tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56550448940020866342024-02-07T16:38:14.462-08:00Aimee N. Busch- AuthorAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-58243427079914362912014-11-29T13:28:00.000-08:002014-11-29T13:28:52.122-08:00Review of The Twin Flames Series By Author Debbie Christiana. And more! <style><!--
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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!! </div>
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<br /></div>
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So first up for review is <b>Twin
Flames: A Soul Mate Love Story</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXDEcsdMaDe0P8oj-L6JG4m_ioc3Fl5dGAI_0Yf11bGJILi5QbXnY82HS_9juCK7jT7okiNUAEKh8aQ5jyFxTguJh5QIkIhlVRmEyx0almuCt2VFWN8xhJzEyQ7tO_6jyN5cDLOt5gBk/s1600/51AvohfiX9L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXDEcsdMaDe0P8oj-L6JG4m_ioc3Fl5dGAI_0Yf11bGJILi5QbXnY82HS_9juCK7jT7okiNUAEKh8aQ5jyFxTguJh5QIkIhlVRmEyx0almuCt2VFWN8xhJzEyQ7tO_6jyN5cDLOt5gBk/s1600/51AvohfiX9L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><i><b>Synopsis: </b></i></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
She’d never met him before, or had
she?</div>
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<br /></div>
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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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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He didn’t know her at all, or did
he?</div>
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<br /></div>
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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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Together they embark on an
adventure that will change their lives forever.</div>
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<br /></div>
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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.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
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.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Will their strong connection find
a way to bring them together? Or is this the lifetime where they must go their
separate ways?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><i><b>My Review: </b></i></u></div>
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<i>5 Stars</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
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. </div>
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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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Twin Flames is currently only 99
cents on Amazon and Barnes and Noble</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Twin-Flames-~-Revised-Story-ebook/dp/B00MR4DNZQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417282823&sr=8-1&keywords=debbie+christiana" target="_blank">Twin Flames on Amazon</a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/twin-flames-revised-edition-a-soul-mate-love-story-debbie-christiana/1120139434?ean=2940150422353" target="_blank">Twin Flames on B&N</a> </div>
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<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/468107" target="_blank">Twin Flames onn Smashwords</a> </div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/twin-flames-revised-edition" target="_blank">Twin Flames on Kobo</a> </span> </div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Forever Flames: A Twin Flames
Novella</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebJLb6TKt7H78XI4kdJkXFUG6LwwMbkEsMrFhEA_nNcIZuyrqXFuQ_UBuOlQ9BNUQs0I8rEiXzmXkt6yaoWfYxDDlBtfXSozA7AMFFifibuN4P0MOWnjlQ0nYIMOW3XWqxBxkom5x3CQ/s1600/51W81UfF0XL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebJLb6TKt7H78XI4kdJkXFUG6LwwMbkEsMrFhEA_nNcIZuyrqXFuQ_UBuOlQ9BNUQs0I8rEiXzmXkt6yaoWfYxDDlBtfXSozA7AMFFifibuN4P0MOWnjlQ0nYIMOW3XWqxBxkom5x3CQ/s1600/51W81UfF0XL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<u><i><b>Sysnopsis:</b></i></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Sometimes the past won’t stay
where it belongs.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Marc and Natalia are settling into
parenthood, but they can’t shake the feeling of déjà vu when it comes to their
new baby.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Last time, remembering their past
lives brought Marc and Natalia together, this time it may tear them apart.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<u><i><b>My Review:</b></i></u></div>
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<i>5 Stars</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
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. </div>
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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. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Forever flames can be found on</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Flames-Twin-Novella-ebook/dp/B00MQH7C5Q/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0KXXH8ZR6Z9BA9E46CMQ" target="_blank">Forever Flames on Amazon</a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-flames-a-twin-flames-novella-debbie-christiana/1120151348?ean=2940150535862" target="_blank">Forever Flames on B&N</a> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/468104" target="_blank">Forever Flames on Smashwords</a> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/forever-flames" target="_blank">Forever Flames on Kobo</a> </div>
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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. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>Q)</b></u><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>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?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>A)</b></u> 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.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>Q)</b></u><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>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?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>A)</b></u><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>Q)</b></u><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><u><b> </b></u>
</span>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?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>A) </b></u>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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>Q)</b></u><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>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?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>A)</b></u> 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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>Q)</b></u><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>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?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>A)</b></u> 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.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>Q)</b></u><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>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? </div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>A)</b></u><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>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.</div>
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<u><b>Q)</b></u><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>Will the next book be the end to this series? (Please say no!)</div>
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<u><b>A)</b></u> 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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>Q)</b></u><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>Can you give us a sneak peek into the next book in the series?
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>A)</b></u> 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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>Q)</b></u><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>What is next for you after the Twin Flames series is complete?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>A)</b></u><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>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.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a few dark short stories that I may try and publish.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>Q)</b></u><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>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?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><b>A)</b></u><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>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!</div>
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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!! </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Solstice</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJeZaWybCFJF2R5xlhpFrH8fqxj9uxR85J8nRSS8rxVCd1jZ0vxQuYnz9FA2-1qnVWw_87wFIcUrncXOxvbfKGFddrEdzKgnYWXQNWuKsEw6kMelMiSj-QXHX9Fdf6qPa2753SAFoN50o/s1600/51YnaQlPj3L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJeZaWybCFJF2R5xlhpFrH8fqxj9uxR85J8nRSS8rxVCd1jZ0vxQuYnz9FA2-1qnVWw_87wFIcUrncXOxvbfKGFddrEdzKgnYWXQNWuKsEw6kMelMiSj-QXHX9Fdf6qPa2753SAFoN50o/s1600/51YnaQlPj3L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a></div>
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</div>
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<u><i><b>Synopsis:</b></i></u></div>
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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.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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If the curse doesn't kill Armend, breaking it just might.</div>
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<u><i><b>My Review: </b></i></u></div>
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<i>5 Stars </i></div>
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Only because I can’t give it more…</div>
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Wait a minuet, yes I can! This is MY blog after all!!! </div>
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Lets it up it to 9 Stars where it belongs!</div>
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<br /></div>
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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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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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.</div>
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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. </div>
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A curse was set upon his family 250 years ago and when his
30<sup>th</sup> 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! </div>
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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<sup>th</sup> birthday they have a lot of work to do.</div>
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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?</div>
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I’m not going to say, you must grab this and find out for
yourself!! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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!! </div>
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<br /></div>
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Links to get your copy</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Solstice-Debbie-Christiana-ebook/dp/B00CMJA3SQ/ref=asap_B006J76TNU_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417288212&sr=1-3" target="_blank">Solstice on Amazon</a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/solstice-debbie-christiana/1115238480?ean=9781626940178" target="_blank">Solstice on B&N</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/312116" target="_blank">Solstice on Smashwords</a></div>
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<a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/solstice" target="_blank">Solstice on Kobo</a></div>
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<b>About the Author</b></div>
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<u><i><b>BIO:</b></i></u></div>
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<br /></div>
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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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>yoga, or hiking the Appalachian
Trail with her husband and Yellow Lab puppy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.</div>
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You can find out more about Debbie Christiana and her books
on <a href="http://www.debbiechristiana.com/" target="_blank">her website.</a></div>
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Check out her <a href="http://www.debbiechristiana.com/blog" target="_blank">blog.</a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Debbie-Christiana/e/B006J76TNU/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1" target="_blank">Amazon Author Page</a> </div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Debbie-Christiana-Author/152091691536121?ref=br_tf" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a> </div>
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Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/DebChristiana" target="_blank">@ DebChristiana</a></div>
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For other Reviews of Debbie Christiana’s book you can find
them on Goodreads</div>
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Twin Flames: A Soul Mate Love Story: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23118792-twin-flames-revised-edition-a-soul-mate-love-story?ac=1">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23118792-twin-flames-revised-edition-a-soul-mate-love-story?ac=1</a></div>
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Forever Flames: A Twin Flames Novella: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22978738-forever-flames" target="_blank"> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22978738-forever-flames</a></div>
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Solstice: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17882444-solstice">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17882444-solstice</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Twin Flames Series as well as reading her other works in the future.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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Next up from me for review are some short horror stories
from Author E. H. James! </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-16690608662571588882014-11-11T08:55:00.000-08:002014-11-12T06:21:03.880-08:00Review of The Sullen Ground Series By Sarah Notebaert <style><!--
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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! </div>
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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! </div>
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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!! </div>
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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. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqR2CFCxv6Os7m7rZMfou5zpgFYGXPStqLVgAP55RekJVZTM1WpPepeQS5KXT7eFx0-5-KXVhkXir3GWDr4qhbDddXBUl7iYdG634RBcGdYzu4Lvu-C8MZvFmgAaeQm4IK6Z1iNGTTLc/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqR2CFCxv6Os7m7rZMfou5zpgFYGXPStqLVgAP55RekJVZTM1WpPepeQS5KXT7eFx0-5-KXVhkXir3GWDr4qhbDddXBUl7iYdG634RBcGdYzu4Lvu-C8MZvFmgAaeQm4IK6Z1iNGTTLc/s320/image.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<u><i><b>Author Bio:</b></i></u> 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.</div>
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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.</div>
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Random facts about me:</div>
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I'm very clumsy!</div>
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I talk with my hands. A lot.</div>
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I have a super loud and obnoxious laugh.</div>
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I love 'haunted' stuff and ghost stories.</div>
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I'm a curious person.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Here are a few of the questions I asked to help you get to
know her a little better before I start the reviews.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Q)</b> You hit Publish on Sullen Ground in Jan. of 2012. When
did you start writing it and what inspired you to write the series?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>A)</b> 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. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Q)</b> 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?</div>
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<b>A)</b> Yep, first novels to ever write and publish.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Q)</b> What made you decided to go totally Indie with your
novels and to hit publish<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>solo?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>A)</b> 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?"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Q)</b> What kinds of writing methods do you use? Did you create,
or reference, maps of the city of Plymouth?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>A)</b> 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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Q)</b> Do you have any rituals when you write? </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>A)</b> Writing rituals include lots of coffee, and frequent
smoke breaks, especially when one of the characters is smoking!</div>
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<u><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Sullen Ground</span></b></i></u></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNzLfFAdekqnX39gmdF0w8uVdHH9e8lBBeKeMzZpCkZVNXsqQKY8bMoiDw3ur7hOHRWieoAxl9K2ZDL4AbG4XDJQO4szA_vyFif8cm8i-x_kxjSI0q8HpV5fHWGZANt5o1RemDr8AEzE/s1600/Picture+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNzLfFAdekqnX39gmdF0w8uVdHH9e8lBBeKeMzZpCkZVNXsqQKY8bMoiDw3ur7hOHRWieoAxl9K2ZDL4AbG4XDJQO4szA_vyFif8cm8i-x_kxjSI0q8HpV5fHWGZANt5o1RemDr8AEzE/s400/Picture+7.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<u><i><b>Synopsis:</b></i></u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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…</div>
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<u><i><b>My Review: 5 Stars </b></i></u></div>
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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. </div>
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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!!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Questions for the Author about Sullen Ground</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Q)</b> Of all the suburbs of Detroit, what made you choose
Plymouth?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>A)</b> I fell in love with Plymouth. It's the only place I ever
felt at home.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Q)</b> 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?</div>
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<b>A)</b> None of the characters are anything like me. I will say
however, Pen is everything I wish I was.</div>
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<b>Q)</b> 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?</div>
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<b>A)</b> 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.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sullen-Ground-Sarah-Notebaert-ebook/dp/B007195V0W/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_6" target="_blank">Sullen Ground on Amazon</a> </div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17319210-sullen-ground?ac=1" target="_blank">Sullen Ground on Goodreads</a></div>
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<u><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Broken Splinter</span></i></u></div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujU8lASozeBofF0lqNujpaH8xXFvIz7ZWFNCHHO0_UmIjD0_c7lXgWMv052Cdxz9x33dMn4Z4xdIyGETrqfi1rFjnIb0ELZ7VUg_JVSQhrzs1cdEtkE9eFlCK9iNhyphenhyphenzBkXjSziIkfAII/s1600/51UEFX8u2AL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujU8lASozeBofF0lqNujpaH8xXFvIz7ZWFNCHHO0_UmIjD0_c7lXgWMv052Cdxz9x33dMn4Z4xdIyGETrqfi1rFjnIb0ELZ7VUg_JVSQhrzs1cdEtkE9eFlCK9iNhyphenhyphenzBkXjSziIkfAII/s400/51UEFX8u2AL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<u><i><b>Sysnopsis:</b></i></u> 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.</div>
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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...</div>
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<u><i><b>My Review: 5 Stars</b></i></u></div>
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Broken Splinter picks up right where Sullen Ground left off
without skipping a beat.</div>
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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. </div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>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. </div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </div>
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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. </div>
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At the end of this book you will most likely be racing to grab
Rising Heroes, I did! </div>
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<b>Questions for the author about Broken Splinter</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Q)</b> 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?</div>
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<b>A)</b> 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!</div>
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<b>Q)</b> 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? </div>
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<b>A)</b> 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.</div>
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<b>Q)</b> What was your favorite part in writing this book? </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>A)</b> 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.</div>
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</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Splinter-Sullen-Ground-Book-ebook/dp/B008QQYJS4/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1D6FRHBQTEN7RMEK0QZG" target="_blank">Broken Splinter on Amazon</a> </div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21259575-broken-splinter" target="_blank">Broken Splinter on Goodreads</a> </div>
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<u><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Rising Heroes</span></i></u></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghueBEX7ZoIN5boiontdIw9QqVOyO-RwG2lLfXGL8IPvogSqKWP5W9gW550eeRsqpI_9F9jhZ1liFbMjyN7JNIaG0tA1CnDyKDXHm999gmJrM175iYf5xwFnNYCXu_4ay4Jk50bmnID20/s1600/Picture+8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghueBEX7ZoIN5boiontdIw9QqVOyO-RwG2lLfXGL8IPvogSqKWP5W9gW550eeRsqpI_9F9jhZ1liFbMjyN7JNIaG0tA1CnDyKDXHm999gmJrM175iYf5xwFnNYCXu_4ay4Jk50bmnID20/s400/Picture+8.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<u><i><b>Synopsis:</b></i></u> 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...</div>
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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.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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...</div>
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<u><i><b>My Review: 5 Stars</b></i></u></div>
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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. </div>
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And now we have to wait for the next book…</div>
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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? </div>
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<b>Questions for the Author about Raising Heroes</b></div>
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<b>Q)</b> 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?</div>
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<b>A)</b> 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!</div>
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<b>Q)</b> 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?</div>
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<b>A)</b> 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.</div>
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<b>Q)</b> What made you decided to split books 2 and 3 the way you
did? </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>A)</b> 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.</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rising-Heroes-Sullen-Ground-Book-ebook/dp/B00HLM56D6/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1YKH4VBNYHGK7VB1M0AP" target="_blank">Rising Heroes on Amazon</a> </div>
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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. </div>
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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. </div>
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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.</div>
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<b>Q)</b> 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?</div>
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<b>A)</b> 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!</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Q)</b> 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!)</div>
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<b>A)</b> Yeah, you don't want to know the answer to that...</div>
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<b>Q)</b> 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?</div>
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<b>A)</b> 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!</div>
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<b>Q)</b> Currently none of your books are available in paperback.
Will you be changing that in the future?</div>
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<b>A)</b> Yes!!!! Paperbacks will be coming soon!!!!</div>
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You can find out more about the Sullen Ground Series, keep
up to date on the latest news and contact Ms. Notebaert<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> at</span> <a href="http://www.sullenground.com/">www.sullenground.com</a></div>
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Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/SNotebaert" target="_blank">@SNotebaert</a></div>
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FB: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/SullenGround" target="_blank">Sullen Ground</a> </div>
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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 <u><b>giveaway</b></u>!!! <i>Three lucky
winners</i> 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!</div>
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1) Hop over to
Facebook and give <a href="http://www.facebook.com/SullenGround" target="_blank">Sullen Ground</a> a like.</div>
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2) Post on her page and let her know that
I sent you over to show some love. </div>
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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. </div>
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I will post the winner here, on my Facebook fan page, as well as
the Sullen Ground FB page on the <i>24<sup>th</sup> of November. </i></div>
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(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!!) </div>
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Thank you to Sarah Notebaert for taking the time to answer some question and for being my review "test subject".</div>
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Good luck in the giveaway! </div>
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Up later this month is my review of the Twin Flames series
by Debbie Christiana. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-33665992930674668352014-09-02T09:35:00.000-07:002014-09-02T09:57:56.219-07:00Worries, Truths, and Plans<span class=""></span><br />
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!<br />
<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
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!!<br />
<br />
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.)<br />
<br />
<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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!"<br />
To get it, and myself there, things need to be stepped up a notch (or twelve). <br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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!<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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!) <br />
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!<br />
<br />
<br />
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!!<br />
<br />
Talk to you all again soon.<br />
The not so perfect... but looking to get a little closer to it Author<br />
~A Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-59407613156404043052014-01-03T10:23:00.000-08:002014-01-03T10:23:44.775-08:00The first Sneak Peek into The Seven Saviors!!! Hello all and Happy New Year!!!<br />
<br />
I thought I would start the year off with a seek peek into the first chapter of The Seven Saviors!!!<br />
<br />
So here it is - uncut, unedited!!!<br />
<br />
Enjoy!!!<br />
<br />
Chapter 1 <style><!--
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A Seer and a Prophecy </div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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I'm going to get back to work on the second half of the novel now! </div>
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Have a great day and again Happy New Year!!! </div>
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~A </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-2934701628288849732013-12-11T22:00:00.000-08:002013-12-12T08:48:57.814-08:0012 Days of Christmas Blog Hop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_SaHfidZyZW7n7EWvJAxYkFCtWxrkkXWGswOhskVaO0lu5Z_T548f4B6rcBwi1Vw0VUvw1vwnngx1nZc6cON_qK8t9DieexvQEdHS5r7KuTIfOL5CuXD1k8LKDsOT4B6vzCOteQ1EGo/s1600/Banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_SaHfidZyZW7n7EWvJAxYkFCtWxrkkXWGswOhskVaO0lu5Z_T548f4B6rcBwi1Vw0VUvw1vwnngx1nZc6cON_qK8t9DieexvQEdHS5r7KuTIfOL5CuXD1k8LKDsOT4B6vzCOteQ1EGo/s320/Banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><i>Blog Hop: 12 Days of
Christmas</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><i>Event Date: December 1<sup>st</sup> - 12<sup>th</sup> 2013</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: small;">Hosted By: <a href="http://asyouwishreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">As You Wish Reviews</a> & <a href="http://confessionsoftheparanormal.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Confessions of the Paranormal</a></span></i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: small;">Sponsors: <a href="http://www.asyouwishtours.com/" target="_blank">As You Wish Tours</a> & <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Book-Dragon-Designs/278678838932424" target="_blank">Book Dragon Designs</a></span></i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><i>Raspberry Thumbprints</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><i>(With all the canning I do in the summer this is a</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><i> great time of year to use some of my yummy jams to make great cookies!) </i></b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji04n5V2H2-YI8I5iGBlkQceKcJ1GsauXpLJsLeUbl1mjlzmI0e5hOmbMGgPYscSp7GNeaCcy1Ru_h-ejKJCKCVdkkAS4Q5YFj4ndw_13tVayenWMIJboEIVqYV2X3k0me-DMWUl7rs48/s1600/Picture+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji04n5V2H2-YI8I5iGBlkQceKcJ1GsauXpLJsLeUbl1mjlzmI0e5hOmbMGgPYscSp7GNeaCcy1Ru_h-ejKJCKCVdkkAS4Q5YFj4ndw_13tVayenWMIJboEIVqYV2X3k0me-DMWUl7rs48/s320/Picture+2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="recipePartIngredients">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Ingredients</i></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>1 pouch (1.5 oz) Sugar Cookie Mix</i></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>1/2 Cup Softened Butter</i></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>1 egg</i></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>3 Tbsp All-purpose Flour</i></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>1/3 Cup Seedless Raspberry Jam</i></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 Cup White Chocolate Baking Chips </span></span></i></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Red or Green sprinkles if you would like them</span></span></i></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Directions</b></span></span></i></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="recipePartStepDescription">~ H</span><span class="recipePartStepDescription">eat oven to 375°F. </span></span></span></i></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="recipePartStepDescription">~ In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, egg and flour until dough forms.</span> </span></span></i></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">~ </span></span></i></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="recipePartStepDescription">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.</span></span></span></i></span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="recipePartStepDescription">~ </span></span></span></i></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="recipePartStepDescription"><span class="recipePartStepDescription">Bake 8 to 10 minutes (or until edges are light golden brown). Let them cool for 5 minutes.</span></span></span></span></i></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="recipePartStepDescription"><span class="recipePartStepDescription">~ </span></span></span></span></i></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="recipePartStepDescription"><span class="recipePartStepDescription"><span class="recipePartStepDescription">Microwave baking chips on High 1 to 2 minutes or until chips are melted; stir until smooth.</span> </span>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.</span></span></span></i></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="recipePartStepDescription">~ Add a little of the Red or Green sprinkles if you wish!</span></span></span></i></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="recipePartStepDescription">(These are also great with Blueberry or Apricot jam!) </span></span></span></i></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="recipePartStepDescription"> </span></span></span></i></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="recipePartStepDescription"><b>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!</b></span></span></span></i></span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="recipePartStepDescription"><b>You can keep extra warm with a HOT Romance novel! </b></span></span></span></i></span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="recipePartStepDescription"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></i></span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="recipePartStepDescription"><b>$1.99 Until December 24th on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Killer-Cruise-N-Busch-ebook/dp/B00EDXR31O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386170899&sr=8-1&keywords=Love+on+a+Killer+Cruise" target="_blank">Amazon</a></b></span></span></span></i></span></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span class="recipePartStepDescription"><b> </b></span></i></span></b></span></h4>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span class="recipePartStepDescription"><b> </b></span></i></span></b></span></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span class="recipePartStepDescription"><b> </b></span></i></span></b></span></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span class="recipePartStepDescription"><b> </b></span></i></span></b></span></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="recipePartStepDescription"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span itemprop="description"> 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?</span></span></i></span></h4>
</div>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span class="recipePartStepDescription"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span></i></span></b></span></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span class="recipePartStepDescription"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sarah's first encounter with Gabriel....</b></span> <b>
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</b></span></i></span></b></span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">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.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“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.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“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.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“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.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“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.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“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 <i>Jack Daniel’s</i>. “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.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">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 <i>Darling</i>. Is this man bothering you?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">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.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“Yes
I am, thank you, but I think it’s time for you to walk away now.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">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?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“Excuse
my forwardness if you please Miss.” He moved to walk away again but the grip
around his arm tightened.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“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.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">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.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">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.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">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.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">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.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“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.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“Well
then, I will just have to save your life tomorrow.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span class="recipePartStepDescription"></span></i></span></b></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></i></span></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
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<h4>
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here is the blog hop!</span></span></i></h4>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-585951101709797042013-10-22T14:01:00.000-07:002013-10-22T14:01:19.483-07:00It is okay not to be perfect… <style><!--
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
Or was it that it is only okay to
be perfect? Sometimes I’m just not sure anymore.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
On that note, what the hell is
perfection anyway? Whose level of perfect are we each trying to meet anyway?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
When I was in the second grade
something was said to me that stuck with me forever. Though I do not remember
the teacher’s name, I remember his face as he said these words to our music
class, “<i>Practice makes Prompt! No one person can be perfect, no matter how hard
they try. If you want perfect, you will only find it in the eyes of God
Himself</i>.” Even at 7 or 8 years old I understood this. Not in an - ah, shit, I
will never be perfect at anything; way. No, in more of a, flaws will be in
everyone, and I need to remember my own when I see one in others, kind of way. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
I know my flaws; I work very hard
to become PROMPT at everything I do… though that does not mean that I do not
fall short from time to time. Okay, more than from time to time. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
Tempting Fate went through edit
after edit, years of them, not just for the story and how it developed. I would
go over it and see that I had typed dose, not does (better read through and
check them all!) Damn! Now I found that quiet has been typed quite (Better
check for that one everywhere!) Double Damn! Now I have found that more than
one comma should have been a semicolon! (Hmm, I better double check on how it
is used and then go through it again!) ECT, you get the idea. Then, JACKPOT, I
scored and reconnected with an old friend that went to school to be an english teacher who offered to do edits!! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
I was on cloud nine the day I
finished with her edits and knew that I WAS going to be a self-published
author! I hit publish and did my little happy dance. I was going to be selling
books left and right, 3 or 4 five star reviews were going to come in everyday!
I was going to be a NYT Bestseller in a month! (Yes, I really thought it was
that easy! HA!) I ordered print copies without even looking at a proof,
because… it was perfect right? Insert another HA here! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
A friend grabbed it within
moments of it being published and devoured the book in just a few days. I could
not wait to hear what they had to say! They loved it… BUT (Damn, don’t you just
hate that word! It never seems to be followed up by something good!!!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were A LOT of typos in it! I was
thinking, okay, this can be fixed; a lot can’t mean more than 20 in the whole
book right? (Turns out that would be considered A FEW typos). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
Is it still fixable? Yes! BUT
(there is that word again), I have already sent out more than 20 copies to
reviews! OH NO! They are all going to see it! Those thoughts of being on the
Bestseller list with the likes of Nicholas Sparks went up in flames. Burned out
in 2.5 seconds flat. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
FAIL! You lose, nice try, delete
the book from everything and go hide in a cave in some warm place where you can
live off the fruit of near by trees! No, calm down, my brain said. Make the
changes, upload the new version, and for the love of all things holy woman –
PRAY!! I got a few “nitpicky” friends to help me out; it was all going to be
fine. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
Then the day arrived, my big box
came full of 50 copies of TF. I knew they were going to contain the typos; I
had already come to terms with that. My hands were shaking as I opened that box
and pushed aside the crumbled up paper covering them at the top. Wait, this
can’t be right! Its grainy, and, it didn’t POP out and eat my face the way some
covers do. It looked perfect on line, what could have gone wrong!! I was still
happy, I still felt accomplished – kind of anyway. I smiled as I showed my
friends and family what I had done. But… with every smile I only had two
thoughts in my mind. One – please don’t comment on this mediocre covered, typo
filled, TRY at being an Author. Two – smile your brightest Bia! Maybe they will
not notice the typos! (Of course that would involved them actually reading the
book. Maybe they will stick it on their shelf with pride and never crack it
open and see them at all. Maybe they will DL the better-edited digital version
and keep that paperback spine looking perfect for years!) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
A few reviews came in, not a soul
said anything about typos or grammar! I was feeling better about the whole
thing. I was happy, but the dream of that NYT Bestseller list never came back.
And, at some point I got a case of the F-its. I stopped pressing the book,
stopped looking for new reviews. I even stopped writing all together. Months
flew by before I heard the voice of Sarah from Love on a Killer Cruise invading my brain day and
night. (She would not shut up, much like my dear Abby wouldn’t.) She had a
story to tell and I was her freaking vessel, yeah! I had to get it down on
paper; I had no other way to shut her up! I wrote for hours at a time, shaking
the cramp out of my hand when I couldn’t take it anymore and then going back at
it again. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
I was back in the game and this
time I was going to put out that piece of perfection that I had expected from
TF. Redemption was in my future!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a little older, a little wiser,
and had learned a lot more about what I needed to do at this point.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
I read blog after blog from many
authors about what makes a book perfect and what I needed to do to be better…
to be PERFECT. Then I read some of their books, and read reviews of the books
as well. But, wait a minuet, I read your blog… you said that there was no room
for typos in this day and age. With self-pubed authors flooding the market you
had to be PERFECT to not get mixed in the crap novels that every Joe Shmoe puts
out there! But… you had a few typos in your work…???</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
You have given me the wise advise
of paying top dollar for an editor, (which, sorry I can’t afford!) but you
didn’t get one. Whose PERFECT am I supposed to be meeting here? (I will not
even get into the little tricks of the trade, which are nothing but lies and
cheats, that I found out some use to keep themselves out of that pool with the
Joe Shmoes.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
Nobody said things about the
typos that I had spotted in their books in reviews. Maybe I got a case of the
F-its for no reason. We are all human after all. I felt more hope, my dreams
seemed like they might not be out of reach after all!! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
THEN I find typos in the digital
books of Authors that have BIG house publishers behind them. (Maybe the
conversion process is not perfect?) These big names are not running and hiding
in that cave I was going to go look for… hmm. They were still at it, some of
them pumping out books at the rate of 2 or 3 a year! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
What was I missing? What did I
seem to somehow forget?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
I forgot that shit happens! I
forgot that there is no such thing as perfection; it is learning to be prompt!
It is about constantly learning from any and all mistakes that you make!
Everyday you will see a flaw, not a fail, a flaw. Something that you must work
to over come and become more prompt at! There are some flaws that it will taks years
to correct, and some that you can change over night.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
Am I still learning? Yes, after
delay, delay, delay. I got overzealous with LoaKC. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
I got an editor for this book, I
lucked out – they were going to do this book for free! I edited, and edited,
and edited. I made a list of every flaw my writing had so that I knew what to
keep those eyes trained for. With Painless Grammar, and Grammar for Dummies and
three other books spread out around me I locked myself away in “Writer
Purgatory” and let my house get dirty around me! (You want clean clothing? I
will do one load, pick what is important for me to wash or figure out how to
use the machine yourself!) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
I sent that book off in three
parts, and waited, and waited, and waited… and… Maybe I forgot to give them a
deadline? No, I did that… they said it would be done. Hmmm. Let me just remind
them of the deadline. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
Not a problem, I will have it in
plenty of time!!! Thank you Lord! I’ve going to have it this time; here was go!
Dust off that shelf because Mommy is going to fill it with awards!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
Cover is done, professional and
PERFECT this time! (The editor even signed off on the blurb for the back!)
Boom, cover release. Boom, planned a book tour. (By myself, not easy by the
way!) Boom, plan and pump that release party. Make some games, order that swag!
Girl this time you are on top of the world! You are going to knock this one out
of the park!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
Release date in just over a week… I don’t
have edits!? That's okay, there is still time!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
Release date in 4 days… I don’t
have edits!? Breath lady, there is still time. Just pull a couple all-nighters.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
Ummm, I was going to release this
book tomorrow… I DON’T HAVE EDITS!!! Now you may panic!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
My emotions went off the charts!
One minute I had to keep busy and started washing down the walls, the next
minute I was in my bed crying. There is no book, no finished product. No
PERFECTION!!! I lost, fail. My book was finally a book that was anticipated,
people were waiting to read it. I was going to have NOTHING to give them!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
My sweet husband, who was as
calming as a Xanax, talked me out of looking for that cave again and I went
ahead with the release party. It was a blast! I even got my wonderful sister in
law to “DJ” songs from my personal play list! I let everyone know that there
had been a snag in editing and LoaKC was not ready. They understood and told me
that it sucks but they were sure it was going to be fine. It seemed like
everything was going to be okay! I had been promised the book within two more weeks at the most…
and it was going to happen right, cause why would it not this time… (Everyone
roll your eyes with me here.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
Fast-forward a month and a half…
I still have no PERFECT book. The masses have moved on. Other books from other
authors have come out and boomed over this book that looked great but never
came out. LoaKC was quickly forgotten. And I had an Author Fair
coming up…. I needed that damn book!!!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
Solution… mentally flip off the
editor and moved on. I got 7 beta readers that I knew would have the sharp
sight I needed to help nitpick that book to PERFECTION! I sent it out to them, got
their notes back and fixed everything they found!! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
BOOM! I was gold. I could not
afford to have another release party; hell I still had packages from the last
one to send out! But I was going to hit publish and pump that book like a drug
dealer pumps crack! Did I think it would have typos? Sure did, but that was
just fine, at this point it had to be better than TF was that first trip out
into the world! (And I knew the cover was PERFECT!) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
Hit publish, order the print
copies and pray they come before the Author Fair! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
This time when the book came, I
was beyond excited! Not only was the cover PERFECT but the copies of TF were
PERFECT as well. I cried as I looked at them, my heart swelled as I looked at
the two books that were as precious as the first time I held my children in my
arms. I could NOT wait to shove them in my husbands hands the minute he walked
into the door. I was going to make him so damn proud of me, he just might cry
too!! (lol, not really, then again you never know)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
He was proud; they looked
beautiful. He was going to make me dinner and I was going to sit back with a
glass of wine at just stare at the PERFECTION. Take note self-publishing world,
I will conquer you!!! A little while later I see him smiling as he looks at
LoaKC and then he flips it over to read the back. What could be happier that
making my husband proud of me? Nothing, absolutely nothing!! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
Then his smile faded… my heart
dropped. I wanted to know what he saw. He just smiled and told me how wonderful
it all was; he was so happy for me. Faster than lightening I flip it over and
carefully read through each word. Praying there was nothing wrong. BOOM – if it
were a snake, as they say, it would have jumped out and bit me! There, glaring
in my face, was a typo! Right on the damn cover! It didn’t say DEFINITELY it
says defiantly. I let out a string of curse words that would have made a
trucker drop his jaw. How did I MISS THIS!?!? HOW DID THE EDITOR MISS THIS!?!?
It was the only thing they DID give me feed back on!! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
A few days later I gave in and
flipped through the book. There are typos, many typos. Well hell, looks like I
am not PERFECT. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDWZUqVLBPteOogNc-QGUedo0Lsvez7EF8KxlKpiFhBx72VceSluui5mksirEyv0JDlL-8zbeZHI7aTOiqLy0xqAPw4jZG7tXiGbwi6W3PSkXV_wuViR3DnV7XqsK7r33eXrlXizfSbL8/s1600/1013658_271903949615490_1251437845_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDWZUqVLBPteOogNc-QGUedo0Lsvez7EF8KxlKpiFhBx72VceSluui5mksirEyv0JDlL-8zbeZHI7aTOiqLy0xqAPw4jZG7tXiGbwi6W3PSkXV_wuViR3DnV7XqsK7r33eXrlXizfSbL8/s320/1013658_271903949615490_1251437845_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
So, there you have it. I have
flaws, I am not perfect… and I am okay with it. Yes I will have to have the
full cover remade and re-upload it on Creatspace. Yes, I will have to get some
more edits on LoaKC and upload new versions of that. Its okay, I will learn to
slow down. I will practice this craft that I love, and I will become prompt.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
And some day, there will be an
award on my shelf… or maybe a framed letter from Jude Deveraux telling me
that she found one of my books absolutely delightful! (Now that would be
awesome!!) I am not going to give up and go find that tropical cave (though a tropical vacation would sure be great!). I will
keep going, and working hard, and never give up on being a better version of
myself as an Author. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
There are more than likely errors
in this post, point them out if you feel the need to… it is okay with me! I am
not going to let it break me down; I will use it to help me learn to be more
prompt!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
I hope that you are enjoying
whatever book you have picked up; I hope that if you see a “flaw” you take a
moment to remember that it is just that, and I hope that it does not ruin the
whole story for you. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
XOXO</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
The still not so prompt Author </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-28051098467154544462013-06-03T09:16:00.000-07:002013-06-03T18:22:48.089-07:00Character Interview with Tanya and Jenny... and more.Hello everyone!<br />
<br />
I took the weekend off from everything to just relax and spend some much needed time with family and friends.<br />
If you were not at the release party you missed some news. Due to a hiccup in editing process Love on a Killer Cruise was not released on Friday. I'm not going to lie, I freaked out a bit... and then I did some crying, BUT I think that it is all going to be okay, lol. I went ahead with the release party and had a ton of fun that lifted my spirits immensely. <br />
<br />
But now it is time to jump back into work, because there is still a lot of things to do!<br />
<br />
If you missed the post yesterday over on <a href="http://lustypenguin.com/" target="_blank">Lusty Penguin Reviews</a> Blog an <a href="http://lustypenguin.com/author-interview-love-on-a-killer-cruise-by-a-n-busch/" target="_blank">Author Interview</a> was posted. Make sure you go check it out and if you have time give LPR's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LustyPenguin?ref=ts&fref=ts" target="_blank">FB page</a> a nuzzle as well!<br />
<br />
Sadly I didn't get a chance to Interview Sarah this weekend because.... well I can't tell you why, because that would ruin the end of the book. Let's just say she and Gabriel had somewhere better to be and I am very happy for them!!!!<br />
I did however get a chance to sit down and have coffee with Tanya and Jenny yesterday morning and talk about LoaKC.<br />
<br />
**********************************************************************<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">Me: Good morning ladies are we doing today?</span><br />
<br />
Jenny: Very good, thank you!<br />
<br />
Tanya: Good, but can we hurry up with this? I really want to get to the..."<br />
<br />
Jenny: TANYA! Shut up! You have to watch what you say about the that. We need to keep it a secret for now; remember?<br />
<br />
Tanya: Fine! I want to go see Sarah and Gabriel and.... someone else. I'm just excited, sheesh.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">Me: I completely understand. I was very surprised when I got the call from Gabriel telling me that Sarah couldn't make it Saturday, maybe later. Anyway I wanted to talk to the two of you about some of the things that happened in Love on a Killer Cruise. </span><br />
<span style="color: purple;">I guess my first question would have to be; what did you really think of Sarah's high school sweetheart, Brandon?</span><br />
<br />
Jenny: He was all right. A nice enough guy when we were growing up together. He was always good to Sarah and that was all that really mattered to us.<br />
<br />
Tanya: He <i>was</i> nice. Was being a key word there! Once he married Sarah he went into mega serious mode. He hated us meeting up on Wednesday night's at the pub, he thought that Sarah should be at home every night. He wanted it all! Perfect wife, perfect mother, perfectly clean house.<br />
<br />
Jenny: Tanya! Sarah wanted the same things. They were young, let it go.<br />
<br />
Tanya: All I'm saying is that he was a nice enough guy, he just had high expectations of her. I mean honestly, he blamed her so much for not being able to get pregnant! In the end he was an Ass.<br />
<br />
Jenny: I agree, but it is all in the past and things have worked out for the best anyway.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">Me: Okay, clearly you two are not his biggest fans. Let's move on. You guys set Sarah up on a lot of dates. I have to say, with the exception of Adrian, what were the two of you thinking when you picked these men? You're Sarah's best friends and you picked some awful guys for her.</span><br />
<br />
Tanya: Well first off let's remember that I was the one that picked out Adrian. He is such a doll; still single sadly. <i>Hey,</i> maybe you would be up for going out with him?<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">Me: Umm, I'm going to have to pass on that thanks. I don't think my husband would be too happy with me.</span><br />
<br />
Jenny: Sorry about her, she is constantly in set up mode. Even though none of them work out. Anyway, I thought that the guys I picked were nice enough guys, they just didn't work out as being a good fit for Sarah. Of course Ted is the exception, but I seriously had no idea he was going to go crazy.<br />
<br />
Tanya: Yeah he was crazy all right! But he was not the only really bad one, what about that guy from the office that was an asshat at dinner, <i>or,</i> the guy that was a friend of Bill's from College. What was his name again? <i>Dick</i>?<br />
<br />
Jenny: It was <i>Richard</i>, and he has his good qualities. You just have to get to know him better. Besides you were the one that set her up with the guy who screwed her and never called again.<br />
<br />
Tanya: She totally needed that!<br />
<br />
Jenny: Um, no she didn't!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">Me: That actually brings me to my next question. That guy caused you and Sarah to have a fight Jenny. What can you tell me about it?</span><br />
<br />
Jenny: We have had small fights throughout the years. When you have been friends as long as we have been it is bound to happen. We always bounce back and get over it. We love each other and sometimes you get upset if you want better for one of the others than what is going on. Sarah was very protective of us in college when it came to dating men and she had a system of helping out when she could. Both Tanya and I have never really had to deal with things like that when it came to Sarah. I over-reacted, we both did.<br />
<br />
Tanya: I knew that if I just got the two of them to actually get together they would work it out. It is the same thing that Jenny would have done with Sarah and I, or that Sarah would have done for Jenny and I. I agree with Jenny, when you are as close as we are things are going to happen, but we will be friends forever no matter what.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">Me: I love the friendship that you all have. I seriously don't think she would have made it through the Ted thing with out you all, or without Roger of course. I just love your husband Tanya, he is just a really great guy and I can't wait to sit down and talk with him later this week.</span><br />
<br />
Tanya: Thank you, he is a great guy! I am one lucky woman. You should see how great he is with the kids too, amazing father!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">Me: Are the two of you going to have anymore kids?</span><br />
<br />
Tanya: More than likely. I'm giving my body a long rest for now though. Having two kids back to back is ridiculous! I swear I don't think I will ever be able to fit back into a size seven!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">Me: Jenny, what about you? You seemed to be in no rush in LoaKC.</span><br />
<br />
Jenny: There is plenty of time for that later. I'm still up in the air about it though. It's not that I don't want any kids, but I don't really feel the <i>need</i> right now either.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">Me: I understand completely! Lets move on, I know that you two have someplace to be. Jenny, what were you thinking just signing Sarah up for the singles cruise contest without telling her?</span><br />
<br />
Jenny: She wasn't going to do it herself! I don't know I guess I just thought that it couldn't hurt, and after Ted. Well she needed the chance to get away for a while. I never dreamed that I would be sending her there to have to deal with a killer though! Gabriel was an unexpected, wonderful thing that came out of it in the end.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">Me: Both of you like Gabriel then?</span><br />
<br />
Jenny: Very much so! Everyone loves him.<br />
<br />
Tanya: Even Sarah's dad! Who seems pretty much indifferent to everyone.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">Me: What was your reaction when you found out that there was a killer on the ship with Sarah?</span><br />
<br />
Tanya: Oh, the time in between her calls was ridiculously long. I knew that she couldn't stay on the phone with us the whole time, but it was nerve racking waiting for the next call from her, or to hear from Roger that she had called him.<br />
<br />
Jenny: Yes! And then it got to the point that we hadn't heard from her in over thirty-six hours but the story was on the news that the ship was stuck at sea and they were talking about women being found dead. No names were ever said on the news so all we could do was just sit and wait, and wait. We didn't have Gabriel's last name or any way to try and contact him. I was bad.<br />
<br />
Tanya: We flew down and waited at the dock the day the ship came back in. Waiting there was the worst of it all I think. We had no clue if we were going to be hugging her or making plans to send her body home and have to make a call to her parents.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">Me: You all kept her parents out of the loop the whole time?</span><br />
<br />
Tanya: Oh, for sure!<br />
<br />
Jenny: Her Mom would have been too much of a nervous wreck. She didn't handle it well when she found out after Sarah was back. Sarah's father on the other hand would have been raising hell and trying to get the Navy or coast guard out there to get her.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">Me: Well I guess we should wrap it up, I would love to keep talking with you girls more but the novel is over and you guys have more living to do. Thanks for meeting me for coffee to talk, and thank you so much for being part of all this. I am going to miss you two! </span><br />
<br />
Jenny: Thank you! All of this has been so fun for us. We'll keep in contact with ya, don't worry!<br />
<br />
Tanya: We're going to go to the you-know-where now, to see the you-know-what!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">Me: Have fun and send me a photo or two!</span><br />
<br />
Jenny: Will do!!<br />
<br />
<br />
**************************************************************************<br />
<br />
There you go. My little interview with Tanya and Jenny.<br />
<br />
I loved writing this book for so many reasons. The characters that surrounded my M/C were a big part of it!<br />
<br />
I'll be back soon with another interview, this time it will be with my favorite secondary character of the novel, Roger. Until then make sure that you keep an eye out for some of the other stops on the Love on a Killer Cruise blog tour.<br />
<br />
In the mean time I will be working on my next project a little more and I promise to post like a crazy woman when LoaKC is live on Amazon and else where!<br />
<br />
TTYS<br />
~A<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Oh! And don't forget about the big giveaway on my FB page!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-39736495084486972882013-05-28T18:36:00.000-07:002013-05-28T21:45:37.799-07:00Love on a Killer Cruise Blog Tour and MORE!! Where to start! The past two weeks have flown by so fast.<br />
The blog tour came together easier than I thought that it would in the beginning and-I can't say thank you enough to all the great authors and bloggers that are hosting me, you all are so wonderful! <br />
<br />
So here it is!<br />
May 31th: I am sure that I will be here gushing about the fact that it is release day. <br />
June 1st: There will be a interview here with Sarah, the main character of Love on a Killer Cruise.<br />
June 2nd: Lori from <a href="http://lustypenguin.com/" target="_blank">Lusty Penguin Reviews</a> will be doing an Author Interview.<br />
June 3rd: I will back here having a chat with Tanya and Jenny, Sarah's two best friends.<br />
June 4th: I will be stopping for another Author Interview with<a href="http://coverboundbookie.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> Cover Bound Bookie.</a><br />
June 5th: A Review will be posted over at <a href="http://crystalsmanyreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Crystal's Many Reviews</a>.<br />
June 6th: There will be an Author Spotlight at <a href="http://www.cavanaughkc.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Cavanaugh Connection</a>.<br />
June 7th: I will be doing my first Guest Blog on <a href="http://rlkirk.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Author R.L. Kirk</a>'s Place.<br />
June 8th: I will be making a stop in at <a href="http://homevenn.com/" target="_blank">HomeVenn</a> for something special!<br />
June 9th: I will be back here, and Roger will be with me! (My favorite secondary character in LoaKC).<br />
June 10th: I will be back at <a href="http://lustypenguin.com/" target="_blank">Lusty Penguin Reviews</a> for another guest blog!<br />
<br />
After that, it will be time to dive back into the next project-which you will hear a little bit about during the tour. <br />
<br />
I hope you all stop by theses wondrous lady's blogs as well as find them on Facebook and showing them some love with a like! <br />
<br />
Friday night there will be a Release Party going on Facebook! ( <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/189797537843769/">https://www.facebook.com/events/189797537843769/</a> ) I have some fun games lined up, and a bunch of great prizes to be won! Including a Pandora Charm if I have 100 or more attending the event! Come on over and join, don't miss your chance to win some great stuff! <br />
<br />
Oh, also! Starting June 1st there will be a HUGE rafflecopter going up at my FB Author Page that will run for a month so you won't want to miss that!<br />
<br />
<br />
And,<br />
I guess while I am here.....<br />
I should show you the cover for Love on a Killer Cruise!<br />
<br />
Ready!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKCg-UBUoLwsA3v2K2jIbhyphenhyphenFG7iEjaMBe6BC3vJUlniX0SKqmEU7cwT4kN8W29RULWECmSPt581kCqXDMV-JTb72f9Eahl-jdXTP8G4Ut7izgufFkjogFauEItW-YlDCoqIirK5ebU5so/s1600/LoveKillerCruise1(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKCg-UBUoLwsA3v2K2jIbhyphenhyphenFG7iEjaMBe6BC3vJUlniX0SKqmEU7cwT4kN8W29RULWECmSPt581kCqXDMV-JTb72f9Eahl-jdXTP8G4Ut7izgufFkjogFauEItW-YlDCoqIirK5ebU5so/s640/LoveKillerCruise1(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Well! Do you love it or what?<br />
<br />
A big thank you to Jamie for taking my little idea to a whole new level!!!<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-25406067116486171452013-05-21T08:12:00.000-07:002013-05-28T18:15:52.537-07:00Love on a Killer Cruise Release and Blog Tour NewsHello! It's me again, the Author that never seems to blog (but keeps promising to do it more - Fail!!)<br />
<br />
Sorry for the long break, but if you have been keeping tabs on me through my author/facebook page you probable know why I was absent for so long. I was extremely unmotivated after the loss of my father in late February. But! I have been working hard this last month to get Love on a Killer Cruise done and I am glad to say that I am on the home stretch!<br />
The cover release will be happening on the 23rd of May, and the book will released on the 31st.<br />
<br />
I am currently trying to set up a blog tour and make sure that I have the ARC's / Reviewers lined up.<br />
As well as plan some fun stuff for a on-line release party with great giveaways.<br />
<br />
Blog Tour Dates so far are:<br />
May 23th, cover reveal - Here, The Mystical World of Book Reviews, and Novel Words by Jessica<br />
<br />
May 30th, I will be giving a sneak peek into LoaKC by doing an Interview with one of the Characters of the novel.<br />
May 31st, of course I will be posting here because it is release day! As well as posting a Raffelcopter that will run for about a month.<br />
June 1st - 5th, details to come. (If you want to try and grab a day on your blog, please send me an email at A.Busch2011(at)ymail(dot)com and we will see what we can do!<br />
June 6th, I will be here with another Character interview for you!<br />
June 7th- 9th, are also "details to come" dates!<br />
<br />
I hope to have the what and where list carved in stone very soon so that I can share it with you, including links to the blogs.<br />
For now it is back to work!<br />
Hope that you are all as excited as I am!<br />
~AAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-14404399592138990902013-03-30T08:01:00.001-07:002013-03-30T08:01:29.590-07:00My BIG Birthday giveaway!You may have seen this on my Author page on Facebook, but just in case you didn't!!<br />
<br />
<span class="userContent">My birthday is next month.... and I
will be 29 again!! Yay! David (the husband) asked what I would like for
my birthday. I had to think about that for a little while. Now you are
asking, what did she want, right? I want Reviews I will be doing TWO
rafflecopters so you get to enjoy they birthday spoils as well! One will
be for Reviews of Tempting Fate, and the other will start as soon as <span class="text_exposed_show">Love
on a Killer Cruise is up. Each will run for 3 weeks. The first for
Tempting Fate and the second for LoaKC. For every review you leave -
Amazon, GoodReads, B&N, ect. you will get 2 entries. What will you
win you ask? The winner of both will get their choice of a $25 Amazon or
B&N gift card! Is that a great gift for my birthday or what!! ♥</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="userContent">And now the first of the two BIG Birthday giveaway's are live!! If you have read <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=202296253134363&extragetparams=%7B%22group_id%22%3A0%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/TFNovel?group_id=0">Tempting Fate</a>,
leave a review on Amazon, GoodReads, or even B&N, and enter the
Rafflecopter on this page for your chance to win a $25 gift card from
Amazon or B&N, winners choice! </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span class="userContent">You can find the Rafflecopter here - <a href="http://bit.ly/Xoz4uL">http://bit.ly/Xoz4uL</a> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /></span></span>
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">Good luck! I can't wait to read some new Reviews!</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-15912182818648995042013-02-05T16:02:00.001-08:002013-02-05T16:02:11.414-08:00Tempting Fate's New Cover is here!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I would like to give a BIG THANK YOU to the wonderful Jamie Cooper from
www.youngmulah.com for taking my simple little idea and making it into a
beautiful new Cover for Tempting Fate. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYNcFia5l0NuQc40hpZVnzgvOd06ev31j62va2SMXC3JF1BgC7D5F0blERbIp2i4PHESqQByUMP4Gtm3vehbNiq9o8A99BioXU9HVmpGvcCwBsqsXKnVawjYOnwC6OCMF5qfKTIuqJyk/s1600/Picture+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYNcFia5l0NuQc40hpZVnzgvOd06ev31j62va2SMXC3JF1BgC7D5F0blERbIp2i4PHESqQByUMP4Gtm3vehbNiq9o8A99BioXU9HVmpGvcCwBsqsXKnVawjYOnwC6OCMF5qfKTIuqJyk/s640/Picture+3.png" width="398" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
I love it SO VERY MUCH!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And I hope that you do too!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It will soon be available in all eReader stores and a New Paperback edition will be out soon as well. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
~A</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-5175124345325914842013-01-21T10:01:00.000-08:002013-01-21T10:01:41.836-08:00Crunch, Crunch, Crunch.... <style><!--
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
As in a time crunch… </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know you are reading this and you are like – WOW, she
ACTUALLY posted a new blog! Just don’t faint, kay! I need to blog more; I just find that when I have the time
to sit and write, I want to work on writing my books. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
BUT, I always hear that if you want to keep your viewers on
your blog and don’t want to be forgotten you must blog often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one question I always ask myself
“What the hell am I going to blog about?” I really didn’t read a lot of blogs
until I started writing this one. But this is my writing blog, this is not the
place for me to post funny parenting stories, my adventures in caning – which I
love to do every chance I get! Nor is it the place to post about my political
opinions or some religious stance/rant. If I thought that this was the place to
post about that, I would have something to tell you daily. Especially if I was
posting about the kids!! Which 7/8 of my life revolves around.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As out-going as I am in real life, I’m kind of shy when it comes
to being out there as an Author. This is something I have on my 2013 author
to-do list. I have set some goals for myself for 2013 and I plan to make it
happen. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So what are these goals, you ask? (At least I would like to
think that you were thinking that, so just go along with it.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>Do at least 3 author interviews</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>Have some guest bloggers</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>Do some guest blogging (About what, I have no clue! I can
hardly think of things to tell you about here!)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
4)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>Do a character interview or two for this blog, maybe another
somewhere else.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
5)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>Try to do 5 book signing’s or author fairs in the area.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
6)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>Find and enter a one of my books into a contest.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
7)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>Look into getting a booth at a Convention, preferably a
romance one but we shall see.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
8)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>After Love on a Killer Cruise, get at least 3 of the books for
my new series out. (The Seven Saviors Series)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
9)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span>Post on my FB author page more often, again this is another
one that I have a hard time with. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Lots to do, and hey lots to blog
about also! (-:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Back to the time crunch issue:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
I have been working go get TF a
new cover and I have been flip flopping on it. It’s not that I can’t decide I
just want it perfect. I find something I love, and a week later I only like it
and want better, then I do something different and I love it, and then… You get
the idea, lol.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
I have been working to make the
ideas for the cover of Love on a Killer Cruise just what I want as well.
Surprisingly that for me was more about Font and positioning of the title and
such more than anything.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
I have three kids, and some days they are such demanding
little creatures, but they come first. (Seriously I have been interrupted 4 times already while writing just this much, and I am not done yet...)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Writing is what I love to do, and it’s
my “me” time. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Love on a Killer Cruise has about
12 days to be done so that I can start editing, which I will have about 8 days
to do before it goes out to some Beta readers for feed back. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
The cover, at least front cover,
will be released on Feb. 16<sup>th</sup>. Plus the Full cover for print has to be perfected and almost perfect. It has to be perfect/ done by the time I release it at the end of march</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
By March 2<sup>nd</sup> all the
input from beta readers will have been taken and any final editing must be done
so that I can get ARC copies out to a list Reviewers, which I am also in the
middle of compiling right now. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Love on a Killer Cruise will be
released on the 23<sup>rd</sup> of March, SO that means that I have to start
trying to get it into, and approved, by Amazon and Smaswords on or around the
19<sup>th</sup>, because sometimes it takes time to get it in just the right
format. That is a battle that I hope will be easier than it was with Tempting
Fate! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Not to mention the fun of doing the "Print version" format and getting that approved! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Then it is right into The Seven
Saviors Series, which will be more of a YA/ New Adult fantasy Series of 6
books. Those covers are being worked on by a fabulous friend and artist, and I
can’t wait to see what she comes up with from my ideas and character profiles! I want to get out the
first three of them this year as they are going to be shorter (about 30 or 40
thousand words each).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
So I have around a month to lay
the groundwork in so many ways for the next book to come out and a to-do list
on my computer that I keep adding to instead of checking things off of. All of
this on top of the 24 hour a day job of Mommy/ Wife/ Cook/ Cleaner… you get the
idea. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Wish me luck and I hope that you
are looking forward to the new book coming out. Writing a romance novel that
has a mystery story intertwined in the second half has been fun! I have all my
fingers and toes crossed that you love reading it as much as I have loved writing
it! </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-37851921046863884762012-09-26T11:33:00.001-07:002012-09-26T11:33:06.334-07:00Love on a Killer Cruise ~ TEASER!!A little teaser for you all from one of Sarah's dates. As it turns out not every date could be really bad.<br />
<br />
*Unedited!<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
“So, Tanya told me that you didn’t
want to know anything about me before the date. I’m curious, why is that?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
“I know Tanya too well, in less
than ten minutes she will talk you up to the point I would expect to see you on
the cover of some GQ magazine as well as published in a medical journal or
something like that. She likes to talk things up sometimes, especially if there
is a certain outcome that she wants.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
He gave me a smile that made me
want to lean over the table and bite his lip softly. “GQ? Really? I think I
would look better on the cover of a romance novel if you ask me.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
Romance novel huh? Makes me wonder
what Tanya had told him about me. “Maybe. So tell me Eric when you are not
spending your time inspiring to be on the cover of a romance novel, which I
would love to know what kind of romance it would be by the way, what do you
do?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
His laugh was deep and rich
sounding. “Um. Let’s see, any of subgenres would be fine with me, but nothing
with S&M in it. I was thinking of more of one with a girl with wind blown
hair in my arms and my shirt hanging open, more that one with me in a pair of
black leather shorts with a gag ball in my mouth.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
Funny, I like that. “Well then, no
gag ball it is, but I think you should rethink the black leather shorts could
be a good luck on you. A great look if you have nice tight, rounded… rear end
to fill them with.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
He leaned on the table and looked
at me as he took a drink. “If you are asking about my backside you could just
reach over and touch it. Just so you know though, turn about is fair play; you
grab mine and I will have no other option that to give yours a little squeeze.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
If I thought it was hot in this
little coffee shop before it was even hotter now. I was felling something that
I hadn’t in a long time. It was putting a smile on my face and making me tingle
inside. Maybe I should have ordered and iced coffee and not the hot latte. I
needed a cold shower or to bring this conversation back down a few notches. <style><!--
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
“To answer the other question I
work construction. Nothing fancy, but I like it. You?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
“I work for a publishing company.
I get to sit and read all day. It’s fun to get a sneak peak at books that will
come out as well as read some things that most people never see.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
“You like to read a lot then I
take it. I do as well.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
We sat there talking for over an
hour. It was easy and extremely flirtatious at times. We had a lot in common,
from music to movies and television shows.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
“So have a I passed the test?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
I looked at him confused for a
second before I asked, “And what test is that?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
“The one to see if you liked me
enough for a real date. I’m guessing that coffee was just to make sure that you
were not wasting your time with me tonight. It was good move on your part and I
will tell you that I was thinking that there is a Jazz bar that is not to far
that you would enjoy. They have some great drinks. Wanna take a ride with me
and have a drink and a dance or two.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
“Sounds good. Your car or mine?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
He stood up and took my hand into
his. “Mine.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
We were at the Jazz club with a
drink in hand twenty minutes later. The music was sexy and filling the air
around us with an electrical charge. I finished my third martini before he was
able to convince me to go out onto the dance floor with him. He held me close
as we danced and his moves were perfect. After an hour of dancing, laughing, and
a couple more drinks we could not keep our hands off each other. He gave a wink
and bowed his head toward the door. I bit my lip for a second and then grabbed
my purse and his hand leading the way out the front doors and into the night
air. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
We were just a few feet from the
car when he pulled me in close and kissed me. I leaned into him felt that spark
that comes with a first kiss. Every other kiss with a man might have a spark,
especially when you are in love with them, but it is never like the first one.
Sharp and warm, thick with something that could never be described with words.
That first taste, so intoxicating it makes you forget everything around you and
every fear you have ever had. It comes with a want and a need that takes over
everything. It was long and genital, full of a kind of passion I had not felt
in so long that it almost made a tear come to my eye.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
He pulled away slowly but I wasn’t
ready for that first kiss feeling to end so I moaned and bit his lip a little.
Then the kiss was hot and heavy. One of his hands was in my hair and then his
mouth was on my neck and he was nibbling and caressing me with his tongue. I
was ready to rip his pants off right there in the parking lot. I only snapped
out of it when I couple guys got out of a car close by and laughed telling us
to. “Get a room.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
He started laughing and pulled
away slightly. “I guess we should take this to a more private place.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
“Your place or mine?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
“Mine. You are going to be mine,
very soon.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
Yes I was, I really hoped that he
lived close by.</div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Once we were in the car he kissed me again as
he buckled my seat belt around me. He slipped in a caress to my breast as he did
it, making several small soft circles. Once we were out of the parking lot he
started touching my leg, caressing it higher and higher each time. My skin was
on fire and all I wanted more of his touch. Every inch higher he went was not
high enough.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">AND thats all you get for now! Bwa ha ha ha! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Hope you enjoyed it! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">~A </span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-38595640090735850482012-09-18T07:54:00.000-07:002012-09-18T07:54:27.449-07:00Always Learning... <style><!--
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
When it comes to being a self-published Author there always
seems to be more learning to do. I decided to self publish in January; by March
I was sure I knew everything there was to know about it. Not the case at all. I
had no clue about a lot of things; and here it is six months later and I am
still learning new things every day. Some days my head hurts and I spend more
time doing research than I do marketing my book or writing, and other days I do
more marketing than writing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was sure I could do almost everything myself on a budget
of zero dollars, and then money would come pouring in!! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha,
NO! First off let me say this, I am a writer, not an editor or a perfect
grammar girl or a grand master of the English language. I am also a typo queen
so an editor was a must have, and I lucked out with that one. I have a story
(or two, or four, or maybe more) in my head that I want to get out there into
the world for people to read and enjoy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I never thought about looking for an agent and/ or sending
it in to any publishing companies, mostly because I felt that it was better to
go the solo route. (And maybe slightly because I didn’t want to even think of a
rejection letter.) I spent hours looking things up online about HOW TO do it
yourself from begging to end… and then I got TF back from my editor and I did
edits, formatted to a tee, and bam I was off and running. Put it up on
Smashword, then Amazon, then Creatspace. Boom - I have a book!! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wrote TF in 2008 in about 7 months, then I set it aside
for three more months before I started going over it again, changing this and
that, looking grammar things up online, and adding a scene or two. And then I
did it again, and again. I thought I had gone through it with a fine-toothed comb
before I even decided to put it up on Wattpad in early 2011. I had started
reading a few fan-fic things (Twilight! <3 ) on there and I loved the idea
of putting this book I had written and done nothing with out there. (BTW- If
you want the best Twilight fan-fic continuation go to <a href="http://bellasdiary.com/">bellasdiary.com</a> and read
Bella’s diary!)</div>
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So I signed up for an account and went for it. Chapter by
chapter I went over it again and again before I sent it to an old friend from
high school that would edit for me. It took a long time to get the story up
(because I became pregnant… and so did my editor!). By the time I was five
chapters away from the end I was getting very discouraged, I was not getting
the reads I wanted, or votes, or any kind of feed back at all. Then I stared digging
because I wanted to know why. Most of the things that I had read on there were
fan-fic as I said and I was discovering that this was really what the people
there wanted to read. It was in no way where my audience was at all. And you
don’t even what to know the few romances I tried to read… people typed it out
in “text” talk!! Now I like I said I am no grammar girl but that bugs me to no
end. (Big shocker – I hate texting!!!!) </div>
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With this “revelation” I started thinking. I told a friend
to do it and then someone said -why don’t you do it? It clicked, why don’t I!!
I decided to finish TF on wattpad, leave up the last chapter for about a week
(just incase there was someone I didn’t know was reading it that would want to
know the end). The one big change I mad from Wattpad to publishing was the
ending. I took over three thousand words off the end and changed it into the
prolog, that was from a way different POV. Than I read over it again (for time
number… twenty or so) and printed it out to physically give to my dear editor
friend for all her finally notes. Reading it over and over was a HUGE mistake.
I knew the book word for word in my sleep. The problem with this was that I
knew what it SHOULD say, not what it did say. If there was a missing word or a
misspelled word my mind saw it there or read it correctly. Never again will I
write a book and read it that many times. I’ll read it after I am done, then
give it to my husband to look over, then my mother, then maybe read it one last
time – big maybe there; and THEN I will send it for the edit.</div>
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When I created the cover, way back in wattpad days, I spent
hours looking on-line for free images that I didn’t have to pay to get and that
fit what I wanted for the first impression then I found a photo of a statue of
Romeo and Juliet somewhere in… Brooklyn maybe, anyway I popped that baby into
Photo bucket and played with it for hours and hours. It was fun; I never really
played with editing photos before that. Now I do it way too much. Then I had
this blueprint style looking cover with this crazy and romantic looking font on
it for the title and my name. I was pleased as punch and now I look back on it
and think that it is awful!!!</div>
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When I knew I was really going to do it (self- publish) I
sat down a mapped out these elaborate ideas of what I wanted it to be now. It
needed to look professional and eye catching, romantic and beautiful. Then I
was back on the web looking for the pieces I needed to put it together. Nothing
is all I found. Then that wonderful person who said to “just do it” with the
publishing said, “Why don’t you find a photographer and then put out an add on
craigslist for the type of models you want. The photographer gets their name in
the book – publicity, and the models will get the prints for their portfolio.
You get what you want exactly.” Well the minuet they said it I knew who the
photographer would be, she is a close friend and has done photos of my family
as well as being around at family functions/ weddings. To top it off I knew who
I wanted my cover model to be, I had met her several times and she reminded me
looks wise of what I thought Abby looked like in college, but I needed a guy.
So I asked if she would do it and if she knew a guy. Two weeks later we had a
photo shoot. Thirty minutes later I had over one hundred photos to choose from
that were different angles and lighting. I was almost overwhelmed with them
all. </div>
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After narrowing it down to three I loaded them into my dear
friend photo bucket again and started playing with fonts. Not here is where I
would like to add that I read a lot of romance, well not so much anymore – with
three kids, a husband, a house, writing, and marketing there is little time, I
knew what caught my eye in the store. I knew what style of fonts were used for
them – girly, yet bold and not so frilly you really had to look to read it. By
the next day I had it and I was in love with it. I showed it to a few friends
and they thought it was sharp also, so it was a go. </div>
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Then I showed it to my writing group, and I must say they
are a great group of established self-published authors that had done it and
seen it all. If I have any question about that area they are the place to go.
I’m not going to lie – they were not impressed. They hated the lighting of it
and how blonde my girl was. They hated that I used a “real” photo for it. Over
all they thought I should chuck it and that my title should be big and bold
along with my name. If it was only a thumbnail you should still be able to read
it. I was sticking to my guns with the photo, it was what I wanted and it said
what I wanted it to – young love with an angelic glow about it, that made you
think of being in love for the first time walking through a park on a big sunny
day and having him stop to pull you close and do something as innocent and
simple as kissing you on the forehead. I remember those days and I am sure you
do too! Anyway, I could see what they were saying about the bigger and bolder
title and name. It made complete sense to me; I have seen those Nora Roberts
novels that need nothing more than her name and a title on a pretty color. I
would love to look like a big “somebody”… but I’m not… yet…lol. </div>
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I knew that I really had no interest in covering my photo
with huge letters… wouldn’t that take away the “feeling” of fist love? So I
decided that I would pull in another element of the book that is close to my
heart and add a border of purple roses. Big bold letter and I was done.</div>
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Fast forward to about a month and a half ago, all great
reviews!! The reviews were coming in slower than I thought but I also know how
busy these girls are. Self-published authors would die with out them!! (And you
make some great friends meeting them!)</div>
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Currently on top of being Mommy to three (my number one
job), wife, house taker carer ofer, trying to market/get TF out there, and do
research to learn more things… I try to find time to write (and maybe even
breath and do something with friends, or even read- more than a children’s
book).</div>
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So here I find myself trying to multitask and working to make
myself a better self-published author. A new cover, one that is more like I
wanted from the beginning, is in the works. The process is going slower than I
would like, mostly because there has been a blockage from getting the original
photo at the right level of pixilation to the person who is going to put it
together for me. Although I am trying to be patient … it’s hard. I have gotten
out a much better digital edition of TF and as soon as the cover is complete I
will get to make a new actual book. A better and more beautiful version. </div>
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And I will continue to learn more and more, making the next
novel and any that come after it better than the last.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-70888897946507434192012-08-15T09:46:00.002-07:002012-08-15T09:46:48.411-07:00Love on a killer Cruise Giveaway WinnersI really enjoyed doing my first big giveaway, and I am really excited to announce the winners!<br />
I have been having as much fun writing Love on a Killer Cruise as I had with Tempting Fate.<br />
The string of bad dates have been very fun to come up with!<br />
<br />
Well I guess I should get to telling you the winners and quite piddeling around. I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone that entered and those that shared it on FB.<br />
<br />
I spent a lot of time thinking about the bad dates that were posted and which one would fit into Sarah's story the best, and I have to say that it was hard to choose just one.<br />
<br />
The<u><i><b> BIG</b></i><i><b> WINNER</b></i></u> of a signed 1st edition Paper back of Tempting Fate, a TF bookmark, and Necklace (Along with an eCopy of LoaKC when it is released) is <span style="color: purple;"><i style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Rea Higgin</b></i><span style="color: black;">! It was a very, very bad date and I look forward to adding it into the book!</span></span> <br />
<br />
The rest of the entries were numbered and I used Random.org to pick<br />
<br />
The TWO winners of the eCopy of Tempting Fate (as picked by Random.org) are:<br />
<div style="color: #cc0000;">
<b><i>1) Amanda Phillips</i></b></div>
<div style="color: #cc0000;">
<b><i>2) Beth Fullaway</i></b></div>
<br />
The THREE winners of a Tempting Fate bookmark (as picked by Randon.org) are:<br />
<div style="color: #cc0000;">
<b><i>1) Georgia</i></b></div>
<div style="color: #cc0000;">
<b><i>2) Dawn Hagan</i></b></div>
<div style="color: #cc0000;">
<b><i>3) Christina Ireland</i></b></div>
<br />
Congratulations to all the winners!! I will be contacting you very soon.<br />
<br />
~~ A<br />
<br />
(Unfortunately )-: there was not 15 entries so you will all have to wait for the cover of Love on a Killer Cruise!) Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-81156709094498714622012-07-23T09:09:00.000-07:002012-08-07T14:23:32.898-07:00Contest for ~~ Love on a Killer Cruise!Hello everyone!!!<br />
First off I would like to say thank you to everyone who has purchased, reviewed and supported me with my first novel Tempting Fate. You have all helped to make my dream of being an Author come true and it has made me so very happy.<br />
I have big plans for my next novel, Love on a Killer Cruise, and I am hoping to have it out in late September or early October. As part of my big plans I want to include you! So I have come up with a contest.<br />
First I bet you would like to find out a little more about the next novel. So.....<br />
<br />
Love on a Killer Cruise<br />
Synopsis:<br />
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Happy Birthday to Sarah! Turning
twenty-six and divorcing Brandon – her high school sweetheart – on the same
day. With all of her plans for the future out the window, she tries her best to
be content in a small apartment with her two cats.</div>
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Five months go by and her best
friends, Tanya and Jenny, start setting her up on blind dates. After enough bad
experiences Sarah refuses to let either of them pick a man for her again. When
Jenny sees an ad from a local travel agency – a chance to win a ten-day trip on
a single’s cruise – without thinking, or asking, she enters Sarah's name. Now
Sarah is the winner of something she doesn’t want. With an enormous amount of
pressure from her friends to go and nothing to lose, she packs her bags.</div>
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After dinner and a few too many
drinks Sarah lets a handsome man named Gabriel into her bed; and soon she is
falling for him. The next day two women are found dead on the ship, but both
deaths are made to look accidental. Sarah is consumed by the new romance with Gabriel
and not too worried – until she discovers a third woman, and it is definitely
no accident.</div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> The bodies are piling up and the ship is not
moving – broken-down in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Every time a woman is
murdered Gabriel’s whereabouts are in question. Sarah finds herself hopelessly
lost at sea with a killer. Could it be the man she has fallen madly in love
with? Could she be the next to die?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Now, let me tell you about the contest. As you read in the synopsis Sarah is going to have a string of really bad first/ blind dates. I want you to tell me about your worst first, or blind date. I will pick one and it will be included in Love on a Killer Cruise. </span><br />
<br />
<u><i><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">So here is what you have to do to enter:</span></b></i></u><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> Like my Author page on Facebook ( <a href="http://www.facebook.com/AuthorANBusch">http://www.facebook.com/AuthorANBusch</a> ) and just leave your name in the comments section below (here on the blog), along with your bad date story and your email address. </span><br />
<br />
<u><i><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">What will you win you ask, well...</span></b></i></u><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> One story will be chosen to be part of the book, that person will receive</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> - A first edition paperback copy of Tempting Fate that is signed by not only myself but also the editor, both cover models and the photographer that took the photo (1 of only 5 that exist). You will also get a Tempting Fate bookmark and a beautiful necklace. When Love on a Killer Cruise is released you will receive a free eCopy of it also!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eH0_V0xb9a_LaKWFlRE1rru39QEbkSWbz19Hcsq8Fk6CCIdg0WUAtvCu7quoAOQ22znj4i8eMVHgwrT8MTCNosAhsHj93SV3ZV3GQnB6w2eobEDvD48ODi9Bf870Vf3B_mQEgVYEAz0/s1600/LoaKCGA815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eH0_V0xb9a_LaKWFlRE1rru39QEbkSWbz19Hcsq8Fk6CCIdg0WUAtvCu7quoAOQ22znj4i8eMVHgwrT8MTCNosAhsHj93SV3ZV3GQnB6w2eobEDvD48ODi9Bf870Vf3B_mQEgVYEAz0/s400/LoaKCGA815.jpg" width="337" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> --Two people will be chosen at random to win a eCopy of Tempting Fate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> --Three more will be chosen at random to receive a Tempting Fate bookmark.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> All six winner will receive a nice Love on a Killer Cruise surprise at the release of the novel!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">I will announce the winners on the 15th of August!! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Good luck to everyone that enters!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">~~A </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-30223736648810794402012-07-10T20:41:00.000-07:002012-07-10T20:41:08.631-07:00My first book review: Island Shifters: Book One by Valerie ZambitoHello everyone!!<br />
<br />
In the beginning of June I was luck enough to win a signed paperback copy of <b><i>Island Shifters: Book One, An Oath of the Blood</i></b> by Valerie Zambito. First off let me say this .... I rarely win ANYTHING!! Maybe once a year, <i>maybe</i>. lol<br />
Excitement over winning something aside... I <i>loved</i> this book so much that I wanted to post a review of it!<br />
<br />
So, with that being said......<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTlOw3eZqgHBOtB8CdGiqN7cXaCqa0F4culxjH0hy6O71lO0YsTKWPRXkkAlzZSNQxALndd-5zSq7U3FtheKG_lv020ZK6kbPdw3kp-CasD7IptiSo3aI1BtRdPcAvNAIu2j6zCRsjx-w/s1600/304888_213201528740303_343128886_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTlOw3eZqgHBOtB8CdGiqN7cXaCqa0F4culxjH0hy6O71lO0YsTKWPRXkkAlzZSNQxALndd-5zSq7U3FtheKG_lv020ZK6kbPdw3kp-CasD7IptiSo3aI1BtRdPcAvNAIu2j6zCRsjx-w/s400/304888_213201528740303_343128886_n.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<br />
<br />
Synopsis:<br />
In the aftermath of the destruction of the exiled Kingdom of Pyrann, four young but powerful shifters ans a Draca Cat must travel back to the lands from which they were banished with news of an invasion. Born with magical prowess none has seen in over three hundred years, the surviving shifters become pivotal in a war against evil siblings Adrian and Avalon Ravener and their aberrant army.<br />
<br />
In a race against time to save a people they hardly know-- but are sworn to protect-- the journey extracts a terrible price from Beck, Kiernan, Rogan, Arrion and Bajan as they battle demons, both real and personal, to save the Island of Massa.<br />
<br />
Prophecy dictates that one will not survive the upcoming battle, but a centuries-old vow courses through their veins and resolve flows through their hearts. Whatever the chances, the shifters will fight.<br />
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The blood oath will have it no other way.<br />
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<br />
My Review:<br />
<i><b>5 STARS!</b></i><br />
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It has been a very long time since I have read a fantasy
book such as this. For a long time I gave up reading this kind of books because they all were becoming the same to me. Island Shifters was anything but just another shifter story-- And it was AWESOME!! The relationship between the charters
was wonderful. Each of them had a quality or a part of their personality that I could in some way relate to. Sometimes I know where a book is going and I have to say that
this did not happen to me once, every time I thought I knew what was going to
happen it didn’t and I was shocked. Island Shifters had a little bit of
everything from action to romance and everything in between all rolled into a
wonderful plot line. For last couple chapters I honestly had no clue how it was going to end, and that for me, was great!! When I got to the end all I could think about is that I
have to have the next book!!! I really really enjoyed this book, and look
forward to reading <b><i>Island Shifter: Book Two, An Oath of the Mage</i></b> and more from this amazing author in the future!!</div>
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About the Author:</div>
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Valerie Zambito is a graduate of Alfred State College and lives in</div>
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upstate New York with her husband and three children. A great love of world</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
buildings, charters creation and all things magic, have led to </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
her first novel, <i>Island Shifters, An Oath of the Blood</i>. </div>
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Valerie's website</div>
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<a href="http://www.valeriezambito.com/" itemprop="url" target="_blank">http://www.valeriezambito.com</a></div>
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Find her on Facebook:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Valerie-Zambito-Author-Page/207290402664749</div>
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<br /></div>
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Author Page on Good Reads:</div>
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http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5281726.Valerie_Zambito</div>
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<br /></div>
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Twitter:</div>
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@<a href="http://www.twitter.com/vzambito" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vzambito</a></div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-68396788017010924352012-06-22T11:30:00.002-07:002012-06-22T11:30:43.666-07:00Self-Published Authors ~ Author Karma! <style>
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There are SO MANY things I didn’t know about before I
started down the road to self-publication. Research I did along the way was…
good and bad. There are things I wish I knew right from the start and some
things that if I had run across sooner it would have saved me a lot of
aggravation. On top of all that, there were some things that I found the “DO
THIS”… just because you should; with no – how to, for this reason, or even a
why. Some of those things I did, because they came from an “established” author
and I figured they new best. Right? Later I found out some of the things that
were a “do this”… were not for me. They just did not fit, or I learned more
after the fact.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Then there were the things that No one tells you…. You just
have to kind of discover it on your own. Or its there and you – just don’t talk
about it. It is like someone giving you the good and the bad… and letting you
find your own ugly. Not fun! So I am going to try and do a few posts that are
honest. Things that I think some people should know, and that are also things I
never read about or heard about. Then all I can do is pray that the people that
need to see some of them, before they walk down this ever growing road that is
self-pubbing, will get to see them and learn more than I did, sooner than I
did.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Today indie authors, such as myself, are booming. The number
of self-published authors grows bigger and bigger every day. There are a
million reasons why it is becoming the more popular way to go, but I am not
going to get into those. All I know is why I did it; I wanted full control of
my work. </div>
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Going the route of not having a publishing house, large or
medium, is a LOT of work. I can honestly say this was the one thing that I
never realized. I was so excited when the book came out. I had a page already
on Facebook and I was posting to my personal page. Then I spent hours upon
hours gathering data and making a spreadsheet of all the places I could find to
do book reviews and all the info I needed for those sites/ blogs/ reviews. (I will
get into that another time.)</div>
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<br /></div>
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The biggest thing I missed was ramping up my “Author Karma”
before my book was released. My brain was wrapped around my own book and everything I needed to learn and do to publish it, not
making friends and supporting other hard working authors. Supporting others in
any craft is very important, especially indie authors. We spends hours being
our own press, marketing team, and an over all cheerleader for ourselves.
Having admins that help you with you Fb pages, your twitters, and other things
are great- if you have them, but you still have to have both your own hands in
it for a couple hours a day at the very least. Your fans want to hear from you,
to get to know you. </div>
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Something that you need to make a big effort at doing is
supporting other indie authors. If you have not learned from your own
experience by now… we work our butts off. Not because we want to be famous
writers, thought that would be great, we do it because we love it. Another post
I want to so soon will be called “The Many Roles of Aimee- A day in the life of
an Author.” Being a stay at home Mom, Author, press team…I am not going to keep
going, I think you can see what I mean. It can be a lot to balance!</div>
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Okay so, I know, you are sitting there and saying, “This is
great, I will do this… but you are not telling me any thing about HOW to do this.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, here are a few ways:</div>
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<br /></div>
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If you have a face book page that you are using look around
for other authors pages. “Like” them, say hi on their page. Let them know you
stopped by because you are new and you like the… cover of the book lets say. Be
personable, net-work it!!! Do some shout outs from time to time by tagging
other authors or their books in your status. This will let your fans see
authors you are a fan of as well as let others see your page.</div>
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Look for contests on FB, blogs, or author / small publishing house websites. Heck some time you can even find websites that are just dedicated to talking about a certain genera. You just have to look for them, (and it could not hurt to take the time to make yourself a little list or spreadsheet of them along the way for reference) Enter them, let your fans
know about them and have a chance to win something.</div>
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If you see a great review of a book, share it with your fans
if you are excited to read it and are putting it on your To-Read list. </div>
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Find other indie authors and buy/ read their books, let them
know that you loved them, if you did and let your fans and friends also know
that you loved their work as well. There are a LOT of great indie authors out
there! </div>
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<br /></div>
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We need to support each other and the craft that we all
love. Right now we rule the publishing games, but only because there are so
many of us. One can only wonder if or when the really big publishing companies
are going to find a way to take back over the world of books and make it harder
for indie authors of all genera. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Take the time for a book you love to write a review of it,
on Fb, or your blog if you have one, or even on Good Reads. (NOTE: If you do it
on your blog and reviewing is not something you want to get into, then just let
your fans know- “I don’t really do this to often, but this book is just so good
I have to tell you why I loved it.”)</div>
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I will not lie to anyone I have bumped into authors who, in
no way, want to help other authors, especially if you only have one book out.
For some you need to have established a “status” so to say, to get their
attention. No big, move on, no need to feel heart break… that will be their
author karma in the end. I have also seen authors that have great author karma…
in their genera, helpful if you are writing the same things as they are. But if
not, again, no sweat off your back. Put that good author karma out there and it
will come back to you. And then there are the some great authors out there that
will love your work and in just a short time become one of the greatest friends
you can have as well as a great person for your own personal “Team Me-Author.”
You might even meet an experienced author that will take you under their wing
and help you in so many ways that all you can do is one day pay it forward and
help out a new up and coming yourself.</div>
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I write contemporary romance… and some day I might throw in
a mystery romance, or something else, who knows. BUT that does not mean that if
I found a YA fantasy book that struck me (And I have! – that is another post
though I guess) that I would not tell them about it. Because- most people read
more than one genera of books, I know I do; and also because – a good book, is
a good book, period!</div>
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So, make friends in the author community, support the other
indie authors, like you they do not have all the perks of a big house. Even if
they do not write in the same genera that you do, it is good for your author
karma. And really is there such a thing as too much good karma? No way!</div>
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Another reason to find some new author friend(s) is simple-
we “author people”… are <i>Crazy</i><span style="font-style: normal;">, but in
a good way of course! We need other authors in our lives! No one will
understand your crazy thoughts better then they will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if, as I said before, it is not the same genera it will
be easier to talk about ten different ways to kill a man in your novel to them;
than it will be to talk to your neighbor who is out weeding his or her garden
in the afternoon and only half paying attention to you. They may wonder if you are really plotting to kill someone
named John and give an anonymous tip to the police. </span></div>
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<span style="font-style: normal;">“No officer, I swear, I
have no intention of REALLY killing a man named John by distracting him so that
he falls into an empty elevator shaft and plummets to his death twelve stories
below.” </span></div>
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Have a great day. </div>
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~A</div>
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If you are a reader- Happy reading, whatever is in you hands. And if you are a writer- Happy writing! </div>
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<br /></div>
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On a side note: Writing is going on The 72<sup>nd</sup>
November, slow but it is going. I have been working on another novel as well
here and there. When it calls out to me more than T72N, that one is yet to
be named. And have written the outline for two other Romance
novels. Now I just have to get to writing all theses stories in my head!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(-:</div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-14863596682163149422012-05-31T07:34:00.003-07:002012-05-31T15:31:29.835-07:00The Worries of a New(er) Author... Or Maybe it's Just Me.The Worries of a New(er) Author... Or Maybe it's Just Me.<br />
Awhile back I lost a huge chunk (2000+ words) of the next novel I am working on (The 72nd November) and it seems have sent me into a tail spin of worries. I knew what I had written- and had my notes/ outline- but in some ways I feel that I didn't get the same thing/ feeling in the writing. Every time I looked over it I felt that something was missing- but what? I am only left to wonder if I will need to do it again, and I am sure I will, because the feelings of being upset over the loss came through in the writing and not the original feelings I had.<br />
Writing Tempting Fate was so easy for me. The words were easy to find the first time and when I wanted to make changes or add things during the many edits I just "knew" what to change. With the exception of the ending, that just before I started the publishing process went though an overhaul with the help of a friend or two. <br />
With the help of those in my writing group and a nice bulletin point manual I found getting it ready to be published was also fairly easy. (Though I have found mistakes and know there are a few things I will do different next time!)<br />
Then the waiting and real work began. Waiting for it to show up on each eBook site respectively and working to get it out there to people. <br />
Networking and researching who to contact about book reviews (and how to ask properly and not look like a fool!). I spent hours compiling a data base for myself of book review bloggers and Fb pages, email address and names, what genera they like to read and if they were even excepting books for review.<br />
So my worries...<br />
1) I have several more book reviews coming up for TF and I am very much looking forward to them! But how can I get out there even more. How do I reach the audience that would want to read my work. I find that it is so hard to do. The popular thing right now is YA paranormal and /or vampires, and of course the every present "sagas/ series" where you get the reader with the first book and they are drooling for the next two or three books to come out. Not to even mention the heavy erotica of The Fifty Shades series, and no I have not read them... yet. As much as I love a good romance novel I also find my self reading vampire series books or YA books about the paranormal... but my mind can't develop those kind of stories. So I am not "mainstream" right now, and maybe this vampire stuff is a passing fade- but who knows, it could be around for years and years to come.<br />
But the question still remains how do I get my adult romance novel- with a twist, from a new and unknown author- out there, to the right readers- now? <br />
I know that having more than one book would help very much and I am working on that... but it leads to another worry.<br />
2) What if it is not as good? I was beyond connected to the charters in Tempting Fate from the very beginning. I knew them inside and out. I could see them, and feel their thoughts and feelings, and hear their voices right from the start... what if I can't do that with my next novel? Will it not be as good as the first book? Worry, worry, worry!<br />
The big- ever present in my mind - WHAT IF'S?<br />
I know my next story very well, I can see the movie of it in my mind as clear as I could with the last... and <i>I </i>think it is great. But I fear that TF as set a president for what the readers I do have will expect from me... can I meet or exceed those expectations with my next novel? Have I put myself in a genera and now I am stuck there? Can I write a- life story/ romance, or a mystery/romance and still have the same readers? Will my second book lose them when they would have loved the third one as much as they did TF, but never give it a chance because of the second that they maybe only "liked"?<br />
UGH!! Worry, worry, worry!<br />
I don't want to just write the same things in a different way, but I don't want to go way to far off the map either. Or write something that is just the "same old thing"- The like each other, they fight off the feelings, they give in to them, big sex scene, they realize that it is more than lust, say I love you and live happily ever after, and all the while a story has gone on around them.<br />
So where is that little nitch in between everything that doesn't pigeon hole me? And how do I get to <i>those</i> readers more? <br />
I know that all I can do is write what is in my heart and my head and hope that if I love the story and the charters like I did with TF that this will shine through in my writing and others will love the book as well.<br />
BUT- these things are still in my mind... and I worry. Maybe they will go away as I get farther and farther into writing The 72nd November. Lets hope! <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-57760102804918574272012-05-21T17:33:00.002-07:002012-05-21T17:33:46.344-07:00This past weekend I received my first book review from Jen at The Mystical World of Book Reviews (http://www.facebook.com/mysticalworldbookreviews?ref=ts) If you are on FB please go over and give her page a like so that you can read her future reviews.<br />
<br />
For my first review I could not have been more pleased! <br />
<br />
Book Review:<br />
<br />
<i><b>Tempting Fate<br /> By A.N. Busch<br /><br /> About the Book: Abigail Dalton
had it all. Then one night her dreams took her back to her college days,
only something was different about them. Every night the dreams
continued to torture her, images of a man s</b> <b><span class="text_exposed_show">he
didn't remember. Questions to an old college friend went unanswered,
leaving her asking more. In one day, her life would change. She would be
tempted to alter what Fate had planned for her life. <br /> <br /> Jen's Review: 5 Stars<br />
I don't even know where to start about how much I enjoyed this book.
This book tore at my emotions, from warm fuzzies to complete melt down
of tears! The only thing I found wrong with the book, the story ended
before I wanted it to. <br /> <br /> Abigail never knew that dreams could be
so surreal, until the ones she recently started having. They were so
real, she started to feel guilty for having them, considering that the
man in her dreams were not her husband. As the dreams continue, she
begins to wonder if they really are just dreams. Has she actually
experienced these events, is her dream man real? Abby finds herself
facing fate head on, but what plans does fate have planned for her?<br /> <br />
I highly recommend this book to anyone that has found love, lost love,
and to those that believe love conquers all. I can only hope to see more
work by this author soon!</span></b></i><br />
<br />
<i><b><span class="text_exposed_show"></span></b></i><span class="text_exposed_show"> A big Thank you again to Jen and The Mystical World of Book Reviews.</span><i><b><span class="text_exposed_show"> </span></b></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-74159991982945256382012-05-16T10:47:00.000-07:002012-05-16T10:47:48.657-07:00There is going to be a big give away on the Tempting Fate Facebook page!<br />
<br />
http://www.facebook.com/TFNovel<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgosw-EjGjDVa8LVZ7LY-tifcDFqueGOXxaALbvqKgwBWAq927O_VVsjHsZxuN0WWktYLBLeJYikHNIfKTApqw51mGvJKDuAsJJkW0RBVaxIjxvdenqDEDEO2-qmXMjjwEDW43XDT1h0/s1600/purple-rose-elegant-flower-18-2-2-3-1-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgosw-EjGjDVa8LVZ7LY-tifcDFqueGOXxaALbvqKgwBWAq927O_VVsjHsZxuN0WWktYLBLeJYikHNIfKTApqw51mGvJKDuAsJJkW0RBVaxIjxvdenqDEDEO2-qmXMjjwEDW43XDT1h0/s640/purple-rose-elegant-flower-18-2-2-3-1-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-25103652252497048032012-05-10T10:34:00.002-07:002012-05-10T10:34:29.754-07:00I am extremely well overdue for a post but sometimes the days just fly by. Some-days are just a whirl-wind of activity and when I do get a chance to just sit and breath... I fall asleep.<br />
<br />
In mid April I finally got the opportunity to hold my book in my hands and I can not even begin to explain how it felt. I was excited when my book became available on more and more places on-line. (Though I am still waiting for it to be available for Nook.) Every new little milestone was exciting.<br />
<br />
Then the Wednesday came that I knew my book would show up at my door. I looked at the window every five minutes for the "Brown" truck that was going to drop them off. When the man in Brown shorts finally showed up I was on the porch and waiting before he could even put his truck in park. My sons were excitedly jumping up and down yelling at the man to "hurry." Once I got the box in the house I just stared at it for a few minutes.<br />
<br />
My hands were shaking when I opened the box and pulled one out. My dream had come true; my novel was finally in my hands. It was truly the most exciting thing ever, well, with the exception on the birth of my children of course.<br />
<br />
From a young age there was a lot of different things I wanted to be, none of them was to be a writer. After the birth of my second son I was sure that I wanted to be a nail tech. After a quick jaunt in the industry I realized that loved the work, but not much else about it. One day after a random thought from my husband that I should just, "write a book," I thought about it and said why not. I am a stay-at-home Mommy, I have time. -Insert big laugh here- You don't realize how time consuming being a full time Mommy is until you try to throw in a work from home job into it. <br />
<br />
I sat on the book for years, picking it up from time to time changing this or that about it, but still I had no interest in being a published author. I gave the advise to a friend who writes that she should "just do it," and still never thought about "just doing it myself." Until another friend said it to me. In a matter of days being a writer became my dream, it was what I wanted to do with my life.<br />
<br />
The months leading up to the release of Tempting Fate were a whirl wind. Researching self-publishing, making 500 different versions of the cover, constantly learning new things (and I am still learning now). Not to mention all the little things that needed to be done, as well as managing the day to day life of being a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend. <br />
<br />
My dream came true, it was one that I didn't have until later in life but I reached for the stars and did every things I could to make it come true. So I guess what I am saying is that if you have one of your own, no matter how old it is or new, do it! I promise that when you do you will be filled with more joy that randomly winning that lottery.<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-910590171016716182012-04-12T08:46:00.000-07:002012-04-12T08:46:18.517-07:00Hello!<br />
Things are going coming nicely. Tempting Fate is now up on Amazon and Createspace as well as Smashwords. I am still 'awaiting review' to get on Barns & Noble as well as the Apple eBook store. The paperback can be purchased through both Amazon and Createspace. I am currently trying to network and get Tempting Fate out to more readers. As part of that, soon I will be sending it out to get some reviews from book review bloggers. If you know of a good one, please let me know! Blogging is new to me and so I am still working the page to get it perfect. I have gotten a chance to start working on my next novel, <i>The 72nd November</i>. Thank you to my fans and readers!<br />
<br />
<3 AAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-78049449487201160482012-04-01T06:43:00.001-07:002012-04-01T06:43:24.024-07:00Happy Release Day! The time has come for Tempting Fate to meet the world... Here it is...<br />
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/145653<br />
<br />
I will be posting when it is up on more sites and in paperback!<br />
<br />
xo<br />
AAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655044894002086634.post-75140769762557050002012-03-29T07:51:00.000-07:002012-03-29T07:51:15.031-07:00Excerpt From Chapter 2 of Tempting Fate:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Abby
pulled down her book and moved her computer keyboard to the top of the monitor.
She was not reading for long when she decided the lamplight would not be enough
to keep her awake and stood up to open the curtains. As she pulled them back
she looked into the courtyard below. To her own surprise, she saw him right
away sitting alone under a tree bare of leaves. As soon as her eyes saw him
there, she knew it was the same man she got a glimpse of yesterday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">He
was leaned back against the tree, reading a book. As much as she knew she
needed to get back to her history book, she couldn’t stop watching him flip
from page to page reading. From time to time he made a note in the book. He was
left handed, and even from the fourth floor and half way across the courtyard,
she could see his hands perfectly. Something about them gave her butterflies in
her stomach. When he looked up and around at her building’s windows her heart
dropped and she stepped back quickly. Did he feel like he was being watched?
What if he saw her there? Would he think she was watching him?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">When
he stretched and changed his position, Abby wondered if he was going to leave.
Unmoving she watched as he removed the hoodie from his head. His bright blond
hair was revealed, and her breath caught in her throat. He rested his elbow on
his crossed legs and his chin in his right hand.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">It
seemed like forever that Abby stayed in the window and watched him. Even afraid
he would see her, she was not able to look away. Abby watched everything about
him. It was like she could not pull herself away even if she tried. She
wondered about the book he was reading, it didn’t look like a textbook but it
was thick. What was it he was so into that at times he would not move at all
but to turn the page?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">When
he shut the book and set it beside him, Abby frowned. He started to stretch and
she found herself not wanting him to leave. It was like he heard her silent
wish and pulled his hoodie back on and moved over to lay on his back and stare
up at the sky. Trying to see the details of his face, Abby looked at him even
closer. Her eyes only left him to look up at the clouds herself. When he stood
up Abby felt her stomach drop.</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15287030679235921330noreply@blogger.com0