Some interesting work is afoot...

In the last few days I've been engaged with a band of fellow authors in plotting a whole series of books in a collaborative project. The sheer creativity and scope of knowledge they display leaves me breathless - and excited to be involved!

It's early days, so I'll say no more. In the meantime I continue my solo writing projects, and wait for a decision on a recently submitted work.

'Tis done! 'Tis finished - well, apart from a few minor goofs. I now have a funtioning website! Check it out at http://ajaymatthews.com

Ahh, bliss! :)

It has been a trying couple o' days...

I've been attempting to create a new website. Everything looks fine on the PC, all the pages link nicely, the pictures and images are in their rightful places - yet when I upload, nothing looks right and nothing works properly - well, except the hit counter.

It will be done. It will be finished!

The Ninth Wave

~~ cover art by Laura Givens ~~

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Cassie's dead – but her troubles have only just begun. And her lover Craig will do anything to get her back – even take on a marauding god…
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Chapter One

"Stand on the shore," Cassie O'Neill said, shading her eyes from the harsh sunlight. "Look out to sea. That's when you know you're on another world."
She and her lover, Craig Lowell stood on the edge of a frozen beach of mixed sand and gravel that trended down the inner length of a long, curved peninsula. Around them, the jumbled mass of pack ice glowed yellow beneath the lurid noon blaze of Solace, star of Orpheus. In the deeper water near the horizon, huge, fantastically carved icebergs loomed like fairytale castles. The rich scent of salt and seaweed hung heavy in the cold air.
Craig skimmed another stone onto the open stretch of water in the large hole they had found in the ice. The tiny pebble flew straight and true for hundreds of meters, smacking lightly off the slow ocean surge that rolled under the pack ice. Three long skips, then, when it was little more than a distant speck on the shimmering water, the lighter-than-Earth gravity of Orpheus finally claimed the stone.
"Your Mom knew what she was talking about," Craig said as he crunched over the snow-covered sand toward her. He took her in his arms and stared down at her, his big blue eyes sparkling with warmth. "I'm only sorry I never had a chance to meet her," he said softly.
"I'm sorry too. She would've liked you." She rubbed her hands over his chest as she smiled up at him. He bent his head, kissing her tenderly. Cassie’s nipples hardened and a rush of warmth flooded through her pussy. She melted against him, her breasts aching, pressing her lips avidly on his, flicking her tongue lightly over his. He tightened his strong arms, pulling her closer, as he nuzzled her neck, his breath gusting hot over her skin.
She pulled away slowly, closing her eyes for a moment, her heart racing. Damn, but the man could kiss! If they didn't have to unload the drones, she'd drag him into the ATV right now and rip off his clothes. She opened her eyes, ignoring his knowing grin, and turned away.
"Work first, you bad man," she said, injecting a note of mock disapproval in her tone, "but you better believe you're going to give me a rain check!"

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The Ninth Wave - Out now at Loose ID! Click the link below...

http://www.loose-id.com/searchresult.aspx?CategoryID=58

Here's something I found whilst trawling through my archives today. It's a souvenir of the time I worked in the housing office of the local town council. Enjoy!

Extracts from actual letters sent to various councils and housing associations throughout the UK. Logged by the Housing Association.

1. I want some repairs done to my gas stove as it has backfired and burnt my knob off.
2. ...and their 18 year-old son is continually banging his balls against my fence.
3. I wish to report that tiles are missing from the outside toilet roof. I think it was bad wind the other night that blew them off.
4. My lavatory seat is cracked, where do I stand?
5. I am writing on behalf of my sink, which is coming away from the wall.
6. Will you please send someone to mend the garden path. My wife tripped and fell on it yesterday and now she is pregnant. We are getting married in September and would like it in the garden before we move into the house.
7. I request permission to move my drawers in the kitchen.
8. 50% of the walls are damp, 50% are crumbling away and the rest are just plain filthy.
9. I am still having problems with smoke in my back passage.
10. The toilet is blocked and we cannot bath the children until it is cleared.
11. Will you please send a man to look at my water? It is a funny color and not fit to drink.
12. Our lavatory seat broke in half and is in three pieces.
13. Will you please send a man to repair my spout, I am an old age pensioner and need it badly.
14. I wish to complain about the farmer across the road; every morning at 6am his cock wakes me up and it's now getting too much for me.
15. The man next door has a large erection in the back garden, which is not only unsightly but dangerous I'm sure.
16. Our kitchen floor is damp. We have two children and would like a third, so please send someone round to do something about it.
17. I am a single woman living in a downstairs apartment and would you please do something about the noise made by the man I have on top of me every night.
18. Please send a man with the right tool to finish the job and satisfy my wife.
19. I have had the clerk of the works down on the floor six times but I still have no satisfaction.
20. This is to let you know that our lavatory seat is broken and we can't get BBC2.
21. My bush needs trimming round the front and my back passage has fungus growing in it.
22. ...and he's got this huge tool that vibrates the house and I just can't take it any more.

Computers - can't live without 'em, but can't exactly love 'em either! Mine developed awful technical complications a month back and I've only recently gotten it back to something approaching normal operations. My mantra now is "Back-up, back-up and back-up again." Believe me, it saves a heck of a lot of heartache and avoids a lot of wasted work.

Going for weeks without writing whilst the machine was fixed became rather painful! Now it's back, and I can get moving. I do love to write. I love to create new worlds and appealing characters, which I hope will give pleasure to all who read my work.

Today I began a new novel, a vampire-oriented romantica which has been banging around my head for a couple of years. Progress (so far) is good, at 2,500 words today. I don't quite know how long it'll eventually be; I'm a "pantzer," so it's anyone's guess. As a second string project, I have a sci-fi novel underway. When I run out of steam on the one, I can turn to the other and make progress. So many stories, so little time...

Ajay's Blogspot

Mr. Grey and the Hotel Ghosts.

This is my new novel, launched on Monday 6th February 2006 at Liquid Silver Books! Many folks have liked the intriguing excerpt selected by Tina Burns, and praised the excellent cover design by April Martinez.

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When she has to sell a haunted hotel in New York City, Claudia Mackenzie calls on the best advisor around - British ghost hunter Martin Grey. Expecting a super-nerd, what she gets is a tall, handsome guy with a sexy accent who plucks all the right heartstrings!

Together they tackle the mystery of the Chestnut Mansion Hotel, a mystery that takes them back in time to witness a bitter family feud, murder, and the theft of an heirloom. As events unfold it soon seems it's not only ghosts they have to worry about! A real-life enemy is on their trail. Can their growing closeness give them the strength to face the danger?

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Excerpt...

Claudia leaned on the table and read aloud from the newspaper in front of her.

"'Joseph Cloverdale, Captain, 104th New York Regiment, late of Wilmington, North Carolina. Died in the course of saving lives during a terrible fire at the Chestnut Mansion Hotel. Buried at Our Lady of Grace cemetery, New York City, 12th February, 1863. Given a public funeral with full military honors in tribute to his heroism.""

They were in the public library, checking the newspaper archives. The warm, dry, unemotional atmosphere of the library seemed a million miles removed from the upheaval generated by their experiences of the night. By some instinctive, tacit agreement, neither Martin or Claudia yet acknowledged what had happened. Neither felt ready to confront it.

"Any mention of his wife?" Martin asked.

"She survived the fire unscathed. At the funeral they gave her the flag which draped his coffin. There's a daguerreotype picture of the scene."

"It would have been a comfort, I suppose, knowing her husband died saving others instead of taking lives in battle."

Claudia nodded somberly. "Yeah, I guess. Here, it goes on to mention the fire itself. '"Suspected to be arson, due to the sudden onset and the speed with which it spread."" And here: "'Following an incident at the ball given in honor of the 104th Regiment, James Cloverdale, estranged brother of the deceased, was arrested. He later escaped from temporary military custody with the aid of fellow Southern sympathizers.""

"Interesting," Martin commented.

"Isn't it, though? And here: "'Senator Murdoch of Ohio, a sponsor of the deceased Captain, sees the mark of Cain on James Cloverdale in the foul deed which took the life of a gallant officer. He berates the bloody band of Southern agitators present in the shadows of the city and calls upon the mayor and governor to sweep them from the city."" She grimaced. "Trust a politician to make capital out of a disaster. They never change."

"I thought he was an oily sort at the time," Martin remarked, then flushed and cleared his throat.

"Yeah, so did I." Claudia didn't quite meet his eye. "Oh, damn it, Martin!" She sighed and closed the folder then turned to face him squarely. "We can't dance around this until the end of time. Those people in the past; Joseph and Claire Cloverdale. Were we them or not?"

"I think we were just along for the ride." Martin shrugged. "I wasn't aware of Joseph knowing I was there in his head. Did you sense anything from Claire?"

"Not a peep. But I could see everything, feel everything; sense her emotions. She sure loved her husband," she added quietly.

"And he loved her."

Claudia's lips twitched. "He was good in bed, too!"

"Er...yes. And so was she."

They looked at each other.

The librarian emerged from her office to throw them out just before they totally collapsed from laughing.

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If you want more, go buy the book!

http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/books/mrgreyandthehotelghosts.htm

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The Hotel Ghost's storyline had run through my mind for more years than I care to count, evolving slowly to its present form. With luck and a following wind, it'll be the first of many romantica adventures featuring Martin Grey and Claudia Mackenzie. The next, a full novel, is just about ready to roll out, and the third is in draft form. Watch this space...