Mia Darien's Blog, page 30

Character Interview: Andrew C. Hudson & Travis from "Drift"

Thank you to Andrew and Travis for joining us today!

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Mia: What is the name of the book where we'll find you? Can you tell us a little about it?

Travis: The name of the book is called Drift. Not sure why though. It could've been called "Murders and Reunions in Greenwood, Colorado", "Second Chances and Random Serial Murders", or "How Travis Got His Groove Back". But I guess he wanted something shorter.

Mia: Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you fit into the story? What should we know about you?

Travis: I'm a music producer making records at a small record label over in Colorado. Or at least I was a music producer. Times have been rough, so now I'm a marketing director for a small communications firm out in Connecticut. Yes, I know. Odd transition. But I don't mind the job and it's something I can do. Not to mention that my boss has been like a second father to me since I was a teen.

Where do I fit in the story? Hmm…I suppose I'm the main character. Although I don't know for sure. Have you ever had the feeling that you might be an extra in somebody's story? Like the guy who simply walks across the coffee shop for one scene?

However, if I am the main character, then I suppose it's about me driving all the way back to Greenwood, Colorado on a whim. Well…maybe not a whim. It's mainly because I want to tie loose ends and set things straight. Not to mention that sometimes I worry what might be happening out there. Although I'm sure it's probably just a little paranoia I've been having lately.

As far as what you should know about me? Aside from the fact that I was born in 1980 and am five foot eight and a half (or whatever it comes out in the metric system)? I guess you should know that I love music. My favorite bands are Pearl Jam, Guns N' Roses, Alice in Chains, Mother Love Bone, and Raydio (that's right, I love R&B as well as rock). As far as the rest of the facts are concerned…I suppose you should read the book. Especially since you can't find me on Facebook or anything like that.

Mia: What do you think of the author? Be honest. We won't tell.

Travis: Do I even know him? And is it smart to even tell you what I think of him? Don't get me wrong, I'm sure you can keep your secrets. But if murders are happening in town, I don't want to piss off the writer.

Let me think, let me think, let me think…do I even know him…no. Wait, yes. Yes? I'm not sure. Unless you're friends, family, or someone I produced (music) with, I'm not that good with remembering faces. But…yeah, I think I met him now that I look back on it. Didn't have much time to talk to him since he kind of kept to himself when I met him.

Mia: How do you feel about the story you're in?

Travis: I don't know, haven't read it. Although I'm not sure if a 24-year-old would know how it would be like to be my age (especially since he wrote it when he was 22-years-old). Even if we are just a few years apart.

However, I heard from others that it's an honest account of the events. Which is a good thing I suppose. Hopefully.

Now that we're on the subject, I'm not so sure if I feel good about being in his story. It's not like I have any skeletons in my closet but…how would you feel if someone wrote about you as is? You'd just hope that they'd leave out some more private moments of your life.

Mia: Do you like being a character in the book?

Travis: Not so sure to be honest. However, do I like being illustrated on a book cover? Hell yes! Ken Meyer Jr. drew a pretty accurate picture of myself. He did a great job drawing the other woman too, although I'm not sure who she is. Eileen maybe? Even though Eileen's half ginger and half (India) Indian, so her hair is brown and her skin is a little darker. But as they say, don't judge a book by its cover (just buy it if you're intrigued). And since we're on the topic of book cover (sorry, I get off topic easily), who the hell is that guy in front covered in red? I hope that's a paint brush in his hand and he's painting my house blood red.

Mia: How do you see your future? Without giving anything away about the story, naturally.

Travis: Without giving away much of the story? I suppose that's going to be tricky, since part of the novel is a mystery. I guess at the end of the day, I'm like most people. I'd love to do what I love and make a lot of money on it. Which of course, is record producing. However, as cheesy as this sounds, it's not about the money. Or even about the record producing. I'd love to be really happy again. Not to say that I'm depressed like my father usually is. It's not that I don't have it decent but I'd give anything to fix a few bridges and set things straight again.

Mia: What do you know about your author's plans? Can we expect to see you in any future stories?

Travis: I think I remember him telling me that he has a science-fiction short story collection coming out in May or June called Strange Happenings.

However, I clearly remember him talking about some book he's releasing out around December called Poem for the Wolves. Apparently it's going to be twice as long as Drift and will be filled with poetry, friendships, and lots of battles (and by battles, I mean guns and explosions and stuff). He said it might be his "ace in the hole".

Plus, maybe he'll write a sequel to Drift soon. Depending on how Drift ended of course. And even if it does have a happy ending, I don't know if I'd want to be in a sequel. Especially if that means I run into even more problems. Perhaps he should call the sequel Success where only good things happen to me.

Mia: Let's say they make a movie about this book. Who do you want to play you, and why?

Travis: Me! I could always use some money on the side.

Or…maybe not. There's a reason why I never joined theater in high school. Since it can't be me…hmm…let's see here. I suppose it boils down to three people.

Edward Furlong: People used to joke that I looked like him back in the 90′s when I was a teen (yes, I'm getting old). Although I'm not sure how he looks like now.

Taylor Kitsch: We both have brown hair, we're in our thirties but could arguably pass for being twenty-somethings, and people say we're extremely handsome (fine, only Eileen and my mother have said that I'm extremely handsome. But that's got to count, right?).

Jonathan Jackson: I was watching Ride the Bullet on TV last night and I said to myself, "Hey! That guy could play me in a film based on myself." Again, if you're going to portray me, it doesn't hurt to have dark brown hair and look like you could wear a denim jacket with style.

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Author Bio: Andrew Cyrus Hudson is an eclectic rock and roll writer willing to take on just about any genre or even mix a few together. Although he often writes science-fiction, dramady, and horror, he always hopes to achieve two things in all of his stories. Great characters and heart. His debut novel "Drift" is out, as well as the short story "The Porcelain Man" (available in "Saffina Desforges Presents… (The Kindle Coffee-Break Collection Vol. 2)"). He is also a writer for ComicAttack.net and a resident of the San Fernando Valley.

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Character Interview: Narwis from A. F. Stewart's "Ruined City"

Thank you to A. F. Stewart for joining me on the blog today and letting me write a little bit of her world with her for this interview, which is In World but also In Character. It was fun to write. Enjoy!

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Calm, controlled, like a walking statue of ice with a burning core of hatred, she circles their instrument. The time is almost near. He is almost ready. She rarely blinks, never taking her eyes off him as she stalks in her slow pass.

"Why are you here?"

Narwis drew a deep breath of air into his lungs before speaking. "I am here as your instrument, to submit my entire being to your cause. I breathe only to fulfill my purpose, to serve the will of Monks of Karrul. I am your vengeance, your justice for the theft of your ancestors. My life belongs to you, as it has from my birth. My sole reason for existence is to be your weapon." He held her gaze for a moment, ferocity burning in his eyes. "I go to my fate willingly and without hesitation. Karrul will be avenged."

Such thin walls, all around, man-made and made of flesh, to contain such mighty rage. The Master does not let it show. Her focus is on him. He must be ready. There must be no doubt before he begins his journey.

"For what were you created?"

"To destroy the city of Elowen and break her royal lineage. To avenge Karrul's lost spirits and tell the dark truth of Elowen's wretched creation. To impart the enduring pain of Karrul onto the people of Elowen. To curse the city in unending torment." He straightens his spine. "I was created to be their destruction. I am darkness and I am death."

She approves, thus far. He may just be ready. Their time may be at hand.

"How shall you accomplish it?"

"With lies and sacrifice. I will let no obstacle stop me from my goal. I will gain access to the Palace by any means and release the spell." He bowed his head in respect. "My teachers have imparted their lessons. I know what I must do and your long years of planning will not be wasted. I am ready. I will not fail you."

Now she stops, standing directly in front of him. Her cold eyes gleam, roaming from head to foot and up again.

"Shall you show mercy?"

"No, I will be strong. There will be no mercy. No escape. I will not falter, they will die. And then, Master, the city will truly know suffering."

Only now does she smile.

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Author Bio: A. F. Stewart was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, and still calls it home. She is a writer of speculative fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, horror), with side trips into poetry and non-fiction, and an indie author of such books as Ruined City, Killers and Demons and Chronicles of the Undead. She also has a great interest in history and mythology, often working those themes into her books and stories.

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Character Interview: Levi from Karen A. Wyle's "Twin-bred"

Please welcome Karen A. Wyle and her novel Twin-bred. This is the first of my "In World" interviews, so it will read differently than the last one. Thanks to Karen for joining us, and enjoy!

Introductory Note: this would be, to say the least, a difficult interview to arrange. "Levi Thomas" was the name that would have belonged to Mara Cadell's fraternal twin, had he survived to be born. He died shortly before that point. Mara, emotionally traumatized by that loss, coped by keeping Levi alive in her mind as a companion. (The traumatic nature of her loss is based on reports from many twin survivors.)

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Q: Let's start with the obvious. Are you real? Or a creation of Mara's imagination?

Levi: Wouldn't you like to know?

I could tell you to ask Mara — not that she's in a particularly good position to answer that question — but of course, she doesn't like to talk about me. She'd be quite perturbed that you even know of my existence (if that's what we call it for purposes of discussion).

Q: How is it that you two function? Does she just hear you, like a voice, or is there something more? Emotions, sensations?

Levi: Let me check my notes. Or rather, Mara's therapist's notes. Yes, here's what she told him. "We talk. It's more immediate than, say, hearing music in your head — but it's not like someone's in the room."

Q: Do you ever have control over Mara, in any way? Like an alternate personality taking over a body.

Levi: I don't possess her. I'm not a dybbuk. I may influence her behavior on occasion — by distracting her, or making her laugh when she shouldn't, that sort of thing. And I try to talk her into doing what I recommend in various situations. I have a surprisingly good record there.

Q: Do you play any part in Mara's artwork — her drawing and cartooning?

Levi: Not directly. I don't think I would have been that visual. I'm more about the words. We often talk about her drawings. Sometimes I lack the context to understand them, and she explains. And her cartoons show a sense of humor that she doesn't normally indulge. That side of her, that hidden mischief, is where she and I are most alike.

Q: How much a part of Mara's life do you see yourself? Do you form your own attachments to people, ideas or things? Or is it always following Mara?

Levi: Shall I say, we're inseparable? . . . There have been cases of conjoined twins where surgical separation would have killed one of the two. Sometimes that has been necessary, so that at least one could survive. If it's ever necessary for Mara's sake that I cease to be part of her life, that'll be all she wrote, as far as my existence goes. Or so I assume. It's a strange universe, and I'm hardly an authority on what surprises it may have in store.

I do have opinions, and I may trust some people less than Mara does, and let her know it. I doubt I've ever trusted anyone more than she does. I'm the suspicious type.

Q: Is Mara better or worse off for your presence, do you think? What do you think would happen if people found out about you at the Twin-bred project?

Levi: Let's take those questions one at a time.

Mara would be better off if I had lived. And it's possible she'd be better off if I had never existed. I'm not sure "better to have loved and lost" applies in these circumstances, if it ever does. . . . But there we were, twins. There's no getting around that starting point. And she's tenacious, in love as in other things. It wasn't in her nature to simply move on. All things considered, I think she's better off isolated and secretive than seriously depressed. And of course, I'm good company.

But it's quite important, I believe, that I remain a secret. If people found out about our little ménage a deux, it would very likely endanger the Project, and might end Mara's career.

You must understand, Mara is not the easiest person to get along with. She's prickly and doesn't suffer fools gladly. And she has a very low tolerance for organizational politics. All of which means that only her exceptional scientific ability induces people to put up with her. There are many who would like to be shut of her if they had a good enough excuse. Delusions of twin-hood? Good enough.

Q: How do you feel your presence affects Mara with her work at the project, dealing with twins all the time?

Levi: I exist because she needs me to help her cope with life in general. Without my presence, or shall we say my availability — I'm not muttering in her ear nonstop — I doubt she could handle being around twins day in and day out.

I should add that despite the pain involved, there are ways it's been healing for Mara, being surrounded by Twin-Bred. All around her, she sees humans and Tofa, most of whom would never have had a twin if not for her. You could say that she's ensured I didn't die in vain. Though I doubt she's thought if it in those terms.

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Author Bio: Karen A. Wyle was born a Connecticut Yankee, but eventually settled in Bloomington, Indiana, home of Indiana University. She now considers herself a Hoosier. Wyle's childhood ambition was to be the youngest ever published novelist. While writing her first novel at age 10, she was mortified to learn that some British upstart had beaten her to the goal at age 9.

Wyle is an appellate attorney, photographer, political junkie, and mother of two daughters. Her voice is the product of almost five decades of reading both literary and genre fiction. It is no doubt also influenced, although she hopes not fatally tainted, by her years of law practice. Her personal history has led her to focus on often-intertwined themes of family, communication, the impossibility of controlling events, and the persistence of unfinished business.

Author's Website: www.KarenAWyle.net

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The Future of Adelheid

Now that there are two books out in my Adelheid series, people are having the chance to see how it works for this series.

Every book is in First Person, but instead of following a single narrator, each book has a different one. They all tie together via the town of Adelheid and the Stanton Agency, which we see in Cameron's Law. Some will have looser affiliations to the agency than others, of course. Such as, friends with someone at the agency but not working there.

Every book is part of the series, but I write each one as a stand-alone as well.

I've read some comments about who people liked, and might want to see more from. It occurs to me that there's really no reason I can't give a little insight into the plan for Adelheid. Some of this information is going to be posted on the new (and presently in-progress) Adelheid page.

Right now, I'm working on Book Three. Of course, I'm terribly behind thanks to being ill and having computer problems and the character making changes on me that I now have to go back and revise, but I should still be able to make my targeted release for Summer. Might just be late summer, might be earlier. Depends on how fast I catch up. Anyways!

Book Three: Voracious. This will follow a character we haven't met in the previous books. His name is D. (See? I do plan to write some male characters!) He will of course come together with characters from the Agency, and we'll be playing more deeply in the vampire world than we did in Cameron's Law.

Book Four: Written All Over Her. Ever wonder how Detective Marlowe got those scars? Well, in this book, you'll get to learn. It's Nykk's book and Nykk's story.

Book Five: La Muerte Roja – Narrator: Agency Summoner. An ancient secret society wants to do bad things and needs summoning help, Summoner willing or not.

Book Six: Trace - Narrator: Cassandra (We'll meet her in Book Three.) A dead body turns up with ties to a surprising person and a surprising past.

Book Seven: My Kind of Night - Narrator: Agency Animator. Zombies start raising without any apparent Animator pulling the strings and they're attacking very specific kinds of people.

Book Eight: Disposable People - Narrator: Vance Johnston. Preternaturals might be legal, but that doesn't mean there isn't an underground and that underground threatens everything Vance holds dear.

Now, after Book Four is where my "hard" plan ends, so Five through Eight may not end up being in the same order I've listed them here. I am going to play it by ear as I write Book Four and onward.

Sadie and Dakota aren't going anywhere. We'll see them in these books and they will have second rounds themselves. Maybe after Eight, or maybe before. Again, I'm going to see how it goes.

Finally, Madison. Oh, Madison. I had no idea she'd end up quite as popular as she has been. I don't have a book planned for her, but I may add one. I did write a short story, at the request of one of my Beta Readers, and am planning to release it as a Newsletter exclusive, and perhaps I'll write a series of short stories featuring her instead. We'll see.

So, I have plans, they aren't necessarily all in cement, but I have plans. Since people have been wondering, I wanted to share. If anyone wants to ask a question, I welcome them. (I have a pretty Contact form for it!) If I think I can tell you without ruining the surprise of a later book, I will!

Character Interview: Ottilie Weber & Abby from "Family Ties"

Please welcome to the blog today, Ottilie Weber and Abby, from Family Ties. Thanks to both for joining us!

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Mia: What is the name of the book where we'll find you? Can you tell us a little about it?

Abby: The book that I'm in is called Family Ties. The book is about the summer I got that awful job at the country club by me, and unfortunately I was working with my lifetime friend Cory. Some costumers are such a pain! So one night when I was walking home from work alone because Cory was being a butt I was grabbed and pulled into a car which lead me to being flown out of the country out of my free will! The book is about me being hostage and how that led to me understanding my family's history a little better. Oh yeah, it's also about Cory dealing with my kidnapping.

Mia: Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you fit into the story? What should we know about you?

Abby: I am sixteen years old and I'm tired of my little town in Jersey and can NOT wait to get out of there! Well out of there without being kidnapped that is. I guess beggars can't be choosers… I'm the awesome leading lady in this tale. I'm witty, and stand my ground which my three friends love in addition to want to strangle me for. I'm in a little group of friends Cory, Zoey, Danielle, and me, we aren't real popular, but we have fun which is all that matters to me.

Mia: What do you think of the author? Be honest. We won't tell.

Abby: What do I think of Ottilie? ::Glances around:: Well as people go I guess she isn't bad. She has her ADD moments which makes me wonder how she writes. Other than that she is fun and dry as well, I guess I inherited that from her. Her stupid school work gets in the way at times.

Mia: How do you feel about the story you're in?

Abby: I think Family Ties is a good book, will have the readers turning the pages to learn of what will happen to me. Kind of wish that it was someone else that was kidnapped, but hey then I guess the story wouldn't have been as interesting without a spunky captive.

Mia: Do you like being a character in the book?

Abby: That's one of the good things about Ottilie, she lets us have some say. So that is good, but it's kind of interesting to have someone write down your every action or thought then to have god only knows how many people reading it…it's a tough job, but someone has to do.

Mia: How do you see your future? Without giving anything away about the story, naturally.

Abby: ::folds arms over chest::I wish there was more I could tell you here, I know if Cory was here he'd spill…I can however say that I do not plan on wearing another dress for the rest of my life!

Mia: What do you know about your author's plans? Can we expect to see you in any future stories?

Abby: I can however tell you that Ottilie is playing around with a sequel! She had originally planned on leaving it where Family Ties ended when she wrote it when she was 16. Then a couple months ago an idea came to her. She has in fact told me a little bit of what is to happen, and hopefully you all will enjoy! It's only in a mapping out phase though…ugh writers…

Mia: Let's say they make a movie about this book. Who do you want to play you, and why?

Abby: Oh! To think of my life on the big screen! I'm trying to think if there is a short, spunky, aw some enough to play me…hmm this might be lame, but I think I want an unknown actress to play me. It might be fun to see someone know getting their shot because of me. Did that come out self absorbed?

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Author Bio: In a fantastical land where the weather is always changing, not too far from the beach and the moon is high in a freckling sky Ottilie lives. This land is call New Jersey where she has lived her whole life and she mostly grew up in Wall Township. Ottilie is currently studying History Education at The College of New Jersey. Writing helps as a procrastination tool and a savior to her sanity. Ottilie has major support from her caring, supportive family along with her loveable, insane friends.

If you would like to find out more about Ottilie Weber and 'Family Ties,' check out these links:

Author Blog: http://ottilieweber.blogspot.com

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Sidelined by Sick & Stupid

If anyone has noticed or is wondering: hey, where's Mia lately? The first half of the answer is simple. I've had a nasty head cold for the past several days. Aside from doing what's necessary to care for my son, I've been pretty much useless otherwise, held up on the couch reading (catching up on the past several Xanth novels) and/or watching Star Trek. (Voyager, if anyone's curious.)

So, I'm finally feeling better and then what I can only – by best information possible – guess was a screwed up Windows update, my laptop is borked. I'm going to have to take some drastic measures to fix it. Right now, I'm backing up some over-due backups for when I do this.

I'm working off an old laptop I have. It's older, slower, tends to heat more and has a screwed up keyboard but it works, so here I am.

This means, however, that my writing, social media, emails, blogging, character interviews and reading that requires thought is way… way… behind. I apologize. Hope to fix this mess of a computer situation and be back on top of things soon!

New Review Site

Once I began self-publishing, I also began reading a lot of self-published ebooks and reviewing them on Smashwords (since that's where I've gotten most of them) and on GoodReads. I and my other Alter Ego Bella decided to start posting these to a blog as well, since we were already doing it and I thought it would be nice to collect them in one place.

So, from now on, I will be posting reviews on: Boom Baby Reviews

I literally just started it tonight with my first review, but more will be coming in the near future. I will be focusing on self-published authors and with this blog, I welcome my fellow indies to suggest or send me books they would like to see reviewed. More information about this on the site itself.

Characters Wanted!

I am about to add a new feature to my site!

One fun way to get author promotion is to do author interviews. Well, I've heard occasionally of people doing character interviews, where all the questions are directed to and "answered by" a character from the author's story. I think that sounds like a lot of fun, and I'm going to add a section on my site for just that purpose.

What will happen is I'll send you a list of questions about the book and character you want in the feature. Together, we'll craft the interview and then I'll post it here on my site, tweet and Facebook it, and post it in an archived page so future views can read it.

If you're interested in having a character interviewed, please use the Contact Me form and we'll talk!

When Forever Died

When Forever Died is now available from Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Lulu. You can find buy links on the Available Now page!

And for those who want a peek at the story before they buy, a sample chapter!

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Chapter One

The problem with most people is that they're liars.

We all harbor a beast inside and we all know it. Most people just won't admit it. That's why I like hunting animals. There's no duplicity. They are what they are.

The leafy trees of a New England forest in spring rushed past my feline ears as I raced after a NHF preternatural. NHF stands for Non-Human Form, which means I was chasing down an animal that had more speed, stamina and strength than any 'regular' animal that a person would generally encounter in their day to day lives. In this instance, it was something like a wolf and roughly the size of a small pony. It had been terrorizing several suburban communities just outside of Adelheid with its very presence and no one else wanted to tackle it, so they called me.

My name is Dakota. I hunt things. Not just any things, but preternatural things. Despite Cameron's Law making all us preternatural creatures legal citizens, there are still some that misbehave, so I hunt down the ones that everyone else is afraid to, or isn't able to. I'm better at it than anyone else, so I get called a lot. It was my third NHF that month.

He knew that I was right behind him. The scent of wolf, cougar and magic was thick on the air. He followed the trail he thought would lead to freedom while I followed him. My preferred cat form was strong and fast. I liked cougar the best. It had a power to it that many other forms, even bigger and brawnier animals, didn't have. It made me better at my job when I felt comfortable in the skin I was wearing.

Leaping over a fallen tree trunk, I landed in a pile of leaves that crunched under my paws and the breeze shifted. I stopped abruptly and swung my head around, trying to pick up the scent I had suddenly been lost. The forest was silent, even the birds and insects were terrified by the sight of our chase. I stood perfectly still and then I caught the sound of his crashing through the trees and took off once again.

I could tell that he was growing tired. His steps slowed and lost their rhythmic pace. He'd be looking for a place to hide now, but there weren't any. I knew these woods well and with the mind of the human. He didn't. Stumbling ahead of me, I caught sight of him and surged forward, leaping on his back and sending him sprawling in a snarl with all four feet slipping at different angles.

I rolled off and got back on my feet before he did. Already, I had shifted to my human form and was pulling the tranquilizer gun off my belt. He lurched to his feet and leaped at me. I braced myself on one knee and fired. The dart caught him right in the throat, just before he landed right out of bite range. His huge jaws snapped at me and I danced back, waiting the few moments before the magically-enhanced drugs flooded his system and he collapsed in a heap of black fur at my feet.

I gazed down at the massive sleeping beast and sighed as I put the tranq gun away. This bastard was going to be heavy, but there was nothing for it. I bent down and pulled the huge frame across my shoulders and lifted with my knees. He was fucking heavy, even with all my strength, but I carried him back through the woods, expertly following my tracks back to my car where I piled the beastie in the back of my SUV and shut the hatch.

From there, everything was pretty easy. I drove him down to the office laughingly called Animal Control. I say that because really it was just a place to house animals until they figured out what to do with them. They had no one qualified to catch them, except me, and were barely qualified to keep them. But there was no where else to go, so I dropped sleeping beauty off and got my signed receipt.

Then I went home.

Home was a studio apartment above a Chinese restaurant called the Golden Dragon. The apartment was owned by the same people who owned the restaurant and they gave me a good deal in exchange for helping with pest control, both human and animal. I could hunt mice or bounce drunks with equal skill.

I had been home all of an hour, resting and eating dinner, when my cell phone rang. I answered it, after a time. I'd decided to go with one of those new smart phones to help me conduct business better, but that didn't mean that I and my phone actually got along.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Dakota." Stanton sounded exasperated.

Sadie Stanton owned the agency I worked for, although I wouldn't go so far as to call her my boss. I was an independent contractor. But no matter what you called us, she was always exasperated when she called me. Then again, she had a permanent raspy edge to her voice that made her always sounded that way. But I could tell she was exasperated in this instance.

"What did I do this time?" I sighed and tried not to roll my eyes, already feeling like a teenager in trouble with their parents, which was funny when you considered that I was four times her age.

"Are you allergic to coming into the office and letting us know when you have a job finished?" she asked. "It came through us after all and Madison likes to keep the files organized, so we need to know what's opened and what's closed."

Maybe I was allergic. Maybe I could get a doctor's note. "It was just a NHF. I didn't think it was that important."

She sighed. "I know you didn't. You never do, even if the hunt has twenty human forms. I think you just like pissing me off."

Getting to my feet to carry paper dishes to the trash, I snorted. "You got me," I said. "I just live to annoy you."

The long pause told me she wasn't impressed. "When you finish a hunt, come by or call and let us know. It's really not that difficult."

"Fine." I hung up without saying good-bye. Pleasantries were usually just a waste of time and air. I stuffed the phone back in my pocket. I had been working as the Hunter for the Stanton Agency for a few months now and I still wasn't getting the hang of this shit, but their secretaries handled a lot of the paperwork that I hated and they could sometimes be useful, so I was hanging in there anyways.

I and my aching muscles decided that I'd worked enough for one night and I threw myself onto my bed with my clothes on, asleep before I knew it.

The year is 1755.

I'm running through the forest. It's not the forests of America, but of Europe more than two centuries ago. I'm not a cougar but a wolf. There is a deer leaping ahead of me, trying to get away from me, but I haven't eaten in days and I need that deer. It's winter and food is sparse. I have no intention of surviving everything I have just to starve to death now.

It flits around, zig-zagging between trunks. I'm not at my best and my steps are erratic, but I'm still quick. I reach the deer and bite at the backs of its legs, getting it to slow down. It's bleeding and stumbles. I'm on top of it, tearing into its throat until blood spurts in my mouth and it stops twitching. I grab it in my jaws and drag it back through the sticks and rocks till I reach the cave.

Hannah comes out. She's in wolf form, too. She eyes the deer and I don't have to ask to know what she's thinking. She's had more trouble handling the raw, recently-living meals than I've had. I can't make it any easier on her, although I would if I could. She's my sister, after all, and I just want to take care of her. But I can't do everything, no matter how hard I try.

'Hexe, hexe…'

I hear a voice on the wind, but Hannah doesn't seem to notice. I must have heard nothing, so I shake it off. I close my eyes and say a quick prayer, trying to stop feeling everything that I'm feeling: the fear, the guilt… I try not to think, because now is not the time for thinking.

We both eventually tear into the animal's flesh, however, because we are starving and there's nothing else. We're new in this area and don't know what plants are safe to eat, and there aren't many plants left now anyways. We have no home and no family so no money and we are too terrified to try to go into human society. It's too soon.

Eventually, we have eaten everything that can be eaten. Hannah looks like she feels as stuffed as I am, but we don't know when we'll eat again so it's best to make the most of it now, and so we do. Then, we slink to the back of the cave and curl up together.

What else is there to do?

The next day started like any other when I wasn't on the hunt, which is to say rather boring.

I got up and ate and showered. I took care of some paperwork from last night's hunt and then I took care of some things around the house. By the time I was done, it was getting dark and I decided that I would be a good little soldier and go into the office. Generally speaking, I tried to avoid any place that held the name 'office' but sometimes, there was no hiding. I had to check in and make sure Stanton wasn't foaming at the mouth about last night.

In truth, I wasn't really giving the woman enough credit. Blood suckers weren't my favorite, but she was a capable and level-headed creature and she was a good boss, even if I wasn't exactly an employee. She was fair and considerate. In my more magnanimous moments, I thought she didn't really deserve all the shit I gave her, but those moments were thankfully rare.

Piling into my car, I wrinkled my nose at the lingering scent of dog that I could do nothing about and I pulled onto the road. It was a little less than ten minutes till I pulled into a parking spot at the Stanton Agency and sauntered in. Madison, who was the secretary through the night shift, looked like she was just getting set up. This place was its busiest over night, seeing as how the boss couldn't even get out of her daytime coma to come in until sunset and that was the case for many of our clients, too.

"Surprise, surprise," Madison said with the frighteningly sweet smile that said she really wanted to poke me with something sharp but was playing nice because that was her job. A passably pretty girl, werewolf, with blonde hair and big blue eyes, I always thought she looked like she should be on a box of Swiss Miss in pigtails rather than working in an office.

"Is Stanton in?" I didn't like to call people by their first names, unless I know them really well and I don't get to know people that well that often. Some people I can't help it with, though, like Madison.

Madison nodded. "She is," she said. I knew the two of them lived together, so maybe they drove in together too. "She also happens to be free at the moment and, as far as I know, isn't on the phone. So, if you feel like putting your head in the bear's mouth you can go on in."

I gave her a dry look. "I like bears," I muttered with fervor, walking past her desk and into the office behind her without knocking on the door.

"I'd be mad at you for not knocking if I wasn't just so bowled over that you actually decided to grace us with your presence," Stanton said before I even had both feet over the threshold. I paused, batting down a serious urge to turn around and walk right back out because she was a smart ass. "Shut the door."

"This must be what it's like for school kids that get called into the principal's office," I commented. This wasn't something I had first hand knowledge in, but I could guess it felt something like this. I shut the door and sat down. She hadn't invited me to sit, but I did it anyways. Contrary to what most people thought, I actually did know what was proper and in keeping with manners in most situations. I just chose to ignore it.

Stanton folded her hands on the edge of her desk and leaned forward. From inside her long dark hair, I could see the thin scar line around her neck from where she'd been nearly strangled by a silver wire a few months ago. Silver would always leave marks, when it was deep enough. It's where the rasp in her voice came from.

I knew that this was going to be an oh-so-fun speech from how long it was taking her to get the first words together.

"I know that our arrangement isn't exactly employer and employee," she began and I already knew this. I considered not listening but resisted the rebelliousness. "You work in a profession that has you working alone. I get that you're just contracted to work with us, but in doing so, you aren't an island."

"I'm never an island," I pointed out, "I don't have the mass for it."

Her mouth twitched. She wanted to laugh. I could tell. Her self restraint impressed me, however. "If you are going to work with us then there are some times that you are going to have to do just that: work with us and you'll have to do it whether you like it or not. Because sometimes, grown-ups have to do things we don't like, and I know that you're about twenty times older than the rest of us, so you should be better at it."

"Hey." I frowned. She knew how old I was. She was just goading me. I hated when she did that, because she was really fucking good at it sometimes. "I think my age grants me the right to not do anything I don't want to do."

"Doesn't work that way," she told me without missing a beat. "You're a damn good hunter and I don't want to lose you. Having you on the letterhead, so to speak, brings in a lot more business in the hunting game. I also sometimes even like you as a person, when you're not being a pain in the ass. That's not often, but sometimes. I'd like for you to continue working with us but you will have to do the team thing some of the time, which means keeping us in the loop better, for one."

I looked around, plotting my escape. "I can work on it." This definitely had to be what it felt like to get called into the principal's office. "Just don't nag me."

She shrugged, looking unimpressed. "I'll nag you when it needs doing, but if you work with us as needed and keep doing your job then I won't have to hound you."

"I suppose so," I said. I hated giving up ground just on principle, really, but I knew she was kind of right.

The fact of the matter was that I did sort of like working with the agency. Madison was very good at her job and her job saved me from a lot of things I loathed, like the paperwork but also customer service and appointment-making. I would rather be out on the road or in the woods, doing the actual tracking and hunting and catching.

"Are we done?" I asked.

"Yeah." She nodded. "Go see Madison. She has a job for you."

New Release!

I am very happy to announce that tonight I have released Book Two in the Adelheid Series, When Forever Died! It is presently available at Smashwords and in print at Lulu. It will be available on Amazon in twelve hours, and at Barnes & Noble in twenty-four to seventy-two.

Enjoy!

* * *

Forever is a long time.

The life of a hunter is a lonely one. Perhaps more for Dakota than others in her line of work. Not only is she better than anyone else at chasing down the things that go bump in the night, but her past chases her with the same tenacity.

She's built walls around her solitary existence and that's the way she likes it, but the past never sleeps. When she's hired to hunt an ex-lover for murder, it's just the first in a string of memories that will bring Dakota's past, present and future into a collision course.

And when she agrees to take on a second case and hunt down an Ancient, a vampire over one thousand years old, it unleashes circumstances onto that collision that will shake the foundation of everything she's built and force her, for the first time in a long while, to look to others.

Can she survive it, like she's survived these past four centuries? Or will the weight of it all finally crush her?