I try to get over Covid.

So first off Dragoncon was busy this year. I'm usually pretty packed but with 12 panels and the booth, it felt like a time bubble. Nothing seemed real or even anchored to reality. Which honestly is awesome. I sold a bunch of books, though not as much as I had hoped, but still better than I feared.

But by far the best part was people. I saw so many friends and hopefully established the groundwork for making new ones - though I need to find my business card pile and follow up on things. It's buried somewhere. Covid threw a loop into my plans. Dragoncon ended on Monday, Tuesday was a unpack and rest day. Wednesday was supposed to be my get shit put away and cleaned up, and then I had to work Thursday and Friday.

Yeah. Verified I had Covid Wednesday morning, spent it miserable, but then I still had to work Thursday and Friday (remote). I'd work, go nap for 40 minutes. Come back put out fires, go nap for 40 minutes. It was exhausting, but I got it done. Now I'm almost back to human, but still exhausted and coughing. And my sense of smell is gone. It is the weirdest thing ever. You sniff KNOWING there is a smell there and nada. Oh well, I'm trying to look on the bright side, if nothing smells good, maybe it will be easier for me to not eat? Just a thought.

Now I need to catch up on the fact that I haven't written in 12 days (cries) but I have more faith in myself. I don't think I realized how many people loved my books until I sold at Dragoncon, it's a bit humbling, scary, and awe inspiring. So thank you.

Now while I get back to getting my life in order (maybe next weekend, please? We won't talk about the wreck my garden is, sigh) I thought I'd tell you about my friends and give you links to their websites, cause author friends rock.

Megan Mackie - writes a odd world with demons, immortals, and plucky characters.

Katie Cross - all the fantasy in a world that is endlessly evolving.

Robert Ross - Scifi, fantasy, and a paranormal romance that will make your heart ache.

Jay Boyce - Litrpg with dragons and bunnycorns.

Mark Stallings - Fascinating Asian fantasy and mil-scifi.

Gini Koch - Sci-fi and a little bit of everything else.

Go look and see who I get to hang out with. Until next week, enjoy!

Free Will

"CHOOSE!" the voice boomed at me.

I flinched but couldn't take my eyes away from the vision in front of me. It seemed so obvious. And that made me suspicious. Anything that was that obvious was usually a trick, and I wanted to know what the catch was.

"Why?"

There was an odd pause. "WHY?" The voice wasn't so boomy anymore.

"Yes. Why? Why do I choose? Aren't you supposed to know where I'm supposed to go? What is behind the two options?"

"FREE WILL," it said, the reassurance back in its tone.

"Bullshit."

"?"

"Free will means making my own informed decisions, not blindly guessing based off of common mythological impressions of what is a reward or punishment," I snapped. The harder I got pushed the more stubborn I became. It was a character flaw I knew, but at this point since I seemed to be dead I might as well embrace it.

"CHOOSE!"

I snarled and moved closer to inspect both portals. They were just images, what I would have called holograms if this was a sci-fi movie. No heat, no air, just static images. I looked down at the entrances, but they both looked identical with a grinning face dividing them. I turned and looked at where I was. A large stone chamber, with these as the only two visible entrance or exit points. No chairs, no windows, no nothing. I could stay here, especially as I didn't seem to need to eat, breathe, or pee. I'd been checking with myself and while I could see a body, there weren't any of the normal indicators. No aches, no twinges, just nothing.

"CHOOSE!" The voice was more imperative, but I just held up my hand, middle finger raised. Heaven or Hell was the obvious choice. The safe path to light and eternal happiness or fire and brimstone. Neither really appealed to me.

"What the hell. I always took the hard way, why stop now?" With a smirk I walked in between the portals straight through the face that grinned wider as I stepped through into my future.

My mind is so weird I swear. For those of you just joining us, if you haven't read Shattered, you can do so now.

Mel

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