Catching up

      Howdy y'all! How are you doing? It's been busy here, so I've neglected you, but I was thinking of you. No, really. Trust me on this.
      Also, I hurt myself. Again. In my apparent on-going quest to injure every part of my body, I fell and twisted my ankle in a major way. It's been iced and elevated and it still hurts, but it's much better.
      So, yes, I'll be able to go work tomorrow. Whee.
      What else have I been doing? Mostly stuff for the local theater group. Working on the patron drive, selling and creating ads for our sponsor wall, helping print and cut the tickets, and creating and printing the poster for the current play. During that, I also worked on Knaves and Murder at the Witch's Cottage. I also read Robin Hobb's Shaman Crossing, a truly excellent fantasy book that starts a new trilogy. I'll be watching the next one.
      Oh, here's some Knaves material for the hapless participants:

      Magician's Silver
      "So will it work?" Panther asked.
      Bernard shrugged. "It should, but it's not like I've ever done this before. And the cannon wasn't created for this. It was meant to defend against Northstar. I've reduced the power, but as to whether it's safe, is anyone's guess."
      "Will she do it?"
      "I think so," Bernard said. "But the truth of the matter is she has no choice." He looked at Panther with eyes deader than the night. "No choice whatsoever."
      Hoverton
      "We have to hope he made it," Mantris said. "And if he did, then the Defenders will come --"
      "Be quiet!" Vanala hissed. "Do you want them to hear?"
      "They're not gods, Vanala," Zava said quietly. "They have power, but beneath that power, they are knaves plain and simple. They only understand one thing."
      "And what would that be?" a voice drawled from behind the threesome. "What is the one thing we understand?"
      The screaming went on for hours.
      Dragonholm
      "So it's settled," Dipak said.
      "It is decided, Honored One," Othar said. "That is the not the same as decided, but I think the Council will agree, barring unforeseen events."
      Dipak looked at him sharply. "See to it that such events do not happen."
      "The shadow dragons are powerful, Honored One," Othar said. "But we are not the only players in this war for the throne. And the truly wild card is your brother Cartocillian. What will he do?"
      "He will support us," Dipak said.
      "Such support would be welcome, and even more so if he held Nuri," Othar said. "Or does he, Honored One?"
      "He holds Quietus," Dipak said. "The War Sword is not to be a trifle."
      "That is truth, Honored One," Othar said. "But Boaz holds two of the Thirteen. Quietus was never one of the Thirteen, and it has brought disaster as often as victory."
      "It has never been wielded by one such as my brother, either," Dipak said sharply. "In his hands, the War Sword is as mighty as Nuri."
      "Let us hope that is so, Honored One," Othar said. "Otherwise, our lives may be shorter than we would wish and our deaths will certainly be more painful."
      A dark cavern in the Glorioles Mountains
      It burned for a taste of him again. It could still remember his blood burning through its body. It hungered for it as it had never hungered before. It had taken a score of lives since its release, but human blood no longer satisfied it. It wanted to feed upon the golden being again. It needed to.
      It shuddered as it recalled how close it had come to death. It would be wise to avoid the golden being, but it knew it could not. It had tasted power. It could not rest until it consumed him totally.
      Soon, it thought. Soon.

      And that's enough for tonight on Knaves. By the way, Knaves participants should comment. Otherwise, I might not be encouraged to post more of these.
      Otherwise, I haven't had much time to do anything else. What have you been doing? Many of us aren't blogging regularly. I'd complain, but it would be the pot calling the kettle black. Still we all need to do better. You first.
      I have a laser, not a robot monkey head. I wanted to clear that up. I like the robot monkey head, but it would just be another unused gadget in a house already filled with unused gadgets. I do have an exclusive, signed copy of Hal Spacejock, but you may already know that. It's joined my collection of signed copies. I have books signed by Holly Lisle, M.K. Preston, Lynn Viehl, Michael Garrett and Clay Reynolds as well as, of course, Simon Haynes. I also have some self-published books signed by their authors. It's a small, but growing group that I hope to add to. I particularly would like a signed book from Carolyn Hart, my favorite Oklahoma mystery writer.
      Well, I happen to know at least one Knaves participant is waiting for me to post this so I will now. Y'all have a good week. I'll see ya here tomorrow. Promise!