Dark and Dirty Fantasy

I'm moving!

2007-09-20T20:50:00.001+01:00

I've squished both my blogs together into one big fat blog.

The link is here

www.darknessandromance.wordpress.com

if you're not taken straight there in the next few seconds.

See you on the other side!!

Time to brag

2007-08-26T10:36:00.000+01:00

Yep, I can now brag about my new cover. YAY

To Summon a Demon is out! YAY

2007-08-21T13:13:00.001+01:00

My first Horror Romance is out. *grin*
You can buy it here. Go on you know you want to, hehe. Here's the blurb:

Muscles and mind straining, Inaeus hurled the sword. Spell-thick steel buried itself deep into the monster’s spine. The Demon screamed down the night in its pain…

That should have been the end of it. It wasn’t.

The Demon is once again on the loose, and this time it possesses a powerful crystal that has it leaving even more death in its wake. With the approach of the full moon, Inaeus must kill the demon and destroy its crystal before it can call more of its brethren from hell.

Inaeus knows who summoned the Demon. Conde. His former colleague, his former friend. The one woman he can’t have. Conde has no loyalty to the League he serves, and broke his trust long ago. But now she is back and offering to help him defeat her creature.

Why?

Come hell or howling Harpies, Inaeus is determined to get the truth out of Conde. If they live long enough.

And here's an excerpt:
(c)2007 Kim Knox

Inaeus stood waiting outside the central chamber, a hallowed place only the League Council was permitted to enter. A young page avoided his gaze, his thin hands twisting. All of Arcaider knew of the theft of the Crytsal. Now he, as Captain of the Guard, had to appear before the Fathers.

Inaeus had accepted his guilt and was prepared for the penalty.

The page pulled open the doors and Pendagon’s gnarled hand beckoned Inaeus toward the central chair. When would he ever stand in this chamber again? Twice in his lifetime was already a rare privelege. So Inaeus couldn’t help himself…

His gaze flicked over the nine ivory thrones carved out of the ornate wall. Seven were empty. Five Fathers lost and two, Lord Meyjes and Nugent, were only half alive. The Council was old, so old that its members could no loner withstand the loss of the Crystal’s support. And without the Crystal, the League of Sorcerers would fall. They were the ones who had bound the demons and secured the land. Without them… A fist tightened in Inaeus’ gut. Without them, the demons would rule again.

The air smelled musty, ancient with old spells and incantations. Pendagon was hunched like a battered animal on his cold, white throne, a weary old man in glittering robes.

“Captain Inaeus.” His voice cracked in the sharp silence of the chamber.

“My Lord Pendagon.” Inaeus nodded his head. His gaze moved to the other beaten old man huddled in the fifth chair. “My Lord Ratelband.” Inaeus settled into the formal stance, hands held behind his back. He held his gold Captain’s ring in a tight fist. He didn’t deserve to wear it any more.

Pendagon let out a wearied sigh. “Conde’s Demon has taken the Crystal. Without it, all of this…” twisted fingers patted the carved arm of the chair in a slow rhythm, “…is destroyed.”

Conde the traitor. Memories flickered but Inaeus forced them back.

“Is it the same Demon? I thought that I—”

“You did not kill the first one she summoned. And it has proven easy for her to make it rise again.” Pendagon snapped out the words and paused as his breath wheezed. “She wants to destroy us, Captain Inaeus. Her Demon must be stopped before it returns on the next full moon and releases the Hoarde.”

“I understand, my lord” He straightened his shoulders. The gaping hole in the wall above the nine thrones reminded him of his guilt. The Crystal had sat there, undisturbed, for over half a millennium. He had brought Conde into the League. And this was how she repaid him—destroying everything to which he was loyal. “It was my duty to protect the Crystal. I’ve failed. And I’m ready for punishment.”

“Now is not the time for selfless heroics, Inaeus!” Irritation bristled across Pendagon’s aged features. “Conde is foul. From the instant she came through the gates of the city she stained it with her lack of respect for the League and its laws.”

Ratelband grunted. “And for the Fathers who only wished to guide her power.”

Inaeus couldn’t stop the words. “In the beginning, Conde was an exemplary officer—”

Ratelband’s hard, dark eyes fixed on him and something unnamed glittered there. “Yes. You were close to her, were you not, Captain Inaeus?”

Inaeus flushed. “Our ranks forbade—”

“You have always denied it.” He poked a bent finger at him and a withered lip curled. The Father slumped forward in his chair and harsh light cut across his face. “And yet I saw the way you slavered over her.”

“Ratelband!” The burst of anger robbed Pendagon of his breath. He visibly gritted his teeth against the rush of pain, a gnarled hand pressing against his hollow chest “Now is not the time. Conde took the Crystal. She cannot be allowed to rule in my, in our place. We are the Council. We are eternal.”

Pendagon closed his eyes. “You still have your sorcery. Why, I don’t know.” The old man tried to straighten his crippled body and failed. “And so it’s been left to you to return the Crystal to me. You are authorised to kill anyone or anything that gets in your way.” His eyes opened. “And that includes your former second-in-command.”

Something swirled around the First Father and unease washed through Inaeus. A murky cloud formed from dull little lies fused with ancient power shrouded him. His decayed face twisted and flaked, clear blue eyes bleeding into dull blackness and lost in loose folds of skin—

“Inaeus…” Conde’s voice.

He awoke with a start.

Off to the land of the Red Dragon...

2007-08-10T15:13:00.001+01:00

...see you in a week!

How... To Summon a Demon

2007-08-07T14:13:00.000+01:00

Step 1. Ensure that you’ve built your city on an island they once ruled.

Step 2. Use the Crystal that bound them to the Underworld. (It’s behind the Nine Thrones. You can’t miss it.)

Step 3. Have a traitorous second-in-command who has summoned one before.

Follow the above steps to have an 18 foot, rancid-breathed demon at your command.

One thing I should mention, before you go to draw out the summoning pattern…
DO NOT let the demon take the Crystal from you. Really. I mean it. That’ll get you into a whole world of trouble. Right, as long as that’s understood… and oh…

Happy Summoning!

I have an ad in Realms of Fantasy

2007-08-02T12:16:00.000+01:00

Play spot me *grin*

It's away. Time for the panicking to start.

2007-07-22T18:47:00.000+01:00

I just posted DARK HOST into the unknown... Well, not exactly unknown. It zapped off to the editor overseeing the On The Prowl anthology for Samhain. Hopefully, this will be third time lucky on an anthology submission. So fingers crossed.

Oh and the cover is the inside of the Burj al Arab hotel in Dubai. It's the main inspiration for the Pagidion, the neural-ship on which DARK HOST is set *grin*

Inspiration

2007-07-15T21:53:00.000+01:00

So I've been participating in the FTDB (Finish That Damn Book) over on the Daughters of Circe yahoo group. It's got me to also 23k on Dark Host, which is nice. I've spent two days on one sex scene, but that is sorted and now I have to work out the Big Ending. So I may return to plotting on paper to work out what Jason and Charis have to do.

Meanwhile this has also been proving an inspirational diversion

To Summon a Demon... the cover. YAY

2007-06-21T19:54:00.000+01:00

Isn't it fab? Thanks, Anne Cain!!

I have a cover, I have a cover!!

2007-06-17T23:22:00.000+01:00

I just have to wait for permission to post it.

It is very, nice. *grin*

Editing nightmares

2007-06-15T11:30:00.000+01:00

No, Laurie if you're reading this, not you, LOL

Last night, after a fairly intensive go at my edits for To Summon a Demon , where I finally inserted the majority of the missing elements to the story, I tried to get to sleep. Only to wake up every hour and leap out of bed to shout at my characters.

Yep, I have night terrors anyway, but last night I was absolutely convinced that my characters, everytime I left the ms, were changing the story. So I had to keep rewriting it and going back and trying to figure what they'd done now *sigh*

And yes, I'm tired and sandy-eyed this morning *yawn*

Nimue's Price... out today!

2007-05-22T08:37:00.000+01:00

First release today!!

Nimue's Price by Kim Knox

Dark Fantasy ~ with a dash of sex...

Buy it here:
www.samhainpublishing.com

Blurb

Smelling like an overcooked pig was only the start of a bad day…

Excerpt

Damn it, no. He was leaving. "Merlin! Wait."

Nimue stretched out her hand, caught his, gripped it. Something slick wet her skin. She turned over his hand and found blood and crescent-shaped cuts dug deep into his palm. "You're bleeding."

Merlin tugged his hand free and eyes as dark as her own narrowed. "It's nothing." He stepped back. "You need to rest, Nimue. We're strong. It's how we have the Sight…but we still need to eat and sleep after an…encounter."

Strong? True. Already, the shakes, the dull throbs of pain through every muscle, were fading. A smile pulled at her mouth and Merlin's eyes deadened in response. Silent curses ran through her head. He'd wanted her. Every sense had screamed it. Now, that had changed.

All right. She would start again. Morgan had given her time.

Her gaze dropped, fixing on the strong column of his throat. She focused on the strip of black leather slipping beneath his tunic. Nimue had seen the crested ring that hung from it. He had held it up to a flickering candle, the black, carved stone blazing, and told her of his father. The ring was his only connection to that long-dead man. She calmed her nerves. "Will…will you be my teacher?"

"Nimue."

Her name was almost a growl. She ignored the delicious shiver running over her skin. Morgan had warned her about this. He will weave his magic around you, Nimue. Wrap darkness around your heart. Resist that. And you can destroy him. She let out a slow breath. "Who else can show me, Merlin? It's taken you years." Her eyes lifted and she ran slow fingers over the sharp edge of his jaw. He flinched. "I'm…I'm scared."

Something flickered in the dark depths of his eyes. Then was gone. Merlin backed away. "It's the king's decision."

"Then we go now."

A muscle in his jaw jumped. His mouth opened. Then shut. "Yes."

He stared over her long, creased dress. She followed his gaze and saw the stains of blood and urine "I have to change. I'm sure the king wouldn't approve." A smile twisted her mouth. "And the Queen would be horrified."

Merlin's mouth flattened. "If the king decides I am to be your mentor, your irreverence stops, Nimue."

She couldn't help herself. "So I have till then?"

"You know that's not--" Merlin bit back more words and turned to the solid wooden door. "Let's go."

He shot back four heavy bolts and tugged at the wrought-iron ring. The door groaned. Nimue stared back at the raised circle that had burned her with agonising light. She hadn't told him a lie. She was scared. Voices had whispered in that searing light, whispered of the distant future, the forgotten past. One Voice told her power could be hers. It would be hers. All of it.

Nimue crushed her eyes shut. She had to deny the memories, and shook her head against them.

She drew air into her lungs and she focused on Merlin's straight back.

The Voice had promised her his power.

Her bare feet padded over cold stone. Think about the cold. Concentrate on the chill numbing her soles. She couldn't let her thoughts dwell. But she failed. Arthur's sister had sent her to the court to worm her way into Merlin's affections. And she had done that. The ease of doing so still surprised her. However, there was the other side.

She needed to see the brooding lines lift from his sharp, handsome face. To have Merlin smile at her and let that smile light eyes too used to looking inwards and seeing horror.

No.

That was his magic.

Morgan had said.

She tugged at his arm. "Will I have to endure the light again?"

Merlin pulled free and didn't stop his fast pace through the curving, torch-lit tunnel. "No."

"What happens if the king says no?"

He stopped. He didn't look at her, instead his face turned down the smooth-stoned tunnel. His voice was cold, hard. "The Iselin Dal will use you as they wish. As They used me. Until I learned."

Panic skittered through Nimue. She knew the stories of the screaming, insane wild-man Merlin had once been. Sometimes she saw the memory of it flicker across his face. "I--"

Narrowed eyes fixed on her. The power in them prickled over her skin. "It's something you must be prepared for, Nimue."

She forgot her role. "And you would be relieved!"

Merlin's jaw tightened. "Yes."

The shock and pain of that answer shot through her nerves. Nimue grabbed at the carved stone for support, felt the sharp edge dig into her palm. "How could you…?"

"You were a dalliance, Nimue. Nothing more. Now you're a threat to me. And we both know it." She swung her hand without thinking. Merlin's strong fingers caught her wrist, pinned her arm to the wall, blocked her with his body. "Don't we?"

Nimue couldn't breathe.

The mixing odours of stone, leather and Merlin's clean, male scent shot through her. The hard strength of him pressed against her had her heart thumping. She stared up into dark eyes, catching the flicker of fire in their depths.

Want pulsed.

Her hips shifted. Slow. Sure.

Merlin groaned, his gaze dragging to her mouth.

"Just one taste, Merlin." Was that her voice? Soft, breathless? "Where's the harm?"

His lips parted, his breathing harsh, and the liquid fire low in her belly flared. The urge to sink her teeth into his lip consumed her. For her to finally taste him, let his tongue, her tongue--

"Enough!" Merlin stumbled back. "I'm stronger than that," he muttered. Cold eyes fixed on her. "They must have you for my own sanity."

"And that's what you'll tell the king?"

Merlin's jaw lifted, his spine straightened. "Yes."

"You condemn me, Merlin."

He turned. "You shouldn't have come to the court."

Nimue watched him stride down the tunnel. "I had no choice."

(c) 2007 Kim Knox

Thank you for reading!

Here's a snippet of Nimue's Price 5 star review:

Nimue's Price is one of the best fantasies this reviewer has encountered, and I truly hope author Kim Knox will expand on the exciting denouement and deliver further stories of Nimue and Merlin! I intend to find everything this very special author writes, and add them to my Keeper Shelf. The characters, the plot, the fantasy and paranormal elements, and a rapid pace that never turns the reader loose, all make Nimue's Price an excellent story and a welcome addition to the reader's library of keepers.

Reviewer: Annie

http://sensual.ecataromance.com/11-reviews?type=&id=809

Kim

Wordless Wednesday #8

2007-05-15T21:33:00.000+01:00

I never realised until I actually saw this, that I'd never seen an image of the back of Tutankhamen. If you want to see the front go here. *grin*

More fun with icons.

2007-05-14T21:22:00.000+01:00

I should be planning but what am I doing? I'm making Wip Icons, LOL

Wordless Wednesday #4

2007-05-08T17:10:00.000+01:00

I wrote a novella, a future fantasy urban romance *smirk*, called Chosen.

The Oriental Pearl TV tower and the very 21st century view from the very 19th century side of the Hung Po (I think it's that) inspired me. I've been asked to expand the story... and I think I needed a reminder of my initial inspiration, LOL

(not exactly Wordless... but I wanted to explain, LOL)

Wordless Wednesday #6

2007-05-01T20:56:00.000+01:00

What I should be doing...

2007-04-29T14:25:00.000+01:00

... is writing Alchemy. I'm just about to start chapter 4 and the second draft is so muh better than the first one. That was more like a very detailed outline. Well not that detailed... as my hunt for the scent of indigo dye proved, LOL.

So I should be writing that... but instead, after an IM chat a couple of days ago, I have another story squatting in my head.

This doesn't happen to me. I have to hack at ideas with the pick. On some days, I need dynamite.

So having characters, a setting, half a plot... and a murder/mystery plot at that... skulking about in my brain is unsettling. Anyway to appease the lurking monster, I made it an icon. I'll write more about it as it gradually takes over my life. And here's the icon, I'm heading back to Varo *grin*

Wordless Wednesday #4

2007-04-24T19:47:00.000+01:00

Happy St George's Day

2007-04-23T10:09:00.000+01:00

...the original story which dates from the 4th century CE, told of St George offering hospitality to a refugee, defending the marginalised, and challenging the persecution policy of the Emperor. This image has been distorted, and replaced by one of a dragon slayer who backed the crusades.

I still want this as a day off, hehe

Stuff yourself at a Sci-Fi Feast

2007-04-20T11:55:00.000+01:00

Languishing at home when everyone is gearing up for RT?

Love Stargate?

Have a thing for Firefly?

Can’t get enough of big honking space guns and the men that handle them...?

Then the Daughters of Circe invite you to immerse yourself in all things sci-fi on 21 April at our Yahoo Group.http://groups.yahoo.com/group/daughters_of_circe/

Join us as we explore our love of books, TV and film, boldly going where no… oops… that’s someone else’s tagline isn’t it? *grin*

Oh, and by the way, watch out for Mother…

Daughters of Circe

Wordless Wednesday #1

2007-04-17T10:00:00.000+01:00

Nimue's Price - due for release 22 May

2007-03-30T09:42:00.000+01:00

Nimue entered Camelot with her order plain. Seduce Merlin.

And here's a snippet in honour of the cover *grin*

Excerpt

All right. She would start again. Morgan had given her time.

Her gaze dropped, fixing on the strong column of his throat. She focused on the strip of black leather slipping beneath his tunic. Nimue had seen the crested ring that hung from it. He had held it up to a flickering candle, the black, carved stone blazing, and told her of his father. The ring was his only connection to that long-dead man. She calmed her nerves. “Will…will you be my teacher?”

“Nimue.”

Her name was almost a growl. She ignored the delicious shiver running over her skin. Morgan had warned her about this. He will weave his magic around you, Nimue. Wrap darkness around your heart. Resist that. And you can destroy him. She let out a slow breath. “Who else can show me, Merlin? It’s taken you years.” Her eyes lifted and she ran slow fingers over the sharp plane of his jaw. He flinched. “I’m…I’m scared.”

Something flickered in the dark depths of his eyes. And was gone. Merlin backed away. “It’s the King’s decision.”

“Then we go now.”

A muscle in his jaw jumped. His mouth opened. Then shut. “Yes.”

He stared over her long, creased dress. She followed his gaze and saw the stains of blood and fluid. “I have to change. I’m sure the King wouldn’t approve.” A smile twisted her mouth. “And the Queen would be horrified.”

Merlin’s mouth flattened. “If the King decides I am to be your mentor, then your irreverence stops, Nimue.”

She couldn’t help herself. “So I have till then?”

“You know that’s not—” Merlin bit back more words and turned to the solid wooden door. “Let’s go.”

He shot back four heavy bolts and tugged at the wrought-iron ring. The door groaned. Nimue stared back to the raised circle that had burned her with agonising light. She hadn’t told him a lie. She was scared. Voices had whispered in that searing light, whispered of the distant future, the forgotten past. One voice told her power could be hers. It would be hers.

All of it.

Thursday Thirteen #1

2007-03-14T17:25:00.000Z

Thirteen fictional villains who inspire me... Guess who's plotting right now?

So in no particular order...

1… Servalan - I was a Blake's 7 obsessed 10 yo. And having a villain in evening dress and high heels teetering about in a quarry was... unusual. The creation of Servalan has nothing to do with the rise of Margerat Thatcher, of course ;-)

2… Cybermen - old and very much new. They've always been my favourite Dr Who baddy.

3… Daleks - just because. Now they're a proper battle droid. *grin*

4… Livia - Yes, I'm heavily influenced by Robert Graves. But the endless machinations of the fictional Livia are impressive and compelling.

5… The Shadows - no not Cliff Richard's backing group... though, thinking about it Hank Marvin is pretty scary. The Shadows from Babylon 5. Evil with an unknown face and really cool ships.

6… Anubis - the Stargate villain, mainly because my 5yo reenacts the season 7 finale. Declaring 'I AM ANUBIS!' he stretches out his arms and lets his 2yo brother shoot him with his lego gun. Yes. I'm a bad influence.

7… The Enviroment - This probably goes back to my Blake's 7 watching. It started with a planet with sentient sand deciding to kill off Vila because Avon was the alpha male. It also inspired lust to make the others breed so the sand could live of their offspring. I love Blake's 7, hehe

8… Satan in Paradise Lost - The perfect villain, who's outlook colours his world... well, that's what I remember from college anyway. I just liked pandemonium *grin*

9… Family villains - betrayal by family members is always fun to write about. That has to be the Julio-Claudians again.

10… Augustus Carp - not so much a villain as an anti-hero, but for someone truly awful you can't do better *grin*

11… The Mayor - Season 3 of BtVS - I just loved his picky little ways while he happily slaughtered anyone in his way.

12… which led me to think of Iago . From A-Level and Degree English, I knew Othello inside and out. Iago is great at being completely two-faced.

13… And last, but not least, The Terribly Deep Thinkers - I've suffered through In Search of Santa more times than I can count. But these book-burning, intolerant, small-minded, evil penguins have grown on me.

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Chosen is away... and hello! to Nimue's Price

2007-03-02T08:45:00.000Z

I did it. It's gone. Finally.

Chosen is gone!

I think this is the first story I started and completed in one go. That is, without twiddling with something else and going back to it in a couple of months. And even then, some days I struggled to write more than a few words. I wrote the final 8000 words in the last fortnight, and 6000 of those since Saturday.

So it seems I need an external deadline to finish anything.

And I should have several projects on the go at once, so I don't lose interest in writing completely, LOL

And yesterday, Nimue's Price popped up on the Coming Soon pages at Samhain.
This is a link to the author's page, as the Coming Soon pages are transient.
Kim Knox

But here's a picture... couldn't resist...:

I'm back...

2007-02-28T09:39:00.000Z

The mostly rough first draft for the the Samhain Dragon Anthology is done. Hurrah! It's taken me forever to write this one. The words just wouldn't come, and those that did were mostly pants *sigh*

But it's been printed out and on Thursday I plan to attack it; then write the dreaded synopsis. Eeep.

The deadline is 2 March. The best three are chosen on 16 March.

Fingers crossed!

Rome: a place of weird dreams

2007-02-16T19:49:00.000Z

I had more dreams here than I have had in a long while. Must be all the walking... hehe

Here're a few more pics. There are more on here

I was also inspired for a contemp story and plan to put part of Dragon in the back streets of Rome *grin*

Daughters of Circe - Grand Opening!

2007-02-10T14:10:00.000Z

My general obsession with fanfic

2007-02-07T19:39:00.000Z

On some days I can't help myself: I have to read fanfic. It's one of the illegal pleasures when I should be writing...

I first discovered it on the web about 5 years ago and have been addicted ever since. I'm a sad SG-1, CSI obsessive, LOL There's also the odd Blake's 7/Voyager crossover, which is fun.

I realised that when I first started writing... far back into the mists of time *sigh*... that I wrote a form of fanfic. The characters were already set. And of course the heroines were total Mary Sue's *grin* But as an entry into learning how to write it was useful. It got me writing. It kept me writing. And me being about fourteen it was completely awful, LOL

I'm not going to share my early fandoms, though. The writing was bad enough *cringe*

I wish I could write fanfic, though. I can never make the characters canon. Kudos to those writers who can. And you know who you are... *grin*

It might me a good thing that I can't do it. It would be yet another distraction from getting my dragon story finished...

Getting a handle on it

2007-02-05T21:55:00.000Z

I think I may have a clue where my dragon story is going... Hurrah!

It has, of course, being me, become more and more complex and uber-byzantine, LOL And I used to think I wrote nice little straight forward plots...

I've been a-dragoning...

2007-02-02T21:28:00.000Z

...and the story is becoming more bizarre the more I write.

Not sure it's a good thing, either, LOL

My hero is cool. Which is all important. I just can't seem to get a grip on where the story is going and what it's really about. So at the minute, I'm just writing and writing, stopping, talking to myself as I wander through the house, and trying to figure out how to make this damn thing gel.

Incentives to blog here, LOL

2007-01-06T15:43:00.000Z

I need to make myself blog. There are so many other things tugging at my time, but I'm making myself update today *cracks whip!*

So, I promise, to myself at least, to update this blog with my fantasy wips. So far I have:

and
I'll post more one them later... when I have a clue what they're about, LOL By then they may have proper titles too *grin*

Buying Mackenzie's Baby is in PRINT

2006-12-20T11:14:00.000Z

My alter-ego has some good news she'd like to share. *grin*

It's official... well as official as it gets, LOL

Amazon hasn't lifted it from 'pre-order' status, but the book is ready to ship from the printers.

Meanwhile, I had a tactful moan *grin* at Amazon.co.uk and it's now up there too. YAY. Not all of the information is up yet though.

So the best place to get Buying Mackenzie's Baby (especially for price and postage, hehe) is here: MBaM.

The morning after a high society party finds Kate Hartley in her ex-husband’s bed. Just a stupid mistake; something to put behind her… Until she discovers that she is pregnant.

Mack had never wanted children; had only married her in a rush of lust. Kate knows this. Nothing would drive her to ask anything of him. Nothing. But she’s homeless and flat broke.

And it isn’t only her welfare now.

However, Mack has his own agenda. Kate had fooled him once; married him for his money. Whored herself… It was why he had divorced her. But now his grandfather has threatened his mother’s home if Mack doesn’t marry and produce an heir.

He had vowed never to marry again. But Kate Hartley is his only choice.

And pay back can be sweet…

Angel

2006-12-19T11:38:00.000Z

Okay, I can be as shallow as the next shallow person... and anyway it's *cough* inspiration

Actually, he's a character for my Nocturne sub. My hero for that may be wearing more clothes, though... ;-)

And thanks to Ann Cory for introducing me to him, LOL

NaNo - Day 18 - 30

2006-12-01T08:51:00.000Z

Yes, I became the ulimate slacker during the last twelve days of NaNoWriMo.

I blame it on Christmas present buying, wrapping them and Winter Fatigue. That's the new craze, since SADs is old hat now... ;-)

Anyway, my total got to: 35529

I know it's not the magical 50k number, and I also slipped from the 40k I was aiming for. But it probably works out that I wrote 35.5k in about a fortnight. With multiple resting days in between. And it pushes Alchemy over the 50k mark. That means I only have about another 20k to write. Which is a lot better then when November started and I had about 15k and the story was already a year old.

Rewrites are going to be a bugger, though, LOL

I just have ** inserts with a list of things that need to happen and then I've moved on to the more interesting, less research-heavy scene.

Now I have to put Alchemy away for a while and get up to speed with Past Lies. That needs a major plot change and 10k added. By the end of December. It should be doable... *gulp*

Oh and here's what my writing course tutor thought of Alchemy's prologue.

I like this; it really rattles along, great tension - lots of obstacles overcome and a twist at the end. Believeable characters, empathy with Alesh.

At some point, you will need to answer why Zenos has turned. I agree with you about the ending - I bit Mills and Boon, I thought.

...if he only knew.... ;-)

NaNo Day 15, 16 & 17

2006-11-17T21:35:00.000Z

I've been pretty slack this week. I'm just under 25000 words, which for me is a tonne weight of writing, but not that good for NaNoWriMo, LOL

I realise not that I'm about 3/4s of the way through the story and that another 20k will probably have it finished, with another 10k added after the nightmare that is the first draft is over. It's doable, just not maybe in the next 13 days... ;-)

I'm have the weekend off as I need to look at Past Lies which needs a rewrite and 10k added my New Year's Eve... eep... So I want to thrash out what I have to do and then see if what I have planned is acceptable. Then write it. That starts 1 December. So Guardian is out of the loop for another month.

Oh, and I left Alesh and Varo very happy... but not for long...

Mwhahahahaha

NaNo - Day 13 & 14

2006-11-14T23:40:00.000Z

Not much yesterday and about 12oo today. So I'm definitely slowing down, LOL

I'm at about 22k, but the past few days have been a rush of things, subs accepted, rejected, needing huge rewrites and two covers and blurbs to sort. Yes, excuses, excuses, I know. I don't think I'll get to 50k - but if I get to 40, I will be well pleased *grin*

NaNo - Day 11 &12

2006-11-12T23:30:00.000Z

It's been slow going, mainly because I got to a dull bit, wrote through it, and realised after why it was dull and hard to write in the first place, LOL So, I have a bracketed note to myself to remember in the rewrite.

I also increased my word count to 1150 today, by going back and adding a semi-rude scene. *grin* Not fully rude, as there is a very good reason why Alesh and Varo should not have wild monkey sex. Aren't I a bad person??

And I'm over 20k now! Woo hoo!

And off NaNo topic, but on sub topic, 7% and Rising got accepted by Samhain, and The Bone Magician's Daughter got rejected by Berkley. So I'm getting another submission package out the door asap *grin*

NaNo - Day 9 &10

2006-11-10T23:33:00.000Z

So I haven't been around for a couple of days again. But I have been writing. Honest. I'm just 4 words short of 18000. Which is extremely cool.

Got my demon attacking the ship scene done... but will have to go back to extend so I can have more of the crew involved. And liquid fire. Must have my liquid fire, hehe

So Alesh, has just reached her homeland.

Time for all hell to break loose...

Nano - Day 7 & 8

2006-11-08T14:27:00.000Z

Yesterday was one of those days where I couldn't keep my eyes open. I think I wrote 1500 words and then didn't have the strength to make a picture and update my blogs... LOL

Doing slightly better today. Mainly because I skipped a bridging scene - which is dull and needs to have the tension, tension, tension that Donald Maass proscribes for every page, paragraph, sentence. So I got a sacrifice and a snog in 2000 words. (These two things are connected but happening miles and time apart... Honest.)

I may write more today as there be demons off the starboard bow...

NaNo - Day 6

2006-11-06T21:50:00.000Z

Yes, I've slipped into the bizarre NaNo universe were only writing 2116 is seen as another bad writing day, LOL

And I thought today that it would be a simple point of getting Alesh onto a boat and out of the city. Then it hit me. I'm basing my city on Byzantium. And no self-respecting Rhomanoi would let something simple go by when it could be full of lies and intrigue... *grin*

Friends turn into traitors, spies become friends. Now it's more of the twist turny plot I like!

Oh, and the daily pics are going through a make-over. Can't you tell I've disovered another button on the Tool bar, LOL

NaNo Day 5

2006-11-05T23:54:00.000Z

Didn't quite make it to 10k in 5 days... boooo I'm about 300 words short.

The weekend has mostly been a bust for writing.

Visitors, children, RJ and finally Torchwood and the death of Boromir (Channel 4 LoTR *grin*) put paid to much writing getting done.

Though, I've just checked my word count for today and it's odd for 1637 words to be a bad writing day, LOL

Nano - Day 4

2006-11-04T21:31:00.000Z

Not doing so well today... but I do have an exuse.

I've been out for nine hours, bimbling around town with our children and our friends and their children.

I did manage to write 400 words this morning. So it's not a total loss today. *grin*

NaNo - Day 3

2006-11-03T14:59:00.000Z

Another day, another good word count *grin*

2547

I struggled a bit today.

Samwise was around and wanting to be played with, until Grandma Gandalf turned up and I was able to escape... ;-) Also the words weren't flowing that well. Until I got my h moving, then they practically shot along. Well the last 600 words did anyway.

And this keyboard on the laptop is driving me crazy.

Nothing compares to the beauty of the keyboard of the Dana... *sigh* It's probably the reason why my word count is as high as it is.

How the hell have I written anything on this God-awful thing! LOL

NaNo -Day 2

2006-11-02T12:15:00.000Z

The h in this story spent a fair chunk of my 2487 words undressing the hero. One simple idea gave me about 1000 words I wouldn't have had. Hurrah! The Favourite Line above is not about undressing the hero, btw. *smirk*

Now I have to go and catch up on a bazillion emails... *sigh*

NaNo - Day 1

2006-11-01T11:04:00.000Z

It's done. My first 1700 words are done and I've left myself a little note for what I have to do tomorrow. November is going to be a very l-o-n-g month, LOL

I'm also doing these little pages as an incentive to myself. I'll be having a different one for every day, with a different favourite line. I'm hoping it will make me write...

:::Edit:::

Just to add, my total is now 2479 for today.
There was an email from the Nanowrimo people saying that we should aim for 2500 everyday this week.

Eep...

Nano - Minus Four Days and counting...

2006-10-27T23:41:00.000+01:00

Am I ready?

I don't know.

I have my outline, my character sheets and a general idea were I'm going.

Hopefully, I'll get somewhere with this story as its been bugging me for quite a while.

And I know I've changed the nature of this blog. But Jarod Vae is not playing any more. He's popped up in The Mystic's Son, 25 years older and still just as annoying... *sigh*

The Essential Cover...

2006-10-23T21:51:00.000+01:00

Brrr-ring

2006-08-21T10:46:00.000+01:00

Hello? Yes, Jarod Vae is on another continent right now.

Can I take a message?

I... don't think you should describe the Lord Vae in those terms, madam... And that's not very nice either. No. I will not tell him where he can put that.

I will, however, tell him that you called. But I will not be held responsible for his actions...

Yes, madam, and you.

Writers... *sigh*

A Brave New World

2006-06-28T16:31:00.000+01:00

“Since this is what you turned me into.” Jarod waves at himself before he picks up the glass pot of burning silver liquid. He twists it. Shakes it. “I plan to use it.”

“Don’t!” I grab the pot out of his hand. I place it carefully on the battered bench and step back. I start breathing again. “Do that.” I glare at him. “This isn’t your world. The rules are different here.”

“There has to be magick.” He paces the vaulted room, his hands behind his back. “And I’m sure there’s someone around here whose life you’re destroying.”

“Jarod…”

He stops, turns. That silver gaze fixes on me. “Deny it.”

“Alesh.”

“Thought so.”

“How did you get here?”

He stares up at the windows, three narrow slits high on one wall. Harsh sunlight splinters to the floor around him, through him. “You set me free.” The smile he directs at me prickles my skin. “And I have some time to kill.”

And that disturbs me more than anything else.

Typical

2006-06-27T00:04:00.000+01:00

"What the hell are you doing here, Jarod?"

He's smirking.

The bloody man is smirking...

After a short absence...

2006-06-23T16:05:00.000+01:00

Damn it, she's recovering. Have to work. Fast.

Yesterday

2006-06-17T23:25:00.000+01:00

“So what happened yesterday?”

I settle into a chair in the corner of the dark room. Smells of cooking fat and stale beer waft up from the taproom. I don’t know why he stays in this pit. Wait. Yes, I do.

“You know what happened.” Jarod’s voice, cold, hard comes from the bed.

“You scared the tavern owner half to death and…?”

“Am I allowed time to recover? To get used to this?”

“You’ve had a day.” I stand and brush the dust and dirt from my clothes. I tug at the shutters and grey, morning light bursts into the fusty room.

“You enjoy this,” Jarod mutters.

“I’m a writer.” I shrug. “Making your life hard is what I have to do.”

I stare at the man as he shoves aside the covers. I can see why Shena screamed…

I ignore the twinge of guilt. It’s necessary. I thought Jarod had accepted that.

I have.

Today

2006-06-15T22:46:00.000+01:00

“Inago?”

I stop on the stairs. That was definitely been another thump from his room.

“Inago? Are you all right?”

He’d told me, told me that he wouldn’t be the same today. The man is eaten up by something and has an unhealthy obsession about Fen Dakis… but I thought it was just drunken talk.

Yet, now it’s early morning, the last of the stragglers have found a new home in the gutter and he is usually up and scribbling at his corner table.

I rap on his door. “Inago?”

The room is in darkness, the shutters still pulled tight.

“Go away, Shena.”

I should do as he orders. I should. Instead, I enter and stand at the end of his narrow bed. My eyes grow used to the gloom. Curled into a tight ball, he has the sheets twisted around him. “Do you need a doctor?”

A bitter laugh escapes him. “No doctor can help me.”

“But—”

He erupts from the bed. “Look at me! Look what’s she’s done.”

I scream. And I can’t stop.

The day before tomorrow

2006-06-14T18:36:00.000+01:00

“Are you all right?”

He moves his pile of parchment and I put the bottle on the table. Shadows are heavy beneath his eyes and his shoulders slump under his hide tunic. He looks bone tired. I stop myself from smiling. Funny for a Magician.

“Fine,” he mutters, covering his writing with a fresh piece of parchment. I know better than to look, anyway. He takes the bottle and downs half of it. “She’s at that point.”

“She?”

He sits back in his chair and the old wood creaks. “The woman who has me sitting here, writing. Writing that she won’t even let anyone see.”

He scrubs at his heavy face and lets out a slow sigh. “Tomorrow I’ll probably look different, Shena.”

“You seem to change day to day, getting worse, if I may say so.”

He laughs, something hollow, brittle. “Tomorrow.” He lifts his bottle and salutes me. “You’ll see.”

I wring my apron, it’s none of my business, but… “You’re a Magician, sir. How can anyone tell you what to do?”

A real smile touches his mouth and a spark of fire flashes in his disconcertingly silver eyes. “You’d think that, wouldn’t you.” He shakes his head. “She’s different.”

His spine straightens. “You know, what Shena? Damn her. Grab a bottle and sit with me. My tab,” he says as I hesitate.

I look back to the empty bar. Jerem is asleep in his usual chair. The tavern is dead.

“All right.”

His fingers lightly touch the parchment and the writings hidden beneath. There’s a bleakness in his gaze that twists my insides. “And if you would, you can tell me about Fen Dakis...”

View of a stranger

2006-06-13T23:34:00.000+01:00

He’s sitting at the back of the room, a musty place where the light never reaches. An oil lamp sits on the table and casts a weak, golden glow over his hands. I can hear the ink-stick scratching on the parchment from here.

But then it’s quiet in The Hand today. All my usual Sevens are still working. There’s only Jerem near the open window, slumped in a booth, snoring softly. I smile. He’s drooling and muttering. As usual.

I look back at my stranger.

He’s not a Seven. A Six slumming? But then he doesn’t look like he sits behind a desk all day. No, it’s not my business. I’m paid to get my clients to take the fights outside and serve up the ale. Nothing else.

And if my stranger wants to stay in that corner, he’s going to have to buy something. House rules.

I brush down the front of my apron and lift my chin. My tavern. Mine. I step out from behind the counter.

“You want me to order something.”

That stops me. “House rules.” The words sound choked and I swallow. “So. What will it be?”

“Those bottles I had. One will do.” He looks up and silver eyes pierce me. The lamp light burns over the fierce Devourer Tattoo scoring his right cheek. “Start a tab.” A smile tugs at his mouth and he reaches into his pocket. I don’t miss the flash of a Spell-carved dagger on his belt. He flips me a gold coin. “I’m good for it.”

Out of habit I want to bite the coin. Probably not a good idea around this man. “I don’t doubt it, sir.”

“Bite the coin.”

Heat rises under my skin. Was the damn Magician in my head? Could they do that? “No need.”

“What’s your name?”

“Shena Moar.”

He looks back to the parchment. “Do you know Fen?”

Fen? The woman keeps herself to herself. What trouble could have this man looking for her? She’s my friend. I can’t lie. But I won’t give her up to this man. “I think she’s been in here. Once or twice. I’ve not seen her for a while.”

Something about my answer makes him smile again. He picks up his ink-stick. “Good,” he murmurs. “Exactly the right answer, Shena Moar.” The scratching over the parchment starts again. “Tell that to everyone you know.”

I stare at him. “I’ll get your bottle.”

“You do that.”

Who am I?

2006-06-12T22:31:00.000+01:00

She doesn’t trust me.
Not that I blame her. I wouldn’t trust me either. After all, I could tell you the truth…
So the final version will be subject to her whims.

Who am I?

I am Jarod Vae. Bone Magician and Lord of the Inner Circle.

And I want to make one thing perfectly clear, from the outset.

For years, I’ve followed my cousin, Marrus. Worked for him, protected the woman he believes is the fabled Sorcerer. That’s been my job. Hiding Fen Dakis. I would never betray him. Never. Those are lies spread by that writer.

No. Fen Dakis is a means to an end.

Nothing more.

Understand?

Introducing...

2006-06-11T15:37:00.000+01:00

Jarod Vae

Jarod's nursing a drink. The small table is littered with discarded empties. I push myself into the threadbare chair. He doesn't look up.

"You've left me in the middle of Chapter Twelve to do this."

"I know. I'm sorry."

A smile tugs at his mouth, bitter, twisted. "Like hell you are." He drains the bottle and points to the barman for a refill. "You want me to take on this place for a while?" He sits back and his silver gaze sparks in the lamp light. His mouth twitches. I refuse to let my nails curl into my palms. "Then there will be conditions."

I lift my chin. He's mine. He doesn't intimidate me. Much. "No conditions, Jarod."

"Really?"

The barman puts the cold bottle on the table and looks at me. I shake my head. I wait for him to leave before I turn back to Jarod. "Should I ask Fen?"

Something shifts in his gaze. I know what it is. I wonder does he. He picks up his fresh bottle. "Leave her out of this."

I shrug. "If you're unwilling..." I leave it hanging. Pushing my chair back, I smile at him. "I'm sure she'll share exactly what she thinks of you-"

"Fine." He bites out the word. "Tomorrow."

"You're just having that Chapter Twelve feeling again."

"Be glib," he mutters. His cold glare pins me and I remember just how powerful I made Jarod Vae. Lord of the Inner Circle. Bone Magician. Chaos in human form. "But at the end, I'll remember this."

The end. I ignore the twist in my gut.

His harsh laughter follows me out of the bar.

Am I crazy??

2006-06-11T00:50:00.000+01:00

Okay... trying for the two blog approach. The fact that I have trouble updating one blog on a daily basis is hard enough, without me throwing this into the mix... but here I go.

Under the name of Kim Knox... I write fantasy romance.

I didn't think about writing under two names at the very beginning. However, I'd had a few surprised reactions about me writing both comtemporary and fantasy. So I'm trying to avoid confusion and disappointment. I hope, LOL

Since my I really should be writing Blog is my struggle with hobbits, ents and unruly wizards i.e. my family with a bit of general bit of writing thrown in, I'm going to try something different with this one.

I was thinking of letting my characters run it. A weekly turn, maybe.

I'll see how it goes... eep