You Found Me, Beautiful Nightmares, and 13 Rounds

Good Morning everyone!

So I know it has been forever since I've blogged and I'm so sorry that I've been so out of touch for a while.

I have some important updates for everyone regarding Beautiful Nightmares and 13 Rounds.

These two books seem to be the ones I get the most inquiries about and while I try to keep up with it all there are moments where I become highly overwhelmed and struggle a little bit to keep everyone in the loop and for that I'm truly sorry and am doing the best I can to work on that.

You know, when I first started writing I never expected there to be such an amazing response to my books. I wrote for me, because I love it, because being a writer is a huge part of who I am and something about myself that I can't and don't want to change. I didn't expect to gain such a devoted and passionate group of readers who love reading my books as much as I love writing them.

And for that, I'm eternally grateful.

There are moments, I'm not going to lie, where I feel too overwhelmed to continue on writing. But it's always the support from my fans that keeps me going. I am humbled and awed every day by the patience and support from my fans. I even cry from time to time when I get an uplifting message or good review lol. I can't say thank you enough. So, even if I fall off the wagon for a short time...I promise you I'll get right back up and dust myself off. I'm sorry for the delay again on a few of my books and I assure I am working on them.

As most of you know, I got a publishing deal for a few books...

Now for the first....

I do have a new novel releasing with Swoon Romance titled - You Found Me

This will be released in the Summer of 2013 and it is the first of my books to be published by Swoon.

It's up on Goodreads and you can add it here.

Now for Beautiful Nightmares... I do know for sure that this novel will be released in September of 2013. The publisher set the date and while I don't have the exact date, I know it will be released at the end of the month opposed to the beginning.

13 Rounds is one that I do not have a date for yet, but I promise as soon as I do, I'll let everyone know. Same with A Whisper To A Scream 2, and all of the other sequels.

Once again, thanks to everyone for their continued support and I hope you all have a wonderful day!

MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY GIVEAWAY, COVER REVEALS, AND SOME OTHER NEWS!

Good Morning, readers!


I know it's been a while since I've blogged, but...that's the life of an agent/author, busy, busy, busy.

Now, first things, first.

In honor of my client, Rachel Harris's upcoming release, My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century, I'm hosting a giveaway complete with two paperback copies of the novel and some pretty cool swag!

On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore.

Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

How to enter 

You must be a follower of this blog. (Bonus points if you follow me on twitter as well.)

You must have My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century added to your TBR list on goodreads. If you haven't added it already, you can add it here.http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13101487-my-super-sweet-sixteenth-century

Finally, answer the following question - If you could travel back in time to any era, what would it be and why?

This contest is open internationally. Please leave your name and email address in the comment section. This contest ends on 9-29-2012.

Good luck!

Cover Reveals

If you guys missed these epic cover reveals for Trisha Wolfe's amazing book, Fireblood, you can check that out here.http://www.electrifyingreviews.com/2012/09/cover-reveal-fireblood.html

Secondly, the gorgeous cover for Stalked by Death(book two in the Touch of Death series) by Kelly Hashway. You can check out the cover here. http://www.rachelharriswrites.com/blog/2012/9/6/gorgeous-cover-reveal-kelly-hashways-stalked-by-death.html 

Some more news!

So... many of you have been patiently waiting on the releases of Yelling Out Loud (Whisper To A Scream 2) and Beautiful Nightmares(The final installment in the asylum trilogy). I assure you that I am currently working on both of these books and hope to have them completed soon. As of right now, YOL is scheduled for a September 30 release and BN is scheduled for October 16. The release date of YOL may change, but BN is solid. That date is not changing. Also, I've been thinking of ways of how I can give back to the readers. I try to think of creative ways to show my appreciation for all your passion and support for my books and I think I have found a brilliant way to show how much you support means to me. Inside of Beautiful Nightmares will be both of Aurora's novellas. There will be one at the beginning. One at the end. Also included will be two separate chapters, one written from Damien's point of view and one written from Elijah's after their first encounters with Adelaide. So I hope you enjoy them. And thank you, thank you, thank you, a million times over for your passion over my books and for your support. I am nearing the 50,000 books sold mark and I could not have done it without you!

Also, in honor of the upcoming release of the final installment in the asylum trilogy the price of Insanity and White Walls will be dropped for a limited time only.

Insanity will be .99 cents. And White Walls will be 1.99.  

*Please note when reading that this series is written out of order and purposely done so. They are also NA titles, not YA titles so there are some scenes and situations that may not be suitable for readers under 16 years of age. 

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Cheers!

 

Some more INSANITY.....

Hello readers!!!!

I hope everyone is having an epic summer.

I just wanted to share a little bit of news with you...

So 12 Rounds has been released! YAY!

On top of that I'm diligently working on Aurora's novella, So Far Gone, and hope to have that out by August 22.

Beautiful Nightmares is also coming together nicely.

I just wanted to take moment to highlight a few things. A lot of fans keep messaging about Infect Me, and Yelling Out Loud(A whisper to a scream 2) wanting to know when these novels are going to be released. I had originally planned for them to be released a while ago, but things happen. My personal life got in the way. So.... The release dates for both novels will be sometime in October. Both probably toward the end of the month being that they are both dark themed novels and my favorite holiday, Halloween, just so happens to be in October.

THEY WILL BE BOTH BE OUT SOMETIME IN OCTOBER. FOR SURE.

On another note, I'll also be writing a sequel to He Loves Me...He Loves You Not called She Loves Me...I Love Her and it will be written from Henry's POV. I am determined to redeem, Henry. DETERMINED.

There's also a milestone I need to celebrate. To date, I have been putting my books out for a year, and I have to thank all of the readers and fans who love the way I write and continue to spread the word about all of my novels. Because of you, I have sold over 28,000 copies of my books and I don't know how I can possibly thank you all enough.

You have made my dream of writing for a living possible and I owe everything to you all.

So thank you, thank you, thank you.

From the bottom of my heart.

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their week!

Cheers!

Squee! 12 Rounds Cover Reveal and More Randomness!

Good Morning Readers!

Yes... I know. I know.

I has been FOREVER since I've blogged.

BUT...

I guess that means I've been busy.

Hey, what can I say?

An agent/writer's life has never been easy.

I've got clients on sub, feedback I'm compiling, a lot of reading to do, and somewhere in between all of that I do find a little writing time for myself. So I am super duper excited to let you see the cover for my latest new adult/adult romance novel, 12 Rounds.

YAY!

If you guys get a chance to check it out, here's the link to the goodreads page!

Sean (Right-Hook) Reilly knows a few things about himself. One, he's the middle-weight boxing champion of the world with an undefeated record. Two, women find his cocky persona, chiseled biceps, and inked body sexy. Also, the fact that it's known that he doesn't do relationships only adds to his sex appeal. And three, he's Irish, proud of it, and a member of the Braithreachas Don Saol, a branch of the Irish mafia and king pins of the drug cartel taking over the streets of Cleveland.

Connor Doyle(aka Connie) the boss and leader of the Braithreachas Don Saol, has been like a father to Sean, taking him under his wing and teaching him how to survive on the streets after the death of his parents. Sean has never been ungrateful, but has always wanted one thing...

More. More to live for. More to fight for. More to believe in. A chance at a future without drugs or guns. A chance at a future without wondering which day will be his last.

There's only one problem with that. You live by the braithreachas. You die by the braithreachas. And Sean knows whether Connie considers him to be family or not, the only way he'll be leaving the braithreachas is in a body bag.

Hadlee Flax has had a year to overcome her issues. After almost being raped and brutalized, she's putting her best foot forward, seeing a therapist, and has even(with some persuasion from her best friend, Lara) enrolled in self defense classes. And she's doing well moving on with her life until she meets the dark, and conflicted Irish boxing champion of the world, Sean Reilly.

Hadlee is immediately drawn to the gorgeous, cold, and mysterious man who speaks with a slight Irish brogue. She soon learns that there is much more to him than his darkened gaze, cool demeanor, and body covered in tattoos. He's not the type of man she thought he was. And Hadlee finds herself doing something she never thought she would do in the last year...

Falling for a guy.

Falling for Sean Reilly. A man who is on the path to becoming a boxing legend.

One thing Hadlee doesn't know is the other part of Seans' life. His life of drug running, and killing. Or the fact that when he's not boxing he's walking the streets with a gat tucked into the back of his loose jeans, and glancing over his shoulder at every turn.

But it doesn't take Hadlee long to learn that some attractions and relationships can be fatal.

And sometimes...

They just might be worth fighting for.

IMPORTANT WHITE WALLS INFO AND EXCERPT

Morning Readers!

I hope everyone is kicking their week off to a great start!

Now, I have two things to share with you today...

1. I know that everyone who has read Insanity is anxiously awaiting the sequel, White Walls which is due out tomorrow.

But...

Sadly the release date has been pushed back. I know this is probably a total bummer, but sometimes things work out better this way.

2. I know this probably won't tide you over, but I've pasted a longer excerpt of White Walls below and I hope that you enjoy it.

The new release date is Monday June, 25, 2012 (This date is solid. It is NOT changing.)

White Walls Excerpt

My surroundings have started to fade in and out of focus. The trees whirl around me in circles. Browns, greens, and blacks. Browns, greens, and blacks. I have to stop and place my arm against one of the trunks. I drop my head, exhaling. The dizziness is overwhelming. I can't remember the last time I ate or drank anything. I can't remember what day it is.

My entire body is covered in beads of cold sweat and I've started hallucinating.

“Psst, Addy.” Damien's hushed voice rings out through the trees. “Come find me.”

I groan softly and try to lift my head. I don't have the strength to play his game right now.

“Addy.”

“No!” I shout and my voice trails, echoing as it travels along the cleared muddy path. “Why are you doing this? Why?”

I try to lift my head again and I succeed, but only to rest it in the crook of my elbow. My eyes are on the ground and I notice a pair of brown shoes, an added accessory to the forest debris along the path. My eyes travel upward, taking in Damien's appearance. He doesn't look like the Damien I was seeing when I was in Oakhill. He looks like he did the last time I saw him. He looks the way he looked a second before he died.

I suck in breath that I can't release. My lips quivers at the sight of the dried blood on his light blue button up. His skin is pale, his lips gray. And the haunting, lifeless look in his blue eyes is too much to bear. I blanch and look away. “No,” I cry. “No.”

He moves closer, twigs snapping beneath his feet, followed by a rustling of dead leaves. My body goes rigid. Panic flushes through my blood stream. I can feel him right next me and his cold, rancid breath fans across my face. I inhale then exhale quickly, gagging on the way he tastes, like a dug up corpse. “What's the matter, Addy?” His fingers are in my hair and his voice is eerie. Emotionless.

This is not my Damien. This is not my Damien. This is not my Damien.

I repeat the words in my head. This is not my Damien. He's a manifestation of my mind similar to a nightmare. “Stop,” I whisper, thinking pleading might actually work. I'm wrong.

The dead vision of the love of my life laughs. The laugh isn't pleasant. It's dark, cold, and evil. He pets my head and repeats his previous question, “What's the matter, Addy?” His fingers feel like slime as they slide across my skin. They keep sliding and sliding and they send a shiver of fear down my spine. I shudder and use all the strength I have to pull away from him. I stare into his dead eyes. “But I thought you loved me?” His clammy grayish skin bunches on his forehead.

Yes. Loved is the key word.

Will always are another two.

There will always be a part of me that loves him. There will always be a part of me that remembers the Damien I met one summer on a dirt road in West Des Moines, Iowa. The Damien who was beautiful, smart, caring, and funny. The Damien who stole my heart, promised to love me forever, and had plans for our future.

A future that was cut short and killed by my evil, conflicted father.

I have since learned that even though a part of me will always love him that doesn't mean I can continue to love him the way I used to. Because he's dead. And I can't go on loving a poltergeist for the rest of my life.

Hope you all enjoyed this!

Cheers!

White Walls Cover Reveal!

Morning Readers!

I have something exciting to share with you today!

The cover for the sequel to Insanity...White Walls!

Personally I love it, but be sure to drop me a comment below and let me know what you think!

 I've also included the playlist for White Walls below. I also just wanted to say that this book (actually, the whole trilogy) is written backwards and purposely done so. This book takes place during Adelaide's first visit to Oakhill, her escape, and showcases her relationship with Elijah(Dr. Watson). And yes...Damien comes along for part of the ride too.

White Walls Playlist.

1. The Violet Hour - The Civil Wars
2. Canon in D - Johann Pachabel
3. Volcano - Damien Rice
4. I'm Ready For Love - Joshua Ledet (American Idol Rendition)
5. Get Thru This - Art of Dying
7. Kings of Medicine - Placebo
8. Hurt - Christina Aguleira
9. Screaming Infidelities - Dashboard Confessional
10. Stricken - Disturbed
11. Breakin Me - Jonny Lang
12. Push - Matchbox Twenty
13.  Life After You - Daughtry
14. Haunted -Taylor Swift



Also check out the blurb for my next book, coming out the first week of July, 12 Rounds!

Don't worry, for those of you who've read A Whisper To A Scream and have a special place in your heart for Adam and Ellory, you'll be seeing more of them soon, too!



Hope you guys liked the cover!

<3 Have a great day!

Cheers!

YOU PICK THE COVER~VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE!

So readers...

This is a totally late post for me...

I try to do my posts early in the morning, but I've decided to do something different for the release of Insanity. I truly feel blessed and am grateful for every single person who reads one of my books. So I wanted to give something back to my readers. So I racked my brain to come up with something good to do for Insanity that would give the readers a say.

And here it is...

I have not put up a cover. I'm sure most of you that have added it on goodreads know this; and here's why...

I want you to have a say.

I want you to choose.

Please cast your vote for your favorite Insanity cover!

This contest ends tomorrow at 4pm EST...

And if you get a chance, please check out Insanity on May 8th!!

Teaser: Chapter 1 of Insanity

Morning readers! As most of you know, I have a few new novels coming out soon! Infect Me will be released from Curiosity Quills press soon.(I'm still working on edits from my wonderful editor.)

 But....
Insanity my twisted, new adult, romantic suspense novel is the next book of mine to be released!

Whoot! Whoot! Honestly, I don't know why I'm drawn to writing tortured love stories, but for some reason it's something I excel at. So I'm super excited to let you get a little taste of what you're in for when you read Insanity.

 Also, I don't know about you guys, but I listen to a lot of music when I write. For some reason, it calms me... really puts me into the character's head. I have an extremely eclectic taste when it comes to music... I love anything and everything... so I thought it would be fun if I let you see the playlist for Insanity before you read chapter 1.

 1. My Boy Builds Coffins - Florence and the Machine 2. Claire de Lune - Claude Debussy 3. Change In The House Of Flies - Deftones 4. Breath of Life - Florence and the Machine 5. Hospital Beds - Florence and the Machine 6. Blood Bank - Bon Iver 7. Climax - Usher 8. Criminal - Fiona Apple 10. Crazy - Stars Go Dim 11. A Drop in the Ocean - Ron Pope 12. Stronger - Kelly Clarkson 13. When I'm Gone - Eminem 14. Lullaby - Nickelback 15. Heart Shaped Box - Nirvana 16. My Heart - Paramore 17. Heart Attack - Trey Songz  

Yay, now for Chapter 1 

I remember my first night here.
I remember the flickering lights on the ceiling that reminded me of bug zappers. The disenchanting vibe that was set from the way the dim lights danced along the neutral colored walls. More than anything, I remember the way they dragged me in here. Two orderly's, dressed from head to toe in white, clutching my elbows and escorting me down the darkened hall, barefoot and sobbing, dirt and blood caked up and ratted through my midnight colored locks, and smeared around the edges of my lime green dress.
I'd screamed in hysteria.
Cried with devotion.
 And kicked with conviction.
They led me to a sanitation area, ripped my clothes from my body, then hosed me down like a pig before it was sent to the slaughterhouse. A bar of soap whacked me in the side of the head after an orderly chucked it at me and told me to wash myself. I was too afraid to do anything. Too afraid to move. So when I sat there for five minutes, sobbing so hard I could barely breathe, legs and arms twitching with spasms. Finally, out of impatience and anger the orderly stomped over and washed me instead.
 I'd never felt more hopeless, more pitiful, or ever felt violated in a dirty kind of way. After my seven-minute shower, without letting me dry off, they plastered a hospital gown on my wet body and led me to my room. Freezing, I'd shivered, teeth chattering, and pumped warmth back into my body with friction from my hands. Nauseous, I swallowed the vomit inching up the back of my throat. Numb, I stared blankly ahead, unable to concentrate. I remembered thinking; if they kill people at this place, I hope they kill me soon.
They put me in solitary confinement. A small shoebox of a room with padded walls. They strapped me into a straightjacket. I fought the restraints. I screamed for help. I kicked one of the orderlies in the jaw.
You're a danger to yourself and others, they told me.
This is for your own good, your safety, they told me.
Here's the first thing I've learned since I arrived at the Oak Hill, Asylum; when everyone thinks you're crazy, no one is going to listen to you. Either that or they'll make you their own personal pincushion and fill your veins with the kind of tranquilizing medicine they use on horses.
That night, my first night here, I'd shrieked all night long, tucked in a ball on my small thin cot, sobbing harder than I've ever sobbed before. The funny thing is; I haven't stopped since then.
Three weeks.
 It has been three weeks.
 I still don't know why I'm here. What did I do to wind up in this place? I ask myself this question multiple times every day and I can never find the answer. Sometimes I hear a familiar voice in my head. Daddy's voice. “You stay out of her head, you little fucker. You stay out of her bed, you little fucker.”
But who is the little fucker?
My daddy was a bad man. He was best friends with Jimmy, Jack, and a Mexican named Jose. He liked to drink with his three best friends. Sometimes he'd even get piss ass drunk with them. On rare occasions he was nice; usually when his friends weren't around. Sometimes he even led me to believe he loved me. I think. When I was little, Daddy used to push me on a tire swing he'd made me. I'd tell him how I'd want to be a bird, a canary, because canaries are pretty and yellow and have beautiful singing voice's. Mommy was around then and she always thought it was funny that I'd talk about canaries. “And where would you fly my little bird,” she'd say kissing the top of my head with a chuckle.
 Then I'd reply with, “I'd fly to the moon.” Mommy, Daddy, and me laughed.
We were a happy family.
 Until one day, I woke up and Mommy was gone. And Daddy was never the same.
His friends used to come home with him occasionally, and after a while they came home with him every day. I asked myself every day where my old daddy went and thought about how bad I wanted him back. But I never saw my old daddy again. He left me, just like Mommy did. I didn't like my new daddy. One time, I'd just looked at him, giving him a sad look, tears glistening in my violet eyes. He'd looked back at me and for a second I thought I might catch a glimpse of my old daddy. He'd stood up from his reclining chair, walked to me, and towered over me, squinting down at me. I'd opened my mouth to tell Daddy how much I loved him and that I missed my old daddy and he's said, “You look just like that whore mother of yours.” And then he slapped me across the face.
That treatment continued for the next eight years, but I'd learned to be quiet, keep to myself. I'd learned to keep away from Daddy and obey him. Because I knew what would happen if I didn't.
Then one night, Daddy's friends were over and Daddy had a little too much of them for one night. Daddy's friends made him do crazy things sometimes. That night, the night they brought me in here, Daddy pulled out his rifle, aimed it...
BANG!
Then everything goes black and the shrieking begins.
Plodding footsteps drown out the sound of my screams.
I try and tell myself to stop screaming, but its like my mind and emotions are at war with one another. Before I know it, the door to my cell swings open.
 Four people.
There are four people approaching me, arms outstretched cautiously like I am some wild, ravenous beast in need of capturing. Four people.
I have nothing to defend myself with except for two arms, two legs, and a sharp mind.
But four to one? I am severely outnumbered. This is a battle I am going to lose. Still, even though I know I'll be defeated, determination pumps through me. I have never been the type to go down without a fight. Perhaps that's why I spent the last eight years letting my daddy beat me within an inch of my life. I never wanted to give him the satisfaction of knowing that every time his fist connected with my jaw he didn't mentally break me.
Darting from my bed, I start for the door. Swimming hands swallow me and capture me in a net of firmness before carrying me back over to my cot. Thrashing my arms, I backhand a nurse, knocking the cap off her head and she grips the rounded collar of my hospital gown, cutting off my air supply for a second.
“Hold her down!” At the doctor's instruction a heavy-set nurse digs her kneecap into the small of my back and presses down.
No! Don't hold me down! Set me free! I don't belong here!
 “No!” My voice is raspy and raw and dry, full of pent up fear and anger. “No!” I try to swat at someone behind me, but the two orderlies pin my arms to my cot. Wiggling, I try to free myself from their grasp, but the nurse with her knee in my back puts all over her weight on me, shooting shivers of pain down my spine and immobilizing me.
“Calm down,” my doctor says. He has a soft, soothing voice, but its deadly.
 I peek through stands of my ebony hair, watching the sweet, sweet mind-erasing fluid spout from the tip of the needle like a fountain. The drug speaks to me. Forget who you are. Forget where you are. Forget why you were brought here. Forget everything. I won't let them make me forget. I won't let them neutralize me and turn me into one of their empty robots.
 I won't. I won't. I won't.
“Keep still, Adelaide. This won't hurt. You'll only feel a pinch.” But that pinch will dilute everything.
I panic, screaming louder, and thrash as hard as I can. The orderlies in front of me grip my wrists harder and I can see one clearly through my strands of unwashed hair. Thick black hair, blue blue eyes, and toasted almond skin. He doesn't look at me like the chubby one with pale, ashy hair next to him is looking at me. He's not looking at me like I'm crazy. He's looking at me like he feels sorry for me. Like he wants to take me away from this gloomy prison and hide me from the doctors with needles and metronomes.
 Please, blue eyes.
 Save me.
Be my prince charming.
My knight in shining armor.
 Rescue me from a burning tower of depression, sadness, and misery.
He doesn't.
The needle plunges into my skin and I let out a whimper. The drug blasts through my veins and infiltrates my bloodstream, shutting every organ inside of me down for the night. Widening my eyes, I fight off the effects of the drug as it works its way through my body. I clench my fists defiantly, trying to scream again, but I'm too weak, too tired, and too over taken by the drugs to do anything but moan inaudibly.
I hear the doctor. “Just wait until it takes full effect.” His voice is muffled, fading away, pretty soon I can't hear him at all anymore. I think my door closes.
There's a ringing in my ears that I can't shut out. There's a hand on my wrist that doesn't let go. Before exhaustion takes over I look up. Blue eyes is at the end of the bed. He releases my wrist and laces his fingers through mine. I squint as the sedative blurs my vision, begins to decapitate my mind, and then notice the painful look in those blue blue eyes.
On top of the pain in the two blue gems there's familiarity.
Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.
How could I forget him? Him, of all people. The one person in the entire world who holds the key to my heart. The one and only person who has ever really loved me. Then I remind myself that they feed and inject me with so many drugs, that its a miracle I don't forget who I am.
I struggle to sound coherent, “Damien?”
He mouths something.
Six words.
 Six words that seem too impossible to be true.
Six words that bleed hope into my soul.
Six words.
“You're not crazy. I love you.”

 Hope you guys enjoyed this!

 Cheers!

So...What Are You Writing?

Good Morning, Readers!

It's been a while.

I've been away from the blogger world due to some family things, but I'm excited to be back with this post!

Because this post is about WIP's. Yay!

Lately, I'd been in a writing slump. Mainly because of all of things that had been going on in my personal life, but I'm excited to say that I've found my voice again. And I can't even begin to express how good that feels.

It's amazing.

Transcendent.

Glorious.

So I'm going to share a little piece of my new WIP with you. I'm actually super excited because this will be my first adult romance novel, that and... It's hot, steamy, and spine tingling at the same time.

So here is a teaser for my latest WIP- Insanity(Asylum 1)

I panic, screaming louder, and thrash as hard as I can. The orderly’s in front of me grip my wrists harder and I can see one clearly through my strands of unwashed hair. Thick black hair, blue blue eyes, and toasted almond skin. He doesn't look at me like the chubby one with pale, ashy hair next to him is looking at me. He's not looking at me like I'm crazy. He's looking at me like he feels sorry for me. Like he wants to take me away from this gloomy prison and hide me from the doctors with needles and metronomes.

Please, blue eyes.

Save me.

Be my prince charming.

My knight in shining armor.

Rescue me from a burning tower of depression, sadness, and misery.

He doesn't.

The needle plunges into my skin and I let out a whimper. The drug blasts through my veins and infiltrates my bloodstream, shutting every organ inside of me down for the night. Widening my eyes, I fight off the effects of the drug as it works its way through my body. I clench my fists defiantly, trying to scream again, but I'm too weak, too tired, and too over taken by the drugs to do anything but moan inaudibly.

I hear the doctor. “Just wait until it takes full effect.” His voice is muffled, fading away, pretty soon I can't hear him at all anymore. I think my door closes.

There's a ringing in my ears that I can't shut out. There's a hand on my wrist that doesn't let go. Before exhaustion takes over I look up. Blue eyes is at the end of the bed. He releases my wrist and laces his fingers through mine. I squint as the sedative blurs my vision, begins to decapitate my mind, and then notice the painful look in those blue blue eyes.

He mouths something.

Six words.

Six words that seem to impossible to be true.

Six words that bleed hope into my soul.

Six words.

“You're not crazy. I love you.”

So now that I've shown you mine, tell me about yours.

What are you writing?

If I Can't Have You...I Don't Want Nobody, Baby!

TGIF! TGIF! TGIF!

Good morning everyone!

I hope everyone has had a fantastic week! YaY!

Today I'm excited to celebrate the release of my steamy, YA Romance - IF I Can't Have You...

Yay!

So I'm going to be sharing another snippet with you :)

There are two major reasons why I stayed behind; one I don’t want to push and shove my way through all the people and two because I might miss an opportunity to see and talk to Drake without Whit or Elliot being around. When it comes to the guy you’re crushing on, three is a crowd, but four is a sold out concert. There’s no intimacy when you’ve got to share a conversation four ways.

A flash of gold glimmers in my peripheral vision and I see Drake as he shoves his way through the crowd. He’s headed straight for me and instead of being bold, I do the exact opposite, I clam up. I can’t understand why I’m so nervous now. I mean, we’re not in a remote setting or anything. We’re swimming in a sea of people. What do I say? What do I do? How do I act? And how did I manage to play it so cool when I was on the beach with him earlier today? Maybe I was at ease because Elliot was there too.

“Kid!”

He’s only inches away from me now and suddenly I feel like I have TMJ and some surgeon has just laced wire through my gums to correct it.

“So you made it,” he says softly as he plants his feet across from me.

I nod. He smells like the ocean mixed with his own personal brand of cologne. He’s wearing a white cotton button up shirt with the first couple buttons undone and a sheer foray of perspiration glistens on his bronzed skin. I stare at the opening. I want to run my fingers along the wetness. I want to slip and slide against his essence.

The fact that I can’t speak makes this encounter awkward. I need a drink. Yeah, that’s it. Once I have a drink or two I’ll loosen up. I think.

Drake smiles at me and inside I’m a smoothie, a bunch of fruit and ice thrown into a blender, spinning. I’m being crushed together to make a delicious concoction, a delicious concoction that Drake will want to devour in one gulp.

Drake moves closer and my spine stiffens. I don’t know what to do. He rests his warm hands on my shoulder blades and his touch sets me on fire. And I’m so pissed at myself for blowing this moment.

For the last three years this is all I’ve thought about. For the last three years this is all I’ve wanted. All I’ve wanted is for Drake to notice me and feel for me the way I’ve felt for him. I finally have my chance and I’m letting my nerves get the best of me. Inside I’m screaming; you moron! Stop standing here like a twit and say something! Do something! But it doesn’t matter if I tell myself to do it. It doesn’t matter how many times I scream at myself to make a move. I know I won’t.

Drake’s lips are against my ear. His warm breath caresses my earlobe and I sigh completely consumed by my desire for him. “You look really pretty,” he whispers.
The word ‘thank you’ is lodged in my throat being kept down by my nerves and a wad of saliva as thick as honey. I want so much more from this moment. I need so much more from this moment. Inside I’m begging for his kiss. I crave it. I’m a Drake kiss-a-holic. Just send me to rehab already.

I hope you guys enjoyed this snippet and I hope you get a chance to check out If I Can't Have You!

Have a GRRREEEAAT weekend!

Cheers <3

Pick A Genre...Any Genre... And Brand Yourself.

Happy Monday Readers!

I hope everyone had a great and relaxing weekend! Well now it's Monday. Time to get back to work!

Today's post is going to be about branding yourself as an author. I know. I know. I was just like you. I'd say to myself why should I limit myself? Why should I focus on one area where there are so many other possibilities?

I don't know about you guys, but I like to challenge myself. I like to pick challenging subjects and write about them. Hence the love triangle in He Loves Me... Or book 2 Love Without Words in the pandemic series.(Which by the way, I'm going to attempt to write an entire book without dialogue. Tricky,tricky, I know.)

But I'll tell you this....

Branding yourself is important. It is where you discover yourself as a writer. And I'll tell you something I learned about myself. I'm a romance writer. Whether it's a dark romance--like A Whisper To A Scream--or an fun summer fling romance like--If I Can't Have You. Romance is what I'm good at. That's my brand. And that's what I'm going to focus on in the future. And do you know how many books written it took me to learn that? Let's just say...A LOT.

Everyone is different. Some writers are good at one genre, but not so good at another. And I will say the most important thing we can do is write book after book and learn from ourselves. Deep down inside you know what your strengths and weaknesses are.

A lot of times we have to explore our writing capabilities. Sometimes we have to write several different books before we write "the one", and figure out where we want to be as writers. But what's more important than anything is that we dive in head first and never give up the fight.

I hope you've found something helpful in this post. And now for a lil treat! I've pasted a snippet from If I Can't Have You below. I hope you enjoy it and have a great week!

Cheers! <3

For a moment neither one of us moves. We’re mesmerized, swimming in each other’s gazes. Slowly Drake slides his fingers up my waist, locking my hips against his. Then he sits up, still staring, not breaking his focus.There’s sand all over his arms and the rough texture scratches against my burn skin, making it feel raw. He glides a free hand up my spine and I shiver as my shirt slides up and I feel his moist fingers against my back. He gently pulls the hair tie from my hair and my shoulders are covered in waves of chocolate cherry locks. “I want you,” he whispers. “I want you bad.”

And I want him. Oh how I’ve wanted him. For years and years and years. And this moment seems a little surreal to me. That finally, after all this time I finally get what I’ve wanted. What I’ve coveted. What I’ve adored.

I twist the thick straps of his wife-beater around my forefingers and urge his lips closer to mine with each tug. He’s so close his warm breath trails along my cheek bones and heats my face. His lips are so close and if I I move an inch mine will touch his. “You do something crazy to me, kid.”

And he does something crazy to me too. I’m a nut job in a mental institution. Clearly incapable of functioning normally and Drake is the orderly he comes to me every morning to deliver my pills. Without him I’ll be crazy forever. Only he is capable of getting rid of the insanity because he is the cure to it.

New Book, New Cover, and some news!

Morning readers!

So.... it's been forever since I've written a post.

First off I have a new YA Romance coming out! YaY! I've pasted the cover below & blurb... I'm super psyched about it.

One is lonely. Three is a crowd.

Robin Mason has never been the same since Drake Robertson, a hot lifeguard at her family's yearly vacation spot saves her from drowning. Ever since that day she's never let another guy hold a candle to him. She's idolized him and has been waiting for the day where they can go from Facebook friends to more. Much, much more.

Flash-forward three years and Robin isn't the same tween Drake rescued from the deep blue sea. She's college bound, curvy, and finally ready to take what she wants most--Drake.

But not if Drake's brother Elliot has anything to say about it.

Robin is torn between what's right and what's wrong, her head and her heart, and two brothers that are simply irresistible. But who will she choose? Safe, sweet, Elliot? Or the hot, smoldering, Drake?

Two brothers. One Girl. One choice. So which will it be?

Also.... I'm going to take Asphodel down. There are some errors I've been made aware of and I'm going to be taking it down in the next week to make some corrections to it.

Lastly, after If I Can't Have You comes out on Jan 31, I'm taking a much needed break and the first book that will be released out of the one's that have sequels will be the sequel to A Whisper To A Scream, Yelling Out Loud on March 20.

On the agent home front I've some awesome news to share soon, but as of right now I have to keep everything hush-hush. BUT.... I will say that I'm going to be accepting queries for romance novels. Both adult and YA are welcome.

AND.... I really really wish some of you would query me with some dark novels. Like YA horror or suspense. Unfortunately, I'm not accepting anymore Paranormal Romances at this time.

I think that's about it.

I hope everyone has a stellar week!

So... It's official! I am a best seller!

So this past week has literally been insane for me!

And as of Saturday I officially became a best selling author. YaY!

This post is going to be short simple and to the point. For those of you who've read... He Loves Me...He Loves You Not... THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Most importantly, I never in a million years would have ever expected this. It means so much to me!

Some more news... You can definitely look forward to some more YA romances from me. I have a new one coming out at the end of the month called If I Can't Have You... And many many more coming in the future.

Thank you all so much for your support and love of He Loves Me... I am humbled and flattered that you enjoyed it!

Have a great week!

Cheers!

Talking Destined, With Author Jessie Harrell and eBook Giveaway!

 Yay! Readers!

So I loved, loved, loved this book! And I am super excited to welcome Jessie Harrell to the blog today so she can tell you a little bit about her upcoming YA release, Destined.

DESTINED BLOG TOUR: EXAMINING THE OTHER FOOT

Hi everyone! I want to thank Lauren for letting me take over her blog today as part of the official Destined blog tour.  This is the first guest post I’ve ever done for someone else’s blog and I hope you don’t hate it. :) The twitter summary of my topic: u can improve ur writing by figuring out what happens when the shoe is on the other foot. Bottom line, if you’re a reader and not a writer, just go ahead and skip to the bottom to read about the novel and the contest.  **you can win a free e-book**

For those of you still with us, here’s my thought for the day --

I remember having to come up with a thesis for a 4000 level English lit class on folk tales back in undergrad.  (Not quite the most awesome class ever, but close.)  As I struggled to come up with something to write about, another student told me that my thesis needed to challenge a common idea.  You can’t just say: anthropomorphism is common in folk lore.  That’s not a thesis, it’s a fact.  A thesis would be something more along the lines of ancient peoples used anthropomorphism in fables as a way of doing x.  (btw - I had no recollection of what my thesis actually was for that class)  The point being, by learning that I had to challenge a belief to write a compelling paper, I learned to examine things from many different angles.

Fast forward to this spring.  Destined was sitting on my computer waiting for me to find the perfect tweak for it.  I knew the story was so close, but it was just lacking that little something.  After a talk with Georgia McBride (thank you, Georgia!), I realized I’d forgotten to look at my story from all the possible different angles.  I’d latched onto the myth of Cupid & Psyche as written and just accepted that Cupid was a spoiled playboy and Venus was a complete b!tch.  But was that the best way to tell the story?  If I could start from scratch, what would be their motivations, their backstory?

Which made me realize, despite being “gods,” these characters needed to be humanized.  Venus needed a reason to become irate with Psyche.  Cupid needed a reason to reject Psyche the first time he met her.  Along the same lines, I heard someone remark recently that the bad guys in stories don’t think they’re being evil.  They have their own perfectly logical explanation for what their doing.  To make all of my characters come to life on the page, I realized I needed to find those “logical explanations.”

So my advice to you as writers is to turn each of your characters around and look at them from the other side.  You’ve got good guys and bad guys, but how would they act if the shoe was on the other foot?  How would the story be different if you were telling it from the “bad guy’s” perspective?  Would he or she really seem so bad?  

** I note that Lauren does this incredibly well with her new novella He Loves Me, He Loves You Not, telling the story of the “other woman” in a way that makes her the more sympathetic character. Not any easy task.

DESTINED BLURB AND CONTEST

For those of you who skipped ahead, START READING HERE.  :)  Here is where you get to learn how to win Destined.  But first, the blurb:

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.(summary from goodreads)

If you leave your e-mail address in your comment, you'll be automatically entered to win an e-copy of Destined. The contest will stay open for 48 hours after the post goes live, and then Jessie will use random.org to select a winner. Available formats include .mobi, .epub and .pdf. And please be sure to visit the other stops on Destined's official blog tour for chances to win copies of Destined and other goodies.

Check out the list below!
1-Nov Once Upon A Twilght -  Book Trailer +Interview Ebook giveaway
2-Nov Books With Bite - Interview Ebook giveaway
3-Nov Living in Literary La La Land Guest Post Ebook giveaway
4-Nov I am a Reader, Not a Writer Guest Post Ebook giveaway
5-Nov Paper Hangover Interview Ebook giveaway
6-Nov Nikki Katz Interview Ebook giveaway
6-Nov Fictional Distraction Review Ebook Giveaway
7-Nov Daisy Chain Book Review Interview Ebook giveaway
8-Nov MundieMoms Review + Short Story Ebook giveaway
9-Nov Safari Poet Guest Post Ebook giveaway
10-Nov Good Choice Reading WOW CONTEST + Review Ebook giveaway
11-Nov LM Preston Guest Post VLOG - Read a Scene Ebook giveaway
12-Nov An Avid Readers Musings Interview VLOG Ebook giveaway
13-Nov Skyla11377 Review Ebook giveaway
14-Nov Dark Readers Interview Ebook giveaway
15-Nov Shortie Says... Character GUEST POST Ebook giveaway
16-Nov A Cozy Reader's Corner Reviews  Guest post - Sneak Peek Ebook giveaway
17-Nov Stuck In Books Character Interview Ebook giveaway
18-Nov From A to Z Review  Ebook giveaway
19-Nov Turning Pages Interview Ebook giveaway
20-Nov A Tale of Many Reviews Guest Post Ebook giveaway
21-Nov Read My Mind - AliseonLife Interview Vlog Ebook giveaway
22-Nov S.A.Larson Review Ebook giveaway
23-Nov Starry Sky Books Prize pack giveaway + Guest Post Ebook giveaway
23-Nov Angels and Demons and Portals. Oh My! Prize pack giveaway Ebook giveaway

Thank you for dropping in on this stop of the blog tour.  Hope you found a useful nugget from my advice.  And better yet, I just hope you love reading Destined as much as I loved writing it.

Jessie Harrell

jessieharrell@me.com