Posted by Faith on Feb 28, 2012 in Events, Freebie Short Stories | 0 comments
I have so much to say in this post! First, a MystiCon update, then a snippet of fiction. :-D
I love Cons. I love meeting old fans and making new ones, I love dressing up instead of going to work in my jammies (yes, I am still wearing my jammies and it’s pretty close to noon as I write this). I love wearing my fave boots, and showing off new necklaces, and talking jewelry and writing and publishing. But mostly, Cons give me a chance to meet people I never met, yet have virtually known, on the web, for years. MystiCon in Roanoke, Virginia gave me the chance to do all of that.
Here is a big shout out to Ruth, Tory, Barry and his friend, and all the others who kindly put up with my fuzzy-headed attempts at signing books! If you have pics, send them to me!
After maybe 10 years, I finally got to meet in person, Shawn Blackhawk, the poet whose work I adore so much. Link here.
Her energy was a volcano in person as much as on page. It was amazing to put all the intense creativity together with the physical person, and to realize that I really did know her. And really didn’t. I got to meet Melissa, of whom I have heard so much, and she is warm and observational and hides an intense and piercing intelligence behind a kind smile. Melissa kinda scared me… (grins) DK, whose work I’ve read, is the friendliness person ever, which is what I’d have thought
having read her poetry. And their friend Jason, who is a deep well behind an impenetrable stone wall.
I got to share conversation with Gray Rinehart, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Larry Hefner and his wife Linda, Kalayna Price, Alethea Kontis, Christina Stiles, Charles Matheny, Gail Martin, and sooo many more!
I bought some pretties, including a HUGE, faceted, amber-colored crystal so large I can’t close my fingers around it, to go on my desk with my real stones, fossils, small clay creatures, angels, and of course, the farting dog and the panic button I press when I need a giggle. The gem is gorgeous and huge — and so it’s gor-huge-je-mus. LOL
We sold some armbands and Tees to fans at a special con price, and it was great fun seeing fans wearing them!
The hubby was wonderful. I am so blessed to have him in my life. He takes care of everything from the driving and parking and taking care of the dogs and carrying books around to keeping me safe. Big hugs to hubby. And to the fans who came
to visit. Thank you all
Now – the snippet from the Rogue Mage RPG that I promised you!
Bait
Achmed bowed his head. “All glory be to the one creator god, Allah, and to his holy ones.” His chains rattled softly, the demon iron burning his wrists, in spite of his affinity with metals. The scent of gangrene was only a faint stench at the moment, but if help was long in coming he would lose the use of his hands.
Deliala laughed softly. “Not exactly a traditional response, Achmed. There is no need to feel hurt or shame at being bested by a succubus. You are, after all, only human.”
He closed his eyes against the allure of her voice. “Allah refines me in the fires of Hell. Allah seeks to teach me strength
and great use of creation energy. Allah is one and Mohammed is his prophet.”
“Allah has abandoned you,” she said tartly, “to me, to do with as I will. You are familiar with the ancient story of Job,
as told in the tales of the sons of Judah, your enemies.”
Allah has not abandoned me. He has not. He shivered as Deliala trailed her fingers across his naked chest. Her nails raked, drawing blood close to the surface of his skin, welts that ached in the cold air of the hellhole.
Achmed knew that to engage in discourse was foolish, perhaps even deadly, but to stay silent left him with only the scent of her to focus on. And his need of her was growing. He had been chosen for the role of bait because he was strong in the Prophet. He was the least likely of all his Enclave companions to give in to temptation, the one most likely to resist,
allowing the others to carry the battle into the deeps before they were discovered. Yet he wanted this woman who was neither human nor mage. He wanted this image of physical perfection, though he knew she was immoral, iniquitous, a
sister to the Darkness who slept in the deepest chamber of the cave.
He licked his lips, tasting her on his mouth where she had kissed him with an unholy kiss. Desperate, he whispered…
That’s all for now,
Faith
