Sunday, August 21, 2011

Less Writing Time

Hi!

Friday I accepted a full-time job. Yay! I've been job-hunting for a while.

Unfortunately, this means I will not be writing full time.

All book release dates that I have previously posted are now inaccurate. I will try to release Forbidden Valley: Sídhí Summer Camp #2 by Christmas, but I can't promise. Both series and blog posts will continue, but at a slower pace.

I love writing! Unfortunately, those pesky little bills keep piling up! I'll keep tabs on Facebook & Twitter, but it will be limited.

Have a great weekend!!

Jodie B. Cooper

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Gnome's Revenge!

Ozark Valley: Branson, Missouri

The school year is about to start! Of course, a trip to the mall is an absolute must as teens search for that perfect outfit and accessories.

Like my best friend Kerry, parents are scrambling with last minute emergencies. I think Kerry does a grand job. She hands her daughter a visa debit card with a certain amount on it then takes Angela and her friends to the mall of the girl's choice.

Let me back up, before I tell you Angela's grand adventure, um catastrophe. - Yes, for a sixteen year old, it was a horrifying catastrophe! - You need a smidgen of background.

Angela is a vampire. She doesn’t act it, but she is gorgeous with hip-length white-blond hair and a body any movie star would kill for. She loves people. Her dark blue eyes literally sparkle when she meets a new person. As a side note, she handled the Sasquatch attack over last weekend tremendously well, much better than I did.

Anyway, she has never met a person she didn't like. She trusts everyone and lives life in a very carefree way. She'll try anything once. Her attitude is jump first, look afterwards because if you look first, you might not jump.

Poor girl might re-think jumping before looking next time.

Kerry took Angela and three of her friends to Oakland Mall in Branson, Missouri within Ozark Valley. Ozark Valley is predominately an elvish valley. The remaining twenty-five percent of the population is a mixed potpourri with vampires, dragons, fairies, and gnomes.

Oakland Mall is humongous. I mean it puts The Mall of America in the mundane world to shame. Three levels below ground and four upper levels above ground sprawl across an entire square mile. It has four motels, hundreds of restaurants and kiosks, an inside carnival, a water park that has tube rides going down the length of the mall and back, three movie theatres, a paint ball range, wyvern rides on the roof, putt-putt golf, half dozen arcades, a gateway terminal connecting dozens of valleys, and an uncountable number of retail outlets.

A family could spend their entire vacation at Oakland. The mall is a neutral spot where people from every valley are welcome to visit, no matter their race or political affiliation, without fear of attack. The mall guards deal with any attack swiftly and with severe penalties, including missing body parts, a silver collar, and hung by culprit's ankles in the courtyard.

Back to the story!

Angela's first mistake was visiting Maurice's Fairy Emporium.

Maurice's is a chain of fairy owned retail shops that carry a wide variety of beauty products, anything and everything imaginable is available. Do you want to have natural blue blushing cheeks, pink eyelashes, or glow-in-the-dark skin? Visit Maurice's and you'll find a fairy made product that will do exactly what you want.

Wait! That 'wait' is a major warning. Please, be sure to read the fine print on every single container even if they look identical.

Angela walked into Maurice's, exclaiming it was an awesome store. Never one to mix words, she voiced her disappointment when the clerk was a gnome and not a fairy like all the T.V. ads showed.

Well, that went over like a ton of bricks.

She told the shop clerk, a wrinkly faced gnome, she wanted to dye her hair to match the school colors. She's the newest member of the cheerleading team and wanted to make a great impression. Her words, not mine.

However, I'm sure she meant a great impression on the male half of the school body.

Her idea was actually great. She wanted a dye that she could wash in and then rinse out after each game. Too bad, she made the little gnome mad at her.

After she bought the dye, Angela and her cohorts went straight to the bathroom. The silver dye was a foam formula that rubbed into dry hair. The additional blue streaks were to be combed into the hair within five minutes of applying the base color.

Never trust a gnome that you've made angry. They are vindictive little people with a heart of mischief, a very dangerous combination.

The fine print on the bottle stated that the dry foam, unlike the liquid that had to be rinsed, was not to be used on a vampire.

They didn't read the instructions, covering Angela's hair in dry foam and rubbing it in.

At first, her scalp tingled.

Her friends added an inch-wide blue streak that curled around her face.

The tingling sensation began to itch.

Her hair turned silver, the streak of vivid blue intensified the color of her eyes. Looking in the mirror, she tentatively touched her hair in awe.

She grinned, eagerly combing her fingers through the silky strands. A huge chunk of hair came out! Paralyzed, she watched as the shiny silver strands slid through her fingers and floated to the floor.

Angela shrieked louder than a Sasquatch on a hunt.

Her friends jumped back as if she was contagious and stared in mounting horror.

Angela smoothed her hands over her head as if trying to keep it in place. Swaths of hair fell out. Suddenly, all at once, her remaining hair fell out. She stood, jaw dropped staring at her utterly baldhead in the mirror.

By the time her mom arrived, the other girls had gone after the gnome leaving Angela hiding in a bathroom stall. The gnome had disappeared without a trace. 

Until next time - Jodie B. Cooper




Monday, August 8, 2011

Summer Giveaway Hop Winner!


CONGRATULATIONS!!

Shannon Johnson won the Summer Blog Hop!!

Thanks to everyone who entered the Summer Blog Hop giveaway!



Sunday, August 7, 2011

Sídhí History IV

Sídhí: The home world

I'll apologize right now Sídhí History IV is extremely boring. This will be the final part of the Sídhí History series unless I'm requested to write more.

It took years, but eventually the synth crystal spread out like veins under the crust of the land, creating springs and underground streams. Each Spring of Crystal was unique; it absorbed characteristics from its surrounding environment.

I've seen copies of the Last Scientist's diary or 'scientific journal.' He never realized the synth crystal would absorb the elements surrounding it, changing each Crystal Spring in the tiniest way. He didn't know these tiny changes would create dozens of different races once people became infected with synth crystal.

Essentially, every Crystal Spring Changed the people within a specific geographic location creating a wide variety of synth enhanced races across the face of Sídhí.

The Elfhiem Empire - The eyes of the elves changed, not in shape, but in color. The iris grew until nearly no white showed and the pupil became larger. Their ears grew more pointed and a bit taller, becoming very sensitive to physical touch. An elf is marginally faster than most other races.

The Northern VamPyre - The vampires became walking weapons with fingernails that extended into bear-like claws. The slightly pointed canine teeth became retractable fangs. They now had the ability to suck blood. Vampires who lived primarily on blood had solid blood red eyes in direct sunshine. Those who ate solid foods had solid black eyes in direct sun.

The bite of a vampire has three outcomes. First, a simple bite that sucked blood from the victim. Second, a bite that injected venom into the victim and Changed that person into a vampire. Third, a bite between mates that injected a sexual stimulant into the mate's bloodstream.

The Shifting Highlands - The amber eyes of a shifter changed into various colors depending on the sub-race. The eyes of a shifter either glow or change color when emotions run high. Shifters received the ability to change their shape into a specific animal, growing stronger as they aged. Dragon, khatts, and werewolves are among the known sub-races.

The Atlantis Continent - The people of Atlantis had the widest changes and were not uniform at all. Called Fairy as a race, they have five castes: Royal, Warrior, Merchant, Artist, and Common. Among those castes are numerous sub-races including nymphs, sirens, & pixies.

Gnome Grotto - The eyes of a gnome became a uniform pale yellow. They have short, fuzzy red hair. The tallest among them are no taller than four feet. They are very slender with wrinkly faces, like a Shar Pei puppy.

The people of Sídhí have seven senses: sight, smell, taste, hearing, touch, telepathy, and instinct. The strength of each sense varies widely between the races.
Of course, there are also many anomalies, including teleportation. Several races can teleport including vampires and dragons.

This is not a complete listing of races or abilities that would be impossible for a simple mundane like myself to record.

Until next time - Jodie B. Cooper

http://sidhinews.blogspot.com/


Saturday, August 6, 2011

Sasquatch Attack! part II

Clan Valley: Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma
Sasquatch Attack continued…
A quick catch up… Some friends and I, along with our beloved pets, were visiting Mordecai's Sasquatch Ranch for the weekend. To know more, read yesterday's post. J
Gorman, the Sasquatch, shrieked in fury as the water trough slammed down on top of his head. Water drenched his long fur. He looked like a nine-foot drowned rat with giant teeth and claws.
He threw a hissy fit, smashing the water trough to the ground. He stomped on it until it resembled a pancake. He took the pancake and threw it toward the visitors.
In Gorman's defense, I'm sure he was aiming at Chief and Pumpkin.
Gorman took a running leap at the electrified fence. The fence must not have a very high charge, because he clung to it with the tenacity of a blood sucking leech. Hair smoking, he clung to the electrified surface, shrieking at the top of his lungs.

Thankfully, Mordecai arrived before Gorman managed to climb any higher and shot him with a tranquilizer dart, knocking the Sasquatch out.
Mordecai politely suggested I either leave or move to another part of the ranch. He said, Sasquatch remember things. I snorted and said he worried too much. I certainly wasn't worried.
I mean really, Kerry, one of my best friends and her husband, Mick, are vampires. Even if Gorman managed to escape from his pen, they could stop Gorman.
:face palm:
Next time, I'll listen to the old vampire's advice. Please, don't tell Mordecai I'll listen to him. Like most vampires, his ego is already mammoth sized.
It was nearly 3:00 AM when I heard a soft scratching sound at my window. I knew it was three in the morning, because the red numbers glowing on my ceiling said so. I hate being woke-up by weird noises. It's usually a chirping cricket or a buzzing morag stuck in the window screen. That drives me nuts.
I stumbled out of bed and lifted the window, before looking out. Yes, I know, how dumb was that, but I never thought about. Honest, I didn't!
I came face to face with Gorman. His eyes glowed green and he shrieked at me. That dual tone scream that announces a Sasquatch is on the hunt.
Death looked me in the face and shrieked, sending shards of icy terror through my chest.
Oh yeah, I didn't know I could move that fast. I flew away from that window.
I scrambled backward, screeching at the top of my lungs. Chief's barking mingled with my blood curdling screams and Gorman's shrieks.
Gorman plowed through the flimsy screen, ignoring Chief and came straight at me.
Thank goodness for Kerry and Mick. They came running into my bedroom and attacked Gorman.
Two full grown - very angry - vampires were way more than Gorman planned on. He squealed like a stuck pig and dashed out the window. Actually, he took the entire window frame and part of the wall with him.
All is well that ends well. No one got hurt and Mordecai moved Gorman to his ranch in New Mexico. Believe it or not, Mordecai said we were still welcome at the ranch.
Until next time - Jodie B. Cooper
http://sidhinews.blogspot.com/

Friday, August 5, 2011

Sasquatch Attack!

Clan Valley: Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma
Would someone please tell me how one dog can cause so much chaos? Honestly, I can't very well wring his neck for nearly getting me killed. Can I?
When I take a trip, my German shepherd, Chief, goes with me. He loves it when I visit friends in Clan Valley.
A group of us met at Mordecai's Sasquatch Ranch on Lake Eufaula. It's one of our all-time favorite destinations. With cabins, jet skis, boats, grills, horses, wyvern… well, you get the idea. They have everything for a fun getaway.
Well, last night we started the long weekend with a swim in the lake and a cookout. Yes, it is hot, but we purchased a gallon of cooling charm. A cooling charm must be used under a roof or a tree, something that provides shade. You see, a cooling charm is fairy made. It comes in quart and gallon sized. Simply spray the liquid on the ground and on the ceiling (or tree) and ta-da the area drops by twenty degrees! I love it!
Anyway, Chief and Pumpkin (Kerry's Pomeranian) were running around the camp site causing more racket than ten marching bands. I finally bribed Kerry's daughter, Angela, to take them for a walk.
No harm, no foul… I thought.
Mordecai's Ranch raises Sasquatch or Big Foot as many of my mundane readers call them. Sasquatch hate being teased and they remember everything. I mean, I tossed Big Tom (a Sasquatch stud) a chunk of meat three years ago and didn’t feed the Sasquatch in the pen next to him.
Gorman remembered! (Gorman was the Sasquatch in the pen next to Big Tom) Every time I visit Mordecai's, Gorman starts howling at me. It doesn't matter that I've fed him since that first encounter; he refuses to come near anything I feed him.
Where was I? Oh, right! Sasquatch are vindictive wretched monsters!
The water troughs in the Sasquatch pens are built four feet off the ground with a permanent high-powered cooling charm painted on them. The high-powered charm drops the water temperature and the area beneath the trough by thirty degrees!
To stay cool, Gorman had crawled under his water trough, leaning his back against the fence, ignoring the people watching him.
I really love my dog, but I could kill him right about now. Chief wiggled under the first security fence, sneaking up behind Gorman as if the Sasquatch was a rabbit, not a freaking huge monster.
Pumpkin, the teeny-tiny Pomeranian followed.
How they both remained silent is beyond my understanding; they are never quiet. They stood a foot behind the nine-foot creature and barked. Loudly.
:Sigh: I'm not sure Mordecai will ever let Chief visit again.
Gorman shot straight up, plowing into the underside of the metal water trough. The trough flew up and straight back down, smacking Gorman a second time on the top of the head.
The dogs barked madly.
Angela screamed for help.
The Sasquatch on either side of Gorman's pen howled and pointed at Gorman, giving the equivalent of a Sasquatch laugh.
Gorman shrieked in fury!
Continued.
Until next time - Jodie B. Cooper

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Synth Changed Canadian Geese

Trellick Valley: Tulsa, Oklahoma


I finally finished it!

Before I tell you today's news, I have a quick self-serving plug: Stolen, book three in the Song of the Sídhí series is now available!

Short description: Every vampire has a destined lifeMate, a mate who is a perfect match, but what happens when that perfect mate is stolen?

Okay, thanks for listening to my plug!


The heat wave continues to worsen, affecting people and animals.

Today I'm posting my report from Tulsa, Oklahoma in Trellick Valley. For anyone concerned over my well being, I've been assured that as a member of the press I will not be detained. You see, Trellick Valley is under independent ruler ship, but it is also part of the Dhark Empire. They keep mundane humans as blood slaves.

Anyway, the reason I'm here is to cover the early migration of Canadian geese.

Yes, I know what you're thinking, dumb woman, geese don't migrate in early August.

Well, geese that have been Changed by synth crystal don't follow natural rules of nature.

Fifty percent larger than their brethren in the mundane world, Changed Canadian geese have red bellies, bills, and feet. They have several rows of quarter-inch serrated teeth and their eyes glow red in the dark.

In addition to grain, they supplement their diet with small rodents and fish.

Several flocks have converged on the Arkansas River. A report from Trellick Fish & Wildlife estimate over a thousand birds are in a ten-mile radius.

In this heat, food is growing slim. I don't think the area will have a mouse or squirrel problem for years to come. Unfortunately, with the lack of food the geese have turned the next easy meal. Many have developed a taste for domestic animals, specifically cats, toy dogs, and puppies.

Reports of family pets gone missing are flooding Trellick Guard Headquarters. The guards hands are tied, as Canadian geese are a protected species of the Dhark Empire.

Lord Trellick petitioned the Dhark High Court to lift the protection, but his request was denied. He is urging residents to keep all small children and family pets inside until the flock moves south. Anyone caught killing a goose will fall under Dhark Empirical law, not Trellick law.

The penalty for killing a goose is five years in a silver collar and sold into five years of slavery to the highest bidder.

Until next time - Jodie B. Cooper

StolenSong of the Sídhí #3
22,000 YA paranormal romance
Contains sexual situations and cussing

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Scorching Hot Temps & Tempers!


Earth: Tulsa, Oklahoma
For everyone following the History of Sídhí it will continue in a few days. J
The temperatures have reached the scorching hot level, so have tempers. Mixing Sídhí, hot temps & hotter tempers is so not a good idea.
Today it hit 115 degrees and the weatherman has forecast triple digits all week. I am so very ready for fall and cooler weather.
Anyway, as the temperature rises, so do tempers especially when speaking of a vampire's rather volatile state of mind. Throw in the fact the vampire in question had his very pregnant lifeMate with him and it was an instant recipe for disaster.
Breaking up fights between angry vampires is nothing new to Clan Guardians, but yesterday may have been a first for them.
As many of you know, I live in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (Earth) which is a Sídhí Hot Spot. Specifically, a Hot Spot is where several valleys have gateways that open onto Earth. I'm sure I don't know about all the gateways, but I'm aware of ten in a hundred-mile radius of the Tulsa Metro.
Three gateways open from Clan Valley, one from The Dhark Valley, two from Trellick Valley (and everyone knows Trellick Valley is allied with the Dhark Valley,) three from Ozark Valley, and one from Dragon Valley.
Well, let me tell you mixing clan vampires, dhark vampires, dhark elves, elves, and dragons all in a small area, an area populated by mundane humans, is a mega-recipe for disaster.
Woodland Hills Mall is one of the most popular shopping areas in Tulsa. On a weekend, it's nearly impossible to find a parking spot near a door. A Wednesday should not have presented a problem, but for whatever reason the mall was jam packed full.
Take 115 degrees, reflecting off all that asphalt and add in no parking and the temperature at the mall rose into the volcano range or maybe that was the tempers. At this point, it's rather hard to distinguish the two.
Thomas Andrews, a clan vampire who happens to be a great, great, great nephew of High Councilman Warren Andrews, circled the parking lot for twenty minutes searching for a spot. His lifeMate, Shawna, is fifteen weeks pregnant and he didn't want her walking that far in the heat. Of course, she refused to get out at the door. Understandable, as most lifeMates prefer a little discomfort over being separated from their mates, especially while visiting Earth.
For the mundanes among us, a Sídhí pregnancy has a gestation of sixteen weeks. To say that Shawna can't see her toes is a mild understatement.
Thomas finally found a spot and started to pull into it when Marvin LispPertle, a dhark vampire (also known as an exile vampire or a blood-drinking vampire,) darted into the spot nearly hitting Thomas' car with his Corvette.
The shouting match quickly turned into a fight. The details are mixed. Thomas and Shawna say Marvin threw the first punch and Marvin accuses Thomas of kicking him first. The cameras were unable to catch the beginning of the fight as they were behind a Hummer.
The first image caught on tape is Thomas tossing Marvin a hundred feet, slamming him into a cement wall.
At that point, Shawna called Clan Guardians.
Before the guardians had time to arrive, Marvin picked up several smaller cars and began tossing them at Thomas. Marvin slammed a Honda Accord into Thomas' Lexus. Shawna was still inside.
Thomas went insane. Do not ever threaten the life of a lifeMate, not ever.
In a matter of seconds, Thomas tossed the Accord off the Lexus and ripped the roof off the black car. The back seat was crushed, but front was relatively undamaged.
Shawna was terribly shaken up, but other than a few scrapes she is fine.
Once Thomas assured himself Shawna was okay, he attacked Marvin.
By this time, mall security had arrived closely followed by Tulsa police. They pulled guns and shouted on bullhorns, but nothing stopped Thomas' rampage.
Thomas broke Marvin's back, crushed his rib cage, ripped off one arm and a foot before Clan Guardians arrived.
Clan Guardians swarmed the area, wiping mundane memories and destroying cameras and videos.
They tried approaching Thomas, but he was too far gone. His vampire instincts had thrown him into a frenzy. Shawna finally coaxed him away from Marvin, getting him into the back of a guardian's SUV.
The Lower Clan Council refused to condemn Thomas' actions, citing he was simply protecting his lifeMate.
Marvin refused a Clan Healer. Once his synth crystal stopped the bleeding, he was transported to the Dhark Valley gateway.
The healer assured me, even without her assistance, Marvin would not have any lasting damage. Depending upon his age, his bones would heal first then his body would start re-growing his lost arm and foot.
I'm under the impression that re-growing a severed limb is rather painful. It might be due to the fact, Guardian Gareth snickered that it served Marvin right for the pain he caused Thomas in attacking his pregnant lifeMate.
Until next time - Jodie B. Cooper

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Sídhí History part III

Earth: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Continued -
Before I continue with the series on Sídhí History, I wanted to tell you a quick bit of actual news.
There has been a report of a two vampires fighting at Woodland Hills Mall located in Tulsa, Oklahoma (Earth.) I don't have all the details, but I heard mall security caught the fight on video. Yeah, no way a mundane could miss vampires fighting, not when they can teleport and can pick-up cars.
Anyway, when I find-out the details I'll let you know!
Sídhí History - part III
Picking up from yesterday, the people of Sídhí didn't comprehend the magnitude of the changes their bodies would soon go through.
At first, the most apparent change was physical appearance. White-haired grannies woke-up with satiny soft dark hair and young bodies.
Wait a minute. I'm getting ahead of myself. First, you must understand the people of Earth and the people of Sídhí are similar, yet different. We are all human, to one extent or another.
On Earth, race is defined by a person's appearance and geography.
On Sídhí, before synth crystal was released - when people lived and died of natural causes - race was also defined by appearance and geography, but not in the same way.
The people of The Elfhiem Empire had slightly pointed ears; a very large percentage of the population was highly intelligent. They tended to be highly educated, preferring mental games to physical. To be an elf was synonymous with arrogance.
The people of The Northern VamPyre had slightly pointed canine teeth. Overall, most vampires were very physically active, preferring any type of outdoor game or activity to sitting around and reading a book.
The people of the Atlantis Continent were mixed in their physical appearances. Fairy lived in clans that specialized in craft, war, art, or served the royals. Each sub-clan had very specific characteristics. The Siren Clan had velvety soft voices to the south and harsh guttural voices to the north. The Banshee Clan had blue hair. The Land Clan had dark brown eyes and stubby noses. That's only naming a few; the Atlantis Continent was home to hundreds of different sub-clans.
The people of the Shifting Highlands had amber eyes. They lived in clans. Most clans were nomadic, traveling from mountains to the sea, traveling the same routes year after year. Normally, they camped near a river or natural spring sharing the water with whatever wild animals lived in the area.
The people of Gnome Grotto had pale yellow eyes and brilliant red hair. They lived in groups called clutches, within the numerous deserted caverns under the Continent of WormWood.
I could write all day. There are many more races, but I believe five races will be sufficient for the purpose of this article.
To explain how each race changed, I must back up a bit.
As you know, from the previous articles, The Last Scientist never planned on creating a clean source of power for the dying world of Sídhí. From his preserved diaries, we know more about him than the people of that long ago time.
Not only did he provide the basic research for synth crystal, he also provided the rarest of all ingredients, Black Matter. The diaries didn't provide the details of how he manipulated the rare elements. Good thing since I couldn't explain it even if he had!
Essentially, modern day Sídhí scientists believe he took years of genetic and nano research and somehow created a form of programmable nano genetics. He attached these nano genetics to Black Matter at the cellular level.
Sídhí scientist say what he did should have been impossible. It defied every law of science, but it worked.
I'll go into further detail tomorrow.
Until next time - Jodie B. Cooper
http://sidhinews.blogspot.com/

Monday, August 1, 2011

History of Sídhí

Continued

Sídhí Home World

The liquid substance was almost clear, milky-white. It poured like water. It had no odor. When heated it did not get hot, refusing to boil it remained room temperature. The crystal could not be ignited, nor could it be used to power the abandoned nuclear reactors. It did not react like any form of known energy.

So, why did the scientists believe it was pure energy? Simple, when placed in a vacuum it expanded. It did not release any by-product, keeping its original elemental structure while increasing its physical size.

They believed it was a clean source of energy. All they had to do was figure out the trigger, how to make it work, how to make it power the dying world.

Late one night, the original scientist disappeared with a full container of the synth crystal. The next morning, they found his note. There was no synth crystal in the facility; he had dumped the entire contents into the emergency waste chute. No one knew how he managed to by-pass dozens of protocols, dumping the substance into the cavern system below the research facility.

His note was actually an admission of guilt. His research into a theoretical power source had never meant to replace the world's exhausted energy. No, the synth crystal contained a lifetime's work of genetic engineering among other technologies such as Nano-engineering and the rare element of Black Matter.

While the remaining scientists tried to recreate the synth crystal, the military made every attempt to reach to dumped liquid, but it was unrecoverable seeming to have disappeared into thin air.

The dumped synth crystal drained into the deepest of chasms.

As the people of Sídhí were soon to find out there was more than a single way for synth crystal to expand. Deep in the soil, it expanded filling natural caverns and crevasses. It reacted exactly as the original scientist, whom we now call the Last Scientist or the First Ancient One, planned. The synth crystal leaked into the water table as it flowed through the earth, splitting time and time again.

People everywhere became infected. The changes in their physical bodies appeared rapidly as each of them went through twenty-one days of 'puberty.' Their bodies changed, growing younger in some cases and maturing in others.

Until next time - Jodie B. Cooper

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Sídhí Beginnings

The home world of Sídhí

One quick bit of news before I attempt to become a storyteller of grand proportions. LOL

As you know, Raphael (mega-singer songwriter) Thumped me the other day announcing that he found his lifeMate. Well, I have it on good authority that Raphael doesn't know who the lucky girl is! She hasn't come forward and he doesn't want to announce that she hasn't. Can you imagine the reaction of millions of die-hard fans from every valley around the world? He'd be swarmed with women swearing their synth crystal sang for him, naming him their lifeMate.

The second bit of news is a bit more disturbing. Reports from London, France (Earth) and San Francisco, California (Earth) indicate Elf Hunts are on the rise. Historically, hunts targeted mundanes and vampires, capturing mundanes for slaves and killing the vampires.

The majority of elf ruled valleys outlawed Elf Hunts years ago, no doubt due to vampire's retaliation methods. Vampires hunted down Elf Hunters then killed them and all of the hunter's blood kin, a very effective warning.

I'll keep you updated on the Elf Hunts.

On to the requested history lesson, hopefully it won't bore you to tears. Please, let me know if it does.

Why are Sídhí different from mundanes? Why do they have seven senses and not five? Why do they heal rapidly and stay eternally young?

Well, I hope to answer your questions over a series of brief articles.

Tens of thousands of years ago, there was a highly advanced civilization on a world named Sídhí. Technology so advanced modern scientist would either scratch their heads or call them higher beings. Unfortunately, highly advanced did not mean smarter.

Like Earth, Sídhí had a fixed amount of natural resources. In their arrogance, they ignored the warning signs as they drilled deeper for oil, carved huge swaths out of the soil searching for coal, air became thick and putrid, and unfiltered water undrinkable.

Scientists screamed warnings, but no one listened until it was too late.

Governments rationed fossil fuels. As people became desperate for fuel to heat their homes entire forests were cut down in a handful of years.

War broke out between the nations, each blaming the other. War hastened the inevitable. Every drop, every crumb of natural fuel/gem/metal was cut from the world. All that remained above ground was rapidly used up or in storage facilities.

A scientist, whose real name has been long forgotten, proposed a plan. He believed energy could be created with no waste by-product unlike nuclear energy. He argued pure energy should expand exponentially (grow by itself) and not expend energy unless triggered.

It sounded like a hair-brained theory, but it was their best hope. Each nation agreed upon a cease-fire.

Scientists from around the world came together. They started-out using the original scientist's research. Safety precautions grew lax as they became desperate.

After a time, they created a substance they nicknamed, synth crystal. To say synth crystal was unique implied simplicity; it was such a feeble description for the most powerful energy ever created. At least the scientists all believed it was power beyond anyone's wildest dreams.

Until next time - Jodie B. Cooper
http://sidhinews.blogspot.com/

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Atlantis Report on Kraken Nets Threat!

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma: Earth

Well! The very small news clip I wrote about the theft of kraken eggs from Atlantis Valley brought me a little bit of unwanted attention.

The Khr'Vurr, a terrorist organization based in Dragon Valley, sent me a present. Yes, I know, Guardian Alexander did warn me not to agitate them. (See news reports July 18 & 19)

This morning I opened my front door and found a dead skrivett - a nasty soccer ball sized rodent covered in leaky pus that smelled like warmed-up sewer - hanging ten feet above the ground in an old oak tree. The Khr'Vurr hung it with an Old Western type noose and wrapped my favorite blue scarf around its hind leg.

The nerve! What were they thinking! I live on Earth. Hello? What if a mundane had seen their little gift?

Honestly, I still don't know how they managed to sneak into my house and steal my scarf. I can't believe Chief, my three-year-old German Shepherd, didn't go nuts. He barks when the crape myrtle brushes the window.

I'll never look at scarves the same way again.

Let me tell you what they wrote on the note.

They didn't give me a dire threat like, “Stay out of our business or we'll kill you.” No, I think I hit a nerve with yesterday's news clip. The note said, “Only a certified idiot would stick her nose where it wasn't wanted. Your Loving Readers, The Khr'Vurr."

Well, I have no doubt in my mind that note proves the Khr'Vurr stole those kraken eggs. I called Guardian Alexander to tell him my theory. Do you know what his response was?

He hung up on me!

Moronic idiots, I'm surrounded by them!

On to a happy note, I received a request from a reader! I'm so excited! In the letter, Miss Clara Burnstien longtime resident of Stigler, Oklahoma (Earth) and a Land Fairy pointed out that many of my readers are mundane. Of course, I already knew this, but she went on to say my readers might want to hear about Sídhí's history. Well, not simply history, but how the dozens of Sídhí races came into being.

She said, "…the few mundanes the Council allows to know about Sídhí are sure to be curious about our origins. And while you're telling them about the Ancient Ones and how they nearly destroyed us be sure to tell them a few of our beloved stories."

I wasn't quite sure what she meant by 'beloved stories' and I wasn't going to ask. The woman talks faster than a speeding bullet. I got in about three words during our hour long phone call."

I think she meant mundanes would like to hear small stories about special people sprinkled through Sídhí history. Yeah, like I'm an expert on Sídhí history. Whatever, I'll do my best.

Until next time - Jodie B. Cooper

Friday, July 29, 2011

Phoenix Attacks Hikers

Initial reports from DaKine Valley were not alarming. They issued a brief news alert reminding hikers within the DaKine National Preserve not to disturb nesting phoenix.

After a few phone calls, I found out a pair of phoenix are terrorizing hikers.

The highly popular tourist destination, known worldwide for its exotic wildlife, is located in the Pacific Ocean with a dimensional footprint that overlays Hawaii and a large portion of the Pacific Ocean.

The volcanoes dotting the DaKine Valley are the preferred hunting and mating grounds for many Sídhí breeds including phoenix, lava sprite, and salamander.

It's unknown why the pair of phoenix has been attacking hikers. Both birds appear well fed and they do not have fledglings. After each incident, the hikers swear they did not antagonize the birds.

To date, the fire dripping birds have attacked thirty-two people. I found it rather odd all of the victims have been elves. I mentioned this to Hillary Hursliegh, administrative assistant to the tourism chair, Lord Samuel Pinkle. Both are dragons.

Hillary bluntly told me I was grasping at straws, trying to in-flame a boring story into a serious incident.

Of course, I'm sure the seventeen elves that received third-degree burns might take offense to the attacks being considered anything less than serious.

Hubert Pinkle, no relation to Lord Samuel, captured a recent attack on video. It showed the female phoenix dive-bombing several elves, splashing them with flames as it dripped off her feathers. While the female held the elves attention, the male landed on each tent and shook, throwing drips of flame onto the material.

Lord Samuel and The DaKine Tourist Association down played the video, attempting to blame the elves for entering the phoenix's nesting area. The elves insist they didn't go near the restricted area.

In fact, one of the elves heard a high-pitched dog whistle several minutes before the initial attack.

After hearing the elves' side of the story, I contacted Hubert and asked for a copy of the video, which he sent to me. On the video, I found the brief image of a man near the lip of the volcano crater waving at the birds. Zooming in, the man had a whistle to his mouth and was none other than Lord Samuel Pinkle.

I turned my information over to the DaKine Guardians.

As of five o'clock this evening, Lord Samuel is under house arrest.

In other news, Atlantis Valley reported the theft of six kraken eggs.

I shudder to think how the fairies will react. Trust me I would NOT want to be in the thief's shoes. No one messes with the fairies of Atlantis.

Get real, even a certified idiot knows that!

Until next time - Jodie B. Cooper
http://sidhinews.blogspot.com/


Phoenix - A phoenix is a bird of prey with brilliant red feathers. Adults have an average wingspan of twelve feet and a body mass of ten pounds. Fish and small animals make up the majority of their diet. Even with a hooked beak and razor sharp talons, it isn't the scariest looking bird around. They are beautiful whether standing or flying. Standing they have sparks of fire that flicker around the red feathers. In flight, the pretty sparks turn into a weapon, building into slender fingers of flame as they feed on the rush of oxygen. Once the flames reach two or three inches in length, normally after a few minutes of flight, the birds dive at larger prey. They are very intelligent and are popular attractions at zoos and circuses.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

UFO Sighting!

Wednesday night at 10:03 p.m., UFO buffs and hundreds of residents as far south as Las Vegas, Nevada reported an Unidentified Flying Object zipping over restricted airspace known as Area 51. The UFO disappeared five miles north of Las Vegas.

Thursday morning at 12:15 a.m., the same thing happened above Roswell, New Mexico.

At 1:47 a.m., residents and tourists reported seeing a UFO above Table Rock Lake and Branson, Missouri.

At 2:43 a.m., residents around The Great Lakes reported seeing a UFO dipping into the water and surging out again. The odd behavior continued for over an hour.

At 3:57 a.m., Dragon Guardians caught up with Reginald of Clan Darby, putting a stop to his aerial show in the mundane world.

Reginald, a dragon shapeshifter, is a firm supporter of 'coming out of the closet.'

Every year, for the last four hundred and nineteen years, he has petitioned The Dragon Council to announce the presence of Sídhí to the residents of Earth.

At first, he paid respectful visits to each of the council members. Now, he performs illegal fly-bys on Earth.

I know what you're thinking. Why hasn't a satellite captured his picture? Simple, Reginald is from Clan Darby.

Each dragon clan has certain abilities. Where the DeLeigh Clan can see people's auras, the Darby Clan is a twisted version of a chameleon. When a Darby shapeshifter changes into their dragon form, they reflect the aspect of whatever gem that is touching their body.

Normally, a Darby wears a horn cuff or thick bracelet encrusted in the gem of their choice. Once shifted, their scales look like gems.

Reginald prefers wearing opals, which accounts for the shimmer in most UFO photographs.

To further muddy the picture, the older dragons within the Darby clan, have the uncanny ability to blur their appearance. To date, every known picture or video of Reginald looks like a big white/silver blob racing and dipping through the sky.

Several different mundane countries captured him on video chasing fighter jets.

I asked Reginald for a statement.

His response fit the worn denim jeans and t-shirt he sported. "If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times we must announce our presence to the mundanes. In this day and age, with cameras attached to every spare surface someone is going to get caught doing an 'impossible' human task. I agree with helping the mundanes, but I shudder every time one of us lifts a car off a child or catches a baby falling from a fifteen-story drop. One day soon we'll get ratted out. What happens if a camera catches an exile feeding?"

Good question. What would happen if a mundane camera caught an exile (or dhark) vampire feeding? Thanks to Hollywood and some best-selling novels, vampires are all golden and perfect. That unrealistic picture could change in the blink of an eye.

Just image the horror most mundanes would feel if they saw a vampire sucking blood from a living donor. It would not be the best introduction.

Perhaps Reginald is correct, maybe Sídhí need to come out of the closet.

Until next time - Jodie B. Cooper

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Vampire in Dallas!

Dallas - Fort Worth Metro, Texas: Earth

A multi-car pileup in the Dallas - Fort Worth Metro (on Earth) resulted in numerous injuries and four fatalities.

Morgan Stantleberry, vampire, has lived in Texas for his entire life. He turned twenty-one in May. He's a die-hard Dallas Cowboy fan and works as a car sales man.

He might want to reconsider his career choice.

Earlier today, he rode with Matt DeLittle, a mundane who took a test drive. Against Morgan's suggestion, Matt took the little sports car up on one of the numerous expressways crisscrossing the area.

The actual pile-up was not Matt's fault, but since he was going nearly ninety miles an hour he couldn't stop in time. He hit the bed of a flatbed truck and went air born, flipping several times before landing in the opposite lane of traffic. A semi-truck hit the little sports car, completely crushing it. Unable to stop, the truck pushed it another hundred yards before stopping.

The accident killed Matt instantly.

Emergency personnel found Morgan unconscious and rushed him to the hospital.

Morgan, a Clan vampire, doesn't drink blood, except in a recreational sense. But after all is said and done, he is still a vampire.

When seriously injured a vampire's first reaction is to drink blood as it helps speed up the healing process. I'm sure you can see where I'm heading with this.

Morgan woke-up in the emergency room quite delirious. The young nurse drawing his blood never knew what hit her. He grabbed her wrist and chomped down. Yeah, that went over like a ton of bricks.

The nurse shrieked loud enough I'm surprised I didn't hear her all the way in Oklahoma.

A second nurse tried pulling Morgan off the first nurse. - Good luck detaching a blood hungry vampire! - When she couldn't budge him, she bashed him on the head with a bedpan. It went downhill from there.

Morgan raised his head, with his fangs still extended and hissed at the second nurse. Security stormed in the curtained room about the same time.

Morgan came to his senses soon enough, but not before people began screaming vampire. Security shot him twice.

He was too dazed to do more than mentally call for help.

His parents arrived and mentally froze everyone. They called in several friends, but soon realized they needed a lot more help.

Clan Guardians swarmed the hospital, mentally wiping the episode from every mundane mind. In this day and age, they also had to confiscate the security video and dozens of phones. Tracking down who sent images and to whom, took an entire squadron of guardians less than an hour to accomplish.

Since Morgan was so young a healer was brought in to speed-up Morgan's natural healing ability. With the extra blood and a healer's touch, Morgan walked out of the hospital on his own two feet.

The disaster ended on a happy note. Morgan found his lifeMate. She happened to be the mundane nurse he bit. Thankfully, she wasn't seriously injured.

Until next time - Jodie B. Cooper

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Raphael Thumped me today!

For my mundane followers, Thumper is the Sídhí equivalent of Twitter.

Raphael has over fifteen million followers on Thumper and he follows less than five hundred. His music tours have been known to cause riots when sold out and people couldn't buy a ticket.

Yes, that Raphael! Guess what? He followed me!

Squee!!!! To say I'm excited is the understatement of the year! To have someone like Raphael follow me on Thumper is unbelievable!

Last year alone, Raphael won fourteen Crystal Awards for his awesome singing and song writing ability. The trophy for the award is rumored to cost one million dollars each. (Clan Valley uses the same type of monetary system as the U.S. It keeps down confusion since Clan Valley's second dimensional footprint sits over part of the U.S.)

The trophy is five intertwined ribbons of synth crystal and stands eight inches high. Master Artist Theodus Grimson, a two-thousand year old Vas Fairy in the artist caste, creates each trophy. Need I say the Crystal Award is the most coveted of all music awards?

Now, can you understand why I'm so excited? At only nineteen, he was named one of the top ten bachelors in all the valleys combined.

Even if he didn't have the most incredible set of lungs on him, his 'oh so perfect' face would have sky rocketed him into instant stardom. Three inches over six feet, he towers over his band. Jet-black hair down to his shoulder blades and slate gray eyes that have electric blue sparks in them when he sings.

His eyes alone announce his fairy genetics. As a siren, he is a member of the warrior caste. A siren's ability, or their voice, is rated on a scale from one to ten with a special designation stating the 'type' of voice. Anything from mind shattering screams to enthralling song can come from various sirens. I've heard Raphael rates a ten and his designation is unknown.

His PR representative, Kayla, refuses to confirm or deny the rumor.

Sorry, I'm rambling but I'm still shaking.

His Thump to me said: Jodie, I've found my lifeMate! I'm over joyed!! Please help me spread the word. So here, I am spreading the word and a bit more.

I know he must be thrilled. Every Sídhí, no matter the race, only have a single lifeMate. They might wait thousands of years before finding their perfect mate, but it's worth the wait. Trust me a Sídhí couple who are bonded lifeMates will be a perfect union.

The synth crystal swimming in the blood of a Sídhí always places two compatible people together. It's part of their genetic make-up. Immortals are not complete without a bonded lifeMate. It’s why the synth finds the perfect mate for them.

When the crystal in a person’s blood sings for a person's lifeMate, it is literally love-at-first-sight. I've never heard of a lifeMate not instantly falling in love. Most lifeMates mentally bond as soon as their crystal sings.

A lifeBond between two mates allows them to feel the others emotions. Can you imagine knowing exactly how much someone loves you? It would be the most awesome feeling in the world.

There is a downside to finding a lifeMate. Not all lifeMates hear the synth in their blood sing at the same time. It must be agony knowing who your lifeMate is only to have them look at you as if you’re a complete stranger.

Until next time - Jodie B. Cooper

Monday, July 25, 2011

Angel Sighting in Celtic Valley

Inverness, Scotland: Celtic Valley

Meredith McNeil reported seeing an angel early Sunday morning. The event happened northwest of Inverness, Scotland in Celtic Valley, near Loch Glass.

Meredith didn't file an official report with Celtic guardians, complaining they didn't believe her the previous times. Yes, supposedly she has seen four angels in the last ten years, which must have set some kind of record.

The latest report split the small village, on the edge of Loch Glass, straight down the middle. The Faithful, as they call themselves, believe Meredith can see God's messengers. They believe she is touched. People drive hours, simply seeking her opinion.

On the opposite side of the argument stand the Disbelievers, a label given by the Faithful. They say Meredith, who happens to be a vampire, has become unhinged. It's always a possibility. She is after all over nine hundred years old and hasn't found her lifeMate.

The Disbelievers insist Meredith is nutty as a fruit bat high on nectar.

Now, hearing that phrase come out of a mouth with a thick Scottish burr kept me asking Martin Black to repeat himself, which he did. Bless him.

Martin, a dragon and Celtic Guardian, calls Loch Glass his home. He was kind enough to speak with me, at great length.

Meredith refused, quite loudly and rudely, to speak with me. I might add she sounded tipsy.

Martin actually has several interesting theories. First, he thinks Meredith is smoking too much wacky weed. However, he's never smelled it on her. His next theory is she might be seeing sunrays reflecting between the clouds and the loch.

I asked him, if he thought she might be trying to boost the local economy, as she owns the largest bed and breakfast in the village.

He didn't disagree with me, but his next words made the reporter in me sit up and listen.

Yes, you heard me correctly; I promptly forgot my theory of greed as he told me his third theory.

Martin thinks she might be seeing fairy.

The majority of fairies live within Atlantis Valley and they don't have wings. Well, most of them don't, but the highest of the warrior caste have wings. Warrior fairies are completely unpredictable, even among fairies they're given a wide berth.

Fairies are unusual among the Sídhí as they have a caste system. Essentially the fairy race is made up of dozens of sub-races. Each sub-race is contained within one of five castes: royal, warrior, merchant, artist, and common. As an example, a banshee is a mid-level warrior caste.

One sub-race within the top caste of the warrior fairies is the exception to the no-wings rule. From the pictures I've seen and the stories, I've heard they are perfect in every way.

Every one of them, male or female is drop dead gorgeous. Their wings aren't pure white. The single picture that sticks prominently in my mind is the oil painting, Wings by Maurice Swift. The background is a brilliant sunset over the ocean. The artist captured the man's shoulder muscles tightening as he flared his wings wide. Gorgeous golden skinned with wings the color of a late evening storm, dark gray with blue and silver etching.

The painting took my breath away the first time I laid eyes on it at the Royal Museum in Alberta, Canada in Elfhiem Valley.

Unfortunately, the near mythical race of warrior fairy has not been seen since Sídhí arrived on Earth some four thousand years ago.

History is a bit blurry on the subject of what happened to the highest of the fairy warrior caste.

I called the fairy's embassy in Celtic Valley, but I wasn't surprised when they refused to discuss the subject with me. The few fairies I've met are extremely rude to other races.

Until next time - Jodie B. Cooper