Bri Clark's Blog, page 25

Aura's life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can't deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she's not sure that she wants to.
Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.
As Aura's search uncovers new truths, she must 
decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart. 



Aura is a dynamic but believable character, facing all the normal difficulties a teenage girl faces like Algebra, while also dealing with ghosts. One ghost in particular is Logan, her exboyfriend she still loves. Throw in Zachary a young man who she is literally destined for and you have yourself a love triangle of paranormal proportions creating a suspenseful fun read.

Those that read this blog know I am a character oriented person and Shift delivered. The cast of secondaries were great. However, I think I would have loved them more if I had read Shade first. So while Shift is amazing it's even better with Shade.



Aura and her boyfriend are anticipating a special evening: it's Logan's 17th birthday, his band is playing an important gig, and they have intimate plans for the after party. However, things go horribly wrong when Logan drinks heavily, takes the cocaine that a record label rep gave to him, and dies. Logan is gone, but not really. Aura, like everyone else aged 16 and younger, was born after the Shift and can see and talk to ghosts. This ability has long annoyed her, and she has yearned to find out why the phenomenon happened so that she can end it. Now, still very much in love, Aura is ecstatic to see and hear Logan's spirit, though they can't touch. Then Zachary, a new boy, enters the picture and he and Aura discover that they share a mysterious bond: they were born one minute apart (he the last one pre-Shift and she the first after). Meanwhile, Logan's parents decide to sue the record label for providing their son with drugs, hoping that Logan will pass on if they win. If he doesn't find peace, he risks becoming a shade, a violent emanation considered a public-safety threat. This complex novel has numerous subplots. Occasionally, the chapters seem to take sudden turns from one story line to another, making the first-person narrative somewhat confusing. Nevertheless, the characters are interesting, and so is the clearly developed alternative world. Filled with romance and featuring a strong protagonist, Shade is sure to attract teens

Maude pulled the covers over her head buried her face into the pillow. After four weeks of dating Tony, exclusively, (which had been her choice) he hadn't called or returned a text in three days. Broken hearted she called into work using one of her precious sick days. Things had been going great...she thought.

Why would he do this.

Pulling her phone from the charger she checked the ringer volume, made sure it wasn't on vibrate, then checked to see if she had any missed calls or texts. This had become the dominant exercise for the weekend.

A bone cold rain still raged outside, perhaps that had added to her melancholy. She was sure it had. Since having her surgery and losing over a hundred pounds Maude went from a lifetime of being hot all the time to experiencing cold that seeped into her very marrow. It was so bad she couldn't even visit her daughter out West because the winters were too cold.

Her phone beeped and moving with more energy than she had for forty eight hours she dove for it. Knocking pillows off in her haste.

Sliding the phone open to her home screen she saw it was a text from her daughter, Aubrey. She had called and text all weekend. Maude had ignored all of them. She knew she'd have to respond or Aubrey would have the local police department on her door step. That was the thing she admired about her daughter she got results whenever she had her mind set.

Aubrey: R u ok?

Maude: Fine...sick

Aubrey: R u lying to me? (another thing about Aubrey she could always tell when Maude was lying...even 2,000 miles away)

Maude: Sick n the head maybe

Aubrey: Bullocks!!! What's going on?

A small smile crept over Maude's mouth over her daughter's use of the British curse word. Since Aubrey became a mother she quit cussing opting to use slang from other countries. It had worked beautifully until one of the kids went to preschool and called the teacher a bloody sod. With that thought Maude laughed out loud. Her grandson was a very quiet well behaved child. So everyone had been shocked. Aubrey had blamed it on a British TV show they watched. Which was only partially true.

Her phone vibrated again.

Aubrey: If this is over a jack (shortened for jackass) u know I have no patience for it. Suck it up and live. Love you mean it.

Maude didn't respond cause she knew Aubrey's phone was probably off now. Her boss required all phones off at meetings. She took a deep breath, stretched and decided to brush her teeth. Getting up she saw the rain clouds disappearing and the sun peeking through. Perhaps it had been a good day to call in.

To see more of Maude's adventures in Internet dating click here and here.

Now I know what you are thinking, "What the hell is this about?" Believe me I'll get to that. Usually the two of these aren't grouped together. However, since they came in the same form for me they were lumped together for this post.








Anyone who has any inkling of a reason to watch the modern day publishing community knows it has changed thanks to the internet, social media and eBooks.  Authors of all kinds are told market, build your platform, and connect with your readers. There is a wealth of information about anything you want to find about the industry. However, there is one area I found to be lacking but is disturbingly very common...haters.

What exactly is a hater? My definition is someone who you know via online or in real life and they sit back wait and watch actively seeking to criticize you at the first opportunity. They hide behind the guise of "I'm just trying to help you "or" constructive criticism." However, if when you go back and evaluate their collective amount of offered advice and find there is hardly ever or never any positive or supportive comments then you yourself have a hater on your hands.

What do you do about a hater? Cut em loose ASAP. Unfriend them, block them and anyone that is close to them that would allow them to look at any of your social media. If you don't do this it will ultimately end up in some sort of jealous, anger fueled public comment.

Example of hater...While I have my own recent experience I'll use one that a Twitter follower shared with me. As an author, she used a dashboard like Hootsuite or Tweetdeck that linked her accounts so she only had to post once. Anyone who knows anything about Twitter knows that you have 140 characters. People who actively use hashtags know that when you add punctuation to a tweet everything before the mark is hidden in a hashtag search. Moreover, honestly, if you have 140 characters to convey a message you will skip as much punctuation as possible. Anyways this author had a "friend" jump all over her about her statuses lacking correct grammar. This is only after numerous other comments about grammar. When she tried to explain the friend wouldn't listen and then proceeded to talk about her blog posts and attacked her as an author. She cut her loose.

Grammar Nazi vs. Grammar Mavens (or grammar mavmens for the male editors, yeah I made that up) How do you tell the difference between the two? This is very easy. A maven is someone who knows exactly what they are talking about in terms of grammar, voice, flow, and content as a whole. A Nazi is someone who knows a little bit about grammar and therefore thinks they are an expert. I see the grammar Nazi the most because it's the easiest most universal education we as society have.

There are many reasons for these haters. I'd say the universal one is jealousy. If you have a hater, you must be doing something right so keep it up.

Have any of you had any experiences with a hater? If so what happened?

Marie Kincaid suffering the greatest loss a woman can know runs from the pain. Falling asleep deep within the forest she awakes in an infirmary with a loss of memory and a power, she's always possessed yet never known: Glazier. Glazier enables Marie to embark on a new life free of pain but most importantly free of the past. Heightened senses, accelerated strength, speed, and learning abilities make Marie a perfect candidate to be a spy…also a perfect companion for Henry Tenison…the only other known Glazier.
Henry, a loner and proud rogue finds his world upended when his connection to Marie is forged through Glazier. Unsure of how to progress with any relationship with her he endeavors to keep it strictly platonic and professional. As far away, missions and romantic surroundings entice him into pursuing his deeper desires he caves. However, Marie' love changes everything.
Determined to free them both of the spy world and hold Abram their superior has over them Henry implements a plot to disappear. However, when things become dangerous in their latest mission, their first undercover, and memories of Marie's past surface suggesting another man…will Henry's efforts prove to come too late? If Marie remembers her past, will she still want their future? "

This post is a more personal one but hey isn't that  the great thing about the Internet? It allows you to see what's going on in someones life while they are still living, working or surviving.
In March of 2010 my son went to a state rehabilitation center. What he did is no one's business and when I am asked I tell people that he needs to have the opportunity to repent in private. We as a society are judgmental and cruel having little or no patience or empathy if people cross a line that we have set in our own minds. I as a parent am judgmental and impatient so I expect nonetheless from other.

My son has spent his 16th and soon to be his 17th birthday in a facility. I don't say lock up or juvy because it wasn't like that. He had freedoms that he had to earn and wasn't nearly as intense as those places are. But he went through some intense therapy. Going through this experience and soon to be probation has taught me a lot about being a parent, especially a step parent. For you see I've been his mother for 11 years now. I'm 29 with a child soon to be graduating high school. I'm grateful to have him go through this now where they could get to the root of a lifetimes reasons for bad choices. And the cruel twisted hand of fate is all the problems stem from the abuse of a biological mother suffered as early as a toddler.

While I would love to be the prodigal son's father and love him without suspicion as he returns it's love for him and the probation rules that dictate that I cannot. In his absence he had learned about the simple joys that freedom and family give a person. He's learned to appreciate an education bringing his pitiful 1.9 GPA to a 3.8. When he's out will he forget those lessons? Maybe a little...he is human nonetheless. But that's where a wicked step mother comes in to help steer him back to the correct course.

What are you thoughts? Have any of you dealt with children \who were less than stellar?

Maude's gone fishing series started here if you want to check that out first...


Maude tried on her heels then her ballet flats as she tried to decide on what shoes to wear for dinner. She had talked with Jamie through fish (Gone Fishing the Internet dating site) for months, then had several phone conversations. He asked her to dinner but since her surgery eating out was hard on her so she suggested she grill out since the weather was nice instead. Laughing then agreeing he seemed genuinely happy. Maude was no fool though she told her daughter all the info she had on Jamie, last name, age, phone number address she even sent her a link to his profile on fish...just in case. Pulling up the website agree Maude looked at his pictures. 5'10 and 180lbs was what his profile said, with sandy blonde hair and a stunning smile he was very appealing. Maude wasn't vain but she did have  attributes she preferred. Two of which were they guy was taller than her 5'8 and bigger than her 130lbs. Inhaling and exhaling as her heart raced a little.




No matter how many times she did this it never got easier. Thoughts of will he think I'm ugly? Will there be connection this time? Is he the one? teased her. It seemed no matter the age the fears maintained. Looking at Jamie's picture she remembered all the sweet things he said. She let herself believe maybe just maybe a connection would be had.

Hearing a car pull in pulled off her apron and checked her hair in the mirror. Standing at the screen door she watched Jamie get out a pricey SUV. Seeing him much taller than the hood she let go of the breath she had been holding and smiled. However, as he passed the headlight and rounded the front giving her a full view of his person the teeth hid. He was 5'10 all right and maybe 130lbs soaking wet. The words that her boisterous, obnoxious daughter used to say when she was a teen crossed her mind...."Hims just a little guy and I don't do little guys."

Jamie came up to the porch and shook her hand. Then pulled her down for a hug. Maude gestured toward the swing and they sat in quiet for a moment. She knew there was definitely no connection but she wondered how she would be able to proceed without lying to him. Sitting back with his long skinny legs in front of him he put his even thinner arms behind his head and said "So what do you think sweetie?" As if he was night in shiny armor. It wasn't like he was southern sweet sexy like Val Kilmer was in Tombstone. This guy was LITTLE!

Unable to control herself a giggle emerged, then a cackle before she knew it Maude was full on laughing. Jamie looked on horrified.  When she was able to control herself she held her hand in front of her and as straight face as possible she said, "I'm just not feeling it. But we can still be friends and BBQ up this chicken and have dinner if you want."

Sitting up straight in the swing Jamie stalked to his SUV and spit gravel on her cute little Cherokee as he left. Maude put the chicken on the grill, made a jack and coke and called her daughter. Jamie beeped in the first time and she answered. But when he responded with "I ain't feeling it either and why are you so judgemental." Maude quit answering his calls. Once she got off the phone with her daughter she turned on ACDC's another one bites the dust and danced around her kitchen with her drink in one hand and a spatula in another.


Follow the blog to stay tuned for more of Maudes adventures...

While the title might sound obnoxious or even callous. Please don't take it that way. I've been aware that this day would come for over a year. My mother has been considerably afraid and even my sister in law as well. But they support our soldier. When my brother enlisted in the Army his father cried like a baby. This big old red neck man who at times made me cry as a child was sobbing. Again I am not trying to be mean it was just an observation.

So why do I not fear for my brother's life or safety when he is in an obvious war zone. Because dear reader fear and faith inherently cancel each other out. I can't have faith in the same heart over the same thoughts or concerns if there is fear there. It's just not possible..

So how did I obtain this faith over fear mentality you ask...I'll tell you.
First: I thought about what was the worst possible scenario I let all the emotions that would come with it play out. Thought about what I would have to do in my life if that happened and let the fear and sorrow run its course. Now granted if that worst case does happen I'll still feel the same but I'll also be prepared and therefore will have a game plan of what is expected and be able to offer support and guidance to those that will need it in that moment. I have applied this kind of mentality to different trials in my life and I can confidently say out of multiple times I have only had the worst case happen once.Second: I helped raise this man. I know him. He is witty, strong and intelligent. I remember when he went through all his training and the resilience he showed. He has been trained to do this. This man knew how to feed himself and run a microwave before he could count. Why was that? Because his lazy baby sitting sister wouldn't get off the phone so it was feed yourself or starve. He has a spirit of loyalty and survival. Third: I've seen his platoon around him. My brother didn't leave right away with his comrades and I've seen the bond between them and I have faith in that. Finally: I have  an unyielding faith in my religion. I know that my ways are not His ways and everything is eternal. So I say proudly that my brother goes to war to day and I am unafraid.

So this post is supposed to be a review of Godchild (which is 99 right now) and an interview with it's author Vincent Zandri as part of his blog tour with Pump It Up Books. Well you aren't going to get exactly all that. But you will get your review and something more of an observation about Mr. Vincent Zandri.

If you didn't know Vince and I are colleagues and friends or online friends is probably more spot on there. I speak to Vince often usually through emails that resemble im chats with really long pause times in between responses and signatures that say "sent via blackberry" or "sent from Bri Clark's iPhone" (Oh you guys know I am not going to have not crapberry!) I know what your thinking how did a Amazon bestselling noir author become friends with a romance author? Believe it or not we actually have covered that before here.(FYI I'm the blonde bombshell)

So when you are friends with someone you notice little changes in their behavior when things are off. Now I'm not saying Vincent is on drugs or is doing illegal things or anything. I'm just saying I've noticed he's very very busy.( By product of success.)With that said I could not in good conscience do an interview when I knew that I might be able to ease up his schedule a little bit. So if you want to gripe about it in the comments go ahead. However, you can go here and see the review and interview of the prequel to Godchild the Innocent that I've done with him before. So pick you lip up go to your room and have your feelings then come back and check out this review.





He wanted justice, truth, revenge...whichever came first.

Prison-warden-turned-P.I. Jack "Keeper" Marconi understands the criminal mind. And he knows what it takes to break a man. His own life came apart the day a black Buick broadsided his car--and his wife died horrifically in the seat beside him.

Years later, on the eve of his second marriage, Marconi catches a split-second glimpse of the driver who killed his wife. Suddenly hurtled back into the past, he is determined to take one last shot at hunting him down. That is, until he is offered a job he can't refuse: to bust a beautiful woman out of a hellish Mexican prison. Now Keeper's chase through Mexico follows a trail of bodies and lies back home: to the truth about a woman on the run, to a man sitting behind the wheel of a black Buick, and to a story that someone will kill to bury....

This review is a little bittersweet for me since I can officially say I have read every single work of fiction that I can by Vincent Zandri. Fortunately his next novel Concrete Pearl releases in two weeks. Wonder if I will put off reading it like I did Godchild prolonging the joy? 

Godchild is everything you expect from Vincent Zandri, amazing characters, unique and fast paced story line and an ending that's not wrapped in a nice bow but that's as satisfying as a bed with clean linens to a weary traveler.  I've talked to Vincent before about how he comes up with his characters and he said he based them on real people "even keeping the real names up until the very end."

Knowing that when I started reading Godchild I started having thoughts like "Who is his inspiration for Renatta and especially Tony?" These two characters are what could be considered secondary but I don't think there is ever a secondary character in Vincent Zandri's work.

I am not the type of reviewer to give away details or spoilers. If you follow this blog you now that. If this is your first time you know now. With that being said Godchild was a great read that was just as thrilling as a TNT drama. As far as an age rating I'd say this is a novel for 18 and up. Also read The Innocent first. You could read this as a stand alone but really who eats the ice cream before the topping on a sundae? Really?

 My first SSS how'd I do? Are you interested in my little novella?Vampires and eternals had actually been at war for a century
before Lucien negotiated a truce between the clan leaders. Alistair
had been infuriated. While Lucien didn't have any empathy for a
vampire, kidnapping and torture definitely went against the treaty
terms. Is that what Alistair wants…to begin the war again? No,
not that. He wondered what Alistair's intentions were since
vampires and eternals shared a common weakness with silver…

It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.
Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.
Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess. 





This is one of those books that when the ending comes you jump back and look around then turn through the pages again because you totally did not see all that coming. Truly a YA book that will be successful. As a reviewer there are some books that I read and feel like I need to post a warning or don't feel comfortable sharing with the youth I know...Not this one. I'll shout it from the rooftop. Not only is this book literarily amazing (like my new word) it's not full of filth as some others have. While there are some issues that are in today's society it's what I would totally rate as PG.

Kate is a character every woman or girl will relate to and while she has to choose between two equally amazing men. Perhaps she can have them both? I rooted for Henry from the beginning aka Hades. Love this character. As you get to know him with Kate you will as well. I'm so glad that this is a series cause I fell for all these characters.