Kimberly Kinrade's Blog, page 21

Sneak Peek of Forbidden Fire-Chapters 1-3! Watch for launch March 27th

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**Warning: This contains spoilers to book 1 of the Forbidden series, Forbidden Mind. Click here to purchase Forbidden Mind or check it out for free on Amazon Prime!**

Chapter 1 – Sam

The warmth of Drake's lips against mine sent butterflies spiraling through my stomach. His strong arms tightened around me just enough to make me feel safe without stealing all the air from my lungs. I rested my cheek against his chest and breathed in his unique scent—part campfire, part wind. Everything about that moment in our bed felt right… until the butterflies in my stomach turned into angry bees bent on killing me.

My legs itched as if unseen bugs crawled through them; I couldn't keep them still. Hot and cold, my body fluctuated between extremes as I opened my mouth to speak, but my throat refused to comply.

"Drake!" My mind called to him even as my body pushed away from his.

He held onto me and refused to let me crawl into my own misery. "Sam, what's wrong?"

I tried to speak out loud, but couldn't. "I don't know. Something is happening to me. Something isn't… right."

Drops of sweat trickled down my forehead and stung my eyes. I shivered and clutched at Drake. My hands wrapped around his taut muscles as if trying to absorb their strength.

His hand dropped to my swollen belly, and he switched to our mind link. 'Is it our baby?'

My mental whimper made me cringe, but I couldn't help it. My body had been invaded by aliens. I wanted to tear my skin off and crawl out of myself. A ball of anxiety grew in my chest, smothering any of the peace I had felt just moments before. "It's not my stomach, it's everywhere. Like a poison or… Ahhhh!"

The pain that ripped through me swallowed up all thoughts of words. If I hadn't already been lying in bed with Drake, I would have crashed to the floor. A vague need clawed at me—some unnamable craving that made no sense to my mind, but which captured the needs of my body.

Some thing was missing, and its absence sent my nervous system into chaos.

Drake covered me with a blanket and pressed his cool hand against my head. "I'm really freaking out here, Sam. You're pale, clammy, and you can't stop shaking. I don't know what to do. I think I should take you to the hospital." The skin around his blue eyes tightened in worry.

I spoke through chattering teeth. "You can't. Baby. Experiments. They might take me away."

I couldn't summon enough clarity to tell him why this was such a bad idea. I'd spent my whole life in a lie. The people who'd raised me as a paranormal spy, for hire to the rich and powerful, had given me everything any girl would ever need to live comfortably. Then they impregnated me against my will and held me prisoner.

If it hadn't been for Drake, I'd have never gotten out.

Drake and I met telepathically, after they kidnapped and imprisoned him at my school. We fell in love before ever meeting in person. Through him, I had learned not only to read minds, but to control them—a gift I often wished I could give back. But it had saved us.

We were free, but hunted.

We couldn't go to a hospital, where we might be reported or discovered. It was too risky.

I didn't realize he'd gone until he came back with a cool washcloth and pressed it against my forehead. "If you aren't feeling better soon, we're going to the hospital. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe and get you out of there, if it comes to that." He towered over me, his spiky blond hair disheveled from our recent make-out session that now seemed so long ago.

My body shuddered, and not just because of my symptoms. Whatever it takes could mean a lot of things to Drake, including—but not limited to—physical violence and total mind control. The darkness of his paranormal talents scared me and seduced me in equal measure.

***

Time held no meaning as my mind darted in and out of memories. Past and present collided to create a full-sensory collage out of my life: playing hide-n-seek with my best friends Luke—who always cheated by walking through walls when he was about to be caught—and Lucy; Mr. Caldrin critiquing my sketches and offering ideas to make them more realistic; targets changing faces, blending into the same person, their thoughts rippling through my mind like waves. Through it all, a demon stalked me from the shadows of my memories, never quite showing its face, but crouching, waiting.

And then I dreamed….

***

The needle plunges into me, tearing through skin in one small, sharp poke. Yellow fluid drains from the vial and into my veins.

I float outside my body, above a younger version of myself sitting on the hospital bed. My brown hair is longer, a child's cut with blunted bangs and pigtails. My blue eyes look brighter, more innocent. "Why do I have to get this all the time? What does it do?"

Dr. Sato also looks younger, though very old to my child-self, her Asian features smooth and pronounced, her white coat and stilted accent forever the same. "You not get it all the time. Only every three months. It vitamin. It make you strong and healthy. Make you feel good."

I struggle to slip into her thoughts, but they're all mumbo-jumbo, the sounds foreign and harsh to my young mind. I haven't yet learned many other languages, just one or two common ones. Her Japanese dialect is not common, and no amount of mind reading will change the fact that I cannot understand her words. Trying only gives me a headache.

Then it's okay. I don't mind not knowing, not hearing her thoughts. All is well.

Time slips forward and again I'm in a hospital bed, only this time I'm older… and unconscious. My legs are spread. A male doctor I've never seen sticks something inside me—

I scream. And scream. And scream.

No one hears.

My sleeping form does not move.

***

"Sam. Sam!"

Fingers dug into my shoulders, pulling me from my dream fragments. Ghostly hands clawed at my mind and tried to carry me back into my nightmares, but Drake's hold on me didn't waver. His mind probed mine; my consciousness had no choice but to wake up and take control.

My throat cracked when I spoke. "How long have I been asleep?"

He sat at the edge of the bed and kissed my head. "A few hours."

"I feel worse than before I fell asleep, like I ran a marathon with a hangover."

The right side of his lips curved up in his signature half grin. "You've never had a hangover, so how would you know?"

I smirked. "I don't have to get drunk to know the aftermath doesn't feel so great. Intelligent people learn lessons without having to make all the mistakes. Unlike some, who think that chugging beer through—what do you call those things? Beer hats?—is a genius thing to do."

"That's the last time I tell you any of my secrets."

"Uh… I can read your mind."

"True. Speaking of reading minds… yours was screaming at me while you slept. Then you actually screamed. What were you dreaming, Hon?"

Only bits and pieces of my dream remained–the terror, the invasiveness–but no real details. Something nudged at the back of my memory, though, an important piece of the puzzle that my subconscious mind needed me to remember.

"I think I'm hungry. Or thirsty. Or… something." What? What did I need to feel better? I resisted the urge to scratch the skin off my restless legs, but it was so hard. Everything ached. Everything had a wrongness about it.

Drake left to get me food. I forced myself out of our Queen-sized bed and made my way to the bathroom we shared with Brad. Sharing a bathroom with two men was not the highlight of my new life, but we were lucky Brad had a place for us at all. He'd even kept all of Drake's stuff when he left their old apartment and rented this one. I would forever be grateful to Brad for standing by Drake the way he had all these years.

I wiped down the sink with a piece of toilet paper, erasing evidence of men who brushed their teeth like children, and splashed warm water over my face. My symptoms were all so muddled–pregnancy and illness duking it out for supremacy in my miserable body. Dizziness. Restless legs. Nausea. Anxiety. Shakiness. Those all seemed new. Well, not the nausea, but what had once been run-of-the-mill had turned into a Code Red vomit fest. Not normal.

Time for Google.

When Drake returned with a turkey sandwich, a salad and water, I sat propped-up in bed with the laptop on my legs.

My search results revealed a lot of random diagnosis. Adrenal insufficiency. Environmental allergy. Hormone imbalance—very likely, all things considered. Unknown pathogen—thank you, Google, that's very useful.

The one diagnosis that kept popping up again and again was the one that scared me the most.

Drug withdrawal.

Chapter 2 – Drake

St. Michael's Catholic Church occupied the entire corner of Naples and Coeur D'Alene Avenue in a quaint neighborhood of Venice, where kids played ball on the street and women sold Tamales from their pushcarts on the corner. Typical Southern California.

The church had been Drake's fifth foster family's contribution to his life. He didn't remember the family all that much—they all blurred together after awhile—but he did remember this church and Father Patrick. It had been too long since Drake visited the old Priest. Now he needed him more than ever.

Sam and Drake escaped the clutches of Rent-A-Kid just over a month ago, and for the last two weeks, Drake had stood by and watched as Sam suffered. She'd grown gaunt and pale, and lost too much weight, especially with their baby growing inside of her. She shook all the time, and cried when she thought he wasn't looking. Drake had seen people come off meth… and that's what Sam looked like.

He hadn't taken her to the hospital. She was too scared they would keep her for drug use while pregnant, or something. Drake knew he could get her out, no problem, but she didn't want him using his powers that way.

If he couldn't use his powers to protect his child and girlfriend, then what was the point of having powers? He didn't understand Sam's problem with using para-powers that were a part of them. How could it be wrong if it's how they were born?

He pushed the large, wooden carved doors in and stood for a moment, letting the silence and holiness of the place rest over him like a shawl.

As if psychic—and Drake had long suspected he was—Father Patrick shuffled down the aisle with arms wide open. "Drake, my boy, it's been too long. Too long. I've been worried for you."

The old man, a good foot shorter than Drake, wrapped his arm around the taller man and gave him an affectionate squeeze.

"I've sensed some darkness around you, boy. And I've been saying my prayers."

Drake followed him down the aisle and through a side door into the priest's office. "I could use your help, Father."

"It's not my help you need, but our Lord Father's help." He smiled and sat behind his desk. "Yes, I know, you don't believe in all this, but that doesn't mean He doesn't believe in you." He waved his hand dismissively. "Never mind all that. What can I help you with?"

A plump woman dressed in orange opened the door and peeked her head in. "I'm so sorry to interrupt, Father, but I thought I heard…." Her voice trailed off as she made eye contact with Drake. "…and I did! Drake, look at you, such a big boy. Where have you been? You should see the patio and garden this time of year. So lovely. Everyone is just so grateful for all the work you did on that. We have never seen a young man with so much strength."

Mrs. Maypol kissed Drake's cheeks and hugged him so hard a normal person might not have been able to breathe. He smiled big and hugged back, more gently so as not to crush her.

He looked to the priest and to Mrs. Maypol. These people had been his family growing up. Whenever he could sneak away from whatever foster home served as temporary residence, he came here. Through the years, it just seemed natural to help them out with different projects around the place. He never took to their religion, but always believed their hearts were in the right place.

"It's good to see you, Mrs. Maypol. I've been out of town for awhile, but I've missed you all too."

"Well, I'll leave you to your talk. I just had to say hi!" She bustled out as quickly as she'd bustled in.

The priest settled his eyes on Drake. "You're in some kind of trouble, I suspect?"

Drake debated how much to tell him about what he'd gone through. Trust wasn't the issue; he didn't want to put Father Patrick in danger if anyone should come looking for him. They might not find his connection to this church, but he couldn't risk it.

"I'm not even sure I should have come here. It could be dangerous, but I didn't know who else to talk to. Father, you know how I've always been… different?"

The priest chuckled. "Yes, different. That's one way of putting it. I seem to recall a young Bishop who will never return to this church because he believes it is haunted and that his soul became possessed one Sunday while doing a guest sermon."

Drake laughed. He hadn't thought about that day in many years.

***

At ten years old, Drake was just starting to test the limits and boundaries of his powers. When the Bishop yelled at one of the other kids for not kneeling properly during the Sacraments, he became the perfect target.

The man stood at the front of the church, full of pomp and arrogance, proclaiming God's intention that even the poor give of their last dime to further finance the Armies of God. It irritated Drake that this man, who knew nothing of the people here, would drain his foster family of what little they had out of misguided guilt.

Time to play a little prank.

As the Bishop droned on… "To any who hold back even the smallest penny of abundance, everlasting misery shall surely follow you for your lack of faith and lack of support…." Drake slipped into the Bishop's oily, weasely little mind. "And so we petition you as Christ petitioned His followers, to give until it hurts, for only then will you…." –and Drake was in— "…dance the hokey pokey in heaven."

A murmur of surprise started like a wave through the packed congregation. When the Bishop actually started doing the hokey pokey, bursts of guilty laughter hiccupped throughout the crowd.

Father Patrick, sitting on stage behind the Bishop, looked straight into Drake, and the ten-year-old understood in that instant… the Father knew.

***

"That was how we met." Drake closed the memory back up, putting it away carefully in his mind. He didn't have many happy memories, but those he did he guarded fiercely.

"A day I shall forever cherish," Father Patrick said. "And between you and me, that pompous Bishop deserved a bit of humbling. But, back to the point of it all: yes, you are different."

"There are more of my kind. Not exactly like me, but with different abilities. All kinds of abilities, things you wouldn't believe if you saw!"

The priest's eyebrow arched up in surprise. "How many?"

"I don't know exactly, but an entire school's worth, and younger kids in another facility. They're using them, doing horrible genetic experiments, and… I've fallen in love with a girl. Sam is her name, and she's pregnant with my child. I'm going to be a dad, and… the kicker is… we've never even…." Drake hesitated. "We've never known each other in the Biblical sense," he finished.

The priest laughed full belly at that. "You can use the word, boy. Sex. I'm a priest, not dead. I'm familiar with the word. As to the rest, I need to give this some thought."

Drake fidgeted in his chair. "Do you think I'm crazy?"

"No, but this is a lot to take in. I'm not surprised that there are others with special gifts. History, and my own life experiences, prove that, whether through supernatural or genetic intervention, some people are blessed with incredible powers. But an organization that would exploit these children, use them and experiment on them? This is the highest level of unholy. They must be stopped."

"We're trying to work out a plan. Sam's friends are there. We need to rescue them."

Father Patrick reached over and patted Drake's hand. "I can't imagine what you're going through, Son, but you're not alone. The church has resources that can help. I know the Church doesn't have quite the political reach it used to, but we still have some influence. Whatever I can do, I will."

"It's such a relief to finally talk to you about this. I've been so alone in it all, and now I'm about to be a father. I've never even known a real father in my own life. All this other stuff aside, how am I supposed to take care of a child?"

"That's an entirely different conversation, Son. It won't be easy, but it isn't for anyone. You're loyal and loving and your child will feel that, even when you make mistakes. And you have your church family to help, always."

Drake nodded. As usual, Father Patrick nailed it on the head. No one knew him like this man did, and no one Drake knew had more wisdom and insight. "There's more. Sam is really sick. I think this organization, in addition to impregnating her, also drugged her and all the kids there. She's going through major withdrawals. I'm worried about her, and about our baby, but she won't let me take her to the hospital. She's scared they'll take her away. But I can protect her. I can get her out. Only, she doesn't really approve of my 'special abilities.' At least one of them. I love her, but when I'm around her, I feel like something inside me is bad. Do you think what I can do is evil?"

The Father didn't answer for many, long, silent minutes. They ventured out of comfortable silence and into a twitching kind of quiet that forced Drake out of his chair so he could pace the room. When the priest finally did speak, the direction of the conversation surprised Drake.

"Do you remember the story of Joseph and his ability to decipher dreams into prophesy?"

"Yeah, his brothers were jealous of him and sold him to slavery, but he used his gifts to garner favor from the Pharaoh. He became very powerful."

"His gifts were often considered in the realm of sorcery. In fact, many gifted prophets in the Bible went against the norm of the day."

"But I'm not a prophet. I control people's minds. There's a big difference."

"You were born to be who you are, my boy. Every gift has a dark and light side. It's a tool. The morality or immorality isn't inherent in the tool, it's in how you choose to wield the tool."

"So what do I do? How do I help her? When we were escaping the center… something happened. A woman who was helping us died. Sam wouldn't leave her, but we had to get out of there. Sam had been shot and was in shock. I didn't have time to think, I just acted… and I controlled her to get her to the car. I don't think she's forgiven me, even though she says she has. Was it wrong to do that?"

"Only you know if what you did was right or wrong. As for Sam, it's a very hard thing to lose control like that. Try to see it from her perspective. Don't give up, Drake. And know that I'm always here if ever you need me."

The priest pulled a Rosary out of his desk and handed it to Drake. "Take this. I know you don't use it in the way I might suggest to others, but let it be a symbol of the love I hold for you, the son I never had."

Tears filled Drake's eyes as he reached for the gift. Precious gems of emerald, ruby and sapphire alternated to create a beautiful pattern that led to a silver crucifix, with the anguished Jesus hanging from a cross. Drake always wondered why Catholics focused on the torture and pain of the crucifixion, while Protestants focused on the empty cross of the resurrection. Father Patrick had explained once. 'The crucifixion is a reminder to us of the Lord's sacrifice. For while others focus on the redemptive nature of humanity, we choose to focus on the redeemer Himself, so that His sacrifice is never in vain.'

The priest handed him a tissue. Drake wiped his eyes and put the Rosary in his pocket. "Thank you, Father. It means more than you know."

"Come, I will walk you to your car, and you can tell me more about Sam."

They took the long way, walking around the pristine church grounds. Drake had said more than he intended. The old priest always did have a way of getting him to open up.

Father Patrick turned to him when they arrived at the car. "What do you plan to do now?"

"I don't know. Wait until Sam gets better, then figure out the next step. Her friends are still trapped there. We need to figure out a way to get them out."

"And what will you do with so many children and teens if you do free them? Where will they go? With whom will they live?"

"Honestly, we haven't thought that far ahead. We've kind of been reacting more than planning so far."

"Do you have a few more minutes? I'd like to show you something."

Drake nodded and followed the priest back into the church. They made their way back to the priest's office.

He moved aside a picture of the crucifix and revealed a safe. "I had a sense, some time back, that we would need this, though I didn't know why or when." Father Patrick pulled out a thick envelope and handed it to Drake.

"What's this?"

"Open it and see."

Drake sifted through the papers: A deed to 100 acres of land in Washington, and the blueprints for what looked like a mansion.

Drake sat, stunned. "What is this?"

"It's for the children you rescue, a place for new beginnings. It can be anything you want, including a live-in school for your paranormal friends."

"This is incredible. How did you—?" Drake looked at the man who had practically raised him. "You seem awfully prepared for something you knew nothing about until a few minutes ago."

The priest's blue eyes sparkled with mischief. "What can I say? I was a Boy Scout."

"Right… and it has nothing to do with how you always seem to know things you shouldn't?"

"My boy, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I should introduce you to Sam. She's good at reading people."

The priest laughed and hugged him. "I'd love to meet her. I have nothing to hide from your mind-reading girlfriend."

"Thank you, Father. You've given me hope when I was ready to give up."

"Never give up, Son. There is always reason to hope."

Goodbyes were hard, but Drake needed to go someplace and think. He needed to process all this new information and figure out what it would mean for him and Sam.

He was pulling into a parking spot at the beach before it occurred to him that he'd never told the old priest what para-power Sam had. So how'd he know she could read minds?

Chapter 3 – Drake

Drake inhaled the cool, salty beach air and sunk his toes into the warm sand. The crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean always calmed his mind, but not this time. He dropped his shoes onto the sand and rolled his cargo pants up past his calves, so he could feel the sharp bite of the cold water over his feet.

The sun hovered over the ocean, ushering in another day. Surfers dotted the watery landscape; Drake longed to be one of them, lost in the Zen of the wave, no other care or concern but that one moment of bliss.

His life had changed too much for surfing to bring him any peace. That day so many months ago changed everything. He'd been primed to win the regional Venice Beach Surfing Competition—next stop, Hawaii. Brad had warned him to keep a low profile, but surfing was too important to him, so Drake competed.

And he'd paid.

***

The wave crested and his board sliced into the water as he rode it to shore. In that moment, every molecule of his being had become one with the ocean.

The cheering crowd drummed in the back of his mind, but didn't break through the tranquility that surfing always brought him.

Rick knocked surfboards with him and grinned. "That wave was off the hook, man. A few more like those and you're sure to place first."

The warm sand squished under his feat and the hot sun blazed down on his head. His senses came to him in increments but he smiled at his friend. "Thanks, dude, it felt good. I'm going to rinse off and grab a drink before the next round."

Drake dug through his cooler and pulled out a bottle of water, guzzling it in one gulp. He walked to the showers and rinsed off some of the saltwater and sand residue.

Something stung his shoulder.

He reached around and pulled out a dart. His thoughts swirled around in his head and his recent clarity gave way to a jumble of confusing thoughts.

"Dude, are you all right?"

A voice spoke to him, but male or female, he couldn't tell. His vision blurred and he slumped onto the wet cement, with the cold water spraying over him until it ran out of time and stopped.

"Drake, you'll be okay. Come on, boy."

Again, a voice he didn't recognize. He reached out with his mind to stop whoever was touching him, but nothing happened. His power didn't work.

When hands pulled him away from the familiar noises, he fought with his muscle.

"Damn it, he's still too strong. Get him to the van, quick."

Before Drake could process anything more, a painful whack to his head sent him tumbling into darkness.

***

Drake wondered if his blood still stained the block of cement his attackers had used to bash in his head that day, after hitting him with a tranquilizer gun from afar. Overkill, much? They hadn't underestimated his strength, at least.

Still, not all was lost. The priest's words gave him hope. They could form a plan. They had help. They were not alone.

But how did the priest know so much? Was he psychic?

A shout from behind pulled him out of his thoughts. "Drake!"

Kylie the Beach Bunny, as she liked to be called, hadn't changed a bit. Bits of a silver string bikini hugged her curvaceous form as if it were painted on. Her bleach blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders in artificial curls. Pretty much everything about Kylie was artificial, actually. Drake could not for the life of him remember why he'd ever hooked up with such a shallow creature.

Drake hadn't turned around all the way when Kylie slipped her slender arm around his waist and pressed her body against his back.

His skin crawled at her touch.

She leaned in close to his ear, her voice a contrived throaty whisper. "I've been missing you, Drakey boy. Nobody has ever had the stamina you do."

"Drake?"

Oh, shit.

Drake turned to face the last person he wanted to see in that moment.

Sam.

**Look for Forbidden Fire on Amazon, March 27th, 2012 through Evolved Publishing–and stay tuned for some major announcements and promotions that day as well!**

Vote for your favorite Three Lost Kid book!

I need your help! In a few days, Evolved Publishing will be entering one of my children's books into a competition for "The Best Children's Illustrated e-Book" and I can't decide which one to pick!

So I've created a poll. Please enter your vote and help me decide. You can get a free sample of each book on Amazon. If you're a Prime Member, you can even borrow them for free.

Here's a bit about each book:

Inspired by three little girls with adventurous spirits, the Three Lost Kids Series takes readers to worlds unexplored and adventures untold, where they meet magical creatures, go on great quests and learn important life lessons for their everyday world.

Ideal for readers 3-9 years old, the Three Lost Kids Series is a unique hybrid of a lower grade chapter book and children's illustrated book, great for kids transitioning! Written by award winning author Kimberly Kinrade and illustrated by the amazing Josh Evans, these books will spark the imagination in readers of all ages.

Get Lexie World and Bella World on Amazon today.

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Lexie World (Three Lost Kids, #1)

…Each time I put my foot down, it sank deeper into trash. The crunch and grind of it all sounded like monsters coming to eat me.

Oh my goodness! The crunching and grinding got louder. So loud, I knew it couldn't be just us.

My hands shook and my feet stopped working right. I didn't want to look behind me.

Then something smacked me in the back of my head! My eyes got all cloudy with tears.

I looked behind me. Big mistake….

~~

5-year-old Lexie is tired of getting in trouble for leaving her stuff and trash outside. She doesn't mean to litter or ruin her shoes, but it's just so hard to remember sometimes.

When she, her two big sisters and their dog TayTay find a portal to Lexie World, Lexie discovers the consequence littering has had on her special world. Garbage Goblins have taken over and are destroying the Earth!

[image error]To save Lexie World, the girls (and TayTay) must travel with their new Unicorn friend through the Waters of Waste and over the Mountain of Lost Clothes to retrieve a piece of the Mirror of Ice in order to remind the Garbage Goblins of their true form and break their curse.

[image error]On this journey, Lexie learns about courage, love and the importance of taking care of her world.

With full color illustrations by Josh Evans, Lexie World bridges the gap between picture books and chapter books, offering children 4-9 years old a new, exciting reading journey.

Get your copy of  Lexie World now on Amazon. (Free Kindle apps are available for PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad) If you have Amazon Prime, check it out free on Kindle.

Want a sneak peek of the first three chapters? Read them here >> Lexie World, Chapters 1-3.

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Bella World (Three Lost Kids, #2)

….A large presence settled behind me. I knew without turning around what I would find, but still I turned…

…and faced the Dragon.

I screamed so loud my throat went raw. TayTay howled and barked in the distance below me. Shots of rainbow lit up the trees, and Madelynne screamed for me. But none of it helped.

The green scales and glowing green eyes of the monster the whole village feared hovered just a few inches from my head. Then its claws wrapped around me, scratching me and squishing me in painful ways, and all at once I was flying….

~~~~~~

Bella is tired of getting blamed every time her sisters lose something. It's not her fault they misplaced something important, so why does everyone assume she took it? It makes her blood boil that no one appreciates all the things does to help and protect people. Sometimes her anger makes her do things she regrets later.

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When she, her two sisters and and their dog TayTay find a watery portal to Bella World, they are surprised to discover a town ravaged by Dragon attacks. But not all is as it seems, a lesson Bella learns when they are sent to stop the Dragon.

Together, Bella and Emerald the Dragon learn to control their Dragon Fire, make amends to those they have wronged and in the process find the appreciation and acceptance they sought all along.

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~~~~~

With full color illustrations by Josh Evans, Bella World bridges the gap between picture books and chapter books, offering children 4-9 years old a new, exciting reading journey.

Get your copy of  Bella World now on Amazon. (Free Kindle apps are available for PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad) If you have Amazon Prime, check it out free on Kindle.

Now it's time to vote!

Go to this FB app to vote on a poll, or leave your comments here:

http://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/zrzwzw9n

THE GAIA WARS – FREE ON AMAZON, one day only!

[image error]Kenneth G. Bennett's YA fantasy adventure, THE GAIA WARS—the first entry in a new, highly-acclaimed YA series—will be FREE on Amazon one day only: Tuesday, March 6, 2012. http://amzn.to/y7wO6Z

Kirkus Reviews calls The Gaia Wars "A solid first entry of a promising, imaginative new young adult fantasy series featuring a well-crafted character," and readers agree. As of March 1, 2012, The Gaia Wars and its sequel, Battle for Cascadia, had received 57 reviews on Amazon and 96 reviews on Goodreads, for an average of 4.5 stars.

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About The Gaia Wars

Deadly secrets have been buried in the Cascade mountain wilderness for centuries. Hidden. Out of sight and out of mind.

Until today…

Warren Wilkes, age 13, doesn't like what a greedy housing developer has done to his peaceful mountain community, so he vandalizes the developer's property, flees into the wild, and stumbles upon an ancient human skeleton revealed by torrential rain. More than old bones have been exposed, however, and the curious artifact Warren finds makes him question his own identity, and his connection to an ancient terror. A terror destined to rise again and annihilate all that Warren loves. He must fight or see his whole world destroyed.

The Plane-Bellied Sneetches Had None Upon Thars

Today is Dr. Seuess's birthday and Read Across America Day.

What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book or story? I love the Sneetches story. I have fond memories of reading that as a child.

"Now the star-bellied Sneetches had bellies with stars. But the plane-bellied Sneetches had none upon thars. Those stars weren't so big, they were really quite small. You would think such a thing wouldn't matter at all."

A powerful tale that teaches about prejudice and acceptance.

Enjoy this video of the Sneetches and share your favorite Dr. Seuss story.

[image error]If you're looking for a new, fun children's book to read with your little Sneetch tonight, check out my children's illustrated chapter books, Lexie World and Bella World. No Sneetches, but you will find unicorns, dragons, garbage goblins, beautiful illustrations and important life lessons for readers young and old.

Happy Read Across America Day!

Norse gods, Valkyrie and Romance… a new YA Fantasy from Evolved Publishing

[image error]I'm so excited to announce a new book , DEAD RADIANCE – Book 1 in the Valkyrie Novels, from my dear friend and awesome author T.G. Ayer. This YA Paranormal Fantasy from Evolved Publishing is steeped in Norse mythology, full of Valkyries and Norse gods. I loved this book!

It's available now at Amazon.

~~~~~

…My fingers uncurled their desperate grip on the rose and it fell, tilting, to drop head first onto the casket, twirling as it descended into the eerie depths. It hit the lid and shattered. Petals flew in all directions and everywhere yellow scraps of the dismembered flower reflected Joshua's iridescent light….

~~~~~

Short Description for DEAD RADIANCE – Book 1 in the Valkyrie Novels:

For as long as she can recall Bryn Halbrook has seen a golden aura around certain people, and it is only when her new best friend Joshua dies that she understands the glow means death. Bryn struggles to adapt to a new town and a new foster home while trying to deal with the guilt of being unable to save her friend. Until mysterious biker-boy, Aidan Lee arrives.

When Aidan unexpectedly takes off he leaves behind a shattered heart, a ton of unanswered questions and a mysterious book that suggests Bryn is a Valkyrie. Bryn is faced with questions about Aidan's real identity, the real reason he came to Craven, and that Odin, Freya and Valhalla just might be real.

As if accepting her new wings, new life and new home in Asgard isn't difficult enough, Bryn is forced to find and return the precious necklace of the Goddess Freya. The only problem is – if she fails, Aidan will die.

The mystery of a Mythology is easy to enjoy. The reality is much harder to accept.

You can sample the first 3 chapters HERE.

My mini-review:

Bryn Halbrook is a strong, self-reliant orphan who finds herself in the most unusual of circumstances as she begins to unravel the mystery of who she really is. When a mysterious boy arrives at her foster house, reality takes a turn for the mythological and Bryn is thrust into unimaginable adventures in a quest to save Aidan's life and recover her own.

This book is beautifully written with strong, vibrant prose, engaging characters and a wonderful story. I loved every page and can't wait for the next book. If you enjoy norse mythology, magic, romance, adventure, strong female leads and brilliant writing, you will LOVE this book!

Get it on Amazon.

Sneak Peek of Forbidden Fire (book 2 of the Forbidden series)

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Here is a sneak peek of Forbidden Fire, book #2 of the Forbidden Series. This will be available on March 27th, 2012 from Evolved Publishing, but I will be posting a few *unedited* chapters here to tease you!

Chapter 1: Sam

The warmth of Drake's lips against mine sent spirals of butterflies fluttering in my stomach. His strong arms tightened around me just enough to make me feel safe without stealing all the air from my lungs. I rested my cheek against his chest and breathed in his unique scent—part campfire, part wind. Everything about that moment in our bed felt right… until the butterflies in my stomach turned into angry bees bent on killing me.

My legs itched with unseen bugs crawling through them; I couldn't keep them still. Hot and cold, my body fluctuated between extremes as it tried to find a temperature to settle on. I opened my mouth to speak, but my throat refused to comply.

"Drake!" My mind called to him even as my body pushed away from his.

He held onto me, refusing to let me squirm away into my own misery. "Sam, what's wrong?"

I tried to speak out loud again, but couldn't. "I don't know. Something is happening to me. Something isn't… right."

Drops of sweat trickled down my forehead and stung my eyes. I shivered and clutched at Drake. My hands wrapped around his inhumanly strong muscles as if trying to absorb their strength.

His hand dropped to my swollen belly and he switched to our mental mind link. 'Is it our baby?'

My mental whimper made me cringe, but I couldn't help it. My body had been invaded by aliens. I wanted to tear my skin off and crawl out of myself. A ball of anxiety grew in my chest, smothering any of the peace I had felt just moments before. "It's not my stomach, it's everywhere. Like a poison or… Ahhhh!"

The pain that ripped through me swallowed up all thoughts of words. If I hadn't already been lying in bed with Drake, I would have crashed to the floor. A vague need clawed at me—some unnamable craving that made no sense to my mind but had captured the needs of my body.

Some thing was missing, and the absence of it sent my nervous system into chaos.

Drake covered me with a blanket and pressed his cool hand against my head. "I'm really freaking out here, Sam. You're pale, clammy and you can't stop shaking. I don't know what to do. I think I should take you to the hospital." His blue eyes tightened in worry.

I spoke through chattering teeth. "You can't. Baby. Experiments. They might take me away."

How to sum up all of my fears? My mind didn't have the clarity of thought to tell him why this was such a bad idea. I had spent my whole life in a lie. At the Rent-A-Kid center where I grew up, I thought my paranormal ability to read minds was being used for good… mostly. Sure, some of my clients didn't have the moral high ground, but neither did my targets with their perverse lies and false lives. I was a spy-for-hire to the rich and powerful and I had been one of the best at my job. At school, I was cared for and given the best of everything—education, food, clothes, living environment—and I had the best of friends and a purpose.

When I turned eighteen, I had a whole life waiting for me at Sarah Lawrence College. But none of it was real. They used me and my body as a tool to breed more paranormal kids. I had been raped—not literally—but for all intents and purposes. They had artificially inseminated me against my will and locked me up in a clinic. If it hadn't been for Drake, I'd have never gotten out.

Drake and I had met telepathically, after they kidnapped and imprisoned him at my school. We had fallen in love before ever meeting in person. Through him, I had learned how to not only read minds, but control them—a gift I often wished I could give back. But it had saved us. We were free… but hunted.

We couldn't go to a hospital where we might be reported or discovered. It was too risky.

I didn't realize he had gone until he came back with a cool washcloth and pressed it against my forehead. "If you aren't feeling better soon, we're going to the hospital. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe and get you out of there, if it comes to that." He towered over me, muscles bulging, his spiky blond hair disheveled from our recent make-out session that now seemed so long ago.

My body shuddered, and not just because of my symptoms. Whatever it takes could mean a lot of things to Drake… including—but not limited to—physical violence and total mind control. The darkness of his paranormal talents scared me and seduced me in equal measure.

***

Time held no meaning as my mind darted in and out of memories. Past and present collided to create a full-sensory collage out of my life. Playing hide-n-seek with Luke (who always cheated by walking through walls when he was about to be caught) and Lucy… Mr. Caldrin critiquing my sketches and offering ideas to make them more realistic… targets changing faces, blending into the same person, their thoughts rippling through my mind like waves. Through it all, a demon stalked me in the shadows of my memories, never quite showing its face but instilling fear and foreboding nonetheless.

And then I dreamed…

The needle plunges into me, tearing through skin in one small, sharp poke. Yellow fluid drains from the vial and into my veins…

I float outside my body and see a younger version myself sitting on the hospital bed. My brown hair is longer, a child's cut with blunted bangs and pigtails. My blue eyes look brighter, more innocent. "Why do I have to get this all the time? What does it do?"

Dr. Sato also looks younger, though very old to my child-self, her Asian features smooth and pronounced, her white coat and stilted accent forever the same. "You not get it all the time. Only every three months. It vitamin. It make you strong and healthy. Make you feel good."

I struggle to slip into her thoughts, but it doesn't work. It's all mumbo-jumbo, the sounds foreign and harsh to my young mind. I have not yet learned the languages of others, except for one or two common ones. Her Japanese dialect is not common, and no amount of mind reading will change the fact that I cannot understand her words. Trying only gives me a headache.

And then it's okay. I don't mind not knowing—not hearing her thoughts. All is well.

Time slips forward and again I am in a hospital bed, only this time I am older… and unconscious. My legs are spread. A male doctor I've never seen sticks something inside me—

I scream. And scream. And scream.

But no one hears.

My sleeping form does not wake.

"Sam. Sam! Wake up."

Fingers dug into my shoulders, pulling me from my dream fragments. Ghostly hands clawed at my mind and tried to carry me back into my nightmares, but Drake's hold on me didn't waver. His mind probed into mine; my consciousness had no choice but to wake up and take control.

My throat cracked when I spoke. "How long have I been asleep?"

He sat at the edge of the bed and kissed my head. "A few hours."

"I feel worse than before I fell asleep. Like I ran a marathon on a hangover."

He smiled. "You've never had a hangover, how would you know?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "I don't have to get drunk to know the aftermath doesn't feel so great. Intelligent people learn lessons without having to make all the mistakes. Unlike some… who think that chugging beer through—what do you call those things? Beer hats?—is a genius thing to do."

"That's the last time I tell you any of my secrets."

"Drake, I can read your mind. It's not likely you'll be able to keep them from me."

"True. Speaking of reading minds… yours was screaming at me while you slept. Then you actually started screaming. What were you dreaming, hon?"

Only bits and pieces of my dream remained. The terror, the invasiveness… but no details. Something nudged at the back of my memory, though. An important piece of the puzzle that my subconscious mind needed me to remember.

"I think I'm hungry. Or thirsty. Or… something." What? What did I need to feel better? I resisted the urge to scratch the skin off my restless legs, but it was so hard. Everything ached. Everything had a wrongness about it.

Drake left to get me food. I forced myself out of our Queen sized bed and made my way to the bathroom. I splashed warm water over my face and mentally listed my symptoms. Dizziness. Restless legs. Nausea. Anxiety. Shakiness. It was time for Google.

When Drake returned with a turkey sandwich, a salad and water, I was propped up in bed with the laptop on my legs.

My search results revealed a lot of bizarre stuff. But the most relevant answer?

Drug withdrawal.

The Last 12 Years Do Not Exist!

Okay, this may not be the most pressing philosophical question of the 21st century, but I'm truly befuddled. What happened to the last twelve years?

There's a Facebook status that has been circulating:

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And I realized, this is true for me. For some reason, the last twelve years aren't registering on my internal time memory stick. It's not that they aren't significant. They are. The most significant, actually, of my whole life.

In the last 12 years (and in no particular order) I have:

Given birth to my three beautiful daughters
Met my soul mate
Graduated college
Gone to grad school
Studied French at the Sorbonne in France
Worked as a stage manager on Off-Broadway in New York
Seen the Eiffel Tower at night all sparkly and full of lights
Sun-bathed topless on a beach in France
Worked as a theater critic and entertainment writer for a major Los Angeles newspaper
Written six books and published four of them
Discovered my literary home with Evolved Publishing
Made some of the best friends I could ever have hoped to find

This is the super-short list, but you get the idea. The last twelve years have not been without note. Very note-worthy indeed on a personal level, not to mention all the global stuff that has happened.

So what's the deal? Why are we still stuck in the 90s?

I have a theory. It's not scientific, and this is a blog, not a research site, so I'm not going to site sources and stuff, but basically, I think we are stuck in the 90s because it's the last decade that has a name.

I've heard somewhere that without a word to describe something, our brains are unable to even register its existence.

We have the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. But what about the first two decades of the 21st century? What do we call 2000 to 2010? The 00s? Somehow this just doesn't have the same ring to it. What do we call the decade we are in? The 10s? A bit better, but only marginally.

So we're stuck. Until we get into the real decades again, we have no language to sum up the collective experience of the last ten years, and therefore they don't exist.

Quite a conundrum we have found ourselves in. Maybe the world really did end when the calendars switched to January 1, 2000 and we are all recycled memories of past decades that were properly named.

Scary thought. And possibly fodder for my next paranormal novel.

The launch of Bella World and a major book sale!!

For all of you who may have enjoyed Lexie World (The Three Lost Kids, #1), you will love Bella World–book 2 of this best-selling children's fantasy series that boasts amazing, full-color illustrations by Evolved Publishing's own Josh Evans.

[image error]…A large presence settled behind me. I knew without turning around what I would find, but still I turned….

…and faced the Dragon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bella is tired of getting blamed every time her sisters lose something. It's not her fault they misplaced something important, so why does everyone assume she took it? It makes her blood boil that no one appreciates all the things she does to help and protect people. Sometimes her anger makes her do things she regrets later.

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When she, her two sisters, and their dog TayTay find a watery portal to Bella World, they're surprised to discover a town ravaged by Dragon attacks. But not all is as it seems, a lesson Bella learns when they are sent to stop the Dragon.

Together, Bella and Emerald the Dragon learn to control their Dragon Fire, make amends to those they have wronged, and in the process find the appreciation and acceptance they'd sought all along.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With full color illustrations by Josh Evans, Bella World bridges the gap between picture books and chapter books, offering children 4-9 years old a new, exciting reading journey.

Normally priced at $4.99, get both Bella World and Lexie World on sale at Amazon for only $2.99 for 2 days only, Feb. 21-22nd!

Also on sale, my award-winning, best-selling YA paranormal thriller/romance, Forbidden Mind.

[image error]Winner of the Forward National Literature Award

Available as eBook at Amazon (and also on sale for $2.99). If you're an Amazon Prime member, you can now "borrow" this book through their lending library. Also available in Paperback at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Sam thinks she's months away from freedom. After spending her life in a secret school, rented out to the rich and powerful as a paranormal spy, she is ready to head to college like any normal eighteen-year-old.

Only Sam isn't normal. She reads minds. And just before her big going-away party, she links to the mind of a young man who changes everything.

Drake wasn't raised as a 'Rent-A-Kid.' He was kidnapped and taken there by force. But his exceptional physical strength and powers of mind control make him very dangerous, especially to Sam.

When they meet, Sam is forced to face the truth of her situation, and to acknowledge that not all is as it seems in her picture-perfect world. For what awaits her on her eighteenth birthday isn't a trip to college, but an unexpected nightmare from which she may not be able to escape.

~~

But wait… there's more! You can also get 4 other great books for only $2.99 as a special promotion through Evolved Publishing. Want a riveting psychological thriller? A heart-warming historical fiction about Native Americans? An inspiring memoir, or maybe an anthology full of something for everything? Check out our promotion and stock up on some awesome short stories for FREE while you are there.

Brought to you by Evolved Publishing.

A Zombie Valentine's For You!

Those who know me might have expected a gag-worthy romantic story of how I met the love of my life–my sexy, tall Russian prince–on Twitter and now we live a fairy tale life of writing everyday together.

And I did plan on writing something like that. Honest.

But I got busy. What with books to publish and clients to help and books to write and kids to raise and a romantic evening of chocolate, wine and Buffy the Vampire Slayer reruns to plan… so instead you get a Zombie Valentine that is a favorite in our family. This song will stay with you. Enjoy!

Interview with Best-Selling Author John Locke!

[image error]I'm so excited to interview John Locke, a NY Times best-selling author who was the first indie author to break the million ebook sale mark on Amazon and who has been an inspiration for many in the indie movement!

Fun facts about John

(that I stole from his website http://Donovancreed.com):

*8th member of the KINDLE MILLION SALES CLUB!

*First self-published author to hit #1 on Amazon/Kindle!

*First self-published author to hit Kindle Million Sales Club!

*John sold 1,100,000 eBooks in 5 months by word of mouth!

*John wrote and published 6 best-selling books in 3 separate genres in 6 months, part-time!

*John has had 4 of the top 10 eBooks on Amazon/Kindle at the same time, including #1 and #2! He's also had 6 of the top 20, and 8 of the top 43 at the same time!

*Every eBook John Locke has written and published has become a best-seller.

*8 authors in history have sold more than 1 million eBooks on Kindle. They are: John Locke, Stieg Larsson, James Patterson, Nora Roberts, Charlaine Harris, Lee Child, Suzanne Collins and Michael Connelly.

Thanks, John, for taking the time to answer some questions today. These are some impressive numbers! A lot of people got very fan-girl (or fan-boy?) like when I spilled the beans about my interview with you, so I can't take credit for all of these questions. I also am not going to ask everything they suggested… quite frankly because I would be too embarrassed by their suggestions… (Emlyn, I'm totally talking about you here…)

But I know we are all dying to pick your brain about how to make it big as indie authors. I work for Novel Publicity to help authors publicize their books. I'm also the Marketing Director for Evolved Publishing, a publishing company with a new never-before-seen business model for cooperative publishing between authors and publishers, and so I'm always looking for ways to not only sell my own books, but to help other authors sell theirs.

I've read your book "How I Sold 1 Million eBooks in 5 Months!" and I've also read much of your fiction work. I know in your book you talk about the power of twitter and blogging for selling books. I have to ask though, what's been your most effective marketing tool so far?

JL: My ebooks, because they link enthusiastic readers to my other books, my website, my OOU thread, and my blog.

I'm noticing that the 99cent price point is no longer as effective as it once was, with so many indie authors now publishing and competing for reader attention. It also seems that social media is losing some of its effectiveness. There's so much white noise out there as the sea of indie authors grows.

JL: People have always given my 99 cent price more credit than it deserves. They forget my ebooks have always been 99 cents, even the first 8 months when I made virtually no sales. Part of the confusion stems from a guest post I did with Joe Konrath last year, where Joe remarked he experienced an increase in sales after dropping his price from $2.99 to 99 cents. The quote was erroneously attributed to me, and continues to crop up in articles.

As for social media losing its effectiveness, I think this only applies to "short-view" authors whose immediate focus is more on sales than building long-term customer relationships. These people believe marketing is a constant "buy my book!" message. They're relentless, needy, and in your face, like the politicians who saturate our TV's with one ad after another. People don't mind the occasional ad. But this constant "Buy my book!" message drives customers away. I don't like in-your-face selling, and I think most readers feel the same way. Authors would do well to remember selling is an art, and buying is a choice. I'm not going to buy your book just because you want me to. Give me a reason why I should buy your book. And that reason needs to be better than whatever else I could do with my money today.

Do you think your methods as outlined in your book are still relevant for new authors?

JL: As outlined, absolutely. But what hundreds of authors seemed to come away with was copying my blog posts. This didn't work for several reasons. One, the point of my blog is to showcase my style of writing. Two, when everyone writes the same types of articles, they become less effective. Three, readers can smell insincerity a mile away. Authors need to view my posts as examples of what worked for me, and be creative with their own, in a way that showcases their unique style. If I include a picture of my wife in my next post and tell readers she inspired one of my characters, readers might love it. But if you show a picture of my wife you're not going to get the same reaction. My posts should be used as a guideline, not a template.

Do you see the tides changing for marketing strategies?

JL: Not necessarily. There have always been a hundred paths to marketing success, and that hasn't changed. There is no "one size fits all," and every author needs to focus on what they do best. But if your book is unique, and original, you'll eventually find your target audience.

What would you recommend for new authors coming in?

JL: The best way to market a book is to know your target audience before you start writing. Write only to them, and publish the book they want to read.

What are your thoughts about KDP Select and the FREE day promos?

JL: I would have participated in the KDP Select if I had a more expensive ebook available at the time. I simply didn't believe the members would choose my 99 cent book over a $12.95 book because the perception of value works against me. As for free promos, I don't offer them. My books are only 99 cents, and readers get a free look inside. That's close enough to free for me.

Do you think the free days Amazon is offering will lose their effectiveness once more writers sign up?

JL: I don't know enough about it to offer an opinion. But I've always believed if you put the readers first, success will follow.

What do you consider a good release schedule for new titles? Once a month? Less? More?

JL: I don't think there's an ideal schedule. Authors should write the best book they can, and bring it out the moment it's ready.

I'm so excited about the print distribution deal you have negotiated with Simon & Schuster. Can you tell us how that deal came about?

JL: The distribution deal with Simon & Schuster was the logical response to my unique situation. I was sitting on a best-selling series but didn't want to sell the rights, and Simon & Schuster has the world's greatest distribution system! I'm the chocolate, they're the peanut butter. We simply put the two together!

Do you think publishers are softening to alternative contracts with authors?

JL: I think other publishers will see what happens with Wish List. If this works, I believe there will be many more opportunities for self-published authors to do something similar.

How can we support you in making this a success?

JL: If I said "Run over to Barnes & Noble or Wal-Mart and buy five copies of Wish List!" I'd be doing the same thing I'm advising other authors not to do. Yes, buying my books will prove to publishers and retailers that self-published authors belong on bookstore shelves. But we only belong if our books are worth buying! In other words, I don't want anyone buying my books because it's a good cause. I want you to buy because it's a great book!

Tell us about Wish List.

[image error]JL: The Donovan Creed series is currently nine books, and Wish List was book #5. Why not start with the first? Because Wish List stands on its own. It's a perfect representation of the Creed series, which means it's funny, terrifying, crazy, and you won't be able to put it down.

It's the story about what happens on a lazy Sunday afternoon when three underachievers are sitting around in a basement, smoking pot. A question is raised: "If you could have any wish in the world, what would it be?" –See, the guys have stumbled upon a website that offers to make your wishes come true. Buddy Pancake, the lovable loser with the beautiful wife and the dead-end bank job, allows himself to dream big for just a few minutes. He signs up. Amazingly, his wishes start coming true. Unfortunately, he clicked "I agree" without reading the fine print explaining there's a price to be paid for the wishes. Turns out some very scary people are enforcing the agreement. You think you see where this is going, but it's not what you think. Wish List is half rocket ship, half roller coaster, and of course, all Donovan Creed. I hope you enjoy reading it half as much as I enjoyed writing it.

What are your predictions for the next year? What changes will we see in the industry and how can new authors position themselves for the best success?

JL: I think we'll see more distribution deals between publishers and top-selling indie authors. Hybrid deals, based on the degree of risk each party is willing to assume.

Which is better, do you think–more books or more marketing?

JL: More books. There's not much point in building a demand for ice cream if you're not going to supply me in the future.

You are one of the most approachable writers ever. How do you balance staying connected with your readers and yet manage to get so many books written so quickly?

JL: The truth is I wish I could pay more attention to my readers. I try, but there are only so many hours in the day. If I focus on Twitter, I neglect Facebook. If I focus on Facebook, I neglect Twitter. The more time I spend responding to emails, the less time I have for my blog responses. By responding to blog comments, I neglect my "Contact Me" responses! Interviews and guest blogs take time away from my writing. If I concentrate on writing, I neglect all the rest! There's only so much I can do, but it's clear I owe my readers far more than I give. Thankfully, they're a forgiving bunch…as long as I keep writing!

If Amazon wanted to publish all of your books through their imprint, would you do it? Do you see them as more appealing than legacy publishers, or would you continue to self publish?

JL: Amazon has never offered me the opportunity, so it may be I'm not a good fit for them. In any case, I couldn't do the Creed books with them at this point, because of my distribution deal.

What's the most important thing you do every day that has brought you success?

JL: For me it's a series of things. I stay in motion and don't take myself too seriously. I remain open-minded and humble and live life believing we're all a single phone call away from a life-changing event. The call can be something great, or something devastating. But no one is immune to that phone call. When mine comes, I want to be as prepared as possible. I think this mindset keeps me busy, appreciative, and humble.

Okay, so I'm a first time writer with a really good book, a new release. What is the number one best thing I can do to get my name out there, if I'm only allowed one?

JL: This really depends on what type of book and what type of audience. And I would never allow myself just one avenue. But I see where you're going with this, and can think of several great things to get your name out into the world. Two I could mention are things I've already got in place, so it would defeat the purpose to share those. But here is one that would certainly work:

If I had cash on hand, I'd contact a successful author with a similar book and offer to pay her to place a link to my book at the back of hers. If I didn't have cash on hand, I might offer her a percentage of all sales made during the first month. Of course, I'd offer to put an ad for her book in the back of mine, as well. I've never done this, though many authors have asked me to trade links. Did I do it? No. I declined. But only because no one gave me a compelling enough reason to do it!

Is Amazon the gorilla in the room no one wants to argue with? Do you think that will become a problem for writers down the road–trading the bullies of legacy publishing for one single giant bully who has control over everything?

JL: I don't see publishers as bullies or adversaries. Every successful person or company has a reason for their actions, and the publishing houses and electronic platforms are no different. They aren't in business for my convenience, nor are they in business to limit my success. They're in business to make money. In the final analysis, companies make money by providing goods and services people want to buy at a price they can afford. Fail to do that and it's over. What I'm saying, it doesn't matter which company thinks they're in charge. Because the consumers are always in charge!

If authors need to prepare for one major change in publishing, I think it will be to put the idea of "the big advance" behind them. I think legacy publishers will have to stop fronting money to authors, and devote fewer dollars to marketing. They'll give authors a bigger share of profits in return for lower acquisition costs. And I think this will be a good thing for authors and publishers alike. Think how many more books could be traditionally published each year if publishing houses could eliminate their acquisition costs and reduce their marketing expenses! And of course, this would result in lower book prices, which benefits the readers.

Is print really that important right now with not only the rise of ebooks but the new content we can now add to books we sell, like trailers, videos, extras?

JL: It's certainly important to me! Print may not be what it once was, but it's still a huge market, and one that's predominantly adverse to using electronic reading devices, at least for the time being. By tapping into that market now, I'll have the opportunity to attract a whole new group of fans. If some switch to ebooks, they'll already know me, and will likely buy my ebooks. Those who refuse to go electronic will remain a captive audience for my future paperback releases. Either way, paper books will help me expand my market.

Some authors have attributed your success on coming into the game with a lot of money to spend on marketing, but you make it clear in your book that those marketing endeavors weren't successful. As a business man, are your results reproducible for anyone?

JL: For unknown authors, selling books is about the books. The best marketing system in the world won't move a lousy book unless people are buying the name on it. Kim Kardashian could put her name and photo on a phone book and sell a million copies. But you and I aren't Kim Kardashian. The first book I wrote was dreadful. I didn't even try to market it. I threw it away and started over. But to answer your question, if your book is unique, and well-written, there will be an audience for it, and yes, my system will help you find that audience.

I know we are all wishing you the best of success in your print deal. What else are you working on right now and which books are you most excited about?

JL: I've got three projects in mind. One is the sequel to Call Me! Another is the10th Donovan Creed adventure. The third is one I'm currently most excited about. This is a new character, a surgeon, who could wind up heading a new series for me.

For someone not familiar with your fiction, which book do you recommend as a first read? (I started with Call Me!, and loved it!)

JL: I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed Call Me! That was a lot of fun for me, writing from a female point of view. But I would recommend Wish List for the same reason I recommended it to Simon & Schuster. It's wild, and highly representative of the Creed series. It's also currently available in Barnes & Noble in paperback for only $4.99, and in Wal-Mart for only $3.74, if you can just imagine!

Having said that, my personal favorites are my westerns, which must be read in order: Follow the Stone, Don't Poke the Bear! and Emmett & Gentry. These are not your grandfather's westerns. They're outrageous and fun and full of heart. The westerns can be downloaded for only 99 cents.

Is there anything else you can share that you think would help new authors, or be of interest to your readers?

JL: My best advice for self-published authors is something they hate to hear. But I strongly believe you should hire a professional editor before putting your ebook out into the world. If your book is filled with errors, you can't expect people to take your work seriously enough to recommend it to others. My other advice would be not to edit or constantly review your manuscript until you've finished writing it. Because if you try to make it perfect, you'll never complete it.

Thank you, again, for taking the time to answer so many questions and share about your journey.

JL: My pleasure, Kimberly! Thank you so much for giving me a chance to connect with your readers!

To learn more about John Locke, visit his website at DonovanCreed.com, Follow him on Twitter @DonovanCreed or like him on Facebook.