In an effort to eat healthier and more natural I've been reading about "Homesteading".
I've always been a DIY girl- gardening, crafting...but food prep is something I hate. And something I very much need to get better with.
There are many other aspects of homesteading that I am not delving into yet.
Not quite ready to start a farm but I am experimenting with the more "old fashioned" ways of preserving food and cooking. Nothing ever used to go to waste. Scraps were saved for broths and soups, animal feed, compost, or to grow new food (some vegetables will grow from scraps or plant pieces like celery).
Even bones were used instead of throwing them out.
This summer's goal is to learn to do more with food preservation- canning, baking, freezing, dehydrating, etc.
So today I am making my first batch of bone broth. I have an entire chicken frame in the crock pot cooking with water, spices and some veggies. It has to cook for at least 24 hours.
After that I'm straining it and using it to make soup.
Wish me luck on my first adventure in "homesteading" food.
I'll post some photos and how to advice if this all turns out :-)
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Nightmare Before Christmas Cupcake Tower
Would anyone be interested in a tutorial for this
Nightmare Before Christmas Cupcake Tower?
This was created for a Sweet Sixteen Birthday Party with a
Nightmare Before Christmas Theme
If there is sufficient interest I will type up a complete tutorial for this.
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Release Day Blitz Summer Fire: Love When It’s Hot
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: dba 7th House Publishing, Imprint of Andromeda LLC
Date of Publication: May 26, 2015
ISBN: 9781507060469
ASIN: B00U1DZH7C
Number of pages: 1,610
Word Count: 483,000
Cover Artist: Victoria Danann
Description:
20 ALL NEW summer romances by New York Times, USA Today, and National Bestselling authors.
Love when it’s hot? So do we. Especially when we’re writing about gritty alphas, angsty bad boys, sizzling attraction, and unrequited passion. Military, cowboy, biker, humor, second chance love, and more.
SO LOOSEN YOUR BUTTONS, TURN THE FAN TO OSCILLATE, AND JOIN US FOR THIS STEAMY, GROUNDBREAKING BUNDLE OF SUMMER TALES THAT ARE HOT HOT HOT.
1. Gennita Low Sizzle Spies, Lola and Jake, fall hard for each other. Is their love strong enough for one assignment that would risk everything?
2. R.J. Lewis Sinful Two different people from two different worlds find their lives colliding in the most sinful way.
3. L. Wilder Summer Storm VP Guardrail’s life has always been his MC club. It’s up to him to fix a wrong, but he wasn’t expecting Allie to take him by storm.
4. Victoria Danann A Season in Gemini The first time sexy biker, Brant Fornight, saw Garland St. Germaine, he knew she was going to turn him inside out. And she did.
5. Kym Grosso Solstice Burn Love and temptation flare in a tropical paradise. When Chase rescues Penny, she learns to embrace her inner fantasies.
6. Cat Miller Sun Burnt Kesslyn inherits a ranch, but the city girl is unsure she’s up for the challenge. Can her sexy foreman rope her into staying forever?
7. Mimi Barbour Big Girls Don’t Cry He’s everything she’s ever wanted in a man. And she’s nothing like the girl she wants to be. Something’s gotta change…
8. Clarissa Wild Killer Secrets could kill you. He murdered her husband. She’s the prime suspect seeking justice. Only one of them can win.
9. Teresa Gabelman Rodeo Romance Jake McCabe had one rule. Never date a client. Trisha Summers had a new rule. Never date a man again. Rules were meant to be broken.
10. Helen Scott Taylor Irish Kisses Ten years ago he said he loved her, then he left and broke her heart. Now he’s back, and he wants her again, but can she trust him?
11. Victoria James Sweet Surrender Cade showing up on her doorstep is not what Julia wants-but this bad-boy is back and ready to convince her that this time is forever…
12. Mona Risk Husband for a Week A Sicilian vendetta, a fake husband, and a matchmaking grandmother complicate Jonathan and Isabella’s lives. Can love conquer all?
13. Patrice Wilton A Man for Hire Jordon’s ex-boyfriend is bringing home a bride. To save face she hires a hot guy for the weekend. Sparks fly–can this be love?
14. Linda Barlow My Mile-High Mistake Six years ago, she yearned for her sexy, forbidden high school teacher. Now she can’t resist his temptation at 35,000 feet.
15. Joan Reeves Heat Lightning Her husband found her, claimed her, rescued her. His touch makes her throb. Her body knows him, but she remembers nothing about him.
16. Danielle Jamie Tan Lines and Salty Kisses Becca and Parker have a second chance at summer romance. The spark is hotter than a Georgia July. Can it withstand news of his secret?
17. Terri Marie Someone Exactly Like You Cameron Barron’s plan was solid. A few lies, a disguise, and an apology to Chastity Newberry… What could possibly go wrong?
18. Lorhainne Eckhart His Promise A love they thought would last forever. A promise forgotten. Until one summer night.
19. Brandy L Rivers Summer Rhythm Doug never could resist Chloe. She always runs. Will this time be different or is their summer rhythm destined to repeat.
20. Nicole Blanchard Anchor I thought it was a weekend from hell, until he showed me a little piece of heaven.
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Monday, May 25, 2015
Guest Blog and Giveaway Half Breed Queen by LA Hendricks
Hi everyone! It’s LA Hendricks, author of Half Breed Queen (Book 1 of the Skatia Narratives) checking in on this book blog tour. I’m here to provide a little bit of bonus content for the readers and followers of The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom!
At its essence, Half Breed Queen is about a girl trying to figure out her path after losing her parents. Finding out she’s the heir of an alien throne and has developed these amazing – and otherworldly – abilities is secondary to figuring out why she’s being hunted. The soundtrack is a celebration and acknowledgement of the innate strength all of us have, especially as we grow from teen to adult. And in Marla’s case, her transition from human to Skatian!
I hope you enjoy this soundtrack. Thanks so much for your support. All of these songs can be found on iTunes or Amazon Music. You can order your copy of Half Breen Queen at Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, or Barnes and Noble. And let me know if you can think of some other music Marla should check out!
Half Breed Queen
The Skatia Narratives
Book One
LA Hendricks
Genre: YA/Fantasy
Publisher: Illipsium Media
Date of Publication: March 2, 2015
ISBN: 978-09860984-1-3
ASIN: B00U5945FW
Number of pages: 322
Word Count: 72,000
Cover Artist: LA Hendricks
Book Description:
Devastating tragedy puts 14-year-old high school freshman Marla Owens, on a fast-paced journey of survival, revival and coming of age. Driven by a force she can't begin to understand and a burning need to find out the truth, she heads toward her mother’s home in North Dakota. She soon learns more about herself and her family than she could have ever imagined — her mother was royal heir to the powerful Skatian throne! And now the Skatian people need her to protect their world from those who wish to conquer it.
In a classic tale of good versus evil, set on Earth and beyond, a young girl fights to survive to become a young woman—and the reluctant queen of Skatia. Who can she trust? Will she be able to control her own immense abilities and justified anger to do what’s right? One thing’s for sure: Marla’s not in Texas anymore!
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/oCnwVQ5b38M
Excerpt #3
Another hour or so passed as the train finally pulls into Los Angeles. She stepped off the train and took in the fresh and much less humid California air. The place amazed her, it was the exactly opposite of her hometown in Texas. Everything was green and alive. The people were tanned, rather than leathered-looking and fresh-faced - even in the train station. Marla pulled her backpack on and walked out of the train station. She figured there had to be food nearby, and she was dying for a non-microwaved meal. Two blocks away, the smell of cheeseburgers and onion rings pulled her into a diner that was in the middle of its lunch rush.
“Sit anywhere you can find space, hon,” said a waitress that walked by carrying a seemingly impossible amount of food on a tray.
Marla peered around the diner and found a seat at the counter. She sat down, stuck her backpack under her feet, and picked up the menu. So many options! Her mother had been somewhat of a naturalist. She insisted they eat most meals at home and categorically hated any chain restaurants. Andi cooked like a professional and loved feeding her husband and daughter recipes she found on the Internet; and in the many, many foodie magazines that were delivered to their house monthly. Marla zeroed in on the meal that drew her into the diner initially and decided to splurge on a chocolate milk shake. She'd used her money very judiciously and had much of it left. She was reading the diner's history on the back of the menu when a high-pitched voice cut-in.
“What can I get you, sweetie?” The voice came from exactly the woman you would have expected. The waitress couldn't have been more than 5 feet tall with unnaturally blond hair and deep brown eyes.
Marla smiled as she said, “I'll have a cheeseburger and onion rings, a glass of water and a chocolate milk shake.”
“How do you want your burger cooked?”
“Gee, I'm not sure.” The waitress held back a chuckle at Marla’s deep Texan accent. That was something her mom had known and something she didn’t bother with. Before now, that is.
“Do you like a lot of pink in the middle of your burger?” Marla wrinkled her nose, causing the waitress to laugh. “Well done it is. Be right back with your water and milkshakes.”
Marla loved California. The whole atmosphere was just incredible to her. Back home, everyone was struggling; the town had been in decline for years. Only during the county fair did everyone seem to forget their woes and actually enjoy themselves. Not here, though. All around her, Marla heard people talking and laughing as though they had no cares in the world. The sensation was truly heady.
Before long, the counter waitress brought Marla's water and milk shake. “You want whipped cream on that, sweetie?” She held up a can that read “whipped topping.” Marla was reasonably sure it wouldn't taste anything like her mother's homemade whipped cream.
Another hour or so passed as the train finally pulls into Los Angeles. She stepped off the train and took in the fresh and much less humid California air. The place amazed her, it was the exactly opposite of her hometown in Texas. Everything was green and alive. The people were tanned, rather than leathered-looking and fresh-faced - even in the train station. Marla pulled her backpack on and walked out of the train station. She figured there had to be food nearby, and she was dying for a non-microwaved meal. Two blocks away, the smell of cheeseburgers and onion rings pulled her into a diner that was in the middle of its lunch rush.
“Sit anywhere you can find space, hon,” said a waitress that walked by carrying a seemingly impossible amount of food on a tray.
Marla peered around the diner and found a seat at the counter. She sat down, stuck her backpack under her feet, and picked up the menu. So many options! Her mother had been somewhat of a naturalist. She insisted they eat most meals at home and categorically hated any chain restaurants. Andi cooked like a professional and loved feeding her husband and daughter recipes she found on the Internet; and in the many, many foodie magazines that were delivered to their house monthly. Marla zeroed in on the meal that drew her into the diner initially and decided to splurge on a chocolate milk shake. She'd used her money very judiciously and had much of it left. She was reading the diner's history on the back of the menu when a high-pitched voice cut-in.
“What can I get you, sweetie?” The voice came from exactly the woman you would have expected. The waitress couldn't have been more than 5 feet tall with unnaturally blond hair and deep brown eyes.
Marla smiled as she said, “I'll have a cheeseburger and onion rings, a glass of water and a chocolate milk shake.”
“How do you want your burger cooked?”
“Gee, I'm not sure.” The waitress held back a chuckle at Marla’s deep Texan accent. That was something her mom had known and something she didn’t bother with. Before now, that is.
“Do you like a lot of pink in the middle of your burger?” Marla wrinkled her nose, causing the waitress to laugh. “Well done it is. Be right back with your water and milkshakes.”
Marla loved California. The whole atmosphere was just incredible to her. Back home, everyone was struggling; the town had been in decline for years. Only during the county fair did everyone seem to forget their woes and actually enjoy themselves. Not here, though. All around her, Marla heard people talking and laughing as though they had no cares in the world. The sensation was truly heady.
Before long, the counter waitress brought Marla's water and milk shake. “You want whipped cream on that, sweetie?” She held up a can that read “whipped topping.” Marla was reasonably sure it wouldn't taste anything like her mother's homemade whipped cream.
About the Author:
LA Hendricks is an IT project manager by day and science fiction/fantasy novelist by night. A longtime lover of words, she reads science fiction, fantasy and paranormal romance novels regularly (when there is time).
When not reading, writing or working, LA can most often be found watching football or basketball with her adorable cat, Mona.
One Day Blitz: Stricken by Marcia Colette
The End? Really?
Many authors look forward to typing those words "The End" at the end of their manuscript. The story is over, all loose ends (for the most part) are resolved, and the hero and/or heroine are happy for now. I've always imagined my favorite authors sitting back with a huge smile on their faces and thankful that Fate is on their side, as they've met their ferocious deadline.
The end has never been "The End" for me. That doesn't mean I don't so things like celebrate my accomplishments in some minor way. I always treat myself to a few days of rest before I start that next story or I have that dessert I normally don't eat. After slaving over a book that has most likely taken me from an emotional high to an emotional low and back to that high again, I deserve something to regain my sanity, right?
For me, even though "The End" has come, it doesn't mean I stop thinking about a story. Thousands of questions bombard me. Do I want a sequel? Do I want to make this a series? Do I want to leave it at one book and explore a spin-off world? Stricken, though you might think it’s a first book, is actually a second book in my Alexa York world. Stripped was published by a different publisher back in 2009 (I think), so this second book is a long-time in the making. That wasn't planned—I swear. And if you're really curious, there was another book that featured Alexa York that was released back in 2006, which was my very first contracted book. That one is in the process of being rewritten for submission to my publisher for a re-release (fingers crossed my editor likes it). Let's face it. I'm Alexa York's biggest fan girl. If all goes well, there will be a fourth book, too. In fact, I'm in the process of writing a story for Alexa's sister Genevieve that will also be an urban fantasy with romantic elements. And thanks to Stricken, I'm toying with the idea of a spin-off series.
You see? There's really no true "The End", as I suspect is true with other writers, too. Ideas are always churning and molding in our brains until we finally have a chance to put fingers to the keyboard. Series like Women of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong took thirteen books. Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series is another one. Kim Harrison is still forging ahead with The Hollows, thank goodness, though I'm a few books behind and desperately need to catch up. How long has Harry Dresden been around? Woohoo!
Sure, there comes a time when an author has to put "The End" on a series. But as long as readers keep reading, it'll be a while before we authors truly stamp "The End" on our books. As a reader, too, I’m extremely grateful for that.
Thanks for indulging me!
Stricken
Alexa York
Book 2
Marcia Colette
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Purple Sword Publications
Date of Publication: 5/6/2015
ISBN:
ASIN:
Number of pages: 167
Word Count: 66,020
Cover Artist: Traci Markou
Book Description:
Personal tragedy convinces half-werewolf Alexa York to get away to the town of McCormick, Pennsylvania where she's charged with protecting Dr. Aiden Joss, physician to the supernatural community. Not only does she need the money, she needs the distraction. Unfortunately, she gets it in spades when Joss's personal issues and a myriad of dangerously sick patients make her new job nearly impossible.
A mysterious disease is running its way through the New York Order of the Amazons and leaving bodies in its wake. The same warrior who had chosen her clan over Joss has asked for him help. Even though the disease is real, Alexa has reason to believe his ex's sincerity is not.
Given the other numerous problems she has to deal with that are outside of her job description, Dr. Joss might be the biggest threat to his own safety. But, protecting him comes first. That’s difficult to do when his efforts to find an antidote put everyone in his remote clinic in danger, including Alexa.
Available at Purple Sword
Excerpt:
Chapter One
Present day.
I stood on the
porch of Dr. Aiden Joss’s luxurious home irate as hell. Someone was supposed to
meet me at the airport in Philadelphia. I ended up having to take a cab because
all of the rentals were booked from the only airport about twenty-five miles
from the small town of McCormick, Pennsylvania. The taxi driver must have
mistaken me for an oil baron with the fare he charged. He ended up having to
leave me at the front gate because the intercom was busted. Thankfully, being a
human hybrid had its advantages. After tossing my duffle over the ten-foot
wall, I followed by leaping over. Some security.
The downpour
turned my black, wavy hair into thick tresses snaking down my neck and upper
back. Sadly, my duffle bag was just as pitiful as I looked, since it wasn’t
waterproof. I’d exercised more care when picking out my purse and laptop bag.
The front door
opened. A tall, bulky man who looked like he missed his calling as an NFL
linebacker stood against the golden glow of the interior. His face was
criminal-hard, though something in his dark eyes said otherwise. He wore a
white shirt and jeans with a brace around his left knee. He blinked.
“Oh, boy.” He
hurried to unlock the storm door and let me inside. “You must be Ms. Alexa
York.”
I struggled
getting past him with my wet duffle, carry-on and my drenched clothes clinging
to my cold body. “I am. I take it the phones don’t work around here.”
He took my stuff
and set it aside. “The power has been flickering all night. They just got the
lights back on about three minutes ago. The phone is Internet, so when the
power goes out, everything goes out.”
I unzipped my
sodden jacket. “I get it. No phone, no phone calls. Which is why I was stuck at
the airport.”
He sighed.
“Again, my apologies, ma’am. With so much going on, I only had a chance to
worry about one thing at a time.”
I glanced at him
before answering. So much going on? The house was quiet and not a soul in
sight. What could’ve possibly had him too busy to pick me up when he knew I was
coming? Heck, I was here to be his replacement while he was on the mend. If he
didn’t want me here, forgetting me at the airport or not sending a car to pick
me up worked in his favor.
He offered his
hand to me. “My name’s Sammy. I’m Dr. Joss’s med tech and assistant.”
“Med tech?” I
looked him up and down. “But I thought you were his—”
He chuckled.
“I’m really his assistant. I’m only his bodyguard when I have to be. And given
the kind of world that lies beyond those gates, I find myself playing the
latter more often.”
I closed my eyes
and sighed. “I’m sorry if I sounded a little crotchety, but—”
Sammy waved a
large hand. “No need to apologize. I’d be a lot more than pissed had I been in
your shoes. Speaking of which, let me show you to your room so you can get some
dry clothes on.”
Snorting, I
glanced at the puddle forming around my duffle. “Dry clothes, huh. That would
be nice.”
“No worries, Ms.
York. I’ll find you something.”
“It’s Alexa, by
the way.” Those close to me called me Lex. We weren’t there yet.
“Alexa, then.”
My room was
upstairs on the second floor along with five other bedrooms. Every piece of
furniture was stained pine and sitting against light blue walls. Thankfully, I
had my own private bathroom. When I looked out the bathroom window, light was
coming from the woods somewhere behind the trees where it shouldn’t be.
I sure hoped
Dane had told me everything I needed to know about this so-called mission. I
would hate to learn something the hard—painful—way. Though that would never be
his intention, I also knew his idea of what information was important to know
was different from mine.
Had it not been
for Wesley Dane, a full-blooded werewolf friend of my family, I wouldn’t be
here to play bodyguard for one of his closest friends. It wasn’t the thousand
dollars a day, tax-free money for my services that had brought me here. I
needed the distraction more than anything.
“So, how much do
you know about me?” After snuggling into a thick, warm robe I found hanging on
a hook, I dried off my hair with a towel and opened the bathroom door.
Sammy was still
there, though keeping his distance by waiting in the hall. I thought it was
weird, but whatever, seeing as this was more his house than mine. “Enough,” he
replied. “You’re half-werewolf, which is extremely rare. You’re also married,
which means either your husband, who’s a full-blood, or Dane is going to tear
Dr. Joss apart if anything bad
happens to you.
Although, that sort of defeats the purpose of you being the doctor’s
bodyguard.” He half-smiled.
“Are you
expecting me to be torn apart?”
“No.” He
chuckled. “But I expect you’ll be put through the wringer.”
About the Author:
Author Marcia Colette didn’t discover her love for reading until her late teens when she started reading John Saul and progressed to works by Bentley Little, Stephen King and Laurell K. Hamilton. Her reading tastes convinced her to write paranormals where curses cause people to shift into spiders, psychotic and telekinetic mothers are locked away in attics, and murderous doppelgangers are on a rampage. Let's not forget about the hunky werecheetah coalitions who live throughout North Carolina. As long as she can make it believable, that's all that matters.
Born and raised in upstate New York, Marcia now lives in North Carolina with her mom and beautiful daughter. They’re not raising zombies in the backyard. There aren’t any hellhounds living in the den, only a rabbit and a cockatiel. So where she gets her ideas is as much a mystery to her as anyone else.
The best place to find her--when she's not stirring up trouble--is on her blog where she loves connecting with readers.
Urban Fantasy Investigations (interview)
Fang-tastic Books (guest blog)
happy tails and tales (review)
GothicMoms (guest blog)
Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock (review)
Sapphyria's Book Reviews
The Semi Short Chic
Roxanne’s Realm
Lisa’s World of Books
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom
3 Partners in Shopping; Nana, Mommy, and Sissy too!
Deal Sharing Aunt
CBY Book Club
Mommabears Book Blog
Share My Destiny
Mythical Books
Ogitchida Kwe's Book Blog
Guest blog and Giveaway Destiny by Charlene A. Wilson
Thank you for having me as a guest here at The Creatively
Green Write at Home Mom, Wenona. This is going to be fun! Not only because I
get to share on this great blog, but I charged my characters with a special
assignment.
Now before I let you dive into their part, I really need
to explain something. These characters are from my series, Cornerstone Deep. In
their world, they know of the Arched Spectrum of Realms which a set of five
dimensions. Cornerstone Deep is actually one of them, a cornerstone realm to
the “Arch” and where they reside… for the time being. The Shilo brothers,
James, Cole, and Vincent, are from Meridian, which is situated at the meridian
cap of the “Arch.” You can see the different dimensions in the image below and
get what I mean.
Elaina is Vincent’s wife and soul mate. *smile*
Elaina and Vincent sneak into Charlene’s office and
quietly close the door behind them. Vincent sits down at the computer and
logs on.
Elaina: *whispers* Hurry,
hurry, Vince. They’ll be here any minute.
Vincent: *waves his hand at the door and
an opalescent sheen covers it and the latch locks* Eko Silyst. *the
air thickenes*
Elaina: *squinches her
cheek* Do you really think locking and blocking the door will stop
them? *scowls and wiggles her finger in her ear as her words flattened*
Vincent: You don’t have to
whisper. Eko Silyst is a silencing spell. And
no. It won’t stop them, but it will buy us a little
time. Now…
Elaina: *rushes to look over his shoulder*
Vincent: *types* The
Meridian Maiden.
Elaina: Charlene’s not from Meridian.
Vincent: The topic is: “If
you could write your author into a book it would be called … and she would be a
…” *holds up a hand to accentuate the “…”*
Elaina: *folds her arms* Well
then why not call it The Princess of Shilo City?
Vincent: *smiles a toothy
smile* Because, I’m at the computer.
The door knob rattles, the latch unlocks, the opalescent
sheen fades, and the silencing spell breaks. James leads Cole into
the office.
Vincent: *grimaces* I forgot
about James and his multi-tasking.
Cole: Nice try, Kid.
James: *motions for Vincent to
move* I’ll take over here. *takes seat as Vincent gets
up* *types* Goddess of the Ethereal Plane.
Cole: Wait. *a sly grin curves
his lips* The topic didn’t say the book was going to be a real book. Why
don’t we have some fun with this? *everyone looks at him and he
reaches over James and types* Token Toad of Toad Suck.
All eyes widen.
Elaina: Cole!
Cole: What? Toad Suck is a
small community near where she lives in Arkansas. I could call
it Banshee of Booger Hollow.
Elaina: *covers her mouth and snickers*
Charlene: *enters the
office* How’s it going, guys?
James quickly waves his hand in the air and Cole
straightens, turning deep red.
Cole: Uh, duh, uh…well…
James: Cole came up with the perfect title
and character. Why don’t you have a look?
Charlene: Oh, Cole, you
did? That’s great. *looks over James’s shoulder and
reads* The Lady of Cornerstone Summit. Aww.
*hugs Cole* That is so sweet.
Cole: *looks at James with a “thanks for
the save” look* Anything for you, Charlene.
Destiny
Cornerstone Deep
Book 3
Charlene A. Wilson
Genre: Paranormal/light sci-fi/ Fantasy
Publisher: Spectrum Publishing
Date of Publication: May 11, 2015
ISBN 10: 0989984656
ISBN 13: 978-0-9899846-5-2
ASIN: B00W35XAY8
Number of pages: 200
Word Count: 52,886
Cover Artist: Charlene A. Wilson
Book Description:
Angels, Gods, High Ones… Could anything else find its way into the prophecy caused by their father, Sylis Shilo, the renowned realm traveler? Vincent understands there were things in his father’s work he wasn’t privy to simply because his soul was too young, but how could this be kept a secret from even his brothers? The more he learns, the more he’s glad he hadn’t known.
The sentinels of Cornerstone Deep are in for their most difficult challenge yet. The portal to the Spectrum of the Realms must be sealed, and punishments must be carried out. Will the Gods take all that is dear to Vincent, James, and Cole Shilo?
“Flesh cannot take away that which our souls have united.”
Excerpt:
Stars blinked,
and Vincent scowled at the firmament. They mocked him—tiny gems as out of his
reach as the treasure he sought. With a snarl, he scanned the area around the
empty town square, whirled to face Simpson drive, and then jabbed his hand
toward the deserted street of the city’s east side.
“Orvertre!”
The summoning
command echoed through the night and then ebbed into the quiet atmosphere with
no result.
A frog croaked
from Center Creek somewhere within the park to his right. The urban green
rustled and deep shadows waved as the breeze whispered along the tall border
hedges. A cat padded from an alley between the north side commerce onto the
sidewalk and then looked his way. The dim streetlight reflected in its eyes,
two silver discs that taunted alongside the night sky.
With a growl, he
punched his frustration into the air. Blue neon flashed from his fist. The bolt
highlighted the crimson brick storefronts and plowed into the street with a
resounding blast. Asphalt bulleted the commerce, shattering glass behind the
barred windows, and pelted the granite griffin perched on top of the corner
archway of the entrance to Shilo Park.
The cat darted
back the way it came.
Vincent snarled.
Turning toward the city center, he clenched his jaw and glared around the empty
court. How many times have I tried to summon the Mother Earth beads from here
already? Every faithful follower of the gods had come to witness the absence of
Gryffin. When they left, the park was in shambles. It took three weeks to pick
up all the rubble and return the vegetation to its rightful state. He glanced
over his shoulder at the stone gargoyle. The god of conformance couldn’t have
made a more striking statement with that disappearance act—and the beads
couldn’t have been lost at a worst time. Anyone could have stashed them away,
thrilled to find such a keep.
Vincent ground
his teeth together so hard his temples ached. Humidity thickened the early
summer night and carried the sulfuric odor from the west side industries. It
coated his senses with added irritation. Where was the floral scent of Shilo
Park? He needed the sweet comfort it held.
Releasing his
breath, he whispered a vow he didn’t intend to sustain. “Elaina, you will never
touch another magical charm as long as you live.”
He glanced at
his watch and sighed an anxious breath. I need to get home.
How long before
his brothers questioned his excursions? How long could he keep the
disappearance of the relic a secret?
Furling his
cape, he dispersed his elements into a fine mist. He allowed his dark essence
to meander as he flew the length of the boulevard, recalling the crowded scene.
Pilgrimage buggies, tents, covered wagons; they were only a portion of the
massive gathering of faithful that had finally cleared the area.
Irritation
rippled his essence. With a growl, he conceded failure and headed over the
southern apricot orchards to Shilo Manor.
About the Author:
Charlene A. Wilson is an author of tales that take you to other dimensions. She weaves magic, lasting love, and intrigue to immerse you into the lives of her characters.
She began writing in her early teens when her vivid dreams stayed with her long after she had them. The characters and worlds were so amazing she brought them to life through her books.
Charlene resides in a small community in Arkansas, USA, with her two beautiful daughters, husband, a cuddly Pekingese, and a very chatty cockatiel named Todder.
Author site: http://CharleneAWilson.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AuthorCAWilson
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