L.K. Rigel's Blog, page 7
June 25, 2013
New Release: Samskaras by Melissa Lummis
New Release: Samskaras (Book 2 in the Love and Light Series) On Amazon
Now available at:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords
iTunes
When the universe conspired to bring Loti and Wolf together, it was just getting warmed up. After surviving Modore’s assassination attempt on Wolf, the lovers want nothing more than some peace and quiet, but the universe has other plans for them.
And Loti and Wolf are done waiting to find out what they are.
Convinced there will be no happily-ever-after for them until Modore is dealt with, they form a dubious alliance with untrustworthy forces from Wolf’s past. While searching for clues to the homicidal vampire’s whereabouts, they uncover secrets that begin to unravel reality as they know it. Tangled up in black ops conspiracies and fae treachery, they make a fatal mistake—overlooking the enemy in their midst.
Can love and light survive a downward spiral into darkness?
On Amazon
and Enlightened (Book 1 in the Love and Light Series) is available, too!
Amazon Loti Dupree’s meager healing abilities have been more a curse than a blessing. What’s the point if she can’t save her husband from cancer? Harboring a painful secret, Loti flees the life they had in a small Appalachian town for the ashram, the spiritual retreat where she trained to be a yogini. But she finds herself running from more than grief when an ominous nightmare sets her on a dangerous path of self-discovery that challenges everything she believes–and threatens her life.
While dodging psychic attacks from an unknown assailant, Loti races to understand who and what she is before her enemy can catch up with her. To make matters worse, events throw her into the arms of a handsome but frustrating vampire. Love and light are waiting for her—if she can only figure out how to stay alive.
About the Author
Melissa Lummis considers herself a truth seeker, a peaceful warrior, a paranormal and fantasy writer, an avid reader, a thru-hiker GA->ME ’98, a wife, a mother, and a free thinker. She believes the universe conspires to help an adventurer, and that if we live our lives as if it is a daring adventure (and it is!), then everything we need will find its way to us.
The author lives in rural Virginia with her husband, two children, an Alaskan Malamute and a myriad of forest creatures. The nature of her mind dictates that she write to stay sane. Otherwise, her fertile imagination takes off on tangents of its own accord, creating scenarios and worlds that confuse the space-time continuum.
Namaste, dear friends.
- See more at: http://www.melissalummis.com/2013/06/...
June 16, 2013
Father’s Day
One splendid sunshiny day, about an hour after noon, Irene, who was playing on a lawn in the garden, heard the distant blast of a bugle. She jumped up with a cry of joy, for she knew by that particular blast that her father was on his way to see her. This part of the garden lay on the slope of the hill and allowed a full view of the country below. So she shaded her eyes with her hand and looked far away to catch the first glimpse of shining armour. In a few moments a little troop came glittering round the shoulder of a hill. Spears and helmets were sparkling and gleaming, banners were flying, horses prancing, and again came the bugle-blast which was to her like the voice of her father calling across the distance: ‘Irene, I’m coming.’
On and on they came until she could clearly distinguish the king. He rode a white horse and was taller than any of the men with him. He wore a narrow circle of gold set with jewels around his helmet, and as he came still nearer Irene could discern the flashing of the stones in the sun. It was a long time since he had been to see her, and her little heart beat faster and faster as the shining troop approached, for she loved her king-papa very dearly and was nowhere so happy as in his arms. When they reached a certain point, after which she could see them no more from the garden, she ran to the gate, and there stood till up they came, clanging and stamping, with one more bright bugle-blast which said: ‘Irene, I am come.’
By this time the people of the house were all gathered at the gate, but Irene stood alone in front of them. When the horsemen pulled up she ran to the side of the white horse and held up her arms. The king stopped and took her hands. In an instant she was on the saddle and clasped in his great strong arms.
I wish I could describe the king so that you could see him in your mind. He had gentle, blue eyes, but a nose that made him look like an eagle. A long dark beard, streaked with silvery lines, flowed from his mouth almost to his waist, and as Irene sat on the saddle and hid her glad face upon his bosom it mingled with the golden hair which her mother had given her, and the two together were like a cloud with streaks of the sun woven through it. After he had held her to his heart for a minute he spoke to his white horse, and the great beautiful creature, which had been prancing so proudly a little while before, walked as gently as a lady—for he knew he had a little lady on his back—through the gate and up to the door of the house. Then the king set her on the ground and, dismounting, took her hand and walked with her into the great hall, which was hardly ever entered except when he came to see his little princess. There he sat down, with two of his counsellors who had accompanied him, to have some refreshment, and Irene sat on his right hand and drank her milk out of a wooden bowl curiously carved.
After the king had eaten and drunk he turned to the princess and said, stroking her hair:
‘Now, my child, what shall we do next?’
from The Princess and the Goblin by George Macdonald
Amazon (I didn’t link to a Kindle version because none available look well done)
May 17, 2013
Kiss Me Hello Goes to Kindle Obsessed
I love, love, love Misty Baker’s writing . Her reviews (as I’ve said before and will say again) are worth reading in their own right, whether you go on to read the book she’s talking about or not.
She’s funny and smart, and she always brings something extra to the discussion, relating discrete events or characters in a novel to some overarching life principle or smaller, homely slice-of-life observation.
My goal as a writer is to get a rave review from Misty Baker. Not for the stars. Not for the glory. But because then I’ll know I’ve accomplished what I set out to with a novel. You see, I trust Misty Baker not to skim, but to read what I wrote, to think about it, and then to tell the truth about her experience of the story.
For instance, more than a few people don’t like Sara, the protagonist in Kiss Me Hello , because she’s weak when it comes to her relationship with her husband. Misty gets it that this is the core of Sara’s story:
Luckily, I was so intrigued by the “hot ghost” and flying vine spikes that I could look past my irritability and read the story for what it was. A weak woman’s road to thriving independence (and self-confidence.)
I fault myself as a writer that this aspect of Sara isn’t better explained or justified. I don’t want the reader put off by the off-putting character flaw. I want the reader hoping the protagonist is going to overcome the flaw.
I consider things like this about my writing every time I read a Kindle Obsessed review. Misty makes authors better writers. I suspect she makes me a better (and more satisfied) reader too.
May 10, 2013
Elle Casey’s Springtime Indie Book Giveaway
Welcome Readers!
So begins Elle Casey’s invitation to YOU – she’s giving away 190 books in the next few days. All you have to do is choose the ones you want. There’s also a place to say why you picked the books you did – fill that out, and give the authors a thrill!
I’ve just skimmed the list so far (Firebird and Spiderwork are included) and it looks like a lot of great books are there, including at least one New York Times bestseller.
March 31, 2013
Spring Into Books Blog Hop
How about a $10 gift card to spend at Amazon on a great new book for spring?
March 30, 2013
Gloom, Despair, and Agony on Me!
Smackdown! The first two reviews for The Lost Bee were 1-stars. The readers HATED it. Hated.
I’m too fragile. I can’t take it. I pulled the file. If anyone actually liked it and wants the rest of the story, please email me at lkr@lkrigel.com and I’ll send you the entire book.
Meanwhile, back to things people actually want to read. My confidence is shaken, so I’m going to need a ton of beta readers for War of the Wyrd …
March 19, 2013
A Minor Problem
My friend Susan Voss is amazingly talented. “Everything she does is art” applies to Susan – she’s a fabulous photographer, she paints, she plays piano. Her home is a lovely oasis. Because she’s such a musician, I showed her a music joke that was going around the internets. She embellished it, of course, and made it pop.
For your enjoyment, from Susan Voss:
C, E-flat, and G go into a bar.
The bartender says, “Sorry, but we don’t serve minors.” So E-flat leaves, and C & G have an open fifth between them.
After a few drinks the fifth is quite diminished and G is out flat.
F comes in and tries to augment the situation but is not sharp enough. No one likes a dissident either so he retreats to a table.
Since G is taking a rest C thinks about a second and asks D to join him.
Then A comes in but the bartender suspects this relative of C may be a minor so he is sent away from the bar.
Another minor incident occurs when D can’t agree with C on anything so decides to join F and A at their table where they all order cokes so they won’t get kicked out.
In a major development E-flat returns with proper I.D. and takes a half step up to the bar to join G, who has also returned to his natural state and is hanging out with C.
A seventh customer, fondly called Major B, enters. A true leader, he jazzes up the tonic drinkers at the bar.
This goes well until F decides he’s tired of being a minor player, approaches the bar and insults everyone with an off-key remark. G manages to dominate F but in the meantime D & A quickly down a fifth, stagger to the bar and knock Major B down half a step. He is caught by C, E & G, which is applauded by F, A & C and followed immediately by D who shouts, “OK FINE!”, which stunned everyone into silence.
March 18, 2013
Dastardly Select!
I’ve noticed some searches leading here to the blog looking for Kiss Me Hello for Nook. Of course this happens right after I put the book in the Amazon Select program! gah.
I don’t like Select’s exclusivity. I would much rather have all my books available everywhere at all times.
But since I released Kiss Me Hello , I’ve had two sales at B&N. Putting it in Select was a business decision I was forced to make due to lack of sales at B&N.
I wish I knew how to sell Nook books, I really do!
Kiss Me Hello will be out of Select on June 12 and once again available at B&N, iTunes, and Kobo. As a “make-up” to the Nookies and Koboites and Itunies who have to wait, I will lower Kiss Me’s price to 99 cents on June 12 – so sign up for my new release newsletter for a reminder on the day it’s available!
Someday more people will know about L.K. Rigel books and I won’t have to use Select to get the word out. I hope it’s soon!
March 15, 2013
Cover Reveal – CG Powell’s Firewall
Firewall (book 2 No Uncertain Logic Series) by C.G. Powell
Besides being hilarious and a truly nice person, C. G. Powell is a woman of many talents. She’s a great storyteller, a marvelous visual artist (as you can see by this wonderful cover), and she designs awesome author swag .
Below is an excerpt from Firewall, the next book in the No Uncertain Logic series after Spell Checked , coming this summer.
-oOo-
Excerpt: “I hate to cut things short, but the sooner we get down to business the better. I’ve made arrangements for a transport to take us to the Atlantis which is sitting in the Meranna Sea.”
Before Sarik could finish, Jael interrupted, “When did you move the ship?”
“Shortly after you left for Ibis Prime. Orion felt he needed to keep an eye on me once Aphrodite arrived, so he sent a team to assist the move closer to the capital city.” He looked to Neria and Aphrodite. “Ladies, if you will follow me. I will take you to the transport.”
They walked to a smaller docking area where a transporter ship was awaiting them. Neria’s bags were already on board, as was Captain Ross.
Sarik raised one brow. “How did you get here so quick?”
Captain Ross cleared his throat and rolled his eyes towards the cockpit where Tal sat.
“I thought you didn’t trust mist traveling?” Sarik laughed.
“It took a while to get used to, but it has its benefits if you can get past the nausea and the whole cellular disintegration reassembly thing.”
Sarik nudged the captain with his elbow. “Are you sure it has nothing to do with quantum entanglement with a certain Jinn?”
Speechless, Captain Ross’ reddened face spoke volumes. He excused himself and joined Tal in the cockpit.
Looping her arm in Sarik’s, Jael frowned and continued towards the passenger area of the transport. “Why do you tease the poor Captain? I think it quaint that he has taken a liking to Tal even if she doesn’t return his affections.”
“What kind of friend would I be, if I didn’t acknowledge his obvious fondness?”
“Do you really want me entertain your question with an answer?”
“No, not really.”
Over the intercom the captain’s voice boomed, “Good morning, this is your captain. Today’s flight should be a clear shot to the Meranna Sea area. We have favorable atmospheric conditions and low level winds upon approach. Our estimated arrival is 14:80 standard atomic time, that’s half-past lunch for those of you who still struggle with the local atomic conversion.”
Jael, Salima, and Aphrodite all turned and looked at Sarik.
Pursed lipped, Sarik stood and yelled toward the cockpit. “Okay, you win. Now get us the hell out of here.”
Coming Summer 2013
March 11, 2013
Wyrd vs Fae
Haha – typing in the title for this post, for some reason “Cowboys vs Aliens” popped into my brain. Sadly, I can’t think of a way to analogize {cowboys v aliens}:{wyrd v fae}.
If the SAT question was:
Wyrd is to Fae as:
1. science is to religion
2. technology is to magic
3. cowboys are to aliens
4. dogs are to cats
#3 would be the least fitting response.
The overarching tension in War of the Wyrd is sourced in the fundamental natures of the wyrd and the fae. On the surface, wyrd and fae seem the same – magical beings, right?
Wrong. I’m finding that the wyrd, while spiritual to their very core, are far more logical, their power enhanced by magic but dependent on scientific method, training, predictability. The fae, on the other hand, are purely magical. Intuitive. Impetuous. Serendipitous.
Assumptions, misunderstandings, the sense of betrayal when differences matter. Both parties armed with the power to bend even the elements to their will.
Are we surprised to hear rumors of war?
