by Sarah | Jun 14, 2014 | Books, Masked Hearts, WeWriWa, Writing
Welcome back to the Weekend Writing Warriors!
I’ve been sharing my contemporary romance for a while, I thought it might be nice to go back in time…to the old west and a travelling wild west show.
Masked Hearts is my oft-neglected stand-alone novel, but every time I bring it up I remember why I enjoyed it.
In this first 8, Minnie is onstage in their wild west show with another native. In life off-stage they take exception to each others behavior:
“You call us a joke?” The fierce warrior brave named Carl snarled in her ear under the speech, taunting her with their familiar argument. He knew onstage was the only time she’d let him close enough for such talk. His foot stomped on her skirt, crushing her bustle and pulling her backward. “At least we don’t act like one of them.”
“You do what you need for your whiskey. I do what I must to survive.” She fought the urge to hit him.
*No creative editing this week.
*~*
If you want more of these wonderful two…pick up a copy!
| Amazon | SCP | BN | ARe |
Minnie Woodward lives a lie. After barely surviving the Bear River Massacre she’s lived in the white world of her guardian Mister Rawlins, her life debt keeping her tied there. The last thing she needs is Roy’s attempts to gain her favor. Her fate’s sealed. She’s never believed in hope, and not even Roy can make her start.
Roy Ornum saves Minnie every night in the traveling Wild West show. The job he took to break his gambling habit brought him a new addiction – her. He knows she doesn’t want to be rescued, but maybe he does. She’s the key to a past he lost, one he wants to find again.
As the two grow closer old wounds are reopened and their burgeoning trust is shattered. When lives hang in the balance of their choices they’ll need to work together. Otherwise everything will be lost before hope can be found.
*~*
Head back on over to the Weekend Writing Warriors to read many more wonderful offerings!
by Sarah | Jun 11, 2014 | All About Denver, All About Family, All About Me, All of Us, Crap, Random, Redefining Perfect, Special Needs, The Teenager
The past two weeks have been overwhelming.
It’s been one thing after another.
Denver got sick.
My dad’s Parkinson’s has reared its ugly head something fierce.
Denver’s teenage life blew up into all sorts of drama.
Husband had some big decisions to make at work, and the end result was the exact opposite that we’d been hoping for over the past few years.
I think my head might have exploded at one point.
I’ve been short tempered.
I’ve slept too much to cope.
I haven’t eaten enough.
I’ve only eaten crap.
I haven’t written a word.
But I’m still here.
I’m hoping this is the other side of hell week(s).
I’m putting one foot in front of the other.
Trying not to make a sound.
Trying to remember that positive side of me and find that silver lining.
Trying to not reawaken the dragon.
Because life doesn’t wait for you to cross the tight rope.
It keeps going on.
And so will I.
by Sarah | Jun 10, 2014 | 500k, Books, Challenge, Changing Tracks, Dark Territory, Derailed, Escaping Humanity, Goals, Holiday, The Tribe, Writing
It’s been a while since I checked in on the 2014 forecast for me and my writing. I meant this as a monthly check-in type of deal and thought maybe I should get back on that. So, months after my last update, let’s see where I am.
So first, the overall goals I’d set – with where I am now.
- I’ve challenged myself to write 600,000 words in 2014. (258,159 C as of 6/8/14 9:53PM)
- I will finish books 4 & 5 of the Dominion Falls series and submit by February 8th – I did submit on 2/17/14 & both books were accepted/contracted. Releases in August’14 and January’15.
- I will fine-tune and perfect Leap (Hidden Senses #.5) for publication. It goes to my editor on July 1st, then to the proofreader.
- I will build my audience and work harder at promotion. I am not doing enough with this. Need to get out more.
- I will find focus (see below), and figure out how to USE it. I am working on this. Some days I do great, others not so much. Call me a work in progress.
And for my list of projects. Items in RED are done. Items in ORANGE are in progress (or progress notes). Items in BLUE are new. Some of the new items are in blue with the progress I’ve made in orange.
- Runaway Train (Dominion Falls 5) – 113k
- Stalled Independence (Lake Point #3) – 35k
- Katherine’s Story (Dominion Falls Prequel) – 48k – Named finally. Independent Brake
- Into a Mirror Darkly (Morgana Chronicles 1) – 100k (~10k done)
- Witch Way (Lake Point #4) – 30k (1k done)
- A Thorough Thanksgiving (Lake Point #5) – 30k
- The Tribe (The Tribe #1) – 85k
- The Wolf (The Tribe #2) – 85k (24395 done)
- Natural Selection – 40k (6921 done)
- Hybrid – unknown…going to do as “Chapters” not full length novel.
- The Dead Past (Dominion Falls 6-temporary name) – 100k
- The Chief (The Tribe #3) – 85k
- The Raven (The Tribe #4) – 85k
- Escaping Humanity (Co-authoring w/ Mary Terrani) – 100k (22k done)
I’m quite certain at this point that I’m forgetting something. I do know that not on the list, but completed is setting an editing schedule with my editor. I’ve also come up with an idea for a new series, but it has to go on hold while I work my way through that crazy list up there.
Overall, I’m happy with my progress. Despite some crazy real life stuff and my typical propensity for distraction, I’ve almost reached the halfway point on my insane 600k goal. I have plenty of stories that are in progress or just need editing. I have ideas ready for next years holidays series, and my brain has not imploded yet. So yay me. 🙂
Seriously, though. I expect items to be added to my list now that I’ve managed to check a few off. First, I need to finish Witch Way, The Wolf, & The Chief before I can seriously contemplate what to add to the list. Once I read the “There’s more red than black/orange” point, I know I have to start thinking toward the future.
So one last goal right now is to adjust and add to all my goals next month, and get The Wolf and Witch Way completed.
(P.S. Having that editing schedule set means a crap ton of books this year, people…seriously, it’s cah-razy).
by Sarah | Jun 10, 2014 | Book Release, Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Writing
Hexed
(The Witch Hunter #1)
Author: Michelle Krys
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 384
Release Date: June 10th, 2014
Blurb:
If high school is all about social status, Indigo Blackwood has it made. Sure, her quirky mom owns an occult shop, and a nerd just won’t stop trying to be her friend, but Indie is a popular cheerleader with a football-star boyfriend and a social circle powerful enough to ruin everyone at school. Who wouldn’t want to be her?
Then a guy dies right before her eyes. And the dusty old family Bible her mom is freakishly possessive of is stolen. But it’s when a frustratingly sexy stranger named Bishop enters Indie’s world that she learns her destiny involves a lot more than pom-poms and parties. If she doesn’t get the Bible back, every witch on the planet will die. And that’s seriously bad news for Indie, because according to Bishop, she’s a witch too.
Suddenly forced into a centuries-old war between witches and sorcerers, Indie’s about to uncover the many dark truths about her life—and a future unlike any she ever imagined on top of the cheer pyramid.
Hi there! I’m the author of the YA novel HEXED, slated for publication with Delacorte Press/Random House Children’s Books Spring 2014. I’m repped by Adriann Ranta of Wolf Literary Services. Visit me at michellekrys.com or follow @MichelleKrys on Twitter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
—Giveaway is open to US only. | Must be 13+ to Enter
1 Winner will get: A Signed copy of Hexed
3 Winners will get: Signed Swag
by Sarah | Jun 8, 2014 | Books, Tuesday Tales, Writing
Welcome back to Tuesday Tales! This weeks prompt is to be inspired by this picture. The hardest part about picture prompts is always the 300 word limit. I did have another post all ready to go, but it was 1200 words and that would have gotten me in trouble 😉
This week I return to that historical paranormal I was working on a while back, Natural Selection. In our last segment some months back, Leilyn told Dell he’d better figure out what she meant after she’d berated him for allowing is father to use her as a pawn to draw in her pack–especially when Dell has a way to wipe away her old pack’s claim.
Now we join them again…and let’s see how Dell is coping with this:
Leilyn lay in the field behind Olive’s home. In twelve hours her ‘uncle’ would be there with the pack, no doubt ready for attack. The field around her sat oddly silent, not filled with children playing as it had been in the days since she’d arrived.
In the sky above her the first curling mass of storm clouds began to twist and turn in chaotic, senseless dips and turns. The sensation was oddly similar to her current emotional state.
While her head and perhaps a base instinct told her she was where she belonged, the itching burn on her ankle tugged her in another direction. Plus, she hadn’t been treated poorly all her life, she’d been treated with care and almost esteem. It wasn’t until her uncle tried to force an unnatural mating that she’d run.
Now, there was Dell.
He stirred within her a base instinct. One she’d been kept from acting on. One that drew her to him. One that told her he approached.
She smiled and closed her eyes, wondering what he’d attempt this time. For the past day he’d been attempting to woo her like a school girl. Flowers and treats, small tokens meant to show affection.
“Afternoon, Dell.” She opened her eyes.
He quirked a brow, but said nothing.
“What have you brought me this time?”
“Nothing.” Perhaps he was finally getting the point. Still, though she waited several minutes, he didn’t move an inch.
With a sigh, she propped herself on her elbows and turned her gaze away. Right when she was ready to tease his lack of imagination, he dropped to his knees behind her and grabbed her shoulders.
His nose brushed along her bare neck, and he sighed out a growl. “Duty keeps me from claiming you. Not ineptitude.”
“Duty is overrated.”
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Hope you enjoyed it! Click on the Tuesday Tales badge to see more excellent entries!!
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