Core hunched into herself, off to the side of the heartmound as the Blazes began their day. While some of their number stood sunning themselves, their dark chest fur soaking in the dawn sun, the rest were already warmed and working. She spotted Hero, who had returned some days before, shoveling out a burrow entrance,... Continue Reading →
World Meerkat Day
Happy World Meerkat Day everyone! Remember the 3rd Truth: Family is Survival It is World Meerkat Day making it perfect for a book signing at Mr. Bookman, the first for The Meer Series! Did you know, that meerkats only weight up to 2 pounds and that they can measure up to 1 foot tall when... Continue Reading →
Mr. Bookman Signing
Come visit me, The author of The Meer: Perilous Ground, at Mr. Bookman in Franklin, PA on Saturday July 3rd from 1-5 Mr. Bookman - Book Sales and Assistance for Local Libraries (mrbookmans.com) I'll be signing books and answering any questions you may have! And don't forget the amazing sale going on right now! (2)... Continue Reading →
Hero’s Mission
The desert is perilous ground, Hero remembered explaining that to his last litter of pups when they were small, governed by the sand and the sun, assisted by the wind and the weather. We are temporary residents in our homeland, hunted by fellow survivors of the dunes. There is danger at every turn. So, be... Continue Reading →
Ash’s Cost
Ash backed against the heartmound, her ears ringing from her oldest son’s alarm calls that still pierced the evening with frantic precision. The predators materializing from the long, brittle grass were unimpressed. They blinked amber-orange eyes at the frozen meer, there were at least six pairs of them. Pointy snouts with twitching dusky noses pushed... Continue Reading →
Exclusive Title and Cover Reveal
Unearth the new blurb, cover, and more! The Meer: Perilous Ground "The desert is perilous ground, governed by the sand and the sun, assisted by the wind and the weather. We are temporary residents in our homeland, hunted by fellow survivors of the dunes. There is danger at every turn. So, be careful. Keep your... Continue Reading →
First Blood
The Creation Part 6 Every move Death Bringer made was strategic, every flick of his serpentine tail and flattening of his dreaded hood. As his coils unwound and undulated, bringing him forth from the lake and onto the flakey shore of the tiny island, Bringer was proud of himself. His midnight scales merged with the... Continue Reading →
The Legend
The Creation Part 5 The day beyond the cavern was hot but inside the stone walls the meer of First Family were cool. Star lazed beside his mate, Wing, as a young subordinate male groomed his shoulder. This burrow had been a lucky dig. The group had set about on a rocky slope earlier in... Continue Reading →
The Collapse
The Creation Serial Part 4 Greatwing’s feathers were downy against the starlight as he extended his talons and released his hold on Star. The brindle-striped meerkat landed on all fours; his usual tawny luster shaded by the night. The full moon hung over the island like a curious eye watching them. The clearing was bathed... Continue Reading →
The Gang
The Creation Part 3 In the moons that followed Star and Bringer met with Storm, Claw, Listener, and Greatwing at the hollow tree many times. The six desert dwellers became close enough to show one another their homes and ranges. They introduced one another to family members and a pact was agreed on. Each took... Continue Reading →
The Survivors
The Creation Part 2 The sky was alive with the creamy pink and purple swirls of dawn. Star was sunbathing atop a large stone with his stomach facing the light. While he was warming up, he took in every aspect of the desert that he could. The landscape before him was bursting with plant life... Continue Reading →
The Starfire
The Creation Part One Star awoke in darkness. The chamber was warm and tight. He couldn’t see anything but the milky scent coming from the furry flank he nestled against comforted him. He wriggled closer, pushing his mother’s paw, trying to reach her belly. He heard her sigh and felt her roll onto her side.... Continue Reading →
Ghost’s Tears
“I dare you to go see what’s rustling those bushes over there, Ghost.” Flower whispered in his ear. A tree span away, a thicket of dense brambles swayed and crackled back and forth. Beside the thicket was an ashen tree, the base still alive with brown healthy roots and the top branches dead and black.... Continue Reading →
Dart’s Truth
Dart crouched by the burrow entrance, wondering whether he should go in. His black tail tip twitched as he stared into the dark, yawning hole, waiting for movement to stir in the shadows. The sharp scent of crushed sage and sorrel clung to him. He rolled in a thicket of the plants before coming back... Continue Reading →
Genet’s Escape
Genet tried not to whimper as Grasstail passed right by her hiding spot. Her fur stood on end and her earthy orange eyes flashed with fear. Grasstail was one of Bull’s most strict enforcers and she didn’t know what he would do to her if she was caught out of the sleep chamber after high... Continue Reading →
Lily’s Strength
Lily’s breaths came in hard pants, her mind sharpened and focused on her target. A huge crowd of meer made up of two different families, the Powers and the Deltas, gathered around her and her oponent in a loose circle. Across from her Suri matched her movements, stalking with her tail low and snout even.... Continue Reading →
Lion’s Ambition
A small pup with pale pulp-green eyes lay in the shade on his side. The sun was at its pinnacle and the humidity made his paw pads sweat. He laid his head on his paws, his expression gloomy. His litterbrother, Snake, who was scrawnier than him and never won their mock battles was being shown... Continue Reading →
The Undoing
The Shifting World Part 6 Dapple studied the considerable number of meer before him, almost too many to count. Seasons had passed since anyone last saw Bringer, but with the cobra’s disappearance First Family’s problems didn’t go away. The dry season was lingering this year, the wet season should have started three moons ago. Instead,... Continue Reading →
The Secret
The Shifting World Part 5 A dark silhouette cut an imposing shadow in the threads of the full moon. A canid form padded through the thicket, steps softer than the breeze only a whisper against the thistles. The shadows parted to welcome the jackal as she leapt atop the stone, ears pricked, and muzzle raised.... Continue Reading →
Suri's Pride
Suri sat in the mouth of the tunnel; head tilted up to watch the sky. Her shoulders were hunched in thought and her tail was stiff at her side. She had only been accepted as a full member of the Powers a few moons ago. She was young and in her prime. She was a... Continue Reading →
Wildcat's Blood
Wildcat used his claws to roll the centipede in the sand, trying to rub off its awful secretions. The creature waved its many legs too slow and once he was sure that it was edible, he popped its head into his mouth. With a mighty crunch and a twist of his jaw he severed the... Continue Reading →
The Trap
The Shifting World Part 4 Patch shivered in the early dawn shadows. He was creeping from rock to rock, ducking every time he heard the scrape of scales on stone. The air was dusty, and the soil was gritty beneath his paw pads. His heart thundered in his ears and his tail quivered. He huddled... Continue Reading →
The Departure
The Shifting World Part 3 Galaxy crouched near the center of the clearing, his limbs growing stiff as they waited. Nova rested on his one side and his understudy, Dapple, to his other. The sun was creeping upwards, and they had been there since dawn. Still the fox hadn’t shown his face. Nova stood up... Continue Reading →
The Beginning
The Shifting World Part 2 Nova was dreaming. She sensed open space and wind soaring high above. The sky was cloudless and starry. The claw-pricks of light scattered above her. She stared at them in wonder for they were closer than normal. She stretched her neck and raised her snout wishing that she could touch... Continue Reading →
The End
The Shifting World Part 1 Listener was sleeping, but it looked far from peaceful. His fur was rumpled, his pelt matted, he had a few swelling ticks on his muzzle that he hadn’t bothered to scrape off, and he was whimpering in his dreams. A sad smile tugged at Comet’s lips as she stepped towards... Continue Reading →
The Ruins
The Broken Oath Part 6 Listener padded into the hollow tree on silent paws. His big, bat-like ears twitched. He regarded the blood-spattered trunk as if uncomprehending. The sound of scales scraping the ground echoed in the silence. He glanced over as Bringer paused at his side. “They’re dead.” He murmured. His voice was muted,... Continue Reading →
The Final Battle
The Broken Oath Part 5 Star trembled in the shade of the tree despite the heat of high sun. Greatwing shuffled his wings beside the meer and glanced up the hollow trunk. He would not meet Star’s gaze. The Firstbloods had been meeting in this for countless moons, but this was unlike any other meeting... Continue Reading →
The Lie
The Broken Oath Part 4 The wild cat crouched in the shadowed gully of a shallow trench. Her dark striped pelt twitched as a fly buzzed about her head. She ignored it; her pale green gaze focused on the hare. The dun-colored rabbit picked through the grass at the top of the trench. She waggled... Continue Reading →
The Most Wonderful Day of The Year
Today wasn’t supposed to be like this. Snow still swirls in chilly gusts of wind And icicles still form on all the shingles, There’s something else that’s different though. The day is December 25th, But no lights twinkle on the trees or in the yard. Instead the gutters glisten with crimson ice-melt, And fake snow... Continue Reading →
The Accusation
The Broken Oath Part 3 The gray goshawk with a stark yellow beak and white belly clenched her talons into the fraying bark of the matopi tree. The green leaves plump and full from the plentiful wet season fluttered near her blue eyes and she shifted her position in annoyance. As the heartbeats ticked by,... Continue Reading →