Ramblings of an Australian Writer

"No, no, no," Gabriel pulled in another cloak with his power and draped it around Michael's shoulders, "now you're fine."

"Gabriel . . ."

"What?"

"Never mind," Michael shook his head, drawing the cloak around him.

"It's like living in a soap opera," Raziel said, "you two are like an old married couple."

"Refrain from commenting," Michael scolded and Raziel rolled his eyes.


From No Surrender, No Retreat, book two of The Archangel Chronicles.

Semjaza snorted at that. "Indeed not -- humans are to serve us, not the other way round. Continue."

"Of course, Sire," Azazel paused to gather his thoughts. "Remiel also has a house in the land called America," he said cautiously, "Ishtahar, your wife, spends a lot of her time working with damaged humans that are protected by Agrat bat Mahlat."

Semjaza smiled a small, fond smile, "My beloved was ever attentive to the needs of the less fortunate . . . my sons, Azazel, tell me of my sons."


From "No Shadows Fall", book three of The Archangel Chronicles.

Nifty table from here



"I like to cook." Israfel shrugged. "And you work so hard and the war was bad. I know, I know, I'm not a warrior and I'm not all grufty toughty like Mike or Gabe or Sammy or Uri, but I've got eyes. And a TV."

Raphael bit the inside of his cheek to try to stop the guffaw at that last comment, but he wasn't entirely successful.

I've been pretty quiet on the blogging front here the last several weeks, and I apologise for that. Things have been all varieties of hectic, so I haven't had the energy or the time to participate in things I enjoy that I normally would, like Six Sentence Sunday or Thursday Thirteen.

It's been a period of medical specialists and treatments and I think November is going to be pretty much eaten up by this. I've got at least two different things each week and it doesn't look to be calming down once we get into December, either. I'm hopeful that it will eventually calm down, because, if nothing else, I like my sleep!

I have managed to get quite a bit done in Nanowrimo this year, which is good. I'm writing book two of my Archangels series, this one I'm grappling with the title too. I have a feeling that every book in this series is going to be accompanied by a zillion different titles before I settle on one that suits the individual book. At the moment, the working title is Beings of Light and Dark, which is also a homage to one of my favourite novels by Roger Zelazny, but I don't know if it will stay that. I'm already looking at it and wrinkling my nose, which is not a good sign for the survival of that title. I fear its days are numbered.

In between writing and medical stuff, I've been absorbed by Tetris. That's about the extent of my brain power. However, I've been very, very lucky in that my physio is awesome and happily geeks out with me during my appointments over books and TV. My GP continues to be awesome, and the educator at the Diabetes Clinic is fantastic, too.

I'm glad to say that my CT scan and X-ray came up clear, so this means that the issues in my knees are as we first thought, soft tissue related. I just hope I don't have to have another MRI, as I hate enclosed spaces and the MRI is like a machine version of a tomb, in my opinion. I hate them. And I'm just putting it out there, universe: no alien probes for me, mmkay? Kthx.

I've hit a really enjoyable part in the novel, and writing this is great fun, so I'm really excited about the whole writing procedure at the moment. I had my fears that this book would actually hit the 50K word mark, but now I think it will get to my planned minimum word count of 70K words. If it goes over that, even better.

There's not really a lot else to report. It's warming up here as we move towards summer and I'm dreading it, as it's been pretty humid already and humidity is the worst thing, don't you think? It's like breathing water. I hate it. I can cope with the heat of the Aussie summer, but the humidity, ugh. Do not want!

Hope you're all doing well and I hope we'll all touch base with each other real soon.

Oh, and I'm at Four Strong Women on the 2nd of December, so do come and say hi and commiserate with me about having noisy and unruly neighbours!

Gallienus smiled to himself as Misahuen haggled with Stephanos down to the last nummus, the smallest denomination coin of the Byzantine Empire.

"You bargain hard, Misahuen, I am impressed," Stephanos said when they had concluded their deal. "You would do me a great service by aiding me in the markets in China."

Misahuen bowed as he replied, "I would be honoured."

"And of course, I would pay you extra for the service," Stephanos added.

Misahuen smiled at that as he said, "And I would be even more honoured."



- From City of Jade, sequel to City of Gold.

Photo is of the Great Australian Bight, South Australia/Western Australia border.


"Pleasure," said Uriel in a voice that suggested that it was anything but. He flicked a quick, almost contemptuous glance at James. "You're the human who hears demons. Lucky you."

"Yeah, it's real awesome," James drawled. "I really love hearing Hell in my head; it's a fucking laugh a minute."



From Sunburnt Country.

Six sentences from a work in progress novel, the sequel to City of Gold. Where the first story takes place entirely in Constantinople in the year 1131AD, the sequel, City of Jade, takes place on the Silk Road, from Constantinople to Chang'an, China, now modern-day Xi'an.

*~*~*



Gallienus wanted to take Misahuen in his arms and kiss him, hold him close, run his hands over Misahuen's leather-clad armoured back, but here in the heart of the Holy Lands, he did not dare. So, he contented himself with the loving and heated look Misahuen gave him and the knowledge that once they were encamped for the night, he would be able to hold Misahuen in his arms without armour in the way, and be able to touch his skin.

"Stephanos returns," Misahuen said then, and Gallienus straightened.

"He seems pleased with himself."

"Have you noticed that when he does well with his transaction that he resembles a large, contented cat?"

Gallienus barked a laugh, which he quickly turned to a cough as the master merchant drew up to the camp.

This is from No Quarter, and because of the NC17 rating (for m/m sex), is beneath a cut.

( ...... )

Shin peered out of the window and almost on cue, a large, sprawling house came into his line of sight. There was a veranda that went all the way around the building, and the house itself was made of large, red bricks, with a dark grey corrugated iron roof. There was a patch of grass out the front, and lavender bushes, eucalyptus trees and a wire chicken pen to one side. Lying on the stoop of the veranda was a black and white dog, tongue lolling out and tail thumping on the ground as Tisha drove up to the house.

"Are you parking here?" Shin asked, more for something to say.




- From Long Road Back, out with Dreamspinner Press in December, 2011.

"I think I will be glad once we leave this part of the world and enter Samarkand, the gateway to the east," Misahuen admitted. "I do not like seeing you so tense with worry, saja."

"I will be all right," Gallienus smiled as he spoke.

Misahuen gave him a critical look that was both fond and scolding at once. "Hm, as you say, however, it will still give me peace of mind."

"Then I shall not deny you that by protesting that I am fine," Gallienus's smile broadened.



- From City of Jade, work in progress.