Emmelia Spenser, Mining Guild Chairman of the Board

What is your story?

It's not just my story, it's the story of the galaxy. I just happen to be in it. It's told in the Lone Wolf Series.

Who are you?

I am Emmelia Spenser, Chairman of the Mining Guild Board of Directors.

Where do you live?

I live in the penthouse of the Mining Guild Tower. I have other homes scattered about, but I'm most secure here.

Are you the hero of your own story?

I'm not the hero of anything. In fact, most would consider me rather villainous.

Care to explain that last answer?

As Chairman of the Board, I must make the tough decisions. You don't win many friends that way. In fact, there are probably dozens of people trying to kill me and thousands who want me dead.

Do you embrace conflict?

Conflict seems to embrace me. By the very nature of my job, I am in a constant state of conflict and turmoil. Do I embrace it? No. I hire skilled people to deal with it for me.

How do you see yourself?

I am cold hearted, cool headed, hard as nails, soft as silk, I am a conundrum, a paradox. I have been described as exotic, classic, Aquiline, and statuesque. That makes me sound like an island, a book, a bird and a hunk of rock! I'm a lady, pure and simple, high maintenance, feminine and capable of taking out any competition with a single call.

Who would you call?

Why, Wil VanLipsig of course. That man can take care of anything.

How do your friends see you?

Ssylvenia is the closest friend I have. Sometimes I'm sure she thinks I'm horrible. I make the tough decisions. She doesn't always agree with me.

How do your enemies see you?

They don't call me the Dragon Lady for nothing. Oh, yes. I know about that. I've been called worse. Who cares what the bastards call me as long as they leave me alone? And if they don't, I call Wil.

How does the author see you?

Amazingly, she admires me. She sees me as a woman caught in circumstances not of her making. My father was murdered when I was 25, I inherited the job as Chairman when he died. My life has never been my own. Dellani sees me as someone who's been trapped in a life she hates. And I hate myself sometimes too.

What do you think of yourself?

I'm really a lonely, unloved child inside. My father was cold, harsh, uncaring. He never expressed any love of me, although, in my youth, I said I loved him often. Now I wonder if I ever did.

Do you have money troubles?

I'm among the richest, most powerful women in the galaxy. The top three are: Chairman Aisulov of the Galactic Committee, Chairman Shimmelfenig of the Navigation Guild and me. Not necessarily in that order, however.

What is your most closely guarded secret?

I don't tell secrets. That's one reason that I've stayed alive so long

Who was your first love?

I fell in love with the stable boy at my grandfather's estate. Richard was only ever kind to me, though I was a complete bitch to him when we met. After my grandfather condemned my behavior, that changed. We became dear friends, then lovers. I'm sure my father and grandparents would have been horrified to know I lost my virginity to a servant. That is, perhaps, one reason I did it. My younger years were full of small, secret rebellions which would, had they been discovered, have caused a huge furor. I was, even then, extremely good at keeping secrets.

Have you ever had an adventure?

Most certainly! When my father was murdered, Wil saved me by kidnapping me and spiriting me away to a desert world far off in the galaxy. We saved our own lives, helped Lena, brought Murdock back to life and watched as Valkyrie's daughter was born. She's my goddaughter, you know.

Was there a major turning point in your life? My father's death. I became who I am today.

What is your favorite color?

The color of the sea outside my windows.

Do you have any regrets?

I regret that I was thrown into this life so young. I never had a husband, child or a true relationship, not after Richard. Sadly, that was doomed to fail before it began. He's married now, to a lovely woman, and they have four wonderful children. I wish that had been my life.

© 2016 Dellani Oakes

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I Love Dialogue from Shakazhan

New Cover by Suzette Vaughn

Having reached a mysterious planet, deep in uncharted space, Wil and Matilda find themselves in peculiar circumstances. Led here by Riley, and nearly killed in a massive explosion, they take refuge with an alien race who call themselves the Kindred. From what they can tell, the Kindred are silicon based lifeforms. Highly intelligent beings, they don't speak – they are telepathic. Matilda is injured and is given expert medical aid by one of the Kindred healers. Afterward, they sit down for dinner – if you can call it that.

Wrinkling her nose at the unsavory looking, pinkish gray, pulpy rectangle, she glanced over at the cooking fire with longing. "Whatever they're fixing smells delicious."

"I don t think we had better try their food, I doubt their diet would agree with us."

Matilda took the trail food reluctantly, breaking off a piece and adding a little water. Biting in, she shuddered. "Strawberry Beef Supreme? Ugh! Who thinks of these things? "

Wil took his own package nibbling experimentally at the corner. "Marc and I developed theories over the years. First was that they simply do the combinations at random. Second was that they spend an inordinate amount of time thinking hard what would be the most disgusting combinations known to mankind. My favorite, a team of nutritionists gathered at a convention, got ripping drunk and played Scrabble with the food pyramid. Think Strawberry Beef Supreme is bad? I once got Mango Macaroni Surprise. The surprise was that it was completely inedible." Grinning, Wil ate his Strawberry Beef Supreme with great relish. It was filling and it wasn't Mango Macaroni Surprise.

© 2016 Dellani Oakes

Shakazhan To Be Re-Issued Saturday, July 9, 2016!

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Lone Wolf Returns!

Wil's back and he's just as bad as ever (but in a totally hot and lethal way). Join him and Matilda as they wend their way into deep space, in a space race with the infamous John Riley.

You can find Lone Wolf for sale at Amazon with this fantastic new cover! Please note, if it hasn't got this cover, it isn't the Dellani Oakes authorized edition and I don't get paid. (For full disclosure on this, click here.)

For your reading enjoyment, a teaser from Chapter 5 of Lone Wolf!

The room was Spartan with a single round table top sitting on crates. Three chairs surrounded it. The small room smelled of decay and mold. A timeworn ceiling fan moved the thick, moist air with very little effect. The beads jangled aside, moved by a gnarled, age spotted hand, more like a crustaceous claw than a human appendage. An old woman stepped through. The ancient, wrinkled face gazed up at them. Her clear, bright green eyes bored into theirs; steady, calm, unwavering. Wisps of thin, white hair were pushed back with another frail and trembling clawlike hand. She wore a faded black woolen dress; long sleeved, even in the oppressive heat. Around her tiny shoulders was a white knit shawl.

She smiled up at Wil, then turned to Matilda. "Welcome, my dears. Please sit."

Wil remained standing. Matilda sat across from the old lady who hobbled to her seat. She was the tiniest woman Matilda had ever seen. Just over four feet tall, her body was frail and thin. Her gaze compelled Wil to sit reluctantly at Matilda's side.

"Let me see your hands, child," she said to Matilda.

Slowly, she raised her hands, holding them across the table. The old woman reached over gracefully, taking Matilda's hands in hers. Like moths in the dark, her touch was light, fluttering. Lady Lena studied them, muttering to herself.

"These are good, strong hands. You've worked hard in your life, my dear."

Lady Lena turned the palms up, tracing the lines with one delicate finger. A hiss escaped her lips. She took the other hand, tracing those lines too. She studied the palms a few moments longer, going over and over the lifeline with her nail. With a decisive nod, Lady Lena drew a dome shaped object from her lap. It could have been wood or metal, it was impossible to tell, for it was more ancient than she. The lid was dark and sleek, polished to a dull sheen, as if hundreds of hands had held it, caressing it tenderly for centuries. It was devoid of all ornamentation, with no visible seams.

Chanting, she closed her eyes, moving her hands over the box once, twice, three times. She pressed both hands on the sides of the domed container. Leaning across the table, she slid the box toward them.

"Place your right hands on the dome. If it opens, take what is offered."

"And if it doesn't open?" Wil asked.

The old woman's eyes flashed brilliant green, a suppressed fire dwindled to almost nothing, throbbing in the iris. "If it doesn't open, then I have wasted our time." Lifting her chin, she gestured sharply to the box. "Touch it."

They did as she told them. The dome felt warm, pulsating and sleek. Suddenly, the box flew open without a sound, startling Matilda, making her jump. Wil stiffened in his chair. Inside were two rings, one shiny black, the other matte white. They were suspended in the air above the box, spinning around in and out of one another. A bright light illuminated them from below, though Wil couldn't detect its source. Faster they spun until only a blur. They came to a gradual stop, no longer black and white, but a silky gray. The rings floated serenely in midair above the box.

"Take them quickly! They will be offered only once!"

Lady Lena motioned to Matilda first, who gingerly reached out toward the nearest ring. Wil remained wary and reluctant to touch the ring.

The vivid green eyes locked with his black one without wavering or blinking. "Take it, boy. One can't work alone and this offer lasts only a short time. Take it!"

Reaching out his hand, he took the other ring. The box flicked shut, grazing his knuckles. The old woman took the dome back into her lap, waiting as they put on the rings.

"It's time for you to go now, children." She rose to leave.

Wil got up angrily. "We came for a reading, old woman! We'll have one before we leave."

The old lady glared at him, then the anger passed from her face. "Very well, a reading you came for, one you shall have," she replied sorrowfully. "But be warned, not all like what I see."

Her eyes took on a faraway expression, her breathing slowed to a mere flutter as she went into a trance. Even to Wil the skeptic, it looked authentic and he had to admit that this old woman truly held great power. He could sense it vibrating in the very air surrounding them.

"The Lone Wolf howls alone now, the Romance gone from his life. Into the Halls of the Hallowed Dead you shall go. Into greater darkness shall you pass. What was lost to the Ancient One shall be returned, the journey started. To love's end shall you come, life everlasting shall be yours. Love eternal." She blinked, coming out of her trance quickly, a touch of sorrow in her eyes. "Go now, children."

As they turned to leave, she pointed at Wil, saying sternly, "Beware, Lone Wolf, lest the Rat-Faced Man fasten his teeth onto your heels. Proceed with caution, the claws of the Dragon Lady are sharper than you know." She strode from the room, the bead curtain clattering behind her with a note of finality.

They walked quickly from that place. Wil felt the hackles rise on his neck. Matilda had an odd urgency to leave. They went a dozen or so paces from the house when the air shimmered and the ground shook. Looking behind them, they saw that the house gone. Only the rings on their fingers bore evidence to the fact that they had been there.

© 2016 Dellani Oakes

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It Was a Dark and Stormy Night.....

Today, the Fantastic Blog Hop tour bus screeches to a halt along the banks of the Indian River on the east coast of Florida. It trundles up to the home of author Dellani Oakes who is here to talk about herself and tell us how she got hooked on writing.

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night....

How I always loved Snoopy for introducing me to this line. Even as a child, I knew it was a cheesy beginning, but couldn't resist the fun of starting at least one story with it. I remember making my high school creative writing teacher laugh when he graded my story during class.

I've been asked how long I've been writing and that's a tough one to answer. I've been composing stories since I was three, but didn't start writing things down until I got older. The first clear memory of my written word was a poem I compose for my grandmother. I don't remember much about it except one haunting phrase, “When you get into the coffin, you never will grow cold, if you make sure that the coffin's made of 14 carat gold.”

Why I thought this was appropriate subject matter for a poem, I don't know. I also have no idea what my grandmother thought of it. I like to hope she appreciated the finer points like rhyme scheme and meter, even if it was otherwise of dubious merit.

As a youngster, I wrote song lyrics – some were parodies which I composed with my mother & sister on long drives. Every summer, we went from Nebraska to visit family in Ohio and Tennessee. We had to amuse ourselves somehow. We never lacked for input. A sign in Iowa that said “Wanted: Beans to Walk Through”, sparked the song parody, “Michael Weed the Good Old Field.” (To the tune of “Michael Row the Boat Ashore”)

Some compositions were original, like “The Unfinished Road in the Valley”. Admittedly, it was pretty terrible, but I intended it to be. I disliked soppy Country music, so I wrote the song with a very tongue in cheek intent. “The unfinished road in the valley. I see you in far away. You remind me of that dear little girl who stole my heart away.” (You may now vomit).

By high school, I was into short stories and humorous essays along the lines of James Thurber. One of the infamous stories purposely began with “It was a dark and stormy night in the middle of December.” It was a murder mystery spoof set at Valley Forge with the most incompetent detective ever. I think his name was Horatio Horsefeathers, but I'm not sure. I followed up with “Mistaken Identity”, a gender bending murder mystery with another addled detective. Tweety P. Winslethorpe, at least, caught her perpetrator. (Horatio became another victim).

In college, my interest turned to plays. As a theatre major, I enrolled in a class specifically for play writing. I loved it. I learned a lot about strong dialogue and draw from it in my novel writing. I kept writing short stories, scribbling them on paper napkins or scraps of paper when nothing else came to hand.

It wasn't until I was out of college and teaching, that I decided to try my hand at writing a novel. It's as yet unfinished, but one day, I shall complete it. It was rather rudimentary, but the basic idea is strong and the characters compelling enough, I want to tell their story. Don't look for it any time soon, though. I have too much on my plate.

I didn't take up novel writing again until my youngest son (now 17) started kindergarten. I wasn't working full time, so it was something I could do. The voices I'd ignored for so long, started talking again and I had to listen. The loudest voice was that of Gabriella, a young Spanish woman in St. Augustine, Florida. I heard her when I accompanied my eldest son on a field trip to the East Coast's Oldest City. She wouldn't stop talking until I gave her voice and told her story. Thus, Indian Summer was born.

Since then, I've written so many stories, I've lost count. I have that many and more that are sitting in

limbo, unfinished, though I promise myself that one day, they will be. Indian Summer may be my first, but it isn't my only published novel. I also have a sci-fi seires beginning with LoneWolf , followed by Shakazhan and The Maker. I also have two contemporary romantic suspense novels called TheNinja Tattoo  and Undiscovered. I've added an retro romance called Under the Western Sky and my newest novel, an erotic romance called One Night in Daytona Beach, is ready for pre-orders.

Twice a week, I post another story, in serial form on my Dellani Oakes blog

My Name is Thoeba

My guest today is a visitor from the great beyond. Please make her feel welcome! Hello, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

     My name is Thoeba, and I’m a refugee on your planet.
     It seems like ages ago that I was forced to flee my home in the heavens to save the Energy from the minions of evil.
     At first, I wondered why the Energy brought me to Earth. Your kind are a selfish lot, given to cruelty and self-destruction. What could you offer myself and my God in the way of salvation when you cannot save yourselves?
     And I struggled. Demons hunted me. I feared I would be forced to accomplish my mission alone—to save the Energy without my brethren and to find a way to break the Energy free of Its prison to save all life as we know it. Failure is not an option, otherwise all life will die.
     I met Peter, and through him, I met his children Zack and Kayla. They changed my mind. As we fight together for a common goal, I am learning not all humans are war-like and self-serving. I watched you come together...helping each other to save your own planet.
     Truly I am glad to have met your species. You are worthy of my allegiance and friendship. You are worth fighting for...and with.
     Your planet is beautiful and your vast cultures are fascinating. I could spend eons here and never learn enough. So many things to read, eat and experience. I like it here on Earth.
     And it is a good thing, because my work is not finished. I look forward to knowing you humans, and to rescuing our worlds together.

Thoeba - Donna Milward

Thoeba is a creature of light. As all things must be in balance, when the Energy created her kind it also created the darkness. Theoba's world fell to darkness forcing her to flee. She came to Earth to protect the Energy, losing everything in the process. Darkness has found a way to follow her and threatens to take this world as well. With only humans as allies, can she succeed?