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.

Author Interview

Hello, readers!

So, I just found out yesterday that Sandra from Jeanz Book Read and Review Blog put of a series promotion for my Weeping Willow Series, but also an author interview.  Check it out here.

Being sick has taken a lot out of me, but I'm trying to get fully back into writing the new short for the paperback of Wicked Chemistry which is almost done.  Those on my mailing list will receive a free e-copy which will not be available at any online bookstore.  So, if you have read the Weeping Willow Short Stories and would like to see how the story continued before Wicked Magic, add yourself to my mailing list and find out for free.

Also, I haven't finished all of the updates on my video trailers.  It is going to take time, but hopefully, I can work on Scattered soon.  As soon as any are done, they will be posted on Youtube, my blog and my website.

Wicked Love Released!

Hello, everyone!

It is just over half past midnight where I am from and that can mean only one thing... Wicked Love has been officially released.

I have published on Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Smashwords.  While Amazon and Smashwords have already uploaded the book, Barnes and Noble takes a bit longer.  It can take anywhere from a few hours to a day to show up in your Nook Store, so please keep your eyes open for it.

For those signed up to my newsletter, this month's newsletter has been sent out.  Please follow the instructions to receive your free copy of Wicked Love.

This book has been a long time in the making.  I carried a bit of anxiety around, not wanting to disappoint my readers, but when I released that energy and wrote the book I wanted, I created a unique, emotional ride which holds its own next to Wicked Magic.  I wanted the follow up to Wicked Magic to be just as good, if not, better.  I think I achieved that with Wicked Love.

Smashwords
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Amazon Preorder

Hi, everyone.

I just put through the Amazon Preorder information for Wicked Love. It should load in the next few hours and be available for purchase by tonight or tomorrow.  For those that have mindless, this is great news.

Now for those who read on Nooks, Barnes and Noble does not have a preorder function on nookpress. But I will submit everything at midnight on the first, so it will be ready by the morning of February 1st. Smashwords readers should know that Smashwords does have a preorder option but it must be done two weeks before release, and I am a day short. I will load Wicked Love around midnight so that the early birds will have the ability to buy it.

Thank all of you for being so patient during this process. This journey into writing Wicked Love has taken about 6 months but it was really a two and a half year wait. Wow! Your reviews of Wicked Magic really inspired me to write the best book possible because it pushed me to be also a better writer and storyteller.

Wicked Love is being read by Josie's Haven and will be reviewed on her site soon. Look out for that. I will be posting a link for that as soon as I get that.

Thanks!

Wicked Love Release Date

Hello, everyone!

Today I will be finishing up the last chapter of Wicked Love.  Writing this extension of the Weeping Willow Series was truly an adventure.  From being sick with the flu and a subsequent cold to family occasions and distractions, there were many obstacles in the six months since I started writing Wicked Love.

Although I plan with a loose outline the plot of the novel, much of the writing is organic and free flowing.  This way of writing is less rigid and more enjoyable.  Even with the small amount of plotting that was done, I have to say that the outcome was beyond my expectations.  I really love the way this book evolved and the worlds I get to dream up as an author.  I hope that no one will be disappointed with this installment and that everyone will see it as an awesome continuation of Wicked Magic.

Although I am basically done with the novel, I still have to edit.  So, the official release date is Sunday, February 1st, 2015.  This will give me time so that I am not rushing the editing process.  The final book ended up being over 88,000 words, so it is my longest book to date.  It is sure to be filled with many errors that need attention.

All of those who have joined my newsletter will receive a free copy.  For all of those signed up, you will receive a code to download your copy from Smashwords.  Please be sure to leave a review upon reading it.

Thank you, everyone, for being patient and awaiting this book with anticipation.  God bless!

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!

Progress Report

Hi, everybody.

I have received some inquiries about Wicked Chemistry and where it can be purchased.  Wicked Chemistry is the first book in the Weeping Willow Series.  It consists of the first two Weeping Willow stories that are available to download free in all major online stores.  Wicked Chemistry is a soft cover version which includes both shorts and an extra short.  This version will be released next year.  It will not be released as an ebook.  The two major stories that should be read before Wicked Magic are always available for free online.  The extra story is a gift for those who want to purchase the paperback.

All of my novels are available in paperback format.  They can be purchased online at Amazon or Create Space.  The link is on my official website.

As for Malcontent, I am pleased to report that it is 75% of the way done.  I have about ten more chapters to write.  It has been a long road with this specific book.  There were a great many difficulties, but I am happy to say that everything is going rather smoothly now.

Thank you to everybody for their inquiries and please keep submitting reviews for works red.  Your review could be the difference between someone taking a chance on reading or missing the opportunity all together.

Thank you!

Wicked Magic Reviewed by BCM!!!

Wicked Magic was favorably reviewed today by Books Complete Me Blog. Special thanks goes out to Nicole for her honest reviews. To read the whole review click here.

"Sandra Madera's writing is easy to follow, and it flows real well! I love reading books where I'm transported to other worlds, even if they tend to dip into the human realm too!"

Josie Epping also reviewed Wicked Magic a few months back. To read that review click here.

Thank you to everyone for your reviews and continued support of my work. As an Indie Author, it is very hard to get attention for my work. But thanks to bloggers/reviews who are open to reading Indie, it is possible.

THANK YOU!

Dear Reader,...Oh, no you didn't just say my story was demonic!

So, I am a little frustrated. I can deal with a little criticism, but nothing disturbs me more than people that assume things. I like to read my reviews from time to time to see how the audience is receiving my work. Basically, I am looking for the reason people love it or hate it. The other day I checked Barnes and Noble and someone actually wrote that, my story, Weeping Willow was evil. This is the exact review:

"Noooooo dont get this book!

I think this book is the most un-godly book ever! If your a man or woman or child of god or eny person realy, dont get this book!!!!"

Now, I have no problem when people can't relate to the stories I write or if they have a problem with grammar. Those are things that are legitimate. But to say that I write "un-godly" stuff is just crossing a line with me personally.

I think whoever wrote this comment needs to consider their words. Personally, I am a devout Catholic and read scripture. I pray and take such things very seriously. I don't appreciate the insinuation that I would write something that would lead people astray.

It is a fantasy story! Elves are not evil beings nor do they really exist. Fantasy is a genre that allows the writer to imagine worlds that don't exist anywhere but their imagination. As I am religious, I like to make people consider their beliefs. As a matter-of-fact, there are many Christian messages in the Willow series that happen to become more obvious in the novel. But in the stories, Nalin is actually labeled a villain for how he went against nature to create Willow. He was punished for taking life into his own hands. Does that sound like any moral issues we are facing in this country? YES!!!

There are issues of race between Elves. Over and over, it is written that the races will be united because such conflict shouldn't exist. Does that sound like any social issues we are facing in this country? YES!!!

The Oracle, in the novel, is blinded by her own need to predict the future and the reader becomes unsure of anything she predicted in the past. Was she dictating one's destiny or the puppet master in peoples lives? Makes you doubt whether to trust her psychic abilities. Does that sound like something the bible warns people against? YES!!!

I could point out more, but why? I think I made my point.

So, before you write that my writing is "un-godly", I think you need to re-read the work and then delve a little deeper into what it actually means. I am bringing up a lot of issues that are currently being debated or fought over in a subtle way that allows the reader to see my opinion on what is morally right and wrong. No one that commits an evil act goes unscathed in the series. Although no one is totally good, no one is totally bad based on actions alone. Isn't that the Christian way? You can't have forgiveness and redemption without first sinning and repenting such is the case with Nalin. Think about it.

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 Love Trailer

Hi, everyone.

I just finished the trailer for Wicked Love which I attached to the bottom of this post. I love it because it has more to do with love than my other novels. Perhaps even a little obsession. As dark as Wicked Magic is, I hope to make Wicked Love just as dark with a more feelings of love and destiny. So, hopefully it will be more romantic.

However, before I start work on that novel, I have to get started on Malcontent and possible a new short. After a long awaited break from writing, I am eager to get back to it with fresh ideas. So, we will have to wait and see what the future holds.

Thanks for your positive energy and support. Hopefully we can enjoy more great reads together soon! Keep you posted.

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!

Wicked Magic...now in the editing process.

So, today I finished up Wicked Magic and sent it to the amazing lady that edits for me.

It has been a long journey. Wicked Magic has been the hardest book I have ever written, because the fantasy/action/adventure genre is still so unnatural to me. But I am very proud of the outcome. It is darker than the original stories because I drew my inspiration from Dante's Inferno as well as a dream that I had a year ago.

I had planned to release the book back in May of this year, but in order for the book to match my vision, I had to expanded past the 60,000 word limit that I had set for it. The outcome is about 80,000 words. This book might be the start of a long series if the response by the readers is positive so be sure to write reviews. It may not seem like it, but I do read them, and I take what everyone says into consideration.

I am releasing the Wicked Magic within the next week or so in ebook format. I will also be releasing it in paperback within the next two weeks. So, be on the look out for that.

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.

Praises and Criticisms

First of all, I would like to thank everyone that has left feedback for my novels and shorts. I do read your praises and criticisms. They do help me gauge what you, my audience, is interested in. I am glad that everyone has decided to download my works and judge for themselves whether it is for them or not. I write because I enjoy it, and whether I publish or not, I will always continue to write, but everyone's kind words really urge me to continue to improve.

I am really flattered when I hear that Weeping Willow has become an all time favorite read for someone. I knew when I wrote it that I was writing something special. Even though it was only meant to be a short to show my range and to dabble in the fantasy genre, Weeping Willow has become a huge hit with readers, and I couldn't be more happier. I am writing Wicked Magic for those that want to read more about Willow and Nalin, and if all goes well, I wouldn't be apposed to making it a series. We'll see....

I have read the comments from people that had problems with the pacing and have stated that they couldn't relate to the characters. Some even suggested that I could have drawn it out and made it more descriptive. And... it's true. I could have flushed it out into a full length novel, but it wasn't meant to be a novel. It is a short story. The purpose of Weeping Willow was for me to try something new and introduce myself to my audience as kind of a preparation for, my novel, Restraint. If I had decided to make the original stories a novel, it would have been more flushed out and paced perfectly as Restraint was.

But there will always be someone who will like something and another who will not. You just can't please everyone. I can't make someone relate to the characters. You either do or you don't. You either read the words and get lost in them or you don't. That is just a matter of taste. I have read books that critics gave perfect ratings to that I just couldn't finish. It happens.

I believed the best way to tell Weeping Willow was from the point of view of two soul mates whom were struggling to find one another. I also wanted to test my skills writing from a guy's point of view which was interesting and different for me. I don't regret the fast-paced action because it was in keeping with Nalin's desperation to reach Willow before Callan. Regardless of criticism, I was really happy with the outcome.

Wicked Magic will be a full length work so expect more detail and dialog, but hopefully it is in keeping with the original stories and it is something fans will enjoy.

Update on Wicked Magic

I passed on the first half of the book to my editor, and she loved it. I hope to have it done by the end of the month. I have been writing about 1500 words a day. So, if I roughly write a chapter every weekday than I should be done with it on schedule.

Since Wicked Magic will be out in both paperback (via Create Space) and e-book format, it makes sense that I should publish the original shorts as well. So, I will publish the original shorts in paperback format most likely with an additional unpublished story. This short will be about what happened between the second short and the novel. It will be called Wicked Chemistry. If I do release Wicked Chemistry, than it will only be available as part of the paperback version of the stories. I will NOT release it in e-book format.

Right now, these are just ideas, but I hope to make them into reality. We'll see in the next few weeks, because I am anxious to begin work on Malcontent.

Changing Cover for Wicked Magic

So, I have been thinking about this for a while...

When I did the original cover, I had a concept in mind which I loved. Willow looks deeply into Nalin's eyes after being reunited. However, the image I had in my head of Nalin did not quite match the cover. Nalin is a warrior Elf. He looks mean. He is a cold blooded killer. He has pointed ears and so does Willow. They don't look exactly human, but the old cover made them look ordinary.

The old cover is too romantic... too light when the story is dark and has a number of dark themes. So, I had to change the cover art to best match the Elven characters.

OLD

NEW

I kept the black and white theme, because it plays on the two Elven races, but I made Nalin appeared more masculine. Willow, in turn, looks more Elven with large eyes and ears.

Give me your feedback and let me know what you think.

Josie's Haven Reviews!

All of my literary works have been reviewed by Josie from Josie's Book Haven Blog. Please click the link to read the reviews that are posted for Restraint, Lament, and my shorts.

"Sandra Madera impressed me with these books. I like the fact that all her stories were completely different... It is wonderful to read stories from an author who's very versatile in her writing." - Josie, Josie's Haven Blog

Special thanks goes out to Josie for taking the time to read and review all of my work. It is always exciting to have your work reviewed, but it is wonderful to hear a positive voice through this journey. Thank you!