C.K. Bryant

Great Video on Bullying

2013-03-27T10:24:00.004-06:00

But it's not just about bullying. I loved the part in the beginning where he talked about how others try to change your dreams.

Check it out!

New Release !!!

2013-03-06T10:31:00.001-07:00

Announcing the release of Inevitable, the newest young adult suspense novel by Tamara Hart Heiner!

Visions of death plague Jayne, who thinks watching her boyfriend die is the worst that could happen to her. But when she witnesses a murder, Jayne finds herself caught up in a dangerous world of intrigue and suspense.

As it turns out, she is not the only one doing the stalking. The killer is on to her, and all of her visions of the dying don't reveal how her life will end. Somehow, she must stop the murderer before he arranges Jayne's own inevitable death.

First page
Available on Amazon.com, Smashwords.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and Kobo.com!

After an awesome ebook launch on Facebook, Tamara's trying hard to top that with the paperback. So here's the plan:

1) For the entire month of March, every comment on Tamara's blog gets entered into a drawing to win a HARD COPY of one of her books. (You get to choose which one!)

2) Leave a comment on THIS BLOG for a chance to win ALL of her young adult ebooks!

3) Enter the Goodreads Giveaway for another chance to win Inevitable.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Inevitable

by Tamara Hart Heiner

Giveaway ends April 02, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

4) If you SPREAD THE NEWS, whether it's on your blog, on Facebook, on Twitter, or just plain word of mouth, you'll be entered into a drawing for a $50 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble gift card. Email Tamara at tamarahartheiner dot com and tell her how many times you did it, and you'll be entered into the drawing that many times!

Are we ready??? Get set! Go!

About the author: I live in Arkansas with my husband and three children, two crazy boys and one pretty little princess. I used to spend a lot of time writing until I had a baby and discovered Facebook. Now you'll often find me on there pretending to have a social life.

I am the author of three young adult suspense novels, PERILOUS, ALTERCATION, and INEVITABLE. You can find out more about what I'm writing and catch deleted scenes from my books on my blog at http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com.

UPDATE

2013-02-23T22:32:00.001-07:00

When Broken came out last June I planned to jump right into writing the 3rd and final book in The Crystor Series, Beloved, and have it out by the first part of 2013. I'm usually a fast writer and because I have a great support system, wonderful critique partners, editors, etc, I knew I could do it.

Then life stepped up to bat and hit a few foul balls in my direction.

Every day I get emails, blog comments, tweets and Facebook posts from fans who love the series and can't wait to read Beloved. You've all been so patient and understanding, and made it . . . well . . . easier NOT to write. I felt I needed to take a break so I could deal with some personal stuff and the love and understanding oozing through the online media venues has made that possible.

Until tonight.

I received an email from a fan who LOVES the series, but is extremely frustrated that I promised BELOVED would be out this month and it isn't. I have to admit, at first, I blew it off, thinking she just didn't understand the turmoil I've been dealing with. But now I realize she's right. If nothing else, I owe my fans a huge apology. So here it is . . .

I'm sorry!!

Sorry for the inconvenience. Sorry for the constant stream of excuses, even thought they were valid. Sorry for ending Broken with such a cliff hanger and making the wait for Beloved agonizingly slow. And sorry I've failed to produce the epic ending to the series I promised not only my fans, but myself.

So, baring any further disasters in my life, here's the plan . . .

I am currently 21,000 words into Beloved, which means about 1/5 of the way through. I have the entire thing outlined and I know every scene, every character and how it will end. The cover is done and I will reveal it a couple weeks before the book is released.

Today is February 23rd. I hope to have the first draft of Beloved done by the middle of April which could mean a late May/early June release. I know that seems like forever, and I don't want to make a promise I can't keep, but I'm shooting for that date. If I can get it out earlier than that, I will send out a newsletter and let everyone know, so please be sure to sign up for my newsletter on the left sidebar.

Thanks again for your patience and understanding.

And thanks for all your wonderful comments, emails, tweets and Facebook posts. Please keep them coming. They've given me the strength to work through the issues in my life and helped me move forward.

HUGS

Christine

Spring Fever

2013-02-01T18:54:00.003-07:00

There are still tiny piles of snow scattered all over the place, but there's enough of it gone that I can see grass peeking through and the tiny buds of my tulips pressing up through the dirt. For weeks it's been in the single digits, but for two days it's been in the high forties. I didn't even wear a coat when I drove up the road to pick up my son off the school bus today.

Mother Nature is a big tease, letting us taste a drop of spring here and there. She's mean, really.

What I want to do is throw open the windows and doors and let the cool fresh air fill my home and my lungs. But I know it's too early. Within minutes I'd be pulling a blanket over my bare feet and slipping my goose-bumped covered arms into the sleeves of a sweater. There's a reason I still have fleece sheets and an electric blanket on my bed.

It's still winter.

But oh, I wish it was spring.

For now, I will close my eyes and pretend I feel the warmth of the sun on my face and smell the blossoms tossing pollen into the air. For now, I will watch the frozen white mounds melt away and the puddles dry up.

Impatient as I am, I will wait.

Are you feeling a little spring fever yet? What are you doing about it?

Join the DOJO!!!

2013-01-28T13:06:00.001-07:00

A note from writing ninja & dojo creator, Ali Cross . . .

The Writer's Dojo is returning to its roots and invites you to join in on the fun!

When I first started the writer's dojo in 2008, she did it as a way to keep the glory of National Novel Writing Month alive all year long. I loved the camaraderie and support I received during the month of November and desired that same feeling of community every month of the year, in every aspect of writing--not just the drafting.

Beginning February 1st, 2013, the writer's dojo returns to its roots and ushers in a new age of ninjawesomeness. Each month we will open three training rooms at the writer's dojo website. A room for drafters (Writing Month, aka WriMo), a room for revisers (Revising Month, aka ReMo) and a room for those querying (Querying Month, aka QuMo).

We invite you to set your own goals, whether it's to write a thousand words a day, revise ten pages a week, or submit twenty queries in a month, and register your goal in the appropriate training room.

Every Monday we'll post the leaderboard for the previous week, and at the end of each month those who met their goal will be able to post the coveted Writing Ninja Warrior badge on their blog or website.

To help you reach your goals, we have a number of ways to support you:

WEBSITE: http://www.ninjaswrite.com

CHATS: At the dojo every Thursday at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.

TWITTER: Anytime, day or night, at #writingninja.

GOOGLE+: Join our community for random write-ins and sprints.

NEWSLETTER: Subscribe to our Ninja News and once a month you'll receive an email with an encouraging note and a list of the top performers for the previous month. There will also be opportunities for giveaways, starting with February's newsletter!

We hope to see you at the dojo as you reach for--and achieve--your goals!

FREE Samplers - From the Indelibles

2013-01-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

Love a good love story?

Want to get lost in a great fantasy read or historical romp?

Enjoy mindbending futuristic tales?

We have a sampler for you...

Four amazing samplers! FREE!

Best-selling books. Best-selling authors.

Contemporary - Science-fiction - Historical - Fantasy

But this isn’t all about us.

This is about you, the reader, finding books you love to read.

Just click on the pictures for your free download!

Contemporary Sampler

Fantasy Sampler

Historical Sampler

Science Fiction Sampler

To celebrate the release of the samplers,

we're giving away free books!

Four winners will win the ebook of their choice from any sampler.

1. Download your FREE samplers today and enjoy the experience.

2. Fill out the rafflecopter form for a chance to win!

3. If the book is already free, you'll receive the second book in the series!

Enter now!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks! And enjoy!

Cover Reveal -SOUL CATCHER, by G.P. Ching

2013-01-18T00:30:00.000-07:00

It's here! I can finally share with you the cover of the fourth Soulkeepers novel, Soul Catcher.

Dane Michaels has been to Hell and back and isn't interested in repeating the experience. But as a human caught up in the Soulkeeper's world, his life isn't exactly his own. No one can explain why Dane was allowed through the gates of Eden, but it's changed everything. Now, the only one who can make him feel safe is Ethan, the telekinetic Soulkeeper with a dark past and a heart of gold.

When Malini asks Dane to be part of a mission to find the last Soulkeeper, Cheveyo, more than one team member thinks she's tempting Fate. But Malini suspects Fate has had a hand in Dane's life for some time and that he could be the key to unraveling Lucifer's latest plan of attack.

Add it on Goodreads!

About The Cover

Adam Bedore of Anjin Design creates all of the covers for The Soulkeepers Series. Book four revolves around Dane, pictured here, and introduces Cheveyo, a Hopi indian boy and the last Soulkeeper on the list Dr. Silva conjured in book 3. Cheveyo is represented by the dream catcher and adobe wall behind Dane. Fate, also known as Fatima, plays a role in the story. You can see her shadow hanging from the red stone in the dream catcher. (Yes, she is represented as a spider. She is a master weaver after all!) And if you think there is something up with that shadow behind Dane, you are not mistaken. There's more to him than meets the eye.

About The Book

Soul Catcher is slated for a March release and is the fourth book in the bestselling Soulkeepers series.

Blog Tour - Destined (#3 of the Desolation Series)

2013-01-03T00:30:00.000-07:00

I was privileged enough to read all three books in this series and I must say they were all fantastic. While I loved the first two, I have to admit the last one was my favorite. The second book in this series left the main character, Desi, in an impossible situation where there was little hope of her body or soul being rescued. In book three, Destined, we finally get to find out her fate. What a great ending to a fantastic story, not only of love and sacrifice, but of making difficult choices.

Ali Cross did such a great job bringing the characters to life and making you feel like you were in the story. Well done. Can't wait to see what she writes next.

Here's a little more about it.

Choosing is a bad idea, because Desi always makes the wrong choice, and sometimes there are no do-overs. Certainly not this time, when all has been lost and Desi can’t even save herself, let alone her friends. For Desi, the hardest thing is letting someone help her, to accept their sacrifice on her\behalf. But that’s exactly what she’ll have to do in order to save the worlds from Helena’s destruction.

The goddess of Helheimer, long imprisoned by Desi’s father, Loki, is free at last, and she’s bent on reclaiming what once was hers. The nine worlds will be drawn into war, over Hell, over Earth, with innocent humans as meaningless collateral.

While Michael and the Gardians of Asgard, along with the golden-armored Valkyrie, lead the battle for freedom, it’s Desi who holds the destiny of all the worlds in her hands.

Can she set aside her doubts, once and for all, and claim the gifts that are hers to bear? Can she accept the sacrifice that is made for her and Become all that she was created to be?

Her final choice will define not only her future, but the fate of humankind, forever more.

Buy Destined online at:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords

Ali Cross is the sensei of the writer's dojo where she holds a black belt in awesome. She lives in Utah with her kickin' husband, two sparring sons, one ninja cat, two sumo dogs and four zen turtles. Ali is the author of the Desolation series, a young adult paranormal romance about the kick-butt devil’s daughter and her search for a destiny of her own choosing. Ali's Site | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Google+

Rafflecopter giveaway

Beloved . . . Update

2012-12-21T14:49:00.001-07:00

So many of you have asked about Beloved, the third book in The Crystor Series, and have begged for details about when it will be released. I thought I'd give a little update, although it's probably not what you want to hear.

My original plan was to have it finished and to my editor by the end of December, then out for you to enjoy by the end of January. That was before my kitchen flooded and life threw me a few curve balls.

Soooo . . .

I'm still hammering away on the computer keys trying to get it finished. My hope is to have it release in early spring, but I won't let it be read until it's just right, so don't hate me if it takes a little longer.

I wish I had better news. I promise to send out a sneak peek as soon as I have one worthy to be read, and I'll be revealing the cover sometime after the first of the year as well. In the meantime . . . eat lots of Christmas cookies and fudge, enjoy being with your friends and family during the Christmas and New Year season.

***Oh, and just in case you're interested, and I know you are, BROKEN made Amazon's TOP 100 Customer Favorites of 2012 in the Teen category. How cool is that?

HUGS

Nightingale, by David Farland

2012-11-19T00:30:00.000-07:00

The multi-award winning novel, Nightingale by best-selling author, David Farland is available in hardback, ebook, and now in a special iPad enhanced version. This young-adult fantasy novel has already been turning heads.

Grand Prize Winner of the Hollywood Book Festival, placed first in all genres, all categories.

Winner of the 2012 International Book Award for Best Young Adult Novel of the Year!

Finalist in the Global Ebook Awards.

Some people sing at night to drive back the darkness. Others sing to summon it. . . .

Bron Jones was abandoned at birth. Thrown into foster care, he was rejected by one family after another, until he met Olivia, a gifted and devoted high-school teacher who recognized him for what he really was--what her people call a "nightingale."

But Bron isn't ready to learn the truth. There are secrets that have been hidden from mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, secrets that should remain hidden. Some things are too dangerous to know. Bron's secret may be the most dangerous of all.

In his remarkable young adult fantasy debut, David Farland shows why critics have called his work "compelling," "engrossing," "powerful," "profound," and "ultimately life-changing."

"Superb worldbuilding, strong characters, and Dave's characteristic excellent prose. --Brandon Sanderson, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

"A wonderful tale of a young man trying to find his humanity, even though he's not quite human. One of Farland's very best!"--#1 International Bestseller Kevin J. Anderson

The enhanced version creates an amazing reading experience complete with illustrations from several talented artists and a sample of a soundtrack that coincides with the story. Published by East India Press a publishing company that takes e-books in a whole new direction with enhanced multimedia--soundtracks, movie clips, author interviews and more. From the site: "East India embraces emerging technologies and new distribution methods, producing every novel in three forms: as an enhanced multimedia experience, as a standard e-book, and as a limited edition hardcover."
Farland has plans for three more books in the series: Dream Assassin, Draghoul, and Shadow Lord.

About the author:

David Farland has written and edited fifty published books. These include novels for adults, young adults, anthologies, middle-grade readers, and picture books. He often teaches writing workshops, and has trained a number of people who went on to become international bestselling authors—people like Brandon Sanderson in fantasy, Brandon Mull in middle-grade fiction, and Stephenie Meyer in young adult fiction.

As part of his dedication to helping other writers, David writes the David Farland’s Daily Kick in the Pants, an email bulletin for writers or those who would be writers. Many authors rave about how it has helped them. Out of devotion, he provides the Daily Kick free. You can register to receive it at http://www.davidfarland.com/.

You can learn more about Dave and his books/writing seminars here:
FB:

http://www.facebook.com/david.farland1

Twitter handle @DavidFarland

Websites:

www.nightingalenovel.com

http://www.davidfarland.com/

Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/83308.David_Farland

David Farland Amazon Page

Blog Tour Schedule for Nightingale by David Farland 2012

Sept 28- http://www.christydorrity.com/2012/09/nightingale-book-tour.html
Sept 28- http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2012/09/book-giveaway-nightingale-by-david.html
Oct 1- http://www.stinalindenblatt.com/2012/10/bringing-scenes-to-life-guest-post.html
Oct 3- Donna Weaver- http://weavingataleortwo.blogspot.com/
Oct 4- http://www.rashelleworkman.com/
Oct 9 - http://www.ilikethesebooks.com/
Oct 12-http://www.debbiesinkspectations.blogspot.com/
Oct 16- http://moniquebucheger.blogspot.com/
Oct 17- http://peggyeddleman.blogspot.com/
Oct 18- http://www.dorinewhite.blogspot.com/
Oct 19- http://thebookshelfmuse.blogspot.com/

Oct 23- http://www.karen-hoover.blogspot.com/
Oct 24-http://www.tanyaparkermills.com/
Oct 25- http://davidpowersking.blogspot.com/
Oct 26- http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/
Oct 29- http://writersally.blogspot.com/

Oct 30- www.franklycreative.blogspot.com
Nov 2- http://1000wrongs.blogspot.com/
Nov 5- http://www.ja-bennett.com/
Nov 5- http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/
Nov 6- http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/
Nov 7- http://starcrossedbookreviews.blogspot.com/
Nov 14- http://elanajohnson.blogspot.com/

Nov 16- http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/
Nov 16- http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/
Nov 19- http://christinebryant.blogspot.com/
Nov 20- http://cindybennett.blogspot.com/
Nov 21- http://writersally.blogspot.com/

Nov 26- http://cindymhogan.blogspot.com/
Nov 27-http://www.alicross.com/
Nov 28-http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/
Nov 29- http://fireandicephoto.blogspot.com/
Nov 30- www.blogginboutbooks.com
Dec 3- http://rebeccablevinswrites.blogspot.com/
Dec 7- http://kbrebes.blogspot.com/
Dec 14 - author@jlloydmorgan.com

Dear Me . . . by Cindy M. Hogan

2012-11-09T22:37:00.004-07:00

I'm lucky enough to have a very special guest on my blog today. I've known her for years and she's a phenomenal author and friend. And even better, she's just released a new book . . . CREATED! While I haven't had time to read it yet, I did devour the first two in the series and LOVE, LOVE, LOVED THEM!!!

Visit the Blog Tour HERE!!

But first, check out Cindy's "Dear Me" then scroll down to find out more about her books.

Dear Me,

It can be a tricky business keeping your inner child alive. Life can get so crazy busy, it's easy to let life's responsibilities crush all the fun out of it. The greatest thing I ever did for myself was to be honest with myself and recognize I was falling into a pit of busy pessimism. When I did this, I was able to allow myself to let go of the part of me that said, everything must be perfect every minute, and allow the mantra to evolve into everything needs to give me joy. I discovered that if I looked at everything with an eye of discovery and learning, life became joyful, not because of what I was looking forward to, but because I could choose to have gratification in each and every moment. I see the brilliance of life and each experience it sends my way. Bring it on-I'm sure to enjoy it.

Cindy

About Cindy . . .

Cindy M. Hogan graduated with a secondary education teaching degree and enjoys spending time with unpredictable teenagers. More than anything she loves the time she has with her own teenage daughters and wishes she could freeze them at this fun age. If she's not reading or writing, you'll find her snuggled up with the love of her life watching a great movie or planning their next party. She loves to bake, garden and be outdoors doing a myriad of activities.

Cindy M. Hogan author blog
Twitter @watched1
Facebook page

Created
Watched series: Book 3

Teaser
A spy school.
A choice.
A destiny discovered.

Description

With The Witness Protection Program failing to keep Christy safe, she is sent to Belgium to hide in a spy school. While there, test scores reveal her true abilities and the director wants her to become a spy. Once the terrorists back home are all caught, and the danger gone, she is forced to make the decision to either go home and live a normal teen life or use her gifts and become a spy.

Back copy

"Created is Mission: Impossible meets Bourne Identity, only better because Christy is just seventeen." -RaShelle Workman, author of Exiled

"Unique, suspenseful, and hard to predict." -E. Baker, reviewer

"Be prepared to spend the entire day doing nothing but reading because once you start Created, you won't want to put it down!" -C. Anderson, reviewer

"A remarkable balance between adventure and romance, leaving you hungry for more." -L. Sears, reviewer

Goodreads author page

Purchase links
Amazon
Kindle
Print

Barnes and Noble
Nook

Facebook page
Goodreads author page

So go get your copy today and let me know how much you love it.

Dear Me . . . I Feel GOOD!!

2012-11-06T13:09:00.001-07:00

I just got back from a four day writer's retreat in Heber City, Utah. Man, oh man, did I need it. There were 22 authors in all and we had a blast. Here's a pic. I'm second from the right.

Now that I'm home I feel totally rejuvenated and am ready to take on the task of finishing BELOVED. WOOT!! I've been so bogged down with life that I've let everything imaginable distract me. I'm so happy to be back and so is my muse.

So, onward and upward. Let's hope I get this thing done before the end of the year, eh?

Dear Me . . . Update

2012-10-23T12:31:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I posted about a young girl who posted her picture online and who was proud to be a plus size. I couldn't find the link on Facebook, but this morning her story popped up on the MSN news. Here's the link if you'd like to take a look.

Dear Me . . . You're Beautiful Just the Way You Are

2012-10-22T13:51:00.003-06:00

The past couple of days I've seen a photo of a twenty something girl on Facebook wearing nothing but a pair of black panties and matching bra. She's not exposing anymore than a bathing suite would show and she's not posing in a seductive manner. Nope. She's got her arms out to her sides as if to say, "Here I am in all my glory and I'm not ashamed one bit."

Whoa! She's brave!

That was my first thought.

Then I started reading some of the comments. THOUSANDS of comments and over 100,000 likes. While the majority of them are supportive and "You go girl" encouraging words, there are a few that are mean and extremely negative.

And I bet every one of them were bullies in school. Jerks!

I wanted to show you the girl's post, but after 15 minutes of scrolling down through the Facebook statuses, I finally gave up. Instead, here's a model from a Dove commercial that looks almost identical. (Except the obvious white undies)

Isn't she beautiful?

It made me think of my own self image and the years of rude comments, not only from strangers, but from family members who should have loved me as I was. After hearing the negativity over and over you begin to believe it. Begin to think badly of yourself and at some point I began repeating those words to myself every time I looked in the mirror or couldn't get my jeans zipped up.

Over the years things haven't changed much. I look in the mirror now and cringe. I don't love my body or what I've allowed myself to do with it. I'm much larger than this gorgeous young woman and haven't cared much about being healthy.

I need to change that. Both the healthy part and the self image part. While I know being healthy is important, there's nothing wrong with me loving my body the way it is. Just because I have more curves than the average woman, doesn't mean I can't embrace them, right?

RIGHT?

What do you think? Do you embrace your body regardless of it's imperfections?

*HUGS*

Here's a video from DOVE I'd like to share with you.

"Dear Me" . . . Get Over It!

2012-10-17T22:59:00.001-06:00

Before I was married, my best friend and I took guitar lessons and after we got to be pretty good we started singing at weddings and small church settings. She was a wonderful singer, always took the lead. I sang the harmony. The quiet voice in the background. At first it was hard and took a lot of practice, but after a while I received many compliments and the two of us performed a couple times a month. I loved music, even wrote several songs.

Then I started dating. One weekend my boyfriend and I drove to my sister's house to help them move. That evening I got out my guitar like I always did and sang a few tunes for my niece and nephews. They loved music as much as I did. One of the songs was by an artist named Sylvia--"Snap Shot." When I finished, the kids clapped, but was a little confused when I heard my boyfriend laughing. He blurted, "You sure don't sound like Sylvia."

I was crushed.

That was the first time he'd ever heard me sing and I don't think he meant to hurt me. Since then he's apologized a million times, but I remember the way it felt and I can't seem to get past it.

As you may have guessed, I married that man, but please don't think badly of him. He's a wonderful husband and father and has never said anything else to bring me down or make me feel less than wonderful in his eyes. But his words still sting whenever I think about singing in public. We've been married for over 27 years and I've never played my guitar in front of him and never sang around the house when he's home. Not even a hum. In fact, I sold that guitar a few months ago. Sadness.

Fast forward to this morning when I opened an email asking me to join the choir. I should say no. That would be the easy thing to do. I'd be off the hook then. I have nothing to prove.

But if I say yes . . .

It will mean stepping outside my comfort zone. It will mean believing in myself. Surely I'll break out in hives before I even take the stand.

But it will also bring me great joy and be so worth it when I do this one thing for ME and love myself for being brave!!!

*Hugs*

*Who's holding you back and why are you letting them?

"Dear Me" . . . a Time of Healing and Discovery

2012-10-16T23:42:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago I posted about how I finally took a stand against a family member who had verbally and emotionally abused me since I was a young child. That single act of bravery has caused some major changes in my life, one of which is getting in touch with my inner child.

And discovering she's broken.

Learning to recognize her and allowing her to heal is the the main focus of this post and the new look of my blog. To be honest, I've gotten to where I hate blogging. I struggle constantly with what I feel is important enough to share with my readers. I always come up empty or feeling like what I've shared is unimportant or the same thing everyone else is blogging about.

Blah . . . blah . . . blah!

Well, not anymore!

Today I offer up my heart and soul to anyone who will listen. As I discover my inner child--the side of her that is wounded and the side that is playful and care free--I will record my inner most feelings and experiences for everyone to read in the form of a journal entry.

"Dear Me" will be honest, raw and hopefully uplifting. Please feel free to share your own experiences along the way and maybe some day our inner children will be able to play together.

*Hugs*

Fan Friday - The Character Interview

2012-10-12T00:30:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my first character interview, and you, the fans, have asked some pretty tough questions. Here they are, along with the answers. I hope you enjoy seeing into the minds of Kira, Altaria and Octavion.

(I've added a few pics that I used for inspiration to show you how I saw them while writing.)

Debie Guthman asks Altaria . . . Tell me more about yourself, why you fight for control yet hide at other times, what secret past do you hide for the group?

Altaria – My whole life is clouded with secrets and keeping my existence unknown. While I’m aware of everything around me—feel, smell, taste and know everything Lydia experiences—I remain silent in order to save our life. In our world, gifts are not only admired and seen as a strength, they are sought after by those who seek their power. The uniqueness we possess would put us in great danger.

To you, it may seem like I am sheltered and withdrawn, but just the opposite is true. As you may have notice while my spirit dwelt within Kira’s body, I rarely sleep. I continue to observe, listen and live. My mother discovered this late one night when she visited our room to be sure we were all right. She stepped to the bedside to draw the covers up around our shoulders and I opened my eyes—my light blue eyes, not Lydia’s green ones.

While Lydia slept, my mother and I whispered so we wouldn’t wake her. From that night on, she came to our bedside and showed her love for me—my spirit, not Lydia’s. She told me of her life as a commoner, how she and my father met and fell in love. She told me stories of her youth and the history of our ancestors. And sometimes, she just held me and listened to me breathe. I didn’t mind letting Lydia have the days, knowing I had the nights with our mother.

Now. Now, things are different. My mother no longer visits me in the night and with Lydia gone, I am utterly alone. I’m learning things about myself though. How to be stronger in spirit and how to sleep so my body can rest. I miss my kindred spirit terribly. I miss my connection with Kira and sharing our thoughts. But most of all, I miss those quiet nights with my mother.

Jasmine Hunter asks Kira....Knowing the outcome so far.....would you still befriend Lydia??

Kira – In a nut shell, YES! Lydia isn’t just my BFF, she’s like a sister to me and we had a connection long before I wore the Crystor.

Of course I have regrets about other stuff. As I look back there were so many times when I was brave one minute and a freakin’ mouse the next. Or when I did something stupid and put us all in danger. I think most of that was the way the Crystor made changes to my body and personality, and not knowing how to react to the strange things going on around me. I wasn’t used to Octavion and Kira’s world and I could have made better decisions. But being bound to Lydia isn’t one of them.

Jennifer BouLahoud asks Kira.....Knowing now everything it meant to be bound to Lydia, all the happiness, pain, struggles etc, would you do again?

Kira – Yep!! As I told Jasmine above, I love Lydia and risking my life to save hers was no brainer. I can’t imagine my life back on earth now and I don’t miss it. Well, okay, maybe my music. I miss that a lot. And I do wish I’d been able to graduate. But I feel more at home now than I ever did living with my mom and her boyfriends. And even with all that’s happened—and now being separated from Octavion and Altaria—I know there are great things for me in the future, new people to meet on this wonderful world and love yet to be discovered.

Estina Figueroa asks Kira . . . When you felt that someone was watching you did it feel weird or did you felt like you were protected?

Kira – Are you talking about in the beginning, when I was sitting on the hood of Lydia’s car? Umm, total weirdness. I’ve always had these little brain wave blips, as I call them, but this was different. Now that I know what it feels like when Octavion is about to appear, I think it was kind of like that. Like when you’re on a roller coaster and you reach the top and your stomach flips over right before you plummet to the ground. Yeah, that’s what Octavion does to me when he’s around. But in a good way. Man, I miss him.

Veray Carter Octavion . . . You do know that Kira is going to whip your butt when she finds out the deal you made with King Ramla. Knowing that you made this deal, why did you then continue to develop your relationship with her if you knew you would have to leave her?

Octavion – This is something that has been weighing heavy on my mind and my heart. I know I should tell her. No excuses. No secrets. But then I look at her shattered and broken spirit and the last thing I want to do is tell her the truth. I guess I am selfish in that way. I want to spend every moment we have left enjoying her company. Her smile. Her laughter. I need to be sure she knows how much I love her, that she has worth and a real home here. I need to be sure she’s strong enough to handle it and will not try to kill herself again like she did on the cliff. Most of all, I keep hoping that King Ramla will change his mind and leave us to live in love forever. But I know only a miracle can do that and Ophera is too wild and unpredictable to give that thought any merit.

In the meantime, I need to put these thoughts behind me and spend every waking moment searching for her, hoping she’s still alive. If not, the price I paid for her life will be wasted and King Ramla will have a willing servant.

Thanks for coming and for hanging out with us. If you have anymore questions, be sure to leave them below in the comment section.

See you when BELOVED comes out.

Character Interview

2012-10-11T14:46:00.002-06:00

I'm doing something fun on Fan Friday tomorrow. I'm going to be forwarding fan's questions to all the characters in The Crystor Series. So if there's something you've always wanted to ask one of my characters, leave it in the comments below and I'll be sure they get them.

This is going to be so much fun.

FREAKIN' AWESOME BOOK!!!!

2012-10-05T11:18:00.002-06:00

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Who doesn't like a good ghost story. You've just GOT to grab this book for your e-reader and devour every word.

A man who longs for a son and a boy who can't escape his father's violence. Even death can't break their bond.

Alex is a machine whisperer. He can tell what's wrong with a broken-down car with a touch. But his gift can't save him from the brutality of his meth-addict father. For two years, Alex experienced kindness through Cole, his mentor. Now Cole's dead, and the violence in Alex's life is escalating. When Cole reappears as a ghost, Alex clings to the tenuous link. Then he learns Cole might've sacrificed his chance to cross over. Jade, the first girl to look beyond Alex's past, assures him Cole can reach the Other Side-if Alex escapes from his dad. But a previous terrifying attempt has convinced Alex it's impossible. Unless he can find the courage to try, his friend may be earthbound forever.

~~~~~~~~

"Dead Heat blew me away. It's a gritty ghost story interwoven with all-too-real subject matter that will make you cry for Alex, ache for Cole, and thank God for Jade. I was invested in these characters' lives and you will be too."

~ Stacey Wallace Benefiel, author of the Zellie Wells trilogy

Buy it on Amazon
Buy it on Barnes and Noble
Buy it on Smashwords

In addition to being a YA author, Lisa is a retired amateur stock car racer, an accomplished cat whisperer, and a professional smartass. She writes coming-of-age books about kids in hard luck situations who learn to appreciate their own value after finding mentors who love them for who they are.

Blog: http://lisanowak.wordpress.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Lisa_Nowak
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LisaNowakAuthor
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/LisaNowakNewsletter

Do you believe in ghosts? I DO!!!

NEW RELEASE!

2012-10-02T14:15:00.004-06:00

I haven't had a chance to read this book yet (or the first one in the series), but they both sound GREAT and are at the top of my TBR list. Today is The Guardian's Choice's birthday, so be sure to check it out. The buy links are below, along with the links to the author's blog.

(Book II, The Guardian Circle)

When Amaya wakes, with only the memory of her world’s apocalyptic destruction, she is surprised to find herself alone in a world deceptively similar to her own. But there’s so much about Zerah that’s changed. The Holy Grounds are gone. The Temple is destroyed. And all that remains of their ancient society is a vast, barren space.

Lost and confused, Amaya is forced underground into the dark heart of the neighboring province, hiding out among the monsters – unnatural products of their Maker. She loses all control of her empathic power, spiraling toward madness, until Phoenix finds and saves her. Together they work to build the semblance of a normal life, but he wants more than she’s prepared to give, and try as she might to forget, she’s still haunted by memories of a man she was never meant to love.

Torn between her fear and her need to be redeemed, Amaya seeks out the very person she’s been running from. He presents a tempting offer: he will free her of the Mark that enslaves her to the Guardianship, a Mark that carries only ghosts of a past better forgotten, and give her a chance at a new life.

All it will cost is her soul.

Get it on Amazon

Visit the Author HERE

What books are at the top of your TBR list? Any new releases you can't wait to read?

Pen Names - What the . . . ?

2012-09-04T12:54:00.002-06:00

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I used to pretend I had another name when I was a kid. I had a couple of them, but the one I remember using the most was, Tami.

Tami Johnson- she was my alter ego, smart, pretty. She was very popular in my make believe world and everyone liked her.

Now that I'm grown up I find it a little strange to be thinking about that name and wondering if I should use it as a pen name. Or something totally different. It sounds too plain now and not at all romantic, which is how I need it to sound.

You see, along with my young adult novels, I also write adult romance. Nothing erotic or overly spicy, but still, I'd really like to keep it separate from the other genres I publish.

So what's an author to do? Pretend to be someone else by picking a name that has absolutely no reference to the name she was given at birth? Or choose some variation of her legal name?

My full name is Christine Kay Bryant. Weston is my maiden name, but I don't want to use it, so here are some variations I've considered.

Christine Bryant (boring)
Christa Kay (cute, but, not sure)
Christa Edwards (hubs name is Edward, would be cool, but . . . IDK)
Chrissie something (my nieces and nephews call me Aunt Chrissie or Chrisy, not sure how you'd spell it)

Aaaand that's all I got so far.

So, I'm up for ideas. What would be a good name for a romance author? I'm even up for hearing the fun ones, like Loretta Love or Susie Sexton. ROFL!!

Dear Diary - Do You Journal?

2012-08-30T11:21:00.001-06:00

When I was twelve I received a journal for Christmas. Not some flimsy little diary with a lock and key, but a full sized hardback journal filled with empty lined pages. I was in heaven. Lots of room to write my feelings and explore my inner thoughts.

For years I filled one book after another, all different sizes and colors, but all equally as important in discovering who I was and in giving my muse a place to create.

Then I began to take my writing more seriously and technology came into my life. My first computer soon became my best friend and I found that writing in my journal took a back seat to creating stories and interacting with friends online.

And blogging . . .

Now, I'm not even sure where my journal is half the time and I'm lucky to fill one small volume in five years instead of a couple months.

Lately, I've been missing it. If you read the recent post I wrote on distancing myself from an abusive family member, you'll know my emotions have been on high alert. Not having an outlet for that has been hard. Maybe it's time to dust off my old friend and start pouring myself out on the blank pages again.

BONUS:

Cheap therapy.

An old friend who keeps my secrets.

Proof to my posterity that I lived and experienced turmoil in my life as well as joy and love.

It's time.

Do you journal? I'd love to hear about why you like it, or why you don't.

2012 eFestival of Words

2012-08-27T11:23:00.001-06:00

Readers! Eight award winners in the 2012 eFestival of Words "Best of the Independent eBook Awards" have grouped together to offer you an amazing opportunity. They've reduced the prices of their award-winning novels to 99 cents for August 27 and 28th!

Whether you like to read mysteries, romance, horror, young adult, women's fiction, or fantasy, this group has it. Are you a writer yourself? Do you want to learn all about digitally publishing your next masterpiece? They've got you covered there too.

Get all eight award-winning ebooks for the price of one single paperback!

Award Winners

Best Mystery/Suspense: Dead is the New Black by Christine DeMaio-Rice
Best Non-Fiction: DIY/Self-Help: Let's Get Digital by David Gaughran
Best Horror: 61 A.D. by David McAfee
Best Romance: Deadly Obsession by Kristine Cayne
Best Young Adult: The Book of Lost Souls by Michelle Muto
Best Fantasy/Urban Fantasy and Best Novel: The Black God's War by Moses Siregar III
Best Chick Lit/Women's Lit: Carpe Bead'em by Tonya Kappes
Award for Best Twist ("I've Been Shyamalaned"): The Survival of Thomas Ford by John A.A. Logan

Here's a one-stop shopping link for your convenience: http://amzn.to/MO7qBY

Book Blurbs

Dead is the New Black by Christine DeMaio-Rice
Laura Carnegie gave up on the man of her dreams a long time ago. He's fashion designer Jeremy St. James, and not only is he her boss, everyone knows he's gay.

When the woman who holds the company purse strings is found dead in the office, and Jeremy's arrested for the murder, everything changes. If Laura can just solve this crime, keep the cops off her tail, break up a counterfeiting ring, and get the show on the runway by Friday, she might stop being Seventh Avenue's perpetual loser.

If you love Project Runway, or enjoyed The Devil Wears Prada, try Dead Is the New Black.

Let's Get Digital by David Gaughran
This guide contains over 60,000 words of essays, articles, and how-to guides, as well as contributions from 33 bestselling indie authors including J Carson Black, Bob Mayer, Victorine Lieske, Mark Edwards, and many more.

It covers everything from how the disruptive power of the internet has changed the publishing business forever to the opportunities this has created for writers. It gives you practical advice on editing, cover design, formatting, and pricing. And it reveals marketing tips from blogging and social networking right through to competitions, discounts, reviews, and giveaways.

If you are considering self-publishing, if you need to breathe life into your flagging sales, or if you want to understand why it's a great time to be a writer, Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should will explain it all.

61 A.D. by David McAfee
61 A.D. For ten years, Taras has lived in the young city of Londinium, feeding off the city’s underbelly. But now Theron, his old enemy, has come looking for revenge, and Taras’ nights of living in relative peace are about to end.

Yet not even Theron can slip into town unnoticed, and the Council of Thirteen sends Ramah to deal with the two renegades once and for all. But unknown to the Council, a much older enemy is also in Londinium, and this time even the great Ramah might not be safe.

Set against the backdrop of the Iceni uprising in Roman-era Britannia, 61 A.D. continues the story of Taras, Theron, and Ramah, as they fight their way through history.

Deadly Obsession by Kristine Cayne
Nic Lamoureux's perfect movie star life is shattered by a stalker who threatens any woman close to him. When he meets photographer Lauren James, the attraction is instant--and mutual. She's exactly the sort of woman he craves, but the stalker makes deadly clear Lauren is the competition.
And the competition must be eliminated.

"Stock up on ice cubes because this is definitely one sizzling debut. Readers will be hooked from the first sentence- on the book and on Nic! As rich as a white chocolate cheesecake, Cayne's entrance into the suspense genre is invigorating, explosive and simply intoxicating." ~ RT Book Reviews Top Pick

The Book of Lost Souls by Michelle Muto
When teen witch Ivy MacTavish changes a lizard into her date for a Halloween dance, everything turns to chaos. And when no one is powerful enough to transform him back except Ivy, it sparks the rumor: Like father, like daughter. Worse, someone has used an evil spell book to bring back two of history's most nefarious killers.

Ivy's got a simple plan to set things right: find the real dark spell caster, steal the book, and reverse the spell. No problem! But first, she’ll have to deal with something more dangerous than murderous spirits: the school’s hotter-than-brimstone demon bad boy, Nick Marcelli. Demons are about as hard to handle as black magic, and Ivy soon discovers it’s going to take more than a lot of luck and a little charm if she wants to clear her status as a dark witch, get a warm-blooded boyfriend, and have her former date back to eating meal worms before the week’s end

The Black God's War by Moses Siregar III
Against the backdrop of epic warfare and the powers of ten mysterious gods, Lucia struggles to understand The Black One.

Her father-king wants war.
Her messianic brother wants peace.
The black god wants his due.
She suffers all the consequences.

"Moses is a fine writer deserving of success, and I think that it will follow ... I really enjoyed Moses's work." - David Farland, NYT Bestselling Author of The Runelords

Carpe Bead'em by Tonya Kappes
Hallie Mediate was raised by her (slightly) crazy Great Aunt Grace on the wrong side of the tracks in Cincinnati. Hallie escapes her hometown and never looks back.

That is, until she’s transferred back to the hometown. Not wanting her past to cross paths with her future, Hallie puts her life on hold.

Aunt Grace is still up to her old tricks, but Hallie finds some sanity at a local jewelry-making class where she uncovers a hidden talent for beading.

Will she keep searching for the happiness she may already have found?

The Survival of Thomas Ford by John A.A. Logan

Thomas Ford is the only survivor of the car crash which killed his wife. He is also the only witness who would be willing to identify the young, reckless driver who caused the crash. But the driver would sooner see Thomas Ford dead than ever let that happen.

Happy Reading!

The Power of Creativity in Music

2012-08-24T18:54:00.002-06:00

Several fans have sent me videos and said they reminded them of Bound or Broken. I tend to agree. I've been listening to them as I write today, along with a few others, and it makes me think I need to start a playlist for The Crystor Series.

This is a good place to start.

This one is my favorite. Especially as Beloved progresses toward the end.

Enjoy!

These three songs were suggested by Karina

She says this song "reminds me of Octavian and Kira trnasporting thru mist...then how Kira feels HOME where Octavian is."

and this one "reminds me of Octavian feeling love for a commoner who he could harm"

and this one "I have a feeling the last song I added Memories from Within Temptations will be a song for Beloved!! Just sayin;"

Have you heard a song that reminds you of a scene in one of these books? I'd love it if you'd share it with me.

No More! When the Inner Child Takes a Stand

2012-08-17T21:42:00.001-06:00

We've all been there. Or at least most of us have. That moment when someone you love makes you feel small or insignificant. When the person who should love you unconditionally, belittles you and crushes your spirit.

It's how I grew up.

Not a day goes by that I don't hear the berating voices of my past telling me I'll never amount to anything. That no man in his right mind would ever want to marry a girl who's fat. That my dreams are stupid and I'll never have them.

Fifty. Long. Years. And I still allowed that person in my life control how I feel.

Until this past weekend.

HE called. HE fed me a guilt trip about not being where he thought I should be, WHEN he thought I should be there.

But I didn't cry. I didn't cave.

The inner child that's been hiding from him for so long, stepped out from behind the crumbling wall and took a stand.

NO MORE!! That's what I said. THAT is what I meant as I poured my heart out and said the words I'd been holding back. But he didn't care. Only pushed more blame in my direction until the phone went dead, my finger pressed firmly on the OFF button.

And for the first time in my life . . . I feel FREE!

Truly free to move on with my life and become the person I want to be. No more trying to please someone who doesn't care about me. No more worrying I won't measure up to his expectations. No more working myself into a nervous mess each time the thought of seeing him or being around him creeps into my mind.

Regret?

Maybe for the person I always wanted him to be. The person I NEEDED him to be, especially as a child. But not for what I've done. Not for who I am now. NOT for who I WILL become.

I. AM. TRULY. FREE.

Does someone in your life make you feel less than you deserve? Have you taken a stand when someone did? I'd love to hear about it.

HUGS