Taylor Fenner's Blog, page 176
September 18, 2015
Finding Elizabeth AVAILABLE NOW!
Finding Elizabeth is finally available! I'm so excited and I hope that if you've already bought a copy you're enjoying it! If you haven't you can find it in the following places...
Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon Canada / Amazon Australia / Kobo / Barnes and Noble / Add to your Goodreads TBR List
(Paperback Edition will be available as soon as I receive my proof! Look for it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble NEXT WEEK)
Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon Canada / Amazon Australia / Kobo / Barnes and Noble / Add to your Goodreads TBR List
(Paperback Edition will be available as soon as I receive my proof! Look for it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble NEXT WEEK)
September 11, 2015
Finding Elizabeth Playlist
The 4th and final part of my 4-part blog series ahead of Finding Elizabeth's September 15th release is the Finding Elizabeth Playlist. Take a look at some of the songs that inspired me while writing Finding Elizabeth and some of scenes they inspired. Don't forget - if you like the songs download them legally through Itunes or wherever music is sold. Musicians need to eat too!
As always, Finding Elizabeth is available for pre-order and the links will be at the end of this post!
The Playlist:
All The Right Moves - OneRepublic (Part 1, as well as Nate and Lizzie's memories of the past) I'd Come For You - Nickelback(Nate)Taking Over Me - Evanescence(Lizzie's first nightmare)You and Me - Lifehouse(Nate and Lizzie meet again)Grenade - Bruno Mars(Nate / Nate's Parents' Christmas Party)Love The Way You Lie - Eminem ft. Rihanna(Anton and Lizzie's relationship)If I Had You - Adam Lambert(New Year's Eve / The Club)Paris (Ooh La La) - Grace Potter and the Nocturnals(Paris)Sugar, We're Going Down - Fall Out Boy(Anton)Haunted - Evanescence (More nightmare music)A Thousand Years - Christina Perri(Epilogue)
Listen to the songs:
Preorder Finding Elizabeth Kindle / KoboFinding Elizabeth - Coming Tuesday!!
As always, Finding Elizabeth is available for pre-order and the links will be at the end of this post!
The Playlist:
All The Right Moves - OneRepublic (Part 1, as well as Nate and Lizzie's memories of the past) I'd Come For You - Nickelback(Nate)Taking Over Me - Evanescence(Lizzie's first nightmare)You and Me - Lifehouse(Nate and Lizzie meet again)Grenade - Bruno Mars(Nate / Nate's Parents' Christmas Party)Love The Way You Lie - Eminem ft. Rihanna(Anton and Lizzie's relationship)If I Had You - Adam Lambert(New Year's Eve / The Club)Paris (Ooh La La) - Grace Potter and the Nocturnals(Paris)Sugar, We're Going Down - Fall Out Boy(Anton)Haunted - Evanescence (More nightmare music)A Thousand Years - Christina Perri(Epilogue)
Listen to the songs:
Preorder Finding Elizabeth Kindle / KoboFinding Elizabeth - Coming Tuesday!!
September 4, 2015
Finding Elizabeth Deleted Scene
Part three of my four-part blog series ahead of Finding Elizabeth's September 15th release is a deleted scene from Finding Elizabeth. The scene is in modern day Elizabeth's mobster ex-boyfriend Anton's perspective on the night he barges into her bedroom through her window. This scene occurs before he forces his way into her room as he thinks back to the last time he entered her room through the second story window.
You can still preorder Finding Elizabeth! Links will be provided at the end of the post.
Deleted Scene - Finding Elizabeth - Anton
Staring up at the brightly lit window I knew belonged to Lizzie, the memories of the night I snuck in through that very window six months earlier popped into my head. That was when Lizzie was still all mine; before I screwed things up and before Nate stole her away. I can see it so clearly now...
I crunched through the leaves that had begun to fall off the maple tree in Lizzie's backyard. We'd been dating for a couple weeks now. I'd spotted her while I was out with my then girlfriend Darcy, and something inside me just clicked. Everything made sense for the first time.
Creeping under the large living room window I reached for the ivy covered trellis that ran up the side of the house right next to Lizzie's bedroom. I stuck my foot through one of the holes to test my weight. When it held I grabbed on and began climbing.
Peering through Lizzie's window I found her sprawled across her bed drawing in the thick black sketchbook she took everywhere. I tapped lightly against the glass, hard enough to get her attention but not so hard that her parents might hear it downstairs.
Seeing me a surprised smile lit up her face as she rushed to the window.
"What are you doing?" She whispers after pushing the window up.
"I had to see you," I tell her.
Biting her lip she moves back from the window, "I guess it would be okay if you came in for a little while."
Slowly so as to not make any noise I climb in her bedroom window.
"That was smooth," Lizzie remarks.
"I've had a lot of practice." I grin.
Lizzie raises her eyebrows, "is that so?"
Backpedaling I amend, "I've watched Romeo and Juliet on DVD a few thousand times."
Lizzie's lips quirk up in a half grin, "better."
"Good," I murmur as I wrap my arms around her waist and kiss her hard on the mouth. A happy sound comes from the back of Lizzie's throat as I guide her backward to her bed and continue kissing her.
I push her back onto the bed and cover her with myself as I kiss the sweet spot in the crook of her neck. We kiss for seconds, minutes, hours until our breath becomes labored and heavy. I run my hands up and down her rib cage under her shirt.
Suddenly Lizzie pushes me back, "did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" I ask in my hormone infused haze.
"Lizzie?" Her father calls from the bottom of the stairs.
"Yeah Dad?" Lizzie responds as she covers my mouth with her hand.
"Did you finish your homework?" Her father asks.
"Yeah Dad, I did," Lizzie replies.
"Do you mind if I check it over?" He asks, sounding closer now.
"Sure, just a minute!" Lizzie calls back. To me she hisses, "you have to get out of here! My dad will kill you if he finds you here."
Lizzie hustles me to the window where I steal a goodbye kiss before climbing back through the window. Behind me Lizzie snaps the window shut and hurries to lock the window. In her haste the lock snaps off in her hand. She turns just as her father opens the door. I disappear out of sight before her father can spot me hanging on the trellis...
I knew tonight would be different. Lizzie would not be welcoming me with open arms. Not since Nate had put her under his spell. But I knew a secret, a secret about our past. I just hoped it would be enough to show Lizzie the error of her ways. Lizzie was mine; always had been, always would be. I wasn't giving up without a fight. © 2015 Taylor Fenner. All rights reserved.
Preorder Finding Elizabeth:Amazon / Kobo
You can still preorder Finding Elizabeth! Links will be provided at the end of the post.
Deleted Scene - Finding Elizabeth - Anton
Staring up at the brightly lit window I knew belonged to Lizzie, the memories of the night I snuck in through that very window six months earlier popped into my head. That was when Lizzie was still all mine; before I screwed things up and before Nate stole her away. I can see it so clearly now...
I crunched through the leaves that had begun to fall off the maple tree in Lizzie's backyard. We'd been dating for a couple weeks now. I'd spotted her while I was out with my then girlfriend Darcy, and something inside me just clicked. Everything made sense for the first time.
Creeping under the large living room window I reached for the ivy covered trellis that ran up the side of the house right next to Lizzie's bedroom. I stuck my foot through one of the holes to test my weight. When it held I grabbed on and began climbing.
Peering through Lizzie's window I found her sprawled across her bed drawing in the thick black sketchbook she took everywhere. I tapped lightly against the glass, hard enough to get her attention but not so hard that her parents might hear it downstairs.
Seeing me a surprised smile lit up her face as she rushed to the window.
"What are you doing?" She whispers after pushing the window up.
"I had to see you," I tell her.
Biting her lip she moves back from the window, "I guess it would be okay if you came in for a little while."
Slowly so as to not make any noise I climb in her bedroom window.
"That was smooth," Lizzie remarks.
"I've had a lot of practice." I grin.
Lizzie raises her eyebrows, "is that so?"
Backpedaling I amend, "I've watched Romeo and Juliet on DVD a few thousand times."
Lizzie's lips quirk up in a half grin, "better."
"Good," I murmur as I wrap my arms around her waist and kiss her hard on the mouth. A happy sound comes from the back of Lizzie's throat as I guide her backward to her bed and continue kissing her.
I push her back onto the bed and cover her with myself as I kiss the sweet spot in the crook of her neck. We kiss for seconds, minutes, hours until our breath becomes labored and heavy. I run my hands up and down her rib cage under her shirt.
Suddenly Lizzie pushes me back, "did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" I ask in my hormone infused haze.
"Lizzie?" Her father calls from the bottom of the stairs.
"Yeah Dad?" Lizzie responds as she covers my mouth with her hand.
"Did you finish your homework?" Her father asks.
"Yeah Dad, I did," Lizzie replies.
"Do you mind if I check it over?" He asks, sounding closer now.
"Sure, just a minute!" Lizzie calls back. To me she hisses, "you have to get out of here! My dad will kill you if he finds you here."
Lizzie hustles me to the window where I steal a goodbye kiss before climbing back through the window. Behind me Lizzie snaps the window shut and hurries to lock the window. In her haste the lock snaps off in her hand. She turns just as her father opens the door. I disappear out of sight before her father can spot me hanging on the trellis...
I knew tonight would be different. Lizzie would not be welcoming me with open arms. Not since Nate had put her under his spell. But I knew a secret, a secret about our past. I just hoped it would be enough to show Lizzie the error of her ways. Lizzie was mine; always had been, always would be. I wasn't giving up without a fight. © 2015 Taylor Fenner. All rights reserved.
Preorder Finding Elizabeth:Amazon / Kobo
August 28, 2015
11 Books Coming This Fall I Want To Read (and You Will Too!)
There are a lot of great books coming out this fall, both by indie authors and traditional authors. Maybe it's the fact that September 1st's arrival means we're that much closer to Halloween or I'm just ready to get into fall clothes and drink Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks but I am so ready for fall this year. And I'm so excited to get into all the fantastic looking books hitting bookstores this fall!
Here are 11 of this fall's upcoming releases that I'm dying to get my hands on:
1. Catacomb (Asylum #3) by Madeleine Roux
September 1, 2015
Official Summary (from Goodreads):
Sometimes the past is better off buried.
Senior year is finally over. After all they’ve been through, Dan, Abby, and Jordan are excited to take one last road trip together, and they’re just not going to think about what will happen when the summer ends. But on their way to visit Jordan’s uncle in New Orleans, the three friends notice that they are apparently being followed.. And Dan starts receiving phone messages from someone he didn’t expect to hear from again—someone who died last Halloween.
As the strange occurrences escalate, Dan is forced to accept that everything that has happened to him in the past year may not be a coincidence, but fate—a fate that ties Dan to a group called the Bone Artists, who have a sinister connection with a notorious killer from the past. Now, Dan’s only hope is that he will make it out of his senior trip alive.
Why I Want To Read It:
I have been addicted to the Asylum books from the very beginning. They're creepy and awesome and they remind me of an episode of Ghost Adventures, except frighteningly real. The books also include found photographs to help with the scary vibe. I can't wait to see how the trilogy ends!
Preorder Links for Catacomb: Barnes and Noble / Amazon / Kobo / Add To Goodreads
2. Truest by Jackie Lea Sommers September 1, 2015 Official Summary (from Amazon): A breathtaking debut brings us the unforgettable story of a small-town love, big dreams, and family drama.
Silas Hart has seriously shaken up Westlin Beck's small-town life. Brand-new to town, Silas is different from the guys in Green Lake. He's curious, poetic, philosophical, maddening—and really, really cute. But Silas has a sister—and she has a secret. And West has a boyfriend. And life in Green Lake is about to change forever.
Why I Want To Read It: I'm intrigued by Silas's sister's secret. What is it? I've also lately been very into books set in small towns. It's something different from the books that are set in New York or L.A. or futuristic novels set in places you can't even pronounce. And of course Silas Hart sounds really promising, especially when West's boyfriend and best friend get wrapped up in their own lives leaving West all alone.
Preorder Links for Truest: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Add To Goodreads
3. Sweet Temptation (Sweet Trilogy #4) September 8, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): Bad boy Kaidan Rowe has never wanted for anything—money, popularity, musical talent…hot girls—but seducing them is part of his duty as a Nephilim, slave to the demon Dukes. As the son of the Duke of Lust, Kaidan has learned his father’s ways, becoming a master of passion, a manipulator of chemistry. Disobeying his father would mean certain death. Thankfully for Kaidan, he’s good at his job. And he enjoys it.
Until he meets Anna Whitt—sweet, smart, feisty, and inexplicably good—the one girl seemingly immune to his charms. The daughter of a guardian angel and a fallen one, she has a certain power over him, one that makes him wish for more than he could ever deserve.
Determined to save all the Neph from their dark lives as the influencers of sin, Anna joins forces with Kaidan to overcome the demons’ oppressive ways. In the light of her affections, Kaidan must undergo his toughest test of all, a battle of the heart.
Why I Want To Read It: I followed the Sweet Trilogy from the beginning and I'm anxious to read the story from Kaidan's perspective. I loved the character as the reader saw him through Anna's eyes now I'm ready to hear what's going through his head.
Preorder Links for Sweet Temptation: Kobo / Barnes and Noble / Amazon / Add To Goodreads
4. The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich September 15, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): Over two decades have passed since the fire at Elmbridge High, an inferno that took the lives of three teenagers. Not much was known about the events leading up to the tragedy - only that one student, Carly Johnson, vanished without a trace...
...until a diary is found hidden in the ruins.
But the diary, badly scorched, does not belong to Carly Johnson. It belongs to Kaitlyn Johnson, a girl who shouldn't exist Who was Kaitlyn? Why did she come out only at night? What is her connection to Carly?
The case has been reopened. Police records are being reexamined: psychiatric reports, video footage, text messages, e-mails. And the diary.
The diary that paints a much more sinister version of events than was ever made publicly known.
Why I Want To Read It: Quite honestly after that blurb who wouldn't want to read it?? I first read about this book on Katie's Book Blog and I got really excited about reading the book. The cover is pretty cool too.
Preorder Links for The Dead House: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Add To Goodreads
5. Blood and Salt by Kim Liggett September 22, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): Romeo and Juliet meets Children of the Corn in this one-of-a-kind romantic horror.
“When you fall in love, you will carve out your heart and throw it into the deepest ocean. You will be all in—blood and salt.”
These are the last words Ash Larkin hears before her mother returns to the spiritual commune she escaped long ago. But when Ash follows her to Quivira, Kansas, something sinister and ancient waits among the rustling cornstalks of this village lost to time.
Ash is plagued by memories of her ancestor, Katia, which harken back to the town’s history of unrequited love and murder, alchemy and immortality. Charming traditions soon give way to a string of gruesome deaths, and Ash feels drawn to Dane, a forbidden boy with secrets of his own.
As the community prepares for a ceremony five hundred years in the making, Ash must fight not only to save her mother, but herself—and discover the truth about Quivira before it’s too late. Before she’s all in—blood and salt.
Why I Want To Read It: This is another horror story, which seems to be the popular genre this fall, that sounds too interesting to pass up. I'm glad that horror seems to be coming back to the forefront over all the "dystopian" novels that have been popular as of late.
Preorder Links for Blood and Salt: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Add To Goodreads
6. Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics September 29, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): When sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner's family decides to move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, she hopes it is her chance for a fresh start. She can leave behind the memory of the past winter; of her sickly Ma giving birth to a baby sister who cries endlessly; of the terrifying visions she saw as her sanity began to slip, the victim of cabin fever; and most of all, the memories of the boy she has been secretly meeting with as a distraction from her pain. The boy whose baby she now carries.
When the Verners arrive at their new home, a large cabin abandoned by its previous owners, they discover the inside covered in blood. And as the days pass, it is obvious to Amanda that something isn't right on the prairie. She's heard stories of lands being tainted by evil, of men losing their minds and killing their families, and there is something strange about the doctor and his son who live in the woods on the edge of the prairie. But with the guilt and shame of her sins weighing on her, Amanda can't be sure if the true evil lies in the land, or deep within her soul. Why I Want To Read It: I love period novels, so a horror novel set in the prairie sounds refreshing. I'm interested to read this book because teen pregnancy, or sex in young adult novels, is usually so taboo I have to see how this book plays out.
Preorder Links for Daughters Unto Devils: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Add To Goodreads
7. The House by Christina Lauren October 6, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): Gavin tells Delilah he’s hers—completely—but whatever lives inside that house with him disagrees.
After seven years tucked away at an East coast boarding school, Delilah Blue returns to her small Kansas hometown to find that not much has changed. Her parents are still uptight and disinterested, her bedroom is exactly the way she left it, and the outcast Gavin Timothy still looks like he’s crawled out of one of her dark, twisted drawings.
Delilah is instantly smitten.
Gavin has always lived in the strange house: an odd building isolated in a stand of trees where the town gives in to mild wilderness. The house is an irresistible lure for Delilah, but the tall fence surrounding it exists for good reason, and Gavin urges Delilah to be careful. Whatever lives with him there isn’t human, and isn’t afraid of hurting her to keep her away. Why I Want To Read It: Gavin strongly reminds me of Varen Nethers from Kelly Creagh's Nevermore trilogy. Now that I've finished Oblivion I need something to fill the void that Oblivion left behind.
Preorder Links for The House:Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Add to Goodreads
8. A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis October 6, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): Grace Mae knows madness.
She keeps it locked away, along with her voice, trapped deep inside a brilliant mind that cannot forget horrific family secrets. Those secrets, along with the bulge in her belly, land her in a Boston insane asylum.
When her voice returns in a burst of violence, Grace is banished to the dark cellars, where her mind is discovered by a visiting doctor who dabbles in the new study of criminal psychology. With her keen eyes and sharp memory, Grace will make the perfect assistant at crime scenes. Escaping from Boston to the safety of an ethical Ohio asylum, Grace finds friendship and hope, hints of a life she should have had. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who stalks young women. Grace, continuing to operate under the cloak of madness, must hunt a murderer while she confronts the demons in her own past. Why I Want To Read It: I have a morbid fascination with old abandoned asylums (see entry 1, the Asylum trilogy). This love began partially when I first saw the old VA home in Marquette, MI which closely resembles something you might see in Shutter Island. The love for all that is creepy continued when I first started watching Ghost Adventures on the Travel channel. So to say the least this book really appeals to me. Added bonus: this is a historical novel!
Preorder Links for A Madness So Discreet:Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Add To Goodreads
9. A Song For Ella Grey by David Almond October 13, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): Written in lyrical prose, this novel for fans of epic romances and mythology retellings explores themes of love, loss, fate, and destiny set against the dramatic and diverse backdrop of Northern England.
Claire and Ella and their friends are bound by ties so strong they seem unbreakable. Then the strange and handsome Orpheus strolls onto the beach, and he sings them all into an astonishing new understanding of themselves. Ella is caught the hardest, fastest, deepest—and Claire feels the pain of looking on.
Raw, emotional, lyrical, funny, and true, A Song for Ella Grey is a tale of modern teenagers and their joys, troubles, and desires. It’s a story of first love, a love that draws on ancient mythic forces. A love that leads Ella, Orpheus, and Claire to the gates of Death and beyond. Why I Want To Read It: I love re-tellings and re-imaginings of Greek myths. I'm not really sure what lyrical prose is so I'm interested to see what it's like.
Preorder Links for A Song For Ella Grey:Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Add to Goodreads
10. Soundless by Richelle Mead November 10, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.
When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.
But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.
Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever... Why I Want To Read It: At first I wasn't sure if this book would appeal to me but I'm interested in giving it a chance.
Preorder Links for Soundless:Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Add To Goodreads:
11. Unearthed After Sunset by Lauryn April Fall 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): When Greg Erickson is killed by sultry and seductive vampire Lila, he wakes up cold and alone in a wooden box. After clawing his way out he finds himself thrust into a vampire turf war, unsure of exactly what he’s fighting for. Greg discovers that it’s not easy to be human one day and hunting humans the next, and while his new vampire cohorts try to get him to accept his newfound existence there’s one girl from his human life he’s unable to forget.
Caroline Christensen lived a normal life once. Then her brother was killed by vampires and her family legacy as a vampire hunter was handed down to her. When she meets Greg out at the bar one night they both feel a connection. Then Greg discovers Caroline’s secret and she worries he’ll never talk to her again, but soon she finds out that he has a very different reason for not calling – he’s dead.
Now Greg has become the thing Caroline is supposed to hunt, but can she bring herself to kill him? Greg, however, isn’t Caroline’s only concern. There’s something going on with the vampires. They’re fighting over something and she’s determined to find out what it is. Why I Want To Read It: Lauryn April is a indie author from Wisconsin like myself. I started following her posts after she followed me on twitter and I immediately took interest in her newest book Unearthed After Sunset. After reading the first chapter on her blog I'm really looking forward to reading the complete novel. I don't have an exact release date for the novel but I know she is planning to publish it sometime this fall.
Links for Unearthed After Sunset: Add to Goodreads
And a little shameless self-promotion; a book I hope everyone reads this fall:12. Finding Elizabeth by Taylor Fenner (that's me!) September 15, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): Prepare to fall into a love that is powerful enough to prevail over tragedy, death, and multiple lifetimes... When eighteen-year-old Nate meets Elizabeth by chance during the height of the French Revolution he has no idea that his entire life is about to change. They quickly fall in love only to be tragically torn apart during the September Massacre of 1792.
Nate reincarnates more than two hundred years later in Brookfield, Wisconsin with the sole purpose of finding his lost love, Elizabeth. He soon realizes that finding her is the easy part, but keeping her is a whole other story. Elizabeth has no memory of their past life together until she begins being tormented by vivid dreams. Soon they both become swept up in the past and each other. Their happiness is once more threatened by Elizabeth’s mobster ex-boyfriend and Nate’s disapproving friends Darcy and Jake. They must stick together to overcome the obstacles trying to rip them apart with the help of Elizabeth’s friends Luciana, Surewood, and Belinda.
Things get messier when Elizabeth begins to remember a dark new past life she shared with Nate; as well as with her ex, Anton, who refuses to let her go without a fight. But Nate and Elizabeth must ask is there someone else pulling the strings with Anton? Someone who is more sinister and dangerous than they can even imagine? Will Nate and Elizabeth ever get their happy ending? Why YOU Should Read It: Finding Elizabeth is a young adult paranormal romance filled with Reincarnation, Witches, Vengeful Ghosts, and A Mob Prince; not to mention True Love! Fans of Kristen Miller's The Eternal Ones and anyone who loves a good paranormal romance will love this book!
Preorder Links for Finding Elizabeth: Amazon / Kobo / Add To Goodreads
*Note: I have not been paid to promote or endorse the books on this list. They are solely books that I personally am interested in reading. I have not received any free copies of the books. The only book I guarantee and endorse is my upcoming release, Finding Elizabeth.
I hope that some of these books have piqued your interest as they have mine and I hope you give my novel, Finding Elizabeth, a chance!
Here are 11 of this fall's upcoming releases that I'm dying to get my hands on:
1. Catacomb (Asylum #3) by Madeleine Roux
September 1, 2015
Official Summary (from Goodreads):
Sometimes the past is better off buried.
Senior year is finally over. After all they’ve been through, Dan, Abby, and Jordan are excited to take one last road trip together, and they’re just not going to think about what will happen when the summer ends. But on their way to visit Jordan’s uncle in New Orleans, the three friends notice that they are apparently being followed.. And Dan starts receiving phone messages from someone he didn’t expect to hear from again—someone who died last Halloween.
As the strange occurrences escalate, Dan is forced to accept that everything that has happened to him in the past year may not be a coincidence, but fate—a fate that ties Dan to a group called the Bone Artists, who have a sinister connection with a notorious killer from the past. Now, Dan’s only hope is that he will make it out of his senior trip alive.
Why I Want To Read It:
I have been addicted to the Asylum books from the very beginning. They're creepy and awesome and they remind me of an episode of Ghost Adventures, except frighteningly real. The books also include found photographs to help with the scary vibe. I can't wait to see how the trilogy ends!
Preorder Links for Catacomb: Barnes and Noble / Amazon / Kobo / Add To Goodreads
2. Truest by Jackie Lea Sommers September 1, 2015 Official Summary (from Amazon): A breathtaking debut brings us the unforgettable story of a small-town love, big dreams, and family drama.
Silas Hart has seriously shaken up Westlin Beck's small-town life. Brand-new to town, Silas is different from the guys in Green Lake. He's curious, poetic, philosophical, maddening—and really, really cute. But Silas has a sister—and she has a secret. And West has a boyfriend. And life in Green Lake is about to change forever.
Why I Want To Read It: I'm intrigued by Silas's sister's secret. What is it? I've also lately been very into books set in small towns. It's something different from the books that are set in New York or L.A. or futuristic novels set in places you can't even pronounce. And of course Silas Hart sounds really promising, especially when West's boyfriend and best friend get wrapped up in their own lives leaving West all alone.
Preorder Links for Truest: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Add To Goodreads
3. Sweet Temptation (Sweet Trilogy #4) September 8, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): Bad boy Kaidan Rowe has never wanted for anything—money, popularity, musical talent…hot girls—but seducing them is part of his duty as a Nephilim, slave to the demon Dukes. As the son of the Duke of Lust, Kaidan has learned his father’s ways, becoming a master of passion, a manipulator of chemistry. Disobeying his father would mean certain death. Thankfully for Kaidan, he’s good at his job. And he enjoys it.
Until he meets Anna Whitt—sweet, smart, feisty, and inexplicably good—the one girl seemingly immune to his charms. The daughter of a guardian angel and a fallen one, she has a certain power over him, one that makes him wish for more than he could ever deserve.
Determined to save all the Neph from their dark lives as the influencers of sin, Anna joins forces with Kaidan to overcome the demons’ oppressive ways. In the light of her affections, Kaidan must undergo his toughest test of all, a battle of the heart.
Why I Want To Read It: I followed the Sweet Trilogy from the beginning and I'm anxious to read the story from Kaidan's perspective. I loved the character as the reader saw him through Anna's eyes now I'm ready to hear what's going through his head.
Preorder Links for Sweet Temptation: Kobo / Barnes and Noble / Amazon / Add To Goodreads
4. The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich September 15, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): Over two decades have passed since the fire at Elmbridge High, an inferno that took the lives of three teenagers. Not much was known about the events leading up to the tragedy - only that one student, Carly Johnson, vanished without a trace...
...until a diary is found hidden in the ruins.
But the diary, badly scorched, does not belong to Carly Johnson. It belongs to Kaitlyn Johnson, a girl who shouldn't exist Who was Kaitlyn? Why did she come out only at night? What is her connection to Carly?
The case has been reopened. Police records are being reexamined: psychiatric reports, video footage, text messages, e-mails. And the diary.
The diary that paints a much more sinister version of events than was ever made publicly known.
Why I Want To Read It: Quite honestly after that blurb who wouldn't want to read it?? I first read about this book on Katie's Book Blog and I got really excited about reading the book. The cover is pretty cool too.
Preorder Links for The Dead House: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Add To Goodreads
5. Blood and Salt by Kim Liggett September 22, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): Romeo and Juliet meets Children of the Corn in this one-of-a-kind romantic horror.
“When you fall in love, you will carve out your heart and throw it into the deepest ocean. You will be all in—blood and salt.”
These are the last words Ash Larkin hears before her mother returns to the spiritual commune she escaped long ago. But when Ash follows her to Quivira, Kansas, something sinister and ancient waits among the rustling cornstalks of this village lost to time.
Ash is plagued by memories of her ancestor, Katia, which harken back to the town’s history of unrequited love and murder, alchemy and immortality. Charming traditions soon give way to a string of gruesome deaths, and Ash feels drawn to Dane, a forbidden boy with secrets of his own.
As the community prepares for a ceremony five hundred years in the making, Ash must fight not only to save her mother, but herself—and discover the truth about Quivira before it’s too late. Before she’s all in—blood and salt.
Why I Want To Read It: This is another horror story, which seems to be the popular genre this fall, that sounds too interesting to pass up. I'm glad that horror seems to be coming back to the forefront over all the "dystopian" novels that have been popular as of late.
Preorder Links for Blood and Salt: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Add To Goodreads
6. Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics September 29, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): When sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner's family decides to move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, she hopes it is her chance for a fresh start. She can leave behind the memory of the past winter; of her sickly Ma giving birth to a baby sister who cries endlessly; of the terrifying visions she saw as her sanity began to slip, the victim of cabin fever; and most of all, the memories of the boy she has been secretly meeting with as a distraction from her pain. The boy whose baby she now carries.
When the Verners arrive at their new home, a large cabin abandoned by its previous owners, they discover the inside covered in blood. And as the days pass, it is obvious to Amanda that something isn't right on the prairie. She's heard stories of lands being tainted by evil, of men losing their minds and killing their families, and there is something strange about the doctor and his son who live in the woods on the edge of the prairie. But with the guilt and shame of her sins weighing on her, Amanda can't be sure if the true evil lies in the land, or deep within her soul. Why I Want To Read It: I love period novels, so a horror novel set in the prairie sounds refreshing. I'm interested to read this book because teen pregnancy, or sex in young adult novels, is usually so taboo I have to see how this book plays out.
Preorder Links for Daughters Unto Devils: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Add To Goodreads
7. The House by Christina Lauren October 6, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): Gavin tells Delilah he’s hers—completely—but whatever lives inside that house with him disagrees.
After seven years tucked away at an East coast boarding school, Delilah Blue returns to her small Kansas hometown to find that not much has changed. Her parents are still uptight and disinterested, her bedroom is exactly the way she left it, and the outcast Gavin Timothy still looks like he’s crawled out of one of her dark, twisted drawings.
Delilah is instantly smitten.
Gavin has always lived in the strange house: an odd building isolated in a stand of trees where the town gives in to mild wilderness. The house is an irresistible lure for Delilah, but the tall fence surrounding it exists for good reason, and Gavin urges Delilah to be careful. Whatever lives with him there isn’t human, and isn’t afraid of hurting her to keep her away. Why I Want To Read It: Gavin strongly reminds me of Varen Nethers from Kelly Creagh's Nevermore trilogy. Now that I've finished Oblivion I need something to fill the void that Oblivion left behind.
Preorder Links for The House:Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Add to Goodreads
8. A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis October 6, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): Grace Mae knows madness.
She keeps it locked away, along with her voice, trapped deep inside a brilliant mind that cannot forget horrific family secrets. Those secrets, along with the bulge in her belly, land her in a Boston insane asylum.
When her voice returns in a burst of violence, Grace is banished to the dark cellars, where her mind is discovered by a visiting doctor who dabbles in the new study of criminal psychology. With her keen eyes and sharp memory, Grace will make the perfect assistant at crime scenes. Escaping from Boston to the safety of an ethical Ohio asylum, Grace finds friendship and hope, hints of a life she should have had. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who stalks young women. Grace, continuing to operate under the cloak of madness, must hunt a murderer while she confronts the demons in her own past. Why I Want To Read It: I have a morbid fascination with old abandoned asylums (see entry 1, the Asylum trilogy). This love began partially when I first saw the old VA home in Marquette, MI which closely resembles something you might see in Shutter Island. The love for all that is creepy continued when I first started watching Ghost Adventures on the Travel channel. So to say the least this book really appeals to me. Added bonus: this is a historical novel!
Preorder Links for A Madness So Discreet:Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Add To Goodreads
9. A Song For Ella Grey by David Almond October 13, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): Written in lyrical prose, this novel for fans of epic romances and mythology retellings explores themes of love, loss, fate, and destiny set against the dramatic and diverse backdrop of Northern England.
Claire and Ella and their friends are bound by ties so strong they seem unbreakable. Then the strange and handsome Orpheus strolls onto the beach, and he sings them all into an astonishing new understanding of themselves. Ella is caught the hardest, fastest, deepest—and Claire feels the pain of looking on.
Raw, emotional, lyrical, funny, and true, A Song for Ella Grey is a tale of modern teenagers and their joys, troubles, and desires. It’s a story of first love, a love that draws on ancient mythic forces. A love that leads Ella, Orpheus, and Claire to the gates of Death and beyond. Why I Want To Read It: I love re-tellings and re-imaginings of Greek myths. I'm not really sure what lyrical prose is so I'm interested to see what it's like.
Preorder Links for A Song For Ella Grey:Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Add to Goodreads
10. Soundless by Richelle Mead November 10, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.
When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.
But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.
Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever... Why I Want To Read It: At first I wasn't sure if this book would appeal to me but I'm interested in giving it a chance.
Preorder Links for Soundless:Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Add To Goodreads:
11. Unearthed After Sunset by Lauryn April Fall 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): When Greg Erickson is killed by sultry and seductive vampire Lila, he wakes up cold and alone in a wooden box. After clawing his way out he finds himself thrust into a vampire turf war, unsure of exactly what he’s fighting for. Greg discovers that it’s not easy to be human one day and hunting humans the next, and while his new vampire cohorts try to get him to accept his newfound existence there’s one girl from his human life he’s unable to forget.
Caroline Christensen lived a normal life once. Then her brother was killed by vampires and her family legacy as a vampire hunter was handed down to her. When she meets Greg out at the bar one night they both feel a connection. Then Greg discovers Caroline’s secret and she worries he’ll never talk to her again, but soon she finds out that he has a very different reason for not calling – he’s dead.
Now Greg has become the thing Caroline is supposed to hunt, but can she bring herself to kill him? Greg, however, isn’t Caroline’s only concern. There’s something going on with the vampires. They’re fighting over something and she’s determined to find out what it is. Why I Want To Read It: Lauryn April is a indie author from Wisconsin like myself. I started following her posts after she followed me on twitter and I immediately took interest in her newest book Unearthed After Sunset. After reading the first chapter on her blog I'm really looking forward to reading the complete novel. I don't have an exact release date for the novel but I know she is planning to publish it sometime this fall.
Links for Unearthed After Sunset: Add to Goodreads
And a little shameless self-promotion; a book I hope everyone reads this fall:12. Finding Elizabeth by Taylor Fenner (that's me!) September 15, 2015 Official Summary (from Goodreads): Prepare to fall into a love that is powerful enough to prevail over tragedy, death, and multiple lifetimes... When eighteen-year-old Nate meets Elizabeth by chance during the height of the French Revolution he has no idea that his entire life is about to change. They quickly fall in love only to be tragically torn apart during the September Massacre of 1792.
Nate reincarnates more than two hundred years later in Brookfield, Wisconsin with the sole purpose of finding his lost love, Elizabeth. He soon realizes that finding her is the easy part, but keeping her is a whole other story. Elizabeth has no memory of their past life together until she begins being tormented by vivid dreams. Soon they both become swept up in the past and each other. Their happiness is once more threatened by Elizabeth’s mobster ex-boyfriend and Nate’s disapproving friends Darcy and Jake. They must stick together to overcome the obstacles trying to rip them apart with the help of Elizabeth’s friends Luciana, Surewood, and Belinda.
Things get messier when Elizabeth begins to remember a dark new past life she shared with Nate; as well as with her ex, Anton, who refuses to let her go without a fight. But Nate and Elizabeth must ask is there someone else pulling the strings with Anton? Someone who is more sinister and dangerous than they can even imagine? Will Nate and Elizabeth ever get their happy ending? Why YOU Should Read It: Finding Elizabeth is a young adult paranormal romance filled with Reincarnation, Witches, Vengeful Ghosts, and A Mob Prince; not to mention True Love! Fans of Kristen Miller's The Eternal Ones and anyone who loves a good paranormal romance will love this book!
Preorder Links for Finding Elizabeth: Amazon / Kobo / Add To Goodreads*Note: I have not been paid to promote or endorse the books on this list. They are solely books that I personally am interested in reading. I have not received any free copies of the books. The only book I guarantee and endorse is my upcoming release, Finding Elizabeth.
I hope that some of these books have piqued your interest as they have mine and I hope you give my novel, Finding Elizabeth, a chance!
August 21, 2015
TEASER: Finding Elizabeth
Three and a half weeks until Finding Elizabeth's release date! This week's blogpost is part two of my four part blog series ahead of Finding Elizabeth's September 15th release and it's...
TEASER TIME!!!
You have several preorder options for this book. All preorder information will be at the end of this post.
This teaser is in modern day Elizabeth's perspective after Nate's friends Darcy and Jake play a cruel trick on her at Nate's family's Christmas Party... Enjoy! :)
I turn to face him. “Go to Hell!” I say harshly as I brush past him. “I’ve been there,” he says quietly. “Every second away from you is Hell for me.”
I roll my eyes then begin to turn away. Nate grabs my shoulders and makes me face him again.
“How do you explain it then?” He asks; his green-eyed stare boring into me. “How do you explain our connection to each other despite the fact that we’ve only known each other a short time? How do you explain your weird dreams? Or what about my crystal clear memory of things that happened two hundred years ago? Because I know that it was us back then; that we were in love. Elizabeth, losing you destroyed me.”
“You’re crazy…” I begin.
“Then look me in the eye and tell me that you don’t believe. Tell me that you don’t love me. Because I meant what I said; our love will last for all eternity. That struck a nerve with me. “Where did you hear that?” I ask quietly.
“I’m trying to tell you, Lizzie, I’m not making this up.” He replies.
Add Finding Elizabeth on Goodreads
PREORDER LINKS: Amazon Kindle US / Amazon Kindle UK / Kobo
TEASER TIME!!!
You have several preorder options for this book. All preorder information will be at the end of this post.
This teaser is in modern day Elizabeth's perspective after Nate's friends Darcy and Jake play a cruel trick on her at Nate's family's Christmas Party... Enjoy! :)
I turn to face him. “Go to Hell!” I say harshly as I brush past him. “I’ve been there,” he says quietly. “Every second away from you is Hell for me.”
I roll my eyes then begin to turn away. Nate grabs my shoulders and makes me face him again.
“How do you explain it then?” He asks; his green-eyed stare boring into me. “How do you explain our connection to each other despite the fact that we’ve only known each other a short time? How do you explain your weird dreams? Or what about my crystal clear memory of things that happened two hundred years ago? Because I know that it was us back then; that we were in love. Elizabeth, losing you destroyed me.”
“You’re crazy…” I begin.
“Then look me in the eye and tell me that you don’t believe. Tell me that you don’t love me. Because I meant what I said; our love will last for all eternity. That struck a nerve with me. “Where did you hear that?” I ask quietly.
“I’m trying to tell you, Lizzie, I’m not making this up.” He replies.
Add Finding Elizabeth on Goodreads
PREORDER LINKS: Amazon Kindle US / Amazon Kindle UK / Kobo
August 7, 2015
Finding Elizabeth Character Profile: NATE
This week’s blog begins a four-part blog series to get everyone ready for the upcoming release of Finding Elizabeth. Today we take a look at one of the main characters of Finding Elizabeth, Nate Levine.
Basics:
Name: Nathan “Nate” Levine
Age: Eighteen
Current Residence: Brookfield, Wisconsin
Grade in School: 12th (Senior)
Social Class: Upper Middle Class
Date of Birth (DOB): October 31, 1990
Physical Characteristics and Emotions:
Height: Tall – 6’1”
Eye Color: Bright Green
Hair Color / Style: Shaggy Dark Brown / Black Hair
Build: Muscular, Athletic
Clothing Style: Trendy, Casual
Personality: Kind, Friendly, Loyal, Well-liked among his peers
Fears: Elevators, Not being able to find Elizabeth, losing Elizabeth again
Dislikes: Catacombs, Snails (the edible kind), Halloween
Goals / Backstory:
Backstory:
Nate was born “Nate Meritan” in France on May 13, 1774. He grew up in a wealthy aristocratic family where his parents were Lord and Lady to the Royal Court. When Nate is fifteen the Bastille falls and the early days of the French Revolution bring changes to the Meritan estate. The servants that help tend the manor abandon the family and the bulk of the manual labor falls on Nate’s shoulders. His father is delusional and believes that the revolution will just “blow over” any day while his mother slowly begins losing her mind.
Three years later it is 1792 and the Revolution is still going on around them. Nate’s father refuses to stop spending money on frivolous things and his mother sits around all day cowering in fear that the Sans-Culottes (Revolutionaries, people in favor of the upheaval and dethroning of the royal family and those of aristocratic bloodlines) will come to take her away.
Then one day, as Nate (now eighteen) is working in the fields, he sees a girl not much younger than himself darting in and out of the trees at the edge of the property. He offers the girl, named Elizabeth, a place to stay for the night and so begins a connection and a love story that will transcend death and multiple reincarnations.
Nate and Elizabeth fall deeply in love only to be torn apart during the September Massacre of 1792.
Goal:
When Nate reincarnates more than two hundred years later and is reborn into the world in 1990 with full knowledge of his past life with Elizabeth he vows to spend his life looking for Elizabeth so he can change the course of fate.
It’s the year 2008 when Nate finally finds his lost love living in the same city as himself; Brookfield, Wisconsin. Once again he is eighteen years old and she is sixteen. Nate is happy to have found his Elizabeth but he will soon learn that finding Elizabeth was the easy part, keeping her will be a whole other story.
Obstacles:
· Elizabeth’s lack of memory of their past life together
· Elizabeth’s mobster ex-boyfriend Anton, who refuses to let her go
· The difference in their social circles, his friends Darcy and Jake dislike Elizabeth
· Elizabeth’s disapproving parents
I hope this gives you a little better look at Nate, one of the main characters in Finding Elizabeth. You can preorder a copy of Finding Elizabeth in the following places:
Amazon / Kobo
Finding Elizabeth will be available in all formats on Tuesday September 15, 2015 !
Basics:
Name: Nathan “Nate” Levine
Age: Eighteen
Current Residence: Brookfield, Wisconsin
Grade in School: 12th (Senior)
Social Class: Upper Middle Class
Date of Birth (DOB): October 31, 1990
Physical Characteristics and Emotions:
Height: Tall – 6’1”
Eye Color: Bright Green
Hair Color / Style: Shaggy Dark Brown / Black Hair
Build: Muscular, Athletic
Clothing Style: Trendy, Casual
Personality: Kind, Friendly, Loyal, Well-liked among his peers
Fears: Elevators, Not being able to find Elizabeth, losing Elizabeth again
Dislikes: Catacombs, Snails (the edible kind), Halloween
Goals / Backstory:
Backstory:
Nate was born “Nate Meritan” in France on May 13, 1774. He grew up in a wealthy aristocratic family where his parents were Lord and Lady to the Royal Court. When Nate is fifteen the Bastille falls and the early days of the French Revolution bring changes to the Meritan estate. The servants that help tend the manor abandon the family and the bulk of the manual labor falls on Nate’s shoulders. His father is delusional and believes that the revolution will just “blow over” any day while his mother slowly begins losing her mind.
Three years later it is 1792 and the Revolution is still going on around them. Nate’s father refuses to stop spending money on frivolous things and his mother sits around all day cowering in fear that the Sans-Culottes (Revolutionaries, people in favor of the upheaval and dethroning of the royal family and those of aristocratic bloodlines) will come to take her away.
Then one day, as Nate (now eighteen) is working in the fields, he sees a girl not much younger than himself darting in and out of the trees at the edge of the property. He offers the girl, named Elizabeth, a place to stay for the night and so begins a connection and a love story that will transcend death and multiple reincarnations.
Nate and Elizabeth fall deeply in love only to be torn apart during the September Massacre of 1792.
Goal:
When Nate reincarnates more than two hundred years later and is reborn into the world in 1990 with full knowledge of his past life with Elizabeth he vows to spend his life looking for Elizabeth so he can change the course of fate.
It’s the year 2008 when Nate finally finds his lost love living in the same city as himself; Brookfield, Wisconsin. Once again he is eighteen years old and she is sixteen. Nate is happy to have found his Elizabeth but he will soon learn that finding Elizabeth was the easy part, keeping her will be a whole other story.
Obstacles:
· Elizabeth’s lack of memory of their past life together
· Elizabeth’s mobster ex-boyfriend Anton, who refuses to let her go
· The difference in their social circles, his friends Darcy and Jake dislike Elizabeth
· Elizabeth’s disapproving parents
I hope this gives you a little better look at Nate, one of the main characters in Finding Elizabeth. You can preorder a copy of Finding Elizabeth in the following places:
Amazon / Kobo
Finding Elizabeth will be available in all formats on Tuesday September 15, 2015 !
July 26, 2015
Nevermore by Kelly Creagh Book Review Blog
Summary:
Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is less than enthused when her high school English teacher assigns a huge project due on the day of the big football game. Even worse, she gets partnered with Varen Nethers, resident Goth guy. Varen is just as unhappy about the pairing as Isobel is.
As Varen and Isobel reluctantly begin spending time together to work on their project (surprise, surprise, Varen chooses Edgar Allan Poe as the subject of their project) Isobel begins to see behind Varen's indifferent facade.
When Isobel's boyfriend, Brad, and their friends begin playing cruel tricks on Varen and making his life hell Isobel is forced to pick a side; and surprisingly she chooses Varen.
But at first Varen doesn't want to let her into his life. After Varen's snubbing Isobel falls in with a new girl named Gwen and they form a friendship. The more time Isobel spends with Varen, the more she wants to unravel the secrets he hides within. She finds herself falling for Varen. At the same time Isobel begins being plagued by weird realistic dreams and run-ins with a masked man named Reynolds.
Her nightmares become reality when horrifying creatures, called Nocs, begin pursuing her. What's going on? And how is Varen involved in this? Nevermore comes to a climax during "The Grim Facade", an event held on All Hallow's Eve, when all secrets begin to come to light.
Impressions: I really liked the dark, Gothic nature of Nevermore. Edgar Allan Poe is, of course, a great influence in this novel and who doesn't love Poe? It's been a while since I've read his work and Nevermore has renewed my love for him.
I read the beginning of Nevermore quite quickly. The first 200-300 pages flew by. There was a little section in the middle that seemed a bit slower, duller. I was surprised that I liked Isobel, despite her despicable choice in friends and boyfriends at the beginning of the novel. Blonde cheerleader types usually annoy me. Even more surprising is my feelings toward Varen. I thought I would love him, after all Goth people are awesome, but for half the book I found him really unlikable.
In fact, until the end, I found myself wondering what his appeal was at all. He spent most of the novel treating Isobel with cold indifference and she's all like "I can't stop thinking about him. I love him.". Meanwhile I'm asking why? At one point I had t envision him as an edgy Goth-y guy I know to make him more likable.
The part I found intriguing was the creepy dreamworld Varen seemed to create by channeling the anger he possessed toward things/people in his life and his love for Poe. What he wrote in his little black sketchbook became reality in his dreams.
My Rating:
4 of 5 Stars. I really liked this book. I wouldn't go as far as to say I loved it but I'm interested enough to want to read the next book. It was the kind of book that, aside from that middle part, kept me picking it up to see what happened next.
Note: The next book in the Nevermore trilogy is entitled "Enshadowed". Enshadowed is available now. The final book in the trilogy, Oblivion, comes out on July 28, 2015.
July 24, 2015
Your First Royalty Check as A Published Author: The Real Story
Okay, so your book has been released and you've been working your butt off to promote yourself and your novel. You're extremely proud of yourself and you hope you're selling lots of copies and gaining lots of new fans.
It's coming close to your first royalty payment from your small independent publisher and you are so excited. You aren't so concerned with how much you've earned but how many people are now walking around with a copy of your novel on their Nook or Kindle. After all, your novel is kind of like your baby and you've worked hard to get to this point even thought you know that you won't become the next Meg Cabot of Stephen King overnight.
The day finally comes and your first royalty payment arrives (a week or so late... okay two or three months late, but who's counting?). You quickly open the royalty report and scan the contents.
What? That can't be right! Only 6 copies sold? How can that be? You've been working so hard! And since your publisher takes 75% of the earnings and you get the other 25% you've earned... $4.72.
Wow. You can't pay rent with $4.72. Or buy groceries. Or even a tank of gasoline. You get to wondering: What can I buy with $4.72?
Let's see: - 3.65 Songs on Itunes at $1.29 a piece - 3/4 of a Venti Java Chip Frappuccino at Starbucks - 1/2 a Month's Subscription to Netflix on the $7.99, 1 disc per month plan - 1 ounce of Bumble and Bumble Super Rich Conditioner from Sephora - 18 Chicken McNuggets from McDonalds - 8 cans of Fancy Feast Wet Cat Food AND - One Rubber Rat to stick in your publisher's lunch break refrigerator.
(Just Kidding About the Rat Part!)
Welcome to the world of publishing and being an Indie Author! Don't forget to Promote! Promote! Promote!
If anyone is out there reading this help me keep the cross-eyed cat fed!
Buy The Haunting Love:Kindle US / Kindle UK / Paperback / Nook/ Barnes and Noble Paperback
Preorder Finding Elizabeth:Amazon US / Amazon UK /Kobo
It's coming close to your first royalty payment from your small independent publisher and you are so excited. You aren't so concerned with how much you've earned but how many people are now walking around with a copy of your novel on their Nook or Kindle. After all, your novel is kind of like your baby and you've worked hard to get to this point even thought you know that you won't become the next Meg Cabot of Stephen King overnight.
The day finally comes and your first royalty payment arrives (a week or so late... okay two or three months late, but who's counting?). You quickly open the royalty report and scan the contents.
What? That can't be right! Only 6 copies sold? How can that be? You've been working so hard! And since your publisher takes 75% of the earnings and you get the other 25% you've earned... $4.72.
Wow. You can't pay rent with $4.72. Or buy groceries. Or even a tank of gasoline. You get to wondering: What can I buy with $4.72?
Let's see: - 3.65 Songs on Itunes at $1.29 a piece - 3/4 of a Venti Java Chip Frappuccino at Starbucks - 1/2 a Month's Subscription to Netflix on the $7.99, 1 disc per month plan - 1 ounce of Bumble and Bumble Super Rich Conditioner from Sephora - 18 Chicken McNuggets from McDonalds - 8 cans of Fancy Feast Wet Cat Food AND - One Rubber Rat to stick in your publisher's lunch break refrigerator.
(Just Kidding About the Rat Part!)
Welcome to the world of publishing and being an Indie Author! Don't forget to Promote! Promote! Promote!
If anyone is out there reading this help me keep the cross-eyed cat fed!
Buy The Haunting Love:Kindle US / Kindle UK / Paperback / Nook/ Barnes and Noble Paperback
Preorder Finding Elizabeth:Amazon US / Amazon UK /Kobo
July 10, 2015
Syn's Ghostly Encounter ( A Paranormal Romance Short Story Blog)
I never let myself believe in something so foolish, but this time something about it - I just couldn't quite shake the thought that it just might be real. Was my mind playing tricks on me or could there really be a ghost floating around my dorm room?
"Pull yourself together Syn," I order myself as I close my eyes and hope when I reopen them the ghostly apparition hovering beside my window would be gone. I didn't even believe in ghosts for cripes sake.
I hoped against hope as I crack open my eyes. Nope, he was still there, his smoky gray eyes alight with amusement. "What do you want?" I demand, my quivering voice betraying my confident facade.
The ghost's smile widens as he shakes his head and comes closer, freezing me with the icy drop in temperature that accompanies him.
I scoot back toward my headboard and grip the blankets against my tank-top-covered chest. "My roommate will be back any second," I threaten, hoping I'm right.
I just hoped my new roommate Britta didn't bring yet another guy home from whatever frat party she'd been partying at tonight. Talk about awkward. I frown at the thought, momentarily forgetting the ghostly intruder, that is until he holds out his hand to me.
His sexy smoky gray eyes urge me to take his hand as I study him in the moonlight. His golden hair shimmers in the light and he looks to be in his early twenties. Had he been alive, and not a ghost, he might be considered attractive; sexy even. Definitely not the kind of guy that would ever notice boring, old me with my uncontrollable black hair and skin darkened from spending the entire summer working in my uncle's olive grove back in Greece.
Getting impatient with my perusal of him the ghost reaches over and yanks me out of bed.
I drag my feet indignantly as he pulls me toward the window. "Wait, hold up buddy, I can't walk through walls like you. Besides, we're on the third floor. I'd drop like a rock and I'm definitely not ready to join you in the spirit world."
The ghost smirks at me irresistibly in a "watch me" sort of way as he continues through the thick wall, pulling me right along with him.
Before I can form an argument we're flying, or rather floating, through the night, invisible to the college students stumbling back to their dorm rooms after a long night of partying.
The ghost brings us to a halt in the courtyard of an upscale restaurant across town from the university. As we drift slowly to the ground I realize that the courtyard has been transformed from it's usual patio dining appearance into something... else.
A candlelit table set for two sits in the center of the courtyard as a low fog blankets the cobblestone deck. The ghost pulls out a chair and gestures for me to sit down. Above our heads a sky full of stars and a full moon shines down on us. Hadn't I just been wishing for a guy to sweep me off my feet just yesterday?
I reluctantly sit down and the ghost pushes me closer to the table before sitting down across from me. As soon as he sits down a feast appears on the table in front of us.
I stare at the ghost in surprise, "You did this all for me?"
The ghost nods, but remains silent.
"Why?" I ask quietly.
The ghost shrugs as a gruff male voice with a hint of a southern accent pops into my head, "I've been watching you for a long time. It gets lonely wandering around campus by myself, unseen by anyone. You were a vibrant star among a sea of faces, I had to know you."
"Were you a student here?" I ask as the ghost pours me a glass of red liquid, wine probably. "before you..."
The ghost looks pained for a minute, "Yes, I was."
I nod understandingly, not wanting to pry. "What's your name?"
The ghost shakes his head, refusing to answer.
I roll my eyes, "oh come on! I'm on an impromptu date with a ghost at three in the morning wearing nothing but a tank top and a tiny pair of sleep shorts and you're honestly refusing to tell me your name?"
The ghost smiles appreciatively as his eyes roam over my outfit before responding. "It will be easier this way. Trust me."
I bite my lip but find myself nodding anyway. We begin digging into our meal, some kind of fancy Italian pasta dish with scallops in it, as the ghost begins peppering me with all sorts of questions. He asks me about my family and my major as he caresses my hand across the table. Every time I ask him a personal question he deflects with a question for me. If not for his translucent appearance I'd think he was just any other guy, albeit a secretive one, trying to impress on a first date. And despite the shroud of secrecy I reluctantly find myself becoming attracted to him.
After dinner he pulls me into his arms and insists that we dance. The moonlight shines down on us as we dance, my cheek pressed against his surprisingly solid chest as his hands rest gently on my hips. I draw back slowly and look at him as he angles his head towards mine. My eyes flutter closed in anticipation of the kiss. As his lips press firmly against mine my entire world explodes in a burst of color.
When I open my eyes I'm back in my bed in my dorm room. The early morning light peeks through the shades Britta forgot to close the night before.
"Was it all just a dream? A perfect, realistic dream?" I wonder aloud.
As I glance around the room for any trace of the ghost's visit the night before I find a single red rose laying on the table beside my bed. Beside the rose a small note card sits propped against the base of my college-issued lamp.
To answer your first question, the answer is you. You are what I want. I’ll see you soon. Love, -M
To be continued...
June 26, 2015
Writing What You Know
It's been said that you should "write what you know". I think a lot of writers do that, myself included.
We write to explain the past, the things that made us who we are today, the choices and decisions that have helped shape our lives.
A person that grows up in a volatile home setting might write characters in the same situation because that's all they know, while a person who grew up on a lavish horse farm in Kentucky might choose to solely write about Kentucky horse country. It's easy to get lost in the familiar but it's also important for a writer to broaden their horizons and step out of their comfort zones, lest we become repetitive and boring.
I like to think of myself as an observant people-watcher. I'm constantly wondering what makes people tick. That includes a few of my favorite authors.
One of my favorite authors, who mainly writes young adult romance novels, always seems to write characters that have strained relationships with their parents. You can't help but wonder, is this what she (the author) knows? Does she herself have a broken relationship with her parents that cause her to write the way she does?
Another author I like, who writes both young and new adult romance, always writes the same basic plot. I don't even have to open her latest novel to tell you that one of her main characters comes from money and privilege while that character's love interest comes from the 'wrong side of the tracks'; a child of either a drug addict or some other kind of lowlife. And the male character is always very possessive and clingy, which the author must find romantic. (I on the other hand see these as major red flags, but maybe that's just me). I can't help but wonder if this is the story of her life, with slight variations in each of her books.
I myself like to write female characters that are intelligent with a sharp sense of humor that aren't the stereotypical poster girl for beauty because that's how I see myself. I never saw myself as attractive in high school, and I still have bad days but now I see that there are all types of beautiful, not just the kind on the cover of Vogue.
I also have a tendency to set my novels in places that are familiar to me: Green Bay, Brookfield, Milwaukee, Marquette. I know these places like the back of my hand. But I've also reached out and expanded sub-settings to cities I've never been to.
Researching subjects and places for my writing is fun and I learn so much. If you would have asked me how I felt about doing research for a paper in high school I'd have sighed and groaned at how boring it was. I guess it's different when you can pick and choose what you wish to learn.
Someday I'd love to branch out beyond Paranormal Romance for Young Adults. I'd love to explore the Horror genre more and also branch out into New Adult Romance (either paranormal or regular).
It's kind of scare to deviate away from what you know but I think it's important to try new things. Not just in writing, but in all aspects of your life.
Let's say every morning you wake up and have two eggs, wheat toast, and a cup of coffee for breakfast. What's the worst that could happen if one day you wake up and decide to forgo your usual routine and have French toast and tea instead? Who knows, you just might like it better than the same old thing you've been eating (or writing as the case may be) everyday.
Just a little food for thought...
We write to explain the past, the things that made us who we are today, the choices and decisions that have helped shape our lives.
A person that grows up in a volatile home setting might write characters in the same situation because that's all they know, while a person who grew up on a lavish horse farm in Kentucky might choose to solely write about Kentucky horse country. It's easy to get lost in the familiar but it's also important for a writer to broaden their horizons and step out of their comfort zones, lest we become repetitive and boring.
I like to think of myself as an observant people-watcher. I'm constantly wondering what makes people tick. That includes a few of my favorite authors.
One of my favorite authors, who mainly writes young adult romance novels, always seems to write characters that have strained relationships with their parents. You can't help but wonder, is this what she (the author) knows? Does she herself have a broken relationship with her parents that cause her to write the way she does?
Another author I like, who writes both young and new adult romance, always writes the same basic plot. I don't even have to open her latest novel to tell you that one of her main characters comes from money and privilege while that character's love interest comes from the 'wrong side of the tracks'; a child of either a drug addict or some other kind of lowlife. And the male character is always very possessive and clingy, which the author must find romantic. (I on the other hand see these as major red flags, but maybe that's just me). I can't help but wonder if this is the story of her life, with slight variations in each of her books.
I myself like to write female characters that are intelligent with a sharp sense of humor that aren't the stereotypical poster girl for beauty because that's how I see myself. I never saw myself as attractive in high school, and I still have bad days but now I see that there are all types of beautiful, not just the kind on the cover of Vogue.
I also have a tendency to set my novels in places that are familiar to me: Green Bay, Brookfield, Milwaukee, Marquette. I know these places like the back of my hand. But I've also reached out and expanded sub-settings to cities I've never been to.
Researching subjects and places for my writing is fun and I learn so much. If you would have asked me how I felt about doing research for a paper in high school I'd have sighed and groaned at how boring it was. I guess it's different when you can pick and choose what you wish to learn.
Someday I'd love to branch out beyond Paranormal Romance for Young Adults. I'd love to explore the Horror genre more and also branch out into New Adult Romance (either paranormal or regular).
It's kind of scare to deviate away from what you know but I think it's important to try new things. Not just in writing, but in all aspects of your life.
Let's say every morning you wake up and have two eggs, wheat toast, and a cup of coffee for breakfast. What's the worst that could happen if one day you wake up and decide to forgo your usual routine and have French toast and tea instead? Who knows, you just might like it better than the same old thing you've been eating (or writing as the case may be) everyday.
Just a little food for thought...
