S.L. Armstrong's Blog, page 6

Recipe Monday: Mabon Stew + Lifestyle Change

This past Saturday, we had a bunch of friends over to celebrate Mabon with us. There was laughter, games, a small ritual, and a feast. I made an autumn beef stew that was a huge hit, and I thought I would share the recipe here with you! But first, I want to also discuss a small change that will be happening on this blog.

 

I signed my family up for a weekly produce box. Every Tuesday, a local company delivers a large box of fruit and a large box of vegetables–organic and locally grown–to our door. I did this for a couple of reasons. One was to encourage us to eat more fruit and vegetables. If they’re here, I’ll cook with them. Another was to save of money and food waste. Usually, my husband-thing goes shopping twice a month, and the vegetables will spoil quickly because we don’t use them fast enough. I thought this would be better since we receive a fresh influx of vegetables and fruit once a week, and so he doesn’t have to buy them and we don’t have to throw away spoiled food.

 

This is part of my Mabon-Samhain decision. I am taking control of my life in a lot of ways. My husband’s job loss last month really helped put things into perspective for me, and now that he’s found a new job, and we’re in a new house, we’re turning over a new leaf. Part of this was me creating The Strawberry Kitchen Witch blog, where I will share recipes, reviews of my NatureBox and my produce boxes, and our meal planning. If you like my Recipe Monday, then this is a blog you should follow. I will no longer post the recipes here directly, but I will do posts on Mondays here linking to my cooking blog. Mondays here, I think, will also be dedicated to my KS Charms endeavor. So, Mondays will become a bit of a hodge podge of stuff.

 

Mabon Stew

 

I want to say something very important about this–and most–stews. Doing a first cook of the stew (cooking it a couple of hours), cooling it, and refrigerating it overnight (or two!), improves the flavor like you wouldn’t believe. Stew is a special, lovely sort of hearty meal, and when you allow all the flavors to meld overnight in the fridge, magic happens. I highly, highly suggest that you plan for this meal to be serves a day or two after you cook it, and that’s what my directions here assume you’ll do.

 

The yield for this recipe is about 18-24 servings, and if I hadn’t made this for a large crowd, I would have split the recipe up into three meals. It freezes very, very well.

 

Ingredients

4lbs london broil, cubed

1 large onion, roughly diced

6 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 butternut squash, large cubes

6 medium potatoes, large cubes

6 large carrots, thickly sliced

3 large celery ribs, thickly sliced

1lb mushrooms, thickly sliced

32oz frozen pearl onions

8oz tomato paste

2 cinnamon sticks

1TBSP dried parsley

1TBSP honey

1TBSP steak seasoning

salt

pepper

52oz beef stock

24oz chicken stock

3/4C red wine

4TBSP butter

4TBSP flour

 

1. Generously salt and pepper the london broil and brown it in batches in a stock pot over high heat, adding more oil as necessary. And I do mean brown the meat. Make sure there is a lovely, deeply brown, crusty exterior to the meat. This is where a lot of flavor comes from. Set cooked meat aside in a bowl.

 

2. Lower the heat to medium and add in the diced onion and the sliced celery. Add 1/2tsp salt and a pinch of pepper. Cook for five minutes, and then add the minced garlic.

 

3. Add tomato paste. Cook for five minutes. Add red wine. Cook for five minutes. Add back cooked meat and all its juices.

 

4. Add liquids, and then add carrots, butternut squash, and potatoes. Add honey, parsley, 1TBSP steak seasoning, 1/2TBSP salt, 1tsp pepper, and the two cinnamon sticks. If liquid does not just barely cover all the vegetables, add water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer for one hour.

 

5. At this point, taste the broth. I usually need to adjust the salt, pepper, steak seasoning, and honey. Remove the cinnamon sticks. After adjusting seasonings, cook another half hour. Taste again and make final seasoning adjustments.

 

6. Split the stew up into containers and cool completely to room temperature. Store in the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours.

 

7. On the day you plan to serve, separate the solids from the liquids by using a slotted spoon. Add solids to a large pot. Set aside.

 

8. In another pot, add butter and flour. Cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Slowly add 4 cups of the stew liquid. Cook for five minutes. If it’s too thick, add more liquid. I like the liquid to be pretty loose as the stew does need to reheat, and it will continue to thicken. Add the liquid from the pot to the solids, place that pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add in pearl onions and sliced mushrooms. Reduce heat and simmer for another hour to an hour and a half. Serve when mushrooms and onions are cooked through.

 

This is a delicious and amazing stew. There are a lot of steps, some wait time, but… man. It’s good.

Teaser: “Human Rights”

I don’t have a release day, but I am writing. I’m working on Human Rights, which is a novella set in a fantasy world where anthro felines and canines are the dominant species while humans are not. It’s mainly an exercise for me, but I’ve fallen in love with Sir Jiat and his pet Ewan. I can’t wait to finish this up and send it to my editor. But, until then, I am sharing a bit of a teaser with you!

 

—

 

“Are you going to tell me why you’re so far away today?” Jill asked as she picked up the bar of soap and set to scrubbing me of grass and dirt.

 

I blushed, ducking my head shyly. Could I tell her? Or would she tell Lady Hyra, who would then tell The Guard? I didn’t want to risk Sir Jiat, but the need to confide in someone boiled inside me. Finally, I murmured, “I kissed Sir Jiat.” At her puzzled look, I clarified. “I pressed my lips to his. It was wonderful and everything I had thought it might be.”

 

“You’ve only kissed him?”

 

“Yes.” I nodded, glancing down at the suds in the water. “Though… I ache for more.” As much as I liked feeling what I felt for Sir Jiat, it also brought me shame. It was a sin. Pets were never supposed to lust for their masters, and before now, I never had. But Sir Jiat… his touch… his voice… his gaze…

 

Jill laughed softly. “I understand.”

 

I frowned. “Do you?”

 

As she rinsed my body, Jill nodded. “I do. Lady Hyra and I have been more than mistress and pet since my sixteenth year.” Jill was now in her twenty-seventh year, so I was shocked to hear that Lady Hyra had been her mate for the last eleven years. Eleven years! “We’re careful, but…” Jill smiled. “I love her, and she loves me.”

 

I stared at her with my mouth agape. Jill and Lady Hyra. It explained why Lady Hyra’s home wasn’t exactly catering to a pet’s needs. In these walls, Jill wasn’t a possession. Jill was a lover. A mate. The truth rocked me. Here was a pet who was living the fantasy I had created in my own head! It was possible. It was dangerous. It was against the law. But it was possible. That possibility was all I needed.

 

“So cheer up.” Jill grinned at me and pressed her fingers to my chin, closing my mouth. “If you love Sir Jiat, and if he loves you in return, a life together is real. It takes thought, and it means understanding the difference in your relationship inside his home—and homes like Hyra’s—and your relationship in the city or when those not of the Movement are around.” A shadow passed through Jill’s gaze. “It can hurt in the beginning, not being able to share your love with the world and be as if we were of their race, too, but the pain is worth it. Her touches to my flesh, her soft words, her love for me… it’s worth it.”

 

I tilted my head, chewing on the words as Jill washed herself. To love Sir Jiat more than I did, I would have to sacrifice. Didn’t I sacrifice already? How much would truly change if I knew his body as I had known Syra’s? I chewed at my lip until I winced and tasted blood. The heart of the matter was not whether or not I was willing to risk myself, but if Sir Jiat was willing to risk all he had. A home, a position in The Guard, a place in society. He had so much more than I did to lose, and that couldn’t make taking me into his bed as a lover very tempting. I deflated a little in the tub, huddling in on myself. I wanted him, and though he had told me I was special, just how special was I? Was I special enough to risk everything for?

Judgment

I want to talk about something a little on the social commentary side of things today. Judgment.

 

As a shut-in, I avoid most judgment by not leaving my home. Large groups of people frighten me, send me spiraling into panic attacks. I get through conventions by only spending a couple hours down in the convention space, and the rest of the time? I’m hiding in my hotel room.

 

Why do I hide? Because I’m usually judged long before someone ever speaks to me and discovers I’m a talented, bright, smart individual with a good knowledge of my industry. I’m fat. And with that label comes a lot of assumptions: I’m lazy, I don’t eat right, I smell, I sweat a lot, I pass a lot of gas, I can’t breathe, etc. I am responsible 100% for my weight and am therefore a bad person because I am not thin. My self-esteem since I was 11 has taken a hell of a beating, and, yeah, I did blame myself for a good portion of my life.

 

But I shouldn’t have, and the people who were making judgments (including many of my doctors) based SOLELY on a number on the scale were wrong. They were being judgmental and cruel. Because they were thin, ‘healthy’, and I wasn’t, they felt a certain superiority over me. They were ‘right’ and ‘good’ while I was wrong and disgusting.

 

Quite frankly, I can’t afford to eat how I must to lose weight and keep it off. I have PCOS–and that disorder has caused me all sorts of physical and mental issues. I have a low-functioning thyroid. I have a sleep disorder. I have bipolar I. I have BPD. I have asthma (have since I was a kid). I have vitamin deficiencies. And, because I starved myself for 3/4 of my life in the hopes of being thin and good and accepted, I have one fucked up metabolism. XD The one and only time in my life I ever lost weight and kept it off was when I went low-carb. Like… I shopped only at health food stores so I could avoid temptation. But, the food budget per month when we ate like that (for just two people) was close to $2400. That’s a lot. And I know some people will say you don’t have to spend that much, but I did. Six small meals a day, all low-carb and fresh, with lean and alternative meats, it got expensive.

 

And yet, even doing all I could, exercising and eating right, I was still judged. I just wasn’t doing enough! After all, my GP kept insisting, I could have my stomach stapled.

 

Then, when K. moved in, she applied for EBT (‘food stamps’). K. words as a massage therapist, and the job doesn’t pay well when you aren’t booked consistently (and if people don’t tip–TIP YOUR MASSAGE THERAPIST, people!). In order to help with the finances in the household, she went on EBT. She qualified, and she’s been on it twice in the last two and a half years here (and before that, living on her own, she used Section 8 housing discounts and SNAP in Arizona). And what gets me is that, even though K. works her ass off in a physical job and then comes home to bust her ass doing SMP stuff and writing our fiction, she’s judged when using her EBT card. She drives a decent car (an older, used car, but it’s in very good condition), and she dresses respectfully, and her hair is wild colors. She’s ‘healthy’ looking. Why should she use EBT? She should pull herself up by her bootstraps and get off social welfare!

 

No. She should do what she needs to in order to feed herself. Just like anyone else on EBT. Here’s a hint: EBT? Doesn’t pay a whole hell of a lot, and there’s a lot of hoops and red tape to qualify. It means someone doesn’t make enough money to feed themselves or their family on their own, and that’s a blow all on its own to folks. They don’t need the person in line with them, their cashier, or anyone to judge them for asking for help when it was needed. For feeding themselves.

 

Our society seems to thrive on judging people. Who do they sleep with? How beautiful are they? How much do they weigh? What color is their skin? How much money do they make? What religion do they practice? Do they have higher education? A million inane questions that we use to determine someone’s worth without ever speaking to them, without learning about them. A million small assumptions we make to determine if we treat someone with respect or dignity that are all based on surface information.

 

How about we look deeper? How about we stop judging? How about we don’t ask, ‘Who cares what gender you are? How fat you are? How poor you are?’ to determine whether someone is worth anything and instead say, ‘You’re human, and you have worth because of that simple, basic fact’? Because life is full of shades of gray, of mottled colors and choices and decisions, and no one should be judged on one facet of their whole being.

 

So stop thinking the fat girl does nothing but shove Twinkies in her face. Stop thinking the person using an EBT card just doesn’t work hard enough. Stop thinking someone who loves someone of the same sex isn’t as human as the rest of the heterosexual world. Stop thinking a Christian is a bigot or a black person is a criminal. Stop judging people before you know them. I think it would really help to make the world a better place, and it might give back some of that self-worth and self-esteem so many have lost as the world had whittled it all away bit by bit with harsh, undeserved judgment.

 

—

 

Pendant of the day:

 



 

Red Watercolor Ombre Heart Pendant: $7.99 from KSCharms

NatureBox September 2013 Review

This is my third NatureBox box. I got a random box the first time, but the second and third, I chose my snacks. I thought to dedicate one Monday in the month to reviewing the box that I receive.

 

This box contained 2 bags each of Lemon Tea Biscuits, Teriyaki Twists, Cocoa Waffle Wafers, Sunny Trails trail mix, and Far East Rice Crackers. This box also contained a bonus bag of Guacamole Bites as a free gift. The thing about NatureBox is that their snacks tend to contain no artificial ingredients or HFCS. A lot are non-GMO.

 



 

Far East Rice Crackers

This mix contains rice crackers, chili crackers, and peas. It smells dusty and of little else.

Saundra: Very crunchy, but very dry. They’re also on the bitter, bland side. I get an odd aftertaste of nail varnish. I rate this one 2/5

Kris: The flavor on the front end of each piece is very nice. Texture as expected with rice-based snacks. Bad aftertaste. Rating, 2.5/5

Roger: I would have liked the peas to have been wasabi peas. Most rice cracker mixes use wasabi peas, and it was disappointing not to have them here. It’s a pretty bog standard mix. 3/5

 

Teriyaki Twists

Teriyaki flavored rice crackers.

Saundra: Has a strong soy flavor on the front end, but there’s nothing else. Teriyaki should have notes of ginger and garlic, a bit more sweetness, and this is just… soy. And I still get the nail varnish aftertaste. 2/5

Kris: I get the nail varnish aftertaste, too, and there is a serious lack of depth that teriyaki should have. Soy + sugar does not equal teriyaki. 2/5

Roger: Echoing the same thoughts: sweet soy sauce doesn’t equal teriyaki. Not bad, but nothing impressive. 2.5/5

 

Guacamole Bites

Guacamole-flavored corn sticks.

Saundra: I would have liked to see cilantro in the spice listing. I would prefer the texture to be crisper. 2/5

Kris: The flavor comes out in layers. I like the citrus-y punch in the middle. The aftertaste is just… yeah. No. 3/5

Roger: I don’t like the choice of corn chip to put this seasoning mix on. Not a fan of the texture. Something thinner, crispier, would have been better. 3/5

 

Lemon Tea Biscuits

Saundra: These are tiny. About an inch in size. I get no citrus at all. It’s more like a Danish butter cookie. Highly disappointing. It’s a sweet butter cookie, nothing more. 2/5

Kris: Meh. 3.5/5

Roger: If you’re going to call something a tea biscuit, they should be big enough to dunk into tea. These aren’t. I get a hint of citrus at the front. 3/5

 

Cocoa Waffle Wafers

Saundra: Just smelling the bag, it smells very chemically. On their own, not bad. It would be great in ice cream, mousse, or with fondue. 4/5

Kris: This is the best of the bunch so far. 4/5

Roger: It’s a little too bitter to eat a lot of on its own, but would be excellent balanced against something a little sweeter. Ice cream or yogurt… 4/5

 

Sunny Trails trail mix

Dried fruit and almond trail mix

Saundra: It’s your standard trail mix. It’s mostly as advertised. I could have done with more almonds, as I LOVE almonds. 4/5

Kris: It needs more almonds. 4/5

Roger: If you’re going to call something a ‘fruit and almond’ trail mix, you shouldn’t have to hunt for the almonds. I like the apples and dates. It’s something you don’t see often in these mixes. 4/5

 

Over all, very disappointed with this box.

 

—

 

Pendant of the day:

 



 

Sunlit Snow – Oval Glass Pendant: $6.99 from KSCharms

Release Day! “Immortal Symphony: Overture” Episode Six

This has been quite an experience. XD We had pre-written the first three episodes, thinking having a three month buffer would be fine, but between a move that shifted us 20 miles south and a job loss, it wasn’t. K. and I learned a lot through this first season, and second season will be pre-written and edited this winter, so when the first episode drops in February 2014, no one will have to worry about anything.

 

But, season one, Overture, is complete! For those who bought the season pass (which will remain available for a couple more months), there is a short story about how Dorian and John met AND a smexy piece of art from Nathie.

 

You think you know the story of Dorian Gray, but you’re wrong. The real story didn’t end the way Oscar Wilde penned; in fact, it hasn’t ended at all. The ageless beauty of Dorian Gray walks now in our world of cellphones and lattes and internet porn. His latest conquest is Gabriel Lawrence, a paranormal investigator with a secret or two of his own. But the trouble with a life as long as Dorian’s is that the skeletons are threatening to overrun the closet… and not all of them want to stay dead.

 

Season Pass: $11.99 / Episode Six: $1.99

 

And I give you a teaser from the final episode.

 

—

 

The car stopped, but Gabriel couldn’t look away from Dorian’s eyes. “Harry can’t win again,” he whispered.

 

Pain flickered in Dorian’s gaze. “No. He can’t.”

 

Gabriel glanced out the window at Dorian’s massive home. It seemed a lifetime ago he’d shuffled up to that door in the chilly rain. He let out a slow breath. “Let’s go.”

 

The house was silent as Dorian led Gabriel into the foyer. Gabriel’s eyes darted around, fear vibrating through him. He swallowed, made his dry tongue move. “Where is he?”

 

Dorian’s eyes unfocused for a moment, and then he murmured, “In the ballroom.” Without another moment’s hesitation, Dorian made his way through the lower rooms.

 

The house smelled stale, unlived in, and Gabriel longed to throw open the windows and watch Emma bake a cake or something in the kitchen. Only a few short weeks in this house and it already felt like home to him. Then again, the tiny apartment had also felt like home. It was Dorian. Wherever Dorian was, it was home to Gabriel, and that notion rocked him to his core. He glanced at Dorian, wanting to confide in him, but he knew now was not the time. He bit it back, buried the thoughts, and focused on helping Dorian save John.

 

Dorian threw open the ballroom doors to the sight of Lord Henry Wotton standing beside John’s seated and bound form. Harry smiled at Dorian, but the expression set Gabriel on edge. There was something sharp and ugly about the smile, something… hungry. The man was shorter than Gabriel had imagined, round while not being fat. Harry seemed to also share Dorian’s penchant for timeless clothing, modern mixed with Victorian, and in his hand was a cane. Gabriel remained a step behind Dorian, wary, his eyes darting between Harry and John.

 

Dorian crossed his arms. “You always did have the flair for the dramatic.”

 

Harry chuckled. “This coming from the boy who coined the phrase ‘melodramatic’.” His gray eyes moved over Dorian, drank in the sight of him. “My, my. Just as beautiful as the day we met.”

 

“How dare you?” Dorian pointed at John. “How dare you try to strike at me through those I care for?”

 

This time, the smile on Harry’s lips, the laughter that flitted through the empty ballroom, was pure evil, utterly smug. “My dear boy, I’ve never done anything else.”

 

Dorian’s brow furrowed, and he shook his head. “What the hell does that mean? I didn’t even know you were alive six months ago.”

 

“All in good time, sweet boy.” Harry slid his hand into John’s hair and jerked on it, making John grunt. Gabriel hated to see the pain in John’s eyes, the bruises on his face. “You hid yourself well, but this one? Your lovely doctor?” He tsked. “Don’t you know that you must reinforce your wardings every few months?”

 

Something in the air changed. A crackle of energy sizzled over Gabriel’s senses, and he took a step back. In Dorian’s hand was a glowing ball of dense air, and it hovered above his palm.

 

It all hit home then: these two men were powerful. They possessed abilities Gabriel himself couldn’t even begin to comprehend. Oh, he was drowning, all right, and there was no land in sight. His eyes darted to John again. He had to save John. He’d let Dorian deal with Harry, but he would get John out of the way.

 

—

 

Pendant of the day:

 



 

Rainbow Oil Slick – Rectangular Glass Pendant: $8.99 from KSCharms

Pro-Tip: How to Write a Bio

I get sent a lot of author bios. Some are short and sweet, some are a page long. Very rarely do I see a bio that is 100% spot on for what I–as a reader–would like to see.

Bios, in my opinion, should not exceed 15 sentences. That means three paragraphs of five sentences each. And I don’t mean 82-word sentences, either. I like to cap bios at 300 words, but even that tends to be excessive. There is very little information actually needed in a bio. Keeping it tight, concise, and to the point is key. My current bio is wordy and in need of an overhaul, which I plan to do soon.

What should be in your bio?

Your name (pen name, real name, whatever). Where you were born and/or where you currently live. A little background on your writing expertise/history. Any awards you were nominated for or won. Your recent publication history. A line or two about your personal life (if you like). Where you can be found (website, blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc.). Your email contact.

You don’t need much. A reader isn’t interested in your life history, just the professional history so they can stalk you on social media and find your backlist. Keeping it short, current, and relevant are all that’s needed.

Now, I need to go rewrite my bio!

Recipe Monday: Banana Bread

I love banana bread. It’s quick, super moist, and soooo delicious. I’ve had a standard recipe I’ve worked from for years, and it’s one I’ll always use. It’s on a well-loved, tattered piece of legal paper, and it’s about time I digitized the thing. My favorite way of eating it? Cold, with room temperature butter smeared on it in a thin layer. Mmm.

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

3 large, very ripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 350F.

Sift dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and beat thoroughly. Add your dry ingredients, combine. Add in mashed bananas and vanilla, combine. Pour into a greased 9″ loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Check with a toothpick, as it can sometimes take an additional half hour, depending on the size of the bananas used. Brush the top with 2TBSP of melted butter when it comes out of the oven. Cool completely.

It’s delicious, I promise.

Let’s Try This Blogging Thing Again

I’ve fallen down on blogging in 2013. Between being busy with SMP and KSCharms, there have been bumps in the life. Right now, my husband is unemployed. I’m crossing my fingers that a third stage interview this week leads to a job offer. If you’re the praying type, I wouldn’t mind it right now!

 

K. Piet and I have been busy with our writing. Immortal Symphony: Overture‘s final episode, Homecoming, drops on Friday. It also includes a smexy illustration from Nathie and a short about how Dorian met John, but those extras are only for season pass holders. If you haven’t signed up yet for the season pass, grab it now.

 

At the moment, I’m working on cleaning up a novella set in Egaea, K.’s and my huge fantasy world. This one is about Trystan, the king of a forest realm in Sephryn, during the sieges against his kingdom by the magic-wielding Doran. It lays the foundations for Bleidd, the king of Stoyrm, and his story millennia later (as Bleidd is the great-grandson of Trystan). I’m excited to be actively working on the first installment in the World of Egaea books, and when I’m done with it, K. and I will finally plunge into Bleidd’s story (The Wolf-King).

 

I’m also trying to finish up Human Rights by the end of the year, and K. and I will be working on Lessons in Cowboy and Immortal Symphony: Counterpoint throughout the fall and winter. I want to have lots of goodies for our readers come 2014!

 

I did have a release recently, though it’s more of a rerelease. The short story I wrote with K. for Fraternal Devotion is now out on it’s own!

 

Songwriter Andrew uses drugs to quiet his uncertainties about his ongoing relationship with his twin brother, Ben. Ben, on the other hand, feels no guilt or shame and only wants to be able to love Andrew openly, without all of the pretense. Time and again, Andrew gives in to his desires for Ben, only to lose himself in the alcohol and drugs once more. No matter how hard Ben tries to convince him, Andrew can’t seem to reconcile his mind and his heart. Finally, disheartened by Andrew’s repeated empty promises, Ben begins to pull away, forcing Andrew to choose between letting go and finally finding the strength to stop running.

 

Buy On the Edge for $2.49!

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re into shinies, drop by my Etsy shop, KSCharms. I’d love to share a few of my favorites with you.

 

 

Rainbow Sterling Silver Swarovski and Pearl Dangle Earrings

 

 

 



 

Magma – Hand-painted Square Glass Pendant

 

 

 



 

Crack the Rainbow – Black Crackle Square Pendant

 

 

 



 

Summer Orange Ombre Pendant

 

 

 



 

Black Fire — Hand-painted Glass Pendant on Antiqued Silver Cameo Setting

 

 

 

We’re in the process of adding a lot more to the shop. We also take all sorts of custom orders. Take a look, and if you like something, grab it! I’ve even created a special coupon for anyone who finds this blog post. For the rest of the fall, take 15% off your order of $15 or more! Use coupon code SLBLOG during checkout! Also, you could like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. We will be doing one-day sales announced only in those places soon!

 

So… yeah. Busy. I’ll leave you with a bit of a tease for Trystan and his love interest, Galvin. ;D

 

—

 

“Lord Korbin should arrive in a few hours, my lord. Your son has gone to meet him.” Galvin couldn’t meet Trystan’s amber gaze. Neither he nor Llyr had informed Trystan that Korbin was on en route to Scáil. It had been a calculated decision, and now he would see if sparing Trystan the time to work up into a proper fit of indignant rage paid off.

 

A low growl brought Galvin’s eyes to the feral figure crouched against the wall. “I suppose I should have expected that the great Lord Korbin would desire to have his turn to gaze at the oddity.”

 

Galvin’s gaze darkened. “Korbin doesn’t wish to stare at you, Trystan. He has always been your friend and ally; don’t discount what he could do to aid you and your condition. He is a great healer.”

 

Trystan gave a low, mirthless chuckle. “We shall see.”

 

Galvin sighed and glanced around the room again, as he did every time a silence fell between them. He didn’t know what to say to Trystan most of the time. It shamed him that he would grow uncomfortable looking at Trystan, his body remembering the heat and smell of Trystan pressed against him and the frank statement of what he would have done to him should Llyr have not been in the room that day. Galvin knew, deep within himself, that he wouldn’t have stopped Trystan from fucking him, and the knowledge disquieted him.

 

“Why should it upset you, Galvin?”

 

Galvin whipped his head back around to stare in disbelief at Trystan. The smirk on Trystan’s face riled something old in Galvin, something visceral he’d thought dormant since the last onslaught of Rigora. “What?”

 

“It’s instinct,” purred Trystan. “Mating. Sex. Lust.” Trystan licked his lips seductively before smiling at him, revealing sharpened teeth Galvin could almost feel in his skin.

 

Galvin shook himself and glared at Trystan. “Don’t be so crude, my lord. We are above such base actions.”

 

Trystan leaned forward in his crouched position and regarded Galvin, sarcastic amusement dripping from his words. “Are we, now? Or are we simply more adept at hiding it, repressing it?”

 

“It is the mark of intelligence for a people to overcome base instinct in favor of more enlightened attitudes.”

 

“Then am I becoming less intelligent?” Trystan parried.

 

“The very fact that you can ask that question negates it,” Galvin riposted. This was an old argument; it was old a week ago and showed no signs of being resolved any time soon.

 

“And the very fact that I could kill you in the space between breaths throws that intelligence into sharp relief.” Trystan was stalking now, pacing back and forth across the room, his eyes never leaving Galvin.

 

Galvin remained calm and returned Trystan’s stare with a passivity he had learned to affect when these moods came upon Trystan. “The capacity for violence, or the lack of one, is not a measure of intelligence. No one doubts Doran’s intelligence, yet his capacity for violence knows no limits.”

 

Trystan froze, leveling an acidic glare across the room. “So, I am no less intelligent, just more evil.”

 

“Evil is subjective.” Galvin tilted his head. “Do you think Doran considers himself evil? Of course not. To his mind, we are the evil that must be purged or enslaved for our own good. Similarly, the wolf is not inherently evil. It can only be considered such by outside observers. As I was saying yesterday…”

“Immortal Symphony: Overture” Episode 5 Teaser

So, with the move and the crazy that was, Episode 5 and Episode 6 of my serial with K. Piet, Immortal Symphony: Overture, wound up delayed. However! Episode 5, Going to Ground, comes out tomorrow, and Episode 6, Homecoming, comes out September 13th. To celebrate, I’m bringing you a lovely teaser from Episode 5!

—

Gabriel’s lips twitched. “You’re a liar.”

“A serpent with a silver tongue.” Dorian tore into the breast meat Gabriel had served him. “Which you quite like, if memory serves me.”

“I like the tongue,” Gabriel pointed out between bites. “It doesn’t mean I like what that tongue has to say half the time.”

Dorian affected a pout in Gabriel’s direction. “Only half the time?”

Gabriel laughed, and Dorian felt some sort of tension break in the room with the sound filling it. “You’re just… just impossible, you know that?”

“Oh, I’m very aware of it, angel,” Dorian chuckled, and the rest of the meal was eaten in relative silence. When his belly was full, Dorian leaned back, wincing as he shifted until he was free of springs poking at him. “That was wonderful.” He knew he was practically purring with his pleasure. “It was one of the best roast chicken suppers I’ve had in a long time.”

Within moments, Dorian had a lap full of Gabriel. “Really?”

Dorian cupped Gabriel’s ass through his jeans, and he brought their lips together in a slow, deep kiss. His tongue moved through Gabriel’s mouth, teasing every inch he could reach, and the soft moans and eager rubbing he coaxed from Gabriel were intoxicating. In these singular moments—few and far between though they’d been of late—Dorian still felt in control and on top of the fucking world. By the time Gabriel pulled back, lips slick and slightly puffy from the long bout of kissing, they were both hard.

Dorian nipped at Gabriel chin, finally answering Gabriel’s question. “Really.”

“You still have the other half of my surprise.” Gabriel squirmed a bit in Dorian’s lap, pulling a groan from Dorian. “And that other half, I hope, does include fucking all damn night.”

“All night?” Dorian licked and kissed up and down Gabriel’s throat.

Gabriel tilted his head back, moaning. “All. Night,” he promised breathlessly.

Dorian smiled against Gabriel’s throat. “Then you need to stand up so you can give me the second half of my surprise because the all night fucking is eclipsing that in urgency at the moment.”

“Horndog.” Still, Gabriel was all smiles as he slid off Dorian’s lap. He held out his hand. “I knew I wanted to give this to you the minute you said you got the job at the bookstore. But I had to save up my tips.”

Brow furrowed, Dorian took Gabriel’s hand and stood. “What could you have bought that required three weeks of saving?”

Gabriel gave Dorian a gentle shove toward the bedroom door. “Go and look.”

Dorian turned the loose knob to their bedroom and swung open the door. Their bed, just a modest double that had come with the apartment—stains and odd smells were free of charge—sat across from the large window. The dresser had been moved from its place beside the closet, and it now rested on the wall next to the door. In its place now sat an upright piano that, honestly, had seen better days. It still had a rich, deep cherry color to its case, though, and Dorian couldn’t help but get closer. The keys were in excellent condition, though, and excitement bubbled hot in his chest. “Angel…” He slid his fingers over the keys, sitting on the creaking bench. It had been almost three months since he’d last laid fingers on a piano, and now… now… He let out a slow breath and played a chord.

The notes rang true, rich and deep.

Dorian looked over his shoulder. “Even used, three weeks of tips wouldn’t pay for this. How—”

“Three weeks paid the downpayment.” Gabriel cheeks were flushed, his eyes dark, hopeful. “It will take me another eight months to pay it off, but it’s ours. Yours, Dorian.”

Eyes drawn back to the keyboard, Dorian was overwhelmed. Only one other lover in his life had gifted him with a piano. Basil had bought him a used upright much like this one, though more walnut than cherry, and it had taken Basil several months to fully pay it off. It was eerie and sweet, and Dorian wet his lips, not trusting his voice just yet. Tight on money, scraping by on just Gabriel’s pay for weeks, and still… Gabriel had bought him the one thing he missed the most: music.

Dorian turned on the bench and took Gabriel’s hands, murmuring unevenly, “Thank you, angel. For this. For giving me music once more. It’s… it’s more than I ever expected when we left Scotland.”

—

You can buy the season pass over at Storm Moon Press for $11.99, and that gets you two bonus shorts AND a steamy art piece from Nathie (as well as the completed eBook). Or, you can buy the episode individually at SMP or any major retailer.

Three Weeks Later

First, thank you to everyone who has donated. Every dollar has helped us so much. Each of you are awesome. Thank you from the bottoms of our hearts. Our pets are our family, animals who are like children to me. Thank you for helping us keep them, love them, and assure their continued happiness.

Secondly, we moved.

It cost more than we anticipated. We’d been quoted $1600 to move into the new house. When we got here, the guy wanted $2000. R had to go to the bank to get a counter check for the right amount. But, it was $400 we didn’t really have. We paid it, though, and took possession of the house on the 28th. We’re still stuck paying rent at the other apartment, too, so we’re carrying a $2200 housing bill until the end of August. Ouch.

We made two trips for boxes on the 28th, packing K’ car and the van as much as possible. We also set up the craft room that day so K and I wouldn’t have to worry about it after the move. K and I had been up for like… 38 or 48 hours, somewhere in there, and only managed to go to bed at 11pm-12am… and we had to be up at 6am for when my parents arrived.

Folks arrived at 7:30am, right on time, and it took three trips with a van, a car, an SUV, and a trailer. It rained most of the day. They brought the last load in at about 9:00pm on the 29th. For a good hour while they were doing the third load, K and I stayed at the house to defrost the commercial freezer we had. It was sweltering and wet and I spent most of that hour hammering away at ice. But, we defrosted it, threw away food we couldn’t recognize, and all was good. We collapsed into bed after my parents left.

Sunday, we put up the bookshelves, unpacked necessities. A good majority of R’s office and our bathroom still haven’t been unpacked, but we’re about 75% unpacked here. There’s a lot more room than we anticipated, actually, though the kitchen is a bit of an issue. There isn’t enough storage space in it for everything, so I’ll need to buy some shelving or something for the garage so we can easily store things out there.

So far, we love the house. R mowed the lawn for the first time yesterday, and it looks great. K landed herself an awesome job at a spa she adores, and her first day was today. With her working again, it will make the financial stress we were feeling lessen. It will be a couple of weeks before she gets paid, but it’s a hopeful vision of the future. With K’s new job and our Etsy shop, we’re hoping to be back on track by the end of August, though it may be September by the time that happens.

We’ve added a lot of new items to KS Charms, plus I take custom orders for all the jewelry (glass, resin, and silver). K’ mom was awesome and ordered a bunch of custom pieces to give away at her house closings, so I made a bunch of bracelet and earring sets for her. It was fun, and I was really happy with the results.

This has just been… OMG, stressful. I’m going to try and finally WRITE for the first time since May, when things were a lot better all around. I have a backlog of email, writing, and accounting to do. This weekend will be a busy one for me. I also bring you a link to pictures of the new house! Our new home and the moving pictures!

Now… time to see if I can squeeze 1,200 or so words out of my brain before K comes home from work.