S.L. Perrine's Blog, page 6

Write's Block?

With just two weeks to go now till the release of The Beast Within, my mind is having a hard time settling into another story. I'm anxious for the release, and to see how everyone will react to it once its out. Obviously there wont be an over abundance of reviews the first day, or even in the first week. Most people buying books do so, and then they sit on their TBR list for quite some time.Yet still, I have been sitting around this last month pouring my time into reading and working on my new favorite hobby, my bullet journal. That in itself tells me on a daily basis to write, and no words are typed out.I finally sat down two nights ago and wrote a few paragraphs. Then put the laptop away after realizing I was going about it all wrong. I need an outline first. Once I outlined the first...okay, the second chapter that I was in the middle of, I set to work on it yesterday and managed to get 2.5k words into the MS. I'm feeling pretty good about that.Can I keep it up? I often wonder if I will run out of original ideas. Going to school to learn to write better, and wanting to write a hundred books, doesn't mean I'll have those ideas to put into a hundred books. I sometime wonder if J.K. Rowling made The Harry Potter Series so long, because she couldn't think of anything else to do. What if Harry is the last memorable character she ever writes? Would that make her a failure? Would she keep trying? Would I?I think spending so much time with one set of characters might get a bit daunting after a spell. I look at other authors, whom I know personally, like Kindra Sowder, who has her mind working several characters a day. Yes, as in more than one project. I think the last time I checked, she had been working on as many as five in one day.I don't think I could work that way. I can barely concentrate on one set of characters without mixing them up, but eventually you get sucked into the world and there really is no way to mix them up.Then I think of authors I aspire to be. Like Sarah J Maas. She's working on at least two series right now. I don't know if she works on them each during the same day, but the impression is she finishes one MS from one series then moves to the other. That's how I've been maintaining my projects, and it was working.Now, I have so many characters and at present five series in the works. Two with publishers, one in talks with a publisher and one sent to a publisher (awaiting the rejection letter for submitting without the last 2 pages). Then the new one I just started.So how do I know that one of these stories won't be my last? I often sit and wonder about that, and you know what happens? I get another idea that needs to be worked on. I think maybe I'm finally at the point where I need to stop asking that question, before I have so much going on that its too much.I guess my answer to my question is, yes I'd be okay with one memorable character. I also think writer's block is simply my way of not sabotaging myself. I say that because, the moment I think I may be afflicted, I find something new to run with. So, guess its all in my head!~Happy Reading

Awards

I can not believe I forgot to post this.A few months back I was nominated for thePreditors and Editors21st Annual Poll, for Best Author of 2016. I placed 7th!Then the Anthology I am a part of,Crossroads in the Dark II: Urban Legends,  was nominated for Best Anthology, and it placed 8th.So, now I get to say Award Winning Author, S.L. Perrine :)There were a few winners who are also a member of the Burning Willow Press family. So our publisher had our graphics department make us each an award from them as well. A little something for a job well done.

Enter the Giveaway

Don't forget to enter the giveaway on Rafflecopter to win the Grand Prize on the day of the release of The Beast Within.The winner will receive:​1 signed paperback copy of The Beast Within(1) 11x17 poster of The Beast Within Cover - signedRenella's heart-shaped locket; infused with Fae magicSL Perrine penAssorted bookmarksFollow the link.Enter Here!

Alara's Curse

It's a bit later than expected, but here is a chapter from Alara's Curse. I hope you enjoy it.____________________________________________________________________________________________They took their time, moving around the villages this time. Not wanting to come head to head with anyone that might want to turn her into Talia. Declan would be taking Landon back through the front gates of the palace. The identical faces of the two would no doubt put to rest the claim that Alara had Landon murdered. Surely, the people wouldn’t believe the false account that she’d been responsible for the king’s illness and subsequent death. If he’d passed by now. Once the accusations had been cleared up, Alara could return to the palace. Though she had no intention of becoming the queen regent, or queen mother.The fact that Declan seemed so unwelcome to the idea that she, not Talia was his mother, had hurt her. It’s not as if she knew how to be a mother to an almost fully grown man, being slightly his elder, since the curse left her as an awkward nineteen-year-old girl. The boys themselves we just recently sixteen. She couldn’t be anyone’s mother. Maybe she would find a life for herself away from court. Away from the throne. Something she had dreamed of doing her entire life. That is, until she fell in love with her intended.Tomas had been a hot-tempered teen. And an even angrier man as his father continued to reign over his every decision. Being in his presence made Alara nervous at first. As time went on, she was able to witness the gentle side of him as well. That’s the side she had loved. The side she still loved. The man she would forever mourn.As they descended the rock hill Alara had been injured on, she was thankful for the fact that her thighs were firmly pressed against the sides of the mare. Feeling more secure than before, she pushed the animal to move swiftly down the embankment. She’d finally remembered how the two of them used to move together. They were both fearless and brave. The protests from behind her, told her they only thought she was reckless, or fragile. Just as Tomas first thought when they rode together. When she reached the bottom, she let Queenie prance in circles. She looked uphill. Landon had descended from his hose and was leading it on foot. Scarlett rode with Cedric, having arrived on foot. Her eyes were squeezed so tightly, it looked as if she were in pain.“Fear of heights, Lady Ilael?” Alara called up to her.“No, majesty. A fear of falling on rocks.” She yelled back. Her eyes still squeezed so tightly the rest of her face was scrunched.“Oh, been there.” Alara had to laugh despite herself. The memory of the journey up the rocks made her wince and she thought better of the smile she still harbored.  She calmed the mare and continued forward only a few feet. A racked in the distance made her stop in her tracks. Queenie bucked backward, and Alara made quick work of calming the animal. She leaned forward and rubbed a hand from the top of the animal’s head down her mane. “Shh, now girl. We don’t want trouble with them.”“Well, then you’d be too late.” A grim looking man walked out from behind a tree. He looked as if he’d been rolling around in a pig pen for much of his life. The skin on his face looked as if it were falling off. Dirt caked in the folds, and fell out a little when he spoke. “What do we have here? A pretty little girl and her horse. Did you wander to far from home little one?”“No, I am heading back home.” She made sure she sounded docile, and tepid. Nothing like a queen. Hoping above all odds he wouldn’t notice the men riding down the hill, she tapped her horse with her heel, making a show to take off.The man lunged at her and grabbed the reigns from her hand. “Oh, no. I don’t think you’ll be getting very far. You seem to be bloodied all over.” She looked down at her dress, then to her leg where he placed the tip of his finger. “Seems this isn’t the first trouble you’ve found today.” His finger trailed from her knee and started going north to the shortened hem of her dress.A hand grabbed the man by the throat and pulled him backwards. He was thrown from his feet and landed on his backside next to the tree he’d been hiding behind. “It seems you’ve found some trouble of your own, I reckon.” Cedric spoke low, so as not to take on the attention of the people off in the distance.“So, you are good for something.” Declan moved next to Cedric. Scarlett looked pale, but was adjusting to being on foot again.Landon stood beside Alara watching on as his brother tried to take charge of the situation. When Declan moved toward the man, Cedric put up his hand to stop him. “No need to do anything. We should just go. We don’t need to attract any more attention.” He said, then added. “Highness.”“Right.” Declan agreed with the guard. Then looking towards the man on the ground, “Your lucky were in a bit of a hurry. Or you may have very well lost your head this day.”The man didn’t move, didn’t advert his eyes. He lay there looking at the prince and Cedric wide eyed. Then without prompt he started laughing at the two. “What is so funny?” Cedric asked, placing the point of his sword at the man’s neck, just under his chin. He’d moved so fast Alara hadn’t even known he possessed skill enough to accomplish it. She hadn’t even seen him remove the weapon from its scabbard.When the man next spoke the air around him filled with a noxious smell. He slithered his words as if her were a snake. “You better run princey.” He looked back at Alara who hadn’t dismounted. “They’re looking for that one. No price for a livin queen traitor either. They want her head on a spike n delivered to the palace.”“Who?” Declan stepped forward.“Oh, you know. Just your mother. She says that little red head killed the king, and her own child.” He hissed. Laying in the ground it looked as if he’d been derived from it. His clothes and skin were the same color green as a rotting sewer. Dirt and mud stained the cracks in his hands. His nails were brown, and the few teeth he did have were cracked and broken.“We need to go.” Cedric pulled on Declan’s cloak, but he didn’t budge. Instead he pulled his sword from is sheath and pushed it to the man’s chest. Alara wished she could see his face. She wondered what had changed in him to spark such behavior. He lifted the man’s chin with his blade. Making him look up at his face. At that moment Alara swore she was staring at Tomas.“She is not my mother.” He turned to point at Alara with hissword. The motion made her swallow hard. Her eyes turned frightful for just a moment. “She is my mother,” he stated, not taking his eyes off the man. “And that is my brother.” The sword moved to point at Landon, then went back down to the man’s chest. “So, your wrong.” He growled under his breath and turned abruptly from the man. His sword held up to slide back where it belonged.Cedric copied the prince and mounted his horse. “My Lady?” He held out his hand and pulled Scarlett on the mount to sit behind him.Landon mounted the horse behind his brother. They needed to move quickly before they were noticed by the large group of men cajoling around in the woods. Walking wouldn’t get them away quickly. He looked about as unnerved as Scarlett had riding down the hill. Alara realized he probably never even rode a horse before.Alara tried not to think of all the firsts Landon was having. She tried to keep her breathing even and her horse slow and steady as they got closer to the horde. Further inspection told her they were all the same kind of men like the one that had stopped her. Which meant leaving him alive, left him able to tell the rest they were there. She looked behind her to Cedric and Scarlett. Then rubbed her heels on the mare and flicked the reigns, making the animal speed up a bit to get next to her son.He looked at her with a scowl and she pointed at the group, hoping he would see what she had. To her amazement, he moved his hand high above his head so Cedric could see him, and nodded to her. They moved in unison. Speeding their animals to a slow run, as to keep from making as much noise as possible. Had the ground been covered with dried leaves, they might not have accomplished such a feat. However, just as they thought they were going to be able to get by without attention drawn on them, the man they’d left to his own devices must have gotten to his friends.Hollering came from behind them and they put caution to the wind and speed the animals to the point of breaking. Quickly they had men closing in all around them. Spears were thrown, narrowly missing them. Swords were waved over head as they gained on them.Alara took a chance to glance behind her to make sure Cedric was close by. She almost missed the spear that was meant for her horse’s chest. She pulled back on the reigns and knead her boots into Queenie, who jumped up and over the spear as it lunged into the soft ground beneath them.“Pay attention.” Declan yelled at her.Scarlett had one arm squeezed around Cedric and the other plucked a spear from the air. She slashed at the men as they got too close. She managed to take one down with a jab to the throat, but lost the spear.Alara was tempted to pull the sword she carried free of the scabbard. She knew she wouldn’t be able to hold it with one hand, since her muscles were still strengthening. So, she decided not to, letting the rest defend her. She focused on riding.“Alara, look out.” Cedric called from behind her as a man on a beast she’s never seen before reached out and grabbed her by her hair. Her arms flew back to the hand that held her releasing her hold on her mount. The hands released her, but it was too late. She fell from her horse to the ground.Declan heard the scream come from her as she fell and rounded his horse. He pulled his sword from his belt and Scarlett jumped backward off the animal she rode with Cedric. She produced a blade from inside her red cloak, twirling it like a baton. She worked the large metal blade as if it were an extension of herself.Declan dropped to the ground and ran to Alara. Crouching down to draw her up by her arm, he held his sword up. Metal hit metal and he tried to push back with the weight of his body. He had no choice but to let go of Alara so he could fight his attacker. Scarlett walked towards them. She swung her blade back and forth in front of her like a propeller. With each swing of her arm the metal glowed. First it was just close to the hilt, then it spread bright and true all the way down to the tip. It was curved like a sickle in the middle, but wider with etchings of words and a picture of a wolf in the blade. Her eyes looked as if they glowed yellow as she swiped her blade at one of the men. Slicing his abdomen open, his entrails spilled out over the ground before the man had a chance to fall.Alara flinched at the sight. She forgot herself, until Cedric reached down for her. He tucked her under one arm while his sword stabbed at the flesh of another man who’d tried to get to her. Landon came to stand on the other side of her. He too brandished a sword. It was long and sleek. The hilt completely black, with a single red ruby rested in the handle, in the shape of a teardrop. The metal was dark as coal, but when Landon swung it the blade pulsed red. It was a sword Alara remembered from her stolen life.Alara regained herself for a moment placing two fingers in her mouth and blew hard. The whistle did the job, turning the horses around, and to a halt. She shrugged Cedric off her and drew her own weapon. A family heirloom, passed down from generation to generation. She’d found it hanging in her room when she’d woken. Someone had taken special care to make sure the metal didn’t tarnish. It looked as good as it had when her father handed it to her on her wedding day.The hilt was made with a special metal forged in the fires of Ikrith, by the eldest sorcerer in the land, Iren. The four emeralds were cut into squares and placed together to form a king’s cross. Diamonds lined the hilt where it met blade. The etchings ran down, much as Scarlett’s, but there was no wolf. Just flame. And when she brandished the blade in front of her attackers she thought she saw them hesitate.“You know who I am?” she watched as the three of them nodded.The largest one stepped forward. “I’d care a little more about it, if I thought you knew how to use that thing, little girl.”“Well, then I guess it’s time I remembered my lessons.” She held it with two hands, still not sure of her strength. The men laughed at her for it and lunged.She side stepped the first one as he came forward using his weight and height as a weapon alone. She swung the blade up with both hands. She missed and the weight of the sword sent her to the ground.“Are you out of your mind?” Declan asked while fighting off two of the men. His sword lay on the ground several feet away.The man barreled past Alara when she bent with the weight of her weapon. She picked it up again and turned on her heel. The other two were content to stop attacking and stand laughing at her back. She let the tip of the blade rest on the ground. Holding it with one hand.“Come on, little girl. Pick up your bat.” The man goaded her, his voice deep and gargled.She raised her shoulders. Squared her feet and remembered what her father told her. When he lunged for her again she lifted her blade from the ground and swung with all the strength she had in her. The blade flamed red like her hair and sliced his head from his shoulders. She spun around, the hem of her dress lifted with the cool air that engulfed her as she moved, her blade still aflame, and swung at the two behind her. They were so stunned; she relieved them of their heads before they attempted to move.She placed her other hand on the hilt and swung the blade to the left the right, twisting the flame in front of her into a figure eight.  Declan, sword back in his hand moved his back up to Alara’s. She looked back at him and he gave her a nod. Landon made his way to them, a large grin plastered on his face.“Great work. Think you can do it again?” He pushed his shoulder against hers.“Bring it.” She said looking at Cedric who’d snapped a man’s neck, and gave her a wink of his eye.Scarlett was making her way to the horses. Her blue blade glowing as she sliced into a man who jumped from a tree. She severed his body before he made it to the ground. Blood covered her red cloak, but blended in.“To the horses.” Declan yelled before they had a chance to get attacked again.The four of them turned and followed Scarlett who’d had all the horses by the reigns. Cedric jumped up on Queenie and pulled Alara in front of him. Scarlett rode behind Declan, and Landon alone. Alara looked over Cedric’s arm to Landon. He had a gash across his face. Declan had several scrapes, and a spear sized puncture wound in his shoulder. She couldn’t properly look at Cedric to know if he were hurt, or Scarlett, but for the most part they all seemed ok. For that she was grateful.

Take a Step into Pylira

In a world of magic and betrayal, one can only expect more.The lands were in turmoil. Perpetual war pushed people to flee. Five men and their families crossed the land, and eventually fled to the open sea. When they reached a new continent, a new land was born... Pylira. A new land with old possibilities. The climate is ever changing. It’s people forever at peace. Until one thinks he should be set higher than the rest.They should have known nothing lasts forever. Pylira flourished, but when war came, it changed the people, but more, it changed the land. The four realms: Corinthia, known for its fishermen, lay in the south-east; Regalis, which supplied dairy to the lands, lay in the north-east; Largania, known for its production of steel is north-west; Ormshire, is known for its crops of wheat, rice, soybeans and corn. It lays in the south-western corner of the realm. In the center of it all is the King and Queen in Hearthstone Palace. Deep beneath the keep, a bright red light illuminates the hills around the palace. The power source of the land.The four realms worked together harmoniously without disruption for nearly thirty years. It was hard for any to believe when the most trusted of the realms turned against the King. A curse was enacted on him for his treachery, but he did not suffer nearly as much as the people of all the realms.The lands became a barren waste. Bark of the trees dried, leaves wilted and fell. Yellow and brown replaced the vibrant colors that once flourished. Lakes and streams held nothing more than a trickle of life. Only enough to keep the earth below soft and pliable. Even the clouds changed. Their ominous colors remained forevermore, but the threat of rain never came.Some fled, in search of a new land. Others vowed to see the curse through, and help reanimate the realms. Most moved to Corinthia. Lord Cantothos served his king, allowing safe passage from his realm into the heart of Hearthstone. Others remained where they were. Keeping to the live they had worked so hard for. To make certain the land could be as it once was.Those who were in Ormshire at the time of the curse, held a different fate. The once thriving realm was desecrated to a land of filth, poverty and misery. The rich soil that once profited, was now nothing more than quick sand. An endless pit into the depths of the ruin that has become a fallen realm. It’s lord, a self-proclaimed King is entrapped in the body of a great beast. When he moves, stone breaks loose of the castle walls. Fire overwhelms the great throne room with his every breath. Spike holes remain in the wood beams at his head. Whether from his head or his tail, no one knows.This is the life of the world. It may crumble with no hope of resurrection, or be restored to its former glory. Telling which, would ruin the surprise.The Beast WithinBurning Willow Press, LLCMarch 4, 2017The original post can be foundhere. This was a guest spot for M. A. Ray, be shure to check out her blog.

Winter has finally come

I'm sitting here all bundled up in my big thick socks and fleece pajamas, simply because I have nothing that's warmer. It seems winter has finally reared its ugly head in the Capital district of upstate NY, and I'm just hoping it's about as mild as it was last year.I often sit and wonder about why the snow seems to come in spurts lately. When I was a child we had feet of snow from December first till almost the middle of March. I am remembering this correctly, because I also wished I was born in a warm month so I could have a pool party.These last few years have been really cold, but nothing much in the way of snow. So while I ignore the winter weather outside, I'm sitting here writing blog posts and adding a few thousand words to a manuscript.My mind was dead set on working on Collision of Fate, so that's what I did. Now I find that the characters in my head are vying for equal time, so I've just opened up Skylar Ryan. However, I don't feel much in the way of that one being done today, and fear I will yet again put off edits on Alara's Curse. Dagnabbit!!I do have it in my journal to complete those edits this weekend. So it should be printed and ready for media mail next Friday (Friday being the only day I can make it to the post office).Ok, well that's about as much randomness for me today. I'm going to go make a fresh cup of coffee and let the voices in my head take over for a spell.~Happy Reading! :)

Meet the Renee

I've recently started a bullet journal. Inside this magic thing that keeps me organized, it has a place for "Blog Ideas." Wouldn't you know I've ignored this page for a few weeks. Pretty much since I wrote it in there.As many of you know, I am not a fan of the blog. I usually don't read them, because they tend to be drawn out and long winded. So, I enjoy writing them less. Unless it's a topic I can get into....for either the reading or the writing.I doubt very much that I'm expert enough to broach any topic of interest, except for maybe the thing I happen to know more about than anyone else... My characters. My worlds, and my magic system. So, without further ado... I introduce you toRenella Pyliro.With the release date for The Beast Within being in just a little over a month, what better way to get you all introduced to my friends.Renee Foresse AKA Renella PyliroAge: 17Hair: Fire red ringletsEyes: Emerald greenRenee, a seventeen-year-old girl, has been slaying monsters since she was fifteen.One night, as she was climbing out of Renee's messy closet, Renee's mother, Karen toppled over a pile of shoes and woke her from a dream. So, when her mother decapitated a giant beast with horns and fangs she thought she was still sleeping.When Karen tried to explain things again to her daughter the next morning, Renee became upset. She thought her mother was playing a trick on her. She'd always been made fun of by her cocky older brother, Xander for dreaming of fairy tales and a magic world. What she didn't realize was now that she was fifteen the monsters were able to sense her. They had spent a century looking for her and would stop at nothing to end her.A mietitore (reaper) sniffed her out as she stomped off to school. Though, Renee never knew he was there until she turned around at the last moment when her mother sliced the beast's head free of its body and it shrunk down on itself in a green light. Karen pulled a small rectangular box from her bag and opened the lid, the green light was drawn into it and the lid closed.They traveled through a door in their house known as the gateway to the tra monde, the space between two worlds. The one they lived in and the one they were from, but Karen couldn't tell her about that. Renee had to learn about it all on her own.When the passage between the worlds is closed, the magic from the other side is cut off, allowing the mietitore to resume their former forms, as human males. As Renee and her family meet Tyson Cole, they realize something even more disturbing than Ty being stuck in their world. Karen is stuck on the other side.Renee risks everything to find her mother, discover her former self, and connect the dots to a century old curse that will leave her and the people of Cherry Valley free to go home.The question then, where lies the beast?The Beast WithinBurning Willow Press, LLCMarch 4, 2017

Look at this sexy thing!!

I'm not talking about me, silly people.So, most of you have probably seen my new covers. They are amazing! I love them both and can't stop looking at either of them. Go ahead, take a  gander, I'll pause for a moment.ImmortalSlumber has a new home with Burning Willow Press, and a re-release will be scheduled soon (I'm told). Don't fear, there will be plenty to read this spring when The Beast Within finally releases on March 4th. We have all been waiting over a year for this re-release.Some of you may know I self-published The Beast Within in May 2015, before Burning Willow Press picked it up. I can not wait for everyone to see the changes that have been made with competent eyes on me. My editor for Immortal Slumber, Christina LoBianco, has done an amazing job once again. It's just going to be epic. I'm so excited for you all to read it.I do have a giveaway/contest going on. It a rafflecopter for the grand prize at the release party on March 4th. Go to myFacebook pageto enter.Up for grabs: 1 signed paperback copy of The Beast Within1 11x17 poster of The Beast Within Cover - signed, Renella's heart-shaped locket; infused with Fae magic, SL Perrine pen, & Assorted bookmarksDon't forget tosign up herefor the release party. There will be a lot more chances to win on the day of release. I look forward to seeing you there.

A Gift for the Holidays!

Hello everyone, Happy Holidays!!!As we anxiously wait for the big day, I thought I would give you all a little gift. In my last class, I was to write a short story for submission as a final project. Having never written a short before I found this very challenging. My mind kept leaping into a full length story, because for me that's all there is.Over the course of the eight week class I'd like to think I grew a bit as a writer. I can do a short story now, which is good, because I think they will come in handy in the future.My gift to everyone is the story itself. I'm extremely proud of it, and hope to make it into a full series of books in the future. For now, I will be working on a cover, and will self-publish this on Amazon in the near future. So read it here for free while you can :)So, now I introduce you to Skylar Ryan..._________________________________________________________________________Skylar RyanRain trickled down on the city. The night looked shiny in the light despite it. Puddles covered the rooftop of the ten-story apartment building. It was a cesspool of poverty. Skylar thought it could use a good wash. Cracks in the rooftop promised water leaks, at least for the top floor residences. She thought how lucky she was to be on the fifth floor, yeah lucky. If that’s what one would call it.Skylar Ryan put her foot up on the ledge to inspect the buckles of her black combat boots. She tucked her black leggings into her sock and stomped her foot back next to the other. She pulled her hood down towards her eyes a bit more and raised the zipper on her black leather jacket. It didn’t do much to keep her dry, but she was warm.Looking out over the rooftops nearby, she propelled herself forward into a sprint. At the edge of the building she lifted herself and flew into the sky. Her mood had been seriously soured by the rain. As she drifted in the air, her arms above her head, it began to lighten. She started every night the same way, and every time her mood lifted. She knew she’d never experienced anything like the feel of the air as it caressed her body. Now, Skylar could never get enough. She let herself enjoy it, but after a few minutes, it was time to open her eyes again and get to work. Rain soaked through her leggings, but she didn’t care. She was hunting, and that took precedence over everything. That was the first thing Malcolm had taught her.“Once you hit the air, that’s all there is; the hunt, nothing more, nothing less. Don’t forget it.” He tucked a strand of dark black hair behind her ear. It was the first time he’d touched her. She stopped counting when she finally realized his touch wasn’t mean to hurt her, which only took a year. Now she didn’t flinch when he reached out to play with her hair. She had let him gain her trust a little bit at a time.Skylar never felt safe, until she was in the air away from the crowd of people and the confines of the buildings. When she was little, growing up in an orphanage meant she’d be forever in a horde of bodies. Bodies that traveled through the halls together, brushed their teeth together, ate together. When they had more kids than beds, they even slept together, but not Skylar. She slept in the corner of the room on a cold hardwood floor, just to be alone; to be away from the crowd. Once she was older, her favorite spot was the top of any building, as long as she was by herself.When she’d turned eighteen and was no longer a part of the crowd, she was finally alone. Until alone wasn’t fun anymore. The lousy sum of a hundred dollars gifted to her when she left the home was gone, her stomach begged for food, and her body craved heat, that’s when her soul begged to be touched. It was a different kind of need. She didn’t want to be a part of a crowd, but she needed to be a part of something.That’s when she met Malcolm. His curly blonde hair and freckles caught her off guard. He wasn’t what she expected; polite, well mannered, and comfortable. Being around him made her feel like she wasn’t alone anymore, but also, she wasn’t crowded either.A scream in the distance cut through the rain. Skylar shook her head clear of her memories and focused on the hunt, just the hunt.She moved from rooftop to rooftop, scanning the night between the buildings at ground level. Her vantage point allowed her to see a vast area at a time. Dragon eyes glowed purple and zoomed in to where the voices were starting to come from. They weren’t regular voices. No, people didn’t speak like this. Hissing echoed in her ears. A low rumble pushing its prey into submission. Planting a seed into the minds of the unsuspecting victims. She closed her eyes and counted to ten. Then aimed her body, hand pointed out in front of her, and found her target.A blinding light erupted from her chest as she landed in a dark alley. Her body shifted, turning to a black mist, dragon mist. A great shadow of wings and talons. Scales and fire breath. She lifted her head, rearing backward and breathed in deep as she came to a stop in front of the man who held a woman by the neck. His hand pushed at the hem of her skirt. She screamed, thrashing under his touch. The man sneered. “Don’t worry, doll. I’m not gonna hurt you… much.” He pulled at the buttons of her coat. The woman’s umbrella discarded on the ground.Skylar breathed out. Her fire breath coated the man, but it wasn’t normal flame, it was colorless and odorless to the human world. To Skylar it resembled the fumes of hard gasoline, emanating blue, purple and green flames.The umbrella spun on its axis. A silver mist erupted from the man, and Skylar stopped her attack. The woman looked at him for a moment, shock paralyzed her. Then fear that he’d resume his attack had her grabbing her bag from the ground and running towards the street, not once did she see Skylar. The man fell in a heap on the pavement. The white mist evaporated into the air.“Nice job, kiddo.” A Dark shadow fell over her, and the rain stopped. Skylar’s form returned, she shook the droplets from her upturned hair and smiled at Malcolm.“Thanks. Level one mist. He’s toast.”“Yeah, not much out tonight with the rain and all. Didn’t know you were hunting on this side of the city. Would have offered to keep you company.” He pushed his hands into the pockets of his duster and leaned against a dumpster. His work boots looked new, even for being out in the rain. His hair was slicked back, a new style he’d started since developing a like for James Dean. He looked at his watch and flipped his wrist to show off the dragon mark on the inside of his right wrist. It was light red, almost a rust color. The voices of the mists made it hum against his skin. Skylar’s was a bit smaller, the same color, but when she heard the voices it sang like a symphony performing for the mayor of the city, with majestic grace. When she fought a high-level mist, it was dance. A crescendo of energy that allowed her to move swiftly, and full of grace. Agile and stately moves of epic proportions. It was beautiful. On her feet, she was clumsy, mindless and taciturn. Malcolm changed all of that. He’d introduced her to the world she should have known of her entire life.When Skylar was five her parents sold her for the money they needed to make their next score. A woman noticed her one night. She saw the state in which her parents were caring for her. Walking around New York City with a child in the middle of winter looking for blow. She’d had on a thin white undershirt and a diaper. Sitting in a stroller with a large blanket and crying so hard the tears wouldn’t come anymore, but the heaving sobs made her chest hurt. Her toes felt like ice blocks and her face, where the tears had frosted to her cheeks felt like they were cuts in her skin. Whoever that woman was in the real world didn’t matter to Skylar. To her, the woman was a savior. Even if she did drop her off at the orphanage without another word.The woman had offered up all the money she had in her purse, and her parents took it. They told the woman her name, Skylar Ryan, and ran to the closest abandoned building. That’s where all the dealers were. Pick an abandoned black-windowed house and score.Skylar found out when she was twelve, that the couple had taken advantage of one too many dealers and found themselves with extra holes in their heads. She’d seen their names in a newspaper the mistress of the orphanage was reading. When the woman yanked her away from the table and lifted her hand to swat at her, she yelled, “but those are my parents.” The woman got in one good smack to the face before she heard Skylar’s scream. The mistress assumed her tears were for the dead couple in the paper. Really, they were for the realization she was never getting out. Never breaking free of the woman and her horrid manners. Of course, she knew that before. She just didn’t let herself think about it. Until then. In that moment, she had nothing else to think about.A cool breeze picked up, pulling a strand of hair free of Malcolm's head despite the gel. He feigned coolness. She could tell it was his act. His way of keeping people interested, but not too interested. Trying to be cool kept people from wanting to get too close. Skylar knew the mechanisms. She’d used them herself all her life. She was using one then too. The appearance of not being interested, when she was. She had her reasons for keeping people at arm’s length. Her parents being at the very bottom of the list. Malcolm had become a different type of issue for her.“So, we gonna go hunt, or do you wanna stay and make sure this one wakes up.” He kicked the man’s foot. If it weren’t for the rise and fall of his chest, he’d look like another junkie on an overdose in a city alley. The only way he wouldn’t wake up, is if he’d been possessed my a level four mist or higher.“Nah, we can go. He’ll wake, but he’s not gonna member his own name in the mornin.” She moved to the edge of the building.Her favorite part was the takeoff. The release of gravity from around her body as it lifted into the air. Floating to the sky she looked up and let the wind sweep her hair from her face. She smiled, but it was gone before Malcolm made it to her side. With arms raised up and out, she spun on the breeze. The city smelled of rain in springtime, with a slight hint of gutter. The rain reduced to a light mist. A bit humorous for the job at hand. Since the demons, they hunted, were mist.The night covered them. Bodies turned to black dragon mist. They rose and fell in unison, their bodies twisting in and out of the night. When the voices started to ramble, Malcolm shifted his course. He moved left, going south. Skylar moved right and dipped down into the city and changed forms. Her olive skin glowed under the incandescent lights over the freeway.She spotted the white mist, a demon searching for a host. From her vantage point, she could see it was a level four. The biggest she’d seen in the city in over a year. She shifted to black mist. The dragon rearing its head ready to strike. A bright blue light flickered to her side. She was too close to the mist to abandon her attack. The light struck her causing her to take her human form. She tucked and rolled, landing underneath the monster.It hovered over her. Almost starring at her, until it reared back its head and breathed out its white flame. Skylar’s arms flew in front of her face, blocking the liquid lava from striking her there. She could hear it laugh at her. Then a voice she knew spoke nearby.“I told you, if I had known you were gonna be around here tonight, things would have been better.” Malcolm walked toward her. His work boots splashing the puddles around him. He stomped up next to her and grabbed her by her hair. “Maybe you should consider who your friends are.” He sneered at her.What little bit of her heart that had mended, shattered as she considered his eyes. “I’ve never had any friends. Why should I start now?” She spat at his feet. She needed the wind so she could heal. She could get away, disappear where she wouldn't be found. She did not need to be an obstacle. Whatever he was doing, she wanted no part of it. Though she did wonder why Malcolm would choose the opposing side. What could he gain from working with demons?She rolled to her side. The white dragon moved away from her, and closer to Malcolm. He was welcoming it. Speaking low so only the evil thing could hear him. When she tried to stand, he pointed a finger at her. “Oh darlin, I’m not done with you. Don’t move.” He had the gall to ask her nicely.“I’ve never been one for following directions.” She reared her head back and breathed purple flames at the white dragon and Malcolm, alike.“How’d you do that? Dragons can’t breathe fire outside of mist form.” A look of shock spread across his face as he scrambled back away from the heat.“I told you once before, I don’t conform.” She was one with the wind once again, mist and flame. She rolled in the air, moving as mist in and out of herself. She was prepared to leave, and never return. Start fresh somewhere else, just as she’d always done.However, it was time to stop running.Skylar flew up as into the night’s sky until the air grew thin, then looked back down to the ground. With her dragon eyes, she could zoom in on Malcolm and his new friend. A level five mist was the highest the Company had ever tagged. So, a level four wasn’t the worst, but it wasn’t the easiest either.Weighing her options, she took a breath and descended to the concrete bridge. The street lamp cast a bright light over Malcolm and the mist, making the demon almost impossible to see. So, Skylar went after Malcolm. She reared back, her black form streaked across the sky. When close enough she let her flames free over him. The gel in his hair fizzled and frizzed his curls. He stomped his feet and rushed into the air after her, but was too late. Her flames touched his skin and he screamed. Falling back to the street a flame, Malcolm began to roll around on the ground, but dragon flame was nothing like the red flames that seared everything to ash.The white mist held to the side of the bridge. It seemed unsure if it wanted to attack. Skylar left it to ponder. She dropped down to the ground, one boot then the other. “What’s the matter? Too hot for you?” Skylar hissed at Malcom who still rolled around on the ground.He veered up at her, his flame green and yellow, but short of his mark. “Who are you?”“I’ve been asking myself that very same question my whole life. When you brought me to the Company, I thought I’d figured it out.”“We can still have it all, Sky. Join me.” He was panting then. The pain obviously too much for him.“It appears I’ve known one thing all along, people always disappoint me. Even the dragon people.” She spat at him.She let her flames lose on him again. Malcolm screamed. His body shifted between mist and human form.The white dragon mist made its decision as Malcolm started to die. It jumped into Skylar, sending her into shock. Her body convulsed, and fell to the ground. Black and white fought until only one remained. In the end, Skylar shifted, she shimmered as a silver mist. When her flames erupted, Malcolm met his end, and Skylar discovered who she really was. The savior of both races, and forever alone.

Long Time No Write

Good morning all!It's been awhile since I last posted on my blog. Although, in my defense I only skipped November, because I was writing a NaNoWriMo project. I can't say that I nailed it, however, I did get to 50K and beyond. I was really hoping I could get it to completion. It's pretty close to done, so I'm ok with that.So, as my facebook poll will show, I'm interested in what kind of information fans look for from their favorite people (authors, actors and bands). When I post, I try to be engaging. Sometimes it just comes off as gloating, and other times is just the usual same old stuff...book progress, snippets of work I'm pretty sure nobody reads, and the like.This is about to go beyond my usual work information, so if you're a fan who doesn't want to read personal stuff, close the page...lolNot many people, family, friend or otherwise no that I suffer with depression. I have since the day I gave birth to my daughter. It's amazing how one of the happiest days of my life (there were five, but who's counting) could bring a person to a feeling of self loathing. Half the time I post snippets of my work, and very rarely even think anyone is going to read it. I do no I have a few fans who are interested in my Crawford Witch Series, which is awesome! Most of the time I feel like I'm doing this writing thing for no reason.Becoming an author was never about the money, which is good because who makes money writing? :)No, it was much more than that. I wanted to do something that kept me involved. I become so involved with my writing that my depression has ceased to exist as badly as it once had. I immerse myself in my writing, and then in reading. Whenever I'm feeling a certain way about things, there are signs. I'm usually writing non stop or reading an entire series of six books in a week.I also suffer from fibromyalgia. Yes, it is a real thing. When you experience the worst pain of your life, imagine it spreading over your entire body, because that's what I feel. On a daily basis. So when it gets really bad I can't write, or read, because sitting still makes it all worse. Can we top that off with a brain lesion that causes vertigo and migraines? Sure, why not. While we're at it how about that chronic neck pain I was warned I'd have? Yep, add that. So, when all of it acts up at the same time, what do you do?Well, you can't stop living. You can't decide to not go to work, or not make dinner. You can't decide not to have a conversation with people like your normal, because then everyone will know your less than the most put together person they've ever met.How do you do it all? That's what I'm asked on a daily basis. I'm married to a wonderful man who supports me in everything I want to do, and what I have to do. I'm a mother of four exceptional human beings, who see their mom for the super being she is even with all her faults. That's how all kids see their mom. Even with my full time job, my writing and my hobbies I still haven't found enough to do to keep the depression at bay.It's when I go on facebook and see that almost every author friend I have is also a sufferer that I begin to wonder. Is this what all great artists do? We find the medium that works best for the individual, not the the other way around.Robin Williams. A wonderful actor. Died at the hands of himself? Did depression early in life make him pursue a career in acting because he was, let's face it, a comedy God, and then just not work as an outlet for it any longer? So many times we've said as a population that all these great men and women, committed the grievous act of overdosing on drugs and alcohol to because they were rich, and did whatever they wanted. How do we know they didn't just forget how to keep the voices away when the magic wasn't happening? How do we fill the empty void of time when we are not creating?It's a sad existence. To be admired for what you create and put out for the world to see, and then be judged for the life you live. People only assume that rich and famous people act in these ways because they have the money and means to do it. I say they started to create to keep the time filled with something other than depressive behavior. Then, they were simply given too much free time. Time for the thoughts to spread and take root.I promise I will not succumb to these feelings inside me. I will keep those thoughts at bay, and fill my days with productive activities. Because no matter what happens in life, there is always a story to write. And my office can stay open 24/7 if need be.And....that's why I write. NOt for the fame or fortune most people think I'm after. Just for the ability to to stay sane. To write a good story and give it to the people so they too, have something to fill the void. Creators must create. It's not something we can ignore. It's just a matter of knowing if a creative person, is also a person who suffers on a daily basis. That art, may actually be a product of insanity.