“Sorry.” Val laughed. “It’s good to see you here.”
“It’s good to loosen up and have a drink, knowing that Brooklyn’s streets are a little safer.” Sid smiled.
Val grinned. “I know you can’t accept gifts from the public, but surely you’ll allow a friend to buy your drink?”
Sid studied her. Beer foam dotted his silver mustache, but his eyes were bright gray and piercing. Val wondered why she hadn’t noticed them before. Could he be…
Nah, he was aging too fast.
Sid blinked, and the moment passed.
“I suppose I could allow that,” he told her.
Yuka beat her to it. The dwarf clambered onto the counter, eliciting a squeal of dismay from Enzo, and raised her glass. Light sparkled and fractured through the pale amber pilsner.
“Anvil Brewery, bitches!” she whooped. “A round for everybody on us!”
The resulting cheer rattled the windows of the Iron Fist.
THE STORY CONTINUES
Valerie’s story continues in book four, Jewel of the Night’s Mantle, coming soon to Kindle.
AUTHOR NOTES RENÉE JAGGÉRMAY 12, 2024
Thank you for reading book three and here to the back! This series is so much fun to write!
It’s Still Spring, and This Woman’s Thoughts Turn to…
Shrimp! Not what you expected, was it?
Seriously, I used to be a diver (not much opportunity in Arizona, and I’ll be damned if I’m putting on a drysuit to dive in Scotland! I’ll get back to Sumatra and Fiji someday!). One of my favorite pastimes was to overweight myself and lie on the bottom, watching all the denizens of some crowded rock go about their business.
Since I largely dove in tropical climes, there were always eels, crabs, damselfish, other juvenile fish, sponges, anemones, sometimes octopi (highly amusing as well)…and the ubiquitous shrimp!
Those busy little crustaceans bustled about, eating this, moving that around, and generally being very busy. Fortunately, these days, there’s a new craze called nano tanks in the aquarium world. Those are tanks that are two to ten gallons. While a two-gallon tank might hold a lonely male betta fish, my lovely new five-gallon is just the place for a colony of my little friends.
These aren’t the eating-type shrimp. To be technical, I’ll be raising neocaridinas in blue, red, and yellow…maybe some green, if I’m lucky…and hopefully, all kinds of baby shrimp will come along.
I have been watching videos on YouTube when I’m not writing, and I am so ready! I have also been watching videos on aquascaping eco tanks that don’t require filters or outside supplements (Thank you, MD Fish guy!), and I’ve already overplanted this tank to get its bacteria levels up and its ammonia and nitrites down.
More than you wanted to know, wasn’t it?
The lovely Steve at Las Vegas Exotic Fish has kindly shared his time to get me up to speed, and as soon as my tank cycles for a few more weeks, I will be buying what he calls the Skittles pack, which has all the colors above. Seriously, the man knows his fish and shrimp, y’all. I can’t wait to watch my new buddies without sounding like Darth Vader while breathing through a regulator!
I might even add some Japanese rice fish for interest in the upper part of the tank. Wait, now I’m getting crazy!
As always…
I sincerely appreciate my editor, the JIT team, and you, the readers! We authors couldn’t do it without you. Kelly, you rock!
Until we speak again, I hope your skies are sunny and your days are filled with happiness and good books.
Renée
BOOKS FROM RENÉE
Para-Military Recruiter
(with Michael Anderle)
Recruiter (Book 2)
Accepted (Book 3)
Lead (Book 4)
Recruited (Book 5)
Soldier (Book 6)
Tactical (Book 7)
