Joely Sue Burkhart's Blog, page 80

Friday Snippet: Shadowed

Continuing from last week, this is Gregar's story.  Note:  first draft, subject to change and heavy revision later before I compile the complete short story.

With Kae'Shaman's instruction, I parted the mark's dream as easily as a tent flap and stepped within. I had no need of the man's name or Camp to know he was my target, because Vulkar's Call pounded fiercely in my head, thundering hooves to split my skull wide open.

Kae'Shaman had assured me that a mark eliminated in his own dream would...

Break 20 Contest Winners & Update

The winners of the two $50 gift certificates are:

Soleil and Rae Lori.

Please e-mail your choice of online book retailer to me at joelysueburkhart AT gmail DOT com for your $50 gift certificate!

Everyone else, don't give up hope.  I've decided to keep the contest open until we hit 20 Amazon reviews.  If you rate or review any of my books anywhere, good or bad, drop me an email to be entered.  (If you already entered, you're golden — no need to e-mail me again unless it's a new link.)

For the...

Raves, Rants, and Releases

I wrote my first rant/hate letter to Trane today.  Now they're telling us that they have no idea when our compressor will be in — because a hurricane in Mexico washed out all the roads.  Nothing can stop a Trane…except a hurricane in Mexico?!?  Meanwhile, school starts in two weeks and my kids are sleeping on the floor in our bedroom (and have been since June) because that's where the window unit is.  Oh, and it hit 115 heat index this week.  Yay for Trane! 

As for raves, thank you to Nicole f...

I'm Melting

Tomorrow, I'll be at Nadia Lee's blog talking about changes in my writing process over the years.

Sorry about my lack of blog posts lately.  I'm suffering from the dog days of summer.  Can't seem to wake up early, can't seem to stay up late, can't focus.  Thank God the kids go back to school in two weeks, but that also means I have school shopping to finish.  I need to organize, clean out their drawers and their room, all of which is complicated by no central A/C.

Yes, we've been without A/C...

Friday Snippet: Shadowed

Some men tremble in the face of death.

Others bare their teeth and fight to the very end.

While I'm the cold Shadow that glides forth from darkness to slit your throat before you even know I'm there. 

My name is Gregar and I'm the deadliest, most honored assassin on the Sha'Kae al'Dan's Sea of Grass.  They call us Death Riders, for we ride death like the wind across the rolling Plains.  My hair is heavy with red kae'als, each bead a life that I have snuffed out in the Great Wind Stallion's...

Is This Gregar?

Since Gregar's been haunting me again, I went on another search for an image I could use for his freebie/short (I haven't decided if it'll be FREE or .99 but it for sure won't be more than that–depends on length, etc.).  I looked on at least 10 sites.  Bare chests and abs blended together.  Either I found someone with the right body type — but not the right face — or vice versa.  Of course nobody has the right hair.  I decided to just get body type and face close, and then hope Deena can...

Gregar is Coming…Again

I've been thinking about another short read before Return to Shanhasson, the final book in the trilogy, comes out in October.  Last night, Gregar walked in my dreams and gave me this, below, the opening to a new short project I'm working on.  Depending on its length, it'll either be a standalone or combined with my other Blood & Shadows short stories for Kindle in the next month or two. 

I sure wish I had his image for the cover of Shadowed.  *hint hint*

Some men tremble in the face of death.

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Ode to Rhetorical Queries

For Mr. Nathan Bransford who writes "Well, I suppose it would work for someone to write an ode to queries beginning with rhetorical questions, but so far I have been spared that unfortunate spectacle."  Although I don't think this ode will bring out the snide comment gun.  I hope.  *wg*

Have you ever wondered why
Your query letter fails?
Why Agent mutters die, die, DIE!
As soon as he reads your mail,
And never asks for a full?
Have you ever taken the time
To read his wants and desires?
Or do you...

Forcing the Work

I've got too different angles of "force" I'm thinking about at the moment.  Forcing a bulb (to make it bloom early) and forcing something against its will.  I'm doing both at the moment and neither is going very well.

I planned to plot the rest of Vicki this month and she just doesn't wanna.  She doesn't want me to plot.  It's the oddest thing.  Every time I sit down to think about hero's journey, dark moment, whatever, she just digs in her heels and clamps her mouth shut. 

So to get back at...

Vacation Reads Week 4

With my novella done, I was able to participate this week!  Check the main hub for links (later today and this weekend as the posts go up) to read my post about The Bloodgate Guardian.

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In this collection, Cindy Lynn Speer, author of The Chocolatier's Wife and editor of StereoOpticon, a collection of re-told fairy tales, gives us several new stories and an interesting look at the classic 'Cinderella' as well. Cindy's stories examine the roles of women, our expectations, and the aftermath of...