One Goat and a Cauldron

Where have you been?

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 15:09:00 +0000

Well today is my birthday, and I am sitting here at my desk a bit lonely. Chicago is currently under a polar vortex, so leaving the house is not an option. I am a bit down, I don't like my birthdays, but today is especially bad. So I am sitting here with my cup of coffee (in my husbands Star Trek mug), watching a movie (Julie & Julia), and watching Olli sleep on the couch.

So what have I been up to?

Not as much as I would like. I am working with Nick my editor on Pandora's Last Breath. I will be excited to get this next book out. Of course Nick, keeps telling me to slow down on my production. He can't keep up. I am excited to say though, I have a few short stories coming out to fill the gaps between books.

Well back to work. Talk to you all soon.

DJ Cappella!

THE MONDAYS!

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 19:56:00 +0000

Around the House
So I am pleasantly surprised that married life is not much different for us than living together. I am greatly enjoying being married. I was wondering if I was ever going to get to this point in my life and surprise I did. While nothing is life is ever perfect, I am very happy.

So we are looking to redo the kitchen this year. I personally would like to move soon since Townhouse living is not as ideal as I had originally thought. I actually want a yard, so that I can garden. Well anyway, you should see the two of us in the cabinet store, we are either the most frustrating or easiest customers to deal with. We walk in and tell them very specifically what we want every time and sit back waiting on the quote. The most annoying part of the process is that the variations in price and service are huge. Its making comparing apples to apples really hard. I recommend visiting a lot of store including the big boxes before making a choice. Oh, and measure precisely everything in the kitchen.

My Thoughts
So the Monday after a time change is not easy on anyone, especially those of us that work with different time zones. Around the office I am feeling the drag of everyone. As you know I have a real job as my books don't pay the bills yet. This has been a rough year, so I haven't been meeting all the deadlines I have set for myself. First, expecting to have Hunted and Pandora out for everyone. That hasn't happened as you can see. My blogging has fallen by the way side. So I just wanted all of you to know that I am still poking around working on giving you the next adventure in my world.

TV Review - The Shannara Chronicles

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 23:29:00 +0000

Around the House
For those of you lucky enough to be enjoying warmth this time of year, I want to tell you that I am freezing in Chicago. I am looking forward to the Spring getting here sooner rather than letter. Since it is so cold outside, I have been writing non-stop and working on editing Hunted still. I am excited for a fantastic second edition to come out by the Spring for everyone. I am lucky enough to have my kitties and fiance to keep me warm on these cold Winter Nights.

My Thoughts

So this recommendation came up while I was looking for shows that were like the Magicians. Which I have to say is an absolutely amazing show. Mind you I was a bit concerned seeing that this was coming from MTV. They are not know for quality programming, but I figured why not. It couldn't be all bad could it. I have to say I was wrong; it was amazing. The visuals were stunning, the story line was compelling, and the characters where definitely 3 dimensional. I now have the original book series on my reading list, but I have to get caught up in the pile of books I have first.

The series premise is that about a 1000 years after the fall of mankind, Elves have returned to the world. Magic lays around every corner hidden in secret and the world has fallen back to a time of mystery and nature. A princess steps out of her bonds to fight against the death of the tree that protects all the people in the former US from the demon horde. As the demons make their way back into our world, magic is reawakened and the quest to save all beings. It really shows how a common focus can bring together all types of people whether they are Elf, Human, or Gnome. I am greatly looking forward to seeing what season two has in store of us.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. They just missed the 5th star because the while we get thrust into the world it takes an episode to truly understand everything that is going on.

The Outlook is Bleak My Friends - Yet there is always Hope!

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Sat, 12 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

I sit at my desk reading the news and wondering where everyone has placed their minds. I look at friends turning on each other over differing points of view that just yesterday would have been ignored. I find myself scared by the unknown for the first time in history. I look at social media, and I see the waves of decent flowing freely. Families are tearing at the seems and friends are turning their backs on each other by just click a button. People that normally are strong law abiding individuals are rallying together to cause destruction and conflict.

It makes me think back to a class I paid attention to because of the teacher who taught it. A woman teaching me World History at Buffalo Grove High School in the 1990's, Ms. Wilson. She was a love black woman who wanted to bring everyone together by teaching how being separated allow the darkness to get into our lives. If she was to read this today she would probably not realize what she was saying. She treated everyone like a star in the class room, and her lessons did not fall on deaf ears, at least we me.

I look at the radically changing world today. I am scared that I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow or the next day. Will violence I am reading about in Europe, the Southern US, or Middle East find its way to my door step because I am different from those around me. What most people don't realize is that we are all different. We all have different races, cultures, and beliefs. These differences are not something we chose but were breed into us by genetics or the culture that we love.

Tonight, I got involved in an online dispute to support my cousin who is scared for her son. He looks different that she is because his father was not born in the U.S. I felt bad for her as she argued with her aunt about her beliefs in need to protect her family. So I stood up and shared how I was scared of ending up in a concentration camp being forced to go through a therapy that someone thought I needed because I am gay. Yes, I am gay, and I am proud. I look across the table and see my fiance and wonder if we will still be allowed to get married. If one of us gets sick will we be allowed to stand at each other's bed side and make the hard choices, or will they be left to someone else because we are thought of as less. I wonder about this a lot since the election as been about more than the good of the government, it has been about the good of the people in the nation.

From reading this you may think I stand as a Hilary Supporter. I want you to understand I felt that while standing in the voting booth I was choosing between two devils. The question I had was who was going to hurt the ones I love more. I chose to vote for the first time in my life to protect those around me. My vote did not make a difference since I am just once person in a state I knew would go to Hillary. As long as Electoral College votes stand that is how it will be in the U.S. while the old guard holds on to power. Someday a change will come and sweep the nation. I just wonder if I will be hear to see it.

A close friend of mine lost family in the Holocaust. I wonder if the U.S. will be the next grounds of a World War where we lose so many good people. No, I do not think Trump will cause this. I think he is just the right figure head to move it to the front of the stage. Hate has always been in this country. From the destruction of the Native Americans, to the slavery and repression of the African American, the Asian Interment Camps, to now the the discrimination of the Homosexuals and Muslims that live within the boarders of our nation.. The sad part is not one of these groups has rebounded to being completely equal in every respect. What will cause the sweeping change the breaks this cycle in this country. What will be the reason that we lose millions of people only to be left broke and forced to rebuild?

The amazing thing is, we don't have to be in that situation. We can unite and put a stop to it all. We can stand arm in arm and tell those that believe they have the power that it is wrong. How do we tell them? Well we start at the very thing that puts all people in power, we stop listening. Then we take away the method they use to fuel them, the money. Finally, we band together and find those that will listen to us and make them stop. If they will not listen we make them by sharing our thoughts and screaming into the void until someone hears us.

So I challenge all of you. If you hear hate, discrimination, or violence you take the power away. You stop watching that channel. You stop buying that product, You stop giving them what they need to fuel what they want. You take your power back and let them through your actions that it is not acceptable. And most important of all you vote every chance you get. Vote for what you believe in. Do not vote for the party because you like its ideas, you vote for the person and how they will represent you. If they are not voting the way you like, give you vote to someone else. If they are getting sponsored by corporations, people, or groups that do not support your beliefs, give you vote to the person that will. About 45% (depending on the new source) of people that are able to vote choice to be silent. If each of those people stood up and voted for the person they believe in - even if it was by write in - then we would have a different turn out in the world. The power would shift to those who remained silent. Never be silent. Never let someone take your voice. Even if you have to cross an ocean to be heard, to find your safe place, always be heard by checking the box you believe in the most.

TV Review: Marvels Luke Cage

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 22:01:00 +0000

Around the House
I hate when the time changes. I messes with my internal clock and sends the cats into crazy town. I could use another day off to adjust, but the office calls and I must submit myself to a day of turmoil. I am kidding I really do love my job, but I could still use more sleep after Bella screaming her head off yesterday morning. It was nice that I was created with Calli, Henny, and Ez all snuggled up this morning. Calli was holding Ez's tail while he flomped for love.

Not much to say on the book front. I am still writing and editing as always. Cursed goes live next week so get your copy ordered from your favorite vendor. Hunted is still being edited, my editor is tearing it apart. We are about 1/2 way through. So I am hoping that it will all be closed up by the holidays.

My Thoughts
Well I have to say that if you didn't watch Jessica Jones before jumping into Luke Cage you might feel better about the start of the series than I did. I was rather confused at first because I had forgotten some of small details that happened in Jessica Jones, so I was very confused on what was happening until I went back and read more.

Now by the third episode my reservations on the show were gone. I was drowning in the story and did not want to go to sleep. I keep turning it going until I was half way through in a day. Which is a lot since I did sleep in, and I went out for an hour to get groceries.

Rating: 4 out of 5 - Only for the slow opening.

J.K. Rowling and Setting a New Table for Authors

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 15:50:00 +0000

Around the House
Now that my Ebook Dark Deals is out and the Cursed Ebook is up for Pre-Order things are really starting to kick into high gear in my home. I am also excited to say that having Paperback and Hardcovers of Cursed available has really changed the way my series, The Chronicles or Illumination, can be reach and embraced by everyone out there. I am sitting going through the first round of notes on the second draft of Hunted, and I have seen the final cover of Hunted too. It is very close to what I posted on my Facebook, but you never know what fun changes will happen in the months to come.

My Thoughts
So today, I am working on a variety of things in my office when I ran across an article online. I have to say that I have a very bad habit of reading all those upcoming movie notifications and articles that they post, or those views on characters in movies and books I love. Well today I ended up reading about Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. This made me think of how J.K. Rowling has set a new table for authors to sit at. Her success with adapting her her works and notes into a play and now a movie has made authors wonder if there is room at the table for them as well.

Is it possible for every author to continue to control how their works are adapting by actually sitting down and writing Movies, TV, and Plays? Why not get paid for the rights and get paid to do the work so that the final product is representative of the brand you have worked so hard to create. The only thing I worry about, is the disconnection from the readers that J.K. Rowling is getting dangerously close too. I look at that fact that the play and next movies are based on her notes and that the readers that brought her to fame to not have books to delve into. We will have scripts, but the do not have the wonder and magic of a novel where the scene unfolds before our eyes in a wondrous way. I have to wonder if her not writing novels first is a mistake, or at least after to show us what she saw in her head. The directors and set designers views of her work have always been wonderful, but what does she see when she put that pen to paper and created these new stories.

I still wonder, would I have been disappointed with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child if I had read the novel and not the script? Would the way she crafted the story and world sung to me in a way that made me absolutely ravenous for something new to read? Or would I have been disappointed by the loss of magic the world of Harry Potter had always had for me.

Movie Review: Suicide Squad

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 16:46:00 +0000

Around the House
Okay, so around the house right now is quiet. We have welcomed a new kitten to the family which has meant for a lot of sleepless nights as we are focusing on getting her acclimated to the boys. EZ seems to be warming up to Calli faster than Henry but overall it is good. I can't wait for my vacation this weekend. We are going to be hitting the Epcot Wine and Food Festival. Lets hope I fit into my clothes after this weekend!

My Thoughts
So as most of the kids of the 80's we grew up knowing more about DC Coming than Marvel thanks to the Super Friends show. Now that the DC Extended Universe is growing, I am one of the first in line to bash them since I love Marvel Comics so much (especially the movies). Well I have to eat my words after seeing Suicide Squad this weekend. The modernized portrayal of the characters was fantastic. I especially found myself thinking of the scene where an Eminem song is playing and Harley Quinn is getting dressed in her slutty gear out in the open. It wasn't dirty, it was kind of empowering to see the way the character behaved.

The movie did a fantastic job tying it back to Batman v. Superman (which I havent seen yet) as well as introducing characters that could be long time villains into the mix in a fun and festive way. It makes me want to yell over at Marvel and ask them where the Thunderbolts are. DC may actually have a fighting chance now.

Rating: 4/5

(UN) Book Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Wed, 03 Aug 2016 01:45:00 +0000

Around the House
I am currently on the road traveling. I am missing the family a lot tonight, since this week long trip is the longest I have been on since the Jerry and the Boyos came to live with me. I am thinking of them a lot especially as I curl up to sleep and look at the edits for Cursed sitting next to me on the desk of my hotel room. It doesn't help that the temperature in Houston is so unbelievably hot right now. I do not recommend spending August in Houston when you are not out having fun.

My Thoughts
I had to think hard about how to right this review. Would I right a review on the play I haven't seen, the script I just read, or a book that is the next installment in the Harry Potter franchise. That is when I thought of something my Editor said to me when I first talked about getting this book, "Shakespeare should be seen and not read." He of course is not the only person that has ever said this to me. I have had teachers and professors say the same. They always recommended after reading the work in class that we watch the movie or play version that they recommended so that we could full understand what we had read. Now I find my self thinking about the same thing as I look at the book sitting on the night stand of my hotel room.

Like many of you, the first book I feel in love with and opened the door to literature for me was Harry Potter. While unlike most it was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets since I had just seen the first movie. I had not wanted to see the movie, but my best friend and fellow author Katrina Rue insisted that I see it. So I finally gave in. I remember asking her questions through out the movie until I had annoyed her so much that she looked at me and said "Just read the damn book I bought you."

Now here I am looking at that last installment and thinking about how to review it for everyone. Like many of the world that have read the script without seeing the play, I felt a bit disappointed and lost. I was also annoyed to see that people other than J.K. Rowling had touched my favorite character. Then I realized that what I read is meant to be watched, so I need to look at it with new eyes. As a reader I had to realize that we are missing what makes the world of Harry Potter so wonderful, Rowling's fantastic way of describing the world through the eyes of the character we have loved. We truly got to see inside each of the characters. As I realized this I remembers something I read about the play, "Based on an original story written by J.K. Rowling." Now I want to see where that story is, what it says, and how it meets with the play, because the way she writes a world is what we need for the final tale of Harry's adventure. We need to see how all the characters work to bring the story together that we don't get from watching the movie, reading the script, or watching the play. We need to see it through the words as they flow from her.

So I find that I can not rate this book as I would any other. I must rate it in the media that it is. As a script, I can see how this is an amazing story that like the rest of the books touch parts of the story that we thought did not really matter. We see a return to the Tri-Wizard Tournament, the weird relationship Voldemort had with his followers, and the use of a magical item that is unexpected since Granger was always such a good girl. The part of the story that truly touched me the most was the theme that even a good character is flawed and a bad character isn't just evil they are real people.

As a reader I am going to reach out to J.K. Rowling and ask for the following, please give us the book or three that the Cursed Child is meant to be. Bring us deeply into the world of Hogwarts and the Ministry again by having us meet the characters we love, see with in their heads, and feel what they feel through how you have them react to the most beautiful scenes you craft. When adding to the Wizarding World in the future with the new movies on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, remember we want the story in the way you would have told it on paper and ink. Give your devoted readers what they desire most. A book to wrap out hands around and hold though out the day and night.

Rating: 3 out 5 (script)

TV Show Review: Orange is the New Black Season 4

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Sat, 25 Jun 2016 16:39:00 +0000

Around the House

I am nearing the end of processing the edits from my new editor on Cursed and Dark Deals. I am looking forward to getting these complete. I look forward to seeing what everyone things about the updates to the books as well as the new stories. Additionally, Twisted is about half way done finally. I have some great new characters coming out. I can't wait to see what everyone things of them.

My Thoughts

I have watched Orange is the New Black since it first appeared on Netflix. I was so fascinated by the story of Piper that I actually looked into the original Piper to see what the story was about. I found the story of a woman who made youthful indiscretions ending up in prison for 15 months to be very interesting. The first three seasons was captivating, but now that we have gotten to the fourth season it seems that the show has lost some of its sparkle.

The story has moved away from the story of Piper and her family and is focusing more on the prison as a whole. While that can be interesting it feels like something is missing from the joy of the show. The show is also getting to be a bit unbelievable on the time line. With a 15 month sentence that Piper only served 13 months, you have to wonder about the time line of the show. Even if every episode is a week at prison to ensure the story telling that would only leave Piper with 4 more episodes in prison. While I enjoy the the back stories and what happens next of the characters in lockup, I want to see what would happen next for Piper's story. How she goes back to her normal life and tries to put her life back together after her stint in prison.

But that is not what the season is showing us. It is showing us a lost group of women where we are not really getting deep inside of them. We are just getting a glimpse at the life and crimes of each of these in woman in a way that is supposed to make us feel bad for them as opposed to showing a variety of crimes. Additionally, learning more about the guards lives feels contrived, since we do not want to feel sorry for them as a watcher. We want to despise them for the treatment of the inmates. I am tired of the story of the guard staff.

On the death of loved characters, especially the loved Poussey, is hard for us to deal with since we are made to love her and her death seems unwarranted. To kill a characters for an emotional pull is not what the show needs to keep us invested. It needs us to want to be involved in the stories and only have death for a reason.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Movie Review: X-Men Apocalypse

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 17:18:00 +0000

Around the House
I am excited as the final touches are coming together for the Second Edition of Cursed. It is going to feature two new stories that help to tie everything together. My editor is so excited. We have now approved the Cover Art and are trying to find that perfect release date. We are thinking some time this fall or the holiday season. Are you ready to get Cursed? I know I am. I am looking for a few people that would like to preread the book and write a review online. Let me know if you are interested.

My Thoughts
For those of you that do not know, I am a huge fan of Marvel Comics, and I grew up reading X-Men comics of the 90's. I was first introduced to the X-Men like many other people through the cartoon. I quickly became obsessed and had to have it all. Well since the 2000's I have moved away from the comics and enjoyed the movies. I still enjoy a read of the database to see the changes, but other than that I do not play in the land of comics outside of the TV and Movie worlds.

Now, I was excited to see the changes to the universe that Fox rolled out. It was their chance to give them a fresh start. Unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universe that are still have trouble making one concise universe that the comic fans can be proud of watching. Unfortunately, X-Men Apocalypse falls into that bucket. I have two main issues with the movie. The first is that for the length of the movie they do a very pour job introducing new characters or highlighting why they are where they are. It is one thing to bring in Phoenix, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Cailban, Psylocke, Angel, and Storm, but you need to give them some type of back story and explanation of their powers. While they did an okay job with Storm and Nightcrawler they failed to really dive into the depths of why they are at the school. Additionally, they never properly explained the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse which has been a major X-Men story arch repeatedly. It is one thing to start a fresh take on the universe which they are doing a good job of, but it is another to have a wonky timeline where the changes don't make sense - like Cyclops being the younger brother of Havok or how we have a Nightcrawler without Mystique knowing it is her son.

Overall, I say the move was fair. For a 2 hour plus movie we needed more action and growth from the characters to really love them. The whole seen with Wolverine didn't feel like it made sense for the storyline, and where are the characters we love from the original movies that should be popping up if we have Jubilee - Rogue, Iceman, Colossus, and Shadow Cat (Kitty Pryde).

Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars

Check Deadpool which was a great movie though!

Product Review: Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase Two

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Tue, 31 May 2016 17:57:00 +0000

Around the House
So the new covers are finally ready to go and book two is coming along. I came up with a new type of character that will be debuting at the end of book two, and I am very excited to see what everyone things of it. I have to give the fiance credit for this ones inspiration. Driving home from a Memorial Day party and it came to us. We laughed so hard in the car just thinking about this character. I hope you love Rakuum as much as I do.

My Thoughts
As you can tell by this blog I am a bit of a Marvel Junkie. In my kitchen I have no less that 10 boxes of comics sitting in there. Well recently I found this awesome product at Amazon. It is the Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 2 Box Set. I can't wait for it arrive. I love the way Marvel Studios has taken its universe and revamped it for the modern area. So when I saw this Phase Two Box Set with another Infinity Gem I knew I had to have it. Plus you cant beat the price and the display quality. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Unwritten Word

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 19:29:00 +0000

Around the House
Well life for the most part is good right now. I have a great partner that loves me. I look at my ring and think of him every day. Now, he has me motivated on my next books. I am working on a Guide Book/Role Playing Book as well as the second volume of The Chronicles of Illumination. Unfortunately, life doesn't always work the way we want it. I can't wait for my books to start selling well enough so that I can make that my career, but as every other struggling artist can tell you is that we also are struggling to make it. We are pushing forward through holding a day job and pushing to forward with our work. I just hope it all works out the way we want it.

My Thoughts
Wish I could edit my own work. I hate that I can't proofread what I write, but like most authors we auto-correct our own work. The good part is that I am now working on my next book and have two that need first round edits. I can't wait to get the second editions out to the world. I am glad for having the support of those in my life my fiance, my family, and my friends who are their helping me through the process of seeing my dreams come true. I hope some day to help other writers that are in the same place as I am. Just a kind word, a statement, or a comment and turn an unwritten word into a book that everyone has to have their hands on. I hope some day I am able to help others get to that place.

My Second Edition Covers

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 19:05:00 +0000

Around the House
Well I have had a busy beginning to the year so far. With getting engaged at Christmas, we have started the wedding planning all while I am still in the mist of finishing and editing my new book - The Merchant of Death, and let's not forget working on the second editions of all my other books. Let me just tell you covers have been an experience - see below. And I had two new additions to my family - Prince Henry and Lord EZ (the black cat boyos). I love them so much. They still have not found their way to being friendly with Bella yet, but they are moving that way. I still need to check the tuna in the pantry to see if is okay with all the recalls going on. I don't want to make my little ones sick.

My Thoughts
So I have had lots of back and forth with my cover art. I thought that this was going to be the easy part. I have talked to two different people to design the covers, and none of them made me quite happy. They were just missing the special something that makes you want to pick it up off the shelf and share it with all your friends. Now I think the current designs are close, but I want every one's thoughts on them. So here they are and tell me what you think.

Dark Deals - 2nd Edition of Witches, Demons, & Deals

Cursed 2nd Edition

Hunted 2nd Edition

Pandora's Last Breath 2nd Edition

Kickstart it! The Chronicles of Illumination: The Merchant of Death

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Fri, 15 May 2015 02:03:00 +0000

Around the House
I am sitting at home looking over at my great partner Jerry as he sleeps on the couch. We are getting ready to head to meet a person that may be renting a room in our house while I push through editing my next two books. It is amazing to have a partner that supports me so much. I also still have my crazy little Bella running around nuts when she isn't cuddling up with him!

It is great that I have been able to expose him to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We just finished the first Avengers, and he is completely in love with the franchise. He is so into it that he wants to watch Agents of Shield as the watcher would have with the movies. Tonight we are starting Iron Man 3. I am a little excited to see them all again.

My Thoughts

So for those of you that keep up with my blog and Facebook know that I have finished my next two books. They are ready for editing and covers, so I have made a Kickstarter to get funding for their production costs. I am also using this Kickstarter for the new editions of my current books including marketing and new covers. It would be nice to see my US sales catch up with my UK sales. Well I would love it if all of you would please share this campaign for me and help me reach my goals. I have some great give-a-ways if you do!

My Kickstart Campaign!

Demon Gold - Cursed Excerpt

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 23:06:00 +0000

Around the House
Well, job hunting is evil. That is my official statement. On a happier note, I am almost done with the first draft of The Merchant of Death. I can't wait to get a preview put together for everyone, but that is still a while away. Soon I will need to start the editing and revising process which is evil.

My Thoughts
Well my editor and I have been working very hard on creating second editions of my published works as well as getting new content ready for everyone. He has guided me toward two new stories that will be added to Cursed. I can't wait to get them out to everyone. So as a special thank you, I am going to give you an excerpt from Cursed - Demon Gold. Enjoy and tell me what you think!

3 the Demon Gold!

about a year before Hunted

The sun streamed through the swaying leaves of the weeping willow in Raisa’s backyard. As she sat under the tree, Raisa could feel the warmth of the rays as they bathed her red hair. She considered herself a normal 17 year old American girl despite the craziness and Romanianess of her family. Raisa placed her book on her lap and lifted her head toward the sun. She sighed as she felt the heat of the sun dance across her skin like fire. She had loved fire ever since she was a little girl. Raisa walked from her peaceful spot toward the dark and foreboding house. The gothic inspired Victorian was not only her home, but the last place on Earth she wanted to be right now. She decided she was not going to spend her one and only senior ditch day hiding in her backyard from her crazy Romanian family.

Raisa entered the house and moved through the darkness of her parents’ Dracula-inspired décor; the halls were hung with strange tapestries and gargoyles flanked the stairs, the floor was cold stone, and the walls were covered in blood-red paint. She checked the clock on her phone; she was expecting a call from her best friend, but these days he seemed to be distancing himself from her. She knew it was because, come fall, they were both going to separate colleges. It hurt her to think of losing the only stability she had known.

She heard her twin brother’s car squeal as it pulled out of the driveway, causing her to look out one of the front leaded glass windows as he tore down the street in his new convertible. He was the favorite because he was a male. Males were important in her family even through it was obvious to her mother that her intelligence far outstripped that of her brother’s. Raisa shook her head and turned away from the window. She wondered why, if her twin could act normal, why couldn’t her parents? Her brother did seem to be cut from the same cloth as her father and uncle – the cloth of stupid. The men in her family made foolish mistakes: deals with the wrong people, ignoring the obvious, and underestimating her and her mother’s worth.

Raisa moved back down the hall toward the kitchen. She stopped briefly to look at the tapestry in the hallway which listed all the marriages and dowries exchanged for Vladimir women; all the way back to Vlad the Impaler. Her father always talked about getting her brother a six goat wife and getting Raisa married off as soon as possible so they would have the goats to get her brother the wife he didn’t deserve. In her parent’s home village you couldn’t do better than a six goat wife. She shook her head and wondered why the dowries were always goats. Despite all the times her mother had explained it, Raisa still couldn’t figure out how to assess a “goat value” for a person, as if cashmere, milk, and meat were worth anything in America, let alone a living, breathing goat. Raisa’s parents were immigrants from Romania with strong accents, and they still lived by many of the old traditions, including life-long arranged marriages, in which women were treated as little more than breeding stock. Raisa was proud that, unlike women in the Mother Country, she had choices and options, despite what her parents expected of her.

Raisa picked up her cell phone and dialed her best friend Damian Cardone, but unfortunately, his sister picked up. She really wished he had a cell phone because his sister could not take a message to save her soul. So, Raisa hung up the phone and walked to the refrigerator where she noticed the dreaded calendar. The calendar had two functions, but the one that haunted Raisa was the ever growing list of suitors her parents kept inviting over for dinner. Her parents were so determined to get a marriage contract by her 18th birthday that they had even tried to get Damian to marry her last week!

Even though her birthday was still several weeks away, her father had already started to ignore her since she had refused to take a husband. Instead he focused on her brother. She resented this since chances were good that, on her birthday, she would also be gifted with the magic; she would be a witch. Raisa laid her head on the cool stainless steel refrigerator and sighed out of annoyance. All her father talked about was how her brother would be the greatest witch in the family, and come hell or high water she was to be someone’s good wife. Of course, it was at that moment the shadows in the house seemed to converge in the kitchen, forming an outline of a man. Then her father walked out of those shadows carrying a large burlap sack.

The windows in the kitchen were wide open, and Raisa noticed the neighbor working in the yard. She shook her head. Her father was risking exposure of the magical community by entering the house that way in broad daylight. He refused to use the altar room in the attic, which would have kept prying mortal eyes from seeing his uses of magic. Instead, he blatantly showed off by appearing in the kitchen. Raisa had always thought that it was unfortunate that his side of the family was the magical side, since they never seemed to use their magic for anything besides getting into trouble. At least her mother had the common sense to keep the family’s magical differences hidden from the neighbors. Raisa was glad she had inherited her mother’s common sense and wished her brother had as well.

When her father, who owned a real estate firm, proclaimed he had had the best sale of his life; Raisa did not even bat an eye. Every sale was always the biggest sale of his life. Usually it meant he sold another over-priced home to a poor immigrant that couldn’t afford it. It was not until her mother walked into the kitchen and her father dumped a bag of gold onto the kitchen counter that she had reason to take notice. The minute she laid eyes on the gold she knew something was wrong. She had seen this gold before in one of the books in the family’s magic library. Raisa had been reading and studying the magic she couldn’t yet practice for the last four years.

“Is sure this real money? Look like funny money, kind that have sweet in it?” Raisa’s mother said in her thick Romanian accent.

“Is good money. Man across street, new to country. He have no credit but lots of gold from home. So he give gold, and I sell house across street to him. Is good deal, I tell you is so,” her father proclaimed.

“Did you go to bank, and see if good money?”

“No, we go tomorrow. Open new account and then we can finish bathroom.” Raisa shook her head as her father said this. There was nothing wrong with the bathroom; it was just out of style. He was always trying to outdo the neighbors’ homes. “I promise you new bathroom when I sell, so now house sold so we get bathroom. Is all good, yes?”

“Oh, yes is good deal then. I want granite counter in bathroom, and marble tile like in kitchen. I get what I want?” her mother asked, while pointing at her father with the spatula that she always carried on her. That spatula had collided with her father’s head more times than it ever did with a frying pan.

“Of course, is promise?”

Raisa looked over the gold which had runic symbols engraved on it. She then noticed the smell of acid slowly filled the room. She worried that her father had done it again, and by the look of the money he had.

“Dad, what did the man look like?”

“What it matter, he have money, I sell house. What I care that he keep hood on?” her father confidently proclaimed.

It was late May in Chicago, so Raisa knew something was seriously wrong if someone was wearing a hood in this weather.

“Dad, isn’t bargaining with a demon against the Magical Codes?”

“Of course it is! I make mistake when I bring mother to country. I not know it was demon transportation that get us here. The counsel usually take away power for that. I lucky to only get warning.”

“Well then I suggest you give the gold back now,” Raisa proclaimed.

“Why is daughter so stupid?” her father yelled to her mother.

“Cause is your daughter. Take after you and brother, Jerry!” her mother shouted back.

“DAD!” Raisa yelled. “That is demon gold!”

“What you mean is DEMON GOLD? I warn you, your witch family would ruin children and now you bring demon gold into house!” her mother bellowed as she threw her hands into the air.

“What daughter know? She no witch yet! I tell you is just money from African country,” her father yelled back.

Raisa walked from the room as her parents began to discuss the situation by her mother’s favorite method: Smack and Scream. She reached the book shelf and pulled down the volume on demon currency and brought it back into the kitchen. Raisa opened the book to the appropriate page and laid the book on the counter in front of the gold. Her mother quickly grabbed the book and looked at the gold before reading the passage on the cursed currency. Demon gold always carried a curse for the human owner, and she watched as her father’s face fell before her mother’s spatula connected with the back of his head.

She then shoved the book into her husband’s face, hit him, and continued her rant.

“Not only do you bring demon gold into house, but you bring CURSED DEMON GOLD! This gold can no be given back and it can only be touched by demon. Bank no take evil gold, stupid husband! If you keep daughter around since she is smart like mother and listen to wife more you no get taken by Demon Neighbor.” Her mother’s eyes got extremely big as she looked down the hall toward the house across the street, “Now we have demon neighbor! What happen to value of house with demons all over the neighborhood? What we do now?”

Raisa’s father dropped the book on the gold and backed away from his infuriated wife. The last time he saw this kind of fury from her was when he let Raisa and her brother go to the pool alone in the second grade. Raisa’s brother had almost drowned in the diving well since neither of them knew how to swim. Of course, Raisa told her mother the whole story when they got back home. Raisa’s mother broke a spatula on her father’s head that day.

Just then, Raisa noticed smoke rising from the pile of gold as it ate away at the cover of the book. She quickly grabbed the book and saw that the cover looked like it had been eaten by acid. Raisa backed out of the kitchen with the damaged volume. As Raisa placed the volume away she noticed her brother and a friend heading up to the house through the large glass front windows. She quickly bolted to the front door.

“Hey guys, what are you doing here?” Raisa asked. She gave a pleadingly look for her brother to understand why now was not a good time for a visitor.

“We came to play the new game,” her brother’s friend said.

“Oh damn, mom dropped the game system into the mop bucket. It’s dead, much like Dad is going to be in five minutes. Maybe you should go to his house and play,” Raisa said, as she stared at her brother.

“Rai, what is the big deal? Mom doesn’t go into my room. The system is fine,” her brother said.

“Oh, I don’t think so. Did you see dad sold the house across the street? The buyer was from down under.” Raisa’s eyes dropped to the ground and back up as she said that. “You know Dad just loves his deals with special immigrants.”

“No shit! He did it again?” her brother asked.

“To say the least, makes you wish it was just another suitor for me doesn’t it?”

“Hey dude, let’s hang later. Now is not a good time.”

He quickly dispatched his friend by letting him drive the convertible home instead of walking. Raisa and her brother entered the house to find a visitor sitting in the living room. The woman lounged in a high back chair with her legs crossed. She looked over at the twins with a knowing smile.

“Well it is a pleasure to meet the young Vladimir twins. We have high expectations of you two when, or rather if, you manifest your powers on your birthday. We hope you will make better use of your magical gifts than your so-called role models have. Thankfully, I am here to see your father and not you two. Hopefully, someone in this house will have learned from his mistakes,” the tall and lovely woman spoke before she rose from her seat.

She adjusted her glasses over her frozen blue eyes and brushed the loose waves of her highlighted blonde hair behind her ears and back towards her bun. She wore a white polo and khaki pants, but carried herself in a way that told Raisa and her brother that she was of more importance than her father could ever hope to be worth. She was a guardian; the magical equivalent of a cop. They both took a step back as her eyes continued to evaluate them.

“I suppose a formal introduction would be appropriate wouldn’t it?” She surveyed them over her glasses. “I am Amanda Windstrom of the Counsel Guard, and I am here to meet with your father regarding the entertaining little sack he brought home. I would suggest you two make yourself scarce for the next hour or so.” She spoke with soft tones despite the obvious gravity of the situation while she gestured them towards the stairs.

As she entered the kitchen a hush fell over the room. The twins snuck back down into the dining room where they could listen and watch the scene in the reflection of the large gold inlaid mirror. The Guardian Amanda approached her father and then raised her hands snapping the crimson kitchen curtains closed. The room took on a blood red hue as she surveyed the scene. Then a ball of glittering light appeared next to Raisa’s father before it turned into Uncle Jerry, his business partner and brother.

Raisa’s father began to stumble over his words which made Raisa smile. He had met this woman during the first demon incident when they arrived in this country. Amanda smiled while she situated herself on the far counter so she could see both the men and the gold. Raisa’s mother froze was in place by the terror of the scene. She knew seeing this woman again could not lead to anything pleasant.

“You may be seated,” Amanda spoke.

She watched them from over the rim of her glasses. Once the men were settled, a piece of parchment appeared in the woman’s hands just as Uncle Jerry had appeared in the kitchen.

“As previously cited, the business known as Vladimir Real Estate, comprised of the Misters Vladimir, have violated Section B of the Code of Consorting which states: No individual will enter into a deal, agreement, pact, contract, or other binding work with a species of malicious intent that may negatively impact the mortal population. This violation occurred at approximately 3pm Central Standard Time in the United States, State of Illinois, Town of Arlington Heights in which a contract was entered between Vladimir Real Estate and a Demon of the Drakton Clan. In which contract, said demon was able to acquire a place of residence in the vicinity of mortals in exchange for a payment of Demon Gold. The Counsel of Wise Ones has determined that this sale of property was in direct violation of the Code and, along with a previous citation, the Counsel has chosen to strip the male Vladimirs of their magical abilities, including all magical skills and practice, until a time that the Senior Mr. Vladimir is able to remove the cursed objects from his home by returning it to demon society without the aid of magic.” Amanda spoke with a solemn face.

Uncle Jerry quickly grabbed at the Guardian’s hands and fell to his knees.

“Please lovely lady of the counsel. I know not of demon, no take magic from me, please. I not know, I swear,” Jerry howled with tears brimming.

“Unfortunately, it was a joint business deal and a signed contract is a signed contract.” Amanda spoke without any concern or compassion in her voice. “Additionally, a task force has been dispatched to exterminate the demon before further injury is inflicted upon the neighboring populace,” Amanda sighed. Raisa could see the annoyance in her eyes before she spoke again.

“There is still hope; just find a way to get rid of the ‘Demon Gold’ and your powers will be restored. Of course I doubt you will be able to execute that.”

For the first time in Raisa’s life she saw a lone tear trail down her father’s cheek. The grief was written all over his face as he accepted the vial of Power Stripping Brew with a shaking hand from Amanda and drank it down. A golden glow rolled around both Mr. Vladimirs and trailed from the home. Raisa smiled and walked from the room.

* * *

The days that followed were difficult for the household. After Guardian Amanda left Mr. Vladimir took the spatula from his wife and tried to push the gold into the bag that it had come in. The harder that he pushed, the gooier the spatula became as it melted. Raisa had to open the windows to air out the smell of burnt plastic.

Mrs. Vladimir even tried by taking a trowel from the garden to push the gold into the bag. Raisa held open the bag for her mother, but the moment the trowel touched the family’s shame it rusted away. Raisa and her mother ran into the yard coughing from the smell of the rusting iron. Mr. Vladimir entered the kitchen and saw the rusted trowel; shook his head, and went down to his basement office.

Raisa’s mother brought food for him down there for three days until he told her he was retiring. After that, he was forced to leave the basement to find his own food since it was obvious she was not going to get her new bathroom, and it infuriated her even more that she now had a ruined kitchen.

Raisa began to feel sorry for her parents, so she tried using the bag itself to scoop the corrosive metal from the counter. She placed the opening of the bag over the gold and tried to slide it into the bag. She found that she could not move the gold. It was like it was glued to the counter. Raisa’s brother, on the other hand, sat at the kitchen table with a sandwich.

“Rai, I don’t know why you are trying to help. Magic only seems to get dad into trouble.” He pushed his shaggy hair under his hat.

“You don’t have to listen to Mom screaming all day about how Dad ruins everything,” Raisa said.

“Please, that isn’t anything new. It’s better than hearing her talk about you finding a husband. Just be glad they don’t know how to use the internet yet. Knowing Dad, he would find us mates online or something.”

“God, do you have to bring that up? Mom tried to get me to marry my best friend, Damian, again last week. She is under the impression from Dad that he could get a herd of goats somehow.”

Raisa threw the bag over the gold and stormed out the room. After that, no one moved the bag from that spot, since it hid the gold from their mother’s view.

Finally, excitement filled the house on the day of the twins’ birthday. Raisa could see her father’s spirits lift as he sat at the kitchen table. They were having a summer’s breakfast when a letter burst into flame above the table and floated into Raisa’s hands. It stated that she had been accepted into Hecate’s Academy of Magical Arts and Sciences. Her father snatched the letter out of her hand so that he could scan it.

“Where is brother’s letter? It only talks about daughter,” Raisa’s father asked her mother.

“I no talk of witch stuff,” her mother stated as she looked over at the counter.

“Is supposed to come when boy turns 18. He come out first, so he should have letter. Son, where is letter?” the father asked.

Raisa looked at her brother. He grabbed the letter out of his father’s hands. His eyes glazed over as he looked at Raisa’s letter. His hands began to shake as he balled up the letter and threw it at their father before he stormed out of the room.

“Dad, he isn’t a witch,” Raisa stated.

Her father’s face fell, “Son is no vitch?” He looked to his wife, “Is your family fault!”

“My family fault? I not the one dealing with demons!” her mother screamed before throwing an apple at him.

“Retard son is your fault. I tell my mother you is no good wife. Now look, I no get witch son,” Raisa’s father yelled back as he ducked the flying apple.

Raisa walked out the room and saw her brother sitting on the steps of the house. She opened the door and joined him. He looked over at her; she saw that he had been crying.

“Raisa, its dad’s fault right? There is nothing wrong with me?” he asked.

“I think you got off lucky. They can’t expect you to be anything but yourself now.”

“Raisa!”

“I don’t know why you aren’t a witch. It just happens sometimes, but there is nothing wrong with you other than our gene pool.”

“Your right I guess, but it doesn’t matter Rai, ‘cause I am leaving. I can’t stay here and listen to them call me a ‘retard’ because I am not a witch.” She hugged him as he finished.

“Where will you go?”

“Well I applied to a few mortal colleges. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be a witch after growing up in this house.”

Raisa hugged her brother again before she went into the house. She walked up stairs and into her room. She picked up the phone and began to dial her best friend when she realized that she couldn’t. He was not supposed to know that she was a witch; it was part of another magical rule: The Code of Secrecy. That is when Raisa realized that her father just took away her best friend and brother in one stroke of stupidity. As she ran down the stairs, Raisa realized that everything had changed for the worse. Touching the front door, she wanted to ensure her father wouldn’t make another magical mistake that could further ruin her family.

Birth and Taxes

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 01:51:00 +0000

Around the House
I am probably one of the most impatient people you will ever meet. When I want something I want it now. It is particularly bad when I buy items online; not that I have the money to buy anything right now after all the holidays. Anyway, I do have a point to this rant. My poor editor Jerry has had me all over him about his notes on my books. He is currently working through a second edition of Cursed then moving on to Hunted before we get to finishing the final edition of For the Love of Brimstone. I am looking forward to getting my magical version of 50 Shades of Grey out for all my readers. It is funny to hear my younger sister freaking out over that book since she is now just getting on the band wagon before the movie hits theaters. If she thinks that book is dirty sexy just wait till she gets her hands on mine. She is already pestering me about audio books. That is a 2016 project. Also, of course, I am working on my next book about the Death Dealer, The Merchant of Death.

My Thoughts
Well it is tax season. Every one's favorite time of year. I just finished doing my taxes a few minutes ago. This is always a weird time of year for me because it is also my birthday. My birthday is January 31st. I always get so excited for my birthday until the day actually arrives then I get a bit depressed. I don't have a good reason for why I get down every year on my birthday, but I do. My birthday this year was one of the better ones. I had my love with me, my friends B, Seb, Chris, Katrina, and Kim over; plus my youngest sister Kris came by to visit with me as well. Then yesterday we had a big family dinner which went well. No, I take that back, it was disaster. As an Italian you would expect I would be having mounds of home made Italian food, but this year I wanted a favorite of mine; a Greek dish called Pastitsio. It is like Greek Lasagna. Who can turn down lasagna? Anyway, now I wait for my refund to come and think of the start of my new year. Which most of you would have known about if you were on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/DJ-Cappella/207854790952?ref=hl . So come by and Like it and lets see what this new year has in store for everyone.

Rough Week

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 00:33:00 +0000

Around the House
Well this week we separated the cats. I was tired of watching them have a constant fight for domination. Bella my dark little mistress is a total alpha. My roommates cat is a declining alpha so she is having a hard time accepting her place at the bottom. So, we have been having some peeing problems with the cats. Mostly the passing alpha. While Bella doesn't let a gate stop her from going were she wants in the house it does keep the other cat at bay and give her a feeling of contentment.

My Thoughts
I am having a bit of a rough week. For those of you, I got laid of back in July, and I have been working a serving job to make ends meet. It sucks; I just want a real job again, but I am having a hard time finding one. At least I have my relationship to keep me going.

Now I just need to get back to writing the third book in the Preludes of Illumination series. This book takes place just after the events in Hunted: The Chronicles of Illumination vol. 1. This story focuses on the summer after school with Damian and Melissa. We learn all about her past and how she became a magical force to be reconned with like Damian. I am about a 3rd of the way through the book, I just need to plow my way to the end. I am hoping to have an excerpt up after my editor looks over the first chapter in the next couple months.

TV Show Review: Agent Carter

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Wed, 14 Jan 2015 19:40:00 +0000

Around the House
Hey All, this has been an interesting week in my world. I finally have gotten a new editor which has taken about a year and a half to find. So that has really put my writing on hold. Now I am back to pushing threw to get my stories completed for my editor to get a crack at. He is actually spending time reading my past works so that he knows the content of the World of Illumination. I am very excited to be working with him. I have seen a jump in my profile pages already, new ones are coming out, so I will be updating all the links on this page in the next couple weeks. I am so excited for the new changes that are coming. I look forward to seeing a new world for my writing.

My Thoughts
I have given Marvel's Agent Carter on ABC 3 episodes before I have rendered judgement. The show is a witty murder and government mystery. It takes place after Captain America: the First Avenger when his sort of girl friend is trying to find her place in the new world order of the 40's and Stark is causing trouble. The Show focus on the characters of Agent Carter and Jarvis, Howard Stark's butler. I recommend this read to any major comic buff as it is a fresh take on the world we love and fleshes out the realms of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Agent Carter has been featured on Marvel's Agents of Shield and in the Marvel Movies. I recommend jumping into this limited series that is working to enhance the Marvel Universe.

Rating: 4/5

APPing It

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 01:25:00 +0000

Around the House
It is a typical Monday night for me these days. Sitting alone in front of the TV after a day of interviewing. I have been fighting writers block since I got laid off in July. I have had a rough go of it this last year. A relationship gone, lost a job, and still feeling like I am floating in a sea of crap. I haven't been writing like I should be, even though I have a half finished book waiting for my love and attention. Not to mention all the other projects I have started but have not had the attention to see grow.

My Thoughts
There are three of us all single right now playing on all the gay apps. You have been floating on Scruff, Seb playing on Recon (a dirty leather boy app), and Chris on Grindr. We are all just looking for companionship in different ways. I want to be married but will enjoy myself till then, Seb just wants a husband despite actually having the occasional hook up since his boyfriend left him over email. Now there is Chris who is sleeping with everything that will sit still long enough for him to put his dick in them. It makes me wonder if all this technology has just ruined out ability to find a relationship that lasts.

Right now I am talking to a couple guys. You know the standard non-committal avoiding conversation and text guy who just as you are done calls or texts to ensure he still has your attention with some half assed excuse. Now I have meet this new guy on Scruff who is interesting. I don't know if I am just settling for him or if I really like him. He wants an open relationship which is very common on these apps. You meet guys who are in them, want them, or enjoy the benefits of guys that do them. How do you know if that is for you? Is it better to have an open relationship or find out that you man couldn't keep it in his pants so he cheated on you?

I look at Chris who claims to want love but doesn't even bother to learn the names of the guys he is sleeping with. He doesn't want an open relationship he like not having strings. No strings attached should be his name. I don't understand how that hipster want to be pulls it off. While yes he is my friend and room mate I do not get the look he is giving and getting the sex.

Now Seb the over the hill twink has found his leather daddy side and has been exploring it on the apps. Unfortunately, he hates himself for the play with out commitment. So he has the game of about half way through the activity his mind and heart turn off leaving him feeling more alone than ever.

Do the APPs help or hinder us? I don't know yet. Let's see how it happens to unfold. What do you think of the apps?

Book Review: Dead Ever After

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 19:01:00 +0000

Around the House
I'M BACK! I can't believe how quiet I have been for 8 months. Yes I am working very hard on the last section of For the Love of Brimstone finally. I am also creating expanded scenes for the complete volume. So get excited tell your friends that you are dying to read more of the dirty sexy time. Until this final volume hits the shelves this month enjoy my new book Pandora's Last Breath.

My Thoughts
Sadness fell on my house when I closed the book on the Sookie Stackhouse Series. It took me a month to write this review because I couldn't believe that it was finally over; that Sookie and I would not be spending any more summer days laying in the sun enjoying a glass of iced tea. Then I found that another was coming for this fall ... What Happened Next in the World of Sookie Stackhouse! I got excited that I would get to see where all of my favorite characters ended up. How there lives would turn out, and what would happen next. While the last couple books have been okay this book was stellar, amazing, and an unsung ending to everything that is Sookie. If you are reading from this point on beware of the spoilers that are coming. Just go get the book NOW!

I have read a lot about the harsh critics that Charlaine Harris has received for bringing Sam and Sookie together as part of the ending of the Sookie Stackhouse Series. Of course that is how it had to end up. She had to have a long life of happiness with a man she would grow old with. I can understand why you might have pulled for Alcide, but the vampires were never an option for our sun loving part fairy hero. Now just shut up and enjoy the way the story was told. Open the past books and reread their first date. Find the love for Sam again and enjoy that this is how it had to happen. If it didn't I think I would have been mad.

Rating: 5/5

Book & Movie Review: Beautiful Creatures or The Caster Chronicles

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 06:17:00 +0000

Around the House
Life around the house is a bit rough right now. I am job hunting and trying to get a new job quickly. It is a pain in the butt process let me tell you. We will see what happens. At least I have my writing. That at least keeps me going. It is nice to see that people are getting excited for my new works. I am excited to see how well sales turn out.

My Thoughts
I was a bit distressed by how the writers handled all the layers of the first movie in The Caster Chronicles - Beautiful Creatures. The fact that they combined characters and took away some of the discovery and mystery for that masterful series hurt to watch at times. While someone who had never read the book may enjoy the movie; it lost a lost of the magic and wonder that made that love story so compelling.

I missed how they didn't take enough time developing how the death of Ethan's mother not only affected him but the family. I was sad to see that Amma a bright and stunning character was reduced to a helping hand when she was truly the mother in the family working to protect Ethan.

My recommendation is to skip the movie and enjoy the book.

Book: 4/5
Movie: 2/5

Book Release: Pandora's Last Breath

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 05:36:00 +0000

Around the House
This has been a rough week with getting everything ready for the Pandora release. I have been working on projects while job hunting. I have been fighting with a major case of writers block the last couple months that I finally think that I am over. Well at least I have a new book out and lots of great promotions on my past book coming from Amazon. So sit back and enjoy the read!

My Thoughts

International Bestselling Author D.J. Cappella returns with Pandora's Last Breath the follow up to Cursed the first volume in the Preludes of Illumination series.

Kim loves him.

Trevor has a secret.

They have a Destiny that will take them from the streets of Chicago into the bowels of a Hell Realm.

Together they have a love that time will turn back for, but will that love keep them safe as Cat Boys, Demons, and Guardians try to use them for their own schemes? They are just another pawn of the Seers in her quest to bring for the Illumination of the Witches. Only together will they be able to stop her plans, save Pandora's Box, and survive the trials ahead. Will their love be enough, or will one of them be left out in the cold?

Buy My books in the US Buy My books in Canada Buy My books in the UK

Updates

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 21:35:00 +0000

My Thoughts

To many to share right now!

Around the House
Recently I feel in love with the Mortal Instruments Series, started reading Interview with a Vampire, and have been thinking about the future. I have to finish the final draft of Pandora and the last chapter of For the Love of Brimstone. My life has been a bit chaotic, so I have not been writing like I should be. That is all is going to change since I just had my 32 second birthday and I am not where I want to be in life. Here is a little something I have been thinking about what are your thought?

I sat in the Sorcerers Garden. Well I suppose it isn't that kind of garden any more, but since a sorcerer planted it that is still what we call it. It is still illegal though to pick any plants from this garden. I don't care though. Just laying in a field surrounded by rosemary, basil, thyme, and belladonna. The smells are intoxicating. My grandfather says before the Changing that most of these plants where common in every home. They called them herbs and you would use them for seasoning meat and food. We are lucky to get salt these days much less a precious herb that could be part of a potion or ritual. Still I love this place.

We live in the midlands and are what the magi call Technomancers. That means we need technology to survive. My grandfather says that about a 100 years ago everyone was a Technomancer. That has to be total bull shit since their is not way that in a 100 years all the technology that made us great and power would be wiped out by magic, but he swears to it. He also swears that Christianity was the main religion, not they Goddess worship the Magi practice called Gaeanism. He claims that you didn't need magic to blow up a city or light and heat your home. That all of that ran under ground or through the air until the Changing destroyed it all. Now the Magi rule us. I live near one of the great lakes. We used to live closer until the great flood took out our village. Now we live farther out and have to get our watched from the Des Laines river. It floods alot too.

But I suppose it is back to me being in the Sorcerers Garden. I am about to turn 13. See at until we turn 13 we are allowed to mix with the Magi Childern because their is a chance that any one of us could develope magic. I don't know anyone that this has happened. too, but you never know.

TV Review: Nashville

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 19:45:00 +0000

Around the House
I am nearing the end of my vacation and I didn't accomplish everything I hoped to do during this time off. I have not gotten any writing done. I am feeling a little disconnected from it at the moment. I need to finish this last edit of Pandora's Last Breath and Part 3 of For the Love of Brimstone. It doesn't help that I am in the middle of two other books right now. I am just feeling separated. I could use a little support from you guys out there. So let me know what you all think!

My Thoughts
At the Bar last night Lady B. brought up that she started watching Nashville and really loved it. I have been watching the previews for it on TV (since I am an ABC addict) so I decided today to see if it was on demand. It is, so I started watching it. I have to say I was excited by it. I was worried it was going to be campy like GCB, but instead it is deep, heartfelt, and fun. The story line is strong and great. This is a show I can see going for many years. So my luck is that I am going to completely fall in love with it and it will end up getting cancelled like every other show I love.

I enjoy the dynamic of watching a new up and coming star and a struggling star trying to regain her footing in the world. Rayne, is a dynamic and fun character that has a sordid history that is coming back to bite her in the ass. Her husband has a dark secret the threatens to destroy their family. And her father is a dark individual that is always trying to get his way in the method possible to help but really he hurts.

Rating: 4/5

Return to Body for Life

noreply@blogger.com (D.J. Cappella) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 19:32:00 +0000

Around the House
Wow last night was fun. Going to Boystown for Halloween was a great surprise. I hung with Lady B., Kev, Dave, and Lauren. We hung out at a little bar which actually isn't that small called D.S. Tequila. It is a great little place that I am so going to head back too. It has been a long time since I have been on that part of Boystown in the bars and I find that I actually missed the fun. It is changing again, so I think I will be hitting that up once in a while to see what is going on. Of course I spent most of my night thinking of my date. I was so gushy I even showed his picture around to my friends and they agree that is absolutely adorable. It is sad that I am sitting here waiting for him to text me. I look forward to each time he texts me. I so can't wait. I have never had a boyfriend from
Halloween to Valentines Day. Maybe this year is the year.

My Thoughts
Well it is time for another Body for Life Challenge. I want to get certain things accomplished, mostly I want to fit back into my cute new clothes. I just need to finish sending this stomach of mine down river. Wish me luck and shoot me all of your support.

Week 1 starting- The Numbers: A New Beginning

	Start	Week 1	Change
Weight	220.8
BMI	29.7%
Hips	43.5 in
Waist	41 in
Midsection	43 in
Chest	43.5 in
Arm (R)	13 in
Arm (L)	13 in
Neck	16 in
Pants	33

Total change in inches: Well positive change is always a good thing!