Enemy Within Updates!

ENEMY WITHIN is done! 

It is now in the pre-beta editing phase!! And I should have it out to my betas tomorrow or the next day!

As for a release date, I still don't have the exact date, but it will be the end of next month, April. I'll be sending out a newsletter with the date and an exclusive teaser when I do.  :)

But until then, maybe this glimpse in Mirko's head will hold you over. 

Brooke's eyes widen. “We have to get back to Kaitlynn.”

All thoughts of herself forgotten.

It’s okay, though, because Brooke will always come first in mind. 

{New Release} Fate and Fury by Quinn Loftis

Looky what's out you guys!! And it's ALREADY #20 on Amazon!!! Congrats Quinn!!

Synopsis

The last few days have been the darkest of Sally’s life.  After experiencing the joy of finding her mate, she now suffers the pain of losing everything she holds dear. Both the Romanian and Serbian packs have been captured, ripping Sally’s soul mate away from her almost as soon as she had found him. Her best friend and the emotional glue that usually holds Sally together, Jacque Pierce, lies writhing in a restless coma, having been put down by Desdemona’s dark magic. Jennifer Adams, the unshakable one, has revealed to her friends and her mate that she is pregnant, but the Fates have marked her unborn baby for death.  Though she rails against the darkness, deep inside Jen knows that Decebel’s baby must die as payment for her own life, and the knowledge is tearing her soul to pieces. Cypher, King of the Warlocks, has claimed Jacque’s mother as his mate and agreed to help Desdemona open a door that would release a horde of demons from beyond the Veil.    

Though her world is crashing down around her, Sally holds out hope.  The Great Luna is not sitting idly by.  She has commanded the Fey council to call upon the packs—all of them.  And though Cypher looks for a way to open the Veil for Desdemona, he struggles to protect Lilly and the wolves at the same time.  Peri, the ever-courageous High Fae, and a contingent of the remaining females of the Romanian and Serbian packs, push on through the rough Carpathian Mountains. Though they are bound to the human realm, they continue to search for a way to cross over to the land of the Fey. Meanwhile, in reluctant obedience to the Great Luna, the Fey council sends representatives to the far corners of the globe, meeting with the pack Alphas.  The Fey must convince the Alphas of every pack to lay aside their petty territorial squabbles and battles of dominance. If they refuse, both the humans and the supernatural races will fall at Mona’s feet.

Sally holds to a shred of hope. Though Vasile, Decebel, and their pack mates endure the torture of the In-Between, living their worst nightmares over and over, Sally holds. Though she knows that it is only a matter of time before their wolves take over, she holds. Sally knows that if the males die, then so too will their mates who have performed the Blood Rites, including her best friends Jen and Jacque.  Yet she holds. If the males lose themselves to their wolves and turn feral, so too do their mates.  Still she holds. Though Vasile, the strongest Alpha in their history to unite the wolves, is lost beyond the Veil, Sally holds.  Though Decebel, the only other wolf besides Vaile strong enough to unite the packs, suffers beyond the Veil, Sally will hold.  No one is left to unite their race, and defeat Desdemona. Yet Sally still holds.  She holds out hope that the Great Luna will not abandon them, cannot abandon them.  Throughout the centuries, the Great Luna has always provided a gypsy healer to the packs, especially in times of great need. Now Sally is that healer. Sally fears what role she has to play in the defeat of Desdemona, but she will play it.  Though heaven and hell unite against her, she WILL play it.

For too long the supernatural races have lived in separation, warring amongst themselves, allowing trivial power plays and selfish disputes to keep them from uniting. That separation has made them weak. Now, being summoned as a collective force to the same land, will they come?  Will they come in numbers greater than have been seen in centuries? Will they destroy each other and save Mona the trouble, or will they finally unite and fight as one? 

{New Release} Imitation by Heather Hildenbrand

Hi everyone! Today is a special day! Today, Heather released her new book, the first in a new series, Imitation. I read this one, so I can tell you it's a good one! :)  It's so different than a lot of stuff out there. And it's only $2.99! Whoa, right!?

Everyone is exactly like me. 
There is no one like me. 

The rough fabric of my cotton nightgown chafes so I lie very still. They say my discomfort comes from being built like one accustomed to niceties. How is that fair when I myself have never experienced anything but copies of the real thing? 

My entire life is an imitation. 
I am an Imitation. 

I’ve been here five years. Training. Preparing. Waiting.
And now I have a letter.
My assignment has begun. 
I am a prisoner.
I am not Raven Rogen.
I am here to die.

Amazon

B&N

Kobo

She's BAAA-AAAACK!!

Hi everyone!!! *Waves like a teen girl at a Justin Bieber concert*

I've been away for a long time, which means I have a lot to tell you. Some of which is actually quite personal. I feel stripped bare and almost uncomfortably exposed talking about it on such a public platform. But I want to give you all an idea as to where I've been, and maybe even offer something to someone else who might be going through what I did.

Writing and publishing has been one of the most fulfilling endeavors of my life. It has also been the most challenging. The only way I've been able to describe or label my experience is by calling it Post-publishing depression. Now this is not to say that I am diminishing the very real postpartum depression or trying to soil it in any way. Postpartum actually goes beyond hormonal. Like 15% of men get it. It's just that this is the only thing I can compare it to that expresses how I've felt and what I've gone through.

I can't even really tell you one thing that brought it on. I published, and then became a different person after awhile. I couldn't write. I had this inner blockage that would rear its head up every time I'd consider writing. Which is so weird because the whole time I held onto this dream of writing and the love for it.

I was unmotivated, grumpy, sad, had mood swings, anxiety, and loss of sleep. And my hair was falling out. I lost enough of it that I quit bleaching it and dyed it my natural color to give it a rest for awhile. Then it kept falling out anyway. It was really thin at the top and in certain lights you could see my scalp. So I got a wig and told the guys at work that it was extensions. Hey, they're dudes, they don't know the difference (if one of you guys from work is reading this, Sorry! I just felt too awkward admitting to wearing a wig).

I pulled back from the internet, from Twitter, from Facebook, from everything and almost everyone. It sucked because I missed so many of you. I've had major guilt about not talking with you or keeping up with what you're doing or major life changes. I've felt crappy for not being able to support your blogs and tweet your links.

I've felt like Satan's spawn for taking so long to get Enemy Within done, and for setting a release date and then not making it. Things were starting to get back on track last Spring, but then after the release date and cover reveal things started spiraling again. Scary life stuff happened, too, that contributed. So it's been a long road.

The break from the internet and not seeing the gazillion new releases every day helped. Having people I could talk to helped. Time helped. Even some natural remedies helped. I was feeling better in every way save for the anxiety. And Prozac pretty much chilled that shizz right out! #ProzacLove #CocktailOfTheGods

My hair was growing back. It was still ugly, though, because it was so thin in the length. I cut it off and went blond again. I feel so much better with it now. It's an edgy hair style, and I feel pretty and bad ass with it. It's similar to this.

2012 has been a hell of year. And not in a good way. I've heard from many others that it was a crappy year for them too. I finally feel like I'm on the other side of this thing. And that's why I'm talking about it now. I've known for a long time that I'd like to eventually write a blog post about it. But with it still going on, it felt like too fresh a wound. It's still hard to even admit all this publicly. It feels like I'm exposing a weakness or something. I mean, I've questioned a hundred times if I was strong enough to take a go at this writing gig. But it sounded more like, "What the hell are you thinking? You can't do this. You're too weak. You're not cut out for this. You're not strong enough, good enough, creative enough, or deserving enough for it." I still go through worries of not being creative or skilled enough to do this--as I think comes with being a writer anyway. But Prozac has helped me to not believe it for very long. And then I write some words, and I'm effing AWESOME again, and can hang with the kick ass people because I'm kick ass too, dammit!

When I look back on the past year, it seems as though (as far as book stuff because I've been working full time and going to school full time still) has been on hold. It's just been dangling there while the world still turns, everyone's life goes on, but I still hold the same dream.

So I'm BACK. I'm in a good place. I know I'm strong enough to live my dreams. And I am soooooo CLOSE to being done with Enemy Within. I don't have a set date yet, but it'll be out before the end of April. :) And you'll see lots more books from me. My goal is to get 3 out this year. Large goal, but I'll be DONE, D-O-N-E, with school after this semester!! *happy dance* So more free time to get the wordage on the page.

I've missed you all TERRIBLY! ♥

Here's the song I feel is the tone of Enemy Within. It's inspired many great scenes.

Is Your Love Strong Enough--How to Destroy Angels (Trent Reznor is the MAN!)

Cover Reveal: Fate & Fury bu Quinn Loftis

Hey guys! I have something beautiful to share with you! The cover of Fate & Fury, Book 6 in the Grey Wolf Series, by Quinn Loftis.

Isn't it gorgeous!? I think this one is my fave!

Synopsis:

The last few days have been the darkest of Sally’s life. After experiencing the joy of finding her mate, she now suffers the pain of losing everything she holds dear. Both the Romanian and Serbian packs have been captured, ripping Sally’s soul mate away from her almost as soon as she had found him. Her best friend and the emotional glue that usually holds Sally together, Jacque Pierce, lies writhing in a restless coma, having been put down by Desdemona’s dark magic. Jennifer Adams, the unshakable one, has revealed to her friends and her mate that she is pregnant, but the Fates have marked her unborn baby for death. Though she rails against the darkness, deep inside Jen knows that Decebel’s baby must die as payment for her own life, and the knowledge is tearing her soul to pieces. Cypher, King of the Warlocks, has claimed Jacque’s mother as his mate and agreed to help Desdemona open a door that would release a horde of demons from beyond the Veil.

Though her world is crashing down around her, Sally holds out hope. The Great Luna is not sitting idly by. She has commanded the Fey council to call upon the packs—all of them. And though Cypher looks for a way to open the Veil for Desdemona, he struggles to protect Lilly and the wolves at the same time. Peri, the ever-courageous High Fae, and a contingent of the remaining females of the Romanian and Serbian packs, push on through the rough Carpathian Mountains. Though they are bound to the human realm, they continue to search for a way to cross over to the land of the Fey. Meanwhile, in reluctant obedience to the Great Luna, the Fey council sends representatives to the far corners of the globe, meeting with the pack Alphas. The Fey must convince the Alphas of every pack to lay aside their petty territorial squabbles and battles of dominance. If they refuse, both the humans and the supernatural races will fall at Mona’s feet.

Sally holds to a shred of hope. Though Vasile, Decebel, and their pack mates endure the torture of the In-Between, living their worst nightmares over and over, Sally holds. Though she knows that it is only a matter of time before their wolves take over, she holds. Sally knows that if the males die, then so too will their mates who have performed the Blood Rites, including her best friends Jen and Jacque. Yet she holds. If the males lose themselves to their wolves and turn feral, so too do their mates. Still she holds. Though Vasile, the strongest Alpha in their history to unite the wolves, is lost beyond the Veil, Sally holds. Though Decebel, the only other wolf besides Vaile strong enough to unite the packs, suffers beyond the Veil, Sally will hold. No one is left to unite their race, and defeat Desdemona. Yet Sally still holds. She holds out hope that the Great Luna will not abandon them, cannot abandon them. Throughout the centuries, the Great Luna has always provided a gypsy healer to the packs, especially in times of great need. Now Sally is that healer. Sally fears what role she has to play in the defeat of Desdemona, but she will play it. Though heaven and hell unite against her, she WILL play it.

For too long the supernatural races have lived in separation, warring amongst themselves, allowing trivial power plays and selfish disputes to keep them from uniting. That separation has made them weak. Now, being summoned as a collective force to the same land, will they come? Will they come in numbers greater than have been seen in centuries? Will they destroy each other and save Mona the trouble, or will they finally unite and fight as one?


And Quinn has excerpts on her website, too!

A Book That Moved Me--The Edge of Never

I hope you all have had a great Thanksgiving and weekend! Mine has been wonderful; turkey, family time, and a great book. I don't read as much as I used to. Before I started writing, all of my free time was spent reading. So now when I get to read a whole book, it feels like such a treat. And you guys! I just finished a really great one!

The Edge of Never is an adult contemporary. I guess you could call it a New Age book, but I don't know what people are qualifying that as these days? Is it the age of the characters? Do they have to be in college? I don't know. There is sexual content and situations, but these characters aren't in college. They're 20 and 25, and I effing adored them, you guys!

I don't know J.A. Redmerski. I've never even so much as tweeted with her, or read anything by her before The Edge of Never, but she has written something special with this book. The characters are written so well and the story is so fantastic. I will be reading more from this author. And if any indie book ever deserved to be in the top 100 Amazon list, it'd be this one. Yes, there are omitted words, extra words, wrong word usage, etc, but overall it wasn't bad, and the times I laughed and the tears I shed more than made up for any of that stuff.

I first found this book from cruising through the best seller list on Amazon and was struck with some major "Ugh!" when I saw an image I found on a stock site and saved as a cover-I-will-one-day-write-a-story-for. So I had to look into this story that someone had swiped this image from me and used. Right? Because as indie authors we mostly use stock images, and we all use them, so they appear somewhere whether you like it or not. Anyway, the story sounded good and the reviews were all positive, so I opened the sample. Then I needed more after the sample, so I bought it.

You guys. I smiled. I laughed. I fanned myself. I licked my lips and highlighted passages. I frickin' bawled my eyes out. Camryn is strong, yet vulnerable. She's witty and bright and beautiful, and you can't help but love her and root for her. Andrew is what all of us want in a male lead, but he's so far removed from the unhealthy, jerk-badboy-type that we're so used to in fiction. He was funny, sexy, smart, flirty, swoontastic, encouraging, everything!

This book was so much more than just a great read for me! It was more than an experience to follow along on Andrew and Camryn's story. It actually made me question in what ways I can live more fully and freely in my life. It inspired me! And J.A. Redmerski inspires me as a writer!

Camryn more than did justice for the cover image. She so perfectly became that cover image, and I can't imagine it being anyone else now.

I don't reread many books--mainly just Twilight and Hunger Games--but I know with every tear I cried, which was a lot, that I will reread this book again.

The Collide Series By Shelly Crane--Awesome Stuff!

You guys! The Collide Series by Shelly Crane gets a face lift!! And since I love Shelly--I mean, she's EPIC in every way--and I love covers, I'm so excited to be able to show you the new covers!

And the first book in the series is still

FREE

on Amazon, Kobo & Smashwords.

Now, I give you the pretties (Made by the lovely Sarah Hansen from Okay Creations)!!

Collide (which is FREE, yo!)

Uprising

Catalyst

Revolution

Right!? They're amazing, huh!? So, so pretty! I LOVE them! And if you've read the books, you know exactly what these covers represent! This series is complete--go grab it if you haven't! ;)

The link to Collide FREE on Amazon is here.

The link to Collide FREE on Smashwords for any format is here.

Shelly's blog is here.