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The Momentum Blog
The Last Quarrel – book tour!
Posted September 18, 2015 by Michelle Cameron
To celebrate the release of The Last Quarrel in print, Duncan Lay will be touring around NSW, the ACT and Victoria in October, hitting up some book conventions as well as book stores.
If you come along to one of those days then you could take part in a fun Twitter/Facebook giveaway that could see you win a book pack or maybe enjoy a discount for the eBook to go with your print edition …
(This is Duncan, he'll be the man near the table with the sharpie.)
Here's where you can catch Duncan:
Thurs Oct 1:
Dymocks Canberra: 11am
Dymocks Tuggeranong: 2pm
Friday Oct 2:
Dymocks Belconnen 10am
Hooked On Books Batemans Bay 2.30pm
Saturday Oct 3:
Shoalhaven Superheroes convention (booksales for DeanSwift ABC Books Nowra)
Tuesday Oct 6
Galaxy Books 11am
Wed Oct 7
Dymocks George Street store: 12pm
Thurs Oct 8:
11am: Dymocks Penrith
5pm: Dymocks Macquarie Centre
Friday Oct 9:
11am: Dymocks Burwood
2.30pm: Dymocks Chatswood
Sat Oct 10:
Dymocks Tuggerah 1pm
Sun Oct 11:
Dymocks Rouse Hill 11am
Wed Oct 14:
Dymocks Collins St Melbourne: 11am
Dymocks Victoria Gardens: 2pm
Thurs Oct 15:
Dymocks Knox: 10am
Dymocks Glen Waverley 1pm
Dymocks Southland: 5pm
Fri Oct 16:
Dymocks Eastland 10am
Dymocks Doncaster 1pm
Sat Oct 17:
Dymocks Parramatta
Sun Oct 18:
Sydney Book Expo at Olympic Park
Thursday October 22:
Event night at Berkelouw Hornsby: 6pm
Tagged: book tour, Books, epic fantasy, fantasy, reading, The Last Quarrel
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The Best Way to Arrange Your Books is…
Posted April 23, 2015 by Eve Merrier
Last week I came to a point in my life where I thought I had too many books. I'm talking physical books here. Thankfully no one can see how stuffed my ereader is and its fullness doesn't affect how easy it is to walk around my house, unlike the paperback pile-up. Then I realised I was being ridiculous. There is no such thing as too many books, just not enough bookshelves. That's more easily rectified than parting with my tomes.
Having bought my wall-sized shelving monolith, the issue was how to arrange my books. I have a good deal of book arranging experience from my time in libraries. The Dewey system is a clear option for the non-fiction, but that did feel a little too much like work. My home is not a library. Yet.
It would be sensible to have the fiction alphabetically by author, but that just created a multi-coloured wall that was rather hard on the eyes. Also, it felt a lot like work.
It briefly crossed my mind to have it thematically, organised by similarities and genre, but that seemed too much like pigeon-holing works that deserved more.
So I went with the only solution that made sense to me. I organised them by colour. And, my goodness, is it beautiful.
It's a rainbow of absolute joy, and very easy on the eyes, so simple to see what's where. I also learnt that I have a lot of white and cream books, very few greens and a lot of mauve and purple. I wonder if that shows a genre preference or a shopping prejudice?
It was lovely to do and involved minimal admin and no cataloguing whatsoever. It was the ideal librarian's day off.
How do you arrange your books?Tagged: alphabetical, book covers, Books, bookshelves, Dewey Decimal system, ereader, library, organising by colour, reading, too many books
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One Man is Attempting to Read a Book From Every Bookcase in a Library
Posted April 7, 2015 by Eve Merrier
Pet care, military history, even the reference shelf: this guy is going to read a book from each of them. Robert Sedgwick wants to expand his reading, and to promote his local library. He decided the best way to do this was to read a book from each bookcase in the library – there are 133 bookcases, by his count – and blog about it here. He has over 20,000 books to choose from.
As with any self-imposed Herculean challenge, one must set oneself some rules:
Firstly, he defined a bookcase:
'For my purposes a bookcase is a set of parallel horizontal shelves with vertical sides. As soon as you cross a vertical line it's another bookcase. Tables of books laid flat I will treat as one bookcase.'
Then a book:
'I will only read English prose/poetry books, so things like telephone directories and dictionaries which are not meant for reading I won't consider as books, likewise audio cds and recordings of people reading books are not for this project. If there are no valid books on a bookshelf then I will ignore that shelf.
If possible I will not read any book or author I have read before and I will select books at least 150 pages long. I'll only break this rule if there is no other choice on the bookshelf.
My intention is to stick to the adult library and not to select books from the children's section.'
He also states that if he is utterly loathing the chosen book he reserves the right to abandon it and choose a different title from the same bookcase. Very wise.
He started at the beginning of the year so is already 19 shelves into the challenge. He began at the front door and is working his way around the library in an anti-clockwise direction, gradually spiralling into the centre. He's been through true crime, thrillers, young adult and book of the week. You can take a virtual tour of his chosen library here to get a sense of what he has in store.
As a person who works in libraries I have two things to say about this:
1. Everyone should look around sections in the library they don't often visit – there are hidden gems and Dewey-decimal quirks that mean you'll be pleasantly surprised. Ask the people working there for recommendations – we know where the buried treasure is (and we've read half of it)!
2. Also, keep going back to your favourite sections because libraries are constantly getting new books, either brand new or circulated from around the county. They don't all go on the 'new titles' section to make sure you go to the shelves and see the older stuff too. We want you to take out a new book and an old favourite!
Much to applause to Robert for promoting libraries and reading like a champion. Follow him @1stofftheshelf and follow his library @DorkingLibrary.
What do you think of Robert's idea? Could you do it? Is there a section you'd never consider taking a book from? Comments please!Tagged: book blog, Books, bookshelves, challenges, crime, Dorking Library, First Off the Shelf, library, reading, Surrey Libraries, thriller, young adult
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Gaelland – The World of The Last Quarrel, by Duncan Lay
Posted February 26, 2015 by Michelle Cameron
The Irish being raided by pirates from the Ottoman Empire? It certainly sounds like fantasy but, while the lands of The Last Quarrel are indeed inspired by Ireland (Gaelland) and the Ottoman Empire (Kotterman Empire), there is also more truth in this relationship than you might think. One of the inspirations for the story was the real-life Sack Of Baltimore, where a small Irish fishing village was completely taken into slavery by raiders from North Africa. And yes, the Ottoman Empire never stretched that far but there is every chance some of the many "white slaves" taken from the UK and Ireland and Europe ended up there.
But how close are the two mythical countries to their real-life inspirations?
Well, not so much. Yes, they have a flavour of them and the character names and places are either directly taken or inspired by real names and places. The biggest difference is, of course, the magic.
Ireland has quite the tradition of magical creatures and legends but the magic in Gaelland takes that a step further. The land essentially has two different type of magic. The first is natural magic, which a few talented people can draw from the air around them and use to change the world. Its powers are limited to what occurs naturally and merely mimics actions that can be found in nature. Using this magic is through cause and effect – the magician needs to use their own energy to replace what they take. Then there is blood magic, which is granted only in exchange for human sacrifice. The only cost there is your soul – and, of course, the innocent you slaughter to gain power.
Natural magic is celebrated and those lucky enough to be able to wield it can command huge sums of money for their skills. Because of its power, it is heavily regulated, with its own Guild. This Guild also sets the fees and makes sure nobody is tempted to use their magic for the common good. It is the King and the nobles who have most command of the magicians, using them to display their wealth and power. Natural magic is respected, although regarded a little suspiciously by many people. Only the rich can have it used on their behalf, so it is rare indeed that ordinary people can feel its effects. It has also given rise to many strange tales, including the stories of selkies, mythical beasts that look like seals but can apparently take the form of men at will. And, if angered, they will take lives as well.
Blood magic, on the other hand, is truly feared. It is blamed on witches, with more power gained through the sacrifice of the young and innocent – preferably children. Tradition and superstition claims that witches cannot abide the touch of metal, so it is thought any type of iron can avert their evil.
Some of that is true … These two magic forms come to blows in The Last Quarrel, as Fallon, his wife Bridgit and Prince Cavan desperately try to unravel the mystery of what is happening to Gaelland. Magic will both help and hinder their search …
The first three episodes of The Last Quarrel are on sale now!Tagged: fantasy, Last Quarrel, reading, series
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Cover reveal(s) – The Last Quarrel by Duncan Lay
Posted February 3, 2015 by Michelle Cameron
Gaelland is a nation gripped by fear.
In the country, fishing boats return with their crews mysteriously vanished, while farms are left empty, their owners gone into the night, meals still on the table. In the cities, children disappear from the streets or even out of their own beds. The King tells his people that it is the work of selkies – mythical creatures who can turn from seals into men and back again – and witches. But no matter how many women he burns at the stake, the children are still being taken. Fallon is a man who has always dreamed of being a hero. His wife Bridgit just wants to live in peace and quiet, and to escape the tragedies that have filled her life. His greatest wish and her worst nightmare are about to collide. When an empty ship sails into their village, he begins to follow the trail towards the truth behind the evil stalking their land. But it is a journey that will take them both into a dark, dark place and nobody can tell them where it might end …
The Last Quarrel Episode One is now for sale. All other episodes are available for pre-order.
Tagged: Books, cover reveal, fantasy, fiction, reading
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Could Infinite Monkeys Actually Create the Works of Shakespeare?
Posted January 16, 2015 by Eve Merrier
You've heard that enough monkeys with enough typewriters would eventually create the complete works of Shakespeare? Well some people with access to monkeys got a grant, and a computer. Then Hamlet happened. Sorry, that's not true. Here's what really occurred:
They put the computer in the monkey enclosure to see what literary masterpiece they might type. It turns out that monkeys really like the letter 'S'. The six Sulawesi crested macaques, called Elmo, Gum, Heather, Holly, Mistletoe and Rowan, typed little else on the five pages they produced. They also mostly destroyed the machine and used it 'as a lavatory'. Monkeys, we expected more of you.
To look at it from one aspect, the point is not actually to discover if monkeys can do it, but to find out if randomly punched keys, ad infinitum, will create Shakespeare. In fact the origin of the phrase held no mention of monkeys. It's probably a variation of Aristotle's example of a book whose text was formed by letters randomly scattered on the ground. Eighteenth and Nineteenth century French mathematicians often discussed the idea of a book which was created by a random splurge of letters from a printing press. It was one of these French number-chiefs, Émile Borel, who brought monkeys into it: he said they could eventually come up with every tome in the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
So real life monkeys are no good – they will just pee over everything – and the capacity for monkey concentration is kind of not the point, but how about hypothetical virtual monkeys? A computer generation was set up, in which virtual monkeys typed at random. Each day they created an eighteen or nineteen character string of real words that happen in Shakespeare.
Pretty early on a twenty-one character string, recognisably from Love's Labour's Lost appeared:
KING. Let fame, that [wtIA"yh!…
Which looks remarkably like:
KING. Let fame, that all hunt after in their lives,
Live regist'red upon our brazen tombs,
And then grace us in the disgrace of death.
The record was this from Henry IV, Part 2:
RUMOUR: Open your ears; [9r'5j5…
Which matches the first part of:
RUMOUR: Open your ears; for which of you will not stop
The vent of hearing when loud Rumour speaks?
On average, one character was added to the string each year, so truly infinite (virtual) monkeys, with infinite time and/or greater speed might just pull it off.
Shakespeare's fab, but we've already got Shakespeare. What use is monkey plagiarism? If I had infinite monkeys, I think I'd try and coax them into writing something new. I would like to see infinite monkeys trying to get an agent, securing a publishing deal, and eventually collecting the Booker Prize and making their awards speech. Sadly, I don't think that's going to happen, so for the moment I'll stick to reading books written by humans. Reality, you disappoint me sometimes.
Tagged: Books, infinite monkeys, Monkeys and typewriters, reading, Shakespeare, typing, writing
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Book Bingo – The Reading Game You Need to Play
Posted January 9, 2015 by Eve Merrier
A new year comes with it pressure to make resolutions, and in the reading world, it's usually, "How many books are you going to read this year?" Personally, I'd rather not set a numerical goal: What if I choose to read Ulysses, then War and Peace? Or one unending tome? I'd rather not race through it to arbitrarily win against myself. I think all reading time is time well spent. Many book bloggers do the number thing beautifully- 50ayear.com, for example – but personally, I'd be terrible at keeping to a target. I'm sure I can't be the only one.
That's not to say I don't like a challenge.
When not writing, editing, or generally spending time on the interweb, I work for the library service. I'd like to introduce you to the brilliant game that we're all playing in the libraries at the moment. It's called 'Book Bingo'.
Here are the rules:
1. You pick a line of six squares. The line can be vertical, horizontal or diagonal.
2. For each square, match the description with a book of your choice.
3. Read the six books (not necessarily in row order). Tick them off as you go.
4. Glory in your reading achievements.
This is the Surrey Libraries version of the Book Bingo card. If you happen to be reading this in Surrey, England, I strongly suggest you find yourself a participating local branch. If you're not, do it just for fun with the shelves of your local bookshops, library, charity shops and the contents of your ereader (perhaps with a few shiny new Momentum titles). You just need to read six books, of your own choosing, in your own sweet time. That's my kind of challenge.
Book Bingo could inspire you to discover books that you'd never think to try. It's also a bit of an intellectual challenge: While covering at a charming village library we tried to come up with books set in schools that were suitable for adults (and weren't Harry Potter). Another brilliant attribute of Book Bingo, and specifically this card, is that it encourages you to ask for recommendations (especially from people who work in libraries – they know their books!). In my opinion, this is the absolute best way to discover new favourites. It also encourages you to chat to other book lovers, which is always a life-affirming treat.
While I'm on the subject, enjoy the sneak peek of my bookshelves in the above picture. I unreservedly recommend 100 Facts About Pandas.
Join me in a game of Book Bingo! Do you want to play? Tweet me @EveProofreads.
UPDATE: We loved this idea at Momentum so goddamn much that we made our own game! If you want to play Momentum Book Bingo share your results with us on Facebook and Twitter!2015, Book Bingo, Books, challenges, ebooks, libraries, New Year Resolutions, reading, reading games
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Space Opera and why YOU are reading it!
Posted September 18, 2014 by Stephen Jones
Here's something you weren't expecting to read today – I Love Space Opera! I have ever since I was grown from a crystal in the orbital laboratory of Dr Klien Purnicious.
To make your own!
Jokes, was NOT grown in lab in space (because I'm a human) BUT I do love me some space opera. Let me inform you, dear reader, of why space opera should be in your eyeballs more than it already is. If it's already in your eyeballs 100% of the time – Congratulations!
You, nerd, may rest for this article.
Romance and Drama
So of course you like the minute of human drama and romance because, who doesn't? Seriously, give me their names. Sure maybe you don't appreciate The Bold and The Beautiful but you like characters and plot points and twists and…like…Story 101. We're not even going to argue about this.
Hush that sweet brain of yours.
So imagine the minutiae of human drama and romance spread on a galactic scale! It's an exciting idea that's been explored in space opera ever since a person looked to the stars and said "Let's put people in that". We're talking the basis of religion here. The Greeks, Romans, everyone knew that that's where the magic was. That's where Gods descended from, that's where they returned and that, my friends, is space opera.
Ok, I may be flinging the metaphorical bone a little high here but it's not an entirely stupid point.
Modern space opera continues the tradition but instead of magic bringing them down here, we've got the technology to take us to them. Them in this case is stars and planets – not Gods.
It's not like we have stories about missions to the God of War.
Or to the King of the Gods.
Nailed this one pretty hard, amirite?
But free from the Earth the romance and drama of human existence can expand to fill the cosmos itself! It's pretty cool, you can admit it.
Still not cool enough for you? How about I put it in terms you can relate to…
That's right, space operas are often so good because they are a gritty reboot of earth operas! Not literally operas per say…
You put a crew of people in a submarine then suddenly – Emergency! Oh noes! How do they escape? Who was responsible? Is it Red October or U-571 rules?
Das Boot? Damn it!
Now, you put them on a spaceship headed to a new colony, or they're testing a new dimension-jump-warp-accelerator and suddenly BAAM! – Emergency!
In the first instance the worst thing that happens is drowning, maybe some light radiation poisoning followed by drowning.
But in space? Where no-one can hear you scream? You can break the speed of light, go through a black hole where you and the crew a spegettified and then come out the other side as a mix of everyone that was on board. No one died, but there's something…new on board. After defeating the…being…you turn the ship around but don't have enough plasma-cooling-dilithumm-crystals to go back through the black hole and when you investigate the nearest source it turns out to be an exact duplicate of YOUR ship!
Really? Das Boot rules again?!?
You can see where this is going. Submarine? Drowning. Spaceship? Exploration of the human condition, our place in the universe, our fears, monsters and daemons AND drowning!
Really?!? I thought for sure the drowning would get you hooked. Let's try…
Genre Mashing
Ahh, the great Mash of '09, such a great summer. We were young and foolish back them. Why I remember when we combined pop rocks and chocolate in our McFlurry. Those were the days – the terrible, cramp filled days.
It both created, then sealed, stomach ulcers.
But not all mashing is a bad idea. Potatoes do well with a bit of mashing, as does…
She only wants you for your brains, man.
What if you combine space and the wild west?
Space opera!
What if you combine space and romance!?
Space opera!
Or even space and war?!?!
Space opera!
Long story short, put something in space and it's just better. As well as being space opera.
And that, sweet summer child, is why you should read Space opera.
Love space opera? Try the bestselling Aurora series by Amanda Bridgeman! Aurora: Darwin is 99c for a limited time only!amanda bridgeman, aurora:m, reading, science fiction, scifi, space, space opera, star wars
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Excerpt: DARK CHILD (COVENS RISING): EPISODE 4 by Adina West
Posted July 24, 2014 by Mark
Kat brought her eyes back to Amber. "Am I still in danger?" she blurted.
"Of course you are."
An unexpected visit from Kat's grandmother adds a shocking twist to the unfolding mystery of her hybrid heritage. Add to this a romantic tangle of epic proportions and Kat's visit to Akilina's chateau in the idyllic Loire Valley is shaping up to be anything but relaxing.
Kat's powers are growing, and with war between the races looming new alliances are being forged. And everyone, it seems, wants Kat on their side …
This title is the fourth novella-length episode of Dark Child (Covens Rising), which will conclude with Episode 5. Please visit momentumbooks.com.au for further information.
Chapter 35
Kat woke to birdsong. The morning light streamed through a tall open window; a tasseled cord held back brocade curtains. Though Alek's sable rug lay tumbled across the foot of the bed, the sheets and coverlet were crisp and unfamiliar, the room surrounding her equally so. She had a vague – very vague – memory of being carried downstairs from Sabine's apartment by Alek, and being transported out of Paris by car. So this must be Akilina's château. Her aunt hadn't refused her entry, despite their disagreement last night – which, now she came to think of it, had probably been caused mostly by her being in a rotten mood because she was hungry and overtired. Right now, none of it seemed important enough to fight about. Akilina had one set of beliefs and Kat had another. Maybe they didn't mesh, but it was hardly the end of the world. She stretched, yawned, and looked around.
There, on the other side of her bed, lying full length on top of the covers, was a familiar giant cougar. He regarded her sleepily through half-closed eyes, and when he saw her looking at him, started to make a rough, throaty rumbling noise. He was … he was actually purring.
She reached out to smooth her hand over the thick fur on his head, and he closed his eyes again, and nestled his head into the spare pillow. So Alek had found a way to stay past dawn, exactly as he'd promised. Funny to think how, only a short time ago, she'd found him terrifying in his cougar form. Now that she knew he wasn't a wild animal and she was in no danger of being eaten alive, she was almost more comfortable with him when he was like this.
Kat pushed back the covers, and slid her legs out of the bed. Her bare legs. Her t-shirt, bra and panties were all there but her jeans definitely weren't. She glanced back at Alek, but his eyes were closed, and the golden brown fur on his back rose and fell with his regular breaths. Any bet, it was Alek who'd stripped off her jeans before putting her to bed. Luckily, that was all he'd taken off. She'd been seriously out of it last night. She didn't even remember arriving here. Being so dependent on others, so vulnerable, was frustrating as hell. She'd no doubt be rediscovering the joys of claustrophobic restrictions on her movements now the attacks on hybrids that Ionescu had predicted had begun in North America. Her protectors would be back on alert again.
Kat found her clothes, including her neatly folded jeans, in an armoire against the wall, and she changed her underwear and dressed quickly with a wary eye on Alek. At least she was feeling good this morning. More than good. Alek's blood obviously packed more of a punch than Jonathan's, which probably made sense. He was older and, from everything she'd seen, definitely more powerful.
When fully dressed, she went to stand by the bed. Alek opened one eye a crack to survey her. Not asleep then.
"I thought I'd go exploring," she said. "I'll be fine on my own, given it's daytime and all."
She expected a protest but he just rolled his head to the side and gazed at her sleepily. A pretty clear body-language signal that he didn't mind what she did. "You don't seem worried about me going wandering by myself." She paused to eye him speculatively. Only last night he'd been the one telling Akilina she had to be moved out of Paris without delay. So why wasn't he protesting against her leaving his sight? Kat rubbed her wrist absent-mindedly, moving her bracelets up and down. She frowned, then looked down at the one Luc had given her last night. On impulse, she covered it with her hand, pressing it into her skin. And then she could sense them out there, like pinpricks of light in her consciousness. Most of the Paris unalil were spaced evenly to form a distant perimeter around the house. The rest were in a group somewhere outside.
Kat rolled her eyes. "Let me take a wild guess. This entire place is ringed by unalil on guard duty, isn't it?"
Alek answered with an expression that was probably a cougar's version of a grin.
Kat shook her head with annoyed resignation, before heading for the door.
As she walked down the wide stone hallway, a memory returned to tickle her mind. Alek had said something to Akilina last night. Something about the others coming back. So, hopefully, that meant Alek's unalil family were all here somewhere, even Amarok. Yesterday, for a brief moment on the train, she was sure their minds had touched. Was it really possible she had contacted Amarok somehow, even though he'd been hundreds of miles away? A sudden pang of homesickness rushed through her, a need for something familiar. Kat closed her eyes with that thought running strongly through her mind, and immediately sensed another, brighter spark.
She had no idea whether she was doing this mind-connection thing right, but sent a thought toward that familiar energy source. Amarok?
Waiting for you to wake up.
The reply came so immediately that she couldn't doubt it was really him. And he was close. By concentrating, she found she could trace a path toward him, through the quiet building. The place was huge. Already she'd climbed a staircase and passed dozens of closed doors, and the scale of the hallways and foyers she'd gone through gave her an image of how big the rooms inside must be.
She rounded a final corner, and found Amarok, in wolf form, lying across the doorway of a room. He jumped to his feet when he saw her.
"Hey!" She bent down to put her arms around him, and he nuzzled the curve of her neck. Kat gestured at the partially open door. "Is this Amber's room?"
Amarok nudged her behind the knees, and she pushed the door open a little more and stepped into the darkness. She paused a moment so her eyes could adjust, then crossed to the bed she saw against the far wall. Amber was nestled beneath the blankets, sleeping. Her expression was peaceful, her features porcelain smooth. There was nothing pinched or gaunt about her anymore, and she'd been both when they'd first rescued her. Kat stood silently by the bed for a while, but Amber didn't move. Her chest rose and fell, in unhurried rhythm, as she slept.
Kat left the room quietly, then turned to Amarok, who was still waiting outside. "She looks so much better!"
She wants to speak with you, tonight.
Kat nodded, and pulled the door back to its previous position, slightly ajar.
"Can we … is there somewhere we can talk?" she said.
Amarok nodded his shaggy head.
"Good." She stretched out her hand, and he touched it with his nose. "I have to do something first, though."
Kat led the way downstairs, to where she could feel the Parisian unalil grouped near the house.
"Do you mind waiting here?" she asked Amarok, and then opened the final door leading out to a walled courtyard abutting the château. It was paved in weathered stone, with beds of rosemary and other herbs in a formal pattern. On the many paths crisscrossing it, half a dozen giant dogs were sprawled, soaking up the sun and resting.
Kat stepped outside, and the nearest, a huge, shaggy Leonberger, jumped to his feet. This one she recognized; even though she'd only seen him out of the corner of her eye for a moment, flying through the air yesterday morning, he'd kind of stuck in her memory.
"Luc," she said, with a nod of greeting. "Thank you all for coming here and protecting me. I'm sorry I don't know everyone's names. I guess I'll get to know you all with time." Kat frowned as a sudden thought came to her. "Unless … " She covered their bracelet with her right hand, and pressed it into her skin. She felt it get warm as she pulled energy from the sunlight around them. As she focused on each stone in turn, she realized they each contained their own unique energy, and she could feel those sparks, like a signature attached to the being they were linked to. It made sense; from what Akilina had told her last night, each stone contained an individual drop of blood. She could sense each of them and call to them in her mind, individually or – for their energies were interlinked with each other, as they were with hers – as a pack.
Can you all hear me? Asking the question felt a bit silly, like saying "Testing, one two three … " into the microphone in front of a half-filled auditorium.
A chorus of acknowledgments met her; French, and Karpat, and muted canine growls. It didn't seem to matter. The eyes of each of the huge dogs in the courtyard were focused brightly on her, and she could sense the others out there were also listening, beneath their shady trees and sprawled on top of stone walls.
I know you now. I know you all. She touched the mind of each in turn, and their names came to her. There was Emeka, the big barrel-chested russet mastiff over beside the fountain. The chocolate-coated pointer lying alongside a bed of sage and thyme was Thierry, and, with his floppy ears, he certainly looked less fierce than some of the others. Like Guy, the black Rottweiler, and Jaouad, the black and fawn Doberman beside him, both watching her alertly, ears pricked. Each was solidly muscled and looked bred for attack. And then there was Stéphane, a Carpathian sheepdog, who rose to his feet and shook himself before trotting over to stand beside Luc. He looked immense, though maybe that was just because of his abundance of shaggy gray and black fur.
Far away on the property perimeter were Julien and Rémy, one a speckled black and white setter and the other a chestnut-colored Irish setter. There was Kwasi, a light brown ridgeback, and, finally, Marcel, a lanky gray wolfhound. From each, she could sense both gratitude and devotion.
I'm getting to know you unalil males. Kat let her humor shine through their connection. You tend to be the type to protect first, ask questions later. But you need to know what sort of threat we're facing.
Then she let the images flow from her mind to theirs: the memories she had all but repressed, of her battle back in the White Mountains with the enhanced monsters from the laboratories beneath the Hema Castus, of their subsequent trip to Hema Castus, and of the emaciated trapped seers, and, finally, the building collapsing in on itself, in ruins.
You must all have heard about the attacks on Tabérin hybrids in America. We don't know if or when the Directorate threat will find us here. But from something Luc said, I gather you all have your own history with them, and I'm asking you to remember that we are few, and you're all valuable to me. Don't take unnecessary risks with your own safety to protect mine. We talk before we fight, and, as I've shown you, when I need to, I can protect myself. Okay?
Again, a chorus of acknowledgments, tinged with respect this time. They'd heard rumors, heard part of the story, but most of what she'd shown them had been unknown to them.
As she finished, Luc separated himself from the rest. The big dog came right up to her, and bowed his shaggy head, butting his black nose gently against her leg. She could feel his approval of what she'd just shared. She hadn't liked reliving some of those moments, but these males – however new to their roles – were now her inner circle. In a funny way, she felt, they were her 'pack'. They wouldn't respect her leadership without knowing what she was capable of, and given the critical nature of the threat they were facing, it was imperative that they work as a team.
As Luc raised his eyes to meet hers, she smiled, and ran her hand through the fur on his neck. There's someone I'd like you all to meet.
"Amarok?" she called.
Dark Child (Covens Rising): Episode 4 is available now where all good ebooks are sold
Dark Child (Covens Rising): Episode 1 is available FREE where all good ebooks are sold
Go back to where it all began with Dark Child (Awakening): Episode 1 available now for FREE where all good ebooks are sold
Tagged: adina west, covens rising, dark child, excerpt, fantasy, paranormal, reading, Urban Fantasy
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Excerpt: DARK CHILD (COVENS RISING): EPISODE 3 by Adina West
Posted July 17, 2014 by Mark
The hunger was worse every day, and now there was only a whisper-thin line holding her back from a dark red sea.
"You would feed me?" Her voice came out so husky and low that it was a wonder he heard her.
In Paris, Kat hears of horrifying events back in the States. The leader of the Directorate is openly attacking those with mixed Tabérin and human blood. Hybrids like her. And chances are he'll be turning his attention to Europe next.
Kat knows she needs to go into hiding again. But then her Tabérin aunt, Akilina, reveals something about Kat's heritage that changes everything. If Akilina is right, the Directorate will stop at nothing until they have eradicated Kat and the threat she represents. No matter how many they have to kill to get to her …
As the threat from the Directorate intensifies, Ben and Yara barely escape the US with their lives. But being trapped together on a boat bound for Europe could prove much more dangerous than anticipated. Because one of them is in transition, and needs to feed …
This title is the third novella-length episode of Dark Child (Covens Rising), which will conclude on July 31 with Episode 5. Please visit momentumbooks.com.au for further information.
Chapter 24
Amarok stood staring out into the darkness. Forest smells drifted in on the early evening breeze, and the stone balustrade was cold beneath his forearms. The snow-capped peaks of Slovenia's highest mountain range rose behind him and continued on toward the border with Austria and Italy in the north-west, while Lake Bled lay far to the east, three thousand feet below. Despite the troubling circumstances that had brought them there, he liked this remote castle of Aron's. It was too long since the family had spent time here.
Amarok, where are you? I need you.
Kat's words reverberated through his head, and, for a brief instant, he was aware of her surroundings in far-off Paris: a railway carriage, and her feelings of uncertainty and fear.
Kat? He felt her register his shock at the sudden contact, and in the next instant, she was gone, the brief connection between them sundered. Amarok hesitated only a second before hurrying to see his sister.
"I was just coming to look for you," Della said when he entered the room. "Things have taken a bad turn."
"She's worse?" He went to the bedside to see for himself.
Amber's eyes were open, but she was staring up sightlessly, mumbling to herself.
"No." Della shook her head. "She's fine – I think. But she's in a vision state of some kind. Something bad is happening elsewhere."
"Does this have something to do with Kat?" Amarok asked. "I was coming to see if Amber was awake, and ask her what she sees for Kat, because I've just received a cry for help."
"What do you mean, received?"
Amarok tapped his head.
Della's eyes widened. "Kat contacted you? It was more than a decade before I could establish a reliable psychic connection even with Corrin, who I was so intimate with. With you all, as you would be aware, it took much longer."
"It was only for an instant." Amarok frowned. "As if she didn't quite know how to do it properly. But I'm sure it was real. I saw her on a train."
Della nodded, her eyes troubled, and then looked down at Amber's face. "Perhaps you could try to talk to her. She may respond to you."
"She's crying!" Amarok said in wonder. And it was true. Silent tears were streaming down Amber's cheeks, dampening the pillow beneath her.
He laid his hand against one cheek and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.
Amber blinked, and looked up at him with recognition. "Brother, I see so much death."
Amarok gripped the pillow beside her head. "Kat. Not Kat?" he demanded.
Amber shook her head from side to side. "No, this happens far away, across the ocean. Whole families slaughtered."
Della directed a shocked glance at him. "Who?" she asked. "Is there anything we can do?"
Amarok smoothed back Amber's hair with a gentle hand. "Who is doing this? And who are the targets of this violence?"
"Our distant kin. Our Tabérin blood. Too many to help. Too many to save." Amber blinked away tears. "But we must be ready to receive the survivors."
Amarok exhaled, and shared a look with Della across his sister's bed. He touched Amber's cheek gently. "Amber, is Kat in any danger? She … communicated with me tonight. She was afraid."
Amber stared off into the distance, and shook her head at last. "No physical danger. But she will need us. We shall go to her tonight." She frowned, and looked up at him, her expression troubled. "Alek is already in Paris. He can get to her faster. Why have you not sent him to her, silly Amarok?"
"Sometimes, you see too much," Amarok said grimly. He bent and kissed her again. "I'll contact him now."
"Amarok?" Amber called as he turned to leave. "The covens will rise. All this death will bring the witches out of hiding. There are dark days ahead, and Katerina will need our faith now more than ever."
Amarok was troubled as he returned to the quiet balcony he'd been on when disturbed by Kat's call for help. He wasn't yet sure of the link between the deaths Amber had seen in her vision and the witches. But, given the violent history between the Tabérin and the Families of Power, any mention of them wasn't good.
Establishing a connection with Alek was ridiculously easy, though Alek growled at the intrusion.
What do you want?
Nice to see you still excel at the small talk, brother. Amber's been getting visions. Something very bad is happening back in America. Find out what you can. But be careful – she also warned of retaliation by the witches.
Amarok wished the next part of his message was as easy to raise with Alek, though he knew Amber was right. If Kat needed protectors, Alek was closest. Maybe his reluctance had something to do with the fact that Alek had received a phone call last night that had sent him hightailing it back to Paris, only he'd refused to tell anyone what was going on.
Spit it out. What is it you're so reluctant to ask me?
Amarok could hear the amusement coming from Alek. It was impossible to hide feelings from each other when engaged in this sort of connection, and clearly, his own conflicting motivations were coming across loud and clear. Kat had called to him, not Alek. It frustrated him no end to be sending Alek to do a task he'd have infinitely preferred to reserve for himself. But, with Amber still in a fragile state, Amarok's loyalties were divided. Alek's were not.
Kat needs backup. You're closest.
Got it. And then Alek cut their connection.
It could have been worse. He'd expected to feel gloating triumph radiating from Alek at gaining the upper hand in their ongoing tussle, and he'd been spared that. Mostly he was annoyed at himself. For years, he'd been selfless in his protection of Kat. But lately, especially where Alek was concerned, he had trouble putting his own needs last. Perhaps Alek's innate competitiveness had awoken his own, and realizing what he had to lose had shown him how much it was worth fighting for.
Amarok sighed, and turned to go back inside. Amber had made her pronouncement, so they would travel tonight.
Dark Child (Covens Rising): Episode 3 is available now where all good ebooks are sold
Dark Child (Covens Rising): Episode 1 is available FREE where all good ebooks are sold
Go back to where it all began with Dark Child (Awakening): Episode 1 available now for FREE where all good ebooks are sold
Tagged: adina west, covens rising, dark child, excerpt, fantasy, paranormal, reading, Urban Fantasy
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The genre kids are all right
Posted July 15, 2014 by Craig Hildebrand-Burke
So when I'm not writing posts here I'm actually living a whole other secret life full of action, teaching secondary students about books and writing and stuff. Kind of like Batman. Just without the hero status and heaps of money. But otherwise just like Batman.
Anyway, one of the enviable tasks I get is to introduce fifteen year olds to the subject of Literature. Which means a type of explanation needs to occur where what distinguishes Literature from 'normal' English is clarified, and why the books read in Literature are different to those read in English.
It's a strange conversation, and it's noticeable just how much the students struggle to articulate the difference between something that is literary and something that isn't. To be honest, I'm not sure if I have yet worked out a way of making this point clear. What is clear is that they quickly discover that they need to divide their reading, between what is serious and worthy of study, and what is enjoyable.
I loathe this moment. The point where teenagers feel they must put away childish reading and grow up, as if that's what literary means. Yet we see this distinction reflected everywhere.
In her piece for Slate, 'Against YA', Ruth Graham argues that adults should be embarrassed for reading a novel targeted for a younger audience. Titles like Divergent and Twilight and The Fault In Our Stars are singled out for being pleasurable yet trivial moments of escapism, and far beneath a mature and 'adult' sensibility.
A cursory glance at the book reviews in last weekend's papers reveals something in the region of seventeen titles that would appear on the literary end of the bookshelf, and three toward the genre end (if one is running with the literary-genre dichotomy). Of the three genre reviews, two are under 200 words long, compared to the 800-plus afforded to the literary reviews. The genre titles are described as 'taut', 'terse', and 'well-structured', whereas the literary are allowed to look at 'complex and persistently myth-confused questions', with characters who are 'witnesses to extraordinary revolutions [yet] resigned to their fate.'
Even more, one of the genre titles is unfavourably held against Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch – which is comparable neither in plot, style or genre – and Charles Willeford, whose entries into the genre have been around long enough to earn literary esteem.
Okay, maybe it was a bad weekend. But I hazard not. We seem unable to escape this idea that one type of book is worthy, and another not. That one type gets all the ink and the awards and the measured reflection, the other is sidelined and measured against redundant standards. One gets festivals, the other conventions.
And when one might stray into the other, there's short shrift that borders on disdain.
But I think there's something in this idea that (some) people view genre as childish, and therefore embarrassing to read – as Graham suggested – and that it is a guilty pleasure and we should really be above such indulgences. It's the moment I see in the classroom, when the students feel like their childhood imagination is being frowned upon.
It's hard not to see why.
With almost clockwork regularity, the books that top the lists of favourite/best/most acclaimed young fiction are distinctly genre titles. They involve magic, talking animals, imaginary lands made real, wizards and witches and adventures through time and space. There are distinctly dystopian stories, and others that are pure fantasy, others that push magic-realism into childhood imaginations, and collisions between one genre and another, between one real world and one entirely fantastic.
And like that, we ask it all to stop. All these award-winning titles must then be shelved, and we must go and read serious things. And yes I know we don't, but this is the illusion that is presented. This is the fallacy that is created by calling a subject Literature, by classifying and critiquing one set of stories one way, and others entirely differently.
What is so wrong about the types of stories we read as children that so many are afraid to recognise their worth as adults? Why can we easily view The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe alongside Anne of Green Gables in children's book lists, yet shudder at Doctor Sleep occupying the same space as The Perfect Scent, as ABC's The Book Club did recently?
If we consider genre titles to be enjoyable, even necessary for children, there is something in that for us adults. In spite of the limitations of a subject called Literature, the one thing I try to impress on my students is that once upon a time, Romeo and Juliet was popular, genre fiction. As was (and is) Frankenstein. The only reason they can be classified as 'literary' now is the good grace of time, and familiarity.
The stories that last are the important ones, and the ones that will last are the ones we read the most. And just like Batman, they may not be the books we feel we need but instead they're the books we deserve. And keep coming back to.
Tagged: Books, children's books, genre, literary fiction, reading
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Podmentum: Thronementum
Posted July 11, 2014 by Mark
We've done specials on Star Trek and Doctor Who, now we bring you a special episode all about Game of Thrones! We discuss the TV series and the books with special guests, including former Podmentum host Anne Treasure. This is also Mark Harding's final episode as host. Oh, and massive spoiler warning for Game of Thrones.
Words of Radiance: The Stormlight Archive Book 2 by Brandon Sanderson
Tagged: audio, Books, Game of Thrones, podcast, podmentum, reading, tv
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Excerpt: DARK CHILD (COVENS RISING): EPISODE 2 by Adina West
Posted July 10, 2014 by Mark
In her dreams, she craved fresh blood. Warm human blood. And her incisors were long, sharp – able to bite through a fragile layer of skin with ease. What sort of monster does that make me?
Kat discovers that her presence in Paris isn't such a secret anymore. But if she has to battle the Directorate again, it seems she'll have much more support this time. Some of it from the most unlikely sources.
Meanwhile, teenage loner Ben discovers that he has much more in common with Yara Fortes, the girl of his dreams, than he ever hoped. But in a cruel twist of fate, the shared secret that links them together could also get them killed …
This title is the second novella-length episode of Dark Child (Covens Rising), which will conclude with Episode 5 on July 31. Please visit momentumbooks.com.au for further information.
Chapter 13
In English Lit class on the morning after his nocturnal excursion, Ben sat at the desk across from Yara, instead of in his normal position near the back. He was still high on adrenalin. He'd hardly been able to sleep after returning home last night and, even now, hours later, he was sure his pulse was elevated above normal – though that may have been for another reason.
"Yara." He spoke in a piercing whisper, and she cocked her head slightly in his direction, while continuing to face forward.
"I'm sorry about last night at your house. The lights and the dogs and everything."
She turned to face him in a flash, high spots of color in her cheeks. "What? That was you? You idiot, Ben, do you have any idea how dangerous … "
"I'll be more careful next time. Shhh," he hissed, finger to his lips as he turned back to the teacher.
"Next time? Are you crazy?" Her voice had risen above a whisper now.
"Yara Fortes, eyes front, please!"
Yara gave a last meaningful glance in Ben's direction. She was clearly biding her time until class ended. As soon as the bell rang, though, Ben escaped from the room. He didn't want to give her the chance to spend any more time convincing him not to do something he was absolutely determined to do.
All the shutters were closed when he arrived home from school. Falcon was up early. Ben walked through to the kitchen and found his guardian waiting for him, his broad shoulders and long legs looking too big for the chair at the kitchen table. Ben rarely ever saw Falcon just sitting like a normal person. He usually went to work soon after rising for the night, and didn't return until close to dawn. The rest of the time he spent sleeping in his heavily shuttered room.
So, Falcon sitting there at the table already made Ben suspicious. His next words proved there was reason to be.
"Any plans for tonight?" As usual, Falcon's tone was calm, but the eyes that surveyed Ben were sharp and knowing.
Ben measured him, trying to guess how much Falcon already knew without betraying anything by his own expression. He kept his mind carefully blank as he answered.
"Ah, not really. Why, do you have a night off?"
"Funny." Falcon's tone suggested it was anything but.
They continued to stare at each other and, despite his best efforts, Ben felt himself growing faintly defensive. Damn, he hated it when Falcon did the waiting thing. Ben always caved in first. But this time he was determined not to give anything away if he could help it.
"So … " Falcon continued in an offhand way. "You weren't planning another trip to the Fortes house tonight, by any chance?"
"How did you know?" Ben burst out. He was absolutely certain he hadn't let a single stray thought enter his mind. Over the years, he'd had plenty of practice at blocking out unwanted thoughts.
Falcon glanced down with a secret smile, and then gave a little shrug, as if the answer was obvious. "GPS tracker in your Vespa."
"Damn. That's really sneaky, you know that?"
Ben tried to feel angry about it, but couldn't. It was so like Falcon. No matter what you did, he was always one step ahead, even if it was through using something prosaic, like a piece of human technology. It might have been a complete invasion of privacy, but Ben knew that, ultimately, anything Falcon did was for his own protection.
"Ben, I don't want to be breathing down your neck, but I've got to ask you not to go back there. It isn't safe."
"Why?" Ben knew by his tone that Falcon wasn't talking about the motion-sensor alarms and lights, or the guard dogs, though most people would have thought them reason enough.
Falcon's eyes met his, the warning in them clear. "They're not a normal family. Mess with them and it's trouble, big trouble. And I mean the kind we've been trying to avoid for you. What on earth were you doing there?"
Ben's eyes fell to the ground. He was silent for a moment. Then he faced Falcon, his expression serious. "I already know they're not a normal family. Yara's like me, I think. Part Tabérin. And she's in trouble. Someone in that house … they're making her drink blood, even though she hates it and it makes her ill."
Falcon's eyes narrowed. "And Yara would be … who? The girl from Italian class?"
Ben nodded.
"Let me guess. Yara Fortes?"
He nodded again.
"You like her?"
Ben didn't want to answer that, but his response was plain from the dark red staining his cheeks.
Falcon swore softly under his breath, and shook his head disbelievingly. "Next time, could you maybe pick someone whose father doesn't work for the Directorate? Ben, if she's Victor Fortes's kid, this is something we really don't want to get involved in. Especially now." He frowned. "Some stuff happened recently that caused a lot of tension at work. This is a really bad time to be attracting attention, especially with a background like yours or Yara's. I want you to promise me you won't go back in there. It's too dangerous."
"I don't care if it's dangerous," Ben said stubbornly. "She's on her own in a virtual prison. I have to help her."
He faced Falcon, letting his clear recollection of every interaction between Yara and him float to the top of his mind: the dreams she was having, the way she'd reacted when she cut herself, her narrowed gaze as she caught him watching her in the library and, finally, Yara forcing down the glass of blood, and curling up in pain on the bed in her room.
He knew Falcon was reading his memories, because he gave a grunt, and swore again.
"Like I said, trouble. If she is Victor's kid and she's half Tabérin like you, it could be he's trying to force her transition through feeding her blood. That's just a theory, mind you, because it's a godawful, ill-advised thing to attempt, in my opinion." Falcon fell silent. Ben wished he could see past his ever-present emotional mask and guess what he was thinking.
At last, Falcon shook his head. "Dammit, Ben. Okay, but not tonight. Tonight, you don't go near the place. We'll do it my way – in a few days."
Ben couldn't believe his luck. Falcon was definitely the kind of person you wanted on your side when doing this kind of operation – but they'd never, ever done anything like this together before.
"You'll help me? You can get time off work?" He knew that whatever it was his guardian did every night in his job with the Directorate, it didn't usually leave him time for anything else. Not till now, anyway.
Falcon's voice was his habitual rough growl. "I'll make time."
Dark Child (Covens Rising): Episode 2 is available now where all good ebooks are sold
Dark Child (Covens Rising): Episode 1 is available FREE where all good ebooks are sold
Go back to where it all began with Dark Child (Awakening): Episode 1 available now for FREE where all good ebooks are sold
Tagged: adina west, covens rising, dark child, excerpt, fantasy, paranormal, reading, Urban Fantasy
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Excerpt: DARK CHILD (COVENS RISING): EPISODE 1 by Adina West
Posted July 3, 2014 by Mark
Kat Chanter isn't your ordinary girl. And she isn't your ordinary vampire, either. The ruthless Directorate would go to any lengths to have her power – including murder. And when that leads to a war between races, Kat's fate becomes the ultimate prize …
Kat is done with being on the run, or so she hopes. A new pathology job in Paris is her big chance to start afresh, far from the Tabérin Directorate who want her dead. Sure, adjusting to life as a half-vampire, half-human hybrid in transition poses its own challenges, but it's nothing Kat can't handle … until the past starts to catch up with her.
When she's approached by one Tabérin male from her past, she can explain it away. But add in another territorial Tabérin with a newfound conscience and it's starting to get crowded on Kat's Montmartre window ledge. Past experience tells Kat to be cautious, especially in her vulnerable state. But how can she tell friend from foe?
Perfect for fans of The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, Dark Child (Covens Rising) is the highly anticipated sequel to the best-selling urban fantasy novel Dark Child (The Awakening). This title is the first novella-length episode of Dark Child (Covens Rising), which will conclude with Episode 5 on July 31. Please visit momentumbooks.com.au for further information.
Chapter One
The wave of dizziness swept over her without warning. Hang on, girl. Katerina Chanter clung to the stainless steel surface in front of her and closed her eyes, fighting off the nausea that followed. Not again.
"You okay?"
Kat opened her eyes to see the freckled face of Eoin, her Irish workmate, tilted in her direction. It was just the two of them here in the hematology lab of the American Hospital of Paris, and right now Eoin was watching her with a perplexed frown, waiting for her response. He mimed drinking from a glass, and grinned.
"Been on the sauce again, Kat?"
She gave the smile she knew he expected. "Huh, I wish. Just low blood sugar, I think." She'd thought the lies would get easier with time, but it turned out they didn't – however necessary they were. It wasn't like she could tell cheerful Eoin, with his mop of curly dark hair and infectious smile, that what she really needed was a hit of blood, pronto.
"Go on then." He nodded toward the lab door. "Take your lunch break early. Go and get something to eat. Bloods from the oncology clinic aren't due back for an hour, at least. I can cover until then."
Kat battled against the helpless frustration that welled up as she walked through the hospital hallways toward the exit. She'd been trying to stay heedful of the calming advice Amber had given her shortly before the seer had left Paris. Own your present, Amber had said. But living in the here and now, avoiding her painful memories of the past and her fears for the future, would be so much damned easier if her body wasn't constantly reminding her of how vulnerable she was, caught in this pre-transition state: half human and half not.
A sense of uneasiness halted her part way along the final hallway, and the back of her neck prickled in awareness of being watched. She turned to look behind her, and the place was, of course, full of people. Patients in transit between wings, trailing their IV fluid stands. A cleaner or two, and a group of surgical staff in scrubs, deep in conversation. Nobody who shouldn't have been there. Nobody's watching you, she told herself firmly. But still the feeling lingered, and when she turned to resume her path to the door, she walked a little faster than before.
Kat took a deep breath of fresh air as she exited the hospital and headed out into the sunlight. She'd been in this job for less than a week, and in Paris for only a few days longer. The threat to her life from the Tabérin Directorate was something she and her protectors all hoped they'd left behind in America. Especially since they'd gone to the extra trouble of faking her death before they fled to Europe. With any luck, her cell phone and engraved bracelet had already been discovered in the rubble of the Directorate's Hema Castus Institute, and they'd have crossed her off their hit list. Nobody except her protectors knew she was in Paris, and even they had left her now the threat was over. Char and Jonathan were running a new club in York, in northern England. Alek and Amarok and their unalil family had gone somewhere remote, to aid in Amber's recuperation. The last to leave had been Akilina, her hyper-vigilant aunt, who'd retired to her château in the Loire Valley last week – close enough to come rushing back if Kat needed her.
But now, Kat was forced to acknowledge that there was a huge difference between a threat that no longer existed and one that was merely … deflected. She had some freedom, yes, but only during the daytime. Come nightfall, she had to be safely home behind locked doors. No exceptions. Because the Directorate were still out there, and if she made even one misstep, they'd be onto her.
The constant vigilance was wearing away at her nerves. Making her jump at imagined shadows, even in the middle of a sunny spring day like today. This was supposed to be a fresh start, which was exactly what she'd told Alek she wanted, the night before he'd left Paris with the others. A fresh start, with the past safely behind her – and that past definitely included the golden-haired cougar shifter, and the painful confusion he always seemed to inspire in her. Of course, after Alek had left Paris, she'd found the bracelet he'd left for her. And she hadn't quite been able to bring herself to take it off since.
Her health problems seemed similarly difficult to leave behind. As she headed away from the hospital, down the tree-lined Boulevard de la Saussaye, Kat mulled over her 'symptoms'. The dizzy spells, the nausea – she couldn't ignore the fact that they were happening more often. Even now, walking too fast was making her head swim. Were these symptoms of impending transition, or something else, as yet undiagnosed?
It was frustrating that these problems hadn't gone away even though, despite initial reluctance, she'd been religiously following the regime Akilina had laid out for her. Before agreeing to leave Kat in Paris, Akilina had insisted she agree to take daily doses of blood that the Tabérin elder's blood-made 'daughter', Sabine, was sourcing through a hospital contact. Kat's current independence … living in Montmartre with Sabine, her new job at the hospital … it had all been contingent upon setting her aunt's mind at ease.
"Not only have you been through an ordeal, it seems clear your body is preparing for transition. A normal human diet cannot sustain you. And I don't want you taking the Directorate doses, even if we could source extra for you. It's treated, and denatured. You must have fresh human blood." Akilina's expression had been so serious that Kat felt it was easier just to accede to the request. It seemed pretty clear that if she hadn't, her aunt would have rethought the whole plan to leave her alone with Sabine and decided to stay to keep an eye on things. That was not what Kat wanted. She appreciated her aunt's concern for her, she really did. Though their connection was recent, she couldn't ignore the wishes of the woman who was her only link to the father she'd never known. Still, having someone around who was so concerned, so protective, was sometimes a little … claustrophobic.
Kat arrived at her favorite lunch place near the hospital, a modest bistro on one of the River Seine's small islets, Île de la Jatte. She slid into her usual seat, giving a grateful smile to the waiter seating her. He was the main reason she kept coming back here; he seemed to have taken a liking to her on her first visit, and fast, attentive service in Paris wasn't something to be taken lightly – especially when you had limited time for lunch. She ordered the plat du jour, like she always did. It was hard to pass up two courses at such a reasonable price. Since starting this job last week, she'd been eating her biggest meal at lunch, and for dinner having soup from a big batch she made every few days. Having her appetite back was one thing she was glad of. It seemed when she was supplementing her diet with a good dose of O positive every day, she could eat normal fare without it tasting like cardboard. She still found herself zoning in on the meat dishes every time, though.
Her steak and fries arrived quickly, and she cut into the meat as soon as the waiter had turned away. As she'd requested, it was 'au bleu', or rare. Very rare. The way she always needed it these days.
As she raised the fork to her mouth, she noticed her hand was shaking, and it didn't become steady until she'd almost finished the steak. She tried not to let it worry her, but it was unnerving having her body give such clear signs that it wasn't coping. Not on one dose of blood a day, anyway. She finished her steak, and picked at a few of the fries, then looked up and caught the waiter's eye. He hurried over to remove the plate, and then brought her dessert; tarte tatin with thick cream. She was a bit addicted to the upside-down apple pie, which seemed to be served everywhere in Paris.
Her waiter lingered to hold the door for her as she gathered her things and left. Very thoughtful, as always.
The walk to the hospital seemed half the distance on her return journey. The same body she'd been dragging along before lunch was weightless now, and she was uncomfortably aware of the connection between this and the meat she'd just eaten. Like the symptoms it corrected, it was happening too often to ignore. But, just lately, it seemed that even a good meal of red meat didn't make her feel better for longer than a couple of hours.
She sighed. Maybe it was time. What she was doing now clearly wasn't working … but, given her aunt's protectiveness, she wasn't thrilled by the thought that her logical next step was to call Akilina for help. Still, she couldn't ignore the possibility that the elder's blood was the only thing that would work for her now, anymore than she could face the counter possibility: that nothing would work.
Kat entered the coolness of the hospital, and passed a white-garbed orderly who was adjusting a wheelchair. The tang of his sweat assaulted her, and she knew with a certainty she couldn't explain that he'd had curry for dinner the night before, and started his day with black coffee. She continued down the hallway to the pathology department, rounded a corner, and swung open the door to the hematology lab. Eoin called out a greeting and reached for a clipboard.
"Hope you're feeling better, because the oncology bloods have come in. A big batch." He walked over and handed her the clipboard with a wink. "Be a star, and start while I grab a bite to eat? I haven't been out yet."
Was it her imagination, or did he seem a little flustered? Kat's nostrils flared as she caught the scent of stale perfume on his shirt collar. Having met his wife Lainey a couple of days ago when she'd come to take Eoin out to lunch, she recognized a trace of the fragrance she wore. But there was another, fresher scent too, though Kat knew Lainey was away in Dublin. She'd only chatted to the woman for a few minutes, but Kat had liked Lainey instantly; she was the type to face everything with a smile, to see the best in everybody.
Even, probably, to see the best in a philandering husband.
"Kat?" Eoin prompted.
She forced herself to meet his eyes. It was none of her business why he was late going to lunch, and why his jacket smelled like Audrey, the nursing unit manager from oncology. No matter how much she wanted to say something, to exhort him not to do this to his lovely wife, she couldn't. It wasn't her place. Especially not when her suppositions were based on abilities that weren't human. For a moment, she fancied she heard Eoin's heart beating, a hurried staccato thump thump thump thump thump.
She took the clipboard with a forced smile. "Sure, I'll go ahead and start. Enjoy your lunch."
As soon as the door had closed behind him, Kat dropped the clipboard onto the stainless steel counter with a clatter, and sank onto a stool. Her hand went straight to her rune necklace, and she pressed it hard against her chest, closing her eyes and taking deep, slow breaths.
It's not normal, a worried little voice in her head taunted her, in a refrain she knew all too well by now, but then another part of her cut in with a relaxed southern drawl. Honey, you ain't never been normal.
"Ain't that the truth," she said aloud to the empty lab, with a wry smile, and went over to her handbag to retrieve a small sample tube.
At least, with Eoin gone, she could do her daily check on the blood sample she'd taken from herself when she'd started work here. She hadn't centrifuged it. She hadn't refrigerated it. In fact, in every regard she'd done the opposite of her training. The sample should be degraded. If it had been normal human blood, the cells would have broken down by now.
She drew a small amount of blood from the sample tube, and prepped a slide. When she slid it under the microscope, and focused – well, she couldn't say she was completely surprised by what she saw, seeing as it was the same thing she'd seen every day so far. The blood sample was still perfect. Completely abnormal in its concentrations, with its huge overabundance of elongated platelets and shortage of red cells. But otherwise perfect. Not a hint of hemolysis. Despite her having exposed them to sunlight, and frozen and rethawed them, and dipped them in boiling water, the red cells looked as smooth-walled and robust as they had on the day she'd taken the sample. Five days ago.
She disposed of the slide, sealed the tube again, and returned it to her bag with a sigh. So, basically, her blood was super blood. It could live outside her body for days on end, even under the most extreme conditions. Maybe at least part of that could be explained by her Tabérin heritage. She'd never had the chance to get any Tabérin blood under the microscope, and the scientist in her itched to confirm her hunch that all Tabérin blood had a similar platelet and red cell profile to hers. It also made sense that the blood of a near-immortal being would be able to withstand a heck of a lot more punishment than a human blood sample.
But something still stood out as strange. During her short stint at the Hema Castus Research Institute, back in New York, the windowless lab and all the protocols her workmates had introduced her to had made one thing very clear; the scarce blood samples they were studying, the two other samples with elongated platelets, just like hers, couldn't tolerate even the tiniest amount of sunlight. It wasn't a leap to assume that those blood samples had been from other hybrids, those with both human and Tabérin blood. And that Tabérin blood, like the Tabérin race, was fatally compromised by sunlight. So far, Kat thought, her reasoning made sense.
But she'd left her own sample tube on the windowsill in full sunlight for a couple of hours two days ago, and when later she'd examined it under the microscope, she'd seen no after-effects whatsoever. Why was sunlight not an issue for her blood? It was yet another thing to add to the litany of oddness that had plagued her ever since her life went to hell in a hand basket a couple of weeks ago.
Kat shook off thoughts of the mystery, picked up the clipboard, and went over to start on the oncology batch. Her fingers were quick and sure as she methodically placed the samples in order. She'd been noticing changes like that in every area. Better vision and sense of smell. More strength, speed, dexterity, and, at least, with Eoin gone, she could apply those to getting this batch done in half the time it would usually have taken. Hopefully, before the effects of her lunch wore off.
It would have been nice to find some sort of middle ground, instead of these alternating states she'd been experiencing lately – heightened senses and abilities, followed by debilitating weakness. She gave a mock grimace. Ah, who wanted normal, anyway? Definitely overrated.
Tonight, though … if things didn't improve, she had to call Akilina.
Dark Child (Covens Rising): Episode 1 is available now where all good ebooks are sold
Go back to where it all began with Dark Child (Awakening): Episode 1 available now for FREE where all good ebooks are sold
Tagged: adina west, covens rising, dark child, excerpt, fantasy, paranormal, reading, Urban Fantasy
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I, MORGANA by Felicity Pulman: Excerpt
Posted July 1, 2014 by Mark
I am an old woman now. My bones creak and scrape together like bare branches in a winter wind. I ache with longing for my youth. When I notice my reflection, I am aghast at the vision of the hag who looks back at me. I mourn the passing of who I was, and everything I could have been. More than anything, I long to reverse time. Throughout the years I have tried and tried to do this, without success. Now, even my most potent spells and incantations cannot transform me into the young woman I once was, with all my life still to live. With age, my magical powers have all but deserted me. Once I was desired by men; now I am disregarded by all and loved by none.
And I ask myself: How has it come to this, when once the future looked so bright and full of promise? And I swear a sacred oath to the gods, whoever they may be, that if only they would grant me my life anew, along with the wisdom I have learned so painfully, I would not make the same mistakes again. I would not lead us all to destruction.
But the gods are deaf to my prayers and to my promises. All I can do now is call for parchment, cut my quill, and tell my story. I shall start at the beginning, because that's when the first seeds of doom were sown: when I was a child and believed I had the power to make the whole world new.
"Look at me, Merlin! Look at me." I twirl and twirl, giddy with delight, bubbling with laughter as the earth turns around me and my hair flies into my eyes.
"Well done, Morgana! You must concentrate now; think about being a bird. How will it feel when you are flying?"
I close my eyes and I try, I try so hard, because I know how much it'll please Merlin if I succeed. Around and around I spin, the world gone dark around me, the air swishing past.
"Open your eyes, Morgana! Look about you. See that raven? Remember what I told you? You have to think that raven, be a raven."
I am a raven. I am a raven. I am Merlin's raven. I am! I am a raven flying, flying high, soaring into the sky, riding on the wind.
I think it. I will it with all my heart, my mind, my soul.
Something shifts. Something changes. The air feels cool against my cheek, my black feathers ruffle in the breeze. I look down as a little girl dissolves into light and shadows, and I know that I am free!
Merlin knows it too. I can see him down there, shading his eyes from the sun as he stares up at me. I feel such exultation, such triumph, I could almost burst. I am Morgana, Merlin's raven, and I have the whole realm in my power. All that I can see below me will be mine one day. I know that's true because my father has willed it, and Merlin has promised me.
He's waving at me now, beckoning me to come down, for I have proved myself to him. But I am gone beyond him. I am intoxicated with joy, with the sensation of flying and the knowledge that at last I have unlocked the secret to shape-shifting. Now I can escape from my earthbound body and become anyone or anything that takes my fancy. And so I fly on, for the first time able to look down on the land that one day will be mine, and on the people over whom I shall rule. Beyond the spit of land on which our castle stands is the dark blue ocean, buffed into sharp waves by a brisk wind. It's a ragged coastline of jagged cliffs, marked by the foam of breaking waves at their base. The sea hides a multitude of broken dreams, ships coming close to harbor but caught by waves and tide instead, and torn to pieces on the cruel and unforgiving rocks below the surface.
Bells ring out as I fly over the abbey. Obeying their urgent summons, the monks of Tintagel hurry to Mass in their great stone church with its cross at the summit. In my bird's mind I pull a human face at them, for their love of the Christ is not for me. I put my trust in Merlin's magic, not the will of the god they worship.
On a whim I fly onward, to the place where my father died in battle, for I have never been allowed to see the place where he fell, just as I was not allowed to see his dead body, nor was I able to mourn him openly, as a daughter should.
Once I come to the battlefield, I alight on a branch and look out across the bare scrubby grass that lies baking in the glare of the sun. I try to imagine how it must have been: my father's troops trying to defend our territory against the soldiers of the High King; a battle that ended in the death of my father, Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall. My heart fills with sorrow as I recall the events that led to that moment.
It all began when my father was summoned to London to pay tribute to the new High King, and made the mistake of bringing his family with him, for it was then that Uther Pendragon fell in love with my mother and she with him. I remember how awed I was by the magnificence of the High King's palace and the presence of kings and nobles from across the southern country. We'd walked along the banks of the River Thames, my father and I, while he'd announced his dreams for my future.
"I shall not make any arrangements for your betrothal, Morgana, not yet. There is time enough to choose a worthy consort to be at your side, but it is you I shall name as my heir, and it is you who will rule Cornwall in my stead. I'm putting my trust in you, Morgana. You must take care of my realm and rule wisely and well. You must not fail me in this. Do I have your word that you will do as I ask?"
His words had so filled me with excitement that I'd stopped walking and faced him. I'd crossed my hands over my heart and sworn an oath that I would never let him down, and that I would do all that he asked of me, and more.
My father had laughed then—not at me, but with relief, because he knew that I understood the gravity of his charge. And I saw the love and pride that shone in his eyes when he presented me to Uther, the High King, as his heir.
But there are other things I remember about that time. How Uther followed my mother, Igraine, around his court, seizing every opportunity to take her hand and press it to his lips for a lingering kiss. At the time I'd thought it a mark of his respect for us, but later I understood that Uther loved my mother. I also remember the growing tension between my father and mother that culminated in a bitter quarrel and led to our hasty departure from London.
Just six months after that, my father is dead and my mother remarried.
I shake my glossy feathers into smoothness, as if I could at the same time shake myself free of memories. Conscious of time passing, I look out over the battlefield once more, and mouth an anathema against the man who caused my father's death. Then, with some trepidation, worried I may have lost the knack of it, I launch myself off the branch. I spread my wings and my body lifts up into a current of air that will blow me toward the forest and Merlin.
My flight takes me over the castle and I look down at its inhabitants, tiny as ants as they swirl in patterns around the courtyard, going about their business. I fly closer so that I can see them more clearly, for I am intrigued to find out what people might do, how they might act when they believe themselves unobserved.
I see my mother, and my heart catches in my feathered breast. She is sitting in her private arbor. With her is Uther Pendragon. As I watch, he places his hand on her stomach and leans over to kiss her cheek. She laughs, and puts her hand over his—and I realize the significance of what I see. Looking at them now, at the way their joined hands stroke the curve of her belly, I understand that soon I shall have yet another rival for my mother's love.
How I hate Uther Pendragon! I hate him for the way he took my father's place so soon after he was killed. That he loves my mother beyond reason, I have no doubt. But I blame him most bitterly for my father's death in battle and for seizing our kingdom. I also blame him for taking my mother away from me. These days she has eyes only for him.
If only I knew how to do it, I would strike Uther Pendragon dead! And my mother's unborn child with him. Merlin has promised to teach me more tricks and more magic than mere shape-shifting; he's promised to give me all the gifts I shall need to rule a kingdom. I don't want another rival for Merlin's affection. What I really want is to change things back to how they were; to turn back time and have power over life and death, and that's what I would learn from him.
A sudden thought strikes terror into my heart: What if my mother bears a son, what then? I fly back to Merlin as quickly as I can and, as soon as I've transformed myself, I question him.
He gives me a fond smile. "You have nothing to fear, Morgana. Remember: your father has named you as his heir, even if Uther has usurped your position for the moment. But I believe you have an even greater destiny, for while Uther dabbles here with your mother, he is neglecting his duty as High King. The kings of Britain are jostling for power, leaving our country disunited and increasingly vulnerable to attacks from across the sea. You have courage, and intelligence, and you have shown great aptitude in the magical arts. I believe that when the time comes, and with my help, you will have the strength and the knowledge to unite all the tribes of Britain and bring them under your protection so that we may live in peace and prosperity once more."
I take comfort from Merlin's words, for they justify my father's trust in me. But Merlin has not yet finished.
"A word of warning," he says, and now his voice is stern. "When I bid you to return from flight, or to do anything else, I expect you to do as you are told. No!" He raises his hand as I open my mouth to argue. "I know it is a temptation to fly further and to test yourself, especially when you are new to shape-shifting, but you must always respect your magical powers, Morgana, and use them wisely. You are six summers grown now; old enough to obey my instructions as well as learn from me."
"Of course I shall do everything you ask, Merlin." I am so grateful for the mage's reassurance of my destiny that I will promise him anything. I am also grateful to have escaped a long lecture. Although I love Merlin, and will do anything to please him, I do hate it when he's cross with me!
Merlin is something of a mystery to me. He has power, I know that—the power of a mage steeped in magic—yet he is not a member of our court. My mother has become a devout Christian since marrying Uther, and anything to do with the occult has been banned. But Merlin and I have always met in secret, right from the very first when, by chance, I escaped my nurse and my sister, and ran into the forest beyond the castle looking for adventure. Merlin found me—or perhaps he knew I would come that day and so he waited for me? I know not, but since then we have always met in the forest, and I have told no one about what he is teaching me.
He looks a bit like an elderly owl, with tufty white hair and piercing eyes that seem to see right through me. I know that he believes in me, for he cares for me as a father would. And I try to please him in everything, for there is much I can learn from him, lessons I need to understand if I am to fulfill the shining destiny he has promised me. I am determined to do well, to be the best. I am determined to justify his faith in me, and fulfill the oath I swore to my father.
I, Morgana by Felicity Pulman is available now where all good ebooks are sold
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text:
Offensive Guard
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 320 pounds
Class Year: 3V
Hometown: Russellville, AL
High School: Russellville
As a Recruit (profile)
Class: 2003 (High School)
Rating/Rankings: | NR
Rivals.com Offensive tackles 2003 (13)
Rivals.com Alabama Top 30 (7)
College Video 1
The Latest: South Notes: Booker states his case — 1/25/2007
Lorenzo Booker came to Florida State with high expectations and big shoes to fill. While spending most of his career splitting his carries, Booker's production has suffered. But an eye-opening performance against UCLA in the Emerald Bowl has served as a reminder of what he is capable of. Booker has...[details]
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Video Reel 1 — Tuesday, March 20, 2007
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South Notes: Booker states his case — 1/25/2007, from Rivals.com College Football
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Three SEC Teams On Top for Aaron Sears — 5/30/2002, from AuburnSports.com
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
That's a lie; Arum said Cotto was not ready for Mayweather when they (both gentlemen fighters) were being promoted by him. Get your history/records straight.
P34c3Posted September 3, 2012 9:29 pm
another Al Hammond production. Smashing the HBO budget and making this fight possible because he has all the pull in boxing. Classic boxing politics. I am sure Hammond showered Cotto with money to fight his boy Trout, and now more deserving fighters will not get paid as much as they should this year. Al Hammond has ruined boxing Period!Posted September 3, 2012 7:25 pm
Correction, Cotto fought Money May @ 154Posted September 3, 2012 3:50 pm
I am a Cotto fan and Money May did duck him @ 147, Cotto outboxed the boxer Sugar, He completely broke zab Judah down and beat him into submission back then. Cotto beat Margarito for 6or 7 solid rounds hitting him with everything but the kitchen sink until he ran outta gas and was handed a beating so brutal he quit. Cotto was tricked into a catch weight debacle against Pac Man, avenged his lost against Margarito, and gave Money May a decent fight @ 147 although Money fought his fight. No matter what is said Cotto is still competitive, not elite, not dominating, not fully recovered from the Margarito controversial beating. This is a very valiant move by Miguel albeit a very risky one, that's why I have always admired him. Hopefully his stamina issues don't surface if so, a long night and possibly a changing of the guard.Posted September 3, 2012 3:47 pm
Bad fight for cotto, he will be stopped by the bigger, faster, younger, fresher and more skilled man.Posted September 3, 2012 3:22 pm
Funny how manny times mexicans forget how boricuas have schooled them in boxing. Mexicans haven't had a top ppv guy since Chavez. De la Hoya don't count" My boy said it right a lot of big things come out of that little island.Posted September 3, 2012 9:27 am
The Kingslayer
I am dumb because I stated that it's too easy to get into the HOF these days ?Posted September 3, 2012 9:16 am
This is a bad fight. Cotto is a great warrior and one of the top fighters in the past 10-20 years. But this is a bad fight. Trout is a jab and move fighter and brings no excitement. Cotto is a great draw and could choose to fight anybody and this is one case where Cotto chose the safe fight. I would say that maybe that is OK given that Cotto has taken chances his entire career and has never backed down and has taken tough fights at every stage. So, I would say that Cotto deserves a safe fight. But I think it will hurt boxing, hurt boxing fans, and hurt Cotto in terms of future PPV and drawing power if the fight is a boring fight. I would have preferred to see Cotto vs. Lara … or Cotto vs. Kirkland … or Cotto vs. Angulo. No one is going to get excited about Austin Trout.Posted September 3, 2012 8:26 am
I have been a fan of eastsideboxing.com for years. i have never posted a thing> Reason being is the absolute disregard for pure boxing love of people here. I AM PUERTORICAN. I LOVE MIGUEL COTTO…..however I would never be biased when it comes to the outcome of a fight. There was one realistic post that ive read so far…stating that this is a "stay busy fight" for Junito. Trout is a decent fighter, nowehere close to Miguel's class. Junitos stiff jab alone will dictate the fight. The only fighters that have or will ever give Junito problems are pressure fighters….which Trout is not. This reminds me of the Michael Jennings fight. Give the man the respect he has earned.
The Mad Scientist
Trout is a decent fighter that can box but I say if he beats Cotto is mainly on size and youth alone..if Miguel was going to end up fighting for a title holder at 154 anyways he should've just fought Canelo for alot more money..oh yeah but according to Cotto's fanboys Kid Cinnamon hasn't done nothing to earn a shot against Junito..or is it the fear of having their last Puerto Rican hero standing lose to a Mexican..hhhmmmm!Posted September 2, 2012 9:39 pm
Despite being for a world title (one of the most overrated monikers in pro boxing), this is kind of a "stay busy" fight for Cotto. Hopefully he doesn't overlook Trout and handles him by KO. Cotto is still missing that signature win vs. an elite fighter. He beat Mosley, but that fight was not exactly memorable. I'd like to see him in there with Canelo Alvarez on Cinco de Mayo or on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade in NYC. It would be a very difficult fight for him, but it's a fight he can win. After that he can retire and focus on promoting.Posted September 2, 2012 7:58 pm
Man Wut iz u tlkin bout king slayer u need to open ur eyes more n actually study the sport of boxing cotto iz a elite fighter n still iz da most dangerous body puncher in boxing Austin trout fought nobody's n dat fight wit Mayweather it wuznt eazy for mayweather Mayweather said "cotto wuz my toughest fite" go look dat up b4 u tlkPosted September 2, 2012 6:29 pm
Trout is nowhere near elite level…Miguel is gonna grind him down.Posted September 2, 2012 5:49 pm
I may have a tenner on Trout. He's very under rated, with is obviously why Canelo wants no part of him.Posted September 2, 2012 4:30 pm
buboy 50 cents
Trout is easier to beat than catchweight Pacman.
The Kingslayer
And Cotto was never the man at any division only a trinket holder.Posted September 2, 2012 2:38 pm
The Kingslayer
What accomplishments ? he's beaten good fighters but nobody that's really HOF material, Pac blew him out of the water and Floyd comfortably decisioned him. Mosley is the only standout opponent on his record.Posted September 2, 2012 2:37 pm
Austin Trout style is a very difficult style for Cotto to get a clear hit. Cotto shouldn't have taken this fight because Cotto will be crying at the end that hs was rubbed. Trout is very difficult to hit.Posted September 2, 2012 2:32 pm
cottos is a warrior period his resume is a whos who of boxing his championship bout record is amazing he ran thru the welterweight division floyd wanted no part of him at 147Posted September 2, 2012 2:24 pm
COTTO TKO4 TROUT!!!!!!Posted September 2, 2012 1:10 pm
cotto is a hall of famer because of his undeniable accomplishments in this sport. kingslayer is probably on drugs all the time, so his comments are worthless with no credibility.Posted September 2, 2012 1:09 pm
boricua 25
cotto by tko 5 roundsPosted September 2, 2012 12:50 pm
The Kingslayer
Cotto probably will get into the HOF but that's only because todays standards are so weak.Posted September 2, 2012 12:11 pm


text:
Anyone know does the 53cm IRO Angus have a level (non-sloping) top tube?
Anyone know does the 53cm IRO Angus have a level (non-sloping) top tube?
Last edited by nox tuboid; 02-15-07 at 01:05 PM.
it most definitely slopes
Originally Posted by 2am
thanks for the pic. at lest the tt linss up with the seat stays unlike my bianchi pista (love that bike though).
the question is, does the 56cm angus have this sloping top tube as well?
trying to decide if i really want one of the group buy frames and trying to juggle between a 53 and a 56 but its just so confusing after reading all kinds of threads about IRO's measuring and top tube measurements meaning more and whatnot.
so, it comes down to the slope factor. sloping is just gross.
Dude, forget about what you've read.Originally Posted by tylergarrison
Go on the IRO site, on the specifications page.
All the info you need is right there!!!
Forget the whole seat tube thing! The Top Tube length and Standover height is right there!!
Although, I did learn on this forum that standover height is not as important as TT length.
Check it out and put your mind at ease!!! BUY THE DAMNED THING ALREADY!!!!
Because, yeah... uh huh! Umm, yeah!
i've seen quite a few fixies with this handlebar setup, and i like it.
are these basically mountain bike riser bars?
Originally Posted by 2am
I don't know if you know Thayer in Savannah, but I'm positive he has a white Angus. He has a black bailey's bag. One of three people there with a Bailey's, now 2 since I'm not there.Originally Posted by tylergarrison
Originally Posted by BuddyMike
Theron? I know he has a white angus (i believe it is) that i'm pretty fond of. Eh, in the end i just said **** it and put down a deposit for a 56. If it doesn't work out then look for a 56cm flat black group buy frame on the trade thread in a few months.


text:
Michel Desjoyeaux announced his continuing sponsorship by Foncia and that he has joined the Multi One Desgin circuit and Flavio Marazzi and Enrico De Maria from Switzerland finished second at the Star Worlds.
In World news, the latest on all the America's Cup happenings including the TV schedule and the Umpire Team announcement. The Clipper prize giving for the Singapore leg has taken place and the Rolex Miami OCR is underway.
And the final round of the Extreme Sailing Series Asia is set to get underway in Oman.
Happy reading!