Dawn Brazil's Blog, page 8

HELLO...

Yeah, I know...it's been a while. I've been busy writing the sequel to Finding Me, titled, Enlighten Me. I'm having a ball writing it but between writing, the kids, the hubby, and the day job, well the blog has taken a sorta back seat.


Of course, I haven't been just writing. I've always got a book tucked away so I can feed my reading addiction. So instead of boring you with the mundane details of my everyday life, I thought I'd share some of  my newest loves.



What I'm currently reading:  

Bloodlust by Nicole Zoltack

This is the first book I've read by Nicole and I'm enjoying it so far! I'll write a full review when I'm finished.


Ice Country (The Country Saga) by David Estes

This is book 2 in the Country Saga series but also book 5 in the Dweller Series. And I freaking love these books. David is a genius at world building. One day I'm going to beg him to do a guest post on world building on the blog.


What's next on my TBR list:
Water and Storm Country (The Country Saga) by David Estes
This is book 3 in the Country Saga and book 6 in the Dweller series.


The Earth Dwellers (The Dweller Series)
This is the last book in the Dweller/Country Saga Series. I'll be sad to end the series...I might even cry.


Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover
I purchased this book at a book signing and can't wait to dig in to it. I've read other books by Colleen and they pack a strong emotional punch.


Best book I've read this year:
Fire Country by David Estes
There are so many great things that must combine for me to say that I absolutely love a book. I like a lot of book. I hug myself and daydream about all my book boyfriends. I gush to my friends, who couldn't care less, about a great book I read recently. But this book is addictive. This book is different. This book has set a new standard for me.  This was a fun, romantic, adventurous, read. I loved every minute of this reading experience. I found myself speaking the strange Fire Country language in my everyday speech. I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants a story that is original.






What have you read recently?




Have a great day. Read a book and laugh!

Ready. Set. Write!

Welcome to Ready. Set. WRITE! If you’re wondering what RSW is all about, it’s a summer long writing intensive with the purpose of writing, revising, planning, and keeping each other accountable. We will be sharing our goals on Mondays, keeping our posts BRIEF (2-3 lines per heading) so we can spend more time on writing and less time on blogging. You can sign up at any of the host blogs (Alison‘s,Katy‘s, Erin‘s, Jaime’s) every Monday. And don’t forget to hop around to encourage other participants. For more info about RSW and a link to their super fun buttons, go here.
   How I did on last week’s goals   Not great. I wrote about 8.5K but I did pull out my WIP for V.O.L.T and I added an ending to it. I was so excited that I did my happy dance in front of other people. I won't be doing that again any time soon...  
  My goal(s) for this week  Write 10K on current WIP, Enlighten Me. Start to edit other WIP, The Awakening or V.O.L.T.  A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised  My one word sum up of the week's writing: Revelations     The biggest challenge I faced this week (ex. finding time to write)   Balance... again. It was my youngest daughter's b-day weekend so she had a sleep-over...mother's of tweens you understand.    Something I love about my WIP  The geekery. Yes, I love being a geek and my story reflects this. I love super-heroes and super villains.  

READY. SET. WRITE!

Welcome to Ready. Set. WRITE! If you’re wondering what RSW is all about, it’s a summer long writing intensive with the purpose of writing, revising, planning, and keeping each other accountable. We will be sharing our goals on Mondays, keeping our posts BRIEF (2-3 lines per heading) so we can spend more time on writing and less time on blogging. You can sign up at any of the host blogs (Alison‘s,Katy‘s, Erin‘s, Jaime’s) every Monday. And don’t forget to hop around to encourage other participants. For more info about RSW and a link to their super fun buttons, go here.
   How I did on last week’s goals
I wrote about 5k - not my goal. I had planned on at least 10k. But work, the kids, my husband's broke foot all took me away...

My goal(s) for this week  Write 10K on current WIP, Enlighten Me. Start to edit other WIP, The Awakening.  A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised  With a sideways glance at my tingling arm, the same slimy green color skated up my left hand. It wrapped itself around my wrist, twisted itself past my elbow… Shit, I’m turning into the Incredible Hulk.   The biggest challenge I faced this week (ex. finding time to write)   Balance...it's always balance. The "juggle" is real people.    Something I love about my WIP  The raw emotion...and humor. Who knew I could be funny and serious?  

New Release Alert: Second Daughter by Susan Kaye Quinn

NEW RELEASESecond Daughter (The Dharian Affairs #2)Assassins, skyships, and royal intrigue... Kindle, Kobo, AllRomanceSecond Daughter is the second book in The Dharian Affairs trilogy (Third Daughter, Second Daughter, First Daughter). This steampunk-goes-to-Bollywood (Bollypunk!) romance takes place in an east-Indian-flavored alternate world filled with skyships, assassins, royal romance and intrigue.
Reviews of the first book, Third Daughter:"The author fuses carriages, steam trains, airships and clockwork with the rich eastern culture that underlies Bollywood storytelling..." - Cherie Reich"The political intrigue, the steampunk gadgets, and the beautiful costumes kept me in wonderment." - Tony Benson“Third Daughter is vividly breathtaking. Quinn delivers royal intrigue, exotic locations, and sweeping romance. Not to be missed!” - Pavarti Tyler, author of Shadow on the Wall ON SALE - 99cents until 7/21Third Daughter (The Dharian Affairs #1) Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iTunes, AllRomance(also available in print) The Third Daughter of the Queen wants her birthday to arrive so she'll be free to marry for love, but rumors of a new flying weapon may force her to accept a barbarian prince's proposal for a peace-brokering marriage. Desperate to marry the charming courtesan she loves, Aniri agrees to the prince's proposal as a subterfuge in order to spy on him, find the weapon, and hopefully avoid both war and an arranged marriage to a man she does not love.
NEWBoth books now have a map!
Download the map free hereSpeedy Tweets to Share: NEW RELEASE: Second Daughter (Dharian Affairs #2) Assassins, skyships, royal intrigue #steampunk #fantasy #romance http://bit.ly/SDAmazon WIN Gift Card and PAPERBACK Third Daughter (Dharian Affairs #1) #steampunk #fantasy #romance http://www.susankayequinn.com Skyships, saber duels, royal romance: Third Daughter (Dharian Affairs#1) ON SALE 99cents http://bit.ly/ThirdDAmaz Thank you so much for helping me get this book out in the world!Winpaperback copy of Third Daughter $10 Amazon Gift Card
check out the gorgeous formatting of the print book!a Rafflecopter giveaway

FINDING ME, THE MOVIE AND A GIVEAWAY

Today is release day for Finding Her and I thought I'd share something that is crucial to my writing process: Discovering what my MC's look like. It's scary and exciting. And oh so fun! It's a movie in my head.

So it's not actually being turned into a movie. I wish...I think. It's just in my head. But I love to put a face to my characters while I write them. I spend hours going over pictures. I scour magazines, watch movies, and have my kids help with suggestions.


Meet the cast of my fictional movie:
This is Christopher "Chris" Thomas (Alex Pettyfer)....MC for Finding Her which releases today and Chloe's leading man in Finding Me


This is Chloe "CC" Carmichael (Nina Dobrev)...MC for Finding Me and fierce New York native.

In honor of my release today, I'm hosting a giveaway. There's an Amazon gift card ($50), a copy of Finding Me and a copy of Finding Her up for grabs. There will be three winners.

You can purchase your copy of Finding Her here and Finding Me here today!



http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6b6bfe1/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

WHAT'S HAPPENIN'

I absolutely love my job: writing. Unfortunately, its not my only one. Those other jobs pull me in so many different directions. I guess, what I'm trying to say is, sorry for being away for so long. I've been busy, writing, working, parenting...

My oldest daughter graduated from High School. YAY!!!! We went on an awesome vacation right after. And during this time, I did no writing. No marketing. No blog posts...LOL and no relaxing. Well, just a little. But the kids kept us on our toes - well, on my feet because I'm too big a girl to be on my toes.

While I've been away, there's been some exciting movement in the writerly world:

1.  Kelly Hashway's The Monster Within, released today. I'm really excited about this book. Already on my TBR.



2. Lauren Stewart released Unseen. Another must read book. And my TBR is overflowing...but truthfully, it always is.



3. And I'm releasing my novella, Finding Her on Saturday, 6/21.



Go check out these awesome books, add them to your TBR on Goodreads, and purchase them on Amazon.

Short and Sweet

So sorry, I've been neglecting the blog. I've been super busy...writing. And living. I have a daughter graduating high school and a son moving up to high school. And both of their birthdays are in May, too. Yikes! And if you have teenagers you know how they can be...

I'm finished with the first draft of my novella, Finding Her. Its a companion novella to Finding Her, told from Chris's POV. I've also added it to Goodreads so please add this to your TBR list.

I thought I'd give everyone a little teaser:



Her lips were so soft. I could suck on them all night. But there were other parts of her body I wanted to explore. I lifted my head and placed it in the crook of her neck. Then I ran my tongue slowly down the side. She moaned and arched her back off the mattress. I smiled into the fold of her skin knowing I was responsible for her pleasure.

I traced my kisses back up her neck and held my lips dangerously close to her mouth. Our eyes locked. A small gasp escaped from her lips. She blew my mind. She was walking perfection. And she’s mine.  She reached behind me and tangled her delicate hands into my hair. With a light tug she pressed our lips back together. And we fell back into each other completely - lips and tongues colliding.

She pushed me back, panting. “Chris. I miss you so much. I really need you to find me. I’m lost. I’m alone. Please.” Heavy tears flowed from her brown eyes.  She threw her hands to her face. My stomach flipped. “Amanda. I’m here. What are you talking about? I’m right here.” I tried to pry her hands away but she refused. Finally, she spread her fingers apart so I could see only a sliver of her face. Then she slowly peeled both her hands away.

“See that’s the problem. I’m not Amanda.”I sat up so fast I nearly knocked the large print of New York that covered the wall behind my bed on top of my head. My heart beat like a trapped guerrilla in my chest. I inhaled three deep breaths to calm myself.

It didn’t work.

Cover Reveal – Curse of the Granville Fortune by Kelly Hashway and

Welcome to the Cover Reveal forCurse of the Granville Fortune by Kelly Hashwaypresented by Month9Books!Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Find the fortune, break the curse!

The hunt is on for an ancient treasure tied to nine-year-old J.B.'s family history. He's been having visions that make him sweaty, lightheaded, and certain he’s turning into some kind of freak—or worse, going insane. But things are worse than he imagined. The visions stem from a family curse. An ancient ancestor was accused of stealing the massive Granville fortune, and now J.B.’s entire family will suffer.

To break the curse, J.B. must find and return the Granville’s stolen property. But he's not the only one searching for the treasure. As he sets out on his journey through a dark and foreboding forest, he'll battle his worst fears and fight terrifying creatures along the way. And when he meets two others who share the missing pieces of his visions and suffer from the same curse, the three soon realize they need to work together to break the curse before it's too late.

Reading is a thing of magic. It has allowed me to enter into worlds I never would have known. I’ve cried, laughed, and been scared right alongside my favorite characters. And my hope is that one day kids will do the same for my characters. I want kids to see that reading is one of the greatest gifts. Luckily, my daughter already agrees with me!

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!(Winners will receive their book on release day)a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal for Unseen by Lauren Stewart

An invisible wall built from the tears of those touched by deathAn impossible love as divided as the world around them.   After Addison finds a nearly-dusted vampire in the garbage outside her building, her ability to stay off the supernatural world’s radar is deader than the vamp. Almost as dead as she’ll be if anyone thinks she put him there. Should she finish the job somebody else screwed up or move him somewhere humans won’t find him? To keep the Heights hidden, she may have shoved a stake into her own chest. Just when she thinks life couldn’t possibly get any more dangerous, she finds out who he is. As vampire king and Prime to all races of supernatural beings in the North American zone, Rhyse is accustomed to getting what he wants without asking. But he neither wanted nor asked to be wounded in an ambush, waking up chained to a bed with a hole in his chest. Unfortunately, he needs help to discover who tried to kill him. But worse than that, his only ally is his captor, someone unaware she has the power to destroy their entire world. As a prophesized war brews in the Heights, Addison and Rhyse must decide which carries more risk—trusting someone who could destroy you or trusting someone who could love you?   Excerpt: Addison stumbled backwards, until the counter stopped her. It was over. It had been over ever since those chains came off. Ever since she brought him into her apartment. Into her life. “I saved you, Rhyse. I could’ve left you outside until the sun came up.” “I imagine you wish you had.” “Can you…can you not kill me? Just take some, but not all?” Rhyse brushed her hair behind her shoulder and curled his fingers around the nape of her neck, whispering, “Do you trust me that much?” “I don’t even trust you a little.” She felt the sting of tears. “I don’t want to be turned. If you drain me, let me die.” He ran his other hand up her shoulder, to her throat and slowly closed his fingers around it. One move and her neck would break. “To drain you I would have to drink from you. And that, my pet, I will not do.” She didn’t know what he meant but now seemed like a bad time to argue. “Did you know what you are? How many of you exist?” She didn’t answer. Partially because speaking required the air he was cutting off. Then his hands were gone, just like the rest of him. Was it over? When one of the women behind the counter moaned, Addison went to make sure they were alright. Rhyse was on top of one of them, his fangs obviously burrowed in her neck. The woman moaned again, her legs wrapping around him. One hand clutched his shoulder and the other slapped the wall, searching for a hold. It had to have been shock that made it impossible to look away. Or runaway. The woman’s moans got louder, then crested, and her body went limp. Not in a dead way, but in an I-just-had-the-best-orgasm-of-my-life way. Get out of here. “Leave and they will die.” His voice stopped her after only two steps. “Stay and they will wake up from a very pleasant, very erotic dream.” She grinded her teeth when she heard another moan. He must have moved on to the other woman. With two to feed from, there was less of a chance he would drain them, but… “Why should I trust you?” The woman’s moans stopped and she whined, “No.” “I do not care if you trust me,” he said. “Only that you obey me.” “Fuck you.” But she didn’t move. “Are they alive?” “Of course. It is against the law to kill humans.” “Then let me go.” “You are not human, Addison.” His voice came from just over her shoulder.  “I am. I promise. Totally human.” Somehow he’d missed the fact that seers were human, despite her telling him at least five times. She heard the shuffling of fabric and looked down to see him wrapping his already-bloody shirt around the arm she’d cut. He tied a knot with the sleeves and pulled it tight. There was no part of this that she understood. She sucked in a breath when he put his hands on her hipbones. Then another as they slid to her belly and down, pressing her back into him. She felt his heat and a vibration on her back as he made a sound similar to a cat’s purr but scarier. Clenching her eyes shut, she waited for death. “You should thank them.” His voice was all sex. Dangerous, risky, awesome sex. “They just saved your life.” They did? “Thank you,” she called out with a shaking voice. “Now that your belly’s full, how about you back off a little?” “I should kill you, Addison.” “I’m going to have to disagree with you about that.” After a moment he stepped away, sighing as if he just made a really tough decision and wasn’t sure it was the right one. “So,” she said, heading for the door, “it seems like you’re feeling better which is great. I’m really happy for you. Since you don’t need me anymore, I’m gonna go now. I’ll see you around.” “Come to me, Addison.” His eyes were back to their original inhumanly beautiful color. Though he didn’t quite look calm, he looked satisfied.  “No.” “Come to me or I will snap your neck.” “Okay.” “If you had simply brought a human to me, this all could have been avoided.” “I was just thinking the same thing.” Total lie—she wasn’t thinking a goddamn thing besides, “Shiiiiit!” “You and I have things to discuss, and a few memories to alter along the way back to your home.” Damn it on many counts. “Alter or wipe?” “Alter, of course. Although my strength has returned, wiping that many minds would still be highly taxing. I prefer to save my power for other activities.” Like…? Nah, she didn’t want to know.  He opened the door and gestured for her to go first. Which he’d probably never done before. Minions opened doors for him and she doubted chivalry ranked high on his list of valuable traits. But she went because when you gotta go, you gotta go. “Did you know?” he asked. What was it with that question? “Know what? That your victims come while you feed? Yeah, I heard it happens occasionally.” “Always. They always come while I feed. If it were possible, I would show you.” “I just heard more proof than I wanted to, thanks.” “I have no doubt that it would be far more enjoyable to feel you come than to hear her do it.” Title: UnseenAuthor: Lauren StewartSeries info: The Heights, Volume 1Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal RomancePublisher: Off the Hook PublishingDate of Publication: May 29, 2014Amazon Author Page: : www.amazon.com/author/laurenstewart    Author web links:             www.ReadLaurenS.com             @ReadLaurenS             www.facebook.com/LaurenStewartAuthor             www.goodreads.com/LaurenStewart             ReadLaurens@gmail.com     

NOW THAT THAT'S DONE...

 

Now that the book is available to the world, I'm sitting here twiddling my fingers trying to figure out what to do next.

NOT!

I'm staying busy with...WRITING. And reading, of course. And watching movies.

What have I read that was good, you ask?

Well, I just finished a novel titled, Etoile by Olivia Besse. It is New Adult and set in the gritty and sparkly world of the modeling industry. It started slow but picked up considerably. The writing, once you get past the prologue (I don't like prologues) is decent, then about a quarter of the way in, it's terrific. The reader is really immersed into the life of Elodie, the main character, and her modeling career...and her tumultuous love life.

I'm currently reading Model Position by Kitsy Clare and it started off great. A swoon-worthy male model complete with suede thong and all. Definitely can't wait to continue reading this one!

I'm writing a novella titled, Finding Her. It is from Chris's perspective from my Finding Me novel. I actually haven't started writing it but I plotted it all out. I'm excited to write this, too. Is it wrong to ABSOLUTELY love one of your characters? He's so perfect! If you've read or are reading Finding Me you understand.

I've already plotted the sequel to the next two books in the Finding Me series: Enlighten Me and Awaken Me...though these names might change. I'm having a ball writing this sequel! I can't wait to share this with the world.

I'm also watching movies: Divergent and Captain America, most recently. They were both great. I read Divergent, of course, if you follow my blog you know this. You also know that it is one of my favorite books. It's action, romance, a horrible future society - what's not to love. I usually have a problem with how my favorite books are casted when they do the film adaptations but I so love Shailene Woodley and Theo James in these roles that it was like I handpicked them myself!

Captain America was equally good. Full of action, no romance but that was okay. I sometimes prefer no romance with my action...there are hints of it in the movie, though. There really is noting more to say about this but go check it out for yourself.

What have you been up to? Have you seen these two movies? Read these two books? What did you think?