Dark Host by Kim Knox

Dark Host was a finalist in the Brava Novella Competition and it’s also the first time I played with shifters. Oh and some zombies…of a sort *grin*

Blurb

Feline Mosaic, Charis Sur, thought her mission aboard the INS Pagidion would be quick and easy. All she has to do is watch her target and keep him alive until Betelgeuse goes nova.

Simple. Until one of the passengers drops dead in front of her.

Suddenly everything is not simple. Her life depends on a successful mission and she has to protect her target from whatever killed this man. That throws her into the path of Jason Narak, the one man she never wanted to see again. The man who burned her six months before. Yet, even as her past with Jason hurls her mission, her life into disarray, Charis finds that…something…is waiting for them aboard the INS Pagidion.

It calls itself darkness. And it needs a host.

The buy link is here and you can read the first chapter here

Stress

I think this topic is one we can all relate to on some level. We have to meet demands placed on us by employers, loved ones and even ourselves. I’ve been reading a lot on this particular topic as it affects so many aspects of our lives that we sometimes aren’t even aware of.


We spend most of our day ripping and running trying to do things for everyone else (usually) and then we have five minutes (it sometimes seems) to relax before we have to start the whole process over again.


Hell, I’m out of breath just thinking about it! It got to a point when I didn’t even realize when I was stressed or starting to stress. It wouldn’t be until after my heart was racing, my head was screaming and my mind could no longer form coherent thoughts that I realized I was freaking out about something.


When I realized this behavior was really damaging to me and my relationships I decided something needed to be done. I learned to meditate and open my mouth and talk about things that were bothering me instead of letting them fester. I read books and looked at web sites and talked to actual people to find out how others dealt with stress.


During my search for information I came across this article. Here they discuss what stress is, how it affects the body and what you can do to identify when you are stressed and how to cope with it. I hope you gain something from it as I did. Let me know what you think.

Thursday Thirteen

I seemed to have forgotten all the things I hated about pregnancy so in my ignorance I decided to have another one. What the hell was I thinking?

13 things about pregnancy I can’t stand!

1. Morning (more like all day) sickness. I’ve never gotten the full blown sickness but the halfblown was more than enough.

2. The constant bathroom breaks. Seriously I have never peed so much in my life… ever.

3. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough sleep again. Between the little munchkin in there stealing all my energy and the constant nightly bathroom breaks (up to 4 a night thanks) I’m never going to feel well rested again.

4. If my skin gets any itchier I think I may scratch it off. All the stretching can’t be good for me and there isn’t enough cocoa butter in the world to relieve me of my sadness. *sigh*

5. New wardrobe. Yes this is the one time in life where having to get new clothes is not a plus.

6. My face is so fat it might float of my neck at any second.

7. Pregnancy brain is the devil. Oh yes it does exist. I can’t remember a damn thing… er what was I saying?

8. Trouble breathing. There is a living being in there pushing against my lungs and other organs. Thanks a lot!

9. Cravings. Seriously how many helpings of brownies and ice cream can one person eat… have I mentioned that I don’t like sweets?

10. The constant hunger makes me feel like a vampire. I always need to feed… only food not blood… right, moving on.

11. If one more thing on my body starts to ache I can’t be accountable for my actions.

12. When strange people touch me I want to do violent things. People I do know can touch. If I’ve never before seen you in life, stay the hell away!

13. 9 (Really 10) months is like forever. It’s almost a year! Why am I being punished?

Well that sums up my life in a nutshell. I have to say that even though I totally want this to be over… NOW there is nothing like holding a fresh, newborn baby in your arms. All of this is totally worth it. I’m sure I’ll agree with that statement even more once the pregnancy is over.

Thursday Thirteen

13 Things I Love and Miss about My Home Town
Some of you may not know this but I’m originally from Chicago, IL. It was like culture shock when I came to the south but eventually I learned to love it. There are still some things I miss and will always love about Chicago.


1. Hot Dogs. The Chicago style hot dog was one of the best inventions on the planet. It really is a meal on a bun topped with pickles, onions, tomatoes, Ketchup and mustard. Some people like to add or subtract but I like it just the way it is!
2. The Gyros Sandwich. I know they have this wonderful Greek treat in other places but in Chicago… wow. They are so big you have to eat it sideways and I have yet to finish one. The lamb meat is wonderful and succulent and they are best served with onions, tomatoes and lots of cucumber sauce. Yummy!
3. Pizza! Chicago is the only place I will eat a deep dish pizza. My favorite place is Gino’s East. OMG they make the pizza on a yellowish cornbread crust and the pizza is so saucy and flavorful. The pieces are so big I can only eat about two. *drool*
4. The Museum of Science and Industry is my favorite museum. They have exhibits that will interest people from 2 years old to 80. There are all kinds of buttons and walk through exhibits and information. It’s just wonderful.
5. Next is the Field Museum. The exhibits there are wonderful as well. You can learn about dinosaurs and see their bones reconstructed, soaring toward the ceiling or catch an adventure into an Egyptian tomb. Really how could you not love it?
6. The Shed Aquarium is to die for. There are all sorts of sea animals and snakes and lizards. They also have shows. It’s well worth the time and money and you’ll have to go more than once to see all there is to see and get the full experience.
7. Brookfield Zoo is excellent. I’m 26 and I still beg my mommy to take me when I go home during the warm months. They have so many activities and events depending on the time of year and it’s just lovely to walk through.
8. Barbeque. I know the south is supposed to be known for barbeque but they don’t do it the way we do. We do it in a pit. (ooh that sounded naughty) You can literally smell the food a block before you get to the place and you can order ribs, chicken, hot links and pretty much anything else. My favorite joint is Lem’s Barbeque House. The food is so good and the sauce is one of a kind.
9. The Taste of Chicago. I haven’t been in years but I want to go back so badly. You can get a taste of what everyone has to offer and meet a lot of people along the way. If you go on July third you’ll be treated to the best fireworks show I’ve ever seen. It’s good enough to stop traffic on Lake Shore Drive.
10. Harold’s Chicken. By far the best chicken joint I’ve ever been to. The chicken is tender and juicy and the sauce is to die for. You don’t go to Harold’s and not get sauce. I usually get a mix of hot and mild. *more drooling*
11. The Lake (That would be Lake Michigan). During the summer the lake is where it’s at. There are concerts, festivals and don’t forget The Taste (mentioned in number 9). It’s the best on an 80 degree. When you walk by you get that nice lake effect breeze and it… just… feels… so.. GOOD! And It’s huge. You can’t even see to the other side. The first time I took The Man there his eyes turned to saucers and he said, “That’s a Lake?”
12. Public Transportation. I love where I live now but the public transportation system sucks. In Chicago I didn’t even need to drive… and I didn’t. There are the buses (The CTA and the PACE), the L Train (which has multiples lines and there are two many to try and list them all) and the Metra. Some of them even run all night long. God I miss owl service.*sigh*
13. Last but not least I miss and love my family and friends. My parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and closest friends all still live there for the most part. They always make me wish I could live in two places at once. I love them all and miss them dearly. *kisses to all my family and friends*

Well it’s time to go to work but thanks for stopping by and sharing things I love about my hometown. See you later.

Thursday Thirteen

Bath room etiquette or 13 rules of public/non private work place bathrooms that should never be ignored.

1. If there are 8 other perfectly usable stalls available DON’T SIT NEXT TO ME! Seriously could you not have used one of the other stalls?
2. If you insist on sitting next to me and I happen to be out of toilet paper the least you could do is hand me some if I ask. Don’t hoard an entire roll in your stall. No one needs that much damn TP.
3. Along the lines of TP don’t leave it all over the floor when you’re done. Again no one needs that much and if it’s trailing the floor (And now attached to the bottom of my shoe) then you’ve gone overboard.
4. Don’t pee all over the seat (especially women). I mean seriously ladies have no excuse. If you don’t want to sit your bare ass on the public toilet then use the seat covers or make one out of TP. Don’t make the rest of us suffer
5. If I don’t know you please do not try to have a conversation with me over the walls of the stalls… seriously if we don’t know each other the only time we should speak is if discussing number 2 and it should still be brief.
6. Speaking of briefs, if for some reason you feel the need to remove your underwear please don’t leave them behind. We don’t want to see them… trust me.
7. Also, women, if it’s your “time” of the month PLEASE do NOT leave behind used feminine products were others will be unfortunate to see them. Really. Those little trashcans in the stalls are there for a reason.*HURL*
8. Let’s talk about the handicap stall. I know it’s got the little blue sign on the door or near the door but seriously, if you are close to having an “accident” please just use it ESPECIALLY if there are no handicap people around. Really I’m sure they’d rather wait a few minutes than slip and fall on your pee.
9. If you feel the need to take your cell phone into the stall with you I beg you not to have a 30 minute conversation while taking up said stall. Really someone could be out there with their bladder about to burst. You wouldn’t want to have that on your conscience now would you?
10. The bathroom is not a conference room. Please do not hold extensive meetings in there with your buddies. Most of us are trying to get in and out quickly and chances are your “meeting” is in the way of more urgent matters.
11. When you’re done handling your “business” please flush. And if it all doesn’t go down the first time flush AGAIN. There is no such thing as limited flushes as far as I know and everyone who comes in afterward would be eternally grateful.
12. After exiting the stall please wash your hands. No other explanation needed on that I should hope.
13. When washing hands please try not to make horrendous mess. I know it can be difficult but the least you can do if the water gets out of hand is clean it up. Really I don’t want to lean to close to the sink and come back looking like a wash rag.

Can you tell I had a not so nice day? Let’s hope for a better tomorrow, shall we? *Sigh*

What Type of Car Are You?

Oh come on, let's have some fun! Take the quiz and let me know the results. *rubs hands together*

You Are a Convertible

You're playful and carefree. You are lighthearted in all aspects of your life. Life is short and you act accordingly. You don't worry, and you try to bring fun into other people's lives. You love feeling free, and you don't do well with rules or restrictions. You need to be able to do your own thing. You feel more alive than most people. You can really savor the little things in life, like feeling the wind in your hair.

What Type of Car Are You?

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things I Love About Spring.


1. The smell of freshly cut grass. It almost smells sweet.

2. The warmer weather. I'm a winter baby that hates the winter. The hotter the better.

3. Thundershowers. I know it rains during the winter but it rains more in the spring. The sound and the smell relax me and make me sleep like a baby.

4. Saving electricity. I love leaving the doors and windows open to let the breeze flow through. The fresh air just does something for me.

5. Kids. I'm from a generation where the kids liked to spend more time outdoors than inside (even though we still loved to play our video games). Seeing the kids playing outside, when it's finally warm enough just touches my heart.

6. Long walks. Once the weather finally turns, I love to spend time outdoors walking and enjoying the time with someone special.

7. Sitting on the patio (doesn't have to be your patio). What's better than sitting outside and enjoying the breeze? Sitting outside and enjoying the breeze.

8. Then there are barbeques. The smell of food cooking on a grill as you sit on the patio mentioned above is one of the best things ever. I know barbeques are sometimes thought of as a summer thing but around here we barbeque on the first day the temperature hits 70.

9. While enjoying the barbeque I like to watch the leaves come back. There cute light green color makes me feel good and happy inside.

10. The longer days are wonderful. I hate daylight savings time, really who wants to lose an hour, but having longer amounts of time with sunlight is so worth it.

11. I like the new wardrobe colors for the spring. Though the deeper reds and browns from fall and winter are lovely the blues and pinks of spring are my favorite.

12. Speaking of changes in wardrobe I like the new fashions of spring. The shorts, tanks and miniskirts are right up my alley.

13. Finally there are the opened toed shoes. I love to have my feet out and feel the air against my flesh.

It's supposed to be warm out today. I think I may go out and enjoy some of this spring weather!