Ravon Silvius's Blog, page 19

Release date for Book 4 of Enforcer's!

The release date for book 4 of the Enforcer's series will be the 15th of February!

Cover and title to follow soon! :D

Water, book 3 of the Waterlord Trilogy, on sale!

Hey all,

Today on Extasy books, book 3 of the Waterlord Trilogy is 74% off! Grab it while you can at Extasy books!

A look back and a look ahead

Hello everyone! Welcome to 2014!
As many authors do around this time of year, I’m going to take a quick look back at 2013, and then give you all a few things to look forward to for 2014.
2013, for me, was defined by The Enforcer’s Series, my steampunk work about Kenneth and Thorn, a noble mage and a talentless who love each other and seek to put an end to the inequality in their society. Books 1-3 came out in 2013, and I’m very happy to see that readers are enjoying the series!
2013 also marked the beginning of Freshmen Blues, the free read I had up on the blog for a while. I am still working on it behind the scenes, and for now the first few chapters are still up on the blog.
Also in 2013, I enjoyed a very fun blog hop.  
So what can you expect in 2014?
Book 4 of the Enforcer’s series is 50k words and is submitted. Expect it in early 2014. It may end up split into two books, too!
Expect Freshmen Blues to be completed and to appear again in some form. New Adult is a hot genre at the moment.
Expect to hear more about a vampire novella called “Thrall.” I posted an excerpt a while back.
Finally, expect to hear more about the print versions of The Perils of Forgotten Pain and the Waterlord Trilogy. I’m very excited about these!
Finally, I have a new project in the planning stages, and perhaps some of you can offer your opinions. I think a short story project would be quite fun, with a focus on erotic shorts of approximately 3500 words that revolve around a particular theme. The theme I’m going to choose?
Cyborgs. They may not be everyone’s erotic cup of tea, but they are the future! If you liked the Perils series, you will almost certainly like these shorts. Expect them to start popping up on Amazon sometime in 2014.
That’s all for now. I hope everyone has a wonderful new year!

Remembering Christmas

The tall blond man jogged with heavy steps on the spongy earth, his breathing quick and his gaze focused. Drizzling rain mingled with fog in a fine mist that surrounded him, reminding him of the first time he had entered the city. Away from the steady glow of the lights of neon signs, darkness marked the presence of enormous trees, ones that would overtake them all in mere decades.
But for now, life remained. Aldric kept jogging, turning away from the bright white neon lights and following the perimeter of the city, the trees to his left. Roots and hardy saplings jutted from the ground under his feet.
Daniel would have to hear about those, as would the city’s new mayor, Trinia. The saplings would have to be cut quickly before the city shrank even more.
Aldric shook his head as he headed back toward the pitted roads that would take him to the house he and his lover Daniel shared. He had been here for only half a year, and already he was beginning to fall into routine.
Of course, it was better than his old life of wandering.
Memories of his time alone, and his time before that, during the war, flowed into his mind. Rather than fight it, as he always had before, he let it happen, the quiet decay of the city and the sound of his jogging feet dulling in the remembrance of his time as a soldier, and the faces of his old comrades and friends from the war. Dino had always been the only one who could run faster than Aldric when they all jogged, the taller man’s longer legs giving him an advantage. He had always called back to the others, urging them on.
All of them were gone now, Aldric the only one left. The sound of a mortar whistled in his mind.
Aldric sighed, his breath puffing in the night air. The memories still hurt, but not as much as they once had.
And now, he had Daniel.
The house they shared emerged from the misty gloom as he drew closer, and with it a strange red and green glow. Aldric slowed, his heart beating hard, and anxiety tensed his muscles. The glow undulated with the roiling mist, like lights from ambulances or headlights, which he hadn’t seen in over a decade.
“Aldric?” Daniel’s voice came through the gloom, with no trace of fear or pain. Aldric took a deep breath. Calm down. “Aldric, is that you?” Daniel called out again. “Come help me with these!”
The mists parted when Aldric approached, and his eyes widened.
“What’s the matter?” Daniel asked from his place on the deck. He held a string of multicolored lights up over his head. The rest of the string decorated the front of his house and the door to the room where he kept his computer, the lights forming giant loops. “Not a fan of Christmas lights?” he grinned.
“Its…it’s Christmas?” Aldric asked, his voice raspy and quiet. Daniel blinked, silent for a moment, and Aldric wondered if he had heard him.
“You haven’t celebrated Christmas in a long time, have you?” he asked, setting down the portion of the lights that weren’t yet hung onto the deck. His feet sent ringing thuds out into the silence of the nearby forest as he came to stand by Aldric. He took his hand, squeezing it lightly through the gloves Aldric wore. “It’s the solstice tonight. Christmas is in two days.”
Aldric peered at the lights, blues and purples and greens and reds swirling in the mist. The last time he had celebrated the holidays, it had been during the early part of the war. During the years he had wandered, the seasons had ceased to matter, the warm stickiness of post nuclear earth all anyone ever felt.
“I didn’t know people still bothered,” he said. Daniel frowned.
“Many don’t. But I do.” He touched Aldric’s shoulder, lightly massaging the muscle there. Tension melted away. “I’ve always liked Christmas. I’m not really religious, and my family never was either, but…I don’t know. The togetherness always made me happy.”
Aldric just nodded, his throat tight. The lights flickered in the evening dark, dredging up ancient memories of his family, distant hazy images of a shimmering tree and his smiling mother and father. It felt like…no, it was. It was a completely different lifetime. A time before the anarchists had killed his parents, before he had fought in the war that ended the world.
He wasn’t even angry about their deaths anymore.
“Aldric?”
Aldric cleared his throat. “Who…who do you celebrate with?”
“In the past, before, it was my family of course. Then…Blake.” Daniel’s voice dropped on the man’s name. “But the past year, I went into town, and asked others how they used to spend their holidays. They liked to talk about it.” He smiled. “Now, though…” he turned, facing Aldric, and kissed him lightly. “I have you.”
Heat began to curl like flame in Aldric’s body, and he pulled Daniel closer. His lover molded against him, his body firm. Daniel’s arms snaked around Aldric’s waist.  
“You aren’t…” Aldric’s gaze traveled to the house, to the door that led to Daniel’s machine. The array of electrodes that would record memories, and ultimately send those memories to the rest of humanity that now lived in the stars. “Do you want me to record my memories of Christmas?”
Daniel laughed, shaking his head. “No, Aldric. Those memories are important, of course. And if it’s alright with you, I will ask you later. But…” he kissed Aldric again, deeper and slower this time, his lips soft and wet. His tongue flicked against Aldric’s lips when he pulled away. “How about for now, we focus on making new ones?”
The heat in his body sharpened into desire at Daniel’s words. “I’d like that.”
“Come on then,” Daniel said with a wry smile. “To start, help me hang these up.”
Swallowing against his rising lust for the other man, Aldric nodded.
With Aldric’s help, the lights were hung in no time at all. Aldric had no eye for it, but Daniel told him how to make pleasing patterns. Soon, festive loops of color decorated the normally bland house and sent cheery beams into the misty darkness.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Daniel asked. He sighed, leaning against the porch railing. “And it doesn’t take long at all. It feels like a lifetime ago when my dad and I…” he tapped his fingers against the wood, a light staccato that reminded Aldric suddenly of a woodpecker. He hadn’t heard one of those in years. “It always took us forever. I guess because I was so young. And not as tall as you.”  He reached out and squeezed Aldric’s bicep.
Aldric moved closer, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Did you hang these last year?”
“No. This was the first year I bothered, since....” He trailed off and stood up straighter, meeting Aldric’s eyes. “A new experience for both of us, eh?”
Aldric nodded. For him, this year was incredibly different, and it was more than just because of hanging lights. “I’m glad to be here,” he said, his throat tight on the words. He wished his horrible rasping voice could be normal, like it had been before the mortar, before his injury. Daniel would never hear his real voice. “I’m glad to be with you.”
Daniel smiled, a warm breeze blowing over them both as he put his arms around Aldric and pulled him into a kiss. The gust sent some of the lights shuddering against the house, lights dancing around them both.
“Come on inside,” Daniel said, his breath hot on Aldric’s neck. “Let’s celebrate.”
Aldric blinked in the dim interior, and a smile crept over his face when Daniel turned on the lights. A small pine tree sat in a pot of water in the center of the room, and more lights like the ones outside festooned the dark green boughs.
“I know,” Daniel said with a rueful smile. “I’ll have to get rid of it soon. But I like to pretend some traditions will last.” The tiny tree didn’t even reach Aldric’s knee, but knowing the fast growing trees of the area that had taken to Overgrowth, it would double in size in mere weeks. “Tabitha over on the other side of the city sells them every year. Nothing bad has happened yet.”
“Its nice,” Aldric said, taking Daniel’s hand.
“Did you have Christmas trees, before?” Daniel asked.
Aldric nodded after a pause. “We had a large pine on our property, about a quarter mile away.” His gaze lost focus as he remembered. “Every year we would walk outside and decorate it. On Christmas mornings, we would walk out to it, first thing. My father always left one present—something the animals wouldn’t get.” He smiled, and Daniel tightened his hand around his. “The last year before the war, there were no gifts, but we decorated it anyway.” He could still remember the still, bitter cold, but also the clean, sharp scent of winter and pine. “Tradition, I guess.”
“That sounds rough, making your kid walk a quarter mile in the snow for his presents.” Daniel laughed. “Fun, though. Maybe we should do that next year.”
Aldric nodded, facing Daniel. “That would be nice.” He reached out, stroking Daniel’s face lightly with his gloved hand before leaning down for a deep kiss. “But this is nice too.”
“Mm.” Daniel deepened it, and heat flashed through Aldric. He moved his hands over Daniel, his firm body and shoulders, and he shuddered when Daniel’s soft hands moved under his shirt.
“C’mon,” Daniel said, breaking the kiss with a gasp. He took Aldric’s hand, pulling him toward the bedroom.
The cheery light of the tree cast a colorful beam into the bedroom through the doorway, and Daniel didn’t bother to turn on the lights. Aldric’s old case lay in the corner, dust gathering on top of it. He didn’t need to travel, not anymore.
Aldric let Daniel maneuver him into a sitting position on the bed, tilting his head up to kiss the other man when he stood over him. A bottle of lube sat on the nightstand. Daniel really had prepared.
Daniel pulled off his glove, and Aldric tensed before telling himself to relax.
“It’s okay,” Daniel said, pulling off the other glove. He took Aldric’s good hand, the other metal one clutching the bedsheets.  Daniel grinned. “I don’t mind it, I promise.”
Aldric nodded. Six months, and he still felt a flash of anxiety when Daniel uncovered his arm.
“Now, the shirt.” Daniel kissed his neck, and Aldric pulled away for a moment to take it off. Daniel stroked his body, avoiding the metal arm that was bolted to his shoulder. An eternal reminder of the war, of the mortar that had nearly killed him. It had taken him a long time to get used to Daniel seeing it when they were intimate. Aldric still would never touch Daniel with it.
But that didn’t matter. The past, at least the painful parts of it, didn’t matter now.
Daniel removed his shirt also, the light casting shadows on the planes of his flat stomach. Aldric’s erection surged at the sight, and Daniel laughed, moving his hands down to stroke the growing bulge. Aldric gasped, leaning forward into the touch, pleasure surging down his body and tightening his muscles.
 “Do you want me?” Daniel asked, kneeling down further and kissing Aldric’s neck. Heat built between their bodies as Aldric nodded, their mingled breathing rushing over them both.
“Tell me,” Daniel said, taking Aldric’s good hand and placing it over the bulge in Daniel’s pants. The cock was firm and twitched under his stroking fingers, Daniel letting out a hissing gasp. “Tell me you want me.”
Aldric gripped him tighter. “Yes, I want you.” Daniel unbuttoned his fly, his cock springing free, and Aldric continued stroking it with one hand, trailing his fingers over the other man’s heavy balls.
Daniel groaned, then returned the favor, cool air rushing over Aldric’s dripping cock. Aldric gasped, hips bucking, when Daniel smeared the leaking precum over the head. The bed creaked when both men moved onto it, Daniel supporting himself as he loomed over Aldric.
“Will you take me?” he asked, the words sending a spike of heat through Aldric’s core. Precum dribbled from Aldric’s cock onto his stomach. “I want you inside me this time.”
 Aldric nodded, and then spoke aloud “Yes.”
“Good.” Daniel’s smile sent a warm comfort bubbling in Aldric’s chest, and then the other man was lying beside him, his mouth on his, his body close. Aldric tensed when Daniel brushed his bad shoulder, but the dark haired man quickly moved his hand away, down to his abdomen to stroke both their erections at once. Aldric did the same, taking turns, their hands brushing together along with their cocks.
“Mmm.” Daniel hummed into the kiss, his tongue curling around Aldric’s, gasping every so often to say his name. “Aldric, yes…Aldric, so good.” His hips bucked, and pleasure curled in Aldric’s loins, tight heat and pressure building. He wanted to come, always, so quickly.
But tonight it was his turn to take Daniel.
He pulled away from the kiss, swiping his tongue over Daniel’s neck, savoring the mixed flavors of sweat and the scent of his lover. He put both arms by Daniel’s head, supporting himself on the pillows, on hands and knees above the dark haired man spread beneath him.
Pleasure surged again at the sight. Daniel was so beautiful. Shadows and the faint colored lights from the tree in the other room played over his pale skin, accentuating the strength of his muscles and the red flush on his face and neck.
Daniel laughed. “Aldric, you’re dripping on me,” he said, taking hold of Aldric’s hardened cock and giving it a light stroke. Aldric bit back a groan as more precum dribbled down onto his lover’s thighs. He needed Daniel, he wanted to come with Daniel, so badly. He reached for the lube, popping the cap open with a metal thumb and smearing it on his good hand before slicking his cock.
“Here.” Daniel took the rest, dipping his fingers in before moving them underneath himself. Aldric stopped, his cock throbbing. He was transfixed by the sight of his lover penetrating himself, preparing for him.
“I’m ready,” Daniel said, his face red and voice breathy. “Please, Aldric.” The need in his voice, in the way he said his name, sent a shudder through Aldric’s body. He leaned his weight on his metal hand, holding himself with the other, aching to enter his lover and bring them both ecstasy. He moved his hips, his cockhead pressing Daniel’s entrance.
With a sharp thrust, tight heat enveloped him, and Daniel bellowed his name. “Aldric, yes, AH!” Daniel threw his head back as Aldric shook from the effort of not thrusting more, not fighting for his climax right then and there. He panted, sweat beading on his brow, and below him Daniel gasped.
“Ngh, Aldric…you feel so big.” Daniel moved underneath him, making Aldric grit his teeth. “Yes, there, now, please!”
Aldric thrust again, Daniel’s walls tight around his cock, every movement sending pleasure and heat through his entire body. The fingers of his metal hand dug into the covers below him while he gripped Daniel’s hips with the other, helping the other man arch his back. Aldric’s thighs shuddered with every thrust.
“Mmm, harder, Aldric, there, yes, please…!” Daniel was always loud, and Aldric loved it.
The bed began to creak, in a way it usually didn’t when Daniel thrust inside him. The creak of the springs was a counterpoint to Aldric’s restrained gasps and Daniel’s loud moans, his babbles of pleasure. Aldric watched as Daniel’s tight cock bobbed in time with this thrusts, and he moved his good hand off of the other man’s hips to grasp it.
“Aldric, yes, yes, please, more!” Daniel’s legs wrapped around Aldric’s back, forcing him in deeper. Aldric thrust harder, the scent of sweat and sex filling the room. Pleasure coiled in ever tightening springs in Aldric’s body, his balls full and heavy, his cock throbbing in time with thrusts and the beat of his heart. In his hand, Daniel’s cock twitched, and he pulled on it with hard, smooth strokes, the sensation traveling through to him by virtue of watching it.
“Aldric…Aldric…” Daniel’s babbling grew breathier, turning into long gasps. Aldric’s vision glazed, his eyes focused on Daniel, his blush even redder in the Christmas lights, the scent of his sex and the sensation of him around his cock maddening.
Aldric couldn’t hold on any longer. He thrust deeply, as deep as he could go, and then his climax overtook him, his body shuddering and his cock pulsing deep inside his lover. His vision fuzzed.
“Ah, YES! Aldric!” Daniel’s words met his ears as Daniel’s erection pulsed, and hot white cum pumped onto Daniel’s neck through Aldric’s fingers. The two men shuddered together, their breathing paused in a mutual instant of pleasurable silence as they rode their orgasm.
Together they exhaled, Daniel relaxing under his hand as tension left Aldric’s body. His balls ached, and he gasped as he withdrew his softening penis.
“Come here,” Daniel said, and Aldric lay down in Daniel’s arms. Their breathing slowed as one, contentment and fatigue stealing over Aldric all at once.
“You were wonderful,” Daniel said, kissing Aldric lightly. “That was…well, that was a damn good Christmas memory.”
Aldric nodded, his throat suddenly tight.
“You’ve changed a lot since staying here,” Daniel said with another kiss. “But you’re still so quiet.”
Aldric mulled over the words. He knew Daniel meant more than just his voice. He had spent more than a few days of his years of wandering wishing for something like this, desperate for companionship, for someone to celebrate small things with. Small things like Christmas, a holiday, a time to relax and be together…he had never had it before meeting Daniel. He had been too afraid.
“I’m happy to be here,” he said finally. “And…” he swallowed against rising emotion. “I’m so glad to be with you.”
Daniel pulled him closer into a tight hug, his body warm. The cheery lights played over his smiling face, and Aldric felt more at home than he had in a long time. His bad memories were just that—memories. Now, he had his fantasy.
“Merry Christmas, Aldric.”

Want more of Aldric and Daniel?

Hello all,

Christmas is coming up, and I figured I would gift you all with a few little short stories. This year I picked the world of Perils of Forgotten Pain, with a focus on Remembrance and Aldric and Daniel's story.

So, for a quick glimpse at Aldric's thoughts before he met Daniel, check out My scorching Christmas Fantasies post on Scorching Reviews. It will go up on the 23rd.

And on that same day, check right here for a short story about Aldric and Daniel's first Christmas together.

Enforcer's Book 4 and updates

Book 4 has been submitted! My publisher will let me know if it will be split into two novellas or not--it's 50k words!

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!

I may be participating in a giveaway on the M/M romance group board over on Goodreads, so stay tuned if you want to hear about a chance to get a free review copy of Remembrance! 

Small Excerpt

Hey everyone!

It's getting horribly cold where I live, and there are ice and snow storms everywhere. I wanted to post something from a novel I've been working on, in a world where things like that are less common.

You can enjoy the excerpt as it is, but for context you might want to check this piece out first: First Chapter from StormLords . One thing to note--The MC here, Rowen, is mute.

The book is 28k words and counting for now! It's one of my longer projects. 

______________



“C’mon,” Volkes said, the cool air making Rayen shiver as they stepped outside the mess. The sky had gone from pink to deep purple. “No Kristoff this evening?” 
Rowen shook his head, his face heating slightly. He didn’t want to think about Kristoff, or Kristoff visiting his village, at all. Not when he was supposed to be celebrating. 
“Hmm.” Volkes’s gaze sharpened, but he left it alone. “Fine then. We’ll get an early start.” He broke into a wide grin, his teeth visible. “I’ll make it worth your while. C’mon.” 
Rowen followed Volkes, tracing the now familiar path back to their shared house. Rowen wished he could ask about Volkes’ training, maybe get some information about what to expect for his own. Elise was talkative, but had never sensed her own magic yet, and Sharon was usually away. Rowen didn’t know where. 
Volkes didn't offer anything as they walked, and the first few stars began to appear in the sky. Rowen shivered again as another cool breeze blew, bringing with it the still strange scents of deep forest and the salty edge of what Rowen knew must be the ocean. He wished he could see it again. Maybe tomorrow, with no need to study, he could explore the island itself some more. 
“Enjoying yourself?” Volkes dug into his pocket for his key, pulling out a keyring. Rowen wondered what the others were for. “Not used to it all yet?” 
Rowen gave a sheepish smile and shook his head as they walked up to the front door. No lights shone from the windows of their shared house. 
“It took me a while too when I first came here. I was ten.” Rowen hadn’t expected that. “In the north, where I’m from, we didn’t have quite this much forest and greenery. Certainly not the varieties you’re seeing here.” He lit the torches inside, skipping every other in the main hall and not bothering with the sitting room. “It was mostly snow and cold. Heat spells were different--when the snow started melting, we knew the storm would come.” 
Rowen raised his eyebrows, hoping Volkes would keep talking. He wanted to know what snow was. 
Instead Volkes headed up the stairs, keeping the lamp lighter in his hand. “C’mon, Rowen.” His blond hair gleamed in the dim light. “Come up to my room. I want to give you something to help you celebrate.” He grinned. “Ever had Darsean beer?”
Rowen paused on the first step. He was beginning to realize what kind of celebration Volkes may have in mind, espeically since there was no one else in the house with them. The blond northerner waved the lamp lighter, the small flame on the end dancing. “C’mon, Rowen.” 
            Sking prickling with unease and no small amount of anticipation, Rowen headed up the stairs and into Volke’s room, waiting in the doorway while Volkes lit one sconce in the corner. Volkes had a window, the untied curtains fluttering in the breeze. The covers on his bed were rumpled, and clothes and books lay strewn on the floor. Rowen carefully stepped inside. Volkes had more things on his floor than Rowen had ever owned in his life.
 Elise’s words from his first meeting with her came back to his mind as Volkes opened his dresser drawer and pulled out two glass bottles, holding them aloft. The light from the sconce shone through the clear liquid. “I got this from the Darsean traders. Best stuff there is.” No one had ever mentioned Darseans to him, and Rowen tilted his head. 
“The traders.” Volkes shook his head with a snort. “How do you think our island gets supplies? The Darseans are seagoers. Live and die on ships. Apparently heat spells destroyed their home country way back. Undispellable ones.” He waved a hand. “They’re the only ones who can come to the Storm Lord’s island, and Storm Lords are respected in their culture. They ship food and supplies to the island from around the world.” Rowen nodded. Suddenly the plethora of foods in the mess hall made sense.  “You can ask Sharon more about them if you’re curious. She’s Darsean.” 
Rowen gave a weak smile. As soon as he could write, he would. He also wanted to know more about undispellable heat spells, but Volkes tossed him the glass bottle before he could figure out a way to ask. 
“Well? You know where it comes from now. Try it.” Volkes grinned, popping his bottle open with his thumb. 
Rowen followed suit, the strange wooden top falling off onto the floor. He almost moved to pick it up, but Volkes waved a hand. “Forget it. Just try it.” 
His tongue curled at the taste, and he tilted his head back, letting the fiery liquid fall down his throat. It burned immediately, and he swallowed it down fast, coughing a few times. The aftertaste was smooth and cloying, with a root-like flavor Rowen could not identify. 
            Volkes whistled. “Wow. You didn’t gag or anything. I’m impressed.” Volkes tilted his head back and downed a portion of his own bottle, then stood up and set it down on the dresser. Rowen’s skin buzzed as the blond came so close Rowen could smell the Darsean beer on his breath.
            “So, Rowen. You want to celebrate or what?” 
It suddenly occurred to him what Volkes meant, his words about men and men who liked men flashing through his mind.  
A chill breeze blew through the window, but it wasn’t the cold that sent goosebumps down Rowen’s neck. He had never been with any man, with anyone at all. Was Volkes the one he wanted as his first? 
Kristoff came to his mind then, and with him the anxieties of the coming few days. No. He didn't want that, not now. 
“Rowen? Do you want to celebrate with me or not?” Volkes asked again, his tone more demanding this time. He reached out and took Rowen’s wrist, his grip firm. “Yes or no?” 
He looked so much like Lucas, and yet not. Rowen’s mouth went dry, his heart speeding up at the thought of finally doing something about the desires that had plagued him since he had first seen the blacksmith’s son. His desires for men, the ones his father had told him to be careful about. 
But that didn’t matter here. This was Rowen’s new life. It was normal. Even Kristoff liked men. 
Rowen gave into his feelings, his eyes leaving Volkes’ face and roving over his body. Warmth began to suffuse Rowen, curling up his spine and quickening his breath. Volkes smirked. 
“Yes, right?” He reached up to Rowen’s chin. “Either you are the lightest weight in history, or just really easy.” Rowen wasn't sure he liked his words, but they ceased to matter when Volkes’ lips met his. 
He had heard girls in the village giggling about such things, and boys and young men describing how soft girls’ lips were. Volkes’ were soft, but Rowen felt the tiny pinpricks of stubble, and Volkes moved his lips in such a way that Rowen was guided to copy it, molding his mouth against the other man’s. Volkes pulled with his kiss, as if nibbling on Rowen’s lips, and the sensation sent the curling heat into a burning flame. 
“Do you want any more beer?” Volkes asked, breaking apart and leaving Rowen breathless. He shook his head, letting Volkes take the bottle from his hand and place it on the floor. The blond smirked. 
“Have you ever been with anyone?” When Rowen didn’t respond immediately, he clarified. “Have you ever fucked anyone?” Rowen blushed hot. 
“Well?” He moved forward, so fast that Rowen stepped back, bumping against the wall. Volkes put a hand on his chest, then trailed it lower, his lips turning up further as Rowen squirmed. He was hard now, his erection uncomortably confined, and he knew it was obvious. 
“Answer me. Am I going to be your first?” He didn’t move, his hand motionless an inch above the bulge in Rowen’s pants. 
For a moment, Kristoff flashed through Rowen’s mind, and he pushed the thought away. He nodded. 
Volkes broke into a victorious smile. “I am going to make you feel good.”

Echoes Of Balance review!

Remember the book I posted a few days ago? I finished it, and now here's a review! 

Echoes of Balance, by Cally Ryanne 

 

To begin, I’ll be honest and say I don’t read YA paranormal that often. I am a M/M erotica author, after all. I’m familiar with the heavy hitters, of course, and I dip into the genre on occasion, but typically I don’t find myself too interested in YA that has paranormal romance elements and I would not call myself well read in the genre by any stretch of the imagination. However, I was intrigued by the chance to read the first book released by a new publisher.

I was also pleasantly surprised. Echoes of Balance is an enjoyable book and one with a lot of strengths, including wonderful worldbuilding, generally strong characterization, and a plot that has just enough mounting tension to keep you sucked in. I’ll try to avoid spoilers in this review.

Let’s start with the book description. Echoes of Balance focuses on Chloe, one of the Naimei. The Namei are a paranormal race dedicated to preserving balance, and do this by using the Ways, a set of instruments that point to where trouble may be looming. Chloe isn’t too interested in the ways, having been interested in hunting vampires for most of her life, but when she injures herself and realizes that vampires are more than just mindless bloodsuckers, she refocuses and gets pulled into preventing the resurrection of two very powerful demons. To do that, she has to keep track of Aurelia, a girl in high school who somehow is pivotal to the demon’s resurrection.

Clearly there is a lot going on in the book, but the author, Cally Ryanne, does a good job keeping track of all the threads and tying up the important things by the end. The tension mounts as the book goes on, from Chloe meeting Josef and Sam, two vampires who she suspects more and more have something to do with the demon summoning, to Aurelia who displays strange powers, and even to Ducante, a demon who runs a bar and clearly knows more than he is letting on. It’s not quite a page-turner, but the mounting mystery kept me reading. There are also a lot of hints scattered throughout the book about Chloe and her family that suggest the series will only get more complex and interesting as it goes on.

The only weakness in the plot was the strange prologue. It hammers you over the head with mysteriousness and characters you know nothing about, so it falls rather flat. But it’s only a few pages, and then the story picks up quite quickly after that.

I’ll focus on the world-building for a bit. It’s hard to do paranormal justice these days, but the Naimei, the race that our MC Chloe belongs to, are a very neat paranormal species. I loved the idea of the Vanishing—that the Naimei, rather than die of old age, simply vanish with no explanation when their time comes. It was a wonderful bit of mystery and made the Naimei feel as alive and unique as any other paranormal creature. And this world has quite the menagerie—shifters, vampires, psychics, witches, and of course, demons. (I feel I should mention—no worries for those who are sick of vampires. The vampires here are fairly traditional, with enhanced strength and speed, a weakness for blood, and not much else. No sparkling, otherworldly beauty, or any other such things). It was also a boon to the story that the paranormal elements were absolutely integral to the plot. This was no YA high school romp with vampires thrown in for flavor, it was a supernatural adventure that happens to dip into high school. It reminded me a bit of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in its tone.

That said, the high school elements did fall a bit flat for me. Their were a lot of fairly cliché elements to them, including the bullies who are bullies for no reason, the fact that everyone in school decides Chloe is the coolest thing ever and should be Spring Fling Queen despite only attending the school for a week, and of course the whole idea of Spring Fling in the first place. Those high school elements made me feel like I was watching an episode of Saved by the Bell. Luckily, though, this is only a minor complaint since the high school elements, as I mentioned before, are not a huge part of the action. They also do get resolved with minimal teen angst and drama, which is appreciated.

Turning to characterization, I really liked the MC. Chloe is not a shrinking violet nor is she overly snarky like some other YA heroines, and not only knows how to use her powers but appreciates what they can do for her. For the protagonist of a YA book, Chloe is very mature in a lot of important ways, and her self-discovery takes the route of her finding a new way to focus her powers (from hunting vampires to fulfilling her family’s goals) and learning more about the paranormal world around her. She does have a few flaws, like not being as open with her family as she should, but all in all she was a strong character that I respected.

The supporting cast is good too. Chloe’s family were well fleshed out and defined, and the two love interests/vampires, Josef and Sam, were well characterized. I will admit to a preference of Sam over Josef, as I’m sick of the “overbearing jerk” love interest that pops up a lot in YA and Josef fit that to a T. Sam, the youthful vampire, had a kind of puppy-ish charm that I appreciated. The only real weakness in the cast was Aurelia, the high school girl that Chloe had to keep track of. She was interesting and we see a lot of good commentary into teen life through her character, but for a character who may end up being very important to future books, she could have used a bit more screen time.

I figure I should add that while I mention love interests, the romance was not a huge part of the book. Most of it was the ever-rising mystery and tension, which to me was a plus.

And as a final plus, the book was well written. Even for an ARC, I didn’t see much in the way of errors. The author tends toward a “telling” approach to some scenes in the interest of either time or reducing word count that I thought could have benefited from being shown, especially scenes with Aurelia where we might have gotten to see more of her home life or personality. This is a minor quibble, though, as clearly the way it was done did a lot for maintaining tension and keeping the pace quick.

To wrap, while not stunningly perfect, Echoes of Balance is a fun, enjoyable supernatural romp with strong characters and a well developed world that I’d be glad to see more of. I’d definitely recommend this for fans of YA or YA paranormal stories, fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and anyone else who enjoys a fast paced fantasy.

Got my hands on a cool book

So you can get some cool things by chatting with people on Twitter. When I'm not writing stories about cyborgs and mages and super powered students in college, I'm reading--and I got the chance to do an advance read and review of Echoes of Balance, a book by Cally Ryanne and published by a brand new start up publisher, Reuts Publications!

It's kind of exciting to read the very first book published by a new company! If you're curious about Echoes of Balance, check back in a few days for an in depth review.

Freshmen Blues on hold for a bit

Hey everyone,

So I'm going to put Freshmen Blues on hold for a little while. I'll be taking down all but the first few chapters.

Don't despair! I am super grateful for those people who have commented on it, and I'm glad I was able to share it. But I don't want to leave it up forever.

There are two major reasons why:

1. It started as an experiment, but I think it could go places. The story has taken off in my head. I don't want to post the entire thing on the blog since then it won't be publishable.
2. As a result of how it started, it needs editing. Badly. There are stupid typos already, and I want to hold off on posting more so I avoid posting really bad mistakes, like plot holes or other such things. I've had to back and change minor things in the earlier chapters, and if I add on more parts without changing things readers will just get confused.

Again, though, don't be sad. I know I'm halting just as things heat up, but you will see this story again, in a better form, and I will continue posting small excerpts here and there. And once it's complete, I might decide to post it for free once more depending on how things go. But it needs too much editing right now for me to feel comfortable leaving it up.