As I’ve mentioned, that’s the title for book #6 in the Dream Series.  I’m still working on the prologue, but I already know what’s going to happen in the first couple of chapters, and I have a pretty good idea about the climax of the book, and what’s going to happen in the epilogue.

I also have a suspicion that Sara and Brian will have a very serious disagreement near the end of the book, and I hope that when I get to that point, that I can pull off the scene that I’m imagining.  We’ll see.

 

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Here’s another great indie author, and I’m happy to turn my blog over to her to let you know about her fantastic novel and its’ brand-new cover:

Sometimes a book needs a face lift.  After some discussion with my incredibly talented cover artist we decided ESTELAN was in need of a little nip/tuck.  However, I had no idea that this procedure would result in something so magical.  There are not words to thank my dear friend, Barbara Ivie Green, for her amazing work on my new cover.  Her depiction of female warrior Kitin is better than anything I could have imagined and I cannot wait to see her larger than life on my banner at Fandom Fest at the end of the month.  For now, I am VERY pleased to present the new cover for ESTELAN featuring Kitin.

 

 

 

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I’m thrilled to be taking part in a month-long feature by author Sofia Grey – July Fever!

1 blog + 31 authors = 31 Days of Hotness

Sofia Grey is hosting July Fever, with giveaways every day during July, AND weekly prize bundles too.

Look who’s featured for the next 6 days:

13-Jul	NICOLA CLAIRE	First 2 books in Sweet Seduction series
14-Jul	KRISTA AMES	1 copy each – Take Me Home, Cowboy AND All Bets Are On anthology& a goodie bag
15-Jul	EVA LEFOY	1 copies of Sweet Cravings (ebook)
16-Jul	TRISH McCALLAN	giveaway TBC
17-Jul	JJ DiBENEDETTO	ebook copies of all four books in the Dream Series
18-Jul	PARKER KINCADE	ecopy of Spring Training

Everyone who comments goes into a draw for the giveaway that day, AND also a draw for the 6-day gift bundle:

Remember, the more you visit, the more you might win J Check out this video for all the participating authors.

Check out the trailer for July Fever on YouTube! 

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So, four months into the big self-publishing adventure, how do I feel?

Pretty good, for the most part.  It’s always in my mind that I’d still be waiting for any response from a publisher or agent if I’d submitted the books that way, so I’m already ahead of the game in one way.

I’ve met some great people, both on Goodreads and on Facebook, and they’ve become actual, genuine fans of my books and my characters, which is amazing.

I’ve gotten the first book recorded as a fantastic audiobook.

I’ve gotten the word out; there are 541 “likes” of the Dream Series on Facebook, and I have 736 Twitter followers.  Four months ago, I wasn’t even on either service.

And as for the books themselves…I’ve given away (on Amazon during the free promotion of Dream Student, and as review copies or prizes, 906 copies of the books; and I’ve actually sold 578 copies.  I’ve gotten 52 reviews on Amazon.

To top it all off, I’ve got another book ready to go next month, made a start on the one after that, and I’ve even got an idea for book #7 already.

I really can’t complain.  All I CAN do is thank everyone who’s visited here, given me encouragement, taken a look at the books, or otherwise supported me in this effort.  And I can believe that there’s nowhere to go from here but up!

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I’m featured in a couple of different places today.  First of all, Sheri Fredricks has very kindly highlighted me and the Dream books this morning over at her site.  Please hop on over and take a look!

Second, I’m at the Virtual book Fair on Facebook – definitely check that out, too.

As for book updates, “Waking Dream” is being proof-read and tweaked (I added a very brief scene, which I guess I can show you, since it’s not a spoiler at all):

“What’s this?”  Brian derails my thoughts about our children, taking an envelope off the side table and showing it to me.

“No idea,” I say.

“That’s my Dad’s handwriting,” Brian says, examining it more closely.  “And here, it’s for you.”  Peering at it myself, I can see Ben’s obsessively neat handwriting.  I nod for him to go ahead and open it for me.  He pulls out a note.  “For my wonderful daughter-in-law,” Brian reads, smiling as he does.  “You probably think I forgot our conversation in your father’s hospital room.”  What conversation?  Brian laughs at my confused expression and continues reading.  “I wouldn’t be surprised if you forgot it yourself, with everything that’s gone on the last three weeks.”  He’s a smart man, that Ben.  “But never let it be said that an Alderson shirks on a promise.  Enjoy these pictures.  Consider them a belated Christmas gift.  All my love, Benedict.”

Pictures?  Oh!  I remember.  I remember exactly what Ben’s talking about.  Yes!  Pictures!  “Brian, give them to me.  Now!”

He pulls several photos out of the envelope, looks at the one on top and makes a face I’m not sure I’ve ever seen before.  It’s difficult to describe – it almost looks as though his brain has just shut itself down.  And I can understand why.  I reach over with my good hand and take the pictures out of his hand.  There she is, Helen, in all her cheerleader glory.

The top picture shows her in a brown, striped skirt that goes almost to her knees, with a white sweater that’s got what look like feathers on the sleeves.  She’s holding brown-and-white pom-poms, and the picture caught her in mid-cheer.  Both Ben and Helen went to Lehigh University, and those are the school colors, brown and white.

There are a few more like that, and then – oh, God, this is the best.  This is the all-time best.  She’s in a giant bird suit.  A big brown bird, with wings and a tail and everything.  A hawk.  Because Lehigh’s mascot is the Mountain Hawk.  And there my mother-in-law is, Miss Mountain Hawk!  She’s holding the giant bird head, with its giant yellow beak, under one “wing” and pointing menacingly at someone with the other.

I start laughing hysterically, and when Brian catches sight of the bird picture, he joins me.  It takes me twenty minutes to calm down, and when I do, Brian has to hold me back to keep me from going to wake the kids up so I can show them their grandmother.  It’s…

“Wow,” I say, still giggling.  “Just – wow.  I remember now.  I told Ben that he made my whole year.  And he really did.  Wow.”

Helen Alderson in a giant bird suit.  That’s an image I won’t ever forget, and as my eyes close and I start to drift off, I carry it with me into sleep…

And I’ve begun work on book #6, “Dream Reunion” as well…

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I’m thrilled to be hosting a stop on Cancace Knoebel’s book tour for her novel “Embracing the Flames”, organized and supported by Around the Universe tours.

First things first, I want to introduce you to Candace:

 

(isn’t that a fantastic picture?)

Candace Knoebel is the award-winning author of Born in Flames-a young adult fantasy trilogy. Published by 48fourteen in 2012, Born in Flames went on to win Turning the Pages Book of the Year award in February of 2013.

Candace Knoebel dreamed of being a dancer ever since she could remember. With a love of all things art, she saw herself moving to New York and pursuing her passion as an artist. But all that changed on October 10th, 2002 when she met the love of her life. Her dreams diverged and after marrying her high school sweetheart and having two beautiful children, she realized she missed her creative side. Through lunch breaks and late nights after putting her kids to bed, she built a world where she could escape the ever-pressing days of an eight to five Purgatory. Since then, she crawled out of Purgatory and has devoted her time to writing and sometimes heelying.

You can find Candace at her blog, on Facebook, on Twitter and at Goodreads.

Her new novel is “Embracing the Flames”, the second book in the “Born in Flames” trilogy:

 

The Stone of Immortality has always been kept under the watch of the Draconta. That is, until the betrayal of a Fate. Now everything is about to change.

Aurora Megalos accepted her destiny without blinking-even if it meant succumbing to her dragon side. Deemed the Progeny, she left the ordinary life she knew and has done everything in her power to learn the ways of her new realm and what it means to be part dragon. But when her mentor, Astral, suddenly disappears, she is forced to take the reins.

With war on the brink, she sets out on an epic journey to not only find her mentor, but to stop her Arch Enemy, Zordon, from obtaining the Stone of Immortality. But what she discovers about him along the way is far worse than she could’ve ever imagined. She will be tested and pushed to the limit. Lives will be lost, love will be questioned, and a battle will begin.

“Embracing the Flames” will be out a mere week from now – July 17th, so mark your calendars!

As we noted, this is the second book of a trilogy.  Want to know more about the first book?  Of course you do…

Red mirrored scales race up my arms as the haze of pain blurs my vision. My bones crack, breaking to realign. I scream. It is then that the realization of my unavoidable fate sinks in; I am of a dying race. I am dragon.

Aurora Megalos, orphaned and teetering on the edge of adulthood, thought finding her past would curb the sting of being an outcast. Having no memories of the time before she awoke on her foster mother’s doorstep, she yearns for the emptiness inside her to be filled. With her fellow orphaned best friend, Fenn, by her side, she has nothing to lose and everything to gain. But something powerful stirred within her that she couldn’t explain. Something wanted out.

In the dark of night, a crazed Seer, dubbed Mr.Creepy, erases everything she’s ever known with an impending prophecy. She now faces two paths. Return to her true home to protect a dying race against a growing evil, or stay hidden in the safety of our realm with a shot at a true love. With a vengeful Arch Enemy stopping at nothing to see her dead, she’s running out of time; a decision must be made. What would you choose?

You can find book 1, “Born in Flames” pretty much everywhere: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and at 48fourteen.com.

I’m sure you don’t want to wait another week for a peek at “Embracing the Flames”, so here’s something to whet your appetite, from the prologue to this great book…

I WAS CONCEALED IN A cloak of shadows as I crept down the
long and narrow corridor. Even the stars were hidden, veiled by a
swirling mass of clouds that churned outside the open-arched windows.
Something was wrong in the Hall of Knowledge. The lurking
shadows were proof of that.

I followed the sliver of light that peeked out from under the
only door at the end of the hall. The arctic bite of the stone floor sent
chills up my spine, goose bumps leaving their mark along my skin.
Voices drifted along the breeze coming through the windows
lining the ever-winding hallway. I was almost to the end. Fear coiled
itself around my composure. What was on the other side of that
door?

Shadows of the footsteps behind the door cast ghostly shapes
upon the floor as I inched forward. A pair of the pacing feet stopped
mid-stride and turned, now quickly moving towards the door. As the
steps neared, the shadows seemed to crawl closer and closer in my
direction, threatening to swallow me whole.
I nimbly took a step back into the cover of darkness as my
breath caught in my throat. My heart pounded behind my chest erratically.

Had I been heard?

The knob began to turn, and I squeezed my eyes as tight as
they would go, bracing myself for the terror that would surely come
if I were found. But the door didn’t open. Instead, the feet shuffled
hastily away.

I let the breath I had been holding out in a silent rush as my
heart began to steady itself. My shirtsleeve caught the beaded sweat
along my brow. Now or never, I told myself.

A few steps more and I stood right outside the door, my sleeve
now soaked with my fear. I put my back to the wall and mercilessly
pressed my ear up against it, straining to understand the awful
screeching of voices.

Now, if I hadn’t been possessed by the white light that always
seemed to save me in the nick of time, then I wouldn’t have been
able to make out what was being said. In fact, I would have doubled
over in pain from the sound of their voices. The sound of The Fates’
voices was like a metal rake grinding across another piece of metal.

And that’s how they liked it. The Ancients were the only race
able to understand them. A blessed curse, Astral always said. He was
one of the fifty, created specifically to write the Oraculuses of mortal
men. But Astral couldn’t help me now.

With heat building between my ear and the wall, I finally focused
in on a voice.

“What have you done?” asked one of the brothers.

“What needed to be done, Saeth. We are not to create from ourselves.
You have broken the decree.” His voice rose as he continued.

“How could you have given a piece of yourself? It’s repulsive and
offends everything we stand for. Do you not remember the fate of
our beloved fifth brother?”

“Castian, please,” said another brother, a voice lighter than the
previous two.l

“Not now, Arcadia,” said Castian.

A dry, monotonous voice cut in. “What’s done is done, Castian,
and cannot be changed, brother.”

“I agree with Maison,” said Saeth.

“Indeed, for then things would proceed in your favor,” said
Castian, his tone laced with scorn. “Your son cannot know that you
have sired him, for if he does, then everything we have created will
have been for nothing.”

“He’s right, Saeth. No one can know what you have done,” Arcadia
conceded. “The fate of the realms won’t hold up against what
Zordon has been prophesized to achieve. Astral has already begun
his Oraculus.”

Defeat poured out of Saeth’s voice when he replied. “What
must I do to correct this? You can’t expect me to undo what I have
done. We cannot interfere with the living, and breaking another rule
to erase my mistake won’t rectify the situation. Nor will sacrificing
me as we have done our fifth brother.”

“No,” Castian slowly dragged out his words, “it won’t. Maison,
go tell Astral to cease his duties,” he commanded.

“Castian, you can’t possibly…”

But Castian interrupted him. “I can and I will. Tell him to stop.
What’s written is written and will not be changed. That rule will remain
pure. But the unwritten will be given to another. One who will
be deemed Saeth’s son’s equal. One right to a wrong.”

“The soul ripped in half…that sounds like an excellent idea,”
Arcadia said in delight, clapping his hands.

“Who will this other be? And who will create this so called
equal,” sneered Saeth.

I felt my hand reach for the door, controlled by the spirit that
possessed me. I didn’t want to open it because I didn’t want them to
know that I was listening in, but what I wanted didn’t matter. This
wasn’t really me. I was seeing through another’s eyes.

The light crept out and up the walls as the door swung open
from the force of my hand. The four brothers looked over to me,
shock written on all of their faces as they slowly stood like statues
coming to life.

“I think I have a solution,” said the female spirit possessing
me, the voice of a thousand angels in one.

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I really enjoy spotlighting indie writers for you to discover, and here’s another one that you really ought to take a look at…award winning author Sheri Fredricks…

 

Always on the hunt for the uncommon things in life, award-winning author Sheri Fredricks thrives on creating adventures in her mythological kingdom.

A former engineering secretary, Sheri lives on California’s beautiful central coast. “I wanted to move away from inflexible right angles and create an unboxed world with no boundaries.” A voracious reader since her early years, Sheri found her brain crowded with stories and characters of her own. “Ultimately,” she says, “my husband encouraged me to write them all down.”

Sheri loves to spend time at home. A computer hutch keeps her focused on creating stories, but the panoramic view of life on a ranch will call her outside to play in the sun.

You can follow Sheri at her website, her blog and her Amazon author page.

Her latest book is “Portals of Oz”

 

Abelia, a Boronda Forest Wood Nymph…

She came to Willow Bay to satisfy her curiosity of human life, and got more than she bargained for.

 

Jack, an archeologist bent on discovery…

He can’t wait to leave Pennsylvania and return to his explorations in Australia, where life is filled with dingos and roos.

 

Danger abounds…

Human hunters stalk the enthralling Abelia, and Jack comes to her rescue. The hunters back off, but she suddenly vanishes, and he’s left confused as he returns home to the rugged Outback.

 

They’ll risk it all…

When Abelia magically appears in Jack’s kitchen, she must divulge who and what she really is and risk the mythic people’s secret for his help to return home. Meanwhile he risks his heart in convincing her to stay.

You can buy it, right this second, with one click at Amazon! And, if you scroll all the way to the bottom of te post, Sheri’s provided a (very spicy) excerpt from the book for us!

That’s not her only book. There’s also Remedy Maker, which is book 1 of Sheri’s Centaur Series. It’s the winner of the Paranormal Romance Guild 2012 Reviewer’s Choice Award, so obviously it’s worth a look! You can find it right here. And she’s got a second book in the Centaur Series, Troll-Y Yours, which you can find by clicking here.

I’ve also got an interview with Sheri…

1: How did you start your writing career?
I’ve always been a reader, an interest I inherited from my father. On average, I used to go through three fairly thick romance novels a week, and I think my husband got a little sick of it. One evening he suggested I write a story of my own. So I jumped on my son’s PC and started writing. My family didn’t see me for three months! LOL

2: Where do you dream of traveling to and why?
When planning our wedding, the Hubs and I poured over travel brochures and internet links. The one place we wanted to go, we couldn’t afford. I would love to travel to Scotland for a horseback riding adventure. It’s called “The Pub Crawl”, and you ride from one pub to another, stopping at B&B’s along the way, and viewing all that breathtaking scenery.

3: What was your first sale as an author?
After querying agents and publishers with the first book in my centaur series, and receiving the big fat Rejection, I queried a fledgling epublisher with positive results. Within a few months, a contract was signed, my book was edited, and a beautiful cover made. Four days after I debuted on Amazon with Remedy Maker, an erotic fantasy romance, my epublisher closed their doors unexpectedly with only an email notice to let me know. Devastation didn’t cover how I felt. But with all the contacts I’d made, a good friend, and now my editor, Leanore Elliott reformatted and updated the book cover, and I was back on Amazon within 24 hours as a self-published author. I’ll be forever grateful to Leanore.

4: What was the scariest moment of your life?
Some years ago, I was flying in a four-seater Cessna from California to Florida. Everything was going well, until suddenly the alarm started beeping. I had only heard that sound when we were getting ready to touch-down on landings, but we were still
around 1,500 feet. We ended up making a bumpy emergency landing on some dirt strip. After checking the plane out with the mechanic, it was only a sensor issue. To this day, I love flying.

5: As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
This was a question posed to me in second grade. My teacher had us draw a picture of what we wanted to be. While other kids drew themselves as doctors/nurses, policemen, or circus clowns….I drew a picture of myself sitting on a golden throne surrounded by sacks of money. The caption read: I want to be rich!

6: Where are your fans most likely to find you hanging out?
As dull as it might sound, you’ll find me hanging out at the house. I have everything I could want here! Horses to ride, dogs to play with, a full fridge, and plenty of ice for drinks. The beach is minutes away in one direction, the lake in another. What more could I ask for?

7: When’s the last time you played that musical instrument?
Last night. The Hubs suggested we sell the piano since no one plays it anymore. So I jumped on and played everything from Mozart to Stairway to Heaven. I probably won’t play again until it’s brought up. LOL

8: Is there a piece of advice that you have received that has really stuck with you? If so, what was it?
If it’s to be, it’s up to me.

Last but definitely not least, here’s an excerpt from “Portals to Oz” …

Abelia rocked her hips forward. She rode his hand with instinct and a passion so pure that it dragged Jack down into her uninhibited intensity. He grasped hold and tugged the top of her sundress down farther and used a ferocious suction on her nipple that caused her to cry out. His thumb pressed and flicked while his finger slid rhythmically deeper. Jack’s hard won self-control all but disintegrated as he slipped a second finger into her amazingly snug channel.

Her body jolted with a burst as she became overwhelmed with sensation, and he reveled in her responsiveness. Her hands gripped his wrist, desperately holding him to her, and she again cried out from his teasing fingers.

The wood floor lay unforgiving beneath his knees, yet he hardly felt its bite as he slid lower over Abelia’s body. When his eyes were even with her glistening sex, Jack removed his hand and in a quick movement, replaced it with his mouth. He sealed his lips to the lips of her sex, and sweet nectar tantalized his tongue. Craving more, he licked and sucked, stroking her receptive body closer to climax.

“Should I make you come, sweetheart?” His voice echoed in the empty room as a thought occurred to him. “Can I make you come? Are you different from humans that way?”

“Please, Jack.” She gasped, her green eyes glittering like emeralds, filled with need as impatient as his own.

He doubted she was conscious of anything but what her sleek body cried out for, but her eyes were focused on him. He knew she saw him, saw the need within him.

“Please…” she repeated on a moan.

If he didn’t get in her soon, he’d crawl out of his bloody skin. His cock was full, throbbing, ready to explode. Jack leaned up and sat back on his heels, easing the zipper down past the lump.

Abelia’s eyes widened when his engorged cock sprang free of his jeans, then she licked her lips and smiled. A subtle hip rotation coupled with her unconscious pelvic thrust, and he nearly came unglued before they even began.

 

 

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With “Waking Dream” finished (well, except for editing, proofing, cover design, formatting for paperback, Kindle, and Smashwords, arranging reviews, and so forth!) I’ve moved on to the next book in the series.

I already know the title: “Dream Reunion”.  With a title like that you can probably guess what the book is about, at least in part, and you’d be right.  A good part of the book will take place at Sara’s ten-year college reunion.  It just seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up.  I’ve been mulling over what might happen at her reunion, and what problem she could be faced with, that would involve her talent for stepping into other people’s dreams, and I think I’ve got that figured out (but no spoilers yet, sorry!).

Before I can really get going on the book, though, there’s some research to be done.  For one thing, I’ve never been to a class reunion, and I’ve been trying to gather thoughts and feelings from people who have, so the reunion scenes can have some emotional truth to them.

For another thing, I want it to feel true on a practical level.  Sara’s college is based on my alma mater, so I’m having to dig up information about the 2001 homecoming and class reunions, so I can get the details right.  I also want to capture the changes at my school (there’s been a massive amount of construction and renovation over the last 20 years) accurately, and that’s going to take some doing as well.

I also need to find out a little bit about the costs of running a medical practice, so I can figure out how close to the financial edge Sara and Brian are, because that’s going to come up in the book.

I know there’ll be a lot more details to look up, but that’s a pretty good list to start with…

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I should have mentioned this last week – I’m participating in a very neat (I was going to say “cool” but it’s just the opposite!) promotion – author Sofia Gray has organized the July Fever blog hop – 31 authors, 31 days of “heat.”

I’ll be featured on July 17th, but you should check it out now, and keep checking back every day.  There’s a new author every day, and giveaways to enter and win.  So get on over there!

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Book #5, “Waking Dream” is finished!  At least the first draft is.

AND, I’ve got an idea for book #6, which will be called “Dream Reunion” so that’s pretty exciting, too!

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