Excerpt! Chapter Two!

[ginnhale]

Master of the Black Flame

(excerpt)

Chapter Two

The black wall rose above Skellan, flashing long spikes from behind pretty scrolls of corbelling like some immense beast drawing back its heavy stone lips to display iron teeth. Skellan grinned back and climbed higher.

h yes, this deeply carved stone troll knew he was no harmless scamp clambering up. He

Comments

[indigoraven]

I need a grabby hands icon. We wants the precious!!!

[ginnhale]

Soon, soon... but you have to tell me if you're going to huck it into the volcano in my backyard. :D

[indigoraven]

Part the first: If you seriously have a volcano in your backyard, I will be there with bells on.

Part the second: No way in any hell I can think of could you pry my grubby mitts off this gorgeous book long enough to huck it anywhere, let alone into a volcano.

[ginnhale]

I live right below Mt. Baker (One of Mt.St Hellen's uppity little sisters). She's not yet a lava spewing volcano but she does dream of smoke and magma. Every now and then she gives us all a little shake just to remind us that she isn't sleeping all that deeply.

On the plus side, the mountain is beautiful-- great for hiking and skiing and only about an hour from the ocean... and something like 3000 coffee shops! :D

What just happened?

[em_nat]

Did Elezar just…buy himself a red-headed shapechanger in a stable?

This book is going to be AWESOME.
(Also, Skellan is one of the best names ever. I’m just sayin’. )

Re: What just happened?

[ginnhale]

Yes, indeed. Elezar is now the owner of a dog that reads his letters when he's not looking, does not fetch, and has plans to take over the city. Bad dog, bad!

(I'm really glad that you like it!)

Re: What just happened?

[em_nat]

Hey, do we have a Soundtrack/theme song for this book yet?

[poxiemon]

Smelly skelly heeheehee. Sorry. It tickles me since i work with skeletons sometimes. XD

[ginnhale]

Depending on how filthy he is in any given scene, I do refer to him as Smellan, sometimes.

[poxiemon]

PS. Thank you for signing my Wicked Gentlemen book. My friend got it for me at the last yaoi-con though she had no idea who you were (she missed my "ITS THE AUTHOR!!!" text). She was quite embarrassed after ^_^

[ginnhale]

You're more than welcome. Thank you for buying the book!

I thought your friend was really sweet for getting it for you.
(I probably didn't help her out any since I can be a bit shy about announcing that I'm an author.)

[hpstrangelove]

OMG - you are such a tease. I can't wait until I can buy the full version!

[ginnhale]

I can't wait either to be honest :D But there's still some work I have to do first to get it all sewn up and polished.

[antoxic]

Oh. My. God. Witches and shapeshifters amidst the thickets, stone golems (!) and a new protagonist with a noble cause - well, you got me hooked and trembling with anticipation. I have just finished the second book of the Lord of the White Hell and it feels incredibly lonely - being deprived of the camaraderie and comfort so kindly granted by the universe that unfolds in your books. I have managed to steal but a glimpse of that world and it conquered me instantly, but I can only imagine what it’s like - to be able to interact with such a universe: witnessing numerous paths and variations of the choices, taken by the characters, consequences of those actions and possible outcome… You are one lucky woman, Ms. Hale! I hope, your Muse never leaves your side and you enjoy writing as much as we - the readers - enjoy getting acquainted with the worlds you create in your books. Now, off to the excerpt

[ginnhale]

I'm so glad that you're enjoying the start of the book and pondering all the right questions!

I wasn't sure of how much a reader would sympathize with a giant stone troll but I really liked the relationship between Skellan and Bone-crusher. I wanted very much to write it.

Yes, the cloaked swordsman is indeed Elezar-- though Javier and Kiram do show up later in the book.

I hope you'll like it all when it's done at last and all polished up for publication! In the meantime thank you for your energy and excitement; it's really encouraging!

[ext_2225615]

I nearly wet myself with excitement knowing Javier and Kiram are coming back. I've read so many books since Lord of the White Hell but I still miss them!

[ginnhale]

You'll be able to see them sooner than the release of the next books! I wrote a number of holiday stories--one featuring Javier and Kiram--which I'll be posting this December.

(I hope you'll like it.)