I.D. Johnson's Blog, page 7

Cordia's Will is Free This Weekend

In honor of Mother's Day this weekend, Cordia's Will is free through Monday, May 11th!
I hope that you will download it, read it, fall in love with Cordia, Will (or even Carey!) and then leave me some feedback.  I started writing Cordia's Will over ten years ago. I never thought I would finish it. One day, on a whim, I sent the half-completed manuscript to my sister. She insisted that I finish it.  So, I thought about it--a lot. And, I just didn't know what happened next.... I hadn't written anything in ten years because I didn't want to leave Cordia sitting there, waiting on true love.  It wasn't until I decided to tell a different story (Deck of Cards) that I was able to return to Cordia and Will and finally finish their story.
Writing Cordia's Will was difficult for many reasons. Probably the most difficult part was killing off so many of the characters that I love. There were two scenes in particular that had me in tears as I wrote them. Read the story and I'm sure you'll figure out which ones.
My favorite scene happens late in the book and I won't give it away but it has to do with Cordia and Margaret sitting in the kitchen at the Adam's Farm when our heroin hears the back door open behind and realizes something is horribly wrong....
If you've read Cordia's Will, I'd love to hear from you. If you haven't, what are you waiting for? It's free this weekend! Download it here and happy reading!

Cordia loses her love and then has to choose between what her heart wants and what her family desires.
Image courtesy of Getty Images

Another Year Goes By

Today is my birthday.  There was a time when I was younger that birthdays made me a little uneasy. My mother was the type of woman who would lie about her age. (Maybe she still is, but I think she handles it a little differently these days.) For a long time, I thought growing older was a negative--it meant more wrinkles, more hair in the sink, more aches and pain, that sort of thing.  But when I started losing people that I loved unexpectedly, it made me realize that the reason we get presents on our birthday is partially because we have accomplished something. Not everyone gets to be 38.
My dad suddenly died at 55.  I know that the chances of dying unexpectedly are probably higher than the number of people who pass on with the idea that this is "the day," but, nevertheless, having someone so integral to my life ripped away from me with no warning was a huge wake up call to me that you shouldn't put things off.  I have accomplished a lot of things since my dad died because he reminded me that we don't always get tomorrow, next month, next year.

This year I've accomplished something I've been "meaning" to do for as long as I can remember. I wrote a book.  Actually, I wrote 5 of them--one to be released soon, the rest out in the world.  Writing a book is hard! You're responsible for the lives, thoughts, and actions of so many other "people." Whats even harder is selling books. You have to market yourself like a used car salesman. What's even harder is listening to people talk about your work like it was just spawned one day, like it didn't come from my own flesh and blood (and tears.)  But I wouldn't change it for anything, and I hope that I have a few more books on the shelf by the time I reach 39.
This year I started editing, too. There are a lot of reasons why I decided to start editing but the main one is because I hoped to meet some other new writers and form some friendships. I have definitely done that.  Of all of the birthday wishes I received today on Facebook, many of them were from fellow authors. That's awesome.  It's great to know that should I ever need to bounce an idea off of someone who feels my pain, there are lots of willing souls out there.
While I can take very little credit for this, I have also seen a huge improvement in my daughter's speech and social skills this year.  She continues to amaze me every day.  I am hopeful that by this time next year, she will have made even more progress and eventually we will be saying, "Autism who?" or the equivalent thereof.
There are some things I wanted to do this year that just didn't happen--as always. I traveled some but not enough. I didn't see my siblings as much as I would have liked to.  I am in better shape but not the best.  I still want another dog! But, I am optimistic that I will get an entire 39th year to work on those things. And if I don't, perhaps they aren't as important as I thought.
We never know what the next moment brings. Let us embrace each one as it comes.  To my friends and family who have wished me a happy birthday, I say thank you. And thank you for being in my life. To those of you who are reading this wondering if they will ever write that book--just write it.  Get the words down. That's the easiest part, believe me. Once it's down, the rest will come. To the readers who have enjoyed my work, thank you so very much for giving deeper purpose to the art I love to create.  I would still write even if no one reads it, but the fact that people do read what I write not only inspires me, it humbles me as well.  Here's to the 39th year being the best one yet!

First Review for The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation

The first review is up for my new book--and you can read it on this lovely smoking gun pic!
I feel like this reader said everything I have been trying to convey in my blog posts and in book blurb. I know this reader has read some of my other books as well and I am honored that she is such a big fan. (And no, I don't know her--or him--and it isn't my mom, lol!)

Yesterday, I found this striking image on Getty Images and I decided to elect this woman my new spokesperson.  You see, Clandestine means secret and the book is all about how there's a secret world that we, as humans, don't even realize exist. Once you're part of that world, you never see anything the same ever again. So, Cadence not only has the burden of figuring out who she really is, she also has to keep this extremely important secret from many of the people she loves--her friends, her ex-boyfriend Jack, and her sister Cassidy.  As a result, she doesn't know how to relate to those people any more. However, she also doesn't feel as if she is really a part of the LIGHTS team either, especially after she almost gets kicked off for making a bad decision. This Vampire with a secret kind of sums it all up--Vampires are real, but you can't tell anyone....
It's so awesome to have a review already. I hope to get some feedback from other readers soon. Book 2 is about halfway done, and I am still formulating ideas for book 3. Feedback will help me insure I am keeping the readers entertained, intrigued, and captivated.  So, please, read the book and let me know your thoughts.
Pictures courtesy of Getty Images.

5 Simple Ways to Make Your Editor Love You!

By day, I am a reading teacher. By night, I'm a writer--okay, actually, by most nights, I'm an editor. I do a lot of editing for Fiverr.com  and while I absolutely love this gig, there are some things I really wish all the writers I work with would do before they send me their manuscript. Now, don't get me wrong, I work with some amazingly talented writers, and most of them know these rules and follow them (most of the time), but then there are also some manuscripts I get that could really use a nice proofread by the author applying these rules before he or she sends the doc my way. Take a look. Maybe these suggestions could help you, too.

A careful proofread from you will make your editor's heart happy!
1) If someone is talking, put some quotations marks around what they are saying.
 I know this seems pretty basic but I get several manuscripts a month where there are no--and I mean no--quotation marks. So, here's the basics of how to use quotation marks.
Right before someone starts talking, place a quotation mark. (")
When they are done talking, you will need the closing quotation mark. (")  This goes right before words like "said" or "replied."
If you can remember to put a comma before the closing quotation mark, that would be even better. (I know sometimes you may need a period, question mark, or exclamation mark, but even if it's just a comma, that will work for me.)
Example: "Take out the trash, Billy," said Mom. NOT Take out the trash, Billy, said Mom.

2) In America, we put a comma before "and" in a list. 
In Britain, they don't do this, but here we do. So, if you have a list of things (more than two) use a comma before "and."
Example: She went to the store to buy bread, milk, and cheese. NOT She went to the store to buy bread, milk and cheese.
PS: If you want your manuscript edited for British English, specify this ahead of time (or better yet, find a British person as they are probably better at it.)

3) When a new person is talking, it's a new paragraph.
When your characters are talking, separate the dialogue by putting a paragraph break between each exchange. Also, make sure it's clear who is talking. Sometimes, if we don't say "said Bob" it's hard to tell who is talking.
Example: "Why do you ask?" Mel said.
                 "I wanted to know," I replied.
NOT "Why did you ask?"Mel said. "I wanted to know," I replied.
Without proper punctuation, the magic gets lost.

4) Stay in the same tense.
If your story happens in the past tense, make sure all of your verbs agree. It is extremely difficult to edit a text that jumps back and forth between tenses. In the last few months, I have edited three manuscripts that switched tenses so often I had no idea what the original intent of the author was. Half of the story was in past tense and half in present, but it would switch within the same paragraph. Don't do this--be consistent.
Example: The man went to the zoo. He saw an elephant. NOT The man went to the zoo. He sees an elephant.

5) Most of the time punctuation goes inside of quotation marks.
A lot of times, writers get the quotation marks right, but they put the punctuation on the outside.  Double-check to make sure that your commas, periods, question marks, and exclamation marks are all inside of your quotation marks.
Example: "She is my best friend," I said. NOT "She is my best friend", I said.

Now, all of that being said, I know I make mistakes in my writing, and I don't always catch everything. And editors don't always catch everything either. But if you can look over your manuscript carefully and check for these mistakes before you submit it for editing, you'll make your editor very happy, which might just get you a discount next time. I work with two authors who do such a great job with their own editing that I  don't charge them nearly as much to edit their writing because I know it won't take me as long.  Catching these types of errors in our own writing will also help show that Indie writing can be just as polished as traditionally published writing.
And that's my two cents....

Pictures courtesy of Getty Images.

The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation, Chapter 1

Today is your last chance to pre-order The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation before it goes on sale tomorrow. You can pre-order here. In the meantime, please enjoy Chapter 1.




Chapter 1         “We really should do something fun while you are all in town,” Drew exclaimed as she plopped herself down on a giant pink beanbag chair near the window in Cadence’s bedroom. The rest of her friends were strewn about the room already, Taylor and Sidney on the bed, Jon and Kash in the two small chairs across the room, Jack slumped against the wall next to the chairs.  How many times had they all crashed here during high school? Now that all of them except for Drew, the baby of the group, had graduated from high school and gone on with their lives, these times were much more rare, and it had occurred to Cadence more than once that evening that this may be the last time she had her gang all together.              While her friends continued their idol chatter, Cadence Findley sat in front of her computer screen, trying to finish the last two pages of her English paper.  Professor Martin was such a jerk for giving them homework over Thanksgiving break! If she could just get this done, she could finally enjoy her friends’ company, rather than haphazardly chiming in from time to time and occasionally shooting annoying glances in their direction when they got a little over-zealous in their enjoyment of a week free off school.            The group was a bit of an eclectic collection of personalities. Cadence was never quite sure what the glue was that kept them together, though Taylor insisted that Cadence was the glue.  She didn’t think so. With her long brown hair, large brown eyes, and perfectly proportioned facial features, she had been fairly popular in high school. Yet, she had always felt there was something different about herself, like she never quite fit in with the rest of the kids in school. She had participated in extracurricular activities, like cheerleading and choir. She had attended the dances and pretended to care about what others thought of her hair and her clothes.  But at the end of the day, she always felt that the worries of high school were nothing compared to the “real” world.  When she graduated last May, there was no question she was going away to college. She would have liked to have gone even farther than the University of Iowa in Iowa City, but they offered her a pretty nice scholarship and she took it.  And it wasn’t so far away that she couldn’t drive back to her hometown of Shenandoah for holidays such as this.            None of her friends had gone with her.  In fact, she and Jack had broken off their two year long relationship because he did not want her to go.  He had already signed on to play baseball for the Nebraska Cornhuskers—a pretty big deal—and was hoping that he would show up "Big Man on Campus" with his pretty little lady on his arm. But Cadence had other plans for her life, and his insistence that she follow him to Lincoln had ended their relationship, though they had somehow managed to remain friends, something that Cadence was thankful for.             The rest of the group had scattered to other institutes of higher learning, with the exception of Jon who went to work for his father’s plumbing company for a bit, hoping to save some money before starting college. And Drew was a senior in high school this year. She had been on the cheerleading squad with the other girls and, though her peppiness was often annoying, she had wedged her way into their group via a short-lived relationship with Kash.            “Cadence, did you hear me?” Drew’s chipper voice chimed from the corner. Cadence had been so preoccupied with finishing her assignment; she had no idea what the rest of the group was talking about. “I said, 'Have you ever heard of an Eidolon Festival?'”            Temporarily pulling her eyes away from the computer screen, Cadence turned to address the spunky little blond.  “A what?”            “That’s exactly what I just said!” Jack chuckled from his slumped position on the floor.              “It’s so cool!” Drew said, bounding up from the floor and crossing to where Cadence sat in front of the computer. “I saw a flyer the other day in this gas station. We’ve got to check it out!”            “Because a gas station is where I always go to meet my entertainment needs,” Jon mumbled sarcastically as Drew shoved her way between Cadence and the computer.            “What are you doing?” Cadence asked watching helplessly as Drew grabbed the mouse out of her hand and opened up Chrome.            “Okay, so, Miss English Teacher,” she said, referring to Cadence’s career ambition, “What does eidolon mean?”            Cadence thought for a moment. She knew she had heard the word before but she wasn’t precisely sure she knew the correct definition.  In fact, she would be surprised if Drew knew. She wasn’t exactly known for her broad vocabulary.            Taylor was standing behind her chair now, a purple pillow pressed against her chest.  “It sounds like a place lazy people go to drink wine if you ask me!”             Drew snorted and rolled her eyes.  “It’s eye-dol-in not idol-wine!” she exclaimed.            “Isn’t it like a ghost or something?” Cadence asked.  Drew was frantically searching Google, trying to find more information than what she had seen on the flyer in the gas station.            “I’ve never heard of it before,” Kash remarked, “But if it’s a party, you can count me in.”            “A party about ghosts?” Sidney asked.  She was still sitting on the bed but was no longer reclining.  She strained her neck to peer across the short distance to Cadence’s computer screen.            “It just means a specter or a phantom,” Drew proclaimed. “I know, I looked it up on Dictionary.com.”            “And that makes you an expert!” Jon added in his typical sarcastic tone.            “I’m not an expert,” Drew responded as she continued various searches containing the words “eidolon” and “festival” and “Iowa.”  “But I would like to be!”            “Well, what did the flyer say?” Taylor asked.            Drew continued to search, now adding the word “secret” into her search criteria. “It was kind of cryptic, for a flyer. It just said something like ‘Eidolon gather, Percy’s Lot, Villisca, Witching Hour, November 26th.’  I probably wouldn’t have even noticed it if I hadn’t dropped my keys.”            The rest of her friends exchanged questioning glances, but Drew didn’t notice. She continued to search as the others drew straws nonverbally to determine who got to ask exactly what Drew meant.  Finally, Jon exclaimed, “Explain!”            Drew was used to having to explain herself.  She was a bit ditzy at times—most of the time.  She sighed in frustration, “I was walking out of the gas station and I dropped my keys. I bent down to pick them up and I noticed a red scrap of paper sticking out from behind a trashcan. It was bright red so it caught my attention. So I grabbed it and read it.  And I had no idea what eidolon meant but I knew that festival meant party!  So, I tried to find out more info on my phone but I couldn’t find anything else out about it. I did find out that eidolon means phantom though, which sounds cool, so I think we should all go. It’ll be totally creepy and fun!”            “So, for all you know, this is, like, a private party?” Taylor asked confused.            “No, I don’t think so. It’s a festival and it was a typed flyer so it’s not like someone just wrote a note and dropped it. They want people to go,” Drew said a bit defensively.            “Then why don’t they advertise it or at least have a website?” Sidney wanted to know.            Drew sighed, tossing the mouse away and crossing back to the beanbag chair. “Come on, guys!” she exclaimed. “All of you are off in college or working and I’m here going to flippin’ high school. I never get to have any fun!  Would you please just go with me?”            “It sounds kinda cool to me,” Kash agreed. For a moment, Cadence wondered why Drew and Kash ever broke up.            “Listen,” it was Taylor this time, “It’s the night before Thanksgiving. I don’t think my parents will like it if I’m out partying until the wee hours of the morning. My mom is going to expect me to help with the dinner, you know.”             “What time is the Witching Hour anyway? Midnight?” Sidney asked, her expression seeming to indicate that she was considering going with Drew.            “No,” Cadence said almost automatically.  “It’s 3:00 AM.”            “Are you sure?” Jack asked.  “I always heard it was midnight.”            Cadence’s glance became a bit sterner. “I’m sure,” she replied.            “Search engine it!” Taylor said, taking over the mouse.            Jon laughed, “Because the word Google is trademarked,” he commented quietly, almost to himself.            “She’s right!” Taylor exclaimed. “It is 3:00 AM. Says so right here.”            “On Wikipedia? The most reliable source of information since the invention of the internet,” Jon sneered.            “No, it’s not Wikipedia! It’s a site about witches!” Taylor said defensively.              “There’s no way I’m going out to a party at 3:00 AM the night before Thanksgiving!” Sidney stated emphatically, her hands tugging absently on her light brown ponytail.            “Me neither!” Taylor agreed.            “Come on!” Drew pleaded.  “We’ve gone out that late lots of times! Remember when we snuck off to Red Oak Tap?  We all told our parents we were staying at Cadence’s house and she told her mom she was at your house, Sid. It was the best time ever!”            Sidney seemed to contemplate this argument for a moment, her green eyes flickering with memories of times well spent with this group of friends.  “I don’t know . . . .” she said as the tides began to turn in favor of one last hurray with her gang.            “Well, I’m in.  And I’ll drive,” Kash said, slapping both hands down on his legs.            “I’m too scared to go!” Taylor proclaimed, pouncing back on the bed next to Sidney.            “You’ll be fine!” Kash proclaimed.            “I’ll protect you,” Jon added, rapidly raising and lowering his eyebrows.            Taylor laughed. Jon was always flirting with her but, thus far, nothing had ever happened between them. “You’re going then?” she asked, tossing her long blond hair back over her shoulder.            “Well,” Jon said hesitantly. He looked at Kash, who was nodding his head.  The two of them had gone almost everywhere together since the beginning of high school. Even now that Kash was attending Iowa Western Community College, they still found plenty of time to hang out together. He would hate to miss out on a chance to have another adventure with his best friend.  “I guess so,” he said slowly.  “If Kash is going, then I’ll go.  I’ve never been to a festival based on wickedness before, but I can only assume this may be a prime opportunity to see some boobies.”            The girls all groaned in disgust and Sidney threw a pillow at him, while the boys chuckled in agreement.            “Jack?” Drew asked.            Jack was fairly reserved so the prospect of seeing topless women was not a motivating factor for him, at least not one he was willing to verbalize. But, the idea of spending time with his friends, one friend in particular, was appealing to him. “I don’t know,” he began. “Cadence, what do you think?”
            Cadence had kept her back to the group as they discussed the potential adventure. She was hoping no one would notice that she was present, and therefore, she wouldn’t be asked to go. Of course, since they were sitting in her bedroom, the chances of this were slim.  “Well,” she sighed, “this certainly isn’t my thing. There’s nothing at all interesting to me about ghosts and goblins, vampires and all that.”            “Seriously?” Drew asked, slumping her shoulders.  She knew that, if Cadence didn’t want to go, she probably couldn’t convince anyone else to go with her.  “Fine, I’ll just go by myself!” she pouted.            “I said I’d go,” Kash reiterated but Drew didn’t lose her wounded kitten expression.            “I don’t think it’s a good idea for some of us to go and not all of us,” Jack stated assertively.            As much as Cadence wanted to disagree with him, he did have a point. Drew was only seventeen years old and even if Kash and Jon went with her, they still might end up in a situation that wasn’t safe. However, if all seven of them stuck together, like they always had, she felt better about their chances of avoiding evil regardless of the theme of the revelry.  She glanced at Sidney, who was chewing furiously on her bottom lip, a sign that she had not decided whether or not to risk it, and Taylor who was staring at the floor, shaking her head back and forth slowly.  Taylor clearly did not want to go.  Then, Cadence looked back at Drew. Her arms were crossed, her chin forced into her chest. “Fine,” she finally acquiesced. “Let’s go.”                                                             ***            The sky was pitch black; clouds covering whatever stars may dare to shine. The moon hung low, it’s enervating journey home to the horizon almost concluded. Though it was late November, the chill seemed to come from within, not from the cool breeze that gently nudged her back to the safety of their vehicle.            A glitch in the passage of time took place and suddenly they were in the midst of the festivities.  Flashes of smoke and fire clouded her vision.  Many of the participants were masked or perhaps their faces were contorted.  They wound their way amongst the ghouls and specters.  A parade of undead gamboled by, clad in crimson and black, shrill laughter ringing, percussion jarring them along. A pair of eyes that seemed to see through her very soul. Pure evil incarnate.            Suddenly, the search was on. Frantically looking, running about.  She did not know who or what she was looking for, but she knew she must become whole again at once.  And then a vision of horror. Scarlet droplets turning to an endless flow. Disbelief overshadowed by rage and it was over.  An incessant need to run, to escape, to flee this place, never to return.  They would never return....            Cadence bolted upright.  Despite the chilly room, she was sweating.  At first, she couldn’t remember exactly what she had been dreaming about but she knew she had been sprinting in her dream, and her chest heaved as if she had been truly attempting to outrun a predator.            She wiped her brow on the sleeve of her flannel pajamas, and after a moment to compose herself, turned to her nightstand and a drink of water. Whatever she had been dreaming, it was terrible, and she was afraid to go back to sleep.  She glanced at the clock next to her bed. It was 3:00 AM.  She felt chills climbing up her spine as she realize at this time tomorrow, she would be at the Eidolon Festival.  Suddenly, she remembered, she had been dreaming about attending the fair.  But, if her dream was any indicator of what type of phantoms they might encounter at such a place, it wasn’t ghosts and ghouls they should fear. It was vampires.            Cadence pondered making a phone call to one of her friends, possibly Sidney or Taylor. As the details from her dream came flooding back, it seemed more and more real. Considering the time, she decided not to disturb them, though she was sure neither of them would mind if she woke them up to discuss her trepidation. Nevertheless, it was in fact, just a dream.  She finally withdrew her stare from her iPhone on the nightstand and slid back down under the covers. She would talk to Drew the next day and tell her she didn’t think attending the Eidolon Festival was a good idea at all.
                                                
Order The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation here.

Living in Ignorant Bliss...Sort of: Meet Cassidy

This is the last installment of a month long series introducing the characters in The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation. Pre-order your copy here.  The release date is February 28th!

Cassidy Findley is a bright, lively 15-year-old high school student.  Like most girls her age, she is worried about her grades, cute boys, and her wardrobe.  That is until her older sister Cadence's best friend winds up dead and her sister starts acting really, really strange.
Now, there are all of these weird people at her house all the time. And her sister seems to be gone a lot. Something is going on with Cadence... and Cassidy is determined to figure out what it is.
But for now, Cassidy puts on a brave face and acts like everything is normal. Before she can tip her hand that she is aware that something weird is going on, she's got to get a little more information....


The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation focuses on older sister Cadence's transformation from a typical college student to a Vampire Hunter. However, this summer (2015) I will be writing a book what you are.
Cassidy Findley knows there's something odd going on with her sister Cadence, but she's not sure exactly what it is...series revolving around Cassidy Findley and how she discovers her sister's secret--and decides whether or not she also wants to become a Vampire Hunter. This series, aimed at young adults, will follow the challenges of figuring out who you are...when you're not really sure

Like her sister, Cassidy is smart and popular.  She gets plenty of attention from the boys. Unlike her sister, she is a bit more reserved and a little timid. Will she be able to gather the courage and inner strength it takes to fight the vicious undead?

You'll find out in The Vampire Hunter's Sister Book 1: Revelation, coming Summer 2015.

Tomorrow, read the first chapter of The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation.

Picture courtesy of Getty Images.

The Father of the Vampire Hunter: Meet Eli

This is a series of blog posts introducing the characters in the upcoming The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation, which premiers February 28th. You can pre-order your copy here.

Cadence Findley is a daddy's girl.  She has always had a great relationship with her father, Eli.  Upon discovering that she is, in fact, a Vampire Hunter, Cadence immediately thinks of her parents.  However, when she finds out that her parents have known all along, she is shocked. How could her father keep such an important secret from her?
For Eli Findley, it hasn't been easy. He has always known that his own father was once the leader of the Guardians--the group appointed to protect the Vampire Hunters from the evil ones. He also lies to his daughters (Cadence and Cassidy) and tells them their grandfather died in a plane crash. The truth is almost too much to bear.
Cadence's father, Eli, could have chosen to become a Vampire Hunter but he chose a different path.
When Cadence lets Eli and his wife Liz know she has become aware of her true identity, he is both relieved and terrified. Now that Cadence knows what he is capable of, how can he possibly protect her from the evil he has always known is lurking in the shadows?
Thought Eli chose not to develop his abilities to fight bloodsuckers, he is very proud of his daughter for choosing the path that leads to protecting others, serving, leading, oh, and lots and lots of Vampires.  Even though it's scary to think that she could be taken out by one of the menacing Vampires, he trusts the team that protects her. But more importantly, he trusts his daughter.

Tomorrow, we meet the last member of the Findley family, Cassidy, Cadence's younger sister who has no idea who she really is.

Picture courtesy of Getty Images.

The Mother of All Vampire Hunters: Meet Liz

This is a series introducing the characters in the upcoming The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation.  The book debuts February 28th. You can pre-order your copy here.

It isn't everyday your daughter finds out she's a Vampire Hunter. Of course, Liz Findley has been keeping the secret from her daughter Cadence for years. It's actually a bit of a relief when she gets the cryptic text from her daughter:  "It's happened. I'm on my way."
Though Liz could have chosen to become a Vampire Hunter herself, she decided not to.  The risks involved just seemed too great.  Instead, she decided to lead a normal life, carrying the secret--the clandestine--existence of Vampires, Hunters, and Guardians as a burden she could not discuss with anyone, except for her husband Eli who was also very much aware of the existence of this other world.
Meet Cadence's loving mother, Liz
When Liz finds out that Cadence knows her true identity, she is initially afraid for her daughter's safety. However, once she learns that Cadence is safe, many more issues come to light. How will Cadence adjust to this new life?  What can she do to support her?  And when Cadence misses Thanksgiving for the first time, the mom can't help but wonder what other holidays and special occasions will be interrupted now that Cadence has been called upon to keep the world safe.
Liz is her own person--lively, funny, caring, and a bit nosy.  But above all else, she loves her daughters, Cadence and Cassidy. And she will do whatever she can to keep them safe, both from the obvious assailants (the bloodsuckers) and the not so obvious ones, (like broken hearts).
Read more about Liz in The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation.

Tomorrow, meet Liz's husband Eli. He'll support his daughter Cadence through anything, even if it means she's suddenly learned how to rip the heads off of the undead.

Picture courtesy of Getty Images.

Brains or Brawn?: Meet Shane

This is a series introducing the characters in The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation, which launches Saturday February 28th. Pre-order your copy here!

Cadence Findley has recently discovered she is part of a secret much bigger than herself.  She is a Vampire Hunter. However, she can truly begin her life ridding the world of the evil ones, she must go through an intensive training program at LIGHTS (the Lincoln International Guardian and Hunter Training Station).  Though Aaron, the Guardian Leader, is primarily responsible for training Cadence, there are times that his hectic schedule takes him away, which leaves her reliant on someone else. And most of the time, that person is Shane.
Shane is the muscles behind the Vampire Hunting LIGHTS team.
Shane has been a Guardian for decades. His primary focus is getting new Hunters ready for the field.  He is every bit the jock, with his enormous biceps and his "How you doin'?" attitude. Cadence admits that she likes him almost instantly. She finds that she can learn a lot from his expertise. However, during the first observational hunt, something goes very wrong, and Shane finds himself throwing Cadence under the bus to save himself. Despite the interjection of several other members of the team, the damage is done. Will Cadence ever be able to rely on Shane again?
Though Shane is a minor character, and a minor member of the LIGHTS team, he sets the tone for the sentiment of several of the other Guardians when Cadence makes a mistake on the hunt.  Is the damage irreparable or will she find a way to earn back the trust of the team? Can she find a way to trust Shane again?

Find out in The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation.  
Tomorrow, we meet Cadence's mother, Liz. A little overly-protective, a little noisy, a little kooky, if anyone ever suddenly explains to you that you are a Vampire Hunter, you're gonna need a mom like Liz.
Picture courtesy of Getty Images.

The Other New Girl in Town: Meet Meaghan

This is a series of posts introducing the characters in the upcoming The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation. Due to release Feb. 28th, you can pre-order here.

Cadence Findley has recently discovered she is not who she thinks she is.  The mild-mannered, beautiful, and intelligent college freshmen is more than meets the eye; she's also a deadly Vampire Hunter capable of ripping the head off of a vile bloodsucker without batting an eyelash.
But Cadence isn't the only one to recently discover these new found abilities. When Cadence arrives at the Vampire Hunter training facility, known as LIGHTS, she meets another young lady in a similar predicament. Her name is Meaghan, and while she does not have the skills that Cadence naturally possesses, she works hard and becomes an ally to our heroine rather quickly.
Meaghan does her best to help Cadence out. Is it enough to keep her friend out of trouble?
The girls train together and are invited to go on their first observation together as well. When the observation goes awry, and Cadence finds herself in a world of trouble, Meaghan offers her assistance, doing her best to set the record straight.
However, it isn't enough, and Cadence shortly finds her way out the door.
Nevertheless, Meaghan is a great friend to have around. If Cadence can figure out how to prove her value and get herself reinstated, she and Meaghan are sure to make a great team.

Find out how Meaghan helps Cadence when you read The Clandestine Saga Book 1:Transformation.

Tomorrow, meet Shane, the Guardian with the Guns.

Picture courtesy of Getty Images.