I have a cover - Apollo Rising

Apollo Rising, a novella in three acts, releases on September 9, 2012 from Musa Publishing. I've talked a number of times on this blog about how wonderful Musa is. Fair warning, I'm going to do it again. For those who don't know, Musa gives its writers some fairly amazing input into the cover design process. Once you sign a contract with Musa, you need to fill out a Marketing Details Worksheet. Relevant to this discussion, the worksheet asks for input on the cover design.

Apollo Rising is a Greek Myth retelling of the Daphne/Apollo myth from the points of view of Daphne (Act I), Alex (Act II), and Apollo (Act III). Needless to say, some classic elements for the cover are Daphne transformed into the laurel tree, Apollo's chariot and Cupid's arrows - one gold, the other lead. These were all suggestions in my marketing details.

Kelly Shorten the lead artistic muse over at Musa, took those details and ran with them. I made comments on the cover and Kelly worked her magic. The result? Well,  I think it's fabulous, but you judge.



So what do you think? Please leave a comment and let me know.

My sincere thanks to all the muses at Musa. I couldn't do this without you.

Apollo Rising - To restore Daphne to her nymph form, Apollo must bargain with treacherous Hades, but Death may demand too high a price.

More details and a chance to win a free copy of Apollo's Rising will be coming over the next two weeks.

New Release - Jack Gorman Got Cut By A Girl

So. we're a week away from the release of the Jack Gorman Got Cut By A Girl anthology. I've talked a little about how the Jack Gorman Project got started in my post about striking while the iron is hot. I'll post on Monday a bit more about the process of creating a braided mixed-genre anthology like Jack. But for tonight, I thought I'd give you a better idea about what the anthology's about.

Jack Gorman would rather spend his time swilling brewskies, scoring with the babes, and watching football. Instead, he's been cursed by sword-bearing girl he harassed while on a bender.
Now, karma is dragging Jack's sorry ass across time, space, and alternate histories. The curse can be broken if Jack manages to learn his lesson, but Jack is nothing if not consistent. From small California towns to a steampunk past, a magical future, and a space odyssey of narcissistic proportions, Jack flirts and drinks his way across reality only to discover that girls with
blades are everywhere.

Will Jack ever break the curse? Or is he doomed to an eternity of getting cut by girls? Regardless, Jack still can't get a break. As he learns the hard way, karma kicks ass in all timelines.

***

You're Jackism for today is: "Kick me in the balls, fine, I deserve that. But why did you have to cut me? Man. Whadda' fuck is wrong with you?"

Stay tuned for more about Jack Gorman Got Cut By A Girl including a Release Day Contest for a free copy.

Work in Progress Update - June 2012 roundup

So, after a weekend without power for many in my area and a shift in the day job, I'm finally getting a chance to catch-up.

Being an unemployed (sort of) lawyer is an interesting thing. My old firm of nearly 5 years chose to break apart for, effectively, irreconcilable differences. I opted to join another firm rather than stay with one of the new firms rising from the ashes of the old. Before making that decision, I contemplated going solo. One of the many weird things about being a lawyer, is if you have clients you really are never "out of work." When my new firm asked me if I planned to take a few days off between the companies, I laughed. I was leaving the old firm on Friday, and had court set for Monday. So, no, no time off.

The shifting of my day job means I haven't done any substantial new writing for the last 4 weeks. Not even my lousy 250 words a day. Grr.

The Jack Gorman anthology comes out on July 20 and it's consumed the little writing time I've been able to scrape up. We were sent a draft cover for the anthology, and our first rounds of edits. All those are in.

The other projects are stalled. My erotic novella New Bohemia, Just One Night awaits editing. The Noebco Effect, which is a novel with Vonna from Flashes of Life in the Paths Less Traveled short story collection sits at about 20,000 words. I also need to get beta comments back to another writer on his novel.

Still, things could be a lot worse.

Last month saw my first royalty payment and two short story collections in print.

For July, my plan is to:
(1) revamp my law practice to match my new firm's mode of operation,
(2) get feedback to the other writer;
(3) edit New Bohemia; and
(4) write another 30,000 words in Flashes of Life.

Sure, I can do that. Stay tuned and watch me.

Shots at Redemption - Excerpt

My second short story collection, Shots at Redemption, released on Friday, June 1 from Musa Publishing.

Even paranormal beings sometimes need a second chance at love. Shots at Redemption:  we all want them. But do we get them?  

Excerpt:

Garrett talked to Tabitha by the buffet table. How dare she? He was mine. Something cold and predatory slid over me.

I wound my way through the masses. The sinuous curves of my body slid in a seductive symphony. A smile eased over my features. The Dress glimmered unicorn white. Strobe lights bathed it in ever-shifting colors. I was the most remarkable woman here.

And Gary was finally going to get his due.

He stepped away from Tabitha. “Ms. Willowbalm, may I have the privilege of the next dance?”

I inclined my head as I took his arm. “I thought you were going to call me Janelle.”

“Of course.”

At the edge of the dance floor, one hand held mine while the other wrapped around my waist. It’s a wonder he didn’t hear my heart racing. A flush of heat warmed my face. His redwood and light musk scent enveloped me. I closed my eyes and breathed in his essence. A wide stupid grin stretched my features. I was dancing with Garrett Rowan. He was holding me.

“You’ve undergone a rather remarkable transformation this year,” he said.

“Things just seemed to fall into place.” I shrugged, knowing it made my cleavage more notable. His eyes flittered lower before jumping back to meet mine. “I’m surprised you noticed.”

“I like to think of myself as an observant man.”

Gary murdered us, the silken voice of The Dress snarled in my mind.

No, I thought.

Gary cannot be trusted.

This is what I w-want, to be here, with Garrett.

Mercury strands formed a net around my mind. My body jerked as they closed in.

No! I screamed in the confines of my head. I ordered my body to pull back, to shout for help. It didn’t respond. The Dress had seized control. Sweat prickled on the back of my neck.

A deep sadistic laugh was my only response. Foolish child. Gary’s blood will pave the way. The initial sacrificial lamb. The Council will fall to me this time.

Gary held me slightly away from his body. “Ah, Medea. It was about time you showed yourself.”

“Gary dear,” a voice that wasn’t mine spilled out from my lips. It was deeper than the voice I’d heard in my head from The Dress. I felt the muscles in my face stretch to a grin. “I’ll enjoy killing you.”

The spirit me screamed, unheard and unbidden. I couldn’t feel the warmth of his hand as it rested against the small of my back or where his other hand was conjoined with mine. Even his redwood and spice scent didn’t fill my senses. Was I dead? No. This can’t be happening.

Get out of my head, I snarled at the invader, Medea, Garrett had called her Medea. If I’d still retained control of my body, my legs would have bowed, unable to support my weight. Medea Oleander. Medea Oleander was inside my mind. And she wanted to kill Garrett. I couldn’t, no, I wouldn’t let her succeed.

* * * *

 

I hope you enjoyed the excerpt. You can find out what happens next in Shots of Redemption.

Shots at Redemption - Blurb

My latest short story collection, Shots At Redemption, releases on June 1, 2012 from Musa Publishing. In anticipation of the event, I'm posting the back cover blurb.

And, I'll give a free copy of the book to whoever comes up with the best joke, in my sole opinion, using the phrase, "A witch, a goddess and a dragon. . ", before the June 1 release.

Blurb:

We all make mistakes. In this collection, a witch, a goddess, and a dragon take their shots at redemption in the hope of reclaiming lost love.

In "Best Dressed and Obsessed, Janelle, a graduate-level witch, chooses a magic dress to enthrall her professor. Sadly, the dress is cursed. At her graduation ball, will she kiss the man
she loves? Or kill him?

Eons ago, Zeus decreed that Odysseus leave Kalypso. In "Kalypso's Song", Odysseus is reborn as a scholar. Can Kalypso convince him to reclaim the love they were denied?

The sea dragon Ryu spares a ship crossing her domain when a human child aboard reminds her of her own lost children. Ryu finds an unlikely surrogate family in "A Sea Serpent's Tale". When her new family is attacked by another dragon, can Ryu save them?

Shots at Redemption. We want them. We need them. But, do we get them?

Coming June 1 from Musa Publishing -

http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=296

Paths Less Traveled - Excerpt

Paths Less Traveled will be available from Musa Publishing (http://musapublishing.com) and Amazon this Friday. In celebration of the imminent release, I'm posting an excerpt from Flashes of Life.

*****

A blonde female officer growled as I bent to slide under the yellow police tape. Her aura flicked with the burnt amber of authority and a hint of annoyance. Her jaw snapped shut as she took in my white leather outfit and gloves, the outward sign of my other than human status. Silver surprise limed her before changing to puce and signaling her disgust. Her gaze flicked to the emblem bearing the Greek letter Psi on my chest, and then skittered away.

"A pleasure to meet you Officer Williams. I'm Vonna Sinya, the assigned Psionic . Detective Muller is waiting for me."

Williams tapped her commlink and turned her back.

"The Charlie's here," Williams whispered.

Charlie-short for charlatan.

The word burned across my skin. It’s what the insens called psychics despite the scientific proof of our existence. I drove my fingernails into my palms. The white leather gloves only transferred the barest pressure to my hand. Recently graduated from Psy Corp, the gloves were a new addition to my wardrobe.

The gloves chaffed.

Muller strode briskly toward me. "Let her pass," he said as he approached. "Ms. Sinya, nice to meet you." He looked down at his hand, and then dusted it off on his pants before extending it.

Touching a psychic was the equivalent of offering your throat to a hungry vampire. The corners of his eyes tightened making the three crow's feet under each one stand out from his skin. He wasn't as sanguine about his offer as he'd like me to believe. He knew psychics were a threat even when smothered in leather. Maybe especially then. Still, the alpha dog was offering me a place in the pack and hoping I didn't challenge his authority.

I pasted a smile on and grasped his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Please call me, Vonna."

"Rick." He lifted the tape. "First murder?"

I ducked under the line separating cops from little people. "My first crime scene."

He shifted a step back. "Why do I get the newbies?"

"Because you're willing to shake hands with us?"

The change in his mood was so rapid that his bark of laughter and bright blue slash of humor startled me. "That may be it." He walked toward the house. His pace was half the speed of his departure. "Main talent?"

A rash of heat flamed across my features. "We don't know."

Muller stopped and turned. "The Company does not let unknown psionics wander the streets, much less join active investigations. It's not like I just asked your favorite sexual position."

The Company was a pejorative term for Psy Corp. I'd heard it referred to an ancient song about owing your soul to the Company you worked for. If so, it wasn't a misnomer.

"I'm a thirty-seven."

"Excuse me?" Muller went pale in the flashing blue lights.

Despite the pit in my stomach at what might await me in the house, I smiled. "Just realize what you'd given your hand to?"

* * * *

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Vonna's world. Please follow Vonna and Falcon on their Paths Less Traveled. Strange universes. Kick-butt heroines.

News

Musa Publishing contracted my short story, Through the Stone Circle , for publication for an upcoming anthology. We don't have a publication date yet, but it will likely be before Halloween 2012.

Flash Fiction Online

A few months ago, I was asked to be a slush reader for Flash Fiction Online. Unfortunately, at the time, work and family commitments consumed all my time, and I didn't feel like I could give FFO the attention it deserved. While I'm not sure my time commitments have lessened, I decided to join FFO anyway.

So, I'm currently diving through my first pile of submissions. It's been an educational experience in a number of ways. In the coming weeks, I'm hoping to add a feature called "Lessons from the Slush Pile." Stay tuned.