Victoria Moschou's Blog, page 98

BIRD OF PARADISE ~ PART 1

Hello awesome people and happy Monday everyone!

I was hoping that we would be done with the Demonic Debutantes editing by now, but things don’t always go as planned. Still, I do want to share with you the first few, rough chapters of the story that I wrote; Fay’s story, who’s actually the eighth Devil’s daughter in this EPIC adventure.

Sit back, dearies, and enjoy, because this week is all about the blazing kingdom and the kids that don’t want to follow in their parents’ footsteps. Especially if one of the parents is the infamous Lucifer, the Morning Star.

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Bird of Paradise

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 Who said hellfire is veiled with desires? Boredom is what Daddy granted me today.

Fay had heard that story hundreds of times. How Michael and his angels had fought against the Dragon, and how the Dragon and his angels had fought back. How the Dragon, the Devil, her father, hadn’t been strong enough, and he and his followers had lost their place in Heaven. And how, as they kept falling, moving faster than the light itself, her mother had turned her head one last time towards her former home, and all she had managed to see was that heavenly fire, golden and orange flames twirling and coming after the fallen angels, cutting them off completely from the empyrean kingdom of God.

It was at that moment that Eugenia, Fay’s mother, realized the grave mistake she had made. Or at least, that’s what she’d said to Fay when she was old enough to understand. For the freedom of choice wasn’t to be taken lightly. And yet, Eugenia had chosen the wrong side–the Devil’s side.

For years to come, she had tried in vain to return to the kingdom of Heaven, to ask for God’s forgiveness, to resist the calling of Hell, to which she was now bound for all eternity. For all Fay knew, her mother had achieved that last part, at least. Still, when Fay was born, brought to life by the Devil himself eighteen years ago, Eugenia didn’t manage to protect her from the claim the hellfire brought upon her–she’d said so herself.

Fay didn’t mind. It was thanks to that demonic ancestry of hers that she was now the most wicked of the witches who had walked upon Earth. Even if other, older devilish creatures kept belittling her since the day they were born, understating her wickedness, her evilness, her own devilish nature, simply because her mother was one of the Thrones, a former, glorious angel–a creature of God, who had fallen in love with a rotten, divine being. The Devil himself.

Fay was a fallen bird of Paradise, golden hair cascading down her back, big, cerulean eyes, alabaster skin, curvaceous body. She was the kind of woman that could drive men crazy, leading them to limbo, all because of their lust for her.

If only those men knew her true form… How she truly looked like without her mortal disguise.

Snakes instead of hair covered her scalp. She had grown sick and tired of beings of her kin always comparing her to Medusa, just because they happened to have that one thing in common. Fay was way more horrific than that ancient Gorgon. And how couldn’t she be? She was one of Satan’s children, for the name of Lucifer! Eyes carmine red, like the everlasting hellfire, pitch black skin like the abyss, long, sharp claws growing at the end of her fingers. Claws, from where ice emitted, freezing the hearts of mortals and allowing her to steal their souls and bring them back to her father.

She knew that the first few years of her life, the Devil thought cryokinesiswas a flaw, an ability Fay had because of Eugenia’s divine ancestry. Some sort of mockery God had sent upon him, Lucifer said. After all, where else had you heard for the Devil’s daughter to be able to manipulate ice, when everything in his realm was boiling hot? Still, Fay knew he had changed his mind once she brought to Hell the first human soul nine years ago, only nine years old herself, perfectly preserved inside a little ice cube, the glory of it still shining bright–because this soul deserved to live for all eternity in Heaven, and not be tortured in the abyssal depths of Hell.

She’d seen the greed, the hunger glistening inside his blood-red eyes, how the Devil kept looking at that innocent, pure human soul like a trophy–a trophy he’d stolen from God, mocking him back for the ability his daughter had mastered.

And at that moment, Fay, already cunning, still quite pure at heart, had grabbed that golden opportunity.

“What if I were the one to pay Mother’s price?” Fay had asked, looking her father straight in the eyes.

“Explain…” the Devil had snarled.

“I’ll never gain a place in that garden, for I’m your daughter. Still, Mother could gain her place back,” Fay had started. “So, what if I brought to you eighty-one souls, right before the dawn of my eighteenthbirthday, nine souls every year, and you could relinquish Mother’s ownership.”

“I loathe giving back what’s already mine,” the Devil had hissed. “Still… If those souls are divine, I will grant your wish. If… you agree on one condition when the time comes.”

“You have my word,” Fay had said, not knowing back then the grave mistake she had made.

And so her contract had been signed, by her blood, which was Eugenia’s blood also, and the Devil’s everlasting fire. And the Dragon’s malicious plan had been set into motion.

Every year, on the ninth day of the ninth month, Fay had to bring nine pure, noble souls to her father, souls of humans that were destined to live for all eternity, surrounded by the glory of Paradise.

The first few years had passed by easily, for the Devil didn’t have that high expectations of her. After all, he had other, much more skilled minions to do his bidding. But as Fay kept coming back to the flaming kingdom of Hell, bringing priests and nuns, doctors and teachers, all of them perfectly preserved in her ice cubes, their souls trapped to be tormented till the end of time, she realized her father’s greed only grew bigger.

“Now that you’ve proved yourself and how efficient you can be with human souls, I’ll ask you to go even further than that,” the Devil told her one day, only weeks before she’d turn sixteen.

“Further how, Father?” Fay asked.

“I want you to bring me nine angelic souls,” the Devil hissed, his crimson eyes burning with desire.

“They’ll know I’m coming…” Fay whispered, her voice trembling as her Father stood up, the Dragon’s stature making even the everlasting hellfire look as if it was about to die out.

“If you want to call yourself Daughter of Satan, you’ll find a way to hide yourself,” the Devil snarled. “Unless you don’t want to save your mother anymore.”

“But He…” Fay sighed.

The fallen kingdom’s foundations creaked the moment Fay thought of the Creator’s name. She didn’t have to speak it out loud, and she couldn’t do so, even if she wanted to, but even the thought of it reverberating all around the flaming kingdom of Hell was enough to make the walls tremble. Cursing and insults from lower-levelled demons started falling upon her like rain, for she had dared to think of the one that had sentenced them to an eternity away from the Garden of Eden.

The Devil walked closer to her, steam emitting from his nostrils, his eyes burning bright.

“Listen to me very carefully, Fay,” he spat out her name, for Eugenia had been insolent enough to name her after the faith people put upon God. “Bring me nine angelic souls on the ninth day of the ninth month or else your mother will be… eliminated. And all that trouble you’ve gone through all those years to bring her back in that garden will be for nothing.”

Fay looked at her father as if she’d never laid eyes on him before. As if a divine light had illuminated the damned darkness in which she was born, and she was now able to see him for who he truly was.

“Bring me nine angelic souls,” the Devil went on, “and your mother will never find out that you’ve been working as a double agent for me all those years.”

And so she had done it. As arduous and beyond reach as this task might seem, she’d done it–she had brought nine angelic souls, nine fallen angels who hadn’t picked a side during the battle in Heaven, still they kept doing God’s will all those millennia.

If only she’d known at the time…

The next two years flew by quickly, Eugenia completely unaware that her daughter had grown into the most vicious, notorious, the most wicked of all the witches in men’s history. For Fay was smart, mastering to shield her mind, to hide her thoughts from the Morning Star. Some said Fay was cunning like her father.

But not as cunning as the Devil was…

“I will ask one last time!” the Devil yelled. “Do you know who else was with Michael when we got banished from Heaven?”

Fay startled, being awoken from her reverie, her wicked, devilish memories of the last nine years.

“Other angels, I guess?” she murmured.

“Don’t play smart, young lady!” the Devil snapped. “You know to whom I am referring. Whom I crave for you to bring to me, but haven’t.”

Of course she knew! How couldn’t she? Her father’s minions might have forgotten about his lust towards Gabrielle, still the Devil himself hadn’t.

Gabrielle… Sometimes mistakenly called Gabriel. God’s Messenger…

“What do you want me to do, Father?” Fay asked, her voice echoing stoically in the grand, flaming chambers of Hell.

“Bring Gabrielle’s soul to me by your Debutante Ball, or my warning still stands,” was all the Devil said.

Fay knew he didn’t refer solely to her mother. She knew he had other plans in mind for her, as well. He’d said so. But she had hoped it wasn’t true anyway. After all, her father was the Master of Lies. It wouldn’t surprise her if he was lying once again.

Her birthday party… Her Debutante Ball… The day when she would be presented to the demonic society, she and her eight half-sisters, as well. The day she’d be engaged to her Father’s second-in-command, too.

“And if I do, will I be free of this arrangementyou made with your General?” Fay asked, fragments of hope blooming inside her chest.

“You have my word,” the Devil whispered, using the exact same words she had.

She had only eight days to make the absurd, possible.

© Victoria Moschou. All Rights Reserved 2019.

Let me guys know in the comment section down below what you think of this new story? Are you as excited as I am to read the final book?

Thank you all for being here once again! It means the world to me and I want you to know that I do not take your presence here for granted!

I’ll see you this Thursday with the second part of Fay’s story.

Till next time… Toodles!

PROJECT GEEK ~ CHAPTER 8

Hello awesome nerds and welcome back to Victorious pages, and a new Project Geek chapter.

I never expected to fall so deeply in love with this story and its characters, and yet here I am to share with you its eighth chapter; a Zac chapter, who’s my darkling Christine’s favourite.

Sit back comfortably, folks, and enjoy!

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Chapter 8

ZAC

I walk inside my office only to find Sasha reaching across my oaken desk to tidy up, her yellow dress leaving little to the imagination. Then again, I’ve seen all there is this chick has to offer and yet… 

When did she get that tattoo? I wonder as I pad towards her and stare at her right thigh, at the black Ouroboros that’s been marked on her skin. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” I hiss when I’m only a breath away from her.

Sasha flinches and she instantly straightens her back, turning around to face me. Her eyes start and her normally pale skin is now turning pink, as she realises how closely we stand.

“I’m… I’m… Good morning, Mr. Hudson,” she mumbles. “I… I just came to clean a bit before… before today’s meeting.”

“What meeting?” I bark and I regret it the next moment, as the offices door opens and I turn, only to find Sabina standing at the threshold.

“Good. You’re just on time,” Sabina purrs, “for once in your life.”

I glare at her, at that jungle cat that smiles at me, a smile that doesn’t reach her hazel eyes. That bitch will do literally everything to rise in the company’s hierarchy, even if that everything means provoking and belittling the owner’s son; the future owner and current CEO. No matter. Two can play that game.

“Sabina… Don’t lie in front of my assistant,” I say. “She knows first hand that I’m always on time. Right, Sasha?”

I grab Sasha’s waist and pull her closer to me, so that my cock brushes up against her flat stomach, and my ginger lush blushes even worse.

“Hmm?” is all I murmurs I fix my gaze upon her.

“R-Right, Mr. Hudson,” she mumbles and averts her eyes from mine.

“Good,” I say. “Next time you think that you can speak about me, without my consent, remember that moment. And how this,” I growl, pushing my dick harder on her, “was, and still is, the reason why you have a job.”

Sasha flinches again, her eyes flying from me to Sabina, and then back again.

“Don’t get me wrong, gingerbread,” I whisper, leaning closer to her, caressing her lobe with my lips. “You are hot, there’s no doubt about that. But there are others who are hotter. And they can keep their mouths shut, whether my cock’s inside their holes or not.”

Sasha gasps and only then I pull away, only to find her eyes glistening, as tears threaten to spill from them. My assistant turns towards the door, where Sabina still stands, leaning against the casing, and Sasha raises a viperous glare on Bewitched Ink’s most lucrative publicist. Sabina smirks at her and Sasha instantly turns around to fully face me again.

“Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Hudson?” she asks, regaining her composure. Only the dampness around her eyes indicates what happened merely moments ago. That and this voice inside my head that screams that, what I just did, was completely, utterly wrong. Deplorable.

Well, it is what it is. That’s how you survive in this gorgeous world, I think, before taking a deep breath and addressing Sasha once again.

“That’s all,” I say flatly, tilting my head towards the exit of the office, practically ordering Sasha to leave me alone with this viper that ruin my morning awakening.

My assistant tilts her head in response and moves quickly around me, taking the first few steps towards the door. Towards Sabina. Sabina blocks her way but the moment Sasha arrives at the threshold and stands right across her, she elbows Sabina away, a bit fiercer than necessary, judging from the slack-jawed expression on the publicist’s face.

It’s hard to keep my expression indifferent. Especially when Sabina fixates on me again and utters the next words.

“Well played, Zac,” she says, coming at last in the office. “Sometimes, when you speak like that, you’re this close to fooling me.”

“Fooling you?” I ask, raising my eyebrow.

“Oh yeah… For just a second you made me think that you’re as smart as your pretty face implies,” she chuckles. “Too bad it’s a fraud. Too bad you’re a fraud.”

“You won’t dare…”

“Of course not, babe,” Sabina purrs. “As long as you do exactly as your daddy and I say.”

One day I’ll scrag you, you little vixen!

“And what’s that?” I ask instead.

“Hire the recusants’ second in command,” Sabina says.

“You mean you know who that person is?” I ask and I feel like I know the answer, before Sabina has the chance to speak the words out loud.

“You bet your ass we do,” she purrs. “It took some time for our sources to get to him, but we finally got the bloody bastard. The riots are being incited by Ethan Belcher.”

“Ethan Belcher is dead,” I whisper.

“He’s not,” Sabina murmurs, walking closer to me. “And even if he was, his daughter isn’t.”

Belcher… Ivy Belcher… 

Fuck!

***

I read the article on my phone for the tenth time today, as I stand right across Mummy’s. The coffee shop is packed with people. Completely logical, if you ask me, considering that the Belcher family has, aside from this peculiar café, one of the best catering companies, not only in the city, but in the whole country, too. And being the best in your field means two things; one, you gain a lot of money, and two, you can cover up your lies and schemes with that money, not caring at all about the cost.

Because making people believe that Ethan Belcher is dead, while indeed he is alive, has probably cost a lot. And it will cost them even more, now that I know the truth. Well, it’ll actually cost to one particular person. Ivy Belcher, also known as the Witty Liberal in the rebels’ ranks, according to Sabina.

I’ve got you in my pocket, you little sharp-tongued bitch! Let’s see if you dare to deny my proposal, now that you’ve got so many things to lose, too, I think as I cross the road and stand right outside Mummy’s door, the handle cool against my palm.

I turn the knob and thrust the door open, marching inside the coffee shop. I look around, searching for Ivy, the non-Phi girl that will become my salvation, my leverage against Father dearest, but all I see is that Golden-Ratio-following, brunette chick that came to welcome me the night before. The Golden-Ratio-following chick that happens to be Ivy’s sister and is now prancing towards me.

“Mr. Hudson!” she chips. “What a pleasant surprise to have you two days in a row to our patisserie. I’m so glad my sister didn’t frighten you away. How can I be of service?”

“Actually,” I start, “it’s your sister that could be of service. Can I talk to Ivy, please?”

© Victoria Moschou. All Rights Reserved 2019.

I really hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter, just as much as I enjoyed writing it. This is basically my “fun” project, a story on which I try to work when I find myself in times of trouble. It makes me feel… complete!

Thank you all for stopping by once again! I look forward to reading all your comments, thoughts and feelings in the comment section down below. Your feedback always means the world to me.

I know I mention it every time, but I don’t take your presence here for granted. It’s because of you that I keep writing.

I hope you have a lovely weekend everyone!

Till next time… Toodles!

INTERVIEW WITH BRIGID KEMMERER, AUTHOR OF “A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY”

Hello awesome people and happy May everyone!

April Wrap Up

Hello awesome people and happy Monday everyone!

I cannot believe this year is passing by so quickly and that summer is just around the corner! I’ve been so busy these past couple of months that I do hope I’ll have the chance to rest and relax this summer.

Until then though, I have a pretty busy May ahead of me, which is why I’ll be beyond happy if I manage to read half of the books on my TBR pile. I’ll be beyond excited if I manage to read the amount of books I read in April. Long story short, this month I participated for the first time in the OWLs Magical Readathon, and I managed to read four of the six books I was planning on reading, in order to complete the challenges. The important thing is that I had so much fun, considering that all the books I read were rereads. These books were:

1. A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES, BY SARAH J. MAAS

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If you’ve been following me here for quite some time now, you probably know how much I love anything Beauty and the Beast related. So, this reread of A Court of Thorns and Roses reminded me how much I adore the classic fairytale, plus it allowed me to clearly see what an a$$ Tamlin was, right from the beginning. Sorry, not sorry if you like this particular High Lord but I’m glad to admit that I never really trusted him.

2. A COURT OF MIST AND FURY, BY SARAH J. MAAS

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Aka my comfort read, aka the book I read in three days, despite being busy working on my new wedding planning business, tutoring my students  and trying to work on my current WIPs. Despite all that, this book makes me feel happy and warm inside and optimistic and safe. And I will gladly reread it again and again and again, until I learn it by heart.

May TBR

Hello awesome people and happy Saturday everyone!

It’s the Easter weekend here in Greece, and though I should be resting, instead I’m at the office, working on this post because later on today I’ll have zero time to do anything but cook and bake.

If you’ve been following me for quite some time now, you probably know that, aside form reading and writing, baking is my other big love!

So, I thought I should grab this opportunity and share with you my May TBR, which is very, very ambitious!

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1.  A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN , BY SARAH J. MAAS

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I reread the first two books of the series this month, in order to complete two of my OWLs challenges (but more about that on my wrap up), and started rereading the third book of the series last week, but decided to put it aside for a little bit, so I could move on with the monthly reading challenge I had to complete.

So, A Court of Wings and Ruin will be continued next month. And if you’re one of the very few who hasn’t read this novel yet, here’s what you can expect from it:

“Looming war threatens all Feyre holds dear in the third volume of the #1 New York Times bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s manoeuvrings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit – and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords – and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.”

Though I’m reading it slower this time, I’m enjoying this series so very much, as it has turned into an all-time-favorite of mine!

2.  A COURT OF FROST AND STARLIGHT , BY SARAH J. MAAS

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Naturally, it comes as no surprise that I will reread the novella, too, as there’s plenty of my babe Cassian in there and I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen in the spin off series, between him and Nesta. Though I will always hope that they won’t end up being mates.

As for the blurb of this novella:

“ Hope warms the coldest night.

Feyre, Rhys, and their close-knit circle of friends are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly-changed world beyond. But Winter Solstice is finally near, and with it, a hard-earned reprieve.

Yet even the festive atmosphere can’t keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, she finds that those dearest to her have more wounds than she anticipated–scars that will have far-reaching impact on the future of their Court.”

3. THE EVIL QUEEN , BY GENA SHOWALTER

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I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this beauty, so naturally, I’m going to read it, because I’m always in for fairytale retellings and anti-heroes. This is the first book in a new fantasy series, called The Forest of Good and Evil, and it’s like Forest of A Thousand Lanterns meets Once Upon A Time.

And if I haven’t persuaded you yet to add this book on your TBR pile, here’s its blurb:

“ Welcome to the Forest of Good and Evil. A dream come true, and a living nightmare.

Evil isn’t born, it’s made. One thought and action at a time. Take a good look at what you’ve made.

Far, far away, in the realm of Enchantia, creatures of legend still exist, magic is the norm and fairy tales are real. Except, fairy tales aren’t based on myths and legends of the past—they are prophecies of the future.

Raised in the mortal realm, Everly Morrow has no idea she’s a real life fairy tale princess—until she manifests an ability to commune with mirrors.

Look. See… What will one peek hurt?

Soon, a horrifying truth is revealed. She is fated to be Snow White’s greatest enemy, the Evil Queen.

With powers beyond her imagination or control—and determined to change Fate itself—Everly returns to the land of her birth. There, she meets Roth Charmaine, the supposed Prince Charming. Their attraction is undeniable, but their relationship is doomed.

As bits and pieces of the prophecy unfold, Everly faces one betrayal after another, and giving in to her dark side proves more tempting every day. Can she resist, or will she become the queen—and villain—she was born to be?”

4. LEGENDARY, BY STEPHANIE GARBER

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As the third and final book of the series is being released in only a few days, and I absolutely loved Caraval, I thought the timing was perfect for me to start reading Legendary, and see how the story continues.

“ A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.

After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister, Scarlett, from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.

The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice, but now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever…

Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . the games have only just begun.”

5. FIRE AND BLOOD , BY GEORGE R. R. MARTIN

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If you know me by now, you know how OBSESSED I am with this series! So, as an Easter gift, Mom and Dad got me this prequel, and let me tell you guys, I’m dying to find out more about this firebreathing family!

“ With all the fire and fury fans have come to expect from internationally bestselling author George R. R. Martin, this is the first volume of the definitive two-part history of the Targaryens in Westeros.

Centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones, House Targaryen—the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria—took up residence on Dragonstone. Fire and Blood begins their tale with the legendary Aegon the Conqueror, creator of the Iron Throne, and goes on to recount the generations of Targaryens who fought to hold that iconic seat, all the way up to the civil war that nearly tore their dynasty apart.

What really happened during the Dance of the Dragons? Why did it become so deadly to visit Valyria after the Doom? What is the origin of Daenerys’s three dragon eggs? These are but a few of the questions answered in this essential chronicle, as related by a learned maester of the Citadel and featuring more than eighty all-new black-and-white illustrations by artist Doug Wheatley. Readers have glimpsed small parts of this narrative in such volumes as The World of Ice & Fire, but now, for the first time, the full tapestry of Targaryen history is revealed.

With all the scope and grandeur of Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Fire and Blood is the ultimate game of thrones, giving readers a whole new appreciation for the dynamic, often bloody, and always fascinating history of Westeros.”

So these are the books I’m planning on reading this May and fingers crossed that I manage to read them all.

How about you, dearies? What are your reading plans for next month?

Thank you all for stopping by once again! It means the world to me and I want you to know that I most certainly don’t take your presence for granted!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Till next time… Toodles!

Book Haul ~ March & April 2019

Hello awesome nerds and welcome back to Victorious Pages!

Camp NaNo ~ July 2019: My plans for this summer

Hello awesome people and happy Monday everyone!

My days have become so freaking busy that I feel like I need to organise my blogging schedule a little bit better and catch up on all the things I want to post in May during the Easter break. And yes, I know that yesterday was Easter for almost half of the world, but here in Greece we’re going to celebrate Easter this coming Sunday so this week will (hopefully) be a bit calmer in terms of work.

I know that this isn’t going to last long, which is why I decided to organise my writing plan for this summer a little bit earlier than usually, and basically let you guys know that there’s a chance I’ll only update the blog once every week in July. That is because I’m planning on participating in the Camp NaNo, hoping that I will manage to finish the first draft of The Auras’ Chest sequel, the Creator of Divine Mysteries.

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I know I’ve shared this cover with you in a previous post, but there’s a chance that this isn’t going to be the final cover of the book.

What I do know though is that this is going to be its synopsis:

“After the events in the Frozen City, Aurora finds herself trapped inside the capital of the Humdrums, playing a deadly game against the Crown Prince and the Creator of Divine Mysteries.

Unwilling to work with them, she is locked inside the Warren, the Frozen City’s prison, a place guarded by a beast from which nobody has managed to escape before.

Yet, when a friend from the past and new allies team up together, making a bargain with the prison’s guard, Aurora will finally realise her destiny is more complicated than she imagined it to be.

Will she endure in this new, hidden place, where she’s being led?

Will she manage to figure out the mysteries of her past, present and future, and fight against the beasts that threaten to destroy her home?

And what will she do when those Divine Mysteries will try to alter her life for ever?”

If you guys haven’t picked up your copy of the Guardian of the Auras yet, I highly suggest you do by following that link. The series is perfect for the fans of Furyborn, by Claire Legrand, and Game of Thrones, by George R. R. Martin.

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But this isn’t the only project I’m planning on working on this July. I also want to continue working on Project Geek, mostly because I can’t get these characters out of my head.

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Ivy and Zac are two of my most beloved characters and I do feel like there’s something special in this story, so I will keep working on it, slowly, yet effectively. And who knows? Maybe one day this story will see the lights of this big, bad world!

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Two years in a row now I managed to write two books, which is freaking crazy and amazing, so I’ll try to do the same this year.

How about you guys? Are there any writers here? Are you planning on participating in Camp NaNo this summer? Did you participate in the April Camp NaNo? If yes, how did it go?

Thank you all for being here once again! It means the world to me and I want you to know that I most certainly don’t take your presence here for granted!

Have a lovely week, awesome nerds!

Till next time… Toodles!

PROJECT GEEK ~ CHAPTER 7

Hello awesome people and happy Saturday everyone!

It’s been a while since I shared a Project Geek rough chapter with you and since a) I have a possible title now and b) I couldn’t think of anything else to post this wonderful day, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to update you guys a little bit on Ivy and Zac’s story.

So, sit back comfortably and enjoy this seventh chapter, and read this post to the very end, to find out the 99.9% possible title of my NA dystopian WIP, where Beauty and the Beast meets The Devil Wears Prada.

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Y’all ready? Ok… Let’s go!

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Chapter 7

IVY

It’s one of those days that I absolutely adore. Not because I have magically turned into a Golden-Ratio-following person, nor because I get to spend the entire day in the kitchen of Mummy’s with Stella and Alex. It’s simply because today is the day where I get to visit my dad again.

Once every ninety-one, sometimes ninety-two days. This is all I get, just because Dad was brave enough to embrace the idea that there’s beauty hidden behind the differences, the unique characteristics of each and every individual. And that’s how the government decided to repay him; with a life sentence in prison and visitors once every three months.

Well, actually there’s just one visitor; me. To Mum and Marissa, Dad is already dead. They chose to craft a story. They chose to believe that story and they spent a lot of money to make sure that the entire world would believe it, too. The story is quite simple. Ethan Belcher died in a car crash four years ago. 

Nobody questioned it because everybody knew what my father stood for. Equality between the non-Phi and the Golden-Ratio-following people. A world where everyone would be treated according to their mind, personality and inner beauty. A world where everyone would have the same opportunities. A world that is the exact opposite of what the government has spent years to create and nurture. Nobody questioned my family’s story, because it’s always easier to believe the lies society tends to feed you than to face the cruel truth. And as no trial ever happened, everyone believed that somebody sabotaged Dad’s car and saved the entire world from the person who believed that non-Phis are as smart, maybe smarter than those who follow the Golden Ratio. If only there were more men like Dad who could save the majority of people from their microcosm.

“Are you sure you wanna do this, Ivy?” Alex asks the moment we park outside the mesh fencing of the prison.

“Of course I want to do this,” I say, still I cannot help but wonder how I probably look like for Alex to ask me such a thing.

“What am I supposed to say if your mother or Marissa ask where you are?” he asks, his knuckles turning white as he clutches the wheel.

“Nothing,” I sigh, averting my eyes from Alex’s, looking straight towards the intimidating, grey building, that’s been Dad’s home for the past four years. Well, one thousand four hundred and fifty-two days, to be exact.

“Nothing?” Alex asks.

“Yes,” I murmur. “What they don’t know won’t hurt them.”

Let them be in the dark for once. It’ll be good for them to take a little taste of their own medicine.

“All right,” Alex says. “I’ll see you later at work. Don’t be late.”

I nod in acknowledgement and open the door to get out of the car. The morning, summer breeze tangles up my hair and suddenly I’m dying to see my Dad again. Not only because it’s so hard to pretend every single day that one of your parents is dead, when you know that this isn’t true, but also because there’s some news I have to share with him. A little riot and a job offering.

***

“How’s your baking going?” Dad asks behind the bulletproof glass that separates us, the black receiver of the phone coming in complete contrast with his pale, stubbly face.

When was the last time Dad saw the morning sun? I wonder.

“It’s going pretty well,” I respond and glance at the police officer standing at the back side of the tiny room. His face shows nothing more than complete apathy and I’m glad Dad was smart enough to come up with this code name before being sentenced to a life in prison. Because to us baking equals non-Phi people’s leagues for the upcoming riots against the inequalities imposed by the government. “I’m working on something extra special for this coming month.”

“Good, good,” Dad says. “I’m so glad you haven’t let your talents be wasted. And I’m glad you haven’t let your kindness get the best of your wittiness.”

“Daddy, please…”

“Hey you!” the police officer barks. “Be careful or you’ll end up in isolation again. This time there won’t be any water either.”

“Bring it on,” Dad says flatly and winks at me.

“Dad, please, don’t antagonise him,” I breathe. “I’m worried about you. About how you’re being treated in here. You look weaker… Thiner. Don’t you eat at all?”

“I do,” Dad says. “If there’s one thing these beauties have done right is to bring some decent food around here. It’s not like yours of course, but it’s digestible.”

I smirk. Despite everything, my father hasn’t lost his sense of humour, this sarcastic wit I was lucky enough to inherit. Then again, very few people think I’m smart and funny, so I don’t know how fortunate I am anyway.

“Don’t worry about me, Ivy,” Dad murmurs. “I made my decisions long ago and I would make the same ones all over again if it meant that one day you’d have the chance to be treated just as Marissa is being treated every single day.”

“I know,” I breathe. “You’re the reason why work is going so well. Everything’s going according to plan.”

“Excellent!” Dad says. “Are you planning on interviewing any new bakers to expand the business?”

“Not now. There’s another job offering I have to think about first,” I say, trying hard to keep my face blank, regardless of the guard’s investigating gaze that has been locked upon me for the past few minutes.

“What job offering?” Dad asks.

“Zachariah Hudson of Bewitched Ink stopped by yesterday,” I say and that Golden-Ratio-following man’s face instantly pops up inside my head. “He said the government is planning on putting into motion a new internship program.”

“What kind of internship program?” 

“I don’t know exactly,” I reply. “All I know is that he said they want both the Golden-Ratio-following and the non-Phi people to have the same opportunities and rights, just as they have the same obligations.”

“They must have found out about the upcoming events,” Dad whispers.

“You’re time’s up,” the guard barks and I flinch.

“Take the job offer. Apply for the internship,” is all Dad says before the guard grabs him and pulls him away from me once again.

Ninety-two more days will have to pass for Dad and I to meet again. But next time we meet, things will be different; for the better I hope. For next time, I’ll have more news to share with him. I will apply for the internship program. I will take the job at Bewitched Ink. I’ll do whatever it takes for the riots to succeed. And for my Dad to be a free man again. I may be the one moderating the non-Phi people’s moves, but Dad is the leader of the league. Because his actions four years ago inspired others to dream more, to learn more, to do more. They inspired others to become more.

It’s time our government learns there’s more in this world than grace and beauty. There’s also intellect and wit.

***

I arrive at Mummy’s an hour later. The patisserie is packed with people, inside and out. I can’t help but smile, as I head towards the back door of the shop. Despite the socioeconomic crisis, despite the fact that there are dozens of patisseries and coffee shops all around the city, despite the fact that there are two non-Phi people working here, despite all that, Mummy’s keeps thriving and bringing sufficient income in our household for us to survive.

I cannot think myself working anywhere but here. I don’t want to work anywhere but here. But it’s not about what I want right now. It’s about what needs to be done for us to have a better, more just world in the future. It’s about what needs to be done for people like Alex and me to have a  chance in being treated just as Stella, Marissa, Mum and Zachariah Hudson are.

At the thought of Zachariah Hudson I remember what Dad told me earlier today and I realise that there’s no other option but this one. I have to put my pride aside and go find Zachariah Hudson, persuade him that I thought better of his proposal and that I do want to work with him. Even though the moment I open the back door and enter Mummy’s kitchen I realise once again that no other work place will ever override this one.

“What took you so long?” Alex asks instead of properly greeting me. Judging from his grave expression I have a feeling things didn’t go well while I was with Dad.

“Well, I couldn’t actually grab a taxi, now, could I?” I reply and head to the kitchen counter to leave my bag. 

“You could at least have called,” Alex says. “Marissa has asked thrice already where were you this morning and your mum just called.”

“Easy now, pumpkin,” Stella intervenes. “We’ll figure something out. We always do.”

“Nobody said we don’t, but this time is different Stella and you know it,” Alex says the moment the kitchen’s door opens.

Marissa stands at its threshold, her face a mask of utter fury. If I didn’t know better I’d say my sister is one of those people that only bark and never bite. But I know she’s capable for everything. Especially when she thinks her prestige and place into society are threatened.

“Where the hell have you been all day?” she snarls, fixing her stormy blue eyes upon me, ignoring completely Stella and Alex.

“I had to run a few errands,” I say flatly. I only hope my thundering heartbeat doesn’t give me away.

“What kind of errands?” Marissa asks, approaching menacingly towards me.

“None that’s any of your concern,” I respond.

With my peripheral vision I get a glimpse of Stella goggling her eyes. We all know better than to antagonise Marissa when she’s like that; like a jungle cat ready to attack.

“Sorry to disappoint you, sis,” she hisses, “but it is my concern when Zachariah Hudson comes here two days in a row and asks to see you. It makes me wonder what that hot stuff like him wants to discuss with someone like you.”

She could’ve slapped me and it wouldn’t have hurt that much. Someone like you… The words echo inside my head, along with Dad’s words of wisdom from this morning. 

You haven’t let your kindness get the best of your wittiness.

I most certainly haven’t. And after meeting with Dad, I’m glad Zachariah Hudson came to find me. He saved me from a lot of wasted time and trouble.

© Victoria Moschou. All Rights Reserved 2019.

That was the seventh chapter of Project Geek and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it.

I know I’m not updating you a lot lately about my writing journey, but that’s partly because my days are so freaking busy that I don’t have as much time as I want to write for many hours every day. I hope I’ll have more spare time in July, but that’s something I’ll discuss with you in the upcoming post.

For the time being, I’d like to share with you the title I came up with a few weeks ago, and I’m 99.9% sure that this is going to be the final title of Project Geek. And that is…

*DRUM ROLL, PLEASE!*

Of Grace and Wit

I think that it’s perfect for this story; a story about a world, in which those who don’t follow the Golden Ratio are thought to be less intelligent than those who are beautiful on the outside. Or, as the government of this new world of mine likes to proclaim, it’s all about… Beauty before brains!

What do you guys think? Did you like this new chapter? Would you be interested in reading more of that story?

If you haven’t read the first chapter yet, you can follow that link and just go from there.

Thank you all for coming here once again. I look forward to reading all your comments, thoughts and feelings in the comment section down below.

It means the world to me that you keep coming back here and I want you to know that I most certainly don’t take your presence for granted.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Till next time… Toodles!

How To Save Money (Despite Being An Avid Reader)

Saving money can be really hard sometimes, especially with all the fixed costs each and everyone needs to pay every single day. It can become even harder when you’re an avid reader and, though you don’t want to reduce the amount of books that you buy, at the same time you realise that you cannot afford them all.

But, don’t worry, dearies! There are a few little tricks you can follow in order to save money, despite being the average bookworm next door.

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1. BUY USED BOOKS

The easiest way to save money, despite being an avid reader is to buy used books. Amazon gives you that option and some of those books are in excellent condition. But there are also bookstores that have used books and, guess what! Some of them are first editions, signed by the authors or they even have sprayed edges sometimes.

2. PRE-ORDER

Then again, if you’re not a huge fan of used books and you want to buy new copies, the easiest way to save money is to pre-order the books you want. Last year, when I pre-ordered my copy of A Court of Frost and Starlight, I realised that I eventually got it at a lower price, compared to the one it had on its publication date. It’s all about the marketing, folks.

Translated Books: YES or NO?

Living in a small country like Greece means that sometimes, when you can’t afford paying for shipping fees or hardback copies, you need to settle and get the translated books your local bookstore has to offer. And though sometimes these books are amazing (and most of the times they’re in the NYT Best Selling list), there are other times when the translation is terrible and you feel like you could’ve spent more money to read the original instead of what you finally got.

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So my question is: Would you consider reading a translated book? Have you felt differently when reading the original book, after having read its translated edition? Which book’s translated edition was equally satisfying, in terms of reading and enjoyment, as the original edition?

Let’s have a little chat, dearies, shall we?

I look forward to reading your comments, thoughts and feelings in the comment section down below.

Thank you all for being here once again and I want you to know that I most certainly don’t take your presence for granted!

Till next time… Toodles!