Author: catstark

Happy Thanksgiving! I don’t have a Thanksgiving story for you, but I hope you have a wonderful day anyway.

From Protector of the Grey House:

Vincent started to pace, waiting for his people to clear the room. Once he was alone with Anthony, he stopped pacing to stand in front of his Information Gatherer. “I can’t punish you for having Natalia followed. It’s your job to spy or send spies after those you don’t trust. What I don’t appreciate is that you didn’t tell me about it until two of our people were missing.”

“Had I told you, you would have told her.” There was venom in the last word.

“Yes, I would have. And perhaps Wayne wouldn’t be dead. From now on, tell me if you’re having Natalia followed.” Vincent started pacing again, thinking. Anthony knew better than to interrupt. “I’m impressed that someone was finally able to track her. Where was he trained?”

I like the idea of old ass vampires using technology as well or better than young people. Mostly because the stereotype is that older people don’t like to learn technology. I hope to be one of the old ass people learning new technology.

From Protector of the Grey House:

Joseph kept silent until they were back in his room and the door was locked. He pulled out his remote, entered the code to reset the cameras and microphones, then entered the code to secure the room. He didn’t know if Rebecca had overridden the security devices but wanted to make sure he and Natalia had privacy. Resetting the devices ensured the off code would work.

Joseph faced Natalia, hungry and tired. He usually didn’t sleep much, didn’t need too, but long days made sleep a necessity.  “What you did could have caused your death. Why didn’t you wait until nightfall?”

Writing rules state you should not use the same word twice in the same sentence…. Sometimes that rules needs to be ignored. (Yes, I did that.)

From Protector of the Grey House:

Anthony left with Natalia, feeling Lilly and Mierka’s puzzled looks on his back. He let them stare, not really caring. There were about five vampires standing in the hallway, waiting to speak with Vincent. Anthony ignored them as easily as he had ignored the two women. He took his burden up the stairs, through the sitting room and into the bedroom. He laid her down on the covers, then drew back a little when he realized she was awake.

“What…you…Why?” She sat up a little, realized she was mostly nude and hid her body with the comforter.

“Did Mierka tell you Vincent would stop if you screamed?” He didn’t know if Vincent had, but thought it was something Vincent might do.

From Protector of the Grey House:

Natalia told him that she often had to infiltrate groups of Slayers. Before, it was one at a time. Now she often spoke with three or four at a time. She told Vincent she took care of the Slayers cautiously, making sure to kill them one at a time, when they were by themselves, instead of going against them all at once. Still, she had started training for the inevitable. She was fighting his vampires two or three at a time. Vincent didn’t care for these sessions, but allowed it, knowing she needed the training. It didn’t help that Joseph and Mierka both thought she was doing a worthy job and helped to push the human to her limit and beyond. Joseph fought her often and Mierka gave her pointers on stealth tactics.

I released The Grey House book one in late September, or early October of 2019. I had every intention of releasing Inside the Grey House (book two) within 6 months to 1 year of that release date. I did not, due to covid and my inability to push people to help me.

I want to be upfront and let you know, I am not bitching at anyone and I blame no one but myself. I also want to say that there is one individual who read through the entire trilogy already. That person is not being included in these comments, and is always steadfast in their ability to help me.

Covid hit in March. I had already asked some friends if they could edit the next book. Though they said yes, by the time covid hit, only one person was able to read through book 2. Others either never got around to it or had mental health issues or life issues that pushed my project to the back burner, which I understand completely.

After covid hit, I wasn’t even sure I should try to publish, as I was not able to see anyone. I’m not able to corroborate as well with my editors and artist remotely. I was encouraged to publish by my fiance, who said a new book is something people would want. So I decided to reach out to the people who had my books already and asked one or two more people as well.

When someone agrees to help me out with editing, I offer them a signed copy of the book and put their name in the acknowledgments. If I could afford to pay for an editor, I would find a professional one, as they would have a deadline. I have never been comfortable with giving unpaid friends a deadline. I am not comfortable, especially if I don’t physically see them everyday, pushing them to finish something for me. Also, due to covid, it’s been a long, long year, full of heartache and mental anguish for so many people.

I understand this and will never push people because of this, if I am not paying them. It’s unfair to them that I insist they take care of a project that takes up their time, with no reward. Therefore, I allow things to sit. And then I get depressed.

But there is a lot of things I need to do for this book, as well. Therefore, I am taking care of what I can, and now my fiance has offered to help edit. If he and I can get this done quicker than the others, then I won’t wait for anyone else. I can’t any more. I want these books out.

Therefore the update on the release date of Inside the Grey House and Protector of the Grey House is this: I don’t know. And that’s killing me.

It has taught me something though: henceforth, I will not release book one of a series if the other two aren’t edited and ready to go as well.

Thank you for your time and I hope you have a wonderful day.

The first prompt was for the word ‘update’. In a separate blog, I will update you on book #2 & 3 and why at least one has not been released yet.

From Protector of the Grey House:

They left the room together a few moments later as it was time for him to leave. She waited at the door with Mierka, who didn’t like to be left behind either. Her skills were geared more toward stealth, not brute force, which is what Lorraine needed to take down the rogue vampires killing the humans in New York.

When the limo left the drive, Natalia returned to her bedroom needing sleep. Her first meeting of the day was in the early morning and she needed to rest. She needed to be alert as she was meeting one of the Slayers who had helped lock her in the basement some time ago. They were meeting in a public place, but it was a trap, and Natalia had to be on her toes.

I’m pretty sure I shared this or a part close to this before. I am quite happy with how this scene turned out. It was vastly different the first time I wrote it. I think learning a few things about the world and myself helped me to understand how to make it better.

From Protector of the Grey House:

“I’m thirsty, Natalia. Let me drink from you.”

Natalia turned and smiled at Mierka. She moved her whole body, placing her legs up on the couch with one arm resting on the back of the couch and the other arm held up and out toward Mierka’s side. Mierka caressed Natalia’s arm as she came around the couch to sit with her slave. Natalia readjusted her body to allow Mierka to sit beside her, still presenting her arm to the vampire. Mierka smiled at her and gently took her arm, sinking her fangs into the yielding flesh.

            Vincent tensed as pain crossed his woman’s features then gazed in wonder as her expression changed to one of pleasure. Natalia reached out her free hand to caress Mierka’s blond hair. Her hand stayed there then tangled in the golden tresses when Mierka pulled away from her arm. Mierka placed a hand on Natalia’s knee and slid it slowly up her thigh. The touch implied too much to Vincent. As he watched, Natalia pulled Mierka to her by her hair, giving the vampire a long kiss.

Protector of the Grey House:

Vincent moved to behind Natalia and paced, slowly. “How do you know who these people are?”

“I called their names into the hospital. Carl Garvin, Father Sulta, and Donavon.”

The room became hot and sticky with the news. Carl Garvin was more bounty hunter than Slayer. He could be bought off easily; double the bounty usually did the trick. Father Sulta was a crackpot. He didn’t seem to understand that the usual tricks didn’t affect all vampires. Then there was Donavon. He had been around for some years and seemed to understand too well how vampires moved, thought and acted.

Protector of the Grey House:

Vincent smiled. “Turn around.”

Natalia turned, sighed as his arms encircled her. She laid her head against his shoulder, pulled her dress away from her shoulder. She tensed as he growled softly into her neck and then traced her vein to her shoulder. She dug her fingers into his thigh as she became aroused. She moaned when his teeth sank into her flesh, succumbing to his lustful sucking. He took three swallows then pulled away, placing his handkerchief to her shoulder to stop the flow of blood. She reached up to hold the kerchief in place as he brought his arms in front of her. He tried hard not to contemplate the taste in his mouth as he used his nail to cut into his wrist and instructed her.

“Take three swallows.”

Sex scenes were a a lot easier to write before MS hit. Seduction scenes are still pretty easy for me, but then my brain fizzles.

From Protector of the Grey House:

She kissed him softly on the lips. “Would you like to know what we did to each other?”

“Every detail.”

“Because it excites you or because you need to know if Mierka did anything you haven’t thought of?”

“Both.” He pulled back and started to undress. Natalia followed suit. Once they were undressed and laying comfortably in the bed, Vincent took her in his arms and started to suck on her breasts.

Her hands found his hair and pulled painfully as he bit into her breast and started suckling her blood. He sucked slowly, causing her to moan. He pulled away, using her discarded shirt to help stop the blood flow.

“What did Mierka do? Please tell me.”