Aminah Iman's Blog, page 2
February 26, 2018
My journey with Judas Iscariot
Hello Loves and welcome back to another Inside the Nation blog. I have been asked a lot over the years about my choice to write about Judas. Some people wanted to know if I was indicating that he was not the betrayer, while others wanted to know if I sympathized with him. Today I decided to write about what attracted me to the story of Judas and why I was compelled to write it as a historical fiction.
It started in 2005 while I was watching a piece on the history channel. I don't remember the name of the episode, but it was about villains in the Bible. When they hit on Judas it was a mixture of some experts saying he was preordained to commit the act of betraying Christ and others saying he was the ultimate betrayer. I figured the facts were somewhere in between. I didn't start off thinking I would write a book, I simply wanted to know more about it. I reread the Gospels in the Bible and quickly realized it was one-sided. There were a few indications that Judas was destined to betray Christ, but for the most part, he was deemed the worst of the worst. So, I started researching (surprise, surprise). I looked up any and everything I could find on Judas Iscariot and let me tell you, it all looked bad. Halfway through my digging, I figured it was a lost cause. No one had anything good to say about the betrayer. He was the everything they said he was and more. Right before I called it quits I found something interesting. I read an article that led me to some not so popular writings from 33 A.D. I followed that vein and low and behold, I found more very similar writings. These talked about Judas being the main confidant of Jesus. They spoke about Jesus and Judas having formed a plan to show the world that Jesus was the Son of God and that he would rise from the dead. I was shocked. I also ran across The Council of Nicea and how they left some books out of the Bible as well as pieced some books together. Once I emerged from the tons of research I decided that it would make a good book. I knew that I didn't want to write a non-fiction book so I choose to write a historical fiction. I asked myself what would Judas be doing in the present day. What if he somehow became immortal, would he have held a grudge, would he be working for the side of good or evil? So I wrote a draft just answering the questions. I wrote it all from Judas' pov at first. How I thought he'd feel about God, how the disciples had turned their backs on him, things like that. When that was finished I reread it. I enjoyed it, but it didn't "feel" right so I rewrote it in 3rd person. I gave him a mission and teamed him up with the devil. Then the questions changed to 'what would they be doing in the present day'? Would they try to destroy the world as we know it, would they be the cause of the Apocalypse? After answering those questions, I wrote the first draft of 30 Pieces of Silver: The Soul Collector and that was much better. I'd hit what I wanted. Many, many drafts later I had the 1st book. I wrote the second book, 30 Pieces of Silver: The Betrayer, less than a year after the release of the 1st, then I was stuck. In the 1st book, Judas had been working with the devil to collect souls for the war of wars. They had been building their army for over two-thousand years and they were ready, the only problem was, Peter and Mary Magdalene had started an organization to stop him. In the 2nd book, Judas was having doubts about the path he had taken. He knew that he was wrong, but he was not willing to say so out loud. Then he did the one thing he swore never to do, fall in love and the woman he fell for worked for the Order. They were working on different sides, but love didn't care. Would she change him, would he convert her, it was the perfect climax. Once I had them working together trying to right the wrongs on both sides I was at a stalemate.
Fast forward 12 years and I knew what I had to do. It took me a while to come up with the finale because I wanted it realistic, or as realistic as I could make a historical fiction book with an immortal Judas. I wanted his struggles and doubts to be warranted, to make sense. And if I'm being honest, I wasn't ready to let the series go. It was my 1st and I was holding on with both hands. In the end, I realized it was time to put Judas to rest, to allow him to move on no matter the outcome. So here we are with 30 Pieces of Silver: Redemption coming in April. I have enjoyed his journey and I hope you all have as well. This last installment is filled with twists and turns, ups and downs. It has quite a few surprises and some changing sides. Although it took me longer than I may have liked to bring this story to an end, it was worth it. It gave me a chance to grow as an author and Judas a chance to grow as a character. I cannot wait to share this with all of you.
I hope this answered some questions for those of you that had them and as always, I wish you Happy Reading!
It started in 2005 while I was watching a piece on the history channel. I don't remember the name of the episode, but it was about villains in the Bible. When they hit on Judas it was a mixture of some experts saying he was preordained to commit the act of betraying Christ and others saying he was the ultimate betrayer. I figured the facts were somewhere in between. I didn't start off thinking I would write a book, I simply wanted to know more about it. I reread the Gospels in the Bible and quickly realized it was one-sided. There were a few indications that Judas was destined to betray Christ, but for the most part, he was deemed the worst of the worst. So, I started researching (surprise, surprise). I looked up any and everything I could find on Judas Iscariot and let me tell you, it all looked bad. Halfway through my digging, I figured it was a lost cause. No one had anything good to say about the betrayer. He was the everything they said he was and more. Right before I called it quits I found something interesting. I read an article that led me to some not so popular writings from 33 A.D. I followed that vein and low and behold, I found more very similar writings. These talked about Judas being the main confidant of Jesus. They spoke about Jesus and Judas having formed a plan to show the world that Jesus was the Son of God and that he would rise from the dead. I was shocked. I also ran across The Council of Nicea and how they left some books out of the Bible as well as pieced some books together. Once I emerged from the tons of research I decided that it would make a good book. I knew that I didn't want to write a non-fiction book so I choose to write a historical fiction. I asked myself what would Judas be doing in the present day. What if he somehow became immortal, would he have held a grudge, would he be working for the side of good or evil? So I wrote a draft just answering the questions. I wrote it all from Judas' pov at first. How I thought he'd feel about God, how the disciples had turned their backs on him, things like that. When that was finished I reread it. I enjoyed it, but it didn't "feel" right so I rewrote it in 3rd person. I gave him a mission and teamed him up with the devil. Then the questions changed to 'what would they be doing in the present day'? Would they try to destroy the world as we know it, would they be the cause of the Apocalypse? After answering those questions, I wrote the first draft of 30 Pieces of Silver: The Soul Collector and that was much better. I'd hit what I wanted. Many, many drafts later I had the 1st book. I wrote the second book, 30 Pieces of Silver: The Betrayer, less than a year after the release of the 1st, then I was stuck. In the 1st book, Judas had been working with the devil to collect souls for the war of wars. They had been building their army for over two-thousand years and they were ready, the only problem was, Peter and Mary Magdalene had started an organization to stop him. In the 2nd book, Judas was having doubts about the path he had taken. He knew that he was wrong, but he was not willing to say so out loud. Then he did the one thing he swore never to do, fall in love and the woman he fell for worked for the Order. They were working on different sides, but love didn't care. Would she change him, would he convert her, it was the perfect climax. Once I had them working together trying to right the wrongs on both sides I was at a stalemate.
Fast forward 12 years and I knew what I had to do. It took me a while to come up with the finale because I wanted it realistic, or as realistic as I could make a historical fiction book with an immortal Judas. I wanted his struggles and doubts to be warranted, to make sense. And if I'm being honest, I wasn't ready to let the series go. It was my 1st and I was holding on with both hands. In the end, I realized it was time to put Judas to rest, to allow him to move on no matter the outcome. So here we are with 30 Pieces of Silver: Redemption coming in April. I have enjoyed his journey and I hope you all have as well. This last installment is filled with twists and turns, ups and downs. It has quite a few surprises and some changing sides. Although it took me longer than I may have liked to bring this story to an end, it was worth it. It gave me a chance to grow as an author and Judas a chance to grow as a character. I cannot wait to share this with all of you.
I hope this answered some questions for those of you that had them and as always, I wish you Happy Reading!
February 19, 2018
The Order
Hello Loves and welcome to another Inside the Nation blog. Today I thought I'd get inside the Order. The Order is the protagonist in my 30 Pieces of Silver series as well as my Vamperial series.
The Order is an organization that is charged with ridding the world of supernatural abominations. It was started after the death of Christ by Mary, Peter, and John, their purpose was to find Judas and destroy him. All of the members of The Order have some sort of supernatural power themselves in order to level the playing field. I did this because I didn't want the villains to have too large of an advantage over the good guys. I wanted to make it as even as possible. The Order has a group of Elders that tell the underlings what is out there. They let them know about the supernatural element in the world. The new initiatives all have powers of their own, that's actually how they are picked. They have to have a pure heart, willing to fight for the good of humanity and have a supernatural ability.
I first wrote about The Order in my first book 30 Pieces of Silver: Soul Collector. I loved them so much, I continued their search for evil in Lillith: My Genisis. I love the fact that they are human, therefore infallible, but somewhere in their minds, they think they are right on all accounts. Throughout their journey, I show the readers that they make major mistakes. Although they are the good guys, they have human emotion, human issues and they mess up. They don't always get it right, but they put up the good fight.
I have continued The Orders journey through my new project 30 Pieces of Silver: Redemption. The Order and Judas have a side to pick. They both have things to atone for, and they both have things to answer for. I believe I have done both sides justice. You all can find out this April when Redemption is released. Until then, feel free to check out the 30 Pieces of Silver series as well as The Vamperial series and Order From Chaos.
Until then, as always, I wish you all Happy Reading!
The Order is an organization that is charged with ridding the world of supernatural abominations. It was started after the death of Christ by Mary, Peter, and John, their purpose was to find Judas and destroy him. All of the members of The Order have some sort of supernatural power themselves in order to level the playing field. I did this because I didn't want the villains to have too large of an advantage over the good guys. I wanted to make it as even as possible. The Order has a group of Elders that tell the underlings what is out there. They let them know about the supernatural element in the world. The new initiatives all have powers of their own, that's actually how they are picked. They have to have a pure heart, willing to fight for the good of humanity and have a supernatural ability.
I first wrote about The Order in my first book 30 Pieces of Silver: Soul Collector. I loved them so much, I continued their search for evil in Lillith: My Genisis. I love the fact that they are human, therefore infallible, but somewhere in their minds, they think they are right on all accounts. Throughout their journey, I show the readers that they make major mistakes. Although they are the good guys, they have human emotion, human issues and they mess up. They don't always get it right, but they put up the good fight.
I have continued The Orders journey through my new project 30 Pieces of Silver: Redemption. The Order and Judas have a side to pick. They both have things to atone for, and they both have things to answer for. I believe I have done both sides justice. You all can find out this April when Redemption is released. Until then, feel free to check out the 30 Pieces of Silver series as well as The Vamperial series and Order From Chaos.
Until then, as always, I wish you all Happy Reading!
February 12, 2018
A sneak peek into 30 Pieces of Silver: Redemption
Hello Loves and welcome back to Inside the Nation. As you may know, I am releasing the 3rd and final installment of my 30 Pieces of Silver series. Bringing this series to an end is bittersweet to me because it was my first. The first book I ever wrote and published and the first book that won an award. To be finished with this chapter, with this character, is hard, but I believe it is time.
In honor of its upcoming release, I thought I'd share the first chapter with you all today. Please enjoy!
CHAPTER ONE
Italy 2018
Amid sat in the garden, he looked around and was at peace to be back in Italy. Felicia picked out the Villa, knowing his needs almost better than he knew himself. The courtyard was enclosed on all four sides, the top roofless to let in the sunlight. He lounged on a chaise, brandy in hand, waiting for his friend, his brother, to join him. His white cotton pants billowed in the breeze, as his blue shirt, opened at the top, was loose and flowing.
His skin, kissed by the sun, was tanned and glowing. He wore his hair shorter these days, only long enough to fit in a small bun. And his face, as beautiful as it was over two-thousand years ago, was flawless. He stood six-feet-two-inches tall and had bow legs, his eyes, the color the sand in Jerusalem, were bright and knowing.
To have another brother that he loved and trusted after all this time, baffled him. He thought back to the time they met in Pompeii, days before the volcano erupted, the tall Spartan with blue eyes speckled with purple and unusual blonde hair. How Acaleus was adamant about getting as many people out as possible. How this immortal man with the ability to see and hear into another’s mind, wanted to save innocents. Maybe that is when Amid had changed, maybe that was when he realized that mortals were worth saving.
“Who is to say really?” He spoke to himself aloud.
“Talking to yourself brother.” Acaleus sat next to him. Their outfits almost identical. “You know, they say the mind is the first to go.” He leaned back with his own drink, hair hanging loose and to his neck.
“No, my brother, they say geniuses talk to themselves.” Amid laughed, toasting Acaleus. “I was thinking back to our time in Pompeii. To how you were a Spartan even then.”
“I shall be until the day I die.”
“Then you shall be forever.” Amid said.
“I never dreamed to live forever. When those devilish witches cursed me and my kin, I thought it a true curse through and through. To be something so unusual, to live in a place we created for a lifetime…” He shook his head. “Now I want to live forever,” He looked towards the Villa, “if only for her.”
“Look at us, in love and wanting to be, that is a change. You must explain to me how you and Erin ended up being together.”
“That tale is for another day. You called me here for a reason.” He leaned towards Amid, “Tell me what is troubling you.”
“I forget how well you can read me. I do not mean in your immortal sense brother, I mean because you know me so well.” Amid clarified.
“So then tell me so I do not have to look.”
“There is a great battle coming Acaleus, of good and evil, I no longer support the side I once did.”
“Do you expect me to look upon you negatively? Amid, Judas, I know the man you are. Aside from that, these are your gods' brother, not mine. I will stand with you no matter what.”
“I appreciate that, although there is only one God…”
“Amid…” Acaleus chuckled.
“I know, I know.” He sighed. They had had the same conversation many times before. “My issue is the fact that the good side may not want my help.” He looked ashamed.
“If you are speaking of Mary, well she can bloody go to your hell.”
“You are the most loyal,” He shook his head, “How do I deserve you? But not only Mary. She has an intricate piece of the puzzle I so desperately need, a crown of sorts, made out of thorns. Her brother has the Holy Grail, the cup that held Jesus’ blood. The third piece, the Spear of Destiny, is at the compound. You know whoever possesses it has power over the world.”
“Well, hell Amid, how are you going to get that back? Furthermore, how are you going to convince the woman that believes you had her man killed and her brother to help you gain the Crown and the Grail?”
“Therein lies the rub. I was thinking your lady could help with Mary. I will go to Lazarus myself. As far as the compound, that will have to happen in battle.”
“If I have taught you anything, it is not to wait until the last minute to gain your arsenal. What the hell Amid?”
“I left the compound, I’ve been gone for well over two years, how do I go back and resume command?”
“You are the liar, the betrayer. Lie and betray damn it!” Acaleus yelled.
“But…”
“Fuck but. You have a man inside, have you kept in contact with him?”
“I have.”
“Does he know you have changed sides?”
“He does not.”
“Then tell him you have been in search of the relics, that you have a lead and you are pursuing it. Tell him you will keep him posted.”
“And then?”
“And do just that. Let him know where you are. This devil of yours will keep eyes on you. Do your job Amid, only for the side of good because if you cause the end of the world and kill my love I will have to destroy you.” Acaleus smiled slightly.
“You have indeed fallen quickly my brother, less than a year and she has you threatening me.” He shook his head, laughed. “I needed this. Jamal, my right hand, has been keeping the troops in line. He says that they are ready to fight. I have told him that I have been infiltrating the other side. He is still faithful.”
“Then he will believe the rest. Continue your search, speak to those you must. Erin and I will go to Mary, she fucking owes me for the last Apocalypse, we will gain your relic.”
“I owe you Acaleus, more than you could ever know.” Amid bowed his head slightly.
“You owe me nothing. We are brothers, that is all there is to it.” He stood, held his hand out to help Amid up, “Now, what say you we go in and show our ladies a good time. Come the morrow there is much work to be done.”
There you have it! I hope you all enjoyed it and if you have any questions about the book or just want to leave a friendly comment, feel free to do so. Thanks so much for tuning in and as always, I wish you Happy Reading.
In honor of its upcoming release, I thought I'd share the first chapter with you all today. Please enjoy!
CHAPTER ONE
Italy 2018
Amid sat in the garden, he looked around and was at peace to be back in Italy. Felicia picked out the Villa, knowing his needs almost better than he knew himself. The courtyard was enclosed on all four sides, the top roofless to let in the sunlight. He lounged on a chaise, brandy in hand, waiting for his friend, his brother, to join him. His white cotton pants billowed in the breeze, as his blue shirt, opened at the top, was loose and flowing.
His skin, kissed by the sun, was tanned and glowing. He wore his hair shorter these days, only long enough to fit in a small bun. And his face, as beautiful as it was over two-thousand years ago, was flawless. He stood six-feet-two-inches tall and had bow legs, his eyes, the color the sand in Jerusalem, were bright and knowing.
To have another brother that he loved and trusted after all this time, baffled him. He thought back to the time they met in Pompeii, days before the volcano erupted, the tall Spartan with blue eyes speckled with purple and unusual blonde hair. How Acaleus was adamant about getting as many people out as possible. How this immortal man with the ability to see and hear into another’s mind, wanted to save innocents. Maybe that is when Amid had changed, maybe that was when he realized that mortals were worth saving.
“Who is to say really?” He spoke to himself aloud.
“Talking to yourself brother.” Acaleus sat next to him. Their outfits almost identical. “You know, they say the mind is the first to go.” He leaned back with his own drink, hair hanging loose and to his neck.
“No, my brother, they say geniuses talk to themselves.” Amid laughed, toasting Acaleus. “I was thinking back to our time in Pompeii. To how you were a Spartan even then.”
“I shall be until the day I die.”
“Then you shall be forever.” Amid said.
“I never dreamed to live forever. When those devilish witches cursed me and my kin, I thought it a true curse through and through. To be something so unusual, to live in a place we created for a lifetime…” He shook his head. “Now I want to live forever,” He looked towards the Villa, “if only for her.”
“Look at us, in love and wanting to be, that is a change. You must explain to me how you and Erin ended up being together.”
“That tale is for another day. You called me here for a reason.” He leaned towards Amid, “Tell me what is troubling you.”
“I forget how well you can read me. I do not mean in your immortal sense brother, I mean because you know me so well.” Amid clarified.
“So then tell me so I do not have to look.”
“There is a great battle coming Acaleus, of good and evil, I no longer support the side I once did.”
“Do you expect me to look upon you negatively? Amid, Judas, I know the man you are. Aside from that, these are your gods' brother, not mine. I will stand with you no matter what.”
“I appreciate that, although there is only one God…”
“Amid…” Acaleus chuckled.
“I know, I know.” He sighed. They had had the same conversation many times before. “My issue is the fact that the good side may not want my help.” He looked ashamed.
“If you are speaking of Mary, well she can bloody go to your hell.”
“You are the most loyal,” He shook his head, “How do I deserve you? But not only Mary. She has an intricate piece of the puzzle I so desperately need, a crown of sorts, made out of thorns. Her brother has the Holy Grail, the cup that held Jesus’ blood. The third piece, the Spear of Destiny, is at the compound. You know whoever possesses it has power over the world.”
“Well, hell Amid, how are you going to get that back? Furthermore, how are you going to convince the woman that believes you had her man killed and her brother to help you gain the Crown and the Grail?”
“Therein lies the rub. I was thinking your lady could help with Mary. I will go to Lazarus myself. As far as the compound, that will have to happen in battle.”
“If I have taught you anything, it is not to wait until the last minute to gain your arsenal. What the hell Amid?”
“I left the compound, I’ve been gone for well over two years, how do I go back and resume command?”
“You are the liar, the betrayer. Lie and betray damn it!” Acaleus yelled.
“But…”
“Fuck but. You have a man inside, have you kept in contact with him?”
“I have.”
“Does he know you have changed sides?”
“He does not.”
“Then tell him you have been in search of the relics, that you have a lead and you are pursuing it. Tell him you will keep him posted.”
“And then?”
“And do just that. Let him know where you are. This devil of yours will keep eyes on you. Do your job Amid, only for the side of good because if you cause the end of the world and kill my love I will have to destroy you.” Acaleus smiled slightly.
“You have indeed fallen quickly my brother, less than a year and she has you threatening me.” He shook his head, laughed. “I needed this. Jamal, my right hand, has been keeping the troops in line. He says that they are ready to fight. I have told him that I have been infiltrating the other side. He is still faithful.”
“Then he will believe the rest. Continue your search, speak to those you must. Erin and I will go to Mary, she fucking owes me for the last Apocalypse, we will gain your relic.”
“I owe you Acaleus, more than you could ever know.” Amid bowed his head slightly.
“You owe me nothing. We are brothers, that is all there is to it.” He stood, held his hand out to help Amid up, “Now, what say you we go in and show our ladies a good time. Come the morrow there is much work to be done.”
There you have it! I hope you all enjoyed it and if you have any questions about the book or just want to leave a friendly comment, feel free to do so. Thanks so much for tuning in and as always, I wish you Happy Reading.
January 29, 2018
Does music soothe the savage author?
Hello Loves and welcome to another Inside The Nation blog post. Today I have a question for you. How many of you listen to music while you write? If you do, are you using it to block out the outside noise or is it motivation? Is music a muse for you or is it a way to get your brain going in order to write the perfect paragraph? I have asked a few authors this same question and each of them gave me a different answer.
Omega, my VP and the author of 'Yours Truly', uses music as a tool. It has literally become as important and as necessary to her writing process as her laptop. Depending on the character, her music will range from folk to classical and everything in between. It amazes me how engulfed she gets in her writing when her music is blasting through her earbuds.
Nefertiti, another Red Ink member and the author of 'The Curse', also listens to music while she writes. She uses music more to set a mood than as a tool. If she is writing a fight scene she will go to a more aggressive type of music than she would if writing a love scene. Sometimes she will forgo music altogether and simply write.
As far as for me, I am somewhere in between. Omega makes me a playlist for every book I write. We will go over what the book is about, who the characters are, things like that and she will put together the music she thinks I'll like to go with my project (she is usually right). I will go to my playlist more times than not, but if I don't have it I don't feel as if I'm stuck or like I can't write without it.
I have read that music inspires authors and enhance the mood of a writer, but I know there are exceptions to every rule. So... What say you? Do you need music as badly as you need your computer to write? Are you the type of author that can take it or leave it? Or do you need complete silence in order to create your masterpiece? I am curious to know how listening to music helps/hurts your creative process. Feel free to leave a comment below.
I hope this helped and as always, I wish you Happy Reading!
Omega, my VP and the author of 'Yours Truly', uses music as a tool. It has literally become as important and as necessary to her writing process as her laptop. Depending on the character, her music will range from folk to classical and everything in between. It amazes me how engulfed she gets in her writing when her music is blasting through her earbuds.
Nefertiti, another Red Ink member and the author of 'The Curse', also listens to music while she writes. She uses music more to set a mood than as a tool. If she is writing a fight scene she will go to a more aggressive type of music than she would if writing a love scene. Sometimes she will forgo music altogether and simply write.
As far as for me, I am somewhere in between. Omega makes me a playlist for every book I write. We will go over what the book is about, who the characters are, things like that and she will put together the music she thinks I'll like to go with my project (she is usually right). I will go to my playlist more times than not, but if I don't have it I don't feel as if I'm stuck or like I can't write without it.
I have read that music inspires authors and enhance the mood of a writer, but I know there are exceptions to every rule. So... What say you? Do you need music as badly as you need your computer to write? Are you the type of author that can take it or leave it? Or do you need complete silence in order to create your masterpiece? I am curious to know how listening to music helps/hurts your creative process. Feel free to leave a comment below.
I hope this helped and as always, I wish you Happy Reading!
January 22, 2018
My obsession with research
Hello Loves and welcome to another Inside The Nation blog. Today I'm going to be writing about my obsession with research.
I’m sure it is no secret that I love research. I am quite addicted to it if I’m being honest. I love picking a subject, a person, and immersing myself in all the information I can find out about it or them. I look on the internet, I go to bookstores, I make phone calls, anyway there is to get knowledge on that subject, I use. Once I pick the subject, my mind homes in on it and I can’t seem to let it go until I have exhausted all of my resources and even then, I look for more. I’m almost positive that I drive the people around me crazy. I’m not above calling Omega at two in the morning and asking her if she’s heard of this or that, if she could bring so and so to the office in the morning so I can look into it further (I am surprised and elated that she hasn’t stopped answering late night phone calls).
Before I started The Chronicles of Sari series I knew that I wanted to write a book about a strong female supernatural hunter. I wanted her to go up against a different creature in every book and I didn’t want to stick with only werewolves and vampires. So, I went on a hunt (pun intended) for different types of supernatural creatures. I made a list of the most interesting five, making sure that they would pose a big enough threat. Once my list was compiled I started doing research on the first one, which was a hybrid. I decided to mix vampires with weres- but not just wolves. I kept asking myself, why is it always werewolves, why can’t it be were-panthers or were-leopards? My answer… It doesn’t have to stop at wolves. That led to another branch of the research, the animals. I looked up how they moved, what their habits were if they worked well in a pack, etc. I looked online, checked out books, called the zoo, I was relentless. When I settled on three or four different animals, I looked into a scientific way to merge the two. I didn’t want them to use the typical bite method so I had to come up with another way. Of course, that led to more research, I was in heaven!
I had my series idea, my first villain, and how I was going to make said villain, the next step was my heroine. I had watched enough movies and television shows on hunters to fill a small country, but I wanted more. Back on the hunt I went. Internet, bookstores, libraries, repeat. Finally, I had the bones of the first Sari chronicle, the only thing left was the writing and honestly, she was screaming in my head through the entire research process, that writing her was quite easy.
The one piece of advice I can give you on research is, dig deep, don’t just stop at the surface. There is so much information out there on just about anything you can think of. Get on the internet, get physical copies of books, call experts, Dig! Even if you do not love the process, the knowledge you find will be worth the tediousness.
I hope this helped and as always, I wish you Happy Reading!
I’m sure it is no secret that I love research. I am quite addicted to it if I’m being honest. I love picking a subject, a person, and immersing myself in all the information I can find out about it or them. I look on the internet, I go to bookstores, I make phone calls, anyway there is to get knowledge on that subject, I use. Once I pick the subject, my mind homes in on it and I can’t seem to let it go until I have exhausted all of my resources and even then, I look for more. I’m almost positive that I drive the people around me crazy. I’m not above calling Omega at two in the morning and asking her if she’s heard of this or that, if she could bring so and so to the office in the morning so I can look into it further (I am surprised and elated that she hasn’t stopped answering late night phone calls).
Before I started The Chronicles of Sari series I knew that I wanted to write a book about a strong female supernatural hunter. I wanted her to go up against a different creature in every book and I didn’t want to stick with only werewolves and vampires. So, I went on a hunt (pun intended) for different types of supernatural creatures. I made a list of the most interesting five, making sure that they would pose a big enough threat. Once my list was compiled I started doing research on the first one, which was a hybrid. I decided to mix vampires with weres- but not just wolves. I kept asking myself, why is it always werewolves, why can’t it be were-panthers or were-leopards? My answer… It doesn’t have to stop at wolves. That led to another branch of the research, the animals. I looked up how they moved, what their habits were if they worked well in a pack, etc. I looked online, checked out books, called the zoo, I was relentless. When I settled on three or four different animals, I looked into a scientific way to merge the two. I didn’t want them to use the typical bite method so I had to come up with another way. Of course, that led to more research, I was in heaven!
I had my series idea, my first villain, and how I was going to make said villain, the next step was my heroine. I had watched enough movies and television shows on hunters to fill a small country, but I wanted more. Back on the hunt I went. Internet, bookstores, libraries, repeat. Finally, I had the bones of the first Sari chronicle, the only thing left was the writing and honestly, she was screaming in my head through the entire research process, that writing her was quite easy.
The one piece of advice I can give you on research is, dig deep, don’t just stop at the surface. There is so much information out there on just about anything you can think of. Get on the internet, get physical copies of books, call experts, Dig! Even if you do not love the process, the knowledge you find will be worth the tediousness.
I hope this helped and as always, I wish you Happy Reading!
January 15, 2018
Love, Death, and happily ever after.
Hello Loves and welcome back to Inside the Nation. This month until Valentine's Day me and my fellow Queens Of Horror are running a promotion on our best couples. We believe that even in horror, there should be love.
I'm going to give you a rundown of each couple just in case you have not had the privilege of meeting them yourself.
The 1st set of lovebugs are Sari and Dominic from The Chronicles of Sari by me, Aminah Iman. Sari is a hunter who goes after the big bad, she is crass, a bit rude, and loyal to a fault. She believes in saving the innocent and killing the things that go bump in the night. Her partner in crime, and in life, is Dom. He is as beautiful on the outside as he is on the inside. He seems to be the only one able to calm Sari down when she's about to blow. They compliment each other wonderfully, where Sari is outspoken (and curses like a sailor) Dom is quiet and reserved. He thinks first, reacts later, Sari shoots firsts, tell you-you deserved it later. Be sure to check them out for free up until Valentine's Day!
https://www.amazon.com/Between-Chroni...
Our next couple is Hades and Stephanie from Hades: Rise of the Gods series by Jaqueline Stone. Hades truly needs no introduction, but I will say that he is a changed god now that he has his love back. He is still fierce and deadly, but he knows what love is. He refuses to let someone else take what is his and he will bring hell on earth for what he believes in. Stephanie is a firecracker. She will blow up the world for her family, no questions asked. Together they are fire and brimstone, do not cross them. With that being said, they love hard and have their priorities on point. Check them out for free at https://www.amazon.com/Hades-Rise-God...
Let's move on to Gabe and Jade from the Fallen Series also by Jaqueline Stone. These two are the epitome of young love. They are both innocent in their own right, although Gabe has the soul of the fallen angel of greed inside of him and Jade is a hereditary witch. They believe in saving those who cannot save themselves and they know family comes first. Where Gabe is hot-tempered, Jade is always in control, but they manage to make it work. Read about their young love while it is on sale for only $.99 now!
https://www.amazon.com/Awakening-Fall...
Next, we have a love that's as old as time and as different as they come, Isabel, the queen vampire in New Orleans, and Alaric, the Alpha werewolf, from Nefertiti's Awakening: The Delacrux Saga. Isabel is strong and wise, she rules with an iron fist and a kind heart, but she will rip your throat out if you get out of line. Alaric is a sweetheart... Until he is not. He believes in Order and truth. Don't cross him, or his family and you might live to see another day. Grab their unusual love story now!
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...
Last, by certainly not least, we have the bloodiest of love stories with Jaqueline (the Ripper) and Rowland from Yours Truly by Omega. Yes, you read that right. Jaq didn't start out a crazy killer, she was actually a loving, caring person that put others before herself. She helped those in need and worked hard to be a standing figure in her community. Rowland loved his wife beyond measure, whatever she wanted, she only had to ask. He was smart and handsome, kind and generous. They made the perfect couple until she snapped. Go on and grab this bloody tale this Valentine's season to see the real meaning of bloody Valentine!
https://www.amazon.com/Yours-Truly-Ri...
I hope this got you all excited for Valentine's Day and to read that where there is Love, there is Death. As always I wish you all Happy Reading!
I'm going to give you a rundown of each couple just in case you have not had the privilege of meeting them yourself.
The 1st set of lovebugs are Sari and Dominic from The Chronicles of Sari by me, Aminah Iman. Sari is a hunter who goes after the big bad, she is crass, a bit rude, and loyal to a fault. She believes in saving the innocent and killing the things that go bump in the night. Her partner in crime, and in life, is Dom. He is as beautiful on the outside as he is on the inside. He seems to be the only one able to calm Sari down when she's about to blow. They compliment each other wonderfully, where Sari is outspoken (and curses like a sailor) Dom is quiet and reserved. He thinks first, reacts later, Sari shoots firsts, tell you-you deserved it later. Be sure to check them out for free up until Valentine's Day!
https://www.amazon.com/Between-Chroni...
Our next couple is Hades and Stephanie from Hades: Rise of the Gods series by Jaqueline Stone. Hades truly needs no introduction, but I will say that he is a changed god now that he has his love back. He is still fierce and deadly, but he knows what love is. He refuses to let someone else take what is his and he will bring hell on earth for what he believes in. Stephanie is a firecracker. She will blow up the world for her family, no questions asked. Together they are fire and brimstone, do not cross them. With that being said, they love hard and have their priorities on point. Check them out for free at https://www.amazon.com/Hades-Rise-God...
Let's move on to Gabe and Jade from the Fallen Series also by Jaqueline Stone. These two are the epitome of young love. They are both innocent in their own right, although Gabe has the soul of the fallen angel of greed inside of him and Jade is a hereditary witch. They believe in saving those who cannot save themselves and they know family comes first. Where Gabe is hot-tempered, Jade is always in control, but they manage to make it work. Read about their young love while it is on sale for only $.99 now!
https://www.amazon.com/Awakening-Fall...
Next, we have a love that's as old as time and as different as they come, Isabel, the queen vampire in New Orleans, and Alaric, the Alpha werewolf, from Nefertiti's Awakening: The Delacrux Saga. Isabel is strong and wise, she rules with an iron fist and a kind heart, but she will rip your throat out if you get out of line. Alaric is a sweetheart... Until he is not. He believes in Order and truth. Don't cross him, or his family and you might live to see another day. Grab their unusual love story now!
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...
Last, by certainly not least, we have the bloodiest of love stories with Jaqueline (the Ripper) and Rowland from Yours Truly by Omega. Yes, you read that right. Jaq didn't start out a crazy killer, she was actually a loving, caring person that put others before herself. She helped those in need and worked hard to be a standing figure in her community. Rowland loved his wife beyond measure, whatever she wanted, she only had to ask. He was smart and handsome, kind and generous. They made the perfect couple until she snapped. Go on and grab this bloody tale this Valentine's season to see the real meaning of bloody Valentine!
https://www.amazon.com/Yours-Truly-Ri...
I hope this got you all excited for Valentine's Day and to read that where there is Love, there is Death. As always I wish you all Happy Reading!
January 8, 2018
Sometimes you simply must breathe.
Hello Loves, and welcome to another episode of Inside the Nation.
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I took a little break after me and my fellow pub-mates released our 8 series crossover book, Order From Chaos.
It was hard for me to walk away from writing and social media, but I needed a break. The year before I put out 4 novellas and 2 books, then last year I put out 3 books and a compilation, I was starting to feel overwhelmed and a bit pushed. As much as I love what I do and as much as my characters talk to me, I had to gather myself and regroup. As an author, sometimes we feel bad when we can't deliver the workload we have become accustomed to or what our fans have become used to, but we need to take a break every once in awhile. We need to sit back and say "Am I simply putting out books, or am I putting out good work". Don't get me wrong, I am extremely proud of the work I have put out. I am not ashamed of a single book I released, but I made myself take a step back and reflect.
After I binged watched a bunch of shows, snacked unhealthy mind you, and sat around in my pajamas I came up with a list of great books to release this year. I cleared my mind, stopped pushing myself so hard, and gave myself a chance to just be. Now I have a roster that not only I can be proud of, but that my fans will love. What I'm trying to say is, sometimes when you take a step back, it will propel you to take 3 steps forward. Take the time you need to get your juices flowing, I promise you, the world will keep on spinning.
I hope this helps and as always, I wish you Happy Reading!
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I took a little break after me and my fellow pub-mates released our 8 series crossover book, Order From Chaos.
It was hard for me to walk away from writing and social media, but I needed a break. The year before I put out 4 novellas and 2 books, then last year I put out 3 books and a compilation, I was starting to feel overwhelmed and a bit pushed. As much as I love what I do and as much as my characters talk to me, I had to gather myself and regroup. As an author, sometimes we feel bad when we can't deliver the workload we have become accustomed to or what our fans have become used to, but we need to take a break every once in awhile. We need to sit back and say "Am I simply putting out books, or am I putting out good work". Don't get me wrong, I am extremely proud of the work I have put out. I am not ashamed of a single book I released, but I made myself take a step back and reflect.
After I binged watched a bunch of shows, snacked unhealthy mind you, and sat around in my pajamas I came up with a list of great books to release this year. I cleared my mind, stopped pushing myself so hard, and gave myself a chance to just be. Now I have a roster that not only I can be proud of, but that my fans will love. What I'm trying to say is, sometimes when you take a step back, it will propel you to take 3 steps forward. Take the time you need to get your juices flowing, I promise you, the world will keep on spinning.
I hope this helps and as always, I wish you Happy Reading!
October 23, 2017
Order from Chaos (The Order)
Hello Loves and welcome back to Inside the Nation. As I mentioned last week, I'm going to spend the next few weeks introducing you to the main characters in Order from Chaos. Order from Chaos is an 8-series crossover book that will be released on Halloween. Me and my fellow Queens of Horror have taken our most fearless heroes and our worst villains and pit them against each other. This book picks up shortly after, my book, Apocalypse leaves off. After the Order and the Vamperial battle for the fate of the world, both sides lost vital members of their teams. The Vamperial couldn't leave well enough alone, so they go after the Order once again. They've recruited a few others to assist them in hopes of finally beating the Order. In turn, the Order gets the best of the best to help them.
You've met most of the Orders crew, so today I wanted to get into the Order as a whole and their fight against Chaos. You would think that a group ordained to fight off the evils of the world would be without flaws, but this group is full of flaws.
You have Micah, the leader who is not used to being in the limelight. He is hot-headed at times and refuses to back down. The few people he considers his family are the most important to him and he has a hard time sacrificing them for the greater good.
Liam is tortured and damaged. He, along with Erin, previously worked for an organization that was pure evil. They both feel as if they have something to prove and in doing so they may cross the line a bit.
Then we have Alaric, the Alpha werewolf. To him, the pack comes first, period. He would kill any and everything to protect the ones he loves. Everyone else be damned.
Gabriel is young and ruthless, he acts first and thinks later, but his heart is in the right place. He may have to do some bad in order to do good and he is ok with that.
Sari is a hunter, she kills the big bad, no questions asked, but she has a temper. If you cross her, she will come at you, human or monster. She believes in an eye for an eye.
Lastly, we have Acaleus. He is the Spartan, born and bred in war. He kills for what he believes in no matter the cost.
The point is, they all have their issues, but they are for the good of the world. They will die to protect the innocent and happily so. They believe in a higher power and try to abide by that, even if they fail. I cannot wait for you all to meet this amazing group of characters on 10/31/17 and see how they go up against the ultimate evil in order to save the world.
Thanks for tuning in this week, and as always, I wish you Happy Reading!
You've met most of the Orders crew, so today I wanted to get into the Order as a whole and their fight against Chaos. You would think that a group ordained to fight off the evils of the world would be without flaws, but this group is full of flaws.
You have Micah, the leader who is not used to being in the limelight. He is hot-headed at times and refuses to back down. The few people he considers his family are the most important to him and he has a hard time sacrificing them for the greater good.
Liam is tortured and damaged. He, along with Erin, previously worked for an organization that was pure evil. They both feel as if they have something to prove and in doing so they may cross the line a bit.
Then we have Alaric, the Alpha werewolf. To him, the pack comes first, period. He would kill any and everything to protect the ones he loves. Everyone else be damned.
Gabriel is young and ruthless, he acts first and thinks later, but his heart is in the right place. He may have to do some bad in order to do good and he is ok with that.
Sari is a hunter, she kills the big bad, no questions asked, but she has a temper. If you cross her, she will come at you, human or monster. She believes in an eye for an eye.
Lastly, we have Acaleus. He is the Spartan, born and bred in war. He kills for what he believes in no matter the cost.
The point is, they all have their issues, but they are for the good of the world. They will die to protect the innocent and happily so. They believe in a higher power and try to abide by that, even if they fail. I cannot wait for you all to meet this amazing group of characters on 10/31/17 and see how they go up against the ultimate evil in order to save the world.
Thanks for tuning in this week, and as always, I wish you Happy Reading!
October 9, 2017
Order from Chaos (Gabriel)
Hello Loves and welcome back to Inside the Nation. As I mentioned last week, I'm going to spend the next few weeks introducing you to the main characters in Order from Chaos. Order from Chaos is an 8-series crossover book that will be released on Halloween. Me and my fellow Queens of Horror have taken our most fearless heroes and our worst villains and pit them against each other. This book picks up shortly after, my book, Apocalypse leaves off. After the Order and the Vamperial battle for the fate of the world, both sides lost vital members of their teams. The Vamperial couldn't leave well enough alone, so they go after the Order once again. They've recruited a few others to assist them in hopes of finally beating the Order. In turn, the Order gets the best of the best to help them.
One of the people the Order recruited is Gabriel. Gabe is from Jaqueline Stone's series Fallen. He is a Nephilim that has just recently come into his powers. He is also a smart-mouthed, kickass 18-year old that doesn't fear much in this world except for his mother. We picked Gabriel because although he has been through a lot, he still believes in the good of humanity. Even though he has all of these amazing powers, he still chooses to do good. In Fallen, Gabriel found out who he was, in Fallen: The Awakening, Gabriel's powers became more evident, in Order from Chaos Gabriel is showing you exactly who he is.
Go and grab Jaqueline Stone Fallen and Fallen: The Awakening before Order from Chaos come out 10/31/17
Thanks for tuning in this week and as always, I wish you Happy Reading.
One of the people the Order recruited is Gabriel. Gabe is from Jaqueline Stone's series Fallen. He is a Nephilim that has just recently come into his powers. He is also a smart-mouthed, kickass 18-year old that doesn't fear much in this world except for his mother. We picked Gabriel because although he has been through a lot, he still believes in the good of humanity. Even though he has all of these amazing powers, he still chooses to do good. In Fallen, Gabriel found out who he was, in Fallen: The Awakening, Gabriel's powers became more evident, in Order from Chaos Gabriel is showing you exactly who he is.
Go and grab Jaqueline Stone Fallen and Fallen: The Awakening before Order from Chaos come out 10/31/17
Thanks for tuning in this week and as always, I wish you Happy Reading.
October 2, 2017
Order from Chaos (Liam)
Hello Loves and welcome back to Inside the Nation. As I mentioned last week, I'm going to spend the next few weeks introducing you to the main characters in Order from Chaos. Order from Chaos is an 8-series crossover book that will be released on Halloween. Me and my fellow Queens of Horror have taken our most fearless heroes and our worst villains and pit them against each other. This book picks up shortly after, my book, Apocalypse leaves off. After the Order and the Vamperial battle for the fate of the world, both sides lost vital members of their teams. The Vamperial couldn't leave well enough alone, so they go after the Order once again. They've recruited a few others to assist them in hopes of finally beating the Order. In turn, the Order gets the best of the best to help them.
One of the people the Order gets is Liam. Liam is a genetically engineered pyrokinetic who made his debut in Omega's Hit List. Liam is one of those characters that once you meet him you want to know more about him. He has gone through a lot in his life but refuses to allow it to change him. He could easily turn dark, but he believes in fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves. Liam and Micah, who I introduced in last weeks blog, were on opposite sides in Hit List until Micah realized Liam was a genuinely good guy.
Liam has the ability to create and manipulate fire. He also has regenerative abilities, which comes in handy during a fight.
What makes Liam different than the others is his kindness and his moral decency. He truly believes in trusting everyone until they give you a reason not to.
I hope this gave you a bit of insight into who Liam is. I cannot wait for you all to read Order from Chaos, but if you want to get to know Liam beforehand, grab Hit List by Omega. I hope you enjoyed this week's blog and as always, I wish you Happy Reading!
One of the people the Order gets is Liam. Liam is a genetically engineered pyrokinetic who made his debut in Omega's Hit List. Liam is one of those characters that once you meet him you want to know more about him. He has gone through a lot in his life but refuses to allow it to change him. He could easily turn dark, but he believes in fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves. Liam and Micah, who I introduced in last weeks blog, were on opposite sides in Hit List until Micah realized Liam was a genuinely good guy.
Liam has the ability to create and manipulate fire. He also has regenerative abilities, which comes in handy during a fight.
What makes Liam different than the others is his kindness and his moral decency. He truly believes in trusting everyone until they give you a reason not to.
I hope this gave you a bit of insight into who Liam is. I cannot wait for you all to read Order from Chaos, but if you want to get to know Liam beforehand, grab Hit List by Omega. I hope you enjoyed this week's blog and as always, I wish you Happy Reading!
