Friday, November 29, 2013

RELEASE DAY!

It's finally here! Today is the day that my book has been released! It is also a promo day for "The Threshold Child" so you can download it for free if you don't already have it. I'm so excited to see what you think of the sequel, and I hope that you all write honest reviews when you finish reading it. I always appreciate feedback, and I feel it makes me a better writer.

Remember: today is the day of the promo competition. If you share the link to "The Threshold Child" (posted below) and leave a comment here to let me know you've done it, you will automatically be entered into a drawing for a prize! Help me spread the word, because the promo only runs today!


Here is the link to share: http://www.amazon.com/The-Threshold-Child-Edition-ebook/dp/B009F2BA6C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377273464&sr=8-1&keywords=threshold+child



And don't forget to spread the word about the sequel! If you would like to purchase "Legacy of the Blood" click here.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving. It's one of my favorite holidays. I try to keep an attitude of gratitude all year, but Thanksgiving is a day that I have the opportunity to really reflect on all the blessings in my life. I have so much to be thankful for this year especially.

First and foremost, I am grateful for my family. My wonderful husband is my rock, and I don't know what I would do without him. He keeps me sane and laughing, and I appreciate all that he does for our family. My little Lewis is a ray of sunshine in our lives (in spite of his toddler tantrums), and his smiles keep me smiling as well. And Baby Girl will be joining us soon, which is a miracle and blessing in itself!

I am thankful for my extended family. I have such wonderful parents, siblings, and in-laws. They find ways to show their love and support frequently, and I love them all.

I am grateful for my neighbors. When we moved into our home I decided that I really wanted to take part in the community and make friends (our previous homes were temporary, and we didn't make much effort). We have been here for almost two years now, and I have been so warmly welcomed and included. I love feeling like I belong here, and I've made such amazing friends. I look forward to the years to come in this home.

I am thankful for the skills and talents that God has given me. I never thought that I'd actually be able to be an author, in spite of my love for writing. I just didn't think I was good enough for anyone to take an interest in my work. I don't claim to be an amazing writer, but I am humbled to know that people enjoy what I have to offer.

And, of course, I am grateful for my awesome readers! I couldn't have done any of this without you, and I wish I could thank you all personally. An author is really only as successful as the readers make her/him, so I owe everything to you.

I am grateful for my faith. In an increasingly skeptical world, faith is becoming a thing of "the past," but I would be nothing without mine. It gives me a peaceful feeling of purpose, and it gives me courage to face whatever life throws at me. I love God, and I know that He loves all of us individually. That in itself is such a blessing.

This is just the beginning of what fills my heart with gratitude, but I suppose I shouldn't take anymore of your time. Thank you so much for supporting me as an author and as a blogger. I hope that this upcoming year is as wonderful for each of you as it possibly can be.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Legacy Cover Art & Description

We are now 4 days away from the release of "Legacy of the Blood" and everything is all set to go! I thought you might enjoy a preview of what's to come, so here's the awesome cover art and the book description that will be posted on the Amazon website. Enjoy!





"Five years have passed since Adesina began on her path to lead her people, the L'avan, back to their true purpose. Her hopes for peace and prosperity are high until her husband, L'iam, is captured by an enemy bent on ultimate control. Adesina is willing to go to the end of the earth to save her husband, but as she travels deeper into unknown worlds she discovers that there is more at stake in this journey than she ever could have imagined."

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Promotion Contest

We are less than a week away from the release of "Legacy of the Blood" and I hope you're all as excited as I am! I've never tried to finish a project on a deadline (my first book sat around for years before I decided to publish it), and so I feel a definite sense of accomplishment.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I will be having another promotion day for "The Threshold Child" in honor of the release of its sequel. So, on November 29th you can download my first book for FREE! I really want to get the word out on this, so I'm having a contest to entice people to help me spread the word.

On November 29th ONLY--
Anyone who shares the following link with a promo about "The Threshold Child" (and announces that it's free for that day only) will be entered into a drawing for a prize!

Here is the link to share:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Threshold-Child-Edition-ebook/dp/B009F2BA6C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377273464&sr=8-1&keywords=threshold+child

If you participate, please let me know by leaving a comment here on my blog or on my facebook author page. The drawing will take place November 30th, and I will announce the winner here.

Friday, November 8, 2013

Final Preview Chapter

I have posted one final preview chapter of "Legacy of the Blood" on Wattpad, as a bonus for those of you who follow me there! It's a free website, and it's easy to sign up. Please take a moment to do so, and help me to build my following there.

For those of you who don't want to participate on Wattpad, you will get to read that chapter when the book is released on November 29th. Oh the anticipation!

And just so you know, I'm almost done with the revisions for the book! I only have about 13 more chapters to go (give or take some re-revisions on certain sections). I'm excited that everything is on schedule, and I'll keep you updated as I go.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Legacy Cover Art Preview

One of my favorite artists has been kind enough to work with me on the cover art for both of my books (and hopefully she'll do the third and final book of this trilogy). She sent me this sketch of her idea for the cover of "Legacy of the Blood" and I thought it'd be fun to share it with all of you. I hope it fills you with anticipation!

If you would like to see more of Alyssa's work, you can find her blog here.


Friday, November 1, 2013

Legacy of the Blood: Chapter Four

This will be the last chapter that I post on my blog before the release of the entire book! Hurray! I will be posting one more chapter on my Wattpad page in a week or so, and I'll make that announcement when it's up. I hope that you have enjoyed these little sneak peeks, and don't forget to download the book on November 29th!

 
For those of you who haven't read the previous chapters, start here.




Chapter Four: Lake Breezes


They rode directly east from the L’avan settlement, which caused Adesina to frown in suspicion. Ri’sel’s report had indicated that they would pick up L’iam’s trail if they went south. She studied Maizah’s aura, and could see no indication that she was using her special skills to track the captured king.
With each passing league, Adesina grew more impatient with the apparent waste of time and energy. Than’os and Mar’sal glanced at her with questions in their eyes at the direction they were riding, and Adesina had no reassurance to give.
When they stopped for a break at midday, she confronted Kendan. “You are not searching for my husband. We are nowhere near where L’iam was taken, and Maizah is not tracking anyone.”
“You are correct,” was Kendan’s simple reply.
The young queen felt her temper flaring up. “Then where are we going?” she demanded.
A hint of a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth, and Adesina could tell that he was toying with the idea of goading her further. Her temper had always been a weakness, and his attempts to teach her control had been in vain. He decided against it after a moment, however, and gave a direct answer. “There is one more person that we need in our party before we have any chance of success in rescuing L’iam.”
“Whom might that be?” asked Ravi as he settled on his haunches next to Adesina.
Kendan’s expression became carefully neutral. “There is a small post in a village where we can find someone with unique expertise.”
Adesina rolled her eyes. “Very specific.”
Ravi studied him narrowly. “A small post? Do you mean a Shimat post?”
There was a slight pause. “Yes.”
The Rashad’s eyes flashed dangerously. “And you are only telling us now?”
He shrugged casually, but his expression was uncomfortable. “You asked for my aid, and I am giving it. I did not deem it necessary to share every single detail.”
Adesina folded her arms across her chest and glared. “No, you offered your help and we agreed to let you come along!”
Ravi was more concerned with other things. “Our intention was to rescue King L’iam without engaging the Shimat directly. How do you expect us to walk into a Shimat post without any confrontation?”
“There is no need for worry. I have a plan,” insisted Kendan.
“I disagree,” returned the large feline. “A reckless plan is worse than no plan at all.”
Kendan’s dark eyes became hard, and his handsome features looked as if they had been chiseled from a block of ice. “If you do not wish to come with me, I am quite willing to part ways here.”
The man got to his feet and walked away, leaving the young queen and her guardian to stare after him. Adesina had rarely seen him with his emotions so close to the surface, and she was surprised to see it now. It was clear that there was something bothering him, but she was tempted to call his behavior petulant.
She turned to her guardian and spoke quietly. “Should we go pick up L’iam’s trail on our own or trust in Kendan’s plan?”
Ravi frowned thoughtfully. “I would feel better about making such a decision if I knew what that plan entailed.”
“Well, he seems to be intent on keeping it a mystery for now.”
“Which makes his plan seem suspicious,” pointed out Ravi. “I am not feeling very trusting of him in general, and this does not help the situation.”
Adesina gave a frustrated sigh. “I suppose I can understand the decision, even if I do not agree with it. He has been a Shimat for a long time, and it is difficult to let such practices go.”
Ravi was silent for several moments as he considered their options. “I feel that Maizah will be very important in our search, and I doubt that she would leave Kendan without a direct order from him.”
The young queen nodded thoughtfully. “I believe that you are right. However, we will need a plan of our own, in the event that things do not go as we would hope.”
Her guardian gave a small grunt, and the two of them walked over to where Kendan was preparing his horse to leave again.
“We will go with you for now,” announced Adesina, “but know that we will not hesitate to leave your company if your plan proves to be too dangerous.”
Her former teacher’s expression remained cold. “You may do as you please.”
The group continued to ride east, with very little deviation. Kendan was silent and withdrawn, and the others made no effort to draw him out. The L’avan didn’t trust his intentions, and he did nothing to assuage their concerns.
They saw a number of farming communities and small villages, but they kept a wide berth from civilization in general. After a while they began angling south, toward two large lakes that could be seen far in the distance.
On their fifth day of steady riding, the L’avan noticed they were headed for a group of buildings that might have been large enough to be called a town. It was situated on the banks of the smaller of the two lakes, not far from the river that fed both bodies of water. Kendan made no effort to alter their course, so it was assumed by the other travelers that this was their destination.
Adesina spoke quietly to her guardian. “Ravi, perhaps it would be wise for you to become invisible while we are in town.”
He nodded. “I agree.”
Kendan glanced over at them and asked in a casual voice, “So…you can become invisible whenever you wish?”
The Rashad’s tone became slightly stiff, but he answered. “It is a gift of my race. We can choose who sees us and who does not.”
“How is that possible?”
“Magic,” stated the large feline.
It was clear that Ravi did not wish to discuss it further, so Kendan stopped asking questions. Still, his eyes kept darting back to the Rashad, as if hoping to see for himself how it worked.
They reached the town just as the sun was beginning to set, and Kendan led the group to a modest inn. The proprietor was a robust woman with coppery hair and a wide grin. Distrust flashed through her blue eyes as she spotted the L’avan and her smile faded, but she greeted them politely.
“Welcome to Lake Breezes, the best inn in the whole of Sister Lakes. How may I assist you?”
“We would like a warm meal and some rooms, if there are any available,” said Kendan calmly. He gave a small smile, and the innkeeper found herself staring at his handsome face.
“Of course!” she blurted. “Please be seated, and I will bring it to you myself.”
Than’os and Mar’sal sat on either side of Adesina, their eyes searching the room for any signs of danger. Ravi—now invisible to anyone outside of their party—sat in a corner, where he would not be inadvertently stepped on, and kept an eye on Kendan to make sure he did nothing to jeopardize the mission. Maizah stared at the floor with no expression on her face, and Kendan continued to ignore his companions.
The innkeeper brought heaping plates of venison and fried potatoes, for which they thanked her sincerely. None of them were especially talented cooks, and living off of traveler’s bread and dried provisions quickly lost appeal.
Than’os fixed his piercing eyes on their guide as soon as they were left alone. “So? Is our mysterious ally in this town?”
Kendan placed a piece of potato in his mouth and chewed it slowly before answering. “I have reliable information that indicates so.”
Than’os had rather sharp features, but his look of incredulity made them look even more pinched. “You mean you do not know for certain?”
Mar’sal pulled at his large nose in agitation. “We will have wasted the better part of two weeks for nothing if you are wrong about this, Shimat.”
Kendan continued to eat his meal methodically. “I am aware of that, magic-user. But I doubt that I am wrong.”
“What if you are?” asked Adesina.
His frigid black eyes wavered for the first time as he looked at her youthful face. “Then I will turn Maizah over to your care and cease to interfere.”
Mar’sal muttered to himself, “In that case, I hope you are wrong.”
Than’os gave a fierce grin and chuckled softly in agreement. Adesina, on the other hand, wore a worried frown. She wasn’t sure she trusted Kendan, but it would be incredibly valuable to have his help for this mission.
It had been more than six years since she had been given proper Shimat training, and three years since she had taken part in any regular military training at all. She had been an integral part of reforming the L’avan military training program, but after she had finished teaching all of the instructors she had become preoccupied by other matters—namely her wedding and all of the duties that came with being queen.
She had done her best to stay physically fit, but if it came to any sort of confrontation with the Shimat, she would need every bit of help she could get. Especially if that help had Shimat training as well.
Adesina took a deep breath. “What is the next step in the plan?”
“I will go out tomorrow and contact the Shimat who are posted here. Any additional information we need can be found through them.”
“Will they be hostile towards us?”
“No,” Kendan replied coolly, “because you are not going with me.”
Three sets of L’avan eyes locked on him.
“That is out of the question!” hissed Mar’sal. “The last thing we need is for you to use your fellow assassins to set a trap for us!”
Kendan gave him a withering look. “If I was going to set a trap, I would have done it before coming to your camp.”
The young woman shook her head decisively. “I am not letting you out of my sight while we are here.”
“You would risk the entire mission by parading your L’avan features all over town? It is dangerous enough that we have been seen at this inn.”
“I have no intention of parading anything,” she answered shortly. “There are ways to disguise the way I look.”
“Using magic?” he inquired.
Adesina gave a single nod. “I can create an illusion around myself to change how I appear to others.”
His expression became skeptical. “If your people have this ability, then why do they not use it every time they deal with those that distrust magic-users?”
Than’os answered, his eyes fixed on his queen in apprehension. “Because it is difficult to do for more than a few minutes. Those that wish to sustain it must focus all of their attention on doing so. They cannot use their vyala for any other purpose while they maintain the illusion.”
She waved a hand impatiently. “I am sure I can maintain the illusion without any problem.”
“But you can only do so for yourself,” pointed out Than’os. He gestured to his own metallic, dark red eyes with a ring of dark green near the iris, and then to Mar’sal’s dark blue eyes with a wedge of pale yellow. “Neither of us have that ability, and it would be too great a strain for you to give all of us different appearances.”
“Then I will go with Kendan and the rest of you will stay here.”
Mar’sal’s boyish face twisted in anxiety. “Adesina,” he said quietly, knowing better than to use her royal title while on a mission, “your brother made us swear an oath to stay with you and protect you.”
She chuckled fondly. “I do not doubt that he did. That does not change our situation, though. Kendan cannot go alone, and I can only disguise myself.”
“I will go with Ma’eve and Kendan,” said Ravi, “and the two of you will stay here with Maizah. You will wait two hours for us. If we do not return in that time, you will take the Tracker and continue the search for L’iam.”
“What if she refuses to follow our instructions?” asked Than’os.
“Kendan will order her to do so,” was the simple reply.
Adesina studied her former teacher. “Will you?”
She could see his mind working out the advantages and disadvantages of this plan by the flash in his dark eyes. He hesitated for only a moment before nodding once.
“Very well.”
No one seemed completely satisfied with the arrangement, but it was a compromise that they could all agree to. They finished their meal in silence, and then followed the innkeeper to their rooms.
Adesina and Maizah shared a room, and the men shared another. The young queen was grateful for a silent companion. She was not feeling very sociable, and it was a relief to simply go to bed and try to organize the chaos in her troubled mind.
Adesina removed her boots and let down her hair, thinking over the past few days. It had not been too long ago that her primary concerns were about building materials and sugar rations. Now those domestic affairs were far from her thoughts.
Perhaps it was too much to hope for a normal life—even for a short period of time.
She knew that her future would be filled with conflict and sacrifice—after all, she had accepted the role of Threshold Child, and that would not be an easy path. Still, her heart longed for a reprieve.
L’iam had promised her that someday they would live in peace and prosperity. He had spoken of an end to the Shimat and the thriving of the L’avan. Most of all, he had painted a picture in her mind of the happy days they would share together, basking in the love that continued to grow between them.
Adesina sighed deeply and closed her eyes.
She prayed that such dreams were still possible.