by Sarah | Aug 19, 2014 | Book Spotlight, Books, Giveaway, Guest Authors, Reviews, Writing
Four & A Half Stars
First Impression has the rare distinction of impressing me. The blurb had me really curious, and the cover is fabulous…but I’ve been let down before and caught in the “typical” YA stream of consciousness that forms a book.
This one did have a little romance. It had some mystery. It had ghosts (done well). It had a frickin’ owl, people. An OWL. Not just any owl, an AWESOME owl.
Chira was totally relatable for me. She’s picked on, but has one really good friend. People don’t hate her, but she has a stigma around her because of an early rumor (the root of which is exposed during the book).
We meet Ben early on and he’s not-surprisingly a mystery. The one thing Chira notices about him is that he wears colored contacts – to make his eyes brown. Her curiosity over that finds room.
Of course, Ben is smokin’. There’s not the instant “OMG, I must have him and all else dies.” Chira is attracted, and makes some attempts at flirting, but her life goes on, and her BFF drags her along for the ride on this mission to check out the old abandoned, and haunted, schoolhouse is when things start to take a turn.
The mystery kicks off, and the revelations start to fly. I can’t go into it too much without divulging some serious spoilers into the story. All I’ll say is Pauline handles the lore, the mystery, and the high-paced action really well. Once I got to 33% I couldn’t stop and ended up staying up until about 3AM in order to finish. I couldn’t put it down until I knew what was going on.
Did I guess? I made lots of guesses, but the author threw in plenty of surprises for me. What’s better is she set off a surprise twist on the relationship front that leaves me wondering what will happen in book 2. One mystery is resolved, but I have so many more questions and hope there’s plans for more ASAP.
And anytime a book leaves me wanting more, it’s a win. I want more of Chira and Ben, and the rest of the (surviving) characters!
*~*
Join us July 21 – August 29 as we celebrate Pauline Creeden’s books
Part Steampunk, part Fantasy, all Romance…
When a crippled young lord rescues a girl falling from a tree, it reveals a secret about himself and his mother’s side of the family that could put him at the center of a war with beings he thought only existed in fairy tales. Tristan Gareth Smyth lived his entire life stuck at home at Waverly Park and left behind while his Grandfather makes trips to London, all because of his blasted wheelchair. Then an American heiress falls in his lap, literally, and he must find a way to keep her at a distance to protect not only his secret, but everyone around him from an assassin sent to kill him.
Darkness can be overcome…
Terminally ill Lynette Lamb is forced to reunite her wayward son and grandson. Her options are as limited as her strength and mobility. Through a fateful series of events, the rejoined pair will leave Earth to become part of a colony orbiting a new planet. Sam Austin and his wife mourn the loss of their only child and decide to make a fresh start at the space station. The same ship holds the one who will fulfill the dark planet’s prophecy, but a demonic force boards to stop the vessel. The demon’s obedient but unwilling servant is sent on a suicide mission to keep the ship from reaching its destination.
Chira Kelly thought she didn’t need anyone…until she met Ben.
Because of one ugly rumor, Chira lives as an outcast at her school. Which is fine with her, because she works better alone. Always has, always will. And at least she has her one and only true friend, Tasha. When Tasha insists that they join a group to visit a possibly haunted abandoned old schoolhouse, she’s wary, but joins her friend. Because of that decision, their lives are in jeopardy as a malevolent spirit targets the group. Tragedies and accidents pick them off one by one, and Chira finds herself drawn to the one person who can see the truth. But can he protect her?
*A Young Adult Paranormal Romance – Urban Fantasy with a blend of Mystery*
Left Behind for the Hunger Games generation
In a heart-racing thriller described as Falling Skies meet The Walking Dead, Jennie struggles to find a safe place for what’s left of her family. But it seems as though there is no place sacred, no place secure. First the aliens attacked the sun, making it dimmer, weaker, and half what it used to be. Then they attacked the water supply, killing one-third of Earth’s population with a bitter contaminate. And when they unleash a new terror on humankind, the victims will wish for death, but will not find it…
When the world shatters to pieces around her, will Jennie find the strength she needs to keep going?
Pauline Creeden
Pauline Creeden is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. In her fiction, she creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.
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by Sarah | Aug 16, 2014 | Books, Masked Hearts, WeWriWa, Writing
Welcome back to the Weekend Writing Warriors!
I’m back with my travelling wild west show story, Masked Hearts.
The apple has been shot from her head, and Minnie storms back to the wagons to clean up, embarrassed and properly chastised. Before she can reach the safety of her small cabin in the show wagon, the two Cheyenne, John and Carl, confront her.
John speaks first:
“Are you crazy?”
All she wanted to do was collapse, but she never backed down from a fight–most especially a fight with one of the Cheyenne, “No.”
“What makes you think you’re so special?” Carl snarled and yanked her back down the steps. “Why would you show any affection for a white man? Much less where all could see—especially Rawlins?”
“It wasn’t affection,” she hissed. It hadn’t been, had it?
*Creative editing used this week to fit in the 8.
*~*
If you want more of these wonderfully damaged pair…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 | Aug 9, 2014 | Books, Masked Hearts, WeWriWa, Writing
Welcome back to the Weekend Writing Warriors!
I’m back with my travelling wild west show story, Masked Hearts.
Last week I left you with Minnie set up to be on the receiving end of a long-shot by the boss, her guardian. Now she faces down the barrel of the gun:
Mister stood far down the street, the farthest distance he could shoot straight from what she could tell.
Though she’d seen him take this shot many times, she’d never been on the receiving end.
Back straight, she lifted the apple to her head. In her mind she imagined the fantastical yelling of the Mister as he did before every shot–in reality she heard nothing but her own heartbeat pounding in her ears.
Slowly she dropped her hands to her sides, curling her skirt under her fingers. Despite her own internal promise she wouldn’t close her eyes, she did just that.
Through the rush of her heartbeat came the crack of the gun. Cool drops of apple and apple juices ran down her nose.
*Creative editing used this week to fit in the 8.
*~*
If you want more of these wonderfully damaged pair…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 | Aug 4, 2014 | Books, General, Goals, Writing
Back with the latest update on my 2014 forecast. July was pretty good, all things considered. I didn’t really bump up my word count too much, but I’d started a new job and the kids are home for summer, so things went slow.
But, August is a new month, my work hours have backed off and the kids go back to school soon! So, hopefully all of that will add up to a bigger update next month. For now, here’s the updates.
So first, the overall goals. Not specific books, but all around goals..
- I’ve challenged myself to write 600,000 words in 2014. ( 347,465 WC as of 7/30/14 10:47PM)
- 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.
- Plan 2015 Holidays in Lake Point series books. I have ideas jotted down, 1 title & 3 out of 6 story ideas set. I’ll also need to write the first 2015 book before I can submit anything.
- Plan 2015 book schedule. What I didn’t finish this year, plus others. Ideas are bursting on this one. I carry a notebook with me all the time now, and I think I have a good idea how/what to schedule for 2015.
And for my list of projects. This I’m not removing the completed items, because I like seeing how many are done, however I did remove a couple I had to backburner for pressing deadlines. Items in RED are complete. 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
- A Thorough Thanksgiving (Lake Point #5) – 30k (4300 done)
- Heartstrings & Hockey Pucks (Lake Point #7) – 30k
- The Tribe (The Tribe #1) – 85k
- The Wolf (The Tribe #2) – 85k
- Switchback (Dominion Falls 6) – 100k
- The Chief (The Tribe #3) – 85k
- The Raven (The Tribe #4) – 85k
- The Child (The Tribe #5) – 85k
- Escaping Humanity (Co-authoring w/ Mary Terrani) – 100k (22k done)
My focus remains on my three series – Lake Point, Dominion Falls, & The Tribe. Now with Lake Point I’ve got one book to finish for this year & the first for next year to write. Dominion Falls is in edit stages. The Tribe has two books written, and 1 more to write before the end of the year. The Raven needs done, but can wait while I finish up with Lake Point.
Escaping Humanity is always a work in progress at least until completion, of course. Both my co-writer & I have stories that are a priority right now, but I hope to add to that word count soon as A Thorough Thanksgiving is complete.
I have several other story ideas brewing for what will go onto my 2015 goal list, but they’re all in notes & I’m not going to list them here in my goals until the year comes closer to completion.
Fingers crossed the rest of the year sees me reaching these goals as I’d hoped for at the start of the year.
by Sarah | Aug 2, 2014 | Books, Masked Hearts, WeWriWa, Writing
Welcome back to the Weekend Writing Warriors!
I’m back with my travelling wild west show story, Masked Hearts.
I do hate to disappoint you all, but all I’ll say is that after a few days have passed Roy DOES remember his childhood nickname. I won’t tell you what it is, though…you’ll have to read the story to find out. Trust me, it is a good nickname.
Onto this weeks 8. After Roy has revealed himself to be the boy from her past, Roy and Minnie share a brief flirtation which is noticed by Mister – her guardian and his boss. Mister is most unhappy with this development and calls on Minnie to be the object of his display of prowess with a long shot. He’s sent her to stand with an apple on her head, and her fellow Indian cast members are helping her to set up.
John, the nicer of the two men, is getting her into position:
She refused to show him the fear threatening to rip her stomach right out of her body. Instead she grabbed the apple with a small nod. “I understand.”
John moved behind her and set his hands on her waist. He kicked at her ankles before pushing them apart. “Wider stance helps you stay more still. Head straight. This is his warning, he won’t hurt you yet. Trust that.”
*No creative editing this week.
*~*
If you want more of these wonderfully damaged pair…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 | Jul 28, 2014 | Books, Holiday, Tuesday Tales, Writing
Welcome back to Tuesday Tales! This weeks prompt is to be inspired by the word Right. This is our last week before a month’s hiatus. I suppose the hiatus is for the best – in the coming weeks I’ll be editing 3 books, releasing 1, preparing 2 for Indie release, writing at least 2 stories, and getting started on the editing for the story this weeks prompt is part of. I have a lot coming up between now and February of next year, and hope to have even more in 2015. So, in short, I’m a busy busy writer. Now, onto this weeks prompt.
This week’s prompt fell into my current WIP for the Holidays in Lake Point series, Witch Way. Of course, I can’t leave you in the happy end of things…you get stuck in the midst of Felicity’s hell – which she brought on herself.
Felicity thought she was going to throw up. Unable to see Craig in the dark, and with the monotone he’d used, she couldn’t gauge where this was going to lead. No matter what, it sounded bad. She swallowed against the rising bile and wrapped her arms around her belly.
At the moment she wanted nothing more than to wallow in her misery, but instead she chose to push it aside like she’d learned years ago. Unfortunately, she didn’t expect it to be so difficult this time. She had no idea the prospect of losing Craig would hurt so much.
She nodded weakly. “I know it’s not.”
“Was this your plan all along?” He went from standing still to pacing around her in a heartbeat. She couldn’t decide if it was more lion stalking its prey, or caged animal working off nerves while looking for an escape.
“What? No!” The strangled shriek shocked her, and if the way he stopped his pacing was any indication, it had surprised him as well. She took a shaky breath and tried to ground herself, but all sense of calm was long gone. “It was a series of bad coincidences and worse decisions.”
“You used me, to get in that office.”
“No. It wasn’t like that. I swear it.”
“How can I believe you?”
The cold air sank into her bones and left her numb. She hadn’t felt this helpless in years, and she didn’t like it. “I guess you can’t.”
“I want to.”
Damn him. Damn him to hell. Just when she’d almost resolved herself to returning to her former stance on men, he offers a sliver of hope. One she found herself clinging to like a life line. “I didn’t mean for it to happen. I made a bad choice.”
“Go on.”
“Will you come out of the shadows, please?”
“I can’t. Not right now. I don’t know what to think, Feli. What to feel.”
“Neither do I! I’m standing here in the open, though. Exposed.” Raw. Her insides were raw and pained. “I went to visit you, I didn’t go to try to get in that office. I really did go to visit you. I left the room with you, remember? When the call went out, I left the room. You locked it.”
“I locked it.” His voice held a mix of relief and wonder, like a confirmation to more than just her. “I did lock it. So what, you broke in?”
The anger was back, and she unwillingly flinched under it. “No. I stood there, I waved goodbye to you. I was going to leave, but when I went for my keys I realized I didn’t have my purse. I only went back to the office to check, but when I tried to contemplate what to do next, I hit the door in frustration. It just clicked open. I don’t think it closed all the way.”
Only his elbow sat in the light, and his fingers tapped on his elbow in a rapid cadence. “And?”
“And I should have left. I knew it then, and I know it now. I was stupid, but I had this story, I’d noticed the discrepancies in my research but I was having trouble getting the confirmation. The opportunity was handed to me on a silver platter.”
“And you just gobbled it up.”
She wrinkled her nose at his snide tone and lowered her gaze to the ground. “I did. Ambition won over common sense, over my heart.”
“Was it worth the cost?”
“I…”
“You got your dream job, everything you wanted.”
“Not everything, and no—”
His cell phones ringtone pealed across the empty ceremony, loud enough to wake the dead. She jumped back, then spun to turn her back on him in an attempt to rid herself of the pesky tears. He sighed and the ringer cut off, and his warm voice took over. “Yeah?”
Felicity rubbed her arms and tried to brace for the worst.
“I figured. I’ll be back in a few.”
She turned around to face his shadowed countenance. “Work.”
“Cops are there to search the office. Didn’t take them any time to get warrants.”
“You’d better go. We’re done.”
“Guess we are.”
*~*
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*~*
