Indie Authors Monthly Magazine For Authors and Readers discussion

Thanks Aoife!

I'd be happy to read it. You should def post it

It definitely got my attention. I want to know more about Z and Abigail. It's creepy and the details are good. It's very cinematic. Good or bad--it made me think of the exorcism movies I have seen. I'm a huge horror fan so I've seen a lot of them. It pays a well written homage to that genre. Saying that isn't me saying it's been done before or that it is tired or anything of the sort. I think possession movies, books, themes, etc. are scary to most people and this excerpt hearkens to what people familiar with the genre will be expecting but it has enough originality to keep them reading.

I hope my feedback is helpful. Thanks for sharing! I'm writing a paranormal right now as well and I'm considering posting a bit if I can decide on a good excerpt.

Well, here goes. I'm little unsure how I feel about this part. It is the first part of chapter one. The very opening of the book and I don't know if I like it or not. I think I'm afraid it's not an interesting enough start. Love to hear what you think:

My name is Talia Riven, I am twenty-four years old and I’m the quintessential orphaned child. I try not to be defined by the death of my parents, but every time I think I have that part of my psyche under control it pops up again like a bad penny. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not a wild child. I don’t do drugs and rarely drink. I don’t do parties and I haven’t left a string of ex-boyfriends in my wake. But, I’m not going to pretend that I don’t have my issues. Most noticeably, I happen to be afraid of the dark.

My parents were murdered when I was seven years old. I don’t remember exactly what happened, but I do remember the fear. I remember being so scared that I couldn’t think or move. And I remember hiding in my closet and holding my breath for fear that the “Monster” would hear me and get me too. I can’t remember what sent me to my closet, I just remember going to bed and then being terrified inside the dark closet. The only light that seeped through the cracks came from a small nightlight plugged in next to my bed. As I huddled there, curled into the tiniest ball possible, I could see shadows moving through my bedroom as the Monster slithered about. Even today, so many years later, my skin crawls to think about it. Having your safety violated—especially as a child—incites the most primal responses.

My Aunt Heather, who raised me, swears that the man who killed my parents was just a burglar and that he will never come looking for me. The police never found him. No arrests were ever made. But despite her assurances, I could always detect a tiny hint of disbelief behind her words. As if she herself didn’t believe what she was saying. She always looked away too quickly after she promised I didn’t have to worry about my parent’s murderer. Her eyes would dart from my face either because she was afraid that I could tell that she was lying, or because she was afraid that I believed her and would see the trust on my face. Eventually, I just stopped bringing it up because I hated seeing her lie.

After my parents death I lived in fear. Every shadow, every closet door, was a hiding place for the Monster. Every time I walked past a darkened doorway, I would try to pass calmly—try to prove to myself that I could. But halfway across the shadows would reach out to grab me and my feet would speed up on their own. The primal, self-protection would kick in and override my determination to not be afraid. Today, as an adult, that fear still has a grip on me. I rarely sleep with the light off and I always have a flashlight on hand.

Not many people know about my fear of the dark. It’s not exactly something to be proud of, right? There are only four people that know about my phobia. Three of those people are Ben Simmons, my boyfriend, Nicole Isler, my best friend, and of course my aunt. Nicole and Ben have known me almost my entire life and they have never once viewed my fear as funny. Neither of them have ever made fun of me or used my fear as the basis for a practical joke. That is just one of the many reasons I love them. They both understand that my achluophobia grew out of a very real trauma and they respect that.

Our other friend, Evan Hollows, on the other hand…well, he sees my fear as inspiration—the source of a great mystery. I don’t hold his curiosity against him. He has never done anything mean, like lock me in a dark closet or anything. But he never misses an opportunity to try to get me to explore the origins of my fear. Ben hates it and often gets angry at his persistence. Nicole is wary but her feelings toward Evan often override her reservations. I don’t mind Evan’s pushing—I understand where he is coming from. If anyone understands the danger that darkness holds it’s Evan, and I envy his fearlessness.

Evan had his own childhood trauma. His father tried to kill him and his mother both when he was ten. The only reason they survived was because he was able to fight his dad off. His father died in the fight, but his mother lived—even though she was never the same afterwards. She recovered physically, but never mentally. The most Evan would say about her was that she was being taken care of and was safe, but I don’t even know what kind of home she is in. If anybody has a reason to be afraid, Evan does. But I don’t think Evan is afraid of anything.

Nicole, Ben and I met Evan in college. He is older than us by a couple of years and came to medical school at University of Kentucky from Indiana. I was impressed with his ability to join our little group of friends. It’s not easy to insinuate yourself into a preexisting clique. But he did. As I said—Evan is afraid of nothing. He came in all “tall dark and handsome” and, of course, Nicole zeroed in on him immediately. Nicole claimed him right away. “We even look like we belong together,” she had reasoned. I couldn’t argue with her. They both had black hair and naturally deep complexions. Nicole’s was from her Turkish father. Evan’s from his Italian mother. They had brooding good looks that belonged in movies. The similarities stop there, though. Nicole has velvety brown eyes that are always kinder than she tries to pretend. And she is short—much too short for Evan he likes to joke. Evan is tall and has green, vibrant eyes that he got from his father.

I may be jealous of Evan’s fearlessness, but I’m jealous of Nicole’s looks. I hate admitting that to myself, let alone anyone else. But it is true. On my own, I will admit to being good enough looking. But next to Nicole I always feel my brown hair is more wood than chestnut and my blue eyes are more denim than saffire. We are the same height, but where she is voluptuous and supple, I’m waiflike and wispy. Nic would hit me in the arm and roll her eyes if she heard me say any of that. I would rub my arm and exaggerate how much it hurt to cover up how much it really did hurt and we would all laugh like it had been a joke anyway.

I hope it doesn’t sound like I am jealous of Nicole and Evan’s relationship. I’m not. I have a wonderful boyfriend. Ben is nice and funny and smart and considerate and everything a girl could want in a guy. He might not be as tall as Evan, but it makes him easier to dance with. While he’s not exotic looking, he has the classic boy-next-door good looks. His auburn hair is thick and soft and I love running my fingers through it. And his eyes are so blue they remind me of the way that you would imagine the ocean looked if you had never actually seen it. And If I’m admitting to jealousies, I have to own up to being jealous of Ben’s family. He has the perfect two parent home surrounded a white, picket fence. Literally. His dad built it as a joke but it looked so good no one could ever bring themselves to take it down.

Our little group of friends might seem normal and idealistic—like we are the average couples hanging out in the background of some college movie. Studying, horsing around, having fun. But, our little group has a darker side. We aren’t the group you see going to football games and bar hopping. No, nothing so ordinary for us. Surprisingly, or I guess it’s not that surprising really, we began spending our free time searching for the unexplained, the mysterious, the unknowable. Basically, we started ghost hunting.

I know, I know—ghosts don’t exist, right? But, just imagine—what if they do? Wouldn’t you want to find them? The four of us all have our reasons for getting involved in ghost hunting. Evan originally brought up the idea and I was as excited as he was. Nicole, always game for an adventure, was eager to go along with us too. As an art major, her open mind and willingness to explore the fantastical really wasn’t surprising. Evan and I, well, no one can really be surprised by our wanting to find out what is waiting on the other side of death. But, Ben, I’m pretty sure he only went along with the idea because his best friends were so keen to run off to abandoned houses and the like searching for excitement and answers to life’s greatest mysteries.

If this were a movie, this would be the point where you would assume that we would find a real haunted house and disturb some evil spirit that, in its anger, hunts us each down one by one and teaches us to not mess with the stuff that we aren’t meant to understand. I actually wish that was the story I was going to tell you. Hindsight is 20/20, so they say. Even though I tell myself I had no way of knowing what would happen, that doesn’t stop me from wishing that I had. What started out as innocent fun and experimentation turned into something much more sinister. If I had known what was coming, I would have done anything I could have to stop it.

Hi Brandy,

If it were me I would start with the very first line as a strong hook, then introduce your heroine. You've got a number of great ones already here which just grab the reader by the throat and you could run with. Your first line could be:

"I remember the fear.

I don't remember exactly what happened when my parents were murdered—I was only seven—but after their death I lived in fear. Every shadow, every closet door, was a hiding place for the Monster."

Or

"Ghosts don't exist, right?

But, just imagine—what if they do? Wouldn’t you want to find them?, etc."

Or

"My Aunt Heather swears that the man who killed my parents was just a burglar and that he will never come looking for me.

Eventually, I just stopped bringing it up because I hated seeing her lie."

Now this is absolutely just my opinion and I tend to like (and write) punchy one/two sentence beginnings.

Anyway, hope it helps.

Ah! Not only does my work flit between urban fantasy and horror, it also has a huge dose of the paranormal. It's a running theme through all of my work.

Thanks everyone. I love the suggestions.

Hi Brandy,

I think you've got a good premise, but this is almost all telling, as if the main character is just explaining the story instead of letting us live in it. A few people have already said they like the style, so maybe you don't want to change it. But if I were your editor, here's what I'd suggest.

Cut the first paragraph entirely and start with "My parents were murdered when I was seven years old." Then write that scene. I'll do a rough edit to show you what I mean:

"My parents were murdered when I was seven years old. I woke up without knowing why, but I felt the fear. Terror drove me to hide, so I ran to my closet. I sat in the dark, struggling to hold my breath so the "Monster" wouldn't hear me and get me, too. The only light that seeped through the cracks came from a small nightlight plugged in next to my bed. I curled into the tiniest ball possible, watching the shadows through the crack in the doorway as the Monster slithered around my room. Searching for me."

Instead of explaining everything about the friends upfront, I'd suggest going into the story and bringing in details slowly. You don't need to infodump the entire background of all the characters so fast.

I also like Ariel's suggestion about starting with a strong hook, you could work that in with the kind of edits I'm talking about, too.

You've got some good stuff here, with good story and writing skills. Just strictly my opinion, but I'd like to see you get to the story right away and feel like I'm reading some active scenes and dialog, instead of explanation.

That makes sense and I'll definitely consider your suggestions. I'm working on revisions now so I'm still at a stage where I can make changes fairly easily. I think you hit on the concerns that I had so it's giving me a good direction to go in. Thanks!

HI everyone! Happy to see everyone's posts!! First about me, I'm a published romance author with several novels in the Paranormal subgenre and love to read.

Aoife, I read your post and enjoyed how you jumped right in. That's a strong and positive way to write as it pulls the reader in right away, because now I want to know what happens next. You have it in first person, which makes it more personal for the main character's voice. It's a good start!

Brandy, I like the concept and thought it had good flow. I am going to agree with the others, by opening with the story of the parents death then going into your other characters relation to Talia you create a strong pull on the reader and give them something to feel... by creating sympathy and/or apathy for the character you establish a stronger and wonderful "hook".

Good luck to you both!! If either of you wants to bounce ideas or a chapter my way feel free. I say this because I love to read and I've written a demon huntress series and actually have an older sister who has witnessed and helped perform exorcisms in Cleveland and here in Phoenix. I am willing to admit I do actual cleansings actively for over 25yrs and have been a ghost hunter(30 yrs) before it became a popular thing to do,(currently have my own paranormal group of misfits) and would be happy to share experiences, etc to give ideas if that helps you with your writing. Feel free to ask.

My novel features witchcraft and black magic.

The wind howls incessantly in the darkest of night and in the blackest shadows lurk the demons. Beware all, who venture into the realm of, Celtic Blood …

http://tinyurl.com/CelticBloodPB

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggy-p6...

Artis Fricbergs
Hello everyone, my name is Artis. I joined GR late in 2013 right after publishing my first novel "The Muskokans", a historical fantasy adventure rooted in the paranormal. Like the rest of you, I love books, I love writing and am currently working on a sequel. I enjoy reading all genres, I love creativity and connecting with like-minded people. I hope this is the start of a beautiful friendship! cheers

Hi,
I'm Josephine. I've just had a quick look at Aoife's except about Z and Abigail.. Well I just got sucked right in..

I've published my first book 'Fire and Fangs'. There is a sequel which will be available soon and third is in the works... Its a paranormal romance/Urban fantasy and I hope it will appeal to some of you and you will enjoy it if you decide to check it out.. I've gotten a few reviews so far and they are all really positive..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fire-Fangs-Bl...

I can't wait to see what other books you can all introduce me to.. I love reading just as much (if not a little bit more) as writing..

Hey there! Nice to meet you guys. I'm Kyo. I write primarily urban fantasy, and I've just dipped a toe into the paranormal romance department.

My first novel is The Black Parade, and I have a short story collection coming out May 9 called The Deadly Seven, which I am currently running a giveaway for (enter here: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...) and I'm also currently giving out ARCs in exchange for honest reviews.

If you're interested in the ARCs, shoot me an email to [email protected] or PM on GR. Nice to meet you guys! Feel free to friend me.

Brandy wrote: "Well, here goes. I'm little unsure how I feel about this part. It is the first part of chapter one. The very opening of the book and I don't know if I like it or not. I think I'm afraid it's no..."

Its very interesting, although I would also bring in the other characters in slowly so you could develop them more.. Despite that, it does flow really well and its got feel to it that makes you want to read more..

Hey fellow writers! I write romance in more than one genre. I've been writing fantasy for a while, particularly for the YA crowd, but I branched out this year and published my NA paranormal romance. Werewolves, vampires, and all that. I love finding new books to read, so I'm excited to explore this group and see what else I can find.

Oh, and if you're interested in seeing what my story is about, it's here. Burned

If you ever want to talk writing, let me know or send me a friend request!

Hello, fellow PR authors. I'm just jumping in with a question. :P What would you do/should you do if you have a book currently published and you revise and edit it changing the ending. Should you overwrite the current release by just uploading new one, or remove original, upload new edition with different title and cover?

Dee

Might depend on how many sales/reviews on your old version. You may not want to start from scratch if you have good numbers

Hi! I just started in Goodreads a few weeks ago, still getting into the habit of being active on the forums. These are great places to find advice!

As for your question, I would look into the content editing guidelines at the place you've published with. They might have guidelines/rules you need to follow if you're changing the actual content (ie. ending). Personally, I would publish a separate addition and maybe add a subtitle to the title that indicates that it's a director's cut or a separate version from the original.

Hope this helps!

-Kat

D.A. wrote: "Hello, fellow PR authors. I'm just jumping in with a question. :P What would you do/should you do if you have a book currently published and you revise and edit it changing the ending. Should you o..."

Excellent question and that's what we need to keep this thread going.
I think you've already gotten some good advice. My question would be why are you changing the ending. To polish it up, perhaps reword a few passages, is one thing. To change the ending seems dangerous to me.
If you really feel you must, I'd put a new cover on it and take the old version down completely. Call it a re-release.
On Amazon or Nook, you can do this at any time. The old version will be available until the new goes live. On Smashwords, you have to go through the whole approval process again before it goes out to other retailers.

I actually have a question for you guys, too. I'm thinking of tweaking/updating the title of my book, Reckoning. Unfortunately, there's a ton of books out there with the same title. It would still keep Reckoning in the title, but I was wondering what the general opinion on title changing was...

Thanks!

Jacqueline wrote: "D.A. wrote: "Hello, fellow PR authors. I'm just jumping in with a question. :P What would you do/should you do if you have a book currently published and you revise and edit it changing the ending...."

Thank you all for the great advice!

"Might depend on how many sales/reviews on your old version..." - Teshelle said.
Good point. No, my sales are low. It's not been out for very long.

"They might have guidelines/rules you need to follow if you're changing the actual content (ie. ending). Personally, I would publish a separate addition and maybe add a subtitle to the title that indicates that it's a director's cut or a separate version from the original." said Katheryn

Yes, I will do that! Thank you.

"My question would be why are you changing the ending.... I'd put a new cover on it and take the old version down completely. Call it a re-release.
On Amazon or Nook, you can do this at any time. The old version will be available until the new goes live. On Smashwords, you have to go through the whole approval process again before it goes out to other retailers." said Jacqueline

I hear that. It has some detailed bedroom scenes that I wanted to remove so it might appeal to a wider audience, but I found things that needed to be corrected. I also wanted to make it a mini series (it's a novella)and the current version didn't allow for that.

ARG! Yes, I feared as much with Smashwords. I'll have to check Amazon's guidelines.

Thank you all so very much! Excellent feedback!

@D.A. I wouldn't worry about the sex. It's almost expected in PNR unless your marketing to YA. PNR readers who don't want it will skim if the story is good. Also, I suspect you're talking about a part1, part2 etc. with cliffhangers. If so, you can use the book as and intro, but beware. Just as many readers don't like them as do. Not judging, just saying.

Jacqueline wrote: "@D.A. I wouldn't worry about the sex. It's almost expected in PNR unless your marketing to YA. PNR readers who don't want it will skim if the story is good. Also, I suspect you're talking about a p..."

You are SOOOO right about the cliffhanger thing. I don't like them - but here's the ridiculous part - I can't help but buy the next one because I still have to find out what happened. No, it's not YA. :)

D.A. wrote: "Jacqueline wrote: "@D.A. I wouldn't worry about the sex. It's almost expected in PNR unless your marketing to YA. PNR readers who don't want it will skim if the story is good. Also, I suspect you'r..."

Then it appears you have it handled. Good luck!

My apologies, everyone. I just realized I never said hello! I'm an Indie author with 9 PNRs to my name. A little over a year ago, I took the frightening leap from day job to full time writer and haven't looked back since. I'm no expert, and I've certainly made some big mistakes along the way, but I'll be glad to share what little I know and hope to learn a few things, too.

Jacqueline wrote: "My apologies, everyone. I just realized I never said hello! I'm an Indie author with 9 PNRs to my name. A little over a year ago, I took the frightening leap from day job to full time writer and ha..."

That is fantastic! We learn from mistakes and we all make them. Thank you for all your advice!

Dee

If you’re interested in knowing more about me, my writing, my first YA Paranormal/Time Travel/First romance novel entitled “I Kissed a Ghost”; check out my latest interview http://tinyurl.com/ldslcwj

I’d love to read your comments.

How cool! Love that everyone is sharing their work and helping others! I've self published one novel and am about to release a dystopian series.

Here's the first clip of The Deadliners, which is a paranormal/supernatural crossover:

As the motorbike spun, the screeching of metal on concrete seeped into her ears. The brutal abrasive surface ripped at her skin, beating her body with its unrelenting hardness. This wasn’t good. She stopped. Everything stopped. The sound of traffic, people speaking, sirens and crying, attacked her ears. She let it sink into her head. She knew it would be too late for her; she couldn’t feel her body. The numbness crawled over muscles, towards her brain. Her mind was the last thing to die.
‘Hello there,’ a deep voice whispered. She cracked open her eyes, letting in the glaring light. It didn’t hurt though. In fact, she felt good. She started to climb to her feet, noticing a pulling sensation as she sat. Looking up, she saw a tall, dark-haired man standing over her. His hand was held out towards her as he smiled.
‘Who are you?’ She reached out slowly and placed her palm against his.
‘I’m Danny,’ he replied as he pulled her to stand. She looked back at where she’d been lying and rubbed her eyes. Her heart tried to escape her chest. There, on the floor, lay a body - her broken and twisted body.
‘What...?’ Her words trailed off as Danny turned her away from her old self. A bright flash enveloped them, clearing to reveal a sparkling lake.
‘Anna, I’d like to welcome you as my newest recruit,’ he said. She looked around her. Where was she? Where was her mum?
A community of houses and buildings lay in the distance.
‘What is this? What’s going on? Am I in heaven?’ Anna spun in a circle, facing the woods, the buildings, Danny.
‘No, this isn’t heaven. This is your new home. You’re a spirit, Anna, and you have a new job.’ He took her hand and made her face him.
‘A job…?’
‘Yes...welcome to your new life as a Deadliner.’

It definitely interests me. I want to keep reading and find out more. So, I think you've hit the mark as far as capturing the reader.

I do think you could make the first paragraph longer and more intense, describing her physical and emotional state a little more. Also, I think you could add more details to what her body looks like and spend a little more time on her reaction. It would be pretty overwhelming, and it doesn't feel like it got the attention it deserves.

Hope the input is helpful! Thanks for sharing it.

I liked it a lot too. Def made me want to read more. But I agree--I would add some more details to flesh it out more.

D.A. wrote: "Hello, fellow PR authors. I'm just jumping in with a question. :P What would you do/should you do if you have a book currently published and you revise and edit it changing the ending...."

With Amazon, if you made huge changes and took note of them you can send them an email with the detail list and ask them to put the new edited version available for old customers. (They'll get the updated copy.)
I've done that with mine since I've made huge changes, although not in the story itself but removing parts that were unnecessary. The problem is, it can take up to 40 days for Amazon to decide and well, unless I missed something, you don't get the verdict. (So I have no clue if they accepted my request and send emails to the old customers.) However, I've often received emails telling me that a title had been updated and to log on etc etc to get the new version.
It's a lot of work, especially if you haven't noted anything while making the changes but it's worth the try. At least even the ones who have bought it will get the new version.

Now, you're saying it's a novella and you want to add a cliffhanger? Maybe some will go ahead and buy the next one but for each who will do, you'll have twice as many who will warn others about it and that will scare potential buyers.

I'm not going to judge, although yes, maybe I will. If your story is great, and people love it, they will go for the next one even without cliffhangers. Please, don't get offended, but I believe a huge cliffhanger is a cheap way to try to get people. Especially if it feels forced. In a novella, people will think, with reasons, that the whole thing could have been made into a novel instead.

May I ask what makes you think that you will get more buyers by tricking them? They'll need to buy the first one to begin with and if reviews complain about the awkward ending, you risk losing more than gaining. Just my two cents. Good luck either way. :)

Hi Everyone, I'm glad I found this group!
When I wrote "A Portal in Time," I wanted to write a page turning story about a young woman who has a highly evolved sense of ESP, which sets the stage for the course of events that unfold in alternating chapters of two time periods, set in the same location. I didn't intend for it to be "Paranormal" but because it concerns the question of past lives, my publisher (of which I'm grateful to have)has classified the book as Paranormal. I've been promoting the book as a Paranormal Romance but also as a Paranormal Mystery and even sometimes as a Paranormal/Historical Romance. I think the book defies genre, and is just a good story! Has anyone else out there written a book that straddles the genre lines? Has it therefore been tricky promoting it? Does anyone have anything to say re: promoting a book that has a little bit of everything yet is classified as Paranormal because its premise is not a commonly held belief?

Daniel wrote: "I've been experiencing the same thing. In the beginning, I didn't know which genre to classify my book as. To me it was all about romance in a fantasy setting. But others said it was a combination ..."

Claire wrote: "Hi Everyone, I'm glad I found this group!
When I wrote "A Portal in Time," I wanted to write a page turning story about a young woman who has a highly evolved sense of ESP, which sets the stage for..."

If it's romance with even a hint of paranormal, classify it as PNR. It's a good market and highly flexible in classification. Claire, be careful of the PNR/historical classification. You could turn off readers from both! I tried a PNR/western and was very lucky I had a loyal following. I got several WTF? emails over it.

DARK NIGHT SERIES- This is a YA Paranormal/Romance series.
Dark Night Volume 1: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MAS0LDG
Bloodthirst: Dark Night Vol 2: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MT4M5VC

Hey everybody! I'm thrilled to announce that for a limited period, my YA Paranormal Romance will be available on Amazon for only $0.99! The debut has received some excellent reviews and has been described as an original, page-turning read. Click below to get your copy before the offer ends!

http://www.amazon.com/How-Wolf-Lost-H...

Hello! This is just the thread I needed. I published a Paranormal Romance about 8 months ago called THE GUARDIAN. It is about an Angel who falls in love with a girl, and the Fallen Angels see her as their opportunity to force him to fall and lead a legion of demons. Although I do have some steamy scenes, possible rape, and lots of fighting scenes, I have had several book bloggers and an author call it a "clean" or "religious" read. Don't get me wrong, I am very grateful for their reviews, but my question is this; what makes it clean? How far does the intimate scenes have to go in order to be seen as "regular" or "mainstream" reads? Do readers really expect steamy sex scenes from a book categorized as just 'Romance'? They always seemed so let down that there wasn't really any softcore porn, which is not the point of my book at all. So, is having a 'clean' romance story unpopular?

Thank you D.R., those are my sentiments exactly. I just hope that being labeled a "clean" or "religious" read will not affect the sales. I suppose I am just going to have to use this label to my advantage. Watch out tweens and soccer moms, here I come!

I can't believe I didn't stumble across this thread earlier!

Earlier this year I published 2 e-books
Shadow Weavers 1: Hummingbird
Shadow Weavers 2: Nightingale

The thrid and (probably) final is very slowly on its way. Life has been interfering with writing for months now. Doesn't it know what's more important?

Personally I find coming up with ideas the easiest part of writing (choosing which to focus on is harder) and writing is time consuming but not a problem. For me it's the promotion that drives me crazy. It feels like banging my head against a brick wall although it has let me get to know a lot more people here on GR.

I just recently published my dark fantasy paranormal book online called Rogue Light

Its a fast paced story about true friendship that takes a totally dark spin into a world where monsters and beasts rule the lands. Scariest part is that anything and everything is possible under one rule, "you get what you want the most in the world by losing what means the most to you."

Hi I'm a new PR author. I just recently release by book Fate Reborn. Be sure to check it out.Fate Reborn

Only Human, the first book in my new UF, released last week to fantastic reviews.

My first PNR, a sister series to the UF, will release in about six weeks.

The idea is to let the secondary characters in the UF get their HEA's in the PNR. Not sure how it'll work out, but it's what my Muse wanted to do, and I've found it best not to argue with the Muse :)

Fire's LoveEarth's EmbraceHi everyone,

I recently published my second book in my series, Elemental Series, a fantasy genre/paranormal romance, family friendly appropriate for all ages, but more YA to NA. The Elemental series is a planned five-book series which will follow the adventures of Kira Phoenix as she goes to college, encounters demons, confronts evil and finds love.

The first book in the series was released in 2013 - Fire's Love. Synopsis: Kira thought she was leaving her demons behind when she left for college. Unfortunately, demons are everywhere. Not only are they real, but they're protecting her; that is, except for the ones who want her dead. Kira's parents want to reveal things to her about who she really is, but a strange phenomena prevents them from explaining. Before they can try again, her mother and brother die and her father disappears. To make matters worse, Kira finds a mysterious book in her parents' belongings. Although the book confuses Kira, it comforts her too. She's sure it holds some of the answers she's been searching for. Kira soon learns that one of her new friends, Lowell Hew, is also a demon - Ulric the Wolf. Lowell tries to help her solve the mysteries involving her parents, the book and the elements they wanted her to know. Things are going well until an eerie presence begins to threaten Kira and her new friends, and they can only speculate as to who it may be. While her new friends protect her and try to uncover their enemy's identity, Kira falls in love with Pyre, a fire demon with a fiery temperament. Will she bask in the warmth, or be consumed by the flames?

The second book, Earth's Embrace, was released in December 2014. Synopsis:Kira's journey to discover who she really is continues. As she tries to separate truth from lies and uncover the secrets, an old friend returns looking for more than just Kira’s blood. Kira's worries for her boyfriend Pyre, a fire demon, have only begun as he attempts to deal with his own dilemmas. With the appearance of an old flame, discovering family he didn’t know he had, and the revelation of a potential new foe, Pyre is uncertain where to turn. Pyre chooses to conceal his secrets, in an effort to protect Kira, but only causes her more pain, forcing Kira to delve into his past as well as her own. Meanwhile, Kira’s best friend, Lowell Hew aka Ulric the Wolf Thief, struggles with his lingering feelings for Cadel, the love who died in his arms, and the guilt he carries for her death. As he attempts to cope with his own past, he meets and falls in love with Lur, who he learns might be a demon and a threat to Kira. He grapples with his feelings for Lur, and his apprehension that she might be an enemy he must destroy. Between the appearance of old friends and lost relatives, and meeting new friends and family, it’s hard to know who to trust. Will Kira be able to overcome the harsh reality or will she be crushed by the Earth's Embrace.

The third book, Water's Reflection, will be released in 2015.

I see some really good books mentioned in this thread that I know I want to read. :) I feel I'm in good company. I accept friend requests and look forward to the great discussions in this group.

Kind regards,

Alex
Alex E. Carey
Author of the Elemental Series
www.AlexECarey.com

I'm sorry, I forgot to mention that I have a Goodreads Giveaway running through April 6th, if you'd like to sign up for it. It can be found here: http://goo.gl/KBo5wB.

Thanks! :)

Lydia wrote: "Thank you D.R., those are my sentiments exactly. I just hope that being labeled a "clean" or "religious" read will not affect the sales. I suppose I am just going to have to use this label to my ad..."

Hi Lydia and D. R.,

I agree with D. R.. I would much prefer to read a book that leaves something to the imagination rather than laying it all out. I love to imagine myself in the story, wherever the plot or scene is going at the moment. Maybe they only called it a religious read because it includes angels and demons? There's nothing wrong in my opinion in it being a clean read. My books are the same. I think people are looking for more clean reads. Look at the success of Twilight and Harry Potter. Adults and kids both love those series. Not to mention with so much sex and teen pregnancy these days, I think it's good for teens to have something to read that says that romance is about more than that. And honestly when Twilight came out, my friends my age said exactly what I just said. They loved that Edward was "old school", that a book/movie was telling them it's okay to wait, without it being judgmental or authoritarian. Young people need to know what it really means to be in a relationship, what romance is, what true love is. It's not just going out to have fun, and then... ya know. :)

I went to look up your book. It sounds like a fascinating plot. I see it's only available in paperback currently. Don't get me wrong - I prefer books I can hold, but I was curious why you don't have it available in e-book yet?

D.R. Your book sounds interesting too! I've marked them both to read. :)

Kind regards,

Alex

I'm a new author. I recently published my first book. Vengeance This is a great thread. I have read through some of the previous posts. There is a very talented group of authors posting here.

I would like to post an excerpt in hopes of some feedback.

He programmed his destination into the GPS of his black Jaguar XKR. Five hours, huh. Clearly, it's just a suggestion. I don't drive a car like this to go the speed limit, Brax thought to himself as he sped off toward the highway. He covered the three hundred miles to Layton, Michigan, in about three hours with an average speed of ninety. Before checking out his temporary home, he decided to start surveillance and drove to Liza's neighborhood. He stood in the tree line surrounding her house. His sensitive vampire hearing allowed him to hear her steady slow inhales and exhales. What would she look like as she slept? Her breathing patterns changed, becoming more erratic. He could smell her fear. He sprinted to the rear of her house. Dammit. Second floor. Being a three hundred year old born vampire had its advantages. Born vampires tend to have abilities their turned brethren rarely exhibit. Brax can hear other's thoughts and alter his form. Not to an animal, like a shifter, but he can become a shadow or mist, making it easier for him to perform surveillance. Most vampires can also dematerialize from one place to another. In shadow form, he rose up to her window and peered in. She was alone, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. Brax could hear her moaning and she was tossing around. The pungent odor of fear was heavy in the air. The urge to wrap around her and ease her fears was nearly overpowering. She had thrashed around enough that her covers were no longer serving their intended purpose. Her tank top had twisted around her body, exposing one of her perfect breasts to him. His mouth watered at the sight of her taught nipple. Her dark hair, loosely braided into a simple plait, was resting between the swells of her breasts. Then her scent hit him like a ton of bricks. It was an amazing blend of cinnamon and vanilla. Mine, he thought. This can't be happening. I've had a mate and couldn't keep her safe. Why would I deserve another chance at love? He reluctantly left her window, but something about her was calling to him.

***

Liza's heart was racing as she woke; jumping up onto the bed crouched for battle. Shit. Another nightmare. I've never had two in a row. She stopped, lifting her nose to the air, what the hell? She scented a vampire. A scent this strong meant one of two things, either a vampire had been in her house or just outside it. She climbed out of bed, grabbed her Sig Sauer from her nightstand and searched her rooms. The inside of her house was clear, so she grabbed a pair of shorts and proceeded outside. She was able to track the scent to her bedroom window. A male vampire had definitely been outside her window. Not only was the male outside, but he had been on her windowsill. Not a simple task because her window is on the second floor. If she wasn't so pissed about her invasion of privacy, she may have been impressed. His scent was fresh, like the woods after a hard rain. The scent alone dampened her panties. Liza get your head together. This vampire was watching you sleep and you're gettin' all hot and bothered. Liza scolded herself as she walked back to the front of her house.

Brax stayed downwind from her and in shadow form. He watched Liza search her rooms with her gun drawn. Shit. She is so sexy. Does she have to wear such short shorts? She was tracking his scent. She followed it around to the back of her house and was able to pinpoint where he had been outside her window. Damn, she's good. Then he heard something, causing his fangs to drop, ready to kill. It was the thoughts of the human, approaching Liza.

What do we have here? She looks good enough to eat. I think I might just get myself a little piece of that. "Hey girl."

Oh shit, Dominic, this asshole is the last thing I want to deal with tonight. "Hey," Liza answered shortly.

"What is a lovely girl like you, doing out dressed like that, in this neighborhood?" the thug asked, while undressing her with his eyes and stepping into her personal space.
Liza chose her house because it was close to work and the edge of town, not because of the neighbors. It wasn't the best neighborhood in town. "You don't intimidate me. I suggest you walk away."

"Are you threatening me, bitch," he sneered, pulling a handgun out of his waistband. Liza was too fast for the simple thug. "What the hell?" He squealed.

She had his back pressed against the side of her house, her hand squeezing his throat. Her claws extended into his tender flesh, drawing blood. With her other hand she pressed her Sig into Dominic's side and allowed her fangs to drop. "Step off, kiddo," she growled. She was tired of having to mesmerize this asshole. It seemed like a weekly event. This is the last time I'm going to tolerate this bastard. She gazed into the frightened human's eyes, "You will forget what I did to you this evening and never be anything but protective of the females you come in contact with in the future." She released him and watched, with a satisfied look, as he staggered off her lawn toward the street. Liza looked around and thought, I really need to do something with this garden. It's full of weeds.

Brax looked on from his hiding place, with a mix of pride and surprise. This female is not a simpering little victim. She is strong and fearless, a perfect mate. Oh shit. I can't be thinking like this, she's a witness. I've got to stay away from her. Brax adjusted his painfully hard cock and dematerialized from the tree line near Liza's house, reappearing down the street, where he left his car.

Aoife wrote: "From Hunters Chapter One By Aoife Marie Sheridan


“How long has she being like this?” I asked as Z got himself ready, father peter didn’t give much details, just needed me to get there as quick as..."

I've never read anything similar. Excellent.

Rachel wrote: "How cool! Love that everyone is sharing their work and helping others! I've self published one novel and am about to release a dystopian series.

Here's the first clip of The Deadliners, which is a..."

I will be adding this to my list. I'm hooked.

Great thread! I write YA paranormal, you can take a look at my books in my profile or follow the link to Smashwords. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
I am always interested in finding new reviewers and getting feedback so if you'd like to be one please DM me.
Thanks!
I will be checking out some of the work mentioned here!
-CD

I have published five books in the paranormal urban fantasy genre in the world of The Telepathic Clans.


The history of the Clans, called the Sidhe by the Irish, stretches back to antiquity. The Goddess blesses Her people with 25 Telepathic Gifts. In addition to Telepathy, the Gifts include command over Air and Fire, Telekinesis and Teleportation. In over 2,500 years, She has never bestowed more than 15 Gifts on a single person.

BR Kingsolver







And also a boxed set containing all five books.