Born of Blood and Spells - Release and Excerpt

Today, Born of Blood and Spells: 13 Dark Fantasy Stories & Poems releases!

I decided it would be best to combine some of my stand alone titles, while adding in some poems and flash fiction to the mix. This collection includes the previously individually published short stories Dancing in the Wind, Bound, and Sunset Street. It also includes the two titles from Blood & Booze, as well as the two titles from Tales of Chyraine. If you're still looking to get any of those individually, they'll be up for a couple more days, but all aside from Dancing in the Wind will soon no longer be available outside of Born of Blood and Spells.

Born of Blood and Spells is currently $2.99 for the eBook, and you can get it from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo Books, Apple Books, Google Play, and Smashwords. If you want to see a more comprehensive retailer list as well as the description, pop over to Books2Read. A paperback version will be available some time in April.

Since I've posted excerpts of the already mentioned titles before, I thought it would be nice to give a brief snippet of the beginning of one of the flash fiction pieces. Only a little, though, since it's a super short story!

Enjoy Born of Blood and Spells, and the excerpt from Daina's Dance below.

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Pound. Throb.

They keep the beat with their movements.

Twist. Bend.

Every night the music makes their muscles twitch.

And I can’t join them.

Black walls, black floors, black ceiling, stiff and wooden, contrasting the fluid forms. A gold anklet here, a scarlet scarf there, splashing color constantly moves against the monotone box. Pale skins flow in the black, beckoning for me to join them. But I can’t blend in – my ears pointed and theirs rounded – so I stand against a wall and watch the swirling bodies.

❦

Drops of crimson and muttered incantations... the stories in this collection are Born of Blood and Spells.

Short stories, flash fiction, and poems – thirteen tales of dark fantasy all written by Alexa Grave.

Hell On Wheels Excerpt

Hell On Wheels, the second title in the Devil Made Me series, is already up on Amazon for pre-order! And I'm guessing some of you might like a taste of what you'll find. Without fail, I have an excerpt below.

I would like to mention my plans for this title quickly, if you'll bear with me (or you can just skip my blather and read the excerpt). As I said above, it's on Amazon right now. If you pre-order, you can nab it for only $0.99. Release day is September 26, 2017, at which time the price will go up to $2.99. It will be available only on Amazon, including in Kindle Unlimited, for three months! On January 2, 2018, Hell On Wheels will be available from the other major online retailers, after a short pre-order period.

The first title in the series, Hell Hath No Fury, will also drop down to $0.99 for a short time starting some time next week! This special price will be available at all the major online retailers. You can find the links on my Devil Made Me series page. If you haven't read it yet, the beginning of October will be the best time to get it at the lower price.

Also keep in mind, you shouldn't be lost in Hell On Wheels if you haven't read the first title. Though I'm sure if you read the second, you'll want to go back and read the first. Moira is a hoot!

OK, OK, here it is, the excerpt from Hell On Wheels...

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A man in an impeccable gray suit perched on the edge of my desk, legs crossed and a car-salesman smile plastered to his face.

This was my office, damn it. No one allowed unless I said so. "Who the hell are you?"

He chuckled, a controlled and forced sound. "Nice one. I'm Richard, but you can call me Dick." When he extended his hand, it looked too perfect, too practiced.

Dick, huh? This would be fun. I crossed my arms instead of shaking. "We just met -- you should keep the juicy information about your disposition for later."

He dropped his hand. "I assure you, my name is telling, but not in the way you're thinking." The corner of his mouth twitched.

Crap. Someone ready to sling shit back at me. "Well, Dick, I think you took a wrong turn. This is my office."

"No wrong turn, Moira. I'm exactly where I intend to be."

He knew my name, but I'd never seen him before. True, there were many residents even on the second floor, but someone who exuded this much charisma and sleaziness wouldn't have stayed hidden. "When did you arrive here?"

"Oh, I'm not from this floor." The extended word "this" slid over me like an oil slick.

It reminded me of Douglas -- a resident who'd been mistakenly sent to the second floor and had almost killed me... again. Well, maybe his intent hadn't been to kill me, but he sure hadn't wanted to snuggle. Pandora had sent Douglas to his proper floor before Jared or I could rip his creepy throat out. A man I intended to keep in my rear-view for the rest of my unlife.

"You're not from the seventh floor, are you?" I now knew that was where people like murderers and rapists went. That had been my topic of study yesterday. Well, I think it was yesterday...

Dick laughed again, so close to someone saying "ha ha ha." "No, no, of course not. Would you believe the fourth?"

Greed. Seemed to fit. "You weren't by chance a car salesman before you died, were you?"

That fake smile fell off his face for a moment, and then he rallied, grinning bigger than he had before. "Smart."

Smartass -- he'd learn that if he stuck around.

Wait. How'd he get here, anyway? There was supposed to be no floor-to-floor travel. Unless Pandora had deposited him here. Or there was a way that she had yet to tell me.

Sneaky bitch. Jared was right -- Pandora hid things. But I wasn't about to admit it to him, at least not until I uncovered the secrets and confronted the lying wench. If I told him, he'd try to be all chivalrous again, like with Douglas.

I could take care of myself.

First step, don't react to Dick's floor-hopping. He couldn't know Pandora had remained mum on the topic with me. "What brings you from the fourth to the second?"

If possible, his smile grew bigger. How'd he talk like that? "You have something I want."

"Yeah, what's that?"

"Your job."

I giggled, holding back the gut-buster I yearned to unleash. "You want to be a Welcomer? Be my guest." I tossed the sequined horns at him, and he caught them cleanly without looking down.

"Not that job." He quickly tilted his head then righted it.

Nervous tick or display of superiority? I reconsidered the whole fourth-floor declaration. Like Douglas's original assignment to this floor, it didn't seem right. Sure, people were greedy for power. But the desire to become the devil was on a whole 'nother level.

Not to mention, unless Pandora had told him of my impending promotion, he shouldn't have known. The other residents of this floor had poked around my office and asked questions, but I'd brushed them off with that whole wish thing. Told them it made me feel more normal to putter around an office.

"Get the hell out."

Dick stood and smoothed his suit, even though there weren't any wrinkles in it. He straightened his tie, which shifted from a classic black-striped number to tiny flames on a dark gray backdrop, and placed the horns on my desk. "I look forward to the challenge, Moira." Then he strode out as if he already had the position in the bag.

❦

Boyfriend hate your job? Well, he can go to Hell.

Yup, Moira's still dead. And her ex from life, not so much an ex anymore, isn't happy that Moira agreed to take the devil's place once she retires. Makes it kind of hard to while away their unlives on the second floor of Hell.

But Moira's not willing to back out of the deal, stubborn as, well, hell. Even when a sleazy three-piece, supposedly from the fourth floor, demands the job for himself, she refuses to withdraw.

Once Moira uncovers some of Hell's secrets, though, she starts to question her commitment.

Edge of Sorrow Excerpt

It's time for the next Fortunes of Fate story! Edge of Sorrow is the 6th title in the series, and the release date is March 14. Not just at Amazon, either. I'm immediately releasing this one to all the major online retailers. And when I say all, I also mean Google Play! As a matter of fact, in the next couple of days all of the Fortunes of Fate stories will be available on Google Play (in the next week for my other titles).

For now, you can preorder Edge of Sorrow on Amazon, Kobo, and iBooks. The 14th isn't that far away, right? The Google Play preorder should be up soon, and I'll add the link to the post when it is. No preorder at Barnes & Noble, but Edge of Sorrow will be available there some time on the 14th.

I actually have some other exciting news. The first story in the Fortunes of Fate series, Dreams in Shadow is FREE at all retailers right now (and on Instafreebie - it will be part of a group promo, but more on that next week). So, if you haven't grabbed a copy yet, your budget won't stop you from snagging your free copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks, Google Play, and Smashwords. Grab it while you can. Not sure how long I'll keep it free.

Free stuff is good, but I'm hoping you're looking forward to the Edge of Sorrow excerpt. I have to say, this short story is my favorite of all the ones I've written so far to date. Happy reading!

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Jasp draped his arms over the gargoyle and rested his chin on his interlaced fingers. The stone bench was as chilly on his backside as the gargoyle was on his wrinkled hands, but he’d suffer through any temperature for his daily vigil, which had lasted going on two decades.

A plum tree rattled in the breeze as if it spoke to him. No other tree or bush in the garden stirred.

If only Yetta could still speak. Her voice had been that of a songbird. Sweet as honey. And all those other wretched clichés.

No one’s fault but his own, though. He’d been lucky he’d had enough magic to turn her spirit into a plum tree before she’d completely faded from Fate.

Although Jasp didn’t think she was too happy with her current status. Twenty years was a long time. “Sorry, Yetta. Can’t let you go.”

Can't let go? The external thought burrowed into his brain, clear as the sky if he hadn’t intentionally kept it cloudy and gray.

Jasp slapped the gargoyle on the head, and it woke up. It flapped away and offered a vexed look over its shoulder.

“Yetta?” Stupid question. The voice wasn’t hers -- he’d know it anywhere. A soprano. This one was an alto, saturated with accusation.

A calico cat with shimmering red eyes slunk out from behind the plum tree. No Yetta here. Name's Amber.

“Cat.” Jasp stood and stalked toward the creature, but it held its ground. He waggled a finger. “You’re the one who ruined my fun then with that Darney boy?”

Oh, no. I love some tormenting fun, Mage Jasp. Maybe more than you. That was probably my meddling sister Joslyn. And feel free to kick that Darney fellow for me next time you see him, if you’d like.

“Humph. Makes no difference to me. Punishing one cat is as good as the other.”

The cat sauntered closer and rubbed up against his old, ratty purple robe. Little minx. You don't want to punish me. A purr vibrated through his mind.

“No?” He squatted down and stared into her mischievous red eyes. “Why’s that?”

You need me to show you.

He wanted to kick her and her bothersome riddling. She’d destroyed his peace, gazing upon his dear Yetta in tree form. The only time his aging body quieted. “What do you want from me, you mangy critter?”

Mangy? Amber yowled. I'll forgive the insult, for now. I need you to... meddle.

"But you just..." Vexing, contradictory creature.

Meddling has its advantages. Just don't tell Joslyn I said so.

❦

The woman’s skin blends into the gray of the bark, her body melded with the tree. And she weeps.

The mage Jasp spent the last two decades shuttered away in his crumbling mansion, mourning the loss of his wife, Yetta – his guilt and a couple of stone-brained gargoyles his only companions. He intends to continue his self-inflicted solitude, until the calico cat Amber appears. A malicious mage is imprisoning women and draining their life force. Amber insists the great and powerful Jasp must save them.

Jasp’s memory of Yetta spurs him to act. Making no promises, he follows Amber to the weeping women in the woods. But it’s not as simple as freeing them. It never is.

Reversed Excerpt

Another release day! The Fortunes of Fate series is one of those series that's close to my heart, and with each story, I learn something new about the world of Fate and the tales unfolding between there and Earth.

So, I'm happy to announce that the third story, Reversed, is now available for purchase from Amazon! It's also on Kindle Unlimited. Remember the Tarot reader from Dreams in Shadow? Well, this story is from his point of view. Will you join him on his journey?

A small excerpt and the blurb for Reversed is below. Enjoy the sneak peek!

Also, Dreams in Shadow should be available from other retailers within the next month (it's no longer available through Kindle Unlimited, but it's still on Amazon). And don't forget Love Fades will be available for FREE from May 18th through the 22nd.

Have fun getting lost in the stories of Fate!

❦

Darney pressed his hands to his ears. The screaming continued in his mind, though. The cards howled. And the heat from them in his pocket throbbed against his hip -- seventy-eight tiny hearts, skipping beats from their wounds.

That rotten child had done this.

Many people didn’t like what the cards told them, but the little girl had been the first to react so violently. The poor Fool card whimpered, creases refusing to even out after she crumpled it. At least half of the other cards were singed. Fire. Of all things, she had to use fire.

Delilah, his mother, had warned him, told him to protect the cards with enchantments. Such magic would have kept them safe for the most part. The fire wouldn’t have touched them. But he didn’t know how, couldn’t find the magic she claimed he had.

The magic he yearned to find.

He traveled from town to town in hopes that the next reading would be the trigger, the one that would spark the glow inside of him. And then he could truly bond with his cards -- they’d be an extension of him, not just a deck of friends he kept close.

❦

The cards won't stop screaming.

Darney's Tarot cards were scorched by a wretched child who set fire to his card table. Their sobs and screams torment his conscience, but he can't heal them because he has no magic.

In desperation, Darney seeks the help of Jasp, a well-known, but cruel, mage. Jasp is his last hope. Or his undoing and the cards' doom.

Bloodstains Snippet

It's that time of month again -- release day! Blood & Booze: Two Urban Fantasy Stories came out today. It includes the stories "Bloodstains" and "Hair of the Dog". You can find it on Amazon for purchase or to read via Kindle Unlimited and the Kindle Owners' Lending Library. If you read the stories, please leave a review!

Now, of course I'm going to give you a little taste of what can be found in this release. A snippet of "Bloodstains" is below. If you'd like to see a snippet of "Hair of the Dog", you can sign up for my newsletter (sign-up can be found on the left side of my blog). The next edition will be sent out in the next couple days, so don't hesitate!

And as always, happy reading!

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The gate mocks me, taunting me with images of a new beginning.

No.

To me, at this moment, it's the end I see, not the fresh start that will come of it.

In the middle of the woods, the arch of the branch hovers over me, causes me to see things I ought not, and the deep shadows of dusk play with my eyes. Cold pierces through my gloves, prickling my skin. In the distance, blood stains the snow. My brain knows it's the entrails of a deer, left by a hunter earlier in the day, but my thoughts envision what it could be, what it might be, and what it will be. The blood reminds me of all the people I care about, the ones I'll lose when the ground swallows us whole and the wind rips us in two. It's the blood on my hands, the blood on all of our hands, and there's nothing I can do but weep for the Lost Ones. The ones who won't make it, who won't survive the rending; the end of an end.

I won't lie down, though. I can't. Until I have to stand at this gate, the end seconds away, I'll gather all those I can, to save them, protect them. They will walk with me and survive, so the pool of Lost Ones will diminish, even though the best intentions can be blown away with the gale, no matter how hard you fight against it.

The metallic tang of blood settles in the back of my throat. Another object on the ground jumps out at me, intertwining with the visions inside. The skull of a small animal lies half-buried in the snow. I pick it up. Time has scraped the bone bare. How quickly is the hourglass dropping the grains of sand? The skull in my hand insists the last grain will soon fall and the hourglass will need to be flipped, so it can all start again. But in the turning, our world will shake.

Only a few friends will escape with me through the gate, and I'll leave too many behind to die, but not for lack of trying. There's only so much I can do if those I care for won't listen, won't believe.

A trail of red leaks out of the eye socket of the skull, and I drop it. It rolls toward the discarded entrails.

The blood in my mind will never fade.

❦

Bloodstains

When the clock strikes midnight on Beltane Eve, the rains will fall and flood the lands...

It's the end of the world. But one woman has a way out – gather enough friends and open a portal before the Earth floods, devouring itself whole. Except even if she does, there isn't enough time to save everyone. Who will she have to leave behind?

Hair of the Dog

Lydia needs to see a man about a dog. And it's not a shot of whiskey she craves.

This roaring 20s speakeasy doesn't only harbor flappers and bootleggers. Lydia can attest to more sinister things posing among the normal revelers. She's one of them. And with a hungry beast inside her, she can't withstand her thirst.

Bound Snippet

Yup, it's time for another release! Bound releases on Sunday, so it's about time I post a snippet, right? It's also available for pre-order from Amazon if you want to nab it before you forget, and it'll be automatically delivered to you when it releases. Per usual during the Baker's Dozen Experiment, it will also be available via Kindle Unlimited and the Kindle Owners' Lending Library.

This story has a bit of horror, a dash of romance, and a bookish librarian for a lead. Who needs a boyfriend when you have a book? The snippet is below!

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In the last cubbie, a student stares transfixed at a page of the book open before her. I pause before I approach. A chill shoves out the warmth I felt earlier. Her eyes aren't moving; her hand, clasping the page to turn it, is frozen.

I step closer. "Excuse me. The library is closing in five minutes."

She doesn't respond and remains still, as if she's a statue perched on the chair, her hands melding with the book. A detailed piece of artwork, like the metal monstrosity in the library foyer -- unwavering, cold.

Goose bumps spring up along my arms, and I shiver, the feeling I got when first crossing paths with Stephen King's Pennywise.

I inch forward, the shushing of my shoes on the carpet no longer a comfort, and place my hand on her shoulder. A small zap of static electricity sparks the tips of my fingers, and I jump back.

❦

Every book has a heartbeat. And some are louder than others.

Leda loves her job as a college librarian – books are her friends, ones that take her to far off lands and who don't cheat on her like her last boyfriend did. But a strange incident with a student has her wondering if there's something more sinister about the books in this library.

Even Sean, the man who's trying to woo her away from her books, claims the library made him uncomfortable when he attended the college.

Of course, Leda can't confide in anyone about her suspicions, though there have been several questionable deaths on campus over the last few years. Sean would likely think she's crazy.

Is she crazy? Or does danger lurk in between the pages?

Hell Hath No Fury Snippet

Hell Hath No Fury releases in two days! It's currently available for pre-order from Amazon, if you happen to like what you read below and need to make sure it's there for you to read ASAP on Saturday! ;) It will be available through Kindle Unlimited and the Kindle Owners' Lending Library as well.

This one is a novelette, so a little longer than most of the short stories I've been publishing. It has humor, snark, and romance. What are you waiting for? Just read the snippet already and see what you think!

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Now Jared stared at me.

"What?" I asked. "Do I have a third eye on my forehead or a zit the size of a tomato on my nose?"

He shook his head.

Then the knowing feeling settled in my chest. He had prodded me in here. Jared might be dead, but there had been only one thing he wanted whenever he tried to get me alone.

"Don't even think about it," I said.

He stepped up to me. "You think that's what I want? Please. If dying the way I did wasn't enough, being dead does nothing for one's libido. I just wanted to get you out of there. It's good to see you, Moira." He touched my cheek.

A thrill shot through me at the feel of his skin on mine -- so warm. It felt alive. A knot tightened in my belly.

I didn't want this. I hadn't even felt this kind of passion well up for him when we were dating. Yes, the sex had been great, but this was a yearning that was hard to ignore.

I swallowed. "What do you mean?"

"That it's good to see a familiar face."

"No, no. About death and--"

He laughed, pulling back. The desire dropped without him so close.

"Oh, that. We're dead, Moira. We don't have needs like we did when we were alive. Are you hungry?"

I had to concentrate before I answered. No biting in my stomach, although I had been starving before the collision. "No."

"Thirsty?"

"No."

"Do you have to pee?"

That I'd think would be a yes. I mean, I was in a bathroom. It was stupid to have a bathroom if no one needed it, but I didn't feel any urge along that line. I shook my head.

He slipped up to me again, this time wrapping his arm around my waist. "Horny?"

His body pressed against mine flooded my lower regions with heat. From the questions he had already asked, I assumed the answer to the latest was supposed to be no also. My body spoke to the contrary, tingling at the feel of his fingers digging into my hip.

❦

Stuck in Hell with an ex-boyfriend. What's a girl to do?

Moira died. Of course, she never expected to appear in Hell once she did. But Hell isn't the fire and brimstone place so many people fear. More like a cross between an office building and a dormitory. And the devil, a sexy, disembodied voice in an endless expanse of darkness, sticks Moira with the job of Welcomer for the second floor of Hell. A job which comes with a skimpy little demon costume.

If that isn't enough to drive a strong-willed woman into fits, Moira finds out she's on the same floor with Jared, an ex she'd rather forget exists, only now she feels a strange attraction whenever he's around. Fun times.

To make matters worse, one of the new arrivals, Douglas, is a creepy old guy who stalks her and clearly doesn't belong. After a stomach churning confrontation with him, she decides she doesn't want to find out if she can die a second time. So Moira's got to find a way to shake Douglas, all while trying to come to terms with her conflicting feelings for Jared.

Who knew death would be as complicated as life?

Love Fades Snippet

It's another release day! Today Love Fades, the second story in the Fortunes of Fate series is available on Amazon. For those of you who like romance in your fantasy, this is definitely the story for you. Again, you can get it via Kindle Unlimited or the Kindle Owners' Lending Library as well.

I'm sure you'd love to get a taste of the story, though. Right? Well, here it is. Happy reading!

❦

Caradeci stared at her hand – it was happening again. The flesh and bone faded, her fingers paling to dim outlines. She raised her hand, now translucent; the water of the pond she knelt next to shimmered through it in the sunlight.

Relief flooded Cara when her hand returned to normal, but her hope was brief since it flickered back to transparency. This cycle Cara was trapped in sent shudders to her soul.

The breeze tousled her hair, but she felt nothing on her faded hand – no wind, no warmth – like a black hole sucking at her being. It left her stranded and alone. If this was what death felt like, she wanted none of it.

Cara's hand flashed in and out, the rhythm akin to a stoplight in the wee hours of the morning. Fear snagged in her throat. Only one reason why this could be happening – she didn't belong here, shouldn't be here. Ten years ago she had tripped over a stump, landed in a pond, and somehow slipped from her world of purple hues into this Earth of green. Instead of hitting bottom, she'd emerged here – an accident, some dimensional goof, but one that meant she could no longer find her way home to Fate.

Caradeci didn't want to go home.

❦

Loves Fades

A woman who's fading away.

Years ago, a portal in the world of Fate sucked Caradeci up and deposited her on Earth. She struggled to fit in and adjust to the differences. And then she met Alex. She fell in love, confessing her true origins, and he believed her.

Now her body flickers in and out of existence, threatening to pull her away from the life she's made. She fears Fate beckons to her, that she must return home to save herself, leaving her love behind.

Alex, refusing to lose her, drags her to a fortune teller. Their only hope is that this strange woman can tell them what to do before Caradeci vanishes from existence.

Fortunes of Fate Series

For every card, there's a story.

The three cat sisters, Joslyn, Mia, and Amber, are world-hoppers. They're in search of a world to call home, and they finally find it in Fate.

However, they've grown fond of Earth as well, and they stick their noses into the lives of people from both worlds. From Fools to Magicians, the three cats are witnesses to the stories that unravel.

This Is Where I Stand Snippet

Tales of Chyraine released yesterday! It includes two stories, "This Is Where I Stand" and "Cold, Oh So Cold." Right now, it's available via Amazon, and like the last two releases, you can read it for free using Kindle Unlimited or the Kindle Owners' Lending Library.

If you're interested in a snippet from "Cold, Oh So Cold," I'll be sending one out in my Newsletter tomorrow - so Sign Up Now if you haven't yet! But I won't leave you completely hanging. Here's a bit from "This Is Where I Stand."

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This is where I stand: in the kingdom of Ambrosia, within the palace, in my spacious yet suffocating room, before an open window which faces northwest. A broadsword rests on the stone windowsill, my sword, once my father's sword. My hands are upon the steel blade. I can just see over the palace walls, beyond to the rolling hills dotted with wildflowers and groves of trees.

This is where I wish to stand: further northwest, over the wall, beyond the moat, across the hills, and through the trees, where lies an invisible line with the forests Destiny to the east and Feargate to the west. My spirit brushes the trees that tower over the passage and shadows that line, into the kingdom of Trugor.

But that desire is irrelevant, for I am the Queen in Waiting, the one of all the young female warriors of Ambrosia to emerge victorious in competition. Sometimes I ponder what the waiting means. Waiting to become Queen, waiting to be recognized, waiting to have all the weight of a kingdom's people on my shoulders, hanging on my every word and trusting me implicitly... waiting for the old Queen to die. And in turn, one day another Queen in Waiting will be waiting for me to die, when I'm old and wrinkled, and the people cry out for fresh blood.

❦

This Is Where I Stand

A warrior torn between obligation and desire.

Zenya fought for and won the right to be Ambrosia's next queen. Now, she waits for the current queen to die and she finds the honor her aunt forced her into is instead a burden. She longs for her childhood home, Trugor, where magic drifts on the winds and infuses every blade of grass.

Those in Ambrosia think magic an abomination. If the reigning queen discovers Zenya's heritage and thoughts, a quick death might follow. Possibly that would be the kinder fate, since her desire to return home and breathe in the magic consumes her. How can Zenya rule a people she despises?

Cold, Oh So Cold

Hearts of men as frozen as the kingdoms they live in.

Hear the static of a radio? Feel the chill sink into your bones and refuse to leave? Then you must be in the three Ice Kingdoms of Chyraine. No matter where you turn, the icicles can be seen forming in the hearts and minds of all the inhabitants. Or being driven into their backs and throats by their enemies.

Dreams in Shadow Snippet

Yes, another release! Dreams in Shadow came out this past Friday. It's the first in a planned 78 short story series called Fortunes of Fate. All the stories will be somehow interconnected, but it won't necessarily be in serial form. There will be lots of different point-of-view characters. Dreams in Shadow can be found for purchase on Amazon and can also be read for free via Kindle Unlimited and Kindle Owners' Lending Library.

Interested in a taste of the beginning? Here you go!

❦

Tilly swung her mud-caked bare feet over the edge of the cliff. She enjoyed sitting on the precipice after a long day of playing, watching the purple leaves in the valley below flutter in the wind. It gave her ideas.

And the one that popped into her head that day was a grand one.

The leaves nearby rustled, and a gray cat emerged from the underbrush. It rubbed up against her, smearing its damp nose on her arm.

"Ew," Tilly said.

Ew? the cat voiced in Tilly's mind. You're covered from head to toe in dirt, and you can't stand my wet nose against your skin. Aren't you particular?

"Sorry." Tilly scratched the cat under the chin.

My speaking doesn't alarm you?

Tilly giggled. "A servant once told me a chicken begged for its life before she chopped its head off. This is Fate, after all."

Home.

"Huh?"

Nothing.

Tilly leapt up. "Time to go."

Where, might I ask?

"On an adventure!"

❦

Fortunes of Fate Series

For every card, there's a story.

The three cat sisters, Joslyn, Mia, and Amber, are world-hoppers. They're in search of a world to call home, and they finally find it in Fate.

However, they've grown fond of Earth as well, and they stick their noses into the lives of people from both worlds. From Fools to Magicians, the three cats are witnesses to the stories that unravel.

Dreams in Shadow

Twelve-year-old Tilly is the epitome of a little Fool. The moment she meets Mia, a cat who speaks into her mind, she decides on a whim that it's time for an adventure. Unfortunately, her carefree romp in the world of Fate is cut short by the willful Tillnea, a spoiled brat who won't take no for an answer.

As Tilly's adventure unravels, Mia seeks a way to get them both back on the proper path.

What Am I Writing? 1/21/15 Snippet - Dead As Dreams

Below is a snippet of something I am currently working on. Be warned, it will usually be rough draft material. Please let me know if you like what you read! It'll encourage me to keep going. ♥

Aysa tried to squeeze her eyes shut, but they remained open. No blocking out the scene before her. True, the woman only danced, but there would be more. It was a nightmare, and it would surely live up to the word.

The chains shifted and squirmed, cold metal snakes winding themselves about her, brushing against her skin. She struggled to free herself--they only tightened their grip, creating a noose around her neck. They pressed on her windpipe, and she coughed, the small amount of air she was able to pull into her lungs burning with every attempted breath. She scrabbled some more, in an effort to reach the chains at her throat, to pull them off, but it only made things worse. No. Her vision blurred. This was what it felt like to be captured, to be thrown into slavery, to have freedom ripped from her hands.

Allowing the chains to choke her wouldn't help her escape. Panicking only hindered progress and hope.

So, she relaxed in her bindings. She refused to give up, but she'd bide her time.

And she watched the woman dance.

From Dead As Dreams, Chapter 24 (novel currently in the revision process)

About Dead As Dreams:

Dreams are in danger and souls are chained to the earth. Aysa, the Shepherd of Dreams, and Lazarus, a spirit seeker, join forces to restore the balance between dreams and nightmares and life and death. They face a rogue spirit seeker and a manipulator of nightmares--both intent on unhinging the world, but there is yet another pulling the strings.

NEXT UP: Magic Is Reality, Reality Is Magic - The Candle

What Am I Writing? 10/4/14 Snippet - Dead As Dreams

Below is a snippet of something I am currently working on. Be warned, it will usually be rough draft material. Please let me know if you like what you read! It'll encourage me to keep going. ♥

As Lazarus struggled for a retort, he caught a stirring from the bed, as if wind ruffled the sheets. Then they rose up, a form growing under them. Or a body.

"Aysa, you mind getting us out of here before we talk about this?" He licked his lips and attempted to control his voice, feeling the panic reach into his throat. "The Nexus would be great right about now."

I can't.

"What do you mean you can't?" He wanted to shake her and scream that she better get them out of here before the thing in the bed crawled out.

I have no control in nightmares, only dreams. As if to confirm her statement, her crook vanished. She frowned. That's why it took so long to reach you. I'm stuck here, just as well as you. She glanced toward the bed, and her eyes widened.

It softened Lazarus to hear that even though it took her a while, she came to help him knowing that she would be stuck with whatever horror he was facing, with no power to stop it. But there were more pressing things to consider at the moment.

The sheet slipped off of the growing bulge in the bed, revealing not the Karu-corpse, but the corpse of the chief from Hambrea. His slit throat oozed pus as he sat up and stared right at Lazarus and Aysa.

"How do we get out of here?" Lazarus asked, sure by now the fear had seeped into his voice.

There was also a quaver of fear in Aysa's response, even if she only spoke into his mind. I don't know.

From Dead As Dreams, Chapter 14 (novel currently in the revision process)

About Dead As Dreams:

Dreams are in danger and souls are chained to the earth. Aysa, the Shepherd of Dreams, and Lazarus, a spirit seeker, join forces to restore the balance between dreams and nightmares and life and death. They face a rogue spirit seeker and a manipulator of nightmares--both intent on unhinging the world, but there is yet another pulling the strings.

NEXT UP: What Am I Reading?

What Am I Writing? 9/10/14 Snippet - Dead As Dreams

Below is a snippet of something I am currently working on. Be warned, it will usually be rough draft material. Please let me know if you like what you read! It'll encourage me to keep going. ♥

She shivered as the rain cascaded down her skin and stepped forward. Each step was a battle not to fall again. Not sure where to go, or what she was looking for, she forced herself to be aware of her surroundings. She didn't aim for the crying babe--she knew the futility of that chase.

After what seemed like hours, the muscles in her legs sore from attempting to keep her balance, Aysa paused. The valley still stretched to all sides of her, unchanged. Someone or something was playing games with her. Her anger blossomed.

She realized, with her fury pumping through her, that her fear had vanished, and her yearning to follow the child's cries had secreted itself away.

And she looked up, the only spot she hadn't scrutinized on her journey through this flowered wasteland. The sky was gray, thick with storm clouds. Right above her was a crack, larger than what she had witnessed in the dream with Lazarus. It pulsed an olive green, almost the same color as the rotting flora under Aysa's feet.

For a brief moment, she thought she saw the blink of a pair of eyes, the sweep of lashes, and then the image vanished.

From Dead As Dreams, Chapter 11 (novel currently in the revision process)

About Dead As Dreams:

Dreams are in danger and souls are chained to the earth. Aysa, the Shepherd of Dreams, and Lazarus, a spirit seeker, join forces to restore the balance between dreams and nightmares and life and death. They face a rogue spirit seeker and a manipulator of nightmares--both intent on unhinging the world, but there is yet another pulling the strings.

NEXT UP: Magic Is Reality, Reality Is Magic - Orange

What Am I Writing? 8/7/14 Snippet - Dead As Dreams

Below is a snippet of something I am currently working on. Be warned, it will usually be rough draft material. Please let me know if you like what you read! It'll encourage me to keep going. <3

Lazarus yanked the burning charm out from under his shirt. It flamed a brilliant purple, complementing the colors of the setting sun.

And then he felt the souls, in every crevice of his being, through his skin, muscles, and embedded in his bones. He looked out across the field, tall grasses shifting in the breeze. There was no sign of a single grave, but he saw the bodies just beneath the dirt, decaying and crumbling, buried unceremoniously, without care or love.

A mass grave.

The land was permeated with death, seeped in lost souls. Not a single body beneath had released their spirits. So many souls for Lokahn to devour.

And the souls were hungry. Killed and left alone, they yearned for the warmth of a live body and the touch of a spirit seeker.

From Dead As Dreams, Chapter 7 (novel currently in the revision process)

About Dead As Dreams:

Dreams are in danger and souls are chained to the earth. Aysa, the Shepherd of Dreams, and Lazarus, a spirit seeker, join forces to restore the balance between dreams and nightmares and life and death. They face a rogue spirit seeker and a manipulator of nightmares--both intent on unhinging the world, but there is yet another pulling the strings.

NEXT UP: Finally back to The Sims 3, Lavender Legacy!

What Am I Writing? 5/28/14 Snippet - "Rabid Unicorns"

Below is a snippet of something I am currently working on. Be warned, it will usually be rough draft material. Please let me know if you like what you read! It'll encourage me to keep going. <3

I sprinted across the field, the pack of rabid unicorns thundering behind me in pursuit.

Now, I bet you're wondering why it's a pack and not a herd. No? You're wondering why I have a pack of rabid unicorns pursuing me? Funny story, but I'd rather tell you why it's not a herd first.

You see, these unicorns don't act much like equines. More like dogs. Right down to the saliva dripping from their mouths. Mongrels, the lot of them. The fury in their bloodshot eyes, the steam puffing up from their nostrils, the pawing at the ground when one gets you in its sights--it's all so dog-like, you'd think it wasn't a horse at all, until you see the deadly spiral reaching up to the sky from its forehead. Oh, and the glitter lacing its saliva. Can't forget the glitter. It is a unicorn after all.

Sometimes it's hard to notice the glitter, though. The dried blood on the muzzle and in the mane draws the eyes more than little sparkles. When you see the blood, you know you're in trouble. This unicorn isn't a happy, frilly, munches on grass and rainbows kind of creature. Oh no, that blood is from its past victims.

And then you start running and hope you don't become its next victim.

From my short story (or maybe something other, not quite sure yet) "Rabid Unicorns" (placeholder title) - rough draft

NEXT UP: What Am I Reading?

NaNo Update #1 - Behind

You thought I already gave up, didn't you?

Well, life has gotten in the way. Some personal stuff cropped up last week that made it impossible for me to concentrate. But I still haven't thrown in the towel. There's still plenty of days left in November, and I'm at least making some type of progress!

I finished writing the rough draft associated with The Magus card on Monday. The new tentative title is "Reversed". And yesterday I started in on The High Priestess card's story. Right now, I want black hole somewhere in the title, but beyond that, it's still up in the air. I'll leave you with a snippet from the beginning of the story (and my current meter at the bottom). And even if I don't hit 50,000 words this month, I'll at least have some more Fate stories churned out to revise and submit. ;)

Note: This is rough draft material.

Flick, flick, flick.

What was that noise?

Cecilia walked down the sidewalk, almost gliding, her long summer dress brushing the tops of her bare feet. But it was dark, so dark she could hardly see. The moon shown full in the sky, yet everything around her was a blur, even her hand when she waved it in front of her face.

Flick, flick, flick.

A single object came into focus, heading toward her. The reflector of a bicycle caused her to squint. It passed by her on the street, no rider to steer or keep it upright. There were cards in the spokes of the wheels--that's where the sound came from.

Flick, flick, flick.

Cece only saw the backs of the cards, green flashing by as the wheels turned. No, purple.

Oh, no. It was one of those dreams.

The bike came to a stop just behind her, an unseen apparition setting the kickstand. Knotwork wove across the backs of the cards. Green, yes, definitely green. How could she ever have seen purple?

She lost focus again, the bike and cards disappearing into a blurry mess.

That's right, a dream. And it was the type of dream Cece had worked so hard all her life to keep away from. She thought she had finally eradicated them from her nights--it had been well over a year since she'd had one. But here she was, the cards a tell-tale sign that this was no normal nighttime romp, not just her subconscious working on things she experienced throughout her day.

This dream had things to tell her. These dreams wanted her to listen and heed them.

Cece refused to listen.

NEXT UP: Either a SFFS Snippet or another NaNoWriMo Update.

SFFS Snippet - 11/3/12

Note: This is rough draft material from the short stories I am working on during NaNoWriMo.

After nibbling on some hard cheese and stale bread from his pack, Darney pulled the cards out of his pocket and spread them in front of him, far enough away from the fire that no sparks would jump on them, but close enough so he could see part of the images on their faces.

Per usual, the Magus card stalked him at the center of the heap, reversed, staring up at him, accusing him of not being who he was supposed to be--labeling him a charlatan. The confidence of the mage on the card was wiped when reversed, like something had drained the vibrant colors surrounding him. Blue cat eyes glinted in the backdrop, but they looked miserable upside down.

The mage had escaped the fire, and it seemed to call the damaged cards to it, so it could protect them. What Darney should have done.

He scooped the cards up and stuffed them back in his pocket. His own guilt was enough--he didn't need it from that card too.

Darney shut his eyes, yearning for sleep, to forget what had happened. But the screams wouldn't let him.

From "The Magus" (placeholder title) in the Fate series (rough draft)

About the Fate series:

A story for every Tarot card. A connection to the world of Fate for every story. The three world-hopping cat sisters find themselves at home in the purples of Fate, yet still drawn to the greens of Earth, sticking their noses in the stories of inhabitants of both worlds.

"The Magus" follows Darney on his quest to heal his damaged deck of Tarot cards--cards that have their own heartbeats.

Please visit Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday (SFFS) to read more great snippets!

NEXT UP: NaNoWriMo Update #1

SFFS Snippet - 10/27/12

The barn doors lay open, welcoming the night, but the sky outside was black. No hint of stars or moon. Close to the door, a nail pierced one of the beams that held up the roof. And on that nail hung the silver shoes.

Click, click, click. Tap, tap, tap.

The wind and its tricks made the shoes dance. First they knocked against the beam three times, followed by tapping together another three. A long pause, and then the dance started again. The consistency was eerie.

Excerpt from "Dancing in the Wind".

About "Dancing in the Wind":

The Wizard of Oz is a timeless story that nearly everyone knows about. So what happens when that timeless story is turned on its head? Dorothy is a bully who is thrown into the world of Oz. She gets a taste of her own medicine from a crazy trio of munchkins and the Wizard of Oz himself.

This story received an Honorable Mention in the L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest for the 4th Quarter of 2009.

You can purchase this short story from Amazon, B&N, Smashwords and Kobo!

Please visit Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday (SFFS) to read more great snippets!

NEXT UP: Magic is Reality, Reality is Magic - Samhain

SFFS Snippet - 9/15/12

Time for Lazarus to dance. "Do you wish the aid of a spirit seeker?"

The chief pushed his spectacles up the bridge of his nose. "There are restless spirits that refuse to leave their old home for their new one."

The dialogue was the same every time. A changed word here and there, but Lazarus knew all his lines. "When they see me, they will go home and leave you in peace."

"We wish them honor, not harm. They are souls that are dear to us. We welcome a gentle hand, Spirit Seeker."

From Dead As Dreams, Chapter 3 (novel currently in the revision process)

About Dead As Dreams:

Dreams are in danger and souls are chained to the earth. Aysa, the Shepherd of Dreams, and Lazarus, a spirit seeker, join forces to restore the balance between dreams and nightmares and life and death. They face a rogue spirit seeker and a manipulator of nightmares--both intent on unhinging the world, but there is yet another pulling the strings.

Please visit Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday (SFFS) to read more great snippets!

NEXT UP: Classic Voltron: Defender of the Universe-- Episode Two! Change of plans - Writing Blues!

SFFS Snippet - 8/25/12

He returns to the door and feels a tickle between his shoulder blades. The sense of eyes watching him, many eyes, overwhelms him, and he leans on the door. The eyes listen, but there are no mouths for them to speak.

A bird bolts out of the eaves of a shuttered tower, and a feather drifts past the Traveler and settles on the doorstep at his feet. It shimmers in the light of a moonbeam. A wind picks it up and takes it away--a ghost's soft, silent exhale.

Excerpt from "A Little Bit of Magic", which can be found in the anthology Hazard Yet Forward.

Does anyone know the poem "The Listeners" by Walter de la Mere? That poem inspired this story. Read my speculations as to why no one answered the Traveller's knock.

All proceeds from sales of Hazard Yet Forward go to a wonderful friend and writer to help with her expenses during her fight with breast cancer. There are over 70 stories (that's over 700 pages to read), some by award winners (Contributors), spanning numerous genres. It can only be purchased as e-book via Amazon.com. It's well worth the read!

Please visit Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday (SFFS) to read more great snippets!

NEXT UP: Magic is Reality, Reality is Magic - The Element of Air