Review of The Twin Flames Series By Author Debbie Christiana. And more!

 

Recently I got the chance to read the first two books in The Twin Flames Series By Debbie Christiana, and I am very happy to say that these will be the next reviews I want to share with you. I liked both of them so much, and read them so quickly, that as soon as I finished I one-clicked another of her books that had been on my to be read list so fast I almost broke my finger. And I am really glad that I did!!

So first up for review is Twin Flames: A Soul Mate Love Story

Synopsis:

She’d never met him before, or had she?

The last thing forty-year-old Natalia Santagario expected was to be sitting on a Manhattan barstool, ogling a man she’s never met, but swears she knows.

He didn’t know her at all, or did he?

The mysterious dark-haired woman at the end of the bar stops twenty-eight-year old Marc Tremonti in his tracks. His head says she’s a stranger, but his heart tells him otherwise.

Together they embark on an adventure that will change their lives forever.

Marc’s aunt Mariella, an expert in reincarnation, persuades them to relive their past to help explain their enigmatic attraction. As they open the doors to their past lives, they discover they have been lovers for hundreds of lives, are connected by an ancient bond, and are considered Twin Flame soul mates.

But their reunion in this life is complicated by an almost ex-wife, a temporary bout of amnesia, and a mischievous and meddling ghost with its own agenda.

Will their strong connection find a way to bring them together? Or is this the lifetime where they must go their separate ways?

My Review:

5 Stars

Past lives, Soul Mates and a very modern love story all come together in this book to create an amazingly wonderful book, that is a must read if you love any of them – or all of them like me! Mrs. Christiana does a wonderful job of immediately drawling into her books seemly real life charters. Not only does she take the time to develop the relationship between Natalia and Marc, which comes with some complications, but also she gradually and naturally intertwines the lives of the others around the two into the story. One of these characters is Marc’s Aunt Mariella who uses her highly tunes powers of persuasion to get the two to look a little deeper into their almost magnetic attraction with a past life progression. What the two see find is not just this lifetime of a deep need to be together but many life times of being together. Ms. Christiana clearly spent time researching different periods of time for the two of them to journey back to. While the past life progression brings answers it is not able to help them over come the existing problem that keeps them from being together. Shortly after another is piled on as one of them loses their memory of the other all together.

This story will not only draw you into it and the lives of Nat and Marc but it will make you second guess that feeling of Déjà Vu or that sometimes feeling that you know a person that you see across the room.

Twin Flames is currently only 99 cents on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Twin Flames on Amazon

Twin Flames on B&N  

Twin Flames onn Smashwords

Twin Flames on Kobo 

Forever Flames: A Twin Flames Novella

Sysnopsis:

Sometimes the past won’t stay where it belongs.

Marc and Natalia are settling into parenthood, but they can’t shake the feeling of déjà vu when it comes to their new baby.

Sensing they’ve been a family before when something horrible happened, they journey back in time, through hypnotic regression, to eighteenth century Belgium, where they relive a shocking past life that challenges their love more than any other and causes repercussions in the present.

Last time, remembering their past lives brought Marc and Natalia together, this time it may tear them apart.

My Review:

5 Stars

As much as I am not a fan of Novellas, I am so glad that little gem was added to the story of Marc and Natalia.

Giovanna, the slightly pushy spirit that lived on Nat’s Vineyard with her is now gone, or is she? The two cannot help but feel and see that she is now the daughter that they hold in their arms. Even with her joy over the child Nat cannot shake the feeling that the reason her spirit friend pushed so hard for the two to be together was so that she could be born again to the two of them… for another lifetime as their daughter. But the question still remains as to why she would want such a thing. A voice in the back of Nat’s mind tells her that the reason may not be a good one, but there is only one way to find out. The two choose once again to partake in a past life regression to find the truth. What they find is not wonderful in any way and puts a strain on the two new parents that threatens their future together.

Again Mrs. Christiana entwines the story of those around them into her tale of the two twin flame soul mates the book is really about. Nat has formed a surprising bond with Simone, Marks ex-wife. You will end this book wondering why as much as the two women do.

Forever flames can be found on

Forever Flames on Amazon 

Forever Flames on B&N 

Forever Flames on Smashwords  

Forever Flames on Kobo

Shortly after reading both of these books Debbie Christiana took the time to answer a few questions about the Twin Flames Series, what is to come in the series, as well as what is to come after the series is completed. 

 Q)   I loved that you used different quotes at the beginning of each chapter. How did you go about finding such perfect quotes for each part of the story?

A) Thank you. Some said it was a waste of my time to find and put a quote at the beginning of each chapter because no one would notice. But I’ve found the opposite, that I’ve gotten quite a few compliments on it.  I’ve always loved quotes, especially old quotes, so it’s easy for me to spend time Googling quotes about certain subjects. I’ve even found quotes by accident that gave me ideas for a chapter or a scene that I hadn’t thought of.

Q)   I found your attention to detail in the past lives of Nat and Marc amazing; I can only imagine how much time went into research. My personal favorite would have to be the reservation that she runs to, to be with him. Which of them was your favorite to write and research? Why?

A)   I also love history and I wanted the lives to be set around real events in history, but ones that weren’t all that well known. So again, Google was my friend. I can’t pick a favorite. I find prehistoric humans and how they survived, etc., fascinating and we’re still learning about them. Stonehenge has a been a place I’ve always wanted to visit and I got there just a few weeks ago, so it seemed natural to have a story set around that. Religious uprisings and the cruelty that religion can some times bring out in people is another aspect of human nature that intrigues me. The event in Lisbon, was real and it was hard sometimes to write my characters story around that horrible time in history. The Omaha reservation existed in the 1850’s and I learned so much about the Omaha people that I had to write about them.

Q)   While I instantly loved Marc and Nat, Marc’s Aunt Mariella was my favorite character. I just could not help but love her nosey/ make sure things happen nature. Who was your favorite character to write about? Who would you say is most like you for the Twin Flames series?

A) Don’t we all have a relative like Mariella somewhere in our family tree? She was great to write. She’s a force of nature and gets things done with no apologies. Believe it or not, I’m probably most like Marc. He’s more level headed and patient. I wish I could be more like Natalia and Mariella and say and do what I wanted and not worry about it. But you have to have the right personality for that, and it’s not me. So I become them while writing their story.

Q)   I am a big believer in Soul Mates and the idea that you are with them in many lives. Do you think that every one has a soul mate, or just a lucky few? Have you met your soul mate in this lifetime?

A) I definitely believe we all have a soul mate – actually we all have more than one soul mate. I’d like to think my husband is my soul mate. We’ve been married for 30 years and had a lot of up and downs but always got through it with humor. He makes me laugh even in the worst situation. The 30 years have flown by and I think that’s a good indication that I’m with who I’m supposed to be, in this life anyway.

Q)   In the second Twin Flames book Nat becomes surprisingly close to Marc’s ex wife. By the end of the book it is clear that there is more to there relationship then just this life. Will we find out more in the next book? Will Nat have to have another regression to find out why she cares so much what happens to this woman?

A) Yes. The next book is Nat and Simone’s story and we’ll see if Simone has a soul mate in this life as well.  It will take some convincing, Natalia doesn’t want to be regressed again after the tragic live that she relives in the 2nd book, but she may have to give in and go back in time to help Simone.

Q)   In the second book we learn that Giovanna is more than just a pushy spirit that lives with Nat at the vineyard. Toward the end she hints to the idea that everyone played their parts just as planned this time around. How much longer do we have to wait for the next book so that we can find out exactly what she means?

A)   I’m close to the half way mark on the first draft of the third book. I’m still wavering about titles. I hope to have it to my publisher in time for a late 2015 release, but it may be early 2016.

Q)   Will the next book be the end to this series? (Please say no!)

A) I’m glad you enjoyed them! As of right now, yes, the third will be the last book in the series. But Marc and Nat were my first characters published and I had their story in me for a long time before it got to paper. They have a special place in my heart, so if they ever decide to tell me another one of their past lives, I’ll be happy to write it down.

Q)   Can you give us a sneak peek into the next book in the series?

A) Without giving too much a way, Simone is suffering from nightmares. She’s interpreting them one way, which is a huge mistake and it causes heartache. It takes Natalia and Mariella to get her to see what she needs (a regression) and if I can pull it off, I’d like to have them solve a murder mystery from in a past life. We’ll see how it goes.

Q)   What is next for you after the Twin Flames series is complete?

A)   I have a new character, Spookie Millane, who has an unusual, I guess you might say, psychic/supernatural ability – I don’t want to give away any spoilers – and she has quite a few adventures. Spookie has a short story in Things That Go Bump for the Holidays, a paranormal holiday anthology that was released last year from my publisher, Black Opal Books. If you’re interested, you can get a feel for who she is from that.  I have a few dark short stories that I may try and publish.

Q)   You told me that Marc and Nat were the two characters that you have written that you love the most. What about your other books/ characters? Who are your other favorites and why?

A)   I love Spookie – she’s so different than anything I’ve written before. I have a dark short fiction story about a woman serial killer, Charlotte, who is dangerous and dreadful, but I like her. I haven’t figured out exactly why, except she gives the men a run for their money and always wins. She’s an efficient, yet terrifying psychopath. Sofia, my Italian Strega (witch) is a lovely character. We had such fun doing magic together!

As I said before I could not wait to start another of Mrs. Christiana’s books after reading The Twin Flames Series and I am so glad I did! As much as I loved the story of Mac and Nat, I loved Armend and Sofia from Solstice even more!!

Solstice

Synopsis:

Time is running out for Armend Zogu. The 250-year-old family curse on his head will claim his life on his 30th birthday, the winter solstice.

Sofia Palmalosi might be just the Strega who can save him. A descendant of a long line of powerful Italian witches, her family’s magic was a gift from the Goddess Diana.

Together Sofia and Armend embark on a journey from New York, to Sicily and the ancient ruins of Diana’s temple, and back to New York, all the while fighting a battle of magic and wits with a psychopath who wants them both dead and the curse intact.

If the curse doesn't kill Armend, breaking it just might.

My Review:

5 Stars

Only because I can’t give it more…

Wait a minuet, yes I can! This is MY blog after all!!!

Lets it up it to 9 Stars where it belongs!

I have read a few witch/ magic romance novels over the past few years and most have left me disappointed. I wanted more, more of what I’m not sure, but none of them met my expectations.

This one has romance and a whole lot of exciting magic as well, with just a touch or hint at soul mates too. Oh, and I can’t forget the touch of mystery and suspense thrown in as well.

For Armend it is love at first sight when he sees Sophia, but she does not see him and he keeps his distance. Armend does not want to start something that may end too soon.

A curse was set upon his family 250 years ago and when his 30^th birthday comes around in December he is convinced it will be his death. Once Sofia does see and fall in love with him she will do anything to make sure that it does not happen!

What they must go through to break the curse is, well, more than the two bargained for on its own. And with less than two months until his 30^th birthday they have a lot of work to do.

With their love and the help of both her family and his will they be able to get their hands on two pieces of a centuries old puzzle that will end the curse and save him?

I’m not going to say, you must grab this and find out for yourself!!

This is a must read for so many reasons and I want to go crazy and tell you everything… but I just can’t be the girl who does spoilers. You will just have to trust me when I say that it is a must read!!

Links to get your copy

Solstice on Amazon 

Solstice on B&N

Solstice on Smashwords

Solstice on Kobo

About the Author

BIO:

Debbie Christiana loves things that go bump in the night, mysteries, and unusual love stories. She writes paranormal romances published by Black Opal Books and short dark fiction stories which have been published in a number of horror anthologies.When not writing, you can find Debbie reading, at  yoga, or hiking the Appalachian Trail with her husband and Yellow Lab puppy.  Debbie is a member of RWA, Secretary of her local RWA chapter, CoLoNY, and a member of the International Thriller Writers, Inc. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and three children.

You can find out more about Debbie Christiana and her books on her website.

Check out her blog.

Amazon Author Page

Facebook Page

Twitter: @ DebChristiana

For other Reviews of Debbie Christiana’s book you can find them on Goodreads

Twin Flames: A Soul Mate Love Story:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23118792-twin-flames-revised-edition-a-soul-mate-love-story?ac=1

Forever Flames: A Twin Flames Novella:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22978738-forever-flames

Solstice: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17882444-solstice

Thank you again to Mrs. Christiana for taking the time to answer some questions for the blog as well writing such wonderful stories! I look forward to reading the rest of  The Twin Flames Series as well as reading her other works in the future.

Next up from me for review are some short horror stories from Author E. H. James!

Review of The Sullen Ground Series By Sarah Notebaert

 

A few months ago I made the decision that I wanted to spend some time helping out other Indie Authors. Last month I decided it was time to get started. I knew right away who the first author on my list would be, Sarah Notebaert. I read the first book in her Dystopian series, Sullen Ground, last Summer and I LOVED it!

Over the next few months, or years, I will be doing reviews twice a month; for some Indie Authors and I will not be doing just one book- I will be doing more than one at a time. When you are an Indie Author, with less than 25 reviews on Amazon, that is your dream number. It is the magic number when Amazon starts to notice you and suggest your novel to readers!

Some of my future posts may be more than a little long but I can promise you that they will all be worth checking out!!

 I was more than excited when I approached Ms. Notebaert with the idea of reviewing her novels and she was just as excited about the reviews of her book as I was. She also took some time to answer some questions about her writing, the first three novels in her series, and what is to come next.

Author Bio: I'm the most average person I know. Born and raised in Detroit. Worked retail for ten years. I have two beautiful children, and loyal friends. But I always wanted to write.

The Sullen Ground series is never far from my thoughts. I often think of the characters and what lay ahead for them as they endure their war. I could never explain the joy I get in writing these books, or the joy I get when someone tells me they love reading them.

Random facts about me:

I'm very clumsy!

I talk with my hands. A lot.

I have a super loud and obnoxious laugh.

I love 'haunted' stuff and ghost stories.

I'm a curious person.

Here are a few of the questions I asked to help you get to know her a little better before I start the reviews.

Q) You hit Publish on Sullen Ground in Jan. of 2012. When did you start writing it and what inspired you to write the series?

A) I started writing it in July 2010. But the idea for it came to me in 2004. It took me that long to put pen to paper! The inspiration came to me as I was walking through downtown Plymouth, where I lived at the time, past a new construction site. Out of the blue I though what would happen if soldiers had to die for their country right here in the United States? Could war actually happen here? I wagered that it could. That construction site would eventually become what is now the Veterans' Memorial Park. The idea never left my head, like a bug stuck in my brain. For years I had a feeling that I had forgotten something, same felling you get when you think you forgot your car keys or lunch or something. That feeling went away as soon as I started writing, and as long as I'm writing the feeling stays away.

Q) I found reading all three of your books to be very natural and easy. Was this the first novel or series of novels that you have written, or just the first that you decided to publish?

A) Yep, first novels to ever write and publish.

Q) What made you decided to go totally Indie with your novels and to hit publish solo?

A) I took the Indie route because I was sick if waiting for someone else to give me the chance. "The question isn't who's gonna let me, the question is, who's gonna STOP me?"

Q) What kinds of writing methods do you use? Did you create, or reference, maps of the city of Plymouth?

A) I used the method of keep writing till it's finished! No outline other than what was in my head. I thought about making maps, but man, what a headache.

Q) Do you have any rituals when you write?

A) Writing rituals include lots of coffee, and frequent smoke breaks, especially when one of the characters is smoking!

Sullen Ground

Synopsis:  Fifty million dead. A military divided. A once proud nation left poor, broken, and desperate. No goods. No currency. No technology. No protection. There are only people, and other people left in the aftermath of chaos. This is where we find ourselves in the second United States Civil War.

In the war that seemed to start overnight and destroy all they knew, civilians were pushed aside, subjugated, and seen as only as a problem by their warring government after a mysterious Directive is enforced. In the blink of an eye, all would change forever. What these people knew was no more, just pages in history as they staggered forward, with all things a now blank slate. What they thought they knew of themselves would be tested, as they faced an America they did not recognize. What they believed about life, liberty, love, God, pain, honor—all would change. In one small Michigan town, a handful of citizens would come to find out what they were made of, and see themselves for the first time…for the good, and for the bad.

 While her parents are overseas on an anniversary cruise, young Pen is in charge of the family flower shop. But as attention turns away from wedding flowers and Valentine’s Day bouquets to the ominous current events of the nation, she feels duty-bound to prepare for questionable times ahead. In a few short weeks, her beloved town of Plymouth will crumple under the weight of mass business loss, food shortage, looting, violence, Martial Law and eventually evacuation, courtesy of the government-inspired Directive that leads to the war of her generation. With nowhere to go and interstate travel banned, she has no choice but to stay in town and hope to make it out of the war alive. And when she discovers that others have also stayed behind, she won’t have to make it through alone…

My Review: 5 Stars

This is the first Dystopian novel that I have read that was absolutely believable! Ms. Notebaert did a wonderful job in creating unique characters that stood on their own in the book. She found a way of putting you right into the fall of America as it was happening. From the Directive that started it all, into a life that was just trying to stay safe from outsider that would mean them harm and in the end how they would escape the soldiers (Pacers) that would love nothing more than to kill them, burn their city down, or place them all in camps with thousands of other America citizens.

I found myself wondering many times if I could find a way to survive the situation. A must read for any fan of the genera!!! I look forward to reading more Camden moments, and I am sure that I will swoon once he confesses his love to Pen!!

Questions for the Author about Sullen Ground

Q) Of all the suburbs of Detroit, what made you choose Plymouth?

A) I fell in love with Plymouth. It's the only place I ever felt at home.

Q) There was something to love about all the characters in Sullen Ground. I personally loved/ related to Cora the most. Which of them would you say is most like you?

A) None of the characters are anything like me. I will say however, Pen is everything I wish I was.

Q) OH Camden! My, oh my, oh Camden!! If you can’t tell I am Team Camden. Don’t get me wrong Dan is nice, and Tim is a sweetheart; but Camden is all of their goodness rolled into extra hotness. Who do you find most people are a fan of between the guys? Which of them is your favorite guy?

A) While I love all of my guys, I find that almost everyone is team Camden. Interestingly enough, the female readers like Dan second to Camden, but a lot of my male readers think Dan is a huge douchebag. And one of my male friends says he's changing his last name to Stone, lol.

 Sullen Ground on Amazon

 Sullen Ground on Goodreads

Broken Splinter

Sysnopsis: After Camden’s order to leave Plymouth in the midst of catastrophe, Pen, Cora, and Matt find themselves thrown together in a whirlwind of confusion and dread. Hoping to reunite with their friends at the first rendezvous point, they move on as planned. However, they will discover that it isn’t easy to follow Camden’s orders when so many questions go unanswered. They will learn that finding their friends will be more difficult than ever expected as they endure setback after setback and difficulty after difficulty.

Separated from their friends, hunted by the Pacers, and plagued with fear, Pen and Cora must learn to survive in situations they never imagined...with socially inept Matt as their guide. Pen will find that Matt, the man she despised for so long, demonstrates who he really is. Matt soon dissolves into who he was meant to be: a soldier. And Cora endures the constant thought which she prays be proven wrong: Tim is dead, Tim is dead, Tim is dead...

My Review: 5 Stars

Broken Splinter picks up right where Sullen Ground left off without skipping a beat.

Those that remain in Plymouth are under attack from the Pacers and they have no idea if there are only a few or a whole army of them. Matt acted instantly and swept Pen and Cora away in the closest truck that was ready for travel, and as far as the tree of them can tell they may be the only ones that made it out alive. All the girls can think about is running back to check on the others but Matt insists that they will be fine and will meet them soon at the first rally point. After days with the girls, and no sign of the others he gives in to their pleas and goes back to town to check things out. What he finds is more than promising to say the least; bodies of dead Pacers and all other emergency vehicles are gone. 

As soon as three of them realize that the others must have moved on to the second of the three rally points they find themselves in a race to get there. Upon their arrival they are meet with an unexpected surprise and barely make it out alive. The others must have be on their way to the final destination but with only a fourth of a tank of gas left in the truck it will be no small task to catch up with them.

   

After reading Sullen Ground I was no happier about the fact that Pen and Cora were stuck with him as their traveling companion. The three of them do become surprisingly close on the journey as the girls, and the reader, get to see a whole new side to Matt. Ms. Notebaert also took the time to add to the story by giving several looks back in time to what life was like for each of the characters before the war started. The is small bit of personal history not only helps the reader bond more with each of the characters but it gives a new insight and understanding into who they are during the war.

At the end of this book you will most likely be racing to grab Rising Heroes, I did!

Questions for the author about Broken Splinter

Q) This book revolves mostly around Pen, Cora, and Matt as they try to meet up with the rest of the Plymouth citizens. Was it hard for you to keep your mind on just these three characters? Did you find yourself making notes for Rising Heroes while writing Broken Splinter?

A) Most definitely, my mind was on book 3 a lot while I was writing Broken Splinter. I loved every minute of writing the story, especially the flashbacks, but man, the relief when I was finished and could start Rising Heroes--I missed my other guys!

Q) We see a whole new side to the three characters by the end of the book in addition to getting a peek into their past, pre war lives. I enjoyed getting to really know who they were, both then and now, more. Especially and surprisingly Matt. You took him from a dislikable person to someone much more loveable, so… was it hard for you to do that, considering how he gets separated from the girls?

A) Matt is actually my best-loved character to most of my female fans. I loved how he became so loved, showing who he really was. In the fourth book in the series we'll hear more about him.

Q) What was your favorite part in writing this book?

A) I would say that my favorite part of Broken Splinter, aside from obviously the ending, was the flashbacks...getting that look at all three of them, especially Matt.

 

Broken Splinter on Amazon 

Broken Splinter on Goodreads 

Rising Heroes

Synopsis: Since the night that Pen, Cora, and Matt left Plymouth, the friends they left behind have hardships of their own. This is their story--spanning the two years since that night in Plymouth to the revealing of Captain as Camden Stone...

Camden, Tim and Dan are anxious to find Pen and the others, but it doesn't seem that time is on their side. The ruthless Pacers make an aggressive appearance. Camden is torn between leading his town to safety and searching for Pen. Tim is desperate to find Cora, but he will have to search for her on one less leg. And after a year goes by with no sign of them, Dan is losing all hope that Pen is still alive.

With the aid of new friends, the search will continue, but it is during that search when Camden is thrown into a role he never expected...

My Review: 5 Stars

After reading Broken Splinter you were left with many questions. The biggest two are: What is going to happen now? And - Where have the rest of the Plymouth citizens been? Rising Heroes gives you the answers the second big question. Camden, Reese, and Tim get the others to safety, and met a few new friends on the journey. The three men never give up hope that their splinter group will be found. They find many things they never expected while searching for Pen, Cora, and Matt; one of them even finds himself in the unique situation of leading a small army that over time becomes a force for the Territory Army in Michigan.

And now we have to wait for the next book…

Will Camden profess his love for Pen? How is Dan going to react now that she is back? Will “Captain” and his army take back their state or will everything come crashing down around them? How many more friends and love ones will be lost to this war?

Questions for the Author about Raising Heroes

Q) Again we get to learn some background on some of the other characters. While Camden’s was not a surprise at all, Dan’s surely was! Did you know these things about him before you started working on this novel? Did you know it before you even introduced him in Sullen Ground?

A) Yep, I knew all about the characters and their development before I started writing anything. We'll learn a bit more about Dan in the next one, and you'll be even more surprised!

Q) While reading Rising Heroes it dawned on me that even if a person was not familiar with locations in Michigan where the characters were was fairly easy to follow without putting the book down to go look at a map. How much research would you say went into your books by the time you had finished book three? How many of the places you mention in the book(s) have you been too?

A) Girl, I might seem like a serial killer if you looked at my search engine. Everything from geography to weapons to emergency camping, you name it, I looked it up. I've been to all places that are mentioned that are not fictional, lol.

Q) What made you decided to split books 2 and 3 the way you did?

A) I wanted to shake it up a bit, put some suspense in the readers, as we all are dying to know what happens after the reunion.

 Rising Heroes on Amazon 

I’m not going to lie to you… I begged and begged and begged some more, for a sneak peek or advanced copy (even if it was a ruff draft!) of the fourth book in the series and I was turned down every time. For the first time in a long time this is a series that I will be sitting on pins and needles waiting for. (The last time I was dieing to get my hands on the next book in a series was when I was in my late teens and reading Harry Potter!!) Generally I wait until a series is complete to start it or I don’t even LOVE it enough to stay on top of when I will get to read the next book. I have read many novels in this genera and while they have had great story lines, lovable characters or a great romance story intertwined with them I rarely feel the story line could truly happen.

If you are not a “prepper” this series will make you think that maybe it is not such a bad idea to do a little something…. Just in case.

I couldn’t let Sarah go without asking just a few more questions about what was to come next, for both this series and future projects as well.

Q) I know that book 4 is currently in the works. So, How much longer do we (I) have to wait? Does it have a name? And can you give us a sneak peak into what will happen next?

A) I'm hoping the 4th book will be ready in the spring/summer of 2015. Last Stand, it is called. Aptly named, because it is the last stand between the Pacer Army and Territory. We'll find out who wins the war, what happens between Camden, Pen, and Dan… and a few more surprises are in there too!

Q) With a book series that is based on a civil war on American soil, you have let go of less than a handful of characters thus far. Should we expect you to up the death count in book four by a large number? (Are you planning on making fans ugly cry about one or more of them? On second thought maybe I don’t want to know the answer to that one!)

A) Yeah, you don't want to know the answer to that...

Q) Will it all really end with book 4? Do you see the possibility for writing spin off's for charters? If not, what is next for you as an author, will you stay within the same genera?

A) I’m looking at the possibility of Last Stand being split into two separate books because if not it would be super long! A spin off novella or two just might be brewing in my head, but you will just have to wait and see!

Q) Currently none of your books are available in paperback. Will you be changing that in the future?

A) Yes!!!! Paperbacks will be coming soon!!!!

You can find out more about the Sullen Ground Series, keep up to date on the latest news and contact Ms. Notebaert at www.sullenground.com

Twitter:  @SNotebaert

FB: Sullen Ground

I can’t say enough how much I loved this series, and Ms. Notebaert for taking the time to answer so many questions! To make things even more amazing she has offered up some prizes for a giveaway!!! Three lucky winners will be receiving an eCopy of Sullen Ground as well as some awesome swag… Their very own set of Camden Stone dog tags!!! (I really want some of those dog tags for myself!!) Entering will be super simple!

1) Hop over to Facebook and give Sullen Ground a like.

2) Post on her page and let her know that I sent you over to show some love. 

3) Comment here on the blog and tell me one thing you don’t have enough of right now if a Civil War broke out in America next week. 

I will post the winner here, on my Facebook fan page, as well as the Sullen Ground FB page on the 24^th of November.

(You will have 48 hours to claim your prize… or I get your set of Camden Stone dog tags. Ha ha ha ha!!! Can you tell I really want those dog tags!!)

Thank you to Sarah Notebaert for taking the time to answer some question and for being my review "test subject".

Good luck in the giveaway! 

 Up later this month is my review of the Twin Flames series by Debbie Christiana. 

Worries, Truths, and Plans

I spent months editing The Seven Saviors and the whole time my stomach was a pit of worries. This is a very long book, was it good enough to keep a persons attention all the way through? Should I cut it down? What about the grammar and structure of each sentence; each paragraph? If I spent too long looking at the story line and perfecting what I thought it should be when I went back to read it I was in shock. Gak! You can't have a lazy or run on sentence like that!


For weeks I went back and forth within the story, walking away from it often and telling myself when I go back it will be easier and that I just needed to calm myself. It never helped, the worries never stopped; but I wanted to.

To be fair, I must say that I have in the last few months become a complete worrywart. Why, I haven't a clue, but I have been. I thought back to something that happened while I was on vacation. I joined my husband on the beach one evening. He said something at the time that didn't really sink in for a few days. When you stand there and look out into the ocean, the sound of it bigger than anything else, and you look out and see nothing but the water and curve of the world right in front of your eyes you realize two things. One is that you are really so small in the grand scale of things. Two was that how lucky we were to be part of something so big and grand, God took the time to create so many things and he took time to make sure I was a part of it all.

That first part was what took time to sink for me. Here I was acting like this worry was huge, weighing on my mind day and night to the point I had a hard time sleeping and honestly thinking of just quitting altogether. I'm just a little piece of this world and this worry was just a little part of my life, it didn't need to be so all consuming. I just needed to take a step back for a moment and do what I have done the last two novels, tell the story and worry about the other crap after the fact.
Finally I went through and looked at the story, not the grammar or other things like that. It is a good story, well at least I think it is... for my first go at a YA Fantasy/ Fairytale spin novel, maybe shooting for over 100,000 words was a bit much, but it was GOOD!!

I decided that what I needed was multiple layers of editors. This is classified as an EPIC novel, and when I put it out I want to go BIG with the release. I want, dare I say the word that I am not a fan of, a "perfect" epic YA novel. How will it get there? Work, plain and simple. I can weave a good story, I can write charters that a reader will connect with and grow to love. But, my own personal editing skills suck! I have never taken even one writing class past high school. (I did take a speaking class... guess whose speeches always went over the allotted time? Yep, it’s me! I can't keep things short and sweet, ha ha.)


I wanted a 15 + stop blog tour and new likes to my fan page waiting in anticipation for the release. I hoped to finally put the words Amazon Best Seller Author above my name with this one.
And how do us Indie author folk get that? Lots, and lots, of work – hard work that starts months in advance. I have not been putting in the work, not even close! Twitter - I hardly do it. Blogging - well I think we all can look back and see that I don't do that much at all. Interacting with other authors - on occasion, but I don't tell you all who's stories I read and love. If I’m not telling you all how much I love them, I can't be too shocked that other indie authors don’t know who I am. Where is the web site I wanted to do? What Author fairs have I been to this year? I have some serious work to do, and so does The Seven Saviors for that matter.

So, if you have not guessed by this point, TSS will not be released this summer – but quite simply it is not ready. When I hit publish I want to sit back and say, "They are going to love this!"
To get it, and myself there, things need to be stepped up a notch (or twelve).

Step one an editor (or four) that will point out everything and take no mercy on me. Is it going to cost me an arm and a leg? More than likely, lol.

Step two if I want to be better I need to go back to school. I want classes that will drill grammar and tips and tricks into my mind so that I will remember only them when I am 80 and can't remember anything else. I want to take classes that will help me write better romantic suspense novels, or a class that just concentrates on writing mystery or suspense. I don't want to quit and move on to something else. No, I want to be better, and better. I want to someday write books that make you more than ugly cry. Books that I edited and you don't see one stinking grammar mistake in! I already found a perfect online school just for authors, screenwriters, and play writes!

Step three happens while I am doing steps one and two. Get myself out there more Tweet and blog and post reviews on this blog, guest blog places and have guest blogs here also. I want to get in touch with my readers and find out what they want, what they love in a book. Let you all know me better, hell I'll invite everyone over for dinner and drinks, okay well maybe I won't be going that far but you get what I mean. I'm going to get that web site I have been wanting up and running.

Step four.... is kind of really step one now that I think about it because all this stuff I want to do apparently costs money (Who knew?!?!). So, I will be doing something simple, yet not because it is something new to me. I have always thought about being an independent consultant with one of these home party businesses. And there are only a few of them that I love and am obsessed with (Lia Sophia for one, I have a serious problem, lol.), and two of them are things that I have close friends that sell to all of us in our little group. But, there is one thing that I LOVE and none of my friends or any family members sell. IT WORKS (No joke, those crazy wrap things – they really, really work!! I love them!)
So that is where all the money I need is going to come from. I promise that I will not be flooding my blog, FB fan page, or twitter with IT WORKS stuff!!! This is the last you will hear of it, I promise! Though I must say if you get a chance to try one of their wraps you will not be disappointed!


In the mean time; I'm not going to stop writing new stuff, every free minute will be poured into more books for you all to enjoy in the future. I will be keeping you updated often and some of the classes I want to take are ones where I have to turn in stories that are around 20,000 words for teacher and class critics, so I'll have those to share also! I'm thinking of doing a story on the web site that will be released little by little for you all. I have a ton of ideas that I want to make happen and I hope that you will stick around so I can knock your socks off!!

Talk to you all again soon.
The not so perfect... but looking to get a little closer to it Author
~A

The first Sneak Peek into The Seven Saviors!!!

Hello all and Happy New Year!!!

I thought I would start the year off with a seek peek into the first chapter of The Seven Saviors!!!

So here it is - uncut, unedited!!!

Enjoy!!!

Chapter 1

A Seer and a Prophecy

My name is Sabina and I am a Seer, as my mother was, and her mother, and her mother before her. The women of our family have been gifted with this for many generations. I saw my own death many years ago, and it will not be soft and quiet as I lay in my bed sleeping. I will burn in a fire – hot and bright. I have looked many times over the years but the way I will go into the beyond has not changed, I have accepted it.

I live alone in a small hut nestled into the the forest just outside a small village. My daughters have grown and started their own families. My oldest now the one that the people go to for healing and seeing, I have been mostly forgotten. That is fine, for I only see two things when I look into the future now – a prophecy and my death, for it seems the two go hand in hand. I would be of no use to the villagers here.

Though I am old and tired, there is a journey that I must take. I know not where exactly this journey will take me yet, but the time for me to leave is soon. I looked into the refection of my water bowl last night and saw, again, a village that holds a great power within its families. To them a group of seven boys will be born, each gifted with a different power. Together, they will need to protect one woman; she is the purest innocent in the world. If they fail it will be lost from the entire world, forever.

The vision comes with an urgency now, smalls pieces of it flooding my dreams in the night. Tomorrow I will leave so that I may find these mothers and warn them. There is  a danger to the seven that I cannot yet see, but I know that it is important and I can only hope that I will be able to tell them about it when I get there. The travel will be long and hard on me, but I have seen more winters than I care to count, and my death will not be alone in the cold of night. I have prepared a small package of bread and cheese to carry with me. For now I must rest.

I'm going to get back to work on the second half of the novel now! 

Have a great day and again Happy New Year!!! 

~A

12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop

Blog Hop:  12 Days of Christmas

Event Date:  December 1^st  - 12^th 2013

Hosted By: As You Wish Reviews & Confessions of the Paranormal

Sponsors: As You Wish Tours & Book Dragon Designs

Raspberry Thumbprints

(With all the canning I do in the summer this is a

 great time of year to use some of my yummy jams to make great cookies!) 

Ingredients

1 pouch (1.5 oz) Sugar Cookie Mix

1/2 Cup Softened Butter

1 egg

3 Tbsp All-purpose Flour

1/3 Cup Seedless Raspberry Jam

1 Cup White Chocolate Baking Chips 

Red or Green sprinkles if you would like them

Directions

~ Heat oven to 375°F. 

~ In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, egg and flour until dough forms. 

~ Roll dough into 3/4-inch balls; place 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Use your thumb to make indentation in center of each cookie. Spoon about 1/4 teaspoon jam into each indentation.

~ Bake 8 to 10 minutes (or until edges are light golden brown). Let them cool for 5 minutes.

~ Microwave baking chips on High 1 to 2 minutes or until chips are melted; stir until smooth.  Drizzle over the top with a spoon or put melted white Chocolate into a zip lock bag and cut a small portion of one corner off.

~ Add a little of the Red or Green sprinkles if you wish!

(These are also great with Blueberry or Apricot jam!) 

 

    

The best way to spend a cold winter night in December is to curl up with a blanket, a cup of coco and great book!

You can keep extra warm with a HOT Romance novel! 

$1.99 Until December 24th on Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

    Happy Birthday to Sarah! Turning twenty-six and divorcing her high school sweetheart on the same day. After almost a full year of bad experiences with men Sarah refuses to date anymore. The week of her twenty-seventh Birthday Sarah finds herself stuck in the middle of the ocean with a killer. Could it be the man she has fallen madly in love with? Could she be the next to die?

  

Sarah's first encounter with Gabriel.... 

Thee martinis later I was about to call it quits and go to bed when I was approached by an overly tanned man in a fancy suit. His dark hair was slicked back into a long curly ponytail at the nape of his neck.

“I should buy you a drink, no? Woman of such beauty should not be alone on night like this.” His Spanish accent was thick but the way he rolled his r’s was kind of sexy. He wasn’t that bad to look at either. If you could look past his wet looking hard hair.

“Thank you for the offer but I think I’m done for the night. I was just about to leave and head back to my room.”

“No, no, no,” he purred, as he placed an arm around my waist and tried to pull me in closely, almost pulling me off the stool I was perched on. “You cannot leave me now. I just find you and I am in, how you say, love at first sight. You are very sexy woman.”

“Well, thank you and I am extremely flattered, but I think I should get back to my room and get to sleep.” I did my best to push away from him gently but his grip only tightened around me.

“I go with you to your room? Maybe you would like to see mine instead?” He moved in closer to me, his breath hot and reeking of Jack Daniel’s. “I bring my own sheets, silk.” He ran his other hand down my bare arm. “So soft skin, naked you would enjoy way you slide around.”

I was just about to call him a nasty jerk when another man grabbed his shoulder roughly from behind. “It seems I can’t even leave you alone for a moment Darling. Is this man bothering you?”

Mister Slick and Nasty released me right away and stepped back to face the other man. “My apologies, you are lucky man to be with such beautiful woman.”

“Yes I am, thank you, but I think it’s time for you to walk away now.”

He looked as if he wanted to punch my savior and carry me away over his shoulder. Mr. Slick gave a nod and started to walk away but the new man grabbed his arm again. “On second thought, I think you also owe my lady here an apology for your obnoxious behavior. Don’t you?”

“Excuse my forwardness if you please Miss.” He moved to walk away again but the grip around his arm tightened.

“If I catch you man-handling a woman like that again, my date or not, you might just take a swim all alone in that ocean. Now get out of here.”

He made it about ten feet away before he turned around with a face full of rage and flipped us off with both hands. I watched, holding my breath, as he walked out the doors. Wondering the whole time if he was going to come back and start a fight.

I gave a sigh of relief when the door shut behind him. I finally took a moment to get a good look at the man that had come to my rescue. He was dressed to impress in dark jeans and a cream sweater with a collared black shirt under it. His hair was dark and tousled with just a few strands hanging down over his forehead. His eyes were a deep chocolate brown, and looked sexy peering at me through the black lashes around them. The beard and mustache were short and well kept; with just the slightest hint of grey to it. His full lips turned up in the slightest hint of a smile as he watched me.

I smiled back and gave a small nod to the stool beside me. “Join me for a drink or two? It is the least I can do since you saved me from Mr. Slick with the grabby hands.”

He threw a black leather jacket over the stool before sitting down. “I believe you are now indebted to me until you save my life.”

“I believe that it is only if you save me from actually dying.” I said with a laugh. “But you did say I was your date, so you are stuck with me for at least the next couple of hours. Just in case he comes back of course.”

“Well then, I will just have to save your life tomorrow.”

  

Looking for more of a "first love" kind of romance?

Check out Tempting Fate, also just $1.99 on Amazon

 

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