Well, I told you I’d be back today and here I am! I might not be making much sense yet. You see, I run on coffee and there isn’t enough flowing through my system to make coherent thought always available. But I’m going to give it a try. VBG.

I hope your weekend was more enjoyable than mine. I spent much of it doing plumbing repairs. Oh the joy of home ownership, especially when the home is close to 50 years old. Part of the problem is the age of the house and lines. Part is the fact there are times folks revert to toddlers and use half a roll of toilet paper—and drop things down the toilet—and clog the line. So two floods, backups into the shower and tub and much cussing later, I got the lines cleared enough to work until the plumber can get here later this week. Of course, every time someone flushed, I made a mad dash to check to make sure no nasty surprises resulted. Such fun…not.

I think what was really humbling about it all was that it reminded me I’m not as young as I used to be.

But enough of that.

I don’t know how things are going across the rest of the country, but here in the Lone Star State, we’ve started the push toward the November elections. More commercials. More emails. More of everything except politicians actually listening to what the voters want and the following through after they are elected. I will say one thing and then I’m moving on from politics today because I don’t want to get into it this morning. If Paxton doesn’t step up his game and stop trying to be a poor imitation of Trump—as well as usurping the role of parents in education, etc.—he’s going to lose to Talarico. At least in my part of the state, Talarico is running an ad that hits exactly where most Texans’s hearts are—family, neighbors, God. It’s a heartwarming sort of ad where he sits on the porch with his “Paw Paw” talking about just that. No slamming of his opponent. No promising anything he can’t deliver. It’s effective. Especially when you consider Paxton has already started the attack ads—mainly through the PAC which looks like it is run by his finance chief. Attack ads have their place. However, starting them this early will lead to voter burnout.

Today’s going to be a day of administrivia. I need to sit down and make an actual publication schedule, something I can handle along with everything else on my much too long list of things to do. I also need to decide what to do about covers. Right now, money is thing. Funny how not publishing for a year will do that to your income stream. I know there are pros and cons to using apps like Midjourney to create a cover with AI. I know people are torn about whether doing so is “cheating” or not. But my concern is that I am not up to date right now on how Amazon and other outlets are viewing such covers. This is a concern, especially since some of these marketplaces are cracking down and putting into place plans to label any title that uses AI. My question is does this include in cover creation or if it is only in creating/writing the book.

So, it’s time for homework.

One quick note. As I was writing this, the attack ad against Talarico ran. I almost didn’t pay attention to it. But the name of the PAC wasn’t the same as the one I’d noted last week even though it was the same commercial. A few minutes of googling found me information on the new PAC—which is no longer in the name of Paxton’s campaign treasurer and this article. Texas politics has always been “interesting”. This midterm election promises to be even moreso than usual. Sigh.

What that’s meant is that my online presence basically disappeared. Part of it was because of the time it takes to be effective online. Part was a conscious decision because my own mental health was taking a hit. Between wanting to strangle friends on both sides of the political aisle for their stances on issues to wondering if I was suddenly living in a mirror world, I decided the better part of discretion was to take a big step back for a bit and see if things settled.

They haven’t. Home, I can deal with. Even if it means like the last couple of days being elbow deep in plumbing repairs I’ve been doing myself because plumbers either want me to pay emergency rates—which this isn’t. It’s just inconvenient—or wait until next week to get them out. So, yours truly has spent time on Youtube and researching what the problem is and how to fix it. Whee—not.

Add in Texas politics. This is where I should probably say “don’t get me started”. We have a state AG running for Senate. His campaign’s financial guy has his own PAC that is running hit ads on the Dem. candidate—without disclosure of this very close tie back to the AG. It’s not illegal but it doesn’t pass my smell test.

We have a LT Gov who has decided it’s his primary job to police school libraries. Apparently, his latest is telling everyone that Elie Wieisel’s book, Night, is too obscene for 8th graders to read. Mind you, this is the same book that the Republican heavy committee approved as mandatory for 8th graders starting in 2030. Frankly, I agree with the committee—something I haven’t done in many many months. If you aren’t familiar with Night, here’s the blurb:

A new translation from the French by Marion Wiesel. Night is Elie Wiesel's masterpiece, a candid, horrific, and deeply poignant autobiographical account of his survival as a teenager in the Nazi death camps.

This new translation by Marion Wiesel, Elie's wife and frequent translator, presents this seminal memoir in the language and spirit truest to the author's original intent. And in a substantive new preface, Elie reflects on the enduring importance of Night and his lifelong, passionate dedication to ensuring that the world never forgets man's capacity for inhumanity to man.

Night offers much more than a litany of the daily terrors, everyday perversions, and rampant sadism at Auschwitz and Buchenwald; it also eloquently addresses many of the philosophical as well as personal questions implicit in any serious consideration of what the Holocaust was, what it meant, and what its legacy is and will be.

Is it a serious subject? Hell, yes. Is it necessary? Again, hell yes. And let’s not forget about the fact there are checks and balances already in place to give parents the opportunity to say they aren’t comfortable with their kids reading something and to have an alternative book assigned. But that’s not enough for our Lt.Gov. who wants to be the moral police for our state.

Sigh.

Then there’s the fact the Republicans are having the first ever mid-term convention in Dallas. Normally, I’d applaud this. It would give voters a chance to hear more from candidates. It would bring an economic boost the city needs. Unfortunately, this is being put together too quickly. There is little to no transparency in how much this will cost the city and/or county. In point of fact, during this last city council meeting, one of the council members pointed out the unknown cost to the city at a time when its budget is already blow and they are not only cutting back on services but letting job openings go unfilled. Then, in a comment that resonated with any longtime resident of the area, she pointed out that we’ve already gone through one presidential tragedy in Dallas and did we want to risk another, reminding everyone that there have already been multiple attempts on the president’s life and did we want to risk something happening here, especially since we are a month away from the dates of the convention and things like security, etc., are still up in the air?

On the personal front, when I’m not worried about the political climate—from both sides—of our country, I’m doing what I can to avoid elbow surgery. As I said, I have been writing, just not putting the finishing touches on anything because my brain just isn’t in it. Even that isn’t quite right. I want to do it. I have it started. But then life interferes. But the head is clearer now than it has been in a very long time and I’m finally able to sit back down to work, even if it is slower since the elbow is so bad right now.

To turn a too long post into something manageable, I’m hoping to get the next Eerie Side of the Tracks book out by mid-October. Following that will be a science fiction novel. I’m not sure if it will be in the Honor & Duty universe or something new. Yes, I have both not only outlined but drafted and awaiting final edits. I also have a couple of mystery/suspense novels ready to go into edits.

I am going to start working this spot as well. Right now, I plan on two posts a week. As I manage to move into a better work brain, the frequency of posts will increase. Some will be just me being me—I’m sorry. VBG. Some will focus on my writing or what I happen to be reading, etc. There will even be the occasional political post. I will, however, give you a disclaimer so you can avoid those if you want. Fair warning, I’m not going to hold back on whoever has me concerned, no matter what their name or what their political affiliation.

Until Monday!

Before I get to the trade, let me address the Landry issue. I don’t blame Jones for replacing him. Tom Landry was a legend and rightfully so. But the last several years of his tenure with the ‘Boys proved he had not adapted to the changes within the league. We had talent, so very much talent, but we weren’t winning. I was one of those calling for Landry to be replaced. What I didn’t like was how the whole thing was handled by Jones. I wasn’t alone. But that’s water under the bridge and, as I said, he seemed to have redeemed himself when we had three Super Bowl wins that first decade of his ownership.

But Jones started believing his own press. He thinks he knows as much, if not more, than his head coaches when it comes to running the team in the locker room and on the field. He doesn’t respect the process when it comes to contract negotiations. He wants to deal directly with the players instead of their agents. This is where the Parsons situation exploded. Jerry swears he made a deal with Parsons, one Parsons’ agent wasn’t involved in, and that the agent blew everything up. But when the agent and Parsons tried to continue negotiation, Jerry apparently crossed his arms and declared there was a deal and he wasn’t going to negotiate any more. Then there was no deal.

Jerry played a game and lost. No, he didn’t lose. He got exactly what he wanted: publicity. He kept the Cowboys on the front page of sports sections and on sports programs for the entirety of a mediocre at best preseason. He kept telling the fans he was confident Micah would be on the field come regular season.

Foolish us, we thought he meant as a Cowboy.

Once again, Jones pulled the rug out from under us and traded one of the best defensive players in the league to rival Green Bay. At least he didn’t trade him to an NFC East team. So I guess things could be worse.

I almost threw my mug against the wall this morning when I read an article where Jones said everyone, including the coach, agreed with the trade. Let’s look at who “everyone” is in the decision-making realm of the Dallas Cowboys. Jerry Jones, owner and GM, Stephen Jones, his son and co-owner, two other kids who are co-owners and hold executive roles. Oh yeah, first year head coach “Shotty”, who hasn’t been a head coach before and who has been around the league most of his life and who knows if you don’t agree with Jones you aren’t long for the team. Suuuure, they all agreed.

As a Cowboys fan, and it is getting harder and harder to remain one with each passing season, this trade ranks down there with the Mav’s trade of Luka. When you get rid of one of the cornerstones of a team, especially when you aren’t getting anything close to equal talent in the trade, you’re screwing your team and you’re telling your fans you really don’t give a damn about winning.

Respect is lacking here. Jones’ actions over the years seem to indicate a lack of respect for all but a few of his players and coaches. You can certainly make the argument that he doesn’t respect his coaching staff. We won’t even go into his seeming lack of respect for players’ agents (mind you, I don’t have a lot of respect for them either, but they have the job of protecting their clients’ interests, something Jones isn’t known for doing). Respect for the fans? What is this thing you’re talking about?

But, let’s be fair, there is a lack of respect for Jones as an owner and GM. After 30 years without a Super Bowl win, Dallas deserves more than watching our best defensive player be traded to another team simply because Jerry didn’t want to deal with his agent. If we’re to believe Jerry, it wasn’t the money Parsons asked for that was the issue.

All I know for sure is when you look at the stats, Parsons has done more in his 5 years in the NFL than player we traded him for (along with a couple of first round picks later) in 10 years in the league. Yep, Jones pulled a Nico and Dallas fans can now shout “Fire Nico! Fire Jerry!”.

It is a sad day—again—for sports fans in Dallas.

I want to start again by thanking everyone who has bought or borrowed Witchstorm Rising. You guys rock. Now do me one more favor. Please tell your friends, family, and loved ones about the book and leave a review. Okay, that’s two things, but they do go hand-in-hand. Now to the update.

Remember how I said my muse is an evil creature? Well, the last two days prove it. I’ve got the rough draft for Honor & Duty: Origins done. It is very rough but I know the plot and characters and what needs to be done. I spent the last couple of days doing a quick, down-and-dirty synopsis/outline of what I thought would be the other two titles in the series. Well. . . .

Can you say, “Best laid plans”?

It looks like there will be four titles in the series instead of three. That might change, but the way it breaks down right now, there will be three additional titles after H&D:O #1. So I’m going to be busy for a while. But I know exactly where the story arc is going. I just have to fill in the blanks, expand the descriptions, and make it all fit into what’s already been written in the universe.

Fun times ahead—and I say that with very little sarcasm for a change.

What does that mean for the final book in the Eerie Side of the Tracks current story arc? Witchstorm Shadows (working title) will follow H&D:O #1. After Shadows, I’ll turn back to H&D: O #2. What goes in between it and the third book, if anything, remains to be determined. I might put in the final book in the Sword of the Gods series or I might slide in a new title in the Nocturnal Lives series. I have several outlined and/or drafted in that one. The sequel to Surtr’s Fury is finally starting to take shape in my head. But it needs more time to percolate before I start on it. So I’m going to be busy over the next couple of years.

But, for the first time in more than two years, I’m excited about writing again. I’ve finally figured out how to have at least a modicum of balance in my life so I can handle the demands of running the household and dealing with an aging parent with work and writing. Now to figure out when to add-in some time for working out and I’ll be a happy camper.

As long as I don’t think about the idiocy that is pro sports in Dallas. Sigh. Why oh why did Jerry Jones trade Micah Parsons?

For now, look for snippets starting in a couple of weeks. Since this is a new project/quasi-new world, those who are paid subscribers will get the unedited e-arc once I finish all but the final pass through. I’ll set that up later and will be letting you know how to claim it.

For now, I need to find some more coffee and then get back to work. Until later!

Oh, if you’re traveling this holiday weekend, stay safe.

Back when I first published Vengeance from Ashes, I had requests to consider doing a prequel, even if only a short story, about the Arterus mission that led to Ashlyn Shaw and some of her Marines being court-martialed and sentenced to the penal colony on Tarsus. That one mission and the machinations behind what happened were the starting point for the series, the motivation behind not only Ash but others, some who supported her and others who really wished she’d died there.

That story is still sitting in the back of my mind, mainly because every time I’ve sat down to write it, it’s become something much more than a short story. I really don’t want to do a novel on the events. So I’ve been letting it percolate and the plan right now is to release it here on Substack around the first of the year.

Fingers crossed.

As I said the other day, the next project up is a prequel novel set in the H&D universe. We’re going back a number of generations to the story of Evangeline Cordova, the many-times great-grandmother who not only started the family on its dedication to serve Fuercon but whose dog tag one member of each generation wear with their own. Evangeline set the example for Ashlyn’s maternal line, proving the importance of Honor, Duty, Family.

The project has created some new challenges. I’m comfortable with the Fuercon of Vengeance from Ashes and the other titles. But the Fuercon in Origins is something very different. This is a planet that hasn’t been settled for all that long. Much of the planet is still wilderness or rural settlements of farms and ranches. It doesn’t have a strong military and system defenses are minimal. Danger comes from natural predators, native to the planet and from outside forces.

Then there’s the fact the tech isn’t as advanced as we have in the original novels. There aren’t implants to augment someone’s abilities. If help responds to an SOS, it takes longer to get there. Then there are the aliens, new ones not mentioned in the original titles. (Which begs the question of why and how do I deal with them without screwing up the timeline and plots of the books already published?)

It’s been a mix of fun and anguish as I’ve put together the very rough draft. Not only do I have to be careful not to make Evangeline into another version of Ash, but the Evangeline we first meet is not quite as old as Ash was at the beginning of Battle Flight.

So that’s what I’ll be working on for the next month or two. I don’t have a cover yet, not really. But I pulled together a mock-up to be inspiration as I finish the final draft and look for the right image elements for the final cover.

So, for now, I’m biting my nails as I wait for the reviews of Witchstorm Rising to come in and, at the same time, letting my imagination fly as I turn my full attention to H&D: Origins. Oh, and I need to figure out a title for the book since H&D: Origins is the series (ok, sub-series) title.

Until later!

(BTW, just to make sure it’s clear. The featured image was created by me using Midjourney AI. It is for my inspiration board and will not be the cover of the book.)

Fair warning, this is going to be a political post. Before you jump to conclusions based on the post title, stop. This isn’t going to be an anti-Trump post, not really. It is more a knock on too many politicians, those who have forgotten that they are supposed to represent our best interests, not their own.

So what set me off?

It was a clip of Trump sitting at his desk saying he could do whatever he wanted because he is President.

Yes, context is everything. Except when you don’t have context, just a sound byte. Then you have to look at the optics and the optics on a comment like that are horrible. It makes Trump look like a wannabe dictator or king, something the Dems and others have accused him of more than once.

It goes hand-in-hand with the redistricting stupidity happening right now in Texas, California and potentially even more locations. First, redistricting usually happens every 10 years, at least here in TX. But Trump said he wanted Texas to find a way to get him five more members of Congress—five Republican members. The only way to do that is to redistrict. The sponsor of the bill even admitted he was doing it to cut out democratic control and get those five coveted spots in the House.

There’s nothing technically illegal about that. EXCEPT, there can be. If the other side can convince a judge that the new map was drawn in such a way it was known or should have been known the new districts would dilute minority votes. Can you say gerrymandering?

(Trust me, the courts will be taking a very long and hard look at the new map and, based on history in TX regarding redistricting, the court will pause at best any changes.)

There are other downsides to the move. From the TX point of view, the special session where the redistricting issue was supposed to be dealt with was also supposed to deal with issues stemming from the horrible flooding and subsequent deaths in Kerr and surrounding counties back in early July. There were other issues on the calendar as well. None of them were dealt with because the majority of the Dems left the state, preventing the House from getting a quorum. So committees met, politicians on both side postured for the news cameras, and the people of Texas were the ones to suffer.

Then there’s the response from states like Callifornia where the governor and Democratic majority have sworn to do their own redistricting to counter what Texas is doing. So we’re now in a game of tit for tat, such fun. Not. Not if you are an Average Joe or Jane who just wants the government to work for you and not find more ways to spend your tax dollars so they aren’t going to help support the infrastructure, the military, the important things that too many politicians seem to have forgotten.

There is a lesson to be learned from what’s happening regarding redistricting. The tit-for-tat isn’t limited to just redistricting. We’re seeing politicians in executive offices—be it as president, governor, mayor or school board chair—to negate what their predecessor did. Some do try to work through the voters, others use executive orders. They seem to forget that what they do lays the groundwork for what their predecessors can do.

And what they will do.

When are we, as voters, going to start paying attention to those power grabs, those fits of ego, politicians allow themselves to fall victim to? Trump does it. Biden did it. So did every other president for as long as I can remember. Governors do it. I won’t say every politician does, but too many do.

We need to remind them that they work for us.

Our best interests are what they should be worried about, not their egos and not their personal agendas.

They need to remember the law of unintended consequences.

Or foreseen consequences if they’d simply looked beyond their immediate wants.

Okay, climbing off my soapbox. I’d rather be writing about an invasion on a faraway planet than deal with politics right now.

Until later.

Let’s start this off with a big thank you to everyone who pre-ordered Witchstorm Rising or who downloaded it yesterday. After so long without bringing anything new out, it’s awesome to see folks still want to read what I write. So here’s a big thank you to each of you. Of course, that comes with a favor request: let your friends and family know about the book please. Word of mouth is still one of the best forms of promo for an author.

Without getting into spoiler area, this book really did take some turns I hadn’t expected. One reason I’m not a full outliner when it comes to my work is because I know my muse. Myrtle is evil and she loves disrupting my carefully crafted timelines. This time, not only did she do that but she threw a huge wrench in the works when it comes to romance. In my rough draft, in the base outline, Shay wasn’t going to have a romance in this book. That was one of the departures from the formula of the other full-length novels in the series. I had that particular aspect saved for the final book in the story arc.

But Myrtle had other plans.

She always has other plans. She’s evil, remember?

And, true to form, she didn’t let me know about the change until it happened. Let me tell you, it’s more than a little weird to see something appear on the page you had no clue about.

(Before you contact the men in the white coats, this is part of being a writer. Sometimes, our sub-conscious, our muse, knows something we don’t and it’s sprung on us.)

As I reread the scene, I realized it felt right even if it wasn’t something I planned.

Even if I knew there might be some folks raising an eyebrow or two about it.

Them’s the breaks, especially where Myrtle’s concerned.

That “little surprise” is one reason I’m letting the final book in the story arc sit for a bit. This change in plot and character development means changing some important things in the next book. I want to let that sit and give Myrtle time to find new ways to torment me in the process.

In the meantime, if you’ve already picked up your copy of Witchstorm Rising, thanks. If you haven’t, I’d really appreciate it if you’d think about it. Oh, and please leave a review. It doesn’t have to be long. But those reviews help, not only do they encourage other readers to buy the book but they help with product placement on Amazon.

For now, I’m going to find coffee and then head over to Fuercon and see what sort of trouble I can get into there. Trust me, even though Fuercon exists only in my mind, I can get into lots of trouble there, as seen by the Honor & Duty books already out.

Until later!

Without going into spoilers, this book has been a trip to write. It took more twists and turns than most of my other books combined. Myrtle the Evil Muse was particularly evil, at least to me. That’s one reason it took so long to finish. But it is done, the draft for the next book is written and sitting on the back burner for a bit, and I am already at work on the next project.

And that next project is going to be Honor & Duty: Origins #1. I’m still looking for the right title. I’ll update on that tomorrow because this post is really about Witchstorm Rising. Buy it. Download it. Please. (Or borrow and read because it is in Kindle Unlimited). Most of all, I’d really appreciate it if you’d not only leave a rating but also a review. Those help more than you know.

Thanks to those who have already bought the book. I truly appreciate you guys.

One more day. That’s how long I have to keep worrying until Witchstorm Rising is released. It’s been much too long since my last release. Maybe that’s why my stomach is in knots. Anyway, if you haven’t checked it out, please follow the link above and take a look. I really love this book and a lot of sweat went into writing it.

So what’s next?

The draft for Witchstorm Shadows (working title) is done. I’m going to let it percolate on the back burner for a bit before going in and making the changes necessary after some of the changes made to Rising.

I’ve spent the last couple of days figuring out what should come out next. I have several rough drafts ready to go into the heavy edit phase—where I hash out plot issues, expand on some things and remove others, etc. Instead of going straight into Shadows or another UF novel, I’m going to do Honor & Duty: Origins #1 (yeah, yeah, I know. I need a title). This is a prequel novel to the Honor & Duty universe. It will focus on Evangeline Cordova, one of Ashlyn Shaw’s ancestors and the person who started Ash’s maternal line on their dedication to service to Fuercon.

I went through the draft over the weekend and really like where it’s heading. Notes were made and I’m about ready to start the heavy work of getting it ready for publication. This morning, however, I spent a couple of hours plotting out the second title in the prequel series. That ended up being approximately 2,500 words. I want to do the same with the final title in the series before sitting down and getting to the nitty-gritty work on Origins #1.

I’m aiming for it to come out November. I’ll update with more on the date in a couple of weeks. After that, I’ll bring out the final book in the Eerie Side of the Tracks current story arc (Shadows). Then Origins #2. Then a new title in the Nocturnal Lives universe—I think. There are two other projects in various stages I might slip in instead.

But, for now, my stomach is doing flips and flops as the clock ticks toward midnight and Witchstorm Rising’s release.

Now I guess I’ll go huddle in the corner and try to act like it’s perfectuly reasonable for me to turn into a mass of nerves.

Until later!

Everything is set for the release. Everything except my nervous stomach. This book has taken so many twists and turns along the way, more than just about any other book I’ve written. Between real life complications and those twists and turns, there were times I wondered if it would ever see the light of day. But that day is about to happen and I’m so very stoked (and nervous) about it. I really love the book and hope you do as well. Anyway. . . here’s a quick snippet. As with the others, it doesn’t follow directly from the previous snip.

Don’t forget, you can preorder the book here. Release date is August 26th—ASG

I tapped a button on the steering wheel as I pulled away from Miss Serena’s, activating the Bluetooth link to my cellphone.

“Call Mom.”

The phone rang twice before she answered

“Shay, what a pleasant surprise.” I heard the smile in her voice. “I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon. Is everything all right?”

“Everything’s fine, Mom. I have a question for you though. Are you up for some company?”

There was a pause as the possible implications of my question dawned on her.

“Of course, we are! When?”

“Well,” I drawled, grinning. “It seems I’m already in town.”

This time the silence drew out and I wondered if I made a mistake by not letting her know my plans. Then she laughed and I pictured her clapping her hands like a kid learning they were about to go to the park after being cooped up inside all day.

“You’d better not be teasing me, Shayna Marie.”

“Mom!” I drew the word out until it sounded like it consisted of three syllables. I knew how to play the game, after all. “I’m not teasing you. I really am in town.” I braked for a stop sign.

“You’d better be telling the truth.” She left unspoken the threat of withholding my favorite desserts if I wasn’t. “How long are you staying?”

“I don’t know yet.” I drove on, marveling at the difference between traffic-clogged Chicago and here, where three cars at a four-way stop was considered a traffic jam. “I promise I’ll explain when I see you.”

“Just tell me this, Shay. Are you all right?” Motherly concern tempered her joy to know I was home.

“I am.” For now, at least. “I’m almost there, Mom. See you soon. Love you.”

“Love you too,” she said before I ended the call.

A few minutes later, I parked across the street from the two-story Queen Anne-style house I grew up in. The tree-lined street hadn’t changed much in the years since I moved to Chicago. The oak, maple and elm trees were bigger. Some of the yards sported new shrubs and landscaping. A few houses sported new paint schemes. It was the same and yet different.

Just like me.

I blew out a breath and shook off the memories of the taunts from certain classmates who thought being adopted somehow made me less than them. Those kids didn’t understand my adoptive parents CHOSE me. They wanted ME. The moment they adopted me, they became my real parents and nothing else mattered. I wasn’t that hurt seventeen-year-old who left town, swearing never to return for more than a day or two at a time. Besides, I had other things to worry about now: like why no one, including my best friends, told me about the trouble Mossy Creek had seen these last couple of years.

But that would wait.

For the first time in a long while, I was excited to be here. I wanted to see Mom’s new store. I wanted to spend time with Dad, maybe even go fishing for a few hours. Most of all, I wanted to make sure they were all right and that the troubles Miss Serena spoke about hadn’t touched them.

Because I knew how to play the game, I reached for my cellphone. My thumbs flew across the screen and a moment later I pressed SEND.

S: I’m here. Where are you?

Mom: Brat! I’m here, waiting for you.

S: Not for long. Assuming the front door’s unlocked.

Mom: Get inside before I decide to lock you out.

I grinned, tossed the cellphone onto the passenger seat and glanced back at the house. As I did, the front door swung open and Mom hurried out. Dressed in jeans, a yellow cotton blouse, and a pair of fashionable ankle boots, she looked around, her eyes searching, her expression hopeful. Seeing the pickup parked across the street, her eyes narrowed. I reached over and pressed the button to lower the window.

Before I could say anything, my phone beeped softly with another incoming text.

GDad: You can’t hide in that fancy truck of yours all day. Come inside and tell me what’s brought you home. You don’t often show yourself here in the light of day.

I rolled my eyes and glanced at the window on the left corner of the second floor. The curtains slightly, as if someone was peeking out. In Chicago, that usually meant someone didn’t want to be seen or the house cat wanted a spot of sun. But not in Mossy Creek, and certainly not in that bedroom. That had been my grandfather’s bedroom when he moved in after Grandma died. He’d been great, even though he would mourn Grandma until the day he died. He encouraged my desire to learn everything I could about tech and he’d been the first to realize my “talents” lay in being what fantasy writers called a tech mage. He died when I was a sophomore in high school.

Not that he really left.

Oh, he’s not like any of Lexie’s dearly departed loved ones who return to the family farm after their burials. They aren’t zombies, but they also aren’t alive, not in the way most folks think. Thanks to the local undertaker, who gives them their special treatments every month or so, they don’t do things like shed noses or ears or other body parts—at least not very often. But they do drive Lexie’s mom to the brink of her limits, all guided by Lexie’s Granny, the bane of her mother’s existence.

Granddad’s not a ghost either. At least not in the way most folks think about ghosts. But he’s strong enough to manifest pretty much whenever he wants and he can move things like the curtains in his room—and text when he put his mind to it—and he was letting me know he was very much aware of my arrival

“You going to sit there all day or come inside?” Mom called, a smile playing at her lips even as she tried to look stern.

“That depends. Got any coffee on?” Two could play the game.

“When have you ever known me not to have coffee on?”

She arched a brow and looked pointedly at the driveway, her meaning clear. I was to pull in and come give her a hug. Otherwise, I’d be in trouble. As if to reinforce what she didn’t say, the curtains in Granddad’s room twitched again, stronger this time. If that wasn’t a warning to stop fooling around, I didn’t know what was.

Like it or not, I was home and Mossy Creek was still just as “special” as always.

“Let me take that.” Mom reached for my hanging bag as I pulled it out from behind the driver’s seat. “You grab the rest of your things and come inside.”

I stared at her for a moment, dumbfounded. She didn’t ask why I was there. She hadn’t even hugged me yet. All she’d done was take a long look at me before reaching for the hanging bag.

“Who are you and what have you done with my mother?”

She laughed and continued walking toward the house. At the foot of the steps, she paused and looked over her shoulder. Her green eyes danced with humor and the right corner of her mouth crooked up, that cheek dimpling. Oh, this wasn’t good. She was in that mood, the one that usually meant I was three steps behind and didn’t have a hope in hell of catching up.

“I figured you’d want to get inside before anyone recognized you and the grapevine sent out word that you’re home.” She climbed the steps and opened the storm door, waiting for me to join her. “After all, you usually sneak into town under the cover of darkness and are gone again without anyone except your dad and me knowing.”

“Mom!” I laughed.

There was no sense denying it because she was right. But there was something in her eyes that warned me there was more than teasing behind her words and the concern I’d felt at Miss Serena’s returned full force.

I don’t usually skip text in snippets like I have here, but I wanted to keep a few things “hidden” until the book releases. These snippets should give you a feeling for Shay as well as hint at some of the trouble to come. Mossy Creek is about to learn the danger isn’t over and trouble comes from unexpected places.

Until later!

And the nerves can start. The wait leading up to release date is always stressful for me.

As for the rest of it, I watched the first episode of Netflix's America's Team series yesterday. I admit i expected it to be nothing but a PR fluff piece for Jerry Jones. I was wrong. It was well-written, showed how he bundled the firing of Tom Landry, and more.

What really surprised me was seeing President Bush as one of those interviewed for the episode. He wasn't there as a politician. No, he was there as a fan of the organization who shared some of the same concerns most of us had when it was announced Jones was buying the team.

Don't get me wrong. It was past time for Landry to be replaced as head coach. My concerns were and still are the way Jones does things. He's brash, rash, and never doubts his expertise…even if he isn't an expert.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the rest of the series unfolds. Right now it's definitely more entertaining than watching the current team play.

Now to find some coffee and deal with real life things like bills before sitting down to write.

Oh, snippets to follow tomorrow.

Like the last one, this snippet doesn’t follow immediately after the previous one. I’ve also cut out a couple of things to keep some surprises for when the book goes live. Still, you’ll get a feel for Shay and what she’s walking into when she finally returns home to Mossy Creek. Hope you enjoy.

Welcome to beautiful Mossy Creek!

The green and white sign never seemed to change. I couldn’t even deny what it said. Mossy Creek was beautiful. On the whole, the folks who lived here were the sort to help if you needed it, gossip whether you wanted it or not, and be there for you, no matter what. A stroll down Main Street was like walking into a more peaceful time. Some might call it boring. After all, the town only had one traffic light and the sidewalks rolled up by ten at night. That might be why so many of us left after high school. But it didn’t explain why it seemed like everyone but me eventually found their way home.

And I had no intention of returning even on a semi-permanent basis.

The clock on the dashboard read 08:17 when I turned onto Main Street. As I approached downtown—if you could call the two-block stretch with the small park, war memorial, and courthouse a real downtown—I pulled the bill of my ball cap down lower over my eyes. I wasn’t ready to tell the world that I was back. The fact I hadn’t let Mom know was bad enough. Now I had to figure out how to explain why I hadn’t straight home.

That was also part of why I rented a Ford F-150 pickup instead of a car or SUV. The truck would blend in better here than my usual taste in cars. Although, seeing more than a few sports cars and luxury SUVs I realized things had changed around town more than I thought.

Or maybe I hadn’t paid enough attention before.

I made sure to follow the traffic laws, including the ridiculous 25 miles per hour speed limit and coming to a complete stop at the four-way stop sign at the far end of downtown. Just as I didn’t want anyone recognizing me, I didn’t want to risk being pulled over. One of the town’s pastimes was listening to the police radio. If someone heard my name being run for wants and warrants. . . Let’s just say my mama wouldn’t be happy—with the cops or with me

Once through downtown, the speed limit increased to a whopping 30 miles per hour. Honestly, it should probably be lower, at least for those who hadn’t learned to drive here. The two-lane road wound through the countryside that was technically part of Mossy Creek. There were plenty of blind spots and farm vehicles to make things interesting. That much hadn’t changed over the years.

Strangely, that reassured me.

Five minutes later, I pulled onto a private, tree-lined drive. How many times had I come down this driveway over the years? Too many to count and not once had I felt as uncertain as I did now.

Stop it!

I had no reason to worry. Serena Duchamp understood better than anyone except my parents why I left town. She knew how to contact me if she needed me. She always had. That’s what worried me. If what I saw had already happened, why hadn’t someone let me know?

Did they think I was too damaged by what happened so long ago to be of help now?

I blew out a long, shuddering breath as the memory of what drove me from Mossy Creek returned. I’d been so sure of myself back then, the kind of confidence only a teenager can possess. Like so many high school seniors, I made the mistake of thinking I could handle pretty much anything without help. I learned the hard way just how wrong I was. I also learned just how far some people will go to protect their reputation.

Let’s just say that’s a lesson I’ve never forgotten.

Absently, I rubbed the faint scar running along the left side of my jaw. I could still see the knife in Lanny Tannehill’s hand, the light flashing off the blade just before it sliced into my skin. Pain flashed and blood flowed. All because Lanny and his buddies didn’t take kindly to being told I wouldn’t let them have their “fun” with Wendy Baker. A sophomore, Wendy had been an innocent. She didn’t understand Lanny’s jokes or his insinuations. He knew it and, egged on by his buddies, planned to “expand her education”.

I wasn’t going to let that happen.

(SNIP—asg)

My parents and Miss Serena, as well as others, stood by me. They convinced the sheriff to hold off taking me into custody until he investigated what really happened, not the twisted narrative Lanny’s dad tried to weave. In the end, I graduated with the rest of my class. Lanny and another of “the crew” received their diplomas but didn’t get to walk across the stage. The others were suspended from the football team for the next season.

It should have been enough, but the memory of the betrayal, of how easily those who followed Tannehill’s orders tried to write me off, burned inside of me. Feeling betrayed and hurt, I left town as quickly as I could after graduation. My friends tried convincing me I’d done nothing wrong and that things would go back to normal. What they didn’t understand was normal no longer existed, at least not for me.

Not that I’m sure it ever did in Mossy Creek.

I shook off the memories and parked in front of the white plantation-style house. As I did, the front doors opened and Miss Serena stepped outside. I took a moment to study her, looking for anything that might indicate if the events I Saw earlier really happened. Then I frowned slightly. She looked much the same as the last time I saw her but there were differences. She seemed thinner and she moved slower. For the first time, she looked her age and that hurt more than I wanted to admit. She had always been a force to reckon with and now she looked like a woman on the downside of her life.

Anger flared and I pushed it down. Then I pulled off my cap and shook out my hair. The moment I stepped out of the truck, my feet seemed to move on their own. I crossed the distance to the front porch in a few quick steps. Then I stood in front of Miss Serena. Smiling, relaxing just being there, I bent and kissed her cheek. This might not be home, but it was as close as it got without being the real thing.

Don’t forget Witchstorm Rising is available for preorder. There will be another snippet later this week. Now I’m off to find more coffee and figure out where my head is so I can get back to work. Until later!

First off, the next snippet of Witchstorm Rising will come out tomorrow. I’m at the point now where I’m thrilled the book is about to be released but also terrified. It’s been too long since my last release and I feel like a rookie again. But that’s how it goes so I’m doing my best to focus on the next project and not think about the release too much.

As for the next project, I’m torn right now. I have three—yes, I know, that’s a bit much—I can do. All are in the final draft phase and ready to go into heavy edits before going to beta readers. One of those is the sequel to Witchstorm Rising (and the final book in this story arc). That one actually needs to most work before it can go out the door becuase of some very major plot changes in Rising that happened after the first draft was written. Another is in the Nocturnal Lives universe and the third is in the Honor & Duty universe. So it’s a coin flip right now as to which one I’m going to do.

In the meantime, I’ve been catching up on my reading and watching old movies. In other words, doing comfort activities to give my brain a chance to recharge.

Of course, living in Texas, it also means shaking my head at the current political standoff between the Republicans and Democrats and wondering when some joker turned back the clock. When I’m not doing that, I’m wondering who in the NFL I should cheer on this season becuase I’ve seen little to nothing from the Cowboys’ first two pre-season games to give my any hope of a better season this year than the last few.

That’s about it for now. I have some appointments that will take me out into the heat today—hiss—and then some decisions to make about what to work on next. Oh, and getting the new website up and running. More on that shortly.

Until tomorrow

A quick note. This isn’t the very next scene from the book. I sort of want to keep that under wraps until the book comes out. (Available for preorder now.) Also, and I should have said this regarding the first snippet as well, these are coming from the almost ready for prime time version. So there might be an error here or there. I apprecaite those being pointed out so I can make sure the last editorial pass caught them. Now, for the snippet. Enjoy!

What the hell?

I shook my head and looked around, confirming I stood in my office more than a thousand miles away from Mossy Creek. My heart pounded so rapidly it hurt. My nails dug so deeply into my palms I worried I’d find blood when I looked. Sweat covered my face and my blouse clung to my back with it. I knew what I saw hadn’t been real, that I’d never left Chicago. But try telling that to my body.

I closed my eyes as the room started to spin. My hands clamped hard on the windowsill as I forced myself to stay on my feet, I struggled for calm. Fear left my knees weak. Worry for Miss Serena and Ali gave way to anger. If I was right and what I Saw had already happened, why had no one told me?

Think, Shay, think.

Almost hesitantly, I opened my eyes. Breath shaky, I exhaled to see the Chicago skyline outside my office window. Okay, I hadn’t somehow transported to Mossy Creek. At least not physically. That meant it had been a vision, but not the sort I usually had. This time I’d Walked, moving from this timeline to another. The question was whether it was past, present or future. My gut told me it had already happened. But what if I’m wrong?

Crap, I thought I’d left all that behind. I hadn’t Walked since leaving Mossy Creek.

Back then, I experienced visions on a fairly regular basis. My spirit guide, which wasn’t the right word but I didn’t know what else to call her, appeared in some of them and helped train me. Except the training didn’t have much use in the modern world. At least I didn’t think so then. After all, we don’t carry swords and we don’t use blades to fight the bad guys. That’s something we leave to the cops and courts.

At least we do if we’re smart.

But this was different. This wasn’t Eithne trying to train me. Instead, I’d Seen events as they happened or would happen. Just like I had less than a handful of times before leaving home. I’d Seen Granddad’s death before it happened. I’d Seen my parents the evening they received the call from the agency telling them they had a baby in Dallas if they were still interested in adopting. At first, I thought the vision had been a simple dream based on things I’d heard. When I talked with Mom and Dad about it, they confirmed not only that it was real but that there were things in what I told them they’d never discussed with anyone else, even me. Even then, however, Eithne had been present in the “vision”, guiding me. Maybe anchoring me.

So why had I gone Walking now and why hadn’t Eithne been part of it?

“Shay?”

My questions disappeared at the sight of Kensi standing at the office door. Pale, she looked at me, worry plainly written on her face. Her hazel eyes were troubled as she looked for anything that might explain what she’d walked in on. But it was the way she hurried to me, slipping a trembling hand under my arm in case I needed help, that brought me to my senses.

“I’m all right.” I scrubbed my hands over my face and dropped onto the edge of my desk before my legs gave out. “That hasn’t happened in a long time.”

“What?” She looked as shaken as I felt. “What hasn’t happened?”

She reached past me for the bottle of water resting on the desktop. After handing it to me, she stepped back, waiting for me to explain. But how do you explain that you just went “walking” through time and space?

And that it wasn’t the first time.

“Let’s just say I had an out of body experience.”

She narrowed her eyes and then her mouth formed an “O” of surprise as understanding dawned on her.

“My gran used to do that. She always said it was one of the most mind-tripping things she ever did. To be honest, hearing her talk about it, I’m glad it’s never happened to me.”

I relaxed, relieved. That’s the thing about Kensi. Very little surprises her. It went beyond being an Other. She simply takes things in stride. Her first-class mind lets her see not only the obvious but things most everyone else would miss. More than once, that proved to be invaluable to MageTech. She knew when clients weren’t telling us everything. She also knew when an employee—or, more commonly, a potential client—had less than ethical goals in mind. But it was the fact she never judged a person based on their arcane abilities or lack thereof.

“She wasn’t wrong.” I tipped up the water bottle and drank deeply.

“Are you all right now?”

I shrugged.

“What can I do?”

I started to shake my head and then stopped. Between Mom’s call and what just happened, the world shifted. Something was going on and it centered on Mossy Creek. If I wanted to find out what, I needed to go home—especially if what I Saw hadn’t happened yet. Either way, I had a feeling this wasn’t going to be my usual one day and then gone trip.

“I can’t explain everything right now, Kens, mainly because I don’t understand it. But I need to go home.”

“Home to your loft or home to Texas?”

Thank goodness she understood me so well.

“Home to Texas.”

I’ll have another snippet up over the weekend. There will be another post later today or tomorrow. I need more coffee before I figure out which. For now, coooooffffeeeee.

Witchstorm Rising is available for preorder now.

Okay, I’m filling your inboxes today and I apologize. The post about the evolution of a story was supposed to be part of this post but it went on longer than I expected. So I decided to split the two. Here is the promised snippet. Fair warning, it isn’t the opening of the book nor is it even the opening of the scene. The POV character is Shay Griffin, new to the series but not to Mossy Creek. The next snippet will follow in a couple of days.—ASG

. “Hi, Mom. What’s up?”

“Does something have to be up for me to call my favorite daughter?”

I smiled at her soft, Texas drawl. “Not at all. Although I’d welcome news that you and Dad are finally coming to visit.”

“I wish, sweetheart. But you know how it is.”

I did. Even though they could afford to retire, they loved their jobs and refused quit. Whenever I suggested it, they reminded me they weren’t yet sixty and had no intention of slowing down. There would be time for that later.

“I’m actually calling to see if you can schedule some time off to come home. The holidays will be here before you know it.”

She asked every year around this time and my answer was almost always the same. I hated disappointing her, but I wasn’t ready to spend the holidays in the small town I grew up in. Twelve years away wasn’t long enough to heal the wounds she and my dad had nothing to do with. Instead, I’d slip into town for a day or two at other times of the year, spending the time with them before slipping out to return to Chicago.

“Mom.” I ran a hand over my face. “I can’t promise anything right now. I’ve got a client who’s just confirmed he doesn’t know his head from a hole in the ground. I also have several negotiations to handle before the first of the year. Maybe you and Dad could come here?”

“I’ll talk to him and see what he says.”

I heard the disappointment in her voice and frowned. “Mom, is everything okay?”

“You know me, sweetheart. I miss you. It’s been too long since we’ve had any real time together.”

I did know her and she hadn’t answered my question.

“I miss you too.” I caught my lower lip between my teeth. something was going on. Something she didn’t want to talk about. Like it or not, it was time to go home, even if it meant facing the demons from my childhood. “Tell you what, Mom, I’ll check my calendar, see what I can move around. I might be able to pull off a day or two in Mossy Creek for Thanksgiving.”

“Only if you want to, Shay.”

There it was again. That note in her voice that told me she was worried about something, something she didn’t want to discuss.

“I want to, Mom. It’s been too long since I’ve seen you and Dad. I’ll figure something out.” I considered saying more but, without knowing what was on her mind, I couldn’t. “So, what’ve you been up to recently?”

Whatever was bothering her disappeared as she talked about the renovations being done on her bookstore. I smiled, picturing her as she walked through the building, making sure everything was perfect for its reopening next month. After years in the same location down the block from the courthouse, she managed to snag a prime location next to Miss Peggy’s Café. Not only would the foot traffic be better but she’d have a ready supply of the best coffee and pastries in the state—if not the country.

If I knew my mother—and I did—she’d already made an arrangement with Miss Peggy to supply coffee and pastries to the store, relieving her from the need to set up a coffee bar of some sort. It was a win-win situation for them both. So what was bothering her?

“Your dad is as busy as ever,” she continued and I smiled, nodding.

Dad taught high school physics and chemistry. As if that wasn’t enough, he also helped coach the school’s baseball team. As usual, he was grousing about the state putting too much emphasis on the standardized tests and gave teachers too little freedom to adapt curriculum to meet each individual student’s needs. Not that it stopped him. He always found a way around the prohibition. That was one of the many reasons his students love him.

“Sorry, sweetheart, but I need to go. The electrician is here to finish up the work in my office,” Mom said a few minutes later.

“Send me pictures when you can.” I glanced out the window across from my desk. “And let me know when the grand opening is. I’ll fly in, even if it’s only for the day.”

Surprisingly, I meant it.

“Shay.” Emotion roughened her voice. “It would mean the world if you could.”

“Then it’s a promise. Send me the date so I can get it on my calendar.” I couldn’t let her hang up without trying one more time to find out what was bothering her. “Mom, be honest. Is everything okay?”

She laughed softly, almost ruefully. “You know me, Shay. I’m a worrier and this move and remodel has me off-balance.”

I didn’t believe her. Mom might worry, usually about me, but she was the most organized person I knew. I didn’t doubt for a moment that she’d planned every step of the move and redecoration before she signed the lease on the new storefront. But there wasn’t much I could do about whatever it was from here.

“You know you can tell me if anything’s wrong, don’t you?”

“Quit worrying, Shay. I’m fine, just worried about the store. This is a big move and an even bigger change.”

The explanation made sense but I didn’t believe her.

We spoke for another few minutes before ending the call. Before we did, I promised to call later when Dad would be home. Then, after wishing Mom good luck with the electrician, I turned my attention to my upcoming meeting with the reps from the Levitson Group. If everything went according to plan, we’d be signing a contract with them after the lawyers had a chance to look over the terms that would see MageTech Security taking over their cybersecurity needs.

Unable to concentrate, I stood and crossed to the window. Below, the sidewalks were crowded with afternoon foot traffic. When I leased first leased the space, I was drawn to the way the old warehouse had been renovated and converted into offices and lofts. The ground floor included shops, a yoga studio, a bar and grill, as well as a coffee shop. The next three floors were offices. Above that were two floors of lofts. The rooftop had been converted to include a small garden, sitting areas, and a glass-sided meeting room. Better yet, it was only a few blocks from my loft.

Now, however, instead of seeing the Chicago skyline, I saw Mossy Creek, Texas. Even though I hadn’t spent more than a couple of weeks total back there since leaving home more than a decade ago, I could still picture the town with a clarity that should have faded by now. I could describe not only where Mom’s new storefront was, but also every detail of the exterior, including the whiskey barrels sitting out front that served as planters and trash bins.

Mossy Creek, one of the first towns in Texas to openly accept Others as part of its core.

Mossy Creek where I’d grown up, knowing my parents loved me.

Mossy Creek where even now, more than one hundred years after its founding, there were still those who wanted to drive the Others out and who didn’t care what they had to do to accomplish their goal.

Mossy Creek where I learned first-hand how far people would go to bury the truth if it threatened them or their way of life.

Memories washed over me. I no longer saw the South Loop outside my window. Instead, I saw the plantation-style house I knew almost as well as the house I grew up in. A house that was just as far away. The world swirled, churned, and everything went dark.

Witchstorm Rising is now available for preorder on Amazon.

Witchstorm Rising has been a long time coming. I knew it was going to be difficult to write because it was supposed to be the last book in the current story arc for Mossy Creek and its inhabitants. I had a basic outline for the book in my head, plot points figured out, characters to be introduced and, yes, even those who might die in the process. It was the latter that made the book hard to write. I didn’t want to say goodbye to one or more of the characters—and, no, I’m not saying which one. Because of all that, it took time for me to pull my big girl pants up and put fingers to keyboard and start really writing.

Of course, real life interfered along the way. Not only did that slow things down but it also brought about changes to the book I didn’t anticipate until I was done with the first draft and a huge “OOPS!” sounded in my brain.

Not the sort of “oops” you hear when you almost drop something on the floor. Not even the sort of “oops” your kid says when they’ve dropped something in the toilet and then flushed, jamming the plumbing so badly a plumber is your only hope.

No, this was the sort of “oops” a writer hears when she realizes not only that their muse is about to take over the story and a left turn is going to be the least of your problems when it comes to the plot. It’s the sort of “oops” they hear when they realize everything they thought they knew about the book they’re writing is wrong. It’s the sort of “oops” they hear when they realize this one book is actually two and now they have to figure out where to make the split, how to do it without pissing off their readers and, OMG, how the heck are they going to fit another book into their already busy schedule?

Add in a complete change in whether or not there is a romantic relationship for one character, the writing out of another I thought would be involved, and you’re starting to get an idea of what the last couple of months with the book has been like.

So, where are we? As I’ve said, I’m uploading the book to Amazon later today, tomorrow morning at the latest. There’s some administrivia I need to do first. I’m still trying to figure out how long the pre-order period will be. Right now, I’m leaning toward short, no more than a week, two weeks max.

Some information about the snippets, the first of which follows. I’ve been debating how to do them and have decided since publication is soon to happen, I’m going to pick a handful of scenes or partial scenes to post. They won’t necessarily be in order. There will be context missing for reasons. Basically, they will be snapshots of what happens. We’ll see how that works.

For now, I’m heading back to work. Hope everyone’s having a great Monday.

Until later!

Edited to Add: Now available for pre-order on Amazon.

This is going to be a busy week, not only on the personal front but on the writing front as well. Witchstorm Rising will be uploaded to Amazon later today. (I’ll post a snippet this afternoon. I’m not on my work computer right now.) I need to polish the blurb, register the ISBN and decide how much time I want for pre-orders. Right now I’m thinking about only a week.

I’m also getting back to writing. As I noted in Friday’s post, I have 3 or 4 projects already drafted, some closer to final version than others. But one of the others that are in a rougher state hit me over the weekend, so I may go to it for a bit and let the others sit. If I do, it leaves me with a problem I’m not sure how to deal with.

Before I get to the problem, there is a reason for why I may do it this way instead of working on one of the projects that are almost done. I learned with Witchstorm Rising that my personal life demands mean I am not writing as cleanly as I used to. There is too much “noise” in my life right now. I don’t get the extended periods at my desk I once did. Not only do I need to slow down the writing process but I need to give a project time to sit after the final draft and before I do a final search and correct for those pesky typos.

Which brings me to the problem I discovered over the weekend when the not ready for primetime project decided it wanted to hit up up side of the head again. Before deciding if I wanted to return to it right now or keep it on the back burner, I decided to re-read the latest in that series (and I’m not going to say which one. Bwahahahaha). Now, the book is good but it isn’t up to what I consider my standard. Not only are the proofing issues that got by me but also by my editor but there are a couple of plot holes that shouldn’t be there. So now I’m not only considering whether I want to progress in the series right now or let it sit—and it has been sitting for some time because I’m still not sure where the series is going even though it is a limited series—or if I want to open the can of worms of re-editing the previous title, fixing the typos and closing the plot holes.

And, no, it isn’t as easy as it sounds because if I do the rewrite, I then have to convince Amazon to push through the new version to everyone who bought or downloaded the current version because Amazon no longer does an auto-update of e-books.

So I have to add that to my pile of things to decide in the next day or two after I get Witchstorm Rising out the door.

But, the good news (I think) is that I’m back. I’m writing. Life continues, not always the way I like but continues is good. And I’m writing.

Until this afternoon when I’m on the “real” laptop and can post a snippet for you guys. Thanks for hanging around!

The silence here has been deafening, at lesat to me. I didn’t mean to disappear. It just happened. No, I wasn’t considering a long walk off a short pier or anything drastic. Life just happened and, as is its way, it didn’t give me any notice. Because of that, i had to make a choice: deal with the3 demands suddenly on my time and sanity or turn my back on people I care for. I chose the former because I simply couldn’t do the latter.

That is all a roundabout way of saying life has sucked recently. My mother, who turns 94 in a few months, hasn’t been doing well. things she used to be able to do on her own she can no longer do. That means I can’t disappear for hours, much less days, like I used to fo rmy own mental health. It means the day-to-day running of the household has completely fallen on me and, well, I didn’t handle it well to start with.

Truth be told, I still have problems with it from time to time.

But I’ve learned.

I’ve learned I don’t need as much sleep as I’d like to get.

I’ve learned I can get a lot done in the few hours between when I get up and when she does.

I’ve learned things around the housse don’t have to be perfect—or even close to it—as long as the essential stuff gets done.

I’ve learned there are few things more importnt than being there for the people you love and who have always been there for you.

It also means I let some things slip that I’m not having to make up for, not the least of which has been making regular appearances here.

But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been writing, or at least what acts like writing. Frankly, somehow in the midst of the insanity that has been my life, I’ve managed to write—a lot. Witchstorm Rising, the next to the last installment in the current story arc in the Eerie Side of the Tracks series, is done. I finished the last (?) editorial pass on it last night. Witchstorm Shadows , the final book, is through the first draft phase.

That’s not all. I’ve drafted out (very loosely) the next two books in the Nocturnal Lives universe. I have also finished the first draft of the final book in the Sword of the Gods series.

In other words, sleep hasn’t been happening and that’s given me time to write. So I guess that’s a good thing.

I have also had to take a hard look at what I want to do with my online presence (mainly because in the midst of the insanity, I let my web hosting lapst and need to get back online). So I’m looking for a new host that won’t cost an arm and a leg. I will not, for the near future at least, be resurrecting the blog. I’d already moved most of my “blogging” here and I am going to keep it here. As for FB, Twitter/X, and the rest of it, I hate them all. But I am trying to figure out a way to use them effectively without having to spend more time than I want or should on them.

Since we’re already into the TL:DR territory, I’ll try to wrapt this up quickly. I’m almost done. Promise.

Over the next week or so, I’ll be finding a new web host. Once I do, I’ll redesign my website and get it back online. Right now, I’m debating whether to remain exclusive with Amazon or not. If I decide to go wide again, I’ll probably set up an online store for my work as well.

As for here, I’m going to go back to posting several times a week to start. Most of it will be writing/publishing related, but there will be cat pictures and the occasional political or economic news related post.

Long story short, I’m still here.

I am alive—or at least giving a good impression of it.

I am working.

Who needs sleep?

As an aside, Drak and everyone else who has been financially contributing to this substack, if you’re interested in the pre-release version of Witchstorm Rising, let me know. It’s my way of thanking you for your continued support.

Once again, the best laid plans and all that. The last few weeks have been a blur of doctors appointments, PT appointments, dealing with maintenance issues and rain. Too much rain. But there has been writing and editing and planning ahead. There have also been some decisions made after some reflecting on my writing, where it is and where I want it to go.

Let’s get the “real life” issues handled first. Most of it is stuff that every homeowner deals with from time to time. Walking into the kitchen and finding out one of the ovens no longer works. (I’m guessing it is one of the panels in the control unit which will be easier and cheaper to fix than buying a new unit). The ongoing plumbing issues are being dealt with, slowly but surely. Mom’s had several doctor’s appointments, a surgery, and ongoing PT. I am NOT complaining. For 93, she is doing much better than most. But it is difficult to see age catching up with her. Worse, she knows it as well as it frustrates and scares her. So I’ve been doing everything I can to make her feel good about herself. Family comes first and always will.

Then there came the rain last week. I’ve posted before about how Mom’s bedroom and bath sometimes flood if we get a really bad rain. I’ve worked on the problem—and had others work on it as well. I thought we had it dealt with. Until last week when it happened all over again. That surprised me because while we had a lot of rain, it wasn’t to the degree it used to take to cause the flooding.

So picture me out in the pouring down rain, shovel in hand, trenching along the side of the house in an attempt to divert the water coming not only off of our roof but our neighbor’s as well (they are uphill from us). That when I discovered that our yard guys (and that is another headache because they still haven’t done the fall/early spring cleanup they were supposed to do) have been blowing leaves into the flowerbed against the house. That prevented the rain from running off like it should. So trenching changed to cleaning out the bed in the downpour.

I am currently looking for someone new to take over the mowing, etc., because I’m getting too damned old for this—this being pulling up carpet, wet vaccing the room, setting up fans, and replacing dry wall when necessary.

And that brings me to the writing. Yes, the editing and rewrites on Witchstorm Rising continue. I’ve done a major rewrite of the first quarter to third of the book. That slowed everything down and brought the posting of snippets to a grinding halt. Sorry. I should have explained but I simply didn’t think about it. Too many things going on, but that does seem to be calming down a little.

So here’s the plan. I’m finishing up the edits on Witchstorm and plan to bring it out later this month or early next month. Shortly after that—I’m thinking two to four weeks—I will bring out the first “boxed set” of the Honor & Duty series. It will include the first three books in the series with some new edits and anywhere between 20k-40k (estimated right now) new words because the series went places as it went on I hadn’t expected. There will be two more “sets” in the series. All that is leading up to the next book in the universe. That will be out the end of the year.

I am also, as time allows, going to box set the Nocturnal Lives books. There’s a new book in that series drafted (very rough) as well right now. The goal is to have something new (or boxed) coming out every month for the rest of the year. I probably won’t make it, but I’m going to do my best.

And, yes, with each boxed set, I will be adding new material of some sort. I need to make sure I’m fully up-to-date on the rules about how to do it with Amazon—as in, I can’t call it a “boxed set” for the e-book edition because there is no “box”. I can add wordage to the titles included as long as I update the individual books as well. They also have to be consecutive titles, iirc. I’m sure there are more rules, and I will be doing my best not only to find them online but getting someone from Amazon to actually respond to me via email (I loves me a papertrail) as well.

This week is going to be a bitch on the real life side. I have a long overdue doctor’s appointment. There are vet appointments for the four legged members of the family. I’m transitioning from satellite TV to streaming, changing providers, etc. So who knows how my connectivity will be for the next week or so as that all falls into place.

And don’t get me started on the increasing price of groceries.

Anyway, all this is a way of saying work is happening. But real life has and will interrupt from time to time. But I have a plan now and I think it is a workable one.

As for this site? Well, I’m going to try for a short post every day. It may be the state of the writer. It may be current events. It may be cat pictures. Or it may be a WTF were they thinking because I made the mistake of wandering over to FB or X before coffee.

And that is the current state of the writer. Other than to say I need coffee. Where’s my second mug of coffee?

Image created using Dall-e

I promised a snippet today and it will happen later. But for those of us in the DFW area, it’s been a bit of a difficult week or so, especially if you have kids in school. Between a student being stabbed and killed in the stands at a track meet and three students shot and another injured otherwise in a school shooting—well, you can see where things are going. Yes, the media is having a hey day with it. What’s interesting is how the different outlets are coving it.

In the first instance, there was a confrontation of some sort between the suspect and the victim in the stands during a UIL track meet. The suspect purportedly pulled a knife out of his bag and stabbed the victim, who succombed to his injuries not long after that. The suspect was arrested shortly afterwards. He is now out on bond, after the bond amount was lowered, and is subject to house arrest and must wear a monitor.

In the second instance, a local high school was the location of a shooting inside one of the buildings. Even though there are metal detectors at the entrances, they couldn’t have stopped the shooting because, according to video released of the incident, a student opened one of the side doors that is locked to prevent outside entry, and let the shooter, also a student at the school, inside. Moments later, he opened fire before fleeing. He later turned himself in.

Karmelo Anthony, the suspect in the first case, apparently doesn’t have any criminal record. But there are questions that must be answered. Why did he have a knife on school property (something that is against the law in Texas)? Why did he not just move when told he was sitting in the wrong part of the stands instead of getting into a confrontation with the victim?

From what’s been in the media, Anthony allegedly said he felt threatened and told the victim not to touch him. So, if the victim did not lay hands on him, does that justify reaching into a bag, pulling a knife and stabbing him? Under Texas law, “Verbal provocation alone does not justify force unless accompanied by an overt act suggesting imminent harm.” The law does permit the use of non-deadly force if someone reasonably believes it is necessary to protect themselfe against the other person’s “unlawful” actions.

So, without going into the fact the victim died as a result of being stabbed, was it reasonable for Anthony to believe he needed to protect himself by brandishing the knife? We probably won’t know until the case goes to trial.

Then there’s the whole deadly force aspect of it:

Under Texas Penal Code 9.32, deadly force is justified if an individual reasonably believes it is immediately necessary to protect themselves from another’s use or attempted use of deadly force. The person must have a lawful right to be present and must not have provoked the confrontation.

There is no duty to retreat as long as a person is legally there. (Which could make for an interesting question for the jury. Are you legally on school ground premises if you are carrying an illegal weapon?)

The whole question about use of deadly force is being largely ignored by much of the media here. Some of it is because of Anthony’s age. Some of it is fear of the optics. But boy they didn’t hesitate to cover how the victim’s father showed up at a press conference held by Anthony’s family yesterday before being escorted out by police. Yet there is very little coverage of the fact his house was swatted last night. Fortunately he was not there at the time.

The media coverage of the shooting at the local high school is even more head-scratching. This was the second shooting at the school in the last year. Parent outrage and fear is off the charts and I don’t blame them. But the media is not as in your face with their coverage as I expected. After an initial influx of coverage about how the suspect might have gotten a gun inside, it’s been almost quiet. I know this is Texas, but there hasn’t been the usual anti-gun rhetoric. There’s been little said about the suspect other than he is a student at the school and one vague mention that there might have bene bullying at some point.

All in all, the media’s coverage of both incidents has been strange. I’m not necessarily complaining. The more muted coverage will actually help both sides get a fair trial, should the cases go that far.

For now, I need more coffee.

Oh, stay tuned. Not only will there be a snippet but possibly some news about what’s up next. Until later.