I’m not sure what it’s like where you are, but here in my neighborhood it’s doggone cold out. Not only that, but there’s two feet of snow on the lawns. The neighbors have been kind enough to shovel convenient tunnels out where the sidewalks are and we’re all very grateful. Sadly, they didn’t shovel anyplace for the local canine population to do their business. It’s a real challenge. My poor dog is having a terrible time.
Things could be a lot worse, of course. We have heat, we have electricity. There’s plenty of food in my little apartment and as of yesterday, the roads in the area are reasonably clear.
One thing I learned—to my great surprise—is that the local doesn’t close unless there’s a State of Emergency declared. Who knew? Well, it’s important to prioritize, isn’t it? And as it’s nearly Christmas, access to the mall is more important than personal safety, regardless of whether you’re a shopper or an employee there.
I’m just glad to be home with my cats and my laptop. I’m so behind on my writing. Luckily, behind or not, the e-presses keep on going. I’ve had two releases at Torquere Press in the last month, of books I wrote more than a year ago—more than two, in fact.
Well, I won’t say a lot more, except to give you a bit of an excerpt from each book—one I wrote as Illian Obsidian. The books I released as Illian were and are written in a more limited but omniscient style than usual. I’m actually fuzzy on what literary term fits best, so just know it’s a little bit different than my usual way of writing—still my style, but more emotional, I guess.
Anyway, here are a couple of little excerpts and the link where you’ll be able to find them. There’ve been some small changes to Rocks and Hard Places since its original release, but not many. It’s still one of my favorites.
Into the Light
"Pan!” Rengal’s voice spun Pan around from where he had been bent over a report scroll. The sight of Rengal standing in the opening flooded him with joy. Rengal entered the room before Pan even realized that he had moved. When he pulled Pan against him, Pan was shocked into stillness. He let himself be embraced tightly, swaying helplessly against his best friend. Of course he had no control; this was Rengal. Pan reveled in the enthusiastic greeting.
“Rengal?” Pan tried to croak out, though he should have saved his breath.
“Moons and stars, Pan!” Rengal exclaimed. “I cannot believe how much I have missed you!” And it seemed that Rengal had missed him if both arms wrapped tight about him was any kind of a clue.
Pan didn't move, couldn't move. Why should he want to? Everything he'd ever yearned for was right here. Rengal's face was buried in his hair; one broad palm stroking his back the other wrapped around his waist.
“Pan, Pan,” Rengal's deep, fluid voice sounded slightly choked.
Pan didn't say a single word. He just enjoyed the moment. Of course he did, pressed bodily to Rengal as he was, not a hair’s width between them. He had every reason to doubt that this would happen again.
“I had no idea I would miss you this much my friend. Why did you not tell me I would?” Rengal chuckled quietly. “You are my advisor after all, are you not?”
“You know I missed you too, Rengal. I hope you know…” Pan fought not to sniffle.
He would not make a spectacle of himself no matter that Rengal's arms were tight about him and his own eyes burned with emotion.
Rengal stepped back, one palm cupping Pan’s cheek, his thumb sweeping under a damp eye. “Look at us, Pan. You would not know that we are part of the leadership in this community would you?” Rengal chuckled again “It is good to see you my friend. And just what are you doing here so late?” he asked belatedly, the chuckle fading from his voice.
Pan shifted uneasily, not wanting to confess that he'd been avoiding his friend. “I left early last dawn and did not think to bring with me all the information required.”
“You were ill?” At the concerned look in Rengal's eyes, Pan hurriedly went on.
“It was nothing serious. I was simply unable to complete my work at that time. I came back this dusk to gather my assignments.”
“I was surprised not to see you at the welcoming gathering.” Rengal's brow was arched in question, his voice distinctly chilly now. “In fact I was somewhat…hurt that my dear friend was nowhere to be seen. I chose to believe that you were waiting for a more private reunion.” Rengal's eyes held a hard glint now, and Pan was becoming a little nervous.
“You -- you were right, Rengal. I did want to meet you more privately. I would not have been able to stand the crowd. Please do not be angry. I have missed you so much.” Pan bit his lip and wrapped his arms around his torso, hugging himself, nervous as always when Rengal directed his ire toward him.
“Pan, you must know that I could never stay angry at you. I was simply disappointed that you were not there to meet me. It is all right now.” Rengal stepped forward and pulled Pan against him once more, those strong arms holding him tight. “We will meet again in the dawn.” Rengal's voice dropped lower, “it is so good to see you again my friend.”
Rengal stepped away, lifting a hand in a wave before disappearing back into the warren of corridors that was the Capitol building.
How long he stood there staring at the empty entryway, Pan had no idea. Finally he gathered the information he had come for and made his way back to his own den to lose himself in a restless sleep.
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And coming soon from Torquere Press:
Rocks and Hard Places
“How’s it going?” Micah Bayonne asked the man sitting with her. I could ask, “How’s it hanging?” and he wouldn’t flinch. Heck, he’d probably answer.
She sat across from her brother, Granite, in the mess hall of the starship Phoenix and picked at her food. Sending him a slight smile, she realized that she was a little nervous today. He wouldn’t notice. Lieutenant Commander Granite
Bayonne, head of security for this enormous ship now carrying them through deep space, made most people nervous.
“Umgph,” Granite replied, pinning his piercing gray stare on her face. Wow… maybe he did notice…
Although this mission had only begun six months ago, to Micah, it felt like an eternity. Shy by nature, she hadn’t made any friends onboard the ship. She glanced at her brother. Granite certainly wasn’t shy—he was as unfriendly as they came but shy? Nope. Somehow, anti-social Granite had managed to strike up a friendly relationship with the second in command onboard, Commander West James.
It shouldn’t be that big a surprise, really, she realized. The two men were of a kind and, as far as she could tell, most of their conversation consisted of grunts and short barks.
She didn’t really stick around long for their conversations, though—it was just too painful for her. Micah had a debilitating crush on Commander James. She doubted if he ever saw her, and that was fine. He’d never look at her that way.
She and Granite were manufactured people—not even considered real people by some.
Most regulars—real people who were born—didn’t think manufactured people could even feel. Those people didn’t think there was anything wrong with hurting or killing them.
“I start my new position right after lunch,” Micah ventured.
“Mmhmm,” Granite responded. She saw him look around the room and noticed that most people’s eyes skittered away from his glance.
Nobody really paid attention to Micah after they got past her white hair and metal-gray eyes. Although her looks were beautiful, she made sure she kept a very low profile. Granite didn’t care about his profile. It didn’t seem to bother him that neither of them could have any real or lasting relationships with the opposite sex.
That was partly because Granite liked men instead of women, of course, but not entirely.
Granite had sex with whomever he wanted, when he wanted. She’d been watching him and his partners for years. Since adolescence, she’d spied on him and did her best for the men he’d had sex with and ultimately rejected. Sometimes it seemed he tried to believe that he couldn’t feel.
“Um, are you going out tonight?” she never gave up. Sometimes her brother said real words to her.
“Hmmnnnn,” Granite answered taking a bite of his food and looking around the room again.
She’d like to go out and maybe meet someone. Deep inside, Micah wished she could marry and have children. With the genetic tampering, though, that just wasn’t going to happen. Still, she dreamed that there was someone out there for her—someone who didn’t care how she came to be.
Truthfully, she’d never even dated. Just to stay alive, it was crucial that she be near Granite. Something in her was necessary to his survival and vice versa—in fact she’d been fertilized and developed because of that. This was just one more reason that Granite didn’t bother with a serious relationship.
“Did you start that book I gave you yet?” She smiled and tilted her head.
“Mmmmm.” He gave her a half nod and an almost smile.
“You like it?” she asked hopefully.
“Mhhm.” He closed his eyes and opened them with a hint of a shrug. She knew he was teasing her. She laughed.
He neither liked nor disliked her as far as she could tell, but he had to keep her around. The two siblings were developed in a test tube and additionally some of their genetic make-up had been altered.
Since that genetic meddling by scientists and their own “parents”, it was responsible for her interest and expertise in science, Micah tried to count her blessings. She wanted to figure out what they’d done and why. Besides, I like being super smart. She knew her high IQ, Granite’s exceptional strength, and their exotic white hair was largely due to those experiments.
“Want to play cards later?” she asked him, looking around. “Hey! Look, there’s Ensign Laylor. He’s actually trying to raise Sea Monkeys!”
Granite’s head turned in the direction she indicated and back to her. He raised a full white brow and frowned at her.
“Oh, Granite, Sea Monkeys aren’t real. You know that. So far all he’s raised is scum.” She saw a hint of a dimple. Was that laughter? She looked at his white, neatly cropped, curly hair, his hard, angular face, straight nose and full lips. “Granite Bayonne, you are a very handsome man.”
She didn’t know how he could manage to laugh without making a sound but he did. On the positive side, she saw that dimple again, and he tapped her nose with one long tapered finger. Micah chose to construe that as a gesture of affection.
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I hope you guys all have Happy Holidays.
Talk to you soon!
J.J. Massa
www.jjmassa.com
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