Shannan Albright's Blog, page 8

Pick Me Up Monday - Happy Independence Day!

Happy Monday!
As everyone prepares for the approaching holiday with family and friends it brings back memories of summers past and the ones who always stay in your heart.I remember summers spent at James Camp up at Kern River above Lake Isabella. Hanging with my cousins Deborah and Denise who I grew up with. We would swim at a local swimming area called the Curve and walk to the little market to grab as much penny candy as we could carry. We would sit by the fire at night and talk and laugh the night away watching our crazy family with their antics. Made me wonder sometimes who were the adults and who the teenagers lol!It was there I fell in love for the first time and had my first heartbreak. Life lessons learned and kept close to my heart.
Life has not always been so idyllic as an adult, but those carefree times helped me through to rough spots. Of all the people in my life who inspired and encouraged me my cousins top the list. If not for them I don't know if I would ever had the courage to embrace my creative side. Denise especially had an impact on me. In incredible artist and creative genus with fashion design, she was always there in my informative years to help me embrace my uniqueness. Not always a good thing in my family. The odd duck in a pond of exquisite swans Denise guided me to embrace my creative side, my dreamer, who gave me the emotion and words so I could put them on paper. First in illustrations and then with words on paper. What ever success I receive in this world is due to her and Deborah's influence on me as a child. So, in closing, I dedicate this post to my twin cousins. Deborah, who has passed on leaving loving memories behind and Denise, my secret mentor who guided me when I was young. That guidance helped me to find myself. Her positive words an echo resounding in my soul to this day and giving me the strength to step out of my safety zone and take a risk. Guess what Denise, I did it and it all began with you.
Everyone have a wonderful holiday, be safe and I'll chat with you again on Monday. 
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Pick Me Up Monday - Preparing for Cover Reveal and Release of Dark Desire

Happy Monday!This guy's got the right idea on how to cool down on a sizzling summer day.
Final edits are done, an excerpt chosen and dedication written. Now comes the wait for my cover and official release date. I'm planing some great promo for the book and a cover reveal so stay tuned for more information on how you can win some prizes and yes, even this latest release.In other news, I'm crazy busy between writing Firestorm, preparing writing events through Opensim and Second Life, and of course producing Hot Mojave Knights with my committee. This is the second year for the reader event had I'm happy to say word of mouth has been great. 
Things are really picking up and now it's crunch time where I need another eight hours to get everything done! Oh, well I always hated being idle anyway. I find if your this busy you don't have time to be nervous about how everything is going to turn out.
Well, back to work, have a very productive week.

Pick Me Up Monday - Dark Desire:#4 of the Dark Breed Enforcer Seroes Summer Release

How's this for a little Monday Inspiration. He is also a character inspiration for me. He screams at me to write him into one of my books and my muse agrees. Don't you think he would make a great dragon shifter?
I'm only weeks away from my fourth book in the Dark Breed Enforcer series, Dark Desire and will soon unveil the book cover. I am planning on a few giveaways and will post all the fun right here. With edits done it's back to work on Firestorm and using my new historical paranormal series as a platform for Opensim, a 3D alternate world where people go and socialize, learn new things and be immersed in a different reality. There are some who use it for role-play and games, others who, like me use it as a promotional tool to invite others to interact with the worlds I write. This is very exciting technology and I will be posting many more blogs about my experiences with this along with pictures of my builds and interactions so stay tuned.Well just wanted to touch base with you all, but now I must get back to writing. Have a wonderful week.

Pick Me Up Monday-Opensim and Greyville's Writing Colony. A New marketing frontier.

Surf's up!Thoughts of white sandy beaches and bikinis come to mind. He looks like a California dream to me.
Just wanted to take a few minutes out to touch base. It's been crazy since last I posted. I went to Phoenix on the 30th for Arizona Dreaming and as usual the reader event was awesome. It was so good to connect with my Arizona buddies who made me feel right at home. I wish I could but you all in my pocket and keep you with me.Then it was a grueling week at the day job filled with long hours and very little rest. With edits for Dark Desire in and still trying to finish Firestorm you would think I had enough on my plate right?
Wrong. Hot Mojave Knights is only months away and I have tons of other promotion with a new writers colony I hooked up with. It's on Opensim and it's the wave of the future for marketing. Greyville, the writers colony lead by talented author Nara Malone has been gathering authors near and far. We have exciting plans for workshops, a ball and a PJ party and let's not forget the robot avatars we are working on who will recite a story for your pleasure. So much is happening and all so very exciting!We back to work, the elves are on strike and refuse to finish my writing and editing for me...ungrateful brats!We will talk again.

Firestorm- #SPeekSunday

Today's offering is the second book in my series. A historical paranormal tentatively named The Children of Drakkan. This book is set in ancient Pompeii. Why? Where else would a fire breathing dragon be at home lol!This book revolves around Rogan Nauld, childhood friend of the king of their shape shifting race and leader of an elite cadre of fighters. I hope you enjoy my current WIP.

     With his orders given he cut through the woods, angling black toward Draghar Keep, his steps brisk. Halfway up a small knoll his arm tingled, sending a chill down his spine, stopping him mid stride. The tingle rapidly became a biting sting as a flush of heat raced through his veins. A fine sheen of perspiration covered his forehead as the heat burned hotter. His upper arm began to throb, sending pain down his arm.
     With a feeling of dread, he shoved his loose linen shirt up, exposing the tattoo of two dragons separated by a curved line. All of Drakkan’s children were bestowed with the brand—even his god Drakkan—by their allies, the Tuatha Dé Danann. The mark was a counter measure for the curse their enemy, Cerne the Black of the Famorian’s, placed on all females who bore even a drop of fey blood. Cerne scattered the females in time with no memory of who they were or that they were the only women the dragons could successfully mate with.And the only way to reach your destined mate was through the      His limbs quaked with sudden weakness as his fever raged higher, his gaze riveted on the brand as the line between the dragons started to move, encircling the dragons. His vision wavered as blood rushed through his ears. Desperate he attempted to calm his pounding heart, a stillness filled the air around him, pulling his gaze to the surrounding woods. Before his astonished eyes the forest began circling around him, the colors swirling into a vortex of ever increasing movement.
      Frantic he reached out to Crispin with his mind. “Something is happening I do not understand. Crispin…Crispin!”
     For a brief second in time, he felt the connection, his friend’s alarm before it was viciously severed, the power streaking back to him with such force his nose bled from the recoil. His world spun with even greater velocity, coiling tight around him like a great snake seizing him in a vice of vicious strength. His world dimmed, his body falling into oblivion and he knew no more. I hope you enjoyed this small sample and enjoy all the wonderful stories just waiting a click away for you.

Blending Paranormal with Historical Fact - Delving Deeper into Soul Fire and Firestorm

Building a world in a paranormal or fantasy genre can give your imagination compete freedom to make up all your rules. Now, taking a historical and weaving your paranormal world within an existing world is much more tricky. First off, you have to know the world your working in. What does this mean for the writer?

Research.

Lots and lots of research. In my latest series, I've taken history and blended my paranormal world within it, twining the two into as plausible environment for my characters to grow in and the stories to flow. In my first book, Soul Fire I've created my world in 12th century Brittan where my shape shifting dragons live hidden in plain sight among humans. The many myths and legends of dragons which flourished in this era have made my world plausible in such a way where it works. But how do you make a story plausible when dealing with shape shifting dragons? This is where all the nuts and bolts I learned through many workshops on craft come in. The Goal, Motivation, and Climax (GMC) are the building blocks for any good story. Along with well thought out layered characters I can now blend historical fact around my paranormal premise. Here is an example of setting the mood of the story within the parameters of factual history. I've chosen a snippet from Soul Fire which I hope demonstrates my point.

The sun sank beneath a restless sea casting the heavens in a glowing nebulous of red orange and gold. Dark shadows swallowed the thick forest leading to the sheer cliffs plunging into the sea. Draghar Keep rose up to touch the jagged outcroppings of rock, reaching to the heavens like the arm of some ancient Titan. Built into the side of the mountain, the Keep boasted high, arched fenestra windows overlooking a small fishing village at the base of the great mountain. Torches flared to life looking, weaving, and darting like an army fireflies in the gloaming.
An undercurrent of excitement carried in the air, anticipation for the night’s festivities. The sound of a bodhran beat out a lively rhythm while the sweet undertones of a lute carried the melody. The music, slow and sensual stirred the blood with thoughts of the upcoming communion between the goddess Flora, the May Queen and the God Jack-of-the-Green. 
Just as important I found is the language of the times. You characters must be believable in that they live within the era depicted. Nothing yanks me out of a book faster than having the characters speak in twenty-first century terms when they are in a different era. Of course if the book is about time travel then I expect it. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. That being said I've seen the other hold true where you can't grasp what the heck they are talking about without a dictionary by you side. Here is an example from Soul Fire where I blend the two to make it believable.
“’Tis not right! The gods are displeased, I tell you,” the aged woman muttered, her gnarled hands worrying the fabric of her rough wool apron.“Still your tongue, old woman!” Egan admonished gently, taking her arm in a firm grip and led her down the stone hallway toward the servant’s quarters. “Now, get you to bed while I attend to Lord Crispin.” “Aye, I will be going Egan Thorne,” the woman grumbled, narrowing her rheumy stare on him. She thrust one boney finger into his face. “Best mark my words, all is not well with our king, and his downfall will be the end of us all.”
In Firestorm the majority of the story is set in ancient Pompeii, I can't very well have them spouting off Latin or no one could understand a word they read. So I tweaked things a bit where the language would blend within my world. 

The history of the time was fascinating and it didn't take long for the story to fill out once the research was done. With so much offered about that time period I found a rich bounty of material to pull from. Again I set the scene of ancient Pompeii as seen through the eyes of the heroine.

Sabine ignored the stares and whispers as she filled her third plain clay pot from the communal fountain and handed them to the two young men standing anxiously awaiting her. They moved away quickly, carrying their precious cargo, back to their Dominus residence. The sun lightened the night sky, dimming the shinning brilliance of the stars in the heavens before vanishing all together, the day promised to be another hot one. Not even the air stirred. No offer of cool breezes from the nearby sea to refresh and ease the steady swelter of a relentless sun. Only the thick odor of sweat and heavy perfumed oils filled her nose, making it tickle uncomfortably. With the back of her hand she wiped the moisture beading on her forehead and took a moment to just watch the fiery disc rise over the mountains chasing the shadows of night back for another day. The whispers around her intensified as she tried to ignore the other women. It mattered little to them that she was, like them, nothing but a slave. What mattered was the way she appeared garbed in strange clothing with no memory of anything save her name. They called her barbarian, from some tribe from Britannia, and certainly not to be trusted. 
I've enjoyed writing both of these stories, and have quite a few more being worked out for this series. What I think I enjoy most about it is the way the premise of these books allows me the freedom to go anywhere I wish in history. Soul Fire was set in the thirteenth century, Firestorm in Pompeii, while the next book is in Elizabethan England. I also have a small trilogy within the series which will include heroines from our time. I hope you join me on my journey and enjoy reading these books as much as I did writing them. Both Soul Fire and Firestorm will release this summer and will be available in both paperback and eBook form.As I put the finishing touches on Firestorm I feel like a parent watching their child go out among the world for the first time. Fearful and excited and looking forward to continuing this amazing journey I'm on, where I can blend historical events and times with a paranormal theme.

Pick Me Up Monday-Gladiators, Ancient Pompeii and Firestorm

Happy Monday my friends!I couldn't help but post this since it perfectly captures the feel of my latest WIP. Firestorm the second book in my historical paranormal series will release this summer. 
I've never been all that interested in Roman times, finding the era to be cruel and barbaric. Only a funny thing happened as I began research of Pompeii for my shape shifting, time traveling dragons. I found the more I learned, the more interested I became. For the past several months I've immersed myself in all things Roman and the life of gladiators specifically. 
The journey I'm on with Rogan and Sabine is filled with wonder as they tell me their story and I can't help but be drawn into their world. It is times like these when I dearly love what I do. How many people can lose themselves in wondrous worlds of their own creation and bring a story and their characters life? Yes, being a writer is an awesome thing where every book opens you up to a new experience, seeing the world through your characters eyes, delving into the history of those times and reading the day to day accounts of people who lived it. 
It makes one appreciate what we take for granted in the twenty-first century. It can also show you another side to life, one of a much slower pace with much less complications. In our world of instant gratification there is not much time now to savor the expectation of working hard for what you want. 
Makes you wonder what hopes and dreams ancient man may have held dear and strove to attain.
Yes, I am a geek when it comes to history. I can't seem to get enough and the more I find out, the more questions I have. Firestorm is proving to be one hell of a journey for me, one which makes me appreciate what I have right in my back yard. Like Dorthy in the Wizard of Oz who realizes at the end there is no place like home. 
Well enough deep thoughts and back to my world where Rogan is waiting impatiently for the next scene to be born. Black dragons are notorious for their quick temper and little patience. Have a wonderful week and don't forget to stop every once in a while. Take the time to smell the roses and be thankful for the little things in life as well as the big.
And with that, I'll chat with you next week.

Pick Me Up Monday - Dark Desire, Soul Fire and Firestorm-One Busy Summer!

Happy Monday!My offering to you this week - some kilted goodness to inspire your day.You may or may not have noticed I've have been gone from all social media last week. I caught a nasty strain of the flu complete with fever and then for a bonus it turned into a head cold from hell. So I spent much of my time sleeping and writing when I could string two sentences together. On the plus side, I'm getting my strength back a little each day.
It occurred to me recently that I have a crazy summer coming up. With the release of Dark Desire, book four in my Dark Breed Enforcer series, will be out in June. Soul Fire will be also released this summer followed by Firestorm. I'm very excited about my new historical paranormal series, which takes place throughout time. Firestorm is set in Pompeii-where else would you place a dragon shape shifter?And of course if I'm placing my shifter Rogan, in Pompeii I just have to have gladiators...hawt, sexy gladiators at that! Boy, my research turned out to be quite extensive. Who knew there was so much to such a bloody sport?Anyway, I'll soon be sharing small excerpts from Firestorm to wet your curiosity very soon.Well, back to it I go. Hope everyone has an awesome week ahead and we will talk again.

Pick Me Up Monday-Back Hard at Work!

Happy Monday Everyone!
It's hard to believe we are almost half way through the year already. The day's and weeks speed by so quickly it seems like no time at all before the holidays will be with us once again.
I've had quite a busy week, with writing hard on Firestorm, the second book in the Children of Drakkan. I was out at the Las Vegas Pirate Fare on Sunday giving a live reading of the first chapter of the first book, Soul Fire and got quite a bit of attention for the book. Something which tickled me no end.Well, it's back to writing, since the deadline looms and I have so much left to do I'm going to be living in my cave for awhile. Have no fear though, I will still make time to touch base with you all and will have news on Dark Desire, book 4 in the Dark Breed Enforcers series which is set to release sometime in June. So excited!
Have a wonderful week all and we will chat again next Monday.

The Knights Druid Book 2-#BHooks

Welcome to another installment of The Knights Druid.

BLURB:
What’s worse than a pissed off Knight? Colin Hennessy.

Shifter, Knight and quick tempered Irishman, Colin remembers vividly his past life as Sir Kay. Haunted by the woman he once loved and lost, he has spent his lives searching for his lost love to no avail. Now Arthur is back and his life once again is filled with purpose. Joined by a common goal, he lives only to protect Arthur and his fellow Knights from the twisted, black magic of Mordred.Juliet Boyd moves among societies rich and pampered, but she holds within her a terrible secret. One Vance Hollister is determined to exploit. Mordred is back in a new skin, now as Vance Hollister and the old evil is alive and well.
Colin and Juliet are unprepared for the flare of attraction that ignites between them from across a moonlit parking lot. Dare she open herself and expose her cursed gift? Can he save Juliet from Vance’s twisted manipulations or will he lose his second chance at love? A showdown between good and evil is coming to a head with Colin and Juliet right in the middle.
HOOK:
“Ms. Brody, I’m Colin Hennessy and I need a word with you.” His voice slid over her an erotic caress of satin on naked skin, his accent strong with the lilt of Ireland. His lips were so firm, so sensual as they quirked up slightly on one side. She had an overwhelming desire to feel that mouth on her own. Her womb clenched as heat flooded her veins with a sharp stab of desire.Her voice was breathless as she asked the only question that came to mind, “Where’s the dog?” Even though she knew the answer, as impossible as it seemed, she knew the dog and man were the same. His gaze cooled. “What are you to Vance Hollister?”
Hooked yet? 
Extasy Books: http://www.extasybooks.com/the-knight-s-druid/Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/The-Knights-Druid-Excalibur-ebook/dp/B008V344NMBarnes & Nobel: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-k... Strand: http://www.bookstrand.com/the-knights-druid