Tara Chevrestt's Blog, page 132

When It Hits The Fan...

When it hits the fan, grab a shovel, clean up the mess, and then take a long, hot bath before starting over. I could have used the whole lemons line, but hey, this is Book Babe, and while this post is about new covers, new directions, and a new beginning, some things stay the same. ;)


There's been a lot of changes in my writing career the last two weeks. I've come to the realization I made some poor choices. Hey, I'm a new writer and I don't know everything. I did not take the time to choose the best houses for my stories, I put all my eggs in one basket, or I trusted some of the wrong people, the list continues. And I'm not blaming anyone but myself.


Many things threw me for a loop the last two weeks, shook me to my core, but as one of my dearest friends said to me, "When one door closes, a window opens." And it's a big window! It is. It took a few days to see it, but that light is shining around the dark storm cloud.


I truly believe good things will come of this new venture of mine: self-publishing.


Some of you may have noticed my books disappearing off the market. Don't panic! I'm on it. I'm just taking it easier this time. I'm pleased to announce I'm planning a huge relaunch month for September. Why September? Because I want to do it right.


Maiden Behind the Mask is relaunching September 3rd.

Sinful Urges has got a bit of a makeover. Check out it's new cover! Its relaunch is September 10th.


Deaf Isn't Dumb is coming back with a new title and cover. This is a time for NEW. New covers, new start, new marketing plan. It is now Hear Through My Ears and releasing September 17th.

And I'm topping my incredible month off with a never seen before publication, FemDocs, a SciFi/Femdom novelette, September 24th.

I'd like to ask all my readers/followers/fans if they would be interested in hosting me on their blogs the month of September. I'd like to promote one book a week, during the week of their release. My goal is to have a spotlight on a blog every weekday of the month of September. Anyone interested, please contact me via Facebook, email me, or even, Goodreads message me. I'm here with documents complete with blurbs and excerpts at the ready.


Thank you, all, friends, family, blog followers, and readers, for your patience and support as I shovel up what hit the fan. LOL I promise it will be a sparkling-clean, smells like Lysol moment when it's all done.

Toni Rakestraw and The Birthplace of Inspiration: A Writer’s Desk

Some writers and I had an interesting discussion the other day. What do they glance up form their computer and see? What's in place to keep them motivated? Please, welcome Toni Rakestraw.
"My desk is where I spend the vast majority of my day. It is located in a corner so I can utilize as much wall space as possible. I call my corner The Cave. You can easily see how it might get that name. I try to keep it personalized to some extent, or it would end up buried in work debris. I try to keep all the information and inspiring items I may need for my works in progress as well as use my desk for work. For instance, for Saucy Jack, a work in progress, I bought a book that contained all the official documents pertaining to Jack the Ripper. We even bought a map of Whitechapel in 1888. I have it pinned to the wall above my desk, so I can refer to it whenever I need to. I’ve marked the murder sites on it, and have utilized a color coding system to track the known movements of all the important parties. While Saucy Jack is currently on hold, I rather like the map up on the wall. It may get to stay indefinitely.
I have lots of pages cluttering my desk for my current project. It’s a romance that will hopefully be a part of Ruby Lioness Press’ Clearwater series. I have character lists, a map of the town, and copious notes I’ve gathered. Online I’ve collected images that I want to bring into the story; the sheep my main character raises, old barns, farmhouses. These are the things I draw from, even though this story doesn’t have the usual historical bent I usually deal with.
Another tool I utilize is the sticky note. I have them all over in every color of the rainbow. On my wall, on my desk . . . they are everywhere. I use them for notes, sketches, whatever I need to keep on hand so I don’t forget it.
My other wall consists of work from my day job as a freelance editor. I have two boards for clients; one for formatting and book covers, and one for editing and proofreading. If all that doesn’t keep me going, nothing will.
The other things I keep around my desk are mementos and things that have meaning for me. Some inspire me, others give me confidence. I’ve got two trophies from winning Best In Show at a couple of local rabbit shows from 2005. They commemorate the only time I’ve ever won anything that big. I’ve got a ceramic horse a dear friend gave to us. I love horses, and it’s nice to have something pretty on my desk to distract me from all the clutter. My rutilated quartz crystal ball sits at the base of my monitor. I find crystals to be energizing, and it helps me focus when I’m feeling scattered.
Behind me resides my grandparents’ old telephone table. On it I keep a few books that I’ve had a hand in creating and I have room for the occasional flower from the garden to brighten the cave. I love watching the plants grow outside, and this gives me the opportunity to bring a little of the garden indoors to enjoy while I work.
So, if you write, what do you keep on your desk? Is it spotless or a mess like mine?"
***Toni Rakestraw is a freelance editor and writer. She often collaborates on stories with her husband, John. She spends most of her time at her desk doing what she loves: working with words.


You can find her book here.

Is Penelope Price a Plotter or a Pantser?

By the Seat of my Custom-Ordered Bloomersby Penelope Price
Its a question every writer (okay, maybe just those who have ever participated in NanoWRimo must face at some point.
Are you a pantser or a plotter?
Which is to say, do you write by the seat of your pants (a 'pantser') or do you write with meticulously constructed notes and plot points (a 'plotter')?
This would make a great poll - in fact, I'm posting one on my Facebookpage today to coincide with this post? I wonder which is more common amongst my fellow writers and whether or not there are others like me.
Because I go both ways.
*ahem*
During the best, most organic moments of writing -- I am a pantser. I fly by the seat of my bloomers! I clamp on my chunky magenta headphones, crank up the playlist, and let my fingers do the work. It has been that way since I started writing books twenty years ago. Perhaps that is why I enjoy sprinting/word wars so much during NaNo; sprints are a license to just let loose and allow whatever comes out to just be.
Yet I write a lot of fantasy, and with fantasy worlds comes world-building, history-writing, research-gathering. And I have been told that I do world-building to excess. I don't believe that - you never know when some small nugget of information may end up being crucial to a plot! Plus, its fun. For me at least. I adore creating timelines, maps, intricate relationships between Ancestral Houses or religious institutions, webs of intrigue stretching across time and space. I have reams of pages filled with brief character sketches, key exports from certain regions, weather patterns, historical changes in geography/topography/political boundaries, lists, maps, details about the style of dress, notes from books or websites about various topics that may come up in the plot, real world mythology and legends... I could go on, but I think that gets the point across.
I am a meticulous planner. To the point that, yes, sometimes I bog myself down in detail. But I like to err on the side of caution and have too much information than to end up stuck on some niggling detail in the midst of a hot and heavy writing session.
But I have a shameful secret to share.  Despite all my world-building, all the information I've put together for various projects -- several of those, my dearest and most beloved projects, remain unfinished and incomplete. Probably because despite all the planning, I wrote them as a pantser and tripped myself up in the actual plot.
Which is why, when I began my current WIP, "Incandescence" and its sequel, "Inferno", I made a conscious decision to go against my usual modus operandi and outline the plot BEFORE I started writing. I spent a couple days before last November scribbling out first a general 'this happens, then this, and then this, then the end' before fleshing it out into scenes and chapters. This process has been super stream-lined thanks to Scrivener, which I purchased after winning NaNo last November.
In the future, I am going to continue to work on my process. I think I work best with a good combination of both plotting and pantsing. Of course, the beta readers' verdicts are still out, so...
Anyway, my answer to the question above is muddled. I guess I would have to say that I swing both ways, and I'm comfortable that way. What about you, friends? Are you pantsers, plotters, or both? Would you consider yourself something else entirely?
Comment below and then check out my pollon Facebook to vote and see how other people are answering!
Love & Rainbows,P.P.

Penelope Price: author, gamer, nerd. Though she has been writing since she learned to read, P.P. did not emerge from her coccoon to join the writing circuit until the year of Tangerine Tango. She is the crazy chick behind this summer's Incandescence and its sequel, Infernoand can usually be found plotting projects with her partner-in-crime, Jack Morgan of PunchJackMorgan.com. Get updates, gossip and geekery by following P.P. on Facebook (http://facebook.com/PP_TheWriter), Twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/PP_TheWriter), and at her blog (http://www.penelopeprice.net).

Please Welcome Monique O'Connor James and Becoming Jolie

Becoming Jolie is about a woman writing her thesis and focusing on a small town where children mysteriously go missing left and right...and nobody seems willing to do anything about it. At first she thinks they are all nuts, but when she begins to have some bad dreams and ends up talking to the ghosts of the children, well... maybe she's not crazy.

She must get to the bottom of it.

Meanwhile, she has a romance with Hutch...

A touch too drawn out for my taste and didn't "feel" the romance, but I enjoyed the mystery of the children and especially loved the bad dreams. It was just the right amount of spookiness.

And I'm pleased to say that Monique has agreed to answer some questions about Becoming Jolie.

Me: What town did you think of or what place came to mind when you pictured/wrote about Follette?

Monique: Ha, that's a great question.  Mostly Follette was a figment of my imagination, however, my dad came from a small town in Louisiana called Mamou with lots of rice driers and such.  I know that this area of the state played a role in my development of the town.  There is also a small town called New Roads. It sits on False River and that was my inspiration behind the bayou that runs through Folette.

Me: Jolie has some serious bad dreams. What's the worst dream YOU have ever had?

Monique: Oh, your questions are awesome.  This I haven't really shared with anyone before, but once right before I got married I had a dream that I walked in my bedroom and my (now husband) was hanging from the ceiling. (disturbing, right?).  It was such a horrific dream that I woke my dad up screaming and I remember it taking hours before my heart stopped exploding in my chest!

Me: Does Jolie have any of your own traits/characteristics?

Monique: I'm sure on some level she does...oh, yes, we both suffer from headaches.  Someone pointed out to me recentlyt hat alot of my heroines have headaches! 

Me: Neither Hutch, nor David are on the cover, but both seem to be good looking men. What stock photo would you have used, or celebrity do you visualize for them?

Monique: OMG!  Don't make me do that! You know I'm horrible at picking out stock photos of these guys!  Maybe, someone could do that for me!!! 

Me: They call Jolie City Girl. Are you a city or a country girl? What makes you one?

Monique: OH, I'm a city girl!  I live in a little suburb of the city and it's nice and quiet and country like, but I have to be close to the shopping and fun.  Also, I love to fish, but you wouldn't catch me hunting or cleaning fish or anything icky!  Blame my dad and my husband. They spoiled me rotten!

Thanks, Monique, and readers, do any of you wish to take the challenge of finding a photo/celebrity to match the heroes?

Lust and Bound, W. Lynn Chantale

With the new 50 Shades craze, I asked W. Lynn Chantale to talk to us about if her character is similar to this new famed Christian Grey or not. Hey, us erotic writers can't beat it, so use it to our advantage, eh? But W. Lynn Chantale did some research, talked to readers, etc, and discovered though her hero is a tad dominate in the bedroom, he's not a control freak. So those of you who have been put off by the latest BDSM fad and submissive females, don't be scared of Lust & Bound, because...
"As I sit here in front of my laptop contemplating the topic my lovely blog hostess suggested I had to decline. Two reasons, I couldn’t get beyond the sample read of a certain book and the second reason, while my hero may be a bit controlling and a little overprotective he is not a dom or in the BDSM lifestyle, he just likes to keep things interesting in the bedroom.
Growing up I never heard the term BDSM. I heard words like kinky and freaky. My cousins and I would sneak and read the naughty books we found in my uncle’s room. Maybe thumbing through those books planted the seed that anything in the bedroom goes.With that in mind I crafted a character, Trisha, who was seeking something more than the usual wham bam thank you ma’am. She’s had a horrible marriage and for once all she wants to do is seek out pleasure, wherever it may be found.Now Zach, is only too happy to indulge this beautiful woman, after all he’s loved her from afar. He has one opportunity to impress her, from seducing her with dance moves to blowing her mind in the bedroom, and if he can garner her love along the way, well all the better.So if you don’t mind reading about a hero with a penchant for handcuffs, spanking, and ripping bodices...I hope you’ll enjoy my latest release, Lust & Bound.
Until next time, Indulge Your Inner Romantic."
Download my free Author App to your Android or Apple IOS device.Website: http://wlynnchantale.comBlog: http://wlynnchantale-decadentdecisions.blogspot.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/wlynnchantaleFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/W.LynnChantaleAuthor

Excerpt: *Adults Only, Please*

Zach fumbled the plastic card in the metal slot. When the mechanism whirred and clicked, he twisted the knob, but paused. “I have one rule.” His gaze never left her face.Trisha met his hungry stare, her lips parting. “What’s that?”“I don’t share.”A thrill rippled through her body at the possessive note in his deep, rasping voice.“Me either.”“You can still walk away.” Walk away? Was he nuts? She’d waited months for this moment, for freedom. Still, as his eyes raked over her body, waiting for her decision, a tiny seed of doubt wiggled in the back of her mind. She squared her shoulders. Nope. She wasn’t going home until she knew what made her eyes roll to the back of her head and she wanted him to show her.“I’m not...”He shouldered open the door and dragged her to him. The cool kiss of the textured wall greeted her bare shoulders as his mouth, hot and demanding, found hers. She sighed against his lips, jerking his shirt free from his waistband. He cupped her breast, his thumb stroking her nipple. Fire danced through her veins, pooled low. Her heart skipped a beat when he yanked the chiffon from her shoulders, ripping the sheer fabric.Lifting his head, he flashed a quick smile, his mist-gray eyes shining with heat and mischief. “I hope you weren’t too attached to this dress.” She didn’t care how he got her clothes off, just as long as he got them off. Her pulse raced and her breath quickened when the thin silk of her slip followed the fate of her dress. Trisha slid her hands beneath his shirt, his skin warm and smooth beneath her palms.“Now what am I supposed to wear home?”Zach grabbed her wrists, shackling them in one large hand and raising her arms above her head. She gasped as her breasts thrust upwards, straining for attention. “We’ll worry about that later.” He dipped his head, capturing one taut peak in his mouth.She arched against him as desire further hardened her nipples and set her blood to simmering. His fingers brushed the curve of her hip, before drifting lower, tracing the sensitive skin below her garter belt.“You’re a bit naughty, Trish,” he whispered against her mouth.Her answering chuckle melted into a moan when his fingers stroked her damp pussy. His eyes widened when his hand met no barrier.“Very naughty indeed,” he murmured. He leaned away, cool air skittering across her heated flesh. “I’ve waited so long for this.”“Too long,” she agreed.Pivoting, he grabbed her hand and led her into the bedroom. The king-size bed dominated the room and sat in front of the mirrored doors to the closet. Artificial candlelight flickered around the room, casting muted shadows against the wallpaper while the soft scent of jasmine wafted through the air. Warm fuzzies squeezed her heart. Despite being a day early he had surprised her. She stepped forward, her nylon-clad feet skimming against something cool and satiny. Rose petals trailed from the door to the bed. She perched on the edge of the bed, too overwhelmed to speak.When she focused on him, he watched her with a hooded expression.“It seems like you’ve thought about this, haven’t you?”He tucked a curl behind her ear. “I get one chance to make a lasting impression.”“Thank you.”His eyes widened when she shoved him back on the bed and straddled his legs. The bulge grew and hardened beneath her thigh. She worked at loosening his tie. Once unknotted, she tossed it aside and focused on the buttons. With each button released from its mooring she revealed more of his amazing body. She pushed the shirt aside to trace the large, colorful dragon/koi tattoo that began on his left pec and wrapped around his bicep to disappear onto his back. Anticipation coiled in her belly. Oh how she wanted to find out how far his tattoo went.“You’ve tortured me enough tonight and I think it’s time you paid up,” she murmured against his lips. She skimmed light, teasing kisses from his mouth to his jaw. A startled gasp escaped her lips when he shifted and blanketed her body with his. He captured her wrists in one large hand and held them above her head.“One day, very soon, I’m going have you tied and helpless beneath me.”She sucked in a breath, holding his gaze, unwilling to admit how much she wanted the same thing.He traced the swell of her breasts just above the neckline of her corset. “But there is one image of you I can’t seem to get out of my head.” He touched his lips to hers in a long, drugging kiss that left her craving more. “Are you game?”“I’m yours for the weekend.”He chuckled, a smoldering look scorching her body. She responded to that look. “Oh, I like how that sounds.”Heat crept into her cheeks as she realized what she’d said. “I—uh, yeah.”He nipped at her neck, even as he settled deeper into the vee of her thighs. The heavy bulge of his erection rubbed against her core. Instinctively she raised her hips in greeting.“I want to watch you, beautiful,” he murmured against her lips.She stiffened. “Watch me what?”He rolled off her and helped her to sitting. “I want to watch you climax, before I send you over the edge again.”
#2The last thing Zach expected was the incredible night they shared. He’d often dreamed of Trisha’s voluptuous body, but to hear her voice what she wanted from him left him aching.  Since her divorce, she’d always seemed to keep him at a distance. He thought it had something to do with him being a client of hers and not wanting to mix business with pleasure. Or someone else.The momentary stab of jealousy made him grit his teeth. He did not like the raw emotion crawling through his belly, not when he already thought of her as his. He crossed to the bed and eased onto the mattress. She didn’t stir. A faint smile creased his lips. Just as well, it gave him more time to study her beauty.He couldn’t believe she’d agreed to his plans. Well, it had taken a bit of coaxing, but all he wanted to do was get her alone. And what better opportunity than dancing. A dance floor provided the perfect opportunity to hold her close, and maybe even get her somewhere secluded where he could seduce her, dive into all those tempting curves, and show her what she’d been missing. And he knew she was missing something. He’d seen the hunger and bridled passion in her eyes. He longed to be the one to release her inhibitions. On some level he wished he’d driven the hour back to his place. But he thought a weekend on neutral territory would’ve given them a reprieve, at least until he found a note shoved under the door. He hadn’t left the room all night, so how had his stalker found him?
#3Cool water cascaded over her skin, easing the soreness from her body. She should’ve remembered sunscreen and then she wouldn’t be taking a cold shower right now. With a flick of her wrist, she shut off the water, stepped from the stall and reached for a towel.The morning had been absolutely brilliant, but seeing Roscoe brought up all her old insecurities. If Zach hadn’t been there, things could’ve been so much worse. She blew out a breath and wrapped the towel around her body, tucking the end beneath her arm.She leaned against the counter. The divorce was the easy part. Sacrificing four years of her life to a cheating, manipulative jerk had been hard. Her three-year marriage lasted two and a half years longer than it should have. She hated to think she’d been clueless the entire time about Gordy’s affairs, but she had. Even worse than her husband...well, ex-husband’s infidelity was knowing how he had exploited his mistresses for his own personal pleasure and gain.Their sex tape hadn’t been the only one she’d found, but she’d made sure he couldn’t use it or any of the others. Gordy always said he’d make her life miserable for destroying the tapes and divorcing him. Sending Roscoe was just a reminder that he could still annoy her, even from the discomfort of his jail cell.She stared at her reflection. Her face was relatively untouched but her shoulders and arms hurt. A knock sounded on the door.“Are you okay?”She quickly crossed the room and twisted the knob to pop the lock. Zach appeared on the threshold clad in a sleeveless t-shirt and baggy drawstring shorts. Her breath stuck in her throat as he crossed his arms. All that delicious sexiness was there for her exploration and she still needed to find out how far his tattoo went.Heat tinged her cheeks and she dropped her gaze to her feet. After the incident at the Village, she still wasn’t sure spending the remainder of the weekend with Zach was a good idea. At least her pedi was holding up well. Great. Just great, she thought. There was a hottie standing in front of her and she was thinking about the polish on her nails.“You have that look again.”She snapped her gaze to his. “What look?”He pushed off the door to stand in front of her. “Like you’re ready to leave again.” His caress was infinitely gentle as he tucked a curl behind her ear then along her collarbone.“I think you pay a little too much attention to me.”He grasped the edge of her towel. “And you’re worth all my time.”“Are you sure you don’t want me to leave?” She held the towel in place. He shackled her wrist and led her from the bathroom. Soft music drifted through the bedroom. Zach had closed the drapes and this time real candles burned. The tiny gesture of intimacy struck a chord deep within her. How had he known something so simple would move her?“You need a little more convincing.”“I don’t know what else you could possibly do.”He waved a hand to a small sitting bench and lifted a brow. “My dear beautiful, that’s what this time is all about.”Warm fuzzies squeezed her heart and she settled on the padded bench. He sat behind her on the bed, a powerful thigh on either side of her shoulders. When he pulled the clip from her hair she tensed. He leaned close, his breath tickling her ear.“Relax, sweetheart, I’m not going to hurt you.”He picked up a brush from the nightstand and dragged it through her hair with long even strokes. With each swipe the tension eased from her shoulders and a sigh left her lips.“Tell me something I don’t know about you, Zach.”“I wanted to be a chef.”She tilted her head back until she met his mist-gray eyes. “You cook?”“Don’t sound so surprised. I studied with a really great chef in Europe for a year or so, before I came back here and started my company.” He chuckled and gently pushed her head forward.He divided her hair in three equal parts then quickly braided her curly tresses.“If you wanted to be a chef, why didn’t you?”“I went back home to help my mom with my dad. He had a heart attack and it was touch and go for a while there, but he pulled through.”She leaned back. “I’m glad everything worked out.”He secured the end of the braid with a small rubber band. “Me too. By the time I got things situated with my folks, I’d lost the position and stumbled into driving.” He tossed her braid over her shoulder and leaned away to grab a bottle from the nightstand.Trisha sighed when he smoothed his hands over her shoulders, massaging aloe into her skin. Whatever tension remained was easily dispelled at the expert touch of his fingers. She allowed her head to fall forward. She couldn’t remember the last time a man had done the simple things for her.Gordy never would’ve brushed and braided her hair and he definitely wouldn’t have taken the time to tend to a sunburn. Moisture burned behind her lids. She longed for a man like Zach. What would happen once the weekend was over? Could she go back to her normal routine? Did she want to go back to work and dating the next worst thing?“Tell me something I don’t know about you?” he whispered near her ear.She was so relaxed and his hands felt so good, she’d tell him anything he wanted to know. “I raised the capital for my salon by pole dancing.”“Really?”“Yeah.”He drifted his hands downward, circling each vertebra with his thumb, dislodging the towel as he went.“Very resourceful woman.” He reached around and cupped her breasts, teasing her nipples to attention, and then returned to massaging her shoulders.That small caress jumpstarted her libido and she shifted. She shivered when his lips grazed the curve of her shoulder.“Do you still dance?”“No. I don’t really have the time for it.”“Too bad. I’d love to see one of your routines.” He swept butterfly kisses up the column of her throat and along her jaw.Liquid desire pulsed between her thighs. She wanted to feel his lips on every inch of her body.“Would you dance for me sometime?”If he kept kissing her, she’d do whatever he wanted. “Sure.”“I’d like that.” He eased from the bed and stood.


Did you enjoy that? Buy the book here: Evernight Publishing, Amazon, All Romance Ebooks

The Fire of Thieves by Chacelyn Pierce

This is an action-packed story featuring a strong-willed heroine who knows how to handle a gun, a knife, climb walls, and thieve with the best of them. Caityln and  Jerrick have been partners for a long time, both professional thieves. She wants out of the life, but Jerrick is keeping her there; his demands and her lust for his body...and well, she loves him.

So they go on one last thieving expedition, requiring Caityln to leave behind her good, stable boyfriend. But she gives into temptation... what's going to come of that?


And will this really be their last job? Can she convince Jerrick to quit the life?


It's exciting and has hot sex. I especially liked Caitlyn, her attitude, skills, and I love that we had a woman sort of behaving badly instead of a man. Nice role reversal.


From a mansion with guards to a vault in Mexico, Caitlyn is torn between her history with Jerrick and her future with Ethan. It leaves you wondering who she is going to choose for her HEA.


Five stars. I bought this on Amazon kindle.

The Devil You Know by Victoria Vane

First, there was A Wild Night's Bride. Then there was The Virgin Huntress. Now we have The Devil You Know...and this gets way more in depth on the history between Diana and The Devil DeVere..

You may have noticed the dislike on her part, the discomfort on his, the tension when their names are mentioned in each other's presence...now you'll know why.


A woman in an unpleasant marriage...a man offering her a night beyond her wildest imaginings...a mistress bent on revenge...an intricate murder plot.


There's no humor in this one, but we see a softer side to The Devil DeVere and much is explained.


A must read for historical romance lovers. Available here

The Map of Lost Memories by Kim Fay

This is a story that is a blend of historical fiction, greed, determination, women making waves, anger, finger-pointing, and tied with an ending that just left me sitting there with my mouth hanging open.

Irene is a young woman who has spent years making a museum all it can be, silently permitting a man to take all the credit, knowing one day her time will come. But instead of being named the next curator, she's cast out...all because she is a woman.


She has one chance to take the world by storm: find some copper scrolls in Cambodia. It's ancient history, and valuable in so many ways.


Enter Marc, Simone, Louis, and numerous other people as the journey commences from Shanghai to Cambodia. There's angry tribemen, a dying man,government officials needing to be bought, drug use, arguments, the jungle, secrets of the past unveiled, and all the while Irene comes to realize a stunning moral: You can spend the rest of your life always searching and wanting more or you can be happy with your life as it is.


Simone wants the scrolls to start a revolution. Louis says he wants them for Cambodia. Irene wanted them for herself. The tension mounts as they continue to argue and though they are working together, they are also racing against each other.


It was intense and a perfect blend of history and fantasy and heart-stopping moments. I'd give it a five but I was really put off by Simone.


This was a Vine book.


Great quote: "loneliness is not about what happens when you are alone but about what happens when you are with others."

Why Natalie Star is PISSED

For this week's post on the Master Koda Virtual Blog Tour, I have the YA novelist, Natalie Star, and she has a rant in response to a blogger's rant. And wow, I have to say, I agree with a lot she says. Welcome, Natalie, and take it away.
"I read a blog by Ritesh Kala on Alexia’s Chronicles and decided to write this blog following his, hence the title and the subject of bloggers, authors and review requests. I wanted to write about this very issue during the release of my debut young adult novel, The Keeper.  I decided against it for many reasons. But now after reading Ritesh’s experience, I think it’s time to share mine. People will never know unless we share.My YA paranormal romance came out the first week of January. My plan was to have a couple of reviews up before it went on sale so people could gage whether or not they wanted to purchase it. The month before the release there were some really wacky format issues with the ARC; therefore it wasn’t ready for my publisher to send out to reviewers until afterrelease day.As soon as I had my hands on the corrected ARC I began my journey to find bloggers to review my eBook. That journey was disheartening. I emailed over one hundred and fifty blogs. I heard back from a dozen and only a few could actually review it for me. This is when I found out that the young adult genre is saturated with writers looking to be reviewed. It wasn’t just me. *Ritesh said his will be a three part series (at least) on the subject. I would love to retort each of his blogs (in a good happy fun way, Ritesh is one of the good guys). So I will be waiting on his second blog for a rebuttal. To read his blog, here is the link: http://alexiachronicles.blogspot.in/2012/07/i-am-blogger-and-i-am-pissed-1.html.
1.      Read the review policy: I do! Every last word. And let me tell you - some bloggers can get real wordy. I understand the need to give some of the info you do, but sometimes what you’re telling us isn’t important, and has no bearing on the fact that I want you to review my book. So short and simple should be the motto. The best review policy I read said: Hello, my name is… this is what I read… this is what I won’t read… in addition to hardcopies, these are the formats I accept… my turnaround time is… and this is how to contact me. ß That info right there is what I seek. Nothing more. When reading an official review policy, I really don’t care about the specific classes you’re taking, or what days they are on and what time you attend them, or that you need to visit your grandmother on Sundays, (friend me on facebook we can chat about that kind of stuff there), or don’t tell me the bad experiences you had with a certain genre… Oh, and reviewers when you list your genres, please be educated in what they are. I had people read my blurb and excerpt and say “I don’t review that kind of stuff.” when they plainly listed my genre on their page. These are all real things that I came across. I kid you not.  I think to make things easier you can indicate right off if your blog site reviews eBooks or Indie books. That’s where the masses are coming from. That would be awesome! Then we don’t have to comb through the jibber jabber to find that info in the last line of a three page policy where it says “Sorry, no eBooks (or no Indies)”. This is frustrating beyond words.
2.      Draft personal review requests: I do! When I can readily find the bloggers name. I don’t have time to read the “about me” section in addition to reading three page policies while searching through 150+ blogs. In my experience with this, I sort of shy away from using a name unless it’s clearly listed on the policy page. I ran into issues with several bloggers saying “That isn’t my name!”…  Well, when you are a chick and your blog has a feminine name attached to it, and the contact email has that same name involved. I assume that’s your name. Not the name of your niece, your daughter, or your dog (all true stories)! Really, how could I know that? I’m not a mind reader.
3.      Don’t attach your books with your review requests: I don’t! (I actually have my publisher, Decadent Publishing send out the requested format directly to the reviewer). I would never. That’s presumptuous on the author’s part, and kind of pushy.
4.       Don’t assume your book is the best thing since sliced cheese:  I don’t! But I am guilty in saying, “According to your review policy and your requested genre’s I think you might enjoy my story.” And I haven’t said that often, only in the ones that give off a certain vibe.
5.      Not giving out review copies: for free, and sending out a purchase link for the reviewer to buy the copy. Heck no! I would never do that. In my opinion, no one should charge on either side of the coin. I think that the reviewer is being rewarded by receiving the book for free, and the author is being rewarded back with a review. That’s just how I see it. Author’s, blogger’s, how do you feel about the topics above? I can’t wait to see what Ritesh brings up next. I have more to say on the matter."
Natalie Star is a young adult author who favors paranormal romances and urban fantasy. She lives in Hampton Roads, Virginia with her loving husband, two soccer playing children, and one unintelligent diabetic cat. The family loves to travel, and Natalie enjoys photographing all of their journeys. Links:Book Trailer on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8x0K05MHWAhttp://www.authornataliestar.comhttp://authornataliestar.blogspot.comhttps://twitter.com/#!/iamjustnataliehttps://plus.google.com/u/0/116484157865842677580/postshttp://www.shelfari.com/nataliestarhttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5424878.Natalie_Star
The Keeper (Young Adult/Paranormal Romance), by Natalie StarBlurb:    The morning of her sixteenth birthday, Billie feels blessed despite the reoccurring nightmare that wakes her. Loving parents, a caring boyfriend, and great friends surround her until an heirloom necklace throws her into a world she never imagined.
   “Gifted” with supernatural powers and an unexpected destiny as the Keeper, Billie and a mysterious boy from her past must work together to find answers. But, as they begin to discover feelings for one another, he disappears leaving her to fight evil alone. Her life spirals out of control. She breaks up with her boyfriend, Tony, and alienates her best friends Arianna and Jocelyn to protect them from the truth.
   As dark forces pursue her, Billie longs to run away from it all, yet a need to do what’s right compels her to face the future as the keeper of more than her own fortune.The Keeper can be found on many fine online eBook retail sites; however, Natalie would appreciate it if you would purchase it through her publisher: http://bonobookstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=20

A Poem I Had To Share

My cousin, Jon Curran, takes awesome photos. He's starting his own photography business, and I not only ordered this photo for my wall, but posted it on Facebook. Aw, the power of a photo. The lovely Jennifer Don was inspired to write a poem. I was so moved, I had to share them both. I hope you enjoy them.



In winter's hand, the canopy removedA burst of light uncovers foodFleeting trails lay spread across the groundWhile what's hidden remains alert for soundNear a path so worn, the trees they singSongs of old and tales of the kingWeave endlessly in winters holdWhere no man ventures unless they be bold.
Jennifer spent many years without daring to lift a pen, without writing a word that wasn’t forced. But 2008 arrived and with it, her love of writing. She began with poetry which quenched her thirst to begin with but soon that wasn’t enough to satisfy her. 2011 arrived with a dream to write her first novel – Awakening, which is on-going. November saw her attempt her first NaNoWriMo, and so Timber Varden was born, with the bulk of it being written within that month. Now she finds herself aiming to re-write that draft and turn it into her first published novel.

Contact 

While she aims to work through the edits needed, updates on her progress can be found on here -http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferDon
To find out more with regards to her other projects, then check out her blog here - http://thoughtsgowild.blogspot.co.uk/
And should you wish to follow her on Twitter, or ask her any questions please see here -https://twitter.com/#!/Voice_Of_Spirit
You can also add and follow Jennifer over on Goodreads. You will find that link here –http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6155054.Jennifer_Don


Jennifer will be more than happy to answer any questions you have for her. You can contact her at any of the links posted above. Or email her at authorjenniferdon@hotmail.co.uk