T.R. Graves's Blog: T. R. Graves, Author, page 25

YA Indie Carnival - Week Five

It's week five of the YA Indie Carnival . I want to take a few minutes to thank everyone for supporting our endeavor and for returning time and time again. This week's topic of discussion is 'What is the most surprising thing about going Indie?' To this I say, "What about going Indie has not been surprising?"

I started out as a hospital technical assistant (a glorified nurses' aide), working on weekends while attending college classes during the week. As an assistant and eventually a nurse, I learned critical information about disease processes from the bottom up. Literally and figuratively. I was involved in every aspect of the patient's care, and no procedure was too small (or gory) to ignore or evade. Every single thing I learned was exciting because I was determined to become a great nurse, my goal and my passion. Surprising to me is the fact that my ground-up education into Indie publishing has been comparable to my nursing path in lots of ways.

First and as if I were still in nursing school, I'm spending exhaustive nights and weekends meeting self-imposed deadlines and accomplishing unimaginable goals. Fortunately, both nursing and writing are worth the sleep deprivation.

Second, I'm determined to educate myself on the unexpected details associated with writing, editing, publishing, and marketing. I would never have believed there are so many things to do...so many opportunities to grow as an Indie author. For each task, I depend on the same dedication I demonstrated when performing nursing care.

Finally, my nursing career has opened me up to a world of people who are dynamic…phenomenal…awe inspiring. Much to my surprise (and as I've said), Indie publishing has given me the same opportunity. I've met great authors, bloggers, followers, fans, and friends who have forever changed my life, and who have helped me without conditions. To find out more about a few of these wonderful people, please visit the sites of the other participants of this carnival.

NEXT, take a ride (by clicking the name) with:
Dani Snell - Book Blogger
Pattie Larsen - Author
Courtney Cole - Author
Wren Emerson - Author
Nicole Williams - Author
Fisher Amelie - Author
P. J. Hoover - Author Laura Elliott - Author Amy Jones Young - Author Rachel Coles (Rachel Coles. Geek. Mom. Book Reviews.) - Author and Book BloggerTiffany King - Author Cyndi Tefft - Author Alicia McCalla - AuthorHeather Cashman - AuthorT. R. Graves - Author
(see previous blogs for the authors' book lists)

YA Indie Carnival - Week Four

Welcome back!  We have made it to the fourth week of the YA Indie Carnival and what an interesting journey it has become.  The question being answered by the carnival's participants is 'What Indie author are you currently reading?' 

Confession time…I'm so BUSY working, commuting, being a wife and mother, marketing, writing, and sleeping (curse my body's demands) that I haven't had a lot of time to read lately.  At least, I haven't had time to read anything other than the books I'm editing/writing.  Since reading is a passion for me and my love of it the reason I began writing, I plan to rectify this travesty very soon.  In preparation, I've been ferociously adding books to my Goodreads 'To-Read' list.  The books I'm adding are those of the wonderful authors I've met as part of this carnival as well as other aspects of my Indie publishing journey. 
Since I'm not officially in the middle of reading a book, I want to share with you some personal experiences I've had with a few unforgettable and talented Indie authors.  The first author that I'd like to highlight is Jayde Scott.  Jayde is the author of A Job From Hell (Volume 1), Doomed (Ancient Legends), The Divorce Club,Alex Gonzo, Royal Spy (Volume 1),  Alex-Gonzo Royal Spy, and BlackWood (A Witch Rising).  Jayde reached out to me almost as soon as I released the original version of Warriors of the Cross .  Even though I was a debut author, and she was busy publishing her own books, she read and reviewed Warriors of the Cross .  Jayde is from the UK, but the vast span of ocean doesn't prevent us from providing truthful feedback OR reaching out to the other in our times of our 'author-related' need OR identifying and sharing trends pertinent to the other.    

The second author helping me is Tamara Rose Blodgett, another perfect symbol of the Indie movement.  Like Jayde, Tamara offers unsolicited assistance and proves time and time again that Indie authors can support each other AND be successful.  I may not have time to read her books (right now), but that does not mean I am anything less than thrilled for her and her successes.  She is wonderful and deserves any great thing coming her way.  Tamara's books include Death Whispers (Volume 1) and the recently released The Pearl Savage (Volume 1) .
The third author making her presence known in my new world is M. Leighton.  What an awesome and inspiring person.  Michelle is the author of  The Reaping, A Terrifying Young Adult Paranormal Romance (Book 1, The Fahllen Series) , Caterpillar, A Paranormal Romance with a Touch of Horror (Book 1, Nine Lives Series) , Wiccan, A Witchy Young Adult Paranormal Romance , Blood Like Poison: For the Love of a Vampire (Book 1, Blood Like Poison Series) , Blood Like Poison: Destined for a Vampire (Book 2, Blood Like Poison Series) , and Madly and Wolfhardt (Book 1 and Book 2 of the Madly Series) .  In fact, Michelle is the person who invited me to take part in the YA Indie Carnival .  With that simple invitation, she opened me up to a whole universe of phenomenal Indie authors.  While I'm completely intimidated by the prospect of being compared to any one of these great authors (much less the entire group), I'm thrilled with the opportunity.  I hope that surrounding myself with such great talent will push my writing to heights I'd never accomplish without their camaraderie. 
If you want to know more about other great authors, take a few minutes to visit my fellow Indie author's sites, read their responses, and leave them a comment.  Then, buy, read, and review their books.  I'm sure you will agree with me these Indie books are as spectacular as anything published traditionally. 

One final note.  Before beginning your carnival ride, join me in congratulating P. J. Hoover for winning the Books in Sync Book Trailer Contest for SOLSTICE . *APPLAUSE*
NEXT, take a ride with: 
Dani Snell - Book Blogger Refracted Light Young Adult Book Reviews Pattie Larsen - Author
Henry      Curiosities, Inc. Cat City Courtney Cole - Author
Every Last Kiss: The Bloods (Volume 1) Fated (The Bloodstone Sage)      Princess Wren Emerson - Author
I Wish... (The Witches of Desire)      Nicole Williams - Author
Eternal Eden Fallen Eden (soon to be released)
Fisher Amelie - Author
The Understorey (The Leaving Series) P. J. Hoover - Author Solstice The Emerald Tablet (Forgotten Worlds) The Necropolis: The Forgotten Worlds, Book 3   The Navel of the World (The Forgotten Worlds, Book 2)  Laura Elliott - Author Kindergarten Ghost Winnemucca, a small-town fairy tale Amy Jones Young - Author Soul Quest (the Soul Quest Trilogy) Rachel Coles (Rachel Coles. Geek. Mom. Book Reviews.) - Author and Book Blogger Diary of a Duct Tape Zombie Whistles Tiffany King - Author Meant To Be Forgotten Souls (soon to be released) Cyndi Tefft - Author Between Alicia McCalla - Author Breaking Free (February 2012)  Heather Cashman - AuthorPerception (The Tigers' Eye Trilogy)  T. R. Graves - Author Warriors of the Cross Guardians of the Cross (December 2011) Enemies of the Cross (summer 2012)

YA Indie Carnival - Week Three

Welcome back to week three of the YA Indie Carnival . The third question being answered by theparticipating Indie Authors is 'Whatmade you pursue your chosen genre?'  Takea few minutes to visit our sites, read our responses, and leave us a comment.  We love hearing from you.
This particulartopic is timely as it relates to The Warrior Series.  Over the last several months, I've noticed a healthydebate between reviewers about Warriors of the Cross and its genre.  It's been labeled as young adult, paranormalromance, medical fiction, family saga, and Christian fiction.  While I've said all along this seriestranscends genres, the discussion has made me analyze how and why I wrote astory difficult to pigeonhole into one single category. 
In the end, I've decided The Warriors Series' various labels mimic each individual reason I began writing.  For example, I chose paranormal because it allowed me the opportunity to create a world I could control...a world where dying people could be healed with something as simple as touch. 
As a registerednurse, I naturally chose to write a medical fiction which included doctors,nurses, hospitals, and patients.  Therealism of healthcare made an impossible power suddenly possible.  The topic allowed me to invent an exceptionalpower for the main character while creating a woman/doctor who is the perfectrole-model for young girls.
I veered towardromance after I realized my teenage daughter LOVED romantic novels.  It was a time when she had begun growingdistant.  Whenshe talked about the stories and their characters, she became animated and revertedback to my daughter rather than a stranger. Our shared love of books reunited us and ignited a friendship.  Before long, we had our own book club.  After I wrote Warriors of the Cross , she critiqued the story and saw we were more alike than we were different. 
Honestly, I'dnever even heard of Christian fiction until someone categorized Warriors of the Cross as a book of that genre.  While Iunderstand how the series earned its label, I'm confident it is such a thoroughmixture of young adult, paranormal, medical, and Christian fiction that no onething is overpowering.  In fact, it isthe perfect balance of genres, which makes it unlike any other book I've everread.  It is a unique choice in a marketsaturated with the predictable.

The authors teaming with me and sponsoring this carnival have books that are anything but predictable.  Join me in visiting their sites.
NEXT, take a ride with: 
Dani Snell - Book Blogger Refracted Light Young Adult Book Reviews Pattie Larsen - Author

Henry      Curiosities, Inc. Cat City Courtney Cole - Author

Every Last Kiss: The Bloods (Volume 1) Fated (The Bloodstone Sage)      Princess Wren Emerson - Author

I Wish... (The Witches of Desire)     
Nicole Williams - Author
Eternal Eden Fallen Eden (soon to be released)
Fisher Amelie - Author
The Understorey (The Leaving Series)
P. J. Hoover - Author Solstice The Emerald Tablet (Forgotten Worlds) The Necropolis: The Forgotten Worlds, Book 3   The Navel of the World (The Forgotten Worlds, Book 2)  Laura Elliott - Author
Kindergarten Ghost Winnemucca, a small-town fairy tale Amy Jones Young - Author
Soul Quest (the Soul Quest Trilogy) Rachel Coles (Rachel Coles. Geek. Mom. Book Reviews.) - Author and Book Blogger
Diary of a Duct Tape Zombie Whistles Tiffany King - Author
Meant To Be Forgotten Souls (soon to be released) Cyndi Tefft - Author
Between Alicia McCalla - Author
Breaking Free (February 2012)  Heather Cashman - Author
Perception (The Tigers' Eye Trilogy) 

T. R. Graves - Author(end up back here with me)

Warriors of the Cross Guardians of the Cross (December 2011) Enemies of the Cross (summer 2012)

YA Indie Carnival - Week Two

Welcome back to week two of the YA Indie Carnival . The topic on the minds of the bloggers/authors sponsoring this adventure is: Why do we read/write Indie? The reason for pursuing the ultimate in DIY projects is personal for each of us. Take a few minutes to visit our sites (listed below) and understand why we are following this unique path.

As for me, I'd never even heard of Indie publishing before this year. I - like most people -thought the only path for authors was that of traditional publishing. With that assumption, I sent Warriors of the Cross to a hand full of literary agents. Each query got declined quickly.  It was as if the process were automated. The most disappointing part of the impersonal rejection was the lack of guidance. There were no recommendations for improving the book or suggestions for increasing the book's marketability. Left on my own, I had to trust my instinct.

While writing Warriors of the Cross , I happened upon Createspace . With my discovery, I realized there may be other options. A few months later, I bought Switched by Amanda Hocking and found it was published through Smashwords . I instantly knew there were other options.

Going 'down the Indie Author rabbit hole', I received a warm welcome from passionate readers, talented graphic designers, selfless reviewers, and fellow authors. It was the world I craved. These people became the mentors I'd been in search of.
After being unconditionally accepted, I made an Indie commitment to give back more than I took. With my first book, I knew I would need a lot (feedback/word-of-mouth/patience).  I, balancing that out, listed Warriors of the Cross  for FREE for most of June/July. During that time, 30,000 books were downloaded and the overall ratings on both Amazon and Goodreads continues to average 4 stars (****).
The bottom line is that with Indie, I have met goals that I never thought possible. Interesting enough, my most important successes have almost nothing to do with the number of books downloaded or the book's ratings. Instead, they reside within the wonderful people I have met 'virtually'...the symbols of this movement. Perfect examples of these representatives include the authors/bloggers who are hosting this brilliant YA Indie Carnival .
NEXT, take a ride with:  Dani Snell - Book Blogger Refracted Light Young Adult Book Reviews Pattie Larsen - Author
Henry      Curiosities, Inc. Cat City Courtney Cole - Author
Every Last Kiss: The Bloods (Volume 1) Fated (The Bloodstone Sage)      Princess Wren Emerson - Author
I Wish... (The Witches of Desire)      Nicole Williams - Author Eternal Eden Fallen Eden (soon to be released) Fisher Amelie - Author The Understorey (The Leaving Series) P. J. Hoover - Author Solstice The Emerald Tablet (Forgotten Worlds) The Necropolis: The Forgotten Worlds, Book 3   The Navel of the World (The Forgotten Worlds, Book 2)  Laura Elliott - Author
Kindergarten Ghost Winnemucca, a small-town fairy tale Amy Jones Young - Author
Soul Quest (the Soul Quest Trilogy) Rachel Coles (Rachel Coles. Geek. Mom. Book Reviews.) - Author and Book Blogger
Diary of a Duct Tape Zombie Whistles Tiffany King - Author
Meant To Be Forgotten Souls (soon to be released) Cyndi Tefft - Author
Between T. R. Graves - Author (end up back here with me)
Warriors of the Cross Guardians of the Cross (December 2011) Enemies of the Cross (summer 2012)

Welcome To Our YA Indie Carnival!

Welcome to just one of twelve Friday posts about all things YA Indie* for authors, readers and reviewers. I have joined forces with a group of YA Indies who will be posting on the same theme each Friday. Binge on all the cotton candy and popcorn you want and get set for a thrilling ride! At today's carnival, we want to know who you are (feel free to leave comments on any or all sites) while we share a little bit about ourselves.

I, per my many online profiles, am the debut author of The Warrior Series , a mother, a wife, and an RN for a non-profit hospital (no necessarily in that order).  I probably should be a writer of medical thrillers.  Instead, I write paranormal romance.  I began Warriors of the Cross after deciding I needed a place - even if only fiction - where the miracle to save the dying was possible.  The nurse in me couldn't imagine a more perfect power to possess.  As strange as it sounds, my inspiration for the series came from the grief of others.  I'll never forget what it's like to look into the eyes of parents and have to tell them our best was not good enough.  In The Warrior Series , Allison La Crosse has the mystical ability to rescue patients with her touch, saving family members from incomprehensible sorrow.  Without a moment's hesitation, I can say The Warrior Series is the world where I wished I lived.
NEXT, take a ride with:

Dani Snell - Book Blogger Refracted Light Young Adult Book Reviews  Pattie Larsen - Author Henry Curiosities, Inc. Cat City Courtney Cole - Author Every Last Kiss: The Bloods (Volume 1) Fated (The Bloodstne Sage) Princess Wren Emerson - Author  I Wish... (The Witches of Desire) Nicole Williams - Author 
Eternal Eden Fallen Eden (soon to be released)Fisher Amelie - Author  The Understorey (The Leaving Series) M. Leighton - Author  Blood Like Poison: Destined for a Vampire (Book 2, Blood Like Poison Series) , Blood Like Poison: For the Love of a Vampire (Book 1, Blood Like Poison Series) , The Reaping, A Terrifying Young Adult Paranormal Romance (Book 1, The Fahllen Series) , Caterpillar, A Paranormal Romance with a Touch of Horror (Book 1, Nine Lives Series) , Wiccan, A Witchy Young Adult Paranormal Romance Laura Elliott - Author Kindergarten Ghost Winnemucca, a small-town fairy tale Amy Jones Young  - Author Soul Quest (the Soul Quest Trilogy) Rachel Coles (Rachel Coles. Geek. Mom. Book Reviews.) - Author and Book Blogger Diary of a Duct Tape Zombie   Whistles Tiffany King - Author
Meant To Be Forgotten Souls (soon to be released)Cyndi Tefft - Author
Between T. R. Graves - Author (end up back here with me)
Warriors of the Cross Guardians of the Cross (December 2011) Enemies of the Cross (summer 2012)
*Dani Snell did such a great job of explaining Indie in her 7/13/11 post that I thought I would re-post it here:

Indie authors are those who have chosen to publish their written works independently of a traditional publisher or agent. The authors own their own works, set their own prices, and are responsible for all the management or out-sourcing on the back end such as promotions, networking, web and cover design, editing, formatting and listing their books, tracking their sales, etc. It's really a revolutionary idea that's taken off in recent years, especially with the advent of the e-book. Being an author isn't such an unreachable goal nowadays, because with the right combo of the above, you can make your dreams of being published a reality.

Giving Perspective To Reviews/Ratings

Finally, I have created T. R. Graves' Facebook Fan Page . It took a lot of work, but it's published and ready for people to 'LIKE'.  After you 'LIKE' the page, you will automatically be directed to the profile page…unless you specifically click on My Site or Wix Site under the profile picture. Even though the interactive tool is the default for non-FANS, Facebook will not let the page become the default for FANS.  Oh well!


For months, I've persevered and sent a friend request to every person adding Warriors of the Cross as 'to-read' on Goodreads.  My goal was to see if the book was good enough to make it through an unfiltered review system.  Even with the toughest critics, Warriors of the Cross has held its own (50+ reviews with an average 4+ rating).  For that I'm proud.
I've shared a few of the positive reviews bestowed upon Warriors of the Cross by fans/followers of the series.  I'm still humbled every time I get one.  Perplexing to me is the less than positive ratings the book has received.  I know…I know…every person who has ever published a word has had their share of critics.  Believe it or not, I'm not one of those psychotic authors insisting everyone in the world must love my writing.  Instead, I'm trying to understand what about the book requires improving.

I began my research by reaching out to a woman who rated Warriors of the Cross with one star.  Basically, she said 'the genre was not one which interested her.'  With her response, I began researching the ratings of other books as assigned by the very readers giving Warriors of the Cross three, two, and (GASP!) one stars.
After some aggressive investigation, I found these people definitely have favorite genres…and - not surprisingly - Warriors of the Cross did not fall within their preferred.  Even more interesting, I found these same individuals rated some of the best books of all time with one, two, and three stars.  Hm?

The readers who rated Warriors of the Cross with one star also rated the following books with one star:  Catcher in the Rye, Breaking Dawn, and Witch and Wizard.  One of these reviewers rated the entire Twilight Series with two stars (The Twilight Series…two stars...REALLY!).

The booklovers who rated Warriors of the Cross with two stars also rated the following books with two stars:  Lovely Bones, 1984, Da Vinci Code, The Hours, The Accidental Tourist, Eat, Pray, Love, Untamed, The Great Gatsby, Gone with the Wind, and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.  These same people rated most of the House of the Nights Series and the Wicked Lovely Series with three stars (How could that be!).  Actually, several of the people obviously favored steampunk and erotica.  To that, I can honestly say 'Warriors of the Cross will never meet the needs or expectations of anyone whose passions are those two genres.'

The people who rated Warriors of the Cross with three stars also rated the following books with three stars:  Confessions of a Shopaholic, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Wuthering Heights, Time Traveler's Wife, Frostbite, Blue Moon, City of Bones (What the heck?), Evermore, The Host, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbitt, I Am Number Four, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Golden Compass, Mockingjay, and Pride and Prejudice.

After analyzing these ratings and finding Warriors of the Cross in such GREAT company, I found some perspective.  Suddenly, these reviews were palatable (if that was possible).  It also proved the importance of knowing yourself…understanding your reading references…and sticking to them.  If something doesn't appear to be your 'cup of tea' , you should keep searching.  There are thousands of books and authors available fromevery genre imaginable, which means there's something for everyone.   
Updates:
Here are my new Goodreads fans:  Nina, Jenn, Dana, M., Ms L, Misty, Gloria, Elisandra, Tarra, and Amber.  I would like to thank my Goodreads friends for their five (*****) star reviews: Erna, Gloria, and Deborakb,....and my Goodreads friends, Cathlin, Jknick, and Tara, for their four (****) star ratings.   
Last but not least, I want to thank my latest 'virtual' angel and Facebook friend, Taneesha C. Freidus (who is also a Goodreads Librarian).  She helped me get the Guardians of the Cross page created.  Take a look and let me know what you think.

"Life Imitates Art…"

I've spent the last week sitting on Galveston's beautiful beach aggressively touching up Guardians of the Cross.  As such, I have been reading (and rereading) the Prologue which details Clark's drowning when he was three years old. 

Having worked for several years in a pediatric intensive care unit on Galveston Island, I realize there are many drowning victims during the summer.  I also know (have witnessed) the overwhelming grief and unimaginable guilt the victim's family suffers.  While drownings occur, I have NEVER witnessed one in all my years at the Galveston/Bolivar beaches.  At least…not until this week.

On one of my days at the beach, I was lying back, enjoying the sunny day, sea breeze, and family time when - strangely - an ambulance, police car, and lifeguard truck zoomed past our beach site.  I watched the emergency vehicles until they come to a stop about a quarter of a mile away from where my family was body surfing and inner tube floating through turbulent waves. 
I decided there was nothing I could offer to the situation since the professionals were on the scene.  Instead, I prayed.  I prayed the person (man, woman, or child) would survive.  I prayed for speed and endurance for the wonderful people rushing to get this victim to the hospital.  I prayed for wisdom and compassion for the doctors and nurses who would eventually be the person's caretakers.  Most of all, I prayed for mercy and support for the family in their time of need. 
Minutes later, the ambulance sped back past our little piece of the beach.  Seconds later, a life-flight helicopter flew overhead and landed near the beach in order to take the person to the nearest emergency room as quickly as possible.
Again, I had just been editing a scene eerily similar to the one I was suddenly witnessing.  It was surreal.  It was terrifying.
I may never know the outcome of this incident, but I do know I will forever contend that having the ability to heal would be one of the most useful powers of all time.  I would have given ANYTHING to have been able to intervene and save this person with nothing more than the merging of our souls. 

Important Announcement:
The Book Giveaway For Warriors Of The Cross (The Warriors, #1) was a success.  There were 1,326 people who entered and five winners (Jenny, Karin, DM, Sandra, and Ricia) selected.

Here are my new Goodreads fans:  Scott (an author), Jessica, Christy (2), Kim, Tracey, and Dabs.  I would also like to thank my Goodreads friends for their five (*****) star reviews: Dabs, Christy (2), Roseycortes, and Chasitylynn....and my Goodreads friends for their four (****) star ratings: Sarah, Ronna, Anna, Shari, Kyra Gates (an author), Bryn, Shelley, Pam,
Finally, I want to thank Tamara Blodgett for interviewing me and supporting me.  I know I keep gushing about 'virtual' angels.  She definitely qualifies as one.  Take a few minutes to visit her site, read my interview, and get to know her by participating in the Death Whispers Virtual Book Tour Giveaway.  Tamara is kind and deserves great things.

Daring To Share Can Be Terrifying

I've spent weeks sending individual notes to every person who added Warriors of the Cross to their 'to-read' list on Goodreads. In my messages, I've included the free link to Amazon or Smashwords and a notification about how to download the book for FREE. My hope was to garner interest in Guardians of the Cross, which should be released within the next few months.

Realizing a percentage of these people would eventually post a rating/review, I could have cherry picked the people contacted. By this, I mean I could have targeted people who have historically rated books with four or five stars. If I'd only contacted those individuals, my odds of getting great reviews would have been vastly improved. Unfortunately, I wouldn't have been satisfied with the results. My goal was to get a true rating for Warriors of the Cross. As such, I refused to shy away from people whose average ratings were barely greater than three. I knew they would be tough on me. I braced myself and hit the send button time after time.

I'm happy to report that even with those hard to please critics in the mix the average rating for Warriors of the Cross on Goodreads - right now - is 4.30 (33 ratings later), and the average rating on Amazon is 4.14 (14 reviews later). AWESOME!

Embedded within these ratings are the most wonderful reviews I could have ever hoped to have gotten. These reader's words, kindness, and passion for Warriors of the Cross will forever be engrained into my memory. For them, I've been motivated into getting Guardians of the Cross published as soon as possible. I'm including a few of the comments I would rate with 5 Stars because they mean so much to me. Please note: A few are just partials.
Michael Maedo (Breathtakingly beautiful): This is the first book I have ever written a review on for amazon. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would. I voraciously read multiple books a week but this is one of the best books I have ever read. The love of God and the desire to do the right thing permeates this book but does not hit you over the head. Brody, Allison, and Clark are so real. I feel like a better person after having read this book. I can't wait until the next book comes out. Rae (Warning remember to breathe!): I stumbled across this title and am glad I decided to give it a try. I won't rehash what the other reviewers have already said, except to say remember to breathe! This is a book that you will hold your breathe from page 1 due to the fast pace of the action, emotion, events and suspense that never stops from one page to another. I am eagerly looking forward to the next one in the series. Great Read! Laura Mcguire (Make sure you have time!): Warriors of the Cross is one of the best books that I have read since I got my Kindle a couple of years ago. I have spent many hours reading lots of books but few have held my attention the way this book has. Make sure you have some time to sit down and read it because it is very hard to put down. I am longing for more and I will be waiting anxiously for the next book in the series. Karen in Williamsburg (Couldnt put it down!): Thanks so much for writing this book! I love that you have taken my 3 favorite genres (romance, paranormal fiction, and Christian fiction) and blended them so well and seamlessly that I don't know how I will ever read one by itself again. I don't think I have ever read a book before that has managed to do paranormal while still keeping Christian values. Right now, I am in that stage of withdrawal/mourning that we get when we finish a book that has no sequel (yet). Emily : ...I have had very few books that I can't get out of my head, and this is one of them! Great job! I can't wait to read the next one in the series. UPDATE: It has been 2 days since I finished this book. I can't get it out of my head...I have tried and stopped reading 3 books since then...I think I'm going to have to read it again starting tonight! Loren : Love this book! Started reading it last night after receiving a link from the author. Best link ever! Before I knew it it was well past my bed time and into the early morning hours. As soon as I got up this morning I had to know how it ended. The characters are amazing and I fell on love with them almost instantly. Allie is so loving and positive and I enjoyed reading about her. I love Clark for the same reasons as Allie although he is a little darker and it was hard to read his motives but Brody is my favourite. The story is a breath of fresh air different to a lot of the books I've been reading lately. I'm not particularly religious but enjoyed the religious aspects of the story. Overall it was a great and addictive read and I am eagerly awaiting the next book! Amanda : I loved this book. The characters pulled me in, the book was well written with a great story line. I can't wait to read the next one and I'm thankful that the author sent me the link for the free download. The only reason it doesn't get a 5 from me (and it is really darn close), there are things I still have questions on and I didn't feel those were adequately explained or not explained at all. Overall one of the best books I have read this year. I am hoping a sequel is coming out soon. E : ...Now, to be honest, I'm not a fan of romance. At all. Something about it just turns me off. Luckily, this book was so well-written that I actually enjoyed the entire romance aspect. Add in the paranormal aspect and this book was golden. The paranormal was on the religious side, which was new for me as I'd never read anything of the sort, but I enjoyed it very much. I particularly enjoyed the medical/more realistic pieces of the book that balanced out the supernatural, as well as most if not all the characters. Okay, Suri was just plain mean, but every other character was at least likeable. I found myself sympathizing with poor Allie and especially Clark more than once. Other than that, the pacing was impeccable, and it was a fairly quick yet fun read. It was interesting the whole way through, but the ending is what made me love the book rather than just really like it. Granted, cliffhangers are usually just annoying, but this one has made me very excited for the next book. As a whole, the book was intriguing and worth every moment spent reading it. I can't wait for the next to be released!I don't want you to think the review/rating process has been all sugar plums and gumdrops. I've received my fair share of negative reviews and constructive criticism. For those who have offered sincere suggestions for improving the book/story, I want to say THANKS. It will take time to weed through the recommendations and even more time to make the updates.

In the spirit of this week's topic, I thought it would be appropriate to share a beautiful blog I read this week. When THANKS Is Not Enough , by M. Leighton. In it, Michelle eloquently expressed the exact emotions I experience every time someone reads Warriors of the Cross and becomes an ardent follower of the story and characters. I, like Michelle, am humbled by the great reviews and ratings received from the readers who have fallen in love with Allison, Brody, and Clark.

Click below to download M. Leighton's Madly for FREE.


Here are my new Goodreads fans. A few of them are the originators of my favorite reviews as listed above: E, Rae, Tara, Ms. Twilight, Amanda (1), Amanda (2), Christy, Sheila Ann, Emily, and Amber.