by Sarah | Jul 5, 2014 | Books, Challenge, Masked Hearts, WeWriWa, Writing
Welcome back to the Weekend Writing Warriors!
Last week got away from me and I totally missed seeing you all. However, I’m back with my travelling wild west show story, Masked Hearts.
For those that were wondering from my post two weeks back…the horse was moving at a VERY slow walk…I’m not about to have my heroine leap off a trotting horse, that’s just silly.
Now, back to this week. Roy’s persistence has paid off, and he has managed to make Minni speak to him, although she still carries a lot of anger. He begs her to tell him what tribe she is from. She finally relents, but names the tribe in her language:
“Newe,” she kept stitching.
“Newe; the people,” he whispered.
A small yelp escaped as a drop of blood appeared on her thumb before she shoved it in her mouth. With wide eyes, she stared at him.
With a gentle touch he pulled out her thumb, “What?”
“How did you know that?”
“I don’t know. I think…I think I remembered it.”
*Creative editing used this week to fit in the 8.
*~*
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 | Jul 2, 2014 | Books, Curiosity Quills, Reviews, Writing
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Four and a Half Stars
Publication Date: July 15, 2014 – Buy Links Coming Soon
*~*
Truth be told, when I first started reading, I didn’t think I would like the book. In the first few chapters, my attention wandered.
Then, BAM. I was hooked and couldn’t put the story down until I’d finished.
Emma is your average college student, a sort of awkward wallflower who started pretending she didn’t hear or see ghosts at a young age. The separation she felt from the rest of society because of a childhood event carried into her young adulthood. She’s shy and withdrawn and feels out of place with the friends her roommate hangs out with.
She’s dragged along to a frat party where she meets and gets a crush on a hot guy on campus, Matt. After a few more meetings disaster strikes, and Matt drowns in the river. Emma is blamed for his death by many on campus, including herself.
Overcome with guilt, Emma tries a spell, but fails to fulfill her end of it, and that’s when things get interesting.
We meet several new characters from that point on, and I fell in love with every single one of them. Sam was great, and Jake? Well, I fell in love with Jake right along with Emma as he proved to be more than he seemed at first. I was SO sad to see him go. The arrival of three men after that, took the take.
Added in the mix was a nosy cop that seemed to know too much…but Officer Walker became one of my favorite characters and I’m glad he’ll definitely be back in book 2.
I truly enjoyed watching Emma come into her own, grow a spine, and eventually figure out the answers she’d sought. The peace she, and the spirits she brought back, found was a welcome relief.
Overall, this was a great setup for a series, and I’m looking forward to book 2. I have a feeling Emma and Officer Walker are going to get into a whole new mess of trouble that’ll be fun to see resolved once again.
by Sarah | Jun 30, 2014 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Writing
To post this Grand Finale and add your Social Media to the Rafflecopter,
email us at PrismBookTours(at)gmail.com with “Valley of Decision” in the subject line.
A themed book tour through Prism Book Tours.
It’s the Grand Finale for
The Valley of Decision
by Shannon McDermott
“A solid fantasy that wears its spirituality lightly yet effectively.”
~Kirkus Reviews (read the entire review here)
We hope you enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about the characters and the story-book world of The Valley of Decision. Did you miss any of the stops? You can check them out below:
Colorimetry – The Mountains, the Moors, and the Hills
If you ever travel north beyond the Black Mountains, into the kingdom of Belenus, you will find yourself in a vast and varied land, a country of laws unwritten, unspoken, and scrupulously obeyed…
Katie’s Clean Book Collection – The Trow
Deep in the mountain Anuin, the smithies of the Trow house mighty fires. Those crimson flames imbue the stony heart of the mountain with heat, fill it with a pulsing red glow like living rubies.
Bookworm Lisa – The Fays
Belenus, the master of the North, does not often leave his glittering palace or his green hills. You are not likely, even if you roam his kingdom, to ever see him…
Distractions of Grandeur – Review
“The best story element involved the Fay, an elvish race who for once felt truly alien. She went beyond current stereotypes and really brought out the danger of these beings, even those one might count as allies. There were echoes of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, elevating the stakes and the narrative itself.”
Finding the True Fairy Tale – Interview
Which of the characters from The Valley of Decision was your favorite to write?
The main character, Keiran the Captain of the Hosts. To even attempt what he did, a person would have to be either very desperate or very confident of his own abilities. Keiran is the second, and he has an extreme self-assurance, and sometimes conceit, that I enjoyed using. He’s also bold, another fun characteristic for a writer to work with. And because he is a very able man, and has reason to be confident, his occasional conceit adds texture to his character and makes him more interesting.
I Love to Read and Review Books 🙂 – Ten Fun Things to Know About Shannon
(1) I was born in California but grew up on the East Coast.
(2) I have seven little sisters.
(3) I like sweet potatoes baked or boiled, with butter or with sugar, made into fries and made into pies. But I cannot stand them canned.
Wishful Endings – Dokrait and the Black Mountains
The Black Mountains are high and treacherous – so many sheer, soaring cliffs, so many monstrous boulders dangerously perched. Wolves teem on the mountains, spilling into the lowlands when the winters are long. Bears and the great cats prowl those hazardous slopes, too.
Kelly P’s Blog – Interview
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Pretty much. I was eight when I first decided (and declared) my ambition to write a book. Of course, it was years later when this desire to write took on the adult dimension of “This is what I want to do with my life, this is how I want to earn my living”.
Mythical Books – The Dochraitay
The Dochraitay possess the unhappy distinction of being the foremost servants of Belenus. They fight his campaigns against Alamir and the Islemen, they grow the crops and hunt the animals eaten by the Fays, they give up their children for the mines and the army and the palace of Muireach.
Brooke Blogs – Interview
2) What is your favorite part of the writing process?
When I take my scenes, written longhand in my notebook, and transcribe them into the computer, revising and polishing as I go. It’s easier than the initial writing, and I finish with a feeling of satisfaction. The scene is done! Until my editor gets her hands on it, anyway.
Coffee Books & Art – Interview
How did you come up with the title? Names?
The title comes from a Bible verse found in the Book of Joel: “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!” For the names, I established this pattern: of Gaelic origin, unusual enough that the names would not be common in our own world, but not too unusual. I avoided names like Ruairidh because it just looks too foreign. Who would care to guess how to pronounce it? So I ended with names like Torradan and Artek and Belenus – different, but easy enough.
Mel’s Shelves – Review
“There are lots of moving parts that came together in the end for a satisfying conclusion. I’m glad I had the opportunity to read this, and I look forward to reading more from this author!”
The Wonderings of One Person – The Alamiri
Long ago, the Alamiri tribes came from the distant sunrise lands – climbing nameless mountains, fording forgotten rivers. Their wanderings ended here, among the forests south of the Black Mountains.
The Written Adventure – Interview
3) What gave you the idea for The Valley of Decision?
The Lord of the Rings, much as it pains me to admit it. In those books, Sauron had legions of human slaves whose only purpose in the story was to fight the good guys (and get beaten). It’s not that Tolkien was heartless in his use of these characters – remember Sam witnessing one of them being killed and sadly wondering what his name was and if he even wanted to fight – but I came to think how good it would have been if Sauron’s slaves had staged a revolt. Why should all the heroes come from the free nations fighting Sauron? Why not from the enslaved nations oppressed by him?
Mommynificent – Review
“The characters were definitely my favorite part of the book. I really enjoyed coming to understand the complexities of the three main characters, who interestingly are all male. I also really enjoyed the unfolding mystery of who the Fay are and why they are a part of this world.”
Deal Sharing Aunt – Interview
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
If there is one message in The Valley of Decision, it’s that we all have choices to make, and we can’t escape it. Not making the choice is itself a choice. My principal character, Keiran, faces the ultimate choice: Rebellion or obedience, God’s way or his? But all the characters have to choose, and their choices mean risk and sacrifice and (sometimes) reward – just as our choices do.
Platypire Reviews – Review
“Keiran, the Captain of the Hosts, was an interesting character. From the beginning of the book, I wasn’t quite sure what direction the story was going to go in, and I didn’t know what to think of him at first. As things were revealed and I got further in the story, I found myself rooting for him as a reader and enjoyed his character development.”
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima – The Northmen
In the uttermost north, beyond even the kingdom of Belenus, icy mountain peaks look down on the Coldlands. The Coldlands are not on our maps, not even the borders. The Alamiri do not venture even to Belenus’ home, let alone past it. But rumors come to us – from foreigners, adventurers, and far-travelers, brave, reckless, wild men.
My Devotional Thoughts – The Hobgoblins
One more tale? All right, my love; just one.
Long ago, the great father Athair led the first Alamiri up into the Rhugarch Pass. They were men of his clan, relatives loyal and strong. When they scaled the mountain to the Rhugarch Gap, they stopped for the night.
The men settled down to their rest; the fire sank into embers; the watchman grew drowsy. And a soft, soft pattering murmured into the camp.
Christy’s Cozy Corners – Interview
What do you hope people take away from your books?
I hope that whenever someone finishes one of my books, they feel like they’ve been on a journey and it has ended well. Every story is about a character’s struggle for something, and I hope my readers will be able to feel that in my stories and be encouraged.
The Bookish Fairy – This or That
Chocolaty or fruity candy?
Chocolaty. Hands-down, 100%, all the time.
Get out of the house or stay at home?
Stay at home.
Winter or summer?
Can I pick spring or fall? I’ll go with summer.
The Valley of Decision
by Shannon McDermott
Adult Fantasy
Paperback, 416 pages
May 31st 2014 by SALT Christian Press
Where the Black Mountains pierce the sky, they divide the south from the north, Alamir from the kingdom of Belenus. Belenus, the undying master of the north, commanded Keiran – the Captain of the Hosts – to conquer Alamir. But the Captain is deep in conspiracy, and he has his own plans.
The Valley of Decision is a fantasy novel, a saga of slavery, freedom, and choices.
Amazon – SALT Christian Press
Shannon McDermott is a Christian author of speculative fiction, as well as a humorous detective series called “The Adventures of Christian Holmes”. She has written both fantasy and science fiction, and has yet to decide on which one to like better.
She was born to Wisconsin, expatriates in California, grew up on the East Coast, and now lives in the Midwest. Her principal hobbies are politics, history, novels, and coffee.
Website – Blog – Goodreads – Facebook
Tour-Wide Giveaway
– Grand Prize: $25 Amazon gift card and ebooks of The Valley of Decision and The Sunrise Windows (open INT)
– 2 print copies of The Valley of Decision (US only)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
by Sarah | Jun 29, 2014 | Books, Challenge, Tuesday Tales, Writing
Welcome back to Tuesday Tales! This weeks prompt is to be inspired by the word Sea.
Well, The Wolf is done, and while I must work on Witch Way, this weeks word prompt just didn’t fit. It also didn’t fit into Natural Selection. So this week I’m starting a new story. I believe it’ll be fantasy, but I haven’t figured it out completely yet.
I was inspired in part by our word this week, Sea…but also by this image on Pinterest, which I could not use b/c I don’t have permission to do so…but please go check out what Aingael looks like HERE.
So here is the start of a new, as yet unnamed, story. Queen Aingael Fluerette Taverna was born and raised the Princess of Lyach. At the proper age she wed Gunnar, the prince of a neighboring country, and became Queen. It is not a match made in heaven…and two years ago she learned of a plot:
Clamoring tones of bells across the kingdom coalesced into a jilting melody of parting. From her position on the parapet overlooking the sea Aingael ran her fingers along the string of bells lining the stone’s edge.
Against the rising sun the entire fleet of the kingdom of Lyach moved further away. The chiming of bells were to wish the men luck on their journey, but Aingael knew the truth, their departure meant the end of her kingdom as it was.
A pact made in secret she was never meant to be privy to, but being Queen did have its privileges, as did being raised in the castle. She knew every hidden nook and cranny, even those her husband, King Gunnar, thought only he knew.
He’d made a pact in blood two years prior, one she’d taken steps to ensure would not succeed. Gunnar thought he left her undefended, only old men and boys to protect their inlet kingdom from the oncoming attack.
Aingael turned to her lady in waiting as the sun rose too high for her to safely stare into. “Cherette. Help me remove these garish clothes. We haven’t much time.”
As soon as Aingael sat on a stool, Cherette set to work. Her handmaiden pulled her blond locks free of their bindings and carefully removed the gold and jewel headdress. Once it was set aside they carefully removed the garish diamond adorned gown Gunnar insisted she wear to display wealth the kingdom did not have.
In its place Aingael donned a simple black blouse and pants over which she could place her armor without problem. She handed off the gown and headdress to Cherette.
Cherette placed them in an iron trunk they’d had made for this purpose. She carefully placed the dress on top of the rest of the jeweled gowns and headdresses. “I will have Shane put these on the carts, miss.”
“It’s Aingael now, Cherette. As my husband sold all of our heads to the highest bidder, we are now all in this together.” Aingael set her hands on Cherette’s shoulders. “I am no longer Queen. I am with my people.”
“Aye, but you always have been, Miss.” Cherette bowed.
Aingael kissed her on the forehead. “Now go. Get Shane and go out with him to the warded sector. I wish you as safe as these jewels. Remember where I asked you to hide them.”
“In the recesses of Croche valley, under the village square. I shall guard them with my life.”
“You’ll guard yourself. If the past two years have been worth it, hopefully you’ll not have any need to guard a thing.”
“Are the woman prepared for the sort of battle you are expecting? It will be a battle against men, savage men.”
“Aye. Savage and unfeeling. The Cairn are raised for war, but they are not defending their home.” Aingael glanced toward the sea. “And I must pray to the Goddess that they are not prepared for the way a woman fights. They are under the impression that we aren’t prepared for their attack, that they will be able to come in and destroy.”
“By Her grace your preparations will not be for naught, my lady.”
“By Her grace, Cherette, we will survive.”
*~*
Hope you enjoyed it! Click on the Tuesday Tales badge to see more excellent entries!!
*~*
by Sarah | Jun 26, 2014 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Writing
SYNOPSIS
Naomi Porter was once witty, fun, and outgoing, but she has scratched outgoing off the list, along with men. She has a mediocre tech job in fabulous New York, a large smut book collection, and awesome friends, both tangible and in an online gaming community. She just doesn’t date. A future filled with cats and housedresses beats having her heart broken again.
But Naomi still likes men, even kind of stalks—mostly fantasizes about—a gorgeous one at work during lunch.
Her best friend, Kara, is determined that Naomi will be outgoing again. When Kara finds out who, as in a notorious playboy, Naomi is stalking at lunch, she plans to break Naomi of her lunchtime habit and bring her back into the real world. It’s just going to take a bit of deception.
Between all the deceiving, fangirling, and bumbling, Naomi might not be able to resist the temptation of turning her seven-month fantasy into reality. And really, so what if he’s a playboy or a demanding jerk? Her fantasies don’t include love or even like, just a bed or a couch or the back seat of a limo…
Reality might be just what she needs.
*A sexy romantic comedy intended for audiences 18+
BUY LINKS
~Meet Naomi Porter ~
– They each had some kind of jackass drink: dry martini, cosmopolitan, Manhattan, Caipirini, and one neat, overpriced single malt scotch. Except for me. I drank beer. American beer. From the tap, thank you very much.
-Whoa. Wow. Whoa. Between his gaze and his words, I imagined jumping on his lap and experiencing some of that.
– What was better than fried tortillas? Nothing. Well, except Doritos. But they were fried tortillas with cheese-flavored dusting.
-Could sharks jump out of the water? The ocean lay more than a hundred feet away. I wanted a shark to swallow me whole and drag me to the deep, salty depths of the sea after that ramble.
– But he is also hot, delicious, and the star of my day and night dreams.
-I didn’t cook. I constructed dips.
-I wanted to grab a toothpick and stuff it up my roommate’s nose. Two toothpicks to be precise, one for each nostril.
– Seriously, I never imagined being a tux girl, but holy hot hell, I could dry hump his suit. Preferably with him in it, but…
-You can never, ever, go wrong with bacon.
– I was going to faint. Or let out a whoop. Or tackle him. And it wasn’t just because he was removing his pants.
EXCERPT
“Keep an open mind. First impressions aren’t always correct,” she said from behind me as we strode down the hall.
“I’m not expecting Prince Charming but those three are wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am all the way. Is a little interest, a little romance, a first date with a toe-curling kiss too much to ask for?” I inquired over my shoulder.
“Maybe you need a wham-bam to get back into business. Like get it over, then move on to the romance and the toe-curling kisses.”
“Harrumph,” escaped me before we came out of the hallway and into the main bar. Three steps into the room, I stopped dead in my tracks. I became a deer in headlights when I noticed a person sitting sideways at the bar. Dark brown hair. Square jaw. Dark winged brows. Sensual lips with a rocks glass pressed to them. I gaped as he tipped the glass higher and amber liquid touched his lips.
Kara ran into my shoulder. “What the hell?” she asked, rubbing her jaw and stepping next to me. “Don’t pull this again. It’s only one more drink.”
“It’s him,” I somehow said, though still in shock. “My lunch guy.”
“Him? What are you talking—” She followed my frozen gawk. “Holy shit, Naomi! He’s the guy you watch at lunch? That’s not a bike—that’s a luxury car! Like an Aston Martin!” Kara had a thing for luxury cars. And shoes. And clothes. And purses.
I nodded as the woman next to him gave him a sultry stare. Jealousy flared within in me. Hopefully the daydream kind, but yeah, he was an Aston Martin compared to the three ten speeds waiting in the other room.
Kara smacked her forehead. “I should have known. Why didn’t my stupid ass put two and two together when you described him? You know who he is, right?”
Locked on him, my eyes turned huge. “What? No.”
“He’s—”
“Aggggg, not listening to Kara.” I covered my ears. “Don’t tell me.” Sure, I stalked him at lunch, but I didn’t want the possibility of becoming a full-time stalker. More than that, I didn’t want my lunchtime lustful fantasies ruined by reality. I was more than aware of it being a fantasy. I liked it as a fantasy.
AUTHOR BIO
I write young adult and romance novels. I read a lot too. I even do a bit of cooking, which is actually quite good. I also golf a lot in the summer with my awesome husband and son, but I cook way, way better than I golf.
I am Represented by Jane Dystel of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.
SOCIAL LINKS
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jean-Haus/227196784023975
Twitter – https://twitter.com/JeanHaus
Website – http://jeanhaus.com/jeanh/
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5403174.Jean_Haus
HOSTED BY:
by Sarah | Jun 25, 2014 | Book Spotlight, Guest Authors, Writing
SYNOPSIS
In A Cry for Hope you meet Jamie’s carefree younger brother, Will. Now read his story…
Will McAdams is a New York City firefighter who has always lived in the shadow of his older brother, never quite measuring up to his parents standards. He lives his life without regrets, and answers to no one. The women love him and he uses that to his advantage, making it clear that he only has one use for them.
Gabby Spencer is a nurse in the burn unit of a busy New York City hospital. Her guarded personality doesn’t allow many people into her life and her patients take the place of her lack of family. She masks the pain that she is harboring deep inside with quick wit and sarcasm.
When Will becomes one of Gabby’s patients they form a special bond and soon become each other’s solace. But Will doesn’t see her like every other woman in his life. She means the world to him and he feels an underlying need to always protect her – most of all from himself. Even though he wants her more than he’s ever wanted any other woman, he’s not willing to take that next step and jeopardize everything they have. When jealousy and pain begin to overtake their once perfect friendship, will Will’s fear of falling in love and never measuring up, cause him to lose the one and only woman to ever own his heart?
* This is a companion novel to A Cry For Hope and can be read as a stand-alone.
BOOK TRAILER
EXCERPT
Gabby rambled on until our food came, only stopping when her eyes lit up at the size of her burger.
“Told ya!” I teased.
“Told me what?” she asked, taking a bite from her fry.
“I saw the look on your face when you saw the size of that burger.”
“This little thing?” she asked, looking down at her plate. I nodded. “Oh please, Will. I’ve had bigger ones than this in my mouth.” I almost spit my ice tea all over the place. “I meant burgers, pervert!”
“Mmm hmmm, I bet you did!” She smirked as she smothered her burger in ketchup and relish. “Geez, Gabby. Why don’t you have some burger with your ketchup and relish?”
“I love ketchup!” she said, licking it off her fingers.
“I can see that!”
“Don’t you?” she asked, opening her mouth wide and taking a bite.
“Yeah, but not half the bottle. Definitely not relish, though.”
“Mmmm….you don’t know what you’re missing!” she said, taking another huge bite. “Here, taste.” She held the burger up to my mouth.
“Gabby, it’s drenched in -.”
“Come on, Will. Don’t be afraid to try new things.” I opened my mouth and took a bite. It wasn’t half bad. “Not bad, is it?” she asked with her adorable grin as she picked up the napkin and wiped the ketchup off my face.
I took the top bun from my burger. “Lay it on me, Gabby girl!”
She held her hand up to give me a high five before picking up the bottle of relish and ketchup. “Woohoo! Sister Gabby has made you see the error of your ways. Bless you, Will,” she giggled.
She squirted on the ketchup and relish, and lifted her burger up to her mouth. “Come on, Will. Let’s do it together,” she teased in an overly sexy voice.
“You are a piece of work, you know that?” I chuckled.
She took a bite of her burger at the same time as me. I never thought that someone could actually look adorable chewing food, but Gabby proved that theory wrong. She swallowed it down and took a sip of her milk shake. “Was it good for you?” she asked. Neither one of us were able to control our laughter. It didn’t get any better than being here with her.
AUTHOR
Ever since I can remember, I have always enjoyed Creative Writing. There was always something about being able to travel to a different place or become a different person with just the stroke of a pen – or in today’s world a touch of the keyboard. I am the author of The Exception To The Rule, An Unplanned Lesson, An Unplanned Life and Drowning In Love and A Cry for Hope. I am currently working on A Will To Change the companion novel to A Cry For hope….stay tuned!
My life is not as interesting as my books or the characters in them, but then again whose life is? I was born and have lived in New Jersey my whole life. I’m a mom of twin teenage boys, a teenage stepson, a crazy Border Collie and a cat with an identity crisis! I guess you can say writing is my form of Calgon! I am married to a wonderful guy – but we’ll keep that between us, I don’t want him getting a big head!
Thanks for taking the time to learn about my books and me! If you decide to read them (and I hope you do!) please be sure to go on and review it for me – yes, even if you don’t like it!
SOCIAL LINKS
