K.N. Lee's Blog, page 61

A Poem a Day- a poem

A poem a day keeps the shadows awayThey hide in stealthWatchingWaitingMy words will catch themFlay themSlay them

Capture Kisses- a poem

Capture Kisses K.N. Lee
 Capture kisses as they float by Stick them in my pocket  And sigh The world opens like a door I crave your presence My heart will soar If you should need me I will be there You are my sun My moon My life My air
 

Yellow For Friendship- a poem

Yellow For Friendship K.N. Lee
Yellow for friendshipAnd red for romanceYou kisses taste sourIt's a dangerous dance I sense your reluctanceYou have me wrapped so tightSay one quick affirmation...And I just mightBe yours foreverDespite the swift blowOf a closed fistTo my faceI might not let go
I pull awayTremblingYou hold me too tightWhat gifts will you giveThis time...I just mightFind that courageWhen I look into your eyesEyes full of deceptionEyes full of lies
Words full of venomFloat to my ears I'll catch themI'll kill themI'll burn that fear 

An interview with the author of Concrete Rose, Brandon JusBleave Ellerbe!

K Nycole Lee Thanks for stopping by Write Like a Wizard, Brandon. Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from?

Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
Thank you for having me!Well, I currently live in NYC, but I am a North Carolina boy lol

K Nycole Lee
Excellent! You're the third NC author we've had the pleasure of interviewing!
Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
We must represent!
K Nycole Lee
When did you start writing?


Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
I began writing when I was 12Actually between summer of eighth and ninth grades, I wrote my first novel!

K Nycole Lee
That is incredible! Was that Concrete Rose?
Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
No, it was actually a sci fi!

K Nycole Lee
Oh yes! Tell us a little about that one! We love sci-fi here at Write Like a Wizard.

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
Yes! I thought that would interest you!

  K Nycole Lee
You know me too well!

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
 It didn't have a name, but it involved two different time zones and a boy who could teleport.

  K Nycole Lee
Sounds very interesting. When can we expect to see that on Amazon?

Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
Oh, that one was just for fun lolI might release it when I'm more well known, so no one will judge me haha.

  K Nycole Lee
I'm sure! We'll be looking out for it! Do you write full-time or part-time? How do you balance your writing life with your family/work life?

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
I would absolutely love to write full time!Wishful thinking.I try to set aside at least one day a week to just write.

  K Nycole Lee
Excellent. That is key to perfecting your craft. Have you held any jobs that have influenced your writing?

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
I helped with several companies to write training templates when I first arrivedObviously I wouldn't call that a direct influence.But it afforded me time to do what I loved for a living.

  K Nycole Lee
You mentioned that you set aside time each week to write. Can you explain your writing process to us? I know I like to close the door, light candles, and turn up the movie soundtracks. How about you?

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
Well, that sounds like an amazing idea! Why didn't I think of that lol

  K Nycole Lee
Lol!

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
I love to go to parts of NYC that are peaceful and openLike Central Park and by the river. TO me, NYC is like a writer's dream.Never a deficit of good material.

K Nycole Lee
I can see how that would be incredibly inspiring! There is so much to see in NYC. I bet there is some excellent people watching potential.

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
My favorite pastime!

  K Nycole Lee
How fun! So, you released Concrete Rose and it has received rave reviews. Can you tell us a little about it? Or even share an excerpt.

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
Yes!I have been receiving great feedback and as a first time author, it was very gratifyingConcrete Rose chronicles a young, African American woman who was raised in a tumultuous environmentIt is set in the present day, but includes flashbacks of very eventful times in her childhoodIt surrounds themes of forgiveness, letting go.I can share an excerpt to give you a vision.

  K Nycole Lee
We would love that!

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
  [image error]
From the first chapter, with the protagonist, Diedra Brown, at age 8...

 The party was well underway, with several more guests arriving. Mothers kissed their girls and hugged their boys and promised to return in two and a half hours to collect them, being it were a school night. 

 Diedra’s mother, Pauline Brown, had purchased streamers and balloons of assorted colors from the near by Family Dollar just moments earlier. She made a delicious chocolate-on-chocolate layer cake, knowing it was Diedra’s favorite. Diedra was unusually giddy, seeing as her mother rarely went so far out of her way to do something for her youngest daughter. 

Well, she might as well be her only daughter. Pauline had two older daughters, Shamika, who was twelve-years-old, and Marcella, ten. Shamika stayed with her father and Marcella with hers. And Diedra stayed with hers, and her mother, of course. 

She could never grasp why her older sisters could not stay with her, as both fathers adamantly refused it, barely allowing them to pay visits. In fact, Diedra only met Marcella on three occasions and Shamika on two. 

Yet, somehow, she could slightly understand why their fathers were so disapproving. Pauline was an alcoholic, in all sense of the word. She drank at all times of the day. Early in the morning, Diedra would watch her take down half a bottle of Vodka before leaving for the suburbs of Detroit, where she served as a housekeeper to the Smiths, a wealthy, political family. When her mother would return home in the evening, she would finish the bottle of Vodka and start on a forty-ounce of beer. When her father, Kevin Johnson, would return home from his factory job, he would yell at her mother endlessly for not cooking dinner. They would begin a relentless screaming match that would sometimes result in physical violence, especially if her father decided to partake in the drinking festivities.

  K Nycole Lee
Powerful! I can see why readers were hooked. You definitely know how to keep the reader wanting more. Thank you for sharing that with us!

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
Thank you for your feedback!

  K Nycole Lee
You're welcome! Tell us about your journey as a writer. How did you go about getting published? Did you go the traditional route, or make your debut as an indie writer?

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
Well, in my initial quest for JK Rowling success lol, I pursued the traditional routeI sent off queriesSent manuscriptsAnd then waited months to hear something back lolAfter my patience wore dangerously thin lol, I decided to try another methodI came across CreateSpace from Amazon and admired their author-first approachIndie is the new way to go, with the rise in digital reading, so I did my research and dived in.

  K Nycole Lee
We're certainly glad you tried another method!
Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
So am I!

K Nycole Lee
The publishing industry is changing, and it is giving talented authors such as yourself a chance to share their voice.

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
And you, too! Congratulations by the way!

  K Nycole Lee
Thank you! Are there any writers that have inspired you?

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
Oh, my absolute favorite author is Jackie Collins!

K Nycole Lee
You've met, right?

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
Yes! A dream come true!

  K Nycole Lee
That must have been mind-blowing!

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
And she called me handsome!

  K Nycole Lee
Nice!

  K Nycole Lee
Who are you reading right now?

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
I love James Patterson as wellHe started writing middle school aged books, so I am checking it out

  K Nycole Lee
Excellent. Are you working on anything else right now?

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
I am. And I'm very excited about it!

  K Nycole Lee
Oh! Can you tell us anything?

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
It's called Chronicles. A departure from the dark tones in Concrete Rose.

  K Nycole Lee
Love the title!

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
It includes four young girls, three who moved to NYC and 1 heiress with a penchant for sex!

  K Nycole Lee
Whoa! Sounds exciting!

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
I'm actually in the editing phase and I have solicited an old high-school friend to illustrate the cover!

  K Nycole Lee
Good luck with that! We cannot wait to see that come to fruition. Is there anything else that you'd like to say to your readers?

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
Thank you! I'd like my readers, and hopefully potential readers to know to expect a different style with each novel.

  K Nycole Lee
Very sweet! Thank you for stopping by Write Like a Wizard, Brandon. It was truly a pleasure and we hope to see more great things from you very soon!

  Brandon Jusbleave Ellerbe
Yes, thank you for having me! I can't wait to do it again!

For More on Brandon JusBleave Ellerbe:
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Facebook
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Amazon

A Royal Sacrifice- Writing Prompt!

The time has come. A sacrifice must be made and you are the youngest child in the royal family. Do you walk to your death with your head held high, or do you devise a plan to save yourself? 

An excerpt of The Chronicles of Koa: Netherworld! Meet Halston, Koa's boss and best friend!

I'm feeling extra generous today! Read an excerpt from The Chronicles of Koa: Netherworld! Available on Amazon for $3.99! Meet Halston!



(May not be suitable for children under 13)

Chapter 4 from The Chronicles of Koa: Netherworld By, K.N. Lee

Halston didn’t mind helping Koa find a new home. He enjoyed being needed. He sat in his car for a few moments contemplating her facial expression when he presented the cottage to her. It was obvious…she didn’t like it.

Now, he frowned and as he waited for her in the safe house. He leaned back in his desk chair. That young half-blood was hard to please. It was their joke that if something was too easy, then Koa lost interest pretty quickly. Finding a new home wasn’t easy. She didn’t like being around too many people. She loved her father’s manor, but things had changed. The Netherworld was catching up to her quicker than he expected.

Halston had hoped that they would have more time to prepare. Now it seemed that Koa would have to face her demons a lot sooner than anticipated. He rubbed his temples. He did not think that she was ready.

A loud scream broke Halston from his thoughts. The sound seemed to come from far away, like an echo. There was desperation in that scream as it grew louder and closer. He felt the blonde hairs on his skin stand on end.

Halston sat up and watched as Galena fell through the inkwell portal. There was a loud shriek as the black liquid spit her out onto his clean, white, floor. Galena collapsed and Halston ran to her.
Micka and Rohan both looked up from their work stations. They came to their feet in unison and reached for guns that were strapped underneath their desks.

Halston left his seat and slid to Galena. He held her head up from the floor. Galena looked like a frail, crumpled, rag doll. She was covered in blood. Her eyes were wet from crying and her blonde hair was sticky with something foul.

“Don’t let him in!” Galena called out weakly. She squeezed her eyes closed and started to weep. Her entire body shook with her racking sobs.

Halston’s heart pumped with worry. He looked over his shoulder at the two agents that looked at him with fearful eyes. They lowered their guns. This was not normal…even for Netherworld agents.

“Get me a clean, wet cloth and some water!”

Micka and Rohan nodded and rushed to complete the task.

Halston pulled Galena’s hair from her face and she screamed. He withdrew and noted the bruises on her face and the cuts in the corners of her mouth. He drew a breath and looked at the inkwell portal.

The portal stood in the center of the safe house. It was a large circular device held stationary by shiny, black, brackets. The portal was only supposed to be used in dire situations. There had to be a major emergency, for once a portal was revealed, the person escaping could easily be followed. The last thing Halston needed was a nephilim coming through that portal and causing havoc… or worse, damaging equipment in his laboratory. He wasn’t done with his latest invention.

He looked down to see Galena looking up at him. He held his breath. He’d rarely seen such terror in a person’s eyes. The way she looked at him spoke volumes. She had been frightened nearly to death.

“Galena,” he said. “What happened?”

Her face contorted and she started to cry again. Her sobs came from her soul. They were sorrowful, deeply hurt, cries of pain. Halston felt his skin grow cold. This woman was one of his best agents. She was human, but she was one of his best. From the poor streets of Russia, Galena had been orphaned early after vampires killed her parents.

Halston had found her just the way he found most of his Netherworld agents, angry, ready for revenge, and trying to seek that revenge in foolish ways. He had found her, trained her, and put her out there to be a spy. Halston had given her the tools to find her parents killer, and bring them to justice.

Halston didn’t seek out to simply kill all vampires and other nephilim, he tried to protect the humans. Sometimes that meant finding vampires that were willing to try a new life. Those vampires, like the Wryn clan, were open to finding ‘pets,’ people who sold their blood for money or care. They registered with his Netherworld division, and lived their lives clean and free of murder and chaos. It wasn’t a perfect arrangement. There were still vampires that loved to kill, and resisted the Netherworld divisions of the world that tried to bring order.

Rohan knelt down and handed Halston a wet towel. Halston wiped Galena’s face clean. She winced and jerked away. Like a frightened animal, she crawled far from both of them. Her eyes darted around the safe house.

“Did they follow me?” Galena’s voice came out ragged and almost too soft to hear.

Micka ran up with a bottle of water and paused when she saw
Galena with her back pressed against the wall. Galena saw Micka and grabbed the small, older woman, by the leg. Micka looked to Halston questioningly.

“Don’t let them hurt me anymore,” Galena begged.

Halston sighed and came to his feet. He didn’t move closer to Galena. She was too afraid, and he didn’t want to make the situation worse. He stood there and thought about what to do.

She had been missing for about a week now. There was no telling what she had been through. He put his hands in the pockets of his trousers and looked down at Galena.

“Galena,” he said. “We won’t hurt you. You are safe. We are the only ones here. Rohan, Micka, you, and me.” He knelt down and looked at her with a small, friendly, smile. “I’m Halston. You do remember me, don’t you?”

Galena tilted her head and stared at him. Her eyes were as big as saucers and for a moment, Halston doubted that she recognized him. Her shoulders slumped and she slowly nodded. “Yes. I remember you, Halston.”

Halston nodded. “Good. Good girl. You remember that I am your friend, and that I care about you, right?”
 Galena let go of Micka’s leg. She ripped the black stockings the woman wore with her ragged nails. Halston noticed that her fingernails had blood caked into her cuticles. Micka adjusted her glasses but ignored her ruined stockings.

“I remember,” Galena said. She folded her legs and rested her head on the wall. She looked exhausted.

“What happened?”

She shook her head and her bottom lip trembled. “I’ve been through a lot in my life, Halston,” she said in a wavering voice. “But nothing like this.”

Halston nodded. His eyes were concerned. He wanted her to trust him and go on.

Galena looked from Rohan to Micka. “I will tell you,” she said. She met Halston’s eyes. “And only you.”

Micka and Rohan got the point. They both collected the files that they had been working on, and took them to one of the back rooms of the safe house.

Halston stood and walked over to Galena. He sat down beside her and looked towards the secret hatch door at the far end of the safe house. He didn’t want to sit right in front of her. Whenever someone did that, it just made the conversation feel like an interrogation. He wanted Galena to feel comfortable.

He reached for her hand and she flinched but didn’t run. Halston had a soothing effect. He took her hand and cradled it in his own. Somehow, that relaxed her.

Galena took a deep breath. “It was last Monday.” A tear fell from her eye.

Halston gently brushed it away. He pulled her hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

“I found the man you had me look for. Bund. I was surprised that he was a young guy, but that also made me feel a little more comfortable around him,” she said and looked to Halston. “You know what I mean?”

He nodded. He knew Bund’s game.

“But once he got me inside, he changed on me.” She hugged her arms and shifted her weight. Her brows furrowed. “There were so many of them, Halston. I told them, I would only sell my blood to the one you sent me for.” She closed her eyes. “But they didn’t listen.” Her voice lowered. “They locked me in there. Somehow, Bund knew I was coming. He knew you had sent me. He punished me.”

Halston clenched his jaw. He should have never sent her alone. He couldn’t understand how Bund could have known that Halston had sent Galena. Halston had to remember, Bund was smarter than he appeared. Like Halston, Bund was a great deal more than he appeared.

He didn’t say anything. He waited for Galena to go on. He knew it was hard for her, but he needed to know what they were dealing with.

She took a while to continue. She kept looking at the portal to make sure no one was going to step through.

“I might as well spit it out, right?” Galena asked the question, but Halston could tell that she was speaking to herself.

He nodded anyway. “Go on. It’s just the two of us. Whatever you tell me will stay between the two of us. I won’t tell a soul.”
Galena gave him a look. Her gray eyes narrowed. She pursed her lips and examined his face. “Not even Koa?”

Halston’s eye twitched, not because he was lying, but because
Galena seemed to have suspicions about his relationship with the young vampire. He knew that would be a problem if people suspected that he and Koa were more than professional associates. He would have to find a way to eliminate such suspicions.

He swallowed and shook his head. “Not even Koa.”

Galena looked unsure. She watched him for a while longer and sighed. She looked down at her feet. “You know…it’s all right if you like her. We all like Koa.”

Halston pulled away from Galena.

She watched him. “You don’t have to go all pale on me. We all see it.”

He didn’t know what to say, so he said nothing.

Galena slumped against the wall and stared at the portal again.

“Well, there were so many of them that I lost count, but they raped me, fed from me, and kept me locked in a cage.”

There was a long stretch of silence. Halston held her head to his shoulder and she started to weep again. It was unnerving to hear that woman cry. She was always so strong, even cold. She had been broken.

She looked up and rubbed her face. She threw her hands up. “Bund didn’t even feed from me! You know what he said to me? He said that I was too old. What the hell?”

Halston shook his head. He knew Bund’s preferences. He was a sick creature.

“Bund just watched the others with a stupid grin on his face!” She slammed her fist into her thigh so hard that Halston feared she’d bruise herself. “I hate that man more than anything in this world,” she said through clenched teeth. “Please, tell me how to kill him.”

Halston took her fist and gently opened it. He took her hand into both of his. “You don’t worry about it, Galena. I’m terribly sorry that I put you in that situation, but I can’t even kill him.”

Galena’s shoulders slumped. She looked defeated.

He tilted her chin up. She was still shaking a little. “But, I know someone who can get rid of him…forever.”

Galena frowned. “Well, I want to be there when you do it, so that I can spit in his face.”

Halston nodded. “I’ll try to arrange that.” He smiled for her, hoping it would soften her angry face. Tonight…his smile wasn’t working.

“If it wasn’t for one of the dumber vampires, in his drunken stupor, forgetting to lock the cage, I would still be there. I might be dead now.”

Halston patted the back of her hand. “It’s all in the past now. I don’t want you to worry. I can erase this event from your memory, if you’d like.” He came to his feet and held a hand out to her.

Galena took his hand and pulled herself up, but she held tight to his hand. Her eyes were serious. “No, Halston.”
He tensed. The tone of her voice was unexpected. She sounded like herself again, cold and serious. She looked…ready to hurt someone.

“I don’t want to forget. I need to remember this. You’re not getting out of letting me spit in his face when you kill him.”
Halston nodded and tried to take his hand back. She held steady.

“Listen,” she said. “There’s more.”

Halston sighed. “What else?”

She leaned in close to him. Her eyes were hardened. Her grip was unyielding. “He knows about Koa.”

Halston felt his face pale. There was little in this world that would make him react recklessly. He would have to restrain himself while he listened to what the Russian woman had to say.
Purchase on Amazon!   

Writing Challenge with Author, Zachary Katz-Stein!!!!

The Challenge:  
In 3000 words or less, write about a unique child who has been left orphaned when their parents leave them without saying anything. How does this child survive?
The Result: Left in the Attic By, Zachary Katz-Stein Ardent closed her eyes and hugged her knees into her chest, breathing in the familiar scent of dust and sweat that clung to her stockings. It had been...twenty-two days since she'd washed them and she'd worn them thirteen times...or had it been longer? She shook her head. Since what Ardent thought of as "The Accident," days had begun to blur together.The creak of wood from directly below made Ardent catch her breath and squeeze her legs in tighter. She counted to ten, then to twenty before she allowed herself to breathe. She waited for the any sign of life below. Nothing. Muscles protesting shrilly, Ardent slowly uncurled and rose to her feet. She was in her attic, surrounded on all sides by walls of boxes, moats of blanket-covered furniture, and guarded by framed photographs of her parents. She touched one of these as she passed, caressing the cracked glass. Though the attic was dimly lit by the moonlight through the dormer window, Ardent moved silently across the warped wood of the floor. When she reached the trap door she paused, touching the cool metal pull ring and closing her eyes.She didn't know how, but sometimes when she did this she could tell if someone was in the hall below. Her ears would grow hot and her cheeks would burn, just as they had in The Time Before when Eric had kissed her cheek after class. That had been an exciting feeling though; this one made her afraid. She couldn't let people know she was still here, not after The Accident.Ardent's ears and cheeks remained cool and pale. No one was there. Slowly, she pulled the trap door to the attic up and lowered the ladder into the hall. Quiet and quick as a shadow, she flowed down the ladder and started toward the stairs. These too she passed as quickly and quietly as she could. Now that she had broken cover, her best hope lay in speed and besides, she knew every grain of wood in that house, including which could be trusted to keep their mouths shut and which could not.Her first stop was the bathroom. As hungry and thirsty as she was, certain calls of nature became unavoidable if one held one's bladder all day. That done, she turned toward the kitchen. She couldn't take much, Ardent reminded herself. Too much missing food would get her noticed. Her stomach growled audibly. But so would too little.Carefully, Ardent took one slice of bread from the middle of two different loaves so that both were still the same length. Next, she stole a few slices of meat and a small bit of cheese. All of this was fairly routine. When she opened the freezer, however, her willpower was tested. There, on its own plate as though waiting especially for her, was a beautiful strawberry sundae. It was perfect. Its vanilla mounds were topped with just the right amount of sauce. There were even a few freshly cut strawberries along the rim of the dish, just the way she liked it. Ardent swallowed and licked her lips, unable to take her eyes off the prize. How long had it been since she'd had ice cream? Thirty days? Fifty? One hundred? She wasn't sure; it seemed like a lifetime.Ardent knew she shouldn't take it, knew it was probably a trap, but her hand started to reach toward the treat anyway."Mommy?" a voice called from the hall outside the kitchen. "Mom?"Ardent pivoted around the refrigerator and sank to the floor as a young boy, maybe five years old, shuffled into the kitchen. The boy rubbed his eyes and looked around in confusion. "I'm here," a woman responded, stepping right past Ardent to wrap the boy in a tight hug.Ardent squeezed herself further into the corner, not daring to believe the woman hadn't seen her, yet she hadn't said anything so maybe..."What are you doing up at this hour sweetling?" Ardent heard the mother ask."I don't know..." the boy replied, a frown in his voice. "I was asleep, and then I had a feeling that it was important for me to come downstairs..."His mother chuckled. "If that half frozen sundae is any indicator, I think I know what drew you...""It wasn't that!" the child replied indignantly. "I was saving it for later!""Uh-huh," the woman said. "Well, in that case, let's give your self-control a little help, and head back upstairs shall we?" Ardent heard footsteps retreating upstairs so she assumed the boy had agreed.She lowered herself to the floor and slowly peeked around the cabinet at floor level. The coast was clear. Ardent reached the sanctuary of her attic without further incident. The trap door closed behind her and she breathed again.Ardent moved to her little nest in the far corner. She had made her "bed" from old clothes, winter coats, and spare table settings that had been swallowed by the attic long ago. Nestling herself into the folds of fabric, Ardent drew comfort from the large writing desk that protected one side of her bed and from the wall of boxes that shielded the other. She was safe here.She began to breathe slowly and deeply. Her muscles tensed and released. Her pulse still sounded in her ears. She had almost been caught. In fact, she thought the woman had seen her, but no. She couldn't have or else she would have reacted. Screamed probably. How else could she have reacted to finding Ardent still in the house?Slowly, her body relaxed. Soon she was fast asleep......She was in her room. Ardent came awake slowly. Her thoughts were muddled as if she'd slept in later than usual. Then she sat bolt upright. She had slept more than usual and now she was late! She tore out of her room and hopped down the hall, trying to slip on her shoes. She stamped into them just in time to take the stairs two at a time, calling out, "Why didn't you wake me up? You know I hate being late!"Nothing.No response.She reached the bottom of the stairs. "Mom!" she shouted. "Dad! Are you ready to go? "Silence."Hello?" she called out, suddenly nervous. Ardent began to wander. Something was wrong. She was definitely home, but somehow it didn't look right. It looked...older? The familiar furniture was worn and patched in ways she couldn't remember, and where were her parents? One generally left early to open the family bakery, but the other was always there to make sure she got to school safely.Ardent could only remember one other time she had come down the stairs to find an empty house, and then they'd at least left a note on the table.She walked quickly into the kitchen, certain that they must have remembered to leave her a note at least. Then she froze. She walked over and placed her hand on the smooth, well-worn wood of the kitchen table. Here was the problem, the thing that made Ardent's spine tingle: her family had just bought a new kitchen table. This table was worn, but it was also unmistakably the same. Her brain tried and failed to make sense of it. It was the same table and it wasn't.Her shock carried her dazedly over to a window. She looked out and, again, had the strange, disconcerting feeling of looking at the familiarly impossible. The street was the same...and it wasn't. It looked more developed, the buildings looked bigger and older than they were yesterday. She shook her head.The rattle of keys in a lock jerked her back to reality. Finally, she thought, that must be one of them now. She had started toward the door when it cracked open and unfamiliar voices drifted in. Ardent froze. She didn't know why but the idea of strangers with a key to her house, on top of the other shocks of the morning, terrified her. She dropped to the floor and rolled behind a couch as the door opened."As you can see, Lady, we haven't changed anything."The sound of footsteps. Three? No, four. "I can see that," a female voice said. "It's exactly as I remember it." There was a strange catch in that voice, as though the memory was not entirely a pleasant one."Are you all right?" a different, slightly deeper, male voice asked."Yes," the woman said. "Or at least I will be. It's just been a very long time since we've been here, that stupid fight...""You couldn't have known.""No," the woman sighed, "but I could have been less stubborn.""This is the one you were looking for, isn't it?" the higher male voice asked."Yes," the woman said again, a smile in her voice this time. "We'll take it."...Ardent woke up with a gasp and then had to hold her breath to keep from coughing as her sudden movement raised clouds of dust."I thought I might find you up here," a calm, familiar, woman's voice said.Ardent jumped to her feet and whirled to face the intruder, mentally preparing for me worst. The woman would tell her that she was crazy and her parents were dead. She would say that Ardent would have to go to an orphanage and that she'd never see Eric again.The woman smiled as if reading these thoughts in Ardent's eyes. Something about the smile spoke to Ardent. She recognized it. It was her mother's smile. "You're not crazy, and your parents aren't dead," the woman said. "Well, actually here they are, but don't worry you'll have many more years to spend with them and," she added with a conspiratorial wink, "you'll see plenty of Eric, I promise."Ardent backed away quickly, bumping into the desk behind her. This woman was a mind-reader, a witch, who wanted to kill her. How else could she know what Ardent was thinking?The woman's smile grew a little broader. "I'm not a mind-reader, or a witch, and I certainly don't want to kill you...or haven't you guessed yet? You don't really have to answer, I know you have." She brushed her straight black hair out of her eyes and smiled Ardent's mother's smile again. Her smile.Ardent's eyes went to the crescent shaped scar on the back of the woman's wrist, reflexively touching the same spot on her own wrist. She'd gotten it after falling out of a tree and badly breaking her arm. "Hurts still sometimes, doesn't it?" the woman asked, her hand going to the same spot. "Funny the tricks that the mind plays on the body.""H-how...?" Ardent managed to stammer."How did I know you were here? How is this possible? And, maybe your biggest question, why have I let you live in the attic for close to three months without saying anything when I surely must have remembered how torturous it was?" Ardent nodded and closed her mouth, ready to listen.The woman sighed. "Well," she said, "the last question effectively answers the first doesn't it? I knew you were here because I remember being here myself twenty..." she thought for a moment, "...twenty five or so years ago. I'm honestly still not entirely sure how it's possible and that's part of the reason I let you hide in your personal little hell for three months.""The other reason is that I'm afraid we'll need the skills you developed here. The ability to move silently, the feel of wood under your feet and how to tell when it's going to creak. We'll need to know how to hide, how to steal, how to feel if the adjacent room is empty. Most of all we'll need to know how to survive without anyone or anything around." The woman, the older Ardent, shook her head.
"Our life hasn't been - won't be - easy. You'll have to deal with the Snatchers when you get where you'll go next, then there'll be your little run in with Principal Kelledorn. Let me tell you now, this is a time when the 'principal' is not your 'pal.'" Ardent's vision blurred and she heard a ringing in her ears as the woman talked and talked, apparently dying to get twenty five years of baggage off her chest...
"...fight," the woman concluded. "You'll have to fight I'm afraid, you won't want to, but you'll have to. I - " Suddenly the stream of words stopped and she looked down at Ardent's glazed look with surprise and amusement. "Good God," she said, "I remember feeling like that. You haven't taken in a word I've said have you? No, of course not, I remember."
She gazed over Ardent's head now as if looking into the past. "The damn woman wouldn't shut up. She kept going on and on and when I finally began to believe I could time travel, I swore to myself that I wouldn't make the same mistake." Her shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. "Yet, here I am, prattling at you just as she - I - did before, ah Ardent. Time is such a strange thing - especially for us."
Again she looked up, seeming to think for a moment before continuing even more seriously. "We don't have much time left, but I need to say two more things before you go: first, don't trust the gap-toothed man, you'll know him when you see him, and second," the woman smiled. "When you feel like giving up, when they have you trapped, outsmarted and outgunned, remember this: our story has a happy ending. Everything will work out. Goodbye now child, enjoy our life."Ardent was about to ask what she meant. Was this woman - her older self - going to leave her to her attic now? Then she felt sick. The room, which had merely blurred before, began to spin in earnest. The ringing in her ears turned to a roar and then the room went black... ...When Ardent opened her eyes she saw a bright light and a white ceiling. She looked down. She was lying in a hospital bed, tucked under too warm covers, in a gown, with an IV sticking out of her arm."How are you feeling?" a pleasant male voice asked.Ardent looked left and saw a gap toothed nurse leaning over her with a needle. He followed her gaze to the syringe in his hand and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about this," he said. "It's just to help with the pain." 
What pain? Ardent felt fine, except for the IV in her arm. There was a bang out in the hallway as a janitor and doctor collided and the gap toothed man glanced automatically toward the door. Ardent carefully but quickly removed the IV and rolled out of bed.She hit the floor on all fours, cat-like, and scrambled under the bed. 
"What the - ?" the nurse exclaimed as he turned back to find her bed empty. He started around the foot of the bed to see if she was hiding behind it. Ardent began to crawl silently toward the door. By the time the nurse stooped to look under the bed she was nearly there.
 "Hey! Stop!" 
Ardent ran and didn't look back. 
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An interview with author/editor, Colleen M. Albert!!!

Let's get to know author and editor of The Grammar Babe, Colleen M. Albert!
K.N. Lee: Good afternoon, Colleen. We are thrilled to learn a little about the author of Chasing Destiny, the short story you wrote in response to the writing challenge! Tell us, where are you from?
Colleen: I was born in the obscurely known northern city of Oswego—it's north of Syracuse in upstate New York and sits right on the freeze-your-tush-off shore of Lake Ontario, one of the United State's five great lakes. Here's what we're known for: Sunsets, Al Roker (who went to college at Suny Oswego),  our haunted Fort Ontario (featured on Ghost Hunters), and for supposedly being in the Guinness Book of World Records at one time for having the most bars and churches per capita. Yeah, baby!
K.N. Lee: What inspired you to write your first book?
Colleen: My driving passions to read, write, and edit. Other than family, they are the activities that make me the happiest and calmest. After my son was born, I went through a huge transition from corporate America to this creative La La Land I now inhabit—and love. These characters just came knocking on my brain one day, demanding I let them out. I started writing the story from Isabella's point of view, but Grey quickly stole the show and said, "Nope, buddies. This is my story, first. You girls can have books two and three." And that's how my novel bloomed into a trilogy! In 2012, my novel went from a YA romance to a YA urban fantasy/romance when Grey decided to shoot fire from her hands. Suffice it to say, I now need to have a come to Jesus plotting session with myself before moving forward, fixing plot holes, and crossing the finish line.
K.N. Lee: That is incredible! Don't you just love how our characters start bossing us around? Do you write full-time or part-time? How do you balance your writing life with your family/work life?
Colleen: Ooh, this is a great question, and I'll let you know when I accomplish it! I write part time, edit for other authors full time, and am a stay at home mother full time. Tricky, huh? I've always had an innate ability to "get 'er done" and make things happen. I think it's because I know the universe won't let me fail. That, and I have an amazing support network in place, including a very hands-on husband, my mother who lives in town, and the world's best nanny, Christina. 
K.N. Lee: What jobs have you held that influence your stories?
Colleen: I came from a middle-class working background and had to work my way through high school and college so that I could pay for my college degree. So, while my earlier jobs (babysitter, Burger King, bank teller) may not influence my stories, per se, they have influenced my personal growth, integrity, and work ethic, and I try to instill this into my characters as well, to give them depth and dimension. My later professional experience (in affluent banking, writing, editing, technology, and marketing) may come into play in future novels, like my other WIP about a dead husband who comes back to help his wife, and daughter, move on and heal. I think the biggest career influence on my writing is, honestly, my professional editing. I learn so much from my writers about what works and what doesn't, and can clearly see why when I'm editing their books. Plus, I edit for some pretty fantastic women who are strong writers and creative souls, so how could that not inspire and influence me? K.N. Lee: Ohhhh! I want to know more about that WIP! Very interesting!Do you have a specific writing style?
Colleen: I've been told it's kind of subtle, but beautiful. And with my YA novel, people have told me I have really nailed the YA voice and that my writing is snarky and spot on. But, if you read my short stories, you'll see there's a quiet darkness to them as well. I tend to have tragedy in all of my stories, no matter how I intend for them to pan out. Tragedy and love. After all, isn't that what life is all about?
 K.N. Lee: Just from reading your writing challenge submission, we can tell you have the perfect voice for YA!How did you come up with the title for your YA novel?
Colleen: I'm going to sound like a total fruit loop here, but it came to me while I was laying down trying to fall asleep last fall. I'm a total insomniac and I was in a state of lucid dreaming when it came to me. (I believe there was a little divine intervention going on, too.) Before this, the working title (aka, the file name) for my novel was Tres Amigas, because Grey simply hadn't shared her title with me at that point. But when I decided to take my novel into the urban fantasy direction, it was as if the universe said very clearly: here's the title, here are their powers, and here are the worlds they protect. I knew with certainty that they fit each of my characters like a glove. So, book one of The Guardian Trilogy is called The Guardian of Fire: the Neverworld, not to be confused with your Netherworld, I promise! Good minds think alike, or something like that.
 K.N. Lee: I love it! Those are some amazing titles. I already want to pre-order.Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Colleen: For me, even though there is this whole "save the world against evil" plot line happening, at the end of the day, the story is still about three teenage girls who are best friends and rely heavily on each other. So the story is really about self-acceptance, the strength of our female relationships, and coming to terms with grief.
 K.N. Lee: How much of the book is realistic?
Colleen: Okay, so I know this sounds crazy because of the whole dimension building I do in the book, and  the fire-shooting I mentioned earlier, but I'd still say about 60% of it is realistic. My story is an urban fantasy, which means part of it is set in a modern day city and time (in my case, Virginia Beach, Virginia). But the girls are still human (with bonus abilities) and they still have "normal issues" to deal with that all teenagers face: grief from the loss of a loved one, learning to cope and fit in, learning how and when to trust others, falling in love for the first time, body issues, and, oh yeah, let's not forget the demands of high school and the pressure to get into college!
 K.N. Lee: I cannot wait to meet these girls.Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Colleen: I'd say some of them are, without even having realized it. When I was a teenager, I always felt over weight (I wasn't) and I never seemed to fit in with a particular crowd. I wasn't a jock, a cheerleader, a nerd, a goth, a thespian, or an outcast. I was friends with everyone, yet I felt on the outside a lot. So I think self-acceptance is something I wish I'd realized sooner. But, I think it's all a part of growing up and finding ourselves. There was just an inner confidence—and, to some degree, self-worth—that I lacked when I was younger (like my character Grey). Also, I am fiercely protective of human rights and equality. So, I gave my characters some equality issues to overcome that are close to my heart, because I have loved ones who have lived through these struggles themselves.
K.N. Lee: What books have most influenced your life?
Colleen: Such a loaded question! One of my favorite books ever is The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton. It ignited my love for YA and coming-of-age fiction. It's full of class issues, poverty, familial relationships and struggles, love, death, and growth. Perfection. My favorite poem is in this book as well, Nothing Gold Can Stay, by Robert Frost. Anyone familiar with the poem knows that it's bittersweet, as the title suggests. I think that tender yet tragic line is one I continually try to skate in my writing. I have also been influenced from works by Judy Blume, Madeline L'Engle, V.C. Andrews, Bertice Small, Jane Austen, Toni Morrison, W. Summerset Maughm, Haven Kimmel, Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, Jes Young, Melissa Foster, and Richard Bach. That said, I'm influenced everyday by new and beautiful literature that continues to shape my life and worldview. It's why I love reading so much, and what I hope to give back as a writer: inspiration, hope, imagination, redemption, love.
 K.N. Lee:If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Colleen: The beauty of being an editor is that I get to chose whom I work with, and as I mentioned before, I tend to surround myself with strong, creative, and smart women. So, to some degree, all of my authors have taught me something, and I know I could go to them in a heartbeat for help, wisdom, encouragement, and direction. I think Melissa Foster has become my biggest mentor and influence though—I swear, that woman is amazing, as many writers can attest. She embodies the spirit of giving back, being kind, working hard, using her intelligence, and flexing her creativity. Even though she's an International bestselling author—who writes a lot, I might add!—she also owns and operates several businesses that support Indie writers. She's the full package and real deal; I feel so blessed that our paths have crossed and I get the chance to learn from her along my journey.
 K.N. Lee: That is remarkable. Shout outs to Melissa Foster! We'll have to get her on here sometime! What book are you reading now?
Colleen: As an editor, I get to read a lot—seriously, it's the best job in the world! Right now, I am reading a few books: Sisters in Bloom, by Melissa Foster; Siren Suicides, by Ksenia Anske; and The Angel Therapy Handbook, by Doreen Virtue (I didn't get to edit this one!). I'm also starting The Last Oracle, by Delia Colvin, this weekend. Life is good!
 
K.N. Lee: Are there any new authors who have grasped your interest?
Colleen: A ton! The writing community is thriving with fun, new authors. Being a part of the Indie community, I get to witness new authors as they're born and begin to flourish. Can you imagine walking alongside the likes of J.K. Rowling or Stephen King while they were making it in the writing world? That's how I feel every day when I discover a great new author—like yourself! Congrats on your new book, The Chronicles of Koa , by the way. See what I mean? I cannot name all the amazing writers who have caught my eye, but particularly, a few are: Delia Colvin, Ksenia Anske, Dee C. May, Leigh Ann Kopans, Dylan J. Morgan, J.B. Hickman, A.G. Henley, Jes Young, L.M. Augustine, Beth Michele, Amalie Jahn, and, with all sincerity, yourself! I cannot wait for my editing schedule to slow so I can devour the rest of Koa! *bites nails*
 K.N. Lee: *blushes* Why thank you for the mention of my book, The Chronicles of Koa! You're so right. The writing community is thriving, and it is a pleasure to get a chance to sit down and interview amazing people such as yourself! I'm also glad that you mentioned the stunningly talented, Ksenia Anske! It was such a blast interviewing her.What are your current projects?
Colleen: Writing has been pretty slow right now because of my intensive editing schedule—which, truly, I would not change for anything in the world. I know my time will come as a writer when it's meant to, so I write when I can and know it will all come together eventually. In the mean time, I continue to write short stories and flash fiction whenever I can (a few are posted on my Web sitefor readers). My WIP novels are The Guardian Trilogy and my yet-to-be-named adult fiction book that I mentioned earlier (my file name is The Haunted, but that won't be the title!). I also have a completed children's picture book that I'm starting to shop around. My other projects are all editing based: I'm currently finishing the Siren Suicides trilogy, by Ksenia Anske; Sisters in Bloom(Snow Sisters series), Where Petals Fall, and Treat Braden (Book one of The Bradens series), all by Melissa Foster; The Last Oracle, by Delia Colvin, and Liveon, by Stacy Eaton.
 K.N. Lee: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
Colleen: Just one? I'd say my guardian angels. I won't go off on a tangent here, but guardian angels are messengers from God. So, I always feel God's love and support through the angels that I know surround me. I would not be where I am today—with the knowledge, love, success, and rich life that God's blessed me with—without the help of my angels.


K.N. Lee: Do you see writing as a career?
Colleen: Absolutely! Once you go writer, you never go back...isn't that the saying? While writing isn't my full time job at the moment, the writing profession as a whole is my career—I am immersed in it daily with my editing work, writing my WIP, and through all of the amazing author friends I have made. While it was good to me (and an invaluable learning experience), I always say I will never go back to corporate America after getting a taste of the writer's life! K.N. Lee: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Colleen: Yep, so thank God I cooled my heels and got feedback from a published author before sending my baby out into this big, bad world! Through a charitable fundraiser by author Brenda Novak(for diabetes research), I won a critique of my first fifty pages by the amazingly talented YA writer, Lea Nolan, author of Conjure. It was the single harshest, yet most honest and valuable advice I could ever have gotten before self-publishing. I am so grateful for the thoughtfulness, effort, and time she dedicated to helping a new writer. As a result, it's definitely going to change the structure and starting point for my novel.
 K.N. Lee: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
Colleen: I come from a long line of natural writers and storytellers, so I think the apple just fell close to the tree. My mother raised me to have a love and appreciation for reading. No matter how little money we had, we always had full bookshelves. From my love of reading grew a passion for writing. I started with writing in a journal (which I still do today), then creating a family newsletter as a way to make fun of my older brother (sorry!), and then moved on to really bad poetry in high school. I always knew I was a "good" writer, but during college, I grew my wings and took that first leap—and I haven't looked back since.
 K.N. Lee: I must say, I'm glad you grew your wings and took that first leap! I see big things for you!Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Colleen: Sure, I'd love to. Bear in mind that this is from my shitty first draft and, with the upcoming revisions, I'm not sure if this scene will even make the book or end up in my "edited out" file. This scene takes place at the police station while the girls are waiting for their parents to come pick them up. It gives a fun taste of both voice and a hint of what's to come. Because I like a challenge, the book is written in first person POV, with each chapter dedicated to a different girl, rotating back and forth. This is from one of Grey's chapters.             “Chelsea, we have to cooperate. I’m not going to juvie over this, it was an accident,” I remind everyone. “I’m sure Chelsea’s father will be happy to pay for whatever damages we caused at the bowling alley. And restitution if anyone was accidentally injured. In the accident.” I look at Officer Harper to see if he's following me. His lips are straight and he furrows his brow as he watches me. Clearly, we are not on the same page.    “What? What do you mean ‘Chelsea’s father will pay’?” Chelsea sputters as she shoots me the evil eye. “It wasn't Chelsea's idea to take the tractor. Chelsea wasn’t the one who stole the beer. Chelsea didn't start the goddamn—”“Shut up, you two!” It was Isa's turn to calm us down, and we needed it. I was just trying to appease Officer Friendly. I didn’t mean for Chelsea to go and get her panties in a wad. “She’s right. Let’s just wait for Mr. Britton to get here. We’re not saying another word until he does,” I say, with more bravado than I actually feel. I'm getting really warm and my fingers are starting to tingle again. I feel the kind of sick you get at the pool when you've been in the sun too long on an empty stomach. The back of my neck feels as if it's on fire. Isabella gently rubs it with the hand she casually draped over the back of my chair when Chelsea began yelling at me. I silently pray that I can keep my nerves under control so that we don't have another accident like we did at the bowling alley last night. I’m not sure if Officer Backwoods knows quite what to make of us. He sighs and pushes his rusted chair back, its metal screeching across the putrid-brown, linoleum tiles. Their color reminds me that I'm about to get sick.  “Clearly, you don’t understand the magnitude of your actions, girls,” Officer Harper says. “Girls? Who are you calling a girl?” Chelsea scoffs. “I’m eighteen. I’m a woman now.” “Even better. No juvie for you. If Daddy-Dearest doesn’t buy your way out of this, you get the slammer—girl.” He looks each one of us in the eyes before he turns on his squishy-heeled rubber soles and leaves us alone to sweat it out in our small, stinky room. Before I know what's happening, I can feel the burning in my fingers intensify to an unbearable level again, making me feel like I'm on fire from the inside. “Ouch!” Isabella yelps, as she shoves my hand off her thigh. I'm so nervous I didn't even realize that I had a death-grip on her leg. “Grey, take a deep breath and look at me. Grey!” She jerks my head so that I face her. She places her hands on both of my shoulders and starts softly humming our favorite song, trying desperately to settle my nerves and ground me—to clear the pain and confusion from my eyes, which have started to cloud over. But I can't focus on her, yet. I'm still looking down at the charred impressions that my fingertips just left; I can see her dark crimson blood mix with the tiny blue and black fibers of her skinny jeans.
K.N. Lee: Once again, you've stunned us with your creativity and sharp writing!Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Colleen: Oh, you know, just the basics. Like, um, following the advice I give my authors every day! It's so different when it's your writing and you're so close to it. Intuitively, I know what works and what does not; but, sometimes, it's hard to apply to my own writing. I have to be careful of tense issues, particularly with the flash back style I have in some parts of The Guardian of Fire (which, is one of the reasons I am going to change it and start elsewhere in the story). And every writer has crutch words. I like to throw "just" in there a lot. It's kind of how other writers may over use "really" or "very," even though they're not needed about 99% of the time! I always go back and edit it out, but it often sneak into my first drafts.
 K.N. Lee: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Colleen: I honestly can't say I have one favorite, but if I had to pick an all time, life-long favorite, I'd have to say Diane Chamberlain. Her books are about every day people and the complications they create in their lives, sometimes, with just one seemingly small act of stupidity, recklessness, or misfortune that snowballs. What I always love about Diane's books is that she throws in these amazing plot twists and turns that just—wham! They grab your heart, make you gasp at the sheer genius in the way she executed it, and how it leaves her characters so flawed and damaged, but lovable. The more flawed and dimensional a character is, the more my heart aches and cheers. I also swoon over the poetic license authors, like Diane, take with their word choices; I love when one surprises me and I think, "Wow! I never would have described it like that." For example, a sunset has been described a bazillion different ways in literature, so you think, how can anyone say it in a new, different, and engaging way? But that's what great literature is all about. When an author can make me hold my breath from the beauty they create by stringing unexpected words together, it's magic. I also tend to gravitate to strong female leads, snarky humor, and—from time to time—an epic, yet tragic, love story.
 K.N. Lee: Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?
Colleen: Not yet. I tend to write what I know. But, I'm always up for doing research abroad!
 K.N. Lee: Who designed the covers?
  Colleen: Sigh, I'm not at that point yet. But, man, do I have strong aesthetic opinions and reactions, so in the (slightly modified) famous words of Sheryl Crow, I'll be asking, "Are you strong enough to be my...graphic artist?" I'm also blessed to be friends with the owner of Shadeflower Press, and she designs beautiful covers and does an amazing job with book layout and formatting. So, I'm sure we'll be working together in the future.
 K.N. Lee: What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Colleen: The plot, by far. No, seriously. I can write my ass off all day. But a good writer doesn't equal a good book. A good book requires a good plot and strong characters. I've got the strong characters, but I'm still hashing the plot out. I tend to be a panster when it comes to my writing, unlike most everything else in my life!
K.N. Lee: So true! One needs a good plot! Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Colleen: I learned how much I love inflicting pain on my characters—though I'm not sure exactly what this says about me (smiles). Seriously, I think I just learned how fun it is to make things happen in books, and to have such creative license. The fun part is the writing after all. Not the business side of it: formatting, publishing, reviews, marketing, blah, blah, blah. All necessary, for sure. But the romance, for me, is in the writing. I love losing myself for hours, just creating—creating scenes and dialogue and motivation. You learn a lot about yourself this way, too!
 K.N. Lee: Do you have any advice for other writers?
Colleen: To read and write every single day. The more you read, the more you grow. The more you grow, the better you feel. So, let's write books for every...oh, wait. That's beans.
 K.N. Lee: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Colleen: I have readers? *dies* Thank you. Be patient. I love you, man.
K.N. Lee: Of course you do! The reception of your short story, Chasing Destiny had the highest views on this site! Believe it! What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?
Colleen: With being a stay at home mother, the challenge is definitely making the time to write and not feeling guilty about it. It's so hard sometimes to justify wanting to sit in a room, alone, fancifully making up words that, next to your kid's needs, don't really seem that important in the grand scheme of thing. But it is. It's your very soul needing to express itself. And your children need to see you passionate about something other than them. So, even if writing isn't your thing, mothers, make time for whatever it is that sparks your soul.
K.N. Lee: What do you think about e-publishing versus traditional publishing? 
Colleen: I'm all for it. If it means getting your books in the hands of readers, awesome. Isn't that why most people write? I think the decision is a highly subjective and individual one, but I don't believe there's a one-size-fits-all answer either. I have friends who have gone in both directions and are equally as happy. Would I love a million dollar book deal? Sure. Would I hold my breath waiting years for one instead of just writing and publishing my books in the meantime so that people can actually read them? No way. I think it's a great way to build a fan base and get noticed, too. Plus, it gives the author all the control. And, I kinda like that. 
K.N. Lee: Do you have an agent or publisher? How did you go about finding one?
Colleen: Not yet. For my fiction novels, I'll likely go Indie for the reasons I mentioned above. But I am also currently shopping a children's picture book to agents and publishers, and I do want to go the traditional route with that. I use Query Tracker, Twitter, and the Children's Writers & Illustrators Market book to find agents and publishers I'm interested in and who will be a great fit for me and my book.
K.N. Lee: Thanks for those suggestions! I'm sure it'll be useful to our readers! If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
Colleen: I'm kinda partial to where I live now, which is in North Carolina. It's warm in the winter, but not too warm in the summer. You can actually exercise outside twelve months of the year! We have a good economy and schools. And I'm close to amazing North and South Carolina beaches and the mountains! What's not to love? Now, there are hundreds and hundreds of places I'd like to travel...
K.N. Lee: Yes! Hooray for North Carolina! If you could have any super power, what would it be?
Colleen: Is time traveling a super power? I'd like to be able to bend time so I can transport myself to any point in time I desire. I think it'd be so fascinating to immerse myself in other cultures at other points in history and just observe. If not, I'd totally want to be She-Ra, the Princess of Power! 
K.N. Lee: Thank you for such an amazing interview, Colleen. It has been such fun! Good luck with everything!
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With Hair of Flames- A Poem

With Hair of Flames K.N. Lee
With hair of flamesAnd angelic faceShe smiles
Her eyes twinkle When the corners of her lipsForm that very smile
Everyday she acts the role she's chosenInside she's stuckStifled and frozen
She wishes that maybeJust maybe Someday...She'll smile her way to enoughMoney for the way
Out of this townFar from the countryTo find that long lost loveThat she's never even metYet dreams ofAnd cannot forget
She feels she's failedShe had so much driveIf only she could get awayFrom those judging eyesAt night She laysIn her lonesome bedIn a T-shirt he leftBut craves him instead
Staring at the ceilingOvercome with feelingHer heart swellsThe tears sting As they glide down her faceTo her luscious lipsTomorrow She will yet againPut on that smile ThirstingFor better tips

Spell Gone Awry- Creative writing prompt

 
The spell went horribly wrong! Who is this woman? What spell did she try to cast? What happens now?
Response by Mindy Springer:
[image error] Mindy Springer  
The toad is her son. He had a terminal disease and in her effort to save him from death she wrote and performed a spell to cure him. Little did she know that the herbalist who sold her what should have been the powder of a unicorns horn sold her the powered bones of toads because she could not find the elusive creature. 
She wears the poison earrings to remind herself of her folly because she is loosing her memory. Her love for her son prevents her from wishing for death in order to care for him, she is still on a mission to acquire the Sorcerer's stone to prolog her life until he passes this world and frees her to die. as atonement for not being able to reverse the spell she placed on him. 
Sadly, had she given her life in return for his he would have been instantly transformed. Her son knows the truth, but out of love for his mother, he sacrifices the life of a human to spare her life... 

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