Tina O'Hailey's Blog, page 6

Blog tour has a few open slots left

The When Darkness Begins blog tour has opened up and has some slots left. If you host author interviews, book launch blog excerpts, etc.—info can be found at this link: https://www.rachelsrandomresources.com/when-darkness-begins

[image error]

 

I promise, no embedded puzzle in this one. I had a little bit of nerd fun with the last book launch (Absolute Darkness).

If I ever do a Dan Brown type puzzle thriller though—you’ll have to find the embedded puzzle to find the clue in the book! One day—I have to write that book with the puzzle. But first this book launch then the thriller—Dark Drink. That is in the works now.

About When Darkness Begins: (A time-travel, coming-of-age vampire story, at the brink of time in a multiverse. Prequel to Absolute Darkness.)

If you could change time to save your first love—even if it meant turning your back on the universe—would you?

It is time for the Vechey youth to earn their place as time-guardians. The near-immortal Vechey protect the universe from the devastating Manipulators—devourers of souls, mindless seekers of chaos. First, the youth must survive a mysterious and deadly ritual created by the all-powerful clan leader Eterili. Having regenerated thousands of times with the birth of each universe, Eterili is taking this one as hers and bending all in it to her grand designs.

Catha’s time-slipping skills are underdeveloped. She is time-blind—unable to see through time, unable to protect herself from the ritual. The Vechey shun her for being different. Her parents ignore her as if she were already dead.

Aithagg loves Catha unconditionally and will do anything to save her. He tries desperately to unlock the ritual’s mysteries and find a way to help Catha survive with him. Or will saving Catha enable the Manipulators to destroy the universe?

 

When Darkness Begins is available for preorder!  A Darkness Universe novel.

https://tinyurl.com/s9jmk84  Use promo code  PREORDER2020 for 15% discount

When Darkness Begins – Preorder 15% off

Preorder your paperback copy of When Darkness Begins from BRW today.

Use the promo code PREORDER2020 for a 15% discount.https://tinyurl.com/s9jmk84

[image error]

I’m ever in amazement when distant dreams become a reality. This is as real as it gets. The prequel to Absolute Darkness is launching May 28, 2020.

When Darkness Begins and Absolute Darkness are Darkness Universe Novels. Both are Sci-Fi/Fantasy. I plan to stay in this universe for a while—though with different genres. I’m working on a suspense thriller now.  (If you’ve been following along, you know that it is a multiverse and I expect the characters will—unknowingly—cross each other’s paths.)

When Darkness Begins is an origin story. A vampire coming-of-age origin-story. I think of it as a mature #YA since the main characters are in their teens. But – they are time-guardians and I’m pretty sure that is more responsibility than you or I have? Maybe. I hate to use the word vampire – because it isn’t like anything you have read before. I digress from most of the modern myths and stick with the oldest of folklore and add my own to it: time-travel and such. Vampire-ish, I suppose, is the best way to describe the Vechey.  (Yes, there are caves.)

I’m still stunned. This is real. I completed a book in just 14 months. I could compress my writing schedule and do it faster but I like this pace. I want this to stay fun and not become a stressor. It’s balanced perfectly with my professor life now. That makes me happy.

All—I look forward to this book launch and hope that you will celebrate with me.

“To dreams!”

…tina

When Darkness Begins

If you could change time to save your first love—even if it meant turning your back on the universe—would you?

It is time for the Vechey youth to earn their place as time-guardians. The near-immortal Vechey protect the universe from the devastating Manipulators—devourers of souls, mindless seekers of chaos. First, the youth must survive a mysterious and deadly ritual created by the all-powerful clan leader Eterili. Having regenerated thousands of times with the birth of each universe, Eterili is taking this one as hers and bending all in it to her grand designs.

Catha’s time-slipping skills are underdeveloped. She is time-blind—unable to see through time, unable to protect herself from the ritual. The Vechey shun her for being different. Her parents ignore her as if she were already dead.

Aithagg loves Catha unconditionally and will do anything to save her. He tries desperately to unlock the ritual’s mysteries and find a way to help Catha survive with him. Or will saving Catha enable the Manipulators to destroy the universe?

 

 

Rig it Right II AR feature – has been HP-ed

[image error]I’ve received a few emails about the AR feature of Rig it Right II having issues. Looks like the data has been deleted by HP.  Aurasma was who I had created the AR imagery with and they were bought by HP just as Rig it Right II was going to print. Either I missed an email or users were never notified that the data uploaded to Aurasma could not be migrated to the new HP accounts and all accounts (and data) were deleted.

Fun.

[image error]

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSekxkMPzopG4S0hzM7Tfebj1zgVsP4QK2bgiZQQSQSkmh29Sw/viewform

When I’m down the mountain next (and have access to good internet) and not prepping classes—I’ll see what can be done to resurrect this. I put in the book’s forward that something could potentially happen with the HP buy out. Such things typically happen when you don’t have control of the app/service yourself.

As it is, I don’t think people are beating down the door to use the AR feature. I liked it so I could see the images better (reading glasses).

Happy rigging! Oh—and Happy New Year!!

…tina

Happy Holidays, SciFi & Fantasy readers!

[image error]

Treat yourself. You deserve it. Grab a cup of your favorite warm beverage, fill up the kindle with some of these amazing reads (for free or .99), and relax.  We still have time to wrap presents. Of course, if you get these as presents—then you don’t have to wrap them!

https://artofthearcane.wordpress.com/Holiday-SFF-Bargain-Sale

[image error]

Absolute Darkness is listed in the promotion above. The prequel comes out next May. I’m so excited!

Absolute Darkness is a SciFi/Fantasy Adventure wrapped around a paranormal love story. Super unique and makes the palms sweat.

The prequel, When Darkness Begins, launching in May 2020, is a great YA Fantasy read. A pre-historic origin story of the characters from Absolute Darkness. Also – super unique.

I had a blast building that world and the characters in it. There will be posts and cover reveals, interviews, and the book launch next year. For now, I’m kicking back and relaxing for Christmas and enjoying the moment. Hope you do too. Give yourself a moment to relax, reflect, and smile.

…T

When Darkness Begins – Launch May 28, 2020 First reviews are in!

What a weird feeling to click the enter button on an email that says, “Dear publisher, Attached you will find the final manuscript for When Darkness Begins…”

[image error](Image from Pixabay)

May I always feel an awe for the task completed and feel so small in disbelief. I can’t tell you a time when I wasn’t working on a book. There has never been a time that a book wasn’t in the back of my head right next to some fabricated deadline that I had given myself. “Finish this chapter by February.” “Finish this edit by May.” “Finish—finish—finish.” Without those who support, encourage, and critique me along the way—I would probably never have finished any of these books. Well, I would have finished them then burned them as I have done with near 11 manuscripts. Thanks to everyone. Y’all are awesome.

I’m such a novice, I feel, still learning and studying. Grammar. Passive vs Active voice. Storylines. Characters that pop. Simplifying the things in my head so they can be understood.  At the end, I write for me. I hope people like to read them too. It’s ok if you don’t. That’s why there are so many types of ice-cream.

Yes – there are caves. Yes – there is a complex time component with interweaved storylines. I am anything but linear.

This one is #YA.  Something different for me and unexpected since I never read YA even when I was that age.  This is written for 15-year-old me.

When Darkness Begins

Launching May 28, 2020

Watch for the cover reveal!

If you could change time to save your first love—even if it meant turning your back on the universe—would you?

It is time for the Vechey youth to earn their place as time-guardians. The near-immortal Vechey protect the universe from the devastating Manipulators—devourers of souls, mindless seekers of chaos. First, the youth must survive a mysterious and deadly ritual created by the all-powerful clan leader Eterili. Having regenerated thousands of times with the birth of each universe, Eterili is taking this one as hers and bending all in it to her grand designs.

Catha’s time-slipping skills are underdeveloped. She is time-blind—unable to see through time, unable to protect herself from the ritual. The Vechey shun her for being different. Her parents ignore her as if she were already dead.

Aithagg loves Catha unconditionally and will do anything to save her. He tries desperately to unlock the ritual’s mysteries and find a way to help Catha survive with him. Or will saving Catha enable the Maniplators to destroy the Universe?

 

Here’s what beta readers have said about it:

“When Darkness Begins is a fascinating story that is gorgeously told through the lens of eerie and ethereal characters, with a weaving and shifting of time and place that feels epic and biblical.” —Hannah R. Goodman, author of Till It Stops Beating

 

“If you loved ABSOLUTE DARKNESS by Tina O’Hailey, then its predecessor WHEN DARKNESS BEGINS is a must-read! This intricately detailed tale goes to the root of the story of Alexander and explains the beginnings of his vampire-like people, the Vechey, and the complexities of their way of life. I was enthralled with learning of Alexander’s background, including the stories of his creator, the fate of his sibling, the dark presence of the ever-present Manipulator, and especially his fiercely loyal spirit as he experienced his first love Catha despite the rejection and despair of her family and the tribe because she was ‘different’. Alexander doesn’t ask her to conform but accepts and loves her because of her uniqueness, something we should all learn to do. WHEN DARKNESS BEGINS is a quick read with an underlying theme of hope, love, and acceptance intermixed with a compelling dark passion of paranormal fantasy that captures you from the start. This is one to put on your to-read list!”—Kristen L. Jackson, Author of the KEEPER OF THE WATCH Series

A Dark Drink – #NaNoWriMo

Here is an excerpt (NSFW) from my next #thriller titled A Dark Drink.  No paranormal stuff this time. No time travel. Just a gal—Jude—trying to make a drink for her YouTube/Facebook channel/page when it all goes horribly wrong.

[image error]

Last year I did #Nanowrimo. But I could only write for two-and-a-half weeks and not the whole month. The school quarter and lots of class preps kept me focused on other things. I doubled down once the break started and still managed to hit 60,000.  This year I’m taking a nice even approach. I have less full-on class preps this fall quarter so can managed 1700 words a day.  #PieceOfCake

I’m a boring drinker but love to watch the TipsyBartender on Facebook. He has such fun making videos and the closed captions are not always correct. They are even more hilarious.  So, for this month’s Novel November project, each chapter features a different drink recipe. I probably won’t try them all. Or perhaps I just may.

Last year’s Novel November has been rewritten and polished this year. It publishes in May: When Darkness Begins. 

For anyone taking notes at home I had planned to write another textbook. The novels are so much fun to write though. I may put off my to do of writing Rig it Right: Props. Maybe next summer.

I’m introverting hard and not wanting to talk about writing. I think people must get sick of me constantly talking about doing the thing I said I would do: write. So against my introverted soul I present the first page to this new book. She’s a bit foul mouthed. Wait till you meet her. Yes, she caves. And rides a motorcycle. You know, back to my roots.

 

A Dark Drink

Chapter 1: 151 Ways to Die

“I’m going to die because of a watermelon, fuck-me,” I thought as I realized, too late, that I couldn’t stop my fall. My arms refused to work, my legs and body had become distant and bid me a good journey as they no longer wanted to listen to my insistent demands for nonsensical things such as—“Keep my head from hitting anything. Hold on to something. Fucking brace for impact.”

Nope. Just—“Good luck to you and your brain holder. We will sit this one out. Maybe ask that brain to flash your life before your eyes or something? Been good knowing you.”

My brain flashing nothing before my eyes, no memories, no regrets. Instead, it recorded the whole event in slow motion with every smell, sound, and sight hyper recorded for my future enjoyment.

My last image? That god-damned watermelon sitting above me on the counter. A sticker pasted onto the sweating rind merrily encouraged all to, “Enjoy Summer!” My favorite German, steel-core knife with a flexible blade—which according to Amazon is “great for rocking while chopping”—stuck out of said malignant watermelon at a jaunty angle.

Then a hand grabbed the knife by its—according to the same reviewer “sometimes uncomfortable grip handle”—and yanked it from that vile watermelon with intention.

I could smell the sweetness of the pulp in the air. A drop of juice, not yet mixed with the tequila I had intended for it, fell onto my face.

My brain issued one last somewhat coherent thought before also checking out and plunging me into darkness, “152 ways to die. Heh.”

151 ways to die

1/2 ounce Bacardi 151 rum

1/2 ounce Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey

1/2 ounce Everclear alcohol

1/2 ounce Cazadores tequila

Usually delivered in a shot glass, unless someone is trying to put it in a watermelon. Because—‘reasons, which in retrospect might have saved my life.

 

For your TBR pile! Bargain Sci Fi and Fantasy!! (Absolute...

For your TBR pile! Bargain Sci Fi and Fantasy!! (Absolute Darkness is listed in there and many more!)

[image error]

https://artofthearcane.wordpress.com/Back-to-the-Future-Day-SFF-Bargain-Sale/

A great list of books waiting right there to be found. Enjoy!

When Darkness Begins book launch: May 28, 2020

[image error]When Darkness Begins will launch May 28, 2020.

A unique, time-bending, coming-of-age story filled with blood, time-blindness, foes, and first loves.

I’m working on the back of the book copy in the evenings. YA dark fantasy +16. It’s a little complex and mature, not your normal high-school YA. The image is obviously an iStock photo for the look and feel for the cover. Below is the copy I’m landing on to describe it. Thoughts?

At the dawn of mankind, the Vechey lurk as time-guardians protecting the world from their incessant foes who would destroy time and all in it—if only for a brief euphoric glimpse of the universe’s collapse. To earn their place as time-guardians Aithagg and Catha, along with the other teens, must survive an ancient ritual shrouded in mystery. Only the strong survive—or the clever.

Catha has not developed the time-slipping skills needed to survive the deadly ritual. Can Aithagg devise a way to help his first love survive or does Eterili, the clan leader who is self-proclaimed to be—literally—as old as dirt, have other plans for them? After all, the universe is hers and she wields it to her liking.

A unique, time-bending, coming-of-age story filled with blood, time-blindness, foes, and first loves.

 

It is the prequel to Absolute Darkness, an origin story. However, it is written to connect to Absolute Darkness without the reader having read the first book yet. Absolute Darkness is NOT YA.

Chills for FREE – Absolute Darkness!

[image error]My publisher has Absolute Darkness listed for FREE today! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DPVRTGD

If you haven’t had a chance to take this thrill ride—now you can do so for free! The multiple timelines are a wild ride and it pays of in the end, I promise.

Though it is listed as a paranormal romance—there is a love story but the romance is not super steamy. *I blush* Mostly it is a thriller with a dose of watery claustrophobia. And you’ll see caving like you’ve never experienced it. You can read more about it here https://coffeediem.wordpress.com/2018/06/25/where-to-get-your-copy-of-absolute-darkness/

The prequel to this book, When Darkness Begins, is more in line with YA as it is a

[image error]When Darkness Begins (temp cover)

coming-of-age book showing the origin story of Alexander and Yindi. It also explores why Alexander falls in love with Linears (us time dwelling folk). The book is in final edit now and we should see that hitting the bookshelves early next year!  

 

 

 

 

Absolute Darkness: A paranormal, cave-diving, women’s adventure with a twist — or three.

“one of the most unique storylines I’ve seen in a long time.” “I don’t want to give anything away, but the ending chapters were my favorites!”  “my palms were sweating” Kristen Jackson, author of Keeper of the Watch.  

Get your FREE copy today—https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DPVRTGD

Prosopagnosia & Dark (the German tv series)

[image error]If you happen to be even mildly face-blind (prosopagnosia), watching “Dark” is going to be a challenge.  It is a GREAT show, and I ADORE the time-travel, entwined, twisted story-telling. Subtitles also don’t bug me. However, most of the visual cues come from shots of still photographs, or shots of people standing very, very still. OH MY GOSH—that is the most stressful thing for someone that has prosopagnosia.  We need clues, clothes, hair, for me—movement (thus I’m into animation), to be able to recognize people. Trying to keep track of three to four separate ages of people who of course are different actors and move differently is somewhat daunting.  I love the show but had to pause frequently so that my translator, a.k.a. hubby, could tell me who was in each shot. Some characters are a little easier to connect than others. Usually I’m the one that connects the pieces for him in complex stories but on this one—I just couldn’t.  I’ve given up trying to hide my face blindness because it has led to way too many funny (in retrospect) and sometimes embarrassing situations. Basically, I have stopped guessing at who people are since when I become the most convinced of who I am talking to is exactly when I am the most wrong. It’s genetic and one of my kids has it too: joy. But back to the show—it is a fun, twirly storyline and has a cave central to the story, so you know it is a hit for me!

[image error]But honestly, if anyone likes Dark and can keep up with it (prosopagnosia or not), you won’t be confused by the time travel in my books Absolute Darkness and When Darkness Begins. Absolute Darkness is available on Kindle, Audible, and paperback.  When Darkness Begins should be out next year. It’s in the final rewrite currently.

These books are part of the Darkness Series and are fantasy/scifi.  The next book in this series will be a thriller, but still in the same universe as these others—sans the time-traveling characters. I’m thinking the main character’s name will be Jude and she will have to be face-blind. I need to show that side of life. So if I’ve ever mistaken you for someone else or totally ignored you—sorry, I didn’t see you.

 

hugs,

…tina