The #GrandmaProject was amazing. So far, July is my favorite month of this year.
When I told people hubs and I were going to have the grandkids for two weeks, by ourselves, everyone said some version of its too long and you’ll be so tired.
Here’s the thing. Tired doesn’t kill you.
And time with our grandkids heals our hearts and our souls. They are hope and joy.
We had an amazing time getting to spend quantity AND quality time with these amazing little human beings.
I put work (writing) aside in a way I haven’t done for years (even on “vacation”), and just enjoyed watching them experience our Wyoming world.
At the end of the time, there were tears on both sides. My sweet littles left me chalk messages on the garage floor. I had a kind of half chuckle, half sob at one: “Don’t forget us.”
Like that is even possible.
I also had time to do some more reading.
I’m still really liking KoboPlus. For 7.99 a month, I only need to read two books to come out ahead (and for some books, I’m ahead with just one book!) While I did catch up on some reading from my TBR pile, I also bought some more books. I can’t seem to help myself doing that.
Something new for me, I am reading several books kind of at the same time (because I can’t read them at exactly the same time. That would be crazy). I never used to start a new book until I’d finished a book, but I have books in several different apps and I kind of shift from one to the other depending on my mood.
The other benefit, for me, of doing all that reading is that I refilled my word well and I’m ready to get back to work on ScytheQ, the new book in my Cyborg Chronicles.
(I had to chuckle when my grandson asked me what book I was working on and I told him it was about cyborgs. He didn’t seem to know what to say to that. I don’t imagine he ever thought he’d have to tell his friends his grandma writes about cyborgs. But life is what it is. )
So when Grandma Brain kicked out Author Brain, I was about halfway into ScytheQ. I don’t have a blurb yet, but I thought I’d share a scene that introduces ScytheQ, my female cyborg:
ScytheQ flexed the cybernetic fingers of her left arm and eyed the OtimtronW watching her from the center of the exercise room.
Through the speakers, a song howled about werewolves, whatever they were. If Scy hadn’t needed to keep on her toes, she’d have tapped them to the song.
The OtimtronW robotic model was the most intimidating of the cybernetic models created by the Quy—and that was saying something.
All the models were big, dark, heavily armored and armed, and seemingly indestructible, but Tim was the biggest and darkest of them all.
Looks weren’t everything. The cybernetic models had a weak spot—as the Quy found out a little too late to save themselves from the specially designed virus.
Their captain, CabeX had exploited the cybernetics’ internal systems and figured out a way to download their human consciousnesses into eight of the cyborg models. They’d had to leave their human bodies behind but at least they’d been free.
They stole the cybernetic ship they’d been assigned to, a ship made specifically for use by the cyborgs. And once freed, they’d become known as the most dangerous pirates in several galaxies, despite a bad habit of trying to defend the weak and free any slaves they encountered.
They’d have probably done more but being relentlessly hunted by their former master—and the bounty hunters he’d hired—kept them on the move.
In their search for tech to keep ahead of their enemies, they’d arrived in the Garradian Galaxy and found unexpected allies and a way to become themselves again.
Scy had been one of the first to return to human form, not by choice but by necessity. It had been challenging, though, to be completely human after being so powerful. Fortunately the Garradians had been willing to help her reintegrate some cybernetics back into her human body.
And Tim—the OtimtronW across from her—had agreed to let her try to pound on him to test that integration.
“Are you ready?” Scy asked, mostly to stall as she shifted position, preparing to launch herself against all that tall and unyielding metal. The music changed to something about falling to pieces. She hoped it wasn’t an omen.
Tim gave the cyborg equivalent of a sigh and crooked a metal finger at her. If he could have looked worried, he wouldn’t have. There was literally no way her mostly human body could hurt him. But Tim wouldn’t hurt her. Despite his imposing appearance he’d always been a gentle soul.
The red glow of his optics deepened, as if mocking her for hesitating.
All right, then.
Scy ran forward, using enhancements integrated into her legs to run up the front of his body. With a twist, she was on his shoulders, one leg hooking around his neck. It was like trying to squeeze rock, but her inner systems assessed the force ratio of her output for later study.
A hand closed around her other leg and plucked her off, holding her so that her dark pony tail just brushed the mat.
She twisted loose—because he let her—and tried again, rolling under the length of an arm and attempting to trip him.
She failed, but was still impressed at the amount of force she could bring to bear.
His hand closed around her neck—she’d told him to do it when it felt right to the moment—and lifted her off the floor again.
An inner shield blossomed out of her skin, keeping his hand from making contact. It successfully resisted the pressure he carefully brought to bear.
There was the sound of a throat being cleared and Tim swung around, taking Scy with him, her legs flailing.
Stay turned for the rest of the story!!