Crystal Collier's Blog, page 11

Fantasy Fling in Avenue E

.0012 {background-color: rgb(200, 200, 255);}
...with a touch of Sci-fi to start.

How would you like a free read today? (Or two? Maybe 3 if you're a winner.)



Read the rest on LightningQuickReads! (And other amazing, free, short stories.)


Ready for the chance to win an awesome book?
Two weeks ago Kurt D. Springs shared with us PROMISE OF MERCY, along with two truths and a lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win a print book and bookmark!  

Kurt's Game:
1. Kurt holds a Bachelor of Arts in Math, a Master of Liberal Arts in Anthropology and Archaeology, a Master of Literature in Archaeology, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology.
2. Both of his parents are retired research chemists.
3. He's never published in Archaeology.

THE LIE: #3. Kurt was recently published in a multi contributor monograph in the British Archaeology Reports International series called Landscape and Identity: Archaeology and Human Geography. He is pleased to be one of seven authors in this peer reviewed work.
Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:
...DRUM ROLL...
Tara Tyler!!!
Congrats, Tara! 

And now for this week's feature... 
Have you met Misha Gericke? I've known her for years, enjoyed her blogging, and even critiqued for her. (She's definitely one of my favorite Aussie authors.) Her fantasy world is fascinating and her protagonists' struggle? Super awesome. 
Recently she got the rights back for her first book, and with the release of her second one, she's put out book 1 again. I admit it, I geek out about one of her characters, and I'm a rather calm person when it comes to the literary world, so you know he's pretty awesome. Meet Gawain!

About the books:
The Vanished Knight
The entity living inside Callan’s soul orphaned her at age eleven. By the time she’s sixteen, it’s ensured her being shunted from one foster family to another.
Her thirteenth foster assignment should be routine. Except... it's not. A psycho in medieval armor kidnaps her and she ends up in a magical world. There, she accidentally discovers a secret her parents had kept until the day they died.
Both actually came from this magical world, but left before Callan was born. To cover their tracks, they’d lied about everything. Even who they really were.
Driven to find out where she comes from, Callan’s trapped in a race for life and death. Walking away isn’t an option, but if she stays too long, the entity will find its next victim.
In this world where secrets are sacrosanct and grudges are remembered, finding the truth will be near impossible. Especially when Callan has her own homicidal little secret to deal with.

One with a taste for destroying her life.

The Heir’s Choice
After discovering her parents had kept a whole world secret, Callan races to discover her past. Not easy to do with an increasingly agitated entity living in her soul.
Get your copy HERE.Misha gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win BOTH eBooks.

You have until Tuesday, August 4 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answers on August 5.
TRUTH OR LIE
1) Misha is theoretically able to speak four languages and understand at least three more well enough to find her way home if she got dropped in the middle of countries speaking them. 
2) Through her mother's side, her family is possibly the only one in existence to have two State Heads on two sides of the same war in their genes. One's Paul Kruger, the other is Queen Victoria. (The Anglo Boer War.)
3) She own two cats. So sleuths, which is the lie? Are you a sci-fi or fantasy reader? Geeked out over any books or characters lately?

Very Inspired by...

If you've been around here long, you know I'm AWFUL at accepting blog awards. I let them collect for months before saying anything, and so it's that magic time to do something about them.


Very Inspiring Blogger Award: Thank you so much Sharon Himsl and Gina Stoneheart for nominating me! (And sorry it's taken 6 months to say that.)

Rules for the Nominees:
1. Thank the person who nominated you, and link to their blog.
2. Display the award logo.
3. Nominate 15 other bloggers (more or less) and provide a link where they may be found.
4. Go to their blog, leave a comment to let them know they have been nominated.
5. Mention three things that inspired you the most during the past few weeks.

My 3 inspirations:

1. I'm just about to finish reading a second book to the kids for summer. We enjoyed The School for Good and Evil, and are now finishing up The Eighth Day. Both are awesome reads. It's been amazing sharing these reading adventures with my littles for so many reasons. First, to watch their reactions and really see first hand what engaging writing looks like. Second, I'm a ham. Do you know how long it's been since I had a chance to act? I really would do pretty well if I decided to become and audiobook narrator. 





2. Cheese. (Enough said.)





3. This:




I wish I could nominate all of you, but tagging would take me a week straight, and let's face it: I have a baby. ;) Regardless, I adore you just as much as the people I nominated today. (Because you're beyond epic.)

My nominees:

Randi Lee--Whose optimism and kind words are like fresh air.
Krystal Jane--I'm not sure any blogger gets me laughing quite so hard. (Love you, Krystal!)
Ian AKA Botanist--Ian's deep thoughts really register with me, not to mention he put out an AMAZING Sci-fi book.
Elizabeth Seckman--If my blogging circle had a heart, Elizabeth would be it. Sweetest. Blogger. Ever.
Amy @ Involuntary Smiles--Amy has her priorities exactly where they belong. She's my hero.
Kristin Smith--I love her attitude, her sense of design, her hair. (Two thumbs WAY up.)
Jennifer Hawes--I don't know what it is, but I felt like I connected with Jennifer right away. Maybe it was the curls. Friends for life.
Robyn Campbell--Oh, Robyn. She has been through the ringer these last couple months, but she inspires me with her attitude, her friendliness, and her continued encouragement of others--despite her own struggles. You're a light, Robyn.
Liz Blocker--I love this woman. We kind of met over a disagreement (or that was my first memorable conversation with her), but Liz is the very essence of awesome, and beyond accepting. I couldn't imagine the blogosphere without her.
Sharon K. Mayhew--I think this woman has edited more people's books for free than I have hairs. She now does it professionally, but I love that she's always ready to give of herself.
Linda R. Young--A total multi-tasker, I applaud Linda. Here's a woman after my own heart.


Ready for the chance to win an awesome book?
Two weeks ago Laura Masiano shared with us SCHISM, along with two truths and a lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win an eBook!  

Laura's Game:

1. Laura got lost on the side of a mountain in Japan during a monsoon at night and hitchhiked back to her hotel.
2. She's eaten live octopus where the tentacles were still moving and the little suckers really do stick inside your teeth.
3. As a waitress, Shaq sat at her table and asked her advice on which concert to take his girlfriend to (Rickey Martin or Enrique Iglesias).

THE LIE: #2. Laura saw this on Amazing Race and decided she'd never do that. She'd end up losing.
Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:
...DRUM ROLL...
Sandra Cox!!!
Congrats, Sandra! 

And now for this week's game... 
It is twenty-five years after the events of Price of Vengeance. Deirdre and her sisters have returned to their home planet of Etrusci after completing their training with the Finnian Shock Forces. Their homecoming plans are disrupted when their mother, High Priestess Celinia, and other leaders of the clergy are taken hostage, and their father, Colonel Liam O’Connor, disappears. In their desperate search for their father, they discover that the Rebellion is secretly building weapons that could end civilization as they know it.

Meanwhile, Liam has been befriended by a Rebel war criminal, a woman Deirdre has sworn to kill. Will Deirdre cast herself into the role of judge, jury, and executioner, or will she discover the promise of mercy?

Get your copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author?  Kurt D. Springs is presently an adjunct professor of anthropology and archaeology in New Hampshire. He holds a PhD. in anthropology from the State University of New York at Buffalo, as well as a Master of Literature in archaeology from the National University of Ireland, Galway, and a Master of Liberal Arts in anthropology and archaeology from the Harvard University Extension School. His main area of interest is megalithic landscapes in prehistoric Ireland.
Kurt also writes reviews on Kurt's Frontier for Invincible Love of Reading.
Professor Springs currently lives in Manchester, New Hampshire.
You might run across this guy eating Kerry Gold’s Dubliner late at night. (Call it a guilty pleasure.)Kurt gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win a print book and bookmark for PROMISE OF MERCY. (U.S. and Canadian residents only.)

You have until Tuesday, July 29 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answers on July 30.
TRUTH OR LIE
1. Kurt holds a Bachelor of Arts in Math, a Master of Liberal Arts in Anthropology and Archaeology, a Master of Literature in Archaeology, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology.
2. Both of his parents are retired research chemists.
3. He's never published in Archaeology.So sleuths, which is the lie? What has inspired you lately? Do you think blog awards are fun, or a pain?

4 Reasons to Love America and IWSG

What is loyalty? Have you ever felt it?
SourceI grew up in the public school system, and yes, they do indoctrinate kids to love this country. It wouldn't have mattered. We all adore an underdog story, right? And the founding of the United States of America is as big an underdog story as they come. It wasn't until college that I questioned my beliefs, as I truly delved into history and began to understand the differing perspectives of people as this great nation was founded. I came to one conclusion:
Conflicting views always exist. Within a population, you will never have 100% agreement with any given idea. 
It's with that in mind I can say, I do not agree with our current administration. It breaks my heart to see the debt they've locked around our necks and our children's, children's necks, or the way the Supreme Court has usurped their power to overrule to voice of the people. I have a hard time wanting my children to feel that blindly loyal to a country led by politicians who seem to care more about themselves or their agenda than the people they serve. 
Even so, I love my country. It stands as a beacon for courage, loyalty, sacrifice, and the power of true agency. I love even more the men and women who have laid down their lives or sacrificed their quality of life to protect our freedoms and home. While I despise ALL politicians everywhere, I too would lay down my life for that of a fellow American. I live in the greatest country on earth.
Happy Independence Day, America!




Along with the patriotic theme, I just want to say, 
Even if your efforts right now feel like you're dumping a teaspoon of sand onto the beach, effort over time can accomplish great things.
Keep going!

Join IWSG-ers HERE. 


Ready for the chance to win an awesome book?
Two weeks ago N.J. Tanger shared with us CHIMERA, along with several truths and lies. Those who guessed any lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win either a print or eBook!  

The game: 


Nathan's Game:

1. I use my middle initial “M” to differentiate myself from the renowned chess champion I share a name with.2. If I’d been born a girl, my name would have been Heidi Melissa. My mom penciled it on the back of my birth certificate. 20 years later, I married a woman named Heidi Melissa.3. I’ve worked as a pizza delivery guy, an account executive for a major financial firm, an office furniture installer, and a vet’s assistant (though not all at the same time).
THE LIE: #1. (Bet you didn't see that one coming.)

Joshua's Game:

1. Stephen's Point, the home moon of our colony, was originally named as a joke, referring to Stephen's Point, Wisconsin.2. Writing as a three-person team has ruined me; the process and results have been so positive, I can't ever imagine going back to writing solo.3. Our writing team formed out of necessity: we were the sole survivors of a shipwreck on a small island outside of the Bermuda Triangle, inhabited by intelligent monkeys who demanded that we write sound, yet thrilling science fiction tales as payment for our per diem of bananas. Fortunately for us  the one thing we were able to successfully recover from the sunken vessel was a typewriter.
THE LIE: #3. (And if you got that wrong, you must live in an amazing place called IMAGINATION.)

Rachael's Game:

1. I recently discovered that there exists a job titled bibliotherapist, that allows you to assist others through a reading “prescription”: suggesting the reading of specific books as a cure for certain ailments exactly the way that a medical doctor would prescribe pills. If it needs to be said, it’s ailments of the spirit. Not cancer or heart disease. I’m romantic, not crazy. I think that someday, after I have gathered more knowledge of humankind, I will pursue this bibliotherapy as a later-life calling. It will simultaneously allow me to help others as well as share the wonder and truly therapeutic nature of books.2. When no one is looking, I only read romance westerns with a supernatural twist. This has become immensely easier since the rise of the iPad. It’s very difficult for anyone to cast shade when they can’t see the cover of your reading material.3. I have always dreamed of owning a pet squirrel. I know it’s immensely impractical. And that squirrels should be left alone to live out their wild lives in trees. But still.
THE LIE: #2. 
Way to guess everyone! And the winners are:
...DRUM ROLL...
Susan Flett Swiderski
VR Barkowski
Nick Wilford
Congrats, people! 

And now for this week's game... 
Art therapy hasn’t done squat for Gabe Jones. A thousand sketches of his fiancée can’t bring his memory, or her, back to him. Nothing on Earth can. His past lies in another dimension, a world just out of sight.

Another student on campus, Lea Huckley, unknowingly shares Gabe’s obsession with the fourth dimension. The monsters from the other side attacked her parents and fled, getting her folks locked up in the loony bin. Proving this other world exists is the only way to free them. Lea and Gabe strike a deal to help each other, and together they manage to open a door to the world of Gabe’s true origin. She’d use him for proof—if she didn’t already care too much.

While Gabe tries to reconcile his feelings for Lea and his rediscovered memories of his fiancée, a much more sinister plot unravels. He uncovers his history just in time to become the unwilling lynchpin in a conspiracy to start a war. His memory holds the secret to the final riddle the would-be conqueror needs to get the upper hand. Gabe must protect the riddle at all costs, even if that means leaving Earth, and Lea, behind forever.

Get your copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author? 
Laura has an MA in Technical writing and is a Senior Editor at Anaiah Press for their YA/NA Christian Fiction. Her debut novel, SCHISM, is a YA urban fantasy, and the sequel, UNITY, is due for release in the spring of 2016.

Her gamer husband and amazing daughter give support and inspiration every day. Their cats, Talyn and Moya, provide entertainment through living room battles and phantom-dust-mote hunting. Somehow, they all manage to survive living in Texas where it is hotter than any human being should have to endure. Check out her blog at LauraMaisano.blogspot.com.

She absolutely love extra, extra, extra, extra sharp cheddar cheese and might be found munching on it while reading a good book.Laura gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook of SCHISM. 


You have until Tuesday, July 14 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answers on July 15.
TRUTH OR LIE
1. Laura got lost on the side of a mountain in Japan during a monsoon at night and hitchhiked back to her hotel.
2. She's eaten live octopus where the tentacles were still moving and the little suckers really do stick inside your teeth.
3. As a waitress, Shaq sat at her table and asked her advice on which concert to take his girlfriend to (Rickey Martin or Enrique Iglesias).So sleuths, which is the lie? Are you loyal to your country? What do you love about America? 

777 Reasons, the Triple Edition

Father's Day. Need I say more?

I suppose I should. We have a tradition in our house. The kids always answer a questionnaire about their dad. Throughout the years, we've had some pretty interesting responses!, but it's also been great to see how each child matures as their answers change. I think that's the real treasure, having it all in writing.

And speaking of writing...

Months ago (I think it was November) the fabulous Kristin Smith tagged me in the 777 Challenge. (Thank you Kristin!) Wasn't that kind of her? Little did she know I would put off playing until almost a year later. What can I say? It's been a busy year.

SO, on to the challenge: Choose a manuscript or WIP, find the 7th page, scroll down to the 7th line, and share the next 7 lines or so.

This is a quick bite from my WIP tentatively titled Faux Paw.

                                                                             ~~~~~
I wanted to slug him right in his pretty-boy mouth, but good girls don’t start fights. And it would probably hurt. Yup. That had to be my motivation. I didn’t need split knuckles over this jerk. I’d rise higher. “You freaked out my mom.”

I should have expected him to call the landline when I wouldn’t answer my cell, but he knew how fragile and wide-eyed Mom could be.

He laughed. “Come on. She has to know you talk with boys.”

“Yeah, like Greg.” With his chubby cheeks, Boy Scout attitude, and drive to fix the world with green technology, Greg wasn’t the kind of guy parents worried about. Unlike Mark.

      ~~~~~
And now, I get to choose who I want to tag for this fun challenge... Normally I would pick 4 stellar bloggers and say, "Tag!" But only picking 4? How's a body to choose? If your birthday is in the month of June, YOU'RE IT! Go 777, eh? (And leave me a comment to let me know you're playing along so I can wish you a happy birthday and read your fabulous blip.)

Hope you have a wonderful Father's Day!



Now how about 3 chances to win a book?
Two weeks ago Vanessa K. Eccles shared her brand new release, FABLED, along with two truths and one lie. Those who guessed the lie were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win her eBook!  

The game: 

1. As a child, the Grimm fairy tales where Vanessa's favorite bedtime reads.
2. When she was seven, she played a magician's assistant for her best friend's brother. When he couldn't remember how to get the handcuffs off, she pulled her arms over her head. It was the first time she realized she could dislocate her shoulders on command. Still can, in fact. 
3.) She was an avid X-Files fan as a kid, which resulted in an immense terror of being abducted by aliens.
And the lie is:

#1. Vanessa did not read the original tales until she was an adult. They were a Christmas gift from her dad several years ago. Her husband and she began reading one story a night. They've enthralled her ever since.

And a fund addition to fact #3--Luckily, Vanessa's cousin told her that was impossible to be abducted by aliens if you cover your ears with the covers every night. She may have slept that way until about seventeen. 
Way to guess everyone who got it right! And the winner is:
...DRUM ROLL...
Meradeth Houston!
Congrats, Meradeth! 

And now for this week's game... This is a book I was blindly approached about reviewing. It's definitely not in my preferred genres, but the sample I read won me instantly. I enjoyed the book so much I invited the authors for today. (See my review HERE.) 
On the verge of extinction, the Stephen’s Point colony must take desperate measures to save themselves. Without communication or resupply from Earth for the last fifteen years, the colony has but one chance to survive: restore the ancient starship Chimera and train a young crew to pilot her. The fate of the entire colony rests on the shoulders of a pair of misfits: Theo Puck, a sixteen-year-old hacker with a gift for speaking to machines, and fifteen-year-old Selena Samuelson, a brash but talented pilot with a dark secret in her past. 

To Theo, the Mandate to crew the Chimera seems like a game—one he isn’t invited to play. A brutal murder changes everything. Left with no choice, Theo has to complete the Selection training and make it aboard the Chimera or face terrible consequences. 

Selena wants to do what she does best—fly. Piloting her father’s ore trawler is the only life she’s known before a horrifying accident strands her aboard the Hydra, the station responsible for rebuilding the Chimera. Forced into the Mandate testing against her will, Selena encounters an unexpected ally, forever changing the way she sees the Chimera and herself. 

Forced to make brutal choices in order to survive, Theo and Selena’s fates intertwine. But behind the scenes, someone else sets into motion events that could destroy everything they’re fighting to protect.

Get your copy HERE.

Ready to meet the authors? 
Who is N.J. Tanger? Three people. Nathan M. Beauchamp, Joshua Russell, and Rachael Tanger.

Nathan M. Beauchamp: Nathan started writing stories at nine-years-old and never stopped. From his first grisly tales about carnivorous catfish, mole detectives, and cyborg housecats, his interests have always centered on speculative fiction. Nathan works in finance so that he can support his habit of putting words together in the hope that someone will read them. His hobbies include reading, photography, arguing for sport, and pondering the eventual heat death of the universe. He has published many short stories and holds an MFA in creative writing from Western State Colorado University. He lives in Chicago with his wife and two young boys.

Joshua Russell: Joshua started making movies when he was eight years old, an addiction he's never kicked. His lust for adventure and foolhardy risk have led him on and off of movie sets, through uncharted mountain ranges, to foreign worlds where people speak in strange tongues, and to the seminal co-creation of two human beings. For positive cash flow, Joshua teaches screenwriting at DePaul University. For negative cash flow, he makes independent films, including the upcoming Absolution. The Universe Eventual book series is Joshua's first foray into fiction writing, and he's profoundly happy to be surrounded by writers who are smarter and even better looking than he is.

Rachael Tanger: Rachael has been writing stories since she first learned to hold a pencil. She grew up on a farm in the Midwest but has since lived in large cities, some internationally. She values experiences and is addicted to travel. She has worked in marketing in various capacities, most recently as a freelance consultant for small business. Rachael currently lives in Chicago with her husband and son. This is her first novel. These three each gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lies will go into my magic hat for the chance to win one of 3 copies of CHIMERA. (Print book for US residents, eBook for international participants.) And you WANT to win this book. Trust me.


You have until Tuesday, June 30 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answers on July 1.
TRUTH OR LIE

Nathan's Game:

1. I use my middle initial “M” to differentiate myself from the renowned chess champion I share a name with.2. If I’d been born a girl, my name would have been Heidi Melissa. My mom penciled it on the back of my birth certificate. 20 years later, I married a woman named Heidi Melissa.3. I’ve worked as a pizza delivery guy, an account executive for a major financial firm, an office furniture installer, and a vet’s assistant (though not all at the same time).
Joshua's Game:
 
1. Stephen's Point, the home moon of our colony, was originally named as a joke, referring to Stephen's Point, Wisconsin.2. Writing as a three-person team has ruined me; the process and results have been so positive, I can't ever imagine going back to writing solo.3. Our writing team formed out of necessity: we were the sole survivors of a shipwreck on a small island outside of the Bermuda Triangle, inhabited by intelligent monkeys who demanded that we write sound, yet thrilling science fiction tales as payment for our per diem of bananas. Fortunately for us  the one thing we were able to successfully recover from the sunken vessel was a typewriter.
Rachael's Game:

1. I recently discovered that there exists a job titled bibliotherapist, that allows you to assist others through a reading “prescription”: suggesting the reading of specific books as a cure for certain ailments exactly the way that a medical doctor would prescribe pills. If it needs to be said, it’s ailments of the spirit. Not cancer or heart disease. I’m romantic, not crazy. I think that someday, after I have gathered more knowledge of humankind, I will pursue this bibliotherapy as a later-life calling. It will simultaneously allow me to help others as well as share the wonder and truly therapeutic nature of books.2. When no one is looking, I only read romance westerns with a supernatural twist. This has become immensely easier since the rise of the iPad. It’s very difficult for anyone to cast shade when they can’t see the cover of your reading material.3. I have always dreamed of owning a pet squirrel. I know it’s immensely impractical. And that squirrels should be left alone to live out their wild lives in trees. But still.So sleuths, which are the lies? How do you celebrate Father's Day? Will you take up the 777 Challenge?

A Funeral, A Wedding, and A Baby Blessing: IWSG Edition

It sounds like the title of a book or movie, right? 
Have you ever had a season where EVERYTHING hit at once? When you've had a long stretch of calm, beware of earthquakes.

My baby was a week shy of 2 months old when we received word that my grandmother passed away. Now this wasn't a sad thing. She was 94 and bed-ridden for over a decade. We knew it was coming. Regardless, I needed to be there for the funeral...even if it was beyond crazy to fly across country with a baby. My sister-in-law was getting married 1.5 weeks later and we already had plane tickets, so we changed my flight, along with my daughter's--so she could be a second mommy. 
Ouch to the pocketbook.
The funeral happened. It was sweet. Being with so many wonderful family members--people I haven't seen in about 10 years--was awesome. Saying goodbye to Grandma, that was bitter-sweet. Singing with my sisters and cousins to honor the woman, such a great experience.
The next week was a whirlwind of family visits, clingy baby, and bouncing between "hotels" (AKA, houses)--until the wedding. With all of the family close, we blessed our baby. (60 people + a special dinner afterwards.) 
Needless to say, the last two weeks have been insanity--but a good kind of insanity. Every life experience improves our grasp of the world and teaches us how to share the human experience through our writing. The key is knowing when to pause on writing in order to live.
How was your May?


Now that we're caught up, how about the chance to win a book?
For this week's game...
Rowena thinks the Grimm’s infamous podcasts are simply another teen fad until she finds herself trapped in a land of nightmarish storybook characters. She tries desperately to flee Mezzanine and return home, but Dresdem, Mezzanine’s wicked monarch, plans to use Rowena’s access to her world to bring dark magic and absolute rule into Georgia and beyond.

But when Rowena’s dear friend Madeline falls into Dresdem’s grasp, her battle with him becomes war, and all hopes of home are temporarily thwarted. With the help of an invisible hero, a beast, and an owl, she sets out to free Madeline from a deadening sleep. But Rowena must become her own hero when she finds herself bound by the kingdom’s darkest family. She must make the ultimate choice – align herself with her enemies or live on the run forever.

Get your copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author? 
Vanessa K. Eccles graduated Troy University with a degree in English. She currently serves as executive editor of Belle Rêve Literary Journal and is founder of the book blog YA-NASisterhood. When she’s not writing or devouring books, she enjoys the lake life with her Prince Charming and their four dogs.

You might find her eating pepper jack (or any spicy variety of cheese) while sitting on her couch watching one of her many favorite TV shows.

Visit her online HERE.Vanessa gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook of FABLED.

You have until Tuesday, June 16 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer on June 17.
TRUTH OR LIE
1. As a child, the Grimm fairy tales where Vanessa's favorite bedtime reads.
2. When she was seven, she played a magician's assistant for her best friend's brother. When he couldn't remember how to get the handcuffs off, she pulled her arms over her head. It was the first time she realized she could dislocate her shoulders on command. Still can, in fact. 
3.) She was an avid X-Files fan as a kid, which resulted in an immense terror of being abducted by aliens.So which is the lie? What have you been doing with May? (What has May been doing with you?) Do you love Grimm's fairy tales? Which is your favorite?

Oh, and a quick shout: The True Diary of Melanie Jane, AKA Runaway Jane
(My most recent FREE read on Lightning Quick Reads. Leave me your thoughts, eh?)

The Baby Announcement

I'm back! Did you miss me?

Okay, I'm not really back, but I'm getting there. As of June, Writerly Wednesdays will start up again, but only one every two weeks until I feel like a human being again. (Which is coming along quite nicely.)

SO, I've had enough requests to share my news:


Kirianna (Kir-ee-ahn-ah) Seraleis (Sarah-lees) was born Sunday, March 22, 2015 at 7:08 PM, weighing 8 lbs, 7 oz. and measuring 21 inches long. 
She was born at home with an incredible midwife and staff (email if you're in central Florida and would like a recommendation), after 4 days of labor and almost no sleep.

Now the quick story:

"Sera" (we have a tradition of going by middle names in this house,) is a true miracle baby. I've been wanting another baby for 5 years. Maybe I'm crazy because the next youngest is BEYOND a handful and my oldest is starting into college this fall. (No, I'm not that old. He's advanced. Really advanced.) Regardless, I've felt this need to expand our family for years, but the hubby wasn't ready. By the time he was, our youngest was 7 years old. We spent a year trying to conceive--a year riddled with disappointment, early miscarriages, and the fear that perhaps it wasn't in the cards. In fact, I'd decided it wasn't going to happen. We started building a house. We sold our old house and moved into temporary housing. Book 2 was headed out to the big bad world...

And that's when we learned little Sera was on her way.

My miracle baby.

Fast forward 9 months... I have never aspired to experienced a natural birth. Ever. I'm a doctor's daughter (and granddaughter) who firmly believes that modern medicine is inspired and should be used. I suppose that's why we were shocked by the intense feeling that we should attempt a home birth.

Insanity, right?

But it went well.

My midwife has delivered well over 1,000 babies and was shocked when she saw the placenta. The main arteries that nourish the baby were where the "water breaks." (That's SO not normal.) In fact, my water broke right along one of the arteries. She told me that had my water broken across an artery, my baby would not have survived. As in, had we gone to the hospital and a well meaning practitioner blindly broke my water, it's very likely my little girl would have been a fatality. A stillbirth. 

We feel beyond blessed. Humbled and blessed. Every time I hold Sera I'm reminded what a miracle she is. (And I do that a TON--the holding.) I'm totally sleep deprived, completely in love, and beyond overjoyed.

So A to Z-ers (and everyone else), what have you been up to the last month? Eat any unique cheeses? Read/write any amazing books?

P.S. I've got a couple FREE (and amazing) reads for you at Lightning Quick Reads: 


THEY CALLED ME LUCKY
DEALING WITH DJINN
Leave me some comment love, eh? (I promise to return it.)

1 Mind-Blowing Reason NOT to Blog...and IWSG

Have you ever had a really, really good excuse NOT to be social online?

SourceAs a little girl, I was the kid slipping out the front door at 3 years old, and when my mom tried to stop me, I put my hands on my hips and said emphatically, "But Mom, I HAVE to play with my friends!"

Needless to say, that drive has rarely gone away...except my friends are online now and it's easy to play without doing my hair, getting dressed, or sneaking out the door. I share that to let you know how TRULY painful this separation is going to be, but I'm holding myself to it. Instead of


I'm going to be 
Sourceand I've only got a couple weeks (maybe days) to get our lives in order for this baby. It's been 8 years since I've had a baby, and I've been studying/shopping like crazy to get myself back in the mentality. It's time to go a babying!

My big insecurity, will you all be here when I get back?



Along those same lines, let's award our baby shower giveaway!
Last week Elizabeth Seckman shared her brand new release, DEFYING REASON, along with two baby truths and one lie. Those who guessed the lie were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win a SIGNED copy of DEFYING REASON and a SWAG PACK including bookmarks, pens, and a necklace. 



The game: 


1. When Boy #4 was born, Elizabeth had a condition known as precipitous labor (or speedy labor). From start to finish, his labor lasted three hours. It was so short, they didn’t even have time to get to the hospital, so he was born on the living room floor.

2. When Boy #3 was born, he was as big as a modest Thanksgiving turkey. That made Elizabeth a freak in the hospital- even the kitchen staff stopped by to meet the woman who had the eleven pounder naturally. 

3. When Boy #2 was born, his name was going to be Colby (like the cheese!), but Elizabeth's mother-in-law loved that named and disliked the name Cole. And she brought Elizabeth's husband a Big Mac (which he didn’t even offer to share!) to the hospital and not her, so she named the baby Cole.
And the lie is:

#1. This actually happened to Elizabeth's sister, not her.
Way to guess everyone who got it right! And the winner is:
...DRUM ROLL...
Krystal Jane!
Congrats, Krystal! 

So that's it. I might pop in over the next couple months, and there will definitely be an announcement when I'm sane enough to post one. I'm wishing you a happy A to Z Challenge, an amazing Easter, and cheese. (Of course.)

Will you be A to Z-ing? When's the last time you took a hiatus from social media? 

A Late Valentines Gift & Baby Shower Giveaway

You love giveaways, right? Well, as per usual (as of 2015), I've got a short free read for you AND an amazing giveaway. 
Firstly, if you missed my announcement about Lightning Quick Reads, let me share again. IT'S A FLASH FICTION BLOG (stories that are 2000 words or less) with 100% free reads. This month has been all about love--whether love between family members, friends, or couples. How about a sample, eh?

The Kiss of Death by Crystal Collier
People crowded against the police perimeter to get a closer look at the twisted metal, broken cable and black smoke. Officers directed traffic away from the billowing wreck. Half the road was blocked by fire engines. Pictures snapped at the train-less overpass and demolished road below.
Miriam stood motionless in the middle of the wreck. High pressured streams of water spewed past in an attempt to quench the flames, blowing brown hair loosely across her face, spray spattering her smart black pants and crimson top. Water pooled in the ruined asphalt, soaking through her new Fendi heels.
She’d boarded the Metra half an hour ago with a copy of Glamour in one hand and coffee in the other. Her greatest worry had been lipstick smears on her teeth or embarrassing herself in front of steamy James Laughlin, again. She’d been excited to spend lunch proofreading the latest articles, or brownnosing with the boss…
A cheer echoed off the overpass.
She blinked. Water dripped from her spoiled business attire, waves of stick-straight hair hanging in her eyes. She brushed the mess back and turned. 
Firefighters recoiled their hoses. White smoke drifted lazily up from around her feet and various other hotspots, stinging her nostrils with embers. A policeman’s whistle pierced her ears as he waved a line of honking cars down a side street. A done-up woman stood in front of a white van with a camera angled at the destruction around her. Another reporter stood half a block away, blabbing his take on the “accident,” a program Miriam would watch tonight, if she wasn’t…
Dead?
She glanced at the overpass, its broken railing and crumbling cement. A gasp pulled her eyes to a sodden woman in her forties with running makeup and a super short skirt. The woman stared at the broken train rail, fuzzy hair hanging half down, the rest clinging to its bun.
Miriam remembered passing her as she moved to the back of the car, thinking it was a crime to wear anything so short…
Behind the woman stood a man in a tweed suit and buggy glasses. His jaw hung. Other disembodied souls filled her periphery, each motionless or in an early stage of realization. Some stared blankly into the distance. One woman had broken down sobbing over a blackened and water-logged lump.
Miriam’s eyes dropped to her feet. She swallowed. Remnants of a crimson silk blouse clung to the ashes--just like the one she was wearing. A metallic stench wafted up at her, mixed with a musky sweetness. 
Her stomach clenched. The gag reflex started at the back to her throat. She bent over and dry heaved.
It was true. She was dead. Deceased. Over...
So any guesses how this could possibly turn into a love story?

READ MORE

(And leave me some comment love, eh?)



And on to the super amazing giveaway!
Last week Jamie Ayres shared her brand new release, 18 THOUGHTS, along with two truths and one lie. Those who guessed the lie were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win her entire trilogy in eBook!  

The game: 


1. Jamie accidentally joined a religious cult for two weeks during her first year of college at the University of South Florida in Tampa.
2. For as long as she can remember, Jamie has always been an avid Star Wars Fan. 
3. She was nominated by her senior class as Most Likely to Warn the World Aliens Are Coming. 
And the lie is:

#2. From all the references in her book, you'd think Jamie is a huge Star Wars fan. But her education of Star Wars did not begin until her first year of marriage, when the hubs took her to see Episode I the night it came out in theaters. 
Way to guess everyone who got it right! And the winner is:
...DRUM ROLL...
Rhonda Parrish!
Congrats, Rhonda! 

And now for this week's game...

Jo Leigh Harper comes from a long line of trouble-making, white trash stock.

Tanner Coulter comes from a longer line of wealth-creating, blue blood stock.

Jo graduated college top of her class, moving toward a future full of possibilities.

Tanner dropped out of college, trading a law degree for drinking games and one night stands.

A family crisis throws the rich party boy and the poor genius girl together. The attraction is immediate, though neither one is a heart-in-the-sand-drawing believer in true love. But as the summer sun heats up along the shores of the Outer Banks, so does the connection between them. Maybe, just maybe, they can win at love by defying reason.

Get your copy HERE.

Ready to meet this fabulous and incredibly generous author? (Seriously, she deserves a cheese badge. Yup. She's that amazing.) 
Elizabeth Seckman is a wife, a mom, and a believer in dreams. She is a multi-published author and the best-seller on her street. There may not be any other writers on her street, but that doesn’t matter. She still outsells them all. 

She doesn't have a favorite cheese, but loves them all equally, even with jam. And she would eat cheese anywhere, be it land, sea, or cheesy air. Hold the questions, but never the cheese. That you pile on as high as you please!Elizabeth gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an SIGNED copy of DEFYING REASON and a SWAG PACK including bookmarks, pens, and a necklace. (In honor of my coming baby, it's a kind of baby shower prize pack.) (Open internationally.)



You have until Tuesday, March 3 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer on March 4.
TRUTH OR LIE
(Because I'm in the final stages of baby making, Elizabeth decided to share some of her baby facts.)

1. When Boy #4 was born, Elizabeth had a condition known as precipitous labor (or speedy labor). From start to finish, his labor lasted three hours. It was so short, they didn’t even have time to get to the hospital, so he was born on the living room floor.
2. When Boy #3 was born, he was as big as a modest Thanksgiving turkey. That made Elizabeth a freak in the hospital- even the kitchen staff stopped by to meet the woman who had the eleven pounder naturally. 
3. When Boy #2 was born, his name was going to be Colby (like the cheese!), but Elizabeth's mother-in-law loved that named and disliked the name Cole. And she brought Elizabeth's husband a Big Mac (which he didn’t even offer to share!) to the hospital and not her, so she named the baby Cole. So which is the lie? Do you like love stories? (Even slightly morbid ones?) Did you read my LQR story and leave me a comment? Have you met Elizabeth before?

When Fantasy meets a Hair Straightener

Do you ever take yourself too seriously? I think that happens WAY too much in this world. My hubby and I like to sit back and chuckle at books, movies and TV shows that are all drama while being totally unbelievable. On that note, how about some fantasy funnies?




Source Source Source Source

Now that we've got our chuckles out of the way, let's give away some reading joy!
Last week Loni Townsend shared her brand new release, THIS WORLD BITES, along with two truths and one lie. Those who guessed the lie were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win an eBook!  

The game: 

1. Loni has dyed her hair every color from midnight blue to Tostito yellow to fire-engine red. She saved purple for last because she held the opinion only old ladies had purple hair. Occasionally, she changes her hair color just to match her outfit for the day. It currently has silver, pink, and blue highlights.

2. Her two favorite cassettes growing up were New Kids on the Block and The Ninja Turtles' soundtrack (the latter, she stole from her brother). You could find her singing "Hangin' Tough" and "Turtle Power" at the top of her lungs in her bedroom. 

3. She has an uncanny sense of direction. It really saved the day when her car's oil pump went out and the engine seized. She had to walk 3 miles along the freeway to get to the closest off-ramp and gas station, and then deliver directions over the pay phone to her dad. 
And the lie is:

#3. Loni has a terrible sense of direction. When her engine seized, she stayed put because the next gas station wasn't for another 20 miles. Thankfully, a nice couple towed her there, and she spent the next five hours loitering at the gas station, waiting for her dad to drive 200 miles to help out his stranded daughter.
Way to guess everyone who got it right! And the winner is:
...DRUM ROLL...
Jenni Enzor!
Congrats Jenni! 

And now for this week's game...

Olga Gay Worontzoff left the Underworld for her final year of high school anxious for things to return to normal, but fate has other plans. 

Now the new hottie at school reads her thoughts but nobody else’s. And her best friend wakes up from his coma acting like a completely different person. Caught in a world that’s a mix of familiar and supernatural, she must confront what she will—or won’t—do to bring him back and stare down her own perceived inadequacies to face a couple of tenacious demons, figurative and literal.

Everything she thought she knew about reality will change as she walks the line between past and present, fear and faith, love and loyalty.  

And by the end of a heartbreaking year, she might be forced to realize “normal” in the conventional sense of the word is the one thing she may never achieve. 

Get your copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author? 
Jamie Ayres writes young adult paranormal love stories by night and teaches young adults as an English teacher by day. When not at home on her laptop or at school, she can often be found at a local book store grabbing random children and reading to them. So far, she has not been arrested for this. 

Although she spent her youthful summers around Lake Michigan, she now lives in Florida with her prince charming, two children (sometimes three based on how Mr. Ayres is acting), and a basset hound. She really does have grandmothers named Olga and Gay but unlike her heroine, she's thankfully not named after either one of them. She loves lazy pajama days, the first page of a good book, stupid funny movies, and sharing stories with fantastic people like you. Her books include the three installments of her My So-Called Afterlife trilogy, 18 Things, 18 Truths, and 18 Thoughts. 

You might run across her eating Chili Con Queso with Tortilla chips. 

Visit her online via Twitter, Facebook, or at www.jamieayres.com.Jamie gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win THE ENTIRE TRILOGY in eBook: 18 THINGS, 18 TRUTHS, & 18 THOUGHTS.

You have until Tuesday, February 24 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer on February 25.
TRUTH OR LIE
1. Jamie accidentally joined a religious cult for two weeks during her first year of college at the University of South Florida in Tampa.
2. For as long as she can remember, Jamie has always been an avid Star Wars Fan. 
3. She was nominated by her senior class as Most Likely to Warn the World Aliens Are Coming. So which is the lie? Do you ever poke fun at media? Do tell! Do you have a favorite show or book that makes you chuckle, even though it shouldn't? Have you met Jamie before?

This World Bites Fairy Tales!

Do you love fairy tales?

Today I'm excited to share in the


with a GIVEAWAY! But first...
Several months ago I was contacted and offered the opportunity to contribute to a fairytale retelling anthology, and seriously, it's about fairy tales. How could I not? So today, let me introduce: 

Enter the world Of Mist And Magic, where fairy tales are reimagined under the influence of Really Slow Motion and Epic Music Vn’s inspiring music, in this enchanting anthology of short stories. Proceeds of the Amazon exclusive ebook will be donated to Elevate Life and Art studios, an amazing youth organization in Asheville, NC.
To celebrate, I'm sharing an excerpt of my contribution, THE FOURTH WISH:
Belina could not believe her luck. Fresh out the gate, wings still glittering and she had her first chance to use her powers! She zipped past clumps of knotted thorns, glimpsing the sleeping castle through twists and brambles.
Her fairy mentor’s words still rang in her head: “Give. Always give, and you will find joy. The greatest happiness comes from giving.” 
The prince was already in the tower when Belina reached the window. She wanted to clap for joy as he settled onto one knee, bending over an eternally-slumbering girl in rose satin. So gallant. He didn’t notice Belina, hovering just behind his shoulder, or the sparkles of light gathering at her fingertips. 
This was it, her chance to shine. She reached into her heart and summoned the strength, the life beating within. 
The prince’s lips lowered.
Belina focused on the sleeping princess, on her stilled heart. Make it live again! She begged silently, and touched a single finger to the prince’s neck. Her magic, her strength flowed into him, and through his kiss, into the sleeping girl. 
He pulled back, jolted by the shock. 
Belina fled to the drapes, hiding as he turned, but peaking from just behind the musty fabric. She wanted him to believe the power came from true love, not the gift of a fairy child recently set free to spread miracles upon the earth. True love would lead to his happily ever after.
His gray-green eyes scoured her corner. She tilted her head, wondering what his happily ever after would look like, how adorable he would be—brown hair mussed as he bounced a newborn on his hip. Age would turn his chocolate tresses white, and he would hold the hand of his dainty bride, still as in love with her as the day they first kissed.
But of course he would be happy—he was fairy-touched. All things fairy-touched prospered.He squinted, eyes narrowing on her location.
She gasped. Had he seen her? 
He jerked back around. The slumbering girl’s hand rested on his, a dazed, but happy smile curling her lips. 
For half a second, Belina wondered what it would be like—to be human, to have only one life and to love so deeply that no other person would ever do. 
The prince assisted the princess from bed and Belina slipped out the window. Her cheeks ached from her wide grin. She couldn’t help it. The couple would have the joy of a lifetime because the princess lived again, and Belina had been the one to grant their wish. A little corner of her felt empty, as if she’d given them both a piece of her in the process, but that was okay. Her sparkles had disappeared. They had gone to a good cause.
Get your copy now, support the youth & arts, and read on for just 99 cents. 


Now let's give away some reading joy!
Last week Sheena Boekweg, Melanie Crouse, and Sabrina West shared their co-authored release, PROPHECY OF THE SIX, along with three truths and one truth. Those who guessed the truth were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win book 1, ALCHEMY and PROPHECY OF THE SIX.  

The game: 


1. They all got to go to lunch together for the first time this last summer.
2. For a long time, Sheena didn't know which girl (if any) Sam would eventually end up with.
3. Melanie chose Carlsbad, CA as the location for book 2 without knowing that Sabrina's day job is based in Carlsbad.
4. Nothing cheers Sabrina up quite like a random animal riding a rumba. Except maybe baby owls.
And the lie is:

#1. Despite being collaborative geniuses, these ladies have never all been in the same state at the same time.
Way to guess everyone who got it right! And the winner is:
...DRUM ROLL...
Sherry Ellis!
Congrats Sherry! 

And now for the blog tour and FUN!

It’s her first day on a new world and Cera’s already found trouble. Michael, her guardian, has been bitten by a zombie and will soon join the undead ranks.

Everyone tells her there’s no cure, but Cera isn’t one to be deterred. She’s willing to face off with zombie hordes, demon slavers, and black market informants if it means she’ll find a cure for Michael. But she’s not the only one hunting for something.

Something is hunting her.

Get your copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author? 


By day, she writes code. By predawn darkness, she writes fantasies. All other times, she writes in her head. People call her peculiar with a twisted sense of fashion, but don't let those understatements fool you. Her behavior is perfectly normal for a squirrel disguised as a human. That's part of being a ninja—blending in.

She makes her home in Idaho with her sadistically clever—yet often thwarted—husband, two frighteningly brilliant children, and three sneaky little shibas.

Find her on her blog or social media.Loni gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook of THIS WORLD BITES!

You have until Tuesday, February 17 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer on February 18.
TRUTH OR LIE
1. Loni has dyed her hair every color from midnight blue to Tostito yellow to fire-engine red. She saved purple for last because she held the opinion only old ladies had purple hair. Occasionally, she changes her hair color just to match her outfit for the day. It currently has silver, pink, and blue highlights.

2. Her two favorite cassettes growing up were New Kids on the Block and The Ninja Turtles' soundtrack (the latter, she stole from her brother). You could find her singing "Hangin' Tough" and "Turtle Power" at the top of her lungs in her bedroom. 

3. She has an uncanny sense of direction. It really saved the day when her car's oil pump went out and the engine seized. She had to walk 3 miles along the freeway to get to the closest off-ramp and gas station, and then deliver directions over the pay phone to her dad. So which is the lie? Are you a fairytale lover? Fantasy fan? Have you snagged yourself a copy of either of these books? (And if not, what's wrong with you? Get to steppin', eh?) What is your favorite fairytale?