Natalina Reis's Blog, page 52

One Day in the Life

What does a day in my life look like? Total madness. If I was to put a face to it it would be that of the Mad Hatter, crazy clothes and all. I’m a writer but like most of us I have a day job. For most of my day I teach elementary school kids (thus the crazy clothes) and I write afterwards and in between.

I normally get up (should say drag myself out of bed) at six in the morning, brew a cup of coffee, do my toiletries, and sit at  the computer trying to catch up on some  of the emails, marketing , etc (the not-so-fun-part of writing) before leaving for school. By the time I get there (normally around eight) I get into teacher mode for the next eight hours or so. If I can I will write a little during lunch hour (misnomer of course.  We only get a half an hour), but normally is noise and chaos all the way through.

At the end of the school day, unless I have something that absolutely needs to be done (and trust me there always is), I am out of there like a bat out of hell. Except for my yoga days (which have been neglected slightly lately) I go straight to my favorite booth at Panera or home to my laptop. What do I do? I write.

Lately the writing bug has bitten me so hard I don’t even watch TV—and I do enjoy quite a few TV shows. I have a pile of movies and series I have missed for the past few months that I am hoping to get to this summer once school is out. The same goes for books. If I could pile all the books on my TBR list (including the e-books)  I would possibly have a tower just slightly shorter that the Space Needle.

My glamorous life of a writer is full of hours and hours in front of the laptop in my lounge clothes (which is a slightly more sophisticated word for pj’s) with my reading glasses hanging precariously over the tip of my nose and my husband pissed off at me because I’m not paying any attention to him. Meanwhile, the dirty dishes pile up in the sink and the laundry room looks like I’ve been hoarding clothes for years.

I always try to go to bed at around ten, but by the time I write the last minute posts on Facebook and Twitter, put that special touch on a blog, or just go over that pesky last chapter one more time, it’s already past eleven. Because currently Lady Midnight (by Cassandra Clare) is waiting for me on my nightstand, I end up falling asleep after midnight and get five hours sleep if I’m lucky.

Credit: Meme Binge

Clandestine: A Garden Falls Novel

Clandestine: A Garden Falls Novel
Allie Kincheloe

Blurb:

Finding himself in Claire’s bed wearing nothing but a Zorro mask wasn’t exactly how Zane planned his Halloween. It was a certainty his sister’s best friend would lose her mind when she realized what they’d done. Having been secretly in love with Claire for years, Zane has no choice but to hide his identity. But he can’t just walk away…

Claire knew waking up naked and alone was just a part of a one-night stand. So she wasn’t too upset to find her mystery man had bounced sometime during the night. But when she finds his mask and a note, she can’t help but be intrigued. A few corny poems later, Claire starts a hunt to discover the identity of the mysterious “Z”. His demanding, yet sincere, persistence arouses not only her desire to recapture the magic they had shared on Halloween, but stirs up hidden desires she’s held on to for years.

When her best friend’s brother suddenly ups his flirting game, Claire is caught somewhere between her clandestine admirer and the man she knows she can’t have. Will she choose the secretive “Z” who won’t even tell her his name, or risk her relationship with her best friend and take a chance on Zane?

Excerpt :

The loud blare of a train whistle pulled Zane from the depths of sleep. Why was there a train? Where the hell was he? There weren’t any trains near the lake. His Zorro mask blocked one eye. Tugging it up, he blinked a few times until his eyes adjusted to the dim light. A four poster bed? Satin sheets and pillows, a sweet perfume lingering in the air. Not his apartment.

Silky, long hair splayed across his bare chest. A soft arm lay across his stomach. Feathers tickled his arm. Feathers?

Damn.

He’d went home with Claire. Not just went home with her, but went to bed with her. That was her arm. Her naked body pressed so temptingly against his side. The feathers from her angel costume bent around his arm. And damn, she felt just as amazing as he’d dreamed she would.

She’d hate him when she woke up and discovered him in her bed.

He gulped down a ball of dread when that little speck of consciousness dropped into active thought. No way would she be cool with this. Not even a little bit. His heart and mind raced while he tried to come up with a plan that didn’t end with Claire castrating him. She’d made it clear how little she cared for him, repeatedly.

He wasn’t even sure why she seemed to hate him so much. Back when they were teenagers, she’d followed him around like a lost puppy for about a year. And even the year she’d half-lived with Talia they’d been cool. But it seemed like the more he tried to make her like him, the less she did.

And finding out they’d had a drunken one-night-stand? Yeah. No. He liked his balls just where they were. Firmly attached to his body.

Book Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FRLGMDU

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1114610877

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/clandestine-allie-kincheloe/1123809833?ean=2940153243436

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/clandestine-24

 

Author Links:

Author website: http://www.alliekincheloe.com

Twitter: @allie_kincheloe

Meet Me In the Garden by Rosa Sophia

Meet Me In the Garden

by Rosa Sophia

 

 

Memories of another life, and the garden where it all began, keep Amalie Jarvis awake at night.

A columnist for a popular magazine, she attends a function in Palm Beach at the famous Breakers Hotel, only to cross paths with graphic designer Ian Gardner—who appears to hold the key to her visions. The more time they spend together, the more Amalie realizes how much she wants to be with him. And how much she fears admitting that she loves him.

Ian can’t remember the past, but he is drawn to Amalie with an intense passion he’s never felt before.

Many moons ago, they met in a garden. Different names, different faces—but their souls were still the same. Unable to resist her, Ian falls deeply in love. He remains by her side as she battles severe facial pain, not knowing what it is or if it could kill her. Frightened for her, he swears his adoration without ever speaking the words.

But their devotion has dangers, and they’re about to be faced by hazards neither of them could have foreseen…

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Publication Date: January 20, 2015

 

Buy on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1TLR1hw

 

 

About the Author

Rosa Sophia lives in South Florida in a cottage by the sea. She is an automotive technician, crazy cat lady, and member of the Editorial Freelancers Association. She is the author of numerous novels including Meet Me In the Garden, Over the Ivy Wall, Orion Cross My Sky, and The House Guest.

Visit Rosa:

Blog: www.backwordswriter.com

Website: www.authorrosasophia.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/editing.by.rosa.sophia

 

Character Inspiration

Today’s blog challenge’s theme is character inspiration.

I’ve mentioned before (once or a million times) that I am a pantser. That goes for pretty much everything when it comes to writing. And it certainly applies to the creation of characters. I normally start with a vague idea of what my MCs are going to look and be like, and then allow them to tell me who they really are. I admire writers who will sit down and complete character profiles before writing a single word down. I really do. I have tried to do that and it was not pretty. Not only the characters all end up being a lot like me, but as I write the story the list always ends up forgotten and neglected.

I will give you a few examples of my process (all very scientific). When I was writing the novel I just finished, “Loved You Always“, I started with the two main characters, Em and Jem. Jem had a boyish charm, blue eyes, and dark-ish curly hair (I was basing it off the picture below) and Em was in love with him. Nothing else. But as I started writing the first chapter their personalities began talking to me.  Em was an always-think-twice kind of girl, Jem was the impulsive one. Em loved gourmet food, Jem loved junk food. Eventually even their physical attributes changed. Em became an Asian-American and Jem…well he remained the boyish charmer. Another surprising thing that happened was their sidekicks, Em’s sister and her witch friend. These were totally unplanned and I have to say, I love them. I may even write a whole novel about them.

In “Desert Jewel” I wanted characters that were almost a total opposite of each other both in terms of their physical appearance and also their background and experiences. Jaali was based (physically) on a comic character I found online, but ended up having an actual human form. Milenda was based on another picture I saw online which I found intriguing.  He is white with platinum hair and blue eyes, Milenda is black with bright green eyes and unusual skin markings alongside her neck and shoulder. Jaali is an ex-slave, Milenda is an heiress to the throne.

My current WIP, “Predators” also started with sketchy character profiles. I actually started with a headless picture of a girl (no, the girl was not headless, the picture was) and the objects she had in her hands; a gas mask, a gun and bloody knees. Jia (the girl) crosses path with Cees, a young men from another social caste. They are both running from (you guessed) the Predators. Just a couple days ago they started talking to me and they now have a complex past history, and an equally complex sidekick.

I love creating characters and watching them grow, sometimes in spite of myself. Having traveled and lived in many different parts of the world, I love creating multicultural characters that challenge my view of the world and force me into looking at things through a different lens. More than anything else in the creative process–more than the plot, the action, the setting–the characters keep me excited about the story, keeping me guessing and keeping me on my toes.

 

Doppelganger- Cover Reveal

 

DOPPELGANGER by Camille Taylor

Harbour Bay Series Book #4

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Cover Designer: REDBIRD DESIGNS

══ SYNOPSIS ══

A new killer has descended on Harbour Bay, and he’s already killed five women…

Bestselling author Megan Bailey is devastated when her young cousin Stacey goes missing. She’s been watching the news and knows what this might mean. Stacey could be the newest victim of Harbour Bay’s newest serial killer. Megan is determined to do something, and enlists the help of her friend, the superintendent of police, Amelia Donovan.

Amelia has her best detective on the case…Dean Matthews.

Dean doesn’t believe in love. It makes men weak and vulnerable, and as a retired soldier, he’s experienced enough heartache to last several lifetimes. He also has difficulty dealing with emotional women. So when he shows up to interview Megan at the request of his boss, he isn’t exactly looking forward to it. Except Megan isn’t what he expected.

Megan is intelligent, witty, and not to mention, beautiful. Dean tries to maintain a professional distance, but with a killer on the loose, he breaks all his rules and gets involved. He offers Megan comfort and promises he might not be able to keep.

The body count continues to rise and Dean’s leads are empty as ever…

When Megan disappears too, Dean knows his time to solve this case is up. He must unravel the twisted web of clues the killer has left behind or risk the one woman who might finally teach him to love again.



══ MEET THE AUTHOR ══

Camille Taylor is an Australian author who resides in the Nation’s Capital with her small dog. She was the typical 90’s kid and was raised on Goosebumps, Roald Dahl and Paul Jennings. In her teens she began reading the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie and in later years found Christine Feehan, Janet Evanovich and Julie Garwood.

She started writing at sixteen and enjoys spending time with her family, doting on her nieces and nephews, writing the many stories floating about her head and working on her genealogy where she can trace her heritage to England, Scotland, Ireland and Russia.

Her other interests include, anything creative – such as scrapbooking and drawing and has traveled across Western Europe, New Zealand and the UAE, after spending a year living in London. She’s also dabbled in tae kwon do.

AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1RMKamI
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/CamilleTaylorAu
WEBSITE: https://camilletaylorbooks.wordpress.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/CamilleTaylorAuthor
GOODREADS:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7791241.Camille_Taylor
LIMITLESS PUBLISHING:http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/camille-taylor/

The Importance of Context

I have a song stuck in my brain. It’s a song by Ruelle, in itself pretty emotional, but the real reason why it won’t leave me alone is the scene I attach it to now.

Recently they have adapted Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments’ series to TV. After the monstrous disaster the movie adaptation turned out to be, I was more than a little leery about this version. I wanted to be excited, but I was afraid of expecting too much and getting too little. Once again, the gods-of-adaptations totally missed the point of the book series. I could point out a million things that they messed up, starting with the fact that the gothic atmosphere of the “Institute” is totally lost in this modern, shiny vision of what the rather dark and brooding world of the Shadowhunters is. In the show, the Institute has an army of tech people (technology and Shadowhunters?) hanging around all the time. Give me a break. Where’s the silent hallways and the sense of hauntingly loneliness?

The acting is over the top melodramatic (got a little better toward the end of the season, I admit), they’ve jumped around separate books and timelines, created new characters that did not exist in the series, and Hodge is a buff, muscled fighting machine (what’s up with that?). The fairies are irksome instead of fair and magical, and the Shadowhunters’ weapons are made of light-up plastic…you know the kind you can buy at a Party City during Halloween.

That said they have done one thing right (okay maybe two; the music is awesome). They have picked the right actor to play Alec. I am giving him all the credit for the fact that Alec is the reason I’m still watching the show. He played the sullen, pissed-off Alec to a tee and even though the TV gods jumped three books so they could get to the part they thought  would attract a certain segment of the audience (and made up a whole non-existent scene), in the end they gave us an unforgettable scene which was full of heart (again kudos Mathew Daddario).

Would I have felt the way I felt about that scene had I not read the whole series and witnessed Alec’s growth and struggles throughout three whole books? Doubtful. It would still be a very sweet, romantic scene but without the depth and the meaning it now holds in my memory. The song in my head will be forever connected to that amazing, gooey, romantic kiss marking the moment Alec decides to challenge convention, face all his fears of hurting his family, and embrace who he is and how he feels.

Which leads me to the point of this post; context. I think that’s where a lot of screen adaptations of amazing books fall flat. In their urgency to make it “exciting” and—in most cases—compact, the screenwriters skip important contextual pieces. The difference between good adaptations such as the Hunger Games, Harry Potter, the Princess Bride and terrible ones like City of Bones and the Divergent series is lack of context and/or the addition (in the case of the failures) of things and events that have no place there and that change the context of the story. The story which originally focused on the characters, their feelings, and their relationships now focus on objects or actions. Instead of looking inside, it looks outside.

That kiss meant so much more than just two characters who, having flirted a little with each other, finally get it on. For those of us who knew how Alec had been struggling with himself and his feelings for a long while—his fears, his fierce loyalties—that kiss meant a giant leap in this character’s development.

So, screen gods, don’t forget the all-important context; the feels, the heart…without it, it’s just an empty shell. And even though that empty shell will probably sell well, you would have lost a large segment of the audience. Those who were there when the true story was happening. Those who felt, cried, and laughed along with the characters. Those who felt the overwhelming sense of victory and freedom alongside Alec the moment he decided to be himself.

 

Fallback – New Release

►►► #NewRelease ◄◄◄

FALLBACK (The Dead Survive Book 2) by Lori Whitwam, Author is now available for purchase on Amazon!

► #oneclick →→ http://amzn.to/1NicBG5
► Publisher: LIMITLESS PUBLISHING

►►► SYNOPSIS ◄◄◄
After being rescued from a brutal band of marauders, Ellen Hale rebuilt her life in the fortified neighborhood that became her home. A heartbreaking decision and devastating loss pushed her to become a fierce fighter, because weakness only got you and those you loved killed.

Now her community is facing a deadly threat, and Ellen has another choice to make.

Ellen volunteers as a member of fallback team three, tasked with establishing a temporary refuge for their citizens in the event their community is overrun by the enemy. As the danger intensifies, she and her adopted sister, Melissa, set off with the rest of their team on the road trip from hell.

Their mission is cloaked in secrecy, but suspicions of a traitor arise.

Something is affecting the zombies’ migration patterns, and when blacksmith Tyler Garrett is discovered trapped in a farmhouse, the team refuses to trust him. But Ellen believes his story, and it’s not just because of his rugged, blond good looks and soft-spoken manner—his skills can greatly benefit their team.

As the team struggles to reach the fallback, previously secure locations are overrun, and their chances of success seem remote. With the likelihood of a traitor nearly certain, and the lives of everyone she loves at risk, Ellen must figure out who to trust before the traitor—or the zombies—destroy them all.

Is there a spy among the fallback team,
or is there another threat lurking in the Kentucky hills?

 

►►► PURCHASE ◄◄◄

AMAZON →→ http://amzn.to/1NicBG5




►►► Meet the author ◄◄◄
LORI WHITWAM

Lori spent her early years reading books in a tree in northern West Virginia. The 1980s and 90s found her and her husband moving around the Midwest, mainly because it was easier to move than clean the apartment. After seventeen frigid years in Minnesota, she fled to coastal North Carolina in 2013. She will never leave, and if you try to make her, she will hurt you.

She has worked in public libraries, written advertising copy for wastewater treatment equipment, and managed a holistic veterinary clinic. Her current day job, conducted from her World Headquarters and Petting Zoo (her couch) is as the Managing Editor for Limitless Publishing, as well as editing for a select group of indie authors.

Her dogs are a big part of her life, and she has served or held offices in Golden Retriever and Great Pyrenees rescues, a humane society, a county kennel club, and her own chapter of Therapy Dogs International.

She has been a columnist and feature writer for auto racing and pet publications, and won the Dog Writers Association of America’s Maxwell Award for a series of humor essays.

Parents of a grown son, Lori and her husband were high school sweethearts, and he manages to love her in spite of herself. Some of his duties include making sure she always has fresh coffee and safe tires, trying to teach her to use coupons, and convincing the state police to spring her from house arrest in her hotel room in time for a very important concert. That last one only happened once—so far—but she still really, really appreciates it.

You can find her online at http://www.loriwhitwam.com.
Her Facebook author page is http://www.facebook.com/loriauthor

Six Book-Marketing Tips

Being a new published writer, I don’t feel I am qualified to give anyone advice in the marketing field. I am still learning. However, I will share with you the small pearls of wisdom I have acquired in the last year or so, since my adventure into publication began.

 

Build your platform (this takes time). Expect this to take over a big chunk of your life and cost some money.

In order to build your platform (see above) one of the most successful things I have done so far was participating in a FB Hop. But participate in online parties, create a blog (if you have time to keep up with it), make yourself visible any way you can.
In social networks such as Twitter make sure you use the right hashtags and reach out into other groups of people that may not be necessarily writing-reading related. A lot of my followers, for example, came from the art world since I like to include the arts in my stories.
Be “social”. I’m an introvert but I find that the beauty of virtual social mediums is that they don’t exhaust me half as much as the face-to-face thing and they are also a lot less anxiety-producing.

Network with other writers. Most of the many writers I have networked with so far are very supportive. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.
Conferences and workshops. This is one I have not done much because of my day job. However, I am planning several for the summer and next year. Not only you learn, but you also network and get pumped up and validated as a writer. If you feel your inspiration run dry, go to a writing and/or reading conference or workshop. Instant inspiration.

On Dry Land-Cover Reveal

ON DRY LAND by Rebecca Barber
Publisher: Limitless Publishing
Release Date: June 14, 2016
Cover Designer: WICKED BY DESIGN
——— SYNOPSIS ———

 

Tyler Andrews, Olympic swimming superstar, has always gotten his way—until he falls in love.

Living in the spotlight was just part of Tyler’s life. Magazines, paparazzi, and being the topic of every sports radio show in Australia…it was either adjust or be driven insane. He’d gotten used to his fame. Hell, he even enjoyed it. But there is one thing he can’t get used to—his girlfriend, Ava Jacobs, hates being the center of the public’s attention.

Ava has lived her life in the shadows—and that’s exactly how she likes it.

But after fulfilling her lifelong dream to have her debut novel published, her world is turned on its head by Tyler’s fame. She writes novels for a reason—it’s a quiet, peaceful profession. The last thing she wants is to be thrown into the spotlight.

Love and life don’t always fit as well as fame and fortune.

Frustrated by Ava’s continuous reluctance to publicly embrace their relationship, Tyler takes every opportunity to make his own declarations—social media posts, visiting her at work, and even crashing her first television promotional appearance, which she grudgingly accepted as part of her publishing deal.

So when something changes and Tyler abruptly pulls away, Ava knows something is terribly wrong.

With Olympic selection looming, Ava’s publisher eagerly awaiting a sequel to her hit novel, and day-to-day life taking a toll, Tyler starts to see that life is much easier in the pool than… 
On Dry Land.



——— AUTHOR: REBECCA BARBER ———
Rebecca, one of four kids to her parents who are both primary school teachers, was born in Wollongong on the south coast of Australia before moving to the country with her family. After a few years of embracing all that country life had to offer, the family relocated to Port Macquarie with its white sand beaches. After a brief period enjoying the sun and the surf they finally settled in Canberra where Rebecca still lives today. But all through her childhood a notepad and a book where never far away. These days Rebecca is an avid reader, and when she isn’t buried in a book or cheering on her beloved football team she’s spending time with her husband Robert and their overly spoilt dog Levi.

LIMITLESS PUBLISHING: http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/rebecca-barber/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccanrobertbarber
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RebeccaBarber7
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/rebeccanrobertb/

My Bookshelf

My bookshelf. That’s a joke, right? I don’t have a bookshelf, I have many throughout the house, all of which are overstuffed with books I have been collecting since I was a kid. A lot of people claim to hate e-books, but I couldn’t be more thankful someone came up with a way of allowing me to carry tons of books without actually needing the physical space to store them. Otherwise, I probably would have to buy another house just to shelter my books.

I’m a very eclectic reader even though I do not like every genre out there. I do not enjoy nonfiction (even though I am currently writing one. Don’t ask) and I just cannot stomach erotica. My shelves are covered in children’s picture books, middle grade chapter books, fantasies, romances, humor, dystopic novels, classics, mysteries and historical fiction.

My bookshelf is a map of my voyage as a reader since I was a child. You can follow it just as surely as you would a real map from my tender years when I was reading the adventures of Anita, to my teens when I fell in love with the Gaelic cartoon characters of Asterix and Obelix, shortly followed by Quino’s Mafalda and many others of the genre.

 

My fascination with the intricacies of crime solving is well represented from Agatha Christie’s books to Father Cadfael Mysteries.  Then, I went for a few years only reading fantasy. David Eddings’s books still grace my shelves alongside Sheri Tepper, and Guy Gavriel Kay. When I became a teacher I found that I absolutely adored picture books with all their amazing art and to the point fiction. I also came to find out that some of the best authors were hiding in middle grade fiction; Sharon Creech, Nancy Farmer, the great J.K. Rowling. More recently I discovered the love for young adult fiction and you will find a myriad of authors from John Green to Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth, and indie author Megan Whitmer.

 

Click to view slideshow.

At the moment I am reading The Princess Bride, Lady Midnight, and Heart of Betrayal. Yes, all at the same time. Loving all three so far.

Do you wonder now why I get so upset when someone asks me to pick a favorite book? What does your book shelf look like?