Amanda Aksel's Blog, page 4
May 2, 2015
Steph Nuss Talks Character Profiling
Character Profiling: Why Every Writer Should ProfileHello, my name is Steph Nuss, and I’m the author of the contemporary romance series, Love in the City. I want to thank Amanda Aksel for letting me take over her blog today to share an important lesson I learned on this writing journey of mine, and that is the art of character profiling.
I had a huge realization after I finished the first draft of my first book, Wanted By You (Love in the City, #1): I didn’t really know my characters. And by know, I mean, really know every single thing about them. From their likes and dislikes to how they reacted to certain situations and various other things, I didn’t have a clue. I had someone ask me a load of questions about my hero and heroine after they read my first draft, and I completely stumbled through giving them the answers. So, that’s when it was suggested that I profile every character in my book. And by every character, I mean, every character; not just the hero and heroine. All the characters from the leads to the secondary characters all play a role.
So, I found a character profiling form online (click here to get the form for yourself), and started filling it out for each of my characters. It’s nine pages long and it goes in depth. Character profiling isn’t just about knowing all the little details like their birthday, hair color and body type; it’s so much more. It’s getting to know your character’s personality, who they are as people, and what makes them tick, and most importantly, why. You constantly have to ask yourself why? Why are they like that? Why do they do the things they do? Why wouldn’t they do this or that? If you don’t have the answers to all the whys, you should be character profiling so you can figure them out.
The form I provided helped me learn so much more about my characters as well as stay organized as a writer. Not only can I tell you all their favorites, but if you asked me why they favor something, I can give you the answer for it. Character profiling gets you inside the mind of your characters. For example, as most of us know, most men refer to their penises a certain way. Some may call it a cock; some may call it a dick; some may have a herculean nickname for it. Whatever the case, they call it something, and they usually don’t vary from calling it anything else. I do not refer to my boobs as anything other than boobs. I do not call them tits or breasts, and I have my reasoning for why I don’t. “Tits” makes me think of men talking about boobs, and “breasts” is too anatomical for me. So, I call them boobs. If you don’t know these small details about your characters, you should be profiling them.
But it’s not just about how they refer to their body parts. The character profiling form I provided asks you various things about your characters like who they’d like to be like, what celebrity they look like, how they treat others and why, what kind of clothes they wear, how they say things (Do they have an accent? Do they curse?), what their morning routine is, what time they get off work, etc. Filling the form out to its entirety for each of my characters helped me write a better book. My first draft was all over the place, but once I profiled all of my characters, the story practically rewrote itself because I was no longer just writing a story; I was writing Carter and Ellyson’s story.
The emotions in their story were so much stronger in the second draft because I finally knew my characters. I knew how they would react, how they would say their reactions and what actions they would use to react. For example, in Wanted By You (Love in the City, #1), Carter gets upset with Ellyson over a certain situation. In the first draft, I had him saying things he would never say to her because he loves her, even if she’s just pissed him off, and I had Elly saying shit right back to him. You know, the typical, dramatic argument between a woman and a man? No, I was so wrong because that’s not who my characters are. In the second and final draft, you know Carter’s upset with her by how Elly describes his reaction, but instead of having him say something that would be completely out of character for him and having her react out of character for her, I had him leave her apartment and then she breaks down in private.
Can you see the difference? The way the emotions heightened after profiling my characters, and how they went from being a couple they really weren’t to being the couple they truly are. I know I did because when I was writing it, I felt every single emotion the characters were feeling. From Carter’s frustration with Elly to Elly’s sadness over what had transpired, I felt it all.
That’s the beauty of character profiling. I think if you’re not feeling the way your characters are feeling, and I mean the want-to-cry-your-eyes-out-with-your-heroine feeling, something’s wrong. If you can’t evoke your characters’ emotions from yourself as the writer, how do you expect to evoke them from your readers? You have to truly know your characters for them to affect you like that, and character profiling is the perfect way to get to know them.
Another important thing to remember when character profiling, is to keep the characters’ characteristics the same throughout the story, series, and what not. In my Love in the City series, each book can be read as a stand-alone and ends in a happily ever after, but the group of friends is featured in every book. So, it’s important for me to keep every character’s personality the same throughout the series. I can’t have Paige going soft in book two when she was a cold-hearted bitch in book one. She’s the ice queen for a reason, and in her book, the readers will find out why she is the way she is.
I recently read a sequel to a novel I absolutely loved, but I was shocked when the author had the characters doing something I thought was completely out of character. Maybe I don’t know the characters the way the author does because it’s not my book, but as a writer and an avid reader, it was something I picked up on while reading the sequel because I’ve profiled my own characters. And I can honestly say it made me wish I hadn’t read the sequel. Just an idea to keep in mind after profiling your characters: don’t forget who they are.
So, if you’re stuck writing a scene or you can’t answer all the why-questions about your characters, try profiling them. It may help cure that writer’s block you’ve been struggling with. It may help you finish that novel you’ve always wanted to write. I think once you get the hang of it, you’ll really enjoy doing it. I know I do, but I also have a bachelor’s degree in psychology and trying to figure out how and why people are the way they are really fascinates me. Nine pages of information about one character may seem like a lot, but if you think about, you’re writing over a hundred pages for their story; you should know at least nine pages of information about them. Do your characters justice and get to know them so you can tell the story you were meant to tell.
If you have any questions or would like to see my character profiles for an example, please contact me at stephnussbooks@gmail.com. You may also read my characters’ bios (their favorites) on my website by clicking here. Character profiling saved my first book which lead to me writing an even better second book, Fantasized By You (Love in the City, #2), and eventually the third, Pleasured By You (Love in the City, #3). Profiling your characters can and will help you, too!
As an avid reader myself and after profiling my own characters, I now understand why writers must profile their characters: to truly enjoy the story the writer intended to tell. I know many of us read the same books, but we come away with different feelings and thoughts afterwards, almost as if we didn’t even read the same book. Maybe we thought the character should’ve done this instead of that or the book should’ve ended a certain way rather than the way it did. But I truly believe it all comes back to getting to know and fully understanding the characters we read and write about. I remember reading Amanda’s debut novel, The Man Test, and immediately falling in love with her heroine, Marin. Marin was so relatable; everything she did, I stood by. I put myself in her shoes and thought the way she did while I was reading her story. That’s great character profiling: when you can put yourself in the characters’ shoes, and completely understand the reasons behind their thought processes and actions. Fantastic job, Amanda!
So, the next time you find yourself upset with a writer or their characters, try to put yourself in the characters’ story. It’s not your own personal story the writer wanted you to read; if it were, we’d all be writing biographies instead of romance novels. It doesn’t matter if you thought the character should’ve done something else or if the book should’ve ended differently. All that matters is that you attempted to read and understand the story the writer hoped you would.
Xo,
Steph
www.stephnuss.com
Check out Steph's Love in the City Series- Click the graphic to learn more.
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Published on May 02, 2015 06:04
April 18, 2015
Meet My Author Friend, Laura Chapman
Hello Lovers! I LOVE sharing space on the blogosphere. So I'm happy to introduce a fellow author friend, Laura Chapman, who loves to create playlists as part of her writing process. Here's what she has to say on the topic. Enjoy and check out her latest book, The Marrying Type. Music has been part of my life forever. I grew up going to my dad’s music gigs (he plays percussion in various ensembles in and around our hometown) and we always seemed to have some sort of music playing at our home. There was often a theme. At Thanksgiving we listened to a CD with Bach arrangements. At Christmas there were dozens of albums ranging from classics by Bing Crosby and more contemporary, like the Home Alone soundtrack. I also played music in school. I took five years of piano lessons. I played the oboe and percussion (and occasionally the saxophone and English horn) throughout school.
Music is important to me, and it’s important to my writing. While I don’t always listen to music while I write, I do create an original playlist for each of my stories. It’s part of the planning process. I pick songs that would fit the characters and the story. Some songs just inspire me to write. I put them all on the playlist, and over the course of the writing process I add and remove songs as necessary.
As I mentioned, I don’t always listen to music when I write. When I do, I tend to pick one song from the playlist and put it on repeat. It’s usually a song that fits that particular scene. Playing the music helps drown out other sounds (like people having lunch at a neighboring table in a cafe), but hearing it over and over keeps me from being overly distracted by the words and music.
My playlist for The Marrying Type started with a few songs that seemed super pertinent to the story:
"The One That Got Away" by Katy Perry
"Don't You Remember" by Adele
"If I Walk Away" by Josh Groban
"One and Only" by Adele
"You're Still You" by Josh Groban
Songs by Michael Buble and Harry Connick Jr found their way onto the playlist as I thought more about what kind of music I’d play at a wedding. I also added a mixture of "classic" songs I grew up listening to along with new favorites that stuck out to me when I heard them on the radio.
You can subscribe to the full list of songs on Spotify or listen right here. I also have a playlist for Hard Hats and Doormats, which you can listen to here, and "Twelve Drummers Drumming," right here.
Thanks so much for having me on the blog, today!
About the Author
Laura Chapman is the author of The Marrying Type, Hard Hats and Doormats and the Autumn and Tuck series, which appear in Merry & Bright and A Kind of Mad Courage. A native Nebraskan, she loves football, Netflix marathons, and her cats, Jane and Bingley. Until she fulfills her dream of landing a British husband or becoming a Disney princess, you can find her in a bar penning her next novel.
Stay Connected
Website: www.laurachapmanbooks.com
Blog: www.change-the-word.com
Facebook: http:www.facebook.com/laurachapmanbooks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/lmchap
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lmchap
Instagram: http://instagram.com/lmchap614
About the Book
Always the wedding planner, never a bride, Elliot Lynch is famous for orchestrating the splashiest weddings in Charleston, South Carolina. When her father’s sloppy management practices leave them on the brink of bankruptcy, Elliot will do whatever it takes to save the family business. When asked to appear on “The Marrying Type,” a reality TV show about the people behind the scenes as couples exchange I dos, she says yes to the invasion of privacy (and the hefty paycheck that comes with it).
With a camera crew capturing every detail of her life, Elliot faces her most challenging contract yet: planning a wedding where her ex is involved in every part of the process. Add in a lazy assistant, liquor-loving bridesmaid, and rival planner encroaching on her turf, and Elliot’s wedding season goes from high-end to high-stress.
Forced to confront her past, Elliot must live out her troubled present on national TV if she has any hope of saving her future.
Buy the Book
Amazon: http://bit.ly/themarryingtype
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/marryingtypenook
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-marrying-type
Published on April 18, 2015 05:56
April 11, 2015
Seven 11 Blog Hop- April
Finally, Spring has sprung and I'm so excited to share more from my new project. I've got lots of things in the works and you'll be hearing about all of them soon. (Don't forget to signed up for my newsletter below and you'll be the first to know!)Today is April 11th, which means it's time for another Seven 11 blog hop!
Here's seven lines from my new comedic novel, which is expected to release in August!
Enjoy!
Positive, it’s all about being positive. That’s everyone’s advice. Don’t lose hope. Be optimistic and you’ll attract the right things in your life. Where was positive when I lost my job? Where was positive when I went on my first three interviews? Will my bank balance remain positive?
IT'S BONUS TIME! Here are the links to 5 other AMAZING authors who have agreed to share seven lines from their upcoming books. Get a behind the scenes glimpse of 5 stories!
Heather HildenbrandKayla SmithJustine WinterSteph NussFelicia Tatum
Check out this awesome giveaway, a signed paperback, from Steph Nuss!
Click here to enter
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Published on April 11, 2015 06:00
March 11, 2015
March Seven 11 Blog Hop!
Spring's almost here! Depending on where you are in the US, it's been a SUPER cold winter. I don't know about you, but I'm ready for BEACH READING season. Today is March 11th, which means it's time for another Seven 11 blog hop!
It's been really fun this last year sharing snippets from my new novel, The Commitment Test. Now, I'll be taking a little break from The Marin Test Series to write a completely fresh story.
I can't share much about it now, but I'll reveal more as time goes on :)
Enjoy!
“We were playing Truth or Dare before you got here.” Regina smiles, redirecting my mood. That was our thing when we were broke; drinking wine in the living room and playing Truth or Dare. It may sound juvenile, but it entertains us for hours. “Okay, Frankie, truth or dare?” I ask. “Dare.” “I dare you to keep my glass filled with wine.”
IT'S BONUS TIME! Here are the links to 7 other AMAZING authors who have agreed to share seven lines from their upcoming books. Get a behind the scenes glimpse of 7 stories!
Heather HildenbrandBethany Lopez Kayla SmithJustine WinterSteph NussSC EllingtonFelicia Tatum
Check out this sweet giveaway from Heather Hildenbrand!a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Published on March 11, 2015 05:30
February 4, 2015
The Commitment Test is Out Today!!
Yes! I'm so excited to announce that The Commitment Test is finally out!
Find out what happens to couples therapist Marin Johns in the second installment of The Marin Test Series.
The Commitment Test
(The Marin Test Series: Book Two)
By: Amanda Aksel
Release Date: February 4th, 2015
Publisher: Elephantine Publishing
When a Valentine’s Day proposal doesn’t come with an engagement ring, Marin Johns begins to wonder if she and James will ever get married. As her closest friends begin to move forward with their lives, she refuses to be left behind.
Hope is restored as she devises a plan to get James down on one knee by becoming the ideal mate. Everything seems to fall into place until her college boyfriend resurfaces after a decade with his own ideas about their future. Will Marin be forced to choose between the man of her dreams and the diamond ring she’s always dreamed of?
Get your copy today at your favorite online retailers
Kindle
iBook
Kobo
Nook
Don't forget to stop by these awesome blogs and read their thoughts on The Commitment Test.
February 4th
Little's BooksA Drip of Truth-A Drop of Lies
Books Are My Life
February 5thCChelle Reads
February 6thBooks I Love A Latte
Authors and Readers Book Corner
February 9th
Evie Bookish
February 12th
Chick Lit Plus
Valentine's Day
Consuming Words
Haven't had a chance to read book one of The Marin Test Series? You're in luck! The Man Test is available now for only $.99 for a limited time.
Marin Johns is San Francisco’s Pollyanna couples therapist. She’s months away from wedded bliss when she discovers her fiancé is having an affair. After nursing her broken heart with Kleenex and break-up songs, she adopts a new brand of thinking when she uncovers a tell-all book that proves all men are liars and cheaters who will do and say anything so they’re not found out. No exceptions.In an attempt to convince her friends of her newfound truth, she begins a fictitious relationship with James, a do-gooder from Montana. Marin seeks any means necessary to catch him cheating from hiring a PI to enlisting the help of a fidelity tester. Will her new "boyfriend" beat the statistic or will Marin regret the satisfaction of being right?
Get your copy for $.99 for a limited time only!
Kindle and Paperback
iBooks
Kobo
Nook
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Published on February 04, 2015 05:00
January 28, 2015
The Commitment Test Cover Reveal!
When I started this book back in April, it felt like I would NEVER finish it. What a relief it was when I finally sent it off to my editor. Truth be told, it didn't feel real until I saw this . . .
Get your copy of The Commitment Test on February 4th!
The Commitment Test by Amanda AkselRelease Date: February 4th, 2015Publisher: Elephantine PublishingCover Design by Jessica Rose Goldner-Bowman
When a Valentine’s Day proposal doesn’t come with an engagement ring, Marin Johns begins to wonder if she and James will ever get married. As her closest friends begin to move forward with their lives, she refuses to be left behind.
Hope is restored as she devises a plan to get James down on one knee by becoming the ideal mate. Everything seems to fall into place until her college boyfriend resurfaces after a decade with his own ideas about their future. Will Marin be forced to choose between the man of her dreams and the diamond ring she’s always dreamed of?
My designer and dear friend, Jessica Rose Goldner-Bowman created this beautiful cover design to match the first book in The Marin Test Series, The Man Test.
Last year, I worked with Jessica on the very challenging martini glass shoot. This year, we both thought shooting an engagement ring would be simple. Wrong! But with the right lighting and her brother working as her assistant, she pulled it off seamlessly.
Here's a behind the scenes look at the cover shoot for The Commitment Test.
THANK YOU JESSICA for delivering another incredible cover design. You're amazing!
More on the Cover Artist:
Jessica Rose Goldner-Bowman
Jessica is a Panamanian native born in Australia who now calls Virginia Beach, VA home and is bilingual in Spanish and English. She believes that a well-executed idea has the power to change the world and is passionate about using design to mobilize change.
As a solution seeker, idea junkie and creative machine, her innovative mojo always runs parallel to market research and results. Jessica is a graduate of Virginia Tech, where she earned dual degrees in visual design and communication.
EXPERTISE:
Creative Thinking, Graphic Design, Marketing Strategy, Copywriting, Photography, Illustration & Printing.
Email Jessica Rose Goldner-Bowman at JGoldner@rosehaus.com
If you haven't had a chance to read The Man Test, click the cover below
Do you like The Commitment Test cover. Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
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Get your copy of The Commitment Test on February 4th!
The Commitment Test by Amanda AkselRelease Date: February 4th, 2015Publisher: Elephantine PublishingCover Design by Jessica Rose Goldner-Bowman
When a Valentine’s Day proposal doesn’t come with an engagement ring, Marin Johns begins to wonder if she and James will ever get married. As her closest friends begin to move forward with their lives, she refuses to be left behind.
Hope is restored as she devises a plan to get James down on one knee by becoming the ideal mate. Everything seems to fall into place until her college boyfriend resurfaces after a decade with his own ideas about their future. Will Marin be forced to choose between the man of her dreams and the diamond ring she’s always dreamed of?
My designer and dear friend, Jessica Rose Goldner-Bowman created this beautiful cover design to match the first book in The Marin Test Series, The Man Test.
Last year, I worked with Jessica on the very challenging martini glass shoot. This year, we both thought shooting an engagement ring would be simple. Wrong! But with the right lighting and her brother working as her assistant, she pulled it off seamlessly.
Here's a behind the scenes look at the cover shoot for The Commitment Test.
THANK YOU JESSICA for delivering another incredible cover design. You're amazing!
More on the Cover Artist:
Jessica Rose Goldner-Bowman
Jessica is a Panamanian native born in Australia who now calls Virginia Beach, VA home and is bilingual in Spanish and English. She believes that a well-executed idea has the power to change the world and is passionate about using design to mobilize change.As a solution seeker, idea junkie and creative machine, her innovative mojo always runs parallel to market research and results. Jessica is a graduate of Virginia Tech, where she earned dual degrees in visual design and communication.
EXPERTISE:
Creative Thinking, Graphic Design, Marketing Strategy, Copywriting, Photography, Illustration & Printing.
Email Jessica Rose Goldner-Bowman at JGoldner@rosehaus.com
If you haven't had a chance to read The Man Test, click the cover below
Do you like The Commitment Test cover. Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
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Published on January 28, 2015 00:00
January 11, 2015
Happy New Year!! Did you enjoy the holidays? Got your res...
Happy New Year!! Did you enjoy the holidays? Got your resolutions set in stone? You can read more about mine here. Today is January 11th, which means it's my husband's 30th birthday! Happy Birthday, Joe!
And it's Seven 11 Blog hop day!
I'm super excited to announce that my upcoming novel, The Commitment Test, will be out on February 4th! It's a love story just in time for Valentine's Day.
Enjoy!
“The one that got away,” I said.
There’s a tendency to romanticize past relationships because they feel so unfinished. Sometimes we want to believe there’s more to the story. Maybe sometimes there is or maybe it would eventually lead to the same heartbreaking end. We never know. That’s what makes it romantic. The possibility of it all.
IT'S BONUS TIME! Here are the links to 8 other AMAZING authors who have agreed to share seven lines from their upcoming books. Get a behind the scenes glimpse of 8 stories!
Heather HildenbrandClick here to enter to win a free paperback from Heather.Bethany LopezClick here to enter to win a book set from Bethany LopezKayla SmithJustine WinterSM BoyceSteph NussAlicia SheehySC Ellington
Did you like this post? Share it with your friends using the links below and leave a comment.
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Published on January 11, 2015 06:00
January 4, 2015
When I hear the words blood, sweat, and tears, I'm going to think about 2014
Happy New Year Everyone!!I was super excited to ring in the new year this week. My husband and I had plans to leave town and party like rockstars with our friends. I even bought a super sexy sequined miniskirt for the occasion. But then I got the flu . . . The kind of flu that's so bad, you fee like you'll never live a normal, healthy life again.
It wasn't at all how I wanted to start off the year. The good news about starting at the bottom is there's no where to go but up. So in a weird way, I'm grateful for my flu.
2014 was an important year for me. I released my first novel, The Man Test, started a publishing company, and transitioned out of my new career as a financial adviser. It was a year of transformation. A year that I could reveal a truer me. Like new skin.
From now on, when I hear the words blood, sweat, and tears, I'm going to think about 2014. Why? Because I gave it everything, absolutely everything!
Sometimes, when you give everything, it's still not enough. Or maybe it's a matter of giving everything of the right thing. What I mean is that when I look back, some of my hard work was well spent, and some of it wasn't. So I've learned the valuable lesson of working smarter, not just harder.
That's why I'm so excited about 2015. It's an opportunity to do things better and settle into my new skin. This is also a big year for me because I'll be celebrating my 30th birthday this July. I can't freakin' believe it!
When I was young, I thought that by the time I was 30, I'd be settled in my career, with a husband, and a fancy house. I believed I would have made it, that I could coast until I died and walk off into the sunset. And while I do have a wonderful life and incredible people to share it with, including my husband, I certainly haven't "made it." In fact, I learned this past year that there is no such thing as making it. There is no walking off into the sunset. Sorry to break it to you.
It sounds cliche, but it's true. It's about the journey, which is kind of a relief. What matters is that you're on your way, you're heading somewhere. Hopefully it's somewhere that brings you joy, friends, wisdom, and most importantly brings you closer to a truer you.
Years ago, my husband inspired me to stop making superficial resolutions, but instead vow to become better by working on one thing about myself. I think he did this without knowing. Last year, I resolved to be more authentic and I can honestly say that it was the most authentic year of my life. I hope to continue that journey.
This year, my resolution is to create BALANCE! Tipping the scales has not been successful this past year. I know many of you tend to spread yourselves too thin. I have a PhD in overextending myself. And I've noticed that when it happens, everything suffers. . . especially me.
For me, creating balance means taking time to exercise, read, play, and not take everything so seriously! It also means that I likely won't get to where I'm going as quickly, which is the hardest part. But like I said, it's about the journey anyway. And I'll be damned if I don't enjoy my own journey.
So tell me, what did you take away from 2014 and what's your resolution for 2015?
If you've made it to the end of this blog . . . you're AWESOME! If not, you're still awesome only you don't know it because you didn't wait until the end for me to tell you. Then again, I shouldn't have to tell you you're amazing. You should already know.
Have an incredible year, and I look forward to hearing from you!
XXO- Amanda
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Published on January 04, 2015 14:45
December 11, 2014
Here we are, December 11th an the last Seven 11 Blog Hop ...
Here we are, December 11th an the last Seven 11 Blog Hop of the year. I hope you're all enjoying the holiday season and that this seven line blog hop brings a little extra cheer.
Here's seven lines from my upcoming novel, The Commitment Test, the sequel to The Man Test. Coming February 2015!
Enjoy!
Katie cracked a half smile. “You really are a romantic, Marin. It’s one of your strengths in this profession, but it’s also one of your weaknesses.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Sometimes you can’t wrap everything up in a neat bow. Sometimes, you’re just disappointed.”
When I left her office, I was just that—disappointed. I thought about all the events and conversations I’d had since my birthday. It was as if the universe purposefully put these obstacles in my way, hoping that I would give up.
IT'S BONUS TIME! Here are the links to 5 other AMAZING authors who have agreed to share seven lines from their upcoming books. Get a behind the scenes glimpse of 5 stories!
Heather HildenbrandBethany LopezKayla SmithJustine WinterShawn McGuire
And there's more! Justine Winter is giving away a paperback copy of Nature's Destiny on goodreads. Click here to enter!
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Published on December 11, 2014 06:28
December 8, 2014
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99 CENTS FOR A LIMITED TIME!
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Itunes: http://bit.ly/xoxoibooks
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Published on December 08, 2014 05:00


