Tracy St. John's Blog, page 202

Shalia's Diary - New Post

Shalia's a bit panicked.  Was someone watching her at the river?  http://shaliasdiary.blogspot.com/

Six Sentence Sunday - Clan Beginnings 1: To Clan and Conquer

            “Look at me.”            Degorsk’s obedience was pure instinct.  He gasped even as he met Tranis’ narrowed stare.  It had nothing to do with the first officer’s rank or the hand on his leg.  He automatically responded to the power of a strong Dramok’s command.  His heart sped up, the trickle of fear making his sexes ache for the other man’s touch all the more. 
Releasing December or January

Poll results and Random Thoughts

Hey, thanks to those of you for participating in the polls and satisfying my curiosity.  It seems most everyone would like to join Clan Tranis ... he, Degorsk, and Lidon each edged out the other members of their breeds to be the favorites.  No wonder so many say they are looking forward to the first installment of the new Clan Beginnings series To Clan and Conquer which features the trio.  That book, by the way, is in its first round of editing.  The original release of January may be getting moved up as I’m ahead of schedule.  Clan Tranis for Christmas?  Could be!
  I’m still feeling bad about not putting Krijero in the poll. I love my sweetly awkward Imdiko.  He and his clanmates Gelan and Wynhod will be in the second Clan Beginnings book.  It looks like I’ll begin outlining that one in the next couple of weeks.  Here’s a funny bit of trivia for you regarding the Clans of Kalquor book they were featured in, Alien Slave.  Take a look at heroine Dani on the cover art.  Whoever the model was that she was based on could be a secret twin I never knew about.  In profile, that looks just like my face.  It’s been a source of amusement for me ever since the book first came out.  Now if my body matched that, I would be a happy gal indeed.  And if I was being held like that by a Kalquorian clan ... okay, enough.  You get the idea.  To be on the cover of my own book -- or at least someone who looks enough like me to give that impression -- has been a lark.

We’re four weeks from Clans of Kalquor 6:  Alien Redemption.  Yes, it feels like forever even to me.  I have the cover saved on my desktop and am constantly sighing to the men on it, “Soon.  Soon.”  I’m always worried when waiting for the proofreader to give me a book’s corrections, expecting to discover the latest story is a train wreck of a novel.  The longer the wait, the higher the anxiety.  Especially this one, which is the most elaborate of the series thus far.  Erotica, space opera, and murder thriller all rolled up in one book -- eek.  Did I pull it off?  The suspense is killing me.  I have gnawed all my fingernails down to nothing.
Make sure you check out the next WIP Wednesday, which will have some biographical notes regarding the clan of Clans of Kalquor 7:  Alien Refuge.  It will include some pics that I think represent the main characters pretty well, which I will also be posting on The Clans page of this blog.  I’ve just about finished outlining this story, which means I’ll plunge into the first draft in a couple of days.  While Alien Redemption looks like Homecoming Week with appearances from members of previous clans, Alien Refuge is all new with no familiar faces.  I know this sometimes peeves a few of you, but you get to see a new facet of Kalquorian society and the uneasy blending with Earthers that happens in a colony setting.  Plus, the ‘Basma’ will be showing his face ... the man behind the Kalquorian resistance that tried to have Empress Jessica kidnapped in Alien Interludes’ ‘The Abduction’.
Okay, I think I’ve rambled enough for today.  Take care, everyone.

First Five Friday - Netherworld: Drop Dead Sexy

Chapter 17
            Being pulled from one place to another against my will was nothing like the hopping around I do with Dan.  Much like Erica Ford’s earlier attack, this was more akin to being hooked in the belly by a sadistic fisherman and reeled in through a lake of molten lava.  In short, it hurt.  A lot.
Available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords

WIP Wednesday - Some ‘splaining About Shalia’s Diary

After only three entries, the response and hits on the free serialized Clans of Kalquor Shalia’s Diary has been terrific.  I am glad you are all enjoying it so far.
What I did was I developed and outlined the blog’s first years’ worth of entries exactly like I would any of my other books.  Then I wrote what is pretty much a contained story with an arc that goes from a beginning to an end where the first major conflict is wrapped up.  Just like you’d have with a normal book, essentially.  That is Tale One, which you are reading now.
I’ve finished outlining Tale Two of Shalia’s Diary and recently begun work on writing the entries for it.  This really could be a neverending story as long as people remain interested.  Shalia has a very long journey ahead if things work out.  
How long?  Let’s break this down.  Each story covers three - five weeks of Shalia’s life (at least in the first two storylines).  Tales One and Two both take place on Earth.  Next will come Shalia’s trip from Earth to Kalquor.  You do remember it takes nine months to get from Earth to Kalquor, right?  Plus, what tales will happen when Shalia reaches Kalquor itself?  
Okay, now here’s the crazy part.  Posting an entry once a week means you readers won’t reach the end of Tale One for about a year.  Tale Two will take another year.  Are you getting the picture on how long this diary could go on for?
Of course, this is all open to change.  I don’t pretend to know what the far future will bring as far as Shalia’s Diaryis concerned.  I’m toying with the idea of posting two entries a week, but not until I’ve finished the diary at least up through Tale Two.
There have been several who have asked if Shalia’s Diary will make it into actual book form, available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.  The answer is ‘probably’.  Eventually.  Since it does consist of separate storylines, each of those will most likely show up for Kindle and Nook after they have run their full course on the blog.  I realize this is going to get groans from many who would like to have the first story in its entirety right now.  However, releasing Shalia’s Diaryas a series of books was not my original intention when I started it up.  This was only supposed to be a free serialized story to keep you all entertained and give you your Kalquorian fix on a regular basis.  As such, it is not quite 'book-ready'.
Again, as I stated before, this is all open to change.  For now you’ll all have to be content that it will run an entry (perhaps sometimes two) at a time, once a week, on the blog.  When the first storyline is done, if the popular demand remains, it will be released as a book ... Tale One is full book-length, by the way.  
So meet Shalia each Monday on her blog and share her journey from Earth to Kalquor, from one adventure to the next, with several delicious Kalquorians to enjoy along the way. 

Latest Shalia's Diary Post

Shalia describes her hiding place, issues with her mother, and the nearby Kalquorians.  http://shaliasdiary.blogspot.com/

Six Sentence Sunday - Netherworld III: Once Bitten Twice Dead

Tristan flipped his phone closed.  “Para Patrol and the police are on their way.  When I get my hands on the son of a bitch who did this—”              His glamour disappeared, revealing the vampire he was underneath that elegant show he put on for the public.  Tristan’s handsome face thinned, his eyes turned to black holes rimmed with fire, and his fangs flashed like pearl daggers.  He became chillingly beautiful, the way an agitated cobra is. 
Available through Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords

Oh no!

I just realized I left poor Krijero out of the Imdiko list on the poll, and once people vote on it I can't edit it.  Sorry for the mistake, everyone.  He's a big favorite of mine.  Can't imagine how I overlooked him!

My Perfect Clan

I love all my clans for different reasons.  But as I look back on the various Kalquorians I’ve created, I discover I’d love to mix and match my boys, if I had the chance.  I started wondering that if I had to pick just one Dramok, one Imdiko, and one Nobek (oh, the humanity!!!) from the books I’ve published, who would they be?
Ugh.  Just one of each?  Oh, all right.  Here’s the clan I’d want and why:
Dramok:  Clajak from Alien Rule.  Yes, I’d take the playboy prince, bad temper and all.  There’s just something about his commanding presence that makes my insides melt.  I’d probably spend half my time wanting the strangle him, but the other half ... oh please and thank you.  Second place:  tied between Rajhir (Alien Embrace) and Tranis (Alien Conquest).
Imdiko:  Degorsk from Alien Conquest.  A man with a sense of humor is one I always appreciate.  I’ve been having a lot of fun lately with this guy since he shows up in the upcoming Alien Redemption and To Clan and Conquer.  Second place:  Vax (Alien Salvation)
Nobek:  Lidon from Alien Conquest.  So it looks like I’m just swapping out a Dramok. (Sorry Tranis!  I still love you too!)  My warrior-philosopher Lidon remains not only my favorite Nobek, but also my favorite Kalquorian.  So strong and uncompromising and yet deep.  How could I not choose this guy?  Second place:  Yuder (Clajak’s father in Alien Rule)
What about you?  Who would make up your perfect clan?  Why?  Feel free to comment on this and also pick your favorite on the polls in the column on the right.  I’m curious to know who you’d be the Matara (or male companion) of.

First Five Friday - Clan Beginnings 1: To Clan and Conquer (WIP)

Scene 2
Lidon woke with a gasp to find himself in his lover’s darkened quarters.  His leg, his damned leg.  Fuck.  He’d rolled over onto it in his sleep and had lay there long enough to set it off.  He sat up, grinding his teeth together to keep from making noise and waking Piras.
 Releasing December or January