Category Archives: book
The darkness of my soul
I’ve slowly come to a realization–my life is becoming darker.
I remember in younger years, I loved watching shows like Cheers and Barney Miller, and movies like Airplane!, all light comedies that made me laugh. We watched sitcoms as a family, even The Simpsons and other laughfests, enjoying the warmth together.
But now I don’t. The trailers for comedy movies don’t appeal to me. Neither do tv shows. All I seem to want to watch are darkly-atmosphered programs like Fringe and X-Files and others of that ilk. These are my PEOPLE. Life is shadowed, bleak and horrible things happen to average people every day.
Keep in mind this is not a reaction to the current American political scene, though I’m sure that doesn’t help.
I’ve come to the conclusion that the main catalyst of this change is living with chronic pain. This change started perhaps nine years ago, when the fibromyalgia began to coalesce in my muscles and trigger points. It has been joined by osteoarthritis in multiple joints, chronic fatigue (which isn’t painful in itself but exacerbates dwindling abilities), sciatica, destroyed knees and more. It’s a vicious cycle where pain causes inability to exercise and carry on normal life, which causes stress, which causes pain, which means you push yourself to even try to feel normal again, which causes pain, which…you get the idea.
Now, before you throw handfuls of advice at me–which everyone does, meaning to be helpful, and I know they think they’re trying– just….don’t. “If only you’d…” Yeah. If you’ve found something that works for you, that’s wonderful. My sister, Shawna Coronado, has become a guru on the anti-inflammatory protocol, which helps her osteoarthritis, incorporating diet, walking, etc. That’s great if you can walk more than 15 feet without an ice pick in your hip. Not necessarily something I can do.
Gluten-free? Tried that. Supplements? Take a dozen or so. Opioids? Thank God and the doctors for them, they take the edge off and I use them responsibly. Frog eyes? Maybe that will be the next suggestion. Maybe I’ll be desperate enough to try them.
Note that “chronic” pain doesn’t mean “constant.”
Some days it feels just like this picture looks. Really.
Some days, the pill combo makes the pain almost negligible. I almost always overdo then, just because I’m driven to try to catch up with my old efficient, multi-tasking, ACCOMPLISHED life.
Some days, it’s only the back/ wrists/ neck/ whatever it is today. Some days it’s cold and rainy and the barometer sets off a flare. Some days, like today, it’s sciatica, which for me is the worst pain ever. Worse than childbirth or pulled teeth. Intolerable and really untouchable with any of the meds, or heat, or cold packs. No wonder the days and nights are sucked dry of any joy.
But apparently there is some science to this. Because the chronic pain keeps your brain firing on overtime, you lose gray matter, fear and anxiety and depression increase, and your brain loses its ability to turn off pain. See this article from the Carolinas Center.
It comes down to a fairly common feeling of hopelessness. Even things I used to find happiness in have gone by the wayside. Not only comedy shows, but other hobbies. Gardening used to be a true joy for me, but physical limitations make it difficult. I slug through on better days, but it will never be the same for me. Crafting becomes a temporary distraction from pain, rather than pursuit of a wonderful art form. I’ve lost a lot–a marriage, a career, the ability to travel freely, and more.
But one thing that still makes me happy, when I can sit long enough to do it, is writing my stories. Creating people, places and plots gives me a real escape, and I can enjoy the escape that faraway places and wild action provide. I hope you can enjoy them, too, especially knowing at what cost they are created.
For those of you who share these afflictions, I wish you warm days and many spoons. For those who don’t, please take a moment to understand those of us who wish things were different. Remember, you don’t have to “cure” us, but see if there isn’t something you can do to bring a little joy into the lives of anyone you encounter. You may not be able to see what’s happening inside their skin, and your effort may be the best thing that’s happened all day. Be someone’s best thing.
A snippet from A Small Degree of Hope–Science Fiction Romance Brigade

The new cover for PRINT!!
“Griff?” She waited, watching on the monitor until he stopped his circuit of the small cell. “Do you need medical attention? Something to eat or drink? What can we get you?”
He leaned on the wall on the right of the picture. “They’re going to die.”
“We don’t want that to happen, Griff. You can help us.”
“I want to talk to you.”
“Then talk. I’m right here.”
“No. Talk to you.” He whirled, almost faster than her eyes could follow. Taking the thin mattress off the narrow bunk, he ripped it in half. Claws flashed out of his fingertips amid the shredded bits of cheap stuffing that showered the room.
As the detritus settled, he glared at the monitor. “Talk to you like equal being. Face to face. I tried. You won’t let me! Now one is probably lost, maybe more because you are too inflexible to listen.”
Everyone held their breath, frozen at the demonstration of Griff’s swiftness and power. She made herself breathe as she gathered her thoughts. Those claws. An inch long at least. He wanted her to go in there with him.
Her nerves tingled. “You keep saying women are going to die. But you won’t tell us where they are. You won’t help, like you say you want to. This shows me you don’t really mean what you say. You’re going to let those women die. You’ll be an accessory, Griff. You’ll go to prison.”
He turned away. “Then you are, too. Because you won’t listen.”
********
Even the smallest degree of hope can spark love.
Against her wealthy father’s demands, and the usual blockades of a male dominated profession, Kylie Sanderson proves worthy of her position as lead investigator of planet Andan’s Scientific and Investigative Research Taskforce. Someone is killing Andan’s women in an attempt to mutate them into reptiles. Kylie makes it her mission to discover who’s behind the murders and prevent more grotesque deaths.
Shapeshifting lizard Griff comes to Andan to stop his brethren from mutating other planets’ women into mindless breeding stock. Overcoming Kylie’s suspicious and defensive nature proves difficult, but he must in order to help the SIRT team thwart his planet’s scientists.
When Kylie is abducted and becomes the first human to survive the transformation, it’s up to Griff to rescue her so SIRT can restore her human form. On the run and desperate to unravel the mysteries of Kylie’s past to solve the crimes of their present, can she and Griff forge a future for themselves?
CONTENT WARNING: Language, Violence, Sex
Buy the book!
Publisher https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/30085
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Small-Degree-Hope-Lyndi-Alexander/dp/1616508396/
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-small-degree-of-hope-lyndi-alexander/1115425659
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-small-degree-of-hope-2
Catch a bonus interview with hero Griff at Romance Lives Forever here!
Come meet Temms Rogers from the Horizon Crossover series!
Thanks so much for hosting me at Romance Lives Forever, Kayelle Allen!!
And if you haven’t seen it yet, check out the series trailer!
Love, reptile style
Here’s a snippet/excerpt from A SMALL DEGREE OF HOPE. Investigator Kylie Sanderson has been caught and transformed into an alien reptile being–then rescued and the process reversed. Her cold shapeshifter lover does what he can to help. But her problems aren’t over.
******
“Are you ready to watch the films now?”
She shrugged without answering.
He reached for the remote the doctor had left on the counter and started the show again. “May I sit with you?” he asked.
“Sure.” She waved a hand at the chair the doctor had vacated. “Why not?”
He looked as if he were about to answer then he sat down without saying anything. Her attention was caught by the film. This section included Griff, in his reptile form. What a different attitude she displayed toward him than the staff! Whenever he entered her enclosure, she immediately calmed and became submissive to his every command, if that’s what they were, those odd clicks and bumps.
She might not understand them, but her reptile self clearly did. For the next several sections, Griff translated for her as Dr. Astrid gave commands, and Reptile-Kylie performed a multitude of tasks, manipulating machinery and other devices. She passed every one of the tests conducted by the doctor and her staff, easily lifting heavy objects, able to navigate obstacle courses at lightning speed, even passing dexterity tests with ease, especially when rewarded with raw meat.
The doctor returned during the screening to watch with them. “A fine specimen, for what she is.”
Kylie tore her eyes away from the screen. “Did — did Jaco see this? And the others? Did they?”
The doctor paused the film. “Only when you were rescued. Jaco took you to the nearest hospital, and an ambulance brought you here. After that, he wasn’t permitted access until we were well on the way to recovery.” Her voice acquired an edge. “If I’d known Rand would be such a fool as to bring you that trash this morning, he wouldn’t have been allowed in at all.”
Kylie chewed her lip, recalling the conclusions she’d drawn from that conversation. “And. my family?”
The doctor wouldn’t meet her gaze. “Your father was here. He didn’t stay long.”
“He saw it? Me?”
“He pushed his way in, or bought his way in, I don’t know which. I found him staring in the glass. I asked him if he wanted to visit. I even offered to call security if he was hesitant to try it one on one.” She rubbed her hands together, as if they pained her. “He looked through me like I wasn’t really there.”
Kylie swallowed hard, her throat closing. “Didn’t he say anything at all?” she whispered.
The doctor didn’t answer.
She turned to Griff. “Were you there? Did you hear what he said?”
Griff cocked his head and looked her in the eye. “He said, ‘That’s not my daughter.’”
The Lost Chord’s five stars!
I’m finally back from gallivanting ’round the country… it’s not my fault all my family spread out to the corners of the world! Coming home refreshed, I found three more 5-star reviews for THE LOST CHORD! Like Christmas in July! 🙂
THE LOST CHORD is a multi-dimensional story that pulled me in and kept me enticed. I am not a sci-fi fan normally. However, I decided to pick up this novel because the heroine was a teenage girl with autism. I have been an autistic support teacher for thirteen years and this is book has had one of most realistic, believable portrayal of a person living with autism! I will be recommending this book to my colleagues because it gives an insight to the feelings and mind of people on the spectrum. It allows people to see the main character, Bee, as different, not less.
I give this book five stars because it contained all my likes, different universes, chakras, stones, believable characters and magic talismans. Once you read this, it will strike a chord within you that will resonate all the way to your soul.
One of the biggest things I appreciated from this book was the diversity. Alexander has always had a knack for showing diversity in her novels, and she didn’t falter here. There were interesting role reversals and certain dilemmas the characters had to overcome that really showed a message of acceptance and unity. There were many possible themes in this story. Understanding, leadership, teamwork, and perseverance were prevalent throughout

Artist Luc Grigg’s rendition of Bee–based on real-life model Tasha
the whole story, and all important messages such as not fearing the unknown and accepting people for who they are were very present and unambiguous. I always enjoy Alexander’s work, and this is no exception. The clear diversity and character arc in this novel puts it at the top of my list of recommendations.
The combination of sibling rivalry, teen angst, runes, magic, time travel, and saving the world from the plight of the Scourge — ticks all the boxes for me.
So many people love it–and they’re signing up to be Chordians–our fan club!! What are you waiting for? Get your copy now!
PAPERBACK [EAN 978-1-941278-81-9 | ISBN 1-941278-81-7] 6×9 library trim (200 pages) | Average Price: $11.99 or less || Paperback at Amazon | Paperback at Amazon UK | Paperback at Barnes & Noble | Discount Paperback at Lulu |
HARDBACK [EAN 978-1-941278-80-2 | ISBN 1-941278-80-9] 6×9 library casebound (200 pages) | Average Price: $19.99 or less || Discount Hardback at Lulu |
EBOOK [EAN 978-1-941278-82-6 | ISBN 1-941278-82-5] Available in EPUB and Kindle MOBI (70,000 words) | Average Price: $4.99 or less || Kindle at Amazon | Kindle at Amazon UK | EPUB at Apple iBooks | EPUB at Barnes & Noble | EPUB at Kobo Books | EPUB & MOBI at Smashwords |
Monday snippet!
A few years ago when shapeshifter romances were becoming all the rage, I wrote A Small Degree of Hope. Not your standard warm and fuzzy hero, Griff is an alien reptile, who has the ability to shift into a human appearance.
Worse yet, his species is trying to turn human women into reptiles for mating purposes. Kylie Sanderson is part of the crack team investigating the case, and she becomes involved in a way she never imagined in her worst nightmares.
With that said, here’s today’s snippet:
Griff said, “While you were at the hospital, I tracked my brothers who fled when you were rescued. They have not withdrawn far.”
That raised her eyebrow. “You knew where they were, and you didn’t tell SIRT?”
“I was not sure I could trust them. While they had you, I had to be cautious.”
There it was again, that almost tender sound to what he said. Like when he’d pledged his loyalty to her a few moments before. Did he know the feelings she held for him, the effect he had on her? She’d been comfortable, held in his arms but she intentionally hadn’t defined their relationship.
In the hospital, she rationalized his role as mentor, perhaps, or a co-participant in experiments. He’d been necessary to explain the differences between reptile and human as he knew them for medical necessity.
But here, as they hid together from the forces massed against them, she knew in her heart that this was different. She was drawn to him, not by necessity, but because some tenuous feelings had evolved between them. He had been there, each step of the way. He hadn’t abandoned her, like her father, or turned on her, like Jaco. He’d stayed by her side, good or bad.
For better, or for worse, in sickness and in health…
That was the standard, wasn’t it? When you mated/married, you took each other with all the foibles as well as the high points, and you did what you could to support the other person through the bad times.
And these were bad times.
A SMALL DEGREE OF HOPE is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other online and retail booksellers. Enjoy!