Beth Alvarez's Blog, page 20

Tea Review: Adagio Tiefling Candy fandom blend

Critical Role is one of those series I keep meaning to start with and just can’t find time to begin. I feel like everything’s always hinting that I’ll like it–then I got a sample of this tea.

Tiefling Candy is a very strange blend. I squinted at the ingredients list a few times because it struck me as so odd. Flavors I would never imagine putting together, and a lot of them, at that. It’s a black tea base, with fruit, flowers, cocoa, and… butterscotch? I know I saw marigold petals in there, but the fragrance was so intensely everything  that from the moment I had the package open, I knew it was going to be an experience.

I’m doing something different with my photos, by the way–It’s a pain to mess up an extra plate for photos, so I figure a shot in my teapot’s infuser is just as good! See the marigold petals?

After brewing, the most prevalent fragrance was apricot, which made me a bit wary. Peaches don’t do it for me, and apricots don’t, either. But at first taste, all I picked up was blueberries and a little hint of coconut. The tea was surprisingly sweet straight, with tart tones of fruit and flowers taking a front seat in the flavor.  If you’ve read any of my other tea commentaries, though, you know I like mine sweet.

I added a little of my stevia/erythritol blend to sweeten it up–1/8th of a teaspoon, which would be similar to maybe 3/4ths a teaspoon of rock sugar. That brought out a little more of the butterscotch, but I felt like the black tea base still needed something to balance it out, so I added just a tiny bit of milk. Ahhh, there it was. The cocoa and butterscotch came to the front and mellowed everything out nice and warm, letting it blend together into a tasty fruity-sweet mix.

Bizarre as the ingredients are, the taste was wonderful, and I think I’ll have a second cup.

Signed paperbacks now available!

In the middle of last month, I quietly added another link to my site’s navigation menu: Shop.

I’m happy to say that a lot of people ask how they can get signed books from me. Previously, I’ve offered them at release only. The plan was to take preorders and order just enough copies to fill preorders, and then stock events I had planned for 2020. But then the events got canceled, one by one, and I was left with copies that didn’t have a home. I spent some time considering what I could do with them, and that’s when the idea to offer signed books all the time came to mind.

Here’s the catch: Since these signed editions are being sold through a storefront, they can’t be shipped media mail, so shipping costs will run higher. I still plan to offer preorders for each new book, and those can ship with the option of media mail, so launch prices for signed paperbacks will still be a bit cheaper. Also, as of right now, I don’t have any options for international shipping or payment via PayPal–so for those orders, you’ll need to contact me.

But the fun part is… the shop’s not just books! There are also art prints, bookmarks, stickers, and the charms I showed off last week. You might recognize some of the stickers, prints and things–they’re another thing people have frequently asked for after the launch period. Each book will always launch with sticker sheets and bookmarks as freebies, though!

If you’re curious, you can take a look at the shop by hitting the link in the menu, or else checking it out here.

Happy reading!

Don’t Steal from Demons: Part Four (A Westkings Heist story)

A second bolt cracked against the rooftop. Tahl launched into a sprint to follow Nia onto the next roof over.

A volley from the crossbows followed.

Niada yelped as one skimmed past her head, taking a few raven strands with it. “How did you manage to make things worse?” she cried.

Tahl vaulted over the peak of the roof to hunch on the other side, hoping that removing himself from sight would slow down the bowmen below. “You’re the one who wanted me involved!”

“Yeah, to help me fix things! Not to bring half Orrad’s guard after us!”

Offended, he put himself directly in front of her as she crested the roof and slid down beside him. She squeaked in surprise, clearly not having expected him to be so close. He pressed his fingers to his chest in a gesture of hurt. “Who helped you get out from under them, exactly? They almost had you.”

“We aren’t out from under them, stupid. They’re right there!” Nia ducked reflexively as a bolt arced overhead.

Below, someone shouted, and an argument broke out. Whoever had fired didn’t have permission. It seemed their reckless shot would earn them an earful—and hopefully buy Tahl a little time.

“Come on,” he whispered, motioning her to the next roof. It was a longer jump, harder to make without a running start, but he bounded across the gap without difficulty and then spun to catch Nia. She didn’t need his help, though she landed hard. They put two more rooftops between them and the crossbowmen before he motioned toward a narrow alley at the back of a building.

Together, they descended into the shadowy space.

“We need somewhere to hide,” Nia whispered.

Tahl arched a brow. What did she think he was doing? He bit back a retort and motioned for her to follow him, instead.

The alley snaked farther toward the edge of the city before it finally opened into a familiar yard. A round stone cap covered a sewer access tunnel in the middle of the weedy cobbles. He braced a foot against it and pushed. It didn’t budge.

“Help me with this,” he ordered as he dropped to the ground, braced his toes against the uneven paving stones, and pushed with both hands. Nia knelt to do the same, grunting with exertion. Perspiration just rose on his brow before the stone shifted. With the crust of dirt broken, it moved more easily, but he didn’t fool himself for a second into thinking they’d be able to move it back. Tahl stopped with the stone halfway across the opening, swiped the back of his hand across his brow and plucked a loose pebble from the ground. “Down.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Nia muttered. She slid over the edge and disappeared into the gap.

Tahl followed, too aware of the sound of people approaching. They stood a chance of escaping in the sewer, at least, but how easily the guards seemed to track them through the city made him uncomfortable. He’d never had that difficulty before.

They hurried down the tunnel until the light from the opening was no longer visible, then walked a bit farther, trailing their hands on the walls to find their way. Once he was certain they wouldn’t be spotted easily, Tahl pushed a tendril of power into the pebble in his hand. It took a soft, warm glow, but he kept it faint. If anyone looked into the tunnel, a light could be visible. If he kept it faint enough, the mage-light wouldn’t illuminate much beyond the ground beneath their feet.

“Think we made it?” Nia asked softly as they padded onward.

“Hopefully.” Tahl’s sense of direction rarely failed him, and he’d set a path toward the eastern side of the city. He’d explored a good portion of the unused sewers that had fallen short of expectations and ended up paved over, and he was confident when he guessed they could get close to the docks, but he had a stop planned along the way. He rubbed his mage-light with his thumb and fought back a frown. “Let’s go a little farther. Once we get around a corner somewhere up ahead, I think we should sit down and have a proper look at this knife.”

She made a soft sound of assent and said nothing more.

The tunnel carried on for some time before they found a branch. Tahl shifted their path north and continued for a while before he took another eastern branch. Not long after, he lowered himself to the ground and allowed himself a sigh.

Nia frowned. “You okay? It seems like that run took more out of you than usual.”

“Fine. I wasn’t planning on escaping any guards today, but at least they weren’t Elite.” He withdrew the knife and poured a little more magic into the mage-light, letting it brighten before he pushed it into Nia’s hands. “Here, hold that.”

She leaned forward, curious, as he unwrapped the blade. After the unpleasant shock of touching it before, he chose to keep it on the cloth. That shock was what made it all the more confusing that he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

Now that he inspected it close up, he saw it was a nice blade. Plain, but good quality. Ordinary of appearance, yet clearly unusual. Ordinary blades didn’t bite with magic when you touched them.

“See anything strange?” Tahl asked. He didn’t expect she would. Noticing things was what kept him alive and made him a good thief, but he wasn’t arrogant enough to think nothing could escape his attention. Especially when magic was involved.

Nia shook her head. “It’s just a regular knife.” She reached for it, then hesitated.

Tahl raised a brow. “What?”

“What happened when you touched it before?”

He snorted. “It hurt. It was like shuffling across a carpet and then poking someone to make a spark, times ten.”

Now her face twisted with bemusement. “When I touched it, it just made me feel creepy-crawly. Should I touch it again? Is it safe?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I get the feeling it’s a lot more special than it looks. None of the mages at the academy are able to imbue objects with magic, you know. They call it a Lost Art.”

“Can’t be that lost, if someone’s still making magic knives.”

“That or this is a lot older—and more important—than we thought.” He studied the knife for a moment longer, then folded the wrappings closed once more. “I know this is going to sound weird, but I think the guards are able to follow it somehow.”

Nia tilted her head. “Like sensing it?”

“No, I don’t think so. I didn’t feel any mages in their group, and even I don’t really pick up anything odd about it. But they might have an artifact that lets them know where it is. I don’t think they’d pursue us so with this much determination otherwise.”

She sat back on her heels, rolling the mage-light between her forefinger and thumb. “Why do you suppose they’d have something like that? Or be after a plain old knife?”

“I don’t think they are,” Tahl said. “If they’ve got something like that, I suspect they’re looking for something else. We may have just tripped their alarm by mistake.” He had a good idea of what sort of magic-imbued item they might be looking for, but he’d keep that to himself. If there was any way to sense the crown from outside the vault-turned-office he’d stashed it in, their headquarters would have been discovered by now.

“Then we definitely want to give it back.” She stood up and dusted off her knees.

He blinked twice and rose after her. “Really? You seemed like you hated that idea.”

“I do, but I hate the idea of getting caught worse.”

Tahl couldn’t help but laugh. “Fair enough. We’re halfway to the docks now, but we’ve got one thing we need to stop and get before we move on.”

“Really?” Nia asked. “What’s that?”

“Disguises.”

Cover Reveal: Serpent’s Wake, Book 4 in the Snakesblood Saga

November’s coming fast, and you know what that means, right?

Serpent’s Wake, the fourth book in the Snakesblood Saga, will be out on November 28.

Ready? Here’s a bit about what to expect.

Be warned, there are spoilers below, so if you haven’t started reading the series, maybe stop at the artwork.

Her Midnight Hunter (Keeper’s Kin #3) is now available!

Looking for something to read that works well for the Halloween season?

The Keeper’s Kin trilogy is a vampire western adventure with a romantic tilt.

And Her Midnight Hunter, the final book in the Keeper’s Kin series, is now available in both print and Kindle editions! It’s part of Kindle Unlimited, so if you’re a subscriber, you read free.

What’s it about? Well…

The call just went out.

Kade Colton, the best vampire hunter the Keepers ever had, is a wanted man.

Now his rivals want him dead, and they’ll do anything to make it happen.

When the hunters come for her, Felicity’s in no condition to fight. To protect her unborn baby, the safest choice is just to play along.

Kade won’t take it laying down, and he knows who made the call.

He was the best for a reason.

Now, he’ll make them pay.

Click here to get your copy on Amazon now.

Not familiar with the series? You’re in luck–the first book in the trilogy, Her Midnight Cowboy, is on sale for 99 cents this week only… and it’s also free in Kindle Unlimited.

Happy reading! The Keepers are waiting…

Don’t Steal from Demons: Part Three (A Westkings Heist story)

Tahl would have loved to have his heist clothing.

He could still climb walls and leap rooftops without it, but the close-fitting navy blue outfit had come to be as much a part of the Ghost’s image as his scar. Some tiny, vain part of him had considered having his emblem added to his ensemble somehow. Perhaps not to his clothing, as it would have been foolish to add anything that stood out from the dark fabric, but maybe a scarf. Or a symbol on his bag. Right now, it would have been useful. Something, anything more that made his identity obvious would have been.

Instead, he had to hope his scar would be enough.

Tahl rubbed the cuff of his sleeve against his cheek as he bounded across the gap to another roof. The last traces of wax came free, and he threw himself into a sprint.

The guards had disappeared around a corner somewhere ahead. He had to find a way to cut them off, separate them from Niada long enough for her to make an escape.

Angry voices rose from the city below and he veered toward them, ignoring the instinct to keep quiet. Tahl breathed deep as he dashed across the rough wooden roof tiles of the poorer district they were in. They were easier to keep his footing on and he pushed ahead.

He knew every inch of Orrad by now. Just ahead lay a handful of shops—a perfect place for a distraction. From the sound of it, that was where Nia had gone.

Hope this means you have a plan. Tahl ran through his memories of which shops were where, then adjusted his course. When he reached the last roof before the wide shopping avenue, he slowed and gripped the roof’s edge to swing down with as much force as he could muster. His heels struck the shop’s glass display window and crashed through.

A chorus of shrieks rose as he swung back and released the roof. He landed lightly on the cobblestone street as broken glass hit the ground and splintered. The jeweler had already appeared on the other side of the window, his face distraught.

“I need to borrow this, sorry,” Tahl called as he seized a fistful of jewels from the display and spun to scan the streets.

More cries went up through the shoppers nearby when he turned. “It’s him!” a woman screamed.

“The Ghost!” a man added.

Tahl fought not to cringe. Thieving in broad daylight wasn’t his style, and the number of eyes that turned toward him was uncomfortable. But at the far end of the street, he caught the gleam of armor as a pair of guards turned back his direction.

A pang of regret struck him like a punch to the stomach.

It’s part of the plan, he told himself as he took two hopping steps backwards and raised his stolen jewelry overhead. “I’ll bring these back, promise!”

From the obscenities the jeweler shouted at him through the broken window, he didn’t believe it.

Before the man could make it through the door, Tahl ducked between a handful of startled shoppers and raced toward the oncoming guards. He’d barely taken a few steps before they were close enough for him to recognize them and be certain they were the guards after Nia. The fine hairs on the back of his neck prickled and an unpleasant shudder tore down his spine. Racing toward guards in broad daylight was another thing he didn’t do, but here he was, cutting straight toward them and praying they didn’t call for reinforcements.

Tahl had expected to see Nia somewhere past them, but she was nowhere to be seen. That better mean you got away. He skidded on the cobbles to keep from crashing into someone, then cut toward a side street.

He crashed into Nia, instead.

“Hey!” she cried as she tumbled to the ground. Tahl sprang over the top of her to keep from tripping, then spun back to offer her a hand.

She blinked at the gold laced between his fingers.

“Come on!” he snapped.

Setting her jaw, Nia grabbed his wrist and let him help her up. Then they both darted into the narrow street. “I don’t need you to save me,” she said, the edge in her voice sharper than the window’s broken glass.

“Really? It looked to me like you were headed for the gallows!” He slapped her arm to get her attention and veered into a narrow alley. A few steps in, he kicked off the wall and started his vertical ascent, bounding back and forth between the close buildings.

She followed, but grunted and struggled to keep up. “You climb like a squirrel.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that.” He swung onto a roof and leaned down to offer his hand. When she took it, he hauled her up and then glanced at the jewelry that still decorated his hand.

Nia nodded toward it. “What’s that for?”

“Getting the attention of the guards. Come on, we have to keep moving.” He backed up a few paces and took a running start to leap to the next building over. Nia landed next to him with a quiet thump. Before he could offer any directions, she lit off on her own.

“Where are you going?” Tahl called after her, uncomfortably aware of the noise of the city growing louder in the street below. They wouldn’t have long to gain a head start.

“The docks!” Nia shouted back. “You still have it?”

Tahl was beginning to regret taking the knife. He nodded once and took a step forward, only for a crossbow bolt to thud into the rooftop at his toes.

“Archers,” he breathed. “Perfect.”

Don’t Steal from Demons: Part Two (A Westkings Heist story)

“You’re going to do what?” Nia squeaked.

“To give it back,” Tahl repeated. “It’s pretty obvious you don’t know what you have, here.”

She hurried to match his longer strides. “Some kind of cursed blade that’s out for my blood?”

The suggestion was so odd he had to stop and squint at her. He certainly hadn’t felt that in that single shot of magic that lanced up his arm, but he also hadn’t taken the time to analyze what it had done. Whatever it was, it hurt, and that was enough for him to conclude the knife wasn’t worth the trouble.

A sheepish look flitted over her face. She opened her mouth to say something, but he silenced her with a wave of his hand.

“You can’t just fence magic items,” he explained as he ducked into an alley so narrow, he could hardly walk without his shoulders brushing the walls. Slim as he was, he could fit into almost every nook and cranny he’d run across in Orrad. But he wasn’t done growing. He couldn’t count on every passage being easy to traverse forever. The stablemaster back in his home city of Ashor had sworn he would fill out in his early twenties, when his shoulders widened and he started growing a man’s muscle. Or, that was what the stablemaster had called it.

Tahl took a longer step over a pile of rat droppings and forced his thoughts back to the task at hand. “Imbued items aren’t common. Especially not weapons. No merchant will touch them, and if I’m being honest, this isn’t pretty enough to keep in my collection. Think you can identify the mark again if you see him in the city?”

Nia tucked in her chin and rubbed her arms, as if the thought alone was unpleasant. “He’s hard to miss. I wish I’d chickened out when it crossed my mind.”

It wasn’t like her to confess such feelings. Nia was a cautious thief, but once she picked a mark, she could be brash. Tahl raised a brow, though he didn’t say anything, lest she clam up.

She went on unprompted. “He was creepy. I didn’t realize it until I was right up on him, but something about that guy was weird.”

“So in other words, you’ll gladly point him out so I can put this back in his pockets,” Tahl said.

Reluctant, she nodded. After a moment, curiosity claimed her expression. “You think it’ll be that easy?”

“Pickpocketing works backwards, too. I’m just as adept at planting things on people as getting things off them.” He stopped at the end of the alley to peek into the roadway. People flowed past without noticing him, distracted by their own business. Satisfied, Tahl waited for a gap to slip into the throng.

“There she is!” someone cried behind him.

Tahl spun on his heel. Nia yelped and bolted past him as a pair of guards he swore hadn’t been there a moment ago burst from the crowds.

Biting back a curse, he put himself in their path at the last moment.

One of the guards plowed straight into him, bowling him to the ground. The other tripped over the two of them and landed hard on the cobblestones.

“Hey!” Tahl protested, struggling to remove himself from the tangle of limbs.

The larger of the two guards—the one who had tripped—planted a hand on his face and shoved him down.

“Brant’s bloody branches,” the other guard spat as he freed himself and staggered to his feet.

Tahl curled up on the cobbles with a groan, covering his face with one arm. He didn’t think the wax covering the scar on his face had come loose, but if it had, it would make putting himself in a guard’s path the most dangerous thing he could have done.

Yet the guards never looked his way again after they were back on their feet. The one he’d entangled stepped over Tahl’s legs and marched onward in search of Nia, without looking back.

Tahl unfurled himself slowly and peeked out from between his fingers. Under the guise of shielding his face out of fear, he probed the wax over his scar to ensure it was intact before he lowered his hand. He watched as the guards disappeared around a corner, momentarily unsure what to do.

Nia had nothing on her now. The knife was still on him. Even if they caught her, they had no evidence to support the claim she’d stolen something.

Unless, of course, they took her before her mark and had him identify her.

That was another problem. He could roam the streets all day, but without Nia at his side, he had no hope of finding the target. It was just as easy for him to abandon the knife somewhere; the blade meant nothing to him. But if the guards caught Nia and she was identified as a thief…

Tahl halted that thought before it could go any farther. “For the love of leaves,” he muttered as he pushed himself up. There was no avoiding it. He retreated back into the alleyway and peeled the wax from his scar.

If anyone could draw attention off Nia long enough for her to escape, it would be the Ghost.

Don’t Steal from Demons: Part One (A Westkings Heist story)

“Tahl!”

The sharp whisper made him tilt his head, but Tahl still crunched into his apple before he answered. “Yeah?”

A number of thumps and a low grunt came as reply. Niada’s head popped up above the edge of the rooftop and she grimaced as she dragged herself onto the shingles. “I need help,” she panted.

“After an ascent like that, I’d say I agree.” Tahl swiped a bead of juice from the corner of his mouth with a fingertip he then licked clean.

Her nose crinkled as she crawled closer. She was a little more graceful on top of the bakery, but everyone inside had to know she was there. “I’m serious.” Her hand went to her pocket, for something stashed inside. He raised a brow when she withdrew a bundle of cloth.

“I took this earlier,” Nia said, “but not on purpose. I missed the mark’s purse and got this out of his pocket instead.”

“And you decided it was worth keeping.” He bit into his apple again.

“Well, no, it’s just… every time I get ready to drop it…” A hint of worry furrowed her brow and she shook her head. “I’m not superstitious, okay? I promise I’m not, but there’s something weird about this thing, and every time I try to drop it somewhere, something happens.”

Tahl squinted at the bundle as she extended it toward him on a flat palm. He wiped his hand on his trousers and folded back the fabric around whatever it was, revealing the most unremarkable knife he’d ever seen. He considered it for a time, trying to decide if she was messing with him. From the way concern pinched her face, it seemed unlikely. “What made you decide to bring it to me?”

“Because if anyone in the city can escape it, it’d be you.” She inched closer, thrusting the wrapped toward him as she crawled, desperate for him to take it.

He rolled his eyes and reached to take it.

The moment his fingers brushed the hilt, a jolt of power shot through his arm. Tahl yelped and jerked his arm back. The knife tumbled from Nia’s palm and bounced off the roof.

She squeaked and started down after it. As her foot swung over the edge to search for holds, a glint of metal caught Tahl’s eye. He lunged after her, snagged her by the back of the shirt, and dragged her up the roof.

“Hey!” Nia kicked, but her legs were too short for her to connect from that angle. He hauled her over the roof’s peak and shoved her down until they both disappeared behind it. Below, a half-dozen booted footsteps marched into the narrow street in front of the bakery.

“She came this way,” a man’s voice said. “I’m sure of it.”

“Guards?” Tahl whispered, so close beside her ear he was positive no one else would be able to hear him.

Nia nodded once and hunkered lower against the shingles. She gripped the ridged wood so tightly, her knuckles grew pale.

“Were they following you before?”

She hesitated, then rocked a hand from side to side. Not a helpful answer.

“Either they were or they weren’t,” he whispered before he slipped away. Unlike Nia, Tahl’s movements on the rooftop were soundless. She scuffled after him, the toes of her shoes knocking on the edges of all the shingles she passed. “I think they saw me take it. Every time I think I’ve gotten away, I try to drop the knife and they show up again.”

Tahl motioned for her to join him behind the chimney. “That just means they followed you, numbskull. You have to be sure you’ve shaken them before you try to drop it.”

“But I have!” Nia protested. He hushed her with a sharp gesture and she tucked her chin into her chest, sulking. When she spoke again, it was little more than a whisper. “I took this from a mark on the east docks.”

That was enough to make Tahl’s brows climb. Perched near the west gate as they were, there were few places farther away she could run. As far as he knew, he was the only thief in Orrad the guard might find worth following from one end of the city to the other. Why would they pursue her so relentlessly?

He rose just enough to peer over the peak of the roof and watch the guards disappear. Then he flicked his fingers in a signal for Nia to stay put.

Her lower lip jutted out, but she didn’t follow as he slid down the roof and dropped from its edge to alight soundlessly in the yard. The knife hadn’t gone far; Tahl spotted it almost immediately, its wrappings lost and its blade stuck in the earth. He flexed his fingers, unsure he wanted to touch it again.

Had Nia felt that power? She wasn’t a mage, so she shouldn’t have. Still, she’d brought the knife wrapped. Curiosity tingled in his fingertips as he swept the cloth from the dusty ground and draped it over the blade’s hilt.

When his hand brushed the pommel through the fabric, he felt nothing.

“You’re an unusual thing, aren’t you?” he murmured as he wiggled the knife free from the dirt. Whether he intended to talk to the blade or just mumble his thoughts aloud, he didn’t know. It wasn’t as if he’d never talked to inanimate objects before, but this one gave him an eerie feeling.

Nia descended from the roof a shade more gracefully than she’d climbed it in the first place. “What do you think?” she asked as she dusted off her boyish breeches. “Is it cursed?”

“Why’d you wrap it?” Tahl glanced down at his hands, then looked around his feet. He’d been eating an apple. What had he done with it? He didn’t remember putting it down, and he didn’t see it, either. That the prick of magic in the blade had been enough to distract him meant nothing good.

“It gave me the creeps when I touched it. I don’t know why. It felt better after I wrapped it.” She scrubbed her hands against her hips as if to remove a sensation the knife had left behind. A look of concern pulled her brows together. “It’s not cursed, is it?”

Tahl snorted. “Unlikely.”

She didn’t appear convinced. “But there’s something funny about it.”

“Yes.” He turned the knife in his hand, studying the way the light glinted off its edge. Even without touching it directly, magic buzzed in his senses.

“Is it dangerous?”

For a moment, Tahl wasn’t sure how to answer. The shock that had traveled up his arm hadn’t been pleasant, but he hadn’t held the blade long enough to know if it was dangerous. He wasn’t willing to touch it again to find out.

Yet without touching it or exploring its energy, he had no way of knowing what the magic did.He frowned, unsure what to do next. There didn’t seem much point to touching it. It wasn’t like he’d had any more luck sussing out whatever the crown he’d stolen did.

“Don’t know,” he said at last. He almost stuck the knife into his belt, then thought better of it. Instead, he wrapped the square of fabric around it more securely and fished a piece of string from his pocket to tie it closed.

The action made Nia wrinkle her nose. “So that’s a yes.”

Tahl touched a hand to his chest. “What, you have that little faith in my powers of deduction?”

“You dropped it,” she replied dryly. “Considering your incredible lack of slippery fingers, I can do my own deduction from that.”

Fair, he thought with a smirk, though he was unwilling to concede that out loud. He kept the knife in his hand and turned toward the street.

“Where are you going?” Nia asked, trotting along behind him as he started walking.

Tahl waved the little bundle. “To give it back.”

Niada almost tripped over her feet.

Sketching stickers

When I was working on the sticker sheet of Vahn to go with the release of Snakesblood #3, I realized it would be a lot more efficient if I made all my stickers at once. So I went ahead and sketched out the stickers that will go with the rest of the series.

I was delighted to see that Kyt was highly in demand–a number of people reached out to ask if there was going to be a sticker set featuring Kytenia. The answer is yes, of course! Kyt’s stickers will go out with book 4, Serpent’s Wake, which is scheduled to release in November.

Kyt still needs another item or two added to her sheet, I think, but she’ll be the next sticker sheet I draw and color.

After Kyt, I had a lot of mixed feelings about who to include for book 5, and I may end up drawing more characters if I have time… but for right now, I’m planning to include Sera with #5, and Envesi with #6.

I didn’t know what kind of objects to give Envesi, so I asked for suggestions on Instagram, and let me just say I absolutely did not expect the extreme vitriol readers had to share when it came to her. Ouch! On the one hand, it’s good that she makes people feel so strongly, but it’s also a little worrisome HOW strongly they feel!

Either way, Envesi’s stickers are here to stay for book 6, but I included a knife, so you can arrange the stickers so she’s getting stabbed if you so desire. That choice is up to you.

My first planner from Webster’s Pages

Right before Q2 of this year started, I decided I wanted to get a few more planner binders so I could use them in rotation to keep them from wearing out. While I love my current planner–the iridescent mermaid scale pattern from Recollections–more than I can say, it also came with a gash across the spine where a reckless employee had slashed it while opening boxes. I’ve spent close to a year trying to replace it, but I’m very particular about how the scale pattern lines up on the spine, and I haven’t been happy with any I’ve seen in stores. None ever have the wider belly scales across the spine. Over time, that’s going to come apart, no matter what I do.

I had difficulty finding anything I wanted. One thing I knew I wanted for sure was a navy blue binder that I could dress up in Ilmenhith’s colors, so I’d have a planner inspired by my own stories. Turns out navy planners are hard to find–it doesn’t seem to be a very “in” color. I found one from Webster’s Pages, but I could never justify the cost.

Then the back-to-school sale hit.

I didn’t just get the planner–I got a couple gifts for my sisters and some things my middle sister wanted, too, and I also got myself a stationery tray–mostly for the adorable little stamp in it, because I could see that being infinitely useful and stamps are something I haven’t added into my planner caddy just yet.

I’m sure some of the other things will be nice to have and make themselves useful, too, but the stationery kit was all of $5 and it seemed like a good deal.

Then there was my magnificent planner, which is the first planner I’ve ever had that came in a box. Uh, fancy!

I found the presentation lovely and couldn’t wait to pop it open. Of course, my daughter was sitting next to me, doing school, so she insisted on helping me set things up for photos. She sprinkled some of her favorite feathers around on the table for me. My husband recently remarked that it feels a bit like raising a druid, with all the feathers and twigs and pebbles and dried leaves we find around the house. Personally, I found the blue jay feather to be an excellent touch.

The color was just what I wanted and the binder felt sturdy, although I’m a little less certain about the closure. It still feels “loose” to me after it’s snapped together. I’ve given it a good look-over and I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to feel that way, but it still doesn’t feel as secure as I’d hope for a planner that’s normally $55. Needless to say, I was pretty happy I’d gotten it on sale for $20.

While I really like the gold accents and the transparent lettered page at the front, I found I wasn’t super in love with the colors in the rest of the insert. I wasn’t totally attached to them, fortunately, since I was planning to customize the planner anyway.

A lot of the colors and aesthetics don’t work for me, so I’ll probably give them away…

…but I do really like the monthly and weekly pages.

I don’t see myself using them right away, as I’m pretty attached to my HB90 Method insert and feel like I’m just now hitting my stride in using it, but I like the idea of doing a full year overview with birthdays and things on the monthly calendar pages and maybe using the smaller weekly pages for short journaling or a sort of daily brain-dump, but we’ll see when it’s time to switch.

I’ll probably switch to using this binder at the end of September, since October begins Q4 and I’ll be switching gears anyway. I’m looking forward to using it, and I’m glad I was able to get the color I really wanted. But what other colors do I need? Hmm…