Clare C. Marshall's Blog, page 20
June 4, 2012
Faces in the Mist, Part 25
Darian was halfway to Skyla’s chambers–his boots clanging hard on the metallic floor and sweat beading on his forehead–when he whipped out his radio. The last few times he’d barged into her room he’d been unannounced. He relished the look of surprise on her face, which was often coupled with a relief–like she was actually happy to see him. This was probably not a time to surprise her, though.
“Skyla. Queen Skyla. This is Captain Flaherty. Come in.”
Her reply came a few seconds later. “What’s wrong?”
“Something’s happened at the medical bay. I’m coming to secure your quarters.”
“No!” There was a sharp edge to her voice that tore Darian’s heart. “Is it Lady Harmony? Lady Dominique? Have they escaped?”
“I don’t know. I’ve sent the men to deal with it. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
“Don’t worry about me! Get down there and do what needs to be done to contain it.”
She is not your friend. She is your queen.
“Yes…yes, your Highness. Flaherty out.”
A stab of guilt twisted his guts, but he had to do what she said. She would be fine, he told himself as he did a complete one-eighty.
Lieutenant Starkley was in front of the medical bay with about a dozen men, but most of them were fending off the journalists. Damn it. Several of the reporters had cameras, video and still, and were taking pictures of the scene. This would be all over the Dome and Earth’s Internet in mere minutes.
The ruddy glass of the bay doors were in pieces over the floor. As if breaking the door wasn’t enough, there was a gaping hole in the wall next to it, wide enough for two grown men to step through side-by-side. Darian’s men had roped off the area with black tape, and inside the lights were flickering madly. Whatever infection had been contained, it wasn’t contained anymore.
“Why hasn’t this been blocked yet?” Darian barked to Starkley.
“Sir. We were dealing with–”
“I see that. Leave two here to crowd control, and the rest are with me. This isn’t a game.”
“What was being contained?” one of the journalists shouted.
“What broke the door? Where are Doctor Leeland and the other medical personnel? Is it safe to go inside?”
“Where is Lady Harmony now?”
The last was Mac Jaclow, that so-called journalist who had sent Skyla into a frenzy earlier that day. Darian balled his hands into fists. “I don’t care about your stories and I don’t care about your damn deadlines. We have a real situation here.” He looked to his men. “Well? Board. This. Wall.”
“Answer our questions!” Mac Jaclow demanded. He shoved the other journalists out of the way and began wrestling with the guard, a Sergeant Sage. Sage held Jaclow back with little trouble but it still made Darian uneasy–he couldn’t have Jaclow setting a bad example for the other reporters to follow, not again.
Darian nodded to Starkley. “C’mon.”
Eight men followed Darian into the ruined medical bay. It was like walking into a club that doubled as a crackhouse. Shards of broken glass crunched under their boots. One of the guards almost slipped on something large and knelt down to see what it was.
“Captain? I think this is a body,” he said.
“Anything we can do about those lights?” Darian asked.
One of the taller men, Lieutenant Kraul, stood on his tip-toes and gave the fluorescent lights hanging from the ceiling a good beating. After a couple of punches, it flickered again and then came back on permanently.
Bodies, everywhere. Six of them, all of them dead. Their faces were a mess of brain, bone, and blood. It was like a savage beast had mauled them and then snacked on them, leaving the rest of the body to rot or to be ravaged by some other animal. One of the guards vomited in the corner. Without their faces, the lot of them just seemed unreal to Darian–like they were dolls, or mannikins. But the scratch marks on their necks and arms sent a clear message–someone had attacked them, something not human.
“Weapons, men!” Darian ordered, drawing his own gun. “Set to heavy stun. I want to see what killed these people.”
“Aye, sir!”
Banging sounds in an office off to the left sent a sharp chill down Darian’s back. He raised his gun and crept slowly towards the sound. The window to the office had been smashed–and the door was ajar. More shuffling noises, followed by a gurgling groan. Darian gestured for Starkley and two others to take up position by the door while he scouted the window.
A shadow crossed the room and gurgled once more, and was made flesh in the light that crossed near the window. Starkley kicked open the door for a better sightline.
She was still alive. Somehow–though her face had been chewed off, her eyes empty black holes, her teeth missing and her tongue gone, and her nose a sunken mess, this woman stumbled about the office. Her white nurse’s uniform was caked with her own brain matter and drenched with blood. She sounded like a drowning cat.
Starkley’s voice wavered. “Do we shoot it, sir?”
This was no doll, no mannikin. This woman had a family somewhere. Darian tried to steady his aim but the ghoul looked straight at him–as if she could hear him thinking about her–and let out a loud, cruel moan.
“Yes, God yes,” Darian said.
All four of them fired their razor-thin lasers at the woman and she slumped backwards. Hopefully dead, Darian prayed.
Starkley stepped into the office, turning on his flashlight and sweeping the area until he deemed it safe, and then checked the body. “Dead, Captain.”
“Leave her for now. There are people trapped in here, somewhere, and we’ve got to get them out.” Darian turned back to Kraul. “Take four men and go down the east wing. Check for survivors. Doctor Leeland is in here somewhere–he could have important information about what’s going on. Find him.”
“Yes, sir.”
The reporters were shouting more questions now–they would’ve heard the shots. Two of Darian’s men had found some emergency supplies and were boarding up the hole, but the body count was spirialing out of control.
Darian got out his radio again. “Captain Darian Flaherty to any available guardsman. This is a public call to all guards under my command. We have a Class 5 emergency. Shut everything non-vital system down. Escort civilians to their homes. We have a potential murderer on the loose. I repeat, shut everything down.”
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June 2, 2012
Book Giveaway Finds, June 2, 2012
This week we’ve got even more giveaways for you–thanks to everyone who provided me with their giveaway information!
Don’t forget, I’m also doing a giveaway this week: I’m celebrating 500 followers on Twitter by giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Certificate. Check it out!
Now, without further ado…BOOK GIVEAWAY FINDS! This week I’ve ordered them by giveaway date for easy browsing. There’s just so many that I couldn’t put them all in the table, so see the list at the bottom as well!
Book Title: The Vincent Brothers and The Vincent Boys
Blog Doing Giveaway: The Bookish Babes
Book Type: eBook (Kindle) copies (2 books, one winner)
Open: International (must be 18 years or older)
Giveaway Ends: June 3, 2012
Book Title: Angel Eyes, by Shannon Dittemore
Blog Doing Giveaway: Realm of Fiction
Book Type: eBook
Open: International
Giveaway Ends: June 8, 2012
Book Title: Darwin’s Children (pictured) & Unnatural Law by Natasha Larry
Blog Doing Giveaway: Awesomesauce Book Club
Book Type: Unknown? (2 winners)
Open: International (must be 18 years or older)
Giveaway Ends: June 10, 2012
Giveaway Type: Blogaversary Giveaway
Blog Doing Giveaway: Book and a Latte
Book Type: Physical (2 winners) (Choose from a list of anticipated pre-order books)
Open: International (as long as the Book Depository ships to you)
Giveaway Ends: June 11, 2012
Book Title: Four in the Morning, by Christi Goddard
Blog Doing Giveaway: Immortal Ink Publishing
Book Type: Physical
Open: Unknown
Giveaway Ends: June 13, 2012
Book Title: Closed Hearts, by Susan Kaye Quinn (winner may choose between the first book in the series, Open Minds and an accompanying novella Mind Games, or Closed Hearts (sequel) and Mind Games).
Blog Doing Giveaway: Forever Lost in Books
Book Type: eBook
Open: International
Giveaway Ends: June 13, 2012
Book Title: Pulse, by Kailin Gow
Blog Doing Giveaway: Escaping One Book at a Time
Book Type: Physical?
Open: International
Giveaway Ends: June 13, 2012
Book Title: (Choose from a list of pre-orders, or popular books of this year)
Blog Doing Giveaway: Fire Star Books
Book Type: Physical Books
Open: International (as long as the Book depository ships to you)
Giveaway Ends: June 22, 2012
Book Title: Casey Barnes Eponymous, by E.A. Rigg
Blog Doing Giveaway: Blkosiner’s Book Blog
Book Type: eBook
Open: US ONLY
Giveaway Ends: June 25, 2012
Giving away : Choose from any anticipated pre-order book from a list.
Blog Doing Giveaway: The Paper Planes
Book Type: Physical
Open: Internationally (as long as the Book Depository ships to you)
Giveaway Ends: July 3, 2012
Book Title : Ten, by Gretchen McNeil
Blog Doing Giveaway: Char & Melissa Book Reviews
Book Type: Physical?
Open: US ONLY
Giveaway Ends: July 4, 2012
OTHER GIVEAWAYS:
I Just Want To Sit Here and Read is giving away a Snow White & the Huntsman pack of goodies.
Author Emlyn Chand is giving away a $50 Amazon Gift certificate and a copy of Charlinder’s Walk by Alyison Myers
Princess of Storyland is giving away one of three books as part of a giveaway hop–you choose between paper or ecopy. US ONLY.
Librarian Mouse is giving away a $15 gift certificate to the Book Depository! Open internationally.
June 1, 2012
Big Things Happening at Faery Ink Press
Lots of things happening here at Faery Ink Press!!
Not only have I gotten around to putting up a new theme, but I’m hosting a giveaway, and I’m in the process of hiring an editor for The Violet Fox–due out October 13, 2012. I had hoped to get it out earlier this year–like, now–but freelancing took over. Oh well. Now that my bank account is overflowing, it’s time to put some of that sweet mola to publishing books. YAY!
Dave is busy designing the cover, and I can’t wait to show it to you all. It is going to be amazing, but I guess that’s not really a surprise. 
I’m planning a cover reveal, so any bloggers interested in revealing my cover to the world when it’s done, let me know! I’ll have a formal sign-up in a few days.
Then…it will be blog tour organizing time again! The last one was a monster to organize but I think it went pretty well in the end. I’d like to have double the participants this time–I had about 20 bloggers for WITHIN, and it would be awesome if I had 50 bloggers. Formal sign up for this will come out probably after the cover is revealed. I’d like to schedule the tour near the release of my book this time, instead of two months after release.
Other big thing I’m doing is configuring my site for international shipping. Yep, if you live in the UK, US or wherever else, you’ll soon be able to buy a paperback version of my books directly from me! Configuring shipping is a bit of a pain so when it’s all sorted out, I’ll definitely let everyone know.
That’s it for now! enter my giveaway!!
May 30, 2012
Problems with the Site in IE
It’s not really a secret to those I meet that I dislike Internet Explorer. So when I got an email a while back saying that certain areas of my website were not visible in IE–my blog, and any archive page–I was even more frustrated.
On one hand, I was inclined not to care, as there are better browsers out there that aren’t a pain (Chrome, for example, which is what I have taken a liking to–Firefox is all right, but I find it can be pretty bloaty). And really it’s IE6 and IE7 that give the whole line a bad rap, because they are famously incompatible with a lot of websites today. But, since I am doing a lot of web design work lately, I figured I should try to tackle the problem.
Actually, if you are in IE right now, you can’t even view this post. But, if you happen to be using another browser, the fix that I found is quite simple.
1. Go to your internet options and click on the advanced tab.
2. Scroll down the list of check boxes and turn OFF “Show Friendly HTTP error”.
3. Refresh, and hopefully you should see my blog posts!
This should clear things up until I figure out what little bit of code might be setting IE off.
Let me know if this fixed it for you!
May 27, 2012
Faces in the Mist, Part 24
Past lunch, almost supper–Darian needed some kind of sustenance to keep him going. It had been one of the busiest days he’d ever had since he’d been assigned to the Luna Dome. Lieutenants and sergeants and other ranking officers saluted him as he made his way to the promenade. He absently acknowledged their salutes with little more than a nod. One hand clutched his stomach, which was rumbling with hunger, and his other fingered his radio, waiting for Skyla’s call.
Her Highness. She was the queen. She could not be his friend.
The promenade was seeing the beginnings of the evening crowd–Lunar citizens wishing for a night out would come here to find it. It couldn’t compare to a brisk starry night on Lake Ontario, the highway lights far in the distance and the expansive body of water before them. The strawberry gelato they had had that night, sometimes he still thought he could taste it. It had been sad. It had been perfect. He had been so close…
He shook his head of the past as the radio cut through the noise of the promenade. He practically ripped it from his belt. “Captain Flaherty here.”
Static was his answer. He was about to turn it off and chock it up to a crossed-line when a desperate female voice came through. “Help…please…help us…”
“Where are you? Who is this?” he demanded, while thinking, it’s not Skyla, thank God, but please don’t let this be about her.
More static. Then, a gruff Doctor Leeland: “Get down here. We can’t hold off–”
And that was it. The connection was severed. He tried to hail them again, and get some kind of signal, but it was lost. This was not good–he’d only been cleared to leave there an hour ago. And Skyla…Skyla, where was she now?
He tried one of his lieutenants. “Lieutenant Starkley?”
A young male promptly answered. “Yes, sir?”
“Get down to the medical bay. There’s some kind of emergency. Bring all nearby able men. Possible containment breach.”
“Yes, sir. Right away, sir. Where do I meet you?”
“I’m going to secure the queen. Radio me when you reach the medical bay. And Lieutenant: be careful. If in doubt, shoot to stun.”
“Yes, sir.”
A few patrons looked up at him worriedly and he gave them a nervous smile. “Nothing to worry about, folks. It’s under control.”
Darian’s heart was pounding furiously as his legs took off under him, guiding him to Skyla’s chamber. What was this, the third time today? He felt like a large hand was squeezing his guts. This was torture.
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May 26, 2012
Book Giveaway Finds, May 26 2012
Welcome to this week’s edition of BOOK GIVEAWAY FINDS! You’ll find something you to like with this week’s batch, I imagine. Some of the giveaways have more than one book this week, so make sure you read each description carefully, here and on the host’s website. Good luck!
Book Title: Vertigo, by Kristina Dunker
Blog Doing Giveaway: A Cupcake and a Latte
Book Type: Physical (2 copies)
Open: US/Canada Only
Giveaway Ends: June 2, 2012
Book Title: Through to You, by Emily Hainsworth
Blog Doing Giveaway: Emily Hainsworth.com
Book Type: Physical (Three copies; they are ARCs)
Open: US Only
Giveaway Ends: May 27, 2012
Other Things included in the Giveaway:
Glow-in-the-dark wristbands
Signed Bookmark
Book Title: Wasteland (pictured), Awaited, & Prelude to Darkness (three books)
Blog Doing Giveaway: LynnRush.com
Book Type: eBooks
Open: International!
Giveaway Ends: May 31, 2012
Giveaway Title: Splash into Summer!
Blog Doing Giveaway: Paper Dreams
Book Type: Physical (multiple books to choose from)
Open: International (or to wherever the Book Depository ships to)
Giveaway Ends: May 31, 2012
Book Title: A Kiss for Emily, by J.P. Galuska
Blog Doing Giveaway: Kindred Dreamheart
Book Type: eBook
Open: International
Giveaway Ends: May 30, 2012
Book Title: The Catastrophic History of You & Me, by Jess Rothenburg
Blog Doing Giveaway: A Tale of Many Reviews
Book Type: Physical
Open: US/Canada Only
Giveaway Ends: May 31, 2012
Book Title: A Touch of Faith, by Kathleen Schipper
Blog Doing Giveaway: Read More
Book Type: Physical
Open: US Only
Giveaway Ends: May 29, 2012
Giveaway Title: 1000 Followers Giveaway (6 winners, choice of multiple book titles)
Blog Doing Giveaway: The Aussie Zombie
Book Type: Physical
Open: International! (or to wherever the Book Depository ships)
Giveaway Ends: June 5, 2012
These Giveaways are Still Going On!
Here are some giveaways that I mentioned last week that are still open.
Unabridged Chick is giving away a copy of Written in Ashes by K. Hollan Van Zandt. Ends May 30, 2012.
Author M.R. Merrick is giving away a copy of his two books, Exiled and Shift. Ends June 16, 2012.
That Kindle Fire Giveaway is still going on, hosted at Fiktshun. Ends May 30, 2012
May 22, 2012
MURDER or MAGIC: 4 or more
MURDER the teens
Use MAGIC to disintegrate the elephant into ash
Use MAGIC to turn the elephant, the remaining dolphin, the juggling monkey, the teens and the little girl into bunny rabbits.
MURDER or MAGIC: 3 or Less
MURDER the elephant with its tusk
Take a moment to MAGICly enchant the elephant tusk into a sword.
MURDER or MAGIC
Elephants are stinky creatures but this one has a slight aroma of cotton candy, because of its long circus life. The elephant flaps its large ears as you near. People are standing around calling the cops and animal control, and some young teens have taken to shouting at it, pointing down the street towards you, telling it to pick you up with its trunk and squeeze you to death.
The creature backs away from you slowly, almost stepping on another car. You can see in its ancient eyes that it *knows* you are its master. You can see its life in those eyes: being captured at a young age in the African Safari, dragged away from its mother by faceless men and forced to perform in a circus. Food, glory, fame…but never a home. You have brought it here, and now it is time for its death.
You charge. The elephant is eleven feet high and if you can get on its back, you might be able to rip off one of its tusks and plunge it into its brain.
Roll a 6-sided dice.
3 or less
4 or more
MURDER or MAGIC
The little girl is aghast as you devour part of the dolphin. She drops her sandwich and cowers near her mother. The other dolphin worms across the pavement and startles the roaming elephant. It rears and brings its giant foot down on a nearby car, crushing the occupants.
When you’ve had your fill of dolphin, you drop the half-devoured carcass on the pavement. People are starting to empty the streets, but the little girl and the mother remain, too shocked to move. Cop sirens cry in the distance. They’re coming for you, you psychotic murderer you.
MURDER the elephant
MURDER the little girl & her mother
Use MAGIC to subdue the elephant
Use MAGIC to make the little girl & her mother forget this horrible tragedy?
