Prophecy Revealed Releases Today!!!

Happy Release Day!  Prophecy Revealed (The Soul of Arial #1) is now available on Kindle, Nook, and in Paperback!!!  I'm so excited to share this with you and hope that you'll check the book out.  I'd love to know what each and every one of you thinks of it!

This book has been in the making for over 3 years now and has evolved in such a way that I can't wait to continue telling the story!  Two more books are planned, making this particular series a trilogy, and I'm looking forward to diving back into this unique world with my amazing characters once more.

So, treat yourself to a gift of Prophecy Revealed today and explore a world that may have you questioning... just where do souls go??

Prophecy Revealed Release Date, Cover, and Synopsis!

Hello, Ladies and Gents!  Sorry it's been so long since my last post, but so many things have been going on that I'm amazed I can still remember my own name right now! lol  So, let's get started with the latest!

For your viewing pleasure, I have the cover for Prophecy Revealed (The Soul of Arial #1) to share with you as well as the synopsis:

So it is spoken, so it shall be, that the Soul of Arial will bring change to thee;

With defiance and courage she will paint the scene for two worlds to become one;

And by her side will only one rule and win her respect for eternity.

A prophecy is given and a Soul is named.   Change is coming and the soul must be found.  Rulers fret, winged warriors hunt, and Arial eludes.  But for how long?





So, what do you think?  Are you intrigued yet?  I'm so excited about this novel and can't wait for readers to get their hands on it!  The release date for Prophecy Revealed is scheduled for December 18, so be sure to mark your calendars and spread the word!

And just a little background... this book has been in progress for over three years now, slowly being developed and fleshed out.  There were times when I wasn't so sure I wanted others to read this as it was not a genre or writing style I was accustomed to.  But now that I've finished it and stepped back from it for a few moments, I realize I was just being silly.  The story is amazing and unique, one you won't find in the typical fantasy section and I can't be more thrilled or proud of this novel than I am now.  So, definitely check it out when it releases and be sure to let me know what you think!

Finally A Title....and Other Writing News!

So, for the last couple of months I've been struggling with what title to give the 2nd book in the Galactic Dynasty series.  The Muse and I batted titles back and forth like it was a fiendish tennis match where neither of us could break Deuce.  (Tennis fans or those familiar with the game will get that reference.)  Anyway, long story short, we have finally come to an agreement on the title for the new book we're co-authoring.  Ready?

Vagar

Yep, that's it!  lol  Seems like such a dramatic and traumatizing process for such a short title.  But, for those of you who have read Starward, you'll at least know where the title comes from.  And for those of you who haven't, when I post an official synopsis down the road, it will probably make more sense.  Don't you just love it when us authors get vague and mysterious about our works?  *evil cackle*

So, now that I can rest easy once more having finally come up with a title, I can also proudly announce that we are now six chapters complete into the new book!  Woot!  Writing and brainstorming have been going really well these past few weeks and continues to go strong.  I've got the next two chapters outlined and ready to begin writing and I'm so excited with how this novel is flowing so far!  And it's a new challenge for me because there are several POV's I'm writing from this time.  But each POV is pertinent to the overall story, so hopefully you wonderful readers will not hate me too much for writing from so many different perspectives!

In other news, Prophecy Revealed (The Soul of Arial #1) is in the process of being edited.  It's getting a lot of massaging and polishing, but it's slowly developing into an even more awesome fantasy novel than I thought possible!  I'm really excited about this novel and can't wait to share it with you all.  Hopefully it will be finished and released before the end of the year, but we'll see.  I'll keep posting updates as things progress!

I believe that's all my news for now.  I hope everyone is enjoying the onset of Fall...my absolute favorite time of the year!  And if you're looking for something different to add to your book collection, meander on over to my publisher's website, Cressen Books LLC, and see what they have for you to choose from!  I'm pretty confident you can find a book there to curl up with on these crisp, cool evenings!

Weather Moods

Can the weather truly have an affect on our moods as writers?

I'm looking out my window this morning and seeing an overcast, dreary-looking day out there.  It's the kind of day that can't quite decide if it wants to rain or not and I sometimes wonder if Mother Nature has the occasional problem with listlessness.  This kind of weather makes me a bit listless, like I can't stay focused on one project for very long before my mind starts wandering elsewhere.  Not a very conducive state of mind to be in for writing.

So, I think there are times where the weather does have an affect on me as a writer.  Sunny, cheerful days make me feel motivated and I'm up for the challenge of tackling my current writing project.  Rainy days can sometimes put me in the mood to write a bit darker, moodier sections and other times just make me want to curl up on the couch and read something that is not my own work.  Crisp, autumn days have me contemplating mystery writing and cold, snowy days make me want to write something warm and humorous.  And sometimes, it doesn't matter what the weather is doing - I've got the writing itch and I have to get the words out or I'll go insane!

Then I wonder how much of it is the weather and how much of it is my own brain dictating how motivated I am to write whatever it is I'm working on.  Sometimes I believe it is a combination of the two that either works for or against me.

But in the end, I guess it doesn't really matter as long as the project gets finished eventually.  I used to have a horrible time completing a writing project and will confess that I have many stories stored on my computer that I have yet to finish.  Some I will and some I won't - I've come to accept that.  But I'm pleased with the fact that I can and do finish all the stories that I absolutely want to see published one day.  Some just take more time than others to develop.

Anyway, as I look out on this dreary, listless-inspiring day, I will try to get my brain to kick in and get me over the listless hump so I can get back to work on those projects that are patiently waiting for me to return.  Fortunately for me, there are no looming deadlines to stress over, and with the weather sometimes dictating my mood, that is a very good thing indeed!

Deep in the Edit Zone

Good morning, all!  Sorry it's been so quiet on here lately.  I've been deep into edits for my upcoming release, Prophecy Revealed, as well as doing stuff with the Muse outside of all this writing and editing.  But I wanted to pop on here long enough to give an update before I get back at it again!

As of the last post, everyone now knows that Prophecy Revealed (The Soul of Arial #1) has been completed and is now in the stages of editing.  The story (in my humble opinion) was already a great story, but as I'm slowly working through it line by line, I'm now finding ways to spruce it up, flesh it out, intensify it in order to make it an amazing story!  The characters are coming more to life, the world-building is taking on an even more realistic feel, and the plot is tightening up nicely!

When I first started this story....er, two or three years ago....I wasn't entirely sure if it was something I would ever publish.  It had some elements that were dark and sexual in nature, something I was so NOT used to writing.  But as more of the story flowed and gelled, I began to lose some of that apprehension of releasing it.  And now, I'm so crazy about this story that I can't wait for others to get their hands on it and see this world and these characters for themselves for the first time!

So, with that said, I'm actually going to wrap up here for now and get back to work making this great story awesome!  I hope everyone's having a great week and I'll be back on again in the near future to give more updates.

Tata for now!

Big News to Share!

So, a while back I posted about The Soul of Arial series that I've been writing/mulling over.  And I mentioned that I was putting it on the back burner until I could decide for certain what I wanted to do with it.  Well, I've decided....

Prophecy Revealed (The Soul of Arial #1) is in the process of being edited and will (hopefully) be published within the next 6-8 weeks!!!

This is a major milestone for me as it takes me out of the realm of 'tweens (The L & L Mysteries) and young adult + (Galactic Dynasty) and puts me full force into the adult arena.  And since this will be my debut for adult readers, I really want to make sure I've got everything nicely massaged so that when readers pick this book up, they know right away it's meant for mature readers and won't want to put it back down until they've reached the end.  And when they reach the end, I want them to want to move on to the next book, even if it hasn't released yet!  Yeah, I want a lot. lol :)

Anyway, The Soul of Arial is a planned trilogy.  Whether any other books result after the three books are written, I have no idea.  It's possible, but it's not in the plans at this time.  This trilogy falls in the fantasy genre with elements of supernatural/paranormal woven in.  Everything is made up, so I can't actually say that there are any familiar supernatural/paranormal creatures (i.e. vampires, werewolves, angels, etc...not going to find them here) and even the realm is not anything that someone would be familiar with, per se.  It's a mash up of different ideas/theologies/myths/philosophies rolled into one big, complex realm to make it a unique and intriguing world to dive into and explore.

So, I'm very excited to share this with you and can't wait to share more as the publishing process progresses.  I hope to have a cover designed within the next couple of weeks and will share that here on the site as well as keep everyone up to date on things.  Plus, I still have other projects I'm working on as well and will post updates on those too.

Exciting, crazy, happenin' times here and it's awesome that I get to share that with all of you!  Now, it's off to do some more editing/massaging!  Have a great week!

New Release!

I'd like to take a moment and congratulate Jessica L. Padilla on her new release, Blood Origins (Black #1)!  This is a paranormal suspense for readers 16 and up.  You can read the first chapter on Cressen Books' website and find the purchase links for the book there as well.  Below is the cover and synopsis for this incredible debut:

Red pain, Red need, Red hunger... Nightmares filled with red, dripping with death. The lines between predator and prey have blurred, nightmares have become a reality and choices must be made. Adelin, half in each world, must choose between a lost mother, found, or a dad who's always been there... The black world, a world filled with darkness and death, or the human.... Will she choose humanity or will she let the darkness consume her? Blood has never been so red.

It's That Rainy Day Feeling

It's been a little dreary and rainy this morning and after waking up feeling stiff and tired, I've found that I have very little ambition today.  So, I guess it's a very good thing I managed to write up through Chapter 5 this past week in Book 2 of Galactic Dynasty (yeah, still haven't chosen a title).

On days like today, I want nothing more than to curl up and read a cozy mystery for hours on end.  I'm actually about a third of the way through one right now titled Never Buried by Edie Claire.  It's been interesting so far and a nice escape from the real world.  I actually discovered 'cozy mysteries' about a year or two ago and have enjoyed them so far.  They're perfect for when you want a mystery but you don't necessarily want all the deep dark drama and intensity of a James Patterson novel.  And they tend to be relatively short, between 200-250 pages, so it doesn't take too long to read one.

So, with the rainy, dreary day outside, it makes me want to snuggle under a blanket and read while I sip my hot soothing cup of coffee.  And with the season getting ready to shift into fall, it makes me want to read these cozy mysteries even more.  Which equates to me having downloaded several to my Kindle within the past day or so just to gear up for a cozy mystery reading binge.  Not that I didn't already have a collection on my Kindle that I haven't read yet...just that I had that sudden impulse to buy more.  Darn weather!

Anyway, to wrap up my rambling, I will attempt to get some work done today and then reward myself with a good curl up with the current book I'm reading.  And hope that this dreary morning dissolves into a more sunny and cheerful afternoon!

What's your favorite thing to do on a rainy dreary day?



The Writing Flow is Back!

Well, since my last rambling, I have managed to write the first draft for Chapter 3 of Book 2 in the Galactic Dynasty series.  I really need to come up with a name for this book soon so I can stop calling it Book 2. 

Anyway, after I ranted and raved that I had these other story ideas trying to take over in my head, I realized that they weren't developed enough for me to tackle writing them.  I still have things to mull over like what directions to take and how exactly I want to lay things out.  So, they are on the back burner, still brewing.

And because I finally came to that realization, it allowed me to put my focus back where it needed to be once more.  So, yesterday morning, a little over 3200 words escaped my fingertips to complete the first draft of Chapter 3.  And after getting feedback from my co-author and Muse, I will be making adjustments and adding some more to Chapter 3 today to help flesh it out a bit more!

I'm so excited to finally be able to continue this story as I am absolutely in love with this series we're writing!  Who knows?  Maybe someday we'll figure out a way to turn it into a sci-fi TV series or movie! lol  It could happen! :)

In a nutshell, that's what's been happening here in the writing cave the last couple of days.  I'll try to come up for air again soon and post another update.  Until then, Happy Reading or Writing or whatever else you enjoy doing!

Which Story Do I Write?

I imagine most authors stumble into this problem from time to time.  Story ideas are constantly developing inside our heads and some stick more than others.  But what happens when you have two or three really good ones that stick all at the same time?

I'm actually experiencing this at the moment and I think it is why my writing has come to a complete standstill.  I actually can't figure out which story is dominant enough in my head to write.  They're all clamoring for attention, but I can only work on one at a time.  So, instead of choosing and moving on, I'm actually stuck.

Part of me knows that I should just push the other ideas to the back burner and continue working on book two in the Galactic Dynasty series.  But another part of me wants to rebel and head a completely different direction with all new characters and storylines.  I've even gone so far as to make some preliminary notes so that if I do decide to tackle one of the new storylines, I'll have somewhere to begin.

But what I'm wondering is, am I actually procrastinating?  Do I not want to work on book two right now?  Or is there some other reason for this standstill?

I don't believe for one second that I've lost my love for writing.  No, this is more of an issue with me having too many storylines in my head and trying to figure out how to turn the noise down so I can concentrate on just one of them.  It doesn't even truly matter which one as long as I choose one and move on.

Perhaps this standstill is telling me that even though I have these ideas right now, none of them are subconsciously developed enough yet to take precedence.  So, maybe I should just leave them alone for a little while longer, let my subconscious mull them over some more, and while I'm waiting for one to really break through, continue working on book two since I actually do know where that one is going....for the most part!

Have any of you experienced this problem before? 

What did you do to resolve it so that you could move on with your writing?

 

Changes

Over the next week or so, you may see a lot of changes taking place here.  I have my own domain name now and am hosting it here on Blogger for the time being.  Any of you who have bookmarked me or are following me through RSS feeds will be redirected to the new URL.  But here it is if you'd like to refresh your bookmark or share with others: www.wendylohr.com.

I'll try not to disrupt things too much, but I would like to make a few changes to freshen the site up a bit.  So, I'll be playing around with templates and images and other things until I have the feel I'm looking for.  Please hang in there and I'll try not to take too long in this process!

I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week and a fun weekend!  And, if you're looking for anything interesting to read, head on over to my publisher's website...they have some pretty awesome books to check out! www.cressenbooks.com

Writing Different Perspectives

Who am I today?

This is a question that I tend to ask myself a lot but don't always have the answer for.  In reality, I know who I am every day.  But in fiction, I write from a lot of different characters' perspectives.  So, sometimes it's hard to know which character's head I'm in that day.

I just finished writing the second chapter of Book 2 in the Galactic Dynasty series.  These first several chapters are probably the hardest for me because they are not only from different characters' perspectives, but they are also written from the perspective of a completely different species.  In Starward, the Muse and I introduced a race called Metrusians and this particular race will be playing a big part in all the books to follow.  And that includes many perspectives from these Metrusians.

Sometimes it's very easy for me to slip into a character and write for hours from their perspective.  But, that character usually tends to be human.  With the Metrusians, however, I am finding it very difficult to write even a couple of pages as I feel I have to think differently.  This race is a very logical one and has been around for a lot longer than humans have.  So, their outlook on the world and the universe is going to be much different than a human's outlook.

I love the challenge, though.  And I truly think that the Metrusians are a fascinating species to develop and understand (from a writer's perspective).  At the same time, I sometimes find myself dreading to write because I know it's going to be such a challenge to really get inside the minds of these aliens.  But they have a story to tell, too, and I want to tell that story.  So, after dragging my feet the last few weeks, I finally managed to get back into their mindset and get chapter 2 finished.

Something tells me, though, that I will probably have this struggle for every chapter I have to write from this complex perspective.  In the end, with the efforts of my Muse and myself, the story will flow and more will be revealed.  In the meantime, I'll struggle to get the story down in the way that I hope the Metrusians in my head want to tell it.

So, I'm off to let the Muse know that I am finished with this latest chapter and ready for him to give his much needed and desired input into the storyline.  And then it will be on to chapter three!

Coming Up For A Breather!

Good morning all!  We made it past hump day and the weekend is almost upon us.  I just wanted to say 'hi' before I disappeared again.

Oh, and I wanted to share with you a little update on one of our authors at Cressen Books.  Her name is Jessica L. Padilla and she has a debut paranormal coming up.  The novel is Blood Origins (Black #1) and the release date is August 21.  That's right...just a few more weeks and you can get your hands on this awesome new book!  Below is the cover and synopsis:

Red pain, Red need, Red hunger...

Nightmares filled with red, dripping with death. The lines between predator and prey have blurred, nightmares have become a reality and choices must be made.

Adelin, half in each world, must choose between a lost mother, found, or a dad who's always been there... The black world, a world filled with darkness and death, or the human....

Will she choose humanity or will she let the darkness consume her?

Blood has never been so red.

Doesn't this sound amazing???  Be sure to mark your calendars for this debut release.  This series is going to be awesome!

So, I believe that is all my news for the moment.  I'm going to hop off here and get some writing done.  Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday Posts Have Moved!

For those of you who have been following along, you know that I try to post a Teaser Tuesday post each week here on Wendy's Musings.  With the upcoming overhaul of this site (I am trying hard to keep it just about my author side of the house), this particular post will no longer appear.

However, if you would like to continue following my teaser posts and would also like to check out my past and upcoming book reviews, then come on over to Escape Into Fiction, my book review blog!  Today's Teaser Tuesday post can be found there along with all sorts of other bookish things.

Thanks for your understanding and I apologize for any inconvenience.

Where Did My Mojo Go???

It's Monday morning and I am trying hard to find my mojo.  For some reason, though, it is hiding very well at the moment!  So, I'm going to ramble for a bit here and then see if I can find it again.

Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1) is now available on Nook, Kindle, and in paperback....YAY!!!  I love this novel and hope that you will give it a chance!  And if you do, please be sure to leave a review on Amazon or Barnes & Noble or even on Goodreads...us aspiring authors really appreciate it!

I believe in one of the posts a long time ago in a galaxy far far away I mentioned that my next project would be The Soul of Arial.  Well, I've really be struggling with that project, flip-flopping back and forth trying to decide how I want to lay it out and write it.  So, I finally took a deep breath and admitted to myself that now was just not the time to be working on it.  That means that The Soul of Arial project has been tabled for the time being and I will let everyone know when I've decided to pick it back up again.  Until then, you will not be hearing anything else about it but I did want to let everyone know what was going on with it.

With that said, my next project is to begin writing the second book of the Galactic Dynasty series, Starward's sequel.  I have begun writing, but vacations and business stuff has prevented me from getting very far with it.  I am hoping, however, to remedy that this week by spending some time each day writing on it.  I pretty much have worked out the entire plotline with my co-author and Muse, E. M. Lohr, so it's just a matter of sitting down and letting the words flow out of my fingertips.

Oh, and the other project I've got lined up is developing my very own website!!!!  My intention is to shift this blog and all things pertaining to my work as an author to this new website, but that may take some time.  So, for now, I'll still be posting here and will hopefully have a new site to direct everyone to in the near future!

Exciting times all around but then I don't think I've had a dull moment since I began this new journey as a full-time author 3 years ago!  I'm having so much fun creating new worlds and sharing them with all of you fabulous readers and I look forward to doing that for many years to come!

So, I guess that means I should actually hop off of here and get on with creating more of one of those worlds now!  Have a wonderful week and I'll be back again soon with more posts!

Teaser Tuesday: A Storm of Swords continued

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

 

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

This weeks' teaser comes from A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire #3) by George R. R. Martin.  If you haven't read the first two books or seen the HBO series then this passage might be a tad spoilery where Bran's physical condition is concerned:
Bran shook his head.  The day was growing old by then, and long shadows were creeping down the mountainsides to send black fingers through the pines.  If the little crannogman could visit the Isle of Faces, maybe I could too.  All the tales agreed that the green men had strange magic powers.  Maybe they could help him walk again, even turn him into a knight.  They turned the little crannogman into a knight, even if it was only for a day, he thought.  A day would be enough. (p. 343)


Bran Stark is such an amazing character.  I know this particular snippet is much longer than the two sentence rule, but the entire passage resonates so well that I had to share.  I just felt that this passage summed up Bran beautifully.  It shows the predicament he's in, the desires he has, and the maturity that came to him much earlier than it would have if he hadn't been permanently injured.  After everything he's been through, he still clings to his childhood dream of becoming a knight one day and for him, in his early gained wisdom, one day would be enough.

What's your teaser this week?

Leave me a link below and have a great Tuesday!

 

I'm Officially Back From Vacay!

Madison Wisconsin Skyline

And what a vacation it was!  I really enjoyed Madison, WI and would recommend the Olbrich Botanical Gardens, the Henry Vilas Zoo, and the National Mustard Museum to anyone who visits Madison.  All of these places are free to get into and had some pretty awesome things to check out.

Here's just a couple of pics from the Olbrich Botanical Gardens...this place is amazingly beautiful!

 

And here's some pics from the Henry Vilas Zoo!

 

 

And some pics from the National Mustard Museum! :)

 

 


I took a lot more pictures than this, but these were some of the ones that I really liked or just made me giggle!

After spending a week in Madison, we headed to Iowa and visited with one of our authors, Jessica L. Padilla.  It was an awesome visit and we're really looking forward to releasing Jessica's debut paranormal, Blood Origins, soon!

And then from Iowa, we traveled through miles and miles of cornfields (no joke) to Indiana, where we met up with our other author, Jessie McClain, and her family.  Jessie is the author of Awakening Iris, which is now available!

Then it was back home once more where we spent another week doing yard work and house work, and we visited with some family who happened to sort of be passing through.  The Muse and I actually live about 20 minutes from the nearest town and our house is literally not on the way to anywhere....it's a destination! lol

So, that was my last 2 weeks and the reason for a lot of silence on the blog here.  But, I am now back and ready to set my fingers to typing and will be sharing more posts and updates in the coming days.  I hope everyone is having a good Monday (if there is such a thing) and staying cool!

Teaser Tuesday: A Storm of Swords

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

 

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

This weeks' teaser comes from A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire #3) by George R. R. Martin:

My hirelings betray me, my friends are scourged and shamed, and I lie here rotting, Tyrion thought.  I thought I won the bloody battle.  Is this what triumph tastes like? (p.56)

So, I have now made it to the third book in this amazing series and it just keeps getting better and better.  I still love Tyrion and ache so badly for him for not getting the respect and love and appreciation he truly deserves.  The author has created such a complex character that makes you invest your emotions into him even though he's only fictional.  The mark of a truly gifted writer!  I can't wait to see how this book and this particular character evolves!

Have a teaser for me?

Leave me a link below and have a great Tuesday!

 

Road Trip!!

Happy 4th of July everyone!  I hope you all are enjoying beautiful weather, great cookouts, and maybe even some awesome fireworks displays this evening!  And I hope all of this is taking place with family and/or friends.

We're actually having a cookout today (some beautiful hunks of steak are going on our grill....yuuuummm).  But, no fireworks for us this year.  That's okay, though.  We have to get up around 4am tomorrow because we are going on a ROAD TRIP!!!!

Yep, we're heading to Madison, Wisconsin where the hubby and Muse will be in meetings and attending a conference.  Once we're done there, we'll be heading to Iowa to meet one of our authors and then to Indiana to meet another author and then back home again!  A whirlwind trip, but it should be a lot of fun. :)

What will I be doing while he's locked up in meetings?  Well, I will be feverishly writing on the second book in the Galactic Dynasty series!  With Starward (book one) finally available for purchase - you can check out Cressen Books' website for purchase links - and the celebration of that release out of the way, I have come up with all sorts of ideas for the next book.  And after having spoken with my co-author and Muse about story flow, plot line, and general direction, I am now ready to pound out at least the first several chapters!  I'm very excited to begin this novel and will keep everyone informed of the progress.

And when I'm not writing, I intend to get a lot of reading done.  I've just started the third book in the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin, A Storm of Swords, and hope to have lots of time to read that.  Of course, when the Muse is not in meetings, I fully intend to drag him around the city to see the sights....we will, after all, be tourists!  So, I'll be taking pictures and will try and post some of the better ones once we get back home.

So, there you have my excitement!  Have a safe and wonderful Independence Day and I'll be back on when I get the chance to give updates and share pictures!

Teaser Tuesday: A Clash of Kings final

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

 

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This weeks' teaser comes from A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2) by George R. R. Martin:

He knelt beside her, so they were face-to-face. “A girl whispers if she fears to speak aloud. Whisper it now. Is it Joffrey?”
Arya put her lips to his ear. “It’s Jaqen H’ghar.” (p. 685)

This will be the last teaser from A Clash of Kings as I should hopefully be finished reading it by the end of this week.  Arya Stark continues to be one of my absolute favorite characters and I loved this particular exchange between her and Jaqen H'ghar.  She had realized that the two names she'd whispered to the assassin before had been meaningless in the grand scheme of things and she wanted her last to truly mean something.  This was a bold move by her and in a lot of ways changes the direction of her path yet again.

Anyway, this has been an amazing book to read (really no surprise there) and I can't wait to get to the end of it so I can continue on to the next book in this incredible series!

What's your teaser this week?

Leave me a link below and have a great Tuesday!

Starward Release Day!!!

Yes, you read the title right....Starward has finally released!  WOOT!! *Throws confetti*  So, here's the cover, synopsis, and purchase links for all you readers interested in sci-fi/adventure novels!

 

Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1)

by E. M. Lohr and Wendy Lohr

 



Synopsis:

DNA, the schematic for life, and so much more. For the long dead aliens, it’s a message media of treachery and treason through the centuries. For the mission to the stars, it’s an absolute requirement. But for Rosa, it’s a curse of being the only one with the right DNA. Going into space isn’t on her life list. But events centuries before her time has set fate into motion from which there is no escape. So she reluctantly embarks on the ultimate space adventure…to unknowingly deliver the dead aliens’ message of betrayal!

This book can be purchased on Kindle, Nook, and in paperback through CreateSpace and Amazon.

I love to hear feedback, so let me know what you think of the cover and synopsis and whether this sounds like a book you'd be interested in reading!  And if you purchase this book, please spread some love by reviewing it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Goodreads!

Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: A Clash of Kings continued...

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

 

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

This weeks' teaser comes from A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2) by George R. R. Martin:
Across the tent, Rhaegal unfolded green wings to flap and flutter a half foot before thumping to the carpet.  When he landed, his tail lashed back and forth in a fury, and he raised his head and screamed.  If I had wings, I would want to fly too, Dany thought. (p.195)

Daenerys is such an amazing character!  I love watching her story unfold and the strength, wisdom, and perseverance she possesses.  I've read a lot of novels over the years, and I believe she is probably the first character that has impressed me this much.  Many kudos to George R. R. Martin for creating her!

What's your teaser this week?

Leave me a link below!

 

 

Release Date Announcement!!!

Good morning, lovelies!  I have a wonderful announcement to make!  Mark your calendars for Wednesday, June 26 as that is the official release day for Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1)!!!!!!  To tantalize you, here's the cover and synopsis for this sci-fi/adventure that I've co-written with my incredible Muse:

Synopsis:

DNA, the schematic for life, and so much more. For the long dead aliens, it’s a message media of treachery and treason through the centuries. For the mission to the stars, it’s an absolute requirement. But for Rosa, it’s a curse of being the only one with the right DNA. Going into space isn’t on her life list. But events centuries before her time has set fate into motion from which there is no escape. So she reluctantly embarks on the ultimate space adventure…to unknowingly deliver the dead aliens’ message of betrayal!

Isn't that an amazing cover???  And you know you want to read it after reading that synopsis....so, mark those calendars for June 26 and get ready for an incredible journey to the stars and beyond!!

Teaser Tuesday: A Clash of Kings

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

 

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

This weeks' teaser comes from A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2) by George R. R. Martin:

When Bran repeated that to Osha, she laughed aloud. "Your wolves have more wit than your maester," the wildling woman said. "They know truths the grey man has forgotten." The way she said it made him shiver, and when he asked what the comet meant, she answered, "Blood and fire, boy, and nothing sweet." (p. 71)

I finally finished A Game of Thrones and loved it so much, that I immediately started reading A Clash of Kings.  This is just such an amazing, epic fantasy read that I can't believe I went this long before reading it.  Sigh.  Anyway, the passage above is one I really liked in that it shows the developing relationship between Bran and the wildling woman, Osha.  Outside of Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, and Arya Stark, Bran Stark is probably my next favorite character in this series.  And Osha intrigues me since I have yet to figure out how she's going to play out in this series.  I guess I'll just have to keep reading! lol

Have a teaser for me?

Leave me a link or comment below!

 

 

Discount Days of Summer!

Good Monday Afternoon everyone!  I have a quick announcement to make.  Amazon.com, which carries The L & L Mysteries in paperback, has decided to discount all the books in this series with the exception of The Art of Deceit (The L & L Mysteries #2).  Not entirely sure why they didn't discount that one, but all I can do is shrug and pass this awesome tidbit on to you!

Here's the link for all the books on Amazon.com: The L & L Mysteries series.

The discount is only for paperback versions of this series sold on Amazon.com.  So, grab a couple of mysteries at a lower price and Happy Reading!

Spotlight: Awakening Iris

Today I want to spotlight Awakening Iris (The Dreamcatchers Saga #1) by Jessie McClain.  This is a debut contemporary romance that my publishing company, Cressen Books LLC, released on June 12.  It is available for Kindle and Nook and is also available in paperback (through Amazon.com and CreateSpace).

This novel takes you on a journey through the life of Iris, a woman who has seen and experienced the worst sort of tragedy and is barely getting through day to day.  What keeps her going is her little brother Danny, whom she cares for as if he were her son.  Then one day, she's doing her usual routine of singing in a local coffee shop when she discovers her familiar Stranger for the first time.  As she gets to know this Stranger, hope begins to blossom once again and she starts to dream of the future once more.  But none of it comes easy and there is a lot of untangling Iris has to do in order to follow where her heart wants to lead.  This is an amazing journey, full of hope and despair, shattered dreams and future promises, lost love and second chances.

So, what are you waiting for?  Check out this heart-warming/heart-wrenching debut and get snared in the Dreamcatchers web today!

Booking Through Thursday #6

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly bookish meme about (mostly) books and reading.

 

This weeks' BTT is: What makes you choose the books you read? Genre? Reviews? Certain authors? Covers? Recommendations?

I'm kind of an eclectic reader in that I don't stick with just one genre.  I like to sample around and I usually choose the book I'm going to read by what kind of mood I'm in.  Am I in the mood for sci-fi or fantasy?  Am I in the mood for murder mystery or paranormal?  Do I feel like historical fiction or romance?  It's usually all about the mood for me and since I have over 400 books on my pile of books to read, I get the advantage of being able to choose from whichever genre I'm interested in at the moment.

Sometimes, though, I run into the dilemma of not having the book I want to read amongst those 400.  For example, I've been watching HBO's Game of Thrones and am loving it!  So, I wanted to read the books but didn't have them.  So, yeah, I added 4 more books to the pile I already have going and am currently reading A Game of Thrones.  So, I guess sometimes TV or Movies play a part in me choosing to read certain books.  Same thing happened with Harry Potter.  After I saw the first movie, I had to read the books and got hooked.

Also, I have gone by recommendations or reviews which have introduced me to certain authors that I've fallen in love with.  And therefore had to read more books by them.  J. R. Ward and Rachel Vincent are two authors that fall into the category for me.

And then there are the authors whose names have been around a long time but I'm just now getting into their books.  Stephen King and James Patterson are just two to name a few.

What makes you choose the books you read?

Leave me a link or comment below!

Latest Updates

I know it's Thursday and I usually do a Booking Through Thursday post.  But, I was sifting through all my posts and realized that I hadn't given any updates lately.  So, I will return to Booking Through Thursday next week.

So, let's start with an upcoming release from one of our authors at Cressen Books.  Awakening Iris (The Dreamcatchers Saga #1) by Jessie McClain is the debut novel of a very talented author.  Here's the cover and synopsis and the release date for this novel will be Wednesday June 12, 2013:

Dreamcatchers and dreams.  Iris has them both.  Dreamcatchers to catch her bad dreams.  And dreams of what life was, but none of what life could be.  Until her familiar Stranger engulfs her life and changes everything.  Is he a new dream of the future or destined to be a repeat of the past?  Can she allow herself to love again or will the pain from the past be too great?







So, make sure to mark your calendars!  This book will be available for Kindle and Nook and will also be available in paperback through Amazon.com.

The next bit of news - Starward (Galactic Dynasty #1) by E. M. Lohr and Wendy Lohr (co-authoring with my Muse has turned out to be a lot of fun) had to have an extra chapter added.  We had gone through all the edits and realized that it was missing something.  So, I've added that extra chapter and hopefully we'll have a chance to edit it in the next couple of days.  Then we still have to get a synopsis together and finish the cover before everything will be ready.  We're hoping to either publish this sometime in the middle of June or sometime in July.  Release dates will be announced when we get closer to figuring that out!

Other than those two major things taking shape, I've been working on edits for another author's novel that we hope to release by the end of June.  I'll highlight that more once things have progressed to the last stages.  And, I've been writing feverishly on several new ideas over the last few weeks.  I absolutely love the writing process, the flow of words across the page, coming so fast that my fingers can barely keep up with my brain!  So exhilarating!!

I think that's it for now.  I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Weekend and wish you all a great weekend coming up.  And Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: Wallflower

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

 

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This weeks' teaser comes from Wallflower (Old Maids' Club #1) by Catherine Gayle:

Toby was up to something. Tabitha couldn’t be certain what he was up to, but obviously he was behind this change in the way Lord Devonport was observing her. Tabitha would wager her life on it. Or at least her pin money for the Season. There was nothing else to be done for it; she would have to strike first. (p. 15)

I'm not very far into this book yet, but it's been interesting so far.  I look forward to finding out what happens next!

Have a teaser for me??

Leave me a link below and have a wonderful day!

 

Booking Through Thursday #5

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly bookish meme about (mostly) books and reading.

 

This weeks' BTT is: Have your reading habits changed since you were a child? (I mean, I’m assuming you have less time to read now, but …) Did you devour and absorb books when you were 10 and only just lightly read them now? Did you re-read frequently as a child but now only read new books? How about types of books? Do you find yourself still attracted to the kinds of books you read when you were a kid?


When I was a child, I was a voracious reader.  I constantly had my nose in a book and loved escaping to new worlds.  I was a big Nancy Drew fan back then, so every month when a new Nancy Drew Case Files mystery came out, that was a definite purchase.  I also read a lot of Christopher Pike and R. L. Stine (Fear Street series mainly) and L. J. Smith.  I was into paranormal/supernatural and horror then.  That was between the ages of 9-13.

Then I discovered my step-mother's ridiculously huge collection of romance novels when I was 13-ish and began reading everything from contemporary to historical, Harlequin, Silhouette, didn't matter.  My real interest became Regency period romances though and I would scour bookshelves in the local used bookstore looking for new books in this time period to read.

Around age 16, I was introduced to the world of fantasy with Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series and became an instant fan.  I was friends with a family that was reading all the books, so I would borrow the books from them once they were done reading and would devour them within a couple of days.  That continued on until I graduated high school.

Then the reading stopped cold turkey.  Life happened, basically, and I didn't have much time for reading. Plus, I couldn't afford it.  And the local library still sucked, unfortunately.

Over the last few years, I've rediscovered my love of reading.  And although I don't have my nose buried in a book constantly these days, I do try to set aside time each week to read.  And my interests have grown even more to incorporate murder mysteries (both serious and cozy), historical fiction, dystopian thrillers, psychological suspense, zombies, erotica, and probably a ton more genres I'm forgetting at the moment as well as continuing to read within the genres I grew up enjoying.

Do you have an answer to share about any of the questions from above?

Leave me a link or comment below!

 

Teaser Tuesday: Spanish Intrigue

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

 

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This weeks' teaser comes from my first novel in The L & L Mysteries series, Spanish Intrigue:

He stared at her in disbelief, not saying anything for a moment, and Leyla was starting to regret having said anything to him.  Then he started chuckling, completely catching her off guard.  Narrowing her eyes, she whispered angrily, "What's so funny?"
His violet eyes sparkled as he replied mischievously, "If I didn't know better, I would think you were jealous right now, Leyla." (p. 83)

This is one of many humorous interactions between Leyla and her really good friend and mystery-solving partner, Lucien.  I truly enjoyed writing this scene (which is actually much longer but this is supposed to only be a teaser), as this kind of sets the tone for future books of the type of friendship that develops between these two characters.

This mystery series is written for ages 10+, mainly for middle grade.  If you know of any kids who love to read, have them check out my publishers website: Cressen Books LLC.  They'll find all four books in the series as well as links for purchase and the first chapter for each book.

Have a teaser for me?

Leave a link below and have a wonderful week!

 

Booking Through Thursday #4

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly bookish meme about (mostly) books and reading.

 

This weeks' BTT is: What book(s) do you find yourself going back to? Beloved children’s classics? Favorites from college? Something that touched you and just makes you long to visit?

The first time I read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, I was sixteen.  I had recently discovered a love for historical/regency romances and came across a copy of this book in the local used bookstore I loved to haunt.  I began reading it when I got home and wasn't able to put it down until I had finished the very last word on the very last page!  Since then, I've purchased the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice (I love Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy) and I've re-read the book at least once a year. So I guess that makes it about 17 times I've re-read it?  Give or take a few times. :)  It's the book I turn to if I want a true comfort read and it's the only book I have that I own at least 3 different bindings of, if not more.  But, I always find myself going back to read the particular version that I'd purchased at that used bookstore.

Do you have a book that you return to occasionally?

Leave me a link or comment below!



Teaser Tuesday: Game of Thrones final

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

 

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

This weeks' teaser comes from A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin:

 



"Take his horse," Dany commanded Ser Jorah. Viserys gaped at her. He could not believe what he was hearing; nor could Dany quite believe what she was saying. Yet the words came. "Let my brother walk behind us back to the khalasar." Among the Dothraki, the man who does not ride was no man at all, the lowest of the low, without honor or pride. "Let everyone see him as he is." (p. 231)

 

For anyone who has visited my last couple of teasers, you'll know that I've been working my way through A Game of Thrones.  It's been a slow progress as I don't have as much time as I would like to devote to reading, but I've been enjoying the book so far and seeing how well the HBO series mirrors it. 

 

For this last teaser from this book (I'm determined to have a different book to tease from next week), I wanted to quote Daenerys Stormborn, a character that I have truly fallen in love with and admire.  She has probably impressed me the most out of all the amazing characters George R. R. Martin has created in this epic world.  And I love this particular passage because it's the first time that she willingly and openly defies her brother, discovering that there truly is nothing to fear of him.  And this, I feel, is the turning point for her becoming the strong woman she grows into.

 

Have a teaser for me? 

Leave a link below and have a wonderful Tuesday!