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Sunday, November 30, 2014

Slow Surfacing of Memories Lost

What would you do if you woke up in a hospital bed delirious from fever, your memories wiped from the core of your existence?



That is exactly what happens to Eilida. She witnesses a gruesome scene but has no memory of it or anything else. She has no clue why she is in a hospital bed nor any recollection of who she is, her family, or friends. As the cobwebs clear from her mind her memories fight to survive.


Bits and pieces glistened through my head, yearning to break the surface. My body felt as though I was gliding weightless through a vast space. Fluorescent lights flickered above me and distorted voices hovered close, their faces long and misshapen as if I were looking at them through carnival funhouse mirrors.



“Ill..id..a,” every syllable elongated. A bright light flashed into my eyes, leaving behind a trail of colors. A face swam into view, its forehead and chin small, cheeks stretched like a rubber band. 


The sounds got louder, and an enormous commotion surrounded me. I wiggled my fingers which sent a searing pain through my arm, unwilling to let that stop me. I needed to leave, forcing my torso upwards, nothing happened. I couldn’t move. Panic rushed up my spinal cord aching to get free. A loud, unfriendly beep wailed through my ears, then, blackness crept across my eyes starting from the corners and catching up in the middle.
____________________________________________________
A steady rhythmic beep, beep, beep filled my ears. I was alone in a dark room. How long had I been here, days, maybe months? A table to my right held dozens of flowers and stuffed toys. A row of shelves behind my feet held dozens more. A small worn monkey stared at me from beneath a bouquet of daisies. The beeping stemmed from a machine with a blue line that pulsed in a familiar pattern. It was a heart monitor and the wires that left it were attached on the other end to my chest. A neighbor of the beeping machine, the IV, was holding up a bag of cloudy liquid flowing into tubes that connected to holes in my arms. I couldn’t remember what had happened or what brought me to this hospital bed. I had a few broken images of disfigured faces and sluggish voices. I can see that I’m on a bed but my body feels like its floating. Nothing, I can feel nothing.

A nurse strolled in whistling “When the saints go marching in”. 

“Well, how are you today?” Her face was bright and cheerful with dimples that accentuated her round cheeks when she smiled. 
“Looking good,” she said as she checked my vitals and meshed the IV bag. Taking notes on a tablet, “ I’ll be back in about an hour to change that. Keep up the good work.” Then, she was gone. I didn’t get a chance to ask, why am I here?
____________________________________________________
Fever had consumed me and I shivered under my covers with sweat pouring out of every crevasse. A three tier wedding cake and bridesmaids danced around in my head. A hideous rainstorm nearly washed us off the road. Without warning, I was no longer in a car with friends driving in a ferocious squall but I was walking towards a proverbial melody following a dismal apparition. 

A man coalesced before me, his face ambiguous, and his voice that of demon spawn. It mocked my existence. My feet took hold and pounded the saturated earth until a wooden chest manifested before my eyes, it represented safety from the beast. 

Oh my head! Static reverberated against the walls of my skull leaving lacerations across the folds of my brain. A familiar warm feeling squeezed my hand. It was that of my mother. I recognized her face from the pictures but the warmth of her hand was native to my existence. She was indeed my mother and comfort washed over me.
_____________________________________________________
Flashes of people filled my head but the quickness of the flashes made it difficult for my mind to understand. I fought to hold onto these memories as having any had become a commodity. I saw young boys with dark hair, a football and an ocean with a man… my father? No, not my father, I don’t know, dark and handsome. Several quick bursts radiated behind my eyes. The water was deep and blue, sand everywhere. Laughter echoed around me and I was staring out a window watching them while being held up by loving female arms but not the motherly arms that held me now.

_____________________________________________________
Sage came home with me and we spent the day decorating the house and calling friends. Late in the afternoon we hopped in my racy little car, went to the video store, and got the zombie movie trilogy The Lost Dead, The Undead, and Dead, Dead, Dead. Priscilla and Kaila joined us that night and we ordered our favorite pizza, Italian sausage and pineapple.

After my parents went to bed, we snuck into the house bar - it was always fully stocked - and stole a few beers. With our beer, we followed the dirt path to the lake and dangled our feet in the water.
“It’s freezing,” shouted Kaila as she yanked her foot out.

“Quiet, I hear something,” Sage whispered. She fanned her hands out to motion our silence. “There it is again,” she stated in a barely audible whisper and gave me a wink.

“Blaaah,” I shouted and pushed Sage into the water. A few seconds later her head popped up and Priscilla, Kaila and I crumpled over in laughter. The look on Sage’s face was priceless as she pulled herself onto the dock and rolled in laughter with us.

She guffawed, “That water is friggin’ cold.” 
 _____________________________________________________
My breakthroughs within the structure of my memories continued their onslaught of information. One minute my dad was swinging me and the next I was even younger and watching my dad out of the window, only he wasn’t my dad that I knew. The one that visited me daily in the hospital, instead he was the dad I remembered with faint jagged images, my dad from long ago. My mother held me tight as we watched out the window. 

I had seen this vision in the past, my dad throwing a football to two little boys who I now knew were my brothers. Ely overthrew the ball to Evie where it bobbled along the front of the tide, slowly rolling in and out. A man walking on the beach picked up the ball and handed it to him. His beady black eyes looked towards the window and threatened to swipe my essence clean away from me.
_____________________________________________________
Agony reached every possible muscle in my body as I attempted to lift myself upwards. Slowly I edged forward from the pillow that supported my back only to fall onto it once again. A storm raged in my head and images whirled like a cyclone through it. Outside the window, redbuds swayed with the ocean breeze until darkness covered it like a plague. Ughh… I squeezed my eyes, allowing my memory to convulse and consume me.

Help make my birthday week one to remember :-) Nothing would make me happier than you and other wonderful readers taking advantage of my sales and putting my books into the top 100 of their genres. 

If you missed the .99 cent sale. Eye of the Storm is half price this week in celebration of my birthday.
Follow this link and use this code GK26D at checkout. Good until Dec. 5th.

As Snow Falls on sale for half price through the 5th as well. Follow this link and use this code DE55Z at checkout.

Don't forget Baby Girl Book 2 is free at Amazon everywhere, all over the world.


Amazon.co.uk. author page and links to all my books

Baby Girl Book 1 is free through U.S. Amazon only.




Baby Girl Book 3 is .99 cents or the equivalent through all Amazon outlets.



Happy shopping, happy reading, and have a wonderful week!

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Black Friday

Help me make this a Green Friday and many thanks to the following bloggers for their reviews + interview. Cyber Hugs!

Rosie Amber- Moonlighting in Paris Baby Girl Book 2 review :-)

Lynelle Clark Aspired to Read- As Snow Falls Book Review

authorinterviews- Latest Interview!

Check out the Eye of the Storm Eilida's Tragedy Reviews here and add to your as-to-read list!

You can also help keep it #1 here.

I'm offering to all of you a huge bargain. A one time monstrously huge bargain. How huge you wonder?

Buy my new release Eye of the Storm Eilida's Tragedy for .99!


Buy Link

Use this code when checking out UV83N  

As Snow Falls also available for .99!

Buy Link


Use this code when checking out BT87K




Starting Dec. 1 through Dec. 5. Baby Girl Book 2 will be free through all Amazon stores!
Baby Girl Book 1 free U.S. amazon only.

                                                 

Help make my birthday special!

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all. If your not a U.S. resident than you probably don't celebrate and might not even know what it is.

Thanksgiving is a U.S. holiday in which we eat lots of great food, watch football, and spend time with our family and friends. It's a day to be thankful and happy for all we have. If you live outside the U.S. you can celebrate that too. We all have something, hopefully many thinks to be Thankful for. The holiday has changed a lot since it first began in the 1600s.

The history of Thanksgiving.

This holiday is always celebrated the last Thursday in November.


What am I thankful for?

I am thankful for my family, my friends, and each and every day that I have.


Monday, November 24, 2014

Happy Birthday to The Troubled Oyster

It was 1 year ago today that The Troubled Oyster was born. 



Here is a recap of The Troubled Oyster's very first post . It's all about the very cool hybrid solar eclipse I was lucky enough to see, partially anyways. I have a video too.

I also competed for my first time in NaNoWriMo last year. Woohoo! I won. Well...I did it again this year.



Last years! Now released.

I will be releasing part of what I wrote in January! 

Enjoy some other cool birthday videos, celebrate one year for The Troubled Oyster and enjoy the Winter Heat Blog Hop- All links to the right. Click and take an adventure to another blog and some unbelievable giveaways!





Maggie James the Second Captive

This post is both a review and an interview with Novelist Maggie James. She just released The second Captive a masterfully written and compelling psychological thriller.


Amazon- The Second Captive 
Amazon.co.uk
Autographed copies

Blurb: 
Stockholm syndrome: the psychological tendency of a hostage to bond with his or her captor.
What happens when you love the man you should hate?
Beth Sutton is eighteen years old when Dominic Perdue abducts her. Held prisoner in a basement, she’s dependent upon him for food, clothes, her very existence. As the months pass, her hatred towards him changes to compassion. Beth never allows herself to forget, however, that her captor has killed another woman. She has evidence to prove it, not to mention Dominic’s own admission of murder.
Then Beth escapes…
And discovers Dominic Perdue is not a man who lets go easily. Meanwhile, despite being reunited with her family, she spirals into self-destructive behaviour. Release from her prison isn’t enough, it seems. Can Beth also break free from the clutches of Stockholm syndrome?

A study of emotional dependency, The Second Captive examines how love can assume strange guises.

 My review

Dominic wines and dines Beth drawing her into his well thought out labyrinth of terror. Once he caught his prize he lures her into a basement where he keeps her captive. Her life, comforts, food depends on him. James carefully summarizes the feeling and emotions of both Beth and Dominic and captures the essence of their relationship between abductor and abductee. As a reader their emotions became my emotions. All the love, hate, fear, anxiety, and sadness both protagonists felt became my own.One page I felt bad for Dominic then next I wanted Beth to find some way, anyway, to escape the confines of the basement and do Dominic in. 

I found many elements of the psychological thriller to be relevant and true to life. Most of us haven’t experienced Stockholm Syndrome, but we have read the papers and watched the news. In some cases we have friends or family that have experienced the repercussions of it in some manner, whether a friend, relation, or career in the psychological field. She seized the raw emotions of both characters giving this book such a realistic quality that I would believe she had been a victim herself.

An excellent, chilling tale.

Interview with Maggie

Tell us a little about you as a person. 

Maggie: I’m British, a former accountant who has always yearned to write novels. Since childhood, it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do, but life didn’t turn out that way. It took decades until I rediscovered my love of writing, but now I can’t imagine life without it. What else? I’m generally a happy, positive person, especially now I’m writing more. To my surprise, I’m now turning towards more spiritual matters, after a lifetime of logical, left-brained thinking. I now meditate daily, and am less prone to black and white thinking. 

So, what have you written?


Maggie: I’ve written and published four novels, as well as four non-fiction nutrition-based titles. I started by penning some short fan fiction pieces, which were well received online. That gave me the confidence to write longer pieces, and eventually the time came when I knew I was ready to tackle a novel.  Before I wrote my first title, His Kidnapper’s Shoes, penning a full-length book seemed like climbing Everest. I laugh at that now, but it’s still a long, hard slog to complete a novel. What else? Well, my website  has a blog aimed at readers, which I update weekly. I love creating posts and making them visually appealing, as well as providing articles of interest to my readers.


What genre are your books? 

Maggie: I write in the psychological thriller/suspense genre. I wouldn’t rule out writing in other genres at some point, such as dystopia or erotica.


What draws you to this genre?

I’m fascinated by what goes on in people’s heads, although I’m skeptical of conventional psychological theories. I believe the human mind is far too complex to be shoehorned into pat ideas. The genre offers a wealth of possibilities for novelists, being a great example of the old adage ‘truth is stranger than fiction’.

Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?


Maggie: The protagonist in my latest novel, ‘The Second Captive’, is Beth Sutton, a naive eighteen-year-old who is abducted and held prisoner for two years by an emotionally damaged man. During the course of the novel, she’s forced to confront her issues, emerging a stronger, more confident individual. She’s affected by Stockholm syndrome during the course of her incarceration, which means that after her escape, she struggles to return to a normal life. For those who don’t know, Stockholm syndrome is the tendency of hostages to bond with their captors. 

Where do your ideas come from?  

Maggie: Inspiration can be found everywhere, if you know where to look. When I'm asked where I get my ideas, I say 'from the world around me.' Writers tend to be great at observation, particularly people watching. Like many authors, I always have to hand a way of capturing ideas when they strike, whether it's via my phone or pen and paper. 
Television news and the press are useful for gathering ideas. Say, for example, I read about a hit-and-run accident. I immediately focus on the emotions involved, posing questions such as 'what if?' and 'how would that feel?' What mental turmoil must the driver be experiencing? Was he/she concerned about financial problems/their marriage/work issues, leading to careless driving? What will the consequences be? How is the victim's family coping? All rich sources of inspiration for the plot or subplot of a future novel!

Besides writing what are your favorite things to do? 

Maggie: I’m a yoga aficionado, so I can be found at classes four times a week, although I’m not yet disciplined enough to practise at home. For the last thirty years, I’ve been a travelholic, taking trips to as many wonderful foreign locations as possible. Travelling makes me happy; I love living out of a rucksack, although after several months of it, I’m usually ready to come home and get back into a routine! I’m very much into healthy living, and I’m a real foodie; I love eating out in new restaurants. I also enjoy driving, camping, and the cinema. Finally, animals are a lifelong love, and I love meeting new four-legged friends!

What is the easiest thing about writing? 
Maggie: If you’re doing something you love, often that’s enough to make something difficult less so. To write seems like the most natural thing in the world for me, so that carries me through any bad days.

What is the hardest thing about writing? 

Maggie: I find naming my novels difficult! It takes me ages and many false starts before I find one that encapsulates the spirit of what I’m trying to say. Fleshing out my plots can also lead to a few false turns before I get it right. Often new ideas come to me during the writing process, taking me down new and exciting routes. In addition, there’s the commitment factor. Writing and publishing a novel is hard work; for me, it takes at least eight months of solid slog, and at times the process can be mentally draining. I’m a terrible typist as well, despite many hours spent practising, so my slow speed and many mistakes frustrate me.

If this book is part of a series, tell us a little about it? 

Maggie: My books are standalones, but I wouldn’t rule out writing a series in the future. The genre in which I write lends itself well to the idea, I think, and there are plenty of possibilities to explore.

Do you have a favorite movie and/or book? 
Maggie: I don’t have a favourite movie, although I love going to the cinema.  I do read voraciously and enjoy most books that I read. One that stands out for me is George Orwell’s ‘1984’. A chilling read, one that stripped me of my innocence. As a teenager reading about Big Brother, I fully expected good to triumph via Winston Smith, and was shocked when it didn’t! I’ve read a lot of Orwell’s other books, but that one has stayed with me the most.

Where to find Maggie:

Facebook
Twitter
Linkedin
Google+
Goodreads
Pinterest
Amazon Author Page
Amazon.co.uk

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Naughty or Nice Facebook Event- Author Candi Silk


Don't miss the Facebook Naughty or Nice Christmas Author Party Event. It's online so it doesn't matter where you live, join in the fun! Below is an interview with Erotica Author Candi Silk, she'll be there!

Buy Links:
Amazon Author Page
Amazon.co.uk. Author Page

Don't forget when you purchase one of her books to go to the event page above and leave your order number to be entered into the grand giveaway!

Elle, thank you for inviting me to appear on your blog. It’s an honor to share thoughts on books with your readers.

Elle: Tell us a little about you as a person. 

Candi: Now you have me laughing again, Elle. My fictional characters are much more interesting. I’m an optimist, and believe strongly in the positive things we, fellow beings, can accomplish in harmony as we journey through life. I like to try new things, different approaches, and I enjoy encouraging others to pursue their dreams. I’m a former teacher-educator, and organizational representative. Writing is like a second career and a new level of excitement and enjoyment!

Elle: So, what have you written?


Candi: I’ve written seven Erotic Escapades ranging from 51 to 254 pages. That’s a mixture of novellas and novel. Here are the titles: Taste Me, Hot Couple, Swap Me, Night Rogue, Find Me, Lust Driven, and Thrill Driven.

Elle: Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?


Candi: My leading characters in all of my titles are strong women on a mission to test their personal boundaries of their sexuality, and “breakout” into their new discoveries of themselves. And there are plenty of  alphas to assist them. These are generally strong, self-sufficient women, but individuals that have experienced a typical upset or speed bump in life. That occurrence sets them on a self-discovery path that gets rather steamy. Let’s face it, if life is pristine perfect, people rarely make changes. Change usually takes place after there has been some kind of challenge and/or confrontation.

Elle: What is your latest book, and is it part of a series?

Candi:   My latest book is Thrill Driven which is a follow-up to Lust Driven. Although both are stand-alone stories, they follow one leading character, 36 year-old Marla, in her search to discover her full sexuality. What intrigued me in the writing of Lust Driven and Thrill Driven were the trigger points or events that led to Marla’s unexpected decisions, just like in real life. Fiction is fiction, but sometimes we wonder just how thin is the line between fantasy, fiction, and fact, or reality. 

Elle: Where do the your ideas come from? 

Candi: First of all none of my writing is autobiographical. I’ll get ideas from the news media and from events and experiences that I’ve learned about through the years. But like most writers I’ll also use my imagination as I ask “what if questions” when working on a story. Imagination is the house of invention when it comes crafting good stories to thrill readers, regardless the genre.

Elle: What genre are your books?

Candi:  I consider them to be erotica romance written from a woman’s perspective. The word “erotic” originated back in the middle 1600s and it means ~ tending to arouse sexual love or desire.  Romanticism in literary works is characterized by the emphasis on the imagination and emotions. So we are talking about human feelings. My titles easily fit that label. I make sure there is a mixture of emotional and physical feeling in my titles with plenty of mutual pleasure to go around. There is constant debate among the writing and reading communities regarding the classification of written works, especially in the areas of erotica, erotic, and romance. Lots of statistical numbers get tossed around, but what is more important is how a reader feels at the end of any given book.

Elle: What draws you to this genre? 

Candi: I’ve always had an interest in psychology, and particularly human relationships; the basis of their formation; what sustains them; what causes them to fall apart. As you can imagine that naturally draws me to the erotica-romance combination. Although I read from multi-genres, I feel comfortable writing contemporary romance and erotica.

Elle: What is the hardest thing about writing? 

Candi: Probably answering that question, Elle. I’m laughing out loud. So far I haven’t experienced writer’s block, and I don’t intend to. However, there have been times when I knew where I wanted a story to go, but I was uncertain exactly how I wanted to write it. When that happens I usually go ahead and write the options I’m considering at the time, then leave them for a day or two. Usually when I come back I have a fresh take on the situation. Self-editing can be a challenge because you’re balancing how you understand your story to be in your head against conveying it on paper so the
reader will have a good experience when reading. And that’s most important. As a writer you know what your story is about, but the reader doesn’t. It is of prime importance that the writer convey clearly the story to the reader. That’s challenging! A writer can write all they want in isolation, but the other half of that equation is reading. Will the reader “get” what the writer has written? Each book I write has a destiny; the hands of the reader.

Elle: Besides writing what are your favorite things to do? 

Candi: I tend to be easy-going, and enjoy the calmer, simpler things in life, such as an entertaining book, maybe a little fun food, a touch of music, and always time with family and friends. I enjoy quilting when I’m not involved in writing another steamy story.

Elle: What is the easiest thing about writing? 

Candi: For me it’s the joy of knowing I have the freedom to craft a story that will be enjoyed by readers around the world. It’s telling a story, having a conversation with readers whom I’ll probably never get to meet, except in print. I often think what an exhilarating experience it would be to discuss one’s book with each reader. But that silent conversation takes place when a reader opens a writer’s book and begins the story. At that point the thoughts of the writer and reader mingle in a romantic dance all their own.


Elle: Do you have a favorite movie and/or book? 

Candi: My free time from writing is divided about 75/25 percent between reading constantly and watching movies or TV series. I haven’t had cable TV in several years, but I stream from Netflix movies, and TV shows such as Damages, Homeland, Covert Affairs, Justified, The Good Wife, House of Cards, and others as they catch my interest. I’ve read so many books, it’s hard to pick a favorite. Of course I enjoy romance, along with action, crime, espionage, political, psychological thrillers. And recently you introduced me to the mystical and paranormal with your Eye of The Storm. You’ll probably get me hooked on that genre as well!

Candi: Elle, thank you again for inviting me to be a guest on The Troubled Oyster blog. It’s always a pleasure exchanging thoughts with you. Your enthusiasm for the world of writing and reading is commendable. I’ve read all your books, and they have brought me hours of entertainment!

To Candi: Your books have brought me hours of steamy fun and I'm grateful you were able to do this interview on The Troubled Oyster.

Book Blurbs for a few of her sizzling naughty and extremely entertaining books!


Book Blurb for Lust Driven: A minor oversight by her husband forces Marla to confront an unexpected risky dilemma. As she weighs her choices between a routine-scripted everyday life, or an uncontrolled lust for sexual satisfaction, and a transformation from obedient to a take-charge woman, Marla straddles that teetering tipping point. As her desires throb within, what will tip her decision one way or the other? You’ll get an up-close glimpse of one of Candi Silk’s break-out characters, as she unleashes something inside herself.  
Within minutes, an exposed private matter drives her into a Lust Driven wife who discovers her inner woman. (Explicit content.)

Book Blurb for Thrill Driven: What happens when a woman is thrill driven? Successful business woman, 36 year-old Marla knows from experience it’s that sudden sharp feeling of excitement. That lusty rush of desire, and the craving to satisfy it. More than ever she seeks to do that in Thrill Driven, Candi Silk’s latest erotic escapade.
After ending her emotionally barren marriage, Marla has regularly explored sensuous thrills with her favorite bed buddies, Ben and Ray. Both twenty-something, well-equipped studs. Seeking another level of thrills, Marla has invited Sherrie, Ben, and Ray for a long-weekend of “play.” But plans change, as Marla and Sherrie meet a third woman during a night of seductive dancing. How far will this foursome go as their weekend becomes Thrill Driven? (Explicit content.)


Book Blurb for Night Rogue: What does a woman do when suddenly faced with her favorite female fantasy? A stranger in the night, in her bedroom? Torn between the excitement of temptation and the fear of danger, 28 year-old Victoria Kingston has a decision to make. Will her inner sexual desires and curiosity help her break-out of her inner shell, or will her prim and proper side keep her bound. Which is greater, the dance of danger or the tango of fleshly temptations? Will the shadows of night reveal answers her yearning flesh begs for? Or is her reality just a fantasy and nothing more? Read up-close how Victoria answers her primal “needs.” (Explicit content.) 

Where to find Candi

Facebook
A Taste of Candi Blog
Candisilk.com
Goodreads
Google+
Twitter

Exciting Events Coming Soon!

The holidays are here and I have a lot of exciting stuff coming up I want you to know about!

I have entered the Winter Heat Blog Hop. This blog hop includes 40 blogs! Each day each blogger will be posting so that means I will have lots of posts coming your way for 2 entire weeks. There are also giveaways going on at each blog.

How do know where to go to read the various other blogs? Easy, the links to all the other blogs are on the right. Click and check them out. The blog hop starts November 24th. My giveaway is at the bottom of this page so don't forget to enter and share with your friends!


Next up, I have teamed up with a few other author to bring the world an event on Facebook, Naughty or Nice Christmas Author Party December 6th. The event runs from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. EDT. There is a grand prize giveaway going on from now until the event ends. To enter simply buy one of our books and post the order number on the event page. There will be individual author giveaways going on December 6th. Everyone is welcome. Click the link and join we want to see you there!



Last, two birthdays are coming soon. First is the one year birthday of The Troubled Oyster on November 25th. Second is my own birthday Dec. 2nd. The week of my birthday I have a special Amazon promo happening as well as some other goodies revealed Dec. 1st.


Sunday, November 16, 2014

My brain flatlined

November has been a busy month for me and I haven't been on my blog much. I apologize for that. 

I have to call in a huge favor. My blog has not been sending out email to all who follow by email. So last week I pinged my account and all was good but still no emails for my posts coming through. I went to feedburner and pinged it again. It now gives me an error message. I have no idea how to fix. Anyone out there know how? If you do PLEASE post below or send an email. please, please, please!

Next up a huge thank you to everyone who helped get Eye of the Storm into the #23 spot just the other day. I felt special as it was up there with the likes of Stephen King and Dean Koontz! I would love to see it back up there. Eye of the Storm will be $ .99 for another 12 hours before the price goes up to $3.99. get em' while they are on sale and hot! And thanks to Ashley's Addictive Book Promotions it has a new cover.



Amazon.UK

Isn't the cover awesome! I can't stop looking at it and showing all my friends. I'm so in love with it. I'm working on getting the book cover on the paperback as well but create space is being a little difficult. Err... If you're waiting for the paperback, hopefully soon. cross your fingers.

Rafflecopter Giveaway you don't want to miss!

As most of you know I'm participating in NaNoWriMo this month and made my 50,000 last night about 11:00 p.m.

Friday night we had a write in. I love write in's because I have a blast meeting and talking with other authors, published or not. We are all working silently but in together. It's like our brain waves we feed off each other or something. The last remaining few of us left at 3:00 in the morning. I had been hopped up on coffee all night. My brain waves were fluctuating between moments of creativity and moments of nothingness at about 3 in the morning. Needless to say I crashed when I hit the bed.

By 8 a.m. I was up and ready to go, determined to hit my 50,000 words yesterday. I was close to 40,000 words. The writing was going well, my creative brain juices were flowing and I was surprised at the adult like decisions Cleo was making. She's no longer a scared little girl but a courageous woman. I'm proud of her. Around 10:30 p.m. my brain flatlined. I mean it was great and then just ceased to work. i had less than 400 words to go before I hit 50,000 so I couldn't stop! I freestyled it managing the final few chapters which small paragraphs on my document right now. I'll go back and develop them later this month or next. The bottom line is I hit 50K and met my 10K challenge yesterday. Wow!

For all Cleo's fans Baby Girl Book 4 Bite the Big Apple is being edited right now! It will be out in January. I'm excited too. I can't wait. This is the most well developed series I have and it's really a part of me. 


I will be making a couple Facebook appearances within the next couple weeks
11/19 Turkey Book Trot- 5 p.m.central time/ click the join button :-)
11/25 the Book Club 4-6 p.m. eastern time/

Have a fantastic day!


Sunday, November 9, 2014

Mall craziness- Cyber Monday Alternative

The day after Thanksgiving has long been termed with the title Black Friday. I spent many years of my life working in various retail stores doing a variety of jobs such as stocking, cashiering, clothing departments, layaway, returns. You name and I did it. 

As a teen I loved working at the mall and window shopping on my break only to go back to the store when I got off to purchase. Heck, I went to the mall on my days off. I was a shop-aholic. Today you won't catch me in the vicinity of a mall unless it's to run in and run out and I can't find what I'm looking for anywhere else. 

Today I run in the opposite direction of shopping facilities from November till after the first of the year. I had more than my share of shopping craziness.

Silly retail stories:
I worked at a toy store one year. Yeah, a toy store. Talk about insanity. It ran rampant. The day after Thanksgiving people lined up outside the store all day! They trampled each other and thrashed the store. It was packed wall to wall all day. At one point the local news crew thought it would be a great idea to interview us, needless to say it the store was packed and the lines never ending. I got interviewed as I was cashiering. I suppose I was on TV later but I didn't care. I had swarms of customers and the news crew was trying to ask me questions. Insanity!

About 10 years ago I had to take a friend to the local mall close to Christmas. I was being nice but little did I know that the small mall in my town had decided to try out valet parking. I had no idea and thought I would be sly and slip into the part of the mall that was always least crowded. Unfortunately for me that was where they had set up the valet parking which I didn't know about. I swung my truck around a corner and ran over a cone. You know the glaring orange road cones. I stopped and my friend got out and put the cone back but not before mall security same rushing at us. Did I mention yet it was night? 

It was and they had no signs posted in the back of the parking lot, only the front. Mall security was pissed and called the local mall sheriff. I sent my friend to pay the valet person as I got scolded by mall security. She wouldn't let me leave because I ran over a cone which we put back and paid the valet attendant. Next thing mall sheriff shows up and treats me like I'm drunk or on drugs and does this weird 'follow the light with your eyes thing' as he shines a flashlight into my eyes which left spots in my vision afterwards. No, I wasn't drunk or on drugs so he let me go and scolded the mall security. Ha! Then he told me to go. Gladly! 

Today when I shop if I don't buy it at the local Walmart I buy it online. An author/blogger friend of mine, Megan Cyrulewski, is opening up her blog for Cyber Monday shopping! She has asked if you have something to sell contact her. If you are a shopper check out her blog that day. I sent her a special coupon discount code for two of my books, As Snow Falls and Eye of the Storm Eilida's Tragedy. But don't just check it out to get a great deal from me. There will be other fantastic deals. Click the link above to learn more :-)

Happy shopping without the mess of the crowds, news crews, bright orange cones, mall security, and mall sheriff!

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Baby Girl 4 Halfway There

I have decided to participate in NaNoWriMo for yet another year. The idea of focusing solely on my writing for an entire month appeals to me. Writing and creating is my passion in life. Last year I wrote Eye of The Storm: Eilida's Tragedy (Ruthless Storm Trilogy Book 1). This year I'm writing the fourth book in the Baby Girl Series, Bite the Big Apple. The book is well underway and more than halfway there. The contest is 50,000 words so I have opted to write books 5 and possibly 6 in the series as well. November writing for me is dedicated to Cleo and her life adventure.

As an author and teacher I support creativity. That's what NaNoWriMo is about and not just for adults but kids as well. Click the link to read more. 

Last night I watched a chef show with children. Yes, children. They were cooking all types of fantastic food. These children were prodigies and amazing! Their talents were displayed across the country through TV. As a writer I want today's young author, child writing prodigies, to feel that same support and success. NaNoWriMo is one way to do that.

I have donated to the event but want to go one step further and I'm asking for your help. For the rest of November for every .99 ebook sold I will donate 100% of my royalties and for every ebook above .99 sold I will donate $1. For every paperback sold I will donate $2. If you have the books already than help spread the word to your friends and family. Creativity in our children is something to fight for.

What I've been working on...
Chapter 1 in Bite the Big apple (remember its not edited yet :-))

Miss Executive Secretary
The wine in my glass was nearly extinguished. I tapped my phones’ speaker icon with my finger so I could refill my glass. Kacy’s voice filled my small rent controlled studio apartment which had been a tip from La Tige, my ex boss and fatherly figure in my life.. 
“Girlie, how’d you land this fantastic new job?” Kacy and I spoke nearly once a week, sometimes more. It was refreshing to keep a friend while at the same time somehow disturbing. I had never kept relationships of any kind.
“His bulldog of a wife, she literally looks like a bulldog, jaw jowels, bent arms, the whole works. She was walking inside at the same time I was walking out. It was the annual Christmas party and I wanted some fresh air. The night was warm for December in New York. She slammed into me And I went flying backwards into the trash can. Thank god it was lidded or I would’ve been sitting in it.”
Kacy interrupted, “She didn’t! I woulda’ kicked her bulldog…”
“I’m not done. She scowled on the way inside, never turning her head mind you, ‘I hope that orange mop isn’t natural, you’re a disgrace to the company’.
“I totally woulda’ chased her down and whooped on that rich bully ass.” I could hear the tension in her voice.
“I’m sure you would have but I’m classier than that.” I retorted.
“Whatever! Miss I left my boyfriend without sayin’ a word.” I could hear Kacy chuckling on the other end. I also heard a slight hesitation in her voice.
“You told him, didn’t you?” My voice laced with angst over a man who wasn’t truly my boyfriend. At least the words had never been voiced. Fetch was more of a play guy, simmering hot, but no life goals. I refilled my wine for the second time and let the sweet red juice drizzle slowly down my throat.
“I didn’t…You got me I did. I only told him you took a better job in New York. I didn’t give him you’re address or anything.”
“Some best friend you are?” I sneered. The two times Fetch had called I ignored the rings allowing the messages to go to voice mail but he left none.
“He’s like the hottest guy ever. He comes into the bar like a broken puppy, droopy eyes, no spark. I’m a sucker for puppies and I told.” Kacy was a sucker sometimes but she hadn’t watched a boyfriend, my Einstein, get jolted across the road during a hit and run and die in front of her eyes or stood her next lover, Didier, up on the altar because she was pretending to be something she wasn’t. No, that was me. A broken home had led to my broken life which I was desperately trying to fix.
“I’d kick your butt if I was there.”
Silence filled the air for about 30 seconds before Kacy replied.
“Sorry sweet. I really think he’s in love with you. The two of you make the best couple I think I’ve ever seen.
“I know. I’m not angry. I… He never said the words. If I’m meant to be with Fetch it’ll work its way out, somehow, someday. If not, than it’s wasn’t meant.”
“You are a romantic fool, sometimes you gotta take life by the horns and just do it.” Sentiment creeped into each of Kacy’s words.
Wanting to get off the whole Fetch conversation I rerouted the conversation. “After bulldog slammed into me William III helped unplaster me from the trash can. We started talking. Would you believe he wasn’t allowed to watch movies like the Wizard of Oz or Oliver Twist when he was a kid.”
“No freakin’ way!” I was glad the phone was on speaker or her words would have blasted my ear drums.
“Yes, freakin’ way. According to him his parents said those movies were too scary and would give him nightmares. Instead, he could only watch the news or the stock market.”
“No Sesame Street?” She asked, genuinely concerned.
“None! I’m surprised he turned out so normal.” Not that I had watched Sesame Street either but I wished I had.
“My mind is blown, completely. Poor deprived children. How many kids are there again?”
“William III is the oldest Briggs child, then Patrice and last Candace.”
“I’m shocked they made it to adulthood.” We both chuckled at her response. “Keep going babe, wanna hear the rest.” 
“I went home and Monday when I arrived at work I had an email from him to meet at Vinny’s New York Style Brick Oven Pizza House. He even sent directions. I was stumped and nervous. An unhappily married man wanting lunch with a lowly receptionist. All kinds of thoughts and images went through my mind.”
“Creeepy.” She drug the e out for effect. 
“Exactly. Okay, We met for lunch. I was all tensed and ready to run thinking affair no way! Turns out all he wanted was to ask me to be his executive secretary. You already know I accepted. The best part, my pay has tripled!” 
“Luck finds you. Got no complaints. Love my bar, my bar is my life. No, that’s not true Javier is my life.” A touch of sarcasm entered her voice.
“Incorrect, the bar is your life, Javier is secondary.” The scent of fresh, crisp late New York December air filled my apartment through the open sliver of my window. It mingled with the garlic small from the Italian chicken I had cooked for dinner.
“He is not. He’s busy with school all the time and the bar…I love the bar, the people. It’s home to me.” She meant that literally as she had grown up above the bar. In the time we lived together I had seen similarities in our lives, although hers was a whole lot more normal than mine. Growing up in a shack with a junkie fake mom who eventually went missing, turning up dead floating in the Sacramento River had done a number on me, and forced me to grow up long before my time. Kacy had grown up above a bar with a happy family, even so she had grown up quickly.
“You’re hopeless, you know that. Javier will marry you one day and the two of you will stroll off into the wild blue yonder together, leaving us all behind.”
“So not true, My bar will be the milk and bread of our marriage, if it ever happens. At least until he gets a job that pays enough, we can raise a family.”
“Who is the hopeless romantic now?” I questioned, knowing how much she adored every millimeter of Javier.
“I totally love you Shanna.” My body cringed at that name, not that I hadn’t gotten used to it but I wanted to be me, Cleo. Not Shanna or Justine or even my mom’s name for me, but Cleo- short for Cleopatra as Einstein put it. I had to face facts I would always love the one I could never have because he was taken at too young an age. My love whom one day I would meet again if there was a heaven. I truly wanted Kacy to know everything she was my best friend, only I didn’t understand the entire story yet so how could I tell her? At this point all I knew is the Briggs’ had hired Slug as a ‘hit man’ and somehow my kidnapper-fake mom-junkie Perdy took me to protect me from evil powerful people who have been hunting me.

“Kacy, you are the best friend I’ve ever had.” And one day I will tell you the entire story.

The Prison of Oblivion Blog Tour

The Prison of Oblivion by Iza Vasileva Blog Tour is brought to you by Double Decker Books.


61w69c+31iL._SL1052_ Book Blurb: Storm Earls is a young teenage girl from London, whose parents work for a hi-tech science company. After her parents get involved in a dangerous project creating the most addictive drug ‘Oblivion’, Storm is sent on a deserted island as insurance for her parents’ continuous collaboration on the project. On the island the young girl’s curiosity takes over her and she begins to uncover facts about her life that up until now she has been oblivious to. Eager to find out more and get back home, Storm takes on a dangerous journey filled with battles against a multimillionaire corporation and the wildlife of the island. Along the way the young teenager finds a lost friend of hers, while making new friendships and even finding love for the first time. But with finding friends comes losing friends. Who will Storm lose and would she ever be able to return to London?   DSC_0613 Author’s bio: Izabel (Izi) Vasileva was born Apr 1991 in Bulgaria, where she grew up surrounded by loving friends and family, who have always encouraged her to follow her dreams and always supported her decision despite the fact how crazy they were sometimes. At the age of 18 she decided to move to UK to study and follow her dreams, that’s when a lot of people she knew told her ‘You can’t do it.’. Izi as stubborn as she stood her ground and told them ‘Just watch me.’, which is what she says every time someone doubts her abilities. In 2009 she moved to Canterbury, where on her own she faced the challenges of being independent and living away from home. She learned quickly to adapt and made many new friends along the way. Books have been a passion of hers for a while. She likes to get lost between the pages of a good fiction. Her favorites are YA novel and the very first book that captured her attention completely was Twilight. After some unfortunate events with one of her friends, Izi finally decided to put the idea, which has been in her head for couple of months, on paper. That’s how Izi’s first novel The Prison of Oblivion was born. The author loves expressing her feeling through her stories, but fully realizes that she needs to write more and learn more about writing before she becomes one of the authors, who readers truly admire. To all the readers the author says ‘If you like fiction and YA novel, give me a chance.’.   DreamCastizi3

Author Giveaway Izi Vasileva
Links

Saturday, November 1, 2014

A little precious miracle

This week has been phenomenal for me. Wednesday night my third grandbaby, Miliani, was born. Six pounds 10 ounces and absolutely gorgeous!

Wednesday we; me, my ex and his girlfriend along with the baby's dad's parents and brother, waited impatiently for her to be born . The birth of a baby is such an amazing event and it warmed my heart to see the huge group of people waiting to see her. She was born after 10 p.m. but it didn't matter nobody was going anywhere until she was born.

For me and my ex husband we have two other beautiful grandchildren, Colin- the first boy in my family in three generations and Linnea our gorgeous blue eyed beauty. So I had some practice. For my ex husband this was the first one he was there for the birth (he lived out of state when the other 2 were born).

For Miliani's father's side this was their first grandchild and the first girl for a generation or so. Needless to say they were extremely excited.

The reason I post this is the love we have for our children. There is nothing else that compares. If all my books simultaneously hit number one the excitement wouldn't match how I felt Wednesday. Although, that would be a close second. It further warmed my heart when I took in the huge group of us waiting to see our little beauty.

My daughter and her little family are so adorable and Miliani's life will be filled with love. They both cried the moment she was born and are so proud and amazed. I remember the feeling of wonder when my oldest daughter was born and my youngest. Babies are little miracles.

For the first day of November with Thanksgiving around the corner what I have to be thankful for is my beautiful family that just got a little bigger. I love them all and can't wait to see all my grandbabies together for thanksgiving :-).