Nalini Singh - Shards of Hope

this time I tried to forget it, but I couldn't. Some questions and speculations are running around my head on a continuous loop. I need to get them out NOW.

Nalini Singh - Shards of Hope

• "a chilling conspiracy that spans all three races"

•  "a shadowy enemy has put a target on the back of the Arrow squad"

•  "Aden and Zaira awakening wounded in a darkened cell, their psychic abilities blocked"

Who is this shadowy enemy?
Who is powerful enough to capture and wound the two Arrow leaders?

My Number One Suspect is ...  *drum roll* ... S.U.R.P.R.I.S.E. ... Ming LeBon. He'd have the martial mind and ressources and power to plan and execute a chilling conspiracy spanning all three races and capture, wound and jail Aden and Zaira and block their psychic abilities. On the other hand, why capture and not kill them right away? So either he didn't do it himself but had some of his people do it, or it wasn't that finely planned an operation and more of a haste op with putting them away to finish them off (a little) later. Another reason for Ming is that he surely wont just accept that Kaleb took over the Net and is the de facto leader now.

Suspect Number Two is .... Shoshanna Scott. Where is she and what is she doing? We don't know that much about her or whether she is capable of pulling of such an op, but she isn't just rolling over and accepting Kaleb's leadership either.

Suspect Number Three is .... there one?
As to the rest of the former Psy Council, neither Nikita Duncan, Anthony Kyriakus nor Kaleb Krychek have any real reasons to eliminate the Arrows. They are all on the Ruling Coalition with the Arrows and have some kind of a profitable working relationship with them.
Further I can't see the Human Alliance turning against the Arrows, neither the changelings or the Forgotten.

Why "put a target on the back of the Arrow squad" at all?
Yeah why? Someone has to feel threatened by so many assassins and deadly operatives on the loose. If Mind still wants Vasic, he might theorize that Aden's death would break Vasic and the bond between them and make Vasic open to ... manipulation? reason? corruption? vengeance?
The other viable option is that someone wants to still get to the E's and as the new priority of the Arrow Squad is to protect the E's, that could also have put a target on their back.

"they find themselves in a harsh, inhospitable landscape far from civilization. Their only hope for survival is to make it to the hidden home of a predatory changeling pack that doesn't welcome outsiders."
Where are they? harsh, far from civilization and hidden predators ... It would fit for the Snow Dancer den, hidden deap in the Sierra Nevada, far from civilization. It could as well be anywhere else, but apart from Snow Dancer and Dark River we only now more about the Falcons and their place could be harsh and inhospitable in the heat of summer.
If I consider Judd the den doesn't make that much sense. Also most senior soldiers know about Aden and might know how he looks like from the Anchor Protection Op. Snow Dancer has other dens, so it could be one of those smaller dens.
But why would Ming or Shoshanna have a mysterious prison on Snow Dancer or Dark River land? Wouldn't they have it closer to their home base?
A prison on Snow Dancer land only makes sense if the shadowy enemy wanted Aden and Zaira to escape and get themselves killed-by-changeling to start a Psy/Changeling war.

One last point: "the violent, and the insane, and the irreparably broken…like Zaira"
What kind of ability has Zaira? She is the leader of the Venice Arrows, those outside the Psy Net. She is capable of making independent decisions, that's why she was appointed their leader. ... I recently reread Slave of Sensation and Sascha mentions a Transmutation ability. So far we never again heard of it, but would Transmutation be so violent and insane? Maybe Judd's TK cell ability falls under Transmutation.

For more check: http://nalinisingh.blogspot.co.at/2014/10/cover-love-shards-of-hope.html

Turtle Wisdom: new energy change

before I forget it ...

if you are waiting for something BIG or LOUD or FLASHY or HEROIC to happen to make you believe change is really happening, you'll be disappointed.
The old energy brought change with a BOOM and a BANG, like a war or some spectacular fireworks, resulting on prime time news.
The new energy doesn't make it onto the news. It just doesn't work that way.
This new aera is coming on quiet, near silent feet. If you don't know where to look and what to look and feel for, you'll miss it and only see the same old.
But change is here, it is QUIET and SLOW and FLEXIBLE and EASY. There are lots of little steps, one little change after another little shift.
It reminds me of TURTLE WISDOM: Move slowly and surely along your path. If they try to stop you, retreat into your shell and wait til they loose interest, then move along your path again. There is no hurry.

native creative coloring - part of FLOW Magazine coloring booklet

 
That is another reason why we easily overlook the change taking place, because there is no visible megashift, no BOOM and done. It is slow and stealthy, which makes it harder for us to notice. As well as it is done by lots of people not just one or a few.
This change, this new aera is coming by lots of little quiet shifts done by lots of people. Nothing heroic, nothing flashy, nothing being seen on the news. But the world is changing, slowly and steadily.

So, today I will be patient with myself and take that one little step I can easily make.
I let go of expecting something big and heroic from myself today.
I let go of wanting to heal my body in this instant.
I let go of wanting my world to change to totally loving all of a sudden.
Today I allow myself to move like a turtle, one slow sure step after the other.

new process oriented systems

before I forget it ...

I had a session at GEM http://www.energiemedizin.cc/ in Vienna with my friend Gabriele this week. As always it was on the edge with lots of new stuff coming in. This time it was about systems. All the existing systems on earth are rigid and square built on conformity. The problem is - my problem with that kind of system is - the conformity. It is not voluntary but obligatory. Even obligatory wouldn't be so bad if there were similar beings in that system, but our systems here on earth always include totally different beings inside each of those rigid systems of conformity. The best picture I can come up with is an army of soldiers walking. That kind of conformity. Same rhythm, same foot, same space to the front man and back man, same clothes, SAME EVERYTHING ... same personality, same issues, same dough, same mold, cut with the same cookie cutter.

square "dead" conformity

  

IT HURTS.

The pressure on me hurts, but also the forced dealing with issues that are not mine but belong to someone else in that system hurts. In essense it means, all people in that system can only move or develop together. If one stays, everyone stays. If one gets stuck, everyone gets stuck, until you can get that one stuck person unstuck. That is what square feels like to me. There is no flexibility, no space for movement. There is always this kind of force involved and frustration on my part.

The NEW systems work completely different. There is nothing rigid in them. They are process oriented and flexible. There is freedom for everyone. If I take the picture of the soldiers from before, this time everyone walks in his own speed and rhythm and step length, space to front or back or side person is totally different, everyone wears what they like to wear, NOTHING SAME ... different personality, different issues, different dough, different mold, no cookie cutter to cut but everyone cut into a different shape.  CHAOS ... that's what this system looks like.

flexible "living" chaos

RELIEF IS WHAT I FEEL.

This system supports individuality. It supports integrity, authenticity, diversity and creativity. Furthermore this process oriented system supports self expression and self responsibility. It is just not possible to play victim and give power away to another or the system per se. This system wont tell you who you are and who you have to be. This system does not take into account what was in the past or will be in the future. It is totally and only focussed in the present, in the here and now.

diversity - integrity - self expression

Well, I made my choice. I didn't even have to think about it. The new process oriented flexible system is it for me!

I hope I'll see you there :-)

Nalini Singh - one question

before I forget it ...

if I could ask Nalini Singh one question, what would it be?

There is one thing that I am really curious about.

The Psy/changeling series consists of 13 novels so far, number 14 is being written now, and some novellas too.

How much is strategy and planning ahead and how much is writer's instinct and intuition?

Here is my example:
Kaleb Krychek is the male hero of Heart of Obsidian - book 13.

Nalini Singh - Heart of Obsidian

Kaleb first appears in Visions of Heat - book 2 as Faith's competitor for the Psy Council position. He is mentioned as a young ruthless cardinal who rises through the Council structure very fast and becomes Councilor at the end of book 2. Then he appears throughout all the other books as all Councilors appear throughout all or most books.
Sahara is also mentioned briefly in book 2 in context with Faith's Net dropout and increasing her forecasting prize to set up a fund for those who disappeared like her cousin Sahara.

As both are mentioned first in Visions of Heat I theorize that Nalini had some kind of idea for those two from the beginning. It's just as possible that they both were side characters to further the story and give it enough background with no connection or any other thoughts in mind.

So, that is my question. Does she have a story (past, present, future) in mind for all characters who appear in the books, even minor? Or do they develop their own life throughout the story and develop from minor side character to main character with their own book? Or maybe both, some knowing ahead and some development throughout?

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little happy things

before I forget it ...

as I am sitting here having my breakfast coffee, I thought about the coffee in connection with happy things. So let's talk about happy things while I sip my coffee. Alas, you can get yourself one too (or a tea) while you read about my happy and hopefully think about your own happy :-)

native creative hack - original: flow magazine

hm? happy things or happy times? or just happy?
for this post let's stay with the little things, that make us happy. Like some knicknack that makes us smile just seeing it, or makes us relax just holding it, that kind of things.

 

native creative - yellow poppy seed

• I have no defense against yellow flowers: sunflowers, gerberas, autumn sneezeweeds, daffodils or goldenrods, doesn't matter - bananas don't work though, it has to be yellow petals.
• I am always in a good mood when I am riding my bike. Not that I am always smiling around the face but even when I am not feeling too good, I feel better once I'm on the bike. It's the fresh air, the wind, the movement, the muscles working and energy flowing, or all of it, whatever, it works for me.
• I always relax instantly holding a warm cup of coffee in my hands. yeah :-)
• When Mamalita calls, I have no chance holding on to my funk. 

in "music (sing and dance) mode" mood

• The right kind of music does the same thing, it gets in on silent feet and suddenly I feel like singing along and dancing.
• On more thing on the relaxing side of happy is taking a walk in the little forest around the corner. It always slows me down, eases the tension and hurry, and puts me into a more productive frame of mind.
• Last but not least when an idea of mine worked out and I create something beautiful. Doesn't matter what it is: a candle that turned out great, a picture that captured the moment right, a practical and aesthetic solution for a problem at my apartment, the newest knitted hat or leg warmers. Each beautifully finished project makes me proud and really happy.

native creative - recycled candles

 ready to let this go and get on with happy  ˙·٠•● ƸӜƷ ●•٠·˙

Nalini Singh - Rock Addiction Review

before it is too late ...

I had the chance to read Rock Addiction, the first book in Nalini Singh's new series Rock Kiss a little ahead of time. For my first time ever with Nalini, there was  nothing paranormal in it. The story is set in a totally normal world, this totally human here and now Earth world. Well, as normal as a rockstar's life is normal :-)

To get to the point, Nalini just does not dissappoint. Her stories never let me down.

Rock Addiction a Rock Kiss Novel

 This is a ssssss-story, this is one steamy, sweaty, smoking hot story. Even the main persons, Molly and Fox are sssss. Molly is sweet, seclusive and rather shy at first, while Fox is more along sexy, scaldingly hot and smoldering. Both Molly and Fox are scared and scarred but they just don't stand a chance against a voice sexy as sin and smooth as wiskey -  aaaand lots of sparks - like fireworks sssssparks - like 4th of July fireworks SPARKS, yeah that kind of sparks.

All that is left to say: STOP reading and START ROCKING already.

sssso ssssappy ssssad it's over :-(

But .... Rock Courtship is coming end of September and I can't wait. Are Thea and David choosing a letter too? 

My World War 2 Gratitude contribution

before I forget it ...

I finally figured out what that heaviness is about, that covers my life since last week. Well, more like all the pieces finally fell into place. It's a delicate topic: World War 2.
I believe that loosing the World Wars, loosing all the land is a major wound on the Austrian soul. Going from major player on the world stage to tiny looser of the wars, occupied and forced to cower before the others, is so not good for the self-consciousness.

• Honestly, I am grateful that we lost, because we slide under the radar while all major world players are painting bulls' eyes on their countries for retaliation.

• Furthermore I am grateful that we lost, because Austria became neutral and kept its fingers out of any squirmishes and wars ever since.

I just do not believe war and destruction ever create peace. Yes, I want peace on earth, for myself and for everybody who wants it too. My contribution to that goal and wish and so far still dream is for one welcoming that heavy World War energy in my life now instead of pushing it away and ignoring it. It threads through my whole life if I want it or not. For one, I grew up right next to a (no longer visible) Stalag camp and lived in the shadow of that energy even more than others. I recently met more old people talking about how hard it was too.
The only way to create peace that I know of, is to accept and forgive - and be grateful, because it could have been worse.

• I am really grateful that the World Wars are past and that I only live in the echo and shadow of it. It is still heavy enough. 

• I am also grateful for the World War energies to come up now because it is time for them to get a move on. They are really old old energies, and we need the pure male energies twisted up in it for our way forward. 

• And last but not least I am totally grateful for Hitler because I ,for one, definitely did not want his job.

so ready to forget that already