Renée Swann's Blog

Image by Nana B Agyei I wrote this yesterday and forgot to post it! :

It’s the last day of NaNoWriMo* here, and I’m feeling completely burnt out. I don’t want to write any more words, I don’t want to do anything but be a couch potato. I am so done with this month. And it’s not just NaNo that’s been wearing me down. For the last six or so months, I’ve been writing and editing non-stop, working on projects that I have to do and should do. It’s been exhausting. I haven’t had time for much else, and this makes me feel terrible!

So, I decided that in January (once my three deadlines are met), I’m going to be taking some much-needed time off to do whatever my little bibliophile heart desires. And then I’m going to be writing a novel that I’ve wanted to write for a while now, but haven’t had the chance.

While it’s sometimes good to be busy with lots of projects, it’s also important to take a break—whether that be an hour to read a couple chapters of a book, a day to get yourself back on track, a week to give yourself time to breathe, or a month after a labour-intensive schedule—and to remember that you and your welfare should come first (I suck at remembering this). Stressed over a scene that just isn’t working? Don’t sit in front of your computer, go for a walk! Get some fresh air or read a book! Forcing yourself to sit there is only going to make it worse. As much as we sometimes lead ourselves to believe, we aren’t actually chained to our desks, and I know it helps me to go and do something else instead of stewing about the problem.

While I’m trying to finish my last 1,000 words for NaNoWriMo and trying to not stress about it, I hope you all remember to take a break! And eat a cupcake once in a while, it helps, too! (I just love cupcakes)

*National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo.org)

‘No good deed ever goes unpunished, Mellea…’

(BOUND, The Guardians #1)

Mellea Wendorn hasn’t exactly had a normal life. Misfortune seems to follow her, and her family, wherever she goes. 
However, when Mellea stops to assist a mysterious young man suddenly her prior hardships seem trivial. His name is Leo. He is a Successor, a child of the Guardians of Selestia. He is royalty. He is handsome. And he wants Mellea completely to himself. Unable to escape the Guardian's laws, Mellea must learn the ways of the royals. She is convinced her life can’t get much worse. But when a timeworn Guardian enemy arises from the shadows, Mellea must make a choice that will change her destiny forever.
5 Things Readers Would Be Surprised to Know About Me One thing I’m terrible at is talking about myself. (I’m even worse at taking compliments.) That’s why I’ve decided to do this segment, to share a little more about me as a writer. I’m a holder of a BA of Communication This one won’t be a huge shock to my very close followers. Most probably have some idea about my studies, but yes I’m a Bachelor holder. I originally got into university to study something else, Linguistics, but I changed in my first year because … it was linguistics! I was told at high school not to even apply for uni, as I wouldn’t get in. The careers councillor fought with me on it to no end, even threatening to talk to my parents about it, but I applied anyway. And I got in. First go. Boom. I’m a former seasoned cosplayer If you don’t know what cosplaying is, it’s where you find a character from a show, comic book, manga, anime, movie … and dress up as them. Then you go out in public to conventions and have a ball. Sadly, cosplaying is expensive when you start to get good at it, so I had to pick between my indie writing and dressing up. I chose writing, obviously. I do miss it terribly and I swoon at the conventions I now attend to sell my books, at characters across my table. I have green eyes I wouldn’t have added this to the list before, but I recently read a study that said only less than 4% of the population have green eyes. And no one is born with green eyes, the come in after about 6 months of age. Which is why my own mum didn’t believe me for years that I had green eyes until I shoved my face in hers and was like, LOOK THEY’RE NOT BLUE ANY MORE! So yeah, 4%, that’s pretty cool. Oh and yes, Mellea has green eyes. That’s my own little tribute to my first protagonist. (Also: did you know that out of all of the “alien encounters” in the USA over the years, more than half the people claiming to have had sightings had green eyes. They’re calling us back to their home-world!) I didn’t start reading books seriously until 2009 … and I’m 23. So work that out. Now this is embarrassing, and I pondered whether or not to put this on the list, but it’s true. I have read many books over the years however most of them were children’s picture books or forced study books. It wasn’t until I read a series in 2009 that I fell in love with reading for the first time. I’ve been writing since I was a kid, but it’s true you can’t be a writer unless you read. So that’s when the two started to make their journey side-by-side. Naw. I’m a Pisces If you know anything about star-signs then you will know, creative and Pisces go hand-in-hand. Yet you might be surprised I even have a book that actually exists, as executing a dream is far harder than just spacing out about it. Pisces are all different. The sign for Pisces is two fish, hooked at the mouth, swimming opposite directions. Yeah, picture that one. I like to think of them as one rainbow fish, and one grey fish: What I Should Be Doing & What I Want To Do, I call them. For those of us fish well and truly covered in unicorn glitter, the real world sucks and dreaming is life. My parents actually told me recently that they have both come to grips with the fact that I’m never going to have a real job (suit, black and white, 9-5er) which is both great and really depressing. They support me, but of course, they’re worried that my passion will leave me standing on the street hawking books for food and spare change. To balance my spacy nature, I like to spend a fair bit of time outdoors, just staring at the trees and connecting with nature, being by the water (omg water splish splash splish, let’s go now!!!) and writing on the floor, with no shoes on, to connect with the earth. If you’re thinking about reading my books: do it [Please]! Bound, The Guardians #1 and Divided, The Guardians #2 now available on Amazon, Smashwords and in Paperback through the website!
Amazon US ~ Amazon AU ~ Amazon UK ~ Smashwords ~ Paperback 
Other series details
Divided, The Guardians #2, is now out! The first book leaves you wanting more, so you have to get it!
The MECH power has been reawakened. They have driven the Guardians from their home, taken their powers and Selestia has been plunged into darkness. Trapped on an uncharted island, Mellea watches her home being torn apart by the MECH's leader, Doctor. An unlikely ally creates a serum to restore the Guardians to power. Mellea must fight the clock to find them. But what good is a key without a lock?

Amazon US ~ Amazon AU ~ Amazon UK


M.J. Stevens is a true storyteller.
For a long time, words were never her best friend. However, she has always had a creative spirit and writing became the lead way that she could share her ideas with the world. Today, it is her number one passion in life. 
"Writing is a craft. I'll never know everything, but you can be sure I'll try."

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Title: Aftermath
Series: The AfterWorld Saga
Author: Sandy Goldsworthy
To Be Published: December 2nd, 2014
Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing
Page Count: 361
Genre: Paranormal Romance Action Adventure
Content Warning: Adult language, violence, and sexual content
Age Recommendation: 14+
Synopsis:
After losing her father, Emma Bennett moves to her aunt’s small town of Westport to finish out her senior year of high school. Emma wants to forget the pain and loss of the past few weeks, finding relief in the company of Ben Parker—a local boy who she has an instant attraction and uncanny connection with. When Ben seems a little too preoccupied with other responsibilities and has no time for her, Emma turns to the town’s hottest flirt—Lucas Crandon—for affection. Unfortunately, she realizes a little too late that, sometimes, bad boys really can be bad for you.

Life as an undercover agent for the Afterworld’s Bureau of Investigation isn’t an easy job. When Ben Parker finds his soul mate, Emma, in a small town, he finds himself forced to choose between doing his job or rekindling a relationship with the love of his existence. After Ben is notified that a notorious immortal is loose somewhere near Westport, he realizes that his love life will just have to wait. There is a criminal to apprehend before he can have his girl.

When lives are at stake and immortals are on the loose, can two soul mates find their happy ever after?

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About the Author Sandy Goldsworthy was born and raised in a small Wisconsin town. Her passion for writing began when her high school English teacher inspired her to be more descriptive in her work. Today, Sandy is writing the second book of Emma and Ben’s story. When she’s not writing, Sandy enjoys spending time with her husband, Mike, and two children, Brittany and Kyle, or playing with her English Mastiff, Miles.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway What is Your Writing Inspiration? That’s a tough question since many things inspire me when it comes to writing. But I would have to say that my initial inspiration came from a teacher. When I had to take a creative writing class in high school, I thought it would be a piece of cake. But when my teacher didn’t love my first assignment, I was crushed. I honestly couldn’t believe I didn’t get an A on the assignment, and remember talking to her about what she was looking for—and, more importantly, what my paper lacked. I kept thinking that it was just a few sentences describing the exterior of a house—how tough could that be? I was extremely overwhelmed that my brick siding and red door were insufficient. Then, she told me to picture it—to really see it. She probed me with questions about the texture of the brick and the shade of red. Eventually I relaxed and the words flowed. I ended up writing a full page about that house’s exterior… and the door was crimson, by the way!

Ever since, I have been passionate about writing. As a mom, I didn’t always have the time to write—I barely squeezed in laundry, much less reading, at some points. But when I found myself with more time on my hands, I started putting pen to paper and let my imagination run wild.

I get inspired from just about anything. I can see a stranger on the street and make up a whole story about him—complete with why he is standing on that corner at that moment, and where he’s going next.

Good books, movies, and dreams give me tons of inspiration, too.

Aftermath really evolved after I developed the character of Ben Parker. About five years ago, I had a very vivid dream (aka, nightmare) of a train derailment. Railcars tumbled off a ridge, landing on top of each other in a ravine. There was a young man on the train that was untouched by the accident. Once everything settled, he pulled victims from the crash site and escorted them to the afterworld. This fascinated me and I started writing short stories about a group of people that came to earth disguised as humans to help them through tragedy, or guide them to better decisions in their life. Eventually, Ben’s character came to life—along with the rest of the afterworld agents.

Of course, there had to be a reason Ben came here and what better reason than looking for his loved ones?

Aftermath Excerpt: Emma Meets Ben As I got closer, I realized Chester didn’t run after any ordinary boy. He ran toward the Prince Charming I saw at Lake Bell. Chester jumped on the prince, but didn’t bark.
I was out of breath and at a loss for words by the time I reached them.
“Sorry,” I squeaked out between deep inhales. I hadn’t run that fast since coach had us doing sprints last season. Guess I need to start working out more.
Prince Charming never looked up, but said, “No problem.” He was kneeling, and with both hands, he was scratching Chester’s ears. Chester was in heaven, wagging his tail uncontrollably. It was as if they were long lost buddies.
“Hey, my dog likes you,” I managed to say. I didn’t know what was more embarrassing—my inability to control my dog or the fact that I was so out of shape. Either way, I probably looked ridiculous.
“Yeah, I see that,” he said.
“Ahhh… sorry…” I mumbled. “He’s not usually like that.”
There was an awkward moment of silence before he spoke. “He usually doesn’t like people? Or he usually doesn’t charge toward them?” I saw his smirk, though he still didn’t look up at me. He was focused on Chester who was now licking him in the face.
I was too nervous to laugh. That was a pretty stupid thing for me to say. “Ah, both.”
“Really? Seems pretty nice to me,” he answered still petting Chester. I couldn’t believe what an attention seeker my pup turned out to be.
I reached for Chester’s leash on the ground and inhaled deeply. “He’s usually more protective… More standoff-ish, I guess.” Chester proved me wrong. “Chester, stop.” I tried to sound firm, and tugged on his leash. “Come here.”
“It’s okay,” Prince Charming said and stood up. He was suddenly looking directly at me.
My chest ached. His brown eyes were focused on mine.
“Maybe he just likes me,” he said and flashed me a grin.
My palms began to sweat and I could feel my heart beating faster. He was the most beautiful boy I had ever seen. Say something! I lost my train of thought. “Yeah… I guess.” 
I sounded stupid. I looked stupid.  What was I even wearing?
“Well,” he said.  Could the moment could be any more awkward?
“Yeah, sorry… again…. I’ll get him outa here.” I tugged on Chester’s leash, but he was firmly planted on his butt.
Prince Charming nodded. The silence was uncomfortable.
I’m not sure where I got the confidence, but finally said, “My name’s Emma.”
“Nice to meet you, Emma. I’m Ben.”  He smiled.
I felt a tingle in the pit of my stomach and found myself grinning in return.
Ben kicked the soccer ball up and caught it with one hand. “You play? Or just lounge in the goal?”
“Yeah… I mean, I play.”
“Nice,” he answered.
My cheeks burned and I could tell I was turning red.
“Maybe I’ll see you around, then.” He turned to walk away.
Chester sat obediently by my side. “You were pretty friendly with him,” I said and chuckled. Prince Charming had a name.
Ben.

Evolution, the second book in the E series, is now available! Get Evolution and E for only 99¢ each during release week, November 12th-19th, 2014.
BUY NOW Outpost Three is still standing… barely. But the deadliest threat it has ever faced is on its way-- a violent force that will annihilate every man, woman, and child.

With the Sentries under his control and Grey’s army defeated, Matt is more powerful than ever. Eden is little more than his prisoner, but that line is blurring as her affection for him grows. Now, as the Outpost faces total destruction, Matt must sacrifice the possibility of attaining Eden’s love in the vague hope that her past might hold the key to saving them all.

Eden’s journey will begin to unravel the mysteries of her previous life, reveal dangerous new questions, and change not only the future of Outpost Three, but shape the course of history.

This eagerly anticipated sequel to Kate Wrath’s E begins an epic quest into the dark, dystopian landscape of Eden’s world.
Get both books in the E series, E and Evolution, for 99¢ each on Kindle for a limited time only: November 12th- 19th, 2014. Join Kate for the Evolution  Facebook release day party! You're invited! Come hang out November 12th from 8-12 pm Eastern and celebrate the release of Evolution.Woohoo!
An Excerpt From Evolution: We run down the narrow alley and take the first turn, then another. We keep running, moving. I don't even notice my surroundings until, at last, we slow to a stop. The smell hits me first—the stench of piss, of something rotten, all condensed into a small space. Breathing hard, we stand in the street and look around us. We're in a main thoroughfare now, judging from the traffic, but it’s still narrow. I feel squashed, smothered. On all sides, a crowd throngs around us. Most of them are dressed in rags. Hollow faces huddle three or four bodies deep against both edges of the road, dirty, hopeless, and lost. Many of them are children.

I'm scanning their faces frantically before I even realize what I'm doing. "Oscar," I hear myself whisper. It hits me, and I break off before I can call out his name. Before I can start running again, sifting through the masses of them.

Apollon's hand clamps onto mine, but he says nothing. He and Jonas are focused on Jacob, who is shaking violently. Tears are pouring from widened eyes down his face. I want to help him, but all I can do is stand here trying not to break down, myself.

"We need to find somewhere to regroup," Jonas says quietly. "Get out of this mess."

I cast around for somewhere to go, but as far as I can see, it's piles upon piles. People, and people, and buildings looming over them. There's no breathing room. No space. I have to force my breath to steadiness. It's too much.

There is a commotion on the street ahead, maybe a block away. The ragged masses push away from the center, squashing and trampling each other in the process. We're caught in a wave of motion and carried backward, but still we try to look. Where the commotion started, there's a group of figures, similarly dressed in black with blue bandanas. They're moving down the street toward us.

The wave of people suddenly backlashes from the other direction, and we're pushed the opposite way from before. We manage to finally see why. On our opposite side, there's another group of people. These are dressed primarily in white. One of them, clearly a leader, wears a purple doo rag and carries what might be the biggest gun I've ever seen. He raises it toward us. Connect with Kate: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads Pinterest | Google+ | Website
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Healing A Shifter
by C.A. Tibbitts

Genre:Paranormal Romance
Release Date: October 28, 2014

Living a life of bitter seclusion, Griffin Tago is a mentally and physically broken puma shifter without a family, through no fault of his own.

Daniela "Dani" Celinho grows up in a happy family of shifters, until a malicious act during her teenage years leaves Dani with a limp and no hope of competing as a swimmer. After her father's murder, her mother and sister fall apart. Dani decides to make a life for herself in a little town called Pepper Valley, Colorado.

Griffin's best friend talks him into having a beer at his sworn enemy's place…Great Scotts Bar & Grill. After a short run-in with "Great Scott" himself, Griffin's friend distracts him by pointing out a brunette beauty standing at the jukebox. One look at her takes Griffin's breath away.

Dani looks past the wheelchair and sees the strong handsome man with long dark hair and black tattoos.

Their physical desire leads to a quick mating. Can Dani not only heal Griffin's body, but his soul? 
 INSERT REVIEW, AUTHOR OR CHARACTER INTERVIEW HERE.












C.A. Tibbitts lives in Oklahoma with her husband and parakeet.

She has an associates degree as a Paralegal. Writing has always been her passion, and she hopes to continue writing for many years to come in the paranormal romance genre, as well as other romance genres.

Hobbies include swimming, cooking, reading, tv watching, and social networking websites....

She loves to hear from her readers, and deeply appreciates honest reviews.








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NEW RELEASE TODAY:  THE WANTED by Lauren Nicolle Taylor (Young Adult Mature- Dystopian Romance) Book 4 in The Woodlands Series
Released Today!!!! Save $1 when you order on release day. 
Price goes up to $5.99 after release. 



What would you be willing to sacrifice to get what you Wanted? 
It’s the question facing both Rosa and Joseph as they are pushed and pulled in unimaginable directions. 
It’s the question Superior Grant answered with a resounding, “Anything and everything.” 
The only thing they want is to be back in each other’s arms. But what will it cost them to get there? 
Separated after a failed mission, they are caught in dual hells. Joseph, sinking as he struggles to face what he did to escape and who he had to leave behind. Rosa, straddling the divide between fighting the evil, calculating Superior Grant and trying her best to stay alive. 
When what they Wanted seems unreachable, can they find the strength—the will—to keep trying? To keep fighting? And find their way back to each other and to Orry?
The Wanted is the stunning conclusion of The Woodlands Series. 




The Woodlands Series by Lauren Nicolle Taylor





THE WOODLANDS by Lauren Nicolle Taylor
(Young Adult Mature- Dystopian Romance) Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
           FREE BOOK:


Rosa never thought she’d make it to sixteen...
When being unique puts you in danger and speaking your mind can be punishable by death, you might find yourself fighting to survive. Rosa lives in The Woodlands, one of eight enclosed cities where the lone survivors of a devastating war have been gathered. In these circular cities everyone must abide by the law or face harsh punishment. Rosa's inability to conform and obey the rules brands her a leper and no one wants to be within two feet of her, until she meets Joseph. He's blonde, fair skinned, blue eyed and the laid back, ever-grinning, complete opposite of Rosa. She's never met anyone quite like him, and she knows that spells danger.
But differences weren't always a bad thing. People used to think being unique was one of the most treasured of traits to have. That was before the bitter race war decimated most of the planet, leaving the Russian wilderness as the only scrap of land habitable for survivors. Now, the Superiors, who ruthlessly control the concrete cities with an iron fist, are obsessed with creating a 'raceless' race. They are convinced this is the only way to avoid another war. Any anomalies must be destroyed.

The Superiors are unstoppable and can do anything they want, after all, they are considered super heroes by the general public. But not everyone see's them this way. When they continue to abuse their power by collecting young girls for use in their secret, high-tech breeding program, they have no idea that one of those girls has somehow managed to make friends even she didn't know she had. And one man will stop at nothing to save her.



THE WALL by Lauren Nicolle Taylor (Young Adult Mature- Dystopian Romance) Book 2 in The Woodlands Series





Joseph, wake up, wake up, wake up.
She says it over and over. It’s her plea, her prayer, her mantra. But life doesn’t stop while he’s sleeping. Rosa’s been thrown into a new world, with new rules, and a philosophy that sounds too good to be true. She’s also sure they didn’t rescue her out of the goodness of their hearts.
The Survivors must want something from them… but what?
The Wall finds Rosa eagerly entering a new life, yet struggling to keep the demons and ghosts of the past from dragging her backwards.
She’s left so many people behind and isn’t sure how to start over.
There’s freedom in the Survivors’ world, more than she’d ever dreamed of, but there’s also secrets. The darkest of which pulls Rosa headfirst into a trauma, forcing her to reevaluate her past and pushing her to make a choice that may destroy the tenuous, sewn-together family she’s built on the outside.

Will Rosa make the right choice… or will she lose everything she has fought so hard for?




THE WOUNDED by Lauren Nicolle Taylor (Young Adult Mature- Dystopian Romance) Book 3 in The Woodlands Series



You think you’re in control, that you have your hands on the reins. But I’m starting to think either someone else is driving or the reins are attached to nothing. Just flapping and snapping in the breeze. What could be simple, never is.
Rosa doesn’t want to get used to being separated from Joseph, from Orry. But now she must battle her way back to her family, her future, at the same time struggling to come to terms with her father’s past, his secrets and what he means to her now.
With her best friend Rash by her side she feels blessed and cursed. He is her saving grace but will Joseph accept him, and will he forgive her for leaving? More importantly will she manage to return to him? Rosa must pull these threads together. Hold herself in as she hacks her way back to The Wall with the aid of new companions but not the one person she’d planned on saving.
Finding her way back is only the beginning. The biggest changes, the shocking outcomes are waiting. Hovering over the town like a menacing vapour.
The Wounded have waited, nursed, and been dormant for too long and now they’re coming, dragging the ghosts of their lost ones behind them.




THE WILLFUL by Lauren Nicolle Taylor (Young Adult Mature- Dystopian Romance) A Woodland Series Novella





When a heart is in pieces, can it still be broken? 
Quiet, contemplative Esther is in love. It’s an all-encompassing love that sweeps her off her feet but also leaves her dangling with nothing to hold onto. It’s thrilling, unlike anything she’s ever felt before, and she gives her whole heart to this marriage, to this willful, passionate man. 
Things change when she becomes a mother. It’s not just the two of them anymore, and as Esther gives a large piece of her heart to her daughter, Rosa, she starts to realize that maybe love shouldn’t be this hard. That she shouldn’t have to give up her whole self to be with him. That now that she’s a mother, she can’t. 
Set in the years leading up to The Woodlands, The Willful follows Esther, Rosa’s mother, as she navigates young motherhood, a marriage on the brink, and the hard decisions that come with living in a controlled world with an uncontrollable man.

About Lauren Nicolle Taylor
Lauren Nicolle Taylor is a 33-year-old mother living in the tiny, lush town of Bridgewater on the other side of the world in Australia. She married her high school sweetheart and has three very boisterous and individual children. She earned a Bachelors degree in Health Sciences with Honours in Obstetrics and Gynecology and majored in Psychology while minoring in Contemporary Australian Writing.
After a disastrous attempt to build her dream house that left her family homeless, She found herself inexplicably drawn to the computer. She started writing, not really knowing where it may lead but ended up, eight weeks later, with the rough draft of The Woodlands.
In 2013, Lauren Nicolle Taylor accepted a publishing contract with Clean Teen Publishing. Her first published novel, The Woodlands, was released on August 30, 2013 and followed shortly by The Wall and The Wounded. The Wanted—the stunning conclusion to the series— is scheduled for release in October of 2014. 

Where to find Lauren: Blog / Facebook / Twitter More from Clean Teen Publishing:

NEW RELEASE TODAY!  
Fans of the Percy Jackson Series will love this book!   Angus MacBain and the Agate Eyeglass  by Angela J. Townsend


ON SALE FOR $2.99 FOR 24 HOURS ONLY! 
Series: The Angus MacBain Series (Book #2) Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing Release Date: TODAY! Genre: Young Adult Adventure CTP Content Rating: YAe

When Angus MacBain finds that a Sea Hag has cast a deadly spell on Vanora’s father, he must once again set aside his life in the outside world to plunge into danger to save his friend’s father. But when he seeks out Fane, advisor to the MacBain Kings, Angus discovers that Vanora’s father is not the only one in dire peril. Now with two souls in mortal danger, Angus and Vanora must face the unknown challenges of Fingal’s Cave alone this time—without the aid of his trusted advisor. But what new and dreadful dangers lurk in the Hall of Kings? Armed with only the ancient weapon of the MacBain Kings, the heirloom amber eyeglass, Angus is about to find out.



CHECK OUT BOOK #1 TODAY FOR FREE!
Angus MacBain and the Island of Sleeping Kings by Angela J. Townsend

Angus MacBain is unaware that his ancestral roots hail from an ancient sect of Scottish kings. When his dying grandfather gives him a dragon pendant, thirteen-year-old Angus learns of a legacy that will take him across an ocean to the island of Iona and thrust him into a heritage he did not know he had. He soon discovers that his mother, whom he had believed dead, is really a seal fairy, in hiding from a dangerous enemy. To save her, Angus must undergo a perilous journey of destiny and power to battle an evil Dacian knight and those who serve him. With only his family shield and the advice of a wizened vampire hunter to protect him, Angus must navigate dangerous terrain and dark enemies, in a land where the past and the present mingle, and sleeping kings wake.




About Angela J. Townsend:


Angela Townsend was born in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Missoula, Montana. As a child, Angela grew up listening to stories told by her grandparents, ancient tales and legends of faraway places. Influenced by her Irish and Scottish heritage, Angela became an avid research historian, specializing in Celtic mythology. Her gift for storytelling finally led her to a full time career in historical research and writing. A writer in local community circulations, Angela is also a published genealogical and historical resource writer who has taught numerous research seminars. Currently, Angela divides her time between writing, playing Celtic music on her fiddle, and Irish dancing. 


Angela's first novel, Amarok, was published through Spencer Hill Press in 2012. Her newest novel, Angus MacBain and The Island of Sleeping Kings, was signed for publication with Clean Teen Publishing in 2013. 

Angela resides on a ranch, in rural Northwestern Montana, with her two children Levi and Grant.




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I'm not a "black hat" or a "white hat" kind of guy. Buy on Amazon As a child my Dad used to enjoy watching Westerns.  I remember him describing the plot of one such movie when he pointed to one character saying, “he’s the baddie.”  I wondered how he could tell, aside from the fact that he’d probably seen that movie fifty times since his youth, when he added “He’s a bad-guy because he’s wearing a black hat, but that guy on the horse with a white hat is the goodie.”  It may have been said to stop me being a distraction, but those words of wisdom stuck with me.  

I developed an innate ability to spot ‘black hat’ and ‘white hat’ markers in every movie I watched and I was damn good at picking them too.  The hats extended to other markers, like scars and limps.  Give me a seemingly well intentioned movie character with a scar or a limp (or a black hat) and it seemed inevitable that he’d demonstrate his true bad self by the end of the movie.  Cowboys or not, I could spot the good guys from the bad no matter what I was watching.  It was fun, until I was summarily banned from family movie nights and cinematic outings.  Apparently what was painfully obvious to me wasn’t appreciated when shared, and I got tired of having to explain my reasoning.  
As a reader, I came to recognise the written equivalent of the ‘black hat’ and ‘white hat’ and got bored with predictable characters and story lines.  As I became a writer, loathing the ‘hat’ helped me to understand it was up to me to prevent familiar characters.  If I don’t like reading stories with characters having familiar attributes or traits which might hint at their agenda, dammit, it’s up to me. 

Does that make me a better writer?  No.  Far be it for me to think that not having familiar characters is going to mean I’m a better/good writer.  I just don’t want to write predictable stories, so I obviously can’t have predictable characters.  It also means I have to work at my characters … and I can’t cheat.  Because I can’t put a black hat on a character to make them a ‘bad guy', I need to really show the character as being bad.  Sure, looks are important and can greatly contribute to how the reader experiences the characters and story, but it takes more. 

Yes … this is all about 'show not tell’, but I’d like for readers to think about this from a writer’s point of view.  If an author can’t use tell-tale markers, and has to ‘show' it, have you ever thought about what that really means to a writer?  How do you show a character as being ‘bad’ (or good) if you can’t just put a hat on him or her?

As a writer, I can admit to enjoying creating my 'bad guys' more than the 'good guys'.  Sure, the bad-guy might not score the maiden in the end, but how you paint him or her requires you to stretch your imagination and really show, not tell, and as a writer I can tell you that this, without the use of a ‘hat’, requires effort.  How bad is he or she?  Does he just park in disabled spaces or does he park on the disabled after first stabbing them, and their mother?  Let me assure you, it all requires careful thought.  Not bad enough and your bad guy will be more of an annoyance, too much and your bad guy will become a force that your good guy can’t match unless for implausible twists.  It all requires consistency too; was there an isolated occurrence of a bad deed or a long history, or is he progressively getting badder?  Think about this too: if the bad guy isn’t the right measure of bad, the drama of your story could well seem more melodramatic or completely outshine your main character.

Where am I going with this?  I just want readers to think about the characters in your next or favourite books, particularly the bad guys.  Are they really bad, or bad enough ... and how do you know?  Do you only know they are bad on account of how some aspect of their physical attributes, or their history; that you’ve been told, or have you ‘seen' it for yourself?  Looks can help, sure, and backstory is important, but it can’t make up for the reader experiencing the right measure of bad as they read along.

As critical as I am of other writers’ writing, I’d like to think that characters in my books would pass my own criticism.  In ‘Minions’, I had a dilemma where I thought I might have crossed a line in creating sociopathic, animal abusing Balkan refugee bastard named ’Nebojsa’.  His actions made him bad enough, but describing some of those actions on paper had me concerned that some badness shouldn’t be in a book. “I can’t write that”, I thought … but hey, it was my story and I could make him as evil as I wanted, and as it happened I really wanted an undeniably bad guy.  In ‘The Traveller’, my ‘bad guy’ is a woman and you never know her name, let alone what she looks like, so I couldn’t cheat with any obvious physical anomalies to paint the picture of a nasty, evil woman.  That said, I don’t think there’s any ambiguity who the ‘baddie’ is in the story and no-one could assert that she’s just the victim of some misogynistic misunderstanding.  No hats to be seen anywhere … which makes me happy.

Personally, I find bad guys the real measure of a story.  I don’t want them to just provide an opportunity for the hero/protagonist to do his or her thing.  I want bad guys/girls that make me think about how he/she is put together arguably more than I want to care about the main character.  If the truth be known, I want to hate or at least understand him/her not just because he/she is the antagonist of the story, but because the character has been painted in a way which makes me feel driven to do so.  I don’t succumb to the superficiality of how a character looks … my bad guys need to show their worth.  

Just having a 'black hat’ won’t do it for me.  What about you?
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Buy The Traveller | Buy Minions

BUY ON AMAZON Today, we’d like to explore more about one reason why we wrote “Mystical Emona: Soul’s Journey.” It’s more than a tale about eternal love. As mentioned in the introductory blog, it’s also a story about the modern Bulgarian people and their culture. 

This isn’t a discussion about religion. It’s about the activities people perform that are unique to their culture. Granted, the activities may take place during religious holidays, but they don’t necessarily have a religious significance, although often they do. 

Why is understanding culture important? One reason is it defines who people are. The common experiences that people share influences their perception of the world and consequently how they behave with each other and those outside their community. People who believe in evil spirits 
may be more cautious around others. In “Mystical Emona,” Maria is constantly giving Stefan charms to ward off the evil she believes intends to harm him. As an outsider, Stefan reacts differently to her actions than those who have lived with her in the village.

Is either of them right or wrong? No. Different cultures shaped their view of what evil spirits are, or if they even exist. Will living in a place that is vastly different from your own change your perception? Quite possibly, yes. 

Then the question arises: Should people who move to another country forget about their heritage and immerse themselves in their new culture? Or should they retain the purity of their traditions, ignoring all else? Or perhaps a bit of both - creating new traditions from each culture?

There is no set answer. Everyone is different, so what works for one person or family may not be appropriate for another. Some beliefs may be so strongly ingrained into people’s personalities that no amount of time can erase them. While other beliefs may pass by the wayside, people may openly embrace new beliefs, or incorporate them into what they believe, thereby creating new traditions.
Consider these thoughts about what culture does.

  ·         Provide comfort and security: Customs, traditions, and beliefs give people hope for a better life for themselves and their children.

·         Pass on cultural and religious heritage: Traditions are a great way to teach children about the family’s cultural and religious history, giving them personal identity.

·         Connect generations: Spending time with older generations is a great way to build memories and enables people to learn about beliefs, traditions, and heritage.

 We’ll leave you with a quote from “Mystical Emona” where Peter is telling Stefan about Sultana, a znahar, a woman who heals with herbs. Many people considered her a witch.  

When people don’t understand things, they call them bad. Miracles still happen, but you need to believe deep in your heart before you can experience them.”

So, culture is about believing.

“Mystical Emona” was highlighted on October 9 at Boston University during an event called “Bulgarian Voices: Love, Light and Rituals.” It is also available on Amazon US and UK. In addition, we are working on a non-fiction book that will describe many of these Bulgarian customs and others in more detail, as well as their Thracian origins. Look for it in December.
Mystical Emona Book Trailer: Connect with Ronesa:   Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest





 

 

PRE-ORDER EVOLUTION
Evolution Synopsis: Outpost Three is still standing… barely.  But the deadliest threat it has ever faced is on its way– a violent force that will annihilate every man, woman, and child.

With the Sentries under his control and Grey’s army defeated, Matt is more powerful than ever.  Eden is little more than his prisoner, but that line is blurring as her affection for him grows.  Now, as the Outpost faces total destruction, Matt must sacrifice the possibility of attaining Eden’s love in the vague hope that her past might hold the key to saving them all.

Eden’s journey will begin to unravel the mysteries of her previous life, reveal dangerous new questions, and change not only the future of Outpost Three, but shape the course of history.

This eagerly anticipated sequel to Kate Wrath’s E begins an epic quest into the dark, dystopian landscape of Eden’s world.
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