Kayla Curry's Blog, page 5

A to Z Challenge - Day 21: U is for Unknown!

Hey guys! This month is going to be awesome because I'm participating in the A to Z Challenge. That means I'll be posting every day but Sundays on a letter themed topic and I'm going to try to involve the paranormal as much as possible.

Okay, normally I post the paranormal beings for the day, then the books, then authors, then characters. Well, the only thing I found was the book Underneath by Michael Cargill. Check it out, it's on my TBR list. As for paranormal beings, I didn't find much either. I found unicorns. I don't really consider unicorns paranormal. Then I thought UNDEAD!! But I'm already going to talk about vampires and zombies later. So what on earth am I going to write for today?

I'm going to write about the Unknown. The unknown can be anything you imagine. It can be scary, it can be magical, it can be a little of both. The unknown can be from this world or another world.

Society has come up with names for most of the unknown. Those names populate this month-long list I'm making. What about the things we haven't named. Unexplained things happen every day and we all want to believe in coincidences. What if there are creatures we know nothing about? Creatures who haven't even been invented in fiction or talked about in legends.

To tell you the truth, I'm working on a brand new unknown right now. It's in a book that takes place in my home town. There is nothing true about it and I've never heard of a creature like this. Although it draws similarities from a variety of creatures, I've never heard of anything like it. It's something I imagined up.

This gets me thinking. What if our imaginations are what bring these creatures into the light? Maybe there are crazy creatures just waiting to be thought up so they can be unleashed on earth. Okay, now I'm talking crazy, but wouldn't that make an awesome story?

The unknown is perhaps the most horrifying creature you can come across. What do you do when you need to kill a vampire? You stick a wooden stake through it's heart. (Or in my case, an obsidian dagger) What do you do when you need to kill a zombie? You shoot it in the head or just chop the whole thing off. What do you do when you need to kill an unknown? You have no idea, do you? I guess you could just try things until something works, but that sounds dangerous.

My post today was a little different than what I've been doing for this challenge, but I think it was the most fun to write up. Have a great day!!!

A to Z Challenge - Day 20: T is for Tele . . . something!

Hey guys! This month is going to be awesome because I'm participating in the A to Z Challenge. That means I'll be posting every day but Sundays on a letter themed topic and I'm going to try to involve the paranormal as much as possible.

The paranormal beings for today are the Telepath and the Telekinetic. Both are beings with superior minds. The telepath can read minds while the telekinetic can use their mind to move objects. Both of these super-human beings are popular in literature and pop culture. I, for one, love reading about and seeing movie or shows with telekinetics. Telepaths kinda freak me out. The thought of someone reading your mind is mortifying. There is one book, however where I found a telepath amusing. The book is Into You by Riley J. Ford. It's about a girl who finds out that she can hear people's thoughts when she kisses them. A murder mystery breaks out and she must use her powers to find the killer. It's also quite funny, check it out!

Anyway, here are the "T" books: (Thanks to the word "the" it's a very long list and since I'm lazy, I stole it from my other blog www.bloggerbookfair.blogspot.com. This blog is where I run my bi-annual event, Blogger Book Fair. These links will take you to the promo page set up for each author which also contains the blurb for each book and links!)

Tears of Blood by Jacob Donley-Short Story
The Bird Brained Book Series by Emlyn Chand-Children's
The Boots My Mother Gave Me by Brooklyn James-Young Adult, Women's Fiction
The Burning of Isobel Key by Jen McConnel-New Adult, Contemporary
The Card by Brandon R. Luffman-Short Story
The Chosen by Andrea Buginsky-Young Adult, Fantasy
The Colliding Empires: A Storm of Chaos by Jacob Donley-Short Story
The Daughter of Ares Chronicles: The Complete Trilogy by Shannon McRoberts-Fantasy
The End of All Things by Lissa Bryan- Dystopian, Romance
The End of the World Playlist by Dan O'Brien-Horror, Zombie, Adventure
The Escape of Princess Madeline by Kirstin Pulioff-Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fairy Tale Fantasy
The Fastest Ship In The Universe by Tuan Ho-Short Story
The First and Last by Tuan Ho-Short Story
The Forever Girl by Rebecca Hamilton-New Adult, Paranormal Romance
The Jealousy Glass: The Artifacts of Empire Series by Gwen Perkins-Epic Fantasy, LGBT
The Journey by Dan O'Brien-Fantasy, Philosophy, Spiritual
The Key Inheritance by Jen McConnel-New Adult, Contemporary
The Kingdom by Jennifer M. Barry-Young Adult Fantasy
The Knight by Jennifer Carson-Short Story
The Last Fernandez by Sandra Perez Gluschankoff-Historical Fiction
The Oraces of St. Ambrose: Going Under by Jennifer M. Barry-Young Adult Paranormal
The Path of the Fallen by Dan O'Brien-Young Adult, fantasy, Science Fiction
The Poets Are Dead? by A. Jarrell Hayes-Poetry
The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe (represented by blogger Naiellen)-Classic
The Secret of Genetic Corp X by Shannon McRoberts-Science Fiction
The Tallest Man In The World by Tuan Ho-Short Story
The Time Machine: Seven of Wind Trilogy #1 by Pipit Di-Science Fiction, Fantasy
The Universal Mirror: The Artifacts of Empire Series by Gwen Perkins-Epic Fantasy
Thickness of Blood by Kimberly Gould-Literary Fiction, Contemporary Historical
Thief of Hope by Cindy Young-Turner-Fantasy
Time Of Shadows Series #1: Shadow Born by Kyra Dune-Fantasy, High Fantasy, Romance
Timeless Anthology represented by contributor Jennifer Carson-Anthology (Young Adult Romance)
To Find A Wonder by Jennifer Carson-Middle Grade Fantasy
To Kill A King by Jacob Donley-Short Story
Tracer's Lament by Jacob Donley-Short Story
Treason (Grimoire Trilogy #2) S. M. Boyce-Young Adult, Fantasy
True Love's First Kiss: Crimson Shadow Series Short by Nathan Squiers-Short Story
I think that list warrants a get out of jail free card for the author list (Plus, I don't know many "T" authors anyways.) So let's move on to the "T" characters, shall we?
Taela-Embers at Galdrilene by A. D. TrosperThalia-The Forever Girl by Rebecca HamiltonTom-Obsidian by Kayla CurryTopps-revamp by Beck ShermanTwin-Lichgates by S. M. Boyce (FREE!!!)

A to Z Challenge - Day 19: S is for Siren!

Hey guys! This month is going to be awesome because I'm participating in the A to Z Challenge. That means I'll be posting every day but Sundays on a letter themed topic and I'm going to try to involve the paranormal as much as possible. Just a warning. The following paragraph contains a spoiler from my novel, Obsidian.

The paranormal beings for today are the Shapeshifter and the Siren. The shapeshifter is pretty popular right now and is a being who can change forms. The siren, traditionally, is a creature with the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a bird who sings to lure sailors to their death. Well. I thought up a whole new kind of siren. To see what my sirens can do--you'll just have to read Obsidian for those awesome details.

"S" books:


Sally Singletary's Curiousity by J.M. Cataffo
Shadow Of The Dragon by Kyra Dune
Shadow's Edge: Book 1 of the Kyn Kronicles by Jami Gray
Shadow's Soul: Book 2 of the Kyn Kronicles by Jami Gray
Side Effects by Jennifer M. Barry
Soul on Fire by John Forster
Sub-Normal #1: Not the Norm by Becca J. Campbell
Sub-Normal #2: Unmasked Alloy by Becca J. Campbell

"S" authors:

Beck Sherman
Isabella Sinclair
Sherry Soule
Nathan Squiers

"S" characters:


Sadira and Serena-Embers at Galdrilene by A. D. Trosper
Sammy, Scott and Seven-Revamp by Beck Sherman
Sola-After the Fear by Rosanne Rivers
Sophia-The Forever Girl by Rebecca Hamilton

A to Z Challenge - Day 18: R is for Reaper!

Hey guys! This month is going to be awesome because I'm participating in the A to Z Challenge. That means I'll be posting every day but Sundays on a letter themed topic and I'm going to try to involve the paranormal as much as possible.

Today's paranormal being is the Reaper. The reaper is the harvester of souls. I recently watched a show on Netflix called Being Human (US version). It's a really awesome show about a werewolf, a vampire and a ghost who become roommates. The ghost starts seeing a man who calls himself the reaper. He reaps the souls of ghost who are "bad." I can't say too much more without giving away the story, but it's an interesting take on the being they call the reaper.

Okay. "R" books:


Reach For The Moon by Tuan Ho
Reginald's Tale by A.E. Howard
Revamp by Beck Sherman

"R" authors:

Christie Rich
Rosanne Rivers
Wendy Russo

"R" characters:
Reed-Mirrors of Anguish by R.P. KraulRhett-The Forever Girl by Rebecca HamiltonRigel-Four in the Morning by Christi GoddardRudy-Revamp by Beck Sherman

A to Z Challenge - Day 17: Q is for Quetzalcoatl!

Hey guys! This month is going to be awesome because I'm participating in the A to Z Challenge. That means I'll be posting every day but Sundays on a letter themed topic and I'm going to try to involve the paranormal as much as possible.

The paranormal being for today is the Quetzalcoatl. Believe it or not I actually heard this one the kid show Bubble Guppies. I couldn't figure out what they were saying, but then as I researched paranormal beings I came across it and seeing the word typed out made me realize what they were saying. The Quetzalcoatl is a serpent like deity with feathers. This creature originates in Mesoamerican legends. It's described as snake like, but it's head has a large lion mane around it. Look it up. I bet you've seen an image depicting this creature before.

This is where I usually put in "Q" books and authors, but I was unable to find any to recommend. I'm sure a quick search would turn up some great books and authors, but for the challenge I wanted to stick to books and authors I know to personally recommend. So, I'm leaving it up to you guys. If you know any good "Q" books or authors, please leave them in the comments field!

Here are some "Q" characters:


Quentin-Mirrors of Anguish by R.P. Kraul
Quinlan-The Sin Collector by Jessica Fortunato

A to Z Challenge: Day 16: P is for Princess Avenger

As part of my A to Z Challenge today, I have a guest. Her name is Bernadette Rowley and she's here to talk about her novel, Princess Avenger.
Queensland Vet Turns Romance Writer

By day, Queenslander Bernadette Rowley is a vet. By night she throws off her white coat and stethoscope and becomes a romance writer.
I had to laugh when my editor sent me this press release but it’s quite true. It’s like I have an alter ego and the two seem quite diametrically opposed. They’re not really, though the right side of my brain doesn’t get much of a workout in my job as a vet. Writing, however, requires both sides of the brain to be working in concert albeit not at the same time. The creative right brain is very much in control when I’m crafting a story draft whereas the left side comes to the fore when it’s time to edit.
When I was first introduced to my romance writing community, I was staggered to find that many romance writers were highly-functioning career women. I met bankers, teachers, lawyers and doctors, to name just a few occupations. Then I realized that romance writing (and reading) was therapy- an escape from the high stress of their daily grind. What could be more therapeutic than immersing oneself in a fantasy romance after a hard day dealing with illnesses and emergencies?
I’ve read almost exclusively fantasy since my teenage years so it was natural for me to choose the fantasy/paranormal genre when I ventured into romance writing. Because I’ve lived in the worlds of Tolkien, Eddings, Feist and Jordan for decades, it’s easy to ‘see’ my fantasy in line with these fabulous authors. I love creating my own fabulous world where I make the magic and anything is possible. But I’m not a slave to world-building. My creation is not so developed that it has character status. I give enough information to allow the reader to imagine the rest. No one wants to read through reams of elaborate descriptions. It just needs to make sense.
Writing is one job where you very definitely learn a lot about yourself and even more so when you succeed in gaining publication. You get asked questions by editors and readers which really cause you to stop and think. I often get asked why I don’t write veterinary stories. My immediate reaction is always violent opposition. I have nointerest in writing contemporary stories with a vet as main character. However, animals form an important part of my stories and worlds; only they’re not just boring cats and dogs (though who could say cats are boring!). My debut novel Princess Avengeris a fantasy romance about a forbidden love affair between a kick-ass princess and a shape-shifting army captain who is appointed her protector. The two are irresistibly drawn to each other amidst danger, deceit, palace intrigue and a plot to kill the princess’s father. What could be more natural than a vet who writes fantasy about a hero who can shift into three wild animal forms?
In addition, because my fantasy has a high fantasy setting, horses are integral to the everyday lives of the characters. So the animals I use in my fiction may not be the ones I see at work but are very much at the heart of it. In the next and related story, my heroine has a rather special connection to her horse and must use her special healing talents on him when his leg is broken. So I guess the reality of our ‘day jobs’ often resonates in our writing, in some way.
If you like your romance with a fantasy/paranormal twist, then check out my debut novel, Princess Avenger, available from Destiny Romance (http://www.destinyromance.com/products/9781742538013/princess-avenger) and at all good ebook retailers. You can follow my blog at http://bernadetterowley.com

A to Z Challenge - Day 16: P is for Phoenix!

Hey guys! This month is going to be awesome because I'm participating in the A to Z Challenge. That means I'll be posting every day but Sundays on a letter themed topic and I'm going to try to involve the paranormal as much as possible.

The paranormal beings for today are the Poltergeist, the Pixie and the Phoenix. The poltergeist is the most powerful of ghosts. It can actually move objects and usually has a bad temper. The pixie is much like a fairy, yet it is usually wingless. Last, but not least, there is the phoenix which is, of course, a bird with supernatural powers. The phoenix is said to be able to live forever, even if it's burned to ashes.

Next, we have the "P" books:


Paramourtal Anthology by various authors
Particular Stones by David J. Kirk
Perfect Betrayal by Jade Kerrion
Perfect Weapon by Jade Kerrion
Perfection Unleashed by Jade Kerrion

"P" authors:
Gwen PerkinsKirstin Pulioff
"P" characters:
Paloma-The Forever Girl by Rebecca HamiltonPerry-Obsidian by Kayla Curry

A to Z Challenge - Day 15: O is for Octomaid!

Hey guys! This month is going to be awesome because I'm participating in the A to Z Challenge. That means I'll be posting every day but Sundays on a letter themed topic and I'm going to try to involve the paranormal as much as possible.

I only came up with one paranormal being today and that is the Octomaid. An octomaid is pretty much like Ursula on The Little Mermaid--upper body of a woman, lower body of an octopus. To me, that would be even cooler to see than a mermaid. What do you think?

Next we have the "O" books:


Obsidian: Mystic Stones Series #1 by Kayla Curry
OLLY by Isabella Sinclair
Once a Dream Did Weave by WIlliam Hrdina
Oomph! A Short Story by Kayla Curry

"O" author:

Dan O'Brien

"O" character:

Ophelia-Her Sweetest Downfall by Rebecca Hamilton

Sorry for the super short post. O is a tough one, okay? I'll make up for it with a double post tomorrow!

A to Z Challenge - Day 14: N is for Naiad!

Hey guys! This month is going to be awesome because I'm participating in the A to Z Challenge. That means I'll be posting every day but Sundays on a letter themed topic and I'm going to try to involve the paranormal as much as possible.

The paranormal beings for today are the Naiad and the Noggle. The Naiad is a kind of Nymph (which could be #3 for today) that has power over bodies of fresh water. The Noggle is a small supernatural horse that has powers. I believe I've heard of the Naiad at some point. I ca't remember where though. The Noggle, however is new to me, but very interesting. I must do more research!

Now for the "N" books:


Nature's Unbalance (The Chosen) by Andrea Buginsky
Neverlove by Angela Brown
No Write to Die by Tom Immins
Nocturnal Embers Anthology by Various Authors
NOIF: A Mind Blowing Short Story Collection by Tuan Ho

"N" authors . . . Luckily I've come into contact with one today. I believe she is the first indie author with a last name beginning with "N' I've met.
Cailtlyn Nicholas
And here are the "N" characters:
Nalani-Obsidian by Kayla Curry
Nikolaus Jarvings-Mirrors of Anguish by R.P. Kraul
Nicodemus from Flawed: Outsider & Flawed: Protector by Becca J. Campbell (not yet published, link takes you to her site)

A to Z Challenge - Day 13: M is for Mara!

Hey guys! This month is going to be awesome because I'm participating in the A to Z Challenge. That means I'll be posting every day but Sundays on a letter themed topic and I'm going to try to involve the paranormal as much as possible.

The paranormal beings for today are the Mermaid and the Mara. Everyone knows what mermaids are. One of my favorite movies as a little girl was The Little Mermaid. I think they are making a come-back. The Mara is a demon that gives you nightmares. I haven't read about these before, but they sound very interesting. I wonder if a book exists where these are included.

Anyway. On to the "M" books:


Meet Me at the Pond by Mindy Killgrove
Moonlight Mayhem by Sherry Soule
MORE by T.M. Franklin
Mortal Remains by Jason Andrew Bond
My Butterfly by S.J. Bryne
My Open Heart by Andrea Buginsky

"M" authors:
Rachel McClellanJen McConnelShannon McRobertsWill MillarKelly Miller
"M" characters:
Mabon and Mary-Revamp by Beck ShermanMaleena and Mckale-Embers at Galdrilene by A. D. TrosperMarcus-The Forever Girl by Rebecca HamiltonMoana-Obsidian by Kayla Curry