Wendi L. Wilson's Blog, page 6

Bell’s palsy #3

Well, it’s day 16. Things are getting better and better every day, but a lot has happened since my last post on Day 8.

On day 9, the intense, almost unbearable pain set in. It felt like someone smashed me in the face several times with a brick when I already had a migraine. Yes, it was that bad. I was absolutely miserable all day long. I have two possible theories on why it hurt so bad:

The affected facial nerves were waking up and screaming their displeasure at being so inflamed for so long.
I quit the prednisone cold turkey. Yes, I called my Dr. and talked to her about it beforehand. She assured me, despite everything I heard from my sister, my pharmacist, and countless articles on the internet, that I would be fine after only taking it for 8 days. That Bell’s patients need that full dose for the full week.

Or it could be a combination of those two things. Or something else altogether. I don’t really know. All I know is that I was living in the seventh level of hell and I just wanted to be knocked out and woken when it was over.

Day 10 was better. Not much better, but not quite as painful as day 9. And it’s gotten a little better every day since. It still hurts to touch it, but I don’t have the constant pain other than my daily headaches- yes, I still get them daily.

On day 9, my friend Michelle made a cream for me with essential oils that are touted to be helpful with Bell’s palsy and nerve regeneration in general. I don’t know if it was a coincidence or not, but as soon as I started using it, I started to see marked improvement every day. Here is the ingredients list for those who may want to try it out:

Shea butter
sunflower oil
aloe
vitamin e
frankincense
geranium
rosemary
thyme
peppermint
helichrysum

It has a really strong, though not unpleasant scent and the peppermint makes my eyes water and burn a bit. The upside is that it has made my skin super soft and, of course, the improvement in my facial control.

Here’s my video log for day 11.

Here’s my video log for day 16.

When you compare the two, you can see a noticeable difference in just 5 days. Hopefully it will keep improving!

Day 2

Day 8

Day 13

Day 16

Thanks for coming on this journey with me!

Wendi

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

I like to read first thing in the morning, hot cup of coffee in hand, while my kids watch cartoons and whine over why they can’t have pop tarts for breakfast every day. It’s my relax time, my pleasure time. The only problem is, when a book is very complex or written in a more elaborate style than I am used to, I have a hard time connecting to it. I mean, that fresh cup of coffee hasn’t even kicked in yet and I’ve got two rambunctious boys trying to tackle each other and screaming “mommy.”

This posed a bit of a problem for me with Red Rising. There are so many details, so much information thrown at you in the beginning. Pair that with the colorful language and complex thought processes, I felt like I was wading through mud trying to catch up. It took me days to get through the first half- longer than normally takes me to read an entire book- and I almost gave up. I’m so glad I didn’t. But more on that later.

I discovered this book while watching YouTube videos, mainly this one by Natasha at Tashapolis and this hilarious video interview of Pierce Brown and Natasha by Christine at polandbananasBooks. So I decided I had to read it.

As I said earlier, it was slow going at first. It wasn’t that I didn’t like it, I did, but I just had a really hard time understanding all of it and it was frustrating- having to reread passages and go back to figure out what was actually happening. Again, my brain on little to no coffee is no bueno.

So I posted in one of my favorite YA groups on Facebook. It was pretty mush, “Hey, anybody read this? I’m having a hard time.”

And the consensus was unanimous. DO NOT STOP! It gets better. It’s so good. I love it! Etc, etc, etc. So I kept going. And it was bloodydamn excellent. I just finished it 15 minutes ago and I couldn’t wait to sit down and write this. I’m still running on the high of the ending.

Darrow. How I love Darrow with all my heart. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking of every trial- physical, mental, and emotional- that he went through. He evolved and grew, learned from his mistakes (which he made all the way up to the end), got smarter, braver with every challenge, every failure and every victory.

This story is gritty and dirty, with friends and allies that turn into cheaters and traitors, heroes brought back from the brink of death only to be forced right back there again. The emotional roller coaster it takes you on has you flying one minute and drowning the next.

The supporting cast of characters is amazing and diverse. Their personality traits are well crafted and as endearing at certain times as they are revolting at others. I just can’t gush enough.

FIVE STARS all the way. Seriously, read this book. You won’t regret it. I’m so, SO glad I already have Golden Son in my hot little hands.

And I can honestly tell you, it was nothing like “The Martian.” ;)

 

 

Bell’s Palsy #2

Today is day 8 of Bell’s palsy for me. I finished my round of prednisone and the antiviral meds this morning. I still have a lot of pain in my face, particularly when I touch it, but I am seeing some slight improvement.

Day 2

Day 4

Day 8

My lip seems like it is not drooping as far, my right eye is blinking partially, and I can feel the muscles trying to work when I change my facial expression.

Starting yesterday, I have had a bitter taste on the right side of my mouth. Hopefully that means my tongue is waking up!

Here is my video for Day 8.

I’m feeling very hopeful today!

 

 

Bell’s Palsy

For the last six days, I have had no control over the right side of my face. I woke up on Saturday, 2/13/16, thinking that I’d had a stroke. It was horrifying and I drove myself to the E.R. to get checked out. Me driving myself should have been the first sign that I hadn’t actually had a stroke, but who can think straight when they wake up feeling like they just left the dentist’s office after some heavy numbing shots?

Doctors aren’t really sure

what causes Bell’s palsy. They think it could be caused by a virus, maybe lyme disease, maybe….any number of things you can find across several sites on the web. Pretty much the only thing they recommend is strong doses of steroids and antiviral meds for a week. Then you just have to wait. It could clear up in a couple of weeks- or it could take upwards of a year.

In hindsight, I can see a chain of symptoms leading up to the morning of Saturday the 13th. I was over-the-top stressed out over a book sale I was running on my two books. It wasn’t going as well as I had hoped, and I spent hours stressing out over it and trying to get the word out every day. I started developing headaches every afternoon. Earlier in the week, my left eye developed a twitch, which then moved to the right eye. On Thursday, my tongue went numb while eating some salty popcorn. I thought the salt had caused an abrasion of my taste buds or something. On Friday night, my right eye started burning and  I realized I couldn’t close it while keeping my left eye open. I laughed it off, like it was some kind of weird thing that was happening because I was overtired and stressed. Saturday morning I couldn’t control the right side of my mouth or blink my right eye.

Here’s a video of my lack of facial control.

Sunday was a little worse. It felt like my right nostril was collapsed and I was having some trouble breathing through my nose. My eye was burning like crazy all day (Happy Valentine’s Day to me, right?) and I was basically miserable.

*Note: Do not use Visine eye drops. They dried my eyes out and caused me a ton of pain on Sunday. On Monday, I went to the store and purchased Thera Tears- these drops are like heaven.

On Wednesday (day 5), I had a follow up appointment with my doctor who told me my case is pretty severe. I am feeling some improvement in my lower lip, which is good. She said any improvement within the first 21 days is a good sign. I developed quite a bit of pain in my face in the afternoon. It felt like a massive charley horse from my temple, across my jaw and down to my mouth. It still hurts today and it isn’t very much fun.

Today is day 6 and this is the first time I’ve been able to sit in front of a computer screen for this long without it really hurting my unblinking eye. Here is a video of today’s facial control. It’s starting to hurt now, so I think I’ll end this post. I will update it periodically to let everyone know how things are going. Thanks for reading!

 

Valentine’s $0.99 YA Paranormal Romance Sale

 

Do you love to read YA paranormal romance books? I know I do, and I’d like to help you all out by offering up 15 amazing books, all for only $0.99 each!! Dig in, discover some new authors, and take advantage of this fabulous sale!

Shadowed Strength: Shadowed Series Book One (Amazon only)

She should have run. She should not have taken that shortcut. The long way was well-lit by unbroken streetlights. She shouldn’t have decided to walk home by herself. She shouldn’t have been here at all! She hadn’t even wanted to go to that damn party. She knew she’d regret it. But not like this. She never imagined this would ever have happened to her.

 

Ghost Storm (Hidden Bay) (Volume 1) (Amazon)

Ghost Storm (Hidden Bay) (Volume 1) (Nook)

Ghost Storm (Hidden Bay) (Volume 1) (Kobo)

Ghost Storm (Hidden Bay) (Volume 1) (iTunes)

How can a place she’s never been before feel so much like home? Hidden Bay is no ordinary town. And Melodie may not be an ordinary girl.

 

Moonlight (Crowns of the Twelve) (Volume 1) (Amazon only)

When the Queen dies, Aowyn takes a vow to protect her brothers and father from the hungry eyes of the queen’s handmaiden, Ciatlllait – who is more than she seems. In order to save her family, Aowyn risks a dangerous deal with the dark creature Sylas Mortas. But magic comes with a price: and Aowyn soon realizes the one she has paid is too steep.

Visions (The Mystical Encounter Series Book 1) (Amazon only)

Moving to a new town, Heather Reiner struggles to keep her psychic abilities a secret and establish a sense of normalcy…at least for her overprotective mother’s sake. But when Heather starts having terrifying visions of a missing boy, she can’t simply ignore them. This time she feels an inexplicable pull to solve the crime, and slowly begins to believe that her supernatural gifts could actually help others.

The Space In Between (Amazon)

The Space In Between (Nook)

The Space In Between (Kobo)

The Space In Between (iTunes)

The Space In Between (Google Play)

What if you really can fall in love with the man of your dreams?

It happens to Moira, an art student from Wales. After participating in a Wiccan ritual with her sister and brother, she experiences vivid dreams of a strange and magical realm where she meets a young man. According to her sister, he is a ghost lost in that space in between life and death and he needs Moira’s help to cross over. Her problem? She has a very hard time letting him go…

XODUS (The Astralis Series Book 1) (Amazon)

XODUS (The Astralis Series Book 1) (Nook)

XODUS (The Astralis Series Book 1) (Kobo)

XODUS (The Astralis Series Book 1) (iTunes)

XODUS (The Astralis Series Book 1) (Scribd)

XODUS (The Astralis Series Book 1) (Smashwords)

The first time it happened, Lali Yavari told herself it was just a dream. But when she starts flashing between realities during the day and seeing people disappear before her very eyes, she can’t deny that something is happening to her–something she’s sure is linked to her mother’s disappearance. 

Chosen: Ghost Academy (YA paranormal adventure, book 1) (Amazon only)

Enrolment at Ghost Academy is now open; where death is just the beginning of life. Behind the doors of Ghost Academy, four recently deceased teenagers discover there’s more learning to do, lives to save and life (or death) decisions to be made. Lauren has a murder to solve; her own.

A Magic Dark and Bright (Asylum) (Volume 1) (Amazon)

A Magic Dark and Bright (Asylum) (Volume 1) (Nook)

A Magic Dark and Bright (Asylum) (Volume 1) (Kobo)

A Magic Dark and Bright (Asylum) (Volume 1) (iTunes)

A Magic Dark and Bright (Asylum) (Volume 1) (Scribd)

When Amelia’s classmates start to drown in the Susquehanna River, one right after another, rumors swirl as people begin to connect the timing of Charlie’s arrival with the unexplained deaths. As Charlie and Amelia uncover the dark history of Asylum, they realize they may have unleashed an unspeakable evil. One they have to stop before everything they love is destroyed.

Marked (Volume 1) (Amazon)

Marked (Volume 1) (Nook)

Marked (Volume 1) (Kobo)

Marked (Volume 1) (iTunes)

Marked (Volume 1) (Smashwords)

When 17 year old Hanna Harper agrees to see a local band at The Iron Knife Club with her two best friends, she has no idea her life is about to change forever and that everything she thought was impossible…isn’t. Marked with a mystical symbol by a dying boy, she’s thrust into a world she never imagined existed where her eyes are opened to the reality that fallen angels are very real, and very dangerous. And with just one look from their soulless black eyes, they can take everything from you.

Wilder Destiny: The Guardian Series Book 1 (Amazon only)

All that Celeste Wilder ever wanted was to find someone who would sweep her off her feet like she had seen in countless romantic movies. When she meets the gorgeous and mysterious Constantin brothers her senior year of high school, she gets much more than what she had bargained for. As they introduce her to an exciting supernatural world that she never imagined existed, she makes a startling discovery about her own family legacy and is forced to make a decision that will change her life forever.

Ever Winter (A Dark Faerie Tale Book 3) (Amazon)

Ever Winter (A Dark Faerie Tale Book 3) (Nook)

Ever Winter (A Dark Faerie Tale Book 3) (Kobo)

Ever Winter (A Dark Faerie Tale Book 3) (iTunes)

Ever Winter (A Dark Faerie Tale Book 3) (Google Play)

Ever Winter (A Dark Faerie Tale Book 3) (Smashwords)

Travelling to the Ice kingdom, along with her ‘body guard’ Dylan-who continues to be bound to her-to where the holder of her magic dwells. The war of Faerie amplifies and her only chance to save it will be to resist the enchantments of the Ice King, one of the Ancient rulers of Faerie. But, he has his own agenda and will do anything to stop her from making it to the Summer Kingdom, with her family, to claim back her throne .

The Guardian, a Sword, & Stilettos (The Enlighten Series Book 1) (Amazon)

The Guardian, a Sword, & Stilettos (The Enlighten Series Book 1) (Nook)

The Guardian, a Sword, & Stilettos (The Enlighten Series Book 1) (Kobo)

Zoe Jabril could be just another 17-year-old girl attending parties with her friends and checking out cute guys—except her best friend is a Guardian Angel, and the boy she crushes on is a Nephilim, half-angel, both sent to Earth to protect her. A high school classmate happens to be a trendsetting shopaholic fairy. And now there’s a new werewolf in town.  Zoe must devise a kick-ass plan ASAP or watch everyone die, because she’s running out of time. She turns eighteen in two months—the date Armageddon kicks off.

Bonded: Book One of the ShadowLight Saga, an Epic Fantasy Adventure (Amazon)

Bonded: Book One of the ShadowLight Saga, an Epic Fantasy Adventure (Nook)

Bonded: Book One of the ShadowLight Saga, an Epic Fantasy Adventure (Kobo)

Bonded: Book One of the ShadowLight Saga, an Epic Fantasy Adventure (iTunes)

Bonded: Book One of the ShadowLight Saga, an Epic Fantasy Adventure (Google Play)

Hallad Avarson’s vow to protect a mysterious warrior maiden pits his best friend against him, endangers the life of his little sister, and leads him into a treacherous realm of magic and intrigue. This richly imagined epic fantasy transports readers into a tale of seductive power, heart-wrenching love, and edge-of-your seat thrills, while following inspiring young heroes and heroines as they discover their abilities and destinies interweave with the fate of a captivatingly original world.

Ramora: (Tales from P.A.W.S. Book 2) (Amazon only)

From high up on the mountain of Manus Wu, Ramora felt she could reach out and touch the clouds. She sat and waited. The fairy had said she would come. She felt in her pockets for the vial of potion and the silver coin. Freedom – she would buy her freedom from the fairy. It was the only way.

Shearwater, Part One: An Ocean Depths Mermaid Romance (Amazon only)

My mother’s past was filled with tragic secrets… secrets that refused to stay buried. I could feel them sneaking up around me, reaching for me with gnarled arms. I’m in danger: hunted for abilities that defy reason. Abilities so powerful, I can’t be allowed to exist. But I’m tired of being weak. I need to figure out who is really after me, and why. Maybe then I’ll show them that I’m not so helpless. Maybe I’ll show them just how dangerous one girl can be.

 

Don’t pass up this opportunity to get all these great books for such a bargain price!

 

 

$0.99 Valentine’s Day Sale

I just want to let everyone know that Shadowed Strength and Shadowed Instincts are both on sale for only $0.99 today through February 16th!

She should have run. She should not have taken that shortcut. The long way was well-lit by unbroken streetlights. She shouldn’t have decided to walk home by herself. She shouldn’t have been here at all! She hadn’t even wanted to go to that damn party. She knew she’d regret it. But not like this. She never imagined this would ever have happened to her.

At 16, Melanie Johnson is a typical teenage girl. She has a BFF she adores, a mad crush on her good friend Jeremy, and an evil Barbie doll that destroys her self-esteem on a regular basis.

One fateful night, after being humiliated at a party, Melanie is attacked and nearly raped as she walks home. A mysterious dog appears out of nowhere, just in the nick of time, saves her and then disappears just as quickly. No one saw him but her. And the man who tried to rape her.

In the wake of the attack, Melanie tries to pull her life back together with the help of her friends. Just as things start to go her way, she starts to receive creepy notes from her attacker, promising to finish what he started. And to make things more complicated, Jeremy has a dark secret that Melanie’s not sure she can accept.

Can Melanie and Jeremy reveal the identity of her stalker before he attacks again? Will Jeremy’s secret drive a wedge between them?

And will the mysterious dog save her in the end, like he did in the beginning?

Melanie Johnson’s world just got turned upside down and all she can do is hold on for the ride.

Learning a shocking family secret from her father, Melanie is whisked to the forests of Wilkes, Kentucky to meet her father’s people. With her boyfriend Jeremy by her side, Melanie is immersed in a whole new way of living. She and Jeremy get a glimpse into the life that could have been theirs, had circumstances been different for each of them.

They are only in Wilkes a few days before someone attempts to kill Jeremy, despite the precautions that were taken to keep he and Melanie safe. Now Melanie must draw on her newly found strength and emerging instincts to discover the identity of his assailant before it’s too late.

Jeremy has rescued Melanie from death, kidnapping, and even the local mean girl. Now it’s her turn to protect him. No matter the cost.

I am also running a Goodreads Giveaway for a free paperback copy of Shadowed Instincts! (2/10-2/17)

Thank you for all your support!

Wendi

My New Website

Hello everyone,

I wanted to let everyone know that I set up an author website for myself! Come on by and check it out! You can get details on my books, sign up for my newsletter, and get updates and see new blog posts.

Go here: http://wendilwilson.wix.com/author

Thanks for checking it out. Let me know what you think!

Library Time

I love the public library. I used to go at least once a week, checking out and bringing home 2-3 books every time. It’s no secret, I love to read, but I just don’t have the funds to go buy every new book I want- unless it is the ebook version and I just can’t wait for that email from the library telling me my book is in.

Since finishing, editing, and publishing my first novel Shadowed Strength this summer, my library visits have ceased. That doesn’t mean I haven’t been reading, though. I have come to know so many amazing indie and self-pubbed authors, and I’ve been downloading all their free and bargain ebooks like a madwoman. I’ve read some great books (and some not so great ones).

I guess I’m just feeling a little out of the loop as far as popular books right now. So I pulled up my library website and put three books on hold:

Reawakened  by Colleen Houck– I know I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The Tiger’s Curse Series is one of my favorite series, if not THE favorite. I haven’t read it in a couple of years and I still obsess over Ren. Does that make me weird? I don’t care. I love Colleen Hock’s writing, her imagination, everything, so I have really high hopes for this one.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard– I’ve been seeing this book everywhere. I see references to The Selection by Kiera Cass, another of my faves. People seem to love it. It has over 1100 reviews on Amazon and 60% of them are 5 stars. There has to be something good there, right?

Cinder by Marissa Meyer– I see that this book was published four years ago, but I had never heard of it until recently. This is actually a good thing. The series is finished, which means if I love it, I can read it all at once.

So, those are my library picks for this week. I’ll let you know what I think when I’m done. I would love any suggestions for more! What books do you love in YA/NA (paranormal, fantasy, romance, post-apocalyptic, dystopian, etc)?

House of the Lost Girls (Flocksdale Files #2)

I recently discovered author Carissa Ann Lynch and her book Have You Seen This Girl?. I read the book and I loved it, I hated it, I feared it. I had so many feels, I can’t even explain it properly, but I tried my best in my blog post here.

I immediately ordered the second book in the series, House of the Lost Girls. I made a conscious decision to wait and read a few lighthearted books before I re-entered the horrible town of Flocksdale. I get so emotionally invested in a good book- and these books are really, really, good- I needed to bolster myself with some feel-goods before taking this one on. It was worth the wait.

Here’s my review:

Carissa Ann Lynch has done it again. Ripped me apart and put me back together again.

This book is just as amazing, if not more so, than the first, “Have You Seen This Girl?” Once again set in the evil town of Flocksdale, our protagonist moves with her family to the House of Horrors which served as the setting for the first book. Girls are going missing and some are showing up dead. I spent the entire book trying to figure out who I…I mean Marianna…could trust. Once I thought I figured it out- BAM!- another twist, another turn, another clue, another doubt.

The author is a master builder of the intricate storyline. Once again, as in the first book, I never saw the surprise at the end coming. I was shocked and appalled. I had my suspects plotted out neatly in my head and…..I was so wrong, on so many levels.

There is a reason these books receive so many positive reviews. They are amazingly well-written, intense, and gut-wrenching. Five Stars+++

 

And there you have it. I’m telling you, dear readers, this is one you need to watch. I’ve already pre-ordered Carnival of Dead Girls and I can’t wait!

You can follow Carissa Ann Lynch on Twitter, at her website, and Facebook.

Signed Paperback Giveaway!(CLOSED)

Hey, hey everybody!

I’ve decided to hold a giveaway! I want to award one reader with signed paperback copies of Shadowed Strength and Shadowed Instincts!

She should have run. She should not have taken that shortcut. The long way was well-lit by unbroken streetlights. She shouldn’t have decided to walk home by herself. She shouldn’t have been here at all! She hadn’t even wanted to go to that damn party. She knew she’d regret it. But not like this. She never imagined this would ever have happened to her.

At 16, Melanie Johnson is a typical teenage girl. She has a BFF she adores, a mad crush on her good friend Jeremy, and an evil Barbie doll that destroys her self-esteem on a regular basis.

One fateful night, after being humiliated at a party, Melanie is attacked and nearly raped as she walks home. A mysterious dog appears out of nowhere, just in the nick of time, saves her and then disappears just as quickly. No one saw him but her. And the man who tried to rape her.

In the wake of the attack, Melanie tries to pull her life back together with the help of her friends. Just as things start to go her way, she starts to receive creepy notes from her attacker, promising to finish what he started. And to make things more complicated, Jeremy has a dark secret that Melanie’s not sure she can accept.

Can Melanie and Jeremy reveal the identity of her stalker before he attacks again? Will Jeremy’s secret drive a wedge between them?

And will the mysterious dog save her in the end, like he did in the beginning?

Melanie Johnson’s world just got turned upside down. Things are changing for her, fast, and all she can do is hold on for the ride.

After meeting her father and learning his family secret- one that affects her directly- Melanie is whisked to the forests of Kentucky to meet his people to learn what she can from them. With her boyfriend Jeremy by her side, she is introduced to a whole new way of life- a glimpse into the life she could have had if circumstance hadn’t gotten in the way.

Before long, a threat emerges that could take away one of the most important things in her life- Jeremy. Someone wants him dead. Now they must work together to expose this threat and ensure his safety.

Will Melanie and Jeremy discover the identity of his assailant before it’s too late? And will Melanie be able to save Jeremy, like he’s done for her so many times before?

 

So, who wants to win! The giveaway will run for one month and you can get daily entries with tweets! Check it out:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5c8791731/?

 

Thanks to all my readers for the great ride so far!

Wendi