Monday, May 21, 2012

Review for Miserere

I'm not the easiest person to please. As a writer I find that it's difficult to really enjoy stories as much as I used to. The writing has to be great or the story incredible for me to stop slipping into critique mode.

Miserere by Teresa Frohock did both. A story of redemption you follow Lucian as he tries to save the life of a little girl who came to him from Earth.

I became lost in the story as he ran from his twin sister who wants him under her control and to give his soul to the Fallen as she has.

Now he has to run to the only safe place for the girl and his only chance of escape, the very people he betrayed years ago.

I loved this story and highly recommend it.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Writer's VOICE Contest

Brenda Drake is doing a great contest over at http://brenleedrake.blogspot.com/ I'm definitely signing up for it.

So here goes. My pitch and the first 250 words from my book. (Okay I went to the end of the sentence.)

Being eaten by demonic wolves was noton fourteen-year-old Tiani’s to-do list. But her best friend stupidly agreed to spend the night in the forest and she’s not about to let him go alone, even if it means facing down a demon. After everything he’s done to help her through her mother’s death, it’s the least she can do.

Apparently, his loyalty isn’t as deep.

Instead of helping her fight the wolvesoff, he runs. Before the wolves can tear her apart they’re chased away by Zade, a sixteen-year-old boy possessed by a slumbering fire demon. Zade’s nothing like a real demon … at least not any demon she’s ever heard about. Demons aren’t nice, and they certainly don’t teach people how to protect themselves.

When Zade is injured helping her save her village from another wolf attack, the fire demon takes control,incinerating everything in its path. This is more like the demon she expected and he isn’t about to give Zade’s body back. Huddled in fear, the villagers agree on one thing–Zade must die before he kills them all.

But kill Zade after all he’s done for her? He’s her friend. If she hurries she might be able to save him and her village, locking the demon away once more. That is if she succeeds.Not likely. And failure … well, if she’s lucky the demon will kill her before destroying everyone she knows.

DAEMERKIN is an 85,000-wordYA fantasy told from multiple points of view. Fans of Sarah Rees Brennan’s The Demon Lexicon and Jonathan Stroud’s Bartimaeus Trilogy will also enjoy the YA fantasy DAEMERKIN.


CHAPTER 1


Claws bit into the back of Zade’s calf, tearing through flesh as they raked along his leg. He gasped, the wolf’s breath making lifting the hair on the back of his neck. He twisted, its jaws snapping shut an inch from his ear. The blade from his belt and sliced across the wolf’s throat. Hot blood sprayed over his hands, filling the air with a metallic scent. Zade turned back, his other hand rising as the rest of the pack stalked toward him. Two already lay dead behind them.

They were growing bold.

Zade’s grip on the shuriken in his left hand tightened, the sharp rounded edges brushing his skin. Three enormous wolves leapt toward him, their shoulders rustling the branches. The shuriken sailed from his fingers, catching each before they came within five feet of him. They dropped to the ground. The last three lost their nerve and fled.

Slowly his muscles relaxed. For now at least, the village was safe. He limped forward and bent down by the first monstrous wolf.

Moonlight glistened off the bloody five-bladed shuriken as Zade pulled it from the still warm body. He wiped the weapon against his pants, the gouges along his calf stinging in the cool night breeze.

I can’t believe I let them sneak up on me.
He stretched out his mind, searching the area for any more of the wolf-like maviel. The three stalked through the forest near the ridge, their flight halted. As long as they knew he was here, they shouldn’t come closer.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Editor Giveaway

There's a great giveaway going on over at C.A Marshall's site. The chance to win a full critique of a book from an editor as well as many other wonderful prizes. Make sure you take a look.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Squished

Squished by life. My husband tells me I love to torture my characters, and in many ways he's right. I never have so much fun writing as when something difficult is happening in my characters life. As I write mostly Sci-fi and Fantasy that does tend to be battles, being tortured, or trying to get out of impossible situations.

However, it's not nearly as much fun when it's happening to me. Now. In real life. (sighs)

Okay so I don't have any flesh eating monsters chasing me, or that dreaded evil wizard who wants to steal my powers and make sure I can never beat him. There's no king trying to kill me, or battles I have to wage against fellow warriors. In some ways I think these challenges would be so much easier. I've written enough of them that I'd know exactly what I had to do and would be able to move forward, sword in hand, magic blazing.

Instead I'm trapped in the horrible land of NORMAL, or not so normal. 

Squished.

It could seriously be the title for my life story.

It could probably be the title for many life stories. Life can be hard, it can slam you against walls and refuse to let you get up again. It can make everything spin out of control, steal all from your grasp and send you racing down a road to an adventure you never expected.

That's how stories start isn't it?

Even the true life ones.

Monday, February 20, 2012

An Amazing Contest

This month the Show Your Love contest is being held over at Show your Love Contest your Love Contest
It's an exciting contest, with prizes of...

DINNER WITH AGENTS AND AUTHORS!!!

Seriously everyone should take a look at this and if you intend on attending the LDStorymakers conference in May (if you haven't already got a ticket make sure you get one soon at http://ldstorymakers.com/conferences/registration/http://ldstorymakers.com/conferences/registration/)

It will be an event you won't want to miss.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

This is my entry for the Perfect Pitch contest that begins on January 17. Looking forward to any feedback. I'll be popping around to some of the other contestants and giving my input. Join us for fun and feedback.

UPDATE:

Pitch:

Two rules: Kill demons on sight, and stay out of their forest. Tiani shatters both on a dare and runs into one who saves her life, but letting him go means exile or worse… possession.


OLDER:


Pitch:

Two rules: Stay away from demons and kill them on sight. Tiani shatters both on a stupid dare and runs straight into the only demon around - a demon who saves her life.

First 150 words:

      The silence of the forest sent chills up Tiani’s back. Even the bugs were quiet. A faint red glow bathed the mountain ridge, the sky changing from the black of night. A few more minutes and the sun would rise. She swallowed past the lump in her throat. It’s just a stupid dare, but if I run back now everyone will call me coward. Her clammy fingers clenched around the leather bound hilt of the knife and she slipped it from its sheath tied around her leg. It’s probably nothing. Just a wolf, or bear. Nothing more dangerous than that.
     A twig snapped behind her and Tiani spun, scanning the treeline. “Ehlrin? Is that you?”
     Silence.
     Her heart beat in her ears, her knuckles white. Just stay calm. Oh, please just let it be Ehlrin’s stupid brothers. Please let them be playing a trick on me.
    A deep rumbling growl made her freeze in place and Tiani slowly turned.