Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 175

"What I'm Reading" Wednesday

      Starting now I'll be showcasing what I'm reading through a weekly "What I'm Reading Wednesday" blog. You'll also be able to see my progress in a widget on the side of my blog.
     For my first WIR-Wednesday, I'm reading:  Onyx (Lux Novel Book 2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout   Blurb: 
Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…
Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon's determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I've sworn him off, even though he's running more hot than cold these days. But we've got bigger problems.
Something worse than the Arum has come to town…
The Department of Defense is here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I'm a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who's got a secret of his own. He knows what's happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.
But then everything changes…
I've seen someone who shouldn't be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he's never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?
No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

Why I chose this book:

I am completely addicted to this series. I first read about the series on The Book Believer's blog and while I disagree with the post and really like the covers, the post got me interested in reading the books. I got the first book, Obsidian, free on my Kindle and devoured it in one night. Who knew aliens could be so sexy? 
Naturally once I finished book one I needed to get my hands on Onyx (Book 2), and quickly. I needed to find out what happened next in the world of Daemon, Katy, Dee, and the gang. My nearest Barnes and Noble didn't have it so I went to the library and voila! The copy I have is a bit tattered, but I'm tearing through it almost as quickly as I did with Obsidian. 
Who this book is for:
I recommend this book for young adults, new adults, and anyone who loves a love story (and a sexy alien next door), although I suggest starting with Obsidian so you know the whole story. This book has kept me going all day and I am having to fight to put it down.

New Release: All Roads Lead To Terror by Richard Schiver

         From the author of White Walker comes horror author Richard Schiver's latest novel All Roads Lead to Terror, Available TODAY!  


         The horrors of the past meet the brutality of the present.

         Four boys strengthen the bonds of their friendship, while taking their first hesitant steps into adulthood, as they face the brutality of an old, new world. They will be tested at every step in their journey, as they travel through a blasted land where the only hope is for a swift death followed by an endless sleep. Survival lay in the firepower they carried, coupled with their willingness to use it, and their ability to trust each other with their own lives.

        The world has become a wild place filled with wild things, and into this new reality each of them had been born. Coming of age at the end of days, where savagery was the norm, and man's inhumanity to man was on daily display. Where the only law was the firepower one carried and the only hope was for a swift death followed by an endless sleep.

        Meat was born at the height of the Zombie apocalypse, upon his birth his mother took one look at him and pronounced him meat. He grew up in a reality where they were all nothing more than walking bags of meat, so in his mind the name fit perfectly.

        Window, his best friend, is very quiet, and ever watchful with a quick hand. To him friendship was the most important thing in the world. His family had perished in the ruthless times after the awakening and his temperament had been forged in the fire that took them from him. His friends were all he had left so he watched over them with a jealously protective nature strengthened by that sense of invulnerability all boys his age embraced. Further backed up by a quick hand with the .44 he'd used to kill the men who had raped his mother.

       The remaining members of this quartet are Einstein who had been born within the compound at Bremo Bluff after the apocalypse. Having spent his life behind the fence he had no first hand knowledge of how brutal the world has become. As his name implies he's the smartest in the group, as well the most innocent. While that innocence helps to soften the ruthlessness of the other three, it will serve to drive a wedge into their friendship. On this trip he will discover just how terrifying the world beyond the fence has become.

       The final member is Billie-Bob, one half of a set of twins who appeared outside the fence several years earlier. Your typical class clown whose mouth runs a mile a minute, if he isn't sharing overused jokes about Zombies, he's whispering the passages from a book his mother used to read to him when he was younger, a chant that provides him with a degree of comfort. Billie-Bob is unique in that at the tender age of eleven he has proven himself to be a natural born sniper with a willingness to use his special talent to protect his friends.

       The trail they follow leads them East, into the Dreadlands, from which those who had dared venture in the past never returned. There are places where the fabric of reality is at its thinnest. Where nightmare creatures roam the shadowy corners of a well lit world. Existing at the edge of man consciousness, an indistinct blur briefly glimpsed in our peripheral vision. Their presence felt on a primitive level that reached our consciousness as a faint whisper in the night. Their touch the soft caress of chilled fingers dancing along the spine like the half remembered terrors lurking within the childhood memories of every person who had ever feared the night.

        In Richmond they will be confronted by a savage cult of children who worship a creature of the night. A nightmare being that feasted upon the fear of its victims, delving into their innermost secrets, revealing half forgotten terrors that lay like a rotting carcass at the heart of their souls. For these creatures, that were once considered nightmare imaginings, are now awake in a world where the population that once served as their food source has been reduced.

       Awake and very, very, hungry.
Buy Links:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B016MLXM32
Amazon UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B016MLXM32
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/all-roads-lead-to-terror-richard-schiver/1123014703?ean=2940152477603
Itunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/all-roads-lead-to-terror/id1061157501?mt=11
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/all-roads-lead-to-terror
Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/593434
Want to *WIN* an ebook copy of Richard Schiver's brand new novel All Roads Lead to Terror? Comment on this post and tomorrow (Sunday, December 13, 2015) I'll draw two winners at random to win an ebook copy of All Roads Lead to Terror! Leave your contact info so I'll be able to notify you if you win!
About the Author Richard was born in Frostburg, Maryland, in the winter of '58' and currently lives eight miles away. A five-year stint with the military allowed him to see what he wanted of the world. Married with four grown children and eight grandchildren, he and his wife provide a home to four pets that are spoiled beyond rotten.

In addition to writing daily he works a full-time job in retail and piddles around in his wood-shop making one mess after another when time permits.

Richard can be found online at:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B006MF80VI
Facebook: http://www.facebook/RichardSchiver

Follow Richard on Twitter: @RichardSchiver

Written in Blood is Richard's personal blog where he shares his thoughts on writing, and whatever else that might strike his fancy. http://www.richardschiver.com

He can be contacted directly at rschiver@gmail.com and would be delighted to hear from you.

Sign up to be notified of publishing updates and new releases as they become available. He promises to never share your contact info, nor will he swamp your inbox with unnecessary crap. He’ll also toss in a free copy of White Walker when you sign up.
http://www.eepurl.com/2bYSf

How My Writing Career Changed in 2015

        With 2015 being only twenty-seven days away from being nothing more than a memory, it is time to begin looking back on all that happened to me in terms of my writing career.
  
      I went from an unpublished author waiting for my first novel to be released to now being the author of not one, but two novels; The Haunting Love (WCP, February 17, 2015) and Finding Elizabeth (Self-Published, September 15, 2015), with the first two books in a new trilogy on deck for release in 2016.


       It's been a great year for me creatively and I continue learning more and more about the publishing world every day. It feels like I've grown so much in the past year, the seven months in between The Haunting Love's release and Finding Elizabeth's release in particular. 
  
     I've made mistakes and I've learned from them. I've been lucky enough to have experienced publishing through both a small publisher and self-publishing.
  
     Marketing didn't come naturally to me. I had to learn the fine line between promoting my book and turning people off by over promoting. It was shocking to learn it took more than my early efforts of promoting my novel on Twitter and *hoping* my publisher would promote my book to bring in sales. I guess it's true what they say: if you want something done right it's best to do it yourself.

       During the process of self-publishing Finding Elizabeth, I learned to make connections with fellow indie authors and bloggers. I can't emphasize that enough. Build a support group, make friends, and always help others whenever possible. It makes you feel so good when you can help other indie authors and it's good karma in your favor. 

        Another area of growth for me in 2015 was interacting with the public and my readers at book signings. I am quite possibly the shyest person I know. Talking in public terrifies me. I like to think of my book signing for The Haunting Love (May 9, 2015) as a trial run. It was held at a small coffee shop in a small town near where I live and 80% of my sales were to people I have known most of my life. I am grateful for their support and patronage, but I needed more exposure. My book signing for Finding Elizabeth was held at a bookstore chain I love in a medium sized city (See my blog post "A Great Place for Authors to Hold Book Events") and I thrived. It was such a positive experience. I connected with and sold to a broader group of people that I had no prior meetings with. I smiled so much I thought my mouth was going to be frozen like that forever, but I felt so empowered afterward.


       One of my favorite accomplishments of 2015 was participating in and completing NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month - November 1-30, 2015). 50,000 words in a thirty day period seemed daunting at first, but I am so proud that I reached and surpassed the goal and completed my novel.

        Fellow writers/indie authors: how did your writing career change in 2015? Let me know in the comments, I'd love to head what you got up to this year! 

A great place for authors to hold book events

     As many of you know I had a book signing this past weekend. This time around I thought a lot about where I wanted to hold my book signing. A bit of back story... I live in a very small town in Wisconsin where books tend to be less important than hunting or watching sports. I wanted to hold my book signing for Finding Elizabeth somewhere where I would get more exposure. To do that I knew I had to go to either Green Bay or Appleton.

     I had a few location ideas; libraries and a couple bookstores but because of my love for their store I put Half Price Books in Appleton, Wisconsin at the top of my list. This turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made so far in my publishing career.

     The woman that I spoke to to set up the book signing, Sarah, was extremely accomodating. I was afraid at first HPB would turn me down because I'm an indie author but they welcomed me with open arms; not only did they allow me to hold my book signing at the Appleton store but they day after I scheduled the book signing with them they had the information put up on their website.

      From there my book signing also showed up on the events calendar for several of the local news channels.

     I did my thing and put posters up in the area and ordered book marks to give out at the book signing then patiently waited for November 28th to arrive.

     Finally the day of the book signing arrived and I arrived about an hour early to get everything set up. When I arrived I was introduced to an employee named Sam who helped get everything set up. She and one of her coworkers set up the table next to the door and even brought a chair for my grandmother (who had tagged along) to sit on. HPB provided balloons and cookies and Sam brewed coffee which was set next to where I was sitting.

     I don't have one of those card readers so the store would have even made their old carbon machine available to me if I had needed it.

     At one o'clock, the start time of my book signing they made an announcement letting everyone in the store know about the event going on.

      I can honestly say I am so happy with everything Half Price Books did for my book signing. They went above and beyond anything I could have asked for. They were accomodating, friendly, and professional and I can't gush about them more.

     If you're an author looking for somewhere to hold a book signing/reading/event and you live in one of the 16 states where Half Price Books has a location I highly recommend contacting them and inquiring. You won't regret it!

     Again, a huge thank you to everyone at the Appleton Half Price Books! You guys are amazing and I am eternally grateful!

A Day In My Life & Week 3 of NaNoWriMo

       To make up for my lack of post last week I'm doing a double post! 
        For the first part of the post allow me to take you through a typical day in my life:
        9:00 am:
           I usually wake up sometime between 9-9:30 in the morning. Hey, don't judge... I'm up late writing at night, you'll see. 
        9:15-10:15 am: 
           I usually spend about an hour first thing in the morning checking my emails and social media and answering any email, following/repsonding to people on Twitter that I feel need immediate attention. 
        10:15 am - 12:00 pm:
             I spend most of the morning getting housework out of the way. I hate doing dishes but I suppose they have to be done eventually... anyway this time is spent doing anything from vacuuming to taking out the garbage and cleaning out the refrigerator, etc.
         Noon-3:00 pm: 
             What I do in this time chunk varies. I'm either writing out a chapter by hand in my latest WIP or I'm typing up a newly finished chapter. It depends how inspired I feel... sometimes writing comes easier at night than during the day. Also during this time I post on Twitter and Facebook or schedule posts to go live later in the day. Sometimes this part of the day switches with the morning if I have to run out to do errands. 
        3:00-5:00 pm: 
            Alright I admit it, I spend this two hour block doing absolutely nothing Monday-Friday. And by nothing I mean watching Dr. Phil and Judge Judy. We all have our guilty pleasures. 
       5:00-6:00 pm:
           Dinner usually happens around this time, but that can very depending on how hungry I am, how long it takes to cook dinner, stuff like that.
        7:00-10:00 pm:
            Lost hours spent watching television, reading (although I haven't had as much reading time lately), showering, or playing games on my nook. 
         10:00 pm - 1:00 am:
              Pure, enjoyable writing time. Alone in my bedroom, just me, my notebook, and Halestorm blaring on my ipod. Or, you know, typing if I wrote during the day. 
          So that's a typical day in my life. Sure there are days when I spend a whole day out doing something else, but this is mostly how my life works Monday thru Friday.
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       Part two of this double blog post is all about Week Three of NaNoWriMo. Are you still with me? Good!
        How are you doing on NaNoWriMo? Are you stuck in a rut? Way behind on your word count? Don't fret, you'll get there and even if you don't reach the 50k goal you're still awesome! Why? Because you wrote something. You had an idea and you started writing something. No matter what your word count is you should still be proud.
        Here are some ways I've kept myself going this month:
             - Writing to an upbeat playlist. Whether you write best to Mozart or AC/DC or Taylor Swift it doesn't matter. Make a playlist for yourself and plug in while you write. What's worked best for me is selecting the rock genre in my itunes library and tuning it. I love writing along to loud rock music, it keeps me pumped up and drives me onward.
           - Log off Twitter. Or instagram, facebook, buzzfeed, or whatever is distracting you online. I know you just have to know the latest gossip about Minnie's boyfriend's cousin but it can wait. Reward yourself after finishing your chapter or a certain word goal. You'll feel so much more accomplished.
           - Plan out goals for the next section / chapter of your novel. If you're stuck and don't know how to go on just write out what you want to happen in the next chapter or section and it should get you back on track.
          - Take a break. Take a walk, watch a movie, grab a bite, go shopping, spend time with friends, hell go ahead and take a nap. You don't need to spend every second of the day writing. (Gasp!) All that will do is burn you out and you'll start resenting your project. Just rest a little and come back to your writing when you feel rejuvenated.
          - Talk to another writer. They're going through the same thing you are so whether you chat in the forums on NaNoWriMo.org, in person at a coffee shop get together, or on the phone you'll feel better after talking to a fellow NaNoWriMo-er. And they might even inspire you or give you tips on how you can move forward with your novel.
          - Take a notebook with you everywhere. Ideas are everywhere and you never know when or where they'll hit so its best to be prepared. I've written on napkins, magazines, post its... whatever is handy when an idea knocks me in the head.
         Good luck fellow NaNoWriMo-ers! May your pen never run out of ink, may you have a never ending supply of coffee, may you always remember to back up your work, and may you reach your goals! I hope to be reading your novel someday.
         Current NaNoWriMo Word Count: 48,331
          Look me up on NaNoWriMo.org:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/participants/Taylor-Fenner
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         Don't forget! I'll be signing copies of FINDING ELIZABETH at Half Price Books in Appleton, Wisconsin Saturday November 28th from 1-3 pm! As a special holiday bonus you'll get The Haunting Love FREE when you purchase Finding Elizabeth! Hope to see you there!
         Happy Thanksgiving!

Surviving Week One of NaNoWriMo

     Alright.. so it's midnight on November 1st. Halloween is officially over (sob) and its now the beginning of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). You have your pens/pencils/notebooks/laptop at the ready and its time to start writing! Right?
    Wrong. At least if you're like me and you forgot to factor in Daylight Savings Time... ending? beginning? I can never remember which we do in the fall.
      Day 1: Sunday November 1st
            Wake up incredibly late, somewhat relieved that the pressure of finishing my Halloween short story is off now that it's been completed and posted. Ditto the Halloween Contest my Paranormal Art group always hosts during the month of October. I was up reading late the night before and feel incredibly lazy all day. Does writing in my journal count?

      Day 2: Monday November 2nd
              To be fair I'm not doing NaNoWriMo in the traditional way. Everyone else is starting a novel. I'm putting December 1st as the deadline to get the first draft of Into the Light (Eternals Trilogy #2) completed. I'm about 35,000 words in. I'm not cheating.. I'm not recording anything on the NaNoWriMo website. I'm merely being my unconventional self.

             Anyway.. that being said.. writing done today: some additional sections added to the previous two chapters in my work-in-progress plus an hour or so spent doing research for the next chapter. I fully intended to do some writing before I went to be but exhaustion has a way of creeping up on me.

      Day 3: Tuesday November 3rd
              Feeling revitalized after ten blissful hours of sleep and inspired after watching the new episode of Wicked City (even though I'm not writing about serial killers or Los Angeles) I finally, thankfully put pen to paper and wrote 3 or 4 pages. Not a lot but definitely making progress.

      Day 4: Wednesday November 4th
              After being up late the previous night writing I spent another 1 1/2 hours writing 4 more pages. Nearly finished with this chapter... just a few more words... darn, I fell asleep on my notebook. No matter I will finish tomorrow night.
 
      Day 5: Thursday November 5th
             Super wired because the giveaway I had going on Goodreads ends tonight and as of 11 pm I've gotten nearly 1550 entries. Amazing! Feeling so inspired I write until nearly 1am. I finish my chapter and begin plotting out the next one.

      Day 6: Friday November 6th
             Wake up early to post this blog. I find that I work best late at night, with the music going. (I prefer Halestorm, The Pretty Reckless, Seether, and other hard rock as I write, but the rain last night was spectacular too.) I write by hand because then I don't have the lure of twitter to distract me.

Total Word Count Written this week: 3300
     How about you? Are you participating in NaNoWriMo? How do you handle distractions like the internet? Do you write with music or in silence? How long do yo spend writing each day?

Dark Destiny: A Halloween Short Horror Story

I watched as the blood drip, drip, dripped from the ceiling onto the bare mattress. It landed with a plop just inches from the tip of my toes. I hugged my knees closer to my chest as my stomach roiled in disgust.I swallowed back the bile from the cafeteria gruel I had choked down during dinner hour as I peeked up at the source of the dripping blood. Above my head the girl with the hideously grotesque smile, that looked as if someone had grabbed the corners of her mouth and ripped the skin wide open, rested against the ceiling. She stared back at me with her dull lifeless eyes.Apart from the grotesque smile and the gaping wound in the girl’s forehead she might have been considered pretty; like a strong Viking maiden woman. If she weren’t a figment of my imagination or whatever my psychologist insisted she was. Nobody every believed me and nobody else had the ability to see her. No, sadly my grim friend was what had landed me in Harpbrooke Asylum in the first place. Harpbrooke Asylum sat atop a massive cliff on the Washington coastline overlooking the cold, dark, dismal Pacific Ocean. At night you could hear the ghostly cries of widows that had lost their husbands to the tumultuous, churning waters. If you looked close enough you could make out their shapes standing on the shoreline in the dark. I liked to spend hours staring out my window on the third floor of the stone asylum’s C Ward. They kept the men and women separated in Wards A and B while lunatic juveniles like me were locked away in Ward C. I was the oldest in the ward after being locked up just before my eighteenth birthday. My day was an endless supply of pills, sessions with my psychologist, and group sessions. The terms “schizophrenic” and “bipolar” were thrown in my direction frequently. I played along and pretended to take their pills; just waiting for lights out.After the orderlies called lights out and locked down the floor my grim friend slid to the floor, landing on her feet with a catlike grace. I jumped off the bed and slipped on a pair of lace-less gray tennis shoes. Since arriving at Harpbrooke my world was filled with shades of gray. Gray patient issued t-shirt, gray sweatpants, gray walls. Hell, the cafeteria mush was gray too. They took the laces out of my shoes in case ‘the voices’ told me to hang myself. I snorted at the thought. Tonight was the night I was getting out of here. I, Jessica Cooper, was finally going to be free!My friend reached her bloody hand through the heavy metal door and jimmied the lock as blood trickled down her chin and dripped onto the floor to pool under her bare feet. She bared her sharp teeth and grinned triumphantly and together we pulled the heavy door open. She raced me down the ward hallway, my feet slapping angrily against the tile floor as I raced to catch up. The other patient rooms whizzed past as shadows danced along the walls. She stopped and turned when she reached the end of the hall. For a minute her eyes glowed red. I blinked and her pupils were back to normal. Her smile seemed to challenge, “Hurry up slowpoke.”I slid across the floor to meet her in front of the barred floor-to-ceiling window that gave a panoramic view of the cliffs and the ocean. My grim friend held out her hand and together we walked straight out the window and dropped to the ground three stories below. When we landed I checked myself for injuries. Finding none I exclaim, “Oh my god we really did it! I’m free!”My friend grinned back at me with her eerie smile. “Let’s get out of here before the guards come,” I suggest as I start picking my way down the rocks to the beach below. When my friend doesn’t join me I turn around. “Are you coming?” She just stares at me with that crazy grin on her face. Finally she shakes her head, no.“Are you sure?” I ask.Wordlessly she nods and urges me to be on my way. “Thank you for everything,” I tell her as I scramble down the cliff. Every few seconds I glance back over my shoulder until my grim friend, the only companion I’ve had for so long, is nothing but a dot on the bluff beside the asylum.When my feet hit the sand beach I yank my shoes off and let the cool sand squish between my toes as I breathe in the fresh ocean air. Carrying my shoes in one hand I walk on and on, along the coastline in the dark. The bright full moon shines down on me and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore fills my ears.             A few miles from the asylum the rocky cliffs along the beach give way to a rich, deep forest. An owl screeches overhead as it dives for its prey, its sharp talons capturing some small creature. I follow a broken path unsure yet mysteriously aware of where I’m going. I no longer see the bright moonlight overhead as dark shadows press in on me from all sides. I walk until I begin to see a light flickering up ahead. As I get nearer the light becomes a raging bonfire within the thicket of trees. A lone dark figure sits beside the bonfire with its knees pulled up to its chest. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come,” the figure, a young guy, says as I step out of the tree cover. His voice stirs something within me. “It’s you,” I breathe in awe. “Here I am, on Halloween night, as I promised I would be. Did you doubt me?” He asks as he stands and lets the bonfire cast light on his features. I drink up the sight of him. His pale skin shines iridescent in the firelight as the flames reflect off the metal zippers that run all over his otherwise perfect body holding his skin together. His long blond hair covers the old scar on his forehead. He straightens to his full six-foot-five height and smiles at me; my gothic prince.“Razor,” I whisper his name. It sounds foreign to my ears from years of non-use.“Jess,” he murmurs as he studies me for changes since the last time we came face to face. Unable to wait any longer I launch myself into his burley arms. “Oh Razor I missed you so much. Why didn’t you come visit me?”
            Razor breathes me in, as unable to get enough of me as I am of him. “You know I couldn’t. There are rules you know. It doesn’t mean I haven’t spent every second of the past eighteen months thinking about you.”“Have you come to take me home?” I ask.“Yes, it’s time.” Razor’s reply is muffled by my thick hair, “but won’t you miss all this?”He looks down at me questioningly as he sweeps his arm around us all-inclusively.I snort, “Being locked away in a looney bin with only a mutilated ghost for company? No way.”“Oh right, her,” Razor mutters flatly, looking away.“Do you know her?” I ask. Razor gulps and plays with the zipper holding his right cheek together; zipping and unzipping it anxiously. “You do know her,” I whisper.Razor nods slowly, “She’s one of the Keres, personification of violent death. She’s working as an agent of the Greek death goddess, Melinoë, bringer of nightmares and madness. Melinoë sends her to hunt and retrieve teens with certain… gifts.”“What kind of gifts?” I ask nervously. A log on the bonfire crackles and burns. “Don’t you realize it Jess?” Razor shakes me. “You’re straddling the veil between our two worlds. You can see and communicate with those that have crossed over. It’s why you can see me. And the Keres sent to pluck your soul out of your body.”“But – but what does this goddess want with me?” I ask as the hair at the nape of my neck prickles. “Melinoë will use you as a messenger to spread the madness that swirls around her. She’ll turn you into a monster,” Razor hangs his head and adds, “like me.”Horrifying realization dawns on me, “is that why you’re covered in zippers?”Razor’s eyes snap to mine, “You’re the only person who never ran away screaming after seeing a glimpse of me. I won’t let her hurt you; I’ll get you to safety.”The flames from the bonfire flicker and rise, distracting us. My grim friend, the Keres, emerges from the flames stepping over the logs like wobbly steps. Razor steps in front of me to protect me as I see the Keres’ true color for the first time. She’s unbelievably beautiful with flowing golden hair and sharp bloody fangs. Her hands that appeared bloody earlier in the night are clearly visible talons in the firelight. Her long white shift is now more ripped and blood stained than before. “No, get away! You can’t have her,” Razor announces angrily. “Silly boy, that’s not your decision,” the Keres replies, speaking for the first time in my presence. Razor clenches his teeth, “I said leave. Her. Be!” The ground begins to shake violently as the Keres begins to laugh manically. “You’ve stepped in it now silly boy.”A hand shoots out of the ground followed quickly by another. At first I think zombies are rising to attack us but the skin is smooth and fully intact. “Run,” Razor commands as the hands start to push further out of the ground revealing elbows and the start of a shoulder. I freeze like a deer in the headlights propelling Razor to grab for my hand and drag me away from the bonfire as fast as our legs will carry us. Mine feel like Jell-O as I try to keep pace. Something drops from a tree onto the path ahead of us, blocking our passage. The figure, a woman, straightens to her full height. A black Grecian style dress covers her olive colored skin. A pair of bronze gladiator sandals peek out from under the hem of a gray underskirt. A crown of skulls sits atop her flowing hair; a few shades lighter than my midnight strands. Her face is breathtaking; wide eyes sit above a strong Roman nose and full, plush lips.Razor gasps and backpedals but the Keres appears out of thin air behind us. We’re trapped. “Join us little girl,” the woman, Melinoë, says. Her tone is musical, hypnotizing. “It’s an honor really.”“You’ll be immortal,” the Keres hisses in my ear. I shiver at her icy breath on my skin. Melinoë raises her hand and rips Razor from my side. “Come with us or I will destroy the boy.”“Don’t listen to her,” Razor yells. “Run as far and fast as you can.”“Shut up,” Melinoë snarls at Razor. Electricity pulses across her skin as she grips him by the neck. “Let him go!” I demand as I raise my hand defiantly. I feel the anger flowing through my veins and into my outstretched hand. A force strong enough to stir up the leaves on the forest floor kicks up and crackles splitting up into two directions; it hits Melinoë and the Keres simultaneously making them burst into a million pieces like confetti.Free from Melinoë’s grip Razor drops to the ground and gasps for air. “What did you do?” Razor pants.“I don’t know,” I reply, shaking my head.Razor pushes to his feet, “We have to get out of here.” I clasp his hand and follow him into the night. I don’t know for sure where we are going or where we’ll be safe. We race away, further from the asylum on the cliff, and I know I will never return.
A sickening feeling tells me this won’t be our last run-in with the dark goddess or the Keres._________________________________________________________Happy Halloween Everyone! Tomorrow is November 1st, the beginning of NaNoWriMo, so I'm enjoying my favorite holiday before immersing myself in non-stop writing.  

Ten Things You Didn't Know About Me

1. I hate odd numbers
          I'm pretty obsessive about it because I'd rather have an even number of things (tattoos, facebook 'friends', shoes, etc.) than an odd. After all... one shoe wouldn't look right.


2. I wear reading glasses when I'm working on my computer or reading on a tablet. 


3. If I could have one magick ability it would be that I could have clean dishes at the snap of my fingers. 
         I love to cook but I hate the clean-up. 


4. I love old movies, especially old Hitchcock movies. 
          My favorite Hitchcock movie is Shadow of A Doubt starring Joseph Cotten and Teresa Wright. 


5. I'm a major New Orleans Saints Fan. 
          That lives in Packer Country :(


6. I love reading my horoscope and I tend to believe the one in Woman's World Magazine the most. 
           I also read Tarot Cards.


7. When I was a kid I went through a phase where I would only eat mac and cheese. True story. 


8. I am terrified of bees. And ice. 



9. My favorite reality shows are Naked and Afraid and Say Yes To The Dress. 
         If I had a choice to be on one it would be Say Yes To The Dress. I can't live without indoor plumbing. I also tend to call Naked and Afraid "Naked and Dead".


10. Before deciding to pursue being an author I wanted to be: a doctor, a veterinarian, a fashion designer, an attorney, a professional photographer, and a chef (to name a few). 

So there you have it... a little more about me than you knew before.  Don't forget... there's still 13 days to enter to win 1 of 3 SIGNED COPIES OF FINDING ELIZABETH
And I hope to see you at my book signing at Half Price Books Appleton, Wisconsin Saturday November 28 from 1-3PM! Mark your calendars! 

The Reincarnation Files: Entry No. 001

       Reincarnation and the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth are not new concepts. Many people, across many religions and regions of the world have believed in reincarnation as far back as time goes. While the origins of the belief in reincarnation are a bit obscure it can be traced back to India, ancient Greece, and the Celtic Druids. 

      To this day many religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Paganism/Wicca still believe in reincarnation. It's also become a popular concept among celebrities such as Shirley MacLaine.

     Through The Reincarnation Files I will show you how the theme of Reincarnation has been incorporated in books and movies. The first entry... the 2005 movie The Fog (one of my personal favorites!)

     The Fog is a remake of a 1980 movie of the same title. The original movie starred Jamie Lee Curtis (as did a majority of horror movies in the '80s it seems like) and is a little different from the remake.        The Film is about a small island named Antonio Bay, off the coast of Oregon. In 1871 the four founding fathers sailed out to meet with a man named Blake, the leader of a leper colony. Their arrangement was that Blake and his people would buy half the island to turn into a leper colony. Instead they four founding fathers steal the lepers' money and possessions and set fire to their ship, the Elizabeth Dane; murdering everyone on board. Fast forward to the present day Nick Castle (Tom Welling) is one of the descendants of the founding fathers, and owns a fishing charter company for tourism. When his girlfriend Elizabeth Williams (Maggie Grace) returns to the island after spending six months in New York and being tormented by horrible nightmares a bizarre series of events begin to occur, including several gruesome deaths and the presence of a mysterious fog. When Elizabeth slips in Nick's boathouse and falls into the sea, she finds an old journal from 1871, written by Patrick Malone, one of the town's founders. She soon uncovers the dark secret the founding fathers covered up... and a shocking secret about herself! 
      Though this movie received horrendous reviews it to this day is my favorite horror movie of all time. If you've been a follower of my writing for long you'll know that I've made references to the movie several times.       How does this tie into Reincarnation exactly? *****SPOILER ALERT***** (Stop reading if you don't want to know they ending of the movie!!!) Maggie Grace's character, Elizabeth, is reincarnated from the leper leader Blake's wife, and namesake of the clipper ship, Elizabeth Dane! The ghosts reclaim her at the end as Blake takes her into his arms and kisses her as Nick watches on in horror.      
       
Directed by:                                    Starring:
                                             Tom Welling as Nick Castle 
                                             Selma Blair as Stevie Wayne 
                                             DeRay Davis as Spooner 
                                            Adrian Hough as Father Malone 

Produced by 






Written By:

 

You can also enter to win 1 of 3 signed paperback copies of Finding Elizabeth on Goodreads! 

Finding Elizabeth Discussion Questions for Book Clubs

     Are you in a book club that's looking for a new book to indulge in? I'd love for you to read my latest novel Finding Elizabeth; so much so that I've supplied you with some sample discussion questions for you and your book club to use. Should you be interested you can download a copy of the questions below! Happy reading!  1.       What parallels can you draw from France’s economic situation and the events leading up to the French Revolution and our modern economy?2.      It turns out that Nate’s mother’s paranoia isn’t so unfounded in Part 1. What do you think the sans-culottes / revolutionaries could have done to better handle the situation instead of savagely executing people of aristocratic bloodlines?3.      Have you ever had a dream so vivid you didn’t know you were dreaming until you woke up? How long after you woke up did it take for the dream to fade?4.      If you were Elizabeth’s manager and you saw a customer purposefully push or throw something on the floor into the path of your employee to cause them to fall how would you handle the situation? Would you ask the customer to leave or blame your employee?5.      Why do you think Nate initially runs away after he finds Elizabeth again?6.      Why do you think Elizabeth automatically assumes Nate invited her to his parents’ party to play a cruel trick on her after Jake and Darcy are so mean to her? Do you think Nate knew Elizabeth’s mother was the bartender hired for the evening?7.      If someone told you they believed in Reincarnation and thought they knew you in a past life how would you react? Would you believe them?8.     Elizabeth is shocked when she finds out about her mother’s relationship with Jason. How would you feel if one of your parents were dating someone significantly younger than them?9.      Do you think it is fate that Elizabeth found her former incarnation’s journal in the bookstore? What do you think of the secrets the journal held? 10.  Do you think Anton is truly evil by nature or do you think he is simply a product of his upbringing? How do you think he would have turned out if he were raised in another setting?11.   Nate hates that his mother is dating Elizabeth’s father but Elizabeth doesn’t seem to mind. How would you feel if one of your parents were dating your significant other’s parent?12.  Luciana spots Darcy walking past the store she works in with messy hair and grungy clothes in Chapter 32. What do you think caused her drastic change in appearance?13.  Do you think it was a coincidence that Jason was near the restaurant in the Third Ward on Elizabeth’s birthday or do you think somehow he knew what was coming?
14.  Who is your favorite character in Finding Elizabeth? Why?Book Club Discussion Questions Download
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