A.E. Field's Blog, page 5

It's The Final Countdown!!

          Well, it's been a journey for sure and I've loved every minute of it!!  Sharing pieces of Skyla with you has been an awesome dream come true but now, it's time for it to end.  Ending seems like such a sad thing, but in this instance, the end is only the beginning.  Are you ready for the WHOLE book?!  I'm so excited to share it with you!!!  In fact, I'm dancing up and down like a little kid going to an amusement park right now (on the inside at least)!  The next time I post, it will be to tell you that my book is available for download.           That being said, tonight's teaser is perfect.  It's actually the prologue to my book.  Since this is what you would first read if you downloaded a sample of my book, I figured it was only right to post it here.  So, sit back, relax and take a deep breath.  Here is the beginning of Skyla.                They say the world ended slowly, like a flower choked by weeds.  It wasn’t war or famine or even greed that destroyed it.  No, in the end it was a small infectious agent that brought the world to its knees, a microscopic assassin.  From the first moment the Ghost Virus touched humanity, ‘til the time the last survivors left earth, it ravaged the masses, killing millions in its wake.             It started inconspicuously with a headache and fever, common symptoms for any virus, but nothing could have prepared the world for what happened next.  Victims would become confused, slipping into a semi-catatonic state, blissfully unaware as their fevers blossomed into full blown septic shock.  Somewhere amidst the swelling and vomiting, delirium would set in.  Victims teetered on the edge of insanity as the virus slowly disabled organs, shutting down their bodies one organ at a time.              
            Containment seemed possible until several months after the first outbreak.  Doctors worldwide watched in horror as the once blood borne virus mutated into an airborne one.  Like a trail of dominoes, it spread quickly, consuming everything it touched like a wildfire.  Whole cities vanished from existence.  Places that were once teeming with people were forced into quarantine to stop the spread of infection, but to no avail.  The virus’ lethal touch spread across the continents with no preference for race, sex, age or station, taking lives at its discretion.
            True to its name, the virus left the earth empty, only an apparition of its former self.
            In a desperate attempt to keep the human race from dying out, a highly trained team of government scientists and engineers collaborated and formed a plan of escape far away from the infected earth.  They simply called it The System.  
            Large sections, made entirely of sandstone, were cut from the Earth’s surface and then strategically placed at the very edge of the troposphere.  Suspended there by an advanced form of hover technology, the islands hung as if attached by some sort of invisible string in the sky.  Electric fields surrounded the cities, keeping the elements out, as well as converting the moisture in the thin air into oxygen.
            This sky world provided a temporary solution until a more permanent one could be developed. 
             Desperate and afraid, the last of the unaffected population left in droves, boarding large air ships, making a mass exodus into the sky.  Their hope laid within the promise of a better future, maybe not in this generation, but in the ones to come. 
~
            Three hundred years later, the Old World is but a whisper in our thoughts, a vague remembrance of fear and death and pain.  We call it The Nothing, because that is exactly what it left us with. 
            Now we wait. 
            Here in the sky. 
            Fearing the past, hoping the future holds more than this…             Now how's that for a last teaser?  Thanks for following me these last weeks and I hope that you will enjoy Skyla as much as I enjoyed writing it!!  I'll post again soon once my book is up and available.    A

Old School

        
         So, we're going old school tonight and by that, I mean back to the beginning.  Skyla was a kid once too and she experienced some pretty intense things in the System.  Here's an excerpt from a less than pleasant time in her life.         

         I’m almost to the end of the hall when I hear them.  Noises…   

         They are soft at first, like whispers on the wind, tickling my ears curiously.  Drawn by their siren call, I tiptoe further down the hallway.  The sounds grow, becoming less like whispered secrets and more like hushed screams, stirring behind the door of the small room where we orphans study the Histories twice a day. 
         Cautiously, I peer through the cloudy glass that covers the top half of the door.  On the other side of the room stand two dark figures, one small, one large.  Who could that be?  Turning my head, I hold my ear just inches away from the glass.  Muffled voices filter through, making it difficult for me to decipher their identities, but within a few moments, I am sure the larger of the two is the Head Mistress. 
         The Head Mistress is a vicious woman; the kind you are sure is in league with the Devil.   She is tall, but not thin, like you’d expect.  Instead, her massive frame spills outward at the waist, running down the length of her body, making her look like a large misshapen tree.  And her eyes!  Even now, a shiver runs the length of my spine as I remember looking into them.  They are the very essence of evil, so dark they are almost black, holding no mercy within their shadowy depths.  She could kill with one look if she wanted to. 
         A small whimper draws my attention towards the other figure.  I think it must be…yes, it sounds like the small girl, the one with the yellow hair.  She recently transferred from one of the other cities.  Her bed is only three down from mine in the dorm.  Apparently, there had been behavioral issues.  At least, that’s what I was told, but you can’t always believe what you hear around here.   
         Sadness sweeps over me, her tiny voice drawing me in.  I don’t even know her name yet.  She hasn’t been at the orphanage long enough for me to find out and from the looks of it, she won’t be staying much longer either.    
         The girl’s figure looks wavy and distorted through the glass, like a warped mirror, but there is no doubt in my mind that she is cowering, completely terrified of the Head Mistress.  I know that fear, the shivering feeling that lingers throughout your body long after having left her presence.  My sneaky habits had earned me many first hand encounters.  I dealt with it the only way I could, by reversing the roles, picturing the old hag in my place while I whipped her. 
         A loud crack splits through the air.  Smack, smack, smack!  Hearing the rhythmic slap of the leather strips sends waves of hot pain through my body.  The scabs on my back itch in response, reminding me that I had been in the girl’s place not too long ago.  Cringing, I remember the feel of the material as it bites into your skin, grazes across your flesh, piercing like a thousand tiny knives.  An involuntary shudder runs through my body.            Hope you enjoyed this week's excerpt.  See you next week!!!  A         

Follow me please...

           We met the Sips last week.  Now, let's meet one in particular, Lt. Walker.  He's cool, reserved and completely clueless as to how to handle his newest charge.  His first encounter with Skyla leaves him a bit discombobulated.  Oh, how I love it when Skyla whips out her sarcasm.  Here's a small excerpt from their first meeting.            Dr. Smith opens the door into a long white hallway and motions for a nearby Sip to approach us.  “Lt. Walker, please escort Miss Deep to her room and make sure she knows the rules.”
            A boy clad in the Sip’s standard black uniform steps into view.  He looks young.  Like way too young to be a Sip.  Black hair frames his somewhat angular face but chocolate brown eyes soften the look.  His frame is shorter than Dr. Smith’s but he makes up for it in bulk, with wide shoulders and a body built for taking a beating. 
            Standing at attention, Lt. Walker salutes Dr. Smith before giving me a once over.  “Miss Deep.  This way please.” 
            Spinning on his heel, he heads down the hallway, not bothering to check if I’m following him or not.  I watch as his shaggy black hair shrinks into the distance.  Smirking to myself, I wonder how long it will take him to notice my absence.
            “Lt. Walker,” Dr. Smith yells.  He spins around, his dark eyes suddenly registering that I’m nowhere near him.  “I’m afraid that Miss Deep isn’t accustomed to obeying.  You’ll have to be a bit more…persuasive with her.” 
            I scowl at Dr. Smith. 
            Lt. Walker makes his way back down the hall, his face burning red with embarrassment.  “I apologize, Dr. Smith.  It won’t happen again, Sir.”  He forcefully grabs me by the back of the arm, his fingers digging into my skin as he pulls me forward.
            “Ouch,” I mumble, ripping my arm out of his grasp.  “I can walk on my own.”
            “Didn’t look like it a minute ago,” Lt. Walker observes.
            Now, I have to smile.  I can see it’s going to be a lot of fun messing with this guy.  “There’s a stark difference between wanting to and being able to, Lt. Walker.”
            The Lt. stops, an annoyed look crossing his face.  “Well, Miss Deep.  You can either want to walk there on your own accord, or I’ll be forced to carry you like a two year old child.  Either way, you will move.”                       Oh, how I would love to be a fly on the wall during some of these scenes.  Get excited people!!  Release day is inching closer and closer!  Eeeeeekkkk!!! :)  A

The Sips are coming!!!

         
          Yay!!!   It's Tuesday!!   Welcome back.   Are you ready for some more of Skyla?   I know I am!             We've had a few feel good pieces but it's time to get back to some good old fashioned, heart pumping, gut wrenching action!   It's time to meet the Sips.   They're the Sky World's version of cops.  The biggest difference in this scenario is that the Sips are not necessarily the good guys.  Let's join Skyla and Ranger in one of their brief encounters with the 'boys in black'.            Walls are shaking.  The air bursts with a familiar wailing sound – Sip sirens.  Something big is happening.        
            Barely awake, I scramble out of my hammock, rushing over to the window.  The sun beats down onto the dusty street, illuminating a massive black blob below.  I rub my eyes, thinking they must be playing tricks on me, but when I look back, my stomach drops.  Hundreds of Sips, clad in their dark uniforms, are marching down the street.  They stomp forward in unison, like a writhing black beast, their footsteps echoing ominously off the stone buildings that surround them. 
            “Ranger,” I cry, motioning for him to come.   
            He stumbles towards me, still half asleep, and surveys the scene below.  Cursing, he turns back into the room, leaving me alone at the window.  Somehow, I feel stuck, like I’m frozen as I watch small units breaking off from the main group.  Their shiny helmets bob up and down as they enter each building, crushing any obstacle in their way. 
            They are searching for outsiders like us.  We don’t have long.
            “Grab any credits you have,” Ranger barks already heading for his stash.
            “Wait, I’m not dressed,” I cry, finally pulling myself away from the window.  A loud bang sounds above the siren, stopping me in my tracks.  The sudden tang of fear swells in my mouth.
            “They’ve got guns,” Ranger says, his eyes widening. 
            Our eyes meet for a split second communicating what we both already know.  There isn’t time to get dressed.  Guns are only involved in extreme cases, otherwise they are banned.  Grabbing my coin purse, I forget about changing my clothes and head out the door behind Ranger. 
            We start down the stairs but it’s too late.  A crash shudders beneath us as the Sips break down the door, splintering it into a hundred pieces.  Loud shouts fill the air as they begin searching the bottom floor.                     All I can say is I wouldn't want to be on the Sips' bad side!  See you next week for a new snippet!   A

To Glide Or Not To Glide? That Is The Question, Right?

    

So, let's recap.  We've met Skyla.  We've met Ranger.  We've tasted a little danger.  Now, let's have a little fun...hehehehehe.  Let's glide!!  Glide?  What's that you say?  Well, it's only one of my favorite things in this book!  It's kind of a cross between surfing and sky diving. It's also one of Skyla's favorite things to do and something that I would only do if if my life depended on it (or if chocolate was involved...lots of chocolate).                
          This is actually the scene which started my vision for this whole story. I won't be sharing the whole scene, just a small piece of it, but I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!!
          That being said, I give you week five's snippet!

            I hit the edge first, anxious to feel the wind in my hair.  Staring out into the open air sends a trickle of anticipation through my veins.  All I can see for miles is endless sky.  White clouds powder the horizon beyond the Zap Net.  I can hear them sizzle and pop as they come into contact with the electric field, vanishing into thin air as they are converted to oxygen.  I breathe in deeply.  Somehow, the air is just better out here in the open.  
Ranger stares at me while I continue my little breathing ritual.  Shaking his head, he bends down and begins unpacking his glider beside me. 
“We’ll be here all day if you keep doing that.”
I exhale sharply and shoot him a stern glance.
“What,” he mutters, shrugging his shoulders.  An amused smile curls up one side of his lips.  “It’s true.”
I roll my eyes and set my glider on the ground beside me.  Unhooking the rough leather straps, I pull the machinery out into the open.  The metal links clank loudly as they spread, overlapping each other until they form a small crescent shaped board, just large enough to hold one person.  Directly in the center lies a small hole where a long t-shaped handle connects.  Shoving the pole into it with a click, I tug on it to make sure it’s secure. 
Ranger helps me complete the process, stretching the rough, ivory colored canvas sail across the hooks on my pole and checking the engine to make sure it’s functioning properly.  The steady hum of gears lets me know it’s ready.
My heart whirls with excitement as I glide my hand over the sail’s rough material, feeling the texture of the cloth beneath my fingers.  Anxious, I rush to the board, placing my feet on either side of the platform.  Touching the sail’s handle, I let the cool metal kiss my palms.  My blood pumps wildly, like a fever running through my veins, as I peer over the Edge and then let my board slip over into the endless sky.
“Hey wait for me,” Ranger calls from behind, but I am already gone.
The first plunge is always the best.  My stomach drops at the sudden rush, sending small icy shivers through my body.  The wind rips through my hair as I plummet, tossing it back and forth like a feather.  The sail flaps madly, snapping and bucking against the rush of air.  Pure adrenaline pumps through my veins. 
I am alive. 
I am free. 

I'm not really sure I would have the guts to go gliding in real life but man was it fun to write about it!  I hope you enjoyed this snippet.  See you next week!!

A     
    

Confessions Of A Writer

         
           So, I have a confession to make. I'm a...a...a die hard romance fan! There I said it...whew, I feel so much better!  Now, I can finally sleep at night :)   In fact, romance is one of my key three!!   A little adventure, a few knives or swords and a splash of romance make an excellent novel! :)   That being said, this week I'm going to introduce you to Ranger, one of the male leads in the story.          Now guys, don't click off the page!!   Although, I love a good romance, this book definitely has a plot.   Books without plots are like peanut butter without jelly or a monkey without bananas or...well, you get the point.   So, chill for minute.   This week may be for the ladies but I assure there is plenty of action for you manly types.            That being said, we join Skyla on the run again...           O nce I’ve cleared the crowd, I ditch my heels and burst into a sprint towards the East Edge.  Just like Ranger taught me, I twist and turn down multiple alleyways to make it harder for someone to track me.  Even so, I have the sick feeling that someone is in pursuit. 
            Picking up my speed, I turn the corner in an alley and stop, pressing myself up against the side of the building, disappearing into the shadows.  I don’t need anyone following me back to the hideout. 
            Moments later, I hear the patter of feet on the ground.  I was right after all.  Listening closely, I try to envision my stalker by the sounds I hear.  One person, possibly male from the way the feet stomp instead of glide like most girls.  Not a Sip, there’s no gear jangling.  I can hear loud puffing as they approach, so they are probably tired, an easy target for someone with my training.
            Crouching down low, I prepare myself to confront my attacker.  The familiar surge of adrenaline spreads through my body.  I have had just about enough surprises today.  Now, it is someone else’s turn.  Whoever it is will regret that they even dared to chase me. 
            I wait till the sounds are almost upon me before I stick my leg out from the corner, tripping my opponent to the ground.  He spills onto the street, probably swallowing at least a pound of dirt.  Good.  He deserves it. 
            I reach down, pulling at the back of his shirt.  My heart is pounding as I get ready to introduce this guy to my fists. 
            “Skyla,” a familiar voice calls from the ground.  “Is that you?”
            I stumble backwards, letting the fabric slip through my hands.  Black jeans.  Gray shirt.  Realization floods through me.  “Ranger?”
            He looks up from the street, his face covered in dirt, and starts to laugh.
            It takes me a minute to process but soon I relax, sitting down next to him, laughing too.  “I’m sorry.  I thought some freak was following me.”
            Ranger chuckles again.  “What?  Were you going to beat me?”
            A grin slides across my face.  “You know it.”
            “You still could you know,” Ranger says, raising an eyebrow.
            “What exactly are you suggesting?”  I laugh nervously.   
            Ranger takes my hand.  It’s still shaking from the adrenaline rush.  He pulls me closer, wrapping me in his arms.  “I’m suggesting that you show me exactly what you can do.”
            I’m still breathing heavy from our late night sprint and find that being so close to him doesn’t help to slow my heart rate. 
            “I don’t think you can handle it,” I say trying to be confident but it comes out all breathy and nervous.
            Ranger flashes that irresistibly confident smirk and leans down, his lips just inches from mine.  I can’t help but stare.  “Can’t I?”
            I don’t really know if it’s a question or a challenge.  My eyes flutter.  I’m having trouble processing anything with him this close to me.  “I…”               Yeah, I know I'm cruel but I can't let you read everything ahead of time! :)  I hope you enjoyed this small glimpse of Ranger.  Come back next week for a brand new snippet!  
         

A 

Skyla Book Trailer

   So this video is on Facebook and if I can get it to work it will be on You Tube as well but I most definitely had to put it here on my blog!!  If you haven't seen this yet, all I can say is sit back, grab some popcorn and enjoy!!! Oh and make sure you're watching it in HD and give it time to load.  It's just more epic that way ;)      Awesome :) A

Fairy Dust and Unicorns...

               
Have you ever read a story where everything is happy and bubbly and nothing ever goes wrong? Sprinkle in a little fairy dust, add a unicorn and some glitter and you'll have the perfect book...for a five year old girl. Fortunately, my book isn't made for five year olds. That's right, my book has conflict, bad guys and all around chaos!  Are you intrigued yet?
Skyla has many enemies. Here below I've given you a glimpse of one of her first encounters with a sect.


     Fresh bread is a huge weakness of mine: the crisp outer layer, still warm from the oven’s touch, the soft insides that pull and separate into a delectable treat and the taste of butter and yeast on my tongue.  Fortunately for me, the baker is about as smart as the bread she makes.  She doesn’t even notice the missing loaf I’ve taken, which is now warm against my side.  I spare a quick glance into my satchel, the smell of yeast rising to meet me.  My stomach growls and complains, pressing me to hurry back home so my hunger can be satisfied.  I cut through an alley, taking the short way home. 
     I race around the corner and smack into something hard.  A shoulder, I think.
     “Hey,” a rough voice cries out.
     Staggering backwards, my arms flail about as I try to right myself.   My body freezes when I look up.  A group of boys, all wearing black hoodies, line the alleyway.  I suck in a deep, painful breath as I realize the seriousness of the situation.  These aren’t street vendors, this is a Sect. 
      In the orphanage, we all heard of the mysterious Sects that control the outer Edges of Cerulea.  Up till this very moment, I thought it was a myth, something fabricated by bored little orphan girls with nothing better to do.  Swallowing hard, I pray that everything else I’ve heard isn’t true.
     S lowly, one by one, they turn towards me, prompted by their comrade’s cry of distress. 
     My palms start to sweat. 
     Their faces hover alarmingly beneath their hoods.  It’s hard to see anything but a few inky tattoos snaking their way into view.  Backing away slowly, I hope they’ll let me go.  They aren’t interested in a small child, right? 
     I am not that lucky. 
    As they move closer, following me in my retreat, I can just make out their cold eyes.  They probe me, searching for weakness, looking for any vulnerability.  I feel exposed, naked, underneath their gaze.  My feet fidget nervously, stirring up a cloud of dust beneath me.  The urge to turn and bolt stirs within, but would that be worse?  All I know is what their eyes are telling me.  I have just interrupted whatever it is they are doing and it’s not okay. 
     A thin boy, tall and gangly, with a scar rippling down his right cheek, steps forward.  A cigarette teeters loosely from his pierced lips.  His dark brown eyes narrow till they are small slits beneath his hood.  I know that look.  I’d seen the same look in the Head Mistress’ eyes many times.  He’s trying to decide if I’m worth the effort or not.
     “What do we have here?”  He walks toward me, the grit on the street crunching underneath his shoes. 
     My body freezes as he closes in, the small bubble of my personal space suddenly violated.  Blowing out a stream of smoke, he aims straight into my face, making me gag on the ashy air.  An evil smirk slides across his face. 
     His eyes run the length of my body, touching every part of me without ever lifting a finger.  Slowly, he reaches forward, running his hand freely through my black hair, tasting it with his fingers.  My body stiffens at the contact.  He moves down to my shoulder, fingering the strap of my satchel lightly.  With a gentle tug he slides the strap off my shoulder, relieving me of my newly acquired bread.    

I'm so glad I'm not Skyla right now!!  I hope you enjoyed your trip to the dark side!  Goodbye until next week!

A

Will the real Skyla Deep please stand up...

            Let's be honest with one another.  A story can be amazing, but without awesome characters it's pretty much is a bust.  People move the story and the story moves the people.  You can't have one without the other, right?  Right!              That being said, I know you're going to love Skyla Deep.  She is my main character and the person whose point of view we see the story from.  I pretty much can sum her up in one word...AWESOME or maybe TENACIOUS or...  Okay, reality check!  Yeah, I'm probably not going to be able sum her up in one word.  I am a writer after all!!  So, I guess I'll just have to let you see for yourself.             Enjoy this small glimpse into the life of Skyla Deep.             My name is Skyla Deep, at least that’s what they tell me.  I was left on an orphanage’s doorstep when I was a baby, abandoned by my parents to The System.  I’ve thought about it a lot over the years and I’m almost sure it was cold and dark, the sky completely starless, when it happened.  Somehow it seems that’s the way it should be when you’re being discarded.              Eleven years later, I’m still wondering what I did to make them hate me so much.              My life in the orphanage is pretty much a personalized hell.  Eat, obey, sleep and then wake up and do it all over again.  Don’t question the System.  The System is right.  The System is perfect.  End of story.             As if that wasn’t enough, they also tag us…like animals.  At birth, they inject a tracking device in your shoulder, effectively putting you on the grid.  You can’t even pee without the System knowing where you are.  Creepy, right?  Even our free time, if you can call it that, is monitored by the wardens.  They are the Head Mistress’ evil spies who report even the slightest of infractions to her Royal Iciness.            Things wouldn’t be so bad if I knew how to play the game, how to obey the rules, but I’m too stubborn.  Trouble always seems to find me, like it’s branded into my DNA, and when it does, there is no telling where it will lead me.             And that's a wrap for this week!! Stop by next Tuesday for a brand new, tantalizing,  scrumptious snippet from my book!  Thanks for checking out my blog and feel free to share this with your book lovin' friends! A