Wicked Chemistry

Hello, readers.

I have finally finished Wicked Chemistry, and it is in the editing process.  It will be available only in paperback format, because it contains the original Weeping Willow Short Stories that anyone can download free from most online bookstores.  It will contain a new short which is longer and talks about the missing months between the shorts and the novel.  It is pretty interesting and will be dealing with Willow's fears, coming into this new world.  To read the blurb for the new short, click on the Weeping Willow Series tab above.  Now, my time will be mostly devoted to writing Wicked Voices which is the next installment of my Weeping Willow Series.

Virus

So, I just got back from the hospital, and it turns out that I have a virus.  Yay me!  Not really.  This specific type of virus causes canker sores, and let me tell you, canker sores are so painful.  It starts off with flu-like symptoms and then the virus kicks in.  My lymph nodes are engorged.  I just can't wait for this nightmare to be over.  The good news is that once this virus goes away, I will have built up an immunity to it.  It will be unlikely that I will ever get it again.

I haven't been able to write or anything!  But I hope that when I am all healed, I will be able to get started on my latest novel.  Wicked Chemistry is almost complete, and I plan to release the paperback with all tree shorts.  Those on my mailing list will be receiving a copy of the new short.

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!

The Flu

Hey, everyone!

Well, I got... the flu.  Being sick totally delayed my plans, and I had to stop writing for a while.  Now that I am on the mend, I hope to get back into writing at the same pace as before.  With four chapters left to write and editing to do, I would like to release Wicked Love sometime in January 2015.  There were a lot of unforeseen delays in writing this manuscript, but hopefully, it will all be worth it once you read the journey.  Those subscribed to my newsletter will be sent codes to download a free copy.  If you want a free copy of Wicked Love, consider signing up for my newsletter.

God Bless you this Christmas and New Year!

Making Believable Characters: Heroes and Villains

Hello, everyone!

I was looking for inspirational quotes, and I came across this quote from Stephen King. The quote was a snippet about the writing process, concerning the building of characters, which is something that challenges authors today. The challenge lies in how to build a character to the point that the lines between reality and fiction blur, making them so real that they are almost palpable.

“I try to create sympathy for my characters, then turn the monsters loose” – Stephen King.

So it made me think about heroes and villains in general. When I used to watch Disney movies, villains didn't have much of a back story. They were bad.  The main characters were the heroes who were inherently and annoyingly good. It didn't matter why. Good always battled evil and came out winning. There is something in our nature that harps back to this ancient battle of good versus evil.

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.

Submitting Shorts

Hi, everybody!

I know I have a lot of short story lovers out there that are looking forward to more. I had planned to write a free short every year. I still want to do that, but I am looking into submitting stories to literary magazines. This could help me to reach a much larger audience later on. However, most magazines want stories that have a small word count and have never been published before. So, I cannot submit the stories I have already written. That means I have to write some more and submit them without publishing them.

I have collected a list of magazines that seem right up my alley. I am currently writing a short that is based on a dream I had. It is based on a Scottish castle and has to do with the legend of the Green Lady. Right now, the project is entitled The Collector, but that title can be subject to change. I plan to submit that story. If it were to get rejected, then I would release it to the public around the time I release Malcontent. However, release date will vary because response time for a magazine submission can take weeks or months.

Update everyone soon.

Malcontent Preview

Hi, everyone.

I just posted a three chapter preview of, my upcoming novel, Malcontent. The preview is free. As I understand it, there is no need to make an account with Feedbooks if you don't want to. You can just download the pdf.

I am very early on in the writing process, but I was eager to share with everyone what I have written. The preview is located on Feedbooks.com (see the link below).

For those who do not know what Malcontent is about, it is the story of Louise May Reynolds before she elopes with William Carter. I hope that this book will have horror, suspense, and more romance overall.


Feedbooks: http://www.feedbooks.com/userbook/29064/malcontent-a-restraint-novel-preview


MALCONTENT BLURB:
Raised in a world where the first born are often sacrificed, Louise May Reynolds believes it is her destiny to appease her family by entering into an arranged marriage. However, Louise May struggles as she finds marrying Bryan Froster, a powerful and ruthless vampire prince, revolting. In her discontent, she tries to devise a way out of the union, fearing the only way to truly be free of Bryan Froster is death. Scared of turning her back on her family and the clan, Louise May struggles inwardly between what others expect of her and what she wants for herself. Until, she rebels against everything she has been raised to believe. Secretly vowing to escape a life of servitude, she risks disturbing the balance between vampire and servant which can cost her more than she can even imagine. Can Louise May turn her back on her family in order to follow her heart?

Malcontent Update

Hi, everyone.

So, I wrote five chapters of Malcontent and passed them onto my editor. I like to edit as I go and get her feed back. She loved it so far which is great. If she didn't love it, she would definitely tell me. She has been looking forward to Malcontent for a while.

Once corrections are made, I will post a preview of the book on Feedbooks.com. Just put my name in the search and it should come up after I post it. I like to publish the first chapters to tease my audience, but also so readers can decide if it is for them.

Look for the Malcontent Preview on Feedbooks.com soon. The Restraint and Lament Previews are already up if you haven't already read those.

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.

Malcontent Trailer and Wicked Magic Review

Hi, everyone.

I just finished working on the Malcontent Book Trailer. I posted it on my website and Youtube for your viewing. I also posted it below.

I haven't been feeling well so I took a short break from writing. But I hope to be writing again soon, because I want to get started on Malcontent and probably a new short.

I just wanted to let everyone know that Josie Epping from Josie's Haven Blog will be reviewing Wicked Magic on her blog soon. She posted a short review on Goodreads (CLICK ON THE LINK TO CHECK IT OUT). So, keep leaving those reviews. I do read them, and I am loving the positive energy!!! I know many people want the short stories to be longer, but I see that as readers wanting more. So, that means I am on the right track. So, sit tight and look out for more works later this year and early next year.

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.

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.

Malcontent Blurb

Malcontent is the third and final extension of the Restraint Trilogy. This will be about Louise May Reynolds and her family. It will also showcase how she fell in love with William Carter, bringing the story around full circle. I just finished writing the blurb and added it to my website. I will be adding the video trailer soon. As well as the bookmark and wallpaper images. I hope to have this novel out by December 2012. I am hoping for earlier, but one never knows what life will throw at them.

Raised in a world where the first born are often sacrificed, Louise May Reynolds believes it is her destiny to appease her family by entering into an arranged marriage. However, Louise May struggles as she finds marrying Bryan Froster, a powerful and ruthless vampire prince, revolting.

In her discontent, she tries to devise a way out of the union, fearing the only way to truly be free of Bryan Froster is death. Scared of turning her back on her family and the clan, Louise May struggles inwardly between what others expect of her and what she wants for herself. Until, she rebels against everything she has been raised to believe. Secretly vowing to escape a life of servitude, she risks disturbing the balance between vampire and servant which can cost her more than she can even imagine.

Can Louise May turn her back on her family in order to follow her heart?

Inspiration

So, I have read posts from a lot of Indie authors about how to write a short story or a novel. These tips are pretty interesting, but I think it is better to write organically. This means to have a general outline and fill in the details as you write spontaneously. This allows you to come up with new ideas as you write and the ability to integrate them into the story without ruining your precise plans.

So, with the way I write, I know people may wonder what inspires me. Many writers draw inspiration from the world around them. This is true for me, but there is also another gold mine for inspiration... Your dreams.

When I was thirteen years old, I dreamed of two sisters, one blonde and one brunette, in love with the same man. So, I decided to write about these characters and for a while I wrote a few chapters of a love story. The name of the main character was Laura. Her sister was named Linda. With my limited thirteen year old mind, I envisioned these characters, but was unable to developed them enough to finish the story.

Fast forward about thirteen years, and my mind still knew these characters. Choosing to change up the story to a genre that was more my style, I added vampires, rewriting my old concept into my novel entitled Restraint. And Laura remained the same rebellious girl I had thought up years ago.

Dreams are a wonderful source of inspiration if they make sense. The best dreams are the ones that leave you thinking about them way into the morning hours. So, dream on my fellow writers. There are many stories waiting to be told and many characters waiting to be thought up.