C.K. Bryant's Blog, page 2
April 14, 2014
BELOVED is finally here!!!!
Yep, that's right. Today is the official launch day of BELOVED!!Here are a few buy links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo (coming in a day or so)
iTunes (2-3 days)
Please be sure to leave a review at the above links when you're finished reading it.
ENJOY!!!
February 20, 2014
SQUEEE!!!
Can you see it?????That's a light at the end of that tunnel.
And I can finally see it!!!!
That's right.
BELOVED is almost done.
If all goes well, I should be done by next week. It still has to be edited and formatted, but it's soooooo close I can taste it.
I'm not giving a release date yet, but I hope to have it out by the end of April.
Thanks for your patience, guys. You've been so awesome and supportive.
HUGS
:-)
December 11, 2013
Cover Reveal - BLOOD CROWN - by Ali Cross
About BLOOD CROWN: Serantha is the daughter of the Emperor of the West, who rules over the remnant of humanity who escaped a dying Earth and took to the stars a thousand years ago. With no habitable planets found during their exile, the android Servants who were supposed to care for them rose up, took the name of Mind, and murdered her father. Now the androids amuse themselves by forcing humans like her into mindless drudgery. But flashes of memory hint that Sera is no ordinary human.
On the other side of the galaxy, Nicolai, Son of the East, has abandoned his crown and joined the rebel forces in the war against the Mind. Humans have no real chance... unless the enhanced DNA developed by the Blood Crown scientists can unlock mankind's potential. When Nic and Sera are united, they discover their true potential--and together, humanity just might have a chance. But there's a legion of androids and nine years of mistrust between East and West... and coming together will require more than they ever expected.
Release date: February 20, 2014
Buy links: coming soon!
About Ali Cross: Ali Cross is the sensei of Novel Ninjutsu where she holds a black belt in awesome. She lives in Utah with her kickin' husband, two sparring sons, one ninja cat, one sumo dog and four zen turtles.Ali is the award-winning author of young and new adult fiction and moonlights as Alex Cross when she can write wild middle grade adventures set in the faraway places of her imagination.
Social media links:Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ali_cross Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoralicross Blog: http://www.alicross.com Book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19241969-blood-crown Author on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5188441.Ali_Cross Tumblr/Pinterest/Etc: http://desolationdiaries.tumblr.com/ Indelibles (indie authors): http://indeliblewriters.blogspot.com/ Emblazoners (middle grade authors): http://emblazoners.com/ Dauntless (authors): http://dauntlessauthors.blogspot.com/
November 21, 2013
Things Are Finally Looking Up
I just love this time of year with the colorful leaves and excitement for the holidays. While everything outside is preparing for the winter chill, I find myself fighting the urge to hibernate. It would be so easy to curl up with a good book and a warm cup of hot chocolate and let the winter months pass, but I have better things to do.Like WRITE!!!
So, I'm absorbing as much sunlight as I can get as it filters through my dirty windows and cranking up the tunes. It's time to get this book done.
I'm sure you'll all agree that it's about time. I'm currently a little over 3/4 of the way finished with BELOVED and hope to have it done mid-December. Of course it will have to go through edits and formatting, but I feel confident in saying it should be ready for a late January/early February release. I wish I could give an exact date, but until it is finished and I know for sure that my editor can squeeze it into her busy schedule, I can't be more specific.
In the meantime, some good news to go around. The most recent CT scan showed that all the blood clots in my lungs are GONE!!! YIPPEE!!! Can't tell you have happy I am about that. The right side of my heart is still enlarged, but is smaller than it was in the last CT, so they're hopeful for a full recovery. I'm still on meds and oxygen, which sucks, but I'll do whatever it takes to get back on my feet.
Oh, and I'm feeling MUCH better in the depression department. Trying to be positive and do things that make me happy. It helps that my prognosis has improved and that I'm writing again.
And for heaven's sake, I really need to blog more often. Sheesh.
Later!!
HUGS
September 24, 2013
NEW RELEASE - Awakening, by Christy Dorrity
About the Book
. . . because some Celtic stories won’t be contained in myth.
A little magic has always run in sixteen-year-old McKayla McCleery's family—at least that’s what she’s been told. McKayla’s eccentric Aunt Avril travels the world as a psychic for the FBI, and her mother can make amazing delicacies out of the most basic of ingredients. But McKayla doesn't think for a second that the magic is real—it’s just good storytelling. Besides, McKayla doesn’t need magic. She recently moved to beautiful Star Valley, Wyoming, and already she has a best friend, a solo in her upcoming ballet recital—and the gorgeous guy in her physics class keeps looking her way.
When an unexpected fascination with Irish dance leads McKayla to seek instruction from the mute, crippled janitor at her high school, she learns that her family is not the only one with unexplained abilities.
After Aunt Avril comes to Star Valley in pursuit of a supernatural killer, people begin disappearing, and the lives of those McKayla holds most dear are threatened.
When the janitor reveals that an ancient curse, known as a geis, has awakened deadly powers that defy explanation, McKayla is forced to come to terms with what is real and what is fantasy.
A thrilling debut novel based in Celtic mythology, Awakening is a gripping young adult fantasy rife with magic, romance, and mystery.
Praise for Awakening
"AWAKENING is a wonder and a delight. Christy Dorrity is a talent to watch."
~David Farland, New York Times bestselling author of Nightingale
"I thoroughly enjoyed AWAKENING, a captivating and unique debut novel that creatively integrates Irish dance."
~ CHRIS NAISH, Riverdance member and Creative Director of Fusion Fighters Irish dancers.
About the AuthorChristy Dorrity lives in the mountains with her husband, five children, and a cocker spaniel. She grew up on a trout ranch in Star Valley, Wyoming, and is the author of The Geis series for young adults, and The Book Blogger’s Cookbooks. Christy is a champion Irish dancer and when she’s not reading or writing, she’s probably trying out a new recipe in the kitchen.
Purchase Awakening by Christy Dorrity:
August 2, 2013
Depression Takes Over
I suffer from depression.
There. I said it.
It's plagued me for years, but I've always been able to push it away with and without medication. I'd gotten so used to having it around, it didn't seem to bother me much and it certainly didn't control my life for any length of time. Maybe in spurts when things weren't going well, but for the most part, I've been able to . . . well . . . FAKE it. I guess that's the best way to describe it.
While people are around, I put on a happy face and pretend to be upbeat and positive. I even manage it online for the most part. Don't get me wrong. I do have a lot of wonderful days and I do seem to look on the bright side of things most of the time. But on those rare occasions when I'm down, I have a multitude of masks I can wear so people don't know.
Now is NOT one of those times.
Since my near-death health scare, I've been gradually sinking deeper and deeper into a dark hole. I don't think I realized it until this past week when tears started flowing for no apparent reason. I've managed to push my friends and family away and withdraw from most of my online groups and media venues because I didn't want this "mood" to rub off on anyone else.
No. That's not exactly true.
I didn't want anyone to know I was wallowing in self-pity. I write for teens and I want to be a good example and uplift them, not drag them down.
UGH!! I hate this.
Anyway, the reason I tell you this is because I'm not writing much. I feel horrible about it, but whenever I open up my word document I just sit and stare at the letters on the screen and nothing comes. It's not that I don't know the story. I have the whole thing outlined and planned out to the last sentence. I've just lost that burning desire to tell the story and I'm not sure how to get it back. I need my cup filled. I need to feel like I do when I get back from a writer's conference--all rejuvenated and inspired to be the best at what I do. I need great words of encouragement from my friends, family, fans, and writing buddies.
Sooooo . . . GIVE ME YOUR BEST SHOT!! Inspire me. Uplift me. Kick me in the butt so I can get back to writing. Whatever it takes. I'm ready, so let me have it.
June 13, 2013
Beloved Cover Reveal
Sorry it's taken me so long to get this posted.
I hope you like it.
For more information about the release of BELOVED, please check out the update I posted HERE . Please don't send me hate mail. I'm doing the best I can.
And because I love you guys so much, here's the first two chapters to wet your appetite.
Chapter
One
Kira slept for three
days, waking only when her swelling brain would let her. She’d never felt so
much pain. When Draego slammed her head against a tree, her world slipped
sideways and crumbled into a million little pieces. She remembered some things,
knew who she was and bits and pieces of what had happened, only they were
jumbled and, she thought, in the wrong order.
She took in a deep
breath of musty, damp air and rolled to her side. The constant drip of rain
water echoing off the cave walls didn’t help her splitting headache. At her
side, on the cold, clay-like soil, lay her bow, quiver of arrows, and knife.
She glanced toward the small opening to find Nigel’s sleeping form slumped
against the wall, silhouetted by the moonlight streaming in. As far as she
knew, he’d not left her side except to find the few nuts and berries they’d
eaten to stay alive.
Kira adjusted the wool
blanket around her shoulders. When she drew her knees up, something moved under
the blanket and brushed against her backside. She let out a squeal and shoved
the blanket—creature and all—down past her feet, then grabbed her knife from
its sheath. Nigel sprang toward her on his knees and scooped up the bundle,
then thwarted Kira’s stab by clamping his fingers around her wrist. He shook
his head, only letting go when she lowered her weapon.
“What is that?” All
she could think of was a fat rat the size of a pit-bull and the thought of it
snuggling up to her made the hair on her arms stand up. She hated rats, even
more than she hated being called Mouse by her mother. “Get it out of here!”
The creature hissed
and wiggled while Nigel slowly peeled back the blanket. Kira sat up and scooted
against the wall, keeping her knife held tight in her hand.
“Are you crazy? Don’t
let it out!”
The words had barely
escaped her mouth, when the creature sprang from Nigel’s arms and came straight
for Kira, stumbling before rolling over onto its back and begging for a rub.
“Mahli?” Kira smiled
at the sight of her little friend. She remembered now—finding the cub in the
forest, her mother’s throat slit and her brother’s little body ripped to shreds
by some animal—most likely Shandira. Mahli had been found pressed against her
dead mother’s tummy, pumping her front paws in rhythm with her heart wrenching
whimpers.
Nigel shook out the
blanket and draped it over the lower half of Kira’s body and legs. Mahli leapt onto
Kira’s lap and curled into a fuzzy ball—or tried to. Her head drooped off one
side and her butt off the other. She’d doubled in size since Kira had first
seen her and it wouldn’t be long before she’d be too heavy to pick up.
Kira rubbed her arms in a frail attempt to
warm herself. “Can we build a fire?”
Nigel’s brow furrowed.
“Have I asked that
before? And you said no?” She vaguely remembered it.
Nigel nodded.
“I’m sorry. I’m just
so cold and my head . . .” She reached up and felt the tender spot on the back
of her head, her chopped-off hair still matted with blood. Each time she woke
she tried to heal it. She’d managed to seal the flesh wound and stop the
bleeding—even the small crack in her skull had mended on the third try—but her
brain was a different story. She’d relieved some of the pressure, but the
swelling that remained not only left her confused and disoriented, but
nauseated as well.
“Maybe I should try healing
again. I feel more awake now and the pain isn’t as bad.”
Nigel scooted closer
and shrugged out of his hooded cloak, draping it around her shoulders. He’d
offered it several times, but she’d always refused, knowing he had nothing but
a thin tunic to guard against the frigid air. This time she accepted it.
“Thanks.” She wrapped
the thick black fabric around her shoulders, taking full advantage of the
warmth that remained from his body. She gently flipped the hood over her head
to drown out the sound of the pounding rain, leaned over Mahli and rested her
face in her hands. If she could endure the pain of healing long enough, it
would rid her of the constant throbbing and maybe her memories would slip into
place and make sense. She could do this.
Focusing on the pain
in the back of her head, she tried to imagine the swelling slowly decreasing.
With every second she felt nerve endings under her flesh spring to life,
tingling and pulsing as the part of her brain associated with certain parts of
her body shifted and adjusted. The fingers on her left hand jerked into a spasm
that made them curl awkwardly into a claw. A moment later her hand relaxed and
her right foot kicked of its own accord, making Mahli jump and scramble to the
other side of the cave. She hissed and her fur puffed up across her back and
shoulders.
Along with the
peculiar gyrations came the memories, all pouring out of her mind like the rain
outside the cave. At first they were muddled—Lydia snapping pictures of wildflowers,
Mahli chasing a strange butterfly-looking creature, Zerek running his hands up
the front of her shirt, Octavion brushing the hair back from Serena’s face.
Octavion.
With that memory
brought deep, deep sorrow. Oh, how she loved him and wanted more than anything
to be with him now. But that would never happen. Not after the King of Kazedon
put a price on her head and sent his assassins to kill her. She remembered Shandira’s
last words, telling her that if Kira lived, everyone she loved would die.
Kira had chosen not to
believe her. After all, Octavion had gone to plead with the king to call off
his men. But on the road back to Xantara, when Draego and his brother attacked her,
she knew there would be no going back. Only her death would satisfy King Tyrius’
hunger for revenge—his avengement for Kira killing his son, the prince and only
heir of Kazedon.
Kira slid her hand
under the blanket and rubbed her thigh where the first swing of Draego’s blade had
torn her skin. She’d healed the wound almost instantly, but the tear in her
leather pants still remained. She glanced up to find Nigel watching her,
concern on his face.
“I can’t really
remember what happened after I hit my head. It’s kind of a blur.” She closed
her eyes and rubbed her forehead with the tips of her fingers. “I . . . think
Draego grabbed my braid and tried to yank me up, but . . .” She looked back at
Nigel. “I cut off my own hair to keep him from doing that, didn’t I? He must
have lost his balance because I remember him falling to the ground and then . .
.”
She looked down at her
hands, then at the moonlight filtering through the rain and causing a strange
rippling light show across the cave walls. A sickening feeling settled in her
stomach.
“I flew.” She wasn’t
sure how she’d come to that conclusion, only that she remembered the feeling of
being tied to the end of a pendulum and the way her stomach felt with each
swooping motion.
Nigel leaned forward
and touched her arm, shaking his head. He pointed to himself, then at the
ceiling of the cave.
“You flew?” Something was seriously wrong with the way she’d healed
her brain if she believed for one moment that either one of them could fly. She
didn’t care how strange this world was, people didn’t sprout wings and fly. At
least she didn’t think so.
A smirk lit up Nigel’s
face and he shook his head again. He reached for a satchel that sat near her
weapons, opened the flap and took out the sketch book Kira had knocked out of
his hand in the village. He opened it and retrieved a small thin piece of charcoal
from a pouch in the front.
Kira watched as he
drew the scene in the forest. First he sketched a set of tall trees with thick
branches. Then he drew the figure of a man standing on one of those branches,
the handle of a whip in his hand, the popper end of the whip wrapped around
another branch. Next he drew the figure of a girl sitting at the base of that
same tree. He stopped drawing, but motioned with his hand from the man to the
ground in front of the girl.
“You swung down and
scooped me up into the trees?”
Nigel nodded.
“But . . . why? I
mean, why didn’t you jump down and kill Draego?” Her mind wandered back to when
she’d been held captive by Shandira—how Nigel waited until Kira had practically
starved to death before bringing her food. He’d also been conveniently absent
when she fought off Cael and Zerek until she’d spent all her energy and Cael
had her pinned under the weight of his body, determined to rape her.
Her blood began to
boil and her eyes burned cold, turning the cave a sparkly green. She could see
him clearly now, as tiny flits of light bounced around their heads. She folded
her arms over her chest. “Were you there the whole time, watching him beat the
crap out of me?”
Nigel stiffened,
shaking his head from side to side while reaching for her.
Kira backed away and
stabbed a finger toward his face. “Don’t touch me.” She held his uneasy stare
for a few moments while trying to figure it all out in her head. She remembered
Octavion’s words about how Darkords could snap—turn from someone you could
trust into a monster in seconds. Had she misjudged Nigel? Had he only saved her
so she could be his pet or some kind of companion?
She shrugged out from
under his cloak and shoved it at him. “You need to go back where you were. I
need to think this through.”
The muscles in Nigel’s
jaw tightened and his eyes darkened from their chocolate brown to ebony and
back again—a quick flash of anger. He let out a huff of air then retreated to
where he’d been sleeping, only this time he abandoned his cloak and exited the
cave.
Kira let out a sigh of
relief. The last thing she wanted was to anger him, especially since he was a
Darkord, but until she figured everything out in her head, she couldn’t trust
him. She couldn’t trust anyone.
Chapter
Two
“What in Zi’ah’s name
were you thinking?” Altaria barked as Octavion entered their father’s sleeping
chambers—a place she’d grown to call her prison cell.
He put his hand up in
hopes it would silence his sister, but she continued without missing a beat.
“Have you no brain?
King Tyrius is furious. You have caught him in a lie and embarrassed him in the
process. He will never agree to stop hunting Kira now. He will be more
determined than ever.” Altaria poked a finger at Octation’s chest. “She is as
good as dead and it is your fault.”
Octavion pushed her
hand away. “I did no such thing. Draego is the one who could not keep his mouth
shut. He let the truth out to his drinking cronies at the village pub. You
cannot blame me for that.”
“You bribed the pub
owner to serve Draego his strongest brew and to keep his mug full. You even
paid the other patrons to bring up the subject of Kira’s death and to encourage
Draego to tell them what really happened out there. It is your fault.”
“At least now we know
she is alive. You have to admit my idea worked and was worth the price I paid.”
“You are missing the
point. What you did put her in even more danger. And what about Draego’s
family? They will seek to avenge his death as well—not to mention the death of
his brother when she was attacked. And do not tell me you had nothing to do
with Draego’s head adorning a pike in the middle of Kazedon’s village square.”
She shifted her weight to one foot and propped her fists on her hips. “Well?”
Octavion slumped
against the wooden door. That’s as far as he’d gotten before his sister came at
him with her accusations. The last thing he wanted was to fight with Altaria.
Mostly because she was right, except for one thing. “I had nothing to do with
his death.”
“And his head?”
“What kind of a
monster do you think I am? That did nothing to punish him for his crime, only
tortured the innocent women and children who saw it. If it were up to me I
would have ripped him to shreds with my bare hands and fed him to the . . .” He
straightened and walked to the fireplace where large flames licked the cool
night air. His imagined revenge was far worse that what anyone else could have
done to Draego. Maybe he was a monster. “I did not kill him.”
Altaria softened her
voice. “At least tell me you have a plan, that you know where to start
looking.”
Octavion turned to
face his sister. “Luka has sent out scouts to gather information, but has yet
to receive word. Cade tracked Althros for several hours before it began to
rain. The trail he did manage to follow took him north, toward Finvarra. We’ll
start there.”
“So when do we leave?”
Altaria twisted her long blonde braid between her fingers.
“We?” He moved closer, putting his hand on her shoulder. “Father
would have my hide if I let you leave this room.”
He expected her to put
up a fight, but she didn’t. Instead she shrugged out from under his hand and
went to the window. She separated the drapes so she could peek out, causing a
thin strip of light to splash across the room.
“Sometimes I can feel
her.”
Octavion stepped to
the window and placed his hand on the small of her back. “Kira?”
She turned and looked
up at him. Though her eyes were the color of blue ice, warmth radiated from
them. “My kindred spirit. It is as if we are both reaching, our fingertips
almost touching, then she’s swept away into the darkness.” She lowered her head
and leaned into her brother’s arms. “I feel empty inside, as if my soul has
been taken from me.”
Octavion’s heart
clenched. With all the concoctions he’d created in his lifetime, not one could
cure what ailed his sister and her kindred spirit. He tightened his arms around
her and whispered into her hair. “Have you drawn on your faith? Asked Felinea
for her guidance?”
Altaria’s shoulders
slumped as she slowly pushed away, her focus on her feet. “I haven’t prayed
since I was a child. And I have no faith.”
“Then perhaps you
should start there.” He lifted her chin with the tip of his finger until their
eyes met. “If you can’t believe in the gods, believe in Lydia. When she is
ready, you will find her.”
He left her standing
near the window, her arms sagging at her sides, eyes staring at nothing. What
he wouldn’t give to see the Altaria he remembered, the one who never backed
down from a fight and believed she could do anything. This Altaria was nearly a
stranger to him—broken and lost. There was nothing he could do to help her.
I hope you like it.
For more information about the release of BELOVED, please check out the update I posted HERE . Please don't send me hate mail. I'm doing the best I can.
And because I love you guys so much, here's the first two chapters to wet your appetite.
Chapter
One
Kira slept for three
days, waking only when her swelling brain would let her. She’d never felt so
much pain. When Draego slammed her head against a tree, her world slipped
sideways and crumbled into a million little pieces. She remembered some things,
knew who she was and bits and pieces of what had happened, only they were
jumbled and, she thought, in the wrong order.
She took in a deep
breath of musty, damp air and rolled to her side. The constant drip of rain
water echoing off the cave walls didn’t help her splitting headache. At her
side, on the cold, clay-like soil, lay her bow, quiver of arrows, and knife.
She glanced toward the small opening to find Nigel’s sleeping form slumped
against the wall, silhouetted by the moonlight streaming in. As far as she
knew, he’d not left her side except to find the few nuts and berries they’d
eaten to stay alive.
Kira adjusted the wool
blanket around her shoulders. When she drew her knees up, something moved under
the blanket and brushed against her backside. She let out a squeal and shoved
the blanket—creature and all—down past her feet, then grabbed her knife from
its sheath. Nigel sprang toward her on his knees and scooped up the bundle,
then thwarted Kira’s stab by clamping his fingers around her wrist. He shook
his head, only letting go when she lowered her weapon.
“What is that?” All
she could think of was a fat rat the size of a pit-bull and the thought of it
snuggling up to her made the hair on her arms stand up. She hated rats, even
more than she hated being called Mouse by her mother. “Get it out of here!”
The creature hissed
and wiggled while Nigel slowly peeled back the blanket. Kira sat up and scooted
against the wall, keeping her knife held tight in her hand.
“Are you crazy? Don’t
let it out!”
The words had barely
escaped her mouth, when the creature sprang from Nigel’s arms and came straight
for Kira, stumbling before rolling over onto its back and begging for a rub.
“Mahli?” Kira smiled
at the sight of her little friend. She remembered now—finding the cub in the
forest, her mother’s throat slit and her brother’s little body ripped to shreds
by some animal—most likely Shandira. Mahli had been found pressed against her
dead mother’s tummy, pumping her front paws in rhythm with her heart wrenching
whimpers.
Nigel shook out the
blanket and draped it over the lower half of Kira’s body and legs. Mahli leapt onto
Kira’s lap and curled into a fuzzy ball—or tried to. Her head drooped off one
side and her butt off the other. She’d doubled in size since Kira had first
seen her and it wouldn’t be long before she’d be too heavy to pick up.
Kira rubbed her arms in a frail attempt to
warm herself. “Can we build a fire?”
Nigel’s brow furrowed.
“Have I asked that
before? And you said no?” She vaguely remembered it.
Nigel nodded.
“I’m sorry. I’m just
so cold and my head . . .” She reached up and felt the tender spot on the back
of her head, her chopped-off hair still matted with blood. Each time she woke
she tried to heal it. She’d managed to seal the flesh wound and stop the
bleeding—even the small crack in her skull had mended on the third try—but her
brain was a different story. She’d relieved some of the pressure, but the
swelling that remained not only left her confused and disoriented, but
nauseated as well.
“Maybe I should try healing
again. I feel more awake now and the pain isn’t as bad.”
Nigel scooted closer
and shrugged out of his hooded cloak, draping it around her shoulders. He’d
offered it several times, but she’d always refused, knowing he had nothing but
a thin tunic to guard against the frigid air. This time she accepted it.
“Thanks.” She wrapped
the thick black fabric around her shoulders, taking full advantage of the
warmth that remained from his body. She gently flipped the hood over her head
to drown out the sound of the pounding rain, leaned over Mahli and rested her
face in her hands. If she could endure the pain of healing long enough, it
would rid her of the constant throbbing and maybe her memories would slip into
place and make sense. She could do this.
Focusing on the pain
in the back of her head, she tried to imagine the swelling slowly decreasing.
With every second she felt nerve endings under her flesh spring to life,
tingling and pulsing as the part of her brain associated with certain parts of
her body shifted and adjusted. The fingers on her left hand jerked into a spasm
that made them curl awkwardly into a claw. A moment later her hand relaxed and
her right foot kicked of its own accord, making Mahli jump and scramble to the
other side of the cave. She hissed and her fur puffed up across her back and
shoulders.
Along with the
peculiar gyrations came the memories, all pouring out of her mind like the rain
outside the cave. At first they were muddled—Lydia snapping pictures of wildflowers,
Mahli chasing a strange butterfly-looking creature, Zerek running his hands up
the front of her shirt, Octavion brushing the hair back from Serena’s face.
Octavion.
With that memory
brought deep, deep sorrow. Oh, how she loved him and wanted more than anything
to be with him now. But that would never happen. Not after the King of Kazedon
put a price on her head and sent his assassins to kill her. She remembered Shandira’s
last words, telling her that if Kira lived, everyone she loved would die.
Kira had chosen not to
believe her. After all, Octavion had gone to plead with the king to call off
his men. But on the road back to Xantara, when Draego and his brother attacked her,
she knew there would be no going back. Only her death would satisfy King Tyrius’
hunger for revenge—his avengement for Kira killing his son, the prince and only
heir of Kazedon.
Kira slid her hand
under the blanket and rubbed her thigh where the first swing of Draego’s blade had
torn her skin. She’d healed the wound almost instantly, but the tear in her
leather pants still remained. She glanced up to find Nigel watching her,
concern on his face.
“I can’t really
remember what happened after I hit my head. It’s kind of a blur.” She closed
her eyes and rubbed her forehead with the tips of her fingers. “I . . . think
Draego grabbed my braid and tried to yank me up, but . . .” She looked back at
Nigel. “I cut off my own hair to keep him from doing that, didn’t I? He must
have lost his balance because I remember him falling to the ground and then . .
.”
She looked down at her
hands, then at the moonlight filtering through the rain and causing a strange
rippling light show across the cave walls. A sickening feeling settled in her
stomach.
“I flew.” She wasn’t
sure how she’d come to that conclusion, only that she remembered the feeling of
being tied to the end of a pendulum and the way her stomach felt with each
swooping motion.
Nigel leaned forward
and touched her arm, shaking his head. He pointed to himself, then at the
ceiling of the cave.
“You flew?” Something was seriously wrong with the way she’d healed
her brain if she believed for one moment that either one of them could fly. She
didn’t care how strange this world was, people didn’t sprout wings and fly. At
least she didn’t think so.
A smirk lit up Nigel’s
face and he shook his head again. He reached for a satchel that sat near her
weapons, opened the flap and took out the sketch book Kira had knocked out of
his hand in the village. He opened it and retrieved a small thin piece of charcoal
from a pouch in the front.
Kira watched as he
drew the scene in the forest. First he sketched a set of tall trees with thick
branches. Then he drew the figure of a man standing on one of those branches,
the handle of a whip in his hand, the popper end of the whip wrapped around
another branch. Next he drew the figure of a girl sitting at the base of that
same tree. He stopped drawing, but motioned with his hand from the man to the
ground in front of the girl.
“You swung down and
scooped me up into the trees?”
Nigel nodded.
“But . . . why? I
mean, why didn’t you jump down and kill Draego?” Her mind wandered back to when
she’d been held captive by Shandira—how Nigel waited until Kira had practically
starved to death before bringing her food. He’d also been conveniently absent
when she fought off Cael and Zerek until she’d spent all her energy and Cael
had her pinned under the weight of his body, determined to rape her.
Her blood began to
boil and her eyes burned cold, turning the cave a sparkly green. She could see
him clearly now, as tiny flits of light bounced around their heads. She folded
her arms over her chest. “Were you there the whole time, watching him beat the
crap out of me?”
Nigel stiffened,
shaking his head from side to side while reaching for her.
Kira backed away and
stabbed a finger toward his face. “Don’t touch me.” She held his uneasy stare
for a few moments while trying to figure it all out in her head. She remembered
Octavion’s words about how Darkords could snap—turn from someone you could
trust into a monster in seconds. Had she misjudged Nigel? Had he only saved her
so she could be his pet or some kind of companion?
She shrugged out from
under his cloak and shoved it at him. “You need to go back where you were. I
need to think this through.”
The muscles in Nigel’s
jaw tightened and his eyes darkened from their chocolate brown to ebony and
back again—a quick flash of anger. He let out a huff of air then retreated to
where he’d been sleeping, only this time he abandoned his cloak and exited the
cave.
Kira let out a sigh of
relief. The last thing she wanted was to anger him, especially since he was a
Darkord, but until she figured everything out in her head, she couldn’t trust
him. She couldn’t trust anyone.
Chapter
Two
“What in Zi’ah’s name
were you thinking?” Altaria barked as Octavion entered their father’s sleeping
chambers—a place she’d grown to call her prison cell.
He put his hand up in
hopes it would silence his sister, but she continued without missing a beat.
“Have you no brain?
King Tyrius is furious. You have caught him in a lie and embarrassed him in the
process. He will never agree to stop hunting Kira now. He will be more
determined than ever.” Altaria poked a finger at Octation’s chest. “She is as
good as dead and it is your fault.”
Octavion pushed her
hand away. “I did no such thing. Draego is the one who could not keep his mouth
shut. He let the truth out to his drinking cronies at the village pub. You
cannot blame me for that.”
“You bribed the pub
owner to serve Draego his strongest brew and to keep his mug full. You even
paid the other patrons to bring up the subject of Kira’s death and to encourage
Draego to tell them what really happened out there. It is your fault.”
“At least now we know
she is alive. You have to admit my idea worked and was worth the price I paid.”
“You are missing the
point. What you did put her in even more danger. And what about Draego’s
family? They will seek to avenge his death as well—not to mention the death of
his brother when she was attacked. And do not tell me you had nothing to do
with Draego’s head adorning a pike in the middle of Kazedon’s village square.”
She shifted her weight to one foot and propped her fists on her hips. “Well?”
Octavion slumped
against the wooden door. That’s as far as he’d gotten before his sister came at
him with her accusations. The last thing he wanted was to fight with Altaria.
Mostly because she was right, except for one thing. “I had nothing to do with
his death.”
“And his head?”
“What kind of a
monster do you think I am? That did nothing to punish him for his crime, only
tortured the innocent women and children who saw it. If it were up to me I
would have ripped him to shreds with my bare hands and fed him to the . . .” He
straightened and walked to the fireplace where large flames licked the cool
night air. His imagined revenge was far worse that what anyone else could have
done to Draego. Maybe he was a monster. “I did not kill him.”
Altaria softened her
voice. “At least tell me you have a plan, that you know where to start
looking.”
Octavion turned to
face his sister. “Luka has sent out scouts to gather information, but has yet
to receive word. Cade tracked Althros for several hours before it began to
rain. The trail he did manage to follow took him north, toward Finvarra. We’ll
start there.”
“So when do we leave?”
Altaria twisted her long blonde braid between her fingers.
“We?” He moved closer, putting his hand on her shoulder. “Father
would have my hide if I let you leave this room.”
He expected her to put
up a fight, but she didn’t. Instead she shrugged out from under his hand and
went to the window. She separated the drapes so she could peek out, causing a
thin strip of light to splash across the room.
“Sometimes I can feel
her.”
Octavion stepped to
the window and placed his hand on the small of her back. “Kira?”
She turned and looked
up at him. Though her eyes were the color of blue ice, warmth radiated from
them. “My kindred spirit. It is as if we are both reaching, our fingertips
almost touching, then she’s swept away into the darkness.” She lowered her head
and leaned into her brother’s arms. “I feel empty inside, as if my soul has
been taken from me.”
Octavion’s heart
clenched. With all the concoctions he’d created in his lifetime, not one could
cure what ailed his sister and her kindred spirit. He tightened his arms around
her and whispered into her hair. “Have you drawn on your faith? Asked Felinea
for her guidance?”
Altaria’s shoulders
slumped as she slowly pushed away, her focus on her feet. “I haven’t prayed
since I was a child. And I have no faith.”
“Then perhaps you
should start there.” He lifted her chin with the tip of his finger until their
eyes met. “If you can’t believe in the gods, believe in Lydia. When she is
ready, you will find her.”
He left her standing
near the window, her arms sagging at her sides, eyes staring at nothing. What
he wouldn’t give to see the Altaria he remembered, the one who never backed
down from a fight and believed she could do anything. This Altaria was nearly a
stranger to him—broken and lost. There was nothing he could do to help her.
June 9, 2013
Zombies Can't Write
A little play on the morbid, but the fact is . . . I should be dead. At least that's what all the doctors and nurses during my 5 day stay at the hospital said . . . over and over and over.
So here are the deets.
As some of you already know, I've been struggling with my health the past few months. Because of the gory details, I haven't posted exactly what was going on, but now, in order for you to understand what's happened, I feel I need to include that. Please forgive me if it's a bit much.
Starting in January, I had a non-stop period that got worse and worse until I was hemorrhaging. My husband took me to the ER on April 7th where they examined me and did an ultra sound. They found that my uterus is filled with fibroid tumors and is the size of a soccer ball. It's supposed to be the size of a pear. They also found an unusual cyst that was putting pressure on my cervix, causing a great deal of pain. They put me on 4 (FOUR) birth control pills a day and told me to make an appointment with my OB/Gyn.
The next day I called my Gyn and they said they couldn't get me in for 4 WEEKS. UGH. So I made the appointment, hung up and called my medical doctor who got me in two days later. After getting all the info and checking me out, he also suggested I stay on the pill and then he called my Gyn, told him it was urgent and had them move my appointment closer. It was still two weeks away, but at least it was closer.
Finally at the Gyn. office, he examined me and did a biopsy (later found out there was no sign of cancer. Whew!) He told me I needed to have a hysterectomy ASAP, but because of the cyst and that I'm somewhat high risk, he referred me to a specialist in Boise who can do the operation with the Da Vinci Robot. The surgery would be a lot less invasive and the recovery time would be minimal. He then told me to stay on the 4 pills a day until the surgery.
(Sorry this is getting SOO long. Hang in there)
So I saw the Boise doctor, scheduled the surgery for June 5th and tried to remain positive. While waiting I managed to lose almost 20 pounds (no appetite) and because I was only spotting, I figured I would feel much better and should be getting stronger. WRONG. Each day I seemed to be getting weaker and weaker and could do less. On the morning of May 30th, just 5 days before my surgery, I woke with a racing heart, chest pains and I couldn't breathe. My husband rushed me to the ER where they did an EKG, a chest xray and a CT scan. When the doctor finally came in with the results, he looked like someone had kicked him in the gut. He said he'd never seen a case as bad as mine and that I should be dead.
My lungs were FILLED with blood clots, CAUSED BY THE MASSIVE DOSE OF BIRTH CONROL PILLS I was on.
NO ONE told me what to watch for or the risk of taking all those pills. Grrrrrr.
I spent 3 days in ICU trying to stay alive. They ran every test imaginable on me, poked every vein I have and finally installed a central line in my neck (which sucked and was very painful).
So here's where it gets tricky. They took me off the pills (thank goodness) and put me on blood thinners to dissolve the clots. HELLO???!!! Any idea what that does to a girl? Yep, blood everywhere. So now I'm at risk of needed a blood transfusion which is why they are still watching me very closely.
On the fourth day they moved me to the Cardio-Pulmonary Unit so they could monitor my heart. It has become a victim of the lung problem. The right side, which pumps blood to the lungs, is enlarged from working so hard. We HOPE it will shrink down to the normal size once the clots are gone, but in the meantime I have weird flip flops (palpitations) that take what little breath I have away.
I was released on the evening of the 3rd and sent home with Oxygen and shots I had to give myself in the stomach. :-( I have strict orders to rest and not over exert myself. I have to have my blood drawn every other day to make sure the blood thinners are within the clinical range and have to see my doctor often to be sure everything else is progressing and that I'm not bleeding to death.
I will be on the blood thinners for 3-6 months, which means it will take that long for me to heal and get back to my regular routine. That also means I won't be able to have the surgery until then. :-(
NOW, what does this mean to YOU????
BELOVED is on hold. I only have 8-9 chapters left, so it won't take that long to finish it, but since I can't sit in one place for very long (need to keep blood in legs circulating so clots don't form there) it will take me longer to finish it. I'm not going to give a new release date because the last thing I need in my life is a little more pressure. But I promise I will work on it as much as I can and get it done as soon as possible.
In the meantime, I will release the cover and the first two chapters. I need to get that post ready and write up a newsletter, so it might take me a couple days, but watch for it THIS WEEK.
I'm truly sorry for all the delays, but they are beyond my control. I would give just about anything to have this book done and in your hands, but not my life. And like the title says, I don't think I could write as a Zombie.
Please know that I love each and every one of you and treasure your love of my writing. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful fan base and such great friends.
HUGS!!!
CK
March 27, 2013
Great Video on Bullying
But it's not just about bullying. I loved the part in the beginning where he talked about how others try to change your dreams.
Check it out!
Check it out!
March 6, 2013
New Release !!!
Announcing the release of Inevitable, the newest young adult
suspense novel by Tamara Hart Heiner!
Visions of death plague Jayne, who thinks watching her boyfriend die is
the worst that could happen to her. But when she witnesses a murder,
Jayne finds herself caught up in a dangerous world of intrigue and
suspense.
As it turns out, she is not the only one doing the
stalking. The killer is on to her, and all of her visions of the dying
don't reveal how her life will end. Somehow, she must stop the murderer
before he arranges Jayne's own inevitable death.
First
page
Available on Amazon.com,
Smashwords.com,
Barnes &
Noble.com, and Kobo.com!
After an awesome ebook launch on Facebook, Tamara's trying hard to top
that with the paperback. So here's the plan:
1) For the entire month of March, every comment on Tamara's blog gets entered into a
drawing to win a HARD COPY of one of her books. (You get to choose which
one!)
2) Leave a comment on THIS BLOG for a chance to win ALL of her young adult
ebooks!
3) Enter the Goodreads Giveaway for another chance to win
Inevitable.
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Goodreads Book
Giveaway
Inevitable
by Tamara Hart Heiner
Giveaway ends April 02, 2013.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Enter
to win
4) If you SPREAD THE NEWS, whether it's on your blog, on Facebook, on
Twitter, or just plain word of mouth, you'll be entered into a drawing for
a $50 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble gift card. Email Tamara at
tamarahartheiner dot com and tell her how many times you did it, and
you'll be entered into the drawing that many times!
Are we ready??? Get set! Go!
About the author: I live in Arkansas with my husband and three children,
two crazy boys and one pretty little princess. I used to spend a lot of
time writing until I had a baby and discovered Facebook. Now you'll often
find me on there pretending to have a social life.
I am the author of three young adult suspense novels, PERILOUS,
ALTERCATION, and INEVITABLE. You can find out more about what I'm writing
and catch deleted scenes from my books on my blog at
http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com.
suspense novel by Tamara Hart Heiner!
Visions of death plague Jayne, who thinks watching her boyfriend die is
the worst that could happen to her. But when she witnesses a murder,
Jayne finds herself caught up in a dangerous world of intrigue and
suspense.
As it turns out, she is not the only one doing the
stalking. The killer is on to her, and all of her visions of the dying
don't reveal how her life will end. Somehow, she must stop the murderer
before he arranges Jayne's own inevitable death.
First
page
Available on Amazon.com,
Smashwords.com,
Barnes &
Noble.com, and Kobo.com!
After an awesome ebook launch on Facebook, Tamara's trying hard to top
that with the paperback. So here's the plan:
1) For the entire month of March, every comment on Tamara's blog gets entered into a
drawing to win a HARD COPY of one of her books. (You get to choose which
one!)
2) Leave a comment on THIS BLOG for a chance to win ALL of her young adult
ebooks!
3) Enter the Goodreads Giveaway for another chance to win
Inevitable.
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif;
font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px;
font-style: normal; background: white; }
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!important; }
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14px; font-weight: bold;
border: 1px solid #6A6454; -moz-border-radius: 5px;
-webkit-border-radius: 5px;
font-family:arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif;
background-image:url(http://www.goodreads.com/images/layou...
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}
.goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink:hover {
background-image:url(http://www.goodreads.com/images/layou...
color: black; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer;
}
Goodreads Book
Giveaway
Inevitable
by Tamara Hart Heiner
Giveaway ends April 02, 2013.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Enter
to win
4) If you SPREAD THE NEWS, whether it's on your blog, on Facebook, on
Twitter, or just plain word of mouth, you'll be entered into a drawing for
a $50 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble gift card. Email Tamara at
tamarahartheiner dot com and tell her how many times you did it, and
you'll be entered into the drawing that many times!
Are we ready??? Get set! Go!
About the author: I live in Arkansas with my husband and three children,
two crazy boys and one pretty little princess. I used to spend a lot of
time writing until I had a baby and discovered Facebook. Now you'll often
find me on there pretending to have a social life.
I am the author of three young adult suspense novels, PERILOUS,
ALTERCATION, and INEVITABLE. You can find out more about what I'm writing
and catch deleted scenes from my books on my blog at
http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com.
