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I don't know about you, but I find spending time exploring the Internet to be pretty relaxing.  I love just trolling around, searching fan sites or playing on Facebook, and a recent hobby of mine (for lack of a better word) is spending time on Twitter.  Although I'll confess it can become the ultimate time suck, it's also a fascinating way to keep up with pop culture, current events, and friends.

So when I started thinking about our blog discussion this week, i.e. How the Spartans Will Spend Summer Vacation, I had a bit of an unconventional thought.  I decided that one of the immortal warriors should take up tweeting. Naturally, one of the seven Spartans particularly popped to mind as the one who should spend his summer vacation hanging out on Twitter.

Any idea who I might be thinking of? I'm curious if you're already guessing who, precisely, I think would enjoy life in tweetland.  Let's just say this: there's one Spartan in particular who wields a clever tongue and a smart mouth.  I think 140 words maximum per post would suit his irreverent humor just perfectly.  For those of you who are fans of the series, I'm betting you already know who I have in mind. Guesses anyone?

All right, I'll reveal the identity of this masked tweeter.  I'm thinking Aristos.  Of all the Spartans, he's most influenced by the era he occupies-really, even more than his younger brother Ajax, despite that one's love of fine clothing and sidewalk cafes.  See, if you notice, Ari's dialogue is often full of twenty-first century slang and pop culture references.  Some of the other guys still speak in more classical language, but not Ari who has absorbed all the ages he's lived through (and that's a lot of ages, given that he's been walking the planet for more than twenty-five hundred years.)

I can hear you groaning out in blogland.  Saying that with as alive as Ari is, he needs to get out there and do something physical. I disagree.  You see, while Twitter may not sound like a great summer vacation idea on the surface, Ari is already so out there-friends with anyone, chatting with anyone.  The only truly social guy in their cadre of seven immortals.  I think tweeting is just his style. Besides, it's not like he can't still go carousing with King Leonidas on River Street or go rent a wave runner.  This is for the long, quiet nights when he starts thinking too much about the fact that River's been missing since April. 

So I've decided to give ole Aristos a head start by setting him up on Twitter.  And those of you already on Twitter, give the guy a boost by choosing to follow him, okay? Here's the link:

http://twitter.com/spartan_Ari

And, Ari.  Dude.  Some advice from your friend Deidre over here: You have never been one to hold back in trying anything new.  Jump out there and start following some people.  You'd be amazed what you can learn, and how it might be used for honing your demon hunting and warfare skills.  The last thing you want-and I really do mean the very last-is for Kalias to beat you to the tweeting game.  Besides, from what the other guys are telling me, you are really moping now that River's gone.  (I got a pretty confessional and lengthy email from Ajax last night, and between the two of us, he can't get out of town with Shay fast enough.  He says you're no fun whatsoever right now.)  Again, remember my blog from the other day, Ari-I know what happens at the end of the summer because that's what this Red Kiss hoopla is all about.  So relax, live a little. Stop worrying about River and tweet on, man!

Whew.  We can move on to River now that we've covered Ari (and please, folks, do go follow the man on Twitter. He needs some serious distraction at this point because he's spending way too much time hunting for River out in the marshes around Tybee Island.)

River, I'm so sorry that you're languishing out in the Atlantic right now.  At the end of Red Fire, we knew you'd become stuck as a dagger after spending too long in that form-and we also realized that the demon Sable had tossed you out into the Wilmington River.  That was almost two months ago, and I happen to know-having been part of the Red Kiss plans-that you're now drifting in the ocean. Lost. Afraid. Going slowly mad. 

I feel really guilty-I really do.  Because it's like I had some part in that whole chain of events, way more of a role in your fate than Ari, Ajax and Nik, all of whom keep blaming themselves in one way or another.  Good thing they aren't blaming me, and Lord knows, they really could.

I sure hope you'll forgive me, River, because truthfully, you're my favorite of all the seven immortals.  But I think you already know that.  So to make up for things, to really atone for where I kinda sent you by the power of my pen, I've got some suggestions for how to pass the time while drifting around in the Atlantic until August.  Since I know your mind's going a bit, I'm going to keep these ideas in list format and make them simple:

1. Imagine the woman who you could live with throughout eternity-picture what she'd do with you and for you.  Imagine holding her in your arms every night and after every battle.

2. Imagine that this woman, whose name and face you do not know, could somehow hear you call out to her from the watery depths.

3. Practice calling out to her.

4.  Envision this soul mate, this love of your life, hearing you even though you are trapped.

5. When not working your way through steps 1-5, I say recite battle songs, poems, and imagine yourself in drills.  You've got to keep hold of the physical world.

6. Start practicing this name in your head: Emma.  Emma Lowery.  Don't you just love the sound of that?

I know that I love the sound of River and Emma together...and hope you'll love reading about them in Red Kiss!

Deidre Knight, Red Kiss, paranormal romance, Penguin Books