It’s been a slow writing week so far, but I have been promoting the heck out of the books, so that’s something.

Here’s where things stand at the moment: I’ve sold almost 700 copies of the Dream Series books (counting all four books, and all formats),and given away nearly 1,000 more.

Book 5, “Waking Dream” is just waiting on a cover (hopefully next week) and it’s good to go.

The audiobook for “Dream Doctor” is in production, and sounds fantastic so far.

I’m up to 13,000 words on “Dream Reunion” and I pretty much have the whole book mapped out in my head (which hasn’t happened yet on this series; I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad sign!).  And I’ve got 8,000 words or so on the other book,”Queen of the Idiots”.

There are more promotions to come tomorrow, and also next week, so hopefully there’ll be more movement on the sales front.  And also I’ll get back to writing.  I’ve given myself a deadline of October 31st to finish “Dream Reunion”, November 30th for “Queen of the Idiots” and then March 15th, 2014 to finish book #7 in the Dream Series (currently untitled, but I’m thinking of it as variously “the one with the freakish, deadly winter storm,” “the one where they move to a small town” and “the one where Sara buys a house that’s suspiciously like my Uncle Johnny’s house”)

We’ll see how all those deadlines work out!

by

I’m thrilled to host a stop on the “Kiss Me in Paris” virtual book tour, organized by Around the Universe Book Tours

I love Paris and want desperately to get back there sometime in the near future, so this book is right up my alley.  But before we talk about it, let me introduce you to the two (count ’em – two!) authors:

Kimberly Kinrade…

…and Dmytry Karpov…

Dmytry and Kimberly are the husband and wife writing team behind the KISS ME Series, Eye of Newt, Sunrise and Nightfall, Wanderlust, and The Fallen Series.

Kimberly is the award-winning, bestselling author of the New Adult paranormal romance series The Seduced Saga, the YA paranormal thriller/romance The Forbidden Trilogy, and children’s fantasy series The Three Lost Kids.

Dmytry writes fantasy—be it urban, dark or epic—is a musical composer, pianist, and designs books covers (exclusively for his wife’s and their co-authored books).

They live with three little girls who think they’re ninja princesses with super powers and who are also showing a propensity for telling tall tales and using the written word to weave stories of wonder and magic.

You can find them at Kimberly’s website, Dmytry’s website, Facebook (Kimberly, Dmytry), Twitter (Kimberly, Dmytry), Goodreads (Kimberly, Dmytry), Amazon (Kimberly, Dmytry) and Google+.  You can also join their Street Team and help them promote this fantastic book.

As for the book itself…

When the city of love brings two lost souls together, only their darkest secrets can tear them apart.

Winter Deveaux tried love once. It didn’t end well. Unable to open herself up to another heartbreak, she hides in her romance novels as she struggles to break out as a real author. She thinks Paris holds the answer to a new start, but when her nightmare follows her across the world, she’s forced to face the darkness living like cancer inside her soul. If she doesn’t, she might miss her chance to become the kind of writer she’s always wanted to be. But more than that, she’ll miss out on the greatest love she’s ever known.

Cade Savage is heir to the largest ranching family in Texas. Part cowboy, part architect, Cade has his feet forever in two worlds. When he receives an acceptance letter from the school of his dreams, he must decide between family and destiny. But ghosts from his past still haunt him, and circumstances beyond his control may decide his fate.

When Winter and Cade meet, everything they believe about life, love and what it means to be happy is put to the test.

Will the magic of Paris pull these two lost souls together? Or will their darkest secrets tear them apart?

 

Kiss Me in Paris is a standalone novel in the Kiss Me Series. Travel the world with the Deveaux sisters as they find love, and trouble, in all the right places.

 

You can find the book on Amazon (Kindle and Paperback) and at Barnes & Noble

We’ve got an interview with the authors…as you read it, remember that they are husband and wife!

KK- Kimberly Kinrade

DK- Dmytry Karpov

 

Who is your favorite author?

KK: That’s like asking me to pick my favorite child. I’ll have to list a few, because it really depends on my mood. (This is not true of my children, I love them all equally, regardless of mood.) I love Neil Gaiman, J.K. Rowling, Patti Larsen, Nichole Chase, Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss and C.S. Lewis, just to start.

DK: Like Kimberly, I don’t have one favorite. However, my favorites include, Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, (Kimberly and I love their books) George R.R. Martin, Mark Lawrence, and Orson Scott Card. As you can tell, I’m a big fan of Fantasy novels.

KK: George R.R. Martin is awesome too, but his series has just gotten too convoluted. I’m enjoying the HBO version of Game of Thrones, though. I rely on Dmytry to find me great books to read, especially in the fantasy genre. (He capitalizes fantasy, though I’m not sure why. He has some odd tendencies when it comes to capitalization and what he thinks are proper nouns.)

DK: Fantasy deserves to be capitalized. It is awesome.

 

How do you describe your writing style?

KK: I write what I like to read, and don’t write what I tend to skim as a reader. So I’m not huge on description, I like witty, snappy dialogue, and I like an engaging plot but not at the expense of character development. I want to know my characters as real people and feel they have gone through something significant and changed as a result by the end. I tend to be more of a panster with plotter tendencies. Lol What I mean by that is I love working from an outline, but don’t always enjoy the process of outlining, and I have to know my characters before I can outline.

When my husband, Dmytry Karpov, and I co-write, he is more the outliner and I do more of the prose, though by the end, it’s impossible to tell who wrote what because we’ve both worked so much on it together.

DK: I outline… a lot. Usually, I’ll have an entire novel outlined before I start working on it.

My favorite thing to write is dialogue. I absolutely love it. My least favorite thing to write is description. I hate describing mundane things like tables. Everyone already knows what a table looks like. So I try to focus my description on interesting things unique to my novel, or at least, things that are new to most people.

I love writing about characters that are intelligent and determined. Sometimes this means they end up being ruthless, and that’s fine with me. I love anti-heroes.

Plot drives my stories more than characters. It is very rare that my characters take control of my novel, as some readers call it, but it does happen.

KK: Dmytry is brilliant at writing screenplays, likely for all the reasons he’s outlined here. We both have screenplay writing experience, but I think he has a real career in it. He’s working on a few right now, including a few novel adaptations from our books. I’m really excited about it. Also, I don’t like describing tables either.

 

Use no more than two sentences. Why should we read your book?

KK: Kiss Me in Paris will take you on an emotional journey through the most romantic city in the world. It’s a book filled with humor, heart-breaking sorrow, romance, heat, real love and life changing journeys, not to mention Paris itself is a key character.

DK: What KK said.

KK: Well, this is a cop-out answer if ever I heard one! I should have let Dmytry go first! Lol.

DK: It’s not a cop-out. It’s called conservation of energy.

KK: Whatever. Cop-out. 😛 But I still love you.

 

Have any of your characters been modeled after yourself?

KK: There are bits of me in many of the characters. Winter and I share a love of writing and a romantic world-view, though we’ve both had our hearts broken and suffered our own tragedies. Daring Deveaux, Winter’s cousin, is living the life I might have lived if I’d continued in journalism. She’s a world-traveling writer who ultimately will find herself ghost hunting in Europe, but that’s another book. And Autumn and I have a lot in common. She’s the oldest of her siblings, loves ancient Egypt and loves uncovering the mysteries of the past.

But more than personality, a lot of the life lessons Winter and Cade learn come from my own life, my own experiences and journeys through love and heartbreak. Also, I’m living an epic romance with Dmytry Karpov, so I feel fully qualified to write about one. A few of their adventures in Paris were also based on my experiences as a student at the Sorbonne while in college.

DK: There’s quite a bit of me in Cade. Both of us work really hard for our dreams, sometimes having to go against our families’ wishes. Winter is a writer, so we have that in common.

My romance with Kimberly definitely allowed me to write the romance between Winter and Cade.

KK: Is it too risqué to say that we had to rewrite a few sex scenes that were TOO close to real life? LOL. Also, Dmytry is loyal, like Cade. Loyal and protective. (And super sexy.)

DK: You’re so sweet, Kimberly. She’s beautiful and clever like Winter.

KK: Awww. *blushes*

 

If you could exchange lives with any of your characters for a day which character would you choose and why?

KK: Daring Deveaux. I’d love to travel the world ghost hunting and writing about it!

DK: I wouldn’t want to switch with any of them. I love my life. However, if Kimberly is Daring Deveaux, then I’d switch with whoever she’s dating.

KK: Well, now he’s making me sound like I don’t love my life. I totally love my life, but if it was just a day, then it would be fun to try something different. And I’m glad Dmytry would be with me, whoever’s life I lived in. I wouldn’t want to go without him!

DK: If I could choose other people’s characters, I’d try something different. I’d be a Jedi, since I always reach my hand out to the TV, wishing I could use the force to change the channel.

KK: Is this also considered conservation of energy? I think you’re abusing the Jedi powers, my love.

 

What is the hardest part of writing your books?

KK: Getting past the daily distractions of kids and messes and meal times and life to actually sit down and write. The rest is the fun part!

DK: Finishing them. Once I’ve outlined a story, I feel like I’m done. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Writing prose is the hardest part for me.

KK: That’s why he has me. J

 

What books have most influenced your life?

KK: C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe was my favorite growing up, and made me believe in magic worlds. His work has had a huge influence on me as a writer. The Nancy Drew books I read as a child also gave me a love of uncovering the mysteries around me, and I’m looking forward to having more mystery in the second Kiss Me book, Kiss Me in Cairo. And Neil Gaiman’s short story collection, Fragile Things, reawakened a love for short stories and made him one of my favorite authors of all times.

There are also several non-fiction books that have impacted my life. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott is an amazing book on writing and life, and one I think everyone should have in their library. The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz contains life-affirming wisdom that I try to follow in my life.

DK: The Deltora Quest books by Emily Rodda got me into fantasy as a kid. The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan fueled my passion in middle school. And George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series expanded my ideas on writing as an adult. Currently, I’m most inspired by The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss and Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence.

KK: Rothfuss is a genius, especially with prose. And far more character driven than most fantasy authors. It’s partly why I love his work. I’m having a hard time getting into Prince of Thorns though. I don’t mind the anti-hero, but I’m not as gung-ho about them as my husband.

DK: Usually, Kimberly and I love the same books. I think Prince of Thorns is the only book we disagree on.

 

If you could select one book that you could rewrite and add your own unique twist on, which book would that be and why?

KK:  The Lord of the Rings. I’d add more kickass women into the storyline, because I really enjoy books that have strong female characters.

DK: I’d rewrite The Wheel of Time series. I loved the earlier books, but the pacing really slowed in the later ones. Since I love the series, I’d rewrite the last books to make them more focused.

KK: I’d read the series Dmytry wrote for The Wheel of Time, because I absolutely agree. The early books were fabulous, but they did get bogged down later in the series. Also, the more I think about it, I’d also want to see Harry Potter written with Hermione as the main character. She was the best character in the series. And I’d rewrite the last Sookie Stackhouse novel to change who she ended up with and how. But in general, I’ve never been interested in fan fic and have too many of my own ideas to rewrite anything in anyone else’s world.

DK: Yeah, Fan Fiction has never interested me either. However, I would enjoy adapting certain novels into screenplays.

 

Beatles or Monkees? Why?

 

KK: Beatles. My dad always listened to them and they remind me of childhood. He’d always grill me when an ‘oldie’ came on. “Beatles or Beach Boys?” he’d ask.

DK: Beatles. My brother used to play their songs on guitar and I’d sing.

KK: I didn’t know that. That’s so cute! I can just picture you and Andriy doing that. We need to get a guitar so we can do that together.

 

Who should play you in a film of your life?

 

KK: Kimberly Williams. People always said I looked a lot like here with my blue eyes and brown hair. And I just like her a lot.

DK: Robert Pattinson. We both have crazy hair.

KK: Oh! Does that mean I get to sleep with Edward Cullen?? Hehe

DK: The actress playing you might. But you’re off limits. If Edward Cullen got any ideas, I’d have to stake him Buffy style.

KK: That’s hot! Can I watch?

And last, but definitely not least, here’s a brief excerpt from the book, just to whet your appetite…

THE FATE OF my career—of my entire future—is in the hands of this balding man sitting in front of me. My advisor, Mr. Posthumus, fidgets with his glasses and taps his red pen against my marked up manuscript, complete with his coffee cup stains. “Winter, why did you choose to write a romance novel?” He spits out the last words like they leave a bad taste in his mouth.

I want to grab my novel from him and clutch it to my chest. Sweat and blood and tears have gone into that pile of papers he’s treating like a coaster. Instead, I paste on a smile. “I love romance novels. My kindle’s full of romance novels. They say write what you read, right?” I take a sip of water and set the bottle on the table. I should pour it on his favorite book.

“They also say write what you know.”

People love that saying. My dad said the same thing to me years ago. So I asked him for bookshelves and books on all sorts of things: geography, history, mystery. He built me bookshelves until my room had no more bare walls, and he bought me a book about a princess who sleeps for years and wakes with a kiss. “You scare me, child” he’d said. “Read a kid book once in a while.” So I did, and it was the most romantic story. And I knew what I would write.

Lacing my fingers together, I return my attention to Mr. Posthumus. “Right. That’s why I read so much.”

He sighs, and his large paunch pushes against the buttons of his tweed jacket in protest of its confinement. “When they say write what you know, they mean write what you know from personal experience.”

I frown.”They should really clarify that.”

He shrugs. “It’s pretty obvious.”

“Not really.” “What do you know about romance, Winter?”

I sit up straight, flicking imaginary dust off my faded jeans. “Everything.”

Be sure to follow the tour tomorrow as it makes its way to The Ferryman’s Wife

by

I learned something new about Sara this morning – as a budding teenager, she was a big Rick Springfield fan.  I had some help from good folks on Facebook – I reached out for suggestions as to which celebrity a teenage girl might find herself obsessing over in 1981 or so (when Sara was 13 years old).

The reason this comes up in the new book is because of this little bit that I wrote last night:

The subject is soon dropped, and we move on to other topics.  Ben asks if my parents want to stay until bedtime so that they can hear Brian read to them.  “We’re reading ‘The Hobbit!’  Did you ever read that, Grandpa?”

“Who do you think read it to your mother when she was a little girl?”  I wasn’t the best audience for it – my brother liked it a lot better than I did.  But I love listening to Brian read it now, and all the kids do as well.  I’ve forgotten so much of it that it’s mostly new to me, and I’ve never read the rest of the books.  Brian is determined to get through “The Hobbit” and also “he Fellowship of the Ring” so we’ll all be prepared when the movie comes out in December.

The thing I love most about it is how excited he is.  The kids are really picking up his enthusiasm, too.  Especially Grace – she seems to be developing her first serious celebrity crush.  She’s fixated on the actor who plays one of the elves in the movie – Orlando Bloom, whoever he is.  I’d never heard of him until she pinned up a poster of him on her bedroom wall.  She’s counting the days until the movie is out.

A little later (I haven’t written this yet), Sara’s going to think back to her own first celebrity crush…so I needed to figure out who it was…

On a different topic, the books are featured today at Richard Stevenson’s site…check it out!

by

It’s not something I wanted to write about, but “Dream Reunion” takes place in October of 2001, only a few weeks after the events of 9/11, so I can’t ignore it.  Especially because Sara’s husband works at the Pentagon, and Sara both lives and works about five minutes from it.

At the end of the previous book, Sara finds out that she’s pregnant (again), and the dates worked out that she’d be due in late September.  The stress of the events of September 11th take their toll on Sara, as you can see in this excerpt…

I haven’t been back to Arlington Hospital since I was sent home three weeks ago.  I can’t help shuddering as the taxi lets me out in front of the emergency room doors…

…what’s going on?  Where am I?  What was – oh, God!  The Pentagon!  We could all smell the smoke, and the sirens haven’t stopped for an hour.  And all the phones are jammed – I can’t reach…

I’m not in the office.  I’m…no, no, no – God, that hurt!  A – a contraction?  But I was in the office.  And now I’m – lying down?  Where?  “We’re almost there, honey.  Just hang on.”  That’s my mother.  She’s – I have to open my eyes, but I’m afraid to. 

I do it anyway.  I’m in a car, in the back seat.  My Mom’s car.  If there was something wrong with me, why didn’t she or Laurie or someone call an ambulance?

All that smoke.  All those sirens.  Because there aren’t any.  They’re all at the Pentagon.  And so is Brian.  Unless Mom’s heard from him.  “Mom, do you know anything?  Has he called?”  I already know the answer.  There’s no way he could have called.  Just because we haven’t gotten any word from him, that doesn’t mean a thing.  He’s fine.  Of course he’s fine.  He’s safe.  He has to be – his son – here it comes again!

That was the worst one yet.  Brian had better be safe.  His son is very eager to meet him.  “Sara?  Honey?”  Her voice is shaky; I can hear fear – and pain – in it.

“I’m – that was a strong one, Mom.  But I’ll – I think I’ll be OK,” I say.  As long as Brian’s safe, as long as he’s not – “Mom, have you heard from him?”  I can’t keep the pleading – whining – out of my own voice.

“Sara, he’s safe.”  She’s just saying that.  She doesn’t know.  How could she know?  I saw it on TV – we all did – the plane went right into the side of the building!  If he was there – oh, here comes…

I think I blacked out for a minute.  My throat is raw – I must have screamed my head off.  My ears are ringing.  There’s a hand – Mom’s hand – on my belly, trying to reassure me.  I can feel the car stopping.  We’re – I don’t know where we are.  Mom never said.  But it has to be the hospital, doesn’t it?  Mom pulls her hand away, and I can’t raise my head far enough to see what she’s doing now.  But I hear a door open, and then slam shut.  She’s getting out.  A minute or two later – it feels like forever – the back door opens, and Mom is back.  She’s leaning over me, grabbing my hands, trying to pull me up.  I take a deep breath and put all my strength into it. 

Just as I’m sitting, and then maneuvering my legs outside and down to the ground, I see the nurse behind Mom, a wheelchair at the ready.  And I can hear sirens – a lot of them, louder and louder, getting closer…   

by

I’m thrilled to host today’s stop in the virtual book tour for Laurinda Wallace’s “The Time Under Heaven”.

Here’s what Laurinda has to say about herself:

I’ve been writing stories since elementary school days and always have a good mystery book nearby. Life just isn’t complete without books. There’s nothing like a comfy chair, a cup of coffee, and all day to read. I also love my Kindle, which saves on shelf space and feeds my reading habit so conveniently.

Once our two daughters, Megan and Emily were grown, my husband, David and I left our native Western New York for sunnier skies and warmer weather in southeast Arizona. The high desert with its beautiful mountain views, awe-inspiring night skies, and independent spirit brought back the old desire to write. Since 2005, I’ve been writing for various magazines and websites on a variety of topics. With the creative juices flowing and encouragement from family and friends, books soon appeared.

In the 2012, my debut novel, The Time Under Heaven was published, along with a devotional book called Gardens of the Heart. The first book in the Gracie Andersen mystery series, Family Matters was published in 2013. My blog, SimplyLife is a popular stop for many of my readers from around the world.

You’ll find everything from inspirational thoughts, local history, humor, or simply life.
When I’m not at my day job in administration or writing at home, the gardens around Casa Wallace and hiking in the Huachuca Mountains keep me busy. Many times what’s happening in my flower gardens or those spectacular views in the mountains inspire devotionals and new stories. While life is full of unexpected twists and turns, my foundation will always be the One who created the roses in my garden and the mountains I love to hike. He is my source for everything.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path. Proverbs 3:5,6

You can follow Laurinda at her website, her blog, Facebook, Google Plus and also LinkedIn.

And here’s the book, “The Time Under Heaven”

Time seems to be against missionary Ruthanne Carroll. Suddenly faced with a life threatening illness, she reluctantly returns to the U.S. from a small Maasai village in Kenya. Once she reunites with her sisters Elizabeth and Melody, she clearly sees God’s hand leading her to uncover a guilty secret from her past. A journey to uncover the truth leads them through sometimes dangerous circumstances and battles with old hurts. Each find their faith and relationships challenged as they reach a crossroads where the choices are healing and reconciliation or bitterness and defeat.

You can buy it at Amazon and also at Smashwords, and here’s an excerpt from the book to whet your appetite…

Ruthanne sat on the rusty folding chair, picking at the corner of the worn manila file in her hands, watching the second hand on the large black wall clock make its circumference. The day was hot as always. Flies buzzed lazily in the air above her, and the sharp smell of disinfectant stung her nose. The large-paddled fan that moved the thick, humid air clicked steadily. A thin trickle of sweat rolled from her underarms and down the inside of her yellow cotton blouse. Her dark blue skirt clung to her legs. A crying child in the next room suddenly stopped, and the low murmur of conversation in Swahili increased in volume when the door to the examination room opened. The tall, American doctor stood smiling at the young African mother, who comforted the pudgy toddler on her shoulder. Her elegant, long face was adorned with red and white beads that draped her head and around her neck. The shuka she wore was a red geometric print. Ruthanne recognized her as one of the newest mothers who was attending the childcare class she taught on Tuesdays. She tried to remember their names. The names spun from the list she kept in her head. The little boy was Isaac, and the mother’s name was Somoine. She pulled a small spiral notebook from her raffia tote bag and quickly wrote the names down on her prayer list.

“Asante, doctor. Asante,” Somoine said gratefully, repositioning the little boy, who wrapped his fat arms tightly around his mother’s neck. Tears were still drying on his cheeks. The woman’s large hoop earrings clattered against the beads.
The doctor patted Isaac’s head and nodded. He turned toward the waiting area, caught Ruthanne’s eye, and motioned for her. She stood, willing her legs to move forward. She quickly pulled the damp fabric from the back of her thighs as she stepped toward the doctor’s office. “Good morning, Miss Carroll,” the doctor said pleasantly. “Or should I say Jambo?”

“Either one will do.” She smiled, handing him the file now moist with perspiration from her hands.

You can, and should, follow the book tour

by

I’ve got another great indie author to introduce to you today – she’s Lana Axe…

You can find her at her website, on Facebook and on Twitter.

Her book is “A Story of River:

Aelryk’s kingdom is under attack by monsters conjured by a dark sorcerer. His only hope lies far to the west, where a powerful water elemental is rumored to dwell. Along the way, he joins forces with the Wild Elves, who were once his enemy. They alone can lead him through the dangers of the Wildlands. Together, they must journey to a mysterious land of eternal spring and return before the kingdom is overrun by evil.

You can find it on: Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Smashwords and iTunes

You can also buy it in paperback at Amazon. Amazon UK and Barnes & Noble.

And I’ve got an excerpt for you right here…

“I’m sorry, Yillmara,” the young elf maid said as she wept. “The child does not live.” She held the tiny bundle toward his mother, who slowly took him from the maid’s arms. Yillmara looked upon the lifeless face of her tiny son and wept softly. She closed her eyes and pressed him to her breast. After a moment, though still exhausted from the birth, she rose from her bed with her son in her arms.

“You mustn’t, my lady! You need to rest!” The maid pleaded with her and touched her arm as if to stop her, but Yillmara continued walking. She made her way from her rooms and stepped out into the light of the dawn. It was a cool spring morning, and the sound of the river danced throughout the forest that was home to Yillmara’s people, the Westerling Elves.

Yillmara approached the river slowly, earnestly. She trod lightly so not to offend the Spirit of the river. With her son still in her arms, she walked into the water and fell to her knees, begging for the life of her child. “River Spirit, hear my plea and grant my son his life. He deserves the chance to live, to grow, and to know the beauty of this forest. He should be given the chance to hear the music of the river.”

Slowly, she placed the lifeless body of her son into the water. Hoping for an answer from the River Spirit was foolish, she knew, but what matter was that compared to the life of her child. She covered her eyes and wept. As her tears hit the water, she heard a soft voice around her. It caressed her and consoled her grief. The River Spirit had come. The young mother’s weeping ceased, and she felt pure serenity. “I will gladly trade my life for his,” she said with all the strength of her heart.

With that assurance, the Spirit granted her request. The mother slid gently down into the river, and the child opened his sapphire eyes. The young maid came running to the river’s edge along with Yillmara’s life mate. The maid took the child from the river and rushed him inside to get him warm.

Though he knew his love’s body would fade into the river, Ryllak waded into the water to be near her. He could see her lying serenely in the water, her face peaceful as if sleeping. Reaching his arms out for her came naturally, but it was no use. He could no longer touch his beautiful Yillmara. She was gone forever.

The river had granted the child his life, and in time, the river would reclaim him.

by

I just wrote a very emotional scene that actually will come near the end of “Dream Reunion”.  I pretty much know the ending, and how it’s going to work.  I feel for Sara – she isn’t going to like this at all.  But there’s a lesson she needs to learn, whether she likes it or not.

The scene I wrote today leads up to that ending.  It’s Sara and Brian’s first “real” fight.  And because they’ve never had a no-holds-barred fight like this before, neither of them know how to deal with it.  It gets out of hand almost immediately…

I’ve never heard this from him before.  What’s going on with him?  After all this time – almost twelve years – and everything we’ve been through, he doesn’t trust my judgment anymore?  Where does he get off thinking that?  How dare he?  “Charity?”  I feel my stomach twist as I hear how ugly my tone is.  I keep going.  “I thought you knew better than that.  We’ve talked about it often enough.  You know I have to do something about the dreams.  You’ve always known it.”  Is he tired of it?  I offered him the chance to back out the morning of our wedding.  That’s on the tip of my tongue, but I catch myself before it slips out.

“Yes,” he says.  He’s trying to calm down; I can see it in his eyes.  But he’s failing.  “You’re going to take all our savings, aren’t you?  You’re going to take it all, the money we were going to use to replace the Beetle, and finally for God’s sake take the kids to Disney World, and whatever’s left over goes towards the college fund.  Or did you just forget all that?  Your real family is more important than someone you haven’t talked to in ten years who got himself in trouble.”

I feel numb for a moment at those words.  I have to hang onto the bed to support myself.  But then feeling returns – a painful, scorching fire starting in the back of my head and running through my whole body.  “God damn you!”  I’ve never cursed at him.  Never even thought about it.  “How can you stand there after everything – after I almost fucking died for you a few months ago – and say that?”  Somewhere in a far corner of my mind, I hear myself protesting, begging myself to stop.  To remember that he almost died for me, too.  And that he’s done more for me than any wife could ever in a million years hope for a husband to do.

But the pounding in my head drowns that voice out.  Another voice – much louder – makes itself heard.  It doesn’t sound like my own voice…

Not nice at all.  I hate putting them through this, but it’s where they have to go at that point in the story.

by

It’s a big day – besides the audiobook (and I forgot to mention, Dream Doctor will be an audiobook, too – my amazing narrator Heather Jane Hogan is working on even as I write this!), I’m also featured today as part of Sofia Grey’s fantastic July Fever blog hop.

So go check that out, too!

by

It’s official!  The audiobook of Dream Student is for sale, right now, on Audible.com!

It’s also available on Amazon, and also via iTunes.

To whet your appetite, you can hear ten minutes of chapter one right here:

Dream Student Audiobook Sample

AND, here’s a sample from the forthcoming audiobook of book 2 of the Dream Series, “Dream Doctor”

Dream Doctor Audiobook Sample

Here’s a second sample, from Chapter 9 of “Dream Doctor” (my favorite scene in the book, actually)

Dream Doctor (Chapter 9) Audiobook Sample

Here’s a sample from the forthcoming audiobook of book 3, “Dream Child”

Dream Child Audiobook Sample

And here is a sample from the forthcoming audiobook of “Betty & Howard’s Excellent Adventure”

Betty & Howard’s Excellend Adventure Audiobook Sample

by