December News, Notes, and Something New

So we've survived another year. Will this be our last?





As many of you know, today is exactly one year before the
infamous date of 12/21/2012, when the world is set to end. 365 days left. Worry
over it or not, the end of the world fascinates some of us. We seek it in film
and literature and even in our own lives. We'll give up date night for the
apocalypse and even devote time and money we can't afford to visit those
horrific landscapes. Maybe there should be a 12 step program for us too…





"Hello, my name is
Angie and I'm an end of the world junkie…"





Or maybe





"There are more of us
than them now, so we don't have to hide anymore."





"By us, you mean?"





"The PA lovers, of
course."





"You mean there are
people who don't like post apocalyptic fiction?"





"Don't ask me. I've
never understood it."





Some of the best end of the world entertainment was created
before we were born and the market has been saturated since then. Some of it
good, most bad, there have also been a few that were outstanding. My all time
favorites will always include The Postman, The Stand, Mad Max, and the Terminator
series, though most of the PA in that one didn't come until the third
installment. Those are classics that's I've adored all my life. Then came the
asteroid wave and a surprising thing happened. Man-made disasters were replaced
on the top of that mental chart by a single film that many people have
forgotten.





Armageddon was good, sometimes too funny to be realistic but
solid thanks to BW. but Deep Impact (IMAO) was better  with its almost taboo topics and stellar cast.
You can't go wrong with a Freeman, and the powerful horror and injustice still
has me crying every time I watch it. Deep Impact is an amazing PA film, unlike
"2012" and I Am Legend, which only disappointed. I've often thought this film
was neglected by the main public because so many of the characters were lost
but without those emotional parts, it would have only been just another
adventure flick set in the apocalypse.







Character interaction is what is comes down to. Don't give
me lame. I've lived long enough to know real change and emotions take time.
Thoughts require repetition to take effect. Show me what makes them tick and
then bring them together in ways I can't anticipate. You want me to love them?
Okay. Write it so I can.





Notes





I spend a lot of time on personal development (And get
blasted in reviews for how long it takes) but making it believable even though
it's fantasy and horror, is my job. When I first began Life After War, Cesar
and his group were only a twist meant to further the setting. Once I got into
it, I asked myself if that group of Mexican males would really just go home
after conquering their first town with no resistance. From that moment, the
Slavers have become a driving force in the book, pushing the refugees toward
Adrian and the safety he's trying to create. If these people had shown up there
without the reader seeing what they'd gone through, all those special moments
of triumph and strength would mean shit. Instead, you feel what they do. That's
why there had to be an On The Road. Without that journey, none of them are able
to give Adrian what he needs. There has to be time for the old to wear off.





For me, that's the next 6-8 weeks. I'll be around but even
less than now. I have a huge list of new goals for 2012 and I need some time
away from social marketing and online business to make them happen. I've
already began some of them, such as the new design of this blog and my website.
I've also been working hard to get the first three books in this series
professionally edited before Adrian's Eagles is released. And I've failed in
that.





News





It will be another 2-3 weeks before the new editions of
books one, two, and three are ready and I refuse to release another title until
those are done. I especially refuse to put Book 4 out there, the best of the
series so far, to be ignored because of bad reviews on the first three.





 The comments have
been very harsh and personal. Did you know I'm a racist gay-basher? It came as
news to me that when it's in my book, that means its how I feel or am. Amazing,
the stupidity and nerve of some people! But I can handle personal attacks and
differences of opinion on how many types of nuclear detonations there are. -More
than you think but mainly two, not one, like a reviewer bashed me for, claiming
he knew because he lived in the area where there are a lot of silo's and such.
That's like Palin's Russia comment-it makes no sense!-("I know about Russia
because I can see it from my backyard.")





But I digress…It's hard sometimes to not answer these
unhappy folks but I manage by knowing that most people who read book one(An
average of 75% according to 8 months of stats) like the series and come back
for book two. It's the reviews that are true, that hurt me and I just can't go
through that again with Adrian's Eagles. Please forgive me for the delay. I
have two editors now; Daryn Malof and Mike Clancy, and in just a couple weeks,
we'll be all set for the new book. The end of January seems the best hope,
though it will be sooner if there's any way we can do it. These two wonderful
guys are having to go through every sentence. That's takes time when there are
150,000 + words per book. I'm looking at 2012 as a new start and I can't get
that until I change the mistakes of the past.





Something New





I feel bad about the delay on AE, so I'm giving you a bit of
that book I hadn't planned on. It has NOT been edited yet, so please don't
expect magic just yet. Still, it's better than being left high and dry and I
hope you'll enjoy it.









In this scene, Angela
has just asked Adrian to be an Eagle. Before he'll give an answer, there's a
test she has to pass.





"Adrian has sent all of you here for various reasons and I
promise you'll leave bleeding. Be sure. This is no easy lesson."





Doug looked around at the five men waiting eagerly. "You'll
notice there are some other s here, watching. They've been invited to see what
you have to go through to become an Eagle. Don't disappoint them or him by
giving up, just because of a little pa…"

Doug looked up to see Angela step from the shadows and when she gave him a cool
nod that said she had Adrian's permission to be here, he winced but kept going.





"This lesson will cover the basics of a type of fighting
that all Eagles must be proficient in by level four. Kenn and Jeremy will
demonstrate until the teacher arrives."





The dozen men craned their necks eagerly, as did those
supervising. Kenn and Neil's right hand man were a match up that hadn't
happened yet.





"If you watch this and think; I'd never be able to stand
that, leave as soon as you have the thought, because you're right. If you see
the blood and think that's okay, I'll take a Tylenol before it starts, you
might belong here."





Angela moved slowly toward the small ring of hay bales,
stomach in a hard knot. He hadn't said Kenn would be here. "You didn't ask."
The Witch told her, "Now you know better."





Kenn and Jeremy were already trading hits but not the
average punches. These blows were done with sharp, fast jerks and graceful
slides into the other man's personal space to deliver a vicious hit to the
kidneys. This was the fighting Adrian and Neil had done while they were in the
Qz and Angela moved closer to get a better view.





"You'll notice it's quick in and even faster out. This type
of fighting is called Mai and only one person in camp knows all of it. He'll be
here in a few minutes to start your training."





Angela assumed he meant Adrian and wondered if he and Kenn
would be fighting. Jeremy was good but not nearly enough and Kenn was busy
beating on him, using Neil's moves. Had the state trooper trained her Marine or
had he already known this style?





"Mai accomplished two things, fast. It causes severe pain
and puts your opponent out of commission for a while."





With those words, both men delivered two of the ugliest hits
Angela had ever seen and Jeremy hit the dirt.





"Not just anyone can be good at it. Tonight, you only have
to survive." Doug waved at the biggest of the five pale men. "Jake, you're up."












"Aren't you eating?"





Neil shook his head, sipping his water as he watched her
devour a plate of fries covered in ketchup. "I have a lesson in a few minutes."





Sam frowned. "I thought we were going somewhere."





"We are."





He was taking her to watch his lesson? She shrugged. "Okay."





A little disappointed, she went back to her fries and Neil
hid a grin. She thought he was taking a test and wanted to show off. Good.
She'd be distracted from her thoughts for a while.





They'd spent a quiet ten minutes at the center table, the
crowd around them falling silent the instant they'd gotten in line and it
hadn't changed. There were a hundred eyes on them and Sam's face had acquired a
permanent pink streak across both cheeks.





"So I'm really not supposed to be at this table, right? That's
why they're all staring."





Neil shook his head, vice low. "Sorry, I thought you knew.
Their surprised because I've never done this before."





Sam blinked. "Done what? Had a meal…" Her eyes widened.
"They think we're on a date!"





He nodded, grinning a little and she raised a brow. "Are
we?"





Put on the spot, he couldn't lie but his first thought was
yes. "Not unless you'd like it to be."





Not expecting a devotion of affection, she wasn't offended
and even teased him back. "And if I did, Mr. Arizona?"





Neil smiled, eyes saying more than his mouth was. "I'd be
flattered and happy to play along."





Now, the sting was there but she still went on like it
wasn't. "I'll let you know. I'm not sure I like how you asked."





They were both laughing as they stood up and Sam was very
glad to be out of the Mess a moment later. Out here, it was just the gritty
breeze, the darkness she'd been in since the war, and Neil's comforting body
next to hers.





"I'll only be there for a half an hour and then we can do
something else if you're still wound up." He leaned a bit closer than he
normally did with any female. "I know the boss. I can sneak you into the
training tent for a quick workout."





 Sam laughed, sliding
into his personal space with no hesitation. "Can I have the sweaty towel too?"





"Of course."





Still chuckling, the couple moved toward the area that Angie
had found only by using her gifts.









"Now that each of you have had warm-up, Neil will show you
three basic moves that you'll practice every day on your own. Do it or not,
you'll still have to get by him for every test and he's no easy mark." Kenn's
tone was gloating; he'd beaten on all five of the bloody men now listening with
a much clearer idea of what they'd signed up for. "When he calls you in to the
tent leave your gun out here."





During the last two matches, Angela had been looking more at
those gathered for the lesson, than at the battles themselves, sensing Kenn
might be hitting harder than he had to in order to show off for her. If he
thought she wasn't paying attention, he would get it over with faster and not
hurt them as much.





While she was running her eyes over the half a dozen extra
observers, she'd gotten only hostility, none of them willing to accept that she
too was one of Adrian's hand picked Eagles and it made her angry. She had as
much right to be here as they did and besides, she wanted to be able to do
this. Mai was harsh enough to allow her to handle even Kenn. She'd thought
about it after seeing the matches in quarantine and here it was; the chance to
know. She already had a lot to thank Adrian for and she wasn't about to let
Kenn or any anyone else stop her.





"Here's the teacher now."

Everyone turned to see Neil and Samantha emerging from the darkness. "First man
to the tent, Tucker."





Neil nodded toward Angela, hoping she wasn't on the list
waiting inside the small tent behind the gathered men. "Keep her company, will
ya?"





Sam nodded, not sure the dark headed woman wanted it and she
stopped a few feet away as Neil ducked into the tent.





The two women exchanged polite smiles but not words and they
listened to the sounds curiously.








"And you're sure?"





"Yes."





"Then let's get to it."





There was the sound of a struggle and then only Neil's
words.





"Like this." Thud.





"Lower." Slap.





"Faster." Thud.





It sounded as if each order was following a hit and the
women instinctively moved closer together for comfort as Tucker came out with a
bloody face.





"Anderson."





It was a very fast private lesson, which was the good side.
There was a nervous trooper giving the lesson, having seen Angela's name was
indeed on the list. The bad side was that Neil knew he'd treat her like any of
the others Adrian had sent to him for toughening up. And he hated the blond
just a little for showing him that he and Kenn had more in common that he was comfortable
with.









"White."





Angela moved toward the small canvas with a thumping heart.
Her fear had grown with each bleeding man to leave the tent and listening to
the sounds of their battles had reminded her of the years Kenn had abused her.
She and Sam the only ones still here besides Doug and a guard who's name she
didn't know yet, now she had to face those fears or give up the idea of being
an Eagle in Adrian's army. This was why he had sent her here. To see if she
could take getting and delivering, a real hit. The moments in the Qz had been
carefully controlled, safe. Neil was slightly upset with her still and very
unhappy to be doing this. She could feel it clearly and while she wasn't as
scared as she had been during her time with Kenn, she could feel the sweat
rolling down her sides. The taste of acid was on her tongue and her body felt
stiff, foreign. This wasn't going to go well, she thought suddenly. I'll get
hurt.





She paused in the doorway, meeting Neil's eyes as he lounged
with deceptive casualness, in the middle of the bloody floor. Was that what she
was really afraid of? The pain? Angela nodded. Yes. And, if there wasn't any?
"Then I wouldn't learn it." She muttered. 'Pain is a memory maker."





Neil didn't speak, just waved her on in and she went,
determined to conquer her weaknesses.









Marc spotted the two eagles around a small tent, Samantha
lingering nearby and moved their way with a raised brow that was ignored by
them and by the stiffly standing woman. His eyes landed on gun belts lying in
font of the tent, recognizing their owner instantly and his eyes narrowed. Who
was in there with Angie and what were they doing?





Sam felt Marc and Dog come up beside her but didn't turn to
look at him, not wanting to miss anything. Neil and Angela had been in there
twice as long as any of the others and not one sound had been heard until a
minute ago, when there had been a thud that she would almost swear was someone
being hit. Was this Neil's idea of blowing off steam? Beating on women?





Thud!





"Again." Neil's voice sounded pinched, like he was in pain.





Slap!





"Harder!"





Dog on his heels, Marc moved toward the tent, heart beating
furiously. "What the hell is going on here?"





Thud!





"Damn."





"Pay attention!'





"He'll come in…"





"Do you want this or not?"





Marc hadn't heard Neil's tone of command and he froze in the
flap at the sound of it. That was Adrian's tone. The blond had set this up.





Thud!





Marc started to move inside, unable to see her be hit and
she flung a hand out, not taking her eyes from the trooper getting set to do it
again. "Don't!"





Again, the tone of command halted him and he winced as Neil
slipped inside her ring of protection and used an open palm to drill her
shoulder.





Thud!





Braced for it, Angela ignored the dull throb and immediately
ducked under his arm to do the same to him.





Slap!





Even hitting him her hardest, she couldn't match the
strength he was using against her and Marc was glad of the brute-like arms that
drug him away from the flap. He didn't want to do anything stupid. Yet.





Doug set him down a few feet away, ready to defend himself
but Marc had gone cold, he was so furious and he didn't move.





"He won't hurt her." Doug's words were quick. "She wants to
be one of us and if you don't believe that, just watch her eyes when they come
out. You'll see."





The big man moved away from him, blending back into the
shadows and Brady took his advise, too upset to think clearly. How could she
want this? She was a woman not a man!





Thud!





Brady winced and felt Sam do the same. Doug's words hadn't
eased her anger either and she waited for it to be over, eager to deliver a
scathing rebuke.












"Do it again but turn your wrist like this."





Thud!





"Very good. That's your homework. Train yourself to remember
that pad and when you've built up some muscle mass, you'll be able to deliver
the same force as a man."





Angela nodded, taking a moment to catch her breath as he
made notes in book. She was still afraid but it had gone better than she'd
hoped for. The trooper hadn't wanted to really treat her the same as the others
but her nasty attitude had forced him to. After a little while, she'd been able
to just be herself and he'd gotten into it, liking how fast she was.





"Thanks. I know this wasn't easy for you."





Still in his shell, the trooper shrugged. "Adrian sends 'em
in and I beat on 'em. That's the way it works."





"And if I'd like a second lesson?"





Neil looked up in surprise. "Do you?'





She nodded right away and grinned. "In a few days, though,
when these bruises heal."





Impressed despite himself, Neil chuckled. "I'll let him
know."












They moved out of the tent together, the tension mostly gone
now and she took a minute to stop by Samantha and whisper into her ear before
turning to face Marc's anger. Nervous, she spun too fast and couldn't hide a
grimace when one of her muscles flared up in pain.





"And you want this?"





She frowned at his insulting tone. It said she was nuts. "I
can't be an Eagle without passing matchups, Brady. I have to learn and from
someone who'll actually hit me if that's what it takes."





"Looks like you found someone who would, though I'm
surprised by who it is. I thought cops were the good guys." He accused harshly,
eyes on his friend and Angela moved into his line of sight before he could pick
a fight.





"I would have gone through the same thing if I had joined
the service, right?'





Trapped, he still fired back. "Yes but this isn't the US
government, it's a group of refugees playing war!"





Angela's frown was fast and cold. "I don't see it that way
and neither do these men. It's for America."





"It's for Adrian." Marc sneered, really angry with her for
the first time since they'd been reunited. "And I can't believe you're so fast
to follow. What happened to not being back under some man's thumb?"





"He's not just some man and I'm free to do what I want. You
should remember that."





Looking between them, Dog whined uneasily and the sound
brought both of them back to where they were and who they were about to fight
with.





Marc snapped his mouth shut, trying to regain control and
when he finally spoke, his tone demanded honesty. "Why an Eagle, Angie?"





Expecting it, she didn't look at him as she answered, didn't want
him to see the evasions in her eyes. "I like how it felt to help those
kids from the airfield. I like how it felt to be a part of something that good.
We gave them their lives back."





Marc didn't call her on the short answer to his question. There
was more to it than that and he knew it was important to their future.





"Is it about us?" He asked suddenly and didn't like the
dismay and guilt he saw on her face.





"No, I'm sorry. It isn't."





He shrugged, trying not to let her see the sting. "You've got
other prospects. I understand."





Angela frowned. "What would make you think that?" She
held up a hand before he could explain, too tired and sore to fight with him
too. "Doesn't matter. It has to do with the women here. In case
you've forgotten, Kenn's the only one who always thinks of himself and his
wants. I like to consider helping other people, not just screwing them."





She stomped off and Marc let het go, anger starting to fade.
He didn't have the right to tell her to stop any more than Kenn did but it hurt
just the same. He wondered what her real reasons were. Maybe she still didn't
feel safe. Maybe it really was about helping the women. Or, maybe, he thought,
heading for his tent with a last glare at the watching state trooper, maybe Angie
had just lied to him.









My New Years Resolution





Okay, I don't really do those. Let me just tell you what I
hope for in 2012. Great health for my kids (We've had a long winter already),
peace on earth, (Unlikely but still a nice dream, right?)and seven new books
with my name on them. Three will be from the LAW series.





Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, every one of you!









Did you know you can get the deluxe version of Life After
War for free right now? It's on Amazon only, free from 12/21, until 12/23, as
my gift to you. If you miss the dates, it will be featured on Kindle Nation
Daily at a discounted price, on 12/31.












Angela White