Sacrifice Her Delayed

Sacrifice Her is my upcoming dystopian novella about Deidra, who runs away from being sacrificed. I had originally planned for an August 29, 2012 release. But things change and life can get in the way.

Now I have decided to make it a fall release with a possible release date between October to December of this year. Book 2  has been moved to February 2013 to facilitate time and to not interfere with my November release of Snow. I will discuss this further on Saturday. Again sorry for this delay.

The Magic 8 Ball: Part 2

Elizabeth Seckman tagged me for this meme and I posted earlier this week and received some constructive criticism. I have made some changes and decided to post again to see how you all feel about my excerpt now.

Recap: The idea of The Magic 8 Ball (I'll need a little more information) Meme is for you get answers to questions you have about your w.i.p. that needs more than a magic 8 ball answer. This meme gives you the chance to ask others about some aspect of your work in progress that you're neverous about or struggling about. I'm posting an edited first paragraph to Nevermore, my Peter Pan meets zombies novella. It has a black Peter Pan, a Lost Boys with a girl in it, a 'special' Tinker Bell and a cocky teen Captain Hook. So here we go.

Peter Pan shot another zombie in the head. The handgun a simple extension of his hand. The uncoming groans signalled it was time to regroup. He zig zagged through the streets barking orders at his scattered crew.

Once his life was different. Born in Detroit, he was working class poor. His mother Ester Morris took care of them both. Murmured little protest when he dropped out of school at age twelve. Bought him a box of six frosted cupcakes for his fourteenth birhday with his name on them. He, his best friend Spike and a few other teens hung out and ate in the dingy corridor of the apartment complex.

It was the last normal day of his life.

Two years later he was still  living a different life. One in which his very life depended on killing zombies and finding safe places to hide. But his new group of friends helped shake the dreary monotony of fighting monsters all the time. Reminding him of what once was before zombies existed and what still mattered after.

Many would think that fighting monsters equaled fun. But it's never fun when the monsters tear the world apart. It's not fun when they take away your mother.

Critique time everyone. Let me know what you think of this excerpt. What's right about it, what's wrong. Tell me everything.

Now to remind everyone of the eight persons I tagged for this meme:

Jenny Morris

Alex J. Cavanaugh

Misha Gericke

Rachel Schieffelbein

Trisha

Lynn(e) Schmidt

Summer Ross

Stina Lindenblatt

Thank you for reading and please leave me your honest opinions on my Nevermore excerpt.

Yes! Cassie has an agent!

Great news readers. Cassie Mae has gotten an agent! Many of us know Cassie through her great blog and know she works hard both as a writer and a mother. So I take this moment to congratulate her on achieving a dream for many writers.

So go on, visit her and congratulate the lucky girl already!

Magic Eight Ball: Nevermore Excerpt

Elizabeth Seckman tagged me for this meme earlier this month.

The idea of The Magic 8 Ball (I'll need a little more information) Meme is for you get answers to questions you have about your w.i.p. that needs more than a magic 8 ball answer. This meme gives you the chance to ask others about some aspect of your work in progress that you're neverous about or struggling about. I'm going to post the first paragraph to Nevermore, my Peter Pan meets zombies novella. It has a black Peter, a Lost Boys with a girl in it, a 'special' Tinker Bell and a cocky teen Captain Hook. How can things not go wrong with that combination?

Peter Pan shot another zombie in the head. The handgun a simple extension of his hand. The uncoming groans signalled it was time to regroup. He zig zagged through the streets barking orders at his scattered crew. Once his life was different. Born in Detroit, he was working class poor. His mother Ester Morris took care of them both. Murmured little protest when he dropped out of school at age twelve. Bought him a box of six frosted cupcakes for his fourteenth birhday with his name on them. He, his best friend Spike and a few other teens hung out and ate in the dingy corridor of the apartment complex. It was the last normal day of his life. Two years later he was still  living a different life. One in which his very life depended on killing zombies and finding safe places to hide. But his new group of friends helped shake the dreary monotony and reminded him both of what was and what is.

So my question is...What do you think? Hold nothing back I want your genuine opinion. I think it's pretty good but needs  more work editing wise. Since it's an incomplete first draft I'm sure that goes for a lot of budding and current authors.

Now to tag 8 people:

Jenny Morris

Alex J. Cavanaugh

Misha Gericke

Rachel Schieffelbein

Trisha

Lynn(e) Schmidt

Summer Ross

Stina Lindenblatt

Win a Free Copy of Sacrifice Her

You read right. For a chance to win a free copy of Sacrifice Her on it's release date click here. I also have my facebook page for the Sacrifice Series up. It's a little scant right now but I plan to boost it up real soon.

Also I'm officially a goodreads author. Their process is so easy and my profile is up. I've been a member since late 2011 but I never requested an author page 'til Thursday of this week. I guess if I'm on a site for authors and readers then I should have an author profile. So enter if you wish and mark your calendars for Sacrifice Her's debut.

Hookers and Hangers: Nevermore Hangers

This is my submission to the Hookers and Hangers Blogfest hosted by Falling 4 Fiction. Today I'll be posting my first three hangers for my zombie novella w.i.p. Nevermore.    I'm so happy with the responses to my Hookers post and now you'll get to see the hangers for the first three chapters. I hope you enjoy them. Just a quick statement, my fave hanger is the third one. It makes me laugh even now.

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Chapter One: "Hi, I'm Tinker Bell," she said, "and I'm a zombie."

Chapter Two: Miles ran screaming into the room with Tinker Bell close behind.

Chapter Three: "Why's a sexy girl like you living in a dump like this when I Sebastian Hook, man of your dreams, can do you much better?"

Summary: In a world full of zombies, survivors have to do whatever it takes to survive. Peter Pan and his crew of Lost Boys scavenge the ruins of Detroit for food, ammunition and anything else they can find. Their leader being immune gives them a great advantage. Then a new girl comes along, Tinker Bell. Her affliction divides them and when an accident gets Sebastian Hook on their trail things turn even deadlier than they already are. How do you defeat an enemy who can control the very thing that scares you most?

So there you have it, my hookers for Nevermore. Funny enough this started with a blurb at Entangled Publishing asking for retelling of fairy tales with zombies in the mix. I just had a thought then it expanded to this story and the title is a mixture of Neverland, stuff from the blurb and the fact that things will never be the same for anyone in the novel including Peter Pan and his crew of Lost Boys. The Lost Boys (members) are Loud, Miles, Razor and Spike. Loud is the only girl and I thought it would be a great contrast since I don't have a Wendy. Or don't I? No I don't but my mind's currently whirring about ways to bring in later in the series. Oh yeah, it's not just one book. Though I have no idea what happens next and I haven't reached the end of book one.

And for a treat. The main song for this novella is Who Dat by J. Cole.

Hookers and Hangers Blogfest: Nevermore Hookers

Hookers & Hangers Blogfest July 16th & July 18th

We all know how important the first and last lines are in every chapter. This blogfest will hopefully get your HOOKERS and HANGERS polished making it impossible for readers to put down your book and leaving them begging for more!

On July 16th, post the first sentence from each chapter.

On July 18th, post the last sentence from each chapter.

Post as many as you like!

We will be judging everyone’s first three HOOKERS and first three HANGERS. We’ll each pick two winners (MOST ENTICING HOOKER and MOST IMPOSSIBLE HANGER) making a total of ten winners! Winners will receive a 10 page (double spaced) critique and a Friday Spotlight on FFF!

This is my submission to the Hookers and Hangers Blogfest hosted by Falling 4 Fiction. Today I'll be posting my first three hookers for my zombie novella w.i.p. Nevermore. Hope they keep you wanting even more.

Chapter One: Peter Pan shot another zombie in the head.

Chapter Two: Peters' eyes roamed the hottest zombie he had ever seen.

Chapter Three: Louds' hands dug into Peters' naked chest, "Need something Miles...Tink?"

Summary: In a world full of zombies, survivors have to do whatever it takes to survive. Peter Pan and his crew of Lost Boys scavenge the ruins of Detroit for food, ammunition and anything else they can find. Their leader being immune gives them a great advantage. Then a new girl comes along, Tinker Bell. Her affliction divides them and when an accident gets Sebastian Hook on their trail things turn even deadlier than they already are. How do you defeat an enemy who can control the very thing that scares you most?

There is my submission to Monday's blogfest. Wednesday will be all about the hangers at the end of each chapter that makes us have to read what happens next.

Insurgent and Other News

YES! I finished Insurgent on friday and can't wait for the next book. Insurgent takes you on a great ride and anyone who loved Divergent (first book), has to get the sequel as soon as possible.

Summary: One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

"New York Times" bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian "Divergent" series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

On the bad news front, I've been having a lot of computer trouble. I started my new job last week and since it's from 8:30 - 5:00pm I no longer have access to the library which is my alternative when I have computer problems. One computer needs the battery replaced and heats up after being on for five minutes and the other has modem issues and can't connect to the internet. I hope to get a computer later in the year. But the computer with the modem issues will be checked by a technician on Monday so hope fully I'll have access to it again soon. Just so you know the latter computer isn't mine, it's a family member's who is gracious enough to lend it to me when he gets home at night. So I send thanks to him and I wish him the best in getting the modem issue fixed. For both our sakes.

Tomorrow is Falling for Fiction's Hookers and Hangers Blogfest. I can't wait to start posting my three hookers. I truly think my story will surprise some people. Best of luck to everyone participating and thank you Falling for Fiction for creating this blogfest. Here's the details below:

We all know how important the first and last lines are in every chapter. This blogfest will hopefully get your HOOKERS and HANGERS polished making it impossible for readers to put down your book and leaving them begging for more!

On July 16th, post the first sentence from each chapter.

On July 18th, post the last sentence from each chapter.

Post as many as you like!

We will be judging everyone’s first three HOOKERS and first three HANGERS. We’ll each pick two winners (MOST ENTICING HOOKER and MOST IMPOSSIBLE HANGER) making a total of ten winners! Winners will receive a 10 page (double spaced) critique and a Friday Spotlight on FFF!

So that's it today and best of luck with your week readers and bloggers everywhere.

Versatile Blogger Award: Thanks Peaches

  This is my fifth blogger award and I'm so happy about it. Click here to see me gush about the two awards I got before this one. I know some people don't see the significance of an award you can't feel or hold but these awards show both love and respect of fellow bloggers in the blogging community. I have to thank Peaches from Conceive Writing for this award. I met her through my Insecure Writers Support Group post and it was great to meet a fellow Jamaican writer.

Rules for accepting the award

1.   Create a post for the Versatile Blogger Award
2. Add the Versatile Blogger Award
3. In the same post, thank the blogger(s) who gave you the award and put a link back to their blogs.
4. Nominate 15 fellow bloggers the Versatile Blogger Award and inform each nominated blogger by posting a comment on each blog.
5. In the same post, share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself
6. In the same post, include this set of rules

Seven random facts about me

1. I can't swim.

2. Not a big fan of the beach.

3. For the Hookers and Hangers Bloghop I'll be posting my hookers and hangers from a zombie story with contemporary versions of fairy tale characters.

4. I bought Insurgent on Monday. So excited. Biggest shocker so far? Page 116. A doozy.

5. I hate watermelons.

6. I love bananas.

7. I really love most of the characters I create when writing. But they're a few I hate. I just can't stand them yet I love how I can weave a story around them and bring them to life for others.

Now to pass to fifteen bloggers

Elizabeth Seckman

Cassie Mae

Emily R. King

Kelley

Tara Tyler

J.L. Campbell

Amanda Hocking

Jenny

Falling For Fiction Blog - yes I awarded a blog

Hope Roberson

Clare Dugmore

Kyra Lennon

Alex Cavanaugh

Danielle B.

Rachel Morgan

So there it is. My fellow bloggers get awarded and I have a new award to gush over. Win, win.

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, where bloggers have the chance to share what they received in books that week. I'm doing mine a little early but I think you'll love the books I received.

The following books I picked up on Tuesday. Some of these books arrived earlier this year but due to mix ups and other bungling by a 'certain company,' I just found out about them in June and finally had the money to puck them up earlier this week. I got these book through E-Biz Ltd which I pay to use a U.S. Mailbox and have those books shipped to me in Jamaica. 

Without further ado, here they are.

I won this book in a giveaway hosted by the author. I got it on Tuesday and finished it yesterday. It's very good and I'll be doing a review next Thursday.

Won from another giveaway. I plan to start reading next week. The story line is very unique and intriguing.

I won this off goodreads and started reading it today. The horror genre is always changing and in this story a cat haunts a man who accidentally killed it.

This book was won from Jenny Morris's giveaway earlier this year. She's a great blogger friend of mine and this book is a great dystopian novel.

I hope you find these books interesting. I know I'm happy with my haul. I plan to purchase Collateral by J.L. Campbell and Insurgent by Veronica Roth soon.

Snow: A Big Fear for my Jamaican Novel.

Hi again. This will be my second IWSG post and I'm glad to be doing it. So what am I insecure about in my writing today? That would be about writing my stand alone novel Snow.

Snow came about as a combination of my desire to write a book set in Jamaica but my disinterest in writing just another Jamaican novel that often falls in the literary 'text book' category (despite being written as fiction for all ages) or another book about a girl or boy struggling in typical squalor or some other slap stick usual story concept for local books. So I decided to write a novel that took my love for fantasy but removed the magic. My contemporary novel Snow turns the Snow White fairytale it was inspired from on it's head. Samantha a.k.a. Snow is a child born white from two black parents, Terrence and Annabelle. After years of accusations of infidelity and one very unfortunate incident between mother and daughter, Annabelle leaves. When a D.N.A. test proves Snow is their daughter all hell breaks lose. Annabelle leaves refusing to have anything to do with either husband or daughter. After the divorce she leaves the country and Samantha who realizes her mother wasn't bad after all turns on her father. It only gets worse as he moves on and remarries and when the novel starts sixteen year old Snow is enjoying her sixteenth birthday with a member of the police force and declaring her no care attitude about her father. Terrence wants to stop her wanton ways but has no idea how and has to try not to neglect his two other kids and new wife. This novel as many twists and turns with an ending I think will actually surprise readers.

Snow's Tagline is: Real Life's No Fairytale. But what makes me nervous with this novel is that it is set in my home country of Jamaica. While most will find it exciting to write in a local setting, I'm wary. First off, I don't have a local writer or fan following. Those who comment and like my blog, writing ideas and stories are exclusively foreign. Only my poems have received local praise including Kezumie McKenzie who was a winner in a past JCDC Competition in the poetry section. I communicate with her from time to time but it's on poetry and life, not my fiction writing. I should definitely push harder to get my writing out locally but I feel little is out there. Online with fellow bloggers it feels endless. Outside my house....(crickets). You get the idea. I am excited though that yesterday Jamaican author J.L. Campbell stopped by my blog and left a comment. When I went to her blog and confirmed it was her, my heart soared. She has a new book out now named Distraction. She also has for free on kindle Don't Get Mad...Get Even and I'm a big fan of Contraband. I love her work because it's not just the typical fare and I want to read exciting books by local authors who are interested in writing. Not a celebrity shelling out a quick book or 'novel' for extra cash from fans. Or the local fare of books that pretty much tell the same story but with different characters.

But at the end of the day I know I need to expand my writing reach in my own country as well as abroad and online. It is my job as an author of my work to promote it and that's what I'll do. Wish me luck and my debut novel Sacrifice Her will be out August 29, 2012 through Smashwords. Thank you for stopping by.

Inspiring Quotes with Images

Quotes that inform and inspire are great. When pictures and images are added, even better. Enjoy.