Error in Kindle Astral Bodies 5 + NaNoWriMo

It was pointed out to me that in the kindle version of Astral Bodies 5, Chapter 25 is actually chapter 12 from part three! GAH!  Sorry for anyone that downloaded it and might have been confused, but the error has since been corrected and should be live very soon.  It was ONLY THE KINDLE version that was affected, so if you downloaded it elsewhere you're a-okay.

Now, on to NaNoWriMo!

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I'm doing terribly.  Only in the sense that I've been busy with school, and started working on Phasing a bit more??  I don't even know how it's already the end of November.  I didn't get nearly as much done on Misled Souls (Astral Bodies 2) that I wanted, but hey, there's still a few more days.  I'm sure I can do SOMETHING.

And speaking of Astral Bodies!  The full version will be available soon!  December first the compilation will be available, and is currently on for preorder at select retailers :)  I'm also adding a few more chapters to Wattpad until the full version is available.

The Next Crossings

So Glenbrook has been out for a few days, and I've already had people ask me about the ending!  Or better yet, what happens to Liv and Jared?  Together, not together?  I was saving this kind of post for a future date when I had more concrete plans, but I'll post it here to quell any worries people may have.

Glenbrook IS the final Ethereal Crossings.  It IS NOT the end of Liv and Jared's journey (as well as a couple other characters).  I repeat, Liv and Jared will return!  I just need a small break from them.  I have a fifth book in the works, but currently I have other projects I want to work on before focusing on that.  If you've already read the book and seen the teaser text at the end, you might know what's coming ;)  And thanks to everyone who has already read the book!  Jeez it's only been four days!!

But yes, I just thought I would post this earlier than planned for those worried about Liv and Jared.

Happy Release Day Glenbrook!

I probably should have posted this earlier, but Glenbrook is officially out!  The fourth book in The Ethereal Crossings series, ah that's so weird to say.  I hope everyone that has followed Liv this far enjoys the next adventure.  And thanks again to everyone who has bought/downloaded the books!  You're the reason I've come as far as I have as a writer!

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE SERIES!

NaNoWriMo 2014, Day 1

Today marks the start of NaNoWriMo!  I've been waiting for this for what feels like forever, because I'm so excited to get working on Misled Souls, the second novel in the Astral Bodies series!  To kick off day one I thought I would post the temporary cover (that may also turn into the official cover!).

Arrowood was a quiet city, or so Tess thought.  Until she met Adler she never thought much of murders, warlocks, or ghosts; not in real life at least.  But now that she knows what’s out there she’s more determined than ever to develop her skills and help those that can’t be helped by normal means.

With the Arrowood Vampire gone, Adler brings Tess to their next case; finding the missing bodies of Arrowood.  Over the past week dead bodies have been disappearing from graveyards and morgues, and the police believe they’re being stolen.  Adler thinks they’re breaking themselves out.

Evidence shows that a man dug himself out of his own grave, and a woman walked herself out of her own autopsy.  The undead are rising all over the city, and it’s up to Tess to figure out why.

Now, I'm off to start some writing!  You can track my progress on my NaNoWriMo page here.  I'll most likely start posting excerpts on Wattpad within the next couple of weeks as well!

Anyway, to everyone participating this year, Happy NaNoWriMo!

Halloween Sale

I'm putting Threads of Chaos to free as a Halloween sale!  A giveaway is also in the making on Goodreads, so I'll be sure to post when that's open.

Currently Threads of Chaos is only free at Smashwords, but it will soon go out to retailers.  Here are the links!

Smashwords

B&N

Kobo

Apple iBooks

Mercy Singer died five months ago, but the doctor’s brought her back. Too bad she came back damaged; she’s started to have visions of people dying, and conversations with people that like to vanish. She thinks she's crazy, but when new kids Eve and Tristan Holmes suggest what she's seeing might be real she begins to wonder.
What if she came back for a reason?

Astral Bodies 2

NaNoWriMo is starting very soon, so I thought I would post the synopsis + title for what I'll be working on!  As stated before, I'll be writing Astral Bodies 2, the continuation of Tess's journey with Adler as she solves supernatural crimes in Arrowood.  I have quite a bit outlined for this, so I'm hoping I'm able to get a lot done between school and other things.

The current title (it could change) for Astral Bodies 2 is...

Misled Souls

Arrowood was a quiet city, or so Tess thought.  Until she met Adler she never thought much of murders, warlocks, or ghosts; not in real life at least.  But now that she knows what’s out there she’s more determined than ever to develop her skills and help those that can’t be helped by normal means.

With the Arrowood Vampire gone, Adler brings Tess to their next case; finding the missing bodies of Arrowood.  Over the past week dead bodies have been disappearing from graveyards and morgues, and the police believe they’re being stolen.  Adler thinks they’re breaking themselves out.

Evidence shows that a man dug himself out of his own grave, and a woman walked herself out of her own autopsy.  The undead are rising all over the city, and it’s up to Tess to figure out why.


I am ridiculously excited to start working on this.  I've gotten the beginning outlined and ready to go, and I'm dying to begin!  You can read the first part of Tess's journey in Astral Bodies, which has multiple free parts to it (or preorder the full version which is available this December).

New Cover for Threads of Chaos

Threads of Chaos is getting a new cover, one that will be available in print soon on Amazon.  Without further ado here's the new cover!  It will be going out to retailers soon and hopefully a giveaway will be available before Christmas.

“When the fate of one is changed, everything changes.  One person changes everything.”

Mercy Singer died five months ago, but the doctor’s managed to bring her back.  And she was told by her new therapist that it was normal to think there was danger around every corner, and that seeing things was part of the healing process.  What Mercy hasn’t told anyone is how vivid her dreams are, how it’s not actually her dying in them, and she also hasn’t mentioned the conversations she’s had with people that vanish.

And when the new boy in town, Tristan Holmes, finds her freaking out in the street, claiming to see a man that isn’t there, she thinks her return to school might have been too soon.  Until his sister approaches her, claiming to know what’s going on, and that she wants to help Mercy.

Now numbers keep floating around Mercy’s head, and she knows it’s a countdown to something big.  There’s a darkness coming to Balefire Bay High, and she thinks she’s the only one that can stop it.

NaNoWriMo 2014

So the past two years I've been doing NaNoWriMo, and this year will be no different.  Though it does come at a time when I'm in the middle of a project!  Phasing is starting to wrap up, so I thought I would follow the actual rules this year (to work on something you have written absolutely nothing on).  It's a difficult rule for me to follow, since I usually write the first couple of chapters to everything I think of and then put it aside for quite a while.  But I realized that I hadn't started one project, and NaNoWriMo was the perfect excuse to divide my attention! YAY!

My serial novel Astral Bodies completed this year, so for NaNoWriMo I will be working on Astral Bodies 2!  I've written nothing for it, other than a few brief notes on the plot so I look forward to seeing what I can come up with in the heat of the moment.


I don't have a title yet, so I'm just going to be calling this one Astral Bodies 2, and it will be the continuation of Tess's journey with Adler.  I'll post the temporary blurb closer to NaNoWriMo!

Glenbrook Excerpt

There's only a month left until Glenbrook is out!  Can you believe it?  I certainly can't.  I honestly never thought I'd get this far with Liv's journey, or have her do some of the things she has.  But I have, and it is all thanks to you lovely readers :)  So thanks for supporting me!  Here's an excerpt from Chapter 6 of Glenbrook (and if you haven't already, you can read the first five chapters on Wattpad).

The Fenridge clan was much larger than I had anticipated.  When I heard the word “clan” I thought of a small village of maybe two dozen people; not this.  This was a city, an entire race hidden beneath one tent.

The image of the sleeping bags and pillows melted away when I stepped inside, and it almost felt like being pulled into the Shade with Emerson.  After a moment of feeling woozy I was feeling stronger than ever.   Even better than when I had my other half come out.  I eyed the patrons.

Each person here showed their scales with ease, and as a few of them laughed I saw pointed teeth.  They sat at long wooden tables, filled with various foods, most of it meat.  I had to wrinkle my nose at the portions on their plates; I’d never be able to eat that much.

Past the rows of tables was a dance floor and band, but only a few dragons were actually dancing.  Their movements seemed forced, like they weren’t sure what to do with themselves there.  Another thing we had in common.  I arched an eyebrow.

“Damn, it’s hot in here,” Jared said.  He stepped in after Keiji, followed my Merelda.  Jared was already sweating, but I couldn’t sense any extra heat.

“We like it like this,” Merelda told us.  “The heat is comforting.”

“Right,” Jared murmured.  He clearly didn’t want to upset his host when there were so many Eidolon around.  I didn’t blame him; there was no way he had enough bullets for everyone here.  I hoped he wasn’t about to bring his gun out.

“This is wonderful,” Keiji said.  “Are your sons here?”

“Of course.”  Merelda lit up with a smile, a smile that didn’t seem malicious or predatory like before.  The skin around her eyes crinkled, her gums showing even.  She was proud of her sons.  “They’ll be out shortly.”

“I haven’t seen them in quite some time,” Keiji went on.  “How old are they now?”

Merelda laughed.  “You know better than to ask a woman that, Keiji.”

As they continued their light conversation I watched for anything that might be able to help me.  Any sign that someone might be more willing than another to take me into Shadeland, because Merelda seemed to have another motive.  I wasn’t sure what it was just yet, but something wasn’t right.  She was being too kind, too…secretive with her words.  It was only a feeling I got from her but I trusted my instincts.  And I needed them now more than ever.

“If we eat anything are we trapped here forever?” Jared asked, a hint of boredom in his tone.

Merelda paused, as if to hold her fury back.  The area around her eyes fluctuated, drifting between scales and pale skin.  “Don’t think so low of us; we are better than faeries,” she sneered.  She quickly steeled herself and smiled again; this time it was forced.  “Anyway, enjoy.  I need to check on the other guests.”

“Ah, I’ll join—” Keiji began, following after Merelda.  He was stopped as Jared grabbed the collar of his SLAYER tee-shirt and yanked backwards.

“You’ll stay with us,” Jared ordered.  “We don’t exactly have experience here.”

I jerked my head towards Jared, unable to believe what he has just said.  He glared at me.  “Yes, I admit that I don’t know exactly how to handle this situation.”  Instinctively his hand went towards his gun, but I grabbed his wrist to stop him.

“We’ll be fine,” I said.  “We’re already in Shadeland, we just need a way out now.”

“We—”

“I certainly hope you aren’t thinking of leaving so soon,” a man said.  We all turned to find a man wearing a lavish tuxedo.  His frightening white hair stood out against the black fabric, only illuminating his eyes more.  The thin pupils and pale blue scales made me think he was Merelda’s son.

“Quinten,” Keiji exclaimed, “you’ve grown!”  He laughed loudly.  “The last time I saw you you were my height.” 

I glanced between them, a clear two foot difference now.  Keiji went on, again, and I realized he was nervous.  “Quinten, this is Liv and Jared, and of course you know Azazel.  Everyone, this is Quinten, Merelda’s eldest son.”

“Enchanted,” Quinten said, giving us a small bow.  “Please, call me Quin.”

“Nice to meet ya,” Jared drawled.  “Your mother always throw parties like this?”

Quin smiled at Jared before turning to me.  “There are special circumstances.”  Jared stepped closer to me, pushing me away from Quin.

“Well, it was nice meeting you,” he said, “but we really should get something to eat.  Airplane food just isn’t quite as good as it used to be.”

Quin nodded and didn’t try to stop us from walking away.  We moved all of five feet before being stopped by yet another white-haired Dragon.

“Rueben,” Keiji said, “you’ve returned?”

Reuben was clearly younger than Quin, his face more round and soft.  But his scales were out, and he gave a mischievous smile.  “Mother ordered me home,” he explained.  “Apparently there was talk of exposure; she wanted me back in the nest.”  He looked to me.  “I can see why.  You must be Liv; I’m Reuben, Merelda’s son.”

I nodded my greeting.

“Let’s try this way,” Jared mumbled, dragging me away from Reuben.  “What kind of name is Reuben?”

Much like his brother, Reuben didn’t try to stop us.  Another few feet away and we were stopped yet again.  It began to grind on my nerves.

“Damn it,” Jared grumbled.  We were surrounded by Dragons, I didn’t know why Jared thought we might find an escape in the middle of the crowd.

“Good day, Enoch,” Keiji said.  “You’ve really…grown up.”

The third son of Merelda towered over us, even more so than Neeson or any of my brothers.  His arms were almost the size of my waist, and he didn’t give off the same gentle air his brothers did.  He didn’t even need to have his scales showing to be threatening.

“Good day, Keiji,” Enoch replied.  “I was told to come home to celebrate, but I’m not sure why yet.”  He looked to me.  “For this?”

Keiji flinched, his eyebrow twitching with…annoyance?  “Yes, this is the newcomer.  We’ve come to ask Merelda for help getting into the Shade.”

Enoch grunted.  “You’ve accomplished your mission then.”

Jared gave Keiji a shove and pulled me along.  Enoch didn’t look insulted by our leave, but rather glad.  His brow unfurled in the slightest of manners and he marched over to the banquet.

“What does that mean?” Jared questioned.

“We’re already in Shadeland."

Complete Release of Astral Bodies

My serial novel Astral Bodies completed in August, so I thought it was time to set up the compilation!  You'll be available to buy it for the same price as the individual parts ($3.99), but with the convenience of one file :)  Pre-order it and get it as soon as it's available on December 1, 2014.  Or I mean, if you can't wait, all parts are already up for sale!

There’s been a murder in Arrowood with only one witness, and she can’t come forward with any information because she technically wasn’t there.
Twenty-year-old Tess has the ability to astral project, and while going for a midnight walk in the woods she stumbles across a ritual murder. Not only that, the killer was actually able to see her when nobody else could.
After leaving an anonymous tip with the police, Tess thinks her life can return to normal, until Jonas Adler contacts her and offers her a job she just can’t refuse. He wants her to become his apprentice and work with the FBI using her unique ability to find the killer.
Tess is soon thrust into a world that both terrifies and excites her, and into a job she never knew she wanted.

Smashwords Pre-Order

Amazon Pre-Order

Free eBook - The Warden in the Gates

I've decided to do a sale on The Warden in the Gates, so for a limited time you can get it free!

Des Grayson is the descendent of druids, along with everyone else in the Eclipse Gated community. And when they turn 16, they must go through a sacred ritual called a Placement Ceremony. When placed, they receive a gift from their ancestors, making them Wardens and giving them the ability to control the elements and more.

But after Des goes to her ceremony, her gift is like no other, and she begins to hear whispers about a war. A war that she is destined to start. She’s told to just allow it to happen, that she must accept her fate but instead she runs away with the new boy in town, Rayne. He claims he can help her, she just has to trust him. But can she really trust a boy that she knows has lied to her about everything in his life? Can she trust the boy that teases her, and makes her heart jump into her throat? She doesn’t know, but she’s determined to find a way to defeat her “destiny”, and Rayne might be her only chance.

Get it at...

Smashwords

Kobo

B&N (might be delayed)

Apple iBooks

Amazon (might be a delay in setting to free; you can tell them about finding a lower price near the bottom of the page to get it set free faster!)

Astral Bodies is now complete!

If you didn't know, my serial novel Astral Bodies completed at the end of last month!  Part seven is out at retailers and available for you :)  So I hope you check it out and like the ending.

I've set up a giveaway of Goodreads for a copy of Fenridge: Book Two of The Ethereal Crossings (link here).  It's open to the US and Canada, so go enter!

I'm still working my way through Phasing, and you can read the first few chapters of the first draft on Wattpad.  Or if you like, you can read the first two books in the trilogy!  These books can be read in any order...(Click on the photo for links).

The Dark Origins

Read the stories of three girls as they discover who they are, where they come from, and where they’re going.  Each book is the tale of one girl, their life, and how different events lead them to the same place at the same time.

Igniting

Grace has finally escaped her past of foster homes and mall-cop jail cells. What she hasn’t escaped is her deadly temper, if she loses control black flames lash from her at high velocity, causing fires that can’t be put out by anything but time.

When a boy named Noah drags her through a magic portal after getting attacked she realizes she isn’t the only one out there with bizarre powers. But can she really trust someone with her biggest secret?

Shimmering

Ember Reed is a fifteen-year-old shape-shifter, a creature with the ability to transform into any animal, despite it’s shape or size. At least, she should be able to; Ember can’t quite change her entire form, only bits and pieces. This has earned her the nickname “sucky spook” at the Sagefall Recreation Center, a place where supernatural beings go for training.

Living the life of an outcast, Ember pretends to be content with only having her cousin Jayd as a friend and keeping her nose buried in fictional stories. But when she goes to the bookstore downtown and finds a girl going through her first Shift, Ember realizes that she might have the chance to make a friend.

Ember also realizes that this girl may be in trouble, because the most powerful people of her community have been starting to disappear. After she witnesses the kidnapping of her classmate she decides to do whatever she can to save her new friend. But while trying to keep this girl off the kidnappers radar she seems to have fallen right onto it when her new power is discovered.

With Cross & Charm is Complete!

It's complete on Wattpad, that is!  Go read the final two parts here.  I hope you like the ending!

As for other news, the coming months you might notice I'm not posting a lot, or even what I publish is going to dwindle a bit.  I did have plans to put certain things out early next year, but I'm not certain if it will happen on time; I've gone back to school.  Again.  This whole "life career" thing is difficult! But this time I've survived past day one, and have even managed to go for over a week now.  So far it's pretty good, and I think it will lead to a good career that will allow me to do writing in my free time still.  Also, it's not in retail!  So that alone is pushing me though.
And I want to do well, so I'm trying to stay focused, which means less writing.  But I am still writing!  Just not as much as I used to.  Soon I think I'm going to start doing some posts about a new project, just put a small excerpt out there to see what people think (I just need to get a working title for it and a few more chapters done).

Don't forget to check out the pre-order for Glenbrook!  It's set to release November 4 and you can read the unedited beginning on Wattpad.

Glenbrook Pre-order

I've set up an early preorder of Glenbrook, Book Four of The Ethereal Crossings at a discounted price!  The release date is set to November 4, 2014, which sounds far away but actually isn't.  That's only a couple months!  Geez, it feels so close to me.  Click the photo for the link.

As with other pre-orders, it will be going out soon to Apple iBooks, Kobo and B&N, so I'll be sure to link to those as soon as I can.  (Follow my Facebook for most up to date info).

Glenbrook First Draft = DONE!

Yesterday I typed the final words to the first draft of Glenbrook!  Can you believe it?  I can't!

I didn't quite make my goal of 70K words and it ended up at about 65K.  But I still have to revise and edit, so it might manage to get there (or at least another thousand!).  I'm so excited that this book is done, and I hope you guys like the ending ;)

I'm still going to be posting some chapters onto Wattpad, though not too many more.  News and updates about publishing dates will be posted pretty much everywhere in the coming month or so.

But yeah, I just wanted to do a post about this!  It took about a year and a half, and there were some hurdles in there, but I got to the end.  YAY!

Day 16

Only about 10K words to go and I meet my goal of 25,000 words for Camp NaNoWriMo.  Glenbrook is quickly coming to an end!  I've been tweeting a lot about it lately, so be sure to follow me @somethingofdev for updates and such.  Once I have the first draft of Glenbrook done and I've gone through it a couple times I'm going to set up the preorder through Smashwords (which sends out to B&N, Apple, and Kobo).  So be on the lookout for that most likely mid-August :)

As for Glenbrook excerpts, I have up to chapter four posted on Wattpad, so if you wanna get an early read of it, it's there for you (and more to come!  I'll be updating it about every ten days with new half chapters.).

In other news, Astral Bodies part 6 is out soon!  Only two more weeks, and the preorder is already set up for you to get from Smashwords and Apple (and soon B&N).

Happy Anniversary!

Today marks my two year anniversary of publishing!  Two years ago today I hit the publish button on Smashwords and sent Shadeland out into the digital world.  Within the first night I had just over 80 downloads and I thought that was crazy!  Little did I know I would soon be getting thousands of downloads across different retailers.

When I put out Shadeland I wasn't sure if people would like Liv; she was so apathetic and unromantic about everything, I didn't know if the YA genre would embrace her.  But you guys did!  You truly encouraged me to continue with The Ethereal Crossings, as well as inspired me to work on new projects (sorry I jump around so much though haha).

And I couldn't have done it without the support of my lovely readers :)  So thanks for supporting me! I am nothing without you, which is why I'm giving away Fenridge and Northcliffe for free until the end of today.  www.dlmilesbooks.com

Thanks again!

Day 9 of Camp NaNoWriMo

It's day nine of Camp NaNoWriMo and I've reached the climax of Glenbrook!  With only 16K more words to go, I think I'll be doing pretty good to reach my goal (and if not, I will get it there in the revision process).  Either way, I think I'm doing wonderfully in writing daily on it, way better than I was for a while.  Camp NaNoWriMo really does inspire you to write every single day :)

It looks like I'll be finishing Glenbrook this month, and if all goes well, I imagine I will be able to do a late October/early November release.  As long as revisions don't throw a curve ball my way and my alpha readers don't take too long to give me feedback.

Other than that, don't forget you can preorder Astral Bodies part 6 and 7 at select retailers.  Fenridge and Northcliffe are still FREE for a couple more days!  Get them now and then get Glenbrook later this year!

And for all the other writers out there, HAPPY CAMP NANOWRIMO!  Also, good luck! :)

Day 6

Today marks the almost first week completion of Camp NaNoWriMo, and I'm doing much better than earlier this year!  I'm not quite at what I need to be, but I'm only a little behind; according to my profile stats as long as I write 822 words each day for the next three weeks I'll stay on track.  That SOUNDS simple enough, but I know I'm going to be getting stuck somewhere along the way (did I mention this is the end of Glenbrook I'm writing?).  There's a lot to make sure I include.

Anyway, I thought I would post an excerpt.  This is part 1 of Chapter 4, and if you missed it the first three chapters are already on Wattpad!

**unedited first draft**I didn’t want to try and explain to Neeson why I was quitting my job without notice and taking a trip to the Yukon.  He probably wouldn’t have approved, which is why I decided to call him at the airport.  There was no way he was going to be able to stop me there, as I sat in the plane with Jared next to me.His phone rang a few times before the voice mail picked up, and I found myself breathe a sigh of relief.  It made me wonder how hard it would be to tell him I was going into Shadeland.When the tone beeped I said, “Hey Neeson, I’m going away for a while.  Tell Dad I’m fine, okay?  I’m just working on getting Luke back.”  I paused, glancing at Jared beside me.  There was a very thin aisle between us, and he seemed distracted by reading the safety pamphlet, but I wasn’t sure if he was listening.  “Love you.  Bye.” I hung up and turned the phone off, shoving it into my pocket.“You really like things short and sweet, huh?” Jared asked.I shrugged and stared forward at the television screen a few seats ahead, pretending it was fascinating.  “Easier that way.” Only when we were finally in the air, and the seatbelt light was off did I notice Jared had his gun on him.  The silver pistol caught my attention as he stretched, and it revealed itself beneath his black leather jacket.  I couldn’t help but gape a little.“How did you get that onto the plane?” I asked.  It seemed impossible, even with his fake ID’s.  They might work on senile old women, but airport security?He flashed me his fake SILC badge, a new one I hadn’t seen, and winked at me.  “They let you do just about anything if they’ve only heard of you in newspapers,” he said.  “That, and having confidence helps.”Sometimes I thought Jared was a little too confident, but I didn’t say that to him.  “Are you going to ignore me the entire time?” Keiji questioned.  I turned to face him, sitting quietly beside me.  “I paid for Business class for you two, and you aren’t even going to act like I’m here?”“Calm down,” Jared ordered.  “We woulda survived just fine back with the common class.  Besides, at least you don’t have to sit beside this thing.”  He sent a glare to Azazel who lay quietly in his cage next to Jared.  Honestly I wanted to keep Azazel close, because he hadn’t seemed too keen on the idea of a cage, but after witnessing Jared and Keiji’s behaviour, I thought it best they stay separated.  Still, I felt bad Azazel had to be locked up two-fold.Keiji rolled his eyes, and I wondered how he could afford Business class.  He dressed like a punk, with large black boots, metal band tee-shirts and mussed up hair to match.  Keiji didn’t look like someone that would be sitting beside me, sipping champagne and glaring at Jared like he was a bug.“Did your clan pay for this?” I asked.He sighed.  “I have an allotted amount of money,” he explained.  “They’re being lenient on me, since Kat disappeared.”I flinched.“Sorry,” he said, “since Kat passed away.  When I first left Japan it was to find him—we were still hoping he was alive.”  Keiji twisted the flute between his index finger and thumb, his eyes narrowing in thought.I looked to Jared to see his reaction, but he was pretending to be interested in something in another pamphlet.  The guilt still weighed him down, I knew that; it weighed me down too.  And it wasn’t just Kat’s death on my mind.  It was Melody and her grandfather, Utah, and Charlie, and Amber.  I rubbed at my temples, a headache forming.“‘Scuse me,” I mumbled as I stood.  I hurried into the bathroom while Keiji began to go over the finer things that came with his “executive” status, as he called it, with Jared.  If my head didn’t hurt so much I might have thought they might kill each other while I was away.The bathroom wasn’t as small as I thought it would be, but it wasn’t exactly comfortable.  The sweet smell of name brand soaps filled there air along with the sounds of the engines.  It was quieter there compared to sitting between Jared and Keiji, but it didn’t make my head feel better.In a haze I bent over the sink and turned the cold water on.  I splashed it onto my face, ignorant of how it soaked into the collar of my shirt and sweater, or how it got all over the counter.  I didn’t care.  My head pounded.I groaned quietly, grinding my teeth hard in hopes of not alerting anyone.  If Jared got wind of this I was certain he would somehow force the plane to land.  Liv? a voice asked.  Liv, I’m sorry.“Luke?” I whispered.  I could feel him in my mind, just like when I’d talked to him outside the police station.  He was putting his thoughts in my head, but I wasn’t sure how.  Wasn’t he in Shadeland?I’m in trouble, he said, bringing another onslaught of pain.  I fell to my knees, gripping the counter but failing to hold myself up.  There’s nobody else again.“Where are you?” I asked through another groan.Shadeland, he replied.  They need—help—it’s not—He cut out, along with the pain.  I blinked my eyes a few times, unsure if the pain was really gone or I was just dying.  I stood on shaky legs, feeling my hands sizzling with the residual connection to Luke, to Shadeland.  A fine pink mist drifted from me and dissipated into he air.  I watched it a few moments until it stopped and I knew it was safe to return outside.If only my hands would stop shaking.I didn’t understand much of Luke’s message, only that he was in trouble.  The more I thought about what he said, the more I couldn’t figure out.  If he was in trouble, why would they need help?  Who was “they” exactly?I shook my head and dried off with paper towels.  They were smooth against my skin where I imagined they would have felt scratchy.  I sighed, another reminder of my not-so-human half.“Mom,” I whispered, “what’s going on?”

Camp NaNoWriMo and Special Anniversary Giveaway!

(Happy Canada Day!)

And happy start to Camp NaNoWriMo!  This month I plan on getting Glenbrook done, or at least very close to done.  My goal is 25,000 words, which would bring me to my entire word goal for the book.

Liv has gone through a lot in this one, too, and has been visiting old friends and making new ones (or enemies).  I'll be keeping up with excerpts each week, along with word count updates on Facebook and Twitter.  I'll also be posting facts about what happens in Glenbrook every so often, so check out those :)  Here's one now...

Azazel's true form will be revealed!  

Oh, and remember how on Facebook I said be on the lookout for a special announcement?

WELL HERE IT IS

To celebrate my two year anniversary of publishing, I'm going to giveaway The Ethereal Crossings series for free until July 11!  The prices have just been changed at Smashwords, so it might take a day or two to reach other retailers.

Shadeland

Fenridge

Northcliffe

*Note about Amazon: I can't set books to free at Amazon, but if you download the free .mobi file at Smashwords, that can go on your kindle :)

I'm going to do a "Thank You!" post on the 11th, but I'll say it here too.  

THANKS FOR READING!

Are you ready for Camp NaNoWriMo?

Because I sure am!  Glenbrook is well on it's way to getting done, and even though I won't have it published by my anniversary (July 11), it'll at least be done for a release this year.  I can't believe June is already coming to a close...what the heck happened?  I'm never going to make my reading goal at this pace >_<

Astral Bodies 5 was released earlier this week and is already on all retailers.  The next two parts will each be $0.99, making the total for the book $3.99.  Upcoming dates are...

July 31 - Part 6

August 28 - Part 7 (the final part!)

I hope you guys are enjoying the story as much as I did rewriting it.  Astral Bodies actually started off as my attempt to write a mystery without a supernatural element, and after about 40K words I decided that I didn't like things without a supernatural element.  It was very boring.  So, I changed almost everything.  The only thing that stayed was the fact it opened in a hotel lol.

One last things; the giveaway for Igniting on Goodreads is ending in about a day, so enter while you can!

July Camp NaNoWriMo 2014

There's only two more weeks until Camp NaNoWriMo 2014, and I'm not sure what I should work on!  This is the problem you get when you have too much on the go.  I need to find a way to make my brain slow down and focus on one single project at a time...

I'll most likely work on Glenbrook, because it kind of stalled a bit while I focused on finishing up Astral Bodies (Part five is out soon by the way!).  I only need about 25K more words until I've reached my word count goal, so that'll be my NaNoWriMo goal! :D  I'm excited for you guys to find out more about Shadeland, and what happens between Liv and Jared.  You can actually start reading the first draft of it on Wattpad!


As for publishing updates, part four of Astral Bodies came out!  Find out what Tess saw that will define the future of the case, and learn what a family member has been hiding for her for some time now.
Part five of Astral Bodies will be out the end of June, and is going to be a free instalment :)

I can't believe how quickly this serial novel is coming out; I feel like I just started publishing it and it's almost time for the end!  I've really enjoyed putting it out in this format though, and I think I'll be doing it again, although I might try to shorten the timespan.  Maybe every two weeks or so?  I'll figure it out once I actually start book 2.

Of Noble Blood - prologue

On a whim I thought I would share the prologue for Of Noble Blood: The Second Fable, the sequel to Of Noble Chains.  I'm still working on getting a cover for it, and it's nowhere near done, but lately I've just felt like writing some harder fantasy :)

Prologue

“What do you mean she has everything to do with this?” Nari questioned, wondering how this Specter could have spotted her.  Even standing in the open Nari the Unseen was able to hide; yet this woman had found her within seconds of leaving Aeryn’s home.  It was more than a little unnerving, and the only thing keeping her from attacking was the fact that Zia’s name came up.

The woman’s raven hair shimmered, even in the darkness of the alley.  Sharp features did nothing to hide the brilliant mind that hid beneath.  The woman laughed.  “Do you, or do you not, want the Ark gone?”

“The city would fall without the Ark,” Nari answered.  As a member of the Light Guard she was supposed to support everything her government did, and never question it.  But recent events had her wondering about her leaders.

“Kehzia Noble has begun to shake the foundation,” the woman said, “and she will remain the key to bringing in a new era.  But it takes time.  For now, she needs a little help.”  Her eyes flicked away for a moment, not a movement of fear, but one of curiosity.  She met Nari’s gaze once more.  “She will need someone to…look after her.”

Nari’s jaw clenched.  It had been her job to watch Zia’s movements after Donataen had died, but she’d shirked her duties.  Now it was coming back to haunt her.  “What are you saying?” Nari whispered.

“That if someone doesn’t start keeping Kehzia safe, then she won’t be breathing much longer.” 

Sorry I've Been Gone!

I feel like I don't post anything at all lately!  I've been spending so much time on other aspects of my life that blogging just isn't on the top of the list anymore.

Recently I've also started giving more attention to my photography.  Two years ago when I first started publishing my books writing took over my life--everything was about it, how I could do better, sell more, get more reviews, etc. etc..  Photography just sort of go pushed away, and my poor little camera started to gather dust (literally).

One of my new years resolutions was to take more photos.  Normally I just post them on websites like Flickr or Deviant Art, but last week I decided that I wanted to start selling them.  So I made an account on Society6 after checking out all my options, and started posting!  I do mainly macro and nature photography, and if you like you can check it out here: www.society6.com/openfire !
I also realized that Society6 has AMAZING fan art of everything I love, and have been forcing myself not to buy everything (although I did buy this and cannot wait for it to arrive).

Now, back to writing.  Astral Bodies part 4 is available as a pre-order from Smashwords, Apple iBooks, and soon Barnes and Noble.  Don't forget to check out part 3, which is free!
If you're wondering, there will be seven parts to this serial novel, so here's the release dates for it...

Part 4 - May 29 ($0.99) [Read an excerpt on Wattpad]

Part 5 - June 26 (free)

Part 6 - July 31 ($0.99)

Part 7 - August 28 ($0.99)

The final two parts are going to be a bit longer than previous ones as well, and prices might change.

In other news, I've posted more excerpts of Glenbrook on Wattpad, and With Cross & Charm is also being completed there!  It's free now after all :)

Astral Bodies (Part 3) - Released!

Last week was the release of Astral Bodies (Part 3)!  This part is free, so download now!  Links below :)

Amazon

B&N

Smashwords

Apple iBooks

Scribd

Spring is finally here!

Spring has finally arrived in Canada! It's about damn time, too.  And I think the warmer weather has helped to reignite my writing mojo--I'm doing a lot more writing than I was over the winter.

I'm wrapping up Astral Bodies, and it looks like it might have seven or so parts to it.  Have you checked out Tess's story yet?  Part three will be coming out at the end of this month, and it's going to be free!  Here's an update on the scheduled release dates for upcoming parts...

Part 3 - April 24 (FREE) Read an excerpt here!

Part 4 - May 29 ($0.99)

Part 5 - June 26 

Part 6 - July 31

As for Glenbrook...it's going.  I'm relatively on track for a summer release, but I'm not too sure.  Updates as I go, I guess.  For now I have started posting pieces on Wattpad, so check it out!

As for my Camp NaNoWriMo project, it's going surprisingly well.  Phasing is just a little bit behind schedule, but I already have most scenes planned out on cue cards or just in my head--I just need to find the time to sit and write it now!  Chapters are also being posted on Wattpad for you to read.

Excerpt - Phasing

Chapter two of Phasing is up on Wattpad for all to read :)  The writing is going well but I'm a little behind.  I'm hoping to catch up near the end of the month when I have more time off of work.  For now I have to live with just a few sentences here and there.

Here's a part of chapter two!

It was kind of unfair that we had to go back out on assignment so soon after coming back.  Okay, our assignment with the fire elemental was in our hometown, but I’d gotten hurt.  I thought that meant I could have a little time off, but Cress clearly thought differently.

I sat in my usual chair with Colt next to me, each of us waiting for our assignment.  Cress sat in her chair, almost looking uncomfortable.  I wasn’t sure I’d seen her uncomfortable before; usually she controlled a room.

“We gonna get started or…” I let my sentence trail off, hands in the air.  Cress looked to Colt, and I kept flicking my eyes between them.  “What?”

“Go ahead,” Colt said with a shrug.

“You’re next assignment isn’t going to take you far,” Cress began, “it’s only about an hour up north.”

I groaned.  “Please tell me the fireman didn’t get out.  I don’t think I could—”

“That’s not it,” interrupted Cress.  “It’s the Antiope tribe; they’ve run into a…problem.”

“Tribe?” I repeated.  “Antiope?  Never heard of them.  What are they a tribe of?”

Cress and Colt were silent.  After a few seconds Colt answered, “Amazons.  They are…my tribe.”  His fingers gripped the edge of the armrest, cracks beginning to form along the wood.

“Oh,” I breathed, “I’m so sorry.  What’s going on?”

“I think it may be best to go there  yourself; we’ve limited information,” admitted Cress.  “The Antiope tribe claim to be descendants of Antiope herself and are not quite…involved in our society.  They have a complete hierarchy.”

“Then how do we know there’s a problem?” I asked.  Colt seemed quieter than usual, and it was more than a little unsettling.  I’d never seen my partner like this before.

“One of their scouts has come to us seeking help.”

I only nodded, not wanting to question it.  If something was going on with Colt’s family, I didn’t want to mess it up by pointing out the Amazons weren’t under Legion rule.  Now that I thought about it, it was kind of weird that Colt even worked with Legion.  I looked to him, and was able to put together why he was so upset today.  But did he know about this last night?  I hadn’t noticed anything, and guilt sank in my stomach.

“Let’s get going then.”

And don't forget to add Phasing to your "to-read" shelf on Goodreads!

Cover Reveal - Phasing

I'll be working on Phasing (The Dark Origins #3) this April for NaNoWriMo!  Here's the cover reveal.  You'll also be able to read excerpts and longer chapters on Wattpad/my blog.  And don't forget to add it to your "to-read" shelf on Goodreads!

Release Day - Astral Bodies Part 2!

Astral Bodies part 2 is officially available!  Thanks to all who emailed me about part one :)  The winner has been chosen and contacted.  Don't despair if it wasn't you though, because you have another chance this month!  (See my website for details).

Find out in part 2 how Tess reacts to Dr. Adler's offer, and more about the murder!

Astral Bodies 2 - Excerpt

Part one of Astral Bodies has made it to most retailers, and is already set to free at Amazon, so I thought I would post an excerpt from part two!

Adler huffed and stood.  After he tapped his hands on the desk a few times he began to pace.  “Well, despite your ignorance, I would still like you as an apprentice.  What do you say?”

“How generous of you,” I stated.  I sighed though, too, giving in.  “What would I be doing?”

“You would help me find whoever is responsible for the girls death,” he explained, “and stop them forever.  You’d also get to work with the FBI, I suppose, and fulfill most of your graduation requirements.  No pay though, such a shame.”  He looked away, clearly happy with that last part.

I held a finger in the air as he started to ramble about the job.  “Sorry, um, did you say fulfill most of my graduation requirements?  As in, less classes?”

He paused.  “Yes, I did.  Do you—want that?”

“Okay, let me nutshell this,” I said, more to myself than Adler.  “I will work with you and the FBI,”—Adler nodded—“and help solve a murder that was done by a—what did you call it?  Warlock?  Warlock.  And I’ll get to miss classes too?”

Adler nodded.  “If you work out for the summer.”

“And you can astral project just like me.”

Another nod.  “Yes; I’m not a natural like you, but I learned.  If you’re taking the job I would like you to decide now; I’ll need to make a phone call.”

“Right now?” I asked.  “I have to decide right this second?”

“Well the killer isn’t going to wait around for his next victim, now is he?” Adler questioned.  He had a point, but everything was happening too fast.  My head was spinning.

“Hurry up, now,” Adler pressured.

“I—okay, I’ll do it!”  The words escaped my lips before I could even think them.  Adler grinned and picked up his phone, already dialling the numbers.

“Wonderful,” he said, “I’ll see you this afternoon at the police station.  I think an hour should do it; don’t be late.”  He waved a hand towards the door.  “I’ll do my best to teach you; you can go now.”

I stood on quivering legs, barely able to hold myself up.  As I shut the door behind me I found I was exhausted from the encounter.  But also a little energized.

I’d never met anyone that could astral project before.  Ever.  Nor had I ever been so grateful to not get something I wanted.  Who cares about some sucky downtown couples counselling?  I was going to work with the FBI!  I just wished I knew more about Adler, and what the hell he thought was going on, before I’d agreed to take the position.

Climbing slowly down the steps I wondered what my next move should be.  Calling Mom and Rose and apologizing for ditching them was probably my best option, but I thought that could wait.  I had to tell someone about my new internship!  Apprenticeship?  Whatever.

As I began to dial Rose’s number, my best friend in the world, I stopped myself.  Just how secretive should I be when working on a murder case?  I glanced up the stairs, debating on going to ask Adler but found I couldn’t.  What if I didn’t even last through the day, after I told everyone about my great new job?

I’ll pass on that embarrassment.  So instead of telling anyone, or even calling my mother to apologize for ditching her at lunch, I decided to get myself a coffee and head towards the police station.  It was only an hour, and it would take half that just to walk there.

Getting into line at the coffee shop on campus, I found myself lost in a fantasy world.  Astral projection had always been a part of my life, but warlocks?  What was that anyway?  All I knew about warlocks was that Rose had once played one in some online fantasy game back in high school.  A time she likes to keep buried in her past but I often dig up during our many fights.

But with warlocks came demons, maybe, and that was something I wasn’t sure I could handle.  I stepped forward robotically, trying to remember what had happened last night, and question if there was anyone else nearby at the time.  I could only remember the one person, and their victim.  No demons there.

“You’re next,” a man said behind me.  I blinked out of a daze I hadn’t realized I’d fallen into, and looked at him.  “The young woman is waiting to take your order.”  

I almost fell over as I met his gaze; Niklas Rogues.  Four years older, and four inches taller, I also knew him as Nik.  AKA my high school crush; AKA, the guy that had rejected me and then laughed about it with his friends.

“Right, sorry,” I said absently, finally finding the words.  This was the moment I had so desperately wanted; the moment I could tell Nik off!  I’d never gotten the chance to do it after he rejected me, since I was way too hurt over his reaction; total disbelief that someone like me would even talk to him.  And then he graduated, and the next four years of my life I got to be known as the girl that was rejected on the first day of school.  I stepped forward and ordered a coffee, but as I went to pull my wallet out I realized I had forgotten my purse in Adler’s office.  “Damn.”

Nik chuckled.  “I’ll give you a hand,” he offered, giving me a smile that was far too charming.  After adding four black coffees onto the order, he paid with a single swipe of his credit card over the terminal.

While his back was turned I inspected his suit, looking for any signs that his life had turned to total ruin after he’d left Arrowood but sadly it looked immaculate.  In fact, even his shoes shined, and his hair was perfectly misplaced just like I remembered.  My heart sank; he looked like he was doing well for himself.  Jerk.

“You don’t have to,” I began, finding my chest was fluttering.

“It’s already done.”  He smiled at me, and a shining silver emanated from his eyes.  It was then that I realized he had no idea who I was.  “Good luck with whatever you were thinking about.”

He quickly grabbed his coffees and went out the door.  The girl behind the counter had to give me a poke to get my attention before I finally took my own drink, and headed back to Adler’s office, a dark cloud encompassing my thoughts.

My Current Promos

I have a lot of free stuff going on right now, so I thought I would post about it!

Igniting (The Dark Origins), is set to free until the end of March!

Shadeland has a print giveaway on Goodreads for the US and Canada.

Astral Bodies is still making it to all retailers, but part one is already on Smashwords, Apple iBooks and B&N for free!  If you comment on it anywhere (and tell me so I know), you have a chance to win one of my other ebooks free on Smashwords!

New Release - Astral Bodies

It's finally here!  And by finally, I mean I've been dying to hit the publish button for like three months...and I'm still hitting it early.  It's only about a week early anyway...right?  So here it is on Smashwords!  It'll take a few days to get to other retailers.

There’s been a murder in Arrowood with only one witness, and she can’t come forward with any information because she technically wasn’t there.

Twenty-year-old Tess has the ability to astral project, and while going for a midnight walk in the woods she stumbles across a ritual murder.  Not only that, the killer was actually able to see her when nobody else could.

After leaving an anonymous tip with the police, Tess thinks her life can return to normal, until Jonas Adler contacts her and offers her a job she just can’t refuse.  He wants her to become his apprentice, and use her unique ability to help find the killer.

Tess is soon thrust into a world that both terrifies and excites her, and into a job she never knew she wanted.

Also, here's a reminder that part two will be available March 27, and the preorder is set up and set to go out to Kobo, Apple iBooks and B&N!  The covers are the same (just a different colour), but here it is anyway:

What I've Been Doing

Sorry for the recent lack of posts.  I've been working on a getting a few thing done, and it really took away from my constant updates for things :)

Early this month I decided that I wanted to get LASIK done, and I actually did it.  But it made looking a computer for a long time kind of hard, and for the first couple days I couldn't even look at technology, let alone sit down and do some writing or editing or anything.  I'm good now, although I have to take a lot more breaks as my eyes are still healing!  (I can see everything clearly though! YAY!)

Other things I've been doing since, has been getting Shimmering and Igniting prepared for print, and getting the first two parts of Astral Bodies formatted and ready to go on February 27 (it might actually go out a day or two sooner!).

So that's what I've been up to, and there will be more updates as things are made available soon.

PS: Don't forget to check out how you can win free eBooks by reading Astral Bodies each month!

Cover Reveal - Glenbrook

I had the cover for Glenbrook: Book Four of The Ethereal Crossings made up a while ago with the other new covers for the series.  I thought I would reveal it, since it's already up on my website anyway and I will be setting it up on Goodreads later :)

I still do not have a set date for the release of Glenbrook!

*Cover design by yocladesigns.com*

Luke is trapped in Shadeland, and there’s supposedly no way to get him out.  Everyone is keeping their mouth shut, since something’s happening within the Eidolon world that they don’t want the humans knowing about.

Liv is determined to find out, even if it means going against all warnings, and travelling to Shadeland herself.

Monthly Giveaways + Release Date for Astral Bodies!

So with the release of Astral Bodies coming up (part one will be available on Smashwords and Kindle in February and hopefully make it to retailers quickly), I thought I'd try something with it.

Every month a new part of Astral Bodies will be released, and with it you'll have a chance to win one of my other books in eBook form!  :D

Here's how it'll work:

1. I post new part.
2. You read said part.
3.  You comment on my Facebook, blog, or even send me a tweet about what you liked/disliked about this part.  It could be a full review, or simply a "LOVED/HATED IT!" comment by the time the next part is released.  There's a full month for you to comment!
4. One winner will get to win one of my books in eBook form through Smashwords!

*Please note that the winners will be random picks, and that when you get the eBook it will be through Smashwords coupon (meaning you need  a Smashwords account, which is free).  When you download the book you can then put it onto whatever eReader you use.
*Another note: I will need an email address to contact you at; if you do not wish to disclose your email we can do a private message on twitter/facebook :)

So get ready this March!

RELEASE DATE SCHEDULE

Astral Bodies will be released on the LAST Thursday of each month.  Here are the dates for the first four parts:

Part One - February 27, 2014

Part Two - March 27, 2014

Part Three - April 24, 2014

Part Four - May 29, 2014