Once Upon A Twisted Time - COVER REVEAL!!

Welcome everybody! As you all know by now (I hope lol), I am a new author in the PNR genre. My original plan had been to publish my full length WIP sometime this month, but then I was invited to do an anthology with the fabulous Miranda Stork, Tara S Wood, and Trish M Dawson. Plus this anthology was going to be published with the brand new Moon Rose Publishing! How could I refuse, especially when the subject was going to be twisted fairy tales?? So needless to say, I jumped right on that plan and have pushed back my novel. Don't worry though, I promise you'll absolutely LOVE this anthology.

I invite you to celebrate the cover reveal of Once Upon A Twisted Time! Don't worry, I shall provide the strawberry rum of course :) Below you will find blurbs for all four stories in the anthology, the gorgeous rendition of my heroine, Nerissa, and a special snippet from my story Song of the Abyss! Are you excited yet??

Without further ado, behold the gorgeous cover, designed by Miranda Stork!

Think you know your fairytales? Think again. These aren’t your normal happily-ever-after. Within these pages, a murderous Little Mermaid gets her revenge, the Cinderella doesn’t really want to wear the slipper, Snow White is up to her eyes in industrial experiments, and the Beauty is in fact the Beast. 

This collection of four novellas will surprise you, make you gasp in horror, sigh with relief, and sit on the edge of your seat. And most of all…they will make you rethink everything you think you know about dark fairytales…

Song of the Abyss

Princess Nerissa had envisioned a perfect wedding to a handsome prince. Instead, she fell into a nightmare. When her new husband tries to murder her just hours after pledging his life to her, she must flee towards the sea. Caught in transition from woman to selkie, she is trapped by the dark waters she hoped would be her salvation. Now her destiny becomes that of luring young men to their death…until one comes along that reignites the spark of love inside her. However to ensure her future, she must first face her past. Revenge must be taken…for both her life, and the life of the young man she now loves.

Miss Cavendish and the Spark of Salvation

In a city toiling under the iron fist of the Spiegel Syndicate and its monopoly on coal, Miss Georgina "George" Cavendish is on the brink of a breakthrough that could change the world forever. There's just one thing standing in her way, her aunt - Xenobia Cavendish. Threatened by her efforts, the Syndicate procures the services of a notorious assassin with a past tied to her own, known as The Huntsman, to dispatch the brilliant scientist. But once he gets a glimpse of the headstrong beauty, will he be able to do the job, or will Georgina sway him to The Cause? And will George find the breakthrough she needs in time, or is New London Town doomed to forever lie under the dark shadow of her aunt's factories?

Hawke and the Beast

Some curses last forever, and some can be broken with the whisper of three little words. Isabella Rose Woodward fell in love with a witch's son over a century ago. Her punishment for breaking the young man's heart was a beastly one. Every month she turns into a different creature, aging on the full moon when her curse allows for a brief return to her human form. Her only salvation is to find a man that will love her as she is…be it adorned in feathers, fur or scales. Has she found this love with the handsome Jasper Hawke? Or will a mysteriously determined Hunter find her first, and snuff out the life she so desperately seeks? A life of normalcy, where she loves and is loved in return… just as she is.

Reborn City

Nyx has one mission in life; bring down the brainwashing of New Omsk’s citizens, and release them from their mundane lives of toil. The year is 2355, and the world is a new place. A Governor is in charge of every city in the world, and humanity is attempting to rebuild itself after recovering from a war that nearly killed it. But this Governor has set his eyes on the intrepid little hacker, Nyx, and he will stop at nothing to get her. But perhaps he needs her more than he ever dreamed he would…as do his citizens.

So are you intrigued yet? I would hope so after reading those blurbs! Just in case you need more to pique your interest, here's a little taste of my story. It is a twisted version of The Little Mermaid and seriously, how often have you seen that one done? Don't forget to check out Miranda, Tara and Trish's blogs for snippets from their stories too!!

The sea. She had to get to the sea. That thought drove her blindly through the forest, towards the barren coastline. Distantly she could hear the waves crashing against the sharp rocks, but somehow she knew she had to reach those tumultuous waters. The branches that ripped at her clothing and drew blood from her milky white skin went unnoticed. If she slowed, she would die. 

“Come here little dove. I won’t hurt you. Much…” 

That voice, dead calm and coated in frost, terrified her. It was her wedding day, supposed to be the start of a new life. Instead it may just be her last.

“Where are you going, Princess? You don’t really think you can outrun me, do you?” A menacing laugh sent chills down her spine. Her chest heaved with every ragged breath and pain shot through her side, each jarring step a nightmare. She couldn’t keep up her pace much longer, wasn’t sure how she had even managed it for this long.

A crash of thunder rocked the ground just as she spied the break in the forest to her left. Rain had begun pummeling her, making the ground slick with mud. She changed direction, wincing when she twisted her ankle. “Don’t stop. You’re almost there.” She chanted the words to herself, her breaths coming in harsh wheezes now, blocking out the pain from her ankle. Who cared if she broke the damn thing as long as she survived.

“Why are you heading to the sea, silly girl? You do remember we are quite high up. Do you honestly think you’ll survive such a plunge?” The voice taunted her, scolding her as if she were an errant child.

She had no idea what her next move would be, only that the sea beckoned her. If she made it to the churning dark waters she stood a chance. So close, just a few more strides…

An unseen force lifted her then slammed her back to the ground. Stunned, unable to so much as whimper, she stared into those frozen eyes. And saw her own death.

Poor Princess Nerissa. Want to find out what happens next? You'll just have to wait for the release on October 31! To hold you over, I'll share the gorgeous rendition of Nerissa, drawn by Miranda Stork:

Well folks, thank you so much for stopping by! To find out more about Moon Rose Publishing, be sure to check them out on their website and Facebook! And don't forget to hop on over to the other fantastic authors' blogs for more snippets and fun :)

Moon Rose Publishing

Website: www.moonrosepublishing.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoonRosePublishing

Author Links

Miranda Stork:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormirandastork
• Blog: http://writermirandastork.wordpress.com/

Tara S Wood:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twoodwriter
• Blog: http://tarasphere.wordpress.com/

Trish M Dawson:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WriterTrishMarieDawson
• Blog: http://writertrishmdawson.wordpress.com/

Interview with Cinta Garcia

Welcome!! Today we have another exciting interview :) This time I'm sitting down with the wonderful Cinta Garcia to talk about her first children's book called The Funny Adventures of Little Nani! Now I bought my own copy of this book so I'll update the blog to let you know a little more about it when I get it! I'm looking forward to giving it to my nieces and nephews for Christmas :)


Thank you so much for sitting down with me Cinta! Let's begin shall we? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I have always wanted to be a writer. Since I was very small, my head was always full of stories, maybe due to my compulsive habit of reading books. I have written stories and kept journals since I learnt to write, and I won a contest when I was 8. I wrote a story about the importance of taking care of the environment and I won. The prize was a collection of classic books and a desk. I have never stopped writing since then.



Oh wow that is so awesome you won!! I never had the courage to submit my writing to any contests, certainly not so young! What has been the most difficult part about being a writer?

I think the most difficult part is when people undervalue what you do. I mean, when you spend nights without sleeping because you want to finish a story, you tell your friends, and they look at you in a pitiful way, you feel kind of depressed. The most difficult part about being a writer for me is to acknowledge that I have a talent for writing and to understand that I shouldn’t listen people who say writing is not a real job. And then formatting. Formatting is a pain.


Yes, I have heard many authors share your pain in this aspects *hug* Who are your favorite authors?

My favourite authors are Jane Austen, Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, Tess Gerritsen, Gabriel García Márquez, and Isabel Allende, among many many others. I cannot choose just one.


I have a hard time choosing just one too! What authors inspire you?

Jane Austen is a big influence. Indeed I am writing a Regency novella, and some people have told me that my Little Nani stories are written in an Austenesque way :D It is quite a compliment to me.


Jane Austen is a wonderful writer and that must be such an honor to have your work complimented like that! Do you like to plan your scenes out or do you just wing it?

I don’t really plan scenes. I know what I want to happen in my stories, but I let the characters lead the way. Sometimes the story follows a different path than the one I had in my mind. So planning doesn’t work for me.


I'm so glad I'm not the only one who follows that style lol. What type of books do you like to read?

I am a very eclectic reader, so any type of book works for me, as long as it is well written. The only books I tend not to read are horror ones, but because I am a hypersensitive person and I get scared very easily. However, I have read some horror books along my life.


I'd like to focus on The Funny Adventures of Little Nani for a few minutes. Why did you choose 
to write a children’s book?

Well, I didn’t choose to write a children’s book. It is more likely that I was chosen by Little Nani to write her stories. I wrote a short story for my blog, starring Little Nani; people loved that story and asked me to write a second one. I was amazed, but the fact is that Little Nani started to be all over my mind. I had lots of ideas and I was suggested to write a collection of stories. And that’s what I did.

That is simply fantastic. Funny how sometimes writing comes when we least expect it! What ages would most enjoy this?

The fact is that I didn’t write the stories thinking of a specific range of age. I think it can be equally enjoyed by little children, who will enjoy the funny situations Little Nani gets involved in and will love the chance of drawing their own illustrations; also by YA readers and adults, who will remember the tales they used to read when they were kids.

I have nieces and nephews ranging in age from infant to eight years old and I plan to sneak some peeks before I wrap it for them. This sounds like the perfect gift for a family with many different ages! How did you come up with the character of Little Nani?

Little Nani is pretty much a reflection of my own personality. I write mainly short stories, but my stories were always about feelings, and they were starting to sound too sad and intense. I wanted to write something different, something reflecting my positive and smiling personality. I started writing, and the result was the first story in the book. Why I named her Little Nani? I worked as an au-pair in London long time ago and the little girls introduced me as the Little Nanny, since I was their nanny and I am very small.

Ok now I definitely must sneak a peek if Little Nani is based on you :) Will there be any other books featuring Little Nani?

Yes, I am already writing “Little Nani and her Friends”, which will be Book 2 in the series. I am also working on a series of short stories featuring Little Nani and different characters from Book 1. These stories will be “choose your own adventure” ones, and I will publish them for Kindle.

Oh wow that is so exciting!! It has been forever since I read a "choose your own adventure" book! I'm going to be so impatient waiting for it to come out. Let's switch gears for a moment and find out a little bit more about the real Cinta. What do you like to do in your free time?

Free time? What is that? LOL Well, I love watching films and cooking. Cooking is very relaxing for me, so I cook anytime I am feeling stressed or a bit blocked with my writing.


Haha ok fair point. Free time is something that some people seem to have, but I have not actually witnessed this phenomenon. Where is your favorite place to vacation?

Oxford. I love that city. It gives me peace, it inspires me, and I write quite a lot anytime I am there. It is lovely to wander around its streets, feeling as if you were transported to the 14th century.


I've never been to Oxford, but it sounds gorgeous. I may need to convince my husband to travel there :) What's next for you?

Apart from the Little Nani projects, I am also working on a Regency novella and a romantic semi-autobiographic novel. I have almost finished a collection of short stories and I will publish them soon. I don’t want to be known only as a children’s author. I am a versatile writer.


Anything else you want your readers to know?

Apart from writing, I also read compulsively, and I have a place in my blog devoted to book reviews. I accept submissions for reviews, so have a look at my blog. I don’t know what else I can tell my readers, really. If they have any questions, just contact me. It is very easy and I love talking to my readers. You can find me in the following places:

Twitter: @Austenite78
Facebook: Cinta García de la Rosa
Blog: Cinta’s Corner
Website: www.cintagarciadelarosa.com

Createspace
Amazon (US)
Amazon (UK)
Amazon (ES)

I want to thank Lindsay for letting me be in her blog. I have loved answering the questions in the interview. Thank you ever so much.


Cinta, it was truly a pleasure having you! Everyone be sure to check out this wonderful book! The buy links are just above!

Interview with Tara S. Wood and Review of the Shade

It's that time again! I have discovered a new love of interviewing my fellow indie authors and reviewing their books, so naturally I begged the amazing Tara S. Wood to let me interview her! If you haven't read her books, you really must. I had the privilege of beta reading her latest book, The Shade, and if it were possible to literally dive into a book, I'd be all over Cillian. But I digress. First let's find out more about Tara.

Interview

Welcome Tara! I know you are busy right now working on several projects, including an upcoming anthology ;) I appreciate you taking the time to sit down with me. Let's get started. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I think I always wanted to be a writer. Books have always been a major part of my life, and I can remember, even from an early age, wanting to create stories of my own. I have written for a great deal of my life, poetry and the like, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that I actually sat down and put my mind to penning a novel. Redemption in Blood is the first novel I ever completed.

I feel the same way about books being a major part of my life! What has been the most difficult part about being a writer?

Finding a fresh voice for each project and keeping the excitement alive. Not just for the reader, but for myself as well. I find that as my writing is growing, I am pushing the envelope personally to create storylines and characters that are more vivid and complex. 

I can attest to the vividness and complexity of The Shade. It was amazing how much depth you achieved in such a short novel. Why did you choose to write romance?

Simply, because I like to read romance. I love the push and pull between characters in that type of dynamic. It's a certain way that people relate to one another, and in the confines of a relationship, all sorts of things can be explored. I love bringing that to light.

One thing I've noticed is how unique your character names are in every story. How do you choose them?

It sounds silly, but baby name guides, for one. Especially if a character name hasn't popped into my head. I find if I think about the character's personality and do a little digging into the meaning of names, the right one eventually comes along.

That makes a lot of sense to me! Do you have any favorite characters from your books?

Cain. He is my absolute favorite!! He's a troublemaker and mouthy little snot. I love him and all his snark.

When you're writing, do you like to plan out your scenes or do you just wing it?

I like to plan, but not rigidly. I like to have an idea of what should be happening, and then take that idea and let it go where it wants. Sometimes I stay true to the rough outline, and sometimes I don't.

I like when a person isn't too rigid in having to follow a plan! One thing I've learned is that sometimes your characters just have a life of their own and you just need to ride it out :) I must know, how did you come up with your ideas for Redemption in Blood and The Shade?

Redemption in Blood started out with a character idea: Vesper. Once I started thinking about her, I went from there. And as for The Shade, there was a certain photo of a male model in a hoodie that I came across on the internet. Five minutes of staring at his pretty face, and I had Cillian's character and a rough storyline. I love it when ideas happen quick like that.

I've seen that picture of Cillian and can completely understand how inspiring it can be. I considered including more pictures of Cillian with the interview, but decided people may not actually read it lol! Redemption in Blood was your debut full length novel and the first in the Penitent series. How many books will there be in the series?

Currently, I am projecting five to six books in this series.

I am thrilled to hear that! I must read more from you and this means you'll be writing for some time :) Now it's time to learn a bit more about you. Who are your favorite authors?

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Greg Iles, Gena Showalter, Michael Connelly, and a few indies such as Miranda Stork and Trish Marie Dawson.

All are fabulous authors. Gena Showalter is a personal favorite of mine as well! What authors inspire you?

Recently, I have been inspired by a talented and supportive group of indie writers that I have connected with on Facebook. Their passion for the craft and their attention to producing quality work has been a blessing. Not only do I admire them as writers, but I am proud to call them friends.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I love to cook and sew, and of course, read. LOL. I am also active in my daughter's preschool as a volunteer. I like to wind down and watch movies and the BBC.

I love cooking and sewing too! You must teach me your ways :) What type of books do you like to read?

Romance, suspense and thrillers, mystery and the occasional historical.

Where is your favorite place to vacation?

I love to cruise, so there's not really a favorite place I like to go. I like the unpack once, visit several places idea.

You know, I still have never gone on a cruise before. That does sound appealing though. Well we are almost out of time. Before we wrap things up, inquiring minds want to know: what's next for you?

I am currently at work on the next book in my In Blood series, tentatively titled Burning In Blood: A Novel of The Penitent, and I am writing a steampunk-themed romance novella loosely based on the "Snow White" fairytale. It is scheduled for release this Halloween in an anthology with several other talented ladies and their spins on a couple of different fairytales. I'm very busy and very excited.

I can't wait to read your next books! Is there anything else you want your readers to know?

I love hearing from my readers. Either by tweet of FB comment, or on my blog, or in a review. I really like getting feedback on what they think! Drop me a line, people!!!

Thank you so much, Tara! I loved getting to sit down and learn a bit more about you. I hope you'll stick around for my review on The Shade!

The Shade Review

About the Book:
Length: 47 pages
Price: $0.99
Description (from Amazon.com's product description):

Cillian is a Shade, a man who walks among the world of Other Realm, spreading the seeds of discord and chaos into the Dreams of mortals as punishment for a life ill-lived. As he casts the sands of Nightmares into Everly Whitcombe’s dreams, he finds himself taken with the haunted beauty. He defies his vocation by visiting her Dreams more often than he should and trying to comfort when he should destroy. As he commits his transgressions, he puts them both in danger. Can he find a way for them to be together, or are they destined to only meet in Dreams?

Note: I was given an advance copy of this book to beta read. I did however buy the final book upon its release and this unsolicited review refers to the purchased copy.

What I liked:

At only 47 pages, this is a very short book, but I hardly noticed the length when I was reading. Tara wasted no time in immersing the reader in the story, and truthfully I felt I knew Cillian and Everly better than I have the main characters in some full length novels. I also loved the unique premise of the story. Rarely do you find a story centered around The Sandman. At first, I was a little afraid that I would find the physical attraction between Cillian and Everly hard to believe given the short length, but Tara did a beautiful job of making it quite believable. The blend of tension, both sexual and from the conflict of The Sandman, kept me enthralled. I also want to note that the editing of this novella was superb. I can't remember any areas where mistakes jumped out at me.

What I didn't like:

Honestly, I wish this could have been a bit longer. This story was so interesting, the characters so rich, and the villain was wonderful. I hated that it had to end! I also wish there had been a little more dialog between Cillian and Everly. That's a minor gripe though, because you get plenty of insight into the individual characters.

Overall Verdict: 5 Blue Duckies!!

Author Info

You can stalk Tara S Wood:

FB Author: http://www.facebook.com/twoodwriter

Twitter: https://twitter.com/twoodwriter

Blog: http://tarasphere.wordpress.com/

Six Sentence Sunday - 9/23/12!

Enjoy this little snippet from my newest WIP Song of the Abyss! This is a twisted fairy tale that will be released in an anthology this halloween. All I will tell you about this scene is that our heroine, Princess Nerissa, was just married but instead of a happy day, she is thrown into a nightmare. I hope you enjoy this little peek at it and I promise soon you will get to know so much more.

Keep in mind this is unedited :)


     If she slowed, she would die. 

“Come here little dove. I won’t hurt you. Much…” 

That voice, dead calm and coated in frost, terrified her. It was her wedding day, supposed to be the start of a new life. Instead it may just be her last.

As a special gift to my lovely readers (and because I realized I haven't posted this yet) here's the character sketch of Nerissa designed by the lovely Miranda Stork!

Interview with Vickie McKeehan and Review of Promise Cove

Welcome! Today is quite an exciting day :) First of all, I had the privilege of sitting down with Vickie McKeehan and giving my very first interview!! Secondly, Vickie latest book, Dancing Tides, is being released today from her Pelican Pointe series. Naturally I had to do a review of the very first novel in the series, Promise Cove. Let's start with the interview!

Interview with Vickie

Thank you Vickie for taking the time to answer a few of my questions. I know you've been busy getting ready for the release of Dancing Tides. I first fell in love with your books when I discovered the Evil Trilogy so I'm just so thrilled to be able to find out more about you!

So tell me, when did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Early. My mom liked to tell stories, any kind really, but her favorite were ghost stories. I loved that about her so I tried to emulate that, I think.


What has been the most difficult part about being a writer?

Deadlines. It was the same in a corporate setting. Anytime deadlines are involved I think it takes the fun out of it for me.


Do you like to plan your scenes in advance or do you just wing it?

Some of both. I see a scene, but how the characters behave in that scene is something I can’t predict.


Oh trust me, I know how you feel. Deadlines are definitely hard for me as well, but unfortunately also necessary. Why did you choose to write romance?

I love the genre. There’s something about getting two people together, traveling that road toward attraction and commitment that draws me in. If you give them challenges and quirky personalities, so much the better.


I feel just the same. Now your Evil Trilogy was romantic suspense, while the Pelican Pointe series is more contemporary romance. What, if anything, made you change sub-genres?

I don’t like labels. If you can do whatever it takes to try and stretch your talents as a writer, challenge yourself in some way, you’re ahead of the game.


I couldn't agree more. And may I say that your talents definitely shine through in both sub-genres. I loved Promise Cove as much as your Evil trilogy! How did you come up with your ideas for your Pelican Pointe series?

From life and people who were hurting from their war experiences tugged at my heartstrings. 


My best friend was stationed over in Afghanistan so stories of soldiers returned from war hold an even more special place in my heart. How many books will there be in the Pelican Pointe series?

I could keep writing about the town forever if the readers respond. That’s how much I loved creating this place.


You just made me so happy saying that. I truly loved this book and really must read more! Do you have any favorite characters from your books?

I love all the main characters, even came to care for Trevor in my own way. 


What type of books do you like to read in your free time?

Romance of course, mysteries, true crime.


It's funny, those are some of my favorite genres too! You're one of my favorite authors so tell me, who are some of yours?

Oh. Wow. If I start listing, I’m sure to leave someone out. I think here though is where I need to say that I didn’t start reading romance until around 2003. I was going through a bit of tough time and needed an escape. I discovered Lavyrle Spencer, who no longer writes by the way, in this little used bookstore near my house. Then I got hooked on Nora Roberts, Kat Martin, Robyn Carr, Catherine Anderson, Susan Wiggs. Karen Robards. I mean you don’t have enough space here for me to list all the people I read back then.


Those are all fantastic authors, many of whom I've read before! I have a hard time answering that question too because there are just too many great writers out there! What authors inspire you?

All of the ones I listed above. But Lavyrle Spencer has to stand out. She wrote a book called Morning Glory that is my all-time favorite love story between Will Parker and Ellie Dinsmore. Two total misfits that I related to from page one. Spencer wrote about pre-World War II and did such a fantastic job, I actually thought I 

was back in that time period. Now that’s writing!


I've never read that book, but wow now I'm really interested. It's so rare to find a book that transports you so perfectly! Let's switch gears a little bit. Where is your favorite place to vacation?

Big Sur.


I don't think I've ever been there, but I've heard it's beautiful. What do you like to do in your free time?

Love the outdoors. Love playing games. Love trying to garden. Here I emphasize the word trying.


Haha you don't even want to know how bad I am at gardening ;) Well we're almost out of time. Give us a little hint about what's next for you please.

I have a new series coming out hopefully in November.


Oh now I'm intrigued! I can't wait to see what it is :) Thank you so much again Vickie for taking the time to answer my questions! Is there anything else you'd like your readers to know before you leave?

Every time they trust me enough to buy one of my books, I’d like to give each one of them a hug.


Believe me when I say, I'm sure we'd all like to hug you back for crafting such beautiful stories! Thank you again Vickie and I hope you'll stick around to read my review of your book, Promise Cove!

When Empires Fall FREE eBook Promotion and Birthday Bash Blog Tour!

WHEN EMPIRES FALL

FREE eBook Promotion and Birthday Bash Blog Tour!

In celebration of her quarter-life crisis, Katie Jennings is running a one day only FREE eBook Promo for her latest release, When Empires Fall! Click the cover image below to download the FREE eBook from Amazon, or click HERE!

What people are saying about When Empires Fall…

“A modern day epic in the tradition of Gone With The Wind… Infused with deception, lust, murder and romance, Jennings creates a magnificent family saga not to be missed.” -J.L. Firestone, author

“Exhilarating and fresh… Jennings masterfully weaves an intricate web of deception and lies…When Empires Fall is not as much a story about the rich as it is a story about human character.” -Cristian Mihai, author/blogger

“Wow! This word doesn’t even capture the writing ability of Jennings…gifted with character development to rival the New York Times best-sellers…Jennings tantalizes her readers at every chapter and scene break. Her characters are addictive.” -Bestselling Author Carolyn Arnold

Synopsis…

Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall…

In America, kings are not born, they are made.  Men with ambition build their own empires and it is their heirs who carry the torch of tradition, generation by generation. 

The Vasser Hotel Empire rose out of the ashes of an Industrial era, cementing itself in the very heart of America’s greatest city, New York.  Through the drive and courage of one man, a legacy was born that would last more than a hundred years.

That is, until word got out that one of their own was murdered. 

Sixty years of lies will come crashing down in flames of treachery and blood, and the truth will send shockwaves through an entire nation.  Now the newest generation of Vasser heirs will have to deal with the consequences, or else allow their legacy to burn to the ground.

But dark secrets are buried deep within the family itself, and everyone has an agenda.  Love of family and forbidden passion will set off sparks in a powder keg ready to annihilate the empire, but it may also be the only thing keeping them whole.

When reputation is everything, it will take all they’ve got to save themselves from their own undoing.

Book Trailer…

But Wait…There’s More!

Also in celebration of both her birthday and the FREE promotion, Katie is unveiling the book cover and teaser trailer for the highly anticipated sequel to When Empires Fall…

Here is

Rise of the Notorious

Coming Spring 2013

Synopsis:

Finish, good lady; the bright day is done, and we are for the dark.

When their empire fell, darkness descended upon the Vasser Hotel family and shrouded them in chaos.  It was a darkness layered in violent sins and staggering deception, made only more potent by a haunting truth.  Murder, it seemed, was a burden they couldn’t escape.

With a scandal plaguing the family’s reputation, the Vasser heirs must rise to the occasion and utilize a killer’s advice to turn bad publicity into good, and tradition into innovation.

If only it was that easy.

In an elaborate game of hidden motives and sinister agendas, more dirty truths from the past will resurface, truths that could bring about victory or bloodshed.  But how will the Vasser siblings react when the real threat to their family not only has power and control on the mind, but assassination as well?  What will they do when it becomes clear that someone out there wants them destroyed, no matter the price?

The Vassers may have fallen from grace, but now they will rise as notorious.

Beautiful Handmade Gifts by Coryographies

I wanted to share something beautiful I found recently and fell in love with. I'm sure you can all guess that I adore books. Obviously I must or else I wouldn't be writing them right? :) Well I discovered by chance a fantastic little Etsy shop with some of the most beautiful and intricate pieces of jewelry ever. But it gets even better...many of the pieces revolve around BOOKS! Oh but wait, there's more. I also adore drinking tea, as some of you may know, so imagine my surprise when this store also had a piece that combined books and tea!!

This lovely little shop in cyberspace world is called Coryographies and is based in the UK. Naturally I couldn't pass up on a piece of jewelry that could convey my love of books and tea! I decided on a bookcase necklace that has pretty little books and a teapot with tea cup. Then I saw an adorable pair of teapot studs and definitely couldn't pass those up either ;) Can you tell I love to shop??

The best part is that Cory's work is all hand painted which means if you want to tweak the colors shown in her pictures, just ask! She matched the blue of my teapot earrings to the blue of the bookcase and it turned out fantastic. I'm seriously so in love with her stock, I've already found a few other pieces I plan to buy. 

Here's a picture of the items. My hands are child-sized so this should give you a pretty good indication just how small her items really are. You'd think a bookshelf would feel bulky and awkward as a necklace but its small size is simply perfect.

Oh and did I mention that when Breaking the Nexus is finally ready, I plan to feature one of her items in a giveaway??

Now for the nitty gritty details I'm sure you all want to know. Here are a few key points:

Price:
Considering the intricacy of her work, the amazing details and painting, and the fact that these are TINY pieces, I was quite amazed at the extremely reasonable cost of the jewelry and shipping. Here's a breakdown of my order:

   - Tea Shop Bookshelf Necklace with custom color: 25 GBP

   - Tiny Blue Polkadot Teapot Earrings: 6 GBP

   - Shipping: 3 GBP 

   - Total cost in USD: Right around $50 

Communication: 
Cory responded to my questions quickly and was so helpful. She notified me when my pieces were done and that she had shipped them. So many sellers can be hard to track down or you have to nag to find out whether they've shipped your item. Not so with Cory! An added bonus was a handwritten thank you note included in my order with a small discount good on my next purchase!!

Quality:
These pieces feel very well made. The painting is very clean and you can really tell she took her time. Many of the pieces presumably are glued into place but everything looks pretty seamless with no globs or anything to detract from the beauty. The colors are vivid and so gorgeous

Shipping: 
Turn around time for shipping me the items was within a week. Shipping took a little while to reach me but that's not surprising considering she mailed it to me from the UK and it had to pass through US customs. I would say the wait time was standard.

Overall Impressions: 5 Blue Duckies!

This is one amazing seller. Not only are her pieces quality workmanship at a very affordable price, she truly believes in customer service. Twice I've seen her listings state that she will be unavailable to fulfill orders for a given set of dates. To make up for this she offers a discount on any order placed during that time frame. Most sellers just kind of drop of the face of the earth if they have to be away, so it is quite refreshing to find one that clearly states what is happening.

If you're looking for some beautiful jewelry, definitely check out Coryographies! I promise you won't be disappointed!

Etsy Site: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Coryographies
Blog: http://coryographies.blogspot.com/

Don't forget to keep an eye out when Breaking the Nexus comes out for your chance to win one of these beautiful pieces!

Progress Update!

Just thought I'd give an update on things. My original tentative plan was to publish Breaking the Nexus this fall. That's why I said tentative :) Plans have a way of changing, especially when life gets in the way. I work full time as a computer programmer and my husband is a medical student so things get insane. That has slowed down work a little bit.

Additionally, Breaking the Nexus is the first book I've ever written. I have since gotten some spectacular feedback from a few betas and in the process have decided to do some significant revisions to ensure I release the best possible story. This book is my baby and I want to share it with the world so much. It just has to be as close to perfect as possible!

Now all that being said, my book will be published this year. I'm determined nothing stops this from happening. I have a couple of dates in mind but won't reveal them, just like I never revealed my original target date :) To make up for the delay, I'm diving head first into an anthology of twisted fairy tales with the lovely Miranda Stork, Trish Marie Dawson, and Tara S. Wood. This is set to be released on Halloween. Trust me when I tell you my contribution to this will be amazing. I'll even post a snippet for you all soon!

So have no fear, you WILL get to read my work. Stay tuned for excerpts and more announcements about both pieces! Also be sure to follow my blog. With the exception of this weekend (family obligations cropped up), I'm going to try to participate in Six Sentence Sunday as many weekends as I can.

Thank you to all of my new friends and followers. Your support means the world!

Never Forget

Eleven years ago today, I went to school like any other day. I was in high school, I think the beginning of my sophomore year. Emotionally, that was going to be one of the hardest years for me but I didn't realize it at the time. I had a Spanish test and I honestly can't remember whether I had prepared well for it. Knowing myself, I probably had barely reviewed anything. There was nothing special about that day.

I remember taking my test and hearing a commotion. My teacher promised us if we all finished our tests early she would turn on the news. All we knew was that there had been some sort of attack. We didn't finish our tests in time so I left class with conflicting knowledge. My next class was a study hall and we had a few computers we could use. Someone started hitting the news sites just in time to hear that the towers had fallen. My school forbade from turning on the TVs all day because a student had parents who were in the towers that day. I honestly can't remember if their parents survived but I think they may have.

I went through the rest of the day acting like teenagers do, acting like since I didn't know anyone personally, I was far removed from it. When I got home I turned on the news, watched the footage, and just cried for hours. By the time my mom got home I couldn't take it anymore and had turned off the news. She could see I'd been crying but never really mentioned it. That was the last time I voluntarily watched coverage of it. I once read emails and sent back and forth between people in the different towers just before they fell. The one that struck me the most was a conversation between a husband and wife who each worked in a different tower. If I remember correctly, one of them never made it out and at that point I removed myself from all coverage I could.

For weeks I saved all magazines about the tragedy but never opened them. I put them away in storage hoping one day I would be able to look at them. It wasn't until my senior year of high school when I had to do a project on the human condition that I finally removed them from their storage bin. My project was on the human condition of violence and courage in the face of violence. I sat there and sobbed as I painstakingly cut out pictures from that day and other days of tragedy and put them into a scrapbook. I got an A on that project, but in a way it scarred me a bit. I am a naturally optimistic person and it's hard to see what people can do to each other.

Eight years ago today, I met my husband for the very first time. Finally I had a happy memory to associate with the date 9/11. Honestly, I think that was the day my innocence truly died. Never forget those who died that day nor those who have died since then fighting the war that came afterwards. My best friend was in Afghanistan for six months and even though she was on base the entire time, she was stationed in a place nicknamed Rocket City and for good reason. The biggest relief ever was getting the call from her that she was home safe.

Please remember all of the fallen and say a prayer for those still stationed overseas. But also take time to remember the good memories that have happened. If we live our lives in fear, we are never truly living.

Anniversary and new excerpt from Breaking the Nexus

One year ago today, my husband and I married. Our wedding day was 7 days before the 7th anniversary of when we met, and was such a perfect day. He is my biggest supporter and words cannot express how much I love him <3

As promised, in honor of my anniversary here's a new excerpt! Now it's not the most romantic scene ever, but you do get to see Connor taking care of Sha :) My wonderful husband has always taken care of me and always knows just the right way to make me feel better.

A special thanks to Miranda Stork and Tara Wood for helping me fine tune my voice in my writing. You guys are amazing and already I can see vast improvements. Also to Christina Moore who is currently reading through BTN. I can't wait to see what you think and I know you're going to be a major asset, especially grammatically

Sounds filtered through her the pleasant cocoon of nothingness that surrounded her. Sha groaned. Whoever was talking needed to shut the hell up so she could fall back into oblivion. She knew what waited for her the second she opened her eyes. Blinding pain with a liberal dose of nausea thrown in for good measure. 

Backlash reactions were the bane of her existence. She’d known one was imminent when the gateway had started undulating. The damn things only did that just before raw power surged, potentially decimating anything in its way before it could dissipate. She could have let that happen of course.

Who was she kidding? She sighed. Of course she couldn’t. Hence the brilliant decision to take the surge and funnel it to the Sentinels on the other side working to seal the gateway. 

“Come on, Sha, wake up. Nap time’s over and you’ve scared the crap out of me long enough.” Connor’s stern command made her smile. Well at least think about smiling. Actually forming a facial expression would have required far too much energy. 

Wait, something seemed strange about hearing his voice right now. Her eyes flew open and she tried to sit up. “How are you here? Didn’t I get pulled into Mythria? Actually, hold that thought…” Miserable she rolled to her side and began to wretch. Lovely, now she got to humiliate herself in front of him. Could this get any better?

“Just relax for a minute.” Gentle fingers brushed her hair back from her face then began to massage her temples. By the flame that felt good. “Luca said you’d probably be sick when you woke up. He told me you were supposed to drink that tonic, that you’d know what it was.” He held a flask to her lips. Judging by the putrid blend of rotten eggs with a stagnant water, she knew exactly what it was. Poison. It was also known as havast and was renowned for its ability to speed up recovery of backlash, but it was no easy cure. “He also said not to whine about the taste this time.”

Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome to my first (and definitely not last!) contribution to Six Sentence Sunday! The following is an excerpt from my upcoming debut paranormal romance, Breaking the Nexus. This snippet features my hero and heroine, Connor and Sha, moments after sharing their first explosive kiss. I hope you enjoy it and if you'd like to read more, please look back at my older posts for other excerpts!

He was reluctant to release her, but he knew that if he didn't step away now, throwing her on the bed was eminent. Possibly the floor, unless he could restrain himself. There would be no way in hell he could keep his hands off her long enough to get her on the mattress.

He touched his lips to hers one last time, savoring the taste as his fingers fell from her hair to trail down the soft curve of her face before falling to his side.

"We're not done here."

Sha's wicked grin was a silent reply and she stepped close, stroking her hands beneath his shirt. 

I hope you enjoyed the little glimpse into my book! For more information and snippets be sure to follow my blog and connect with me on Facebook and Twitter!