J.L. Hendricks's Blog, page 3
June 1, 2018
Along With You! Book Blitz
Along with You
Michelle Areaux
Publication date: April 6th 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
A wonderfully raw new novel by author Michelle Areaux that takes you on an emotional journey as you laugh, cry, and fall in love with the difficult side of being a teenager.
“People leave. People lie. People let go. That is how my world works.”
Sixteen-year-old Blair has never had consistency in her life.
After a traumatic event that Blair’s parents wanted to remain a secret, they began moving her around the country in hopes of starting a fresh, new life.
Only, Blair never stays anywhere long enough to start that new life she keeps expecting. Choosing to rebel instead of conforming to her parents wishes, Blair opts for neon colored hair and a sassy streak that pushes people away before they can hurt her first.
Hunter is your typical southern, small town boy. He’s a good guy with a great heart and a passion for helping others.
When Blair and Hunter meet, sparks begin to fly- but not the way either expected.
As Blair struggles to keep her dark secret hidden, Hunter tries at all costs to win over Blair’s heart and her trust.
Complete opposites come together in this novel that challenges the rules of society and who we are allowed to fall in love with. Sometimes, it takes the wrong person to join along for the ride of your life.
Author Bio:
Michelle Areaux is a wife, mother, educator, and young adult author. Her love for coffee helps drive her to create magical, fantasy stories.
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April 4, 2018
Formation On Sale
Until April 7, you can your copy of Formation, Book 1 in the Ghost Squadron Space Opera Series for only 99c! Then it goes back up to regular price of $3.99.
Formation is part of the Age of Expansion, in the Kurtherian Gambit Universe. You don’t have to have read any of the other series to enjoy this new one! Currently, there are 5 books out and more to come!
Formation on sale now!
Kill the bad guys. Save the Galaxy. All in a hard day’s work.
After ten years of wandering the outer rim of the galaxy, Eddie Teach is a man without a purpose. He was one of the toughest pilots in the Federation, but now he’s just a regular guy, getting into bar fights and making a difference wherever he can. It’s not the same as flying a ship and saving colonies, but it’ll have to do.
That is, until General Lance Reynolds tracks Eddie down and offers him a job. There are bad people out there, plotting terrible things, killing innocent people, and destroying entire colonies.
Someone has to stop them.
Eddie, along with the genetically-enhanced combat pilot Julianna Fregin and her trusty E.I. named Pip, must recruit a diverse team of specialists, both human and alien. They’ll need to master their new Q-Ship, one of the most powerful strike ships ever constructed. And finally, they’ll have to stop a faceless enemy so powerful, it threatens to destroy the entire Federation.
All in a day’s work, right?
Experience this exciting military sci-fi saga and the latest addition to the expanded Kurtherian Gambit Universe. If you’re a fan of Mass Effect, Firefly, or Star Wars, you’ll love this riveting new space opera.
*NOTE: If cursing is a problem, then this might not be for you.
Grab your copy today before it goes up! Formation, book 1 of the Ghost Squadron!
Formation is also included with your Kindle Unlimited Subscription! So grab it now!
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April 3, 2018
Through The Glass Book Blitz!
Through the Glass
Erica Kiefer
(The Window Series, #2)
Book 1 (Second Window) Free for a limited time!
Published by: CTP Pulse
Publication date: April 3rd 2018
Genres: Romance, Suspense, Young Adult
Still reeling from the discovery of her twin sister, Olivia struggles to face her mother’s betrayal. As Olivia and her friends seek to unravel the dark mystery of how and why the twins were separated, tensions escalate when Emma runs into her sister’s ex—who assumes she’s Olivia. When honesty is abandoned for more secrets and lies, the fallout between the sisters only intensifies. As they sift between truth and deception, it becomes clear that matters of the heart are not as transparent as they may seem.
A page-turning mystery laced with romance and emotional drama, Through the Glass is the satisfying conclusion to the Window Series duology by Erica Kiefer.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
—
EXCERPT:
I never cared to be an actress. Waltzing across the stage with all eyes on me wasn’t my style, nor was feigning confidence as a different character. I admired them really, the performers who could fool an audience into feeling and believing their words. The very best could pull people into their world within minutes, tugging on heart strings and wrapping the crowd around their little finger.
Turns out my mother was the true actress around here.
I lifted my eyes from my bowl of stew, a fleeting glance landing on Mom as she sipped wine from a goblet. Without even meeting my gaze, her words found me from across the table.
“I’ll take it as a compliment that you haven’t spoken since we sat down for dinner.” She positioned her goblet beside her placemat, careful and precise. Regardless, the red liquid sloshed from side to side, taking a minute to settle.
I tried to hide how my eyes widened. Like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, I bowed mine over my dinner, slipping the spoon into my mouth and forcing myself to swallow another bite. Tasteless, it hit my empty stomach like a punch to the gut. I would never pull this off.
“Are you feeling okay?” Mom asked. She cocked her head to the side, studying me. Her eyes bore into me like a magnifying glass, reading beyond the obvious signs of my discomfort. She could always see right through me.
I scrambled for some line of truth, knowing it was the only way I’d be able to disguise my lie. Stalling, I ran my napkin across my lips, still focusing on the carrots and potatoes inside my bowl. How could I talk to her when I could barely maintain eye contact?
“Does this have anything to do with Andre Steele?” Dad asked. Grateful for the interruption, I found comfort responding to my ally, though he had no idea how deceived he truly was. Until just hours ago, I hadn’t either.
“Um, sort of,” I said, my fingers clenching the napkin in my lap. I couldn’t picture Andre without seeing him with Emma, harboring my twin in his backyard pool house. I’d only just met her after our entire childhood apart, and now we were separated again with more secrets and lies. There would be a time for truth, but that time was not now. Not until we solidified a plan.
Mentioning Andre seemed to fit my unsteady behavior, though. Dad cleared his throat and exchanged a knowing look with Mom, who gave a tight-lipped smile in return. I needed to play along as truthfully as I could, which, considering Andre and I were still unsure about our relationship status, shouldn’t prove too difficult. So, out with the truth.
“Well, we did kiss the other day—” I paused with an exaggerated sigh. “Come on, Dad. Don’t make this more awkward with that face. You’re the one who asked,” I reminded him, not actually wanting to talk about Andre and me either. However, it seemed easier than explaining, “Oh, and by the way, the woman you married separated me from my identical twin and has been using us to run a social experiment.” I wasn’t sure I’d ever be equipped to navigate that conversation about the woman he loved and the mother I trusted.
Used to trust.
“So…” I continued in a hurry. “We kissed, but then I decided I didn’t want a boyfriend, so I put an end to it. Only… Dominic stopped by on the weekend and I was mad at Andre, so I kissed Dominic, too—” I stopped when Dad dropped his fork against his plate and then clamored to pick it up in a clumsy fashion. I bit my lip, wishing I were only fibbing about kissing Andre and my ex-boyfriend within twenty-four hours of each other. “It’s been a little confusing around here,” I finished, folding my arms against the table.
Mom made a curt noise that sounded like judgement to me, not that she had any room for that. “It sounds like we might need to set up a second visit with your therapist.”
“No, not Todd,” I moaned, a genuine response of humiliation and dread. The first sit-down with that uncomfortable man was enough. However, I’d have to give in. This apparent boy drama seemed to be working as the perfect detour from the truth. And the lies.
“Livvy,” Mom said, her tone softening as she used my childhood nickname. I met her eyes in surprise. She hardly ever called me that anymore. It wasn’t like her to coddle. “One session alone is not going to help you come to terms with understanding your adoption situation… Yes, I know,” she clarified. “I mean, how I raised you without actually adopting you. We have our differences in opinion, but I’m sure we can agree you suddenly chopping your hair off and kissing a new boy every night might be symptoms of something deeper beneath the surface.”
Ugh. The psychiatrist was back in the house, which was why she’d sent me to a therapist in the first place. She hadn’t wanted to wear her mom and psychiatrist hat at the same time. Little had I known back then that Mom wore multiple hats every day.
The client-focused psychiatrist.
The devoted mother.
The twisted social scientist running tests on separated identical twins.
My cheeks burned as images of facing Emma along the river leapt to the forefront of my mind, shadowed by her navy hoodie. Pale and afraid. Nervous to my touch. I’d left her tonight, seated on the edge of the bed inside Andre’s pool house, her eyes wide and uncertain. Andre would take care of her, but I hated how the sister I’d only met hours ago lay just a few miles away from my reach. We had so much to catch up on. So much to try to understand, and a plan to devise.
“Fine, I’ll go see Todd again,” I said, conceding with less fight than normal—anything to keep this conversation at bay. On second thought, maybe I was conceding too fast, raising suspicion. That didn’t sound like me. “But don’t go pulling one of your favors again and getting me in tomorrow,” I hurried to add, crossing my arms for added effect. I slouched into the back of my seat. “Give me a week or so to figure out what I want to talk with him about. Deal?” I raised my eyebrows, hoping I’d pulled off my usual stubbornness mixed with compliance.
Dad cleared his throat. “That sounds fair enough. Don’t you think, Evelyn?”
Mom smiled softly at him and took a deep breath. “I suppose so.” She looked my way to say, “I’ll call Todd in the morning and see when he is available. No rush,” she promised. She stood up, gathering dishes from the table, and then disappeared into the kitchen.
At last, the charade was over. I jumped up, taking mine and Dad’s bowl to the sink. I let the water run over them. After a quiet minute, Mom’s hand landed on my shoulder. I let her touch press into me, stifling the urge to knock her hand away.
“I hope you know you can talk to me,” she said. “No matter what’s going on.”
I swallowed. At this point, there was no use professing I was just fine. She was letting me know she saw right through me, a skill I once considered more sentimental than manipulative. I could only do my best to conceal my knowledge for a while longer and hope she chalked my uneasy behavior up to the original adoption issues. Or boy problems.
“I love you, Olivia.” She squeezed my arm.
I unclenched my teeth. “I love you, too, Mom.”
Author Bio:
Erica Kiefer’s debut novel Lingering Echoes was published by Clean Teen Publishing in November 2013. She continued the series with Rumors (A Lingering Echoes Prequel) and her newest release Vanishing Act. All of her books can be read as stand-alone contemporary YA fiction, touched with romance, emotional drama and suspense. With a degree in Recreation Therapy from Brigham Young University, Erica’s experiences working with at-risk youth have influenced the realistic and relatable nature of her writing. Her first inspirational non-fiction entitled Borrowed Angel (published in April 2014 with Currawong Press) describes the loss of her infant son and her journey towards healing.
Married since 2005, Erica resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with her four children and can often be found satisfying her sweet-tooth with chocolate-chip cookies and a glass of milk. Now and then, she dusts off her collegiate rugby skills and dives back into the game.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter
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March 22, 2018
Galatine’s Curse Book Blitz!
Galatine’s Curse
T.J. Green
(Tom’s Arthurian Legacy, #3)
Publication date: March 20th 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
An ancient sword. A dark secret. A new enemy.
In the third book in the series, Tom has established a new life in the Otherworld, a life he loves. He lives with Arthur in New Camelot, and Arthur is hosting a tournament. Eager to test his sword-fighting skills, Tom’s competing. But while the games are being played, his friends are attacked and everything he loves is threatened. Tom has to find the intruder before anyone else gets hurt.
Tom’s sword, Galatine, seems to be the focus of these attacks. Their investigations uncover Galatine’s dark history and a terrible betrayal that a family has kept secret for generations. But this secret now puts others at risk, including Tom, and he realises that he could lose everything unless he can solve the mystery of his sword’s past.
Galatine’s Curse is the third book in the YA Arthurian fantasy series, Tom’s Arthurian Legacy. If you enjoy magic and mystery, a strong group of characters and Arthurian fantasy, then you’ll love this action-filled adventure.
Buy Galatine’s Curse for your thrilling new fantasy adventure today!
—
EXCERPT:
They shuffled towards the light, and Tom gasped. The passage had opened out, and they were on a narrow shelf, looking out across a large cave that twinkled with a faint blue glow. Far below them was a lake lit from beneath, reminding Tom of Ceridwen’s Cauldron.
“Where’s the light coming from?” Tom asked, as he craned round to look at the cave. It was almost circular, and although the lake was a long way down, the roof seemed far above them too.
“Great Goddess!” Nimue murmured. “It must be coming from daystar sapphires.” She pointed. “There are hundreds set into the cavern walls.”
“What are those? I’ve never heard of them,” Brenna said.
“Very rare stones with strong magical properties,” Nimue replied. “Only those who practise magic use them, and they’re very hard to get.” She gazed around with wonder.
“And yet Raghnall seems to have had his own enormous supply,” Arthur said.
“I wonder,” Merlin said, “could they have been used in Filtiarn’s spell?”
A narrow walkway ran off to their right before petering out, and Merlin felt his way along, heading towards where a smattering of stones came within reach.
“Maybe,” Nimue murmured, deep in thought. “They have the ability to enhance any spell, but the power actually makes them dangerous. I have never used them, even when I had some. If they’re used incorrectly, they can cause what I can only describe as a magical explosion.”
“That’s a long way down,” Bloodmoon said, peering over the edge. He picked up a stone and dropped it. It was several seconds before they heard a faint splash. “I think there’s something down there.”
“Like what?” Tom said, alarmed.
Beansprout dropped to her knees, better to look over the edge. “Can you see that black shape against the blue? It looks like it’s circling around.”
“It’s getting bigger,” Woodsmoke said. “Is that because it’s getting closer?” He looked at Bloodmoon, annoyed. “Have you woken something?”
“I only dropped a stone in!” he said, indignant. “Whatever it is, it’s a long way down. You worry too much, Woodsmoke!”
Before anyone else could comment there was an enormous splash and the black shape emerged from the water, silhouetted against the blue. The shape kept coming, and then a spurt of fire emerged from the blackness, followed by the familiar roar of a dragon.
“It’s a bloody great dragon,” Arthur yelled, pulling Excalibur free with a hiss. “Run!”
But Merlin was still at the end of the ledge, examining the stones.
“Merlin, get a bloody move on!” Arthur yelled, preparing to fight as they stood mesmerised by the dragon’s approach.
And suddenly Tom was aware of Galatine, trembling, its hilt warm to the touch. “How can it live in water?” he shouted as he pulled Galatine free, its opals now swirling furiously.
“Water dragon,” Nimue yelled above the roar, “very vicious, and territorial.”
A blinding white light emitted from her hands, held palms forward, forming a wall in front of them just as the dragon drew level and released another stream of fire.
They instinctively ducked, but the shield held, turning into a wall of flame as the fire hit it. Beyond, the dragon flapped its enormous wings and fixed them with a vicious stare before flying round to circle back, its huge wing span creating a rush of air.
“Wow!” Tom said, rising to his feet and looking with new appreciation at Nimue.
Merlin stumbled, and Arthur ran to him, helping him to his feet. Woodsmoke and Bloodmoon had already drawn their arrows in case the shield failed.
“Get a move on, Merlin,” Nimue commanded icily. She turned to Beansprout. “Join your hand to mine, and hold your other hand out, like me.”
Without hesitating, Beansprout did as she asked, and Tom saw her stiffen as a wave of power travelled through her, strengthening the shield.
Tom watched the dragon turn back towards them, dripping with phosphorescent water, like a sheen of blue fire racing along its wings and dripping down its jaw. It was magnificent and terrifying all at the same time.
Author Bio:
T J Green was born in England, but moved to New Zealand 10 years ago. She currently lives near Wellington with her partner and her cats Sacha and Leia. When not writing she does lots of reading, gardening and yoga.
In a previous life she’s been a singer in a band, and has done some acting with a theatre company – both of which were lots of fun. On occasions she and a few friends make short films, which begs the question, where are the book trailers? Thinking on it …
Tom’s Inheritance is TJ Green’s first book in the series Tom’s Arthurian Legacy, the sequel Twice Born was released in February 2017. Galatine’s Curse, book 3, will be released in March 2018. She is also working on a few short stories which further expand the world of Tom in the Other.
Her new project is an urban fantasy series about witches.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram / Amazon
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March 20, 2018
Dominion Book Blitz!
Dominion
Julie Hall
(Life After, #3)
(Book 1, Huntress, is free for a limited time: http://amzn.to/2GbTTWC
Publication date: March 19th 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
After defeating the red dragon’s legion of bloodthirsty demons, Audrey can finally settle into the afterlife with the knowledge her family is safe. But her quest for a perfect existence shatters the moment Logan is kidnapped in an attempt to bend her to Satan’s will.
Audrey must now travel to the one place no hunter has ever ventured to save the man she loves . . . Hell.
Savage demons, desiccated corpses, life sucking zombie trees, and a land of death and rot await Audrey and her friends as they battle through the fiery realm.
But Logan’s freedom comes with a price . . . the destruction of Audrey’s happily ever after.
As Satan schemes for dominion over all the realms, Audrey learns that some acts may be beyond redemption.
—
EXCERPT:
We sat on his bed, tucked up against the headboard, Logan sitting with one knee bent and an outstretched leg, and me curled into a ball against his chest, practically cuddled on his lap.
When my tears were spent, I let out a shaky breath of air.
“Audrey, I can’t—” Logan’s voice caught on something. His head rested on top of mine. When he continued, his voice dropped an octave, thickened with emotion. “I can’t imagine what you went through down there. I’m so very sorry. I should never have bonded with you.”
I savored the warm thud of his heartbeat on my cheek for several seconds before what he’d said sunk in. The leakage from my eyes along with a bad case of the feels must have dulled my reactions.
I jerked to a sitting position to stare at him in disbelief—and anger. My face was crusted with the salt of dried tears. There was no doubt I was a hot mess and a half. But that was nothing compared to the mess he’d just spewed.
He reached for me again, but I put a hand up to ward off his movements and curled my upper lip.
Where to even start?
“What I went through? Are you insane?” His gaze jumped around my face as if he couldn’t decide on a safe place to land. “Logan, I actually felt an echo of what you went through. I even experienced some of it in a dream or a weird out of body experience where I was you. What I went through was nothing.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but I slashed a hand through the air to stop him. “Nothing compared to what had been done to you. You were torn to shreds. Literally, in some spots.”
His face paled. I shouldn’t have gone there and instantly regretted bringing it up—but I couldn’t handle his concern for me when he had been tortured. We’d get to the “should never have bonded with you” comment next.
“You experienced some of . . . of what I went through?” he asked.
Shoot, I gave him another reason to beat himself up. Rookie mistake. “Never mind about that. And what’s this business about regretting bonding with me? Frankly, that’s kind of—hey!”
He grabbed my upper arms and held me still as I tried to push away even farther. His blue eyes flashed, and his face was hard as stone. “If bonding with you caused you to feel even a second of what I endured in that place, then yes, it’s something I deeply regret and would do anything to take back.”
Buried under the caveman response was something sweet, but I wasn’t feeling it.
“Argh. You . . .” I pointed a finger at his face. “You just . . .”
As I sputtered to find the right words, the corners of Logan’s lips just barely tipped up. I stopped talking when I spotted his involuntary reaction. Of course I’d find a guy who thought it was cute when I got mad. Actually, that was probably pretty lucky considering I did tend to have a short fuse.
I pressed my lips together and narrowed my eyelids before performing another visual sweep of his body.
Yep, he looked to be relatively healthy.
I launched myself at him and grabbed the sides of his face, and then I planted my lips right over his. Just like the first time I’d surprised him with a kiss, he was momentarily stunned.
I gently but firmly bit down on his full bottom lip in a silent demand for him to get with the program. Then I pulled back a fraction, just far enough that my lips grazed his when I spoke. “Less talking, more kissing.”
I’d gone to Hell and back for this guy. I wanted to collect my reward . . . with interest.
Author Bio:
Julie Hall is a USA Today bestselling YA fantasy author and 1st place winner of the 2012 Women of Faith national writing contest. She was also was awarded “Best Debut Author” at the 2017 Ozarks Indie Book Festival.
Before writing her first novel Julie worked as a film publicist and rubbed elbows with the rich and famous . . . as in she would gently nudge them to let them know their meal had arrived during press interviews.
She now spends most of her “office hours” with her two furry writing buddies. Her daughter thinks that mommy’s superpower is “sleeping all day,” but that’s because she’s often awake until the wee hours of the morning weaving tales of adventure in worlds of her own creation. When asked in an interview what she wanted to be when she grew up, she’s quoted to have answered, “to never have to grow up.”
She currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her four favorite people–her husband, daughter, and two doodles (because dogs are people too).
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter
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February 12, 2018
Win a Kindle Fire HD 8!
& URBAN FANTASY GIVEAWAY
February 8-28
https://mysticworldsgiveaway.blogspot.com/
Visit our giveaway and enter for your chance to win a Kindle Fire HD8
, ebook prize packs where you choose the books on Amazon you want to win, Amazon gift cards, or a sterling silver wolf pendant!
Plus, shop our mini-fair of books to discover your next favorite read from our 33 talented and bestselling sponsoring authors. Shifters, vampires, ghosts, psychics, witches, angels, and psychics…we have your genre favorites covered!
Check out the mini book fair here: https://mysticworldsgiveaway.blogspot.com/
This Giveaway is Sponsored by
Alex Gordon • Alyssa Drake • Amanda Uhl • Andie M. Long • Anna Bloom • Anna Durand • Anne McClane • C.A. King • Calinda B • Carrie Whitethorne • Charmaine Ross • Casi McLean • J. C. McKenzie • J.L. Hendricks • Jen L. Grey • Jenna Barwin • Karen Michelle Nutt • Kathryn Knight • Kel Carpenter • Kristy Tate • L.D. Rose • LJ Swallow • Marilyn Peake • Mary Morgan • Nicole Kelley • PG Forte • S.K. Gregory • Shereen Vedam • Sorchia DuBois • Tanya Dawson • Tena Stetler • Tmonique Stephens • Aileen Harkwood
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February 9, 2018
Restriction – The First Book From The Age of Magic On Sale Now!
Fans of the Kurtherian Gambit Universe (KGU) are in for a real treat! Restriction
is the start of The Age of Magic! This new series in KGU takes place in the distant future on Earth and is the start of the new era of Magic! When the inhabitants of Earth moved from the Age of Madness to The Age of Magic, after Michael left the planet. The best part, you don’t have to have read any of the KGU books to get started on this series! There are currently 8 books out, and books 1-7 are now available on audiobooks
!
Wondering what this series is about?
Here’s a snippet from the prologue:
“I’m sure all of you have heard the legends, but today we are going to learn the true story of the Heroine of Magic. How she rose from nothing to become the most powerful magician the world had ever known to that point, and, more importantly, how she used that magic to vanquish evil from our land. She led us out of darkness into the time of peace we now know.”
“It is time to tell you the truth about Hannah.”
Hannah is an illegal sorceress who also has a dragon! I just love dragons! Don’t you? She also has a heart of gold and ends up saving humanity from itself.
Here’s the book description, or blurb:
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic…” Arthur C. Clarke
She didn’t mean to use magic
She didn’t even know she HAD magic
She just wanted to save her brother, who was dying in her arms.
Accused of using illegal magic, and sentenced to a cruel death at the hands of the city’s guards, Hannah has no choice but to trust in the aid of a strange old man who wields unimaginable power.
The Founder has returned to correct the wrongs of unjust. But to do that, he needs Hannah, a young woman from the city slums. She has a key to unlocking a power even greater than his own–if she can only learn to trust herself and the magic flowing within her blood.
Restriction
is a fantasy set in the far future, where magic and monsters ravage the land of Irth and only the strong survive.
Set on the foundation laid by the Kurtherian Gambit Series, Restriction
tells an entirely new story in the Age of Magic–and of the heroes and villains who battle for control of its destiny.
Read now and Enter the Age of Magic…
Grab your copy of Restriction
before it goes back up to $3.99! Until Feb 10 it’s only 99c! Always FREE on Kindle Unlimited!
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February 8, 2018
Dawn of Destiny Is Out Of This World!
Have you heard of The Kurtherian Gambit Series? AKA KGU? If not, then this is the start of something seriously great! The KGU universe is a group of authors who joined with Michael Anderle to write in almost all genres of a shared universe. The stories take place over various centuries as well as in varied galaxies! Some are paranormal, some space opera, and with Dawn of Destiny
, you get a magical age set in the future!
With Dawn of Destiny
, you can start with book 1 in Amy Hopkins’ new series even if you have never read a single KGU book! But don’t take my word for it, read some of these reviews:
This series is full of butt-kicking heroines and magic wielding mages! There is enough action here to satisfy everyone’s cravings!
When the greatest horrors exist in the mind, how do you deal with a man who puts them there?
Julianne is the strongest mystic of her generation. Her mental magic might even be getting stronger… it’s hard to tell when her practice time is eaten up by paperwork and leading her people.
That is, until a rogue mystic cult shows up, trying to drag Julianne into their plot for world domination.
Crossing the dangerous Madlands and issuing a slap down to the bad guys is just the kind of trip she needs – some quiet solitude and the chance to kick some ass. If only her smartass companions had stayed at home…
Set on the foundation laid by the Kurtherian Gambit Series, Dawn of Destiny tells an entirely new story in the Age of Magic.
Normally, the book
is priced at $3.99, but from Feb 8-10 you can get book 1 for only 99c
! And FREE if you have Kindle Unlimited!
So what are you waiting for? Click here for Dawn of Destiny
and discover a new world of adventure you won’t be able to put down!
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February 2, 2018
Top 10 Reason NOT to Visit Illumia
Top 10 Reasons NOT to Visit Illumia
Today I have a guest blogger, Angel Leya! She’s a Young Adult author with an exciting fantasy series!
Hi, I’m Angel Leya, and I write clean young adult stories with (at least) a touch of magic and romance. My latest story is Running Toward Illumia, Astrea’s tale of finding herself while running from the one thing she wants most: To find her sense of belonging.
Astrea’s lived in the Mist all her life, and she loves it there. In fact, she’d do just about anything to feel like she fits in with her Rudan people, even hunt a unicorn to feed her starving tribe.
Illumia is the first city beyond the Mist, just past the Dragon Range. Astrea’s come up with 10 reasons to never go to Illumia. I’ll let her tell you more.
***
Top 10 Reasons NOT to Travel to Illumia
10. They don’t have fog.
Who needs sunshine? I’m a Mist girl. Great for concealing movement, comfortable like an old blanket, and you never have to worry about dry skin.
9. They don’t all have red hair.
That’s why this tribe is here, despite being sent to the fog to die. And why we call ourselves the Rudan, rather than the Banned.
Wish my hair was redder. And I could use a few more freckles. But I’m one of the Rudan, I swear. I’d be dead if I wasn’t.
8. They’re weak.
Fog weeds out the weak. And if the fog doesn’t, the Lynx, ogres, or Rudan will. Illumians live the easy life. They have no reason to be strong.
7. They’re not very welcoming.
The Rudan take in anyone who can survive the fog. Illumians kicked us out (or at least my parents, but children of the Banned are no less welcome).
6. Illumians are idiots.
Everyone says so.
5. Big government.
I know all five of my council members, and they earned their spot. Like Seneca, first huntress—my mentor. Illumians probably have no idea who runs their council.
4. The journey’s dangerous.
Even if you can navigate the fog, streams filled with flesh-eating fish, and ogre-infested swamps, there’s the dragon range. There’s one pass, guarded by Illumians. The rest is mountain. Treacherous, dragon-housing mountains. No other way around it. Going to Illumia is a fool’s errand.
3. My family’s not there.
If you think getting one person into Illumia is hard, try five. Two brothers, plus Mamaa and Pawpaw.
Course, the whole tribe’s basically family. I’d want to take them all.
Except maybe Mavin. He’s a jerk. (Kidding. Sort of.)
2. I can never come back.
Going to Illumia is a one-way trip. Illumians and dragons ensure that.
1. I don’t want to.
Do I need any other reason?
***
Thanks for reading! If you’d like more, click for an excerpt from Banned, Part 1 of Running Toward Illumia.
Get all 4 parts of Running Toward Illumia today:
Banned (free!)
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Drenched (On Sale for 99¢ through 2/15/18)
Marked (On Sale for 99¢ through 2/15/18)
The post Top 10 Reason NOT to Visit Illumia appeared first on J.L. Hendricks.
January 24, 2018
Living and Loving Life After Open-Heart Surgery, Part 1
As of the day I write this post, it’s been exactly 4 months since I had open-heart surgery to correct a congenital heart defect. Since I was a teenager I had been misdiagnosed. First, it was a pulled muscle when my mother rushed me to the ER in high school afraid I was having a heart attack. Then, in my early twenties after almost passing out from heart palpitations due to stress, I was diagnosed with MVP (MitroValve Prolapse). MVP is a very common diagnosis in women, so I’ve been told. So for the past XX years (not telling you how old I am!) I have been running around with a heart condition that could have killed me instantly if I was too active. Thank goodness I haven’t been very athletic since my time in Army!
My super rare condition is known as Anomalous Right Coronary Artery. (click the condition and you will be taken to Stanford’s website to describe the condition in detail.)
Basically, there are two main arteries going through your heart with a few veins along the sides. They pump blood to your heart and if one of the veins coming off a main artery is in a bad spot, you could have limited blood flow to your most important muscle. It’s estimated less than 100,000 people in the US have this condition. Have you heard of healthy athletes dying instantly of a heart attack? One of the causes is an ARCA (Anomalous Right Coronary Artery). Turns out the only time it’s good to live a sedentary life is when you have an ARCA and don’t know it!
I would get chest pains and have difficulty breathing at different times over the years and just ignored it because that is common when you have MVP.
A couple of years ago the VA did a heart scan and told me I didn’t have MVP. So when I complained this past summer of chest pains to my VA primary care doctor, she ordered a couple of tests. One being a cardiac stress test. I had an episode on the treadmill during my stress test. We stopped the treadmill and the cardiologist was informed of my situation. He said he would review my tests and get back to me. Two days later I had an appointment with a Cardiac Fellow.
I have to stop and say that the man who first saw me was a smokin’ hot Spaniard doing his Cardiac Fellowship at my local VA hospital! He made the trip to the hospital worth it! I also must admit I flirted with him! I’m so shameless! LOL
While I was with him, I had another episode of chest pains. They had been increasing in number as well as the severity of pain. I still didn’t understand what exactly was going on. I had only told my roommate who happens to be my cousin and her mom, my aunt. I didn’t tell anyone else because I didn’t think it was anything major.
Within just a few weeks I was scheduled for a surgical consult with a specialist at the Palo Alto VA hospital. I flew up to see him and learned he was a pre-eminent cardiothoracic surgeon who was well known for the surgery required to fix an ARCA. I went up on Thursday and was supposed to fly home later that day. They kept me overnight because they wanted to do a cardiac catheterization on the spot.
Turns out, when my surgeon, Dr. Burdon, says jump, everyone says, “How high?” He rushed through the cardiac test and had the results within a few hours.
This man runs the program at the VA hospital in addition to Stanford Medical, which is just a few miles away from the VA hospital in Palo Alto! And I’m very glad for the fantastic treatment I received! On that Thursday he scheduled my surgery for 4 days later! He was worried I wouldn’t survive a heart attack if I waited any longer.
When they wheeled me into surgery, I requested a cabana boy for when I came out of it. No cabana boy when I awoke!
Me right after they took out my breathing tube. Probably 4 hours post surgery
Did you know when you go in for surgery you are totally naked on the operating table? I didn’t know it until after the surgery and I discovered I was only covered with sheets and a blanket. Total commando underneath it all!
When I went under I had two IV lines in me. When I woke up I had 5! Three in my arms, one in my neck (carotid artery), and one in my thigh. I also had a catheter and a chest tube inside me when I awoke. See all of those lines and bags hooked up to me? ugh!
When I woke up I was madder than a bee about to sting you! Dr. Burdon told me I would be sedated for up to 24 hours after the surgery. He did warn me when I woke up I would still have my breathing tube down my throat, because they wanted to make sure I could breathe before removing it. Instead, he woke me up only 2 hours after surgery and I had still had the tube! I was awake by 1PM on that Monday afternoon! I don’t remember it, but my aunt told me I called my doctor a liar and a few other choice words! LOL But, to be fair, I was in a ton of pain! They had put me in a weird position on the operating table and it caused a severe spasm all through my back. I was literally hunched over within a few hours after waking up. They put a heating pad under me and I kept turning it on every couple of hours because it has an auto-off function. The nurses all helped by giving me back massages. Not even the highest level of pain meds (dilaudid) worked to take the pain away!
Too bad my original cardiac fellowship candidate wasn’t in Palo Alto! I would have loved to get a back massage from him! LOL
Have you seen The Exorcist? The original one with Linda Blair? Remember when she had green projectile vomiting? I always thought that was silly. Until the night of my surgery! I spewed red all over me, my bed, and my nurse 3 times before I finally stopped! They had to take all of my linens off and give me a sponge bath only a few hours after surgery! Not fun! Learn from my experience, DON’T DRINK CRANBERRY JUICE after major surgery!
This is what I felt like:
But this is what I looked like the next day:
on day 2 it’s normal to be put into a chair. I slept a lot the first few days in the chair.
I spent 5 days in ICU before being taken to the cardiac ward. One of the good things about being a woman in the VA hospital was I received a private room! Woot Woot! Also, the surgery was 100% free!
When they closed me up they used a procedure and bandage called, AquaGel. They stitched me up inside like normal, and then instead of staples or stitches in my skin, they glued my chest back together and put a funky bandage on it. As seen here:
Honestly, what does that bandage on my chest look like to you? LOL But it is designed to help heal the skin much faster than using staples, which some doctors are still doing! Ugh!
Most patients are kicked out of the hospital 5 days after open-heart surgery due to insurance not wanting to pay for more days. In the VA, there is not an insurance person screaming to kick patients to the curb! I stayed in for 9 days! Yikes! I was soooo ready to go home after 7 days. My doctor normally keeps his patients from 10 – 14 days! I promised him I would stay a week at my aunt and uncle’s house so they could take care of me if he sent me home early. He agreed!
But, before I could leave the hospital I had to wait until my chest tube had finished draining. They took it out and stitched up that hole on day 7. Then he wanted me to do more with the therapist before I went home. Thankfully, I didn’t have to go anywhere for therapy when I got home. My local cardiac doctor let me do my therapy at home and I am still doing it! I have lost 20 lbs since surgery just by walking every day.
Me right after they took off the funky bandage
I will tell you having a goal is very helpful for healing. I had made plans to attend a writer’s conference in Vegas on November 2. This wasn’t even 6 weeks after my surgery. The doctor wasn’t sure if I could go. I certainly couldn’t drive to Vegas. I had to stay in the back seat until after the 6-week mark just in case I was in an accident. They didn’t want anything to mess up my sternum while it was setting back into place. But I did everything my surgeon said and he let me go! I’ll admit I overdid it a couple of times. Bad Jen! But it was so much fun! Meeting all of the authors I interacted with online was so much fun!
Here I am with Bryan Cohen and Craig Martelle! If you expand the picture and look really closely you can see the top of my scar. It’s tough to see. My shirt scooched over during the photo but you can see a red spot just above the corner of my v-neck shirt on my right side.
I’ll admit I did take a walker and used it. I tried to do dinner without it on the last night and regretted it. My walker was cool, but I must admit I hated appearing so week. No one could even believe I was there! Even though I told everyone I was going, most didn’t think I would actually make it! I have an author friend who has gone through much worse health issues than I have and he offered to let me drive up with him and his wife! Brandon Barr is a totally cool guy and his wife is super nice! I had a great road trip with them!
Here’s a better pic of my healing scar:
Only a few days after I went home to place. Almost 3 weeks after surgery.
My first three months of recovery moved along very nicely and without any issues! I was healing faster than most expected. Until I got bronchitis and a sinus infection all at once. Stay tuned for another blog about how I broke my healing sternum and what the doctors plan to do about it. 
