Jason had taken on a rather unorthodox client with an unusual request... Chapter 13: Interview With the Artist The apartment door opened in front of me, at least to the limit that the chain on it would permit. Two bright blue eyes looked somewhat up at me, framed by blue-black hair and set in a pretty, well-defined face. "Hi. Can I help you?" "I'm Jason Wood." "Oh, right, Dad's expecting you! Hold on, I'll get the chain off here." The door closed. I heard rattling, and "Dad! Your guest's [ Continue reading... ]
Paradigms Lost: Chapter 12
June 30, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Another completely new chapter! Chapter 12: Mystery of a Brother "Sure, Syl – I'd love to go out tomorrow. You want a movie or something else?" "How about Sabers of Twilight? I've heard that one's a lot of fun and just up your alley, Jason." I grinned into the phone. "Because of the pretty girls in interesting costumes? Sounds fine. Odd how you don't mention the pretty boys in tight leather outfits." "I didn't say it wasn't up my alley too," she said with a laugh. "All right, after we [ Continue reading... ]
Polychrome: Chapter 2
June 27, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Well, it's time to meet our OTHER protagonist... Chapter 2. I snapped the computer case shut and locked down the screws. "All set." "Thanks, Erik." Lisa said with a tired smile. "You didn't have to –" "No, I didn't, but it wasn't a big deal and you need that thing running tomorrow. Don't we finish the next big volume for State Legal this week?" "Yes, you're right. But –" "No buts." I was actually exhausted myself – repairing three machines that had chosen to, as an English [ Continue reading... ]
Paradigms Lost: Chapter 10
June 23, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Jason had accepted an invitation to visit a metabolically-challenged client... Chapter 10: Career Counseling It was, at least, somewhat more comforting to be pulling into the huge, curving driveway in my own car under my own control. My prior visit had been rather informal, ending with my being shoved into Verne's parlor while still in my pajamas. So this time I was not only here by choice, but I was also better dressed. The door opened as I reached the landing, and I saw the impeccably elegant butler/majordomo I [ Continue reading... ]
Polychrome: Chapter 1
June 20, 2014 By Leave a Comment
With the prologues out of the way, we get to the real start of the story... Chapter 1. They're close now. She was astounded by the speed. Over cloudscape and through brilliant ways of the sky she had met few that were her equal and none her master; even her own father could not match her in fleetness of foot across the skies. But these were no natural beings, not even in the sense that she, a princess of Faerie, could be considered natural. Forged from spirits of dark power and bound in chains of [ Continue reading... ]
Paradigms Lost: Chapter 9
June 18, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Leaving aside the fact that we know something's *going* to be strange about Jason's new client, his life does seem to be going more normal... Chapter 9: Join Me for a Bite? It is an immutable law of nature in any business that just as you go to hang up the "Closed" sign, the phone will ring or a customer walk in. It gets to the point that you automatically hesitate for a few seconds before finally turning the lock and setting the security system, not because you've forgotten anything, but because you're giving the [ Continue reading... ]
Paradigms Lost: Chapter 8
June 16, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Jason had concluded one adventure. Now we move on -- and hit the first completely new chapter in the book! Part II: Lawyers, Ghouls, and Mummies May, 1999 Chapter 8: New Client, Closed Case For some reason, Syl's words echoed back to me at odd hours in the next few weeks. I did find myself glancing at shadows out of the corner of my eye more often, looking at mist-fogged streets with a different perception, but for quite a while nothing of any note happened. The only real reminder of the strangeness in my [ Continue reading... ]
Polychrome: Prologue 1 and Prologue 2
June 13, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Just as I do with my other books, I will be snippeting pieces of Polychrome on Fridays every week until my projected release day in November. Prologue 1. The gray Dove, slightly larger than the others, sat silent on the branch, a branch tinged with the color of twilight shadows and pre-dawn sky. Despite the mildness of the day, the perfect time of near-awakening of the world, it did not join with its brethren in the cooing, mournful yet soft and comforting sounds that such birds usually made. The other doves [ Continue reading... ]
Paradigms Lost: Chapter 7
June 11, 2014 By Leave a Comment
So, Jason had managed to keep from getting killed... Chapter 7: Unwrapped Wrap-Up "So what are the police going to do about this?" asked Sylvie. It was the next evening. I was lying on my bed with my left ankle's cast propped on a pillow. "I was lucky. It was Renee Reisman who got there first. Between us and the ME we faked up a story that should hold." "So what's the official line?" "Klein was running a sideline of drugs and protection and was going to set Domingo up to take the fall. The victims like Lewis [ Continue reading... ]
Paradigms Lost: Chapters 4, 5, and 6!
June 9, 2014 By Leave a Comment
I'm posting these in a group to catch up to where I intended to be in the postings today. Snippets will be M-W-F until Baen releases the E-ARC. Chapter 4: Flirting and Clues Two hours later, I wasn't so sure. "Funny, Jason… that picture looks the same." "Oh, very funny, Syl." I stared at the screen, willing a faint outline to appear. "Sorry, Jason. But this is not exactly the most exciting date I've ever been on." "I'd have thought last night would have been all the excitement you could handle. Besides, we are not [ Continue reading... ]
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