Blog Chain - So.... What's Up?

Superhero incognito Cole Gibsen came up with this round's blog-chain topic. Kate posted before me and check out Sandra tomorrow. Cole asks:

Are you querying? Gearing up to go on submission? Writing? Revising? I'd love to hear what's new with you. And if you'd like to share a snippet of your WIP, even better!

I've been in a literary limbo for the past couple of months. My novel, SHAEDES OF GRAY went out on submission at the beginning of June. And while I play the waiting game, I've been working with my agent of awesomeness, plotting and writing synopses for the next three books in the series. Before that, I wrapped up an unrelated WIP, HUNTER'S MOON and it's resting until I get the opportunity to re-read and further edit.

So... though it's not anything I'm actively working on, I'll go ahead and share a snippet of that WIP with you. It's been on my mind lately, I can't wait to get back to work on it. Maybe I'll make it my "waiting" project. It's a little rough... just barely a first draft, so go easy on me. Enjoy!

The three of them whispered in his ear. They'd prodded him for weeks, urging him to take action against those who’d wronged him. They spoke as one, not nearly as strange as the fact that he couldn’t see them. But he felt their touch. Their hands never left him.

“We can give you pleasure,” they said. “We can make you the object of her obsession. We can give you anything you crave if you unleash us. All you have to do is ask.”

“No. You’ll hurt her.”

“Why would we do that?” they seethed. “If she is not your enemy, she is safe from our wrath.”

“I—I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t think this is a very good idea.”

The hands pulled away and their hissing voices raised the hairs on his neck. “You want what is just beyond your reach. You crave what we can give you. We are vengeance.”

“No. I want you to leave. I want you to go away.”

Their laughter came as through dusty-dry throats. “It’s too late for that. You called to us and we are yours until you give us purpose.”

“If I do it… If I—give you purpose—then you’ll leave me?”

“Of course,” the three replied. “Once we’ve tasted the flesh of your enemies.”

He shut his eyes, the tighter the better. But he couldn’t banish the sensation of their invisible hands caressing him from head to toe. He wished he were dead. The suspicion he’d lost his grip on reality wore him down. If he told anyone, he’d be put away for sure. But they were as real to him as anything. It didn't matter that he couldn’t see them. He could hear them just fine. And his body knew their lover’s touch.

He was willing to do anything. Anything to get rid of them.

Tears squeezed out from his tightly shut lids. “Fine. Do it. Take revenge for me. Give me what I want and then leave me alone.”

Invisible lips took turns kissing his mouth. “They will taste our fury. Who is first?”

He knew who he wanted it to be. But just to be safe he’d try it out on someone less important. He whispered the name, barely audible, but they heard him and for the first time in months, left his side.