K.J. Chapman's Blog, page 76

ARC Review: Dawning by Brianna West

I have had the great pleasure of reading an ARC of Dawning by Brianna West. I have been patiently waiting for this book, book three in the Promiscus Gaurdians series, and I was not disappointed.

Check out my reviews of the first two books in the series here: Awakening and Metamorphosis. West also has a spin off series, Guardians in Love. Check out my review of the first book in the series here: Victor.

Dawning (Promiscus Guardians Series Book Three) by Brianna West 5/5

Blurb: 

Izzy and Lucas have been through quite the ordeal over the last year: chased down by demons, hunted by Dark angels, and sought after by a sadistic, gorgeous mother-in-law. Now they’re back, and there’s a lot of loose ends to tie up. Like the army of juiced up toddlers, the flamboyant villain, and the sociopath, Mother Dearest. Not to mention, it’s now their sole duty to seek the help of the seven kings in the In-Between realm, which sounds easier than it is.

Dawning follows Izzy as she is once again the woman of the hour, the woman who can bring the realms together, the woman with that special something-something that everyone, including her vindictive, crazy mother-in-law, are working tirelessly to capture. Being special never felt like so much work. Saving the world was never something Izzy planned to do, but she’ll have to if she doesn’t want the mortal world to end, or any others for that matter.

My Review:

The fight against the dark stepped up a notch in this book. On top of sadistic kings from other realms, demon kids, dark angels, and evil mother in laws, there are dragons- yep, dragons! The action in this book was brilliantly paced and allows the main character, Izzy, to up her game, kick ass, and prove to her Vampire- Angel Beau, Lucas, that she is one tough cookie.

The relationship dynamic between Izzy and Lucas is tested in book three and for the better. Izzy, who has been in a constant power struggle with protective, but loving Lucas, has more than one opportunity to prove herself capable, and there are positive relationship developments in that respect. I was fist pumping the air like, ‘you go girl’ and ‘about time, but way to go, Lucas!’

There is a third wheel in the relationship and that story line tugged at my heart strings more than a little. I hope the third wheel can find happiness in book four. It will make my heart happy. The usually fun loving, slightly perverse, but equally adorable character is pining, and my heart aches for them. That’s what I call great character development.

Now, for the bit that I know everyone is interested in- the steamy romance. Ho ho ho, does it spice up to another level or does it spice up to another level?! It wouldn’t be a paranormal romance with out the paranormal and the romance, right? There are more hunky men for Izzy to ogle, and West makes light work of the steamy scenes between Izzy and Lucas. You want to know more? Then, get the book!

In summary, another brilliantly woven tale with the right dose of action, paranormal, and hotties. What more could you want? My favourite paranormal series of 2016!

Dawning is available for pre-order:  preorder your copy here. Release date: 29th April 2016.

The opinions expressed here are those of K.J.Chapman and no other parties.

All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman.

K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review.

Author Interview: Alan Morgan

Many of you will have seen my ARC review of The Sibling’s by Alan Morgan (A.Morgan), and my praise for the debut, science fiction, and dystopian novel.  If not, you can check out my review here.

Blurb: The sky has fallen. The world has been left in ruins, with only a few spots still prospering. Jest and Fer, brother and sister, wait out for the world to come to an undignified end. But int he commotion, havoc wreaks. The two are separated, taken by separate journeys by different factions. Fer, pregnant, taken under the custody of the nefarious Operation, the political leaders of the new world, must fight for release in an attempt to reach her brother. Jest, beaten and left for dead, is brought to safety by a surreptitious military group that know more of the new world than they are letting on. The Siblings must persevere and fight through unimaginable obstacles to be reunited before it’s too late.

In honour of The Siblings release yesterday, I have interviewed the man himself, Alan Morgan. I have had the pleasure to follow Morgan’s writing journey via his blog, Hyperactive Pandemonium, and I am happy to welcome him to my blog today.

You can get your copy of The Sibling’s from Amazon Kindle or read for FREE via Kindle Unlimited.

What draws you to the genre you write in?
I have always had a tendency to look at the darker side of stories. I am a huge horror and science fiction fan. I have always loved apocalyptic story lines, and have visualised many times what the world would be like if one day it turned on itself. There is a lot of evil in the world as well as good and I like to show this in different ways to how it is actually represented in the real world. Also, I am generally a happy soul, and when I am happy my writing tends to darken as it brings everything into perspective. When I am down, I tend to write happier scenarios as a pick me up. Unfortunately, those stories are few and far between.

The Siblings has been describe as ‘surberb, well written, and fast-paced’. What three words would you use to describe your debut novel?
Apocalyptic, heart-pounding, and exhilarating.

I’m going to throw 3 character names at you, and would love to hear a little insight on each.

Jest – Before the story was written, I knew that a man and woman was sitting on a hilltop watching the world end. Once I started typing, it became apparent that they were brother and sister. Jest was an intriguing concept as he was the older brother and a realist. He blossomed on his own and his character came into his own once the two became separated.
Fer – Similar to Jest, it was only once I started writing did I realise that she was pregnant. It is rare for me to find a book where the central character is pregnant, especially in the genre I chose (I am sure that there are many) and found this perspective daunting and exciting. I feel that throughout the story I wanted her to be much more than the naive child Jest saw her and become strong and independent in her own right.
Darla – In the original concept, Darla was a bit character that did not effect the story. She kinda weaved her way into the thick of things and I liked her character so much that she stayed in. She starts off as a distant and in a way under appreciated source that her leaders see as a tool rather than a person. But once her character meets others, her true colours show and she can be seen as much more.

Some of your characters have unique names. What process do you use for naming characters?

I dislike naming characters. That is one of the most frustrating parts of my writing. When it comes to naming pets I am fine. When it comes to naming pet names for people, that’s fine. As soon as I have to think of character names, my mind is blank. So usually I always start writing without a thought to the character’s title and as soon as I need to name the person I just type the first thing that enters my mind. 
I think that is possibly why they have unique names. In this book, there are a few characters that I chose the name of in advance as otherwise it would not have fitted with the plot. 
Also, if the first name is a standard everyday name like John, then I would keep with a similar approach to titles. As Jest was the first name to be written, I think I wanted to keep the flow going with a similar unique name for his sister.



Would you care to share a teaser from The Sibling’s- pretty please?
 This is an introduction to Private Young’s character:

‘It was hot. Not the kind that people used to complain about when the weather in England reached over thirty degrees. It was skin sizzling, dehydrating hot. Any longer out in the heat and Private Young would have passed out. He was bordering on it when he got relieved of his duty. Young bumped fists with this colleague in passing; enthralled by the prospect of a cold shower and a decent sleep. He had no kinship with the other soldiers and had never learnt their names. He had no time for them or any interest in socialising. That could lead to sympathetic stories being shared and their previous lives and loves brought to reality. Private Young could not risk that; even if the temptation to converse was there, his mission would not allow it.’
 

Do you have a particular writing routine? Any funny quirks to share?
 I have a varied writing routine. I cannot say I have a set in stone one. For the majority of the first drafts I write, as well as all the short stories and blogs, I will use my phone. This is either done on notes or the writing apps Werdsmith and WordPress. This gives me chance to write anywhere, and I will end up emailing a chapter to myself which will then be typed up on my laptop.

My most productive general writing times are first thing in the morning and last thing at night as I do this in bed before I nod off. I am a poor sleeper and only need a little shut eye, so have been known to be writing all night. To add to the funny quirk question, I once read an interview a long time ago with Ville Valo, lead singer from HIM, and in it he made reference that he wrote songs in the bath whilst suffering from a hangover. My quirk is that I enjoy a nice bath, but tend to come up with the next part of the story and write it whilst soaking. Many chapters have been written, and once a huge revelation was sparked when something occured to me about the colour of a bath bomb.
Where do you source inspiration, and of course, that much needed motivation?
My motivation comes from positive and ambitious people. These could come from all walks of life, but passion is a huge thing. I have known that I wanted to be a writer since I was five, and now, not only do I read and watch films, but I take note of certain elements, and I like peering into the world of the writer/creator. Also the blogs I read, including yours especially, motivate and inspire me by the myriad of varied information that gets posted. I generally get inspired by day to day chores and something completely separate begs me to listen to it. Sometimes, clearing my mind of the writing world churns up fresh ideas. Oh, and writing prompts. They are fabulous things.

What is next for Alan Morgan?

I am currently preparing to promote the hell out of The Siblings. I have started writing the follow up, but will not take that seriously until the middle of May, where I will give myself a strict time frame. I am hoping that this will be released by the year’s end. I am also experimenting on styles of writing that I am not comfortable with, whilst improving my haiku writing. Fingers crossed, there may be a separate, stand alone story next year.

Thank you for joining me on my blog, and I wish you every success for The Siblings.

 

Permission for use of excerpts and quotations must be sought from the author, A.Morgan.

#AMWRITING Instagram Promos

I am fully embracing Instagram of late. It is a great way to share promos of published works and current WIPs. I wasn’t a committed Instagrammer before, but that has quickly changed. If you’re not on Instagram- why not? It is worth having another social media platform at your disposal.

Here are my latest #amwriting promos that I have been uploading over the last week. They are snippets of my current WIP, EVO Ghost:

 

If you’re already on Instagram, or looking to join, give me a shout when you are over there. I’m happy to return the follow! KJ Chapman on Instagram.

The images and excerpts featured in this post are the property of KJ.Chapman

Poetry Muse of the Moment

Love Sonnet XI by Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)

I crave your mouth, your voice, your hair.

Silent and starving, I prowl through the streets.

Bread does not nourish me, dawn disrupts me, all day

I hunt for the liquid measure of your steps.

I hunger for your sleek laugh,

your hands the color of a savage harvest,

hunger for the pale stones of your fingernails,

I want to eat your skin like a whole almond.

I want to eat the sunbeam flaring in your lovely body,

the sovereign nose of your arrogant face,

I want to eat the fleeting shade of your lashes,

and I pace around hungry, sniffing the twilight,

hunting for you, for your hot heart,

like a puma in the barrens of Quitratue.

Picture Prompt #11

I didn’t realise how long it had been since I did a picture prompt writing exercise. Considering I have fifty two to complete, you’d think I’d be more on the ball with it, but if I haven’t had the inspiration or motivation, then it’s like forcing blood from a stone.

My goal was to do one a week for a year using pictures I have taken each week as inspiration. Well, I shall still do fifty two, but unless I write about twenty in one month, it’ll take longer than a year *I’m not writing twenty in a month*.

Today’s picture is of my husbands shoes. Why? I don’t actually know why they inspired me for a story, but I’ll roll with any inspiration I can get my hands on.

The Blind Date

“So, how was it?” Nina asks, bouncing around with excitement. “You were sat in his car for ages. Did you kiss him? You did, didn’t you? You liked him. Did you give him your proper number? Did he give you his?”

“Let me get my coat off,” I say, laughing. “It was amazing. Yes, we exchanged numbers, and yes, it was my actual number.” Nina’s eyes grow wide as her smile stretches from ear to ear. “And yes, I kissed him.”

She lets out an ear piercing shriek. “I knew it. Was it cheek, closed lipped peck, romantic, or full on frenchie?”

“Are they the only catergories? Umm, a mix between the last two I think.”

Another ear splitting scream. “So, when was it that you knew you liked him? I mean, everyone has that one moment during a first date when you know. Tell me, tell me, tell me.”

I hadn’t really thought about it. The date was so relaxed, that it was a gradual, organic kind of understanding between us. However… “When I saw his shoes.”

“His shoes?” She scrunches her nose as if my response isn’t interesting or saucy enough for her wild imagination.

“Yeah, I guess. He wore a suit, and my first thought was ‘oh, here we go’, but when I looked down he had on a pair of tatty, canvas trainers. I don’t know… I guess I found it kind of adorable.”

Nina slumps in her chair a little deflated. “He wore a suit and canvas trainers on a first date? He didn’t happen to be called Dr.Who did he?”

I can’t help but laugh. “Now you come to mention it, I did see him disappear into a blue box.”

A lot of my WIP and my writing exercises of late have been dark. I wanted to write something a bit fun and fluffy. Of course, I had to get a Dr.Who reference in there.

All images and written works are the property of KJ.Chapman

My EVO Ghost Hiatus

If you saw my post about the idea bomb I had, then you will know I concentrated my writing efforts on that new idea and set EVO Ghost aside. I wrote 12k in four days on the new project- 12k that could have been put into EVO Ghost.

I thought I’d feel guilty for not concentratng my efforts on my current WIP, but it was actually very liberating. Focussing on new characters, introducing myself to them, and creating a new world was refreshing. After all, I have been writing Teddie’s story, and the story of EVO, for the past 2 years. I deserved a break away from them.

Someone asked me if I was getting bored of them because I was throwing myself into the new project. My answer- NO! I love my characters and my narrative. If I found it boring I’d take it as a huge sign that my whole manuscript was boring. Things won’t go well if the author is yawning, right?

But now I’m back at it! All of a sudden, I had the biggest urge to go back and finish Teddie’s story. It has only been four days, but I feel like we’ve had a breather and can get back to it. I’m raring to go, and at least I have 12k of words to play with on the other project when the time feels right.

Have any of you taken time away from a series? Did you find it beneficial? I’d love to know.

Prompt Me Teasers!

I have been getting creative with some new promotional banners and images for my eBooks. This post is a teaser post for my writing prompts eBook:

Prompt Me: 150 Writing Prompts for Beating the Block

Buy your copy: here.

Here are some of the teasers I have shared on  various social media platforms:

I’m a huge fan of writing prompts and writing exercises, and some of the exercises featured on this blog are included in the book. Why not set yourself a challenge- 150 writing exercises using the prompts from my book? That is 150 blog posts… just saying.

Getting Those Reviews

Over the last three days, I have been corresponding with book bloggers, reviewers, and book tubers in regards to my eBooks: EVO Nation and EVO Shift. I’ve had a great response, and have been emailing out PDF copies all morning! Thank you to those who have requested copies of one or both books, and I hope you enjoy the read.

I’m still sending out copies in exchange for blog/ goodreads reviews, so holler if you’re interested.

 

5 Reasons Why You Should Send Out Free Copies:

People love a freebie, and if you’re asking for something in exchange, ie a review, it’s common curtesy to offer a copy for free.
Reviews sell books. It’s a catch 22. To sell books you need reviews, but to get reviews you have to sell books. Offering free copies boosts your reviews and recognition.
Your book gets more visibility on various social media/ blog platforms.
Readers listen to book bloggers, booktubers, and influencial reviewers. It is what it is. Some readers will only scour blogs and review sites for their next read. If you get your book featured, then your book is on the radar.
Networking. You can build up a rapport with some bloggers/ reviewers and have a large contact list for future releases.

Nine times out of ten, the reviewers are cheerleaders, encouragers, and great supporters. It’s great fun to get to know everybody in the reading and writing field.

A New Blogging Milestone

I’m overwhelmed to say the least. I have just reached my 200 followers milestone! There are 200 of you gorgeous people following my little ol’ blog, and I’m so grateful to you all.

A friendly introduction for my new followers, and some of you oldies (you know who you are. you’re part fo the furniture now):

This is me- crazy eyes, cheesy grin, and all! My name is Kayleigh, but my pen name is K.J.Chapman. I am a twenty nine year old, wife, and mother of one. Oh yeah, and I like to write- a lot!

If I’m not writing, I’m blogging, reading, and reviewing. I particularly enjoy reading obscure ebooks, and reviewing them with hopes to bring them into the mainstream. Us authors have to help each other out, right?

I have self-published three eBooks on Amazon Kindle: two science fiction and urban fantasy novels, and one writing prompt book.

My books:

EVO Nation Series- book one & two:

EVO Nation Blurb:

The government tortures her, her own kind uses her, and she is learning the true meaning of ulterior motives. Teddie Leason has been dragged into the festering underbelly of the secretive world of EVO. A world about to be blown wide apart.

Now, the reclusive teenager who couldn’t get upset without her unruly ability causing destruction has to somehow embrace her gift to save her new friends and her new love.

Will the actions of one man fuel a suppressed, supremacist society’s thirst for war and vengeance, or will Teddie be strong enough to stop him?

EVO Shift Blurb:

She killed him, but did it make a difference?

Her kind has been exposed, abused, and segregated, and now Teddie Leason is top of Britain’s most wanted list at just nineteen. Teddie has to decide whose side she is on, what she fights for, and whether it’s worth her life.

How can she protect the man she adores, the Uncle who has taken her under his wing, and her unfaltering friends, when she can barely take care of herself? Dealing with new power and a history that has long since been forgotten, has rendered the world’s most powerful EVO vulnerable and at risk.

When will she be dealt a winning hand? Could a clandestine, renegade group of EVO change not only her fate, but that of everyone affected by this unprecedented war? And how does Teddie fit in a world bracing for a shift of unfathomable magnitude?

Prompt Me: 150 Writing Prompts For Beating The Block

Blurb: We have all stared at a blank screen or notepad, willing the inspiration to come. Not only is this the most frustrating, infuriating, time wasting thing that can happen to a writer, it is also avoidable. Whether, you need to beat the block, take a breather from your current work in progress, or just harness your inner creativity, writing exercises are the way forward. Take a prompt, give yourself a time allowance, and create.

I feature short stories and writing exercises on this blog, and my love of writing prompts is apparent. So, I thought to myself, why not compile my prompts into an ebook for all to enjoy? That’s exactly what I did, and I even threw in a couple of short stories featured on this blog.

Connect with me:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

GOODREADS

Thank you for your continued support! I am grateful to be part of such a great blogging community.

Idea Bomb Aftermath

It happened- another idea bomb has exploded in my noggin. Yes, this one literally blew my brains out, and I was a walking, talking zombie until I could get some notes written. Those notes turned into two chapters. This is snowballing and I think it will be my next release after the third and final installment of the EVO Nation series, EVO Ghost.

I’m not sure if this book will be stand alone or a series, but either way it is going to be a challenge. Hell, I’m up for it. My protagonist is no heroine, in fact you could call her a villain, but as I always say, villains make the most interesting characters. The challenge will be in getting the readers to relate and root for her regardless… Um, yeah, good luck with that Kayleigh.

I’m excited at the prospect of writing fantasy, royalty, new worlds, and complex characters. It’s a good job I’m feeling particularly villainous of late…

GIFs sourced from GIPHY.COM