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Hi everyone,

Happy Saturday. I hope you had a good week. I had a bit of a bad focus week this week, but my lovely friends and partner were kind enough to get me some of my favorite takeout including a vanilla milkshake. Yum. I don't have a ton of updates, but I do have a casual reminder unclench your jaw, breath, and make sure to drink some water.

In writing news, Snow's Captive episode 10 is officially live. My friend and I finished chapter 3 for The Road (formerly Gourmet Hunters). I also drafted more of Belladonna was Betrayed. And I have a short snippet of Tidal Gems for you.

Tidal Gems

As I left the cover the coves provided for Keya beach, the gentle waves swelled, tossing the small boat about like a bath toy. The horizon was still completely black, but something pulled me out to sea like a rip current. The shorelines and mountains of Keya beach faded into the distance. Panic gripped my chest even as I urged the boat onward even as the dark sky turned to a faint pink. I squinted at the rising sun. If I don’t get this boat back soon, I could get caught and lose my scholarship, so why are my arms refusing to turn the ship around? I squinted down at the water. The same pull I’d felt luring my out here wanted me to jump in the water, but I hadn’t brought my diving gear. I dipped a toe in the water and shuddered. It was ice cold. I pawed around the cabin of the boat, hoping to at least find a wetsuit, but all I could find was a pair of goggles. I guess that’s better than nothing. If I’m risking my job for this, might as well see it through. After anchoring the boat, I dug my nails into my palm and dove into the water.

Slowly I dove down into the dark water as I followed the nagging feeling in my gut. I tried to find the bottom of the area I was diving in, but the spot was oddly deep. Despite my better instincts, I dove further down swerving out of the way of a Normura's Jellyfish and swimming out of view of a Giant Squid, but I still didn’t touch the bottom. I passed by a shark, but as usual it avoided me. I expected my lungs to burn as I continued deeper into the water or for my ears to pop but being in the water like this felt oddly normal. When I felt along my neck, there was something ridged like gills. What the hell?

I stood upright, and my feet brushed on sand and rock. I surveyed the sandy bottom and was disappointed when all that was there were a couple of strange looking seahorses circling a stray piece of aquamarine that almost blended in completely with the bright blue water. At the sight me, the seahorses swam off, just like most fish did when I got too close to them. I picked up the palm-sized aquamarine and pushed off the sandy bottom to go back up to the surface.

Snippet End

That's all I've got for you this week. I just have a one more question for you.

What's a mythology you like that you never see in stories?

I'm personally a fan of the Encantado (a shapeshifting pink bottlenose dolphin) but I'm also partial to Japanese mythology which I don't get to see in stories often apart from Kitsune.

Have a great day and stay safe.

Sincerely,

Julia

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