Update

Hey, guys.

I just wanted to write a bit of an update for my readers who are waiting for new material.  I have been more relaxed in terms of my contact on social media.  While still posting on Google and Facebook, I haven't really been blogging or writing my monthly newsletter.  I have been focused solely on my writing projects which have been more time consuming and draining that previous ventures.  I have been working on two novels and a short story, so my free time has been split between all three which is not uncommon for authors.  Still, I haven't been writing as much as I should as I should push myself more and that is why I needed the break from social media and the other side stuff that I do.  The break, in general, was a good time for me to relax and take a step back, even from my projects.

Wicked Voices is about 1/3 of the way done, and I am projecting a summer 2016 release.  There are always delays with these things, so don't quote me.  As fast as the ideas flow, that is as fast as I write.  When ideas are not flowing as much, it is hard to find inspiration.

My other manuscript will not be released and neither will the short until a future time, because these are works I want to submit to writing contest and other institutions.  I will be releasing Scattered on Smashwords and, eventually, on other online bookstores.  I may rework the cover, because I wasn't happy with it in the first place.

Thank you all for continuing to read my older posts and visiting my blog, despite the fact that I haven't posted in over three months.  I will be posting on here again, so you shouldn't have to wait that long to hear from me again.  Thanks!

Wicked Voices: Prologue Preview

Hello, everyone.

I have begun writing Wicked Voices.  I thought I would share the Prologue as a teaser of what is to come.  It is not fully flushed out and edited, but for those who read Wicked Love, it is a look into where the story continues.  Wicked Voices: A Weeping Willow Novel is scheduled to be published in 2016!  But if you haven't read Wicked Love, the prologue may contain spoilers, so read the other books first!

If you haven't read any of the books in the Weeping Willow Series, I invite you to read the two FREE short stories available, Weeping Willow - Part One and Part Two, available now at Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, and other online retailers.

P.S. Wicked Chemistry is in the process of being edited and will be available in paperback format soon.

Updated Weeping Willow Short Story Trailers

Hello, everyone.

I just updated my Weeping Willow Part 1 and 2 trailers.  I was happy with the originals, but I wanted more original artwork that told a bit about the story.  So, while the old trailers will still be posted on YouTube.  My new trailers will be posted on my website and Smashwords.  I am posting the old and new ones on her for comparison.

As my skills have improved, I am trying to make my trailers better representations of my work.  I will try to create and upload new versions of some of my trailers.  Also, don't be shy.  Tell me what you think by posting a comment on YouTube.

WWSS1 - OLD

WWSS1 - NEW

WWSS2 - OLD

WWSS2 - NEW

Over Half of YA Readers are Adults!

According to surveys conducted in 2012, 55% of readers of YA fiction are adults!  It is no real surprise.  Who hasn't written a bus or a train lately and seen an adult immersed in reading Divergent or Hunger Games or Harry Potter? Adults are increasingly reading Young Adult fiction as the rise of book-to-movie adaptions increasing, giving these titles a wider reach.  The article claims that adults read YA fiction for a bit of nostalgia.  Every adult can identify with awkward teen experiences, but in my opinion, there are more reasons which adults see YA as a better option.

For one, more and more adult novels are leaning towards graphic violence and intimate situations.  Erotica has taken over the indie and traditional markets.  Adults who want cleaner reads are shifting towards books for young readers which are seen as safer.

Another reason is story.  While in the adult realm, crime and suspense fiction seem to be king.  YA fiction seems to be more expansive in genres and much more imaginative, especially with the influx of self-published and indie authors who generally have unique plots.

Either way, YA fiction is just fun.  To read the whole article click on the link below!


Source: http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/feb/24/why-are-so-many-adults-reading-ya-teen-fiction

Status Update on Wicked Love

Hey, everyone!

I just wanted to update everyone on Wicked Love since I do read the reader reviews on B&N, and there have been a lot of you who can't wait for the next Weeping Willow installment.  I am happy with all the positive reactions to the short stories and the novel.

Wicked Love is coming along. I have already written about 35,000 words in the past month and a half which was half of my projected word count for this project. I will definitely have to increase that word count. I am fast approaching the halfway point of the book. My editor has read the first third and enjoyed it.

Contrary to what people think, Wicked Love will not be the end of the series. There will be at least another book or two left in this series. I have to make sure Willow and Nalin travel to all the realms at least once.

You won't have to wait so long for the next one. I plan to start writing it as soon as Wicked Love is done.  I just got the idea for the plot of the next book, so I would love to continue writing about these two characters and hope you guys continue reading.

Thanks!

Wicked Magic Free?

Hey, everybody!

I wanted to know if anyone is interested in reading a free copy of my book in exchange for a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes and Noble.  You can basically copy and paste the same review to all three sites, but the requirement is that the review has to be on all three.  If you can paste it on Smashwords, that would be appreciated.

Book three of my Weeping Willow Series, Wicked Love, is due to be released in October, and I wanted to drum up more reviews for Book Two entitled Wicked Magic.  Book One is a compilation of two short stories which are available online for free all year long.  Those stories will have to be read before the book.

This YA series is about warrior Elves and does have battle scenes, but ultimately, it is a love story between warring races.

I will provide the codes for a free download Smashwords, but if you don't have an account, tell me when you contact me and we will figure something out.  If anyone is interested, please get back to me at smadera23@yahoo.com by August 5th, 2014.

Please enter your email in the white box on the right side of the screen, because a similar opportunity (concerning Wicked Love or the Restraint Trilogy) may be available in the future to only those receiving my newsletter.

Thank you,
Sandra Madera


BOOKS INVOLVED:

Weeping Willow Stories (which have to be read before Wicked Magic)
Weeping Willow (Part One)
Weeping Willow (Part Two)

Wicked Magic: A Weeping Willow Novel

Editor's Comments

Hey, everyone!

I just got some comments from my editor.

She is of course surprised by Willow's darker turn. I think most of the audience will be. She has become a different character somewhat. At the end of the last book, she was in Hades and in the clutches of the Dark King. This book takes place right where that one leaves off. So Willow's circumstances only get worse from there.

Nalin will take more of a starring role in this novel. I know that there were only a few chapters dedicated to him in the last book, but in this book we will see Nalin at the forefront.  Other realms will also be brought up which will add to possible avenues in the future.

It is dark and many will be surprised by Willow's decent. My editor is quite attached to Willow's characters, but in the Realm of Disorder anything can happen. Anyone can be killed off and anarchy can rule for a time before peace returns. I am not killing off Willow or Nalin, but the danger of losing other characters is possible. I hope this book will be more exciting that the first.

Thank you for following. Keep you posted!

What's Up Now

Hello, everyone in cyberspace! I hope all is well. Things have been getting better as far as internet connection and such...so I am able to post again.

So, one thing I have been working on is a post about character building based on a quote I read by Stephen King. So that might be published on Blog Critics before my actual blog. Eventually, I will post it on here so look out for that.

Everyone knows I am writing Wicked Love right now, but I was thinking of starting an email list so that I can communicate with readers about what is new, freebies, release dates, cover reveals, etc. I am going to be working on adding that to my blog. If you would like yo be added to my emailing list, you can waiting until I install the tool or email me personally at smadera23@yahoo.com. Each person who signs up will save themselves $0.99 by receiving a FREE copy of Scattered.

I updated my wallpapers on my website, www.sandramadera.com, so that is a fun thing to check out. I have one of my wallpapers on my computer as a desktop and it looks lovely...I must say. :)

Another thing is that since I posted the initial preview of Wicked Love, I finished the prologue so it is longer and more detailed than the version put up on the last posting. I will add the whole prologue as apart of a future post.

Remember to keep posting reviews and spreading the good reading on to friends. Your review or referral could be the difference between someone reading my work or missing out entirely!

Smashwords Sale Codes

Today is the first day of Smashwords Sale, and in order to add the books of the Restraint Trilogy in your cart for $0.99, you will need a coupon code.


Buy Lament: A Restraint Novel for $0.99 at Smashwords.
     Coupon Code: PT72G

Buy Malcontent: A Restraint Novel for $0.99 at Smashwords.
     Coupon Code: ED73R


With these coupons, the entire Restraint Trilogy will be under $3.00 US which is less than you would spend buying Malcontent at its regular price of $3.99. Take advantage of sale this weekend and remember to leave a review after you have read the books.  Thanks!

Smashwords Sale!

Hello, everyone.

As a special treat to honor the release of Malcontent, I will be putting Lament and Malcontent on sale for $0.99.  That means that each book will be less than a dollar each for a whole weekend.  If you have not read this series, I invite you to while it is on sale.  Smashwords, for those that don't have an account, is great because it offers all formats, including .epub for Nooks and .mobi for Kindles.  The sale will take place this weekend, from Friday the 18th to Sunday the 20th.

As for finding out about upcoming sales and releases, there is a way to follow all of my blog posts by entering your email on the right of the screen.  Please be sure to use that option, because I plan to announce a sale before the release of Wicked Love.

Have a happy holiday weekend filled with many blessings!  Thanks!


My Smashwords Page

Malcontent Published!

Hello, everyone!

Malcontent, the final book in the Restraint Trilogy, has finally been published on Smashwords and Amazon.  It will be available very soon on BarnesandNoble.com.  The upload on that site has been giving me some issues so it will have to wait until tomorrow to work out the kinks.

I have really grown to love these characters, and I'm sad to say goodbye to them; yet, I am happy with the final outcome. Malcontent was the hardest book for me to write. It seemed like a giant puzzle piece that I had to make work in so many aspects, but the result was worth it, and now I can put these characters to bed.

Onto the next project... Wicked Love: A Weeping Willow Novel.

Thank you!



Malcontent is currently available for purchase at... Smashwords and Amazon.

Progress Report

Hello!

I am happy to report that I have roughly eight chapters to write for Malcontent.  The projected word count exceeded my expectations.  The final book might end up 5,000-10,000 more words than I originally thought.  This book will mark the end of the Restraint Trilogy and conclude a journey that began for me when I dreamed with these characters a little more than 16 years ago.  It is both a sad and happy event.

I know that many people are interested in knowing details of Wicked Love.  Wicked Love will pick up exactly where Wicked Magic left off.  In Wicked Magic, Willow was the main protagonist, but Nalin will take the lead in Wicked Love since he must first remember his lost love and then rescue her like all good heroes do.  I want to have it out by mid-2014, but if I can have it done sooner, then I will release it earlier.

As soon as I am done with Malcontent, I will begin work on Wicked Love without delay.  In fact, I am pretty eager to get started.  There are a lot of great ideas I have that I can't wait to get started on.

I have written a yearly novelette for 2014 entitled The Collector.  Look for it in January 2014 in Smashwords first and then in other online bookstores.

To all those who left reviews and recommended by books to friends, thank you for helping me reach those who wouldn't have otherwise come to know my work.

Goodreads

Today I had to update my Goodreads profile and my website.

I updated my website, adding reviews for Shattered. For some reason that was a task and it took quite a while to rework the page.

I also decided that The Collector will be the yearly novelette for 2014. It will be published free to all online bookstores on January 1st.

I added some more book descriptions on Goodreads. Goodreads just doesn't add a book automatically when its published so I added Scattered and all the books that are to come in the near future. Please be sure to add them all to your reading list if you have a Goodreads account.

Scattered is #11 on Amazon's Top Free Short Stories . Thank you all for downloading it. And special thanks to all the new readers for giving my special brand of fiction a try! I hope you won't be disappointed.

Q/A: Are certain literary themes 'played out"?

Q: Are certain literary themes "played out"?

A: NO! I am a firm believer of writing what you love, regardless of the trends.

Why? Because like all trends, they come and they go. A few years ago angel books were all the rage. I read my share of handsome fallen angels, which were somehow really good at heart, that fell in love with the young protagonist. I read about three of those kinds of books when they were in style.

I read Fallen by Lauren Kate which was definitely not for me. I found all the babbling about how cute the love interest was in every chapter annoying. Plus, there were a lot of plot elements that didn't work for me. I read the Maximum Ride Series by James Patterson which I liked a lot. The first book was intriguing. By the time I got to the third book, it was less so. Lastly, I read, Indie author, Abra Ebner's Feather Trilogy. At first, I wasn't sure I was going to like novel. I was a few chapters in when I realized the first book was actually a page turner. I ended up liking it very much. Yet, before long, I was looking for something else....

The next trend was dystopian novels. While I like novels where the classic utopian society takes a downturn, I found myself looking for new novels that went against the grain. I wanted to read about witches, vampires, werewolves, and supernatural worlds. In other words, I found myself wanting to read something different from where the trend was going.

During this time, I re-read the Wicked Series by Nancy Holder which happens to be one of my favorites. It is about a battle between a family of witches and a powerful warlock. The first four books were awesome. I was not too pleased with the final book, but it was still worth reading. I read the whole Sookie Stackhouse Series, because I was a huge fan of True Blood. (Last season was horrible though). I also made a point to read, my favorite author ever, Richie Tankersley Cusick's Walk of the Spirits. It was basically about a girl who can see spirits and has to unlock the mystery of what happened to one who continues to plead for help. I liked it, but not as much as I loved her Unseen Series. I mean, I actually ordered the series before it was available in the U.S., having it shipped from the U.K. That series is about a demon who is in pursuit of a girl who it becomes obsessed with, killing everyone she is close to. Interesting, huh? I love Ms. Cusick's writing so much that I purchased all of her novels from my teenage years and read them again!

What can be learned by my reading habits? Well, as you can see, I read what I like. So, a trend can steer your writing choices, but it doesn't always translate to an instant audience. Odds are, when there so many books of one genre, a reader will be looking for a book that is different. Don't worry that the vampire or werewolf thing has been done before, because trends rotate like the earth...they always come back around.

Q/A: Places of Inspiration

Q: Do you use real places as inspiration?

A: Yes, I do. If I can use real events in time, I will also do that although not as often. I do try not to name the  actual building although I will name the location and describe the building.

For example, my inspiration for the house in Restraint was Annesley Hall. I mentioned the town of Annesley through out the book, but never mentioned the hall itself. I developed a fascination with this manor house when I saw an episode of the show Most Haunted. Lord Byron was actually in love with a young maiden who lived in this house. However, I was fascinated by the sightings of a dark, ominous figure, the maid who hung herself in the laundry, and the belief the the house is haunted by a child who fell or was thrown from a window. At one point, this building was a school. The house was also consumed by a large fire back in the 1970's, leaving the outer shell of the derelict building you see above. I used points of this history at certain parts of my story. The child falling from the window was Marcus as Laura dangled him out. The maid was Anne. The dark, ominous figures were the vampires, and the fire opens the story. For more information on the history of Annesley Hall and its paranormal history click here.

Another example is the house the Linda was held captive in Lament. The inspiration for the house in the Isle of Wight, which was guarded by hell hounds, was Arreton Manor. This is another haunted manor I spotted on Most Haunted. It is a bed and breakfast now, but it actually has a long history of being owned by English nobility, including Lord Culpeper (Thomas II) and Edward the Confessor. I was drawn by the sad story of Annabelle Leigh who witnessed her father's murder at the hands of her brother and was killed as a result. This is the inspiration behind Mason Lee's father who was accused of killing his father. The house is also know for its any ghosts of monks, a young girl (maybe Annebelle), and a woman dressed in red. As you can imagine, the ghost in the red dress was my inspiration for the cover of Linda wearing a red dress. For more information on the history and ghostly sightings click here.

The inspiration for the Carter house in Malcontent is Appuldurcombe House. Although this house looks quite majestic, it is actually a ruin. The front of the house has its windows intact, but the inside is a stone ruin. It is quite the tourist attraction, but it is its ghostly history which intrigues me. It is known for the apparitions of monks, a phantom carriage which stops at the front entrance, the ghost of a beautiful woman, sounds of children laughing, and the sound of a baby crying. Visitors to the basement have actually seen dancing shadows and ghost lights. See if you can guess what I will incorporate into the novel. For more information of Appuldurcombe's history or ghostly sightings click here.

So, real places can serve as inspiration. However when choosing a location, you don't have to be historically accurate if you are writing fiction. You can use some of the history or happenings but use them in your own way. Especially if the use of a family name is in question, because the family may still be living and you don't want to offend them. I recommend using an anagram or not naming the house but the town instead. Use your own discretion.

Happy writing and remember inspiration is everywhere. You just have to look.

Vacation

Hi, everyone.

It has been a little while since I have posted. After finishing Wicked Magic, I got sick and decided I needed a break to rest. I took practically the whole month of August off from writing to just get that extra rest I needed from being physically drained. Now that I am rested, I intend to begin writing Malcontent and Wicked Chemistry.

Malcontent is the third and final book of the Restraint Trilogy. It is due out early next year. Maybe earlier if I am hit with divine inspiration.

Wicked Chemistry is a new Weeping Willow short that takes place between the original shorts and the novel. It will only be available in paperback format with the other shorts. No projected release date for that yet.

Sales for Wicked Magic have been great, but for those that have read the new novel, I ask that you please leave feedback. It is not only to let others know how you feel but for me to gauge what I can do better. So, please don't forget to leave feedback and spread the word.

Wicked Magic Published

Hello, Everyone.

I finished making the editing changes to Wicked Magic, and it was now in the process of being published in various online bookstores. It should be on Barnes & Noble and Amazon within the next 24 to 48 hours. It is currently for sale for $2.99 on Smashwords.com.

It will be reviewed soon by Josie Epping, and her review will be posted on, her blog, Josie's Haven. So, look for that soon.

I just want to thank all of the fans who waited patiently for this book. It was truly the hardest book to write for me, because the Willow saga has been out of my realm of comfort. But I got through it, and I am happy with the outcome. I hope you are, too. Remember to leave a review!

Updating Website

I wanted to update my website today, adding upcoming projects that I had in mind for next year. Some of the dates have not been determined, but I will have cover art and book trailers available with them within the next few months. I just wanted to finish up Wicked Magic before I got started on one of those projects.

I hope to have Wicked Magic done and edited by the end of the month so that I can publish it by next month so stay tuned.

I have mine... Do you have yours?

Received my soft covers in the mail today. Overall I am please with the look. I plan to publish Wicked Magic and the original Willow stories in the same fashion soon. I have all the cover art and the back cover blurbs done.

If you don't have a copy, pick up yours for about $7.00 at BarnesandNoble.com.

I have been writing like crazy, but I still have about nine more chapters to write for Wicked Magic. Already wrote 2000 words today. I expected this novel to be about 60,000 words, but it may be closer to 70,000.
It will be a crazy but great ride that I hope the fans of the story will enjoy!

Wicked Magic Update

Hello, everyone!

I just wanted to update all of my readers that are anxiously awaiting the release of Wicked Magic. I am currently writing the last ten chapters. I hope to release this novel withing the first two weeks of June. I know it has been a long wait, but I am striving to create a novel that fans of the Weeping Willow stories can enjoy. Sometimes that takes a lot of time and imagination, but the final chapters are planned out and all I need to do is put them down on paper.

I have already contacted Josie Epping from the Josie's Haven Blog about writing an honest review once it is done, and she agreed. So, I hope to have a link to her review after the book release. I am sure she has a long backlog of other books to read, but I am very pleased that she will make time for a review.

I hate to give release dates, because life never goes according to schedule. I hate to miss release dates, but I am usually never more than two weeks off. Sorry for everyone who was interested in reading the novel now, but I hope to have it for you come June.