L. Ann's Blog, page 3
June 3, 2018
Midnight Touch — Part Two
I’m less than a mile away from The Lodge before I consider how stupid I’m being. When I’d set off, my only thought was to get as far away from Sam as I could. The Lodge, five miles outside of town surrounded by trees and near the lake, has always been the place I run to, my safe space. After walking in to find Sam, bare-ass naked, between my roommate’s legs, my only thought was to run. So that’s what I did.
I slow my pace as The Lodge comes into view. My legs are killing me, my eyes are stinging from unshed tears and my heart is still racing. And, of course, that’s when I remember.
The Lodge doesn’t belong to me, anymore. Mom had sold it just a few months ago, after Dad died, and bought herself a condo in the “nicer” part of town. She said it was because we were all grown now, and she couldn’t bear to go to The Lodge without Dad. Too many memories that made her sad, she claimed.
I shrug the memories of the arguments we’d had over it to one side and finish the walk to the front door. I no longer have a key, but I’m sure no one has been here, and the spare will be right where dad left it.
I head over to the small rockery to the left of the decked porch and crouch down. I count four stones, then tip the fifth one up and there it is! Scooping the key up, I hurry back to the door, insert the key, and push the door open.
A wave of grief washes over me as I enter. Everything was just as it had been left the last time we’d been here with Dad. I stand still and breath in, letting my eyes close for a moment, then I hear it.
The shower is running.
I don’t even think about it. I’m running up the stairs and toward my parent’s bedroom before I know it, my heart in my throat. For one wild moment, I think my dad is here. That the last few months have been a terrible nightmare. I fly through the door, eyes seeking out the one person I’m desperate to see again … and my jaw drops open.
Coming out of the en-suite bathroom is a man. The tattoos are the first thing I notice. They cover both arms down to his hands and the right side of his torso – swirling lines and patterns, glorious shades of red, purple, gold and black. The artist in me wants a closer look and I take a step forward, a hand rising to touch them.
“Fuck!” The guttural snarl snaps me out of my daze and my eyes jerk upwards to meet blazing green ones. “How did you get in?” he demands.
It’s then I realise he’s naked. My hands clamp over my mouth and spin round, facing away from him.
“I’m sorry,” I croak. “I didn’t know anyone was here.”
I can hear him moving around behind me, and I resist the urge to glance over my shoulder. I just hope that he’s putting some clothes on.
“You can turn around now.”
I turn slowly and find him standing in the centre of the room, arms folded across his chest. He’s pulled on a pair of black jeans that hang low on his hips. My eyes dip down. His feet are still bare.
“My parents used to own this place,” I offer into the silence. “I didn’t think anyone would be here.”
He nods, but says nothing, seemingly content to let me talk.
“If I could just get a glass of water –”
“I didn’t hear a car,” he cuts in over me. “Did you walk here?”
I laugh, more a half-sob really. “More like ran.”
“Ran?” he repeats, one eyebrow arching up. “From the town?”
It’s my turn to nod as his eyes travel over me. I can see that he’s taking everything in – the blouse and slacks I wear for work, the flat shoes that are not for walking in the woods, the lack of bag or coat.
“I feel like there’s a story there,” he says, unfolding his arms and waving a hand toward the door. “Let’s have that drink and then I’ll drive you back to town.”
I start to agree, then stop. “Could you . . I mean … If you wouldn’t mind, putting a t-shirt on?”
Tune in next Sunday for Part Three
© 2018
No part of this may be copied without prior permission from the author.
The post Midnight Touch — Part Two appeared first on Draft Edit Publish.
June 2, 2018
Blood Carousel — Preview Chapter
Blood Carousel — A Dark Legacy Book 2 — is available to buy in THREE days (5th June 2018)! Three! Count ‘em! To celebrate that, I’m posting up the first chapter to shamelessly entice you into preordering it now! 
May 27, 2018
Midnight Touch — Part One
Shaun
“And you’re sure this is what you want to do?” DJ, my brother and the lead guitarist of my band, has asked me this question at least thirty times in the last ten minutes. My response remains the same – a grunt that may or may not be a yes.
The truth is I don’t know what I want, but I do know what I need. And, for the first time in my life, I’m man enough to admit it – but only to myself because, you know, you gotta keep up those appearances, right?
I continue throwing clothes into a suitcase, knowing he’s not done with this conversation. He doesn’t understand my reasoning. Hell, I don’t understand it, I just know I need to get out of here. Away from city life and take some time away, somewhere quiet, somewhere temptation won’t be waiting for me every time I leave the four walls I call home.
“Shaun?” I lift my head, realising DJ has been talking the entire time I’ve been having a weird internal monologue.
“It’s the right thing to do,” I tell him, and silently count to five. I get to three before he’s off and running.
“It’s in the middle of nowhere. No internet, no landline….”
Honestly? Between you and me, it sounds like heaven – especially after the past year. But no one, my brother included, seems to understand that. Not much of a surprise since a year ago I was voted the most likely to die from a drug overdose… and I almost fulfilled that prophecy. So yeah, taking time out in a place where people are few and drugs are fewer is a good idea. One of my best, in fact. But the way my brother is acting? You’d think I was taking a one-way trip to Mars.
“Dude, it’s not a post-apocalyptic setting,” I chuckle. “There’s internet and how many places bother with a landline these days, anyway?” I flip the top of the suitcase closed and kneel on it to zip it up.
“Yeah, but –“
“Seriously, stop worrying,” I cut him off, mid-sentence. “I get it. You’re concerned. But I’ve got this under control.”
DJ tries to mask his uncertainty behind a smile, but it’s clear he doesn’t think I can do this. But that’s my fault because it doesn’t matter how the spin doctors want to paint it, everyone knows I fucked up. When you collapse on stage, in front of seventy thousand people, it’s gonna get out. You can’t keep that many people quiet, no matter how much money you throw at it. And those closest to you, the ones who know the truth behind the damage control and rumours, are going to worry.
I drag the suitcase off the bed and head out of the bedroom, knowing DJ is on my heels.
“Are you driving yourself there?”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. This constant questioning of every move I make is one of the reasons I’m heading out of dodge.
“Well,” I drawl. “I was thinking maybe I’d strap on some wings and fly there but then I figured it’d be easier to drive since I have luggage.”
“You know what I mean.”
I do, sadly. He means if I’m alone it’d be easy for me to succumb to temptation and take a detour and meet up with a dealer or two before leaving town. It’s not in my game plan, but no matter how many times I claim to be clean it’s going to take time for everyone to believe it.
Tune in next Sunday for Part Two.
© 2018
No part of this may be copied without prior permission from the author.
The post Midnight Touch — Part One appeared first on Draft Edit Publish.
Blood Carousel — Fallon Is Coming!
Rowan Walker – young college student and coffee house barista – believes that her twin sister, Eden, has been taken against her will. The Seattle Police – based on evidence to the contrary; as well as Rowan’s sister’s free-wheeling, off-the-rails past lifestyle – believe otherwise. Rowan, however, refuses to let the case (or, for that matter, the SPD) rest and after a solid year of relentless badgering by the young woman a weary, and sympathetic detective gives Rowan an alternative solution.
Enter Fallon Wylde, 17th Century pirate turned vampire turned soldier-for-hire.
At first, Fallon, too, has his doubts. And there is the unignorable fact that his fee is well beyond the young woman’s means. But for reasons he can’t immediately comprehend, Fallon feels drawn to her. Out of sympathy or an undeniable sexual attraction…he isn’t quite sure. But then, during the initial interview, the mention of an all too familiar nightspot sparks his curiosity. And from that point on things start to happen…
A very curious home invasion… The out-of-the-blue transformation of harmless next door neighbour to homicidal attacker… Scare tactics that run the gamut from the grotesque to the downright deadly.
And with the additional, eventual inclusion of elements which lead back one of most grisly and controversial murders in Seattle’s history it soon becomes apparent that the kidnapping of Eden Walker is just the tip of a very large and sinister iceberg.
Return to the world of A Dark Legacy and Shadowfall with this second book in the hot new series!
Blood Carousel is up for preorder and will be available on 5th June 2018. Get yours ordered now! https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Carousel...
The post Blood Carousel — Fallon Is Coming! appeared first on Draft Edit Publish.
January 25, 2018
Rating Books I've read
With that said, I wanted to make a note that from here, I'm only going to rate books if I can give them a solid 4 or 5. As an indie author, I want to support other authors and to do that I can't, in good conscious, post up any negative reviews - it would be like dissing a work colleague and that always makes for uncomfortable working environments. I'm a firm believer that indie authors (and trad authors too, in fact) need to help each other and keep each other motivated.
That's not to say there wont be books I haven't enjoyed, I simply won't be posting a review about them or rating them. If I do read a book (be it an ARC or sent to me purposely for review) and I find I can't give it a 4 or 5 star rating then I will reach out to the author and let them know my thoughts instead.
Rating Books I've read
With that said, I wanted to make a note that from here, I'm only going to rate books if I can give them a solid 4 or 5. As an indie author, I want to support other authors and to do that I can't, in good conscious, post up any negative reviews - it would be like dissing a work colleague and that always makes for uncomfortable working environments. I'm a firm believer that indie authors (and trad authors too, in fact) need to help each other and keep each other motivated.
That's not to say there wont be books I haven't enjoyed, I simply won't be posting a review about them or rating them. If I do read a book (be it an ARC or sent to me purposely for review) and I find I can't give it a 4 or 5 star rating then I will reach out to the author and let them know my thoughts instead.
January 1, 2018
Recent AMA
I recently ran an AMA event. For those who don’t know what that is — AMA is short for Ask Me Anything. It was interesting to see what kind of questions cropped up. I’ve posted the entire thing below 
November 26, 2017
100 Word Flash Fiction — The Funeral
Just a small piece of flash fiction.
November 15, 2017
WWW Wednesday
WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. It’s open for anyone to join in and is a great way to share what you’ve been reading! All you have to do is answer three questions and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.
What are you currently reading?
I’m currently reading my own work — Blood Carousel — editing it, in actual fact, ready for our round of beta readers.
What did you recently finish reading?
Recently finished Finding Destiny by Amelia Hutchins.
Not sure how I felt about it, if I’m honest. The concept was great, the female MC was okay, but she bugged me a bit. The male MC was fab — really liked him. But the author has a nasty habit of using “coldly” way too often. All the characters seem to do everything coldly and it got to the point where I cringed every time I saw the word.
But, with that said, it’s highly likely I’ll pick up the next book and see where it goes.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Not 100% sure at the moment. I’m editing the second book in our own Dark Legacy series, which takes precedence over everything else. I’ll likely pick up short quick reads for evening reading until I’m done with that and it’s with the beta readers!
The post WWW Wednesday appeared first on Draft Edit Publish.
Give your favourite authors some review love
I want to take a minute today to write about something that is so important to all writers who release books.
As a writer, I feel there’s nothing more important than knowing what your readers think of your books. Whether you’re writing a standalone story, or a series of novels set around one character or in a fictional world, you need to know your readers are right there with you. The problem with this is that it’s so difficult to get readers to give you feedback.
We rely on this feedback to build on the stories we write, to give our readers what they want from our novels but we can’t do that unless those readers take a few minutes out to let us know. This can be in the form of a personal message, quick email, etc and that’s great. But, for a writer, the best form of feedback is a public review of the book you’ve read. Whether you’ve loved it or hated it, we want to know. We really do!
I know there are a few writers out there who don’t enjoy getting negative reviews (who does like hearing that someone doesn’t like something you’ve put your blood, sweat and tears into?) but even negative reviews have their usages. When written correctly, they can pinpoint issues or show areas that we are struggling to convey. Writing a review that consists of “This sucks, don’t read it.” isn’t helpful, but a well worded criticism is often more helpful than a glowing one.
Positive reviews are just as important. That tells people who have similar interests that the book you’re reading might be one they will enjoy too. Again writing “This is great.” while a very nice stroke to the ego for which all writers will thank you, it doesn’t go far into telling what you enjoyed about it (and, in turn, giving the writer a hint of what might be worth focusing on further).
So, give your authors some love. Spend five minutes writing a review on the book you’ve read. Post it on Amazon Goodreads, Librarything, link to it on FB or Twitter. Like their FB pages, follow their Twitter accounts.
Let us know you’re interested in what we’re doing. The more we see that, the more we write. We love our readers, we write for them. We need to know you’re there!
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