Joaquin's Realm

What do you do when your son has the computer that is hooked up to the internet and won't let you on ? Find another project!!
So that's what I did. I made Keta and I avatars to go with our w.i.p. paranormal book Black Phoenix Rising.



Those are the two warrior-ettes to the left and right, just above our "About Me" sections.

They might be too small to see but they took a little tweaking. Neither of those heads belong to those bodies, lol!


Sometimes a little photoshopping helps to set the mood, to get a visual of each character and see if there's something missing. Rhoswen, the red haired vixen in the header, was the first character we displayed and now I'm also done our next character, hunky winged man, Ayr. (see image above)

Lindsay Townsend hosts Joaquin as we talk about our co authored project, The Fall of the Black Phoenix and some of our own experiences with all things paranormal, November 1st, 2009.


http://lindsaysromantics.blogspot.com/

Please feel free to stop by and leave a comment!

Tara Nichols and Keta Diablo, writing as JOAQUIN, finaled in Stella Cameron’s prestigious Scarlet Boa contest with their PARANORMAL entry.

Read excerpt below ENTRY NUMBER 90:

If you like it, PLEASE VOTE HERE FOR No. 90

Tara and I are thrilled to have placed in the final ten among over 148 entries. Follow the progress of the contest. The voting will continue through October 31st and the winning entry will be read by an editor from MIRA publishing.

Caveat: We don’t want to win based on popularity but on MERIT. But you can read the entry before you vote!

Heartfelt thanks to all who voted for Fall of the Black Phoenix in the first round. We so appreciate it.

Namaste, Keta Diablo and Tara Nichols

Follow JOAQUIN'S REALM and our progress on the Angel/Demon series

ENTRY NO. 90:
Fall of the Black Phoenix (tentative title)


Ayr stepped into the winter night as another clap of thunder split the air. Strange, he thought, looking up at star-filled sky. Deep in the heart of winter, a thin layer of frost clung to the hardwoods and pines, and rain-laden clouds loomed overhead, poised on the brink of unleashing a torrent upon his head.

Lifting his face to the sky, Ayr closed his eyes and willed his body to leave the ground. He rose up, his wings a transparent shimmer, a latent memory of what they were when he graced the heavens. In spite of his earthly presence, the celestial extensions never failed him. They had always served as a pseudo-conduit, opening his mind to the evil forces at work. From out of the dark came a roll of thunder, so loud it shook the stars.

A far-off shriek shattered his concentration, startling him. His powerful body careened left and for a moment threatened his symmetrical balance. Gathering his wits, he focused on the direction of the blood-curdling scream. The malevolent energy he'd sensed earlier seeped into his pores. He struggled to block out the interference and allowed his mind to lead him toward the ill-fated source.

Banking south, he cupped his wings, lowered his head and prepared to land. A barrier rose before him—an invisible barricade with the strength and force of impregnable armor. With steeled determination, he pushed onward and landed at the mouth of a wide, litter-riddled back alley.

The stench of refuse and blood spiraled up his nose and, something else― an intoxicating mixture of red patchouli and bold, pale musk.

The scent of a woman surely made in heaven.

Shadows shifted in the alley; one, a stunning beauty, the woman whose fragrance he'd devoured moments ago, and oh, God, the other, Lazarus, his young protégé. The warrior-woman held his limp body by the lapels of his jacket, her emerald eyes fixed on his bloodless face. His friend's eyes were open, the pupils rolled back in his head. The image reminded him of a scene from Night of the Living Dead. Laz' chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, so miniscule a human would have thought him deceased.

Ayr knew he should do something . . . like kill the bitch, but why did his feet feel nailed to the cold ground? Transfixed by some unknown force he watched as the woman covered Lazarus' mouth with hers. Ayr knew the act was not that of a wanton lover, nor did her actions spawn from a personal vendetta against Laz. Her cold eyes lacked lust or desire, discounting necrophilia. This was the work of a professional, a cold-hearted, highly skilled killer.

She lowered her mouth, covered his lips with hers and sucked in her cheeks. The magnificent green eyes closed and her chest heaved inward. A cold chill snaked down Ayr's spine, and not from the frosty air. With a sudden jerk of her neck, her head arched back and a trail of pale blue smoke spewed from her lips. Another shudder shook Ayr as he drew his gaze to Lazarus. The man's body convulsed and a garbled choke slipped from his throat. Like a sunflower caught up in an ice-storm his flaccid body sagged.

The woman released her hold on his jacket and Ayr waited for the sound of his body to hit the hard ground. He hadn't counted on what happened next. Laz' physical being turned to dust before his eyes; a handful of gray soot that blew away in a cold, bitter wind. The red-haired beauty watched the matter take flight then made the sign of the cross.

A jolt of lightning jerked Ayr from his trance-like state. “Soul Thief,” he whispered and prepared for battle.

Our story is up on the Scarlet Boa site. We have a 1 in 148 chance but we could really use your help!

Here is the link to the entries, and the voting form is listed Here.

This project has been tons of fun to brainstorm and we love feedback, so please, feel free to drop us a line, leave a comment, tell us what you think!

Scarlet Boa? What's that?

Stella Cameron is holding a best opening scene to a paranormal novel contest.

Click Here for contest Page

For this year's Scarlet Boa Contest, write an impossible-to-ignore opening to a paranormal story. Dynamic words, style and setup can grab an immediate "Yes!" from an editor. Think of your opener as the perfect pitch.

From ten finalists, one winner will be voted on by readers to receive the coveted Scarlet Boa and Award Certificate, and three more writers will each receive an Honorable Mention. One lucky reader/voter, chosen at random during the live Scarlet Boa Winner chat, will also be the winner of their own special boa--color, a surprise! NEWS FLASH!! The winning entry for the Scarlet Boa Contest will be read by Adam Wilson, Editor, MIRA/Harlequin!!!

RULES:

a. Write an opening scene that introduces your paranormal world
b. Use 1,000 words or less.
c. One entry per individual.

The Scarlet Boa contest is open to published and non-published authors alike. Submit your entry (500-1000 words). We'll accept submissions until September 25th and post them online October 1st.


So... Crossing our fingers and toes...

Please excuse the absence of pizzaz while we set up. There’s more to come, we promise.