Author Doug Dillon

Hi all!

Please welcome Author Doug Dillon to my blog today!

AUTHOR BIO:
A former award winning educator, Doug writes about things paranormal and historical. His
interest in the paranormal comes from personal experiences as detailed in the nonfiction adult
book he and wife wrote titled, An Explosion of Being: An American Family's Journey into the
Psychic. Out of those events and extensive historical research, he then created Sliding Beneath
the Surface for young adults, Book I of the St. Augustine Trilogy. Doug set his trilogy in the
oldest and most haunted city in the United States, St. Augustine, Florida. Books II and III of the
trilogy are on the way.

Book Title: Sliding Beneath the Surface (Book 1)
The St. Augustine Trilogy
Author: Doug Dillon
Release Date: August 24, 2011
Print Length: 166 Pages
Genre: YA Paranormal
Presented by: As You Wish Tours

Hello St. Augustine Fans! Let’s not forget the YA Paranormal Fans!

For two days, the Kindle version for Sliding Beneath the Surface will be available FOR FREE
on Amazon.com—a special promotion. Those days will be May 18th & 19th. Spread the word
and tell everyone you know about this wonderful opportunity.

BRIEF SYNOPSIS:

In old St. Augustine, Florida, fifteen-year-old Jeff Golden’s recurring dream of being
stabbed in the chest and bleeding all over his bed is driving him crazy. It’s causing him to lose
sleep and giving him severe headaches. When his psychically gifted friend Carla and an ornery
Native American shaman named Lobo try to help, Jeff is inundated with terrifying paranormal

Reaching out of Florida’s distant past, something increasingly entangles Jeff in tentacles
of danger that threaten his sanity and eventually his life. But the harder he tries to understand,
the deeper he gets. When comprehension finally dawns though, time has almost run out. Lobo
does his best to prepare Jeff for what he must face in order to survive but it may be too little and

It’s at this point that both Jeff and Carla find themselves swept headlong into an
alternative reality from which they may never return. If they don’t quickly and fully adapt to this
situation, all hope is lost. From Lobo they know how it might be possible to change what is
happening but the question is, can they? Repeatedly, Lobo has told both teens, “You create your
own reality whether in this world or in another.” If acted upon properly, that advice just might

save their lives and end suffering on an even wider scale.

BLURB:

A new resident of America's oldest and most haunted city, St. Augustine, Florida,
fifteen-year-old Jeff Golden suddenly finds himself up to his eyeballs in frightening paranormal
experiences. At the end of his rope in trying to figure out what is happening to him, Jeff decides
to rely on his friend Carla Rodriguez, and Lobo, an old Native American shaman, for help.

Despite this guidance, things get even worse. Jeff's spine tingling encounters increase
in number and intensity at an alarming rate, scaring him even more. Eventually, he makes
the startling discovery that unresolved circumstances involving a bloody event directly out of
Florida's distant past threatens his sanity and possibly his life.

Finally, overwhelmed by forces he cannot understand or control, Jeff's world shifts from
frightening to downright terrifying. In desperation, and on Lobo's advice, he leaps headlong into
the unknown in order to save himself. What Jeff discovers though is that he has entered a level of
reality he is completely unprepared to handle while unwittingly dragging Carla with him.

Like all the books in THE ST. AUGUSTINE TRILOGY, the premise for Sliding Beneath
the Surface is simply this: You create your own reality.

EXCERPT:

With a final laugh, Carla coughed, caught her breath, and said, “That alarm system is Lobo‘s
way of scaring off unwanted visitors without actually having to use real dogs. So, are you finally

“Anything to get away from you letting me get attacked by wild dogs,” I said, trying to sound
serious, even though I realized I probably had looked pretty silly.

“Oh poor baby,” Carla said with one of her sly, sexy smiles.

God she looks so good when she smiles. I mean she looks good all the time, but her smiles are
something else, like a flash of warm sunshine. Ruining the moment, the screech of a power saw
sliced the air for a short time and stopped. It sounded like it came from the small, unpainted
building. I remembered hearing that saw noise from Carla‘s back yard.

“He‘s in his workshop,” she said. “Not good. He doesn‘t like being interrupted when he‘s
concentrating on his carvings. He might even be a little grumpier than usual, so try not to be

“Great, can‘t wait.” I groaned, massaging my left temple with the tips of my fingers when Carla
turned away. “Sounds like so much freakin‘ fun.” The idea of facing some bad tempered old
man was not really how I wanted to end my day, you know? Bad dream or no bad dream. By
then though, we were approaching Mr. Lobo‘s beat-up truck. To the left of the truck, light shown
between the blinds of the two large windows in the workshop, but I couldn‘t really see anything

“Being sarcastic isn‘t going to make things any better,” Carla said. “We‘re not here to have fun,
we‘re here to get you some help, OK?” She sounded like a mother taking her child to see the

doctor for the first time.

“Yes, momma,” I kidded, using a squeaky child‘s voice, “I promise I‘ll be good.”

Carla rolled her eyes, shook her head and punched me in the arm. “You are absolutely hopeless
sometimes.” When I say punch, I mean punch! For a small person, she packs a wallop.

”Lobo,” Carla said before the man could turn around, ”this is my friend Jeff Golden and he—”
”You know better than that!” The man scolded. What a voice. A deep one, like a big old Harley
cranking up. While using the rag to wipe sawdust off his hands and arms, he turned around and
faced us. “Nobody comes here unless they‘re invited by me personally, especially this boy who
has problems buzzing around him like angry yellow jackets.”

Angry yellow jackets? The guy‘s attitude reminded me of a crappy teacher I had last year. Hated
the man. Not a good beginning.

Lobo didn‘t have a big belly like a lot of older guys. A broad chest matched his big shoulders,
but the man‘s face is what really made me stare. It looked like the front of a ship, as if it could
cut through water. A large thin nose stuck out above a small mouth with full lips that puckered
just a little. From those lips on each side, a permanent frown sliced down to a sharp chin. Other
deep lines across the rest of his face and neck showed the man did have some age on him, like

His eyes though, are what really caught my attention. Deep set under thick, bushy brows the
color of his hair, the pupils looked completely black. Even so, they glittered as if a tiny powerful
light inside each one kept trying to get out. I swear, when he looked at me, I thought for a second
I was seeing twin lasers rapidly firing in my direction. Talk about weird.

Carla walked over to him, placed her hands on her hips and slowly raised her head so that
Mr. Lobo couldn‘t help but look at her. I tell you what, all five foot four inches of Miss Carla
Rodriguez was poised like a little snake ready to strike. I wanted to smile, knowing Lobo was in
for it, but I didn‘t. The guy deserved it.

When Mr. Lobo entered the room, his weird-looking eyes instantly locked with mine.

Without shifting that laser-like gaze, he lumbered over to the recliner opposite me on the other
side of the coffee table and sat down. Even when he picked up the bottle of water Carla left for
him, he kept up that intense stare. Man, I felt like a germ under a powerful microscope—a germ
still fighting a headache.

No one spoke, and the silence around us seemed to get heavier somehow, thick like clear syrup
or something. I tried not squirming in my chair, but it was hard. I mean all that silence got really
uncomfortable, you know? Instead of looking at Carla‘s friend directly, I stared at the Tiffany
floor lamp next to his chair. It‘s glass bowl pointing downward showed little green leaves against

an light orange background. What can I say, looking at the thing kept my mind busy.

And another thing. It wasn‘t freezing in the house, but it sure wasn‘t warm—no heating going
on that I could tell. Carla had her coat on and I wore a heavy long-sleeved shirt, but old Lobo
sat there in that same sleeveless shirt he wore in his workshop. The guy seemed not to notice the

The snapping sound when he opened his bottled water broke the spell, but only when the man
chugged a couple of deep swallows did he look away. What a relief not to have those eyes
slicing through me for even a short time. In seconds though, he was staring at me again, hard
as ever. Still no one spoke. At that point, I figured if nobody else was going to say something,
I would—anything, to get things moving. Yeah, I wanted the guy‘s help but sitting there facing
him in complete silence, especially with Carla watching, wasn‘t working for me. “Ah, Mr.
Lobo,“ I did my best to smile, “Carla thinks that maybe you can—“

“Save it“ His deep voice filled the room. “First rule, don‘t call me Mr. The name‘s Lobo, nothing

“Uh, OK.“ I tried to look and sound as relaxed as possible. Actually, I was starting to get
“Rule number two, Mr. Golden,“ he lectured, like I thought he might. “If you want my help, you
do things my way. Got that?“

“So tell me about this dream,“ Lobo said to me in his rumbling voice as he sat back down in his

“Dream?“ Neither Carla nor I had mentioned my dream yet. If anybody else had brought me
there besides Carla, I would have sworn that person had already talked to Lobo about my

“Am I not speaking clearly enough for you?“ The man replied with this sour look on his face.

“Uh … OK. My dream. Well, for the past three nights I‘ve been waking up with a horrible pain
in my chest like something has stuck me hard while I‘m sleeping. When I sit up and look down,
my bed is glowing and there‘s something long and pointy coming up out of the mattress trying to
get me. Blood is everywhere, all over my chest, my stomach, my sheets and on the pointy thing.
It's all so real, like it‘s actually happening. Then when I jump out of bed and turn the ceiling light
on, it all goes away, but my chest still hurts. I still feel like I‘ve just been stabbed. I‘m telling
you, it scares the crap out of me.“ I hadn‘t planned on saying that last part. It just popped out.

Lobo grunted and looked all around me in his weird way, his unblinking gaze all fiery.

Everybody blinks, right? Not him. I‘m telling you, it felt really odd to be talking to somebody

who keeps his eyes constantly open. Shifting his attention away from me, he put his water bottle
down on the coffee table, got up and went to the display case I had touched earlier, the one with
all the weapons. As I watched him, for the first time I noticed the circular display case over the
fireplace held a huge collection of arrowheads, spearheads and stone knives. I wondered if they
were Seminole. “Come over here,“ he said, his words a rumbling command. I could feel my
stomach twist the way it does when adults try to boss me around, but I resisted the temptation to

When I got to the case, he asked, “That something sharp coming out of your mattress look like
any of the objects in here?“ He squinted as if he somehow wanted to see the answer within me
as much as hear it. I guess by then I was a little paranoid about the possibility of him being able
to get inside my head. After what I had experienced while standing there before, I wasn‘t sure I
wanted to look, but I did. As I searched, my headache intensified, making me wince, but even so,
my eyes stayed glued to this one item.

“No trick, really,“ Carla said with this super serious face. When she spoke, her voice came out

Oh man, that did it. I mean Carla doesn‘t lie, stretch the truth, or anything like that. “Remember
when I told you about Lobo helping me to control my unconscious ability to move things without
touching them?“ she asked, her voice a little stronger.

“Uh, sure.“ I sat there looking at her in awe.

“You see, Lobo … well, has also been educating me so that I can now touch things with my
conscious mind—to do so by thinking about it. An aluminum can is light and soft, so we use
“Do we have your full attention now?“ Lobo asked, as I struggled to accept Carla‘s explanation.
“Oh yeah,“ I said, stressing each word in order to leave no doubt in the man‘s mind. Even so, I
still couldn‘t get over Carla having such an amazing ability. As I wondered how she could do
something like that, I put the crumpled aluminum on the coffee table in front of me.

“Good,“ Lobo replied. “Now we can proceed.“ After getting out of his chair, he grabbed
the carved white ball sitting on the coffee table, and suddenly tossed it in my direction—
underhanded and high in the air. Without thinking, I grabbed the thing as it came down with both
hands, and was surprised it felt so light. When the ball hit my hands, there was a clicking sound.

“Have you ever seen anything like that?“ Lobo asked after sitting back down.

“Yeah, I just remembered. There‘s one like it at the Ripley‘s Believe It or Not Museum.“ I held
it in one hand and brushed my other hand over the intricate designs and holes carved into the
surface. Gradually it became clear to me that the ridges under my fingers tips were actually
dragons curling around the openings. “What‘s it made of?“

“Mammoth ivory,“ Carla replied. “Lobo has it shipped in and then he does carvings.“

“A piece of mammoth tusk?“ I said in wonder, studying it even more intently. Inside all the holes
cut out of the surface, I could see another, completely movable, but smaller ball. Carved into
it were odd shaped stars and more holes leading to yet another ball farther down. Beyond that,
another ball, and so on. All of the balls I could see or touch with my index finger moved. That‘s
why the thing was so light, it had been carved out on the inside, layer-by-layer.


Author Links:

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TheStAugustineTrilogy
Twitter https://twitter.com/Doug__Dillon
Website http://dougdillon.com
Amazon Author http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005ZEJTJ4
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/580090.Doug_Dillon

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005J5L0BO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?
20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005J5L0BO

B&N http://www.google.com/url?
q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.barnesandnoble.com%2Fw%2Fsliding-beneath-the-surface-doug-
dillon%2F1105115468%3Fean%3D2940013079991%26itm%3D1%26usri%3Dsliding%252Bbe
neath%252Bthe%252Bsurface&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNE3EFjAU3u8dHYrw1jS8PXiOOd

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12672567-sliding-beneath-the-surface

Book Depository http://www.google.com/url?
q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bookdepository.com%2FSliding-Beneath-Surface-Doug-
Dillon%2F9780983368427&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHcM2qzsEwOxHbQm-

Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=e1S62dsEXRc


http://asyouwishtours.blogspot.com/

Please help me thank Doug for joining us today and thank As You Wish Tours for sharing him with us!

Keep Writing!
Jodie Pierce

Roy Huff and Everville

Hi all!

Please help me welcome Author Roy Huff to my blog today!

     Everville: The First Pillar. This book is FREE on Amazon through midnight Pacific May 16th! Be sure to grab a copy herehttp://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BCOQSSQ/ , before the promotion ends.

     Bio:

Roy Huff is the author of Amazon's #1 international bestselling epic fantasy novel, Everville: The First Pillar. This is the first installment in the remarkable Everville series which combines elements of epic fantasy and young adult fiction in a form that nearly anyone will enjoy reading, young or old. He is a man of many interests including but not limited to science, traveling, movies, the outdoors, and of course writing teen and young adult fantasy fiction. He holds five degrees in four separate disciplines including liberal arts, history, secondary science education, and geoscience. Roy Huff's background includes work in art, history, education, business, real-estate, economics, geoscience, and satellite meteorology. He was born on the East Coast but has spent more than half his life in Hawaii, where he currently resides and writes his epic fantasy sagas.

     Summary:

Owen Sage is the emblematic college freshman at Easton Falls University. With all the worries about his first year in college, he was not prepared for what would happen next. His way of life was flipped upside down when he mysteriously crossed into another dimension, into the beautiful land of Everville. His excitement was abruptly halted when he discovered that there was a darkness forged against both the natural world, which he knew well, and the new land which he discovered, Everville. He must devise a plan to save both worlds while joining forces with the race of Fron and The Keepers, whom both harbor hidden secrets he must learn in order to gain power over the evil that dwells in The Other In Between.

With a race against time to save both worlds, his short time at Easton Falls did not quite prepare him for the evil, dark forces he must fight in order to conquer The Other In Between.

     Review

5.0 out of 5 stars An exciting and original series opener, March 11, 2013
By Ionia Martin "Ionia"  (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This is definitely an excellent opener to a new fantasy series. I was immediately happy to discover that the author wasted no time getting to the interesting stuff. Rather than wading through pages and pages of setup, the author assumes his readers are intelligent enough to make the proper connections, and I appreciated that. Often what bores me with fantasy novels is the way the authors feel the need to over examine every detail of their world, and Roy Huff doesn't do this.

I liked the way the normal world and the imagined world were intertwined and thought the main character was refreshing. Lately I haven't found many fantasy novels with truly likeable characters. I liked that this one was young, energetic and although uncertain, quickly became a good hero. I would think this novel would be of particular interest to the younger crowd, but I don't see a reason why an adult wouldn't enjoy it as well. I found this to be very good as a whole and would certainly recommend it to others. This looks to be a very promising series.

There have been a lot of books where evil waged war with good, but in my opinion, this one pulled it off better than most.

Next book:

    Links

Twitter: @evervillefans
Blog: http://www.owensage.com/blog.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/owensagefans
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/evervillefans
Instagram: http://instagram.com/owensageblog#
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/owensage
Youtube book trailer for Everville: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89pH3rik8CM

Please thank Roy for joining us today! Check out his websites and get his new book!

Keep Writing!

Jodie Pierce

Author Natalie Roers & Lucid

Hi all!

Please help me welcome Author Natalie Roers to my blog today!

About the Author:

A veteran writer, voice artist, and on-air personality, Natalie Roers has been the host of hit radio and television shows in just about every region of the United States.

She also owns her own voice-over business where she creates everything from songs and ringtones to commercials and sound effects for clients around the globe.

A journalist by trade, Natalie is excited to venture into the world of fiction and hopes to raise money and social awareness for worthy causes with each book she writes. She lives with her husband Cory, and son Austin, in Columbia, South Carolina.

Local Television Personality turned Author Aims to Teach Empathy to Young Adults through Writing.

April 20th, 2013

Columbia, SC- Former Columbia news anchor turned author, Nat Roers, has announced the release of her much anticipated first novel, Lucid, through Twilight Times Publishing. A literary fantasy aimed at young adults, Lucid is more than a fun read-it's a powerful tool in teaching and reinforcing empathy in young adults.

After working as a news broadcaster for over a decade, Roers says she felt compelled to use her writing as a way to reach out to young adults. "While there are overwhelmingly more positive stories involving teens in the news, it's the tough ones that stick with you-think Columbine, Steubenville, and all of the viral videos of kids fighting one another." Natalie goes on to say, "Books that teach empathy are nothing new, Charlotte's Web, Of Mice and Men, and To Kill a Mockingbird were some of my favorites as a child. But life has changed very much since I was young. I wanted to write something with the same kind of sentiment, but with a fresh twist that would appeal to a new generation."

Not only is Roers' novel a tool in reinforcing empathy through the story itself, but a percentage of every dollar Natalie makes will be donated to anti-bullying organizations.

Lucid by

Natalie Roers

Publisher: Twilight Times Books

Genre: paranormal fantasy

Print ISBN: 978-1-60619-027-2

eBook ISBN: 978-1-60619-026-5

May 15, 2013 ebook

July 15, 2013 print

Pages: 168

Book Description:

Disfigured at birth and ostracized at school, Travis Hunter dreams of acceptance and secretly yearns for the affection of a beautiful young woman named Corrine. When a mysterious doctor promises to help Travis through something called lucid dreaming, Travis gets more than he ever bargained for and soon finds himself learning the secrets of love and life in a fantastic unconscious world.

Chapter excerpt:

http://twilighttimesbooks.com/Lucid_ch1.html

Reviews

"Roers' debut novel heralds the arrival of an intelligent, heartfelt voice in the world of young adult fiction. The rich characters, emotional complexity, and confident prose are matched only by the landscape of dreams that Roers sets them against... a landscape brought vividly to life by the author's seemingly boundless imagination. This is a novel that respects its readers as much as its characters, and that's a beautiful rarity." ~ Mike Flanagan, Filmmaker, Absentia and Oculus

"Natalie Roers' debut novel is both riveting and relevant. More than a paranormal/fantasy/thriller, this is a complex tale that cuts to the very of heart of issues facing young adults today. Well sculptured characters and powerful imagery propel Roers' fascinating narrative." ~ Jason Tinney  Award-winning freelance journalist, musician, actor and the author of the story collection Bluebird.

"Lucid is an interesting story and a fun read." ~ Amy Carol Reeves, author of Ripper and Renegade

"Natalie Roers' voice is amazingly confident for a first novelist. Her journalist's eye for human detail draws you in, and makes you care about the people who populate the LUCID world. The more I got to know them, both awake and asleep in the world of lucid dreaming, the more time I wanted to spend in their world." ~ Jeff Howard, writer for Film District and Focus Features.

Promo Blurbs:

50 Word Promo Blurb

Disfigured at birth and ostracized at school, Travis Hunter dreams of acceptance. When a mysterious doctor promises to help Travis through something called lucid dreaming, he gets more than he ever bargained for and soon finds himself learning the secrets of love and life in a fantastic unconscious world.

150 Word Promo Blurb

Being hailed by critics as an intelligent new voice in young adult fiction, Roers' debut novel tells the anything but ordinary, coming of age story of a small town, teen aged, misfit named Travis Hunter.

Disfigured at birth and ostracized at school, Travis dreams of acceptance and secretly yearns for the affection of a beautiful young woman named Corrine. When a mysterious doctor promises to help Travis through something called lucid dreaming, Travis suddenly finds himself ushered into a secret society called "The Lucid", a collection of social outcasts like himself, who have created their own world inside of dreams.

When Travis discovers he is able to bring Corrine into these dreams, he gets more than he ever bargained for and soon finds himself learning the secrets of love and life in a fantastic unconscious world.

An instant classic, Lucid is a timeless story of self-acceptance with a fresh paranormal twist.

250  Promo Blurb

Heavily based on the intriguing and relatable real world phenomenon of lucid dreaming (the ability to control ones' dreams), Roers' debut novel tells the anything but ordinary, coming of age story of a small town, teen aged, misfit named Travis Hunter.

Disfigured at birth and ostracized at school, Travis dreams of acceptance and secretly yearns for the affection of a beautiful young woman named Corrine. When a mysterious doctor promises to help Travis through lucid dreaming, Travis suddenly finds himself ushered into a secret society called "The Lucid", a collection of social outcasts like himself, who have created their own world inside of dreams.

When Travis discovers he is able to bring Corrine into these dreams, he gets more than he ever bargained for and soon finds himself learning the secrets of love and life in a fantastic unconscious world.

With the doctor serving as their guide, Corrine and Travis embark on a powerful and often painful journey of self-discovery in order to unravel the mystery behind the lucid world and the people who inhabit it. The plot thickens when a destructive outside force uncovers their abilities and will stop at nothing to steal their power.

Debuting during the height of the anti-bullying movement, Lucid is a timeless story of self-acceptance with a portion of the author's proceeds being donated to bullying prevention efforts.

Excerpt:

I gave her a funny look and loosened the drawstrings. A dark green stone

fell out into my hand. It had little red splotches on it and was hung with three

small chains from a silver crescent that looked like the moon. The metal of the

crescent looked very old, as if it had been pounded by hand.

“You made me zink of it when you mentioned your dreams earlier.” Kelly

said. “I zought you might appreciate it.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a talisman. According to legend, it was originally used by da Lucid as a

gateway to da dream world.”

“That’s really cool,” I said, “What’s it got to do with me?”

“Talismans are very magical. Dey have da power to make extraordinary

transformations. Why don’t you keep it for a while? See how it works?”

“Oh, come on,” I disagreed. “You don’t really believe that, do you?”

Doctor Kelly smiled. “I believe very much in powerful transformations.” 

Corrine’s breathing quickened and she pushed against my chest to break

the hold.

Not wanting to let go, I grabbed at her waist again, but she stopped me.

“What did you do that for?” I asked, my voice low and raspy. Even I couldn’t

tell if I was asking why she kissed me or why she had stopped.

Corrine stepped back even further and looked down at her legs.

That’s when I saw it. The shin of her left leg was starting to fade.

“Travis, I don’t know you,” she said softly. “If this is real, though? If it’s

really real, like you say it is? I want to meet you. Do you understand me? I

want you to come and find me as soon as you wake up.”

The light around us changed. It was sunset. Amazing reds, golds, and

purples, streaked across the sky.

           Then, through the window, she appeared. Corrine was carrying an armful of

books to the front of the store. She had a huge smile on her face. Although I

couldn’t hear through the glass, it looked as though she was singing. She was

so caught up in whatever she was listening to, or whatever it was that she was

thinking about, that she didn’t once seem to notice me standing in front of the

window. For a moment, I let myself believe I was the reason for her distraction.

I watched with amusement as she carefully and methodically set out new

hardbacks on the wooden display shelf. You could tell just by the way she

handled them how much she cared about the stories inside. As the normalcy of

the task sank in, so did the absolute absurdity of me being there. Corrine was

going on about her life and I was watching life from the outside. She was like a

beautiful butterfly inside of a glass case, and I was the grubby kid who leaves

nothing but fingerprints behind, imagining what it’s like to actually touch

something so perfect.

Nothing had changed.

Satisfied with my mission and the acceptance of our respective roles, I took

one more appreciative look and turned to go. But as I did, I realized that

someone had been watching me while I had been watching her.

            Corrine opened her hand wide and I touched my index finger to the back of

the bird. The scales were very hard but smooth to the touch. It was the coolest

thing!

But as its eyes turned up to me, I felt my stomach drop. The bird’s eyes

were made of stone! They were dark green with blood red spots—exactly the

same as the talisman.

“Isn’t it amazing?!” she exclaimed. “I made it!” Corrine swelled with pride at

the proclamation.

“You made what?” I stammered, trying to collect myself.

“Here, I’ll show you how it works.” With the bird cupped in one palm, she

took one of my hands with her own and placed it over the bird. “Think of

something,” she whispered.

“What?”

“Close your eyes, and concentrate really hard on something. Think of

anything you can hold in your hand.”

I gave her a sideways stare and reluctantly closed my eyes.

“Are you thinking of something?” she asked.

“Give me a second,” I said. It was hard to think about anything except her

hand on top on my own. It was intoxicating-the warm sensation of where our

skin made contact, the spaces between her fingers. I could hear her inhale and

exhale, and I knew without even looking at her that her eyes were closed as

well.

             Her eyes widened. What I saw in them made me want to drop to my knees.

She knew who I was! I could see it. She recognized me! It was real.

“The bird! You made the bird!” I bellowed. “It was yellow and its eyes were

made of stone!”

Corrine shook her head back and forth in disbelief. As I staggered toward

her, she tripped backwards and fell into the line of coffee pots behind her.

“What the? Grab him!” I heard John yell.

In all the excitement I had forgotten there were other people in the room.

“The guy’s gone nuts!” Terry screamed.

I felt their arms grab me from behind.

Marissa, who had been watching the scene unfold in stunned silence, now

ran to Corri to help her to her feet. “Get him outta here!” she yelled.

John and Terry started to pull me back by the shoulders. I swung around

and hit Terry square in the face. The smacking sound that my hand made

against Terry’s cheek shocked them enough to let me go for a second.

The enormity of what I had just done didn’t register at all.

I rushed forward, completely out of control. But as I got closer to Corri, her

image started moving away from me. Terry and John had lifted me clear off the

ground. They were carrying me by my arms, backwards, out the front door.

There was no pain as my body slammed against the cold cement outside.

Adrenaline was coursing through my veins. The feeling was in every part of

my body: every finger, every toe, was alive and on fire.

              Corrine sipped nervously at her coffee, looking for the most appropriate way

to brush over the topic. “It was just nice being able to be ourselves, ya know?

No fears, no consequences, no regrets. It’s such a significant word, isn’t it?”

“What word?”

“Lucid. It means to have a clear perception of things. Don’t you think it’s

funny that it would take a dream for us to see clearly?”

 Corrine placed her coffee on the ground next to her. “Like you,” she said.

“Who would’ve known you were like this?”

“Like what?”

“Well for one, you talk!” She laughed. “I must’ve seen you dozens of times

before. Why don’t you ever say anything to anyone?”

 “I’ve been around enough people to know what they’re thinking when

they stare at me. It doesn’t help me any to hear them say it.”

Corrine reached a hand forward and touched my knee. “I’m not gonna lie,”

she said. “You do look a little different. You know what though? I don’t even

notice it that much now that I’m talking to you.”

I looked down at her hand.

She pulled it back. “You should talk more,” she said, nodding. “Some people

might surprise you. Not all of them…but some.”

www.Natasha-r.com

www.jointhelucid.com

http://jointhelucid.com/blog/

https://www.facebook.com/natalie.roers

https://www.facebook.com/jointhelucid

Goodreads

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16214486-lucid

Please thank Natalie for joining us today! Check out her website and book!

Keep Writing!

Jodie Pierce

Tara Fox Hall and her new book!

Hi all!

Please help me welcome Author Tara Fox Hall to my blog today!

Author Bio:

Tara Fox Hall is an OSHA-certified safety and health inspector at a metal fabrication shop in upstate New York. She received her bachelor's degree in mathematics with a double minor in chemistry and biology from Binghamton University.
Tara Fox Hall's writing credits include nonfiction, horror, suspense, action-adventure, erotica, and contemporary and historical paranormal romance. She is the author of the paranormal action-adventure Lash series and the vampire romantic suspense Promise Me series, as well as other novellas. She also coauthored the essay "The Allure of the Serial Killer," published in Serial Killers - Philosophy for Everyone: Being and Killing (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010). Tara divides her free time unequally between writing novels and short stories, chainsawing firewood, caring for stray animals, sewing cat and dog beds for donation to animal shelters, and target practice.

She has a great series out called the Promise Me series. The first 3 books in the series are:

1. Promise Me

2. Broken Promise

3. Taken In The Night

and now, the fourth book in the series is:

Here are the stats: 

Book Title: Taken for His Own (Promise Me Series #4) – Vampire romantic suspense

Format: print and e-book

Pages:  247

ISBN:  9781612356228

Date Released: late April 2013

Amazon Link: N/A so far...

Blurb:          After learning Theo is alive, Sar immediately embarks on a mission to find him. Reunited, the lovers return to New York; Danial, Terianand Theo uneasily combining forces to protect Sar from Al’s assassins still seeking her. But when Sar is taken prisoner in an all-out attack, only one man can save her: her old adversary, Devlin.

Melange/Lulu link for Print, PDF and HTML copies: http://www.melange-books.com/authors/tarafoxhall/takenforhisown.html

Here's an excerpt:

“What about what you did to me?” I whispered, gazing at him and biting my lip.

“That wasn’t a whim,” Devlin said, dropping his eyes. “That was my bad judgment. Sadly, it wasn’t the worst mistake I’ve made in my life.”

“What was?”

Devlin didn’t answer. I reached out and took his cool hand in mine.

“When you lead others you must do whatever you have to in order to save your people,” he said with a sigh. “Compromising values should matter less than saving lives.”

“I agree with you,” I said. “If you rule others, you have a responsibility to them above the responsibility to yourself. But even then, I think your family should come first.”

“They should,” Devlin said in a cracked voice. He swallowed hard. “But the past can’t be undone.”

I squeezed his hand. “What happened to Danial wasn’t your fault.”

“Yes, it was,” he said softly.

“How is it your fault?” I said curiously, easing closer to him.

“Because I should have known what the thing was when it attacked. I didn’t know anything back then, except strategy and tactics. I was too concerned about rising through the ranks as fast as possible, so I could leave my family behind and become someone important.”

“What did you want to be?”

“A commander of men, either soldiers or police.”

I was surprised that Devlin would want to uphold the law or spend his life guarding others. Yet it made sense. When he’d taken me from my house years ago, he’d insisted on taking me to Danial, because I wore the choker. He was here putting himself in danger now to keep me safe.

“I knew something had attacked a few people on that road in that last month,” he continued. “I knew that there was a chance we might be attacked transporting the prisoner. But the road was the quickest way to our destination. I’d been assured that if I made the journey in good time, I’d get the promotion I wanted, and Danial would get my old position.”

“You aren’t at fault for what you did. It wasn’t for an evil reason.”

“Yes, I am,” he said despondently. “It was my greed and pride that doomed us.”

Carefully, I reached for Devlin and put my arms around him. He tensed at my touch, then relaxed.

“You did the best you could. You aren’t damned.”

“Yes, I am. You have no idea what I’ve done.”

I shifted uneasily.

“And I wouldn’t want you to,” Devlin added, his arms snaking around me loosely. “My ends have always justified the means, no matter what they were. I’ve done great evil in the hope of averting worse evil. Sometimes it worked and sometimes not. Still, it’s likely that given the chance to do my life over, I’d do the same things, make the same choices. I’d find myself here, at this same point in time, a fallen king.”

“In case you’re wondering,” I said deliberately. “I’m waiting for you to add into your speech somewhere that you regret everything you did to me while you were king…um, ruler.”

“I regret hurting you,” Devlin said quickly. “Yet I don’t regret coming for you that night or taking you to Danial.” He looked up at me. “You might not have gone back to Danial after Theo went missing, if I hadn’t. Theoron might not be here. I can’t regret any action of mine that led to him being born.”

I didn’t reply, considering his words.

Devlin laid his head against my chest, and his arms tightened on me slightly. We lay there like that for a few moments, not speaking, then I slipped into sleep.

I woke sometime later when Devlin stirred. According to the bedside clock, it was almost dusk.

“I have only one regret,” Devlin said finally, propping himself up on his elbow, his expression intent.

“What’s that?” I said, covering my yawn with my hand.

“That it wasn’t me you found in your quarry that night,” Devlin said, kissing the back of my hand with cool lips. His golden eyes locked on mine, transfixing me, as he drew my hand away from my face.

He was going to kiss me. My lips parted as my breath caught in my throat.

You can reach Tara Fox Hall at:

www.tarafoxhall.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tara-Fox-Hall/151813374904903

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5286654.Tara_Fox_Hall

http://www.amazon.com/Tara-Fox-Hall/e/B005YPAA4W

Available Now

Novels
 

Promise Me series
   

Short Stories
 

Multi-Author Anthologies
  

Please thank Tara for joining us today! Check out her websites and buy a few books! I 'Promise' you, you won't be disappointed!

Keep Writing!

Jodie Pierce

Author David R. Bennett & The Crimson Clan

Hi all!

Please help me welcome Author David R. Bennett to my blog today!

Mr David Bennett has a new book out titled The Crimson Clan released on May 31, 2013, which is the beginning of a new series featuring Destiny Phoenix, a young 16 year old girl who gains powers from here Angelic ancestors.  Very quickly she learns how to kick some butt.

Author Bio:

I am an author from Spring, TX. Spring is a suburb of Houston, Texas. I live with my wife and son. I enjoy writing all sorts of things from Science-Fiction to Fantasy to Gothic Romance to the Supernatural/ Paranormal to even Superheroes. The genres my work fit into are highly eclectic.

I love movies like the Resident Evil series, Star Wars series, Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, X-Men, Indiana Jones, Matrix, Batman (Nolan trilogy), Twilight series, Harry Potter, and even some off the wall movies like Johnny Mnemonic and Blade Runner.

I even watch the TV shows under some of the same genres from Elementary to Arrow to the Vampire Diaries to NCIS (both) to Once Upon A Time to Alphas to Doctor Who

My taste in movies, TV, and books are all spread out amongst the genres that I write. I have not had all the time to read what's in my iBooks Library but what I have read I absolutely love. Books ranging from Tarzan, John Carter, Sherlock Holmes to Rowan of the Wood, Soulsearchers, The Moon Trilogy, to the ones I've written.

 David R Bennett is an author from Spring, Texas in the United States of America. He lives with his wife, Brandy, and his son, Ethan.

David R Bennett is a pen name that comes the reordering of his initials real initials. He, also, thinks the name has a ring to it.

Not only is he an author, he, also, is an illustrator. His real name is what is credited with the cover art to his novels.

He attended Rocky Mountain College if Art + Design in Denver, Colorado where he earned a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Advertising Graphic Design. The graphic design techniques he learned in college he uses to design his covers.

He, also, reads a lot of sci-fi / fantasy / paranormal books. Some of his favorite monsters are vampires, mummies, zombies, goblins, ghouls, werewolves, etc. He has plans to write a long string of novels in the Destiny Phoenix series and a series about an alien coming to Earth in the Alien Survivor series. Both of these series are planned as Young Adult novels.

His favorite horror flick is Resident Evil because it is scary to think that biological warfare could one day result in human extinction by undead creatures. And his favorite series of films is Star Wars and is excited about the next film coming out in 2015.

Author Interview

Jodie Pierce: Tell me a little about yourself.

David R Bennett: Well, I am an author hailing from Spring, Texas just north of Houston. I was raised here and here I still remain. Also, I am a husband and father of 1. I love the paranormal works of fiction as well as sci-fi, fantasy, and mysteries. Well, mysteries are a part of most novels written, in my opinion.

JP: David R Bennett is that pen name or your real name?
DRB: It is pen name that came about from the rearranging of my real initials. I've always liked the name David and the last name Bennett seemed to have an ominous sound to it (probably since watch Heroes).

JP: How long have you been writing?
DRB: Probably my whole life in one fashion or another. I have always woven a tale or even penned poems.

JP: What's the hardest you find when creating your story?
DRB: Probably creating the background for the characters involved, if the first novel in a series. Otherwise, the not knowing what's going to happen to my characters.

JP: I assume that when you start you have some idea of what's going on?
DRB: Rarely, unless I create a bunch of title names and create small blurbs for them. I did do this for the Destiny Phoenix series. So I have a hint of what's going to happen in the series. Exactly how that all comes about is another thing entirely.

JP: Interesting. What method, if any, do you use to curb writer's block?
DRB: I've talked with other authors about this same thing. And, like myself, quite a few feel that having various projects running at the same time helps to prevent writer's block. I have a highly active imagination. Sometimes it's hard to curb, so I always have more than one project going on at the same time.

JP: What's next on your plate?
DRB: Always love to share this part. Always promoting my latest work with those I know. Right now, I am in the beginning of Alien in the Midst (a sci-fi story about an alien crash landing on Earth), preparing to tackle Destiny Phoenix and the Cry of the Wolf, and starting Mind Games about children who gain superpowers after being left for dead in car crash.

JP: Wow. That's a lot on your plate. How long do you think that the Destiny Phoenix series is going to run?
DRB: At least twelve books from what I can figure. Possibly, most likely, more. As for my others, who knows. Life is difficult and so is everything my characters will go through.

JP: Where does your inspiration come from?
DRB: My inspiration comes from multiple sources. I watch movies, TV, and read books. So from all of that. And sometimes just right out of thin air on some things.

JP: What genre does your work fall under?
DRB: Trying for YA paranormal fiction. But, really, I try to make the books where everybody will enjoy it. That was the mission of JK Rowling and I like it.

JP: What genres do you read?
DRB: I probably have something from most genres out there from YA to horror to mystery-crime to action/adventure to fantasy to space operas to paranormal to sci-fi to romance. Mostly I read sci-fi / fantasy.

JP: Who is your favorite author?
DRB: There are several that have inspired me over the years Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman (Dragonlance series), Michael Stackpole, Timothy Zahn, Stephanie Meyer, JK Rowling, and even a few contemporaries of mine such as Ann Snizek, Michael Knight, and Stephen C Ormsby.

JP: What advice, tips, do you have for others getting into the business of writing?
DRB: Write what you want to read, not because it's the in thing. And use the social media as you marketing tool and networking with other authors.  And, above all, of course, write, write, write until your story ends. That is the main thing before publishing your work.

Why write?!?

Why do I write?

That's a good question indeed. For me, I just feel the need to tell stories. I thought for a long time that I would want to tell stories graphically through the medium of comics. Then, I realized that I was too much if a perfectionist with my art ever to complete that dream.

So I went to writing stories, even with comic books you're telling a story. But this way, I bring the reader's imagination into play. Allow them to experience through my words the actions that the characters take.

And depending on what I am writing, the reader may experience things just as the character does through their own point of view as well.

The most important part that any author or creator will tell you, I love to create. I love to weave the tale which my characters will travel through. I love to see the underdog rise and triumph over the obstacles.

And I don’t write what the in thing is; I write what comes to my head and what I want to write. This usually allows for a free flowing of ideas that weaves a wonderful tale and keeps the reader wanting for more.

I don’t write overly long paragraphs. But I try to give my readers a clear and concise picture of what is going on within the scene as well as try to give everyone of my characters their own unique voice as I hear them in my head.

Now, there are various techniques on what a writer actually does to make it easier for their manuscript to get completed. But the main thing that everyone will tell you is (like the Nike slogan for years) Just Do It. Just start typing or putting pen to paper and see where you go.

That is how my novels and stories come about. I never know what twists and turns that my novels is headed to nor how long it actually will be until I put that finally word to the manuscript.

To me just writing and seeing what happens is as exciting as watching a movie for the first time. I want to learn with the characters and see how they overcome the obstacles that may or may not come at them.

I have no special formula except write, write, write until the story ends.

The Crimson Clan Exceprt

"I hope it won't take too long to find, Sandra," Destiny says.

"That depends on the power of Sandy's cell, Des." Chris mutters. "Try calling her."

I do as my hunky boyfriend suggests. I dial Sandra's phone on my brother's cell.

"Hello?" I hear from the other side of the phone with some panting in between the words. Quickly, she seems to stop. "Destiny?"

"Yeah, Sandra," I say. I can hear her gasping for breath. "Where are you?"

"What the hell is going on?" She screams into the phone frantically.

"We're on the way to pick you up."

"Can you kinda hurry," Sandra asks me. “I’ve got these weird pasty freaks on my tail. For what?  I don't know."

"Pasty freaks?" I say aloud. That's when I hear Brandon mutter some curse word and floor the gas pedal.

"Where are you at?"

"Near the Dillard's entrance by Four Oaks Drive."

"Okay, Sandra. Stay calm. We'll be there in five. Meet us at the west entrance of Dillard's."

"All right. Hurry." I hear the panic in Sandra's voice.

"Stay calm and peruse the store not to give any suspicions to the workers."

"K. See ya soon."

"Certainly." I say hanging up the phone.

"Destiny, what's going on?" Chris asks me as I can see the worry in his face. "Are the same ones after Sandy that invaded my home?"

"The exact same creatures. They want us. You, me, Brandon, and Sandra. They don't know about Little Michelle here. Let's keep it that way."

"Why?"

"We're the chosen slayers to bring balance back to this world," Brandon states. "I was sent to a boarding school for my protection when I was nine just after the birth of Destiny."

"That sucks, bro." Chris says as we reach the Mall.

It did not take us long to figure out where Sandra was. People were rushing out the doors of Dillard's in fear. Obviously, these pasty creatures were in the store and have yet to find Sandra.

However, we spot Sandra easily. She managed to mix in with the crowd that rushed out of the store. We screech to a halt. Brandon pops open the back door for Sandra to jump in.

"Sandy, get in," Brandon says to his sister.

"Your car?"

"Forget it. We can come back for it."

The dark haired brown-eyed best friend of mine, who stands at five-foot- four, an inch shorter than me, hurriedly, gets into the Tahoe. Sandra, quickly, jumps in and shuts the door.

"Chris, Miki, what's going on?" She says trying to catch her breath.

The white pasty creatures see us peel out around the Mall ring road as we make our escape after helping Sandra out.

"Hang on!" Brandon screams as one of the wraiths jumps out in front of our car. We run over it leaving a partially body badly squished all over the road.

"I've only heard if these guys before," Brandon tells us. "I don't know how to defeat them."

"Oh, great, we're screwed," Chris mutters.

He, then, gets slapped on the shoulder as their little sister sits zoned out holding her legs. Michelle is totally out of it. This is out of her level of comprehension. Or so I thought.

"Don't worry, I know to defeat these wraiths." I calmly, and confidently,  say. Where did that come from?

Character Interview.

We are here with Destiny Phoenix and her constant companion, Chris Carpenter. I sit with them to learn a little more about two of the stars of Destiny Phoenix and the Crimson Clan.

David R Bennett: So what brought you two together?
Destiny Hope Phoenix: Don't you know?!? You told the tale.
Christopher Robert Carpenter: Des, this is for the readers.
DHP: Oh, well, um, I guess, our parents. We have known each other since we were little. Our parents were the best of friends.

DRB: Were you two surprised to learn that your parents had arranged for you to be wed so young?
CRC: I'd have to say, yes. They must have suspected that something was going to happen around the 16th birthday of Des and Sandy.
DHP: Yeah, I certainly will never forget my 16th birthday.

DRB: What do you two have planned for the future?
DHP: We haven't really given that much thought.
CRC: I think that it would be nice to settle down and have a family.
DHP: A family?!? Now?!?
CRC: Why not, Des? I love kids. Even a big kid myself.
DHP: No kidding. (rolls her eyes) I want a family, too, Chris just not right now.
CRC: Okay.

DRB: So what do you think if having a twin sister, Destiny?
DHP: Right now, it's little hard to fathom. But there has always been a close bond between me and Sandy.
CRC: They seemed to act like sisters more than best friends to me for as long as I can remember. It doesn't really surprise me. Kinda makes sense.
DHP: What do you mean?
CRC: I mean that Sandy and you always acted alike. There are not a whole lot of differences between you two to be honest.

DRB: Anything you'd like to add before we wrap up this interview?
DHP: You have not let us down when it comes to retelling our tale. And I appreciate that.
CRC: I appreciate that you have some scruples when it comes to scripting your work. I,for one, am glad that not all of our private lives our shown.
DHP (blushing): Christopher Robert!

DRB: Well, it's been nice chatting with you. I will talk to you later.
DHP: Thanks for having us, David.
CRC: See you later, bro.

http://davidrbennett.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/davidr.bennett.96?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/groups/DRBStreetTeam/?fref=ts

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6949962.David_R_Bennett

http://www.amazon.com/David-Bennett/e/B00BB156GK

Twitter: drb2031

Please thank David for joining us today! Also thank Destiny & Christopher. Check out David's websites and his book at the end of this month!

Keep Writing!

Jodie Pierce