Flowers of the west coast

The flowers are budding like crazy in my garden. In the front are peonies, next are the foxgloves. We loved to play with these as kids, used them for swords, or put a pod on the end of each finger and pretended we worked magic with them. Behind those are phlox. It grows wild all over the place and I leave them to seed in the garden because they fill the empty spaces with their beautiful pink to purple flowers and lovely scent.

What is blooming where you are?

Slow recovery

I came down with a cold a week ago, and it became one of the worst colds I can remember. No fever, or chills. But a total wipeout in terms of energy, and a cough that won’t quit, no matter what I use to treat it with.

Meanwhile, my job is to keep writing my new novel. 🙂

Don’t you love it? This new book is about some of the creeks up the coast of Vancouver Island. They have names like — Cat’s Ear, Sir Donald, Dead Man, Perseverance. I’m not sure who came up with these names, but they have really drawn me in. Now I have to come up with a story about them.

Fun, eh?

Hawaii

Just returned from a trip to Maui. It is so beautiful there.

Nearby park and the beach below. We tried to swim everyday, unless the monsoon was still dumping rain on us.
Egret in the shrubs
Palms soaring to the sky.

We stayed for three weeks, the first two weeks with our daughter and two grandsons with us, ages 8 and 5. Unfortunately, most of the dumping rain happened while they were there. But once it eased up we began to see clouds and sometimes sun. They jumped in the waves, and made amazing sand structures. They buried themselves in the sand at one point, until it took a great deal of digging to get them out. 🙂

The sun going down on our last day in Maui. Stunning view. People lined up on the beach to watch it disappear into the water. What a wonderful trip. Then we came home to the familiar February weather on the west coast of Canada. Yes, by the end of the first day back I was wearing a wool pullover. But it was worth it. 🙂

Cover reveal – Aqatain, the Prequel

Prequel to The Last War series

A stunning prequel to the popular Last War series from best-selling author Sylvie Grayson.

Second waited years to take his father’s place as Emperor. Now he’ll rule the territories his way, with an iron fist. He has a son with his mistress. A son with his wife. His own hareem, and his own army. He can do anything he wants.

Then he encounters Jenna, a counsellor’s daughter, and immediately falls into lust. Why can’t he have her, too? After all, he’s the Emperor. But General Romero Regiment spotted Jenna at the same time, and determines to pursue his interest. Jenna, however, has plans of her own. She meets Sergeant Ryall Norcross of the empire military and the two fall in love. With determination, Norcross sets out to make her his own. He soon finds himself in opposition to his own commanding officer, and the supreme ruler of the Empire.

Second has a bevy of counsellors to obey his orders and help manage the empire, none of whom dare to question his demands. So as he sets out to capture Jenna, what could possibly go wrong? Yet, when rebellion arises south of Headquarters, his rage knows no limits. As the insurgency gains support throughout the Empire, it swiftly heads out of control. Second has to set aside his pleasures and lead his military into war. Will he be able to save the Empire, or is it already too late?

COMING SOON

The Last War- novella

I’ve been working on a novella, AQATAIN, The Last War. I decided it was worth showing who the first Emperor was, and what kind of man. This will be the first book in the series. It’s fun to sort out a character who hasn’t appeared before.

He is the father of Emperor Aqatain the Second who appears in all the previous books, and I feel like I’m opening my eyes with this one. I know the son so well, having written his story already. Now I get to meet his family, his father Aqatain, his mother Ospina, and brother Amalric. Before I began writing this one, I didn’t even know Amalric existed! Amazing, as a novelist, what you can learn after the fact!