Latest Reads: April 2013

My name is Stephanie and I am a complete book-a-holic. My kindle may actually be my unraveling…ironic. Seriously, I wish I could be one of those women who collects shoes, at least I’d get to show them off! I read more now than ever before. I rationalize it as recon. I tell myself it’s the author in me, but I fear it’s actually a deep rooted obsession. My reading has changed. I can now read more than one book at a time…in fact, I thrive on it. I feel like something is missing if I’m only reading one book at a time. Although, I will admit, “Silver Linings Playbook” completely captured me! I had to STOP everything else for about six hours and read that book cover to cover. Pat Peoples is a totally engrossing and consuming character. I picked it up on a Friday night (Yes, I read on Friday nights…total nerd girl). About 75% in, the exhaustion from a long week took over, so I was forced to finish it first thing Saturday morning…sooo good (more about it in the next edition)! Needless to say, consuming books has become more of an addiction than a hobby…but it’s all recon…after all, I’m still paying my bills, working my day job AND writing (25,000 words last month). To make myself feel better, I like consider myself a functioning book-a-holic.

Please enjoy some of my thoughts on the April edition of my ‘Latest Reads’!

J Happy Reading! J

 

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I’ll start at the very beginning with this one. The first time I read it (junior year/honors English), I was 16 years old. The funny thing about this one, I had no interest at first; it wasn’t Sweet Valley High and it didn’t involve anything with boys or hangin’ out…with boys! I drug my feet over and over until time had run out and I needed to complete the class project. So I picked up the cliff notes, finished the assignment, handed it in, got an A. I enjoyed the cliff notes and doing the project so much I read the book AFTER the assignment! I LOVED it! Immediately, I fell in love with Gatsby. I mean what whimsical teenage girl wouldn’t fall in love with the handsome, charming, eccentric millionaire that could sweep her off her feet?? It was a pivotal book of my youth. I was completely enamored with F. Scott Fitzgerald and his characters. That being said, reading it many (20) years later, I had quite a different perspective. This time around, I was still completely enamored with Gatsby, except this time my feelings were much different. Cynicism replaced whimsical. I wanted to protect him from Daisy, Tom, himself and everyone else who took advantage and used him. I think I missed many of the underlying adult themes as a young, naïve, high-school student. I saw a fool in love, willing to quite literally give his life for a woman, who was completely unworthy of his love. This time around, the cruelty of the world and the heartache jumped from the pages. Funny how life, growth and fundamental adulthood can jade a person and change one’s perspective.

Final Thought: Still a captivating book and one of my all time faves! Can’t wait to read it again in another 20 years!

Novel Hearts: An Anthology by Write More Publication Authors

To start, I am a featured author in this anthology.  I feel so lucky to have been involved in this anthology. This publication from Write More Publications offered authors a chance to write stories around some of their favorite characters just for the fans. I was honored to be involved with such a unique project! That being said, my story, “The Twistedly True Nightmare of Ruby Hood” is featured in this anthology, but my commentary will focus only on the other stories.

The River Liffey by Rebecca Boucher: I found this story to be well written and intriguing. Right away, I was deeply invested with the characters and wanted more! I look forward to the novel, on which this story is based!

My Forever Love by Theresa Oliver: As a prequel (of sorts) to “Star”, the readers gets an inside peek into Rick’s past life. Having already read “Star”, I already loved Rick, so this one was an easy one to jump into and enjoy!

Be Mine by Jennifer Paquette: As an avid fan of Greek Mythology and Jennifer Paquette, she had me at Aphrodite! The descriptions are a tasty treat (I seriously had to stop and get some chocolate during the vault scene)! This short and sweet story depicts the inception of Valentine’s Day. The reader can’t help but smile and blush!

Hungry by Amber White: How can I NOT love a story with the main character named Steph??? For the zombie enthusiasts, this one is a winner!

A Heart That Cannot Beat by Elaine White: Ms. White offers a variety of supernatural stories in this one. If you enjoy a bevy of supernatural stories speckled with love, this one is for you.

Fat Chance My Love by J.S. Wilsoncroft: For the romantic at heart! This one follows Wilsoncroft’s story, “Fat Chances”. If you love the fairy tale ‘happily ever after’ for the unlikely character, this one is for you.

Crazy Love by Molly Bryant: Ms. Bryant’s tale was quite enjoyable. Her writing really takes a hold of the reader and leads her on a well written journey. It was a fun little snippet of love and parenting.

Final thought: This book will appeal to all romantics (and many cynics), it’s got plenty of great characters to connect with and keep those pages turning!

Runaway Girl by Elaine White

An interesting vampire adventure! A vampire (kind of a pain-in-the-ass vampire) gets her soul severed into the living souls of multiple girls. However, her soul need to be reunited so she can marry Damian (aahhh, Damian), and rule the clans! Of course, it’s not going to be that simple, silly readers!  White leads the reader through multiple twists and turns, at the end the readers is pleasantly pleased with the direction of the story…and it’s just the beginning!

Final thought: Vampire enthusiasts indulge!

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl: I really don’t even know where to start…I LOVED this book (I LOVE the second one, as well)! Although it is deemed ‘young adult’, the older characters pack a helluva punch! The old, wise, realistic part of my soul completely identified with the methodical and cautious ways of Macon and Amma. These two have a mysterious and complicated history.  Even at the end, the reader is left wondering. The main characters of the story, Ethan and Lena are epic! The youthful, adventurous, impulsive aspect of my soul completely identified with that time when one still believes love/adoration is limitless and boundless. While they are vastly different…er…creatures, they have a deep affection for one another, and they won’t let anything keep them apart. The authors easily captivate the reader. At the end, I felt like there was a great resolution (although, I was sad and a little…OK really… pissed). But there are new questions to be answered and a new path for the characters.  Like I said, I’m hooked…ten pages into the second book, I had to make sure the third one was downloaded! (Did I mention I’m a raving book-a-holic and a total nerd girl???)

Final thought: Loving this series! It is my guilty pleasure of the moment!

The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen

Very happy to have found Tess Gerritsen! As a huge fan of the TV series ‘Rizzoli and Isles’, it seemed natural that I would read the books, once I found out the series was based on books. (Aren’t all the good ones???) I wasn’t disappointed in the least. A riveting read! I was addicted almost immediately. Gerritsen’s descriptions and details are impressive (that’s the writer in me…wow…super impressed! I could picture every detail). Gerritsen leads the reader on a convoluted journey that follows a violent and mentally unstable killer, who was always one step ahead! I hated to read it right before bed with the creepy killer lurking on every page, but I simply couldn’t help myself! I just had to pick it up. I stayed up late reading (too late many nights), thanks to the talent of Tess Gerritsen!

Final thought: Yes, in my kindle obsession, I’ve already downloaded books two and three!

What is coming next on ‘Latest Reads’?

A Fool and his Honey by Charlaine Harris

Silver Lining Playbook by Matthew Quick

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Illuminated Knights by Brian Bresee

Uniquely Unwelcome by Brandy Nacole

Happy Reading!

 

Latest Reads: March 2013

Since getting my kindle, I have been consuming books. It has been fantastic! It has reminded me that deep down I'm really am a nerdy girl/bookworm extraordinaire! I must say it beats the wild club/bar days of my footloose and fancy-free youth. Although I'm not entirely sure a direct link between books and my bank account is the best thing, it's almost as expensive as the wild/club scene days with less wrinkles and wear and tear on my body! ;) Here are some of my thoughts on my ‘Latest Reads’!

FYI: One of my current reads: “Beautiful Creatures”…totally addicted!!!

Uprising by Dawn Jayne:

To say I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Uprising’ would be a vast understatement. I absolutely loved this book! The storyline and plot were unlike anything I’ve ever read, plus the writing was superb! And the characters are fantastically developed! You can’t help but fall in love with Rise!  Dawn Jayne has a way with words and a true talent. In Uprising, she has created an elaborate and extensive angelic world. She lets the reader in piece by piece and creates an incredible sense of suspense, but as a reader, I was never confused only pulled further into the story.  I couldn’t put this one down and can’t wait for the next one!

Dead Over Heels by Charlaine Harris:

I am a huge fan of this series! I find Roe Teagarden to be a highly entertaining character. I love that this short bushy haired librarian stumbled into a wad of money and an ex gangster husband. Her new bodyguards are and interesting touch. So what happens when one of her biggest enemies (and the police chief) literally falls from the sky? Well, you get the intricate plot of Dead Over Heels. I didn’t see this one coming folks. Harris wove the tail expertly, as per usual. A good, quick, entertaining read!

With Open Eyes by Iris and Roy Johansen:

This was my first experience with these authors. I know they have written many books, and in all honestly I’m not sure I will try another. The story was okay, but it was really short, even for a short story. It was over at 52%. I felt like I was being told about a police investigation instead of reading and becoming engrossed in a story about a woman involved in a police investigation. I found it to be predictable with minimal ‘Show Not Tell’.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

Okay, this was my first experience with Gillian Flynn and I will read more of her stuff. “Gone Girl” is on my list! In “Sharp Objects”, a troubled reporter must go back to her home town to sniff out a few murders that might (or might not) have a connection. Flynn spins an intricate tale and leads our heroine down some pretty risqué paths, too. Well, the end came, I was shocked! Then she wrapped it up with another twist! Well done, Ms. Flynn. I’m a new fan!

No Sanctuary by Cynthia Melton

I’m a fan of this YA zombie series! It’s a quick read with fun entertaining characters. Melton did a great job keeping me on the edge of my seat. In part two, she created real world conflicts, not just zombie related problems, which really made the characters more believable! She weaves a multilevel intricate tale. It’s impossible not to love Colton and Chalice! The character Mychal also becomes more independent in this part. Can’t wait to see what comes next!

The Possibilities of Amy by Jaye Frances

I received this book from the author for an honest review. To start, I really liked this story. The author can spin a great story, and her male high school perspective is highly engaging. Her attention to details and character development are impressive. But, I wanted more. I felt it ended abruptly and left me hanging. The ending left me to my own creative devices to discern the characters motivations, which might have been the author’s intent, because I did give it a lot of thought. After the story the author includes excerpt from her other works, which led me to download another one of her stories. I will continue to read the talented Ms. Frances. I like her style.

Emily and Einstein by Linda Francis Lee

A highly recommended read! To say I LOVED this story would be a gross understatement!!! This story had everything: an exceptional plot, incredibly believable characters, exquisite writing, insight and life lessons! I love a good story about a broken girl, who pulls herself up by the boot straps, puts on her big girl panties and handles life. As a reader, I couldn’t help but identify with Emily, and as a dog lover, I immediately fell in love with Einstein! The two are good for each other. They teach each other about life, love, despair, pain, selfishness, independence and ultimately, happiness. Truly, one of the best books I’ve read in a long time!

Death Lilly by Rebecca Nolan

I received this book from the author for an honest review.

That being said, this young adult paranormal thriller had at me at the get-go! Right from the beginning, it was easy to see there was something special and different about Lilly, but the author did a great job of adding just enough foreshadowing to build suspense without giving anything away. I found it easy to relate with Lilly, to empathize with her many different situations, and to want to save her! The author perfectly depicts the setting of Paradise End and high school life in a town that is loaded with mystery and intrigue. After the conflict was resolved, numerous questions were presented to lure the reader into the next book. There were bits and pieces near the end that I found a tad confusing. There was a lot of information and back-story to process and organize, not to mention I am still a little up in the air about whether some of the characters are on the side of good or evil. I assume that was intentional, and it worked! I have my own theories and will definitely tune in for the next one! Nicely done!

 

What is coming next on ‘Latest Reads’?

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Novel Hearts: An Anthology by Write More Publication Authors

Runaway Girl by Elaine White

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

The Surgeon by Tess Gerristen

Happy Reading!

 

Novel Hearts Anthology

"The Twistedly True Nightmare of Ruby Hood"

As an author, I don’t get the opportunity to write a story just for the readers very often. Normally, I write to quiet the voices in my head (I know, sounds like I’m a crazy person…maybe). Often times, the incessant chatter of my characters interrupts my daily thoughts. At night, they creep into my dreams and whisper to me. They bombard me on my walks, in the car, at the grocery store or in the shower. Once my characters are developed, a story plays out in my head, and then I write. But recently, I was approached by my publisher to create a new story based on the characters from my novella, “The Twistedly True Tale of Ruby Hood”.  She explained the story would be featured in an anthology titled “Novel Hearts”. The anthology would include seven other stories based on characters of Write More Publications authors and their books.

Of course, I leapt at the opportunity. First off, I absolutely adore my ‘Ruby Hood’ characters! Secondly, I LOVED the idea of intentionally writing a story for the readers. This was my chance to entice the readers, to get them interested in my characters, to lure them into my version of “Little Red Riding Hood”, with the ultimate goal of purchasing my book when it comes out. Simple enough, right? Not exactly. A huge hurdle shot up instantly. How do I write a story based on a book and characters very few have met without giving anything away? This took some very strategic plotting and planning. Finally, I came up with the idea to write a prequel. This prequel stays true to my young adult fairy tale version, but with a twist on both my original story AND the fairy tale. All the characters are introduced, but they are somewhat…um…different than my true ‘Ruby Hood’ characters. I was able to tie it all up at the end, bringing it full circle, and with a bit of luck, leaving the reader wanting more. How you ask? Well now, I’m not going to give that away here. Hopefully, I’ve piqued your interest enough to check out my prequel, The Twistedly True Nightmare of Ruby Hood”!

Happy Reading!

P.S. The other seven stories in “Novel Hearts” are absolutely wonderful!
http://www.amazon.com/Novel-Hearts-ebook/dp/B00BF828QU/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361119504&sr=1-1&keywords=Novel+Hearts%3A+A+Valentine%27s+Anthology
http://www.amazon.com/Novel-Hearts-Publications-Valentines-Anthology/dp/0615770916/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361119575&sr=1-4&keywords=Write+More+Publications

 

Author Interview

 

Interview with Elaine White, author of “Runaway Girl”

 

Stephanie: First off, please tell us a little bit about your novel.
Elaine: Runaway Girl is a vampire novel with a twist.  It explores the hidden world of vampires from the inside.  Loyal vampire soldier Damian must put aside his personal feelings to reclaim the throne for the lost Princess Amelia.  Her soul has been divided between 5 human girls.  Damian must find the girls and reunite Amelia’s soul in order for her to claim leadership of the three united clans.  However, her brother Matthew believes that it is his right to rule and he will fight to succeed his father to glory.

Stephanie: What was your inspiration for this story?

Elaine: Originally, I wanted to write a story about a woman falling in love with a vampire.  Then somewhere during the writing process, the main character became the love interest Damian.  I realised that most of the vampire books/shows out there were either focused on a warrior male, or a teenage girl in love with a vampire.  I wanted to write a book about vampires, for teens and over, about the inner aspects of a vampire clan.  It grew from there.

Stephanie: How many books are in this series?

Elaine: There are six altogether.  The first is solely about vampires/human, with a brief glimpse into another world, called the Island.  Book two explores the Island more fully while Books three onwards introduce lycanthropes (werewolves) and hybrids.  The whole series is a mixture of exploring family connections, exploring trust and loyalty and what can change it, and delving into the way that the vampires interact with the other supernatural creatures they encounter.

Stephanie: I know in another interview, you stated you were a huge Buffy/Angel fan growing up. I was, too! Are there any shows/books in today’s market you simply HAVE to watch/read?

Elaine: I am a major fan of the Vampire Diaries show and the Twilight films.  I haven’t ventured into the books yet because I want to be able to go through the whole series in one go and I don’t have time for that at the moment.  I’m a complete crime fool! So the likes of CSI, Castle etc are musts.  I have really loved the Richard Castle books too.  To be honest though, I miss Buffy a lot.  It started everything for me.

Stephanie: Do you have a day job? If so, what do you do?

Elaine: Writing is my day job at the moment.  Due to health constraints I’m not fit for much more, but I would love to get a job too.  I had my heart set on Borders Books…combining music, movies and books was perfect to me.  Hopefully there will be a replacement somewhere.

Stephanie: What are some of your favorite books?

Elaine: I absolutely love the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters.  I originally named me Amelia after her character, (when my Amelia was a much nicer person!)  I also love the Dark or Carpathian series by Christine Feehan.  I have always been a big Agatha Christie fan too.

Stephanie: Whenever I want to have a productive writing session, I MUST have coffee and music. What is something you MUST have during writing time?

Elaine: Absolute silence! It’s terrible.  TV, people talking, even music distract me far too easily.  To write a decent piece takes silence and comfort.  I like to be warm but not hot, have a good sized drink and some snacks nearby so I don’t have to move too far. Lol. Once I start writing, with those conditions, not much gets through to me.

Stephanie: Aside from this series, what else can we expect from you?

Elaine: Well, I already have the first four books in a crime series complete.  I’m still deciding whether there will be one or three more.  I also have a few college romances, a kidnapping story set in Colombia, and a Trilogy about a teenage fallen angel.

Stephanie: Is there anything else you’d like your fans/readers to know about you?

Elaine: Only that you never know what to expect.  I hate pigeon-holing people, so you probably won’t find me sticking to one genre.  I would love to hear from anyone about your opinions, takes, or reviews, whether they be good or bad.  They can only help me get better.

 

Thanks so much, Elaine! Wishing you the best of luck with all of your future writing endeavors! I know I can’t wait to read Runaway Girl!
Elaine’s book debuts Saturday, January 26, 2013. It is available in both paperback and ebook.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Runaway+Girl+by+Elaine+White&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3ARunaway+Girl+by+Elaine+White&ajr=1

 

A Zombie Hunter and The Boobie Doll: Short Story?

This was an attempt at a flash fiction (a story told in 1,000 words or less). It was rejected, but the publisher sent me an email and told me why. And just between you and me, I LOVE it when that happens! It's difficult to improve, if I never know why a piece isn't good enough.

I digress. For a flash, this story has too much going on, too many characters and a cliff hanger ending. Since this piece features some of my favorite characters, I have decided to extend it, finish the tale and turn it into a short story (maybe more).

If you’ve read my story ‘Duality’, you’ll recognize Caine as the zombie hunter. He finds himself on a rescue mission to ‘The Boobie Doll’, a zombie strip club in Vegas.

Please read and enjoy!

A Zombie Hunter and The Boobie Doll

By Stephanie Greenhalgh

Caine and Nolia sat under the large oak tree with their legs lazily intertwined enjoying the sunny afternoon. Nolia was completely engrossed in the latest Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse novel and Caine was knee deep into beating his time on advanced Sudoku.

Nolia’s phone rang. She grabbed for it lazily, but she bolted upright when the hysterical voice began ranting. The slender, athletic beauty clicked the phone shut and faced Caine.

“It’s Natalie’s sister, Lydia. She went to a cheer competition in Vegas. She was supposed to be home earlier today. She never got on the plane. Natalie called all her friends, but they all thought she left. She was coming home early for her mom’s surprise party tonight.” Nolia finished.

“Now what?” Caine questioned. He knew Natalie had already looked into a variety of avenues. As a seer, or oracle, she had many special ways to gain otherwise difficult information.

“She checked the looking glass and saw zombies.” Nolia looked Caine in the eye.

            “On it,” the tall, bald, buff, biker dude and resident zombie hunter muttered moments before picking up is Smartphone. When the phone buzzed back, Caine summarized quickly.

 “A couple of local grease balls were seen grabbing a blonde girl near the airport. They hang at a local club and zombie habitat, my favorite.” He grinned, “I’ll head out there and check it out. Think you could give me a magical lift, Doll?” He leaned in, brushed her neck with his lips, and gave her his best adorable lopsided grin.

“Yep, I think I have just what it takes to concoct the perfect Hickory Grove to Vegas portal.” She smiled and winked. Caine didn’t doubt the reigning queen of realm traveling. His girl had mad skills. The pair headed to Nolia and Natalie’s apartment.

A tall, blonde, leggy Natalie was bent over a looking glass. Nolia set right to work in her well equipped kitchen. Caine watched stoically. Natalie paced frantically, while Nolia expertly added eye of newt to an already simmering pot.  After a brief chant from an old tattered booklet, a swirling bluish cloud engulfed the breakfast nook. Nolia raised her eyebrows and nodded expectantly toward Caine.

“I’ll text soon, Babe.” Caine kissed Nolia hastily while giving her ass a quick feel. “Don’t worry, Natalie.” He jumped feet first into the swirling bluish blob and disappeared.

In Vegas, the portal burped and spit Caine out; he shimmied to a stop right in front of ‘The Boobie Doll’ strip club. He steadied himself and allowed his insides to slide back into their regular space. Once he settled, the zombie hunter cocked his head from side to side until his neck popped. “Well, all right.” Caine smirked cracking his knuckles and walking into a dark and seedy gentlemen’s club.

Caine somewhat enjoyed zombie habitats as long as you didn’t disrupt them; they could be amusing to watch. Caine stared at the zombie bartenders, patrons and strippers. One look at the gray goo flopping around on stage and Caine cracked up. He heard a commotion outside and the laugh froze in his throat. He ducked quickly and founded himself wrenched between a gelatinous male zombie getting a lap dance from a nasty, naked, lady zombie. Caine was certain she was losing her implants and maybe an eyeball.

“Get in there! ‘The big guy’ wants to talk to you!” A foul fat man grumbled as he yanked a pretty, little blonde by the hair. She kicked, screamed and contorted in an attempt at freedom from fatty’s slimy paws and leering eyes.

THWACK! The meaner, but quieter of the two goons, hauled off and smacked her upside the head. Blood spurt from her lip and she cried out in pain. “Easy now,” the chattier of the two added.

Caine clenched his fist and resisted the urge to jump over the tables and the dim-witted zombies to pummel the two fatties. But he wasn’t about to make a bonehead mistake of showing his hand, before he knew what exactly he was up against. Grudgingly, he allowed the two to drag the girl into the back room. He smooshed his way through the zombie horde and had a repulsive dance with one gooey stripper zombie before he weaseled past.

Caine got the door and listened carefully. He turned the knob slowly and carefully peeking into the room. A blonde girl sat gagged and tied to a chair.

“Lydia?” He whispered.

She nodded.

He crept in, freed her from the chair, threw her over his shoulder and tip-toed out the door. He came face to face with a very angry, mob of grayish, glutinous zombies.

“Well, shit. I knew that was too easy. Lydia, phone’s in my back pocket. Text Nolia, tell her I got you and we’re ready. Oh yeah, and hold on.” Caine laughed. The frightened girl nodded reaching for the phone.

Caine leapt up and kicked the first patron in the face. He took out half of them as they systematically tumbled like dominoes. Not the most intelligent creatures. He whipped out the miniature crossbow tethered to his arm and effortlessly took out three more with tiny silver darts to the neck. The female zombie behind the bar leapt over the bar and stood drooling with nails like talons in front of Caine. She was larger than the rest. She grunted and moaned as she lurched forward. Instinctually, Caine whipped around with a round-house kick, and Lydia flung her silver necklace just before Caine’s kick made contact. The kick and the silver propelled the giant zombie backward and took out the last four zombies like bowling pins. Caine bolted out the door. The bluish cloud swirled before him. He jumped and the two disappeared.

The big man came out from the back room. “Vegas mission accomplished. We were able to track the portal. Yes, we now know where the seer lives and who her friends are.” He said into the cell phone.

 

 

Latest Reads

In the past month or so, I have enjoyed spending some time reading. I’ve finished several novels/stories and thought I would share some of my thoughts about them.

 

The Julius House by Charlaine Harris.
To start, I love the Roe Teagarden series. I love the talented Ms. Harris. As a Sookie fan for many years, trying one of her other stories seemed like a natural progression. “ The Julius House” is the fourth in this series. These cozy mysteries are a quick read laced with humor and intrigue. I thoroughly enjoy watching Roe muddle her way through her latest turmoil.

 

The Darkening: A Zombie Awakening by Cynthia Melton
Cindy happens to be a friend of mine and I have enjoyed reading many of her stories. “The Darkening” is a post apocalyptic YA novella, which chronicles a young parentless family as they try to survive, not only life after a firestorm of meteorites, but also the awakening of  an entire zombie culture. You can’t help but love Chalice and Colton.

 

Power of the Moon by Tina Carreiro
As a fan of Ms. Carreiro and a supporter of indie authors, I just had to check out this novel. I love what she did with sexy vampire police officer, Cole, and ‘oddball’ strange girl, Mia. The heat between these two is enough to make a girl blush…several times. It’s not your traditional vampire meets girl tale. Definitely worth a read!

 

The Beach and Short Time by Jaye Francis
As part of my Goodreads group, I was given a free copy of “The Beach” for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed this story by Jaye Frances, as well as, the extra novella, “Short Time”, that came with it. Both were poignant, purposeful and full of meaning, which is not my usual genre. Normally, I prefer mindless fun reading versus thought provoking literature, but I honestly couldn’t put either down once I started. Frances lures you in right away with an intriguing plot and great character development. In “The Beach”, you watch Alan make choices and you want to help him, or warn him, but deep down your know his selfish and ‘idealism’ thinking will come with consequences. Although, I never guessed it would unfold the way it did. In “Short Time”, you don’t even know the character’s name, but he creeps into your mind. Her storyline flows easily and the endings leave you thinking! I look forward to reading more by Ms. Frances. In fact, I have already downloaded one of her other stories from Amazon.

 

Midsummer and Reflection (short stories) by Will Hunter
I enjoyed Will Hunter’s, “Midsummer”. He has a unique way of telling a story about a young couple that parted ways, but lost a bit of each other in the process. He throws in some interesting characters with a party as the backdrop. He definitely keeps the reader’s attention. I look forward to more from Mr. Hunter! With that being said, I absolutely loved “Reflection”. Up and comer, Will Hunter has quite a tail spinning talent. In “Reflection”, the reader finds an interesting protagonist/antagonist in Sabeth. She is certainly her own worst enemy! The storyline flowed easily and I couldn’t put it down until I found out how it ended. Then it haunted me for days on end. And I will definitely never look in the mirror the same way. If you like edgy, poignant and thought provoking, you MUST read this!

 

Current book: Uprising by Dawn Jayne
I LOVE this novel! In this unique world of angels, the reader can’t help but fall in love with the somewhat socially awkward loner, Rise. She is a Herald angel (the most powerful of all the angels) and has been created to replace Tyre, a Herald that has fallen from grace. I’m over halfway done and I’m pretty sure I haven’t seen the last of Tyre. I can’t wait to see how this tale unfolds!

 

Blog #2

Here it is blog #2. Truth be told: I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. That being said, I'll try to wing it! Here goes nothing!

 
I’m pleased to say there is some exciting stuff happening at the moment. I just finished the first draft of a new short story that will be out next month. What's special about this one you may ask? It's a prequel for my debut novella, which will be out in March.

 
Speaking of said novella, "The Twistedly True Tale of Ruby Hood", I have been working on the cover. It has been more fun than I ever could've imagined! I lucked out and stumbled upon the perfect cover picture! It was the very first picture I gazed upon (once I started looking) and deep down I knew it was perfect, but I had to check EVERY other picture loosely tied to Little Red Riding Hood. I like to compare it to trying to find that perfect black cocktail dress. A woman usually knows what she wants, but finding it tends to prove more difficult. I don't know a many women that buy the first ‘perfect’ dress they see...maybe I've just never been that lucky. I digress. The point is I HAVE A COVER! I look forward to sharing it, once it’s finished.

 
Ruby Hood has been keeping me busy on a multitude of levels and I have loved every second of it! All the best and happy reading!