Cover Reveal: Dreamstealer

I am so excited to share with you all the cover for my next release, Dreamstealer, the sequel to Dreamwalker. It looks AMAZING. But first, here’s some fun info about the upcoming book.

1. Where did the idea for Dreamstealer come from?

Well, it’s the sequel to the novella, Dreamwalker, which was supposed to be a single book, but readers kept threatening begging me to write another one. So I did.

2. What genre does your book fall under?

Fantasy. Kick-ass fantasy, I might add.

3. Who’s the main character?

Lexa is an ex-special forces soldier who knows how to kill a man half a dozen ways with her bare hands. She also has the rare ability to transcend from her mind into the dreamscape, an otherworldly realm somewhere between dreams and the heavens, and then to also enter other people’s dreams. Lexa is a tough, no-nonsense kind of woman who tackles challenges with either sharpened sarcasm or well-aimed right hooks.

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Jennifer Garner as Lexa (definitely with the sai from the movie Elektra, but not the leather outfit):

Hugh Jackman for Sir Neil Duram (think from Kate & Leopold):

Child actresses are really hard to find, so let’s say we’d cast an unknown, brand new girl for Princess Taryn and she’d become a star.

Hector Elizondo for, well, Hector, the Steward:

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Lexa is once again called out of retirement, this time to help her country’s former enemy when they suspect their twelve-year-old princess is a budding dreamwalker.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

It will be self-published, represented by me.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

The first draft…two months. But it was bare bones. The second draft and fleshing out took another month, and the real magic happened in the next two. From the first draft to final, the word count more than doubled. So those of you who were sad when Dreamwalker was so short…buckle your seat belts.

8. Does this book have a soundtrack?

Not a very long one, but “Skyrim” by Peter Hollens & Lindsey Stirling is perfect for every fight scene, and “Set Fire to the Rain” by Adele is the backdrop for a very specific, very romantic, scene. (Yes, that’s right, Lexa is getting a shot at romance.)

9. Who or What inspired you to write this book?

My readers. They loved Lexa so much, they wanted more of her. And really, who could blame them? She’s now my favorite character (don’t tell the Elemental Magic women).

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Everything readers loved about the first book—action-packed scenes with plenty of combat, intrigue, snarky Lexa humor, and a quirky guy attempting to sweep her off her feet—you’ll find in this one. And just when I thought I’d already thrown Lexa through the ringer in the first book, well, let’s just say Dreamstealer is one hell of a ride.

And now, drum roll please….

Cover Design by Amber Shah at BookBeautiful.com

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Phoenix Feather Gets A New Look!

I’ve decided to change the cover for my first novel, Phoenix Feather. Don’t get me wrong, I love the original cover, even designed the concept myself, but I’m afraid it doesn’t shout, “Look at me!” So I’m giving this one a try. With Valentine’s Day next month, I’m hoping this sweet romance will get a little more love.

Cover art by Char Adlesperger at Wicked Cover Designs

Super Sneak Peek: Elemental Magic 3

Last week I posted an excerpt from Dry Spell, Elemental Magic 2.  This week, I’m finishing up the Lucky 7 Meme with a super sneak peek of my current work in progress, the third book in my Elemental Magic series.

For a refresher, the basic rules of this meme:

1. Go to page 77 of your current MS/WIP
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next 7 lines, sentences, or paragraphs, and post them as they’re written.

4. Tag 7 authors
5. Let them know

I was tagged by  Virginia Ripple, Cassia, and Lena Corazon.  Go check out their excerpts!

Elemental Magic 3

Excerpt

He nodded, rocking back and forward like a kid chanting there’s no monster in the closet.  I stayed still, not wanting to give the wolf side any more reason to feel threatened.  Matt could do this.  I had to believe he could get it under control.

It felt like almost an hour had passed when Matt finally let out a long exhale and leaned back against the cushion.  I hadn’t realized how taut my muscles were until the tension bled out of them, leaving me feeling even more exhausted than before.

“I’m sorry,” Matt said in a low voice.

~~

Watch for it this fall.    And, for another excerpt, be sure to check out Marcy Kennedy’s blog this Friday when she’ll be interviewing me.

Want to play this game?  I think, instead of tagging specific people, that anyone who wants to should be able to post an excerpt.  Enjoy!

A Lucky 7 Sneak Peek

Over the past few weeks, I was tagged by a few blogging/writer friends with the Lucky 7 Meme.  I got quite a few tags, and I couldn’t decide which work to give you a sneak peek of, so I’ve decided to do two posts!  Which means today you get an excerpt from my newly released novel, Dry Spell, and you should come back next week for a super sneak peek at my current project: the third book in my Elemental Magic series.  Sounds good, yes?

First, the basic rules of this meme:

1. Go to page 77 of your current MS/WIP
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next 7 lines, sentences, or paragraphs, and post them as they’re written.

4. Tag 7 authors
5. Let them know

I was tagged by T.F. Walsh, Tiffany A. White, and Alina Sayre.  Go check out their excerpts from a variety of genres!  And next week I’ll post the links to the excerpts from others who tagged me.

Dry Spell

Excerpt

“She does talk to sea creatures.”  Colin quirked a smile at me.

Paige glanced at Keenan.  “So you’re one too?”

“We’re telling you this because we intend to stop Drake from trying to hurt you again, and we want you to understand that this is something we’re equipped to do.”

Paige bobbed her head along with Keenan’s explanation.

“Paige, this has to be kept secret,” Colin said, and fixed her with a serious stare.

Paige snorted.  “I know that, Colin.  I wouldn’t tell Sean’s secret; of course I won’t tell Aileen’s either.”  She looked at me again and smiled.  “That was cool, just now, by the way.”  Then she laughed and gave Colin a playful punch on the arm.  “Do we know how to pick ‘em or what?”

Dry Spell is available on Amazon.

Want to play this game?  I think, instead of tagging specific people, that anyone who wants to should be able to post an excerpt.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Reality ~Steena Holmes

“Chocolate is a jilted bride’s best friend.”

After the groom runs off on their wedding day and everyone blames her, Wynne picks herself up off the floor.  She throws herself into her passion for chocolate, opening up a chocolate and gift shop and getting her life back.  A few years later, she’s successful and happy, except for that little tug on her heart where she wonders if she’ll ever find true love.  Though it’s her heart’s desire, it’s easy enough to ignore with all the chocolate surprises in her life.

Then comes the big one.  Her ex-fiance is back, and newly engaged.  In a moment of shock, Wynne volunteers to throw him an engagement party.  Surely then no one will think she’s in shambles over the news.  She can’t fool her friends, though, who rally behind her in order to pull this off.  And all the while, her nightly dreams hint at romance, of a passion that surpasses even her love of chocolate.  But will God grant her heart’s desire?

This was a fun, sweet read full of girlfriends and chocolate.  There’s no better combination.  Wynne’s struggle of faith is also one that I’ve known quite a few women to go through.  Wynne wants to surrender her life to God’s will, but she also longs for a husband and a family.  What happens if her dreams and God’s will don’t align?

She’s also got her girlfriends to get her through these trials–a variety of women with their own quirks and vibrant personalities.  My only disappointment was there were hints at some of these girlfriends having their own issues, and though Wynne had the opportunity to support them briefly, it felt like it was in passing and nothing was really explored or resolved for them.

I don’t know if I could call this a Christian romance, simply because the romance is not main stage throughout the book, but comes up much closer to the end.  It’s really more about a woman trying to hold herself up in the midst of emotional trials, and it’s her journey and growth that gives the rest of us inspiration.

Again ~Diana Murdock

Lady Catherine is a noblewoman in the 1500s.  Though promised to a valiant knight who has loved and served her for years, a chance meeting with a handsome merchant sends her on a whirlwind journey of passion she never knew she could experience.  Jonathan makes her feel alive, but it can never be between them, for she has a duty to uphold, and there are those who will do anything to keep them apart.

Eryn Rexford is a photographer, married to a wealthy and handsome businessman, and living the life most women want.  But something’s missing.  Eryn lives a life without passion, unsure how to find it when her husband fails to connect on the level she desires.  Then the dreams start, hinting at another life, another love, another man.  Will the dreams destroy the life she’s made, or will they hold the answer to her freedom?

Though these two women are connected by their souls and reincarnation, each story is distinctly individual.  Every chapter alternates between the timelines, which made it very easy to follow each story, and though they were separated by centuries, each transition felt smooth and connected.

I loved the romance between Catherine and Jonathan.  I don’t tend to read straight romance, but a combination of something else like urban fantasy or suspense; however, I found theirs to be so sweetly developed, like a courtship.  It didn’t feel slow at all, but kept me going the entire time.

In contrast, Eryn’s story is less a romance and more about a woman struggling to do what’s right for herself versus always sacrificing for other people.  Though unhappy, she feels obligated to her husband, which never ends up being healthy for that person.  (I could definitely relate.)  I enjoyed getting to know her and her situation through the first half, but when her supposedly best friend starts complicating the situation, I began to get frustrated.

Brandi and her past counterpart are horrible people.  I really hated her/them, and it might be because I know someone just like that.  And while I don’t typically enjoy having such feelings from a book, you could also say that the fact it creates such a powerful response is a testament to the author’s writing.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this book.  I noticed other reviews called it a “tragic romance,” which I suppose is accurate.  The HEA is not typical of what you would find, and actually I wouldn’t call it an ending at all, but a beginning.

Matched ~Ally Condie

“In the Society, Officials decide.  Who you love.  Where you work.  When you die.”

Cassia has always believed in the system that ensures everyone lives a happy, healthy, secure life.  On her seventeenth birthday, she receives her Match and knows it is meant to be.  Her best friend, Xander, has been chosen to be her future husband, but a mistake on the microcard flashes another face before her eyes.  Cassia had never given much thought to the orphan Ky before, but now she can’t help but be intrigued by this quiet, soulful boy.  And she begins to wonder, did the Officials make a mistake?

Cassia’s grandfather, on his deathbed, gives her a contraband poem.  The words make her feel things, stirring thoughts and questions that are forbidden.  When Ky discovers her reading the poem, it becomes their secret.  And as he and Cassia share the secrets of the words and stolen moments, Cassia begins to fall for this boy she would never be allowed to love, which embarks her on a journey no one has dared to travel before–to choose for oneself.

I’m going to borrow one of the blurbs from the back cover to describe this book–”a dystopian love story, written with the soul of a poet.” ~Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl.  It is a beautifully developed romance between two teenagers who dare to hope in spite of knowing there isn’t much of it.  The way Cassia begins to question everything she knows is gradual and filled with doubt, which made it all the more strong and resonating.

Now, this almost 400-page book moves very slowly, which I feel is both its shortcoming and its beauty.  If you’re looking for action, confrontations, fights, you won’t find that here.  Yet, the story has the grace and rhythm of poetry.  It left me both satisfied and disappointed (perhaps I just read too much action/adventure).

–However, the second book, Crossed, has all the slowness and none of the sweetness.  The characters had their goals, but there was no antagonist to stand in their way.  Self and nature don’t count if you’ve read any of Kristen Lamb’s posts.–

Bad Boys or Boy Scouts?

What type of men do women fantasize about?  Bad boys usually top the list.  The dark, brooding types have an air of mystery about them that we just have to unlock.  Plus they’re dangerous.  There is something alluring about risk, and in fiction it’s all the better because there are no consequences for the reader.  We can fall in love with those abrasive, sexy guys in the safety of those pages (or film) and return to life as normal when we close the book, having vicariously experienced the thrill of adventure.  The Bad Boy archetype is certainly more prominent in fiction than his counterpart, the Boy Scout.

Bones (Night Huntress series)

Bones is the dark, sexy vampire with his own agenda and a devilish approach to sex.  As with many bad boys, there’s something appealing about him: hints of sweetness underneath that thick layer of bad ass.  Would you want a real relationship with him?  Probably not, unless you fancied pain.  But you’re the reader, which makes jumping into bed with him safe and temporarily satisfying.

Damon Salvatore (Vampire Diaries)

Dark, sometimes evil, and witty vampire with piercing eyes.  Oh yeah, he’s delicious.  But then he can go and surprise us with moments of heroism, which makes us believe there is good in him, if only the right girl can draw it out.

Not to list only vampire bad boys (though that does seem to be the best or most popular form this archetype takes), let’s also mention:

Captain Mal Reynolds (Firefly)

This captain’s line of work is anything but legit most of the time, and he’s not afraid to throw a punch or fire off a few rounds.  Yet he also has a sense of nobility and honor.  Being an ex-soldier, he knows loyalty and nobody messes with his crew.  He may have unscrupulous business practices, but he has limits on what he will and will not do.  Dangerous, yet honorable.  Now that’s a combination.

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The Boy Scout, though apparently outnumbered, is not extinct in fiction.  There’s also something alluring in undiluted devotion and sweet affection.  The knight in shining armor persona has his place.  In a world of darkness and betrayal, there is something safe and fulfilling in the ever faithful and dependable Boy Scout, the ideal man a woman can spend her whole life looking for in the real world and never find.  Divorce rates are high, marriages are not expected to last a lifetime, and more and more children emerge from broken homes.  Yes, we secretly love danger, but we also long for the stability we believe we’ll never have.

Marcus O’Malley (Dee Henderson’s The O’Malley series)

Really, all the men in Dee Henderson’s books are Boy Scouts.  Marcus is a US marshal dedicating his life to protecting high profile figures.  He’s loyal to his family and those he cares about, to the point that when he gets a call from any of his siblings, he will drop what he’s doing and rush over.  How many women would love if their husbands  put them above their work?

Leopold (Kate and Leopold)

Time traveling romances make use of the good boy persona more easily as honor and decorum is expected of men from the past.  Leopold is a man of 1870, and though he might be considered a bit of a rogue in his time since he refuses to conform and marry a rich American, by today’s standards he is definitely a gentleman.  He treats Kate with respect, and when he attempts to film a commercial for her, he refuses to compromise his standards by promoting a product he finds disgusting.  Kate obviously falls for this chivalry, knowing she’ll never find equal in her own era.

Seeley Booth (Bones)

Here is a fine sample of a Boy Scout who is both tough and sexy.  Booth follows the rules, doesn’t compromise his values, and has a sense of honor.  He’d never cheat on you, never put his work above his loved ones, and never break your heart (intentionally).  He is dependable.

So what about you? Do you prefer the Bad Boys or the Boy Scouts?  Or do you find both meet a deep need at various times in your life?  Who’s your favorite Bad Boy or Boy Scout character?