Destiny Booze's Blog: The Smiling Pains of Novelist Destiny Booze, page 6

Hello 2015! What’s going to happen this year?

I’m not big on resolutions. I’m the type to vow to eat healthy for the new year…skip that thought for January 1st because I have to snack during football…eat healthy for January 2nd, maybe the 3rd…and give up by January 4th. What can I say? I have no good excuse. I love to eat and I have no will power!

With that said, I think I we should all make a few goals for 2015. Serious, realistic, attainable goals. We need to get specific and hold ourselves accountable to them. Pretty much, I’m preaching to myself here, but I don’t want to feel alone, so I’ll drag my readers into this, too. :)

Professionally, I am going to get myself on a strict writing schedule and stick to it. That is tough for me working from home. It is too easy to fall into house chores instead of the work I’m supposed to be doing. The grocery store is much less crowded during the day before everyone else gets off work, you know? But, writing is my job. It has to come before anything else. I will make a realistic schedule that works for me and my family, and it will be a priority.

Personally, I do want to improve my health. I am going to make small goals throughout the year. Thinking too big in this area will just make me give up. I’m going to start with just one thing. I’m going to drink more water. I am going to carry one of those big insulated cups and fill it up at least four times during the day. Next month, I’ll add one more goal to improve my health.

I want to smile more, pray more, and worry much less! I will make time every morning to read God’s word and say a prayer to begin each day. My faith is what will guide me through the year.

I will choose not to let the small things bother me. That’s easier said than done, especially with a budding teenager in the house. I love my son more than anything. He is the light of my life, but something changed the moment he hit middle school. It is like his mouth has turned into some monstrous black hole full of sarcasm and back talk. His eyes changed, too. They roll around after everything I say. He doesn’t think it is funny at all when I suggest he go to an eye doctor and get that checked out. lol

Finally, I will choose to smile more. I will do it on purpose! Fake it until you make it, right?

Welcome 2015!

Book sale! Get an e-book for $.99!

E-book sale, friends! These things make my day!!!

There’s no hope. The killer is using a marvel in the medical field known as techlepathy, a combination of technology and telepathy to produce a telepathic result. He’s reading their minds…

“I literally gasped…You have an amazing talent for making the reader love the character(s)…very refreshingly original.”

~ John McAllister, Editor

The Curse of a Mind – Kindle edition by Destiny Booze. Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

A romantic thriller with just a touch of the unknown…

 

Leigh Lawson returns to Nags Head, North Carolina after four years with a huge shock. Everyone thinks she is dead…

“A haunted past that comes back, a sex club, dirty cops, a hit-man, drugs, the FBI, an old boyfriend, reporters, romance and sandy beaches. Altered Beginnings grabs you right from the start and keeps you reading.”

~Book Reader Fairy (Romance in the Backseat Reviews)

Altered Beginnings (Outer Banks Series) – Kindle edition by Destiny Booze. Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Book one of the Outer Banks series

 

Rogue FBI Agent William Pierce knows that he is going to hell. Then, he meets Angelica. He wonders if, just maybe, she can save his soul…

“I found myself deeply involved in this story, unwilling to put it down for any length of time until I found out what was going to happen! If you love danger, intrigue, and rapidly developing plots that rush the characters toward a dramatic ending, you will love Predetermined Endings!”

~Manic Readers

Predetermined Endings (Book Two in the Outer Banks Series) – Kindle edition by Destiny Booze. Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Book two of the Outer Banks series

Jenny Reid will come up close with evil and face the ultimate choice—kill or be killed in these ACCELERATING CIRCUMSTANCES…A murder mystery by Destiny Booze

“…I could not put this book down. It was a thrill ride from the beginning to the end. Her characters are complex and the plot kept me wondering what was going to happen next. I did not expect the ending. That takes talent.”

~ Regina, Amazon.com review

Accelerating Circumstances (The Outer Banks Suspense Series Book 3) – Kindle edition by Destiny Booze. Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Book three of the Outer Banks series

Thankful for the hardships

2014 has been a tough year. Sometimes, it’s too hard to appreciate the small things during the tough times. I probably didn’t appreciate much during a large part of the year, but I want to turn that around beginning today. I’m going to move forward with a spirit of gratitude.

Near the end of 2013, my husband and son were in a car wreck. Our camper was totaled. His truck was very close, but they decided to repair it. Thankfully, no one was hurt. That’s the important thing. I’m so, so grateful for that. Moments like those, make the world come to a stop, not because of what actually happened, but because of what could have.

Unfortunately, that wreck seemed to start a spiral of unfortunate events for my husband’s truck. It has been in the shop four times since that wreck. But still, I am so grateful because we’ve had the money to cover those expenses. Bad things happen. Sometimes, you have to take a time out from the stress of it all to appreciate how you’ve come through everything.

My stove broke. My air conditioner broke. Most recently, we discovered we have a water leak. All of the water lines are going to have to be dug up. This is still ongoing. Thankfully, my step-dad is a huge blessing in my life. He has been able to fix almost anything that has broken around here, and because he loves me, he works for free. :) I’m so grateful for him.

My step-mom battled breast cancer and won! :) My dad is battling leukemia and is doing great! :) I have so much to be thankful for. My dog was diagnosed with cancer this year. We love her like a member of the family. We’re choosing not to put her through surgery because of her age. Right now, she is pain-free and happily snuggled up on her couch. It is a blessing that she seems to be doing so well.

My husband fell and shattered his knee cap this year. He was out of work for six months. Still, I am grateful. His knee was bad before he fell. Now, after surgery, recovery and rehab, his knee is stronger than it has been in a long time.

The hardest part of this year was losing a family member to cancer. She was an angel in my life. I could talk to her about anything. She was particularly close to my son. He walked on clouds around her. That is the way she made him feel. I will forever be grateful for the time I had her in my life.

It’s been a tough year, but I am so grateful. This is the month to give thanks. Don’t forget that, even if times are tough. :)

I am so grateful for my life! It hasn’t been easy lately, but my faith has brought me through it. :)

Reviewers – Are you honest?

I heard a story this week about a reader at Goodreads getting harassed by an author there. That is bad news. It got me to thinking.

I’m an author. In a perfect world, I would get ALL five-star reviews for ALL my books. A girl can dream, can’t she? Too bad this isn’t a perfect world, right?

The truth is I’m not going to like all the reviews of my books. That’s the way it goes in this diverse world of ours. I can accept that. It’s okay to have differences of opinion. That’s what makes chatting about books fun, true? Or, is it all fun? The reader on Goodreads was probably not having fun.

I can’t count how many times I’ve heard author friends begging for reviews, then complaining about those reviews. And honestly, it’s tough to pour your hear and soul into something, then have someone rip it apart. I get that.

But, it’s not just authors complaining. I’ve had a reviewer contact me after I reposted her review of my book. The review wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either. She got in touch with me because she wanted to know if she had upset me. The answer is irrelevant. I didn’t repost the review to make her uncomfortable. All reviews should be a source of promotion for me. Good or bad, I want people talking about my books. So, I guess I was confused by her reaction. Should I not have reposted the review? Reviewers, would you rather authors not look at reviews?

Authors need reviews. They want them and reviewers want free books. Why does it feel like everyone is of the opinion that reviews can only be posted if they are good? I know a review site that will only post the good ones. Obviously, not everyone feels this way. Some people just enjoy criticizing. I don’t mean that in a bad way. They read the books with the intent of telling you everything that’s wrong with it. I have friends that do the same things with food at restaurants. That’s just the way they are, you know?

So, reviewers, do some of you feel pressured to only put good reviews out there? Do you feel like you can write honest reviews? Would you prefer authors not see the reviews at all?

Admittedly, I’ve done a few reviews, and that is the way I feel. One time, I had an author contact me and ask that I take the review down. Personally, I found that to be very unprofessional of them, but I did it anyway. I do feel pressured to write only good things. I’m not afraid for them to see it. For me, it’s more like I just want to be nice and not feel guilty about saying anything mean. What are your thoughts?

Let it go…

I can’t control everything. That shouldn’t be a big revelation, but maybe it is, because I’ve tried. Starting now, I’m letting go of the things beyond my control.

I’m going to embrace the part of life I can control – myself. That’s right, not my husband, not my friends, not even my son, just me. I need to stop trying to control the world around me and start looking within.

It’s a scary prospect – letting go. I’m terrified everything might just fall apart if I’m not directing up front, but that’s just my ego talking, isn’t it? I think if I can get beyond the fear, it will also be exhilerating, freeing. How wonderful will it feel to just let it go?

I’ve met folks out there that have such a great grasp on this ideal. Those that lead not with control, but by example. No matter what is going on around them, they have an inner peace that never waivers. I want to be one of those folks.

Isn’t that how the Bible tells us to live? I believe so. I also believe the only true inner peace is found through faith. If we truly believe, there is no need to fear.

So, this is my testimony today. I am going to find my peace through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If you feel the same, please find yours as well. You can give your heart to the Lord any time you choose, including right now.

AGAINST THE GAME by Destiny Booze Excerpt # 2

Here’s what is currently in progress…I hope you like it!…

 

 

There were more than a couple of snakes, more than ten, upwards of even hundreds. There had to be thousands of them. The dirt of the tunnel was hardly visible beneath the reptiles. Indeed, the floor looked as if it moved.

It would be impossible to walk through them without getting bit. Would he have time to hit the button before he died in the game? He had to get out before the venom killed him. That was the only way he would survive.

He looked down at his bare feet and cringed. No matter, he had to do this! There was no other way out of there. He had to get to that red exit button so he could save Lacey and Paula. Nothing else mattered.

Why wouldn’t his damn feet move?

He took a deep breath, reaching for courage. When that didn’t help, he pictured Lacey in his mind, reminding himself what he was doing this for. She needed him and he would not let her down.

After one more breath, he took one hesitant step forward, burrowing his foot slowly down between the snakes, feeling for the floor. He had to use his toes to ease in between them, even scoot a few out of his way. If he could manage not to hurt them, maybe he could avoid a bite. Maybe.

He had to force himself not to jerk away from the feel of the snakes sliding against his bare foot. This was absolute torture. It was hell.

Finally, he placed his foot to the floor and moved forward with the next foot. One step was down and he wasn’t bitten. He tried to move as little as possible, but he was helpless against the trembling that violently shook him.

Eric didn’t consider himself a coward. Only an idiot wouldn’t have been scared. He was smart enough to know he was probably one step closer to his death.

He held his breath through the next few steps when he felt some very large snakes in the mix. It had to have been a python. At least that kind of snake wasn’t poisonous. The bite wouldn’t kill him. It would just cause a lot of pain.

He wished he had told Lacey he loved her. You know, really loved her, not just the friendship kind of thing. That was the answer to why he’d kissed her. He loved her. It was that simple. He had always loved her. How did she not know that by now?

Eric winced when he felt a sharp pain just above his left ankle. It was a snake bite. He tried hard not to jerk away, afraid that would cause more bites. It hurt so badly. This snake didn’t give a quick bite and recoil. No, it bit and started chewing.

Without any other choice, he ignored the pain and kept going, dragging the snake along. His next step was wobbly and he stepped down on a snake. It bit, a quick attack this time, not clinging to him like the other one. Then, he felt another bite. Maybe it was a different snake or maybe it was a second bite from the same one.

It was time to get moving. Going slow wasn’t working anymore.

He quit worrying about where his feet went and started moving faster. He used a leaping motion to make his steps bigger. He had to get to that exit sign as quickly as possible.

The snakes continued to bite him with just about every step he took. He kept close to the wall and used one hand for balance so he didn’t fall. If he went down, he wouldn’t get back up.

He started feeling nauseous. His head started swimming and he had to lean on the wall more and more as he went. Who knew what kind of snake venom he had in his blood stream by now? He knew one thing was for sure. He didn’t have much time or he was not going to make it to that button.

The distance seemed more and more impossible to him even though he was now three-quarters of the way there. He didn’t think he would make it before he passed out. He hated damn snakes. He did not want to die this way!

His feet grew slick beneath him and Eric knew the moisture was blood, his blood. His hands began to tingle and he realized he had bites there as well. Were these stupid snakes jumping now?

Three more steps and he went down. He couldn’t help it. His legs just gave out. He had no choice but to start crawling.

The reptiles went into a biting frenzy, attacking him everywhere at once and he let out a scream. Many of them stayed attached, flopping against him. The pain was all over now. He couldn’t distinguish one bite from the next. He hurt all over.

This was a terrifyingly for-real horror movie scene. He couldn’t think of a more horrific way to go out of this world, but he didn’t stop. He couldn’t. He had to keep moving!

It was definitely a miracle that he made it to the end of the hall, but he did. The exit button sat above his head, ready for him to push it, but he couldn’t get up. He tried. The tingling that was in his hands had spread everywhere. He was numb, whether from a side effect of venom or from a state of shock, he couldn’t be sure.

“Come on!” he growled at himself.

He tried again, digging his fingers into the wall to pull himself up. Again, he thought of Lacey. He couldn’t let her die because of his game. That was unacceptable to him.

He shook violently, but his body did rise. He used his very last big of energy to make one last desperate reach for the exit button.

Review – BRASS IN POCKET by Stephen Puleston

Two cops are dead in North Wales. A cryptic message from the killer is left for Detective Inspector Ian Drake. Only one thing is clear. More people are going to die…

 

I had mixed feelings about this book. I loved the final revelations at the end. The mystery came to a satisfying and surprising conclusion. The police investigation felt natural and realistic for the evidence as it was presented.

Unfortunately, I struggled to like the characters. The hero, Ian Drake is obsessive compulsive to the core. He is different and quirky. I usually like quirky, but I found Ian emotionally closed off from those around him in such a way that I was shut out as well. The most I got from him was irritation and frustration by the investigation. Even when at home with his family, he didn’t plug in, so neither did I.

I think I could like Ian a lot. I hope to see him more emotionally invested going forward. I want him to open up so I can get to know him better. I think that will make all the difference in my opinion.

Thank you to the author for giving me such a puzzle with this murder mystery. The pieces came together in a way I never imagined!

 

Review – THE TAKERS by R.W. Ridley

4 out of 5 stars…

I was so pleasantly surprised by this story. This book is a journey through a wildly imaginative and creative mind. It was different and exciting and I really loved it.

I would call this a young adult novel, but not too young. It is very scary in places. It is also funny and sad and adventurous. The main character is a thirteen year old boy named Oz who begins the story by telling the reader a heartbreaking confession of how he bullied another boy with down syndrome.

Oz is honest that he was not kind to the other boy. But, as the story unfolds, it turns into a great lesson about bullying and its consequences. I loved the way the lesson was worked into the story.

The Takers are one of the monsters in the story. Oz awakens to discover he’s alone in the world. He cannot find his parents, his neighbors or his friends. His only companion at first is his family’s dog.

Setting out to save the world, you get the feeling Oz is redeeming himself. I like that he isn’t the stereotypical hero. He isn’t perfect. He’s small, unsure of himself, and he made me root for him the whole way.

On his journey, he meets some really great friends that I thought were exceptional side characters. Some of them are not human. I hope you consider reading this book, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Write what you don’t know…

Yeah, I know. Everyone says the opposite, don’t they? But really, if you write fiction, there should be no rules, no limitations. You are the one that sets the rules. Why not really let that imagination go wild?

As writers, we have a creative license to take a story anywhere we want to go. Why should we just stick with what we know? We are the masters of our own worlds on that page…well, almost.

You really can write what you want…as long as the reader is willing to follow. The limitations are such that the reader must be able to understand what they are reading, to find is comprehensible and believable. The limitations are such that the reader must want to read what they are reading. So, as a writer, if you can grab that reader from that first page, the truth is there are no rules.

Isn’t that liberating? So, here’s what I think we should do. Stop writing out words just to get them on the page. Start writing something that gets your heartbeat fluttering as the words come out. If you are passionate about what you are writing, if you feel the words that leave your head, I believe the reader will feel those same emotions.

Write what you know if that is what inspires you. But, if not, write about what you don’t. Make it up. Make-believe is more than a child’s game!

 

You never can tell what the reader will think…

So, I have a very close friend who recently read my current work in progress. When I asked her for some feeback, she said, “I didn’t like any part of it.”

Ouch! That’s how I felt about that one. She’s not much of a romance reader, she went on to explain. It probably isn’t that bad, she assures me.

But…do you want to know what one of her favorite books is? FIFTY SHADES of GREY by E L James! I guess I don’t understand the thinking there.

So, my feelings are admittedly hurt. It has been a while since a review really caused me too much of a sting. After all, opinions vary, and that happens to be something I love about this life. And, as a writer, you have to have a thick skin. You really do.

I wanted to get your opinion on this situation. Because we are more sensitive to what the people we love think, should writers not let those closest to them read their writing until it is published? What do you suggest?

This writer is probably going to scrap her entire WIP and start over. Maybe this is for the best. Maybe the next book I write will be that huge, breakout novel, yes?