Julie A. Rainey's Blog

Author Spotlight - E. Gallagher

Description:Corrupt leaders. A corrupt nation. Who watches the watchers? Can a nation be restored to sanity? Are there any good people left?
 
This novel is a story of one family deeply involved in the world of politics and surveillance. Some family members choose to do good. Some choose to do evil. Some dance between the two.
 
Follow this diverse cast of characters-politicians, spies, lawyers, and others-as they dance between good and evil. How will the dance end? Read on to find out!"
Where to Buy:Amazon
Author Website:

Sneak Peak

Before Musen could call out, the soldiers had already begun to join him in the courtyard and the villagers had trickled out onto the dusty streets of Olmosis.  Panic took hold of every man, woman and child’s face as they stared up towards the heavens.

Isabella however, still sat with Maxeon, oblivious to the dire situation forming just outside the stone walls. She had not noticed when the light emerged or when the soldiers had abruptly stopped what they were doing and ran from the Great Room. Her thoughts and attention were entirely with Maxeon and his desperate fight for life. She held his hand tenderly in hers. Her heart ached with the knowledge that he may not survive and her stomach churned as she tried desperately to think of way to help. Tears streamed down her face as she whispered, “Please, please don’t go.”

She buried her face in his chest and sobbed uncontrollably. She sobbed for all the “what ifs” and a future she would never have with him now. Only recently had she become aware of how she felt about him. In the back of her mind, she wondered if he felt the same but for now, she would be there for him regardless of his feelings.

He clung to life with barely a grasp. Now unconscious, his breathing had grown shallower with each passing moment. His face was pale and cold from the continued flow of blood from his wound that, despite her best efforts, she had been unable to stop.

A Day in the Life of...

Do you ever wonder what it would be like to live a day in the life of someone else? Is someone else's life really as great or horrific as it appears to be or do we simplify the complexities of their life into a series of the most memorable moments?

What about the hum drum droll of daily living? The days without grand adventures or insane family drama, are they worth wanting to live someone else's existence for the few times when things are what you've envied?

As writers we invent worlds with extraordinary circumstances, yet if we had the opportunity to actually be our characters, would we?

May 22nd, 2013

Description:
'Requiem: Will the Dead Come Back for Love?' is divided into three parts. The first two parts are two dreams of the narrator while the third part is reality. In the first part, the narrator finds himself dead and he narrates his after-life experiences as seen in the dream. There are references to his family, his life before death, God and a godly man. This part describes what one can go through after death. It has emotions related to separation from family and there is an encounter with a godly man. There are questions the narrator raises to God and they are answered by the holy man. While the first dream relates to death and beyond, the second dream is about love and separation. In the second dream, the author narrates to his friend (Alicia), his love story with his girlfriend (Amy). His friend (Rahul) and friend’s girlfriend (never named because the narrator hates her) form the remaining major characters of this part. The second part is all about love and passion and also details the mistakes the author made. Although not exculpating him of the blame, it shows his helplessness before circumstances. The third part combines the themes of the two dreams. It equates death and love as the two continuous pursuits of man, the former only being an undesired one. It reveals the death of Amy and how it has affected the life of the narrator.

Where to Buy:
Amazon
Amazon UKAmazon Canada

Author Site:
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
E-mail: r.ranjan1985(at)gmail(dot)com

Reviews:
Makes You Think
Requiem is a great story about life, love, and how paths we choose in our life can affect those we love most in our life. Author Rakesh Ranjan does a fantastic job in portraying one's decisions in life, decisions that can be influenced by others, and how those decisions may not be what we desire.
Requiem is a fast paced, fantastic read, that leaves you sitting back to look at your life. It is easy to forget those we love, the consequences of our actions, and the end result. As a society these things are in the back of our mind, but Requiem brings them to the forefront. I, myself, after reading this book took the time to dwell on my own life and actions.
Ranjan does a wonderful job with portraying his main characters thoughts and memories. Requiem: Will the Dead Come Back for Love is a wonderful short story that I highly recommend everyone to read. Can easily be read in one sitting but bring to light so many issues that could change your life forever.

Requiem - A tale of magnificent and grasping journey of life

I put forward my thoughts in one phrase- truly magnificent. The author has captured every essence of a human soul, its journey through various phases of life with back drop of human emotions and feeling.
The story is really well articulated and you start identifying the fictitious characters as they are really around. Also I can identify with certain scenes from the book when they have booze party and all. It brings back the memory and real meaning of friendship.
I would definitely recommend this book to all- go for the story, love, companionship, life, spirituality and you will definitely end it with a thought and positives of life.
Best of luck to ‘Rakesh Ranjan’ for his fabulous work.

A story envisaging the hardships of life, importance of love and the people in our life

A terrific story by Rakesh Ranjan. Writing was very easy to read and pleasing.
After reading it, you will definitely be reminded of the love of your life and the importance of it in your life.
Riches of life (or lack of it) all are to be experienced to live it completely.
Read it to remind you of it and why you need to take a pause in your life and remind yourself of the nature around you and all the people who make your life what is it today. How vices of life are so unimportant if you look at the grand picture of your existence. A good one Rakesh, way to go.

Requiem,I'm lovin it!!!

I have started reading this book twice today before sharing this thought.
Once i started it reading ,the way author has captured his thoughts in his words didn't allow me to leave the book without completing.
A nice gift,i guess to all book lovers who look forward to something surprising and fresh.........look forward to some more work from you Rakesh!!!!

Who I Envision

I've done a few author interviews and been asked what actors/actresses I would pick to play the characters. At the time I really didn't know but after some thought (and lots of internet image searches) these are the ones I've come up with.

Why Wait

So I know I've been MIA for a while. I had good reason. As time flew on however, I realized that I was hiding from something I loved to do for no other reason than a fear of moving on. Fear of accepting the life altering void in my life as the new normal. As if somehow not accepting meant it wasn't true. Ah but reality is a bitch (pardon my french) and no matter how much I desired it not to be true, it is. So why wait to start writing again? No reason. So I'm back. Editing and writing and reading and all the things I love. Okay editing not so much, but the other stuff for sure. So over the next few weeks I'll be showcasing the characters of my little trilogy. And uploading some info for book two.

A special thank you to my friends from authonomy who have helped me greatly in this troubled time and have given me a warm welcome back. I'm talking about you Queen Jac, Red Riley, Mr. the King and Mr. Boom Bostic. It's nice to be back among you all again. And an extra special thank you to Queen Jac and Red RieOff to the drawing board...wait writing board...key board? Something like that. ;)

Author Spotlight - Amanda Brenner

Description:
Sid Langdon didn’t believe in the Greenwood ghost—until it killed his client!

Sid Langdon, a self-doubting magnet for offbeat clients and hapless scenarios, is hired by a wealthy gentleman to investigate mysterious occurrences at his parents’ lakeside estate.  The man considers the incidents the work of pranksters trading on a local legend of a Confederate officer whose ghost prowls the surrounding woods. 

When the body of his client’s disabled father is found floating beside the boat dock, his skull fractured, possibly by the blunt edge of a sword, Sid suspects it was no accident and that his quarry is no ghost.  Dogged by guilt that his initial skepticism may have contributed to the man’s death, Sid is determined to bring the killer in. 
Where to Buy:
Amazon
Smashwords

Author Site:
Amanda Brenner

Photos

Hello all. Just an FYI, in case you're interested. I posted some photos I've taken over the last few years of scenery and nature stuff. If you care to see them they are on the Photos tab at the top or you can click here.

I had been posting a few here and there on my Facebook and quite a few people liked them so I thought I'd share. Plus, Santa brought me a new camera this year that I absolutely love and have been going a little crazy taking pictures with...yet another distraction from writing. Oh well, I'll start again one day.

Ten Questions for the Next Big Thing

Well it seems I've been tagged by the lovely Jaclyn Aurore in a blogging chain dubbed "Ten Questions for the Next Big Thing". Me, the next big thing? Aww, how sweet you are. Just kidding of course. But I'm happy to participate.

These questions are about the first book in my Lost Princess Series, The Journey Home. So after I do my part I'm supposed to pick five other victims, I mean friends, to tag. Hmmm...who will it be....

I know your just dying to know, but you'll have to read to the end to find out who. No cheating now.

1. What is the working title of your book?
The Journey Home : A Lost Princess Novel   (The first in the Lost Princess Trilogy. Olmosis Returns and Fight for Stiros are the others. Still working on them.)

2. Where did the idea for the book come from?
Well, that's kind of a funny story. Back in high school (too many years ago to admit) my best friend and I had an astronomy class together. Our big final project was to pick a particular constellation, write a paper on it and then give a presentation to the class. (The only presentation I was any good at mind you.) The constellation I picked was Orion. My friend and I were working on it during class and discovered that on my arm you could clearly pick out the constellation Orion in my freckles. Weird, I know. We presented our findings to the teacher amidst giggles. He just looked at us funny and sent us back to our work. Years later, it was that story that gave inspiration to the Lost Princess books. There is also an inside joke between my sister and I that we were beemed down from outerspace.

3. What genre does it fall under?

Science Fiction and Fantasy mostly but I've been told it's Young Adult as well.

4. What actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

*For Maxeon, Chris Hemsworth. Yeah, I already had that one pegged pretty much from the start.

*Isabella/Anne...I have no earthly idea. Maybe Megan Fox looks wise but for personality, I'm not sure. I'll have to contemplate that some more.

*For Fanora, Emma Stone. No doubt.

*I always had this image of Roger Rees from Robin Hood Men in Tights as Drakeon. I realize he's much to old to play the part but still, that's who I envisioned.

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

A science fiction tale of war, turmoil, love, redemption and the girl caught in the middle.

6. Will your book be self-published or be represented by an agency?

I tried the whole self published thing and found that I leaped before I looked. So I kind of back tracked and went to Authonomy in hopes of one day finding an agent.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

You know I don't actually remember specifically (I have a terrible memory) but I think it was around six months or so.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I have no idea and any attempts to compare it would make me seem egotistical so I will not even go there.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Several people actually. Namely my hubby, sister and best friend. I exchanged ideas mostly with my best friend and my hubby though. My sis isn't into the whole science fiction thing as much. I'm the nerd of our family.

10. What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?

If you like stories with wormhole travel through a portal hidden in the sands of Egypt, in front of one of the Great Pyramids of Giza, to a world vaguely reminiscent of the ages of Kings and Queens on Earth, where a young woman has to fight to regain the throne and then is met with a challenge so outrageous that I had to leave you with a monstrous cliff hanger and write a whole other book about it, then it's the book for you.

And we're at the end. Time for the mystery to be unveiled...

These people have been tagged by me (There almost all the same people Queen Jac did but that's only because we run in the same circle, so to speak.)

Claire C. Riley
Adam Oster
Ryanne Gumfory
Michael Matula
K A Perkins

Christmas Cookies

Since I can't send cookies to all my online friends...