L.J. DeLeon's Blog, page 3

Reviewer's Choice Best Reads of 2011

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Wow, I'm beyond thrilled. WARRIOR'S RISE has been nominated by The Paranormal Romance Guild as the Best Read in 2011 in the Reviewer's choice category. I'd really need all the help, support, and votes possible.

http://www.paranormalromanceguild.com/prgbestreads2011.htm

12 Days of Christmas Sale

12 Days of Christmas – INDIE BOOK BLOWOUT!!!
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I hope you're ready for this.
LOTS of books are now being offered for

only
99 cents
It's the
INDIE BOOK BLOWOUT's
12 Days of Christmas

Part of this sale are:




WARRIOR'S RISE (Warriors for Light, Book 1)
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THE ULTIMATE GAME (Turner Chronicles, Vol. 1)
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So head on over to their website and check out all the great books they have to offer. You'll want to come back every day until the 24th to see more books. WARRIOR'S RISE & THE ULTIMATE GAME are featured throughout December. So you can give your new Nook or Kindle Santa brings you some of LJ DeLeon's action adventure, urban fantasy romance.

My Favorite Christmas Memory

I've always loved the Christmas season. When I was growing up, it was a time of wonderful music, laughter, kindness, beauty, and families gathering to share and eat. People seemed nicer, smiled more often, children were the center of attention, and there was a Santa in every store with a waiting lap.

The Christmas I remember best was my father's last year in the Army before he retired. He was a Colonel in the Special Forces. While Christmas is usually a family day, my parents invited all the single soldiers in his unit over for a feast.

That year I was ten years old and we had the best Christmas tree ever. The tree was covered in lights and tinsel, and wrapped in what was called angel hair from the top to the bottom. It looked like threads of spun glass.

Oh, my! It was the most magnificent tree I have ever seen. It was over seven feet tall. Lights reflected off the angel hair and silver tinsel inside, creating this glowing gem that left me—as a child—in open-mouthed awe. Every time I saw the tree, I would sit on the floor and stare at it.

So, we had this crowd over dinner. Everyone clustered together eating and laughing. Did I join in? No. I was a kid. These were adults. I let everyone have the chairs and sofas, took my plate, and sat in front of that tree, eating before a magical, winter wonderland.

99 Cent December Sale

To welcome you into the world of Warriors for Light, Warrior's Rise is on sale for 99 cents.

Kindle

Nook

Smashwords

Did I Notice Your Book Blog Hop

The book I noticed was: BRAINRUSH by Richard Bard

With all the new tools out there to monitor book sales and blurbs mentioned about their books, I'm going to highlight a book. If by the end of the day that author finds his/her book on this post, I want him or her how they discovered it—word of mouth through the close network of writers, a Yahoo group mention, or through social media.

Now, how I choose this book. It caught my attention. As a reader, I keep an eye out for something that either draws me in—the cover, the blurb, the reviews, or from a mention on social media.

The book I noticed was: BRAINRUSH by Richard Bard. Why? I usually read urban fantasy romance. However, when I joined Ciara in this venture, I choose action adventure. Amazon gave me a choice of many books. BRAINRUSH caught my eye.

Blurb: When terminally ill combat pilot Jake Bronson emerges from an MRI with extraordinary cognitive powers, everyone wants a piece of his talent–including Battista, one of the world's most dangerous terrorists. To save his love and her autistic child, Jake is thrust into a deadly chase that leads from the canals of Venice through Monte Carlo and finally to an ancient cavern in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan—where Jake discovers that his newfound talents carry a hidden price that threatens the entire human race.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I couldn't pass up buying the book. It's only $0.99. Once I started reading, I was blown away by Bard's writing and can't wait to buy the second book, just released. In addition, BRAINRUSH is a wonderful blend of action adventure, thriller, paranormal, and science fiction rolled into one.

Buy Links: Amazon Nook Smashwords

Be sure to stop by Ciara's blog for the links to the other blogs participating or follow the links below. Each one has chosen a different genre. Have fun and shop well!

List:

Action Adventure http://www.warriorsforlight.com/

Erotica Romance http://danicaavet.wordpress.com/

Historical Fiction – http://emerylee.wordpress.com/

Inspirational http://www.christylasheasmith.com/

Mystery http://murdersandmysteries.wordpress.com/

New Adult http://lynnrush.com/

Non-Fiction http://raelynbarclay.wordpress.com/

Paranormal http://www.hildiemcqueen.com/

Sci Fi http://rustywebb.blogspot.com/

Suspense Thriller http://stephentremp.blogspot.com/

Sweet http://www.lindipeterson.com/

Urban fantasy http://lauraeno.blogspot.com/

Young Adult http://www.brindaberry.com/blog.html

Grand Central Station: www.ciaraknight.com

Did I Notice Your Book

The book I noticed was: BRAINRUSH by Richard Bard

With all the new tools out there to monitor book sales and blurbs mentioned about their books, I'm going to highlight a book. If by the end of the day that author finds his/her book on this post, I want him or her how they discovered it—word of mouth through the close network of writers, a Yahoo group mention, or through social media.

Now, how I choose this book. It caught my attention. As a reader, I keep an eye out for something that either draws me in—the cover, the blurb, the reviews, or from a mention on social media.

The book I noticed was: BRAINRUSH by Richard Bard. Why? I usually read urban fantasy romance. However, when I joined Ciara in this venture, I choose action adventure. Amazon gave me a choice of many books. BRAINRUSH caught my eye.

Blurb: When terminally ill combat pilot Jake Bronson emerges from an MRI with extraordinary cognitive powers, everyone wants a piece of his talent–including Battista, one of the world's most dangerous terrorists. To save his love and her autistic child, Jake is thrust into a deadly chase that leads from the canals of Venice through Monte Carlo and finally to an ancient cavern in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan—where Jake discovers that his newfound talents carry a hidden price that threatens the entire human race.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I couldn't pass up buying the book. It's only $0.99. Once I started reading, I was blown away by Bard's writing. In addition, BRAINRUSH is a wonderful blend of action adventure, thriller, paranormal, and science fiction rolled into one.

Warriors for Light Series

I've been asked by many people what makes the Warriors for Light series different from other fantasy/paranormal series. As the author, I always feel uncomfortable when asked to explain my work. The stories themselves seem to come out of the ether, fully formed.

Yet there is a difference in these books. The elements from action to romance are balanced. The romance arises naturally out of the situations and the characters involved. Neither the hero nor heroine is totally dominant over the other and sometimes not even their battles with demons, real or internal.

Even the level of heat also arises out of the characters. In WARRIOR'S RISE, the staid Padraig and inexperienced, overprotected Deva must explore each other slowly. Deva has been raised from childhood for war, yet she never knew why.

Padraig is haunted by his past and a mistake that cost him his twin. Deva is struggling with her new role as leader and a sensual woman. Only together can they survive, but can he overcome their pasts and the belief the Army of Light's leader must remain a virgin?

On the other hand, in DRAGON CHILD, Saraph shapeshifter Moira and wereleopard Steve battle not only demons from the Abyss but each other and their animal nature. Animals are so much earthier; they want what they want. And when Steve's internal leopard recognizes Moira as his mate, the stage is set for hot sex and the man trying to control his cat.

And Moira?

She wants to explore her newfound dragon abilities and sexuality without the trap of a mate. So she takes advantage of her ability to take the shape of Steve's animal in order to make wild leopard love that steams up even the natural hot spring where they first make love. The sex goes from hot to hotter because they have the liberty to go where their animal nature drives them, yet neither character wants a mate. Fate, it seems, enjoys a good laugh.

ABSOLUTION is different yet again. In book one, Warrior's Rise, fate forces Lucan to choose between the life of Deva Morgan, the Cáidh Arm and leader of the Army for Light, and his father figure/mentor, Nate—who is infected by the villain's mind-controlling seed. Lucan opts for the greater good. He saves Deva. Yet this action overwhelms his soul with guilt, which is slowly destroying him. As a Druid, his powers flow from the Earth, nature's touch designed to provide his internal balance and strength. Unfortunately, Lucan's guilt and his role as a soldier in the war has  cut him off from his healer nature. The deaths of one after another of his family draws him deeper into a darkness from which he may never emerge.

Allana is a powerful healer of royal Fae heritage, driven to save innocents even while on a desperate mission to find her missing twin daughters, stolen from her at birth. Her practical, self-sufficient nature would make her a suitable equal to any partner. However, these describe only her elemental qualities. More important is Allana's ability to  omprehend, at a personal level, the deep pain and darkness of Lucan's loss, the frustration of circumstances beyond one's control, and the potential for salvation in each soul. From her past and her experiences, she brings a singular knowledge to Lucan's struggle. With their unique interactions and challenges, she offers Lucan the potential of a future and hope he considered long dead.

Strangely, Lucan and Allana were the most difficult to write. The Warrior series tends to have a lot of action. Deva and Padraig in Warrior's Rise are warriors, leaders of the Army for Light. In Dragon Child, Steve, is a wereleopard and the heroine, Moira O'Neal, is an über shapeshifter, a fire-breathing dragon who can shift into any form she desires. The alpha personality of these four is obvious immediately.

Whereas in Absolution, Lucan and Allana, while alphas, possess a gentler form of strength. They feel the pain of others and, under the shadow of war, must take actions that are not inherent to their nature. They are, in many ways, stronger and braver than the physically trained and equipped warrior. For me, gentle steel is always harder to write because it relies almost exclusively upon emotion to show a character's strength.

Each book is unique. For Warriors followers, never fear. There will be three books released next year.

Unsnapping the Rubber Band

As all of you know, I seldom talk about myself. My characters are so much more interesting than me, sitting at my desk, pounding out my stories. However, today I decided to invite you into my world.

What stresses me most about writing? The better question would be what doesn't stress me about writing?

I stress over opening sentences in a new scene. What the scene is about, I have that down cold. It's the blasted first line that stumps me. Most people can just start writing. I need that opener. It sets the tone for the scene. Without it, I flounder. And yes, before you ask, I am a perfectionist. Fortunately, I have some trusted friends who are excellent at feeding me just the right opening line to get me going.

I stress over writing love scenes. My scenes can range from tame to spicy hot, depending upon the characters and situation. But they are always emotion-laden. It isn't the emotion that gives a problem, it's my flaming cheeks as I write the mechanics. (Tab A into Slot B) Sometimes writing a love scene feels like a trip to the hardware store. How many screws can you write?

I stress over finishing the book. It doesn't matter that I've been published before. Each book is a new endeavor. Can I finish it? Will it have the emotional impact needed? Will I do my characters justice? Will my middles sag? Will I dry up at Chapter twenty-two of a twenty-three chapter book?

I stress over my freelance editor telling me to take a long vacation from writing every time I send a new work to her. That I'm back to using too many commas or not enough commas. That I've misused there/their/they're or you/your/you're again.

I stress over my characters going on strike and refusing to tell me what comes next.

I stress over the stars being properly aligned for the release date of my book.

I stress whether readers will like my books, including reviewers. It didn't matter that I'd gotten five stars from multiple review sites and a four-pack howl from Bitten by Paranormal Romance. I almost fell apart at a three star review of Warrior's Rise. I was gutted. Ironically, it's an excellent review, well-reasoned and analyzed. It took two glasses of wine for me to see beyond the three stars, and a swift kick my behind by several close friends.

I stress over whether readers will accept that Dragon Child is a lot sexier than Warrior's Rise. But hey, a wereleopard and dragon shapeshifter are bound to have more heat. Aren't they?

As an indie, I stress over my sales to point where I check them more often than a diabetic checks her blood sugar.

I guess you could say I need Prozac. Oh, wait, I'm already on it.

Someone help me.

Interview with a Gargoyle

Today I'm doing something different. I'm taking control back from my characters and interviewing Fritz. He's a gargoyle with a mysterious and regal past. He brings insights to the major characters and circumstance of the first book, Warrior's Rise. He is also in the following two books: Dragon Child and Absolution.

Interview:

LJ: Mr. Fritz, you've known the current Cáidh Arm, Holy Weapon of the Goddess, Deva Morgan, personally for some time now. Can you tell how that first meeting came about and what you think of Deva's progress?

Fritz: Come on LJ, you've known me your entire life. Call me Fritz. Mister makes me feel so old.

LJ: Fritz, you are old, older than dirt.

Fritz:   (He rolls his eyes.) Not nice, LJ. I met Deva twelve years ago on her eighteenth birthday. She was all legs. (He shakes his head and chuckles.) Sometimes, she looked more like a windmill than a black belt in Aikido. Reserved and self-conscious, she had insecurities about being a half-breed—Fae and human—around all supernaturals. Most humans and supes aren't nice to people who are different.

While her protection team loved her and nurtured her like a little sister, losing her father when she was twelve left a large hole in her life. I like to think I stepped into that role. She saw the real me beneath the gargoyle, and I saw a tough, little warrior desperate for acceptance. Over the past year or so, she's grown into quite a leader, one capable of making the heartbreaking choices her role requires. Her mate, Padraig, is the perfect balance for her, with unconditional love yet willing to tell her the truth, and forces her to face what's before her, before all of us.

LJ: You were also around for the rule of Grace, the first Cáidh Arm. Why do you think her reign failed and how can Deva, a half-breed, succeed in her place? Come on, Fritz, just because you're a gargoyle doesn't mean you have to go all stony-faced on me.

Fritz: Grace talked the talk of the Light, but never walked the walk. She was born to the role. Yes, she grew up with the Fae, but she was hIfreann born, a child of angelic privilege. Her beauty hid a selfish core and she was loyal to only one being—herself. Nine other Seraphim and I were her bodyguards. Behind the power and austere beauty, Grace was a racist. To that end, she created Otherworld, separating the supe from the human norms,

or monkeys as she called them. That was the beginning of her downfall and ended with a grab for total power and overthrow the Goddess.

(Fritz's grim expression clears and a small smile plays at the corner of his lips.) Now Deva, she's special. Unlike Grace's exterior beauty, Deva is quick to laugh, and shines from deep in inside her with the Light. She glows. Her aura is love with a core of steel. I knew the moment I met her she was born to be the next Cáidh Arm.

LJ: Your role in Warrior's Rise indicates you have a darker history in the battle of Dark against Light. How do you see this war as different and what are the key strategies the new Holy Weapon and her mate have to achieve to win the war?

Fritz: I fear this war is about more than the Dark Lord and his minions. Raziel, King of the Seraphim, seeks retribution for acts of betrayal Grace committed. Human norms and supes have evolved in the last ten millennia, perhaps not for the better. Back then, everyone recognized evil and understood magick. Much has been lost in this age of technology. Yet, I see hope. With Deva as the Cáidh Arm, the Light has a chance to beat back the Abyss and forge a new and brighter path. As with everything in life, it won't be

without cost.

LJ: In your 'objective observer' role, do you find Deva and Padraig to be well suited to each other? What does she offer him that he's never experienced? And what does Deva bring to Padraig's life that makes her special—aside being soul-mates, because honestly, just because fate decided two people should be together doesn't mean they'll actually are good for each other!

Fritz: Deva accepts Padraig as he is, draws him out of his self-contained shell, and melts the ice he's erected around his heart. At first, I thought they would kill one another. Fate may have decided they belonged together, but neither one would deviate from their mission. Like every supe or Fae, Padraig was raised on the myth that the Cáidh Arm's was pure, virginal, and untouchable—I knew better, but wasn't free to say so. The last thing Deva's agenda was a mate at her side. She was focused on saving Earth from the Dark Lord, with her team at her side. Those two went through their own hell figuring out the Goddess' true purpose. Praise the Goddess it all worked out.

LJ: What do you feel is the most important key to winning the war?

Fritz: Prepare for the worst. As long as Grace is imprisoned by the Goddess, her threat is contained. Should she escape, all are at risk and no one born in hIfreann, the Goddess' realm, can harm her. For now, the army must prevent the Dark Lord from escaping from the Abyss.

Teenage Werewolf

What is a werewolf? We're human. Born human, live as humans and die human. We just have a little extra in our DNA. Okay, a lot extra. Big deal, Earth is overrun with normal humans, called norms. That's because you guys breed like rabbits at a fertility convention. Back in the day, we supernaturals reigned supreme. But that's another story. Keep tuned, one of us will tell it, sooner or later.

My name's James "Jamie" Morrison, Sergeant in the United States Army, Supernatural Special Forces. Designation: Werewolf, second to the Alpha of the Painted Rock Pack. The Alpha happens to be my twin brother—NOT littermate. We were born human in Los Angeles, California at Cedars-Sinai. Until he retired, Dad was a Lieutenant in the LAPD, Homicide Division. One could say he had a nose for the job…and one helluva wolf whistle, or so Mom claims.

See, we're human and don't phase until puberty. How's that for a bummer, or should I say boner? I mean hormones are playing racquetball inside you. A mild breeze across your zipper and you're a walking hard-on. So what happens? Nature throws in the shift. Yup, it just has to happen at the same time.

So there I was fifteen—yeah, I know late for puberty but I'm a werewolf—with the biggest zit this side of Mount St. Helens on the side of my nose when bam, the shift hits. Forget my twin, Mark, he got it right first time out of the gate, but not me. The legs and arms shifted just as I was squeezing the sucker. Try to complete that with a paw.

No pain, no warning, just a twinkle and there I was, half-teen werewolf and half-human collapsing onto my stomach. Seems in wolf form I can't stand upright. So, what do I do? I let out a girly shriek that would rival any horror film's bimbo.

If that weren't bad enough, Mark bounds into the bathroom on all fours, a perfect wolf, and licks my face. The folks rush in. They oohed and aahed over Mark, who preened like the prick he was at that age, and then they notice me moaning, trying to get up onto my paws. Not going to happen. I didn't have the human body length versus four legs ratio figured out yet. Did by the second time though.

FYI, that's when we knew Mark would be the next pack Alpha. As Steve said earlier, only "Pack" Alphas phase perfectly the first time. It only took me three times until I controlled when and how I phased—that's why I'm Mark's second.

The point is, when any were-animal phases it happens in a nano-second and we go from human to wolf or leopard or bear or whatever. No rending of clothes, no pain, just poof, in the blink of an eye we change. I don't know where our clothing or weapons disappear to but when we shift back to human we look the same as before we phased. Fae talk about having an In-between Space where they store stuff, including their many weapons. Maybe our different forms are in a were-in-between space. Who knows?

We predator species have three forms: human, animal and warrior-beast. I think some novelist or filmmaker spotted one of us in warrior-beast form, because the movie creations are closest to warrior-beast. My face, while clearly wolf, will still look like me. It's my eyes; they never change. Fur covers my body. I stand upright, going from a sold five foot ten to almost six foot eight. My legs are shorter than my body and have the look of a wolf/dog being held upright. However, I'm super fast and strong in that form, make that deadly.

I thank the Goddess that all the changes happened during summer and over the weekend, and I'd fully mastered control by Sunday night. It would have been hell missing a year of school, football, surfing, and girls. That and homeschooling is what usually happens to most teen werewolves. It can take up to a year before most teens have phasing into their animal form under complete control. Warrior Beast, that can take a lifetime and some never manage it.

The best part, once I mastered full change, the acne problem disappeared. Seems metamorphosis is the cure that can't be bottled.

Mark had full control of phasing to either his animal or warrior beast that first day. I'm proud to say, I did by the third.

Mark and I played high school varsity football as running backs. What can I say—a wolf is fast, even in human form. And no, I never played for NC State. It was UCLA for the two us all the way. We might surf but, more importantly, we are tenth generation Californians and Dad would have killed us if we'd played for USC given UCLA was his alma mater.

As a warrior-beast, I'm enough to make a meth head go straight but it has little to no impact on demons. I'm still just a tasty treat with magic that will strengthen theirs should they catch and eat me.

Those tales can be told another time. Believe me; I have stories to tell, if LJ and my pain-in-an-ass brother let me.