Shakuita Johnson's Blog: The Ramblings of Me, page 9
August 28, 2015
Book Release – Resurrected Secrets by N. Nieto
Title: Resurrected Secrets (Unforeseen Secrets Book 1)
Author: N. Nieto
Release: August 28, 2015
Amazon or FREE on Prime
Synopsis
Mandy Miller is not your typical 28 year old. She had a husband and 2 beautiful 3 year old twins. Until one night it was all taken from her by a drunk driver. Hit and run. Now its been 5 year later and she is slowly trying to rebuild her life. She has a job at one of the best law firms in L.A . And she think things are going great until her new assistant shows up and changes everything.
Joshua Rodgers is your typical 27 year old. Except he has a dark secret that could ruin everything he has worked so hard to become.
Will Mandy open up about her past to Joshua and what will Mandy think of him once she learns his secret..
August 20, 2015
Re-Release – Unsettled by Alisa Mullen
Re-Release Blitz
Title: Unsettled
Author: Alisa Mullen
Re-Release Date: August 20th
Synopsis:
Lizzie O’Malley, a twenty three year old free spirited young
woman, is on the run to find her purpose in life. In the summer of 2000, she
returns home to Boston, Massachusetts to begin a life that she can be proud of.
On her first night out on the town with a friend, tragedy strikes and she finds
herself the cause of emotional wreckage. Instead of dealing, she concentrates
on the man she met that first night.
Teagan Gallagher, a twenty two year old college student from
Ireland, spends the summer of 2000 in Boston, Massachusetts, working towards
his degree and partying his way through the city. One night he finds a
beautiful American girl that he is desperate to spend the summer with.
Together, Teagan and Lizzie learn the ins and outs of an
unconventional relationship. It isn’t until their relationship is in so deep
that it becomes impossible for one or the other to run away.
BUYLINKS:
AMAZON
Author Bio:
Alisa Mullen is the author of the Best Selling Saga, The Chosen
Series and the Best Selling psychological suspense novel, Plastic Confidence.
She is also the author of Following the Sun,77 Steps, One Missing Link,The
Business Trip, and many other short stories and novellas. She sometimes goes by
kaycee veil.
Growing up in Down East Maine, Mullen received a BA from Texas
A&M University and a MS from Our Lady of Lake University in San Antonio,
Texas. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, making necklaces, and
spending time with her family.
Mullen lives in South Texas with her loving husband and their
two children.
Connect:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/alisamullenbooks?fref=ts
My blog: http://blog.alisamullen.net/
Db Profile: http://authorsdb.com/authors-directory/12126-alisa-mullen
Twitter: @alimullenbooks
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Alisa-Mullen/e/B00IFTZ05I/ref=sr_tc_2
Instagram: alisamullen2015
Pinterest: Alisa Mullen
GIVEAWAY
3 signed copies of Unsettled, 3 swag packs
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Direct Link:
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August 16, 2015
Sneak Peek – Callisto Carvanis
After weeks of nothing, I’m finally back in the writing cave pumping out word after word. I started this story last year after first writing the character in Dark Indiscretions: A Prequel…I knew I wanted more of her. I just couldn’t let her go. Now she’s finally getting to tell the rest of her story aside from that small glimpse you were shown in A Prequel. There is so much more to Callisto than meets the eyes and I can’t wait to share her with the rest of the world. For now enjoy this extended sneak peek into the life of a Legacy!
From chapter 5…
Callisto took a bite of the meat and potatoes her mother had made and moan. It was so good. Say what you wanted about Reagan Carvanis but the woman could cook her butt off. Callisto hoped to one day be at least half the cook her mother was. She was slowly learning all her mother’s receipes but she doubted she cooked them as good as she did. Practice made perfect and Callisto strived for nothing but perfection since the day she was born. She had no doubts she would master the art of cooking soon as well.
“This is delicious Mother,” Callisto moaned out.
A resounding agreement was heard from her brothers and father. Her mother had seriously out done herself this time. Everything was melting in Callisto’s mouth.
“I can’t wait until you teach me this recipe. It’s one of my favorite meals.”
“You are very welcome Callisto and thank you,” Reagan said. “I’m glad you are enjoying your birthday dinner. If you think that is good, just wait until dessert.”
Callisto’s stomach rumbled in appreciation and she had to convince herself not to stuff food in her mouth faster than she’d be able to chew it. Callisto really wanted to talk about the society but her mother forbade such talk at her dinner table so they were resigned to eat in mostly silence.
“Will there still be a party tomorrow Mother,” Callisto asked to fill in the silence.
“Yes, the wives and I have set everything up. Your grandmother is very excited for it. A double birthday celebration for Christian and you. It was all we could do to keep you two a part from each other today. You’ve never went this long without being around each other.”
“I miss him terribly. I can’t wait to see him tomorrow. I want to hear all about his day since I missed the entire thing,” Callisto pouted.
“You two are awful. What ever will you do once your grown and have children of your own,” David teased.
“Our children will be the best of friends just like we are. Marriage won’t separate us from each other.”
Callisto watched as all her brothers rolled their eyes at her and went back to their dinners. They always teased her about being too attached to Christian. They didn’t know anything. Christian was hers, she just knew it.
“Leave your sister alone boys. It’s nothing wrong with her spending a lot of time with Christian. Although now that his Mooyer training will be starting in the next day or two, you won’t be spending as much time together,” Caden said.
I dropped my fork noisy on my plate.
“What do you mean I won’t get to see him?”
“Girls aren’t allowed in the society, you know that,” Reagan said.
“But why can’t we train together?”
“The training the boys receives is very different from the girls, Cal,” Caden Jr said.
“It’s not fair. I want to train with Christian. Why can’t we train together?”
“Don’t be ridiculous Callisto. Eat your food so we can open the rest of your presents,” Reagan scowled.
“NO! It’s not fair.”
Callisto picked her plate up and threw it down on the ground.
So what are you thoughts? I really hope everyone enjoys the first book in the Dark Indiscretions: Chronicles series. It is a spin-off of the Dark Indiscretions series. So far I only have four plan and Callisto’s is the only that coincides with the Dark Indiscretions timeline by the end of the book…the rest will take place before the events of Dark Indiscretions book one. They are more backstories of characters then anything else. Until next time. Now back to writing.
August 11, 2015
Dark Indiscretions Re-release
You may or may not have seen by now that I am revamping Dark Indiscretions book 1. I feel a lot of things were left out and I can honestly say I had no idea what I was doing when I first wrote it. Not only was it my first actually book (I’d only written poems and two short stories before this). I didn’t really know my world that I’d created. I kind of just went with it and lately all the pieces started fitting together into something that started to make sense. So I’ve held off on the rest of the series to go back to the beginning and flesh some things out. When it’s all said and done 8K will be added to the overall total word count. Bringing it to about 45K from it’s original 37K. Now for the most part the plot and people will stay the same but a few scenes as well as a bit of detail has been added. After thinking about it I saw that I left a lot of things out. Things that are important and I didn’t want to just randomly toss this information into the last two books of the Dark Indiscretions Series. The re-release will be Oct. 31, 2015. For now here’s a little snippet:
UNEDITED AND SUBJECTED TO CHANGE! COPYRIGHT 2015 SHAKUITA JOHNSON
He had a spell he needed to cast before he made his move. Reinforcements would need to be summoned before he showed his hand to Jennifer. She would not expect this turn of events. Making his way to the basement of the townhouse he’d bought, he went to the giant pentagram he’d etched into the concrete. The amount of magic he was about to channel would require a few herbs to focus the energy. Could he do it without them? Absolutely, but using the herbs would make the task quicker. Raw energy channel was always risky, no matter how old and experienced the Mystic doing the channeling was. And resurrecting people took even more energy and focus.
Going over to his impressive bookshelf, he looked through them all until he found the one he’d written centuries ago. It had the spell that would help him do this summoning right the first time. Looking over what he’d written he went over to his herb cabinet and pulled down some anise, gardenia, and thistle. They were good for conjuring the dead. The spell would make them whole again once the herb mixture summoned them to him. He took down a bowl and crushed the herbs up inside it. After sprinkling a bit of oil over them he struck a match and threw it in. Gently picking the bowl up, he walked back over to the pentagram and put the bowl in the center.
The smoke started to thicken as the herbs burned. Her started to slowly fan the smoke out from the bowl with his hands. Thinking of those he wished to summon until their shapes started to form around the circle. Once he could clearly see their confused spirits, he stood up tall and put as much of his power behind his words as he could.
Blood of my blood
Mind to mind
Ripped from your bodies
Now turned to spirit
My power calls to thee
Come back and follow me
Taken from this world too soon
Now on this day of a crescent moon
I nearby grant you all your power
So come and reclaim what was taken in your weaken hour
Revenge is close, within your grasp
Snatch it quick or for the opportunity is fast
Or something like that. He was never good at the writing spells part. He preferred just blasting raw power into his enemies. Once Jennifer was his he’d make her write him better spells. For now he stood by and watched his handiwork. The spell worked and that was all that matter. Jennifer wouldn’t know what hit her.
August 9, 2015
What I’ve Read Lately
In the last few weeks I’ve reread Son of No One by Sherrilyn Kenyon in preparation for Dragonbane and I’ve read Magic Breaks before Magic Shifts by Ilona Andrews came out and I’ve gotta tell you I think I hyped myself up to the point where while reading the new releases I was expecting something different than what was given. Don’t get me wrong the Dark Hunter series and Kate Daniels are one of my all time favorite series but both of these books were a solid 3 for me. That’s Dragonbane and Magic Shifts. Magic Shifts read as more of a transition book for the new direction the story arc would be heading since technically Magic Breaks could have been done in a way to end the series. While the rise of the dragons first book also seemed like a way to introduce this newest story arc as well. I’ll admit although I have a great love for myths I’m beginning to become extremely confused from all the mythos surrounding the Dark Hunter world. It’s just so much and it’s like I need a cheat sheet the further we get into it. All these different destinies and end of the world prophecies are starting to make my head hurt. Now I will be reading the next books in these series but am I as excited as I used to be? Will I be pre-ordering as soon as the button to do so becomes available? No to both questions. It could also stem from my mild reader’s funk that I’ve been having but I did catch up on Sherrilyn’s The League series and I gotta say I’m super pumped for Fain’s story. Although I’m a bit confused from the past to present thing and who’s related to who, it’s a much simpler storyline to follow than the Dark Hunters at the moment. There is a war and only one side is going to be able to win. Whether that side is the League or the Sentella that’s still yet to be determined. But each side is gunning for the other with everything they have and then some.
As an avid Paranormal/Urban Fantasy lover, I’m surprised at how much I enjoy the Sci Fi genre as well but it’s probably because I view it as a sort of futuristic paranormal world with an added bonus of alien. I’m also a huge Mercy Thompson, Pride Series, BDB, Alpha and Omega, IAD, and just about anything else paranormal and urban fantasy there is fan. I’m eagerly awaiting the next installments in all of these series and probably have them all either on my wishlist or preordered. So what are some of your favorites and what did you think of the latest installments of Dark Hunters and Kate Daniels?
July 29, 2015
LOST: Motivation
As I work on the rewrite of my first book ever published, in the mist of all that has been thrown my way this summer I’ve lost my motivation. The drive or spark is gone. Not sure if it will even come back. I can’t focus enough to see if the voices are gone, as personal issues have either drowned them out or they’ve gone silent. Either way it sucks. Hell it’s all I can do to muster up the brain and willpower to write this blog post. I’ve taken breaks, I tried to read for clarity, and I’ve even watched a movie or five. Still nada. Zip. Zero. Worse part, I’m not even freaking out about the voices in my head going rouge. I still have a series to finish, a new one to start, and countless other WIPs that have one to three chapters written. Obviously my brain needs this little break from reality and I can only hope once I get my mojo back it will all have been worth it in the end. I really want to be writing but I also don’t want to force out nonsense just to say I am writing. IF that makes sense. This summer has been one of the hardest so far and I can only hope I can hold on to my sanity for the next 5 1/2 weeks until we transition into the fall and school starts back up. Hopefully you writers out there are having better luck than me as I know a lot of you are also participating in NaNo this month as well. Anyways, here’s to August! May you breeze by and September be upon us before you know it!
July 24, 2015
And So She Waited Excerpt Reveal
EXCERPT REVEAL & SALE
TITLE: AND SO SHE WAITED
AUTHOR: Shakuita Johnson
SYNOPSIS:
**Mature audiences only 18+…contains darker elements and no
HEAs**
This is not a story about love, but a story about how love can
consume you. Heart, body, and soul. A story of loving someone so much that the
love you feel harms you.
Have you ever loved someone so much, that before you realized
it, they owned half of your soul?
Raven Sinclair’s first love had always been ballet until she met
Remy Peters. She fell hard and she fell fast and never looked back. He was
everything she always believed she wanted but he had other plans.
Remy Peters didn’t believe in love and he wasn’t looking for it.
He just wanted to have a good time in between classes and swim team. He’s been
seeing Raven for over a year and a half and he’s not sure how it’s lasted this
long. It’s not like he’s made any commitments but when he stumbles on the
prettiest girl he’s ever seen, he knows it’s time to let Raven go.
Matthew Masterson has loved Raven since he first saw her in
ballet class when they were five. They have been best friends ever since and
he’s not content to stay there. He sees Remy for who he really is and wastes no
time in telling Raven every chance he gets but is Raven his happy ever after or
does fate have other plans?
Love, lies, and obsession…three lives bound by twisted desires
for what they can’t have.
EXCERPT:
Remy Peters felt her arms wrap tightly around him, and a playful
nip on his shoulder. He smiled to himself but made no indication that he was
awake. A cute little growl sounded behind him and he could no longer hold in
his laughter.
“You think you’re so cute, dontcha, Remy
Peters?” Casey Summers scolded.
Casey was a gorgeous little blonde with bright
blue-green eyes. She was petite and extremely laid back. She knew what the
score was and didn’t mind Remy being himself. She also didn’t try to make him
do any more than he wanted to. She never asked him to commit, and didn’t hound
him. Just the way he liked it.
His laughing ended when he heard his phone
chirp from the nightstand. That sobered him right up. Raven. It couldn’t
have been anyone but her. It had always been her, for the last year and
a half now. He sighed and snatched the phone. He didn’t know what her deal was.
They just hung out from time to time. Nothing more. At least he hadn’t led her
to believe that there was anything more than when he had time to stop by.
Morning babe. Have a great day! XOXO Miss you…
“Let me guess. It’s Raven,” Casey said.
“Why don’t you just tell her the truth?”
“There’s nothing to tell. She’s not my
girlfriend,” Remy said.
“It’s been a year and a half. Either just
be with her or let her go. Stop jerking her chain.”
“Oh, you’re concerned now? Doesn’t stop
you from coming over, so mind your own business.”
“Whatever, I’m going to shower.
Asshole.”
Remy didn’t need a damn lecture. He hadn’t
made any commitments. He was a free bird.
Ding.
He picked up the phone again to read the
message.
Hey babe…you awake yet?
Well, if he hadn’t texted her back the first
time, what the hell did she think? He placed the phone back on the dresser and
decided to catch a shower with Casey. The phone started ringing on his way in
but he ignored it. It was just Raven, and he didn’t feel like talking right
now. He had other plans and they involved Casey, naked.
***
Remy emerged from the bathroom fully dressed,
in a comfortable pair of faded blue jeans and a cool graphic tee. Casey had
rushed out of his apartment with the promise to call later, but it didn’t
matter if she did or didn’t. That was the great thing about no expectations and
no commitments.
Remy picked up his phone and noticed a
voicemail from Raven. He would see her at school no doubt, so he didn’t bother
calling or texting back. He was sure she would be sending another message
shortly anyway. If he didn’t have the occasional feelings for her, he would
have ended it months ago. She was getting way too clingy. He honestly didn’t
know why he hadn’t stopped talking to her yet.
He checked his watch and realized he had
lingered too long. Damn. Late again. He was glad that he had no classes with
Raven this year. He liked to keep their contact to weekends, preferably when no
one knew. There was no way he’d ever take her out during the day, let alone at
night. Sometimes she’d approach him when he was with his friends, and that
would really set him off. He wasn’t ashamed of her but he didn’t want people
thinking they were serious. Nor did he want to be leashed and collared. He was
a free bird, and Raven was too clingy. She hadn’t started off that way, but she
definitely was now.
“I’ve got to stop this before it blows
way out of control,” Remy said out loud.
Problem was, he had no idea how to get out of
the mess it took him a year and a half to get into. He would have to ask his
buddies what they thought he should do.
As Remy locked his apartment door and headed
to his car, his phone went off again.
Ding.
Please call me. I’m starting to worry. You
never came over last night, plus we need to talk.
Remy grimaced. What had he gotten himself into with this girl?
It never got to this point with anyone else. Did she not know how to keep
things causal and fun? He did not want a girlfriend, ever. He’d never had one
and he didn’t plan on having one any time soon. He was only a sophomore in
college, for god’s sake. He had years ahead of him before he was ready to
settle down with one girl. Only until grad school would he even consider
getting serious with someone. The two of them were just going to have to sit
down and have a long talk. She would either get on board or find someone else
to obsess over. It could not be him.
BUY LINKS:
#FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED
AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1Jh7erj
AUTHOR BIO:
Shakuita Johnson is a 30-year-old Psychology major. When she
isn’t going to school or working, she is doing what she loves most. Writing.
She started writing in middle school. She would write poetry in her room or the
middle of the night. Then she was introduced to short stories in a creative
writing course her senior year. Her love for paranormal and supernatural
started with R.L. Stine Goosebumps books and TV shows, Anne Rice Vampire
Chronicles, and Christopher Pike books. She is an avid reader with over 100
books on her bookshelf and 1000 plus on her iPad. She also loved to watch
Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer with her mom.
Dark Indiscretions is her first novel and is a Paranormal
Thriller. She has followed it up with Dark Indiscretions: Monster Unleashed,
Dark Indiscretions: A Prequel, Dark Indiscretions: Seer Destined and Rumspringa
(Dark Indiscretions #3.5).
She also released her Dark Romance which has a bit of suspense
entitled And So She Waited.
She is currently working on her first erotica serial Kiss and
Tell: Encounters of a Prostitute and the final two Dark Indiscretions books.
CONNECT WITH SHAKUITA:
Take a look at the blurb on my blog http://www.dark-indiscretions.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/sljay1184
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shakuitajohnson
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7504850.Shakuita_Johnson
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ShakuitaJohnson/posts
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Website: https://www.authorshakuitajohnson.com
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July 18, 2015
Is It Fall Yet?
Yes I know we had a crappy winter last year but please for the love of all that’s holy I’m ready for this summer to be done! Finished…put out of it’s misery! I need the fall back and fast! Although I’ve kept myself busy with my fun Kiss and Tell: Encounters of a Prostitute serial, I’m still ready for school to start back and the leaves to change colors…Change. That’s what I need right now. A freaking change! I’ve managed to screw up my knee even more than it was screwed up before and I’ve not done nearly enough of what I wanted to do this summer. But I didn’t get to see family twice in the span of two weeks and my cousin got married…so yay! Another cousin graduated high school. So those were good things! I ended up with a wicked sinus infection that lasted 3 weeks and I thought I was dying. Now I’m just trying to make it the almost 7 weeks left before the next college school year starts…pep talk every day for $200 Alex! That’s how I feel right now…but I have decided to take control of my publishing hat…I’ve started a two year plan for my books and also hope to get a small 2-3 author publishing company up and off the ground by the start of the new year. I have book ideas coming out of every place imaginable so that’s always a plus but I miss school. I’m excited to start the mental health counseling part of my dual program and I can’t wait to get back to the psychology field…I have been writing though!
So tell me…how is your summer going? Loving it? Hate it? Wish it was over? Let me know in the comments and we can be miserable together :) Anyone going to the Boston Comic Con this year?
July 17, 2015
How to Plan your Publishing Business
Originally posted on Savvy Writers & e-Books online:
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Before you explore author-publishing possibilities in this series, lets first have a look at your business plans as an author and the most important question: Why are you writing? Are you creating for yourself (as a hobby, just for the fun of writing) – or for an audience?
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Can you answer these questions: how many books with the same topic / the same genre are on the market? What is the sales ranking of these works? How are these books priced? What is the social media ranking of the most successful writers in this genre? Where are these books sold on- and off-line? The advise you read here is based on the assumption that you want to entertain, inform, increase your audience and eventually earn some money with your writing.
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If you’re producing work for an audience, it means:
playing by at least some rules of…
View original 1,270 more words
How to Start Your Own Book Publishing Business
Originally posted on Savvy Writers & e-Books online:
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Where to find all these publishing business information – including lots of links:
95% of all authors have to do the marketing for their books – even if they are the “lucky” ones who found a major, traditional publisher. Only celebrities and star-authors, such as James Patterson or Danielle Steel get publicity from their publishers. The question for authors is now: Why should they sell their manuscripts for a pittance to publishing houses at all, if these publishers are sending out a mass-press-release only and are otherwise not involved in the marketing part? What are they good for?
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Authors are smart and able to start their own publishing business, REAL publishing, not POD and not Vanity Publishing: Finding and getting quotes or referrals for an editor, a book lay-out company or book designer, cover artist, e-book formatting company and a printer is not difficult.
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