Dylan has to clear his head and get ready for the important things... ----- Chapter 8. "Your phone doesn’t work because it’s crap," John said bluntly. He placed his laptop on the end table next to his lawn chair and leaned back to watch the ocean in the distance. "And you get reception on that thing?" Dylan hooked a thumb at the computer. He stood in the doorway to the cabin and listened to Tina and Louis as they talked investigative plans. Paula and Henry were already out, with a long list of supplies. "Of course I do. [ Continue reading... ]
Jamaica Blue Magic: Chapter 7
October 5, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Dylan is conflicted -- and conflict and agitation is not a good thing for a revenant to feel... ----- Chapter 7. Sitting on his bed, Dylan stared down at Paula’s photo album and a series of photos of them from their old rehab days. They were old, faded Kodak pocket camera photos, taken from inside the Center. Several were in the recreation room, and others were from the roof, one of their favorite hangouts. Even through the washed-out color paper he could see the rich color and glow in his then-living features. Even if his [ Continue reading... ]
Jamaica Blue Magic: Chapter 6
October 2, 2020 By Leave a Comment
There's a second viewpoint character in this book, and it's time we met him. He's very different... Chapter 6. "Mr. Engelshand, might I speak with you a moment?" Jared turned to face Professor Burroughs. "Of course, Professor." He wasn't sure why the Professor wanted to speak with him, but this was the last class of the day, and—in all honesty. Jared had no plans after school, save the usual studying. "Is something wrong?" Burroughs—a middle-aged man with thinning hair that had once been brown, but eyes as [ Continue reading... ]
Jamaica Blue Magic: Chapter 5
September 30, 2020 By Leave a Comment
They say it never rains but it pours, and Dylan's about to find that out... ------- Chapter 5. "Christ on a pogo stick! I’m away for, what, a few days and the world goes to hell in a handbasket!" Dylan paced restlessly across the parking lot of a Jamaican grocery store. It was better reception out here than his cabin and Louis had wanted to pick up some beer. "Sorry to freak you out, dude," Filipe said apologetically. "But it’s better I told you now than wait for Qui to tell you. When things get too hot around here, we [ Continue reading... ]
Jamaica Blue Magic: Chapter 4
September 28, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Dylan doesn't know it, but things are about to get a lot weirder... ------ Chapter 4. "His name is Dobson," John said, as they walked along the white sand beach. Behind them the soft tones of the band echoed in the distance. The crowd around the stage had grown considerably, making it impossible to hear, so Dylan and John had decided to take their discussion to the beach, while the others enjoyed the band and each other’s company. "That was quick," Dylan said. "You guys haven't lost your touch. But, [ Continue reading... ]
Jamaica Blue Magic: Chapter 3
September 25, 2020 By 2 Comments
Dylan's life gets a bit more complicated in Chapter 3, because his past isn't as dead as he thought... ------- Chapter 3. Jamaica, 2010 Alfred’s Ocean Palace was a beachfront motel, painted brilliant blue, a two-story building with a peaked roof and a partial third floor. The windows were heavily shaded, and the siding of the building was weathered and over-painted. It was surrounded by palms and cotton trees and brush-like vitae trees. The restaurant itself was open-air and covered by a wooden awning that was supported [ Continue reading... ]
Jamaica Blue Magic: Chapter 2
September 23, 2020 By Leave a Comment
We saw some of the past -- now let's go to the present, where Dyl is supposed to be relaxing on vacation... ----- Chapter 2. Jamaica, 2010 It had been years since he thought of how his parents died. Was it a memory or a vision? Memories and visions were often difficult to tell apart, especially now. Did it matter? Anna’s death had dredged up a whole dark load of baggage. It was hard to sort it all out. Why couldn’t everything stay buried where it belonged? Then again, he hadn’t stayed dead, so why should bitter [ Continue reading... ]
Jamaica Blue Magic: Chapter 1
September 22, 2020 By Leave a Comment
I'm doing some snippeting now of Jamaica Blue Magic, the second in the Fall of Veils series (but still a fine place to start), coming soon from Ring of Fire Press. Fall of Veils is an urban fantasy series that will touch on pretty much every subgenre from action to murder mystery, courtroom drama and political thriller, and during which the world is transformed; Kathleen is the prime mover in our writing of this series; I'm supporting and co-authoring. On to Chapter 1 -- it's a long one! ------ Chapter 1. Kansas, [ Continue reading... ]
Just For Fun: The Five Greatest Swordsmen of Fantasy
June 26, 2020 By 5 Comments
The Five Greatest Swordsmen in Fantasy This is a frequently passed around meme on the lists I'm on. Sometimes it's sparked by someone just asking the question of "Who's the best swordsman in all fantasy?", or it's from some website making a list purporting to list said best swordslingers. But it seems, invariably, that not only don't I agree with their top pick, I don't even agree with ANY of their candidates. So I figured I might as well make my own list. Some ground rules: I will nominate only [ Continue reading... ]
GODSWAR: The Mask of Ares, Chapter 21
June 22, 2020 By 1 Comment
Today's the last chapter to be posted, and we see our adversary in a bad mood... ----- Chapter 21. He stood over the open grave with his fists clenched, such venom boiling in his veins that there were claws starting to cut their way into his palms. Gritting teeth that had gone pointed, he took hold of his anger and forced it, immaterial step by immaterial step, back into the cage he had forged over the millennia to hold it. There were times to let it free … but not now, not here, where his transformation into something [ Continue reading... ]
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