Tricia Copeland's Blog, page 58

PM Hernandez on NaNoWriMo: How I Learned to Dread the Word Counter

When Tricia asked me if I wanted to write a post for her blog about NaNoWriMo, I thought “what would I possibly have to say?” Apparently, a LOT. The more I thought about NaNo, the more I realized I owe that event (and Camp NaNoWriMo…but more on that later) so much. I took a look at my author dashboard and believe it or not, I’ve been a member for four years. I was shocked! Of those years, I only “won” once, but of the books I worked on, two are published and another will be. Not bad.
 
So, what does NaNo (and Camp NaNo) offer? Community…support…inspiration…and most importantly, accountability. I took my first baby steps into the author community through my regional group on NaNo. I shyly dragged my laptop to the local Barnes & Noble for a write-in. I chatted with folks in the NaNo message boards. Now that I’ve established a solid network through author events and conferences, I have quite a few writing buddies and friends on NaNo. Writing can be such a solitary thing, and it’s good to have a sense of community—people who’ll support you and cheer you on. Or hold your feet to the fire. Feel free to look me up on NaNo. My handle is phernandez.
 
The absolute best thing NaNo does, though, is make you as an author accountable. That book WILL NOT write itself, people. Fingers on the keyboards, friends. It doesn’t matter that the first draft sucks. You can work with that. What you CAN’T do is edit a blank page. 50,000 words is a decent novel. Mine range from 60-75,000. So, by the end of November, I have a good start on a solid manuscript. Not bad.
 
This November, I decided that insanity, never going out, and no sleep would be awesome experiences. What that means is I’m simultaneously working on three projects. Yeah, I’m stupid. My official NaNo novel is the second book in my Whitewood Journals Series. The Whitewood Journals is a YA paranormal about Ellie Whitewood, who inherits a mansion in the middle of a secluded forest. She discovers that not only do the gargoyles come to life, but that she’s a member of an ancient line of women—Caretakers—who with their gargoyles protect the world from demons. My second…and unofficial…project is working with my editor to finish up the second book in my Earthborn Series, a YA science fiction novel called Verseborn. Addy Becker has to save her father from certain death on his home planet, but there are people back “home” who have other plans for her. My third…and final, oh my goodness, kill me now project…is Dark and Bright, a YA science fiction novel. I’m working on final edits before sending it to my editor. It’s about Carrie Franx, a girl who is secluded in her mountain home. But is it for her safety…or ours?

For those of you who are true gluttons for punishment, NaNo also runs Camp NaNoWriMo during the summer. The cool thing about that event is you can create your own “cabin” of fellow writers. I’ve participated in that for at least two years and it’s great to have the chance to create your own cozy club to encourage and inspire each other. There are also programs for young writers in both NaNo and Camp NaNo. If you’d like to do your own version of NaNo, there’s a great website—created by NaNoers—for tracking your writing projects and word count. It’s called Pacemaker and you can find it at https://pacemaker.press. Now, get creating!
 
If you’d like to learn more about me or my books, you can visit www.pmhernandez.com. And thanks to Tricia for having me on her blog!

NaNoWriMo Author Layla J. Omorose

I met NaNoWriMo Author Layla J. Omorose at Penned Con 2016. We shared a table and were able to chat about our books and writing for two whole days! It was awesome! Layla is a wonderful woman with a creative imagination. Here's some words from Layla:

I currently have two books that are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, Eternal Light (which is a Hound series novel) and Darknight: Ancient Bloodlines (which is a Faye princess novel). I am currently working on several stories, including the next books in the Hound and Faye Princess series, that are currently entitled: Eternal Earth and Darknight: Dawn of the Red Sun. I hope to have these two books out by the time August rolls around in 2017. I am also still working on my first novel from last year's Nano, called Seducing the Black Prince. This is my own little twist on Beauty and the Beast. I have taken elements from Disney's version  of the story as well as the original story while putting my own creative twist on it. I have several other titles that are one hold until i finish this first group of books.

Honestly, if you would have asked me when I first started working on Eternal Light back in 2009 if I would now have several stories in the works, be going to conventions, meeting readers, and actually working towards my dream I wouldn't have believed it. But now I look back and see that the moment I first started to write when I was in junior high school there was no other path for me.

I think Nano is amazing and it forces me to keep on track of my writing. I am writing more now than ever and a piece of me has finally found peace and a world I finally belong in. 

You can find Layla and her books at these links.... keep reading for a review of DarKnight!
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/laylajomorose
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8303843.Layla_Omorose

DarKnight review - 5* for interesting creative plot twists and storyline!

DarKnight is an adult fantasy romance novel. The book begins with Tara, the second born princess of the Faye King running away to avoid marrying an ugly, old warlock. Alexios, the King's first in command and Tara's protector is entrusted with finding her. Unfortunately Tara was captured by slave traders. Many other characters are weaved into the plot as the story progresses. It is written in third person so you are able to experience all of the being's points of view. The book has many plot twists and novel unexpected elements and is definitely a page turner.

As I said this is an adult romance book with graphic scenes. If you're not into those you can skip over them to continue with the story but be advised this book may not be appropriate for young readers.

You can find DarKnight here for $0.99! https://www.amazon.com/DarKnight-Ancient-Bloodlines-Faye-Princess-ebook/dp/B00M0THBGK/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1478870692&sr=8-1

All the best,
Tricia

National Novel Writing Month

It's hard to believe I wrote Think You Know Me a year ago for National Novel Writing month and now my series is complete! Between releasing my first young adult story and the last two books of the Being Me series and attending two book conventions it has been such an amazing year.

My experience with writing my young adult paranormal story, Drops of Sunshine, has given me the confidence to write about my all time favorite creatures, vampires! That's right, as of mid-February (date to be released) you'll have your paws on my first vampire book! This story, titled Kingdom of Embers is my work in progress for National Novel Writing Month. I was so excited about it I started a little early and am nearly half way through it! You can catch a blurb and partial cover image at the end of this post!

Looking ahead to 2017, I will be in Roanoke for the Roanoke Authors Invasion and am deciding on a convention to attend for the fall. I also don't want to leave my Being Me fans hanging so I have a Zack story idea for a rom com novel in my back pocket for late spring-early summer release.

My next story, Lovelock Ones: Native One will release December 8! It is a young adult dystopian healing themed story to be published with at least nine other similar themed but multi-genre stories in The Butterfly Box benefiting Doctors Without Borders. In Native One, teens Jema and Troy are sent to a remote Nevada camp when a flu epidemic seems eminent. Jema's sister Nave contracts the virus and Jema and Troy must decide whether to compromise the group to save Nave. I've had this story in my back pocket for a year and can't wait for you to read it.

Kingdom of Embers
Alena has been sheltered and protected all of her life but big changes are coming, she can feel it. Searching for answers about her future she uncovers information that leads to even more questions. Will her Mother find what she's looking for? Is her childhood friend the key to her future path?

Stay tuned for more from Kingdom of Embers!

Until next week- all the best!
Tricia

#PoweredbyIndie Part 4 - Kathy-Lynn Cross

I’m so excited to feature Kathy-Lynn Cross on my blog today! I cyber-met Kathy-Lynn when we partnered with L. A. Starkey of BrixBaxter Publishing to write in their summer anthologies, Spellbound and Enchanted, earlier this year. At the time, I had read her short story, A Spirit’s Last Gift, in Echoes of Winter a collection of YA winter tales. Although a bit dark for my tastes, I grew to love her story Tainted Currents included in Enchanted. Kathy-Lynn’s stories have heart, substance, and meaning that I adore!

Kathy-Lynn is the epitome of the word powerhouse when it comes to promoting herself and other indie authors! She made all the graphics for Spellbound’s and Enchanted’s release and shares many different author’s work. If you love fun interactive social media, her sites are the place to be! Now, I have a few words from Kathy-Lynn and then I’ll be back with my review of So Shall I Reap.
 
From Kathy-Lynn:
 
Swinging Scythes! First I would like to thank Tricia Copeland for having me. Second, I can’t wait to share with you what I’ve been working on. There’s a lot to cover so here we go.

My name is Kathy-Lynn Cross, aka Reaper Girl. I’m the author of the Unseen Series; book one came out in 2015. So Shall I Reap is about a reaper being hoodwinked into saving a soul instead of reaping it. The idea came to me when my family was dealing with a lot of loss. We had lost my mother-in-law, and then six months later I lost my mom. My family fractured, and the only way I could get through it was by writing, and that’s how the story of a reaper safeguarding was born.

I plan on having six books and a novella, maybe two since I’ve been asked to expand on a certain daemon and angel relationship. This spring, So Shall I Reap will be releasing and hopefully following on its heels will be book two; To Keep Death’s Vow. And for those of you who have been waiting, here’s a clip from book two’s jacket blurb …
 
The Reaper is back … and he’s not alone.
 
With the aid of his clan, watching over the Child-of-Balance should be as easy as digging a grave, right? Wrong! With both Bond-Rites hanging over his cloak and the Unseen bent on finding Alexcia, Tevin finds his control is decomposing faster than a corpse. As the clans’ tensions build, the last thing he wants to admit is protecting Alexcia has turned into an addiction and what’s worse … he craves it.
 
If you would like to know about my other works, what else I’m working on, or keep tabs on my reapers, you can follow me on any of these links.
My characters would be ecstatic if you followed us …
Email: www.kathylynncross.com   
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kathylynnbooks   
Twitter: www.twitter.com/kathylynncross   
My blog: www.kathylynncross.wordpress.com   
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/AuthorKLCross/    
Instagram; kathylynncrossbooks
I would love it if you followed me on Amazon.
http://tinyurl.com/nyw6tzy
The Unseen Street Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/540045142814760/
It’s a closed group but if you’d like to be a part of it, message me on my FB author page.
 
Thanks for having me Tricia. I hope we’ll be able to work on a project together in the future. “Aurghhh!”
Scythe ya later! x.x
 
4 STARS for So Shall I Reap
 
In So Shall I Reap, you meet a reaper named Tevin who is fated to reap souls from human vessels for eternity. Before you start to feel all sad for him, stop. He seems ninety-nine percent fine with his existence, after all, he does get to live forever. But Tevin meets Alexcia, a special vessel, near death at the age of six. Although his orders are clear, Alexcia’s mother makes a deal with Tevin and he not only skips his duty but promises to keep Alexcia from harm. The story cuts to Alexcia at fifteen. Haunted by nightmares, she seems to stumble through her days, barely coping. I don’t like spoilers so I will leave you with that intro into the Unseen series! I love that Kathy-Lynn creates such unique characters! I can’t wait to see what happens in To Keep Death’s Vow!
 
If you’d like to pick up Spellbound or Enchanted please follow the links below. These books along with Echoes of Winter are free in ebook format!
 
Enchanted – a new adult paranormal novella collection
Amazon - http://amzn.to/1rhmaPS
iBooks - http://apple.co/1VI7y9b
BN - http://bit.ly/1TiA6j2
Kobo - http://bit.ly/1Uvg0Yg
Google Play - http://bit.ly/1Z6Yitd
 
Spellbound – a young adult paranormal novella collection
Amazon - http://amzn.to/1rhm4Ie
iBooks - http://apple.co/1rhmBd4
BN - http://bit.ly/1W4htWB
Kobo - http://bit.ly/1SW4Eu7
Google Play - http://bit.ly/1Tt1uLM
 
 

Breaking the Links between Mental Illness and Addiction

Photo via Pixabay by Jill111
 
As many of you know the Being Me series highlights many facets of mental illness and cycles of addiction and recovery. From time to time I like to highlight healthy emotional habits. I recently connected with Jennifer McGregor of PublicHealthLibrary.org. Jennifer loves providing reliable health and medical resources for PublicHealthLibrary.org users. She knows how difficult it can be to sift through the mountains of health-related information on the web. She co-created the site with a friend as a way to push reputable information on health topics to the forefront, making them easier and quicker to find. Jennifer provided the following amazing content for my blog.

Mental illness comes in many forms and can take a toll physically, mentally, and emotionally. It’s difficult to find healthy ways to cope with a mental health disorder, especially when an individual feels they are working at it alone. Isolation is one of many side effects that stem from mental illness, either because friends and family members don’t understand their loved one’s behavior or because the individual pushes everyone away out of shame, guilt, or depression. These feelings combined with isolation can lead to suicidal thoughts, especially when paired with substance abuse, so it’s very important to have an emotional toolbox in the interest of finding healthy ways to cope rather than turning to drugs and alcohol.
 
For some, substances provide a form of stress relief. For others, they offer a physical form of relief, perhaps in the way of helping the individual get to sleep or curb their appetite. In reality, drugs and alcohol are only making the base problem worse, and they can add to the issues by affecting the body and mind in various ways. If you feel you have a problem with substances, whether you have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder or believe you may have one, it’s not too late to get help. Don’t be afraid to reach out, either to a doctor, therapist, or support group, and ask for assistance in finding your way back to a healthy life. In the meantime, there are some things you can do to help yourself relieve stress and physical discomfort. Here are a few of the best.
 
Exercise daily
 
It may be difficult to find the energy or motivation to get up and get outside, especially if you are suffering from depression, but it’s important to do just that. Going for a walk or bike ride will do wonders for your physical health as well as your mental state, and it can help boost your mood as well. Meditation-based workouts, such as yoga, are also beneficial for those suffering with a mental health disorder because they allow the individual to focus on the moment rather than worry about the past or future.
 
Make time for friends
 
Friendships and family relationships often suffer when addiction is present, so it’s important to remember to reach out and make those connections when possible. Write a letter to an old friend, or make a lunch date with a sibling. Letting them know that you are on a healthy path is often the first step towards repairing those relationships.
 
Find time for yourself
 
You may find that it’s been a while since you did something just for yourself. Take some time to do something that makes you happy, and get creative. Try something new; if you’ve always wanted to take up painting or try a new sport, go for it. Make time every day just for you and fill it with things you enjoy; having a goal will help you focus on the positive things.
 
Finding healthy ways to cope with mental illness and addiction is never easy, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you feel you need help.

For more information from Jennifer go to http://publichealthlibrary.org/.

All the best,
Tricia

#PoweredbyIndie Part 3 -Tia Silverthorne Bach

I met this lovely lady Tia (Silverthorne) Bach ten years ago last month! At the time we bonded over raising three young kids, a southern upbringing, and shared wedding date! Since then, Tia has published eight books and today's new release brings that number to nine! Tia was the person who tipped me over the edge when I was wavering on publishing my first novel and it continues to be an amazing experience.

Tia first wrote Heart Chatter with her mother. Her next book, Chasing Memories, became, a young adult paranormal series, The Tala Prophecies. Her new release, Enchanted Souls, tells about a love destined to last. Tia is also an editor with Indie Books Gone Wild, a group of editors, proofreaders, and formatters, helping indie authors to create amazing books!

So... on to the books!

Enchanted Souls
A Saint’s Grove Novel, Book 11
Publication Date: 10/21/16
 
Two Souls Tethered. An Unbreakable Bond.
 
A rare occurrence brings the planets into alignment, causing the seals that separate the universes to break. Lost souls search for home while two hearts that were shattered try to find their missing pieces. 
 
When Alyxandria Duvall meets Micah, sparks fly, and their hearts burst into flames. They welcome their daughter not long after; then Micah goes missing under mysterious circumstances, leaving a path of heartache, death, and destruction in his wake. Still, Fate has more in store for them. 
 
Galactic anomalies are propelling their lives toward their destinies. Light years separate them, but their souls gravitate toward one another. Can love overpower the universe’s boundaries?  
 
Buy Links
 
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Enchanted-Soul...
 
B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/encha...
 
Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebo...
 
iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ench...
 
About the Author
 
Tia Silverthorne Bach has been married to her college sweetheart for twenty years, has three beautiful girls, and adores living in the breathtaking state of Colorado. Her daughters were born in Chicago, San Diego, and Baltimore; and she feels fortunate to have called many places home. She believes in fairy tales and happy endings and is an avid reader and rabid grammar hound.

#PoweredbyIndie Part 2

In 2008 I began writing Is This Me? after tucking my kids in at night. It became an one hundred fifty thousand word document and I split it into Is This Me? and If I Could Fly.  After publishing these books, I took five months to write Think You Know Me and another five to write Being Me.

In the middle of the series I kept thinking I had no other ideas but the feeling that I wanted to make my writing career more than about a single series kept growing. Several people have been pivotal in inspiring and challenging me to push beyond my comfort level and branch out. The product of this endeavor was Drops of Sunshine (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692693181) first published in Spellbound, a paranormal novella anthology with four other amazing authors. It was such a great experience to collaborate and produce Spellbound!

Find Spellbound here!
Amazon - http://amzn.to/1rhm4Ie
iBooks - http://apple.co/1rhmBd4
BN - http://bit.ly/1W4htWB
Kobo - http://bit.ly/1SW4Eu7
Google Play - http://bit.ly/1Tt1uLM

One author I met who inspired me to branch out was Shawn McGuire. We first were introduced at Utopia Con 2015 and then met up again on a very snowy Colorado day at a book sale event. The snow kept most people away but we entertained ourselves chatting about books and author life.

So, about Shawn...Shawn McGuire is the author of young adult (and adult but I'll get to that in the next paragraph), coming-of-age novels that blend contemporary settings with a touch of fantasy and magic. She started writing after seeing the first Star Wars movie (that’s episode IV) as a kid. She couldn’t wait for the next one so wrote her own episodes (seriously, how cool!). Sadly, those notebooks are long lost, but her desire to write is as strong now as it was then. She grew up in the beautiful Mississippi River town of Winona, Minnesota, the small town that inspired the setting for her young adult books Sticks and Stones and Break My Bones. The Milwaukee area of Wisconsin (Go Pack Go!) was her home for many years and then she moved to Colorado in 2011 with her family. While she misses family and friends there, she loves hiking and camping in the spectacular Rocky Mountains.

Her adult work includes two novels in the Lei Crime Series Kindle World  set in Hawaii, including ONE OF HER OWN and OUT OF HER LEAGUE. (Amazing series and amazing works by the way!). She also has a short story, THE DOOR, in an anthology with Wicked Ink Books, titled Tick Tock: Seven Tales of Time. Her next project is an adult mystery series—tentatively called WHISPERING PINES—which is populated with Wiccan witches and gypsy fortune tellers. She tells me she's having a great time writing the first in the series and hope to have it out early in 2017.
You can find Shawn and her work here:
STICKS AND STONES - http://amzn.to/1VALY6h
BREAK MY BONES - http://amzn.to/1QXLTSB
NEVER HURT ME - http://amzn.to/2b5ZMFn
HAD A GREAT FALL - http://amzn.to/2b60gLw
BACK TOGETHER AGAIN - http://amzn.to/22HKOH5  
Box Set – Books 1-3 - http://amzn.to/1TJEklb

ONE OF HER OWN - http://amzn.to/1O1Vc9I
OUT OF HER LEAGUE - http://amzn.to/1ZayHQr

TICK TOCK: SEVEN TALES OF TIME - https://www.amazon.com/Tick-Tock-Seven-Tales-Time-ebook/dp/B01AC1H2E8

Website - www.Shawn-McGuire.com
Email – Shawn@Shawn-McGuire.com
Facebook www.Facebook.com/ShawnMcGuireAuthor
Newsletter – http://www.subscribepage.com/v5j7t1
Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/shawnmcguire1/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Shawn_McGuire
Instagram - https://instagram.com/shawn.mcguire1/
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3231214.Shawn_McGuire
Amazon Author – (http://amzn.to/1ScjtIp) http://www.amazon.com/Shawn-McGuire/e/B00L0FJDFW

As always happy reading1
Tricia

What Inspired Me to go Indie - #PoweredbyIndie

This month Amazon is celebrating great writing by their indie authors by promoting indie books! For this occasion, I wanted to share my indie author publishing story and give shout outs to people who have been pivotal in my journey! So, I will begin with confessions!

Yes, I was inspired by Stephanie Meyer.Yes, I want to be a rock star breakout indie author like Andy Weir.Yes, I will settle for the likes of … okay there are too many to name.Yes, I wrote over 250 query letters.Yes, I felt dejected when I got only 10 who requested more material.Yes, I felt even more depressed when none of those wanted my work. Oh, wait, there was one, but he wanted a stand-alone I could make into a steamy romance. What? 
Okay, so, all that said, I still believed in my books, and had enough people tell me my stories were good… okay so maybe it was only 5… but they were really good ones, so I took the leap and self-published. Is it hard? YES! Do I want to stop? Heck, NO! Why?
 Yes, I have characters in my head that talk to me.Yes, I love writing about fictional people.Yes, I love weaving a story that supports a good value or lesson.Yes, I love it when a reader tells me they liked my book.Yes, I love it even more when someone says my book helped them.
But, I have a complete series with a decent amount of 4 and 5 star reviews (woo hoo!). I have one young adult novella and another due out in December! I am making plans for next year… so hang on for what’s next. My Being Me fans want to read something about Zack and I’m listening!
The first person I want to highlight is author, editor, and indie book guru, Jo Michaels. I was connected to Jo through my editor (who I will highlight later in the month). In addition to multiple indie publications, Jo runs Indie Books Gone Wild, an editing, proofing, and formatting service for self-publishing authors. Jo also has tons of tips for indie authors on her blog at http://jomichaels.blogspot.com/. Jo not only inspires me to write great books but pulls me back from the edge of the cliff when I’m ready to jump (metaphorically of course). Jo has done all my beautiful formatting and graphics (like the one to the left from Drops of Sunshine) for the interior of my books. If you’ve read the Being Me series or the amazing Drops of Sunshine, you’ve seen how awesome her work is!

You can find Jo Michaels at www.writejomichaels.com, Facebook: facebook.com/writejomichaels, or Twitter: @WriteJoMichaels.

You can find more #PoweredbyIndie Amazon authors at https://smile.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=15426558011&ref_=pe_390220_209873340.

Find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TriciaCopelandAuthor,
on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authortriciacopeland/,or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/tcbrzostowicz.
 
The first book in my series is now free!
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/638973
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/is-this-me
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/is-this-me/id1118070449?mt=11
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/is-this-me-tricia-copeland/1122161771?ean=2940153040332
 
Happy reading!
Tricia

Behind the scenes!

The most frequent question I get is how did you write these so fast. So today, on the heels of the release of the final installment of the Being Me series, I wanted to give you a history of how these books came to be.

While it appeared that I cranked out four installments in two years, the books are a product of eight years of effort. I began writing in 2008, not coincidentally the summer of my high school reunion and first join to social media. My three kids were young and I stayed home with them. During the evenings, I needed an outlet. With all my pent up memories of high school and college, I created a character who was strong and fearless, if not a bit naive.

I started writing in a composition book. Weaving scenes into a plot, I created a world for Amanda, a college freshman full of excitement. My husband watched me scribble on my pages each night and replaced them with a laptop. For four years, I wrote. In 2012, I reluctantly let my sister-in-law and another editor friend read the, then 200,000 word, story. While rough, they saw potential.

I hired an editor and over the course of nine months, I refined the work, splitting it into two manuscripts that became Is This Me? and If I Could Fly. Feeling I had to give the traditional publishing route a shot, I spent three months querying agents. With little results, the manuscript went through final edits. I hired a formatter and cover designer, and Is This Me? came to fruition.

My journey as a young adult is fictionalized and weaved through much of this series. Like Amanda, and many of us, my path was littered with challenges and I lost my way for a bit. The point for me was to create a world that entertained the reader while also inspiring and comforting, much like your best friend would. So yes, there were many tears during this process, and a little sweat too. But the sad tears and happy tears made the journey rich.

I have many people to thank for supporting my efforts to see this series fly. I hope you laugh, cry, cheer on, yell at, maybe even fall in love with  the characters of the Being Me series, I certainly have.

All the best,
Tricia

The Debut Collective: Hostile Take Over

My most recent read, a short story collection, Hostile Take Over, is a wonderful literary experience. Experience may sound odd for a book but I don’t know how else to describe it. I expected each story to be dystopian in nature even though the back cover says plainly “stories of various genres”. I am impressed with the latitude of settings, point of view, plots, and characters in this collection. I think it is wonderfully creative and fun to read each author’s take on the theme of revolution, uprising, and overcoming oppression.

I am impressed with how the authors were able to set a tone, introduce characters, and tell a story that grabs you within five thousand words. From BJ Sheldon’s futuristic story of heroism, to Colleen Nye’s paranormal romance, Kelly Risser’s living dead characters, to Tia Bach’s alien invasion, the stories are entirely entertaining.

Hostile Take Over is Book 3 of The Debut Collective, a series of books, written and published by indie authors, indie editors, and an indie press. Each of the stories is a maximum of five thousand words, so can be read within fifteen to thirty minutes. This book has stories by Alex Lamar, Alexandra Weis, Ashley Bodette, Avyn Lee, BJ Sheldon, Colleen Nye, Jessica Dorn, Kelly A. Risser, Natasha Hanova, Patti Larsen, S.E. Summa, Susan Burdorf, and Tia Silverthorne Bach. Some of the authors like Nye, Risser, and Bach, I have read works from before but the rest are new to me. I am looking forward to reading more of their work.

You can find this and the other Debut Collective books, Acts of Bravery, The Under Dogs, Secret Identity, and Against All Odds on Amazon from The Debut Collective social media page, https://www.facebook.com/DebutCollective/ or the main website, https://thedebutcollective.wordpress.com/.

​Happy reading!
Tricia