ToA Extra Scene

 Happy holidays! 

As promised on the Facebook Live, I'm posting an extra scene from Threshold of Annihilation. It features Selene and how she came to the attention of the Tuann. I hope everyone enjoys. 

Stay safe and healthy this holiday season!

Threshold of Annihilation - Selene Short Scene

Randomness

Warning-- This post will be full of random info. Coherence is beyond me today.

What an interesting week it has been. Both nerve wrecking and exciting at the same time. I spent most of yesterday obsessing over how Threshold of Annihilation was doing. To my relief, most people seem to have enjoyed the book. It's reached number 1 in its genres in several countries and exceeded my expectations across the board. Thank you, everyone, for your support.

There are a couple minor typos that have since been addressed, but otherwise I'd consider this latest book a success. 

Because a release always seems to spawn a thousand questions about what's next, I'll take a moment to answer.

The print and audio versions of TOA are underway. Before you ask, I don't have any hard dates of when either of these will be available. 

For those interested in how this part of the process works, audio and print can't start until I have a completed version of the manuscript--which I didn't have until last Wednesday. 

The cover for print can't be designed until I have final page count and the audio can't be recorded until we know the words won't be changing. I could have delayed the ebook release until these were ready but I didn't think most of the fans would be happy about that :-)

As to when Firebird 4 is coming out-- I have no clue. I haven't even started thinking about it... Ok, that's a lie. I may have spent some time daydreaming potential plots and asking myself the what if questions. The additions of a few new characters (if you've read the book you should know who I mean) has me super excited for what comes next. There's even a short extra scene I've been toying with showing what happened on the planet during the bombardment with a certain new character and how she got discovered :-). 

But there's no concrete plans and I have no idea when I'll circle back as I have to finish Dragon 5 and Eva 2 before Firebird 4. 

In other news, I've slowly been adding my back catalog to Google Play. Dragon Ridden is finally getting a print version so that will slowly start making its way to publication as well.

Moonlight's Ambassador audio book goes live Dec. 17 with Dawn's Envoy following on Jan. 5.

I think that's most everything. I've been considering doing a Facebook live this weekend so let me know if that's something you guys are interested in.

Threshold of Annihilation Snippet

If I've done my math right, it's ten days and a wake up until Threshold of Annihilation goes live. Since we're getting close, I thought you guys deserved a small sneak peek. Please enjoy!

(Small caveat -- the book is still with my proof reader so there might be some small typos.)

Chapter One

"Why don't you say that again," Raider suggested in a deceptively soft voice.

The man who had served at her side for years, through thick and thin, during a war that threatened to decimate the human race seemed calm. Serene even. Unnaturally so, given the life-altering revelation that he had a daughter he’d never known with a woman long since thought dead in said war.

It was his eyes that gave him away. They burned with suppressed emotion.

Raider was on the brink, and Kira was standing directly in the blast zone.

The waif responsible for this whole mess kicked her feet from where she was seated beside Kira, utterly unconcerned over the repercussions of her dramatic revelation.

Oh, to be young and convinced of your own invincibility again.

Years of planning wiped clean by a few careless words.

Kira had known this day was coming. If she was honest with herself, this showdown had been inevitable from the instant Kira learned of Elena's existence and chose not to track Raider down to inform him that his and Elise's love bore physical fruit.

It didn't make the coming explosion any easier to take.

You didn't drop a bomb the magnitude of the one she just had and expect to walk away unscathed.

There were consequences to your actions. No matter how you struggled, they always came due.

This was the calm before the storm. You could see it on the horizon, feel the gathering pressure in the air, but there was no way to outrun it. No way to hide from it. All you could do was batten down the hatches and pray that the storm would leave you battered and bruised but otherwise alive.

Kira’s uncle frowned unhappily from his spot next to the doorway. Piercing golden eyes lingered on Elena. "I'm interested in hearing this as well."

The Overlord of House Roake was built like an armored tank. Power was written in every line of his body and stamped on his features.

A stranger to Kira until recently, even she could admit the family resemblance between them was unmistakable. They looked like father and daughter rather than uncle and niece.

The line of their noses and the stubborn jut of their jaws were nearly identical. It was the hair, however, that clinched it. A distinctive deep wine color that verged on burgundy.

A vertical scar bisected Harlow's eyebrow, narrowly missing the eye before dragging down his cheek. Already physically imposing, the scar made Harlow even more intimidating. Kira was betting none who served him ever questioned his orders. One hard stare would have his warriors swallowing any protests.

Of those present, Harlow was the one most likely to understand why Kira had chosen this course. Why she'd made the decisions she had. Like her, he hadn't lived an easy life.

He’d been forced to assume leadership of a broken House when an attack from a shadowy organization had left his twin brother dead and his baby niece stolen.

He knew sometimes choices had to be made that hurt the people around you, even as it kept them alive.

House Roake had not only survived but thrived under his leadership.

Already she could see him doing the calculations and arriving at answers that threatened her future wellbeing.

Elena frowned. "Auntie, you never told me the sperm donor had a hearing problem."

"Not helping," Kira told her niece in a sing-song voice.

Elena harrumphed, folding her arms over her chest.

Raider pointed at Kira. "Explain. Now."

At that, a mischievous expression crossed Elena’s face. "Didn't anybody ever teach you that pointing is rude, sperm donor?"

Raider's nostrils flared as he took a deep breath, holding onto his temper by a thread. He kept his gaze locked on Kira, not acknowledging his daughter's existence.

Mistake, Raider.

Elena might have biologically come from Elise, but there was a lot of Kira and Jin in her. Evidently, nurture was as important as nature when it came to personality, and a few of Kira and Jin's less than desirable traits had rubbed off on her, including the fact that none of them reacted particularly well to being ignored.

Sensing the danger, Jin inserted himself between the two. "Let's all stay calm."

In a universe filled with odd things, Jin's existence was unique unto itself. Once a Tuann boy in the same hellish camp as Kira, Jin's soul was now housed in a military combat drone that took the shape of a sphere the size of Kira's head.

He was Kira’s best friend, her partner in crime. He’d saved her life and sanity more times than she can count.

"Don't tell me to stay calm, Tin Can." Raider's composed mask shredded, leaving him looking vaguely homicidal. "You don't get to say that to me. Not when you knew about this."

Jin was silent in the face of Raider’s accusation. Guilt and regret filtered through Kira and Jin's bond, his feelings tangling with Kira's complicated ones.

There was a kernel of hurt Kira buried almost as soon as it registered—especially in light of all the progress they’d made at rebuilding their relationship in the past weeks.

With that hurt came resignation. She knew she deserved his recriminations. She’d made decisions on his behalf that she had no business making.

"Are you going to say anything?" Raider snapped at Kira.

Emotion clogged Kira’s throat as she sought for the words to make this right. An impossible task. Where would she even start?

"She can't." Elena kicked her feet, unconcerned by the imminent explosion.

Graydon finally stirred from his place in the doorway. "What do you mean by that?"

There was something about the man known as the Emperor’s Face that always made Kira feel like she was standing on the edge of a storm front, watching it roll in, breathless at the magnitude of what she was facing. The cloud formations would be ominous, even as they whispered to the adrenaline junky inside. How much fun would she have pitting herself against its fury?

He was handsome. Almost brutally so with the kind of presence that punched you in the chest. Dark hair framed features that contained a harsh edge that drew the eye.

It was a good thing he rarely ventured into human space. The paparazzi there would have been all over him otherwise. Photos of him would have spawned a renewed interest in stories about human women falling in love with powerful and dangerous aliens.

Graydon didn't need any more reason to be arrogant. His ego was already big enough.

Kira wasn't a small woman, but Graydon towered over her. He was six feet plus of pure muscle, not an ounce of fat anywhere to be seen.

Memories of how exactly Kira came by that knowledge drifted through her brain before she firmly shoved them into the box marked "things you are to never think about".

Kira looked in time to see Elena aim a sweet smile at Graydon.

"She made a promise. Auntie always keeps her promises."

Faint amusement touched Graydon’s face. "Is that right?"

"Elena," Kira warned.

Her niece was getting too close to secrets Kira didn’t want getting out. Beyond the fact it could place Elena in danger, there were others Kira protected. A few of whom would stop at nothing to bury the past. Kira wasn't certain even she could rescue Elena if they started to move.

"Please continue." Graydon sauntered across the room, sprawling in the copilot's seat opposite her niece. He aimed a conspiring look at Elena.

Like a flower drawn to the sun, Elena leaned toward him.

The sight snapped Kira into the present. She stepped between the two and shook her head. "Nope. Not going to happen."

Elena frowned up at her, but Kira didn't budge. Elena could sulk all she liked, but Kira knew exactly how irresistible Graydon was when he wanted to be. No way was she going to let him charm her niece into revealing dangerous information. That way lay disaster.

Kira narrowed her eyes at Graydon as she considered him carefully. What exactly was he up to?

There was none of the anger she'd anticipated. The disgust she'd braced herself for, even as she regretted the loss of midnight strolls that lulled her into losing all semblance of reason. The drugging kisses that made her think "what if".

Yet despite expectations, he was acting as if nothing had changed. Almost like he'd known all along.

Hope tried to bloom before she ruthlessly squashed it.

Graydon was the consummate hunter. There was every chance he was simply playing a part and masking his thoughts. Lives other than her own depended on her actions. She couldn't risk the others because she was lonely and tired and wanted someone to help her shoulder the burden. Not take it from her, but lighten the load when things got hard.

Kira shored up her defenses, rebuilding them inch by inch. Only when she felt in control again did she focus on Graydon. She stilled as she caught something in his expression. Something that seemed to say, "Gotcha. I see you now, and there's no escape."

Before Kira could react, Graydon's attention settled on her niece. "You were saying?"

Elena answered without hesitation. "The kind of promises people kill to keep."

Kira blew out a frustrated breath as she aimed her eyes at the ceiling. Perhaps this was her punishment for a youth spent purposely antagonizing Himoto and other authority figures. She loved Elena like her own, but lord, she could try the patience of a saint.

Suddenly, Kira had way more sympathy for the young Himoto who'd gotten stuck raising her.

"I suddenly have so many regrets about our youth," Jin grumbled.

Kira agreed.

"This isn't possible," Raider insisted suddenly. "Elise and I never had kids. I would have known."

Elena's gaze dropped, some of her bravado draining as she shrank in her seat.

Regret moved through Kira. Elena had always known about her father. Kira and Jin had each made a point of telling Elena stories about Raider and Elise. Neither of them had had parents or memories to keep them company, and they didn't want that fate for Elena. Circumstances had separated her niece from her parents, and the least Kira and Jin could do was keep their spirit alive.

Perhaps that had been a mistake. If they hadn't, Elena wouldn't have built this encounter up in her head. She wouldn't be hurting now as she learned that fantasies rarely matched up to reality.

Too late now.

Kira cast her eyes around the bridge, hoping for an answer. There were none to be had. It was time for the truth.

Kira cleared her throat, forcing her emotions into their respective boxes.

"The Gregory detail."

Raider's lips pressed closed, his expression going blank.

"She was gone nearly six months, remember?"

Raider rubbed his head as he stared unseeing at the bridge of the Wanderer.

She could see the wheels starting to turn. He had all the pieces; he simply needed to put them together.

"She was distant for a month or two before that," Raider said distantly. "She was always busy; she barely had time for me. I thought it was because of the op tempo."

Kira nodded.

Raider wasn't the only person Elise had avoided in the months leading up to the detail. She'd pulled back from everyone. Even Kira.

"The mission was a cover story. Instead of the escort detail we thought she'd been tapped for, she headed to the planet Rosetta where she gave birth. Afterward, she returned to duty with no one the wiser."

"Why didn't she tell me?" Quiet devastation lurked in Raider’s eyes.

Kira mutely shook her head. She didn't know. Even all these years later, Kira could only guess at Elise's reasoning.

Kira could understand concealing the pregnancy and giving birth in secret. Elise's identity had practically demanded such precautions. Keeping it from Raider and Kira, the two people she would have sworn Elise trusted unreservedly? Kira never expected that.

But Elise had, leaving Kira to deal with the fallout all these years later.

Raider looked at Kira like she'd betrayed him. Like she'd walked up and sunk a blade in his gut.

A part of her shriveled seeing that look on his face, the same one he’d had when he learned Elise had perished in the battle for Rothchild.

The worst part was she couldn’t even defend herself.

While she hadn't known about Elena then, Kira also hadn't taken steps to correct the wrong in the years since she’d discovered Elena’s existence. She’d been too hindered by fear of the Tsavitee finding out about Elena and guilt she’d survived Rothchild when her Curs hadn’t.

Even now, Kira wasn't sure she would have done anything differently. Not when the result was sitting right next to her, disobedient pain in the ass though she was.

"It's because the girl is Tuann, isn't it?" Harlow folded his massive arms over his chest, leveling a hard stare on Kira. "You told me you were the only one rescued."

"Technically true. I was the only one rescued."

Well, with the exception of Jin, but Kira couldn't say that without revealing Jin's special circumstances.

When Himoto and his team saved Kira, they'd also brought with them the drone lying beside her, thinking it would answer some of the questions they had about the smoldering stretch of forest surrounding her.

It did, just not in the way they'd expected.

Understanding dawned in Graydon's expression. "The others escaped."

Gold star to the Emperor's Face.

Truthfully, Kira wasn't surprised he was the one to figure it out. He was entirely too perceptive for Kira's peace of mind. Also, he'd had access to a small slice of Kira's memories. It wasn't much to go on, but it was enough for a man like Graydon.

In the back of her mind, she had to ask herself what else he'd managed to glean from that brief trip down memory lane.

At that thought, Kira shot an accusing glare toward Jin, the being responsible for Graydon venturing where he had no business being.

Jin whistled to himself, rotating so the primary lens on his casing was facing away from her.

"How many survived?"

Kira’s expression turned stubborn.

Harlow’s eyes narrowed at her refusal. "They're our stolen children. They deserve to be protected."

Maybe so.

Only problem was they weren't little kids. They’d grown used to relying on themselves.

Kira didn't think they would react well to the Tuann's version of love, which could be considered overbearing with a side of patronizing on a good day.

"Have we treated you so shabbily that we deserve this level of distrust?" Harlow demanded.

The simple answer was no.

When she'd first been forced into House Roake, she'd been certain she'd obtain her freedom in short order. Instead, she'd found a place and people that felt astonishingly like home.

The Tuann were hardheaded and arrogant, thinking they always knew best. It was something they and Kira had in common. Despite that—or maybe because of it—they called to the lost, broken pieces of her.

But the others weren't like her. They weren't looking for a home or friends. Those who wanted those things already had them, and the rest were so broken that trying to fit them into the Tuann rules would cause them to lash out.

If she revealed who they were, the Tuann would spare no effort in reclaiming their lost progeny. She didn't have to be a fortune teller to know how that would end—with blood and mayhem and a whole lot of hurt feelings on both sides.

Better if that never happened.

Elena planted a boot on the deck and swiveled her chair side to side. "It's not her decision. The others don't want to be found right now."

Harlow's gaze dropped to her niece. "What do you mean?"

Elena sat forward eagerly. "Shall I tell you a story?"

"No." Kira sent her a warning look.

Rebellion flared in Elena's expression. "You made promises, Auntie, but I didn't."

"Don't you dare," Kira growled.

"Let her speak." Raider's gaze held Kira’s, a silent dare there. "You owe me."

Kira shook her head. He didn't know what he was asking.

Elena ignored Kira, bouncing in her chair with excitement. "It all began long ago on the night Auntie and Uncle Jin were rescued."

Kira held in a groan. Why, why, why, couldn't she have raised an obedient child?

A soft rumble of amusement came from Graydon. Kira stiffened but didn't look away from the ceiling.

"The others had planned their escape for weeks. That night Uncle Jin failed a test and was thrown into a punishment cell. The rest knew escaping from there would be impossible. They regretted his loss but not enough to postpone their plans. Only Auntie was willing to sacrifice herself for him."

Harlow had a frown on his face as he studied Kira and Jin, suspicion moving through his eyes.

Kira's expression smoothed out, no hint of emotion revealing what she was thinking. This right here was reason number one why she would have preferred this story remain buried.

Someone smart would be able to take what was revealed and read through the lines, arriving at a truth that only a handful of people had ever touched upon.

Because Jin hadn't always been a machine, made of metal and spare parts. Once he'd been flesh and blood, just like her.

Kira readied herself, prepared to defend Jin and Elena if Harlow or Graydon decided they were monsters to be exterminated. It'd kill something inside of her to hurt either one of them, but she'd do it.

Blissfully unaware of the danger, Elena continued, "When the others fled, Auntie and Uncle Jin made their own escape. For years, each group suspected the other had perished that night, but they had no proof. Then the war with the Tsavitee came, and out of its ashes a woman known as the Phoenix rose to acclaim. Hearing the stories, the others sent someone to investigate."

"Elise," Raider said.

Elena nodded happily. "Yes, Mother."

Kira's expression was carefully blank as Raider studied her.

"They feared this unknown woman would expose their existence—or worse, that she was a trap laid by their former captors," Elena said. "Never in their wildest dreams did they think they'd find the two they'd abandoned."

Nor were they entirely happy when they did.

By then, Kira and Jin had made a name for themselves, drawing attention from the very sort of people the others wanted to avoid.

"Mother had orders to stage the Phoenix's death and bring her into the fold where it was safe. Only, the Phoenix refused to go, and not even Mother could force her."

Raider focused on his daughter as he compared Elena to the woman he'd once known

Physically, Elena was an almost exact replica of her mother. Enough so that Kira had been tempted to think she was a cleverly designed clone when they'd first met. Jin had been the one to assure her he'd found genetic material in her DNA that could only have come from Raider.

Her ears were as pointed as Elise's and Kira's had once been before they were docked. She had the same delicate features, complete with a pert nose, lips in the shape of a cupid's bow, and a pointed chin that only made her look more mischievous.

"Mother struck a deal with the rest. No matter how bad the war got or how much she needed help, the Phoenix would never reveal their existence by word or deed. She would face her enemies alone with no help from the rest."

What Elena left out—because she didn't know—was the fact that Elise had tried to kill Kira a time or two before they came to that happy compromise.

While Elise was the sister of Kira's heart now, she hadn't always been that way.

Not that Kira blamed her or the rest. At that time, she'd been an unknown entity, and their existence was precarious.

None of them had wanted to chance being someone's science experiment again.

Kira understood.

There was no way she could assure them that humans wouldn't resurrect the project again, their aim to create a super-soldier.

Alone, Kira had been deemed a freak, her abilities mostly kept under wraps and categorized as top secret, courtesy of Himoto. Only people like Raider and the Curs knew the full extent of what she could do. Everyone else had simply thought there was a new weapon or that the Curs were exceptionally lucky.

If the others came forward, the Consortium might have considered how they could replicate their abilities, and then the whole nightmare would have started again.

Knowing how painful this subject was for her, Elena slipped her hand into Kira's and squeezed. "Mother couldn't abandon the Phoenix so she joined her. For a time, the Phoenix and Sunshine were happy. Then Mother became pregnant. Sunshine knew a child of hers would draw the attention of those who sought nothing but death and destruction. To protect her child, she hid her—even from her lover and sister. In fact, she hid the child so well that it took the Phoenix and Tin Man years to find her again."

Raider was quiet as his gaze lifted to Kira's. "Did you know back then?"

"Raider," Kira started.

"Did you?"

"No," Jin said, answering for her. "It took a long time to put the pieces together. Kira was still in her coma when I finally tracked Elena down."

Raider's eyes held a glassy sheen as he dropped his gaze to his feet.

"I knew it was too dangerous for Elena to be in our vicinity, especially with Kira out of action. I placed her with a guardian I trusted," Jin said.

"Did you never think I had the right to know?" Raider asked through gritted teeth, clinging to control by only the slimmest of margins.

"I couldn't do that without risking Elena's safety."

Raider made a harsh sound rife with disbelief.

"Think about who you were then," Jin snapped. "You were damn near crazed. You both were. You'd just lost your surrogate family. Kira threw herself into the war. She damn near killed herself a dozen times. What did you do?"

Raider started to turn away.

Jin didn't let him, invading his space and hovering menacingly over Raider. "Because I remember the words you said after it all went down. How you wished it was Kira who died. I remember the messages I sent that you ignored."

"So that justifies keeping this from me?" Raider roared.

"Of course not," Jin snarled. "But it helps explain it. The war had just ended. You and any other Cur who survived were being shielded by the military, your whereabouts considered classified so our enemies didn't try to kill you. You were all targets."

Raider's eyes flared. "Do you really expect me to believe the great Jin couldn't have hacked that information?"

Jin scoffed. "Of course I could have, but not without arousing suspicions and possibly revealing Elena's existence."

Interest crossed Graydon's face. "Why would they have cared?"

Elena perked up, the tilt of her head coy. "Because I'm the first of my kind. Tuann, human—and other."

Kira tensed as silence descended.

Graydon and Harlow were still, motionless, as if they barely dared to breathe.

Kira watched them for signs of aggression.

Several long seconds passed as they considered each other.

Kira waited.

"That explains some things," Graydon said thoughtfully.

"Maybe to you," Raider spat. He glared at Kira. "Explain."

Elena opened her mouth, only for Kira to cover it before she could speak.

"I think you've done quite enough for now," Kira told her niece.

Elena glared unhappily over Kira's hand. Kira waited for a sign of grudging agreement before letting Elena go.

"It's simple, Raider," Kira bit out, emotion making her unwise. "Elise was in the same camp as me. A camp ultimately controlled by the Tsavitee. Genetic manipulation was one of their favorite experiments. Understand now, or do you need me to continue?"

The mood in the air went electric, the tension threatening to turn explosive.

Raider bared his teeth at Kira, looking an inch from going for her throat. In retrospect, sarcasm probably wasn't the best tactic to take.

He pointed at her and shook his head, aggression pouring off him. Even then, he didn't trust himself to speak, slamming off the bridge without another word.

Kira scrubbed one hand over her face, regret at her hasty words giving rise to the sick feeling in her stomach. "That could have gone better."

Jin snorted. "Really? I thought it went great. He didn't try to kill either of us. I count that as a win."

This was true. Raider wasn’t a turn-the-other-cheek kind of guy. He was notorious for seeking retribution for any and all insults.

And Kira had wronged him way worse than any before.

The situation could have easily ended with blood shed. It hadn't. His restraint had been admirable—and unexpected.

He’d retired from the battlefield with barely a shot fired.

Kira didn't know whether to be relieved or worried.

A hurt, lost sound distracted Kira from her thoughts. Her niece's lips quivered, cutting Kira to the quick.

She closed her eyes, wishing for a split second she could kick her own ass. Great job, genius. Look what you've done.

Kira knelt by Elena's side, setting a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. You should know his reaction has nothing to do with you. It's entirely my fault."

Elena's nod was small, reminding Kira that her niece was still very much a child. Elena might act with a bravado and cockiness only present in the very young, but she had the same need to be loved as all children. The desire to be part of a family.

Kira's hand closed into a fist and knocked Elena softly on the head. "Cheer up, buttercup. He'll come around in the end."

Even if Kira had to spend a little time beating sense into that thick head of his.

Beta Readers!

Edit: Betas have been notified. There were over 140 volunteers so if you weren't selected, please try again next time.

I'm hoping to have a manuscript of Firebird 3 ready for other people to read by the end of this week/Monday at the latest. I've opened the sign up form for people who are interested in being a beta reader.

I'm not going to go into too many details here because the form does a pretty good job of explaining what a beta reader does.

That being said, there are a few notes to consider.

I expect a week's turnaround from the time you get the manuscript to when you provide feedback. If you don't think you can meet this date, please do not volunteer and take the spot from others. Beta readers provide valuable feedback that allows me to shape the story in the right direction.

Not everybody can be a beta reader. There are very limited spots and we always get a lot of volunteers. If you're not picked this time, don't give up. There's always the ARC and future beta opportunities.

Good luck and happy reading!

Sign Up Form!

Graydon POV

I realized after a fan requested it that I haven't posted a Graydon POV yet. One of the reasons is his parts tend to give out major spoilers. This was the least spoilery piece I could find. 

I hope you enjoy!

Warning -- this is not really edited so mistakes abound. Read at your own risk 

Graydon held himself in check with a rigid discipline born from the most brutal training a Tuann could undertake. All this time and that was the first thing she wanted to say?

No “how are you” “sorry for leaving” “I missed you”. 

Fine. If that’s how she wanted to play it, he was game. He liked challenges. They were so fun to conquer.

Graydon prowled across the room, noting the way Kira subtly stiffened at his approach. 

Satisfaction rumbled through him. 

She wasn’t as unaffected as she pretended.

Good.

When the silence lengthened, Kira shot him a questioning look.

“They’ve concluded you were in the right.”

Kira dropped her feet from the desk. “I take it I can go then?”

Graydon bared his teeth at her. It wasn’t going to be that easy, colina.

Graydon studied his nails. “They’ve released you into my care.”

He didn’t have long to wait.

“What does that mean?”

“I’m so glad you asked. Let me explain.” He invaded her space, watching as she barely concealed her flinch at the merciless expression on his face that even his gentle smile didn't fully hide. “It means you're mine.”

He straightened, enjoying the temper rising behind her eyes. “At least for the remainder of your time on this planet."

Friday Snippet

 Small snippet as I continue edits. Turns out several chapters of new material have to be inserted into the mid section and the ending needs a complete overhaul. I'm estimating about 30,000 new words must be written before I close out this draft. So fun times ahead.  

In the meantime, enjoy.

Snippet

Kira paused on the threshold of the drop ship, noting the empty seats and the scant handful of bodies currently occupying the ship.

Good. 

Just the way she liked it.

Kira started down the aisle when a piping voice reached her.

“Where is my seon’yer then?” a little girl asked from behind her.

Jin choked in surprise, Kira not faring much better.

Only years of training kept her from whirling and giving away the shot of adrenaline that question had caused her.

Because she recognized that voice.

“Ziva, I’m not sure Kira would appreciate you calling her that,” Joule chided gently.

Ziva harrumphed. “What would you know? My seon’yer is not like all these others.”

This time it was Kira’s turn to choke. 

“Is that so? Tell us what your seon’yer is like, little sister,” Rheya teased.

Ziva rose to the challenge. “She’s wise and fierce. No one is as devious or good at fighting as she is.”

Jin shook in silent laughter against Kira’s neck. 

She slapped one hand over his body, hoping no one had noticed the movement in her hoody.

“That description is rather accurate,” Devon observed.

Kira stiffened. “I’m not devious.”

“That’s the part you take umbrage with?”

“I’m not,” she muttered.

“Uh huh.”

Finn had turned into a statue at her side, staring rigidly into empty space.

Kira grabbed his arm, shuffling him forward. Now more than ever, they couldn’t afford to draw attention.

Kira picked a seat at random, one thankfully in the far corner of the craft, as far from the door as possible. She shoved Finn into the seat, taking one right beside him.

Only once seated did she force herself to relax, stretching her feet out as she pulled her hood forward, fiddling with it until she felt it was secure enough.

Finished, she chanced a furtive glance toward those who’d taken the uhva na at the same time as she had.

With the exception of Ziva, they were all apprentices in service to their own seon’yer’s. 

Devon was the tallest of the four, his height approaching Graydon’s. Dressed in a matte black armor, he was a smaller, less muscular version of the Emperor’s Face. 

Though much younger than Graydon, Kira had a feeling it was only a matter of time before Devon bulked up, rivaling the other man in terms of size.

Yellow eyes that always reminded Kira of daisies observed the youths around him with an amusement that had been lacking the last time she’d met him.

Kira remembered another set of eyes that looked exactly like those, the former owner of which was currently hiding in her hair, completely oblivious to the resemblance.

Beside Devon, Rheya had one hand propped on her hip as she teased the small girl in front of her. 

The youngest of the four, Ziva could be mistaken for an eight year old child—though her true age was likely around thirty years. 

Because of her white blond hair and deep blue eyes, people tended to underestimate her, never realizing the fierce heart that lay within.

Though young, Kira had a feeling Ziva would be a force to be reckoned with in a few years. She had a stubbornness few could match. 

She was a scrapper, disregarding her limits, more than willing to come out swinging no matter the opponent.

Kira couldn’t help but admire someone who possessed those sort of qualities. They were the ones who truly held the power to change this universe because they didn’t pay attention to what was but rather devoted their attention to what should be.

The last person in the party was also the one who’d spent the most time at Kira’s side.

Joule’s face had thinned out since she’d last saw him, losing some of the softness it had had when they’d first met. It looked like his training was beginning to have an effect, packing his small frame with muscles.

There was a world weary look in his eyes that was new. Something that said he’d seen the dark side of life and knew it wasn’t always going to turn out the way he wanted.

Kira couldn’t help feeling like she shared some of the blame for that look. People around her had a tendency of losing their innocence far sooner than they had a right to.

His parents loss may have started the process, but she’d finished the job. 

Despite that, he still had an earnestness to him. A goodness that Kira hoped he preserved a little while longer. There weren’t enough people like him in the universe.

“Your luck continues to trend toward the shittier side,” Jin observed.

Of all the ships on the docks, they had to choose this one to board.

Kira supposed it could be worse. Graydon could be with them.

Built Ins and Office

A few people have asked for updates on the office remodel. I'm happy to say that it's mostly finished. There are a few touches left such as hanging artwork and picking a rug and new light fixture, but I'm pretty happy with it.

Photos below for those interested.

And of course, no renovation would be complete without the trouble makers seal of approval. 

Progress Update

There are a lot of questions and excitement regarding Firebird 3. It's great to see, even if that means I feel a wee bit of pressure (the good kind). I thought I'd provide a small update.

Progress is slow (excruciatingly so), but I'm cautiously excited about the path I'm on. I've already inserted two new chapters into the beginning and have just linked up to the old material. Things will have to be rearranged throughout because of the changes I made, but honestly I kind of knew that while I was still writing the first draft.

I don't know if this will be done in time for October. This book is pivotal and I need to hit the exact right balance for the adventure to come.

I will say I've hit the stage where that felling I love about writing is beginning to take over--where the ideas are bubbling faster than I can catch them and I can't wait to get started every day. It's an exciting time. Even better, I think I'm gradually conquering the exhaustion that has plagued me for the last month.

Here's to charging through the next few chapters. It's going to be a wild ride, but I'm looking forward to it.

Oh, and look--a snippet for those who read to the end :-)

“Darling child of my sister, do you know what hells I had to travel? What horrors I’ve seen?” Jin asked with a calm that hinted at the brewing storm.

Elena looked like she was about to throw up as she held the hands that had touched Jin as far away from her as she could. “I think I have some idea.”

Jin crept toward her, inch by slow inch, a sense of menace slipping free. “No, my dear who is in the most trouble she’s ever been in during her short life, you don’t, but you will.”

War of the Voices

 The internet is being slow today as I try to upload the cover for the print version of Twilight's Herald to KDP. 

It doesn't help my peace of mind, Kira and company are staging an armed revolt in my head because "their story is still in pieces and NEEDS TO BE PUT BACK TOGETHER AGAIN".  

At the same time, Aileen is like "nuh uh. The writer person needs to focus on me. This task was supposed to be done months ago. Wait your turn, newbies."

Long story short--print version of Twilight's Herald is coming. I still have to approve the proof but the end is in sight.

Snippet

To my relief, not all of this book is awful. There are some pieces that make me laugh. For instance the following exchange. As always -- this is not fully edited and I make no promises of it appearing in the final. (I just really hope it does)

“Yes, Kira! Knock the asshole right out of that idiot,” Jin crowed.

“Shut up, Tin Can. This is your fault,” Raider shouted.

Around them, Kira was vaguely aware of the others telling them to stop. Kira made no effort to listen. Neither did Raider. 

Kira twisted in Raider’s grip, stomping on his toes. Raider grunted. 

Stubborn. 

But then, had she really expected anything else?

This was Raider after all. The only person who was nearly as mule headed as Kira. They were a matched pair, each too ornery to get out of their own way sometimes.

Only, Kira had once considered Raider like a brother. Like all good sisters, she knew every one of her brother’s weaknesses.

She reached back, pinching his side then twisting.

Raider cursed again, his hold loosening.

Kira wasted no time slithering free. 

The next few minutes passed in a blur, a credit to neither of them in a fight that was mostly open handed slaps, pinches, hair pulling, and yes, biting. Mostly by Kira.

“That is enough,” Wren roared.

There was a loud clap and then an invisible hand forcibly shoved them away from each other.

They both stayed where they were, panting as Kira’s seon’yer glared at them, looking angrier than Kira had ever seen him.

“You're acting like children,” Wren spat.

Kira lifted a hand and pointed at Raider. "He started it."

The Office

My home office is currently in a state of disarray, and it is driving me crazy. A few weeks ago, my mom convinced me to pull the trigger and renovate my work space. Currently, the plan is to put some built in bookcases and cabinets on the wall with the window. The end product will also include a window bench, which is something I've always wanted.

I say "end" because currently all we've done is paint that wall a deep, dark forest green. It looks amazing with the wood trim and is making me even more impatient for the end product. To paint, however, we had to pull the current book case, cat tree and other things away from the wall. That means everything in the book case is now scattered all over my office.

Having all this clutter in my work space where I'm supposed to be creative is distracting to say the least. Every time I turn my head and catch sight of the piles of stuff I want to tidy up, but there is no where to put things.

The cabinets should be here any day now (the wait is killing me). Then it'll be off to the races building the bookcases. Thankfully, my mom will be taking the lead in that because I've got exactly one talent and it doesn't lie in woodworking.

I imagine most of what I will be doing when we get to that point is holding boards in place. Maybe I'll get promoted and be allowed to nail/screw/cut the boards.  Not sure what the lingo is. I'm just along for the ride at this point.

Here's hoping I don't have much longer before order is restored to my little world.

Twilight's Herald

Twilight's Herald

Preorder Now

Aileen Travers thought she had it all figured out. Part private investigator, part fixer to the supernatural community, she was slowly building a reputation as the go-to vampire in Columbus. If you had a supernatural problem and nowhere to turn, she was the girl for you. The best part—no one had tried to kill her in weeks.

Aileen’s peaceful existence comes crashing down around her when an unwilling visit to the police station results in her picking up a stalker—or two. Now, Aileen is dodging suspicious looking portals while evading kidnapping attempts.

Looks like Aileen has a new client. Herself.

Available June 10

Lots of writing

Whew, time flies when you're deep into the writing phase of a book. I know it's been awhile since the last update so here goes.

Aileen 5 is with the editor and should be back by next week. Fingers crossed. It has a title, cover and blurb. I've been going back and forth on the release date, which is why I haven't unveiled it yet. I'm hoping to publish in June. Right now I'm eyeing June 9 but that is dependent on a few things going well.

I just broke the 20,000 word mark in Kira 3. I'm trying not to question every decision I make in this book and just have fun visiting characters I love. It's a little hard and I keep rewriting scenes I've just written so progress is a little slower than I wanted.

Yeesh, you'd think after so many books I'd have this process down pat but every book is different it seems.

Now it's back to writing where I have to figure out how to get Kira and Jin out of their latest snafu. If they'd stop being so stubborn, it'd make my life so much easier.

Upcoming Books

I've been getting a lot of questions about when things are being published. For those curious over the fate of their favorite series, see below.

Aileen 5, titled Twilight's Herald -- This will be published late May, early June depending on how quickly it moves through edits.

Next on deck  -- Firebird 3 - Late this year

Then it will be Dragon 5 - Early next year. (This likely will be the last book for the time being)

After that, I'm planning on writing the sequel to the Wind's Call.

Then I'll probably be circling back to Firebird 4.

This is a preliminary list and as always subject to change based on my own whims. I have two-four new series ideas, all of which need to wait until I close out some of my current works. We shall see how the next few books go to see if I make any changes to the schedule.

I know a few of these series have more than one year passing before the next book, and I apologize. I wish I could write faster/write books concurrently, but I can't. So, this schedule will have to do for now.

Jin Does Quarantine

If you've read Age of Deception, there's a scene where Kira worries about leaving Jin alone because of his propensity to find trouble while alone. The below scene is the reason behind that worry. 

I hope it offers you a brief break from your day.

Quarantine

Day – Who the hell knows anymore?

Morale was low. Boredom had set in.

Communication with the outside world had been lost ages ago. Since then, Jin had made no attempt to reestablish it.

Drastic measures would need to be taken to restore order amid chaos. Jin was just the drone for the job.

His enemies thought this little isolation would make him defenseless. Break him.

Jin cackled. Not likely.

He’d show them. He’d emerge victorious and make them bow before his greatness.

Jin circled his tiny cell. Four walls. No decorations. Not even a cot to rest on. It was little more than a storage closet. In fact, he was pretty sure that was exactly what it had been before current events.

That was okay. Sleep was for meat sacks; not superior beings like him.

He hovered over the carcass of his masterpiece, the parts that had once been the media system and speaker disassembled and lying spread across the floor.

Now, they resembled a Frankenstein’s monster, repurposed for his own needs. Only the truly enlightened would be able to appreciate what he’d created out of nothing. The rest would only see a jumbled mess of wires and hardware.

Jin oohed and awed, taking a moment to admire his handiwork. Not bad for something he’d whipped up from only what was available.

A spark leapt from his sphere to his masterpiece. The pieces buzzed but there was no oomph. No crackling electricity that meant life.

Power. He needed more of it.

Jin whipped around, racing to the far wall of his cell. He knew just where to go.

He reached the smooth metal and flipped on the power for the weapon he wasn’t supposed to have. He also probably wasn’t supposed to have adjusted the energy fluctuations turning the blaster Kira had installed into a high-powered welder.

Again, he cackled as the makeshift torch burned into the metal, turning it into molten putty. It folded in on itself, exposing straight little lines of the electrical wiring that ran the ship.

He paused, gloating over his genius. They were like soldiers standing in formation, just waiting on him to give them their orders.

Jin flipped on his grav boosters, which were basically giant magnets that made it possible for him to pick up and drop things. Another addition he probably wasn’t supposed to have. Too late now. It was his, and he had no intention of shutting off that little capability.

The wires shook in place before popping off the wall and sailing toward him.

Like shooting fish in a barrel, he thought smugly. If by shooting, you meant using a modified grav hook to levitate the fish out of the water.

His mission accomplished, he darted back to his masterpiece. Hooking up the necessary relays were easy. It took only moments.

Pausing, he hovered over the tangle of parts.

Soon. Soon his time would come and none would oppose him ever again.

The metallic sphere that made up his body lit up menacingly. This time when his chuckle came it was deep. Fearsome. If a meatsack heard it, it would strike fear into their hearts.

He lowered over the giant red button he’d created. It was a needless affectation—the creation could be turned on with simply a thought—but he figured the red button lent a certain gravitas to this momentous occasion.

Cackling to himself, Jin thumped the button.

Power crackled; electricity surged.

The framework for his masterpiece shook, threatening to tear apart. Jin looked down with a sense of glee. Almost there.

There was a sharp pop and a shower of sparks. The lights went off as the ship he was traveling on shuddered.

Uh oh. That hadn’t sounded good.

“Jin. You there?” Kira’s unmistakable voice came from a panel by the door.

Jin regarded it thoughtfully. He thought he’d dismantled that.

“Answer me, you worthless piece of scrap metal,” Kira growled.

“Yes,” he said, drawing out the word.

There was a pause.

“Power to several key systems, including life support just shorted out. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

Jin spun to take in the giant hole he’d burned into the wall. Hm. Those hadn’t led where he thought. He’d been sure they went to the communications array.

It was possible in his excitement he’d chosen the wrong set of wires to conscript for his little project.

“That’s weird,” he finally said.

There was a moment of silence.

“Yeah. It is,” she said. “It’s not the only oddity. Seems several systems in the ship are acting glitchy.”

“Huh.”

He could almost feel Kira’s eyes narrowing. “I’ve been trying to talk to you for hours. Why haven’t you answered?”

Jin cleared his throat, an affectation since he didn’t actually have a throat, or any biological parts at all. His soul was housed in a machine, one that had not one single scrap of biological material.

“What is that behind you?” her voice deepened into what he classified as her intimidating voice.

He spun to regard his shining work of art. It was going to be glorious when finished. With it, he would take over the universe.

But first he had to distract Kira. She wouldn’t understand the majesticness of his plans.

“Nothing important,” he chirped.

Note to self, make sure you disable ALL of the cameras before assembling your greatest masterpiece.

Silence crackled from the panel.

Kira’s sigh gusted over the comms. “Jin, you’ve only been in there two hours. There’s one more to go. Please don’t do anything that will get us kicked off the ship.”

“Of course not, Kira.”

Jin spun to face his creation again, his maniacal laugh filling the room.

“I can still hear you,” Kira said.

“Ah.” His laugh cut off.

He’d have to work on his badass ninja skills, but in his defense, Kira was a worthy foe.

Now, where was he?

Ah, right. There he was. Now which system should he take over first?

Aileen 5 Beta Readers

I'll be finishing up this draft of Aileen 5 barring any unexpected surprises. That means it's time to ask for volunteers to beta read.

I'm expecting a week turnaround from the time the betas get the manuscript. If you don't have time, please do not volunteer and take the slot from someone who does. I only accept a very few readers for this process.

If you've done this for me in the past, skip to the end of the post and click on the link.

For those who are new, here is a brief summary.

The first thing to know is that many people will try but I only ever take around 10 beta readers. If you sign up and aren't picked, please don't get discouraged. Try again next time.

Priority is given to those who've beta read for me in the past and done a good job, but I always take a few new people too.

Essentially, beta reading is a good way for me to take the temperature of a book. The reader lets me know if the book works for them. They give honest feedback regarding characters and plot. They DO NOT focus on grammar or sentence structure, so if you're worried about your editing skills, don't be. That's for a different part of my process.

I rely on my beta readers to catch the things I don't. For that reason, I require my readers to have read ALL the books in the series (and liked them). I've rewritten prologues and endings based on their feedback so they have a huge impact on the end product.

Beta reading is not for everyone. I don't beta read for people because it can be work. I like getting caught up in a story and not paying attention to the things that irk me. Be assured, there will be advanced copies coming so if you want to read the book without the work, so please sign up for that instead.

Beta Reader Form

Never Ending Edits

It's amazing how moving one scene forward in the narrative can have a cascade effect throughout the rest of the book. It's like knocking over a line of dominos that you didn't even know was there.

My reasons for making this change are sound. As it was before, the narrative was jerky and lackluster. Not exactly something I shoot for in my books.

Staring at the computer this morning, however, I'm less than enthused about my so-called brilliant idea. Already, I've identified at least four chapters that are a jumbled, incomprehensible mess because of what I've done. It's like a rabbit hole that just keeps on going.

The actions and setting in the next few chapters remains the same, but the motive behind the scenes, how they get from point A to point C shifts. Essentially it's a rewrite of what is already there. I use the building blocks that are already in place and incorporate what I can, but it takes time and energy.

A lot of people think finishing a first draft means polishing what is already there. Don't I wish. Really it's just the beginning. I always think of a first draft as assembling the ingredients I need. A little bit of this. A little bit of that. The second draft is where you make those ingredients work together to create a comprehensive whole. The third draft is where you make the language shine.

Full disclosure--every writer has their own method. Finding it is half the fun. This tangled ball of yarn is mine.

My only consolation in all this is that whenever I do something this extreme, it always results in a much better story. I just have to keep telling myself this isn't as bad as what I did in Age of Deception, and that turned out alright.

Grumble, grumble, grumble. Enough complaining. Back to work I go. 

Aileen 5 Small Teaser

Edits are still ongoing in Aileen 5, but here is a small teaser of what's coming.

“Don’t die, Aileen. You’re a source of endless entertainment for the flock.” Natalia sprang into the air, winging her way back to the rest.

I scowled at her retreating back. “What does that mean?”

She lifted a hand over her shoulder in a wave.

“Natalia? You and your sisters aren’t sitting around watching me, are you?”

No answer.

Damn it. They were.

“We’ll revisit this conversation at a later time,” I muttered under my breath as I stood, facing the woods. For now, I had a stalker to deter.

Fallon POV, Part 3

Happy Friday! As promised, here is the final POV from Fallon's perspective. I hope you enjoy and it provides you a short break from the stress of the current situation.

Fallon POV Part 3

If you haven't read them already, click below or visit the free section of tawhiteauthor.com where I've posted other shorts and deleted scenes from the various series.

Part One
Part Two

Fallon POV, Part 2

When I released the first Fallon POV, many of you asked if I would consider extending the scene. Given the current situation, I felt that it was time to do exactly that. Hopefully, this will be a nice break and a little bit of entertainment you, even if it is for a short while.

Unfortunately, this scene isn't as long as I'd intended. We had a power outage here yesterday which killed about four hours of potential work. I didn't want to delay releasing it so here you go. The next section will be posted in a day or two.

A bit of background (in case someone is not familiar with the series or hasn't read it in awhile), this is told from Fallon's perspective and features the chain of events during their first encounter with one another.

For those who haven't read part one or want a refresher, click here.

Otherwise, enjoy.

Fallon POV, Part 2

First Drafts and Distractions

The world is a weird place right now. Honestly, it feels like I'm watching the start of a movie thriller, only this is reality and not fiction.

 In my area, they've closed bars and restaurants and are recommending people stay at home as much as possible. My husband is now working from home and we've made two runs to the grocery store for essential items.

A few years ago my introverted self would have grabbed hold of the prospect of not leaving my house for several weeks and rejoiced, seeing it as an endless opportunity to watch anime and read books. The current version of myself, the one who already spends copious amounts of time alone except for a couple of cats is looking at the yawning span of isolation and hoping she doesn't go stir crazy.

At the moment, I don't have time to create a full short story since I'm in the final scenes of Aileen 5, but I wanted to offer a short respite from the outside world.

Below is a short, deleted scene from Age of Deception. It is an alternate version of how Kira learns where Jin has gone when he was supposed to be safe in her room. Hopefully when I finish the current book, I can take a short break and write something for the blog. Maybe a Fallon POV or something set in Aileen's world.

Until then, I hope you enjoy.

Deleted Scene

“Jin,” Kira hissed in a low voice.

Not low enough as several people looked in her direction. Great she’d drawn notice because she was acting like a crazy person.

“Kira,” Jin sounded groggy and confused.

Kira released the breath she’d been holding. “Where have you been? I’ve been trying you for the last twenty minutes.”

“I--” There was a long pause.

Kira got moving again, this time careful to keep to a sedate pace. She glanced around her noticing as Devon and Rheya seemed to shadow her on the other side of the hallway.

Were they following her? If so, they weren’t doing a very good job. They were much too young to be playing these games.

“Uh oh.” Jin's guilt and panic were unmistakable.

Kira felt her stomach drop.“Uh oh? What uh oh? There should be no 'uh oh' if you’re safe in the room which is where you're supposed to be."

“Yeah, about that," he started.

“Nope, nope, nope." She shook her head. She refused to hear what he was about to say. He was safe in the room and that was all there was to it.

Devon and Rheya veered toward her, no doubt drawn by her sketchy behavior. She watched them come with gritted teeth. As if she didn't have enough problems already.

“You can deny all you want. It doesn’t change the facts,” Jin pointed out in a pragmatic voice that made her want to scream.

“Where are you?” she snapped, picking up her pace. Maybe if she moved faster they wouldn't stop her.

She really didn’t need anyone taking an interest while she was having a mild panic attack.

Moving briskly without giving the appearance of fleeing was difficult. She had a feeling she wasn't entirely successful either.

Two other Tuann that she recognized from Joule’s training class started in her direction.

Damn. Things just kept getting worse and worse.

“You know that place on Ta Da’an they call the Nexus?"

Kira sucked in a sharp breath. No--even Jin couldn’t be that stupid.

“Well--I wanted to see if there was anything like that here.”

She resisted the urge to bang her head on the nearest wall. "Get out. Get out now."

“I can’t; I’m stuck.” The confession seemed ripped from him.

A high pitched noise escaped her. This was a nightmare. An awful, awful nightmare.

Devon and Rheya stopped in front of her, blocking her path. "We need to talk."

Age of Deception Small Teaser

To celebrate the completed proofing and formatting of Age of Deception, I've decided to give you a small teaser of what's coming.

Enjoy!

13 days until the book goes live!!

Teaser

Kira's smile was hard. "As I said before, this is a private party. We'd appreciate you leaving."

The leader settled a heavy hand on Kira's shoulder. "How about you be the one to leave?"

"Uh oh," Raider said, alarm snaking through his expression.

He had a right to be concerned. Kira had a thing about uninvited touching, and this Tuann had crossed her invisible bubble in a big way.

"If I were you, I'd take your hand off my shoulder before I break it." Kira was no longer as concerned with playing diplomat. Quickly she calculated the possible consequences of starting a fight, for once wishing Jin would chime in with his thoughts and opinions. He'd studied Tuann law. He'd likely know the possible repercussions.

Quiet fell, spreading throughout the bar as the patrons focused on the unexpected drama. Kira spotted Rheya and Devon among those present and stuffed down the part of her that would like nothing more than to start a bar fight.

"I'd watch your mouth, mongrel. You and your humans are a travesty. They should have put the lot of you down. It would be a mercy." He raised his voice so the rest could hear. "I question Roake's strength if they accept one such as you within their ranks."

Tension filled the air as no one moved.

Kira's lips quirked. "Raider, do you hear yapping?"

He stuck one finger in his ear and jiggled it around. "Yeah, it's kind of high pitched. Sounds like one of those little toy dogs—or maybe a puppy. It's hard to be sure."

ARC Sign Up

For those interested in signing up for an ARC, please visit the link below. Slots are limited.

Sign Up Form

Age of Deception Release

It's almost time! The cover is finished. The preorder is up. A last edit of the copy is currently being conducted.

That means it's finally time to unveil the next book in the Firebird Chronicles which will go live on February 5. Enjoy!

War hero and daughter to two Houses, Kira is just beginning to learn how deep the rabbit hole goes.

Agreeing to accompany her father’s people back to their homeworld, Kira Forrest prepares for the fight of her life. She’s agreed to undertake the Trial of the Broken, a rite of passage every member of her father’s House must pass. It offers a path to independence and freedom that is too tempting to deny.

Not everyone welcomes this lost daughter of Roake. There are those who fear what her presence might bring to light. Betrayal stalks the halls of Kira’s birthplace—its roots embedded deep in the events that claimed her parent’s lives and set her on her current path.

Walking the wire’s edge between truth and deception will test the person Kira has become as she separates ally from betrayer. An old enemy has put into motion a plan that could topple the balance of power in the universe. Letting them succeed spells doom—but the price might be more than Kira is willing to pay.

Click here for Chapter One. Warning--the chapter ends on a minor cliff hanger!

Preorder on Amazon

I will add other store preorder links on my website as they go live.