Freebies 2 - Sales 0
Adding insult to the injury of losing Tyke and Pepper last night in a fire.
Today's news is the latest "sale" is another #FREEBIE.
Writer - http://alsdomain.weebly.com/barnes--noble.html#.WP5WldIrLIU
Sunday, 7 May 2017
Saturday, 6 May 2017
Spreading the news
On the Wordpress blog
As I don't believe the media, a good place to read about what IS happening in #Israel is on my blogs. https://hereiamattheedgeblogspotcouk.wordpress.com/
Friday, 5 May 2017
GoFundMe 2
I need your help to help others
The aim of this page www.facebook.com/alanwplace/ is to attempt to raise funds for my cause funds.gofundme.com/dashboard/covers-for-alan. My aim is to buy covers from http://alsdomain.weebly.com/selpubbookcovers, so I can help book cover designers sell their work
Wolfen fears
Something lurks in the Dark Wood
From his demeanor, it 's hard to see what this man did to the city of Meldritch. The once thriving city now lay in ruins, their demise was brought up on them by their desire to appease the man who stood at the city gates.
He was not rich or powerful. To look at the poor wretch, you would imagine he’d had a hard life, for he was thin with broken teeth and unkempt in his appearance. When he spoke or sang, his words and music gripped the imagination of the people like a fever. His words and music had the ability to drive normally sane people to do anything to stop him from leaving. When he entered Meldritch - as he had many cities before - the people had no idea what they had let enter their village.
To the world outside, he was no more than a wandering scribe, trying to buy a meal and a place to rest by telling stories. On his departure, he left in his wake a city dazzled by his stories of far off lands, but he had an agenda that nobody knew about until it was too late to do anything. Like all things, once he’d had his pleasures, he left; leaving behind a trail of misery and disgust.
For a while, everything had appeared pleasantly joyous as the man spread his wonderous stories and ate and drank freely. By all the reports, you’d expect the man to be of great stature and strength, but the opposite was true. Strength and size were not his powers. His powers came from his ability to capture your soul with his words. Tales from enchanted lands flowed from his dry lips like leaves of dying trees. His audiences grew with each telling, as did the value of the stories. With his stories, he earned enough to pay for a small meal and a drink for the two companions. The time being the late Fall, the town’s people begged the stranger to stay, but he’d tired of their company, and all he had to say was, “The land calls me to walk a new path.” The first falls of early snow chilled the earth, and the fruits had long gone from the trees and hedges. The man stood at the gate and steadied himself for the journey ahead. With a last glance to the city he was leaving, he walked out of the gates, and sneered under his breath, “They'll never learn, Drux.”
Following in his master’s footsteps was Drux - a large dog - wherever Baal Korax went, Drux was close to his master's heel. Nobody was sure how they’d crossed paths; some say Baal had rescued Drux from a freezing cavern; others will tell you that Baal raised Drux from a cub. Baal believed that Drux was the last of the wolfen who once roamed the forests and hills. Baal had walked many paths over many hills, and he'd never come across any other wolfen or heard talk of any clans living in the areas.
Like Drux, Baal had a distant past that eluded memory. The past was so much a blank to him; Baal had no ideas where to call home, or when he came into the world. All Baal could say is that the only life he recalled was a traveling scribe. The man didn’t bother much about his past, to him, the road in front was all that mattered, and for now, the road led to the high ranges and the place they called home. “Come, Drux,” he called as man and beast left the sight of the city, “It won’t be long before you can return to your true form,” the man said as he ruffled the dog’s messy mane.
The two travelers took to the open road and left the city in their past, never to return, for that would be to tempt fate. Baal had spent most of his life on these roads and never been back to any village or city. The only place he returned to was his castle, every winter.
“We need to cross the ridge before the heavy snow comes, or we’ll not see our home until the early Spring, Drux, my old friend,” he said to his companion as they made their way to the footpath that led to the hills. At this time of year, only the foolhardy took the roads to the high mountains, unless they had a reason. In Winter, the supplies came along the lower path; they took an extra day, but those roads are safer at this time of the year. The dog looked to the hills that lay ahead and gave his tail a wag, to show he was in agreement with his master. The man and his companion started their long, cold walk to the mountain range ahead, and with hearts full of thoughts of the road, and bellies full of the finest food they set off on their journey.
Baal’s hide thigh boots kept some of the winter's cold from the snow from chilling his feet, but he knew they needed to keep moving to reach shelter so that Drux wouldn’t get too cold, for ahead of them lay a long journey.
The snow covered landscape made for a beautiful view as the pair climbed higher, but the knee high drifts made walking tiresome for Baal. He glanced back, and seeing Drux begin to shiver and struggle; he retraced his steps to his friend, "Come, I'll carry you from here. It isn't far, and we'll be in the warm soon, my friend."
The dog looked up at his master with a sad longing in his eyes and gave a weak grin. There were times when he'd happily have ran ahead of Baal, but lately, Drux had taken to keeping in step with his master.
Baal walked the short way back to his friend and heaved his tired body onto his shoulders, "We'll need to pick up the pace. I feel the chill in the air getting colder on my old bones, and that means a heavy fall is on the way."
Being careful to tread in his previous steps, Baal began the climb to the old shack they called home. The climb wasn't long, but with the cold, and feeling tired, Baal struggled with the rise, "I don't remember it being this hard last year, Drux," he muttered as he trudged the sharply rising hill. It was some minutes before the hut came in sight, "Here we are, home for the Winter. It won't be long, and then you can stretch out again."
The wooden hut didn't look much from the outside, but it kept the worst of the winter winds and snow out, and that's all the man and his dog needed. During the Spring and Summer months, they'd built a store of fruits from their journeys across the ranges, now is the time to make the meals that would sustain them, until their next trip.
The small hut lies hidden from sight below the ridge lines of the nearby hills unless you know where to look it's easily missed - even Baal lost sight of the cabin once or twice on his return.
Being careful of the drift above the door, Baal kicked the door open. He watched as the snow slid off the roof, and waited for the last flakes to float to the ground, and then he stepped over the doorstep, "Here you are," he said as he laid Drux on a bearskin, "You rest for a while, and I'll start the fire. We'll be warmed through shortly, Drux." Drux looked up from the floor and wagged his tail, and then he laid his head down and went to sleep as Baal went outside to the log pile.
Baal glanced at the sets of paw prints in the snow around the stack, many of them were easily recognizable, but among them was a set he'd never seen before. "Hmmm, I wonder who you are?" he muttered as he looked in the direction the prints were heading, "I thought I knew all my winter guests, but your mark is new to this area."
Baal eyed the trail of tracks leading to the hillocks surrounding his home," We're here for you, my friend if you choose our company. I hope you have somewhere safe to hide and stay warm," he muttered into the wind that drove the snow.
He wasn't in the cold long before he could feel his face tingle with the bite of the wind, "I must be getting old; there was a time when I enjoyed the cold bite on my face, now I want the warmth of the fire," he whispered.
Baal picked the logs for the fire from his pile and began to walk back to the cabin on his way he glanced at the trail, as far as he could tell there was no sign of blood. So He was lead to assume that the creature wasn't hurt - that didn't mean it wasn't in danger - in the depths of the forest there are many creatures unknown to man. Most of these animals Baal gave a wide berth.
From a child, Baal heard stories of creatures that could control their shape, strange as it sounded, he had never questioned these tales. The people of his tribe were not driven to make stories up, more than likely they related their experiences in stories. The stories of these creatures had been passed from generation to generation, and with little change, or embellishment, only the people changed as the new generation saw what their family had seen in the years past.
As he looked at the rim of the nearest mound, he thought "Somewhere out there sits a new friend, or maybe many friends. I can't force them to come to me, but I won't drive them away as the people in the villages do. In a way, I am like them, only, seeking no company other than my company and wary of strangers prying into my life. "
He couldn't know but Baal was confident dark eyes were watching from the hills around him, something in his soul made him aware of another's presence. If he didn't know who they were, one thing was sure, and they wouldn't attack until they'd found out as much about him as was possible from scouting the woods. There was little he could do but wait for what was going to unfold to unfold at its pace, so he walked back to the cabin and with a final glance towards the hills, he eased the door open.
On the floor in front of him lay Drux, his friend was completing the changes from Wolfen to human and revealing the gorgeous young lady who was inside the body of a young wolf. Donning a robe that lay on the floor beside her, Drax said, "Close the door, please. Now I am in human form I can feel the chills of the winds more. I think I know what kept you, you saw the tracks at the back of the house and wondered who made them. In my other form, not only did I see the tracks before you, but my sharp sense of smell told me that our visitor is not alone. I sensed about 20 others out there. They won't attack, even though they have they numbers to overrun us, of that I can assure you."
Baal glanced at the beautifully, lithe body before him, and then replied, "How can you be sure?"
Drax gave a wink, to acknowledge that Baal appreciated her new form, and then continued, "The creatures out there are cold, hungry and far from their hunting lands."
Baal walked to the window and looked out at the mounds of land protecting his cabin from the worst of the winds, "Can you tell if they're Wolves or Wolfen, Drux?"
Drux smiled sweetly, and replied, "I have no doubt they are Wolfen. If my senses are correct, they belong to the Drassian clan."
Baal smoothed his beard with his left hand, and then replied, "I thought the Drassian clan was driven to extinction over a hundred years ago in The Great Wolfen Hunt."
Drax sighed, and replied, "That is the legend, the facts are not right. All they did was go deeper in the forest than any living thing has been. For this group to come out in the open, something bad is happening in the woods. Nothing since the hunt has driven the clan to hunt in the open, and here they are now, in the open."
Being a man of the woods, Baal didn't like the idea of shooting animals for no reason, but a pack of wolfen on the hunt was not something he had thought of coming across. In all his years of traveling, he had never heard of any stories of wolfen packs roaming the countryside; usually, the people in the city left a few sheep loose to maintain the balance; for the pack to wander from their home. Wandering meant something was wrong in the woods, and whatever it was, the creature was forcing the wolfen to break the unwritten codes, and that is something they would never do willingly. To break the laws, meant bringing death to the pack, or at least a war with humans.
He stood at his window looking at the snow, and he wondered what their plan was? Would they wait it out until they had no choice but to attack, or would the pack attack as the light faded, and they had the advantage of night vision to aid their attack? Restlessly, he fiddled with the latch of his rifle and looked for his store of rounds. Baal realized he couldn't hold out long if the pack attacked, so he had to make the first shots count and hope the wolfen would reconsider the attack to maintain the group's survival.
Drux was watching, and waiting to see who made the first move; who made the first step would have the advantage, being a wolfen but Baal's close friend, she found herself caught in the middle. Releasing, she would lose out no matter what the outcome, she decided to be the first to move. With a yawn and a stretch, she said to Baal, "Put the gun away and let me speak to them. I may be a distant relative, but I am still one of their kind, they may listen to me."
Baal glanced at his young friend and realized that she might be right if anyone could keep the peace, there was no better person or creature than his beautiful Drux. One of her many attributes was being calm of spirit. This calmness had helped them in their wanderings over the eons to enchant the villagers with tales as she changed shapes before their eyes to ease their minds; little did these people know that as a hybrid wolfen, Drux had much more to her personality than shape-changing.
With an imperceptible nod, Baal said, "As you wish, but I'll be watching for anything to go wrong. If I see anything happening, you know I won't hesitate to shoot."
Drux nodded her agreement and said, "I'd have it no other way. We protect each other all the time, that is our arrangement, and that is how it will always be."
With a heave of her slender shoulder, Drux pushed the door to the shack open. The chill of the air made her catch her breath before she had a chance to take the form of the wolfen, so she shuddered as she knelt.
Baal had witnessed the change the change many times, but he never tired of seeing his beautiful young lady companion change into a grey-haired wolfen. He always wondered if the color of her fur was an indication of her age, or just to blend into the shadows?
Drux's head turned to the cabin window as she started to track the wolfen, behind her, as Drux padded out to meet the wolfen she heard the click of the rifle bolt and hoped she could avoid the bloodshed that might follow if the attack took place.
She sniffed the cold air, and braced herself, as she padded forward head bowed but eyes keenly watching the shadows for movement. To her surprise, all appeared to be calm on the fringes of the woods, apart from the eyes that watched as she walked towards the pack.
At the edge of the forest, she stopped for a while, taking in the sight of the gathering wolfen before her, she realized they were leaderless. "I am Drux of the Macarri, I come to the Drassian in peace," she called to the pack. "I bear no malice for past doings, or for past betrayals. I come only to find out why you are so far from your land and without a leader."
A grey-furred wolfen approached from the crowd of restless creatures. "I am Darian of the Drassian clan, our land is under threat from dark forces, and we are being hunted by something unseen. Our leader, Mandarro, was the first of us to be taken; his death meant those who are here could escape. To him, we owe our lives, and we will avenge his death."
Drux passed a glance at the tired wolfen standing before her and said, "My master doesn't have much, but he's a kind man if you can convince me you come in peace; I am sure I can convince him of your intentions."
Darian didn't need to wait for an answer from his followers, he said, "We've traveled far and eaten little. I can guarantee you, Drux, despite our tribe's histories, we have no intention of starting a war. All we ask is for some food and a little warmth. The winter is on us, and our group cannot travel to the far hills without some strength. As you see our numbers are few, and those who are here are injured."
Drux's instincts told her not to trust the Drassians, but her eyes and her heart were telling her that she stood before the last wolfen of a once noble breed, now doomed to extinction unless she could convince Baal to help them. In her mind, she recalled the days before the last Great Wolfen Hunt; it was a time when the tribes gathered and made the pact to help each other. The bands forgot every territorial ground in need to escape, all that is apart from the Drassian clan. Mandorro had refused access to the lands of the Drassian, in doing so not only had he put his tribe against all others but he'd put his tribe against him.
In another world, Drux would have turned her back on her enemy and walked away, but this war was not between wolfen tribes, this war was against some old evil that had escaped from the Dark Wood. She stood watching the starved tribe with eyes that filled with tears, then said, "We were once enemies, now our enemy is not our tribal history, but a legend come real. I will go to my master and ask his forgiveness for your past misdeeds against my people. He took me in when I was a cub, he could have killed me but his heart lead him to see my plight, I am sure I can get him to see your's too."
Darian tried to smile but he was too weak, "We owe you much, Drux. We can offer little in return as our land is not ours and we're forced to cross the mountain ranges in the coming winter."
Drux turned to the rest of the tribe and said, "You cannot cross the mountains. It's hard enough climbing the hills in the Spring. If you attempt a crossing at this time of year, so many of you will die in the crossing that you won't be able to start your tribe again,"
She turned her gaze back to the cabin, in the dim light from the fire, she could see the silhouette of Baal with his gun at the ready. "If you see the door open, you'll be welcomed into our shack, if you don't see the open door that means I failed to convince my master. He won't shoot unless he feels threatened as my friend realizes he has no chance of surviving an attack - if you want that I can't stop you - but more of you WILL die, and for what reason?"
He was not rich or powerful. To look at the poor wretch, you would imagine he’d had a hard life, for he was thin with broken teeth and unkempt in his appearance. When he spoke or sang, his words and music gripped the imagination of the people like a fever. His words and music had the ability to drive normally sane people to do anything to stop him from leaving. When he entered Meldritch - as he had many cities before - the people had no idea what they had let enter their village.
To the world outside, he was no more than a wandering scribe, trying to buy a meal and a place to rest by telling stories. On his departure, he left in his wake a city dazzled by his stories of far off lands, but he had an agenda that nobody knew about until it was too late to do anything. Like all things, once he’d had his pleasures, he left; leaving behind a trail of misery and disgust.
For a while, everything had appeared pleasantly joyous as the man spread his wonderous stories and ate and drank freely. By all the reports, you’d expect the man to be of great stature and strength, but the opposite was true. Strength and size were not his powers. His powers came from his ability to capture your soul with his words. Tales from enchanted lands flowed from his dry lips like leaves of dying trees. His audiences grew with each telling, as did the value of the stories. With his stories, he earned enough to pay for a small meal and a drink for the two companions. The time being the late Fall, the town’s people begged the stranger to stay, but he’d tired of their company, and all he had to say was, “The land calls me to walk a new path.” The first falls of early snow chilled the earth, and the fruits had long gone from the trees and hedges. The man stood at the gate and steadied himself for the journey ahead. With a last glance to the city he was leaving, he walked out of the gates, and sneered under his breath, “They'll never learn, Drux.”
Following in his master’s footsteps was Drux - a large dog - wherever Baal Korax went, Drux was close to his master's heel. Nobody was sure how they’d crossed paths; some say Baal had rescued Drux from a freezing cavern; others will tell you that Baal raised Drux from a cub. Baal believed that Drux was the last of the wolfen who once roamed the forests and hills. Baal had walked many paths over many hills, and he'd never come across any other wolfen or heard talk of any clans living in the areas.
Like Drux, Baal had a distant past that eluded memory. The past was so much a blank to him; Baal had no ideas where to call home, or when he came into the world. All Baal could say is that the only life he recalled was a traveling scribe. The man didn’t bother much about his past, to him, the road in front was all that mattered, and for now, the road led to the high ranges and the place they called home. “Come, Drux,” he called as man and beast left the sight of the city, “It won’t be long before you can return to your true form,” the man said as he ruffled the dog’s messy mane.
The two travelers took to the open road and left the city in their past, never to return, for that would be to tempt fate. Baal had spent most of his life on these roads and never been back to any village or city. The only place he returned to was his castle, every winter.
“We need to cross the ridge before the heavy snow comes, or we’ll not see our home until the early Spring, Drux, my old friend,” he said to his companion as they made their way to the footpath that led to the hills. At this time of year, only the foolhardy took the roads to the high mountains, unless they had a reason. In Winter, the supplies came along the lower path; they took an extra day, but those roads are safer at this time of the year. The dog looked to the hills that lay ahead and gave his tail a wag, to show he was in agreement with his master. The man and his companion started their long, cold walk to the mountain range ahead, and with hearts full of thoughts of the road, and bellies full of the finest food they set off on their journey.
Baal’s hide thigh boots kept some of the winter's cold from the snow from chilling his feet, but he knew they needed to keep moving to reach shelter so that Drux wouldn’t get too cold, for ahead of them lay a long journey.
The snow covered landscape made for a beautiful view as the pair climbed higher, but the knee high drifts made walking tiresome for Baal. He glanced back, and seeing Drux begin to shiver and struggle; he retraced his steps to his friend, "Come, I'll carry you from here. It isn't far, and we'll be in the warm soon, my friend."
The dog looked up at his master with a sad longing in his eyes and gave a weak grin. There were times when he'd happily have ran ahead of Baal, but lately, Drux had taken to keeping in step with his master.
Baal walked the short way back to his friend and heaved his tired body onto his shoulders, "We'll need to pick up the pace. I feel the chill in the air getting colder on my old bones, and that means a heavy fall is on the way."
Being careful to tread in his previous steps, Baal began the climb to the old shack they called home. The climb wasn't long, but with the cold, and feeling tired, Baal struggled with the rise, "I don't remember it being this hard last year, Drux," he muttered as he trudged the sharply rising hill. It was some minutes before the hut came in sight, "Here we are, home for the Winter. It won't be long, and then you can stretch out again."
The wooden hut didn't look much from the outside, but it kept the worst of the winter winds and snow out, and that's all the man and his dog needed. During the Spring and Summer months, they'd built a store of fruits from their journeys across the ranges, now is the time to make the meals that would sustain them, until their next trip.
The small hut lies hidden from sight below the ridge lines of the nearby hills unless you know where to look it's easily missed - even Baal lost sight of the cabin once or twice on his return.
Being careful of the drift above the door, Baal kicked the door open. He watched as the snow slid off the roof, and waited for the last flakes to float to the ground, and then he stepped over the doorstep, "Here you are," he said as he laid Drux on a bearskin, "You rest for a while, and I'll start the fire. We'll be warmed through shortly, Drux." Drux looked up from the floor and wagged his tail, and then he laid his head down and went to sleep as Baal went outside to the log pile.
Baal glanced at the sets of paw prints in the snow around the stack, many of them were easily recognizable, but among them was a set he'd never seen before. "Hmmm, I wonder who you are?" he muttered as he looked in the direction the prints were heading, "I thought I knew all my winter guests, but your mark is new to this area."
Baal eyed the trail of tracks leading to the hillocks surrounding his home," We're here for you, my friend if you choose our company. I hope you have somewhere safe to hide and stay warm," he muttered into the wind that drove the snow.
He wasn't in the cold long before he could feel his face tingle with the bite of the wind, "I must be getting old; there was a time when I enjoyed the cold bite on my face, now I want the warmth of the fire," he whispered.
Baal picked the logs for the fire from his pile and began to walk back to the cabin on his way he glanced at the trail, as far as he could tell there was no sign of blood. So He was lead to assume that the creature wasn't hurt - that didn't mean it wasn't in danger - in the depths of the forest there are many creatures unknown to man. Most of these animals Baal gave a wide berth.
From a child, Baal heard stories of creatures that could control their shape, strange as it sounded, he had never questioned these tales. The people of his tribe were not driven to make stories up, more than likely they related their experiences in stories. The stories of these creatures had been passed from generation to generation, and with little change, or embellishment, only the people changed as the new generation saw what their family had seen in the years past.
As he looked at the rim of the nearest mound, he thought "Somewhere out there sits a new friend, or maybe many friends. I can't force them to come to me, but I won't drive them away as the people in the villages do. In a way, I am like them, only, seeking no company other than my company and wary of strangers prying into my life. "
He couldn't know but Baal was confident dark eyes were watching from the hills around him, something in his soul made him aware of another's presence. If he didn't know who they were, one thing was sure, and they wouldn't attack until they'd found out as much about him as was possible from scouting the woods. There was little he could do but wait for what was going to unfold to unfold at its pace, so he walked back to the cabin and with a final glance towards the hills, he eased the door open.
On the floor in front of him lay Drux, his friend was completing the changes from Wolfen to human and revealing the gorgeous young lady who was inside the body of a young wolf. Donning a robe that lay on the floor beside her, Drax said, "Close the door, please. Now I am in human form I can feel the chills of the winds more. I think I know what kept you, you saw the tracks at the back of the house and wondered who made them. In my other form, not only did I see the tracks before you, but my sharp sense of smell told me that our visitor is not alone. I sensed about 20 others out there. They won't attack, even though they have they numbers to overrun us, of that I can assure you."
Baal glanced at the beautifully, lithe body before him, and then replied, "How can you be sure?"
Drax gave a wink, to acknowledge that Baal appreciated her new form, and then continued, "The creatures out there are cold, hungry and far from their hunting lands."
Baal walked to the window and looked out at the mounds of land protecting his cabin from the worst of the winds, "Can you tell if they're Wolves or Wolfen, Drux?"
Drux smiled sweetly, and replied, "I have no doubt they are Wolfen. If my senses are correct, they belong to the Drassian clan."
Baal smoothed his beard with his left hand, and then replied, "I thought the Drassian clan was driven to extinction over a hundred years ago in The Great Wolfen Hunt."
Drax sighed, and replied, "That is the legend, the facts are not right. All they did was go deeper in the forest than any living thing has been. For this group to come out in the open, something bad is happening in the woods. Nothing since the hunt has driven the clan to hunt in the open, and here they are now, in the open."
Being a man of the woods, Baal didn't like the idea of shooting animals for no reason, but a pack of wolfen on the hunt was not something he had thought of coming across. In all his years of traveling, he had never heard of any stories of wolfen packs roaming the countryside; usually, the people in the city left a few sheep loose to maintain the balance; for the pack to wander from their home. Wandering meant something was wrong in the woods, and whatever it was, the creature was forcing the wolfen to break the unwritten codes, and that is something they would never do willingly. To break the laws, meant bringing death to the pack, or at least a war with humans.
He stood at his window looking at the snow, and he wondered what their plan was? Would they wait it out until they had no choice but to attack, or would the pack attack as the light faded, and they had the advantage of night vision to aid their attack? Restlessly, he fiddled with the latch of his rifle and looked for his store of rounds. Baal realized he couldn't hold out long if the pack attacked, so he had to make the first shots count and hope the wolfen would reconsider the attack to maintain the group's survival.
Drux was watching, and waiting to see who made the first move; who made the first step would have the advantage, being a wolfen but Baal's close friend, she found herself caught in the middle. Releasing, she would lose out no matter what the outcome, she decided to be the first to move. With a yawn and a stretch, she said to Baal, "Put the gun away and let me speak to them. I may be a distant relative, but I am still one of their kind, they may listen to me."
Baal glanced at his young friend and realized that she might be right if anyone could keep the peace, there was no better person or creature than his beautiful Drux. One of her many attributes was being calm of spirit. This calmness had helped them in their wanderings over the eons to enchant the villagers with tales as she changed shapes before their eyes to ease their minds; little did these people know that as a hybrid wolfen, Drux had much more to her personality than shape-changing.
With an imperceptible nod, Baal said, "As you wish, but I'll be watching for anything to go wrong. If I see anything happening, you know I won't hesitate to shoot."
Drux nodded her agreement and said, "I'd have it no other way. We protect each other all the time, that is our arrangement, and that is how it will always be."
With a heave of her slender shoulder, Drux pushed the door to the shack open. The chill of the air made her catch her breath before she had a chance to take the form of the wolfen, so she shuddered as she knelt.
Baal had witnessed the change the change many times, but he never tired of seeing his beautiful young lady companion change into a grey-haired wolfen. He always wondered if the color of her fur was an indication of her age, or just to blend into the shadows?
Drux's head turned to the cabin window as she started to track the wolfen, behind her, as Drux padded out to meet the wolfen she heard the click of the rifle bolt and hoped she could avoid the bloodshed that might follow if the attack took place.
She sniffed the cold air, and braced herself, as she padded forward head bowed but eyes keenly watching the shadows for movement. To her surprise, all appeared to be calm on the fringes of the woods, apart from the eyes that watched as she walked towards the pack.
At the edge of the forest, she stopped for a while, taking in the sight of the gathering wolfen before her, she realized they were leaderless. "I am Drux of the Macarri, I come to the Drassian in peace," she called to the pack. "I bear no malice for past doings, or for past betrayals. I come only to find out why you are so far from your land and without a leader."
A grey-furred wolfen approached from the crowd of restless creatures. "I am Darian of the Drassian clan, our land is under threat from dark forces, and we are being hunted by something unseen. Our leader, Mandarro, was the first of us to be taken; his death meant those who are here could escape. To him, we owe our lives, and we will avenge his death."
Drux passed a glance at the tired wolfen standing before her and said, "My master doesn't have much, but he's a kind man if you can convince me you come in peace; I am sure I can convince him of your intentions."
Darian didn't need to wait for an answer from his followers, he said, "We've traveled far and eaten little. I can guarantee you, Drux, despite our tribe's histories, we have no intention of starting a war. All we ask is for some food and a little warmth. The winter is on us, and our group cannot travel to the far hills without some strength. As you see our numbers are few, and those who are here are injured."
Drux's instincts told her not to trust the Drassians, but her eyes and her heart were telling her that she stood before the last wolfen of a once noble breed, now doomed to extinction unless she could convince Baal to help them. In her mind, she recalled the days before the last Great Wolfen Hunt; it was a time when the tribes gathered and made the pact to help each other. The bands forgot every territorial ground in need to escape, all that is apart from the Drassian clan. Mandorro had refused access to the lands of the Drassian, in doing so not only had he put his tribe against all others but he'd put his tribe against him.
In another world, Drux would have turned her back on her enemy and walked away, but this war was not between wolfen tribes, this war was against some old evil that had escaped from the Dark Wood. She stood watching the starved tribe with eyes that filled with tears, then said, "We were once enemies, now our enemy is not our tribal history, but a legend come real. I will go to my master and ask his forgiveness for your past misdeeds against my people. He took me in when I was a cub, he could have killed me but his heart lead him to see my plight, I am sure I can get him to see your's too."
Darian tried to smile but he was too weak, "We owe you much, Drux. We can offer little in return as our land is not ours and we're forced to cross the mountain ranges in the coming winter."
Drux turned to the rest of the tribe and said, "You cannot cross the mountains. It's hard enough climbing the hills in the Spring. If you attempt a crossing at this time of year, so many of you will die in the crossing that you won't be able to start your tribe again,"
She turned her gaze back to the cabin, in the dim light from the fire, she could see the silhouette of Baal with his gun at the ready. "If you see the door open, you'll be welcomed into our shack, if you don't see the open door that means I failed to convince my master. He won't shoot unless he feels threatened as my friend realizes he has no chance of surviving an attack - if you want that I can't stop you - but more of you WILL die, and for what reason?"
Can I get motivated?
Will the e-book bring me the sales I need?
If I ever needed to motivation, now is the time.
This month, I have laid out a lot of expenses in an attempt to sell my e-books, and if something doesn't happen, I will not only be destroyed as a writer, but I will be in such a state financially I doubt I'll recover this year.
This month, I have laid out a lot of expenses in an attempt to sell my e-books, and if something doesn't happen, I will not only be destroyed as a writer, but I will be in such a state financially I doubt I'll recover this year.
Will this book begin a series?
Jewish romances
Here are the opening pages of my e-book Aliyah, on sale at Amazon www.amazon.com/dp/B071CSVHFD,Draft2Digital www.draft2digital.com/book/235628, and Smashwords www.smashwords.com/books/view/719595.
As the story includes Yiddish terms, I have included a glossary of the terms I used in the story.
As the story includes Yiddish terms, I have included a glossary of the terms I used in the story.
Aliyah - A homecoming for the people of Israel, a call to return to your homeland from wherever you may be.
Shalom - The traditional greeting akin to Hello.
Zevel - A Hebrew term meaning rubbish.
L' Chaim means "To life," similar to the toast "Cheers."
B'ezrat HaShem means With God's help or good luck.
Shalom Aleichem is a term meaning "Peace be upon on."
Aleichem Shalom is the traditional response to Shalom Aleichem, it means "Unto you Peace."
Shavua Tov is a greeting that means "Have a good week."
Oy vey is a term that relates to saying "Oh Lord!"
Mizman loh hitraehnu is a phrase that means "Long time no see."
Atah tzabar o oleh, this phrase has the meaning "Are you a native of Israel, or an immigrant?"
Ani meh Dimona means "I'm from Dimona."
Lehitraot carries the meaning "Goodbye for now."
Jehoiakim Altland, the Jewish journalist, woke with a start, his heart pounding and his body dripping with a cold sweat that made his pajama top stick to him. He raised his tired body against the pillow at his back, and wiping the sleep from his eyes he got out of bed and walked the few yards to the bathroom in the small apartment he'd called home in years he'd lived in the UK. The apartment was a running joke between Jehoiakim and his editor, Abir Moszkowicz. Jehoiakim's point is that he spends so little time in the apartment, why bother having more than the basics. To which Abir would contend that when he did take a break, he needed to have some comforts in life to look forward to when he stopped working.
He glanced at the clock by his bed through blurry, sleep-deprived eyes, and seeing it was too late to go back to sleep and too early to go to work, he got up to run a glass of water to take the pills the doctor had prescribed for his heart. After running the tap to get the water cold, he poured himself a glass of water and stumbled back to his bed. Sitting on the bed, staring out at the city still waking up, he thought "How many more nights am I going to lose with images of this lady? How many more sleepless nights can I endure before I end up going mad through lack of sleep?"
He sat on the bed fiddling with the blankets and trying to think where he'd seen the mysterious lady in his dreams, but the harder he tried, the more his mind fogged, and the elusive woman seemed to vanish. Jehoiakim had suffered endless sleepless nights, and finally, his mind snapped. He leaped to his feet, and in a fit of rage, he threw his glass against the wall, "Stay calm, the last thing you need is for Abir to find you dead," he thought as he felt his heart began to race and his vision blur.
After a short rest, he got dressed and went to get his car in the basement where he'd parked it the night before. He was in such a state he almost passed his car before he realized where he was. He loathed taking a break. That had been the driving force behind his success on the paper: he never knew when to call it a day with a story. This story had become a personal mission; something was niggling at the back of his mind. He couldn't think what it was, and that is what worried him.
The drive was a short one to the offices, but Jehoiakim stopped off in a cafe to have a coffee to attempt to calm his shaking, while he was there he phoned ahead to Abir, "Abir, could you spare me for two weeks? I think I need a vacation. I want to go on an Aliyah, a homecoming back to Israel. I have something that I need to do to attempt to clear up for my peace of mind. I'll tell you more when I get to the office."
Abir didn't take long to reply, "Of course, you can take the time; this is only the third time you've asked for a vacation in the eight years that you've worked here. This trip must be important to you to request the time off. I am intrigued to find out the reason for your request."
After the 20-minute drive from his lodgings to the office where he worked, he pulled into the office car park and stopped his engine. The longer he thought about his situation; the more Jehoiakim was puzzled about what was going on. Being Jewish, he'd learned the value of staying calm, reasoning things out, and not making rushed decisions, but the more he tried to reason his problem, the more he found himself at a loss.
Abir watched as his disheveled friend entered the room in a rush, and said to his secretary, Joanna, "This looks like being a long morning; can you make some coffee please?" Abir opened the door to his office for his friend and walked over to his seat behind the desk. "Shalom. Before we get to the reason for your request for the Aliyah, when do you want the time off?"
Jehoiakim replied, "Shalom, Abir. I must apologize for my appearance and the rushed entrance; I have many things on my mind. When is it suitable for the paper for me to take my vacation?"
Abir shrugged his broad shoulders, and then replied, with typical Jewish humor in his tone, "You ask, when can I let you go? My friend, you so rarely ask for time off." Abir laughed, and then continued, "I am usually the one begging you to take a vacation or lose the time. You are the paper's best writer, but unless you take a break once in awhile, I fear you'll repeat the nervous breakdown you had the year you arrived. You were so keen to impress, you drove yourself to exhaustion, All I can say is tell me when you want your Aliyah, and I'll book the dates in the calendar for you. I can tell by your appearance that something serious is going on, in all the years of our friendship, you've never seemed so on edge and looked so ragged."
Jehoiakim replied, "You're right, there are too many things on my mind, and I'm worried I'll have a breakdown if I can't sort at least the main issues out soon. I'd like to fly to Israel next week if you can spare me. Abir. I recall those days well, my friend. I recall thinking my writing at the time as a hack writer is zevel. "
Abir smiled and said, "You may have been rough around the edges, but your work was far from rubbish. I always admired your tenacity and devotion to the truth." Raising his hands to the heavens, Abir added, "Even if it does make you enemies in high places. Don't worry about the dates, consider the dates booked. Now, can you please enlighten me about what made you ask for time off."
Joanna came in and put the coffee pot on the table in front of Jehoiakim. After thanking her, Jehoiakim continued their discussion, "For the last two weeks, I've had vivid dreams about taking an Aliyah. I can't tell you why this year of all years. Something is driving me to return this year. In these dreams, I see a beautiful mature woman with a full figure and dark brown hair beckoning me to the shores of
Eilat, or at least I think it's Eilat."
Abir sipped his coffee and was deep in thought. After a while, he replied, "You and mature women, will nothing change. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you haven't been to Israel in the last five years - other than for the job in Tel Aviv - have you?"
Jehoiakim didn't need to think about his answer, "No, you are right. I haven't been to my homeland since then. That job was important to us, and I spent the week in Tel Aviv ."
Abir continued with his line of inquiry by asking, "In that case, what makes you think your dream was about Eilat and not Tel Aviv, or Jerusalem, Jehoiakim?"
"Abir, the only thing that comes to mind is I can hear jazz music playing in the background."
Abir smiled as he realized his friend could be right. Eilat holds an annual music festival, but something else was intriguing him, "Have you any idea who the woman is? Have you thought of anyone recently who could have triggered your thoughts?"
After a little thought, Jehoiakim replied, "No, I have no idea who she is. Most of my dreams have been about the trip. It's only in the last week that she has appeared in my mind."
There followed a short silence. Then the phone rang. After putting the phone back in the cradle, Abir said, "Joanna has booked your flight and hotel; all you need to do is pack and relax."
Jehoiakim glanced around at the map on the wall showing the areas covered by the paper, and then said, "Relaxing is the last thing I can do, Abir. This story could be a big story for our paper. I don't want to mess things up."
Abir rose from his chair and walking past Jehoiakim on his way to the cabinet to get a file out, and he said, "Listen to yourself. For once, take a break and relax. Who knows, this woman might turn out to be the holiday romance you need to calm down."
Jehoiakim rose from his chair and paced around the office, first looking out at the throbbing world outside the window, and then at the world map on the office wall. He walked to where Abir was standing and asked his friend, "Do you think I still push myself too hard, Abir?"
Abir turned from the cabinet and replied, "If you are asking the question, you know in your heart what the answer is. You do need to take this trip back to Israel. I think if you don't go, you'll end up having a breakdown. One thing still puzzles me."
Jehoiakim scratched the stubble on his chin and replied,"What's puzzling you?"
Abir gave a slight shrug, "You still haven't told me why you want to go this year?"
Shalom - The traditional greeting akin to Hello.
Zevel - A Hebrew term meaning rubbish.
L' Chaim means "To life," similar to the toast "Cheers."
B'ezrat HaShem means With God's help or good luck.
Shalom Aleichem is a term meaning "Peace be upon on."
Aleichem Shalom is the traditional response to Shalom Aleichem, it means "Unto you Peace."
Shavua Tov is a greeting that means "Have a good week."
Oy vey is a term that relates to saying "Oh Lord!"
Mizman loh hitraehnu is a phrase that means "Long time no see."
Atah tzabar o oleh, this phrase has the meaning "Are you a native of Israel, or an immigrant?"
Ani meh Dimona means "I'm from Dimona."
Lehitraot carries the meaning "Goodbye for now."
Jehoiakim Altland, the Jewish journalist, woke with a start, his heart pounding and his body dripping with a cold sweat that made his pajama top stick to him. He raised his tired body against the pillow at his back, and wiping the sleep from his eyes he got out of bed and walked the few yards to the bathroom in the small apartment he'd called home in years he'd lived in the UK. The apartment was a running joke between Jehoiakim and his editor, Abir Moszkowicz. Jehoiakim's point is that he spends so little time in the apartment, why bother having more than the basics. To which Abir would contend that when he did take a break, he needed to have some comforts in life to look forward to when he stopped working.
He glanced at the clock by his bed through blurry, sleep-deprived eyes, and seeing it was too late to go back to sleep and too early to go to work, he got up to run a glass of water to take the pills the doctor had prescribed for his heart. After running the tap to get the water cold, he poured himself a glass of water and stumbled back to his bed. Sitting on the bed, staring out at the city still waking up, he thought "How many more nights am I going to lose with images of this lady? How many more sleepless nights can I endure before I end up going mad through lack of sleep?"
He sat on the bed fiddling with the blankets and trying to think where he'd seen the mysterious lady in his dreams, but the harder he tried, the more his mind fogged, and the elusive woman seemed to vanish. Jehoiakim had suffered endless sleepless nights, and finally, his mind snapped. He leaped to his feet, and in a fit of rage, he threw his glass against the wall, "Stay calm, the last thing you need is for Abir to find you dead," he thought as he felt his heart began to race and his vision blur.
After a short rest, he got dressed and went to get his car in the basement where he'd parked it the night before. He was in such a state he almost passed his car before he realized where he was. He loathed taking a break. That had been the driving force behind his success on the paper: he never knew when to call it a day with a story. This story had become a personal mission; something was niggling at the back of his mind. He couldn't think what it was, and that is what worried him.
The drive was a short one to the offices, but Jehoiakim stopped off in a cafe to have a coffee to attempt to calm his shaking, while he was there he phoned ahead to Abir, "Abir, could you spare me for two weeks? I think I need a vacation. I want to go on an Aliyah, a homecoming back to Israel. I have something that I need to do to attempt to clear up for my peace of mind. I'll tell you more when I get to the office."
Abir didn't take long to reply, "Of course, you can take the time; this is only the third time you've asked for a vacation in the eight years that you've worked here. This trip must be important to you to request the time off. I am intrigued to find out the reason for your request."
After the 20-minute drive from his lodgings to the office where he worked, he pulled into the office car park and stopped his engine. The longer he thought about his situation; the more Jehoiakim was puzzled about what was going on. Being Jewish, he'd learned the value of staying calm, reasoning things out, and not making rushed decisions, but the more he tried to reason his problem, the more he found himself at a loss.
Abir watched as his disheveled friend entered the room in a rush, and said to his secretary, Joanna, "This looks like being a long morning; can you make some coffee please?" Abir opened the door to his office for his friend and walked over to his seat behind the desk. "Shalom. Before we get to the reason for your request for the Aliyah, when do you want the time off?"
Jehoiakim replied, "Shalom, Abir. I must apologize for my appearance and the rushed entrance; I have many things on my mind. When is it suitable for the paper for me to take my vacation?"
Abir shrugged his broad shoulders, and then replied, with typical Jewish humor in his tone, "You ask, when can I let you go? My friend, you so rarely ask for time off." Abir laughed, and then continued, "I am usually the one begging you to take a vacation or lose the time. You are the paper's best writer, but unless you take a break once in awhile, I fear you'll repeat the nervous breakdown you had the year you arrived. You were so keen to impress, you drove yourself to exhaustion, All I can say is tell me when you want your Aliyah, and I'll book the dates in the calendar for you. I can tell by your appearance that something serious is going on, in all the years of our friendship, you've never seemed so on edge and looked so ragged."
Jehoiakim replied, "You're right, there are too many things on my mind, and I'm worried I'll have a breakdown if I can't sort at least the main issues out soon. I'd like to fly to Israel next week if you can spare me. Abir. I recall those days well, my friend. I recall thinking my writing at the time as a hack writer is zevel. "
Abir smiled and said, "You may have been rough around the edges, but your work was far from rubbish. I always admired your tenacity and devotion to the truth." Raising his hands to the heavens, Abir added, "Even if it does make you enemies in high places. Don't worry about the dates, consider the dates booked. Now, can you please enlighten me about what made you ask for time off."
Joanna came in and put the coffee pot on the table in front of Jehoiakim. After thanking her, Jehoiakim continued their discussion, "For the last two weeks, I've had vivid dreams about taking an Aliyah. I can't tell you why this year of all years. Something is driving me to return this year. In these dreams, I see a beautiful mature woman with a full figure and dark brown hair beckoning me to the shores of
Eilat, or at least I think it's Eilat."
Abir sipped his coffee and was deep in thought. After a while, he replied, "You and mature women, will nothing change. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you haven't been to Israel in the last five years - other than for the job in Tel Aviv - have you?"
Jehoiakim didn't need to think about his answer, "No, you are right. I haven't been to my homeland since then. That job was important to us, and I spent the week in Tel Aviv ."
Abir continued with his line of inquiry by asking, "In that case, what makes you think your dream was about Eilat and not Tel Aviv, or Jerusalem, Jehoiakim?"
"Abir, the only thing that comes to mind is I can hear jazz music playing in the background."
Abir smiled as he realized his friend could be right. Eilat holds an annual music festival, but something else was intriguing him, "Have you any idea who the woman is? Have you thought of anyone recently who could have triggered your thoughts?"
After a little thought, Jehoiakim replied, "No, I have no idea who she is. Most of my dreams have been about the trip. It's only in the last week that she has appeared in my mind."
There followed a short silence. Then the phone rang. After putting the phone back in the cradle, Abir said, "Joanna has booked your flight and hotel; all you need to do is pack and relax."
Jehoiakim glanced around at the map on the wall showing the areas covered by the paper, and then said, "Relaxing is the last thing I can do, Abir. This story could be a big story for our paper. I don't want to mess things up."
Abir rose from his chair and walking past Jehoiakim on his way to the cabinet to get a file out, and he said, "Listen to yourself. For once, take a break and relax. Who knows, this woman might turn out to be the holiday romance you need to calm down."
Jehoiakim rose from his chair and paced around the office, first looking out at the throbbing world outside the window, and then at the world map on the office wall. He walked to where Abir was standing and asked his friend, "Do you think I still push myself too hard, Abir?"
Abir turned from the cabinet and replied, "If you are asking the question, you know in your heart what the answer is. You do need to take this trip back to Israel. I think if you don't go, you'll end up having a breakdown. One thing still puzzles me."
Jehoiakim scratched the stubble on his chin and replied,"What's puzzling you?"
Abir gave a slight shrug, "You still haven't told me why you want to go this year?"
Thursday, 4 May 2017
I'd better think about making this plan pay its keep
Grammarly
Grammarly is, in my opinion, the best editing software out, and I've tried several. Until now, I was loathed to invest the $140 annual fee, as I need to cover the costs with e-book http://alsdomain.weebly.com/barnes--noble.html sales, and the $11 a month is what I make on a good month.
With the expense of the software and covers from http://alsdomain.weebly.com/selpubbookcovers, I will be charging a little more for future work.
Oy vey
All for the price of a cup of coffee
For three hours I have been re-editing www.draft2digital.com/book/235628, and I have yet to convince myself the job is worth the reward.
After all, what will I see for my troubles?
If I am fortunate, the price of a cup of coffee for three or more hours work :(
After all, what will I see for my troubles?
If I am fortunate, the price of a cup of coffee for three or more hours work :(
Monday, 1 May 2017
The Alan Place columns
News from #Israel
Two or three times a week I'll edit the news for my page on Paper.li https://paper.li/f-1493548230#/.
The main focus is on #Israel, the items of news are not by me, I am posting to boost news of Israel that is all.
Le Pen labels deportations of Jews from France 'vile' | World Israel News
Vive Marine
Le Pen labels deportations of Jews from France 'vile' | World Israel News: Le Pen holds French who took part in 'vile' deportations of Jews during the Holocaust 'personally responsible.'
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