Ramblings of an Australian Writer

Today's Thursday Thirteen is thirteen sentences from things I've written. I've limited it to four works – two that are published (Life and Nothing But and City of Gold) and two that are works in progress (City of Jade and No Quarter). So here we go. Sentences that I picked at random. Also, mea culpa, the works in progress really are still in progress, so any errors, etc, are as yet unfixed.



1. "Difficult and somehow insulting, as if all we are good for is war and when that occupation is taken from us, we are patted on the head and sent off to languish in occupations that are best left to the city's militia."
- City of Jade.

2. " So, I went and had a look around; Shamshiel's ranting at the other Grigori and his wings look a little bare -- he looks like he's a moulting chicken."
- No Quarter.

3. He had not been inside Nick's abode at all, he realized, and he couldn't help himself from looking around curiously, trying to learn as much as he could about the man without being too obvious.
- Life and Nothing But.

4. Misahuen’s lips curved upward in the faintest of smiles, and then he was gone, walking into Constantinople with the merchant and the rest of his pack train.
- City of Gold.

5. He didn't feel like explaining it right then, for the vista of Antioch, golden and lovely, shimmering in the light of the sun, captured his attention.
- City of Jade.

6. "You are the most stubborn, bad-tempered, ill-bred patient in the history of medicine," Raphael was saying, obviously continuing a conversation that had been interrupted by Tzadkiel's call, " you have absolutely no respect for your condition, you refuse to follow my orders, instead gallivanting about like an Archangel of leisure, which you most certainly are not... what am I to do with you, Uriel?"
- No Quarter.

7. The scotch burned his throat on the way down, a welcoming burn that distracted him from his dark thoughts.
Life and Nothing But.

8. Misahuen was silent as the rest of the party he was with talked among themselves, and Gallienus watched, hoping against hope that Misahuen would turn and see him there in the shadows.
- City of Gold.

9. "I will guard it with my life," Michael said solemnly and Gabriel's lips twitched in suppressed mirth.
- No Quarter.

10. "Culturally, I suppose that yes, the Byzantine Empire is more Greek than Roman, but Byzantium grew out of the Roman Empire and so it is the Eastern Roman Empire."
- City of Jade.

11. Turning in a small circle, he couldn't keep the smile off his face as he saw the pinpoints of golden light that were hundreds of candles shining in the windows of every room in every cottage and, up on the hill above them, the windows of the castle.
- Life and Nothing But.

12. “It is traditional in my country to marry, but there are many who have lovers outside the marriage, lovers of both sexes.”
- City of Gold.

13. As he looked up, blinking away the snowflakes, Gabriel let out a slow breath as he watched the beauty of the Northern Lights undulating serpent-like across the sky.
- No Quarter.

Today is the release of the First Time For Everything daily dose anthology. To buy the whole anthology of some thirty stories, head on over this way. There's over 1,500 pages of fiction in the full collection.

My story, City of Gold is available over here for $1.49US.

Summary: Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire, 1131 AD.

Gallienus has spent his life in service of his country, and now his scarred body is no longer up for the fight. Assigned to work the gates of Constantinople, he is charged with examining the cargo brought into the city from all over the world. Misahuen is part of the merchant train bringing wares from the Silk Road to trade, but it’s not Misahuen’s cargo that interests the wounded soldier. Gallienus thought his heart was too battered to love anything but his country. Does he have the courage to dream of a future beyond service to the City of Gold?

And for a small excerpt (Excerpt is PG rated; full story is NC17 rated for graphic m/m sex.):

THE day began just like any other. Gallienus, a veteran of the wars that had ended the previous year, in 1130, went to his postwar duties at the gates of Constantinople, the jewel in the crown of the Byzantine Empire. He limped up and down the lines of wagons carrying all manner of goods from the East for trade, inspected the packs and wagons, and waved merchants through to the city. He gave directions to the merchants’ quarter when necessary and detained those who were smuggling items prohibited by Emperor John Komnenos the Second. At midday, he ate a small meal and drank a tankard of ale with his fellow gate guards. He smiled ruefully as they talked about past wars and how lucky Gallienus was to have survived the violent conflicts with a limp and an ugly scar from a crossbow bolt to show for them. After the meal, he returned to his post by the gates, and the business of inspecting merchant pack trains resumed.

( Continue )

First up: Lookee!





The pre-order of the First Time For Everything Daily Dose Anthology from Dreamspinner Press is now available and can be found here.

Summary: First Time for Everything

From true love's first innocent kiss to finally getting down and dirty on the kitchen floor, there's a first time for every sort of cherry to be popped. Whether discovering the ravenous thrill of sex or the heartwarming power of romance, these men are going to take the plunge and try something new—something romantic or kinky, daring or safe, passionate or relaxed, even comforting or scary—all in the name of love. The First Time for Everything Daily Dose package delivers 30 M/M stories about all kinds of first times.

Summer reading fun! A story delivered automatically to your bookshelf each day in June. Over 1,500 pages of fiction selling individually for a total $81.20. Buy the package early and save:

April - $39.99 May - $49.99*

*Sale of packages for daily delivery ends May 25.

Beginning June 1, stories will be available individually as priced or as a bulk package for $54.99.


In other news, Less Than Three Press and Freaky Fountain Press have both bought my short stories for two anthologies, Something Happened on the Way to Heaven from Less Than Three, due for release in July and a mythology anthology from Freaky Fountain, due for release later this year.

And now to get back to writing!

My short story, City of Gold, which is a historical m/m romance set in Byzantium, has been accepted for the Dreamspinner Press anthology, A First Time For Everything. I am delighted to say the least, I have a lot of love for this piece (even if it's taken me a while to find a name for one of the two main characters!) and am currently in the research stages for a sequel which I hope to be of novel length, rather than a nap-size daydream line length. This is my happy face :D.

Now all I need to do in terms of not so fun research is figure out the tax thing. ATO, you are my only hope. /Star Wars. (And deal with blood tests and other tests this week, but those aren't related to writing and I'm trying not to dwell on them overly much.)