Sasha Hibbs's Blog, page 3
September 22, 2015
Rockin' Reads Blog Hop!
Everyone needs a Rockin' Read! Stop by Sept 23rd to 30th and find out which reads have rocked 2015 for us! There will be a giveaway on each blog so don't forget to visit them all!
My own personal list... Wow. There are so many great books that I've read this year. Right now I am reading the Dark Hunter series which isn't anything new but to me it is. And it's awesome! I'm losing a load of sleep reading "just one more chapter."
Another incredible book was Rebekah L. Purdy's "Summer Marked." It's the sequel to last years "The Winter People." It's a wonderful YA series about the fey, full of romance, love, and all kinds of twists and turns. I read this during my vacation in August at the OBX and I couldn't put it down.
However.... drumroll please.... And the #1 book that has rocked my socks off this year is....
Chris Ledbetter's amazing YA novel, DRAWN.
Caught between the sweltering fall landscape of Wilmington, NC beaches and southern illusions and expectations, all sixteen year-old Cameron Shade thinks about is art. That, and for Farrah Spangled to view him as more than just a friend. Cameron hopes he can win her heart through art. After several warm interactions with Farrah, including painting together at the beach, Cameron discovers just how complex Farrah’s life is. Following a tense run-in with Farrah’s father, she forbids Cameron to speak to her again, but Cameron’s convinced there’s more behind the request.
To impress Farrah, Cameron sketches her portrait into a mysterious sketchbook. He nearly jumps from his skin when the sketch moves and communicates with him. Farrah is now in grave danger because the sketch he drew of her sucked her real-life’s soul into the sketchbook. Cameron now has twenty days to extract Farrah. To save her, he must draw himself into the book. If he fails… they both die.
If you don't believe me, USA TODAY, BTS Magazine and KIRKUS REVIEWS has been all over Drawn. And you know why? Because it is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Feel free to scroll through some of my earlier posts for my review of Drawn. It was unlike anything I've ever read. It was fresh, unique and the teenage male voice was adorable and endearing. You'll fall for these characters like I did. If YA isn't your thang, that's okay. Gift this to someone you know who digs the genre. My gift for this hop is one Amazon Gift of Drawn. All I ask is that you "join this site" and leave a comment about why you think DRAWN sounds intriguing. Buy links: Amazon Next stop here:
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September 5, 2015
A New Chapter
With the release of Black Apocalypse sizzling down, it's time to close one chapter and begin another.
There is a YA Contemporary Romance manuscript that I've worked on, on and off again over the last year.
It's a story that I'm super passionate about, and I've had it all worked out in my head, but with the closing of an entire series, I've had to put it aside while finishing the Vulcan Legacies.
Now that Black Apocalypse is complete and out there in the world, I've dusted off that manuscript and have started working on it again.
This story (I have a weak working title, so bad, I will not even name it here) is about Autumn Chamberlain.
A seventeen-year-old girl living in Clarksburg, WV. She's lived a life of moderate comfort in a gated community. She's on her way to becoming the valedictorian of her graduating class. Her parents are esteemed members of the community. They go to church, the Country Club, their life is perfect. That is, until Autumn's world is turned upside down when she has a moment of imperfection with a boy named Mickey Costello. And things escalate from there.
Mickey is everything she isn't: Unpredictable, edgy, and full of risks and flaws. Autumn's led a very calculated life and there's something about Mickey's style of throwing caution to the wind that lures her to him.
This story has been a blast to work on and I can't wait to see where it ends up!
Now that my series is complete, I'll be posting reviews, news and teasers of my new work soon.
Stay tuned as I close out one chapter and start a new one.
There is a YA Contemporary Romance manuscript that I've worked on, on and off again over the last year.
It's a story that I'm super passionate about, and I've had it all worked out in my head, but with the closing of an entire series, I've had to put it aside while finishing the Vulcan Legacies.
Now that Black Apocalypse is complete and out there in the world, I've dusted off that manuscript and have started working on it again.
This story (I have a weak working title, so bad, I will not even name it here) is about Autumn Chamberlain.
A seventeen-year-old girl living in Clarksburg, WV. She's lived a life of moderate comfort in a gated community. She's on her way to becoming the valedictorian of her graduating class. Her parents are esteemed members of the community. They go to church, the Country Club, their life is perfect. That is, until Autumn's world is turned upside down when she has a moment of imperfection with a boy named Mickey Costello. And things escalate from there.
Mickey is everything she isn't: Unpredictable, edgy, and full of risks and flaws. Autumn's led a very calculated life and there's something about Mickey's style of throwing caution to the wind that lures her to him.
This story has been a blast to work on and I can't wait to see where it ends up!
Now that my series is complete, I'll be posting reviews, news and teasers of my new work soon.
Stay tuned as I close out one chapter and start a new one.
September 3, 2015
In The End....
There are literally hours left before the release of Black Apocalypse, my final project in the Vulcan Legacies series. I sit here and count them down as I have all week. It's strange. I've wondered what it would feel like while this was in mid-stage, at the end of a very long tale.
All I can say is that it is over. Four books that I am very proud of, too many characters to count, and a sense of completeness. I set out to tell the story of a girl named Ally Watson, and she brought so many people with her.
I am not parting ways with my characters, but rather it is time for them now to evolve. I'm excited to start the adult Vulcan Legacies.
Yesterdays post I went into the publication part of this series, its birth. I feel with each I have evolved as a writer. And I hope to continue down that path, that each word will be sharper, each story a little more cutting edge than the last.
I love YA. There is something about the innocence that lures me. These characters are like my babies. I've watched them mess up, watched them fall, watched them get back up again. Is this how it feels when your child graduates? Perhaps? I don't know.
I thought about how I would complete this last post. Should I blow it up with teaser photos? Links? Excerpts?
But as I sit here watching the clock as though I'm going to turn into a pumpkin or something, I think I will end it by saying these few things:
Thank you to those of you who have bought and read my book! An even bigger thank you to those who have left reviews too! There is no greater way to thank an author. I hope that you've enjoyed this story. And I hope you are satisfied with its conclusion. I'm eternally grateful to Evernight Teen Publishing for rolling the dice and taking a gamble on me and my story. It's hard being the newbie. I have loads of bloggers and beta readers to thank for donating their time to help me spread the word. (I think they will find a little surprise in their books tomorrow)Loss plays a huge factor in my novels. However grief does not dominate them. I painted a tale of loss and how the characters react to it. In real life I lost my parents and my brother which was devastating beyond words. My brother and mother knew of this series. I am saddened they never lived long enough to see it come to fruition. I am grateful to my husband for planting a seed and watering it. It took hold Tim. It grew and grew and grew. I'm grateful to my author family. The community has been incredible, welcoming, and supportive beyond anything I would've ever dreamed! And now I will leave you with the blurb for the very last book releasing tomorrow:
Resurrected from the dead, Michael Blackwell is enraged and heartbroken to find Ally—the girl he loved—in the arms of the very man that killed him as a human. In Michael’s eyes Ally’s betrayal is absolute. But there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the man who killed Michael, and even more with the girl he thought he knew.
Told in alternating view points from both Michael and Ally, Black Apocalypse is a journey full of heartache and redemption where the past weaves an uncertain future. Can Michael forgive Ally for her betrayal? Can Ally finally embrace who she is destined to become to save them both? The world?
Who is the elusive Seraph, Laurel? Who was the Devourer before his colossal fall from grace? What decisions did they make together that altered the course of history? Shocking revelations, prophecies fulfilled, a war where not everyone will make it out alive, the final installment in the Vulcan Legacies will leave you breathless.
The End
Get caught up on the entire series for less than $3.00. Click the Amazon link below:
AMAZON
All I can say is that it is over. Four books that I am very proud of, too many characters to count, and a sense of completeness. I set out to tell the story of a girl named Ally Watson, and she brought so many people with her.
I am not parting ways with my characters, but rather it is time for them now to evolve. I'm excited to start the adult Vulcan Legacies.
Yesterdays post I went into the publication part of this series, its birth. I feel with each I have evolved as a writer. And I hope to continue down that path, that each word will be sharper, each story a little more cutting edge than the last.
I love YA. There is something about the innocence that lures me. These characters are like my babies. I've watched them mess up, watched them fall, watched them get back up again. Is this how it feels when your child graduates? Perhaps? I don't know.
I thought about how I would complete this last post. Should I blow it up with teaser photos? Links? Excerpts?
But as I sit here watching the clock as though I'm going to turn into a pumpkin or something, I think I will end it by saying these few things:
Thank you to those of you who have bought and read my book! An even bigger thank you to those who have left reviews too! There is no greater way to thank an author. I hope that you've enjoyed this story. And I hope you are satisfied with its conclusion. I'm eternally grateful to Evernight Teen Publishing for rolling the dice and taking a gamble on me and my story. It's hard being the newbie. I have loads of bloggers and beta readers to thank for donating their time to help me spread the word. (I think they will find a little surprise in their books tomorrow)Loss plays a huge factor in my novels. However grief does not dominate them. I painted a tale of loss and how the characters react to it. In real life I lost my parents and my brother which was devastating beyond words. My brother and mother knew of this series. I am saddened they never lived long enough to see it come to fruition. I am grateful to my husband for planting a seed and watering it. It took hold Tim. It grew and grew and grew. I'm grateful to my author family. The community has been incredible, welcoming, and supportive beyond anything I would've ever dreamed! And now I will leave you with the blurb for the very last book releasing tomorrow:
Resurrected from the dead, Michael Blackwell is enraged and heartbroken to find Ally—the girl he loved—in the arms of the very man that killed him as a human. In Michael’s eyes Ally’s betrayal is absolute. But there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the man who killed Michael, and even more with the girl he thought he knew.
Told in alternating view points from both Michael and Ally, Black Apocalypse is a journey full of heartache and redemption where the past weaves an uncertain future. Can Michael forgive Ally for her betrayal? Can Ally finally embrace who she is destined to become to save them both? The world?
Who is the elusive Seraph, Laurel? Who was the Devourer before his colossal fall from grace? What decisions did they make together that altered the course of history? Shocking revelations, prophecies fulfilled, a war where not everyone will make it out alive, the final installment in the Vulcan Legacies will leave you breathless.
The End
Get caught up on the entire series for less than $3.00. Click the Amazon link below:
AMAZON
September 2, 2015
In The Beginning....
I've covered posts on my submission/query process before. But I don't mind taking another trip down that road. The idea for Black Amaranth had been in my mind for several years. Once I sat down to write in, I had to research the whole publishing process.
Honestly, that was the worst part. Writing the novel was easy. Sending out multiple queries after researching agents that accepted my genre was DAUNTING, DISHEARTENING and DEPRESSING!!!!!
I can't come up with the words to describe what kind of emotional rollercoaster agents unintentionally put a hopeful writer through. It's PAINFUL!!!!! *cringe, sigh, cringe again*
The rejection letters I could handle. You have to pretty much come to terms with that early on. They suck, but you know they are going to trickle in. But the part that lacerated my heart every time was when I would get the positive answer. I had a handful of agents request partials, then fulls, and the entire time I'd go, "OMG! This is it! I made it past the query letter/synopsis/baiting them. They don't have time to play around. This must mean marriage!"
Of all the fulls agents requested of me, they all ultimately ended in rejection. Painful, painful, painful stuff. Let me tell you. But then I had a strange thought, one that never came to me before because it sounded so ludicrous I'd never even contemplated it.
Was it possible that there were publishers out there that would accept unsolicited/unagented manuscripts? Surely not.... But I looked, apprehensively, because I just couldn't believe that to be possible. Why? Because agents are the folks that filter through manuscripts, decide which ones can sell, which ones they believe will not, and they are the ones that pitch it to a publisher.
While there were some close calls, I had never made it to the agent level. But sure enough, I was surprised to find that there were actually several publishers who would in fact accept unsolicited manuscripts.
I didn't dare hope. But I did select a handful of publishers that fell into this category and fired away. To my surprise (I still think back to this moment and smile, feeling stunned and overjoyed) I had three different publishers offer a contract. I just couldn't believe it. I couldn't hardly wrap my head around what my inbox was telling me: That I had to chose a publisher.
On April 19, 2013 I sent the following query to Evernight Teen:
Dear Evernight Teen,
Eighteen-year-old Ally Watson struggles to break free of the rigid rules her guardian,
Uncle Argyle, has always held her to, and hopes that her high school graduation will
bring the freedom she longs for. Returning home with her best friends, Michael and the
twins Jessica and Dave, she is terrified to find Uncle Argyle in a life-or-death battle with
some kind of monster. After he kills the creature, her uncle gives her her deceased father’s
daggers and instructs her how to use them to summon help.
The four teens find themselves transported to Brunswick, Georgia, where they learn the truth behind Uncle Argyle’s secrets and silences, behind the mysterious marks on Ally’s shoulder
blades, and the daunting task before her. As she meets the aunts she never knew, she
discovers that she-and they-are angels, and that Ally is truly Azrael, the Angel of Death.
Soon she must make life-altering decisions for all mankind, as she embarks on a journey
to save her uncle and herself from a destiny that will change the lives of everyone she holds dear. Will she unlock Hell’s wrath or stay Heaven’s hand?
Filled with blacksmith mythology, gypsy curses, and heaven’s warriors, this novel puts
Ally through a gauntlet of turmoil and prophecies, leading to the climatic realization that
while faith and hope are essential to her journey, love is the most powerful force of all.
My 70,000 word novel, Black Amaranth, is intricately woven like the novels of Melissa
de la Cruz but with a tone like The House of Night series by P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast.
I was also inspired by YA novels such as the Fallen and the Mortal Instruments series.
Black Amaranth comes from the same innovation but it has its own voice.
Black Amaranth puts a new spin on the paranormal dominion. The first in a series, I am
currently working on the second novel. Your website mentioned that you are interested in YA fiction. Black Amaranth fits into this category. I look forward to your response. Thank you for considering Black Amaranth. Per your guidelines I've attached the full manuscript and a one page synopsis in Word.
I am a RN living in rural West Virginia with my husband, two kids, and two dogs.
Sincerely,
Sasha Hibbs On April 25th, I received the email from Evernight Teen offering a contract. On August 16, 2013, she was born:
Since that first book, I wrote her siblings, Black Abaddon, Black Atonement and finally now at the end, Black Apocalypse. It's been a ride. I've had the opportunity to meet a vast family of talented authors. And even publish a short story with some of them. It has opened up a whole new world to me, one where my characters can thrive. I'm humbled, still, and grateful for the opportunity Evernight Teen has provided me. You can still get the 1st three on Amazon on sale for a limited time here:
AMAZON SALE
Join me on this journey, my journey, their journey, by reading the first three. Prepare yourself for.... The End.
Honestly, that was the worst part. Writing the novel was easy. Sending out multiple queries after researching agents that accepted my genre was DAUNTING, DISHEARTENING and DEPRESSING!!!!!
I can't come up with the words to describe what kind of emotional rollercoaster agents unintentionally put a hopeful writer through. It's PAINFUL!!!!! *cringe, sigh, cringe again*
The rejection letters I could handle. You have to pretty much come to terms with that early on. They suck, but you know they are going to trickle in. But the part that lacerated my heart every time was when I would get the positive answer. I had a handful of agents request partials, then fulls, and the entire time I'd go, "OMG! This is it! I made it past the query letter/synopsis/baiting them. They don't have time to play around. This must mean marriage!"
Of all the fulls agents requested of me, they all ultimately ended in rejection. Painful, painful, painful stuff. Let me tell you. But then I had a strange thought, one that never came to me before because it sounded so ludicrous I'd never even contemplated it.
Was it possible that there were publishers out there that would accept unsolicited/unagented manuscripts? Surely not.... But I looked, apprehensively, because I just couldn't believe that to be possible. Why? Because agents are the folks that filter through manuscripts, decide which ones can sell, which ones they believe will not, and they are the ones that pitch it to a publisher.
While there were some close calls, I had never made it to the agent level. But sure enough, I was surprised to find that there were actually several publishers who would in fact accept unsolicited manuscripts.
I didn't dare hope. But I did select a handful of publishers that fell into this category and fired away. To my surprise (I still think back to this moment and smile, feeling stunned and overjoyed) I had three different publishers offer a contract. I just couldn't believe it. I couldn't hardly wrap my head around what my inbox was telling me: That I had to chose a publisher.
On April 19, 2013 I sent the following query to Evernight Teen:
Dear Evernight Teen,
Eighteen-year-old Ally Watson struggles to break free of the rigid rules her guardian,
Uncle Argyle, has always held her to, and hopes that her high school graduation will
bring the freedom she longs for. Returning home with her best friends, Michael and the
twins Jessica and Dave, she is terrified to find Uncle Argyle in a life-or-death battle with
some kind of monster. After he kills the creature, her uncle gives her her deceased father’s
daggers and instructs her how to use them to summon help.
The four teens find themselves transported to Brunswick, Georgia, where they learn the truth behind Uncle Argyle’s secrets and silences, behind the mysterious marks on Ally’s shoulder
blades, and the daunting task before her. As she meets the aunts she never knew, she
discovers that she-and they-are angels, and that Ally is truly Azrael, the Angel of Death.
Soon she must make life-altering decisions for all mankind, as she embarks on a journey
to save her uncle and herself from a destiny that will change the lives of everyone she holds dear. Will she unlock Hell’s wrath or stay Heaven’s hand?
Filled with blacksmith mythology, gypsy curses, and heaven’s warriors, this novel puts
Ally through a gauntlet of turmoil and prophecies, leading to the climatic realization that
while faith and hope are essential to her journey, love is the most powerful force of all.
My 70,000 word novel, Black Amaranth, is intricately woven like the novels of Melissa
de la Cruz but with a tone like The House of Night series by P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast.
I was also inspired by YA novels such as the Fallen and the Mortal Instruments series.
Black Amaranth comes from the same innovation but it has its own voice.
Black Amaranth puts a new spin on the paranormal dominion. The first in a series, I am
currently working on the second novel. Your website mentioned that you are interested in YA fiction. Black Amaranth fits into this category. I look forward to your response. Thank you for considering Black Amaranth. Per your guidelines I've attached the full manuscript and a one page synopsis in Word.
I am a RN living in rural West Virginia with my husband, two kids, and two dogs.
Sincerely,
Sasha Hibbs On April 25th, I received the email from Evernight Teen offering a contract. On August 16, 2013, she was born:
Since that first book, I wrote her siblings, Black Abaddon, Black Atonement and finally now at the end, Black Apocalypse. It's been a ride. I've had the opportunity to meet a vast family of talented authors. And even publish a short story with some of them. It has opened up a whole new world to me, one where my characters can thrive. I'm humbled, still, and grateful for the opportunity Evernight Teen has provided me. You can still get the 1st three on Amazon on sale for a limited time here:
AMAZON SALE
Join me on this journey, my journey, their journey, by reading the first three. Prepare yourself for.... The End.
2 Days Until the Release of Black Apocalypse! Final Book!
There is still time to buy the 1st 3 in the series on Amazon: BUY IT HERE!!!!!
And one day left to support my HeadTalker campaign: Click Here
2 Days. OMG! That's it. All my hard work, four books later and it all comes down to 2 days. Bittersweet. I'm happy. I'm sad. Pardon the bad pun, but as one story ends, another begins. I'm closing this chapter out only to start a new one.
I've never attempted to write for an adult audience. However, at the end of Black Apocalypse, you'll be able to quickly ascertain that's where this is headed. I'm nervous. Excited. Scared.
Maybe it's that I wasn't truly ready to let these characters go. That and a combination of falling in love with so many other characters in this book.
I can't wait to talk about Gunari, Clan leader of the Gypsies.
Abraham Rathbone, Coven leader of the Witches.
Raven Ravenwood, a girl who rises up against all odds in the new spin-off series featuring the feuding clans and covens.
There are so many exciting things in the works!
But at the moment, I'm so excited for this last book. I hope you are too! Until tomorrow....
September 1, 2015
3 Days Left Until the Release of Black Apocalypse
Only 3 days? *Scream*
I'm not panicking. Really. I'm not. It amazes me at the length of time it takes to write a novel, edit it, send it off, get the email stating it will be published, edit it again, promote and then suddenly it's out there. The time zooms by. And now there are only three days left before my very last book in this series is out. It's finished. Done. Over.
The End.
I'll come to terms with it. Eventually.
Quickly before moving onto today's post. There is still time to help support by supporting my HeadTalker campaign. It's free. By allowing them access to your FB or Twitter, they will post a one time ready made blurb regarding my series on the 3rd.
If you have the time, click here: HeadTalker
And, don't forget, for a limited time only, the first 3 books in the series are on sale on Amazon for $0.99 each or $2.97 for all three. Click here to buy or send Kindle Gifts to any YA readers you know:) AMAZON SALE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let's recap from yesterday's post.
I've introduced you to Samyaza, Ally, Marik, Brandi and Dave. I've talked about some serious mistakes they all made.
The common theme here is we all make mistakes. The bigger picture is how we deal with the consequences of our actions, what we take away from the situations and how that shapes how we are going forward.
I've been intricately weaving a story together, and with Black Apocalypse it felt good to finally close it all up, answer all the questions.
What happens to Ally? To Michael? To Marik? Eli and Jessica?
I really put these characters through hell. In the first 3 I was just getting warmed up. The 4th book pushes them all to the breaking point.
I also told Black Apocalypse from Michael and Ally's point of view. It was time. And there are some scenes that will have you cheering for the both of them. The past has a such a huge bearing on the future. That's why it was so important to tell this story with past scenes.
Also in Black Apocalypse, I introduce the reader to Viola Blackwell, Michael's grandmother. I go into more depth about Laurel. She's had her hands on everything and it's time to finally meet her, understand her origins. *Oh shoot! Was that a spoiler?*
There is a battle. Remember, the first 3 has been leading up to this moment. Not everyone makes it out alive. You'll have to read to find out. In war, there are always causalities.
But let's not focus too much on the grim side of things.
I want to talk about a character that I introduced in Black Atonement.
The witch, Abraham Rathbone, Coven leader. Dark. Suave. Devilish. I love this character. I expand on his character in the final installment. I want readers to get familiar with him. Why?
Black Apocalypse is the last book in this series. However, Abraham might be a new character to you, but he isn't to me.
After I wrote Black Amaranth (book 1), I started another manuscript. I have this fascination with the feuding Gypsies and witches introduced in book 1. I had time to introduce a few of those characters in the Vulcan Legacies, but not expand on them as much as I wanted. But when I wrote Abraham into the 3rd book, much like Brandi Fraiser, I knew I had to write his story. That he'd have to be a big part of all this.
After the conclusion of the Vulcan Legacies, I will resume writing the spin-off.
The series main character is Raven Ravenscraft. The name sound familiar? Raven is loosely related to the Ravenscraft sisters (Denaulda, Irini, and Griselda).
I've established the centuries old feud between witches and Gypsies. In this spin-off, you'll get to find out why. It's full of curses, lost loves, feuding covens and clans...
While the Vulcan Legacies is now complete, there is this spin off in the works and I'm not giving away any spoilers but I think you'll see what this has evolved to once you read the epilogue.
I'm not panicking. Really. I'm not. It amazes me at the length of time it takes to write a novel, edit it, send it off, get the email stating it will be published, edit it again, promote and then suddenly it's out there. The time zooms by. And now there are only three days left before my very last book in this series is out. It's finished. Done. Over.
The End.
I'll come to terms with it. Eventually.
Quickly before moving onto today's post. There is still time to help support by supporting my HeadTalker campaign. It's free. By allowing them access to your FB or Twitter, they will post a one time ready made blurb regarding my series on the 3rd.
If you have the time, click here: HeadTalker
And, don't forget, for a limited time only, the first 3 books in the series are on sale on Amazon for $0.99 each or $2.97 for all three. Click here to buy or send Kindle Gifts to any YA readers you know:) AMAZON SALE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let's recap from yesterday's post.
I've introduced you to Samyaza, Ally, Marik, Brandi and Dave. I've talked about some serious mistakes they all made.
The common theme here is we all make mistakes. The bigger picture is how we deal with the consequences of our actions, what we take away from the situations and how that shapes how we are going forward.
I've been intricately weaving a story together, and with Black Apocalypse it felt good to finally close it all up, answer all the questions.
What happens to Ally? To Michael? To Marik? Eli and Jessica?
I really put these characters through hell. In the first 3 I was just getting warmed up. The 4th book pushes them all to the breaking point.
I also told Black Apocalypse from Michael and Ally's point of view. It was time. And there are some scenes that will have you cheering for the both of them. The past has a such a huge bearing on the future. That's why it was so important to tell this story with past scenes.
Also in Black Apocalypse, I introduce the reader to Viola Blackwell, Michael's grandmother. I go into more depth about Laurel. She's had her hands on everything and it's time to finally meet her, understand her origins. *Oh shoot! Was that a spoiler?*
There is a battle. Remember, the first 3 has been leading up to this moment. Not everyone makes it out alive. You'll have to read to find out. In war, there are always causalities.
But let's not focus too much on the grim side of things.
I want to talk about a character that I introduced in Black Atonement.
The witch, Abraham Rathbone, Coven leader. Dark. Suave. Devilish. I love this character. I expand on his character in the final installment. I want readers to get familiar with him. Why?
Black Apocalypse is the last book in this series. However, Abraham might be a new character to you, but he isn't to me.
After I wrote Black Amaranth (book 1), I started another manuscript. I have this fascination with the feuding Gypsies and witches introduced in book 1. I had time to introduce a few of those characters in the Vulcan Legacies, but not expand on them as much as I wanted. But when I wrote Abraham into the 3rd book, much like Brandi Fraiser, I knew I had to write his story. That he'd have to be a big part of all this.
After the conclusion of the Vulcan Legacies, I will resume writing the spin-off.
The series main character is Raven Ravenscraft. The name sound familiar? Raven is loosely related to the Ravenscraft sisters (Denaulda, Irini, and Griselda).
I've established the centuries old feud between witches and Gypsies. In this spin-off, you'll get to find out why. It's full of curses, lost loves, feuding covens and clans...
While the Vulcan Legacies is now complete, there is this spin off in the works and I'm not giving away any spoilers but I think you'll see what this has evolved to once you read the epilogue.
August 31, 2015
4 Days Left and Trying Not To Hyperventilate!
The countdown to Black Apocalypse continues! Before picking up where I left off yesterday, I received some exciting news from my publisher this morning. Yay! *Runs around screaming*
The first three books (Black Amaranth, Black Abaddon, Black Atonement) are all on sale right this very moment for $0.99 each or $2.97 for all three! If you know any YA PNR lovers, this would make a great gift. Come on people, it costs less than a 'Thank You' card!
Here's a link: AMAZON/BUY NOW!!!!!!!
Okay, so I'm calm now.
Let's recap from the previous posts: Samyaza/Vulcan breaks the rules. He's punished. Severely. He pays the price, but this also extends to his one female descendant, Ally Watson. Ally has very limited time to assimilate what in the hell is going on. She has so much thrust on her that she does the whole history-repeats-itself thing. She's punished as well, but through the years, the Authority has grown lonely and softens up a bit. That kind of thing can happen when you sentence your kid to a volcano for a couple thousand years. So, Ally gets another shot.... kind of.
In book 2 I go more into the people-aren't-who-you-think-they-are department. I threw in some HUGE surprises, mixed in some twists, sprinkled some OMG moments in there, and baked it for about thirty minutes on 450 and bam! Black Abaddon was born.
Now onto book 3, Black Atonement. Sigh. I cannot say Black Atonement is my favorite book, but it was unintended. When I envisioned this series I knew for sure it would be a trilogy. As a reader I don't like to be strung along. However, there is a complete bitch of a character that stole her way into my heart. Brandi freakin' Frasier. Hate her. Love her. And from what I can tell from the reviews, I think readers would agree. Half way through writing the second book Brandi's character really spoke to me, or her actions anyway. I had to tell her story. After needing so BAD to fix this broken bitch of a lady, Black Atonement was born.
For Black Atonement to be unplanned, it was the easiest one for me to write. Brandi is beautifully flawed and I think the reason why I could write her story is that she is so relatable. We all make mistakes. Some small and some BIG. In my experience, we punish ourselves worse than anyone else ever could. And for Brandi, I didn't want to focus so much on her mistakes (although I lay them all out on the table for everyone to see), but the steps and journey she took to correct them. Hence the title :)
I also enjoyed writing the most unexpected thing: her love interest. David Howles. In the first book I establish their mutual hate of each other. So, yeah. It was fun having the two of them go at it like cats and dogs only to show that opposites really do attract.
Black Atonement was published last September. I took a bit of a hiatus from writing and feel bad it's taken me so long to get the conclusion out into the world. But I had to take time to map out how the series would end. I needed to wrap it all up.
Let me tell you something... I LOVE series, reading them that is. But writing one is HARD. You have to go back through again and again to make sure you answered all the questions you raised and make sure that you actually answered them somewhere other than in your head.
And here's one of my favorite teaser pics of Brandi:
Tomorrow I'll talk about the 4th and final book, Black Apocalypse. I still can't believe I'm saying that. I can't believe it's the end! Or is it?
Until tomorrow.....
The first three books (Black Amaranth, Black Abaddon, Black Atonement) are all on sale right this very moment for $0.99 each or $2.97 for all three! If you know any YA PNR lovers, this would make a great gift. Come on people, it costs less than a 'Thank You' card!
Here's a link: AMAZON/BUY NOW!!!!!!!
Okay, so I'm calm now.
Let's recap from the previous posts: Samyaza/Vulcan breaks the rules. He's punished. Severely. He pays the price, but this also extends to his one female descendant, Ally Watson. Ally has very limited time to assimilate what in the hell is going on. She has so much thrust on her that she does the whole history-repeats-itself thing. She's punished as well, but through the years, the Authority has grown lonely and softens up a bit. That kind of thing can happen when you sentence your kid to a volcano for a couple thousand years. So, Ally gets another shot.... kind of.
In book 2 I go more into the people-aren't-who-you-think-they-are department. I threw in some HUGE surprises, mixed in some twists, sprinkled some OMG moments in there, and baked it for about thirty minutes on 450 and bam! Black Abaddon was born.
Now onto book 3, Black Atonement. Sigh. I cannot say Black Atonement is my favorite book, but it was unintended. When I envisioned this series I knew for sure it would be a trilogy. As a reader I don't like to be strung along. However, there is a complete bitch of a character that stole her way into my heart. Brandi freakin' Frasier. Hate her. Love her. And from what I can tell from the reviews, I think readers would agree. Half way through writing the second book Brandi's character really spoke to me, or her actions anyway. I had to tell her story. After needing so BAD to fix this broken bitch of a lady, Black Atonement was born.
For Black Atonement to be unplanned, it was the easiest one for me to write. Brandi is beautifully flawed and I think the reason why I could write her story is that she is so relatable. We all make mistakes. Some small and some BIG. In my experience, we punish ourselves worse than anyone else ever could. And for Brandi, I didn't want to focus so much on her mistakes (although I lay them all out on the table for everyone to see), but the steps and journey she took to correct them. Hence the title :)
I also enjoyed writing the most unexpected thing: her love interest. David Howles. In the first book I establish their mutual hate of each other. So, yeah. It was fun having the two of them go at it like cats and dogs only to show that opposites really do attract.
Black Atonement was published last September. I took a bit of a hiatus from writing and feel bad it's taken me so long to get the conclusion out into the world. But I had to take time to map out how the series would end. I needed to wrap it all up.
Let me tell you something... I LOVE series, reading them that is. But writing one is HARD. You have to go back through again and again to make sure you answered all the questions you raised and make sure that you actually answered them somewhere other than in your head.
And here's one of my favorite teaser pics of Brandi:
Tomorrow I'll talk about the 4th and final book, Black Apocalypse. I still can't believe I'm saying that. I can't believe it's the end! Or is it?
Until tomorrow.....
August 30, 2015
5 days left until Black Apocalypse releases!
5 days... Ticktock, ticktock. It's crazy to me that something I started so long ago will, in 5 days, be at an end. There's an equal amount of happiness and sadness.
On yesterdays post I introduced the concept for Black Amaranth, some of the characters and shared some pictures of the locations Black Amaranth takes place in.
To recap: Watcher Seraph, Samyaza longs for a relationship which gets him booted from the Gates. Free at last to love, he meets rejection, acts rashly which leads to a more severe punishment which leads us to his present day descendant, Ally Watson. She picks up the pieces, runs with it, learns and loses a great deal herself.
On to book 2, Black Abaddon.
If you've read the first, you know at the end my goal was to rip your ever-loving heart out. Real life does work its way into my novels. But the great thing about fiction (especially supernatural fiction) is you can do anything you want. In Black Abaddon, my hope was to portray Ally going through the motions of her poor choices, feeling the consequences and ultimately turning a serious negative into a positive. And I do have to mention here that the end of Black Abaddon was one of the first scenes I had worked out in my head before I ever wrote a single word of this series. So, the end of this second book means the world to me.
In Black Abaddon one of the primary characters is Marik, King Vladamant's son, slighted heir to the throne of the Nosferatu Nation. I loved portraying him as a villain in the first book to then in the second, reveal his true nature. Book 2 was hard to write. It is full of sadness. Having lost my brother in real life played a huge factor in the feel of the book.
Marik takes Ally to the Twisted Forest, the place of his birth and a place where it was only him and his cast off mother for years until he became the man he was destined to become. While the Twisted Forest is a fictional place, there is a remote area near my home that you have to ride a canoe to access. It's beautiful and full of twisted grape vines, and gnarled trees. Again, it just looks haunted. Here's a picture of my Twisted Forest.
Until tomorrow....
On yesterdays post I introduced the concept for Black Amaranth, some of the characters and shared some pictures of the locations Black Amaranth takes place in.
To recap: Watcher Seraph, Samyaza longs for a relationship which gets him booted from the Gates. Free at last to love, he meets rejection, acts rashly which leads to a more severe punishment which leads us to his present day descendant, Ally Watson. She picks up the pieces, runs with it, learns and loses a great deal herself.
On to book 2, Black Abaddon.
If you've read the first, you know at the end my goal was to rip your ever-loving heart out. Real life does work its way into my novels. But the great thing about fiction (especially supernatural fiction) is you can do anything you want. In Black Abaddon, my hope was to portray Ally going through the motions of her poor choices, feeling the consequences and ultimately turning a serious negative into a positive. And I do have to mention here that the end of Black Abaddon was one of the first scenes I had worked out in my head before I ever wrote a single word of this series. So, the end of this second book means the world to me.
In Black Abaddon one of the primary characters is Marik, King Vladamant's son, slighted heir to the throne of the Nosferatu Nation. I loved portraying him as a villain in the first book to then in the second, reveal his true nature. Book 2 was hard to write. It is full of sadness. Having lost my brother in real life played a huge factor in the feel of the book.
Marik takes Ally to the Twisted Forest, the place of his birth and a place where it was only him and his cast off mother for years until he became the man he was destined to become. While the Twisted Forest is a fictional place, there is a remote area near my home that you have to ride a canoe to access. It's beautiful and full of twisted grape vines, and gnarled trees. Again, it just looks haunted. Here's a picture of my Twisted Forest.
Until tomorrow....
August 29, 2015
6 days... Countdown to Black Apocalypse continues!
Over two years later, I'm taking a long trip down memory lane.
Sitting at my kitchen table at this very moment, there are so many things running through my head. I think of when the idea first hit me. The first time I sat down to write these characters. The first time I talked about this entire concept to my husband, to my sister, Claudette, to anyone who I thought might be interested. I think about the first time I researched publishing. Yes, that's correct... I had no idea what happened after you wrote a book. I can laugh at that now, but we all start somewhere. Right?
So, my series started a long time ago. It was a seed planted by husband, and my active imagination watered it. It grew and grew and grew. And now, the result of my garden is a collection of four published books. My Vulcan Legacies. It still feels surreal to me.
How did this begin? My husband is a blacksmith (among many other talents that he has). There are some interesting stories, folklore if you will, that accompanies a blacksmith. Some history that my husband was filling me in on included that years ago, blacksmiths were considered people who worked with the devil. A blacksmith obviously was needed, a valuable person in the town, but the superstition surrounding their profession induced the towns/village folk to make the blacksmith reside outside of the town. Pretty hypocritical if you ask me, but nonetheless, I found that interesting. I instantly pictured this lonely blacksmith (being tainted by his profession) residing outside town, cut off from most human contact. And that is where Vulcan was born.
Vulcan, in mythology, is the god of fire. I drew from that concept as well as from the Book of Enoch. In the Book of Enoch, Samyaza is the leader of the rebellious angels, the Watchers, those who apparently were attracted to human women.
My Vulcan/Samyaza is one and the same. He is the Watcher of the Gates, and Watcher of all below. A concept forms in his mind. He watches the love between a man and a woman and longs for that himself. He's always been happy with his station because he knew nothing other than his never ending duties.... until the Authority tasked him with watching over his creation.
I envisioned him never moving, constantly still, ever lonely and always watching. And I was sad for this character in my mind. Can you imagine? It's when he confides in his sister Watcher, the Seraph of Light, that the Authority curses Samyaza.
He exiles him, casting him to the earth below so that he may find what love he is looking for. When the Authority does this, he strips him of his god-like power... for the most part. After all, the Authority is his father, and while we might seriously piss our parents off, they will always love us. So, Samyaza goes into the world, now Vulcan, and seeks employment as a blacksmith. After all, in the Gates, he forged all the weapons. Fire is kind of his thing. His employers happen to be powerful Gypsies.
To Vulcan's surprise and anger, these Gypsies do not trust him, they are afraid of him because of the metal he creates. They force him to live outside their village, still cut off from human contact. In this dejected state, Vulcan does something terrible, and the consequences are severe.
I will not go further into what happens from there but the story begins with his descendant, Ally Watson. In BLACK AMARANTH, book 1, we meet Ally, a seemingly human girl. It's now present day, and she is faced with breaking Vulcan's curse. But boy is it HARD. Like 4 books hard :)
The best part of writing this series was the research. The locations. And I was lucky enough to travel to ALL of them. The book begins in Snow Creek, North Carolina. Here is a picture of Mitchell County. And yes, I drove over that mountain.... was terrified, but it was beautiful!
The idea was to start the book in a place where everything was lush, green, alive and beautiful. My mother was always fond of North Carolina. She did not live to see my books come into fruition so this was in her honor. I chose North Carolina for its beauty, and I could understand my mother's infatuation with it. Next, Ally travels to Georgia, to Gypsyland, to those who cursed her and Vulcan in the first place. I chose Brunswick, St. Simon's and Jekyll Island as the home of these colorful, witchy-like women. All of those barrier islands are gorgeous. It has become one of mine and my husbands favorite places. On St. Simon's Island and Brunswick, there are all these crazy huge live oak trees festooned in Spanish moss. It was creepy, haunting and breathtaking. Here is a picture of a hall of oaks on St. Simon's.
And lastly, the end of Black Amaranth takes the reader to a beach that is even spookier than the hundreds of live oaks and Spanish moss with a story of their own to tell. It ends on Driftwood Beach at Jekyll Island. There really is no good way for me to describe this particular beach to give it justice. Again, it was beautiful in a creepy, goth kind of way. Here are all these dead trees scattered about the beach crawling with crabs and spiders and.... it was creepy.
I wanted the book to start with life and end with death in a symbolic kind of way. So this was kind of a long post. I could go on and on. There is so much more to tell. Stay tuned for my post tomorrow. I'll talk more about the cast of characters, the places they travel, etc. Until tomorrow....
Sitting at my kitchen table at this very moment, there are so many things running through my head. I think of when the idea first hit me. The first time I sat down to write these characters. The first time I talked about this entire concept to my husband, to my sister, Claudette, to anyone who I thought might be interested. I think about the first time I researched publishing. Yes, that's correct... I had no idea what happened after you wrote a book. I can laugh at that now, but we all start somewhere. Right?
So, my series started a long time ago. It was a seed planted by husband, and my active imagination watered it. It grew and grew and grew. And now, the result of my garden is a collection of four published books. My Vulcan Legacies. It still feels surreal to me.
How did this begin? My husband is a blacksmith (among many other talents that he has). There are some interesting stories, folklore if you will, that accompanies a blacksmith. Some history that my husband was filling me in on included that years ago, blacksmiths were considered people who worked with the devil. A blacksmith obviously was needed, a valuable person in the town, but the superstition surrounding their profession induced the towns/village folk to make the blacksmith reside outside of the town. Pretty hypocritical if you ask me, but nonetheless, I found that interesting. I instantly pictured this lonely blacksmith (being tainted by his profession) residing outside town, cut off from most human contact. And that is where Vulcan was born.
Vulcan, in mythology, is the god of fire. I drew from that concept as well as from the Book of Enoch. In the Book of Enoch, Samyaza is the leader of the rebellious angels, the Watchers, those who apparently were attracted to human women.
My Vulcan/Samyaza is one and the same. He is the Watcher of the Gates, and Watcher of all below. A concept forms in his mind. He watches the love between a man and a woman and longs for that himself. He's always been happy with his station because he knew nothing other than his never ending duties.... until the Authority tasked him with watching over his creation.
I envisioned him never moving, constantly still, ever lonely and always watching. And I was sad for this character in my mind. Can you imagine? It's when he confides in his sister Watcher, the Seraph of Light, that the Authority curses Samyaza.
He exiles him, casting him to the earth below so that he may find what love he is looking for. When the Authority does this, he strips him of his god-like power... for the most part. After all, the Authority is his father, and while we might seriously piss our parents off, they will always love us. So, Samyaza goes into the world, now Vulcan, and seeks employment as a blacksmith. After all, in the Gates, he forged all the weapons. Fire is kind of his thing. His employers happen to be powerful Gypsies.
To Vulcan's surprise and anger, these Gypsies do not trust him, they are afraid of him because of the metal he creates. They force him to live outside their village, still cut off from human contact. In this dejected state, Vulcan does something terrible, and the consequences are severe.
I will not go further into what happens from there but the story begins with his descendant, Ally Watson. In BLACK AMARANTH, book 1, we meet Ally, a seemingly human girl. It's now present day, and she is faced with breaking Vulcan's curse. But boy is it HARD. Like 4 books hard :)
The best part of writing this series was the research. The locations. And I was lucky enough to travel to ALL of them. The book begins in Snow Creek, North Carolina. Here is a picture of Mitchell County. And yes, I drove over that mountain.... was terrified, but it was beautiful!
The idea was to start the book in a place where everything was lush, green, alive and beautiful. My mother was always fond of North Carolina. She did not live to see my books come into fruition so this was in her honor. I chose North Carolina for its beauty, and I could understand my mother's infatuation with it. Next, Ally travels to Georgia, to Gypsyland, to those who cursed her and Vulcan in the first place. I chose Brunswick, St. Simon's and Jekyll Island as the home of these colorful, witchy-like women. All of those barrier islands are gorgeous. It has become one of mine and my husbands favorite places. On St. Simon's Island and Brunswick, there are all these crazy huge live oak trees festooned in Spanish moss. It was creepy, haunting and breathtaking. Here is a picture of a hall of oaks on St. Simon's.
And lastly, the end of Black Amaranth takes the reader to a beach that is even spookier than the hundreds of live oaks and Spanish moss with a story of their own to tell. It ends on Driftwood Beach at Jekyll Island. There really is no good way for me to describe this particular beach to give it justice. Again, it was beautiful in a creepy, goth kind of way. Here are all these dead trees scattered about the beach crawling with crabs and spiders and.... it was creepy.
I wanted the book to start with life and end with death in a symbolic kind of way. So this was kind of a long post. I could go on and on. There is so much more to tell. Stay tuned for my post tomorrow. I'll talk more about the cast of characters, the places they travel, etc. Until tomorrow....
August 28, 2015
Countdown to Black Apocalypse Release
It's a little under 7 days before the release of the fourth and final book in my YA series, the Vulcan Legacies. Black Apocalypse is slated for release September 4, 2015 and while I think that is super rushed, nonetheless, it will be out in the big wide world.
I've launched a HeadTalker campaign for this last book so dear to my heart. If you're interested, feel free to add your support here: HeadTalker
Every little bit helps! Over the next week I'm going to be taking a trip down memory lane to where this began as an idea, a seed that was planted, took hold and grew into 4 books over the course of 2 years. But it started even earlier than that...
Until tomorrow....
I've launched a HeadTalker campaign for this last book so dear to my heart. If you're interested, feel free to add your support here: HeadTalker Every little bit helps! Over the next week I'm going to be taking a trip down memory lane to where this began as an idea, a seed that was planted, took hold and grew into 4 books over the course of 2 years. But it started even earlier than that...
Until tomorrow....
