Tracy St. John's Blog, page 162

Shalia's Diary Monday Post

Preparing for the worst.  http://shaliasdiary.blogspot.com/

Is It Just Me?

Am I the only writer who doesn’t care much for social media?  I notice that other authors seem to spend a large amount of time posting about how much they need to get off Facebook and write...then half an hour later they post they are NOW leaving FB to write...then, like an hour later, they’re back on posting how much they’ve written.  Then one or two hours later, according to the timestamp thing that FB has to let you know how recent the post is, they comment they are going back to write a little more.  But first, they have to share an adorable cat picture.
I’m left wondering how they manage to get anything done.  I also wonder if I’m the big oddball here.  For a writer, I spend what seems like such a small amount of time hanging out on Facebook.
I check in first thing in the morning with my morning cuppa.  I’m back right after lunch with my midday cuppa.  Then post-dinner cuppa.  After the kid’s in bed, I take one more look around.  Just to catch up and see what, if anything, I need to respond to.  Once that’s done, I’m outta there.  I’m a hit-and-run Facebook user.  Wham, bam, thank you spam.  I’m in quickly and out even quicker. 
I often wonder what people think when I post something or reply to a message and they get right back to me.  Then I don’t respond for several hours, because Tracy has already left the F-book.  I hope they don’t think I’m being rude.  It’s just that I’ve got stuff to do, you know?  That writing thing, in fact.  Nobeks in particular get cranky and stop talking to me if they don’t get tons of attention.  Imdikos pout.  And Dramoks...well, you never keep a control freak Dramok waiting for anything.
Sure, the memes are fun to read.  The autocorrects make me cry from laughing so hard.  And touching base with my friends and readers is the main reason I sign on.  Yet I don’t see the appeal of hanging out and watching the newsfeed for hours on end or showing up every few minutes to check on it.  If I spend half an hour at a time on FB, I’m really indulging in it.  This is not a stab at those who enjoy Facebook, by the way.  If you’re on social media, then I feel I can safely assume you’re not committing war, hosing down grandmas, or eating puppies.  Carnage and chaos is at a minimum, so it’s all good.  Carry on and enjoy yourselves.
I acknowledge that I’m not the most social creature in the world.  I hate talking on the phone, I find texting a monstrous headache, and don’t get me started about going to a crowded party.  Even my closest friends and family can go for ages without hearing a peep from me if they’re not on Facebook.  Once in a great while I’ll have a few days or weeks of being a social butterfly with one or two people...then I’m back in the writing cave, being a hermit again.  Don’t ask me why; it’s apparently just the way I am.  I seem to be missing the gregarious gene in my DNA.
Facebook is as close as I get to a lot of interaction.  As I’ve described, it’s a limited thing.  Even the small amount of time I’m on there, I’m lurking more than anything else.  So again I have to ask – is it just me?  What is the attraction for everyone else that they can spend ages on that site?  Especially the writers, who can easily fritter away precious writing time?  What am I missing out on?
Anyway, if you want to enlighten me on that matter, I’ll be back to check in a few hours.   Meanwhile, I’m back to the writing cave.  I’ve got work to do.  But first, here’s a cute cat picture (just so I can pretend I’m part of the gang):

Weekend Wake-up Call – Netherworld I: Drop Dead Sexy

 He stepped out of the way, and a very naked, very ready Dan stood before me.  Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy.  Sexy Marlboro Man had me in his sights.  He stepped close, his front touching mine.  His beard stubble rasped against my cheek as he rubbed his jaw against my face.  The crinkly-crisp hairs of his chest were a delight to my peaked nipples, his belly warm against mine and his long, thick sex probed right where I wanted it most.  He cupped my buttocks in his hands, pulling me even closer.  Oh yessir.  This was right where I wanted to be.  “Now this has real possibilities,” he growled, sending my skin into gooseflesh.  He licked my ear, setting off shudders down my spine.  Next, he kissed his way across my jawline to my chin.  He traveled down my throat, licking and nibbling a wet path down to the hollow, then farther down to the valley between my breasts.
Dan nuzzled his face deep into my cleavage, his light growth of beard sandpaperish on my soft skin.  I caught my breath at the rough sensation, even more so at my helplessness to move away from it.  With a devilish glint in his brown eyes, Dan scruffed his way up one mound, nipping until he reached the summit of my breast.  He caught the rosy tip between his teeth, and I trembled at the growing pressure.  A pleasurable dart of pain sizzled from the hard nub to my sex, making me mewl.  My inner thighs were slick with honey.
Dan’s tongue darted over the captured nipple, sending hot excitement through my flesh.    The chains holding the cuffs to the wall jangled with my shaking.  Then he released the taut, reddened peak to lick a slow circle over the areola.  He dragged his rough chin all over my breast, reddening the tender mound.  Then his mouth closed over it, sucking as much as he could draw into his mouth.  I groaned to be so hungrily consumed.
Once the nipple of that breast had been teased until it blushed fire-engine red, he repeated the whole routine with the other.  The entire time Dan mauled my orbs, his hands clutched my buttocks, digging his fingers into the pliable flesh.  I felt beyond possessed.  I felt owned.
There is nothing like a strong man to make me feel all woman.
Available at Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Smashwords

Shalia's Diary Thursday Post

Moving on...for now.  http://shaliasdiary.blogspot.com/

WIP Wednesday – First Mataras: Michaela

Korkla frowned and turned from the closed door to Michaela’s quarters.  He eyed his equally concerned clanmates.  “No answer.  Do you think she’s hiding in there, trying to avoid us?”
Raxstad looked the door and its locking mechanism over.  “I bet I could force it without damage.”
Govi put a hand on his Nobek’s muscled shoulder, his tone warning.  “That would be a bad move.  I told you she might try to avoid us.”
Korkla shoved down the frustration that tried to take good sense away.  He’d barely slept all night.  Time and again, his mind had turned to dark-eyed, beautiful Michaela, remembering every expression on her cherubic face.
He told Govi, “I thought we left things on such a good note with her.  She was smiling when we said our goodnights.”
His Imdiko gave him a sad smile, a particularly poignant expression for such a beautiful face.  “This is a damaged, frightened Earther, my Dramok.  Michaela seems to feel unworthy of positive attention every bit as much as she craves it.”
Raxstad planted his hands on his hips and scowled at nothing in particular.  “This is fucked up.  How are we supposed to fix that if she won’t even see us?”
Govi sighed.  “Welcome to my world.”
Korkla grimaced.  “I have new respect for your work with the other Earther Mataras, my Imdiko.  Now what do we do?”

Release tentatively scheduled for June 2014

Shalia's Diary Monday Post

Candy's conquests.  http://shaliasdiary.blogspot.com/

Bloggus Interruptus

Today’s blog has been cancelled.  The one I planned to write is not going to happen, at any rate. 
You see, as I sat before the glow of the laptop, the blinking cursor and blank page eyeballing me in that challenging way that they do, I was sideswiped by a sudden issue that demanded my immediate attention.  My son crawled in my lap, wrapped his arms around my neck, and launched into a hugfest.
Recently as I readied for the new year, I sat down and made a list of my life’s priorities.  Little Man was at the top of the list, exactly where he belongs.  I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately, especially with the recent holidays.  The kiddo was out of school for over two weeks, and that meant lots of interruptions in writing.  Some days, that meant no writing at all.
Being the OCD creature that I am, I admit to chafing a bit over not getting in daily word counts.  I tend to be impatient when interruptions strike while I’m working.  However, my priority list has been helping to set me straight these days.  My number one job is being the mother to a child who requires a lot of time and energy.  He could care less about my word counts or that my writing will get us the kitchen upgrade we need so desperately.  He’s not interested in the fact that the floors need to be replaced (circa 1972 linoleum is waaaay ugly stuff, especially when it’s chipping and peeling off the floor).  As long as his tummy is full and his bed is warm, the rest is not on Little Man’s radar.
What did appear on his radar today was the need for Mommy to stop pecking at her keyboard and give him hugs.  So I did.  Sometimes hugs are the most important thing I do all day. 
I don’t get a lot of the parenting thing right.  I admit I screw up on a regular basis.  Little Man eats too many sweets, I let him get away with stuff he should not, and he’s allowed way too much time to play video games.  I am a far cry from Mother of the Year.  However, I take comfort in one thing:  I’m pretty sure I have my priorities straight.  The smile on Little Man’s face while I’ve got my arms around him tells me so.

Weekend Wake-up Call – Clans of Kalquor 4: Alien Salvation

Mouths and hands delighted her, tasting and groping every inch of her body.  She felt devoured, and Lindsey exulted in being consumed.  Her hands roamed the chiseled perfection of her three lovers, relishing the muscles that Bernini or Michelangelo might have carved had they been capable of working in the medium of flesh.
Japohn and Bacoj lifted her into the air, supporting her back against their shoulders, her buttocks in one of each of their hands.  They held her thighs spread wide as if she straddled a chair.  Vax stepped between her legs, his sexes homing in on her orifices.  She watched as he slid into her hearth, groaning as he disappeared into her warmth to fill her with his dark brown delicious lengths.   Seeing him slipping in and out of her sheaths deepened the pleasure of his thrusts.  Lindsey spared a glance at Bacoj and Japohn, who stared intensely as their clanmate took her.  Their hungry expressions were identical as they breathed hard through wet, parted lips.  Being watched performing the most intimate of acts made her clench hard around Vax’s thick stave, and he groaned in response.  A quick look revealed his face soft with hazy bliss.
Her hands roamed his torso, and he snatched one to his mouth.  One at a time, he sucked her fingers into the velvety wetness, twining his tongue around each digit.  Then he leaned close to her to ply her lips with a deeply penetrating kiss.  He never missed a stroke as he delighted her with his mouth.
Lindsey’s senses were filled with the gorgeous alien.  The sparks of desire were warming to flames, licking through her womb.  Vax’s thrusts grew stronger, feeding the blaze.  Harder and faster, the friction of his movements inciting combustion until her nether parts were engulfed by the inferno. 
Available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Smashwords

Shalia's Diary Thursday Post

Decision time.  http://shaliasdiary.blogspot.com/

WIP Wednesday - Clans of Kalquor 9: Alien Indiscretions

                Cissy gripped hands with her identical twin sister Tasha.  She tried to appear cool and calm for the Kalquorian attendants on board the shuttle.  They didn’t need to know how her heart raced or that her palm was sweating as freely as Tasha’s.  They didn’t need to know that she felt as much nervousness as anticipation right now.                The shuttle that had brought them from the transport that had taken them off Earth had landed within a cliff.  To Cissy’s surprise, the interior bay did not look like it was within a great rock jutting on the pink-sanded shore on the planet Kalquor.  The vid viewer to the left of the hatch the Salter twins waited on to open showed them a thoroughly modern landing bay with soft illumination glowing from the walls and ceiling.  Other shuttles and transports dotted the large area.                The vid also showed them the large number of people waiting for their arrival.  Cissy thought there were easily fifty people out there, if one didn’t count the red formsuited guards standing at attention all over the place.  Most of them were the dark-skinned, black-haired Kalquorian race and male.  Unabashedly masculine and muscular men.  Judging from the robes that predominated the group, they were also politically powerful men, the ruling elite of the Kalquorian Empire.                Cissy swallowed against the rush of nervousness that flooded her.  She’d known her cousin had clanned with the emperors of Kalquor.  She'd been treated with deference that bordered on embarrassing, but the status she’d gained through family hadn’t made a real impression until this moment.                Tasha sounded just as breathless as she felt.  “Wow.  It looks like a quarter of the Royal Council showed up along with the Imperial Family.  You’d think we were important.”
Tentatively scheduled to release September 2014