Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Book Review: Hollowland

Book Review: Hollowland by Amanda Hocking

Let me preface this by saying that I hate zombie movies.  I tried watching that English zombie movie, 28 days later…or maybe it was weeks…either way, I made it through the initial scene and still to this day have nightmares about it. Needless to say Zombies are not my thing.  But…

Amanda Hocking is brilliant when she promotes the release of new books.  Since Hollowmen was about to be released she gave away a free eBook copy of Hollowland and who can pass down a free book?  Not me apparently!

So there I was.  New book and the thrill of meeting new characters, even though I highly doubted many of them would survive long in a zombie horror book.  I dove in, cringing I might add, with both feet.

Two things I noticed right away. 
1. Amanda Hocking’s books are flowing better now that she has more writing under her belt.  Well done Amanda!
2. It wasn’t nearly gruesome as I’d thought it would be.

That being said I made the enormous mistake of reading a good portion of the middle late at night.  Not even the gentle snores erupting from my husband could calm my nerves.  The lights went out…and that’s when the magic began.

My mind went berserk.  Every creak in the house, howl of the wind as it buffeted against the siding or the obnoxious groan of my dog sent my imagination into hyper drive.  It was a long night!  That’s when you can confidently say that you’ve read a good book.

But did I enjoy Hollowland?  Hard to say really.  Probably best to answer that after I’ve had a good nights sleep!

I did enjoy that for the first time Amanda Hocking created a kick butt kind of heroine.  Remy is bold, confident and ready to survive.  I liked that!

The characters were engaging, wording flowed far better than previous books and only a couple typos! 

Overall I would rate this book as a 4 out of 5 stars because I’m sure if you like zombies this would be a great book.  For me it was entertaining…and I might even take a peek at the sequel.

Note to parents: PLEASE read this book before you let your child get their hands on it.  Judge the content for youself! 


Book Review: Vanish by Sophie Jordan

Book Review: Vanish by Sophie Jordan


The sequel to Sophie Jordan’s Firelight did not disappoint.  The tales of forbidden love have always been a favorite of mine and the Firelight series has been a favorite of mine since the day I stumbled across it a year ago.

The idea of Draki, a dragon/human shape shifter was certainly a nice change from the norm.  Throw into the mix a destiny that  would force Jacinda into the arms of her people’s prince and a mother who will risk at nothing to save her daughter from being used to breed other fire breathing dragons and you get a very interesting turn of events.

Jacinda is forced to leave her people behind and hide out in the desert where her mother hopes her Draki will wither and die.  The hot dry temps nearly succeed until Jacinda meets Will, a Draki hunter and her lifelong enemy.

The forbidden love triangle progresses with thrilling events and skillful prose on the part of Sophie Jordan.  The end of Firelight is a huge cliff hanger and leaves you begging for more.  Enter Vanish.   

After a rare turn of events, Jacinda is forced to leave Will behind, with the doubt that he will even remember her.  Jacinda’s return to her people is filled with trouble as punishment after punishment is handed out.  Her life becomes not only miserable but complicated as her people’s prince, Cassian, reveals his feelings for Jacinda. 

She almost tricks herself into believing she can start over until Will walks right into the heart of her village.  Events race with furious speeds all the way until the end.  Another cliff hanger and more groans at the reality of having to wait for the next book to be released!

Love the writing, love the characters and love Sophie Jordan.  A must read for any teen looking for a good romantic story!



Should you pay for a book review?

This is a question that I have asked myself quite a bit.  Should book bloggers/reviewers charge authors to review their books? 

My honest opinion…no.  But that’s just me.  I write for the same reason I read.  I love doing it!  It’s an escape and I know many of you feel the same way.

On my blog www.self-published-authors.blogspot.com I offer free book reviews to anyone who writes in genres that I enjoy.  The only charge is that you give me a free copy of your ebook.  Not bad eh?  I thought so!

Why am I writing about this?  Because this subject has been broached a couple times recently.  Self published authors fight tooth and nail to get their name and books out there.  It’s rough…especially when sales are slow and editor/book cover costs keep rising.  How are we to earn a living to help support our families when we have to pay for book reviews too?

That is why I offer free book reviews.  Because it’s the right thing to do to help my fellow authors.  I’m always in need of someone willing to give me a fair review just as so many others are.  To charge just seems wrong to me…but that is for each person to decide.  Is it worth $200 dollars to get a single book review that may or may not go in your favor? 

You decide.


Monday, November 28, 2011

I'm a winner!

I did it!  I completed 50,000 words during the month of November.  Well done to all of you who have done the same and to those of you struggling to finish...stop watching tv, reading a book or goofing off on Facebook.  Write!

Now...my thoughts on this journey for those of you who haven't attempted this feat yet.

  • Trying to work on a sequel which takes a lot of thinking and planning is not a good idea for Nano
  • Editing...yeah I still have to do it as I go!
  • Word counter how I love to hate you!
  • Writing buddies are invaluable
  • The feeling you get when you know you've reached your goal...PRICELESS!
For those of you who have never given Nano a try I highly suggest you do so next year. 

Many people look at the 50,000 word mark and convince themselves they can't do it.  Trust me...it can be done but it takes a lot of effort, time management and a good idea.

My goal for next year's Nano:
  • start a completely new project for Nano
  • stop obsessively updating my word count
  • spend time helping others reach their goals
  • increase word count to 70,000
  • do my "I did it" dance again!

Monday, November 21, 2011

Idea behind Forbidden...

I’ve had the question posed to me about how I came up with the idea for Forbidden.  Honestly, I was sick and tired of reading the typical cliché vampire novel.  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Twilight and many of the other vampire books on the book shelves today…but I needed a break.  I read my way through Werewolves, Dragons and angles before I finally decided I wanted to step out of the norm.

The idea of Immortality has always been somewhat of a fascination of mine.  To live forever.  What on earth would you do with yourself?  Surely after a couple hundred years you would have seen and done everything there was to do.  Then what?

So I wanted to take a popular theme and give it a major twist.  I told my husband a couple months ago while we were on a drive that I wanted to do a book on Immortals.  I had no clue where I wanted to go with it but it was an idea that I couldn’t drop.

I knew that I wanted it set it Romania.  I loved the picturesque country side, the quaint buildings and wealth of history.  And since I wanted my Immortal to be rather old I needed her to live in a castle.  I flipped through page after page of stunning castles and stumbled upon one that just felt right.  At the bottom of the picture it had a caption.  Castle Bran.  Dracula’s castle.

Now that’s where the wheels in my head really started grinding.  The legend of Dracula had always fascinated me.  Sorry Twilight fans, but I grew up with vampires that didn’t glitter or choose a mountain lion as a main course.  So I wanted to explore the idea of the sadistic version of vampires that people used to be accustomed to.  But there came in the kicker.  I DIDN”T want to write a vampire novel.

So low and behold the twist came into play.  Immortals that needed human blood to heal when wounded and became addicted to blood like a human on pain killers.  I delved into the idea of changed behaviors, personality shifts that led to the degradation of one Vladimir Enescue, Roseline’s husband and legendary Dracula.  In my book, Forbidden, my characters live the lives that lead to the creation of the Vampire myth. 

Now of course I didn’t want my heroin to be evil.  Far from it.  I wanted to show that even surrounded but such vile filth a person could retain their innocence.  And from there Roseline was born. 

In order for Roseline to endure three centuries of torture at the hands of her husband, Roseline needed to have someone to keep her sane.  To help her heal and teach her how to live a life without debauchery and murder.  She clung to him for her sanity and as such developed deep feelings for him.

But when she sees her chance to escape her tyrannical husband, Roseline leaves everything behind, including her only friend.  She starts over as a high school student in Chicago Illinois with the hopes of being able to live the life that’d been taken from her.  But fate wouldn’t allow her to remain in the shadows.

And I will leave you there.  It’s no fun to spoil the story!

If you would like to read my newly released Teen Fantasy novel, Forbidden, please check out my eBooks. 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-The-Arotas-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B0063KE52K
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/102159

Happy Reading!



Goodreads review of Forbidden

Roseline Enescue is just a 17-year-olg girl in Romania in 1689, when her father orders her to marry the wealthy Vladimir Enescue, brother to the equally wealthy and equally sadistic Lucien Enescue. Lured in by their wealth her father can't deny giving Roseline's hand, but he comes to regret it as he, along with all guests at the wedding are killed by the two monsters of brothers. Not even her little sister, Adela, isn't spared by their homicidal rampage and Roseline, having seen everyone she loves murdered in front of her eyes, has no choice but to comply to Vladimir's wishes, but not before she is killed and turned into a vampire like them.

This actually is the opening scene of the book and it is fast and exciting, really urging you to bond with the heroine in her struggle to save her loved ones and herself, alas you already know, just like she does, that there's no chance of that.
Then over 300 years later, Roseline, sees a way out, a chance to escape and she seizes it, knowing that if she fails to get away, she will suffer Vladimir's wrath once again, because she has tried this before, but it has never worked. Still, she gives it her whole and eventually she finds herself in the United States, posing as a 17-year-old girl (because that's the age she looks), going to a somewhat exclusive school, trying to go undetected, never attracting attention to herself. During her time there, though, she is befriended by the eccentric Sadie and her brother William, knowing very well that with her being Immortal, her looks are by default mesmerizing to humans causing them to be attracted to her. Consequently, she doesn't go as undetected as she would like to, but she tries. She is buried in some kind of comforting routine till Gabriel, the school's star student and athlete and most sought-out boyfriend is smitten by her, and an exchange student from Romania, Nicolae, comes to stay with Sadie and William. Nicolae keeps staring at her and it's not long before he reveals to Rose that he knows who she is and what she is, and that he is there to check up on her. Rose doesn't know in what capacity, but she is afraid that Vladimir knows where she is and Gabriel chasing after her all the time doesn't help one bit.

Now, it sounds a little cliche or rather like something that's been described before, but the story finds ways to be original and refreshing. I really liked that the book started the way it did, because it was fast and it immediately drew you in and made your heart beat a little faster. It was told in a smart way in the sense that in the first chapter, you already know why Roseline was running, who and what she was and why it was instrumental that she get away, making you feel like you already knew her and really ready to become invested in the actual story to start in the following chapter. Actually, the majority of the book's most important characters was really introduced in the first chapter, although Sadie, William, Gabriel and Nicolae were introduced later on.

The characters were quite diverse without coming off as caricatures, which was really good. Even Sadie, with her continuously changing wardrobe and make-up going through punk, goth, bad girl and Christian phases didn't come across as fake, while all characters were not good or bad, black or white. There were shades of gray which is the way it seems to me in real life.
It is important that the characters seem real and plausible without being too saccharine or "perfect". Rose isn't perfect either. She has been through a lot, but she is not a little lamb, nor is she a hyena (as a vampire). She is a person with her faults and shortcomings, never, however giving up the attempt to become a better person. Gabriel isn't a jock or a perfect guy either. The characters get mad, yell, lose their patience, laugh, fall in love and act crazy just like they would in real life and that's the best aspect of the book.

The writing is not exactly factual, nor overly decorative. I think it's a nice balance between the two and it makes reading the book quite entertaining. I also liked the fact that even though there is an aspect of insta-love between Rose and Gabriel, it is not pursued in a rushed way and Roseline doesn't trip all over herself in order to avoid or chase the charming human boy. Throughout the chapters it feels like Rose really lives her life in a normal way not changing dramatically just because of Gabriel (although why she run away towards the end I'll never understand). Gabriel is more smitten than she appears to be and faster than her, but he is a teenage boy so hormones and their "bond" can quite explain that.
I have to admit that I didn't see a few twists around the end coming and it was a welcome surprise as for the most part of the book we didn't see or hear from Lucien and Vladimir again, letting us enjoy Rose's new life but also making us wonder what was going to happen.

On the other hand, there were some aspects of book that left me wanting a little.
For the most part we did get to see what Immortals were. They were more than humans. Stronger, faster, prettier and intellectually superior in certain ways as they lived history and did not just read about it.
I quite enjoyed the twist in the lore, where what we consider Vampires are just Immortals that have been addicted to the taste of blood. They don't need the blood to survive, they can live off human food, but they need blood to heal, as blood is a life giver, and if they consume it too much, it becomes like a drug clouding their judgment and affecting them physically and psychologically, turning them blood-thirsty and eventually sadistic monsters (like it happened with Lucien and Vladimir). Blood is like cocaine for vamps, then, but they do have a choice which is a nice difference from the usual lore that Vampires always feel the thirst.
However, I feel like it could have been explained a little more and in greater detail so the whole thing could have been made distinct and invested upon so that in the future books we could see how the whole addiction process happens and how easy it is for a vamp to go to "rehab". XD
I'd love to have seen that in relation to Rose, as I'm sure that Vladimir must have tried to get her addicted.

Another thing is that I felt that Nicolae's presence could have been explored more. In the beginning he comes across as a geeky, nerdy kid who had no sense of how life and people in America were and he recognized Roseline from Romania fearing her, but later on he is a hunter incognito and some of his actions don't sit right. At first it feels like he is afraid of Rose and he is determined not to bother her or come into contact with her, but a chapter later he stares at her intently even menacingly and warns her that he will be there if she decides to hurt anyone. So if he wanted to stay under the radar why come out to Roseline and if he was going to do that anyways, why act scared in the beginning? Maybe he wanted to draw his own conclusions about Rose and if she was evil, but it just felt awkward to me. I liked Nicolae's reactions to Sadie, though, and I think I will enjoy them if they are a couple in the next book. ;)

Then the last one is a stupid thing to notice really, but I couldn't help wondering. Roseline as an Immortal (Vampire) feels happier when it is cold, because her body temperature is higher than that of a human, yet when she touches Gabriel she feels his great body warmth and heat, which doesn't make sense if he is human or even if he is half-vampire. (Unless it was psychological, though it was mentioned a couple times) Then again there is some prophecy and some things left for the next book so I might have to wait for this to make sense!!! And, god, do I want to read the next! :)


To sum up, I think "Forbidden" was an entertaining read filled with excitement, mystery, (why yes) passion and enjoyable characters you felt for, causing it to be one of the books I'd read again, but it would rate even higher if some of the story's (evidently) distinct vampiric lore was explored and introduced more properly and extensively. Its lovable characters and plot make up for some inconsistencies and questions.

Anyone who enjoys books with vampires and romance will definitely enjoy this one.

P.S.: Thanks to the writer for letting me review the book.




Saturday, November 19, 2011

Forbidden Book Review

Book Review

by

Robert Luis Rabello


Title of Book:  Forbidden (The Arotas Trilogy) 
Author:  Amy Miles
Genre:  Young Adult Fiction / Urban Fantasy
E-book, or print book:  E-book
Overview:  Rosaline Enescue escapes from the frightening brutality of her husband in Romania by running away to the United States.  She begins a new life as a high school student, but meets a young man named Gabriel, to whom she finds herself irresistibly attracted.  How can this be?  Where did her self-control go?  How can a mere human so captivate her attention?  The answers trace back to her homeland and the life she left behind. 
Cover / Graphics / Maps :  The cover is simple, evocative and looks professionally laid-out.  The orange rose has significance to the story and is allegorical of the main character.
Interior Formatting:  I read the Kindle version.  There were no glaring format issues.  The font was large enough to be legible, but small enough to permit speed reading without adjustment.
Readability:  Sample paragraphs averaged a readability index of 5.8, which is appropriate for the target audience and most readers of this genre.  I had no difficulty with any of the vocabulary or sentence structures in this novel.
Names:  All of the names were easily pronounced and accessible.  Since the story takes place in a modern context, place names are recognizable.
Hero / Heroine:  Rosaline Enescue is a bit of an enigma.  Given the terrible ordeal described in the prologue to this story, it's reasonable to expect a degree of hardness and an aloof attitude from this character.  In general, people like their protagonists to be strong, and Rosaline certainly projects inner strength and mental toughness.  She's described by other characters as kind and loving, but she acts more like a streetwise and vigorous force to be reckoned with, rather than a sweet, gentle female.  The descriptions that characterized her as the latter grated against the former.
I'd expected Gabriel Marsten to be a dumb jock, mindlessly interested in conquering opponents on the football field and girls in the social arena.  But he evolves as the story progresses, from the inaccurate caricature of an athlete into a decent, intelligent and caring young man.  He becomes the type of boy that a father would be proud to call his son, only to transform further into something ELSE, entirely.  It's both fascinating and disturbing to experience.  Amy Miles has done a terrific job of defying expectations with this character.
Supporting Characters: Sadie and William Hughes are siblings who live next door to Gabriel Marsten.  They maintain an annoyed, teenaged tolerance for one another throughout the book, though the role that William plays in the story is less significant than that of his sister.  Sadie befriends Rosaline, though the two appear to have very little in common.  Nicolae, a mysterious exchange student, transforms from a creepy kid into something very different as the story progresses.  I felt that a little platforming of his capabilities early in the story would have made for a smoother character arc near the end.
Villains:  Rosaline's husband, Vladimir, occupies a menacing role that exists mostly on the periphery of the story, except for the very beginning and the very end.  A lot of the conflict in this book is internal, with Rosaline, herself.  The reader is effectively kept in suspense about the danger of her powers throughout the story.  This is something that Amy Miles has done very well.
In addition, flat characters, like Claire Scofield--Gabriel's girlfriend--and Oliver--Gabriel's jock friend--serve as antagonists and provide the occasional comic relief.  There's a scene involving Claire using Gabriel's leg as an erotic dancing prop that had me laughing.
Plausibility of Storyline:  There's a degree of suspending disbelief that every fantasy story must be given.  That's certainly true of this one, but there were scenes and behaviors, such as Rosaline's frequent disappearances, which did little to advance the plot and probably could have been cut or modified without impacting the overall story.  High school students making travel arrangements and departing the country without parental approval raised my brows too, but this IS a story for young readers, and that audience would likely be unfazed by that detail.
Reviewer's Response:  Amy Miles has written a vampire story that defies convention in many ways.  Though I am not in the target market for this genre, the story retained my interest  throughout, and I actually found myself enjoying the characters, particularly Rosaline and Gabriel, as they evolved.  One of the strengths of the independent author movement is that it permits stories that depart from main stream, commercial themes and plot lines to be heard.  I believe this story is a refreshing example of that  trend.  For young adult  readers, in particular, this is likely to be a very enjoyable story.



Friday, November 18, 2011

What I'm watching: Breaking Dawn

My review on the new Breaking Dawn movie:

Sadly I must say that I was greatly disappointed.  It was cheesy, drawn out and utterly a let down.  It’s such a shame since I LOVE the book.

As an avid reader, and a fan of Twilight in general, I am sad to think of what the negative reviews might do for Stephenie Meyers’ book sales.  I know that there will always be die-hard Twilight fans that will support the movies no matter what, but this is one fan that is left dissatisfied. 

The heartfelt conversation between Bella and Edward on the night before their wedding was unbelievably cheesy.  Mix that with the terrible wolf pack conversation and some funky graphics and I was cringing. 

The movie felt long, far more drawn out than it needed to be.  I actually found myself growing bored with it.  By the end of the movie I was relieved that it was over, never a good thing for a fan to feel.

On the plus side, I enjoyed being able to visually see the wedding, Isle Esme, and even the gruesome decline Bella experiences as the baby drains her life.  There were a few things added into the movie for excitement that wasn’t a part of the book, but I didn’t mind it. 

Overall…I would give the movie a 2 star out of 5, but honestly that’s only because I love the book. 

I hope other people enjoy it more than I did!


Thursday, November 17, 2011

What I'm reading: Matched by Ally Condie

Matched by Ally Condie

One of the things I love most about my job as a writer is that I can justify the hours I spend reading teen books.  It’s all in the name of research!  At least that’s what I tell my husband when I’ve got the bedroom light on long into the wee hours of the night.

My newest book, which I am nearly finished with, is Matched by Ally Condie.  Dystopian love stories seems to be all the rage now.  And for good reason…they’re great!

Matched is no exception.  I love the characters, the imagery Ally Condie uses to paint her futuristic world and the confusing love triangle.  I know some people hate love triangles but NOT ME!  Give me a good love mystery and I’m happy.  But don’t give it away too easily.  I love to unexpected.

For anyone looking for a good read for themselves or their teenager girl I suggest Matched.  Ally Condie’s sequel, Crossed, is next on my Must-Read list.




Monday, November 14, 2011

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

For those of you that have just found me or are wanting to get a sense of who I am as a writer and avid reader, there is one thing you need to know.  I LOVE FANTASY!

Give me vampires (in moderation), werewolves, shapshifters, angels, trolls, you name it I'm probably gonna love it.

My newest love affair began a year ago when Andrea Cremer, first time novelest, released Nightshade.  It provided a wealth of rich characters, a love triangle (which I'm a huge fan of) and a unique perspective into the lifes of shapeshifting guardians.  Totally my kind of book.

Well...after I raced through James Dashner's, The Death Cure, I leaped straight into Wolfsbane, Andrea's sequel to Nightshade.

First off...if I have to be honest...I got a tiny bit bored in the beginning.  The duty of explaining the intricate details of the book was a bit to wade through, but smack dab in the middle of the book it took off and I stay up till 2am to finish it. 

Loved the action, the pace, the surprisingly appealing new characters and the groan at the end when Andrea left it wide open for the third book.  Don't you just hate it when authors do that?  Haha. 

I even found a couple typos.  Darn it but I love it when that happens.  It makes it so much harder for people to bash self published authors when traditional presses make mistakes too!  We're human people.  Get over it!  Haha!
So...if you are looking for a good read, I highly recommend picking up Nightshade and Wolfsbane. 

Friday, November 11, 2011

The Death Cure, by James Dashner

I have waited FOREVER to get my hands on the final installment of James Dashner's Maze Runner Trilogy, The Death Cure.  I picked it up from my local library around 2pm yesterday afternoon and sometime in the wee hours of the night I finished.  And despite the haze from lack of sleep this morning, I am thrilled to announce that I LOVED IT! 

What a great inspiration on how to finish a trilogy well.  This couldn't have come at a better time for me since I'm currently working on my Arotas Trilogy.  The first installment Forbidden, has just been released and I'm writing the sequel at the moment.  My biggest fear...letting the book fall flat.  Or giving away too much too soon.

Thank you Mr. Dashner for not only a great read but also a guide on how to keep the suspense going through all three of my books!

I highly recommend anyone who is looking for a YA Dystopian Science Fiction to read the entire Maze Runner Trilogy.  Edge of your seat suspense, characters that you will want to root for and hate, and a finale that will leave you logically satisfied. 

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

eBook Sampling

People sometimes ask me why I chose to self publish, and that answer can take so many different avenues.  But one of the things that I love most about eBooks is the ability to offer a free sample of my book to potential readers.  What better way for a person to decide if they like the story line or my style of writing then to sample the first 20-30% of my book for free.

When I publish with Smashwords I always enable the maximum amount of my book to be available.  Why?  I’m not worried about people “stealing” ideas from my book.  My main goal is to gain readers.  So I want to give you just enough of my book to grab your attention and keep you begging for more. 

Ok ,I get that you might not actually get down on your hands and knees and beg, but it’s a nice thought huh?  Haha.

So…if you would like to read a sample of my newest release, Forbidden, check out the link below to download a free sample.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/102159

Monday, November 7, 2011

Creation

Thanks to NaNoWriMo I am seeing the beginning structure of Artos, sequel to Forbidden, beginning to take shape.  These are exciting days when you first build the outer walls to the book that hope will someday stand up on its own two feet. 

Back to writing!

Saturday, November 5, 2011

New Release: Forbidden

Hi everyone!

I wanted to let you know that all of my hard work the past few weeks has finally paid off.  My new teen Immortal book, Forbidden, has just been released.  It is available on Amazon and Smashwords as an eBook for only $0.99

I’d love for you to take a look and let me know what you think.  I’m always looking for critiques to keep me growing as an author.

If you are interested in purchasing my book you can click on the Forbidden book cover image on the side.  It will link you directly to my Amazon page.

I’m also looking for people to swap reviews with so if you are interested please email me at DefianceRising@live.com

Forbidden book description:

Roseline Enescue has been called many things.  A sorceress.  A witch.  A demon.  Even an evil temptress.  But there is only one name that has endured for over three hundred years.  Vampire.
A myth that was created centuries before to describe her husband’s sadistic blood lust and craving for debauchery.  Roseline soon finds herself sucked into the dark life led by her husband, whose legendary name is revered around the globe.  Dracula.  But the further she dips into the world veiled behind human reality, the more desperate she becomes to escape it. 
She is a prisoner in her own home, forced to endure brutal beatings at the hands of her husband Vladimir Enescue, in attempt to draw out the monster lurking in her soul.  But Roseline’s refusal to give in fuels her husband’s rage.  Roseline makes a desperate escape from Vladimir’s clutches and lands in the heartland of America.
Excited to live a life of her own, to experience the freedom that was stripped away from her over 300 years before, Roseline enrolls as a senior at Chicago’s elite Rosewood Prep School.  But her plans to remain off the grid are shattered when she meets Gabriel Marston.
Roseline quickly discovers that there’s something unique about Gabriel.  No mortal has ever affected her so forcefully, or had the willpower to reject her advances.  Her body physically aches to be with him, but her fear of getting too close keeps her teetering on the edge of agony.  As their lives entwine, Roseline is shaken to her core when she realizes that Gabriel is much more than he appears to be. 

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Change of book Title

Due to the expected release of my new teen Immortal/Vampire eBook this week, I have decided to change the title.  Immortal Rose is out and Forbidden is in.

This decision didn’t come lightly, especially since I have to go back through and change all of my promotions. It’s time consuming but I’m thrilled with the new name. 

Forbidden will be available on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and Smashwords in all formats for only $0.99

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

NaNoWriMo

November is NaNoWriMo.  Have you joined yet? 

November 1st has come and gone an people are off to a great start.  Me...not so much.  I've yet to start on my new novel, the sequal to Immortal Rose.  Life has a tendency to put wonderful, distracting things in your way when you really need to write. 

How about you?  What are your distractions?

My goal for today is to get 3500 words done, to make up for yesterday and reach todays goal as well. 

Happy Writing!