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Sunday, September 29, 2013

Immersion

Ah, here's that promised blog post a week later. Better late than never!

So here's what happened: Almost three weeks ago, I finally sat down to play Mass Effect 3. And it was amazing and addictive and I didn't want to do anything else. I went to work, I fed myself on occasion, I pulled my hair out when some home improvement projects made a giant mess in my house, and I played the game. That's really it.

I actually finished the game last Saturday night (well, I've seen 3 out of 4 endings, and more on that later). Now that I'm done and I don't have to worry about spoilers, I can truly jump into the fandom with both feet. I've been reading trivia, perusing fanfic, looking at artwork...all that stuff you do when you don't want your experience with a story to end. I'm not sure if that really counts as being productive, but I don't mind the little mental break. We all deserve that every now and then, right?

And what a story it was. Yeah, yeah, I knew going in about the controversy over the ending. Truth be told, I was initially disappointed, but after a little time passed, I grew to appreciate some aspects of it. Is it perfect? Wait, scratch that...is it satisfying? Eh. Mileage varies. While I'll never condone some of the behavior that immediately followed the game's release (sending death threats over a video game? really?), I'm also not rolling my eyes at the people who are in the "well, THAT sucked" camp. Amusingly enough, I've done some guest blog posts on this very topic before - how important is a stereotypical happy ending?

Regardless, the game was still fantastic. Since this is supposed to be a writing blog after all, I might as well pontificate a bit about the storytelling aspects. The worldbuilding is rich and complex, and the characters that inhabit said world are varied and compelling. The romantic in me was satisfied with the love story on the side, especially since the relationship I chose seemed so realistic. I both laughed my ass off and cried my eyes out, and it's rare that something can elicit both those reactions. Even if you're not really a fan of games, I highly recommend the series because it's such a vibrant fictional universe.

And yeah, there are fanfics coming out of my keyboard. I've already knocked out a quick one, and I'm collaborating with Boobulon to write a humorous tale about late nights aboard the ship. Don't judge me.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Sunday Snog (giveaway and fundraiser!)


I'll write an actual post sometime soon about video games and romances and such (hint: I just finished crying my way through Mass Effect 3), but in the meantime, I'm participating in the 100th Sunday Snog! If you want to read about a ton of great kisses and enter a bunch of giveaways, be sure to click through and follow all the links. In addition, donations will be made to Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders, which is a fantastic charity that does amazing, amazing work.

One of my favorite kisses that I've written is Callum and Meyta's first kiss from the (free) Disintegration prequels, so I'll pull that up for today's event. Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end to win your choice of ebook from the library!

A cool breeze drifted through the desolate landscape, and Meyta shivered. “Maybe you’re right,” she said. “Maybe I should take a trip to Coral City, or some of the other areas of the country, and see what they’re like for myself.”
 

She sensed movement behind her. A pair of hands appeared on her shoulders, their warmth seeping through the thin material of her blouse. “You know, there’s a lot to be said for what’s right here,” Callum murmured near her ear.
 

Her body tensed as he stepped closer, and then relaxed when she leaned back into the comfort of his arms. “At first, I thought you were lucky,” she said. “I almost started to envy you for your exciting life, and all your travels, and the important jobs you do with the military.”
 

“Almost?”
 

“But then I realized how foolish that was. Every day, you run the risk of being taken out by a Charytaran missile, or ambushed by an army of Palavian drones. I don’t know how you do it.”
 

His hold on her tightened. “Someone has to.”
 

She tilted her head back. His breath danced across her neck, and the scent of his skin wafted towards her nose. A combination of the dust on his uniform and the effects of the day’s exertion mingled in the cool air, yet it was not an unpleasant aroma. She breathed deeply, keeping her gaze focused on the illuminated desert. “There’s so much danger out there,” she whispered. “Do you ever get scared?”
 

“On occasion. Just don’t tell my teammates.”
 

Meyta smiled. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
 

“I can think of better secrets to share.”
 

Callum squeezed her shoulders and turned her around. With one hand, he brushed an errant lock of thick, dark hair away from her face. She closed her eyes as his fingers grazed her cheek, and leaned towards him.
 

His lips, soft and moist, met hers in a tender kiss. Gentleness gave way to a stronger fervor as his tongue slipped into her mouth. Another tremor rippled over her, yet the cause of her quivering muscles had nothing to do with the outdoor climate.  Callum’s hands dipped down to her waist, pulling her closer into an ardent embrace. She locked her arms around the back of his neck, and pressed herself against his broad chest.
 

In the infinite expanse of cold, unfeeling sand and the ever-present threat of brutal warfare, Meyta no longer felt small and alone. Reminders of Callum’s impending departure prickled at the back of her mind. She pushed aside any negative thoughts, and succumbed to his smoldering kiss.


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Sunday, September 8, 2013

Defying the Skies Artwork!

Boobulon has done it again! I had an idea* for some artwork featuring the starring trio from the Skies series, and he accepted the commission. This is awesome and amazing and wonderful and I love it hard!

Click for embiggening!
If you've been following along on the DtS book tour (and if not, SHAME), this is one of the prizes. You know you want this badass scene adorning your mantle, don't even try to deny it. If you're impatient, the prints are available through deviantArt.

*I believe I said something along the lines of "How cool would it be to have Geneva and Marcus in the same pose as the 'Army of Darkness' poster, but with the genders reversed?" This is the answer, and the answer is really fucking cool.

Monday, September 2, 2013

Defying the Skies Tour!

Follow the tour!




What better way to celebrate a three-day weekend than with a blog tour! Check out all the sites that have been gracious enough to host me, leave them some friendly comments, and be sure to enter the giveaway! I'm giving away e-copies of Defying the Skies, the original Searching the Skies, plus prints of some brand-new artwork from Boobulon (that he's putting the finishing touches on)!


SCHEDULE:
Sept 2: Snarky Mom Reads
Sept 4: Rose & Beps Blog
Sept 4: SinfulReads Blog
Sept 6: Book Reviews
Sept 7: Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess
Sept 8: BookwormBridgette's World
Sept 10: Triad Literary
Sept 11: Naughty Bits' Book Reviews
Sept 12: Reader's Edyn
Sept 14: Sharing Links and Wisdom
Sept 15: Wicked Readings by Tawania
Sept 17: Dalene's Book Reviews
Sept 16: deal sharing aunt
Sept 18: Have Novel, Will Edit
Sept 20: Harlie's Books (Review)
Sept 22: Danita Minnis
Sept 22: For the Love of Bookends

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Til Death Do Us (A)Part

It's September 1st, the seasons are changing, and that's as good of a time as any to start new things! A friend of mine, Elizabeth Lake, has kicked off her free online serial today, and I love it already. I'll be honest - zombies aren't totally my thing (though they're super-trendy now), but the description/blurb for this serial made the story sound irresistible:

When Madelyn Striker awakes on her wedding day, she has only one goal: make it to midnight without killing anyone. With an alcoholic sister, neurotic mother and busybody future mother-in-law all trying in their own way to steal the spotlight and drive her crazy, it’s a goal she’s not certain she can reach. Finding the groom and the maid of honor in the middle of a chapel tryst certainly doesn’t help.

Family intrigue falls to the wayside when a sick guest unexpectedly takes a chunk out of a member of the bridal party, and before long Madelyn is on the run. Stuck with a photographer’s assistant, her rapidly drying out sister and a handsome, mysterious stranger who may or may not be a third cousin once removed, she must make her way through a deteriorating city and avoid friends and neighbors who are suddenly Very Hungry.

It’s Maddie’s Big Day, and she has a new goal: stay alive.

The first chapter went live today, and I'm hooked. Right off the bat, the characters are already well-developed and highly-entertaining. Even though I know that the zombie apocalypse is going to start at any moment, I can't wait to read what happens next. Be sure to check out and follow Elizabeth Lake's 'Til Death Do Us (A)Part: Love (and Sex) in the Zombie Apocalypse!