tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42712057095862780942024-02-01T23:37:44.634-06:00subtledemonConnie Suttle, Author:
Urban Fantasy/Young AdultCS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-68182102486288619662014-05-22T09:28:00.000-05:002014-05-22T09:28:32.861-05:00Life (and Death) HappensYeah, I know. I don't blog much anymore. All my communication is done on Facebook nowadays, and I'm sorry about that. I suppose the good news might be that I'm considering putting up another short story before I release Wyvern and Company (Saa Thalarr, Book 2) in August.<br />
<br />
The short story I'm considering was once the prologue to the book, but as I'm rewriting it, I may do it this way instead. I'm hoping it'll be a treat for you, because it involves Grey House back in the day.<br />
<br />
That's really not what I started this blog about, though.<br />
<br />
You all know what they say about best laid plans and all that?<br />
<br />
I had a plan: Release thirty books before my 60th birthday (which is tomorrow). Everything seemed to be on track--Cloud Dust would be the 30th book and it was coming right along.<br />
<br />
Then, Walter's (my husband's) mother passed away on the 13th. It wasn't a huge shock--her health had declined and she'd recently gone into hospice care. Her funeral was on the 17th. I spent the days between the 13th and 17th alternating between edits and revisions for Cloud Dust, helping my husband as much as I could and writing obituaries and funeral speeches.<br />
<br />
The 17th was a date on the family calendar for another reason--it was Walter's oldest brother James' birthday.<br />
<br />
James didn't make it to his mother's funeral--he'd had an emergency triple bypass two weeks before his mother passed.<br />
<br />
On the 18th, one day after his mother's funeral, James also passed away from complications following his surgery. His funeral is scheduled for tomorrow, which is my birthday.<br />
<br />
I think I'll remember turning 60 for as long as I live. The past few days I've spent getting final edits and revisions done on Cloud Dust, while helping my husband and writing obituaries and a funeral speech. I got Cloud Dust uploaded last night.<br />
<br />
I want to give huge thanks to Joe Scholes, my editor/proofreader/assistant/best friend, who hauled ass to help me get line edits and every other thing done on Cloud Dust so we could release it.<br />
<br />
I also want to thank all of you who've expressed your condolences through this difficult time. You are amazing and I appreciate you more than I can say.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="IndText">
<i>"But death is not the enemy. It takes us when
our bodies are no longer prepared to carry on in our current lives. Brings us
peace and freedom from pain. It is life that is often the enemy. The siren that
convinces us to hold onto it as long as we can, even though we are filled with
pain or have lived long past our usefulness. My father always said that we
should let our life leave us when it is time and do it gladly, instead of with
sorrow and bitterness. Something else awaits us and when we arrive, we will
wonder what it was that held us back from it so long."</i></div>
<div class="IndText">
<i>--Blood Rebellion</i></div>
<div class="IndText">
<i><br /></i></div>
CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-55379236765276956242014-05-22T00:17:00.002-05:002014-05-22T00:17:42.425-05:00Cloud Dust ReleaseCloud Dust is available on Amazon and on my website. Happy reading!CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-46865104189146031792014-03-25T12:19:00.002-05:002014-03-25T12:19:38.622-05:00Finder ReleaseHey, everybody!<br />
<br />
Finder, the first book in my First Ordinance series, has been released on Amazon. It is also available for a limited time from my website, subtledemon.com.<br />
<br />
If you're a fan of my Blood Destiny series, you'll want to read this book. The connections may be subtle (pun intended) but they're there; just keep reading, you'll figure it out.<br />
<br />
Happy Tuesday!<br />
ConnieCS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-21688523819784909042014-02-13T14:41:00.003-06:002014-02-13T14:41:53.738-06:00Hope and Vengeance ReleaseHope and Vengeance is now available from Amazon and my website. The book has been uploaded to bn.com as well, but it may take a little longer to get it there.<br />
<br />
Also, remember that we are offering new books from all three outlets for a two-week period, after which it will only be available from Amazon. This is an effort on my part to get the book to everyone, no matter what your e-reader choice is.<br />
<br />
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!<br />
ConnieCS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-54324426810408322122014-01-09T14:56:00.000-06:002014-01-09T14:56:13.603-06:00Changes<div class="MsoNormal">
As of January 15, 2014, I'll be enrolling my books in KDP
Select. That means they'll only be for sale through Amazon—at least for the
next three months. There are definite benefits to being enrolled in the
program, so I thought I'd give it a try.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What this means is that the books currently for sale will
only be sold from Amazon's website, and the sales on the current titles will be
shut down on my website and bn.com.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you own a Nook or another type of reader, don't despair<b>. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>For each new release,
there will be a two-week window when the new title will be available from
bn.com and my website, so<u> you'll still be able to get it. </u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After that, I'll pull it off sale and offer it exclusively
through Amazon.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes, this is an experiment, but one I've thought long and
hard about. Here are the results of my ponderings<span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 7pt;"></span> Whenever I've had a problem uploading a book,
etc., and I've contacted Amazon and bn.com about the problem:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
# of times I've been answered by
Amazon—every time<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
# of times I've gotten a response from
bn.com—zero<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Number of times I've been promoted by Amazon:
many<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
Number of times I've been promoted by
bn.com: zero<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Number of times I've actually been called by
Amazon (I didn't call them, they called me) </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
several, asking me what I thought
about the program, etc.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
Number of times bn.com has initiated any
kind of contact—zero<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
There are other things, such as the fact
that bn.com only accounts for roughly 4% of my sales, but as far an actual
interest in me as an author, bn.com pretty much has zero interest.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
If things don't work out for me in KDP
Select, then I'll back out of the program after the 90-day time period is up,
but as of now, I don't anticipate that it will happen. No, I don't want to
punish anyone for owning anything except a kindle, or for not reading on the
kindle app. (See statement above—you'll have an opportunity to get the book before
sales are shut down on other sites). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
Too, <b>this
doesn't affect print sales at all, only digital sales</b>. You can buy as many
of my print books from as many outlets that offer them as you care to own,
including my website, where you'll actually get a signed book quite promptly,
because Joe has OCD about those things.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
I hope this works out to everyone's
benefit, as I don't want any of us to be disappointed. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
One other set of changes:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
There are new covers for Blood Wager, Blood
Passage and Blood Sense, which will be available very soon on Amazon. I hope
you like them!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
All my best—<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
Connie<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<br /></div>
CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-15031052433103830302013-12-31T10:09:00.000-06:002013-12-31T10:09:41.175-06:00Endings--and Beginnings<div class="MsoNormal">
I almost don't know where to start this post. Yes, Blood
Finale wraps up the God Wars series. That doesn't mean those characters are
going away.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That's not what I intended.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You'll see quite a few of them in the Saa Thalarr series,
beginning with <i>Hope and Vengeance</i>,
which will likely be released in February, if not sooner.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You'll see Adam, Kiarra, Merrill, Joey, Grace, Devin,
Dragon, Justin, Radomir, Wlodek, Weldon, Mack, Kyler, Cleo, Flavio—the list is
enormous. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also intend to write a series about Lexsi, Reah's youngest
daughter. I don't know how many books will be in her series, but there are two
on the drawing board right now.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Finder series is also coming, and the first book,
appropriately titled <i>Finder</i>, is more
than half finished. Even in that state, I've had some very positive feedback on
it, and it is connected (trust me) to the God Wars series, although it might
not seem like it at first.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Plus, the door leading into the God Wars is still open a
crack. Just this morning, I was thinking about another plot line. Yeah, I know.
But it's time you knew a secret—originally, I intended to end the Blood Destiny
series at book 5. But then I realized I couldn't leave it like that. I wrote
another five books, because I couldn't help myself.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I guess what I'm saying is that you shouldn't mourn the
ending of the God Wars. That ending is located at an open door, leading into
other series. All I'm asking is that you stay with me. Make this journey—this leap
of faith—with me, into the next universe. There is so much more to see and do.
You'll see old friends and new ones. Old enemies and new ones.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The stories will continue, as long as I can put fingers to a
keyboard. I've been saving them—<i>for you</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Happy New Year.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
May all your dreams come true.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
--Connie</div>
CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-194459823629229662013-12-21T09:41:00.001-06:002013-12-21T09:41:07.180-06:00Blood Finale ReleaseIt's available from Amazon and my website. Haven't checked bn.com this morning. Happy reading!CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-87366086266950246022013-11-11T11:09:00.001-06:002013-11-11T11:09:13.916-06:00Southern Writers: Suite T: Rubik's Cube and the Author Zone<a href="http://southernwritersmagazine.blogspot.com/2013/11/rubiks-cube-and-author-zone.html?spref=bl">Southern Writers: Suite T: Rubik's Cube and the Author Zone</a>: By Connie Suttle I never could get the hang of it—putting a Rubik's Cube to rights. I watched in envy as youngsters solved the ...CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-31038555401144883872013-11-07T17:40:00.000-06:002013-11-07T17:40:51.869-06:00A Writer* Writes<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I published Blood Wager (according to Amazon) on June 27, 2011. Since then, I've published 24 more books. That's 25 books in 29 months. I'm working on #26, #27 and #28 now, with several others just waiting for me to do something about them.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yes, Blood Finale is getting the lion's share of attention.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What I'm writing about today deals with publishing, though.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I self-publish. Most of the people who will read this blog know that already. For those of you who haven't gone back to read the early blogs, however, I'll say this: I didn't always intend to be a writer. It was a fantasy I considered from time to time, and I even wrote a few things down through the years. I never really intended to publish them.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i>Really</i>.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I always was a reader, though. I loved stories. I still do.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">How and when did I start writing, then?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I started writing seriously in 2007, when my husband almost died. I sat in his hospital room in ICU and handwrote a story that had been floating through my mind for several years. No, you haven't read that story yet. <i>Hope and Vengeance</i> (book #28), will appear early next year if all goes according to plan.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That's when I became addicted to writing. In a hospital room in 2007. At first, it was just an escape—from the fear of what I faced at that time. After all, I'd been told by doctors that my husband might not live.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I worried that he'd die.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I worried that he'd never be the same.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I worried about the bills and a multitude of other things that tend to rear their ugly head in the midst of trouble.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you think I'm kidding, consider this—imagine that you're there with me, after a doctor tells me that my husband is bleeding internally and if they have to do surgery to make repairs, he'll die. No chance of survival—he'll die.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then comes one of the worst ice storms the area has seen in years, and you find yourself having to find an electrician because the weight of the ice on the power lines outside one of our rent houses has caused the electric meter to pull away from the house, resulting in an emergency for everybody involved. I was looking for an electrician to fix it while people were pretty much expecting my husband to die.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yes, I kept writing.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Because I couldn't sleep—even after my husband came home, went through therapy and eventually went back to work. As a result of getting maybe three or four hours of sleep a night, I wrote A LOT.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Several writers have said in the past (some in the present) that you have to write a million words before writing anything worthwhile.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I wrote my million words.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Actually, I wrote more than that (12+ books) before I decided that the next one I wrote (Blood Wager) was good enough (by my standards) to publish. That was in 2011.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since then, I've read a truckload of stuff on publishing, mostly on the self or indie variety.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you've paid any attention to the publishing industry, you've probably read some of the same stuff.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A lot of people—including those who have self-published some of their work, often get on a soapbox and announce that most (if not all) self-published books are CRAP.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thatit'<wbr></wbr>stooeasytohitthepublishbuttona<wbr></wbr>nduploadstuffthatnobodyshoulde<wbr></wbr>verhavetoseebecauseit'<wbr></wbr>slikewatchingsexormurderorpood<wbr></wbr>leabuseinpublic.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Indie authors are often viewed as being at the same level of appreciation as ax murderers. That we're just not smart enough—or good enough—to get published by traditional means. Therefore, anything we publish must be CRAP.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh, and did I say that indie authors aren't REAL authors? I've read that, too. That we're not real, bona fide authors. The most we can claim (and it may be a stretch) is that we're <i>writers</i>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Maybe we ought to start putting an asterisk next to the word writer* when we describe ourselves. Sort of like in baseball, when they're trying to indicate that a record may have been affected by performance-enhancing drugs or something.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">June 27, 2011</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since then, I've published 25 books.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sold more than 250,000 of them.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And I'm not an author.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">No agent has ever contacted me.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the past two years, I've paid more in taxes than I used to make at Borders in an entire year as a manager (see previous statement).</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So many people think I (and other indie writers*) will just throw up our hands and quit writing. Some of us may.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I don't intend to.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writing is in my blood, now. I am infected and it's likely to be a terminal disease. That means (for those of you who might worry about things like that) that as long as I have a brain and hands that work, I'll be writing.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nobody may read it after a while, but that doesn't mean the disease will go away.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have too many things to write before I die.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I'm just sorry I didn't get started on it sooner.</span></span></span></div>
CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-48896193100800075352013-09-15T13:09:00.000-05:002013-09-15T13:09:03.612-05:00Blood Love ReleaseYay!!!!<br />
Whatever the problem was, it now appears to be solved. The book is up on Amazon U.S. and Amazon UK. Haven't checked the others yet, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that it's now available worldwide. If It doesn't come up initially, search for it by title with my name. You may have to scroll down past the initial results, but it has been found, or go to my Facebook page and grab the links!<br />
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Woohoo! Happy reading, everybody!CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-40611664406712917702013-09-14T15:44:00.000-05:002013-09-14T15:44:17.230-05:00While We're Waiting For AmazonI have no idea what the SNAFU is, but in the meantime, here's chapter 1 from Blood Love to tide you over. I feel as if I'm in technology hell right now, waiting to see if the book is ever made available to the kindle folks. Yeah, it's on bn.com already. Anyway, here's chapter 1:<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Lissa's Journal</span></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">There comes a time when the tears will not fall. A time when you're just too numb to cry. That's how I felt.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Breanne had wasted her life, defending two who didn't deserve her sacrifice. Yes, I recognized Ashe easily enough, but the Mighty Mind was unfamiliar to me. He, Ashe and the dark-haired god knelt beside Breanne's body, likely discussing her death in mindspeech.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">I blinked in confusion when the Five Larentii Wise Ones and their Protectors appeared. I was afraid to hope. My confusion only increased when another Larentii appeared. Taller than the others, he was like no Larentii I'd ever seen. Dressed in a leather jacket, dark denim pants and boots, he had deep, red hair worn long and loose about his shoulders.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">If he'd been human, I'd have expected a Harley to be parked nearby. Ashe, the dark-haired god and the Mighty Mind stepped back to allow the Wise Ones to approach Breanne's body. The Wise Ones weren't the ones to act first, however.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">The red-haired Larentii stepped forward and formed light about him. The others followed his example and began trilling. They were quickly joined by their Protectors.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Suddenly, the massive building was filled with Larentii. So many of them I knew—Pheligar. Renegar. Lenigar. Nefrigar. My Reemagar and Connegar had come. All joined their voices to that of the five Wise Ones and the red-haired Larentii. The air became thick with their song and their brightness, blinding me.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Throwing an arm over my eyes to block the light, I dropped to the floor and sleep descended.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* * *</span></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Avendor—present</span></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Boss, do you think she'll make it?"</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Trajan wanted to hold Breanne's body. His wolf wanted to howl to the moon outside, pleading for the safety of his mate.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I don't know." Ashe shook his head. "They managed to heal the breaks and torn blood vessels. Most of the bruises are gone, too, but we don't know what kind of emotional damage happened or whether her mind might recover from that."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"My memory was modified in the past," he growled. "I don't remember that Lissa is alive or that I saw her then."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Traje, that's for the best, don't you think?"</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I don't know what to think, except to be mad that somebody fucked with my memories."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I understand," Ashe raked fingers through his hair. "Who's with Breanne now?"</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Lissa and Karzac," Trajan muttered. "It's been four days. Karzac stuck that stupid feeding tube in yesterday. I don't like that one bit."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"It's necessary to preserve her body," Ashe sighed.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Bill just sits out on the deck—when he isn't with Bree or doesn't have to feed Kay," Trajan pointed out. "He's kinda pissed that his memory was tampered with, too, and he's really upset that Bree is like she is."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"You think we're not all worried?" Ashe blinked at Trajan. "If she doesn't come back from this," he shook his head in frustration. "Traje, I'm still trying to work out who the Mighty Mind is," Ashe flopped onto a padded chair in his den and blew out a breath. "Once the Larentii managed to bring the body back to life, Wisdom took off like a shot."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"You think maybe Breanne is somewhere else, now, deciding whether it's worth it to come back?"</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"It's possible," Ashe said, rubbing his forehead. He hadn't had a headache this bad in almost a decade. He'd had this one for four days.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"She may not want to stay here if she wakes up," Trajan sounded troubled.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I know. Sometimes I want to kick my own ass over that."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I'll do it for you."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Look, you're still the better fighter, so no, thanks," Ashe held up a hand.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* * *</span></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Earth—past</span></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Charles, this saddens me." Wlodek shook his head as Charles and Gavin finished their reports to the Head of the Council.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"And we are no closer to solving this mystery," Gavin muttered. "The church was destroyed not long after Breanne died, but I cannot say how that was accomplished."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I want you to investigate this—I hear from Bill Jennings that vampire rogues were involved in many deaths in the destroyed churches. This is unacceptable, and places all of us in danger. Find the ones responsible and ensure they are dispatched."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"With pleasure, Honored One," Gavin inclined his head to Wlodek. "Charles and I discussed this with Director Jennings before our return," Gavin added. "He feels the same, and requests that either I or another be sent back to help him and his agents track these rogues."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Honored One, please allow me to accompany Gavin," Charles pleaded.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Are you sure, Charles? Will has been effective as a temporary assistant, but this could place your life in danger."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I want to do this, Honored One. I cared for Breanne."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Then I will allow this," Wlodek agreed. "Tell Will everything he needs to know. I expect you to begin this assignment as quickly as possible."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* * *</span></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Campiaa—present</span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Tybus' Journal</span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span></i> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Reah, how nice to see you," I greeted her as she stepped timidly inside my study. Yes, it was my study, now, and that hadn't fully settled in. Reah was accompanied by Aurelius and Edward, who walked in behind her.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"How is the baby?" I asked. She had no idea how much I adored children. The fact that I'd only had one child in my previous life always troubled me, although she was eventually made Queen of Le-Ath Veronis.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Lexsi is doing fine," Reah nodded to me and accepted the chair I indicated with a sigh. Aurelius and Edward took the other seats available and once they'd settled, I returned to the chair behind the desk, waiting for them to ask their questions.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I think we should allow things to remain as they are between us—between Teeg and me," Reah began. I watched as her fingers twisted together in her lap. I wanted to reach out and tell her that her fears were unfounded—that I would never harm her. She seemed overly troubled to me, and there was no need for that.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"If that is your wish," I inclined my head to her. She was a Queen, after all, in addition to being High Demon enough to turn Thifilatha. That wasn't all she was, and I wondered—yet again—how anyone might fail to see the faint glow of power about her.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"How old are—were you?"</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I was thirty-seven thousand years a vampire when I fell in the destruction of Le-Ath Veronis," I replied. I had no reason to hide anything from these present. "I was near death after an accident when I was comesula, at barely sixty-three years of age. I only had one child at that time, and she was ten when I was turned. My vampire sire allowed me to continue with her rearing and education. He also helped with that, and she grew in wisdom quickly."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Amazing," Aurelius shook his head slightly. Like any good vampire, his emotions were tightly controlled. This one, though, allowed them through if he were with those he trusted. I was not trusted. I would have to earn that.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">I seemed to have all of Gavril's talents, and if my suspicions were correct, Breanne may have left me with a few extra. She realized I might need them, I suspect, to maintain my masquerade. Without any trouble, I could tell by scent that Aurelius was Gavin's sire. I already knew that through Gavril's memories, but without them, I'd still have known.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Edward glowed with a power similar to Reah's, so I knew they were the same. Aurelius' power was lesser and different, but he had it, nonetheless.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I will be available for any events, should you require it," Reah said.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"My dear," I said gently, "I will only require it if you stop trembling in my presence." Reah jerked her head up in surprise.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* * *</span></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Avendor—present</span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Lissa's Journal</span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span></i> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Karzac, what will we do if she doesn't wake?" I'd been at SouthStar for four days and the only signs that life might still be present were Breanne's chest rising and falling and the heartbeat, faint as it was, in her chest.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Even the Larentii couldn't detect brain activity, and that terrified me. Were we keeping her body alive just to leave our hopes intact?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Lissa," Karzac scolded gently, "We do not know what may happen. Please do not upset yourself. There is more than enough distress as it is."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I need to get back to Le-Ath Veronis, but I don't want to leave her here like this," I was close to tears and struggled to hold them back. I'd sent mindspeech to Griffin, but he wasn't answering. That was no surprise. I held back from attempting to locate Wylend—if anybody might know where Griffin was, it would be him.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"My love, she is safer here than anywhere else while this condition persists," Karzac soothed. "And you need a break. Tell me this is not so."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Yeah. I need to go home and get work done," I muttered, hugging myself. "At least we know who the dark-haired god is," I added. Ashe had informed me that it was Li'Neruh Rath, Kifirin's overseer. Karzac and I discussed that briefly over dinner the night before. Kifirin likely had his work cut out for him with a Ko'Ahmari for a supervisor.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Ashe will alert you if anything changes," Karzac said, glancing at Breanne's body. "Kevis is coming, too. He is taking time away from Sea Winds, and plans to devote his full attention to Kay—and to Breanne's care."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Then ask Kevis to send mindspeech if there is any change at all," I said. "We'll have to get Ashe or Trajan to take us out of here," I added.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I know. I just sent mindspeech. Trajan is on the way," Karzac said.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* * *</span></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Le-Ath Veronis—present</span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Lissa's Journal</span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span></i> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"How is she?" Gavin rose from a chair inside my study the moment I landed there.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"No change." I hunched my shoulders.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Cara, it has been such a short time. Even a vampire might not recover for many days from something such as this."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I know. Karzac inserted a feeding tube. He's worried; he just won't say so."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"We are all worried," Gavin shook his head. "Breanne is the only child I have left, and she may leave me, too."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Gavin?" I stared at him in shock. This was such a turnabout from his original feelings, mind cloud or not.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Lissa, I cannot begin to describe how things are for me, now. As if the blindfold has been removed and I see clearly for the first time." Gavin turned away—something troubled him greatly and he found it difficult to put in words.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Things changed when she sent <i>Love</i> to you, didn't they?" I blinked at him. His dark eyes fastened on my face and he breathed a sigh.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Yes. Gavril's death—I doubted I would survive it. Yet here I am. I realize all the mistakes I have made, and hope that I may not repeat them in the future."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I hear Tybus has not only survived his ordeal, but is thriving and handling his duties easily. Tell me that would be if Breanne hadn't done something for him."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I believe the old Gavin would not have reacted well to someone else in my son's place. Now, I am merely grateful that Tybus was able to assume that role as easily as he has."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Yeah. And he seems to be a decent person, on top of that."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I might have persecuted him—as I did in the past with Breanne, had things not changed for me."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Gavin, it's the same soul. Conner says so, and she'd know. We didn't give birth to him, but the important part is the same. We need to support him in any way we can."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"And I will, cara. I promise. Just as I will support Breanne in any way I can, should she survive."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Gavin, I'm so worried." I went to him. He pulled me into his embrace and kissed the top of my head. "What would hold the universes together, if Love didn't exist?" I said.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Gavin pulled away and stared at me. "Lissa, that is the most frightening thing I've heard in a very long time," he whispered.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Yeah," I agreed.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* * *</span></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Earth—past</span></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Mr. President, we lost that round," Bill sighed. "I don't know where all the rats went after the church went down, but I'm certain they're out there somewhere, waiting to spread their plague again."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"This doesn't sound good at all," the President shook his head at Bill. "I realize you don't have a better chance at nailing those responsible than the ones I have in other agencies, but I have to tell you, you're the only one who managed to get any information on what we're facing. You say the woman's dead?"</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Yes." Bill lowered his gaze to the floor.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I realize she was important to you and I'm sorry for your loss. Keep me posted, Director Jennings, and if you need help from anyone else—anyone—let me know. I'll make sure they're available to you."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Thank you, Mr. President." Bill nodded respectfully and turned to leave the Oval Office.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* * *</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"We need to track Vernon Clark," Bill said the moment he arrived at his office. He'd asked Opal, Hank and Jayson (whom everyone else called Matt) to wait there for him after the meeting with the President.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"The conspiracy nutcase?" Jayson asked.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Yeah. I think he's up to his hairline in this," Bill replied before taking a seat behind his desk. "And since he's human—or was the last I heard, he may be easier to track. Maybe we can get information from him on some of the others. We don't need more death and destruction, and I'm grasping at flimsy straws as it is. Vernon Clark may be the first step in a long battle."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"We may not get anything useful out of him, if he's carrying an obsession," Hank pointed out.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"That's all right—I wouldn't mind watching him die like the Sirenali you killed in San Francisco. The fact that he targeted Breanne and Jayson with that idiotic website he runs is enough for me to want him questioned and dead. If he's obsessed, then dead only will do."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I think I can handle that," Hank agreed, his eyes turning dark and feral.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"You haven't heard anything—have you?" Bill watched Hank carefully. He knew Breanne's body had been moved and was no longer on Earth. He had no idea if she'd been taken for burial or some other purpose. Regardless of the reason, he grieved for her.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"No, Director. There is no news." Hank's eyes regained their normal appearance as he shook his head.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"This sucks," Jayson muttered.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I agree completely," Bill said. "But we have a job to do, now, and we have to get on it. The last reliable sighting of Vernon was in New Mexico. Are you packed and ready to go? If not, get that way. Hank, can you transport?"</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I can."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Good."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* * *</span></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Kifirin—present</span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span></i> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"This is Lexsi?" Jayd watched as the baby's hand curled around his finger. "She's so precious," he smiled at the tiny girl in Tory's arms. Reah, Edward and Zendeval stood nearby, trying not to appear impatient as Jayd and Glinda played with the baby.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"This one you will not command," a newcomer appeared, with Kifirin beside him.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Jayd blinked at the new arrivals. Yes, he'd seen Li'Neruh Rath once before and the meeting had been particularly one-sided. Li'Neruh pointed out Jayd's shortcomings, and Jayd had bowed to Kifirin's superior. One of the things Li'Neruh had changed for the High Demon race—dramatically—was the tradition of placing claiming marks.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">No longer would the female become ill. The bulk of the responsibility fell on the male, who was now required to care for his mate by rendering her unconscious with their first kiss, then healing the bite marks afterward, so she wouldn't suffer.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Jayd didn't know what to think of the changes. Yes, it would be much better for the female, but he felt it reduced the male's show of strength and virility. It didn't matter; Li'Neruh had decreed the change, therefore it was law.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Dark Lords," Jayd bowed to the new arrivals.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"You would be wise to conceal your contempt," Li'Neruh snapped at Jayd. "Only Kifirin promised not to interfere. I have not made that promise, and I will not. The Dark Realm required a steady hand upon it, by its very nature. That hand will fall heavy in the future, should it be required." Li'Neruh's eyes were completely black and stars fell and burst in their depths. Jayd was learning that it meant Li'Neruh was angry.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"My apologies, Dark Lord," Jayd lowered his eyes.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Do not anger me again over such inconsequential nonsense," Li'Neruh breathed smoke with his displeasure. "Strength and virility? There are other, more effective ways to display those. There is no need to harm an already frightened female." Li'Neruh crossed well-muscled arms over his chest.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"You call it harm?" Jayd asked.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Yes. It is harm. As you have never been ill, you have no idea how your mate suffered when you claimed her. I can rectify that, if you'd like." Li'Neruh uncrossed his arms and lifted a hand.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"No—no, there is no need," Jayd backed away. "I was merely reflecting on tradition."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"At times, traditions are not only harmful; they are ill-conceived from the beginning." More smoke escaped Li'Neruh's nostrils.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Jayd's eyes turned to Kifirin, who glowered. He resented his overlord—a great deal indeed.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">* * *</span></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Earth—past</span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span></i> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"It was a mistake, building only one to start," Acrimus observed. "Don't these humans have a saying—about not putting all your eggs in one basket?"</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I agree," Calhoun nodded. "Actually, why build at all, when there are so many throughout this planet? We can target those most amenable to our agenda, and take over from within."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"That may be the best idea I've heard from you," Acrimus' grimace barely resembled the smile intended. "Why stop with only this planet? Are there not religious establishments throughout the worlds?"</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"There are," Calhoun's nod became more animated.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Excellent. Bring a list of targets, and we will devise our plans."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Here's your first target," Vernon Clark pointed to the website he'd pulled up on his laptop.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I see," Calhoun nodded. "I had them on my list as well. There's no need to instill hate when it's there already."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"One less task for ours to accomplish," Vernon agreed. "These already picket funerals for the dead and hospitals for the wounded, claiming they're all going to hell."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Hell. Such a delicious concept," Calhoun chuckled. "How easy it is to dupe or mislead these; they so readily believe anything fed to them. Such apt pupils they are."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"You don't believe in hell?" Vernon turned muddy green eyes on Calhoun.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Oh, my dear, dear, misguided human," Calhoun patted Vernon's shoulder affectionately.</span></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Avendor—present</span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span></i> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Hey, Frank." Bill sighed as Franklin chose a lounge chair next to his. Bill had taken to sitting on the wide, back deck outside his bedroom. He'd almost stopped cooking altogether, allowing Sharon O'Neill, Adele Evans and Lavonna Anderson to cook. They usually prepared meals in their homes for <i>the big house</i>, as they called it, and Trace or Trajan picked up the food and brought it in.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">The only thing Bill did was take Kay's meals to her, and Franklin currently alternated days tending Kay so Bill could have time alone or with Breanne.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I looked in on Breanne," Franklin said, making himself more comfortable on the deck chair.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Yeah." Bill's shoulders drooped.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Hey, none of us have treated one of her kind before—except Karzac, that is, and he only healed superficial stuff. None of us know what any of this means." Franklin stared across miles of gishi fruit trees below the house. He knew the trees would soon flower and grow tiny knobs of green fruit, heralding another harvesting season on Avendor.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"It doesn't matter whether I'm in there or not. Whether I'm talking to her or not. She's not there," Bill whispered.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Bill, I'm asking you not to give up hope," Frank leaned over and rubbed Bill's back.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Nine days, Frank. It's been nine days, and no sign. Nothing. Yeah, she's breathing on her own, and her heart is still beating, but—that's it."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"If she weren't breathing on her own, I'd be more worried than I am," Frank said, giving Bill's back a final pat before pulling away. "For me, that spells hope. If she needed help to breathe, then I'd worry. Her vitals are strong for someone in her condition."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I thought the Larentii had a hand in that," Bill said.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Up to a point," Franklin agreed. "But you see they're not here sustaining that, don't you?"</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"This is so confusing," Bill covered his face with both hands.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"And wearying, I know," Franklin sympathized. "If that were one of my mates in there, I'd be freaked out, too. Bill, she'll get the best of care, and if there's any way," Franklin left the sentence hanging.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Yeah. I know that. Ashe says that he won't attempt to call her back, because of their history. He's worried that he'll just drive her farther away, and that will make it worse."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Not good," Franklin sighed. "Look, Kay ate her lunch, and I'll be back to take dinner to her. She still has that permanent blank look on her face, but that's nothing new."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Yeah." Bill dropped his hands and blinked to adjust to the light again. "Both of them—wandering who knows where, and we can't get to either one."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Kevis changed the bag of liquid sustenance attached to Breanne's feeding tube. His father inserted the tube five days earlier, so Breanne's body might be kept healthy. Kevis knew, just as his father did, that there was no brain activity. That might mean something to most people. He knew his father was waiting to make a judgment on one of the Mighty, however.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"You'd make a lot of people feel better if you'd just wake," Kevis hung the new bag on the pole beside Breanne's bed. "You're safe where you are, I promise. I talked with Graegar—he came to see me. He says that he loves you. Barrigar does, too. You've never really talked with Barrigar. He's one of the best Larentii I know. Doesn't say much, but he sees everything around him." Kevis took a chair beside the bed with a sigh.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I think Barry's talent for noticing everything around him makes him a really good Protector. I know Conner loves him a lot—just like she loves Graegar. Connegar is Barrigar's son, you know. Barrigar is a wonderful parent. Connegar was Conner's first Larentii child, so he was named after her. Garegar is Graegar's child with Conner, and since he was second-born, he took a variation of his father's name for himself. Are you cold?" Kevis leaned forward and pulled the blanket up a little, covering Breanne's body up to her chin.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Now," he said, "Pheligar is Renegar's father. Kiarra is Renegar's mother. Renegar is Graegar's father; Grace is Graegar's mother. Graegar is Garegar's father, Conner is Garegar's mother."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"If you don't shut up with Larentii lineage, I may punch you," Breanne's cobalt-blue eyes opened and she blinked in the light filtering through a nearby window. Even Bill heard Kevis' whoop of joy and popped out of his deck chair at a run.</span></span></span></div>
CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-8878959229668103202013-08-09T10:00:00.000-05:002013-08-09T10:00:55.137-05:00Blood Revolution SpoilerIf you haven't read Blood Revolution yet, you may want to hold off reading this post until you do. I considered including this in the book and then didn't, as I wanted this information to be revealed at a later time.<br />
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As indicated, this is written from Hank's POV. I may write more from his perspective--we'll see :)<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i>Hank's Journal</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I'd already pulled information from Breanne's mind with the kiss, and so much of it shocked me, made me feel protective and amazed me, too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yes, I'd thought she was only the Vhanaraszh. How wrong I'd been. All of it was there to see. I held the Mighty Heart in my hands. She loved me. That simple fact settled into my mind and tightened my chest.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What I was demanded that I claim her. Make her mine. To hell with that. To hell with High Demon etiquette, protocol and tradition. There was no way I'd do that to Breanne. I was about to change High Demon tradition with a sweep of power, and it was to protect my Love.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">"I won't hurt you," I whispered to Breanne. She'd fainted from the kiss, when I began pulling information from her. Now, I placed a healing sleep—for the second time that day.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then, changing to my smaller Thifilathi, I gently turned her body over and sank my canines into her neck, surrounding her spine as carefully as I could. I never wanted her to feel this pain. To know that from me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Slowly—so slowly—I removed my teeth and sealed the wounds with a kiss before healing them. From this point forward, I would decree that any claiming of a mate by a High Demon would be initiated by a kiss, which would place his mate in an anesthetized sleep. Then, he would carefully sink his teeth into her neck, and heal the wounds after with his saliva and another kiss. It was right, proper and should have been done in the beginning.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kifirin might be incensed at the change, but if he wished to fight me, I would accept the challenge happily.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">"I love you, too," I whispered after turning Breanne over again to face me. Leaning in, I placed kisses on both eyelids. "So much," I added.</span></span></div>
<br />CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-34514374764699020672013-07-28T15:17:00.001-05:002013-07-28T15:17:22.948-05:00Blood Revolution ReleaseBlood Revolution is now available on Amazon. It took them an hour and a half to put it up for sale. I barely had time to have a bag of microwave popcorn for lunch, lol!<br />
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Happy reading--<br />
ConnieCS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-50504403983860503622013-06-12T20:47:00.002-05:002013-06-12T20:47:10.328-05:00Blood Trouble ReleaseBlood Trouble is now available on Amazon, both U.S. and UK. Haven't checked other outlets yet, though. Happy reading!CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-52606597838512928942013-05-01T08:19:00.001-05:002013-05-01T08:19:44.010-05:00Blood Double ReleaseHappy Wednesday, everybody. Blood Double is now available at Amazon AND bn.com. Happy reading!CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-6520145768715952782013-04-19T11:11:00.000-05:002013-04-19T11:11:54.106-05:00Trademarking and Price Gouging<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am currently in the process of trademarking subtledemon and difik. The reasons for this are ones I never thought I'd be facing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">First, I kept receiving emails from an individual somewhere in Asia, telling me that someone was looking to buy/register subtledemon as a domain name in Asian countries. What did I know about registering a domain in Asian countries? <i>Nothing</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I still don't know a lot, but it appears that you have to have a business or business connections in Asia to register a domain in Asia. Yeah, I started sweating. Did I think this was a ploy to bilk money? Yeah, I thought that too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">While I have no interest in connecting to or running a business anywhere except where I am, I figured I ought to protect myself as much as possible. I already had domains purchased/registered for <a href="http://subtledemon.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">subtledemon.com</a>, .info, .net., .org, .biz, .co, .mobi and .ws, so what's a person to do?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I started the process to trademark not only subtledemon, but difik, because I'm selling merchandise through/under both. Hopefully that will go through, but it takes nine months to go through the trademark process, and who knows what might happen?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">My good friend/proofreader/part-time assistant, Joe, suggested I also lock up difik as a domain name, since we were looking to do the same with it—trademark, etc. It was a good idea. HOWEVER—</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Difik.com had already been purchased and was available for AUCTION, at a minimum bid of $200. I was a bit upset, as you might imagine, because you can buy a domain name for around $10 a year. Maybe less. I called the company I buy my domain names from, and asked them what this meant. They explained that somebody else had bought/reserved <a href="http://difik.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">difik.com</a>. They didn't say it, but it was likely somebody who intended to sell it at a profit.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yes, I ended up offering a little over the asking price. This morning, I received a counter-offer—for $1400. No, thank you.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yesterday, I went ahead and purchased <a href="http://difik.biz/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">difik.biz</a>, .co, .info, .mobi, .net, .org, .us, .me and .ws. In other words, all the others I could get my hands on, because unlike <a href="http://difik.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">difik.com</a>, they were available. And I'm still going forward with the trademarking process for difik. I also had all those domain names linked to <a href="http://subtledemon.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">subtledemon.com</a>. Go ahead, do a search for <a href="http://difik.net/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">difik.net</a>. You'll go straight to my website! If somebody wants to use <a href="http://difik.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">difik.com</a> for $1400, feel free (after paying $1400 of course). If it's a business, good luck on getting all the other domain names—I have those. I can't imagine an individual paying $1400 to use <a href="http://difik.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">difik.com</a>, but if they want to be gouged, I have no control over that. If the trademark goes through, I don't know what implications that might have, but we'll see.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Honestly, I write much better (and easier) when I'm not so angry I can spit tacks hard enough to attach shingles to a roof. I never imagined, either, that coining a word or phrase could result in so much teeth-gnashing and agony. Live and learn. They'll never know, too, that I've been calling them difiks for at least twenty-four hours.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Keep on trucking, everybody. You guys (as always) are awesome!</span></span></div>
CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-82449265599750223992013-04-10T11:23:00.001-05:002013-04-10T11:23:27.069-05:00Interview and GiveawayHello, everybody!<br />
<br />
Check out the interview I did for mistressofthedarkpath.wordpress.com. It includes a giveaway for two print copies of Demon Lost and other goodies, and the contest is open to everyone, including international readers. Hope you're having a wonderful week and aren't affected by weird weather!CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-48217476740543373142013-03-26T16:20:00.000-05:002013-03-26T16:20:37.515-05:00Hierarchy of the GodsAs requested:<br />
<br />
The One<br />
The Three<br />
Ko'Ahmari<br />
Ghi'Yisi<br />
Al'Riyu<br />
En'Nurifi<br />
Ba'Mirha<br />
Mil'Karha<br />
Pan'Warha<br />
Nameless Ones<br />
Powers That Be<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">When the Dark Realm was decreed in order to shape the balance of the created worlds, a request was sent out to the Hierarchy, asking for one from the higher levels to volunteer in the creation of the Dark Realm. That one would afterward be named Lord of the Dark Realm and he would hold sway over all he'd created—worlds and creatures alike. None came forward. Another call came, and still none answered. Finally, Kifirin, high among the Nameless Ones but still a lesser god, offered. His offer was discounted at first, as he held insufficient power. The call went out a third time, and still none were willing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span> </div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I grant this power to you," Kifirin's parent, one of the Al'Riyu who loved his child dearly, agreed to lend much of what he held to Kifirin. "This power will return to me, once the Dark Realm is complete. What you hold will be sufficient past that."</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span> </div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Kifirin bowed and accepted his parent's offer. The Dark Realm was created, according to Kifirin's designs and expectations. Then, because he had no prior experience at creating the races and held little knowledge of how sentient creatures might grow and develop away from his care, Kifirin made a promise never to interfere with the Dark worlds or their decisions. Thus were sown the seeds of the Dark Realm's destruction.</span></span></div>
CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-29454442334521967102013-03-13T19:52:00.001-05:002013-03-13T19:52:20.472-05:00Demon's Dream ReleaseDemon's Dream just went live on Amazon.com (U.S.)<br />
Happy reading!<br />
<br />CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-29529198303751462792013-03-09T11:04:00.001-06:002013-03-09T11:04:39.083-06:00Demon's Dream Teaser<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Here's something to keep you busy while waiting for the book.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Happy Weekend, everybody!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"Where are we?" Edward hissed as I led him toward Lissa's kitchen. I didn't even know who worked in it any more.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span> </div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"You're in the palace in Lissia," I said. "On Le-Ath Veronis."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span> </div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"The vampire planet?" Edward stopped dead still.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span> </div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"What are you worried about?" I asked, stopping with him.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span> </div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"They uh, wanted to turn somebody I know, once upon a time," he muttered. "Someone of my race."</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span> </div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I think they're past that," I said, throwing out a hand in a dismissive gesture. "Come on, Lissa will pound somebody's head if they look at you wrong."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"You're sure? And her name is Lissa?"</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span> </div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I am, and yes, her name is Lissa." I gave him an encouraging smile. "Besides, this is keeping me away from a counseling session with the good Doctor Halivar." I couldn't help but feel gleeful over that. "Are you hungry?" I dragged Edward with me until we reached the kitchen.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span> </div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"This is wonderful," Edward sighed after eating nearly all the crepe I'd served him.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span> </div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"I have a Master Cook's license," I reminded him.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span> </div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">"You said that. Now I believe it," he said. I heard footsteps and voices approaching and was prepared to make more crepes when several things happened. Lissa drew in a breath when she saw Edward. Flavio, Head of the Vampire Council, stared in shock and Edward blinked at the third member of their party before whispering, "Winkler?"</span></span></div>
CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-53210283128331742602013-02-19T12:27:00.000-06:002013-02-19T12:34:02.000-06:00Truth Is (Stranger Than) Fiction<br />
<br />
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At this writing, I have twenty self-published books. In a
few weeks, I'll have twenty-one. Yeah, I write (and read) fast. I'm not writing
a book a month, plus editing, revising, et cetera, though (although I've come
close). You do not want to guess at my mental state or the level of eye strain
after that happens!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The truth is—I've been writing for six years, now. Some of
you (who've read my blog since the beginning) know that I began writing
seriously in my husband's ICU room while he was unconscious and breathing on a
vent. I wrote to save my sanity. To get away from the crushing reality that
threatened to destroy me at the time. I wrote Adam and Kiarra's story with the
sound of air being forced into my husband's lungs and the quiet beep of the monitor
close by.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first twelve books I wrote were about the Saa Thalarr.
All twelve of them need to be rewritten, as I was in a learning process then (I've
made progress on rewriting Hope and Vengeance, the first one). But that's not
really what this blog is about. What it's <i>really</i>
about is my characters.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>HERE'S THE THING: </b>I've
gotten requests from readers, asking for permission to use my characters. Some
of those requests aren't very clear as to what they plan to do with my
characters should I give permission. Frankly, the whole thing is a little
frightening. Therefore, I thought I'd spell all this out as well as I could:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->If you have plans to publish any of my
characters/races/worlds for personal gain, I will hire an attorney. My
characters are certainly products of my imagination (Larentii, Lion Snake
shapeshifters, Ra'Ak, etc.) and I don't want to see any of them in anyone
else's published book, short story, novella and so on. I will not approve any
of those requests.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->I (probably) have no control over fan fiction,
although I'd prefer that you didn't take my characters out of context or make
them do things that their characters would never do (See Stephenie Myers'
Twilight series, which turned into a fan fic piece now titled Fifty Shades of
Grey). The names are changed, obviously, for the FSOG books, but I've read an
excerpt from the original piece, so there you are.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<b>SUMMARY:</b>
If you plan to write a fan fic piece for your own personal satisfaction, I
really don't have a big problem with that. I've actually written one myself
that will never, ever see the light of day, so don't ask. Granted the other
author's characters are only in the background, but that's neither here nor
there. I sure don't want to upset or step on another author's toes, I just
wanted to get the story out of my head. Therefore, if that's what you plan to
do, and never intend to publish the story for your own personal gain or twist
my races or characters or worlds into something they would never be or make
them do things they'd never do (sigh), then go ahead and work it out of your
system. I understand writing as therapy all too well.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<b>AND
ANOTHER THING:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
Please don't send me story ideas or any
other ideas (for characters/races/worlds, etc.) <b>I CAN'T</b> <b>USE THEM!!!!!</b> Not
only are there legal reasons for this, those are <b>YOUR</b> ideas, not mine, therefore you should write your own story.
After all, they are a product of <b>YOUR</b>
imagination, not mine, and consequently, nobody will ever know them as well as
you do. Writing can be tough at first, but trust me, if you're serious about
it, it gets a lot easier as you go along. For me, writing is as natural as
breathing, now. So—if there are people holding conversations in your head, and
they're a product of your imagination (not mine) then sit down and write it out!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<b>Having
said all that, here's an update:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
Demon's Dream is coming along, and should
hit the projected March 15<sup>th</sup> date, if not before (barring unforeseen
difficulties). I've also gotten more work done on at least three of the four (so
far) God Wars books. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
And, if you'd like to meet other fans, speculate,
commiserate or verbally trash any characters, story lines, etc., then visit
leathveronis.net. There are lots of things going on over there!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
Connie<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
P.S. If you'd like to sign up for the
newsletter (where you may get snippets you won't get anywhere else) send an
email to joe.scholes68@gmail.com.<o:p></o:p></div>
CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-73565462682867091852013-02-10T00:26:00.002-06:002013-02-10T00:26:56.616-06:00Demon's Revenge ReleaseAfter the glitch last time, when I posted that I uploaded Demon's Quest and then it took forever to go on sale, I decided to wait until it was actually available to announce Demon's Revenge. Well, in less than four hours, it popped right up. There's a link on my Facebook page, if you have difficulty finding it.<br />
<br />
Happy reading and happy Sunday!CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-61028587657289759602013-02-02T12:15:00.001-06:002013-02-02T12:15:56.855-06:00Demon's Revenge blurb<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Here's a blurb from Demon's Revenge. If all goes well, it should be available on February 12th:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
"I guess this isn't a good time." Lendill folded into the kitchen.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
"Here. It has bourbon in it." I pushed my cup of tea toward him and rose from my seat to make another.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
"Land and sky, Reah, this is strong." Lendill took a sip from my cup.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
"Yeah. Sit down," I said. "What do you want?"</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
"Is that any way to treat a mate you haven't seen in months?"</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
"You only show up when you want something," I said. "So what is it?"</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
"Bel has disappeared," Lendill swallowed more tea, grimaced and then swallowed more.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
"Wizard Bel?" I hadn't seen Bel for years, yet I knew he still worked for the ASD.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
"Yes. I sent him to investigate a problem on Surnath, and he vanished. We can't find him."</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
"What kind of problem?" I asked, sitting down with my freshly poured and spiked tea. I didn't even ask Teeg if he wanted any. I was still pissed at him.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
"A worker in an electronics factory went crazy and killed twenty of his coworkers after getting his hands on a laser pistol somehow. And then, two weeks later, a secretary at a legal firm kills six people there. The governor of the Realm on Surnath asked us to investigate. We thought it was just a copy crime. Bel was in so he volunteered. Was there for three days before he came up missing."</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
"That's terrible," I said. "And you tried mindspeech and everything?"</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
"Yes. No answer. Bel isn't one to fall easily into a trap. So we're all concerned."</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
"Me, too," I nodded. I'd known Bel when I was a conscript in the Regular Alliance Army.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
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"Norian and I are willing to pay top credit if you'll work a special assignment on this."</div>
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Wizard Bel is missing, after investigating two crimes on Surnath. Reah agrees to work this special assignment for the ASD, and discovers that Bel's disappearance is linked to far deeper and much darker crimes. The criminals behind these crimes hold the survival of both Alliances in their grip and it is up to Reah to expose them before their final plans become a reality.</div>
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Happy reading, everybody!</div>
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CS</div>
CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-6779292362326600222013-01-12T22:31:00.002-06:002013-01-12T22:31:37.195-06:00Demon's Quest ReleaseAfter 6+ hours, Demon's Quest is available on Amazon. Still waiting on bn.com.<br />
<br />CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4271205709586278094.post-3290973592768075712012-12-26T14:37:00.000-06:002012-12-26T14:37:40.157-06:00Reasons, Rumors and Writing Four Books (or more) At Once<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">I know you're wondering why our female heroines are experiencing so much trouble with their love lives. I've been lambasted (roasted and/or barbecued) over it in several reviews of Demon's King. But--what if, you ask yourself, there is a reason for all this?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well, is there?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since I'm the one writing the books, I can say yes to that question without hesitation. Here is a quote from <i>Blood Love</i>, the tentative title in the fourth book of the God Wars series. This is Lissa and Gavin talking. I started to give a larger quote, but it contained a name and other information I'm not quite ready to give, yet. Here it is:</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">"Gavin, what do you think would hold the universes together, if Love didn't exist?"</span></span></i></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Gavin's eyes popped open and he stared at me. "Lissa, that is the most frightening thing I've heard in a very long time."</span></span></em></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, ask yourself, who might gain if Love is destroyed—especially for some of the major players? What better way to turn them away from their destiny than to damage/remove that vital commodity? Things are heating up in the God Wars realm, and the BIG players have to come together. As far as Reah's personal troubles, I'm hoping that Demon's Quest will help somewhat, but as there are six books in the High Demon series, obviously the problems haven't gone away completely.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, on to rumors. Yes, there has been conjecture that Reah or Lissa is the Mighty Heart. After all, nobody has gotten a good look at her. At least you know it's a her, now <grin>. Well, I'm sorry to burst any bubbles, but the Mighty Heart is neither Lissa nor Reah. And still, Wisdom is lurking out there, somewhere <bigger grin>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And, since I just gave you a quote from Blood Love, the fourth book in the God Wars series, then you've probably figured out that I have something written on all four books (I do). Blood Double is half finished. Blood Trouble has the least written on it (around 8,000 words) Blood Resolution is close to half finished, as is Blood Love. Yeah, my mind works in truly strange (if not mysterious) ways.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyway, I hope this helps a little. Happy New Year, everybody, and may its light shine on all of us.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Connie</span></span></div>
CS-Connie Suttlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15619897360824844430noreply@blogger.com38