tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30859030237773239502024-02-19T19:07:41.532-05:00Starving NovelistAvid Reader. Author of the Enigma Black Trilogy. Fan of Dystopian Fiction. Dispenser of Limited Wisdom. A refuge for aspiring authors to confer, debate, and engage in all aspects of tomfoolery. If this piques your interest, you've come to the right blog.Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.comBlogger146125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-16462676615297182612018-07-06T16:39:00.000-04:002018-07-06T16:43:09.715-04:00Conquering Self-Doubt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; margin: 0px;">"<em><b><span style="margin: 0px;">Confidence comes not from always being
right but from not fearing to be wrong</span></b></em>." ~Peter T.
Mcintyre</span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"></span></div>
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<strong><i><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;">"Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose
the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt</span></i></strong><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;">." ~William
Shakespeare, <i>Measure for Measure</i>, 1604</span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"></span></div>
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<em><b><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;">"Once you become self-conscious, there is
no end to it; once you start to doubt, there is no room for
anything else</span></b></em><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;">." ~Mignon McLaughlin, <i>The Neurotic's Notebook</i>,
1960</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><b>I recently found myself feeling the need to resurrect this old post, namely because it was one of my more popular posts and, even several years later, it still rings true. Writers often deal with crippling self-doubt, whether from a biting review or lack of confidence. Most of the time, the feeling is fleeting, and we're able to shake it off. But sometimes, it's not, and I hope this post will serve as a catalyst to help pull anyone finding themselves creatively disabled out of the self-doubt rut. </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; margin: 0px;">Self-doubt: the bane of any
writer's existence. It's the dark cloud looming on the horizon,
threatening to rain down self-loathing, inferiority and regret. In short,
it's the one thing that can end a writer's career before it even has a chance
to take flight. With its uncanny knack for stifling one's creativity,
self-doubt renders its sufferer an empty shell. </span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; margin: 0px;">I don't believe there has ever been an
author who--at one point in time--has never suffered from a minuscule amount of
self-doubt. Recently, I've had my own bouts with this affliction and the
symptomotology has been enough to render me virtually useless. In going
through my manuscript and some of my former blogs, I've noticed glaring typos
and grammatical errors--I should, at times, be locked away for comma abuse--as
well other cringe-inducing faux pas. As my blogs are being
shared and re-tweeted (of which I'm extremely appreciative of), I often find
myself critiquing the hell out of what has been passed around and fear I
may not be living up to the high standards I try to set for
myself. This stems partly from sheer fear; fear of
being rejected by those in the community I'm striving to gain acceptance
in. The other part is being exposed to those who write so flawlessly and
so seemingly effortlessly that I often wonder if they have the same fears and
self-doubts that I do. The answer to that is, I'm certain, a resounding
YES. </span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"></span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; margin: 0px;">The question is how do you prevent it
from consuming you and your writing? I believe the answer to that
is through lots of practice, support and self-motivation. Now let's
analyze some techniques, shall we? (Too bad, we're going to anyway...)</span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"></span><br />
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<strong><u><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;">Find
a writing partner</span></u></strong><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;">--A writing
partner or support group of fellow writers is invaluable to any word-
crafter. It's imperative to receive both good and bad feedback
(constructive criticism) and to have mini cheerleaders, motivational
speakers and drill sergeants by your side at a moment’s notice to both
encourage your pursuits, celebrate your victories, tell you what works and what
doesn't, and most importantly, to prevent the storm clouds from rolling
in. Before I started involving myself in social networks, I had a small group
comprised of family, friends and co-workers who would read my work and provide
me with the encouragement I needed when I wanted to chuck my laptop
across the room (because a bad writing day is all that blasted computer's
fault, don't cha' know). After I joined social networking sites for
writers (or ones that just harbor a substantial writing community such as
Twitter, Blogger, Absolute Write, Query Tracker, Tumblr, Facebook, Goodreads,
etc.), I felt as though I'd arrived home. These communities offer a
seemingly unlimited amount of talented aspiring authors and published authors,
alike willing to dispense a plethora of advice and support.
After all, we're all in the same boat so why not travel together?</span></div>
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<strong><u><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;">Quit
standing in your own way</span></u></strong><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;">--I know
there are famous quotes out there that roughly state something about being
your own worst enemy and creating the barriers that block your own path to
success. Well, they're all completely true. The human mind is a
beautiful oddity with the ability to both propel a person into greatness or
cast them aside in the gutter at the slightest twist in thought. However, it's
when one allows those negative twists in thought to consume them that the
problems really begin to erupt, and minor problems such as grammatical errors
and the writer's own fickleness in wording forces them to question their
abilities. It's one thing to be critical of your work with the intent to
make it the best it can be, it's a completely different story to beat yourself
up over a misplaced comma. Have faith in yourself, your errors aren't as
glaring as you believe them to be. And when you feel like giving up, take
a walk, watch a movie, or do the moonwalk to take your mind away from the
negativity. You'll be pleasantly surprised by how much a break and a set of
fresh eyes will vastly improve your disposition.</span></div>
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<strong><u><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;">Not
everything you write is going to be bestseller</span></u></strong><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;">--Wouldn't that be great, though? You, sitting at
home and typing away, knowing there are a whole slew of famished
individuals out there ready to feed upon your every word. Alas, for most
of us it's time to wake up from this dream, for we know it takes
work--lots and lots of agonizing, frustrating work--before we even see a tenth
of that kind of success. That is, if we ever see any success at
all. To be a writer, you must remove the stars from your eyes and humble
yourself with the sobering truth that writing isn't going to make you rich and
famous. With that truth, thankfully, also comes the equally
as truthful statement that that's pretty much the norm for most
writers and it isn't because your work isn't up to snuff that you aren't
a multi-millionaire. Write because you love it; because it
makes you happy. Don't write because you believe it to be your meal
ticket or that success equals validation of your abilities.</span></div>
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<strong><u><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;">Comparing
apples to elephants</span></u></strong><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;">--The worst
thing you can do as a writer is to compare your work to that of others because,
unless they're absolutely terrible or you have a slightly inflated ego, you're
probably going to surmise their work as being on a level much higher than
yours. I'm insanely guilty of this. Whether it be friends, fellow
bloggers, writers, or published novels, I'm constantly critiquing my work
against that of others. Where does this get me? A night without a
single word written, a woe-is-me state of mind and a chocolate massacre on my
hands (and face, and probably somewhere in my hair, as well). Your novel
is yours and no one else's. Your writing style is unique to you. How you
write and what you write is a mark of your true identity, setting you apart
from the rest of the pack. To compare your work to the work of another is
like trying to compare your DNA with theirs. In the end,
the strands will never match and to tinker with one to make it
comport with the other will only result in a contrived, mutated
product. Different is good; variety is the spice of life; Pepsi is way
better than Coke...oops wrong blog. The point is, your style is unique,
special, something to be proud of and chances are the person you're
relentlessly comparing yourself to thinks the same way about their work when
compared to yours.</span></div>
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<strong><u><span lang="EN" style="color: black; margin: 0px;">You possess the same tools as the
next person</span></u></strong><span lang="EN" style="color: black; margin: 0px;">-The beauty with fiction writing is there isn't a single person out
there who is more qualified or who possesses a clear advantage over you (unless
they're a celebrity, but that's a topic for another day). We all come
equipped with a brain comprised of creative, technical threads, enabling us
to put sentences together to create characters and worlds beyond the scope
of reality. Although some naturally have more than
others, all of us come off the biologic assembly line with drive
and determination ingrained deep within our souls. Our collective brains,
drive and determination, though differentiated by thoughts, execution
and persistence are the tools every writer needs to succeed.
It's how one chooses to use them and how one lets their self-doubt affect their
potency that makes all the difference in the world. </span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"></span></div>
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<strong><u>Great expectations</u></strong>--If you're like me, you tend to set
the bar at the peak of the mountain. Some days you're able to clear
it so effortlessly you think your writing will ascend into orbit. Other
days, you're barely able to hurdle over a blade of grass and you feel your
writing is on par with that of your toddler's (my daughter can blow me out to
water most days with her creativity). At the risk of ripping
off Charles Dickens, setting great expectations for yourself is both
healthy and necessary if you plan on succeeding at anything you set out to do
in life. Yet those same expectations--if left to run rampant--can also be your
undoing. Don't make your great expectations impossible ones.
Instead of trying to clear hurdles in the sky, concentrate on those down here
on Earth first. Not to be cliché, but Rome wasn't built in a day.
Like your literary dreams, it takes time for empires to emerge. <br />
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<strong><u>Creativity is key</u></strong>--For a writer, creativity is second
nature. Telling a writer to be creative is like telling a kid to play at
Chuck-E-Cheese; it's just going to happen. When you write and you get
stuck on the way your dialogue, sentence structure, narrative, or overall
thought process is panning out, don't think to yourself, <em>well, I'm
not going to be the next Sara Gruen</em>, keep writing. Allow your
creativity to flow until you've either worked out your problems or completely
replaced them with new, even better ideas. Perhaps open a different
document to draft alternative scenarios or move on to a completely different
chapter in your book and come back to the section that's plaguing you when you
feel you're better able to tackle it. After all, the world doesn't
need another Sara Gruen, it needs to be introduced to you.</span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"></span></div>
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<strong><u><span lang="EN" style="color: black; margin: 0px;">Be positive</span></u></strong><span lang="EN" style="color: black; margin: 0px;">--I know it's hard to do every
day and I'm not saying that it's not healthy to have a good cry from time to
time to clear your head. It's just that, after you dry those tears and
finally leave the pillow you were beating the hell out of alone, you need to
move on. Don't dwell on your problems and frustrations. Fix them.
Even the longest, darkest tunnel ends eventually, and so will the sudden
resurgence of negativity encapsulating you. This is where the writing
group mentioned earlier comes particularly in handy. If you're stuck on a
plot point or a grammatical dilemma, they may be able to
supply you with the ideas and information needed to fix said dilemmas and
reign in your self-doubt before it breaks you. </span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"></span></div>
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A <span lang="EN" style="color: black; margin: 0px;">final tool I've found particularly
helpful when I'm in a slump is to read positive remarks I've received on
past projects. Those kind comments and helpful suggestions have a way of
rejuvenating me like emotional coffee, giving me the drive to carry on and the
ability to leave those negative thoughts in the dust.</span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"></span><br />
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Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-88290408839115636582017-10-08T00:21:00.000-04:002017-10-08T00:21:38.399-04:00My Battle with Stage 1 Melanoma<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Not the story I usually like to tell, but I think it needs to be told regardless. Obviously, since learning of my diagnosis, I haven't done any work on When Time Stands Still, but hope to get back in the saddle soon. <br />
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Did you know that melanoma is the leading cause of cancer death in young women ages 25-30 and the second leading cause of cancer death in women ages 30-35? Did you also know that the incidence of people under 30 developing melanoma is increasing faster than any other demographic group? I didn’t either, until I received my own melanoma diagnosis on July 21st (via a pathology report that was sent to me by email while I was at work). <br />
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No one wants to have a cancer story, yet they have a way of finding some of us, demanding to be told. And I feel compelled to tell mine, particularly because of all the “What’s melanoma?” and “Oh, it’s just skin cancer.” responses I received from people when I was diagnosed. While it’s true that melanoma is a form of skin cancer, calling it JUST skin cancer grossly underestimates the magnitude of this disease. It’s a disease where only a mere millimeter in depth can make the difference between receiving a good prognosis and a poor one. It’s a disease where, had I waited another six months, my story may have had an entirely different ending. <br />
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Over the winter, I did a double take in the mirror after noticing a mole on my back. It was a mole I’d had my entire life, and it had always been on the bigger side. However, there was something odd about the way the mole looked now. It appeared to be slightly larger, but what was most striking about it was it’s color. <br />
<br />If you Google melanoma images, you’ll be presented with conspicuous, big black lesions that are so obviously cancerous that it’s a wonder they weren’t discovered well before they got to that point. That’s NOT what my melanoma looked like, which is why I feel it important to raise awareness on this potentially lethal condition. <br />
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For the most part, my melanoma was the same shade of brown as all the other moles and freckles on my body, except that it had developed a reddish/pinkish hue in the center of it. Knowing that melanomas are usually black (or so I thought), I didn’t think too much of it. After all, I’d had that particular mole looked at some years prior, and all was good then. Yet, over the next few months, I’d catch glimpses of it in the mirror every now and then and think to myself that I probably should get it checked out, if only for my own peace of mind. I finally did in June while I was at my primary care physician’s office for a completely unrelated matter. It was an afterthought then, the mole, and it was only at the end of the appointment that I remembered it, sheepishly asking the nurse practitioner to take a look at it, as I figured doing so would probably just turn out to be a giant waste of her time. After spending an inordinate amount of time looking at it she said that, although she thought the lesion to be benign, she wanted to have one of the doctors in the practice take a look at it. That should have been clue #1. <br />
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When the doctor came in, it was clear he expected to be able to take one look at the mole, pacify my concerns, and send me on my merry way. Unfortunately, that’s not what happened. You know something’s not right when a medical professional lets out a genuinely surprised, “Oh!” when looking at something on your body. That should have been clue #2, but sheer denial had prevented me from piecing everything together. After all, according to Google, my mole looked nothing like melanoma. It was decided then that the mole should be removed.<br />
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After three separate pathology reports from Bronson (who weren’t entirely certain, but strongly suspected the mole to be melanoma, so they deferred it to Mayo Clinic to deliver the bad news) and then, finally, U of M, my diagnosis was confirmed: Superficial Spreading Melanoma (which, if you’re going to get melanoma, that’s the type you want to have) with no ulceration (another good characteristic), and a low mitotic rate (meaning it was slower growing). However, remember when I said just a millimeter can make the difference between a good prognosis and a poor one? Well, the kicker for me was the depth of my tumor. At 1.5 mm, my melanoma was considered invasive (a depth of only 1 mm dramatically increases the risk of the cancer having spread to the lymph nodes). I was tentatively staged at a Stage 1b (with a 93% likelihood of being alive in 5 years). Had my tumor been ulcerated, my depth would have put me at a Stage 2a (with an 81% chance of surviving 5 years). But I was assured by the U of M Melanoma Clinic and my oncologist (I’ll never get used to saying “my oncologist”) that my melanoma was an early catch and the odds that it had spread were only 15-20% (which, when it pertains to you, may as well be 80-90%). <br />
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If the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes (Stage 3), my odds of survival in the next 5 years would be reduced down to 40-78%, depending on how many nodes were affected. Because, as it turns out, this JUST skin cancer is a tricky SOB with the capability of traveling ANYWHERE in the body it pleases, often landing in organs such as the lungs, liver, and brain. It can also remain dormant in a person’s body for months, years, even decades before reappearing again. In order to figure out whether or not my melanoma had spread, I was scheduled for a wide excision and a sentinel lymph node biopsy on September 21st (two agonizing months after my initial diagnosis).<br />
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For two months, I waited, unsure whether I would remain at a Stage 1 or become a Stage 3 (I didn’t even want to consider Stage 4). Would I be able to make plans for next year? Would I get to see my girls grow up? There was so much uncertainty and the not knowing whether I still had cancer in my body and where it had traveled was, at times, unbearable. It seemed like September 21st would never arrive, but arrive it eventually did. <br />
<br />After my surgery, my husband was shocked to see the 15 staples that closed the incision on my back, an incision that runs from one shoulder blade to (almost) the other. Such an incision is standard for melanoma to ensure that they get any remaining cancer cells that may have been left behind from the initial biopsy. Along with the incision on my back, I have another two inch incision underneath my arm from where six lymph nodes were removed and biopsied to see whether the melanoma had made its way down there. Approximately 99% of the time, melanoma, if it has spread, will travel to the nearest lymph nodes. These lymph nodes are found during a painful procedure called a lymphoscintigraphy, where a radioactive dye is injected at the site of the melanoma and is tracked to see which lymph nodes it travels to. <br />
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The week following my surgery, I was a nervous wreck waiting for the pathology results, knowing that with each day that passed, the more likely it was that the call coming in would be from my oncologist’s office with results that could undoubtedly change my life forever once again. That call finally came on September 28th and the results were that there was no residual melanoma found in my back and all six lymph nodes came back negative for cancer cells. I would remain a Stage 1b.<br />
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I feel as though I dodged a bullet and am unbelievably blessed that my cancer hadn’t spread, considering I allowed a mole that so obviously had changed go for at least six months before finally getting it checked out. Had I gone in as soon as I initially noticed it, I may never have progressed to a Stage 1 and could have spared myself two months of torture. Now, I will forever be looking over my shoulders (both figuratively and literally) as there is always a chance (albeit a small one) of a recurrence, and I’m also at an increased risk of developing another primary lesion (as are members of my family). This is why I implore anyone who may not be going in for regular skin checks to get your skin checked. Don’t ignore any new moles or freckles that have suddenly appeared on your body (no matter how small), and in particular, never ignore one that has changed in any way (whether shape, color or size). Above all, please quit using tanning beds. I have no doubt that the use of them in my late teens and early twenties helped contribute to my development of melanoma at the age of 35. In the cancer world, tanning beds are considered a level one carcinogen and are on the same level as cigarettes in terms of the damage they do to your body. <b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-52875251601663835822016-04-12T22:53:00.000-04:002016-04-12T22:59:27.303-04:00Cover Reveal: The Living and The Dead<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Thank you, Mia Hoddell, fellow author and creative mind behind M Designs, for creating the perfect book cover for The Living and The Dead. Anyone looking for beautiful cover art for their books may want to check out Mia's website: <a href="http://miahoddell.blogspot.com/2014/04/m-designs.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://miahoddell.blogspot.com/2014/04/m-designs.html</a><br />
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I've taken a little break from finishing The Living and The Dead, somewhat due to personal circumstances out of my control and partially because I've been working on the summary for the book. <span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">I think you will find that most writers would agree that writing a summary can be even more challenging, more frustrating, and almost as time-consuming as writing the book itself. However, I am still planning for a summer release. </span><br />
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For now, here is the summary for The Living and The Dead: <br />
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Dying is optional.<br />
Living is forbidden.<br />
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The year is 2111, and scientists have discovered how to cheat death by extracting memories, thoughts, and personality traits from the dying, methodically implanting them into artificial bodies. At the time, it seemed too good to be true, never having to lose anyone to illness or time, and maybe it was. <br />
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Rejected as being nothing more than imposters of the living, the dead are shunned by society. Their families, friends, and neighbors, having grown to fear them, erected walls around their cities to keep them out. Over time, those cities were replaced with colonies overseen by governors to keep order.<br />
At seventeen, Zaila Lockhart has only known isolation. Isolation from the world that extends both outside and inside her colony. As the daughter of the unpopular governor, she is the target of resentment, especially now that resources are becoming more scarce, since all trade between the colonies has been interrupted by a group marauders. Starvation seems imminent, and a war between the living and the dead over much-needed provisions looms on the horizon.<br />
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In search of food and other supplies, Zaila takes it upon herself to secretly venture outside her colony’s walls. Joined by Pax Muldoon, her only friend, the pair are ambushed by a group of scavengers. Identified as being the governor’s daughter, Zaila is brought back to the scavenger’s base in a city occupied by both the dead and their living sympathizers. <br />
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Zaila thought she knew everything there was to know about her captors, that the history being taught in the colonies was rooted in fact. But some lessons are better learned outside the classroom, where the living have grown to fear life, and the dead are the only ones truly living.<br />
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Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-26435021399430582015-11-10T21:05:00.000-05:002015-11-10T21:05:02.359-05:00Dystopian Authors Collide Facebook Event: Featuring The Legacy Series By Ellery Kane <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/524438607725392/"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-9599" src="http://www.pavartiktyler.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/1.png" alt="1" width="600" height="226" /></a> <br />
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<p>Happy November, Readers!</p><p>Whether you love or dread thoughts of the end of the world, there's no denying, this is one hot genre! This week, I'm joining Ellery Kane and some of the best of the best for fun, prizes, and most awesome of all, books! Some of these authors may be familiar, some may be new, but they are all amazingly talented and ready to party! And if you're wondering about that amazing giveaway, read on to the end of this newsletter on how to <strong>win a Kindle!</strong></p><p><br />
So what are we doing? </p><p><br />
<strong>A Facebook Party!</strong></p><p><br />
Join us from 5:30-10PM EST on November 13th. There will be games, giveaways, and great discussions so don't miss out. Join the Dystopian Authors Collide Facebook Event: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/524438607725392/">https://www.facebook.com/events/524438607725392/</a></p><p><br />
<strong>Book Sales and Spotlights!</strong></p><p><br />
<a href="ellerykane.com/dystopian-authors-collide/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9600" src="http://www.pavartiktyler.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Dystopian-Authors-Collide-Covers-300x300.png" alt="Dystopian Authors Collide Covers" width="300" height="300" /></a></p><p><br />
Check out the books of our authors! Some are free, some $0.99, but they are all spectacular. Authors Include: Sara Furlong Burr, Christine Redding Manzari, Cameo Renae, Chrystalla Thoma, David Litwack, Kim Wells, SJ Pajonas, Angela Cavanaugh, Grace Hudson</p><p><br />
You can see them all here: <a href="http://www.ellerykane.com/dystopian-authors-collide/">www.ellerykane.com/dystopian-authors-collide/</a></p><p><br />
<strong>And the Giveaway!</strong></p><p><a href="ellerykane.com/dystopian-authors-collide/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-9601 alignleft" src="http://www.pavartiktyler.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/kindlefire_600x1024-176x300.png" alt="kindlefire_600x1024" width="176" height="300" /></a></p><p><br />
In addition, we've pooled together to bring you a mega giveaway, including a Kindle! </p><p><br />
Enter here: <a href="http://www.ellerykane.com/dystopian-authors-collide/">www.ellerykane.com/dystopian-authors-collide/</a></p><p><br />
And don't forget to come hang out with us on Friday! </p><p><br />
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<script src="//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-13183477222678320502015-03-03T23:26:00.001-05:002015-03-03T23:29:49.941-05:00Excerpt from One Crazy Night: "Reanimator" by Sharon Stevenson<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Crazy Night anthology, here is a short excerpt from “Reanimator” by Sharon
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“The cat hissed and batted one paw full of
razor sharp claws at my hand. The cut drew blood that burbled up thickly
enough to run and stain the cuff of my new shirt, but that wasn’t what made me
want to throw up inside my mouth. I straightened and tried to breathe
more deeply. It didn’t help. I’d just brought my sister’s beloved
fur-baby back from the dead.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pre-Order
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">One Crazy Night</i> here:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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</span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1557866974468507"><span style="color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;"><span style="color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">https://www.facebook.com/events/1557866974468507</span></span></span></a></span><br />
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Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-63271958372470384642015-03-01T22:07:00.002-05:002015-03-01T22:07:31.937-05:00Excerpt of Elements by M.H. Soars from One Crazy Night <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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With the release of One Crazy Night just days away (on March 10), I thought it would be fun to share excerpts from some of the other authors who contributed stories to the anthology. <br />
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First up is the very talented M.H. Soars with an excerpt from “Elements”:<br />
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"The lights on the yacht began to flicker, and a moment later, they went out completely. I called out to Tammara and Amber until I lost my voice. My heart hammered in my chest and tears mingled with the salt water. I pictured Mom, Dad, and Camille, hoping that I would be able to see them once more. <br />
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I looked up at the sky, expecting to see angry, stormy clouds that would explain such a drastic change in the sea. The sky was blessedly clear, the full moon now mocking me with its beauty.<br />
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All at once, the yacht dipped down at an impossibly steep angle, pointing almost straight down. An ominous, rogue wave advanced toward the boat. I had seen The Perfect Storm. I knew there was no surviving that. I braced myself for the impact, aware I would have to let go once the boat capsized. The wave curled over the top of the bridge and came crashing down. I was ripped from my safe spot and it was all darkness and unbearable pressure for a moment. I was inside a vortex of foam and didn't know which way the surface was. Water filled my lungs and panic began to overtake me.<br />
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Through the gloom I saw the fluorescent blue light again. It hovered only a few feet from me and it wasn't a fish. It had the shape of a man. Impossible. He raised his hand as if reaching out and the whirlpool around me stopped. I stood paralyzed, not knowing if I was hallucinating or if I was already dead. The apparition vanished a second later and my body screamed for air. No, I wasn't dead. Not yet."<br />
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Check out M.H. Soars’ other books here:<br />
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http://www.amazon.com/M.-H.-Soars/e/B00LH9V2R8/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0<br />
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Pre-Order One Crazy Night here: <br />
http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Night-Sara-Furlong-Burr-ebook/dp/B00THX82YM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1425185160&sr=1-1&keywords=One+Crazy+Night<br />
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If you haven’t joined our giveaway bash, what are you waiting for? Come on over, if you love books and want the chance to win swag, ebooks and giftcards all you need to do is join the fun: <br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1557866974468507">https://www.facebook.com/events/1557866974468507</a><br />
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Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-67126996101096076542015-02-17T00:01:00.000-05:002015-02-17T00:01:00.243-05:00Cover Reveal For One Crazy Night!<br />
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<strong>Book Info:</strong><br />
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Title: One Crazy Night<br />
Release date: <span class="aBn" tabindex="0" data-term="goog_365636757"><span class="aQJ">March 10, 2015</span></span><br />
Genre: YA/NA Paranormal Short Stories<br />
Authors: Sara Furlong Burr, Teshelle Combs, Emma Faragher, R. Holland, Louise Nicks, Aoife Marie Sheridan, M. H. Soars, Sharon Stevenson<br />
Format: Ebook<br />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Pre-Order Links:</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://amzn.to/1A8VpNH" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crazy-Night-Sara-Furlong-Burr-ebook/dp/B00THX82YM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1423964657&sr=1-1&keywords=one+crazy+night" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a></strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Add One Crazy Night to your TBR on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24822007-one-crazy-night" target="_blank">Goodreads.</a></strong></p><strong>Synopsis:</strong><br />
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<em><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>Nightshade Reads presents their debut fantasy anthology, featuring nine of the genre’s freshest up-and-coming independent authors. Get ready for One Crazy Night, packed full of magical encounters, dark secrets and shocking revelations.</strong></span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #008000;">Get a glimpse into a powerful queen’s dark and brutal backstory in Aoife Marie Sheridan’s Bellona.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #008000;">In Louise Nick’s Love Magic, a homemade love spell goes disastrously wrong for two amateur teen witches.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #008000;">A young woman is captured by beautiful, dangerous creatures in M.H. Soars Elements.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #008000;">A teenage boy falls in love, but things quickly become complicated in R. Holland’s Lady in Black.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #008000;">Sara Furlong Burr brings a broken man’s troubles to light as he is offered a solution by a mysterious stranger in The Recruit.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #008000;">Emma Faragher spins a dark origin tale of sisterhood and magic in Necromancer Origins.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #008000;">The kindness of a stranger takes a homeless young man by surprise in The Keymaker by Teshelle Combs.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #008000;">Sharon Stevenson’s Reanimator brings death and magic together to change the fate of one young man’s life.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>All proceeds from this Anthology's sale will go to The Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research Organisation.</strong></span></em><br />
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<strong>About Nightshade Reads:</strong><br />
<br />
<a href="http://mynameisrioblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Nightshade-logo-2.png"><img class="alignleft wp-image-272 size-medium" src="http://mynameisrioblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Nightshade-logo-2-300x300.png" alt="Nightshade logo 2" width="300" height="300" /></a>Nightshade Reads is a group of YA and NA authors who love to spin Paranormal and Fantasy stories. The group is composed by <a title="Sara Furlong Burr" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6590097.Sara_Furlong_Burr" target="_blank">Sara Furlong Burr</a>, <a title="Teshelle Combs" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7038103.Teshelle_Combs" target="_blank">Teshelle Combs</a>, <a title="Emma Faragher" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7021731.Emma_Faragher" target="_blank">Emma Faragher</a>, <a title="R. Holland" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1080375.R__Holland" target="_blank">R. Holland</a>, <a title="Louise Nicks" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8078513.Louise_Nicks" target="_blank">Louise Nicks</a>, <a title="Aoife Marie Sheridan" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6551996.Aoife_Marie_Sheridan" target="_blank">Aoife Marie Sheridan</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7776786.M_H_Soars" target="_blank">M. H. Soars</a>, and <a title="Sharon Stevenson" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1698875.Sharon_Stevenson" target="_blank">Sharon Stevenson</a>.<br />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Connect with the Nightshade Reads Authors:</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/EnigmaBlackKindle" target="_blank">Sara Furlong Burr</a> | <a href="https://facebook.com/teshellecombsbooks" target="_blank">Teshelle Combs</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7021731.Emma_Faragher" target="_blank">Emma Faragher</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1080375.R_Holland" target="_blank">R. Holland</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8078513.Louise_Nicks" target="_blank">Louise Nicks</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00B5W8SK6" target="_blank">Aoife Marie Sheridan</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mhsoars" target="_blank">M. H. Soars</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sharon-Stevenson/e/B001KIWMFC/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1417825968&sr=1-2-ent%20" target="_blank">Sharon Stevenson</a></strong></p><br />
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Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-66809719428173808022014-12-07T00:54:00.000-05:002014-12-07T01:07:01.500-05:00Seasons of Change Blog Tour and 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Talented indie author Mia Hoddell has just released a box set of her fabulous Seasons of Change novels. The Seasons of Change series includes four standalone novellas in the new adult/romance genre and includes Summer Demons, Winter Angel, Autumn Ghosts, and Spring Knight. On this stop of the Seasons of Change Blog Tour, Mia sits down for an interview to talk about her books and writing in general.</span></strong></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tell everyone a little about yourself. What
are your hobbies and </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">interests (outside of writing, of course)?</b></span></span></span></div>
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Outside of
writing I enjoy reading (obviously) and reviewing books. I also design book
covers, love graphic design, and photography. I used to play a lot of sport and
have competed at regional levels, but I’ve had to cut back on those for now.
I’d love to take up netball again, and I’m interested in learning martial arts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don’t think I made the conscious
decision, I just fell into it. I’ve always loved writing—for as long as I can
remember—so I think it was a natural progression. Also, the development in
technology and self-publishing made it an easier or more realistic goal to
achieve so when I ended up writing my first novel (2009), it was the obvious
path to follow.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What is the hardest part about being a
writer?<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I think the marketing because there
is so much out there nowadays. I also hate edits and formatting. When I’m
reading my book through countless times after my editor’s sent it me back just
to look for formatting errors, or any last minute typos, I find staying
motivated is hard as I just want the book to be released by that point.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><strong>4.</strong><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For anyone who hasn’t read the Seasons of
Change series, tell them a little about the books.</b></span></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span></strong> </div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span> <span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Seasons
of Change is a series of contemporary romance novellas that follow the seasons
(Summer Demons, Winter Angel, Autumn Ghosts, Spring Knight). I aimed to write
them as feel-good reads where characters change for the better, find
themselves, and overcome fears. All of the novellas are standalone reads and
follow different couples. However, they can be enjoyed as a series because
characters overlap.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">How did you get the idea for this series?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Seasons of Change wasn’t meant to be
a long series. In fact when I started Summer Demons I only had two books in
mind (Summer Demons and Winter Angel) and they were going to be separate with
no links. However, when I started writing Summer Demons, I enjoyed writing
quick, light-hearted romances and I wanted to tell the story of other minor characters
so it grew from there.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The original idea for Summer
Demons/Winter Angel came from coming up with the titles. They were originally
going to be paranormal novels, but then I had the idea to play on the word
‘demons’ by using inner demons and confronting fears. I had the similar thought
with each book (e.g. Winter Angel’s theme is helping/saving someone), and as
the series grew in my mind I realized they all had a theme of change or
personal growth, which is where the series title came from.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
authors have inspired you the most?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have my
favourites, but I’m not sure they inspired me. Generally I read for pleasure,
but if I had to name one it would be Julia Golding, as without her books, I
doubt I’d have started reading when I did and therefore wouldn’t have been able
to develop my writing. I hated reading until I was 14, but I guess she inspired
me to buy more books.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some
people take a walk, others bang their heads against a wall. How do you handle
writer’s block?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don’t believe
in it and that seems to be working as I’ve never been stuck when writing a
book. Of course there are always struggles when planning but I find that’s a
natural part of the process when you’re piecing little ideas together. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Things I find
that help me when writing is having a detailed plan before I begin. I do
deviate from it as the story evolves, but it helps to know where I’m heading,
who the characters are, and any other necessary details. I also never stop
writing at the end of a chapter. I always continue to at least 500 words into
the next one as I find it maps my train of thought at the time and it’s easier
to pick up the next day.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Of all the characters you’ve written, which
one are you the most alike? </b></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></o:p></b> </div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">All of my characters have a little
bit of me in them, but I think Kayleigh from Spring Knight is most similar to
my personality. She faces a few problems with confidence and feels most
comfortable when performing on stage, which is something I relate to. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell
readers about your upcoming projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What are you working on now?</b></span></span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
Right now I’m
working on an urban fantasy thriller (is complete) and a NA romance for
NaNoWriMo. I’m not going to reveal too much about them though because I like to
be secretive about new works. However, I’m also thinking about Seasons of
Change Volume 2. I know who the first story is going to be about, but I’m
trying to figure out the rest of the books so I can hopefully write them next year.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If any of the books in the
Seasons of Change series were made </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">into movies (I’m personally voting for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Summer Demons</i>), who do you envision
playing the main characters?<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This question
always stumps me. I never create characters with an actor or actress in mind
and therefore I can never find someone who looks like who I have in my head.
Can I take the easy option and let the readers decide?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you find that you base
your characters on real life people, or are they entirely fictional?</b></span></span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">My characters are mostly fictional and if I do base them on real people,
it’s never just one. Generally I pick out things from a few people—normally
small quirks, habits etc.—and shape them into one character. Of course, I may
use experiences with real people to help me create them, but I’m never going to
reveal who anyone is, if I have. It’s surprisingly a question I get asked a lot
“am I in your book?” but I doubt anyone would be able to tell if a character
was them because they grow into their own while writing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">12.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do
you have any writing essentials (i.e. music, silence, coffee)?</span></b></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></o:p></b> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
I can write just
about anywhere because I write on my iPod, so I’d need that. I find music helps
when it fits the tone of the book, but it isn’t necessary. Also, I do like to
be somewhere with no clutter. I don’t know why, but I can’t focus if there’s a
pile of stuff around me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">13. What made you decide to write in the young adult/new
adult genre? </b></span></span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s the age bracket I fall into so I write for people my own age. They are
also the genres I read and enjoy most so it felt natural writing in them.<o:p></o:p><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">14. What is one of the first things you remember writing? Do
you still have it?<br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was a poem about a giraffe named Jack. I think it was written as a task
for school when I was six and everything had to rhyme with Jack. I’m pretty
sure I still have it as well.<o:p></o:p><br />
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">15. Do you have any advice for those wanting to take the
plunge and begin writing?<br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’d say just go for it. The thing I hear most is that people don’t know how
to get into writing, and the only answer I can give is to actually sit down and
write. You can think and think about it, but the only way you’re going to move
forward is to put pen to paper/fingers to keyboard. I’d also say keep your
expectations and goals realistic, and find what works for you. Writing is
something you grow into and are constantly learning—I still am—and there’s a
lot of details on what other authors do out there, but I think it’s best to
find how you like to work and do that instead. It has to be enjoyable is the
main thing.<o:p></o:p><br />
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">16. Who are your favorite authors and what are your favorite
books?</b></span></span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have a lot. I’d say my top five are: Julia Golding/Joss Stirling
with all of her books, Derek Landy – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Skulduggery
Pleasant</i>, Rachel Vincent for all of her books, J. Lynn – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wait For You Series</i>, and J. A. Redmerski
– <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Edge of Never </i>(which is one of
the rare books that’s made me cry).<o:p></o:p><br />
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">17. If you could be any character in any book, who would you
be and why?</span></b></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Um … Valkyrie Cain from the Skulduggery Pleasant books because she’s
amazing. She’s witty, strong, gets funny lines, has a reflection that does all
of the boring stuff in her life, and above all she uses many types of magic and
gets to solve magical mysteries.</span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b><div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Favorite
color: </b>Purple</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dogs or Cats: </b>Cats all the time.
Dogs scare me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Favorite Food: </b>That changes with the
season. In the summer I like fruit, in the winter anything that is chocolate or
cake.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day or Night: </b>I get more work done
in the night because there are less distractions and it’s quiet. I prefer the
day though, if it’s sunny.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Favorite Season: </b>Summer, I need the
sun.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Favorite Movie: </b>Moulin Rouge</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Laptop or Pen and Paper: </b>Laptop. I
tried writing a book by hand once … never happening again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="WordSection1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">SEASONS OF CHANGE BOX SET AND GIV</span>EAWAY</strong></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span> </div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seasons of Change Box Set<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Books 1-4 + Exclusive Bonus Stories</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">by Mia
Hoddell</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Genre:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> YA
Romance<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Release
date:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> November
27th 2014<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNN2UOunLOQZ5rvAn7jclqGS5NkyBSrMSzBH_Pq606ye_ndct2MKQFqnoHXnLHi0PEp9Yd3kSifW_Rhm7xcmTfONRaD7Y1LDeAixT5AFbAL9x57BXltUVwT1K8hV6-JP5AZtO1y4Zug5U/s1600/SOC+BOX+SET+PNG.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNN2UOunLOQZ5rvAn7jclqGS5NkyBSrMSzBH_Pq606ye_ndct2MKQFqnoHXnLHi0PEp9Yd3kSifW_Rhm7xcmTfONRaD7Y1LDeAixT5AFbAL9x57BXltUVwT1K8hV6-JP5AZtO1y4Zug5U/s1600/SOC+BOX+SET+PNG.png" height="200" width="182" /></a></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Blurb:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">You can
now get all four Amazon best-selling novellas in the Seasons of Change series,
plus two exclusive short stories, in one box set.<br />
<br />
These feel-good contemporary romances follow the seasons as characters change
for the better, find themselves, and overcome fears.</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All of
the novellas are standalone reads, but can be enjoyed as a series because
characters overlap. This box set includes:</span></span></b><br />
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span></b><br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Demons-Romance-Novella-Standalone-ebook/dp/B00INEDA02"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Summer Demons</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Jenna Shaw jumped on a
plane and flew to Portugal to try and forget her past. However, forced to deal
with her memories due to an ill-timed joke, Jenna’s holiday is derailed by the
charismatic Ethan Brooks. She sees him as an annoyance; he sees her as a challenge.
And when all of his usual tricks only serve to push her away, Ethan has to work
harder than ever if he wants to win over and help his mysterious girl.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Winter-Angel-Romance-Novella-Standalone-ebook/dp/B00L86Z2GW/ref"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Winter Angel</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> When Amy’s suggestion of a
beach holiday is overruled in favour of skiing she couldn’t have predicted it
might make her break the one, and only, rule she has: not to commit to a
serious relationship again. The minute she sees Luke, she knows something’s
wrong, and her desire to fix people means she wants to be the one to help him.
However, she didn’t go on holiday to fall for someone, and whether or not she
can move past her insecurities will depend on whether Luke can face his biggest
fear.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Autumn-Ghosts-Romance-Novella-Standalone-ebook/dp/B00NWITYQS/ref"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Autumn Ghosts:</span></a></span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Only one person knows what
truly lies in Ellie Jeffords’ heart, and that’s herself. Hating the course she
is studying, Ellie is failing and when a friend’s cousin, Justin, offers to
tutor her, she jumps at the chance. However, as the pressure of exams starts to
break Ellie, Justin wants her to confide in him. The only problem is that he
can’t persuade her to talk without revealing his own dark secret, and forcing
Ellie to choose between her parents’ dreams and her own will cost her something
she loves.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spring-Knight-Romance-Novella-Standalone-ebook/dp/B00P11XPC8/ref"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Spring Knight:</span></a></span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Kayleigh Barrow is most
comfortable on stage where she can pretend she’s someone else, but when
auditions for the latest production are opened up to the entire university, the
lines between fantasy and reality start to blur. Thrown together with renowned
player, Aiden Hanson, she can’t longer hide her feelings for him. However, he’s
never had a serious relationship and Kayleigh refuses to be another conquest.
When her acting starts to become real and she can no longer hide behind her
character, Kayleigh must decide whether Aiden’s worth the risk, or if he will
end up breaking her heart.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Plus 2
exclusive short stories:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<br />
Summer Revenge: Jenna promised she’d get Ethan back for his prank, and it’s time
to cash in. Read about what happened after the couple left Portugal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<o:p></o:p> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Season of
Love: There’s beach fun, flirting, and mischief as all of the Seasons of
Change couples take part in a beach competition.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: large;">Buy it now, save
20% <i>and</i> get more content than if purchased separately.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Seasons-Change-Books-Bonus-Stories-ebook/dp/B00P17AD3G/ref" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Amazon.com</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> | </span><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seasons-Change-Books-Bonus-Stories-ebook/dp/B00P17AD3G/ref" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Amazon.co.uk</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/new/23475715-seasons-of-change" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Add to Goodreads</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KbRJZ3hD25qMX274oboethKs-ZPKhJ1zTBuUuCWSygXbLKB2MdthNGiJcrqRkZKf68YbwHjbD4dYHCnlfgckE4Iuiszzd5yzCaCugKHVoTWiCp9l2fBA72DU_zk8EFpHXLCIdiCMIIg/s1600/Book+Images+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KbRJZ3hD25qMX274oboethKs-ZPKhJ1zTBuUuCWSygXbLKB2MdthNGiJcrqRkZKf68YbwHjbD4dYHCnlfgckE4Iuiszzd5yzCaCugKHVoTWiCp9l2fBA72DU_zk8EFpHXLCIdiCMIIg/s1600/Book+Images+2.jpg" height="235" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">About the Author<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mia Hoddell lives in the UK with her family and two cats. She spends
most of her time writing or reading, loves anything paranormal and has an
overactive imagination that keeps her up until the early hours of the morning.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">With three poems published before the age of sixteen, Mia moved on to
short stories but finding she had too much to tell with too little space, Mia
progressed to novels. She started her first series (<i>The Wanderer Trilogy</i>)
at the age of fourteen and since then hasn’t stopped writing. <i>Seasons
of Change</i> is her third series and with an ever growing list of ideas,
Mia is trying to keep up with the speed at which her imagination generates
them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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Connect with Mia:<o:p></o:p></h2>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><a href="http://miahoddell.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Blog</span></a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/MiaHoddell"><span style="color: blue;">Twitter</span></a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mia-Hoddell-Author/421368247889610?ref=hl"><span style="color: blue;">Facebook</span></a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/miahoddell"><span style="color: blue;">Goodreads</span></a> | <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/113175199547008833705"><span style="color: blue;">Google+</span></a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mia-Hoddell/e/B0093M18QQ/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0"><span style="color: blue;">Amazon Author Page</span></a></span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: large;">or subscribe to Mia's </span><a href="http://eepurl.com/GFF_1"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Newsletter</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> for information
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: xx-small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> ARCs, giveaways and new releases</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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**Giveaway**</span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">3x copies</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> of Summer Demons and Winter Angel (ebooks)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">CODE:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/400b091b12/" id="rc-400b091b12" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-size: large;">LINK <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/400b091b12/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/400b091b12/</span></a></span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></b><br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></b><br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Excerpts<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<u>Spring Knight Excerpt</u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
Black. It was the only colour she could
see as she stood on top of the platform. Her vision had tunnelled with the
waves of vertigo that hit her body, allowing only the dark colour into her eye
line. With the strength of a gale force wind, it pounded on her chest, causing
her to stumble back as its icy hold sent a shiver along her spine. The break
from seeing the ground wasn’t enough, though. She couldn’t go far enough to
feel safe. If she moved more than one step in any direction she would fall.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
She felt dizzy
... lightheaded.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
It was the
worst possible time to find out she was scared of heights, but maybe it was the
thought of jumping rather than the actual distance. Not only did she feel
faint, but also sick. Kayleigh didn’t even know how those two actions could
combine, but she let out a nervous giggle and hoped another type of blackness
would capture her mind before she made a complete fool of herself. It probably
made her sound insane, but she couldn’t stop the sound.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
No longer could
she find the answer to why she was on a platform, willing herself to fall. It
had seemed logical and easy on the climb up, but now she suddenly felt as if
she was standing on top of a building, rather than a few metres in the air. Her
heart was pounding in her chest; the rhythm frantic as she urged herself to
peer over the edge once more. Palms slick with sweat, her fingers slipping over
each other, she twitched nervously as she strained her neck to catch a glimpse
of the floor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“I can do this.
Just lean back and it will all be over,” she muttered to herself, only adding
to the crazy image she had going on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
People were
shuffling anxiously on the ground, unsettled by her actions. “Block them out,
Kayleigh. You can do this,” she chanted ritually under her breath before she
inhaled sharply. Slowly counting, she exhaled with a deep sigh when she reached
twenty. Her whole body relaxed with the action and Kayleigh closed her eyes,
trying to find a sense of peace and stillness. Unfortunately, all it did was
make her knees weaker. Reopening her eyes, Kayleigh kept her head up and her
chin parallel with the floor. If she didn’t look down, what she was about to do
couldn’t scare her … at least that’s what she told herself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
Block it out. Everything. Focus on your breathing. It’ll be over in
seconds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
Taking one last
deep breath, her gaze hardened and she picked a spot across the room to focus
on. She shuffled to the edge, her bare toes skimming the lip of the platform.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
She was just
about to turn around when something interrupted her focus. A door slammed hard,
and into the room walked the last person she expected to see. His cool, blue
eyes found hers instantly, holding multiple questions as to why she was doing
what she was. Yet Kayleigh didn’t stop to think any further. The last thing she
needed was to appear weak in front of him, and she’d only just calmed herself
down.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
Turning,
Kayleigh edged back so that only her toes were balanced on the edge, her heels
hanging off. She felt like a diver, but with worse balance since her legs had
started to shake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
She couldn’t
hold the position long.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“Ready!” she
shouted, loud enough to silence the room. Normally she hated being the centre
of attention, and wanted to shrink into the darkest corner possible. However,
today she would kill anyone who wasn’t focused on her. Today she needed all
eyes to be on her or everything was going to end badly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
She heard
counting below. “Three ... Two ... One ...” As they reached the final number
Kayleigh pushed all thoughts from her mind and leaned back, her arms crossed
over her chest tightly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
Displacing her
weight, her body fell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<u>Autumn Ghosts Excerpt<o:p></o:p></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
Ellie’s plan to wallow in self-pity alone didn’t
last as long as she’d wished for. She had gotten through two beers and was
halfway through a third when Aiden marched over to her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“Don’t you think you’ve had enough, Elles?” he
asked, looking pointedly at her bottle, which caused her to let out an
exaggerated breath. The flirting from Aiden was annoying, but it irritated her
more when he took on a brotherly role in Luke’s absence.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“I’m fine,” she huffed. “You’ve probably had more
than me anyway.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“But I can handle it better.” She could hear the
smile in his words, but she refused to look up at him. Her hair had fallen
forward, creating a physical wall between them, and she was thankful that it
obscured her face from view.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“What’s up, Elles? You’re not yourself.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“I’m fine, why do people keep asking me that?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
Aiden reached forward, pulling her hair back and
tucking it behind her ear. It gained him a glare, but he was persistent. “Come
on, Elles. It’s obvious you’re not. I’ve known you over twenty years."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
Ellie sighed, not wanting to reveal anything,
especially to Aiden. “I’m fine.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“Then why are you over here by yourself?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“She’s not by herself. We’re here,” Jess called,
and the tightness in Ellie’s chest eased at her friend’s rescue. “You are being
no fun, though.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
Ellie wanted to head-butt the bar as she groaned.
Instead, she downed the rest of her beer and turned to signal the bartender.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“No, she’s good. She’s had enough,” Aiden stated,
interrupting before she could place her order.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“Seriously? You’re cutting me off? I’ve only had
three.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“That’s enough. I’m not getting my ass kicked by
Luke because you came home drunk and miserable.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
I’m not drunk,” Ellie protested, not bothering to
deny his other accusation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“Really?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“Yup”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“Prove it then,” Aiden challenged, a sly smile and
silent laugh shining in his eyes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“How?” Ellie couldn’t help but be drawn in. She
never backed down from a bet.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“Beat me in a game of pool.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“You don’t think I can?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“No, I know you can normally. You’re
one of the few people who are better than me. But … I don’t think you will
today.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
Ellie’s face hardened in concentration, studying
the table. “You’re on, but if I win I get all of your winnings from tonight.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“That’s my girl. If I win, you go home.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
“I’m not your girl,” Ellie stated, her voice devoid
of all emotion as she took the cue he offered and walked past him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<br />
<u>Summer Demons Excerpt</u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
She saw red. Seeping into the crystal clear water
it spread, bleeding and merging as the ripples around her pushed it closer
towards her feet. The deep crimson only grew darker as it surrounded her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
She could feel her breathing quicken, coming in
short, sharp rasps as she started to panic. Her chest constricted, an
unbearable pressure tightening like a boa constrictor refusing to release her
from its clutches. Her throat felt dry, her increased breathing doing nothing
to help the situation as she forced herself to swallow in the hope of
dislodging the lump that had formed there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
This isn’t happening. This isn’t real. I came here
to escape this, she told herself
repeatedly as she laid there, her turquoise bikini embellished with golden
sequins shining in the sun as her back tanned slowly. Bringing up an arm to
adjust her chestnut-brown hair that was dangling in the water, she tried to
pull away before the colour reached her and tainted the beautiful locks. The
damage done would be irreparable if it touched her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
Moving it just in time, she threw it over her
shoulder so it rested between her shoulder blades, the damp tips feeling nice
as they cooled her back by trailing droplets of water down either side. She
tried not to flinch as her gaze returned to the bloodied water that lapped at
the li-lo beneath her chin. With every wave it seemed to grow closer, making its
way further up the yellow plastic to try and touch her. The tapping that was
normally so soothing tormented her now, like a crowd clapping and cheering her
sanity on as it fled for safety.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
Rather than listen to the logical side of her
brain, her body had other ideas. Shuffling back, she put a bigger distance
between her face and the abnormal pool beneath her. As her toes dipped into the
cool water behind her though, she flinched, automatically drawing herself up so
that no part of her body was near the edge. No matter how disgusted she was,
she couldn’t stop staring; her eyes were hypnotised by the gentle movements
that swirled the colour into the water even more. The red had become so thick
that not one tile beneath the surface was visible.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
The more she stared, the more she remembered.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
The more she remembered, the more she was pulled
into her memory.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
It might not have been real at that moment in time,
but it had been, and Jenna was once again pulled into the unbearable
memory. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<o:p></o:p> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<u>Winter Angel Excerpt</u></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
Taking Liam’s silence as it was meant—an end to the conversation—Amy
turned back to Jenna, whose head was leaning on Ethan’s shoulder, their hands
linked on his lap. They were never not touching.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“So what do you think?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“About what?” Jenna replied. Her eyes flicked over to Amy, but her head
did not move.</span></div>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
</h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Bus guy. What did you think of him?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“He’s okay I guess. I wasn’t really paying attention. He didn’t look
that pleased to be here, though.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“He was hot, right?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
Jenna lifted her head to look at Ethan, who was watching and waiting for
her response. Smiling mischievously at him, Jenna replied, “Yeah, I wouldn’t
mind hooking up with him.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
She glanced at Ethan to see his reaction, but he just rolled his eyes.
“Nice try, but I’m not biting.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
Jenna sighed, but returned her attention back to Amy. “Just don’t do
anything stupid, yeah? You don’t know anything about him.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“Yeah, yeah, I hear you … nothing stupid.” Amy brushed off the comment.
Jenna had always been a worrier, but Amy preferred to just throw herself into
things head first, the consequences be damned.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“Amy ...” Jenna’s tone was low in warning, knowing that the callous way
in which she was brushed off did not bode well.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“I’m not going to go knocking on his door or anything, don’t worry. I
just might happen to bump into him a few times around here. You know I don’t do
serious relationships anymore. I’m not stupid enough to fall for that trick
again.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
Jenna shook her head in despair, knowing it was futile to argue.
“Whatever, just don’t cause trouble.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“Me? Trouble? I’m an angel.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
Everyone on the minibus rolled their eyes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
“Sure you are, Amy, and I’m the tooth fairy.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
They laughed at her disgruntled face as the driver
pulled up in front of their home for the week.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 20pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></div>
</div>
Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-87160029618752493162014-10-31T00:00:00.000-04:002014-10-31T00:00:00.631-04:00Interview with Author Robert Pruneda<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigE41BBUGqg5mYvikPIBaCJf_8yQxie8b19rLqZqA5K0VMc-dyD7dOicTPBc29RKsNHEa8hfHZ1eIBX4qlYxcsqHVsbcAIOQDQ_VWoJlfIoTDVHjfhj2C3tWkbjkCYQWw09jH1pW1EbgA/s1600/unnamed+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigE41BBUGqg5mYvikPIBaCJf_8yQxie8b19rLqZqA5K0VMc-dyD7dOicTPBc29RKsNHEa8hfHZ1eIBX4qlYxcsqHVsbcAIOQDQ_VWoJlfIoTDVHjfhj2C3tWkbjkCYQWw09jH1pW1EbgA/s1600/unnamed+2.jpg" height="236" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On this stop of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Devil's Nightmare</i> Halloween Blog Tour, celebrating
the release of the second novel in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Devil's
Nightmare</i> series: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Devil's Nightmare
Premonitions</i> (which I highly recommend to any fan of the horror genre),
author Robert Pruneda sits down with me for an interview to discuss the series,
his inspirations, and writing in general.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Tell everyone a little about yourself. What
are your hobbies and interests outside of writing?</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong> </strong></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>I’m from south Texas and working towards living the dream
of becoming a full-time novelist. That first step was making the decision to
leave the traditional workforce. I spent the last few years working from home
as a small business administrative support specialist. During that time I’ve
also written two horror novels, Devil’s Nightmare and Devil’s Nightmare:
Premonitions. When I’m not taking care of my administrative duties or working
on my next novel, I’m either reading, watching TV, or hanging out with my
gaming buddies playing online on the PlayStation 4.</strong> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>When did you first know that you wanted to
be a writer?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>I didn’t start to
seriously think of being an author until 2001 or 2002. This was after I lost my
job and had difficulty finding work. I decided to tackle a pet project that had
considered doing for a while. I had a lengthy time of unemployment and working
part-time jobs here and there, so I figured with so much extra time on my hands
I followed through and wrote the 488-page behemoth that is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pursuit of a Dream. </i>I self-published my debut novel in 2004 through
a vanity press (rookie mistake, I know). Having a printed copy of a novel I spent
three years writing felt like a huge accomplishment. I started a short career
in the newspaper industry shortly after publishing that novel.</strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>What is the hardest part about being a
writer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Marketing by far.
Writing is the fun part. Finding readers is the hardest thing to do, especially
for a new undiscovered author swimming in a sea of hundreds of thousands of other
hatchlings hoping to find readers. It takes a lot of hard work, belief in
yourself, patience, and perseverance. Some people think you can write a novel,
hit the publish button, and then just sick back and collect the royalties.
After writing three novels, one of which has been moderately successful on
Amazon, I know that writing is just a small part of the publishing game. The
rest has to do with running a business. There’s a lot of trial and error
involved, learning from your mistakes (and boy I’ve made plenty), and building
a platform. Social media is where I’ve connected with a good percentage of my
readership. It is also where I have met other authors, both traditionally and
independently published. Finding the right balance between marketing and can be
a tricky thing. Finding the right balance between social media and marketing is
the tricky part. I’ve discovered that you can get away with self-promotion if
you spend more time being yourself and engaging you’re your followers on social
media than only saying, “Buy my book.” Nobody likes a spammer.</strong> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>For anyone who hasn’t read the Devil’s
Nightmare books, tell them a little bit about them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Devil’s Nightmare
is technically marketed in the horror genre, but it is more of cocktail of
horror, thriller, suspense, and cop drama, with occult and supernatural
elements mixed in. I wrote the first book from the perspective of Detective
Aaron Sanders, while the sequel is in third person. Here are the blurbs for
each book:<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Devil’s
Nightmare<o:p></o:p></strong></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Detective Aaron
Sanders' abilities and fortitude are put to the test when he investigates a
brutal double-homicide where a boy's parents are found mutilated inside their
home. The boy is the only witness to the crime and his clothes are stained with
his parents' blood. His clothes are also tainted with the blood of other
victims from a separate and even more horrific crime scene at a nearby
cemetery. All of the victims appear to have been killed in the same manner and
the boy knows the true identity of the evil responsible for the multiple
deaths, but he is unwilling to talk. No one would believe him. A threat on the
boy's life and a disturbing nightmare causes Detective Sanders to question his
beliefs and his own sanity. This investigation ultimately leads Sanders in a
fight to save himself and the life of an orphaned boy from an unimaginable evil
that is spawned from the curse of the devil's nightmare.<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Devil’s
Nightmare: Premonitions<o:p></o:p></strong></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Sequel to the
Amazon bestselling horror Devil's Nightmare, Robert Pruneda brings fans of the
first novel another horrific thriller full of twists, chills, and a shocking
conclusion. Two years have passed since Aaron Sanders retired from the Austin
Police Department after what the media has called The Saint Hedwig Massacre. He
moves his family out of the capital city to start a new life as a small town
cop in Lost Maples, Texas, where the population count is updated more often
than the murder rate. That bit of reputation is about to change when Aaron is
once again caught in the middle of a mysterious investigation that has an eerie
familiarity. This time, however, he is certain what is responsible for the
violent deaths . . . Or is he? <o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Evil knows no
boundaries, and it is up to Aaron to figure out how to protect the residents of
his community, and his family, from becoming its next victims.<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Where did you get the idea for Devil’s
Nightmare and Devil’s Nightmare Premonitions?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Devil’s Nightmare is very loosely based on an incident I
experienced when I was a kid regarding playing (and getting obsessed) with a
Ouija board by myself. As a child, I believed an evil spirit haunted me or it
could have just been a figment of my imagination stemmed from a terrifying dream.
I woke up from a nightmare one evening and felt something pressing down on my
chest, which made it difficult for me to breath. I saw something hovering above
me with a pair of sinister amber eyes. I tried to move, but this force kept me
down. I lay there frozen in bed, starring at this demon. I was finally able to
scream in terror. Moments later, my parents burst into my bedroom and turned on
the light. The silhouette with the hideous eyes disappeared. I told my parents
what I saw, and of course, they didn’t believe me; it was just a nightmare.
Maybe it was. Maybe I imagined it all. Perhaps it wasn’t real. I know one thing
that is undeniable . . . I’ve never felt more scared in my life.<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>And I’ve never touched a Ouija board ever since.</strong> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>What authors have inspired you the most?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Stephen King on the traditional side and Michael R.
Hicks from the independent publishing side. Reading “The King of Horror’s”
book<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On
Writing</i> gave me the inspiration needed to write horror. Michael Hicks is a
great example of an independently published author who worked tirelessly at
pursuing his dream of writing for a living while working a full-time job. He
now has written about a dozen best-selling novels and is living his dream. He
is down to earth who does not let success get to his head. Over the past few years,
he has also become a great friend (and mentor) who has given me sound advice
that has saved me from a few major headaches.</strong> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Have you always had an interest in the
horror genre?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What other genres do you
like to read and write?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Yes. Horror has always been my favorite genre, both in
print and on film. I also enjoy reading fantasy, thrillers, and have recently
started reading science fiction. I also enjoy reading Christian fiction,
particularly novels written by Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker.<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Some people take a walk, others bang their
heads against a wall. How do you handle writer’s block?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>After banging my
head against the wall, I typically step away from my current project and work
on something else. I may also</strong> <strong>read a book in the same genre.<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>How much alike are you and your
protagonist, Aaron Sanders? Is his character based on anyone you knew/know?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Aaron isn’t based
on anyone specific, but he does carry some of my traits (both good and bad) . .
. and of course, he’s also a classic car enthusiast like me. I’ve actually been
criticized for this, which I find amusing.</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>What can we expect in the future for the
Devil’s Nightmare series?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Without giving any spoilers for anyone who hasn’t read one
or both of the books, I can say that you should expect more surprises. I plan
to continue the series where Book 2 left off and also plan on exploring the
past in another book, which may end up as more of a spin off than an actual
prequel.</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>If the Devil’s Nightmare books were made
into movies, who do you envision playing the main characters?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>This question also came up during the “The Next Thing Blog Hop” in 2012
while I was writing Devil’s Nightmare. Here is the cast I chose then:<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Detective Aaron Sanders . . . Christian Slater<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Cody Sumner . . . C.J. Adams<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Chief David Hernandez . . . Nestor Serrano<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Donald Luther . . . Robert David Hall<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Maria Jimenez . . . Jennifer Lopez<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Samantha Jimenez . . . Rhiannon Leigh Wryn<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Detective Steven Riley . . . Drew Roy<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Jackson Smith . . . Liam James<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Robert Smith . . . Nicholas Lea<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Dr. Jerome Hadley . . . Gary Oldman<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Father Henry Marwick . . . Ben Kingsley<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Joseph Michaels . . . Spencer List<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Pamela Houston . . . Queen Latifa</strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Do you find that you base your characters
on real life people, or are they entirely fictional?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>All the characters
in Devil’s Nightmare are entirely fictional, but there are a few characters in
my debut novel Pursuit of a Dream that were inspired by real people. There are
also a few people that have inspired some ideas for a few future characters, but
that’s only natural, right?</strong> </span><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Do you have any writing essentials (i.e.
music, silence, coffee)?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Not really. I don’t have any writing rituals or
anything that I absolutely must have or do in order to get the creative juices
flowing, but I do find that coffee and music can help, but the music must not
have lyrics. I can’t write to music with lyrics because my A.D.D. kicks in.</strong> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">14.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>What made you decide to write horror
novels? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>I decided to try
writing horror after reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On Writing</i>
by Stephen King. I love to read and watch horror, so it only made sense for me
to write in my favorite genre. I had a lot of fun writing the first two Devil’s
Nightmare novels, so I think I have found my niche genre.</strong> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">15.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>What is one of the first things you remember
writing? Do you still have it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>The very first thing I wrote (and drew) was a military
sci-fi/horror comic called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Katie vs. The
Amoeba</i>. It was one of those Godzilla style stories. Katie is a giant snake
and The Amoeba is a giant monster that has the ability to regenerate. I was
just a kid, so never mind the fact that an amoeba is a tiny microscopic
organism. I still have the comic buried in a box somewhere. Hopefully, I’ll
find it someday, so I can share it with my readers.</strong> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">16.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Do you have any advice for those wanting to
take the plunge and begin writing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>First you need to
decide why you want to write. Are you considering this as a potential career or
are you doing this as a hobby. Making this distinction is very important
because if you are seriously considering writing as a profession, be prepared
for a long and difficult road where you are required to make sacrifices. Most
importantly, don’t give up, because it is very easy to get discouraged. Focus
on your love of the craft instead of sales or whether or not people like your
work and you’ll have a lot less headaches. It’s easier said than done, but you
need to enjoy writing or else what’s the point, right? If your decision to
write is revolved around making money, then you are writing for the wrong
reason. Can you make money in this profession? Absolutely! However, I think the
most important thing to focus on as a writer is improving your craft and
enjoying the process. If you make money doing it, then that’s just an added
bonus.</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">17.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Who are your favorite authors and what are
your favorite books?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>The list is long,
but here is what I’ve come up with off the top of my head . . . <o:p></o:p></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Favorite authors: Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Michael
Crichton, Steve Alten, Michael R. Hicks, Lorna Suzuki, Frank Peretti, Ted
Dekker, Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins, C.S. Lewis, Margaret Weiss, Tracy
Hickman, and R.A. Salvatore are just a few. <o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Favorite books: Devil’s Nightmare (of course), It,
Cell, Needful Things, Jurassic Park, Whispers, Prey, Disclosure, Meg, Extinct,
Season of the Harvest, A Warrior’s Tale, The Oath, Thr3e, Left Behind, The
Chronicles of Narnia, and the list could go on.<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">18.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>If you could be any character in any book,
who would you be and why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>I would have to say Jonas Taylor
from Steve Alten’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Meg. </i>Jonas Taylor
is the lead character of this novel about a giant prehistoric shark (the
megalodon) that is supposed to be extinct. Jonas Taylor is the only survivor
during a top-secret dive in the Mariana Trench where Taylor discovers the giant
relative of the great white shark. Nobody believes Jonas, of course. It was a
very fun novel for me to read, since I have a fascination of sharks, especially
the megalodon. So, living the life of Jonas Taylor would be exciting. <o:p></o:p></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For Fun:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Coke or Pepsi?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Pepsi</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Laptop or Pen and paper?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Laptop</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Walking Dead or Game of
Thrones?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Yes. To
ask me to choose between the two is just plain evil. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Day or Night?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Night,
because it’s when I write best.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Outline or let it flow?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Let it
flow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Favorite color?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red;">Red</span></b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Black</b>, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;">Blue</span></b><span style="color: #1f4e79; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;"> </span>(equally)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Favorite food?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Pizza.
Duh!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Cats or Dogs?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dogs<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<strong><u><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BIO</span></u></strong></div>
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<strong><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></u></strong> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rKdf356m80fv1K6HqeaP_N82Iq4gE8Mx9vRxMdDoR9Optll8OBtqRxaXR9sS3y1YoQZbyG109jliOa5E0cEJRn4acz8ZNdFo2_GAmyDUaPCT08V9OFyBUIld7gLDos4u9RPT9rAGSAU/s1600/unnamed+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rKdf356m80fv1K6HqeaP_N82Iq4gE8Mx9vRxMdDoR9Optll8OBtqRxaXR9sS3y1YoQZbyG109jliOa5E0cEJRn4acz8ZNdFo2_GAmyDUaPCT08V9OFyBUIld7gLDos4u9RPT9rAGSAU/s1600/unnamed+1.jpg" height="200" width="199" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Robert “Sharky” Pruneda is author of the Amazon Kindle
bestselling horror novel Devil's Nightmare and contemporary family motor sports
drama Pursuit of a Dream (Victory Lane: The Chronicles). He lives in south
Texas and has called the Lone Star State his home all of his life. Pruneda is
also very active in social media and an avid gamer who can often be found
fighting side-by-side with his friends on his favorite first-person shooter . .
. but he prefers survival horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Connect with Robert Pruneda:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Twitter: </span><a href="http://twitter.com/SharkbaitWrites"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://twitter.com/SharkbaitWrites</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Facebook: </span><a href="http://facebook.com/AuthorRobertPruneda"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://facebook.com/AuthorRobertPruneda</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Official Website: </span><a href="http://sharkbaitwrites.com/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://SharkbaitWrites.com</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Devil's Nightmare series is available at Amazon.com at the links provided below:</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Devils-Nightmare-Book-ebook/dp/B00AXXD4SE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414429183&sr=8-1&keywords=Robert+Pruneda" target="_blank">Devil's Nightmare</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Devils-Nightmare-Premonitions-Book-ebook/dp/B00MQGAJ1Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1414429183&sr=8-2&keywords=Robert+Pruneda" target="_blank">Devil's Nightmare Premonitions</a><br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-3718131768652871632014-10-12T20:34:00.000-04:002014-10-12T20:34:33.307-04:00Redemption (Enigma Black Trilogy, Book 3) Now Available!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For those of you who have been anticipating the final novel in the Enigma Black trilogy, the wait is finally over. Redemption is now available on Amazon and has already received its first five-star review!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Redemption-Enigma-Black-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B00O9LI1QQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1413159773&sr=8-4&keywords=sara+burr">http://www.amazon.com/Redemption-Enigma-Black-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B00O9LI1QQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1413159773&sr=8-4&keywords=sara+burr</a><br />
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Review:<br />
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Wow...I have waited SO long for this book and I'm not even sure where to start. When I first read 'Enigma Black', I knew exactly what I wanted to happen and how it should end. But along the way, the characters changed some of my ideas, and now that I have finished the trilogy, I don't know whether to celebrate or cry. (Actually, I am crying!) Celaine finally learns the truth behind the Man in Black and the Epicenter, and the events that follow are absolutely heartbreaking. Ian, Chase and all of the other characters we've loved over the course of the trilogy must face evil along with Celaine, the results of which will change everyone's lives and futures.<br /><br />This is one of those books that I'm SO glad I read, yet I'm not sure when I'll be able to read it again because the emotions I'm left with are so intense. But to me, that makes the book even more of a treasure, because Sara was able to create such a compelling storyline and amazing characters that I will remember for a long time to come."<br /></div>
Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-13550375346823747952014-10-04T21:11:00.000-04:002014-10-04T21:11:08.413-04:00Redemption Release Date: October 11, 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKAq0SPBP9oE_GMw9vgakiUrq6Ua-fYDESf1pG3oDAzJ-E2s1iEb8fTeC4be-S_rXj-tFWgqWregFJK5XRlSj1sCUYuHaIy_vyoMNvXsdHTckEFK0DrKsFO0EEyqG2WZ2qjwR7goX9g0/s1600/Redemption+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKAq0SPBP9oE_GMw9vgakiUrq6Ua-fYDESf1pG3oDAzJ-E2s1iEb8fTeC4be-S_rXj-tFWgqWregFJK5XRlSj1sCUYuHaIy_vyoMNvXsdHTckEFK0DrKsFO0EEyqG2WZ2qjwR7goX9g0/s1600/Redemption+Cover.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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Final edits have been made and Redemption is on its way for formatting, which will take a few days. After that, it’s on to Amazon! So, without further delay, the release date for Redemption is…Saturday, October 11! <br /><br /> The first three peopl<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">e to comment on this post will get their copy for free when it becomes available.<br /><br /> In all, I’m only about a month behind schedule. As I said before, Redemption ended up being about 20k words over what I initially projected and is a lot more involved than the previous books in the series, so my early time estimates were pretty futile. <br /><br /> I want to thank all of you for the support and words of encouragement you’ve given me throughout this entire process. I know it’s a clichéd statement, but I honestly couldn’t have done it without you all, and I truly hope Redemption lives up to your expectations. I’ve spent many hours agonizing over the ending, but after much thought, I decided to stick with the one I always envisioned for the series. I’m not big on happy endings, where everything is wrapped up in a nice little bow, mainly because they aren’t realistic. War changes people; life experiences change people; time changes people. Yet, with that said, I’m not one for bleak, depressing endings, either. To me, an author should leave their readers with a sense of hope for the future. I hope I’ve done that here.<br /><br /> I have a lot planned for the future. I’ll soon be working on a contemporary romance novel that I can’t seem to get out of my head, which should be released in 2015. I’ve also been asked to write a play for a local venue in my hometown for a performance set for April 2015. Finally, I have plans to expand upon the Enigma Black trilogy with a series of novellas based on some of the secondary characters because I can’t kid myself by saying that I’ll be able to walk away from it forever. <br /><br /> My goal is to have the entire trilogy available in print. I’m going to start on Enigma Black soon and will keep you updated on its progress.<br /><br /> As soon as Redemption is live, I’ll post the link on this page.</span></div>
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Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-68295763053481531502014-07-19T08:00:00.000-04:002014-07-19T08:00:01.117-04:00FREE JULY 19 and 20-WINTER ANGEL by MIA HODDELL<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Release date:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> 25th June 2014<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">She was on
holiday. He was tricked into returning.<br />
Neither of them wanted to be there, but neither could avoid it.</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br />
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Amy wants to be back under the sun in Portugal. However, when her suggestion is
overruled in favour of a skiing holiday, even she can't turn it down. What she
couldn't have predicted is that the holiday could make her break the one, and
only, rule she has: not to get into a serious relationship again.<br />
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When Amy first sees Luke, she knows something is wrong. He's struggling to cope
with everything and her need to help people makes him the perfect distraction
from the cold. He hasn't been to the Alps in five years and he swore to never
ski again. But as his defences are broken by Amy's persistence, the winter
paradise begins to reawaken his desires.<br />
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However, with constant flashbacks triggering his anxiety, he's torn, battling
conflicting emotions as he becomes increasingly captivated by Amy. She has a
rule though. She didn't go on holiday to fall for someone and the last thing
she needs is to ignore her own advice. Whether or not she can move past her
insecurities will depend on whether Luke can face his biggest fear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Winter Angel is a standalone,
young adult romance novella, but is the second book in the Seasons of Change
series.</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mia-Hoddell/e/B0093M18QQ/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Amazon.com</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> | </span><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mia-Hoddell/e/B0093M18QQ/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Amazon.co.uk</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22515446-winter-angel" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Add to Goodreads</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">You can also download </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mia-Hoddell/e/B0093M18QQ/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0" target="_blank"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Summer Demons</span></b></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">: the first, bestselling, standalone novella in the Seasons of
Change series for 99c / 77p.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><u>Excerpt</u></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">White. Gazing out of the small,
circular window, it was the only colour he could see surrounding him. The
bursts of light—which had broken through the heavy, grey clouds—were reflected
back as the ground grew closer with each passing second. Not too long ago he
had been blissfully unaware of the location his sister was dragging him to for
a holiday. A bubble of excitement had surrounded him throughout the early
morning as he got up, and stayed with him through travelling to the airport and
catching the flight. However, it had burst as soon as the icy tips of the
mountains appeared and the plane began its descent. Until that moment, he had
hoped his guesses had been wrong.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">His sister had carefully planned the
trip, making sure to hide all clues as to where they were heading, and as she
glanced across at him, it seemed as if she had been successful. Luke’s knuckles
were white on the arm rests. He had claimed both of them, gripping them so hard
they looked like they would snap under the force, or at least be moulded to the
shape of his hands when he removed them.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Ellie watched as he took in a shaky
breath, but she heard no exhale.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">“Luke?”</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The silence that filled the space around
them was icier than the Alps they had just flown over. Her brother’s gaze
remained fixed on the window, watching as the ground, and his fate, drew ever
closer. Deep, ragged breaths steamed up the window, which was almost touching
his nose. Desperately, he tried to control the tremors shaking his body, and
his pounding heart, from the fear that washed over him in waves.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">“Luke, please, say something.” Worry
had crept into Ellie’s tone. She had thought her idea would do him good, that
forcing him to face everything would turn him back into his old self. Ellie
missed the brother she had grown up with and wanted him back. However, seeing
his eyes wide with fear, his jaw clenched in anger, and his arms tense with
both, suddenly she wasn’t so sure about her plan.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">“You promised, Ellie. You swore you
wouldn’t pressure me, and I trusted you with that. You know how I feel about
this.” His voice was sharp and curt as he spoke through clenched teeth, trying
to keep a hold on his emotions.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The urge to flee surged within him. He
wanted to go home, to get off the plane and board the next flight straight back
to England, but he couldn’t. Not only was the plane still minutes from
landing—trapping him in the confines of economy class, which felt even smaller
as realisation forced him to understand Ellie’s plans—but he also refused to
waste more money on the pointless trip Ellie had conned him into taking. If he
was going to use the money he had earned from before everything changed, it
would be on his own terms.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">“You’ll enjoy it when you’re there,”
Ellie stated, brushing off his comments like they meant nothing to her.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">“That’s easy for you to say. You don’t
have to live with, or through, what I have.” Luke was trying hard to control
his voice. Had they been in private, he would have already been shouting. The
cramped environment meant that Ellie was getting off lightly, but he swore that
when they reached their chalet, he would not hold back. She had no right to
interfere with his life.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">“Never tell me I didn’t live through
it, Luke. I was there when it happened, in the hospital, and when you got home.
I was there through it all. It may not have been me, but it wasn’t like it had
no effect on my life,” Ellie hissed. It was the only way she could convey her
anger without disturbing other passengers.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">“Why though, Ellie? Why is this such a
big deal to you?” Luke’s eyes were full of sorrow as he turned to face his
sister for the first time, begging to understand her reasoning for putting him
through something she knew would hurt him.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUDSa9o1qvUvg1L0xkxa-XHc_c63KFK4EDMm0oEM_Sq08CLjS8U6-S9zEahibHI54dSUtFTYWvRcbOTiRWWU6SF_1hlpIe3ehM-uq1n0o3UabeyEeEinybrgw7Auu2y2jRyV9f9C_QFcU/s1600/unnamed+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUDSa9o1qvUvg1L0xkxa-XHc_c63KFK4EDMm0oEM_Sq08CLjS8U6-S9zEahibHI54dSUtFTYWvRcbOTiRWWU6SF_1hlpIe3ehM-uq1n0o3UabeyEeEinybrgw7Auu2y2jRyV9f9C_QFcU/s1600/unnamed+2.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><u>About the Author</u></span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Mia Hoddell
lives in the UK with her family and two cats. She spends most of her time
writing or reading, loves anything paranormal and has an overactive imagination
that keeps her up until the early hours of the morning.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">With three
poems published before the age of sixteen, Mia moved on to short stories but
finding she had too much to tell with too little space, Mia progressed to
novels. She started her first series (<i>The Wanderer Trilogy</i>) at the age
of fourteen and since then hasn’t stopped writing. </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mia-Hoddell/e/B0093M18QQ/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Elemental
Killers</span></span></i></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> is her second series
and with an ever growing list of ideas, Mia is trying to keep up with the speed
at which her imagination generates them.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-27161025142344121882014-07-08T22:44:00.001-04:002014-07-08T22:44:16.093-04:00Review of Penance. A Love Story by Sarah Buhl<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br /><em>“We may make bad choices, but we don’t have to let them define us.”</em><br />Penance. A Love Story is the debut novel by author Sarah Buhl, and I have to say that it’s probably one of the most impressive and captivating romances I have ever read. Ms. Buhl has a way with words that is beyond beautiful and their construction is so poetic that I found myself on more than one occasion thinking, Wow. When a writer is passionate about a story, it’s written all over their work, and it’s obvious that Ms. Buhl has a true passion for the truly fantastic story she’s written in Penance. <br /><br />Penance is the story of Wynn Hawthorne and Hannah Anderson, two young, very broken people who have both faced incredible pain in their lives inflicted by tragedy and abuse. Hannah is dealing with the death of her sister, which she blames on herself, while Wynn is dealing with the effects of years of mental and physical abuse at the hands of his own mother. In order to cope with their pain, both of them constructed emotional walls to keep the rest of the world out. But when they meet each other, they can’t deny their connection and, together, they embark on a journey of love, forgiveness and healing.<br /><br /><em>“There’s so much I want to say, but the words are hollow compared to the feelings I have when I’m near you.”</em><br /><br /><em>“We all have to face our demons, Hannah, if we don’t, they eat us up inside and steal every breath away.”</em><br /><br />I’m not usually a highlighter of quotes when I read, unless I find something that moves me to the point where I feel compelled to commit it to memory. Typically, this will only happen once every few books, and I may only find one or two quotes to highlight. In Penance, however, I found myself wanting to highlight something on practically every other page. There were so many passages that resonated with me and made me think. <br /><br />The characters in Penance are both relatable, believable, and well-developed. Besides Wynn and Hannah, I particularly liked Sid, Petra, Gabe, and Maggie, all of whom were great supporting characters and, at times, provided some comic relief in a novel about otherwise serious issues. I’ve never read a book like Penance before, and found the plot to be extremely well-developed. It flowed together well, and it was both emotional and heartbreaking at times (to the point where I found myself tearing up). <br /><br />In short, Penance is a truly moving, beautifully written and well-constructed novel of forgiveness and love that I will not soon forget. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great new romance or just a well-written, moving story in general.</div>
Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-87407805464617374772014-05-04T11:17:00.005-04:002014-05-04T19:32:23.445-04:00Need an E-book Cover?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Fellow author and friend of mine, Mia Hoddell, has just launched a new website featuring her e-book covers and other designs, including promotional banners, buttons and Facebook and Twitter graphics. She does superb work and I urge you to check it all out here: <a href="http://mbookdesigns.weebly.com/">http://mbookdesigns.weebly.com</a></div>
Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-51152416071871760912014-04-11T23:39:00.003-04:002014-04-11T23:43:04.119-04:00Redemption (Enigma Black Book #3) Prologue<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Can't wait until summer? Read the Prologue below (subject to further editing and revisions):<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Prologue<o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I could hear the beat of the drums. They reverberated in my head, a war cry only audible to me. Their disembodied rhythm tore its way through my veins, energizing my soul, reviving my battered body. Ignoring the pain, the holes in my tattered suit, the screams from the dying city I once called home, I charged on to the sound of their deafening chorus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>With each footfall, images crept into my mind, playing in a continuous loop. Images of my father and mother, of Jake, Lucy, and Blake, whose lives had been lost in this decade of chaos we’d come to know as life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It would all end tonight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>No more would a child know the meaning of the word death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No more would our cities remain abandoned, hollow shells of the hubs of prosperity they once were. Fear would loosen its grip on society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The deaths of those we loved and of those who loved us would not have been in vain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tonight would be the end, and we were willing to die to ensure its demise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We would die to ensure <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">his </i>demise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Next to me, Ian ran, keeping up with my fevered pace, his body just as bloodied and bruised as my own. We were both numb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Too numb to notice the agony we should have felt, too numb to care what happened to us anymore; for we had been deceived in the worst possible way, and deception had a way of turning suffering into fuel, igniting unbridled rage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian lunged forward, overtaking me, a flap from his torn suit bounced with each step he took, exposing his left shoulder blade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blood, caked with dirt, dotted his exposed flesh, revealing a hint of an injury kept hidden by the remaining material. I wondered whether he could hear the drums, too, or whether he heard anything at all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I sped up to catch him, jumping over a pillar that had been toppled over, presumably by one of the many explosions that had rocked the city over the past couple hours. Had I not grown up here, I wouldn’t even have recognized some of the buildings for what they once were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My former high school, the bank where’d I’d spent my final days of normalcy, and the diner where Blake offered me the chance to rid myself of my nightmares, were now nothing more than indiscernible piles of concrete. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the streets, dodging debris, escaping smoke and flame, survivors of the attacks ran haphazardly, seeking refuge where none existed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Above us, the late evening sky, reddened by the flames that hugged nearly every block, took on the appearance of fresh blood flowing from a gaping wound. If someone had asked me before that moment what I thought the end of the world would look like, my description would have paled in comparison to the scene that was splayed out before us now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were no longer on Earth, but in the very bowels of Hell itself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This attack had been personal, but then again, they all had been personal in a way. The crazed vendetta, the evil that resided in the entity the people had come to know as The Man in Black had unleashed itself to the nth degree. Perhaps sensing his reign of terror drawing to an end, he was determined – no, desperate – to go out with a bang…and take out the last of those I had known and loved in my former life in the process.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Turn left down the next block,” I instructed Ian, hoping he could hear me through the insanity surrounding us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“There’s a next block?” he responded, his pace slowing a notch. “How do you tell where one ends and the other begins?” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Follow me.” I passed Ian, picking up my pace. Whatever happened tonight, whatever happened to me, I couldn’t – no, I wouldn’t – let them suffer for the choices I had made. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Ian, matching me stride for stride, unwilling to let me dive<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>headfirst alone into the imminent confrontation that awaited us. Swiftly, I rounded a corner next to a small café near my old apartment building and bolted down an adjacent alleyway.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“How much further?” There was a touch of apprehension in his voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had noticed it building with each step we made, with each breath he took.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Five blocks,” I answered him in an unaffected tone, trying to keep my own fears from betraying me. “The lodge is five blocks ahead.” My voice shook more than I would have liked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Are you okay,” he asked, concerned.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So much for being the strong one. </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Ian gazed at me between periodic glances back at the street ahead of us; his green eyes pierced through my helmet as though he was trying to see inside my soul for the answer. “No,” I finally answered him truthfully. “There’s nothing okay about me right now.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“We’ll find him, Celaine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll find Chase and the rest of them, and we’ll get them out safely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not them he wants…”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Exactly, Ian. It’s me he wants. I’m the reason for this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they die tonight, it’s because of their association with me.” I paused, the tears welling in my eyes, momentarily blinding me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“If <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you </i>die tonight…” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly, my body was forced to a halt as though I’d been strapped to a tether that had run out of slack. Looking down at my arm, I saw Ian’s hand and the firm grip his fingers had around my wrist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Listen to me.” He pulled my mask up, forcing us to stand face to face, green eyes to brown eyes. “I’m not even going to pretend to know what’s going to happen tonight, or what the final outcome will be. Whether we survive this nightmare, or whether we don’t, I just want you to know that there’s no place I’d rather be than fighting alongside you right now, no matter what the consequences. Leaving Norfolk with you was the best decision I ever made, and nothing, nothing, will make me regret the chain of events that brought me to this place at this very moment.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I felt a tear escape from the corner of my eye, and Ian’s gloved hand swiftly wiping it away before it had a chance to fall down my cheek. “Ian, I…”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I know you don’t feel the same way about me…”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Ian, stop. I…”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Let me finish my thought,” he interrupted me again, gently touching his fingers to my lips. “Please, Celaine, just let me just get it out. Then after I do, you can tell me how wrong I am.” The tiniest hint of a smile crept across his face, the rest of which was betraying the coolness he was trying so hard to project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I nodded without taking my eyes away from his, and the new creases that had developed in the corners of them over the past few weeks. Worry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’d both experienced enough of it to last us a lifetime. “I know you don’t love me the same way you loved him, or, perhaps, the way you still love him now,” he began again. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And although that’s frustrating as hell, I also know that I can make you happy again, and I think you know that, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re just too afraid to admit it to yourself.” He caressed my cheek, pausing to let me absorb everything he had just said, not expecting a response in return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“All I ask is that you promise me one thing.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Anything,” I answered him automatically, knowing that I meant my response wholeheartedly, even though I hadn’t fully processed the weight of his words.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Promise me that if we both make it out of this alive, you’ll give me a chance to make you whole again."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The tears fell down my face unhindered in their descent. “I promise.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ian leaned in closer to me, pressing his lips to my forehead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thank you,” he whispered. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We stood there together in an embrace that no amount of force could separate – an island in the sea of chaos that crashed around us – before finally allowing reality to set in again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Together, we resumed our journey into the unknown, to whatever fate had in store for us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I could hear the beat of the drums. Their echo haunted me with every step I took, with every beat of my own heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They beat for Ian, whose love I didn’t deserve; they beat for Chase, whose life was now in our hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-16843107692713133672014-03-16T22:37:00.001-04:002014-03-16T22:37:07.401-04:00Redemption (Enigma Black Book #3) Cover Reveal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Graphic designer George Arnold has created an amazing cover for Redemption (the third and final book in the Enigma Black trilogy), and although the book won't be released until this summer, I just couldn't help sharing it with you all.<br />
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For more of George Arnold's book covers, check out the following link:<br />
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<a href="http://wgadesigns.blogspot.com/">http://wgadesigns.blogspot.com/</a></div>
Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-41003879945107708042013-10-19T14:58:00.000-04:002013-10-19T14:58:47.391-04:00Vendetta Nation-Now Available<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The second book in the Enigma Black Trilogy - Vendetta Nation - is now available on Amazon <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vendetta-Nation-Enigma-Black-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00FZXFUNY/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1382208498&sr=8-20&keywords=sara+burr">here</a><br />
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And it has received its first five star review already:<br />
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<em>I've been waiting on pins and needles for the this book after finishing the
first, and it was definitely worth the wait! The storyline is just as
compelling, and the characters so well-written, you can't help but love or hate
them. Celaine and Ian's fight against the Man in Black continues but not-so-new
foes take a big step forward in the plot of this story, which I can only imagine
will lead to an epic clash in book 3. Relationships are changing at the same
time, and I find myself unable to pick a side because I love all the characters
involved, so I can't wait to find out how it all ends!</em> <br />
<br />
Here is the synopsis:<br />
<br />
<div id="postBodyPS">
What if you gave up everything you knew and loved for a lie?
<br /><br />Nearly one year ago, Celaine Stevens made the choice to leave her life
behind to join The Epicenter, an organization charged with bringing down The Man
in Black - a terrorist and the one responsible for the murder of her entire
family. Battling conflicting emotions and the pain her decision caused, Celaine
tells herself that her sacrifices will all have been worth it when The Man in
Black is finally apprehended. <br /><br />But, instead of hunting the elusive
entity, Celaine and her partner Ian Grant find themselves preparing for a war
looming on the horizon. Angered by President Brook’s ever-tightening
restrictions, a rebellion has formed, leading the charge against the President
and anyone who stands in their way. Caught in the middle, Celaine and Ian are
forced to choose sides, having to decide whether to align themselves with the
rebellion, whose motives they question, or obey the orders given to them by an
organization they are steadily growing to distrust. <br /><br />A war is sparked by
deceit, new alliances are formed, an unexpected love begins to blossom, and true
identities are revealed in Vendetta Nation, the second installment of the Enigma
Black trilogy.</div>
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Thank you all for your continued support!</div>
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Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-41986763080672395922013-10-06T00:51:00.001-04:002013-10-06T01:32:38.575-04:00Excerpts from Vendetta Nation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In just a few short weeks, Vendetta Nation will be released on Amazon. In anticipation of its release -- as promised -- here are some quotes and excerpts from the sequel to Enigma Black:<span lang="EN"><br />
<br />
“Immortality can only be achieved at the cost of humanity.” -Celaine Stevens<br />
</span></div>
<div align="CENTER">
<span lang="EN">*****</span></div>
<span lang="EN"></span><div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span lang="EN">“We weren’t born to suffer, we were born to make a difference. Our pain is just an unfortunate consequence of becoming the people we were destined to be.”-Ian Grant</span></div>
<span lang="EN">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div align="CENTER">
<span lang="EN">*****</span></div>
<span lang="EN"></span><div style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN">“<i>Every </i>nightmare seems personal. That’s why they bother us so much.” -Ian Grant</span></div>
<span lang="EN">
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*****</div>
<br />
“Ignorance is like a disease. If you don’t fight it, it will spread until we all succumb to it.”-Protester of President Brooks<br />
<div align="CENTER">
*****</div>
<b><br />
Conversation between Celaine and Kara</b><br />
<strong></strong><br />
“Happiness,” I sneered “I’m honestly beginning to believe that happiness is nothing more than a carrot dangled in front of our noses by a sadistic sociopath. We live our whole lives by the carrot holder’s rules, do everything we’re told, even get a nibble at it from time to time, only to have it yanked out of our reach before we can truly taste it.”<br />
<br />
“Well,” Kara eyed me, “it’s my belief that happiness is a choice. Far too many people choose to allow their lives to become dictated by the whims of the carrot holder, never daring to do anything to change the hand they were dealt.”
<br />
<div align="JUSTIFY">
“Something tells me we’re not talking about vegetables here.”</div>
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*****</div>
<b><br />
Celaine secretly visiting Chase </b><br />
<b><br />
</b>What I was doing wasn’t healthy. It was crazy and completely irrational, but such is love. No matter how hard you tried to make sense of it, love truly remained senseless. <br />
<div align="CENTER">
*****</div>
<br />
“Every chain has a weak link,” Victor said, closing his yes, “one that threatens to rip it apart, ensuring that it’s never put back together properly again. All I have to do is locate Stevens’ one link, pull it slowly until it begins to distort, and then…just as it’s clinging for dear life to the rest of the chain, tear it away, and watch the remainder of the links crumble.”<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><div align="CENTER">
*****<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
</span><div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Senator Delaney addressing the rebellion</b><br />
<strong></strong><br />
“I know that many of you are still suspicious of me and my intentions,” Senator Delaney addressed the crowd. “You have no reason to trust me. And why should you? You don’t know me. All you know is that I’m a member of the administration you despise so much.” He glanced up at Marshall, who nodded his approval, before resuming again. “Rest assured, just because I swim with the sharks, it doesn’t mean that I am one. If anything, it’s made me understand how they tick.” He glanced back around the room, noticing that, even though they’d toned down a few notches, the looks he was receiving were still anything but relaxed. “I’m sticking my neck out here, too,” he began again. “If I were to be caught here, I’d be sentenced to death for treason the same as you. Except my death would be used as an example to anyone else in my position who dared to go against the grain. So as you can see, we both have good reasons to have our own trust issues. You know my name, I don’t know any of yours.”</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
*****</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<b>Senator Delaney to the rebellion</b><br />
<b><br />
</b>“Tomorrow, you will be embarking on the single greatest coup this country has ever seen. Tomorrow, you’ll stand united in your defiance. You’ll approach the park on foot and by boat, surrounding Brooks and his misguided supporters in a show of bravery few have witnessed in our world in over a decade. Many of you will be killed, many more of you will be imprisoned, some of you may make it back here. But even if you do, you will be hunted down. In short, your lives will never be the same again.”<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<div align="CENTER">
*****<br />
</div>
</span>“Tomorrow,” I began, “we choose to either become the heroes they think we are, or we choose to be no better than Brooks, himself. Revenge is only worth the cost if the price isn’t paid with your soul. If we give away our humanity, then what? What kind of heroes would we be in their eyes? Is a hero driven by revenge or by doing what’s right even if their own desires are at stake?”-Celaine Stevens<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
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*****<br />
</div>
</span><b>Marshall Leitner to Chase Matthews</b><br />
<b><br />
</b>
Revenge is a fire that can never be put out. It’s a burn that slowly consumes you until there’s nothing left of you but the dark thoughts it implants in your mind. It drives otherwise normal people mad. Hell, we’ve had people leave their lives to join us, removing themselves entirely from everyone they knew and loved.”<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><div align="CENTER">
*****<br />
</div>
</span><b>Marshall Leitner to President Brooks</b><br />
<b><br />
</b>
“It’s not my men and women who’ve been committing the acts of violence that have ran rampant around this country. We’re peaceful people who want to see change and a true leader elected who has the country’s best interest in mind. Frankly, I find blowing up random objects to be counter productive to <i>my </i>cause. <i>You</i>, on the other hand, may find that to be more to your liking. After all, the more people fear, the more they hide. And the more they hide, the less they fight back.”<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*****</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><b>Senator Delaney to President Brooks</b><br />
<b><br />
</b>
“Just because things are looking up for you, Carver, doesn’t mean you’ll always have the upper hand. You can imprison me and execute as many rebels as you want, but there will always be more to take our place. You’ll be putting up a fight for the rest of your life, and you’ll grow tired of it soon enough. It’ll beat you down until there’s nothing left of you, ending your reign.”<br />
<br />
“Bold words, my dear friend. It’s too bad your hands are indisposed at the moment, or else I’d have you write them down to recite at your execution.”<br />
<br />
“What happened to you, Carver? Were you always this evil or did it consume you the minute you gained the power you so desperately sought? We were brothers once, you and I. There was a time when we held the same ideals. I believed in your passion; in your dreams for our country. At what point in time did those dreams turn into nightmares?"<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<div align="CENTER">
*****<br />
</div>
</span><b>Maurice to Celaine </b><br />
<b><br />
</b>
“Though painful, sometimes death has a way of bringing out the best in us…our own hidden superhero,” he whispered near my ear. I stiffened, stealing a glance at his knowing expression in the mirror, unsure of what to say. “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.” His eyes met mine in the mirror. “I have a feeling about you, Celaine. Since you appeared on the scene, it’s like the county’s eyes have been opened ever so slightly. You have a defiance in you, one with the capability of waking everyone up from the spell they’ve been under for the last few years."<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<div align="CENTER">
*****<br />
</div>
</span><b>Victor admonishing Celaine and Ian after a failed mission</b><br />
<b><br />
</b>Victor began to turn around as though preparing to walk out of the room, when another thought occurred to him, stopping him in his tracks. “I implore you both to remember what brought you here in the first place,” he said, making it a point to glance back at the both of us. “If Brooks cuts our funding, there will be no more Epicenter. The Man in Black will go on a rampage, making any attacks carried out by the rebels seem like mere child’s play. Everything and everyone you cared about in your former lives will be compromised. If you want a shot at peace, you will do exactly as you’re told, right down to the letter.” He stood for a moment, glaring at us, daring one of us to challenge him again, until he was satisfied that he’d finally gotten through to us and left the room.<br />
<br />
Ian and I stood watching the doorway, waiting for him to come back, waiting for another point to be drilled into our heads. “Joke’s on him,” Ian finally spoke, “my former life was crap.” <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><div align="CENTER">
*****</div>
</span><div align="CENTER">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Throughout my life, I never really knew what it meant to be brave. Sure, there was the generic version that involved facing imminent death head-on. But to me, that never truly defined the essence of bravery. Since the death of my family and my days at The Epicenter, bravery now meant facing adversity. It meant being insubordinate when subordination failed. Following that definition, I knew the woman looking back at me in the mirror was everything they said she was. She was rebellious, incorrigible, and defiant to the core. She was Celaine Stevens, and no one would strip her of her true identity.</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<div align="CENTER">
*****</div>
</span><div align="CENTER">
</div>
For the first time since the bombing at The Lakes, I began to see the big picture. My focus had been set on The Man in Black, but he was just one piece to a much larger puzzle, and taking him out would only leave a small hole in the landscape, one that could easily be replaced by someone or something else. <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><div align="CENTER">
*****<br />
</div>
</span>“It’s show time,” Brooks said, patting my back. He headed out to the open door and motioned for Ian and I to join him. He would exit the boat first and we would follow closely behind him as though we were allies who’d come together in a show of solidarity. <br />
<br />
Ian grabbed my hand, his voice came as a whisper in my ear piece. “I know we’re on the same page right now. Just remember what your family would have wanted and act on that because I know what my father would have expected from me.” <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
<div align="CENTER">
*****</div>
</span><div align="CENTER">
</div>
Then we heard them; the scrape of their boots against pavement, the sound of metal on metal, of guns bouncing against armor in time with each of their footsteps. Soldiers, decked out in personal body armor, complete with helmets, the likes of which I hadn’t seen before, were marching toward the protesters, guns drawn, aimed at anyone and no one.<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<div align="CENTER">
*****<br />
</div>
</span>The Man in Black leapt down onto the ground below, his heavy body sinking into the mangled concrete. He’d done what he’d come to do. It was now time for contemplation. Simple physical torture would not suffice when it came to her. He needed something more. Something that would rock her to her core; something that would make her long for physical assault; something that would break her. <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><div align="CENTER">
*****</div>
</span><div style="text-align: left;">
I hadn’t worn a formal dress since Carol forced me to go to prom my junior year of high school with Mark, a sweet but ultra quirky boy in my neighborhood, whose mother happened to be a good friend of hers. Ever since donning the cotton candy pink, iron maiden-like nightmare that Carol had picked out for me that night, I vowed ‘never again’ and had stayed true to that vow ever since. Now, as I readied myself for my first bonafide ball, I couldn’t help but think that Carol was looking down upon me from some heavenly shoe store, laughing her ass off.</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
*****</div>
<div align="CENTER">
</div>
</span><b>Ian contemplating the events of the night on the balcony of Celaine’s suite</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span>In the bedroom behind him, he heard her breathing, a sound that would have been inaudible to those without the heightened senses he possessed. The sound of her breath was comforting. It meant that -- at that instant --she was at peace. Theoretically, it should have meant that he was at peace as well, but in reality, he was far from it. His head still swam, despite his best efforts to calm the seas. Events from the evening played and re-played as though on one continuous loop in his mind. Had he done something wrong? Was there something he should have done differently? Everything had been going so perfectly. It had been turning out to be one of the best nights of his life, and he thought that she was on the same page, too. Actually, she had been on the same page until something inside her closed the book and chucked it across the room. <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><div align="CENTER">
*****<br />
</div>
</span><b>Ian making a confession to Celaine while she sleeps</b><br />
<b><br />
</b>
“No matter what happens tomorrow, I promise you that I’ll protect you,” he spoke in a whisper. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” Even now, he could feel his heart beating profoundly in his chest, though the beats had slowed somewhat. “I’ve never admitted this before,“ he began again, “and considering that you’re unconscious right now, it probably doesn’t even count as an admission of anything, but I’ve wasted my entire life. At least, it was a waste up until a year ago. Up until I met you. Since my dad died, I’ve been too afraid to let myself care about anyone. I thought I was protecting myself that way. I thought I would never feel pain again if I just stuck to a ‘I don’t give a shit’ mantra. But instead, all I’ve been doing is cheating myself. I didn’t realize that until just a few weeks ago. And now, I would rather die a thousand deaths than spend a day without your smile; a day without your laughter.” He cupped his hand over hers, easily overtaking it. “Clearly, I’ve become a sentimental idiot,” he said, his eyes growing heavy. “I’m not sure what that means exactly. Maybe I’ve completely lost my mind, or maybe it means something much deeper…” </span><br />
<br /></div>
Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-66893090091060822942013-09-29T00:37:00.001-04:002013-09-29T13:48:50.083-04:00Getting Past a Negative Review Without Becoming a Raging Alcoholic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I wish I could be like Shaw who once read a bad review of one of his plays, called the critic and said: 'I have your review in front of me and soon it will be behind me. -Barbra Streisand<br />
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<strong><em>From my close observation of writers...they fall into two groups: 1) those who bleed copiously and visibly at any bad review, and 2) those who bleed copiously and secretly at any bad review</em></strong>. <strong>-- Isaac Asimov</strong><br />
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</span></span><span lang="EN"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When I was in elementary school, I remember sitting in on a presentation about bullying and kindness. Although I can’t remember most of what was drilled into my young, impressionable mind that day -- or much of anything now that I’ve reached the third decade of my life, for that matter -- one thing did stick with me. In that presentation, an insult was labeled as a cold prickly, while a compliment was called a warm fuzzy (stick with me, I promise I have a point here). In short, it was reiterated repeatedly that when you present a person with one cold prickly (an insult) it takes approximately twenty or so warm fuzzies (compliments) to undo the damage your one cold prickly caused. Ever since learning this little tidbit, I’ve carried it with me, later finding it to have been the most important lesson I learned in the third grade. Years later, as a writer and recipient of not-always-so-wonderful reviews, that one lesson holds all the more meaning. For despite all the positive comments and reviews I’ve received, I find myself focusing on only the negative, allowing those words to define my work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">As writers, we have to separate our feelings from our work product. I know it’s easier said than done, but if we are to thrive in our chosen profession (or hobby), then we can’t allow our egos to become bruised or somehow believe that a negative review is at all related to who we are as people. In short, we must put on our big girl or boy pants and carry on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">And because negative reviews happen to literally EVERY writer at some point, I’ve assembled a list of ways that we can keep said pants on to cope when a less than awesome one comes in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Never, Ever, Under Any Circumstance, Comment On It</span></span></u></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></u></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It’s only natural to want retaliate when hurt feelings are involved. However, we writers must refrain from defending our honor and accept the fact that customers pay for our work and are entitled to voice their opinions on it, whether favorable or not. For someone to argue with or belittle a reviewer after they’ve taken the time to read and review their work is both unprofessional and guaranteed to land the offending author’s reputation in the toilet. Not to mention, it does nothing to help the cause of other indie authors, who only have their body of work and online reputation to build their readership.</span><br />
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</span><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Congratulate Yourself, You’re Officially An Author</span></span></u></b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">No traditionally published or popular indie novel has all four and five star reviews. Every single one of them have one and two star reviews to go along with all the glowing ones. Don’t believe me? Do a search on Amazon and see for yourself. Because I can pretty much guarantee you that any novel with over 100 reviews has at least one or two less than stellar ones amid its heaps of praise. So wear your one and two stars proudly, authors. After all, you’re in good company.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">You Can’t Make Everyone Happy</span><br />
</span></u></b><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">There has yet to be that one novel that everyone universally loves; one that’s so perfect that no one can criticize it. We can only do so much as writers. No matter how polished our writing may be, no matter how flawless the story, no matter how much editing we do, there will always be someone unaffected by our work. Everyone has different tastes, and two people can read the same thing and draw entirely different conclusions on it. Such is life. Suck it up and drive on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Look For The Hidden Gem</span></span></u></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><u><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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</span></span></u><span style="font-size: small;"></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Believe it or not, there is such a thi</span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">ng as a good negative review. What’s so good about them, you ask? Well, for starters, for every one ‘this book sucks’ review, there are usually two or three negative ones of substantive value. If you can swallow your pride long enough to read them, of course. The truth is, no one’s perfect, and we all make mistakes. But it’s only those who learn from their mistakes, those who take the constructive criticisms in those reviews and use them to their advantage, who are able to improve upon their writing, and eventually turn their critics into fans. Take the time to take in every less than glowing comment about your book’s sentence structure, usage of adjectives, character development, plot, and dialogue, store them in a mental filing cabinet, and pull them back out when you’re writing your next book. I guarantee you won’t make the same mistakes again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Quit Stalking Your Reviews</span></span></u></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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</span></span></u><span style="font-size: small;"></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have to say that this is one of the hardest pieces of advice for anyone, myself included, to take. In fact, I regularly stalk myself on Amazon and Goodreads to see whether I have a new review. If I see that I do, my pulse automatically quickens and I get a little sick to my stomach at the possibility of the review being a negative one. Thankfully, most of the time they have been pretty positive, but there have been a few times where I found myself reading something that completely ruined my day. In the beginning, they really bothered me, mostly because they affirmed all my insecurities about myself and my abilities as a writer. But then I realized that the only reason why they bothered me so much was because I’d become a victim of those insecurities, and that if I didn’t allow them to bother me, I could move on and get over myself. So, I got over it, knowing that although I’m nowhere near perfect, my insecurities are just that: MY insecurities. The reality is that I love writing. It provides me with release, and no amount of negativity, warranted or otherwise, is going to stop me from doing something that I love.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Use It As Incentive To Make Your Writing Better</span><br />
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</span></span></u></b><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">If you’re stubborn and hardheaded like I am, when someone tells you something negative, you make it a point to do whatever you can to prove them wrong. This is especially true when applied to reviews. Whether helpful or not, use the review to improve upon your writing. Take the criticisms with you into your next book and think back on them. Were they warranted? Do you actually use too many adjectives? Is your dialogue really flat? If it was before, I’d be willing to bet that it won’t be anymore. Make it your goal to improve upon your writing with every book you write. Eventually, you’ll prove to your detractors that they were wrong about you. </span><br />
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</span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><strong>
<span style="font-size: small;">Have a Good Cry, Laugh, Eat a Pint of Triple Chocolate Brownie Fudge Ice Cream (not necessarily in that order)</span><br />
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</span></strong><span style="font-size: small;"></span></u><br /><span style="font-size: small;">I’m a big fan of feeling sorry for myself for a few minutes, letting it get out of my system, and then moving on again. In my younger years, this would have required a glass -- oh, who am I kidding, a bottle -- of wine, or anything covered in chocolate. Today, I’m just a tad more health conscious and just stick with sulking around the house for a little bit before I force myself to pick up what I was doing before the offending review appeared, acting like it never happened at all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Never Give Up</span><br />
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</span></span></u></b><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">This is probably the most generic advice out there, but I’m going to include it here anyway. I know that I’ve personally read a few comments that have really stung; comments that have made me question why I write at all. Although it’s easy and only natural to want to shut yourself down and say that you’re done, you can’t let the opinion of a couple of people wipe away those of the rest of your reviewers (or that one cold prickly overshadow your mountain of warm fuzzies).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Writers, how do you get over a negative review? Do they bother you or do you allow them to just roll off your shoulders?</span><br />
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Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-43099077338261265132013-07-21T23:05:00.002-04:002020-04-06T23:36:24.656-04:00Pros and Cons of Outlining<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN"> Most writers fall into two categories: those who outline before writing and those who just write. In my case, I tend to utilize both methods. I like knowing ahead of time where I’m going and how I’m going to get there. However, I also enjoy the freedom of taking a detour if the original road contains too many speed bumps. No matter what method you personally prefer, there are pros and cons that every writer experiences during the writing process.<br />
<br />Let’s examine the pros and cons of outlining first.<br />
<br />1. <b>It’s too restrictive</b>. There are those who stick to the game plan and avoid the unbeaten path altogether. If that makes you feel comfortable, then by all means stick with it, but there’s a certain sense of being shackled to an original thought that could potentially stall the formation of a better idea.<br />
<br />2. <b>There are no surprises.</b> Surprises in writing are always fun for the reader, but when they happen to the writer, they aren’t necessarily good things. An outline eliminates any unwanted surprises such as a hole in your plot, the introduction of any unnecessary characters, or a storyline that’s choppy and doesn’t flow the way it should.<br />
<br />3. <b>They keep you on task</b>. Just like a ‘To Do’ list, an outline tells you where you need to go and what you need to do. It allows you to plan out what you’re writing that day and helps make your storyline flow more seamlessly.<br />
<br />4. <b>Outlines ensure flow and help make for a more structurally sound plot.</b> An outline is structure. When you know exactly what events are going to transpire and when they’re going to transpire it makes for a better constructed plot and less of a chance of cracks in your overall foundation.<br />
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<strong>Although more spontaneous, writing by the seat of your pants isn’t for everyone, but for those who do it, the following positive and negative aspects may be encountered:</strong><br />
<br />1. <b>Your creativity is allowed to shine through</b>. Like a kid in a candy store, the possibilities are both endless and exciting when you write unrestricted and let your mind take you to places and people it wouldn’t have had you stuck with the original plan. <br />
<br />2. <b>More writing is accomplished in less time</b>. I know when I write by the seat of my pants, I feel freer and the words just come to me more naturally than when I try to restrict them to the content of an outline. Sometimes that’s a good thing, sometimes it’s more of a detriment, but I usually find that my word count for the day is higher and, for the most part, the content is solid when I write outline-free.<br />
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<br />3 <b>There’s more room for error</b>. When you write without rules to go by, you’re more apt to break them. An outline lays out scene by scene instructions, ensuring a more fluid, relatively smoother writing experience without the standard errors that come without proper planning.<br />
<br />4. <b>It can end up bogging you down</b>. Even though you may write more when you let your mind take over, you may find that you end up doing a heck of a lot more editing. More words equal more filler and less meat to your story, subsequently leading to the trimming away of more fat.. You may find that this causes you to take more time with editing than you first anticipated, making this method of writing less productive in the long run.<br />
<br />At the end of the day, there really is no wrong way to write and no one manner of writing is better than the other. Different things work for different people. What matters is that it works for you and that you’re actually writing something as opposed to just staring at a blank sheet of paper.<br />
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Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-19363202803059000372013-07-08T23:11:00.001-04:002013-07-08T23:14:03.049-04:00Review: The Dim Realm Volume I- An Epic Horror/Fantasy Novel for our Generation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>“Afraid goes away after a fright, but terror lingers. It gets into your head, builds a nest, continues to work on you. It pulls stuff out to feed its young.” </i></span><br />
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<span lang="EN">This quote from Matt Holgate’s epic horror/fantasy/action/thriller <i>The Dim Realm Volume I</i>, speaks volumes for the chilling and brilliantly written story Mr. Holgate has created. I’m not normally a fan of the horror genre, but this book is so much more than that. It’s also a mystery mixed with fantasy that felt a little Lord of the Rings like, and I can’t say enough about the writing. In my opinion, it’s one of the most well-written, gripping indie books I’ve read. The plot is unique and obviously well thought out with dialogue that is spot-on and quips that had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. It’s also tense, a little gory at times (but not overly so), and left me wanting for more after finishing it as it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger (wherein I immediately purchased Volume II). <br />
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As far as the plot is concerned, <i>The Dim Realm </i>takes place in the small town of Arrow’s Flight where mysterious disappearances are occurring among the townsfolk as well as grisly slaughters, including those of many of the King’s men. What evil has possessed Arrow’s Flight? Who can be trusted? Where is the dark house of Kara Kinfolk’s (one of the main character’s) nightmares, and why has she been chosen to receive these visions? These are just some of the many questions plaguing the inhabitants and visitors of Arrow’s Flight, who find themselves trapped within its confines, unable to leave.<br />
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Although there are several very likeable, very well-written characters in <i>The Dim Realm</i>, the one who stands out the most for me is Kara Kinfolk. Kara, though only seventeen, is wise beyond her years, strong, and a complete smart ass -- in short, she’s my kind of girl. She also seems to be one of the more important characters in the book as it’s through her dreams that the rest of the characters, including ranger Tal Stormgren, who I also liked a great deal, are able to unravel the source of the evil that has invaded their town. Keeping in the fantasy genre, <i>The Dim Realm </i>also includes orcs, dwarves, and ogres interspersed with the main human characters. One of my favorite characters, the orc Rinn, was thoroughly entertaining, and I gained a newfound appreciation for the fantasy genre through Mr. Holgate‘s book.<br />
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In short, <i>The Dim Realm Volume I </i>is the start of an epic, edge of your seat, horror/fantasy with a solid, brilliantly constructed plot, well-written dialogue, and loveable (for the most part), well-written and unforgettable characters. It’s clear that Mr. Holgate put a lot of work into this book and it has surely paid off. In fact, I’m not much for highlighting passages in novels, but I found myself highlighting numerous quotes, thinking to myself that I’d wish I’d written them. <br />
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I highly recommend Mr. Holgate’s <i>The Dim Realm Volume I </i>and will be delving into Volume II soon.<br />
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Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-49385408367746009962013-05-08T13:00:00.000-04:002013-05-08T13:00:04.003-04:005 Reasons to Write Dystopian Novels<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I
consider myself an eclectic writer in that the genres for the stories I’ve
written tend to vary, from romance, science-fiction, dystopian, political
thriller, paranormal, adult, young adult, and chick-it. In fact, my first
novel, Enigma Black, is four of those aforementioned genres all rolled into
one. But, if you were to hold me down, kicking and screaming, after careful
thought, I would tell you that the increasingly-popular dystopian genre is by
far my favorite type of novel to write. Why? I’m glad you asked because I just
so happen to have five reasons why I prefer to write dystopian novels:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Better
world building</b>. A dystopian setting offers a literal world of
possibilities. Whether your literary world is governed by anarchy, oppression,
a disease that forces its<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>inhabitants to
live in seclusion, forced pairings, or generalized fear, the dystopian genre
allows you more of a creative liberty (in my opinion) to multiply the darkest
fears buried in the deepest recesses of your mind and bring them to life on
paper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">More
kick-butt female protagonists</b>. From Katniss in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Hunger Games</i> to Tris in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Divergent</i>,
dystopian novels are rife with strong female main characters who make wonderful
role models for young women, and have more honorable traits for others to
emulate, such fearlessness and strength (as opposed to selfishness and a
dependence upon others to save the day).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Because
rainbows and sunshine get old</b>. I, for one, don’t want to read a novel where
everything is hunky-dory all of the time nor do I always want there to be a
happy, sugar-coated ending. I want there to be tension; I want to feel a sense
of impending doom amidst a world I can’t seem to figure out. And you get all of
that in the dystopian genre, making it one of the more exciting genres to both
read and write.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">You
can stack other genres on top of it. </b>There is so much more you can work
into a dystopian novel. You can have an epic romance, an alien invasion, a
political thriller, or even a horror story (think zombies), all set within a
dystopian environment. Really, the world’s your oyster when it comes to the
dystopian genre, allowing you to be a tad more creative with less restrictions
than some of the other genres impose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Heroes
rise from oppression.</b> One of the things I love most about the dystopian
genre is the ultimate banding together of those who oppose it. Alliances are
made, heroes are born, and a darn good story usually ensues as a result.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> I recently took part in a blog tour with RABT Readers. The following are just some of the reviews that Enigma Black garnered during that tour:</o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://readingaddictionvbtreviews.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-wrap-up-enigma-black-by-sara.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://readingaddictionvbtreviews.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-wrap-up-enigma-black-by-sara.html</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://mustreadfaster.blogspot.com/2013/05/blog-tour-and-guest-post-enigma-black.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://mustreadfaster.blogspot.com/2013/05/blog-tour-and-guest-post-enigma-black.html</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://faerietalebooks.org/2013/05/02/enigma-black-by-sara-furlong-burr-enigma-black-1/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://faerietalebooks.org/2013/05/02/enigma-black-by-sara-furlong-burr-enigma-black-1/</span></a></div>
</div>
Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-86350223000983019922013-05-07T21:34:00.000-04:002013-05-07T21:34:01.854-04:00Excerpt From Enigma Black<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPI6YBkxmPDQ205DhHiroYXtWvdT_6gLNGxmMHEsYukvv1djPMM8Eef1zRPH2zKaNYE1E104V3JF17AAq15k8WmMMls336H88cfzTk3MOtjfzfuP5TnnIHuP3dTXvqudk2vOjteOW36A/s1600/Enigma+Black+Cover+800+x+533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPI6YBkxmPDQ205DhHiroYXtWvdT_6gLNGxmMHEsYukvv1djPMM8Eef1zRPH2zKaNYE1E104V3JF17AAq15k8WmMMls336H88cfzTk3MOtjfzfuP5TnnIHuP3dTXvqudk2vOjteOW36A/s320/Enigma+Black+Cover+800+x+533.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The automatic door was now more manual than automatic. I
banged on it with my fists, attempting to do the job the explosion had been
unable to accomplish. When that failed, I braced a leg on one side of the frame
and, with my aching arms, attempted to pry the door open like a human crow-bar.
No luck. After a couple more minutes of kicking, smacking and invariably
flipping the door off, I realized that what I was doing was not going to work.
Undeterred, I scanned the rubble for an idea. A piece of scaffolding stuck out
like a sore thumb within the concrete. Lunging towards it, I prayed it would be
suitable to pry the door open. Just as I bent down to grab it, I felt one hand
on my shoulder and another one around my waist, attempting to pull me back. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” A man whirled
me around to face him. His eyes were wild, his hair gray from soot. He appeared
to be a security guard or an officer of some sort. It was too hard to tell
based on what was left of his tattered uniform. “There’s nothing left. Do you hear
me? The ramp is gone. You’re going to get yourself killed trying to go out
there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Even though I heard the words he spoke, they made absolutely
no sense to me. What did he mean when he said the ramp was gone? It had been
there just twenty minutes ago. Deciding that the good officer must be crazy, I
broke away from him and proceeded onward in my quest to pry the door open,
grabbing the piece of scaffolding from its concrete tomb. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“No!” he screamed at me again, lunging to restrain me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I’d had enough. As much as I didn’t want to do it, I felt
like I had no other option but to disable the officer, as reasoning with him
was clearly not going to work. Raising my arm, I forcibly swung it back,
striking him in the chest. The force of my elbow to his rib cage caused him to
release his grip on me enough to where I was able to break away. Once free, I
whirled around, swiftly kicking him in the legs as hard as I could in the hope
that it would incapacitate him long enough for me to pry the door open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Fetching the metallic bar from the rubble, I jammed it
between the seal and the frame of the doorway, pushing it with all my strength.
At first, it put up an admirable fight, but after several solid jabs it finally
conceded defeat, slowly squeaking open. Smoke — thicker and black in color — poured
into the store from the outside, sending me into another coughing fit. Holding
my breath, I gave the bar a few more solid pushes until enough room opened up
for me to squeeze my entire body through the door. Through the clouds of smoke,
I took off down the crumpled concrete. In the suffocating fog, snowflakes
stabbed my face like tiny daggers, grinding salt in my wounds. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">My eyes worked to focus in the direction I’d left my
parents’ vehicle. I walked carefully down the pavement, looking for the
familiar sight of the garage. I should have been there by now; this walk was
taking entirely too long. The smoky haze slowly became less and less dense the
further out I walked until a wayward gust of wind blew past me, punching a hole
into the unknown. What it revealed was a scene I hadn’t expected. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Instead of the familiar ramp, I found myself standing on the
edge of a ledge with the rest of the city spread out before me. Sirens
surrounded me. I shielded my ears with my bloodied hands. A strange sound
approaching from above drew my attention to the helicopter that was circling
the mall. The hurricane-force wind it generated pushed my broken body in all
directions. Did I take a wrong turn? Was I <i>that</i> disoriented?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">No, I wasn’t. This was where I’d left my parents and Jacob.
They had been right here waiting for me. A thought occurred to me then; a
thought that rendered my delicate stomach as fragile as an egg shell. Taking in
a deep breath, I staggered to the edge of the cliff, peering over the edge to
see what I had feared and somehow already knew would be there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-33049456552553749102013-03-02T00:42:00.000-05:002013-03-02T00:44:26.888-05:00Tear Stained Beaches-Blog Tour<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZbLatQYkWzvy5LFaR_-9twL2mUFZ2aTp2GVQplAdWnWczs1UuIf91cJ6nbyqFB9vbMRWBdWmGjkJYtocLpVr8qU8BEieuumcUtIpAHXeRtCZdZT_YbAz9nG6SCa9E3QPk9SuhSN7fym0/s1600/cover-final-187x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZbLatQYkWzvy5LFaR_-9twL2mUFZ2aTp2GVQplAdWnWczs1UuIf91cJ6nbyqFB9vbMRWBdWmGjkJYtocLpVr8qU8BEieuumcUtIpAHXeRtCZdZT_YbAz9nG6SCa9E3QPk9SuhSN7fym0/s1600/cover-final-187x300.jpg" /></a></div>
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The wonderful and talented Courtney Giardina's debut novel <em>Tear Stained Beaches</em> is now available at <a href="http://amzn.com/B00BIP6CQW">Amazon</a>! I just picked up my copy and am excited to begin reading it!<br />
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Here is the synopsis:<br />
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<div id="postBodyPS">
Haylie Julian wants nothing more than to put her crumbling
marriage back together. Chase used to be a fun-loving, light hearted husband who
had lately become an overworked attorney obsessed with climbing the corporate
ladder. It isn’t long before Haylie starts waking up next to a man she barely
knows. His secretive phone calls and late nights at the office leave her feeling
alone and afraid of what he might be hiding. Ignoring his continuous pleas to
just leave well enough alone, she continues to dig for answers and discovers a
heartbreaking truth.<br />
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Struggling with what she has just learned, Haylie
sets off to a quaint little North Carolina beach town to decide if her marriage
can survive. It isn’t long after she arrives that her world is once again turned
upside down as Chase’s secret stares her right in the face.<br />
<br />
<em>Tear Stained
Beaches</em> explores what happens when a marriage isn't the happily-ever-after you
thought it was. Can trust be rebuilt? Can a wife forgive the ultimate
betrayal?</div>
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As part of the blog tour, Courtney has generously provided me with an excerpt from <em>Tear Stained Beaches</em>. Enjoy!</div>
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<strong><u><em>Tear Stained Beaches</em> Excerpt</u></strong> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><strong>The sun was just about to set over the water. I took off my flip-flops and walked along the edge of the sand where it met the waves of the ocean. It was funny; the entire drive to Kettlewood Island I hadn’t cried a single tear. I was angrier than anything. Angry about how someone could throw their marriage away and hurt someone they claimed to love. During dinner, I was so focused on getting food in my stomach, it blocked out most of the pain, but now, now it was quiet. People were coming out of their hotels and beach-houses for some nightly entertainment, but the noise was reduced to a murmur as the sound of the ocean drowned them out. </strong></span><br />
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</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><strong>I didn’t notice the chill of the water as it grazed over my feet, as I was lost in the scenery. I stopped and watched as the sun met the ocean, and the sky burned with hues of red and orange. As the sun lowered into the ocean, and I breathed in the salty air, my vision blurred. My tears flowed freely, wetting my cheeks as the ocean had my feet. I hated myself for still loving him. After everything he’d done; how could I still love him? I stood there and stared, engraining the image into my mind until the sun just about disappeared from the horizon. It left just enough light to guide me home. </strong><br />
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</strong><br />
<strong>That sunset confirmed that even though I couldn’t see it now, all the hope in life was not gone. There was still beauty left in this world, and even if I had to crawl, and be dragged on my knees for a while before I had the strength to stand, I would stand again. That is what I was here for. To find out who I was, what I wanted out of life, and what it would take for me to get there. I needed to understand what was happening to me, to my marriage, and whether or not it was worth fighting for.</strong> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.taketwopublishing.com/">Take Two Publishing</a> is running a contest for anyone who leaves a review of <em>Tear Stained Beaches</em> on Amazon from now until Sunday, March 31. The prize is a Tear Stained Beaches themed gift basket! All you have to do is send an email to <a href="mailto:courtney@taketwopublishing.com" target="_blank">courtney@taketwopublishing.com</a> and let her know that you left a review.<br />
<br />
Get your copy today for only $2.99!<br />
</span></div>
Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085903023777323950.post-84944905979649886182013-02-21T00:12:00.002-05:002013-02-21T00:12:59.402-05:00FREEBIE ALERT<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: black; color: black;"></span> </a><br />
Hi everyone! I'm running a free promotion for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Enigma-Black-ebook/dp/B00ABVO2ZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361423263&sr=8-1&keywords=enigma+black">Enigma Black</a> through Amazon KDP Select beginning February 22 through February 25. The last time I did this, I received nearly 2,000 downloads. I'm hoping to top that this time around. Enigma Black has received 22 awesome reviews on Amazon.com. Hope you all check it out!</div>
Sara Furlong-Burrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893391101864117298noreply@blogger.com0