Mishka Jenkins's Blog, page 17

Romance Weekly #lovewritechat

It’s Tuesday! So time for the regular Romance Weekly :) Hello to all those joining from Jo Richardson’s blog!

1. Have you always written Romance?

Thinking back on it, yeah, I have :D I think romance drew me in because of the love and hope it gives, and in my opinion, it adds an extra layer to characters and the story.

Unless I’m writing a short story, my short stories tend to take a very creepy, horror-like turn and I have no idea why!

2. How do you deal with critiques about the romance genre?



Ignore them.

There is such a stigma against romance, as though anything in romance is not worthy of being classed as ‘good’. I have no idea why, some of the best books I’ve read have been romance with incredible writing and deep characters. It makes absolutely no sense to me why romance should be classed as less than any other genre.

3. What’s the one thing about our genre you’d like people to know.

That romance can add a powerful layer to a story and characters. All those damsels-in-distress and dashing heroes, they are great characters, they have depth and interest. As do the vampire love interests, the shape-shifters, the average Joes/Janes, the off-worlders.

Love is real and can really drive a story forwards so as a book becomes one of your most cherished reads.

Some interesting questions this week, and they bring up a valuable point. It’s definitely time romance took its place amongst the other genres!

What do you think about the stigma against romance books and those who write them?

Let’s find out what S.C Mitchell has to say on the topic.

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Progress Report:

Word Count: 2539.

Status of Fourth Manuscript: Writing first draft.

Books read: 0/4

June eBook review: Book chosen.

May 2014 Round-Up and June 2014 Plan

Apparently I was in complete denial over the end of May, so I completely missed it! :D Sorry for no end of month eBook review, it shall be posted on Wednesday instead!

And now it’s time for the monthly round-up :D

And it has certainly been an exciting month!

Let’s take a look at May:

- I did it! I published all three books. So, that was pretty much all I did for the month!

- Posted every scheduled day.

- Decided to do re-blogs on a Thursday.

- I did my first author interview, and features on other blogs.

- Connected regularly with other bloggers :)

It was a rather exciting month, but non-stop busy, so I’m kinda hoping June is going to be a bit quieter :)

Plan:

2nd- Prep for fourth book.

3rd- 30th- Write first draft of fourth book.

30th- June eBook review.

Goals:

- Link to other’s posts more often (so many great posts out there, I really want to share!).

- Read at least 4 books.

- Actively support other authors in their endeavours.

There’s the plan!

There’s also some interesting stuff happening in June around the blogosphere:

- M. Barker-Simpson has a great June prompt series happening. Looks like great fun- Check it out :)

- Kate Sparkes’ book, Bound (which has just had a cover reveal) is coming out June 26th!

- Renee Meland has asked me to participate in a fun character hop mid- June :)

- Part Time Monster has a great series going on following the Lord of the Rings, which is definitely worth checking out.

- Marcia Meara has asked me to do an interview, which is going to be great fun!

- Natacha Guyot always has some great fun reviews and links, so check out her posts this month too!

I think it’s going to be rather weird going back to writing, but I have been so looking forward to it. I have missed it. Plus, I’m incredibly excited about my next story!

How did you do in May? Did you reach your goals? What have you got planned for June?

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Progress Report:

Status of Fourth Manuscript: Prepping and research.

June eBook review: Book chosen.

Pricing- Marketing strategy or Sensible business plan?

First off I want to say a MASSIVE thank you to all the support you guys gave me on release day! For all the tweets and re-blogs and release day posts! I was so overwhelmed and it kept me smiling, well, to be honest, I’m still smiling now! :D Thank you so much.

And now, I’m going to broach a bit of a touchy subject, which is pricing.

I didn’t really want to talk about, as it makes me feel awkward and uncomfortable :D But this is an honest blog, and I felt it is such a big part of writing as a career, I needed to post something on it.

I have to admit, how much I was going to charge for my books didn’t even enter my brain until it was staring me in the face on Kindle direct publishing, asking me to name a price for my work.

Blimey! What a task.

Having to put a price on my books which I’d spent months slogging over and producing to the highest standard I can achieve? It was difficult.

Obviously, I can’t price them too high because people just wouldn’t buy them otherwise, plus you have to consider with an eBook that there is no delivery cost or printing cost, so that does help reduce price.

But still, I want to make money. Not because I’m greedy :D But because I want to eventually live off of what I make. Some people charge very little for their eBooks, which is totally fine and their choice, and I completely understand it from a marketing strategy kind of perspective. The cheaper it is, the more likely people are to buy it, especially in today’s economy, where people have less money to start with to spend on luxuries. And if people buy one book for cheaper and like it, they are more likely to buy the others, especially if they aren’t very much.

But then there is the other side of the coin. The side where I want to earn my living from writing eventually. Instead of looking at pricing as another marketing strategy for people to buy my books, I needed to look at it from a sensible, financial point of view.

Writing is not only my life, it’s my business. And that needs to be taken seriously.

So I decided to price them as follows:

The Queen’s Jester (shortest, around 33,000 words)- £2.01

Stolen Bloodline (Bit longer, around 36,000 words)- £2.19

Heart of the Arena (My biggest- around 56,000 words)- £3.05

I went by pricing for a UK market, and I hope that it translated well to the US and other markets.

After choosing my prices, whilst waiting for the books to process, I was glancing around other eBooks that were about £1.99 or £1.50 and I was freaking out, thinking I’d charged too much.

Then, I actually sat back and thought about £3 as a price point.

It’s not that unusual to pay nearly £3 for a coffee from a coffee shop.

It’s not unusual to pay £3 or over for a small bunch of flowers.

It’s definitely not unusual to pay £3 for a box of chocolates.

It’s not even that unusual to pay £3 for a greetings card nowadays.

When I thought about it, I realised £3 is not a lot of money, especially considering the amount of energy and work that went into producing these books.

So yeah, some people might say I’ve charged too high, but from a business point of view, I think writers probably don’t charge enough. How much more entertainment is someone going to get from an eBook than from a box of chocolates? (Hm, possibly bad example, I get A LOT of enjoyment from a box of chocolates :D).

I understand the lower price points, but I stand by my choices for what I’ve charged. In the end, I often pay £3 or over for an eBook knowing I will get hours of enjoyment for it, and knowing that is a very small price to pay for that. I like to support writers, and I like to see them charging that bit extra, because I know how much work goes into producing a book.

So, there you have it, my opinion for the day! :D But then, S.K.Nicholls recently had a post where she was saying she sold tons more books at a lower price. So, it goes to show how pricing is such a hard thing to pin down and get right!

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As an aside, I’ve decided that every Thursday I shall re-blog a post. There are so many great posts out there by other writers, I would like to share my favourites! Just in case anyone was wondering why there was a re-blog post from me yesterday :)

I was also interviewed by the amazing Shehanne Moore, which has been posted today :D – http://shehannemoore.wordpress.com/2014/05/30/the-may-author-interview-3-in-one-with-mishka-jenkins/

What are your thoughts on pricing? What did you price your books at? What prices are you willing to pay for an eBook? Does price matter if you really want to read the book?

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Progress Report

Status of Fourth Manuscript: Planning and research.



May E-Book Review: Book read and review ready.

The Joy of Getting Book Reviews

Harliqueen:

A good point, and something on my mind a lot at the moment! :D

Originally posted on Susan Finlay Writes:

Book reviews are helpful marketing tools for authors, but more importantly they give the author much needed feedback. They let the author know how readers feel about his or her books. Each time I publish a new book, I feel excitement about giving my book wings and letting it go out into the world, relief that I can take a breath and relax after months of hard work, and a bit of anxiety about readers’ reactions. I’m in the dark until the first reviews start coming in, and that can be a bit of a nail-biter situation. Will readers love it or hate it? Will they relate to the characters and the situations? Have I let them down in any way? Will they be hooked and have a hard time putting the book down, or will they be bored and stop reading? Will they want to read the next book?

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It’s here! Release day!!

This is it… This is really it!

My books are out there, they have been released into the world.

And I think I’m about ready to explode with excitement and nervousness all at the same time :D Months and months of work and there they are… out for sale!!

Before doing all the release links and things, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone of the blogging and writing community.

When I started this journey, I wanted to connect with others who are going through the same process. And I did, but I also found so many great people who are supportive and genuine in their want to help others succeed in this tough world of books and writing! Every time I’ve asked for help or advice, you guys have been there!

Thank you!

The Queen’s Jester

Fantasy romance.

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/The-Queens-Jester-Mishka-Jenkins-ebook/dp/B00KLBISGG/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_tnr_1

Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Queens-Jester-Mishka-Jenkins-ebook/dp/B00KLBISGG/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1_6TCG

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/442154

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22352807-the-queen-s-jester

Blurb: An exquisite wedding gift. A husband whom she loves. A Jester who she craves. A Kingdom in peril.

After receiving a beautiful emerald amulet at the celebrations of her wedding, new Queen Marie finds solace in the stunning, yet strange amulet. A warm comfort that fills the hole that her husband has left with his distance at her every affectionate touch.

That is until the new Jester arrives, his presence fuelling in Marie an instant burning need.

The more she finds herself drawn to the enigmatic man, the quicker she realises he is anything but the fool.

Marie must make a choice, one that could not only affect her marriage and her life…

But her entire Kingdom.



Excerpt:

“Something troubling you, my queen?” the Jester asked, as he placed the urn back on the polished, ivory-edged table.

“Why must you be here?” Marie accused, spinning away and crossing her arms. “Why must you seek me out?” Before the Jester could reply, she spun back to face him and jabbed a finger at his solid, muscled chest. “You think I will just fall for your charms? Leap into your arms because you are around when I need you?” Again she prodded him with a slender finger. He looked at the action, one brow rising in amusement and causing her anger to flare. “I am married, to a good man,” Marie said, unsure why she was defending a man and a marriage she was no longer certain she held any faith in. “He and I are matched in every way; we are of the same standing, live the same life, enjoy the same things.”

“Forgive me, my queen,” the Jester said in a calm tone and she bristled with annoyance at his relaxed composure. “But you sound as though you are trying to convince yourself rather than me.” He half smiled, his full lips quivering in amusement and drawing her focus.

“That is not- I am not…” Marie stumbled, every word feeling like a boulder tumbling from her mouth. “I am telling you that I feel nothing for you!” Every nerve burned like it was on fire, flames seeming to flare in her stomach and making her incoherent thoughts and speech burn with emotion she wanted to hide.

The Jester crossed his arms over his chest and let his gaze wander over her body that was shaking with the barrage of feeling.

“For one who feels nothing, that was spoken with great emotion.”

Marie let out an exasperated groan. “Why did you come to see me?” Though she said it in annoyance, a flash of excitement shot down her spine.

“I was summoned by the king,” he replied, pointing down the hall behind her to Warrick’s office, and Marie flushed a bright red. “But don’t get me wrong, my queen.” He smiled slyly. “This has been most… enlightening.” He took her hand and planted a light kiss on it, Marie ignoring the heat that was fuelled within her at the touch. As he walked past her, she could hear the faint echo of a chuckle, its taunting sound surrounding her and making her embarrassment deepen.

Stolen Bloodline

Paranormal Romance

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Stolen-Bloodline-Mishka-Jenkins-ebook/dp/B00KLBS4BU/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_tnr_2

Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stolen-Bloodline-Mishka-Jenkins-ebook/dp/B00KLBS4BU/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_1

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/442160

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22352758-stolen-bloodline

Blurb: Stolen away from her humdrum life, Imogen is thrown into a dark world where the creatures from tales are not only real, but rule the realm.

Vampires.

In this world of dark, moonlight is Imogen’s only source of safety, but the moon’s glow reveals a lot more than she ever realised. She soon learns her heritage and bloodline are what put her in danger, and the reason these vampires are keeping her hostage. But with a father who doesn’t even care enough to call, how was she supposed to know?

Held captive by the vampire leader, Bane, and his brother, Caden, Imogen must find a way to keep herself alive. Yet, the longer she remains, the more she wonders whether those she feared are the ones she should trust, as new truths continue to shine through.

When Bane shows Imogen that life in a world of dark can be more enlightening than her own sunlit realm, it seems that, though he may have stolen her from home, she risks him stealing her heart as well.

Excerpt:

“Your parents truly told you nothing.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Told me what?” Imogen stepped closer, her hands out in a desperate plea for some answers, hoping for some kind of explanation for everything that was going on. “Am I dreaming? Is this like my mother’s story?”

“This is no story,” he replied once again without emotion.

Heart of the Arena

Historical Romance

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Arena-Mishka-Jenkins-ebook/dp/B00KLBT0G8/ref=la_B00KLDXDDW_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1401274839&sr=1-1

Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Heart-Arena-Mishka-Jenkins-ebook/dp/B00KLBT0G8/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_2

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/442163

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22353226-heart-of-the-arena

Blurb: Ancient Rome is a dangerous place, in more ways than one.

Captured by slavers, distraught but determined Sabina is thrust into the world of gladiators. Disguised as a man, she struggles to remain undetected whilst navigating through her new life.

But love forces its way into her focus again and when a haunting figure from her past remerges, the couple’s fate is to be decided in the Heart of the Arena.



Excerpt:

“We are family here, Tacitus, brothers bonded by blood and brand,” Cassian said and gestured to the scarred brand on his shoulder that matched her own. “Drust feels this more than most, he has seen many under his instruction die before their time. He is a protector, as well as a trainer. Prove to him that you can survive, show him you are worthy of his protection, and you will see his manners improve towards you.”

Sabina raised her brow in surprise. Drust did not want to like her in case she died? It was a fact about the imposing doctore she had not expected, yet explained much about the coldness he showed only to her. The others he knew had survived arena matches before, she had not, so why should he become invested until he knew otherwise? “Win tomorrow, Tacitus, and much will change.”

“Cassian,” Sabina called as he made to stand and move away, forgetting to mask her voice, but the helmet helping to disguise its feminine tone. The gladiator glanced over his shoulder at her. “You win too.” It was a feeble statement, but once again his gaze had left her tongue-tied.

He spread his arms out wide. “Is there any doubt?” he asked with a grin and then moved back to the feast, lost within moments to a gaggle of excited women happy at his return.

–

Winter Bayne has been incredibly lovely and posted a release day post on her blog, with a longer excerpt from Stolen Bloodline :)

There you have it. My books. Out for everyone to see… Do I seem nervous? :D

I realise my posts have been very focused on my own writing and books lately, but normal posts will resume again on Friday. It was just with release day drawing near, I was getting rather excited! :D

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Progress Report:

BOOKS PUBLISHED!! I finally made it!



Now to start all over again with my next book :D

May EBook Review: Book read. Review ready.

Romance Weekly #lovechatwrite

Back to Romance Weekly this week :)

1. How much of yourself do you write into your characters? Or do you write characters completely opposite to you?

Actually, it’s odd because I look at my characters and I can see little bits of me in some of them :D I think it’s difficult not to add a little of yourself to a character you connect with. Usually for me, these characters are secondary characters and it is only small bits, so it doesn’t show!



2. Has your writing helped you see events in your own life clearer?

It has certainly helped make my life clearer. I was a complete mess before I started writing and being able to focus on something. Now, I feel clear on where I want to head in my life, and I have writing to thank for that.



3. Have you written a character with more of your personal characteristics than any other? What are they?

Hm, I don’t think so. I think if you took all of my characters and mushed them together, you might find quite a few of my characteristics- creativity, honesty… impatience :D But no one character is like me, at least not any I have written yet. Maybe I will write a character one day based on me and see if anyone notices!

I like to write my characters as very individual, and I find little bits of my personality in them, but very different bits. I think it adds to their depth, as they each have something I can relate too, even the bad guys, so therefore I write them in a more believable manner… I hope!

Great set of questions this week, really got me thinking about my characters and their individualism.

Now go check out what the fabulous Brenda Margriet has to say in response to these questions!

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Progress Report

Publishing status: Getting all books ready for release tomorrow!!

May E-Book Review: Book read. Review written.

Oh, have you met…?

One thing I get excited about writing and about reading is character introductions.

It’s great fun to be introduced to different characters, and the way they are presented to the reader and other characters from the outset.

When I write, I feel the way a character is introduced gives an instant impression of what that character is like, and also lets the reader know what part they are going to play.

For example, in Pride and Prejudice, Mrs Bennett talks about Darcy before we meet him, and that’s all very nice, but it’s his proper introduction that gives us that instant sense of the character.

It also becomes very, very obvious that he is going to be a romantic interest! Darcy is handsome and rich, but he’s not exactly very nice. Instant sense of character.

But that is rather a tame introduction. I do like when characters are introduced in fun or dramatic ways :D

Romantic interests are usually introduced in such a way so as the reader knows it’s them. But still, when introducting a character, you want to be able to get across that first impression of who they are and what they are like. For example, when I introduced the romantic interest in Heart of the Arena, I was trying to get across the fact he was not only a romantic interest, but also his character and manner itself.

‘The two iron gates swung open and three of Sentius’ guards, wearing his uniform of distinct, red leather, entered and parted to reveal the gladiator behind. The primus palus was taller than his Roman escorts, his torso broad, muscled and defined, his arms thick and solid with obvious strength. He strode with a great confidence towards the mess. As he neared, Sabina found her throat becoming dry. He stopped at their table and took a seat by Appius.

“Where have you been, Cassian?” Carantii asked.

“Accompanying Sentius,” Cassian replied with a voice that surprised her with how well spoken it was, his soft accent evidence that it was not his native tongue. “Attempting to convince the man hosting the next games to use this ludus’ gladiators.” As he rested his arms on the table Sabina tried not to notice the way his muscles flexed, almost knocking over her mug in her haste to look away.

“Did you succeed?” Atto asked.

“Of course, who could refuse after laying eyes upon me?” Cassian gave a lopsided smile that exuded charm, a smile that would have made any woman weak to his requests. A laugh passed over the gathered gladiators and Sabina brought herself back from her gazing.’



Cassian is confident and a little egotistical :D I wanted to get across those fact upon first meeting.

But then there’s the other type of character to introduce. The bad guy or villain. They can be great fun!

Here’s the introduction of the Jester in The Queen’s Jester:

‘“Lords, ladies, Your Highness and Your Majesty.” He bowed low and Marie smiled at him politely. “There is one final act to present tonight, a performer of great agility, dexterity and a sharp wit to boot.” A small chuckle spread through the crowd and the little man shuffled to one side as a pair of topless men stepped forwards carrying flaming torches. “I give to you your entertainer, your performer. Your jester.”

Marie gasped as the two men blew against the torches, the flames bursting into life in a blinding flash and sizzling in the air. She shielded herself from the intense light and heat, only daring to turn back when the brightness subsided.

The flickering orange flames curled outwards, as though drawn away from whoever was walking through them. Through the parting curtain of fire, a pair of striking green eyes caught her own and stole her breath away. The jester was not what she’d been expecting and suddenly her reservations about having a fool in court vanished.’

You can tell he’s bad news, at least I’m hoping you can :D From the flames and magic, it gives the impression of someone you don’t want to get near, but Marie finds herself drawn to.

Another introduction that stuck in my head is Diesel from Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich. Brilliant introduction!

‘He appeared out of nowhere. One minute I was sipping on my coffee, mentally planning out my day. And then the next minute… poof, there he was.’

You get the immediate sense that this guy is not going to be what he seems :D

The way to introduce a character can be great fun, and it’s something I always look forward to reading when I crack open a new book! But it’s also fun to write, playing around with characters and finding the exact best way to introduce them to readers and give that first impression.

They do say you never get a second chance to make a first impression :D

Have you written any introductions you love? Have you read a book with a great character introduction? Is there a particular way you like to introduce your characters?

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Progress Report

Publishing status:

> Stolen Bloodline- Marketing.

> The Queen’s Jester- Marketing.

> Heart of the Arena- Marketing.

May E-Book Review: Book read. Review written.

Bad boys, Aliens and Romance… Oh My!

I was having a think this morning about heroes and villains and why I found myself having trouble falling for the good guy romantic love interest. I wasn’t the only one, as Taylor Grace has also posted a great post on it.

When I’m reading, I tend to find myself drawn towards the bad guy lately. And I think it’s because the male heroes have become pretty much just perfect.

They are attractive, noble, loyal, they say and do the right things… Man, are they annoying!

The bad guys, I know, they are not nice, but at least they have character and flaws. They have realism to connect with.

I think part of the reason I’ve been thinking about this is due to the fact I’ve been watching Roswell lately (which I partly blame Winter bayne for, as all her great short fiction lately has me on a sci-fi kick!). When the show first came out, I was a little young to relate, but my sister watched it so I have a vague memory of it.

But I’ve been watching it from the start of season 1 and I have to admit, I do love it :D Like a 90’s blast from the past to my childhood! But also, I was looking at the characters.

If you don’t know the show, it’s a sci-fi, teenage, romance type thing and the plot revolves around three aliens (who are mostly human, obviously) as they figure out who they are and fall in love, etc.

The main character, the main draw of the show, is Max Evans. A good looking, dark-haired guy with a kind, generous and wise soul. Oh yes, he’s pretty darn perfect. And as a teenager, yeah, I probably would have been drawn to him :D

But now, in my mid-twenties, I realised I’m not drawn to the perfect guy at all.

Michael on the other hand…

Now there’s a guy I could fall for.

Michael is Max’s best friend, an alien as well, but he is brash, brunt and not really romantic in the traditional way. He may not say the right things, he may not do the right things, but his romance with Maria makes me swoon every time. He’s still a good guy, but he’s flawed. Oh, and handsome as well, that’s still a must :D

Yes, he’s who I go for.

And I realise I should probably think about this when I write romantic love interests myself in my books. Instead of going for the all around good guy, I am inspired by Michael and I am excited to write someone who is really flawed but good at heart, and the way they show romance is more real, rather than romantic puppy surprises (old spice commercial reference, because just too awesome not to!). They will make mistakes, but their intentions will be good. That is a character I could fall for and invest with!

Obviously, this is just my opinion :D Give it a few months and I will probably be full of interest in reading about a guy who gets it all right! I’m fickle like that, but at least with all of the stories out there now, we have such a great choice and can read to suit our tastes for the moment.

Also, as a side note I have decided on a release date for my books-



Wednesday 28th May!

I am so excited :D

Are you all about the bad boys/girls? Do you like the perfect guy/girl? Which do you prefer to write about? Are there any characters who make you swoon at the mere mention of them? :D

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Progress Report

Publishing status:

> Stolen Bloodline- Marketing.

> The Queen’s Jester- Marketing.

> Heart of the Arena- Marketing.

May E-Book Review: Book read. Review written.

The Process of Titles and… a Reveal! :D

One of the most important features of a book.

The Title.

It identifies your work, and sometimes it also gives an impression of the story beneath the cover.

It is also helpful when that title is unique :D And due to this fact I have had to re-name one of my books.

Now, I have read up on the law regarding using the same title, and it does say you can use it as long as you don’t have the same story. Which makes sense.

But, I just felt kind of bad about using the same title as someone else. It was hard to change the title though, I have to admit. It was a difficult moment. Not only because it was hard thinking of something new, but also because the book title I changed was Stolen.

Stolen was a story I wrote when I was 15, and it has remained Stolen all these years, running around in my head knowing I would want to re-write it one day. So yeah, it’s been Stolen for quite some time and it feels weird calling it something else.

I also changed the title of another book, though that wasn’t so difficult. My third manuscript title was originally Victor!, but something didn’t feel right about it. Even though it suited the story, it just felt wrong.

But the other day, a title popped into my head. I mean, quite literally! :D I was just sat there and BAM!

Heart of the Arena.

It’s perfect!

So, it’s been a pretty interesting week with titles :D Two changed and for different reasons, but it was important to change them and get it just right. Titles are part of the catch to draw a reader’s attention, after all, so they have got to be perfect.

Also, in part celebration of the progress I’m making, and the fact I’m just totally excited. I present to you, Stolen’s new title, cover and blurb!! :D

Click for larger image.

Blurb:

Stolen away from her humdrum life, Imogen is thrown into a dark world where the creatures from tales are not only real, but rule the realm.

Vampires.

In this world of dark, moonlight is Imogen’s only source of safety, but the moon’s glow reveals a lot more than she ever realised. She soon learns her heritage and bloodline are what put her in danger, and the reason these vampires are keeping her hostage. But with a father who doesn’t even care enough to call, how was she supposed to know?

Held captive by the vampire leader, Bane, and his brother, Caden, Imogen must find a way to keep herself alive. Yet, the longer she remains, the more she wonders whether those she feared are the ones she should trust, as new truths continue to shine through.

When Bane shows Imogen that life in a world of dark can be more enlightening than her own sunlit realm, it seems that, though he may have stolen her from home, she risks him stealing her heart as well.

*Blurb edited and improved by the incredible suggestions of Amos M. Carpenter

Excerpt:

“These memories should remain in the past, you have no need to know of them, you have no need to know of me.” His tone was stern and he avoided her gaze.

“But what if I want to know?” Imogen asked whilst standing from her place. “Haven’t I earned that much by being kept prisoner here?” Her voice was as firm as his had been. She had not meant to say it, she had not wanted to ruin that night by reminding them both of the situation. Yet his reluctance and unwillingness to trust her had for some reason hurt deep within her.

Bane stiffened at her words and then the expressionless, stern façade he had lost long ago when talking with her returned. Imogen bit her lip and clenched her fists.

“As you say,” he said, his calm demeanour returned. “You are a hostage, and that is all you are.” It was as though he’d just once again realised she wasn’t a guest but his prisoner.

“And you are the man, the monster, keeping me in this dark prison!” Imogen didn’t know what she was saying, it was just blurting from her in angry shouts before she could stop herself.

“Monster?” Bane swallowed hard, her use of the word obviously cutting at him. Imogen wanted to apologise, but her stubbornness made her throat seize up. “Do not think yourself so precious, my lady.” His formality sent a shooting pain across her chest. “It was your bloodline that made me so monstrous.”

“People I don’t even know did that, not me.”

“But you see me as only someone who would cause harm?” Bane asked. Imogen gasped and stumbled back against the wall when he lunged forwards, his hands slamming against the stone either side of her. The force put dents in the wall where his fists collided. “You think I would hurt you? After everything, you still believe-” He stopped himself. Their breaths mingled at the closeness of his face to hers. Imogen felt the barrage of unspoken declarations that passed between them like electric over her skin, Bane seeming to sense it also, his jaw clenching. Imogen knew their anger stemmed from them both trying to deny what they felt, what they knew was happening. Yet still she remained silent, unwilling to admit the emotions she knew she should not feel so strongly for him, even if saying them would free her from the constant pressure of burying them. Bane let out a low growl before storming out of the room.

***

Hope you enjoyed it!

Have you had trouble with titles? Have you had to change titles of your books? Do they come to you easily, or do you have to work to come up with a title? What’s your favourite title (your’s or someone else’s)?

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Progress Report

Publishing status:

> Stolen Bloodline- Marketing.

> The Queen’s Jester- Cover. (Still to do: Blurb, marketing).

> Heart of the Arena- Cover. (Still to do: Blurb, marketing).

May E-Book Review: Book read. Review written.

Memory Lane

I have a confession.

When I was young, I hated reading. I really did not like it!

Though, I was lucky enough to have a mum who liked reading and literature. She would read to me and my sister often, all kinds of things from books to poetry.

Now I read practically all the time :D It’s a great escapism for me, and with the surge of self-published books, it means there are so many other stories open to us now!

But back then I was, and still am in some ways, a very fussy reader. A book had to catch me within a couple of pages or I lost interest. In my teens, I didn’t really read anything at all. I wrote A LOT, but very little reading.

So for me, the books I did read when I was younger really stand out today. Those books that just caught me and stick in my mind until this day.

- A Witch in Time by Terry Deary (the original, not the 2002 one)- I borrowed this from my primary school library and loved it! Not sure why it had me hooked, I just remember that it did.

- Beyond the Deep Woods by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell- There were so many great parts in this. I cried at one point, and got so scared I couldn’t sleep with the light off at another :D Didn’t enjoy the rest of the series though.

- Mrs Wishy Washy – I didn’t actually enjoy this, I just used to torture my mum with it by bringing it home as compulsory reading from infant school. She hated that book.

- The Perfume (Point Horror) - I rediscovered this book on Chrissi Reads, (a brilliant blog!) after trying to remember what it was called. I even wrote a short piece inspired by it on my other blog.

There are a few others, but these are the ones I remember the most, that I sometimes think of fondly whilst waiting around with nothing on my mind.

I think these are the types of books that started my love of wanting to write a story, to write something that someone, somewhere will think of fondly at random points throughout their life :D

Do you remember your childhood favourites? Which books started your love for reading and/or writing?

Also, as a side note… I have finished editing! I have got my happy dance groove on!

There will also be no Romance Weekly post this week, as I am working really hard on finishing up these books :D Back on schedule next week though!

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Progress Report

Publishing status:

> Stolen- Formatting. (Still to do: Cover, blurb, marketing).

> The Queen’s Jester- Formatting. (Still to do: Cover, blurb, marketing).

> Third Manuscript- Formatting. (Still to do: Cover, blurb, marketing).

May E-Book Review: Book read. Review written.