"Many aspects of this book riled me, but in a way which was satisfying because of the realism. Think Darth Vadar: an absolutely wicked character but in such a way where you can't help but say he's a kick-ass villain. So with that in mind, I went through Bleeder hating characters, attitudes, and situations, but absolutely loving the book because of it."











"Yes! After having my interest piqued with Space Junque and Spiderwork, this book finally delivers on the promises those two novellas make. I was almost immediately sucked into this book, and where I found the two prequel novellas enjoyable but lacking a bit of depth, this book was just right. Rigel made me care about what happened to Mallory and Edmund, and I found myself biting my nails and rushing through to the end ...."

David Dalglish, DANCE OF CLOAKSThren Felhorn is the greatest assassin of his time. Marshalling the thieves' guilds under his control, he declares war against the Trifect, an allegiance of wealthy and powerful nobles. His son, Aaron, has been groomed since birth to be his heir. Sent to kill the daughter of a priest, Aaron instead risks his own life to protect her from the wrath of his guild. In doing so, he glimpses a world beyond poison, daggers, and the iron control of his father.



Assassin or protector; every choice has its consequences.

REVIEW QUOTES:"A Dance of Cloaks is what would you get if Mario Puzo #1) knew how to write, and #2) constructed The Godfather to take place in a land of swords, spears, and magic rather than New York and Sicily."

"The story is filled with well fleshed-out characters from various members of the thieving guilds, to the nobles of the Trifect, but most commendable, this author shines the light on strong female characters. From Kayla, the assassin, to Alyssa Gemcroft and the Faceless Ones, the women play a prominent part in the book."

DANCE OF BLADES

It's been five years since Haern faked his death to escape the tyranny of his father. He has become the Watcher, a vicious killer who knows no limits, and whose hatred of the thief guilds is unrivaled. But when the son of Alyssa Gemcroft, one of the three leaders of the powerful Trifect, is believed murdered, the slaughter begins anew. Mercenaries flood the streets, with one goal in mind: find and kill the Watcher.



Peace or destruction; every war must have its end.

REVIEW QUOTE:"The whole point of reading fiction is to become lost in the story the author puts forth. David achieves this in every book of his, I've had the pleasure to read."





Debra L Martin & David W Small, QUEST FOR NOBILITYThe parents of royal Otharian twins Darius and Dyla have been murdered; their cousin is stealing their throne, and they are falsely accused of murder. Their only choice is to flee to the forbidden and quarantined planet Earth, but it could turn out to be a one-way trip.



To return home, they must find an ancient crystal, that once belonged to Merlin, to power the return portal. When the twins stumble upon the location of the crystal, the local crime boss sends out his assassin to retrieve it. Can Darius and Dyla use their PSI powers to open the portal home and reclaim their throne before the assassin catches up to them?

REVIEW QUOTES:"...this fantasy tale is highly imaginative and quite engaging..."



."..science fiction/adventure novel has a lot going for it: believable lead characters, a classic coming-of-age narrative, and an interesting mixture of both high-tech science fiction and fantasy elements..."



"...The end is fantastic when all the threads that run through the tale are uncovered..."

Daniel Arenson, BLOOD OF REQUIEMLong ago stood the kingdom of Requiem, a land of men who could grow wings and scales, breathe fire, and take flight as dragons. Requiem ruled the sky.



But Dies Irae, a tyrant leading an army of griffins, hunted Requiem's people, burned their forests, and shattered their temples. Requiem fell. This ancient land now lies in ruin, its halls crumbled, its cries silenced, its skeletons littering the burned earth.



In the wilderness, a scattering of survivors lives in hiding. The griffins still hunt them, and every day promises death. Will Requiem's last children perish in exile... or once more become dragons and fly to war?

REVIEW QUOTES:"Beautifully written, engaging, exciting. The characters are well-developed with good depth." 

"A wholly original, gritty fantasy full of angst and epic battles."

Be sure to leave your name and email in the comments section for a chance to win one of the books!

WINNER of Intern with the Vampire

And the winner is:



Deb Peterson



Congratulations Deb!  You will receive an email from the publisher, 1889 Labs, with instructions on how to claim your book.



Thanks to everyone who entered the contest.

Review of RUBIES AND OTHER GEMS by Joyce DeBacco

 3.5 out of 5 stars

RUBIES AND OTHER GEMS is the story of a modern woman, Lily Manning, who struggles to balance being a wife, mother and finding time for herself.  It's never easy with two rebellious teenagers and a laid back husband who leaves all the difficult parenting to her.  What she wouldn't do for a few moments of peace and quiet to herself.  Through the power of her grandmother's ruby jewelry, Lily unwittingly has her wish granted when she is transported back in time to a simpler life.  It's all a beautiful dream for Lily, one that she cherishes as her "me" time.  When she wakes up from her dream, she has no idea that she has actually time traveled and that's when the trouble begins.  The next time her life sets her nerves on edge, Lily grabs her grandmother's rubies and is once again transported back to the same time frame, but with a twist.  She seeks out the sexy Daniel that she had met her first time back and indulges in every woman's fantasy enjoying an afternoon of passion.  This one decision sets Lily on her own path of self-discovery.

I found the character of Lily believable.  What woman today doesn't struggle with balancing work, home life, demanding teenagers and her own needs?  However, I struggled to understand some of Lily's decisions especially concerning her husband's reaction to her infidelity.  Yes, she felt guilty about her indiscretion and was trying to right a wrong, but she let herself become such a doormat to her husband's whims.  After awhile it was too much and I found her behavior annoying instead of sympathetic.  Dealing with a rebellious teenager is tough and Lily suffers through all the abusive behavior her daughter throws at her, all without the support of her husband Sam.  When she tries to reign in Molly, Sam undermines her authority again and that sets another disaster in motion.  Will Sam ever realize that his own "good guy" parenting is part of the marital problems he has with his wife?

All and all, RUBIES AND OTHER GEMS is an enjoyable read of a modern woman's struggles to find out what she really wants in life.  Ms. DeBacco throws one final twist in at the end bringing this story to a "good-feel" ending.

Guest Post by Rebecca Forster

OH HECK!  WHERE HAVE ALL THE BOOKSELLERS GONE http://www.rebeccaforster.com

I just read a book improbably titled The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I say improbable because my editors always advised that less is more when it comes to titles. Readers, after all, only give you seconds to catch their interest. It took me longer than that to sound out all the syllables in the aforementioned book. But all the seconds in the world would not have convinced me to read this except that it was recommended by an extraordinary person: a bookseller.

Which brings me to the lament the day and it goes like this: I miss real, true, dedicated booksellers like Mr. Bruce Raterink, Barnes & Noble, Virginia. He knows exactly what I like to read and what I write (contemporary thrillers and mystery, true crime) but he also instinctively knows how to broaden my reading horizons. Considering I live in Los Angeles and he lives on the east coast his talent goes beyond gift to pure wizardry.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, written with great verve, exquisite sensitivity and deceptive gentility, is set in a time of great sorrow, distress and courage – Europe's recovery after World War II. Juliette, the heroine, is a writer and the cast of characters are all readers (of sorts). A bookseller is early engaged to attempt to find a book in the ruin that is England. The intersection of my normal read and this book pivoted on excellent characterization and astounding pacing. 

But it was Juliette's praise of booksellers  - selfless people willing to endure long hours and no pay simply for the love of books and their readers - that gave me pause. Booksellers have played an intimate role in my professional and personal growth and I fear I have met the last of them.

Over twenty years ago Michelle Thorne enticed me to do book signing at her independent store. Unlike my first cool and corporate experience, signing at Bearly Used (and new) Books was like a riotous party at the Mad Hatter's table – always joyous. My books were piled in an optimistic pyramid as if Michelle knew they would sell by the bushel. There were cookies, praise, decorations, readings. Michelle was a social director, best friend, stern mom and cheerleader wrapped into one. She made me confident about writing when I was anything but.

Robin Elder was a beautiful red-haired woman who moved gracefully through her store lined with English mysteries, intrigues and thrillers and a select few American authors. I was thrilled to find my books on the shelves of her bookstore/tearoom. Having just moved, finding Robin made me feel as if I was home. But what I remember most is that she embraced my youngest, my curious little boy who preferred books to soccer in a new neighborhood that didn't have much use for the athletically challenged.  For over a year, before she was forced to shut her doors, she discussed books with him and allowed him to read as long as he wished, settled on a small window seat, kept company by her cat. He is now a playwright. His ability to write may be somewhat genetic, but his love of a good story was nurtured within the walls of a small store stuffed with unique books and overseen by a perpetually thoughtful bookseller to whom words meant the world.

Corki Brucellas, the energetic corporate angel who launched my last five books at my local Borders was a literary earth mother who believed each novel was a special delivery. She could discuss individual author's strengths and weaknesses. Knowing how fragile a writer's ego could be, she never voiced the later.  Now my local Borders is closed. Corki will always be a friend but it is sad she will not be a bookseller any longer.

Of all the booksellers who have helped me, nurtured me, celebrated with me, it is only Bruce
In my own backyard there is no one left who will call me by name when I walk into their store, I will no longer sign my name on the flyleaf of my book. I will not sit beside a pyramid-stack of real paper in anticipation of meeting people and being cheered on by the bookseller.  

Oh heck, I miss them. They will never be back because a good bookseller is inefficient and unprofitable. A good bookseller takes too much time to read, to understand, to seek, to find, to chat, to listen to author and reader alike. I am happy that at least one of them is still standing. He makes me lists of books to read and bucks me up when the writing is slow. He picks out passages of my work that he believes are particularly inspired which makes me work all the harder. Because he is there, I write and I read and I am better at both. Lucky me to know him and others like him and lucky Virginians to still have Bruce to press a book in their hands and say "I loved this, so will you".

Maureen Miller, 1 Year Later

How have things changed for you in the past year?I have two more wrinkles and perhaps two more pounds around the waistline. I have also had the tremendous opportunity to be published through Carina Press, which has not only given me the opportunity to showcase my writing in front of a broader audience, but also introduced me to so many new friends and peers in the industry.

What kind of marketing did you do to get your book in front of readers?I have been an active participant on Kindle Boards for several years, a site that hosts dedicated readers and authors that are all so very supportive.  I am active on blogs and I have a decal on the side of my car that says, "Read my book and I'll wash your car."

Do you have an agent now?  No. Not at this time.

Do you have a publishing contract for your current book?  Yes, I am published with Carina Press, Harlequin's digital press.

Did they contact you directly or through an agent?I received the call from none other than Angela James herself, the executive editor for Carina Press.

Is it for more than 1 book?No, currently it is just for Endless Night, however I am busy at work on a follow up.

Have you written your next book?Yes, I have completed the first draft and am fiercely editing as we speak.

Will you still self-publish?   There are times when your inner-author decides to write a genre or a subject that publishers might feel is not marketable, so I always see self-publishing as being an option.

How are your self- published titles doing?Very well. I understand that they may not be as polished as my published book so I compensate by offering them at .99 cents each. Two of my self-published novels have been in the top 100 Kindle romantic suspense books for several months.

Any advice for newbie authors?Don't write for the money. Don't write material you think people will like. Write from the heart. Even if you are writing a story about a woman, a whale and a grasshopper…it needs to entertain you before it could ever entertain others.

AUTHOR BIO As a programmer, I felt that the natural next step in my career was to write romance. Seriously, the romance writer was always there inside me, programming just paid the bills.  We all have that little muse hiding inside us that wants to come out and dazzle the world with some form of artistry.  My inner muse finally came out and produced a Golden Heart nominee in Romantic Suspense.  Since that, I never looked back and kept on writing.  

CONTACT INFORMATION Website: www.maureenamiller.comFacebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/MaureenMillerBooksBlog: http://maureenamiller.blogspot.com/

    

Interview & Book Giveaway: INTERN WITH THE VAMPIRE by Kit Iwasaki

Publisher 1889 Labs Ltd. is pleased to offer an ebook copy of Intern With the Vampire to one lucky reader. If you would like to be entered to win a copy of the ebook, please leave your name and email in the comments section by Saturday, May 21.  Using Random.org, I will choose the winner and the publisher will send the winner a coupon to Smashwords so that you can download the format that works for you!  So be sure to sign up!











Kit, tell us a little about yourself.Born in San Francisco, grew up in Chicago, and now live here and there and everywhere. I used to be a premed student until I realized I preferred fictional blood to the real deal. Now I'm trying my hand at the writing game – I used to write a bit in high school, but it was only in the last few months that I've really decided to go for it and see how far I can get.

Which authors inspire you the most? Too many to mention. When it comes to the paranormal genre in particular, I enjoy reading Charlaine Harris, LJ Smith, Laurell K Hamilton, and all the other names you'd expect. But I read a lot outside the genre, too. I recently finished reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami.

Where did the idea for the Vampire General series come from? I have a friend who's allergic to garlic and we always joke he's like a vampire. I like the idea of the "vampire condition" being a bunch of really basic medical curiosities bundled together, so it's less supernatural and more something you can catch, and something you need to learn to live with. And from there, the question is: given a dependence on drinking blood, or sensitivity to sunlight, or allergies to garlic... what other complicating factors are there in the lives of these "transhuman" people? And what can doctors do to help them? And that kicked off a giant idea about writing about the doctors in a hospital who have to deal with so many oddities, along with their own personal problems, since they're all transhuman too.

Tell us a little about the first book in the series, Intern With The Vampire. On her first day at Grace General Hospital, new intern Aline Harman risks vampire infection, vivisection, and having her heart torn out of her chest… and this from her colleagues. Juggling transhuman politics only becomes more difficult when a patient's life is at stake. With a zombie to resuscitate and a mermaid in critical care, Aline has her hands full. At least the doctors are good-looking.

Intern With The Vampire is the first in the Vampire General series, and sets the scene for all the future drama to come. If you like the sound of 'True Blood meets Scrubs' then this may be a book for you!

How do you research your books? Well, I spent a few years interning at a hospital for vampires, so... ha ha, just kidding! Actually, the process is pretty complicated. I try to base most of the medical situations on stuff that would happen to real people, but then give it a transhuman twist, so for instance with the mermaid case, I did lots of research on fish anatomy (and dolphins!) to give me a base for the problems that might arise. There are a lot of universal truths to medicine, but a lot of really fascinating exceptions that make for great drama. I don't use most of what I research, because if I did the book would be 1,000 pages long!

When it comes to writing, are you a pantster or plotter or a bit of both? A bit of both. I like to start out with as detailed an outline as possible, but I also like to be fairly flexible when writing. If you follow outlines too closely sometimes you can miss a trick, so it's important to follow the rhythm of the story and keep an open mind. You never know when two characters will all of a sudden decide to act up on you!

What's next for you?I'm currently working on the sequel to Intern With A Vampire, which is called Slash and Burn and is due for publication in June. It'll feature more Aline, more Scott, more Rocque, and more paranormal medical drama. I'm very much focused on writing the Vampire General series at the moment, although who knows what will come in the future.

Give us three reasons why we should read Intern With The Vampire.1) Because it takes the creativity of paranormal fiction and the tension of medical dramas, and combines the two into a fast-paced, entertaining read.



2) Because you won't have to wait long until you can read the sequel!



3) Because I have very, very good puppy dog eyes, and you don't want me to use them on you. 

BUY LINKS: Intern With The Vampire  http://1889.ca/books/vg1/ is published by 1889 Labs Ltd. (http://1889.ca/books/) and can also be found on Amazon.

AUTHOR BIO:Kit was midway through premed when she realized she loved the heart, but hated blood. It took her a few more years to figure out what to do with her freewheeling life, most of which is not fit to print in a bio. She decided to get back to what she was always doing anyway, and had been as long as she could remember: telling stories. Now she furiously scribbles out books for the Vampire General series, as well as other projects that will jump out at you when you least expect it.





LEAVE YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THE BOOK!  Contest ends May 21, 2011.

Review of THE GIFTS: A Jacody Ives Mystery by Linda Prather

5 of 5 stars

Gavin McAllister is a lost tortured soul, some say the very definition of a writer, but with a twist, evil knows him. The demons raging inside him send him gruesome dreams of rape, torture and murder, always with the same message. "You're too late McAllister." His only weapon to save his sanity is to write the stories down using his alter-ego Jacody Ives, to uncover the secrets and solve the crime. He is a best-selling author. He has the Gift.  

Call it psychic, intuition or gut feelings, Gavin is also determined to use his ability to help the FBI, specifically, his step-brother Rob and his partner Carl,  catch bad guys. But there is one twisted sick murderer that they haven't been able to catch for five years--The Mother's Day killer.  The killer always leaves a calling card at the scene of the murders taunting the FBI and Gavin has made it his mission to catch this guy.

From the opening scene of the book, the author does a fantastic job of reeling you into this paranormal mystery, keeping you on the edge of your seat while the story unfolds with one twist after another.  Ms. Prather is a master storyteller slowly filling in Gavin's backstory--he is a twin who was separated at a young age-- and when Rob introduces Gavin to his girl, a piece of the puzzle clicks into place for him.  Cory Larson is his long lost twin, adopted one day ahead of him.  Now she's back in his life and Gavin feels a modicum of peace, that is, until Cory becomes the Mother's Day killer's next victim.  Now catching the sicko is personal.  

Clues of Cory's last known whereabouts lead Gavin to a seemingly peaceful town of Glade Springs. Every town has its secrets and Glade Springs is no different.  Gavin is determined to uncover every last one of them if he has to, much to the displeasure of Sheriff Sarah Burns.  The dreams are worse than ever and time is running out, but there's a difference. This time Gavin knows the killer's next intended target, but will it help him get there in time?  

The tension and suspense in this book are definitely high-octane and will keep you up late at night turning the pages as fast as you can to find out what happens.  Just when you think it's safe to stop, another explosive scene is a page click away.  Highly recommended.

  

New Release: ENDLESS NIGHT by Maureen Miller

BLURB:  A woman hiding from her identity. A man trying to find his.

After witnessing a murder, Megan Summers ran until she reached the remote coastal village of Victory Cove. She has a new name, but she knows it' s only a matter of time before the murderer catches up with her.

Jake Grogan has come to town to unravel the mystery of his heritage. Instead of finding his grandmother at Wakefield House, he discovers an attractive stranger who will do anything to get him off her doorstep. Trapped by a storm, he' s forced to stay the night with Megan—a woman who keeps a handgun under her bed and closes herself off from the outside world.

Jake tries to dig deeper into his past, but he' s distracted by his fear for Megan' s safety and his growing feelings for her. Danger is drawing near and he' ll do anything to keep her safe. Will it be enough to help them survive the endless night?

Buy link:http://www.amazon.com/Endless-Night-ebook/dp/B004T4LBMY

AUTHOR BIO As a programmer, I felt that the natural next step in my career was to write romance. Seriously, the romance writer was always there inside me, programming just paid the bills.  We all have that little muse hiding inside us that wants to come out and dazzle the world with some form of artistry.  My inner muse finally came out and produced a Golden Heart nominee in Romantic Suspense.  Since that, I never looked back and kept on writing.  I am pleased to share with you my new romantic thriller, ENDLESS NIGHT which will be released from Carina Press on May 16th.  

CONTACT INFORMATION Website: www.maureenamiller.comFacebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/MaureenMillerBooksBlog: http://maureenamiller.blogspot.com/

Prologue "You're hiding from me, Margaret."Megan clutched the phone and slid to her knees, the tremors in her limbs rendering them useless."It's only a matter of time." His voice had the sinister resonance of an executioner uttering the words, any last requests?Cradled in Megan's lap, the GLOCK felt heavy against her thigh as her uncooperative fingers gripped the handle."You can't live, Margaret."Those raspy words incited her very obliging finger to loop through the trigger."I know this cell phone is being forwarded, Maggie. That poses only a slight inconvenience."A low hum of static filled her ear, similar to the sound of an electrical tower. She tried to place the sound. Did it divulge his location in any way? Was he close? Panic wormed into her throat, preventing her from responding, although being mute was the best option. Any response would have been confirmation that he had located her, and she wouldn't give him that one triumph. "It took some doing to even locate this number." His chuckle was oppressive. "But if I had killed you that night, then I would have missed out on all this fun."Megan's teeth bit down on her lower lip to contain her scream. She tasted blood."Sleep tight, Maggie. I will see you soon."There was no audible click, but the humming ceased. All that was left was the ragged sound of Megan's breath, and the pounding of the boxer scoring a victory knockout inside her chest.She dropped the phone on the floor, but retained her hold on the weapon. So many nights she had clutched it tight enough that her palm was permanently indented from the pattern of the grip.But this night was different. For one year the phone had remained silent, and at no point in the last three hundred-some days had she let up. Never once was she lulled into security by his silence, knowing that this night would come.Megan took a deep breath and looked up at the window. There was enough light left. She had a lot of work to do.    

#SampleSunday - PATH TO DESTRUCTION

This excerpt for Sample Sunday is from our novelette, THE PATH TO DESTRUCTION.  General Matthew Smith of the American Freedom Fighters is facing overwhelming odds as he tries to hold out against an unrelenting enemy swarming up from the south.  The United States is in danger of being occupied for the first time in its history in this post-apocalyptic tale and General Smith has one last desperate trick up his sleeve.

The sun was barely rising when I heard the noise coming from outside the front of my office.  I wondered who or what could be awake this early and got up to take a look.  I opened the door and received one of the biggest shocks of my life.  There in front of me was Kenzu, kneeling with his entire contingent of samurai warriors arrayed behind him.  They were all kneeling in concentric ranks behind their leader, arranged according to their particular standing within the elite fighting force.  It was disconcerting to see them like that, well over 250 warriors, all with downcast eyes, motionless and eerily quiet, like a powerful beast, crouched and ready to pounce on its unsuspecting prey.  I stood there, mouth hanging open, hoping I wasn't that prey.  "What's going on?"Kenzu slowly sat back on his heels and raised his head until our eyes met.  His face looked as if it had been chiseled out of stone, eyes inscrutable as ever.  He raised his arms from his lap and held out a magnificent sword for me to take.  I was unsettled by this, my mind whirling with the possibilities of what Kenzu offered, none of them any good for my health or well-being.  The next shock was what he actually said."Gomen nasai, Smith-san." I was even more confused than before.  What the hell was he apologizing to me for?  Was this some strange part of his Bushido code that said he must apologize before killing me?  I wasn't looking toward that prospect."Wakarimasen."Kenzu's mouth tightened slightly, whether to hide a grimace or a smile, at my Japanese.  I had told him I didn't understand what he meant.  "Please, let us speak in your language.  Your attempts at my language always hurt my ears. I cannot abide it today."His attempt at levity was a good sign.  I let out a pent up breath, not realizing that I had been holding myself rigid, poised to act at the slightest provocation.  Not that I would have stood much of a chance against Kenzu.  He was the greatest warrior still alive in this god-forsaken war at hand-to-hand combat and sword fighting. I had good reason for concern for my own personal safety because we had not parted on good terms the previous evening.  Actually, if I remembered correctly, Kenzu had all but threatened my life before turning and storming out of the meeting hall.  It took only a moment to rerun that conversation through my mind.  It had been brief and altogether too ugly."You ask too much," Kenzu had said last night."How can you say that after everything that has happened?""I am aware of our current situation.""Good, you're aware.  Then make the damn weapons.""It is disrespectful.  It is an insult to everything I hold honorable.""Honor?" I said incredulously.  "Take a look around, Kenzu.  What good does your honor do us?"Kenzu's face darkened, his hands balled into fists."I cannot do as you ask.""Then you are no better than the rest of them."Kenzu nearly lost his composure with my last remark.  His hand flashed to his katana and I thought he would draw it then and there.  If that sword left its sheath, there would be blood drawn.  He stopped himself, looked down as if ashamed at his loss of self-control, and released the deadly sword. "Smith-san,' Kenzu finally said.  "It is because of our long-standing friendship that I will not act on your vile insult."Then he looked up and locked his piercing dark eyes on me."But, if we ever meet again, the outcome will be very different."At that, he swirled around and left the hall.  The rest of his warriors, all of who had watched the exchange, left silently behind him.  No one in the unit had tried to stop them.  So, it was easy to understand my initial confusion, seeing Kenzu kneeling in front of me, holding out that samurai sword.  I looked at the rest of the warriors behind Kenzu and began to understand what was happening."You changed your mind?" I asked"Indeed."With no other explanation, Kenzu stood in one easy motion and placed the sword into my hands."My sense of honor may have been clouded on this issue, but the fate of our world is a constant reminder of what we face together.  The swords we present today are but the first of many to come.  It will take time to create the number you seek, but my warriors and I will prevail. We will not fail."I looked back and saw that every one of the warriors had a second sword in their possession.  I guessed that they had stayed up all night preparing them.  Their effort had been monumental and I gratefully accepted the gift Kenzu offered me.I looked down at the sword and marveled at the wonder of it.  Outwardly, it looked no different than the katana that Kenzu wore at his side.  It was inside the sword's handle where the difference lay.  A microchip embedded inside the handle was connected to a series of grafted conduits directly beneath the outer skin of the sword handle.  When activated, the conduit made a passive connection with the nexus of nerves in the user's hands, and through them, a pathway to the user's brain.  Once the neural pathway was established, the transference of skills and memories lying recorded in the weapon's circuit, were passed directly to the user's brain and temporarily became their own."May I be the first to try it?"Kenzu chuckled."You may be the second.  We had to test it first to make sure it worked."Finding that stash of microchips may very well turn the tide of the war. If Kenzu could make more of these weapons we may just have a chance.  I looked down at the weapon and found the activation stub.  Pushing it in, I noticed a slight prickling in my arm and then a flood of memories assaulted my senses.  I steadied myself against the wall for the first few moments until I acclimated to the sensation.