Random Thoughts from a Random Mind...

     I'm sitting her staring at this blank page trying to figure out what to write about for this article. I wish I had something brilliant to say, something that would inspire and encourage, but alas there are no brilliant words rattling around in my head. 

So, we are going to go with the first thing that pops into my head...I call this impromptu writing and I often do it when I have writers block. Hmmm...


I want to take a moment to examine The Moment in a love story. You know what moment I'm thinking of, the one where He enters the scene and the heroine sees him for the first time. It's a pivotal moment in the book whether you realize it or not. It sets up the tone of their relationship for the remainder of the book and prepares the reader for the chemistry that will undoubtedly be slapping them in the face every time the pair share scenes together.
It's the first big moment that everyone is waiting on pins and needles for and they find it hard not to flip ahead through the intro of the story just to get to it. The Moment...here's my rendition of it. (disclaimer: this is not from any of the books I've written, nor does it relate to them, it is simply a separate short piece  I'm writing on the spur of the moment)

The Moment

Memory rummaged through the clothes on her floor as she looked for the sports bra that she was sure she had washed. She wasn't above grabbing one from the dirty clothes pile in a pinch and she was nearing that point just as she found it buried at the bottom. She grabbed the blue garment and hurried to the bathroom to change. Kara, her roommate was in the living room waiting on her so they could go do their nightly run. 

Just as Memory emerged from the bathroom there was a knock on the door. She tossed her clothes on her futon and grabbed a pony tail holder quickly throwing her hair up. She heard a deep voice coming from the living room along with Kara's and figured one of the guys they typically hung out with had come over. She grabbed her key to the apartment and tied it to her shoelace, flipped the light switch to her room and rounded the corner into the living room. Her feet jerked to a halt as her eyes landed on the owner of the deep voice that had followed the knock. Her eyes widened slightly and she knew she was staring at him, just standing there staring, but she couldn't help it. He was hot. Not in the all American sort of way, but in the I can wear a burlap sack and girls would still stop and stare. He looked over at her and piercing, clear blue eyes held her captive. High cheek bones, a strong jaw, a sharp, straight nose, and soft lips completed the handsome face. His head was shaved, not by necessity because of balding. Based on his incredible tan, she decided it must be because he worked outside and it was cooler to have a shaved head rather than a head full of dark hair. He appeared to be around six feet tall and he was muscular, and chiseled. He was the most drool worthy guy she had seen in a long time. 

"Memory," Kara's voice registered in her ears but the words were just a jumble, "This is Brad, he's a friend of mine from school."

Memory continued to stare and when Brad took a step towards her and held out his hand she finally snapped out of her lust induced stupor. She looked down at the outstretched hand and saw that it was a very masculine hand with long tapered fingers, and short, clean finger nails. As she took it she felt the firm grip and imagined that grip on her waist instead of her hand. His fore arm flexed and she decided it would be safer, and hopefully less likely of her to climb into his lap if she stopped admiring his incredible body.

"Hi," he smiled at her and her heart sped up. "Memory huh? What's your last name?"

"Zabinski."

Brad's eye brows rose. "What's your middle name?"

Memory blushed a little knowing he must think her name to be so strange. "Elizabeth."

A wry smile formed on his lips and he winked. "Is it okay if I call you Lizzy?"

Memory let go of his hand reluctantly and shrugged, "Sure."

"Brad we were just on our way out to run, you want to join us?" Kara's voice broke in and Memory took the moment to look away and pull her self together. 

He's out of your league Memory, so just smile and move on. She told herself as she waited to see if he would join them. 

"Sure, I'll run with y'all." 

Memory felt equal parts excitement and disappointment at his announcement. There was no doubt she was attracted to him, and wanted him to stay, if for no other reason than to look at him. But she was sure she would do something to make herself look like an ass. --


This moment is actually quite close to my heart, as although the names have been changed, the events are true. This is the moment I met the man I knew I would marry. That was my moment and it was every bit as intense as the scenes I write in my books. By the end of that night, when he had finally left, I sat in the floor of my apartment stretching after our work out and looked over at my room mate. I said, "Jenny, I'm going to marry him." She knew who I was talking about and she chuckled. But I knew my words were true. I had met my soul mate that night. I had had my moment and because of it, because I've experienced the intense emotions, the utter infatuation and instant chemistry, I'm able to write about it. My heart still flutters when he walks into a room, and I still get weak in the knees when he winks one of his beautiful blue eyes at me.

So here's to all those fictional moments that make our hearts fall to our feet, and here's hoping that you each have or get to have your own Moment with your true love. 

~Quinn

Do you have a business plan?

If you write for a living, especially if you self-publish, you should know that you are running a business. Your books are the products your business creates and sells to the public, and thinking of yourself as a business can help make your plans for the future more concrete. Even if you work on your own without an assistant, you are still a business and can benefit from creating a business plan.

I had thought about creating a business plan for a while, but it wasn't until I read Denise Grover Swank's series on creating a business plan for writers over on The Writer's Guide to E-publishing that I finally sat down and did it. Here are Denise's posts, which I highly recommend reading:

• A Business Plan for Self-Published Authors (Part One of a Three Part Series)
• A Business Plan for Self-Published Authors (Part Two of a Three Part Series)
• A Business Plan for Self-Published Authors (Part Three of a Three Part Series)

I followed a lot of the format laid out in these posts for my own business plan, though I made adjustments as I felt I needed them. Mostly my business plan is a guide for me for the coming year. I have a clearly defined business statement, as well as a list of my currently offered products for sale. I have a section that lists the books I plan to release this year, as well as any other formats coming from other entities (since I'm a hybrid traditional-indie author, I don't produce all of my products myself). I also list my current pricing strategy and notes about targeted promotion. I also included a schedule for this year, with dates of when I need to have certain steps done on the projects I plan to release. At the end of my plan, I also included a Five Year Business plan, which details my goals for the next five years. This includes how many books/novellas/short stories I hope to be producing each year by then, and all genres I hope to be published in.

Writing out this business plan has helped me see all the hopes and goals I had bouncing around in my head and make them feel more real and more attainable. It also helps me feel like this really is a business, and not just me playing around on my computer all day! At the end of each year, the business plan will be updated to add the projects I released that year to my current products for sale, and then new projects will go into the production schedule.

Have you created a business plan for your writing business yet? If not, have you thought about creating one?

Interview with J.A. Redmerski

Please give a warm welcome to our 

guest author of the day

J. A. Redmerski

Who do you feel is your most unique character?

I would have to choose Andrew Parrish as the most unique. Maybe it’s the way he chooses to look at life, how to live it, or both.

What would you like for readers to take away from your novel/novels?

I just want readers to be able to connect on some level with the characters I create and take with them an experience rather than just a story. With THE EDGE OF NEVER, for instance, I would hope that readers might feel somewhat inspired to do more with their lives than what they think they can and try to avoid falling victim to the monotony of everyday life. Because it doesn’t have to be that way, the same thing every day for the rest of your life.

What’s your favorite way to procrastinate?

I hate to procrastinate at all. In fact, I’m a get-it-over-with type of person. But we all procrastinate whether we want to, or not, and I suppose my ‘favorite’ way would be shopping in flea markets!

Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?

Other than flea markets, I of course love to read. I also love the outdoors (hiking, camping, biking, etc.) and I also enjoy watching my favorite television series’ (The Walking Dead, Supernatural, Being Human)

Is there one book that has had an impact on not only your writing, but on you personally?

That would be THE VAMPIRE ARMAND by Anne Rice. It’s a book that I’ve read four or five times and the one that really inspired to try to become a published author.

What is the hardest emotion for you to convey?

It's extremely difficult for me to accept praise face-to-face with someone because it embarrasses me! I get so red in the face and just want to run away, LOL.

When you were growing up, what did you want to be?

I always wanted to be an author. I started writing my first novel at the age of thirteen and before that I was always writing something, whether it be poetry, keeping up with a journal, just anything.

A big thank you to J. A. Redmerski for stopping by and of course, to all of our readers!

Interview with Jus Accardo!

Welcome to The Writers Voice!

What would you like for readers to take away from your novel/novels?

Hmm. That’s a loaded question. I could say something deep and meaningful, but honestly? I want readers to walk away from my books feeling energized and excited. I want to take readers on a thrill ride full of action and adventure that while fictional, still deals with the issues real teenagers face. I guess in short, I want to give them reality with an adrenalin laced flair of paranormal.

Who do you feel is your most unique character?

Well, Kale, for obvious reasons, is very unique. His view of the world is pure and untainted, and that’s something we don’t get to see in YA much. On the other hand, Dez, who is in most ways his complete opposite, is also something we don’t get to see often. She’s crazy and impulsive and says exactly what’s on her mind. She’s a normal teenager. She makes mistakes and bad choices. She screws up. In my opinion, she’s real.

What’s your favorite way to procrastinate?

Either baking, or this evil little app called Words By Post… I’m also a World of Warcraft junkie, so that’s always a good way to stay distracted ;D

Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?

Well, as mentioned before, I’m a WoW junkie, and I love to cook. Like, too much. My husband is convinced I’m trying to make him fat, lol. I also have three large, happy dogs that love to be outside. We live in the middle of nowhere, and have these amazing trails out behind the house.

Is there one book that has had an impact on not only your writing, but on you personally?

I can’t think of one particular book off the top of my head, but I will say that everything I read has some sort of impact on me. Anything that gets me thinking—be it inspiration or deep, soul searching thought—affects me.

What is the hardest emotion for you to convey in your writing?

I think they’re all tough, and the reason is that each character is different. No two are going to portray fear, or love, or happiness in the same way. Everyone’s going to be unique. Take grief for example. Everyone has their own way of dealing with loss. Some throw themselves into their work, while others get angry or withdraw. I think the hardest part of emotion in general is staying true to each individual character.

When you were growing up, what did you want to be?

From day one I was determined to be either a writer or a chef. My grandfather was a chef, and for the longest time, I was convinced I’d follow in his footsteps. Writing was awesome, but being a chef was more practical. A steady paycheck, ya know? I applied to the C.I.A (Culinary Institute of America) and was accepted, but I ended up passing at the last possible minute to pursue writing.

Thank you so much for joining us today Jus!

More about Jus Accardo:

Book Blurb

Toxic (Denazen #2)

When a Six saved Kale’s life the night of Sumrun, she warned there would be consequences. A trade-off. Something taken for the life they gained. But Dez never imagined she’d lose the one thing she’d give anything to keep… And as if it’s not enough Dez finds her immunity to Kale fading, the Six brought in to help Kale learn to control his killer touch starts drooling on him the moment they meet. Worse than that? Jade can touch Kale. But bimbo Barbie is the least of Dez’s problems.

After Dez and Kale got away at Sumrun, her father lost not only his most powerful weapon but an important piece of the Supremacy project. Forced by Denazen to remedy the situation, he poisons Dez and offers her a choice—surrender to Denazen for the cure…or die. Determined to find a solution that doesn’t involve being bagged and tagged—or losing someone she loves—Dez keeps the poison a secret. But when a rash of Denazen attacks hit a little too close to home, Dez is convinced there’s a traitor among them. Jade.

Sacrifices, broken promises, and secrets. Dez will have to lay it all on the line if there’s any hope of proving Jade’s guilt before they all end up Residents of Denazen. Or worse, dead…

Add Toxic to your TBR pile on Goodreads

Bio

JUS ACCARDO spent her childhood reading and learning to cook. Determined to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps as a chef, she applied and was accepted to the Culinary Institute of America. At the last minute, she realized her path lay with fiction, not food, and passed on the spot to pursue writing. Jus is the author of YA paranormal romance and urban fantasy fiction. A native New Yorker, she lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband, three dogs, and sometimes guard bear, Oswald. Her first book, Touch was released in November 2011 from Entangled Publishing. She is currently working on the next book in the Denazen series.

Give Jus a yell on Twitter, or visit her on Facebook, and her website. Thank you for visiting The Writers Voice!

Book Launch!! + Are Book Ratings Helpful?

As this is my first Writer's Voice post in 2013, I'll wish all of you a very Happy New Year to kick things off. I hope January is treating you all well!

So far, this has been a crazy year for me. As of January 22nd, I officially became a publisher in addition to an author, editor and wedding planner. Iambe Books, LLC (my publishing label) proudly launched Interred (Chronicles of the Interred #1), the debut novel of Marilyn Almodóvar. *tosses confetti*

In celebration of this momentous occasion, I would like to offer one of you an e-book copy of Interred, as well as a magnet and wristband inspired by the book. To enter, all you have to do is comment on this post. I'll give you some comment fodder shortly! For now, let's learn a bit more about the book:

Interred (Chronicles of the Interred #1)

Time has never been an issue for Baxter Jacobs, but then she never knew she had the ability to Bend it. As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Baxter inherits a pendant that will change her life.

Connected to the pendant is a dark and mysterious young man named Declan Ashdown. Trapped in a Time loop for the past 122 years, Declan needs Baxter’s help to escape. The only problem is, she has no idea how to do it.

To acquire the power she needs to free him, she’ll become one of the Interred, those whose Magical abilities emerge as they come of age. When she does, she’ll discover that Declan isn’t the only one interested in the fact that she’s a Time Bender.

As the Interment arrives, Baxter knows this will be no Sweet Sixteen. A vengeful relative and the ruthless Council are determined to control her. Declan’s powerful and charming descendant, Jack Ashdown, claims he can save her. She’ll soon have to decide who she can trust, and how to master her new abilities before Time runs out.

Now that I've caught your attention, I'll give you the topic on which I'd love your comments. It has to do with book ratings and, in part, reviews. Now that I've got seven published works of my own and I've been heavily involved in the publication of an eighth, I've read many, many book reviews. They all range in tone and content, which is to be expected. All readers are different, right?

My question is why some reviewers offer reviews of books that list only positive--often glowing--praise for the book, but they rate it less than five stars. If a reviewer doesn't rate a book five stars, shouldn't there be some reason provided? Speaking as an author, I really and truly want to know why my book didn't rate five stars when a reviewer took the time to read and review it. That way, if I see a theme among the comments, I can work on that in future books. If the review is only positive, I have no idea what I've done wrong!

What are your thoughts on this? Do you write reviews for less than five stars without explaining why you did so? Inquiring minds want to know. :) All comments will be eligible to win the Interred e-book, magnet and wristband. If you don't win but would like to purchase the book, you can do so for just $2.99 at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

For now, please fill us in on your rating and review system!

Pet Human - Views of a Cat

My Pet Human is an Author

  My name is Nosey, and I'm a cat.  You'll have to admit to yourself I'm beautiful. I know you're looking at my photo and thinking to yourself that your life would be complete if I were in it...don't kid yourself.  

  I'm sharing the top ten reasons why you'd be a better person if you had a cat.

1. Cats make humans more attractive when carried around by a human.

2.  Cats feed humans story lines through brain vibes.

3.  We're soft - enough said.

4.  A cat will exercise its human by demanding food until the human stands up and feeds the cat.

5.  A cat will listen to your story and critique it for you.

6.  Cats aren't needy like dogs.

7.  Cats are smart, and smart humans have smart pets.

8.  Cats don't have a beef with the mailman like dogs do.

9.  Cats will bring you prizes for your pillow.

10.  Its proven that stories with a cat in them will be a best seller.

Make your life better - get a cat. I was adopted from a no-kill rescue which makes my human look even better.  Toodles =^..^=

Find me on Facebook - Nosey Cattercat

Pet human is Devyn Dawson

Interview with Victoria Simcox

What gave you the idea for a fantasy book like The Magic Warble and The Black Shard?

I remember I was sitting in the movie theater watching the first Harry Potter movie when I envisioned my main character, Kristina, walking down a snowy sidewalk. At the time that was all of story I had. I went home that night and wrote my first page not knowing where the story would go.

 

If/When you have writers block what do you do?

 

I used to get writer's block, but then I realized it came to me when I got too stressed out and felt like I was pressured to write. I had to remind myself why I started writing to begin with—because I enjoyed it, not because I had to; then I relaxed. If you are an aspiring author and going through writer's block and feeling like there's nothing you can come up with to write about, or your imagination has run dry, then take a day off—go see a flick, or do something you enjoy to relax. You'll be surprised how ideas come to you when you're in a happy relaxed state of mind.

 

Are some characters harder to write than others?

 

No, I have a vivid picture of my characters in my head which makes it not to difficult for me to form their personalities. I think I draw a lot from people in my life. But I create a character from different character traits of more than 1 person.

 

If you could meet any person dead or alive...who would it be?

 

C.S Lewis: His Chronicles of Narnia have been such an inspiration to me. It would be so cool, say for instance, to have lunch with him and pick his brain on how he came up with his beloved stories.

 

What do you prefer coffee, tea, soda, water...

 

I prefer coffee to tea and I admit I'm pretty religious about having my coffee each morning and afternoon. I try not to drink soda other than when I go out to eat or to a movie, then I always have a diet coke. Eight glasses of water is my daily goal though I rarely meet that goal it's more like 4 if that.

 

Check out Victoria's personal blog @ www.victoriasimcox.blogspot.com

Laura Howard- The Forgotten Ones COVER REVEAL!

Title: The Forgotten Ones

Author: Laura Howard

Genre: NA Paranormal Fantasy Romance

Expected release date: May 15, 2013

Age Group: New Adult

Cover Designer: Stephanie Mooney 

Book Description:

Allison O'Malley just graduated from college. Her life's plan is to get a job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She doesn't have room for friends or even Ethan, who clearly wants more.

When Allison's long-lost father shows up, he claims he can bring her mother back from the dark place her mind has sent her. He reveals legends of a race of people long forgotten, the Tuatha de Danaan, along with the truth about why he abandoned her mother.

Laura Howard | Facebook | Twitter

Share on Facebook and/or Twitter and you could win a $50 Amazon (or B&N) Gift card!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't Knock Daydreaming

Don’t Knock Daydreaming.

When I was in school I’d always get yelled at because I would get caught staring off into space. My report cards would usually come with a side note saying my parents needed to deal with my daydreaming “problem.” That’s how teachers see it – a problem. But it’s not a problem; it’s a sign you’re creative.

I used to sit and think about being a superhero, about saving the world with unique powers and methods, about discovering I’m part of some sort of family lineage that entailed the responsibility of the world, and sometimes I’d just play out the scenario of me asking out the cute girl sitting next to me in class. I think I spent more time in my head than I did in the real world. Some people find that to be unhealthy, but as a writer I find it to be perfectly natural.

I tend to spend my days daydreaming and when people catch me I say, “I’m thinking of story ideas.” Which really is the truth. More often than not my daydreams become actual story plots. More than half of the scenes in Dehumanized started out as nothing more than a disorderly array of images in my head, with fragmented dialogue. When I sit down at the laptop I piece these fragments together into one long stringent, continuous story. Not to mention the slew of short stories I have saved on my computer, ready to be published when the time is right.

Daydreaming basically is brainstorming, but in your free time. The cool thing about being a writer is that you get to let these profound images in your head out into the world, let the words you secretly think be exposed, and put them both together into one big story. Daydreaming is just proof you’re creative, and the more creative you are the better writing you’ll produce. So when a teacher tells you that it’s bad to daydream, don’t listen. It’s healthy! The more you daydream the better stories you can write!

Don’t knock daydreaming. What you’re really doing is exercising your creativity.

Keep it strong!

-Michael Loring.

http://michaelloring.com/

What can Wattpad do for you?

I first heard about Wattpad early last year through a writers' email list I'm on. Wattpad is a site for writers, both professional and amateur. Anyone can post stories on the site, finished or ongoing. Other users read the stories, vote on their favorites, and comment with encouragement or feedback. There are also groups targeted toward genres or interests.

Some other writers had had great success with getting their works out to readers through Wattpad. I checked out the site and it looked intriguing, but I didn't get around to posting anything on the site until October. Surfacing, the first book of my Swans Landing series, was floundering (pun intended, it's a mermaid book!) a bit on Amazon and other ebook stores. I just couldn't seem to get much traction for the series, although sales had picked up a little since I released the second book. I wanted a way to get the book out to the target audience: teen girls who read paranormal romance. Wattpad's biggest group of users? Teen girls who read paranormal romance.

So I figured it was worth a shot and started posting chapters from Surfacing on the site. I posted two or three a week, but the book still wasn't getting many reads and had no comments. Then one of the staff members at Wattpad saw the book and read the chapters I had posted. She emailed me with an invitation to write a guest post on the Wattpad blog and become a Wattpad Featured Author. In exchange for this free advertisement of my story, I'd agree to keep Surfacing on Wattpad for at least six months. I was already posting the story there and I wasn't getting much interest on my own, so I decided to go for it.

My guest post went live on December 19, and I have been amazed and pleased with the response. Surfacing now has over 200,000 reads on the site and over 2,500 votes. I love all the comments from the readers, and many of them have said they will be or have already purchased the second book in the series for their ereaders. There is no way for me to definitively state how many sales have resulted from Wattpad, but I have seen an increase in sales of Submerging since my guest post went up.

If you're looking to get your book out in front of an audience of avid readers, consider Wattpad, especially if you write for teens. Series books are great for Wattpad because you can post the first one on the site and then tell readers where to find the rest of the series. Many of them are willing to buy the next books just to find out what happens to the characters. This is a site dedicated to storytelling, and the users want great stories to read.

The drawback is, of course, that you're giving away something for free. Some authors aren't comfortable with that and I completely understand. It was one of the things that kept me from posting on Wattpad for a long time. If you don't want to post novels on the site, you could do short stories instead. I think that short stories based on your novels are a great way to introduce Wattpad readers to your writing and your characters, and possibly intrigue them enough to buy the books.

Are you on Wattpad? Have you considered using it in your writing? Or for the readers, do you read the stories on Wattpad? If you'd like to read Surfacing on Wattpad, click here!

Brandy Nacole Guest Post!

I’m a 26 year old mother of three and married to my best friend, who supports all my crazy ideas. When I tell people I’m a writer the first question they ask of course is, what do you write about? When I tell them I write Paranormal Fiction most respond with, “Ah, another stay at home author want-to-be.” And I’ll tell you the first thing I tell them, “You’re dead wrong.”

The truth is I have been a writer ever since I could write. Sure, my first story was about an alligator and a boy named Sam. They were the best of friends and the alligator followed Sam around just like a puppy would. But as I grew up, my interest started growing in the paranormal genre. If you ask me why, I would ask you, what’s not to like? There’s magic, strength, forever love, special powers, immortality, shifting into a new being, and so much more. I know that a lot of people don’t like the paranormal, just like some may not like westerns or mysteries, but paranormal fiction has had me in its grasp from a young age.

So yes, I stay at home with my children, write paranormal fiction, and dream of being a great author, but this is not a recent development. This has been my dream since I was a little girl. I am not a stay at home mother, who decided to start writing. I am a mother, who decided to stay home to write. And that is the truth behind every indie author. We write because it’s our passion, our dream. We want to share our stories, and passion with the world. And that’s exactly what I thought when I started writing Uniquely Unwelcome, I want to share this.
I wanted to share the story of a unique girl, who was an outcast in both the Shadow World and the Human World. I wanted to share her uniqueness and the struggles she faces as she tries to help those that don’t trust her. I had to share the lonely life that girl faced and still faces, and how she handles someone actually noticing her for something other than a freak. And that’s exactly what I got to share in Uniquely Unwelcome. Then I got to continue that story in Blood Burdens.

So to answer the question, what do you write about? I write about stories I want to share.

Where you can find out more about Brandy Nacole and her books:
www.facebook.com/authorbrandynacole
www.brandynacole.blogspot.com
www.goodreads.com/brandynacole

An Excerpt from Brandy’s Book,

 Uniquely Unwelcome.

I tug on the ropes around my wrists again but I know it’s useless. I have been pulling on these ropes for hours. My wrists throb with pain. I can feel blood trickling down my hand and dripping off my fingertips.

“Let’s see how she likes this.”

My eyes go wide as the Vampire, Irving, unravels a whip. I want to scream, beg, and plead for them to show some mercy. I don’t. Even though my mouth isn’t gagged, I know better than to make a sound. It will only fuel their animalistic manner.

Ravyn laughs maliciously. Her blue eyes twinkle with a vile hatred as Irving advances on me. I glare at Ravyn. Earlier when Irving had ordered Ravyn to push wind up against me until I couldn’t breathe, she had laughed the whole time. Then when Irving had ordered her to back off, she kept pushing. She was enjoying the pain they were causing me way too much. I wonder what the Covenant thinks about her activities.

Ravyn’s laugh is infectious and the crowd behind her starts laughing too. Irving stops a few feet away from, twirling his whip at his side. As he stares at me with those pure black eyes, my heart beat picks up. I don’t show my fear but I feel it.

As Irving brings the whip up, I close my eyes and brace for the impact. The whip makes a crackling sound and just before it makes contact with my skin I jerk in my seat. I grab at the seat in front of me as I try to catch my breath. I hate reliving those horrid nightmares. It was bad enough living them.

Once I’ve calmed down a bit, I notice the bus isn’t moving. As I look up to see where we are I notice a man slowly making his way to the back of the bus. I recognize him as the bus driver. He doesn’t wear a uniform but instead regular street clothes. A blue button down shirt covers his pudgy belly, probably created from years of sitting on a bus for a living. The golden nameplate pinned to his blue shirt gives him away as the driver. Plus, the hat he wears with the company’s logo on it.

As the driver makes his way back to me, I try shaking off the memory of my dream. I shudder as chills break out over my body, sending a light tingle over my scars. The driver looks uneasily toward the front where everyone else is seated. Some Witches had been sitting in the back of the bus when I sat down, but they’d all made their way to the front. Honestly, I can’t say I didn’t expect it.

The bus driver approaches cautiously. He’s acting like I’m a hostile person. “Excuse me ma’am, I believe this is your stop.”

I look out the window. The bus is stopped out front of Pen’s Market. I shake my head, “I’m getting off at Red Tree Street.”

“I’m sorry miss but this is the only stop in town. We had to cut back on stops for economic reasons.” The man’s voice is shaky. This is the reaction I always receive from humans. They get a vibe off me that I’m not normal. Which I’m not.

My appearance is no different from any human girl. My face is framed with long black hair. I look like your average hundred and twenty pound girl but my eyes give me away. Unlike most of the other Shadows, whose eyes are a natural color, mine are pearly silver, outlined by darker silver. My pupils are dark purple, which really sets my silver off. The problem of course is that it’s not normal.

I sigh. I didn’t want to walk through my hometown just yet. I wanted to go home, gather my courage, and then set out into the town. My presence wasn’t going to be that appreciated.

About Brandy Nacole

Brandy Nacole resides in Arkansas where her imagination runs wild. Reading is her passion and writing is her obsession. Whenever she's not reading or writing, Brandy is spending time with her family and friends, throwing around crazy ideas, and laughing through the crazy moments.

Interview with Victoria Simcox

Tell us something about your books that we wouldn’t know just by reading the blurb.

 My books, The Magic Warble and The Black Shard have messages of hope, perseverance, faith and love.

 

What’s your favorite non-essential item on your desk?

 … A mug full of good coffee and sometimes candy.  I have a sweet tooth.

 What was the most challenging aspect of writing a novel?  

 

Juggling a family, daily chores, and work, makes it sometimes hard to find the time to write.

What's a typical day like for you? 

Writing, home schooling, writing, driving kids all over creation, working, writing, cooking, writing. 

Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time? 

Read, work out at the YMCA, watch movies, hike, and watch my kids' band play at gigs.

Check out Victoria's personal blog @ www.victoriasimcox.blogspot.com