Tara Fox Hall's Blog, page 8
May 16, 2012
Lash is free for Kindle download again today!
Get it now:
http://www.amazon.com/Lash-ebook/dp/B...
Here is the Blurb: Scarred from a childhood spent in perpetual indigence after being forced from their home in the Everglades, weresnake Trystan Valeras and his family make their way to the Case Hotel. When his wealthy gangster father arrives the summer he turns sixteen, Trystan’s dream of a better life, along with the lovely aristocrat Mara, is suddenly within his grasp. Instead of paradise, a series of devastating events unfold, leading Trystan to become the instrument of his dying father’s revenge. His violent reprisal instigates a backlash of murder and death, forcing Trystan to flee with the remains of his family to the sultry city of New Orleans where he sells himself into the service of the Vampire Lord Abraham. Becoming the assassin Lash to hide his identity, Trystan finds a measure of peace, even as his skill with killing heightens, bringing to him not only new allies, but also new adversaries.
http://www.amazon.com/Lash-ebook/dp/B...
Here is the Blurb: Scarred from a childhood spent in perpetual indigence after being forced from their home in the Everglades, weresnake Trystan Valeras and his family make their way to the Case Hotel. When his wealthy gangster father arrives the summer he turns sixteen, Trystan’s dream of a better life, along with the lovely aristocrat Mara, is suddenly within his grasp. Instead of paradise, a series of devastating events unfold, leading Trystan to become the instrument of his dying father’s revenge. His violent reprisal instigates a backlash of murder and death, forcing Trystan to flee with the remains of his family to the sultry city of New Orleans where he sells himself into the service of the Vampire Lord Abraham. Becoming the assassin Lash to hide his identity, Trystan finds a measure of peace, even as his skill with killing heightens, bringing to him not only new allies, but also new adversaries.
May 12, 2012
Lash is FREE right now at Amazon!
Here is the Blurb: Scarred from a childhood spent in perpetual indigence after being forced from their home in the Everglades, weresnake Trystan Valeras and his family make their way to the Case Hotel. When his wealthy gangster father arrives the summer he turns sixteen, Trystan’s dream of a better life, along with the lovely aristocrat Mara, is suddenly within his grasp. Instead of paradise, a series of devastating events unfold, leading Trystan to become the instrument of his dying father’s revenge. His violent reprisal instigates a backlash of murder and death, forcing Trystan to flee with the remains of his family to the sultry city of New Orleans where he sells himself into the service of the Vampire Lord Abraham. Becoming the assassin Lash to hide his identity, Trystan finds a measure of peace, even as his skill with killing heightens, bringing to him not only new allies, but also new adversaries.
Download it here! http://www.amazon.com/Lash-ebook/dp/B...
Download it here! http://www.amazon.com/Lash-ebook/dp/B...
May 5, 2012
Say Goodbye is up at Unwritten!
Hello! My newest flash fiction piece, Say Goodbye, is up at Unwritten as part of Mysti Parker's May Flash Fiction Contest: http://mystiparker.blogspot.com/2012/...
Here is just a taste!
SAY GOODBYE
I never expected to be in this position so soon, saying goodbye to my son...
Forcing a smile, I reminded myself that this wasn’t goodbye, really. Brandon was just going camping overnight in Chenango Park with his father, Kirk. Kirk has promised to have Brandon call tonight to check in. I should be thinking about how to pamper myself for the first time in five years instead of sitting here worrying…
Glancing up into the rearview mirror, my eyes widened in horror at the sight of Brandon’s bag peeking out from behind a trashcan. I threw open my car door, scrambled out, and ran for the bag. Ripping down the zipper revealed not just the clothes I packed so lovingly, but also my cell phone I’d loaned Brandon.
I’d put the bag in Kirk’s SUV myself. Someone had taken it out, deliberately.
Kirk’s black Forrester had left a good ten minutes ago.
I darted for my car, already dialing 911.
Here is just a taste!
SAY GOODBYE
I never expected to be in this position so soon, saying goodbye to my son...
Forcing a smile, I reminded myself that this wasn’t goodbye, really. Brandon was just going camping overnight in Chenango Park with his father, Kirk. Kirk has promised to have Brandon call tonight to check in. I should be thinking about how to pamper myself for the first time in five years instead of sitting here worrying…
Glancing up into the rearview mirror, my eyes widened in horror at the sight of Brandon’s bag peeking out from behind a trashcan. I threw open my car door, scrambled out, and ran for the bag. Ripping down the zipper revealed not just the clothes I packed so lovingly, but also my cell phone I’d loaned Brandon.
I’d put the bag in Kirk’s SUV myself. Someone had taken it out, deliberately.
Kirk’s black Forrester had left a good ten minutes ago.
I darted for my car, already dialing 911.
May 3, 2012
April 29, 2012
The "Right" Spoon
Eating is more than just a way to gain sustenance for my family; it is a path to enjoyment. No wonder than that the meal never tastes as good when the cutlery used does not include the right spoon.
I'm not talking about the level of mishap such as the use of a serving spoon in place of a table spoon. But like most everything we own, my cutlery was passed down from other relatives or bought piecemeal, leading to a mishmash of different designs and sizes in the silverware drawer. There are the spiral handled utensils I bought, the flat square-ended ones I grew up with, and the curved with a spiral pattern ones my husband brought with him when he moved in. Then, there are a few--three in all---perfect spoons that don't belong to any of these sets. They are from my grandmother's house, and sized smaller, as they are old; close almost to a child-sized spoon. But they are just right for me. Woe be to the husband who tries to include any of the other kinds of spoons while setting the table!
But before you feel too badly for him, consider he also has his special spoon with an inlaid handle...and there is only one of them! :)
Reminder that the NOR Spring Web Hunt is still on! Get those entries in!
Link: http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Pa...
I'm not talking about the level of mishap such as the use of a serving spoon in place of a table spoon. But like most everything we own, my cutlery was passed down from other relatives or bought piecemeal, leading to a mishmash of different designs and sizes in the silverware drawer. There are the spiral handled utensils I bought, the flat square-ended ones I grew up with, and the curved with a spiral pattern ones my husband brought with him when he moved in. Then, there are a few--three in all---perfect spoons that don't belong to any of these sets. They are from my grandmother's house, and sized smaller, as they are old; close almost to a child-sized spoon. But they are just right for me. Woe be to the husband who tries to include any of the other kinds of spoons while setting the table!
But before you feel too badly for him, consider he also has his special spoon with an inlaid handle...and there is only one of them! :)
Reminder that the NOR Spring Web Hunt is still on! Get those entries in!
Link: http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Pa...
April 14, 2012
Short Peek at new novel Lash
It seemed a no-brainer: the blog topic this Saturday would be Lash, my newest work and first novel coming out in a scant 48 hours from now. Sitting here trying to come up with something witty to say though, instead prompts musings of trepidation. But why, now that years of hard work are finally about to achieve fruition?
Deeper reflection uncovers the odd truth; I didn't write this work with the intent that anyone outside my family would ever read it. I'm about to offer up my most original creation to the world on a carving platter, and some reviewer--if not several--will likely take a deep bloody slice or two.
In light of that, if I wasn't a little nervous, I'd probably qualify as stupid. :) But Lash is well written, exciting, and certainly thought provoking. So with that nervousness also comes rampant excitement, that something I labored so hard on for so long will finally be published.
So here is the prologue, for your reading pleasure!
Lash by Tara Fox Hall
PROLOGUE
“Lash, no, please—”
I slid my well-used survival knife deftly into the mark’s heart, his familiar gasp of surprise instantly gratifying. After a few more jerks, his body went limp in my arms. Withdrawing the knife smoothly, I lay the dead weight down across the stoop of his business. His employees would find it when they arrived for work the next morning.
Only one more thing to do.
Moving the coiled whip at my waist out of the way, I went to one knee to sever his head. The bastard rolled as I reached for him, going to all fours as his skin started rippling. A throaty growl issued from his mouth where fangs were rapidly erupting.
“Who’d have figured you for a goddamned shapeshifter?” I hissed, bracing myself for the lunge that was coming. “You’re a street thug, Ken—”
The black panther leapt, it’s still-shifting clawed hands more fingers than paws. Ken knocked me sprawling, kicking hard with his back feet, the nails shredding my shirt.
I shoved up and right with the knife. The cat let out a howl, then went for my throat.
I dropped the knife, and used both hands to keep those white fangs out of me, as I partly shifted, my own fangs forming fast. Spreading my lips wide, I bit down into Ken’s foreleg. He screamed and thrashed, trying to shake me loose, even as he changed form back to human. I held on tight, pumping the venom in as fast as I could.
Thirty seconds later, Ken went limp as his heart stopped.
Spitting the taste of wereblood out of my mouth, I quickly severed his head, placing it in his lap as my boss had instructed.
“Abraham told you to stop selling drugs in his territory,” I hissed. “That you weren’t going to listen was a given. But who the hell turned you? There’re no werepanthers inside the city limits.”
Ken didn’t answer.
I cleaned my knife blade on the remnants of his torn clothes. Why not? It’d already been amateur night here with me having to resort to my venom. Might as well move it up to total incompetence.
I walked off to my car, consoling myself that probably the cops wouldn’t notice poison residue mixed in with the victim’s blood when they had a headless, naked body to hush up. Even if they did, what I used was a common poison; something readily available at a dozen locations inside the city limits. In any case, the sky was lightening. My vampire boss would turn in for the day any minute now. Before he did, I had to get back and make my report.
***
“Ken’s dead. I left the body like you asked. Someone had turned him panther in the last week—unless you forgot to mention that when you asked me to kill him.”
Abraham shook his head. “I didn’t know. Was that trouble?”
Yeah, he’s naked and headless. “No.”
He rubbed his eyes. “Good. We’ve had enough since the Crash. People all over the country are suffering. Hoover’s made a few speeches outlining some new government plans, but nothing’s come of them yet.”
“New Orleans will survive.” I bared a fang. “At least as long as you and I have anything to say about it.”
“Get some sleep, Lash. I’ll need you to go back at first dark to find out who turned him, and to make sure that my message was heeded. ”
“And if it wasn’t?”
“You know what to do.”
***
I sat in my room later that morning, sipping some single malt. For the past month, I’d been having trouble sleeping. A few shots were usually enough to relax me, but this morning it wasn’t working.
It wasn’t the killing, I was used to that. It wasn’t the failing economy, those fucking human deadbeats peddling drugs, or even the vampires and weres I had to keep in line for Abraham.
My own bad memories were keeping me up.
I hadn’t always been an assassin. I’d been a bright young man poised for a successful future, maybe an exemplary one. I’d been going to get married.
Instead I’d become Lash.
I downed the rest of my shot and got into bed, placing my weapons on the nightstand within reach. Sleepless, I lay there remembering.
Deeper reflection uncovers the odd truth; I didn't write this work with the intent that anyone outside my family would ever read it. I'm about to offer up my most original creation to the world on a carving platter, and some reviewer--if not several--will likely take a deep bloody slice or two.
In light of that, if I wasn't a little nervous, I'd probably qualify as stupid. :) But Lash is well written, exciting, and certainly thought provoking. So with that nervousness also comes rampant excitement, that something I labored so hard on for so long will finally be published.
So here is the prologue, for your reading pleasure!
Lash by Tara Fox Hall
PROLOGUE
“Lash, no, please—”
I slid my well-used survival knife deftly into the mark’s heart, his familiar gasp of surprise instantly gratifying. After a few more jerks, his body went limp in my arms. Withdrawing the knife smoothly, I lay the dead weight down across the stoop of his business. His employees would find it when they arrived for work the next morning.
Only one more thing to do.
Moving the coiled whip at my waist out of the way, I went to one knee to sever his head. The bastard rolled as I reached for him, going to all fours as his skin started rippling. A throaty growl issued from his mouth where fangs were rapidly erupting.
“Who’d have figured you for a goddamned shapeshifter?” I hissed, bracing myself for the lunge that was coming. “You’re a street thug, Ken—”
The black panther leapt, it’s still-shifting clawed hands more fingers than paws. Ken knocked me sprawling, kicking hard with his back feet, the nails shredding my shirt.
I shoved up and right with the knife. The cat let out a howl, then went for my throat.
I dropped the knife, and used both hands to keep those white fangs out of me, as I partly shifted, my own fangs forming fast. Spreading my lips wide, I bit down into Ken’s foreleg. He screamed and thrashed, trying to shake me loose, even as he changed form back to human. I held on tight, pumping the venom in as fast as I could.
Thirty seconds later, Ken went limp as his heart stopped.
Spitting the taste of wereblood out of my mouth, I quickly severed his head, placing it in his lap as my boss had instructed.
“Abraham told you to stop selling drugs in his territory,” I hissed. “That you weren’t going to listen was a given. But who the hell turned you? There’re no werepanthers inside the city limits.”
Ken didn’t answer.
I cleaned my knife blade on the remnants of his torn clothes. Why not? It’d already been amateur night here with me having to resort to my venom. Might as well move it up to total incompetence.
I walked off to my car, consoling myself that probably the cops wouldn’t notice poison residue mixed in with the victim’s blood when they had a headless, naked body to hush up. Even if they did, what I used was a common poison; something readily available at a dozen locations inside the city limits. In any case, the sky was lightening. My vampire boss would turn in for the day any minute now. Before he did, I had to get back and make my report.
***
“Ken’s dead. I left the body like you asked. Someone had turned him panther in the last week—unless you forgot to mention that when you asked me to kill him.”
Abraham shook his head. “I didn’t know. Was that trouble?”
Yeah, he’s naked and headless. “No.”
He rubbed his eyes. “Good. We’ve had enough since the Crash. People all over the country are suffering. Hoover’s made a few speeches outlining some new government plans, but nothing’s come of them yet.”
“New Orleans will survive.” I bared a fang. “At least as long as you and I have anything to say about it.”
“Get some sleep, Lash. I’ll need you to go back at first dark to find out who turned him, and to make sure that my message was heeded. ”
“And if it wasn’t?”
“You know what to do.”
***
I sat in my room later that morning, sipping some single malt. For the past month, I’d been having trouble sleeping. A few shots were usually enough to relax me, but this morning it wasn’t working.
It wasn’t the killing, I was used to that. It wasn’t the failing economy, those fucking human deadbeats peddling drugs, or even the vampires and weres I had to keep in line for Abraham.
My own bad memories were keeping me up.
I hadn’t always been an assassin. I’d been a bright young man poised for a successful future, maybe an exemplary one. I’d been going to get married.
Instead I’d become Lash.
I downed the rest of my shot and got into bed, placing my weapons on the nightstand within reach. Sleepless, I lay there remembering.
April 11, 2012
Spring NOR Hunt is ON!
This hunt began on 4-1-12 and ends 5-15-12. Register now!
http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Pa...
http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Pa...
March 28, 2012
Last Blog for Just Shadows and Wicked Christmas Wishes
Come and visit Risque Reviews Today and Thursday for a chance to win the horror anthology Just Shadows and/or Kink, my only erotic story to date, and The Oath, an excerpt from the upcoming Promise Me, both included in Wicked Christmas Wishes.
This is my last blog to promote these two books, and your last chance to win a free copy (unless you join my mailing list here: www.tarafoxhall.com)
Good luck!
http://www.barbaramazzuca.blogspot.co...
This is my last blog to promote these two books, and your last chance to win a free copy (unless you join my mailing list here: www.tarafoxhall.com)
Good luck!
http://www.barbaramazzuca.blogspot.co...
March 25, 2012
Putting Up the Gate
In late Spring of last year, a bad storm ripped through the area, leaving us without power for three days. When we finally regained power, we noticed other results of the storm. One of those was the metal gate blocking the access to the Lower Field (neighbor's property) was wrecked. The gate itself was only slightly bent, through some miracle. But the gate was off its hinges, the tree it had once hung from splintered, the hardware twisted beyond repair. In short, a new gate would need to be put up the coming fall.
So last October, I joined with my neighbor, Chuck, to help him in putting up the gate.
I had helped before in the past with gates. But it still was a learning experience. First Chuck made a deep hole with an iron bar, then pounded in a post I had chainsawed a nice point onto. He pounded in another post the same way, then screwed in two boards to attach the posts together. The first post was what the gate would hang from. The second was to help anchor the main post, to keep it from sagging from the weight of the gate. Then, he drilled two huge holes, and we put up the gate hardware, screwing in each hanger with the help of a crowbar. Finally, we hung the gate. It was perfect, as if it had never fallen. :)
So if you need to ever put up a gate, now you know how! :)
So last October, I joined with my neighbor, Chuck, to help him in putting up the gate.
I had helped before in the past with gates. But it still was a learning experience. First Chuck made a deep hole with an iron bar, then pounded in a post I had chainsawed a nice point onto. He pounded in another post the same way, then screwed in two boards to attach the posts together. The first post was what the gate would hang from. The second was to help anchor the main post, to keep it from sagging from the weight of the gate. Then, he drilled two huge holes, and we put up the gate hardware, screwing in each hanger with the help of a crowbar. Finally, we hung the gate. It was perfect, as if it had never fallen. :)
So if you need to ever put up a gate, now you know how! :)
March 23, 2012
Just Shadows 50% off until Midnight 3-23-12
Today only, Just Shadows is $1.49 at Bradley Publishing: http://bradleypublishings.com/Tara_Fo...
Sale lasts until midnight Friday.
To read a short prequel to the title story of Just Shadows, visit http://www.tony-paul.com/ later today, and all next week.
To read Just Short Enough, some brand new writing advice on staying within the dreaded "Word Count Limit", visit: http://bradleypublishing.blogspot.com...
I'm also having a contest at Night Owl Reviews until 3-30. Enter for a chance to win free copies of Just Shadows, pens and bookmarks: http://nightowlreview.blogspot.com/20...?
Have a fabulous weekend, everyone!
Tara Fox :)
Sale lasts until midnight Friday.
To read a short prequel to the title story of Just Shadows, visit http://www.tony-paul.com/ later today, and all next week.
To read Just Short Enough, some brand new writing advice on staying within the dreaded "Word Count Limit", visit: http://bradleypublishing.blogspot.com...
I'm also having a contest at Night Owl Reviews until 3-30. Enter for a chance to win free copies of Just Shadows, pens and bookmarks: http://nightowlreview.blogspot.com/20...?
Have a fabulous weekend, everyone!
Tara Fox :)
