Tradition time!! The week after each release, I share the fun little somethings hidden (most times in plain sight) in the book, plus provide some commentary extras. So here goes…the Easter Eggs for Wrong Side of the Storm.
MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS…
Tag: series
The fab readers at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and BookLove101 have put together another one of their famous giveaway hops.
On this blog, sign up for my ya paranormal Shadows Rising, part of the Midnight Guardian series. I’ll give away 3 signed paperback first editions. Hurry, drawing ends Feb. 4th. Just look for the Enter the Giveaway link below to enter via Rafflecopter. Below that you’ll find a list of the other 221 blogs participating in the Young Adult Giveaway Hop. Have fun and Good Luck!
>>ENTER THE GIVEAWAY<<
participating blogs
I can barely contain myself. It’s been a long road, and now Book 4 is finally here!
The “official” release date for Shadows Rising is January 18th; however, ebook copies are already available through Amazon Kindle and Smashwords. Other major online bookstores (B&N, Kobo, Sony, Apple, Google Play, you know the list) should have ebook and paperback editions added to their catalog by the 18th or soon after.
Get it NOW on Amazon: Click Here
Get it NOW on Smashwords: Click Here
I really think you’ll love this one. It’s got some serious twists and turns. Tons of suspense and one of the most touching scenes I’ve ever written.
Oh and I almost forgot…Shadows Rising includes bonus content. At the back, you’ll find Siren’s Call, an all new short story featuring Jumper and Colby.
Book 5 is already well under way for a spring release. You’ll notice that I’ve changed the working title to Book of the Lost (previously For All Time). It’s all about…well, you’ll see.
When asked if there would be a sequel for E.T., Steven Spielberg said that he would never make it. He felt that a sequel would just degrade the original work. Spielberg has, of course, gone on to make many sequels of many of his movies, but still left E.T. as a standalone.
So what goes into the decision to create a sequel? I suppose the answer is both emotional and logical. I believe the decision comes from Continue reading “Does a Sequel Affect the Original?”
This week’s Indie Carnival is all about Kiss and Tell. No doubt, my fellow indies have posted kissing scenes from their brilliant works. They are a very talented bunch, so be sure to check them out.
I posted my kissing scene excerpt too. This is an excerpt from my newest novel, Midnight Child, which releases TODAY!
But you know what? I’m all about the mystery of romance and I’m just a tiny bit mischievous. Therefore, I’ve strategically placed blanks in the excerpt to leave you guessing. Muwahaha!
If you want to make a game of it, put your guesses for the blanks in the comment section for everyone to see. Keep your mind out of the gutter and remember that these books are appropriate for pre-teens as well as teens (as should be anything posted in the comment section or else it will be trashed). If you want a peek at the answers, read the full excerpt. Enjoy!
Excerpt From Midnight Child (Midnight Guardian Series, Book 3)
“You take me back. Take me back,” she screamed.
She pounded against _____’s chest, while he stood calm and still. Her eyes were _______ and her cries more like _______.
“Take me back,” she repeated over and over yet he remained ______.
She grabbed his hand and tried to mimic the motion of opening a threshold. Without his will behind it, her attempts were useless.
“Take me back,” she demanded again.
He turned her around without a ______ and pointed up to the _____ above. Green and blue _____ danced in the sky above the water. It resembled the ________ _______.
Keira wiped a ______ hand across her eyes as her breathing slowed back to normal. The sky was magical and ________ and beautiful. ______ brushed his warm hands over her shoulders and down the _______ of her arms.
He leaned to her ear and whispered, “_____ _____ with me.”
Keira closed her ______ and ________ed.
Brun softly kissed her _______.
She _____ slowly to face him as he put a _______ on the side of her ______. It was ______ and flushed from anger. He closed his eyes and lowered his _____. He could feel the _______ of her breath on his lips. Then, for the second time in her young life, Keira ______ed Brun Gammen, high prince of the Mogdoc Empire.
Wow, that was fun. Now for the rest of the carnival…
This week at the YA Indie Carnival, the authors are serving up Fiction Pie and giving up their own special recipes for plotting great stories.
With Book #3 of the Midnight Guardian series currently in development, I’m often asked if this will be it…the final one. It’s been a fun series to write and I’m pleased to say that #3 will definitely not be the last one.
I had originally planned it to be a 6 book series. Well, that’s not exactly true. When I released Of Sun & Moon and people asked me how many there would be I would say 4 or 5. I didn’t fine tune the 6 until I began writing Whispering Evil. And although I have planned 6 books (taking the story to Drew’s second vox), Ann and Katie’s timelines have been plotted to the third vox (9 books) just in case I can’t let go.
My time traveling characters have certainly made plotting more complicated. Since Ann and Katie travel back in time, their reality isn’t linear like the other characters. I also quickly realized that not only did I need to keep track of them in time, but I also needed to keep track of them separately. They even have their own Excel spreadsheets with their trips, ages, physical description and emotional concerns at the time of their trip all matched up against points in the linear plot of the whole series. Whew!
Anywho, time travelers aside, here’s my basic no-bake recipe for a great plot:
- 1 strong female mixed with a dash of special ability
- 1-2 villains you love to hate
- 1 bunch of friends, super and non
- 2-4 interesting locales
- pinch of mystery
- stir in unexpected twists
- season with drama to taste
- Simmer with a heaping tablespoon of bad boy hottie until boiling and serve
Collect more fiction pie recipes from these other YA Indie Carnival Authors. BTW – My favorite non-fiction pie is banana creme.