Book Feature: PRIME PREY - The Protectors by Linzé Brandon (Book 6 in the Nations of Peace series)

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EXCERPT (from Chapter 3)

If you become pregnant, will you allow me to provide for the child?

She felt her eyes widen. The tone of his voice, even in her mind, was pleading. She tilted her head sideways as she thought about this. Did he want a baby? In her experience with friends and family, human or otherwise, the males were not usually the ones who wanted children.

Are you serious?

He nodded. In any way you need. Money included.

She frowned slightly as they got out of the cooling water. She wasn’t exactly poor, but babies had more needs than she might be prepared for. She rubbed her forehead for a moment. Was she considering having this man’s baby?

She lifted her eyes back to his. He was deadly serious. Not only did she see it in his eyes, but she also felt it in his mind. He was promised to another woman, but he would not relinquish his responsibilities. On some level, she was sure he wanted her to have his baby. It made no sense. They had barely been introduced, to say nothing of knowing each other. How could he know what kind of mother she would be? To his child, no less. Shivering from a sudden chill, she felt him take the towel and wrap it securely around her before carrying her back to bed.

If it wasn’t that her thoughts were otherwise occupied, she would have protested; she did have a perfectly working pair of legs, after all.

“If there is a baby,” she started quietly as he lay beside her, holding her close, “I will tell you, and then we can decide what to do.”

“Thank you,” he replied.

He watched her drift to sleep and looked at his timepiece. He had to leave. It was not how he had planned to spend the first day with his soul-mate, but he had no choice. Prince Wolfgang was scheduled to travel to Zo’en today on family business, and he had to accompany him, being his chief bodyguard and his oldest cousin. Wolfe, as he preferred to be called, trusted very few people with his security, and Jarod was the only one he allowed to travel with him on family business.

Loathe to wake her, but he would feel like a jerk to just leave without at least saying goodbye. He got dressed and then gently shook her awake.

“It’s time,” he said when she opened her eyes and looked at him.

“I have a solar address, so you can reach me anywhere, anytime. I saved it in your contact list on your handheld.” He held up the tiny hand-sized computer he had found on her bedside table.

He touched her cheek one more time, running his thumb over her lips. “Will you be all right?”

She tried to smile but gave up. This was all they had or were going to be. Slowly sitting up, clutching the towel as a shield to her chest, she nodded. “I will be just fine.”

The sudden wariness in her eyes told him that lingering would not make it better. “Remember. Any time. Anything,” he said, with a last tender kiss on her cheek. He got to his feet and left the room. A few moments later, she heard the front door close quietly. He had obviously walked here since she didn’t hear a vehicle.

Lying back against her pillows, she wondered if they had been insane to do this when they both knew there could never be any future for them.

Lying in bed all day would not solve or change anything, so she got up and went to her closet to pick something to wear. The inside of the door had a full-length mirror, and a slight shimmer on her chest caught her eye.

Turning to fully face the mirror, she dropped the towel. She ran her hand quickly over her skin, removing the magic glamour hiding her body markings. Born from a Hunter and a Life-Giver, her body markings reflected both bloodlines. Then she frowned.

“Oh, shit.”

-----------------

About Linzé Brandon

Linzé Brandon is the pen name of Lizette de Vries-Venter. She is a self-employed consultant and specialist engineer, author and artist. Living a creative life is what makes her happy and she loves to share her knowledge in both art and engineering.

She does, however, leave the teaching of story writing to others.

Linzé is the author of fiction and non-fiction books.

Painting with a limited palette - a review of Roman Szmal watercolour paints

Hello creative friend!

If you are taking part in Inktober2023, then you are doing something fun and creative and I hope you enjoy every moment. My Inktober drawings this year are not as detailed as you might have seen in the past, because I have a full plate and my time is particularly limited this October. And one of those tasks is the following review. If you have used this brand of watercolours,nlet me know what you think about these paints in the comments.

I couldn't afford a large number of colours, so I limited my purchase to the following colours: Gamboge (hue), Green gold, Magenta, and Payne's Grey.

The swatches and more info I wrote in pencil

I swatched them on Royal & Langnickel 300gsm CP watercolour postcards, then did a painting from one of my own photographs on Pontentate 100% 300gsm cotton paper, also CP.

I mixed the colours to see what would
happen - there were a a few surprises :)

I did the painting with only these four colours, and then added white and black ink to finish the painting.

Painting with only 4 colours

My impressions:

1. The Payne's Grey was sticky when I removed the pans from their packaging. The other colours were solid, so I thought to give it a day or so. It is now dry like the others. Perhaps it was still not dry before it was shipped.

2. The colours are intense, especially the Payne's Grey. It is do dark that it obscured the black line I drew for the swatches to see their translucency. It is a cool grey, but it is hard to see the blue tone even when highly diluted. But once mixed with the Gamboge, the resulting green left no doubt on that score.

3. I like the paints, and found them easy to activate, mix, and paint with. Once my budget allow it, I will definitely get some more colours.

PS: I put the Roman Szmal colours into the same palette I made for the tube watercolours I own from three other brands.

Final result

If you live in South Africa, you can buy them from Artsavingsclub, as I did.

Until next time!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé

The CreativeLife in review - keep learning, and creative projects

 Hello creative friend!

  Like most of you I'm sure, it is sometimes tough to find a moment to write a blog post, or just find time for yourself. I still have to do my planning for the coming week, but here I am checking in. And it's been a while, ouch!

  Recent times for me included being hit by a nasty cold, and I am still struggling to completely shake it off. I don't get sick, but when that one bug kicks my butt, trust me it does a good job to take me down. But I am recovering, so there is hope! LOL!

  I have just finished the Find Your Joy Taster course, presented by Louise Fletcher. Maybe one day I will be able to afford the full 12-week course.

My ink and wash painting for the Artkula
September Photo Challenge

  There was a bit of overlap with the Art Soul course as well. The presenters use mostly watercolours, whereas Louise's course use acrylics. I love ink and watercolours so I did a few of the lessons too. But there was one lesson where I skipped the class, and rather watched the artist's website course. I am still learning oil painting, and she used cold wax medium which I am unfamiliar with. I've ordered some, and will soon have something new to play with.

  Of course, one of my favourite online artists will soon have her taster Lifebook course starting a bit later this month. Since I am a fan of Tamara Laporte, it was a no brainer to enrol in that. I own her book, and have been doing my own Lifebook since 2021. But there is always something new to learn or experiment with, when it comes to art.

  On top of all the courses, and challenges, I have decided to take part in a national art competition. The deadline is the end of October, and the theme is to interpret and redo a painting from one of the old masters. Not a simple thing for sure. It took me about 4 days to properly plan the painting, and so far I have done most of the preparation work. I painted the first layer of colour on the background, so it is now simply a case of getting it done. Not as easy as it sounds though, but definitely a challenge and fun, I have to say. I am not going to say more, but I will share when I am allowed to do so according to the rules.

  Prime Prey's (Book 6 in the Nations of Peace series) cover is done, and I am happy with the editing. The prelaunch information is already on Smashwords, but the cover and the final manuscript will only be published in November.

  When I have a few moments, I am working on a small series of contemporary novels revolving around two paintings with supernatural abilities. The first draft of the first novel is done, and the second is a few pages long. They will only see the light of day next year, or even maybe 2025. I will have to check my planning for the next books in the Nations of Peace series.

  My dogs are telling me it's time for dinner, so I will love and leave you for now.

  Wishing you a creative week, until next time!

🇿🇦💜  Linzé

Book Feature: NEVER WAKE: An Anthology of Dream Horror

Where do we go when we dream?

  Since the beginning of time, people have argued the meaning of dreams. Are they symbolic visions that hold great meaning and personal significance? Are they portals into other worlds? Or are they just a series of random events our mind shows us when we fall asleep? Whatever the case, this much is true—the mind can be a scary place to venture, even for a few hours.

  NEVER WAKE is an anthology of dream horror, bringing you several mind-bending tales of nightmares, hallucinations, and phantasmagoria from some of the hottest talent in horror fiction. But don’t worry—when you (wake up screaming) flip the last page, just remember to tell yourself, “It was only just a story…”

  Unless it wasn’t.

  Featuring an introduction from Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann and stories from: Cynthia Pelayo, Philip Fracassi, Gwendolyn Kiste, Eric LaRocca, Lee Murray, Todd Keisling, Laurel Hightower, and many more!

Buy link: https://getbook.at/NeverWake

An excerpt from the anthology, from Philip Fracassi's story, "Specter."

  The book is large, almost like a dictionary. The cover is black leather, and there’s no title. No words at all. There are designs, however, carved into the leather. Intricate, beautiful designs: a pair of large hands holding sand that spills between cupped fingers; a snake eating its own tail; a large, closed eye in the center; stars, moons, planets…

  Jenna lifts the cover to reveal a neat inscription written in the center of the first, blank, page.

For Jenna,

When you dream, dream of me.

Nana

  “It’s beautiful,” Jenna says, part of her wanting to leaf through the book then and there, feel the thick pages within, read the different meanings of dream symbols…
  But her friends are already standing, antsy and ready for the cake and ice cream portion of the event. The final meal before the party is officially over and they can go home to daydream about their own childhood birthday parties, the wonderful gifts they’ll hope to receive.
  Jenna carefully sets the book back into the sturdy black box, her eyes unable to leave the cover.
  “Jenna?” her mother says. “Come on, let’s blow out the candles.”
  “Okay,” she replies, and begins to fold the thin tissue paper back over the book’s cover, when she pauses. 
  The embossed eye in the center—the one she would have sworn was closed only a moment ago—is now open wide. As if watching her.
  As if seeing her for the very first time.
  Realizing she must have seen it wrong the first time, Jenna dismisses the chill that climbs up her spine at the sight of the open eye. She dutifully covers it with the paper, replaces the cardboard lid, then heads for the kitchen to have cake and ice cream with her friends.
  She doesn’t notice Nana watching her as she passes by the table, a rare smile curling the old woman’s lips.

Buy link: https://getbook.at/NeverWake

EDITOR BIOS:

 

Kenneth W. Cain is an author of horror and dark fiction, and a Splatterpunk Award nominated freelance editor. To date, he has had over one hundred short stories and thirteen novels/novellas, as well as a handful each of nonfiction pieces, books for children, and poems released by many great publishers such as Crystal Lake Publishing, JournalStone, and Cemetery Gates Media.

He has also edited eight anthologies, with two more coming in 2023. He lives in Chester County PA with his family and two furbabies, Butterbean and Bodhi. His full publishing history is available on his website at kennethwcain.com

 

Tim Meyer dwells in a dark cave near the Jersey Shore. He’s the author of more than fifteen novels, including Malignant Summer, The Switch House, Dead Daughters, Limbs, and many other titles. When he's not working on the next book, he's usually hanging out with his wife and son, shooting around on the basketball court, playing video games, or messing with a new screenplay.

He bleeds coffee and IPAs. You can learn more about his books at timmeyerwrites.com

Book Feature: LOST by Shilpa Suraj

 

Lost is a story of love, betrayal, honour, revenge, and everything in between. It’s also a love story that sets fire to the world they live in leaving them with no choice but to rise from the ashes anew…

Lieutenant Rahul Jaishankar of the Indian Navy is a man of honour, principles and commitment. His love for his family, his ethics, and his integrity is only eclipsed by his love for his country. He has no time or space to love anything or anyone else. Until the day Ayaana Sahni explodes into his life. Suddenly, she’s all he can think of, all he can hope for, all he dreams of, awake or asleep…

But Ayaana isn’t a dream he can afford to have. She’s an illusion. Ayaana Sahni is actually Aarushi Mittal. And Aarushi Mittal wants only one thing…Vengeance. And no man, not even one as deliciously gorgeous as Lieutenant Rahul was going to get in her way.

An award winning, intrepid journalist, Aarushi spends most of her life abroad working on the kind of devastating stories that the world would never hear of if not for people like her. But it has come at the cost of her personal life, at the cost of time with family, and at the heartbreaking cost of her friend’s devastating tragedy.

Aarushi needs to atone for her negligence, she needs to right the wrongs done in her absence, and she needs to make the villain in her friend’s story pay. What she really needs to make that happen is a way into the tightly knit community of the Indian Navy and Lieutenant Rahul Jaishankar is it. And if that means there is some collateral damage along the way, then so be it. Even if the collateral being damaged makes her yearn for dreams that don’t exist. Surely, the Lieutenant would understand, wouldn’t he?

Aarushi isn’t built for love. She’s built to burn down the world for her loved ones instead. So what if this man makes her want things she’s never wanted? So what if this man makes her heart ache for something she’ll never have? So what if, suddenly, this man is all she wants?

Goodreads * Amazon IN * Amazon US

Read an Excerpt from Lost

She swung the door open, her eagerness on full display. Rahul leaned against the wall outside her flat, in loose tracks and a t-shirt that had probably been washed ten thousand times. He looked warm and rumpled and enticingly cuddle-able. 

“Hi Ayaana.” Rahul smiled, a weary smile. 

Ayaana. 

Her smile dropped in wattage as she held the door open and made way for him to enter. He didn’t move, instead waiting on the threshold for her to precede him.

Oh right. The whole gallantry thing. She turned around and started hopping back down the little corridor. She heard the door shut behind her and then a warm hand captured her crutch holding hand. 

A shiver worked its way through her. He was so close. So big, so warm, so everything. A ridiculous urge to curl into his solid, stable presence and cry overcame her but she shook it off. She shook it all off. 

“Problem, Navy?” 

His eyes, so close to her own, flashed in amusement at the nickname. 

“You’re doing it wrong,” he murmured.

“Doing what wrong?” Why was she breathless? 

“The crutch thing.”

She raised one eyebrow and tried to look haughty. “You’re criticizing my ability to limp on a damaged foot?” 

But she ruined the effect with the breathless whisper that accompanied the words. 

He looked down at her, his gaze dropping to her lips before moving to land on her crutch. “You’re hopping too much. All the weight and pressure is on your shoulders and back. You’re not leveraging the crutch enough.”

He slid one arm around her waist to anchor her, his other hand going to wrap around the knuckles she had tightly clenched around the handle of the crutch. He helped her raise the crutch in the air and place it forward while using his other arm to coax her body into not leaping into a hop to compensate. Only when her weight rested on the crutch did he let her body slide into step with it. 

“Better?” he asked, the word a waft of heat against the shell of her ear. 

Aarushi shut her eyes, as unreasonable sensations cascaded through her. She nodded her head, just once, in response to his question. 

He released her and stepped back, cold air rushing in to take the place of the delicious warmth of his body. She reached instinctively for him but stopped herself before she made contact. Her fingers curled in mid-air before her hand dropped to her side. 

About the Author:

A published author with Harlequin India – Mills & Boon India Collection and Juggernaut, Shilpa Suraj’s books have hit both the Hot New Releases and Bestseller lists on Amazon. Her next novel, tentatively titled ‘Wrong,’ has been contracted by Rupa Publications and will release later this year. She is also part of the Flipped Anthology by Harper Collins and had an audiobook book Insta Reddy release with Storytel.

She is, amongst other things, currently working on ‘Frazzled and Fabulous,’ a humorous, true-to-life parenting story that is part memoir and part nonfiction.

An avid reader with a passion for creative writing and storytelling saw her participating in writing competitions at school and dabbling in copy writing for an ad agency as a teenager. Twenty years in the corporate space, including a stint in Corporate Communications for Google, India, and a spell at entrepreneurship all hold her in good stead for her multiple current roles of author, mother and Head of Human Resources & Public Relations at an architecture and interior design firm.

Contact the Author:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Newsletter

 

Book Feature: IT HAUNTS THE MIND and Other Stories by Nick Roberts

From Nick Roberts, the best-selling author of The Exorcist's House and Anathema, comes fifteen dark tales that are as horrific as they are moving.

Witness absolute evil in “Sally Under the Bed” and “It Haunts the Mind.” Endure vengeance and violence in “The Noose” and “The Bitter End.” Face the realities of addiction and grief in “Thanks for Sharing” and “The Weeping Wind.” Survive otherworldly monsters in “The Paperboy” and “Voodoo Bay.”

In balancing the terrors of the supernatural with the horrors of real life, this collection drags you down the dark alleys of a haunted mind, forcing you to confront your demons, both real and imaginary.

BUY THE BOOK: https://getbook.at/ItHaunts

EXCERPT from the WEEPING WIND by Nick Roberts

The porch swing squeaked as I rocked back and forth with the tips of my boots. A frozen wind found its way to my bones despite my multiple layers. Steam rolled over the brim of my coffee mug, and I gently blew it away. I looked out at the rolling Appalachian hills enshrined in a starless night. I take time every year to reflect, and it’s been thirty since the accident. My family is safely tucked away inside. Even if they were awake, they know not to disturb me on December 6th. I was only five years old at the time. Little girls aren’t meant to see such things. 

 

*** 

 

Maddie, my older sister, was in the backseat of the car with me. She was nine. Even in the blackness of the winter night, I could see the shiny streaks of her tears in the moonlight. She stared at the back of the empty passenger seat then let her gaze drift to the dark world passing by her window. 

 

Something heavy thumped in the trunk as Daddy turned the steering wheel just in time to avoid driving off the sharp turn. My booster seat rocked at having not been properly secured. He made an agitated grunt and breathed rapidly. The car straightened out just in time for Daddy to whip it around another curve. Such were the roads in the mountains of Fayette County, West Virginia. 

 

I haven’t been back since. 

 

“Don’t worry, girls,” Daddy said through a strained throat. “Your mama is just fine. We’ll go back for her.” 

 

I looked at Maddie for guidance, but she continued staring out the window. I wondered if she even heard Daddy. 

 

“Where is Mommy?” I asked the back of Daddy’s headrest. 

 

Maddie shot me a look that seared my right cheek. I returned her gaze. My stomach got that cold feeling when I saw the wide-eyed look on her face. Daddy snorted deeply, clearing his sinuses like usual. He always told us he had bad allergies.

“Your mama…” Daddy began but seemed to lose his voice. 

 

He snorted again and cleared his throat. 

 

“Your mama stayed at the scenic overlook, baby. I told you that.” 

 

“But it’s so cold, Daddy,” I replied. “Does Mommy have her coat?” 

 

Maddie looked back out the window. 

 

“Of course, she does,” Daddy answered.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Roberts is a native West Virginian and a graduate of Marshall University where he earned his doctorate in Leadership Studies. As an active member of the Horror Writers Association, his short works have been published in various literary magazines and anthologies. His novel, Anathema, won Debut Novel of the Year at the 2020-2021 Horror Authors Guild Awards.

His best-selling novel, The Exorcist's House, was released in 2022 by Crystal Lake Publishing. He currently resides in South Carolina with his wife and three children and is an advocate for people struggling with substance use disorders.

Follow Nick's journey:

www.nickrobertsauthor.com

www.facebook.com/spookywv

www.twitter.com/nroberts9859

The CreativeLife in review - reading, painting, and coffee

 Hello Creative Friend!

    This week's post is truly a mix of stuff, and I am sure that you are well aware that life happens the way it does, and all we can do sometimes is to go with the flow. I had that experience the past few weeks, and several days it was not easy to cope with. That is what coffee is for, right? We deal as best we can in the best way we can.

🇿🇦 💜 🇿🇦

I am reading Life by Julian Baggini & Antonia Macaro

Once you have developed the capacity to be stimulated by your own

thoughts, experiences and reflections, you will never be bored and life will

never be without interest. The inner life is thus a source of remarkable self sufficiency. 

You learn that your happiness need not depend as much on

others as you might have believed, and you might find yourself thinking, as

Rousseau did, that ‘These hours of solitude and meditation are the only ones in the day when I am completely myself and my own master.’ 

~ Life by Julian Baggini & Antonia Macaro 

🇿🇦 💜 🇿🇦

    To be honest, I had so much coffee that I had to stock up earlier in the month than usual. But that's life.

    The 2nd week of the exhibition starts on Wednesday, so if you're interested you can find the details here. Entrance is free, but booking a ticket is helpful for the gallery to manage the numbers.

    With the end of the month coming up, I had two paintings to finish. They are part of the Artkula challenge for May 2023. I was hesitant with both because I don't like painting portraits (the Photo Challenge) nor do I like repainting the same image (the Themed Challenge). While neither will win any awards, I learned a few things along the way which to my mind is what taking part in these challenge are the most important thing.

🇿🇦 💜 Learning on YouTube this week - sketching with ink to improve my skills 💜 🇿🇦

   The next few weeks will be interesting work wise since I have two vastly different products to test. One of them is a whole system which we tackle in parts, and it is going to be a challenge. I love a challenge so I am looking forward to that one.

   In our art group we are busy do a drawing with charcoal. It is our second drawing of Big Ben as part of the buildings, and architecture does add some challenging details to the project. Despite the mess, I am enjoying it. With the paintings done, I will probably spend the rest of the day working on the charcoal project. After making myself a cup of coffee that is. 😏

Wishing you a creative week.

Until next time!

🇿🇦 💜 Linzé

PS: Keep an eye out for the next book feature - it might scare your pants off! 😁