Lisa Rayns's Blog, page 12

Fool For Romance 2014 Contest

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Formal and complete post will be updated on Monday, March 3rd along with my contest! Please check back.



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2014 Poetry – Cold

I would be lying if I said I expected to start writing poetry again. Yesterday, I was speaking to a colleague who asked about my poetry and last night my son told me he was going to start writing poems. I told him, "That's great!" and shut out the light to go to sleep. This seeped in and I had to turn the light back on. Enjoy!
COLD
The weather is frigid,It’s so damn cold,And I’m alone,With no one to hold.Each night I lay awake,My brain frenzied.Then I realize,I’m no longer married.Time will heal the heart they say,But what will keep the cold at bay?Nothing. The winter is eternal.This I believe,Until the summer sun shines again.

The brakes have been hit.

In my first post of the year, "Burning a Bridge in 2014," I said I was expecting some major life changes that I guessed would be a lot like slamming on the brakes, backing up, then cranking the wheel and flooring it in a different direction.

Well, 53 days in, the brakes have been hit. The inevitable has happened, and I am official getting a divorce. Right now, I feel a bit overwhelmed and devastated even though I had expected it since October. 
Then my grandmother died this morning. That's hard to face alone.
I'm thinking about my motto when I was a kid: "Whatever doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger." I want to find that girl again. She was amazing.I'm not going to mope because I believe things happen for a reason. I'm hoping for a quick and relatively painless divorce, 60 days where I live if all goes well. And like before, I am looking forward to a happier 2014. I'm trying to stay positive about the future and make the changes that need to be made. It'll be a whole new life and I am NOT a kid anymore. That might be a good thing as I'm seeing that youth is wasted on the young in my kids.

I'm not sure where I'm going in my life right now, what I'll do, where I'll be in a year from now, but that's okay. I'm strong enough to figure it out on my own. 
Thanks for following me on this journey through 2014. I really appreciate your support! 

Turning Home Release Day

Turning Home (A Small Town Novel) by Stephanie Nelson

When Brooke Kingsley finally captures the interest of her four-year crush—Dylan Crawford—her world turns upside down. Feeling alive for the first time, Brooke decides to spend her last three days of summer with Dylan and discovers there’s more to him than the rumors being whispered all over town. The problem is, Brooke’s father doesn’t want his daughter anywhere near the blue-collar bad boy. As Brooke leaves for college, she’ll realize that some boys aren’t easy to forget.

Dylan Crawford has hated the Roseville Snobs his entire life, but one particular Snob has captured his eye—Brooke Kingsley. He knows he should stay away from her, but willpower has never been his strong suit. Soon Brooke is all he can think about. When she leaves for school, Dylan tries to move on with other girls, but the memory of Brooke taunts him. There’s an undeniable pull to the very girl he’s been warned to stay away from.

When tragedy strikes the Kingsley household, secrets are uncovered. Brooke and Dylan must decide if what they feel for each other is strong enough to conquer their families’ dark past.

This is a NA (new adult) book and intended for readers 18+

Purchase on Amazon

Casse NaRome's Blog Tour!

~ YA Books ~

The Reborn: The Book of Dain

Dain has lived a total of ninety-nine different lifetimes and in every single one, he has loved the same girl.

Their past is marred by ill-fated romance and almost encounters.

Evil forces have conspired to keep the two of them a part and it seems to have succeeded ...

Tara is gone, and in her place stands Bonnie, the complete opposite of Tara.

Is Dain's shot at love over or has he lived all these lives because he has loved the wrong girl all along?

A hundred chances at love ... and it comes down to only one.
Amazon / GoodReads


The Remade: Akila's Psalm

Dain has lost everything. His mom and Tara are both gone. The face that he once used as a solace, he can no longer bear to see. He’s unraveling; Akila may not be enough to hold the strands together.

For Akila watching Dain become a shadow of the guy she once knew is torture. She knows she is losing him but how can she stop it while holding on to secrets of her own? All she has to do is keep everything together long enough to stop the evil scientists that are out to sabotage their destiny.

They are both fighting their own demons but whose will destroy them first?

Amazon / GoodReads


~Adult Romance~

Death Knows My Name

MAYNE ST LECLAIR has spent her adult life closed off emotionally from the world around her. She learned very early on that those who get close to her end up dead. She knows she is cursed, but what she doesn't know is why.

ECTAIN “ERIC” EDECK knows the pain he has caused Mayne but the connection is undeniable. Can Mayne get past the hurt and fall in love or has her heart been broken too many times?

Is death playing some sort of cruel joke on Mayne St LeClair or is watching her suffer breaking Death’s heart?



About Casse: 

Casse Narome is the alter-ego of a self-proclaimed awesome weirdo who spent her childhood reading and daydreaming. As an adult that is also how she spends her time only now she writes her daydreams down for everyone to read. Casse is never serious, has been accused of wishing her life was a sitcom, laugh track and all, has a bad habit of talking out loud to herself and she is fine with being a little insane. She spends way too much time online, too much money buying books and laughing at her own jokes. You will find her on Twitter being very random and spewing her opinions. When you see her online, tell her to get back to her writing! Or just engage her in a hilarious random conversation.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: BATTLE CRY by Melissa Snark

BATTLE CRY by Melissa Snark
A Victoria Storm novel
#3 Loki's Wolves series
Genre:  Paranormal/urban fantasy
Coming in June 2014  * * *  Add to your Goodreads Shelf
" We meet Valkyrie Victoria Storm in the middle of a blood bath, and we did continue on from there. I must say Melissa Snark has all the makings of an awesome story teller." Gloria LakritzSr. Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild
"A definite must read for anyone who enjoys urban fantasy." Lisa LesterFight For Your Write Blog


Just when you thought it couldn't get any better...


Blurb:
War with human hunters has devastated the werewolf pack of Sierra Pines. Only Valkyrie Victoria Storm and a handful of female wolves still live. With her mate dead, there is no one to protect her or her unborn child. An unwelcome attraction to a hunter complicates her life even further.  She reluctantly agrees to attend peace talks with Jake Barrett, the notorious Hunter King, a man who believes she murdered his son.
Hunter Sawyer Barrett has been trying to kill Victoria Storm for so long, he doesn't know whether he loves her or hates her.  Desperate to end the war he started, he's willing to take chances with everything but his heart, but he harbors a deadly secret he's determined to keep. 
When peace talks fail, Victoria does the only reasonable thing an angry Valkyrie can do: she kidnaps her worst enemy and makes her escape in a fire engine red convertible muscle car. All along an ancient evil plots the destruction of wolves and hunters alike.
Add BATTLE CRY to your Goodreads Shelf
THE CHILD THIEF (LOKI'S WOLVES #1) is free on Amazon and Goodreads. 
Author Bio: Melissa Snark is a paranormal and romance author with a particular interest in werewolf and Norse mythology. Her Loki's Wolves series combines elements of both in a contemporary fantasy setting. She lives in Northern California with her husband, three children and glaring of cats.
Connect with MelissaWebsite  The SnarkologyEmail:  melissasnark at gmail dot comFacebookTwitter: @MelissaSnarkGoodreadsAmazon Author Page

Baggage

I think I’ve done pretty well so far this year with my blogging. Twice a month seems to be more comfortable for me. By then, I feel compelled to write another post.

As for the year that will change my life, progress is slow. The COLD weather and car problems have been inhibiting me thus far, but the changes that are occurring are illuminating and major to me.

Since college, I’ve always been big on letting go of baggage. I mean, I KNOW it’s not healthy to carry your past on your shoulders. The concept is smart. It makes complete sense.

So why is the actual delivery so hard?

Yes, I carry heavy burdens, but my feat for January included gaining a measure of closure from a situation that happened a year ago. That situation had hurt me so deeply that I pulled away and isolated myself from an entire new group of people that I loved. That’s just how I am. The hurt never went away. I felt it every time I saw anyone from that group. Then last month, I discovered the truth - I’d been wronged by someone I had thought was a friend. That one person had caused the entire situation.

Knowing the truth gave me some closure. I told this person how I felt and how that had affected me, and when they stopped speaking to me with an "I don't have time for you" attitude, I found forgiveness in my heart.

Why?

Being a bitch is their burden. Not mine.

God Bless everyone who treats people with kindness, respect, and compassion.



Rock on 2014!

As for the other baggage… I’ll keep you posted.



Has anyone else found closure this year? Or have similar baggage problems?

Samadhi Release Day!

Samadhi – Book Three in the Love and Light Series is available NOW
BUY IT AT:Amazon SmashwordsWolf and Loti are learning the hard way that karma will not be denied. In their quest for the truth, they've been forced into a blood bond with a powerful witch who isn't so sure she wants to be tied down. But there's one thing they can agree on: it’s time to eliminate the ancient vampire who set off this deadly chain of events--Modore.Using any means necessary--torture, murder, and even death magic--Modore lures the triumvirate into the show down of their lives. And the consequences will far exceed even Modore's imagination.In this final installment of the Love and Light Series, the boundaries of love, lust, and even life itself will be tested and the universe as they know it will never be the same. Join the Facebook Party. Starts at 8pm EST About the Author
Melissa Lummis considers herself a truth seeker, a peaceful warrior, a paranormal and fantasy writer, an avid reader, a thru-hiker GAàME ’98, a Penn Stater, a wife, a mother, and a free thinker. She believes the universe conspires to help an adventurer. And if we live our lives as if it is a daring adventure (and it is!), then everything we need will find its way to us.Her books have been described as new age suspense in a fantasy setting, but they are also straight up, steamy Paranormal Romance. The Love and Light Series is currently available at most ebook retailers and soon to come is the Little Flame Series, a spin off focusing on the character Fiamette from the Love and Light world.Melissa lives in rural Virginia with her husband, two children, an Alaskan Malamute, and a myriad of forest creatures. The nature of her mind dictates that she write to stay sane. Otherwise, her fertile imagination takes off on tangents of its own accord, creating scenarios and worlds that confuse the space-time continuum.Namaste, dear friends.Melissa’s Social Links:Check out www.melissalummis.com for more about her and her books.Like Melissa Lummis on FaceBook.Follow @melissalummis on Twitter.Tumble with Melissa on tumblr.Pin with Melissa on Pinterest.And watch her and co-host Buddy Gott on the Sunday Night Fiction Club on YouTube. 
Get unique content, early access to publications, and exclusive giveaways by subscribing to her newsletter.

Wicked Waves Book Tour

Making daggers out of raindrops is only the tip of the iceberg for Brooke Bonham. As one of four women who can control the elements, her ability to manipulate water packs a deluge of potential. Eager to learn more, she’s frustrated at the precautions she must take to avoid the wrong kind of attention on Earth.

Kai's duties as a Lash demon have kept him busy on Earth for nearly two hundred years. Fighting? He was born to do it. Females? They're drawn to him. And Earth? The perfect place for him to avoid supernatural bounty hunters.

Though the two of them mix like oil and water, Kai senses that beneath Brooke’s frosty exterior hides a vortex of simmering passion. He’s determined to thaw his ice princess.

Forced to work together in the immortal realm, they track a rogue Lash demon at the helm of a widespread kidnapping operation. All too soon, Kai’s dark past catches up to them. Time runs out as a second enemy, bent on revenge, vows to stop at nothing short of Brooke’s enslavement and Kai’s death. As they and their foes stalk each other in a demonic game of cat-and-mouse, will her evolving skills and their fledgling bond be enough to save them?

Buy on Kindle | Paperback | B&N | Smashwords About the author: Sharon Kay was bitten early by the writing bug. At age twelve she wrote a short story, about a magic ring,that won a statewide Young Authors contest. With her nose always in a book, she read the most novels for her age group in her local library’s summer reading program.

In her teens, writing took a back seat to fashion, as she was determined to find clothes different from what everyone else bought at the mall. And what she couldn’t find, she created. She learned to sew, worked in a fabric store after school, and spent her spare time with a needle in hand. Her black and orange prom dress is still one of her favorite creations. 

Sharon lives in the Chicago area with her husband and son, and didn’t expect to write again. But Wicked Wind and the Solsti series formed in her head one weekend and refused to stay quiet until she put pen to paper. Her characters tend to keep her up at night, as they banter, fall in love, and slay endless varieties of power-hungry demons.

Sharon loves to hear from readers! You can find her at: Sharonkay.novels(at)gmail.com www.facebook.com/sharonkaynovels Twitter: @sharonkaynovels

The Author is giving away 5 ebooks. Fill out the form below to enter. a Rafflecopter giveaway

For My Heroine

Last night, I dreamt of my ex mother-in-law. In the dream, Dee sat in a chair in the corner of the room. I knew she was there for me in the midst of big decision in my life. I was about to do something reckless, teetering on what I should do because I’ve so many mistakes in my life.
When she realized I hadn’t come to a solid decision, she said, “Oh, it’s not real.”
As she started to rise, I put my hand on her knee and begged her to stay. “Am I making a mistake? Tell me what to do.”
“I don’t know.” She looked up, her eyes forward and not on me.
But I knew exactly what she thought and I knew exactly what I should do.
I woke up then, jarred, because she’d passed away two years ago. I didn’t realize until that moment how much I needed that woman in my life. I was 17 when I married her son, 19 when I divorced him, but I truly wish I could have kept her a part of my life. She moved a lot, and she liked her privacy, so her location and number weren’t readily shared.
Dee lived a hard life. She’d been through a lot, raising four children on her own, and because of that, she didn’t pass judgment on anyone.  She was brave and she was true to herself and her family. She was fun, easy-going, and I connected with her more than I ever did my own mother.


I was one of those awkward kids who didn’t have a role model. I foolishly thought I could be my own, make my own path. That’s a hard road, especially with my background.  My mother had always been taken care of and tossed judgments easily. I love my mom and I don’t hold her “ways” against her, but it’s hard to feel good enough around people like that. She’s always quick to give advice and eager to tell me what to do, but her advice and her example always lead me down the wrong path. We’re too different. We never clicked.
Now, I suggest to the younger generation in my family that they find role models, because I know how much of a difference the right one would have made in my life.
Dee was like a mother to me and I miss her dearly. More than that, she is my heroine, my visiting angel in a time of need, and I only wish I had been smart enough at that age to understand and to learn from her strength and courage.
Luckily, it’s never too late. I hope to make her proud this year.
Lisa 


How about you? Have you ever connected with someone more than your own family? Have you ever been visited by a special person from your past? Did you or did you not have a role model and how did that affect you? All comments welcome.