Hello all! I hope your first few months of 2022 have been treating you well.
Sequels & More Stories
NULL book two has officially entered its first editing draft. For reference, NULL took 7-10 rounds of editing by myself, and then 2-3 with a professional editor. So we’ve just started down a long road with this story. However, I’ll not leave you guys wanting. Here is a snippet from Chapter 2:
From below there was no way to tell if Hector was here or not. It had been hours since the meeting with the queen, and the chance that he had come back was relatively high. Or, he could have gone home early. Sometimes shoes only get in the way. Tzulie said in the back of his head. In a second his shoes were off and tucked under his arm. Sliding his feet carefully over each step, he silently made his way upwards. As soon as he could see the floor of the third level Ahvram looked to Hector’s door. If he weren’t so focused on being stealthy, he would have cursed. There was light emanating from under the door. Hector was in. Ahvram halted his ascent and started weighing his options. He wasn’t here to work on his experiment, which was a bonus. But Hector had told him to go rest, which was a penalty. He needed a book from this floor to help him with the queen’s new mission. Good reason to be here. But he could easily get it in the morning. Another reason to be in bed. In a move that would make both Tzulie and the Hawke smack Ahvram upside the head, he looked away from his target and to the ground. It was just a moment as he tried to think, and he leaned a bit heavier on the railing of the staircase— And it groaned. Loudly. Because metal and wood tended to do that.
New Short Story: Little Mina
Click here to read my most recent entry into the NYC Midnight Short Story competition. The competition gives 3 parameters in their prompt: genre – a thriller, setting – a sleepover, and a character who is an exercise fan. I think this story came out more horror than thriller, but I hope you enjoy it!
Ask the Author Questions
Want to learn more about NULL? Have any questions about me and my writing process? Send in your question and you may see it answered in the next update!
“How do Wildlanders get their pledge animals/nicknames? 🙂” from Bon
Most Wildlanders pick their pledge animals, though there are similar animals in families. For instance, the Hawke has a sister named the Sparrow. If a Wildlander doesn’t feel especially connected to one animal, the Elders will have that person meditate and go through rituals to find their pledge animal.
“HECTOR I HAVE A BURNING QUESTION PLS: Pet a dog, pet a cat or pet Ahvram?” from Bon
Hector smiles knowingly, but instead says, “A cat is always good company.”
Raye Steinman 