How I picked up a new book.

On my monthly jaunt to the city (bright light and the big ciiityyyyyyyy... why are you so catchy, CeeLo?) I visit Dymocks.  If anyone who saw me was to described my behaviour, they would probably say that I was 'skulking between the shelves, an exemplar of stranger danger'.

But before you go and call the cops, let it be known that I am simply checking out the competition.

Last trip, a kindly middle aged shopgirl asked me if she could help me find what I was looking for.  I swallowed the first dozen inappropriate responses that sprang to mind.

"Could you recommend a fantasy or supernatural book with a female lead where romance is not the main plot?" I said after the awkward pause where I wrestled  my dirty mind for control.

And that's how I got onto Winter Be My Shield by Jo Spurrier, the first book in a trilogy by one of Australia's own.

Now, I'm not the biggest reader at the best of time, and I have the attention span of a one-finned guppy, but the shopgirl was so convincing that I went to the counter with the book without even cracking it open first (or reading the last time of the book, which is usually the first thing I do when I pick up a book).

I bought it.  $17.99 - make it rain, motherflippers. 

There was a brief moment afterwards when I thought very loudly "Augie, what have you done?  You're not going to read this."  From the odd looks the other people in the bookshop gave me as I left, I think I may have been thinking aloud.

Anyway, I did read it.

And it's really cool.

And before I know it, I'm a quarter way through Black Sun Light My Way, because let's face it, even though it's marketed as 'Book Two', it's really just one seamless story.  They had to break it up into parts otherwise people would use the brick of a book as a bludgeoning weapon.  I've got the third book sitting on my kitchen counter.  Once I finish that one (and if it's not like being stabbed in the guts... I hate books where the good guys don't win), I might do a review.  So watch this space. :)

Not pictured in the book, but will likely feature in the movie adaption:

It begins again

I have just finished the first chapter of the next installment of Sasha Suter.  It will still be months before I'm able to share it, but maaaaan, I so want to post it up now!  It's a lot more fleshed out than the previous works; I go into a lot of detail in setting up the tournament and introducing the world.  There's a lot more focus on the fighting aspect of the story, which is what I want to get more into.  I am unbelievably lucky to have had a chance to pick Solemn's brains (reads: I languish lazily while he comes up with brilliant ideas) about different fighting styles.  Without that, I could have never started this story.  The concept just would never have been realized - my pea sized brain would have just exploded.

And as always, after I've set the scene, I've asked myself, "Now, how will Sasha Suter mess this up?  How do I make Orion face palm?  What would Emron cheer for?  And will Mortimer still love her?"

3800 words later, it's starting to look like a Sasha story.  :)

I'm thinking of introducing an Emron POV in Chapter 2 because his role as a potential love interest is slipping.

A very special Friday

Oh!  And also!!!!

And it's a full moon too!

More Sasha Suter? :S

What to do with Sasha Suter now?

A while back I was bouncing ideas about a 3rd Sasha Suter story, this time, a full lengthish one (about 80 000 words) with much more of a focus on the martial arts side of things.  Solemn helped me flesh out the styles, which was no easy task given that I didn't know what I wanted.  I basically showed him a map of the countries, then shrugged.  In March, I was all Sasha Sutered out.  Now, I'm back to editing Vert Glace and I've been writing a teeny weeny bit of the story.  I don't think it will happen as quickly as the two romance parts happened, because this requires a lot more planning and my brain is just not up to the task.

Anyway, here's how it roughly starts:

Trumpets sounded loud and crisp, consecrating the gelid air that rose from the ice stadium.  Anticipation and pride simmered in the five thousand strong crowd that had gathered from across the Seven Lands.  

Then came the drums - scratchy snares and booming basses reverberated into the bones of the ice and broadcasted the heartbeats of the crowd as one. 

All eyes were on the entrance to the field. 

Sasha Suter was barely tethered to her icy seat in the second row.  In fact, if not for her brother’s firm hand on her shoulder, she was sure that her excitement would have rocketed her off into space.  

I make no guarantees.

The blerg continues.

Today I'm at home with a migraine.  I would love nothing more than to crawl under the warm covers of my bed and stay there until this whole day-time thing is over, but my day so far has been filled with everything but sweet, sweet darkness.  The plumber came today to check out a leak.  A leak is an understatement.  It's more like Niagara Falls (except not as proficient at producing electricity).  At 12pm I've got a doctor's appointment, so he can tell me that I have a migraine - more importantly, he can write down on a little piece of paper that I can take to my boss.  Then at 2 pm someone might be coming over to my house to have a look at the leak.  I'm sure he will tell me that it will cost x thousands of dollars to fix.  I'm going to have to sell a kidney or something to pay for it.  :(

On the bright side... maybe the pain will get better soon and I'll be able to eat food without wanting to throw up!

Back on the horse... hopefully

Urg.  Let's just pretend last week never happened.  I wasn't able to enter the Labyrinth contest in May.  Let's pretend that whole month never happened.

It's well into June now.  Hoorah for Winter.

Heart of Fin and Librarian have both been updated.  Both are drawing to a close.  In fact, I may even post the last chapter of Librarian tonight.

Owning a house is more work than I could have ever imagined.  And, as Tante Liz put it perfectly, it is a money pit.  For the first time in forever, I have less than $1000 in my bank.  If I get hit by any bills, I'm screeeeewed.  I'm hoping that working on Saturdays will help my savings account again.  

The Queen is 88 this year.  I know she's already had her birthday, but today's the day Australia celebrates it.   Wow, she's looking good.