Goals for 2012!

Well, it's that time of the year again! Here are my goals for 2012:

1. Publish The Protectors series
Tentative release dates for each:
Promising Light, the first full-length novel of the series: January 9th
Shifting Light: Early February
Fire and Light: Mid-February
The End of Light: Early March
Future of Light, the sequel to Promising Light: ?? Late Spring/Early Summer
There may also be a third book in the trilogy, but I have to see how Future of Light ends. I don't plan that far ahead ;) I imagine along the way, there will be bonus short stories (one is in the anthology Love, Me coming in February!) and maybe even more novellas throughout the year.

2. Query Aaron and Anna and/or The Second Generation
Being two books I feel would benefit from the distribution and marketing of a traditional publisher, I would like to search for an agent for these novels, and obviously, querying will mean I need a final draft of both. Finishing TSG was a goal of mine last year, hehe, but I will get it done this year!

3. Finish writing the Aaron and Anna series, possibly called Le Garde
This will be a trilogy, so I'd like to outline and finish the first draft of the next two books in the series.

4. Finish writing The Illusionist and make plans for it.
I'm currently about 50K into The Illusionist, a fantasy novel. It currently looks like it's going to be long enough to have a sequel, so it will probably be a two-part series. By the time it's finished, I'd like to decide what to do with it. I may explore serialization, since that sounds like a lot of fun. I may self-publish it, depending on the success of The Protectors, or I may want to find a publisher for it. No idea, we'll just have to see!

5. Gain 40-50 more college credits. 
I've already enrolled for Winter Term (14 credits) and I plan to go Spring and Fall for sure. I'll go summer, too, if time and money allows.

6. Travel to Spain and France with my husband. 
Our goal is to use his tax return to buy tickets and save up using my fiverr and publishing money. The plan: early April. We've had plans to go back to Europe since we got back the first time, but this time, it's really going to happen! ;)

7. Mentor for Mid-Valley Mentors. 
I had a mentee match lined up about a month ago, but communication has fallen through since then. Once the new year starts, I'm calling them up again and hopefully spending the year as a mentor for a youth in the area.

8. Write 500,000 words. 
So far this year, I've written 455,245 words. I hope to write 500,000 words next year! I hope some of this is creative nonfiction since I've had good reviews on my religious nonfiction collection, Agape.

That's all I have for now! What about you, readers? Any goals for next year?

Happy New Year!

Looking back on 2011

The end of the year already? Wow! I had a good year. 

Favorite YA Read:

 

Gosh, I read some great books this year. Divergent by Laura Roth, Lauren Oliver and Kristen Cashore's books. . .but if I had to choose, the ones that really stick out in my mind are Unearthly by Cynthia Hand and The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong.

Favorite non-YA Read:

The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers. SO creative and fun! Love, love, loved this book. Although I'm reading The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss right now and holy moly, if I finish this before 2012 comes, Moers has some competition!

Favorite "Indie" (aka self-published) Read:

Again, I can't choose. This is a toss-up between The Talent Chronicles by Susan Bischoff and Solstice by P.J. Hoover. I really loved both! Great plot lines and characters, and can't wait for more from both authors. 

Favorite Thing I Wrote:

Gosh, this is hard! I finished a lot this year: Finding Fiona, Promising Light, the prequel novellas to PL, Aaron and Anna. . .I'll have to say Promising Light, though. I love the characters and the story, and it's just the beginning of an epic story. You can read it REALLY soon!

Favorite Trip:

When Chris and I went camping over the 4th of July! First camping trip together, but not the last. We went to the Tillamook Cheese Factory, watched fireworks on the beach, and more!

Favorite College Class:

Religion 202, Western Religions. This was a fascinating class with a lot of discussion. I didn't learn a lot of new things about Christianity and Judaism, but I did learn a lot about Islam! I enjoyed hearing the different perspectives in our class and from the different authors we read.

Favorite Movie: 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2. I also liked Midnight in Paris, 50/50, and X-Men: First Class. But the last Harry Potter installment was AMAZING.

Favorite Band:

Typhoon. A band from Salem/Portland. Amazing, and I had the chance to see them live twice this year!

Here's to another year! 

Holiday Hop Winners!

For the Holiday Blog Hop, I gave the first and the last sentences of the seven stories in my short story collection Passages, and asked entrants to pair them up! Of those who got four or more right, I randomly choose three winners. . .and they are. . .drumroll, please. . .

Na S. 

Teressa Oliver

Shadow

They each won a copy of Finding Fiona, my YA scifi novella! They'll also be entered into the grand prize drawing for a Kindle Fire! 

And here are the correct pairings, just in case you're wondering:

The Rowe Boys

First: Moments like this, when his world revolves around him and not his brother, are rare.
Last: Ethan nods, then begins to follow her back to the house, where he’ll get drunk and celebrate the end of high school and make-out with another girl, Mya Daniels on his mind every moment.

Death of the Sun

First: It's hard to believe it was so long ago.
Last: I drove towards a new life, the sun behind me.


You Remember

First: She's wearing your sweatshirt.
Last: She's wearing your sweatshirt.

Melanie's Secrets

First: My sister and I used to be good friends.
Last: Amy stares at her lap, then finally meets my eyes. “Maybe I do.”

Fettuccine Alfredo

First: Alyssa walked into the kitchen, trying to appear nonchalant.
Last: “You and me, mom, we’ll go to Italy.”

Together

First: The back door slams shut, the hinges rattling.
Last: “You’ll make sure we’re still together, right?” she asks, tilting her head. // “Yeah,” I tell her. “I’ll make sure.”

The Prodigal Daughter

First: Teresa hated hospitals.
Last: “I want to try again. And I’ll try harder this time.”

If these intrigue you at all, feel free to buy Passages for 99 cents on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Thanks for participating, everyone, and Happy Holidays!

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

So, I picked this up because I liked The Gathering. In the end, I didn't like it as much. I'm not sure why. It feels like her writing has improved since this book. I know she's written dozens of books, but this is her first YA.

That said, I still enjoyed this read! I really liked the characters. Chloe is someone I rooted for the entire book. I love that Derek is not your typical male protagonist, and I also like that Armstrong doesn't dive headfirst into the romance. There is some tension between Chloe and Derek and Simon, but it doesn't play a huge part in this first book. Rae, Tori, and Liz were great, too.

The story was really interesting, too. Kept me guessing and reading and wondering what the heck was going on. You think the Lyle house is normal, but things keep getting weirder and the adults keep ticking you off. Chloe's abilities are intense, too! And I didn't see a lot of things coming with the other kids' abilities. Won't give anything away, though.

I read this book a couple weeks ago around Christmas (and I'm dating this to then but writing it January 12th :P), so that's why this review is kind of short. I just finished The Awakening, though, so I'll have a longer and more detailed review for that one!

Festival of Books

Hey, everyone! During this time of the year, everyone's concerned about Christmas trees, Santa Claus, the birth of Christ, etc., and there's a small group of people lighting up a hanukkiah (an eight-branched menorah) for eight nights in a row.

If you're not sure about the story behind Hanukkah, here's the short version: a Greek emperor Antiochus Epiphanes moved in on Israel in 160s BCE. They commanded the Jews not to observe Torah or their religious customs. The Israelites were having none of this, of course. They studied Torah, anyways, but they were prepared and when the Greeks came around, they'd hide what they were studying and act like they were gambling with spinning tops (dreidels!). Worst of all, the Greeks seized the temple and dedicated it to the worship of Zeus.

Well, after a while, they finally got fed up with the Greeks and went up against them, led by the Maccabees. The succeeded in taking back their land, but they needed to consecrate the temple, which had been defiled by the worship of swine. They found they only had enough oil for one day, but they light the menorah, anyway. And the Hanukkah miracle was that the oil last eight days, long enough for them to make new oil.

As a result, each year people around the world light candles for eight nights: one on the first, two on the second, etc. They also eat a lot of fried foods to commemorate the role of oil in the miracle of Hanukkah.

I didn't start celebrating Hanukkah until about eight years ago, but I've always been in awe when I heard the stories of these men and women sticking up for their beliefs. In one story, the Greeks tried to persuade one elder of the community to eat pork. They threatened his family, his life, but he wouldn't yield. They finally told him it wouldn't even be pork, but they would tell everyone else it was, in order to sway the community to Greek customs. He still refused, saying he wouldn't even give the appearance of evil. Many died rather than disobey God.

I marvel at the steadfast faith of these people. Despite their small numbers, they fought to retrieve their land and most especially, their temple where they worshiped God. In the face of an oppressive regime, they stuck by their beliefs no matter what the cost. This time of year always makes me wonder if I would have the same kind of devotion. Of course I like to think I would, and I say this now, but then I remember what Peter said when he fiercely promised he'd never disown his lord, and yet on night when the Messiah needed him most, he denied him three times. Fortunately, Peter realized his sin and repented. Tradition says he was eventually killed for his belief.

This time of the year also reminds me that God is watching over his people. He cared about his temple and kept the menorah burning for eight days. I think it was a sign he was on their side. He gave them victory, but the holiday isn't about the victory. It's about the miracle in the temple and how God sustained them after the victory. Although things seemed dire, he brought them out of it and he helped them consecrate his temple. I love the story of Hanukkah because it encourages me.

It's funny because a lot of people see Hanukkah as the Jewish Christmas. Its importance is pretty low compared with the High Holidays such as Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah, but Hanukkah's proximity to Christmas has elevated it. I know some people may wonder I, as a believer in Christ, don't celebrate Christmas, but I think that might be another post. Keep your eye out if it really interested you.

Also, I have my own giveaway for Finding Fiona, Passages, and (bonus!) Beyond Home. If you comment here, I will randomly choose three people to win a copy of whichever ebook they prefer. Just answer two questions: 
- What's your favorite holiday custom this time of the year? Christmas, Hanukkah, whatever! 
- Which ebook do you want if you win? Finding Fiona, Passages, or Beyond Home?


Contest closes midnight on the 28th, and I'll choose the winners on the 29th.

THIS post is about Hanukkah. . .and the Festival of Books! We have eight participating authors:

Stephanie Abbott writing as Emma Jameson, author of Ice Blue (a cozy mystery): Blog and Twitter
Danielle Blanchard, author of Death Wish (paranormal romance): Blog and Twitter
Justin Dennis, author of Through The Portal (YA fantasy): Blog and Twitter
Lisa Grace, author of Angel in the Shadows and Angel in the Storm (YA fantasy): Blog and Twitter
Jonathan Gould, author of Doodling and Flidderbugs (both humorous fantasies): Blog and Twitter
Craig Hansen, author of SHADA (YA thriller): Blog and Twitter
Larry Kahn, author of The Jinx (thriller) and King of Paine (suspense): Blog and Twitter
Emily Ann Ward, author of Finding Fiona (YA Sci-Fi) and Passages (YA short stories): Blog and Twitter

We'll all be posting during Hanukkah, but here's your chance to enter the giveaway to win all twelve of our books. You can gain entries by tweeting about the entry, following out blogs and twitters, or liking us on Facbeook. So please spread the word!

ENTRIES CLOSED. I'LL ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS TO THE GRAND PRIZE CONTEST LATER ON TODAY! (12/29)

Moon Spell by Samantha Young

Moon Spell by Samantha Young


Published 2010, read on my Kindle.

Yeah, another book I finished in one sitting! I don't normally read Paranormal Romance, but I really liked Smokeless Fire (which, tbh, I don't consider PNR) so I picked this one up for another dollar!

Caia left the pack ten years ago after her parents were killed, and she's lived in isolation with no one but Irini. When it's time to return, she finds out the pack is keeping a lot of secrets from her. Though it feels like the first time she's ever belonged, there are also things that are wrong. People seem to blame her for the murders that took place when she was young. She makes enemies with another girl her age named Alexa. When her emotions get the best of her, scary things happen. She also feels an instant connection to the Pack Leader, Lucien. What is the pack hiding from her, though?

To be honest, the beginning of this book was a bit rough. The author throws you right in without any introductions or description. We're just dropped into this conversation. I was confused at first, but I trudged through. Caia arrives in her new home with the pack and slowly starts to adjust to her new life. School, the pack dynamics, living with the Pack Leader and his family, new friends, new enemies.

The characters were pretty interesting and unique. There were a lot of them, and some of the minor ones went straight over my head, but the author did a pretty good job of keeping them separate and distinct. Caia was cool, I liked her. She was calm and collected, but she still had a fierceness to her. The story had a nice pace to it, too. I never thought, 'ugh, let's move on!' I DID want to know what was going on, but that was more the urgency of, 'Wow, I can't read fast enough!'

The romance was nice. Of course I wanted them to jump right into each other's arms, but it was more realistic that things took longer. Towards the end, I feel like they were on a bit of a roller coaster, hating each other, then loving each other, then having screaming matches. But it's understandable with their personalities. I really want to pick up the next one to see what's in their future. At times, the whole "possessive male" annoyed me, but it's realistic, too, considering they are part wolf. I think she did a good job of balancing it, though. Yes, they're protective and slightly chauvinistic, but the women were also strong characters and the men were never dishonorable or anything. Well, I suppose you could argue Lucien was in a few of his lies. . .

I liked the worldbuilding and magic system. Some of it is familiar, of course, but I liked how she mixed Greek myths with the paranormal races of witches, werewolves, vampyres, etc. I'm not 100% clear on the origins of the war, but I think I got it. I'd probably have to read it again, but I don't really have plans of doing that. I'll be reading the next one! XD

Mechanics could use some work, but the storytelling was great and they only distracted me for a moment (or not at all!) before I kept reading. Looking forward to picking up the sequel! I know I'll have to wait until I have some free time because I probably won't be able to put it down. ;)

Smokeless Fire by Samantha Young

Smokeless Fire by Samantha Young

Published in 2011, read on my Kindle.

Wow! Amazon showed me this book my recommendations, and this lovely cover caught my eye. The blurb was awesome, the sample snagged me, so I bought it. . .and finished it. . .all in one day! Man, I love being on break!

Blurb from Gooreads:

For the last two years Ari’s life has been anything but normal and on her 18th birthday, when her friends surprise her with a gimmick genie claiming to grant wishes, Ari discovers the truth. The tragic and strange occurrences surrounding her 16th birthday were not coincidental and her life is never going to be the same again.

Ari’s real parents are not normal. They are not loving. They are not human.

They are myth.

They are Smokeless Fire.

They are Jinn.

Wow, wow, wow. I know already said that, but  I don't think four times is enough. This story was fascinating. At first, I wasn't sure what to think about Ari since she wanted Charlie so badly. I thought she was kind of pathetic, like her friends did, but I kept reading. I felt sorry for her because she seemed lonely. Her dad was gone all the time, and she really had no one to talk to. When she suddenly wakes up in this other world and meets her true father. . .well, things just didn't slow down after that!

Samantha Young has created an amazing world with very unique world building. The Jinn have many different forms, and the magic system is really neat.

I really liked Jai. I'm usually turned off by sarcastic, arrogant love interests like him, but I think there was more to him than a typical Jace or. . .okay, I don't read a lot of PNR, so Jace is pretty much the only one I can name :P BUT I liked Jai. I think Samantha did a good job at showing his age. He doesn't act like a 17 year old, and I'm glad she didn't make him that young. He's much more mature than Charlie (groan) and it showed. I really liked the chemistry between Jai and Ari and I was hoping for something to happen. . .but I won't tell if anything did or not.

There were some things, writing style, that rubbed me the wrong way. Mainly mechanics stuff. Like mixing up you're/your? Come on. Or there were a couple sentences I had to reread where an extra comma could have helped. That's mainly the reason it's 4 instead of 5 and because I think Ari could have been a tad more dynamic. I'm not sure how, I just think. . .I'm not sure. I did like her quite a bit. Even in the beginning, I just thought she was kind of naive. I still feel bad for her, too, considering all she's been through. I hope she doesn't let things get to her. I feel like she needs someone she can actually rely on, but she's kind of this island and it's sad.

I'm excited to see what else is coming up in the rest of the series. Obviously, big, epic things considering what's revealed in this book. And the second one comes out in February, yay! I will definitely buy the sequel.

Sample Sunday: Magnitude from Beyond Home

This is a portion from the beginning of Magnitude, the leading short story in my collection, Beyond Home.

***

They could never agree, not in all of her twenty-three years, so why would they start now when things seemed much more important? As much as Laura wanted life to be different in the wake of her father’s death—for everyone to be more pleasant and realize that life was beautiful and meant to be lived—things just went back to the way they were. Her mother still washed the dishes every night at seven fifteen, and her eighteen-year-old sister couldn’t agree with a word she said.

“I just think it would be really awkward,” Jessica said. “We haven’t seen them for years, but now that Dad’s dead, we’re going to go visit them?”

Laura wished she wouldn’t say he was dead. She knew they all meant the same thing, but passed away, gone, or even left, they all seemed different. “They’re family,” she said. She remembered the funeral, and seeing her first cousins, who she had only seen in pictures every few years. They were growing tall and scrawny, like their dad and uncle.

Jessica scoffed. “Right.”

“Look, it’s just one stop,” Laura said. “Cheyenne, Wyoming. Add it to the list.”

Jessica huffed, but obeyed. Cheyenne, Wyoming, where their dad grew up and where his brother and sister still lived. “That’s number five.”

Laura examined their road trip destinations in Jessica’s loopy handwriting. The first one was the one that seemed the most important. Since Laura had been old enough to walk, Dad had promised that he’d take them to the Grand Canyon. Something else had always come up: Jessica’s broken leg, Disneyland, his mom dying. Some nights, he’d tell them stories about the canyon to get them to go to sleep, how big and far and wide it was. And Laura would fall asleep, amazed that anything in this world could be bigger than her school.

They had a lot of ground to cover. They’d leave from Chico, California and travel to Flagstaff, Arizona, then up to Colorado, where Dad met Mom. Laura couldn’t remember whose idea it had been, but now that it was being put into action, it seemed like something they had to do.

“Did Mom go shopping?” Jessica asked. She stood up and walked over to the fridge.

Opening the fridge answered her question; there was a wealth of food inside. Their mom was thrilled to have her older daughter home for a while. She had cooked something grand every single meal: banana pancakes, homemade potato salad, lamb roast, apple pie. Laura was pretty sure it took her mind off of Dad.

Jessica started warming up leftover lamb.

“Come on,” Laura said. “We’ve got tons of planning to do if we really want to leave in six days.”

“Six days is an eternity!” Jessica exclaimed, flipping her light brown hair off of her shoulder. “All we need is money.” She left the room, whistling, and Laura didn’t bother to ask where she was going. She was just going to have to do this herself.

***

A few days later, the three of them sat on the back porch. The crickets were chirping loudly, almost drowning out the soft music that came from the old record player. Mom had a bottle of beer in her hand, and it looked odd, like she was wearing a bikini or something. A lot of things seemed odd, though: Dad’s empty chair, the way everything in the house looked the same even after four years, but just the air felt different.

Mom looked at Laura, a sleepy smile on her face. “I’m glad you guys are here.”

Laura nodded. “Me, too.”

The stars spread over their heads in the deepening sky. They seemed to go on forever, twinkling and spelling out stories. The four of them used to lie on the back porch in the summer, bundled up in sleeping bags. Dad would tell them about Orion, Leo, Andromeda. Jessica would always fall asleep first, and Mom would go inside because of her back. Laura would try to stay up longer than he did, but she usually fell asleep anyway and woke up with mosquito bites on her face.

Jessica went inside for a moment, then came out with a slice of apple pie. She settled back down in her lawn chair, and the three of them sat in the silence, listening to Dad’s records and the crickets.

“When do you girls leave?” Mom asked.

“Tuesday,” Laura said.

“You’d better be careful,” Mom said. “I’ve heard stories about rapists at campgrounds.”

“There are rapists everywhere,” Jessica said with a full mouth.

“Geez, Jessica, swallow your food,” Laura said.

Jessica mimicked her in a high voice. Mom began laughing, and Laura rolled her eyes. “How old are you?” Laura asked.

“I don’t know how you’re going to survive two weeks on the road with each other,” Mom said with a chuckle.

Jessica gave Mom and Laura a smile that worked on her teachers in fourth grade, the one that said, I’m completely innocent.

Laura couldn’t believe Jessica was eighteen already, old enough to vote, to buy cigarettes. She had a high school diploma and probably a boyfriend, though Laura hadn’t asked yet.

She wasn’t sure how they were going to survive two weeks, either.

***

Laura woke up early Tuesday morning. She took a shower and finished packing. The last trip she went on, not including driving here to her mom and dad’s house, was going to the Coachella Festival a few months ago with Nathan, Kayla, and their friends. She had camped in a small tent with three other girls. They were up giggling at three in the morning every night and tried sleeping in the next morning only to be forced out of their tents by the heat.

Dad’s truck had definitely seen better days, but Jessica assured Laura it would get them all the way to Colorado and back. Laura knew they didn’t really have any other choice. Mom wouldn’t give up her Excursion, and Laura’s small Honda would be useless with Dad’s pop-up tent trailer on the back. It was something they had used a few times when they were younger, mostly during Memorial Day weekends, a trailer that had sat in the driveway for five years now.

Laura remembered coming home after Dad’s burial and memorial service. She and Jessica sat in her car in the driveway, not yet ready to go in for the reception. “We should go help Mom,” Jessica had said.

“Yeah,” Laura had said, but they sat there, feeling the emptiness of death. She saw the trailer in front of them. “Is that thing still working?”

They got out and worked to bring the trailer to its full height: cranking it up, putting the bars in place, fitting the door on, bringing the table down, even attaching the bungee cords. When they were done, they were sweaty, and their dark-colored dresses were covered in dust and dirt. They stood back and admired their work, staring at the trailer Dad had been so excited to bring home fifteen years ago. Mom came out, asking where they’d been, but she stopped short and came to stand next to her two daughters, looking at the trailer in silence. It almost felt as if he were still alive.

They now loaded their things into the back of the truck, which Jessica had taken to get washed yesterday. Laura opened the front door, only to find it still littered with Dad’s things. A half-finished pack of cigarettes rested in the console, trash was scattered across the ground, and his sunglasses hung from the rearview mirror.

“Jess!” Laura called. “I thought you cleaned it out.”

Jessica looked up from the hitch, wiping her forehead. She just stared at Laura for a moment, and then said, “I cleaned the outside.”

“Well. . .” Laura said, motioning to the dirty truck. Jessica went back to attaching the trailer to the hitch, silent. Laura looked back into the truck. It still smelled like him, like tobacco and sweat and his aftershave. She began taking out the trash. She left his sunglasses, his cigarettes, his scent.

Mom was crying as she said goodbye. “Take pictures for me. You know I’d come, but. . .”

“Don’t worry,” Laura said. “I’ll call Aunt Julia and make sure she’s taking care of you.”

“I’ll be fine.” Mom wiped her face and pulled Jessica over for a hug. “I love you both. Have fun. Call me when you get to Las Vegas.”

“We’ll bring you back lots of money,” Jessica promised.

Mom laughed as they got into Dad’s truck. Laura remembered learning how to drive in this thing, her dad giving constant instruction, and Laura swearing when the brakes took longer than she thought. The stop sign had ended up almost completely past the truck.

“Love you, Mom,” Laura said. She smiled, starting up the engine. “We’ll be back before you know it!”

They pulled out of the driveway. Jessica immediately took out her iPod and asked, “What do you listen to these days?”

Laura shrugged. “Anything. I like oldies, though.”

“Hmmm. . .I haven’t got anything old but Michael Jackson.”

“Nah. Put something else on.”

Jessica began playing a pop-rock band. She sang every word, and Laura wondered how long it took her to memorize the lyrics. Aside from occasionally talking about school with Jessica and commenting on her pictures, they hadn’t talked much. Her senior year had taken up most of Laura’s time.

“Do you have a boyfriend?” Laura asked.

Jessica just laughed. “No.” She put her seatbelt on and put her feet up on the dashboard.

“What about that Jake guy?”

“We just went to prom together,” Jessica said. “He’s nice, but he’s kind of an airhead.”

There was a moment of silence as Laura maneuvered the truck and trailer through town, headed for Burger King. “Want some breakfast before we go?”

“Yeah,” Jessica said. “What about you?”

“Yeah. I love Burger King’s french toast sticks.”

“No, I mean, are you still going out with Nathan?”

Laura, too, laughed in response to this question. “No. We broke up in May.”

They got through the drive-through, though Laura was convinced she was going to sideswipe the trailer, and ate in the parking lot. Laura was feeling proud of herself for being able to drive the trailer well when Jessica asked her what happened with her and Nathan.

“I guess we just grew apart. It was like he was suddenly a different person. I don’t know.” She paused. “I don’t think Dad would have liked him.”

Jessica munched thoughtfully on her sandwich. “Who will walk us down the aisle?”

This simple question brought tears to Laura’s eyes. She didn’t want to think about the rest of her life without her dad. But all of these unanswered questions loomed before them. Who was going to take over Dad’s shop? Who would disapprove of their boyfriends? Who would take care of Mom?

“Sorry,” Jessica said quietly.

“Forget it.” Laura started the engine up. “Let’s go.”

***

This short story was originally published in Literary House Review 2010. The entire collection is for sale now for only 99 cents. 

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Home-ebook/dp/B006NGK3MU/

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/115510

Coming soon to Barnes and Noble and the iBookstore.

Fiction Fridays: The Protectors Prequel Novellas

At first, I thought the prequel would be one cohesive novel. But instead, I’m going to release three novellas, best read in succession.

SHIFTING LIGHT
The Protectors are merely rumors and distant whispers for Sashe until a new boy moves to her hometown. Seth’s parents were killed by the Protectors, and he personally killed four of them. As pregnant women start dying, Sashe realizes just how far reaching the Protectors’ hatred is. When the Protectors come to their home to take Sashe and her sister away from the shape changers, Sashe must choose whether she’ll stay with the only family she’s ever known even with their dangerous future.
A Protectors novella, approximately 21,000 words

FIRE AND LIGHT
Sierra has always considered Evan like a brother, but suddenly she sees him as more. When he confesses his feelings for her, she shies away. In the midst of her confusing feelings for Evan, the Protectors try to convince Sierra she’d be better off with them. Sierra thinks she’s brave enough to stay with the shape changers, but is she brave enough to risk her friendship with Evan?
A Protectors novella, approximately 24,800 words

THE END OF LIGHT
An elder of the shape changers tell Sashe and Sierra of a vision that claims they can break the curse set on their family by the Protectors. How? By getting pregnant. Even though a pregnancy hasn’t been carried to full-term for eight years, and many women have died. Sierra, Sashe, and their husbands must decide whether to trust the elders and whether or not to risk their lives for the chance at breaking the curse. And when a spy reveals the vision to the Protectors, the consequences could be catastrophic.
A Protectors novella, approximately 26,200 words

The first will be released mid-February. I can’t decide if I want to release them all at once or within a few weeks of each other, but I’ll keep you guys updated! An omnibus edition called Burning Light will also be available with all three novellas.

Tempest by Julie Cross

Tempest by Julie Cross


Coming 2012, ARC copy from Goodreads. 


I got this book from a Goodreads "First Reads" giveaway, and I'm so happy they picked me! This book was great; it had a perfect balance of action, romance, mystery, and science fiction.

Jackson can time travel. Unlike what you see in the movies, though, he can't change anything in the past. He can only jump backward, and his body in his "home base" looks like a vegetable. But everything changes when suddenly men come and shoot his girlfriend Holly. He suddenly jumps to two years earlier, 2007, and can't find a way to return home. After finding his old friend Adam, a science whizz, he tries to adjust to life. Mysteries surround his father, who he suspects is a CIA agent, and Jackson searches for answers as well as a way home.

This book is intense! Okay, the beginning went by pretty quick. The middle is when it started to get confusing. There was a lot of information to take in, and I was trying to remember how it all connected. The end is WOW. I saw somewhere "the beginning of an epic trilogy" and epic is a great word for it. There's so much revealed at the end that makes me wonder what the rest of this trilogy is going to explore. There are big, big things, like genetic testing and future worlds and all kinds of stuff. You should have seen me when reading. I was so into it.

I liked these characters. It's neat to read a young adult book (though I think it has crossover potential) from a male POV. Jackson is like a typical guy but he also has more depth to him. It took me a while to really "get to know" Holly, but once the author established her, I really liked her as a character. And of course Adam was awesome. I even liked Jackson's dad, though I'm hoping we get to know more about him in the future books.

The romance was neat. It was interesting to see Jackson with the 2007 Holly especially since she was a little bit of a different person then. It gave the romance a new twist. You were sort of rooting for Jackson with 2007 Holly, even though you knew he belonged with 2009 Holly.

Jackson and Adam's friendship was cool, and Jackson's relationship with his sister was sweet. And sad, of course. And still has a few unanswered questions, to be honest. Like I said, I hope we get to see more of Jackson's dad. Maybe they can rebuild their relationship a bit.

I really liked this book, and I cannot wait for the sequel. It's sad because not even the first book has come out, and now I have to wait a whole year for book two! But there's a free short story out that's a prequel to Tempest, and I'm about halfway through. I don't want to finish it because then there won't be anymore for a long time :(

But yeah, read it if you want a book with lots of twists and turns and a good dose of romance!