Heidi Angell's Blog, page 22
December 20, 2016
Teaser Tuesday: First look at my NaNo Project
Hello Lovelies,Well, it has been a fun and crazy couple of months! Things are coming along nicely with the book launch for The Hunted. (If you haven't joined theThunderclapand entered for the signed paperback of The Hunters, please do!)And now I am sharing a sneak peek at the infection story I worked on for NaNo WriMo.
Image from 28 Weeks LaterEpilogueHello,My name is Gabriel Llewellyn. If you are reading this, then I am probably dead. Or infected. Or maybe I dropped it while fleeing the infected. I suppose it's hard to say. I hope it is the latter.You may wonder, in the nightmare our world has become, why I bother writing this at all. My idealistic self believes that one day humanity will overcome this dark period in our history. When we do, this will be a record of the events. So much has been lost already, we cannot lose this too. My practical self hopes this will help me to survive. I am not exactly survivalist material and if it weren’t for a few key people, I would have fallen with Atlanta.But if I write down everything I hear and learn, then I will have something to refer to and when those people who helped me so far tire, or leave, or become infected... these notes will help me survive.If someone finds this notebook then perhaps it will help you survive.Before my world came crashing to an end, I was a writer. Maybe this is just me clinging to a small piece of something seemingly normal. Whatever the reason, or perhaps for all of these reasons, I will write what I’ve learned. I will tell my story.Chapter 1Where were you when the infected caught up to your world, chewed it up, and changed the landscape forever?I was at a writer’s conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Yup, we were the first city hit. I’ve heard from other survivors that reports went out the next day telling the world that Atlanta, New York, and DC were hit. Others have said Louisville, KY, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, Ut and even Los Angeles have fallen to the infected according to reports before the news stations went down. There were rumors of a bio-attack.I don’t really know for sure what happened to the rest of the world. All I can tell you is what happened in Atlanta and what I have seen since.I was at a convention before Atlanta fell. I had been trapped in the hotel for three days and was getting a bit cagey. I typically loved conventions, Because every evening after the last panel or workshop, a group of us would hit the town for “networking”. A nice way of saying we would get drunk and bitch while enjoying the city we found ourselves in.But not this time. There was some bio conference going on at our hotel as well, and it had brought out a ton of protesters en masse. A couple of riots had broken out the first day, and one of our conference speakers had been attacked entering the hotel. The gossip mill suggested that he had been mistaken for some famous geneticist.After that, access to the hotel was through police escort only, and all guests were being strongly cautioned to remain in the hotel for the duration of their stay. In other words: you walk out the door and we aren’t responsible for your safety.My wild weekend of boozing and babes was in a serious choke-hold. By eight every evening the hotel bar was overcrowded and there was no hope of getting the bartenders' attention, let alone a lady’s.A change in strategy was in order. I headed to the bar at five and found the conditions much more amenable. There were a handful of groups who probably came directly from a conference meeting and were continuing discussions, but there were also quite a few individuals scattered about. I slipped up to the bar and ordered a glass of Merlot. As I waited, I surreptitiously scanned the single ladies.The majority were sitting at the bar, a stool between them even as they leaned over and chatted to one another. The universal signal: I might be here with her, but there is a good chance I will leave with you.An attractive incongruity caught my attention. She was seated alone at a table. Tall and curvaceous, with miles of leg teasingly covered by thick black tights. I hoped her sweater dress was as short as it looked.I wanted to approach, but the signals were mixed. She was seated alone at a four-top, but she kept scanning the room. Either she was waiting for someone, or she was an observer. Only one drink on the table. After ten minutes, I figured why not?Whatever her story, she was not interested, but I didn’t take the hint. Eventually she left, probably to get rid of me. That was the first time I met Cassandra Dane. Fortunately for me, it wouldn’t be my last.Chapter 2I’d like to say that after that lovely lady left me high and dry, I managed to snag another, but after two hours the bar was packed and I had struck out once again. I couldn’t get the bartenders’ attention and decided that I was blearily drunk enough and should give up the night.Stumbling into the lobby toward the elevators, I could hear the protesters. I glanced toward the lobby doors and saw them pressed up against the outside windows, the hotel security guards leaning on the glass walls just inside. At my glance, several of the protesters banged on the glass, pointing and gesticulating angrily. Great, I had given them a face for their rage. The wrong face, but they didn’t know or seem to care.By the time I made it to my room on the fifth floor, I was feeling pretty shitty. The elevator had my stomach doing loop-ta-loops, my head was aching, and there was a funky taste in the back of my mouth. Stumbling through the door, I grabbed a bottle of water from the mini fridge and popped some pain killers. My room had a really nice balcony with a great view of the city streets. I thought some cool air might help, so I headed out there.The mob of protesters was going strong, with people standing on vehicles and waving homemade signs. No vehicles could get down the road. I couldn’t read the signs from up above, but I could hear the crowd chanting. The words weren’t clear, but the anger and violence was.Thousands of seething, angry people were crushed together in the street below. It created an intense sense of foreboding. Sighing, I went back in and flopped on the bed. Despite having closed the balcony door, I could still hear the crowd below. I flipped the TV on and found re-runs of Andy Griffith. Andy’s gentle Southern twang as he imparted some words of wisdom to Opie lulled me off to sleep.Chapter 3I awoke suddenly, but couldn’t place what had awoken me. The tv was playing some sort of infomercial. I fumbled for the remote turning the tv down and noting that it was 2 am. As the volume went down, another noise took it’s place. There was screaming and yelling in the hallway. My spine was rigid with alarm, even as I stumbled out of bed half-awake. Looking through the peephole, I tried to see something through the fisheye warping. I managed to see a few people running by the door, but couldn’t see what was creating the panic. The commotion seemed to be coming from by the elevators.A chill ran up my spine and I locked the chain, trying once again to get a view out the hole. No dice. Opening the door as far as the chain would allow, I tried to peek out. There wasn’t enough room to see that far down the hall, but the sounds of what was unmistakably a fight echoed into my room. My blood ran cold as I thought of the thousands of angry protesters slamming into the window as I walked by earlier that night. Sliding the door closed, it was stopped by a security guard from downstairs slamming into it and slumping to the ground, blocking the door from closing.I recoiled in surprise. The man was covered in blood, a wide gash across his brow oozed into his eyes. The man turned his eyes to me and they were filled with absolute terror. “Help!” he gasped, reaching up to me.I tried to force the door close, but his full weight was upon it. “I gotta undo the chain,” I pleaded, but he didn’t seem to understand. Bloody hands grabbed his shoulders. As the body was pulled from in front of the door, it slammed shut. I fumbled with the lock, but a howl of pain and terror froze me in place. Snapping the chain back into place, I stuck my eye to the eye hole again. A mass of bodies was flailing about and it was hard to tell what was happening. It looked like the security guard was taking a pretty bad beating. I ran to the hotel phone to call the lobby, but there was only a strange hissing at the other end.Fumbling for my cell phone, I dialed 911, but only got a busy signal!Something slammed into my door and I jumped. Another thump. Slinking up to the door, I looked out the peephole and stifled a scream as I realized that there was a man trying to look in. Biting my knuckles, I forced down the hysteria that was embroiling within me and slid against the wall. What in God’s name was happening,, I wondered?Trying to steel myself, I looked through the hole again. The man had moved toward the middle of the hall. His back was to me and he was staring at something on the ground. Because of the whirl of the glass I couldn’t really tell what it was, but based on the color, I suspected that I didn’t want to know. I tried to call 911 again and wilted at the pre-recorded message “All lines are busy. Please try your call again later.”Suddenly the door reverberated, knocking me forward and I dropped the phone. I couldn’t help the yelp that escaped. A steady pounding began and grew in volume and intensity. The door reverberated with several strikes, and I put my eye to the eye hole again.Cold horror trickled down my back. There were at least seven people outside my door, all slamming into one another, and into the door. They were splattered in blood and looked… strange. The one in front of the door, raised his head as he charged and I realized that he had a chunk of bloody raw flesh hanging from his mouth.I won’t deny, I was in full-on hysterics at this point. Backing away from the door, I tripped over the couch, tumbled into the seat and slammed my head against the wall. I could see the door trembling and sagging further with each strike and I knew it was only a matter of time before they made it through.Frantically I scanned the room for some form of escape. The bathroom door and the balcony were the only doors in the room. Given that we were on the fifth floor, I wrote off the balcony and bolted for the bathroom.There were no windows, and the vents were too small to fit more than an arm through. Being trapped in here would be worse than being trapped in the room. I spun out of the bathroom, and froze as a giant crack echoed through the small space. I could see gaps of light coming through the door. I needed a weapon! The closest potential weapon was a standing lamp. Grabbing for it, I thanked God that it wasn’t attached to the floor. Still, the thing was awkward. I figured the weighted base was my best defense, most certainly able to bludgeon someone.I took a step back and tested a swing. It was heavy and unwieldy. Another large crack from the door had me stumbling backward. I found myself pressed against the balcony window. Staring avidly, I realized that the top hinge was almost completely ripped from the wall, the middle hinge was only holding by a thread. I had no idea what I would do once they got through. I doubted that they would come at me one at a time like they did in the old Kung-fu movies.The lock on the door seemed to be holding. Perhaps that would slow them down? Maybe I should be closer to the door, so I could take them out as they forced through. A quick rap on the glass behind me caused my heart to explode. I whipped about in terror, and the lamp slammed into the wall. The reverberation caused me to drop the lamp.Staring in at me was Cassandra, the woman from the bar. She had changed and was wearing a pair of black yoga pants and a form fitting black hoodie. Gesturing, it was clear she wanted me to come outside. Where had she come from?What do you think? Are you intrigued? Want more?Let me know in the comments below!Until next time,Keep Reading!
Image from 28 Weeks LaterEpilogueHello,My name is Gabriel Llewellyn. If you are reading this, then I am probably dead. Or infected. Or maybe I dropped it while fleeing the infected. I suppose it's hard to say. I hope it is the latter.You may wonder, in the nightmare our world has become, why I bother writing this at all. My idealistic self believes that one day humanity will overcome this dark period in our history. When we do, this will be a record of the events. So much has been lost already, we cannot lose this too. My practical self hopes this will help me to survive. I am not exactly survivalist material and if it weren’t for a few key people, I would have fallen with Atlanta.But if I write down everything I hear and learn, then I will have something to refer to and when those people who helped me so far tire, or leave, or become infected... these notes will help me survive.If someone finds this notebook then perhaps it will help you survive.Before my world came crashing to an end, I was a writer. Maybe this is just me clinging to a small piece of something seemingly normal. Whatever the reason, or perhaps for all of these reasons, I will write what I’ve learned. I will tell my story.Chapter 1Where were you when the infected caught up to your world, chewed it up, and changed the landscape forever?I was at a writer’s conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Yup, we were the first city hit. I’ve heard from other survivors that reports went out the next day telling the world that Atlanta, New York, and DC were hit. Others have said Louisville, KY, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, Ut and even Los Angeles have fallen to the infected according to reports before the news stations went down. There were rumors of a bio-attack.I don’t really know for sure what happened to the rest of the world. All I can tell you is what happened in Atlanta and what I have seen since.I was at a convention before Atlanta fell. I had been trapped in the hotel for three days and was getting a bit cagey. I typically loved conventions, Because every evening after the last panel or workshop, a group of us would hit the town for “networking”. A nice way of saying we would get drunk and bitch while enjoying the city we found ourselves in.But not this time. There was some bio conference going on at our hotel as well, and it had brought out a ton of protesters en masse. A couple of riots had broken out the first day, and one of our conference speakers had been attacked entering the hotel. The gossip mill suggested that he had been mistaken for some famous geneticist.After that, access to the hotel was through police escort only, and all guests were being strongly cautioned to remain in the hotel for the duration of their stay. In other words: you walk out the door and we aren’t responsible for your safety.My wild weekend of boozing and babes was in a serious choke-hold. By eight every evening the hotel bar was overcrowded and there was no hope of getting the bartenders' attention, let alone a lady’s.A change in strategy was in order. I headed to the bar at five and found the conditions much more amenable. There were a handful of groups who probably came directly from a conference meeting and were continuing discussions, but there were also quite a few individuals scattered about. I slipped up to the bar and ordered a glass of Merlot. As I waited, I surreptitiously scanned the single ladies.The majority were sitting at the bar, a stool between them even as they leaned over and chatted to one another. The universal signal: I might be here with her, but there is a good chance I will leave with you.An attractive incongruity caught my attention. She was seated alone at a table. Tall and curvaceous, with miles of leg teasingly covered by thick black tights. I hoped her sweater dress was as short as it looked.I wanted to approach, but the signals were mixed. She was seated alone at a four-top, but she kept scanning the room. Either she was waiting for someone, or she was an observer. Only one drink on the table. After ten minutes, I figured why not?Whatever her story, she was not interested, but I didn’t take the hint. Eventually she left, probably to get rid of me. That was the first time I met Cassandra Dane. Fortunately for me, it wouldn’t be my last.Chapter 2I’d like to say that after that lovely lady left me high and dry, I managed to snag another, but after two hours the bar was packed and I had struck out once again. I couldn’t get the bartenders’ attention and decided that I was blearily drunk enough and should give up the night.Stumbling into the lobby toward the elevators, I could hear the protesters. I glanced toward the lobby doors and saw them pressed up against the outside windows, the hotel security guards leaning on the glass walls just inside. At my glance, several of the protesters banged on the glass, pointing and gesticulating angrily. Great, I had given them a face for their rage. The wrong face, but they didn’t know or seem to care.By the time I made it to my room on the fifth floor, I was feeling pretty shitty. The elevator had my stomach doing loop-ta-loops, my head was aching, and there was a funky taste in the back of my mouth. Stumbling through the door, I grabbed a bottle of water from the mini fridge and popped some pain killers. My room had a really nice balcony with a great view of the city streets. I thought some cool air might help, so I headed out there.The mob of protesters was going strong, with people standing on vehicles and waving homemade signs. No vehicles could get down the road. I couldn’t read the signs from up above, but I could hear the crowd chanting. The words weren’t clear, but the anger and violence was.Thousands of seething, angry people were crushed together in the street below. It created an intense sense of foreboding. Sighing, I went back in and flopped on the bed. Despite having closed the balcony door, I could still hear the crowd below. I flipped the TV on and found re-runs of Andy Griffith. Andy’s gentle Southern twang as he imparted some words of wisdom to Opie lulled me off to sleep.Chapter 3I awoke suddenly, but couldn’t place what had awoken me. The tv was playing some sort of infomercial. I fumbled for the remote turning the tv down and noting that it was 2 am. As the volume went down, another noise took it’s place. There was screaming and yelling in the hallway. My spine was rigid with alarm, even as I stumbled out of bed half-awake. Looking through the peephole, I tried to see something through the fisheye warping. I managed to see a few people running by the door, but couldn’t see what was creating the panic. The commotion seemed to be coming from by the elevators.A chill ran up my spine and I locked the chain, trying once again to get a view out the hole. No dice. Opening the door as far as the chain would allow, I tried to peek out. There wasn’t enough room to see that far down the hall, but the sounds of what was unmistakably a fight echoed into my room. My blood ran cold as I thought of the thousands of angry protesters slamming into the window as I walked by earlier that night. Sliding the door closed, it was stopped by a security guard from downstairs slamming into it and slumping to the ground, blocking the door from closing.I recoiled in surprise. The man was covered in blood, a wide gash across his brow oozed into his eyes. The man turned his eyes to me and they were filled with absolute terror. “Help!” he gasped, reaching up to me.I tried to force the door close, but his full weight was upon it. “I gotta undo the chain,” I pleaded, but he didn’t seem to understand. Bloody hands grabbed his shoulders. As the body was pulled from in front of the door, it slammed shut. I fumbled with the lock, but a howl of pain and terror froze me in place. Snapping the chain back into place, I stuck my eye to the eye hole again. A mass of bodies was flailing about and it was hard to tell what was happening. It looked like the security guard was taking a pretty bad beating. I ran to the hotel phone to call the lobby, but there was only a strange hissing at the other end.Fumbling for my cell phone, I dialed 911, but only got a busy signal!Something slammed into my door and I jumped. Another thump. Slinking up to the door, I looked out the peephole and stifled a scream as I realized that there was a man trying to look in. Biting my knuckles, I forced down the hysteria that was embroiling within me and slid against the wall. What in God’s name was happening,, I wondered?Trying to steel myself, I looked through the hole again. The man had moved toward the middle of the hall. His back was to me and he was staring at something on the ground. Because of the whirl of the glass I couldn’t really tell what it was, but based on the color, I suspected that I didn’t want to know. I tried to call 911 again and wilted at the pre-recorded message “All lines are busy. Please try your call again later.”Suddenly the door reverberated, knocking me forward and I dropped the phone. I couldn’t help the yelp that escaped. A steady pounding began and grew in volume and intensity. The door reverberated with several strikes, and I put my eye to the eye hole again.Cold horror trickled down my back. There were at least seven people outside my door, all slamming into one another, and into the door. They were splattered in blood and looked… strange. The one in front of the door, raised his head as he charged and I realized that he had a chunk of bloody raw flesh hanging from his mouth.I won’t deny, I was in full-on hysterics at this point. Backing away from the door, I tripped over the couch, tumbled into the seat and slammed my head against the wall. I could see the door trembling and sagging further with each strike and I knew it was only a matter of time before they made it through.Frantically I scanned the room for some form of escape. The bathroom door and the balcony were the only doors in the room. Given that we were on the fifth floor, I wrote off the balcony and bolted for the bathroom.There were no windows, and the vents were too small to fit more than an arm through. Being trapped in here would be worse than being trapped in the room. I spun out of the bathroom, and froze as a giant crack echoed through the small space. I could see gaps of light coming through the door. I needed a weapon! The closest potential weapon was a standing lamp. Grabbing for it, I thanked God that it wasn’t attached to the floor. Still, the thing was awkward. I figured the weighted base was my best defense, most certainly able to bludgeon someone.I took a step back and tested a swing. It was heavy and unwieldy. Another large crack from the door had me stumbling backward. I found myself pressed against the balcony window. Staring avidly, I realized that the top hinge was almost completely ripped from the wall, the middle hinge was only holding by a thread. I had no idea what I would do once they got through. I doubted that they would come at me one at a time like they did in the old Kung-fu movies.The lock on the door seemed to be holding. Perhaps that would slow them down? Maybe I should be closer to the door, so I could take them out as they forced through. A quick rap on the glass behind me caused my heart to explode. I whipped about in terror, and the lamp slammed into the wall. The reverberation caused me to drop the lamp.Staring in at me was Cassandra, the woman from the bar. She had changed and was wearing a pair of black yoga pants and a form fitting black hoodie. Gesturing, it was clear she wanted me to come outside. Where had she come from?What do you think? Are you intrigued? Want more?Let me know in the comments below!Until next time,Keep Reading!
December 19, 2016
Are You an A**Hole By Sarah Brabbs
Hello Lovelies,I find this time of year, more than any other, I catch myself muttering under my breath "What an a**hole" and it is so frustrating because I want to bask in holiday cheer and happy thoughts, so when I met Sarah Brabbs, the author of "Are you an A**Hole," I just knew that I wanted to learn more. And as I got to know her, I realized that she has some great stuff to share. Sarah was kind enough to come on and do a guest post to share a bit about what inspired her book, how you can determine if there are people muttering under their breath about you, AND (this is the part I liked most) how you can manage the a**holes in your life!Let's turn it over to Sarah!“Can women be assholes?” and “What made you write a book about assholes?!” These are two questions I get asked a lot - so let me answer them here.First, yes – women can be assholes. In fact, two women closely connected to me were being MAJOR assholes to people I really care about; “So People Say You’re an Asshole: A Book for You, People Who Love You, & People Who Work with You” was inspired by them because I became extremely annoyed watching the damage they wreaked on people I love. For days I asked myself, “What is wrong with people?” and “why are people such assholes?” I thought a lot too – mostly about how it is NOT hard to not be an asshole, what drives people to be difficult, etc. After spending a considerable amount of time thinking this over and discussing it with people I trust (who are not assholes), I decided to take what I know, flip it, and write this book.
You can learn about me and get my book throughoptimizing-relationshipsstore.com(signed copy – right now use the discount code GIVEME40 & get 40% off), viaoptimizingrelationships.com(my business), and of course it’s on Amazon, too. I would suggest if you really want to know if it’s a good read for you, just read the introduction on Amazon. The book has three parts; the first part of it is written to the asshole. Typically either an asshole knows they’re an asshole and don’t care, or they realize they’re perceived as an asshole, and they do care – at least a little. An asshole often paints himself as the victim. The type of asshole who will be helped reading my book is the latter who is at least a little self-aware; I find these people are missing communicative and behavioral tools (skills), knowledge, and motivation. I provide these things.The second and third parts of my book are for those in a relationship with an asshole and those who work with – or for – an asshole. I’ve met many people in committed relationships that are deteriorating because someone became an asshole, for instance. Additionally in the workplace, there are many things you should and should not do, as well as information you may not have considered when working with or for an asshole. If you hired an asshole, you have a special problem – one that’s best not to bury your head in the sand about, as she can really negatively impact your organization.I also hear all the time, “Wow – a book about me! How did you know?” Most people are joking. But this underscores just how much we can all identify with having a difficult person in our lives.Follow@sarahbrabbsassholebookon Instagram & likefacebook.com/optimizingrelationships.comto see what I’m up to. Check outoptimizingrelationships.comfor speaking and training information.Some advice? At work, know that an asshole thrives on power – their own personal power or their actual positional power. Understanding this will help you navigate that relationship. In a romantic relationship, it’s best NOT to focus on the negative; if you want to stay and want it to get better, then there are things you can do to help this happen. If YOU are the asshole, your life and the lives of those around you can become better if you get on this now – don’t wait until you’re 70 and looking back on your life, wishing you had made some changes. Do it now.Have a great end to your 2016!Sarah BrabbsThe struggle is real, folks, and Sarah's book will help! I am looking forward to reading it. How about you? Let us know in the comments below.Until next time,Keep Reading!
You can learn about me and get my book throughoptimizing-relationshipsstore.com(signed copy – right now use the discount code GIVEME40 & get 40% off), viaoptimizingrelationships.com(my business), and of course it’s on Amazon, too. I would suggest if you really want to know if it’s a good read for you, just read the introduction on Amazon. The book has three parts; the first part of it is written to the asshole. Typically either an asshole knows they’re an asshole and don’t care, or they realize they’re perceived as an asshole, and they do care – at least a little. An asshole often paints himself as the victim. The type of asshole who will be helped reading my book is the latter who is at least a little self-aware; I find these people are missing communicative and behavioral tools (skills), knowledge, and motivation. I provide these things.The second and third parts of my book are for those in a relationship with an asshole and those who work with – or for – an asshole. I’ve met many people in committed relationships that are deteriorating because someone became an asshole, for instance. Additionally in the workplace, there are many things you should and should not do, as well as information you may not have considered when working with or for an asshole. If you hired an asshole, you have a special problem – one that’s best not to bury your head in the sand about, as she can really negatively impact your organization.I also hear all the time, “Wow – a book about me! How did you know?” Most people are joking. But this underscores just how much we can all identify with having a difficult person in our lives.Follow@sarahbrabbsassholebookon Instagram & likefacebook.com/optimizingrelationships.comto see what I’m up to. Check outoptimizingrelationships.comfor speaking and training information.Some advice? At work, know that an asshole thrives on power – their own personal power or their actual positional power. Understanding this will help you navigate that relationship. In a romantic relationship, it’s best NOT to focus on the negative; if you want to stay and want it to get better, then there are things you can do to help this happen. If YOU are the asshole, your life and the lives of those around you can become better if you get on this now – don’t wait until you’re 70 and looking back on your life, wishing you had made some changes. Do it now.Have a great end to your 2016!Sarah BrabbsThe struggle is real, folks, and Sarah's book will help! I am looking forward to reading it. How about you? Let us know in the comments below.Until next time,Keep Reading!
December 16, 2016
Poetry Corner: Life without You
You fulfill my every dreamYou're my dream come true.Things aren't always what they seem.My dear, I truly need you.I sit and think of you all day,and wish that you were here.My mind is filled with all you say.Hurry back to me, my dear.
As lonely times glide slowly past,The beauty you once made me feel.I think of times that never last.The first kiss that only you could steal.You've left me now, and I can't see.I loved you so, you were my laughter.Without you, I don't think I can be.You hold my soul now, and ever after.Until next time,Keep Reading!
As lonely times glide slowly past,The beauty you once made me feel.I think of times that never last.The first kiss that only you could steal.You've left me now, and I can't see.I loved you so, you were my laughter.Without you, I don't think I can be.You hold my soul now, and ever after.Until next time,Keep Reading!
December 15, 2016
Book Review: The Girl on the Train.... Why?
Genre:I know that they say this is a Thriller, but to me it was more of a Drama.Synopsis:EVERY DAY THE SAME Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.UNTIL TODAYAnd then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel goes to the police. But is she really as unreliable as they say? Soon she is deeply entangled not only in the investigation but in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?My Take:I hated this book! Seriously, like unreasonably levels of rage, hated this book. That was my gut reaction, as you can see in thisFacebook First Thoughtsvideo I did. I was a little surprised at the level of agitation I had for this book, especially since I managed to read it in just a few days and I haven't done that in a really long time. So I wanted to give my brain some time to process the feelings I was having before I wrote the review. Who knew it would take me over a week!Besides everything I said in my First Thoughts video, which still fits, I have been able to pinpoint other issues I had which actually bothered me more as an author than as a reader, but I often have a hard time separating those two. I was going to try for this review, but then I realized that my reader side plays a huge influence on my writer side. The two are kind of inseparable. So I won't separate them.Let's go into the character development and why it made me so angry. Firstly, as a reader I love strong female characters. It is what inspired me to be the woman I am today, and it is what inspires my writing. There is not a strong female character in this entire book. And the book is about three women. That is jut awful! It is incomprehensible. Some who have read it will argue that each female "becomes strong" in the end, but they don't. They are trying, I suppose, in a way, but they don't become strong. They are the example of everything horrible in women, and their "strength" is the other end of the spectrum of what is horrible in women. And that just made me ill. It bothered me that there was so little distinguish between these women. There is something to be argued that this was an intentional stylistic choice as each woman was a duplication and representation of the others. But really, I think it was because of poor editing. No woman is that much like another. Our internal dialogues, our reasoning behind the choices we make, even our interactions with others are not so carbon copy. It was almost reverse Stepford Wifey creepy for me.This is the author's first book, so I can understand her making that mistake, but for the professional editors of Penquin to miss that? Talk about sloppy. Please tell me I am not the only woman who struggled with this?!Another issue I had was with the categorization. This was lasted as a thriller. There was a very loose thriller element strung throughout the book in the idea of trying to figure out who the murderer was, but there was soooo much DRAMA that made up the bulk of the book and that drama was all centered around Rachel (the main character) having NO LIFE and needing to insert herself into the murder investigation thereby totally destroying the thriller motif completely. Now, if the book had gone the way I thought it was going, and Rachel had been the murderer, then that would have been a delicious thriller because all this time she was looking for the killer, to find out that she was the one who had done it? That would have been BRILLIANT! But no, it was just more drama in it being Rachel's ex, who we knew from the beginning was a cretin and not above cheating. I was only surprised because it was the most predictable culprit and that an author would have gone with something so tragically cliche was such a huge disappointment. That should have been something caught by her editors. The predictable ending should have been a dead giveaway that this was a drama, a cautionary tale, not a thriller. Instead, they marketed it as a thriller, and really pissed me off. As a drama, it was fine. I don't really care for them, (because of the predictability) but it works for the genre..Another thing, so many times I had to go back and re-read sections. Sentence clarity was lacking, character development was lacking, and some sentences just didn'tmake sense!I suppose that the editors wrote it off as "unreliable character" narrative and so it didn't matter. But it does matter. I should not have to stop a book to re-read a section for clarity. (Unless the author is Hawkin. Then, it's just because I am not that smart!) Even if the narrator is unreliable and we shouldn't trust their viewpoint, we should still be able to understand it. We don't have to agree with it, but we should be able to understand it.All the hype, the crazy fast movie deal, the sub-par story and content just reminds me so much of 50 Shades. Sounds like the movie-version is just about as bad, despite a good cast. Why?At least 50 Shades had the excuse of being self-published.Am I so out of touch with the average reader? How did this book become a NY Times Bestseller? Is this why people say that the product doesn't matter, as long as you market it?What were your thoughts on The Girl on the Train? Do you agree with any of my points? Anything you disagree with? Share in the comments below.Until next time,Keep Reading!
December 14, 2016
2017 Planning Schedule for An Angell's Life
Hello my Lovelies!I have been super busy planning out my 2017 schedule and I am actually really enjoying this experience!
Last year, I worked on Jeff Goins' Intentional blogging course, and reviewing that has me into this major planning mode. I started researching long term planning for entrepreneurs and started putting together goals for 1, 2 and 5 years, and the goals were great (I have done things like this before, but have not been able to hit the follow-through which is really frustrating!) Using C. S. Lakin's tips on Live, Write, Thrive I have been able to develop the most comprehensive plan and work backwards from my goals. Incorporating Michael Hyatt's Best Year Ever, I have been able to focus on good strong goals for this year, and using The 90 Day Plan, hopefully I will be able to stay on task!Last year, I took Jeanine Blackwell's "Promotional and Launch Planning Calendar" and tweaked that to apply to my needs as a writer/ publisher. Her methods for planning out your launches on a physical calendar using sticky notes has been absolutely inspiring for me as a tactile person! Plus, I LOVE sticky notes!!! I do feel a little bit guilty about killing trees, but I am an author so.... I will plant extra trees this year. I am excited to combine this with the 90 day plan to increase my productivity!I have been able to lay out not only my product launch schedule (IE, new books. There will be three this year! You are welcome!) but also plan out my marketing, my content releases, and my other work. It has made everything feel more real, and more achievable.This year on the blog you will be seeing a lot more book reviews, author interviews, and character spotlights. I will keep doing the Friday poetry as well. As this blog is for you, I would love some input. Do you have any suggestions of what you would like to see added to the blog?Let me know in the comments below!Until next time,Keep Reading!
Last year, I worked on Jeff Goins' Intentional blogging course, and reviewing that has me into this major planning mode. I started researching long term planning for entrepreneurs and started putting together goals for 1, 2 and 5 years, and the goals were great (I have done things like this before, but have not been able to hit the follow-through which is really frustrating!) Using C. S. Lakin's tips on Live, Write, Thrive I have been able to develop the most comprehensive plan and work backwards from my goals. Incorporating Michael Hyatt's Best Year Ever, I have been able to focus on good strong goals for this year, and using The 90 Day Plan, hopefully I will be able to stay on task!Last year, I took Jeanine Blackwell's "Promotional and Launch Planning Calendar" and tweaked that to apply to my needs as a writer/ publisher. Her methods for planning out your launches on a physical calendar using sticky notes has been absolutely inspiring for me as a tactile person! Plus, I LOVE sticky notes!!! I do feel a little bit guilty about killing trees, but I am an author so.... I will plant extra trees this year. I am excited to combine this with the 90 day plan to increase my productivity!I have been able to lay out not only my product launch schedule (IE, new books. There will be three this year! You are welcome!) but also plan out my marketing, my content releases, and my other work. It has made everything feel more real, and more achievable.This year on the blog you will be seeing a lot more book reviews, author interviews, and character spotlights. I will keep doing the Friday poetry as well. As this blog is for you, I would love some input. Do you have any suggestions of what you would like to see added to the blog?Let me know in the comments below!Until next time,Keep Reading!
December 13, 2016
When Indie Authors Get Scammed...
Hello Lovelies,So I met this really awesome PA last weekend (Jolene) at Mark McQuillan's Legends of Cover Reveal last weekend, and she is asking for some help for an author who got scammed by another personal assistant into shelling out some serious cash and then the poor author didn't get the promotional services that were paid for.To top it off, when the author stopped the payment and reported this PA, the PA then went on a personal war against this poor author and got a bunch of "people" to post phony negative reviews for the book. (We aren't sure if this PA simply reached out to their network, or if she just has a bunch of accounts and did it that way. Some horrible stuff, right?!)So Jolene and a couple of other awesome PAs are doing what they can to help this author out, and show that there are some GREAT PAs out there.I normally don't do a synopsis like this, but I am sure you can understand the exception to my rule, right?!
The Four Points: Chapters 1-10(The Four Points Saga) is live now for free on Amazon!Get an early glimpse before the full book releases!! We would appreciate your honest review to fix the dishonest reviews posted. Thank you!Synopsis:First time being called pretty. First crush. First flutter of anticipation for a first kiss. First boy to kill himself inches from her lips.In the Four Points we enter the world of a young teenage outsider and her struggle to be accepted—her struggle to accept herself. But ERIKA is far from a regular teen. Erika hears people's thoughts. She has blackout spells, waking up in places with no idea of how she got there...and strange, inexplicable things keep happening around her.On the first day of 11th grade, Erika is compelled to intervene during a mass shooting at her high school. She is reluctantly propelled into the spotlight, a place where she is profoundly uncomfortable. A series of strangers start to enter her life...all connected by an odd symbol—a DIAMOND containing two eyes—a symbol similar to the birthmark on the back of Erika's neck. One of these strangers is a gorgeous young man named LIAM, who shares the very same marking. Erika will soon find out that she and Liam are, in fact, at the center of a worldwide struggle. They are part of a secret society of "Diamonds" chosen to protect the world. And Erika is the "Western Point".As the battle heats up, Erika's instinct to push people away will be tested when she falls for Liam. Erika struggles to face the demons within her, the fear of being abandoned again. Erika must choose between the risky path of love and the familiar call of the Collector—a sinister, seductive immortal. Will Erika learn to trust? Will she ever feel worthy of Liam's love? Or will she let her insecurities, her fears, destroy the world?If this story grabs your interest, we appreciate you grabbing afree copyand posting a review on Amazon to combat the cruel intentions of someone looking to scam indie authors. I will be posting a review of it soon! Thanks everyone!Until next time,Keep Reading!
The Four Points: Chapters 1-10(The Four Points Saga) is live now for free on Amazon!Get an early glimpse before the full book releases!! We would appreciate your honest review to fix the dishonest reviews posted. Thank you!Synopsis:First time being called pretty. First crush. First flutter of anticipation for a first kiss. First boy to kill himself inches from her lips.In the Four Points we enter the world of a young teenage outsider and her struggle to be accepted—her struggle to accept herself. But ERIKA is far from a regular teen. Erika hears people's thoughts. She has blackout spells, waking up in places with no idea of how she got there...and strange, inexplicable things keep happening around her.On the first day of 11th grade, Erika is compelled to intervene during a mass shooting at her high school. She is reluctantly propelled into the spotlight, a place where she is profoundly uncomfortable. A series of strangers start to enter her life...all connected by an odd symbol—a DIAMOND containing two eyes—a symbol similar to the birthmark on the back of Erika's neck. One of these strangers is a gorgeous young man named LIAM, who shares the very same marking. Erika will soon find out that she and Liam are, in fact, at the center of a worldwide struggle. They are part of a secret society of "Diamonds" chosen to protect the world. And Erika is the "Western Point".As the battle heats up, Erika's instinct to push people away will be tested when she falls for Liam. Erika struggles to face the demons within her, the fear of being abandoned again. Erika must choose between the risky path of love and the familiar call of the Collector—a sinister, seductive immortal. Will Erika learn to trust? Will she ever feel worthy of Liam's love? Or will she let her insecurities, her fears, destroy the world?If this story grabs your interest, we appreciate you grabbing afree copyand posting a review on Amazon to combat the cruel intentions of someone looking to scam indie authors. I will be posting a review of it soon! Thanks everyone!Until next time,Keep Reading!
December 12, 2016
Plans for The Hunted Book Tour Has Begun
Woohoo!I am super excited! I know, The Hunted was supposed to come out months ago. But it is official, now, and promoting the book tour has begun! I would love your support on Thunderclap to announce the tour release.
What is Thunderclap? It is this great free social media tool where people can add their support to a message and that message will go out across Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr at the same time across all the accounts that supported the campaign.It is a great way for little people like me to really be able to make an impact on social media with the help of friends like you. The last campaign I ran went out for almost half a million people. I would love that kind of support for The Hunted book tour!All you need to do isgo to the campaign on Thunderclap, and support with each social media account that you want to include.And for your support, I am offering a gift. Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after you share that you supported the campaign. You will get entered into a drawing to win a personalized signed limited first edition copy of The Hunters. Only 500 copies were printed. You get five entries for each social media platform you add support to, and 1 entry for each time you share that you supported the campaign (up to three a day until the launch of the campaign. That is a lot of opportunities to win!)Got questions about Thunderclap, or the tour for The Hunted? Let me know in the comments below!Thank you so much for all of your support on this adventure! You guys really are the best fans an author could hope for!Until next time,Keep Reading!
What is Thunderclap? It is this great free social media tool where people can add their support to a message and that message will go out across Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr at the same time across all the accounts that supported the campaign.It is a great way for little people like me to really be able to make an impact on social media with the help of friends like you. The last campaign I ran went out for almost half a million people. I would love that kind of support for The Hunted book tour!All you need to do isgo to the campaign on Thunderclap, and support with each social media account that you want to include.And for your support, I am offering a gift. Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after you share that you supported the campaign. You will get entered into a drawing to win a personalized signed limited first edition copy of The Hunters. Only 500 copies were printed. You get five entries for each social media platform you add support to, and 1 entry for each time you share that you supported the campaign (up to three a day until the launch of the campaign. That is a lot of opportunities to win!)Got questions about Thunderclap, or the tour for The Hunted? Let me know in the comments below!Thank you so much for all of your support on this adventure! You guys really are the best fans an author could hope for!Until next time,Keep Reading!
December 9, 2016
Poetry Corner: Hurt
Sometimes I lie awake,
unable to sleep.I think of hurt timesand begin to weep.Can you remember the timewhen love was ours to keep?There were less times of love,than when I felt cheap.I'd sit for days lonely,wondering if you'd call.I knew I needed new love,for ours was about to fall.Now I've found a new love,someone to take your place.It's your fault, you broke our love.The guilt is on your face.Now, when you lie awake lonely,think of the love you miss.Think of how it could be,as it's him, not you, I kiss.Until next time,Keep Reading!
unable to sleep.I think of hurt timesand begin to weep.Can you remember the timewhen love was ours to keep?There were less times of love,than when I felt cheap.I'd sit for days lonely,wondering if you'd call.I knew I needed new love,for ours was about to fall.Now I've found a new love,someone to take your place.It's your fault, you broke our love.The guilt is on your face.Now, when you lie awake lonely,think of the love you miss.Think of how it could be,as it's him, not you, I kiss.Until next time,Keep Reading!
December 8, 2016
Meet the Author with Teymour Shahabi
Hello Lovelies,Back in September, I reviewed Teymour Shahabi's debut novel,The Secret Billionaire.I think this was one of my favorite YA books of 2016!
Teymour Shahabi was born in Paris in 1985 of Persian parents. He moved to the United States to study Comparative Literature and Mathematics at Harvard University. He currently lives in New York City, where he's spent the last few years among serious professionals who probably have no idea he’s doing this (publishing). On September 29, 2016, he released The Secret Billionaire, a young adult mystery novel and his first published book.I have been watching Teymour's vlog since the summer, and I am delighted to have him on An Angell's Life for an interview!Hello Teymour! How are you?I just published my first book, and we’re entering my favorite time of year. I’m doing very well!So glad! I love this time of year as well. What is the current book you are promoting?“The Secret Billionaire,” which is both a young adult mystery novel and my debut.It was such a delightful book, too! I was honored to read it. Who is your favorite character in your book and why?Olivia Gladys, because she’s intelligent, beautiful, and a little scary, as she says everything that’s on her mind. Also, she’s not afraid of anyone, which is the ultimate definition of cool.Oh, she is quite the handful! I love the relationship between her and Cameron. Who is your least favorite character and why?The school Principal, Mr. Clare, because he reminds me of adults I found despicable as a kid.Sadly, I think those of us from all walks of life have known a Mr. Clare. Mine was a middle school principal in the South who targeted me because I was a "damn yankee". What inspired this book?A combination of Batman, Ali Baba, and the Count of Monte-Cristo.I love your eclectic interests! Count of Monte-Cristo is one of my all-time favorite reads! If you could have your book made into a movie, who would you want to direct it?Since we’re entering the realm of dreams and fantasies… Myself!And that, folks is why he self-published! Love the control. FYI, it's why I self-published too! I would be leery to hand my movie off to others. What is your next project?The sequel, which will continue the story with a whole new mystery, and even add a layer of horror (and romance, which a lot of people have been asking for!).Oh, bah to the romance! But I love the additional horror element! Cannot wait! What is one place you would like to visit and why?I would love to go to Egypt. I was one of those kids who’re obsessed with pharaohs and pyramids… And I never grew up :)Who wouldn't love to visit the land of the Pharaohs! If there was one thing you could do to change the world, what would it be?
I would make violence against children physically impossible.A Beautiful sentiment. How do you write your books?By putting in long hours that I’d much rather spend doing something fun.Thank you for your sacrifice! A Secret Billionaire is proof that your time was worth it! Who inspires your writing?A lot of my inspiration comes from outside of books, especially music and movies (opera and animation in particular).Who is your favorite author?Victor Hugo.He makes my top ten list as well! What is one great lesson you have learned as a writer?That one should approach writing not as an artist and a mystic, but as a craftsman/woman and an athlete.If you could never write again, what would you do?I’d go look for the Wizard of Oz… And ask him how I could write again.Ha, clever response! Tell us something unique about you:My least favorite word is “cute.”But it's such a cute word! Lol. What is your favorite word?I love them all equally – except for “cute.”Ah, a lexicomaniac after my own heart! Well, there you go, folks! Teymour is clever, fun and eclectic, and all of that is reflected in his writing! I am eager to read the sequel to the Secret Billionaire. Are you interested in reading The Secret Billionaire? It is free on Amazon from December 8th-10thGrab Your Copy HereYou can watch (and help) him try to figure out writing and life on hisFacebook Until next time,Keep Reading!
Teymour Shahabi was born in Paris in 1985 of Persian parents. He moved to the United States to study Comparative Literature and Mathematics at Harvard University. He currently lives in New York City, where he's spent the last few years among serious professionals who probably have no idea he’s doing this (publishing). On September 29, 2016, he released The Secret Billionaire, a young adult mystery novel and his first published book.I have been watching Teymour's vlog since the summer, and I am delighted to have him on An Angell's Life for an interview!Hello Teymour! How are you?I just published my first book, and we’re entering my favorite time of year. I’m doing very well!So glad! I love this time of year as well. What is the current book you are promoting?“The Secret Billionaire,” which is both a young adult mystery novel and my debut.It was such a delightful book, too! I was honored to read it. Who is your favorite character in your book and why?Olivia Gladys, because she’s intelligent, beautiful, and a little scary, as she says everything that’s on her mind. Also, she’s not afraid of anyone, which is the ultimate definition of cool.Oh, she is quite the handful! I love the relationship between her and Cameron. Who is your least favorite character and why?The school Principal, Mr. Clare, because he reminds me of adults I found despicable as a kid.Sadly, I think those of us from all walks of life have known a Mr. Clare. Mine was a middle school principal in the South who targeted me because I was a "damn yankee". What inspired this book?A combination of Batman, Ali Baba, and the Count of Monte-Cristo.I love your eclectic interests! Count of Monte-Cristo is one of my all-time favorite reads! If you could have your book made into a movie, who would you want to direct it?Since we’re entering the realm of dreams and fantasies… Myself!And that, folks is why he self-published! Love the control. FYI, it's why I self-published too! I would be leery to hand my movie off to others. What is your next project?The sequel, which will continue the story with a whole new mystery, and even add a layer of horror (and romance, which a lot of people have been asking for!).Oh, bah to the romance! But I love the additional horror element! Cannot wait! What is one place you would like to visit and why?I would love to go to Egypt. I was one of those kids who’re obsessed with pharaohs and pyramids… And I never grew up :)Who wouldn't love to visit the land of the Pharaohs! If there was one thing you could do to change the world, what would it be?I would make violence against children physically impossible.A Beautiful sentiment. How do you write your books?By putting in long hours that I’d much rather spend doing something fun.Thank you for your sacrifice! A Secret Billionaire is proof that your time was worth it! Who inspires your writing?A lot of my inspiration comes from outside of books, especially music and movies (opera and animation in particular).Who is your favorite author?Victor Hugo.He makes my top ten list as well! What is one great lesson you have learned as a writer?That one should approach writing not as an artist and a mystic, but as a craftsman/woman and an athlete.If you could never write again, what would you do?I’d go look for the Wizard of Oz… And ask him how I could write again.Ha, clever response! Tell us something unique about you:My least favorite word is “cute.”But it's such a cute word! Lol. What is your favorite word?I love them all equally – except for “cute.”Ah, a lexicomaniac after my own heart! Well, there you go, folks! Teymour is clever, fun and eclectic, and all of that is reflected in his writing! I am eager to read the sequel to the Secret Billionaire. Are you interested in reading The Secret Billionaire? It is free on Amazon from December 8th-10thGrab Your Copy HereYou can watch (and help) him try to figure out writing and life on hisFacebook Until next time,Keep Reading!
December 7, 2016
Meet the Author with Morris E. Graham
Hello Lovelies,One of my firstBook Unboxingswas Morris E. Graham's Warzone: Nemesis, and I am excited to do an author interview with Morris today!
Let's jump on in! Welcome to An Angell's Life, Morris, hat inspired this military science fiction novel?The Warzone series was inspired by the storyline of the PC videogame from 1998 called “Battlezone” produced by Activision, owned now by Atari.That is awesome! I am blown away by how many authors use video games to inspire their writing. Where do you come up with your stories?From anywhere and everywhere. I get ideas from stories I’ve heard, songs on the radio, and of course, people I’ve known.What is the current book you are promoting?“Warzone: Nemesis”What is your next project?The sequel, “Warzone: Operation Wolf Hunt,” which I hope to publish November 20.Who is your favorite author?Can I have two? Tony Hillerman and James Clavall.Well, there you are, folks! I am deep into reading Warzone: Nemesis as we speak, so stay tuned for the review!In the mean time, if you want to learn more about Morris and his series you can check out his website, follow him on Twitter or Goodreads.Want to grab your copy of Warzone: Nemesis today? Grab your copy onAmazon. It is free through Kindle Unlimited, or you can get a paperback for only $11.60.Until next time,Keep Reading!
Let's jump on in! Welcome to An Angell's Life, Morris, hat inspired this military science fiction novel?The Warzone series was inspired by the storyline of the PC videogame from 1998 called “Battlezone” produced by Activision, owned now by Atari.That is awesome! I am blown away by how many authors use video games to inspire their writing. Where do you come up with your stories?From anywhere and everywhere. I get ideas from stories I’ve heard, songs on the radio, and of course, people I’ve known.What is the current book you are promoting?“Warzone: Nemesis”What is your next project?The sequel, “Warzone: Operation Wolf Hunt,” which I hope to publish November 20.Who is your favorite author?Can I have two? Tony Hillerman and James Clavall.Well, there you are, folks! I am deep into reading Warzone: Nemesis as we speak, so stay tuned for the review!In the mean time, if you want to learn more about Morris and his series you can check out his website, follow him on Twitter or Goodreads.Want to grab your copy of Warzone: Nemesis today? Grab your copy onAmazon. It is free through Kindle Unlimited, or you can get a paperback for only $11.60.Until next time,Keep Reading!
