Wednesday, August 4, 2010

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.

15 comments:

Angie Ledbetter said...

Cool! "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..."

Sandy Wills said...

This is eeeevvviiiill. I love how you've captured the essence of the plot in one little scene. This definitely sounds like something I'd love to read.

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan said...

It doesn't sound rough to me! And yes, evil indeed.

Cole Gibsen said...

LOVE IT!!!!

Unknown said...

Ohhhh, how I got chills the first time I read that scene, and I'm all goosebumpy once again!!!

Eric said...

I love the morbid nature of this passage. It's really good. And I definitely want to read more, so get it published already LOL. Nice job.

Windy Aphayrath said...

LOVE this!

And so easy to read, all indented ;)

Michelle McLean said...

oooo very nice!! I'm all creeped out and dying to read more :D

Shannon Morgan said...

Cool, dark dialogue! Hope you hear good news soon...

Kathryn Hupp-Harris said...

I have chills. Awesome.

B.J. Anderson said...

So creepy! But in a totally awesome way. Good luck with this--it sounds fantastic!

Anonymous said...

Ooooh, dark! I wanna read more!!!!

Margie Gelbwasser said...

So eerie. Love it! Can picture this as a movie too. Good luck with the submission. The waiting game can be so so frustrating!

Shaun Hutchinson said...

Fantastic snippet. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed on the submission. This is the part that sucks, but it makes the rest that much sweeter.

Kate Karyus Quinn said...

Great snippet! And good luck with being out on submission - sounds like an exciting, yet scary experience.