Angela Myron's Blog, page 3

To 2016, Onward!

The wonderful people at my publishing co-op have asked me to post my goals for 2016. But first, I have to take a moment to let you all know how amazing these women are. They've created one of the most successful author co-ops in the industry, have spun-off businesses in cover design, book tours, netgalley and more, have launched a line of non-fiction books on writing, and have created a free online community for writing called Weapenry. In addition to writing, editing, and publishing over thirty amazing books. The ladies at Patchwork Press are, seriously, a powerhouse of fun. Check them out at www.patchwork-press.com, at www.weapenry.com, and at www.authorservices.patchwork-press.com.

So without further ado, looking back at 2015 and onward to 2016:
 
What is your favorite writing/publishing memory from 2015?
I have to say, easily, that my favorite memories as an author in 2015 were from attending elementary school book fairs. Kids are super fun, authors are super fun, and combining them? =Awesome.

What story are you most looking forward to working on in 2016?
I really look forward to writing Ennara's third book, Ennara and the Silver Throne. Actually, I really really look forward to the Twixt Between, a story about time-travelling gnomes, but it's slated after a few afters. And before either of those, I need to finish the Flying White Horse and Lapse first. That's how it goes in the writing game, eh? We always have more ideas for stories than we have time to write.

Are you the type of person who makes New Year’s resolutions? Why or why not?
Not really. I mean, yes and no. A new year is always a time to reflect and make goals, to try to do something new. I think that's a good thing. But changes that require resolutions, they need to come more often than once a year. The things people generally save to a New Year's resolution really ought to be implemented as soon as the person is aware it needs to be done--like losing weight, exercising, eating healthy, or learning to play the piano, whatever it is. Following up with those decisions is much easier if you do it right away, and not wait until a predetermined calendar date. And putting it off until January 1st really only trains you to thinking it's okay to tell yourself "I'll do it later".

It takes 21 days to break a habit, or to establish a new one. That's it! So change what you need to change and get on with it.

What area(s) of your writing/publishing process are you going to work on improving in 2016? (dialogue, marketing, output, pacing, formatting, etc.)
Getting it DONE, lol. I'm slogging through revisions, and clearly need to carve more time out of my schedule for my writing. So perhaps scheduling my work is what I'll be working on first.

How would you describe a successful publishing year in 2016? What goals are you working toward?
A successful 2016 would be selling FWH and Lapse to publishers, getting Ennara and the Book of Shadows out on audio, and writing, revising, and publishing Ennara and the Silver Throne.

If you had to guess, what do you think your biggest challenge will be when it comes to publishing and writing next year?
Finding time to write, definitely. It's not easy with two young children at home. I have to find time when they are asleep, with my husband or their grandma, or in school, to write, and that's going to be my first focus of the year: ensuring I have hours every day to work on my writing projects.

How far ahead do you plan your writing schedule? Do you prefer to prepare or to see where your muses take you?
I prefer to prepare, definitely. I have a very general five-year plan that I'm working on, and break that down into yearly goals, and revisit that each month to set up monthly and weekly goals. It's all flexible so I can go with the flow, and change goals as circumstances change, but I like to know I'm making progress on larger goals that I set for myself. The big one now: getting a story traditionally published.

Tell us about something non book related that you’re currently looking forward to for 2016.
I'm looking forward to the summer with my kids, and hoping we'll take some camping trips. Do the roasting marshmallow and tromping through the forest thing. Can't wait!

If you could offer up one piece of advice to other authors and writers for 2016, what would it be?
Be patient with your career and craft. Protect your stories and your process as you would a painting or sculpture. Keep working, it'll come.

2016! Onward!

via GIPHY

Space Cadets by Laurence Moroney

GENRE: YA Sci-Fi
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
BLURB:
 
After conflicts in Korea, Pakistan and the Middle East turned nuclear, the world stood on the eve of destruction. Realizing that we only have this one precious planet containing all of humanity, the United Nations pulled us back from the brink, and started a new, multinational effort to conquer space. Many years later, the peak of achievement for any young person is to be admitted to the Space Academy. Previously available only to a precious few, it has recently opened enrollment to anybody who can meet their strenuous entry criteria. Space Cadets is the story of the first African-American girl, Aisha Parks, to enter into the academy, where she learns that the more some things change, the more they stay the same, and despite the honorable intentions of the academy, there are some dark secrets being kept – secrets that could be the end of us all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT: 
​ 
Training
 
It never failed to give her a thrill when she saw the moonscape rush by underneath her ship, and the blue curve of Earth rise above it. Aisha smiled at its beauty.
 
Down there, girls her age were wondering about homecoming dances, and what dress they’d wear, or which boy would ask them out. She was much happier here, piloting her ship, zipping at breakneck speeds across the Moon, and getting ready to break into deep space.
 
“I think I see them,” said David, her navigator and co-pilot, sitting in one of the wing pods to her right. “Two-seven-zero karem one-nine-eight.”
 
“Confirmed,” came the clipped voice of Soo-Kyung, her gunner. Aisha glanced to the pod on her left and her eyes met Soo-Kyung’s. The Korean girl smiled and nodded.
 
Aisha always wanted a visual confirmation. Comm lines could be hacked and voices faked. Soo-Kyung knew this instinctively. That’s what made them a great team.
 
“Okay,” said Aisha. “Weapons hot. Let’s check them out.”
 
She punched in the coordinates, and the ship turned towards their target.
 
“Visual range in five seconds,” said David.
 
“I see them,” Aisha replied. Her heads up display started to light up with targets. Squares projected on her canopy, wrapping tiny dots that could easily be mistaken for stars to the naked eye.
 
“That’s a lot of ships,” she said, awe sneaking into her voice.
 
“That’s a bloody awful lot of ships,” said David.
 
Soo-Kyung was business as always. “Orders?”
 
“Can you confirm ship type?”
 
“They are mostly type-three fighters. About eighty of them.”
 
“What else?”
 
“A single mothership. That’s the target.”
 
“No other fighters?”
 
“A couple of type-ones, but hard to tell with all the movement.”
 
The fighters were moving around the mothership, following what looked like random patterns, making it hard to get a radar lock.
 
“Are they moving to intercept?”
 
“No, sir.”
 
“David, probe the edge of their defense shield.”
 
His gentle voice sounded in her earpiece. “Yes, Sir.”
 
David took the ship forward slowly, while Soo-Kyung watched the behavior of the enemy fighters. They knew from experience that these ships could turn from defense to offense in the blink of an eye. If they didn’t react, they could find themselves surrounded and destroyed in seconds.
 
“We are at the edge of previous attack ranges,” said Soo-Kyung. “Recommend that we hold at this position.”
 
“Do it.”
 
The ship halted, and they floated in space, watching the enemy.
 
“Any update on ship types, David?”
 
“The best I got is maybe two or three type-ones, the rest are definitely type-three.”
 
She wished she had read the spec books more closely, but was glad David was there. “Turning radius of type-threes?”
 
“Two hundred degrees,” he answered, almost in reflex.
 
“Distance of fighters from the mothership?”
 
“Average about three hundred clicks.”
 
Soo-Kyung raised an eyebrow. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
 
“Yes,” said Aisha. “Full frontal assault, all shields on front.”
 
“If we leave our back exposed--”
 
“Hopefully they won’t get a chance. Maximum throttle, straight at the mothership, direct all energy to front shields.”
 
“Including lasers?”
 
“Including lasers. We’re on bullets and torpedoes. Can you do it?”
 
She heard the smile in Soo-Kyung’s voice. “Done.”
 
“Good. And fire at will.”
 
“Roger.”
 
“David. Punch course in.”
 
“Course, aye.”
 
“Manual control to me.”
 
“Roger.”
 
“Here goes nothing!”
 
Aisha punched the program, and she felt the craft lurch as they accelerated forward. She continued its burn, getting faster and faster as they approached the enemy ships.
 
“Ships turning to intercept.”
 
“Acknowledged.”
 
She saw the enemy ships swarming to intercept. Suddenly their random patterns stopped, and they turned, almost as one, bearing down on her. They opened fire, but the forward shields held.
 
“Intercept in five seconds,” said Soo-Kyung. Aisha marveled at her ability to stay calm, and it seemed the more stressful the situation, the calmer she was.
 
And just like that they flew through the squadrons of enemy fighters, on a course straight for the mothership.
 
“They’re turning to intercept.”
 
Time seemed to slow down in her mind. The mothership approached weapons range at a painful crawl. The enemy fighters, now behind her, were slowly turning to follow them, with a clear shot at Aisha’s tail. She’d turned off their lasers, directing their energy to the shields, so they’d need to be close for ballistic weapons to be effective.
 
It was going to be tight. Once the enemy fighters had turned around, the back of Aisha’s fighter was exposed. The lead ones had almost turned, and were ready to open fire.
 
But then Soo-Kyung had her target locked and opened up with everything she had on the mothership. Direct hits, but the ship stayed intact.
 
A hit on their right wing made the ship lurch.
 
“Now would be a good time, Soo-Kyung.”
 
Aisha looked to her left, seeing her friends’ face deep in concentration. Another torpedo launched, hitting a module to the rear of the mothership's bridge. A small explosion was followed by several large ones, but before the ship was destroyed, Aisha’s ship was hit again. This time right in the engines.
 
Aisha felt her ship lurch. Red lights all over her console. The reactor had taken a direct hit. It was about to go critical. Her heart was beating hard. She reached for the eject buttons, hesitating long enough to see the mothership go up in a ball of flame.
 
The moment’s hesitation was enough.She felt the ship lurch as the reactor gave out. Her mind slowed as the white flash enveloped them. She had enough time to realize, with resignation, that she was dead. Both co-pilots too.
 
The simulator door opened, and Captain Simms’ craggy face looked in at her.
 
“You’re dead. All of you. Again,” he said. Disapproval in his voice. “I thought you guys were better than that.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
Laurence Moroney is the author of more books than he’s prepared to admit. After several best selling programming books, his first Young Adult novel “The Fourth World” became a #1 book on Amazon Kindle, spawned two sequels “The Million Year Journey” and “The Legend of the Locust”, and is currently being shopped around studios for a potential movie. “Space Cadets” is his latest, a cutting edge science fiction novel, based on real science that starts a new series charting out humanity’s course to the stars. He’s presently working on the sequel “The Quiet World”, which he hopes to finish in 2015. For his day job, Laurence works as a Developer Advocate for Google, where he is constantly counting his blessings for being part of the best workplace in the world…
 
Find him here:
Space Cadets Blog
Space Cadets Website
Twitter
Amazon
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  
Laurence will be awarding a signed copy of Space Cadets to a randomly drawn winner (US ONLY) via rafflecopter during the tour! Enter below: a Rafflecopter giveaway Be sure to  follow the tour and comment!  The more you comment, the better your chances of winning! 

The tour dates can be found here:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2015/10/book-blast-space-cadets-by-laurence.html

Good luck!!

Treasure by S. Smith

It’s 2077. There’s no apocalypse, but some things are different. Things like the weather, the internet, and food. In twelve-year-old Clare’s world, blueberry is just a flavor and apples are found only in fairy tales.
One day Clare meets Ana, who teaches her about seeds and real food, despite suspicions that such actions are illegal.
When the authorities discover the children’s forbidden tomato plant and arrest their mother, Clare and her brother flee. Clare has heard of a place called “The Garden State,” and with their bikes, a little money, and backpacks, the children begin a lonely cross-country journey that tests them both physically and spiritually.
Will they succeed in their quest to find a place of food freedom? And can they, only children, help change the world?

Excerpt
​
Clare walked faster, clutching the tiny packet to her chest. The sound of the footsteps behind kept pace. She darted down an alley she knew well—turning right, then left, then right again. Standing still, her back against the wall, she listened. The footsteps had not followed her; she had lost them.
Twenty minutes later and safe in the apartment, she met with her co-conspirators: Dante, her seven-year-old brother, and Lily, her best friend.
“I have something to show you, but you have to promise not to tell.”
“We promise.”
Holding out her closed fist, she whispered, “What I have here will change the world.”
Dante’s eyes widened. “It’s so small.”
“It may be small now,” she told him, “but what I have in my hand will get bigger. It will grow and make more.”
“What is it?” Lily asked.
“Is it magic?” asked Dante.
She opened her hand.
Author Biography

S. Smith grew up on a farm with a tremendously large garden. She maintains that if you can’t taste the soil on a carrot, it’s not fresh enough.
As an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher, Ms. Smith has enjoyed teaching students from around the world.

Smith is a member ALLi (The Alliance of Independent Authors) and saves seeds for her local seed bank.
She gardens and writes at her home in the beautiful and green Pacific Northwest where she lives with her husband, two children, and two cats.

Praise for Treasure

“I haven’t been this in love with an individual young adult book since Lois Lowry’s The Giver… 221 pages of exciting young adult goodness! I devoured it, and it was delicious.” -Anakalian Whims Book Blog

“Here’s a great piece of “juvenile” literature that doesn’t lose sight of one key fact: kids can think.”- Lit Prof, Amazon Reviewer
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“I highly recommend this book for tweens and teens who enjoy reading the dystopian genre and who are looking for a non-violent and thought-provoking story.” – Renee at Mother Daughter Book Reviews

The One Who Sees Me Book Blast Sign Ups

The One Who Sees Me by Kandi J. Wyatt

Teenage slave girl Faru’s life has been turned upside down when she discovers she’s been traded to a new master, forcing her to leave all she‘s ever known. Upon her arrival, Faru meets a friend, Cailean, who helps her adjust to life in the strange location. Life settles into a new pattern, and romance blossoms between the young friends. But as soon as they plan to get married, another proposal comes about – one that cannot be ignored. Being a slave means not always marrying who you love.

On a daring journey to heal her heart, Faru encounters the Existing One. Will she trust Him and do His bidding even if what He requests is so hard?

Follow Faru’s tale in author Kandi J Wyatt’s retelling of a Biblical story found in the Old Testament book of Genesis, showing that when things don’t make sense, God will guide the way.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * iTunes

Praise for the book
“Kandi Wyatt has taken historical fiction and elevated it to a higher level. Her world building pulls you in and puts you right in the middle of the adventure. This is why I love her books.” – Sandra Stiles
“Well worth the read. Kandi has done an wonderful job bringing this captivating story to life!” – Christianonfire2 on Goodreads


Excerpt
My most recent book is The One Who Sees Me. It is about a slave girl, Faru, who is exchanged for a wife for the king. She finds herself in a new home with a new master and life is always going up and down. We’ll join her in chapter 2 when she is leaving her home for the new one:
The carriage pulled to a halt, and Lord Cegrol looked up from where he sat. The ride had lasted close to half a glass, Faru estimated, and in that whole time, the lord had not said a single word to her, nor had he looked up from his folded hands. Now he graced Faru with a smile. It was a sad smile, but a smile nonetheless.
“What is your name, child?” his musical voice inquired.
“Faru, milord.”
He seemed to see her for the first time. His eyes took her in, and Faru felt the heat rush to her face.
“Well, Faru, welcome to our home away from home.” He paused as he looked out the window. “It is nothing like my Castle Fearann, but it is comfortable.”
They descended from the coach onto a cobblestone drive surrounded by blooming rhododendron plants. The whites and pinks softened the harshness of the reds. Beyond the bushes, Faru noticed the house that loomed up above her. The dark bricks were a stark contrast to the stone she was accustomed to. Lord Cegrol led the way up wide, winding stairs to the front door. Torches on either side flickered against the brickwork, which seemed to trap the light instead of sending it out to welcome the master home. As Cegrol opened the door, he was greeted by a portly, elderly lady.
“Lord Cegrol, welcome home. You must be exhausted. Let me get your cloak. You just go up to your den. I’ll have Trystan bring you your evening meal.”
“Thank you, Kadi,” Lord Cegrol replied. “I would appreciate that. First, though, we need to help Faru get settled.”
“Don’t you worry at all about that. I’ll take care of everything.”
Lord Cegrol nodded and slowly plodded up another wide staircase. The motherly woman turned to Faru.
“And you are?”
“My name is Faru, ma’am,” the young slave girl replied, trying not to fidget with her long curly hair.
“Lord Cegrol told me your name. What I want to know is, why are you here?”
Faru shivered, not just from the draft that flickered the candles in their sconces, but also from the internal cold.
“Ma’am, a glass ago, I was preparing my mistress’s evening meal as I have done since I was old enough to help my mother. The queen came and brought me to a parlor where King Cyning and Lord Cegrol and Lady Cwen sat. King Cyning walked off with Lady Cwen, and my mistress showed Lord Cegrol and me to the door where the carriage was waiting. Lord Cegrol brought me here. I do not have anything with me. I am at your disposal.”
“You are right about that,” the woman said. “I am Kadi, the housekeeper. Anything that happens in this house, I direct. That includes you.”
Kadi paused, sizing up the new servant before she continued. “What besides serving meals are you good at?”
This was territory that Faru understood.
“I clean rooms. I’ve done some cooking, but more so, just helping the cook prepare food. I’ve taken care of little ones so others can do their work, and I’ve been taught to weave.”
“I see,” Kadi stated, pursing her lips. “You won’t have much opportunity to take care of children in this household unless it is servants’ children.” She stood, looking Faru up and down before she continued. “I suppose for tonight, you can just get settled in. Tomorrow is early enough to start. Follow me.”
Author Kandi J. Wyatt
Kandi J Wyatt is a wife, mother of five, teacher, artist, and author. In her free time, she enjoys writing fantasy stories and Christmas programs, and drawing with graphite and colored pencils. Portraits are her specialty. Kandi also enjoys photography, thanks to her photographer husband who has let her join his journey as both his model and apprentice, and she occasionally serves as his assistant when he needs a “light stand with feet.”Website * Facebook * Twitter​


$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 11/18/15
​
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.a Rafflecopter giveaway

YA SCAVENGER HUNT!

Welcome to YA Scavenger Hunt! This bi-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors...and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize--one lucky winner will receive one signed book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!

Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are EIGHT contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the RED TEAM--but there is also a BLUE team, GOLD team, GREEN team, ORANGE team, TEAL team, PURPLE team, and a PIN K team for a chance to win a whole different set of signed books!

If you'd like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.


SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLEDirections: Below, you'll notice that I've listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the RED team, and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!). 

Entry Form: Once you've added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by OCTOBER 5, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.SCAVENGER HUNT POST Today, I am hosting Kimberly Derting on my website for the YA Scavenger Hunt!
​
Kimberly Derting is the author of the award-winning THE BODY FINDER series, THE PLEDGE trilogy, and THE TAKING and THE REPLACED (the first two books in THE TAKING trilogy).

Her books have been translated into 15 languages, and both THE BODY FINDER and THE PLEDGE were YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selections.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest, where the gloomy weather is ideal for writing anything dark and creepy. Her three beautiful (and often mouthy) children serve as an endless source of inspiration and frequently find the things they say buried in the pages of their mother's books, or on Twitter for the world to see.

Find out more information by checking out Kim's website or find more about Kim's book here!
EXCLUSIVE CONTENT CHAPTER ONE
Day Thirty-Five 
(Three Days After the NSA Attack on Blackwater Ranch)
Somewhere in Northern Colorado
Being an alien, or a Replaced with all alien DNA, or whatever the heck I was supposed to be was giving me a serious complex. Five years ago I was the star pitcher on my high school team, headed for college, loving life. Then I’d been abducted by aliens and ever since coming back just over a month ago, I’d been blindsided by one nasty surprise about myself after another. I’d gone from total hero to utter zero in the (cosmic) blink of an eye.

Not that I’d tell my dad I felt that way. He’d just pull out one of his inspirational quotes, something along the lines of: “Hang in there, baby!” or “If life hands you lemons . . . “

But you get the idea; my life was sort of a mess.

Here’s the thing, though, it was my mess. I might not have understood that at first, but the message was definitely starting to sink in now that we were on the run, my dad and Tyler and me.
Still, this wasn’t the playground. There were no do-overs. No take-backsies. I didn’t get to call a time-out so I could catch my breath. It was time to pull up my big-girl panties and play the hand I’d been dealt.

That old life of mine was done. Finished. Finito.

I was on a new trajectory now, and even though it usually felt more like a derailment—a hurtling-out-of-control-train-wreck of a thing—I figured I might as well embrace it.

Grin and bear it, as my dad would say.

That didn’t mean I didn’t miss some of those things from my old life. If I said otherwise, I’d be straight-up lying. This new life meant I’d never get the chance to stand on a stage with my classmates and accept a diploma—not from high school or college. My days of playing ball with the teammates I’d known most of my life were a thing of the past. And I’d never have the luxury of doing regular girl things like staying up all night and sharing secrets with the best friend I’d grown up with, because that best friend . . . she’d deserted me . . . thrown me over for my ex, Austin.

Even my own mother had disowned me as far as I knew. Pretty much replacing me with a new family. So it was just me and Dad now. Don’t get me wrong—I was grateful to have him back—but to be fair he was almost as messed up as this new life of mine. Just because he’d turned out to be right about the whole alien thing, that didn’t make him any less weird.

Now, instead of trying to convince everyone I’d been abducted by little green men, he was focusing his obsessive nature on keeping Tyler and me safe. He constantly worried we were being spied on, whether by satellites or park rangers . . . or maybe even undercover bears. Who knew?

And sometimes I couldn’t help wondering if that paranoia of his didn’t extend to me as well.
Sometimes, when he thought I wasn’t looking, I’d catch him watching me out of the corner of his eye, giving me these super long glances. Like he was checking to see if I might still be in here—the old Kyra.

I would have come out and asked him what was going on inside his head, but I was worried about what he might say and the questions he might ask, which was all kinds of wrong since my dad and I used to talk about just about everything.

When I was little, it had always been my dad I’d gone to whenever I’d had a problem, even before my mom. He’d been the one to clean up a scraped knee when I fell off my bike. He’d taught me long division when all the other kids seemed to understand it before I did.

But now there was this inexplicable barrier between us that had never been there before, not even when I’d thought he was crazy.

No, this was different. . . .

But I did mention that different was the new normal, right? And just because things were somehow off between me and my dad didn’t mean I wasn’t happy to be back with him. Or that he didn’t feel the exact same way. I knew because of his hug.

It was that simple—the way he hugged me when we were finally reunited. Simon had driven Tyler and me out to meet him from Blackwater Ranch, the secret camp where we’d been staying, after it had been attacked by Agent Truman and his Daylight Division—the NSA’s not-so-nice branch that hunted down us abductees. The second my dad had laid eyes on me, he’d nearly smothered me in his flannel embrace. And he hadn’t stopped ever since. Even though he looked at me strangely sometimes, he was always touching me—my hand, my shoulder, sometimes my cheek—asking me if I was okay or if I needed anything. Like he was silently reassuring himself I was still there.

He never asked questions about the things that made me different, even though we both knew those questions were there, right beneath the surface. He had to be curious; it was in his nature . . . his conspiracy-theory, we’re-not-alone, tinfoil-hat-wearing nature.

And I couldn’t entirely blame him, because I was thinking the same things, wondering whether being made entirely from alien DNA somehow canceled out my human memories and personality. I was curious about the things I could do—my abilities, my strengths, the dangers I posed, even though I 100 percent felt the same. Even though I looked and acted exactly like my old self.

I wanted to tell him to cut it out with the weird looks, because . . . not cool, but every time I started to say something, my throat closed tighter than Fort Knox and I ended up pretending I hadn’t noticed.
Inside, though . . . inside, the idea that my dad—my own dad—couldn’t figure out what to make of me, made me want to vanish again. One more chink in my already tarnished armor.

Nice.

I wondered what he’d do if my stomach ripped apart and some alien baby popped out, grinding and gnashing its acid-dripping teeth while it screeched its alien battle cry.

Maybe that’s what he expected. That any second I’d be torn apart by whatever was inside me, waiting to break free the way it happened in the movies.

Aliens versus humans.

Us versus them.

In real life, though, Alien Kyra was super boring. Plainer even than Old Kyra, with far fewer friends and a lot more empty time on her hands.

Just thinking about it made me miss the other Returned Tyler and I had left behind at Blackwater because at least they had a clue what we were going through—Simon, Jett, Willow, Natty.

They’d taken me in when I’d had no place else to go, back when Agent Truman had first discovered I existed and set his sights on me. When my mom had decided I was too dangerous to be around, which turned out wasn’t so far from the truth.

Like me, the Returned had also been abducted by aliens and sent back after being altered. Only they’d been less changed than I was.

Half alien and half human, they considered themselves hybrids. Like me, they could heal faster and needed less food and sleep than our human counterparts. We also aged slower; making them . . . making all of us look like teenagers indefinitely.
But I’d give anything to have the one thing they had—the half-human part they still could lay claim to.
Like I said, I’d been taken too, but I’d come back different from the Returned. Different from almost everyone, except Tyler.

Tyler, who was exactly like me.

Well . . . almost. He was as close to me as anyone in the world.

We weren’t Returned, we were the Replaced. The difference being that when we’d been abducted, it wasn’t only segments of our genetic coding the aliens had messed with, it was everything. All of it. Our entire bodies had been replicated.

Replaced. So that Tyler and I now shared full-on alien DNA, leaving only our faces and our memories to remind us who we used to be. Although even in that I was alone, since Tyler had a gap in his memories—he was missing the time we’d spent together before he was taken. Which was the one memory I wanted him to have most: the part where the two of us had fallen in love.

That was a biggie.

Without it, we were just friends, like Old Kyra and Old Tyler, which maybe could’ve been enough, once upon a time.

There should have been a song in there somewhere . . . an angsty, twangy country song filled with lyrics about love lost and found again. But I couldn’t wrangle enough of my former smart-alecky self to think up a single line.

Maybe spunky had been part of Old Kyra’s DNA. Maybe Alien Kyra had no game. She was straitlaced and boring. She was into bubblegum pop. Or worse, church hymnals. She was the kind of girl who colored inside the lines and wore pink. Crazy amounts of pink.

Alien Kyra was already on my nerves.

Of course it was good to have New Tyler back. He was the one person I’d been fixated on from the moment we’d been separated. I mean, my dad too. But Tyler . . .

It was Tyler I’d spent hours single-mindedly focused on. Picturing in my head. Daydreaming of.
I’d driven Simon and the others crazy for weeks on end, talking incessantly about Tyler after he was taken and wondering why he hadn’t been sent back yet.

I should have been satisfied to have them both—Tyler and my dad. Even though we had to lay low, we were together, the three of us.

Yet I couldn’t help thinking there was something wrong. With me . . . and with Tyler.

With this whole screwed-up situation we were in.

Like I said, my life was a mess.



I'm very visual, so I use images to inspire scenes. 
Here are some images I used for THE COUNTDOWN: THE COUNTDOWN
Coming May 10, 2016Don't forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of signed books by me, Angela Myron, and more! To enter, you need to know that my favorite number is 42. Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on the RED team and you'll have all the secret code to enter for the grand prize!CONTINUE THE HUNT 
To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author, Lori Ann Grover! http://lorieanngrover.blogspot.com/

And finally, don't forget to enter the drawing below for a chance to win one of my audiobooks! Good luck!! :) a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Blue Dragon by Yiola Damianou-Papadopoulou

The Blue Dragon describes the terror of the catastrophic tsunami that hit Sri Lanka in December 2004. The novel focuses on a group of children—Hanseni, and her siblings Awade and Manori, and their friend Nishian—their individual experiences, and how they managed to pull through this horrendous event. Overcoming their fears the children struggle against the forces of nature, fighting against the odds to save themselves and their friends. Their stories portray courage and hope, and demonstrate the inner strength and determination that exists in the human spirit when faced with an unforgiving natural disaster. This emotive and heartfelt story shows how even, in the most terrifying of circumstances, the will to live triumphs.An Excerpt from The Blue DragonThe coach was making its way, belching black exhaust. It went slowly, making short stops so that the children could admire the beautiful scenery along the way. No one was in any great hurry. They went through green tea and coffee plantations; through tiny villages where the inhabitants, barely awake, were setting off to their jobs. The children, in a fever of enthusiasm with their new found sense of adventure, excitedly danced and sang on the bus. Such excursions were rare. Without their families, they were going to experience a new freedom that would last two days!About Yiola Damianou-PapadopoulouYiola Damianou-Papadopoulou was born in Nicosia and spent her childhood in the Congo and Nigeria. She studied Journalism in Athens and has worked with a number of radio stations, magazines and newspapers in Cyprus. She has published short stories for adults as well as novels. She has also written children’s and young adult fiction. 

Excerpt: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Blue-Dragon-ebook/dp/B00BC6S6AW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1360753618&sr=8-6

Contact Yiola through her Wattle Books at @wattlepub, on Facebook, or at www.wattlepublishing.com.

The Blue Dragon can be found on:
Kindle US
Kindle UK
iBooks 
Kobo 

Paperback Edition:
Amazon US, Amazon UK, and WorderyAnd Now for A Giveaway!Yiola will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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Fearless by Elliot James

Release Date:  08/11/15, Orbit

Summary: 
 When your last name is Charming, rescuing virgins comes with the territory -- even when the virgin in question is a nineteen-year-old college boy.

Someone, somewhere, has declared war on Kevin Kichida, and that someone has a long list of magical predators on their rolodex. The good news is that Kevin lives in a town where Ted Cahill is the new sheriff and old ally of John Charming.

The attacks on Kevin seem to be a pattern, and the more John and his new team follow that thread, the deeper they find themselves in a maze of supernatural threats, family secrets, and age-old betrayals. The more John learns, the more convinced he becomes that Kevin Kichida isn't just a victim, he's a sacrifice waiting to happen. And that thread John's following? It's really a fuse...

FEARLESS is the third novel in an urban fantasy series which gives a new twist to the Prince Charming tale. The first two novels are Charming & Daring.




About Elliott James:   An army brat and gypsy scholar, ELLIOTT JAMES is currently living in the Blue Ridge mountains of southwest Virginia. He’s been an avid reader since the age of three (or that's what his family swears anyhow), and he has an abiding interest in mythology, martial arts, live music, hiking, and used bookstores.

Praise for Pax Arcana books: "The Pax Arcana books are seriously good reads. Action, humor, and heart with unexpected twists and turns. If you are (like me) waiting for the next Butcher or Hearne -- pick up Elliot James. Then you can bite your nails waiting for the next James, too."-- Patricia Briggs, New York Times #1 bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson series

"Loved it! Charming is a giant gift basket of mythology and lore delivered by a brilliant new voice in urban fantasy. Elliott James tells stories that are action-packed, often amusing, and always entertaining."-- Kevin Hearne, author of Hounded on Charming

"I loved this book from start to finish. Exciting and innovative, Charming is a great introduction to a world I look forward to spending a lot more time in."-- New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire on Charming

"James's world is rich and complex and well worth diving into."-- Richard Kadrey on Charming

"In a saturated literary realm, James's tale stands out for the gritty, believable world he builds...This is masculine urban fantasy in the vein of Jim Butcher and Mark del Franco."-- Booklist on Charming

FEARLESS on Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Fearless-Pax-Arcana-Elliott-James/dp/0316253448
FEARLESS on Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23279104-fearless
ENTER BELOW TO WIN A $15 AMAZON GIFT CARD!!!a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with Joyce Hertzoff

What process did you go through to get your book published?
I entered a contest from a publisher, sending the first five hundred words. Before the contest was over, they requested the entire manuscript, and a few weeks later offered me a contract on that story and any others in the series.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Probably the hardest was killing off a character I'd grown fond of. Second hardest was maintaining the tension.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
I enjoyed writing the meeting between Nissa and Madoc's family at the Citadel. It was fun to write her reactions to them as well as theirs to her.

Do you have a specific writing style?
I think I have a different voice for the hero of each of my stories. Since I mainly write in first person, I felt it important to give them a specific personality reflected in their voices.

Do you work with an outline, or just write?
I usually start out with an outline of the first five or six chapters, but after the first few times the characters take me in a different direction than I planned, I scrap the rest of the outline and just write whatever they tell me to.

One/two themes I return to again and again in my stories, and why:
As a teenager, I was told that girls don't go into science. That was many years ago and as a society we've come a long way, but I still like to write about girls and women who fight to learn whatever they want.

Share a character's "favorite recipe" or a "secret family recipe":
Bonus: There are a number of things my characters eat in The Crimson Orb. The launch of my book took place at a cupcake bakery that agreed to make the fortune cupcakes they ate to obtain secret messages. But the characters favorite treats were Meecham cookies. Nissa and Carys worked out the recipe, and I've made them for parties and for the hospitality suite at Bubonicon. Here's the recipe:
Meecham Cookies
The Official Cookies of The Crimson Orb               

Ingredients:
     
2 cups all purpose flour                            
1/4 cup finely ground hazelnuts
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons milk
Directions: 

In a bowl, combine flour and nuts, and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and half the vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture; mix until incorporated. Divide dough into two pieces; press into round disks, about 1 inch thick. Wrap separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or until firm enough to roll.
 
Preheat oven to 350 F. On floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut half of the dough using a round cutter with an insert to cut the middle for the top cookies, and cut an equal number of round cookies without the insert for the bottom cookies.
 
Bake 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes. Remove from sheet and cool completely. Invert bottom cookies, spread with about 1 teaspoon jam, then cover with top cookie. 

Mix confectioners sugar and milk, then add remaining vanilla for glaze. Drip on cookies.
 
Fill center with another dollop of jam.

Enjoy! 
About The Crimson Orb:

While others seek the Crimson Orb, teenage Nissa searches for her mysteriously missing magic teacher, Madoc, and discovers how little she knows about her world and herself. Nissa has always been determined to learn all the boys are taught at Holm Manor where she grew up, and her journey allows her to learn those skills. Along the way, she kills a sea monster and then cooks it in a ship's galley, she befriends a prince and princess, she faces an ice bear on the Frozen Tundra of Sorn, and she eats fortune cupcakes and Meecham cookies. But with help from Madoc's brother and sister, can she rescue him? And can they prevent his abductors from finding the Orb and using it to destroy the world?

The book is now available at:

Amazon print (createspace)
Amazon paperback
Amazon Kindle
Barnes and Noble for Nook
Smashwords 

Find Joyce around the web:
Email: hertzoffjo@gmail.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/joyce.hertzoff.3
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoyceHertzoff
My website: www.joycehertzoffauthor.com
My book website: www.fantasybyjoycehertzoff.com
My blog: www.hertzoffjo.blogspot.com

In Which I Answer Mail

Question: I like your books but can you have one with evil that wins and the hero of the story helps the villain?

Ah, the anti-hero story. I'm a big fan of it, when it's done well. (Breaking Bad, anyone?) Without giving spoilers, I can say that Ennara's third book will be difficult for her, and as such I can say yes, I will be writing a story with... complications.

But, I have a huge caveat. When writing stories, karma, and to a greater extent the Greek concept of Dikē, must be present. With Dikē, the hero must have a strength or quality before the story begins that proves he deserves the journey in which he overcomes his faults and becomes the hero. It's the reason why the Gods (that is, Gods in the Greek sense) help him, how he finds his destiny, and gives the basis of the Greek definition of a comedy, a story with a happy ending. Of course, there's always the possibility of tragedy, where according to Dikē (think karma) the hero makes the wrong choices and is abandoned by the Gods, and left to his fate (sad ending). 

We (in the most universal sense--humanity) have evolved for literally thousands of years with story. As such, we have instincts as readers and audiences, and when a story doesn't follow its unspoken rules (which probably have been spoken by someone, at one time or another) we react strongly. If the anti-hero wins and gets a happy ending, there's a problem. If the hero follows the Gods' direction, overcomes his faults, and transforms as every hero should, but meets a tragic ending with no silver lining, it leaves a bitter taste in our mouths. What was a potentially good tale becomes trash to us.

A good story must follow our innate instincts for storytelling, concepts put forward thousands of years ago. Ones that show us the universe has a balance, and as such, the tale can lead us through the forest of life and help us find greater meaning. So yes, a story can have a hero that becomes an anti-hero. But as long as the anti-hero continues to make wrong decisions--create bad karma, and live against Dikē, she will be destined to tell a tragic story.

Maisy and the Money Marauder by Elizabeth Woodrum

Goddess Fish Promotions is pleased to present Maisy and the  Money Marauder, book two of The Maisy Files! You can find Maisy's first adventure on Amazon for 99 cents.   Both books are available for free as part of a Kindle Unlimited subscription or the Kindle Owners Lending Library programs.
Maisy is back! Lunch money has been stolen at West Valley Elementary, and everyone's favorite fourth-grade detective in on the case. With a cherry lollipop in hand, her fedora, and her trusty notebook, Maisy steps into her black and white mystery world to search for clues. Join Maisy on her quest to unmask a thief in Maisy and the Money Marauder.

Excerpt: 
Shadows danced across Maisy’s face in the dim light. Dramatic music filled her bedroom, and she reached for the popcorn bowl without moving her eyes from her little TV screen. It was a tense moment in one of her favorite old mystery movies. The villain was about to be caught. Maisy knew that the detective would soon march out from a shadowy corner and catch the bad guy. He would be wearing a long trench coat and a fedora hat. He’d sound so impressive when he demanded that the villain, a sneaky looking robber named Vinny, turn himself in, that Vinny would have no choice but to give up. But, Maisy was still on edge while she watched the scene unfold.


She was curled up with her favorite pup, Reesie, snuggled under the blanket beside her. As soon as Maisy had turned off the lights and started the movie, the little dog had nudged the pillows with her nose to show that she wanted under the covers. Maisy had complied with her request and tossed the pillows to the floor, so that she could scurry under the fluffy, purple comforter. Now, Maisy reached over and patted the lump that was the tiny dog.

The movie wasn’t very scary. After all, it was old and in black and white. Movies like that were not scary at all compared to some movies made today. But, still, Maisy loved the stories and detectives in the old movies so much that she couldn’t help but be drawn into them every time she watched one. She felt a little better having her dog there with her.

Suddenly, the moment she had been anticipating was on the screen. The detective smoothly arrived on the scene and, after a little scuffle, took control. Vinny gave in and put his hands up to show he would go quietly. Maisy relaxed and munched the last bits of her popcorn. As she sighed in relief, a little nose popped out from under the purple covers. It was soon followed by the sweet face of a little black and brown terrier-mix. One of her ears was flopped over, and she stretched her mouth wide in a huge yawn. Apparently, Maisy had disturbed Reesie’s slumber. The pup crawled around and finally settled herself on Maisy’s lap. She plopped her head down with a sigh and fell back asleep. She didn’t even notice as Maisy shook her head and laughed.

BUY THE BOOK! 
AMAZON  BOOK TRAILER  ABOUT THE AUTHOR Elizabeth Woodrum has been a teacher for thirteen years. She came to love writing when she was in elementary school, but more recently began writing material for use in her classroom. From that writing, grew the desire to write books for the general population of children and adults alike. The Maisy Files, a children's series, is the first series that she has published.

As a reader, Elizabeth prefers the fantasy genre, but she enjoys realistic fiction as well. Some of her favorite authors include JK Rowling, Rick Riordan, Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, and Nicholas Sparks.

Originally from Indiana, Elizabeth currently lives in Ohio with her two pets: a cat named Butterscotch and a dog named Reese Cup.
You can find Elizabeth around the web: 
Website / Blog
Amazon Author Page
Facebook
Twitter
PinterestWIN A $10 AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE GIFT CARD! 
Elizabeth will award a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter a $10 Amazon/BN GC. The more you follow the tour and comment, the better chance you have to win. Tour dates can be found here, good luck!
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