Theresa Van Spankeren's Blog, page 12
October 25, 2015
Update and Kindle Sale!
Hello all! I wanted to update everyone on the War of Destiny series. The cover for Book 2, "Pursuit into Darkness" is just about done. It will be revealed it in the next few days. Halloween is the big day!
If you are looking to catch up on the War of Destiny series, Book 1 will be on a Kindle Countdown sale for 0.99¢ starting tomorrow and will run through November 2nd!
http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Soul-War-D...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/…/ref=pd_sxp_...
If you are looking to catch up on the War of Destiny series, Book 1 will be on a Kindle Countdown sale for 0.99¢ starting tomorrow and will run through November 2nd!
http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Soul-War-D...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/…/ref=pd_sxp_...
October 8, 2015
Update on Book 2
Things are coming along nicely. I have seen the newest update of the cover in progress and I am very happy with it so far. Jon Hunt does a wonderful job.
I am closing in on the finish line on the editing, despite a crazy week in progress. Halloween still looks like the debut day.
The sale for the Kindle edition of Book 1 "Lost Soul" is being set up and will likely take place the same week Book 2 is released so people can catch up on the series.
The giveaway for Book 2 "Pursuit into Darkness" will likely take place in November. Exact dates will be announced when it gets closer.
Thanks to everyone for the support!
I am closing in on the finish line on the editing, despite a crazy week in progress. Halloween still looks like the debut day.
The sale for the Kindle edition of Book 1 "Lost Soul" is being set up and will likely take place the same week Book 2 is released so people can catch up on the series.
The giveaway for Book 2 "Pursuit into Darkness" will likely take place in November. Exact dates will be announced when it gets closer.
Thanks to everyone for the support!
September 17, 2015
Pursuit into Darkness : Snippet # 2
I stood in a forest. It was dark out, which didn’t surprise me. A small girl with hair as black as midnight suddenly ran out in front of me. She ran to a fallen log and knelt beside it. She picked up a stack of something on the log and began to play with it.
I turned fully so I could see what she was doing. Yet, try as I might, I couldn’t make out exactly what she was playing with. Knowing I should have been able to, the fact I couldn’t made me quite curious. I walked over and knelt down on the other side of the log. “Good Eve. What are you doing?” I asked gently. The girl only looked about ten years old.
She looked up and I saw she had light gray eyes. She smiled. “I’ve been waiting for you.” She put down what she was playing with and I saw they were cards. Homemade by the looks of it. “I am telling the future,” she answered.
I rearranged the skirt of my dress and laughed. “Isn’t that a strange thing for a girl your age to be doing?” I asked.
The girl didn’t smile. “I am strange,” she said.
I decided to humor her. “All right, you can tell mine.”
“That is why I’m here,” she replied, picking up the cards. She shuffled them and then laid down nine. She paused a second and then turned the first one over. “The Lovers, right side up. You will have love and emotional warmth with someone you know now.” She continued to turn over cards. “The Star right side up. You have bright hopes and expectations. The Chariot, right side up. You have the ability to triumph and command over others. The Wheel of Fortune, reversed. There will be unexpected bad luck. The Hanged Man, right side up. There will be self-sacrifice – someone will be unselfish. The Moon right side up. Deception, false friends, and secret foes are on the horizon.”
I felt a sudden chill. I didn’t like how this reading was turning out. Not at all. I wrapped my arms around myself and nodded for the girl to keep going.
She turned over the next card. “The King of Swords, reversed. There will be an evil and violent man.” The girl turned over the second to last card. “The Knight of Batons, right side up. There will be a departure or painful separation soon.” She paused over the last card.
I suddenly felt as if I had been dropped into the coldest of waters. “Turn it over,” I said.
The girl did so. I stared at the card in transfixed horror. A skeleton stared back, grinning, as it crushed bones. The girl spoke, her voice sounded strange. “The Death card.” She looked up. “Death is waiting for His turn, Julia.”
I reeled backwards and got to my feet. “Nay!” I shouted. I looked at her in confusion. “Waiting for whom? Who are you? How did you know my name?”
The girl shook her head. “I cannot tell you anymore. All your questions will be answered soon.”
I spun away and felt myself fall.
I turned fully so I could see what she was doing. Yet, try as I might, I couldn’t make out exactly what she was playing with. Knowing I should have been able to, the fact I couldn’t made me quite curious. I walked over and knelt down on the other side of the log. “Good Eve. What are you doing?” I asked gently. The girl only looked about ten years old.
She looked up and I saw she had light gray eyes. She smiled. “I’ve been waiting for you.” She put down what she was playing with and I saw they were cards. Homemade by the looks of it. “I am telling the future,” she answered.
I rearranged the skirt of my dress and laughed. “Isn’t that a strange thing for a girl your age to be doing?” I asked.
The girl didn’t smile. “I am strange,” she said.
I decided to humor her. “All right, you can tell mine.”
“That is why I’m here,” she replied, picking up the cards. She shuffled them and then laid down nine. She paused a second and then turned the first one over. “The Lovers, right side up. You will have love and emotional warmth with someone you know now.” She continued to turn over cards. “The Star right side up. You have bright hopes and expectations. The Chariot, right side up. You have the ability to triumph and command over others. The Wheel of Fortune, reversed. There will be unexpected bad luck. The Hanged Man, right side up. There will be self-sacrifice – someone will be unselfish. The Moon right side up. Deception, false friends, and secret foes are on the horizon.”
I felt a sudden chill. I didn’t like how this reading was turning out. Not at all. I wrapped my arms around myself and nodded for the girl to keep going.
She turned over the next card. “The King of Swords, reversed. There will be an evil and violent man.” The girl turned over the second to last card. “The Knight of Batons, right side up. There will be a departure or painful separation soon.” She paused over the last card.
I suddenly felt as if I had been dropped into the coldest of waters. “Turn it over,” I said.
The girl did so. I stared at the card in transfixed horror. A skeleton stared back, grinning, as it crushed bones. The girl spoke, her voice sounded strange. “The Death card.” She looked up. “Death is waiting for His turn, Julia.”
I reeled backwards and got to my feet. “Nay!” I shouted. I looked at her in confusion. “Waiting for whom? Who are you? How did you know my name?”
The girl shook her head. “I cannot tell you anymore. All your questions will be answered soon.”
I spun away and felt myself fall.
September 10, 2015
9/11, 14 Years Later
14 years have passed since the horror that had people fearing the sound of aircraft, the Pentagon in flames, and New York’s iconic Twin Towers wiped out of existence. In Pennsylvania passengers aboard another aircraft made the ultimate sacrifice to save fellow Americans.
Today, I look around and see a new generation of Americans who were either too young to remember or were not even alive yet. They have not born witness to the great tragedy. Their knowledge of the twin towers come from questioning their parents and other relatives upon seeing them in old movies such as “Ghostbusters.”
Even for those children who lost parents that fateful day, some were too young to have full recall. One child who was 4 at the time was quoted as saying, “It is a day of remembrance, not a day of sadness.” She only has abstract memories of her father who died in one of the towers. She might be sad she doesn’t have a father, but she doesn’t miss him. She was simply too young to have that emotional connection.
My nieces and nephew were born over the last 7 years. I try to remember that as I wonder how to teach them about it. They can never have the emotional attachment of those who have lived it but we must teach them to understand the pain and sorrow inflicted on the families of those who lost beloved members and friends and the country as a whole.
Never forget. Teach the next generation.
Today, I look around and see a new generation of Americans who were either too young to remember or were not even alive yet. They have not born witness to the great tragedy. Their knowledge of the twin towers come from questioning their parents and other relatives upon seeing them in old movies such as “Ghostbusters.”
Even for those children who lost parents that fateful day, some were too young to have full recall. One child who was 4 at the time was quoted as saying, “It is a day of remembrance, not a day of sadness.” She only has abstract memories of her father who died in one of the towers. She might be sad she doesn’t have a father, but she doesn’t miss him. She was simply too young to have that emotional connection.
My nieces and nephew were born over the last 7 years. I try to remember that as I wonder how to teach them about it. They can never have the emotional attachment of those who have lived it but we must teach them to understand the pain and sorrow inflicted on the families of those who lost beloved members and friends and the country as a whole.
Never forget. Teach the next generation.
September 2, 2015
My Dad is Turning Into a Vampire!
Yep, you read the title right. My dad is turning into a vampire. It is a slow process, about two weeks long now and ongoing.
It all started with the announcement of needing cataract surgery. 'It is to clear up the eyes,' they claimed.
A few days after the first eye was done, I met my father in the driveway, mail in hand. "It is too bright out here. The sun is too damn bright," he complained, grabbed the mail and fled into the darkness of the house.
Half the time now, he complains the lights in the house are too bright when others are home.
Earlier this week, I drove him to the followup appointment for the second eye. Again the complaint about the brilliant sun made an appearance. "It is too bright out, even with the sunglasses."
I glanced at him while stopped at the light. I couldn't even see his eyes past the blackness of the lens. He has brown eyes, I have blue eyes! The sun should have been bothering me more than him!
In the waiting room, he had to don the sunglasses again to wait for the doctor. There's light in there, but it wasn't the glaring daylight of outside.
Uh-huh. I am waiting for him to lose his reflection next.
It all started with the announcement of needing cataract surgery. 'It is to clear up the eyes,' they claimed.
A few days after the first eye was done, I met my father in the driveway, mail in hand. "It is too bright out here. The sun is too damn bright," he complained, grabbed the mail and fled into the darkness of the house.
Half the time now, he complains the lights in the house are too bright when others are home.
Earlier this week, I drove him to the followup appointment for the second eye. Again the complaint about the brilliant sun made an appearance. "It is too bright out, even with the sunglasses."
I glanced at him while stopped at the light. I couldn't even see his eyes past the blackness of the lens. He has brown eyes, I have blue eyes! The sun should have been bothering me more than him!
In the waiting room, he had to don the sunglasses again to wait for the doctor. There's light in there, but it wasn't the glaring daylight of outside.
Uh-huh. I am waiting for him to lose his reflection next.
August 13, 2015
Sneak Peek of Book 2!
Hello everyone,
I apologize for being away for so long. I had a lot of things to take care of personally now that I had the time and have also been hard at work at getting Book 2 of the "War of Destiny" series ready for publication.
Work on "Pursuit into Darkness" is coming along and has a tentative release date around Halloween if all goes well.(Knock on wood, please.)
***
Prologue
I sat in our garden, staring at the closed flower buds. It was one thing I missed about being human – seeing the vast array of colors produced by plants. I was never awake early enough to see the beautiful blooms. Roses, in particular had a special, if painful place in my heart. My daughter had been fascinated by the delicate patterns of the petals when we used to sit together. I still wonder what color would have been Marie’s favorite if she had survived. The thought brought sharp unwanted pain. Even now, it was difficult to think of our time in the garden.
It was hard to believe the year is 1582; over seventy years after Samuel had rescued me from my husband. We were again living in London, but life was different this time. We had only moved back into the area a few years before and have enjoyed the peace we’ve had the last few decades. We were now living a lifestyle similar to the one I had been used to as a human. An elegant mansion, finely tailored clothes. The only thing we didn’t have was servants. I found it interesting which vampires were relaxed with this lifestyle and who was not.
I couldn’t say for sure when I turned the corner and actually began to live again instead of simply existing. When had most of my irrational fears faded? Did it happen the night I found out Gregory was dead? I suspected it happened the night I had spent in Samuel’s arms, allowing him to love me. We have never spoken about it, but I know by the look he sometimes gives me when I’m with Adam, that he certainly hasn’t forgotten. Neither have I.
I honestly believed that my most difficult times were behind me. After all that I had been through as a human, I thought that learning how to become a strong vampire to overthrow the leader would be easy. The rest of the ka-tet seemed to believe I could do it. I guess I should have asked Samuel for the fine print of our agreement. Maybe then I would have been more prepared for what happened next.
I apologize for being away for so long. I had a lot of things to take care of personally now that I had the time and have also been hard at work at getting Book 2 of the "War of Destiny" series ready for publication.
Work on "Pursuit into Darkness" is coming along and has a tentative release date around Halloween if all goes well.(Knock on wood, please.)
***
Prologue
I sat in our garden, staring at the closed flower buds. It was one thing I missed about being human – seeing the vast array of colors produced by plants. I was never awake early enough to see the beautiful blooms. Roses, in particular had a special, if painful place in my heart. My daughter had been fascinated by the delicate patterns of the petals when we used to sit together. I still wonder what color would have been Marie’s favorite if she had survived. The thought brought sharp unwanted pain. Even now, it was difficult to think of our time in the garden.
It was hard to believe the year is 1582; over seventy years after Samuel had rescued me from my husband. We were again living in London, but life was different this time. We had only moved back into the area a few years before and have enjoyed the peace we’ve had the last few decades. We were now living a lifestyle similar to the one I had been used to as a human. An elegant mansion, finely tailored clothes. The only thing we didn’t have was servants. I found it interesting which vampires were relaxed with this lifestyle and who was not.
I couldn’t say for sure when I turned the corner and actually began to live again instead of simply existing. When had most of my irrational fears faded? Did it happen the night I found out Gregory was dead? I suspected it happened the night I had spent in Samuel’s arms, allowing him to love me. We have never spoken about it, but I know by the look he sometimes gives me when I’m with Adam, that he certainly hasn’t forgotten. Neither have I.
I honestly believed that my most difficult times were behind me. After all that I had been through as a human, I thought that learning how to become a strong vampire to overthrow the leader would be easy. The rest of the ka-tet seemed to believe I could do it. I guess I should have asked Samuel for the fine print of our agreement. Maybe then I would have been more prepared for what happened next.
July 14, 2015
Free!
Hello everyone! I have good news! I am free! FREE!!
Okay, in all seriousness, I have finished the project from the 20th level of hell. I am very sorry I have not been on in about a month, but in all honesty, I could not look at typed words after I got home. They all blurred together and looked like mush. But I guess that is expected after staring at essays for 10 to 12 hours a day. And trying to help Mom out after she hurt herself. That is a very glossy overview of things, but that is all I can say at the moment.
I am catching up on sleep and am decompressing, but work on Book 2 will be back underway within a few days.
Ah, sleep. That is a good thing.
Okay, in all seriousness, I have finished the project from the 20th level of hell. I am very sorry I have not been on in about a month, but in all honesty, I could not look at typed words after I got home. They all blurred together and looked like mush. But I guess that is expected after staring at essays for 10 to 12 hours a day. And trying to help Mom out after she hurt herself. That is a very glossy overview of things, but that is all I can say at the moment.
I am catching up on sleep and am decompressing, but work on Book 2 will be back underway within a few days.
Ah, sleep. That is a good thing.
June 14, 2015
Life's Curve Balls
Life throws curve balls. I have been working grading standardized tests for the past 2 and a half months or so which is why I haven't posted in a while.
I will be working longer than expected because I am joining in on a project that is behind schedule which will probably mean a lot more overtime.
My family also had to put our beloved dog down this weekend. That fact is still sinking in. So, sadly, things are a little rough right now.
I will be working longer than expected because I am joining in on a project that is behind schedule which will probably mean a lot more overtime.
My family also had to put our beloved dog down this weekend. That fact is still sinking in. So, sadly, things are a little rough right now.
May 24, 2015
Memorial Day
I am hoping everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend. I took a couple days off and will be working on Memorial day proper.
I just wanted to take a few moments to reflect on this day. I know a few friends who have returned from duty with PTSD and other issues. I have heard of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. I take the time to thank all of those who have served.
Let us not forget freedom is not free and thank all those who have served.
"All gave some, some gave all. Some stood through for the red, white and blue, and some had to fall. And if you ever think of me, think of all your liberties and recall, some gave all." -- Billy Ray Cyrus, "Some Gave All"
I just wanted to take a few moments to reflect on this day. I know a few friends who have returned from duty with PTSD and other issues. I have heard of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. I take the time to thank all of those who have served.
Let us not forget freedom is not free and thank all those who have served.
"All gave some, some gave all. Some stood through for the red, white and blue, and some had to fall. And if you ever think of me, think of all your liberties and recall, some gave all." -- Billy Ray Cyrus, "Some Gave All"
April 10, 2015
Tornadoes
I live in a suburb outside of Chicago Illinois. Yesterday evening, several tornadoes struck the rural communities of Fairdale and Rochelle among others, killing at least one person and injuring several others.
It is humbling and terrifying to have such a reminder of nature's brutal force. Humans like to be in control of things and it is gut-wrenching to realize you are helpless against such fury.
My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those affected. The Salvation Army and The Red Cross are accepting donations for the victims. At least two local places are also accepting donations now.
To Help:
https://donate.salvationarmyusa.org/m...
https://www.redcross.org/donate/neu02...
Check out Fairdale Il Tornado Recovery FB page for more places to donate:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fairda...
It is humbling and terrifying to have such a reminder of nature's brutal force. Humans like to be in control of things and it is gut-wrenching to realize you are helpless against such fury.
My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those affected. The Salvation Army and The Red Cross are accepting donations for the victims. At least two local places are also accepting donations now.
To Help:
https://donate.salvationarmyusa.org/m...
https://www.redcross.org/donate/neu02...
Check out Fairdale Il Tornado Recovery FB page for more places to donate:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fairda...
