R.S. Dabney's Blog
January 31, 2018
Looking to give out ten electronic copies of each book in The Soul Mender Trilogy in exchange for honest reviews
Hey all!
I'm looking for ten readers who are willing to read all three books in The Soul Mender trilogy in exchange for an honest review for each book on Amazon and Goodreads. If you are interested, let me know and I will send you a copy of The Soul Mender.
***Please only respond if you like reading Urban Fantasy/Paranormal, and if you are willing to leave an honest review***
Thanks!
R.
The Soul Mender:
In a wild escape to avoid becoming the sixth victim of the elusive Rocky Mountain Murderer, twenty-two-year-old Riley Dale finds herself flung into a universe parallel to her own, where Las Vegas is known for its churches, terrorist attacks are initiated by the United States, and peace can be found in the darkest corners of the globe.
As the deadly visions that have haunted her since childhood become real, Riley is confronted with the implausible story of a world split in two and the stark contrast between good and evil in people she thought she knew.
Racing deeper into the mystery of the new world, Riley discovers the explosive truth about her ancestors who have been hunted for thousands of years because of a single mistake made long ago.
And now it’s her turn to pay for that blunder.
Pursued by both the government and a clandestine sect of assassins, Riley must ally with the only people in the parallel universe willing to keep her safe—the drug-addicted, prostituting other half of her soul, and the counter soul of a man who tortured and killed five young women.
I'm looking for ten readers who are willing to read all three books in The Soul Mender trilogy in exchange for an honest review for each book on Amazon and Goodreads. If you are interested, let me know and I will send you a copy of The Soul Mender.
***Please only respond if you like reading Urban Fantasy/Paranormal, and if you are willing to leave an honest review***
Thanks!
R.
The Soul Mender:
In a wild escape to avoid becoming the sixth victim of the elusive Rocky Mountain Murderer, twenty-two-year-old Riley Dale finds herself flung into a universe parallel to her own, where Las Vegas is known for its churches, terrorist attacks are initiated by the United States, and peace can be found in the darkest corners of the globe.
As the deadly visions that have haunted her since childhood become real, Riley is confronted with the implausible story of a world split in two and the stark contrast between good and evil in people she thought she knew.
Racing deeper into the mystery of the new world, Riley discovers the explosive truth about her ancestors who have been hunted for thousands of years because of a single mistake made long ago.
And now it’s her turn to pay for that blunder.
Pursued by both the government and a clandestine sect of assassins, Riley must ally with the only people in the parallel universe willing to keep her safe—the drug-addicted, prostituting other half of her soul, and the counter soul of a man who tortured and killed five young women.
January 24, 2018
The Soul Mender Trilogy is complete! Here are a few people who need to be thanked, including you!
The Soul Mender Trilogy, a project that has occupied over nine years of my life, has finally come to a conclusion. Just as wrapping up the trilogy in a way that satisfies the reader and does justice to my characters and to my writing is critical, it is equally important to honor and thank those who assisted me along this journey.
And there were many.
As always, I must thank my husband, Nathanael, for believing in me even when I faltered in my belief in myself. He has kept me fed when I couldn’t help with the bills, has cheered me on when rejection brought me down, has helped edit my novels and given great feedback and suggestions, and has loved me despite me spending the majority of our marriage in my pajamas with dirty hair piled atop my head. Thank you for being everything I didn’t even know a husband could be.
I would also like to thank my mom, Carey, for all of the hard work she has put into each of these three books. Her commitment to helping me produce the best work possible, through multiple rounds of edits and countless hours of fine-tuning, has been invaluable. I also want to thank her for keeping electronics out of my life for as long as possible so that I had to discover the entertainment value of a pile of rocks and an old sock.
Thank you to my dad, Walt, for his continued support of my writing and me. Thanks for the edits, the sales, the proud smiles, and for teaching me from childhood to adulthood to always pursue my dreams and do something that makes me happy. Thanks for instilling in me a voice that always says yes to life and isn’t afraid to take chances.
To my sister, Alexis. Thanks for being my original creative partner in crime and for spending all those amazing childhood years bringing to life stories, songs, rocks, toys, tumbleweeds, and everything else in which people missed the magic. Together, we could create life out of nothing, and I truly believe if I hadn’t had you to throw ingredients into our collective creative stew, I wouldn’t have learned the power of make-believe needed to tell a good story.
To my amazing cover artist and friend, Andy Blalock. Thanks for sticking with me for these three covers and for giving a beautiful face to a project I poured my soul into. Your time and artwork mean so much to me, and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to have shared this project with.
To Bill Poston, the man who took a chance on me and has made this dream possible. I can’t thank you enough. Thank you for believing in me and in my story and for keeping that belief alive despite the trials and tribulations of a competitive and brutal publishing world. I want you to know how grateful I am to have you on this project and how much your dedication has meant to me. You truly are a person who helps young dreamers thrive.
I have been fortunate enough to have the help of an incredible team of marketers and creative minds. Thank you to Lauren Darby, Kinsey East, and Anthony Jacobs for the weekly phone calls, the ad campaign ideas, the graphics, the swag, the help at comic cons, and for everything y’all contribute to Team Soul Mender. Each of you is amazing, and I so appreciate the work you put into this project.
A huge thank you to my author soul mate, Julia Joseph, for making my search for the literary equivalent of El Dorado a little less lonely. Thanks for making me a better writer and a better person and for sharing countless adventures, mishaps, car troubles, and trips to the ER with me. Without you, my author life would be a little less bright and a little less grammatically correct.
To the Red Pen Warriors, with a special shout-out to authors Julia Joseph, Sarah Purcell, and Janice Brooks. You are the greatest. Thanks for the writing lessons, the critiques, the long car rides to conferences, the therapy, the friendship, and the absurd laughs. I am proud of all that each of you do, and I am so grateful to have stumbled upon you one day in west El Paso.
To my family and friends: there are too many of you to name, but know that I love you all and am forever grateful for the support each of you has shown over the past few years. Thanks for the social media shares and likes, the in-person recommendations, the reviews, and for showing up to my events and making me look cooler than I really am.
To Nan Norris, for teaching me the simplest lesson of all: you are your own Soul Mender.
Which brings me to the end. I want to thank each of you for hopping in the car with me and letting me take you on a tour of my mind and the wacky world it created. I hope you enjoyed The Soul Mender Trilogy, but more importantly, I hope you took something from it. Our world is very divided, and each of us plays a role in that division. Unfortunately, Riley and Oz are not out there working to save us from ourselves. Only we can do that. So as you turn the final page in this book, as you place it on a shelf or pass it off to a friend, please take a moment to think about how you can mend your own soul. That is the only way things will change.
You are your own World Binder, your own Peace Keeper, and your own Soul Mender.
Go make the world a better place.
And there were many.
As always, I must thank my husband, Nathanael, for believing in me even when I faltered in my belief in myself. He has kept me fed when I couldn’t help with the bills, has cheered me on when rejection brought me down, has helped edit my novels and given great feedback and suggestions, and has loved me despite me spending the majority of our marriage in my pajamas with dirty hair piled atop my head. Thank you for being everything I didn’t even know a husband could be.
I would also like to thank my mom, Carey, for all of the hard work she has put into each of these three books. Her commitment to helping me produce the best work possible, through multiple rounds of edits and countless hours of fine-tuning, has been invaluable. I also want to thank her for keeping electronics out of my life for as long as possible so that I had to discover the entertainment value of a pile of rocks and an old sock.
Thank you to my dad, Walt, for his continued support of my writing and me. Thanks for the edits, the sales, the proud smiles, and for teaching me from childhood to adulthood to always pursue my dreams and do something that makes me happy. Thanks for instilling in me a voice that always says yes to life and isn’t afraid to take chances.
To my sister, Alexis. Thanks for being my original creative partner in crime and for spending all those amazing childhood years bringing to life stories, songs, rocks, toys, tumbleweeds, and everything else in which people missed the magic. Together, we could create life out of nothing, and I truly believe if I hadn’t had you to throw ingredients into our collective creative stew, I wouldn’t have learned the power of make-believe needed to tell a good story.
To my amazing cover artist and friend, Andy Blalock. Thanks for sticking with me for these three covers and for giving a beautiful face to a project I poured my soul into. Your time and artwork mean so much to me, and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to have shared this project with.
To Bill Poston, the man who took a chance on me and has made this dream possible. I can’t thank you enough. Thank you for believing in me and in my story and for keeping that belief alive despite the trials and tribulations of a competitive and brutal publishing world. I want you to know how grateful I am to have you on this project and how much your dedication has meant to me. You truly are a person who helps young dreamers thrive.
I have been fortunate enough to have the help of an incredible team of marketers and creative minds. Thank you to Lauren Darby, Kinsey East, and Anthony Jacobs for the weekly phone calls, the ad campaign ideas, the graphics, the swag, the help at comic cons, and for everything y’all contribute to Team Soul Mender. Each of you is amazing, and I so appreciate the work you put into this project.
A huge thank you to my author soul mate, Julia Joseph, for making my search for the literary equivalent of El Dorado a little less lonely. Thanks for making me a better writer and a better person and for sharing countless adventures, mishaps, car troubles, and trips to the ER with me. Without you, my author life would be a little less bright and a little less grammatically correct.
To the Red Pen Warriors, with a special shout-out to authors Julia Joseph, Sarah Purcell, and Janice Brooks. You are the greatest. Thanks for the writing lessons, the critiques, the long car rides to conferences, the therapy, the friendship, and the absurd laughs. I am proud of all that each of you do, and I am so grateful to have stumbled upon you one day in west El Paso.
To my family and friends: there are too many of you to name, but know that I love you all and am forever grateful for the support each of you has shown over the past few years. Thanks for the social media shares and likes, the in-person recommendations, the reviews, and for showing up to my events and making me look cooler than I really am.
To Nan Norris, for teaching me the simplest lesson of all: you are your own Soul Mender.
Which brings me to the end. I want to thank each of you for hopping in the car with me and letting me take you on a tour of my mind and the wacky world it created. I hope you enjoyed The Soul Mender Trilogy, but more importantly, I hope you took something from it. Our world is very divided, and each of us plays a role in that division. Unfortunately, Riley and Oz are not out there working to save us from ourselves. Only we can do that. So as you turn the final page in this book, as you place it on a shelf or pass it off to a friend, please take a moment to think about how you can mend your own soul. That is the only way things will change.
You are your own World Binder, your own Peace Keeper, and your own Soul Mender.
Go make the world a better place.
March 2, 2017
Character Profile: Detective James Rutherford
February was a really fun month for me—filled with mountain bike rides, hiking, delicious food, and great family company. But it’s a new month and it is time to get back to work! This week I wanted to share another character profile for my blog, as it has been awhile since we’ve delved deeper into the life of one of our Soul Mender friends.
I chose James Rutherford because I was working on one of his chapters in book three (OMG I’m so excited about where this is going!), and was feeling rather fond of my favorite villain. In almost every movie/book/play that I enjoy, my favorite characters are usually not the good guys, but the villains or antiheroes you so desperately want to pull through.
With my characters, since we meet both their good and bad sides, I find myself really rooting for those bad guys, and wanting them to figure it out, even though I keep making them do worse and worse things. Maybe you haven’t felt that way, as James Rutherford (THE BAD) is a pretty terrible human being. But as you read The Soul Mender and The Peace Keeper, I want you to keep in mind that he too has a good side, and maybe there is more to him than meets the eye. After all, isn’t that why I’m writing this trilogy? To truly explore the duality of man.
Now let’s take a closer look at the split soul of James Rutherford. I’ve rifled though my character notes and have picked out some stuff to share with you on each half of our (mostly) loathsome detective.
James Rutherford (THE GOOD):
Basics
Full Name: James Allen Rutherford
Date of Birth: August 17th
Hometown: Montrose, CO
Alma Mater: Studied Political Science at Colorado State University
Religion: Presbyterian
Occupation: Detective
Personal Life
Marital Status: Married
Kids: Two young sons.
Rent or Own: Owns Two-story house in Grand Junction
Favorites
Favorite Food: Chicken Fried Steak
Favorite Music: Country
Favorite Color: Green
Favorite Movie: The Sandlot
Favorite TV Show: The West Wing
Favorite Sport: Basketball
Hobbies: Spending time with family, fishing, working, hiking
Best Qualities
Personality: Passionate, dedicated, honest
Behavior: Hard working, loyal
Habits: Working non-stop until something is complete or finished—be it a case at work, or a project at home.
Relationships: Loves his family more than anything, and also cares deeply for other and their struggles.
Worst Qualities
Personality: Can be too intense during confrontations with friends or family if he is really worked up about something.
Behavior: Obsessed with working
Habits: Swearing and working too much.
Relationships: During an intense case, he puts his job before his family, which causes strain in his marriage.
Looks
Hair Color: Dark Brown, almost black
Hair Type: Short, tousled
Eye Color: Brown
Height: 6’0
Weight: 187 lbs
Features: Extra wrinkles from too much stress
James Rutherford (THE BAD):
Basics
Full Name: James Allen Rutherford
Date of Birth: August 17th
Hometown: Montrose, CO
Alma Mater: Studied Political Science at Colorado State University
Religion: Not practicing
Occupation: Detective, running for mayor
Personal Life
Marital Status: Divorced
Kids: Two young sons whom he doesn’t see. Ex-wife has custody.
Rent or Own: Owns condo in downtown Grand Junction
Favorites
Favorite Food: Spaghetti
Favorite Music: Techno
Favorite Color: Lime Green
Favorite Movie: The Silence of the Lambs
Favorite TV Show: The Apprentice
Favorite Sport: Hockey
Hobbies: Working, schmoozing, going to the gym, spying on other people’s lives
Best Qualities
Personality: N/A
Behavior: Hard working
Habits: N/A
Relationships: N/A
Worst Qualities
Personality: Power-hungry, slimy, mean-spirited,
Behavior: Conniving, manipulative, demanding, uses people
Habits: Smoking and swearing
Relationships: Cares very little about anyone other than himself. Divorced because he was never home, cheated on his wife, and is emotionally abusive. Doesn’t have close relationships with people unless they are willing to submit to him and his way.
Looks
Hair Color: Dark Brown, almost black
Hair Type: Short, slicked back
Eye Color: Brown
Height: 6’0
Weight: 187 lbs
Features: Smooth skin—BOTOX has gotten rid of the wrinkles that his other half has. Yellowed teeth from smoking.
Besides phenotype, there aren’t a whole lot of similarities between these two men. I have a feeling that if they met in dark alley they would despise each other so much that James the good would try to arrest the other, and James the bad would try to kill his other half. I don’t want to give away any spoilers to those who haven’t yet read The Peace Keeper, but the detective’s storyline left off in a pretty precarious spot, for him or for someone else. But just know that I am hard at work making sure that Detective James Rutherford get’s the story he needs—for the man hunting for serial killers to put behind bars, for the man chasing Riley and Oz for his own personal power, for me, the author, who cares deeply for this individual, and for you, the reader, who has entrusted me with your imagination.
Cheers, Mr. Rutherford, may you continue to give us nightmares and hope through the final installment of this trilogy!
I chose James Rutherford because I was working on one of his chapters in book three (OMG I’m so excited about where this is going!), and was feeling rather fond of my favorite villain. In almost every movie/book/play that I enjoy, my favorite characters are usually not the good guys, but the villains or antiheroes you so desperately want to pull through.
With my characters, since we meet both their good and bad sides, I find myself really rooting for those bad guys, and wanting them to figure it out, even though I keep making them do worse and worse things. Maybe you haven’t felt that way, as James Rutherford (THE BAD) is a pretty terrible human being. But as you read The Soul Mender and The Peace Keeper, I want you to keep in mind that he too has a good side, and maybe there is more to him than meets the eye. After all, isn’t that why I’m writing this trilogy? To truly explore the duality of man.
Now let’s take a closer look at the split soul of James Rutherford. I’ve rifled though my character notes and have picked out some stuff to share with you on each half of our (mostly) loathsome detective.
James Rutherford (THE GOOD):
Basics
Full Name: James Allen Rutherford
Date of Birth: August 17th
Hometown: Montrose, CO
Alma Mater: Studied Political Science at Colorado State University
Religion: Presbyterian
Occupation: Detective
Personal Life
Marital Status: Married
Kids: Two young sons.
Rent or Own: Owns Two-story house in Grand Junction
Favorites
Favorite Food: Chicken Fried Steak
Favorite Music: Country
Favorite Color: Green
Favorite Movie: The Sandlot
Favorite TV Show: The West Wing
Favorite Sport: Basketball
Hobbies: Spending time with family, fishing, working, hiking
Best Qualities
Personality: Passionate, dedicated, honest
Behavior: Hard working, loyal
Habits: Working non-stop until something is complete or finished—be it a case at work, or a project at home.
Relationships: Loves his family more than anything, and also cares deeply for other and their struggles.
Worst Qualities
Personality: Can be too intense during confrontations with friends or family if he is really worked up about something.
Behavior: Obsessed with working
Habits: Swearing and working too much.
Relationships: During an intense case, he puts his job before his family, which causes strain in his marriage.
Looks
Hair Color: Dark Brown, almost black
Hair Type: Short, tousled
Eye Color: Brown
Height: 6’0
Weight: 187 lbs
Features: Extra wrinkles from too much stress
James Rutherford (THE BAD):
Basics
Full Name: James Allen Rutherford
Date of Birth: August 17th
Hometown: Montrose, CO
Alma Mater: Studied Political Science at Colorado State University
Religion: Not practicing
Occupation: Detective, running for mayor
Personal Life
Marital Status: Divorced
Kids: Two young sons whom he doesn’t see. Ex-wife has custody.
Rent or Own: Owns condo in downtown Grand Junction
Favorites
Favorite Food: Spaghetti
Favorite Music: Techno
Favorite Color: Lime Green
Favorite Movie: The Silence of the Lambs
Favorite TV Show: The Apprentice
Favorite Sport: Hockey
Hobbies: Working, schmoozing, going to the gym, spying on other people’s lives
Best Qualities
Personality: N/A
Behavior: Hard working
Habits: N/A
Relationships: N/A
Worst Qualities
Personality: Power-hungry, slimy, mean-spirited,
Behavior: Conniving, manipulative, demanding, uses people
Habits: Smoking and swearing
Relationships: Cares very little about anyone other than himself. Divorced because he was never home, cheated on his wife, and is emotionally abusive. Doesn’t have close relationships with people unless they are willing to submit to him and his way.
Looks
Hair Color: Dark Brown, almost black
Hair Type: Short, slicked back
Eye Color: Brown
Height: 6’0
Weight: 187 lbs
Features: Smooth skin—BOTOX has gotten rid of the wrinkles that his other half has. Yellowed teeth from smoking.
Besides phenotype, there aren’t a whole lot of similarities between these two men. I have a feeling that if they met in dark alley they would despise each other so much that James the good would try to arrest the other, and James the bad would try to kill his other half. I don’t want to give away any spoilers to those who haven’t yet read The Peace Keeper, but the detective’s storyline left off in a pretty precarious spot, for him or for someone else. But just know that I am hard at work making sure that Detective James Rutherford get’s the story he needs—for the man hunting for serial killers to put behind bars, for the man chasing Riley and Oz for his own personal power, for me, the author, who cares deeply for this individual, and for you, the reader, who has entrusted me with your imagination.
Cheers, Mr. Rutherford, may you continue to give us nightmares and hope through the final installment of this trilogy!
January 5, 2017
Welcome, 2017!
Oh boy. 2016. That was a brutal year for the world. So much violence. So much hate and fear. Some much death. It would be easy to sink into a swamp of despair going into 2017, but I want to stay positive. Personally, 2016 was mostly great for me. I published my first novel and wrote my second. The Soul Mender reached the Amazon Best Seller list as well as Kirkus’s Best Books of 2016 list. And while there will be many challenges ahead for all of us, today I want to focus on the things within my control, and the tone I get to set for my attitude going into the New Year.
I’ve created a few lists that I’d like to share with all of you—the things I’m looking forward to, my goals, and the folks I want to thank from 2016. I know this is a common thing we all do this time of year, and I think there is some benefit to sharing it. Now all of you can hold me accountable!
I also want to post a thank-you list to the people who have helped out with Team Soul Mender in some way this year. Some of you who have helped specifically with the book are mentioned in more detail on the acknowledgments page, but there have been many hands in the production of this who I want to publicly thank for their time, hard work, and contributions.
What I’m Looking Forward to this Year
-Writing the final installment of The Soul Mender Trilogy
-The Chihuahuan Desert Bike Fest in Feb. @Big Bend Ranch State Park
-Traveling to Cuba at the end of March
-Visiting sister-in-law in New Jersey in the summer
-Trekking to Everest Base Camp in the fall
-Releasing book three of The Soul Mender Trilogy next winter!
My goals for 2017
-Write and publish book three of The Soul Mender Trilogy
-Get a little blue checkmark next to my name on my social media accounts (My vanity goal)
-Try out for Jeopardy (and make it!)
-Do better at responding to texts and messages
-Do better at wishing people Happy Birthday
-Send out Christmas cards
-Ride the Rincon Loop at bike fest
-Attend a writers’ conference
-Make a new bestseller’s list
-To have Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, or George R.R. Martin read my book…hey, dream big, right?!?!
-Work out more and eat better (These go on every year. Someday I’ll get it right!)
2016 Thank-you List
Nathanael Gold- Thanks being a great husband and for helping me with edits!
Carey Dabney (Mom)- Thanks for all of the hours and hard work spent editing both books!
Walt and Alex Dabney (Dad & Sister)- Thanks for all of your support through all of this!
The Golds, Fosters, Morrills, and Dyers- Again, thanks for the support through all of this! Shout out to my brother-in-law Chas for liking and sharing literally everything I post on social media!
Andy Blalock- Thank you for all of the amazing and unique cover art for both books and for being a superb friend!
Bill & Richele Poston- Thanks to both of you for believing in me and my story and for generously backing the production and marketing of it! Also for the amazing trip to Belize!
Kasey Durbin- Thanks for helping with the initial marketing, and for setting up and pulling off a spectacular launch party!
Kinsey East- Thank you for laying out both covers as well as the hours spent on the website, graphics, and general marketing!
Lauren Darby- Thanks for being available for everything and helping to facilitate the marketing, ordering of books, meetings, and everything under the sun!
Anthony Jacobs- Thank you for all of the marketing help and for creating and managing all of our online ads!
Ryan Whittle- Thank you for all of the time you spent creating the amazing book trailer for the trilogy. We love it!
Virginia Welch- Thank you for lending your spectacular vocals to the voiceover for the book trailer and for being such a wonderful friend in general!
The Red Pen Warriors, especially Julia Joseph, Janice Brooks, and Sarah Purcell- Thanks for the guidance, support, and superior editing skills!
To the families of everyone mentioned above- I know many of you have purchased books and supported this venture in many ways. Thanks to all of you!
And to everyone reading this blog and those who have read the book, especially you fine few who have left me a review- Thanks for giving me a chance as a new author and for supporting me as I begin this new and exciting journey. You are all wonderful!
Happy New Year! Welcome 2017!
I’ve created a few lists that I’d like to share with all of you—the things I’m looking forward to, my goals, and the folks I want to thank from 2016. I know this is a common thing we all do this time of year, and I think there is some benefit to sharing it. Now all of you can hold me accountable!
I also want to post a thank-you list to the people who have helped out with Team Soul Mender in some way this year. Some of you who have helped specifically with the book are mentioned in more detail on the acknowledgments page, but there have been many hands in the production of this who I want to publicly thank for their time, hard work, and contributions.
What I’m Looking Forward to this Year
-Writing the final installment of The Soul Mender Trilogy
-The Chihuahuan Desert Bike Fest in Feb. @Big Bend Ranch State Park
-Traveling to Cuba at the end of March
-Visiting sister-in-law in New Jersey in the summer
-Trekking to Everest Base Camp in the fall
-Releasing book three of The Soul Mender Trilogy next winter!
My goals for 2017
-Write and publish book three of The Soul Mender Trilogy
-Get a little blue checkmark next to my name on my social media accounts (My vanity goal)
-Try out for Jeopardy (and make it!)
-Do better at responding to texts and messages
-Do better at wishing people Happy Birthday
-Send out Christmas cards
-Ride the Rincon Loop at bike fest
-Attend a writers’ conference
-Make a new bestseller’s list
-To have Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, or George R.R. Martin read my book…hey, dream big, right?!?!
-Work out more and eat better (These go on every year. Someday I’ll get it right!)
2016 Thank-you List
Nathanael Gold- Thanks being a great husband and for helping me with edits!
Carey Dabney (Mom)- Thanks for all of the hours and hard work spent editing both books!
Walt and Alex Dabney (Dad & Sister)- Thanks for all of your support through all of this!
The Golds, Fosters, Morrills, and Dyers- Again, thanks for the support through all of this! Shout out to my brother-in-law Chas for liking and sharing literally everything I post on social media!
Andy Blalock- Thank you for all of the amazing and unique cover art for both books and for being a superb friend!
Bill & Richele Poston- Thanks to both of you for believing in me and my story and for generously backing the production and marketing of it! Also for the amazing trip to Belize!
Kasey Durbin- Thanks for helping with the initial marketing, and for setting up and pulling off a spectacular launch party!
Kinsey East- Thank you for laying out both covers as well as the hours spent on the website, graphics, and general marketing!
Lauren Darby- Thanks for being available for everything and helping to facilitate the marketing, ordering of books, meetings, and everything under the sun!
Anthony Jacobs- Thank you for all of the marketing help and for creating and managing all of our online ads!
Ryan Whittle- Thank you for all of the time you spent creating the amazing book trailer for the trilogy. We love it!
Virginia Welch- Thank you for lending your spectacular vocals to the voiceover for the book trailer and for being such a wonderful friend in general!
The Red Pen Warriors, especially Julia Joseph, Janice Brooks, and Sarah Purcell- Thanks for the guidance, support, and superior editing skills!
To the families of everyone mentioned above- I know many of you have purchased books and supported this venture in many ways. Thanks to all of you!
And to everyone reading this blog and those who have read the book, especially you fine few who have left me a review- Thanks for giving me a chance as a new author and for supporting me as I begin this new and exciting journey. You are all wonderful!
Happy New Year! Welcome 2017!
October 21, 2016
Editing With Puzzles
The feedback I’ve gotten from y’all on The Soul Mender has been incredible. I’m not going to lie, when the book released at the end of May part of me wanted to crawl into a hole and hide until everyone had read it and forgotten I’d even written something. But I kept receiving text messages and e-mails, phone calls and Facebook posts about how much some of you loved it. And that made the process amazing for me!
But it also heightens pressure to create a stellar book two and that is where I’m at now. I have the completed text, but now I’ve got to make it worthy of y’alls time, and worthy of the characters I’ve created and the paths they still have to take.
Editing a novel length piece is a monumental task. Sure, to actually sit down and write the damn thing is a lot of work as well. But editing, yikes. I get goose bumps just thinking about it.
The other day I took a break from editing a particularly bogged down section of book two of The Soul Mender Trilogy and started working on a puzzle. As lame as that may sound to some of you (it’s 110 degrees outside what am I supposed to do?), it’s critical to pull my eyes from a computer screen every once in awhile and give my brain a break from the mind numbing glare of the monitor. And my insides a rest from the stress of not knowing how to clean up a section of unruly words.
So I chose to piece together a puzzle. In college, my roommate and best friend Vicki and I used to do puzzles all the time. It would usually start with me creating the outline and any large objects in the middle. Vicki would come behind and fill in the rest—the sky, the vegetation, really all of the hard parts. We had a good system. I liked the fun, easy parts and when I got frustrated, she found joy in the challenge of the rest.
So true to my puzzle history, I have finished the outline and the easy pieces in the center. And as I stare down at it, I’m reminded of where I’m at in my editing stages. Editing a book is like putting together a puzzle, a really difficult one at that. One of those that’s labeled expert (if those exist). You write your first draft, which is the equivalent of dumping the ten-thousand-piece puzzle onto the table into a heap and sorting the pieces into like categories.
And then you begin editing. You stare down at the mess and hodgepodge, overwhelmed and wishing your friend Vicki were there to put together the hard pieces. Everything looks the same. Everything is a clutter. And nothing seems to match up.
But then you take a breath and realize that even a small piece of roof in the corner of a sky blue fragment is a clue to where it goes—that miniscule yellow flowers in the branches of a tree can help you put together three jagged corners.
And even though it is tedious, matching three pieces together at a time out of so many, eventually more connections become obvious. Eventually the chunks fit together. And with enough focus and attention, you are able to put together a really nice picture on your own. Not a complete image, because you will always need Vicki (or multiple editors and sets of eyes) to come in and polish off the sky and grass.
And as silly as this analogy may sound, I found it helpful because it reminded me that it is okay that pieces of my new novel are out of order, jumbled, and unreadable. It reminds me of the patience and focus it takes to hone something to perfection. It reminds me that I am not working on a ten-piece child’s puzzle, but the ten-thousand piece behemoth. It just means I need to not feel overwhelmed, but to look for the small details and connections that will help tie everything together.
So I leave the puzzle incomplete on the table for now and return to my manuscript, freshly inspired to create a sequel that y’all will love.
But it also heightens pressure to create a stellar book two and that is where I’m at now. I have the completed text, but now I’ve got to make it worthy of y’alls time, and worthy of the characters I’ve created and the paths they still have to take.
Editing a novel length piece is a monumental task. Sure, to actually sit down and write the damn thing is a lot of work as well. But editing, yikes. I get goose bumps just thinking about it.
The other day I took a break from editing a particularly bogged down section of book two of The Soul Mender Trilogy and started working on a puzzle. As lame as that may sound to some of you (it’s 110 degrees outside what am I supposed to do?), it’s critical to pull my eyes from a computer screen every once in awhile and give my brain a break from the mind numbing glare of the monitor. And my insides a rest from the stress of not knowing how to clean up a section of unruly words.
So I chose to piece together a puzzle. In college, my roommate and best friend Vicki and I used to do puzzles all the time. It would usually start with me creating the outline and any large objects in the middle. Vicki would come behind and fill in the rest—the sky, the vegetation, really all of the hard parts. We had a good system. I liked the fun, easy parts and when I got frustrated, she found joy in the challenge of the rest.
So true to my puzzle history, I have finished the outline and the easy pieces in the center. And as I stare down at it, I’m reminded of where I’m at in my editing stages. Editing a book is like putting together a puzzle, a really difficult one at that. One of those that’s labeled expert (if those exist). You write your first draft, which is the equivalent of dumping the ten-thousand-piece puzzle onto the table into a heap and sorting the pieces into like categories.
And then you begin editing. You stare down at the mess and hodgepodge, overwhelmed and wishing your friend Vicki were there to put together the hard pieces. Everything looks the same. Everything is a clutter. And nothing seems to match up.
But then you take a breath and realize that even a small piece of roof in the corner of a sky blue fragment is a clue to where it goes—that miniscule yellow flowers in the branches of a tree can help you put together three jagged corners.
And even though it is tedious, matching three pieces together at a time out of so many, eventually more connections become obvious. Eventually the chunks fit together. And with enough focus and attention, you are able to put together a really nice picture on your own. Not a complete image, because you will always need Vicki (or multiple editors and sets of eyes) to come in and polish off the sky and grass.
And as silly as this analogy may sound, I found it helpful because it reminded me that it is okay that pieces of my new novel are out of order, jumbled, and unreadable. It reminds me of the patience and focus it takes to hone something to perfection. It reminds me that I am not working on a ten-piece child’s puzzle, but the ten-thousand piece behemoth. It just means I need to not feel overwhelmed, but to look for the small details and connections that will help tie everything together.
So I leave the puzzle incomplete on the table for now and return to my manuscript, freshly inspired to create a sequel that y’all will love.
August 25, 2016
Thoughts on a Trilogy
As I’ve reached a few key waypoints in the journey to completing a trilogy, I wanted to share some of what I’ve learned along the way. When I first started, I was so pumped to write an epic voyage spanning the content of three books, where I could create a massive buildup to an awe-inspiring conclusion. But there are some key challenges and things to keep in mind when writing three books that are linked together. By the end, you want to create a total package that you are proud of, and that leaves the reader feeling satisfied at the finish line of a wild ride.
So what’s my advise to those wanting to write a trilogy, or those curious about what goes into it?
Know that when you start out to write a trilogy, you will be going on just as long and wild a journey as your characters. Book one is fun. I hate to say easy, but really it is the easiest chunk of words you get to put to paper. You create everything from scratch—the recipe is a blank page, which you can add whatever spices, ingredients, and secrets to. But you HAVE to plant most if not all of your seeds so that when you get to books two and three, the reader does not feel like you are conveniently placing plot points. This is where you lay the groundwork for everything. Main characters need to be introduced. The main conflicts need to start unraveling. Kick the ball to get it rolling, and kick it hard.
In book two, your responsibility shifts from creation to keeping everything synonymous with what you put in book one. The recipe must stay the same. You lose some of the power of creation, and instead are tasked with detail and precision, beginning to tie together the loose ends you left in book one, while keeping characters, events, and places all the same. I’ve heard this stage called the bridge stage, the crossing point between the initial conflicts to the final conclusion. And we must think of this bridge as wooden and rickety, probably a hundred years old and about to come crashing down. It isn’t made of steel, so make sure the conflict and growth continue full force through this middle stage.
Book three must provide a conclusion to your story, and it must be one that you promised the reader in book one. If you set out to write an epic romance, you may take a rowdy path to your conclusion, but you must deliver a happy ending to your readers. If you write a heroic saga about good and evil, good must in some way triumph in the end. And you must tie up the loose ends and unveil every Easter egg you planted along the way to satisfy the reader and conclude the journey they chose to go on with you. Don’t introduce new characters. Don’t introduce new plots. You should have planted enough seeds in the first two, that the final book is simply unveiling the mystery to the world and solving it.
And finally, don’t lose sight of what you want the trilogy to be. Once your first book comes out, everyone will have an idea of what they want to happen in the second installment. How each character should proceed. Who should and shouldn’t die. Remember this is your story. It doesn’t matter what anyone else wants it to be. Of course some ideas will be great and if so, use them. But never forget this is YOUR story. So by God, tell the story you set out to tell.
So what’s my advise to those wanting to write a trilogy, or those curious about what goes into it?
Know that when you start out to write a trilogy, you will be going on just as long and wild a journey as your characters. Book one is fun. I hate to say easy, but really it is the easiest chunk of words you get to put to paper. You create everything from scratch—the recipe is a blank page, which you can add whatever spices, ingredients, and secrets to. But you HAVE to plant most if not all of your seeds so that when you get to books two and three, the reader does not feel like you are conveniently placing plot points. This is where you lay the groundwork for everything. Main characters need to be introduced. The main conflicts need to start unraveling. Kick the ball to get it rolling, and kick it hard.
In book two, your responsibility shifts from creation to keeping everything synonymous with what you put in book one. The recipe must stay the same. You lose some of the power of creation, and instead are tasked with detail and precision, beginning to tie together the loose ends you left in book one, while keeping characters, events, and places all the same. I’ve heard this stage called the bridge stage, the crossing point between the initial conflicts to the final conclusion. And we must think of this bridge as wooden and rickety, probably a hundred years old and about to come crashing down. It isn’t made of steel, so make sure the conflict and growth continue full force through this middle stage.
Book three must provide a conclusion to your story, and it must be one that you promised the reader in book one. If you set out to write an epic romance, you may take a rowdy path to your conclusion, but you must deliver a happy ending to your readers. If you write a heroic saga about good and evil, good must in some way triumph in the end. And you must tie up the loose ends and unveil every Easter egg you planted along the way to satisfy the reader and conclude the journey they chose to go on with you. Don’t introduce new characters. Don’t introduce new plots. You should have planted enough seeds in the first two, that the final book is simply unveiling the mystery to the world and solving it.
And finally, don’t lose sight of what you want the trilogy to be. Once your first book comes out, everyone will have an idea of what they want to happen in the second installment. How each character should proceed. Who should and shouldn’t die. Remember this is your story. It doesn’t matter what anyone else wants it to be. Of course some ideas will be great and if so, use them. But never forget this is YOUR story. So by God, tell the story you set out to tell.
August 8, 2016
Character Overview: Riley Dale
As an avid reader, one of the most important aspects of a good book is character development. An author can write a really exciting story, but if the characters are flat and perfect, it’s hard to care. Some of the great “meaty” characters that come to mind when I think of someone so well written they could be real, are Katniss from The Hunger Games, and Harry Potter from, well, Harry Potter. By the time I had finished both of these series, I felt like I knew the characters and actually missed them as I turned the final page and set the last book down.
But there are certain things about these characters (my new friends) that I never know and don’t always find out. Why not? I guess it’s not important to the plot. But I guarantee you that Suzanne Collins and J.K. Rowling know their characters favorite colors, their favorite foods, what time they usually go to bed, and what superpower they would choose if they could have any in the world.
I know I have all of that information about my characters. To me, creating a fictitious person that I want people to care about is a very important responsibility that I can’t mess up. For all of my characters, and their opposites, I keep charts as specific as their first car to their sleeping habits.
And since I’ve often wondered about Harry Potter’s biggest regret, or what Katniss’ favorite color is, I thought I’d share some of the extras that aren’t included in my book, but are still vital to creating the main character of The Soul Mender, Riley Dale.
Basics
Full Name: Riley Evelina Dale
Date of Birth: October 17th
Hometown: Grand Junction, CO
Alma Mater: University of Colorado, Boulder—BS in Environmental Science
Religion: Not practicing. Grandmother was Jewish, Grandfather was Presbyterian
Firsts
First Car: 1994 Toyota 4-Runner (Tan)
First Kiss: Tyler Smithfield, Age 16
First Broken Bone: Pinkie toe on left foot from kicking a rock
First Crush: Gabriel Hart
Favorites
Favorite Food: Nachos
Favorite Music: Folk Rock
Favorite Color: Purple
Favorite Movie: Indiana Jones (1-3. Not a fan of 4.)
Favorite Sports: Doesn’t play any but loves watching the Denver Broncos.
Hobbies: Gardening, Reading, Hiking
Best Qualities
Personality: Smart, caring, loves nature
Behavior: Polite, loving, quiet
Habits: Organized
Relationships: Dearly loves her friends and family
Worst Qualities
Personality: Shy, anxious, judgmental
Behavior: Reserved, timid
Habits: Needing everything to be in order
Relationships: Too afraid to have one
Looks
Hair Color: Golden Brown
Hair Type: Long with large curls
Eye Color: Green
Height: 5”3
Weight: Fluctuates between 112-116
I have eleven pages of notes on Riley Dale’s character. These are just a few of the many details that have gone into creating who is I hope an intriguing character who will make you feel frustrated, happy, annoyed, sad, worried, excited, and everything but bored!
But there are certain things about these characters (my new friends) that I never know and don’t always find out. Why not? I guess it’s not important to the plot. But I guarantee you that Suzanne Collins and J.K. Rowling know their characters favorite colors, their favorite foods, what time they usually go to bed, and what superpower they would choose if they could have any in the world.
I know I have all of that information about my characters. To me, creating a fictitious person that I want people to care about is a very important responsibility that I can’t mess up. For all of my characters, and their opposites, I keep charts as specific as their first car to their sleeping habits.
And since I’ve often wondered about Harry Potter’s biggest regret, or what Katniss’ favorite color is, I thought I’d share some of the extras that aren’t included in my book, but are still vital to creating the main character of The Soul Mender, Riley Dale.
Basics
Full Name: Riley Evelina Dale
Date of Birth: October 17th
Hometown: Grand Junction, CO
Alma Mater: University of Colorado, Boulder—BS in Environmental Science
Religion: Not practicing. Grandmother was Jewish, Grandfather was Presbyterian
Firsts
First Car: 1994 Toyota 4-Runner (Tan)
First Kiss: Tyler Smithfield, Age 16
First Broken Bone: Pinkie toe on left foot from kicking a rock
First Crush: Gabriel Hart
Favorites
Favorite Food: Nachos
Favorite Music: Folk Rock
Favorite Color: Purple
Favorite Movie: Indiana Jones (1-3. Not a fan of 4.)
Favorite Sports: Doesn’t play any but loves watching the Denver Broncos.
Hobbies: Gardening, Reading, Hiking
Best Qualities
Personality: Smart, caring, loves nature
Behavior: Polite, loving, quiet
Habits: Organized
Relationships: Dearly loves her friends and family
Worst Qualities
Personality: Shy, anxious, judgmental
Behavior: Reserved, timid
Habits: Needing everything to be in order
Relationships: Too afraid to have one
Looks
Hair Color: Golden Brown
Hair Type: Long with large curls
Eye Color: Green
Height: 5”3
Weight: Fluctuates between 112-116
I have eleven pages of notes on Riley Dale’s character. These are just a few of the many details that have gone into creating who is I hope an intriguing character who will make you feel frustrated, happy, annoyed, sad, worried, excited, and everything but bored!
July 28, 2016
About the Author - The Fun Stuff!
Now for the fun questions! Because my favorite animal is almost as important as why I write…
Where am I from? Born in Virginia. Grew up in Moab, Utah and Austin, Texas (I claim both as home). Moved a few times since then. Currently residing in the Big Bend area of West Texas. I’m a rambler who enjoys meeting new friends and discovering new places.
Favorite Color: Purple! I love the bold femininity yet strong tough tones that hold purple together. It is a perfect combination of cool, steady blue and explosive, fiery red. Best color ever!
Favorite Food: Anything Mexican. I’ve been spoiled since living along the Mexican border the last three years and have become somewhat of a Mexican food snob. Tex-Mex will do, but nothing can compete with the green chiles and fresh white cheeses in the Mexican food along the West Texas border. Yum!
Favorite Animal: Easy. Bison. If you’ve checked out any of my social media pages, you probably already knew the answer to this one! And I’m so thrilled that they’ve just named it America’s National Mammal! Majestic, tough, adorable…need I say more?
Favorite Activity: I have a lot of these. Of course I’m going to say reading and writing. I love both of those. I also really enjoy cooking, mountain biking, hiking, camping, kayaking, blah, blah, blah. Basically if it’s outdoors and not the middle of summer in Texas, I love it!
Favorite Subject In School: I actually really miss being in school. I think learning is incredibly fun and I find myself missing the stimulation of a classroom and studying for tests at times (I think it’s socially acceptable to be a nerd these days). But my favorite classes were always Biology and it’s subclasses. I love science and I love animals. That pretty much equals biology.
If I won a lot of money, what would I buy first? Irresponsible, I know, but I would buy a pet bison. For some reason I have dreams of owning a rideable bison that I take out on journeys across the plains. And this isn’t far fetched. Just look up Guy On A Buffalo on YouTube. I aspire to be just like him.
Favorite Book: I hate this question because I have so many. Of course I will always love the Harry Potter Books as well as The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. But for a long time my favorite book has been "The Alienist" by Caleb Carr. I first read it in high school and I’d never felt so awed and terrified in my entire life. I’ve re-read it many times and still find myself gripped in the powerful and clever plot.
Where am I from? Born in Virginia. Grew up in Moab, Utah and Austin, Texas (I claim both as home). Moved a few times since then. Currently residing in the Big Bend area of West Texas. I’m a rambler who enjoys meeting new friends and discovering new places.
Favorite Color: Purple! I love the bold femininity yet strong tough tones that hold purple together. It is a perfect combination of cool, steady blue and explosive, fiery red. Best color ever!
Favorite Food: Anything Mexican. I’ve been spoiled since living along the Mexican border the last three years and have become somewhat of a Mexican food snob. Tex-Mex will do, but nothing can compete with the green chiles and fresh white cheeses in the Mexican food along the West Texas border. Yum!
Favorite Animal: Easy. Bison. If you’ve checked out any of my social media pages, you probably already knew the answer to this one! And I’m so thrilled that they’ve just named it America’s National Mammal! Majestic, tough, adorable…need I say more?
Favorite Activity: I have a lot of these. Of course I’m going to say reading and writing. I love both of those. I also really enjoy cooking, mountain biking, hiking, camping, kayaking, blah, blah, blah. Basically if it’s outdoors and not the middle of summer in Texas, I love it!
Favorite Subject In School: I actually really miss being in school. I think learning is incredibly fun and I find myself missing the stimulation of a classroom and studying for tests at times (I think it’s socially acceptable to be a nerd these days). But my favorite classes were always Biology and it’s subclasses. I love science and I love animals. That pretty much equals biology.
If I won a lot of money, what would I buy first? Irresponsible, I know, but I would buy a pet bison. For some reason I have dreams of owning a rideable bison that I take out on journeys across the plains. And this isn’t far fetched. Just look up Guy On A Buffalo on YouTube. I aspire to be just like him.
Favorite Book: I hate this question because I have so many. Of course I will always love the Harry Potter Books as well as The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. But for a long time my favorite book has been "The Alienist" by Caleb Carr. I first read it in high school and I’d never felt so awed and terrified in my entire life. I’ve re-read it many times and still find myself gripped in the powerful and clever plot.
July 18, 2016
Welcome, Readers!
Welcome readers, writers, and those who stumbled upon this page by accident!
As this is my introductory blog post, my ribbon cutting as an author to you the reader if you will, I apologize upfront for being a bit wordy. At this point, I don’t know you and you don’t know me, so I’d like to start off with the first question people ask when they find out I’m a writer: “What inspires you to write?” Or “Why do you write?”
That seems as good a place to start as any.
What inspired me to write The Soul Mender Trilogy (I was still in college at the time—the same age as the main character, Riley Dale.), and what I hope comes across in a non-didactic way, are my own frustrations with the world and how xenophobic and intolerant many of us have become, both to people who look different from us, and even those who look the same but money, family, and life have dealt them a different hand. I think it's important for people to learn to love and forgive themselves, and also to reconnect with an empathy I believe is disappearing from our society.
I grew up in a small, predominantly white, town in Southern Utah, but color, religion, politics, etc. never caused me to hate or dislike anybody. I was raised to see everyone simply as people on different journeys in different places, but all with the same core human DNA. When I entered the real world and suddenly heard people using the "N word" and talking about killing Muslims for fun, I felt horrified. I couldn't figure out where that kind of hate came from. So naturally as a writer, I decided to make up an origin, in the deepest sense of origin, as well as a possible solution.
Overall, this story is about tolerance, empathy, and the world being a solid shade of gray vs. black and white. I believe this trilogy will be something people can relate to, are searching for, and will help them take a new look at good and evil, right and wrong, and humanity as its most basic.
I put my characters through a lot of hell over the course of three books because the struggle of empathy and love for self and others is often a steep mountain to climb. I hope this doesn’t make it sound like I’m a pessimist. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. I like to think I’m a realistic optimist who understands that a glorious happy ending and real change can only come about through deep hardship and pain.
Plus, as a reader, I’m drawn in much more to struggle and hardship than I am to an easy slide through life. Who isn’t?
And like most authors, I write what I like to read.
As this is my introductory blog post, my ribbon cutting as an author to you the reader if you will, I apologize upfront for being a bit wordy. At this point, I don’t know you and you don’t know me, so I’d like to start off with the first question people ask when they find out I’m a writer: “What inspires you to write?” Or “Why do you write?”
That seems as good a place to start as any.
What inspired me to write The Soul Mender Trilogy (I was still in college at the time—the same age as the main character, Riley Dale.), and what I hope comes across in a non-didactic way, are my own frustrations with the world and how xenophobic and intolerant many of us have become, both to people who look different from us, and even those who look the same but money, family, and life have dealt them a different hand. I think it's important for people to learn to love and forgive themselves, and also to reconnect with an empathy I believe is disappearing from our society.
I grew up in a small, predominantly white, town in Southern Utah, but color, religion, politics, etc. never caused me to hate or dislike anybody. I was raised to see everyone simply as people on different journeys in different places, but all with the same core human DNA. When I entered the real world and suddenly heard people using the "N word" and talking about killing Muslims for fun, I felt horrified. I couldn't figure out where that kind of hate came from. So naturally as a writer, I decided to make up an origin, in the deepest sense of origin, as well as a possible solution.
Overall, this story is about tolerance, empathy, and the world being a solid shade of gray vs. black and white. I believe this trilogy will be something people can relate to, are searching for, and will help them take a new look at good and evil, right and wrong, and humanity as its most basic.
I put my characters through a lot of hell over the course of three books because the struggle of empathy and love for self and others is often a steep mountain to climb. I hope this doesn’t make it sound like I’m a pessimist. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. I like to think I’m a realistic optimist who understands that a glorious happy ending and real change can only come about through deep hardship and pain.
Plus, as a reader, I’m drawn in much more to struggle and hardship than I am to an easy slide through life. Who isn’t?
And like most authors, I write what I like to read.
May 27, 2016
The Soul Mender is now available!
Hey all!
Just wanted to let everyone know that my new book, The Soul Mender, is now available in paperback and e-book.
Check out the link below for book orders! And of course, let me know what you think!The Soul Mender
https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Mender-Tr...
Just wanted to let everyone know that my new book, The Soul Mender, is now available in paperback and e-book.
Check out the link below for book orders! And of course, let me know what you think!The Soul Mender
https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Mender-Tr...
