KD Sarge

Articles posted by KD Sarge (Page 12)

Bad Habits are Hard to Break. Good Habits? Not So Much.

They say it takes twenty-eight days to make something a habit. I think that must be for normal people. I wear sunglasses. Not cute little fashionable sunglasses, but big, cover everything, I want to preserve my eyes sunglasses. I rarely go outside without them, and I never drive without them. At home they hang safely on my closet door. On the go, they hang from my neck or sit on my head. When I get to work, I take them off, wrap the cord around them, and put them carefully in the back pocket of my purse, which holds nothing else so I don’t accidentally scratch my sunglasses. Except sometimes, very rarely, I take them off, carefully wrap the cord, and set them on top of my computer tower instead. Pretty much every time I do that, I forget them and have to go back—sometimes unlocking the gate I just locked, unlocking the front door, turning off the alarm I just set… Three times I’ve had over a hundred days in a row on 750words.com and then blown it. Just didn’t write anything one day. Two other times, I was over two hundred days when I blew it! Yet if I drive up a certain street in Tucson while thinking of other things, I may well drive to my old house that I haven’t lived in for two years and not notice until I’m turning into the driveway. In short, I need to find a way to break the habits I don’t…

Last Traditions Standing

I have a very dear and marvelous friend whom I invite for Thanksgiving very early each year–like, in February if not sooner. I always want to get that invitation in early so she can truthfully say “oh, I have a prior invitation!” when asked to celebrations that make her uncomfortable. This year, the invitation went out before we found out that my dear friend has some special dietary needs she is just figuring out. And, also a surprise to me, now she has a new-to-the-city roommate, who also has special dietary needs. The list of things the two need to avoid is rather daunting. Know what, though? I don’t really care.

Burning Bright

Seize the Fire Book 1 The demons come, devouring life and light. Armed with sword and spell, Keepers meet the scourge. Above nations, beyond the law, to be a Keeper is to hold power–but power always comes with a price. To Keeper Apprentice Hiro Takai, Keepers are heroes, risking their lives to battle with sword and spell the demons that would devour all life. His master Eshan is one of the best—skilled beyond his years, and possessing exquisite control over his magic and emotions. Hiro is lucky to be harnessing his fire-magic under Eshan’s tutelage—and even luckier to be his lover. But when Hiro wakes as a full Keeper after his Kindling ritual, everything is wrong. Something is in his mind, bringing him new and amazing power, but it’s not sane. Eshan is gone, slipped away on a dangerous mission leaving only a cryptic warning for Hiro to flee the Keepers—who are now debating if they should kill Hiro or just let him die. No mage is more powerful, more knowledgeable, or more true than Eshan. Hiro knows his teacher can help—if Hiro can just find him. Find him, and save him. Before the Other in Hiro’s mind drives him mad, or tears his soul to shreds.

Stuck Forever in a Too Small World

When we were lucky enough to go to DisneyWorld, my family and I had an agreement. We weren’t going on the It’s a Small World ride. We didn’t care that it was quintessential Disney. We’d heard stories of it getting stuck, and if there’s one ride where you wouldn’t want to chance that… So we didn’t do it. A few years ago, budget cuts threatened to take my job from forty hours a week to thirty. It was decided in April—when I came back to work in July, I’d be at 30 hours a week. I was terrified. I loved my job, needed the schedule that gave me the same days off as the kid—I didn’t know how we’d survive. Life, though, went on. I had to do stuff, not hide under my bed. Music helped with that, but at my most terrified, all my songs but one stressed me out more. So I listened to that one song over and over. For weeks, I listened to Adam Lambert sing “Time for Miracles.” People would stand at my desk for one reason or another, realize they’d heard that song three times, give me a funny look and move away… Eventually I was able to expand a little bit. I made a “HALP!” playlist ten songs long—seven other songs and “Time for Miracles” three times over.

Introducing Burning Bright

The demons come, devouring life and light. Armed with sword and spell, Keepers meet the scourge. Above nations, beyond the law, to be a Keeper is to hold power–but power always comes with a price. Introducing Burning Bright, the first book of the Seize the Fire trilogy. Burning Bright, Chapter One by KD Sarge “Keeper-Apprentice Kunihiro Takai,” Ume said, “well done. Harmony herself, Lady of Harvests, would be pleased to call this place home. She might even bring the twins, Binder and Unwinder, which holy children—” “Little thanks to you.” Hiro pushed a book on the shelf nearest him more in line with its fellows. There. The little library was perfect. The kitchen behind him sparkled. The porch was neat, the garden weeded, Eshan’s bedroom freshened…he never should have let it get so bad. But now Eshan would never know. “I did my part,” Ume said, flopping into the big chair Eshan curled up in on winter evenings. “I trotted up here and warned you the healers were letting him go today.” She flung long brown legs over the arm as she sprawled. “And when you asked for help, I told you. Demons to be defeated? Drunkery to be debauched? I’m in. Cooking, cleaning, sewing, minding? Not this wench. Especially if I’m not allowed to use magic.”

When the Muse Takes Over

Like many writers, I haven’t always had the friendliest relationship with my muses. Actually, that’s a very diplomatic (and less than honest) way to put it. I’ve been known to throw bricks at them. I have threatened them with fire, called them obscene names, and sang a certain unmentionable song from a certain DisneyWorld ride at them over and over and over until they coughed up a scene I wanted. Yes, it’s childish, but they started it.

Get Real, Horatio

In Tucson, we get the monsoon. That goes something like this. “Ugh, it’s hot. And bright. And–wait, where did that cloud come from? Oh, it’s coming this way. Maybe we’ll get some–“ And that’s when the attack comes. Not from the front, but from the side. FWOOSH!! from the other two clouds you didn’t even know were there. Okay, it’s maybe not that sudden. But if you’re walking north, especially if you’re listening to your Walkman personal music device, you could totally get blindsided by a storm from the south. Once I was in a house and it was pouring rain on one side–and the sun was shining on the other. You could not even see the clouds from the windows on the west side of the house. Other times, it’s deceptive. The clouds start building around lunch time, and you’re keeping an eye out the window, thinking of the glorious storm to come, watching those cumulonimbus climb higher and higher…and then nothing. One spectacular sunset, but no rain, and by ten the entire clear sky is staring down at you going “gotcha.” But as soon as you decide that if you see it coming, it’s not actually coming–then it really gets you.

My Familiar

In 2006, my neighbor’s feral cat adopted me. He was a lovely black kitty, and no one but me could touch him. I named him Ravenclaw and called him my familiar. He was my pal and I was his human. Yesterday I noticed my fuzzy buddy didn’t seem to feel well. Today I took him to the vet, and then, astonishingly, at not even ten years old, I had to let him go.

Vacation Brain

Whoops. Guess who totally forgot she was supposed to post yesterday? I blame vacation brain. Lucky, lucky KD Sarge is in Sedona, Arizona this week. It’s been glorious. I’ve climbed rocks and gotten sunburned and seen the Grand Canyon and fallen into adventure (otherwise known as Oak Creek. Fortunately none of my falling was anywhere near the Grand Canyon. That is a looooong way down!) I’ve learned something this vacation. I’ve learned that I need to take more vacations.

5 Reasons Writing is Like a Mason Jar Salad

I’m on a journey to get healthier. It started earlier this year with a cheap pedometer that wasn’t very accurate. Now I have a Fitbit Zip, log everything I eat, and actually spend time thinking about how to get more plant matter into the mix. I’ve always loved mason jars, so the leap to mason jar salads was a short one. I took my first to work today. Okay, really nice, KD, but what’s with the writing comparison? I’ll tell you. 1) I can throw anything in there I want. I’ve seen a lot of variations. Some people put salsa in their mason jars first, then everything else to make a Chipotle-copy burrito bowl. Some are making normal-ish tossed salads with creamy dressings in first. One person (at least) is making “noodles” with zucchini and a “spiralizer” whatever that is. The variety is amazing, and fascinating, and I’m looking forward to trying a ton of cool stuff.

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