Shalia's Diary Monday Post

A surprise visit.  http://shaliasdiary.blogspot.com/

Shalia's Diary Thursday Post

The final word on the attack.  http://shaliasdiary.blogspot.com/

Shalia's Diary Monday Post

A fiery hell.  http://shaliasdiary.blogspot.com/

The Kalquor Timeline

I was recently asked by a reader to provide a timeline of when the various books occur, especially when it comes to the Clan Beginnings series.  I’ve been meaning to do this for myself, as I am starting to get confused as to when certain events happened.  It seems like I’m constantly going back and looking at older books to get my bearings.  The Kalquor saga is growing faster than even I can keep up with.

So to that end, I have done my best to figure out the ‘when’ of each book, whether already written or in the planning stages.  Here is what I came up with, though knowing me, I might have made some miscalculations.  If you catch me placing something in the wrong sequence, do me a favor and tell me.  Heaven knows, I need all the help I can get! 

My ‘zero point’ is Armageddon.  The timeline is based around that occurrence.  Here’s what I have:

Clan, Honor, and Empire (Clan Rajhir’s WIP):  55 years before Armageddon 

Clan and Crown (Clan Clajak’s WIP):  40 years before Armageddon

Clan and Conviction:  16 years before Armageddon

To Clan and Conquer:  6 years before Armageddon

Clan Companions 1 (Untitled WIP):  4 years before Armageddon

Alien Embrace :  Approximately 2 years prior to Armageddon

Alien Rule, Michaela (WIP), and Clan Bacoj Beginnings (Untitled WIP):  Approximately one and a half years prior to Armageddon

Alien Conquest, Sister Katherine:  Armageddon occurs during these books

Shalia’s Diary:  Starts 2 months after Armageddon

Alien Salvation: 6 months after Armageddon

Alien Slave, Brianna’s Clan (WIP):  Over a year after Armageddon 

Alien Redemption:  2 years after Armageddon

Alien Refuge:     3 years after Armageddon 

Alien Caged (WIP):  Almost 4 years after Armageddon

Alien Indiscretions (WIP):  4 years after Armageddon

Alien Hostage (WIP):  4 and a half years after Armageddon

Okay, I have something else to put out there to the readers.  Like many of you, I adore physical books as well as e-books.  However, I have begun to pull away from putting my own books in print.  The last one I did was Alien Refuge.  I’m not sure I want to bother with putting the next one, Alien Caged, in any format besides e-book.  While I make some money from print books, it’s little enough that I can live without it (especially given the aggravation of formatting it).  If you will do me the kindness of voting on the poll at the top right of the blog, answering whether or not you plan to buy Alien Caged in print, I would be most appreciative.  Thanks!

Shalia's Diary Thursday Post

Attack and betrayal.  http://shaliasdiary.blogspot.com/

Shalia's Diary Monday Post

Confrontation.  http://shaliasdiary.blogspot.com/

Sunday’s Serving – Clan Beginnings: Clan, Honor, and Empire (WIP)

Hi all,

Before you read today's excerpt, I just want to let you know this is the last Sunday's Serving I will post.  It has become just like WIP Wednesday, so I'm not going to continue it any longer.  Besides, time I'm not worrying with the blog is time I'm writing books!  Here's the last one:

            Rajhir stood ramrod straight before Gegra’s desk, doing his best to portray confidence.  He’d caught Gegra before the end of his workday still in the legal office.  He made sure to keep his gaze locked with his Dramok father’s, careful not to let his eyes stray to the calmer beach scene showing on the vid behind Gegra.  Distraction would not do at this moment.

            Over the low sound of waves dashing themselves to the pink-sanded shore rose the mournful call of the reptiles that tended to nest on the beach during the winter months.  Their cries seemed to warn Rajhir that bad tidings were about to be spoken.  So far, his Dramok father had only expressed exasperation and confusion over his decision to work for a young and newly elected councilman.  He had not yet unleashed a loud diatribe or, even worse, the withering look that Rajhir knew all too well.  The Look would no doubt made him feel smaller than any of the many mistakes he’d made in Ospar’s sight today.

            Gegra wasn’t yelling at him ... not yet.  “You knew you were to accept the position in Teken’s office!  He commed me several times this morning asking where you were.  Then after lunch, he told me you had tendered your regrets having accepted a position elsewhere.”

            Rajhir nodded.  “The line of applicants at Teken’s office was quite long, and I took advantage of the opportunity to interview elsewhere, just as you said to.  I found myself with an opportunity far beyond any I’d expected.  I knew you would approve, considering the circumstances.”

            “Approve?  Working with an untried youngling who knows nothing of procedures and precedents?  First term councilmen get almost nothing of note done, Rajhir.  They haven’t the connections or knowledge of how things work.  How are you supposed to learn from someone like that?”

            Now came the look Rajhir had dreaded.  Suddenly he felt ten years old again, facing Gegra’s disapproval.  The Look said it all:  I expected so much better from you, and you have disappointed me.

            Managing to keep his tone even and his shoulders squared despite getting The Look, Rajhir defended his decision.  “Councilman Ospar is quite ambitious.  I was impressed with his motivation to make important things happen.”

            Gegra sighed.  He sat back and the chair creaked.  “They all start out that way, Rajhir.  Then the veteran councilmen who have been there a while roll right over the new ones and take all the excitement away.  It’s not a flash of fire that gets you through the first years of council service; it’s the slow burn of duty.”

            “Ospar has a lead on some suspect dealings with Ledsin’s Imdiko.  It could be that garbage legislation Ledsin is trying to push through is part of it.  Ospar says it smacks of not just corruption but undermining the Empire itself.”

            The Look died.  Though Gegra maintained cool aloofness, Rajhir saw his father’s focus shift in an instant away from his son’s employment choices.  The elder Dramok’s gaze went sharp to hear his political opponent might be up to no good.

No release date scheduled.

Shalia's Diary Thursday Post

Lies and betrayal.  http://shaliasdiary.blogspot.com/

WIP Wednesday – Clan Beginnings: Clan, Honor, and Empire

            Rajhir was of the firm opinion his new boss was downright obsessive-compulsive.  Ospar was right in asserting one should be fully informed, but who needed to know the more archaic details he’d collected?  Even the mind-numbingly boring legislative precedents class Rajhir had taken hadn’t gone into such small matters.

            Definitely too much of this stuff.  I wonder if he’d notice if some of this went missing?  I sure wouldn’t mind recycling about half of it.  Seriously, will he have a clue if I was to get rid—

            “Excuse me?”

            Rajhir didn’t look up as a shadow fell over his desk.  He sighed tiredly.  “Councilman Ospar is not looking for an aide.”

            “Oh, well, I don’t want to be an aide.”

            Rajhir looked up.  And up.  And up. 

            Standing in front of his drive-littered desk was the biggest man he’d ever seen.  At six-foot-seven, Rajhir was not a small specimen himself, but this fellow easily topped seven feet.  It wasn’t just height either; the man was bulky with muscle.  He looked as if he could topple mountains.

            Completely at odds with the brutish body was the open, sweet face that topped it.  He might have been gargantuan, but the man was definitely of the gentle Imdiko breed.

            Rajhir realized he gaped at the young colossus.  He blinked a couple of times and said, “My apologies.  It’s open applicant day for all the new councilmen, so I assumed – damn, you are the biggest thing I’ve ever seen.”

            The Imdiko reddened and looked away.  “Yeah, I get that a lot.”

            Rajhir shook himself and stood.  He bowed to the other man.  “I’m being rude, and I beg your pardon for it.  I’m Councilman Ospar’s aide, Dramok Rajhir.  How can I help you—?”

            “Flencik.  Dr. Flencik.”  The Imdiko smiled as he bowed, making his unlined face even more youthful.  He was a handsome thing, his heavy bone structure perfect for his stature.  He didn’t look brutish at all. 

            Rajhir caught himself admiring the perfect spirals of Flencik’s curly hair that reached to his chest.  Shining black coils that begged to be touched.  It was only now as he got over his surprise at the Imdiko’s size that he noticed the man was dressed in a green medical tunic and trousers.   

            Rajhir became impatient with the way he conducted himself.  “A pleasure to meet you, Dr. Flencik.  How may I be of assistance?”

            The man bit his lower lip as uncertainty crossed his features.  Yes, he was definitely young to be making such a childish expression, perhaps even younger than Rajhir.  Maybe not even old enough to clan. 

No release date set.

Shalia's Diary Monday Post

All tied up with Nang.  http://shaliasdiary.blogspot.com/

Sunday’s Serving – Clans of Kalquor 8: Alien Caged (WIP)

Captain Joseph Walker sat in his chair, staring at the vid transmission of a man almost everyone thought was dead.  Holy Leader Browning Copeland had not only survived Armageddon; he had escaped Earth and the subsequent trials the Galactic Council of Planets had imposed on those in Earth’s leadership positions.  Hiding on another rogue battlecruiser, he flew about space much as Walker’s vessel did, hiding from those who would see him answer for the deaths of billions of people.  The Galactic Council of Planets would not care that he had been the Voice of God on Earth.  He would be made to pay for murder if they ever caught him.

The Holy Leader showed few of the trials Joseph’s crew had endured since the end of Earth.  His wavy hair was carefully combed back, the white of it gleaming with an aura of almost divine radiance.  It put the white of his robes to shame, making them seem dingy in comparison.  His crystalline blue eyes were creased at the corners, a slight testament to his 68 years since gracing Earth with his birth.  Besides the few lines that marked the passage of time, Copeland’s complexion was flawless, almost ageless.  His shoulders were broad and strong.  Even over the vid he projected serene grace.  Despite having evidence that Copeland was not the infallible messenger of God all had revered him as, Joseph still felt insignificant and duty-bound to worship him whenever they spoke.

Right now, the Holy Leader looked quite pleased with him, and it took all Joseph had to not scream his unworthiness at Copeland’s satisfaction.  Damn it, the man was nothing but a charlatan.  The whole religion had been a sham, at least the way Earth’s government had used it.  Still, Joseph’s officers and a lot of his remaining crew continued to believe, to the point of being dangerous to the rest who now had every reason to doubt as the captain did.

So why was his first reaction to Copeland’s approval always unmitigated joy?  Why did he still feel unworthy when the Holy Leader seemed disappointed or, even worse, disapproving? 

Releasing October 2013

Shalia's Diary Thursday Post

Weln's worries.  http://shaliasdiary.blogspot.com/

Shalia's Diary Monday Post

Candy's clans.  http://shaliasdiary.blogspot.com/